THEWILL NEWSPAPER February 05, 2023

Anti-Money Laundering: GT Bank Stakeholders

2023 Elections: BVAS Integrity Still Intact – Igini

Fume Over Multi-Million Dollar Penalties www.thewillnigeria.com

Tinubu Battles Buhari's Allies: Mamman Daura, Auwal Abdullahi, Others

46 Years of Impactful Scheme

The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Intervention Fund, created in 1977 to stimulate growth in key sectors of the economy, has proved a success story among the states and the FCT, as Bauchi and Gombe (in North-East) showcase in this edition

With the recent hardships in our beloved country, Nigeria— fuel scarcity, deplorable economy, no power, and scarcity of cash, we all need something to elevate our mood and keep us happy. Luckily, you don’t have to spend money (I hope) doing it. Your wardrobe most likely has just what you need; a way of dressing that helps lift your mood— Dopamine dressing.

Colours play a significant role in ripping the benefits of this fashion statement, so be sure to pick the right ones to help boost your mood. Read more about how to go about this on pages four through five.

It’s barely nine days to Valentine’s Day, and if you are on crunch time to fit into that dress or suit just in time for your date, we spoke with fitness guru, Maje Ayide to give us a few tips on how to begin your journey toward achieving your weight loss goal.

I have always been a fan of gel nail polish mainly because it affords me more time to do other things plus, the drying time is technology’s best thing that has happened in the beauty industry— this is solely my opinion. And so I was heartbroken when I found out that the rays from the lamps have been linked to cancer.

I haven’t used gel polish in a really long time for a totally different reason— dark knuckles. Still, it makes me wonder what else we use that might trigger the disease. So many things we expose ourselves to either during work or socialising are now considered cancer-causing suspects. And there happen to be quite a few that we never in our wildest dreams imagine would be. We list some of them on page 6. As we recognise World Cancer Day, may we all remember to be thankful to our Creator, exercise, eat healthy and, most importantly, laugh more. It is, after all, the best medicine.

Until next week, enjoy your read.

To all our professional athletes, thousands of runners, millions of spectators, and volunteers for making this year ’s marathon a huge success.

Keep breaking the limits and never stop pushing for more.

#PushTheLimit #RunForMore

The Chal’ isGolden

Happy 50th Birthday, Wishing you many happy creative years ahead.

Chalya Shagaya

IN MAJOR SHOWDOWN AHEAD PRESIDENTIAL POLL:

Tinubu Battles Buhari's Allies: Mamman Daura, Auwal Abdullahi, Others

BY AINA OJONUGA

It is no longer news that the cabal inside the Aso Rock and the presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Ahmed Bola Tinubu, are on different pages over the fortune of the governing party in the February 25, 2023 presidential election.

The expected news now is when a Third Act would be enacted for discerning political watchers to know who has the upper hand in the supremacy battle between the warring parties before the curtain draws on election D-day.

For three days running, February 1 to 3, Governor Nasir el-Rufai of Kaduna state had taken the centre stage having unveiled the Second Act of this ongoing war with his claim on the first and second day of the new month that presidential insiders were sabotaging Tinubu and then on the third day, stated that the cabal in the villa were northerners whose identity he would take time to disclose.

“All these conspiracies and hypocrisy are by people of the North. They want to portray us as ungrateful people, especially the Northern

governors advocating for a power shift to the South and support for Asiwaju Bola Tinubu,” el-Rufai said on Friday in an interview with Hausa BBC Radio.

Two days earlier, he had told national television stations that, “I believe there are elements in the villa that want us to lose the election because they didn’t get their way. They had their candidate but their candidate didn’t win the primary election. … They are hiding behind the president’s desire to do what he thinks is right.”

Rabble rousing statements but weighty, nonetheless, because of their crisis management implications for the party in the upcoming general polls, an informed senior government source confided in THEWILL, explaining that there is little to show from checks that the accused are disturbed in any way. “They are set in their ways” because the hostility which began last year before the party’s last July presidential convention in Abuja has shown no sign of abating.

At any rate, Minister of Information and

Culture, Lai Mohammed, was quick to respond to el-Rufai’s claims, denying knowledge of any presidential opposition against Tinubu. He contended that what elRufai might be referring to as opposition was Buhari’s commitment to conduct a free and fair election.

“Free, fair and credible election actually means not favouring anybody or using anybody and everywhere he (Buhari) goes, he makes it very clear. So, if there’s anybody who is working against any candidate, we don’t know officially,” the Minister said.

UNMASKING THE CABAL

Not all members of the cabal allegedly working against Tinubu, as pointedly stated by el-Rufai necessarily reside or work within the presidential villa, according to our findings. But they operate within a structure, a formidable one that they built since the beginning of this administration and have bonded very well with the president. They

Other Buhari's Allies

have the President’s ears and attention at all times which gives them certain invincibility.

The notable persons among them, according to THEWILL checks, include Mamman Daura, the president’s nephew and the most influential of the lot; Auwal Lawan Abdullahi, a son-in-law to former military Head of State, General Ibrahim Badamosi Babangida, IBB, who recently took over Polaris Bank; Sarkin Abba, a Senior Special Assistant to the President on Domestic Affairs; and Yusuf Sabiu (Tunde), Buhari’s cousin, his Special Assistant and youngest member of the cabal. Others are Abubakar Malami, Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice; President of the Senate, Ahmad Lawan, the group’s pre–convention presidential candidate and National Chairman of the APC, Abdullahi Adamu.

However, Mamman, Auwal, Abba and Sabiu according to our checks with senior sources in the Tinubu campaign are those Tinubu believes are actively working against his victory using the naira redesign policy as well as the acute shortage of fuel as weapons. The sources insisted that the cabal is working on its own without President Muhammadu Buhari's support.

"The president is 100% with Asiwaju. There is no doubt about that," one of the sources insisted.

“We have confirmed that the NNPC has enough petrol in the depots, they (Cabal) are making it unavailable to hurt our campaign, clearly,” another campaign source told THEWILL, anonymously. The NNPCL through its Group CEO, Mele Kyari, has said the scarcity has nothing to do with politics.

BATTLE LINE

Coming a few days after Tinubu had alleged during a campaign stomp in Abeokuta, Ogun State that the powers that be were orchestrating the current fuel scarcity and currency redesign, (both of which are driving Nigerians crazy), to sabotage his chances at the upcoming polls, el-Rufai’s claim that those whose candidate lost in the party’s presidential convention were behind the subversion has once again raised the lingering power struggle between the powerful cabal and Tinubu.

A reliable source said el-Rufai’s disclosure shows that the warring sides can no longer deny there is an ongoing war between them and their supporters over who determines where the party goes in the election.

According to the source, who craved anonymity, Act One, Scene One of that ‘war’ unfolded on Thursday, June 2, 2022, the day Tinubu in Abeokuta, while seeking delegates votes for his party’s coming presidential primary on July 7, said it was his turn, (Emi lo kan) to be president after he had helped President Buhari to Aso Villa twice.

“That day, Jagaban drew the battle line through blackmail,” the source said.

The source recalled that weeks before Tinubu’s statement, Buhari had met with APC governors at the Villa and solicited their support to allow him choose his preferred candidate for the presidency amidst speculations that President of the Senate, Ahmad Lawan, was the anointed one. This later turned out to be true. Lawan became the cabal’s candidate and they pulled all the stops to make him win at the presidential primaries. They quaked when the president, in a display of statesmanship, denied supporting any candidate for the convention.

This gave the group the jitters, making party National Chairman, Adamu, who had earlier announced support for the choice, later denied it but soon let Tinubu know that he would be sanctioned for his Abeokuta declaration.

At the convention, however, Tinubu emerged victorious against all odds. The 19 APC governors from the north who supported his candidature ensured he won. Defeated, the cabal temporarily regrouped to strategise and have now chosen to support Atiku Abubakar, the candidate of the main opposition, the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP.

THEWILL recalls that the composition of the Presidential Campaign Council, PCC, provided a chance for both parties in dispute to harmonise their differences. It was not to be. The party national leadership rejected the list of names, accused the candidate of working without input from the party and demanded for an expanded, more inclusive committee. Tinubu agreed and held a meeting with

Adamu, pledging his support for the party. It did not last.

Then began electioneering with accusations and counter accusations over the perceived reluctance of Buhari to campaign for Tinubu.

WHAT NEXT

THEWILL checks show that party bigwigs are divided over the ongoing power tussle between the cabal and Tinubu.

One group thinks Tinubu’s insistence on fulfilling his life ambition to become president is feeding his ego and would make him brook no dissent. His open barbs against the policies of the administration such as the recent fuel scarcity and currency redesign have not only appeared as a direct attack on the person of the president but has also created the impression of an unpredictable character. This Tinubu persona is said to have created fear among the cabal that a Tinubu presidency would relegate all of them to the background, an unthinkable prospect for power mongers.

On the other hand, there are those who support the current posture of the candidate because they calculate that once the man had taken the gamble and won at the presidential primary, he would still prevail so long as he still commands the support of the majority of the governors from the North since the party’s convention. “It is a catch phrase of the Jagaban that power is never served a la carte. You have to go for it and grab it,” the source said.

As at the time of going to press on Saturday, tales of frustrations and pains from the scarcity of petrol and cash at banks and ATMs across the country continue to dominate the news cycle and social media. The Governor of the Central Bank, Godwin Emefiele, addressed the press on Friday night to reassure Nigerians that the apex bank, aware of the hardship being caused by the new policy, was taking measures which would yield the desired results as soon as possible.

END IN SIGHT?

With about 20 days to the election, there appears to be no end in sight in the power game between the cabal and Tinubu. If what Tinubu’s point man among the governors in the North, el-Rufai, said about plans in top gear to unveil 'elements in the cabal' after the presidential election, the days would be long with the APC going into the crucial poll distracted by the President's men.

The outcome of the 2023 presidential election is clearly going to be the most unpredictable since the country returned to democratic rule in 1999 because of the BVAS technology introduced by INEC to block voters accreditation fraud and rigging. THEWILL projects that the election will be very tight.

Not all members of the cabal allegedly working against Tinubu, as pointedly stated by el-Rufai necessarily reside or work within the presidential villa, according to our findings. But they operate within a structure, a formidable one that they built since the beginning of this administration and have bonded very well with the president

Naira Redesign: Buhari Requests

Seven Days to Resolve Cash Crunch

President Muhammadu Buhari, on Friday, urged Nigerians to give him a seven-day window to resolve the currency crunch that has emanated from the implementation of the Central Bank policy to change high-value Naira notes with newly designed ones.

A statement by Garba Shehu, Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, said Buhari made the appeal during a meeting with the Progressive Governors Forum at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, on Friday.

The Progressive Governors, led by its Chairman and Governor of Kebbi State, Abubakar Atiku Bagudu, and eleven others, had met the President to share with him the negative impact of the Central Bank's policy, which they said was threatening the good records of the administration in transforming the economy.

Addressing the Governors, President Buhari noted that the objective of the policy was not to create hardship but aim to provide the economy with much-needed revitalisation, adding that the benefits will be borne in the medium to long term.

"Unfortunately, inefficiencies and underhanded practices being carried out on the part of our banks as the primary distribution medium, have destabilised the smooth and successful execution of the policy.

"Some banks are inefficient and only concerned about themselves," he said, adding that “an extension of the time frame within which to complete this process will be made insignificant for as long as greed and selfishness continue to guide our actions," the statement quoted Buhari as saying.

Buhari said he had received and seen televised reports about cash shortages and undue hardships that local businesses and the citizens are being

Kaduna: LP Guber Candidate, Asake, Meets Muslim Clerics, Assures on Fairness to All

The Labour Party, LP, governorship candidate in Kaduna State, Hon. Jonathan Asake, has assured the Muslim Ummah that his administration would operate on the principles of fairness, equity and justice as enshrined in the 1999 Constitution.

Asake gave the assurance at the weekend in Zaria when he and his running mate, Rt. Hon Bashir Aliyu Idris, met with Muslim clerics in continuation of their dialogue with stakeholders in the state.

Catholic Women Mobilise For 2023 General Elections

subjected to and gave assurances that the balance of the seven of the 10day extension will be used to rectify whatever issues that pose a threat to successful implementation.

While continuing to monitor the situation, he assured that he will be meeting with both the CBN and the Security and Minting Company and a decision will be taken based on current realities in the best interest of the people.

The Governors, who reiterated their full support of the policy decision to redesign the currency, said they were convinced about the intent behind its thinking.

They told the President that, as leaders within the party and the government in their various states, they were becoming anxious regarding the economic impact and the potential erosion to our democratic process, particularly the upcoming general elections.

They requested the President directs an adequate injection of the new notes and the continued utilisation of the old ones until the end of the year.

In his response, President Buhari said in the consideration of the policy, prior to its initial approval, he demanded an undertaking from the CBN that no new notes will be printed outside the country, adding that he received firm assurances that there was enough capacity, manpower and equipment for the domestic execution of this exercise.

The President said he would "interrogate these assurances as part of his engagement with the responsible agencies of government."

President Buhari thanked the Governors for bringing the cries of the people to him, given their proximity to them and assured that there will be a solution to the problem.

The Women Wing of Christian Association of Nigeria, WOWICAN, Cross River State Chapter, has charged women to be fully involved in this year's general elections.

The charge was given at a Town Hall meeting organised in Calabar to perfect their participation in the general elections.

Speaking at the meeting , the chairperson of WOWICAN, Cross River State Chapter, Umo Oyo-Ita, said the project was designed to enable women to perform their civic duties and realise their potential.

"The national WOWICAN and the UNWomen have taken up the responsibility of mobilising and sensitising women to effectively participate in the 2023 general elections.

"Indeed, this project is designed to enable women and in the general elections to perform their Civic responsibilities of electing good leaders to govern and help them realise their potentials and contribute effectively to their communities.

"We are gathered in order to further strengthen the confidence of women to participate in the 2023 general elections.

"We all have a stake one way or the other in the forthcoming general elections, and so, let everyone work towards having a free and fair election as well as a peaceful society for our common good," he said.

Onne Ikwen, a representative of the state police commissioner,Balarabe Sule, said the police are ensuring that adequate security is in place to ensure free, fair and credible elections.

Also speaking, Pastor Mercy Igboke, an assistant director with the National Orientation Agency, tasked the women to do their homework and ensure no one uses their children to create havoc in the country.

On his part, Deacon Samuel Ntino, who spoke on behalf of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) tasked women to play the 2023 elections without violence.

He charged them to be conscious of the character, competence and capacity of the people they intend to vote for.

In his address, Sir Francis Edet, a member of the Etubom Traditional Council, urged women to rise up and stand for their rights.

He said as religious leaders who control large followers, majority of whom have been affected by the wrong policies of the APC government, it was imperative to seek their prayers, support and interact on the way forward for the state.

The governorship flag bearer said he will defend the rights of every citizen to exercise their sociocultural and religious freedom at all times, adding that inclusiveness will be his watch word.

A statement made available to journalists in Kaduna on Sunday by James Swam, media aide to the governorship candidate, quoted Asake as urging the clerics to deeply reflect on the prevailing economic and security situations of the state and preach the truth so that the electorate would understand what choice to make on March 11.

"I came to unveil myself to you, to seek your prayers and support to succeed in becoming the governor of Kaduna state come March 11 so that together we could secure the state and restore hope to the people.

"I will be fair and just to all citizens and segments of the state. I will rule by the principles of justice as enshrined in the 1999 Constitution as amended. I will defend all and promote all, and each person will exercise their freedom as the constitution permits," the statement quoted the governorship candidate as saying.

He lamented that poverty, unemployment, banditry, kidnapping, ethnic and religious conflicts were the result of bad leadership in the state and pledged to reverse the trends within a record time in office. He said when leaders do not operate on the basis of inclusiveness and empathy the society is bound to experience decline in all ramifications.

Asake told the Islamic clerics that only the Labour Party has the family as its centrepiece as emphasized on its logo showing a father, mother and child. He said as the party of the working class and the downtrodden, the people of the state would not regret voting the Labour Party, LP.

A cleric who spoke at the event, Imam Shugaba Abdulhamid Muhammad, urged the governorship candidate to keep to his promise, adding that it is important "to operate an open door policy" in order to be accessible to the common man.

He lamented a situation where leaders get elected and shut the door behind them, saying "if we see failure in your policy implementation, we shall express displeasure openly."

L-R: National Secretary, Peoples Redemption Party (PRP), Comrade Babatunde Alli; Presidential Candidate, PRP, Alhaji Kola Abiola; Chairman, PRP, Mallam Falalu Bello and Vice-Presidential Candidate, PRP, Haruna Zego Haro, during the PRP South West Presidential rally held at Adamasingba Stadium, Ibadan, on February 2, 2023.

FROM BASSEY ANIEKAN, CALABAR

AINA OJONUGA

POLITICS

Frontline Candidates in Last Lap of Campaign

BY AYO ESAN

With less than 20 days to the Presidential Election, the four major political parties, All Progressives Congress, (APC); Labour Party, (LP); New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and their Presidential candidates, Bola Tinubu, Peter Obi, Rabiu Kwankwaso and Atiku Abubakar respectively, have intensified their campaigns.

The campaign for the presidential and National Assembly election kicked off last September and since then, a good assessment of the campaign of the four leading candidates revealed that in terms of geographical coverage, they have done tremendously well.

It is amazing that even with the harsh economy; Tinubu, Obi, Kwankwaso and Atiku have been physically present with a high number of their supporters in every nook and cranny of the country, speaking to Nigerians.

They are currently rounding off their campaigns, they have been seen to have followed religiously their campaign time-table that covers all the six geo – political zones and they have few states to cover in the next few days.

Despite warnings from INEC, however, Tinubu and Atiku’s camps have been more engaged in mudslinging than campaigning on issues. Their actions have been rebuffed both by INEC and eminent personalities like the Sultan of Sokoto, and President of the Supreme Council on Islamic Affairs, Sultan Muhammadu Sa’ad Abubakar III.

Obi Promises End to Insecurity

The presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP), Mr. Peter Obi, has reiterated his pledge to unite and secure the country if elected president in this month’s election. Obi, who reiterated his position recently while flagging

“

Despite warnings from INEC, however, Tinubu and Atiku’s camps have been more engaged in mudslinging than campaigning on issues. Their actions have been rebuffed both by INEC and eminent personalities like the Sultan of Sokoto, and President of the Supreme Council on Islamic Affairs, Sultan Muhammadu Sa’ad Abubakar III

off his campaign in the North-West, has once more blamed the security situation in the country on bad leadership.

According to him, “the security situation is not because bandits and other criminal elements are more formidable than the government, but because of bad leadership.

“That is why the bandits are everywhere and operating almost freely, killing and causing unimaginable destruction of valuables.”

He promised to restructure the country’s security architecture and ensure the welfare of security personnel who were making sacrifices for the nation.

“We will restructure the security architecture, security personnel will be well taken care of, we will ensure their lives are taken care of so that their families are taken care of in the event of death,” he said.

He further restated that he will change the country from consumption to a production country if elected.

He said, “Datti and I will change this country from consumption to production country because of the high prices of things.

“All the vast lands in the north will be centres of agriculture. Kaduna State again will become a processing centre. The Bank of Agriculture, (BoA) will finance food production in Nigeria and all the support groups, youth, women and all Nigerians, their labour for the party will not go in vain”.

Obi also promised to create a new Nigeria where every citizen would be proud to belong.

He said “We are about to bring back that Nigeria where everybody was happy to belong”.

“We will secure and unite Nigeria. Security will come back again,” he said.

He also promised to rebuild the country if elected president.

Continues on Page 11

Tinubu Atiku

Frontline Candidates ...

Continued from Page 10

“We will stop people from looting the nation’s treasury,” he said.

Also, during a campaign in Jalingo, Taraba State, Obi promised to bring a permanent end to the incessant strikes by the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) if elected president next year.

He also promised to utilise the human and natural resources to end poverty in Nigeria.

“The insecurity in the country is persisting due to lack of job opportunities. I will bring the country back to her days of greatness and the citizens will smile again”, he said.

Kwankwaso to Guarantee LGs Autonomy

The NNPP Presidential Candidate, Dr Rabiu Kwankwaso, has promised that Local Governments in the country will become autonomous if he becomes the president.

He decried the rising poverty in Nigeria, arguing that there is the need to look at the Constitution with a view to making provisions for local government authorities to get allocation directly from the Federal Government’s coffers.

Kwakwanso has also promised to transform the nation’s maritime sector, which he said, had been neglected by successive administrations.

He said, “The maritime industry gave birth to our great party, the NNPP, so my being here is largely to listen, appreciate and understand the expectations of maritime operators from me and our party should we eventually emerge winners of the 2023 general elections.

Kwankwaso pledged to ensure that all entry examinations into tertiary institutions were free for Nigerians.

According to him, “Examination bodies are service agencies that facilitate access to higher education and training for our teaming young population.

“For our administration, no Nigerian child shall be denied the opportunity to write WAEC, NECO, JAMB, etc., because of their inability to pay exorbitant registration/ examination fees. These examinations shall be free and all application forms for admission into Tertiary Education Institutions shall also be free, Kwankwaso said;

Tinubu Prioritises National Security, Improved Economy

The APC Presidential candidate, Bola Tinubu, has said his plan if he wins the February 25, 2023 presidential election will be to ensure national security, good economy, improved agriculture, and education.

Tinubu said his objective is to foster a new society based on shared prosperity, tolerance, compassion, and the unwavering commitment to treating each citizen with equal respect and due regard.

The former Lagos State Governor has promised to build a Nigeria, especially for youth, where sufficient jobs with decent wages create a better life; Manufacture, create, and invent more of the goods and services we require saying Nigeria shall be known as a nation of creators, not just of consumers.

“Under my administration we will export more and import less, strengthening both the naira and our way of life”, he said.

Tinubu promised to protect Igbo businesses if elected President in 2023.

He said, “I believe in the entrepreneurial spirit of the Igbo. I encouraged a lot of Igbo businesses and investments in Lagos and will even do more if I become President.

“If elected, there will be no discrimination. Igbo interests will be respected and protected.

In November during a campaign rally in Owerri, the Imo State capital, Tinubu promised to establish an industrial hub across the nation and modernise the existing ones when he is voted into power.

He said he was trained by his mother who was a trader

and a market leader, saying that “I’ve been progressive in governance, not a backward thing. I want to give us our tomorrow.

In December, during a presidential campaign rally in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State, Tinubu promised to renew the hope of Nigerian youths by creating thousands of jobs if elected president of the country.

He said: “The Poverty Development Party, you know them, have collected your money since the creation of this state, and couldn’t provide the roads. Where is the job? I will create thousands of expert employment, technical hubs to link you to the rest of the world.

Atiku Abubakar Emphasise Private Sector Driven Economy

The PDP presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, has released a 5-point policy document tagged, “My Covenant with Nigerians’’.

Some of the promises contained in the document include strategies to end insecurity, speed up economic growth, as well as create jobs.

While flagging off his campaign he has promised to revive the Nigerian economy and promised to move Nigeria to the right direction.

He said: “We are here today to restate our five-point agenda, which includes to re-unite Nigeria; restore security; establish compulsory primary education and

ensure our institutions of higher learning don’t go on strike and revive the Nigerian economy.

He said, “I want to pay tribute to the press for their role in the restoration of democracy in Nigeria. Many of you have sacrificed your life and career”, he told the media at a media gathering in Lagos.

“If you look at the thriving economy in the world, they allow the private sector to run the economy. If you see the amount of work the government has to do in terms of constructing and decongesting our ports, railway, and you have to borrow, I will rather concession most of these projects to the private sector and give them tax incentives. This will bring progress, prosperity and peace”,

Atiku promised to revisit the Oronsaye report on merger of federal agencies and remove the fuel subsidy that had been a drag on the economy.

He said, “I was the chairman for the removal of the fuel subsidy committee and I recall how we removed the phase 1 and phase 2 of fuel subsidy.

"I will continue from where we stopped, remove fuel subsidies totally and channel the subsidy funds back to the economy. In other words, it’s just a fraud.”

Each of the candidates pledged to end insecurity, which is one of the serious problems facing the country.

Speaking with THEWILL, a member of the Campaign for Democracy, Comrade Sola Olawale, said the election is drawing nearer and urged the presidential candidates to sell their manifestoes to Nigerians rather than attacking each other on social and traditional media.

“Let me tell the major presidential candidates in the coming election that we are not interested in mudslinging. We know their past and they should not remind us of their dirty deeds of the past. What we want from them is to tell us what they will do for us.

“This election will not be like the other ones before, with the introduction of BVAS; we will have the right to elect those who will govern us. We won’t tolerate rigging of any kind. So you have the time now, tell us what you want to do and assure us by telling us how you will carry them out “, he said.

Kwankwaso

Atiku promised to revisit the Oronsaye report on merger of federal agencies and remove the fuel subsidy that had been a drag on the economy

POLITICS INTERVIEW

2023 Elections: BVAS Integrity Still Intact – Igini

Mike Igini is a former Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC). In this interview with AYO ESAN, he speaks on the recent Election Tribunal’s judgment in Osun State, the effectiveness of the Bimodal Voter Registration System (BVAS) and the forthcoming elections, among other issues of national importance. Excerpts:

people; either when they were in hotels, gatherings, and all that. Nobody was speaking or talking about such information.

So when we used to have good security personnel that used to mix up with the people in restaurants, bars, motor parks, and all that, it would be easy to get all this information.

Unfortunately, that does not seem to be happening right now. However, those attacks which as I told you have been longstanding, back in history; 2003,2007, for the index Years , 2011,2015 including 2019 would all not stop INEC from conducting the elections because INEC has what is called rational plan and also emergency plan, that would always be deployed while I was there and it is still there. So, Nigerians should get prepared for the election irrespective of what is going on.

But in case INEC is unable to conduct the elections, what is the position of the law? Well, of course, if there is inability on the part of INEC to conduct an election in any polling unit or even in a Ward, of course, it would have to be postponed to the next day.

The introduction of BVAS has given Nigerians the hope that the coming elections will be free and fair. But the recent judgment in Osun State where there were claims of over voting made people to start panicking, that even the introduction of BVAS may not prevent election rigging. How will you allay their fears?

First and foremost, there is no case of over voting from all the evidence that has been provided, no evidence of over voting.

What is over voting? Section 51 of the current 2022 Electoral Act says that there is an over voting when the total number of votes cast exceeds the total number of accredited persons. Is that what has been referred to in the current uninformed comments about the BVAS? The answer is, ‘No’.

The BVAS integrity remains intact. It has not been repealed by the Tribunal in Osun State. If at the end of the poll, the presiding officer who has the duty to upload the total number of accredited voters unto the Central server failed to do so at the end of the poll, but as designed by the commission in respect to the card readers, it took into account human failings, that will nevertheless, compromise what transpired at the polling units. What do I mean? The BVAS is designed in such a way that, whenever it is idle in the process of the conduct of election, it will on its own send the data to the Central Server. Particularly, the period at the end of the poll when the presiding officer is doing the sorting, and counting of the ballots, entering the scores of the parties into the form EC8A as well as even the accredited numbers , the BVAS on its own, when it is idle, will be sending to the Central server. However, at the end of the poll, when the presiding officer has given the duplicates to the party agents, the final duty of a presiding officer is to ensure that everything has been uploaded.

Now like the example I gave, if at the end of the poll, the total number of accredited voters is 150, now while the BVAS was idle, let say it has sent 100 to the Central Server, 50 will be left in the BVAS, 100 is already at the Central Server.

Howwill you react to the series of attacks on the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC‘s facilities across the country, most especially, in the South East?

It is most unfortunate that citizens of a country would attack offices of an election management body responsible for the conduct of elections in our country. Those attacks are basically attacks on our democracy. This is unacceptable.

The security agencies have the responsibilities to deal

with that. And basically for me, what I see happening is not of course new, all of us know this, even though a bad example is not a good example. Clearly it is evidence of lack of intelligence. Were there to be an effective intelligence system within the various security agencies, there is no way some of these things would not have been foiled. This is because from all that we know, in years back, when we had a good intelligence system, there was no way a group of people would attack INEC facilities, not once, not twice, across several places without detecting those

So, if Mr. James went to the INEC office in Abuja where that thing is domiciled and requested for a certified copy of the report of the total number of accredited voters that have been sent for that election. The first duty of the officer at the INEC is to first and foremost; using this analogy we are using now, to mirror what happened in Osun, would be to first and foremost check whether every data on the BVAS had been totally uploaded. If it has not been fully uploaded and as in this instance that we are using

Continues on Page 13

Igini

The BVAS integrity remains intact. It has not been repealed by the Tribunal in Osun State

...BVAS Integrity Still Intact – Igini

Continued from Page 12

now, let’s say only 100 had been uploaded but on the Form EC8A which has the original, duplicates have been given to the party agents at the polling units, it is 150. What is expected of the officer in charge is to say please, could you come back tomorrow or given another date to come back, so that he could call immediately for those particular BVAS and call the people in the respective locations in the state or anywhere, to say please upload before we proceed. He would let them know that the total number of accredited voters have not been fully and totally uploaded to the server, and urged them to please do that. But if at the time the applicant makes the request and he has been told that what we have in this instance now is only 100 or you don’t even say hundred but said it is not completed but he was insisting and said that he needed to file his petition.

What the officer ought to do administratively is to mark that report as ‘Interim’. He needs to mark it as ‘Interim’ because when he marks it as ‘Interim’ that pending the addition, aggregation or what we could see yet to be uploaded. Now, if eventually, you called that to be done and insisted that what was still left should be added to the 100, how many will that give to you? It will give you 150 accredited which tallies with what you have on the Form EC8A. Therefore, you cannot say that there is over voting here because the BVAS is the primary source of the validity of the total number of accreditation.

In fact, basically, the manual hardcopy register of voters as well as the central server, they constitute what you called secondary source or sources but the primary source is the BVAS.

To close my thoughts now, we are talking about Osun. I must say this here. We are aware; we have seen and read about the existence of three reports. The three reports in respect to the total number of accredited voters. The first one was the one that was not complete which ought to have been indicated by the commission, it ought to have said so abinitio, by way of a written evidence that this is an ‘interim’, but that was not done. When the alarm was raised, a call was made to where those BVAS were domiciled and they directed to please upload what was left.

When that was uploaded , you now have 150, using our figure in this interview which is now the second report.

Now when at the court, the court now requested on the order of the court, that look go and bring the BVAS. The BVAS that were now brought, that were now physically examined and you could see it there, eventually showed 150 and 150 tallies with Form EC8A but however different from the original incomplete one.

Now the court was now left with the discretion to choose out of the three reports. But the point that must be emphasized is that the three reports emanated from only one source, that is the BVAS

the intervention I have been having in the last few days following the many lies that are being told about the BVAS is the reason why I decided to tell the truth about the BVAS, so that people's morale is not dampened.

So that people’s confidence is not shaken about a technology; a device that we have used to conduct over 100 or so elections.

The Osun election makes it over 105 elections that we have used the technology for. It has been under pilot in several by- elections and a number of offseason elections before even the 2022 Act was signed on the 25th of February 2022. This is to tell you the journey that this BVAS has travelled, the mileage it has covered. And so go into election in less than 24 days and suddenly people are saying things that are not true. Even things that the Tribunal didn’t say. The Tribunal didn’t say what most of what people are talking about. It therefore requires clarification and a clarion call to Nigerians to disregard in its entirety all the wrong things that are being said about the BVAS. The BVAS is a technology that has been used to put the Nigerian people at the centre of electoral democracy and put the candidates at the periphery on Election Day.

With your experience as a former INEC Resident Electoral Commissioner and looking at the preparation of the commission, are you optimistic of a credible election this year?

Let me say this, hope belongs only to the living. In moments of despair, people should not dissolve into despair but should resolve to hold on to hope. And in crisis moments like this, hope is the only battle cry of any leader.

Based on concrete, realisable template, it shows clearly that our challenges of today will take us to a promising tomorrow. Therefore, my optimism is based on the fact that provisions of our Electoral Act that have been used to rig elections for over 20 years; that we have fought, that should be repealed, have now been repealed, after 20 years of the battle. This is evident in our 2022 Electoral Act that has secured innovation for INEC like the BVAS, the INEC result viewing portal, that were all designed to deal with the challenges of election rigging and election service delivery in our country. Therefore, Nigerians should be hopeful and should be optimistic, optimistic about what a collective people can achieve if they are determined, which is natural to human beings. Never before have I been as hopeful as I am today about what is coming ahead of Nigeria. Power is back to the Nigerian people. The design efforts made over the years is to put Nigerian people at the centre of our electoral democracy so that on election day, candidates will now be at the periphery while the people will be at the centre to determine who becomes what . This is why I am hopeful. I am optimistic. And if you may share this optimism with me, that will be very good.

What can you say about the

integrity of BVAS as we go into the general election in a few days ?

A country that is about to embark on a general election and you have a situation where the major tools and technology to be deployed for the conduct of election of such magnitude, suddenly there is doubt that is cast on its integrity, it is one that requires the intervention of all who know what the technology is about, to defend. That is my interest in this whole thing. Because over ten years, even before I came to the INEC and before leaving, my interests have always been in the process. That if the process is credible, the outcome will be accepted by the people without fuss. So my preoccupation with

The Osun election makes it over 105 elections that we have used the technology for. It has been under pilot in several by- elections and a number of off-season elections before even the 2022 Act was signed on the 25th of February 2022. This is to tell you the journey that this BVAS has travelled, the mileage it has covered. And so go into election in less than 24 days and suddenly people are saying things that are not true...The BVAS is a technology that has been used to put the Nigerian people at the centre of electoral democracy and put the candidates at the periphery on Election Day

Will you believe this is our country that in less than 24 days to the election, everywhere is calm. Unlike in the previous years, we do not have elections - related tension that we used to have before. I don’t know whether you observe that yourself. This is because Nigerians have made up their minds. They are determined more than ever before. Many Nigerians have now returned back to the country and most of them registered to vote during the election. That is, they will keep date with history on the 25th of February and on the 11th of March 2023 respectively. And for me, it is good luck to all of us.

EDITORIAL

Naira Re-Design Fallout And Matters Arising

The accelerated drive for a cashless economy emanating from the Naira re-design policy announced by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) on October 26, 2022 appears to have run into murky waters. The socio-economic crisis being experienced in the past few days, long after the festive period when it was predicted that the exercise would be riddled with chaos, is disturbing.

At the centre of the crisis is shortage of new Naira notes in the N200, N500 and N1,000 denominations affected by the re-design policy, while the lower denominations have virtually disappeared. The CBN had put a number of measures in place to ensure smooth implementation of the exercise. These include directing banks to open during weekends (Saturdays and Sundays) to receive deposits of the old Naira notes from customers.

The apex bank also engaged 30,000 super Agents to do currency swaps for Nigerians in outlying districts where banking services are not available to ensure that they are not in any way deprived. The earlier directive to banks to pay the new Naira notes only through their Automated Teller Machines (ATMs) have been reversed. Notwithstanding these measures, scarcity of Naira persists, frustrating citizens’ legitimate businesses and interactions.

In the process, many economic activities have been grounded due to shortage of cash. Commuters are stranded as commercial vehicles suspend operations amid soaring fares. Motorists also spend days at the petrol stations to buy fuel which has become very expensive – selling up to N450 per litre in some parts of the country. To pay for these services

has become more difficult with the increasing shortage of Naira. While the CBN maintained that a reasonable quantity of the new Naira notes has been supplied to the deposit money banks, the banks complain of inadequate stock of the new currency notes. In the process, angry customers have attacked bank staff and facilities in different parts of the country, according to reports.

The CBN has accused the banks of mismanaging the disbursement of the new Naira notes by concentrating on their high net-worth clients at the expense of small-holder customers. It also accused some members of the public of hoarding the new currency notes making effective circulation difficult. The apex bank also frowned at the abuse of the new currency notes through “spraying” at social functions.

We are aware of the desirable objectives of the Naira re-design which the CBN said was meant to curb counterfeiting, money laundering and make digital payments the norm in Africa’s largest economy. The scorecard announced by CBN Governor, Godwin Emefiele, during a meeting with the House of Representatives ad-hoc committee on the review of the Bank’s cashless policy and extension of the timeframe of the currency swap programme of the Bank on Tuesday, January 31, 2023, suggests that the exercise is successful.

Emefiele disclosed that about N1.9 trillion had so far been collected since the commencement of the exercise. He said the currency redesign policy had so far recorded about a 75 per cent success rate given the fact that many of those in the rural and underserved locations across the 36 states of the country have had the opportunity of swapping their old banknotes for the new series of the banknotes.

The CBN governor also disclosed that the exercise has achieved 75 percent

success: The money outside the banks has been drastically reduced that what is now left outside the banks is N900 billion as opposed to over 2.7 trillion Naira hitherto While we appreciate the inevitable challenges inherent in transiting from

a cash-full to a cashless economy amidst currency redesign, we urge the CBN to effectively monitor the distribution of the new currency notes by the banks and sanction those found wanting in any way.

The apex bank’s collaboration with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission. (ICPC) towards this purpose should be strengthened . The CBN should ensure that adequate supply of the new currency notes is in circulation to address the critical shortage plaguing the citizens.

We believe that when adequate supply of the new Naira notes is available, the socio-economic crisis brewing across the country due to the biting scarcity of ‘cash’ will be drastically eliminated. This should be the CBN’s target as we approach the new deadline of February 10, 2023 for the old notes to cease being legal tender. Nigerians must appreciate the fact that in the light of the current scenario, no further extensions should be expected and therefore all are better advised to act timely by embracing digital payment options. It will help to boost economic activities, grow GDP and improve government tax revenues.

The CBN and the banks should step up awareness campaigns to promote digital financial transactions to the level that is witnessed in Kenya, South Africa and Rwanda where digital payment has contributed to the growth of small and medium enterprises.

We urge the CBN to also work with the Ministry of Communications and Digital Economy, the National Communications Commission (NCC) and the telecommunication operators to work out an arrangement for collaborative activities that would make the cashless policy a real success

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

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Photo Editor – Peace Udugba

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Circulation Manager – Victor Nwokoh

Nigeria Bureau: 36AA Remi Fani-Kayode Street, GRA, Ikeja. Lagos, Nigeria. info@thewillnigeria.com / @ THEWILLNG, +234 810 345 2286, +234 913 333 3888.

EDITOR: Olaolu Olusina @OLUSINA

[Letters/Opinions: opinion.letters@thewillnigeria.com]

While we appreciate the inevitable challenges inherent in transiting from a cash-full to a cashless economy amidst currency redesign, we urge the CBN to effectively monitor the distribution of the new currency notes by the banks and sanction those found wanting in any way. The apex bank’s collaboration with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission. (ICPC) towards this purpose should be strengthened

February Elections: Nigerians Just Dey Play…

BY PRINCE CHARLES DICKSON

A person is dead, but their spirit lives; if you poke the iris of their eye, they still come alive.

Democracy has a dream-like character. It sweeps into the world, carried forward by an immense desire by humans to overcome the barriers of indignity and social suffering. When confronted by hunger or the death of their children, earlier communities might have reflexively blamed nature or divinity and indeed, those explanations remain with us today. But the ability of human beings to generate massive surpluses through social production, alongside the cruelty of the capitalist class to deny the vast majority of humankind access to that surplus, generates new kinds of ideas and new frustrations. This frustration, spurred by the awareness of plenty amidst a reality of deprivation, is the source of many movements for democracy.

Habits of colonial thought mislead many to assume that democracy originated in Europe, either in ancient Greece (which gives us the word ‘democracy’ from Demos, ‘the people’, and Kratos, ‘rule’) or through the emergence of a rights tradition from the English Petition of Right in 1628 to the French Declaration of the Rights of Man and the Citizen in 1789. But this is partly a retrospective fantasy of colonial Europe, which appropriated ancient Greece for itself, ignoring its strong connections to North Africa and the Middle East, and used its power to inflict intellectual inferiority on large parts of the world.

In doing so, colonial Europe denied these important contributions to the history of democratic change. People’s often forgotten struggles to establish basic dignity against despicable hierarchies are as much the authors of democracy as those who preserved their aspirations in written texts still celebrated in our time.

The large mass demonstrations that laid at the heart of these struggles were built up through a range of political

forces, including trade unions – a side of history that is often ignored.

In much of the world (as in Brazil, the Philippines, and South Africa), it was trade unions that fired the early shot against barbarism. The cry in the Philippines ‘Tama Na! Sobra Na! Welga Na!’ (‘We’ve had enough! Things have gone too far! It’s time to strike!’) moved from La Tondeña distillery workers in 1975 to protests in the streets against Ferdinand Marcos’ dictatorship, eventually culminating in the People Power Revolution of 1986.

In Brazil, industrial workers paralysed the country through actions in Santo André, São Bernardo do Campo, and São Caetano do Sul (industrial towns in greater São Paulo) from 1978 to 1981, led by Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva (now Brazil’s President). These actions inspired the country’s workers and peasants, raising their confidence to resist the military junta, which collapsed as a result in 1985.

Fifty years ago, in January 1973, the workers of Durban, South Africa, struck for a pay rise, but also, for their dignity. They woke at 3am on 9 January and marched to a football stadium, where they chanted ‘Ufil’ umuntu, ufile usadikiza, wamthint’ esweni, esweni usadikiza’ (‘A person is dead, but their spirit lives; if you poke the iris of their eye, they still come alive’). These workers led the way against entrenched forms of domination that not only exploited them but also oppressed the people as a whole. They stood up against harsh labour conditions and reminded South Africa’s apartheid government that they would not sit down again until class lines and colour lines were broken. The strikes opened a new period of urban militancy that soon moved off the factory floors and into wider society. A year later, Sam Mhlongo, a medical doctor, who had been imprisoned on Robben Island as a teenager, observed that ‘this strike, although settled, had a detonator effect’. The baton was passed to the children of Soweto in 1976.

The above ranting, for me, captures the frenzy in the leadup to the Nigerian General Elections next month, whoever it is one supports amongst the three musketeers, the fact is that not much will change because Nigerians still dey play... The Nigerian worker is at a crossroads, there is a potpourri of people, who want to see real change. He is the one that will play a crucial role in the general elections by exercising his right to vote and selecting the candidate, who they believe will represent their interests and address the issues affecting their daily life. It is also important for workers to actively participate in election campaigns and advocate for their rights to be recognised and addressed by elected officials.

Sadly, at the other corner, countless corrupt Nigerian workers are engaging in unethical or illegal practices, such as embezzlement, bribery, or nepotism, for personal gain. This behaviour undermines the integrity of the workplace and can harm the reputation of the organisation and in this case (the Nigerian state) and the individual. It can also negatively impact the economy and society as a whole. The government and private sector have a responsibility to take measures to prevent and address corruption among workers.

But we dey play, the POS Operator is charging 2K for 20K if you want the new currency, no matter who wins the next election, we will remain the same, because Nigerians contribute to over 50% of their sufferings, like play we fundamentally exploit our crisis against the common man. The #endsars movement looked close but it lost steam and lacked leadership and as such, the powers that be had loopholes to exploit and truth be told, we don’t seem ready for a movement.

•Continues online at www.thewillnigeria.com

Re: Open Letter to Jagaban: Maishanu’s Window Dressing Propaganda

BY SHARAFADEEN MUHAMMAD

In an attempt to present a good picture of the administration of Governor Aminu Waziri Tambuwal to the visiting APC presidential candidate, Alhaji Bola Ahmed Tinubu, to Sokoto on February 9, 2023, one Dahiru Maishanu, in a restricted circulated open letter, embarked on an image laundering propaganda for the outgoing governor

In a piece, which he titled "OPEN LETTER TO THE JAGABAN", Maishanu tried to call Tinubu's attention to Tambuwal's projects in different parts of the state, as a testimony of his achievements during the two-term tenure that he has spent as governor of the state.

He tried to do a good job of his propaganda, through a meticulous listing of those projects, which he said lined the routes from the Sultan Abubakar International Airport, up to the Sokoto metropolis. While this may be seen as a lobbying tactic to some extent for a dream political position, which he used in deceiving Wamakko in 2007, it may also be a desperate way of seeking funds to settle his medical bills abroad because he looks pale compared to years back as commissioner under the Wamakko administration.

Anyway, we would like to request him to show as evidence of some of the projects he mentioned like the University of Education he claimed inside the Shehu Shagari College of Education because the last time we checked it only existed on paper. Again, he made mention of a certain health institution that BUA Cement CEO gave out TWO BILLION (N2bn) for that project. We want evidence that the government built it "solo" as he boasted.

However, because he was only out for propaganda and image laundering for those who commissioned him to do the job, he completely ignored the very important aspect of accountability with the application of public resources to those projects. Maishanu was so excited about showcasing projects that the good people of Sokoto, generally believe to be conduits for the mindless siphoning of state resources by the Governor and his cronies.

For obvious reasons, Maishanu wouldn't want the august visitor to know that most of those projects are more of white elephant projects that do not really take into account the immediate socio-economic needs of the people of Sokoto state. The august visitor must wonder at the huge costs for the

states that these projects were embarked upon by Governor Tambuwal, at a time that the state had been overwhelmed by abject poverty that has placed the state on the map as the poorest state in Nigeria. Wow!

It is also obvious that Maishanu and his sponsors, would not like the august visitor to know that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, and the Independent Corrupt Practices Commission, ICPC, are currently investigating, allegations of humongous sleaze perpetrated by the governor and his cronies in the state amounting to over N189 billion. Is this not one of the "mother of all corruption cases under investigation"?

Therefore, the propaganda stunt should be seen for what it is, a mere deception and crafty attempt to hide the odious stench that the Tambuwal administration is covered in. We have a duty to expose the excesses of the Tambuwal administration, which is seen as the worst administration in the history of Sokoto state

We urge our august visitor not to be carried away by those projects, as they are conduits for the reckless looting of the resources of the state by the Tambuwal administration: Back to Maishanu who we have not forgotten how Wamakko lifted from a mere hassler to the prestigious position of a state commissioner of information, who was for years the mouthpiece of the Wamakko administration.

Based on the trust and confidence Wamakko had in him, he created a new ministry of solid minerals and made him the pioneer chief executive of that sensitive place. How quickly people forget good deeds because as information commissioner, Wamakko gave huge amounts of money within the range of N500 million for the resuscitation of the state-owned newspaper company, publishers of The Path Weekly Newspaper, but the sub-standard printing machines Maishanu contracted by himself were nothing, but waste products from the Netherlands.

In fact, it is on record that the substandard printing machines were the ones he was using while he was in the Netherlands. Again, both Rima Radio and Rima Television were in a nearcollapsing state when he moved to the solid minerals ministry. And lest we forget, Maishanu was picked by Wamakko because he believed in his intellectual prowess, but his stay

at the information ministry rendered government media toothless because the commissioner was busy partying rather than helping to develop the state.

Maishanu is an ingrate because the same Governor, Aminu Waziri Tambuwal, he is dining and wining with today was part of the Bafarawa Boys he was always accusing, abusing and insulting in 2006, so nothing stops him from taking Tambuwal to the cleaners when the "party is over very soon."

Before Wamakko appointed him a commissioner, the name Dahiru Maishanu, was as ordinary as that of anyone from his village. He came to the limelight in 2006 when he wrote about two or so articles attacking then-governor Bafarawa and because the electorate were eager to vote that administration out, anything negative on that administration was a soothing balm.

Therefore, the sponsored attack on the man who brought him from the hassles of a roaming freelancer dressed and made him what he has become today is not new because people like him are always greedy and greedy people never go to equity with clean hands but hands soiled with dirt. The chronicle of projects he listed is laughable because how many of these "supposedly projects" have been viable and would be viable after Tambuwal's journey to a bad ending with huge amounts at his disposal but nothing much to show?

Facts are sacred and so no amount of propaganda can erase the indelible marks Wamakko has left behind as a two-term proactive governor. We need not remind Maishanu and his sponsors that the State University, which he claimed was completed and equipped by Tambuwal was a full-fledged institution which had graduated students before Wamakko handed over state affairs to Tambuwal in 2015.

Tambuwal added only one physical structure since 2015. And for the records, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu was among the personalities that graced the commissioning ceremony by the former head of state, Abdulsalami Abubakar and even president Buhari was there at the occasion. Maybe he forgot to mention the Kasarawa Conference Centre or a deliberate omission, in order not to give credit to whom it is due.

•Sharafadeen wrote from Kubwa, Abuja.

•Continues online at www.thewillnigeria.com

• Prince Charles Dickson is the Team Lead at The Tattaaunawa Roundtable Initiative (TRICentre).

Anti-Money Laundering: GT Bank Stakeholders Fume Over Multi-Million Dollar Penalties

BY SAM DIALA

Shareholders of Nigeria’s quoted companies have slammed Guaranty Trust Bank, a member of Guaranty Trust Holding Company (GTCO) Plc, over the recent multi-million dollar penalties against its United Kingdom (UK) subsidiary for running afoul of the country’s anti-money laundering regulations. The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA), Britain’s financial watchdog, had in January 2023, fined the UK subsidiary of Nigeria’s Guaranty Trust Bank, 7.6 million pounds ($9.3m) for what it said were further failures in the bank’s anti-moneylaundering systems and controls.

“These weaknesses were repeatedly highlighted to GT Bank by internal and external sources, including the FCA, but despite this, GT Bank failed to take appropriate action to fix them,” FCA said in a statement on January 10, 2023, and a 50-page Final Notice to GT Bank seen by THEWILL.

The fine was net of 30 percent discount considered by FCA following GT Bank’s decision not to dispute the findings and agreeing to settle the penalties promptly; thus making it eligible for a discount on the fine, down from the original 10.96 million pounds ($13.3m).

The shareholders who reacted through the leadership of their various investor groups, were livid that the same GT Bank UK subsidiary was punished about 10 years ago for a similar offence. The concerned investors recalled that Britain's financial services regulator had in August 2013 fined the UK subsidiary of Nigeria's Guaranty Trust Bank 525,000 pounds ($627,323) for failing to have adequate controls to prevent money laundering.

SAATM: More African Nations Sign Pilot Implementation Project

BY ANTHONY AWUNOR

Amongst 35 African Nations that have signed Single African Air Transport Market (SAATM) commitment, 18 countries have taken further steps to signing to Single African Air Transport Market (SAATM) Pilot Implementation Project (PIP), that is, ‘Club of Ready and Willing States’ making it a historic

turning point for air transport and economic development in Africa.

The Single African Air Transport Market (SAATM) is a flagship project of the African Union Agenda 2063, an initiative of the African Union to create a single unified air transport market in Africa to advance the liberalisation of civil aviation in

Continues on page 33

“Banks are at the front line in ensuring the proceeds of crime do not enter the UK financial system,” Tracey McDermott, the FCA’s director of enforcement, said at the time. “GT Bank’s failures were serious and systemic and resulted in an unacceptable risk of handling the proceeds of crime.”

GT Bank said then that it had complied with the fine and addressed the issues. But the recent case suggests that the bank may have failed to satisfactorily address the issues in a sustainable manner which earned it the anger of the regulatory authority.

“GT Bank’s conduct is particularly egregious as this is not the first time that the bank has faced enforcement action in relation to its AML controls,” the FCA said in its January 10, 2023 statement. Stakeholders and investment experts stressed on this point in their reaction to the recent development. Many claim it stamps a dent on the corporate reputation of the bank and worsens Nigeria’s degraded image abroad. The negative impact on the Group’s balance sheet was another point the stakeholders noted. The National Co-ordinator, Pragmatic Shareholders Association of Nigeria (PSAN), Ms Bisi Bakare, expressed displeasure with the repeat contravention of the UK anti-money laundering regulations by GT Bank. She noted that the huge fines would impact on the bank’s balance sheet and deplete return on investment. She urged the bank to re-appraise its internal control systems.

Continues on page 33

MORE INSIDE

Prof Utomi Hints on Plans to Standardise Nation's Airports

Fidelity Bank Grows Profit to N52bn For FY 2022

Fidelity Bank Plc has announced an impressive growth in Profit Before Tax to N52 billi/on for the Full Year 2022. This was made known in the Bank’s unaudited statement of account presented to the Nigerian Exchange (NGX).

Air Peace Introduces Abuja-Banjul-Dakar Connections

PAGE 34 PAGE 34

According to the regulatory filing, the bank grew Gross Earnings by 33.9% to N335.897 billion (from N250.774 billion in FY 2021) and Net Interest Income by 61.1% to N152.813 billion (from N94.877 billion in FY 2021) leading to a

Continues on page 34

Onyeali-Ikpe

Agbaje

SAATM: More African Nations Sign Pilot Implementation Project

Continued from page 32

AVIATION/BANKING

Anti-Money Laundering: GT Bank Stakeholders Fume Over Multi-Million Dollar Penalties

Continued from page 32

that aviation remains the best way for Africa to connect her people and promote inter-Africa business in line with Africa’s 2063 Agenda, as championed by African leaders.

The Minister therefore, advised that, it is in the best interest of all African States to embrace the Single Africa Air Transport Market (SAATM) and the Yamoussoukro Declaration (YD). SAATM and YD aims at liberalizing intraAfrican air transport services in terms of market access and seamless air connectivity within the 54 African Countries.

According to Sirika, aviation has a huge market that should be explored by indigenous African Airlines, as no other Nations can develop the aviation sector for the continent, except the Africans.

"We need to do this in the interest of our over 1.37 billion people, which is 17.4% of the world’s population. On this note, I wish to call on Uganda to come on board by joining the other 35 African Nations that have signed the solemn commitment to SAATM, as its benefits are so huge to be ignored", he added.

Africa and act as an impetus to the continent’s economic integration agenda.

Aviation experts believe strongly, that SAATM has all it takes to ensure aviation plays a major role in connecting Africa, promoting its social, economic and political integration and boosting intra-Africa trade and tourism as a result.

The concept was initially created to expedite the full implementation of the Yamoussoukro Decision,a treaty adopted by most members of the African Union which establishes a framework for the liberalisation of air transport services.

Minister of Aviation, Senator Hadi who commended the 18 African counties recently during a meeting with General Edward Katumba Kamala, the Ugandan Minister of Works and Transportation at the Ministry's headquarters in Kampala, stated

The Minister who assured that all the paperwork that would enable Uganda National carrier, Uganda Airlines to commence scheduled direct flights between Nigeria and Uganda said that, one important area that should further enhance the diplomatic relations between both Nigeria and Uganda Countries is direct air connectivity. He equally promised to give the required political support to ensure early air connectivity between Nigeria and Uganda.

"I am by this Forum assuring all that, on my own part, I would give the necessary support towards facilitating the process in line with extant Regulations and in conformity with the International Civil Aviation (ICAO)’s Standards and Recommended Practices (SARPS). 7", he added.

He said "the two Countries realised the importance of direct air services between them when their Ministers responsible for Civil Aviation initialled a Bilateral Air Services Agreement (BASA) on 9th October, 2002 in Kampala, Uganda. This was further reviewed on 21st January, 2005 with certain provisions. It is a matter of concern that the subsisting BASA between both Countries is yet to be active as none of the designated airlines have commenced operations.

Nigeria, Sirika said, has taken further step by forwarding the initialled BASA to the Office of the Attorney General and Minister of Justice for clearance, which had been reverted to the Ministry of Aviation, albeit, with few amendments to enable the Ministry seek Federal Executive Council (FEC)’s approval preparatory to signing of the BASA by Ministers of both Countries responsible for Civil Aviation.

Gen. Kamala, during the meeting, reiterated his Country’s quest for the operation of direct flight into Nigeria using its national carrier, the Uganda Airlines.

He also sought technical cooperation and collaboration between the Nigerian College of Aviation Technology (NCAT), Zaria, and the East African Civil Aviation Academy (EACAA), located in Soroti, Ugandan. Equally, the Ugandan Aeronautical Authorities also solicited technical support from Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA).

The meeting between the two Ministers focused on the review of the subsisting Bilateral Air Services Agreement (BASA) between both countries, which was signed in 2002 and reviewed in 2005.

It also focused on how to give the necessary administrative and technical support to the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) agreed during the last International Civil Aviation Negotiation (ICAN) Event which was held in Abuja from 5th to 9th December, 2022.

“As shareholders, we are very displeased with the repeat contravention of the UK antimoney laundering regulations by GT Bank resulting in huge fines that would impact on the bank’s balance sheet.

“We know that the fines will be paid from shareholders’ fund, thereby depleting investors’ returns. Going forward, the bank must address its internal control weaknesses. It should hold the staff responsible for the lapses accountable,” Bakare said in a note to THEWILL.

In his reaction, Chairman, Shareholders Association of Nigeria, Ibadan Zone, Mr Eric Akinduro, condemned the corporate governance culture of GT Bank which he said “leaves much to be desired”. He expressed disappointment that the failure of someone to do the job for which he is paid has thrown the bank into a spate of disrepute.

“This calls for concern on the part of the bank. It shows a serious weakness on the anti-money laundering control of the bank and, as investors, we cannot continue to lose such monies.

“It is a flaw on the part of the board who seems to be losing control of the bank; something drastic has to be done to prevent such occurrence which could plunge our bank into distress,” he said.

Akinduro added, “It is unfortunate that GTB known for the culture of best practice and corporate governance is found wanting in the anti-money laundering systems and control measures because somebody failed to perform the duty he is being paid for.”

The National Chairman, Trusted Shareholders’ Association of Nigeria (TSAN), Alhaji Mukhtar Mukhtar noted that such laxities would not be tolerated in a particular Tier-1 bank (name withheld) because of the strict corporate governance in place. He urged GT Bank to be better focused on its corporate governance policy implementation.

In a note to this newspaper, the National Coordinator, Independent Shareholders Association of Nigeria (ISAN), Prince Anthony Omojola, described the penalties as unavoidable in today’s financial services industry. He however noted that incurring the wrath of regulatory authorities could impact on occupational integrity. “Ideally, it is bad for any bank to incur the wrath of any regulatory authority because of the occupational integrity involved. However, these days, it is very difficult to completely escape regulators penalties. A fine of 7.6 million pounds is relatively small given the level of their activities. I consider it an isolates offence.”

In his perspective, National President, Progressive Shareholders Association of Nigeria (PSAN), Mr Boniface Okezie, it is not only in Nigeria that operators look for how to

legitimately take money from the operators. He however cautioned GT Bank to improve in their systems and controls to avoid regulatory penalties.

“In the course of doing business, you must contravene one infringement or the other, just the way the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) penalises Nigerian banks. It is not only in the UK that regulators penalise operators.

“My advice to GT Bank and others is to be careful in their activities outside the country to avoid paying out such a huge amount to regulatory bodies who are always looking for how to legitimately take money from the operators,” Okezie told THEWILL in a note.

“The UK is not Nigeria where things can be manipulated. They (GT Bank) must watch out against heading to the rocks because UK is not a place to escape from infringement consequences”, Doyen of the Stockbrokers and Director at UIDC Securities Limited, Sam Ndata, observed.

THEWILL contacted FCA headquarters in London through e-mail for comments. In a response signed by Max Clements of the Press Office, Communications Division, the UK financial regulatory body said, they would not comment on individual firms but confirmed the 525,000 pounds fine issued GT Bank in 2013.

“We cannot comment on individual firms. Regulated firms are subject to ongoing risk-based supervision to ensure they fulfil their requirements under the Money Laundering Regulations.

“Repeated misconduct is unacceptable and will not be tolerated. Firms must play their part in the fight against financial crime by ensuring they have effective AntiMoney Laundering systems and controls in place.

“Where improvement is required, this should be completed in a timely manner and monitored appropriately,” FCA stated in a background document to the Final Notice issued GT Bank on January 10, 2023, seen by THEWIL. The

Sirika

It is in the best interest of all African States to embrace the Single Africa Air Transport Market (SAATM) and the Yamoussoukro Declaration (YD). SAATM and YD aims at liberalizing intraAfrican air transport services in terms of market access and seamless air connectivity within the 54 African Countries

GT Bank’s conduct is particularly egregious as this is not the first time that the bank has faced enforcement action in relation to its AML controls

Fidelity Bank Grows Profit to N52bn For FY 2022

Profit After Tax of N47.163billion for FY 2022 (from N35.579billion in FY 2021).

Similarly, Total Assets for the Bank presently grew to N3.9 trillion from N3.28 trillion in FY 2021) and Deposit from Customers is now at N2.591 trillion from N2.024 trillion in FY 2021.

Analysts posited that this is yet another strong showing for the tier-one bank having sustained impressive performance year-on-year even in the face of the headwinds in the economy.

Despite growing its Gross Earnings at an impressive rate, the bank has managed to record one of the lowest Non-Performing Loans (NPL) ratios in the Nigerian banking industry,

The growth in profits was due to the

increase in gross earnings despite inflationary pressure and depreciation of the naira contributing to the Gross Earnings which increased during the period by 33.9% to stand at N335.897 billion.

In retrospect, shares of Fidelity Bank Plc were among some of analysts’ top picks for 2022, between January 1 and April 6, 2022. By the close of trading for the year on December 30, 2022, Fidelity Bank shares had outperformed the market.

The bank’s share price gained 70.6% YTD, ranking it 13th on the NGX in terms of year-to-date performance and the 8th most traded stock over the past three months, justifying analysts’ BUY rating given to the stock at the beginning of the year.

Prof Utomi Hints on Plans to Standardise Nation's Airports

Renowned political economist and Labour Party chieftain, Prof Pat Utomi has revealed his party's plan to standardise all the nation's airports to meet up international standard.

Prof Utomi promised that if the party is voted into power, it will sack any airport manager, managing an airport that does not measure up to international standards after six months.

Utomi disclosed this during quarterly Aviation Safety Round Table Initiative Business Breakfast Meeting (BBM) in Lagos themed: ‘Aviation in Nigeria Beyond 2023 General Election Challenges & Prospects’.

According to the professor, there is no reason why Nigerian airports should not be properly managed to provide common services that meet up to international standards.

“If we get into government, we would fire any airport manager if in six months, the airport he manages does meet standards seen in other parts of the world.

“What is so difficult about having a toilet that is clean that people can use at our airports? Our politics should be about detailing how things happen and how people should be held accountable if it does not happen. We travel all over the world and come back to see something

Air Peace Introduces Abuja-Banjul-Dakar Connections

Air Peace has announced the addition of Abuja-Banjul and Abuja-Dakar connections to its regional network of seven West African cities. This is just as the airline has also kicked off plans to launch flight operations into Maiduguri and Jos.

Continued from page 33

...GT Bank Stakeholders Fume Over Multi-Million Dollar Penalties

50-page document contains the following excerpts in paragraphs 2.4-2.6:

“GT Bank should have played its part in the fight against financial crime by ensuring it had in place effective anti-money laundering (“AML”) systems and controls. These are required in order to mitigate the risk of individuals and organisations using financial institutions to circumvent restrictions designed to prevent them benefitting from assets obtained by illegal means.

“Instead, GT Bank failed to ensure compliance with its regulatory obligations in respect of its systems and controls relating to AML during the relevant period.

“This is not the first time GT Bank has been disciplined by the Authority for serious weaknesses in its AML systems and controls. By a Final Notice, dated 8 August 2013, GT Bank was fined £525,000 by the Authority for similar failings in relation to its AML systems and controls.

“The Authority considers this repeated misconduct to be a direct result of the inability of the senior management within GT Bank, over a prolonged period of time, to formulate and implement an effective plan capable of addressing the weaknesses identified within its AML and financial crime systems and controls.

“As this behaviour mirrored previous misconduct, the Authority has significantly increased the penalty to be paid by GT Bank.

different. This will no longer be allowed,” Utomi said.

Speaking on some of the plans of the party for the aviation industry, Utomi said the party plans to build many cities in Nigeria and link these cities using intermodal transport systems.

He said there has to be rail systems and small propeller aircraft and airports linked to these hubs, adding that the aviation industry has to be positioned to drive these developments.

Utomi said the biggest challenge to development in Nigeria is weak institutions.

“This is no longer the moment for politics of transactions. It is time to redeem the nation. When people know there are consequences for their actions, then they will begin to do the right things,” he added.

He said once a government insists on the rule of law, institutions will begin to do what is right.

The Business Breakfast Meeting was organized by Aviation Safety Round Table Initiative (ART) an apolitical aviationbased non-governmental organisation (NGO) established to advocate air safety and security in all areas of the aviation industry.

Air Peace Spokesperson, Stanley Olisa, who disclosed this in a news release issued to journalists recently stated that the introduced regional connections from Abuja operate on Mondays and Fridays. He added that Air Peace is finalising plans to expand its presence in the North East and North Central cities of Maiduguri and Jos and launch dates will be announced soon. Air Peace already operates three routes in the regions- Gombe, Ilorin and Makurdi.

"These new connections and planned routes are a further testament to our determination to continually interconnect Nigeria, giving Nigerians more network options and seamless connectivity. Also, Mumbai, Tel Aviv, Malabo and Congo Kinshasa are in the works", Olisa asserted.

The airline said in January 2023 that it has 38 aircraft and is expecting eight brand new Embraer 195-E2s from its firm order in 2019 and additional 15 brand new Boeing 737 Max 8 and 10 orders.

Air Peace has a fleet comprising Boeing 777, Boeing 737, Embraer 195-E2, Airbus 320, ERJ 145 and Dornier 328 Jet.

“GT Bank breached Principle 3 (management and control) of the Authority’s Principles for Businesses (“the Principles”) between 21 October 2014 and 12 July 2019 (“the relevant period”) by failing to take reasonable care to organise and control its AML processes responsibly and effectively, with adequate risk management systems.”

When contacted, Relationship Manager at Guranty Trust Holdings Company Plc, referred this newspaper to the Group’s statement on the recent penalty, indicating the steps it had taken to address the regulatory gaps.

Commenting on the issue, Managing Director of GTBank UK, Mr. Gbenga Alade, said: “As a responsible financial services institution that is committed to best practices, GTBank UK takes its AML obligations extremely seriously. We note with sincere regret the FCA’s findings regarding AML control gaps in our operations in the past and we are very sorry for this.”

He further stated; “We would like to assure all our stakeholders and the general public that necessary steps have been taken to address and resolve the identified gaps.

“Whilst there was no direct customer impairment arising from the period under review and the FCA’s findings do not include any instances of suspected money laundering, we have since reinforced our AML control framework and implemented changes in our AML processes in line with best practice with a view to ensuring that the highest standards are maintained in our operations.”

“The Guaranty Trust Banking Group, including GTBank UK, is fully committed to the fight against all forms of financial crime and to continuing to meet all applicable financial crime regulations and legislation globally. Our AML policies and controls, together with our overall risk management strategy, are regularly reviewed and revised to ensure that they remain relevant and current in line with the evolving regulatory requirements.”

L-R: Director, Nigerian Exchange Limited (NGX), Ahonsi Unuigbe; Chief Executive Officer, MTN Nigeria, Karl Toriola; Chief Executive Officer, NGX, Temi Popoola; Director, NGX, Kamarudeen Oladosu; Chairman, MTN Nigeria, Dr Ernest Ndukwe (OFR); Group CEO & President, MTN, Ralph Mupita and Director, NGX, Yomi Adeyemi, during a Closing Gong Ceremony in honour of MTN in Lagos on January 30, 2023.

Continued from page 32

46 Years of CBN Intervention

CBN INTERVENTION IN BAUCHI AND GOMBE STATES

The real sector development initiatives of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) were introduced to stimulate and sustain growth in key sectors of the economy, revive moribund sectors, empower the youth population, explore the untapped potential in various economic landscapes, and enhance foreign exchange inflow.

These interventions have significantly contributed to the overall growth of the Nigerian economy, as shown by available data. In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Central Bank of Nigeria also granted loans to households and small businesses to cushion the deleterious effects of the pandemic across the country.

In recognition of the importance of access to finance as a key

factor to innovation and development of the economy, the CBN’s development finance interventions are targeted at priority segments, which include the following:

1. Agriculture

2. Manufacturing

3. Infrastructure

4. HealthCare

5. Youth and Entrepreneurship Development

6. Export

7. Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME’s)

In Bauchi and Gombe states, the CBN has financed 23,140 and 26,532 projects respectively. Below are highlights from few beneficiaries of CBN’s interventions in both States.

BAUCHI STATE

Name: Yakubu Mohammed

Intervention: Targeted Credit Facility

Sector: MSME

Location: Bauchi, Bauchi State

Yakubu Mohammed is the CEO of Yakubu Optical Services situated in Bauchi, the capital of Bauchi State. He accessed the CBN Targeted Credit Facility (TCF) to expand his optical shop which had started struggling as a result of the harsh economic climate brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic. Mr. Mohammed’s cousin apprised him of the TCF intervention at a crucial time, and he took advantage of the opportunity by applying for the loan which was graciously approved.

With the facility, Mr. Mohammed upgraded his business from the small optical retail shop to a standard optical services centre. He was able to employ 10 new members of staff, out of which 3 are opticians.

Name: Tiamin Multi-Services Global Limited

Intervention: Private Sector-Led Accelerated Agriculture Development Scheme (P-AADS)

Sector: Agriculture

Location: Bauchi, Bauchi State

As part of efforts to boost local rice production and bridge surging demand, the Central Bank of Nigeria took deliberate steps to expand financing to rice projects and other focal commodities.

Tiamin Multi-Services Global Limited is one of the pioneer beneficiaries of CBN’s P-AADS intervention. The company was initially in the construction industry but shifted its operational focus to the agriculture value chain in view of the opportunities identified.

In 2017, Tiamin Multi-Services Global Limited established an integrated rice-milling factory with a daily capacity of 320 metric tons. As the demand for rice grew, the company expanded to a high-tech ultramodern integrated Rice-Mill of 600MT daily capacity, on an 8-hectare land in Bauchi. In 2020, the Central Bank financed Tiamin Multi-Services Global Limited under the P-AADS, for the cultivation of 10,000 hectares of rice farmland for backward integration, to feed into the paddy requirements of their integrated mills.

The project targets reducing poverty and providing employment opportunities for over 800 direct staff and up to 2000 casual staff.

Name: Suleiman Umar

Intervention: Agri-Business Small Medium Enterprise Intervention Scheme (AGSMEIS)

Sector: MSME

Location: Bauchi, Bauchi State

Suleiman Umar, a beneficiary of CBN’s AgSMEIS loan, is an indigene of Bauchi State. He had honed his skills in woodcraft as an apprentice under his uncle from a tender age. He acquired the sobriquet “Sule furniture”, which was how his family and friends refer to him since he began his own furniture business.

He accessed the AgSMEIS loan to enable him to expand his business. The facility helped him acquire more equipment for better output and increase his staff strength by 7. He currently has 5 apprentices in training. Mr. Umar expressed his gratitude to the Federal Government of Nigeria and the Central Bank of Nigeria for the initiative which has enabled him increase his productivity.

46 Years of CBN Intervention

GOMBE STATE

Name: Gombe State Government

Intervention: Health Sector Intervention Facility

Sector: Health

Location: Gombe State

The Gombe State Government is one of the beneficiaries of the CBN Health Sector Intervention Facility, which was accessed in 2021. The loan was granted for the purpose of constructing and remodelling the General Hospitals in Kumo, Kaltungo and Bajoga.

The construction of a new General Hospital became necessary in Kumo, the headquarters of Akko Local Government Area, due to the poor and substandard construction of the existing hospital structure. The renovation of the General Hospitals in Kaltungo and Bajoga was targeted at transforming the health facility into a special referral centre that will provide quality medical services to the populace within and outside the State.

At 80% completion, the project has tremendously impacted the economy, healthcare and livelihood of the communities because of the direct and indirect jobs created, and the access to standardized healthcare services.

Name: Liatu Suleiman

Intervention: AgSMEIS

Sector: MSME Location: Gombe State

Liatu Suleiman, an indigene of Gombe State and the CEO New Horizon M&B Salon and Spa located at Federal Low cost housing in Gombe, is a beneficiary of CBN’s AgSMEIS loan.

With the loan, she was able to purchase modern equipment for her salon, various products for sales and makeup, and expand the business to include a well-equipped spa service. The staff strength increased from 3 to 6. She also has 3 apprentices.

She commended the efforts of the CBN and FGN and encouraged youths and entrepreneurs to seek more information on the interventions as it would be of paramount support to their businesses

Name: Bathsheba J. Kalah

Intervention: Anchor Borrowers’ Programme

Sector: Agriculture

Location: Gombe State

Bathsheba Kalah is the cluster head of women in Anchor Borrowers’ Programme in Gombe State. She accessed a loan via the Rice Farmers Association of Nigeria (RIFAN) Special Project in Gombe State, and since her involvement in the ABP in 2021, her cluster has cultivated 830 hectares of land, realized 24,000 bags of paddy with which the loan was repaid, and the surplus reinvested in her business. The programme has positively impacted the economy, their community, businesses and lives as they have engaged over 250 direct and indirect workers who were otherwise unemployed.

She can be fondly remembered as one of the top guns who pioneered what is today known as Nigeria's multimillion-naira wedding industry, long before the advent of social media via her monthly must-read magazine, 'Wedding Planner.' Modupe Adeniran in this tell all interview with Ivory Ukonu, opens up about her marriage and how it prompted her to write a book on it and the challenge of divorce some are faced with.

WHY THERE'S HIGH RATE OF DIVORCE DESPITE TALKS ON COMMUNICATION, SUBMISSION – MODUPE ADENIRAN

Therehas been an alarming increase in the number of marriages ending in divorce these days. What do you think is responsible for this?

Contrary to the answer that many would give, which is that many are becoming less tolerant of a cheating spouse or bad vices for example, I’ll say it is because those that are getting out aren’t really speaking their truth. So, what we see are seemingly happy people dancing on social media making it look like once you get out of an unhappy marriage, your life automatically becomes happier, leaving many more people to think that because it worked for A, it would work for B. So, they jump out or threaten to jump out at every given situation that just seems imperfect while ignoring every other implication of making that decision. That you leave a monstrous man or woman doesn’t mean you will be completely happy from day one. You are either going to get a silent treatment that will eat you up emotionally, or you get engaged in an everyday war over one thing or another. This will no doubt be unsettling for at least one party if not both.

With the advent of social media most couples now seek validation from total strangers regarding their marriage. Some are in full support of it, others, not so much. What is your take on this?

I may not be the right person to speak on anything social media because I fail at that. But because we are all different, I’ll say this - just maybe it is a way to get a wide array of opinions from a diverse group of people. Truth is, if you’re in a happy and loving marriage, I think it’s ok to post your beautiful family on special occasions and celebrations on social media. What I have a problem with is, why you constantly feel the need to showcase a perfect picture when you know it’s as imperfect as imperfection can be. But I guess everyone has a right to express themselves as they wish.

Do you belong to the school of thought that believes it isn't ideal to go public when ending a marriage as has become the norm?

For me, absolutely not. If you are a public figure, you may feel the need to let the world know that you are no longer with the spouse the world

knows you with, so you can be addressed differently moving on, but if not, there is absolutely no need, except there is a custody battle and you need the world to rescue you. Outside that, it’s always better to do everything possible to make it relatively peaceful. While I know it’s easier said than done, I shared a lot on that in my new book 'Before You Say I Don't' and gave all the reasons why it is always better to not choose the war path in divorce.

What is the book all about?

It is a three-part book that first helps one take a look at all the possible reasons why one may feel like they are in a bad marriage, then weigh the situation very well and see if one has done everything possible to work on the situation before one can say that it is indeed a bad marriage. And if after reading the first part of 'Before You Say I Don’t, you still see your marriage as bad, part two gives you an idea of what to expect, so you can compare what comes with 'the hell I'm getting out of it' if you decide to, with other decisions you decide on when you come to the realisation of the consequences of getting out. The third part of the book then goes on to help you through what the divorce path may bring while helping you find true healing from inside out. The book is written in a self-reflective way that helps you to really look at how your marriage got to where it is in the first place, how you can quickly begin to salvage the situation should your marriage still matter to you or help you realize what the situation may indeed be, if it is irredeemable. You will most definitely have a well thought through journey that will lead you to begin to work on having a better marriage, and never consider divorce again, or just decide that you can do better opting out of it. The third part of the book is also strong in helping the already divorced who are still having a hard time finding peace or still at war with their exspouse. The book will help readers begin a truthfully rewarding healing journey that brings true happiness moving on.

What prompted you to write the book?

I simply looked around and I knew that the issue of divorce needed to be addressed from a totally different angle. Many people talk and possibly write about marriages, but most are saying the same things: submit, respect, honour and love your spouse. Many also speak on the fact that God does not like divorce. With all the talks and preaching we get, it isn't deterring people from getting out of what they perceive as a bad marriage. So, I wondered, do these people know what is on the other side when they decide to get out? Do they get the true

picture of what getting out of a marriage really means or are these decisions based on the outer appearances of the people they see who have gotten divorced and seem happy? Having met with a number of people who have been through divorce, I found out that when I probe deep, many did not know that divorce was going to be an equally painful journey. While on one side, you may be happy to be over with one painful experience, many do not expect nor prepare for the roller coaster experience that comes with getting to the other side because divorce brings out the monster in at least, one divorcing party. So, with my research and personal experience, I thought, why not share, hence the book.

How else do you think marriages can be salvaged beyond just reading your book?

I think almost every married couple need to have a sit down and analyze their journey so far. 'How are we doing?' 'Am I still the same person he/she married?' 'How have I changed?' 'Is the change working for my spouse or is my spouse just not talking?' The truth is, most times, many are just not talking to the one person they need to be addressing the issue with their spouse. Many are busy telling friends and family what they do not like while watching things deteriorate in the home. One of the biggest reasons why divorce comes as a shock to one party in the union is because too many things have been swept under the carpet. If your marriage is important to you, don’t assume all is well, set a special time out to talk about your marriage and ask if your partner is happy. Ask! Ask!! Ask!!! Again, I say ask questions and insist on getting truthful answers. The right approach is important to get a good result.

These days most couples who decide to end their marriages hardly ever reconsider, to stay and work things out. At what point do you think a marriage can no longer be salvaged?

Truth is, if one party is no longer interested, no matter how hard the other party tries, it may be a futile effort. Once resentment, hatred or lack of love has set in, one willing party alone may not be able to save a failing marriage, they both have to be wanting to really save their marriage. But I believe that many people who have gone their separate

Adeniran

Adeniran

ways need not have gotten there if they knew that getting out doesn’t necessary cut them off completely from the spouse they are running away from. Once kids are involved, it is still a forever relationship and it’s sometimes worse than when you were together.

Most women who desire to get out of their marriages are unable to because of the need to meet some societal standards. How best do you think such women should handle their situation?

Again, women in Nigeria tend not to get a good deal when they opt out of their marriage regardless of their educational background or social standing. Only a minute percentage leave with something tangible. In most cases, women are the ones quick to call it quits with their marriages. Men on the other hand hardly ever initiate divorce or separation and, in some cases, just take on a new wife.

I beg to disagree with this. I think it happens both ways. Most times, the woman might have felt cheated or abandoned for far too long before deciding that she may not really have a marriage. No happy woman leaves a good man. Also, I can authoritatively tell you that men also just get up and walk out of their marriage with no explanation whatsoever. Most times, they have either found another lover or they simply got tired of putting up with a woman who in their own opinion is not meeting a particular need they consider important. But it sure works both ways.

What is your own story, are you still married?

Let’s just say we went our separate ways without much animosity. While he would say it was a mutual agreement, I may have a different answer. I think ours is a case of two wrong people who see things absolutely differently plus a lot more reasons. Unfortunately, I would not be able to paint a clearer picture. I did try to drop some hints about my marriage in my book.

Why weren't you intentional about making it work?

For the most part we were together, we were almost strangers. Do you feel more alive now that you are separated?

Yes, I do and I believe he does too. While I may not miss him as a husband, there are times I would wish we were all together as a family. So yes, we worry about family time for the kids but are together ensuring they understand why daddy and mummy can’t be together and we are both committed to making them top priority and it is working relatively well.

How did your kids, family take the news of your separation? Every member of my family is very supportive, my kids are very supportive and aren’t clamoring for a comeback as we have a better relationship now than ever.

Are you currently dating, do you plan to give marriage another shot?

Not dating, not searching, not interested. My marriage did not end because it was lacking something in particular, so I do not have a need that needs to be met per say. But they say, never say never right? But I’ll stick with not interested.

It is ironic how things turned out considering that you captured people's happiest day for about 12 years, via your popular magazine, 'Wedding Planner'. What happened to it?

I’ll say COVID-19 happened although I was already getting tired even before that. But the effect of COVID-19 on the event industry and the fact that everyone was almost okay selling themselves via their social media handles. So, I didn’t see the need to continue. Besides, I had little or nothing more to give from inside of me.

Do you plan on writing more books, along the same topic?

I do not see myself writing anything more on marriage or divorce as 'Before You Say I Don’t' marks the end of my journey in that line. Ironically, the very first issue of wedding planner magazine in 2005 had a cover topic, 'Before You Say I Do'. So, it is quite a good one to leave all my millions of brides with a book like this. But I will write another book.

What do you currently do?

There’s hardly ever a time I am not doing anything... they may not all be in the eye of the public, but I am constantly working on something. Even during the COVID-19 lockdown when 'Wedding Planner' magazine got significantly affected, in a matter of months, I started a honey packaging company (Luscious Honey). I also have a small fashion label that keeps me busy from time to time. My love for simple yet unique styles birthed 'Lifestyle with Agatha,' Agatha being my English name. While at that, I continued to plan my transition project and I have been in it for two to three years now. I had to pause it to write the book and close that chapter of my life. Now I am set to unveil a new online magazine this month. It is a wellness and celebration magazine, and I am super excited it.

What do you consider to be your greatest challenge in life?

My greatest challenge would be not having that 'handholding' 'I am with you on this your creative journey.' Work is my happy place, so yes, that one person who would say to me, go ahead and become, I’ve got you isn't present. But God has been faithful, super faithful indeed. So, everything I have ever done has been 100% God having my back.

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

My inborn personality. I was quick to know myself very early in life. So, knowing what I like, what I don’t like and what I stand for, helped shape my journey. As early, as when I was 12/13 years, I had attempted

to write a book and the title was 'Me, Myself and I'. I was probably in Jss 2 or 3 and my lonely boarding school experiences was the reason I started to write that. I knew early in life that I didn’t like crowd and was very protective of my space. So, I wasn’t a careless child, I was very self-aware and did only what I wanted to do without peer pressure. I was also very intentional and purposeful. If it is not good good, you may not find me there. Then again, I was a very curious one too, so you may find me with extreme personalities and wonder how in the world I got there. If it’s different and intriguing, you may find me there, possibly in search of some answers. All these followed me all through my growing up years. So, you will hardly find me regretting something I did because most times, it was a choice and I’m good at dealing with the consequences of my choices, good or bad.

What drives you?

I think I’m driven by questions. I ask a lot of how? Who? What? and once I get confused? Or do not find good enough answers, I go in search of the answers, and I don’t stop until I find a solution. So, the need to provide solutions and answers to questions unanswered, and meet a void is what drives me. The plan is to die empty. And I am comfortable with everyday success. I like the idea of succeeding daily as against waiting for the biggest success yet to be achieved. This is what keeps me going daily. Once I find the tiniest success in a day, I’m good for the day and I can go to bed a happy woman.

How do you let off steam?

When my kids are around, there’s a lot of laughter and it’s never a dull moment. But once they return to school, I focus completely on work, but I give time to watch a movie and listen to music on a daily basis. That is how I let off steam. Plus, although I naturally enjoy my company, I make sure to get a good laugh on a daily from my handful of friends and family. I have five sisters; I make sure to share a good laugh with at least one of them especially my big sister.

With this book, are you now something of a counsellor or an agony aunty of some sort?

I think I have been counseling almost all my life and I wrote that in the book. No, not an agony aunty or counselor per say but, yes, I’ll counsel, only on a one-on-one basis, when I have a perfect picture of any situation presented to me. I am not one to give general counsel because I am absolutely convinced that there are no two situations that are ever exactly the same. I believe I do a very good job of it because I am very good at looking at things objectively. I give very good counsel even if I say so myself.

Adeniran

Adeniran

If you are a public figure, you may feel the need to let the world know that you are no longer with the spouse the world knows you with, so you can be addressed differently moving on, but if not, there is absolutely no need, except there is a custody battle and you need the world to rescue you

STORIES BY IVORY UKONU

BUBA MARWA'S DAUGHTER BAGS APC APPOINTMENT

Barely two months after getting rewarded for her political zealousness with the position of a Special Assistant on Community Relations to the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Mallam Mohammed Bello, Zainab Marwa-Abubakar, one of the daughters of the DirectorGeneral of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, Mohammed Buba Marwa, has again bagged another appointment. This time, she has been appointed the Assistant National Spokesperson for Tinubu/ Shettima Presidential Campaign Council. With this position, she is expected to lend her voice in

preaching to Nigerian youths on why her principal should be the preferred presidential candidate. According to her, her principal has good plans for Nigerian youths with strategic plans of giving three cabinet positions to people under 40 and six positions to people under 50 as well as giving at least 20% of top Ministries, Departments, and Agencies, MDA positions to those under 40. The 41-year-old mother of five who joined politics in 2018 after 10 years of being a housewife has a background in law and service management through her Zawram

How Sienne Allwell-Brown Celebrated 70th Birthday

Marwa

Foundation, an organisation that promotes peace and uplifts the economic status of citizens, and her Aspire Women Forum. In 2019, she contested for the AMAC/Bwari Federal Constituency in the 2019 general election but failed at the polls.

Abdulsalam Zaura's Hide And Seek Game

Abdulsalam Abdulkarim Zaura

more popularly known as AA Zaura, the All Progressives Congress (APC) Kano Central senatorial candidate, seems to have perfected his act when it comes to avoiding court summons. He somehow managed to not only emerge victorious in the senatorial primaries despite having a fraud case to answer to, but the case has also continually suffered several adjournments due to the absence of either Zaura or his legal counsel. This is obviously deliberate on Zaura's part as he hopes that he may somehow, dribble the law until he 'wins' the election and buys himself some form of 'immunity' as a Senator. The business tycoon was accused by the Economic and

Financial Crimes Commission, (EFCC) in 2020 of duping a Kuwaiti national, Jamman Al-Azmi, of $1.3 million under the pretext of procuring real estate for him in Dubai. The Commission dragged him before a Federal High Court in Kano on a five-count charge. He was found not guilty and discharged on all counts. Dissatisfied with the judgment of the lower court, the EFCC filed an appeal and a unanimous decision by the threemember panel of judges set aside the judgment of the high court and ordered Zaura to be tried afresh by a different judge. The main contention of the appeal was the absence of Zaura when the judgment of the High Court was delivered. Citing several judgements of the Supreme Court, the panel of judges held that an accused person must always be present in court throughout his trial including judgment, and Zaura was found wanting in this regard. It was on this basis that the court of appeal found merit in the appeal and upheld the same accordingly. But like a man who is past caring, Zaura continued to evade court summons each time the case got adjourned. Again his re-arraignment earlier billed for October 14, 31 and November 10 2022, could not go ahead following his absence in court, with his lawyer arguing that his client did

not have to appear before the court because of an appeal before the Supreme Court against the appellate court’s judgment. Besides, he argued that his client was physically not fit to stand trial. This led the EFCC to declare him wanted and began a hunt to arrest him on sight. At his next arraignment on January 30, EFCC made good on its promise to arrest him. He was picked up at his residence by operatives of the Commission and brought to the court. However, his counsel was absent, and he had an already made excuse for his absence. Naturally, his arraignment could not go ahead. Irked by his continued absence for court summons, the EFCC counsel pleaded with the court to proceed with the arraignment citing Section 33 Sub-Section (a) of the constitution to argue that the law allowed a defendant to take his plea even in the absence of the counsel. She also urged the court to take judicial notice of the several adjournments the case had suffered due to the absence of the defendants during previous hearing dates. Ruling on the application, the judge for the umpteenth time adjourned the case to February 6. An ambitious man, Zaura had his eyes set on occupying Kano government house in 2019 on the platform of The Green Party of Nigeria (GPN). His expectations were however cut short when he lost out in the polls. He quickly changed strategy and defected to the ruling APC, exactly a year after he was arraigned for fraud, hopefully to find ways to evade the law and unless the court gets a firm grip on him and compel him to answer to the charges, coupled with a tight case by the EFCC, the commission may as well continue on a wild goose chase with him till infinity.

Veteran broadcaster, Sienne Allwell-Brown fondly referred to as SAB, recently clocked 70. Left to her, she would have preferred to remain under hibernation as she has been all these years but she was forced to step out of her comfort zone when her colleagues from her days at the National Television Authority, NTA decided to celebrate her by throwing her a small surprise party filled with love, laughter, food, drinks, good music, dancing and lots of reminiscing. They kept it simple with a boat cruise on the Lagos Lagoon. Some of those who turned up for the party were Ruth Benamaisa-Opia (who moved on to an oil and gas firm and later Lagos Television briefly); Kehinde Young-Harry (who has remained retired); Modele Sarafa-Yusuf, a former gubernatorial aspirant in Ogun State on the platform of All Progressives Congress (who moved on to Globacom and later Special Assistant to Ogun State governor, Dapo Abiodun), Ronke Ayuba (who went off the social scene after losing her husband,

former military administrator of Kaduna State and former senator representing Kebbi South Constituency, Kebbi State, Maj. Gen. Tanko Ayuba); Waheed Olagunju (who moved on to the Bank of Industry and retired as the acting MD/CEO) etc. The birthday girl didn't look anything close to 70. She still radiated the allure, classy aura and amazing style that got millions of Nigerians glued to their screen in the 70s and 80s each time she appeared to read the news. From Rivers State with a degree in Law, SAB retired from NTA and pitched her tent with Nigeria Liquified Natural Gas, NLNG as its General Manager, External Communications. She

was first married to Ibadan born businessman, Rasaq Lawal and later to Nim Tariah. Unfortunately, her marriage to Tariah also didn't work out.

Meet Medinat Abdulraheem, Youngest Female Politician Seeking Elective Position

She is young, vibrant and bursting with fresh ideas on how to turn around her constituency should she win in the forthcoming elections. She is Medinat Abdulraheem. When President Muhammadu Buhari signed into law the #NotTooYoungToRun bill which sought to reduce the age benchmark to hold elective office in the country - from 40 to 30 years for president; from 35 to 30 for governor; from 35 to 30 for Senate; from 30 to 25 for House of Representatives; and from 30 to 25 for state House of Assembly, Medinat grabbed the opportunity with both hands and made a go for it. The 32-year-old is vying to represent Lanwa Ejidongari constituency in the Kwara state house of assembly on the platform of the

Hakeem Alobo-Bakare Bags Chieftaincy Title

Property expert and socialite, Hakeem Alobo-Bakare has been honoured with a chieftaincy title as Otunba Bobajiro of Jogan-Orile by His Royal Highness Adeyemi Adekeye JP. Jogan-Orile is in Yewa North local government area of Ogun State. Hakeem who used to be married to Tosin, one of the daughters of late Chief Molade OkoyaThomas, was honoured for his exemplary life achievements and awesome potential for positive social transformation. A detribalised Nigerian who

came from a very humble background and rising to his present position, Hakeem’s life as a philanthropist and a social reformer is one worthy of emulation. So it came as no surprise when Oba Adekeye decided to bestow him with such honour. The installation ceremony is one which is still being talked about long after it ended. The ceremony paraded most of the who is who in the business, political and corporate world all of whom were serenaded with music from the repertoire of Juju music Czar, King Sunny Ade.

All Progressives Congress (APC). If she wins, Medinat plans to focus on the welfare of members of her constituency who she said motivated her to make a foray into politics and prompted her to run for office. A graduate of Kwara State Polytechnic, she claims her constituency have suffered for long and need someone who knows and feels their pains and her running for elective post is to ensure that they get adequate representation by providing them with the basic amenities she believes they lack. Another major reason why she said she is throwing her hat in the ring is because as a youth, she understands the problems of youths better than the 'old guard' and hopes to influence them positively through politics.

Allwell-Brown

Abdulraheem

Zaura

Alobo-Bakare

STORIES BY SHADE WESLEY-METIBOGUN

WOLE OLADIYUN BUILDS MATERNITY IN HOMETOWN

Wole Olanipekun Donates High Court to Ikere-Ekiti

Pastor Wole Oladiyun, the founder and General overseer of Christ LivingSpring Apostolic Ministry, CLAM has erected a multi-million-naira state of the

art maternity home at Christ Apostolic Church, OkeIsegun in his hometown, Ile Oluji, Ondo State. The health care facility was built in honour of his late parents, Pa Samuel and Dorcas Oladiyun who passed away many years ago. Named after his late parents, Samuel and Dorcas Oladiyun Maternity, the health care facility boasts of a state-of-the-art equipment to cater for the populace in Ile Oluji. Pa Oladiyun died over 50 years ago while his wife, Madam Dorcas passed on in

2016. The two devoted their life to the service of Christ Apostolic Church, Oke Isegun, Ile Oluji before their demise. Though not a clergy, the late Pa Oladiyun was an intercessor in the ministry while his wife was a deaconess in the apostolic church. The health facility was formally opened and dedicated amidst pomp and pageantry last week. Pastor Oladiyun’s philanthropy is inspired by his passion for children and women. He once revealed that he was called to take care of women and children which informed his choice of setting up a maternity home. A few years ago, he built a nonprofit healthcare facility, Soteria Maternity Hospital, at the headquarters of his ministry in Ogba, Lagos State. He also donated another ultra-modern pediatric hospital in Ondo State. It was gathered that the clergy is not stopping at that but will still construct more maternity homes in the nearest future.

Bassey Akpan Loses

Seat

Bassey Akpan, the lawmaker representing Akwa Ibom Northeast district under the platform of the People's Democratic Party, PDP has lost his senatorial seat. A Federal High Court in Abuja sacked the senator while declaring his seat vacant and ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC to conduct a bye-election to fill it within 14 days. Akpan had defected from the PDP in July 2022 as a result of unresolved grievances from the party’s governorship primary election in Akwa Ibom State. He moved to the Young Progressive Party, YPP and notified the Senate President of his defection from the PDP. PDP sued Akpan and asked the court to declare his seat vacant by virtue of the provisions of sections 68(1), and 62(b) of the Nigerian constitution affirmed by a plethora of Supreme Court decisions. After his defection, he emerged the Governorship candidate for the YPP in the forthcoming general election. In the judgment given by the court, the judge, Fadima Aminu, ruled that he was not qualified to retain the seat after resigning from the party which sponsored his election to the Senate for a

four-year tenure in 2019. He was ordered to stop parading himself as a senator and also fined a sum of N5million which would be paid to PDP which sued him over his defection to the YPP. The judge declared that the two-term senator, failed in his obligation to prove that his defection from PDP was necessitated by serious rancor and steep differences in the ranks of the party. Akpan has had it rough in the course of his political journey. He has a few controversies against his name which has continuously put his character to question. He was arrested and arraigned by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC for corruption charges in 2022. He was sentenced to 42 years imprisonment for receiving exotic cars worth over N200M from a contractor. However, he was granted bail on health grounds pending the determination of an appeal. In 2018, charges were filed against him for failing

to declare his true assets after an investigation by the Special Presidential Investigation Panel on the Recovery of Public Property (SPIP) accused him of failing to disclose the true cost of several houses owned by him. Though he labeled the charges a plot to tarnish his image which he stated was bound to fail.

Nigerian musician and businessman, Oluwatosin Ajibade, professionally known as Mr Eazi has expanded his growing business interest by buying a huge share in the South African basketball team, Cape Town Tigers. Cape Town Tigers is a South African basketball club based in Cape Town. The team was established in 2019. The club which was formerly owned by three American business partners, has won the South African national championship in 2021 and 2022. Mr Eazi who is also the fiancee to Temi Otedola, daughter of billionaire business mogul, Femi Otedola, while informing his fans on social media about his new business venture said he took his inspiration from American rapper, Shawn Corey Carter aka Jay Z who has a large share in a basketball club, National Basketball Association franchise in Brooklyn. Mr Eazi has several business ventures and is currently part of the sponsors of the Ghana Premier League. He is also known for giving upcoming artiste the chance to shine with his emPAWA platform.

Wole Olanipekun, Senior Advocate of Nigeria and former Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice in Ondo State, has built a High Court complex in his hometown in Ikere-Ekiti, Ekiti State. The former president of the Nigerian Bar Association embarked on the project after stakeholders in the law profession called his attention to the poor and dilapidated condition of the High Court complex in Ikere-Ekiti, making it difficult for judges and lawyers to carry out their functions. The legal luminary was already preparing for another project at the Ekiti State University but had to divert the funds meant for the University project to the building of the court complex. However, he had to seek the permission of the Chief Judge of the state before starting

the project. The legal icon has undertaken other philanthropic projects in the past. In 2014, he donated and equipped a Bar Centre at the Nigerian Bar Association in Ikere branch to encourage and motivate young lawyers from the branch to aim for greatness in the profession. He also paid for the Bar practicing fees of student lawyers for a period of four years in the state.

Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Mike Ozekhome has been appointed as a visiting professor at Afe Babalola University, the law department specifically. His appointment was contained in a letter signed by the Vice Chancellor

of the University, Professor E. Smaranda Olarinde, mother of controversial media personality, Ifedayo Olarinde. The legal luminary was appointed based on his interest in the University and his huge contribution to the legal profession in Nigeria. The constitutional lawyer whose appointment takes effect during the 2022-2023 academic session is expected to take part in teaching and research activities of the university. Some of his perks of office includes, accommodation and feeding, payment of travel expenses to the institution and back to his base. Though he is not entitled to promotion, pension and gratuity, a moratorium of half a million naira will also be given to him.

THEWILLNIGERIA THEWILLNG THEWILLNIGERIA

Ajibade

Oladiyun

Olanipekun

STORIES BY SHADE WESLEY-METIBOGUN

ABDULRAHAM BISI YUSUFF TURBANED BABA ADINNI GENERAL

Honourable Abdulraham

Bisi Yusuff, the lawmaker representing Alimosho constituency under the platform of the All Progressive Congress, APC at the Lagos State House of Assembly has been turbaned the Baba Adinni General of Alimosho constituency. The event which was graced by his colleagues at the House of Assembly took place last week at the Alimosho Centre Mosque in Alimosho local Government Area of Lagos State. The event was presided over by the Chief Imam, Ibrahim Okunola and other Muslim clerics. The lawmaker was honoured for his commitment to rendering services in an honest attempt at ensuring that the dividends of democracy are spread

across his constituency.

Yusuff has also distinguished himself in terms of impactful representations. Hon Adebisi Abdulrahman Yusuff' foray into politics started in 2011 after he was elected as a member of the House of Assembly in Alimosho constituency. He has served as the Chairman House Committee on Transportation, Commerce and Industry 20112015; Chairman House Committee on Public Accounts (Local) 2015 and as Chairman House Committee

Dennis Okoro Launches Book on Nigeria's Educational System

Dennis Okoro, a director in in MTN Foundation and a former Director in the Ministry of Education recently launched his first book titled 'Education in Nigeria: Perspectives for a changing world.’ The book is an analysis of the current education system in Nigeria. It highlights the grey areas in the country’s education system. Written with constructive criticisms, comments, suggestions and data to help make Nigeria more poised to transform its current education system, at the same time accommodate

a very complex and uncertain future. According to the octogenarian, the inspiration to write the book came as a result of his conversation with an expatriate. The conversation took place while he was attending the Argungu fishing festival a few years ago. He was encouraged by an expatriate to document his experiences and ideas on the Nigerian educational system. When COVID-19 pandemic hit the world and the nation was on lockdown, he had a perfect opportunity to put his thoughts together and write the book.

Family Shuns Kola Abiola's Presidential Ambition

on Housing in the 9th Assembly. He is currently Chairman House Committee on Commerce, Industry and Cooperatives.

Ayo Balogun’s Son Arraigned For Assaulting Wife

Ayojimi Balogun, the son of popular Juju musician and president of Association of Juju musicians of Nigeria, Queen Ayo Balogun has been accused of assaulting his wife, Jennifer.

Ayojimi and Jennifer had a fairytale star-studded wedding in 2017 which was the talk of town. The duo were friends for a long time and even live-in lovers with a child who was almost a year and half years before they finally got married. A few years after their marriage, Ayojimi became aggressive towards his wife and allegedly turned her into a punching bag. Jennifer who couldn’t endure the domestic violence allegedly

reported the case to the Lagos State Domestic and Sexual Violence agency and her husband was arrested on allegation of assault. He was arraigned before a family court in Ikeja last week for allegedly beating his wife.

Ayojimi was charged for assault by beating his wife but he pleaded not guilty to the charge. According to the prosecutor, Inspector Ajayi Emmanuel the offense was committed on Dec. 30, 2022.

Emmanuel said the defendant allegedly assaulted his wife, Jennifer Balogun, 27, by beating her. He added that the offence was contrary to Section 170 and punishable under Section 172

of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, Nigeria, 2015. The defense counsel, Semilore Oluwataye, urged the court to grant his client bail in the most liberal terms and promised that his client would be present at all the court proceedings. The Magistrate, I.O. Raji admitted the defendant to a bail in the sum of N50,000 and two sureties, who must be residents of Lagos State and he adjourned the case until February 16 for another hearing. Queen Ayo Balogun has since been having a sleepless night as a result of the development as she does not want anything to tarnish the image and reputation she had built over the years.

Kolawole Abiola, the eldest son of late businessman, Moshood Kashimawo Olawale Abiola is not enjoying the needed support from his family ahead of the 2023 general election. Abiola is the presidential candidate of the People's Redemption Party, PRP but members of his family seem to have turned their back against his political ambition, instead, they have endorsed Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the

presidential candidate of the All Progressive Congress, APC as their preferred candidate. The eldest son of Kudirat Abiola, Olalekan Abiola and the Director General of MKO Abiola Mandate Group, Babatunde Dokunmu, have publicly revealed that they are endorsing Tinubu and would mobilise for him to win the election because he represents the progressive tendencies that MKO Abiola stood and died for, adding that Tinubu is a visionary leader, who is competent and a philanthropist that performed excellently well when he was governor of Lagos State. Olalekan added that it was his late father’s progressive tendencies that made him tag his campaign ‘Hope 93’ noting that it was thrilling that Tinubu dubbed his presidential campaign 'Renewed Hope'. According to him, the family had discussed with his father’s political structures, especially the

MKO Abiola Mandate Group on mobilising its structures nationwide for Tinubu. He noted that when his father sought the presidency in 1993, Tinubu supported him and it was the former Lagos governor, who discussed with President Muhammadu Buhari on the need to immortalize their father, including declaring June 12 Democracy Day. He made it known that the Yorubas stood and were united in their support for Abiola, asking that the same gesture should be extended to Tinubu as well. He added that the support for Tinubu should be so massive that no candidate should be able to garner 25 per cent votes in the Southwest. The Director General of Abiola Mandate Group, Babatunde Dokunmu also promised that the group would work to ensure that Tinubu emerges as president of Nigeria. He disclosed that members of the group across the country have been directed to mobilize and vote for the APC chieftain.

Community Chiefs Reject Olusegun Macgregor's Kingship

Some village heads and chiefs in Orile-Ilawo in Odeda local government of Ogun State have rejected the king elect, Chief Olusegun MacGregor. They held a meeting which was tagged 'Omo Oko' (Son of the soil) to ensure that someone who has a traceable lineage in the Ilawo clan becomes the next monarch of the community.

MacGregor had been elected as the king in waiting after he was selected by six warrant chiefs who followed due process of selection among all the nominated candidates. The Canada returnee was first rejected by some chiefs who insisted that he was not an indigene of Orile-Ilawo. However, MacGregor held a meeting where he made peace with the chiefs who were rejecting his candidacy. A few months after the meeting, some chiefs and Baales made U-turn and insisted that they would no longer support his emergence. The village heads reiterated their stance that nobody can impose an oba over

them.

According to them, the next Olu of Orile Ilawo must be chosen from members of the community, not an alien. They lamented that the community is fast losing its potential to neighboring communities because of wrong leadership in the clan. They stressed that appointing a true son of the soil, with known and verifiable history, will be beneficial to the success of the community at large.

The village heads insisted that MacGregor does not know anything about the people of Orile Ilawo as he has not been living in Nigeria for a very long time. He knows nothing about the basic culture, history, daily lives, boundaries, villages, challenges and other important things a traditional ruler who is well grounded in the community should know.

They added that it will be a slap on the community to install someone without a traceable lineage as the monarch. The village heads insisted that they will embark on a search for

the right candidate to fill the vacant stool.

It was concluded that the appointment and installation of a new traditional ruler in the town should not be taken with levity as the demands and yearning of the indigenous people to finally install a son of the soil with verifiable lineage and history must be accepted.

Yusuff

Okoro

Abiola

Macgregor

The Baloguns

SHOTS OF THE WEEK

Photo Editor: Peace Udugba [08033050729]

L-R: Special Adviser, Budget, Economic Planning and Performance Management, Mr Niyi Adebayo; Deputy Managing Director United Bank of Africa (UBA), Mr. Muyiwa Akinyemi; Ekiti State Governor, Mr Biodun Oyebanji and Group Managing Director, UBA, Mr. Oliver Alawuba, during the Bank management’s visit to the Governor’s Office, Ado-Ekiti on January 31, 2023.

L-R: National Secretary, Foursquare Gospel Church in Nigeria, FGCN, Rev. Yomi Oyinloye; Visitor, McPherson University/General Overseer, FGCN, Rev. Sam Aboyeji and vice Chancellor, McPherson University, Prof. Francis Igbasan, shortly after the inauguration of McPherson Water Production Steering Committee in Yaba, in Lagos State on February 1, 2023.

L-R: Minister of State for Power, Godwin Jeddy Agba; Managing Director, Rural Electrification Agency, Engr. Ahmad Salihijo Ahmad and Executive Director, Rural Electrification Fund, Dr. Sanusi Ohiare, at the retreat of Rural Electrification Agency Board and Management of the agency in Abuja on February 2, 2023.

L-R: Special Adviser to Lagos State Governor on Housing, Mrs Toke Benson Awoyinka, receiving a special recognition award form Board Chairman, Abuja Property Development Company, Arc. Aduku Gabriel Yakubu, during the 2022 Housing Awards in Abuja on January 31, 2023.

L-R: State Director of Security and Military Cantonment Commander, Lt. Col Atoyade; Deputy Governor, Dr. Eric Igwe; Ebonyi State Governor, Dave Umahi and Ebonyi State Commissioner of Police, Aliyu Garba, during the donation of over 20 utility trucks to security agencies in the state by the Governor on February 1, 2023.

L-R: Lagos State Governor, Mr Babajide Sanwo-Olu; wife of the President, African Development Bank (AfDB), Mrs Grace Adesina and her husband, Dr. Akinwunmi Adesina, during a courtesy visit to the Lagos State Government House, Marina, Lagos on January 30, 2023.

Queuing Up: New Way of Life For Nigerians FEATURES

Waking up as early as 4, 5 am has become a way of life for most Nigerians as they Indian-file to banks for unavailable cash, to filling stations for hard-to-get fuel and to designated INEC collection centres for PVCs they may never return home with. The joke these days is what are you queuing for? Is it money, gasoline or voter's card?

THEWILL considers what may likely happen with the mother of all queues in late February and mid-March when millions of voters will throng polling stations to elect the same people responsible for the ubiquitous serpentine formations choking the very life out of them. Michael Jimoh reports.

Around 7.30am last Friday, two journalists left their office in GRA Ikeja to a branch of their bank on Mobolaji Bank Anthony Way. From their point of departure on Remi Fani-Kayode Street, a steady pace would get them to the bank in less than half an hour. They did. By the time they got to the bank premises, there were already people there, none of them smiling.

A middle-aged woman sat on a plastic chair by the bank’s entrance, her right hand supporting her right cheek. Others stood, some with hands akimbo, some with hands folded across their chest and nearly all of them looking quite apprehensive. A soldier arrived on a motorbike, said hello and waited with others outside the bank. Another followed not long after. It was not hard to see why.

The previous day Thursday February 1, governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria Godwin Emefiele had directed banks to start paying the new naira notes over the counter and not only via their Automated Teller Machines. Scarcer than the dollar in war time soon after the deadline for the currency swap ended on January 31 and even after the February 10 extension, Nigerians hoped to be paid the redesigned new naira notes as instructed by Emefiele. It never got to be.

At about two minutes to 8 when banks open their revolving doors, those outside were already restive. For many of them, it was like eternity, as if the two minutes will drag on forever. At last, a bank security guard green-lighted the waiting customers at 8 on the dot, eliciting some sigh of relief from them. Since the governor of the apex bank in the country had given the command, he expected the new notes would readily be available in many banks and paid OTC to long-suffering customers.

The anxious customers soon filed into the banking hall, the soothing breeze of the air-conditioners welcoming them. “I hope there is money to withdraw,” everyone seemed to ask at the same time. “No,” some of the tellers, mostly female, replied. “We are still waiting for the new notes to be supplied,” they went on, thus dispelling any hope that the early arrivals would be lucky enough to be paid in the redesigned naira notes.

The last time something close to this happened was in 1984 when most Nigerians had to fall in line for what became known as Essential Commodities - Essenco for short. Muhammadu BUhari, the incumbent president, was head of state at the time, having ousted the civilian government of Alhaji

Shehu Shagari on December 31, 1983

Never hope for too much in life, so the saying goes, so you won’t be too disappointed if what you hope for never comes. For the dozen-plus customers that Friday morning, it was exactly so. No new notes, period! But there was some respite however. Two of the tellers let on they have old notes, in mostly hundred and fifty naira notes, many of them torn, dirty and unsightly. “I have only three thousand naira to give each of you,” one said with Delphic finality. She then passed out withdrawal slips to those who wanted to have something to show for time wasted. Some did not and stormed off.

To say that much of the scenario described above was replicated in many banks across the country that weekend is an understatement. Customers of a branch of another bank on the same Mobolaji Bank Anthony Way experienced about the same thing as the journalists in the first branch they went to.

When THEWILL got there shortly after 8, there were two long queues starting from the ATM on both sides of the bank, the kind of snakelike lines you find on crucial election days early in the morning. Though the cashiers claimed they had no money – old or new - to dispense OTC, the ATM was actually dispensing some, which accounted for the interminable queues.

“I have been here since 6am,” a young woman with horse teeth and grandma spectacles warned, eyeing a chap who was begging the guy in front of her to help him withdraw, “and I will not allow any person to do any mago, mago here.”

Upon hearing that, others in the queue turned their baleful glare on the chap who soon disappeared from sight. After dispensing N10,000 in the new 1000 denominations for about half an hour, the machine stopped. It had run out of cash.

Inside the hall, the story was the same: no new notes, no old notes.

“The ATM has run out of cash,” someone told a female teller. Yes, she knows. “We are doing something about it.”

Knowing the banker's predilection for double speak, the chap wanted to know if the bank was going to input cash into the ATM right away so he can at least wait.

“We are waiting for the money to be supplied to us,” she finally admitted.

When the chap left the banking premises minutes later, both queues were growing ever longer and noisier, many of them waiting and hoping for cash they were not sure to collect.

With Nigeria on the cusp of general elections later this month and mid-March, many adult voters are yet to receive their PVCs thus necessitating the long queues at designated INEC collection centres around the country. Though by far shorter than queues in banks and other money-paying outlets, Nigerians are also having a hard time collecting their PVCs, almost as difficult in accessing their monies in banks.

Frustrated to no end, some have adopted some ruses thus lending credence to the claim that Nigerians are quite resourceful. One such ploy which has since gone viral shows how a pregnant woman finally got hers after trying and failing for nearly a week. Realising that pregnant women standing in queues were shown some deference by INEC officials, the unnamed woman made herself heavy – not with what you’ll expect but with bales and bales of clothing, a sizeable aluminum pan for that generous girth to simulate a far advanced woman with child, all of that concealed and made real by at least two leggings. Needless to say that her ruse paid off. By the time we see her in her living room, she was deftly removing the props one after another and brandishing her PVC with a sense of relief that she finally got her way. “They gave me my PVC

Continues on page 35

Queuing for unavailable cash...

Photo: Peace Udugba

...Life for Nigerians FEATURES

Continued from page 44

as a pregnant woman,” she says smilingly to a man in the background, continuing that “if no be dat one, e for reach years before I get am.”

Though she might be exaggerating the time it would take for anyone to receive his/ her PVC, there is certainly some truth in her declaration. It is taking pretty long for most eligible voters to access their PVCs now, especially with the elections just around the corner.

Which Queue Are You Joining Today - For Money, Petrol or PVC?

Nigeria is in a bind right now and it is not funny. Money is in short supply because of the currency swap of old naira notes for new ones. Petrol, the fuel that propels the wheel of the economy, is scarcer to find and, when available, you have to pay thrice the price it was for a litre months ago.

For the first time in their lives, Nigerians rich and poor are confronted with a situation they have never faced before since independence in 1960. The last time something close to this happened was in 1984 when most Nigerians had to fall in line for what became known as Essential Commodities - Essenco for short. Muhammadu Buhari, the incumbent president, was head of state at the time, having ousted the civilian government of Alhaji Shehu Shagari on December 31, 1983.

Uncertain of what may happen with the new military government, shop owners and shady distributors started hoarding commodities like rice, beans, sugar, groundnut oil, cement and much else. The new military regime wasted no time in forcing open such shops across the country, thus allowing Nigerians to queue up and make purchases of the essential commodities they lacked.

In the intervening years, there have been queues for mostly petroleum products through the military dictatorships of Ibrahim Babangida and Sani Abacha to the civilian regimes of Olusegun Obasanjo, Umaru Musa Yar’Adua and Goodluck Jonathan. But never in the history of Nigeria has there been serpentine lines of citizens waiting to withdraw cash, buy petrol and access their PVCs all at once.

Commenting on the rather strange phenomenon in a publication by BusinessDay of January 29 headlined “Nigeria: A country of queues,” the duo of Iniobong Iwok and Nosa Igbinadolor states from the get-go that “in many cities across Nigeria today, the popular refrain is: “Which queue are you joining today- for fuel, PVC or new naira notes?” This has become necessary as a result of the important role the three items play in the scale of needs of Nigerians and in the economy of the country. The abovelisted items have been made scarce, in the estimation of Nigerians, by dark powers that hold the country hostage.

“From collection of the permanent voter’s card (PVC) to qualify for voting, to purchasing of petrol for productivity in a country that is a member of Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) but has perennial fuel scarcity, and to collection of new naira notes, it has been lamentation all the way.”

Referencing a study by Peter M. Lewis of the Warren Weinstein Chair of African Studies at the Johns Hopkins University School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS), the lamentation is as a result of “state failure and the attendant dysfunction of state institutions.” Tracing Nigeria’s crisis of governance to the ruling elite and public institutions that never work, Lewis goes on to say that they “have not provided essential collective goods, such as physical infrastructure, the rule of law, or legitimate symbols of state authority and political community.”

Added to that is their “inability to meet their responsibility to Nigerians," which, "have over time resulted in unending and unyielding lines of Nigerians seeking an entrée to services that state authorities make extremely difficult to access.”

Continuing in their report, Iniobong and Igbinadolor insist that other countries have had a seamless currency change without the obstacles now confronting Nigerians. They cited the example of the UK where the Bank of England “has been gradually replacing its paper notes with polymer ones over a number of years, and in March 2022, the bank issued its six-month reminder to consumers and

As it stands, Nigerians are not likely to end the queue culture anytime soon. Of course, millions of Nigerians of voting age will troop to the polls later this month and in mid-March. And therein lies the irony: the long-suffering populace now queuing for cash, petrol and PVCs will form the mother of all queues with the odd choice of voting for the same politicians who got them into the trouble they are now confronted with

businesses about the withdrawal of legal tender status (or WOLTS) of the paper £20 and the paper £50 banknotes on 30 September 2022.”

On the other hand, the journalists claim, CBN “gave just over a month for citizens to exchange their old notes for new ones.”

This is pure fallacy because the currency swap by the CBN was announced October 26, 2022 till January 31, making it a clear 95 days. Despite this oversight on the part of the journalist, they seem to have struck a chord about the systemic failure of state institutions when they quoted another study conducted by Obasesam Okoi and MaryAnne Iwara. In their findings two years ago published in the Georgetown Journal of International Affairs, they submit that at the core of Nigeria’s systemic failure “is the crisis of governance, which manifests in the declining capacity of the state to cope with a range of internal political and social upheavals. There is an expectation for political leaders to recognize systemic risks such as terrorist attacks, herder-farmer conflict, and police brutality and put in place the necessary infrastructure to gather relevant data for problem solving. But the insufficiency of political

savvy required to navigate the challenges that Nigeria faces has unleashed unrest across the nation and exacerbated existing tensions.”

To be sure, fuel shortages have become almost routine to Nigerians as Danfo buses ply Lagos roads. Last May, for instance, in the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, residents were subjected to petrol scarcity that a journalist with Premium Times Mary Izuaka wrote about the consequent hardship it wrought on residents in Abuja.

“As fuel queues resurfaced across parts of the capital city on Friday,” Izuaka wrote, “many Nigerians are worried that they may have entered yet another season of suffering and lamentations.”

The journalist could have been speaking about what Nigerians are going through now. Even those she interviewed could have been speaking for motorists queuing up from sunup to sundown at filling stations across the country in the last couple of weeks.

One of them, a civil servant called Joseph, told Izuaka last May that “from what I’m seeing, I don’t think this is panic buying, I think there’s no fuel and whatever the reason might be I don’t know but the government needs to save us this time around because we don’t want to experience the suffering we had some months ago. I drove to town and the only fuel station that I saw selling was Total opposite NNPC Tower. There was too much queue there, that’s why I had to come down to this airport road.”

Already, there have been tragic and some near comic fallouts from the spontaneous queues in search of money, petrol and PVCs by Nigerians. Having tried and failed to withdraw money from his bank, a male adult in one of the banks in Lagos decided that the best way to get the bank staffers' attention was a butt-baring act. In a similar solo protest, a woman decided to go in the buff, leaving only her bra and shorts.

While those solo acts can elicit a hearty guffaw, the same cannot be said of the man who collapsed and died in a bank queue in Port Harcourt recently. At an ATM machine in Benin City last week, students of the University of Benin had a run-in with soldiers. Were it not for the prompt intervention of the authorities, confrontations between military men and students can only be too predictable.

As it stands, Nigerians are not likely to end the queue culture anytime soon. Of course, millions of Nigerians of voting age will troop to the polls later this month and in mid-March. And therein lies the irony: the long-suffering populace now queuing for cash, petrol and PVCs will form the mother of all queues with the odd choice of voting for the same politicians who got them into the trouble they are now confronted with.

... and for petrol

Nigeria's Slide to Football Irrelevance in Africa And Beyond

BY JUDE OBAFEMI

As the African Nations Championship (CHAN) 2023 came to a close on February 4 in Algeria, Nigeria’s absence at another international competition was felt by football fans in the country. Nigeria, who have remained a dominant force in African football over the last decades, were not able to make the trip to Algeria due to a disappointing loss to Ghana’s Black Galaxies in the CHAN qualifying final round last year.

The qualification process involved a two-leg tie, with the first leg played in Cape Coast, Ghana. The Black Galaxies prepared for the matches against Super Eagles B by training in Austria for a week and playing a friendly against the World Cup hosts, Qatar. The Super Eagles, led by coach Salisu Yusuf, who guided the team to reach the final of the 2018 CHAN against hosts Morocco, prepared by tackling a domestic team of the Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL). The team was also composed of some of the best home-based players in Nigeria, plying their trades in the NPFL, and most of whom were energised by the opportunity to demonstrate to the continent and possible scouts that they were ripe for progress beyond the domestic ambiance.

At the competition itself, in the first leg, the Black Galaxies defeated the Super Eagles B team 2-0. It immediately placed the chances of making it to Algeria under enormous strain. It also meant a lot of effort was necessary in the second leg, at home, to give the home-based Super Eagles a chance to return to the continental competition. Everything was hanging on the outcome of the reverse fixture. In that second leg took, which took place in Abuja, Nigeria, the Super Eagles, recognised the enormity of their tasks and mounted a dramatic comeback, scoring two goals in the second half and leveling the aggregate score at 2-2.

This meant that the winner would be determined through the lottery of penalty kicks. Unfortunately, the Super Eagles were unable to get the upper hand by converting all their penalty kicks, unlike their Ghanaian counterparts. It meant the Nigerian team lost the shootout 5-4, handing the Black Galaxies the ticket to the CHAN 2023. It was just as well

Nigeria's status as a superpower of football in Africa was not achieved overnight but poor decisions and inefficient

have

for Nigeria's West African football rival because Ghana had been eager to qualify for the CHAN, having failed to do so in the last three editions of the tournament.

Notwithstanding, the loss was a bitter pill for Nigeria to swallow, especially after the loss of the Super Eagles in similar circumstances to Ghana for the World Cup in Qatar. After the first leg ended goalless in Ghana, Nigeria took

the lead in the return leg in the stadium in Abuja before a goal by Thomas Partey meant that Ghana took the available qualification slot on the away-goals rule. It was so difficult for the fans to accommodate that they immediately invaded the pitch and violently chase the players and officials away while destroying the advertising boards, the dugout, and other parts of the Abuja stadium that had just been refurbished at a premium cost by the Dangote Group.

This was another rung in the downtrend ladder of Nigeria's slide to irrelevance in the continental discourse in and around football. Yet, it was hardly the end. This was because of the clear absence of Nigerian referees in the list released by the Confederation of African Football (CAF) for CHAN 2023. In the list, which included 19 referees, 21 assistant referees, and 12 video assistant referees (VAR), representing 32 of CAF’s member associations, there

management

brought the country to this state. It is encouraging that the new administration of Ibrahim Musa Gusau is determined to work with the coaching crew to rework the operations of the teams and bring about the change that will turn the fortunes of the country around for good

Nigeria's Slide to Football Irrelevance in Africa And Beyond

was no space to include even one Nigerian referee. CAF, which has been promoting women’s refereeing, found space to include three women match officials for the tournament, including referee Vincentia E. Amedone from Togo, and assistant referees Carine Atezambong Fomo from Cameroon and Diane Chikotesha from Zambia. It was glaring that Nigeria was completely left out on both male and female categories of referees awarded for CHAN.

The decline of relevance that being absent from these competitions results in is conjoined by a decline in profitability due to the financial advantages that come with participation. For instance, the NPFL missed a chance to earn at least $2 million after the Super Eagles B failed to qualify for the CHAN in Algeria. CAF announced a 60% increase in prize money for the winner of the CHAN. The increase aligned with CAF’s aim to increase the commercial value of African competitions. $2 million was set aside for the winners compared to the $1,250,000 received by the previous champion two years ago. Nigeria stood a good chance of taking the entirety of this sum but could not earn a slot in the competition.

The total prize money for the tournament increased to $7.9 million, up from $5.4 million in the previous edition. The runners-up will receive $800,000, with third and fourthplaced teams getting $500,000 each. Even countries that failed to reach the quarterfinals will earn $400,000 each, while second-placed teams in groups of three will receive $300,000 and third-placed teams in groups of four will also earn $300,000. The bottom-placed teams in all groups will get $200,000 each. Therefore, even if the CHAN Eagles were unable to make it out of their group, the sum they could have made, when converted to Naira, could have been considerable.

This dovetails with the financial losses the country made by not qualifying for Qatar 2022. Indeed, prize money at the World Cup also depended on where the teams finished but FIFA doled out no less than $440 million to the 32 national teams. This money included $9 million each to the 16 teams eliminated at the group stage, $13 million to teams knocked out in the round of 16, followed by escalating amounts that culminated in $30 million to the runnerup and $42 million to the winner. The Nigeria Football Federation missed out completely by not qualifying.

Things are not made any easier for the NFF, especially in the current climate. As THEWILL previously reported, the NFF is currently facing a difficult year with its major partners, including the Nigerian Breweries, Air Peace, Cadbury, MTN, Emzor Pharmaceuticals, Aitea, Coca-Cola,

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Revolution Plus and Premier Lotto not enthused about their partnerships with the Federation. Most of them have complained about the unprofessional attitude of the Federation towards corporate relationships. Air Peace, Coca-Cola and Revolution Plus have already severed ties with the Federation and the others are not willing to renew when their existing deals elapse. The absence of the Super Eagles at Qatar had a part to play in the exposure of these brands for them to gain from their sponsorship of football and with no financial gains, it will be even more difficult for the NFF when these brands pull out.

However, despite Nigeria’s absence, the CHAN 2023 was exciting, with several surprising results and thrilling matches. The tournament held in four cities in AlgeriaAlgiers, Constantine, Oran, and Annaba - and featured some of the best home-based players from around the continent. The CHAN is a biennial tournament that was initially scheduled for 2022 but was postponed to 2023 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The CHAN 2023 was the 7th edition of the tournament and was sponsored by TotalEnergies. The tournament has always been a showcase for some of the best home-based players in Africa and continues to provide a platform for them to display their skills and attract interest from clubs

Marwa’s Fight Against Illicit Drugs And Why we Should Get Involved

also have roles to play. Marwa has continued to challenge these segments of the society to own the campaign against drug abuse while enjoining religious leaders to make it a constant feature in their sermons and evangelical activities. By doing so, we can all help to save the millions of Nigerian youths who are the demographic most affected by substance abuse and prevent many others from falling into the same trap.

However, for me, it is important to note that these efforts alone are not enough to solve the problem. It is imperative that there is also a focus on public education about the dangers of drug use and the negative consequences that stem from drug trafficking. It is essential that there is a concerted effort to educate the public, particularly young people, about the dangers of drug use and the consequences of drug trafficking. This education must come from both government and nongovernment organisations, as well as community leaders and parents. It must be sounded as alarming as possible that, in addition to the dangers of drug use to one’s physical and mental health, drug trafficking also fuels organised crime and contributes to a cycle of violence and corruption. The proceeds from drug trafficking often end up in the hands of criminal organisations that use the money to fund their illegal activities, perpetuating

the cycle of crime and violence.

Furthermore, while the actions taken by the NDLEA are commendable, it is important to stress that more is done to address the root causes of drug trafficking and use in Nigeria. This requires a focus on public education and awareness, as well as continued efforts to disrupt drug trafficking operations and reduce the supply of drugs. By working together, Nigeria can make progress in reducing drug use and trafficking, ultimately making the country a safer place for all its citizens.

In conclusion, the fight against drug abuse and trafficking is an ongoing battle that requires the efforts of everyone in the community. The NDLEA’s WADA campaign and their recent efforts in arresting drug lords and seizing drugs are a step in the right direction. However, it is also important to educate the public on the dangers of drug use and the consequences of drug trafficking. This education can help prevent future generations from falling into the trap of drug abuse and provide them with the knowledge they need to make informed decisions about their health and well-being. NDLEA’s call for support from everyone is an important one, and I hope to see continued progress in the fight against drug abuse and trafficking in Nigeria.

around the world. The tournament has also been a source of pride for African nations and has helped to promote the sport on the continent. In the race for the highest goal scorer, new names emerged. Algeria's Aymen Mahious and Madagascar's Razafindranaivo Koloina were previously in a tight race to be crowned highest goal scorers. The 25-yearold USM Algiers forward Mahious and Koloina, who is 22, had both scored three goals each in the tournament in the heat of the quarter-finals. They were tied in a neck-andneck race for the award until the semi-final, where Algeria beat Niger 5-0 with Mahious netting two to move his total to five, while Madagascar were knocked out after losing by a score of 1-nil to Senegal. It left the Algerian without competition en route to the final.

Soufiane Rahimi and Ayoub El Kaabi were the competition's last two golden boot winners, but with Morocco out, there is set to be another winner from a different nation. Former winners of this award have gone on to have stellar careers in and out of the continent as well as with their senior national teams.

The tournament has been a great platform for home-based players to showcase their skills and has helped to promote the sport in Africa. The CHAN is an important tournament for African football and will continue to play a crucial role in the development of the sport on the continent. However, Nigeria must arrest this slide down the ladder of relevance. There is an immediate need to take action and ensure that the best legs are identified and put together as teams to represent the country beyond any other considerations.

Marwa’s Fight Against Illicit Drugs And Why we Should Get Involved

According to a 2021 study, “The Burden of Drug Abuse in Nigeria: A Scoping Review of Epidemiological Studies and Drug Laws”, Nigeria is one of the countries in the world that have been significantly impacted by drug abuse and illicit drug trafficking. It has been the burden of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) to take on the challenge of putting a sizable dent in the business of these traffickers. The truth is the fight has not been a walk in the park

The NDLEA is a federal law enforcement agency under the Federal Ministry of Justice charged with eliminating the growing, processing, manufacturing, selling, exporting, and trafficking of hard drugs. It was established by Decree Number 48 of 1989. The Decree was promulgated chiefly in response to the rising trend in the demand for and trafficking of narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances which adversely affected the international image of Nigerians and Nigeria in the 1980s. Since then, the trafficking of illicit substances has become an organised criminal activity undermining the security and development of the country. Every government has rededicated itself to tackling the scourge of drug trafficking and agents of the NDLEA can be found at international airports, seaports, and border crossings. The NDLEA also targets leaders of narcotics and money laundering organisations.

After years of underperformance, the NDLEA appears to have woken up from its almost comatose state with the appointment of Buba Marwa, a retired senior military officer and former Military Administrator of Lagos State, as its Director General.

Before Marwa’s appointment, traffickers went almost unimpeded in their trade. Nigeria seemed to be once again “Open fit Business” in the market of hard and dangerous substances. Nipping the booming trade required the employment of a tactical mind with capacity to fix the problem.

This is what the country got when President Muhammadu Buhari appointed Mohammed Buba Marwa to take charge of the country's floundering fight against hard drugs in January 2021. Since then, the NDLEA has been making strides in the fight against drug abuse and trafficking, as demonstrated by their recent efforts to stop Nsofor Chukwukadibia, a suspected drug lord and baron. The level of dedication to their roles in the agency, however, meant that his drug trafficking days were numbered. The agency busted him, froze all 126 of his bank accounts, which had over N50bn in turnover. In October of 2022, Chukwukadibia was arrested following the discovery of a large consignment of drugs worth N8.8bn in one of his mansions in the highbrow Victoria Garden City, Ajah area of Lagos. In addition to the drugs, the

NDLEA also seized nine vehicles, including three bulletproof SUVs, and domiciliary accounts worth $381, 794.19 (about N267,255,933), £5,543.24 and N100m.

Also, the NDLEA’s seizure, in September last year, of 1.8 tonnes of cocaine worth “N194 billion” in Lagos is a testament to their effectiveness in the fight against drug trafficking. The drugs were

One of the most recent operations took place in the Opuje forests in Edo, where NDLEA operatives dealt a lethal blow to a cluster of cannabis syndicates operating in the area. The community of Opuje has a notorious reputation for cannabis cultivation, where cartels invest huge resources into the illegal trade, even going so far as to cut down economic trees in the forest to make way for large-scale cannabis cultivation. Four individuals, including a police impersonator, were arrested in connection with the drugs. Just a few days before that operation , the NDLEA, with the help of the Drug Enforcement Administration of the United States, busted a criminal syndicate involved in the trafficking of fake American currency. In a combined operation with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), a total of $269,000 in counterfeit currency was recovered and three suspects were arrested. The NDLEA commended the officers involved in the operation for their professionalism and commitment.

In addition to these arrests, the NDLEA has also reported the interception of 11.5kg of skunk, made from unpollinated cannabis plants, at a courier company in Lagos. A freight agent was also arrested at the airport for attempting to export 1.5 kilograms of skunk hidden in foodstuffs. The NDLEA also intercepted a shipment of 24.5kg of cannabis indica from Canada and arrested one of the accomplices involved in the importation, while the other remains at large.

found in a warehouse in the Ikorodu area of Lagos and five individuals, including a Jamaican, were arrested. The NDLEA has identified these individuals as kingpins of a cocaine cartel that the agency had been trailing since 2018. The drugs were stored in 10 travel bags and 13 drums and were intended to be sold to buyers in Europe, Asia, and other parts of the world. It was the largest bust in the history of the agency.

In a continuous effort to combat drug trafficking and use in Nigeria, the NDLEA has had a busy start to the year. A few weeks ago, the agency reported a series of operations that have resulted in the destruction and burning of over 317,417 kgs of cannabis sativa, the seizure of 11.5kg of skunk, 24.5kg of cannabis indica, and a significant amount of counterfeit currency. These actions not only demonstrate the NDLEA’s commitment to reducing the supply and demand of illicit drugs in Nigeria, but also highlight the need for further public education about the dangers of drug use.

In their renewed drive under Marwa, NDLEA operatives have applied their efforts to extend beyond Nigeria’s borders, acting on agreements struck with countries like India to block the illegal importation of tramadol from the country. This is part of moves being made to significantly reduce the shipment of tramadol and other banned drugs into Nigeria, effectively crippling the criminal networks of some drug barons across Nigeria. In an effort to bring more attention to this issue and educate the public, the NDLEA has launched the War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) campaign, which has been making its way to every community in Nigeria in the past two years.

These actions by the NDLEA demonstrate their dedication to reducing the supply and demand of drugs in Nigeria.

It also improves Nigeria’s standing in the international efforts to combat drug abuse while elevating the profile of Marwa, the field agents at the Agency and the NDLEA as an organisation of repute. Yet, the agency cannot do it all alone as religious bodies and faith-based organisations and the wider society

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However, for me, it is important to note that these efforts alone are not enough to solve the problem. It is imperative that there is also a focus on public education about the dangers of drug use and the negative consequences that stem from drug trafficking. It is essential that there is a concerted effort to educate the public, particularly young people, about the dangers of drug use and the consequences of drug trafficking