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Oil Subsidy Dilemma: Politics, Cost of Indecision •WhyBuhariPostponedImplementation•TacticalDecisionPreventedDisruptions to Economy, Electoral Process •Uproar Over Outrageous N3trn Price Tag

STATE OF THE STATES

This special publication of THEWILL x-rays the potentials of the 36 states and the FCT to achieve a quantum leap in development through investment and job creation. The prevailing cash crunch in the country makes the project more compelling for policy-makers, investors and other stakeholders.

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JANUARY 30 - FEBRUARY 05, 2022 T H E W I L L N E W S P A P E R • www.thewillnigeria.com

COVER Oil Subsidy Dilemma: Politics, Cost of Indecision •Why Buhari Postponed Implementation •Tactical Decision Prevented Disruptions to Economy, Electoral Process •Uproar Over Outrageous N3trn Price Tag

BY AMOS ESELE

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he Federal Government may have found itself in a dilemma over its recent decision to postpone the removal of the oil subsidy regime, which it had fixed for February 2022 after several attempts.

Instead of the expected applause it expected to receive from Nigerians for its volte face on the controversial subsidy regime, the 18-month postponement being put forward has rather exposed the lack of political will by the Muhammadu Buhari Administration to go headlong with a decision many Nigerians had looked forward to as a major reform that it should have embarked upon in its almost seven years in office.

The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), which promised to paralyse the nation with mass protests if the subsidy is removed as promised by the Federal Government, also appears to have soft-pedalled as it is now singing another tune over what has been described as yet another victory. However, many observers of the development are not quite impressed with the shifting of the goalpost by the Federal Government over an important decision, such as the subsidy removal, as some have taken it as a postponement of the proverbial evil day.

Only last Tuesday, the Chief Executive Officer, Nigeria Economic Summit Group, Laoye Jaiyeola, while speaking at the launch of the NESG 2022 Macroeconomic Outlook Report in Abuja, said the fuel subsidy, which was “conceived initially as a short-term support tool, has endured over time, thereby becoming a threat to fiscal sustainability.” He however noted that the removal of subsidies on petrol “will come at a cost," adding "Tough reforms are costly and the cost of inactions is also enormous.”

The NESG report maintains that "the abrupt removal of fuel subsidies pronounced on January 1, 2012, led to a week-long nationwide protest and demonstration," stressing that “Since the EndSARS protest in 2020, Nigeria has been in a fragile state and therefore, abrupt fuel subsidy removal might lead to protests that the country cannot afford.”

On the first day, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila, called for an investigation into the stage of the ongoing rehabilitation of the four refineries in Port Harcourt, Warri and Kaduna and the actual volume of petrol being consumed in the country daily, which the Nigeria National Petroleum, Group Managing Director, Mele Kyari, put at 60 million litres.

Sequel to the adoption of the Speaker’s order, two other motions

by Minority Leader, Ndudi Elemulu and Ademorin Kuye, (Somolu Constituency, Lagos) were raised and adopted on Thursday.

Jaiyeola however urged the Federal Government to “work to minimise the cost on citizens through direct and indirect interventions," saying, "Implementing subsidy reforms without complementing the policy with effective mitigation measures will only elevate economic hardship for Nigerians and stoke social unrest.”

Elumele’s motion titled, ‘Need to ascertain the actual consumption of Premium Motor Spirit in Nigeria’, noted that “the House was concerned about the large sums of money paid as subsidies and the controversies they have generated,” adding that, “the House was worried that it may not be possible to ascertain the actual sums of subsidy required and being paid without accurate data on the daily consumption of Premium Motor Spirit.”

The International Monetary Fund, which had earlier encouraged the Federal Government to remove the subsidy on petrol, is also calling for caution. The IMF Nigeria Country Representative, Mr Ari Aisen, has advised the Federal Government to take full charge of its reform programmes.

In the same vein, Kuye’s motion titled, ‘Need to Ascertain the Actual Cost of Rehabilitation of Nigeria Refineries,’ noted “that several billions of dollars of taxpayer’s money have been expended into the Turn Around Maintenance and rehabilitation of the nation’s refineries without any productive outcome.

Aisen, who spoke on the decision of the Federal Government to back down on the removal of the subsidy, urged the government to “be in charge of reforms instead of being reactive” and to desist from carrying out reforms only when it is convenient.

“The House observes that past government efforts have been sabotaged by variation costs from partners or lack of proper project costing and analysis.”

With all eyes set on the 2023 general election, the governing All Progressives Congress (APC) may have tactfully postponed the implementation of the subsidy removal under the guise of having the interest of the masses at heart. The speed with which the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC) also came with a N3 trillion figure as the amount to cover the subsidy for 2022 also gave the government out.

The Nigerian Governors Forum was the first to react, describing the N3 trillion projected as subsidy for 2022 as fraudulent and called for an investigation into the subsidy regime.

The humongous sum of money being put forward also got representatives at the National Assembly furious on Wednesday and Thursday last week as they kept asking questions on the controversial petroleum subsidy to which many Nigerians in their homes and on the streets have been seeking answers for many years. The issue has become a recurring decimal on national life.

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While the members of the lower chamber of the NASS were doing the work they were elected to do, another telling drama was playing out at the Lagos State High Court sitting in Ikeja, Lagos. There, on Wednesday, the Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Abdulrasheed Bawa was undergoing cross-examination as the fifth prosecution witness in the ongoing trial of Abubakar Ali Peters and his company, Nadabo Energy Limited, for an alleged N1.4billion oil subsidy fraud before Justice C.A. Balogun.

The EFCC is prosecuting Abubakar and his company on a 27-count charge for allegedly using forged documents to obtain N1, 464,961,978.24 from the Federal Government as oil subsidy, after allegedly inflating the quantity of Premium Motor Spirit, PMS, purportedly imported and supplied by the company.

Under cross-examination by the defence counsel, E.O. Isirame, Bawa, who has been mounting the dock on this case since December 20 2021, said, among others, "This is the bundle of

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documents submitted by the defendant to the PPPRA, which we requested from the agency for the certified true copy and they obliged us.

“The covering letter as seen in Exhibit B was signed by Ted Okonkwo, Head, Port Harcourt Zone of PPPRA,” whom he said, “acted, to the best of our knowledge, based on the documents available to him and information received allegedly. Through our investigation, we found out that the content of the documents submitted, including a letter written by Masters Energy to PPPRA that the defendant discharged 14,000MT equivalent to about 19,000,000 litres of PMS in their tank farm is false. From our findings, some documents from the Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR) were also false.”

Nadabo and company have pleaded "not guilty" to the charges.

When THEWILL asked EFCC’s Head of Media and Publicity, Wilson Uwujaren, whether the Commission would charge DPR and PPPRA officials along Nadabo, for complicity, he drew a blank.

“The matter is in court and the EFCC cannot decide what is already before the court,” he replied. The kernel of the question centered on why relevant government agencies would agree to pay without verification and authentication. Attempts to reach officials of Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority of the NNPC failed as nobody said a word.

Last week, a national newspaper quoted a lawmaker as saying: “We cannot believe NNPC’s claim that Nigeria consumes over 65 million litres a day. It is outrageous. All of them (stakeholders, NNPC officials, oil marketers) will be summoned to explain what is happening. We also hope to summon customs and others to explain how petrol is being smuggled out of the country. Are petrol tankers going through bush paths?”

EXPLAINING THE DECISION? That same Wednesday, revelations emerged on why the Federal Government, which had a few weeks ago set June 2020 as the target date to end payment of fuel subsidy amid the provision of palliatives of N5, 000 to 40 million poorest of the poor Nigerians, transportation subsidy, ate its own words, just like previous governments before it did in the past 40 years.

In an interview on Channels Television’s ‘Sunrise Daily’ programme on that same Wednesday the House and Bawa were dealing with the now controversial petroleum subsidy removal or continued payment, the Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Femi Adesina said: “If that subsidy had

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COVER

Oil Subsidy Dilemma: Politics, Cost of Indecision been removed, it would have been a show of will that we want to solve this problem (oil fraud). There was a will, but if you have a will and what you want to do will upturn the system, throw the country into a tailspin, then you would have to reconsider, you will weigh it. That is why further consultations will still happen.”

A presidential source told THEWILL anonymously that intelligence reports revealed that the planned protests against the removal of petroleum subsidy could have caused tremendous damage to the fragile economy that is still recovering from the coronavirus lockdown and would also have disrupted the electoral system with the forthcoming Ekiti and Osun governorship elections as well as primaries to elect candidates for the general elections slated for the first quarter of 2023.

Attempts to reach Adesina for more clarification proved abortive as his phone was unreachable. But the question remained. Does this mean that the government lacked the political will to remove the subsidy? And was it playing politics with subsidy removal after it had promised to do so and failed at the last minute?

After all, official consultations took place in the last two months from last November 2020 when Governor Nasir El-Rufai, at the unveiling of the World Bank report, advised Nigeria to cancel the subsidy programme by January 2020 and warned that if the subsidy regime remained, state governors may be unable to pay salaries by 2022 when the IMF directed the country to remove the subsidy regime and use the accrual to provide infrastructure and social capital.

It was also during that period that the Minister of Finance and National Budget, Zainab Ahmed, proposed the N5, 000 palliatives to be disbursed to the poorest Nigerians,” through the e-wallet system for a maximum period of 12 months and a minimum of six months… from the Federation account… because government can no longer bear the cost of petroleum subsidy at N250 billion monthly because NNPC has been making zero remittance to the Federation Account.

As the minister later admitted at a meeting with the NASS on January 24, a combination of pressure from Nigerians and the rising inflation has forced government to beat a hasty retreat from its planned removal of subsidy and spread the plan over an 18- month period during which it would consult more with stakeholders and put measures in place to reduce the consequential impact of the removal on the populace.

Mr Victor Ononokpono, a gas and oil expert, was National Treasurer of the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria, PENGASAN, told THEWILL in a brief interview that he would choose to look at the current government decision over subsidy regime from the standpoint of the political economy.

The fact that the government has economic decisions to make does not mean it will not take political decisions that have far reaching effects on the people, he said. He does not subscribe to the idea of a cabal having hijacked the oil subsidy regime to milk the country dry and prevent the people suffering from enjoying the impact of the major foreign revenue earner for the country.

He said, “There are sharp practices everywhere in any industry, in any sector in every society. It is left for the security and anti-graft agencies to do their work. I think we have passed the argument in this country that petroleum subsidies should be removed. What we are talking about now is the timing.

POSTPONING THE EVIL DAY? Professor Ayo Olukotun, Director at the Institute of Governance, Olabisi Onabanjo University, Ago Iwoye, Ogun State, thinks the government is playing politics of the 2023 election with the oil subsidy regime.

He told THEWILL on Friday that as usual in a political season, the voters would be given, “all kinds of unusual favours for well-known reasons. Recall the famous words of the Swiss philosopher, J. J. Rousseau, made centuries ago, that “the people of England regards itself as free, but it is grossly mistaken. It is free only during the election of members of parliament. As soon as they are elected, slavery overtakes it…”

According to him, after the Buhari administration’s, “Eight years of the so-called reformism, we have come full circle, regarding the abracadabra of subsidy, resulting in a gargantuan foreign debt and the spectre of national bankruptcy.

“This apart, the Minister for Finance, Zainab Ahmed, confirmed recently that the deepening suffering of Nigerians as a result of high inflation is one of the reasons why the removal of fuel subsidy, which was earlier slated for June, has been put on hold.

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This picture, likely to happen very soon, may be the game changer for Nigeria and Nigerians as far as petroleum subsidy is concerned. But until then, Nigerians can only hope and expect that the Nigerian factor of corruption and lack of government will to implement even its own programmes and projects and deal with business sharks, will also change

“The eternally opaque Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation told us that Nigerians consume fuel to the tune of 65.7 million litres daily and that it will require a sum of N3 trillion to underwrite the cost of the postponement of fuel subsidy removal by 18 months.

“Unsurprisingly, an irate Dr Kayode Fayemi, Governor of Ekiti State and Chairman Nigeria Governors’ Forum fired back that “there is a lot of fraud in consumption and distribution figures,” suggesting that no one is sure anymore about the competing and contradictory figures churned out by NNPC.” Surprisingly, a top NNPC official, who works with one of the refineries in the country, supported Olukotun’s position in his response anonymously in a mail to further enquiries by this newspaper.

According to the official who spoke anonymously, “There is a scam called fuel subsidy, encouraged by importation of the product instead of local refining.”

“It is disgusting to see how policies without proper planning get breached by the same policy makers. The Petroleum Industry Act is clear on subsidy removal. The Act allows for proper market economy and commercialisation of the oil and gas sector.

NNPC Ltd by the PIA has nothing to do with fuel subsidy.

“I watched the GMD of NNPC, (Mele Kyari), saying we consume about 60 million litres daily. How? This must be authenticated. It’s an open secret that the number of liters claimed to be imported are dubious and part of it goes across our porous borders for sale to neighbouring countries where PMS is much more expensive than the Nigerian subsidisedproduct.

“No one is talking about the diesel and kerosene that has been deregulated for years in the country. Our industries run on diesel as backup to epileptic power supply. The articulated vehicles use diesel also. Kerosene for cooking is used by the poor. This increases the cost of production and it is passed to the consumer.

No one discusses the inflation caused by it. Insecurity has also led to food production shortages. So the burden is always passed on to the poor people.”

SOCIAL IMPLICATIONS AND WAY OUT IN 18 MONTHS As the NNPC official noted, the poor will continue to get temporary relief as continued subsidy has not even alleviated their suffering with the continued height in inflation as noted by Minister Ahmed, smuggling of the product across the border, Naira/ Dollar exchange rate that is unstable because market is dollarize which make control difficult for an economy that is import dependent.

According to the NNPC official, “We are a poor country in terms of revenue generated and in-spite of our abundant resources. The Federal deficit budget of N17. 1 trillion (less than $50 billion) already approved by NASS has actual projected revenue of about N11 trillion.

“That means we need to borrow plus other additional sources to make it up to N17.1 trillion. Capital expenditure is about N5.5trillion, recurrent expenditure is about N6.9trillion, debt servicing is put at N3.8 trillion. Now NNPC is requesting about N3 trillion for fuel subsidy that was not initially in the budget approved by NASS. The big question now is where will the money come from? Now we are almost back to square one. Do we really need 18 months?”

“The way out is to ensure local production of petroleum products to meet our demand and even export.

“All these should have been planned two to three years ago, ensuring the local refineries are operational to be augmented

by Dangote Refinery. That will be possible with Dangote, Port Harcourt refineries coming on stream, in the short term and Kaduna and Warri refineries on the long run. Hopefully when Dangote and the Port Harcourt refining starts producing the game will be over. Dangote in full capacity will meet our needs and also export.

“Alhaji Abdulrahman Samad’s BUA Company will be going into refining soon.

“The appropriate pricing of local refined products in line with the dynamics of the economy must be agreed to by all stakeholders.

“Just as Lagos state, other states should invest in mass transit for the people.

“I think Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu is already working ahead and some governors should follow his footsteps according to their strength. Sanwo-Olu’s blue line project is commendable.

States that cannot do the same should invest and encourage the private sector in providing mass transit for the populace."

Ononokpono however warns that the impending amendment of the PIA should not in any way give room for the re-establishment of the old regime of, “over regulation,” of the industry. Over regulation kills investment in the industry.”

He gave examples with the failure of licensed investors in oil refineries to operate their license since 2006 when DPR issued the licenses after the open bidding.

“Refinery is a marginal business. It involves a lot. To build a refinery you need to have a full complement of refining products and petrochemicals otherwise you may not make a lot in the long run, that is if you are going to be buying crude at the prevailing international market price but you are not allowed to sell to maximize profit.”

He however agrees with the NNPC official that the coming Dangote refinery, Port Harcourt and the a proposed one in Anambra together with the modular refineries in Edo and Rivers, things would make the subsidy removal practicable.

He said that between 1999 and 2000 for instance, the country was consuming about 18 million litres daily. At that point, the refineries were producing less than 18 million per barrel per day.

Increasingly we had to balance the difference in consumption and that came with increased population and demand with importation.

The 18 months delayed the implementation of subsidy removal could be beneficial to the country, Ononokpono argues.

“In 18 months, the price of crude in the international market could drop or go up. There are many indices to contend with.

The lingering crisis in Ukraine between Russian, American and Europe, for instance, could affect prices. It could crash or go up. If Saudi Arabia responds by flooding the market with crude beyond its 18 million barrels per day production during that 18 months; we could gain or lose.

“But then there is a brighter future when infrastructure is fully in place to help the people and we have a pricing template of STP, that is Ship to Ship, at a low of N3 per litre because the Lekki ongoing Deep Sea port can take bigger vessels, which are avoiding Apapa for now together with the rehabilitated Port Harcourt refinery alongside Dangote Refinery and the one being proposed in Anambra as well as modular refineries.”

He explained further that with a huge refinery like Dangote taking care of local consumption, the cost of freight and insurance that usually come with importation would be eliminated to the advantage of the country.

“If we have all these things in place, the cost of the product will come down drastically. It would be unlike before when whatever we are bringing in is regulated by the exchange rate.”

This picture, likely to happen very soon, may be the game changer for Nigeria and Nigerians as far as petroleum subsidy is concerned. But until then, Nigerians can only hope and expect that the Nigerian factor of corruption and lack of government will to implement even its own programmes and projects and deal with business sharks, will also change.

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JANUARY 30 - FEBRUARY 05, 2022 T H E W I L L N E W S P A P E R • www.thewillnigeria.com

NEWS FG, Ogun Train Officers To End Open Defecation FROM SEGUN AYINDE, ABEOKUTA

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he Federal Government, in partnership with the Ogun State Government, plans to train Desk Officers across the 20 Local Government Areas to rid the state of open defecation by 2025.

The training is an extension of the gvernment’s commitment to support states across the federation towards achieving the national target of making Nigeria free of open defecation on or before 2025.

L-R: Business mogul, Bola Adegunwa; Akarigbo of Remoland, Oba Babatunde Ajayi; former governor of Ogun State, Olusegun Osoba; Governor Dapo Abiodun; President Muhammadu Buhari; his Chief of Staff, Ibrahim Gambari; Minister of Mines and Steel Development, Olamilekan Adegbite, and former deputy governor, Salmat Badru, during a thank-you visit by Ogun State leaders on the recent visit of the President to the State at Presidential Villa in Abuja on January 28, 2022.

C’River Hosts African Music Festival on Valentine’s Day FROM BASSEY ANIEKAN, CALABAR

he Cross River State Government has unveiled its plan to host an African Music Festival on this year’s Saint Valentine’s Day at Calas Vagas.

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“This year we are only going to observe the valentine’s day as a new injection and that will be the only injection we will have for this year.

Calas Vegas is one of the tourism destinations developed by the state government and located in a virgin island across the Calabar channel.

“On the valentine’s day we will have bikers parade, vintage car parade, car stunts, floating restaurant at the water and at night we are going to have an African Music Festival at Calas Vegas.

The Commissioner for Tourism, Eric Anderson, disclosed this in Calabar after playing host to members of the Correspondents Chapel led by Eme Offiong.

Anderson said for the current year no new injection would be made in the state’s tourism calendar and existing events would be sustained.

“There will be a carnival this year and this will be our last festival as a government and of course the government wants to end strong and that is one of the avenues we want to end strong in tourism”, he said.

On the ranch resort, he said there has been a lot of improvements and some time last year he personally spent one week at the ranch to oversee the upgrade in facilities.

He also disclosed that the carnival will take place this year and it is one of the avenues the state government hopes to use in finishing strong.

On Qua falls, he said it has also renovated, all the rails down has been fixed and we also created another route down so that tourists can have proper view of the water.

“For 2022, we do not intend to create new tourism products because we have sufficient products we need to maintain.

He said the Qua Falls in Agbokim emerged one of the most visited sites in the country during the pandemic year.

I’ll Consolidate On Senator Jarigbe's Gains – Usibe

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ne of the contestants in the forthcoming by-elections in Cross River State, Mike Usibe, has said that he will consolidate on the gains made

by Senator Jarigbe Agom Jarigbe for the people.

He made this known after a successful screening excercise conducted for contestants by the Peoples Democratic Party at its secretariat in Calabar.

Usibe said Senator Jarigbe, who occupied the seat before emerging senator, achieved a lot for the people during his tenure and he would build on this.

"Let us come to the understanding that Senator Jarigbe has done well for the people in terms of infrastructure and human capital development.

"If elected I will like to consolidate on the THEWILLNIGERIA

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gains he has made for our people.

"I will sustain the gains we have made in terms of infrastructure, healthcare facilities and care for the elderly", he said.

Speaking on his chances, Usibe said he was well prepared, based on his experience and exposure.

He also said the party had become stronger without the governor because the stakeholders made him stronger and they are still in the party.

"The governor was in the PDP and we the stakeholders made him strong. We gave him victory and made him become the governor.

"So by leaving the party he did not leave with anything much because we are still back in the party to make our party stronger," he said.

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Plateau Partners Sightsavers On Improved Eye Health

Declaring open a five-day workshop, the Commissioner For Rural Development, Engr Taiwo Oludotun, said that it would avail the officers the required skills to educate people through the "Use the Toilet" campaign against open defecation.

FROM UKANDI ODEY, JOS

Oludotun, who thanked Governor Dapo Abiodun and his wife, Mrs Bamidele, for their support in making the state open defecation free, said the skills to be acquired by the officers would also promote toilet uptake in ending the practices in all the communities within the LGAs.

Governor Simon Lalong stated this while receiving the Country Director of Sightsavers Nigeria and Ghana, Dr Sunday Isiyaku, at Government House Jos.

He urged the trainees to take the advantage of the community-led Total Sanitation Approach(CLTS) training workshop to rescue the state from those who still practice open defecation in Nigeria.

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he Plateau State Government has said it will partner with Sightsavers, an international health provider organisation, to establish a comprehensive eye health programme throughout the state.

He said the partnership is based on his earlier visit to the United Kingdom where he interacted with the global leaders of the organisation and requested a partnership with the organisation aimed at addressing the challenges of eye health in Plateau State.

Governor Lalong said one of his dreams is to see that people, who are living with disabilities in any form, get assistance and reprieve through steps, such as the one being undertaken in the partnership with Sightsavers.

He thanked the team for the visit and assured them that the Plateau State Government was ready to play its part in the partnership by paying its counterpart funding and also make facilities and personnel available for the training and actual operation.

Earlier, the Country Director, Sightsavers Nigeria and Ghana, Dr. Sunday Isiyaku said they were in Plateau on the directive of the global office which responded to the communication sent to it by the Governor for a partnership.

He said a three year partnership is being proposed and will support the establishment of a State-owned comprehensive eye health program that is well coordinated, accessible, affordable, and sustainable based on national policies and guidelines for the over 4 million people of Plateau State.

Dr Isiyaku said in 2021, a survey was carried out which showed that there is a significant gap in eye health in Plateau State which needs to be addressed immediately to save many citizens from going blind. This, he said, would involve manpower training, improvement of infrastructure and advocacy.

The Country Director requested the governor to approve health facilities in the Central and Southern zones of Plateau State, pay counterpart funds, fund budget lines for eye health and work towards improving the human resource in the eye health sector.

The National Coordinator, Clean Nigeria Campaign Secretariat (CNC), Mrs Chizoma Opara, said the workshop was targeted at building capacity for the Clean Nigeria campaign LGA desk officers in the state.

Opara, who was represented by Mrs Abasiama Ebreso from Federal Ministry of Water Resources, said the purpose of the campaign was to remove Nigeria from list of countries with a high number of persons practising open defecation.

She, therefore, called for support from government at all levels, civil societies, the private sector, development partners and the entire populace.

Opera added that all communities must strive to ensure that Nigerians have access to toilet facilities at home, and public places, including schools, health centres, motor parks, markets etc.

"The Clean Nigeria Campaign Secretariat is willing to continue to provide support to states that are demonstrating commitment to the objectives of the campaign and we hope that Ogun State will be one of those states.

"It is my desire that every participant shows commitment to the success of this campaign by demonstrating zeal and passion in the course of this training. “Together, I believe we will achieve our goal of an open defecation free Nigeria by 2025," She stressed.

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FEATURE ERNEST SHONEKAN:

From Revered Boardroom Guru to Reviled ING Chairman

BY MICHAEL JIMOH

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ou are never there, so the saying goes, when others determine or decide your fate. Chief Ernest Adegunle Shodeinde Shonekan who died at 85 mid-January was in Lagos overseeing the affairs of United Africa Company of Nigeria as chairman and chief executive officer when General Ibrahim Babangida asked him to head the Transition Council in January 1993.

economy, many believed that the UK (that largely owned the UAC) had spoken. Considering his staying power as head of the company, he was a boardroom guru who while in charge – and this is to his eternal credit – also held UAC to its core values and avowed code of business conduct.”

Continuing, the editorial surmised that because of his “background of certain management style and values that worked perfectly for the private sector world, Shonekan patriotically took the job bringing what he knew to a Nigerian government system diametrically opposed in values and in practice to what he thought should apply. He applied himself diligently to the task at hand, and with eyes set upon financial prudence, sought debt cancellation from foreign creditors to relieve the national economy, began the process to audit the opaque operations of the huge, intolerably inefficient Federal Government owned oil company NNPC, and set a timetable to withdraw Nigerian troops from the ECOMOG for reasons that obviously include its corruptionridden drain on the country’s purse.”

Under pressure from Nigerians to return the country to democratic rule, the military president set up Transitional Council to sort of midwife this process. It was a first call and responsibility that would lead to a bigger and more complicated assignment and, ultimately, alter the destiny of an urbane, British-trained lawyer who began his career with UAC when he was not yet 30.

From the beloved boardroom guru he was for decades, Shonekan morphed into a despised chairman of Interim National Government decreed into existence by the outgoing military president.

It took only 82 days for this unenviable transformation to happen to the man with the Midas touch as far as running companies is concerned, a man, along with the likes of Felix Ohiwherei, known for their business acumen and playing by the rules.

Why did IBB zero in on Shonekan and not another Nigerian to head ING? Speculations are rife but one reason seems to hold true: After depriving MKO Abiola of his June 12 mandate, find another Yoruba man to head ING, however briefly it may last.

Translation? If the Yoruba are embittered that their man has been denied, here is another to take his place – though not permanently.

Shonekan was still with UAC when he got a scholarship to Harvard and then back to UACN before he got the life-changing call from IBB. Confronted with civil unrest following the annulled June 12 election won by MKO Abiola of the Social Democratic Party, the outgoing military president appointed Shonekan chairman of Interim National Government becoming, in the process, the only head of government in Nigeria who was neither elected through the ballot nor came into office through the bullet.

But once Shonekan became head of a wonky contraption hastily put together by the military, the formerly revered boardroom guru suddenly became a pariah, rejected first of all by his fellow Yoruba who clearly saw him as a usurper, one in cahoots with the military to deprive a fellow Yoruba and Egba, MKO Abiola, his rightful place as the newly elected president after one of the freest and fairest elections in the history of Nigeria. To show their displeasure, the Yoruba came up with a derisive name for ING – Fidihe – a government that is not seated comfortably.

The second and most damaging rejection came from a High Court ruling in Lagos presided over by Justice Dolapo Akinsanya after she declared ING illegal, insisting that the military president who decreed it into existence had no constitutional authority to do so. That was the end of a short-lived government nobody wanted in the first place. Nigeria’s history from then on took a dramatic turn, events happening at such a heady pace and pushing the country ever so close to the precipice inch by frightening inch.

Though he remained a public figure who helped set up Nigeria Economic Summit Group, an economic think-tank post-ING, the Abese of Egba land never fully enjoyed the full accolades due a titled chief from his Yoruba brothers and sisters. It has been said that, after a while, he stopped visiting his country home in Abeokuta because fewer and fewer people were coming to pay him courtesy call – a titled man unacknowledged by his own subjects right in his domain. It can be vexing.

But did the rejection diminish his status as a statesman and patriot in any way? Certainly not.

In a moving tribute following his demise, The Guardian editorialized thusly: “Even if Chief Ernest Adegunle Oladeinde Shonekan had not been drawn directly into the murky and tricky cauldron of national politics, he would still stand as an important figure in the history of Nigeria. He was, for more than a decade, the chairman and chief executive of the UAC conglomerate, a business with interests in a wide range of sectors, and which worth as a group rivalled the annual budget of some African countries. Anyone who could sit atop the huge and complex UAC in the dual capacities of chairman of the board of directors and chief executive was reasonably good to run Nigeria. All things considered, Shonekan exhibited the mark of a patriot.”

Shonekan was born on May 9 1936 in Lagos but of parents from

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“

From the beloved boardroom guru he was for decades, Shonekan morphed into a despised chairman of Interim National Government decreed into existence by the outgoing military president

Abeokuta, Ogun state. There were five siblings. As soon as he could, and like some kids his age at the time, he went to the popular CMS Grammar School, Lagos, and then Igbobi College also in Lagos. It was just as well that he began his career at UAC where he rose through the ranks and then went for a scholarship at the University of London where he studied law and was called to the bar there.

Management staff of reputable companies worth their Drucker know that a degree or two from Ivy League institutions like Harvard, Princeton, Stanford or Yale burnishes your CV. Shonekan did after which he repaired to UACN where sometime later he held a dual position of chairman of the board of directors as well as CEO. It was a first and also unique, a point emphasized in The Guardian editorial.

“As head of the UAC, a company founded in 1929, Shonekan was the private sector’s most important voice on the state of the Nigerian economy. His opinion, nay, pronouncement, on a federal budget made a huge difference between the well informed on such matters and the ordinary man on the street. So influential was Shonekan that when he spoke on matters of the country’s

Till date, a section of Nigerians still feel Shonekan should have turned the offer down. After all, he wasn’t in the unemployment queue at the time. Besides, as a fellow Egba, he ought to have had some consideration for his townsman and reservation about the Greek offer from the military.

It is on record that some senior citizens in Egba tried to persuade him from accepting IBB’s offer. He refused their request, insisting that the political upheaval at the time was more important than sectional interests. Commenting on that in a tribute by Kola King for an online publication, Eurasia Review on January 24, he praised the deceased businessman for his patriotism.

“What stood Chief Shonekan out was his patriotism,” King wrote. “He put the national interest well above his personal and group interest by resisting pressure from his fellow Yoruba to reject the ING appointment. Nigerians may recall that his fellow Egba kinsmen led by four traditional rulers and top retired military officers of Egba extraction had openly pressured Shonekan not to accept a position of which another Egba had just been robbed.”

Continuing, King believes Shonekan “saw beyond all that and accepted to lead a nation at one of its darkest moments. By accepting the ING position, he showed that he was a patriot who meant well for the entire country. Indeed, the story of Nigeria as one indivisible nation will be told by the courage and sacrifice of only a handful of Nigerians who stepped up where none dared.

Chief Shonekan was one of such Nigerians, and for that alone, present and future generations of Nigerians owe a debt of gratitude that only his Creator can repay.”

"After his ouster from power, Shonekan carried himself with utmost dignity and avoided the cult of personality beloved by many a Nigerian leader in office or out of it, even as he was ostracized by his immediate community in the South West. He would be remembered as a man who played a stabilizing role at that tumultuous period in the nation’s history, a man who opted for national peace and unity to preserve an endangered nation.”

Also filled with praises for Shonekan are the Old Boys from CMS Grammar School. During a visit to his widow, Margret Shonekan at her residence, they admitted that “Papa remained a vibrant member of his set and the OGS till death,” said Olu Vincent, an old boy of CMS Grammar School aka as Old Grammarians. “He was a proud grammarian who never missed an opportunity to be among the Old Boys. From his days in the school, he showed exceptional brilliance and leadership qualities. That he is one Old Boy we are very proud of is a fact and we will miss his presence, support and counsel dearly.”

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POLITICS EKITI 2022:

Oyebanji, Kolawole Battle for Ekiti Govt House Fayose also saluted former governor Segun Oni, for his exemplary display of the spirit of sportsmanship, saying, “Whatever happened before and during the primary should be allowed to slide as no group can win the election alone.

“Going forward, all stakeholders should be rest assured of their rightful place in the new arrangement.”

HOW APC’S CANDIDATE EMERGED The Chairman, APC Governorship Primary Electoral Committee for Ekiti and Jigawa State Governor, Abubakar Badaru, who declared Oyebanji winner of the primary election, said the former SSG scored 101,703 votes to defeat other aspirants.

Badaru announced that former governorship aspirant, Kayode Ojo got 767 votes; National Assembly member, Senator Opeyemi Bamidele had 760 votes; former Minister of Works, Senator Dayo Adeyeye secured 691votes; House of Representatives member, Femi Bamisile scored 400 votes.

Oyebanji

Kolawole

Others are former House of Representatives member, Bamidele Faparusi, who polled 376 votes; aviation expert, Demola Popoola got 239 votes; and Oluwasola Afolabi scored 47 votes.

BY AYO ESAN

T

he race for the governorship position in Ekiti State is being narrowed down to the two major political parties in the state, the governing All Progressive Congress (APC) and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). Both political parties have picked their standard bearers in the June 18, 2022 election.

The PDP, through an indirect primary election chose its former Chairman, Bisi Kolawole, as its governorship candidate, while the APC picked the immediate past Secretary to Ekiti State Government, Mr Biodun Oyebanji, as its candidate in the forthcoming election through direct primary.

The two candidates are also godsons of the incumbent Governor Kayode Fayemi and a former governor of the state, Dr Ayodele Fayose. Oyebanji’s election had the backing of Fayemi, while Kolawole was supported by Fayose.

The governorship election in the state, scheduled for June 2022, will see the two political gladiators in Ekiti State, Fayemi and Fayose, engage in yet another battle for supremacy.

Fayose became the second governor of Ekiti on May 29, 2003, after defeating the incumbent, Niyi Adebayo, at the poll. Unfortunately he was impeached and removed from office on October 16, 2006 without completing his tenure. He contested the governorship election again in 2014 and won, defeating Fayemi who was at the helm. Thus, Fayose became the first politician to defeat two incumbent governors of a state. In 2018 he handed over to Fayemi who also won the governorship election after beating his deputy in the election.

In the last eight years, governorship elections in Ekiti have been a two-horse affair between Fayose and Fayemi, as well as their loyalists. The rivalry will once again rear its head in June this year when their godsons are locked in a battle for the soul of the state. Political analysts are also warming up to what they have described as the ‘mother of all battles’.

HOW THE PDP CANDIDATE EMERGED Eight aspirants, including former Governor Ayodele Fayose’s deputy and PDP candidate in the 2018 election, Prof Olusola Kolapo Eleka, participated in the indirect primary election that held in Ado Ekiti, the Ekiti State capital last Wednesday.

Others include former PDP National Treasurer, Wale Aribisala, as well as Bisi Kolawole, Kayode Adaramodu, Lateef Ajijola and Mrs Titilayo Owolabi-Akerele.

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Senator Abiodun Olujimi, withdrew from the race.

Olujimi, who is currently representing Ekiti South Senatorial District in the National Assembly, cited gender bias and an unfair resolution of matters arising from a lingering controversial congress of the party as the reason for withdrawing from the primary. According to her, the list that was to be used for the primary put her at a disadvantage as her local government is left with only 12 delegates as decided by the party leadership.

The delegates initially converged on the Pastoral Centre in Ado Ekiti to get accredited, but they were later moved to Great Eagle Hall for the voting exercise.

The results of the voting exercise supervised by Governor Udom Emmanuel of Akwa Ibom State returned Kolawole as the winner with 671 votes.

Other aspirants, Kayode Adaramodu-10; Kazeem Ayodeji- 6; Olusola Kolapo Eleka- 93; Deborah Ali-1; Ojo -1; Makanjuola- 1; Biodun Olujimi -2; Aderemi Adewumi- 1; Adewale Aribisala – 56 and Segun Oni-330 votes.

In his acceptance speech, Kolawole, who is also a former commissioner in the state said, “It is God’s design to make me the winner of this election. I want to willingly accept it. The result has been very clear, the process has been very clear, credible and it makes everybody happy.

Reacting, Oni said, “We are going to fight together to make him (Kolawole) governor. We are satisfied with the process and no one is complaining. You saw it all here.”

Meanwhile, Fayose, last week Thursday urged Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo State to help drum up support for the Peoples Democratic Party in Ekiti State in order to enhance its chances of winning the June 18 governorship election.

Fayose, who lauded Makinde for the level-playing field and positive disposition to last Week’s Wednesday’s Ekiti PDP governorship primary, also praised all PDP members and supporters in the state, especially the aspirants, for the peaceful manner the primary election was conducted.

The former governor, in a statement titled, ‘Fayose applauds Makinde, Oni, others over Ekiti PDP primary’, in Ado Ekiti, said, “By ensuring a level playing ground before and during the primary election, Governor Makinde has further earned my respect.

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Badaru, who claimed that the election followed the party’s guidelines, said he had not received any official complaint from any aspirant.

However, earlier on the day of the primary, seven of the eight governorship aspirants protested the list of local government electoral committees for the exercise, saying it contained the names of supporters of an aspirant, Oyebanji.

The aggrieved aspirants – Bamidele; Adeyeye; Bamisile; Faparusi; Ojo; Popoola; and Afolabi, alongside their supporters stormed the state APC secretariat where they called on the party’s national leadership and the Badaru-led committee to suspend the primary.

They stated, “We request that both the Local Government Election Committee and Ward Election Committee, as constituted on the list already in circulation, be disbanded and replaced with names that would reinforce internal democracy and uphold the aims and objectives of the party”.

The aggrieved aspirants took their grievances to the state headquarters of the Nigeria Police, the Independent National Electoral Commission and the Department of State Services.

However, Oyebanji described the primary as credible, free and fair, contrary to the position maintained by his co-contestants, who described the poll as a sham.

He said the APC appeal panel would handle any controversial issue surrounding the conduct of the election.

Also speaking in an interview last Friday, Oyebanji said he had started reaching out to some of the aggrieved aspirants and promised that in the coming days all issues related to the primary would be amicably resolved.

“The party will resolve issues in the interest of the state and the party. The APC governorship primary was credible, free and fair.

We will embark on reconciliation. It is a family issue and it will be resolved,” he said.

Oyebanji, who was the personal assistant and later Chief of Staff to Otunba Niyi Adebayo while in government between 1999 and 2003, has put in 11 years in the service of Ekiti State, having served as a commissioner during Fayemi's first term and later as Secretary to the State Government.

He said the experience he gained while serving under the two governors in has put him in good stead to govern Ekiti well, if elected as governor in June 2022.

“I am very sure members of our party, our leaders are very happy because we have promised that once the process is very open and fair to all, we will all accept the result. It has pleased God to make me the winner of the election, I willingly accept to be the flagbearer of our great party.”

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POLITICS/INTERVIEW

2023 Presidency Must Be Zoned To South - Olajide is saying that the President must come from the SouthEast. I don’t agree. I think my own belief is that the President must come from the South. This is because it is not something that is served a la carte, that it is now my turn or it is your turn. It is politics and you must be able to play your politics right.

Before the 2019 general election, there was a thinktank in the South-West and I remember you are one of the members who looked at the various political parties and advised on which of the parties would serve the region better. Is there something like that again as we approach the 2023 presidential election?

I would say yes and No. You must appreciate the fact that the Yoruba are highly sophisticated. They are the most sophisticated people in this country. The more sophisticated you are, the more difficulty it is to bottle you. Unanimity that can take place in the South-South, South-East and the North, you can’t expect to have that in the South-West. This is because we are sophisticated and very liberal, we are emancipated and everybody knows his onions. So to be able to gather the people together and tell them to go this way and they listen to you, you need to convince them on what you have seen in that character and his performance. For me now, I am not aware of that, but I know some socio-cultural groups are thinking on what type of candidate Nigeria needs. I know there is no unanimity yet because some people are saying and our elder, Chief Ayo Adebanjo

The understanding is that the presidential position must rotate between the North and the South. The North will be finishing its eight years next year. It now depends on how well each of the zones in the South play their politics. This is because to win the election, they must not be restricted to the South alone; they must garner votes across Nigeria. So it depends on which zone has the quality, the capacity and the understanding of the Nigerian nation to be able to have that spread. If it is the South-West that continues to have it repeatedly so be it. If the South-South can outplay us, fine. If the SouthEast can outplay South West, fine. You cannot say it has been South-West, South-West most of the time and so it cannot be South-West, no. It means we have been playing our politics right and we understand the workings of this country. Anybody that wants to govern the country must understand the workings of this country.

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In my own opinion, the people of the South-East have not played their politics right since the inception of the present democratic dispensation. They started by bottling themselves up in their party, APGA, which did not go beyond the region. For anybody to rule this country, you must at least score one-third of the votes in two third of the 36 states. And that cuts across all the geopolitical zones. So if a party has been labeled a zonal party how can it garner one third of votes in two thirds of the states? That is my own reading of the situation.

They didn’t play their politics right and we cannot say because they have not had the President, they must have the president now. No, it is not served a la carte.

You are one of the people that have called for restructuring. And you have said before that if there is no restructuring, there is no need for the next election. Are the South-West elders now backing

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A

s we look forward to the 2023 general election, many presidential aspirants are already showing up. In your own opinion, what are the qualities the next President of Nigeria must possess?

Number one, the person must know Nigeria like the back of his hands. He has to know the country from the Atlantic Ocean to the Sahara Desert. Nothing must be strange to him. He must have capacity, competence and character. Then he must have a track record of good performance in whatever he has done before so that we can use that to assess him and anticipate what his performance will be in office. That is very important.

He must be a true Nigerian, who believes and loves the country. He must not be a sectional person whose record is ethnocentric. No, Nigeria does not need that now because we are near the fringe. We need somebody who can pull us back and weld us together as a nation, otherwise we will not be able to survive the next decade.

So we need the right character.

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The understanding is that the presidential position must rotate between the North and the South. The North will be finishing its eight years next year. It now depends on how well each of the zones in the South play their politics

Dr Kunle Olajide is the Secretary General of the Yoruba Council of Elders, YCE. In this interview with AYO ESAN, he speaks on the 2023 general election and the need for a new constitution for the country, among other issues of national importance. Excerpts:

down on the issue of restructuring?

I have, in fact, backed out on the issue of restructuring.

I am now a very strong apostle of a new constitution.

Restructuring will then become a by- product of the new constitution. When you are talking of restructuring, you are relying on the National Assembly to devolve power to the states. But as far as I am concerned, the National Assembly itself is an aberration. This is because if you have a proper federal structure the power must reside in the federating units. The national legislature should just have a few items. I can cite an example. Nigeria in 1963 had only 16 items on the exclusive list for the Federal Government. The rest were residual in various regions.

Now we have about 66 items on the exclusive list of the Federal Government that is an anathema to a true federal structure. A true federal structure means one, the various groups making up the federation are different THEWILLNIGERIA

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POLITICS You talked of a new constitution. How can we get it and how soon will that be?

We can get it within a short time. The whole process may not even last more than three months, if there is the political will on the part of the President and those in authority. But I don’t see that political will there. These are the factors we must have in mind when we elect the next President. The reports of many past national conferences are gathering dust in the Aso Villa. We had Abacha’s report, Obasanjo’s report, and Jonathan’s report. In any case, Nigerians have been talking about the type of country they want.

A lot of people talk about the 1963 constitution. If we want to return to it, nothing is bad. It means everybody will have to develop at their own pace. For me, it is something we can achieve in a maximum of three or four months. Several times, I have been asked how we can go about it. And I have said if the President has the political will, let him send two bills to the National Assembly. One bill should be for referendum and the other for a Constituent Assembly Commission. The one for referendum is to insert referendum into our constitution. In other words, power belongs to the people and sovereignty belongs to the people. We give the legislators and the president partial sovereignty. The one we hold is the one that has to come to us when there is a logjam in the National Assembly in a referendum.

If there is a logjam in the National Assembly, they come back to us as happened in the United Kingdom a few years ago.

So there is no true democracy where you do not have a referendum in the constitution. That is why I felt very awkward for the former Head of State, Abdusalam Abubakar pontificating to us now. He kept that constitution in the cooler. He just collected 23 people led by my friend, Prof Yadudu from the North. They didn’t allow any of us that are Nigerian nationalists to make an input. I am a Nigerian nationalist, but they didn’t allow us to look at it and to criticise it. Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, who contested and became president, never saw it, yet he swore to uphold the constitution he never saw. You can see the country standing on its head. So to me, we must go back to the basics. Nigerians must be allowed to agree on how they want to live together. That is what can endure. All these patch-patch things cannot endure.

people just as we are in Nigeria. We have stated this for the umpteenth time, all of us are different people, the Yoruba, Igbo, Ijaw, the Itsekiri, Kanuri, Hausa, Fulani, Tiv and Idoma, etc. We are different people with different histories, cultures, even religions. This means we also have different beliefs and we shape our behaviour toward our origins. We have to sit down together and decide how we want to live together and what we want to cede to the centre. But there is nothing like that because of what the military did, most especially General Abdulsalam Abubakar.

I said in a recent interview that people should not applaud Abubakar. He is the one that brought this problem upon us. He was in office for just nine months and nobody saw the constitution until they were sworn in. Chief Obasanjo did not see any constitution until he was sworn-in. He did not even know the quality of the THEWILLNIGERIA

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job he was to take and whether he had the qualities for it or not. We are standing reality on the head. That was wrong and I criticised him. I said this recently. So it is wrong for him to now start pontificating after laying a false foundation for democracy in the country. It will not amount to anything.

So we have to start from a new beginning. We must sit and agree on which of the powers the federating units will take and which ones do we want to cede to the centre. But nothing of such is happening because we are having about 66 items on the exclusive list. Even if you want to marry in your local government area, Abuja has to sanction it. The country is heterogeneous and you cannot bottle us up particularly in this technological age, a digital world where communication is universal and global.

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The National Assembly recently had sittings round the country to seek inputs into the amendment of the constitution. What is your take on that?

I have said it loud enough that it was an avenue for the members of the committee to make money. You cannot gather the people’s opinion by visiting the zones at short notice. We have said that you should give Nigerians up to three months to say what they want. Then the Yoruba leaders would sit in the Yoruba nation and agree where and when they want to have one or two meetings before they now agree on what they are bringing to the table.

The South-South leaders too are made up of about six ethnic groups. You have the Ijaw, Itsekiri, Urhobo and so on. We have not been truthful. We are trying to patch up this country on falsehood and that cannot work. That is why we are where we are today.

What can we do to stem the tide of insecurity that has also spread to the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway in recent times?

We should make plans to eradicate poverty. Where there is hunger, you can’t have peace and I quote my leader of blessed memory, Chief Obafemi Awolowo. He said, “In a country where there is no justice, that country will be terribly uncomfortable for the rich and the poor. The rich will not be able to sleep at night because the poor are hungry. So the poor will invade the privacy of the rich. So it is better you let everybody feed.”

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POLITICS As Lalong's deputy since 2015, Tyoden's travelogue is miserable: a trudging trajectory and bare tapestry. Although his salesmen want the public to appreciate his humility and loyalty to his boss, the story is also told of how one of the surviving APC elders in the State stopped him from resigning as deputy governor before the 2019 general elections because of frustrations and indifference of the Lalong political machine towards his office. He represents Lalong often in local state functions; but approvals and releases to his office flow without ease and sometimes get stagnated in the system to the effect that office administration is often held down by lack of stationeries. Where Lalong himself does not pretend at him or look the other way, his foot soldiers will be brutal and vicious towards the Deputy.

Lalong

The latest recruitment exercise in the state was the composition of the Tyoden Campaign Organisation (TCO).

Checks at press time indicated that the team is in high spirit and high life too is being expected. Impeccable sources say it became expedient to set up and start work at the TCO because "Lalong has given him the go ahead after long discussion between the two of them."

Plateau 2023: Tyoden on Lalong's Scaffold There is excitement in the political camp of the Plateau State Deputy Governor, Prof Soni Tyoden, as realism, not reality, stalks and stokes his governorship ambition, UKANDI ODEY writes

O

n the occasion of his 70th birthday in 2020, an event which was used to launch two of his recent text books, it was obvious that the seething objective and foundation of the lavish show was to scale and test run Prof Soni Tyoden's governorship ambition, ahead of the critical hours.

From the organisation of the event to the personalities that graced the occasion to the array of sourvenirs that were distributed, it was certainly more than 70 hearty cheers to the celebrant. As remarkable as the colourful event was, the tactical and strategic absence of Governor Simon Lalong, the celebrant's principal, from the event which was held at the Victoria Gowon Memorial Hall, Government House, Jos, was remarkable.

Governor Lalong, who has been attending social events, such as the graduation ceremony of children of his chief of staff or send forth ceremonies and the wedding of their daughters, had to travel out of the state on the excuse that he had 'superior and urgent state matters' in order to avoid the event and not to allow the political undertones of the event to rob off on his own calculations towards 2023.

With the bold and obvious trappings of the birthday bash as an ambitious political outing, not only Prof Tyoden's marketers would have crafted huge political capital of Lalong's presence at the occasion as his endorsement of his deputy to succeed him in 2023.

Lalong and Tyoden's political companionship is a product of a groping desperate poor opportunist wanting to consolidate his luck and an angry, protesting professor in search of political ventilation and vengeance. Having emerged as the flagbearer of the then emergent opposition All Progressives Congress (APC) in the state, against all odds and popular disbelief, Lalong needed PAGE 12

an effective game plan if he would really contend the intimidating and ferocious counterforce of the then ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and its vibrant and charming governorship candidate for the 2015 elections.

Tyoden had been defeated by his former student, the late Senator GNS Pwajok in the PDP governorship primary election of December 2014 and was literally floating, fuming, and ruing. Without formally resigning from the PDP or registering with the fledgling APC in his ward as member of the party, Lalong's strategists approached an angry Tyoden and offered him the deputy governorship ticket of the APC to run for the 2015 election with Lalong. The logic of the APC strategists was to win the bloc vote of the Mwaghavul, Tyoden's ethnic nation, which has the second decisive vote after the Berom of Plateau North in the State governorship election.

In a fit of anger and apparently to terminate political frustration, Tyoden embraced the opportunity with more equanimity than the pride and deference of a professor.

Beside, there was a state-wide syndrome and conspiracy to do in the then Governor, Senator Jonah Jang, and despatch his political agenda to a dark abyss.

“

Lalong and Tyoden's political companionship is a product of a groping desperate poor opportunist wanting to consolidate his luck and an angry, protesting professor in search of political ventilation and vengeance

Ambition and lack of political punctiliousness will not allow the group to make a critical distinction between "go ahead" and "endorsement", hence the excitement and enthusiasm among the TCO foundation job men that " it is the place to be for now". With billboards already erected in different locations indicating the gubernatorial outing of their principal, the TCO appears not ready to leave anything to chance.

Lalong's politics could be both vicious and lethal as is evident mostly in some of his actions in his second tenure. Many say he may have passively said okay to his deputy to end his pester on the matter. Other pundits also contend that he may have said okay to him as a cajole to forestall his return to the PDP, using the origin of their companionship as template and hindsight. In this regard, Tyoden is viewed by Lalong and his kitchen cabinet as an outsider who was merely invited by the APC for free dinner. To this extent, the cabal does not lose sleep if Tyoden plunges into oblivion, asphyxiate, and expires thereafter.

Some of Tyoden's men say their principal is not oblivious of possible booby traps ranged against him by Lalong.

They are upbeat claiming that their candidate, that is Tyoden, is the most qualified of all contenders to the seat in Government House. They also speculate that most of the appointees of Lalong in the present government are sympathetic to the deputy governor, and would ensure his victory in the party's primary election. Although he would be almost 73 by 2023, Tyoden's enforcers say his ability and mental agility are still appropriate for the job, and that he will retrieve and reclaim Plateau State from the mess in which Lalong has enmeshed it - like Jang after Dariye.

All the same, Lalong's cards are still very close to his chest and too close to call. There is an army of governorship aspirants, all from Plateau Central zone - surging on the platform of the state APC even as the party is sinking as a result of internal bleeding and systemic heat. There are also a lot of claims that are flying around with Lalong as both the divider and divisor simultaneously. There is also the predatory Joshua Dariye group, of which Lalong is actually a prefect and illustrious member, working very hard to enthrone their own if they should not become dinosaurs and possibly go extinct in the unfolding dispensation. This Group too does not know Tyoden, and has no sympathy for his ambition.

As days succeed hours and the countdown thickens, something will indeed give way. One is that Lalong is going. If the Tyoden gubernatorial project fails at the end, it is because, like the medicine man who died for failing to take his own medicine, the Political Science professor failed to profess appropriately in his own case.

If he succeeds, it is not because Lalong gave him the "go ahead", but because the English man defines "luck" as "preparedness meeting with chance".

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PERSPECTIVE

Nigerian Presidency: Why Desperate Aspirants Don’t Get lt The homage, (if you like pilgrimages) by the contenders for the presidency in 2023 to both IBB and PMB , is likely owed to the fact that both of them have been vocal and prescient about who would become president of Nigeria in 2023.

That much was discernible in their recent media interviews, conducted by Arise and Channels TV respectively.

Buhari

Curiously, none of the presidential hopefuls has deemed it necessary to visit former president Olusegun Obasanjo, OBJ or immediate past President, Goodluck Ebele Jonathan,GEJ, to seek their endorsement.

In the case of OBJ, avoiding going to pay homage to him by presidential candidates is probably owed to the fact that since he has been a torn on the flesh of successive administrations after his tenure, he has become toxic politically. And the contenders for presidency in 2023 recognize the need to be politically correct.

Apparently, OBJ might have transited from being a political asset to liability after his February 2015 public show of tearing up his membership card of the PDP- the party under whose platform he served as president for eight (8) years. Characteristic of his resoluteness, OBJ told a delegation of PDP bigwigs led by the chairman, Iyorchia Ayu on a courtesy call to him in his Presidential Library a couple of days ago (January 22) that he would never return to the PDP or partisan politics. After all, OBJ has served in the highest political office in the land and has no other public office to seek to personally satiate his political desire.

BY MAGNUS ONYIBE

With respect to GEJ, the presidential hopefuls in 2023 are not sure if himself would not be joining them in the contest for the presidency.

I

would like to build upon the foundation laid by my friend, Segun Adeniyi, Thisday newspaper editorial board chairman and columnist, in his very incisive piece titled: Season Of Presidential Circus” published Thursday 20th January, 2022 on the back-page of Thisday newspaper.

The thought provoking piece is a parody of the current jockeying for the presidency of Nigeria by a plethora of politicians and wanna be politicians coming out suddenly from the cold and closets.

Adeniji’s piece draws from his April 12, 2018 intervention titled: “Buhari, 2019 and the Persuaders” in which he dwelt on the concept of ‘proxy campaign for someone who had not told Nigerians he wanted their mandate’ when in 2018, some political actors characteristically were unsolicitedly campaigning for the re-election of president Mohammadu Buhari even when he had not declared his intention to seek re-election.

Perhaps those who are currently exercising the option of proxy campaign for the presidency of Nigeria in 2023 are doing so, conscious and guided by the emotions that inspired this article.

That is why some have opted to remain as masquerades, hiding in the dark while their hirelings are beating the drums in the arena.

These exclude those who have openly joined the fray such as, former Vice President Atiku Abubakar who contested against the incumbent president Buhari in 2019 and 2015. The former senate president and ex-Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Anyim Pius Anyim and the Chief Whip of the 9th senate, Orji Uzor Kalu.

There are also Yahaya Bello, governor of kogi state, Bola Tinubu, APC national leader and ex governor of Lagos State, as well as Sam Ohabunwan , a notable player in the corporate world and finally, my good friend, Ovation magazine publisher/social media influencer, Dele Momodu.

All the other contenders still in the shadow have been pretending to be reluctant to vie for the presidency, but are only being goaded

by Nigerians. But how far such pretext can take those still hiding in the closet would be determined by how sophisticated or naive are the Nigerian electorate. The underlying reason for the expression of the above reservation is that after nearly 22 years of continuous practice of multi-party democracy, l am of the conviction that Nigerians are too politically conscious for any politician or pretender to pull the wool over their eyes.

To be president of Nigeria, boldness and daringness are irreducible prerequisites, once the dice is cast . Shadow boxing won’t cut it this time.

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l guess the view of most Nigerians, becoming president of Nigeria is much more than the visits akin to pilgrimages by presidential contenders to the Hill Top Mansion in Minna, Niger state to pay obeisance to former military president, General lbrahim Badamasi Babangida, lBB and to President Muhammadu Buhari, PMB in Aso Rock Villa

Incumbent President, Buhari tried and failed three (3) times unashamedly and sure-footedly until he made it the fourth (4th time). That is a raw display of gut.

And taking the bull by the horn is not the only code that would unlock the complex combination lock which the presidency of Nigeria has truly become.

That is because attaining the presidency of Nigeria has become in more ways than one, a sort of divine and metaphysical exercise as well as a product of grit and grime.

In my reckoning, and l guess the view of most Nigerians, becoming president of Nigeria is much more than the visits akin to pilgrimages by presidential contenders to the Hill Top Mansion in Minna , Niger state to pay obeisance to former military president, General lbrahim Badamasi Babangida, lBB and to President Muhammadu Buhari, PMB in Aso Rock Villa, the seat of power in Abuja, to seek the consent of the present commander-in-chief of the armed forces of Nigeria.

Evidently, those who have openly declared their intention to run for the office of the president in 2023 have been seeking endorsement of two past and present leaders of Nigeria from the northern part of our country.

At the last count, most of the potential presidential candidates from both the ruling APC and main opposition party, PDP, including Bola Tinubu and Anyim Pius Anyim, Orji Uzor Kalu (some by proxy) , have visited Aso Rock Villa , Abuja and the Hill Top Mansion, Minna in quest of anointing from both IBB and PMB.

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At this juncture, I would like to request that readers excuse my delving into the spiritual realm by highlighting the omnipotence of God to properly put into contest, the impending contest to elect the president that would succeed Buhari in 2023.

And l would like to align with legions of Nigerians that believe that it is only the Almighty God, who has control over the universe , that would determine who becomes president of Nigeria next year.

The assertion above is underscored by the fact that as things currently stand in our country, the days of the hands of Jacob and the voice of Esau is gone with the winds.

While requesting the understanding of readers that are of other faiths who may not readily understand the metaphorical expression which is drawn from the book of Genesis 27:22 in the Holy Bible , l would like to presume that Christian readers are familiar with story of Jacob and Esau which is a classical case of deceit of a simple senior brother by a cunning junior one to steal the birth right reserved for the older one by their father, Isaac.

In other words , the type of subterfuge that enabled a pretender like Jacob in the holy Bible to steal Esau’s birth right belongs to the age of dinosaurs in the Jurassic park. It is fossil and has no place in the current political space.

Certainly, such perfidy is not likely to be accommodated in these present days when erstwhile political denizens have after 22 years of continuous practice of multi party democracy in Nigeria have transformed themselves into political animals in the wild political forest of dog-eat-dog and survival of the fittest which Nigeria’s political environment has evolved into .

It must be stated that amongst the aforementioned presidential power seekers who have thrown their political hats into the ring, apart from Bola Tinubu, none has the clout to sustain the struggle on their own.

If and when former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar formally declares his quest to contest for the presidency of Nigeria in 2023 which would be his fourth attempt (like president Buhari) he too has the capacity and ability to go for it un-anointed by the current powers that be. That is for the simple reason that Atiku Abubakar has contended against both IBB and PMB in previous presidential contests. He prevailed over the former but not the latter.

Having been in the presidential fray for a long time, he possesses the political equity that he can build upon in pursuit of his long term ambition.

•ONYIBE, a former commissioner in Delta State, sent this article from Lagos.

•Continues online at www.thewillnigeria.com

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EDITORIAL

Getting Rid of Unregulated Herbal Drugs

J

ust before the end of 2021 the Director-General of the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), Prof Mojisola Adeyeye, warned the entire nation against the danger of patronising hawkers of herbal concoctions.

Adeyeye’s immediate concern was that such concoctions, often passed off to gullible and unsuspecting buyers as authentic and possessing perfect medicinal properties, end up posing a serious threat to individual and public health.

According to the NAFDAC DG, the patronage of herbal drugs, especially in liquid form, could lead to very serious health complication. Such drugs are not only produced without strict adherence to modern storage standards, but also lack evidence that they have passed the agency’s safety and efficacy tests.

Liquid herbal concoctions, she pointed out, begin to grow harmful bacteria after four or five days. At this stage, they become toxic and could cause the death of the user.

The DG also cautioned against the use of sexual performance enhancing drugs, most of which come in herbal form, because of the danger they pose for many unsuspecting users.

Prof Adeyeye has done well to remind Nigerians of the need for caution and self-restraint when it comes to choosing between orthodox and herbal medicines.

We believe that by broaching the subject, especially at a time the heath care system in the country has broken down almost irretrievably, her intention is neither to discredit herbal medicine nor to discourage the people from using it, but to draw attention to the danger inherent in the consumption of untested and uncertified herbal drugs.

According to the World Health Organisation, herbal medicine is still a source of primary health care for about 80 per cent of the people living in developing countries. Since Nigeria is one of such countries, it means that in the absence of a properly organised and wellfunded health care system that can effectively meet the health needs of the people, the majority of its population have no other choice than to depend on herbal medicine.

Here in Nigeria, as with most other countries of the Third World, herbal medicine comes in different forms: Roots, stems, leaves and tree barks, which are boiled, crushed into powder or soaked in water, alcohol or carbonated soft drinks. They are used for different reasons and, of course, mostly by those who cannot afford any other form of health care.

Just as Adeyeye has hinted, it is no secret that not all herbal

drugs currently in the market are approved by NAFDAC and therefore, unlikely to be fit for human consumption. Such drugs are usually passed off as capable of curing more than one ailment at a time, including malaria, stomach ache, rheumatism, arthritis, back and waste pain, cholera, ulcer, skin diseases, fibroid, and even COVI D-19. This is where the danger lies.

proliferation of this class of drugs at the moment and that it can possibly be tied to the surge in cases of rape and other forms of sexual violence, which have long term and irreparable consequences for the victim and society in general, gives cause for concern. Therefore, it behoves the Federal Government to do everything possible within its power to address this ugly trend.

It is also not uncommon to find sexual performance enhancing drugs sold freely as alcoholic beverages on the streets, around motor parks and in beer parlours. Unfortunately investigation has shown that many men have suffered heart attacks and died or developed complicated ailments while using drugs.

We also believe that Nigeria’s conventional health care system is still grossly underfunded and inaccessible to many people.

Public hospitals are sometimes out of commission for long periods of time, no thanks to endless stand-offs between government and medical personnel demanding better conditions of service. This factor and the ailing economy, which has rendered the cost of health care services far beyond the reach of the average Nigerian, have contributed significantly to the growing demand for herbal medicine.

The fact that there is a

Unfortunately investigation has shown that many men have suffered heart attacks and died or developed complicated ailments while using drugs

Although the NAFDAC DG promised that the agency would continue to use a multifaceted approach, including strengthening of pharmaceutical industries, to ensure that the average Nigerian is protected from fake and substandard drugs, we urge the agency to do more, beyond mere rhetoric, to ensure strict regulation of herbal drugs in the country. This is the only way that the safety of lives can be guaranteed.

Publisher/Editor-in-Chief

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

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

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OPI N ION

Imperative of Manpower Development in Ogun Civil Service

BY EBUNLOMO OKUWA

T

he civil service refers to a sector of government that comprises workers that are employed on professional merit rather than appointment or election, with tenure that exceeds transitions of political leadership. Since Nigeria's independence, the civil service has continued to be the largest workforce, serving as the engine room of government at both the federal, state, and local levels. Its main function is to assist the existing political leadership in the formulation and implementation of policies that have direct impacts on the general public.

Despite this value-based institution's fundamental tenets of professionalism, loyalty, competence, neutrality, and high moral rectitude, its recent history has revealed a smear on the positive image it held in the past. Today, outsiders have concluded that the civil service is replete with a lack of professionalism, corruption, and much misconduct. While this conclusion may be somewhat farfetched, especially from people who are not in the system, workers who gained employment in the system in recent years do not seem to sufficiently show that they have imbibed many of the principles and ethics of the service.

It is also believed that the bureaucratic nature of this "engine room" of government continues to hold it back from catching up with new trends, which sometimes make the private sector a lot more productive. The truth is that the bureaucracy of the civil service was deliberately instituted to make policy formulation and implementation thorough, robust, and free of costly errors. This does not mean that the system lacks imperfections, many of which affect the quality of service delivery from the workforce. Lack of commitment and diligence to duty on the part of many young officers in recent years is one of such imperfections.

Two major reasons can be attributed as responsible for this reality. First, the "Service" is saturated with too many death weights, with the government having much more hands than it needs to perform its responsibilities. This is a problem borne out of the leadership's compulsion to reduce the unemployment burden that has continued to grow every year. While the youths employed directly or indirectly in the mainstream civil service are no longer likely to cause problems for society, they end up adding up unneeded weight to the workforce.

Another reason for low commitment in the civil service is the fact that most graduates see a career in this sector as one that hardly promotes visions, dreams, and noble aspirations. As a consequence, those who accept employment into the service often do so half-heartedly, quietly working towards either taking offers from the private sector or travelling out of the country. This grossly affects the quality of their service delivery and contributes to a high turnover rate. The overall effect on the citizenry is huge.

In order to reverse this trend, which is obtainable in Ogun State, just like other states of the country, there is a need to reform the recruitment processes into the civil service. While it is important for vacancies to be filled as and when due, the government must take time to ensure that the candidates employed are not only qualified but also ready to be of service to its employer.

Also, it goes without saying that this career path is one that is founded on service rather than a quest for riches. Anyone who takes the service as "a tentative job" while secretly looking for a more lucrative offer will hardly show commitment.

The implication of this is for the Civil Service Commission to make the entry process into the system a lot more rigorous than it was in the past. With its role analogous to that of the human resources department of private organizations, this agency is constituted by legislature to oversee the hiring and promotions of civil servants. It is however saddled with regulating the working conditions of these workers as well as promoting the values of the public service. In order words, getting the best hands to serve the people and ensuring that these people are sufficiently motivated begins with the Commission.

Given that there is presently a lot of workers who have spent a few of years in the Service but fall short of expectations, the Civil Service Commission needs to collaborate with the Bureau of Establishments and Training to focus on manpower development. On the surface, this looks at improving the effectiveness of workers. But, it comes with a more long term impact. Through a robust manpower development plan, the essence of being a career civil servant and the prestige that comes with it can be wired into their consciousness of young officers.

Reforms in the civil service, particularly in the area of operations, are equally of importance. Young officers need to have a sense of belonging right from the start of their career.

However, top managements of Ministries, Departments and Agencies should begin to welcome innovative ideas from junior officers which will contribute to overall service delivery to the people. Also, this will lead to a reduction of turnover rate.

Already in place is the Public Service Transformation Office in Ogun State, with a mandate to facilitate the transformation of the Ogun State Public Service to perform effectively and efficiently for sustained improvement in service delivery to the citizens through technically competent and motivated staff using modern technology and in collaboration with stakeholders. This reform agency since its establishment has continued to work with MDAs to increase efficiency by helping them to determine mandate overlaps and instilling a paradigm shift in the mindset of officers.

In addition, the agency has identified 52 change agents across all MDAs and built their capacity on the need for reform with understanding that they would continue to champion reform in their respective spaces. The agency has also facilitated relevant capacity building opportunities for public servant, with special focus on the change of their mindsets towards service delivery. It is advisable that the PSTO be fully involved in the orientation programmes organized for newly-employed officers while also ensuring that they are aware of what they signed up for.

There is no gainsaying the necessity of manpower development for workers across the country. The results might be evident on the long run. But, its impact on the commitment and efficient of young officers could be instant. Sustained collaborations among the Civil Service Commission, the Bureau of Establishment and Training, and the PSTO in this regard will put Ogun State Civil Service on the right path, while also encouraging young officer to see the career as respectable and worthy of full commitment.

•Okuwa works with the Ogun State Ministry of Information and Strategy, Abeokuta.

2023: Emerging Intrigues In Enugu Politics

BY SUNDAY EZE

E

nugu State politics is very interesting and strategic. The fact that the state was the capital of the old Eastern Region makes it even more intriguing.

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has governed the state for 21 years. Therefore, the party has become a choice platform for all kinds of aspirants. This has made it an uphill task for anyone who wishes to occupy the Lion Building. More often than not, the choice of governorship candidates, especially of the PDP, comes with surprises.

Evidently, since 1999, most front line governorship aspirants in the ruling party always lose out to anointed political neophytes imposed on the state by their godfathers and incumbents. On the long run, the godfather/godson relationship practically deteriorates after failed attempts by the godfather to manipulate his godson. But it must be stated for the benefit of godfathers, politicians and former governors that two captains cannot be in one ship.

With the enormous powers at the disposal of governors, nobody would like to be led by the nose on account of political favour dispensed by any godfather who brooked no nonsense when he was in charge.

Jim Nwoobodo and Chimaroke Nnamani became sworn enemies after an election. Same thing happened between Sullivan Chime and Chimaroke. Chime deserted the PDP in protest against Ugwuanyi as their relationship went from bad to worse. The political seed of discord will definitely continue to rear its ugly head and bear bitter fruits after 2023, even as Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi is poised to anoint a candidate. It is a familiar pattern.

In Enugu, the triangular equilibrium – a gentlemanly rotational governorship agreement across three senatorial zones – has ran its full course with the second tenure of Ugwuanyi elapsing in 2023. Politicians are now angling for where the rotation of governorship will once again begin from. While some interest groups say it is better to begin from Enugu East, others expressed the opinion that it can start from anywhere, not necessarily where it began in 1999.

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As the 2023 general election inches closer, political alignments by those who eye elective offices, especially the governorship position, have commenced in earnest. Subtle endorsement of politicians by individuals and groups are ongoing. However, Enugu seems to be returning to the politics of yester years. In the build up to the 2003 general election, the then Enugu State Government through the then Chief of Staff to the governor, Frank Nweke jnr, issued a statement warning that the government would depose any traditional ruler found to have received a political opponent in his domain. History is about to repeat itself again, but in another odd dimension.

It was reported on social media that an indigene of Orba, Chief Charles Mba (Egbe Igwe N' Orba) who invited both the governor and Senator Ike Ekweremadu to his 50th birthday celebration had been ostracised by the Orba Council of Elders for supporting Senator Ike Ekweremadu, who had not even declared his intention to contest the governorship election. In a video posted online, Orba elders took the decision at a meeting held on December 30 at Orba Udulelenyi. Others ostracised earlier for the same reason are Engr. Amstrong Agbo and Barr.

Emeka Asogwa.

has a preferred candidate for the governorship position in 2023. But does this mean that elders or traditional rulers must give in to political manipulations? Who gave them the power to define freedom of association? Traditional institutions and elders should know better than to swim in the murky waters of politics. As opinion leaders and custodians of the culture and traditions of the people, there should be no room for partisan politics in their schedules.

Reacting to the development, Umugwu youths in Orba disassociated themselves from the ostracisation of Armstrong and others. They hinged their decision on the fact that the stool of Onyishi Orba, which resides at Umugwu community, was not part of that meeting. Therefore, any decision taken on that matter in the absence of Onyishi Umugwu Orba was ultra vires.

With Ike Ekwueremadu declaring long ago that he had no plan to return to the Senate in 2023, Nkanu people are seriously drumming support for a candidate of their own. Since Ugwuanyi has a candidate of Nsukka origin, but one that has political affinity with Enugu East/Nkanu, to take over from him, the events of 2023 will be a spectacle to watch in Enugu.

Speaking in Orba local dialect, some of those who attended the meeting claimed there was a decision to extend the same treatment to Charles Mba. Eze Orba was asked by an obviously overzealous moderator of the meeting to declare Mba ostracised to like others who they claimed are working against their son, the governor.

It is becoming clear that the governor is relying on the enormous resources and power at his disposal to shut out aspirants, especially of the PDP, from the race. Politics is a game which politicians in Nigeria play without obeying the rules. This move to restrict the freedom of association and gag aspirants and their supporters will do more harm than good to the PDP.

The motion was moved after an unanimous voice vote in favour of the decision. The development, coming from Orba in Udenu Local Government Area, is disturbing and it must be handled with care. This is an emerging intrigue around Enugu politics, no doubt. However, it is not in the interest of the ruling party to engage in internal squabbles this early in the year.

For emphasis, it must be stated that the governor and Ekweremadu were seen hugging each other at the venue of the birthday party. Ndi Enugu should understand that both men are politicians and products of the Ebeano family. They are simply trying to protect their political interests. The two will settle their political scores sooner or later, while their supporters go on to nurse self-inflicted wounds. Definitely both men will want to use other people’s heads to break their political coconut. This is the time to be wise.

It should be stated that even the governor, who the elders are supposedly speaking for, attended Chief Mba's birthday in company with Ekweremadu. The action of the Orba Council of Elders cannot be divorced from the overbearing influence and pressure of the governor, who is an indigene of Orba and

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•­Eze, a media and communication specialist, wrote in via sunnyeze02@yhaoo.com

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Onyema

JA N UA R Y 30 - FEB R UARY 05, 2022 T H E W I L L N E W S P A P E R

Anambra Airport: Air Peace, United Nigeria Passengers Pay N120m Taxes

BY SAM DIALA assengers of two major air transport companies, Air Peace Airline and United Nigeria Airline paid a total of not less than N120 million tax and charges in using the new Anambra Airport in one month. The taxes consist of Sales Tax, Airport Service Charge and Fuel Charge, which constitute the amount of the tickets for domestic trips. The passengers used the airport in a total of 146 flights that took-off or arrived at the airport during trips that connect mainly Lagos and Abuja.

P

According to the Commissioner for Works, Mr Marcel Ifejiofor, the newly inaugurated Anambra Cargo Airport at Umueri near Awka, recorded 142 flights with 3,865 passengers landing and taking off from the airport after one month of the opening of the facility. The airport was opened for commercial services on December 7, 2021.

Mr Ejiofor, who made the disclosure in media interview noted that while the flight and passenger figures surpassed projections when compared with the airport’s contemporaries, it would have been higer, if more airlines joined Air Peace and United Airlines in using the airport The taxes and charges were gleaned from the tickets issued to the passengers by the airlines for trips to or from the airport. Although the period coincided with the

Yuletide when demand for air transport service is usually high, a study of the airlines’ tickets showed that the taxes and charges followed a consistent pattern, irrespective of the fare.

As of Friday, January 28, 2022, Air Peace ticket for economy class to Lagos or Abuja from Owerri and Anambra cost N23,300. The breakdown of the tickets are Fare N5,400 or 23.17 percent of the total ticket value and NG Sales Tax of N400 representing 1.71 percent of the total amount. Others are QT Airport Service Charge N2,000 and Fuel Charges of N15,500 being 8.58 percent and 66.52 percent of the entire ticket amount respectively.

For business class on the same route by Air Peace, the total ticket value is N70,300. The components of this ticket are Fare N38,200 or 54.33 percent, NG Sales Tax N2,100 and QT Airport Service Charge N2,000. These represent 2.98 percent and 2.86 percent respectively. Fuel Service Charge gulps N28,000 or 39.82 percent.

The fare is virtually the same with that of United Nigeria, with a small variation of about N2,000 less for United Nigeria, depending on the time of purchasing the ticket and the mode of booking – online or across the counter.

Continues on page 33

Domestic Airlines Struggle For Survival Amid Low Patronage, Cheap Airfares

BY ANTHONY AWUNOR

D

espite numerous challenges, domestic airlines in Nigeria seem to be growing. As at 2021, there were about 10 to 12 aircraft on wet-lease to fill in the gap of the demands of the system then.

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A wet lease is an arrangement whereby one airline (the lessor) provides an aircraft, complete crew, maintenance and insurance (ACMI) to another airline or Continues on page 33

MORE INSIDE BEDC Commends Illah Community For Arresting Vandals PAGE 41

NETCO Empowers 13 Youths In Iruland PAGE 41

2023 General Election Will Increase Foreign Portfolio Outflows – Olubi

BY SAM DIALA

T

he Managing Director, Morgan Capital Securities Limited and an economic analyst, Mr Rotimi Olubi, has said that the 2023 general election will increase foreign portfolio outflows and cause investors to remain on the sidelines.

Olubi said this at a forum organised by the Capital Market Correspondents Association of Nigeria (CAMCAN) in Lagos.

Continues on page 41

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AVIATION/FINANCE Domestic Airlines Struggle For Survival Amid Low Patronage, Cheap Airfares

Anambra Airport: Air Peace, United Nigeria Passengers Pay N120m Taxes

Continued from page 16

Continued from page 16

Although the breakdown was not ascertained, the components for the two airlines followed the same pattern during the festive season last month.

Nuhu

Investigation showed that last December economy class oneway ticket sold for N38,000, while business class passengers paid up to N120,000 for both airlines. Using the subsisting percentage allocation, the breakdown for the N38,000 economy ticket was N8,804 for Fare while NG Sales Tax was N649.80. QT Airport Service Charge was N3,260.40 and Fuel Charge N25,277.60 – all one way.

Business class travelers paid about N120,000.

other type of business acting as a broker of air travel (the lessee), which pays by hours operated.

Over time, the aviation regulatory agency, that is the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), issued a lot of Air Operators’ Certificates (AOC) and more airlines are still in the waiting list.

Notwithstanding the increase in airline operators, there has been low passenger traffic in the local airspace, arising from poor patronage. This situation, which characterised the early part of 2022, has led to a sharp decrease in airfares as many airlines now try to load their airplanes.

An assessment of the operations of local operators shows that there is hardly any fully-loaded aircraft flying from one destination to the other.

The last quarter of 2021 witnessed an increase in airfares, with 100 to 150 per cent increase in the cost of ticketing.

Analysts attributed it to the increase in demand for airline tickets during the festive period. The cost of fares to most cities, particularly Lagos, Abuja and Port Harcourt, has since crashed. The current prices range between N25, 000 and N30, 000, depending on the time of booking and purchase.

This was a big departure from last year’s pricing, which was pegged at N40, 000 and N45, 000, while trips to places like Owerri, Enugu, and Asaba went up to between N50, 000 and N60, 000.

However, some experts are worried, pointing out that very low fares are pointers to cashflow challenges, insisting that economic audit is necessary to ensure safety of passengers.

But in his reaction, the Director-General of the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), Capt Musa Nuhu, said it was up to the airlines to do its finances and economics and determine a reduction of airfares.

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According to the DG, the airlines involved must have done their proper analyses to reduce those airfares. He said there were many factors responsible and that only the airlines can explain why they slashed airfares.

Nuhu said, "Maybe they have excess capacity and instead of leaving it to waste, they decided to make some money from it. So there are many reasons. Airlines may slash their fares, if bthey want to relate to a particular market segment after which they will adjust their fares accordingly."

Emphasising that airline finances and economics are interesting subjects, he added, "Many people are of the opinion that with such reduced fares they may not be able to break even and thus resort to cutting corners."

He however, assured that it is the responsibility of the NCAA to ensure that airlines comply with all its standards and regulations, sayng "I don't think any business will intentionally under- cut itself to the point that it will not break even. This people have invested millions of dollars in their business. To me, it will be fool hardy to shoot yourself in the leg by cutting your airfares to the point that your business is no longer profitable or able to break even. So, it is the airline that can decide and it knows the internal workings, efficiencies and deficiencies that can really determine and explain the reduction in airfares."

The NCAA DG claimed that the agency has been alerted to the situation and if it observes that the airlines are trying to cut corners, it will do a full economic audit of the airlines to ensure that they comply with that.

Stating that NCAA embarks on such audits often as required, Nuhu said "So far, nothing to worry about. There is no indication that an airline has issues.”

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The tax and charges for economy class totally N30,000 per passenger. This means that the 3,865 passengers paid a total of N116 million taxes and charges.

Assuming that five percent of the passengers travelled on business class this amounts to additional N9 million, bringing the taxes and charges to a total of N125 million paid by the 3,865 passengers who used the 146 flights during the period.

Mr Ifejiofor, who is also the head of the Anambra State Airport Project Committee, said the airport contributed significantly to easing passenger traffic during the yuletide.

He said that passengers who would have landed at Asaba and Enugu Airports flew straight into the Anambra airport and that those who would have landed at Asaba and Enugu Airports flew straight into the Anambra airport.

“Anambra Airport is a hub, there is no place you can’t go to in Nigeria from Anambra State. We are just scratching the surface in terms of activities that will take place here,” he said.

Also speaking, Mr Martin Nwafor, the Managing Director of the Anambra Airport Management Authority, said the service quality at the airport had continued to improve.

Nwafor said that all the regulatory agencies in the aviation sector, including the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority, Nigerian Meteorological Agency, Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria, among others, were now domiciled at the airport.

He said there had not been any issue since the opening of the airport and that the airport management was prepared to handle issues as they arose.

Nwafor said that workers deployed to the airport were trained and that they had been

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The Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority, NCAA recently confirmed the upgrading of the Anambra International Cargo and Passenger Airport, Umueri, to Aerodrome rescue and Fire Fighting, ARFF, Category 6, to operate Boeing 737-700 or its equivalent

given sufficient orientation on how to do their jobs The Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority, NCAA recently confirmed the upgrading of the Anambra International Cargo and Passenger Airport, Umueri, to Aerodrome rescue and Fire Fighting, ARFF, Category 6, to operate Boeing 737-700 or its equivalent.

The approval was transmitted to the Governor of Anambra State, Willie Obiano, through a letter dated January 24, 2022 and signed by NCAA DirectorGeneral, Captain Musa Nuhu.

The NCAA approved the upgrade after assessing facilities and personnel at the fire station in the airport and finding them “appropriate and commensurate with aerodrome rescue and firefighting category 6 operations.”

Captain Nuhu said the approval was based on a satisfactory inspection carried out by aerodrome safety inspectors at the airport on the 21st of January, 2022 to ascertain the preparedness of the airport for the upgrade in fire cover from Cat 5 to Cat 6.

“This is to inform His Excellency that the on-site assessment of the existing facilities and personnel at the fire station revealed that the level of protection is appropriate to and commensurate with aerodrome rescue and firefighting category 6 operation,” the letter partly read.

“In view of the above, the Authority hereby grants approval for the upgrade of the Anambra Internaational Cargo Airport to aerodrome rescue and firefighting (ARFF) category 6 to operate Boeing 737-700 or its equivalent.”

The upgrade reflects the determination of Governor Willie Obiano towards ensuring that the Anambra Airport functions at full capacity to offer residents of the state the best services.

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ENVIRONMENT

Reflecting On Dangote Refinery, Trouble Awaiting Lekki Residents

BY TONY IYARE

L

ike many, I’m really excited at the gargantuan Dangote Refinery in Ibeju- Lekki, Lagos reputed as the second largest refinery project in the world.

I share the great excitement of the President, African Development Bank (AfDB), Dr Akinwunmi Adeshina, who recently visited the project with his team. Both in terms of its estimated production output and other value chain, it will not only save the country billions of foreign exchange spent on importation of fuel and other derivatives including fertilizer but also likely provide the pull factor for other industries.

The Dangote Refinery, an integrated refinery and petrochemical complex, will have an annual refining capacity of 10.4 million tonnes (Mt) of gasoline, in addition to 4.6Mt of diesel and 4Mt of jet fuel. It will also produce 0.69Mt of polypropylene, 0.24Mt of propane, 32,000t of sulphur and 0.5Mt of carbon black feed. The complex also includes a fertiliser plant, which uses by-products from the refinery as raw materials. These are huge outputs which will also immensely benefit the local market.

So I heartily congratulate the Chairman of Dangote Group, Mr Aliko Dangote, for this huge project.

While others are ferreting capital out of the country to invest in things that hardly translate into any meaningful trickle-down effects for our people, he has invested huge resources that offer the possibility of not only industrialising the country but creating massive jobs. The project is estimated to generate 4000 direct and 150,000 indirect jobs Next door is the $1.5 billion Lekki Deep Seaport that is also aimed at changing the face of maritime in our dear country. The Deep Seaport is expected to become the largest in Sub-Saharan Africa as the promoters are targeting 1.5 million 20ft equivalent units container capacity yearly, which is planned to grow to about 2.7 million and 4.7 million TEUs when operations commence. Also within this vicinity is the Lekki Free Trade Zone that’s projected to accommodate more than 48 companies. This obviously is good news for our economy.

My biggest worry is the absence of the articulated vehicles that are supposed to ferry supplies and cargo from the Dangote Refinery, the Lekki Deep Seaport and the Lekki Free Trade Zone to different parts of the country where are they going to pass.

Many do not appreciate that these projects could translate to six times the volume of cargo that are presently moved on the Apapa corridor with two ports that are referred to as river ports.

My heart bled for people living in the Lekki area when I learnt that these projects are expected to be operational later this year. If Apapa, which has two major outlets, has been a hell for its residents and other commuters for many years now, one can only imagine the awry nature of commuting that confronts the Lekki residents who will ply only one road.

Virtually all the roads that are meant to serve as buffers are not even in the works, leaving only the Lagos-Lekki Expressway, which is currently choked with traffic, as the only route. The Fourth Mainland Bridge is still on the drawing board, in spite of several promises. The Lagos State Government has also been talking of a coastal highway and the expansion of the Lagos-Lekki Expressway from the Eleko junction to Epe, which are still in the works.

The proposed monorail conceived to run between Marina and Lekki, to ease the pains of commuting in that corridor, is still on the books. Given our

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A section of Dangote Petroleum Refinery

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My biggest worry is the absence of the articulated vehicles that are supposed to ferry supplies and cargo from the Dangote Refinery, the Lekki Deep Seaport and the Lekki Free Trade Zone to different parts of the country where are they going to pass

experience with the Okokomaiko-Marina monorail which is not yet completed after 13 years, Lekki residents may not even be hopeful of any reprieve in the immediate future. I’m surprised that the government is silent on the single carriage way Eleko road itself which is now going to be traversed by huge traffic.

The 1,400 kilometre Lagos-Calabar railway, which ought to complement these huge projects, is still far from any groundbreaking ceremony. A spur from this rail line at Ijebu Ode could have provided the elixir by linking Ibeju Lekki. But Transport Minister, Mr Rotimi Amaechi seems to have a predilection for rail lines that are like ox bow lakes which may not offer any help. Were both the Ibadan-Abuja or Itakpe-Abuja lines given priority ahead of KanoMaradi in Niger Republic, they could also have provided some breather to the movement of the huge cargo from these projects.

Even as far back as 2016, former Managing Director, Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), Hadiza Bala Usman, had canvassed for a rail link to Lekki to stave off the potential haulage crisis envisaged to be caused by these huge projects. Surprised that there was no plan for a rail link to Lekki in spite of these projects, she wrote to the Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC) to ensure that this was included

in their plan. This, according to her, was to prevent the likely traffic disaster of the next few years.

Usman, in a chat with journalists in Lagos, said she was shocked that there was no provision for rail connection to the Lekki Deep Seaport by the promoters when she came into office in 2016, according to The Guardian report of September 12, 2018.

She said NPA had to write to the Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC), to ensure rail connection to the site, adding that Dangote Refinery was also contacted to make provisions for pipelines for product evacuation to avoid trucks parking on the roads while trying to pick products from that axis.

She recalled, “When we took over two years ago, there was no provision for rail connection out of Lekki, in the Deep Seaport plan, which I found quite strange that you can have a deep seaport without the need for rail connection.

“It will take you two years to build the port but five years to build the rail. So, we have written to the Nigerian Railway Corporation to ensure that there is a rail connection.

“The same way we have written the Dangote Refinery to have pipeline evacuation of liquids out of the refinery in Lekki, so that you don’t have trucks parking, and looking for where to pick products from the refinery.

“There must be pipelines for product evacuation; two, there must be rail connection; three, there must be additional means of road transportation, and the Lagos access road also needs to be prioritised.

“So, we need to work to have some sanity in five years’ time. If we do not deploy what is required now, in five to 10 years’ time, Lekki will be unmanageable.

“I am a believer of starting something; even if you do not finish it, start it.”

Whether anyone listened to her warning is another kettle of fish. But it’s clear that we are back to what appears like a game of revolving door.

•Iyare, a Senior Journalist, wrote in from Lagos.

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USHBEBE CHRONICLING HIS RISE TO FAME PAGE 35 - 40

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Justice Nuagbe, a.k.a Ushbebe, is not just a standup comedian, he is also a content producer and actor. He speaks with IVORY UKONU about his passion for the entertainment industry, his annual concert titled Chronicles of Ushbebe and other matters.

Nuagbe

FEAR OF MY PAST MOTIVATES ME TO WORK HARDER – USHBEBE Y

Nuagbe

ou are several weeks away from clocking 40.

What special things do you have lined up for the celebration?

It is a day before my annual comedy concert so I will celebrate it during the event. The last big party I had was when I clocked 30 and I celebrated it at No 10, Jay Jay Okocha’s buzz club then. But this time, I would rather celebrate it with the people who have made me who I am today. I have noticed for a long time that I have very persistent followers and fans of my annual concert. I want to celebrate with this set of people. This year will be the 10th anniversary of the concert and the 16th edition, having held it in different cities in Nigeria and Europe.

You have consistently held the concert at the Eko Hotel and Suites and other cities in Nigeria and the United Kingdom. How do you source money to make it happen?

I am grateful for coming this far. Some people start with Eko Hotel, but they may not be able to keep it up after a while. It is sometimes very difficult because sponsorship is not something you can get easily. I don’t bother to wait for sponsorship; I just pursue my direct contacts and pray it happens. I leverage smaller businesses, the ones actually calling the shots. The bigger businesses are not willing to do anything. Maybe it is because I am not a relative of the people running them. But the grace that I have is that people enjoy attending my concert.

Also, I have a partner who brings something to the table, just like I bring the contents and part of the money.

What will you be doing at this year’s concert, different from the regular offerings to your fans and followers?

Anyone conversant with my concerts knows that every year comes with a new style. I try to tie each edition around trending issues. Last year, we had the vaccine edition tagged The Naked Variant Edition. It was tied around COVID-19, which was trending at that time. So people don’t only come to have fun and a good laugh, but also to learn about trending issues in an entertaining way. Every edition has its own style and theme. You do not know what to expect till the day of the show. Since it is going to be a double celebration, the fun is in not knowing what to expect.

Why is your concert called Yadadi?

It is a fun way of saying ‘Your Daddy’ in local parlance, a kind of jocular insult. It is the sub name of the concert. The concert itself is actually called The Chronicles of Ushbebe, which means, showcasing the different characters of Ushbebe. It was a television show before it metamorphosed into a concert. It was shown on local television stations, including Ben TV in the UK. The TV show showcased Ushbebe playing different characters and this has greatly influenced me incorporating acting in the concert.

Some comedians who started their own annual concerts have not been able to sustain them beyond five years. How come you have been in business for this long?

Not everyone has the privilege to do this. Maybe it is because they do not have the capacity to put up content consistently.

I also think it is because of the fan’s love for me or the way I relate with them. People won’t go where they are not happy.

It is wasted energy to pretend to love just because you want to attend a concert. It costs a lot of money to buy tickets and to organise the show.

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Why did you rest the TV show?

Drama and politics from television executives are the reasons why I rested the TV show. I started a new one called Abnormal. We shot a whole season, which comprised 13 episodes, but when it was time to air it, I was told by these TV executives that they already had similar contents airing.

How can it be similar when comedy content isn’t restricted to a particular set of people? These executives are just afraid that when one brings what they have, it may reduce the attention that another show is getting. I don’t want to mention names, but the fact is that there are so many people like me who are capable of producing great stuff for television. Unfortunately they are unable to exceed the production process and when

those who manage to do the job approach these stations, they say they have about three, four similar contents. What is wrong with even having nine or 10 sitcoms? I don’t know what one is expected to create that won’t be similar to other sitcoms. The important thing is to make sure that one is not using the same characters to shoot all of the sitcoms.

How about exploring other media like Youtube?

I tried that, but the energy that the younger ones have to create contents on a daily basis is incomparable. Besides, as a businessman, who runs other businesses, I cannot afford to focus all of my time and energy just to create content every day for Youtube. My other ventures will suffer. Again, these younger guys started when social media became the in-thing.

I didn’t build my brand via social media; I started long before it. So the capacity with which I can operate is quite different.

That isn’t to say that I am not leveraging social media, but I can’t sweat it out and give it all to Youtube. I am a local content producer and if I am creating content locally, it will be for this space, not a global market. People are making money off this space. The TV executives know this, but they keep us restricted. They fail to realise that it is even better for the stations to start accepting content from providers and pay them accordingly for it. That way, they won’t be short of what to air to their viewers.

Imagine that I will do a show and a TV station will ask me to pay some money before it broadcasts the show. I do accordingly and it broadcasts the show from morning till night and entertain their viewers and sometimes, repeat my contents. The content they are using adds to the number of views that they get. These people travel out and see the way things work over there. They attend symposia, hold meetings, speak English to deceive investors, but when it comes to actual practice, they don’t do it the way they admire the ones abroad.

I can’t spend about N2.5 million to create content only for me to put it on Youtube and wait till when I can recover my capital investment, which is usually not any time soon. I am a businessman and I don’t have that much time. If I have THEWILLNIGERIA

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the time, perhaps I can do that, but earning about $20,000 a month from Youtube isn’t going to satisfy me when Youtube eventually starts to pay me. I gained my popularity and fan base from the sitcom, AY’s Crib. It wasn’t on Youtube, it was on local television. Sometimes, what matters most is not even about the money, but the joy of creating content and seeing people enjoy it. We should have as many of these contents as possible for people to enjoy and not restrict them. It is because of the frustration, which the cartel in the industry has caused people that many are now resorting to Youtube. I am not worried about the cartel, I am just concerned about creating good content and making people happy.

He knows me well enough to know what character would suit me. He knew that those characters would bring out the best in me and he was never wrong. I am where I am today because of my relationship with him and the training I got from him. I was with AY for four years before I went to radio.

Why did you leave Naija Fm? I had to leave. The schedule became too tight and busy for me to cope with. With all the things that I do, I only had 21 days leave in a year. It wasn’t going to work. I can’t travel and be rushing back to work. I tried. I was on radio for nine years and there was no way I could stay there longer or I would get stuck. I didn’t want to be in the league of those who got too comfortable as salary earners. I felt I had entertained long enough on radio and gained a large following. So it was fair enough for me to leave and do other things.

What is going to happen to Abnormal, the new show you created?

It was on TV. I shot 13 episodes and had to stop at a point. I mean I couldn’t spend all that money creating content, take it to a TV station and still be the one that will bring adverts/ sponsorship to fund the show. If I use my skills to go bring you (TV stations) contents, adverts and the TV station claims it is a partnership, then they have to bring something to the table. That is how it is done. But in this situation, it is my content and my marketing skill that is working for you when it should be a partnership. Television executives don’t want to spend their money, they wait for ready-made content and still expect me to run after adverts/sponsorship. For instance, my concert is my content and my money, but I have a partner who is also bringing something to the table. For now, let Abnormal rest. I am taking my time to come up with the next move.

I am curious. With the advent of the social media, do people still watch television, what is the ratio compared to those glued to social media?

People watch TV and you will be shocked to know that more people watch television than they spend time on social media.

That is the truth.

You run a cooking show on Instagram. How did that start?

I like to pretend to be a chef because I actually like to cook.

I got that from my mother who taught me at a young age. I also used to date someone who would call me on the phone and teach me how to make Oha soup because she didn’t want other girls to come to my house to cook for me. I was always hungry when I was younger and you would find me in the kitchen preparing something. I also have a lot of friends who are chefs and since I like to experiment with food ingredients, I just call them up and ask them to teach me how to put together certain dishes. So during the lockdown in 2020, I began videoing myself making meals and uploading it on Instagram. People liked it. They didn’t care about what I was cooking as long as I was in the kitchen playing around.

It was entertaining. Sometimes when I haven’t cooked in a while, I get messages asking me to cook and upload the videos because they enjoyed the entertaining aspect of it. I have invited a few of my colleagues on live video to eat what I cooked. I even had a DJ with me in the kitchen just to spice up things.

What is the end game of your cooking on Instagram?

I have no end game, so to speak. I am just having fun, but a few people have seen beyond what I do and have asked me to advertise their products while I am cooking. The products are paid for, but I have to be in the mood for that. This is exactly what I mean by TV stations sitting down and expecting finished products as contents to air to their viewers. There are too many things happening that a brand can jump at. It is not every time that somebody has to come and plead with them to use one’s content. For instance, I have a particular company that leverages my concert. They don’t give me money for sponsorship, they just pay for some tables and I just put them as sponsors because I am encouraged by what they are doing.

There are several brands that do that, not just to me, but to some other comedians. There are companies that have big budgets for such things, but the people in charge just sit on the money. But we are surviving, regardless. We are not perturbed.

Are you thinking of starting a cooking show on television?

No, it is not in my immediate plans, but if a company wants me to, and it is ready to foot the bill, why not? But I won’t use my money to shoot a cooking show and carry it around TV stations begging them to air it and they asking me to go look for sponsorship. My cooking only ends in my kitchen and on Instagram.

How did you find your feet in the comedy business?

I have always wanted to be in the entertainment business. I started when I was quite young. I tried my hands at music at some point and even taught different choirs how to sing. I can play the drum and the keyboard. I was also a rapper and even released an album, Case to Fame. I did a launch of the THEWILLNIGERIA

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What motivates you?

My past. I suffered a lot when I was growing up. We were 14 living in a single room apartment at Air Force Base, Ikeja. My dad had two wives. My mother is an Igbo woman, while my dad is Urhobo in Delta State. My mother was a hardworking woman who wasn’t waiting for my father to give her money.

She always told me to make plans to get my own house as soon as I start making some money. And God helped me. I did that because I was determined not to go back to living in squalor. Staying far from poverty drives me hard and every time, I want to do more things to make money legitimately so as not to go back to where I came from.

Nuagbe

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What has been your greatest challenge as a comedian, an actor, and a businessman?

For us to do things the way it is done in the developed

I suffered a lot when I was growing up. We were 14 living in a single room apartment at Air Force Base, Ikeja.

I was determined not to go back to living in squalor. Staying far from poverty drives me hard and every time, I want to do more things to make money legitimately so as not to go back to where I came from

album in my church in Gbagada then. As time went on, I began to enjoy the drama aspect of entertainment. I studied Theatre Arts at Delta State University. That is where I met Ayo Makun, aka AY. In school, I did standup comedy at departmental parties. By this time, I concentrated on comedy and left music as there were too many musicians and I knew the art would stress me. I got a job as a banker after graduating from the university, but I still continued doing comedy on the side. After a while, I left the bank and started working with AY. I was his personal assistant and his commercial manager.

AY was paying me N15,000 a month as transportation fee at that time. He was living somewhere in Iponri and there were eight other guys who were getting their daily bread from him and living with him and his wife Mabel. Soon after, AY debuted his concert and I had my first real performance at his AY Live show. I started out presenting acts before I graduated to real comedy performance.

Obviously, you owe your success and what you are today to AY AY is my only mentor. I have always looked up to him right from when we were in school. He was doing big things, bringing all the big names and artists to perform on campus.

Which was why, when I got tired of banking and needed to pursue a career in the entertainment industry, he was the only one I considered was good enough to mentor me. And he welcomed me with open arms. I was his ticketer for his show and never stole his money. We are talking about selling tickets worth N75,000 at that time and I never stole a dime. Every character I ever played that has made me popular, AY created them specifically for me. From his shows to his sitcom, AY’s Crib. We both wrote most of the scripts for the sitcom and he told me I would be best suited for the gateman role in the sitcom. I didn’t argue and that character catapulted me greatly.

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Nuagbe countries, which we know about but don’t do. I don’t want to be using my money to organise concerts or create content for TV. In the United States, a TV station/channel can pay someone like Chris Rock or Dave Chapelle, even someone less popular, to create content and these TV stations will still be responsible for marketing the contents to advertisers and source for sponsorship. At the end of the day, both sides of the divide make money. There are big names here, even smaller ones, that can create great content that will translate into mega money, but no, our TV stations here prefer to sit back and let the content creator to do all the work without bringing anything to the table. Nevada Bridge and Iroko TV have been at the forefront of championing this cause, no matter how small the money is, they give to content producers to produce something. I must commend them for that. But we need the money to be increased.

What is your greatest achievement in life so far?

Putting smiles on the faces of people is my biggest achievement. The fact that people appreciate what I do and they are happy when they run into me is fulfilling. I also get a kick out of helping people out of their predicament in any way that I think is best.

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STORIES BY IVORY UKONU

Exclusive! Panel Indicts Erstwhile NPA Boss, Hadiza Bala-Usman, Issues Her Query

TUNDE AYENI FIGHTS, TAKES BACK IBEDC FROM AMCON

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Ayeni

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any of those who gloated over the misfortune that befell Ibadan Electricity Distribution Company (IBEDC) and by extension, one of its promoters, Tunde Ayeni, may want to discontinue their celebration as the businessman has reportedly regained control of the company from the Assets Management Corporation of Nigeria (AMCON).

Enmeshed in some controversies, Ayeni fought tooth and nail in a space of 24 hours to ensure that what happened to him at the helm of the defunct Skye bank, did not repeat itself in IBEDC. THEWILL recalls that last week, AMCON completed the takeover of Integrated Energy Distribution and Marketing Limited, core investor in IBEDC, for defaulting in its loan repayment. The loan was part of funds released to

all DisCos by the Central Bank of Nigeria under the Nigeria Electricity Market Stabilisation Fund for the purpose of improving networks and reducing aggregate technical, commercial and collection losses. This is in addition to a Loan Purchase and Limited Servicing Agreement executed with Polaris Bank Limited in 2018 and an interest-free loan that the board of IBEDC granted to its core investor group, which earned them a 50 million naira fine from the National Electricity Regulation Commission. This was quickly followed by a purported take over by AMCON which appointed Osayaba GiwaOsagie as it's receiver/manager.

Unfortunately, Giwa-Osagie turned down the appointment out of deference to late Captain Hosa Okunbo, a co-investor in IBEDC. He had hinged his

decision on the fact that he and Okunbo were kinsmen and as a typical Bini man, he did not want to be involved in selling the assets of another Bini man.

This prompted AMCON to appoint Kunle Oqunba (SAN) to act as a receiver/manager nominee in the receivership action on January 20. The takeover had barely happened when Engr John Ayodele, the Chief Operating Officer (COO) of IBEDC, in a memo dated January 22, 2022 sent to the staff of the company, confirmed that the investors had resolved “on the way forward with AMCON and status quo ante maintained.”

What this means is that Ayeni can now heave a sigh of relief, which may likely linger as long as he doesn’t continue down the path of taking loans and defaulting in repayment.

Biodun Olujimi Eats The Humble Pie

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he humbling of Senator Biodun Olujimi, the lawmaker representing Ekiti South Senatorial District and Minority Leader in the hallowed chamber under the Peoples Democratic Party, has been a long time coming.

Olujimi, who is one of the 14 contenders for the governorship

Olujimi

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position in Ekiti State and likes to be seen as the strong woman of Ekiti politics, as well as the one who determines what happens in the state politically, has been forced to swallow her pride and eat the humble pie. Discovering that she was not as powerful as she had believed herself to be and to avoid a disgrace of monumental proportions, she decided to withdraw from the governorship race to avoid being trounced.

She attributed her decision to step down from the race to the fact that the system had been compromised in favour of a particular aspirant, who was declared the winner of the governorship primary. The said aspirant,

Bisi Kolawole, is the anointed candidate of former Ekiti State governor, Ayodele Fayose, a PDP chieftain. Olujimi had allegedly thought that her new found friendship with Fayose, after years of feuding, would position her as his right-hand ‘man’ for her eventual emergence as the party’s candidate. She had thought that was the case and allegedly saw any other aspirant, especially the female ones who eyed the position, as a threat to her ambition. She particularly declared war on one of the female aspirants, Princess Adekemi Adewunmi, widow of a former Chief of Air Staff, late Air Vice Marshal Ibrahim Alfa, and allegedly threatened to deal with her physically and spiritually.

But it is now obvious that all that boasting that Ekiti State belongs to her and Fayose was only a figment of her imagination as the former governor only allowed her to enjoy the euphoria of being associated with him and never had any plan to include her in the scheme of things, not to talk of becoming his preferred governorship candidate.

ormer Managing Director of the Nigerian Ports Authority, Hadiza BalaUsman’s troubles have just been compounded as a panel of inquiry appointed, with the approval of President Muhammadu Buhari, to investigate her five-year tenure at the government agency, has indicted her and subsequently issued her a query.

THEWILL recalls that embattled Bala-Usman was suspended from office last year following the recommendations of her supervising minister, Rotimi Amaechi, the Minister of Transportation.

THEWILL had exclusively reported that the real reason she was suspended from office was allegedly undermining Amaechi, particularly over the manner she was appointed for a second term Usman of five years.

She was quickly replaced by the future and any other matter Mohammed Bello-Koko as the that may be necessary in the acting managing director of the course of the assignment. agency. Until his appointment, THEWILL gathered from a reliable Mohammed was a member of the government official, who prefers Board of Directors of the NPA. to remain anonymous, that The 11-man panel, which Bala-Usman has been agitated investigated the former NPA MD with the delayed findings was constituted by Amaechi and from the panel. Her agitation headed by Suleiman Auwalu, the prompted her to begin to pester Director, Maritime Services of the the President through emissaries Ministry. to reinstate her since the panel Amaechi charged the panel to was yet to make its findings, examine and investigate the recommendation and suggestions administrative policies and public. strategies adopted by BalaShe based her push for Usman and confirm compliance reinstatement on the premise with extant laws and rules from that since the panel was yet to 2016 till date; examine and make their findings known, eight investigate issues leading to the months after she was suspended, termination of other contracts then there was no gainsaying the of NPA and confirm compliance fact that her record is clean and with the terms of the respective her time as NPA MD, flawless. contracts, court ruling and While she was trying to arm twist presidential directives; examine the president, the members of and investigate compliance with the panel quietly compiled their communication channel, as findings and recommendations obtained in the public service; which they presented to Amaechi. examine and investigate the From their investigations, she was procurement of contracts from found culpable and the ministry 2016 to date; come up with of transportation promptly issued suggestions and advice that would her a query. strengthen the operations of NPA Hadiza, according to our source and forestall such occurrences in is yet to receive the query as

at the time of going to press, but how she hopes to get out of this quagmire, beats ones imagination as her membership of the ruling All Progressives Congress and her being in the good books of the President, supposedly, which should serve as an 'immunity clause', hasn't helped her situation. Not even her alleged lover, Africa's richest man, Aliko Dangote, has been bold enough to stick his neck out for her. Perhaps, with this latest development, he may finally find the courage to man up and help to prevent her from going down the trenches.

A former Chief of Staff to Kaduna State governor, Nasir El Rufai and Co-Convener of the Bring Back Our Girls Movement, Bala-Usman was appointed by President Buhari in 2016, amidst widespread criticism bordering on her lack of cognate experience or qualification about such a sensitive sector. She had, through lobbying, won the President’s approval to run a second term of five years at NPA. Her second tenure would have lapsed in 2026, if she had not been suspended.

Ngozi Nkoloenyi Bags Chieftaincy Title

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Nkoloenyi

agos society matriarch, Lolo Ngozi Nkoloenyi, recently joined the league of female traditional title holders when she was conferred with the chieftaincy title, Nne Ora (Mother of all),

by Igwe Polycarp Oyigbo, the traditional ruler of her hometown, Egede in Enugu State. It was a joyful occasion as many sons and daughters of Egede trooped out to felicitate with Ngozi who is considered a role model as a wife, a business woman and a mother.

The 62-year-old style and fashion

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icon is a widow, having lost her husband, Paul Nkoloenyi, a successful businessman, 10 years ago to the cold hands of death.

Since the death of her husband, the fashion guru, who runs Bloomingdale, an upscale fashion company and La Valerie, a fashion accessory outfit, has refused to give marriage another chance and has instead, preoccupied herself with being there for her grown children, helping to raise her grandchildren and running the family business.

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JANUARY 30 - FEBRUARY 05, 2022 T H E W I L L N E W S P A P E R • www.thewillnigeria.com

STORIES BY SHADE WESLEY-METIBOGUN AND IVORY UKONU

Real Reason Kazeem Adeoti Dumped His Wife For Mercy Aigbe

HOW SAMMIE OKPOSO’S PHILANDERING NATURE BECAME HIS DOWNFALL

Okposo

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he social media space was agog last week after gospel artist, Sammie Okposo tendered a public apology to his beautiful wife, Ozioma and the body of Christ for committing an act of infidelity. The apology came after a US-based lady known as African Doll granted an interview where she stated that she was expecting a child for the gospel act. African Doll claimed that she had unprotected sex with him. She even presented screen shots of their conversation to further buttress her points during the interview. She revealed that the singer threatened her when he found out that she was pregnant. He became hostile to her after advising her to go for an abortion. However, she refused to get rid of the pregnancy, insisting that his money was not the reason why she decided to keep it.

This revelation by African Doll came as a surprise to many who expected Sammie to be above board as a gospel music artiste and married man. Now it is quite clear to them that Sammie is incapable of being above board or respecting his marital vows.

It is speculated that as a bachelor, Sammie was a well-known ladies’ man who had sexual intimacies with many women. He once dated Gloria Ibru, the first daughter of Olorogun Michael Ibru. The relationship produced a beautiful daughter, Alila Okposo, who is now 27 years-old. Both lovers parted ways after it was discovered that Gloria was expecting their first child and he wasn’t ready to commit himself to the relationship. He soon moved on to Nollywood actresses, Kate Henshaw and later, Stella Damasus.

With Kate, the two were so much in love that marriage was already on the card. But the actress broke up with him based on allegations of battering, verbal and physical abuse both in private and public places. He once broke her ankle in the process of battering her. The actress was hopeful that the singer would turn a new leaf, but he never did and the relationship hit the rocks.

After Stella Damasus lost her husband, she found comfort in Sammie’s arms and they both started dating. They were

considering taking their relationship to the next level when they broke up. It was alleged that Sammie was responsible for the rift between Kate and Stella at some point during their friendship. The two friends have since reconciled.

Sammie also dated a former 1993 Miss Nigeria, Janet Fateye. They met when he went to perform at a joint owned by one of the organisers of the Miss Nigeria beauty pageant. The beauty queen was invited to sing with Sammie Okposo’s band when she went for a courtesy visit at the club where the singer was playing.

They became friendly and later started dating, but the two parted ways many years later.

Sammie used to be a Director of the choir at Pastor Paul Adefarasin’s House on the Rock Church in Lagos. At a point, he was alleged to have put four female members of the choir in the family way and was subsequently suspended. He was later forgiven and welcomed back

by Adefarasin. The cleric played a vital role in the growth and Christian life of the controversial singer. As a spiritual father who cared for the members of his congregation, Adefarasin re-orientated Sammie about Christianity, youth and fun in the hope that his effort would greatly reflect in the latter’s life. But it yielded no positive result as the talented music act continued with his philandering nature.

Nollywood actress, Chioma Akpotha, nee Chukwuka, who was a member of House on the Rock and Sammie's singing group, X Generation, had to leave, alledgedly because of his promiscuous nature.

Sammie would continue in his ways until he met Ozioma, his wife of 11 years. The two met when he went to perform at Pastor Matthew Ashimolowo’s Kingsway International Christian Centre, London.

Ozioma had gone with her sister to the church and met him signing his CD for some of his fans.

They became friends and eventually got married in July 2010. Many thought he would turn a new leaf after marriage, but a few didn’t think his marriage would stand the test of time due to his weakness for the opposite sex. He however fought back and even granted an interview where he stated that all he did when he was chasing women was youthful exuberance.

With his latest act of indiscretion, when African Doll puts to bed, Sammie would become a proud father of two from different women as his union with Ozioma is yet to produce a child.

Tricia Eseigbe Kerry Expands Her Business

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igerian talk show host and former Nollywood actress, Tricia Eseigbe Kerry, has veered into the manufacturing of beauty care products. The mother of one unveiled her range of skin care products known as Trish8 Lifestyle Organic Skincare a few weeks ago and many of her colleagues in the movie industry

Kerry THEWILLNIGERIA

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have been congratulating her for the laudable feat. Tricia began her career as an actress before quitting and concentrating on her talkshow, Bold Faces, a TV inspirational programme that features interviews, documentaries on notable personalities in government, corporate entertainment, politics and the sporting world.

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SEGUN ODEGBAMI LAUNCHES SPORTS RADIO W

hen Patrick Olusegun Odegbami applied for a radio license more than a decade ago, he didn’t envisage that his dream to join the league of private sports station owners would take almost two decades to become a reality. His license was only approved in 2020 after applying for it since 2003. The legendary footballer announced the commencement of the sports station, Eagle7, 103.7 FM last week. Located in Panseke, Abeokuta, Ogun State, the station may not have resumed full transmission, but it has commenced its test transmission.

The sports centered station succeeded in making its first test transmission after some technical hurdles, which almost forced the football legend give up on his dream. It was gathered that several attempts were made to kick start transmission as technicians battled to rectify the major problem in the transmitter. Despite getting Ecreso FM, which is the most advanced and sophisticated transmitter in the world, from Worldcast Systems, the equipment broke down. But technicians were able to fix it after several hours of anxiety. It was a magical moment for the former governorship aspirant when the sound of Afro beat legend, Fela Anikulapo’s Water no get enemy broke through the sound wave and announced the beginning of Eagle7 FM’s operation.

However, a lot of work still needs to be done in terms of reconstruction and renovation of the transmitter which broke down just a few minutes before the takeoff time. The studio and lounge are still miles away from being ready, but musicals from selected artistes would be on repeated play while the test transmission is still on-going. After it fully takes off, the radio station will broadcast sporting activities with a full Afro-centric flavour.

he social media has been agog all week since Nollywood actress, Mercy Aigbe unveiled her new husband, movie marketer and producer, Alhaji Kazeem Adeoti, popularly known as Adekaz.

Although THEWILL exclusively reported their relationship and secret wedding which happened shortly after Mercy converted to Islam and adopted the name, Minnah, it wasn’t until a week ago that the actress chose to unveil her new man to the world. A lot of stories have also been bandied around about the circumstances leading to their marriage. Most of the stories are not only false, they are fueled

by Mercy’s ex-husband, Lanre Gentry, who has since remarried and Adekaz’s estranged wife, Funsho.

One such false story was posted on Instagram by Gentry shortly after Mercy’s unveiling.

It was a group photograph of Adekaz and Funsho flanked by Mercy and Gentry. The caption insinuated that Gentry, Mercy, Adekaz and Funsho were family friends and many quickly assumed that Mercy began an affair with Adekaz while still married to Gentry.

It was also wrongly assumed that Mercy took advantage of her friendship with Funsho and snatched Adekaz from her. Mercy and Adekaz quickly countered these narratives.

The quartet were never family friends and the picture Gentry posted was taken at the 40th birthday party of Adekaz, years ago, which was well attended

by Nollywood practitioners as Adekaz is considered an influential man in the movie industry.

Another indication that Funsho was part of the falsehood came when she posted a picture of herself and her children with Adekaz on Facebook with a caption suggesting that Adekaz never appreciated her as his wife and mother of his children.

The picture elicited pity from a cross section of Nigerians who wasted no time vilifying Mercy.

However what Funsho failed to tell the world is that she has been separated from Adekaz and what led to the demise of

New Adeotis

their 20-year-old marriage were some issues around her refusal to relocate from the United States to Nigeria.

Funsho, who has been playing the victim, also failed to tell Nigerians that whenever she visited Nigeria sometime, she would refuse to get in touch with her husband. Instead, she took to vilifying him as a dead-beat father who did not take care of his children. She fueled the tale that she was responsible for his success in business, which is far from the truth as Adekaz has always been successful and fulfills his parental obligation as well as taking care of other bills.

Both Adekaz and Funsho lived in Minnesota, USA where he was a licensed mortgage broker. A few years ago, he began to nurse the idea of relocating to Nigeria and taking advantage of the burgeoning movie industry. But Funsho vehemently dismissed the idea of relocation. She would later give in, come to Nigeria but then changed her mind almost immediately and returned to the US. Adekaz kept pressing her to return to Nigeria and be with him. By now, he had set up his movie production outfit, Adekaz Productions and Ibaka TV, but Funsho remained resolute.

Adekaz told her point blank that he would marry another wife if she didn’t return as agreed.

Besides, his religion permitted him to have as many wives as he could afford to care for.

Well, she didn’t and her refusal took a toll on their marriage.

In 2021, she came to Nigeria around the time of her birthday to try to patch things up with her husband, hoping he would drop the idea of relocation, but seeing he wasn’t ready to do so, she returned to the US. Her indignation further bolstered his relationship with Mercy which was already a foregone issue only waiting to be formalised.

While Adekaz’s marriage to Mercy is his second attempt at love, it is Mercy’s third attempt at marriage, having been married briefly to the father of her first daughter, Michelle who is an undergraduate. Her second attempt was with hotelier, Lanre Gentry with whom she has a son named Olajuwon.

Old Adeotis

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STORIES BY SHADE WESLEY-METIBOGUN

Critics Ridicule Toyin Abraham, Anita Joseph’s Husbands, Call Them Gold Diggers

ENCOMIUMS FOR LEKAN OGUNBANWO AS HE CLOCKS 60 A

former General Manager of Lagos TV/Radio Lagos and Eko FM, Lekan Ogunbanwo has clocked 60. To the surprise of many, the veteran broadcaster didn’t throw a party, as expected, to mark his landmark age. He had a quiet celebration as many showered him with encomium to celebrate his new age. That Lekan has done well for himself as a broadcaster would be simisply stating the obvious. Immediately after graduation from the university, he was appointed as the General manager of the radio station. The position catapulted him from grade 10 position to grade 13 in the public service. He was just 37 years-old when he started manning the affairs of the station. He was later appointed as a

permanent secretary of Lagos Television/ Radio station. In 2017, he became the permanent secretary of Lagos Ogunbanwo Television alone.

But he made his mark within 27 years at the helm of affairs of both stations. It was during his tenure that Eko FM and the first-ever Traffic Radio in the country was established. It was under his tenure that Lagos Television made its digital debut on Digital Satellite Television. The premises of Lagos Television became a hub of social activities with the establishment of Blue Roof Event Centre.

While paying glowing tribute to him as he marked his 60th birthday, many attributed their

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success to him because of the platforms he gave them to showcase their talents.

Ogunbanwo’s tenure wasn’t all that rosy as he was dogged with a few controversies. He was said to be arrogant and insensitive to the economic welfare of his staff.

Salaries were not promptly paid despite the fact that the station was raking in money. After his retirement at the state-owned parastatal, he was appointed as the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of PlusTV Africa.

Caleb Ken Olumese Puts up Nite Shift Coliseum For Sale

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Olumese

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do State-born entrepreneur, Caleb Ken Olumese, otherwise known as ‘The Guvnor,’ has put up his once famous night club, Nite shift Coliseum, for sale. At the peak of its operations, the upscale nightclub was the toast of fun-seekers in Lagos. It was a place where billionaires and top political elites converged to seal deals and make important political and business decisions.

The Coliseum had an ambience that appealed to all within and outside Lagos. With special performances from guest music artistes and the club’s entertainment group, guests always had something to look forward to.

Some dignitaries that the club has hosted in the past include, but not limited to former President Goodluck Jonathan, former Ogun State governor, Chief Segun Osoba, former Lagos State governor and APC chieftain, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the immediate past governor of Lagos State, Akinwunmi Ambode,

ollywood actresses ToyinAbraham Ajeyemi and Anita Joseph Olagunju share a few things in common.

Apart from being much soughtafter in the movie industry, their choices of male partners have been severely criticised.

Although they both enjoying marital bliss, they both have to keep fighting to silence naysayers who are bent on ridiculing their husbands by calling them gold-diggers, who got married to them because of their wealth and fame.

Toyin decided to give marriage another shot after the collapse The Fisayos of her three-year-old marriage to her colleague, Adeniyi Johnson. She reportedly caught her husband in the act with a younger colleague, Seyi Edun who is now married to him. In 2017.

Toyin moved on, got engaged to another colleague, Kolawole Ajeyemi and in 2019, they got married traditionally. As much as they have tried to keep their marriage intact, naysayers have repeatedly made attempts to ridicule the love they have for each other. Kolawole has been attacked for ‘feeding fat’ on his wife’s wealth and fame.

Even when he recently bought a new car a few weeks ago to celebrate his birthday, critics accused him of milking his wife dry by making her cough The Ajeyemis out the money for the wonder on wheels. They conclude that each other matters. But naysayers featuring in many top-notch movies, some of which are the would rather believe what they want. highest grossing movies in the cinema, as well as bagging The same has been the case numerous endorsement deals of Anita Joseph. Not only have critics bashed the actress and her from reputable companies, more often than her husband, husband, hype man cum master of ceremony, Michael Fisayo can only mean that Toyin is Olagunju, whom she married in richer than her husband. The couple has made several efforts February 2020, for repeatedly sharing their very private and to debunk the tales, stating that they don’t care if either of intimate moments on social media and at public events, they them is richer than the other accuse Anita of being the one in and that only their love for

a former Inspector General of Police, Mustafa Adebayo Balogun, governor of Lagos State, Babajide Olusola Sanwo-Olu and others.

Unfortunately, the once bubbling nightclub became a shadow of itself after it was gutted by fire on two occasions. Although it bounced back after the ugly incidents, it ceased to function as a nightclub. Olumese converted it to an events centre and after some time, decided to put it up for sale.

With the advent of COVID-19 and with most social events and gatherings being either put on hold or functioning at half capacity, it became more difficult to maintain the place. It was gathered that Floating World, managers of a strip club based in Ikeja, has taken over the place and it is set to give it a face lift.

Many buyers had indicated interest in the property and approached ‘The Guvnor’ with juicy offers, but Floating World eventually won the bid to take over the place as the new owners. Adeleke

control of the marriage.

They also accused her husband of living off his wife and labeled him an opportunist who rose to fame on Anita’s good will.

Michael has been accused of having nothing to his name, not even a car, as he cruises around in his wife’s branded car. The backlash and negative reactions they get has however done little or nothing to stop them from displaying their affection publicly or celebrating their marriage.

Heidi Adeleke’s Secret Pain B eautiful model, Heidi Adeleke nee Dagmar Korth may have gotten married to her handsome Nigeria singer, Shina Adeleke, professionally known as Sina Rambo and living a happy married life, but she has been nursing a painful experience, which may take a while to heal.

Unfortunately no amount of efforts from her husband has been enough to alleviate the pain.

The German-born lady, who got married in a private ceremony to Rambo, a cousin to David Adeleke aka Davido, has spent the last few weeks nursing her wound.

A brand influencer to notable beauty brands, Heidi lost her father in December and she has not been able to get over the sad experience. She was

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raised alongside her two sisters single-handedly by her father who played the role of both father and mother. She was however privileged to be by his bedside before he passed on in December.

Hardly would a week pass by after his departure without Heidi penning an emotional tribute or uploading videos of the good time they both shared.

The lady, who is currently on a nine-month course, has always wished and prayed that her father would be around to see and carry her baby. Having raised her all alone, he taught her all she knows and made her what she is. Her biggest dream was to see her father cuddle her baby in his hands. Unfortunately, he couldn’t live to fulfill her dreams.

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JANUARY 30 - FEBRUARY 05, 2022 T H E W I L L N E W S P A P E R • www.thewillnigeria.com

BUSINESS NEWS BEDC Commends Illah Community For Arresting Vandals

BY ANTHONY AWUNOR

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L-R: Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Airtel Nigeria, Surendran Chemmenkotil; Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu and the Deputy Governor, Lagos State, Mr. Obafemi Hamzat, during his courtesy visit to the state house Marina, Lagos on January 25, 2022.

2023 General Election Will Increase NETCO Empowers Foreign Portfolio Outflows – Olubi 13 Youths In Iruland

Continued from page 16

Speaking on the theme, ‘A Review of 2021 Market Performance and Factors That Will Shape it in 2022,’ he listed other factors expected to cause further outflow to include rate hikes and capital controls by the monetary authorities.

Olubi added that foreign exchange (FX) would likely come under strong pressure as interest rate hikes in advanced economies would result in portfolio outflows from emerging markets.

He noted that domestic investors would be the key players responsible for the movement of the market and liquidity.

"Electioneering, rate hikes, and capital controls by the monetary authorities are expected to cause further foreign portfolio outflows and cause FPIs to remain on the sidelines.

“Even as the economy continues its recovery, corporate earnings of companies in the consumer goods and industrial goods sector are expected to be impacted by high input costs caused by high inflation and higher cost of capital due to interest rate hikes.

"The interest income of financial services institutions, such as commercial banks, is expected to rise in Nigeria, if interest rates rise as expected. This is because the United States could decide to raise interest rates.

"This act by the US could lead to downward pressure on commodity prices, drop in global liquidity, increase in the cost of funds from the international debt market and due to the fact that Ukraine and Russia are still having conflicts, oil prices might go up and production could decrease.

“Companies in the oil and gas sector are expected to have a solid year driven by strong oil prices, increasing global oil demand and OPEC+ cuts,” Olubi said.

He said that with relatively low infection rates and fatalities from the COVID-19 pandemic, the likelihood of an economic shutdown was non-existent.

"The GDP growth is expected to grow by 3.86 per cent in 2022 supported by further improvements in agriculture, manufacturing, services and the oil THEWILLNIGERIA

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sector and increased government spending in areas such as advertising, printing, media, among other campaign related sectors.

"A major downside risk to this outlook is the security situation in several parts of the country, capital controls in the FX market and any unexpected severe mutation in COVID-19," Olubi said.

According to him, being an election year, government spending is expected to be at its highest complemented by improved oil revenues.

He said that this would lead to wider fiscal deficit and further increase in an already elevated debt-servicing cost.

On the removal of oil subsidy, Olubi said the suspension would dampen the impact of high oil prices in the global markets to the Federal Government's purse.

"The Federal Government will need to focus on making reducing the leakeages associated with the current subsidy/ under recovery regime," he said.

Olubi said that inflation was expected to rise further, following a direction reversal in December 2021 where inflation rose after an eight month downward trend.

"Although the MPC retained all parameters, they could still be forced to raise interest rate to combat inflation and reduce the negative real interest rate and that is if the U.S decides to raise their interest rate.

"Accordingly, the MPC could be forced to raise Interest rates to combat inflation and reduce the already negative real interest rate," he added.

Speaking on the 2021 performance of the Nigerian economy and its markets, Olubi noted that the country witnessed its largest quarterly growth (5.01 per cent) in over six years in the fourth quarter of 2021 due to positive performance recorded in the non-oil, agric and services sectors.

He pointed out that foreign investors remained on the sidelines as domestic investors, which stood at 77 per cent, dominated the Nigerian capital market (NCM).

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he National Engineering and Technical Company (NETCO, a subsidiary of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) Ltd, has reiterated its commitment to empowering youths in its host community with vocational skills to enable them contribute to national development.

Mr Johnson Awoyomi, Managing Director of NETCO, made the pledge on Friday at the graduation ceremony of 13 youths from Iru Community, Iru in Victoria Island Local Council Development Area of Lagos State.

The "Batch B Netcropreneur " beneficiaries were trained for three months at the Oluponna Fish Farming and Resource Foundation (OFFER) Centre, Iwo, in Osun State.

The graduands were trained on Agribusiness (crop and livestock farming) and Information Communication Technology, as well as Catering and Craft.

Awoyomi, represented by Mr Ahmad Kigo, Executive Director, Services, NETCO, said the training was one of the many Corporate Social Responsibility services being embarked upon by the company.

He said, "As you all know, we can solve a lot of problems if we adopt the skills acquisition method.

"We can curb unemployment, create wealth and tackle insecurity which is the present focus of the Federal Government.

"If our youths are empowered, there will be less security challenges. We are doing this not only for Iru community, but also for the benefit of the entire nation."

Awoyomi added that the skills impacted on the graduands, ICT, agriculture and event management were in high demand in the present era and would be of great benefits to them.

According to him, government alone cannot do everything, hence there is a need for citizens to play their own part in nation building.

He charged the graduands to take advantage of the opportunity to develop themselves and their community.

he Management of BEDC Electricity Plc. (BEDC) has commended Illah Community in Oshimili North Local Government Area of Delta State for its role in the arrest of electricity vandals, describing the rising cases of vandalism across its franchise areas as acts of sabotage against the good purpose and intents of the company.

The management said the power sector had been the most hit in the most devastating manner and the effect of vandalism cannot be over emphasised as residential customers, industries, small and medium scale businesses are being starved of power as a result of the activities of vandals.

It would be recalled that the anti-cult group of illah community had assisted BEDC in apprehending those who vandalised electricity transformers in the community.

Present at the appreciation ceremony organised to honour the members of the anti-cult group, who caught the vandals and handed them over to the police for prosecution.

At the Ogbeleani palace were the BEDC Management team led by the Head, Community Relations, Mr. Simple Ugherakpoteni and members of the Asaba Business Unit Technical team, while the community was represented by His Royal Majesty, Obi Sylvester Jugai, the Ogbelani of Illah, Chairman Illah Electricity Committee, Ogbuenyi (Chief) George Ofuokwu, the Odogwu of Illah, Secretary to Ogbelani and Illah Electricity Committee, Eddy Ojidoh , members of the anti-cult group and community youth leaders Mr. Simple Ugherakpoteni, who spoke on behalf of MD/CEO, Mrs. Funke Osibodu, commended the community for its vigilance over BEDC network, saying vandalism of electricity distribution network and other forms of electrical thefts are serious threats to power sector sustainability and economic growth.

Ugherakpoteni insisted that increasing vandalism will force the company to spend money meant to improve electricity infrastructure on the repair or replacement of damaged and stolen installations.

“The fight against electricity vandals is a collective responsibility that can only be sustained through collective effort and increased partnership.” he said.

While appreciating the efforts of the Illah Community, the Head, Community Relations presented a life insurance policy to five members of the anti-cult group and cartons of energy saving bulbs, saying that the gesture would help them to pay less bills for electricity and also enjoined other communities to emulate and take ownership of BEDC assets in their various localities, “since they are the direct users of these facilities.”

The Ogbelani of Illah, HRM, Obi Sylvester Jugai, thanked the management of BEDC for its gesture and reiterated the community’s commitment to ensuring adequate protection of electricity facilities and equipment in the community.

The monarch insisted on improved community and neighbourhood relations with BEDC staff in order to collectively fight against electricity vandals.

Efforts by BEDC at curbing the menace of vandalism on its network received a boost with the sentencing of one David James to three years imprisonment by a Benin Magistrate Court 6 in Egor Local Government area of Edo state recently.

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STATE OF THE STATES

BY SAM DIALA & OLAYEMI SHABA

Introduction:

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here are concerns that Nigeria’s worsening revenue challenge may escalate into a financial implosion, with the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory (subnationals), being the worst hit. The situation is aggravated by the nation’s escalating public debt stock (now over #35 trillion). The debt stock comprises domestic and external loan obligations of the Federal Government and the sub-nationals.

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

Moreover, there is a limit to which the people and corporates could be taxed. Yet, profligacy and waste take the centre of our governance space while frugality assumes the back seat.

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As such, the sub-nationals are hemorrhaging huge resources in paying salaries and other emoluments of a bloated bureaucracy. To survive, they are urged to diversify their revenue base, embark on aggressive internally generated revenue (IGR) and depend less on the shrinking federal allocations.

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

State of the States, a bi-weekly publication, features two states per edition. It endeavours to unearth hidden treasures in each state and ascertain, through consultations and evidencebased survey, areas of comparative advantages and economies of scale. The publication will show-case, in no exaggerated

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terms, the socio-economic status of each state and highlight the opportunities and threats.

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

We have featured Lagos and Ogun, Kwara and Kogi, Anambra and Enugu, Benue and Taraba, Kebbi and Sokoto, Cross River and Akwa Ibom, Edo and Delta, Ekiti and Osun, Bauchi and Gombe, Rivers and Bayelsa, Kano and Jigawa, Imo and Abia Borno and Yobe, Nasarawa and Kaduna.

This week periscopes Ondo and Oyo.

ndo is a state in southwestern Nigeria created in February 1976. Its capital and commercial centre is Akure. The state lies between longitudes 4"30" and 6" East of the Greenwich Meridian, 5"45" and 8" 15" North of the Equator. This means that it lies entirely in the tropics. It is bounded in the North by Ekiti and Kogi States; in the East by Edo State; in the West by Oyo and Ogun States and in the South by the Atlantic Ocean.

Agriculture is the mainstay of Ondo’s economy; the major produce include cotton and tobacco from the North, cocoa from the central part, while rubber and timber (teak and hardwoods) come from the South and East. Palm oil and kernels are cultivated for export throughout the state. Ondo is Nigeria's chief cocoa-producing state.

The people are mostly farmers, fishermen and traders. Some of the indigenes also engage in wood works, such as furniture making sand crafts.

In a bid to transform the state to an industrialised one, the Ore Industrial Park (OIP) and Ondo Liyin Hub is home to Investors, both local and foreign, taking advantage of the opportunities available.

The Ondo coastline is occupied by Ilaje fishing communities considered to be one of the most important on the west coast. It has a rich biodiversity that contains various groups of fish, shellfish (shrimps, crabs, lobster, gastropods and cephalopods). The state has the longest coastline in West Africa. it has a free trade zone (Olokonla free trade zone) that shares a boundary with Ogun state.

The state has plastic companies manufacturing plastics, and plastic furniture. Taking advantage of the abundance of timber in the state the people also produce wooden doors and furniture.

Mineral Resources Ondo produces 12 per cent of Nigeria’s total output of oil and gas; other mineral resources found in the state are quartz sand, clay, granite, limestone talc, kaolin, coal, columbite, rock, tin, bitumen (the second largest deposit in the world). It is blessed with many rivers, ocean fronts, and the longest coastline in Nigeria.

Tourism Sites Idanre Hills, known as Oke Idanre in Yoruba, with over 660 steps, is one of the most popular tourist sites in the state, it is Situated 3,000 feet above sea level. Although generally a hilly town, the concentration of hills at the site makes it more prominent, hence an attraction site. Other places include the Owa’s Palace, Shrines, Old Court, Belfry, Agboogun footprint, Thunder water (Omi Aopara), and burial mounds. The site is pretty cool with beautiful surroundings and courteous reception. On October 8, 2007, the Idanre Hill became a UNESCO World Heritage site.

Akeredolu

The state has in commercial quantities agricultural produce such as maize, yam, plantain, kola nut, coffee, coconut, vegetables, timber, banana, rice, cassava, fish and piggery. Being a leading producer of cocoa of about 300,000 tons per session, which amounts to 40 per cent of national production, it has seven cocoa processing and chocolate factories geared towards maximising the product to derive more and ensure the people pay less for the end product.

Idanre Hill

Ondo is one of Nigeria’s oil-producing states and it has the second largest bitumen deposits in the world. It also has one of the largest natural gas deposits globally.

Deji Of Akure's Palace is where the traditional ruler offers visitors the opportunity to learn about the history, values and culture of Akure people. Many historical monuments can also be found in the palace.

Igbokoda Waterfront is one of the longest bodies of water in Nigeria. It is located about 142km from Akure and has a fishing terminal. The water offers a good site for recreational activities such as swimming, fishing, among others.

FACT-FILE

Oke Maria Hills, located at Oba Akoko, has been in existence since the early 1900s. Oke Maria, (Mary’s Hill) is home to a shrine dedicated to the Blessed Virgin Mary, after an apparition of hers was allegedly seen. Climbing up the hill to the Oke Maria apparition site has become a pilgrimage. It is a site of prayer for Catholics and also non-Catholics.

Registered businesses: 125

The Cave of Ashes, located in Isharun, a village situated about 24 kilometers (twenty-minutes drive) from Akure, was naturally formed by the aesthetic cluster of massive granite boulders (ho Eleeru) or the Cave of Ashes. It dates back as early as 920BC. The Cave of Ashes is referred to as the home of the oldest pre-historic man in West Africa.

Owo Museum, founded in 1968, is home to many monuments and artifacts. Because of its proximity to Ile-Ife and Benin City, two cities renowned for their artistic and cultural legacies, the museum was built to preserve the antiquities that were formerly stored in the Olowo’s palace. From there, one can learn about the people of Owo and their history.

Ebomi Lake, often regarded as bottomless because the depth is unknown, is a 1.5km long expanse of water, located at IpesiAkoko, along the north-eastern boundaries of Ondo State.

Igbo Olodumare (meaning ‘Forest of the Almighty’) is a thick evergreen forest preserved for its beautiful and fascinating nature situated in Oke-Igbo near Ile-Oluji.

The Olowo Of Owo Palace is the largest in Yoruba land, covering a 99 hectare piece of land to the west of the town. There are over 100 ancient courtyards of which 17 are still intact.

Ondo is also pursuing agriculture with huge passion. It recently distributed agricultural inputs and machinery to over 1,000 farmers to boost food production and raw materials for industries.

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The Ondo State Government in making good its promise to achieve food sufficiency distributed agricultural inputs and machinery to over 1,000 farmers across the state. The state governor, Rotimi Akeredolu, distributed the items in Akure during the presentation of certificates of registration to 142 trained youths from three cooperative groups. Irrigation equipment to secondary schools were also distributed by the governor. He noted that the initiative is an all-inclusive exercise as anybody can invest in agriculture, “no matter the job you are doing, be you government worker or so, you can farm, the constitution allows it.” Meanwhile farmers are reported to be planning to reactivate and have their own Microfinance bank to ensure unhindered access to funds.

LGA: 18 Land Area: 6,000sqmi Public primary schools: 1,170 circa Public secondary schools: 375 circa University (7): Federal - 1, state - 3, private - 3 Polytechnic (6): Federal - 2, state - 1, private - 3 College of Education (2): State - 1, private - 1 College of Agriculture: Federal -1 Nursing School/Health Technology (3): Federal - 1, State - 1, Private - 1 Technical School (5): Federal - 1, state - 3, private - 1 Total revenue: N71,50bn @ 2020 Total tax: N21,29bn @ 2020 IGR: N24,84bn @ 2020 (34.75% of total revenue) FAAC: N45,65bn @ 2020 (62.25% of total revenue) Domestic Debt: N153,49bn @ 2020 External Debt: $87.43m @ 2020 Unemployment rate: 28.0% @ 2020 Airport: 1.

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STATE OF THE STATES

Ondo Harps on Industrialisation, Economic Transformation

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ndo State Government has said it will continue to partner with the private sector to accelerate economic transformation through industrialisation. Governor Rotimi Akeredolu revealed that the state has the 13th largest economy in Nigeria, dominated by oil and gas and agriculture which account for over 80 per cent of its Gross Domestic Product.

Revitalising Oluwa Glass Company Revamping of Efon Ceramics Limited Driving the Cassava-to-Ethanol project

The government reeled out its profile while it beckoned on investors as it stressed that the state is taking advantage of the longest coastline in its domain to establish a Deep Sea Port-Port of Ondo.

In a deliberate effort to promote the economy of the state, Ondo Investment Promotion Agency (ONDIPA) was created as the onestop hub for facilitating investment deals and trade activities.

Ondo state had commissioned a cocoa processing industry established by Johnvents Industries Limited, a wholly indigenous agro-business facility in Akure, bringing the number of similar plants to seven. The development is in line with the government’s plan to boost agriculture, generate revenue and create employment.

Akeredolu stated that through the public-private partnership model, Ondo seeks to produce bitumen locally to boost industrialisation and create more value for its economy. To facilitate socio-economic activities, the government fully supports the Ore Industrial Park, which will serve as one of the leading hubs in the nation. The state established the ‘Red Gold Initiative,’ in the Agro-sector aimed at transforming the oil palm sector, with 6,000 hectares of land that has already been dedicated to the new plan. The state also claimed to be among the largest producers/suppliers of tomatoes to Lagos state.

The state government has listed the following for execution as part of the industrialisation and economic development plan it has put in place: Resuscitating of Okitipupa Oil Palm through a PPP model Developing the Sunshine Egg Factory

In the area of aviation, Akure Aiport is considered by the state to be the fastest growing in the South West after Lagos.

The Group Managing Director, CapitalSage Holdings, the parent company of Johnvents Industries Limited, Mr John Alamu, said the firm will generate a lot of direct and indirect jobs for the people of the state. He said, “It is an automated processing plant, which means that the factory will operate at 98 per cent operational efficiency at full blast. With a capacity to crush over 15,000 metric tonnes of cocoa beans annually, this is one of the biggest cocoa-processing factories in Nigeria.

“We have built into this factory a solid-fired boiler that generates steam and 33KVA electricity supply to reduce overhead costs by over 40 per cent, while also upgrading the factory from 14 pots to 16 pots to improve the efficiency of fat extraction and better processing yield.”

Akeredolu said, “Over two million of improved cocoa seedlings have been made available to farmers in the state free of charge.

The Cocoa Revolution and Management Agency is doing well.

“We are also working on 2,000 hectares of land for an improved cocoa farm for young farmers. Many youths will be working.”

According to Alamu, the factory is well-positioned to positively impact the economy of Ondo State, in particular, and Nigeria as a whole, through its immense contribution to job creation.

“It is projected that this factory will create around 300 direct jobs and over 17,000 indirect jobs,” Alamu added.

He described the company as a wholly indigenous agro-business incorporated to drive sustainable growth across the entire agricultural value chain.

“We are confident that this project will enrich and bolster the agricultural value chain in Ondo State and Nigeria by making sure that the economic benefits of producing cocoa do not stop at exporting raw cocoa beans – a trend that has robbed us of the opportunity to milk out as much value as possible from being the producers,” he said.

The Deji of Akure Kingdom, Oba Aladetoyinbo Aladelusi, in response to the laudable development said, the entire Akure land was delighted with the establishment of the company in his domain.

Challenging Factors: Insecurity, excesses of revenue officials, poor electricity supply, deplorable road network.

ENDOWMENT AND INVESTMENT OPPORTUNITIES

Mechanized Farming

Timber Supplies

Cocoa Processing

Restaurant and Bar

Road Transport/Haulage

Bitumen Exploration

Fishing and Water Transport

Food Processing/Packaging

Oil and Gas Services

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STATE OF THE STATES

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yo State in southwestern Nigeria was created on February 3, 1976 from the former Western State. Ibadan, the state capital is the largest indigenous city in Africa, south of the Sahara. Oyo State is bordered to the north by Kwara State, to the east by Osun State and to the west by Ogun State and the Republic of Benin.

The climate is equatorial, notably with dry and wet seasons and relatively high humidity.

The dry season lasts from November to March, while the wet season starts from April and ends in October. The average daily temperature ranges between 25 °C (77.0 °F) and 35 °C (95.0 °F), almost throughout the year.

The state economy remains largely agrarian, with Shaki (a town in the state) as the breadbasket. Cassava, cocoa, and tobacco are among the most important crops to the state's economy. The state is also noted for its cottage industries, consisting of cotton spinning, weaving, dyeing, leatherworking (sheep and goat skins), wood carving, and mat making industries. The people of Iseyin (a town in the state) predominantly blacksmiths engage in metalwork.

The town is the headquarters of a local government area and it has several Christian missionary schools and a hospital.

The state is the seat of most first institutions and establishments in the country thus prides itself as the pace-setter. Oyo is home to Nigeria’s premier university, the University of Ibadan; one of the oldest teaching institutions, St Andrew’s Teacher's College; the first television station and Nigeria's first skyscraper, Cocoa House.

Oyo also has the largest numbers of research institutes in the country: medical, zoological, agricultural and horticultural. The state is also known to have specialised institutions such as the Federal School of Survey, Federal School of Statistics, College of Co-operative and over 36 tertiary institutions. Industries in the state include a cannery, brewery, publishing company, tobaccoprocessing factory, wood- and steel-furniture factory.

OYO STATE outlining the terms of engagement and responsibilities of the organisation and the Oyo State Government.

The Director-General of the IITA, Dr Nterayan Sanginga, is a familiar hand and he has initiated several youth incubation programmes. Also, the IITA is renowned for attracting funding for its programmes. The partnership has indeed proved mutually beneficial. Aside from training the IFAD-Agrihub cohorts, IITA now carries out most of its practical youth training at this site. Speaking on this, Dr Akem confirmed that IITA is now implementing various youth programmes such as the ENABLE TAAT programme, and the Youth in Agricultural Enterprises programme funded by GIZ at the centre.

Furthermore, the Director-General of the state’s OYSADA, Dr Debo Akande, said the agency was providing the infrastructure to ensure that the centre remains operational. He disclosed that the state has set up an integrated power system that includes solar energy. The government is also rebuilding the dilapidated hostel, providing security and fencing and also providing boreholes for the various enterprises.

The 133 hectares presently includes the once-moribund 22 hectares of oil palm and10 hectares of cashews which has now been resuscitated by the state. Another 100 hectares of land for field crop production serves as the basis of the IITA supported processing centre now operating at the facility. Dr Akande added that the processing facility does not only serve the youths at the centre but has also become a hub for smallholder farmers in the Awe area to process their crops.

The site also boasts a livestock section and a palm processing facility. Dr Akande said that with the new approach to agribusiness by the Oyo State Government, opportunities abound in agribusiness. “Agriculture is no longer just about putting seeds

in the ground and watching them grow, there is a whole value chain and various enterprises to pursue. Our youths should make themselves available for these opportunities and be prepared to put in the work required,” he said.

FACT-FILE: LGA: 33 Land Area: 10.986sqmi Population: 7.540million @ 2020 Registered businees: 318 Public primary schools: 2.992 @ 2010 Public secondary schools: 324 @ 2010 University (9): Federal - 1, state - 2, private - 6 Polytechnic (11): Federal - 1, state - 2, private - 8 College of Education (5): Federal - 1, state - 2, private - 2 College of Agriculture (7): Federal - 5, state - 1, private - 1 Nursing School Health Technology: State - 2 Technical School (2): State - 2 School of Statistic: Federal - 1 School of Survey: Federal - 1 College of Cooperative: Federal - 1 Total Revenue: N71.50bn @ 2020 Total Tax: N21.29bn @ 2020 IGR: N38.04bn @ 2020 (41.48% of total revenue) FAAC: N53.6bn @ 2020 (58.52% of total revenue) Domestic Debt: N94.49bn @ 2020 External Debt: $83.70m @ 2020 Unemployment rate: 17.99% @ 2020 Airport: 1

Mineral Resources: Tin, gold, columbite and marble exist in commercial quantities.

Agricultural Resources: The state is rich with tobacco, cocoa, palm produce, beans, plantain, cassava, maize, kolanuts, tea, cotton and groundnuts.

Tourist sites Oke-Ado Mountain, Iyake Lake, Agodi Park, Zoological Garden of the University of Ibadan, Mapo Hall, Bowers Tower, IITA Forest Reserve, Odua Museum, Irefin Palace and Mbari Arts Center.

Agricultural and Rural Development To fast-track rural community development, the government moved to revive the 210-hectare facility known as Rural Community Development Centre (RCDC), Awe in June 2020, in partnership with the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA) with whom they signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU).

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Cocoa house Mokola Roundabout

Oke-Ado Mountain

The initiative driven by Oyo State Agribusiness Development Agency (OYSADA), as a sub-component of OYSADA’s Youth in Agribusiness Programme is strategic. The Lead Management Person, IITA at the Oyo State-IITA Youth Agribusiness Incubation Park Centre, Dr Chris Akem, said it was the first time any government in Nigeria had signed an MOU with the IITA clearly

Makinde

Oyo State-IITA Youth Agribusiness Incubation Park Centre was thereafter established in August 2021. About 70 youths who were part of the Oyo Hub of the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) harvested baskets of tomato during the year.

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STATE OF THE STATES Oyo Drives Infrastructure Development Through APFA

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yo State government has embarked on the construction of Oyo-Iseyin Road, a major project in the state. The government stated that the rehabilitation was essential as it would become a vital link between the farming communities of Oke-Ogun and Oyo, providing the much-needed market linkage between these zones.

The construction, which was originally billed to cost N8.4 billion, was increased to N9.9 billion last month. The state government explained that the increment was as a result of requirements by the Federal Government. According to Gov. Seyi Makinde, “This is a federal road being reconstructed by the Oyo State Government.

So, after consultation with the federal government, we were given specifications to comply with. For example, we had to increase the width of the road from 10.75m to 12.75m to meet with the federal government specifications" The Oyo-Iseyin Road due to be completed in seven month will cost N9.9 billion, while the dualisation of the Airport Road and several adjoining roads totalling 10.82 kilometres will cost N4.9 billion.

The government assured that the project would not strain the

economy of the state, adding that the road would be built by Messrs Kopek Construction, through the Alternate Project Funding Approach (APFA). “We are executing the project using the Alternate Project Funding Approach (APFA),” Makinde said.

“Let me take a few minutes to talk about our approach to executing projects in Oyo State. Some people are confused as to how we are still flagging off projects when some states are finding it difficult to pay salaries. They do not understand how we are raising Oyo State’s Internally Generated Revenue (IGR), building our economy and engineering a modern Oyo State.

The governor further said there is no need for hidden debt. The projects is the Alternate Project Funding Approach (APFA). The process has always been transparent from take-off.

“With APFA, the contractor funds the project, and we pay back over an agreed period of time.

“And let me make this clear: you have my word that not one Naira will be left unpaid to any contractor under APFA at the end of our current tenure.

“For example, for this project, which was awarded in June this year, the repayment period is seventeen (17) months. This means

that the project will be completed before all the repayments are made. However, the last repayment will be made by December 2022.

“So, do not allow anyone to confuse you. Road construction is a big part of our engineering in modern Oyo State. The building of roads forms the foundation of the development of all other sectors of the four pillars of our governance as clearly outlined in our Roadmap to Accelerated Development in Oyo State, 2019-2023.

“You need good roads to drive to healthcare centres. Without good roads, our children cannot go to school. How will our farmers get to the markets if the roads are bad? And no matter how many vehicles we give to security agencies, how will they be able to get to people in trouble when the roads are bad?

“So, we will continue to build a viable road network for our dear state. This is the path to sustainable development.”

The government revealed that inner roads are being fixed by the Oyo State Ministry of Works, Infrastructure and Transportation, working with the local government authorities. It reassured that the whole exercise is geared towards engineering a modern Oyo State, building structures and systems that will lead to sustainable development.

Challenging Factors: Insecurity, excesses of revenue officials, poor electricity supply, deplorable road network.

ENDOWMENT AND INVESTMENT OPPORTUNITIES

Food Production

Auto Repairs

Food Processing

Local Restaurant

Transportation

Craft/Aso-Oke

Supermarket

Guest House

Phone Repairs and Accessories

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Mama Roz’s Chronicles

Fight to Death Prison Series (5)

they picked up some bamboo sticks and began to hit each other with them. They were both quite severely bruised at the end of it but Ahmed seemed to have sustained more injuries. Ahmed left to get some treatment for his injuries and did not return that night so Ibrahim guarded the estate alone.

BY ROZ AMECHI

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Ibrahim’s Story n the morning of the day in 2015 that Ibrahim’s life crumbled, there was nothing unusual to indicate that it will be different from any other day. He woke up very early as usual to say his prayers and then began to prepare for his journey to the construction site of the housing estate on Kaduna Road, where he worked as a security guard. His wife Amina also woke up early. Usually, she would pack some food and snacks for him to take to work. He would be away for four days when the guards who worked the next shift would come to take over from him.

The food would not last for four days of course, as there was no way of preserving it but at least for the first day, he would have home cooked food to remind him of his home and his beautiful wife awaiting his return. This time though there was no cooked food and Amina explained guiltily that she had not been to the market as planned. Ibrahim brushed it aside and told her not to worry as there was a hawker who sold food near the site.

He would go there for his lunch.

Ibrahim was not a man given to emotional displays of affection so there was no long-drawn-out hugging and kissing as he said good bye. Like every other day, he simple picked up his bag, allowing his hand to run down her back in a half-hearted perfunctory embrace and walked out into the dark morning to make his way to work. Perhaps if he had known that this would be the last time they would be together, he would have held her tightly and shown more emotion.

But then if he knew how the day would unfold, he probably wouldn’t even have gone to work at all. As it was neither of them knew that after today’s events their lives would change forever.

When Ibrahim arrived at the site, his colleague, Ahmed was already there. He and the other guards were waiting for him to perform the hand over since he was the head guard. The site they were guarding was a housing estate that was still being built. There were two guards on duty usually and they worked three-day shifts.

His colleague Ahmed was a shifty fellow who was always shirking work and constantly questioning his authority. They often had arguments and Ibrahim had even reported him to their supervisor who cautioned Ahmed. Since then, they had a strained relationship but Ibrahim tried to avoid quarrelling with him.

from time to time. When they needed anything, the supervisor would authorise the head guard to give it to them. Not much was written down or properly recorded because most of the workers on the site including Ibrahim could neither read nor write.

Ibrahim had attended primary school in Bebeji, Kano where he grew up and lived with his parents.

He didn’t finish school because he wasn’t really interested and preferred instead to assist his father on his farm. His father had nine children all from one wife, and with so many mouths to feed, education was not a priority. Most of them had worked on the farm with him. Ibrahim in particular was very close to his father who died in 2010. Four years after his father’s demise,

“

returned with the police who informed him that Ahmed had died. This was The head guard who was handing over devastating news as gave the bunch of keys to the store to Ibrahim and said “there will be a delivery it meant he was now today. Supervisor came and he said we involved in a murder should expect tiles. They were supposed case. They took him to to bring it yesterday but they couldn’t the Minna State CID make it because of the rain”. for one week and then The small store which he had received charged him to the the keys for, held a few valuable materials Magistrate’s court and tools which the builders required PAGE 46

with nothing much to do in Kano, Ibrahim had decided to move to Abuja and find work.

Later that day as expected, the tiles were delivered. A couple of labourers accompanied the driver but Ibrahim and Ahmed still had to help with the offloading. Ibrahim is a stocky fellow with rippling muscles, thanks to his years of working on the farm. His physique coupled with a long scar, starting from his left eye and running down the side of his face, makes him look like an ex-boxer. His gentle eyes in contrast though, indicate an amiable personality. There were quite a few houses being built so a huge number of tiles were delivered.

To Ibrahim’s irritation, Ahmed as usual was shirking the work and not really helping to carry and stack the tiles. He shrank back so that he made one trip for every three trips the others made. He was not quite as heavily built as Ibrahim, not quite as hardworking and not quite as strong as it turned out.

The delivery driver counted the boxes of tiles and told Ibrahim how many there were. This wasn’t really necessary because, unable to count them, Ibrahim had stacked the tiles in a way that he could tell at a glance if any went missing.

After the delivery van departed, Ibrahim left Ahmed in charge and went off to find food since he didn’t have a packed lunch that day. He spent a considerable time away as he decided to take a break and chat with the other regulars he usually encountered at the “Mama Put” nearby. With a full stomach, a happier Ibrahim returned to the site to continue the day’s watch. He stopped in his tracks however when he saw the pile of tiles. He knew instantly that some were missing because they were not stacked in

the way he had left them.

“Who removed some tiles from here?” he asked Ahmed. “The tiles are not complete” he said.

Ahmed was taken aback. He did not expect to be busted so soon and he had not prepared an appropriate response if and when he was finally accosted. “Who told you tiles are missing” he retorted.

Ibrahim stared at him. Guilt was written all over Ahmed’s face and he knew he was lying. This was going to cause trouble because as head security he would be held responsible for the missing tiles. He always knew Ahmed would cause serious problems for him and now this. He advanced threateningly on Ahmed.

“Answer me now, who removed tiles from here? I left you with the tiles. Did anyone else come here?

What happened to the tiles?” he persisted.

But Ahmed was not prepared to give in. He immediately went on the defensive “What do you mean Ibrahim? Are you suspecting me of taking the tiles?”.

Even the way he said it confirmed to Ibrahim that he was guilty.

By this time, they were standing up close and waving their hands in each other’s faces. Their old enmity was back and came to the fore taking charge of the whole proceedings. Ibrahim does not remember who struck first but in no time, they started to fight and punch each other out. There were a few workers in the estate but they were not exactly nearby, not near enough to separate them anyway. They beat each other black and blue and then

The next day cement was delivered in a container and offloaded.

Ibrahim worked alone with the driver and labourers to offload the container even though he was in so much pain after the fight the day before. The driver dropped both the cement and the container and departed. Two days later which was four days since the fight, Ahmed had still not returned. The other alternate group of guards were expected to come and take over from Ibrahim that morning but they did not come and Ibrahim could not leave until he had someone to hand over to. Around 10am that morning however, a bunch of people turned up and started shouting at Ibrahim about the fight he had with Ahmed.

They overpowered him and locked him in the container. He didn’t understand why and he couldn’t do anything about it so he just stayed calm and waited. A couple of hours later the people returned with the police who informed him that Ahmed had died. This was devastating news as it meant he was now involved in a murder case.

They took him to the Minna State CID for one week and then charged him to the Magistrate’s court.

He was held in custody for four years before he was convicted.

During that time his wife visited him in prison regularly. She was distraught and fell sick with stress unable to cope without his support.

Even before he was convicted and sentenced to death in 2019, Amina died, overwhelmed with the hopelessness of their situation and leaving their three children, aged 14, 10 and 6 years to be cared for by his aged mum in Kano. His younger brother assists his mother with the expense of maintaining and educating their three children.

Currently on death row, Ibrahim is full of regret with the way his life which held so much promise has turned out. When he came to Abuja, he expected to achieve so much and give his children a better life than he had. He had a happy childhood living with his loving parents and eight siblings. He had wanted his children to have that and more.

For them, he had hoped for the education he lacked. But for a quick temper and an ill-advised fight, he may just have realised his dreams.

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

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SportsLive AFCON 2021: Nigeria’s Elimination, Too Many Red Cards And Deadly Stampede blames. A major part of it has been laid at the feet of no less than the president of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, President Muhammadu Buhari. Elated by the pronouncement of the Super Eagles as the best team out of the group stages, handlers of information around the President arranged for Buhari to speak directly with the team where he encouraged them to continue to make the country proud whilst singling out for mention two players - Kelechi Iheanacho and Simon Moses for their excellence so far.

BY JUDE OBAFEMI

A

fter resolutely defying the weight of the goal drought that plagued the Match Day One fixtures of the TotalEnergies 2021 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) and taking full advantage of the goal-scoring abilities of team captain Vincent Aboubakar, tournament hosts Cameroon have maintained their initial momentum to remain top favourites to win Africa's most coveted prize in football.

There were enough blames to go round and therefore some of it was apportioned to the goalkeeper. The rationale was that the lone goal was supposed to have been a routine save for Maduka Okoye, whose level of professionalism precluded him from falling victim to long range shots within his reach. However, Eguavoen himself led the voices that argued in favour of the goalkeeper, insisting that it was a strike that came through a host of bodies and could beat even the best goal-tenders in the business.

The resourcefulness of AFCON 2021 leading goal-scorer, Aboubakar, has seen to Cameroon's advancement and trophywinning contention. The 30-year-old forward, who plies his trade for Saudi Professional League club, Al Nassr, has been in red-hot form in the tournament. The competition has just concluded the Round of 16 stage, but Aboubakar already has six goals to his name from the four matches so far played.

His skilful positioning, resilient determination to find the goal and often clinical finishing have all combined to make him a menacing presence for opposition defenders and a boon to the hosts, who are itching for their fifth African Football prize after they last won it in the Gabon-hosted AFCON of 2017.

Combined with the elegance of strike partner Karl TokoEkambi, the Cameroonian forward line is fearsome. TokoEkambi, the Lyon forward, is tied for second on the list of top goal scorers at the competition, with three goals in four appearances. His creativity and the intricate bonding he shares with Aboubakar make both a lethal force.

As they continue to top the scoring charts and, by implication, improve Cameroon's chances to reclaim their African football heritage, the continental competition witnessed the swansong of other high-flying contenders that were expected to resolutely challenge the rest of the continent for the prize. It was assumed that based on the talents at their disposal, the ranking they have maintained on the international scene and the enviable pedigree that they boast of historically and currently, that they will unhesitatingly pose a serious threat to each team that they encounter. They were meant to send all sides that stood on their way to the trophy to the cleaners and to, at the very least, return home with a podium finish of any of the three prizes available in the competition: Gold, Silver or Bronze. Nigeria was one of such contenders and for a brief while in the group stages, they demonstrated why they were so considered. But, that was as far as it went.

The Super Eagles emerged from the Group D set of fixtures as the best team in the competition when they beat Guinea-Bissau 2-0 in the final group tie to cap up a strong showing in the group stages. Already guaranteed a spot in the last 16, the Super Eagles advanced to the knockout stages as Group D winners with the only perfect record in AFCON 2021. It seemed the hue and cry over the change of technical management of the team so close to the start of the competition and the notable absences of key figures in the striking department such as Napoli's Victor Osimhen, Watford's Emmanuel Dennis, Al Shabab's Odion Jude Ighalo, Racing Genk's Paul Onuachu and Feyenoord's Cyriel Dessers were all over nothing.

The team had put in six goals and conceded just once via a penalty kick. And, even though caretaker manager Augustine Eguavoen was uncomfortable with the chance-conversion ratio, the team looked ready to challenge the best sides for the top prize. Unfortunately, this was a reality that came back to haunt the team.

Nigeria was dumped out of the competition in the very first tie of the knockout stages by the Tunisian Eagles of Carthage.

All the promise of challenging for the prize and of Eguavoen winning the trophy he won as a player of the Super Eagles' squad, in his interim role as manager, went up in smoke. The acclaimed rampaging Eagles, the best team of the competition at the group stage, could not go past a team depleted by positive COVID-19 tests that affected no fewer than 12 members of THEWILLNIGERIA

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The continental competition that has seen other early contenders disappoint and fail to live up to the expectations of their elevated statuses has been witness to the blossoming of the Indomitable Lions of Cameroon. From the opening fixture versus Burkina Faso on January 9 to the knockout tie against the impressive Comoros on January 24, there has never been a match that they failed to score, and score multiple goals, except in their final group tie against Cape Verde on January 17.

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The team had put in six goals and conceded just once via a penalty kick. And, even though caretaker manager Augustine Eguavoen was uncomfortable with the chanceconversion ratio, the team looked ready to challenge the best sides for the top prize. Unfortunately, this was a reality that came back to haunt the team their team, including the coach and had to face Nigeria under the guidance of the assistant coach. One of the stingiest defences, which had only let in one goal previously, could not hold out against the Eagles of Carthage and, even more damning, could not find the net in 90 minutes of football. It was as disappointing an outcome as can be given that Nigeria finished with 53 percent of the average possession statistics and registered 13 total shots on goal. Yet, only one of such shots was on target as opposed to the Tunisians’ seven total shots, three of which were on target and one that breached Nigeria's defences to give victory to the Tunisians.

It meant that Eguavoen's worry about the team's goal-scoring was right on the money. The 56-year-old strategist identified this critical shortcoming that the team had to address in order to improve their chances of winning the 33rd AFCON as he remained unimpressed with the Eagles' offence, particularly in finishing off created opportunities. Against Guinea-Bissau, the Super Eagles were in possession of the ball for more than 60 per cent of the time, launching 10 shots, six of which were on target. They therefore could have scored a lot more goals than the two they registered against the Bissau Wild Dogs if they had been more effective in attack.

In the days that followed Nigeria's unceremonious exit from the tournament, there have been a nonstop apportioning of

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The consolatory fact for Nigerians was that they went through an impressive group run and finished above the highly-rated Pharaohs of Egypt, a claim that other early favourites could scarcely boast of. The pair of the Black Stars of Ghana and the defending champions, the Desert Foxes of Algeria, were cases in point. Both their AFCON 2021 campaigns ended in grave disappointments as they finished bottom of Groups C and E respectively. As a fallout of the poor outing, which culminated in one of the biggest shocks in the competition's history, a 3-2 loss to tournament debutant Comoros in their final group match, Ghana's coach Milovan Rajevac was fired by the Ghana Football Association. The GFA acted on the technical report from the coach, and the report from the management committee in arriving at the decision to terminate Rajevac's appointment and promised to announce the reconstituted technical team and management committee after due engagement with all relevant stakeholders ahead of its two-leg World Cup playoffs against Nigeria in March.

Back in Cameroon, the match officials have shown a proclivity for reaching for red cards. The most glaring occasion of this was the unfortunate reduction of the very hardworking Cape Verdean team to nine men in their knockout tie against trophycontenders Senegal. Patrick Andrade was sent off midway through the first half, weakening the Cape Verde midfield, before goalkeeper Josimar Dias, more popularly known as Vozinha, was also sent off following a collision with Senegalese forward Sadio Mane. While the decision to send Andrade for an early shower after a VAR check on a foul on Pape Gueye in the 21st minute seemed harsh, the decision of Lahlou Benbraham to reduce Cape Verde to nine men by red-carding Vozinha for a 50-50 attempt at the ball between the keeper and Mane was a testament to the perceived penchant of the referees to decide on dismissals rather than the caution of a yellow card or a verbal warning. The statistics back this up as so far, with the tournament heading into Quarter-finals, 13 red cards have been issued, which is more than those issued in the last four AFCONs combined. It appears as if the use of video assistant referee (VAR) has contributed, positively or negatively, to this.

Perhaps, the referees will be more lenient in the remainder of the competition. However, the last eight teams will hope to avoid falling victims to the red card frenzy that has seized the referees, if things do not change. Currently, the final eight teams that have made it to the quarter-finals include Burkina Faso, Tunisia, Senegal, Equatorial Guinea, Gambia, Cameroon, Egypt and Morocco. They will contest fiercely in the last eight pairings that have pitched Burkina Faso against Tunisia, Gambia against Cameroon on January 29 and Senegal versus Equatorial Guinea, Egypt versus Morocco on January 30 to see which teams will go into February with the hopes of becoming the next African football champions.

Unfortunately, the tournament recorded a tragedy on Monday last week from a stampede as fans struggled to get access into the Olembe Stadium for a match between the hosts and Comoros in Yaounde. As THEWILL reported, no fewer than eight deaths occurred with dozens more injured to different degrees. CAF, FIFA and UEFA condoled with the victims while organisers immediately rescheduled the quarter-final matches to be played at the Olembe Stadium to another venue.

The stadium was scheduled to host a further three knockout matches, including the showpiece final on February 6. It is as yet uncertain if that will still be the case.

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