THEWILL NEWSPAPER, February 18, 2024

Labour Party Rides in Storm

VOL 4 NO. 07 • FEBRUARY 18, 2024 18, 2024 VOL 4 NO. 07 • FEBRUARY

AHIM LIN IBR DA AN DDIBR DAAN LIN AH IM

SU IMAANN LEIM SULE Between Talk Marriage, Podcast And Everything In , And ,Everyth Talk Marriage, Podcast ing In Between

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Expectations Rise on DBN, BOI For Support as MSMEs Battle Economic Crisis PAGE 32

1966 - 2024 PAGE 38

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CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT:

National Assembly on The March Again ● State Police, Diaspora Voting, Artificial Intelligence, Governance Structure, Financial Autonomy For LGAs, Judicial And Electoral Reform, Others For Consideration

Photo: Kola Oshalusi @insignamedia Makeup: Zaron

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Digital

Onah Nwachukwu Editor, THEWILL DOWNTOWN

W

hile Valentine’s Day has passed, we can’t help but bring you a Valentine’s issue, seeing as we brought you our anniversary issue last weekend. And this week, we have Nollywood couple Linda Ejiofor and Ibrahim Suleiman to commemorate Valentine’s Day. Though theirs is a young love, having married in 2018, they have proven their love is real. In this interview, they mention a few things that stick, such as looking at each other every morning and saying, “I choose you.” That, in my opinion, is very intense.

And although almost through their marriage, one or both of them work on Valentine’s Day, they send each other gifts on set and then talk when they get home at night.

Communication is vital in relationships; Linda and Ibrahim seem to have that figured out. Before they married, they discussed several things, including spirituality, finances, ambition, and many more. And even in their marriage, they talk about many things, even when they have disagreements. You will agree that they seem to have it figured out early in marriage. Read more about their love story on pages 8 through 10.

VOL 4 NO. 07 • FEBRUARY 18, 2024

Our fashion pages discuss the right jewellery for any outfit; you’ll find that on pages 4 to 5.

We also give you a guide to setting up a romantic home dinner on page 14, while page 15 suggests destinations you and your loved one can visit on a romantic trip.

Our movie review page spotlights Argylle, and even though the review is terrible, I’m still looking forward to watching it.

Don’t forget to click on the instructions below the QR codes to download the playlist.

LINDA AND IBRAHIM

Until next week, enjoy your read.

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COVER

CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT:

National Assembly on The March Again • State Police, Diaspora Voting, Artificial Intelligence, Governance Structure, Financial Autonomy For LGAs, Judicial And Electoral Reform, Others For Consideration

BY AMOS ESELE

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n Tuesday, February 20, 2024, the President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio, will swear-in a 37-member committee to review the 1999 Constitution.

Chaired by the Deputy President of the Senate, Barau Jibrin, the committee will be saddled with the responsibility of reviewing the country’s governing law alongside the House Committee, in answer to social and political pressures that have united Nigerians in calling for the restructuring of the federation, however defined by various groups.

According to Senator Akpabio, the areas suggested for review by the committee include state police, artificial intelligence, governance structure, financial autonomy for local government councils, judicial and electoral

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reform, Diaspora voting, cost of governance and moving some of the responsibilities of government from the exclusive to the concurrent.

“The earlier these parts of the Constitution are amended by the 10th National Assembly, the better for the promotion of good governance in the country, “ a Constitutional lawyer, Barrister Mack Ogbamosa, told THEWILL in a presentation dealing with amendments he thinks will reset governance in Nigeria for the benefit of the people.

FORM OF GOVERNMENT Like an unexpected storm, though welcome because of a reverberating call for political restructuring of the country’s quasi-federal structure mediated by

the post-civil war unitary system, 60 members of the House of Representatives last Wednesday called for a change of government structure from presidential to parliamentary.

This call by an inter-party coalition of members of the House followed a Bill proposing Constitutional alterations for a transition to parliamentary system of government sponsored by the House Minority Leader, Kingsley Chinda, and 59 others and read for the first time on the floor of the House during Wednesday’s plenary session.

The members vowed to embark on a sensitisation of Nigerians to the monetary and developmental threat posed by the presidential system of governance. For them, the time of constitutional amendment was auspicious.

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COVER

...Assembly on The March Again According to the representatives, if adopted at the federal, state and local government levels of administration, the parliamentary system of government will drastically cut down cost of governance and be more inclusive than the prohibitive presidential system, which has left “fewer resources for crucial areas like infrastructure, education and healthcare, and consequently hindering the nation’s development progress and the excessive powers vested in the members of executive, who are appointees and not directly accountable to the people.”

Expectedly, prominent Nigerians and groups greeted the call for change of government with support. On a personal level, First Republic parliamentarian and renowned businessman, Alhaji Aminu Dantata, echoed the view of the movers of the project that, “the parliamentary system is better and cheaper for Nigeria, but the presidential system is very costly, especially with the current economic situation in the country,” and he received a delegation of the movers of the bill led by the Minority Leader of the House, Kingsley Chinda, who paid him a courtesy visit at his residence in Kano.

But the Abacha regime approved a type of government similar to the French model: A parliamentary government with a president and a prime minister. It differs, however, from the conventional parliamentary system because the president possesses enormous powers, including the power to appoint the prime minister and to dissolve the parliament.

Abacha’s successor, Gen Abubakar Abdulsalami (retd.) threw the project out and brought back the presidential system that debuted with the Shehu Shagari Administration in 1979.

The lawmakers are convinced that the new project will work out well. One of the sponsors of the new bill, Abdussamad Dasuki (Kebbe/Tambuwal Federal Constituency, Sokoto State), on Friday evening knocked the presidential system that replaced the parliamentary system of the First Republic, describing it as “a new system of government, theoretically fashioned after the presidential system of the United States, but in practice imbibed the uttermost attributes of military rule.”

Long-time advocate of restructuring, Afenifere, hailed the move but noted that while the proposed change in the political system from presidential to parliamentary “is okay, what the country needs now is not just a shift from one system of government to another.”

The group added that as things were, Nigeria’s sociopolitical problem “goes beyond the system of government being run. It weighs more heavily on the structure.

This is why we are insisting that the country must be restructured. Any tinkering with the constitution that fails to tinker with the present structure would be cosmetic.”

Nigerians, Dasuki said, were more than willing to support a consensus and coalition-based system that would put the best among their elected representatives forward for governance at the risk of being booted out of office.

The Pan-Yoruba political organisation disagreed with the reps on the amendment date of 2031, saying that once accepted, the new structure of government can be test-run in state polls coming up in 2026, ahead of the general election in 2027.

Agbese said the National Assembly is ready to go the extra mile to bring lasting peace to the country, even if it means tinkering with the constitution.

Afenifere said the template for the project should be a synthesis of the 1963 Republican Constitution, the Report of 2014 Conference under former President Goodluck Jonathan and the APC Committee Report on Restructuring led by former Governor of Kaduna State, Nasir el- Rufai, under ex-President Muhammadu Buhari.

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It called on the National Assembly to put these reports together along with the 1963 Constitution and come up with something that would be in line with the present reality for public debate Afenifere restated its call for the amendment of the 1999 Constitution “to make Nigeria to practise true federalism which enables constituent regions to be able to exercise powers over their own affairs in general times as we had it when we had regional governments.”

Like Dantata, Afenifere said the Parliamentary System is cost-saving, makes government to be accountable, does not encourage power to be usurped by an individual, among other benefits and the current system that thrives on the basis of winner-takes-all.

ROAD TRAVELLED BEFORE Experimenting with different models in an attempt to find an enduring and workable system of government for Nigerians has a dull history that is fraught with structural uncertainties.

As recently as 2018, a similar bill calling for change from the presidential to parliamentary system of government was moved in the House of Representatives and supported by 71 members across political parties.

Nothing came out of it.

In fact, the regrets over the shortcomings of the presidential system prompted the 1994/95 National Constitutional Conference sponsored by the late Military Head of State, General Sani Abacha, to recommend an American-type presidential system, but with multiple vice-presidents.

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Deputy spokesperson of the House of Representatives, Philip Agbese, representing Ado/Okpokwu/Ogbadibo Federal Constituency on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC), earlier spoke in support of the public-inspired amendments for which the National Assembly has received 40 proposals from Nigerians.

He said, “When we resumed from the last recess, the Speaker mentioned the issue of security, saying it must be tackled as long as the country is concerned.

The belief that the government does not have the resources to fulfil its obligations to the people is erroneous. Our leaders have been profligate with our resources. Instead of applying the available resources for the benefit of the people, they have been engaged in squandering them for their own selfish ends largely because there is no compelling legislation that would warrant performance of these obligations

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“Expressing regret that at present farmers are unable to go to farm, he gave the assurance that the lawmakers would all play their part to end this crisis by rejigging the security architecture to guarantee the safety of lives and property in this country.”

Confirming this information, the Deputy Speaker of the House, Benjamin Kalu, who said that this would be the sixth time the National Assembly would be embarking on Constitutional Amendment since 1999, underscored the point that pressure from Nigerians, due to the prevailing social and economic challenges in the country, has made it mandatory for this fresh round of amendment.

Kalu, who chairs the House Constitution Review Committee, said, “We are well aware of our present challenging circumstances as a nation. The twin challenges of insecurity and economic difficulties could tamper with the confidence of our citizens. It is therefore our constitutional responsibility to respond to the 40 bills so far proposed and also to attend to the duty of government to ensure the security and welfare of the citizens as provided by the Constitution.”

He also disclosed that some amendment proposals, such as the creation of additional seats for women in the National Assembly and State Houses of Assembly that created heated debates among lawmakers and had to be discarded for peace to reign, would be revisited.

SIXTH AMENDMENT This is the sixth time that the National Assembly will be embarking on a review of the Constitution since 1999.

In the Fifth Alteration to the 1999 Constitution (as amended), the 9th National Assembly made some improvements. These include the bill to liberate the judiciary and legislature from state governors by granting them financial autonomy, putting railways on the concurrent list so that state governments can run this means of transportation and most notably, granting state governments the power to generate, distribute and transmit electricity.

This is in line with the provision in Section 13 of the Concurrent Legislative List under the Second Schedule of the Constitution.

Although overdue, many Nigerians see the amendment on electricity generation, distribution and transmission as a most welcome relief.

This is one area that has kept the nation in darkness and under-developed for many years, no doubt. Without power, many businesses have either died or relocated to other countries, thereby worsening the unemployment rate and poverty in Nigeria today.

Although many states are yet to demonstrate that they have the capacity to take advantage of this devolution of power and provide regular electricity supply to their citizens in order to minimise this economic loss by reviving industries, generating employment and reducing poverty, some of them, like Lagos, have gone ahead to explore the transportation aspect of the devolution to build railway lines that will ease the challenges facing its ever growing urban population. Others like Akwa Ibom run profitable airlines.

In a presentation made available to THEWILL, Barrister Mack Ogbamosa called on the National Assembly to look into many critical areas “if we are actually serious about practising true federalism under a democracy in Nigeria.

According to him, these areas are restructuring through resource control; state/ community police as solution to insecurity; justiciability/ enforceability of Chapter II of the 1999 Constitution, as amended.

On the first point, Ogbamosa said that states should be allowed to have control of the mineral resources in their territories by amending the Constitutional provision that vests ownership and control of all mineral resources in the country in the hands of the Federal Government.

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...Assembly on The March Again This will affect Section 44 (3) of the Constitution under compulsory acquisition of property which states: “Notwithstanding the forgoing provisions of this section, the entire property in and control of minerals, mineral oils and natural gas in, under or upon the territorial waters and the Exclusive Economic Zone of Nigeria shall vest in the Government of the Federation and shall be managed in such manner as may be prescribed by the National Assembly.”

This provision is also reflected in Section 39 of the Exclusive Legislative List in the Second Schedule of the Constitution where these items are listed as mines and minerals, including oil fields, oil mining, geological surveys and natural gas.

There is no state in Nigeria that does not have mineral resources, he submitted, adding that the amendment would compel state governments to work towards financial and stop their visit to Abuja for monthly Federal Allocation On state/ community police as a solution to insecurity, he said the current situation where all our security forces are under the control of the Federal Government cannot solve the problem of insecurity, which has worsened progressively with each government since 2010.

He said, “Non-state actors have taken over everywhere.

They have invaded our farms, homes, roads, rail tracks, schools, streets, churches and mosques. The Constitution should be amended to give room for the creation of state and community police, who are answerable to the state command and the people of the state. They will work with the locals and traditional rulers who are familiar with our local terrain, as well as being in touch with the people.

“This will help curb insecurity, youth restiveness, inter- communal crisis, ethnic militancy and reduce unemployment among youths as more of them will be absorbed by the local police force.”

This will in effect lead to the amendment of Section 45 of the Exclusive Legislative List of the Second Schedule of the Constitution which places the Police and other government security agencies established by law under the control of the Federal Government.

Justiciability/ Enforceability of Chapter II that Ogbamosa is canvassing for amendment deals with socio-economic rights. These rights, which are under Fundamental Objectives And Directive Principles of State Policy, include the provision of security and welfare for the people; provision of free and compulsory basic education as well as free secondary and tertiary education when resources are available; provision of employment opportunities; and provision of adequate housing for the people.

Unlike the Fundamental Human Rights in Chapter IV, which include right to life, freedom of association, freedom of movement and freedom of expression, which are considered as political rights and are enforceable, the rights in Chapter II are not enforceable.

Section 6(6c) of the Constitution bars the courts from entertaining any matter on justiciability of these rights. The Section states: “The judicial powers vested in accordance with the foregoing provisions of this section shall not, except as otherwise provided by this Constitution, extend to any issue or question as to whether any act or omission by any authority or person or as to whether any law or any judicial decision is in conformity with the Fundamental Objectives and Directive Principles of State Policy set out in Chapter II of this Constitution” Apart from amending this section, the lawmakers should also expedite action on “the establishment and regulation of authorities for the Federation or any part

thereof to promote and enforce the observance of the Fundamental Objectives And Directive Principles of State Policy contained in this Constitution” in line with Section 60(a) of the Exclusive Legislative List.

“It is a mirage to think that we can have a government that is accountable when it cannot be challenged for not discharging its responsibilities,” Ogbamosa contended.

He asks, “Of what use are the freedoms in Chapter IV when a man is uneducated, unemployed and homeless?

Of what use is the State when it cannot serve its primary purpose of providing security and welfare for the people?

“How meaningful is the essence of the social contract between the people and the government when the government cannot fulfil its obligations to the people?

“The belief that the government does not have the resources to fulfil its obligations to the people is erroneous. Our leaders have been profligate with our resources.

“Instead of applying the available resources for the benefit of the people, they have been engaged in squandering them for their own selfish ends largely because there is no compelling legislation that would warrant performance of these obligations.

STATE POLICE A FORGONE CONCLUSION Developments in the ensuing week have added to the call for the creation of state police, following the worsening insecurity in the country.

A few days after 11 state governors elected on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, called on the Federal Government to support the creation of state police to curb the insecurity nationwide, President Tinubu agreed in principle to do so pending the approval of the National Economic Council, NEC. This agreement came during the President's Thursday,

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We are well aware of our present challenging circumstances as a nation. The twin challenges of insecurity and economic difficulties could tamper with the confidence of our citizens. It is therefore our constitutional responsibility to respond to the 40 bills so far proposed and also to attend to the duty of government to ensure the security and welfare of the citizens as provided by the Constitution

February 15, 2024 meeting with the governors of the 36 states of the federation at the Presidential Villa in Abuja.

Apart from the collective agreement to expedite action on the payment of salaries and the adoption of various ways to tackle the rising cost of food, the meeting agreed that the federal and state governments should work with the National Assembly towards putting in place a mechanism that will engender the creation of state police instead of the vigilantes that are being used in some states.

Modalities for the creation of State Police and addressing security issues to be discussed further at the National Economic Council, the meeting further agreed.

Even so, stakeholders, who support the idea however demand transparency and democratic methods in the setting up of state police. Sounding this note of caution is the Executive Director of an NGO, Rule of Law and Accountability Advocacy Centre, RULAAC, Okechukwu Nwanguma.

Nwanguma told THEWILL on Friday that allowing the state governors to drive the project would be counterproductive.

He said that regional police forces reflect the federalism of Nigeria. The resort to regional security networks, such as Amotekun in the South-West and similar regional and state security outfits, reflect, not only loss of confidence in the ability of the Nigeria Police, as presently structured, to secure the country but also, more importantly, Nigeria's federalism. Therefore, states clamouring for state police should reflect the country’s federalism.

Nwanguma urged the government to “establish a committee to work out the modalities for the establishment of state police in states desirous of maintaining state police, with a view to recommending the framework and measures that should be put in place to address the concerns against state police.”

“State police should only be established on a basis of strict adherence to the principles of operational autonomy and be based on sound professional practice in appointment and control.”

A former Governor of Kano State, Ibrahim Shekarau, thinks state police is an idea whose time has come.

He however called for caution, saying it must be community-based with state governments acting only as coordinators.

Speaking on national television on Friday, he stated, “What we are talking about is community policing, community watch, community intelligence watch and community intelligence gathering. The fear of most political leaders that are arguing against state police is that they are going to be used during the election to terrorise people.

“If you get a governor that is crazy, he will use it to terrorise opponents and so this is not the kind of policing we are after. What we need is community policing, owned by the communities and the government is only coordinating. So, there is a coordinating chain.”

A LONG PROCESS As usual, eight steps are required for the amendment of the constitution, prompting Deputy Speaker Kalu to alert Nigerians that the National Assembly would deliver on the amendment latest in December 2025.

The steps are first and second reading, Committee consideration and report, third reading, harmonisation of joint conference report of the Senate and House of Representatives, voting by two-thirds majority of the 36 State Houses of Assembly, Assent by the President and Gazetting of Bill.

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NEWS

President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio (left) and members of the Saudi Arabia/Nigeria Parliamentary Friendship Group, led by Dr Abdullah Bin Hamad Al-Salamah (right), during a courtesy visit of the members of the Saudi Arabia/ Nigeria Parliamentary Friendship Group to the Senate President in Abuja on February 16, 2024.

Dawanau Market Customs Intercepts Firm Highlights U.S. Grains Dealers Deny Unregistered, Expired Government Support For Hoarding Foodstuff Drugs in Sokoto Nigeria’s Agricultural Value Chain

BY ABDULLAHI YUSUF, KANO

TUNDE OMOLEHIN, SOKOTO

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he management of Dawanau International Grains Market in Kano State, has dispelled speculations that dealers transacting business in the market are hoarding foodstuff to create artificial scarcity.

It also dismissed perceptions that the traders are arbitrarily increasing the prices of food items to cause excruciating hardships to the people.

Dawanau International Grains Market is the biggest in West Africa supplying foodstuff to customers in Nigeria, Niger, Chad, Cameroon and the Central African Republic, among other countries.

Such food items include rice, millet, sorghum, beans, wheat and groundnuts which are largely grown in the northern parts of Nigeria.

The market also stocks crops such as Sobo, Sesame Seeds, Hibiscus, Tamarind and Soybeans which are exported to Asia, Europe and other global markets.

Addressing newsmen in Kano on Saturday, the President of the Dawanau Market Development Association (DMDA), Alhaji Muttaka Isa, said the grains dealers only purchase the foodstuff from growers in various parts of the country, store them in the market's warehouses before selling them to their customers.

"Following the recent rise in the prices of food products across the country, misinformation and disinformation have taken over the public domain concerning our operations and we are wrongly accused of hoarding food items.

"The Association hereby calls the attention of the general public to understand that we are dealers of items having an average daily turnover of N30 billion.

"Farmers from far and near bring their products here which we buy and sell wholesale to industries and for exports. We buy and sell the items and cannot possibly hoard them.

"The various grains and other food items you see in these warehouses are only in transit; they must be stored first before they are sold to our customers.

"Storing the goods in the warehouses is essential to prevent them from being spoiled and also for convenient purposes", Isa explained.

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peratives of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Sector 4 Joint Border Patrol, has intercepted unregistered and expired pharmaceutical products along the Illela border of Sokoto State.

Controller of the Sector North West Zone, Mr. Kolapo Ayodeji, at a press briefing in Sokoto while handing over the seized drugs to NAFDAC officials for onward destruction, said the unregistered drugs were found in a truck at Kajiji, Shagari Local Government Area of the state.

He disclosed that upon the examination of the truck, unregistered 300,000 packets of sex-enhancement drugs were found.

He said, “This seizure contravened both Nigeria Customs Service ban on the importation of pharmaceutical products through the land border without approval and further contravened NAFDAC laws as they do not have NAFDAC registration numbers.”

He noted that most of the seized pharmaceutical products have expired and are worth N19.62 million.

He reiterated the NCS’s commitment to fight smuggling under any guise, saying that “those trying our resolve will continue to meet their water-loo as we remain resolute at ensuring adequate surveillance of our borders.”

The Customs boss disclosed that the command also seized 35 Jerrican of 25 litres of premium motor spirit at the Illela border in line with ECOWAS sanctions on the Niger Republic.

He further reinforced his earlier pledge to adopt new strategies that would boost trade while enforcing the nation’s anti-smuggling laws along the borders in the North-west zone.

He stated that the food scarcity experienced in the country is as a result of illegal smuggling of foodstuff to neighbouring countries.

Ayodeji maintained that NCS has deployed technology to track smugglers who are bent on sabotaging Nigeria's economy.

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igerian-based Nature’s Bounty Health Products (ReelFruit) and the U.S. government, Thursday, celebrated the opening of an 800-metric ton dried fruit processing facility in Ogun State.

The U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) began its partnership with ReelFruit in 2021. Through the West Africa Trade & Investment Hub project (Trade Hub), USAID awarded ReelFruit a $500,000 co-investment grant to help restore the company’s supply chain which had been adversely affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.

This partnership supported 355 smallholder farmer networks across eight states in Nigeria — Adamawa, Edo, Ekiti, Kaduna, Lagos, Niger, Ondo, and Oyo — by providing training on good agronomic practices and directly purchasing their fresh fruits. ReelFruit concurrently invested $2m sourced through a private equity fund to complete the dried fruit processing factory, scaling up its operations by almost 10-fold.

The Trade Hub improves private sector competitiveness, with a focus on increasing the agricultural productivity and profitability of smallholder farmers in Nigeria and promoting West Africa’s regional and international trade.

“Spanning the last twenty-five years, the U.S. government has been investing in Nigeria’s economic growth, particularly the agriculture and agribusiness sectors,” Sara Werth, USAID Nigeria’s Deputy Mission Director said while delivering remarks on behalf of the U.S. government. “Our partnership and investment is made possible through a multisector strategy of engaging government, the private sector, and communities to empower and strengthen local capacities.”

Shortly after the dignitaries gathered to cut the ribbon for the official launch of the factory, ReelFruit CEO, Affiong Williams, said, “Today marks a momentous occasion in the history of our company. We are proud to have commissioned the largest dried fruit factory in Nigeria, which serves as a testament to my long-term unwavering belief in Nigeria’s Agricultural and manufacturing opportunity. We are going to process our range of dried fruits at scale, to serve customers across the country, as well as sell ‘Made in Nigeria’ to the rest of the world, creating hundreds of jobs, and positively impacting farmers.”

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POLITICS

Labour Party Rides in Storm

BY AMOS ESELE

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he last is yet to be heard in the crisis rocking the Labour Party as stakeholders disagree on the way forward. It is an old story that keeps repeating itself since the party gained prominence during the 2023 General Election.

Like fly to ointment, allegations of corruption have continued to dog every political step of the National Chairman of the Labour Party, Julius Abure, since the last general election.

During the election and after it ended, members of the party’s exco had one or two things to say about Abure's alleged corrupt practices as Chairman. And each time the party’s leaders warned his accusers or showed them the door, leaving him to continue in office. Then after much hue and cry, the party split into two factions till recently when the courts affirmed Abure as National Chairman, thus ending the reign of the Chief Lamidi Apapa-led faction.

Still, the allegations kept mounting. Now, a cumulative total of N3.4 billion is allegedly hanging on Abure’s neck since the end of the general election. According to National Treasurer, Oluchi Opara, an alleged N3.5 billion realised from the sale of nomination forms to aspirants in the general election was salted away by Abure.

As a symbol of the party, allegations against Abure tended to rub off on it and reduce it in the estimation of its members and the public.

According to Opara, Mr Abure's tenure has been marred by forgery, embezzlement and corrupt enrichment. She alleged that the embattled national chairman depleted the party's bank accounts, often through fraudulent means, including forging the signature of the late national chairman, Alhaji Abdulkadir Abdulsalam, immediately after his demise.

Unable to endure the accusations any longer, a usually reticent Abure, who had always depended on relevant exco members and stakeholders to defend him, rose to the challenge last Thursday. He denied the allegations and revealed his intention to sue Opara to end the endless allegations swirling around him. He towed the party line on Opara, saying that she was a mole on a mission to destabilise the party.

“She has come to lie and to misinform members of the party in order to bring us and the party to disrepute," Abure said last week, faulting Opara's claims that she had had no access to the accounts of the party.

"Those checks were signed between February and March 2021, but these are public documents that you can get from the bank and so you can ask her to bring the evidence that those monies were withdrawn without her signature. Oluchi Opara has been the national treasurer of the party from 2014 till date. I will challenge her to bring all her records from 2014 till 2021 before I assumed office in 2021.

“I must make it clear that I have never at any point in time stopped or prevented Oluchi Opara from carrying out her duties as national treasurer of the party. Today, it is no longer in vogue that people pay into the treasurer’s account. People do direct transfers.

“I must also put on record here that it is not true that the party has collected over N3.5 billion. I need to make it clear that we already have audited reports made by a certified auditor of the party who has reviewed all the records and we have all the audited statements of accounts from 2022 to 2023. The total money that entered the party between 2022 and now is N1.3billion. We also got N700 million which were the campaign funds that went straight to the campaign organisations for the campaigns. So, I didn’t know and I cannot reconcile where she got the N3.5 billion that she talked about.”

He named the banks warehousing the party's accounts as Zenith, Fidelity and UBA and then the signatories himself, Opara and the National Secretary.

Abure also debunked the claims that he has plans to run for the governorship position in Edo State.

“In Edo State, for instance, I must say here that I am not interested in the governorship race and I am not going to run. I feel like the process must be transparent, open and competitive. I feel that the reason we have bad leadership is because all other political parties lack internal democracy.

Therefore, the best cannot come out of the political parties.

That is why in Edo State, i have that responsibility to do that for the people of Edo so that they get the best.”

T H E W I L L investigation shows there is an underlying source of the allegations.

Abure, according to sources, is beginning to be seen as a sit- tight national chairman who wants to continue in office anytime the party’s National Convention is held. For those party officials opposed to this move, calling the man to account is one way to prepare the ground for his ouster.

The National Publicity Secretary of the party, Obiora Ifo, thinks the party had given Opara a chance to clear her allegations, but she rebuffed it.

He said the party summoned Opara to appear before a disciplinary committee set up by the National Working Committee, NWC, last Wednesday.

Of course, she rejected the summons because as THEWILL found out, she felt that the committee would be prejudicial to her allegations and present her with a fait accompli. Expectedly, the party on Wednesday suspended her for six months.

Ifo described her absence as an affront to the party’s leadership and "millions of our members who are watching how their party’s image, which they have laboured hard to build, is trolled by one ingrate.”

Ifo added, “The disciplinary committee has, however, recommended to the National Executive Council of the party through the NWC that Ms. Oluchi Opara be suspended from the Labour Party for a minimum of six months. This suspension is with immediate effect."

“

The disciplinary committee has, however, recommended to the National Executive Council of the party through the NWC that Ms. Oluchi Opara be suspended from the Labour Party for a minimum of six months.

This suspension is with immediate effect

He alleged that Opara had been fraternising with factional members of the party led by Lamidi Apapa, following similar but unproven allegations against Abure.

The suspension of Opara without subjecting her allegations to investigation has however opened another dimension to the crisis.

Some party officials, according to investigation, say her suspension without subjecting her allegations to proper investigation is too drastic and unfair.

Supporting this view at the weekend, a former Acting National Chairman of the party between 2020 and 2021, Mrs Maria Labeke, said the party ought to audit its account, following Opara's allegations rather than suspend her. "Whoever is found guilty should be dealt with."

OBI WADES IN In the heat of the crisis, the presidential candidate of the party, Peter Obi, got his election campaign committee to release expenditure for the 2023 elections and this move doused the tension in the party.

According to the Chairman of the FundRaising Team of the Obi/Datti Presidential Campaign Organisation, Aisha Yesufu, the organisation received N595.9 million from Nigerians and spent N774.5 million on litigation. The breakdown is as follows: N575, 976,994.00 from donations' N800,000, 000.00 from Obi. It spent N268, 374, 330.00 for campaign materials; N16, 422, 866.00 on media.

Others are N10, 808,948.00 for election promotion materials; N324, 381, 700.00 on polling unit agents; N1,750, 544.00 on bank charges; N477,000. 00 on administrative charges; N744, 500, 000. 00 on legal expenses; N28, 500, 000. 00 on campaign and election activities. The balance is N19, 238,395. 00.

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FEBRUARY 18, 2024 T H E W I L L N E W S P A P E R • www.thewillnews.com

POLITICS NEWS

Kwara State Governor, AbduRahman AbduRasaq; Kogi State Governor, Usman Ododo and Nasarawa State Governor, Abdullahi Sule, during a meeting of the President with State Governors at the Presidential Villa in Abuja on February 15, 2024.

NLC Declares 2-Day Nationwide Protest Over Economic Hardship, Insecurity

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he leadership of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has declared a two-day nationwide mass protest for February 27 and 28, 2024, over biting economic hardship and the deteriorating security situation in the country.

NLC President, Comrade Joe Ajaero, stated this at a press conference held on Friday at the Labour House headquarters of the Labour movement in Abuja.

Ajaero said the protest will begin a week after the expiration of the 14-day ultimatum it issued to the Federal Government which will expire on February 23.

He said the decision was made to protest the current hardship being faced by Nigerians.

THEWILL reported that the NLC and the Trade Union Congress (TUC) had on February 8, threatened a nationwide strike.

The organised labour lamented that millions of Nigerian workers are facing hunger, erosion of purchasing power and insecurity due to reforms that drove up inflation.

Ajaero said the Federal Government should not flout the deadline of the 14-day ultimatum.

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Economic Hardship: Democracy Network Zulum Declares Demands Resumption 1-Day Fasting, Prayer of Continuous Voter Session in Borno Registration in Nigeria FROM LADI DAPSON, MAIDUGURI

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orno State Governor, Babagana Zulum, has urged residents of the state to fast and offer special prayers on Monday for divine intervention over the current hardship caused by inflation.

The governor, in his broadcast to the people of the state in Maiduguri on Friday, said he was deeply troubled by the hardship and other challenges facing the people, particularly the high cost of food items in the country.

Zulum said he had engaged with business stakeholders in the state to mitigate the rising prices of commodities so as to bring succour to the people.

“I understand the burden that this places on families and individuals,” he said, adding that the state would take decisive steps to alleviate the people’s suffering.

“Our government is focusing on reviving agriculture in the state, intending to increase food production and reduce our reliance on food palliatives.

“We are investing in modern farming techniques, providing support to local farmers and creating incentives for agricultural innovation.

“By doing so, we hope to not only lower the cost of food items but also to create sustainable livelihoods for our people. It is for this reason that I have extensively engaged with stakeholders, particularly those in the business of essential commodities that include all forms of grains and building materials.

“I want to assure you that we are working tirelessly with security forces to rid our roads of deadly devices and to ensure the safety of all those who travel within our state.

“I believe there are forces behind sabotaging the gains recorded so far. However, we are working to ensure the perpetrators are fished out and dealt with accordingly.”

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FROM BASSEY ANIEKAN, CALABAR

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he Nigerian Arm of the Democratic Network has called on the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, to immediately commence Continuous Voter Registration in Nigeria.

The network made the call at the University of Calabar during a forum with students on ‘Challenges and Opportunities for Continuous Voter Registration in Nigeria.’

The forum was held in partnership with Centre for Development and Democracy, Nextier, UMass Boston, Yiaga Africa, Lite - Africa and NDOF. In her presentation, Uzoma Aneto, the team lead of the network, said INEC should open the portal so that Nigerians who have attained 18 years can vote without stress.

She said it is the right of every Nigerian aged 18, at least, to get registered.

"INEC should open the portal so that our young ones can register and get their voter cards without stress.

"It is the right of young persons who are turning 18 every day to walk into local government areas and development centres to get registered", she said.

Aneto said that many developed countries use CVR models successfully and the benefits of CVR include reduced long term costs, a complete and accurate register, reduced large scale logistical challenges for the election management body and high service orientation.

Speaking on the Policy Brief of the Network, Ibrahim Farouk, said that although the Electoral Act says there should be CVR, INEC had suspended the exercise for about two years.

Farouk also disclosed that 10 million Nigerians started online registration during the last elections and only three million went to INEC offices to complete the process, meaning that seven million youths could not complete the process and this was enough to influence the elections.

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PERSPECTIVE

Re-evaluating Nigeria’s Monarchies: The Imperative For Reform And Inclusion in National Governance BABA ISIMI

The media, which plays a crucial role in shaping public opinion and discourse, has a powerful influence on the mindset of the populace.

Regrettably, Nigeria experiences a significant lack of journalistic excellence, which has led to a longstanding culture of subpar media, thereby amplifying the spread of biased and exaggerated information.

This, coupled with low levels of media literacy among the general population, has led to a toxic cycle of pessimism and cynicism.

It is essential to recognise that media literacy is fundamental in empowering individuals to critically analyze and evaluate the information they consume.

By fostering media literacy, individuals can develop the skills to discern credible sources, identify bias, and differentiate between fact and opinion. This, in turn, can help break the cycle of pessimism and cynicism perpetuated by sensationalized and inaccurate media content.

Furthermore, the responsibility also lies with the media outlets themselves to uphold journalistic integrity and ethical reporting standards. Sensationalism and biased reporting not only erode public trust but also contribute to the proliferation of misinformation, ultimately fueling pessimism and cynicism within society.

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ecent events in Nigeria have illuminated the precarious state of traditional monarchies, with a spate of depositions by state governors that have highlighted their vulnerability to the whims of political power.

This situation demands a comprehensive reassessment of the role of monarchy within Nigeria's socio-political landscape and calls for the establishment of legal frameworks that involve citizen involvement to safeguard these institutions' historical and cultural significance. These traditional structures, which have served as symbols of unity and custodians of heritage for centuries, are integral to the fabric of Nigerian society and possess the potential to significantly contribute to national integration, security, and conflict resolution.

Addressing this issue necessitates a multi-faceted approach. Firstly, there is a need for concerted efforts to enhance media literacy among Nigerians. Educational institutions, community organizations, and the government can collaborate to develop programs that

“

Isimi

The unilateral deposition of monarchs, often driven by personal and political motives, has not only destabilized the affected communities but also called into question the legitimacy and continuity of cultural leadership.

Such actions disregard the deepseated connections between monarchs and their subjects, particularly in remote and ungoverned areas where traditional rulers provide essential governance and security functions. Nigerian monarchies, therefore, must be protected from executive caprice and realigned with the nation’s governance and developmental goals.

FEBRUARY 18, 2024 WWW.THEWILLNEWS.COM

The challenge lies in reconciling the historical reverence for monarchs with the realities of modern governance and the need for a more democratic and inclusive approach to traditional leadership. The current constitutional framework does not adequately protect traditional monarchies from political interference nor does it integrate them into the national governance structure.

To address this, there must be a holistic approach that involves broad-based citizen consultation and the establishment of clear, transparent, and culturally respectful guidelines for the selection, legislation, and abdication of traditional rulers.

Proposed reforms should include amending the constitution to provide explicit recognition and protection for traditional institutions, establishing legal guidelines that honor historical, traditional, and cultural practices in selecting monarchs, and defining the constitutional roles and responsibilities of traditional rulers. Additionally, strengthening the administrative and financial autonomy of traditional institutions would enhance their capacity to serve their communities effectively, and promoting the inclusion of traditional rulers in formal governance structures would ensure their contributions to policymaking and national

discourse are recognised and valued.

In conclusion, the recent challenges faced by Nigeria's monarchies necessitate a reexamination of their place within the nation's socio-political fabric. By embedding traditional institutions within a legal framework that promotes inclusivity, transparency, and cultural respect, Nigeria can protect these vital pillars of its heritage and ensure they continue to play a constructive role in the nation’s governance and pursuit of national cohesion and peace.

Breaking the Cycle of Pessimism and Cynicism: A Call for Media Literacy in Nigeria In recent times, it is disheartening to observe that a significant number of Nigerians seem to be trapped in a perpetual state of pessimism and cynicism. This pervasive negativity appears to stem largely from an overconsumption of news and information that is often sensationalised, biased and lacking in factual accuracy.

As a result, many individuals are inadvertently being fed a diet of misinformation and skewed perspectives, ultimately contributing to a culture of cynicism and despair.

The current constitutional framework does not adequately protect traditional monarchies from political interference nor does it integrate them into the national governance structure. To address this, there must be a holistic approach that involves broad-based citizen consultation and the establishment of clear, transparent, and culturally respectful guidelines for the selection, legislation, and abdication of traditional ruler promote critical thinking and discernment in consuming news and information. By equipping individuals with the tools to navigate the media landscape effectively, we can mitigate the spread of misinformation and foster a more informed and optimistic society.

Additionally, media outlets should prioritise accuracy, balance, and ethical reporting. Journalists and media professionals play a pivotal role in shaping public discourse, and it is imperative that they adhere to the highest standards of integrity and objectivity. By holding themselves accountable and providing well-researched, factual information, the media can help rebuild public trust and mitigate the prevalence of pessimism and cynicism.

•Isimi, FNIA, is an architect, businessman and politician

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FEBRUARY 18, 2024 T H E W I L L N E W S P A P E R • www.thewillnews.com

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

L-R: British Deputy High Commissioner in Lagos, Mr. Jonny Baxter; British Secretary of State for Business Former Governor of Abia State, Senator Orji Uzor Kalu; Chairman, Senate Committee on Banking, & Trade, Rt. Hon. Kemi Badenoch, MP; Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu; His Majesty, Trade Insurance and other Financial Institutions, Senator Adetokunbo Abiru and President, Chartered Institute Envoy to Nigeria, Helen Grant, MP and the Secretary to the Lagos State Government, Barr. Abimbola Salu- of Bankers of Nigeria (CIBN), Dr. Ken Opara, during a courtesy visit to Senate Committee on Banking, Hundeyin, during a courtesy call by the British Trade Secretary, at the Lagos House on February 14, 2024. Insurance and other Financial Institutions on February 15, 2024.

Director-General, Security and Exchange Commission (SEC); Lamido Yuguda (right), consoling the UNICEF representative, Ms Phuong Nguyen (left), presenting health equipment to the Commissioner of father of late CEO of Access Bank, Shyngle Wigwe, over the death of his son, Herber Wigwe, in Lagos Health, Borno State, Prof. Baba Gana (right), during the handover ceremony in Maiduguri on February on February 15, 2024.

15, 2024.

President, Medical Women Association of Nigeria (MWAN), Rivers State Branch, Dr Cecilia Leloonu- Officials of the Democratic Network and Principal Officers of the Department of Linguistics, University of Nwibubasa (left); and Deputy Governor, Rivers State, Prof. Ngozi Odu, during a visit of the MWAN to the Calabar, during a forum on Challenges and Opportunities for Continuous Voter Registration in Nigeria Deputy Governor in Port Harcourt on February 13, 2024. in cross River State on February 16, 2024.

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EDITORIAL

FEBRUARY 18, 2024 WWW.THEWILLNEWS.COM

Another Long Process to Reviewing 1999 Constitution Begins Already, some state governors at a recent meeting with President Bola Tinubu agreed that state/ community policing is an idea whose time has come as it would help solve the general insecurity challenges facing the country.

The constitution review committee may have no choice than to properly look into the modalities for achieving this, while at the same time make provisions to prevent usurpation and abuse

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nother long process to reviewing the 1999 Constitution begins on Monday, 20 February 2024, with the scheduled inauguration of the committee saddled with the task. For the sixth time since the return of democracy to the country in 1999, the National Assembly will try, once again, to tinker with the Constitution in a bid to make it work for the true federalism that most Nigerians have been clamouring for.

Major areas to be considered this time include state police, artificial intelligence, governance structure, financial autonomy for local government councils, judicial and electoral reform, Diaspora voting and cost of governance. The committee will also beam a searchlight into some of the responsibilities of government from the exclusive to the concurrent lists in a bid to achieving what is expected of true federalism.

One major area that will however be knotty for the committee is the determination of the structure of governance and the need to consider the opinions of a section of the populace that the “the parliamentary system is better and cheaper for Nigeria'' while ''the presidential system is very costly, especially with the current economic situation in the country.”

Another area of importance is the unending call for the country to be restructured as advocates believe that Nigeria’s socio-political problem “goes beyond the system of government being run'' but ''weighs more heavily

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@thewillnews.com

on the structure.''

According to the advocates of restructuring, ''Any tinkering with the constitution that fails to tinker with the present structure would be cosmetic.”

Although previous attempts to review the constitution tried to address some of the controversial issues and brought some innovations, the general belief is that the constitution, in its present state, is not really serving the full interests of Nigerians and it has to be reviewed further.

Recent challenges, especially bordering on the prevailing general insecurity, for instance, have placed the idea of state policing on the front burner and one major task for the review committee.

Already, some state governors at a recent meeting with President Bola Tinubu agreed that state/ community policing is an idea whose time has come as it will help to solve the general insecurity challenges facing the country. The constitution review committee may have no other choice than to properly look into the modalities for achieving this and at the same time, make provisions to prevent usurpation and abuse.

We are glad that just as many Nigerians are worried about the prevailing security challenges, the National Assembly is also showing a lot of concern. The deputy spokesperson of the House of Representatives, Philip Agbese, actually confirmed the overwhelming support of the National Assembly to the constitution review, especially as it concerns security, even as about 40 proposals have been received so far from Nigerians.

“When we resumed from the last recess, the Speaker mentioned the issue of security, saying that it must be tackled as long as the country is concerned. Expressing regret that at present farmers are unable to go to farm, he gave the assurance that the lawmakers would all play their part to end this crisis by rejigging the security architecture to guarantee the safety of lives and property in this country,” Agbese said.

We also want to agree with the Deputy Speaker of the House, Benjamin Kalu, who also heads the House Constitution Review Committee, that it is now mandatory for the National Assembly to embark on this latest round of amendment because of the pressure from Nigerians mainly due to the prevailing social and economic challenges in the country.

Kalu said, “We are well aware of our present challenging circumstances as a nation. The twin challenges of insecurity and economic difficulties could tamper with the confidence of our citizens. It is therefore our constitutional responsibility to respond to the 40 bills so far proposed and also to attend to the duty of government to ensure the security and welfare of the citizens as provided by the Constitution.”

As another long process to achieving the desired provisions therefore begins, we hope the National assembly members would throw all the needed support for this exercise this time and mobilise their constituents to also play their part even as the deadline for the new process has been put at December 2025.

THEWILL NEWSPAPER TEAM Publisher/Editor-in-Chief

Business Editor – Sam Diala

Photo Editor – Peace Udugba

Austyn Ogannah

Copy Editor – Chux Ohai

Head, Graphics – Tosin Yusuph

Editor – Olaolu Olusina

Cartoon Editor – Victor Asowata

Deputy Editor – Amos Esele

Entertainment/Society Editor – Ivory Ukonu

Circulation Manager – Victor Nwokoh

Politics Editor – Ayo Esan

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Guest Art Director – Sunny Hughes

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OPINION

FEBRUARY 18, 2024 WWW.THEWILLNEWS.COM

Port Harcourt Refinery: Why Crude Oil Feedstock From Shell?

BY IFEANYI IZEZE

E

very day, the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) keeps spewing absurdities that at best make the organisation look outrightly dubious or rather deceptively opaque.

Shell Petroleum Development Company of Nigeria, the local affiliate of the Anglo-Dutch transnational giant, on Monday, February 12, 2024, said it has completed the supply of 475,000 barrels of crude oil to the Port Harcourt Refining Company Limited (PHRC), which will enable the plant to commence production activities after many years of being off stream.

THERE IS AN EXISTING CORRUPTING STRUCTURE THAT HAS FOUND THE IMPORTATION OF FUEL TOO JUICY TO TERMINATE. THERE IS SO MUCH MONEY BEING MADE AND THE STRUCTURE FOR THIS SLEAZE HAS BEEN BUILT INTO ALL THE OIL AND GAS REGULATORY AND POLICING INSTITUTIONS IN NIGERIA nation.”

The company, which allegedly made the supply through the Bonny Oil and Gas Terminal (BOGT), said it was in furtherance of the Nigerian Government’s commitment to increase domestic refining capacity and make petroleum products more readily available in the country.

Also, Bonny Terminal Installation Manager, Osita Nnajiofor, was quoted as saying: “The recommencement of crude oil supply from the Bonny Oil and Gas Terminal to the Port Harcourt Refining Company Limited is a significant achievement and a game-changer for the industry and the country and will support the Federal Government’s aspiration of steady supply of petroleum products to the downstream market and other associated benefits to the economy of the

The Country Chair, Shell Companies in Nigeria and Managing Director, SPDC, Dr. Osagie Okunbor, was also quoted in the report to have said: “Future supplies from the Bonny Terminal facility would be guided by the demand for the product (crude).”

First, is it Shell or NNPCL that should supply crude oil feedstock to the Port Harcourt Refinery, an operating strategic business unit of the nation’s apex oil concern? Why is the NNPC(L) not supplying its share or part of it from the produced crude in its joint venture operation with the foreign operators instead of this trumpeted offtake from Shell?

These questions are pertinent so we don’t hear tomorrow that Port Harcourt Refinery can no longer continue its operations as a result of unpaid bills from sourcing crude feedstock from Shell.

then it should be clearly stated to avoid ambiguity and future claims of indebtedness by the operator.

Now, before the Minister of State, Petroleum (Oil, Heineken Lokpobiri, continues his celebration of the successful sourcing of 475,000 barrels of oil from Shell’s Bonny Terminal for the commencement of refining operations at the Port Harcourt Refinery, there are several issues we may need him to clarify.

First, the 475,000 barrels of crude secured from Shell, is it just for test-running or for the actual operation of the plant?

Secondly, is the refinery going to be getting this volume of crude daily or weekly from the Bonny terminal facility or is it just a one-off supply?

Let’s look at this issue critically: The coupled Port Harcourt Refinery has a nameplate combined installed capacity of 210, 000 barrels per day (the old plant is 60,000 bpd while Port Harcourt 2 has 150,000 bpd).

In process engineering, 70-80 percent performance outings can be said to be an optimal performance for plants as old as the Port Harcourt refinery. In that case, to operate optimally, the Port Harcourt plant will be needing between 147,000- 150,000 barrels per stream day to run its operations. That means the celebrated intake from the Shell Bonny facility will last roughly for about three days or even less. Even if the plant runs on 100,000 barrels per stream day, it will for between four and five days on this offtake from Shell.

Is somebody getting the drift?

So after three, four or even five days of streaming, what happens to the plant – it shuts down or goes to Shell for another batch of consignment? You see where the deception lies!

The Minister of State, Petroleum Downstream (Oil), Heineken Lokpobiri, and the NNPCL boss, Mele Kyari, had told us in the third quarter of 2023 that “The Port Harcourt refinery would begin operations before the end of 2023, specifically in December. The Warri refinery, which is also being renovated, would begin refining crude oil to churn out petroleum products in February 2024 and then, Kaduna will come on stream towards the end of 2024.

“We are hopeful that in 2024, this country will be a net exporter of petroleum products,” Kyari stated.

Now February is running out. Has the Port Harcourt refinery come onstream? From obvious indications, these people have no plan to complete those “futuristic commissioned” projects. They’re only putting the citizens on notice that such projects will be abandoned and you are free to complain when they have left office or at best when they come to tell you another story.

Everything in Nigeria is often stated in the future tense. Why not quietly complete the rehabilitation and Nigerians will see that the refineries are back? Why do we always celebrate intentions in Nigeria?

We looked forward to and celebrated the construction of the Dangote refinery. Even after the commissioning ceremony of the project, it has become story upon story. Now Dangote Refinery is allegedly going to America to procure its crude feedstock. Haba Nigeria! *Continues online at www. thewillnews.com

And if NNPC is asking Shell, the joint venture operator, to send part of its share of the JV-produced crude,

Football as a Religion in Nigeria

BY UZOR MAXIM UZOATU

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othing excites and unifies Nigerians like football, especially when the national team, the Super Eagles, can claim a continental or world title.

A shining light for Nigeria was the defence superman, Skipper Troost-Ekong, who was adjudged the player of the tournament.

It was the typical Nigerian night of high hopes on Sunday, February 11 when Super Eagles squared up with the host nation, Cote d’Ivoire, in the final match of the AFCON tourney.

One particular player who got multiform criticism from Nigerian fans was midfielder Alex Iwobi, but incidentally, immediately he was subbed off in the final match the Super Eagles conceded the second goal, just like in the semifinal that Alhasan Yusuf replaced him only to commit the penalty that yielded the South African equaliser!

Nigeria had beaten Cote d’Ivoire by 1-0 in the Group Stage of the contest, and the host nation actually scraped into the knockout stages as the fourth-best third-placed team!

As a player of the game, I knew that playing the host nation again, especially in the final match, may end up as a road too tough to travel.

It should be noted that Cote d’Ivoire had actually sacked the white coach of the team after the devastating 4-0 loss to Equatorial Guinea when the entire country thought the team had come to the end of the road.

The lucky and plucky Cote d’Ivoire team needed an 86th minute equalizer to force extra-time and eventually eliminate the defending champions and arguably best team in the continent, Senegal.

In the quarter-finals, the host nation surprised not a few observers when playing one man down from the 43rd minute eventually scored a last minute equalizer before winning in extra-time against Mali.

Then the team zoomed into the final against Nigeria by beating Congo DR with a 1-0 score earned in the 65th minute.

The Nigerian Super Eagles owned the bragging rights as the only unbeaten team in the tournament.

There was the added dimension that the team had beaten the host nation earlier, as mentioned above.

The Ivorian people filled up the stadium with spectacular spectatorship that had to be silenced in the first half through a header by the Nigerian skipper, William Troost-Ekong, in the first half, very much against the run of play.

The Nigerians were playing defensively, leaving the Ivorians to do all the rampaging through delightful attack play.

A VICTORY FOR NIGERIA WOULD HAVE SERVED AS SOME KIND OF ELIXIR TO FORGET SOME OF THE MANY PROBLEMS OF THE COUNTRY, BUT IT WAS NOT TO BE

A new discovery for Nigeria happens to be goalkeeper Stanley Nwabali who however could not repeat the heroics of the semi-final in which he saved two South African penalty-kicks in the shootout.

The Super Eagles team made up of Nwabali, Ola Aina, Zaidu Sanusi, Troost-Ekong, Semi Ajayi, Calvin Bassey, Frank Onyeka, Iwobi, Ademola Lookman, and Victor Osimhen did their very best but victory went to the team that wanted it more.

The substitutes over the tourney such as the much reviled former Number One goalie Uzoho, the defender Kenneth Omeruo, wing-back Osayi-Sanuel Bright, the attackers Kelechi Iheanacho, Paul Onuachu, and Terri Moffi all acquitted themselves well.

A victory for Nigeria would have served as some kind of elixir to forget some of the many problems of the country, but it was not to be.

It was little wonder that Cote d’Ivoire equalised in the 62nd minute through Kessie, only for Haller who had just survived a bout with cancer to jab in the winner in the 81st minute.

So Nigerians are back to facing the realities of existence in the benighted country where some citizens gave up the ghost while supporting the Super Eagles, especially in the semi-final match against South Africa that claimed the life of former House of Representatives Member, Dr Cairo Ojougboh, and four or so others.

The Ivorian team played better football than Nigeria on the night as the Super Eagles Portuguese coach, Jose Peseiro - a protégé of the defensive play of his countryman Jose Mourinho - could not bring the Nigerian players to attack to win.

The Super Eagles shall return, with goalie Stanley Nwabali making more saves than all the fly-bynight pastors of Nigeria put together!

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Football as a Nigerian religion has come to stay, no matter the loss to Cote d’Ivoire this time.

FEBRUARY 18, 2024 • VOL . 4 NO. 7 WWW.THEWILLNEWS.COM

Foreign Investment: Rivers Records Highest Inflow Under Gov Fubara

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29/9%

Nigeria’s Inflation Climbs to 29/9% on High Food Prices / PAGE 34

N53.68 billion Fidelity Bank Extends GMD’s Tenure to 2026

EDITOR Sam Diala

/ PAGE 35

Expectations Rise on DBN, BOI For Support as MSMEs Battle Economic Crisis AGRIC GDP PERFORMANCE 2017-2023

BY SAM DIALA

R

(%) 4%

3%

2%

1.58

1%

1.20

1.50

1.30

1.79

1.19

Continues on page 33

5%

3.01

ivers State, South-south Nigeria, recorded $6 million investment inflow in the fourth quarter (Q4) of 2023, according to the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS).

The inflow, which occurred under Governor Siminalayi Fubara, was the highest among the/ sub-nationals, after Lagos and the Federal Capital Territory (FTC), and in the state’s records based on available data.

The NBS in its latest ‘Nigeria Capital Importation – Q4 2023 ’ report released on Friday, revealed that aside from Lagos ($711.68 million), FCT ($370.80), Rivers ($6 million) and Ekiti ($0.01 million), no other state attracted foreign investment during the period.

Gov. Fubara assumed the leadership of Rivers on May 29, 2023 following the completion of the constitutionally allowed two-term of eight years by his predecessor, Nyesom Wike, now minister of FCT. The investment inflow drought among the states has been a source of concern to stakeholders in particular, and the Nigerian citizens in general, as it points to lack of strong developmental pace, especially among the oil and gas producing areas.

It also has implications with job creation and the states’ employment and unemployment status which impact on the quality of living, misery index, inflation and other economic indices in the areas.

Industry experts say the remarkable capital importation for Rivers signals a new phase of developmental activities as the oil-rich state battles several socioeconomic challenges that discourage investors from looking the way of the state.

They urge the administration of Gov. Fubara to take advantage of the trend to advance the development of the

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BY SAM DIALA

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ith many micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) Source; NBS battling for survival under the worsening economic crisis, there are renewed expectations that the Development Bank of Nigeria (DBN) and the Bank of Industry (BOI) would step up their activities to salvage the crumbling informal sector.

The two development finance institutions, DBN and BOI, have the overall mandate to promote activities that develop indigenous micro, small and medium enterprises towards stimulation of diversified and inclusive growth of the economy.

Specifically, the DBN was conceived to address the major financing challenges facing the MSMEs in Nigeria. Its objective is to alleviate financing constraints faced by MSMEs and small Corporates. This is achieved through the provision of financing and partial credit guarantees to eligible financial intermediaries on a market-conforming and fully financially sustainable basis.

The BOI, on its part, exists to facilitate the transformation of Nigeria’s industrial sector by providing financial and advisory support for the establishment of large, medium and small projects/enterprises, and the expansion, diversification, rehabilitation and modernisation of existing enterprises. And they have intensified efforts towards achieving these objectives amid intense environmental and structural challenges The DBN in 2023 raised N23 billion from its debut local bond issuance, allowing it more money to continue to fund the MSMEs..

The programme’s objective is to expand DBN’s capacity to provide funding for the critical sectors of the economy, especially to spur the growth and development of MSMEs in the country.

With over N734 billion in loans disbursed to more than 405,000 MSMEs, DBN has continued to support smaller businesses to do well and perform their critical role of creating wealth and lifting poverty.

According to official figures, 67 per cent of those loans were disbursed to

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women-owned businesses, and 24 per cent to enterprises owned by the youth.

Imperative of support At present, job losses are on the rise as a result of the surge in petrol prices occasioned by the removal of subsidy and the devaluation of the naira mid2023. Rising inflationary pressures in recent months have weakened the purchasing power of cash-strapped consumers, as businesses grapple with higher operating costs. The worst hit are the MSMEs. According to Abdulrasid Yarima, president/chairman of the governing council of the Nigerian Association of Small and Medium Enterprises (NASME), about 10 percent of the 40 MSMEs in the country have shut down since the subsidy removal, In a statement late last year, Yarima said, “It’s been very tough for our members as we are managing to survive. Some of them are closing shops while others are looking for new business opportunities,” he said.

THEWILL findings revealed that many thriving MSMEs involved in the value chain of major manufacturing companies, under the backward integration policy, have either scaled down their operations or stopped doing business Backward integration is a practice where companies are encouraged to cultivate their own raw materials by purchasing from their suppliers or establishing their own farms to grow produce for their factories.

The consumer goods firms, in particular, keyed into the scheme and have since taken giant strides in its implementation. This is to the benefit of the MSMEs, especially those engaged in the agriculture and transport value chain For instance, Nestlé Nigeria instituted a project to engage 5,000 THEWILLNIGERIA

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BUSINESS WEEKLY ...For Support as MSMEs Battle Economic Crisis smallholder farmers, initially, for the supply of raw materials for its agrobusiness operations. The initiative, ‘Developing Inclusive Grain Value Chains Project’, was in partnership with IDH — a Sustainable Trade Initiative and TechoServe outfit.

Nigerian Breweries stepped up local production of sorghum and cassava to boost local raw material supply for its plants. The 77-year-old consumer goods firm has made significant strides towards large-scale cultivation of sorghum and industrial application since the 1980s.

The projects are now severely challenged by the myriad of environmental obstacles across the states where the farms are established and the value chain is threatened.

“The companies rely on a strong value chain that involves many micro, small and medium businesses especially in agriculture and agro-business activities. If they are not healthy, they will not feed the manufacturing companies and this will have a far-reaching impact on the economy”, said Julius Abbas, a processing business operator.

Additionally, due to high cost of operations, most of the manufacturing companies recorded huge losses or declined profit in their 2023 FY reports, leading to scaling down in their scope of operations which affect the MSMEs engaged in their value chain.

“It is a bad omen. Their balance sheets have been significantly eroded, their earning power vitiated, and their expansion capacity weakened. Top among the victims are the employees who may be laid off, downgraded or suffer a salary cut.

“Some companies will have to increase the price of their products and reduce the number of their suppliers, including the small businesses,” said Barnabas Ikuru, an investment and financial analyst.

The expectations “We expect the development finance institutions to step up their support for the MSMEs at this time to prevent the informal sector from crumbling. This is the time DBN and BOI should show they are really cut out for the survival of the MSMEs which are the engine of the economy,” said Mike Abimbola who runs a grains processing factory in Lagos.

The immediate past director-general, Small and Medium Enterprises Development Agency of Nigeria (SMEDAN), and current governor, Katsina State, Dr Dikko Umar Radda, urged the development finance institutions to increase their financial support for the MSMEs. In a telephone chat with THEWILL, Dr Radda stressed that money is the life wire of every business and that DBN and BOI should raise their financial support to the MSMEs to navigate the challenging economic situation.

In an earlier interview with THEWILL, Dr Muda Yusuf, CEO, Centre for the Promotion of Private Enterprise urged the Federal Government to consider recapitalising DBN to enable it to execute its mandate of developing the MSMEs. Dr Tony Okpanachi, CEO, DBN, maintains the bank’s commitment to develop the MSMEs to the utmost height of performance, value and impact. Stakeholders look forward to the realisation of this assurance as the small business operators battle the current economic headwinds.

As he said at the launch of the N23 billion bond, “The purpose of this issuance is to locally raise capital to meet the needs of the MSME sub-sector of the economy which is huge and whatever we are trying to raise will boost our funding base for them.”

Stakeholders and industry experts believe that leveraging technology to advance the mandate of the development finance institutions will be of a great advantage. Engaging the Payment Service Banks of the major telecommunication companies and other payment service providers will facilitate the support to the embattled MSMEs.

With over N734 billion in loans disbursed to more than 405,000 MSMEs, DBN has continued to support smaller businesses to do well and perform their critical role of creating wealth and lifting poverty

...Rivers Records Highest Inflow Under Gov Fubara state which lags in the areas of human capital, rural development, agriculture and industrialisation.

The NBS said in its recent report that total capital importation into Nigeria in Q4 2023, stood at US$1,088.48 million, slightly higher than US$1,060.73 million recorded in Q4 2022, indicating an increase of 2.62 per cent. In comparison to the preceding quarter, capital importation rose by 66.27 per cent from US$654.65 million in Q3 2023.

The report added that ‘Other Investment’ (made up of loans) ranked top accounting for 54.64 per cent (US$594.74 million) of total capital importation in Q4 2023, followed by ‘Portfolio Investment’ with 28.46 per cent (US$309.76 million) and ‘Foreign Direct Investment (FDI)’ with 16.90 per cent (US$183.97 million).

Impressively, the production/manufacturing sector recorded the highest inflow with US$450.11 million, representing 41.35 per cent of total capital imported in Q4 2023, followed by the banking sector, valued at US$283.30 million (26.03 per cent), and financing with US$135.59 million (12.46 per cent).

Capital Importation during the reference period originated largely from the United Kingdom with US$267.24 million, and recorded 24.55 per cent share. This was followed by Mauritius with US$226.18 million (20.78 per cent) and the Netherlands with US$149.93 million (13.77 per cent).

“Lagos state remained the top destination in Q4 2023 with US$771.68 million, accounting for 65.38 per cent of total capital importation, followed by Abuja (FCT) with US$370.80 million (34.07 per cent) and Rivers state with US$6.00 million (0.55 per cent),” the report stated.

By banks (as investment channels), Stanbic IBTC Bank Plc received the highest capital importation into Nigeria in Q4 2023 with US$499.45 million (45.88 per cent), followed

by Citibank Nigeria Limited with US$229.06 million (21.04 per cent) and Rand Merchant Bank Plc with US$85.85 (7.89 per cent).

THEWILL had reported that despite housing the largest natural gas reserves and significant crude oil deposits in Nigeria, Imo state, in the South-east region, attracted zero foreign investment in four years, between 2020 and 2023, according to data by the NBS) .

The statistics bureau in its quarterly Capital Importation reports showed that, after recording the sum of $3 million in 2019, Imo had no dime to its name by way of investment inflow to the state economy during the reference period.

The reports further revealed that Imo was the only oil-producing state in the South-east region that attracted no foreign investment for the four years under review, unlike its two counterparts – Anambra and Abia states which achieved a total of $51.48 million and $210.12 million, respectively.

Abia state attracted the highest foreign investment within four months of Dr Alex Otti as governor. Dr Otti was inaugurated on May 29, 2023 as the 4th governor of the 32-yearold subnational since the return to democracy in 1999.

This actuality emerged from the Capital Importation Report of the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) for the third quarter (Q3) of 2023.

Although Abia is among the few Nigerian states that attract foreign investment to their economies on a fairly regular basis, the state never attracted capital inflow to the tune of $150.09 million within three months, as was the case in Q3 2023.

By that outstanding feat, Abia came third after Lagos and the Federal Capital Territory (FTC) Abuja in capital importation destinations during Q3 2023.

NGX Group, Nigerian Capital Market Community Paid Condolence Visits to Ogunbanjo, Wigwe’s Families

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epresentatives of the board and management of Nigerian Exchange Group (NGX) and key stakeholders from the capital market community paid condolence visits to the families of late Bamofin Abimbola Ogunbanjo and Dr. Herbert Wigwe.

Led by Alhaji (Dr) Umaru Kwairanga, Group Chairman of NGX Group, the delegation included representatives from Chartered Institute of Stockbrokers (CIS), Association of Dealing Houses of Nigeria (ASHON), Central Securities Clearing System (CSCS) Plc, and NG Clearing.

Expressing deep condolences to the Ogunbanjo family, Alhaji Kwairanga highlighted Bamofin Ogunbanjo's esteemed leadership in the capital market, emphasizing his kindness and humility.

Temi Popoola, Group CEO of NGX Group, acknowledged Ogunbanjo's significant

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impact on the Nigerian capital market and his transformative leadership during his tenure as Council President of the Exchange and the first Group Chairman of NGX Group. Outgoing Group CEO, Oscar N. Onyema, mourned the loss, stating, “It is a very painful loss, and only God can grant this family the strength to bear this loss.”

The CIS president, Oluwole Adeosun, remembered Ogunbanjo as a dependable and trustworthy supporter of the institute, while Haruna Jalo-Waziri, CEO of CSCS, described him as a good man to the core.

Tinu Awe, CEO of NGX Regulation Limited (NGX RegCo), consoled the Ogunbanjo family, sharing tales of the wonderful times they had shared and noting how irreplaceable he was in their lives.

The visit also extended to the family of late Dr. Herbert Wigwe, where Alhaji

Kwairanga conveyed the capital market's shock and pledged ongoing support.

He acknowledged him not just as a corporate mogul but also as a renowned philanthropist committed to community service and the progress and development of the nation.

Dr. Wigwe played a pivotal role, bringing his exceptional passion, energy, and expertise to the transformation of Access Bank and the financial sector.

Aigboje Aig-Imokhuede, Chairman of Coronation Group, expressed gratitude for the acknowledgment of Dr. Wigwe's contributions and pledged to uphold his legacy.

NGX Group and Nigerian capital market community stand in solidarity with the bereaved families during this challenging time.

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FEBRUARY 18, 2024 T H E W I L L N E W S P A P E R • www.thewillnews.com

BUSINESS NEWS

L-R: Managing Director/CEO, Dorman Long Engineering, Engr. Chris Ijeli; Chairman, Dorman Long Engineering, Dr Timi Austen-Peters; Executive Secretary/ CEO, Nigerian Investment Promotion Council (NIPC), Mrs Aisha Rimi; FounderPresident of Wellbeing Foundation, Africa (WBFA), Mrs Toyin Saraki and Minister of State for Steel Development, Uba Maigari Ahmadu, during the unveiling of Dorman Long Engineering’s new brand identity and 75th Anniversary celebrations in Lagos on February 13, 2024.

Photo: Peace Udugba.

After 7 Years, Supreme Court Voids Takeover of Hotel by AMCON

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he Supreme Court, on Friday, nullified the takeover of Best Western Hotel, Ikeja Lagos, by the Asset Management Corporation of Nigeria, AMCO In a unanimous decision, a five-member panel of the apex court, faulted AMCON’s action, when it confiscated the five-star hotel that was operated by Suru Worldwide Ventures Nigeria Limited, on September 22, 2017, over alleged failure of the company to pay back a loan that was obtained from the defunct Oceanic Bank In the lead judgement that was delivered by Justice Emmanuel Agim, the apex court panel vacated an order of the Federal High Court in Lagos, which AMCON said empowered it to take over the property.

While upholding an earlier decision of the Court of Appeal in the matter, the Supreme Court, ordered that the case should be returned to the high court and be heard afresh by another judge.

The high court had on the strength of an application that was brought before it by AMCON, ordered security agencies to offer protection to the agency to enable it to exercise its possessory rights over the hotel, as a legal mortgagee under the Deeds of Legal Mortgage.

Dissatisfied with the development, the defendant, Suru Worldwide Ventures Nigeria Limited, took the matter before the appellate court, alleging that it was denied fair hearing since it was not joined as a party in the suit that led to the order.

The appellate court, in its judgement that was delivered by Justice Ugochukwu Ogakwu, held that AMCON’s failure to join the Appellant in the case, rendered the entire proceedings that led to the takeover order, a nullity.

The appellate court directed that the matter should be heard de-novo (afresh) by the high court.

Affirming the verdict on Friday, the Supreme Court halted the takeover of the hotel, even as it dismissed the appeal that AMCON filed before it.

Equities Market Ends on Bullish Note

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he NGX All-Share Index and Market Capitalization appreciated by 1.97% and 2.00% to close last week at 104,421.23 and N57.158 trillion respectively.

A total turnover of 3.893 billion shares worth N95.147 billion in 69,117 deals was traded last week by investors on the floor of the Exchange, in contrast to a total of 2.981billion shares valued at N57.873 billion that exchanged hands last week in 67,962 deals.

The Financial Services Industry (measured by volume) led the activity chart with 2.640 billion shares valued at N47.654 billion traded in 31,929 deals; thus contributing 67.81% and 50.08% to the total equity turnover volume and value respectively.

The Oil and Gas Industry followed with 347.962 million shares worth N4.064 billion in 5,972 deals.

The third place was the Conglomerates Industry, with a turnover of 337.682 million shares worth N4.709 billion in 5,493 deals.

Trading in the top three equities namely FBN Holdings Plc, Transnational Corporation Plc and United Bank for Africa Plc (measured by volume) accounted for 961.288 million shares worth N21.390 billion in 9,966 deals, contributing 24.70% and 22.48% to the total equity turnover volume and value respectively.

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Nigeria’s Inflation Climbs to 29/9% on High Food Prices

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kyrocketing food prices pushed Nigeria’s annual headline inflation rate to 29.90% in January from 28.92% in December 2023, according to the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) in its latest Consumer Price Index (CPI) report released yesterday, said the rate of rise showed an increase of 0.98% points when compared to the December 2023 headline inflation rate.

“Similarly, on a year-on-year basis, the headline inflation rate was 8.08% points higher compared to the rate recorded in January 2023, which was 21.82%.

“This shows that the headline inflation rate (year-on-year basis) increased in January 2024 when compared to the same month in the preceding year (i.e., January 2023).

“Furthermore, on a month-on-month basis, the headline inflation rate in January 2024 was 2.64%, which was 0.35% higher than the rate recorded in December 2023 (2.29%).

“This means that in January 2024, the rate of increase in the average price level is more than the rate of increase in the average price level in December 2023,” the CPI report said.

According to the CPI report, food inflation rate in January 2024 accelerated to 35.41% year-onyear, or 11.10% points above the 24.32% recorded in January 2023.

The Bureau said: “The food inflation rate in January 2024 was 35.41% on a year-on-year basis, which was 11.1 percentage points higher compared to the rate recorded in January 2023 (24.32%).

“The rise in food inflation on a year-on-year basis was caused by increases in prices of bread and cereals, potatoes, yam and other tubers, oil and fat, fish, meat, fruit, coffee, tea, and cocoa.

“On a month-on-month basis, the food inflation rate in January 2024 was 3.21%; this was 0.49 percentage points higher compared to the rate recorded in December 2023 (2.72 per cent).

“The average annual rate of food inflation for the twelve months ending January 2024 over the previous twelve-month average was 28.91% which was a 7.38 percentage point increase from the average annual rate of change recorded in January 2023 (21.53%).

“In January 2024, food inflation on a year-on-year basis was highest in Kogi (44.18%), Kwara (40.87%), and Rivers (40.08%), while Bauchi (28.83%), Adamawa (29.8%) and Kano (30.08%) recorded the slowest rise in food inflation on a year-on-year basis.”

On a year-on-year basis, in January 2024, the Urban inflation rate was 31.95%, this was 9.40% points higher compared to the 22.55% recorded in January 2023.

On a month-on-month basis, the Urban inflation rate was 2.72% in January 2024, this was 0.30% points higher compared to December 2023 (2.42%).

The corresponding twelve-month average for the Urban inflation rate was 27.01% in January 2024. This was 7.10 % points higher compared to the 19.91% reported in January 2023.

The Rural inflation rate in January 2024 was 28.10% on a year-on-year basis; this was 6.97% higher compared to the 21.13% recorded in January 2023.

On a month-on-month basis, the Rural inflation rate in January 2024 was 2.57%, up by 0.40% points compared to December 2023 (2.17%).

The corresponding twelve-month average for the Rural inflation rate in January 2024 was 23.85%. This was 5.01% higher compared to the 18.84% recorded in January 2023.

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BUSINESS NEWS

Chairman of the National Drugs Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), retired Brig.-Gen. Mohammed Marwa (Left), presenting the agency’s Magazine to the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Mr Lateef Fagbemi, during the opening ceremony of Drugs Prevention, Treatment and Care Training for the Wives of State Governors, in Abuja on February 12, 2024.

Ecobank to Train One Million SMEs

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egional banking group, Ecobank, said it aims to train about one million small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in Nigeria this year, to improve their capabilities and stimulate growth.

The Head of SME & Partnerships at Ecobank Nigeria, Osahon Akpata, disclosed this at the maiden edition of the bank’s MySME Growth Series.

MySME Growth Series is an innovative training program of Ecobank Nigeria targeted at empowering SME operators in the country, in line with the Bank’s commitment to power the success of SMEs in different sectors of the economy.

Mr. Akpata said: “We are launching the first phase of our training programme – MySME Growth Series, a selection of virtual boot camps led by facilitators who are experts in their fields.

“SMEs are the growth engine of Nigeria’s economy contributing almost 50% of GDP and 90% of jobs. As a bank that is growth-focused, Ecobank is committed to the success of SMEs in different sectors of the economy,” he said.

Themed: “Scaling up your SME in 2024”, he said the webinar will be held every other Thursday throughout the year, adding that the series would dwell on various topics that cover key areas of concern for SMEs. These include accounting, credit, sales & marketing, taxation and inventory management.

The Bank is also planning to launch an SME Mentorship programme to collaborate with successful entrepreneurs.

Mr. Akpata said further: “We will also equip SMEs with tools to help their business such as budget templates, calculators for simulating scenarios and links to government forms.

They will be trained on resources for starting a business, including registering, market opportunities, and key points to consider when running a business.

“We will also provide articles on key topics including tips to increase sales, advertising ideas, business management practices, case studies and guides to leveraging technology, amongst others.

“We will also equip SMEs with tools to help their business such as budget templates, calculators for simulating scenarios and links to government forms. They will be trained on resources for starting a business, including registering, market opportunities, and key points to consider when running a business.”

These plans come as the Chief Commercial Officer, Jumia Nigeria, Ijeoma Arum, has urged operators of small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in Nigeria to leverage eCommerce to boost sales and grow their business.

The Jumia CCO, in a presentation titled: ‘Growing your business’, noted that SMEs in Africa are faced with challenges such as access financing, stiff competition from established brands and regulatory compliance.

Thus, leveraging technology such as eCommerce has the potential to transform their businesses.

She said: “eCommerce increases reach and awareness of products and services, allows businesses to gain valuable insights into customer behavior and can be used to create targeted marketing campaigns and personalized experiences.”

She added that eCommerce allows customers to shop at their convenience, day or night and small businesses can also streamline the sales process to reduce overhead and achieve greater profitability.

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Fidelity Bank Extends GMD’s Tenure to 2026

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he Board of Directors, Fidelity Bank Plc has extended the tenure of its Chief Executive Officer, Nneka Onyeali-Ikpe, to 2026, according to a filing to the Nigerian Exchange (NGX) in Lagos.

The Company Secretary, Ezinwa Unuigboje, who issued the notification, said the decision was taken at the Board’s meeting on February 12.

He explained that the extension is in furtherance of the bank’s strategic objectives and premised on Ms. Onyeali-Ikpe’s performance since assumption of office on January 1, 2021.

The notice reads in part: “The Board is confident that the bank’s performance will continue its upward trajectory under Onyeali-Ikpe’s leadership.

“They also look forward to working closely with her and the executive management team on execution of various strategic initiatives, including international expansion.”.

The bank posted a profit before tax of N122.15 billion, representing a 128% growth from the N53.68 billion recorded in FY 2022.

In FY 2023, the bank posted gross earnings of N552.77 billion, marking a 64% growth from the N337.05 billion posted in FY 2022.

The bank’s net interest income of N274.86 billion posted in FY 2023 was notably 82% higher than the N152.70 billion net interest income posted in 2022.

Gross earnings rose to N552.77 billion from N337.05 billion in 2022 or +64%, Net interest income jumped to N274.86 billion compared with N152.70 billion in the previous year, representing an 82% growth.

Net interest income after credit loss expense: was N208.49 billion from N147.25 billion, a positive change of 42% Profit before income tax of N122.15 billion was a 128% increase over N53.68 billion in FY 2022 resulting in a Profit for the year of N101.39 billion compared with N46.72 billion or a rise of 117%.

The bank’s credit was mostly concentrated in oil and gas, with N1.11 trillion in loans and advances to the oil and gas sector, representing 36% of the bank’s total loans and advances.

The bank’s total investment in government securities also increased by 112% to N1.39 trillion in FY 2023, from the N657.26 billion recorded in FY 2022.

The bulk of the bank’s investment in government securities was in treasury bills, which increased to N565.22 billion in 2023, marking a 102% increase from the N280.28 billion posted in FY 2022.

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BUSINESS WEEKLY

Implications of Nigeria Customs’ Cargo Duties Exchange Rate Hikes

such that a number of blue chip companies—especially some multinationals, have been leaving the country in droves. Rather than carrying on their decades-old production activity in Nigeria, most of them have elected to distribute/sell their products in the country through ‘third parties.’

Now, the hiking of Customs duties in Nigeria would end up ensuring that the products of these (exited firms) are either no longer available or priced out of the reach of most Nigerians—since they are being imported.

Today, hungry and angry Nigerians—impoverished by persisting hyper-inflation—can no longer afford most imported household goods and staple foods: a situation being worsened by the hikes in cargo clearing duties.

Public umbrage and ire is already boiling over in several parts of the country, as practically every consumable is going beyond the reach of ordinary consumers. Like wild fire, social upheavals (in forms of protests or riots) are erupting and spreading in not a few parts of Nigeria—people being ‘pushed to the wall’ by soaring cost of living and deepening misery.

BY MARCEL OKEKE

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n the past one week or so, the media have been abuzz with news about the hiking of the exchange rate (of the Naira against the dollar) at which Nigeria Customs duties/charges on imported goods would be paid. In fact, a report had it that “for the second time in 24 hours, the Federal Government has reviewed the Nigeria Customs Service exchange rate for importation of goods.”

The cargo clearance exchange rate, which was N953 per dollar on Wednesday, January 31, was hiked to N1, 356 per dollar on Friday, February 2. By Saturday morning, it had been reviewed further to N1, 413 per dollar.

The direct implication of these hikes in exchange rates for Customs duties collection has been the creation of panic among freight forwarders or forwarding (and clearing) agents and other port users. There is palpable uncertainty and apprehension that the duties hike has not come to an end, given the endless crashing of the Naira against the dollar (and other hard currencies) in the foreign exchange (forex) market. As it were, the more the Naira drops in value in the forex market, the more likely it is that the Customs duties (exchange) rate would be raised further— as has been the case in recent times.

In tune with this trend, the cargo clearing exchange rate had been raised from N757 per dollar to N783 per dollar in November 2023. In December 2023, it was further hiked to N952 per dollar—before the recent almost daily increases.

And with the latest raises, cost of importation is bound to rise significantly—translating to astronomical increases in the prices of goods and services (in the open market).

The rate hikes also have the potential to ‘curtail’ importation of even ‘essential’ goods and commodities. It will obviously give fillip to smuggling as well as the tendency for many Nigerian port users to ‘divert’ their businesses to neighboring West African countries. Some importers would even ‘abandon’ their goods at the ports owing to the unexpected huge duty amounts arising from (the exchange) rates hikes as well as the attendant accumulated demurrage.

No doubt, Customs generally play a pivotal role in the economic life of any country (including Nigeria). There is hardly any sector of the economy that is not directly or indirectly affected by the activities of Customs—and so, its duties rates adjustments have implications for all economic agents. Specifically, some of the functions of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) include: collection of revenue (import/excise duties and other taxes and levies) and accounting for same; anti-smuggling activities; security functions and generating statistics for planning and budgetary purposes.

The NCS’ other functions include monitoring forex utilization; engaging in research, planning and enforcement of fiscal policies of Government; manifest processing; licensing and registration of Customs Agents.

Customs also handles the registration of collecting banks as well as working in collaboration with other government agencies in all approved ports and border stations around Nigeria, etc.

Over the years, however, the focus of the NCS seem to have been disproportionately directed at revenue collection/ generation for the government—to the detriment of its other crucial functions. In point of fact, the NCS has since remained a prime revenue-generating agency of the government—to the extent that its other functions are no longer obvious. Year-in-year-out, revenue targets for the NCS in the Federal government’s budgets remain humongous and keep rising.

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It is no coincidence therefore that during the first week in February, 2024, while the Customs duties rates were being raised, the Senate informed the NCS that the N5.079 trillion 2024 revenue target of the agency would be reviewed upwards from the second half of the year “to save the country from further borrowings.”

During the previous week, the Comptroller General of the NCS, Adewale Adeniyi, had told the House of Reps Committee on Customs and Excise that the service generated a total of N3.21 trillion in 2023— although it targeted N3.67 trillion for the year.

In all of these, the Federal Government is only angling the position the NCS as its ‘cash cow’ for generating revenue to help curtail the huge projected borrowings in the 2024 budget.

Unfortunately, this strategy looks unmindful of the import and possible impact of hiking cost of imports—for a country that is known to be largely import-driven over the years.

While the emphasis on revenue generation by the NCS is on the front burner, little or no attention is being paid to the likely upshots and fallouts of the revenue drive, and the operational inefficiency of the agency. The rise in the cost of importation owing to high cargo

While the 2024 Appropriation Act is couched on an assumed exchange rate of N750 per dollar, the latest NCS’ forex rate for cargo duties is over N1400 per dollar.

There is hardly any sector of the economy that is not directly or indirectly affected by the activities of Customs—and so, its duties rates adjustments have implications for all economic agents

Advertently or otherwise, the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) which is said to be issuing the duties rates to the NCS, is indicating that the (official) exchange rate of the Naira is yet indeterminate. It shows that the (official) forex rate is likely to keep rolling down the hill—possibly to the N2, 000 per dollar, as already predicted by many analysts. Indeed, it will border on hypocrisy and voodoo economics for the apex bank to want to ‘keep’ the official exchange rate at below N1, 000 per dollar and yet ‘impose’ almost N1, 500 per dollar on the NCS, to ‘generate’ more revenue at the expense of the standard of living of the Nigerian populace.

Indeed, the omen and ramifications of the hiked cargo clearing forex rate would be too deleterious on the economy—both in the short and long term.

clearance charges implies marked increases in the prices of all imported items. This automatically acts as one of the drivers of the already hyper-inflationary trend in the country—with the Consumer Price Index (CPI)—which measures inflation rate hitting a three-decades-high of 28.92 per cent at end-December 2023.

In recent times, the Nigerian business climate has been

The resultant spate of smuggling; diversion of businesses to neighboring countries as well as heightened inflation via high cost of imported items would stall rather than stimulate economic growth. In the end, the ‘artificial’ tinkering with import clearance duties neither advances international trade nor the standard of living of Nigerians.

•Okeke is a practising Economist, Business Strategist, Sustainability expert and ex-Chief Economist of Zenith Bank Plc

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FEBRUARY 18, 2024 WWW.THEWILLNEWS.COM

Thewillsociety

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ENTERTAINMENT &SOCIETY WEEKLY EDITOR Ivory Ukonu

1966 - 2024

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FEBRUARY 18, 2024 T H E W I L L N E W S P A P E R • www.thewillnews.com

ENTERTAINMENT &SOCIETY WEEKLY

Herbert Onyewumbu Wigwe: He Came, He Saw, He Conquered The pain and sorrow that accompanied the news of the death of the Group Chief Executive Officer of Access Holdings Plc, Dr Herbert Wigwe, on Friday, February 9, 2024 has left a lot of Nigerians hollow. He was alive one minute and dead the next. What is even more saddening is the fact that his death and that of five others happened on a day the Lagos City Marathon, an annual sporting event sponsored by Access Bank, a subsidiary of Access Holdings was underway.

Wigwe, in company with his first son, Chizi, his wife, Doreen Chizoba and Abimbola Ogunbanjo, a former chairman of Nigerian Exchange Group, died after the helicopter they were traveling in, crashed between California and Nevada, in the United States of America. They were traveling to Las Vegas to watch the Super Bowl when the unfortunate incident happened. He has been described by many - across all economic, religious and social, political and ethnic strata - who ever had any dealings with him, to be a hardworking, selfless and kind person who was passionate about humanity. It is for this reason, IVORY UKONU deemed it necessary to chronicle his life, times and different sides in a tribute to him.

The consummate banker hile he was a staff of Guaranty Trust Bank, where he committed over a decade of his working life, Wigwe and his long-time friend and W business partner, Aigboje Aig-Imoukhuede, began making plans to own

their own bank. They made a daring move and in 2002, they bought Access Bank, marking the beginning of a transformative journey in the Nigerian banking sector. They were both in their mid-30s at the time they made this bold move, Imoukhuede 36, Wigwe, 35. In 15 years, the bank grew to become the fourth largest bank in Nigeria. They took a tiny bank from a street corner in Lagos and turned it into a sprawling financial empire across Africa.

Between 2002 and 2014, Wigwe served as the company’s Deputy Managing Director. In 2014, he assumed the role of CEO and Group Managing Director of Access Bank. For eight years on the saddle, he led Access Bank Plc through an extraordinary growth period. He served as the chairman of Access Bank, Ghana, Access Investment and Securities Limited, Central Securities and Clearing System and presently as Chairman of Access Bank Limited and Unified Payments Services Limited.

In 2022, he became the CEO of Access Holdings. At the time of his death, he was the Chairman of Access Bank (UK) Limited, a board member of Nigerian Mortgage Refinance Company and a member of the advisory Board for Friends Africa.

How he died with his family igwe had departed Lagos for a business meeting in London and then got W his family to join him for the trip to the US. Ironically, he hardly travelled with his family. Together with Ogunbanjo, they all flew from London to Los Angeles and then chartered a chopper from Los Angeles to Las Vegas. The journey from Los Angeles to Las Vegas is approximately a four-hour journey while an air trip is approximately an hour and 30 minutes. They chose to travel with the latter. They however had excess luggage that could not go on the helicopter. This necessitated his personal assistant, Faleye Olushola, who was also billed to be on the ill-fated helicopter to opt for a road trip so as to keep an eye on their luggage.

The Eurocopter EC130 helicopter, Flight N130CZ, operated by Orbic Air LLC, took off from Palm Springs Airport but somewhere in San Bernardino County, a border city between Nevada and California, the chopper disappeared. It was later discovered to have crashed near Interstate 15 in Halloran Springs in Southern California’s Mojave Desert, just outside of Las Vegas.

The chopper took off around 8:45 p.m and crashed just after 10 p.m. The helicopter caught fire upon impact killing everyone on board. Wigwe was only 57 years old. The US National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) an independent US government investigative agency responsible for civil transportation accident investigation pointed to rainy and wintry weather as possible causes of the crash, although investigations are still ongoing.

Where he was headed igwe and his companions were on their way to the Super Bowls in Las W Vegas, United States. For as long as anyone could recall, he had made attending the Super Bowl one of his annual rituals. The Super Bowl is the

annual league championship game of the National Football League (NFL) of the United States. It has served as the final game of every NFL season since 1966. Since 2022, the game has been played on the second Sunday in February every year. This year's game was between the Kansas City Chiefs and the San Francisco 49ers. This was the game Wigwe was flying to Las Vegas to attend, but fate had other plans. Besides Wigwe, quite a number of other affluent and prominent Nigerians are known to be ardent fans of the game and like Wigwe, they also make it a habit to always attend every year.

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FEBRUARY 18, 2024 T H E W I L L N E W S P A P E R • www.thewillnews.com

ENTERTAINMENT &SOCIETY WEEKLY A champion of mergers and acquisitions

A lover of art igwe’s love for the art world was to say, the W least, second to none. He had a pride of place among top art collectors in Nigeria. He collected art

as a passion, both favouring foreign and indigenous creations. His offices across the continent and his homes are adorned with various intriguing art works that do not come cheap. So in love with arts and its various forms was he, that he commissioned Kehinde Wiley, a Nigerian/American portrait painter known for his naturalistic paintings of black people that reference the work of Old Master paintings, to make a painting of himself and his wife, Chizoba. He held a small party for the unveiling of the portraits which was done by Kehinde himself who he flew into the country for that purpose. Kehinde became most sought after when he was commissioned to paint former President Barack Obama's portrait for the Smithsonian National Portrait Gallery in 2017. The Columbus Museum of Art hosted an exhibition of Kehinde's work in 2007 and describes his paintings as "heroic portraits which address the image and status of young African American men in contemporary culture."

Wigwe gives his late father, Pastor Shyngle Wigwe, a former director of the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA), credit for helping him cultivate his love for arts.

e had a can-do spirit which was infectious, and he liked to upturn H conventional ways of business with his mergers and acquisition mindset. He yearned for Access Bank to become a significant player in the African financial landscape and so himself and his partner, through Access Bank began actively expanding its reach through strategic acquisitions. First it was Diamond Bank in January 2019; then Finibanco Angola S.A. in October 2022; then later, Sidian Bank in Kenya in June 2022. In July 2023, Access Bank and Standard Chartered Bank entered into agreements for the acquisition of Standard Chartered’s shareholding in its subsidiaries in Angola, Cameroon, The Gambia, and Sierra Leone, and its Consumer, Private & Business Banking business in Tanzania. Then earlier this year, the bank acquired an 80 per cent stake in Ugandan-based Finance Trust Bank (FTB)

A passionate leader of thought

His premium educational dream igwe was not only a prominent figure in the financial industry, but he was also passionately committed to quality education. Little wonder, W he vigorously pursued one of his dream projects, Wigwe University which is situated in his hometown in Rivers State. The university was all set to disrupt the higher education system in Nigeria with their approach to teaching and learning. The university's vision is to ignite

Africa’s potential for prosperity and nurture fearless leaders who will change the course of history. The university is to be modelled after Harvard University.

He believed that education is the key to unlocking Africa’s potential and through Wigwe University, he sought to leave a legacy that will contribute immensely to the continent’s greatness. His commitment to education is rooted in the belief that nurturing intellectual capital is pivotal for societal development. Wigwe planned to teach and mentor students and engage some of the country’s prominent entrepreneurs, including billionaire Aliko Dangote, Africa’s richest person, to teach at the university. Despite his demise, the university’s board of trustees has assured prospective students, faculty and staff that it remains committed to ensuring that the dreams of Wigwe and his aspirations for the project are fulfilled.

AA humanitarian humanitarian through through Herbert Herbert Onyewumbu Onyewumbu Wigwe Wigwe (HOW) (HOW) foundation foundation erbert Wigwe was a philanthropist committed H to humanity through his self-named foundation, Herbert Onyewumbu Wigwe (HOW)

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ecause he was open-minded, appreciated differences and respected divergent opinions, he created a leadership series known as the Access Conference. The biennial event is Access Bank’s response to a global call for corporate involvement in resolving the major challenges facing humanity. Since its inauguration in 2013, the Access Conference has consistently engaged global leaders like former US president, George Bush; former France president; Nicolas Sarkozy; former Ghanaian president, John Kufuor; Steve Wozniak, Narayana Murthy, José María Figueres and Muhammad Yunus - by provoking debates on issues of threats and opportunities to the world and reaffirming the importance of leadership to national and corporate successes.

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foundation, a social enterprise that focuses on youth empowerment through leadership and mentorship and on health, specifically malaria and prostate cancer. Also, through Access Bank, he initiated a collaboration with United Nations International Children's Emergency Fund, UNICEF, to offer support to vulnerable children, orphans and internally displaced persons in the northern part of Nigeria. To raise awareness for this purpose, the bank organizes the annual high-profile Access Bank/UNICEF Charity Shield Polo tournament mostly held in London, United Kingdom.

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FEBRUARY 18, 2024 T H E W I L L N E W S P A P E R • www.thewillnews.com

ENTERTAINMENT &SOCIETY WEEKLY A big supporter of Small Business Enterprises (SMEs)

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erbert Wigwe was a supporter of Small Businesses Enterprises, SMEs. While he was the managing director of Access Bank, he secured a loan support worth up to $50 million from the International Finance Corporation (IFC) to help the bank provide increased trade financing and working capital lending to their business clients experiencing disrupted cash flows, supported business activity, particularly SMEs navigating the economic challenges during the COVID-19 lockdown while setting a course of recovery for them. His intervention also helped to preserve jobs.

One good example of how Wigwe supported SMEs comes to mind and that is with a young man named Editi Effiong and how he gave the latter’s business its big break.

Editi runs Anakle, a digital marketing agency which created the popular Bride Price App. Impressed by the vision and innovation that went into the development of the App which he stumbled on, on X (formerly known as Twitter), Wigwe invited Editi and his team, and handed over Access Bank’s social media accounts to them to manage, with a hefty monthly retainer.

He went beyond the management of Access Bank’s social media and commissioned them to create most of Access Bank's television advertisements shown on CNN. Wigwe believed Editi and his team could do and gave them a chance.

A church boy who was a 'dangerous' giver e was a committed Christian and a member of the Redeemed Christian Church of God, (RCCG) City H of David parish, Victoria Island, Lagos. He had a heart for the things of God and used his resources to honour God and humanity. Wigwe's many acts towards Christendom are too numerous to enumerate

but for the sake of this article, I will name a few. During the time his parish embarked on the humongous project to build the RCCG's Trinity Towers of 12 floors complete with a helipad, he was made the chairman of the finance committee.

Before the foundation of the project began, Wigwe paid the rent for two branches of Access Bank to be situated in each wing of the tower at completion. Five years rent each making a total of 10 years. One does not need to be told that as a prime property the cumulative rent was in billions of naira. This was his way of helping the church realise some funds to kick start the project. He set up a fund-raising event for the building project and brought in people from America to attend. At the end of the event, N600 million was realised.

When the church needed to take facility from the bank, Wigwe supported by calling on his wife and friends to drop their widow's mite and they were usually in millions. When his parish wanted to start a project they called 'God’s children’s great talent,' Wigwe partnered with the church. While the church spent about N300 million for it, he spent about N500 million. He loved children and freely gave scholarships to them. He adopted a number of them and took care of them. For years, he was quietly paying the salary of the City of David parish classical choir every month without fail. When his parish wanted to build a school at Makoko slum for indigent students, Wigwe through his foundation partnered with the church in terms of salaries for teachers, feeding the students every day and sundry other issues.

The man who had no time for pettiness years ago, Herbert Wigwe recruited Gbenga Agboola, the co-founder of Flutterwave, a Scalledome FINTECH company as a staff member of Access Bank. He was asked to run an e-commerce unit 'Pay with Capture.' But rather than do the job he was employed for, Agboola reportedly used

the resources at his disposal to start his own business, Flutterwave, a rival company doing exactly what he was hired to do. Herbert never held grudges against him. Instead, he supported Flutterwave by speaking to potential clients and investors on Agboola's behalf, adopting him as his mentee, guiding and directing him as he built the biggest payment and e-commerce company in Africa today.

Wigwe with Makoko children

The truth about Craneburg Construction Company lthough Wigwe was A believed to be the founder of Craneburg Construction

A fitness buff

e loved to H keep fit, little wonder he looked

far younger than his age. He preached about keeping a healthy body and ran for fitness. This perhaps explains why he, together with his partner, floated the idea of the annual Lagos City Marathon.

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Company, only a few privileged people knew that his wife, Chizoba was actually the founder of the company and ran the company herself. It is reportedly one of Nigeria’s largest, diversified construction groups that employs 7,000 people working across all major sectors of the economy. She personally executed and monitored road, infrastructure and building projects in different states. The firm built the highways, bridges and toll plaza from Lekki Phase II all the way to Epe town. The firm was behind some airport construction projects, oil and gas, and marine projects etc.

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FEBRUARY 18, 2024 T H E W I L L N E W S P A P E R • www.thewillnews.com

ENTERTAINMENT &SOCIETY WEEKLY His awards and honours erbert Wigwe was a recipient of numerous awards. He H was named 2016 Banker of The Year by 'The Sun' and 'Vanguard' newspapers. In 2020, 'Leadership' Newspapers

named him Banker of the Year. In 2021, he was presented the Juris Law Award for his outstanding contributions to Corporate Governance and Rule of Law in Nigeria’s Banking Industry. In the same year, he was named African Banker of the Year by organisers of African Banker Award and the Best Banking CEO by organisers of Global Brands Magazine awards. In 2022, the Nigerian National Legacy Awards (NNLA) honoured him as an outstanding achiever from Rivers state. The NNLA, since 2010 has been dedicated to honouring industrious Nigerians and corporate concerns in varied endeavors whose outstanding contributions with commitment to integrity remarkably enhance national development. In the same year, he was honoured by former president Muhammadu Buhari with the Commander of the Order of the Niger, CON. In 2018, he was bestowed with an honorary doctorate from his alma mater, University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN). Wigwe was also a fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria, a fellow of The Institute of Credit Administration, and an honorary member of the Chartered Institute of Bankers of Nigeria.

His dream home

His wife, Chizoba

December 2023, Wigwe moved into his dream home on Queen's Drive, Ikoyi, Lagos. A mighty imposing Icannedifice that reeks of ambition and class, the home located on 23,000 square meters of land is everything one ever dream to be called a home, more like a sanctuary. No cost was spared in building the home. Built in conjunction with his wife and by Craneburg Construction Company, the 20-bedroom mansion boasts of any of life's comfort that one can think of.

Wigwe and wife, Chizoba (before and after) nlike most wives of bank founders or managing directors, Chizoba Doreen was no trophy wife.

U She was as immensely wealthy and successful as her husband. They had four children, one of who was Chizi before death snatched them. The other three children are Tochi, the eldest now, who is 26,

Hannah and David. Chizoba schooled in the United States and 31 years ago, at only 26, relocated to Nigeria with her university degrees to start life afresh back home. She was born into affluence but that didn't stop her from making her own money. Her late dad was Chief Cyprian Chukwuemeka Nwuba, a chartered accountant who worked for Shell Petroleum Development Company (SPDC) where he rose to the position of African Financial Controller, before moving to the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, (NNPC) where he was the Group General Manager, Finance and Accounts, before his retirement. Her mum was a senior public servant. Chizoba began as a trader and later began importing all sorts of things to sell. She later grew her business to span construction, real estate and the hospitality industries.

.......And

His parents

igwe’s sudden W departure leaves a void in the banking industry and

erbert Wigwe's parents, Pastor Shingle and Stella Wigwe are still very H much alive. His father is a pastor with the RCCG. They have been married for 56 years and just as they survived their own parents, they had hoped that their children would survive them. But fate had other plans. They lost their first child, Osita who was then 34 years old, over 27 years ago and now they would be buring another son, a daughter-in-law and a grandson. Pastor Shingle joined Nigerian Television Authority as a broadcast engineer and served in Rivers state after leaving the Nigerian Army. He was also a senior lecturer at the Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria engineering training school in Lagos. Pastor Shyngle rose through the ranks as a general manager of NTA Port-Harcourt, Rivers State and rose to become the director-general of the organisation. They are now left with their four remaining children, Joyce, Peggy, Stella, Emeka and their grandchildren.

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The senior Wigwes

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the community he served tirelessly. His legacy of excellence, compassion and dedication to community development will forever be remembered. Nigerians are also consoled by the fact that he is in a better place, and the businesses he built will speak eloquently of his legacies in years to come.

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FEBRUARY 18, 2024 T H E W I L L N E W S P A P E R • www.thewillnews.com

ENTERTAINMENT &SOCIETY WEEKLY

Afrobeats to The World: Where’s Nigeria’s Grammy?

BY JOEY AKAN

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t hurts to see your friends and colleagues walk down the prestigious aisle, climb on stage and breathlessly mumble out an often-pre-crafted speech, in acceptance of a trophy that could have been yours. Doesn’t it? The world tells you to suppress that cocktail of emotions that well deep within your chest, as you clap in fair play.

Show support for Africa. Clap until it is your turn. Though knowing the Grammy and the myriad variables that go into winning one trophy, your turn may never come.

invited to the academy ranks, and their showcases and editorials feature Nigerian talents. Recent award nights have also given us a measure of joy, with Wizkid, Burna Boy and Tems making us all dream again. That’s why tonight feels like a betrayal. We’re supposed to be friends now.

What? With an African record number of nominations, a new category where Nigerians dominated the nominations, including unfamiliar categories like Best Melodic Rap Performance, where Burna Boy got a nod. We had reason to expect something.

Everything. Anything.

And in the wake of Afrobeats’ shut-out, Nigerian emotions are amok.

There’s talk about our culture being used for promotional proposals.

Talk inferring that Nigerian superstars are artistic influencers for the Recording Academy, strutting through LA in large numbers, partying and performing across a plethora of pre-Grammy parties and mixers. Nigerian artists and the professionals handling their business emptied Lagos for LA—each person seeking a chance at “linking and building” with US-based executives. The Grammys and its surrounding spectacle offer a premium melting pot for business card exchanges, cross-cultural conversations about winning some more, and maybe nights of ecstasy filled with industry-standard partying.

The tears from the local industry players and creatives do reek of a layered brand elitism. It’s fashionable to cry for the Grammys. Even though we’re technically guests, invited to an American spectacle to diversify their ranks. We’re still fringe players at the Recording Academy, with negligible numbers incapable of swinging the odds in our favour. We still have a few voting cycles to cry some more. And that privilege of crying depends on Afrobeats maintaining its hold on pop culture. We are still building over there, and today's lesson teaches us that growth isn’t linear. Afrobeats, please hold this one.

Where was this level of support for the Headies, Nigeria’s homegrown, legacy award show with 16 years of honouring the local scene? Nominees are often absent and late. The chatter about the show borders on derisory. We don’t pack our halls in honour of the event, neither are we interested in elevating it. But we can cry for the Grammy.

Fashionable tears for what could have been.

Someone has to win today. And it isn’t you. Your insides are burning. There is the salty taste of defeat on your tongue, as disappointment crawls up your chest and into your mouth. But you must clap. And so you clap. For the cameras. For regard and respect to everyone watching for your response. For the good in your nature. And for your colleague who bested you in a contest. Above all, you clap because although it is hard to do so in the moment of loss; it is the right thing to do.

What we need is to return home. Tails between our legs as the realisation that all we got is us. And if we don’t take care of home, build, support and elevate it locally, we are at risk of delegating our pride to foreigners. Afrobeats have intrinsic value. However the current business model has funneled the entire ecosystem into exportation. And while we can boast of improved finances and investment pathways, we’re now forced to negotiate our cultural impact on parameters that weren’t created for us, in spaces where our existence is still a moot point.

I’m clapping for Tyla, the 22-year-old South African singer who is enjoying a dream start to her time in the global pop circuit. Her smash hit record, ‘Water,’ crossed over in 2023 as one of the biggest songs ever released by an African. And last weekend, she triumphed over Asake, Olamide, Davido, Ayra Starr and Burna Boy to pick up the coveted trophy for the inaugural Best African Music Performance category.

Tyla’s story is the stuff of dreams, showing the beauty of art and the spontaneity of fortunes within the space. A real African miracle.

Why are we hurt? Because we are playing a game that wasn’t created for us. And it sucks to lose.

However, that blessing comes at a cost for the biggest snub of the night — Nigerians. All award systems tend to do so during their annual cycles, with their winner versus losers format. Pain and laughter come together, as every winner mints a set of losers. Never mind that these losers didn’t create their art as a sport, or in competition with their peers. Never mind those Nigerian artistes and nominees impacted hearts and playlists across multiple countries and communities. Never mind that everyone on that list is an utter music monstrosity, bulldozing through their markets with the strength and quality of their output.

At award shows, it all comes to Creator A versus Creator B, and someone has to taste defeat.

As a Nigerian professional member of the Recording Academy, it doubly hurts. We’ve only just got here.

Afrobeats to the world are nascent around the Grammy circles, as the culture and organisation navigate mutual rules of engagement. In everyone’s defence, in recent years, Afrobeats has enjoyed a fair deal of collaboration with the Grammy. There are more Lagos-based members

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Perhaps, this spurs us as a creative and business class. To look inward and see our worth within us. That our local industry and all its institutions are enough, and exploration is just what it is; exploration.

Perhaps across the continent, we can resurrect our reward systems, intentionally imbuing cultural power and credibility in local award shows and bodies that seek to celebrate us. And to see those platforms worthy of our artistry and ego.

The Grammys snubbed Nigeria this year. And rather than mope around and petulantly kick some dust, let’s fight back by getting stronger at home.

It’s the only way out.

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FEATURES

Hon Femi Gbajabiamila: Burden of a Chief of Staff

BY MICHAEL JIMOH

obliged to tell the public – party chair, minister or cousin.

Despite this dislike for the CoS, dozens of supplicants will naturally stoop low to conquer. In other words, to get that ultimate gate pass to see Mr. President, you have to please the last man standing between him and the rest of us. Of course, there will be the obligatory groveling, complete with the perpetual smile that hurts cheek muscles. After all, didn’t the FCT Minister Nyesom Wike demonstrate his culinary expertise by specially inviting and cooking for Gbajamiamila and his entourage sometime back?

Unlike the president of a country whose allegiance is to defend the Constitution, the CoS pledges his loyalty to the president, to protect and be loyal to his principal in thick or thin, rain or shine. It is this loyalty, some analysts now insist, that has bound and strengthened PBAT and his longtime political and dependable ally Gbajabiamila together resulting in Tinubu settling for him as his Chief of Staff above many of his Young Turks while he was governor of Lagos state from 1999 – 2007.

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y virtue of their position, Chief of Staff to presidents are not much liked as you would a favourite uncle. Those in government or out of it, a minster, say, a spouse or relative, see them as unnecessary obstacles in getting Mr. President’s attention. As well as advising the president on policies, liaising between the executive arm and other branches of government, one of the cardinal duties of the CoS is sitting right in front of his principal’s office vetting those who gets the president’s ear and who doesn’t.

Aware of the need for his principal to catch a refreshing rest, however briefly, from an extremely busy schedule, a CoS may coolly rebuff a party chairman asking for an unscheduled meeting with Mr. President at 2am or thereabout. It is his prerogative, also, to turn down spontaneous and intrusive visits by troublesome relatives claiming blood kinship with the president. For all of that, the CoS comes off badly in the eyes of those denied access to his principal.

True! There was Femi Pedro.

Babatunde Fashola. Muiz Banire. Rauf Aregbesola.

Lai Mohammed. Kayode Fayemi. Dele Alake. Tunji Bello. Yemi Osinbajo and, of course, Gbajabiamila. To a man, they shared Tinubu’s progressive and radical idea of politics for change. One became governor, some of them commissioners and even ministers and another rose to become number two citizen of Nigeria.

Though politically relevant in the intervening years and morphing from a former state chief executive to national leader of a political party, Tinubu would only settle for one of them to be his CoS once he became president: Gbajabiamila.

Since assuming duty on 14 June 2023 as Chief of Staff to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu after confirmation by the Senate on June 2, Hon. Olufemi Hakeem Gbajabiamila, erstwhile Speaker of House of Representatives of the 9th Assembly, would have had such encounters with sundry visitors to Aso Villa. There would have been the political lobbyists for ministerial appointments, the business elite hoping for favourable economic policies and so on. There would have been lobbyists from the international community, as

“

It was not for nothing.

Aware of the need for his principal to catch a refreshing rest, however briefly, from an extremely busy schedule, a CoS may coolly rebuff a party chairman asking for an unscheduled meeting with Mr. President at 2am or thereabout

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In a Viewpoint article by Charity Amayanvbo of 17 August 2023 for Vanguard newspaper, for instance, that unalloyed loyalty is central to the journalist’s piece headlined “Gbajabiamila: Unveiling the untold story of a Chief of Staff fluent in Machiavelli’s Italian.” well, representing multinational companies in and outside Nigeria. Some would have gone swimmingly.

Some would have not, resulting in bellyaching for their inaccessibility to Mr. President and so laying the blame squarely at the door of the CoS. “Who does he think he is?” Those denied would invariably wonder privately, storming off in anger and promising to pay back in due time. Under such circumstance, Chiefs of Staff are often more reviled than those who appointed them. For instance, a disgruntled minister can badmouth an intransigent CoS but never the president who may have denied him audience in the first place via a “do not disturb” instruction only the CoS can decode, which he is not

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“One striking characteristic that sets Femi Gbajabiamila apart is his unwavering loyalty to President Bola Tinubu,” Amayanvbo wrote. “Often referred to as “Gbaja,” he earned the esteemed title of being President Tinubu’s staunch supporter. This unbreakable alliance was affirmed by none other than Asiwaju Tinubu himself, who declared that supporting Femi was tantamount to supporting him.”

In other words, support for one has been akin to support for the other, a point even the president emphasised loud and clear when it seemed that enemies of his CoS were driving a wedge between them. In late October 2023, it was no surprise Tinubu

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FEATURES

...Burden of a Chief of Staff came out categorically to declare his “absolute confidence” in Gbajabiamila, his main man who’d represented Surulere Constituency 1 six consecutive times since 2003 in the Lower House of NASS.

we got a place in Asokoro, hidden somewhere. We would start our meetings sometimes at 11 at night and leave at 4am. I can’t remember how many of us.

It was a risk to life.”

“First of all, let me reiterate to all of you the fact that a lot of stories are going around about what is happening,” President Tinubu said in a national address shortly before the weekly Federal Executive Council meeting. “I’ve told everyone in this country that I can make mistakes, they’re bound to air them out and correct them. Perfection is that of God Almighty. I have absolute confidence in the integrity of my Chief of Staff. All campaigns of calumny and insinuations should stop, the buck stops here.”

These days, Gbajabiamila does not much care about threats to his own life. For one, he has the president’s backing. Instead, he has devoted his time and resources to caring for the life of people in his Surulere Constituency 1 he represented in the House of Representatives for years.

Last December, for instance, Tinubu’s CoS facilitated an ultramodern 60-bed health facility named after him located on Iyun Road Surulere.

Lagos State Commissioner of Health Professor Akin Abayomi was on hand to receive the General Hospital on behalf of the state, declaring enthusiastically that with the hospital’s state-of-the-art features including radiology, a large laboratory, paediatric, physiotherapy, surgical, and X-ray facilities, Abayomi sounded confident “in its potential to substantially enhance the well-being of the constituency’s residents.” He also thanked the CoS for his “immense contribution and foresight in facilitating the establishment of this hospital.”

Tinubu’s successor was even more forthright about Gbajabiamila’s candour, loyalty and patriotism. At a book presentation MR SPEAKER: The Legislative Life, Service and Resilience of Femi Gbajabiamila in June 2022, President Muhammadu Buhari declared thusly through his Chief of Staff Alhaji Ibrahim Gambari: “For him what matters is not so much the party differences but what unites Nigerians and that is why he is a passionate advocate for a peaceful democracy and unity of Nigeria. And no amount of parliamentary maneuvres or differences between parties would deviate him from this.

"He introduced the term legislative diplomacy.

When there were issues between Nigerian and Ghanaian traders, he went to Accra and met with his colleagues and tried to resolve the issue.

“It is also a fact that under the Speaker and leadership of the Senate, there is no automaticity of opposition and antagonism to the executive. The role of legislature is not to be antagonistic as a matter of routine, but to be partners for good governance for the people of Nigeria. They are working together to make Nigeria better.”

Pooling hands together to make Nigeria better irrespective of party affiliation or tribe has been the focal point of the man who is now CoS to President Tinubu. In the wake of the oil subsidy removal by the president last May, the labour unions called for and went on an indefinite strike to protest the effect on Nigerians. Through his skillful negotiations on behalf of the Federal Government along with the then Minister of Labour and Employment Simon Lalong, Gbajabiamila as CoS got NLC president Joe Ajaero and his counterpart at TUC to the table. Through gentle persuasion, cajoling and making concessions, what would have been a protracted labour war with the Federal Government was resolved amicably in a matter of days.

At the end of the negotiations, previously unyielding NLC and TUC officials gladly posed in a photo-op with representatives of the FG. It was clear who had done the persuasion for the relatively young administration of President Tinubu.

Gbajabiamila had similarly worn another national battle that threatened the very existence of the country years before without firing a shot. Some people still recall his role as a staunch opponent of former President Olusegun Obasanjo’s third term bid in 2007. As Minority Leader of the Lower House then, Gbajabiamila was in the forefront of the opposition to Obasanjo’s ambition to continue after his two tenures as president from 1999 - 2007.

Though the former military head of state and civilian president has denied ever having such ambition,

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Apart from the health of those in his constituency, Gbajabiamila has also shown considerable concern for the improvement of young people across Nigeria through his Legislative Mentoring Initiatives (LMI) founded in 2022. By his own account, his life is “a testament to the transformative effect of the right kind of mentorship. I have benefitted from the wisdom and guidance of mentors who took an interest in me, supported my aspirations and provided me with the resources to thrive as a lawyer in the private sector and in public service.”

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Though the former military head of state and civilian president has denied ever having such ambition, Gbajabiamila has said that lawmakers who opposed it were offered money in support

So, LMI is to “try to do the same for others,” starting off as “a youth leadership development programme to identify, equip and empower a new generation of young people to lead in government and public service, particularly in the legislature. The Initiative will focus on training young people for the legislature because I believe that the legislature is the soul of the nation. Through law making and appropriations, the legislature defines the present and shapes the future of a nation.”

Gbajabiamila has said that lawmakers who opposed it were offered money in support. “While they were offering members N50 million,” Gbajabiamila recalled at the book presentation in Abuja, “I was offered double, a N100 million at that time, and you know what N100 million was, which, of course, I turned down. I say that for you to understand the pressure; financial, mental and physical pressure.”

According to him, shooting down OBJ’s third term bid preoccupied the legislators pretty much at the time. “We had no other job in the House except Third Term, constitutional amendment. For me, as noble as that work was, the best time was the day it died, not the Third Term itself, but the day it was killed on the floor. My best moment as a lawmaker was the death of Third Term; the day it was pronounced dead because we had sleepless nights. We were meeting;

Of the importance of LMI, Gbajabiamila pointedly noted that “tomorrow is not the future, the future is now, and our young people are that future. I ask you all to join me in this Initiative to develop a new generation of public sector leaders who possess the character and demonstrate the capacity for excellence in public service.”

LMI targets persons between the ages of 16-20, 21 to 35 with a total of seventy two fellows, one male and one female, selected from the thirty-six states in Nigeria and the Federal Capital Territory. Persons with disabilities are also part of the initiative.

Occupied thus with such laudable projects as LMI running thanks to his singular effort, as CoS Gbajabiamila will be more devoted in protecting his principal against intrusive politicians or relatives who may want to call at the Villa just for the sake of it. Polite brush offs will be inevitable. But it will be carried out in the line of duty and not as a personal grudge. More than any other person, Gbajabiamila sure knows it is a burden of being a Chief of Staff.

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FEATURES

Disquiet in Enugu Community Over Igwe-Elect

BY JANEFRANCES CHIBUZOR

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o those at home and in the Diaspora, December 19, 2023 remains a day the Evuazu community in Ezeagu Local Government Area, Enugu State will not forget in a hurry. Since then, there has been an uneasy calm in the community, following the emergence of Chief Christopher Sunday as the first Igwe-elect of Evuazu.

“Our people’s lifestyle will be improved. And that could be achieved only after the coronation. We don’t have money, but we will source money to carry out the projects.

“Eveazu has been a beautiful place and a safe haven for the people and even for their guests, especially during the cultural heritage festival celebrations. Our guests don’t want to leave after the celebration.

While many believed this step would enable the Evuazu autonomous community to achieve some levels of development, some see the day as the beginning of deliberate efforts at breeding division, cultural insensitivity, non-inclusiveness and supremacy of one over another.

“We have been living in peace from time immemorial and the process of electing the lgwe cannot quench the fire of unity and love burning within the community.

We are hospitable. Hospitality runs in our bloodline.

On a separate occasion, stakeholders unanimously agreed that the committee that spearheaded the writing of the constitution failed to address certain complaints raised by some set of groups, which resulted in differences of opinions amongst the people.

“The issue of autonomy cannot separate us because we are one blood. Well, as a traditional ruler, you can’t wait for the community to do everything. I will seek financial assistance from our brothers and sisters who love development. But I will start it.

Also, they urged the committee to do the needful by drafting a constitution that will facilitate the resolution of the existing challenges.

“Even the money we paid to the government to collect the autonomous certificate was almost impossible. At the time, there was no money in their purse, but on behalf of the community I committed the sum of N2.4 million as requested by the Enugu State Government.

The fund hasn’t been refunded to me.

However, they advised the aggrieved and the favoured to sheathe their swords and let peace reign.

According to an eyewitness account, the disagreement undoubtedly caused by the December 19 event negatively affected the turnout of guests and participants during the 2024 Ugwudoro of Evuazu Cultural Festival celebrated last month.

“But on the eve of Ugwudoro day, I went to Umunwanke with some members of the Evuazu committee that they should let peace reign. I will streamline everything about the Ugwudoro Festival and every attempt to disabuse their mind of the exotic notions that they are being marginalised appears to be abortive.

During THEWILL’s visit to the community recently, Chief Christopher Ekwo, the immediate past presidentgeneral of the community, dismissed claims that the process, which led to the emergence of the Igwe-elect, was entirely wrong. To him, the race for who would become the first Igwe was keenly contested and a winner emerged through the process.

The Umunwake said they are not against the Igweelect’s election, saying, ‘Igwe, we support you, but this is our stand on issues regarding Ugwudoro.’

“They refused to listen, but now we have started talking to three or four of them. I will be with them soon to make sure they reunite with others to move the community forward, so they won’t be left out in the cabinet and decisions taken against their wish. And I wouldn’t like that to happen.

Meanwhile, Evuazu has three smaller villages: Umukanu, where the Igwe-elect comes from, Amube and Umunwanke.

THEWILL observed that the former Evuazu leader highlighted the achievements he recorded while in office and after his tenure as president-general of Evuazu community. Notwithstanding, it seems the process of electing a new traditional ruler has snowballed into more tension in the community with its attendant political slants.

Ekwo, in an exclusive interview, said: “I have done everything within my power to upgrade the living conditions of the people by every standard.

“While waiting for government approval, in respect of the autonomous community, I have been doing everything possible to put the people in the spotlight. We actually planned to merge with a neighbouring village, known as Umuagbo, to form the Ibuzor autonomous community.

“One of the illustrious sons of the community, Barr. Matthew Eluke, was said to have been authorised by the former Governor of Enugu State, Lawrence Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi, at the twilight of his administration to make a demand. This is what led to the emergence of the Evuazu autonomous community, a move that will foster advancement across the entire community.

“The young man who doubles as a sitting judge didn’t tell the governor to give him land or money, he requested something that will benefit the whole people, then the governor approved Evuazu autonomous community, which I firmly believe will bring a lot of development.

“You know in a community, there will be agitators and you don’t expect everybody to like you, it is like politics, you join the party you like, and then when you win, you embrace everybody.

"The issue of Ugwudoro came up when some of our brothers from Umunwake complained about being left out. As the THEWILLNIGERIA

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Igwe-elect, I have been in constant dialogue with them but to no avail. I’m not relenting in my efforts to achieve peaceful coexistence among the people.

“I am not in any way against what you people are saying, even pleading with those affected to wait patiently till after the Ugwudoro festival. We will be able to sort everything and everybody will be happy before next year’s celebration."

While pleading that the indigenes should encourage him to function effectively, Ekwo said the tradition and custom decisions fell under the traditional ruler's purview.

Continuing he said: "I went as far as promising them that before next year's celebration, which will be great, everyone will come together and decide how we will be doing it. We don’t have anything for now, but by his grace, before the end of the year, we have promised to give the community basic social amenities, such as electricity, water, roads, hospital/ maternity and education in the form of nursery and primary schools, among others. From the water central unit, we will extend to inner villages to make it easy for the people to access.

“I have sent somebody to enquire on the repairing cost of the water pumping machine to ensure that the water issue is addressed and gone forever.

“We will beef up security. For example, there is a link road from Evuazu to a neighbouring community known as Nsude. Our people stopped accessing the road due to a high state of insecurity which include kidnapping, killings, rape, snatching of bags and more. We will make it safe for the people again, such that security will be beefed up along the area before December.

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“This issue of Ugodoro shouldn’t be an issue to us, because Ugwudoro is as old as the community. If we are going to change anything regarding the venue, it has to be a collective effort, there will be an agreement between all the villages. And this will allow the people to experience a better and more robust celebration next season.”

To his villagers, he said, “We are brothers, this Igwe is one of them and part of their family. They should be proud of how the election turned out, they should relax, and eventually, they are going to enjoy after the coronation.”

The former president-general of Obeleagu Umana, Chief Nicholas Ekwo said, “The only problem was an electoral process that led to the emergence of the Igwe-elect. A certain set of people expressed their grievances and according to them, the committee draft was not fairly and effectively treated, with the mindset that the draft couldn’t protect the rights of their own village.

“It’s a good thing we now have autonomy but let everyone come together to move Evuazu forward. I will support the Igwe-elect to move Evuazu forward.”

In his remarks, Mr Charles Ewo, who firmly believes they wouldn’t have been experiencing any form of contentions or animosity if he was duly elected into the office of Igwe said, “As it stands, the community has been divided into two. For now Umuahe/Nkpagu is with Umunwanke, while Umualiogene is with Amube. The spirit of disunity has set in and we should pray for peace to return in no distant time.

For peace to return the Constitution should return.”

Nevertheless, as at the time of writing this report, Barr.

Eluke stated, “As a sitting judge I wasn’t authorised to grant interviews without explicit permission from the state's Chief judge.”

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Super Eagles

Should Peseiro Get Another Contract?

BY JUDE OBAFEMI

Amunike

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was backed by the revered Jose Mourinho, but, even at his appointment, concerns remained about his lack of experience at the highest level and his previous struggles with Venezuela. Peseiro's success in Nigeria was going to depend on his ability to adapt to the new environment, manage the players effectively, and get results on the field.

Should the man who steered the Super Eagles to an impressive second place be entrusted with guiding them to the coveted World Cup or is it time for a fresh tactical mind? Unravelling this intricate question demands a deep dive into Peseiro's journey, his AFCON performance and the post-tournament debate.

His initial contract stipulated a one-year term with an option for extension based on his performance, particularly reaching the AFCON semi-finals. Notably, his initial monthly salary of $70,000 faced financial constraints, leading to a pay cut in his September 2023 renewal. This renegotiation also saw him take charge of the Super Eagles B, the home-based squad competing in the African Nations Championship.

Peseiro's arrival came at a critical juncture.

After a disappointing exit from the 2021 AFCON and a managerial carousel, with Augustine Eguaveon in the mix, the Super Eagles yearned for stability and direction. The Portuguese tactician, boasting experience with European clubs and national teams like Venezuela and Saudi Arabia, emerged as the NFF's chosen path.

Peseiro’s tactical approach, often characterised as defensively oriented, drew mixed reactions Peseiro

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he dust had barely settled on the electrifying drama of this year’s Africa Cup of Nations, yet a new storm is brewing within the Nigerian Football Federation (NFF): The fate of head coach Jose Peseiro. His contract, inked in May 2022, expired with the tournament's conclusion, leaving opinions about the progress of the national team divided.

The only national team experience of the relatively unknown Portuguese manager was a short and unsuccessful stint with Venezuela. Despite the lack of major trophies, he was respected for his tactical knowledge and ability to adapt to different situations. His appointment

Peseiro's reign began with cautious optimism. He navigated the World Cup qualifiers with aplomb, securing a dominant 10-0 win against Sao Tome and Principe and eventually guiding the team to the crucial final round. Yet, in that time, he endured losses in friendlies against Algeria in September, and Costa Rica and Portugal in November. This was followed by a 1-0 loss to Guinea-Bissau in the AFCON qualifying series at home before redemption against the country away from home to finish top of Group A and qualify.

Peseiro’s tactical approach, often characterised as defensively oriented, drew mixed reactions. While some lauded his pragmatism and adaptability, others yearned for a more expansive, attacking style. This debate intensified during the AFCON tournament in Ivory Coast.

Yet, the final against the hosts exposed perceived tactical limitations. The cautious approach, some argued, stifled attacking creativity and ultimately cost the team the trophy. The post-AFCON landscape pulsates with the question of Peseiro's future. His supporters highlight his achievements: exceeding the initial contract target by securing a second-place finish, maintaining a strong win rate, and qualifying for the crucial World Cup qualifiers.

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SPORTSLIVE

...Get Another Contract?

They emphasize the importance of continuity and building upon the established tactical framework.

Of these three, the most exciting option will be Mosimane.

A year ago, major partners, such as Nigerian Breweries, Air Peace, Cadbury, MTN, Emzor Pharmaceuticals, Aiteo, Coca-Cola, Revolution Plus, and Premier Lotto, were considering not renewing their partnerships due to perceived unprofessionalism in corporate relationships.

Reports suggest that Air Peace, Coca-Cola, and Revolution Plus have already ended their ties with the NFF, with others likely to follow suit.

Partners have cited difficulties in communication, a lack of benefits, and inconsistencies in branding opportunities.

Mosimane

However, his detractors argue that the narrowly missed trophy underscores the need for a more adventurous approach. They cite the limited integration of young talents, the perceived lack of tactical innovation, and the underwhelming final performance as reasons to explore other options. Indeed, in the qualifiers for the World Cup, Nigeria played out a disappointing 1-1 draw against Lesotho at home and against Zimbabwe away. There was also a further draw, a 2-2 result against Saudi Arabia to increase the cause of worry for football fans who wish for replacements for the Portuguese tactician. Names like Pitso Mosimane, Emmanuel Amuneke, and Hervé Renard have been thrown into the mix, each bringing distinct tactical philosophies and experiences.

implications. The NFF must make a decision that aligns with its budget and potential sponsorship deals in this economically strained period. Their financial position is not public knowledge, but these are not blooming times for the football body.

team chemistry.

However,concernslingerbeneaththesurfaceofoptimism.

Mosimane's recent stint with Al Wahda in the UAE, which was short-lived and unsuccessful, raises questions about his ability to adjust quickly to new environments and cultures. Additionally, some pundits express concerns about his demanding coaching style, which they argue can create friction with players and potentially impact

Mosimane’s availability aside, the debate for replacing Peseiro transcends mere tactics.

Financial considerations loom large. Renewing Peseiro might involve adjustments to his salary, while replacing him will mean there are no severance costs to deal with even though the recruitment of a new coach will come with its attendant financial

Historically, the Super Eagles have had moments of brilliance on the World Cup stage. Reaching the round of 16 in 1994 and achieving the highest FIFA ranking ever by an African team (5th) that same year are testaments to their potential. Given Mosimane's track record and Nigeria's past achievements, he could lead the team to new heights. However, while Mosimane's experience and tactical acumen offer promising prospects, his recent struggles cannot be ignored. One thing is certain: Mosimane's potential, based on his pedigree, would be a bold move for the Super Eagles, one that carries both exciting possibilities and potential pitfalls.

Eguavoen

A decorated coach with a proven track record, Mosimane's potential as manager of Nigeria's Super Eagles has sparked excitement and cautious optimism.

His impressive trophy cabinet, including domestic titles in South Africa and CAF Champions League victories with both Mamelodi Sundowns and Al Ahly, paints a picture of a winner capable of leading teams to the highest echelons of success. His vast experience across Africa, managing national teams and club teams in various countries, suggests an adaptability valuable in the diverse landscape of international football.

Furthermore, his tactical flexibility, employing different formations and approaches based on the opposition and his players' strengths, could be a boon for the Super Eagles, providing options to match different opponents in the World Cup.

Continued from Back Page

It’s Time For a People’s Constitution

By inhibiting strong governance at the state level despite immense ethnic, religious and regional diversity, Nigeria’s constitution sets the stage for political instability, alienation and separatist agitations now spreading through the federation. Without decisive efforts to decentralise power to states, state capitals will remain ineffective satellites of Abuja power brokers. This in turn sustains corruption, underdevelopment and infrastructure deficits and crippling economic opportunity for Nigeria’s bulging youth population.

As long as oil windfalls accrue to the centre while governors depend on handouts, the incentive for economic diversification and productivity vital for job creation and poverty alleviation disappears.

And when States lack the capacity to secure citizens or power to control their affairs, the rule of law retreats amidst spreading violence. Ultimately, without owning constitutionally protected stakes in the nation’s future, subnational groups may further lose loyalty to the federation itself.

Given these sobering scenarios, the growing chorus insists Nigeria cannot postpone a fundamental constitutional overhaul any longer without jeopardising its very future. What Nigeria urgently requires is an autochthonous, participatory and inclusive exercise to craft a peoples’ constitution reflecting federal aspirations.

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Unlike past impositions by authoritarian fiat, a new constitution must emerge after nationwide consultations and input from all segments of society rural and urban, women and youth groups, traditional institutions and faith communities. This will produce the legitimacy and sense of ownership vital for it to endure.

Substantively, a new constitution must get Nigeria’s federal relations right by empowering states as centres of authority, resources and accountability.

As Nigeria’s leading voices amplify these demands for a return to a parliamentary system, for state police et al, political leaders must re-engineer the constitution to set the country on a path to prosperity.

This new dawn will require statesmanship, bridgebuilding and bargaining. It equally demands self-reflection, compromises and willingness to relinquish narrow interests. Those that lead Nigeria must demonstrate both insight into these nuances and commitment to this great task. The alternatives - to ignore the calls or pursue factional agendas could jeopardise national cohesion. Nigerians appear to now seek leaders ready to guide democratisation forward, not backward. Each of us, as stakeholders in this project, have a responsibility to make this happen.

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NFF's Director of Media did not provide detailed reasons for the departures, stating that contracts simply expired without renewal.

Public opinion adds another layer to the conundrum.

Social media and fan polls reflect a passionate divide.

Some express unwavering support for Peseiro, praising his leadership and the team's progress. Others advocate for a change, believing a new coach with a more attacking philosophy could unlock the Super Eagles' full potential and prevent another World Cup miss.

Outspoken critic Segun Odegbami declared "Our sights are set on bigger targets now, and we would require a new coach." Navigating this intricate debate requires a nuanced approach. The NFF must conduct a transparent and data-driven process, considering technical evaluations, public opinion, and financial implications. Consulting with coaches, players, and key stakeholders can provide valuable insights.

Ultimately, the decision should be based on a comprehensive assessment of what will best serve the Super Eagles' long-term aspirations, propel them towards World Cup glory, and further climb up the FIFA rankings after moving 14 places from the impressive outcome of AFCON, which took Nigeria to 28th rank and third in Africa only behind Morocco (12th) and Senegal (17th).

The coaching replacement or continuity choice is not merely about Peseiro. It is about shaping the future of Nigerian football, harnessing the immense talent within the squad, and delivering the ultimate dream: an impressive World Cup performance. This decision, made with careful consideration and transparency, could mark a defining moment in the Super Eagles' journey.

Only time will tell if Peseiro remains at the helm, or if a new coach steers the ship towards a brighter future. Yet, one thing is certain: the impressive Super Eagles’ flight at AFCON is far from over.

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www.thewillnews.com February 18, 2024

It’s Time For a People’s Constitution A s Nigerians continue to grapple with untold hardship, growing calls for fundamental changes in the country’s system of governance indicate rising public disaffection with the status quo. We all seem to agree that our constitution is defective which has necessitated constant amendments at the National Assembly. From influential lawmakers to policy experts, prominent voices insist that the presidential model practised since 1979 has failed and that a shift to a parliamentary system holds the key to accountable leadership, equity in power relations and good governance.

This demand ties closely with governors’ persistent appeals for state police to tackle insecurity more effectively, a move the Federal Government had long resisted until last week.

The combination of these agitations spotlights deep dissatisfaction with current governance arrangements that concentrates power at the centre while state governors look helpless in the face of insecurity within their borders.

At the core of these issues lies grave flaws in Nigeria’s 1999 Constitution, an enduring relic of military rule that subverts democracy despite five election cycles since 1999. With origins steeped in authoritarian rule, this document contradicts the needs and desires of Nigeria’s population for welfare, security and advancement.

To grasp why the current constitution falls short and why a fundamental rewrite is overdue, we must revisit Nigeria’s system of government from colonial rule through early independence.

Beginning in 1914, Britain amalgamated diverse ethnic groups and kingdoms into a unitary Nigeria. Using a classic divide-and-rule strategy, the British governed indirectly through local leaders, avoiding mass investments in the colony while extracting vital resources.

This approach sowed the seeds of ethnic tension and rivalry that plague intergroup relations to date. At independence in 1960, Nigeria adopted a parliamentary government and federal constitution reflecting three dominant regions – North, East and West.

Each region exercised substantial autonomy mainly along ethnic lines. This First Republic collapsed by 1966 due to a lethal mix of corruption, election-rigging and regional power struggles that culminated in military coups and a civil war.

Since then, through cycles of military rule and aborted democratisation efforts, Nigeria has lacked a unifying constitution developed by consensus and consent.

The current constitution, just like its predecessor 1979 document, emerged under military authority without consulting the people or incorporating public aspirations about governance. General Abdulsalami Abubakar supervised the 1999 constitution largely copying 1979’s version to enable his own exit. Neither reflected Nigeria’s real needs.

This tainted origin explains the persistence of centralisation, exclusion and impunity that still plague Nigeria’s federal practice and governance culture.

The overbearing power of the federal government at the expense of strong, viable states breeds tension and conflict across the federation. At the root lies the concentration of resources and security capacities at the federal level, depriving states and

tying the hands of governors, even as insecurity overwhelms Nigeria.

Against this backdrop, the call by southern governors for state police structures - with personnel and resources controlled by state governments - appears unsurprising. With police overwhelmingly federally run, most governors lack the capacity to protect local communities or even work with federal police units productively.

Yet the Federal Government continues to argue against state police despite obvious policing gaps and failures, given worries about potential abuse by politicians. Such distrust remains a colonial legacy that diminishes federalism and constrains reform.

Overall, the combination of constitutional flaws, excessive centralisation and stalemate over state police highlight Nigeria’s deeply dysfunctional governance – the target for proponents demanding a new mandate and system.

In this context, it is easy to comprehend what fuels some federal lawmakers’ controversial campaign to replace the presidential model with a parliamentary system. Nigeria practised parliamentary democracy successfully leading to independence in 1960, they argue, and the merits outweigh the presidential model’s concentrated authority that enables misrule.

By making the prime minister dependent on parliamentary confidence, parliamentary systems allow easier removal of failed leaders through votes of no confidence, supporters contend. This relative fluidity incentivises power sharing across parties and geopolitical groups instead of winnertakes-all politics. It also compels consensusbuilding, bargaining and accountability – features largely absent currently but vital to reforming Nigeria’s troubled democracy.

Additionally, coordinating cabinet roles across parliament reduces corruption risks compared to the patronage-prone presidential system.

Reduced governance costs constitute another advantage.

However, I want to counter this by arguing that transitioning systems will not cure Nigeria’s flaws by itself without addressing root constitutional problems. Core issues of hyper-centralised power, resource control and skewed structure enable misgovernance, regardless of a presidential or parliamentary setup. What matters is how the constitution distributes power and resources between the centre and states and mandates checks on power.

The sobering truth, as most analysts concur, is that Nigeria has yet to practise federalism seriously since independence, as the central government continues to monopolise control in blatant disregard of federal principles. Neither presidentialism nor parliamentarianism alone can fix this. What Nigeria urgently needs is a ground-up constitutional reboot.

Nigeria’s constitution, more than any other factor, sustains dysfunctional federal relations and frustrates governance reform efforts. Beyond its questionable origins, there is enough currency in the criticism of the constitution’s centralising provisions that deny the states control over security and policing, natural resources, taxation powers and fiscal resources. This disempowers subnational leaders, encourages overreliance on oil wealth sharing and fuels conflict across groups competing for limited resources.

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By inhibiting strong governance at the state level despite immense ethnic, religious and regional diversity, Nigeria’s constitution sets the stage for political instability, alienation and separatist agitations now spreading through the federation PAGE 48

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