THEWILL NEWSPAPER July 02, 2023

This week our cover is Gen-Z focused. We talk to three popular Gen-Zs— Enioluwa Adeoluwa, Priscilla Ojo and Susan Pwajok. When Enioluwa Adeoluwa gained popularity as the ‘lipstick boy’, many thought he would be one of those social media sensations with a few months of fame and then dwindle into internet oblivion. But he has proven himself, snagging brand ambassadorships with brands such as Fenty Beauty, MAC and Crocs and becoming the first European Union ambassador in Africa. Eni, as he is popularly called, has some big dreams.

Priscilla Ojo is equally an influencer for Techno Mobile and has her bag company, Priscy Luxe. The young lady focuses on being independent and hardworking, not letting sexism and ageism get to her.

Susan Pwajok is that 20-year-old to be reckoned with. She knows what she wants and stays focused on getting there. The podcaster wants her podcast, Surviving Lagos, to be on various streaming networks.

We speak to them about media and life as Gen-Zs(the biggest misconception about Gen-Zs), and much more.

We tend to wear socks without knowing that specific types are made for different kinds of shoes. Hold on to your socks, as our fashion page gives a complete guide to pairing your socks with your clothes and shoes.

Downtown Confidential explores unconventional places for couples to spice up their sex life while our beauty page shares a comprehensive guide to deciphering skincare labels.

Chocolate desserts are among the most popular treats, so we share a few recipes with you. I hope you try them.

Until next week, enjoy your read.

Photo: Kola Oshalusi @insignamedia Makeup: Zaron

Priscilla Ojo | Enioluwa Adeoluwa Susan Pwajok

COVER

FEDERAL CABINET:

Kwankwaso, Oshiomhole, Wike, Cardoso, Pate, Others Tipped as Lobbying Intensifies

BY AMOS ESELE

President Bola Tinubu is finalising his ministerial list, marking his time with consultations across political and geo-political divide, but has closely guarded his thoughts on who makes the cut and keeping pundits guessing, THEWILL can authoritatively confirm.

With the Senate scheduled to reconvene on Tuesday, July 4, 2023, it is expected that their first legislative task will be to approve the appointment of service chiefs recently made by the president and then subsequently screen and approve ministerial nominees.

Tinubu's consultation, however, is in line with the Constitutional provision in Section 147, which says: “(1) There shall be such offices of Ministers of the Government of the Federation as may be established by the President. (2) Any appointment to the office of Minister of the Government of the Federation shall, if the nomination of any person to such office is confirmed

by the Senate, be made by the President. (3) Any appointment under subsection (2) of this section by the President shall be in conformity with the provisions of section 14(3) of this Constitution: -provided that in giving effect to the provisions aforesaid the President shall appoint at least one Minister from each State, who shall be an indigene of such state.”

Even so, the prominent names so far in the front row, according to THEWILL checks, are acolytes, political associates and a sprinkling of technocrats.

The political associates are either party members from the governing All Progressives Congress, APC, or from other parties who may help the President to consolidate his grip on politics ahead of the 2027 General Election, which echoed through the South-West political landscape during his whistle-stop visit among traditional rulers and Imams offering Sallah prayers.

Some others are longtime associates whose solid combination of expertise and trust make them indispensable to the execution of Tinubu’s envisioned policy framework. As for portfolios, only a few are clear so far even though that may become visible after the ministerial nominees have been approved by the Senate.

TINUBU Vs APC

There is another angle to the developing story that may see the President up against the leadership of the APC in the states and Abuja. THEWILL gathered that state chapters of the party particularly states without governors from the ruling party have since compiled names of persons it considers suitable for appointment into the federal cabinet, parastatals and agencies as well as special advisers. The names were forwarded to the party’s National Working Committee, NWC, in Abuja to intervene with Tinubu. The President, this newspaper learnt, is so far non-committal.

...Others Tipped as Lobbying Intensifies

MINISTERS ON POLITICAL CONSIDERATION

First on the list of those whose political alliance will go a long way to help the President to navigate geo-politics ahead of his re-election bid in 2027 is Senator Rabiu Kwankwaso.

Though the strongman of Kano politics with a sizeable presence in the North-West geopolitical zone through his Kwankwasiyya Movement is of the opposition New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP), he will be coming into the government as a ‘big catch’, according to a ranking APC member.

Kwankwaso’s coming into government, sources say, is threefold: Kano has a large voting population, which can and does spill over into neighbouring Jigawa State.

For a master tactician like Tinubu with an eye on the 2027 poll, it is better now “to grab and run with it,” that is Kwankwaso, to use the President’s catch phrase.

Secondly, making Kwankwaso a member of the kitchen cabinet now will be safer politically than to leave him out of sight, in a sense that he is politically closer to the main opposition PDP, his foundation party, than the APC, to which he defected under a cloud in 2015 and left to take over the New Nigeria Peoples Party, NNPP, after briefly defecting back to the PDP in 2022. He is currently the leader of the NNPP, under whose platform he ran for the 2023 presidential election.

Thirdly, the source said Kwankwaso’s political capital would be bankable as a vice presidential candidate in 2027 than the current VP, Kashim Shetimma, whose Borno state returned abysmally lower figure than Kano and its environs.

ANOTHER ANGLE TO THE POLITICAL CONSIDERATION

The other dynamics playing out in consideration of the ministers is the influence of the President’s close associates. Some of them helped to win the votes in their states for Tinubu, while others are coordinating the recruitment of names in their respective states.

In the first consideration is former Governor of Rivers State, Nyesom Wike, who coordinated the G-5 aggrieved PDP governors to undermine their party and helped the APC and Tinubu to victory.

Still pursuing his anti-PDP politics, the former Rivers governor is currently working night and day to coordinate opposition to the

emergence of a Minority Leader of the Senate from the camp of the party’s presidential candidate in the 2015 poll, Atiku Abubakar.

Wike is battling to stop the emergence of former Governor Aminu Tambuwal of Sokoto State as Senate Minority Leader. For all his efforts, he is said to have been penciled down for the post of either Minister of Transport or Niger Delta Ministry.

As previously reported exclusively by THEWILL, a party man and dependable ally of the president, Senator Adams Oshiomhole, representing Edo North, is also, in a way, linked with the politics playing out in Edo State, to make him a representative of the state as a Minister.

However, PDP’s Vice National Chairman South, Dan Orbi and leader of the aggrieved PDP legacy group in the state linked with the Wike-led G-5 governors, is said to be fighting to be the nominee, claiming that it was part of the deal they struck with Tinubu and the APC in return for support during the 2023 general election.

In Delta State, Chief James Ibori, a chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, is believed to be playing an influential role in

in a sense that he is politically closer to the main opposition PDP, his foundation party, than the APC, to which he defected under a cloud in 2015 and left to take over the New Nigeria Peoples Party, NNPP, after briefly defecting back to the PDP in 2022. He is currently the leader of the NNPP, under whose platform he ran for the 2023 presidential election

the choice of who emerges the nominee from the state. Former Deputy Senate President and governorship candidate of the party in the state, Senator Ovie Omo-Agege, former cabinet Minister and APC presidential campaign spokesman, Festus Keyamo, SAN and David Edevbie, the governorship candidate of the PDP in the state are believed to be frontrunners.

In Ekiti, the ministerial battle in the state appears to be between former Governor Kayode Fayemi and the coordinator of the South-West Agenda for Asiwaju, SWAGA, Dayo Adeyeye. Both men are positioning to determine who gets what in the state.

Again, both have been ministers before; Adeyeye was Minister of State for Works under President Goodluck Jonathan, while Fayemi, a two-time governor, was Minister of Solid Mineral Development in President Muhammadu Buhari’s government. As acolytes of Tinubu, their fate may depend on the president.

Former Osun governor and cousin of the president, Adegboyega Oyetola and his counterpart in Cross River State, Professor Ben Ayade, who lost his senatorial bid after serving out his two-terms as governor, first on the platform of the PDP and then the APC, are also said to be in top consideration for their states.

A WHIFF OF TECHNOCRATS

Leading the pack of technocrats in the ministerial list is Muhammed Ali Pate from Bauchi State, a former Minister of State for Health under President Jonathan, before he resigned in 2013 to pick up a job as a Professor in Duke’s University’s Global Health Institute and last week rejected appointment as CEO of GAVI, the global vaccine alliance.

Yemi Cardoso, the current chairman of Citi Bank and former Commissioner of Economic Planning and Budget in Lagos State, is also tipped as the likely ministerial nominee for Lagos.

For Ogun State, if president Tinubu sticks to his original plan, then Wale Edun would clearly be the nominee and Minister of Finance. But the President lately, according to multiple sources, is toying with the idea of appointing Edun as governor of the CBN though some close advisers have advised that he would be more impactful in Finance. THEWILL recalls that Tinubu had nominated Edun to be Buhari's Finance Minister in 2015 but that bid failed with Kemi Adeosun, a nominee of then governor, Ibikunle Amosun emerging.

Making Kwankwaso a member of the kitchen cabinet now will be safer politically than to leave him out of sight,

30 Days in Office: Mixed Reactions as Benue PDP Rates Alia Low

Mixed reactions have trailed the performance of Benue State governor, Revd Fr Hyacinth Alia's first 30 days in office, with the opposition People's Democratic Party (PDP), scoring him low.

"PDP in Benue State observes that Governor Alia has achieved within this period the worst take-off in office since the return to civil governance to the country in 1999. "PDP's observation derives from an assessment of the governor's start in office compared to his predecessors within the same period in view."

Gov Adeleke Drops Hint on Subsidy Palliatives, Receives Commendations

BY DAVID OWEI

Governor Ademola Adeleke of Osun State has disclosed plans by his government to launch palliatives to cushion the impact of subsidy removal, declaring his administration's readiness to make life easy for residents of Osun state.

The governor made the disclosure at a stakeholder meeting of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), at its office in Osogbo on Friday, stressing his conviction to run a government that puts a smile on the faces of the people.

Governor Adeleke, who appreciated leaders of the PDP for their support since assuming office, noted that his administration has been working in line with "our election promises and the agenda of the party."

While detailing projects and interventions implemented so far recorded by his government in the health, education and public infrastructure renewal, Governor Adeleke said the PDPled government in the state has achieved what the APC failed to do under seven months.

"We are implementing programmes and projects in education, health and infrastructures: what the APC could not achieve in four years, we have achieved in under seven months.

"We have positioned the public service, build roads, bridges and channelisation. We have commenced payment of salary and pension debt.

"Your (PDP) government has launched the Osun digital economy agenda. Abandoned projects are being completed. Your government

is beating old governance records within so short a period", he stressed. Speaking on plans to cushion the impact of fuel subsidy removal on Osun populace, Governor Adeleke pointed out that "We (Osun Government) will soon introduce public transport buses. We are working on adjusted work hours and days. We want to make life easy and enjoyable for our people."

Governor Adeleke went on to assure party leaders and members that he will run an inclusive government that leaves no one behind, adding that "we will all be accommodated. We will be fair to all.

"I appreciate your support then and now. This is your government. We shall all realise the fruits of our labour," he said.

Speaking at the meeting, a former Governor of the state, Olagunsoye Oyinlola, and other stakeholders of the party also commended the governor for robust performance and delivery of good governance in the last seven months.

Oyinlola said that despite the initial skepticism that trailed Adeleke’s arrival in Government House, the governor had succeeded in proving his critics wrong within seven months of assuming office.

He noted that Adeleke’s superlative performancehad aided the electoral fortunes of the party at the state and national elections.

"Governor Adeleke has surprised even his worst critics. His performance impresses all and it has strengthened the party and the state. We commend the Governor and his team", the former governor noted.

I Was Only Elected Once as Bayelsa Governor, Sylva Tells Court

The candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the November 11 governorship election in Bayelsa State, Timipre Sylva, has said he was elected governor of the state only once. Sylva, who is the immediate past Minister of State for Petroleum, refuted the allegation that he was previously elected as Bayelsa governor on April 14, 2007 and May 24, 2008.

The former minister, in a counter affidavit filed by his lawyer, Adelani Ajibade, before Justice Donatus Okorowo of a Federal High Court, in Abuja, made the claim in response to the originating summons filed by Chief Demesuoyefa Kolomo, a member of the APC.

Kolomo had prayed the court to order INEC to delete Sylva’s name from the list of candidates contesting the governorship election scheduled to take place on November 11, 2023.

In his originating summons, Kolomo asked the court to determine “whether having regard to the indisputable fact that Sylva occupied the office of governor of Bayelsa from May 29, 2007 to April 15, 2008 and May 27, 2008 to Jan. 27, 2012, he is qualified to contest and be elected for another fouryear term, in view of Section 180(2)(a) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended).”

Reacting in a counter affidavit marked: FHC/ABJ/CS/821/23 dated and filed June 27, Sylva insisted he had only been elected once as the state’s governor, insisting that there was no election in 2007.

“I have only occupied the Office of the Governor of Bayelsa State on one occasion. I was elected as the governor of Bayelsa State on 27th May, 2008.

“Contrary to Paragraph 5 of the affidavit (attached to the originating summons), I know that by virtue of the Court of Appeal judgment referred to, that is now reported as Amgbare Vs. Sylva (2009) 1 NWLR (Pt. 1121), there was no election in Bayelsa State in 2007", he said.

In a statement signed by the State Publicity Secretary of the party, Bemgba Iortyom, noted that Alia's credit so far has been a half-hearted attempt at payment of wages to workers, which it said excluded the entire local government workers, staff of the Benue State University, primary school teachers and staff of Universal Basic Education Board, as well as secondary school teachers and staff under the Teaching Service Board (TSB).

"What this means is that roughly about 70 per cent of the workforce of the state went unpaid from the governor's much hyped gesture, which it is even unclear from which source he funded the exercise that has since been dismissed as a mere popularity stunt."

According to PDP, Governor Alia can also be seen getting increasingly entangled in a self-spurn web of supremacy battles with stakeholders and leaders of the All Progressives Congress (APC), as well as poking his fingers into everything controversial including direct involvement in the politics of transport unions in the state.

"The governor, after a full month in office has failed abysmally where the consideration is stamping an imprint as may pass for the defining paradigm of his government.

"By contrast, George Akume as Governor in 1999 had by this time stamped the welfarism paradigm of his administration which targeted to revive a people pathetically impoverished by decades of military dictatorship, as was encapsulated in the maxim, reviving people to strength before teaching them to fish."

The party pointed out that only a month in office, Akume had deployed his experience and exposure as a thorough-bred civil servant and politician who knew the Benue terrain and possessed the right levels of social connectivity within it, saying that Gabriel Suswam as governor was effective by one month in infrastructure drive of his administration setting to work on the transformation of Makurdi the capital city with the building of grade A asphalt roads and streets with pavements and walkways. Suswam earned for himself the title of 'Mr Infrastructure', which was conferred on him by a reputable media house for his massive impact in the area of infrastructural linkages across the state.

He said Governor Ortom by the first month had identified the need to straighten the inherited accounts of government, which he set out to do with a focus that saw the constitution of a Commissions of Inquiry with a clear-cut status under law and an operational guide.

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu (right); Chairman of Progressive Governors' Forum/Governor of Imo State, Sen Hope Uzodimma (middle) and Senate President, Sen. Godswill Akpabio (left), sharing a view at the Sallah reception for the President in Lagos on June 29, 2023.

FROM GEORGE MARTINS, MAKURDI

CSOs Oppose IPMAN Over Alleged Plan to Increase Petrol Price

Acoalition of Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) on Friday said it would resist planned increase in the price of petroleum being allegedly worked on by the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN). The CSOs made their position known in a statement jointly signed by the Convener, Dr Basil Musa; and Co-Convener, Malam Haruna Maigida, in Abuja on behalf of others.

Others who signed the statement were officials of Oil and Gas Transparency and Advocacy Group, Civil Society Coalition for Economic Development (CED), Centre for Citizens Rights, Centre for Good Governance Advocacy and Action against Corruption in Nigeria, among several others.

Moshood Abiola Poly Alumni Pay Tribute to Prof Lai Oso

The Moshood Abiola Polytechnic Alumni Association, Abeokuta, on Friday mourned the untimely passing of Professor Lai Muraino Oso, a distinguished former Deputy Rector and Head of the Mass Communication Department at Moshood Abiola Polytechnic, Abeokuta.

Commenting on the sad event in a statement, the National President of Moshood Abiola Alumni Association (MAPALUM), Pastor Ezekiel Obasanya, expressed his heartfelt condolences, stating, "With the demise of Professor Oso, a treasure trove of communication scholarship has been extinguished. Unfortunately, his passing on Saturday, June 24, 2023, has left us in profound sorrow, but we submit to the will of God. We will miss his outstanding academic insights. The alumni community is filled with profound sadness and grief as we remember Professor Oso's remarkable contributions to the field of communications.’

Obasanya further emphasised, "With a career spanning several decades, Professor Lai Oso stood as one of Nigeria's foremost Communications scholars. His demise has left an irreplaceable void in the realms of academia and communication. His dedication to scholarship and unwavering commitment to nurturing talent will be deeply missed. As the Moshood Abiola Polytechnic Alumni Association, we are

determined to uphold his legacy and continue his pursuit of excellence in the field of Media and Communication Studies."

The statement reads in part: “Professor Oso, an erudite scholar in the domain of Communications, has left an indelible mark on Moshood Abiola Polytechnic, Abeokuta. He will be remembered as one of the earliest Academicians who dedicated their efforts to establishing the old Ogun State Polytechnic as a renowned academic institution. His loss is a significant blow to our alumni community.

“When he joined the services of Ogun State Polytechnic, Abeokuta, in 1982 as a Lecturer in the Department of Mass Communication, P Oso had an immense impact on numerous generations of scholars.

“Prof Oso's tenure as Deputy Rector and Head of the Mass Communication Department at Moshood Abiola Polytechnic, Abeokuta, further exemplified his commitment to nurturing exceptional talent. For our esteemed alumni members who benefited from his robust academic insights, he will forever be remembered as a legendary scholar in Media and Communication Studies. His influence extended far beyond Nigeria's borders, particularly in the realm of development media.

2023 Hajj: FCT Loses Female Pilgrim in Makkah

Afemale pilgrim from the FCT, Hajiya Amina Yunusa, passed away in Makkah, Saudi Arabia.

Malam Abubakar Evuti, the Director of the Federal Capital Territory Muslim Pilgrims Welfare Board, confirmed the sad incident to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), on Friday in Makkah.

” With total submission to Allah, the FCT Muslim Pilgrims Welfare Board MPWB hereby announce the death of Yunusa.

” May Allah forgive her short comings, accept her act of worship and grant her

Ex-NUC Boss Hands Over Office as Tinubu Approves Resignation

The outgone Executive Secretary, National Universities Commission (NUC), Prof. Abubakar Rasheed, has formerly handed over to the most senior officer in the commission, Mr Chris Maiyaki.

At the handover ceremony in Abuja on Friday, Rasheed said he had secured necessary approval from President Bola Tinubu to step down with effect from June 30, 2023.

He said that the new executive secretary would be steering the affairs of the commission in acting capacity until the appointment of a substantive executive secretary by the president.

‘Due to my desire to spend my active years in the classroom, I decided to write the president through the Federal Ministry of Education three years before my tenure expired.

”Upon receiving the approval, I wrote to the Vice Chancellor of Bayero University, Kano to return to classroom with effect from July 1, 2023.

”I want to thank everyone for your faith and confidence in NUC, I appreciate you for supporting the management of NUC because I am lucky to have worked with confident staff,” he said.

Rasheed appreciated the counter-based unions, especially the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) and the support received from sister agencies throughout his tenure.

The CSOs said that information reaching them was to the effect that IPMAN was planning to increase petrol price to N700 per litre, a move which they vowed to resist by picketing IPMAN members’ filling stations across the country.

They accused the IPMAN of running a parallel government and inflicting pains on ordinary Nigerians by their unilateral adjustment of price of petroleum.

They described the planned increment as unacceptable and called on the Federal Government to stop IPMAN from its alleged profiteering at the expense of ordinary Nigerians.

The CSOs said the move was an economic sabotage, coming at a time Nigerians are still trying to come out of the “price shock”, occasioned by the increment on May 29. They said that Nigerians were already passing through difficult times over the recently adjusted fuel pump price with no palliatives measures yet in place.

They vowed to mobilise their members and other stakeholders across the 36 states of the federation to embark on a protest, adding that the protest would target at shutting down filling stations nationwide. They added that Nigerians could not afford to be railroaded by IPMAN, in alleged contraction of the position of Federal Government on petroleum price.

“As a Coalition of Civil Society Organisations (CSOs), we are monitoring events and the proposed fuel pump hike to N700 per litre by IPMAN and we say it is unacceptable.

“If government does not caution IPMAN, we see it as a deliberate collusion to drive Nigerians into unmitigated difficulties.

“As CSOs, we will not sit and watch that happen. We will mobilise Nigerians into a street protest and that should be taken from us.

Aljannat.”

The director, who expressed his heartfelt condolences to the immediate family of the deceased, advised them to accept her death as the will of Allah.

” We should take solace in the fact that she passed on in the holy city of Makkah after performing Hajj Mabroor(acceptable hajj), which has the reward of Aljannatul Firdausi, as related in the Hadith of Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him.

When asked of any case of corruption after his resignation, he said he resigned voluntarily from office and not because of fear of alleged corruption.

”As far as I know, I voluntarily resigned from office. I actually resigned two years ago after the expiration of my first tenure in office because I did not want to come back.

”I had already gone to the classroom before my reappointment. This is because I don’t want to retire anywhere outside the classroom and have run the organisation to the best of my abilities,” he said.

“We watched the removal of the fuel subsidy regime by President Bola Tinubu in his inaugural address on May 29 and we take the dare consequences as part of sacrifice, awaiting when the government would have settled to come up with ameliorative measures for the citizens.

“But for IPMAN to adjust fuel pump prices will stoke protests because it is not in the interest of Nigerians,’ they said.

They said if IPMAN achieved the proposed increase, it would amount to over 451 per cent above what Tinubu Administration met in office, thereby raising the fear of hyper-inflation on cost of goods and services.

L-R: Group Chairman, Odu’a Investment Company Limited, Otunba Bimbo Ashiru; Ekiti State Governor, Mr Biodun Oyebanji and Group Managing Director, Odu’a Investment Company Limited, Mr Adewale Raji, during a working visit to the Governor’s Office, Ado Ekiti on June 30, 2023.

SHOTS OF THE WEEK

Photo Editor: Peace Udugba [08033050729]

L-R: Former Governor of Lagos State, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode; Governor of Lagos State, Babajide Sanwo-Olu; President Bola Tinubu and former Governor of Lagos State/ former Minister of Works and Housing, Mr Babatunde Fashola (SAN), during a State reception in honour of the President, at the Lagos House, Marina, on June 29, 2023.

L-R: Head of Foreign Desk, News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), Mr Emmanuel Yashim; British High Commissioner to Nigeria, Richard Montgomery and Principal Correspondent, NAN, Mrs Lizzy Okoji, during the British High Commissioner’s appearance on NAN forum in Abuja on June 25, 2023.

L-R: Executive Vice Chairman/CEO, Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), Prof Umar Dambatta; President, Nigerian Academy of Engineering (NAE), Prof Azikwe Onwualu and Chairman, Board of MTN, Dr. Ernest  Ndukwe, during the NAE’s 2023 Technology Dinner, where the NCC received the Academy’s Platinum Appreciation Award for supporting the NAE’s initiatives in Lagos recently.

L-R: President, ShaddaiVille Ministries, Dr. Kunle Hamilton; Nollywood filmmaker, Funke Akindele; ShaddaiVille Co-founder, Mrs. Taiwo Hamilton and Executive Director, Niger Delta Power Holding Company Ltd, Engr. Ifeoluwa Oyedele, at the presentation of an award of Fellow of the ShaddaiVille Leadership Academy to Akindele in Lagos on June 27, 2023.

L-R: Sales Director, Japan Tobacco International (JTI), Oscar Anyachor; General Manager, Japan Tobacco International (JTI), Thomas Adams; Director General, Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI), Dr. Chinyere Almona; Vice President, Membership and Welfare Committee, LCCI, Ladi Smith and Corporate Affairs and Communications Directors, Japan Tobacco International (JTI), Vivian Ikem, during JTI’s courtesy visit to LCCI, in Lagos on June 27, 2023.

Member, Governing Council of the Chartered Institute of Accountants of Nigeria (ICAN), Chibuzor Anyanechi (3rd R); the 2nd Deputy Vice President, ICAN, Queensley Seghosime (3rd L); Chairman, ICAN, Gwagwalada and District Society, Mr Dala Musa-Mamman (M); Immediate past Chairman, Chimezie Ogu (2nd L) and other newly sworn-in executive members during the investiture of the 3rd Chairman and inauguration of ICAN, Gwagwalada District in Abuja, on June 24, 2023.

POLITICS

Thirty Days in Office: Prominent Nigerians Hail Tinubu

BY AYO ESAN

Senator Bola Ahmed Tinubu was sworn-in as Nigeria’s President on May 29, 2023. In his inaugural speech, he announced the signpost of his administration’s policy.

Tinubu outlined, in broad terms, a few initiatives that define his administration’s concept of progressive and good governance in furtherance of the Nigerian ideal.

He said: “The principles that will guide our administration are simple: Nigeria will be impartially governed according to the constitution and the rule of law.

“We shall defend the nation from terror and all forms of criminality that threaten the peace and stability of our country and our sub region.

“We shall remodel our economy to bring about growth and development through job creation, food security and an end of extreme poverty.

“In our administration, Women and youth will feature prominently and our government will continue to take proactive steps such as championing a credit culture to discourage corruption while strengthening the effectiveness and efficiency of the various anti-corruption agencies”.

One lingering issue that Tinubu trashed in his inaugural speech is the issue of removal of subsidy on petroleum products. Although not included in his speech, he announced the removal of the subsidy.

He said the era of petrol subsidy had gone, noting that it was not sustainable.

The President also noted that the recent currency swap introduced by the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, was too harshly implemented, given the number of unbanked Nigerians.

He said the policy would be reviewed and that his administration would treat both the old and new currencies as legal tender.

Tinubu contended that since there was no provision for subsidy in the budget after June by the previous government, the money to be used for it would be channeled to other sectors.

He said: “We commend the decision of the outgoing administration in phasing out the petrol subsidy regime, which has increasingly favoured the rich more than the poor. Subsidy can no longer justify its everincreasing costs in the wake of drying resources.

“We shall instead re-channel the funds into better investment in public infrastructure, education, health care and jobs that will materially improve the lives of millions.”

The immediate effect of the announcement was a sudden hike in the price of petrol. Nigerians woke up to the news that the pump price had risen from an average of N200 to N500 per litre or more in some northern and south-eastern states. Rather than protest against the development, many chose to await the palliatives that would cushion the effect of the hardship that followed the removal.

On monetary policy, President Tinubu had said: “Monetary policy needs thorough house cleaning. The Central Bank must work towards a unified exchange rate. This will direct funds away from arbitrage into meaningful investment in the plant, equipment and jobs that power the real economy.

“Interest rates need to be reduced to increase investment and consumer purchasing in ways that

sustain the economy at a higher level.

“Whatever merits it had in concept, the currency swap was too harshly applied by the CBN given the number of unbanked Nigerians. The policy shall be reviewed. In the meantime, my administration will treat both currencies as legal tender.”

Another initiative of the Bola Tinubu Administration in the last 30 days is the unification of the exchange rate.

Explaining why the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) introduced the unification of exchange rates, President Tinubu pointed out that he could have chosen to maintain the multiple foreign exchange systems that he met upon assuming office and benefit from it, but instead opted to unify the official and parallel market rates to save the country from financial haemorrhage.

“I could afford to share the benefit by participating in the arbitrage, but God forbid! That’s not why you voted for me,” he said, stressing that he unified the exchange rates in the nation’s best interest, just as he did with the removal of fuel subsidy.

He explained that these moves were necessary in the early days of his administration to “stop the bleeding” of Nigeria’s finances.

President Tinubu has also rejigged the security apparatus as he has changed the Service Chiefs and has appointed a new National Security Adviser in former Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, Mr. Nuhu Ribadu.

He approved the immediate retirement of all Service Chiefs and the InspectorGeneral of Police, Advisers, and Comptroller-General of Customs from Service as well as their replacements with immediate effect.”

The new appointments he made include Maj. Gen. C.G Musa as the Chief of Defence Staff; Maj. T. A. Lagbaja as the Chief of Army Staff; Rear Admiral E. A. Ogalla as the Chief of Naval Staff; AVM H.B. Abubakar as the Chief of Air Staff; DIG Kayode Egbetokun as the Acting Inspector-General of Police, and Maj. Gen. EPA Undiandeye as the Chief of Defense Intelligence. Looking at what President Tinubu has been able to do in his first 30 days in office, many Nigerians have praised him for his speedy start to governance.

Former Governor of Ogun State and chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Aremo Segun Osoba, said President Tinubu had begun well with his “far-reaching decisions that would transform the polity, economy and security upheavals of Nigeria in the nearest time.”

Osoba said that the fuel subsidy removal was in the interest of the masses. “I doubt if any of the presidential candidates would have had the guts to remove fuel subsidy right from day one like the former Governor of Lagos State did in his inaugural speech. The subsidy money can now be invested in massive infrastructure development,” he said.

Osoba further said that the decision on foreign exchange rate was marvellous, noting: “I wonder

One lingering issue that Tinubu trashed in his inaugural speech is the issue of removal of subsidy on petroleum products. Although not included in his speech, he announced the removal of the subsidy

Tinubu

...Prominent Nigerians Hail Tinubu

which Nigerian president would take the risk on foreign exchange rate the way Tinubu has done.”

He said the decision would soon attract foreign investors and create an atmosphere of ease of doing business unlike before when few individuals would buy the dollar at the rate of N400, round trip and later come to sell it to the public at the cost of N800. “They become overnight billionaire. That is no more”, he said. He disclosed how Tinubu confided in a number of them to engage competent hands and brains in running a “government of national competence.”

Osoba while speaking on appointments of a new National Security Adviser (NSA) and Service Chiefs said Tinubu broke the jinx.

Praising his appointments he said, “Tinubu has been able to create a balance both on ethnic and religious backgrounds of his service chiefs. You will agree with me that the issue of security is a big challenge to Nigeria, but with these appointments, the country will definitely overcome the ordeal.

“The President has said he is not going to tolerate interservice rivalry, and that all the security agencies must learn to cooperate with one another for the interest of Nigeria. He did away with the issue of nepotism in his choice of service chiefs.”

Osoba said Tinubu has come to lay a solid foundation for the progress of the country, calling on Nigerians to cooperate and pray for him.

Speaking on Tinubu’s achievements in the last one month in office, Senate President Godswill Akpabio urges Nigerians to be patient with the new administration of President Bola Tinubu.

Akpabio appealed for calm from the citizenry because some of Tinubu’s policies, as he tackles the country’s endemic challenges, “will cause inconveniences”.

“In just a few weeks since his inauguration, President Tinubu has taken some bold steps which have been globally acclaimed as being in the right direction.

“Even though the measures bring with them some inconveniences, I earnestly appeal to fellow Nigerians to look at the larger picture of the expected outcomes, be patient with the new government and give it their full support to take Nigeria out of the woods.

“The 10th national assembly will do its utmost to provide President Tinubu-led government complementary support through necessary legislative interventions for the benefit of Nigerians”, Akpabio said.

Also speaking on Tinubu’s performance so far, the Managing Director of Gee Ray Nigeria Limited, Mr. Godwin Rewane, stated that Tinubu has done so well for the one month he has stayed in office as the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

Godwin Rewane is the son of Alfred Rewane, the financier of NADECO, a pro - democracy organisation which advocated for a democratic Nigeria during late General Sani Abacha era and who was assassinated in the Democratic struggle in 1995.

The entrepreneur however stated that the President needs good hands that will complement his developmental agenda.

He said "I am very happy with the performance of the new president. Not only because of all the steps he has taken as a president so far but also because he spoke highly of Moshood and Kudirat Abiola in his Democracy Day's speech. He spoke of their sacrifice as well as other martyrs and linked their sacrifice to today's democratic stability.

"I also learned from a very reliable source that he is about to appoint one of the children of the late Kudirat Abiola into an executive position in this administration.

President Tinubu has proven that he is not like other politicians who just mention the great woman and fail to appoint any of her qualified children into a key position. It will be impossible for such a good man to fail in his efforts to make Nigeria great".

In his own reaction, National Coordinator of Noah's Ark, an international Non Governmental Organization (NGO), Ambassador Prince Korieocha said appointing any of Abiola's children will be a healing balm to the events of the past, especially as it concerns the treatment given to, not just Abiola but to that of his late wife, Kudirat Abiola.

Explaining further, Ambassador Korieocha said "Honestly, you can't talk about democracy in Nigeria without mentioning Chief M.K.O. Abiola's name. So if President Bola Tinubu wants to give his children political appointments, it's a well deserved one".

Korieocha emphasised that the President is ready to move Nigeria to the next level of industrial development, adding that Tinubu will surely build the nation and also deliver good governance to Nigerians.

Akpabio appealed for calm from the citizenry because some of Tinubu’s policies, as he tackles the country’s endemic challenges, “will cause inconveniences

Shettima

Alake

Gbajabiamila

POLITICS

There is uneasy calm in the Senate as the lawmakers get ready to select a new Minority Leader. The jostle for the position seems to be generating tension among opposition senators, following moves by some vested interests to impose a preferred candidate on the Red Chamber.

According to the laws and rules of both the Senate and the House of Representatives, four principal positions are to be occupied by elected Senators on the platforms of the ruling All Progressives Congress and minority political parties aside from the two leadership positions.

The positions for the minorities in the Senate are Senate Minority Leader, Deputy Minority Leader, Minority Whip and the Deputy Whip. PDP with majority senators, (36) among the opposition is supposed to fill two of the available four spots.

It is believed that on resumption of plenary on July 4, the Senate President is expected to read the letter from the parties announcing their nominations for the minority leadership positions.

THEWILL gathered that the Peoples Democratic Party and its presidential candidate in the last general election, Atiku Abubakar had already declared support for the former Governor of Sokoto State, Aminu Tambuwal, who is currently representing Sokoto South in the senate for the minority leadership seat.

However, the G-5 Governors, who opposed Atiku’s candidacy in the last presidential election, are about to rekindle the conflict by pushing for Senator Jarigbe Jarigbe (Cross River North) for the same position.

THEWILL recalls that Atiku and the G-5 Governors, comprising Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo State, former governors Nyesom Wike (Rivers); Samuel Ortom of Benue State; Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi of Enugu State and Okezie Ikpeazu of Abia State had been at loggerheads with the PDP leadership since Atiku emerged as the party’s presidential candidate in the last general election and dumped Wike by picking former Governor of Delta State, Dr Ifeanyi Okowa as the vice presidential candidate.

Although Governor Makinde is still in office for his second and final term, the other members of the G-5 Governors, also known as the Integrity Group, concluded their tenures on May 29, 2023.

The politicking around the sharing of the minority leadership positions started on June 24, 2023 when eight minority Senators issued a press release saying the minority political parties were aware of an attempt by forces within and outside the Senate to divide them and foist a pliant and compromised leadership on them.

The Senators namely, Senator Mohammed Adamu Aliero; Senator Henry Seriake Dickson; Senator Aminu Waziri Tambuwal; Senator Abdul Ningi; Senator Patrick Abba Moro; Senator Ezenwa Francis Onyewuchi; Senator Sumaila Kawu; and Senator Ifeanyi Ubah said they had pledged to work constructively with the new leadership of the Senate and the Executive branch to deliver good governance to the Nigerian people, but advise and caution that they should not aid any group to divide and destabilise the minority parties and the Senate.

“Senators of the minority parties will meet when the Senate reconvenes and, in consultation with our respective political parties, select their leaders without undue interference from anti-democratic forces within or outside the Senate.

“For the avoidance of doubt, no senator has yet been endorsed or selected for any minority position as this will await due process as agreed by all minority parties in their last meeting.

“Any attempt to foist a one party dictatorship will be resisted and it will fail. We call on all members of the minority political parties to work together in unity to defend the democratic institution of the Senate and Nigeria,” the senators said in the release.

It was gathered that these senators raised the alarm because of Wike’s closeness to President Bola Tinubu and the senate leadership, as well as the fear that he may use his connection with both Tinubu and the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio to foist a minority senate leader on them.

Sources claim that Wike’s recent visit to Akpabio has fueled the suspicion that he is courting the support of the senate leadership and the APC to favour his choice candidate for the senate minority leadership position.

Intrigue as G-5 Govs, PDP Battle For Senate Minority Leadership

BY AYO ESAN

As the intrigue reached fever pitch, reports also had it that some senators elected on the platforms of opposition political parties may have moved against the plot to foist Tambuwal on them as Minority leader.

Sources said that a PDP senator from Rivers State and another senator from the North, as well as a ranking senator from the South-West, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, said these senators vowed to resist attempts to impose Tambuwual on them.

The senators insisted, the sources claimed, that Tambuwal had a reputation for throwing his political allies under the bus at critical moments to promote his selfish interest and he lacked the capacity to provide the needed leadership to them as minority leader.

Some of the minority senators, who were said to have spoken after a meeting on Wednesday, said that there was an indication that with what Tambuwal did to the PDP,

he would use his position as minority leader, if elected, to negotiate with and apologise to President Ahmed Bola Tinubu, who he betrayed after making him Speaker of the House of Representatives.

The Senators stated that they knew that Tambuwal, whose regime has come under scrutiny in Sokoto State, is on a mission to use the minority leader position to negotiate for self preservation and use the platform to run for Presidential election in 2027.

The senators are insisting that Tambuwal has a record of throwing his political allies under the bus at critical moments to promote his selfish interest and lacks the capacity to provide the much-needed leadership to them. Also a bloc in the PDP, ‘Concerned PDP League’, (CPDL) has said that it is opposed to any attempt by the party to present Tambuwal, as Senate Minority Leader.

The Chairman of CPDPL, Mr. Daboikiabo Warmate, alleged in a statement on Wednesday that the group was not in support of Tambuwal, based on his actions as the Speaker of the House of Representatives.

Warmate said that instead of Tambuwal, the position of Minority leader should rather be zoned to a state in the North-Central geo-political zone, precisely Plateau State. “That his ambition is dead in its imagination, how much more arrival; nevertheless, the past has caught up with him,” he said.

Warmate stated that Tambuwal had, during his leadership as Speaker of the 8th House of Representatives given to him by the PDP, defected to the All Progressives Congress.

“It is with great disappointment and shock to have read in the papers that Tambuwal, the former Governor of Sokoto State and PDP Governors Forum Chairman, wants to be the minority leader of the 10th Senate”, Warmate further said.

Sources claim that Wike’s recent visit to Akpabio has fueled the suspicion that he is courting the support of the senate leadership and the APC to favour his choice candidate for the senate minority leadership position

Tambuwal

Makinde Promises to Form Cabinet in Two Weeks

Oyo State Governor, Engineer 'Seyi Makinde, has stated that he will put his cabinet in place in the next two weeks, saying that names of other commissioner-nominees will be sent to the House of Assembly for screening and confirmation.

The governor equally maintained that his administration will focus on tourism as one of the key sectors that will drive the state’s economy.

According to him, the government will decouple the Ministry of Information, Culture and Tourism as part of efforts to enhance the optimal performance of the existing ministries.

Governor Makinde, who gave these indications in his official Newsletter, dated 29th June, 2023, said that the Ministry of Information will now be headed by one commissioner, while another commissioner will head the Ministry of Culture and Tourism.

The decoupling, he said, would bring the number of Ministries in the state to 18 as against the 17 that existed during the first tenure.

The governor equally noted that in line with his promise, the LightUp Oyo streetlights, which went off for a few weeks, have now returned to being active.

He explained that the project will, for the time being, continue to use diesel generators until it will finally fall back on the ongoing tribrid power systemthe 11MW Independent Power

Edo Youths

Applaud

Obaseki’s Commitment to Job Creation

Youths in Edo State have applauded the Governor Godwin Obasekiled administration's commitment to improving the lives of youths with the implementation of ongoing reforms in education, skills development and other sectors.

In a statement to celebrate the governor’s 66th birthday anniversary, Chairman, Edo State Chapter of the National Youth Council of Nigeria, Comrade Moses Agwinede Joseph, said Governor Obaseki’s youthfriendly policies and initiatives have made significant impact on the lives of Edo youths, restoring hope for a brighter future.

Oyebanji is Walking His Talk in Ekiti – APC

He noted, “Your Excellency, Governor Godwin Noghegase Obaseki, on behalf of the over 3 million members of the Edo Youth Community, I Comrade Moses Agwinede Joseph the number one youth of Edo state, extend our warmest wishes to you on the occasion of your birth anniversary celebration.

Project (IPP, which is ongoing) as the main source of power, with gas generators and inverters as a backup.

The governor said: "For me, having sent the first batch of commissioner nominees to the Oyo State House of Assembly, I know I now have just about two weeks to send the names of the rest of the nominees and have my cabinet in place.

“This promise will be kept just as all other promises we have made to the good people of Oyo State.

"You may have noticed that the street lights are coming back on as promised. We will continue to use the diesel generators to power the street lights for now so that our people can get the benefits of this infrastructure while we work on finally moving them to the tribrid power system - the 11MW Independent Power Project (IPP, which is ongoing) as the main source of power with gas generators and inverters as a backup.

"One of the other things we are going to do is to ensure that all our ministries function optimally. As you already know, Tourism is one of the sectors that we will be focusing on during this tenure to drive our economy.

“We will be decoupling the Ministry of Information, Culture and Tourism. So, we will have the Ministry of Information headed by one commissioner, while another will head the Ministry of Culture and Tourism.

The All Progressives Congress (APC), in Ekiti State has assured that Governor Biodun Abayomi Oyebanji is on the right track of governance without breaking any of the promises he made to the citizenry during his campaign for the governorship election.

APC conveyed this through a release signed by the Publicity Secretary of the party in the state, Segun Dipe, where he assured that it's "so far, so good" and every well meaning Ekiti son and daughter is happy with the governor.

The party said what Governor Oyebanji deserved at this stage from all and sundry was praise, not undue criticism in the name of playing politics, having ensured that the expectations of the people in terms of the dividends of democracy were being met.

"Gov. Oyebanji is not the bragging type. He would rather walk his talk and allow his work to speak about the efforts he's putting up to ensure that the people were not suffering any lack, than to keep gallivanting about and giving reasons instead of results."

"Our party is very happy with our governor and we know all the citizens of Ekiti equally are. We will continue to give him the necessary political backing in steering the ship of our dear state well and making our people have a sense of belonging in his government."

While reacting to the allegations levied against the governor by a splinter group in the opposition People's Democratic Party, PDP, that the latter was merely paying salaries and patching roads as palliatives, Dipe said the inconsequential group was only crying wolf where there was none and trying to draw undeserved attention to itself.

He added, "knowing their allegations were spurious without basis, they still went ahead to levy them, thinking that would earn them undue pity. This is disastrous for them and their party."

“I am truly grateful for your unwavering support and dedication towards the betterment of our generation. Your youthfriendly policies and initiatives have made a significant impact on the lives of Edo youths restoring hope for a brighter future.”

He said the governor’s commitment “to providing quality education, creating job opportunities, and fostering an inclusive environment for young people’s growth have not gone unnoticed. Your efforts to listen to our concerns, engage us in decision-making processes, and provide platforms for our voices to be heard have empowered us and inspired us to dream big.”

He noted that under the leadership of the governor, youths in the state, “have witnessed the transformation of our state into a vibrant hub for youth development and industrialization. The numerous programmes and initiatives you have implemented, such as the Edo Innovation Hub, Edo Jobs, Industrial Park, Ossiomo Electrical Power generation, Edo Basic Education Sector Transformation (EdoBEST), civil service reform, good road networks within the state, and the enactment of business-friendly policies have equipped us with the necessary tools to succeed and contribute meaningfully to society.

“Your unwavering belief in the potential of every young person, regardless of their background or circumstances, has motivated us to strive for excellence and to make positive changes in our communities. Your genuine care and concern for the wellbeing of every Edo indigene or resident have given us the confidence to overcome challenges and pursue our aspirations with zeal.”

Joseph noted, “On this special day, I want to express my heartfelt gratitude for your remarkable leadership and your tireless efforts in championing the cause of the youth. Your vision, passion, and dedication serve as an inspiration for us all. We are privileged to have you as our governor, and we look forward to witnessing more milestones and achievements under your guidance.”

L-R: Former Governor of Rivers State, Nyesom Wike; Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara and Chairman, Rivers State Council of Traditional Rulers,  Ohna Chidi Awuse, during a celebration in Emohua Local Government Area of Rivers State on June 24, 2023.

Devastating Floods Are Back

The recent flooding that wreaked unprecedented havoc on the Trademore Estate in the Lugbe area of Abuja is a sad reminder that the perennial devastating floods are just back with us, especially with the coming of the rains. The colossal loss that came with the disaster, leading to the submergence of over 100 houses and loss of lives, according to reports, is really sad. The incident is also a pointer to what to expect in other flood-prone areas in communities and settlements in many states across the country. Only last year, the rampaging floods swept through 33 out of the 36 states in the country, leaving tears, sorrow and deaths on its trail with over 600 persons killed and 2, 400 others injured within a period of four months. The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) in fact estimated that over two million Nigerians were displaced in various parts of the country by flooding in 2022 with the value of economic damage put at N4.2 trillion as numerous farmlands were washed away by the floods. Sadly, we seem not to have learnt any lesson from the experience of the past as both residents and settlers of the vulnerable areas continue to live their lives as if nothing had happened as they wait for another disaster to strike. The authorities at both the local, state and national levels, also simply looked the other way

immediately after the initial response.

But like the proverbial Nigerian problem that has defied simple solutions, the flooding continues year after year with residents of the vulnerable areas left to their fate as they await another traumatising experience from the perennial challenge .

The Nigeria Meteorological Agency (NiMET) had warned early in the year that the rainy season would start early and it would be accompanied by serious flooding, thus preparing Nigerians for what to expect.

The agency had predicted that from March, the southern coastal states, such as Bayelsa, Rivers and Akwa Ibom, would experience torrential downpours, while other inland cities witness precipitation in April as the central states experience rain in May. NiMET also warned of extended rainfall in Gombe, Kaduna, Kwara, Enugu, Anambra, Ogun, and Lagos states, saying between June and July, the northern states of Sokoto, Kebbi, Zamfara, Kano, Katsina, Jigawa, Yobe and Borno would experience the arrival of rain, which will heighten between July and September. One would have expected the various regulatory authorities to have swung into action by putting in place measures to mitigate another devastating experience.

However, aside from the occasional notices served by the Lagos and Ogun State Governments, as well as a few others, to residents living on

river banks and in flood-prone areas in their respective states, no real action was taken to ensure that such vulnerable people move out before disaster strikes.

Our governments always wait for harm to be done before going about with their miserable palliatives and corruption-infested emergency and humanitarian assistance to victims of disasters while those who fall victims of the perennial flooding, in some cases, often resist efforts by the regulatory authorities to move them out to safety before the onset of the rains.

Our various relief efforts have been a cesspool of corruption as over N1 trillion budgeted for ecological and disaster management by the Federal Government over the years has not been properly accounted for by those responsible for its disbursement.

It is sad that almost a year after the Federal Government inaugurated a Committee for the Development of a Comprehensive Plan of Action for the Prevention of Flood Disasters in Nigeria, in the aftermath of the 2022 flooding, the report has neither been made public nor implemented despite the 90-day term of reference given to the committee last November.

We therefore join the call for the issue of flooding in the country to be given the urgent and proper attention it deserves as the safety and protection of lives and property of the citizens remains the number one responsibility of the government.

It is sad that almost a year after the Federal Government inaugurated a Committee for the Development of a Comprehensive Plan of Action for the Prevention of Flood Disasters in Nigeria, in the aftermath of the 2022 flooding, the report has neither been made public nor implemented despite the 90-day term of reference given to the committee last November

THEWILL NEWSPAPER TEAM

OPINION

A Comparative Analysis of Tinubunomics Reforms And I.M.F Conditionalities For Loan

BY MAGNUS ONYIBE

It would not be baseless or without justification if one makes the assertion that there is nobody in Nigeria that did not experience Tinubumania during the presidential campaign period in the last quarter of 2022 and the first quarter of 2023.

That is because the marketing of Tinubu’s candidacy was so intense with a sort of in-yourface type of aggression that was bolstered and galvanized by the ‘Emi Lo Kan’ mantra, which became a national sing-song of sorts or Tinubumania.

It is in a similar manner that Tinubumania dominated the political atmosphere, that literally everyone in Nigeria is currently feeling the impact of Tinubunomics, since President Bola Ahmed Tinubu was handed the reins of political leadership of our great country on 29 May, having won the 2023 presidential contest.

AND THE DESCRIBED FOREGOING REALITIES ARE THE REASON THAT THE REMOVAL OF SUBSIDY ON PETROL, WHICH IS A DEFINING FACTOR IN TINUBUNOMICS, HAS, FOR INSTANCE, CREATED A HUGE BUZZ NATIONWIDE SINCE PETROL AFFECTS LITERALLY ALL ASPECTS OF LIFE IN NIGERIA

Without any shred of doubt whatsoever, Tinubunomics , is a bug that has bitten practically everyone in Nigeria. And it has done so in less than one month of President Tinubu being at the helm of affairs in the management of our beloved country, Nigeria. Of course, bugs vary and they have different types of effects on humans.

There are people, who are bitten by the education bug. That means they passionately pursue the vision or dream of being educated, perhaps to the highest level, which is obtaining a doctoral degree.

There are also those who get bitten by the type of bug that can result in feverish conditions. Take mosquito bites for instance. Victims can become sick and even die from malaria infection, which is a direct consequence of a bite from the mosquito bug.

In the case of Tinubunomics, it is a bug that has obviously created some excitement and distress alike amongst a broad spectrum of people in Nigerian society.

For those that had been bilking our country of billions of dollars through petrol subsidy and bleeding our treasury of billions of dollars through multiple exchange rates of the naira, Tinubunomics has had a negative effect.

But to the poor masses, the end of the petrol subsidy regime would enable the government to apply the billions of dollars that would have gone down the drain pipe via the Premium Motor Spirit, PMS subsidy. They are happy because the government can apply the erstwhile petrol subsidy funds in the provision of health care facilities, roads and schools infrastructure, as well as grant loans to indigent students in higher educational institutions that could have dropped out of universities, polytechnics and mono-technics, owing to incapacity to pay school fees.

Clearly, Tinubunomics is a type of elixir or Uhuru for the category of Nigerians referenced above, it is also the end of a binge for the beneficiaries of petrol subsidy.

And the described foregoing realities are the reason that the removal of subsidy on petrol, which is a defining factor in Tinubunomics, has, for instance, created a huge buzz nationwide since petrol affects literally all aspects of life in Nigeria.

Of course, the youth demographics are affected positively by Tinubunomics via the signing into law of the student loan policy that would help in easing the burden of some indigent students, who had not been able to afford school fees, which had been a compelling factor for them to drop out.

To the credit of Tinubunomics, going forward, the loss of brainy students imbued with high intellect, otherwise known as ‘hot brains’, to the underworld, which is not different from the brain drain that we often complain about when our professionals migrate to other climes in search of better life opportunities, would no longer happen because every Nigerian would have the opportunity to acquire education with a loan from the government.

In fact, if we get every Nigerian interested in acquiring higher education in schools via the newly enacted law authorising loans for the indigent to pursue higher education, our country would produce enough skilled human capital for retention to work at home to help the economy grow and there would also be a large number still available for deployment into the diaspora to boost foreign remittances into our economy. So, instead of complaining about the brain, education loans would enable more Nigerians to acquire education so that there would be sufficient educated people to help grow the local economy while the rest could also work abroad.

*Onyibe is an entrepreneur, public policy analyst, author, democracy advocate and development strategist.

•Continues JULY 2, 2023 WWW.THEWILLNEWS.COM 15

Battle for Space: The Nigerian Context

Birthdays come with their own adequate burdens of celebrations, which the celebrants may not get out of, even after the celebrations may have ended. After the dance in the marketplace, in the forest, and, finally, at the power centre, what remains? Well, it is a question of the buoyancy or otherwise of one’s protocols. The list could be endless! But the expression is the same!

On the flip side, the party has taken off in earnest and the rhythm has also reached the climax of its crescendo; then the mournful dirge surges into the atmospheric attributes of moderation. After that come discussions among party attendees about what’s ongoing in society. Take, for instance, men who might have had the privilege of biting more than they could chew would also want to vex their muscles; and that might lead to unmanageable mayhem, especially if the excesses become too difficult for the handlers to curtail. Once that kind of situation occurs, damage control becomes the inevitable star boy. After all, ‘what has happened has happened!’

Well, one may not be blessed with the luxury of finding out whether the solution one is devising will work or not. One just applies it, by the instant dictates of ‘life first’ – just to know whether one survives or not.

In real-life situations, when one has everybody who wants to be in control, at the end of the day, there will be nobody in control! Consider a birthday party for the late Obafemi Awolowo. Yes, Awolowo is no longer here but, if Lateef Jakande were to be alive, he would smugly say: ‘Emi lo kan’ (It’s my turn); that, since ‘Papa’ has gone to sleep, only ‘Baba Kekere’ has the Elisha-like mantle strong enough to facilitate a trip to the leader’s heart. Even President Bola Tinubu, who was a young man when ‘Baba Olayinka’ died, would also claim that, since he has read so much about the man; and, having been a keen student of his philosophy, he, too, should have a piece of the cake.

Remember Bola Ige and Joseph Olawoyin! They, too, might want to try their luck. Thank God Olabisi Onabanjo, aka Ayekooto, is gone; otherwise, he might also say: ‘e gbe kini yii wa’ (bring this thing). This may make Anthony Enahoro very angry. After all, they were comrades in the struggle for Nigeria’s independence. The duo put the country ahead of their respective families while fighting for its rescue from the jugular of the colonisers. Immediately that happens, it might be difficult to predict the reaction of Adekunle Ajasin, whose fidelity to the progressive bent never encountered a trace of doubt! There and then, one could guess the reactions of other inveterate, even accidental Action Groupers.

But there’s the other side of the memorial! For instance, what happened to the dream of education and employment in the Western Region where Awo was once premier? To put the question differently, what happened to the philosophy of ‘Free Education’ in the Southwest? If the answer to that was in flux, then progress as a task for the zone was a pipe dream, more so as all previous efforts would appear dawned in the dark. And that’s a shame!

chequered history, the corrupt comrades joined forces with the West, thinking that the West would help them build their country. But their wishes remained only what they were! Thirdworld countries should not turn to victims, because other people can’t love you more than yourself. That’s the dangling macaroni for neo-colonialism. It has to look tough and real, and economic disadvantages are always very real.

Imagine if the bandits had gone ahead to fight the Venezuelan regular soldiers and got them defeated, the central world news would make mincemeat of Maduro and his people. As a matter of fact, they would have already started explaining why Venezuela had to lose even before it would be officially declared that she lost. It is a matter of little conspiracy as America as world police would look away while the armed Venezuelan dissidents and their American collaborators attacked the Venezuelan National Guard. ‘God’s own country’ would feign ignorance. At the end of the day, it would aid the bandits; even proclaim them as the winner, just to humiliate Venezuela, as if the country can’t do anything right.

THE INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT INSTITUTIONS WILL DO EVERYTHING WITHIN THEIR POWER TO PLEASE THEIR INTEREST

Obviously, the scenarios above do not differ markedly from what obtains in Nigeria. As a matter of fact, it is the same old tune! The international development institutions will do everything within their power to please their interest. And their interest is that the country remains in debt so that they can have control and a source of free financial reinforcements as long as it takes. For the developed economies, woe betides any third-world country that attempts to be in charge of its resources. Why? There’s a typical belief that people don’t really know the worth of their revenue. Therefore, they can’t know how to spend it judiciously. But when it is put under their care, they feign ignorance and make decisions that are in the objective interest of only the Bretton Woods institutions. They would never force anybody or any country – in the face of international law – to hand over its resources but they can apply pressure and diplomacy, until such a country comes to them with its resources, cap-in-hand, to beg for survival.

In this instance, sustained resistance is an invitation to war. The first step is to create inhouse, homegrown war, through native intelligence. Unfortunately, though a leader may be in a position of power, the security of the state may not be under his control; and nothing frustrates a leader more than a frustrated society. That’s what’s still going on globally! Thankfully, Ukraine is an exception, as Geography has naturally put her in a very wonderful position. So, she knows who she is and where to seek succour.

Basedon data by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), Nigerian farmers will earn an additional estimated N160.3 billion from agricultural exports in the second half of the year as a result of the depreciation of the Naira in the official market window.

On the other hand, the country will source an additional estimated N603 billion to foot its agricultural import bill during the same period using the H2 2022 performance as a benchmark.

The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) on June 14, 2023 announced a foreign exchange policy reform which entailed floating the Naira at the I&E window. This is against the previous system of pegging the exchange rate where the currency traded with a 60 percent gap between the official and parallel channels.

By this development, commodity exporters will now earn more Naira while importers will source for more Naira to match the dollar bill for their transaction.

According to NBS ‘Foreign Trade in goods statistics for Q3 2022, the value of agricultural goods exported during the period was N84.21 billion. Using the Q3 performance as benchmark, the exporters would have earned a dollar equivalent of $180.4 million at N467/$. In H2 2023, this would amount to N137.2 billion which is extra N53 billion arising from the depreciation of the Naira (assuming the same value of transaction).

The Q4 2022 report showed an export value of N170.59 billion or $365.4 million at the exchange rate of N467/$. In H2 2022, the exporters would receive N277.8 billion at the exchange rate of N760/$ amounting to an extra Naira income of N107.3 billion.

According to NBS, during this quarter, most agricultural products were exported to Europe, valued at N81.0 billion, followed by Asia with N80.21 billion. Export of agricultural products was dominated by ‘Superior quality Cocoa beans’ valued at N74.65 billion followed by ‘Sesamum seeds,’ with N38.56 billion and ‘Standard quality Cocoa beans’ with N14.16 billion.

The report showed that ‘Superior

EDITOR Sam Diala

N700 0.9%

Naira Depreciates

Marginally by 0.9% to N769.25/$ at I&E /

H1-2023: Equities Market Hits All-time High on Domestic Investors' Bargain

CAPITAL IMPORTATION TO NIGERIA 2019-2022 ($'bn)

Driven by unmatched resolute domestic players who took position as fortune-hunting foreign investors fled, Nigeria’s local bourse hit the historic peak of its performance in the first half of the year (H1 2023).

At the close of the trading session on Friday, June 30, 2023, the last trading day of H1 2023, the market’s benchmark performance indicators – Nigerian Exchange Limited (NGX) All-Share Index (ASI) and its market capitalization – increased significantly to 60,968.2 basis points and N33.2 trillion, respectively.

This represents an overall year-to-date gain of 18.96 percent, compared with 51,251.06 basis points and N27.92 trillion capitalisation that the market opened with on the first trading day of January 3, 2023. It also confirmed investors’ gain of N5.3 trillion during the period.

Despite the rising inflation, interest rate hike, and naira redesign-induced cash crunch , equity investors, majorly domestic players, increased their buying pressures and listing in the local bourse in an unusually resolute manner.

“You cannot understand the market; it is the more you see the less you understand because those who put their money there are not just ordinary persons. The market is complex, deep and wide. What is driving Nigeria’s equities market at this time is something one needs to really understand,” said Dr Paul Uzum, a stockbroker.

Besides buying pressure, investigation showed that no less than N8 trillion was added to the equities market through new listings by eight indigenous firms after the foreign investors had begun to desert the local bourse, following the advent of COVID-19 in 2020.

The companies include Access Corporation (N562 billion), BAPlc (N62,5 million), Bua Cement (N3.31 trillion) and Bua Foods (N3.44 trillion).

Others are Geregu (N750 billion), GTCO (N1,030 trillion), Ronchess Global (N223.6 billion) and Sterling Financial Holdings (N74.3 billion).

Investigation showed that investment inflow (capital importation) to the economy declined by 78 percent between 2019 and 2022, as follows: $24 billion, $10 billion, $5.7 billion and $5.4 billion in 2019, 2020, 2021 and 2022 respectively, according to data by the Nigerian Exchange Group (NGX).

The 2023 trading year was preceded by a massive capital withdrawal by foreign investors who, apparently, were apprehensive over the outcome of the 2023 general election.

The NGX revealed in its foreign portfolio report in December 2022 that foreign investors withdrew a total sum of N171 billion from the capital market between January and October that year. The investors also invested N171.3 billion during the period, which implies that these portfolio investors left just N6.83 billion in Nigeria equities.

In 2022, the foreign portfolio investors (FPI) staked N156.3 billion and took away N173.32 billion. The monthly breakdown showed that in January 2022, foreigners invested N18.10 billion in stocks but took out N23.21 billion from the market.

They brought in N20.86 billion and took out N24.57 billion in February. In March, foreigners invested N16.37 billion in Nigerian stocks but took out N25.80 billion.

In April, capital inflows to the market amounted to N15.02 billion while N12.06 billion was taken out of the market by foreign portfolio investors. Similarly, the foreigners invested

BY SAM DIALA

BY SAM DIALA

B C D A

BUSINESS WEEKLY

...Equities Market Hits All-time High on Domestic Investors' Bargain

N25.53 billion in Nigerian stocks in May and took out N19.7 billion.

The rocky transactions continued in June when the foreigners invested N24.63 billion in stocks and withdrew N17.56 billion from the market. The summary of stock transactions as of November 30 showed that foreign inflows into the stock market were worth N13.68 billion while the foreign outflow was N16 billion

The foreign inflow into the Nigerian capital market was N15.78 billion while N12.43 billion was recorded as an outflow by foreign investors in August. In September, foreigners invested N10.08 billion in the stock market but moved N9.59 billion out of the market while in October they invested N18.16 billion in stocks but went away with N10.39 billion.

The Doyen of Nigerian Stockbrokers, Sam Ndata, said the bullish trend in the Nigerian equities market cannot be unconnected with political activities that heightened in 2022, culminating in the general elections in the first quarter of 2023.

According to Ndata, the flock to the equities market was expected because it has been the trend during election seasons when there is a lot of cash in circulation. He said the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) tight monetary policy could not dampen the move to the equities market because of the circumstances surrounding the source of the funds.

“It is usual at every election season; we saw a similar trend in the elections that enthroned former President Muhammadu Buhari in 2015 and 2019 when politicians had a lot of cash at their disposal.

“The politicians are no longer interested in buying houses or dumping their money in their bank accounts. In order to run away from the prying eyes of the anti-graft agencies, they consider it wise to put their money in stocks where it is safe and covered,” Ndata said in a telephone chat.

He noted that this period is off-season in terms of dividend payment expectations. So there can be no better way to explain the unusually bullish trend of the local bourse than to see the attitude of politicians during election seasons.

Analysts believe that the local bourse will continue to soar in the second half of the year which coincides with the fourth quarter when buying pressure is intensified to position for the earning season. Investors target the listed companies with good dividend-paying history.

In the just ended week, the local equities closed the session stronger, bringing the All-Share index up by 1.43 percent to settle at 60,968.27 points. Notably, having gained in all three trading sessions of the week, the ASI closed 2.92 percent higher week-by-week, extending gains for the sixth consecutive week. Analysis of last Friday’s market activities showed trade turnover settled higher relative to the previous session, with the value of transactions up by 27.30 percent. A total of 998.08 million shares valued at N15.96 billion were exchanged in 10,580 deals.

...Nigeria to Earn N160bn, Spend N603bn More on Agric Export, Import in H2 2023

quality Cocoa beans’ worth N8.07 billion and N6.63 billion were exported to Indonesia and Malaysia respectively. Furthermore, ‘Sesamum seeds’ worth N5.62 billion and N5.49 billion were exported to Japan and China respectively, followed by exports of ‘Cashew nuts in shell’ worth N3.86 billion and N2.21 billion to Vietnam and India respectively.

The NBS report showed that total imports of agricultural goods in Q3, 2022 stood at N512.91 billion, or $1.1 billion at the old exchange rate of N467/$. At the floated exchange rate, the country would need N836 billion which is additional N324 billion at the new exchange rate of N760/$.

The major agricultural goods imported in Q3, 2022 included ‘Durum wheat (not in seeds)’ from the United States of America with N78.29 billion and Poland with N45.62 billion. This was followed by ‘Jack and horse mackerel (Trachurus spp.) meat, frozen’ From Chile, valued at N15.87 billion and The Netherlands with N1.69 billion.

For Q4 2022 when a total of N444.82 billion was spent on the importation of agricultural products, the country would have spent a dollar equivalent of $952.5 million at the old exchange rate. Assuming that the same amount was spent in H2 2023, the Naira equivalent at the new exchange rate of N760/$ would be N723.5 billion – an extra Naira of N278,8 billion,

The major agriculture goods imported in Q4, 2022 included ‘Durum wheat (not in seeds)’ from Latvia with N46.28 billion and Lithuania with N41.54 billion. This was followed by ‘Fractions of Palm oil and its fractions, not fit for human consumption.’ from Malaysia valued at N43.27 billion.

The foreign exchange reform will impact negatively on Nigeria’s balance of trade in the second half of the year as the Naira depreciation deepens.

According to the NBS report, Nigeria’s total trade in Q1 2023 stood at N12,046.92 billion of which total exports stood at N6,487.04 billion and total imports amounted to N5,559.88 billion.

Total exports increased in the first quarter by 2.00% but declined by 8.66 per cent when compared to the amount recorded in the fourth quarter of 2022 (N6,359.61billion) and the corresponding quarter in 2022 (N7,102.11 billion) respectively.

In the same vein, total imports increased by 3.67 per cent in the first quarter of 2023 compared to the value recorded in the fourth quarter of 2022 (N5,362.83 billion) but then again declined by 25.83 per cent when compared to the value recorded in the corresponding quarter of 2022 (N7,495.67 billion).

The top five export destinations in the first quarter of 2023 were the Netherlands with N837.65 billion or 12.91 per cent, the United States of America with N579.35 billion or 8.93 per cent, Spain with N488.17 billion or 7.53 per cent, France with N487.34 billion or 7.51 per cent and India with N456.69 billion or 7.04 per cent of total exports.

Altogether, exports to the top five countries amounted to 43.92 per cent of the total value of exports. ‘Petroleum oils and oils obtained from bituminous minerals, crude’ with N5,148.58 billion representing 79.37 per cent remains the commodity with the largest export values in the period under review, followed by ‘Natural gas, liquefied’ with N622.36 billion accounting for 9.59 per cent and ‘Urea, whether or not in aqueous solution’ with N146.79 billion or 2.26 per cent of total exports.

In terms of Imports (CIF), China, The Netherlands, Belgium, India, and the United States of America were the top five countries of origin of imports to Nigeria in the first quarter of 2023.

The values of imports from the top five countries amounted to N3,101.42 billion representing a share of 55.78 per cent of the total value of imports. While the commodities with the largest values of imported products were ‘Motor Spirit Ordinary’ (N1,492.28 billion or 26.84 per cent), ‘Gas Oil’ (N472.40 billion or 8.50 per cent and ‘Durum Wheat (Not in seeds)’ (N249.22 billion or 4.48 per cent).

NEXIM Partners Fidelity Bank, Sapphital to Grow Nigeria’s Export Sector

Inefforts to boost Nigeria’s foreign exchange earnings, the Nigerian Export-Import Bank (NEXIM), has announced a strategic partnership with Fidelity Bank Plc and Sapphital Learning Ltd.

The partnership will help improve the skills and performance of export businesses in Nigeria by leveraging the NEXIM Export Academy (NEXA); an online platform that provides exporters with capacity-building training and access to finance to scale their business.

The NEXA platform, which was Launched with the support of Sapphital (a digital learning institute) in 2022, is designed to empower millions of businesses with resources needed to run successful export operations, perform at higher levels of quality control, and compete favorably in the global market.

A statement from the partners said the platform aims to drive the growth of non-oil exports

and foreign exchange by connecting all the stakeholders along the value chain to enhance learning, improve quality, and grow intraAfrican and global trade.

Speaking during the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signing in Abuja recently, the Managing Director, NEXIM, Abba Bello, was quoted as saying: “Part of the awareness the bank seeks to drive was to make people appreciate the fact and come to the knowledge that export is not only for big companies especially now that small manufacturers or traders can trade across borders.

“We seek to drive the knowledge that will help entrepreneurs know the processes, documentation and the kind of compliances they need to adhere to in their quest towards export and import business.”

On her part, the Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer, Fidelity Bank Plc, Mrs.

Nneka Onyeali-Ikpe, noted that the bank has consistently championed the promotion of nonoil export and capacity building for players in the nation’s export and import business.

She said: “As a bank, we have always been at the forefront of growing the non-oil export business. We focused on our export banking business over the years, and we have remained consistent in pioneering initiatives geared towards aiding capacity-building and access to capital for local exporters.

“The partnership provides an opportunity to deepen the conversations in the export space and more importantly, to create value for the players in the sector.”

On the ultimate goal of the institute, the Founder/CEO, Sapphital Learning Ltd, Mr. Amu Ogbeide, said: “We want to grow the export market, we want more people to join and grow.”

The market is complex, deep and wide. What is driving Nigeria’s equities market at this time is something one needs to really understand

L-R: Chair, NGX Regulation Limited, Mrs. Catherine Echeozo; Chief Executive Officer, NGX Regulation Limited, Ms. Tinuade Awe; Executive Secretary/ CEO, Financial Reporting Council of Nigeria (FRCN), Amb. Shuaibu Adamu Ahmed; Board Member, International Sustainability Standards Board (ISSB), Dr. Ndidi Nnoli-Edozien; Executive Commissioner, Securities & Exchange Commission (SEC), Dayo Obisan; Group Chief Executive Officer, NGX Group, Mr. Oscar N. Onyema, OON and Director, Directorate of Accounting Standards (Public Sector), Financial Reporting Council of Nigeria (FRCN), Dr. Iheanyi Anyahara, during the launch of the first two IFRS Sustainability Disclosure Standards (IFRS S1 and IFRS S2 Standards) in Lagos on June 26, 2023.

Naira Depreciates Marginally by 0.9% to N769.25/$ at I&E Window

The naira depreciated by 0.9% to NGN769.25/USD at the I&E window as against N763 on Tuesday (before the two-day public holiday to commemorate the Muslim festival of Eid-el-Kabir). Turnover rose 9% to close at $263.45 against $245.65 on Tuesday.

Nigeria’s FX reserve continued to decline, as the gross reserve position declined by USD86.76 million w/w to close at USD34.22 billion (26 June).

Analysts at Cordros Securities said, “In the weeks ahead, we expect the re-introduction of the ‘willing buyer, willing seller’ model at the IEW to influence the exchange rate direction. Nonetheless, while the CBN’s abolishment of its multiple FX windows is positive in boosting foreign investors’ confidence, we think they will adopt a wait-and-see approach, for now, looking for signals on the CBN’s plans to start clearing the FX backlogs and boosting FX supply to support the market in the near term.”

Petrol: Be Prepared to Pay N700/litre From July – IPMAN

TheIndependent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN) has told Nigerians to be prepared to begin to pay N700 per litre of petrol from July, 2023.

IPMAN’s National Controller Operations, Mr. Mike Osatuyi, who disclosed this to newsmen further added that prices could rise to above N700 in the northern regions once independent marketers start importing products from July. He said while those living in the northern states could pay as much as N700 and above for one litre of petrol, those outside Lagos should expect to pay around N610, as residents in Lagos would pay about N600 per litre.

“What I am seeing is around N600 and above, depending on the exchange rate, the current crude price at the international market and the landing cost. Those in Lagos will pay around N600, those outside Lagos around N600 plus, while those in the north would be paying anything from N700 and above,” he said.

President Bola Tinubu had in his inaugural speech on May 29, this year announced the scrapping of the subsidy on imported petroleum products immediately.

The immediate past administration of former President Muhammadu Buhari had reportedly paid up subsidy claims up to Half Year ending June, 2023, with provision in this year’s appropriation bill for the payment of the regime. The development has triggered high cost of living and inflation rates which are expected to linger for some time.

NPA Begins Overtime Cargo Evacuation to Decongest Port

TheNigerian Ports Authority (NPA) has begun the evacuation of overtime cargoes to help decongest the port.

The General Manager, Corporate and Strategic Communications of NPA, Josephine Moltok, announced this through a statement in Lagos. Moltok said the decongestion of the ports to pave way for efficient operations received a boost on June 23 when the Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Transportation, Magdalene Ajani, led an inter-agency team on assessment

“The team comprising the NPA, the Nigerian Customs Service (NCS) and the Nigerian Shippers’ Council made an assessment tour of overtime cargoes littering the ports.

“The Lagos and Tincan Island Port Complexes and the Terminals therein including Ikorodu Lighter Terminal have over the years been occupied with 3,200 units of overtime cars and about 3,295 units of overtime containers respectively,” Ms Moltok said.

She added that the eastern ports had a combined total of 956 overtime containers.

“This awkward situation, apart from constraining terminal spaces required for seamless cargo handling operations in the ports, has contributed to deterioration of port infrastructure,” she said.

She added that the port infrastructure are designed as transit locations as opposed to holding dead weight tonnes for years which these age long overtime cargo constitute.

“Following the inspection tour which held on June 23 and June 24 respectively, an all-stakeholder sensitisation involving shipping lines, and association of freight forwarders and clearing agents was convened on June 26

“It was unanimously agreed that all cargoes and containers that have overstayed their required time at the ports should be auctioned “in-situ” (in their current locations) and removed immediately from the ports,” she said.

Ms Moltok said that to ensure transparency and inclusiveness, the modalities to govern the auction process would be finalised by all stakeholders.

She said this would be after a similar sensitisation meeting with stakeholders in the eastern ports of Warri, Rivers, Onne and Calabar.

It will be recalled that Mohammed Bello-Koko, the managing director, NPA, had at several fora sought the cooperation of the NCS to ensure speedy removal of overtime cargo from the ports and terminal yards.

The Return of SAP

BY CHRIS ADETAYO

IsNigeria back to implementing the cardinal policies that made up the IMF-recommended Structural Adjustment Programme (SAP) of the late 1980s? A review of the actions of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu since taking office on May 29, 2023 will suggest so. In this event, what should Nigerians expect? Will the outcome be any different from that of the eight years of SAP under Ibrahim Babangida?

In the early 1980s, Nigeria faced tremendous economic headwinds, not exactly dissimilar to what obtains now. The national debt skyrocketed to over $20 billion. Export was almost exclusively limited to crude oil and the collapse of its price in the international market meant huge budget deficits. Budget deficits meant that many social services, including health and education, were hugely under-funded, leading to statements like, “hospitals had become mere consulting clinics”; inflation was through the roof. The economy was simply in a bad state.

When the economic downturn started under the Shehu Shagari presidency, a quick-fire set of solutions, referred to as “Austerity Measures”, were put in place. One of these was the listing of certain goods as “essential commodities” (Essenco), for which import licences were granted to certain players in the economy. This was done to encourage local production and the patronising of non-essential “commodities” as means of limiting the huge foreign exchange losses from importation. Getting an import licence became one of the fastest ways of getting rich then. But the “Austerity Measures” failed to turn the tide until the military forcibly took over the reins of government in December 1984.

The military arrived, under Major-General Muhammadu Buhari, and imposed even more draconian economic measures. The national currency was changed with little notice; borders were closed to stem smuggling; importation was severely restricted; “illegal aliens” were sent packing from the country in order to create more job opportunities for citizens, and lessen the pressure on infrastructure and the government’s expenses; and a fight against corruption and indiscipline was implemented with military-style enforcement.

None changed the country’s economic fortunes. After 20 months, Buhari was removed by his peers and Ibrahim Babangida (IBB) took office.

IBB started off by confronting the emotive issue of a $2.5 billion loan from the International Monetary Fund, which was to be used to aid the recovery of the economy. But rather than take a decision, he put it up for a national debate. After three months, the national consensus was to not take the loan. Ever the populist (at least during the early part of his administration), IBB announced that Nigeria will not take the loan. Instead, Nigeria implemented a Structural Adjustment Programme (SAP).

Instructively, SAP was inspired by the “conditionalities” that were tied to the rejected loan from the IMF. So while Nigeria did not take the loan, it proceeded to implement key elements of the IMF’s recommendations.

These include the privatisation and commercialisation of government-owned businesses; devaluation of the naira; setting up of a Second-Tier Foreign Exchange Market (SFEM); removal of subsidy on petroleum products; reduction of public spending on social services (especially education); expansion of the tax net; and dissolution of the commodity marketing boards.

The implementation of SAP caused massive social and economic upheaval. The middle class was essentially wiped out, as real income dwindled in the face of the depreciation of the naira. This led to large numbers of well-trained Nigerians choosing to migrate to more clement climes. Several protests by students and the organised labour tasked the patience and efforts of the military to maintain peace and order. Elder statesmen protested in their own way, with a former Head of State, General Olusegun Obasanjo, publicly berating the

government and demanding that it should implement its economic policies with “a human face and milk of kindness”.

To ameliorate the situation, the IBB government also implemented what, in current parlance, will be termed as “palliatives”. These included setting up the Directorate for Food, Roads and Rural Infrastructure (DFRRI), with a remit to build infrastructure in the rural areas and support farmers to ensure better outputs; the Better Life for Rural Women (under the then First lady, Maryam Babangida), which focused largely on women’s needs; and the “donation” of buses to states and labour unions for mass transit purposes.

In the final analysis, SAP failed. The economy never truly got off the ground, despite an almost religious implementation of the policies. Household income remained low and never got close to peak-1981 levels; the economy’s dependence on petroleum exports was unceasing; and subsidies returned as the value of the naira continued to depreciate.

To compound matters, the national debt grew to over $30 billion. Although the economy grew at a five per cent rate, the three per cent growth in population negated most of this (World Bank Report on SAP, 1994). Things got to a head when IBB admitted in an interview with Channels TV in 1992 that his administration’s economic policies had failed and the economy had defied any conventional solutions.

Against this background, a review of the economic policies of President Tinubu so far, as well as those outlined by the President’s Policy Advisory Council, show several similarities with SAP. The removal of subsidies is straight from the SAP template.

This has already been implemented for petrol, with prices more than doubling since the president’s inauguration. So is the desire to diversify the revenue base away from the sale of crude oil, a long-term pursuit of successive Nigerian governments.

The planned convergence of the naira exchange rates, which will inevitably lead to a depreciation, is also SAP-inspired. The privatisation and or sale of the government’s stake in corporate assets; and the likely reduction in government subventions to some key sectors, including tertiary education, were all part of SAP policies.

Even the “palliative” discussions of today also mirror those of 35 years ago, especially the promised investments in infrastructure like roads and rail, and the supply of mass transit (electric) buses.

Given the similarities, what is on ground to give Nigerians any assurance that the outcome of these

policies will be different? That is the work that is staring the Tinubu administration in the face. True, the country does need “structural adjustments” and tough decisions need to be taken. The population growth rate is outpacing that of the economy and several policies of the Buhari administration did not help the cause of growth and development. Change is needed.

In many ways, the Tinubu Administration is lucky. For there is elite consensus on many of the decisions that it is taking or will take, including the removal of subsidy, and the convergence of the exchange rates of the naira and its attendant devaluation. Even better, despite the sky-high inflation that these policies have engendered, labour unions and student bodies have responded with relative calm and an uncharacteristic show of understanding.

But the government should not be fooled. While Nigerians know how to give leadership a chance, extended suffering will force a reaction. It is therefore in the interest of the administration that it ensures that its policies deliver on economic growth, reduced inflation, higher household income and production. Having chosen to re-run the same policies of a previous era, it must ensure that it delivers a better outcome, one that puts smiles on the faces of the suffering masses. It cannot afford to fail. Nigeria cannot afford another SAP failure.

•Adetayo is a national and international affairs analyst.

In the final analysis, SAP failed. The economy never truly got off the ground, despite an almost religious implementation of the policies

“ SPECIAL REPORT

Sadly, despite her huge potential, Nigeria, at the moment, does not rank among the first five leading markets for Volkswagen in Africa. The five leading markets are South Africa, where VWSA provides 4,000 direct and 50,000 indirect jobs as the single largest employer; Kenya, where it is producing in partnership with CFAO; Cote d'Ivoire; Rwanda and Ghana. Volkswagen is also developing its markets in Angola, Senegal, Mozambique, Mauritius and Zimbabwe

Revealed: Why Volkswagen Pulled Out of Nigeria

• West Africa's Largest Market Shut out of VW's Ambitious Plans for SSA

• German Automaker Lists Conditions for Return

BY OLAOLU OLUSINA

As Nigerians continue to wonder why Volkswagen, the leading German automaker, pulled out its operations from the country despite the popularity of the vehicle brand in West Africa's largest market, THEWILL can authoritatively reveal that three main factors were responsible for the decision that has unfortunately shut Nigeria out of Volkswagen's ambitious plans for Sub-Saharan Africa.

The refusal of the immediate past President, Muhammadu Buhari, to assent to the Nigerian Automotive Industry Development Plan Bill throughout his eight-year tenure of two terms, despite the fact that the Bill had been passed by the National Assembly since 2013, is one of the reasons for Volkswagen's withdrawal from Nigeria.

THEWILL recalls that Buhari refused assent to the Bill twice during his tenure thus disappointing major stakeholders, despite their efforts and huge investments, coupled with the immense opportunities the passage of the Bill into law would have brought into the country.

Another reason for the painful decision to pull out of Nigeria is the prevalence of dirty and low quality fuel in the local market as the German automaker insists that its modern vehicles cannot run efficiently on dirty fuel available in the Nigerian market.

The activities of catalytic converters' thieves who vandalise new vehicles, including Volkswagen, from the ports of entry by stealing the catalytic converters, thus making the vehicles to emit dangerous gases into the atmosphere, is the third reason as Volkswagen maintains that it cannot, in any way, offer warranty on such vandalised vehicles that would further compound the company's after-sales maintenance efforts.

Volkswagen made the revelations during its maiden

Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) Media Event, which was held recently in South Africa.as the leading global automaker insists that though Nigeria is of great importance to its interest in Africa, it would only consider a come-back if the first two factors are addressed and quickly, too.

"We'll return to Nigeria soon. But the government must give us the Automotive Policy (by assenting to the Bill) first and more cleaner fuels," the chairperson and Managing Director, Volkswagen Group South Africa (VWSA), Martina Biene, replied bluntly when THEWILL took her up on the Nigerian pull-out during an encounter at the company's head office in Kariega, Port Elizabeth on the sidelines of the media event that was attended by delegates from the African markets.

The Head , Group Communications, VWSA, Andile Dlamini, also expressed optimism of Volkswagen's return to Nigeria.

"We're surely coming back very soon, that I can assure you," Dlamini told THEWILL. "We were in Nigeria during the visit of the German Chancellor to Nigeria and talks are still going on with officials of the Nigerian Government."

Speaking earlier at the National Sales Operations (NSO) headquarters of VWSA in Sandton, Johannesburg, the Director, Sales and Marketing, Thomas Milz, who also heads the NSO, lamented the Nigerian situation, saying a country which imports about 600,000 used vehicles annually cannot be said to be serious about local manufacturing. He corroborated the reasons given by the Managing Director for the company's decision to pull out of Nigeria, even as he confirmed to THEWILL that the Volkswagen dealership contract with Stallion Motors Nigeria had been discontinued.

"We were in Nigeria and had fruitful discussions with Jelani Aliyu, the Director General of the National Automotive

Design and Development Commission (NADDC) . There is a lot of interest from the stakeholders and the AAAM (Association of African Automotive Manufacturers). We are still interested in the Nigerian market and our partner is waiting," Milz said without disclosing the identity of the new partner.

Also lamenting the Nigerian situation, pointing at the regular changes in import/excise duty as well as what he described as the ''horrible fuel quality,'' the Sales Operations Manager, Vinesh Ramchander, said "auto policy is key to our auto business in Africa.'' He stressed that the situation currently in Nigeria ''offers no advantage to local assembly as the auto policy bill that was tabled in 2013 was never fully implemented.''

On the values and benefits that Volkswagen is bringing to its markets and partner-countries in sub saharan Africa, which Nigeria is missing out currently, the National Sales Director, Milz, said: "We are German-based and a global player. We are guided by the Volkswagen spirit. We love the brand. We are not producing appliances but mobility equipment. We bring the German culture and heritage of perfectionism into other countries."

Milz disclosed further: ''Volkswagen sells 6 million vehicles globally every year with only a fraction of that in Africa and we have to insist on high fuel quality. Cleaner fuels will allow us to offer a good combination of products.

"The auto policy developed for Nigeria by KPMG is one of the best but it was not implemented.The fuel quality was a disaster for us . We have plans for representation in Nigeria and we've identified a partner. We are waiting for the auto policy and the right fuel quality. With a new refinery in place (Dangote), we hope the fuel quality will improve."

Milz added that the NSO strategy for sub saharan Africa is anchored on seven pillars to achieve mobility and technology through auto connectivity. He listed the strategy, tagged ''WE//2025/ @THE NSO STRATEGY,'' to include Mobility Connectivity, Digital Customer Experience, Loyalty, Brand, Sub Saharan Africa, Dealer Network and People.

With headquarters in Wolfsburg, Germany, the Volkswagen Group has 121 assembly plants globally, four of which are located in Africa, (South Africa, Kenya, Rwanda and Ghana) under the oversight of VWSA. As market demand keeps shifting towards the AOO segment due to the difficult economic conditions, VWSA is working on regaining the market leadership position through robust initiatives.

Sadly, despite her huge potential, Nigeria, at the moment, does not rank among the first five leading markets for Volkswagen in Africa. The five leading markets are South Africa, where VWSA provides 4,000 direct and 50,000 indirect jobs as the single largest employer; Kenya, where it is producing in partnership with CFAO; Cote d'Ivoire; Rwanda and Ghana. Volkswagen is also developing its markets in Angola, Senegal, Mozambique, Mauritius and Zimbabwe.

Volkswagen: Pushing For Cleaner Fuels

Volkswagen is pushing for cleaner fuels in Sub-Saharan Africa out of its belief that the future of mobility is, without doubt, green and electric. And as the first automotive manufacturer to commit to the Paris Agreement, the Volkswagen Group knows and understands this well. The Group has therefore set ambitious targets and has invested significantly to become a global leader in e-mobility.

In Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA), Volkswagen is similarly dedicated to paving the way for a future of sustainable production and mobility. At its production site in Kariega, Volkswagen Group South Africa (VWSA) plans to run production 100% carbon-neutral by 2030.

Furthermore, the company is actively pursuing a regional drive towards sustainable mobility across SSA. This push includes e-mobility in Ghana, Kenya and Rwanda, all of which have already committed to the goals set by the Paris agreement and the 2021 United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP26).

The company believes, however, that the future does not exclude the internal combustion engine (ICE) and this has been confirmed with the planned introduction of Euro-7 vehicle emissions standards in Europe from 1 July 2025. VWSA’s approach is therefore two-fold; to facilitate the transition to emobility, but also to improve the conditions that would enable the use of more advanced internal combustion engine technology.

For many years, Europe has periodically introduced higher vehicle emission standards, from Euro-1 through to its current standard of Euro-6. With each subsequent update, the development of modern emissions aftertreatment technology has been preceded with the improvement in fuel quality; in other words, has been specified to be ‘cleaner’ and more environmentally friendly.

The converse is thus also true; cleaner fuels promote the sale and trouble-free operation of Volkswagen vehicles with higher emissions standards while sub-standard, or ‘poor’ fuel quality, will negatively impact both new and old technology vehicles, is worse for the environment and have a negative impact on the vehicle technology.

Another challenge for Africa is that regulations governing emissions and roadworthiness in most SSA countries have been non-existent for many years. However, the regions of East African Community (EAC) and the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) have started to develop such regulations.

Two markets leading the way are Morocco and Kenya, which have already reached Euro-4 emissions standards and have Euro-5/6 in their sights.

As stated earlier, it all starts with improved fuel quality. Over the last 20 years, Africa has seen the removal of lead from automotive petrol, a great success no doubt, and now the focus has turned to the reduction in sulphur. At the African Petroleum Ministers meeting held in Nairobi on 29-30 November 2022, the focus was to find ways for Africa to fast-track the realisation of low-sulphur fuels across the continent.

Sulphur occurs naturally in crude oil and should be removed during the refining process.

Its presence in fuel reduces the efficiency of catalysts and therefore reductions in sulphur would immediately translate into reductions in vehicle emissions and particulate matter, and subsequently increase the life of the catalyst itself.

In addition to sulphur, markets in Africa are challenged with the removal of high levels of metallic additives, like manganese and phosphorus, which poison the catalytic converter and irreversibly reduce the efficiency of the emissions after-treatment technology in vehicles, thus no longer ensuring the vehicle remains within the prescribed emissions standards in which they were designed to operate and leads to higher emissions.

The fuel specifications for automotive petrol cover many other components that need to be controlled in order for trouble-free vehicle operation and impact positively

on the environment and human health. Some examples include fuel octane, olefins, aromatics, benzene and diesel contamination.

The octane rating is a measure of the fuel's capacity to resist auto ignition, meaning a low octane rating can cause engine damage from auto-ignition in harsh cases. High levels of olefins lead to engine deposit formation, while high aromatics increase engine wear, particle formation and tailpipe emissions, and as benzene is a known human carcinogen, its levels should be strictly controlled. The availability of cleaner fuels would therefore greatly improve emissions from vehicles in SSA.

Today, with poor quality fuels, vehicle manufacturers, importers and traders can only offer older model vehicles with older emissions limits and higher fuel consumption. The introduction of sub-50ppm sulphur fuels, free of metallic additives and contamination, at 95 octane and with the correct levels of olefins, aromatics and benzene will promote the risk free sale of low emission and more efficient Euro-4 emissions vehicles.

This needs to be in conjunction with ongoing sampling and analysis of fuels in the market (not only at point of entry) and a process of dealing with poor quality fuels. Coupled with having lower fuel consumption the ultimate benefit from cleaner fuels is a cleaner environment. Higher emissions technology vehicles that meet Euro-5 and Euro-6 emissions limits do so in conjunction with 10ppm sulphur fuels.

This is precisely why the VWSA team has started engaging with various governments and other stakeholders across Africa - particularly in the countries where Volkswagen already has assembly facilities and a sales footprint- in order to improve fuel quality and help create the required legislative framework.

The most successful example has been that of the shift to Euro-4 fuels and emissions standards in Kenya. This shift came about from the initial application of the Euro-4 enabling fuel countrywide, specifically with the introduction of a 2mg/litre limit for manganese, followed by the introduction of Euro-4 emissions standards for motor vehicles.

Other examples are Ghana, South Africa and Rwanda. While dates for implementation of the updated fuels and emissions standards are still open, the intention shows how important higher emissions standards are for these markets.

For countries that rely on fuel importation that would mean an updated ‘shopping list’; one that includes the limits mentioned before combined with the full requirement as specified in the Euro-4 enabling standards.

A region as vast and diverse as SSA will not change to zero emission mobility overnight – but Volkswagen’s key markets are definitely willing. Many African governments are taking up the challenge of finding the right mobility solution that works for their market – and Volkswagen wants to find out what it can contribute to these markets. While the promotion of e-mobility has made it to the top of many countries' agenda, cleaner fuels are also necessary in the interim to enable the use of newer and more modern and efficient engine technologies. Volkswagen believes that to enable this step forward towards lower emission mobility, the hurdles of poor fuel quality must be surmounted.

Chairperson and Managing Director, VWSA, Martina Biene (right), and the CEO, Volkswagen Ghana, Jeffrey Oppong Peprah, with the newlylaunched POLO TRACK TSI at the Kariega plant of VWSA in South Africa on June 22, 2023.

Two markets leading the way are Morocco and Kenya, which have already reached Euro4 emissions standards and have Euro-5/6 in their sights... the fuel specifications for automotive petrol cover many other components that need to be controlled in order for trouble-free vehicle operation and impact positively on the environment and human health

KESE JABARI PLANS RETURN TO NIGERIA'S FASHION INDUSTRY

ENTERTAINMENT &SOCIETY WEEKLY

EDITOR Ivory Ukonu

Former actor and fashion designer who bestrode the Nigerian fashion scene like a colossus back in the day, Ekuriese Akamune, aka Kese Jabari, has sent shivers down the spines of his Nigerian competitors with the news of his return after many years of sojourn in the United States.

Having seen how well the industry has blossomed, with designers competing with their foreign

Continues on page 41

Ibe Kachikwu Lobbies For Ministerial Position in Tinubu's Govt

Tope Tedela

A Broadcaster in Make Believe World

Dr Ibe Emmanuel Kachikwu, the former Minister of State, Petroleum Resources in former President Muhammadu Buhari's administration, doesn't seem to be content with just being a visiting Professor of Law at Baze University, Abuja; Afe Babalola University, AdoEkiti, Ekiti State, ABUAD, and the University of Benin, Benin City, Edo State - a position he was recently bestowed with, in recognition of his exceptional contributions to the legal profession, particularly in the field

Continues on page 41

Filmmaking is Risky And Sometimes Quite Rewarding – Tope Tedela

Award-winning Nollywood actor, Tope Tedela speaks with SHADE WESLEY-METIBOGUN about his career, passion for music and sundry issues. Excerpts:

How

long have you been in the movie industry?

About 17 years.

What inspired you to settle for acting?

Initially I wanted to be a medical doctor and then an engineer. But the only thing that really set my soul on fire was acting. I did a research on it, just to be sure it was something that I could do. So I pursued it.

You worked as a presenter with Unilag FM Radio when you were in school. Why didn’t you choose broadcasting since you had some experience in that field?

I studied Mass Communication. To be honest, I really wanted to study Theatre Arts, but I was advised to study something more professional. That was why I ended up studying Mass Communication. I think there are elements of broadcasting in the performing arts. Also I had felt that pursuing a career in acting would not be demanding. It is very flexible. Some days you won’t be on a movie set. You can use that time for other things, but being a full-time broadcaster wouldn’t avail me such time. I have to be on a show for a stipulated amount of time. There are times that I have to be out of town on official duty. Those were some of the concerns I had before finally settling for acting.

On the other hand, broadcasting has been democratised, so there is a possibility of me practicing it as well.

Does that mean you can quit acting for broadcasting any time?

What I mean is that I can use my broadcasting training and experience in such a way that it will not interfere with my acting career. So don’t be surprised if I start a talk show or podcast. It is not because everybody is doing it, but because I have perspective and angle I want to explore, which is not being expounded in the media world currently.

A lot of actors have embraced brand influencing and it has reduced their appearance in movies. Why do you think it is so?

I am an actor and I know how tough it is to be one. To be fair, there is an extent to which passion can propel you, but it will get to a point where you will want to get rewarded for the work that you do. The industry is an agglomeration of largely independent filmmakers. It is not until recently that we have the advent of streaming platforms and cinema houses. It has not been an easy ride for the Nigerian film industry. It is not as if government support is there. It is tough being in front or behind the camera. So if an actor uses the popularity he gained from acting to influence a product, why not? No one can be blamed for it.

It seems you are not really interested in brand influencing? You will want to collaborate with brands that align with your values and vision. Also, maybe it just hasn’t happened yet. I am open for collaboration if anything comes up.

How difficult is it to be an actor?

Acting is a profession that almost anybody can say they want to get into, whether they are trained or not. A lot of people want to be actors. However, to actually work hard to a point where you are recognised and your work is appreciated is the difficult aspect. It depends on how you are constantly being hired and that is based on the hard work and consistency you put into your career. It is really not the easiest thing on earth.

There are times that you may not be called for any job. There is also the challenge of trying to stay relevant and you are doing anything and everything to stay there. Personally, I wouldn’t do certain things to remain relevant or popular, but I understand where people who do that come from. I know how it can impact your mental and emotional health. You can’t blame them, they are just trying to survive. So it can be a real jungle.

Nollywood has come a long way, but do you think actors are well paid?

I will say no, on one hand. On the other hand, I will also ask who exactly is getting well paid? Of course, some people are getting well paid, but we can’t take away the Nigerian factor. Even when a lot of money is

pumped into a production, some people will not compensate all and sundry the way they should be compensated. So, we still have those issues. The issues at the top flows down to the industry as well as to other sectors too.

How did your journey into movie production start?

Sometimes, you just feel you want to tell certain kinds of stories or you want to take control of your life. It was a combination of all of these and I felt it was time to launch into movie production.

How many movies have you produced?

I have mostly collaborated with people, but I have produced three movies. Two have been released and one is in postproduction.

How much does it cost to produce a movie?

It depends on the kind of movie. What world is the story built around? That is the question to be asked before making a budget for a movie. You can make a movie for N50,000. With that, you just need your phone, get one of your friends, do a scene that is in a room, use your phone to edit it and you call that a film. In strict terms, you will need millions of naira or hundreds of millions to a billion. It depends on the story you are trying to tell.

Do producers recoup the money invested in their movies?

Not all businesses are prosperous. Some businesses fail. Some break even and make profit. It depends. Some producers make their money back and some others do not. Film making is a huge risk and it can also be very rewarding. There is a question to ask before embarking on the journey. Producers should ask if all the basic elements that can make a film successful are being into consideration before venturing into the project.

It also depends on the type of movie you are making. Are you trying to make a big budget theatrical release? Or a mid-budget theatrical release? It depends on the type of movie you have in mind. There are different windows you can choose to distribute your movies. You can go to the cinema first or through streaming platforms, cable television is there also and then terrestrial television before it will end up on a free sharing service like YouTube. Those are the things to consider. There should be a plan to make your money back, have you looked at the risk factors. Those are the questions to ask.

Are there things you would like to change in the industry?

The industry is changing. Like I said earlier, this is an industry that is largely made possible by individuals and it is really very entrepreneurial, if you look at it. I would like to see more government support, not in any way gargantuan, but remember we operate in this society, we operate in this economy and they all have an impact on the film industry. We also need constant power, good roads and tax rebates or tax relief. Film makers don’t want to be over taxed because they are making a film. I want a working deal that is sustainable for all and sundry. There should be fairness, equity, justice even while we are trying to earn a living. I want to see stories that will move us and project us in certain ways. Those are my desires for the film making industry.

What is the greatest advantage of being an actor?

I don’t think about it in such terms. I love the work that I do and I consider it a blessing to be recognised for it and earn a living from it. It is a

Tedela

Tedela

ENTERTAINMENT &SOCIETY WEEKLY

privilege that I don’t take for granted. On that level, I am truly grateful. Of course, the fame and popularity are by-products of it, but for me,that is not a reward. That is the icing on the cake and not the main thing for me. It is just the fact that I can play different characters, experience different lives, see the world and situation through the eyes of different people and all of that, those are the advantages for me personally.

Can you recall the most challenging role you have ever played?

I have a couple of roles like that. They sometimes come in the physical aspects, in terms of training. Your body has to go through rigorous training to prepare for the role. It could come as an emotional challenge. I remember a movie called ‘A Mile from Home’, things were pretty difficult while making the movie because it was just a group of young people who came together to make it. It just became so tough to make. There is another film titled, ‘Happiness limited.’ I was playing the part of a character who was going through a lot of hardship and the lines became blurred at a point that the director had to give me a break. I also acted in a new film some months ago. It has not been released. The title is ‘Transit’. I played a dual role that was really tough and burdensome mentally, emotionally and physically. I am sure there are others that I can’t remember.

Do you have any dream roles you wish to play anytime soon?

I have been asked this question a lot and I don’t particularly think I have any dream role. I am sitting down and waiting for it to come my way. Our imagination is wide. The human mind can conceive the inconceivable. So even if I say this is the particular role I would love to play, I am sure I can get another role that will blow my mind away and I am sure it would be the best role I have ever taken.

I am open to opportunities to explore different characters and share interesting stories. However, on the other hand, I would like to do some biopics, I think it will be a challenge and it will be interesting and fun and all of that to be in a biopic about the history of Nigeria, about a public figure.

What is special about featuring in a biopic?

I just feel it is on a different level. You are not just working with your imagination. Of course, your imagination will go into the movie, but you will re-enact the life of a person, a legend. So the research is more practical and factual. You have to get as close as possible to the essence of the person you are trying to depict. I think it is an aspect that any talented actor will want to feel and touch. Think about Denzel Washington, David Oyelowo, Malcom X, Frederick Mercury, and ‘Selma’. Just think about how to research those roles, how to train for it, all those things will make it interesting, challenging and explorative to embark upon. It is a different sort of preparation and work entirely.

What are the things you consider before accepting a movie role?

A combination of things, but on a fundamental level, I would like to know what the story is about and how the story is reflected on the screen play. I will also consider the character, the role and the director. Of course, not forgetting the compensation. All of the above.

Have you ever rejected a script because of the actor you were paired with?

Not to my knowledge. I can’t remember doing that, but sometimes you may have concerns about a person or people you are working with for a reason. I feel part of acting is to make things believable and all of that. For instance, if I am to play somebody’s husband and I am not married to that person in real life, I have to portray a loving couple. It is also my responsibility to work as professionally as possible, even if I have concerns about that person. It is my calling to bring out the best of the role because it is about the project, not me. That is how I view it.

What has shaped you to become who you are today?

I am still a work-in-progress. Definitely my upbringing plays a role in being a responsible person. I was troublesome when I was growing up, but I was able to overcome that phase through the help I got. Like they say, it takes a village to raise a child. When I finished secondary school, I joined a Christian fellowship called ‘Inspired Generation’ in Ijesha, Surulere where I grew up. They were my leaders at a time. I would say that my family and my church had a profound impact in finding myself. I am also an avid reader. It also helped back in the days and still helps.

Has Nollywood taken you far from God?

Even if I am not close to God, I am an adult. I have to take responsibility for my closeness or not being close to God. You can’t blame my career, friend or spouse for it. Of course, they can have an impact, but at the end of the day, one has to take responsibility for most of one’s deeds.

When are you going to get married?

I would rather not approach that subject matter because I feel it is not important in the scheme of things right now. When it happens, it happens. People should get married when they feel like getting married and if they don’t want to get married, they should let them be. People should keep their fingers crossed and pray for the people they are really concerned about while they let them be.

You are hardly seen at public functions. Why do you shy away It is a matter of perspective. I feel like at the end of the day, we all have pressure for certain things. I feel that my pressure for being at social gatherings may not be as high as that of some of my colleagues. I attend events when I can. It is important to socialize, but you have to be mindful of who you are, what you can handle and the things you can’t handle. I may be in some places and you won’t know that I am there. There are different sides to it, but at the end of the day, I think I really prefer to stay at home.

What do you do when a woman has a crush on you?

It depends. I was raised to be a gentleman as much as it is within my power. I imbibe that in every aspect of my life. I know I am gorgeous, talented and trying to be successful. Such is expected once a while. I will appreciate them and treat them with respect.

Is any of your siblings showing interest in the entertainment industry?

Not particularly. They are not active performers. They do other things, but I have a brother who produces music on the side and he provided part of the music for one of the movies that I produced.

You also have a passion for music. Do you see yourself going professional with it one day?

Probably. I have a lot of songs written somewhere. Whether at a professional level or an amateur level, I feel I should release the songs for the world to enjoy. I would like others to share with me as well. So yes, it will happen at some point.

How was growing up?

Growing up was pretty normal for me. I am the first among four children. We are all men. I come from a pretty closely-knit family. My brothers are probably my closest friends. My parents raised us to be kind, thoughtful and upstanding.

Tedela

I was troublesome when I was growing up, but I was able to overcome that phase through the help I got. Like they say, it takes a village to raise a child. When I finished secondary school, I joined a Christian fellowship called ‘Inspired Generation’ in Ijesha, Surulere where I grew up. They were my leaders at a time. I would say that my family and my church had a profound impact in finding myself

Tedela

ENTERTAINMENT &SOCIETY WEEKLY

STORIES BY IVORY UKONU

REAL REASON GBENGA DANIEL, DAPO ABIODUN ARE AT EACH

OTHER'S THROATS

Aformer governor of Ogun State, who is now the senator for Ogun East district, Otunba Gbenga Daniel, has opened up on the real reason why he has been at loggerheads with the state's Executive Governor, Dapo Abiodun, who was hitherto his longtime friend.

Both men were elected on the platform of the All Progressives Congress, APC and they had been friends long before Daniel served as governor of the state from 2003 to 2011. But they fell out just before the 2023 General Election, with Abiodun refusing to support Daniel's senatorial ambition. Abiodun had alleged that Daniel had thrown his weight behind Ladi Adebutu, his opponent in the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP and as such could not also support his senatorial ambition. At some point, a former governor of the state, Olusegun Osoba tried to wade in so they could sheathe their swords. His intervention worked but only for a while.

After Daniel's win at the poll, he threw a lavish celebration party in Abuja as reported by THEWILL. At the gathering, which had quite a number of political heavy weights in attendance, Abiodun and a few politicians loyal to him were conspicuously absent, further lending credence to the fact that both men are simply not interested in reconciliation.

Well, Daniel claims that the real reason Abiodun is at war with him is because of his unflinching support for President Bola Tinubu in the APC 2023 presidential primaries. Daniel claimed he faced victimisation in the party in the state for standing with Tinubu rather than with former Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, Abiodun's

choice. According to him, despite the fact that he had a close relationship with Osinbajo, he, alongside some political stakeholders, agreed to support Tinubu who they considered Osinbajo's boss, but Abiodun thought otherwise.

He also accused Abiodun of being delusional for insinuating that he (Daniel) aligned with Adebutu against him, when the reality on ground from majority of the people was to unite and support APC during the presidential election, but chose not to do so for the governorship election because of their unhappiness at the governor's less than impressive performance during his first tenure. Daniel particularly slammed him for relying more on sycophants who fabricated stories for him rather than being aware of people's sentiments about him.

Bode Pedro Waltzes Into The 40s Club

lifestyle informative blog, was the perfect host. She went all out, pulled all the stops to make the day a memorable one for him. For a man who likes to operate behind the scenes, it was the perfect opportunity to give his guests a glimpse of his other fun side.

secured a groundbreaking $4 million in venture funding, the largest pre-seed raise for an insurance technology in Africa.

Continued from page 38

Kese Jabari Plans Return to Nigeria's Fashion Industry

counterparts on the international stage, Kese plans to regain his pride of place. To this end, he is already working on two major collections that he hopes will relaunch him to the scene. The first collection which is self-named is called Kese Jabari by Mon Ami. It will be a collaboration between him and another veteran male designer, Larry Kay Okomo aka Mon Ami.

The second collection, a tribute to late Fela Anikulapo will be called 'Kabiyesi - The King Who Cannot Be Questioned' by Kese Jabari. For Kese, venturing into the fashion industry was a natural inclination as he had taken courses in costume design in theatre school, took a crash apprenticeship program with a road-side master tailor, consulted with fashion designers

during his stint with Silverbird Group owned by Ben Murray Bruce. Although Kese sees his exit from the scene in the early 1990s as manure for the growth of the fashion industry, hopefully he doesn't think that being a veteran is all that is needed to relaunch him, what with the competitive nature of the latest crop of fashion designers strutting the fashion space.

MEET 27-YEAR-OLD IBRAHIM MOHAMMED, YOUNGEST MEMBER OF HOUSE OF REPS

In a country where the legislative parliament is populated by aging men and women, it is a breath of fresh air to see a handful of young blood displacing the elderly with hopes of injecting fresh ideas on how best to carry out the task of legislation. This is all thanks to the 'Not Too Young To Run Bill' signed by former President

Continued from page 38

Muhammadu Buhari which reduced the age limit of running for elective offices in Nigeria. One of those who took advantage of this and today has a seat in the lower chambers is Ibrahim Mohammed who is representing Birnin-Kebbi, Kalgo, and Bunza Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives. And what is more, the 27 year-old, the youngest ever member in the history of the House, is the son of a former National Chairman of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), Dr Bello Mohammed Haliru. Ibrahim's journey to the National Assembly was buoyed by the tragic and unforeseen passing of his elder brother, late Barrister Abba Bello Mohammed shortly before the election and whose place Ibrahim took following the immense support he got from his community to carry on with his late brother's ambition. Although he is very much aware that some people have reservations regarding his age, he is however of the firm belief that what he has to offer will shock even his critics as he doesn't consider intelligence and education as the sole determinant of one's age.

Safe to say that Femi Pedro, a former Deputy Governor of Lagos State and his wife, Justice Jumoke, a high court judge, have both officially joined the progressive elders club as their first son, Bode Pedro recently hit the big 40 with a bang. To celebrate, his wife, Uche Pedro, founder of BellaNaija, a

All the entertainment industry weights, as well as members of his constituency, the technology industry, were all fully represented at the jaw dropping event organised by one of the most sought-after event planners, Bisola Borha of Bisola Trendy Bee. The guest experience, decor and ambience, food and drinks, the music - were all top notch.

A seasoned tech entrepreneur, venture builder, and investor with a strong track record of over 15 years in founding and managing techenabled ventures in Nigeria, Bode is the Founder and CEO of Casava Inc., Nigeria’s first 100 per cent digital insurance company. In 2022, Casava

Prior to Casava, Bode Pedro founded and led Veda Technology, a local computer manufacturing firm. His efforts revolutionized Nigeria’s local manufacturing industry, establishing Veda as a key player in computer design and assembly. As a co-founder of SquarePine Investments, Bode has played a pivotal role in the success of various tech and media companies, including his wife's business, BellaNaija, MotoCheck, Okadabooks, MoneyMie, BigCabal, Herconomy, Kippa, and Lenco.

A graduate of the prestigious Programme for Leadership Development (PLD) from Harvard Business School, complementing his degree in Computer Science from the University of Maryland, USA, Bode is a senior Fellow of the Chartered Insurance Institute of Nigeria (CIIN) and serves as chairman of the Certified Computer Manufacturers of Nigeria (CCMON). Bode recently founded the Astra Fellowship, a leadership program that empowers young tech innovators and software engineers.

Ibe Kachikwu Lobbies For Ministerial Position in Tinubu's Govt

of energy law and policy. The energy expert of over 30 years has reportedly put in motion, a lobby machinery that he hopes will materialize into him become a part of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu's government. THEWILL gathered that Kachikwu has his eyes most likely set on the petroleum ministry where he believes his expertise would be of immense benefit to the petroleum industry which is in dire need of a drastic reform. One of Tinubu's numerous cronies is alleged to be the vehicle through which he hopes to tickle Tinubu's fancy for possible consideration. Judging by his groundbreaking initiatives aimed at reforming and repositioning the country’s oil and gas sector when he was minister, one cannot deny that Kachikwu will be a good fit if

his plan turns out successful. Also, his antecedents will likely work in his favour. A former President of OPEC, Kachikwu was a former threetime President of African Petroleum Producers' Organization, APPO, the Ministerial Council of African Petroleum Ministers and undertook major reforms of APPO to bring it alive. He also oversaw the installation of late Barkindo Sanusi as Secretary General of OPEC in 2016 and H.E. Farouk Ibrahim as Secretary General of APPO in 2019. Prior to his appointment as the Group Managing Director of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC, he was the Executive Vice Chairman of Mobil Producing Nigeria Unlimited and General Counsel for ExxonMobil Nigeria affiliate Upstream and Downstream Companies in Nigeria.

Mohammed

Abiodun

Daniel

Pedro

ENTERTAINMENT &SOCIETY WEEKLY

STORIES BY SHADE WESLEY-METIBOGUN

NIYI AKINTOLA GIVES OUT DAUGHTER IN MARRIAGE

Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Chief Niyi Akintola and his wife, Rachael Akintola who is a justice at the Oyo State High Court, have given out their daughter, Professor Oluwatosin Akintola's hand in marriage to her European beau, professor Dermot Murphy. The colorful ceremony which was attended by legal luminaries, politicians and the deputy governor of Oyo State, Barrister Abdul-Raheem Lawal, kicked off with a traditional engagement which took place at Academy Suit Hall, Ibadan, Oyo State. It was followed by a white wedding at Oritamefa Baptist Church, Ibadan, Oyo State. The couple had earlier staged a civil wedding in January 2022 in the United States, however, most family members were not present at the ceremony because of the distance. They decided to wrap it off with an elaborate ceremony in Nigeria a few months after. The elated friends and family of the groom who came all the way from Dublin, performed a comic dance which became one of the funny highlights of the ceremony. The ebony skinned bride, Professor Oluwatosin Akintola is an Oncologist at Harvard University Medical School in the United States of America. She works at the brain cancer and tumour center of the University. Her heartthrob, Professor Joseph Dermot is a gynecologist also of the same medical school.

About Dapo Abiodun And Segun Showunmi's Rivalry

The political rivalry between Governor Dapo Abiodun of Ogun State and a former governorship aspirant of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Segun Showunmi, is getting deeper by the day. The two politicians belong to two opposing political parties, with both of them eyeing the same political position in Ogun State.

After President Bola Ahmed Tinubu appointed Nuhu Ribadu, as the National Security Adviser, Showunmi penned a lengthy letter first to congratulate him and also to report the activities of Abiodun in the state. According to Showunmi, the governor has elevated thuggery to an unacceptable level in the state. He noted that the security of citizens had been threatened on many occasions and Abiodun could not to do anything about it. He urged Ribadu to warn Abiodun to desist from he is doing in Ogun State.

Showunmi accused Abiodun of pursuing his personal goals instead of concentrating on the job he was elected to do.

He said that he had been busy working for the progress of Nigeria unlike the governor of the state who has been busy attending to things which are not within his jurisdiction.

Showunmi and Abiodun had earlier traded words over an attack that took place in the premises of the election

Steve Babaeko's X3M Wins Cannes Lion Award

tribunal in the state a couple of weeks ago. The PDP chieftain had accused Abiodun of sponsoring thugs to attack him in the court premises while trying to show solidarity to Adebutu at the Ogun State Election Petitions Tribunal in Abeokuta.

The governor denied the allegations, while responding to

Showunmi's outburst through his former consultant on media, Ifekayode Akinbode. He said the allegations were baseless as many PDP chieftains were in court that day and they left the court without any form of attack, harassment or intimidation. Showunmi was labeled an attention seeker who should be ignored.

Orelope-Adefulire

UN NIGERIA HONOURS ADEJOKE ORELOPEADEFULIRE

Prince Adejoke Orelope-Adefulire, the former Senior Special Assistant to Nigeria’s former President Mohammadu Buhari on Sustainable Development Goals, has been honoured by the United Nations in Nigeria with the SDG's Champion's award. The politician was recognized for her commitment, performance, dedication and visionary leadership in promoting the Agenda 2030 for Sustainable Development in Nigeria. The award ceremony which was held at the UN House, Abuja had in attendance members of the UN country team, first ladies in Nigeria and representatives of the secretary to the government. According to the UN Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator in Nigeria, Matthias Schmale, Orelope-Adefulire's firm belief that the Sustainable Development Goals are for everyone everywhere, made her achieve the laudable feat with her office. The elated awardee expressed her appreciation to the United Nations Country Team for their commitment and tremendous support towards the implementation of the SDGs in Nigeria. She revealed that her office had completed the long and meticulous process of institutionalizing the SDGs in Nigeria; while all the institutional frameworks required to support the effective implementation of the SDGs in Nigeria were also in place. OrelopeAdefulire, expressed how humbling it is for her to be honoured and dedicated the award to her formidable team at OSSAP-SDGs and thousands of unsung heroes in Nigeria.

Public relations guru, Steve Babaeko, has added another feather to his cap. His PR Company, X3M, one of the leading creative agencies in Nigeria, has won Nigeria’s first Cannes Lions award at the Cannes International Festival for Creativity, in France. Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity, formerly known as the International Advertising Festival, was established 70 years ago to reward creativity across the world. Each year, Cannes Lions brings together people who believe in the power of creativity from across the globe, for a week of celebration, exploring, learning and networking. It is considered the largest gathering of the advertising and creative communications industry. The five-day festival, which started on June 19 ended on 23rd. It incorporated the Lions awards and it was held at the Palace of Festivals and Congresses of Cannes,

in France. X3M Ideas won in the health category for public health advocacy called ‘Scoot Life Expectancy’ which was done to tackle the menace of soot in Port Harcourt, Nigeria. Babaeko, took to social media to gush over his latest feat. According to him, it feels great to finally break the 70 years jinx for Nigeria at the Cannes Lions. He added that the win is not just for X3M Ideas alone but most importantly, it is for Nigeria.

Ade Olufeko

Bows Out of LCCI

Ade Olufeko, the Chairman of Creative and Entertainment Group at the Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry, LCCI has bowed out of office. Olufeko, who had led the group since 2019 stepped down in June to pursue other projects. An internal executive committee put together earlier this year would take the reins of power and will be overseen by the Director General of LCCI, until a fitting successor is chosen. Olufeko, who started as an interim chair was inaugurated during the tenure of Babatunde Ruwase, the

former president of LCCI and Muda Yusuf, the former Director-General of LCCI was eventually nominated as chairman. He collaborated with major players in the creative and entertainment industry and proffered solutions through advisory drawing from his field experience inside and outside the city of Lagos. In 2021 Olufeko, was instrumental to the growth of the creative and entertainment group while serving as the chairman of LCCI. He brought entertainment law professionals from the United States, media producers from CNN to impart many emerging members of LCCI. He also collaborated with female leaders of LCCI to expand and solidify the group’s presence among the other 25 advocacy sectorial groups. Olufeko, is an American multi-disciplinary designer of Nigerian descent, a digital strategist and a passionate digital artist, he is married to Mike Adenuga’s daughter, Oyin Adenuga.

Babaeko

Olufeko

The Murphys

Abiodun Showunmi

STORIES BY SHADE WESLEY-METIBOGUN

OWEN OMOGIAFO IS ALL AFRICA BUSINESSWOMAN OF THE YEAR

The President and Group Chief Executive Officer of Transnational Cooperation of Nigeria, Transcorp Group, Dr. Owen Omogiafo, has bagged an award as the All Africa Businesswoman of the Year by the African financial service company, Absa Group Limited at the renowned All Africa Business Leaders Awards (AABLA), in partnership with CNBC Africa. The All-Africa Business Leaders Awards (AABLA) in partnership with CNBC Africa aims at recognizing and celebrating outstanding individuals who have made indelible marks in the African business landscape. Dr. Omogiafo, was honoured for her exceptional leadership qualities, unwavering commitment to excellence, and significant contributions to the African business landscape. With a career spanning several decades, she has led Transcorp Group, with her visionary approach which has resulted in greater heights and pitching the company as one of the successful conglomerates in Nigeria. Transcorp

ENTERTAINMENT &SOCIETY WEEKLY

Nigerian Academy of Engineers

Inducts Ayodele, Omisore

Group has also experienced substantial expansion and has diversified its portfolio across various sectors by establishing a strong presence in key African markets. The Harvard trained executive has also been instrumental in promoting inclusive business practices, empowering women leaders, and nurturing entrepreneurial talent across the continent. Omogiafo joined Transcorp Group in 2018 and became the youngest and first female to occupy the position of President at the conglomerate.

Betty Akeredolu Plans Big For 70th Birthday

Betty AnyanwuAkeredolu, wife of Ondo State Governor, Arakunrin Rotimi Akeredolu, is set to roll out the drums in celebration of her 70th birthday. The governor’s wife will clock 70 on July 20, 2023. She took to Facebook to post a picture of herself and some activities lined up for her birthday.

According to the post, she is going to jog in order to promote exercise as a healthy lifestyle. There will also be an awareness campaign on breast, cervical and prostate cancer as part of the programme to mark her 70th birthday celebration. Not stopping there, she also made a poster where she stated that her birthday is loading.

Mixed reactions have since trailed her decision to celebrate when the state is in palpable fear and anxiety over the health of her husband. Governor Akeredolu, has been battling an undisclosed ailment for a while now. His deteriorating condition has made him embark on leave for a couple of times. Many took to the comments section of her post to send the First lady to the gallows

over her decision. According to them, Betty is an insensitive woman to have made such a post when she was supposed to be by her ailing husband's side. Moreso, they expressed concern over

Engineer John Ayodele, husband of Quincy Ayodele, founder of Quincy Wellness and Naturopathic Centre and the National Secretary of the All Progressive Congress, Iyiola Omisore, have been inducted into the Nigerian Academy of Engineers. The duo were inducted during the two-day annual lecture, award and induction of new fellows of the Nigerian Academy of Engineers which took place last week at the University of Lagos, Akoka. They were admitted to the apex association of Engineers because of their individual contributions to the development of the profession in Nigeria. While reacting to the honour, Engineer Ayodele and Senator Omisore gave assurance of their readiness to avail the country of the benefit of their professionalism while also being vanguards of

meritocracy in appointments to public offices, so that the country’s development can be kept on course. Engineer Ayodele, is the deputy managing director, Ibadan Electricity Distribution Company, IBEDC. He was formerly the chairman of the electrical division of the Nigeria Society of Engineers. Senator Omisore, was the deputy governor of Osun state from 1999 to 2003, he served as a senator representing Osun East Constituency from 2003 to 2011.

Rotimi Makinde Distances Self From Alleged Fraud

Betty’s attitude in handling power because she has had a running battle with the deputy governor of the state, Lucky Orimisan Aiyedatiwa, who is supposed to take over the reins of power in the absence of the governor but was denied the opportunity. Babajide, son of the governor who is seen in some quarters as the de facto governor has been in charge. He has been overstepping his boundaries by interfering in the affairs of the state. He and his mother took hold of government seats and were not willing to let go not until recently when they made a U-turn and a letter was written to the State House of Assembly informing them of Akeredolu’s intentions to travel abroad for medical treatment. The legislators were also informed that power was handed over to his deputy, Aiyedatiwa.

Aformer member of the House of Representatives, Rotimi Makinde, has washed his hands off the fraud allegation he is engulfed in. The former lawmaker, who represented Ife Federal Constituency of Osun State a few years ago, had through his influence as a member of the Governing Council of the Federal Polytechnic, Damaturu, Yobe State, secured a contract to construct a radio station for one of his former staff, Eniola Victor Mark, through his company, Omoluabi Empire Holdings Limited. The project was awarded in April, 2023 to Mark and an unspecified sum of money running into several millions of naira was allegedly paid to him upfront. However, he allegedly disappeared with the money and abandoned the project. Makinde, who had secured the contract for Mark, had to be contacted and asked to produce mark. He tried to reach him severally via phone calls but in vain. The former actor out of frustration called Mark out on Facebook and accused him of absconding to the United Kingdom with the contract money.

In response, Mark, through the Executive Director of Operations, Ojulowo Omoluabi Empire Holdings Limited, Josephine Amadi, accused Makinde of delaying the project. The former lawmaker was accused of allegedly receiving part of the contract money, about N30 million, which was paid to two different accounts that he claimed would be used to furnish the project in Yobe State. Makinde thereafter refused to deliver the goods but allegedly threatened Mark's life and boasted that he had godfathers in the ruling party, so he has immunity

and cannot be questioned or arrested.

Amadi claimed that the company had to source funds to continue the project while appealing to Makinde to return the money in his possession. She also claimed that the former lawmaker allegedly started to discredit Mark and called him out on Facebook and wrote defamatory things about him, adding that the company has proof of the transaction that took place between the company and Makinde.

Reacting to Amadi's claims, Makinde said he was pushed to the wall after Mark failed to deliver as promised. He refused to pick his calls nor respond to text messages from the institution. He added that Mark had abandoned the project and relocated to the United Kingdom. Adding that all what Amadi said about him were lies.

Makinde challenged Mark to turn himself in for clarification or exoneration, if truly his hands are clean. He also stated that both Mark and Amadi lived under his roof for many months for economic reasons but they are now biting the finger that fed them. He cautioned both Amadi and Mark to stop misleading the public, noting that his legal team will act accordingly.

The former lawmaker also challenged Mark to sue him to a law court and ensure he makes himself available in the country to narrate his side of story and not to react by proxy. He also accused Mark of claiming to be the owner of Oodua FM, Abeokuta, a station he owns. The former actor also stated that Mark was using the station to allegedly swindle people of their hard earned money by luring them to buy land in Ife and Abeokuta. He vowed to bring Mark to book for his misdeeds.

Omisore

Makinde

Ayodele

Omogiafo

Akeredolu

Mujahid Asari Dokubo: From Militant to Accuser

It is doubtful if he can do a soldierly sprint across a hundred metre field without pausing to rest at intervals. When Mujahid Asari Dokubo ambled past State House Correspondents at the Presidential Villa mid-June to take his place as the sole speaker at a press briefing, it was obvious to all he was not in good shape. From the sprightly leader of Ijaw Youth Council in 1998 and then Niger Delta Peoples Volunteer Force six years later, the militant has grown heavy with pounds and pounds of flesh here and there like a heavyweight prize fighter past his prime. But Dokubo still packs a punch which he delivered against the Nigerian military in his now (in)famous accusation that they are behind most of the crude oil theft in the Niger Delta. Michael Jimoh reports…

To those who know a thing or two about press conferences, Mujahid Asari Dokubo’s briefing of State House Correspondents at the Presidential Villa mid-June broke protocol. Neither a government official, party chieftain nor diplomat, Dokubo spoke against a backdrop of the Nigerian Coat of Arms, a privilege usually reserved for senior government officials and high-profile political office holders at such press meets or diplomats visiting the presidency. Also, Dokubo was alone, unaccompanied to the podium by any government or All Progressives Congress party official that day.

Curiously, the briefing itself seemed both an endorsement by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration and a denial. Tipping the scale at more than 350 pounds, Dokubo’s massive frame couldn’t quite conceal the Coat of Arms behind him. But then, there were no government officials sitting either to his right or left, as such press briefings go. He was alone, giving the vague impression that whatever he had to say (which he must have told PBAT in private anyway) he was pretty much on his own.

And what the former Niger Delta militant had to say was weighty and explosive enough. The military, especially the Army and Navy Dokubo told Nigerians and, by extension, the rest of the world, were complicit in oil theft in his benighted region. Worse still, their inaction and tardiness in genuinely fighting Boko Haram insurgents had compromised the war on terrorism in Nigeria. In other words, the military was not only breaching the Nigerian security wall they were meant to protect but also sabotaging the country’s livelihood by directly attacking its economic base – crude oil theft in the Niger Delta.

“Mr. President has been a father figure to me,”

Dokubo began by telling the assembled press corp. “Our relationship spans over 30 years. I came here today to give words of encouragement to the President for the actions and policies so far made in his less than three weeks in governing a very difficult country like Nigeria. We discussed a wide range of issues, especially on security and oil theft in the Niger Delta. My brothers and I assured the President that there will be zero oil theft and vandalisation in the Niger Delta. We are going to work with the NNPCL and the IOCs to make sure that oil theft is brought to zero. I also want to say that oil theft is encouraged by the military.

“The military is at the centre of oil theft and we have to make this very, very clear to the Nigerian public. 99 percent of oil theft can be traced to the Nigerian military, the Army and Navy especially. The Army and the Navy intimidate the Civil Defence who, by status, are supposed to guard these pipelines.”

In his words, the military “receive a lot of money from NNPCL and the IOCs and just across the corner you will see a meter not far from the household, an oil bunkering refinery or tapping directly from oil well. It is very pathetic now. What has happened in the Niger Delta in the past eight years was unprecedented in the history of oil production anywhere in the world. The vandals do not only attack the pipelines, they have migrated from pipeline and gone directly from it.”

That would not be the first time Dokubo would be a guest at the seat of government in Nigeria. Sometime in 2003/ 04 at the height of youth restiveness on account of environmental

Tipping the scale at more than 350 pounds, Dokubo’s massive frame couldn’t quite conceal the Coat of Arms behind him. But then, there were no government officials sitting either to his right or left

degradation in the Niger Delta, President Olusegun Obasanjo invited Dokubo and dozens of his co-agitators to the Federal Capital Territory. Nothing much came off the meeting.

The militants went back to the creeks, took up arms and their campaign against the oil companies thus disrupting the cash flow of Nigeria’s main source of external revenue. Some of the militants – including Dokubo – were jailed for their pains. Dokubo was released afterwards.

OBJ’s successor President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua also extended a hand of friendship to the militants after he came to power in 2007. He even negotiated amnesty with reformed militants

...From Militant to Accuser FEATURES

willing to trade in their guns, bombs and bullets for peace, promising and paying $10m every year for their rehabilitation. But then, Yar’Adua died after only three years in office. The Amnesty programme continued under his successor Goodluck Jonathan himself a native son of the Niger Delta and under whose government the militants never had it so good.

The Muhammadu Buhari administration that succeeded Jonathan’s stopped the Amnesty programme and, once again, the militants were up in arms but not as forcefully as before. Nor did PMB pay much mind to them. At least it is not on record that any of the militants had a direct dealing with PMB’s administration from 2015 –2023.

But barely a month into PBAT’s government, the most visible leader of the militants was now a guest right in the heart of the seat of government with guns blazing, sort of, from both hips.

The speculation in some circles is that having gotten the ears of PBAT, Dokubo made clear he would repeat the same thing in public if given half the chance. His chance came that mid-June afternoon in Aso Villa and he wasted no time in seizing the opportunity.

The military, Dokubo went on, were not only purloining crude from the Niger Delta but they had also failed in their mission to tackle Boko Haram, banditry and sundry insurgents in the country. Delivering a spiel worthy of a self-serving salesman and at the expense of the military, Dokubo insisted that “there is a full-scale war going on…the blackmail of the Nigerian state by the Nigerian military is shameful. They said they do not have enough armament and people listened to this false narrative. They are lying. They are liars. I repeat they are liars because I am a participant. I am a participant in this war… We have lost so many men and in all these engagements, we don’t even have one percent of the armament deployed by the Nigerian military; one percent, and we have had resounding success. So, this blackmail must end. They have enough resources to fight. Instead of fighting, they are busy stealing.”

The rules of engagement between the military in Nigeria and the civilian populace is nearly always one-sided and we know who most times carries the big stick or gun, if you like. Even politicians who appoint service chiefs dread them for the simple reason that the men in khaki can, on a whim, edge them out from power. Now, here was this ‘bloody civilian’ talking down the military like no Nigerian has done before and without apologies.

Commenting on the Dokubo press briefing in the Presidency, Lasisi Olagunju wrote in his column in the Nigerian Tribune of June 20 headlined “Asari Dokubo in Aso Rock Villa.”

“I watched Niger Delta chief militant Asari Dokubo,” Olagunju began, “addressing the press inside the Presidential Villa, Abuja, on Friday after his meeting with President Bola Tinubu. He exuded the very awe of power as he waxed lyrical boasting brazenly of his efficiency as a protection entrepreneur. The man sat with absolute confidence; directly behind him was Nigeria’s national Coat of Arms, the solemn symbol of the authority of the government and of the sovereignty of the Nigerian State. Only the

Asari Dokubo would most probably have been a professor of Law if his provenance had been in the southwestern state ...But sired in the oil-rich Niger Delta with companies fouling both human life and natural habitat, a life of activism would most certainly have seemed much nobler in the minds of young people like Dokubo

president, and, maybe, the vice president are statutorily allowed that privilege in that complex. But the militant enjoyed it on Friday and nothing happened. That is what you do when you think you have the king behind you. Everyone and everything, including the law, rose to meet this big man at our seat of government.

“Dokubo spoke not like a sovereign but as a sovereign. He sells security and the Nigerian Armed Forces are his competitors. At the press conference, the man maximally used the hallowed grounds of the State House to advertise his business and do a very negative review of the ‘enemy’ and their operations. He attacked the Nigerian Armed Forces using the very visible platform of their Commander-inChief. He said our forces and their men were felons who would rather steal than protect what they were employed to guard. Then he adroitly advertised his protection business and rammed its ‘efficiency’ down the throat of a terrorized

nation. The big man from the creeks announced that he was in charge of security from our Federal Capital, Abuja to one, two, three, four, five, six states of the country.”

Most worrisome to Olagunju was the vapid response from the military following Dokubo’s accusation. “I have read the very tepid responses from the Army and the Navy. They both denied being thieves. One said their accuser should name names; another took a politically safe lane and merely listed its achievements in curtailing crude oil theft. The replies were not as they would be if the accuser were an ordinary foulmouthed lout. But this one was a presidential guest who had just enjoyed a photo op with the Commander-in-Chief.”

Born on June I 1964 Buguma in Rivers state to a father who was a judge, he was christened Melford Dokubo Goodhead Jr. and was meant to follow in his father’s law profession. So, he enrolled as a law undergrad at University of Calabar but found it punishing. He dropped out without much ado in 1990. Next was Rivers State University of Technology Port Harcourt which he also quit. Activism will become the main focus of his life from then on.

What might have been if the beefy Niger Delta militant known to Nigerians as Mujahid Asari Dokubo was born in Ekiti and not in Rivers state? Anthropologists say two things shape individuals: nature and nurture, that is the environment you are born in and the circumstances of one’s birth. Asari Dokubo would most probably have been a professor of Law if his provenance had been in the southwestern state where each household is reputed to have one or two people in academia up to professorial level. But sired in the oil-rich Niger Delta with companies fouling both human life and natural habitat, a life of activism would most certainly have seemed much nobler in the minds of young people like Dokubo.

Though born into a Christian household Dokubo soon took up the Islamic faith thus the moniker Mujahid and even his sartorial preference reminiscent of tribal war leaders in the mountain ranges of Afghanistan although they are much wiry. He is not averse to brandishing AK-47s as those Asian Mujahideens are wont to now and then.

Depending on the perspective you view the Mujahideens or people like Dokubo from the Niger Delta – as freedom fighters or terrorists –sometimes governments do engage them in talks for the public good and peace. “In other to move things forward you have to talk to terrorists,” Marjorie “Mo” Mowlan, onetime Secretary of Northern Ireland said in a TIME profile of people who changed the world in 1998. “I know that their victims find this very, very hard, but it is the only way.”

OBJ and his successor Yar’Adua knew that well and so engaged the Niger Delta fighters which finally culminated in the Amnesty programme which brought relative peace to the previously combustible region. Jonathan continued the programme but Buhari scrapped it. Now with oil theft rising by the day, is PBAT hoping for the same results as his predecessors minus one?

The answer is anyone’s guess.

SportsLive

Osimhen, Iheanacho, Ndidi in Transfer Saga

BY JUDE OBAFEMI

The summer transfer window is always an exciting time for football fans worldwide, as top clubs vie for the best talents to bolster their squads. One transfer saga that has dominated headlines and captured the attention of football enthusiasts is the potential departure of Nigerian striker, Victor Osimhen, from Napoli. Numerous top European clubs, including Chelsea, Liverpool, Manchester United, Bayern Munich, Real Madrid, and Paris Saint-Germain, have expressed interest in acquiring the talented 24-year-old.

The transfer saga surrounding Victor Osimhen took an interesting turn when Salvatore Bagni, a respected figure at Napoli, revealed the striker's preferences. Bagni disclosed that Osimhen was not interested in joining Liverpool or Chelsea in the upcoming transfer window. This revelation sparked fresh speculation about Osimhen's future and intensified the pursuit of the Nigerian international.

Bagni suggested that Osimhen's preferences were limited to Manchester United or Real Madrid. The Nigerian striker was not keen on returning to France where he had previously played nor was he enthusiastic about moving to Germany.

One factor that made Liverpool and Chelsea less attractive options for Osimhen was their absence from the UEFA Champions League, a competition that holds significant appeal for the reigning Serie A capocannoniere.

Osimhen's impressive performances for Napoli not only played a pivotal role in the team's Serie A title triumph

but also caught the attention of several top European clubs. Chelsea, managed by Mauricio Pochettino, was reportedly planning a significant investment in a new striker. The potential departure of key forwards Romelu Lukaku and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang created a void that the London club sought to fill with a player of Osimhen's calibre.

Pochettino's squad overhaul after an underwhelming previous season means Osimhen aligns with their objective of reinforcing their attacking lineup to challenge for domestic honours and immediately return to Europe. However, the steep valuation imposed by Napoli might cause them to explore alternative options. Additionally, their complete absence from all and every European competition is a huge negative in attracting a player of Osimhen's capacity. There is also the small

factor of how much it will cost them, with the club more interested in cutting costs after being engaged in over half a billion pounds (£539m) in just the last season alone.

Liverpool, too, had initially expressed interest in Osimhen but later ruled out pursuing the Napoli striker. On the other hand, Napoli's president, Aurelio de Laurentiis, known for his shrewd business acumen, made it clear that the club intends to retain Osimhen. In accordance with this stance, Napoli rejected an £86 million bid from Paris Saint-Germain for the Nigerian striker, sparking interest from other English Premier League clubs, including Manchester United and Newcastle, potentially leading to what was perceived to be a budding bidding war.

What put some of that fire for Osimhen out quickly was Napoli's steep valuation of N150 million for the Nigerian striker, a valuation that immediately deterred some potential suitors. However, it was a valuation that increasingly underscored Osimhen's importance to the club and their desire to keep him in their ranks. Unlike Napoli's star Korean defender, Kim Min-jae, who had a buyout clause allowing him to join Bayern Munich, Osimhen's contract does not contain such a provision, making his departure more challenging.

While Osimhen's transfer saga unfolds, Iheanacho and Ndidi face uncertainties regarding their futures

SportsLive

...in Transfer Saga

In the midst of the furore over the striker, Inter Milan star, Obafemi Martins offered him some advice, stressing the importance of carefully assessing potential destinations to ensure continued growth without unnecessary hurdles. Martins suggested that the young striker should consider extending his stay at Napoli for at least one more season to consolidate his development in a familiar environment.

Similarly, former Napoli and Chelsea defender, Kalidou Koulibaly, encouraged Osimhen to make his own decisions regarding his future without being influenced by external factors. Koulibaly commended the impact of Napoli coaches Gennaro Gattuso and Luciano Spalletti on Osimhen's development and highlighted the Nigerian striker's talent and significance to the team.

Despite Napoli's intention to retain Osimhen, prominent clubs, such as Manchester United, Bayern Munich and PSG, have expressed serious interest in acquiring the Nigerian striker. Manchester United, in particular, seeks to bolster their attacking options and compete for the EPL title under Erik ten Hag. The club's attacking trio of Marcus Rashford, Bruno Fernandes and Anthony Martial could be further strengthened by Osimhen's arrival.

Bayern, renowned for their ability to secure top talents, could also be a potential destination for Osimhen. The Bavarian giants are known for their prowess in the transfer market and their track record of successfully integrating young talents into their squad. With the departure of Robert Lewandowski still without a fix, Bayern Munich may consider Osimhen as a long-term replacement.

Lastly, Paris Saint-Germain, which will be under a different management next season, has been active in the transfer market, targeting several high-profile signings. Eager to bolster their attacking options, the French giants were rebuffed in their initial bid for Osimhen. However, their financial capabilities and allure as one of Europe's elite clubs cannot be underestimated.

PSG’s desire to reach the still-elusive UEFA Champions League title, even with the bundles of talent at their disposal, will be just the type of motivation they need to break the bank and convince the Super Eagle star to make the switch from the Serie A champions to the Ligue 1 champions.

Continued from Back Page

While Osimhen's future remains uncertain, with several top clubs vying for his signature, his decision will undoubtedly have a significant impact on the landscape of European football. As the transfer season unfolds, all eyes will be

Like Kenya, Others, Nigeria Can Appoint CBN Governor Through Transparent And Competitive Process

confirmation have established checks and balances in the appointment process. This has reduced corruption risks, enhanced transparency, and ensured that the governor upholds ethical standards.

Finally, the reforms have resulted in the appointment of highly skilled professionals with valuable expertise. The merit-based selection process ensures that the governor possesses a deep understanding of economic principles, monetary policy frameworks, and financial markets. This expertise enables the Central Bank to make informed decisions and effectively respond to economic challenges.

Overall, the impact of the reforms in the selection process for the Central Bank governor in Kenya has led to enhanced economic stability, increased public trust, improved accountability and governance, and the appointment of highly skilled professionals. This model serves as a role model for other African countries, highlighting the benefits of transparency, competitiveness, and merit-based appointments in critical institutions.

Kenya's approach to the selection of the Central Bank governor aligns with stringent vetting processes implemented in several countries globally. For instance, in

South Africa, the President appoints the governor of the South African Reserve Bank after a transparent and rigorous selection process. This involves consultations with the Minister of Finance and a panel of experts, who conduct interviews and assessments to recommend suitable candidates. Similarly, in the United Kingdom, the Chancellor of the Exchequer appoints the governor of the Bank of England following an open competition and thorough evaluation process. The Treasury Select Committee of the Parliament conducts interviews with shortlisted candidates to ensure merit-based selection.

Canada also adopts a rigorous approach to appointing the governor of the Bank of Canada. Independent directors of the bank conduct a comprehensive search and evaluation of candidates. The Minister of Finance and the Cabinet must then approve the appointment, ensuring oversight and accountability. In the United States, the President appoints the Chair and Vice Chair of the Federal Reserve System, who are confirmed by the Senate. The selection process involves careful consideration of candidates' qualifications, experience, and expertise in economics and monetary policy, with Senate confirmation adding an additional layer of scrutiny.

on Osimhen, the golden goose of this summer's transfer window. His exploits last season and the bundle of scoring talents he has garnered have attracted interest from several top clubs, making him one of the most sought-after players in this transfer window.

However, at the other end of the transfer spectrum is Osimhen's Super Eagles' teammates Kelechi Iheanacho and Wilfred Ndidi, who will be looking for teams in Europe's top five leagues to remain relevant in elite football after the relegation of their EPL side Leicester City.

While Osimhen's transfer saga unfolds, Iheanacho and Ndidi face uncertainties regarding their futures. Iheanacho, who enjoyed a stellar season with Leicester City, is reportedly being considered by AS Roma and Besiktas. Rumours of interest from Inter Milan have also emerged, presenting the Nigerian striker with potential options for a new challenge.

Iheanacho's contract with Leicester expires next season, creating an opportunity for other clubs to secure his services on a free transfer next summer. As such, clubs may be motivated to negotiate a deal with the Foxes to secure the striker's services sooner rather than risk missing out on his

signing.

Roma, under the management of Jose Mourinho, is said to be targeting not only Iheanacho but also his teammate Patson Daka. Roma's general manager, Tiago Pinto, is believed to have travelled to London recently to conduct transfer negotiations, potentially meeting with Leicester representatives to discuss the availability of both players.

On the other hand, Besiktas, a Super Lig club, is also showing interest in signing Iheanacho. The Turkish giants have qualified for the Europa Conference League qualifiers for the upcoming season and are currently dealing with an injury to one of their players, Cenk Tosun. They are looking to secure Iheanacho on an initial loan deal to cover their attacking needs and are reportedly willing to offer Leicester half of Iheanacho's yearly salary, which is reported to be around £3.8 million. At 26 years old, Iheanacho may see this summer as an opportunity to revive his career at a new club, potentially in a different country. The uncertainty surrounding the futures of Iheanacho and his compatriot Wilfred Ndidi at Leicester City adds to the intrigue of the upcoming transfer window.

Ndidi, another Nigerian talent, has expressed his desire to leave Leicester City and explore new horizons. The midfielder's performances in the Premier League have garnered attention from clubs across Europe.

Osimhen

Iheanacho

Like Kenya, Others, Nigeria Can Appoint CBN Governor Through Transparent, Competitive Process

The Central Bank is a cornerstone institution in any country tasked with the critical role of implementing monetary policy, maintaining financial stability and ensuring the integrity of the financial system. It is the primary institution responsible for controlling the supply of money, managing exchange rates, setting interest rates and ensuring the smooth operation of financial markets.

The Central Bank's decisions and actions have farreaching implications for the economy, affecting everything from inflation and unemployment rates to the growth of national income. Given the magnitude of its responsibilities, it must be led by individuals who possess not only a deep understanding of economics and finance but also the ability to make sound decisions under pressure.

The Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, therefore, is a figure of immense significance, entrusted with the task of steering the economic ship of the nation. The governor's decisions can have profound implications for the economic well-being of the country's citizens, affecting their jobs, incomes and savings.

The importance of the Central Bank in shaping the economic trajectory of a nation underscores the need for a transparent and competitive selection process for its governor. This is a principle that Kenya has embraced in recent years, leading to a significant transformation in the management of its Central Bank. The shift from a politically influenced appointment process to one that is transparent and merit-based has not only enhanced the effectiveness of the Central Bank but also boosted public confidence in the institution.

Under the old regime, the selection process for the governor of the Central Bank of Kenya was characterised by a lack of transparency and competitiveness. The appointment of the governor was heavily influenced by political considerations, with the President having the power to appoint anyone he favoured, often without a rigorous assessment of qualifications and experience. This approach resulted in appointments that were primarily based on political loyalty rather than merit, undermining the effectiveness and integrity of the institution.

The absence of transparency in the selection process meant that the public had limited visibility into the criteria and factors considered in the appointment of the governor. This lack of transparency eroded public trust and confidence in the Central Bank, as the public felt disconnected from the decision-making process and uncertain about the qualifications of the appointed individuals.

Furthermore, the absence of competitiveness in the selection process meant that the pool of potential candidates was limited, with political affiliations often taking precedence over competence and expertise. As a result, individuals who may not have possessed the necessary skills and experience to effectively manage monetary policy and maintain financial stability were appointed to the position. This lack of competence had significant consequences for the country's economy, leading to economic instability and financial crises.

The consequences of the old regime's approach to selecting the Central Bank governor were far-reaching. The lack of qualified and competent individuals in leadership positions undermined the ability of the bank to effectively implement monetary policy, resulting in volatile economic conditions and reduced investor confidence. More so, the public's perception of the Central Bank as a politically influenced institution further eroded trust in the financial system, hindering economic development and growth.

Recognising the need for a change, Kenya embarked on

then undergo a rigorous vetting and interview process conducted by the Central Bank's board of directors. This step ensures that only highly qualified individuals with the necessary skills and experience are considered for the role.

Following the vetting process, the board of directors selects the top three candidates who have demonstrated exceptional qualifications and suitability for the position. These candidates are then submitted to the President for the final selection. The President carefully evaluates the candidates based on merit, without being influenced by political considerations.

Once the President makes a selection, the nominee undergoes vetting by the Parliament, providing an additional layer of scrutiny and ensuring accountability. If the nominee successfully passes the parliamentary vetting process, they are officially appointed as the governor of the Central Bank of Kenya.

The impact of this transparent and competitive selection process has been significant. It has led to the appointment of competent individuals who possess a deep understanding of monetary policy and financial systems. This has contributed to greater economic stability and has increased public trust and confidence in the Central Bank. The involvement of Parliament in the vetting process adds an important layer of accountability and oversight, ensuring that the selection is subject to independent scrutiny.

a path of reform to introduce transparency and competitiveness into the selection process for appointing the governor of the Central Bank. This marked a significant departure from the old regime and set the stage for the positive transformations that would follow. With the promulgation of Kenya's new constitution in 2010, significant reforms were introduced to enhance the transparency and governance of public institutions, including the Central Bank. These reforms marked a turning point in the selection process for the bank's governor, ensuring a more transparent and competitive approach.

Under the new process, the selection begins with a public advertisement, allowing a wide pool of candidates to apply and preventing favouritism. The candidates

Overall, the transparent and competitive selection process has transformed the Central Bank of Kenya, resulting in the appointment of capable individuals who effectively manage the country's monetary policy. This model serves as an exemplary example for other African countries and beyond, highlighting the importance of merit-based selection in key public appointments. The reforms in the selection process for the Central Bank governor in Kenya have had a profound impact on the institution and the country's economy. By introducing transparency and competitiveness, the Central Bank of Kenya has experienced significant positive outcomes. Firstly, the reforms have contributed to enhanced economic stability. Qualified and competent individuals appointed through a transparent process have effectively managed the country's monetary policy. Their expertise in areas such as inflation control, interest rates, and exchange rate management has created a stable economic environment conducive to investment and growth.

Secondly, the transparency and competitiveness have led to increased public trust and confidence in the Central Bank. The public can witness the rigorous vetting and selection process, ensuring that the appointed governor is the most qualified candidate. This trust fosters investor confidence, positively impacting the economy as a whole.

Additionally, the reforms have promoted accountability and good governance within the Central Bank. Involving the board of directors, public vetting, and parliamentary Continues on Page 47

By involving independent financial experts and subjecting the nominee to parliamentary vetting, Nigeria can take a crucial step toward selecting the most capable individuals for key positions like the Central Bank governor, ultimately contributing to the nation's growth and development