THEWILL NEWSPAPER November 28, 2022

Many technicalities make up a creative process. From the idea’s inception to execution, the foundation is planning—this would include having a mood board to help guide you and visualise your final look for whatever you create. But that’s not all that is required. I find other skills, such as paying attention to detail, essential in many professions, especially in the creative space. Creativity also plays a significant role, as does having ‘the eye’ regarding colours and design and knowing the right vendor per project. The ability can make or mar the outcome of a creative process.

One who is no stranger to the technicalities of a creative process is our cover personality this week, Funke Bucknor-Obruthe. In over 20 years of events production, Bucknor-Obruthe has repeatedly proven that she has what it takes to pull off a fabulous wedding or any other event. This results from very particular skills; some are inborn, while others she had to learn. Let’s not forget her signature dance moves after every event, which has become ever so popular with the advent of social media, such that her clients now request she does a victory dance after the event. She speaks about this and much more, including a new book—some of you may remember her last one, The Essential Bridal Handbook— most likely to be published in 2023.

It’s wedding season, so most people have probably already received their invitations and are now saddled with what to wear. As Nigerians, we generally like to play dress-up and outdress the next guest, so our fashion pages suggest a few looks that will have you standing out at that wedding.

For the bride-to-be, our beauty page spotlights a particular ingredient you must include in your beauty regimen to keep you radiant and ready for your big day. The travel pages reveal some fabulous honeymoon locations.

A wedding used to be the perfect place to find love but is that still the case, or have, as they are popularly known, Yoruba ’demons’ and ‘wicked’ Igbo girls taken over? Find out on page 6.

Until next week, enjoy your read. Onah Nwachukwu Editor, THEWILL DOWNTOWN @onahluciaa +2349088352246

Photo: Kola Oshalusi @insignamedia Makeup: Zaron

THEWILLNIGERIA THEWILLNG THEWILLNIGERIA

2023: Confusion Trails

LP, Obi/Datti Campaign

BY AMOS ESELE

Just as the Labour Party and the Obi/Datti campaign team have recently found out, in carrying out any workable plan, inadequate funding can be a major source of confusion during electioneering.

Ninety days to the presidential poll on February 25, 2023, over two months after campaigns officially kicked-off, hundreds of support groups informally and collectively known as the ‘Obidient Movement’ and the Obi/Datti campaign team are at daggers drawn over financial support.

Recall that THEWILL had reported in our October 30 - Nov 5, 2022 edition that the Obi Campaign was in big trouble over funding. Till date, the situation is yet to improve, thus giving room to anxiety and doubts in the minds of patrons of support groups, their deputies and representatives.

After making efforts to independently mobilise support for the party at the grassroots level, the financially exhausted groups had

threatened to withdraw their support for the Obi/Datti campaign until the Deputy Director of Campaign of the Presidential Campaign Committee, South, Chief Anagbe Kentebe, intervened to calm frayed nerves.

As a follow-up, the Labour Party presidential candidate, Obi, was said to have held a zoom town hall meeting with the aggrieved groups during which he expressed gratitude to them for “joining the fight for a just cause” and promised to convene similar meetings every two weeks.

Three weeks after, no such meeting has been called, thus leaving the problem unsolved. Then on Monday, November 21, 2022, matters assumed a different dimension. It happened at the Nigerian Guild of Editors forum in which Obi made references, among other things, to campaign funding and his relationship with the ‘Obidient Movement.’

In response to the question that his followers may react violently if he lost the election,

Obi said, “My followers and supporters? I do not know them. All these people who call themselves ‘Obidient,'' I don’t know them.”

On campaign funding, he said, “I am going to set up a team to manage donations. As of today, nobody will say he is the one funding Peter Obi. I am funding myself. The people who believe in our cause are responsible for all those things you see happening everywhere. I have assured them they are doing it for the right cause. As of today, nobody has given me one dollar. If it comes, I will take it and manage it judiciously.”

In a reaction to these developments, a convener of one of the big support groups of the Obi/Datti campaign, Movement for Change Worldwide, Mr March Oyinki, told THEWILL that, “Apart from funding, the main problem now is that there is no reporting channel, a sort of hierarchy within the Labour Party that responds to the yearnings of the ‘Obidient Group.”

...Confusion Trails LP, Obi/Datti Campaign

For instance, Oyinki disclosed that a Supportfor Obi/Datti WhatsApp group, an umbrella platform for 232 conveners of support groups, is more or less a talk shop.

“There is no flow of information. Only the admin gives orders. There is nobody to talk to. Yet, these groups have national grassroots reach across the country. We are in the field, doing grassroots mobilisation. When we want to give feedback or make suggestions, we are blocked by the admin.”

The Administrative Manager of the WhatsApp group, Barrister Nina Atanor, is alleged to interface with the groups only when the party's campaign team is moving to their respective states and even then to, “send a representative to come collect a few T-Shirts that do not go round a quarter of members of support groups there.”

It is said that when the campaign team is in a state, she would call the conveners of support groups to send representatives to come for the collection of ‘inconsequential’, campaign materials. Many complain that campaign posters, banners and billboards of the Obi/ Datti campaign ought to have flooded every place in the country to match up with the growing popularity of the candidate in the party.

PAINTING THE TRUE PICTURE

The Chief Spokesperson of the Obi/Datti presidential campaign committee, Malam Tanko Yunusa, agrees that there is some anxiety in the camp of the party, but he describes it as the people’s eagerness to make contributions to the campaign, arguing that the insinuation that the candidate said he did not know the ‘Obidient Movement,’ was taken out of context.

“How can that be? Obi named his branded plane after ‘Obidient people’. That is the highest level of recognition for his supporters. What he meant to say was that he did not know the members of the movement physically.”

On funding, Yunusa described the party’s presidential candidate as frugal in spending, adding that Obi made it clear that he was ready to work with genuine donors, just as support groups were generating funds for themselves.

Yunusa used his Kano home state as an example where groups voluntarily generate donations to assist unit-to-unit soldier canvassers who will also man the 420 polling units in the state during the upcoming election.

A spokesperson of the Obi/Datti group, Ms Ndi Kato, who was one of the few supporters

that accompanied Obi to the Editors’ Monday Forum concurred.

“As a public figure who meets many people, he may not know me physically, but I recall all the occasions we have met. The reference to ‘Obidient’ was meant to be figurative,” she said.

COMPLAINTS FROM SUPPORT GROUPS

Investigation shows that support groups started complaining on Friday, October 28, 2023 when the National Chairman of Labour Party, Julius Abure, unveiled the rejigged list of the presidential campaign council, in Abuja. Funding and the composition of the Council unnerved many leaders of the support groups who felt left out of its composition.

Many leaders of the Obi/Datti support groups that travelled to Abuja for the inauguration of the PPC on that day felt let down and exploited after they were told by the National Chairman of the party, Julius Abure, to ''Go and source funds.”

The Convener of some of the big groups with a presence in many states and local government areas across the country confided in THEWILL, on the condition of anonymity, that Abure’s response to their request for financial support had angered them.

Many of them, who had been spending money on grassroots campaigns via contributions, were shocked to hear the LP Chairman tell them to go and source funds.

Abure, during the inauguration of the PPC, urged members of the party to look for funds for the campaign because the presidential candidate did not have the funds to run the campaign alone.

“The presidential candidate of the party cannot fund the presidential contest alone. Therefore, all of us here have the responsibility to solicit funds for the campaign,” he said, after the

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installation of the PPC on Friday in Abuja. Some of the leaders who claimed they boycotted the party’s mother of all campaigns in Oyo last week, said what they want is support for logistics, such as money to hire megaphones, pay for rented apartments used in convening meetings, which can range from N20,000 to N30,000.

"When the million marches were recently organised, my group and 13 others donated N400,000 each to support the project. We are not complaining about raw cash handouts. But let our principal be committed to our support, just as we are supporters of his cause. During our last town hall meeting, for example, some group leaders complained that their accounts for receiving donations were blocked by the banks and the money, surprisingly, returned to the donors. They wanted Obi to intervene. That is the kind of support we are looking for.”

WAY FORWARD

In anticipation of trouble ahead, the PCC has scheduled a meeting for Monday, November 28, 2022 in Abuja, the Federal Capital Territory.

Malam Yunusa disclosed to THEWILL that the General Secretary of the PCC, Mr Clement Ojukwu, has scheduled a meeting with the aggrieved groups. He absolved Barrister Atabor of any wrongdoing about her administration of WhatsApp group for supporters of the presidential candidate.

According to him, Atabor cannot act without instructions from the PCC. That is why we are calling for a meeting on Monday to resolve outstanding issues. Otherwise, the party’s campaign team is going on smoothly with their assignment. He urged the aggrieved support groups to be patient.

Mr Oyinki of the Movement for Change Worldwide supports the talks for change in the relationship between the PCC and the support groups.

“When I read about what the candidate said about the “Obidient movement,” I thought he meant to say that he was unable to identify each of us individually. He cannot claim that we are not committed to his campaigns and the cause for him to emerge as president. It must be teamwork.”

Despite Obi’s campaign’s shortcomings, his candidacy appears to be giving the two main political parties, the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, and the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, a lot to chew on as we begin the countdown to the February 25, 2023 election.

As a public figure who meets many people, he may not know me physically, but I recall all the occasions we have met.

The reference to ‘Obidient’ was meant to be figurative

FG Inaugurates C'ttee to Review National Policy on Inclusive Education

The Federal Ministry of Education on Friday inaugurated the National Policy on Inclusive Education Review Committee to guarantee education for all.

The Permanent Secretary in the ministry, Mr David Adejo, said that education was not only about being proactive in identifying barriers and obstacles, but being able to subdue those challenges and get expected outcomes.

According to Adejo, if the right education for all was to be upheld, all learners, irrespective of disability, gender, giftedness or other characteristics must have equal access to quality education.

He said education needed to also meet their basic learning needs, enrich their lives and provide opportunities for lifelong living.

Adejo added that to provide access to quality education as well as remoce those barriers that lead to exclusion, effective strategies and actions needed to be taken.

This, he said, was by all relevant stakeholders in providing the enabling environment for all citizens.

Adejo said, “You will recall that government approved the National Policy on Inclusive Education in Nigeria in 2017.

“It is a holistic approach with a unified system in which cognisance was taken of formal, non-formal, segregated and mainstream education.

“However, few years later, the document was found to be deficient in some areas of implementation.

“Its review therefore, becomes necessary to deal with emerging issues, challenges and gaps. It should ensure that the country adopts global best practices to improve lives of learners with disabilities.”

Adejo urged the members of the committee to put in their best towards producing a policy that would be enduring and be used as a reference point by other countries.

He listed the terms of reference for the committee to include the study of existing inclusive education policies, identify emerging issues and gaps not covered.

He listed others to include the development of a draft reviewed policy with a detailed implementation strategy and plan.

It is also to clearly highlighting stakeholders responsibilities and subject the revised draft to a stakeholders consultation process.

Adejo also urged them to produce and submit a final report that would be submitted to the FEC for approval and other incidentals to producing an appropriate National policy on inclusive Education.

Mr Adeoye Adeleye, Director, Education Planning Research and Development and the Chairman of the committee, said they would put in their best to meet up with the obligation.

He said: “We are ready to sacrifice so that at the end of the day we will be able to say that in our own time, we contributed our own quota to the education sector.”

Mr Jake Epelle, Founder, Chief Executive Officer, Albino Foundation and the UN Albinism Ambassador, said Nigeria formulated the second inclusive education policy in Africa six years ago.

Epelle said that there were emerging issues that needed to be included in the policy.

He said that was why the policy review was decided to bring it up to date with global best practices.

Epelle said, “There are technical partners from outside the country and within the country whose job it is to unveil these emerging issues and ensure that they are incorporated in the new policy.

“Some of the issues are the latest technology for learners with disabilities that need to be captured. There are other emerging groups of disability that need to be captured.

“There are several educational systems that relate to inclusivity that need to be part of this policy,

“The implementation guideline needs to be brought up to date to be able to access budgetary allocation.

Women Centre Empowers, Awards 115 Female Artisans

The National Centre for Women Development (NCWD) has empowered and awarded Grade three trade test certificates to 115 female artisans to promote gender inclusiveness in various male dominated fields.

This was disclosed during the joint graduation ceremony of 2022 residential female artisanship Program and the regular vocational skills training in Abuja.

Dr Asabe Vilita-Bashir, NCWD, Director General, said the training was to improve their livelihood and enable them to contribute in male dominated skills.

Vilita-Bashir said the women were trained in tiling and masonry, air-conditioning and refrigeration, generator repairs, electrical works, plumbing and piping.

“These have long been seen as male preserves and in the past, gender biased.

” We noted paucity of skilled artisans in the construction industry and also noted that the performance in the sector has nothing to do with the sex of individuals, and in response designed the Project “Residential Capacity Building for Female Artisans.

” The program has so far trained over 1000 young females, making the aforementioned skills to be gender responsive and inclusive; and empowered young women and girls economically, so as to enhance national development,” she said.

According to her, the training would enable the female artisans to address basic artisanship needs in the rural communities, especially in areas where men were not allowed to enter places habited by women for cultural and religious reasons.

She added that the artisans would be awarded Grade 3 Trade Test certification in their various identified areas of skills, alongside their start-up packs enabling them to work in any construction industry.

Similarly, some women were also trained in fashion and garment making, hospitality and tourism, interior and outdoor decoration, cosmetology and beauty therapy.

Others are; catering, cake baking,decoration & sugar craft , bread and pastry making, tie and dye, make up and head gear, bead and jewellery making.

INEC Releases Guidelines For Political Campaigns, Party Expenses

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on Thursday approved the publication and release of the guidelines for political campaigns as well as election expenses of political parties, candidates and aspirants. This is contained in a statement issued by Festus Okoye, National Commissioner and Chairman, Information and Voter Education Committee in Abuja.

Okoye said that the commission met on Thursday and deliberated on several issues including the publication and release of the guidelines as well as deliberated on the appointment of a Secretary to INEC.

“The commission approved the publication and release of the guidelines for the Conduct of Political Rallies, Processions and Campaigns as well as that of Finances and Election Expenses of political parties, Candidates and Aspirants“.

Okoye said the Commission consequently uploaded the two documents to its website and social media handles while copies would be made available to political parties, civil society groups, the media and other critical stakeholders.

He reminded political parties of their obligation to submit the required reports to the commission in accordance with the provisions of Section 90(4) of the Electoral Act 2022 and the applicable sanctions for failure to comply as provided in Section 89(4) of the Electoral Act.

Okoye also disclosed that the Commission also approved the reappointment of the Secretary of the Commission, Mrs Rose Oriaran-Anthony, for a second and final term of four years, with effect from Dec. 7, in accordance with Section 8 of the Electoral Act, 2022.

Oriaran-Anthony is an indigene of Edo State.

She holds a Bachelor of Education (B. Ed) degree in Language Arts from the Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, a Masters’ degree in Public Administration (MPA) from the University of Abuja and another Masters’ degree in Public Communication and Public Relations from the University of Westminster, in the United Kingdom.

She is the second female Secretary of the commission and the first to have her tenure renewed.

She is a long-term staff of the Commission and has served as Public Affairs Officer, Assistant Director (Information and Publicity), Deputy Director (Voter Education) and Director (Civil Societies Liaison).

Her last posting was Administrative Secretary in Delta before her first appointment on Dec. 5, 2018.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Section 88 of the Electoral Act provides that, “the maximum election expenses to be incurred by a candidate at a presidential election shall not exceed N5,000,000,000.

“The maximum amount of election expenses to be incurred by a candidate in respect of the governorship election shall not exceed N1,000,000,000.

While Section 88 (8) provides that: “No individual or other entity shall donate to a candidate more than N50,000,000”. (NAN)

Deputy Governor, Financial System Stability, Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Aishah Ahmad (left) with the GMD/CEO, Access Corporation, Herbert Wigwe, at the Financial Inclusion conference in Abuja.

POLITICS

Atiku Tinubu

2023: Presidential Candidates And Their Campaign Promises

BY AYO ESAN

The Independent National Electoral Commission, (INEC) opened the window for the Presidential/National Assembly campaigns on September 28, 2022. Similarly campaign for the Governorship/State Assembly election was declared open on October 12, 2022.

After the initial lull, the major political parties namely, the All Progressives Congress (APC), the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Labour Party (LP) and the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) have started rigorous campaign across the length and breadth of the country.

Aside the usual campaign rallies, all the parties have explored the opportunity of addressing town hall meetings with business communities, religious bodies and the media to sell their agenda to Nigerians.

In monitoring the various avenues that political parties and their presidential candidates are exploiting to sell their manifestoes, we finally have an idea of what each of the candidates stands to provide for Nigerians, if they emerge as president next year.

Atiku: Restructuring and private sector-driven economy The former Vice President and current presidential candidate of the PDP, Atiku Abubakar, has promised to restructure the country and devolve power to the benefit of the federating units.

He said: “There is over-concentration in the Federal Government with multiple duplications of agencies leading to the creation of parallel bureaucracies”.

“The federating units shall benefit from the devolution of powers to increase their productive capacity for synergy and collaboration with each other.”

Atiku’s promise is a response to widespread calls for restructuring of the country along the lines of fiscal federalism and devolution of certain responsibilities in the exclusive legislative list solely controlled by the Federal Government.

Policing has so far topped the list of the things that proponents of restructuring want federating units to have control over, especially as Nigeria faces escalating security challenges nationwide.

The former Vice President pledged that his administration would restructure the country.

“Nigerian people are excellent supporters and team players in a leadership environment that is open, friendly and merit-based. We have the will and determination not only to promote the pursuit of happiness but also the actual attainment of happiness and the good life in an egalitarian society.

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“These hallmarks of our civilisation require that we restructure Nigeria in every facet of endeavour, open up the democratic space and mobilise our collective energy towards full-scale economic production,” Atiku stated.

Atiku said that he had assembled a team of constitutional lawyers and told them to give him a proposal on legislation that could be immediately presented to the National Assembly on Day One after assuming office to facilitate the necessary amendments to the constitution to ensure restructuring.

He told newspaper editors and other top media executives: “Already I have received a report from a team of constitutional law experts, which I assembled to look into our constitution and highlight areas where there are items that can be moved to the concurrent and residual lists of the constitution.

“I have a copy of the legislation, but I cannot share it with you. I want you to know that amending the constitution requires the Executive, the National Assembly and the state assemblies. It is a whole process.

“Let me tell you that I will start work on the implementation of that report from my very first day in office if I am elected president next year.”

Going further he said, “Of course, when we say devolution of power, obviously devolution of powers must go hand in hand with a measure of resource control. So it is just logical if your interest is in resource control. Then the powers will be devolved to the states and local government areas.”

Atiku also promised to reunite the country, stressing that he came with a “strong determination to rescue Nigeria and her people and rebuild the now broken bridges of brotherhood which our founding fathers laboured to erect”.

He took a swipe at the APC-dominated government led by President Muhammadu Buhari, saying the present administration has failed to unite Nigerians.

“Our experience in the past seven years under the government of APC has made us doubt our strength as a people,” he added.

“In fact, it is safe to say that the greatest thing that the APC government will be remembered for is how it failed to maintain the integrity of our unity and how it has put a knife between the things that hitherto held us together.”

Atiku has therefore promised to unite Nigerians by forming a government of national unity immediately he is sworn – in next year.

“In 1999 all the two major political parties had southern candidates. This is because when we wrote the Constitutional Conference Report of 1994, we all agreed that our next president must come from the South, irrespective of whichever party he belonged to. We conceded the presidency to the South. Therefore, we had two presidential candidates from the South, Olusegun Obasanjo and Olu Falae.

“After the elections the country was divided between the North and the South. We said that to avoid division, we were going to have a government of national unity. Although the PDP won overwhelmingly, we brought in members of the Alliance for Democracy and the All Peoples Party as ministers. So with that move, the country immediately became one. That provided peace and stability that we have. Then we embarked on a number of reforms to make sure we provided the people of this country the good government they required.

“So this is what I intend to do. PDP will form a government of national unity. We will bring members of the opposition who would have lost the election by then into our government. Of course, we will move on from there. This is the only way to unify this country and we will now begin to move.

“Today, we have 17 heads of various security agencies. All of them come from the North; I will not do that. I will make sure that every geopolitical zone is represented in the headship of these security outfits. This is also another way you can unify this country and give every part of this country a sense of belonging.

Atiku has therefore promised to unite Nigerians by forming a government of national unity immediately he is sworn – in next year

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POLITICS

...Presidential Candidates And Their Campaign Promises

The PDP candidate said he was “determined to restore hope, rebuild our broken fabrics, reverse the locust years of bleeding of our commonwealth, and place Nigeria on the world map.”

On the issue of economic policy, Atiku said he would continue with the economic policy adopted by the Olusegun Obasanjo Administration between 1999 and 2007. He was Vice President at that time.

“I will liberalise the economy for private sectors to create wealth. Liberalizing the economy is broad. Empowering the private sector is broad, and of course, continuing with the privatization of our public enterprises. In other words, we will create a more private sector-driven economy.

“If you look at the greatest economies of the world, you would find out that governments have invariably little to do with the economy. They allow the private sector to play its role. And you can see the prosperity and the developments that the private sector has brought about in those places.

“If you see the amount of work the government has to do in this country, such as building and rebuilding ports, constructing railway lines, building and rehabilitating roads. Huge sums of money are involved. To borrow Dokpesi’s word, the Federal Government does not have such humongous amount of money that is required. Rather than borrowing money to build roads and bridges, I would rather concession most of these to the private sector and give them tax grace, invest and get back their money and bring more development and have jobs for the younger ones. This is what I would do”.

On insecurity, Atiku has promised more votes, more equipment and more training.

He said: “By the time you double the strength of the Nigeria Police Force, maybe you will be talking of about 700,000 or so. You will have reduced unemployment. So, we will extend that operation to the armed forces. By the time we finish doing that; you will find that you would have taken more than 1 million people out of the unemployment market.

Kwankwaso/ NNPP: Quality education, improved agriculture The presidential candidate of the New Nigeria People’s Party, (NNPP) Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, has assured Nigerians that he will ensure peace, security and unity if he wins the next presidential election.

Addressing Nigerians, Kwankwaso said, “Conscious of the provision of Section 14:2[b] of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria which provides that the security and welfare of the people shall be the primary purpose of government. We will secure the entire country, ensure that peace and peaceful coexistence reign, as well as work hard to strengthen the bond of unity amongst Nigerians of all backgrounds.”

On education, the former Kano state governor said it is widely accepted as a leading instrument for promoting economic growth.

He said, “Education is a public good. We shall ensure, through the correct reforms and investment, that all our schools provide the appropriate quality education to our citizens. Access, quality and productivity shall be the cornerstones of our education reform.

“Rather than establishing new public tertiary educational institutions (TEls), our administration will first focus on upgrading, rehabilitating and expanding the existing ones to the level of global competitiveness”.

On health care, the NNPP flagbearer said, “healthcare service is a public good” while promising Nigerians that his administration will be committed to ensuring that “our healthcare system is positively overhauled to ensure humane, effective, efficient, and qualitative service. Saving lives and building a healthy citizenry shall be the priority of all our healthcare institutions''.

He promised that if elected, more jobs will be created at multiple levels through the Economic Revamping Strategy as well as through the constructive engagement with the youth by honing their skill sets and providing them with necessary support.

Kwankwaso, while noting that energy and power were the backbone and the central nervous system of the economy, said he was conscious of the fact that growth would be stunted and development paralysed if these two economic pillars were not adequately and sustainably provided.

He promised to deploy his energy and power Masterplan aimed at ensuring availability, adequacy, sustainability, affordability, and safety.

On poverty alleviation, Kwankwaso promised to lift Nigerians from the poverty ditch through targeted poverty alleviation and poverty elimination strategies that will ensure that families at the bottom of the social ladder have access to food, clothing, quality education, basic healthcare and basic housing needs.

He also pledged to revolutionise agricultural practices by investing in technology, training and extension work with the objective of attaining

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national food security as well as capturing substantial market share of food in the African continent.

“We pledge to ensure the deployment of global best practices in establishment and management of forestry, plantation, animal husbandry, livestock, poultry and fisheries as well as guarantee an agriculture value chain that protects the farmers, the livestock owners as well as the consumers,” he said.

He also promised to work assiduously to combat climate change and its negative impact such as flood, erosion, and desertification.

Obi/LP: To Tackle unemployment, insecurity The presidential candidate of the Labour Party, (LP), Peter Obi, has promised to tackle unemployment and insecurity, if voted into power.

Obi said he would tackle insecurity to pave way for economic growth and development.

He has also pledged to create jobs for youths in order to lift them off poverty and deprivation.

“I assure you that if we come into power, we will address farmers and herders clashes and farmers will go back to their farms. We will tackle insecurity bedeviling the entire nation.

“We will also support youths because today, our youths do not have hope. We will support them in order to reduce the high level of criminality in the country,’’ he said.

Obi also promised to support agriculture in the county, especially in the North, to ensure food sufficiency and food security.

“The prices of goods will come down. Today many Nigerians are finding it difficult to feed themselves. If India can feed herself, Nigeria can also feed herself.

We will also solve the flooding problem ravaging the country and ensure that there is adequate supply of electricity for industries to grow.

“When the LP wins, there will be no more strikes in universities.

The government will comprise youths and women. We will provide fertilizer to farmers across the nation,’’ he promised.

He also pledged to unite Nigeria, if elected as president in 2023.

He said unity and security were needed to address problems bedevilling the country, including moving Nigeria from consumption to production.

He noted that some of the challenges facing the country, such as unemployment, drug abuse and others, could be addressed by prioritising the production sector.

“We must secure and unite the country. When you secure the country, farmers will be able to return to the farm. That alone will start addressing food inflation.

“By moving the country from consumption to production you are moving people away from poverty. The more you pull people out of poverty, the more you address criminality,” Obi said.

Tinubu/APC: More export, affordable electricity and support for farmers.

The presidential candidate of the APC, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, has said that he will build a Nigeria, especially for youth, where sufficient jobs with decent wages will create a better life.

“We will manufacture, create and invent more of the goods and services we require. Nigeria shall be known as a nation of creators, not just of consumers.

“We will export more and import less, strengthening both the naira and our way of life’.

The former Governor of Lagos State also vowed to continue assisting farmers through an agricultural policy that promotes productivity and assures decent incomes, so that farmers can support their families and feed the nation.

He further said, “We will modernise and expand public infrastructure so that the rest of the economy can grow at an optimal rate.

“Embolden and support our young people and women by harnessing emerging sectors, such as the digital economy, entertainment and culture, tourism and others to build the Nigeria of tomorrow, today.

“Train and give economic opportunity to the poorest and most vulnerable among us. We seek a Nigeria where no parent is compelled to send a child to bed hungry, worried whether tomorrow shall bring food.”

Tinubu has also said his government will “generate, transmit and distribute sufficient, affordable electricity to give our people the requisite power to enlighten their lives, their homes, and their very dreams.

“Make basic healthcare, education, and housing accessible and affordable for all.

“And, most importantly, establish a bold and assertive policy that will create strong yet adaptive national security architecture and action to obliterate terror, kidnapping, banditry, and all other forms of violent extremism from the face of our nation.”

Obi

Kwankwaso

When the LP wins, there will be no more strikes in universities. The government will comprise youths and women. We will provide fertilizer to farmers across the nation,’’ he promised

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POLITICS

PDP Crisis: Integrity Group And Battles Ahead

BY AYO ESAN

There appears to be glimmers of hope on the horizon for the main opposition party, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) as the two belligerent groups in the party appear to have decided to sheathe their swords and resolve the crisis plaguing it.

The presidential candidate of the PDP, Atiku Abubakar, first hinted at a possible resolution of the crisis when he told the Guild of Editors in Lagos that the crisis was a ‘family issue’ and it would be handled as such.

“Talks are going on. It is a family issue and we regard it as such. We will resolve our family issue very soon," he had said.

Atiku’s running mate, Governor Ifeanyi Okowa of Delta State, confirmed that a discussion was ongoing between the party and the aggrieved five governors and their allies.

Okowa debunked the rumour that the party had resolved to dump the G-5/ Integrity group led by Governor Nyesom Wike and forge ahead.

According to him, the party’s presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, had scheduled a meeting with the aggrieved governors to put an end to the contending issues.

The group, comprising five PDP Governors who are at loggerheads with the party’s leadership, penultimate Sunday decided to call itself “The Integrity Group" and said that it is still open to reconciliation.

Announcing the new name, Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo State said there was a need to rechristen the group in order to accommodate other members who were not state governors.

He said, “As you can see, the eminent politicians and leaders of the PDP that are behind the G5 are here. Most of them are senators, former governors and leaders of our party. So it won’t be appropriate to describe our group as G5, we are the ‘Integrity Group ‘within the PDP”.

The Integrity Group rose from its meeting in Lagos, which had the five state governors, Nyesom Wike of Rivers State; Seyi Makinde of Oyo State, Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi of Enugu State; Samuel Ortom of Benue State and Okezie Ikpeazu of Abia State, alongside other aggrieved PDP chieftains and said they were still open to reconciliation with the leadership of the party.

Speaking on behalf of the group, a former Governor of Plateau State, Jonah Jang, said, “We are still standing with the decision reached in our last meeting in Port Harcourt where we declared that we are still open to reconciliation."

Those present at the meeting, excluding the five governors are Senator Olaka Nwogu; Senator MAO Ohuanbuwa; Hon. N. Ikeje; Senator Nasir Suleiman; Senator Sandy Onor ; Malam B. Adoke; Olusegun Mimiko; Ayo Fayose; Donald Duke; Bode George; Deputy National Chairman (South) of the PDP, Ambassador Taofeek Arapaja; National Vice Chairman ( South - South), Chief Dan Orbih; former Governor of Plateau State, Dr Jonah Jang and former PDP gubernatorial aspirant in Osun State, Omoba Dotun Babayemi.

Led by Wike, the five governors are insisting that the National Chairman of the Party, Dr Iyorchia Ayu, should resign and be replaced by a southerner since the presidential candidate, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, is from the North.

They have also decided to stay away from the PDP presidential campaign until the party meets their demand for Ayu’s resignation. This is not the first time the PDP is facing a crisis ahead of a general election.

In 2014, seven governors of the PDP and some of its leaders, including Atiku Abubakar, walked out of the party’s convention to form a faction called the newPDP. The newPDP later joined the Action Congress of Nigeria, (ACN); the All Nigeria’s Peoples Party (ANPP); a faction of the All Progressives Grand Alliance, (APGA) and the Congress for Progressive Changes (CPC) to form the APC.

The then APC presidential candidate, Muhammadu Buhari, later defeated the incumbent President and candidate of the PDP in the 2015 presidential election, Goodluck Jonathan.

The question that is being asked now is whether the Integrity Group will go the way of newPDP and merge with any of the political party to ‘fight’ the PDP in next year’s general election.

A political commentator, Toyin Subair, said the timing is different and that from the look of things, some members of the Integrity Group may be in a dilemma over their political future.

He told THEWILL, “You know the new PDP was formed almost a

“

year before the 2015 general election. This group is coming rather too close to the election, Also most of the members of the Integrity Group are in a dilemma about their political future.

“You know, Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo State is contesting the March 2023 governorship election on the platform of the PDP. If you remember how he got the first term ticket, you will pity his current position. If by error of omission or commission, the PDP loses the presidential election, the bandwagon effect would weigh heavily on Makinde.

“Of course, Governors Samuel Ortom, Okezie Ikpeazu of Abia State and Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi of Enugu State are contesting the senatorial election on the platform of the PDP. So it is too late to ditch the PDP and join other parties.

“Even Wike is sponsoring the election of a PDP governor and other candidates in Rivers State. So the Integrity Group cannot leave the PDP, which is their dilemma. They are fighting the leadership of the party and prominent members of the group are contesting the election on the platform of the party.”

Also expressing his dilemma on national television recently, a former Governor of Ekiti State and a member of the Integrity Group, Dr Ayodele Fayose, said that despite his closeness to Wike, he had no other presidential candidate than Atiku Abubakar.

Fayose’s son, Joju, is contesting the Ekiti Central Federal Constituency 1, comprising Ado and Irepodun/Ifelodun Local

Government Areas of Ekiti State on the same day that Atiku will contest the presidency.

Fayose said he cannot direct people not to vote for the PDP on February 15 because his son will be contesting in the House of Representatives election on the same day that the presidential election will be held.

He said he would support Atiku in the forthcoming 2023 presidential election.

Meanwhile, the former governor said he would not insult the presidential candidate of the APC, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, even though they are in different camps ahead of the 2023 general election.

He said, “Let me tell you, if people are expecting me to abuse Tinubu so as to show that I am not supporting him, I would not do that.”

Fayose, an ally of Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers state, noted that despite the political differences some northern governors or politicians have with President Muhammadu Buhari, they don’t resort to abuses.

He described Tinubu as a Yoruba leader and as such, he said he won’t descend so low to insult the former Lagos State governor, adding that he respects Atiku Abubakar of the PDP the same way as the APC chieftain.

“If the only way to demonstrate to everybody that I am Bola Tinubu’s enemy is to come out as a Yoruba man and insult him, I will never do it,” he said.

“Listen to me, Atiku Abubakar and Bola Tinubu are over 70 years old leaders, why were they sitting together to rub minds and not carrying cutlasses against each other? Count me out of that (insulting Tinubu).”

“I am not going to be insulting Atiku,” Fayose insisted. “I am not going to be insulting Tinubu.”

The PDP chieftain also reiterated his stance on power shifting to the southern region of the country.

“As far as he is concerned, since President Buhari is about to complete his second term and he is from the North, the South should produce Nigeria’s next president.”

Fayose stated that he would work for the PDP, regardless of Wike’s grudge against Atiku.

Wike Ayu

The question that is being asked now is whether the Integrity Group will go the way of newPDP and merge with any of the political party to ‘fight’ the PDP in next year’s general election

POLITICS NEWS

INEC Releases Guidelines For Political Campaigns, Party Expenses

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) said it has approved the publication and release of the guidelines for political campaigns as well as election expenses of political parties, candidates and aspirants.

This is contained in a statement issued by Festus Okoye, National Commissioner and Chairman, Information and Voter Education Committee in Abuja.

Okoye said that the commission met on Thursday and deliberated on several issues including the publication and release of the guidelines as well as deliberated on the appointment of a Secretary to INEC.

Lagos APC Rally: Retire Atiku With Your Votes, Tinubu Urges Nigerians

The All Progressives Congress (APC) Presidential candidate, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, has called on the electorate to reject the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Presidential Candidate, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, with their Permanent Voter Cards, (PVCs) during the February Presidential election.

Tinubu described Atiku as a selfish person that never meant well for Nigeria. He therefore urged the electorate to reject him at the poll.

Speaking at a rally organised for him and his running mate, Kashim Shettima, by the Lagos State chapter of the APC Campaign Council, Asiwaju Tinubu said Atiku was part of the PDP's misrule of Nigeria for 16 years, and wondered why the party could not fix most of the challenges facing the country when in power.

Specifically, Tinubu queried why the PDP government abandoned the second Niger bridge, the Badagry Express road and the East - West Road.

He urged the electorate to retire Atiku with their votes in 2023 general election, because he has been vying for presidential position since 1999 and by now, he ought to have retired

"Since 1999, Atiku has been aspiring to be Nigerian president, at a time he contested in Action Congress, he contested on the platform of the APC, PDP, he is an ingrate, tell him to go and sit down at home, use your PVC to flog him, tell him to go and retire.

"Don't listen to what he is saying. He said he is running to better Nigeria's future.He was in government for 16 years, they forgot reconstructing the Badagry Express road, they didn't remember the Second Niger Bridge.He is an ingrate", Tinubu said.

Tinubu was accompanied to the campaign ground by the national chairman of his party, Senator Abdullai Adamu, the Director General of his Presidential Campaign, Governor Simon Lalong of Plateau State and the Chairman of the Progressive Governors Forum, Atiku Bagudu, who led the 22 progressives governors of APC to the venue of the rally.

Tinubu expressed his determination to overcome all odds, saying nobody can kill him because of his presidential ambition.

Speaking earlier at the rally, the Director General of Tinubu/Shettima Presidential Campaign Council, Lalong thanked Nigerians for giving his party the best candidate and the most suitable candidate

for the position of president of Nigeria.

He explained that Asiwaju Tinubu had prepared himself for the post of president of Nigeria over the years by building bridges across Nigeria, adding that, that was why anywhere one goes in the country,people were ready to support Tinubu's presidential ambition and he was always subject of discourse.

He said Tinubu has the capability to run Nigeria on the basis of equity and justice.

"I appealed to the people of Lagos State not to be deceived by any candidate who makes empty promises, rather vote for Tinubu because of what he has done in the past especially in Lagos.

"President Muhammadu Buhari asked me to tell you to remain focused,and give more votes to the APC, more than the one you gave him in 2019, '' Lalong said.

Bagudu who spoke on behalf of the Progressive Governors urged the electorate to put their hope in Asiwaju Tinubu.

According to him, the 22 APC governors have a strong belief in Tinubu.

"It is not just voting for Tinubu, but to carry the message of the 22 governors of APC that our party believes in Tinubu, and all of us, the APC governors, believe so much in Asiwaju Tinubu for the right reasons.

"Asiwaju Tinubu has done so much to improve the economy of Lagos State and made Lagos State more developed," he said.

In his welcome address, the Chief host and Lagos State Governor, Mr Babajide Sanwo-Olu, who is seeking re-election alongside his deputy, Obafemi Hamzat, thanked Asiwaju, for being the architect and builder of modern Lagos .

" We thank you for building what we’re all enjoying today, for having the vision, the character, the tenacity to push forth an idea into a plan that has birthed the new Lagos today,” he said.

“Asiwaju has had a reputation as an advocate, a champion of unity, and a man that as continued to stand for the creation of our country.

“We can see this, of course, from all of the outstanding things that he has been doing both on a professional level and within his political career.

“His reputation stands tall amongst his peers and we will continue to derive from his wealth of experience in Lagos in the past 23 years", Sanwo-Olu said.

I'll Meet Expectations of Osun People - Adeleke

Senator Ademola Nurudeen Adeleke took over the mantle of leadership after he was sworn - in as the new governor of Osun State on Sunday.

Adeleke now succeeds Alhaji Gboyega Oyetola who finished his tenure as the governor of Osun State last Saturday.

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) had on Sunday July 17, 2022 declared Adeleke , the winner of the Saturday July 16, 2022 governorship election having won the highest and secured the mandatory spread across the state in the election.

Speaking after he was sworn -in , Adeleke said he would be a servant to the people and promise to meet the legitimate expectations of the people of Osun State.

"I will under my watch boldly correct all corruption and injustices against the collective interest of "our people", he pleaded.

Adeleke also declared that all the actions and appointments made within the last three months of the immediate past governor of the state, Gboyega Oyetola, stand revoked as he alleged that they were carried out to make governance unbearable for him .

He said that the actions of Oyetola were not only mischievous but intended to cripple his new government financially.

Adeleke, who began his maiden speech with a song " I thank you my Lord that you have not put me to shame." said that he would put all his intellect, passion and energy to governance and to the service of the State.

He warned that it won't be business as usual in Osun State.

The swearing in ceremony was attended by the former Vice President, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar and his wife, Titi Abubakar, who is an indigene of Osun State; former Senate President, Bukola Saraki; Governor of Edo State , Godwin Obaseki; the National Chairman of the PDP, Iyorchia Ayu; former Governor of Ekiti State, Ayodele Fayose; Governor of Sokoto State, Aminu Tambuwal; the PDP Vice Presidential candidate, and Governor of Delta State , Ifeanyi Okowa and Governor Udom Emmanuel of Akwa Ibom State.

Also in attendance was the former Governor of Oyo State, Senator Rashidi Ladoja.

All the five Governors and members of the Integrity Group of the PDP , led by the Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike were absent .

The Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi Ojaja II, led the royal fathers that included the Timi of Ede, the Orangun of Oke Ila , Oba Dokun Abolarin and the Oluwo of Owo to the wellattended ceremony.

“The commission approved the publication and release of the guidelines for the Conduct of Political Rallies, Processions and Campaigns as well as that of Finances and Election Expenses of political parties, Candidates and Aspirants“.

Okoye said the Commission consequently uploaded the two documents to its website and social media handles while copies would be made available to political parties, civil society groups, the media and other critical stakeholders.

He reminded political parties of their obligation to submit the required reports to the commission in accordance with the provisions of Section 90(4) of the Electoral Act 2022 and the applicable sanctions for failure to comply as provided in Section 89(4) of the Electoral Act.

Okoye also disclosed that the Commission also approved the reappointment of the Secretary of the Commission, Mrs Rose Oriaran-Anthony, for a second and final term of four years, with effect from Dec. 7, in accordance with Section 8 of the Electoral Act, 2022.

Atiku/Okowa Campaign: Kwara Rally Signposts Victory

The Atiku/Okowa Presidential Campaign Organisation has said that the large turnout of Nigerians at its Kwara Rally signposts victory for the candidates of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) ahead of the 2023 elections.

The Campaign in a release signed by its spokesperson, Kola Ologbondiyan explains that the synchronization between the messaging of its Presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar and the response of the multitude at the rally further revealed that only Atiku Abubakar is meeting the expectations of Nigerians.

It said the thunderous chant of 'O Suwa' (We are tired) slogan against the deflated All Progressives Congress (APC) which pervaded the rally's atmosphere was symbolic of the general feelings of Nigerians across the nation over their disappointment in the APC administration.

“Our campaign thanks Nigerians, particularly those who converged at the Ilorin Rally for their continuous support for the Atiku/Okowa ticket.

“We urge Nigerians not to relent in their support for the Atiku/Okowa ticket as we continue to work towards freeing our nation from her current misrule and strangulation of the APC, the Atiku/Okowa Presidential Campaign Organisation said.

From left, PDP Deputy National Chairman (South), Hon Taofeek Arapaja; Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde; former Speaker, Oyo State House of Assembly, Senator Mosurat Sunmonu and Oyo State PDP Chairman, Hon Dayo Ogungbenro during a town hall meeting with PDP stakeholders in Oyo geopolitical zone, held at Atiba Town Hall, Oyo. PHOTO: Oyo Gov's Media Unit.

AYO ESAN

Naira Depreciation: Between Substance And Wishful Thinking

t is common for Nigerians to bemoan the depreciation of the Naira as the handiwork of contrary characters bent on doing damage to the economy for their selfish interest. To the average Nigerian, the notoriously weak currency loses its worth by the day as a medium of exchange, a store of value and a standard of deferred payment, largely due to the activities of buccaneer rentseekers.

A portion of the blame is also allotted to the leadership of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) for failing to “protect” the currency. For such critics, the CBN should muster the power to defend the naira and identify effective ways of making and keeping it strong. But this amounts to looking for a needle in a haystack.

While we admit that price stabilisation, exchange and interest rates, and other monetary policy matters fall within the purview of the central bank, the strength of a currency is determined by the nation’s productive base. Nigeria, at present, is not reputed as a production-oriented country which is the backbone of a strong economy. Without productionoriented activities which entails wealth-creation, value-addition and export, no foreign exchange is earned and the local currency is vulnerable to the vagaries of the environment as has been the case over the years.

The naira has suffered a 125.4 percent depreciation in the last seven years during which it dropped from the official rate of N197 in 2015 to N444/US$1 in

2022. Similarly, the parallel market slumped 227.7 percent from N235/ US$1 in 2015 to the present N770/ US$1 after hitting N950/US$1 a couple of weeks back. The foreign exchange crisis has remained a nightmare to Nigerians, as it touches every facet of our life. What has happened to the Naira in the past seven years requires no guess work. It has direct correlation with lack of productivity in the economy. With gross domestic product (GDP) growth of 2.25 percent in the third quarter of 2022, according to data by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), it is evident that the economy is grossly under-performing. The massive depreciation of the Naira reflects in the high inflationary trend which hit 21.1 percent in October 2022 as unemployment rate officially stands at 33 percent.

A more worrying dimension is the worsening state of the Dutch Disease syndrome that has cast a looming fate on crude oil which accounts for 90 percent of the nation’s foreign exchange earnings and 85 percent of its budget funding. The rampant oil theft has drained the revenue from that source, thus compounding the nation’s fiscal challenge as the government embarks on endless borrowing to the tune of N42.84 trillion as at the first half of 2022. Our debt service to revenue ratio has climbed to 100 percent. The nation’s refineries have been dormant for many years as we rely on imported petrol to meet our domestic needs with huge amounts spent on subsidies. No productive economy is run in this terribly wasteful manner.

Today, Nigeria’s weak economic

base showcases the lingering lack of infrastructure such as power, poor road and rail networks, and chaotic port facilities. Commodity producers have experienced numerous challenges affecting exports, especially on agricultural produce. Port users are still grappling with high cost of operations, tedious procedures, endless documentation, weak application of technology and extortion. These avoidable challenges combine to impede the nation’s foreign exchange earnings and contribute to weakening the local currency.

The CBN spends huge amounts to defend the naira. However, the struggle to defend the Naira against foreign currencies will be a waste if the economy is not producing and exporting to generate sufficient

foreign exchange. This is what makes the currency strong and attract investments.

There have been discussions around attracting foreign investments and boosting our foreign reserves. The fact remains that the environment must be made conducive for domestic and foreign investors and boost confidence in the economy. This is necessary because an average foreign investor would hardly opt for the local market if citizens are not investing in it. This is why this newspaper calls for urgent implementation of extant policies aimed at boosting domestic productivity.

Nigeria has embarked on a number of export promotion drives to boost foreign exchange earnings with multiplier effects like job creation and income growth. One of these initiatives is the CBN RT200 FX scheme intended to stimulate domestic production towards enhanced nonoil forex earnings. This should be vigorously pursued along with the apex bank’s PAVE (produce, add value and export) policy.

The Federal Government should address the lingering infrastructure and security challenges that impede productivity and especially operators in the real sector. This is a way of reducing the high cost of doing business in Nigeria which impacts on the performance of businesses. As we prepare for the 2023 elections, we expect the leadership that would emerge from the process to quickly and sincerely address the nation’s troubled economy which hinges principally on a poor productive base.

The naira has suffered a 125.4 percent depreciation in the last seven years during which it dropped from the official rate of N197 in 2015 to N444/US$1 in 2022

Nigeria’s Horrifying Poverty Rate

BY BONIFACE CHIZEA

We must not be surprised that the National Bureau of Statistics has estimated the multiple dimensional poverty Index in the country at 133 million persons representing 65 per cent of the population of Nigerians. This data I suppose simply confirms what most of us already feel and suspect.

My position on the reliability of the index is that we should imbibe the habit of cutting national institutions charged with such specific responsibilities of producing targeted index slack by giving them the benefit of the doubt. We should expect them to be professional in discharging such assignments as there will be no reasons whatsoever for it to be otherwise. Therefore, there is no need to argue with the figures and the major centres of poverty in the country as highlighted in the Report which included Sokoto, Jigawa, Yobe and Bayelsa states .

The reason for this situation is not farfetched. It is directly due to lack of productivity in the economy. All it takes is to remember that the official data on Gross Domestic Product (GDP) is under 3% per annum. When your population growth rate is higher than your GDP rate as a nation you are on the highway to entrenching poverty in the land.

The reasons why we don't have productivity in the

economy are well rehearsed. It is partly historical even if it got compounded by untoward contemporary developments: COVID-19 as well as the senseless ongoing Russia-Ukraine war.

Historical causes are largely due to what has been commonly referred to as the "Dutch Disease." This is a situation whereby countries with natural endowment underperform because of unwholesome dependence on resources from this one source. In Nigeria we were somehow conscious of this fact that as far back as 1986, we articulated the Structural Adjustment Program (SAP) which had the sole thrust of diversifying the economic base of the country so that revenue would also accrue from non-oil sources. But despite an expertly articulated program, we came badly short on implementation and that really is the long and short of the problem. Today we all collectively bemoan our failure in this regard.

The other area of problem we had was wrong policy choices. We have natural endowment in fossil fuel but lack the capacity to refine what we consume. We literally imported all the refined products we consumed and ended up not recovering the cost of importation over many years. The subsidy we paid ballooned out of hand as it became a cesspool for unbridled corruption. In summary this explains why productivity has eluded us

as a Nation amongst other off shot; related reasons. There are also those who think that we should have floated the Naira to allow the exchange rate to be determined by the market. But the fundamental problem is that you don't have a market in this respect in the country. What sort of market is that where you only have one dominant supplier with insatiable volumes of demands? And for those of us who have been around for some time, there is no manner of experimentation that we have not tried, only to beat a retreat as the reality of free falling rate of exchange stares us in the face. No doubt floating the Naira is on the cards as soon as we are in a position to drastically reduce demand through for instance the termination of fuel importation.

What to do is well known. We just need the political will to actualise the strategies we have dutifully identified. We hope that elections 2023 will unleash the much anticipated change in paradigm. This change we all await must enthrone nascent pristine values that will make our leaders selfless as they eschew corruption in all its ramifications as the future of the country is prioritised as they pilot National affairs.

•Dr Chizea is an economist and CEO, BIC Consulting

The Donald Trump That Africans Don’t Know

BY MAGNUS ONYIBE

The first thing that springs forth from the mind of some Africans as soon as the 45th president of the United States of America, USA, Donald J Trump, is mentioned, is the impression that he does not like Africans, which is so untrue.

And that wrong notion of president Trump disliking Africans stems from the fake news planted by his political opponents in the media and attributed to him such as: “Africa is a shit hole country.”

Although the statement is flawed in a fundamental way, most people who believe and, therefore, are not enamoured by President Trump, have not bothered to critically identify and examine the flaw. That is the reason emotions seem to have clouded their judgement and why they have swallowed the falsehood hook line-and-sinker.

As we all know, Africa is a continent of 54 countries and not just one country. So how could President Trump have made the comment attributed to him by his traducers: “Africa is a shit hole country”?

Since most Africans failed to critically scrutinise the comment because they were eager to believe all the vile things that the so-called ‘Never Trumps’ had to say, the flaw or illogicality of referring to Africa as a shit hole country, whereas it is indeed a continent, has unfortunately been lost on some of them. Apparently, those who are hell-bent on generating friction between Africans and the 45th president of the US had done a ‘good’ job as most people of the black race have remained trapped in that mind-bending spell, which l intend to dispel with this intervention.

Hopefully, by debunking the myths about how Mr Trump really feels about Africans and what he had done to elevate Black Americans and those residing in the continent during his tenure as president of the US, there would be a rethinking and resetting of Africa/Trump relationship that would position the continent to benefit more from Mr Trump’s presidency of the US, if he returns to the White House as he plans to in 2024.

Not only because Nigeria has the largest population of black people on earth or by virtue of its being the biggest economy in Africa by GDP, but based on my personal experience as a Nigerian, who has met president Trump one-on-one, I would like to use Nigeria as a reference point for assessing Trump-Africa relationship, which is apparently currently foggy, owing to calculated misinformation.

To put things in perspective, it may be recalled that it is in the first two years of Mr Trump’s presidency that Nigeria’s president, Mohammadu Buhari and Uhuru Kenyatta of Kenya, notable African leaders were his guests at the White House.

In my reckoning, that is a reflection of not just passing, but a keen interest in the continent, as opposed to disdain for Africa as some detractors have tried to portray the former US president’s disposition toward Africa.

Adjunct to that, and very significant to Nigerians, it must not be forgotten that it was under Mr Trump’s presidency that the US agreed to sell to Nigeria critical military hardware such as the super Tucano jets and other military armaments that were needed to combat the terrorists that were gaining the upper hand in the northern parts of our country.

It is worth recalling that for too long, Nigeria was denied access to the needed military hardware to fight terrorism, owing to the Leahy Doctrine, which prohibits the sale of US military hardware to countries that are deemed to lack the discipline not to use them indiscriminately.

That condition which is nebulous had compelled Nigeria under the watch of President Goodluck Jonathan to attempt to procure arms and ammunition from the black market, which resulted in a private jet from Nigeria full of cash being intercepted in South Africa with a consequential scandal that portrayed Nigeria in a negative light.

Now, is it not striking and heartening that it was under Mr Trump’s presidency of the US that Nigeria, on president Buhari’s watch, was allowed to legitimately acquire the attack aircraft that have today proven to be highly useful in the prosecution of the war against terrorists in Nigeria?

There are more positive actions taken by President Trump to support Nigeria and indeed Africa during his four (4) years reign, but for now, it is in light of the above that l would like to implore and urge Africans to appraise Mr Trump for what he did for the continent as the 45th president of the US from 2016 to 2020, which is legion and not by what he is alleged to have said about Africans via pranks planted in the mass media by his political opponents.

The above admonition is underscored by my belief that as the 45th president of the US, Mr Donald Trump prepares to return as the 47th president in 2024, l fervently believe that it is high time that we all got to the brass tacts about the real Donald Trump that Africans don’t know, so that we can all work out a more positive way to relate to him.

And I am of the conviction that if Mr Donald Trump returns to the White House one more time to complete the good work that he started in 2016, before he was derailed by the devastating COVID-19 pandemic that ravaged the world and particularly resulted in the untimely loss of over one million American lives, which is largely responsible for his not being re-elected. Africa and Africans would receive more than a passing interest particularly now that he is getting to understand the continent better with the marriage on November 12, 2022, of his adorable Daughter, Tiffany to

And l would like to commence the journey of discovery or excursion into who Mr Trump essentially is, with respect to his relationship with Africans and my personal experience when l first met with the great American president and indeed one of the most consequential world leaders of all times, who has been largely misunderstood by those who do not know him.

It was at the Trump Golf course in West Palm Beach, Florida, USA, that we met for the first time.

And the first thing he said to me when l was introduced by my friend, Dr Massad Boulos, to him as a friend from Nigeria was, “Your country has a lot of oil under the soil.”

And l spontaneously responded in the affirmative.

In my view, his comment indicates that he easily identifies opportunities wherever they are and it is a reflection of the fecundity of Mr Trump’s mind.

And it also reflects the fact that the former US president, Trump, has set high standards for himself and others which is that all opportunities should be optimally harnessed for the good of all.

President Trump is likely miffed that with the amount of oil under Nigerian soil, the citizens have no business being poor and no need to be migrating in droves to other countries, particularly via risky routes that often end up in the death of a multitude of Africans in the Sahara desert or in the Mediterranean Sea, through which they try to illegally get into European countries, the US and other North American wealthy countries to eke out a living as refugees.

It is perhaps such perspicuity of Mr Trump that makes some Africans misunderstand him because going by the sympathetic look that l could spot on his face when we first met, the 45th president of the US and accomplished business Titan, is disappointed that despite Nigeria’s huge oil reserve (6th largest crude oil producer in OPEC) and abundant Human Resources in Nigeria,(in excess of 200 million people with 60 per cent as youths) the country’s leaders have failed to capitalize on those critically important assets that the country is endowed with, hence Nigeria has degenerated to the extent that she has earned the odious title of being the poverty capital of the world (formerly held by India), with the majority of her citizens wallowing in abject poverty and misery.

Micheal Boulos, the hardworking son of Massad and Sarah Boulos, who have had a long association and huge footprints in Africa through their business conglomerate SCOA plc, which has business interests throughout the continent of Africa, especially west and French-speaking parts of the continent.

BY SAM DIALA

There is an indication that the plan by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to engage Agency Banking Networks in the currency redesign exercise will achieve the two-prong benefit of fast-tracking financial inclusion among the country-side dwellers. Many Nigerians had expressed fears that the currency redesign initiative announced on October 26, 2022 would put the rural dwellers in a difficulty given the absence of bank branches to deposit their old currencies in their locations.

However, the disclosure by the apex bank to use alternative service channels for the currency redesign would address the concern about the countryside dwellers as well as providing a far-reaching avenue for the financial inclusion strategy – a pet project of the CBN Governor, Godwin Emefiele.

Addressing journalists at the end of the bi-monthly Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) meeting on Tuesday, November 22, Emefiele said the financial regulator and other commercial banks have deployed agency banking across the country and extended workdays to ensure people have places to deposit their money and withdraw the redesigned Naira.

Reacting to speculations that the January 31, 2023 deadline might be extended to accommodate the needs of rural areas, the CBN governor said there are 1.4 million agency banking networks that will attend to both urban and rural areas. He added that the rapid increase in the number of the alternative payment service channel in three years was a remarkable milestone.

“In 2020, the Central Bank of Nigeria or banking industries agency licence network was only at 86,000; As of October, 2022, our agency banking network has increased to 1.4 million all over Nigeria in almost all the local governments in Nigeria, I therefore cannot see

any reason why anybody would say that he needs an extension because he can’t deposit his money in the bank, even if you’re in a rural area.

“And the agency network is like saying that we have 1.4 currency points all over the country, then how can anybody come and say that he wants to shift the deadline because there are people in the rural areas that cannot deposit cash? That is a lie. They know what they have in mind and we will not go with them on that journey.

“Our journey is that on January 31, 2023, all the old currencies will lose their legal tender status and we’ll begin to use the new currencies. We’re doing our work in line with the law that establishes us and we will continue to do so,” Emefiele said.

He had tackled persons calling for an extension to the deadline to phase out the current naira on the grounds that the rural dwellers would be handicapped: “When people say there are people in rural areas who cannot pay cash, they just are begging the question, they don’t know what they are saying. They have other motives, [and] it is not because they are sympathetic to the cause of the ordinary weak people in our rural area.”

It is believed that the statement of the CBN governor on the apex bank’s syndication of agency banking networks with commercial banks had addressed the concern over the fate of the rural dwellers on the currency redesign.

Financial inclusion means that people have access to basic financial services like a savings account, credit and insurance. The importance is on the fact that financial services have the capacity to empower people, create jobs and open up the remote

BY ANTHONY AWUNOR

The pilot that flew the presidential candidate of Labour Party (LP), PeterObi, from Benin City to Lagos for the party’s rally held in Ibadan, Oyo State on Wednesday is under investigation for violation of safety procedures.

Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) had grounded the private jet, with the registration number: 5N-HPY, which conveyed Obi and LP supporters to the event.

he Nigerian Exchange Limited (NGX) and International Finance Corporation (IFC), has announced a partnership to facilitate the issuance of green, social and

bonds in Nigeria to increase financing for projects that address climate and social issues. The announcement was made during a Green and Sustainability Bond workshop co-hosted by both institutions in Lagos, and supported by HSBC Regio Fund and The Kingdom of Netherlands.

NCAA Probes Peter Obi's Pilot For Violating Safety Rules

Airport sources told THEWILL that the pilot allegedly ignored the Air Traffic Controllers (ATCs), which warned it not to take off from Benin City due to the closure of the airport.

According to the source, who is very close to the regulatory body, the aircraft remains grounded while its pilot will be investigated for violation of safety procedures by the NCAA.

The source further hinted that the NCAA acted in line with the standard and recommended practices of the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO).

Despite the warning, it was learnt that the pilot (names withheld), took off from the airport, thereby contravening safety rules.

The source insisted that as the regulatory authority of civil aviation in the country, the NCAA has the responsibility to ensure a safe sky for the sector, stressing that it would not be dragged into politics by politicians.

The source also added that the NCAA has commenced investigation into the violation of safety rules by the pilot and may sanction him, if found wanting.

The source said, “The aircraft in question departed Benin Airport after it was closed. The pilot specifically ignored the instructions of the Air Traffic Controllers (ATCs) for the aircraft not to depart at that particular point in time because the airport was closed.

The pilot specifically ignored the instructions of the Air Traffic Controllers (ATCs) for the aircraft not to depart at that particular point in time because the airport was closed

THEWILL NEWSPAPER • www.thewillnigeria.com

AVIATION/FINANCE

Naira Redesign: CBN Targets Agency Networks For Financial Inclusion

Continued from page 32 areas for meaningful economic activities. The higher the inclusion, the better the quality of life for the people. A higher exclusion rate in Nigeria could lead to a poorer population, as lack of access to credit and insurance puts them at an economic disadvantage.

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“As a regulatory agency, the NCAA cannot condone this kind of behaviour. We are going to investigate the matter. Everyone must obey instructions. This is a very sensitive sector that deals with human lives. Even Mr President’s pilots obey instructions. Why should anyone act above the law? The aircraft remains grounded. We are investigating the violation.”

It would be recalled that the Labour Party’s media arm, Obi-Datti Media Office, on Wednesday condemned the alleged grounding of its campaign aircraft by the NCAA, a situation it said almost disrupted the event scheduled to take place in Ibadan.

The Head of Media, Obi-Datti Campaign Organisation, Diran Onifade had expressed surprise at the yet to be explained grounding of its campaign aircraft, saying the action led to the inability of the Labour Party and campaign officials, who had already gathered at the Lagos and Abuja Airports, to attend the Ibadan rally.

Diran said the development took the party by surprise, but that could not stop them from holding the rally as planned.

The statement reads, “The Obidient plane was grounded today by the powers that be “for regulatory reasons” only. Please ignore any mischievous rumour. Our massive rally in Ibadan is going on as planned.

“All we know is what the leasing vendor told us to the effect that the federal authorities won’t allow the Obidient Aircraft to file a flight plan, because of ongoing regulatory investigations.”

Meanwhile, the NCAA is the regulatory body for aviation in Nigeria. It became autonomous with the passing into law of the Civil Aviation Act 2006 by the National Assembly and assent of the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. The Act not only empowers the Authority to regulate Aviation Safety without political interference, but also to carry out oversight functions of Airports, Airspace, Meteorological Services, etc as well as economic regulations of the industry.

Civil aviation being a critical element in Nigeria's transportation system and indeed, its economy, the NCAA regulates the entire aviation industry.

The CBN had in a circular in 2018 lamented that Nigeria was not meeting any of the agreed financial inclusion targets included in the 2012 Financial Inclusion Strategy. The Enhancing Financial Innovation and Access, EFInA, data showed that only 64.1 percent was financially included by the end of 2020. This means that 36 percent of Nigerian adults, or 38.1 million of the country’s 106 million adults of 18 years and above, remain completely financially excluded – a shortfall by 16 percent points from the desired target of a 20 percent exclusion rate.

To underscore its importance, Emefiele, in his second term agenda as the CBN Governor in 2019, put Financial Inclusion at the forefront of his 5-point agenda. He set a target of 2024 to achieve 95 percent financial inclusion.

“Over the next five years, through initiatives and policy measures such as the Shared Agent Network (SANEF) and the payment service banks, we intend to broaden access to financial services to individuals in underserved parts of the country. Our ultimate objective is to ensure that 95 per cent of eligible Nigerians have access to financial services by 2024.

We will also intensify our financial literacy and consumer protection programs such that current and eligible bank customers are fully aware of the financial services being offered to them as well as the cost of utilizing these services, which will enable them to make well-informed choices,” Emefiele stated in his world press conference on June 24, 2019.

The CBN, thereafter, fired from all cylinders, especially by embracing the Payment Service Bank (PSB) initiative. The move was different from the seeming lackluster, or wait-and-see attitude, it had adopted before then – since 2018 when it rolled out the Guidelines (revised in 2020) for the Licensing and Regulation of Payment Service Banks (PSB) with little results. It eventually embraced the PSB approach after several years of “pressure” from members of the public who urged it to tow the path of successful African countries like Kenya, Ghana and Ethiopia that had become role models in the financial inclusion.

Alternative payment channels have expanded since the financial inclusion project, especially the Point of Sales (PoS) terminal. Within a period of nine months (January-September), the volume of PoS transactions in Nigeria has increased by 24.3 percent, an indication that more Nigerians are going cashless.

A report on analysis of the data from the Nigeria Interbank Settlement System (NIBSS) showed that its volume rose by 24.3 percent to 878.4 million in the first nine months of 2022 from 706.8 million in the same period of 2021.

Its value also increased by 32.6 percent from N4.6 trillion as at September 2021 to N6.1 trillion this year.

Experts say the growth of PoS transactions is bridging the gap created by the shortage of Automated Teller Machines (ATMs) deployed by banks, as many Nigerians now withdraw through PoS agents.

It is also an enabler for creating employment opportunities for Nigerian youths who are facing a high unemployment rate of 42 percent.

According to the Central Bank of Nigeria 2019 National Financial Inclusion Strategy document, the number of banking agents rose by 517 percent to 236,940 agents in December 2019 from 38, 416 agents in December 2018.

Also, a total of 568,488 additional PoS terminals have been deployed over the last nine months as the number of deployed machines stood at 915,519 as of December 2021.

The opportunity to make an additional income is a major motivation for becoming an agent, a 2020 Enhancing Financial Innovation and Access (EFINA) agent survey stated.

Apart from PoS transactions, mobile transfers also followed the same trend as its volume in the first nine months of 2022 amounted to 438.3 million, a 132.3 percent increase from what was recorded in the same period of 2021 at 188.7 million.

In terms of value, it recorded an increase rate of 152.9 percent yearon-year from N5.1 trillion to N12.9 trillion.

The volume of Nigeria Instant Payment (NIP) platform transactions also rose to 3.6 billion in the nine months, showing a 50 percent increase from 2.4 billion recorded in the same period of last year.

Correspondingly, from the NIBSS data, the volume of cheque transactions fell by 6.1 percent to 3.1 billion from 3.5 billion over the same period.

The importance is on the fact that financial services have the capacity to empower people, create jobs and open up the remote areas for meaningful economic activities

FOR THE RECORD

Seeking Alternatives to Oil Sector Productivity

Good evening distinguished ladies and gentlemen. It is indeed a great pleasure to be with you this evening and to, once again, savour the merry ambience of another convivial dinner aimed at sharing with peers , colleagues and stakeholders in the Nigerian Financial System. As I have always maintained, banquets like this are valuable occasions for us to momentarily recoil from the day-to day concerns of inflation, recession, and Foreign exchange, and to ultimately rethink the long term factors shaping the Nigerian Economy.

First, let me thank the leadership of the CIBN, led by Dr Ken Opara, the President of the Institute, and Dr ’Seye Awojobi, the Registrar/Chief Executive, along with their team, for their diligence at putting this event together. Also, I am immensely grateful to the Managing Directors of our banks and other financial institutions as well as my colleagues from the Central Bank of Nigeria, and these include the Deputy Governors and other senior management of the Bank who have all found time to be here today.

Distinguished ladies and gentlemen, as we are all aware, the world is undergoing several Social and Macroeconomic challenges; as the last few years cannot, by any stretch of imagination be described as normal following the series of headwinds that has resulted in a downward revision of the global growth outlook for 2022 and 2023 by the IMF. It is in light of these disruptions, that the theme for today’s event “Radical Responses to Abnormal Episodes: Time for Innovative Decisionmaking” is appropriate and well timed.

Global Economy

During the early part of 2020, the world economy experienced the most significant downturn last witnessed since the Great Depression, following the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, the effect of which contracted global GDP by about 3.1 percent in 2020. Commodity prices went into a state of turmoil as the price of crude oil plunged by over 70 percent. In addition, there was a significant outflow of funds from emerging market and developing economies like Nigeria, as investors sought safe haven assets like US treasury bills. This aggravated financial conditions in developing markets, leading to the depletion of external reserves and the weakening of the currencies of a significant number of emerging market countries including Nigeria.

In a bid to contain the effects of the pandemic, unprecedented measures were taken, which involved significant amount of fiscal and monetary stimulus to contain the effects of the pandemic. These measures helped to support a swift rebound in global growth in 2021. However, the swift rebound is now being constrained by the significant supply disruptions in key producing nations like China, as factories now struggle to meet the upsurge in global demand, along with other bottlenecks such as inadequate ships and containers to convey goods. This has resulted in a hike in freight rates from key producing nations like China and ultimately an uptick in imported inflation.

As the world struggled to recover to pre-pandemic conditions, the global economy was yet again hit by another adverse occurrence with the eruption of the Russian-Ukraine war. The war along with the sanctions placed on Russia by the US and its allies led to a spike in crude oil prices. Given the dominant role Russia plays as a key energy producer, energy prices spiked to over $120/barrel in March 2022 from a low of $14/barrel in April 2020. In addition, Russia, and Ukraine’s control of a significant share of wheat and fertilizer in the global market aggravated food prices.

Global Response

In their attempt to contain the rising inflation, Advanced markets such as the US, began to increase their policy rates, which led to a tightening of global financial Market conditions along with a significant outflow of funds from emerging markets countries. The subsequent strengthening of the US dollar further aggravated inflationary pressures, along with a weakening of currencies, and depletion of external reserves in many emerging market countries. Today close to 80 percent of countries have reported heightened inflationary pressures due to a confluence of some of the factors mentioned above.

Central Banks in emerging markets and developing economies in a bid to contain rising inflation were also compelled to raise rates, which is expected to lead to a tapering of global growth over the next year. In fact, the short-term global growth projections by the IMF have been downgraded three times in 2022 and is likely to be below the 3.2 percent and 2.7 percent estimates for 2022 and 2023, respectively.

Average growth among advanced economies is projected to plunge from 5.2 percent in 2021 to 2.4 percent in 2022 and 1.1 percent in 2023. Estimated output growth in emerging markets, is expected to slow from 6.6 percent in 2021 to 3.7 percent apiece in 2022 and 2023.

Today, in view of the food, energy, and cost-of-living crises in many countries, we are witnessing growing restrictions on food exports from many countries. As at the last count, about 23 countries, mainly

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in advanced economies, according to the World Bank have banned the export of 33 food items. Seven other countries have additionally implemented various measures to limit food exports. To combat the debilitating energy crisis due to the war in Ukraine, the European Union has developed plans to impose energy price caps, which has sparked Russia’s threat to cut off gas supplies. Germany is resorting to coal, in an excruciating U-turn to its planned swift transition to green energy.

Situating the Dilemma: A contextual anecdote

Distinguished ladies and gentlemen, these tumultuous external conditions, reinforced by the anomalous , sometimes chaotic responses by many countries, forebodes spill-over shocks for Nigeria. Again, this underscores my chosen theme and the need to ingeniously think outside the box for solutions and countervailing measures . At this juncture, let me put the situation into perspective, as I recall the story of a young lady, her poor father and a despicable money lender.

A long time ago, a poor farmer named Feng, lived in a small Chinese neighbourhood and owed money, which he could not repay to a local moneylender. Unfortunately, the loan-shark, who was old and ugly, fancied the farmers gorgeous daughter called Mei. As such, he crafted a devious scheme to bring his despicable purpose to fruition. The hideous moneylender proposed to forgo the Feng’s debt in return for marrying Mei, the farmer’s beautiful daughter. Neither the farmer nor his daughter could conceal their disgust at this repulsive proposition.

Sensing his victims’ reluctance and in his scheming cruelty, the crafty

moneylender demanded that they allow fate to determine the matter. He proposed to put a black pebble and a white pebble into an empty opaque leather sack, one of which pebble , Mei must then randomly pick from the bag.

By his evil plot, if Mei picked the black pebble, she would become his wife and her father’s debt would be instantly and entirely cancelled. However, if she happened to select the white pebble, she will be free not to marry him, and her father’s debt will still be forgiven. But if she failed to pick any of the two pebbles, her father’s debt will be upheld, and her defaulting father will be thrown into jail. Wow!!! What an agonisingly grim moment for Mei and her poor father, who at this point, had realised how precarious their options were and how appalling the money lender is. They had no choice but to accept the devious man’s plan and leave their fate to providence.

As they stood discussing, the pebble strewn path along the farmer’s field, the money-lender bent down to pick up two pebbles. The smart and eagle eyed girl noticed that the wicked loan shack had deceitfully placed two black pebbles in the bag (rather than one white and one black as agreed). Not realising that his malicious act was spotted, the dubious old man then asked the girl to pick a pebble from the bag.

What a truly precarious situation the girl found herself. She was confronted with a gravely anomalous predicament, whilst her father remained innocently oblivious of the real extent of the impending malevolence. Now, imagine that you were the one standing in the field. What would you have done if you were the girl? If you were to advise her, what would you have told her? How should she deal with this abnormal, tricky and potentially doomed option?

A quick reflection indicates three possible responses by Mei. First, in remonstration of the man’s dishonesty, she could refuse to pick a pebble. Secondly, she could show that there were two black pebbles in the bag and expose the moneylender as a cheat. Finally, she could. out of fear, naively pick the black pebble and sacrifice herself in order to save her father from imprisonment. But any of these three actions will have untold repercussions; after all, her father is a defaulting borrower. Mei needed to find a nonconfrontational, non-abrasive and smooth solution to her dilemma. I will pause the story here for us to contemplate a resolution of the puzzle . The foregoing story aims to highlight the difference between lateral thinking (that is, imaginative) and Logical (that is, common sense). The girl’s predicament cannot be solved with traditional actions, especially in view of the steep consequences of the three logical possibilities above.

Domestic Developments

Ladies and gentlemen, the predicaments confronting Mei in the story parallel those beleaguering our domestic economy today. Given Nigeria’s fundamental vulnerabilities, it is imperative to find sustainable ways of insulating the economy from continued exogenous challenges. In addition to the relentless waves of abnormal shocks that is battering the global economy, domestic conditions are exposed to spill overs from the impulsive reactions in some key economies. It therefore behoves us to adequately identify and understand the likely implications of these undercurrents on the Nigerian economy. Unfortunately, the Nigerian economy was not insulated from the spill over effects of these shocks, even though some of the actions taken by the monetary and fiscal authorities helped to cushion its effects on our economy. Based on this, the economy has remained resilient in the face of enormous vulnerability. Following the brief recession in Q2 of 2020, the Nigerian economy has recorded eight consecutive quarters of positive output with domestic growth rates improving from negative 1.92 percent in 2020 to 3.40 percent in 2021 and further to 3.54 percent as at 2022 q2.

This performance reflected the sustained buoyancy of the domestic nonoil sector, which continued to record growth since 2020q4, recovering from negative 1.25 percent in 2020 to 4.77 percent in 2022q2.

Performance of the non-oil sector reflects the impact of policy supports to household, MSMEs and other high-impact economic sectors through various CBN interventions. Specifically, we have seen a strengthening of the agriculture and services sectors which have continued to propel domestic growth rate throughout this period while the oil sector has continued to flounder with growth rate plunging to negative 11.77 percent in 2022q2.

The agriculture sector remained the critical factor behind the continuing resilience of the domestic economy. This is an affirmation of the success of the CBN’s development finance initiatives in the nonoil sector, particularly in the agriculture sector, which has helped to boost domestic output and create jobs locally.

Oil Price and Production

Crude

While global developments steadily drove crude oil prices upwards in 2022, Nigeria’s oil sector performance has been abysmal. This reflected the country’s inability to meet its meagre production quota as recorded domestic crude oil production plunged from over 1.9 million barrels per day as of April 2020 to 1.1 million barrels per day by September 2022.

Given our dependence on crude oil for close to 80 percent of our foreign exchange earnings, the drop in production has resulted in a significant drop in our foreign exchange earnings as well as government revenue. It is imperative that we diversify away from the oil sector, to reduce our exposures to the volatilities associated with dependence on revenues from the sale of crude oil.

Inflation

•Being the text of an address delivered by the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Godwin Emefiele, at the 57th Annual Bankers Dinner held at the Eko Hotel and Suites, Victoria Island, Lagos on Friday, November 25, 2022.

*Continues online at www. thewillnigeria.com

In fact, the short-term global growth projections by the IMF have been downgraded three times in 2022 and is likely to be below the 3.2 percent and 2.7 percent estimates for 2022 and 2023, respectively

Emefiele

NGX, IFC Promote Opportunities in Green, Social, Sustainability Bonds

Through the partnership, NGX and IFC will facilitate knowledge sharing with market stakeholders and other exchanges in Africa experienced in issuing green and sustainability bonds, support the training and development of local verifiers for green bonds, and support the launch of a Sustainability Board.

To further advance Nigeria’s green and sustainability bond development, the workshop brought together domestic and foreign stakeholders including, regulators, policy makers, institutional investors, pension fund managers, and trading license holders, focusing on key topic areas including the World Bank Group’s experience in the field of green bonds; the role of NGX as infrastructure for issuance and subscription to green, social and sustainability bonds in Nigeria; general trends in green and social bonds and IFC’s experience in structuring and achieving these objectives.

Delivering his opening remarks, the Chief Executive Officer, NGX, Mr. Temi Popoola noted that the African continent, according to the African Development Bank (AfDB), faced major risks and exponential collateral damage from global warming despite contributing the least to emissions. He underpinned AfDB’s estimates that the continent required over $3 trillion of investments by 2030 to mitigate these risks and implement its Nationally Determined Contributions.

“In 2016, NGX conceptualised and developed the Green Bond Product Paper which was embraced and championed by the Debt Management Office (DMO) and the Federal Ministry of Environment. This resulted in the issuance of the first N10.69bn (about $25.8m) 5-year green bond in 2017, and subsequently, a second tranche of N15bn (c. $36m) 7-year green bond in 2019 which was oversubscribed.”

According to Popoola, the green bond market had experienced substantial progress over the years with several sovereign and corporate green bonds

listed on the Exchange. “These follow-on issuances have further increased investible instruments and deepened the Nigerian Green Bond market. It is noteworthy that the size of the Green Bond market is currently N55.52 billion (c. $133.8 million).” He mentioned NGX’s Memorandum of Understanding with the Luxembourg Stock Exchange to promote crosslisting and trading of green bonds in Nigeria and Luxembourg, of which Access Bank’s N15bn green bond was part. Popoola also stated that NGX is a member of the United Nations Sustainable Stock Exchange initiative and supports capacity development and investor awareness through its X-Academy.

“NGX will continue to work with internationally recognised organisations such as IFC to share valuable green finance experiences and best practices, as well as to promote the development of sustainable finance market segments for supporting government, policymakers, regulators, financial market participants, domestic and international thought leaders, investors, and other market stakeholders,” Popoola added.

IFC’s Senior Country Manager for Nigeria, Sierra Leone and Liberia, Mr. Kalim M. Shah said, “Nigeria will require billions of dollars to meet its climate goals, reduce carbon emissions and reach net-zero targets.

IFC continues to play a significant role in mobilizing private sector capital to support climate-smart investments, working with stakeholders to increase credible green, social, and sustainability bond issuances in Nigeria.

“We will bring IFC’s and the broader World Bank Group’s experience to the Nigerian capital market by supporting regulators, issuers, and exchanges on developing the framework, and socialization of green, social and sustainable bonds. Our partnership with NGX highlights the potential to increase climate financing, and we look forward to working together to support green bond issuances on NGX.”

Sierra Leone Defence Ministry Receives $4.7m Vehicles From IVM

BY ANTHONY AWUNOR

Thefirst batch of vehicles manufactured for the government of Sierra Leone by Innoson Vehicle Manufacturing Ltd (IVM), has been delivered to the West African country by the Nnewi-based indigenous automaker.

The vehicles, which arrived at Freetown on Monday, November 21, 2022, were built to the order by Sierra Leon's Ministry of Defence.

The export of Innoson brand of vehicles is coming two years after President Mohammadu Buhari signed the AfCFTA agreement in July, 2019.

The request for the made-in-Nigeria vehicles was made during a working visit to Innoson Vehicles by top hierarchy of the Sierra Leone Defence Ministry led by Mr. Edward Soloku, the Minister of Internal Affairs as well as Sierra Leone Road Transport Corporation (SLRTC) led by its President Mr. Isaac Ken-Green.

Head of Corporate Communications, Innoson Group, Cornel Osigwe, said in a statement that various models of vehicles bought within that dispensation were for the present administration.

Osigwe explained that subsequently, the Government of Sierra Leone led by President Julius Maada Bio placed an order for the manufacturing of Innoson Vehicles valued at $4.7Million for the officers of Republic of Sierra Leone Armed Forces (RSLAF).

The first set of the vehicles supplied from Nigeria to Sierra Leone were on Monday leaving Queen Elizabeth 2 Port (Sierra Leone's sea Port "Water Quay") in Free Town for distribution to military officers across the country.

Reacting to the development, the people of Sierra Leone is said to have commended their President, Julius Maada Bio, for acting in line with the spirit of the continental agreement by opting for an African (IVM) brand of vehicles for the use of the country's Armed Forces.

"Innoson Group has penetrated the vehicle market over the years. It is currently serving as one of the few wholly African car assemblers", a report stated.

Also Francis Ken Samu, remarked, "We are on top of the situation in times of security. Bravo HE President Bio. Keep the Military Colour Flag going up higher than ever before in the history of Sierras Leone.. God bless you, HE President Bio for equipping the RSLAF."

Aviatrix Hub Graduates 4 Flight Dispatchers

Aviatrix Hub Training Institute, a Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority(NCAA) approved Aviation Training Organisation (ATO) has graduated its first batch of students, who have completed an intensive sixweek training for basic and another six- week for Advanced Flight Dispatch training.

The graduating students include: Lydia Olodun, Jude Olayiwola , Angela Chukwu and Afoma Onyechi.

Those who graduated in Enugu are Ibanga Matthew, Ibrahim Nathaniel,Orungbami Shola,. Ibeabuchi Princewill and Aizenabor Benedicta.

Others are Ukpong Sunday,Anyanwu Henry, Chukwuka Godsglory and Ezenwa Anita.

Speaking at the event, the Chairman of the occasion and the first President, Flight Dispatchers Association of Nigeria (FLIDAN), Taiwo Raji advised the graduates to be of good conduct outside the school in the course practicing their profession.

He urged them to be job creators and not job seekers and to also join hands with others in finding solutions to challenges and not create more challenges.

The FLIDAN President commended the management and staff of the institute for the knowledge they imparted on the graduands and the graduating students for pursuing their chosen careers despite the challenges.

The Accountable Manager /Chief Executive Officer of Aviatrix Hub Training Institute, Mrs. Victoria Adegbe, expressed joy at the graduation of the school’s batch of students.

She urged the graduands to be focused and steadfast in their profession as Flight Dispatchers are very important to flight operations.

To further buttress her point, the Aviatrix CEO, explained to the excited graduands that without Flight Dispatchers, there is no way any flight can take off.

NOVEMBER 28 - DECEMBER 03, 2022

NOVEMBER 28 - DECEMBER 03, 2022

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Aproko Doctor

THEWILLNIGERIA THEWILLNG THEWILLNIGERIA

Dr Chinonso Egemba is a medical doctor cum digital content creator. He speaks with Shade Wesley-Metibogun about his passion for helping people and creating educative contents. Excerpts:

MY CHILDHOOD DREAM WAS TO BECOME A DOCTOR – CHINONSO EGEMBA

How and when did your journey into digital content creation start?

It started in 2013. I was still a medical student at the time. I met an old man, who was about 65 years-old. He came into the hospital with a transient stroke, a nonpermanent stroke. As a student, we took him to the doctor, who attended to him and taught him how to prevent another attack.

Two years later, I met the man again. I was preparing for my final exam. He suffered another stroke and didn’t make it. This got me thinking. Was it that he did not understand all that the doctor spent several hours trying to explain to him? I did some research and found out that a lot of people don’t really understand what illness is, how to prevent it and how to live. I decided to use the skill that I had at that point, which was graphic design, to pass messages to people on Facebook. Here we are now.

Would you say that you have achieved some of the goals you had in mind when you started content creation? Oh yes. There is an improvement in terms of knowledge, attitude and practice towards healthcare in general. We are yet to determine how much improvement has been achieved. One of our goals is to run a research and feel the temperature, as well as to ask if most people’s knowledge of health care and practice has improved. But I think that, based on random responses, the answer is yes.

How do you develop concepts for your content? We develop content based on first experience. What is the first experience with patients? The kind of questions they ask me. I just figured out that if one person can ask this question, quite a lot of people will want to know more about it. We also run polls to find out what the average man on the street thinks about certain issues. Based on the feedback we get, then we have an idea of the prevailing knowledge about such issues. If it is wrong, we demystify it. If it is right, we reinforce that knowledge. Basically, we listen a lot to people and find out what is going on with them and create content.

What do you consider to be your most significant content and why?

Honestly, I may not be able to determine exactly what content is most significant. This is because different things appeal to different people at different times. I have noticed that people who are between 25 and 34 years constitute the bulk of my target audience. So issues surrounding sexual health, conception, family planning and how to prevent communicable diseases are some of the things they are

interested in knowing.

Do you have plans to include content that people who are above 40 years might be interested in? Yes, of course. Like I said, they constitute the bulk of the audience, but that does not mean we don’t have content for them. We have created one about living with diabetes and caring for people in that category. We partner with companies committed to geriatric care. We also create content to cater to the older generation. No one is left out.

You always use certain names in your content. Are they imaginary names or do you have certain people bearing such names that need to hear the message?

No, the major tactic is story telling. People connect to stories. They can relate better and remember it easily. One of the things about stories is that they have characters. In my story, Nkechi, Emeka are characters. People can easily relate with them and this makes it easier to personalise them. When I am talking to them, I tell them Nkechi is my long-lost girlfriend and Emeka was the person who snatched her from me, just to make the story relatable.

How did you come about the nickname, Aproko doctor? It was purely by chance. We were looking for something that would stick, something that would attract attention. We didn’t want the traditional image of a medical doctor dressed in a laboratory coat with a stethoscope hanging around his neck and sitting in an office. That is the kind of image they have been exposed to all these while. We wanted a doctor who could tell anything and everything. A doctor they joke and laugh with.

Most of the time, what I do is basically community engagement with wonderful research and proposals in medicine, but we need to have a way to communicate it with a layman on the street. Nigeria has a peculiar population. It is not like the American or the British population. As a result, we had to break down the information in such a way that people would understand. Somebody asked what I would like to name myself and another person suggested Aproko doctor, that is, a doctor that never minds his business. The name stuck. It is relatable, although not everyone will like it. Some people believe a doctor shouldn’t relate with people the way I do, but they are not the kind of people I have in mind. The layman on the street and the traders in the market are the kind of people I want to reach out to. Those are the people who accept Aproko doctor.

What advice do you have for up-and-coming digital content creators?

Content creators, regardless of their niche, should try to solve a problem. If you are not solving a problem, there is a probability that it will not last. Choose your community or the people who will make up your community. When you have done that, you will be able to rise above the noise and bypass those who do not accept you. I say this because when I started there was quite a lot of criticism, even from medical doctors who felt that a doctor should not be speaking the way I was doing. Why is a doctor talking as if he doesn’t understand good English? Why is he making these things so simple and easy?

Communication is not complete if the other person does not understand it. Your style is your style. As much as possible, always try to improve on it. Don’t wait for inspiration to fall from heaven, most beautiful pieces of art are gotten from something else. Don’t be afraid to look at what others are doing.

As a child, did you always dream of becoming a doctor? Yes. Funny enough, I was one of those kids who can be considered gifted. I could do anything and everything. Growing up, my father had many medical books in the house. One that struck me then was the book titled, ‘When there is no doctor’. Maybe he wanted me to be a doctor and that was his subtle way of making me develop interest in it. I read a lot of those books as a teenager. When it was time to choose a career, I knew I would choose medicine. At the same time, I was also good in the arts, especially the performing arts. I could sing, draw and act. I was artistic in nature. Doing what I do now is a perfect match for that world. Yes, I have always wanted to be a doctor and I have always wanted to be creative.

Egemba

Egemba

What is your area of specialisation?

Before I started content creation, I was still in general practice. Going forward, I would like to specialise in Public Health and Communication.

Why make that choice?

Doing what I do requires research and ways of communication. I am a public doctor. I am the kind of doctor who should have access to everyone. If I don’t know how best to reach those people, I wouldn’t be performing my function, With public health, you can get to know people, what their needs are and new policies in that area. A public health practitioner interfaces with the public, there is research involved and communication is also involved.

Whenever there is a vaccine introduced, it is the function of a Public Health Officer to see how those vaccines go to the public. For General Practitioners, they are in the hospital, they are bound by the four walls of the hospital but my major work as a Public Health Practitioner is on the street.

Research has shown that young children can also be diabetic. Can you throw more light on this?

Yes, it is true. There are two types of diabetes: Type 1 and Type 2. Type 1 occurs generally in younger people when the insulin responsible for regulating blood sugar is absent. It is mainly genetic. Some genes can be out of place or not properly introduced. As a result, the person may become diabetic.

Type 2 diabetes occurs out later in life and most of them are brought on probably by obesity, family history and all that. When there is insulin resistance, the body does not respond to insulin the way normal people respond to it. The body tissues are not affected by insulin the way it should. Because of this, blood tissue is not controlled as it should so that person develops diabetes type two.

Between content creation and medical practice, which one is your favourite and why?

What I am doing is a mix of both worlds. I successfully found a way to fuse my creative idea with medicine. It could be a very hard choice to make. I want to be creative and help as many people as I can with my medical practice.

Are you thinking of joining your colleagues who have relocated abroad?

If I ever move to another country, it will be on account of studying because I have realised that there is a problem and I am well positioned to solve the problem it. So I wouldn’t be relocating abroad except there is a widespread insecurity in the country and I have to flee to safety.

Do you think the Federal Government is totally to blame for the exodus of medical practitioners abroad?

I don’t know. I am not against the exodus of doctors from Nigeria. People will always do what is best for them. If people don’t feel a sense of need, they will most likely go where they are needed. The government can do better by making sure that we have better health care and remuneration.

In the budget that was proposed, some amounts were cut, and part of the area affected is the area of family planning. This is a country that has one of the highest rates of maternal mortality in the world. We cannot be in a country with this type of problem and still be cutting costs that can help solve them. Yes, the government can do better by allocating more and making sure that doctors are well appreciated.

How have you been able to keep the two sides of your life working without clashing?

I think it takes a lot of work, balancing and sacrifices but we have been able to balance it. Before, I used to look at it as work and life balance but now, I look at it as work and life integration. Rather than looking at balancing two separate parts of your life, you look at it as life integrating them so well that one is not affecting the other. You can do one while doing the other. The reason I have been able to balance it is because I have been able to integrate them. Life is work and work is life.

Now that they know you are a focused on creating content, do your patients still allow you to treat them?

Yes, more than ever. When I tell them that I am not available, they prefer to wait till I return. One thing that content creation has been able to do is to foster trust

between members of the community and I. They know that I am outside sometimes, but they still trust me enough to believe that I wouldn’t use their case for content. Even when it is invincible, the identity is very secure. They have been watching me. It has been seven years and overtime, not one person has come out to say that this doctor violated the patient-doctor privilege. My patients trust me. Ours is a give-and-take relationship. Many of them want me to reach out to them.

What would you say has shaped you to be who you are today?

To be honest, they are many things. More important is the fact that as a child I was encouraged me to read. I do not come from a family that was very wealthy. I even tell

people that I sold pap and akara on the streets of Lagos. I have always known that I needed to be creative, but growing up in hardship made me more creative. My background, parents, my friends have all shaped me to be who I am today.

What are you working on currently?

We started Hundred K Medical Club. It is a nongovernmental organisation initiative. We started to help people who couldn’t pay their medical bills. We started with the help of a doctor friend of mine, Doctor Olawale Ogunlana. Overtime, we became better. We are focusing on a pediatric campaign. We screened 411 women for cervical cancer and treated about 71 of them who could have cervical cancer at an early stage. This was done in a makeshift tent. The next campaign we had was done to prevent prostate cancer. We screened about 100 men. Apart from giving people quality information about their health, we also give access to quality health.

How was growing

up?

I grew up in a supportive family. We weren’t wealthy. I grew up knowing hardship, pain and loss. At some point, I was admitted to the hospital and we couldn’t pay the medical bill. So I know how it is like not to be able to pay medical bills and that is one of the reasons I started Hundred K Medical Club. Maybe when I am ready to give an expose on my family, I will speak more about it.

How is your wife doing?

She is fine and doing great. She is a wonderful woman. Chiamaka has been a great support in my life. She believed in me when every other person didn’t. She was the very first person I told what I wanted to do and how to do it. She told me that she believed in me. She saw what other people didn’t see. She is a chef by profession. One of her main goals is to get African dishes to be featured in continental cuisines. She has had major shows where she remakes African dishes to look like what would be served in a Five Star restaurant, Afro fusion. I married a dreamer and I am also a dreamer myself.

Egemba

Egemba

Some people believe a doctor shouldn’t relate with people the way I do, but they are not the kind of people I have in mind. The layman on the street and the traders in the market are the kind of people I want to reach out to. Those are the people who accept Aproko doctor

“

If there is one person who is currently over the moon on recent happenings as regards his company, that person would be Gideon Orovwiroro, the Chief Operating Officer of Kora, a pan-African fintech company headquartered in Canada, with offices in Nigeria and the United Kingdom.

During the week, Kenya’s Asset Recovery Agency (ARA) dropped the fraud charges it had levelled against the payment infrastructure company. ARA is the Kenyan agency that identifies, traces, freezes, seizes, confiscates, and recovers proceeds of crime in the East African country. The agency filed documents at the High Court of Kenya at Nairobi Anti-Corruption and Economic Crimes Division withdrawing its suit in its entirety.

Similarly, another document issued by the Kenyan Directorate of Criminal Investigation (DCI) earlier in the week cleared Kora of any wrongdoing in the ARA application. The DCI said it could not establish any case against the company after its investigations.

In July, when ARA began a clampdown on some of Nigeria's Fintechs operating in the country, accusing them of money laundering and fraud, Kora was one of the companies on who ARA beamed its spotlight. It accused the company of money laundering and card fraud allegations. The agency filed two separate suits, leading to the freezing of Kora’s account alongside those of Kandon Technologies Limited, another Nigerian fintech company. Both fintechs were alleged to be siphoning Sh6 billion ($51 million) into Kenya. As such, the court froze $249,990 (Sh29.5 million) in Kora’s Equity Bank account, and $126,841 (Sh15 million) in Kandon Technologies Ltd’s two UBA’s accounts until ARA was to complete its investigations within six months. ARA also linked them with five other Nigerian companies and a Kenyan businessman. The companies are Flutterwave Ltd, Elivalat Fintech Ltd, Hupesi Solutions, Boxtrip Travels and Tours, Bagtrip Travels Ltd, Cruz Ride Auto Ltd, and businessman Simon Karanja—whose combined 62 bank accounts containing over Sh6 billion were frozen over similar allegations. But barely four months later, the case was concluded with Kora being in the clear.

It would be recalled that earlier in the year, ARA begun a clampdown on some of Nigeria's Fintechs operating in their country. For over two months, it investigated a string of cash transfers from Nigeria without realising that they might hold the key to unlocking the whereabouts of Sh25 billion at the centre of the local and international money laundering rings.

In May, ARA, alongside Interpol, beamed its searchlight on Eghosasere Nehikhare, founder of Boltpay and CEO OF Multigate limited and Bukunmi Olufemi Demuren, founder and board chairman of Multigate Limited. The Fintech tycoons who allegedly have a history of using tax havens to avoid taxes were at the centre of investigations by the Assets Recovery Agency, Kenya and Interpol for a string of suspicious transfers of $221 million (N128 billion) from Nigeria in local currency, which is worth Kenya Sh25 billion.

Interpol sought to unravel the puzzle behind the laundered money, which was wired into Kenya from Nigeria between October and November 2020. Also, in July, Flutterwave, Africa’s leading payment technology company, with operations across thirty-three countries on the continent, was fingered in a money laundering investigation by ARA. The Central Bank of Kenya even issued a notice, instructing all commercial banks in the country not to engage with it as earlier reported by THEWILL.

While Flutterwave dismissed claims of financial improprieties insisting that Kenyan authorities were specifically targeting Nigerian Fintechs, some analysts expressed the opinion that the Kenyan Government was trying to use ARA to score cheap political points and mask allegations of corruption in the public service, with nonindigenous Fintechs as easy targets.

While they think the Fintechs may not be completely free of the fraud allegations, they also believe that the fintechs aren't as guilty as charged, citing Kora's exoneration as an example.

It is not every day that one finds women operating nightclubs in any part of the world, let alone in Nigeria where the culture still makes certain stifling demands from women. But when you do find one who makes a daring step to run one, it should be worthy of commendation.

Once upon a time, Prince Bola and Toyin Atobatele were the dictionary definition of the word, ‘socialite’. They both ruled the Lagos Mainland social establishment. No party was considered complete without them. As a result, party hosts and hostesses fell over themselves just to have the couple register their presence, at the very least, at their functions. But their social presence began to suffer a decline after Toyin gave her life to Jesus Christ and cut down significantly on her social outings. Her husband however remained unrepentant. Although he still made appearances in public, it was no longer as frequently as he used to do them with his estranged wife. Then in 2016, fate dealt the couple a deadly blow.

They lost their third child, Michael Babatunde Atobatele to the cold hands of death. He was a graduate of Business and Human Resource Management, University of Hertfordshire, United Kingdom. Alongside his friends with common

vision, he founded and floated a company named, Severe Nature, which engaged in the business of printing on quality materials, embroidery of logos and sales of luxury street wear to high profile clients.

Michael had fallen ill, got admitted at the Reddington Hospital, Ikeja, Lagos and later at the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital where he gave up the ghost at the age of 22. Toyin and Bola were inconsolable, Toyin particularly. She became a shadow of her former self. Somehow, the couple could not heal from their son's death and months later, Toyin moved out of her Omole, Ikeja, matrimonial home. They both could not move on together from their son’s death and decided to part ways. The wedge that came between them proved irremovable and it slowly expanded until it became a yawning chasm that the two couldn’t bridge.

Prince Bola reportedly sold most of his properties scattered around Lagos metropolis. No reason was given for his unusual action.

Short of saying they have gone into 'extinction' like dinosaurs, the once hugely famous couple have gone into total oblivion.

Although the stereotype that only men can own night clubs in Nigeria is gradually being dismantled, the ratio is, however, akin to finding a pin in a haystack. But one young lady who has succeeded in taking the glass ceiling off for herself is Abimbola Charles, one of the offsprings of veteran cosmetologist and socialite, Mary Charles.

Unlike her three sisters who chose female dominated careers, Abimbola is stamping her feet in the sands of nightclub business. She fuels her passion via the uniquely named club, The Library Lagos, a stylish lounge that becomes a club at night in the heart of Victoria Island.

The club is so named because of the bookcase inspired décor. Via the services she provides, she has ingrained in her revellers to always choose The Library Lagos as their first choice when it comes to clubbing. An entrepreneur like her mum, Abimbola who likes to be referred to as King Abby is also the founder of 'IJustGotBack', a platform that connects Nigerians in the diaspora, basically a recurring annual event to promote cultural unity and networking for Nigerians globally. She is also the CEO of a barbing and nail lounge.

During the week, THEWILL reported that banking guru and former managing director of defunct Diamond Bank has joined the league of bank owners by floating a bank aptly named Signature Bank. This is despite the fact that he is currently gunning for Abia State government house come 2023 on the platform of Labour Party. However, what most people are unaware of is the fact that since the governorship of the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, eluded him, Otti began plotting to own his own bank, one that will be different from the legion of banks that parades the banking space. So while he pursued his governorship ambition, he equally devoted the same fervour in actualising his banking dream. At some point, he attempted to dabble into publishing but seeing that it would be a distraction, he kept his eyes on the ball - becoming a bank owner and a state governor. Short of the required funds, Otti began approaching his friends, allies and some possible investors. One of those he approached was Mutiu Sunmonu, the former managing director of Shell Nigeria who sits on the board of several blue-chip companies. Sunmonu bought into Otti's idea and besides his readiness to partner with him, he brought in a huge percentage of the N25 billion capital requirement needed to prove that they were not a flash in the pan day dreamers but are serious about owning a bank. Sunmonu's contribution earned him the chairmanship of the bank.

After successfully raising the required funds, CBN was invited by Otti and his friends who brought in their various contributions, to investigate the source of the capital pooled together and to vet on their applications. CBN went to work to be sure that the source of capital, was legitimate. It took the regulatory body 10 months of painstaking investigation before a clean bill of health was given to Otti and his investor friends to go ahead and launch their banking brand. After five years, Signature Bank was finally born. According to Otti, his dream to own a bank was partly fueled by his desire to fill the void created by other banks viz a viz repeated unresolved complaints, poor responsiveness, and unsavoury customer experiences encountered regularly. His desire is for simplicity and ease of doing business and give adequate attention to the dynamic needs of customers, not just within Nigeria but across continents. He hopes to accomplish this by building on the learning points and successes of taking the defunct Diamond Bank from a loss position in 2011 to becoming one of the eight systemically important banks (SIBs) in Nigeria. Although he claims he isn't going to hold any active position in his bank but give opportunities to the younger generation to pilot the affairs of the bank, that remains to be seen. While the bank has been ticked off his bucket list, time will tell if his governorship ambition will also be ticked off his bucket list.

Charles

Orovwiroro

Otti

STORIES BY SHADE WESLEY-METIBOGUN

Socialites

Reverend Funke FelixAdejumo, otherwise known as FFA, wife of Felix Adejumo, the Founder of Agape Christian Ministries, has dusted her certificates and returned to the university to study for another degree. The mother of four, who is already a grandmother, is now studying Law at the Elizade University, Ilara-Mokin, Ondo State. The fiery preacher started her registration as a full-time student when the institution resumed for a new academic year on November 6, 2022. She is ready to continue studying till she bags a PhD in Law before she calls it quits. One of the reasons she went back to school is to be able to defend women

who suffer abuses in their marriages and also to have something to fall back on when old age beckons. She took her fans on a pictorial voyage on her first day in school, showing how she went about her departmental and faculty registration on her social media page when she resumed academic activities.

Although she graduated in second-class upper division at the University of Nigeria Nsukka, where she studied English Language for her first degree, her quest for education remained unquenchable. Just as she has an insatiable quest for knowledge,

she is working assiduously to expand her business empire. Aside from her resort centre, which is located in Ondo State, she has also debuted a self-named perfume brand, Funke Felix Adejumo fragrance, also known as FFA fragrance. Her new business was launched a few weeks ago at her resort centre in Ondo State.

Society woman, Moyosade Ojo, the Yeye Arobake of Ibaland in Osun State and proprietress of Tesjok Group of Schools, Lagos State, rolled out the drums in celebration of the wedding of her son, Damilare Ojo and his lover, Olabambo Bamgboye. The event, which was graced by the crème la de crème in politics, society and the business world turned out to be a carnival of sorts because of the glamour and class which characterised it. It started with an elaborate engagement which took place at White Stone, Event Place, Ikeja followed with the church service and grand reception.

Yewande Zaccheaus’s event company, Eventful was handy in the organization of the ceremony while Tungba exponent, Yinka Ayefele was on the band stand. The groom, Damilare is a law graduate from Babcock University, Ilishan Remo, Ogun State. He is a nephew to Dolapo Badmos, a Chief Superintendent Officer of Police. He is based in the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja where he is practicing. His bride, Olabambo Bamgboye is based in London, United Kingdom but she is a barrister and Solicitor of the Supreme Court of Nigeria. She graduated from a UK University in 2014 and was called to the Bar in Nigeria.

Afew weeks ago, Prince Yinusa Olalekan Akadiri of the ObaAra Ruling House in Ikirun, Osun State was announced by the Osun State government as the new Akinrun of Ikirun, in Ifelodun local Government Area of Osun State. His emergence came after the majority voted in his favour in a meeting of Ikirun kingmakers on November 19, 2021, where Akadiri polled six out of seven votes, beating 17 other candidates in the process.

The Akinrun stool became vacant on February 8, 2021, following the

demise of Oba Rauf Olawale Adedeji who became king in 1991. However, some youths and chiefs within the community were not happy about the development. Youths took to the streets to protest the installation of the new monarch while the chiefs called for his removal.

According to them, the government was not fair in the selecting of the new king. They also insisted the actions of the government on his appointment and installation are contempt following a pending court case. Akadiri was rejected by the Gboleru ruling house, who claimed they were originally supposed to produce the Akirun-elect.

The case filed at the Osun High Court in November, 2021, restrained the Oba -Ara and Adedeji Ruling Houses from nominating candidates for the throne.

It was stated that it was unlawful to allow Oba-Ara to produce the next king. The kingmakers, the local and the state governments were also barred from accepting a candidate from the ruling houses.

The Gboleru Ruling House, which the chieftaincy gazette gave the power to choose

the new king had chosen Prince Tajudeen Adesegun Gboleru as the kind elect, however, a crisis broke out in the family over Adesegun’s eligibility which stalled the selection process. The court had to give the right to the Oba-Ara House to produce the next Akirun and the court mandated the government to install the candidate from that ruling house.

After Oba-Ara House chose a candidate, the chiefs rejected him, saying that he was not properly elected. According to them, a king is never voted in. They argued that the rites that the new Akirun must undertake were not done because he was illegally appointed. And it is offensive to the culture of Ikirun people as the Oba was installed in the same manner that an ordinary chief would be installed. They insisted that the Chieftaincy Declaration that stipulates how the stool should alternate among the ruling houses should be followed and the court order should be neglected.

According to them, Gboleru should produce the king going by the Declaration of the Chieftaincy gazette. They requested for time to resolve the family crisis so that a candidate can emerge from Gboleru ruling house.

African tech leader, Alex Okosi, has emerged as one of Britain’s 100 Most Influential Black People in the 2023 Power List for the second year runing. Okosi, who is the Managing Director, Emerging Markets, YouTube EMEA, received the honour at the Black Excellence Awards at the Savoy Hotel in London a few weeks ago.

The Power List is an annual event that recognises the United Kingdom’s most powerful people of African, African-Caribbean and African American heritage beyond sports and entertainment to encompass Management, Retail, the Arts, Finance, Tech, History, Academia, Fashion, Design, Politics, Law, Entrepreneurship, Social Investment and much more.

The

at the church cathedral in Ondo State. He was honoured for his contribution to the growth and establishment of Anglican churches in Ondo State by providing infrastructural facilities to the cathedral and his general contribution to the growth of the state in general.

The event was attended by political bigwigs and legal luminaries in Nigeria. The new Baba Ijo expressed gratitude for the honour and promised to continue contributing his quota to the development of the Anglican Communion in Nigeria.

Awarded annually since 2007, the Power List, in partnership with J.P. Morgan, honours incredible men and women across a wide range of industries including business, science, technology and the arts. Each year it recognises and celebrates 100 of Britain’s most influential black people and showcases black role models to young people. Open to Black Britons wherever they live in the world and to anyone in the UK who is black, the Power List is regarded as the leading authority on issues of black influence in the UK. Alex was selected due to his contribution and his responsiveness for driving the growth of entertainment brands across Nigeria and the international scene.

Eyitayo Jegede, Senior Advocate of Nigeria and former 2019 governorship candidate of the People’s Democratic Party, PDP has been installed as the Baba Ijo of the Cathedral Church of Saint David Anglican church communion, Ijomu, Akure in Ondo State.

new Baba Ijo, who was a former Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice in Ondo State, was honoured by the Diocesan and Archbishop of Ondo Ecclesiastical province, Archbishop Christopher Tayo Omotunde on Saturday, November 19, 2022

Felix-Adejumo

Ojo

Akadiri

Jegede

Okosi

STORIES BY SHADE WESLEY-METIBOGUN

SANDRA OKAGBUE RETURNS TO SOCIAL CIRCUIT

Sandra Okagbue, a former beauty queen and first daughter of the former Obi of Onitsha, late Obi Ofala Okagbue, seems to have found her groove back after quitting the public stage a few years ago. The mother of two came into the limelight in 2010 after emerging as the winner of Miss Delta Soap Pageant organised by Orange Drugs Limited. She became the face of Delta Soap, gracing television screen, billboards and newspapers. She was named the brand ambassador of Tony Ezennia’s Orange Drugs, a company which specialises in the distribution of pharmaceutical and beauty products.

Okagbue rose quickly to become the most sought-after model in Nigeria. She also had a stint with Nollywood, with the production of ‘Lotanna’, a movie she co-produced with one of her younger twin brothers, Christopher Okagbue.

Sandra later became an

item with Chinedu Okoli, professionally known as Flavour. The two were so much in love that they graced some musical outings together.

In 2014, she welcomed the singer’s first child, Gabrielle Okoli and many thought the talented music act would take her to the altar.

To keep herself busy while still nursing her beautiful daughter, she started Borderline Business Solution, an advertising firm. She later welcomed her second child, a daughter, Chikaima Okoli for the singer in 2018 and disappeared from the social and entertainment scene. She resurfaced again when her younger sister, Bella Okagbue made it to the Big Brother Naija reality show in July. She started canvassing support for her sister who later made it to the final stage of the reality show. The mother of two is now Bella’s manager and they have graced some entertainment events together.

Prince Gboyega Famoodun Emerges Traditional Ruler in Osun Community

Prince Gboyega Famoodun, the chairman of the All Progressive Congress in Osun State has been made the traditional ruler of Igbajo in the Boluwaduro Local Government Area of Osun State.

Famoodun was unanimously elected as the sole candidate of the Owa Oke-Ode Ruling House in a meeting held in Osun State two weeks ago. He was elected by the kingmakers and the election was subsequently approved by the Osun State Executive Council at its meeting.

The Owa Igbajo stool became vacant in 2020 after the death of the former king, Oba Olufemi Fasade, who died in December

2020. There are two ruling houses in the community, the Owa-IIoro, which the immediate past king, Fasade belongs to and the Owa -Oke-Ode where Famoodun belongs to.

Some chiefs had opposed Famoodun’s candidacy when he was mentioned as the next monarch.

His lineage was also accused of flouting the rotational agreement of the Owa-OkeOde. The crown was allegedly stolen by some aggrieved chiefs due to the controversy surrounding the stool and the fact that they don’t want the king elect. The state government had to step into the crisis and chose the next credible person for the stool.

Silekunola

OLORI NAOMI GOES BACK TO SCHOOL

Prophetess Naomi

Enitan

has gone back to school. The mother of one who has since moved on from the disappointment that characterised her first marriage to the monarch is now a student of Elizade University, Ilara-Mokin, Ondo State where she is studying International Relations. Before she found love in the hands of the revered traditional ruler, she was a student of Adekunle Ajasin University in Akungba Akoko, Ondo State. However, she dropped out in her first year to face her ministerial calling and later life as one of the youngest Olori in Ife.

The beautiful mother of the heir apparent, Tadenikawo, had earlier dropped everything that would remind her of her past life as a former queen to face her En-Herald Ministries, the Interdenominational Christian Ministry she is heading in Akure. As part of the activities of the Orientation Programme for Fresh Students of the University, the prophetess was invited as a resource person to give motherly advice to the incoming students of the University at their Faculty of Law Auditorium. The Convener of an NGO-‘Women In Need of Guidance & Support’ (W.I.N.G.S) bagged an honorary Doctor of Philosophy from Myles Leadership University, Republic of Benin a few weeks ago.

Yewande Zaccheaus Veers Into Hospitality Business

Yewande Zaccheaus, the founder of Eventful, an event planning company has added hospitality business to her area of interest as an entrepreneur. The mother of two who stepped down as the Managing Director of the company in 2021 has floated a hospitality firm known as Z Beach. Z Beach is a relaxation spot for fun seekers located in llashe, Ogun State. The beach house boasts of state-of-the-art facilities to attract clients from

far and wide. In order to officially kick off service, the fun spot offered a discount in booking to those willing to enjoy their festive season at the fun center.

Zaccheaus started her career as a lawyer and banker before taking interest in event management. And now the hospitality sector. She is also an accomplished author, she is the convener of Fashion Souk, Beauty Souk and Food Souk. The three are niche fairs for lovers of fashion, beauty and food.

Dele Momodu Becomes Paul Harris Fellow

Chief Dele Momodu, the chairman of Ovation Group and a presidential aspirant of the People’s Democratic Party, PDP, has become a Paul Harris Fellow. He was honoured by the Rotary club of Ikeja. A Paul Harris Fellow recognition is given to an individual both Rotarian and non-Rotarians who has given, or in whose honour a gift is made, an annual contribution of $1,000 to the Rotary International

Foundation. The gifts are transformed into projects that change lives both home and abroad.

The foundation empowers Rotarians to approach challenges such as poverty, illiteracy and malnutrition. The Journalist cum politician was honoured a few weeks ago during the investiture programme in Ikeja. Momodu has been a great contributor to the course of the foundation.

Zaccheaus

Silekunola, the estranged wife of the Ooni of Ife, Oba

Adeyeye Ogunwusi,

Okagbue

Famoodun

Momodu

SHOTS OF THE WEEK

Editor: Peace Udugba [08033050729]

THEWILLNIGERIA THEWILLNG THEWILLNIGERIA

L-R: Former Political Adviser to the former President Olusegun Obasanjo, Akin Osuntokun; Presidential Candidate, Labour Party, Peter Obi; President, Nigeria Guild of Editors, Mustapha Isa and Social Activist, Aisha Yesufu, during an interactive section with the Nigeria Guild of Editors, in Lagos on November 21, 2022.

L-R: Chieftain, New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP), Buba Galadima; Chairman, Board of Trustee NNPP, Dr. Boniface Aniebonam; Presidential Candidate, NNPP, Rabiu Kwankwaso and President, Nigeria Guild of Editors, Mustapha Isa, during an interactive section with the Nigeria Guild of Editors (NGE), in Lagos on November 20, 2022.

L-R: Managing Dictor/Chief Executive Officer, Minting and Printing, Mr Ahmed Halilu, Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Governor, Mr Godwin Emefile, President Muhammadu Buhari, Minister of State Budget and National Planning, Prince Clem Ikenade Agba , ICPC Chairman Prof Bolaji Owasanoye SAN and Chairman EFCC, Abdulsaseed Bawa as President Unveil new Naira Notes and presides over Federal Executive Council Meeting at the State House Abuja. November 23, 2022.

L-R: Theatre Director, Kenneth Uphopho; Executive Secretary, MTN Foundation, Odunayo Sanya; Winner, 5th edition of Beeta Playwright competition, Yemi Akande; Founder, Beeta Universal Arts Foundation (BUAF), Bikiya Graham-Douglas, and Veteran actress and producer, Ego Boyo at the finals of the 5th edition of Beeta Playwright competition, held at MUSON centre Onikan Lagos on November 18, 2022.

L–R: Lead, Climate Finance Africa, International Finance Corporation (IFC), Dr Riccardo Ambrosini; Senior Country Manager, IFC ( Nigeria, Sierra Leone and Liberia), Kalim M. Shah and CEO, Nigerian Exchange Limited (NGX), Mr. Temi Popoola, during a partnership signing agreement on socialising sustainable financial products, between NGX and IFC at the Green and Sustainability Bond Workshop on Wednesday 23 November 2022 in Lagos.

L-R: Creative Director, ATAFO, Mai Atafo; Customer Marketing Manager, West & North Africa, Edrington, Abayomi Ajao; Brand Manager, Edrington Portfolio, Coca-Cola Hellenic, Hammed Adebiyi and Trade Marketing Manager, Edrington Portfolio, Coca-Cola Hellenic, Tsolaye Everett at The Macallan-supported ATAFO Atelier fashion show held at The Podium, Lekki, Lagos on November 20, 2022.

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FEATURES

Mercurial Governor Nyesom Wike

Politicians yo-yoing in their relationship with fellow politicians is hardly novel around here. Forming and breaking alliances is part of the game of politics. So, it is no surprise that in Nigeria’s current political space, former foes have suddenly become political bedfellows while relationships built over the years have crumbled overnight. No one exemplifies this more than the governor of Rivers state, Nyesom Wike. THEWILL considers the mercurial governor’s latest romance

If any clairvoyant in late 2020 had suggested to one-time governor of Edo state and former party chairman of All Progressives Congress, Adam Oshiomhole, that he would one day be a guest of Rivers state governor, Nyesom Wike, the ex-union boss would have thumbed his nose at him. He would have had ample reasons to doubt him. But it has come to pass.

Last week, Oshiomhole himself was in Rivers state as a guest of Wike, the man who singlehandedly prevented his anointed APC candidate, Pastor Ize Iyamu, from making it to Government House in Benin.

Prior to that election, Wike relocated to Benin from his base in Port Harcourt, had a royal reception in the ancient city, worked hand in glove with his Edo state counterpart, Godwin Obaseki, who had defected from APC to Peoples Democratic Party. The governor of the state with the motto “Heartbeat of the Nation” had a run-in with Oshiomhole, who was chairman of APC at the time. With Wike’s support for Obaseki, the incumbent defeated his rival hands down. A strong bond developed between Obaseki and Wike from then on. But on the day Oshiomhole commissioned one of the projects in Port Harcourt, his former nemesis, Wike, duly apologised to the former governor.

With a retinue of senior government officials in tow, complete with his deputy, Wike began by telling Oshiomhole that Obaseki is a betrayer.

“If you check the DNA of Obaseki,” Wike declared publicly, “what you will see in that DNA is betrayal, serial betrayal, and ungratefulness.”

Continuing, the governor went on to tender an apology to Oshiomhole.

“Let me stand today to apologise to Adams Oshiomhole who has been vindicated by telling us that we will see the true colour, the insincerity, the ungratefulness of Governor Obaseki. We have voted for PDP since 1999 till now; ask Governor Obaseki if he has done anything for PDP (or) voted for PDP. The only election he voted for was his own election, where we gave him an umbrella.”

One politician Wike has also made up with is Governor Dave Umahi of Ebonyi state. In the same year as the governorship election in Edo state, Umahi defected from PDP to APC. To Wike, it was some kind of

betrayal and he didn’t mince words saying his mind. But just last Tuesday, Umahi was in Rivers state capital to commission Akpabu-Itu-Umudiogha road in the Emohua local council.

As a sign of reconciliation, Wike received Umahi in his private residence where both of them had a closed door meeting that lasted for hours.

Wike has also made overtures to rival political party leaders. Last August, Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu of Lagos state was in the littoral state to commission another project in Port Harcourt, thus leading analysts to conclude that the best word that best describes him is just that: mercurial.

Even the presidency has had positive vibes from a previously combative Wike. Last week, too, President Muhammadu Buhari sent his Attorney General and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, to commission the Graham Douglas Law School in Port Harcourt. It would have been unthinkable some months ago. But then, that is politics for, as the saying goes, there are no permanent friends or enemies only permanent interests.

As some analysts now see it, it could be that the ruling APC is trying to woo the Rivers state governor since his loss to Atiku Abubakar the presidential candidate of PDP. But Wike has maintained that he will never leave the party he has belonged to since 1999 when he emerged Executive Chairman of Obio Akpor local government area.

From then on, Wike has had a smooth run in government in the state and national level, making him one of the few Nigerian politicians who has held and is still holding political office. Dubbed Mr. Project for his numerous projects dotting his riverine terrain, Wike has lived up to his cherished moniker. Nothing suggests that more would not follow. Of course, the state he governs is one of the richest, perhaps, second only to Delta state.

At about the same time of commissioning the projects, Wike let it be known that it was the accumulated sums of money since 1999 (13 percent) paid by PMB to South-south states that has come handy. What, he asked some of his counterparts in the other states, have the governors used their money to do? What projects have they begun, let alone commission, in their respective states?

Chest-thumping about projects – whether a hospital, roads, bridges or schools – completed by governors is a plus any which way you consider it. It is also a kind of boast, challenging other colleagues to show, if they can, what they have on the ground.

“My name is Ozymandias,” the narrator in Percy Bysshe Shelley’s poem of the same name tells us of the inscription on the pedestal of the statue of Rameses II. “Look at my works ye Mighty and despair.”

Though the statue of the Egyptian pharaoh crumbled in the sand in the end, the various structures cropped up here and there in Rivers state now are sure to stand for some time to come.

Chest-thumping about projects – whether a hospital, roads, bridges or schools – completed by governors is a plus any which way you consider it. It is also a kind of boast, challenging other colleagues to show, if they can, what they have on the ground

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with those he would not have dined with for any reason. Michael Jimoh reports…

Qatar 2022 Excites With Upsets, History, Extra Time

BY JUDE OBAFEMI

With the Qatar 2022 FIFA World Cup now in full swing, it will be understandable that some fans forget some of the feverish controversies that trailed the commencement of hostilities at the resplendent stadia that the Gulf country built in preparation for hosting the world.

Indeed, it was only five days ago when, apparently frustrated by a barrage of anti-Qatar sentiments from the media, FIFA President Gianni Infantino, came out to vehemently defend Qatar against what he described as "hypocrisy" on the part of the West.

At a press conference held in the Qatari capital on Saturday, he said, "Working circumstances in Qatar are superior to those of European immigrants. Europe should stop the criticism and focus on improving its migrants' conditions. What we Europeans have been doing for the last 3,000 years, we should be apologising for the next 3,000 years before starting to give moral lessons.

Reform and change takes time. It took hundreds of years in our countries in Europe. It takes time everywhere, the only way to get results is by engaging ... not by shouting."

Reactions to Infantino’s comments came fast and furious as Steve Cockburn, the head of Economic and Social Justice at Amnesty International, Nicholas McGeehan, Director of FairSquare, the non-profit human rights organisation and Mustafa Qadri, the Chief Executive of international human rights organisation Equidem, all spoke up strongly against FIFA.

These controversies aside, FIFA was already making profits from the competition. Last Sunday, the football governing body reported that in the four years leading up to the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, it has generated record earnings of $7.5 billion.

This was revealed when FIFA presented its financial results to representatives from more than 200 of its members and the record earning represents a $1 billion increase above revenue from the last commercial cycle related to the Russia 2018 World Cup.

Commercial agreements with Qatar helped to boost the additional revenue. In addition to new third-tier sponsors including Qatari bank QNB and telecom company Ooredoo, top-tier sponsor Qatar Energy

also joined. FIFA also added second-tier sponsor deals this year from the financial platform crypto.com and a blockchain provider — its first new American sponsor in more than a decade. FIFA's revenues will rise to about $2.5 billion despite the COVID-19 pandemic. Revenues are likely to approach $10 billion for the next four years thanks to a new financial strategy for women's soccer and the expanded 2026 World Cup in the United States, Canada and Mexico.

That same Sunday, the World Cup officially began with a magnificent opening ceremony that was led by South Korean pop phenomenon Jungkook. In attendance at the ceremony were Infantino, the Qatari Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, and Saudi Arabian Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.

The ceremony, which preceded the opening match between the hosts and Ecuador, featured the usual mix of local and international performers showcasing the best of Qatar. American actor Morgan Freeman provided the ceremony's reassuring narration with his unforgettable voice.

Before Freeman and local celebrity, Ghanim Al Muftah sang "To Know One Another" with several camels, there was a montage of Qatar from the air and water specifically designed to impress. The tournament mascot La'eeb and his predecessors from past tournaments were then presented after a dance performed by professional artists and local volunteers.

It was time for football action and history was made in the very first match of the competition. At the Al Bayt Stadium Enner Valencia, a striker for the Turkish professional football club Fenerbahce, scored twice as Ecuador defeated Qatar, making them the first World Cup hosts ever to lose the opening game.

Closely following that game was the controversy around protesting armbands. The OneLove armband that team captains from England and six other nations intended to wear during the World Cup was proscribed by FIFA, which threatened to book captains if they disobeyed rules and made independent statements on social issues rather than adhering to FIFA regulations.

The OneLove campaign, which encourages "inclusion and sends a message against discrimination of any kind" gained importance as the tournament in Qatar, a nation where homosexuality is prohibited, approached. Lengthy negotiations between FIFA and a group of football associations, including those from England, Wales, Belgium, Germany, Denmark, Switzerland, and the Netherlands result in the decision to no longer wear the armbands.

Ahead of Monday's fixture between England and Iran, there was a problem with FIFA's ticketing system made it difficult for fans of both countries to enter the Khalifa International Stadium, raising further concerns about the organisation of the World Cup in Qatar.

As a result, at the start of the first Group B game thousands of seats were unoccupied with the stadium gradually starting to fill up as the first half went underway. In the match, England thrashed Iran 6-2 to get their World Cup campaign off to a flying start. Gareth Southgate, who has frequently faced criticism for playing it too conservatively, saw his Three Lions put Carlos Queiroz's team to the sword, quelling some sceptics and making a statement at the start of the group ties.

online at www. thewillnigeria.com

So far, the goals have flowed but fans have noticed longer extra time added to games in both halves

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The tournament's official single, Dreamers, was sung with customary fervour by South Korean boy band BTS's Jungkook alongside local artist Fahad Al Kubaisi, and the celebration came to a close with a speech by Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, the Emir of Qatar.

Winner of 2023 Presidential Election Must Form Coalition Government

One of the enduring legacies of President Abraham Lincoln, the one to whom the world owes the popular definition of Democracy to be "The government of the people, by the people, for the people," will be bequeathing to the United States of America a country unified in purpose. This singularity of purpose drove every decision made by Lincoln. It was the foundational principle of his political life. That was why when he won the 1860 presidential election, making him the first Republican to hold the office, he put in a lot of time and effort to stop the South from separating from the Union.

During his first term in office, Lin coln oversaw the American Civil War and he was in the forefront of keep ing America together. When the time came for his re-election campaign in 1864, he came up against a former Union General, George McClellan.

The revolutionary that Lincoln was, he did something unprecedented at the time and selected a Democrat, the natural rivals of the Republicans, to be his run ning mate, instead of his previous running mate and vice president of his first term, Hannibal Hamlin, who had served alongside him from 1861 through 1864. Hamlin, a former Maine Democrat who switched to the Republican Party owing to his shifting po litical views on slavery, helped Lincoln to achieve geographic balance in the 1860 election. But, ahead of the 1864 election, Lincoln picked the Democrat Andrew Johnson to serve as his running mate. This unforeseen move was calculative and purposeful because it was borne out of an impersonal effort on Lincoln's part to foster racial harmony and healing in the then troubled republic.

As the bitterly divisive civil war came to an end in 1864, Lincoln's dedication to national unity evoked the leader to train the focus of his campaign for reelection on reconciliation and rapprochement as a way to heal from the conflict. This was the underly ing rationale that led him to choose the Tennessee Democrat to be his running mate with a view of spreading his message of unity and being an exam plar of this message himself.

As one who led the nation through the American Civil War and succeeded in preserving the Union and abolishing slavery, he considered it his next mission to work towards bolstering the Federal Government and modernising the U.S. economy. He understood, more than most, how much sacrifice went into keep ing America together.

In his planning for the peace, the President was flex ible and generous, encouraging southerners to lay down their arms and join in reunion. The spirit that guided him was clearly that of his Second Inaugural Address, now inscribed on one wall of the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, D. C.: “With malice toward none; with charity for all; with firmness in the right, as God gives us to see the right, let us strive on to finish the work we are in; to bind up the nation’s wounds…. ”

In the Team of Rivals, Pulitzer Prize–winning author

and esteemed presidential historian, Doris Kearns Goodwin, writes about how Lincoln, through his political genius appointed a cabinet of former political foes (William H. Seward, Salmon P. Chase, Edward Bates) whom he defeated to emerge the presidential candidate of the Republi can Party in 1860. Seward would later become one of Lincoln’s loyal and trusted allies.

In deciding to form a coali tion government, Lincoln was practising a govern ment of national unity, which is often a broad coali tion government consisting of all parties (or all major parties) that have won seats in the legislature. It is usually formed during a time of war or other national emergency that requires the urgency of unity. This is often a period of deep and entrenched divisions in the polity needing a steady hand, a union-minded leadership and the magnanimity of victory to keep a nation together and moving forward.

Anyone observant enough will realise that there is a need for this in Nigeria today and that is a thought that filled my consciousness throughout the pre ceding week, especially as it concerns our national existence.

Today, we have before us a deeply divided country across ethnic and religious lines, courtesy of the machinations of some influential politicians and elites across the leading political parties.

As we approach the general election scheduled for early next year, there are worries that whoever wins the presidential election amongst the leading candi dates may not be able to govern and fully exercise the mandate effectively because of this challenge.

The current administration has not managed the country’s ethnic diversity properly and this has helped fuel disunity, anger and separatists move ments in the land. The divisions in the country today are along ethnic and religious lines, which ought not

to be the case.

However, ethnicity and religious bias are not the only factors to consider ahead of the electoral outcomes for next year. The country's electoral pro cesses have historically been coloured by ethnic and religious prejudice throughout the practice of democracy, but the current federal administration has made matters worse through a string of allegations of nepotism and religious bigotry.

Next year’s poll thus presents an op portunity to begin the journey to once again unite the country on the premise of equity and fairness to all Nigerians, irrespective of tribe or religion.

To achieve this, I counsel the leading presidential candidates to commit to forming a coalition government, just like Lincoln, if they emerge victorious, made up of persons from rival leading political par ties to heal the wounds of this fractious electioneer ing campaign, unify a nation rapidly descending into inevitable division along several tectonic plates and give every part of the Union a deep sense of belong ing.

There are a plethora of positions in the Federal Gov ernment from cabinet positions to departments and agencies where members of this proposed coalition government can be accommodated to have a role to play in the new government that will succeed the Mu hammadu Buhari administration.

When we achieve this, we will be sending a message to the rest of the country that politics aside, we all must not forget that we have only one country and all of us are stakeholders, irrespective of political party affiliation, religion or tribe. It will be an example that will cascade down into even the public space. Politi cal participation will be less violent and the current climate of aggressive politicking will be brought under control.

In 2008, I recall, President Barack Obama, who is also from the State of Illinois like Lincoln and also an admirer of the former Republican president, after a very bitter and tensely fought Democratic Party presi dential primary contest against his main opponent, Senator Hillary Clinton, was magnanimous enough to offer her the most powerful appointment in his government: Secretary of State, when he emerged as America's 44th President. Obama did this to unite the Democratic Party.

I therefore call on the four leading presidential aspi rants – Bola Tinubu of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Atiku Abubakar of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP}, Peter Obi of the Labour Party (LP) and Rabiu Kwankwaso of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) to keep this in mind, for the love of service and country, as we approach the general election next year.

A united and peaceful Nigeria within two decades, with good and effective leadership, can truly become one of the greatest countries in the world. This is an honest fact.

“Next year’s poll presents an opportunity to begin the journey to once again unite the country on the premise of equity and fairness to all Nigerians, irrespective of tribe or religion.”