THEWILL NEWSPAPER October 30, 2022

Hearing

I

of such people when 12 years ago, my dad was

Oh, how my world shattered

I remember calling a close friend to say, “You

him; you have to get daddy GO to pray for

He responded saying, “Onah, while we try to do that,

and pray. I know it’s stage four,

him and pray.” With my hands trembling, I did as instructed while we continued treatment. He passed a few months later.

Cancer generally seems to be the most difficult of the diseases for pharmaceutical companies to crack. At the same time, we are still determining if this is a case of politics to keep people spending money on medication which in turn means more money for them, or it is an honest case of not being able to find a cure yet. If the latter is the case, what then has become of the several breakthrough drugs produced with tests proving that people who took those drugs were cancer-free but after they sold those to the pharmaceuticals, we never heard anything about them again? It’s impossible not to think that, like the issue with power in Nigeria, these big pharmaceuticals will never let a breakthrough without sabotaging it.

We discuss more on this in honour of Breast Cancer Awareness month as we bid October goodbye.

It’s also World Vegan Day on the first of November, so we have a piece about veganism. As we draw close to the end of rainy days in Nigeria, the rains seem to be coming in very heavy bouts, so we list some foods that are perfect for a rainy day. The ombrè lip trend is quite popular, so our beauty pages guide you on how to achieve it seamlessly this week.

Until next week, enjoy your read.

Photo: Kola Oshalusi @insignamedia Makeup: Zaron

THEWILLNIGERIA

2023: Trouble Ahead For Wike, Ortom, Ikpeazu, Ugwuanyi, Makinde

BY AMOS ESELE

When Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers State announced last week that he had authorised the removal of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar’s photograph from the party’s campaign materials and posters in the state, top stakeholders concluded that the lingering crisis in the party has reached a point of no return, THEWILL has learnt.

Wike is the arrowhead of a group, which comprises some state governors within the PDP, calling for the resignation of the party's National Chairman, Iyorchia Ayu, in order to achieve some geo-political balance in the party since he lost the VP slot to his Delta State counterpart, Ifeanyi Okowa, who sabotaged the South’s bid for the presidential ticket of the main opposition party.

The controversial Rivers State Governor gave the directive during the inauguration of the state’s campaign committee at the Government House, Port Harcourt.

In a related development, Governor Samuel Ortom of Benue State, a Wike supporter, also hit at Atiku for what he described as his open support for the Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association, alleged by the governor to be the sponsor of acts of terrorism against his state.

Ortom demanded an apology from Atiku, warning that failure on the part of the PDP presidential flagbearer to do so, "we would vote according to the elections in 2023,” a subtle threat against Atiku’s presidential bid.

Speaking on Wike’s move, a dependable party source who confided in this newspaper, said, “We have been expecting such action since he announced the appointment of 14,000 aides recently and failed to heed the BoT Chairman’s appeal for restraint on the part of the members and leaders of the party to enable a peaceful resolution of differences and conflicts within.

"His claim that Atiku did not consult him on the appointment of some members of the Rivers chapter of the party in the Presidential Campaign Committee is a ruse. State chapters of the PDP were asked to send representatives, but he did not.”

The anonymous source, who said the party saw through Wike’s aim to frustrate the take-off of its campaigns, hinted that with the River State governor's recent move, the party may have to ignore him and move ahead with electioneering.

But the PDP National Publicity Secretary, Debo Ologunaba, is cautious in his assessment of the development. He told THEWILL on Friday, “Wike is and still remains our party man. Reconciliation is an internal process and we are still at it. Twenty-four hours is a lifetime in politics.”

He declined to be drawn into the prevailing view within the party that Wike and his group also face a dilemma that makes their demands not to be taken too seriously.

SCENARIOS AT PLAY

The other four state governors who have ganged up with Wike against the party, namely Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo State and his Benue, Enugu and Abia counterparts, respectively, Samuel Ortom, Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi and Okezie Ikpeazu are all in the same political circumstances.

Apart from Mr. Makinde, who is running for a second term in office, the rest are senatorial candidates on the platform of the PDP, meaning that there is a limit to which they can make their inter-party demand without offending the sensibilities of the stakeholders in their respective states.

SCENARIO 1: GOVERNOR MAKINDE Makinde was a relatively unknown politician until 2019 when he emerged Governor of Oyo State on the platform of the PDP. His emergence was fortuitous, owing to Atiku’s performance in the presidential election of that year, which

he won in the state.

Capitalising on this victory, former members of the party, who had defected and picked tickets of rival parties, got together to re-establish control of the state’s political structure. Led by former governor Alao Akala, the aggrieved politicians agreed to sink their differences and support Makinde’s candidacy on the platform of the PDP. He won the election.

Staring at the governor in the face now is a possible replay of this scenario, if he works against his party to spite its presidential candidate.

How? If he were to campaign for another party’s presidential candidate in the hope that he would be free from a possible repercussion because his (governorship) election comes up in March, 2023. Past experience, also drawn from the state, proves this strategy to be a dangerous one. That was in 2007.

Rashidi Ladoja, governor of the state, was removed from office in 2006. But he got reinstated through a court judgment. By that time, Alao-Akala, his deputy, who had held forth while he fought his removal at the court, had been chosen as the governorship candidate of the party for the 2007 polls.

Vexed by this development, Ladoja sought his pound of flesh. He entered into an alliance with the governorship candidate of the then All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP), Abiola Ajimobi. He directed his supporters in Ibadan to vote for Ajimobi as governor and for the PDP candidates at the House of Assembly as well as the House of Representatives.

Unfortunately, many of the voters who had been sensitised and mobilised with the symbol of ANPP, which is maize, voted for the symbol all the way. Majority of the voters who were illiterates could not afford the luxury of voting for one symbol and then looking for another on the same ballot paper. And so, the PDP lost all the 11 House of Assembly

and House of Representatives seats available for Ibadan to the ANPP.

The lesson is that if another party, other than the PDP, were to emerge victorious in Oyo State at the presidential poll in a similar manner, history may repeat itself, particularly when either of the two major parties, PDP and APC, have alternated power in the state. This possibility, THEWILL investigation shows, will put pressure on Makinde to bestir himself and deliver the state to his party.

SCENARIO 2: SENATE

For Governors Ortom, Ugwuanyi and Ikpeazu, who are senatorial aspirants on the platform of the PDP, their election as National Assembly members will take place on the same day as the presidential candidates on February 25, 2023. It is not their faces but the logo of the party that will be on the ballot.

For Ikpeazu and Ugwanyi of Abia and Enugu States, respectively, the challenge is stark. Both states have been controlled by the same party, the PDP, for the past 22 years with vested interests and privileges that run to the roots of communities there.

In consideration of this reality, these governors agreed to name big wigs from the state to participate in the Presidential Campaign Council of the party. In fact, women groups recently stormed the Governor’s Lodge in Enugu to remind Ugwuanyi that “Enugu is a PDP state.”

The PDP Chairman in Enugu State, Chief Augustine Nnamani, failed to respond to a request for his reaction. So did his Abia State counterpart, Hon Asiforo Okere.

But an aide to Nnamani confided in THEWILL saying that “nobody would want to speak on this matter for fear of offending the powers that be.”

For Ortom, the challenge is tough and hard. All the key PDP stalwarts are distributed evenly in the three senatorial zones in the state. Former Governor, Gabriel Suswan, comes from Zone A; ex-President of the Senate, David Mark and former Internal Affairs Minister, Abba Moro, come from Zone C, while Ortom and party National Chairman, Ayu, come from Zone B.

Attempts to get the reaction of the acting party Chairman in the state, Isaac Mfo, proved abortive as he would not answer calls put to his phone. But a notable party official said, “Any anti-PDP sentiment will not fly in this state,” but expressed the hope that the recent disagreement between the governor and Atiku has the “possibility of reconciliation.”

Ambassador Desmond Akawo, Rivers State Chairman, declined several calls put through to his phone. So did Kelvin Ebri, the Media Assistant to Wike.

NO ONE IS WITH WIKE

But the spokesman of the Atiku/Okowa Campaign Council in Rivers State, Dr. Leloonu Nwibubasa, debunked claims by Wike that Atiku failed to contact him for names to represent the state on the PPC.

He insisted that Wike and the state Chairman of the party were informed about the composition of the PPC.

Nwibubasa, a former Commissioner for Employment Generation under Wike’s administration, said on Friday that the governor was pursuing a personal vendetta against the PDP since he lost out in the party’s presidential primary election.

According to him, “The governor’s statement is misleading and there is no truth in the allegations he has levelled against the PDP at the national level.

“His statement is completely misleading and we are advising the Rivers people to take notice of this that this is a product of a personal vendetta by the governor having lost out of the PDP presidential primaries.

“It has nothing to do with the PDP at the national level. We also understand that the governor has been pushing Rivers people in the direction of his own selfish interest.

“When the people know the truth, they will align with the truth and that is why we are speaking up. Rivers is a PDP state and whoever wants to push us from the PDP to any other party is an enemy of the state.

“I can tell you that even some of the people you said are supporters of the governor are not. They may be his supporters publicly, but in their minds, they are all going to work for the PDP eventually.

“But for fear of the governor and because they hold positions right now in Rivers State, they are likely to be telling you, we’re with Wike. I can tell you that no one is with Wike.”

PARTY TO SUPPORT

The reason the Wike group cannot openly say what party or candidate they would support is also part of the dilemma that they are facing. The Labour Party candidate, Peter Obi, may be the face of the party and the movement, “Obidient” attached to it, but the party has the same leadership structure as the PDP. Its candidate, Obi; DG of Campaign, Dr Doyin Okupe and National Chairman, Julius Abure, are all from the South. Open declaration of support for the LP candidate would tag the Wike company as hypocritical. On the other hand, APC’s same faith ticket still being poorly received by a wide segment of the citizenry would paint them in bad light in the country where religion is one of the most potent currency driving politics.

Reacting to these developments, presidential spokesperson for Atiku, Charles Aniagwu, told THEWILL that the leadership of the party is still “interested in pursuing a resolution of the differences in the party and in the course of time, Governor Wike and other governors with him, will realise the need for party leaders and members to work together.”

He thinks the current crisis in the party will be resolved in the “not too distant future,” because “the leadership of the party, led by the presidential candidate, has seen the need to move in the same direction. So the issues will be resolved.”

Ologunaba dwelt further on ongoing efforts to address the lingering crisis, but denied that there was any time or any view that Governor Wike and his group would be ignored or sidelined in any way.

He said, “Negotiation is not a hundred metres dash. The party has the internal mechanism to resolve the differences in the party, but I cannot say whether it will happen tomorrow. Beyond this, all the layers in the party are on the same page on this matter.”

CURRENT DEVELOPMENTS

THEWILL also gathered exclusively that there is a supremacy battle ongoing between LP leaders and the “Obidient Movement.” This may complicate the stand of the Wike group should the brewing crisis develop into a major crisis and weaken the party as a strong contender in the 2023 presidential election. It would leave the APC and its rival PDP as major contenders in the upcoming poll. Traditional zones of interest across the country may be reset for both parties by the exit of LP, leaving the majors too big to be challenged by dissenters.

OBIdient Movement Battles Labour Party, Threatens Breakaway

BY AMOS ESELE

Barring a miracle, the Labour Party (LP) and over 500 hundred support groups that make up the “Obidient Movement,” may soon part ways, leaving the party in pains and Peter Obi’s presidential candidacy in jeopardy.

Investigation shows that funding and the composition of the Presidential Campaign Council (PPC) of the Labour Party are the major factors causing trouble. Complaints about the form of the PPC is still causing ripples since it was first constituted on October 12, 2022 and later rejigged and inaugurated last week, following complaints by aggrieved groups who felt left out.

Many leaders of the Obi/Datti support groups that travelled to Abuja for the inauguration of the PPC on Friday 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 presence in many states and local government areas in the South confided in THEWILL on condition of anonymity that the National Chairman’s response to their request for financial support had angered them.

He said, “Many of us have been spending money on this cause through contributions. We asked LP for funding support and we are being told to go and source funds. I paid my way to Abuja, paid for my accommodation and fed myself in a hotel and the party cannot offer any form of support to us for electioneering?”

Abure, during the inauguration of the PPC on Friday, urged members to go look for funds for the campaign because the presidential candidate does 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 for funds to fund the campaign,” Abure said after the installation of the PPC on Friday in Abuja.

On the composition of the PCC, other leaders who spoke to THEWILL pointed out many members are not stakeholders. Many who have been on the field to popularize the movement and LP indirectly, they said, have been excluded.

If things are left unattended to in the coming days, conveners of the aggrieved groups, who were still holding meetings on Friday night through Saturday morning, have threatened to pull out of the coalition with the LP and look for other candidates to support in the upcoming general election.

As a way out of this development, they are insisting on speaking directly with Obi before deciding on the next step.

Asked for his reaction, LP spokesperson, Abayomi Arabambi , simply said, “There is no problem.” Pressed further, he added, “ Nothing of the nature you are asking has been brought to my attention. In any case, people have the right to ventilate their complaints. But trust Nigerians, people will still complain, even when problems have been solved. But take it from me when I tell you that all is well.”

Presidential Spokesperson, Tanko Yinusa , could not be reached for his reaction and a member of the PPC, Kenny Adewole said he was not qualified to speak on the issue, when contacted.

As at press time, the Deputy Director-General of Campaign, South, Chief Anagbe Kentebe, is said to have prevailed on the feuding groups to calm down and allow party leaders to look into their complaints.

I can tell you that even some of the people you said are supporters of the governor are not. They may be his supporters publicly, but in their minds, they are all going to work for the PDP eventually

...Trouble Ahead For Wike, Ortom, Ikpeazu, Ugwuanyi, Makinde

C'River: 2023 Budget Embarrassing, Laughable – PDP

FROM BASSEY ANIEKAN,

The Cross River State Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Venatius Ikem, has dismissed the state's 2023 budget, describing it as embarrassing and worthless. Ikem’s reaction came after the state governor, Prof Ben Ayade, presented a budget estimate of N330 billion for 2023.

Describing the budget, tagged, ‘Budget of Quantum Infinitum,’ as an embarrassment, he said, "It is madness to budget in a single year N330 Billion, whereas in the entire revenue accruals to the state from the Federation Account from 2015, when he took over, to July 2022, is N249 Billion!

"This irresponsible pretension to budgeting is an embarrassment to the state and has gone on for seven years."

The PDP chairman said it was a shame that Governor Ayade was only “making a mockery of himself”, adding that the whole country had seen him as a jester. Similarly, a chieftain of the PDP in Cross River, Dorn Klaimz Enamhe, advised Governor Ayade to resign.

The university don maintained that Cross River’s 2023 budget was an economic disaster waiting to happen and in other climes, people with such budgets had resigned for misleading the people.

"The Cross River State budget is laughable and very predictable, an economic disaster in waiting.

"In other climes people with such budgets would have resigned for misleading the people.

"A case study is Liz Truss UK's immediate past Prime Minister who was forced to resign", he said.

Speaking on the governor's senatorial ambition, Enamhe, who is also the DG of the Senator Jarigbe Campaign Council said, “The governor cannot go to the Senate because his people have rejected him. It is laughable.

He has spent four years in the Senate and more than seven years in government, yet it took Senator Jarigbe Agom Jarigbe to develop the northern part of Cross River State in just under one year.

Senator Jarigbe, from his performance and selflessness, is returning to the Senate," he said.

Stakeholders Fault Ayade's Visit to Wike

Some stakeholders of the Peoples Democratic Party in Cross River State have faulted Governor Ben Ayade’s recent visit to his River's State counterpart, Nyesom Wike.

The stakeholders accused the Cross River State governor of trying to solicit favour from Wike despite his past utterances against the Rivers helmsman.

The Director-General of the Jarigbe Campaign Organisation, Dr Don Cklaimz Enamhe, in his reaction said the visit was a calculated attempt to woo Wike over to Ayade's side ahead of the 2023 polls.

He described the move as the “last kick of a dying horse,” emphasising that Ayade discreetly went there to negotiate for a seat in the Senate seat without minding his public utterances against Wike.

"Going by past antecedents, Governor Ayade has no right to visit Governor Wike because he (Ayade) has been making comments deriding Wike and PDP in the state.

"It seems he has eaten his vomit or shall we say he is also trying to mortgage the state to Rivers as he accused the party a couple of months back while soliciting support for the All Progressives Congress.

"However we assure all that all discreet moves by Ayade will come to nought because we have declared total and unalloyed support for Sen. Jarigbe Agom Jarigbe.

"Besides, the north knows its true sons and leaders. We shall speak during the general election. No amount of tricks and genuflecting will change our focus on the re-election of Jarigbe," he said.

On his part, Chief Emmanuel Ogbeche said that the party leaders in the north would meet to review Ayade's recent moves.

He cautioned the national leadership of PDP to be wary of hobnobbing with politicians from Cross River who are good at anti-party activities.

Also, Ntufam Justine Abang, from Ogoja chapter, expressed surprise that after Ayade had declared the PDP dead in the state and boasted that the APC would sweep all the seats, he surreptitiously visited Wike, a PDP Governor and his arch enemy, to curry favour.

Describing Governor Wike as an old political war horse, Abang said the visit would not change the good work that the Rivers governor is doing to ensure survival of PDP in Cross River.

He gave the assurance that the party would deliver Sen. Jarigbe and other PDP candidates in the north.

Don’t Panic Over Foreign Security Alerts, Buhari Tells Nigerians

President Muhammadu Buhari has told Nigerians not panic over the recent security alerts from the British and United States’ Governments.

He urged the security agencies to continue to be alert and vigilant, in spite of the security challenges facing the country.

In a statement, the President called for calm, saying that recent changes in the travel advisories from the US and UK governments to their citizens living in the country should not cause Nigerians to panic.

The statement read in part, “Nigeria is no exception in having terror threats listed in a foreign government’s travel advice to its citizens. The UK and US travel advisories also stated that there was a high likelihood of terror attacks in many Western European nations. Unfortunately, terror is a reality all over the world.

“However, this does not mean that an attack on Abuja is imminent. Since the July prison raid, security measures have been reinforced within and around the Federal Capital Territory. Heightened monitoring and interception of terrorist communications ensure that potential threats are caught further upstream.

“Attacks are being foiled. Security agents are proactively rooting out threats to keep citizens safe – much of their work is unseen and necessarily confidential.

“Nigerians’ safety remains the highest priority of government. Security services are working around the clock to keep harm at bay.”

The President gave the assurance that the Federal Government is on top of the security situation in country.

He noted that security threats were real and had been with us for a long while, just as the nation’s military and other security agencies had always shown a capability to deal with it.

Buhari stressed that while it is crucial to be security conscious, alert and careful, it is also important that responsible members of the society do not create situations leading to unnecessary panic.

He commended the military and other security agencies for the recent turn around in the nation’s security situation and directed that additional precautionary measures be put in place during festive periods.

President Buhari expressed the optimism that given on-going efforts on the part of the military and other security and intelligence agencies with the active support of the civilian population, Nigeria will overcome the challenges threatening its corporate existence.

L-R: Director, Information Technology Dept., Central Bank of Nigeria, Rakiya Mohammed; Director, Monetary Policy Dept., CBN, Dr. Hassan Mahmud; Governor of the CBN, Dr. Godwin Emefiele; Deputy Governor, CBN, Kingsley Obiora; and Mrs. Mary Fasheitan, Special Adviser on Payments System at the One Year Anniversary celebration of the eNaira held at the Eko Hotel and Suites, Victoria Island, Lagos, on October 25, 2022.

POLITICS

YakubuAtiku

2023: Violence Threatens Election Campaigns

BY AYO ESAN

Less than six weeks after election campaigns officially kicked off across the country, political violence has resurfaced.

On two different occasions, attacks were launched against supporters of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) presidential candidate, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, during a rally held in Kaduna State and the campaign train of the party’s governorship candidate in Lagos State, Mr Jide Adediran, popularly called Jandor.

Surprisingly this ugly development is coming after a peace accord was signed in Abuja by the presidential candidates and leaders of 18 political parties participating in the forthcoming 2023 general election.

The peace accord was put together under the auspices of the National Peace Committee (NPC) co-led by former Head of State, General Abudulsami Abubakar; Sultan of Sokoto, Sa’ad Abubakar II; Cardinal John Onayeikan; Bishop Hassan Kukah and other eminent statesmen, with the objective of supporting efforts aimed at ensuring free, fair and credible elections in the country.

While delivering his goodwill message at the event, President Muhammadu Buhari had expressed worry at the recourse to personal attacks, insults and incitement by politicians in the build-up to their campaigns.

He enjoined all Nigerians, political parties, politicians, security agencies, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and all stakeholders to ensure that Nigeria was placed first above regional and sectional claims.

Buhari cautioned against the shifting of focus from issue-based campaigns to engagement in personal attacks, insults, and incitement by politicians.

He said: “As the President, I have always reiterated my commitment to a peaceful, credible and transparent election, and what the Peace Committee has been doing over the years, aligns with my belief that Nigeria needs peace in order to achieve credible elections.

“However, the rise of fake news and misinformation continue to pose a significant threat to the pattern of democracy in Nigeria. It has shifted focus away from issue-based campaigns to amplifying the potential for personal attacks, insults, and incitement. It has also significantly diminished the civility and decency in public discourse and debate”.

But rather than heed the President’s advice to campaign without violence and keep to the agreement signed to ensure peaceful campaign and election, fear of violence is already threatening the campaigns across the country.

Many spokespersons of political parties have also failed to receive the advice of President Muhammadu Buhari that campaign should be based on issues and not engagement on personal attacks, insults and incitement statements.

Little wonder that what dominated the media in the past weeks have been attacks on personality and not what each candidate intends to do for Nigerians.

The situation looks worrisome to watchers of political developments because of all the 18 political parties, only two or three parties are on the field canvassing votes. Many fear what will become of innocent and law-abiding Nigerians when all the political parties enter the field.

First there were reports of an attack on PDP supporters in Zamfara, which led to the death of one person and many others seriously injured. Also on October 17, 2022 there was also an attack on PDP supporters during a presidential campaign rally which resulted in many seriously wounded in Kaduna.

Worried by the rising incidence of attacks, Atiku Abubakar has appealed to President Muhammadu Buhari to caution the supporters of other parties as the election campaigns intensify.

Disclosing the attack in a statement on his Twitter handle, Atiku condemned the attack noting that it was an attempt to scuttle the lawful right of Nigerians to assemble peacefully.

His words: “I have received reports of coordinated attacks on members of our great party, the PDP, by thugs in Zamfara State, which reportedly led to the death of one of our members. I condemn these attacks in entirety because it is an attempt to scuttle the lawful right of Nigerians to assemble peacefully and a direct attempt to suppress the legitimate campaigns of the PDP in the state.

“I reassure the Zamfara State PDP of my support, and most importantly, my heart goes out to the PDP family in Zamfara and the friends and loved ones of victims of this attack.

“I urge President Muhammadu Buhari to call on all the parties to call their supporters and members to order and to ensure that campaigns, just as with the elections themselves, are kept free, fair and safe.

“I have just received emergency reports of attacks on PDP supporters by thugs sponsored to scuttle the ongoing PDP campaign rally in Kaduna State. This is undemocratic and against the Peace Accord all parties signed up for just a few weeks ago.”

Also, penultimate Sunday, there was an alleged attack on the campaign train of the governorship candidate of PDP Lagos State, Mr. Olajide Adediran, popularly known as Jandor.

The attack was alleged to have been carried out by thugs armed with guns and other dangerous weapons.

The incident was said to have occurred while the convoy reached the Ikoga Junction area of Badagry Local Government.

The Lagos State PDP Publicity Secretary, Mr. Hakeem Amode, said that several members of the party and journalists sustained injuries in the attack.

The statement read, “The campaign train of the candidates of the Peoples Democratic Party was attacked today while returning from

Buhari cautioned against the shifting of focus from issue-based campaigns to engagement in personal attacks, insults, and incitement by politicians

“

POLITICS

...Violence Threatens Election Campaigns

visitation to members of the party at the Ikoga Junction area of Badagry Local Government by All Progressives Congress sponsored thugs this evening.

“The attack led to injuries of several members of Jandor’s entourage and pressmen. As of the time of this press statement, one of the news reporters is in critical condition in an undisclosed hospital while those injured are been treated.

“The thugs that attacked the campaign train were shouting APC while shooting guns and using dangerous weapons”.

The party later urged the police to fish out the miscreants that disrupted the campaign of Jandor, and his Deputy, Funke Akindele, in Badagry.

Amode in calling on the police said: “Recall that our party raised concern over the threat to use sponsored thugs to attack the campaign trains of our candidate, Jandor, recently.

“We would like to state categorically that this will not deter the determination of our candidate to campaign for the next election and win the election come 2023.

“We hereby call on the Commissioner of Police, Lagos State and the Area Commander of Police in the Badagry Division to do everything possible to fish out those behind the attack and take necessary disciplinary actions against them to forestall such occurrences in the future.”

In its reaction, the Lagos APC said it abhors thuggery and any other form of violence in the name of politics, saying, “However, we find it repulsive that Jandor could level such grievous allegations and conveniently forget to give the names of the victims and the action taken by the battalion of security operatives who always outnumber his entourage.

“This is just another level in the propaganda machinery of the PDP candidate to curry public sympathy through blatant lies and unsubstantiated claims.

“The opposition party before now had more credible and accomplished candidates who flew their flags during elections and ran a good race. It is worthy of note that neither were they so desperate nor unnecessarily heat up the polity with needless lies.

“One cannot but wonder what led to the descent to the lowest abyss. Nigerians know too well that this is the season of endless comedy of the absurd coming from the stable of the professionals.

“They are advised to focus on issues based campaigns that will make life more meaningful for all Lagosians.

“Perhaps he should spend more time to seek the support of the members of his party who have been largely indifferent to his campaign rather than clutch to straws and cry wolves when there’s none.

“However, we understand that it can be overwhelming, frustrating and depressing to contest against a highly successful incumbent who has become the yardstick to measure good governance.

Speaking on the issue of attack on Jandor, the Lagos State Police Command said it has commenced investigations into the attack on Jandor’s campaign train.

The State Police Public Relations Officer, Benjamin Hundeyin, in a tweet last Monday, said it was important to clarify that the party notified the Divisional Police Officer in Badagry, of the time and locations of their visits.

He said, “Adequate security was provided. However, the campaign train made an unscheduled visit to a different and undisclosed locations on their way back without commensurate notification to the police.

“Furthermore, the command is awaiting from the victims a complaint/statement that would assist in the ongoing investigation. The assurance is hereby given that no stone will be left unturned to arrest and prosecute the attackers.”

It would be recalled that ahead of the commencement of the presidential campaign, INEC in order to forestalled violence had warned that a political message or slogan must not be tainted with abusive language directly or indirectly likely to injure religious, ethnic, tribal or sectional feelings.

INEC also said abusive, intemperate, slanderous or base language or innuendoes designed or likely to provoke violent reactions or emotions shall not be employed or used in political campaigns.

Speaking through INEC national commissioner in charge of voter education and publicity, Barrister Festus Okoye, INEC

Adediran

Chairman, Professor Mahmood Yakubu reminded the media of their constitutional and legal obligations, saying state apparatus including the media shall not be employed to the advantage or disadvantage of any political party or candidate at any election.

“In other words, equal coverage and visibility shall be allotted to all political parties by all public print and electronic media organisations. The same applies in equal measure to private owned media organisations subject to payment of appropriate fees,” he said.

The INEC chairman urged all the 18 registered political parties to critically study and pay attention to the provisions of the Constitution, the Electoral Act, the Police Act and the Public Order Act for the proper and peaceful conduct of political campaigns, rallies and processions.

Speaking with THEWILL, President, Yoruba Council Worldwide and Secretary, NBA Epe Branch, Lagos, Aare Barr. Oladotun Hassan said, “Going by the recently signed peace accord by the major political parties and their Presidential gladiators led by General Abdulsalami Abubakar and Rev. Matthew Kuka, one would have concluded with a sigh of relief that peace be still, but regrettably when it comes to the witnessed aftermath of the series of violent attacks, murder and blood bathing trailing the various political party's rallies and campaigns one will easily come to a conclusion that Nigeria election is a season of violence.

“Violent attacks are caused by multiple layers of reasons, ranging from intra and inter party pre-election crises, lack of internal democracy, forced imposition of candidates on genuine winners and age long hatreds of party wars leading to unprecedented violent fumes and unbearable loss of lives and properties.

“We have witnessed in the time past gory stories of violent mass killings based on vexatious and provocative statement of political leaders and candidates, some are fueled by uncouth and unguided statements by political party faithful and media spokesman”.

While condemning the attack on Alhaji Atiku Abubakar's campaign rallies held in Kaduna and Zamfara simultaneously were it was confirmed lives were lost and innocent people sustained various degrees of injuries, wherein a repeat of similar violent attacks was hit in Badagry on the convoy of the Lagos PDP Guber Candidate,

Baba

Jandor, he said there is the need for the law enforcement agents to stem the tide.

“This and many episodes are relics ingredients of our election season, meaning if nothing urgent is done by the law enforcement agents to stem the tide of violence, Endsars bloodbath will be a child's play to what 2023 Election violence hold in its kitty.

Hassan , who is also the Secretary General of , Nigeria Ethnic Nationalities Youth Leaders Council further said that “there is the need to be conscious of the ethnic card this election is bedeviled with, almost all voters are divided into different cells of lumps of cancerous moles of violence on a keg of gun powder ready to explode anytime soon.

“Recently, one Igbo youth group threatened not to allow the Asiwaju Bola Tinubu- led APC to campaign in any part of the South-East, a reprisal of that could lead to ethnic war, most countries are grounded today as a result of ill-motivated penchants for inflammatory statements and media wars.

“I am using this medium to say that government at all levels, religious, political and other critical stakeholders needed to jointly address this monstrous issues continuously with vigour and indefatigable spirit of love, unity and peace.

“Nigeria belongs to all of us and we cannot afford to be refugees in our own land aftermath of 2023 general elections, hence our humble advice to INEC is to play fairly and wisely this time around”.

Also speaking with THEWILL, a former Chief of Training, Operations and Plans (CTOP) at the Defence Headquarters (DHQ), Major-General Ishola Williams, (retd.) said that violence, rigging and misuse of public funds have been historical parts of elections in Nigeria.

“We know those who are responsible, especially most of the state governors. Nyesom Wike of Rivers State is a very example with his appointments of all types of Persons as Political Appointees for electioneering purposes.

“His anointed successor and Chief Accountant has been hiding in Government t House. There is potential electoral violence in Rivers State.

“On the other hand, the Security Agencies corruptly make money when they exaggerate the violence, the number of personnel required and the budget, et cetera.

He however said violence is reducing generally as we move to the next election.

“Violence is on the reduction generally but it is more in the South than in the North.

Finally electioneering crimes and violence are now being prosecuted in order to reduce Impunity.

We may see less Violence in 2023”, he said.

However, we find it repulsive that Jandor could level such grievous allegations and conveniently forget to give the names of the victims

POLITICS NEWS

2023 Elections: Army Tasks Personnel on Professional Conduct

The Nigerian Army has advised officers and soldiers to uphold professionalism and ethical conduct in dealing with civilians during the 2023 general elections.

The Commandant, Army War College Nigeria (AWCN), Maj.-Gen. Bamidele Alabi, made the call at the opening of a sensitisation workshop organised by Army Headquarters Garrison on Wednesday in Abuja.

The workshop was tagged `Upholding the Traditional Ethics of the Nigerian Army and Promoting Professionalism and Social Responsibility of the Nigerian Soldiers’.

“We are all aware that the attention of the international community will focus on our dear country Nigeria during the elections next year, and particular attention is always paid to the roles we play during the elections.

“So far, the Armed Forces of Nigeria, particularly the army which is most visible during such elections has lived above board.

Give us Free, Credible Elections in 2023 - Stakeholders

Electoral stakeholders have tasked the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to provide an enabling environment for the conduct of free, fair and credible elections in 2023.

The stakeholders said this at a conference organised by the Friedrich Ebert Stiftung (FES) Nigeria Office themed

“Multidimensional Election Security Threats in Nigeria: Challenges, Options and Opportunities for the 2023 General Election ‘’in Abuja.

Dr Daniel Mann, the Resident Representative FES Nigeria, said that the programme was put together for experts and stakeholders in election and security space, to critically identify, examine, and discuss key potential security threats to the election.

“This overall project that FES is conducting is aimed at promoting democracy to stabilise it.

“Nigeria is a nation with over 50 per cent of its population as youths yet they hardly make their way into politics and they are mostly used by politicians to cause

violence,” he said.

Mr. Mathias Dold, First Secretary, Political Officer, German Embassy, said that the event was timely because the election was barely three months away.

“We as diplomats are solely observers in election times, we don’t have a favourite and we don’t support any candidate.

“The only thing we do support is free, fair and credible election. This is something the German Government has supported through numerous projects and advocacy campaigns especially through our funding of FES.

“It is also something the European Union which we are members support through its support to democratic governance campaign that has contributed so much to the electoral process and continued to do so most recently through the signing of the National Peace Accord,” he said.

Dold said that it has been observed that the election process in Nigeria has been improving from election circle to election circle.

Presidential Election: ADC Won't Present Kachikwu as Candidate – Nwosu

BY AYO ESAN

The National Chairman of the African Democratic Congress, (ADC), Chief Ralph Nwosu has said that the presidential candidate of the party, Mr. Dumebi Kachikwu will not stand for the next year’s election on the platform of the party because according to him, he has been expelled from the party.

Nwosu in an exclusive chat with

THEWILL said, Kachikwu despite the fact that INEC named him as one of the candidates for the February 25, 2023 presidential election, is not going to contest on the platform of the party because according to him he has been discovered to be a mole.

“In ADC, we expelled our presidential candidate because we discovered that he was a mole. Our delegates made a grievous mistake by picking a mole

to destroy our party. But by the Grace of God, we discovered early and we had to deal with it. We are doing everything possible to bring forth a new presidential candidate. However it goes, we are preparing for the election seriously.

“Yes his name appeared on the list of candidates for the presidential election released by the INEC. Yes there is electoral process, INEC has to do its job according to the electoral law and we have to do our own process according to our constitution.

“So it is for us to tell our members, let them know what has happened and for the general public to be aware of our schedule. The law of Nigeria has to take its course and INEC is doing what it supposed to do, but we have taken our own decision as a party”, he said.

Oyebanji, Ekiti NASS Members Meet Senate President, Others

Ekiti State Governor, Mr Biodun Oyebanji led federal lawmakers from the State in a meeting with the Senate President, Ahmad Lawan, and other leaders of the Assembly at the National Assembly Complex, Abuja.

Governor Oyebanji discussed some of the challenges confronting the state, especially in the areas of poor condition of federal roads and absence of power supply to some areas of the state. He sought the support of the National Assembly in ensuring some of these concerns get necessary budgetary attention.

Present at the meeting were Senator Bunmi Adetunbi; Senator Opeyemi Bamidele; Hon Femi Bamisile; Hon Yemi Adaramodu; Hon Wunmi Ogunlola, Hon Ibrahim Olanrewaju, Hon Femi Bamisile and Hon Sola Fatoba.

The Senate President, who hailed the Governor for the visit, pledged the support of the Upper legislative chamber for the Ekiti government's developmental efforts.

The Governor also held talks with the leadership of House and Senate Committees on Works, and power where he made strong case for comprehensive renovation of Federal roads in Ekiti and fixing of electricity issues in some parts of the state.

Earlier, the Governor in company with Senator Opeyemi Bamidele and Hon Femi Bamisile had held similar meeting with the Minister of Power, Engr Abubakar Aliyu, where the issue of upgrade of power infrastructure in the state, especially reconnection of some towns and communities to the national grid was tabled.

Governor Oyebanji said he was satisfied with the level of understanding shown by the leadership of the National Assembly as well as Federal lawmakers from Ekiti State, adding that no stone would be left unturned in the quest for support from relevant agencies and institutions for the socio-economic and infrastructure development of the state.

“And in order to maintain and even improve on this record, all hands must be on deck to ensure that we remain apolitical and discharge our roles professionally during the elections.

“In this regards, the COAS has already signed the Code of Conduct and Rules of Engagement for Nigerian Army personnel during Operation Safe Conduct 2023 which has been distributed to all formations and units.

“This shows the importance the COAS appends to our conduct during the forthcoming elections,” he said.

Alabi said the workshop was designed to educate troops on how to conduct themselves professionally during international and internal operations.

He added that troops were also been sensitised on the sanctity of both local and humanitarian laws, social media policies and imperatives of protecting civilians during all operations.

The commandant also said that the workshop would focus on the social responsibilities of Army personnel at all times.

Alabi urged the participants to ensure that they take valuable lessons back to their units and sub-units with a view to improve professional conduct in their various formations.

The Commander, AHQ Garrison, Maj.Gen. Kabir Garba, said the workshop was organised to enlighten personnel on some rudiments of regimentation, to enhance professionalism.

Garba said it would also develop and improve the core competencies of personnel, as well as enlighten them on socio-economic vices within their operating environment.

The commander, who was represented by the Chief of Staff, Brig.-Gen. Jefferson Feboke, said key focus of the workshop was to drill in personnel the need to be disciplined during operations.

This, he said, was necessary in order to protect and preserve the cherished image of the Nigerian army in an increasingly complex operating environment.

Garba thanked the COAS for approving and providing the needed resources to conduct the workshop.

He said the participating officers and soldiers were drawn from across all the AHQ departments and formations within Abuja.

Topics to be discussed include Professionalism and effective collaboration among security agencies; Core values of the NA; Ethics in relation to the military profession and Enhancing professionalism in the NA.

Others include Sexual Exploitation and Abuse/Gender Mainstreaming, among others.

Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde (middle); his Osun State counterpart, Mr Adegboyega Oyetola (second right); his wife, Kafayat (third left); deputy governor of Oyo State, Barr. Bayo Lawal (second left); Speaker, Oyo State, House of Assembly, Hon Debo Ogundoyin (left) and Oluwo of Iwo, Oba Abdulrasheed Akanbi, during the flag-off of 91KM reconstruction/rehabilitation of Ibadan -Iwo-Osogbo road, by the both State, held at Osogbo. PHOTO: Oyo Gov's Media Unit.

Election Campaigns: Lull in Smaller Parties

Aside the All Progressives Congress (APC); the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), and the Labour Party (LP); the other 15 political parties registered by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) include Accord (A), Action Alliance (AA), Action Democratic Party (ADP), Action Peoples Party (APP) African Action Congress(AAC), African Democratic Congress (ADC), All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), Allied Peoples Movement (APM), Boot Party (BP), Labour Party (LP), National Rescue Movement (NRM), New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP), Peoples Redemption Party (PRP), Social Democratic Party (SDP), Young Progressive Party (YPP) and Zenith Labour Party (ZLP).

All the 18 political parties fielded candidates for the presidential election coming up on February 25, 2023, but apart from the big three, most of the smaller parties have not initiated any plan for campaign and with more than a month gone since the opening of the campaign window, most of them have remained inactive.

While the major parties, APC, PDP. LP and NNPP have intensified their campaign preparations and action plan, the smaller parties are yet to organise themselves and are not known to have campaign schedules.

The APC, PDP and lately the LP have constituted campaign councils. In fact, the PDP has officially kick-started its campaign in Uyo, the capital of Akwa Ibom State and has released the schedules of campaigns across the country.

The APC on the other hand though it is yet to officially kickstart its campaign, many of its support groups are not lacking in action as they have organised various public walks to create awareness for their candidates in the forthcoming elections.

Also, the NNPP has opened campaign offices across the country and these were declared open recently by the presidential candidate of the party, Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso. Also, one of the leaders of the party, Alhaji Buba Galadima has said on a Television programme monitored in Lagos that their campaign will hold in all the geo political zones of the country.

Aside these four parties, the others have remained inactive.

It would be recalled that of the lesser parties, APGA has produced three governors of Anambra State, including the incumbent, Charles Soludo. YPP won a seat in the Senate, ADC, AA, PRP, ADP, APM, LP and SDP won seats at the House of Representatives during the 2019 general elections, hence they survived INEC’S hammer.

Some of the other parties have not won any seat, but they fulfilled the Electoral Act requirement of 25 percent of the votes cast in one state of the federation in the 2019 presidential election or 25 percent of votes cast in one local government area of a state in a governorship election.

Political Analysts and watchers of political developments have expressed no surprise at the lull in the lesser parties as far as the preparation for the election or campaign for votes in the forthcoming election is concerned.

Analysts believe that most of the smaller parties are just there as tools for political trade-off as they are not rooted in people.

A Political Commentator, James Ojo said most of the smaller political parties are set up by individuals to prosecute specific or transient political agenda. He said they lacked the financial will to organize campaigns and compete for offices across the country.

He said: “What most of them do is to wait for a few weeks before the presidential or governorship election and align with the candidates of the bigger parties in the country.

‘Most of the smaller parties were formed by some elements within the major parties in order to use the party as a platform when they have issues with the bigger parties close to the election.

“It is also very difficult for the lesser parties to run a national campaign in a large country like Nigeria. It involves a lot in terms of personnel, money, which the lesser parties are finding difficult to muster”, he said.

It was gathered that what smaller parties are doing is to concentrate on specific areas like zones, states, districts, where they can compete favourably. But the question being asked

is why are they contesting the presidential election when they actually lack the financial strength to campaign across the nooks and crannies of the country?

Our correspondents across the 36 states of the country confirmed that except for posters of some candidates of the lesser parties like APGA in the Eastern part of the country; that of the SDP and Accord in the southwestern part of the country, there are no campaign activities involving most of the smaller parties in the various regions of the country.

Given the reason for the inactiveness of the lesser parties, Comrade Sola Olawale who is a member of the Campaign for Democracy said most of the smaller parties lack big structure.

“They are more or less like a club or association of people of like - minds, whose primary interest is to get power but lack any clear - cut ideology.

“Secondly, the smaller parties lack the ability to fulfill the expectations and requirements that political parties must have offices in two-third of states in the country and that they are supposed to have some form of financial strength to survive.

“Unless they gain access to power, they cannot muster enough financial strength to campaign and for their campaign to be known nationally. If they don’t have control of power they will

not survive because they don’t have the means to even contest for elections because everything is monetized.

“In essence, most, if not all the lesser parties cannot mobilise the electorate for election and so the idea of them having a presidential candidate is just to serve the personal ambition of some few rich who want to claim to have participated in the presidential election”.

Speaking with THEWILL, the Chief Spokesperson of the Labour Party Presidential Campaign Council, Dr Yunusa Tanko, said most of the smaller or lesser parties cannot mobilize for campaign because of financial constraint.

The National Chairman of the African Democratic Congress, ADC, Chief Ralph Nwosu in a chat with THEWILL said his party; the ADC has been very very active on the campaign field.

He disagreed with the view that the lesser parties have not been active on the political field.

He said: The media people often confuse the general election for the election of the president. No, every position is important in a democracy and nation building. Even the local councilor is important and we take all of them seriously. We have about 140 contestants in this election from House of Assembly to House of Representatives to Governors, to Senators in the ADC.

“In ADC, we expelled our presidential candidate because we discovered that he was a mole. Our delegates made a grievous mistake, by picking a mole to destroy our party. But by the Grace of God, we discovered early and we had to deal with it. We are doing everything possible to bring forth a new presidential candidate. However it goes, we are holding the election seriously.

“If you go to any local government, any constituency in this country, you will see one ADC youth, woman, People with Disability or able person running for election. This election will bring the best of ADC into the Nigeria political system. You go everywhere, you go to Ogun State, it is all about ADC.

You go to Kano State, you go to Abia State , it is all about ADC. Everywhere in this country ADC is working seriously .But I want to appeal to you that the presidential race is not the only election during the general election and it is not the most important election either.”

What most of them do is to wait for a few weeks before the presidential or governorship election and align with the candidates of the bigger parties in the country

God Saved Me – Apostle Johnson Suleman

And killed others, abi? That is the question Nigerians have been asking following Apostle Johnson Suleman’s infelicitous remark after surviving an attack on his convoy on Friday, October 21 in Edo state. The surprise ambush left seven people dead - three police security detail, two drivers and two domestic staff. “God saved me,” the man of God said of his survival, as if it was a miracle straight from heaven, prompting THEWILL to ask whether God did not much care for those who died. Michael Jimoh reports…

“A slight thing like a phrase or a jest often makes a greater revelation of character,” Plutarch (pronounced Plutack) once mused, “than battles when thousands fall, or the greatest armaments, or sieges of cities.” If any man in Nigeria today has proven right a maxim attributed centuries ago to the prince of ancient biographers, it must be the trending evangelist Apostle Johnson Suleman head of Omega Fire Ministries Worldwide headquartered in his hometown Auchi Edo state.

On Friday October 21, gunmen attacked Suleman’s convoy in a surprise ambush along Warrake/ Auchi Road not far from his residence and church.

It was reported the clergyman just returned from a journey outside the country and was en route his church when the attackers struck. Suleman was safely ensconced in a bullet-proof SUV, thus preventing the assailants from nicking him except the bullet marks on his marque. His wife and children who were in another bulletproof vehicle were untouched as well.

But seven others in his convoy – three police security detail, two drivers and two domestic staff were not so lucky. They all died during the attack. In a post-attack speech, the charismatic preacher let on that “my life is in the hands of God, nobody can kill me except God.”

Whatever the attackers planned, one can deduce from his statement, was bound to fail since he is a servant of God. In reality, as most Nigerians now know, it was the armor-plated vehicle he was in that saved him and his family.

Suleman’s somewhat arrogant declaration has elicited responses from Nigerians home and away, most of them making light of his claim to the hand of God during the attack. To the man of God, there couldn’t have been a more timely divine intervention in his life than that unfortunate incident. But some discerning Nigerians consider his remark as a true revelation of the man himself, his true person, as Plutarch long ago observed.

In Plutarch’s reckoning, the insignificant things you say or do almost on the spur defines you rather than the big things you take time planning for. In this sense, Suleman inadvertently revealed himself without meaning to, a sort of Freudian slip defined as “an unintentional error regarded as revealing subconscious feelings.”

A cleric like himself but of the Catholic faith has since punctured Suleman’s divine claim. Rev. Fr. Kelvin Ugwu is of the Catholic Missionary. Following the GO’s assertion, Fr. Ugwu has said it is wrong to “use other people’s misfortune to elevate your own story,” insisting that the “life of the Apostle is not more valuable than the police officers and civilians who were murdered in the unfortunate attack.”

Continuing, Fr. Ugwu said inter alia: “I have always said it here, when giving testimonies, be sensitive. Don’t use other people’s misfortune to elevate your own story. In their bid to assassinate you, seven persons were killed and you are like “my life is in the hands of God, nobody can kill me. Well, I will not thank God that you survived the assassination, I will rather thank God that you admitted

to knowing those that were behind the assassination and shooting.”

On Suleman’s claim that he knew those behind the attack, the Catholic priest urged Suleman’s followers to be careful. “And for those working closely with the minister,” he cautioned, “I will advise you take necessary precautions because it seems he knows something that is capable of putting you at risk, which you may not be aware of.”

In a Daily Post report soon after the shooting, respondents reacted thusly through their Twitter handles. @SirDavidBent: “Apostle Suleman escaped that assassination attempt only because he was in a bulletproof car. Let’s not start any theatrics about “Blood of Jesus” or anything. The crux of the issue is that lives were lost. Those people had families. When will insecurity end? That is the question.”

@johnmoyewa: “Apostle Suleman could have been killed!! Anointing oil didn’t save him, stickers didn’t save him, and he was saved by his bulletproof car.”

@MadeOfStreet: “I’m just thinking about The Man of God, Apostle Suleman using bulletproof car and armed security guards.”

True, Apostle Suleman has touched lives through his ministry, gone on crusades across the country and even sponsored or still sponsoring students in schools, raised some more out of poverty and geberally given a meaning to the lives of dozens more.

The question now is: Did the Almighty himself turn his face from those who died? And why? No one, the scripture reminds us, can question God. But does the same rule apply to us mere mortals and even general overseers? Would any of the victims have died if they were in bullet-proof cars or jeeps?

It is doubtful. But one thing seems clear from Suleman’s utterance: like most Nigerian politicians, some supposed men of God in Nigeria do not much care for others but themselves and their immediate families. That is the inference from the charismatic preacher’s post-attack speech, something like God spared him because of his special designation as a servant of God.

Still trending as we go to press, there have been speculations why the attack took place in the first place. One theory holds that it was a kidnap attempt on him, which was why the killers directed their shots at the vehicle he was riding in more than any other in the convoy. Another version points to a possible assassination attempt by some of his church members. It was said that before the attack itself, some members of his church kept tracking him along the way, asking the GO where he was at every moment.

Whether it is true or not is hard to say. The preacher himself may have given a hint of this when he claimed that he knew those who planned the assassination attempt but wouldn’t name them.

With the rather oxymoronic name common to people born in the northern part of Edo state where he comes from – Afemai – Apostle Johnson Suleman is as charismatic as they come. He dresses to kill, either in his flowing well-tailored traditional outfits or in his bespoke, colourful jackets and camera-loving ties. He has a face to match, a well-trimmed moustache gracing his upper lip. His oratorical skill is something else, say those who have heard him speak from the pulpit or out of it.

Combined with his deep pockets, no wonder quite a number of Nollywood actresses swooned at his feet, dating him at various times and even hoping for marriage at some point when the going was good. Halima Abubakar was one such actress who expected to be Mrs. Johnson Suleman or so she thought. It crashed and the Nollywood has-been took to social media to call out the Apostle who denied he ever had anything to do with Ms. Abubakar. His lawyers threatened to sue if the actress failed to recant. She has dared them, saying that “we’ll see in court.”

Another woman who claimed she had an affair with Suleman has also dared him. In 2018, Stephanie Otobo, a Nigerian-Canadian singer, claimed she had some tryst with the preacher. He denied any affair with her. She then went on to release a disc track and photo of what she claimed was the man of God’s genitals.

For her kiss-and-tell, Otobo spent time at Kirikiri Correctional Facility in Lagos, following Suleman’s report to the police of her blackmail, threat to life, conspiracy and intent to steal from him. Like the Furies, sex scandals have trailed the man of God, making him the subject of public ridicule in the process. A popular blogging site, Gistlover, once published names of women Suleman allegedly had sexual encounters with.

Another online publisher, Israel Balogun, once posted videos of the pastor “praying for the audience to receive mysterious money alerts.” Balogun was arrested in 2021 following the post but was released after meeting his bail conditions. He has since taken the offensive post from his Youtube.

For all the bimbo eruptions swirling around him, Apostle Suleman cannot be blamed. It is doubtful if the women themselves would have even given him a second glance if not for who he is. Besides, all the women, by their own account, entered the relationship on their own volition. Moreover, there are countless cases of broken marriage proposals/ promises everywhere and none of the affected parties have made it a subject of public discourse like a crybaby hard done by.

Whether or not Suleman’s lawyers will go to court in the has-been Nollywood actress’s defamation case is not immediately clear. But what is quite obvious from the assassination attempt on the evangelist is that he has not only denied himself some positive publicity traction but also unintentionally revealed himself by his utterance.

“My life is in the hands of God,” Suleman said almost gloatingly, “nobody can kill me except God.” The lives of the seven who died in the attack, it goes without saying, are in the hands of someone else and not the same God Suleman serves.

“My life is in the hands of God,” Suleman said almost gloatingly, “nobody can kill me except God.” The lives of the seven who died in the attack, it goes without saying, are in the hands of someone else and not the same God Suleman serves

Flooding And Need For Proactive Action

latest dimension to

across the

states devastated by flood is the recent warning by the Nigeria Medical Association (NMA) that floating corpses found in the affected states pose a serious risk to public health.

The threat of water-borne diseases, such as diarrhoea, typhoid and cholera from contaminated wells and streams is as real as the hunger and homelessness that have befallen the victims since the calamity hit the country a fortnight ago.

Viewed in the context of the slow response by governments and their agencies to the plight of affected victims, the alarm from medical experts is worrisome.

The reason is that the incident may have happened in certain states, but the impact of the after-effect could be nationwide if left unattended to. Water-borne diseases as mentioned would certainly not be limited to the victims but their compatriots in far-flung communities because of their contagious nature.

Figures released by the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), show “ that over 600 lives have been lost; over 2,400 persons injured; about 1,302,589 persons have been displaced; over 2.5 million persons have been affected, one way or another; about 332,327 hectares of farmlands have been totally destroyed; 82,052 houses partially damaged; 121,318 houses totally destroyed beyond repair; property

Publisher/Editor-in-Chief

Ogannah

worth several hundred million damaged, while many people have been cut off from trade and food supply due to a lack of access to their communities.”

Although flooding of alarming proportions hit the country in 2012, the scale and dimension of the current incident is certainly the first in the country’s flooding history. That time, the government responded adequately by setting up a corporate group-led body headed by Chairman of Dangote Group of companies, Aliko Dangote. Government agencies and other responders were well motivated and supported to raise funds, provide relief materials and resettle the victims.

This year, the response from many states and the Federal Government has been shoddy. This is not time for engaging in blame games as the central government and the states are currently doing over the status and use of ecological funds drawn by most states for caring for natural events like flooding.

The point is that the flooding caught most states and the Federal Government unaware because lessons had remained unlearnt from previous experiences, even when prodded by forecast by the Nigeria Meteorological Agency (NMA) since February 2022 and subsequently with monthly reminders.

Even so, we call on the central and state governments to be more proactive in responding to issues that affect the lives and livelihood of their citizens. Heading the weather forecast and responding to it quickly by aiding the people in flood- prone areas to relocate to safer grounds until trouble goes away is part of their constitutional

duty to secure the people and provide for their welfare.

Preventive measures to protect the environment, control flooding on the river Niger and Benue basin should be pursued vigorously. The Lagdo Dam in Cameroon, which was also a source of flooding following release of its water, should be looked into.

Minister of Water Resources, Suleiman Adamu, said the authorities in the Central African country failed to inform Nigeria when they were about to open the dam because the MoU between

both countries was weak. This lacuna should be tidied up before another occurrence.

He also promised to expedite action on the abandoned dams on Adamawa, which is drained by the rivers Benue and its tributaries including the rivers Gongola, Taraba and Pai.

It is glad to note that international donour agencies, the United Nations, the United States of America and the United Kingdom have joined hands with the Federal Government to bring succour to the victims through monetary donations and the provision of humanitarian services.

Back home, we note the personal and private contributions being made towards bringing relief to victims. More is needed. We call on others to imitate Caritas Nigeria, an NGO of the Catholic Church, which launched an appeal fund for the victims, the Akwa Ibom State Government which has donated the sum of N100 million to victims in Bayelsa, the presidential candidates of the All Progressives Congress (APC), the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and Labour Party (LP), who have donated cash and others which have launched appeal fund for the victim of the flood.

In conclusion, we implore the citizens to imbibe the spirit of volunteerism.

Emergencies should not be left to government alone to handle. There is a need to help spread messages of repeated weather forecasts and the likelihood of impending doom in flood-prone neighbourhoods, particularly in the rural areas.

The flooding caught most states and the Federal Government unaware because lessons had remained unlearnt from previous experiences, even when prodded by forecast by the Nigeria Meteorological Agency (NMA) since February 2022 and subsequently with monthly reminders

OPINION

Injudicious Attempt to Tinker With 2007 CBN Act

BY BONIFACE CHIZEA

My attention has just been drawn to a back page article published by This Day of Monday October 17, 2022 by Elder Victor Odozi on the ongoing attempt by the Senate to review the 2007 Central Bank Act. Sir. Odozi has again for those who might not know him lived up to expectations going by the depth and quality of this well researched presentation on this ill-advised attempt to tinker with the Central Bank of Nigeria 2007 Act.

For the records Victor Odozi was one cerebral and highly respected Deputy Governor of the Central Bank, whose tenure exceeded the usual maximum span of the tenure of a Deputy Governor which is ten years. If my memory serves me right he was a Deputy Governor for Eleven years. He was generally sought after during his tenure to make incisive presentations on monetary policies at various public fora. And he never failed to deliver and live up to expectations by his often well researched and articulately presented papers.

Reading this latest presentation of his, one is glad to note that despite having now been retired for many years that the fire of his presentation has not dimmed. This presentation particularly the thrust and robustness of his arguments against this ill-advised attempt to tamper with the autonomy of the Central Bank are unassailable and recommended reading for all concerned citizens.

The point as Victor Odozi emphasised in his presentation is that we have traversed this route severally in the past and I could vouch for this observation as I participated in the Senate hearing the last time similar attempt was made to review the Act during the tenure of Sanusi Lamido Sanusi who became the Emir of Kano. What is becoming clear obviously is that whenever the National Assembly feels some dissatisfaction for whatever reasons with the Governor there is this feeling that the Autonomy which the Central Bank enjoys must be the cause and then there will be the push to reduce the power of the Central Bank to curb this audacity.

It must be recalled that Lamido Sanusi had gone to the National Assembly to inform them what burden they

represent from the perspective of the toll on the treasury which their overheads represent and how that situation was not sustainable. Thereafter the Senate decide to flex its muscle to drive home to him why he should not dare talk to them as he has done. What followed was an attempt to review the Act to teach him some lessons.

And now the Governor dabbled into the murky waters of Nigerian politics and immediately there is again an attempt to review the Act because the received wisdom is that he was able to act the way he did because of the power he wields as the Governor and as a consequence there is the current attempt to review the Act. In my view that tantamount to applying the wrong cure to a perceived ailment!

The arguments against the suggested amendments could not have been better canvassed as has been done by Victor Odozi. The suggested amendments have remained the same as have been proposed in the past. To appoint a nonexecutive Chairman for the Board, remove the power the Board has to fix the remuneration of its members and the staff of the Bank, subject its budget for approval by the Senate etc.

In addition to the points well canvassed by Victor Odozi there is also the practical problem of how to estimate the revenue inflow of the Central Bank which comes from sundry unpredictable sources. Therefore any attempt to subject the budget of the CBN to approvals might really only be dealing with mainly the expenditure side of the Budget.

But the major takeaway here is that we must not turn Nigeria into a pariah Nation; a laughing stock amongst the comity of Nations by taking retrogressive measures. As Victor Odozi has argued eloquently, the attempt being contemplated here bulks the trend. The provisions in the Act as is, in my opinion are adequate to manage any untoward situation except that there has been no diligence in trying to take advantage of such provisions. It is important to dispel the fallacy that what is currently being contemplated by this amendment is to align us

with international best practices. This is not supported by a careful review of the literature. Instead the status quo remains current and unassailable.

What is even worrisome is that this attempt to review the Act is as it were being done surreptitiously. Such a landmark move should occupy prime space in the media. But that has not been the case to the best of my knowledge. The last time an attempt of this nature was made it was preceded with elaborate public hearing where expert views and opinions were canvassed to ensure that well informed decisions and conclusions are reached and adopted. Please let's ensure that this important aspect that should complement such a review is not skipped as this review is progressed. This is in the best interest of all concerned as it ensures that we don't go through all the trouble only to later embark on costly reversals.

As we attempt to strengthen our democracy, one of the requisite major hallmarks of strong democracy is the building of strong institutions. Strong institutions are on auto pilot driven with concern only to achieve their mandate while respecting only their guiding rules and regulations. They don't respect any individuals' whims and caprice no matter how powerful he is. We saw that recently in America, when Donald Trump attempted to subvert the electoral process to perpetuate himself in office. Most of the judges at the Supreme Court were his appointees but the law of the land ran its course. That should be our focus and goal as a Nation.

This review being contemplated by the Senate if approved will instead have the unintended effect of undermining the ability of the Central Bank to discharge its core mandate. If there are any issues with the operations of the Bank, it should instead be isolated and addressed rather than having recourse to an attempt to review the Act. Let us not make ourselves appear unserious and not knowing our way forward. We must not act as if we want to throw out the Baby with the bath water. Shalom.

•Dr Chizea is MD/CEO, BIC Consultancy Services.

Tompolo, Kempade as True Ambassadors of Niger Delta

BY JEROME-MARIO UTOMI

There are recorded events in the recent past that have proved beyond reasonable doubt that the nation Nigeria may not need gun boats to solve its problems particularly, in the oil rich Niger Delta region, notorious for crude oil theft and pipeline vandalism.

Essentially, evidence has emerged and points to the fact that what the nation needs is a sincere and selfless leadership, a politically and economically restructured polity brought by the national consciousness that can unleash the social, economic and political transformation of the country via sustainable Public-Private sectors partnership while rejecting the present socio-economic system that has bred corruption, inefficiency, primitive capital accumulation that socially excluded the vast majority of our people.

A telling example is the result that a few weeks ago trailed the crude oil pipeline surveillance contract recently awarded by the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL), to Tantita Security Services Nigeria Limited, a company owned by High Chief Government Ekpemupolo (A.K.A. Tompolo), the ‘Ibe-Ebidouwei of Ijaw Nation’and Global Ambassador of the Ijaw people.

According to media reports, barely two months after he was awarded the multi-billion naira oil security contract in the Niger Delta region, Government Ekpemupolo has discovered over 58 illegal points in Delta and Bayelsa States where crude oil is being stolen.

More specifically, there was a media report that Tantita Security Service Nigeria Limited, on Thursday, October 7, 2022 successfully arrested a crude oil tanker, loaded with an unspecified quantity of crude oil at the Escravos River in Warri South West Local Government Area of Delta State.

Aside from the fact that Tompolo’s revelations in this direction have again rekindled the hope that despite Nigerians long romance with, and love for corruption, there exists some of her citizens that cannot be corrupted, the development has also deeply sparked consciousness about challenges facing Niger Delta region before the human right and other advocates for oppressed communities, while bringing to the fore a renewed call for legislative and policy reforms that will

permanently curb crude oil theft in the region and ensure that the process of decision making on issues that concern oil and gas sector and the living environment of the people of the region are opened up.

As the nation and of course the people of Niger Delta region celebrate the ongoing process of liberating the region from economic hardship and environmental pollution, it is however, important to recognize that Tompolo’s contributions towards restoration of peace and sustainable development in the region is long standing, noticed across the globe and deeply qualifies him as a catalyst for a new order and Niger Delta region’s ambassador for peace and development.

This piece may not be alone in this line of belief.

The British Broadcasting Corporation(BBC), in a recent report titled ‘ Nigeria’s Stolen Oil, The Military And A Man Named Government’ , specifically noted as follows;’ Tompolo's motivation for the crackdown on crude-oil theft has left many bewildered. He is getting paid for it, and has spoken glowingly of his love for Nigeria and the Niger Delta environment’.

Again, Like the generality of right thinking Nigerian, the Guardian Newspaper in a well considered commentary, agreed that High Chief Government Ekpemupolo (A.K.A. Tompolo) of Oporoza Town, Gbaramotu Kingdom, Warri South West Local Government Area of Delta State, is a reputable community leader that holds one of the highest traditional titles in Ijaw nation known as the ‘Ibe-Ebidouwei of Ijaw Nation.

The Newspaper further stated that as the Global Ambassador of the Ijaw people, High Chief Tompolo displayed honesty, truthfulness and sincerity in all his dealings. Most importantly, the Newspaper admitted and recognised chief Tompolo as a leader of the Niger Delta fighting for the control of the region’s resources and a reversal of the environmental degradation in the Niger Delta.

This piece believed and still believes that Guardian Newspaper’s editorial board cannot be wrong in this latest description.

Away from Guardian’s objective analysis to another sincere

x-ray of Chief Tompolo’s personality, by Nnamdi Obasi, a researcher for the International Crisis Group (ICG).

Obasi in that report wrote, “Tompolo's acceptance of a presidential amnesty programme offered by the Nigerian Government in 2009 was "highly significant, some would say decisive, in ending the violence at the time and the former militant still commands a strong following in the Niger Delta region.''

Separate from the above observations, Chief Tompolo himself while speaking on his burning desire to achieve results in this respect made comments which suggest that he placed his life at risk for this national duty.

Take for instance, while noting that he is 100 percent committed to eradicating this menace of illegal oil theft and refining from the Niger Delta, warning those who have operated unhindered for years to detach and leave the area or face dire consequences from the surveillance team as it would not be business as usual, Tompolo said, “We are not too scared of our people. We are more scared of people with guns that are involved in these activities than people without guns. We are more scared of the GSAs that are accomplices in this, and the oil multinationals than we are afraid of our people.”

Even as Tompolo is celebrated, this piece holds the opinion that another personality that has through the ongoing surveillance emerged a new face of Niger Delta region is Chief Ebipade Kari, the Operational Head of Tantita Security Services Limited and the Chief Security Officer (CSO) to Tompolo, who was reportedly offered a bribe of N25m to let the ship, MT Deinmo with International Maritime Organisation (IMO) number 7210525, go, but he turned down the offer. This is commendable.

Thus, this piece holds the opinion that Chief Tompolo and Ebipade Kari, are in the interim, the real ambassadors of the new Niger Delta.

•Utomi is the Programme Coordinator (Media and Public Policy), Social and Economic Justice Advocacy (SEJA).

Q3 2022: UBA Heads For N10trn Assets on Strong Growth Momentum

BY SAM DIALA

Africa’s Global Bank, United Bank for Africa (UBA) Plc, sustained its growth trajectory during the nine months ended September 30, 2022, incorporating the Q3 performance. The Tier-1 lender which has raced on the fast lane since the year looks set to hit and, possibly exceed, the N10 trillion assets mark at the end of the year.

After crossing the N8 trillion mark assets (specifically N8.54 trillion) at FY 2021, the bank totally avoided the lane of sliding numbers to grow its assets progressively to N9.31 trillion during the nine months ending September 30, 2022 against N8.54 trillion at FY 2021, representing a 9.1 percent balance sheet growth.

“The bank looks set to hit N10 trillion assets mark at the end of the year and that will be a landmark achievement for a fast-growing financial services institution. It is a reflection of the viability of its subsidiaries which are contributing meaningfully to the rapid expansion of the bank since the past decade,” said Dan Omokhore, a financial analyst. He added that for a bank that is rapidly spreading its tentacles across the world, its assets base cannot but be seen to be robust.

In its financial statement filed with the Nigerian Exchange Limited (NGX), UBA reported a 12.3 per cent rise in profit before tax to close at N138.5 billion compared to N123.4 billion recorded at the end of the Q3 2021, while profit after tax also rose significantly by 10.9 per cent to N116 billion up from N104.6 billion recorded a year earlier, thus sustaining

Airlines Rebuffed Overtures to Invest in Nigeria Air – Sirika

BY ANTHONY AWUNOR

Minister of

Senator Hadi Sirika,

when confronted initially to buy shares in the carrier.

Sirika made the disclosure while defending the choice of Ethiopian Airlines as a strategic investor to

the proposed Nigeria Air which holds 49 percent equity in the national airline.

Sirika revealed that Nigerian carriers have been vociferous in their condemnation of the new project which they said would erode the market of the country’s

its annualised return on average equity for Q3 2022 at 19.2 per cent.

In the nine months of 2022, UBA fees and commissions grew by 24.41 percent to N138.07 billion from N110.98 billion in the corresponding period. The bank’s innovative strategies to maximise the opportunities in the electronic banking space earned it huge gains. It posted N47.95 billion from electronic banking income up from N41.91 billion in the corresponding period of 2021, representing N14.41 percent growth. The electronic banking income which represents 34.72 percent of the total N138.07 billion for the review period was the bulk of the banks income in that revenue head.

Electronic banking income represents income taken on transactions processed via electronic channels such as ATM, POS, mobile banking as well as credit and debit card transactions while trade transactions income entails oneoff charges as related to letter of credits and other trade businesses which are excluded from those included in determining effective interest rates on those carried at amortized cost Credit-related fees and commissions jumped from N11.63 billion to N18.40 billion in the review period, representing a rise of 59.3 percent.

Customers’ deposits, a reflection of public confidence in the institution, jumped to N7.03 trillion, representing a 10.4 per cent rise, up from N6.4 trillion at the end of the last financial

CBN Counters Finance Minister, Insists it Followed The Law, Due Process For Naira Redesign

In an apparent response to the shocking claims by the Minister of Finance, Budget and National Planning, Zainab Ahmad, that her ministry was not carried along by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), in the ongoing process of redesigning three series of the Naira, the Bank insists it followed the law and due process to carry out the exercise, which is 12 years due.

Speaking with a group of newsmen in Abuja, on Friday night, the spokesman of the CBN, Mr. Osita Nwanisobi, expressed surprise at theEmefiele

Continues

Alawuba

AVIATION/FINANCE

Airlines Rebuffed Overtures to Invest in Nigeria Air – Sirika

According to the Minister “I begged the airlines to own stakes in Nigeria Air but they declined. They were not interested, only for them to say things that we do not understand. The airlines under the Airline Operators of Nigeria (AON) are scared that the new airline would lower fares and not allow a level playing field”.

“Any decrease or increase in fares would have to go through the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) and stakeholders. These fears are unfounded. I told them this airline would not be given preferential treatment”.

Sirika asked the operators to mention one request they needed from him that had not been granted, saying, “None of them can complain that I turned down their request. We are ever ready to support Nigerian airlines to Dubai, London, United States, and so many other places”, recalling how the government supported Air Peace when the United Arab Emirates (UAE) frustrated it out of the lucrative Dubai route.

“They just need to organize themselves to take advantage of the burgeoning Nigerian and the African aviation market which he has remained largely untapped. The Federal Government had since removed Value Added Tax (VAT) and Customs duty on aircraft and aircraft parts from aviation and has severally given intervention funds”.

Continued from page 32 year. Loans and advances to customers were also on the upward trajectory, rising from N2.68 trillion to N3.04 trillion in the review period. The bank’s shareholders’ funds remained very strong at N809 billion up from N805 billion recorded in December 2021 again reflecting a strong capacity for internal capital generation and growth.

Commenting on the result, UBA’s Group Managing Director/ Chief Executive Officer, Mr. Oliver Alawuba, remarked that the Group continues to show notable operating resilience amid significant headwinds in its presence markets amidst heightened global risk environment, adding that its strong diversification model and unwavering focus on customer satisfaction continues to give the bank an edge over its peers in the industry.

airlines.

Minister therefore, carpeted the airlines for their actions explaining that his Ministry before now held six meetings with the carriers both openly and in his office about the need to buy shares in the new carrier that would make the shareholders in the new national airline.

He however, pointed out that his overtures to them was rebuffed, wondering what the indigenous airlines actually wanted.

Sirika disclosed this while speaking virtually at the Aviation Breakfast Meeting held recently with the theme, “Aviation in Nigeria: What Next? at the Eko Hotels and Towers.

At the event organised by Phillips Consulting Limited (PSL), Sirika also noted that the national carrier project came as a result of lots of gaps in the industry, the failure of the indigenous airlines in the past, and the one-man-show attitude of the carriers.

The Minister hinted that the creation of Nigeria Air where the government is holding five percent was deliberate, explaining that when the carrier starts, the five percent equity would be sold to the public”.

The Minister equally took a swipe at Nigerian airlines that had turned aviation into a philanthropic project, offering free services rather than seeing airline operations purely from a business angle.

“There is nothing bad in helping to bring stranded Nigerians back to the country or offer humanitarian support to bring people home but it should not be done at the expense of the profit that should accrue to the airline”.

“Airlines profits are very marginal. We have seen how airlines like Kabo and Okada Air went under. Airline business is a serious business”.

The Minister admitted that the foreign exchange issue is posing a lot of challenges to the sector just like every other sector of the economy, adding that aviation is highly dollarized but hinted that FOREX matters are in the domain of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).

A former Managing Director of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), Mr. George Uriesi, described the country’s aviation industry as, ‘traumatic’.

He listed some of the problems bedeviling the nation’s aviation industry as lack of investments; struggle to meet critical forex obligations, and struggle to offer sustainable and reliable services, maintaining that the problems of Nigeria’s aviation are self-inflicted.

Uriesi, who is the Chief Operating Officer (COO) of Ibom Air, stated that despite the tough operating environment noted that the operators needed creative means of accessing capital necessary to help domestic airlines invest in modern equipment so that they can grow to compete favourably and achieve the economies of scales needed to make the transition, “wannabe’, “shaky”, scheduled carriers to successful and sustainable airlines”.

He called on the Federal Government to give domestic airlines access to Forex at the rate, adding that airlines are critical enablers and engines of the economy.

A former Secretary-General of the African Civil Aviation Commission (AFCAC), Ms. Iyabo Sosina lamented that the aviation industries both in Nigeria and globally are in distress globally, advising that no one without a deep pocket should venture into aviation.

She stated that the easiest way for a billionaire to become a millionaire was to go into the aviation industry, stressing that despite the unconducive operating environment, there are still some serious players.

She however lambasted many airlines in the country she said are not properly set up with no good business plans to stand up to scrutiny and no good business model.

He said, “We continue to reap the benefits of our diversification strategy and Customer-1st philosophy and build resilience in our operations across Africa and the Rest of the World to support the mission of providing superior value to our stakeholders.

“This has translated into strong financial gains evident in growth in our customer deposits and Net interest margin. In addition, we are strategically positioned to drive our market share in our operating countries, with the strong growth of our payments and transaction banking offerings,” Alawuba stated.

Executive Director, Finance & Risk Management, Ugo Nwaghodoh, said, “The Group’s profitability increased by 12.3 per cent to N138.5 billion, with underlying growth in our key income lines and moderation in our cost of funds.

“We remain very cautious in risk asset creation as we defensively position our asset portfolios to minimize the impact of the heightened credit risk. Consequently, our NPL ratio remains within acceptable threshold at 3.2 per cent.

Investigation by this newspaper in March 2022 showed that subsidiaries of United Bank for Africa (UBA) Plc – the offshore operating segments of Africa’s Global Bank – collectively generated over N1 trillion. Revenue in five years (20172021), data from the bank’s annual reports have shown. The result which reflected a continued trend in the upward performance trajectory, revealed that the bank hauled N976.63 billion revenue in its African operating segments, except Nigeria, while N88.32 billion was earned from offshore locations in the rest of the world. This brings the subsidiaries’ total revenue haul to N1.1 trillion

in the 5-year period.

Cumulatively, the subsidiaries’ component accounts for 38.8 percent of the lender’s overall N2.8 trillion revenue for the review period. Further analysis of the data gleaned from the annual reports of the financial services firm showed that the subsidiaries’ total revenue rose from N163.35 billion in 2017 to N300 billion in 2021, reflecting a 55 percent growth.

Specifically, in 2017, the subsidiaries recorded a total revenue of N163.34 billion which rose to N166.15 billion or 1.73 percent in 2018; it climbed further to N184 billion reflecting a 10.74 percent rise in 2019.

Notwithstanding the COVID-19 challenges, the subsidiaries’ total revenue grew 36.85 percent to N251.8 billion in 2020 against the N184 billion of 2019. For the 2021 financial year, the segments pooled a total revenue of N300 billion which represents a 20 percent jump from what was achieved in the preceding year.

On the Profit side, the subsidiaries’ total profit before tax (PBT) which recorded a mere N54 billion in 2017, shot up to N105.4 billion in 2021, representing 95 percent growth. Trending on the same growth trajectory, total profit after tax (PAT) for 2021 was N75.35 billion as against N40 billion in 2017 reflecting a growth of 88.25 percent. Furthermore, the total PAT of N266.5 billion generated by the subsidiaries during the 5-year period was 54.34 percent of total N473 billion for the period.

I begged the airlines to own stakes in Nigeria Air but they declined. They were not interested only for them to say things that we do not understand. The airlines under the Airline Operators of Nigeria (AON) are scared that the new airline would lower fares and not allow a level playing field

“We continue to reap the benefits of our diversification strategy and Customer-1st philosophy and build resilience in our operations across Africa and the Rest of the World to support the mission of providing superior value to our stakeholders

Q3 2022: UBA Heads For N10trn Assets on Strong Growth Momentum

Sirika

CBN Counters Finance Minister, Insists it Followed The Law, Due Process For Naira Redesign

minister’s claim, stressing that the CBN remains a very thorough institution that follows due process in its policy actions.

According to Nwanisobi, the Management of the CBN, in line with provisions of section 2(b), section 18(a), and section 19(a)(b) of the CBN Act 2007, had duly sought and obtained the approval of President Muhammadu Buhari in writing to redesign, produce, release and circulate new series of N200, N500, and N1,000 banknotes.

However, urging Nigerians to support the currency redesign project, he said it was in the overall interest of citizens, reiterating that some persons were hoarding significant sums of banknotes outside the vaults of commercial banks. This trend, he said, should not be encouraged by anyone who means well for the country.

Furthermore, he noted that currency management in the country had faced several escalating challenges which threatened the integrity of the naira, the CBN, and the country, adding that every top-rate Central Bank was committed to safeguarding the integrity of the local legal tender, the efficiency of its supply,

as well as its efficacy in the conduct of monetary policy.

On the timing of the redesign project, Nwanisobi explained that the CBN had even tarried for too long considering that it had to wait 20 years to carry out a redesign, whereas the standard practice globally was for central banks to redesign, produce and circulate new local legal tender every five to eight years.

While assuring Nigerians that the currency redesign exercise was purely a central banking exercise and not targeted at any group, the CBN spokesman expressed optimism that the effort will, among other goals, deepen Nigeria’s push to entrench a cashless economy in the face of increased minting of the eNaira. This, he said, is in addition to helping to curb the incidents of terrorism and kidnapping due to access of persons to the large volume of money outside the banking system used as a source of funds for ransom payments.

Nwanisobi therefore urged Nigerians, irrespective of their status, to support the Naira redesign project, as it is for the greater good of the economy.

Q3 22: Zenith Bank Earnings Spike 20% on Interest Income Growth

Zenith Bank Plc recorded a 20 percent growth in gross earnings from N518.7 billion in Q3 2021 to N620.6 billion in Q3 2022, its unaudited account for the period ended September 30, 2022, and filed with the Nigerian Exchange (NGX), has shown.

The growth was driven by positive interest-income related performance. Interest income grew by 27 per cent from N308.8 billion to NlN390.8 billion, driven majorly by growth in risk assets and an improvement in pricing. This also strengthened Earnings Per Share (EPS) by nine per cent to N5.55.

This double-digit growth in the topline also aided the bottom line, as the Group also recorded a 13 per cent year-onyear (YoY) increase in profit before tax,

growing from N179.8 billion in Q3 2021 to N202.5 billion in Q3 2022. Profit after tax equally grew by nine per cent from N160.6 billion to N174.3 billion in the same period.

Growth in non-interest income was enabled by the Group’s retail strategy, with continued substantial customer acquisition driving transactions, deposit growth and growth in electronic banking income.

Due to inflationary pressure and the rising cost of doing business, operating costs grew by 17 per cent. However, this was below the growth in gross earnings, thereby facilitating the double-digit growth in the bottom line.

NATOP Seeks NCAC Collaboration to Develop Tourism Economy

BY ANTHONY AWUNOR

The Director General, National Council for Arts and Culture, Otunba Segun Runsewe has said his arms are wide open to support moves aimed at revamping the tourism economy for the nation.

Otunba Runsewe made this known in his office while playing host to the newly elected executives of the Nigeria Association of Tour Operators (NATOP) who paid him a courtesy visit.

The Director General who congratulated the newly elected executive on their victory expressed delight over the visit which he said will cement the already existing relationship between the NCAC and NATOP.

Addressing the gathering, Runsewe stated that one of the ways a Tour Operator breaks even is to establish partnership with tour operators in other parts of the world to aid their operations in tour packaging with good cultural content that will make a difference.

He said NATOP has the capacity of improving the country's Gross Domectic Product through Tourism Economy but decried the situation where the dream of the association has not been fully brought to fruition owing to the low level of marketing of our cultural content.

"Our culture is very rich. It is therefore your responsibility to package and market our rich cultural heritage and make it more attractive to the world" Runsewe added.

The Director General revealed that owing to the important role NATOP plays in marketing the good cultural potentials of Nigeria, Tour Operators will be given a special platform during this year's National Festival for Arts and Culture (NAFEST) holding in Lagos next month to enhance it's activities.

Speaking earlier, the newly elected President of the association, Mrs Ime Udoh said they were in the culture headquarters to introduce the new executive of the association and thank Otunba Runsewe for his immense contributions to the development of the Culture and Tourism sector and to tap from his wealth of experience. She stated that as the umbrella body of all tour operators in the country, the onus is on the association to market the country and the best tourist sites in the world given all it's God given potentials.

Unity Bank Posts N2.2bn Profit, Grows Gross Earnings by

in

Unity Bank Plc has declared a N2.2 billion profit for the nine-month period ended September 30, 2022, with 17% growth in gross earnings to N42.2 billion for the same period, as against N36.2 billion in the corresponding period of 2021. The increase can be attributed to new products that are focused on deep penetration and driving volume in the retail market space.

A review of the Agric-focused lender’s unaudited nine-month results released to the Nigerian Exchange Group Limited on Friday showed that the Bank’s Profit Before Tax, PBT rose by 5% to close at N2.206 billion.

The Bank also recorded an equal marginal growth in its Profit After Tax, PAT which increased to N2.029 billion, representing a 5% rise from N1.9 billion recorded in the same period of 2021.

While maintaining the retail expansionary and customer-centric business model, Unity Bank Plc continued its growth momentum as total loans and advances as of September 30, 2022, reported N284.2 billion, which represents a 6% spurt from the N269.3 billion recorded in the corresponding period of 2021, even as the lender maintains strict compliance with the prevailing prudential guidelines.

Other key highlights of the 9-month financials include customer deposits of N334.7 billion which represents a 4% increase from N322.3 billion in the corresponding period. The position underscores the increasing uptake of the market for the Bank’s products innovation, and mass-market-oriented retail focus that continues to boil wide acceptance across various segments of the mass market.

The lender’s performance comes on the heels of a fragile recovery from the global pandemic buffeted by economic headwinds including rising inflationary trends, interest rate hikes, foreign exchange volatilities, etc. which have impacted severely on the overall economic outlook in the country and the rest of the world.

The lender also substantially grew its interest income to N36.3 billion from N31.4 billion in the same period in 2021, creating a 15% uptick from the value of the Bank’s loan asset portfolio.

The Bank’s increased investment in digital banking platform empowered its retail potential to deliver an impressive 17% growth in Fees and commissions to N5.3 billion closing September 30, 2022, from N4.6 billion recorded in the corresponding period in Year 2021.

Commenting on the result, the Managing Director/CEO of Unity Bank Plc, Mrs. Tomi Somefun said that the outlook for the full year 2022 remains positive, reflecting optimism, stability, and growth in key performance indicators. She noted that the growth trajectory recorded in the Bank’s revenue (17%), Profit (5%), and deposit (4%), etc., is a testament to the positive sentiment in the market, especially at a time the market is experiencing a downturn with high inflationary trend and volatility which impacts negatively on the operating environment.

She stated that “as we take further bold and audacious steps to round up the year on a stronger note, the Bank will create more initiatives even in the very short term to broaden its retail focus, ride on novel technology and digital Banking to push aggressively on product marketing in addition to major activations in identified market segments to attract sustainable streams of income for the Bank.

L-R: Corporate Affairs Director, Nigerian Breweries Plc, Mrs. Sade Morgan: Commissioner for Education, Lagos State, Mrs. Folashade Adefisayo: Managing Director, NB Plc, Mr. Hans Essaadi; Winner, 2022 Maltina Teacher of the Year, Mr. Alaku Ayiwulu; Vice President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo (GCON): Chairman, NB PlC, Chief Kolawole Jamodu and Minister of State for Education, Mr. Goodluck Nanah Opiah, during the presentation of the N6.5M grand prize to the winner at the Grand Finale Maltina award event at Oriental Hotel & Suites, Lagos on October 21,2022.

Photo: Peace Udugba

ECONOMY

Nigeria 2023: Random Thoughts on Economic Manifesto

BY MARCEL OKEKE

The opening paragraph of the section on the ‘Economy’ of the manifesto of one of the presidential candidates (for Nigeria’s general election 2023) says: “The structural model upon which our national economy has always been based needs major reform. Our economy is unhelpfully designed to export raw materials and import increasingly expensive finished products.”

This assertion, in all honesty, is rather faulty because it is focusing on the symptoms rather than the cause(s) of the ‘disease’; the high propensity for the importation of ‘expensive finished products’ is a function of the ready availability of ‘easy money’. And this availability of so much money (purchasing power) is rooted in the fact that the Nigerian economy has over the years been a victim of ‘Dutch Disease’—it has depended on one sector (crude oil) and huge revenue therefrom, and paid scant attention to other sectors.

The upshot of this is that Nigeria has been awash with ‘Petrodollars’ and operated a ‘rentier economy’—one in which people schemed and positioned themselves to appropriate the flowing oil money without necessarily producing anything in the economy.

People pick and sell contract documents, for instance, (and ‘make’ money without any actual work); and the buyer of the documents sells to yet a third party—and everyone in the chain makes ‘huge profit’, and in most cases the contract is left undone. About the outset of this mentality in the early-to-mid seventies (1973-’76), the then military head of state was widely quoted as having said that the problem of Nigeria was not money but how to spend money. And this was the beginning of the mess in Nigeria’s public finance management!

It follows therefore that for any meaningful turnaround of the Nigerian economy to be achieved, the ‘petrodollar’ mentality and rentier lifestyle must be frontally and expeditiously addressed. This calls for a mind-set or psychological re-orientation to wean Nigerians off the ‘milk of easy money’ and the implied aversion to engaging in truly productive activity. No economy truly develops on rentier capitalism foundation; and Nigeria cannot be any exception. Incidentally, the hydrocarbon economy is already palpably endangered, especially in Nigeria where a multiplicity of endogenous and exogenous factors have become real threats.

The flow of the ‘petrodollar’ is seriously stymied, and almost quenching, but the ‘Dutch Disease’ that had held Nigeria down all these years, has badly permeated the nervous system of the Nigerian. Hardly do you have Nigerians who are mentally attuned to making a living in any other sector than the oil and gas enclave.

Unfortunately, up until now, successive governments in Nigeria have been making a mere singsong of economic diversification; paying only lip service to effective diversification of the economy. Now that the politicians have to come up with convincing manifestos in the march towards 2023 presidential elections, in what ways can they make agriculture meaningfully attractive and worthwhile to the Nigerian?

And particularly, how can agriculture, for instance, be made to attract and hold the attention of a jobless graduate (even of agricultural sciences), so that the society does not end up making him a scum? At this point, it is pertinent to recall that time there was when agriculture was the mainstay of the Nigerian economy. Was not the 'petrodollar’ and its attendant rentier capitalism that ‘killed’ the sector and related activities?

It is not even enough that agriculture is made to create employment for millions of the unemployed, it should be prioritised and funded (ensuring mechanization, improved seed varieties and inputs, etc.) to tackle food insecurity and insufficiency.

At present, Nigeria is dangerously vulnerable to the vagaries

of global food politics (shortages or scarcity) and disasters including droughts, flooding, etc. In the face of dwindling income, humongous sum in hard currency is still being expended on importation of all manner of food into Nigeria.

This reality is being worsened by numerous extant factors, including insecurity that has practically confined most agric practitioners to various internally displaced persons (IDPs) camps across the country. Not a few of these farmers are virtually marooned in their villages and hamlets, and hardly can safely go to their farms courtesy of insecurity. Any serious manifesto must convincingly show how to expeditiously and effectively ‘free the farmers’ to return to their jobs!

From another perspective, why have virtually all the solid mineral resources (including gold, diamond, tin, bauxite, coal, etc.) that have been discovered in commercial quantity been left unexplored over the years? Unarguably, almost every one of the 774 local government areas in the country is richly blessed with deposits of (solid) minerals. Why have these subnational governments (states) not been mining/ producing these minerals?

Apparently through bad legislation, politics and fiscal policies, the states and local government areas have been made to live only on ‘sharing’ of oil money. Now, any meaningful economic manifesto must contain how to eliminate whatever impediments to (solid) mineral exploration and exploitation by the state governments. This ‘devolution of power and resources’ is fundamental to any strategy or initiative to economically prop the states

to economic sustainability and buoyancy. It is a veritable channel to improving the much-talked-about internally generated revenue (IGR) of the states.

A lot of self-adulation by successive governments regarding infrastructural development of Nigeria has been going on; yet, the yawning deficit in infrastructural need of the country keeps widening. Indeed, if anything, it is essentially the very poor state of infrastructure in Nigeria that has rendered it uncompetitive as a business location. Name it, literally no manner of infrastructural facility in Nigeria is in a good functional state. Is it power infrastructure, aviation, road, railways, sea/air ports—all are at varying levels of decrepit state.

In a worst case scenario, Nigeria’s oil refineries have been abandoned for several years now, while the country imports almost one hundred percent of its refined products need. So, any manifesto that attempts to terminate the controversial fuel subsidy in Nigeria must realistically address the functionality of local refineries (both publicly and privately owned).

To the politician, it is easy to mouth the removal of fuel subsidy while campaigning, but the shame or irony of a major oil producer/exporter (Nigeria) importing all her fuel needs must be addressed from the roots. Arguably, it is the failings of governments over the years with the provision of critical infrastructure such as functional oil refineries, electricity power generating/distribution plants, railways, roads and seaports that have kept Nigeria at the bottom of the pyramid as regards ‘ease of doing business’ among the comity of nations.

How effectively and promptly these infrastructural weaknesses are addressed will determine the pace and shape of Nigeria’s economic recovery and development in the coming years. Unfortunately, all the presidential candidates, have in their manifestos, practically vacuous statements on how to perform this magic.

The implication of this is that it may take Nigeria much longer than thought to effectively become an economic force to reckon with, both at continental and global levels. With the poor ranking in ‘ease of doing business’ and other encumbrances, Nigeria can at best remain a large market, even as the African Continental Free Trade Agreement (AfCFTA) plays out. Rather than attract and retain investors/ businesses, the Nigerian environment of today scares and asphyxiates businesses. A good economic manifesto must address how to change this narrative. And it is a huge task.

•Okeke is an economist, sustainability expert and business strategy consultant.

To the politician, it is easy to mouth the removal of fuel subsidy while campaigning, but the shame or irony of a major oil producer/ exporter (Nigeria) importing all her fuel needs must be addressed from the roots

45 Years of CBN Intervention

CBN INTERVENTION IN ENUGU AND ANAMBRA STATES

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

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

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

to development of the economy, the CBN’s development finance

are targeted at priority segments which include the following:

Agriculture

Manufacturing

HealthCare

and Entrepreneurship Development

Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME’s)

In Anambra and Enugu states, the CBN has financed 23,052 and 22,799 projects respectively. Below are highlights from few beneficiaries of CBN’s interventions in both States.

ANAMBRA STATE

Name: Innoson Technical And Industrial Limited Intervention: Health Sector Intervention Fund

Sector: Health Location: Nnewi, Anambra State

Innoson Technical And Industrial Limited, is a subsidiary of Innoson Group engaged in the production of plastics, motorcycle parts and allied products. The company, incorporated in 2002, with its head office and factory situated at Nnewi Anambra State, commenced operations in October 2002. It ranks as the largest producer of plastic products in Nigeria, with its products consumed in the country and the West African subregion.

Innoson Technical and Industrial Limited was established to also consolidate the company’s leading position in the motorcycle industry, by producing the motorcycle plastic requirement of its sister company, Innoson Nigeria Limited.

Innoson Technical and Industrial Limited is one of the beneficiaries of the Health Sector Intervention Fund (HSIF), which is an initiative of the Central Bank of Nigeria, established as a fallout of the Covid-19 pandemic. The initiative was aimed at providing long-term low-cost financing for Health Care Infrastructure development that would lead to the evolution of World Class facilities in the country. The company accessed the funds for the production of ambulances to boost the capacity of the health sector. The facility accessed has greatly boosted the company’s manufacturing capacity.

Name: Afro-Asia Automobile And Plastics Industries Limited Intervention: RSSF-DCRR

Sector: Manufacturing Location: Nnewi, Anambra State

Afro-Asia Automobile And Plastics Industries Limited, a subsidiary of the Chicason Group, has its operational manufacturing plant in Nnewi, Anambra State.

The company is one of the beneficiaries of the CBN’s Real Sector Support Facility.

Afro-Asia specializes in the production of quality industrial and domestic plastic containers, automotive plastic spare parts, PVC pipes and ceiling profiles, household containers and disposable wares, etc. They utilize thermoform in the production of plastic cups, plates, and takeaway packs, and use polyvinyl chloride to produce various types of pipes and conduits, wiring etc.

The impact of CBN’s intervention on the company and their staff cannot be over-emphasized, as prior to accessing the loan the company was constrained by a myriad of challenges including, but not limited to, the hike in the cost of raw materials. The facility boosted the company’s working capital, impacted positively on their output by boosting staff strength from about 500 staff to 700 staff, increasing the purchasing power for raw materials and other inputs, and allround upscaling.

In the words of the company’s Financial Controller, Mr. Samuel Ihedigbo, “CBN’s intervention brought comfort to humanity.”

Name:

Kingsley Ezeagu, CEO of Kings Block Industry, is a businessman who owns an electrical materials shop and aspired to set up a block industry, considering its demand in his community. But his desire to do that was hampered by lack of funds.

Mr. Ezeagu was apprised of the Agri-Business, Small and Medium Enterprises Intervention Scheme of the Central Bank of Nigeria by a friend of his, which spurred him to apply for

Name:

Accessing the CBN CACS facility has enabled

for

Farms procure

materials

layers, stock

manure

which

The management of EM Farms commended the efforts of CBN for

intervention in the maize

making the

available and

its cost. For the first time earlier

year, the company was able to procure

materials from Anambra State.

45 Years of CBN Intervention

ENUGU STATE

Juhel Nigeria Ltd is one of the fastest growing indigenous pharmaceutical manufacturing companies in Nigeria, located in Emene, Enugu State. The company manufactures about 150 pharmaceutical products, ranging from tablets, syrups, infusions etc. It accessed CBN’s Health Sector Intervention Fund (HSIF), which is being utilized to expand and upgrade its facilities.

The company recently acquired new machines which are being installed in their new factory, they have reached about 90% completion. Juhel Nigeria aims to upscale its capacity to a point where it can compete favourably in the international market. The company has achieved 40% expansion of the business, standardization, global competitiveness, job creation and export potential.

It is worthy of note that CBN’s Health Sector Intervention Fund has greatly impacted the country’s pharmaceutical industry, as several African countries in the ECOWAS subregion and beyond are dependent on Nigeria for quality pharmaceutical products due to an increased production in the industry.

Ms. Esther Chidiebere Ozor, the Chief Executive Officer of Aestar Beauty and Grooming Lounge, is an entrepreneur and beautician whose salon is located at Nwodo GRA, Enugu, Enugu State. She considers her business as more of a passion, as she enjoys the ability to transform the physical appearances of her clients as a professional make-up artist. She also markets beauty products, hair extensions and pieces.

Ms. Ozor accessed CBN’s Targeted Credit Facility (TCF) in 2020, at the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic. With the loan, she was able to keep her business running, stock up on beauty products, and continued to fuel her passion of beautifying her clients. She currently has three (3) staff in her employ, which has enabled her to expand her client base.

Name: Juhel Nigeria Limited Intervention: Health Sector Intervention Fund Sector: Health

NAME: Castello Marble And Tiles Ltd Intervention: Targeted Credit Facility Sector: SME Location: Enugu, Enugu State

Castello Marble and Tiles Limited, located at Plot 823 Corridor layout in Loma Linda, Enugu, Enugu State, is one of the beneficiaries of CBN’s Targeted Credit Facility(TCF). The company produces markets and distributes tiles, bricks, granite, and Marble. Their tiles are renowned for being of high quality.

The facility was accessed by the company at a critical time, when the COVID-19 pandemic had negatively impacted businesses. The loan has enabled the company upscale its operations. The management of Castello Marble and Tiles expressed deep appreciation to the Central Bank of Nigeria for its interventions and implored Nigerians who have accessed loans to repay their loans to enable other Nigerians benefit from the Bank’s interventions.

Name: Ozor Esther Chidiebere Intervention: Targeted Credit Facility Sector: SME Location: Enugu, Enugu State

The Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Rheytrak Limited, a Vehicle Tracking and Recovery company licenced by the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), Eno Essien, speaks with IVORY

UKONU about her battle with Breast Cancer, how she conquered the deadly disease and lived free of it for over five years. Excerpts

CANCER IS LIKE DEATH SENTENCE, BUT I SURVIVED IT – ENO ESSIEN

Howdid you discover that you had breast cancer?

It was the period I was having the best time of my life. My business had just turned five years. We had just opened our second branch in Port Harcourt, Rivers State. I got nominated for The Future Award, I just turned 30, everything was just perfect, only for me to discover that I had cancer. I discovered a lump in my breast and when I told my mum about it, she asked me to leave it. I obliged as we didn't expect it to be cancer. But a few months after, when I was on vacation in the UK on holiday, I decided to do a routine checkup. Again, my mum told me not to do anything about it and just come back to Nigeria.

Why was she insisting on you not checking it up? Because she did not think that there was anything wrong with me. Besides, there is no history of cancer in my family and none of us ever thought the lump could be cancer.

At what point did you discover it was cancerous? I mentioned it to a family friend who is a surgeon. I told him that I noticed a lump in my breast and he wondered what it was still doing there and told me to get it removed. So I took it out and they took it to the laboratory for histology and that was how it was discovered that it was cancerous. At this point, I had 'died.' Regardless, I still went to two different laboratories and the results came back the same. Now when you get the lump taken out and it is cancerous, you need to go for further treatment. Either you do a lumpectomy or mastectomy before undergoing chemotherapy. In my own case, I needed to do a lumpectomy, otherwise known as tylectomy, partial mastectomy, breast segmental resection or breast wide local excision, which is a surgical removal of a discrete portion or lump of breast tissue. I was advised to go to America or the United Kingdom if I wanted to receive the best medical care. Alternatively, I was told I could go to India where I would get good quality medical care. Since my sister is resident in the UK, I decided to go for the treatment there. In company and with my mum, I left Nigeria within two weeks.

When I got to the UK, I was still hoping they would do a test and say there was nothing wrong with me, but, unfortunately, the test still came out showing that the lump was cancerous. So I did a lumpectomy and had six rounds of chemotherapy and 20 rounds of radiotherapy. It was a terrible experience. I mean, it is the worst thing you can give to the human body. You are trying to treat the bad cells but you are also destroying the good cells. I lost my hair, lost my nails, lost my sense of taste.

How long have you been cancer-free? 10 years now

I hear there is sometimes a re-occurrence. Is it true? It will never reoccur ever for me or people who have gone through

the disease because it is not something you wish for an enemy. Chemotherapy is horrible. You can't even walk sometimes. I think the drug they used when I had chemo has now been replaced because I know people who take chemotherapy now and they are not as sick as I was. The first five days after my chemotherapy I was virtually abnormal. I was unable to eat, my tongue was coloured black, even drinking water was a challenge. I would throw up intermittently. There was a drug they administered that was supposed to help with the side-effects of Chemotherapy. It is called anti-sickness. Instead of protecting me from the side-effects, that drug made me twice as sick. So, by the time I had the third chemo, I stopped taking it. I didn't even tell the surgeon that I was no longer taking the drug. Chemotherapy is horrible.

Between the time you started receiving treatment for the disease and when you were certified free of cancer, how long was it? I went in for the treatment in March 2012 and by January of the following year, I was done. But it wasn't until maybe like three or four years after, I had asked the hospital for a report while I was trying to apply for a visa that the doctor wrote from a medical point of view that I was completely cleared.

After the treatment, I would undergo checkup two times in a year until it reduced to once a year. They check your body using something called Cancer Marker. It is worthy to state here that when I detected the lump and went for a mammogram here in Nigeria, the machine did not detect the lump at first. Infact, they even refused doing the mammogram saying I had to be up to 40. But after much back and forth, I got it done.

How were you able to go through that period?

I had family and God. I thank God I’m a Christian and I also knew the word. My mum jokes that I become born again, again after I had cancer because when I had it, I didn’t know people could survive it so I was scared. I tried not to google anything about cancer, but instead expended my energy on studying the Holy Bible. I started to search for healing scriptures and I spoke those healing scriptures aloud to myself. I never went to the hospital alone. My sister, my mum and brother were there for me. My sister would drive me to the hospital which was an hour and a half each time I had to be there.

Are you like other cancer survivors who immediately set up non-governmental organisations to help victims or survivors of cancer?

No. People say I should set up one, but there are already many NGOs. I don’t even know if they give out money. I don’t know what they do. I know they wear shirts and do rallies and make a lot of noise in October which is breast cancer awarness month, but I try to talk about my cancer experience in so many places as I am privileged to. What I do now is to reach out to victims in my own personal capacity.

Immediately I hear someone has cancer, I look for the person's number and give them a call. I have met so many women who have gone through cancer. I try to reach out to them because I believe that my story is one that can give them hope. When I was dealing with mine, I asked the hospital if anyone survived cancer they said yes, many. Then I asked, what about a Nigerian that is my age and they responded in the affirmative. So I understand when I call these people. I know how they are feeling, I totally understand it so I sometimes go and sit down in the hospital with them as they are taking chemo, some I will go with them for their hospital appointments. There is one that sent me a message on Instagram. I knew when she had the disease, she sent me a message saying she just had a baby and I was very happy for her. I try to reach out to these people, speak with them, to give them hope. Hearing you have cancer is like a death sentence. When I was told I had cancer. my whole life just flashed before my eyes, I did not know people survived it. What I had was to hold unto God and then having the support of my family.

When you reach out to these people what is the feedback like? Some of them passed away but many more have survived.

Did the people who survived it have their treatment in Nigeria? Either here or outside, but more of the people I know that survived it had their treatment outside the country. This is not to put down our medical system, but it is what I observed. If you can afford to travel out for treatment, by all means do. I couldn't even afford my treatment. The lack of the money was killing me faster than the cancer itself. The first time I went there, I thought I would just go, receive my treatment and come back to Nigeria and be paying my bills later, after all that is what people do when they go to the US to give birth. But the first shocker was that I had to pay in full. Seeing the amount, I told them that I was just a young businesswoman trying to hustle and that they should work out a payment plan for me. Surprisingly they agreed. Not once did they call me for a day and say I missed my payment. I mean I could have left the UK without paying, but I have too much integrity to not keep my word. They were even times that I went to the UK to do my checkup and return to Nigeria to pay for it.

What lessons have you learnt as a cancer survivor?

Cancer made me a happier person. I realized I was not living before cancer. I used to think that I was living, but I was wrong. I was just existing. I started to live after cancer. I became more forgiving, kinder and I value my family more now. We have always been close, but getting cancer made the bond stronger. If I don’t hear from someone in a long time, I reach out to the person because all that time I was in the UK receiving treatment, nobody knew what I was going through, I did not tell anybody. I just took my things and I left.

Essien

Essien

Why? I didn't want to be surrounded by so many negative people. If I had gone on to say I had cancer I would be told that many people didn't survive it. I didn’t want to hear such things. I just wanted to keep it within my family and go through it ourselves. It wasn't until seven years later that I spoke about it and people got to know. Before, they just wondered why I cut my hair and lost so much weight, not knowing chemo made me lose my hair and the effects of the drug on my body made me lose weight. Another thing that cancer did for me is that I rang the closing bell at Nigeria Stock Exchange in commemoration of World Cancer Day. This was on February 1, 2020. My father Nsikak Essien also rang the closing bell at the Nigeria Stock Exchange when he was an editor with the National Concord. So we made history as the first father and daughter in Nigeria to ring the closing bell at the Stock Exchange. So cancer, a seemingly bad thing that happened to me turned out well in my favour. In fact, the testimony in my business was that the month that I was diagnosed with cancer my turnover was 100 per cent. Despite the challenge on my health, I never shut down for one day, business continued. I was receiving treatment and working at the same time.

Why were you chosen to ring the closing bell at the Stock Exchange?

I don’t know. Glory, grace, I suppose. I got a phone call that morning. My mum was with me. I used to have a habit of not picking my calls and my mum couldn't understand why. So the phone kept ringing and I didn't pick it and she said 'this call, you will pick it.' And that was how I picked that call asking me to ring the closing bell at the stock exchange. I look at my life in the last 10 years and where I am is nothing compared to where I was before I had cancer.

What will you say defines you more now after surviving cancer?

I love life. I want people to remember me for the things that I have done, for who I am and the things that I have done with my health and in my business which is a male dominated one. I was am the first female licensed CEO in the vehicle tracking industry.

Speaking of that, what prompted you to go into the car tracking business?

Interestingly, my childhood dream was to become a medical doctor but my jamb score was low so I got admission into the University of Calabar to study microbiology and I thought after a year I will change but I’m grateful I did not. One day, my mum gave me a newspaper write up on Ibukun Awosika, a former First Bank chairman and I read her story where she talked about how she started business at age 27 and that was the inspiration I needed. I just wanted to be like her, and I wanted people to read about me as well. I did not know what it was, but I wanted to be successful. I would tell my mum then that by the time I’m 25, people will know me, I will be successful. It was just words of the mouth, but it was an affirmation. So, one day I went to visit a friend. She had just come in from the UK and I went to pick up things my sister sent through her, and unfortunately armed robbers came in and took her husband's friend's car which she borrowed, and I was like how do you spend so much money to buy a car and somebody comes and takes the car away from you. Curiosity led me into researching and I discovered about GPS tracker. I began sending letters to companies in Europe that had this technology, and I got a response explaining this new technology. I was curious and really wanted to know how it works so I bought the first device, put it in the car I was using then and tried to understand how it works. I then began buying the device from the company that responded to me and reselling them. My very first client was May & Baker pharmaceutical company. The then managing director took a chance with me and the rest they say is history. Other jobs started to come from other corporate organisations. I have never worked, I don’t have any work experience. I finished university and went straight into the business selling perfumes before this car tracking business which has announced me to the world. I have learnt everything I know about running a business on this job and it has been 15 years.

How has it been?

It has been good. At the time I started the car tracking business, there were only two others in the business in the country. We operate nationwide but have offices in Lagos, Abuja and Port Harcourt. My company also installs anti-smash, an installation that protects your car against traffic robbers. The good thing about it is that as the sun shines on your car, it gets stronger and more difficult for robbers to break into your car.

Many people now render the same kind of services as you do. What will you say has set you apart from the others in the past 15 years?

The grace of God and the effectiveness of my product. I am licensed to do this by the Nigeria Communication Commission. I also work with the Nigeria Police Force. Also, integrity has set me apart all these years. It is my watchword. When I tell you we will do it, we will, we are not going to tell you we will do something and along the way, we turn around or we change. We have been consistent. We have clients who insist to insurance companies that they want our tracker. The way we communicate with our clients, schedule installations are some of the things that have set us apart.

Are there more women now in the business?

Yes I know a few but I don’t know if they are licensed.

What will you say has been your greatest business challenge? I have so many challenges. I mean every day comes with its own type of challenge. It may be from staff. Starting at 25 years, I have

had to deal with people who are much older than me or having people who do not entirely believe in my vision or dream. There is also the issue of networks. We work with network providers and there was a time there was a ban on the sale of sim cards. That was enough to cripple the business. What kept us was the stock of sims that we had. With telcos, it is a different challenge every day. The Internet is also an issue as well as different government policies.

How have you been able to overcome them?

I used to say I love challenges, but I won't say that again before another one comes up. But I think challenges bring out the best in one.

What do you consider to be your greatest achievement? Recovering stolen vehicles. I mean someone calls you in a very helpless situation and then a few hours later you call to say 'your vehicle has been recovered it is at so and so police station you can go and pick up your vehicle.' The joy is out of this world, it is priceless. Some would doubt you, some won’t believe you. I remember a lady whose vehicle was recovered at Badagry border. It was an impossible situation and when it was recovered after five days, it had been repainted. So yes, my greatest achievement is being able to deliver on the promise that no matter where your car is we will find it.

Why didn’t you take after your dad who is a journalist? My dad is actually an electrical engineer by profession. But I like to

think we all write in my family which is most likely from my dad, but he is the finest journalist I ever know.

What exactly do you mean by the finest journalist?

He was an exceptional editor who did his job very well. My dad never cut corners, what is wrong is wrong and what is right is right. That is what we, his three children, learnt from him. He taught us to be content with what we have and that it is okay for one to dream big and work hard at achieving your dream. So, I did not pick up journalism, but I picked up integrity from him.

As a recipient of several awards, which is the most significant and why?

That should be the Exquisite Ladies of The Year (ELOY) Award for Woman Who Inspires. Other awards are the Nigeria Women Achievers Award for Enterprising Humanitarian Personality of the Year, and a recognition for my outstanding contribution as a role model and mentor to Nigerian youths. I was also recognized by the Akwa Ibom State Government, my home state, as an outstanding indigene in 2020 among several others.

I was shortlisted for the first edition of Bold Woman Award by Veuve Clicquot in Nigeria. Thousands of women applied for that award and during my interview, they said, 'You have 20 minutes to tell us about yourself.' And I started talking and I just thought to myself, I can't tell you all about myself in 20 minutes. I have done so many things - in my business, my health - I can’t narrow it all down to 20 minutes. In the last 10 years, I have received awards spoken on different platforms within Nigeria and outside Nigeria about my job in a male dominated field. It takes a lot of courage and I have been brave enough to survive cancer. And that triggered my wanting to write a book about myself.

What will be the title?

I don’t know yet. I have a few things I have scribbled down, but I haven’t decided yet. I’m excited and looking forward to when it will be published. The book is basically about myself, more of an inspirational book. With the advent of social media, there is a lot of compromise, everyone wants to get rich, nobody really wants to work. People no longer question the source of one's income. That is not how I want to bring up my young daughter. I want her to know you can actually work and get all you desire and be content.

When will the book be published? Probably next year

How do you let off steam when you are not busy installing trackers?

I watch television. I used to play squash, but my daughter keeps me busy.

How would you like to be remembered?

I want to be remembered as a female who played in a male dominated field when other women didn’t even dare to and I also want to be remembered as someone who despite the challenges, I mean, cancer is enough to cut one's dream and one’s life short - I went through those challenges and survived.

Essien

Essien

I want to be remembered as a female who played in a male dominated field when other women didn’t even dare and as someone who despite the challenges, survived

With the series of crises currently rocking the Peoples Democratic Party in Ogun state, one is forced to wonder if Ladi Adebutu's age long dream to govern the state will ever come to pass. Ever since he announced his intentions to join the race earlier this year a second time, issues keep cropping up making it seem as if seeking the number one position from the opposition party is jinxed. First, two parallel primaries were held that saw Adebutu and Segun Showunmi, an ally of Atiku Abubakar, the party's presidential candidate, both emerging governorship candidates. One of the aspirants Jimi Lawal dragged the PDP, Adebutu and the Independent National Electoral Commission to court, challenging the authenticity of the delegates list used for the primaries.

He argued that the delegates were not democratically elected at the ward, local council and state congresses, hence the panel could not unilaterally or arbitrarily impose the list on the party.

He prayed the court to, among others, nullify or set aside the primary. It took the issuing of a certificate of return to Adebutu, who is a former member of the House of Representatives, by the PDP National Chairman, Senator Iyorchia Ayu before it became clear that he is the authentic candidate for the governorship

position for the 2023 general election. But Lawal was not appeased. He continued with the court case which prompted many to assume that Governor Nasir El- Rufai of Kaduna State, under whom he (Lawal) served before defecting to the PDP to contest the primary is the one instigating him to disrupt Ogun PDP. But Lawal claims nothing could be farther than the truth.

In September, a Federal High Court sitting in Abeokuta answered Lawal's prayers and nullified all primary elections conducted by the various factions of the PDP in the state, (governorship, state house of assembly, house of representatives, senate). The court declared that all the primaries conducted by the PDP in the state were not in accordance with the provisions of the Electoral Act.

Thus Justice Oguntoyinbo stopped INEC from recognising Adebutu, who had been declared the governorship candidate and called for a rerun of the primaries within 14 days of the judgment. The judgment also prevented the national body of the PDP from organising the rerun primary. It rather ordered the state executive to handle it. The court also barred the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) from recognising Adebutu as the governorship candidate of the party in the state. Adebutu had allegedly, initially agreed for the rerun but later changed his mind saying that he would appeal the judgment.

At the expiration of the 14 days, Lawal conducted his own primary rerun where Adebutu and Showunmi scored zero votes. Lawal was subsequently suspended by the party for anti-party activities, an action Lawal considers laughable adding that his name would be submitted to INEC as the governorship candidate of Ogun PDP. Well, time is fast ticking and the earlier the judgement for the appeal filed by the state's PDP and Adebutu, comes out, the better or the party faces an uphill task of running against time and being unable to field candidates in any of the elections billed to hold in 2023.

Considered one of the pillars of the PDP in the South-West zone of Nigeria, Ladi, unlike others who lack the basic principles of loyalty, has remained true and faithful to the party despite the many disappointments he has gone through as a party member. He has also stayed true to his vow to govern Ogun State one day, refusing to jettison his dream despite several challenges like the power play between him and the late Senator Buruji Kashamu, which cost him victory in 2019.

Osborn Nweze Umahi, son of Ebonyi State governor, Dave Umahi, is gradually stamping his feet of authority in Nigeria's hospitality industry. The young lad who has his hands in several pies has expanded his self-named hotel chain, Osborn La Palm Royal Resort, to serve the people of Port Harcourt, Rivers State.

For the amenities it parades, Osborn considers the six floor 300-bedroom edifice a five-star paradise, comparable to The Lagos Marriott Hotel or any hotel of its kind in West Africa.

Folajimi Mohammed, son of Information minister, Lai Mohammed, seems to have found a new pastime that helps him drown out the agony of his failure to secure a ticket in the state House of Assembly for a third term. Although he is from Kwara State, like most Lagos based politicians who hardly ever represent their constituency in their state of origin, Folajimi secured a seat on two occasions in the state house of assembly on the platform of the All-Progressives Congress, to represent Ikeja 1 constituency. Unfortunately, he failed in his bid to secure another term in the primaries and instead lost to Seyi Lawal the immediate past Leader of Onigbongbo Legislative Council. These days, when Folajimi is not busy legislating, he

prefers to while away time at nightly social gatherings dressed to the nines and complete with a hat or cap pulled down low on his face to prevent other revellers from recognizing him. Hopefully, by the time his tenure comes to an end on May 29, 2023, he would have found a more worthwhile pastime to keep him busy and forget his political sorrow.

Popular Nigerian filmmaker, producer and director, Tola Odunsi, is finally ready to move on from his collapsed marriage. The CEO of Urban Vision Limited who has motivated many people across the country to change their dreams and embrace the entertainment industry via his television content is in a sizzling romance with actress Enado Odigie. The duo recently decided to make their romance public during Enado's birthday.

Tola who seems to have a thing for women from Edo State was previously married to Onohi Iremiren, the founder of Eco Virdis Environmental Technology, an environmental and waste management company. They tied the knot in a fairy tale wedding in 2008 but ten years later, it became obvious the couple had fallen out of love and both agreed to go their separate ways. That Enado and Tola now openly flaunt their relationship is proof that any plan for him to get back with his estranged wife is as good as dead.

Young, vivacious and innovative, Osborn, who is a nephew to billionaire businessman, Arthur Eze, dreams of becoming a leader in the tourism and hospitality industry in Africa in the nottoo-distant future. He might be the son of a politician, but he has clearly proven that he can hold his own with how well he has transformed the family business set up in 1998 from a mere motel to one with edifices in three other major cities in Nigeria. And what is more, he is already forging his own path.

A graduate of Engineering from Surrey University, he also holds an Msc from the University of Aberdeen, Osborn runs Forte GCC Innovative Solutions, an engineering and real estate consultancy business that offers a wide range of entertainment and IT solutions.

He is also the managing director of Brass Oil, as well as The Osborn Foundation through which he shows off his philanthropic side. The foundation is dedicated to shelter, education, empower through poverty alleviation programmes and infrastructural development for all Nigerians as evident in the helping hand he has extended to pupils as close as in his home state to as far as Kano State.

Aviation expert and founder of 7-Star Global hanger, the first-ever privately owned independent Aircraft overhaul maintenance and repair facility in West and Central Africa that handles Boeing 737 fleets, private jets military/paramilitary aeroplanes and other aircraft type maintenance, has dumped the ruling All Progressives Congress and embraced the Labour Party. He was previously the Arewa youth president and had mobilised for the emergence

of a President Muhammadu Buhari presidency in 2015. Balami who founded 7-Star Global Airline, the first African premium airline, specialising in scheduling, non-scheduling and cargo operations, decided to sell off his hangar and sowed the proceeds from it into the presidential ambition of Peter Obi. Balami who stressed that he has gotten to a critical junction in his life when the sternest of decisions become unavoidably compelling and incontrovertible said, ‘’I have sold my majority stake in my aircraft hangar as well as my airline, to join my fellow Nigerians in the Obidient movement, just so I can more dedicatedly, fight this struggle to rescue the soul of this great nation. This is my sacrifice!”

Besides being a former National President of the Nigeria Association of Aircraft Pilots and Engineers, Balami in 2018 founded Labour Room Reality TV show, Nigeria’s first reality TV show geared towards national development.

Umahi

Adebutu

Mohammed

Balami

Odunsi & Odigie

Legendary reggae music icon and Chairman of Musical Copyright Society of Nigeria (MCSN), Pupa Orits Wiliki will be celebrating 40 years on stage as a reputable musician on November 11 at MUSON Centre, Victoria Island, Lagos.

The music maestro started the countdown to the event last week with a history of what inspired some of his hit-songs and the challenges he battled with before hitting the limelight. The event will be graced by crème la de crème in the Nigeria music scene, society bigwigs and political leaders. A double album will be launched which is a compilation of his Wiliki's hit-songs and some new

songs. 12 Nigerian musicians, such as Bongos Ikue, King Sunny Ade, Bright Chimezie, Emma Ogosi, Stella Monye, Tee Mac, Onyeka Onwenu and a host of old generation musician, who were holding sway in the late 1980s and 1990s with their musical prowess, will be honored with awards.

Late Osayomore Joseph will be honored with a posthumous award. The awardees to be honored were selected because of their sterling performance and lasting music impact over the years. Fondly called Kooleman

Revolutionnaire, he started music in the 1980s when reggae music was in vogue. He formed his first band, Revolutionaire, in Paris, and his first album was sponsored by a French company, Alanche De. Some of his songs promote religious tolerance and they also depict disenchantment with the Nigeria society.

Meet Ekiti State First Lady Olayemi Oyebanji

About two weeks ago, Governor Biodun Oyebanji, the newly elected governor of Ekiti State was sworn in. to take over the helm of affairs in the state. The ceremony which was well attended by the All Progressive Party chieftains was a peaceful transition from the Governor Kayode Fayemi’s led administration to that of Oyebanji. Since he took over the affairs of the state, many have been eager to know more about Dr Olayemi, the governor's wife, who will be the state's first lady. She holds a Ph.D and she is a senior lecturer in the Department of Educational Management at the University of Ibadan. She is a seasoned scholar in the field of Institutional Administration, Quality Assurance in Education, Human Resource Development and Leadership Education. She graduated from the University

of Ibadan in 1997. She started her lecturing career at the Ekiti State University, Ado Ekiti in the year 2000 as a research fellow in the Department of Education. She later moved to her alma mater, University of Ibadan in 2013 where she joined the Department of Educational Management. The former lecturer with over 70 publications in local and International journals is an indigene of Ado Ekiti in EkitiState. She has royal blood flowing in her veins as she is a proud princess from Ewi palace in Ado-Ekiti. It was therefore not surprising to many as one of the first points of call after the handover ceremony by the

former first lady of the state, Erelu Bisi Fayemi was the Ewi Palace to pay homage to the traditional ruler and Olori’s in Ado-Ekiti.

Former minority whip of the Senate, Senator Ganiyu Olanrewaju Solomon, popularly known as GOS is back to relevance as far as decision making is concerned in the political sphere of Lagos State. The former lawmaker has been unveiled as a member of the Governor’s Advisory Council (GAC) in Lagos State. GAC is the most powerful decision-making body in Lagos State. GOS has enjoyed a favourable stay and relevance in the political sphere of the nation. He was first elected into the Lagos State House of Assembly on the platform

of the Democratic Party of Nigeria, (DPN) in 1998, but he couldn't take his seat before the death of the Head of State, Sani Abacha. He became the Chairman of Mushin Local Government Area during the Nigeria Fourth Republic in 1999. In 2003, he contested under the platform of Alliance for Democracy, AD for a seat at the Senate but lost to Tokunbo Afikuyomi. He later ran for the Federal House of Assembly for Mushin Federal Constituency 1 and won. He was also elected into the Senate on the platform of the Action Congress for Lagos West Constituency in 2007. During his days as a senator, he was made the chairman of many committees and performed excellently well. In 2011, he contested unopposed for a re-election into the senate under the platform of Action Congress of Nigeria and he also won. He signified interest to become the governor of Lagos State under the platform of All Progressive Congress but lost

at the party primary to Akinwunmi Ambode who eventually became the governor of Lagos State. After his loss at the party primary, GOS went into political oblivion and has been working underground to support elected members of his party. He is back to relevance now with his new position as a member of the Governor's Advisory Council which many believe his membership of the group is long overdue because he has remained steadfast, committed and loyal to the APC and has remained one of the most consistent and principled politicians in the state.

Two traditional rulers in Ogun State, Oba Akintunde Akinyemi, the Eselu of Iselu and the paramount ruler of Yewaland, Oba Kehinde

Olugbenle, are at loggerheads over Ogun State governor, Dapo Abiodun' second term bid. Oba Olugbenle had in August endorsed Abiodun as the right candidate to occupy the Ogun State governorship seat for the second time. He praised the governor to high heavens and applauded his performance during his first term as the governor of Ogun State. He also stated that it wasn't Yewa's turn to produce a governor in Ogun state and advised any interested candidate from Yewa land to wait till 2027 before signifying interest. He paid a courtesy visit to the governor where he made it known that he and his subjects are solidly behind him. Some smaller monarchs in Ogun also joined Oba Olugbenle in endorsing the governor.

However, the traditional

Gumsu Sani Abacha, wife of the Yobe State Governor, Mai Mala Buni and daughter of the late Military Head of State, General Saniu Abacha, has remembered her father who passed on in 1998. A colloquium was held in his honour at the International Conference Centre, Abuja last week. The first lady took to social media to thank her maker for the successful event as she shared videos and pictures at the occasion. Organised by the Centre for Political Research, Education and Development, in

conjunction with Gumsu and her siblings, the event was tagged Towards Evolving a Home Grown Solutions to Nigeria’s Challenges. It had in attendance governors and top dignitaries in the country. The event, which is the second edition since the military head of state died, featured keynote addresses and presentations from former ministers, state governors and other dignitaries. A former Chief Security Officer to Abacha, Major Hamza Al-Mustapha described the former

ruler changed suddenly and started supporting Barrister Biyi Otegbeye's political aspiration as the governorship candidate of the African Democratic Congress, ADC. Otegbeye is from Yewaland in Ogun State, the same area Olugbenle said wasn't its turn to produce governor.

After showing support for Otegbeye, another traditional ruler, Oba Akintunde Akinyemi, the Eselu of Iselu accused Oba Olugbenle of confusing other royal fathers about the 2023 governorship election in Ogun State. He expressed disappointment in the monarch whom he accused of putting the integrity of Yewa Council of Oba’s at stake which does not portray them as stable and trustworthy. He distanced himself and other 53 members of the traditional council from Oba Olugbenle's decision and expressed foul play in his decision.

military head of state as a patriotic man who loved his country but unfortunately, the proper history about the kind of man who Abacha was has been distorted. The Governor of Kebbi State, Abubakar Atiku Baguda also had pleasant memories of the late Abacha. Formerly married to a Cameroonian multi billionaire, Bayero Fadil for 20 years but left as a result of irreconcilable difference. A few years after quitting her first marriage, she found love in the arms of Yobe State governor, Buni as his fourth wife.

Wiliki

Oyebanji

Solomon

Buni

Abiodun

OYEBANJI

The newly sworn in governor of Ekiti State, Governor Biodun Oyebanji, has been accused of dancing to the dictates of his predecessor, Kayode Fayemi and his wife, Erelu Bisi Fayemi Oyebanji had appointed Dr Habibat Adubiaro, as the new Ekiti State secretary to the state government. Yinka Oyebode was also appointed as the Chief

Press Secretary of the state while Justice Dayo Apata was appointed as the Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice. Not quite long after the appointments and swearing in ceremonies, accusing fingers were pointed at the governor for his action. It was stated that the three first appointees occupied key positions in the past administration, and

they were allegedly suggested by the Fayemis to be included in Oyebanji’s administration. Adubairo was Fayemi’s running mate when he signified interest to run for another term in 2018. She was also a former Special Adviser on Women Affairs to Governor Fayemi during his tenure. Oyebode on the other hand was the Chief Press Secretary to Fayemi in 2018, he was reappointed into the same position by Oyebanji. Justice Apata served as the Solicitor-General and Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Justice, Ekiti State during the first term of the administration of Governor Fayemi. Due to the fact that the three appointees had worked with the Fayemi administration before, many believed they were cronies of the past administration who were forced on the Oyebanji led administration. The governor however made it known that the people were chosen based on merit as he had promised the people of Ekiti State to choose the best set of individuals who will help him manage the affairs of the state.

Awosika

Abisola Afuye, the daughter of the late Speaker of the Ekiti State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Funminiyi Afuye, has walked down the aisle with her beau, Babatunde Adebayo. The ceremony, which was held last week, days after the untimely death of the speaker was a sombre one.

Afuye was not ill before, but he suffered a sudden cardiac arrest and died on Wednesday while undergoing treatment at the Ekiti State University Teaching Hospital, Ado-Ekiti, Ekiti State.

His family decided to go ahead with the wedding ceremony because so much had gone into the planning as well as the expenses which had been lavished before the sad event.

The engagement ceremony took place at the Haven Event Centre, Ikeja, while the holy solemnisation held at the Archbishop Vining Memorial Church,

Ikeja, GRA, Lagos. The reception also took place at the Haven Event Centre. Oba Adedokun Abolarin, the Orangun of Oke-Ila in Osun State who was a very close friend and business partner of the late speaker was on ground to fill the gap the death of his friend created at the ceremony. Afuye was a former commissioner of Ekiti-State Ministry of Information and twotime member of the Ekiti State Assembly representing Ikere Constituency.

Peter Fatomilola Marks 55th Anniversary on Stage

Oba Abulrasheed Akanbi, the Oluwo of Iwo, popularly known as Emperor Telu and a former Vice Chancellor of Obafemi Awolowo University, Professor Wande Abimbola, have engaged in a war of words over Yoruba tradition. It started after the Professor granted an interview where he lashed out at the traditional ruler for his nonchalant attitude towards Yoruba culture, tradition and worship of some deity. The Oluwo had led a campaign against some of the Yoruba gods after his coronation in 2015, calling them powerless and retrogressive gods while condemning their festive celebration and worship.

Abimbola lamented the enthronement of certain Yoruba traditional rulers who desecrate traditional stools. He also stated that some riffraff’s have turned the highly revered position into comedy. He also argued that there are no checks and balances to curtail the excesses of the traditional rulers. Stating further, he revealed that more than a million people in the United State worship Yoruba gods and practice Yoruba culture and tradition, hence, people who don’t want to have anything to do with Yoruba

gods should not aspire to be kings. He also stated that if the worship of Yoruba deity is taken seriously, the country would rake in millions of naira from it. As Americans rake in millions of dollars annually through the celebration of Yoruba Culture and tradition, he said that if the owners of the culture would organize monthly festivals in celebration of their gods, tourists would spend dollars to watch the cultural display.

Reacting to Abimbola’s postulations and accusation, the Oluwo described him as an elder who lacks understanding. He accused the scholar of attacking him based on what he read on social media about him and jumping into conclusion. He wondered if Abimbola had

a king in his home-town because kings are recognised by the Nigerian Constitution and should not be abused. The traditional ruler also stated that Yoruba Kings are higher than the gods and insisted that Yoruba gods should not be worshipped.

Dr Josephine Awosika, the Chairperson of Access Bank, has been made the honorary consul to Czech Republic Consulate in Lagos State. The businesswoman who is the daughter of the first Minister of Finance in the First Republic who was assassinated in Nigeria in a military coup, late Chief Festus Okotie-Eboh, was honoured in recognition of her enviable attainments on the many platforms she has graced. She was conferred with the esteemed title during the official opening of Czech Republic Consulate in Lagos State. Her new role as the honorary consul to Czech Consulate in Lagos will build stronger ties and reconstruct boundaries of the two countries and further open a new value frontier between Nigeria and Czech Republic.

Awosika has sustained her father’s legacies and interest in the country over the years. She has a stint in the Federal Civil Service which saw her rise through the ranks to the zenith of her career where she was appointed Permanent Secretary in three ministries that include the Internal Affairs, Science & Technology and Power, she later became the chairperson of Access Bank. The event was attended by dignitaries across Nigeria which is a testament to Awosika’s pedigree as a diligent woman and a person of honourable and humble character.

Legendary Nollywood actor cum playwright, Prof. Peter Fatomilola, has marked 55 years on stage. The week-long event, tagged ‘Celebrate me when I’m alive’ took place in Ile-Ife, Osun State last week.

The grand finale of the event was at the Oduduwa hall of the Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Osun State which was witnessed by his colleagues, traditional rulers and family members.

The event, which celebrated the first Papa Ajasco of the popular comic TV series Papa

Ajasco by Wale Adenuga featured the performance of a play titled, ‘The Legend of Ooni Enitan’, a play dedicated to the investiture of the Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi, Ojaja II who was the royal father of the day at the event. Deserving individuals, corporate bodies and organizations were given the Peter Fatomilola Honours Award for their contribution to the promotion of arts and humanities at the grand finale of the event. Known for his priestly roles in Yoruba and English language movies, the veteran actor, poet, playwright and traditionalist started acting after joining the Olokun Theatre Group under the tutelage of late Professor Ola Rotimi, the renowned playwright at the University of Ile-Ife, which is now the Obafemi Awolowo University. Born and raised by a father who was a chief Ifa priest, known as the Oluwo of Ifisin-Ekiti. His upbringing influenced his fluent recitation of Ifa panegyrics and his roles as herbalist in most movies.

Fatomilola

Oyebanji

Akanbi

Afuye

SHOTS OF THE WEEK

Editor:

Udugba [08033050729]

L-R: Commissioner for Youths and Sport, Anambra State, Mr Patrick Aghamba; Governor of Anambra State, Prof. Chukwuma Soludo, Deputy Governor of Anambra State, Dr. Onyekachukwu Ibezim during the launch of One Youth, Two Skills empowerment programme in Awka, Anambra State on October 27, 2022.

L–R: Senior Counsel - Commercial, GE Gas Power, Chukwuka Eze; Chief Compliance Officer - Middle East & Africa, GE Gas Power, Matthew Nobles; Executive General Counsel for GE Africa, Ozim Ifeoma Obasi and Services Executive of GE’s Gas Power business, Sub-Saharan Africa, Kenneth Oyakhire, at the GE Compliance dialogue session in Lagos on October 26, 2022.

L-R: Deputy Director, Lagos State Council for Art and Culture, Mr. Ayoola Mudasiru; Executive Director, OMD, Mr. Yinka Adebayo; Grand price winner, Indomie Fan Club (IFC), Team Yourself Up 7, Ezinwanne Oforbike of Ebelechukwu international School, Anambra; Group Corporate Communications/Event Manager, Dufil Prima Foods PLC, Mr. Tope Ashiwaju; MD, Noah's Ark, Mr. Lanre Adisa and National Coordinator IFC, Mrs. Faith Joshua, at the IFC Team Yourself Up 7" prize presentation to winners, in Lagos on October 24, 2022.

L-R: Senator Opeyemi Bamidele (Ekiti Central); Senator Gabriel Suswan; Ekiti State Governor, Mr Biodun Oyebanji; Senate President, Ahmad Lawan and Senator Olubunmi Adetunbi (Ekiti North); during the Governor’s meeting with the Senate President at the National Assembly in Abuja on October 28, 2022.

L-R: Deputy President, Nigerian Society of Engineers (NSE), Engr. Margret Oguntala; Chairman (NSE) Ikeja Branch, Engr. Femi John Adedotun; his wife, Mrs. Alice Monisola Adedotun and immediate Past Chairman, Engr. Olutosin Ogunmola, during the Inauguration ceremony of Adedotun as the 15th Branch Chairman NSE, Ikeja, Lagos on October 26, 2022.

L-R: Corporate Affairs Manager, Intl. Breweries PLC (IBPLC), Onitsha, Mr. Damian Igwe; Flood Comm. Chairman, Ogbaru LGA, Anambra State, Mr. Ben Nwasike; Plant Manager, IBPLC, Onitsha, Mr. Fidelis Igwe; Member Rep. Ogbaru 1 Constituency in Anambra, Hon. Noble Igwe and Member Rep. Ogbaru 2 Constituency, Anambra, Hon. Somto Udeze, during the donation of relief products by IBPLC to Ogbaru LGA citizens to minimise the impact of the flood in Anambra State on October 25, 2022.

Nigerian-Irish Dramatist Bisi Adigun Adapts Iconic Irish Play For U.S. Stage

From Thursday November 3, an adaptation of John Millington Synge’s classic drama, The Playboy of the Western World, will be staged at the Atlas Performing Arts Center, Washington DC. Co-written by Nigerian playwright, Bisi Adigun and his Irish counterpart, Rory Doyle, the US premiere is set to wow American audiences till November 20.

Published in 1907, JM Synge’s play was one of the iconic plays in Ireland in early 20th century. Though critics panned it for its dreariness, Playboy was hailed by some of the playwright’s contemporaries and colleagues as the classic it deserved to be. The Irish Times called it “a hugely entertaining, often laugh-out-loud funny...superb piece of theatre.”

The adaptation of Playboy has been described as “a timely take on the classic tale of rural life in Western Ireland.” Written for the stage by the duo of Adigun and Doyle, Booker and BAFTA-winning writer, audiences are breathlessly awaiting its premiere on the American stage. Instead of the Irish farmers and villagers of Synge’s original, the characters in this adaptation “are now tough

Dublin gangsters, and the scallywag, runaway playboy of the story is re-imagined as a Nigerian refugee. The adaptation shifts the action to modern-day, urban Ireland and highlights the changes that have occurred in the country, especially around such issues as immigration and inequality.”

To be sponsored by Solas Nua – ‘new light’ in Irish – founded in 2005 and “dedicated exclusively to contemporary Irish arts,” Solas Nua also “acts as an ambassador and advocate for Irish arts in the U.S., promoting contemporary Irish culture, multi-disciplinary arts and creativity. Solas Nua commissions, produces and presents thoughtprovoking and groundbreaking work across genres, work that is cross-cultural, representing today’s Ireland – a contemporary, globally diverse society – and reflecting how Irish culture is shared across borders, ethnicity, and economic lines.”

In a newsletter by Jahman Anikulapo, venerable Arts journalist, co-founder of the Committee of Relevant Art and now coordinator of the Soyinka Centre at Freedom

Park, “the script was first commissioned by Adigun’s theatre company, Arambe Productions, Ireland’s first and only African Theatre Company, and was produced by Ireland’s famed Abbey Theatre in 2007. A popular success, the adaptation drew critical acclaim: “an intriguing, freewheeling farce…Synge's eloquence is decanted into the wisecracking Dublin repartee of The Commitments and The Van” (The Guardian, UK).

“Playboy is arguably Ireland’s most famous play. This contemporary adaptation showcases the comedy and dramatic power that Synge originally captured, while simultaneously reframing the context to include the multicultural identity of modern Ireland. It’s a remarkable piece of writing and we’re delighted to bring it to U.S. audiences.”

Shanara Gabrielle will direct the new adaptation while another Nigerian Sulmane Maigadi, a former seminarian and now minister, is the culture consultant to the team. To be staged as a matinee from 2.30pm, there will also be a post mortem during which Adigun will respond to the audience in a Q&A session.

SportsLive

Flamingoes’ Performance: Signs of Progress in Female Football

BY JUDE OBAFEMI

In February 2018, the hopes of the Flamingoes, Nigeria’s Under-17 national women’s team, to qualify for the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup in Uruguay were unfortunately extinguished after a 1-1 draw in the second leg of the doubleheader qualifiers in Yaounde, Cameroon. It was unfortunate because the Flamingoes did not lose any of the pair of qualifiers against Cameroon. However, having drawn both games, with a 2-2 draw in the first leg clash in Benin City, the away-goals rule came into play to determine which team qualified with the 3-3 aggregate score over the two legs. As a consequence, the Nigerian girls were beaten to the ticket by their Cameroonian counterparts. It was equal parts painful and regrettable that they came so far and so close yet failed to earn qualification to the Uruguay-hosted tournament.

The depth of the team's pain was expressed by defender Precious Christopher in a post-match interview where she revealed that the team felt hard done by some of the decisions of the referee while conceding that the defeat was a grievous experience.

She finished on a positive note of hopeful determination that, availed with another opportunity, the young girls will deliver. It was a new, yet unflattering chapter in Nigeria's participation in age-range competitions as the U-17 level. Before the Flamingos failure to reach Uruguay, Nigeria had qualified for all past editions the U-17 women’s World Cup. They featured at the inaugural 2008 competition in New Zealand, the 2010 tournament in Trinidad and Tobago,

the 2012 edition in Azerbaijan, the Costa Rica-hosted Cup competition in 2014 and the 2016 World Cup in Jordan.

Unlike their male compatriots, who have won no fewer than five U-17 FIFA World Cup competitions to hold the record as the country with the most titles in that age range, the Flamingos have been far less successful. In those five previous appearances, they had only gone as far as making it through the group stages only to be sent packing in the first game of the knockout stages. They reached this quarter-final mark in three consecutive competitions in 2010, 2012 and 2014 to a point where it seemed the ladies were jinxed to not see a semi-final berth. It got even worse in 2018 as they failed to even picked up a ticket to the event in the very first instance.

That was why their insistence to improve at the next opportunity after failing to qualify for the 2018 World Cup that was held from November 13 to December 1 was poignant even if a different squad of players and coaching crew based on the age-range nature of the competition and the reorganisation of the country's coaching personnel.

However, the next edition that was billed for 2020 was affected by COVID-19 concerns, which FIFA had to address.

Stakeholders voiced further significant concerns in a number of areas about the hosting of age-group tournaments set for 2020 as part of FIFA's extended engagement process and the "health and safety first" stance the football body adopted. These worries included, among other things, difficulties with age-group team preparation times and the multiple hurdles that the pandemic presented in concluding the continental qualification competitions. The FIFAConfederations COVID-19 Working Group then suggested that the two women's youth tournaments be cancelled for 2020 and that the hosting rights for the 2022 editions be made available to the nations that were scheduled to host the 2020 editions after carefully considering the feedback received from the stakeholders and the inability to further postpone these tournaments.

It meant that the FIFA U-17 Women's World Cup in India was pushed to this year, which, after additional consultation between FIFA and the respective host member associations regarding the 2022 editions of the tournaments, the Bureau

It is a small step by itself but in the grand scheme of things, it is a good forecast for the future of female football in Nigeria

“

The Flamingoes jubilating after qualifying for the semi-final

SportsLive

of the Council approved the bid to postpone. After that, India faced its own challenges because over in the South Asian country trouble was brewing and putting the World Cup hosts in jeopardy. The All India Football Federation (AIFF) was suspended by FIFA on August 16 because of undue influence from third parties, which constitutes a serious violation of FIFA's Statutes.

The suspension was going to be lifted once an order to set up a committee of administrators to assume the powers of the AIFF Executive Committee had been repealed and the AIFF administration regained full control of the AIFF's daily affairs.

It was FIFA's reaction to decision of India's highest court to disband the All India Football Federation (AIFF) in May, which it followed with the appointment of a three-member committee to govern the sport. FIFA's stance is hinged on its culture of non-interference by government in football adminstration.

FIFA therefore viewed India's court-appointed administrators' committee having a voice in how Indian football is handled as outside meddling and claimed that having an equal number of prominent athletes and state association delegates in the electoral college was "not a prudent idea." In efforts to ameliorate the effects of the ban, FIFA and the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) met Indian football stakeholders and laid down a roadmap for the AIFF to change its rules by the end of July and hold elections by 15 September.

Fortunately, on Friday, August 26, FIFA lifted the ban imposed on the AIFF after the Supreme Court terminated the mandate of the Committee of Administrators (CoA), clearing the decks for India to host the Women's U-17 World Cup in October. It was a positive development for the Flamingos, who though were held to a goalless draw by Ethiopia in the second leg of the 2022 World Cup qualifiers played on Saturday, June 4, inside the MKO Abiola Stadium in Abuja, redeemed the pledge of the 2018 set of Flamingos and qualified for the World Cup with a 1-0 lead on aggregate over both legs. It was a more sensational qualifying run as they played six qualifying games and remained unbeaten during that time, scoring 15 goals without ever conceding. They therefore qualified as one of three teams to represent

Africa at the October competition.

In the two friendly matches of in preparation for the tournament, the Flamingoes defeated Galatasaray Ladies 3-1 in Kocaeli days before losing by the exact same scoreline against the Fenerbahce Ladies. They initially got a sense of how tough the world cup was going to be in the loss to Germany in their first match after opening the scoring to finish 2-1 at the Pandit Jawaharlal Stadium. The Bankole Olowookere's team rallied to defeat New

Zealand 4-0 in the second Group B match with goals from Amina Bello, Miracle Usani, Taiwo Afolabi, and Edidiong Etim before defeating Chile 2-1 at the Kalinga Stadium in Bhubaneswar to secure a spot in the quarter-finals.

The fear of the jinx returned with the indomitable US in front of a semi-final ticket. It seemed history was going to repeat itself when America dominated proceedings until the quarter-finals required penalty shootouts to resolve and the Flamingos created a piece of history for themselves by outscoring America to book a semi-final place for the first time ever in the country's history.

They were celebrated for the unprecedented achievement but the next hurdle was in front of them with Colombia standing before a place in the final for them to claim a first trophy for the female age-range team but it was a bridge too far as they painfully lost to Colombia via penalty shootouts last Wednesday in Margao, Goa. Although penalty specialist goalkeeper Chikamso Jiwuaka stopped one spot kick as she did against the US, Omamuzo Edafe, who had scored two penalties against the Americans, during the game and during the determining shootout, missed her kick to send the shootout to sudden death which resulted in Colombia's victory after Comfort Folorunsho's kick was saved by the Colombian goalkeeper Luisa Agudelo.

A place in the third-place match against Germany was scant consolation for Olowookere's team but they have gone one step farther than any of their predecessors had ever managed. It is a small step by itself but in the grand scheme of things, it is a good forecast for the future of female football in Nigeria.

Although recent results have not favoured the country's senior women's national football team, the Super Falcons, they remain the continent's most successful team. The goal of the age-range competitions as the U-17 World Cup is the development of players in preparation for responsibilities of the senior team. The promise of the Sports Ministry and the Football Federation to groom these girls as they progress in age, talent and experience portends positively for the growth of the female game in Nigeria and continued dominance on the continent and beyond. There is also the promise of another set of Flamingos to target to better the finish that Olowookere's team managed.

Olowookere

Celebrating victory against the U.S. at the quarter-final

Dare

Saving Nigeria From Devastating Floods

TheNational Emergency Management Agency of Nigeria (NEMA) was established via Act 12, as amended by Act 50 of 1999, to manage disasters in Nigeria. Yet, it is easy to assume that either the level of disaster management required for the job of tackling and ameliorating the impacts of these disasters on Nigerians is beyond the capacity of the agency or that it has not been effective in the measures that it put in place to curtail the effects of the disasters. These were the polar ideas that assailed my consciousness as I followed the coverage of the scale of this year's flooding in the media. Entire towns and cities were submerged, some up and above roof levels, as stranded citizens bewailed their predicaments to anyone who cared enough to listen. While there were places where the flood was not too deep for those affected to wade precariously through on foot, other areas where entire buildings had gone under required the employment of unregulated canoes and boats as the only means of transportation, without life jackets and vests.

The immediate dangers were all too obvious and it did not take long before news reports of capsized boats and deaths were broadcast. In some other cases, such that was prevalent in Plateau State, there was an uptick in the instances of snakebites, as these water-based reptiles competed for resources with citizens battling the attendant effects of their predicament. This regrettable story has been compounded by limited mobility and a shortage of Anti-Snake Venom (ASV), making the num ber of victims to increase.

Naturally queries have turned to causes and origins. Why has flooding become such a perennial issue to the scale that it has advanced to such devastation this year? Even victims of flooding, who experienced the impact of the 2012 floods, previously the worst recorded flooding event in Nigeria’s history, and the destruction caused by the 2021 floods, have admitted that the overall devasta tion this year has been unmatched on all levels. The images of the devastation tell the story, but those scenes are supported by data.

With no fewer than at least 20 of the 36 States in the country impacted at different levels of severity, the flood affected millions of adults and children across the states in the country, leaving hundreds of thousands displaced, according to reports.

However, the most significant statistics highlighting the queries around the alarming nature of these ruinous floods pertained to the irreplaceable loss of human lives. The official count, which traditionally falls short of the reality, puts the figure of deaths directly attributable to the floods to be over 600.

What could possibly have been at the origin of the floodwaters to cause such havoc remained on the tip of the tongues of most Nigerians, following reports of the destruction left in its wake.

In the course of carrying out its duty to inform the nation of disaster-related events, NEMA fingered the release of excess water considered surplus to requirements from the Cameroonian Lagdo Dam. The Director-General of the Agency, Mustapha Ahmed, added that even more severe flooding is expected in some states, including Adamawa, Taraba, Benue, Niger, Nasarawa, Kebbi, Kogi, Edo, Delta, Anambra, Cross River, Rivers and Bayelsa, courtesy of the dam’s reservoir.

However, the attribution of the flooding to reservoir excess from Lagdo was roundly denied by Engr. Sulei man Hussein Adamu, the Honourable Minister of Water Resources.

Adamu claimed that just one per cent of the destructive floodwaters swamped the affected states from the dam, with the assertion that as much as 80 per cent being the

result of what he uncharitably termed "blessings from God from the sky".

The minister was adamant in holding that the floods were from a predicted rise in the volume of rainfall and seemed at pain to deflect the blame from anything to do with dam waters from neighbouring Cameroon.

The rationale for his insistence may not be removed from the destruction that trailed the previous flooding of 2012 when Cameroon offloaded the dam of excess water and flooded coastal states, leaving incalculable damage to people, homes and farmlands in its wake.

The level of devastation had forced the Nigerian Govern ment to enter a Memorandum of Understanding with its Cameroonian counterparts that necessitated the latter to provide a timely heads up to the Federal Government of Nigeria before releasing reservoir waters from their dam.

Evidently Cameroon did not consider this necessary because agreements reached with Nigeria before the northern Cameroon-based Lagdo Dam, which was started in 1977 and completed in 1992, was that Nigeria was going to dam her own side of the river along the Adamawa border all the way to Rivers, Bayelsa, Delta, Edo, Anambra, Kogi and Benue States to prevent any destructions from water released downriver from the Cameroon end.

The Nigerian dam, called the Dadin Hausa Dam in Adamawa State, was actually started before it was aban doned. Forty years after the completion of the Lagdo Dam, it is still not finished and flood control measures have not been put in place to handle a duration situation where the reservoir is emptied of excess water since the destruction of 2012, even with the Minister of Water Resources’ excuse that the release of the dam water was not to be considered a factor in this year's floods.

What is not in doubt however is that, whether from the dam or from "blessings from God from the sky", the hu man role in worsening climate conditions has amplified the damage that annual rainfalls ordinarily cause.

The warnings have largely gone unheeded in many parts of the globe and we are all going to have to come to terms with rising sea levels, driven by melting glaciers and ice caps and the thermal expansion of water, which are all increasing the inundation of coastal areas with flood waters.

The circumstances are made worse by warmer tem peratures, which are causing more moisture to accu mulate in the atmosphere and get released as rain or snow. What we get therefore are flash floods from severe bursts of rain that cause mayhem and heighten the risk

of large swathes of land swallowed by the water. This is the origin of what we have witnessed in Nigeria. Yet, Nigeria is scarcely alone in the devastation.

This October, heavy rains in southeastern Austra lia forced thousands of people from their homes as floods have affected at least 16 rivers in the states of New South Wales and Victoria, as well as the island state of Tasmania with residents bracing for what is forecast to be the worst flood in 150 years.

This is the second time in 11 years that residents have had to prepare for a “one-in-100-years” flood. In Thailand, intense rain has continued to the point where 59 of the country’s 77 provinces have already been hit by floods affecting about 450,000 homes and more than 100,000 hectares of farmland and the authorities have reportedly ear marked about 23bn baht (£538m) for assistance. Some residents have described the recent storms as the worst the island had experienced in 30 years.

The story is the same across coastal countries, but the difference is the government’s response. As in the case of Thailand, where millions have been budgeted to handle relief, there is little to no demonstration of government interest in the plight of those devastated by the floods. In the most obvious show of disinterest, President Muham madu Buhari jetted off to a summit in South Korea while Nigerians in more than 21 States were reeling from the pangs of loss and destitution that the floods left them in. As the Commander in Chief, with the authority to send the military and armed forces into relief action and remedial measures, it remains unclear if the president gave a fiat order to the military to assist victims before his departure to Asia. I must however acknowledge that the Air Force swung into action a few days later taking relief materials to those in the heart of the devastation.

In my view, one of the solutions to the flooding disaster is the immediate completion of the Dadin Hausa Dam. NEMA should also comprehensively review their disaster management implementation while they must be well funded and equipped to carry out their responsibilities.

Federal and state governments must protect and defend flood plains. The building of resilient infrastructure to secure farmlands and residential areas, the construction of flood barriers, using modern designs and technology, while actual dredging of the major rivers to accommo date perennial rise in water levels with excessive rainfall must be carried out as a matter of urgency coupled with the opening of proper drainage channels across floods regions to quickly channel potential flood water and keep residences and farmlands out of harm's way.

I sympathise with the victims of the floods, especially those who lost their homes and belongings. Cases of di arrhoea and water-borne diseases, respiratory infection and skin diseases have already been on the rise.

In the northeastern states of Borno, Adamawa and Yobe alone, a total of 7,485 cases of cholera and 319 associated deaths were reported as of October 12, 2022, according to the United Nations, with 60 per cent of those in need being children. There is the threat of food scarcity in the coming months with the level of destruction of farmlands which will be terrible for an economy in the throes of inflationary conditions. Government must find a way to support all those hurt by the flooding as they rebuild their lives.

I reiterate my belief that Nigeria has all the indices to surmount all its challenges if we appoint or elect the right people into positions of authority.

“In the northeastern states of Borno, Adamawa and Yobe alone, a total of 7,485 cases of cholera and 319 associated deaths were reported as of October 12, 2022”