THEWILL NOV 21 - 27 EDITION by THEWILL NEWSPAPER

Nigeria Cannot Achieve Progress Without Restructuring – Babatope PAGE 8

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Unilever: Dividend Kenneth Okonkwo Drought Awaits THE Shareholders For CHANGE Third Year AGENT

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Price: N350

NOVEMBER 21 - NOVEMBER 27, 2021• VOL . 1 NO. 41

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#ENDSARS

FG, Lagos Stunned As Controversy Trails ‘Leaked’ Panel Report

State of The States

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

NOVEMBER 21 - NOVEMBER 27, 2021 T H E W I L L N E W S P A P E R • www.thewillnigeria.com

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COVER

#EndSARS: FG, Lagos Stunned As Controversy Trails ‘Leaked’ Panel Report BY AMOS ESELE WITH SHADE METIBOGUN

fter slightly over a year of working in the comfort of the Lagos Court of Arbitration located at 1A, Remi Olowude Street, 2nd Roundabout, Lekki-Epe Expressway, Okunde Bluewater Scheme, Lekki Peninsula, Phase 1, Lagos, members of the Lagos Judicial Panel of Inquiry on Restitution for Victims of SARS Related Abuses and Other Matters are in the hot seat of public opinion since Monday, November 15, 2021 when the panel submitted its report to the Lagos State Government. UNCERTAINTY TRAILS REPORT The report is believed to be tainted, with 40 discrepancies from the original. Only the state government’s White Paper can have the final say. A certain member of the judicial panel of inquiry was alleged to have received bribe to insert things in the report. The state government is believed to be working towards a planned and unfavourable outcome. Members of the panel, who had taken to the public to say one or two things about the report, are trading blames, engaging in endless accusations and counter-accusations and exchanging insults, even as they pledge to respect the rule of the game and await the White Paper on the report. “It is true we are not allowed to speak on the report and must await the government White Paper. But while the government is asking us to keep quiet, it is lining up its officials to talk,” Mr Ebun-Olu Adegboruwa, SAN, told THEWILL in a brief interview. He was one of the representatives of the civil society on the panel. Pressed to explain further, he asked to be allowed to finish a related statement he was writing on Friday morning and promised to email it. He fulfilled his promise before noon. The statement is titled, EndSARS Panel: I Acted On the Mandate of the Governor. The Senior Advocate of Nigeria reacted to an ongoing debate on the report by those he called government representatives, hinting that it is an officially orchestrated plan to sabotage the report. The statement, reads in part: “I have listened to the narratives of the Lagos State Government through one of its Senior Counsels on the #EndSARS panel, to the effect that Nigerians should reject the report of the panel because I signed it, since I was not present at some of its sittings. “I served on the panel on the mandate of the governor of Lagos State, who told me on telephone that I was chosen to represent CIVIL SOCIETY. I requested and approval was granted in writing, that my appointment was on a parttime basis. Furthermore, the governor told me

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that two members were chosen to represent civil society on the panel so that one of us would always be present to excuse the absence of the other. I accepted the appointment in good faith, to serve the people, to calm frayed nerves at the time and also to restore normalcy to Lagos State. So, at all times, I functioned in partnership with my colleague from civil society and there was no major sitting of the panel in which both of us were absent. “I also served on the panel free of charge, from October 19, 2020 when it was inaugurated till November 15, 2021, when it submitted its report. The government was well aware of my identity, my perspectives, my philosophies and my general convictions, at least since my university days, before it nominated me to the panel, that I will always say things the way they are. All the members of the panel acted in good faith, independently and in the fear of God Almighty. “It is therefore improper for the Lagos State Government, through its lawyer who appeared before the panel and other sponsored agents, to subject the report of the panel and indeed, the integrity of the members to media trials and attacks, all in a bid to build up the contents of its White Paper, which we can now reasonably foretell from these sponsored media attacks.

“It is, indeed, uncharitable for the same government that urged the panel not to be held down by strict rules of technicalities of law in order to unravel the real truth about the Lekki Tollgate incident, to now through its counsel, talk about alleged legal discrepancies in order to frustrate the good work of the panel that it set up. “There are documents to back up and defend the report submitted to the governor by the panel, but I have chosen to defer to His Excellency and to await the White Paper as promised because I believe that the governor meant well in setting up the panel and giving us the free hand to operate. I appeal to His Excellency to continue in that note of sincerity.” RAGING CONTROVERSY The government lawyer on the panel that Adegboruwa referred to was Mr Abiodun Jelili Owonikoko, SAN, who appeared on Arise TV last Thursday to speak on the panel’s report. Owonikoko, a private solicitor retained by the Lagos State Government on the Lagos #EndSARS panel, said, among other things, that the panel’s report he had seen was “unsigned” and going through it, he could tell it was not “an unanimous decision of the members’ position. It may well be a draft of a minority report.” THEWILLNIGERIA

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COVER Explaining further, he said he was shocked to read in the report, “particular findings with regard to 40 something victims, some of whom were described as deceased or missing and some of whom had come out to say they did not die, especially a man who came to testify at his brother’s death, to whom damages amounting to N15 million was to be awarded. Any report that had that fundamental error will not be supported by any reasonable person.” Although Owonikoko dismissed those whom he claimed said the report was unfavourable to the state government, which he said was not, he, however, argues that the government should have set up two different panels, one on #EndSARs and another one to probe the Lekki Tollgate killings. “The mistake by the government is that it should have appointed two panels. The panel was set up to address police brutality and EndSARS and in the course of its work, the Lekki incident happened. The panel’s work had to be expanded. Three members of that panel are protagonists. They are not entitled to sit on that panel. That was why they initially had dissenting opinions as soon as the tollgate incident happened. Some of them were in the position to express dispassionate opinions. The one that issued a statement, “Adegboruwa, stopped coming to sitting for five months. These people swore to an oath of fidelity, impartiality and confidentiality, not to divulge the content of proceedings anywhere, except await government reports.” Adegboruwa however disagrees with Owonikoko’s remarks that there was a minority report by a member of the panel. “There is no minority report from the panel as the report submitted to the Lagos State governor on November 15, 2021 was unanimously endorsed by all members of the panel, who worked tirelessly, day and night, to serve the government and the people, even at great risks to their health, personal safety, career and family obligations and their general well-being. “I’m very sure that members of the panel would have been lionised to the highest heavens, if we had bought into the narrative of the government before the panel that criminals, cultists, hoodlums and unknown gunmen had operated at the Lekki Tollgate on October 20, 2020,” he said, adding that some connected persons found the decisions of the panel shocking. Another member of the panel, Temitope Majekodunmi, who represented the youths, also disagrees with Owonikoko about the report’s authenticity. In a statement, last Wednesday, he admitted that there were typographical errors in the report in circulation, adding that they were corrected before the report was submitted to Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu. He said, “While others were particular about the error of name duplications, it is imperative to note that the leaked report in circulation is not far from the original, but I can confirm that the original is without all the identified errors.” LEAKED REPORT Further investigation shows that the report in THEWILLNIGERIA

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circulation was a deliberate mission. There is fear, though unsubstantiated, among some members of the panel that the government may reject some of the recommendations in the report, particularly those that appear to indict the army and police and “make the Federal Government look too brutish,” as a source puts it. By this, he meant that leaking the report was a strategic move to ensure that all the issues surrounding police brutality in Nigeria and the controversy surrounding the tollgate killings have the possibility of being resolved, if the recommendations of the panel see the light of the day. For him, the fact that Lagos is central to the EndSARS protest, considering the massive scale of destruction, the tollgate incident and its role as the commercial nerve of the country, makes the report a reference point in the country. “Many state judicial panels have since submitted their reports to their governors, but have you heard anything from them? Lagos is different. The Federal Government has constantly maintained that there was no massacre at the tollgate and the reports were fabricated. But the judicial panel’s findings do not support that view. In fact, it is explosive. The truth of the matter is that the thing is already in the public space. Any attempt to whitewash it would blow up in their faces and they would spend the remaining years of their tenure trying to defend it.” Michael Ugochukwu Stephen, aka Ruggedman, was one of the active #EndSARS protesters. Speaking to our correspondent on the ‘leaked report’, he said, “There shouldn’t be any controversy surrounding it. It was collated by the panel set up by the government. The person who leaked it must have known that there might be some discrepancies. That was why the person took that step. It shouldn’t be turned into a controversy. After all, it was collated by a constituted panel.” According to him, eyewitnesses like himself and Dj Switch, as well as all those who watched the recording of what happened during the protest know the truth.

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I’m very sure that members of the panel would have been lionised to the highest heavens, if we had bought into the narrative of the government before the panel that criminals, cultists, hoodlums and unknown gunmen had operated at the Lekki Tollgate on October 20, 2020

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“It was recorded as it was happening during the protest. We don’t need to be vindicated. We all know what happened and it cannot be changed,” he told THEWILL. Stephen also expressed hope that the much awaited White Paper would be fair and reasonable “People are watching. The whole world is watching, too. Nobody can be fooled again. I think that is the more reason the person who leaked the report did so. Just to ensure that it is already out there to avoid any type of drama later,” he said. The so-called leaked report is a 309-page document detailing terms of reference, proceedings, findings and recommendations of the Justice Doris Okuwobi -led #EndSARS judicial panel. In its reaction, the Lagos State Government called for caution and patience among members of the public. Commenting, the Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Gbenga Omotoso, said, “There have been arguments in the public space over the report. There is a need for us to restrain ourselves from nullifying the good intentions of the government in setting up this panel, which was well encouraged to do its job, a fact that was acknowledged by the panel. “In accordance with the Tribunal of Inquiry Law 2015, a committee has been set up to bring up a White Paper on the report to determine the next line of action. At the appropriate time, the government will make known its views on all the issues raised by the panel through the release of a White Paper.” Meanwhile, the state government has set up a four-member committee led by the AttorneyGeneral and Commissioner for Justice, Moyosore Onigbanjo, SAN, to work on the report before it issues a White Paper on it. Other members of the committee are the Commissioner for Youths and Social Development, Segun Dawodu; Special Adviser to the Governor on Works and Infrastructure, Engr. Aramide Adeyoye and Permanent Secretary, Cabinet Office, Tolani Oshodi. OTHER REACTIONS FOR AND AGAINST Meanwhile, the United States of America, the United Nations and United Kingdom have called on the Federal Government to ensure that those found culpable in connection with the #EndSARS protest were held accountable and punished. The Army and Police authorities have indicated their intention to speak on the findings of the Judicial Panel only after the state government has issued a White Paper on it. President Muhammadu Buhari has also promised to look into the panel reports from the states as soon as the Federal Government received them through the National Economic Council. He told visiting U.S Secretary of State, Anthony Bliken, at the State House in Abuja last week that the government was awaiting the submission of panel reports by state governments. The National Economic Council had on October 19, 2020 directed all states to set up Judicial Panels of Inquiry on police brutality. PAGE 5

NOVEMBER 21 - NOVEMBER 27, 2021 T H E W I L L N E W S P A P E R • www.thewillnigeria.com

NEWS Gov. Abiodun Releases N2bn To Pay Deductions From Workers’ Wages FROM SEGUN AYINDE •Increases quarterly pension payment to N1bn quarterly

s part of efforts to address the plight of workers and pensioners in Ogun State, Governor Prince Dapo Abiodun on Friday released 2 billion Naira for four months to offset part of Global Cooperative deductions, a debt profile inherited from the past administration. He also promised to settle the rest of the deductions by releasing one billion naira quarterly until all the deductions made are defrayed. Similarly, he released another 1 billion Naira for state and local government pensioners’ gratuities.

L-R; President Muhammadu Buhari; Minister of Labour and Employment, Sen. Chris Ngige; Chief Mbazulike Amaechi; Bishop Sunday Onuoha and Barrister Goody Uwazurike, during Igbo leaders visit to the President at the State House, Abuja on 19/11/2021.

The new gratuities is a 100 percent increment from the earlier quarterly payment of N500m he had earlier commenced last year.

Obasanjo Calls for Made-in-Africa Products, Promotion of Intra-African Trade

Chairman, Trade Union Congress, Ogun State branch, Comrade Akeem Lasisi, disclosed these at a press conference after a meeting between the leaders of Labour and Pensioners’ Unions and Governor Dapo Abiodun at the Governor’s Office, OkeMosan, Abeokuta.

JOY ONUORAH

JOY ONUORAH WITH AGENCY REPORT

ormer President Olusegun Obasanjo has called for the creation of an emblematic made-in-Africa brand that will promote intra-African trade and consequently boost the international export of African products. Obasanjo made the call at the end of the third day of the ongoing IntraAfrican Trade Fair 2021 (IATF2021) in Durban, South Africa. The IATF2021 attended physically and virtually will end November 21. Speaking at a conversation session that marked the highlight of the day, Obasanjo told the audience that having a Made-inAfrica brand would instill a sense of pride in each African country. He added that the African Continental Free Trade Agreement (AfCFTA) was working to remove the divisions that were brought about by colonialism, where Africa had been divided into regions based on the languages of the colonisers. According to him, the shared vision of IATF2021 participants and the traders

at the Trade Fair is what will bring the AfCFTA to life. “I have been impressed by the interaction of people at the IATF. People are working together, and this creates the environment in which miracles can happen,” Obasanjo declared. Earlier, during a morning panel session with the theme ‘Integrating African manufacturers into regional and global value chains’, Ms Gwen Mwaba, Afreximbank’s Director and Global Head for Trade Finance, said that Africa had an abundance of ideas. She, however, said that Africa did not have the know-how to convert ideas into viable and profitable businesses, resulting in lost intellectual property. Describing the challenge as three pronged, Mwaba said, “Africans have a plethora of good ideas that are not followed-up”. “For those that are followed up, the good ideas are not sustained; and the few good ideas that are followed-up and sustained are often not rigorously maintained.”

One Dies, One Injured in Ogun Auto Crash FROM SEGUN AYINDE

ne person has died, while another sustained varying degrees of injuries in an auto crash that occurred around Daboore axis of the Sagamu/Abeokuta Expressway area of Ogun State. The crash involved a brown DAF tanker with Reg no SMK703XB and a white IVECO FIAT truck with unknown registration number. An eyewitness account said the cause of the crash was as a result of over speeding on the part of the IVECO FIAT truck driver who ran into the DAF tanker from the rear while on motion. The spokesperson of the Ogun State Traffic Compliance and Enforcement Corps(TRACE), Babatunde Akinbiyi, confirmed this to newsmen in a statement in Abeokuta.

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Jehovah’s Witnesses To Host Special Worldwide Campaign

Akinbiyi said the crash occurred due to excessive speed on the part of the IVECO FIAT truck driver who collided into the other truck from the back. He said that five occupants were involved in the accident, where one person sustained injuries and the other person reportedly died. The TRACE Spokesperson said that the injured had been taken to FMC, Idi-Aba, Abeokuta, for prompt treatment He added that the corpse of the deceased had been deposited at the morgue of the State Hospital, Ijaiye, Abeokuta. The accidental vehicle had been towed from the road while the traffic which was formerly affected had returned to normalcy.

ehovah’s Witnesses are set to host a worldwide campaign themed, ‘A Better World Is Near’. This special campaign will focus attention on the Bible’s hope for a better world and will feature the distribution of a special edition of the ‘Watchtower’ magazine containing the cover series ‘A Better World Is Near’. Lagos will be one of the thousands of communities around the globe that will receive the message of hope this November. For this purpose, more than 36 million printed copies of the magazine will be distributed in 230 languages, to communities in 240 lands around the globe.

According to the TUC Chairman, “we had a fruitful meeting with the governor today. “I am glad to inform you that he has directed the immediate release of N1bn for the payment of gratuiities and that N1bn will be released on quarterly basis for the Pensioners. As at today, four months of global deductions has been paid and the governor also promised to do this on quarterly basis” he explained. Lasisi also said the Governor has promised that promotion letters for 2O18 will be fully implemented by the new year while promotion entitlement for 2019 would commence by March next year.

Also, the digital publication will be made available on various platforms in nearly 400 languages. “There is so much despair and nothing can be as refreshing as a message of hope,” said Olusegun Eroyemi, Nigerian spokesman for Jehovah’s Witnesses. “That is the central theme of Jesus’ gospel. A better world is indeed near.” The magazine addresses the age-old “doomsday” question: Is this world going to end? It provides comforting answers from the Bible that may surprise some readers. According to Olusegun, while some religions have predicted an “end of the world,” the magazine reveals the Bible’s clear message, which is that the earth is here forever and will never end. He however explains that the magazine clarifies that the Bible promises an end to injustice by quoting from the book of Psalms where it states that eventually, wicked people will no longer plague the earth— Psalm 37:10. This positive message has been the hope of millions around the world who have prayed for God’s Kingdom to come. Forty-three year old Ngozi Ossai, who felt life was worthless, now says “Isaiah 53:5.6 has given me a reason to live. I have inner joy because I no longer see my physical disability as a hindrance to enjoying a meaningful life.” The ‘Watchtower’ has been carrying the message about God’s Kingdom for more than 100 years and remains the most widely translated and circulated magazine in the world. THEWILLNIGERIA

PLHA Speaker Denies Resignation Rumour UKANDI ODEY, JOS

he Speaker of the Plateau State House of Assembly, Abok Nuhu Ayuba, has denied a rumour peddled by a reactionary and manipulated section of the House that he resigned his position as Speaker. Abok has described the information as false and baseless and the handiwork of some detractors and mischief makers who are bent on misinforming and misleading the public. Abok said he had never been impeached or removed from office by any means and wondered who he would have addressed such a resignation letter to. “It is forged. They have been asking me to do that, but I will never resign because I was not impeached in the first place. If I have to resign, I will do so publicly,” he noted in a statement released in Jos. THEWILL recalls that the Plateau State House of Assembly has been in crisis, no thanks to the executive allegedly determined to change the leadership of the House at all costs. This led to seven out of 24 members coming together at unofficial hours to ‘impeach’ the speaker and they were hosted at Government House with a pledge to work and cooperate with the new but embattled ‘leadership’. THEWILLNG

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NOVEMBER 21 - NOVEMBER 27, 2021 T H E W I L L N E W S P A P E R • www.thewillnigeria.com

POLITICS INEC, Parties in Early Preparation For Ekiti, Osun Governorship Elections

three-man ad-hoc ward delegates have been scheduled to hold from January 7 to January 8, 2022, adding that local government congresses to elect national delegates would take place on January 15, 2022. The party also said it would commence the sale of forms for the 2022 Osun State governorship election on November 22, 2021. It stated that the deadline for the sale of the forms for the election, slated for July 16, 2022, would end on December 10, 2021. The PDP National Organising Secretary, Austin Akobundu, disclosed this in a statement titled ‘Osun Governorship Election: PDP to Commence Sale of Forms November 22.’ It reads in part, “Under the revised timetable for activities leading to the primary election as approved by the National Working Committee (NWC), the last day for submission of forms has been fixed for Friday, December 17, 2021. “Screening of Aspirants is scheduled for Tuesday, January 11, 2022, at the National Secretariat, while appeals on screening have been slated for Wednesday, January 26, 2022. “Ward congresses to elect 3-man ad-hoc delegates have been fixed for Wednesday, February 16 to Thursday, February 17, 2022, while Local Government Congress for election of one National Delegate and one person living with disability per Local Government has been scheduled for Saturday, February 26, 2022. “The publication of delegates’ list has been scheduled for Saturday, March 5, 2022, while the Governorship Primary for the election is scheduled for Monday, March 7, 2022. Appeals on the governorship primary will be taken on Thursday, March 10, 2022”. Meanwhile, aspirants that have shown interest for the Ekiti governorship position under the PDP include the former Senate Minority Leader, Senator Biodun Olujimi and eight other female aspirants. The others are Mrs. Olumide Ojo Olukemi Olubunmi from Ido/ Osi Council Area of the state, Chief Mrs. Arogundade Olutoyin from Ekiti East Local Government and Princess Adekemi Adewunmi from Efon Local Government. Adesoye (Ado), Mrs. Titilayo Owolabi Akerele (Ikole), Mrs. Modupe Asaolu (Ekiti South West) and Mrs. Deborah Alo ( Ido/ Osi).

Yakubu

The nine female aspirants were among other people (17 in all) that have so far obtained nomination forms and undergone screening at the National Secretariat of the PDP.

BY AYO ESAN

ollowing the successful conclusion of the Anambra State governorship election, which took place between November 6 and 9, 2021, attention has now shifted to two off–cycle elections coming up in June and July 2022 in Ekiti and Osun States, respectively.

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) had earlier this year announced June 18, 2022 as the date for the Ekiti State Governorship Election and July 16, 2022 as the date for the Osun State Governorship Election. In announcing the date, INEC said the tenure of the incumbent governor of Ekiti State, Dr. Kayode Fayemi will end on October 15, 2022. The timetable of the election, which was extracted from the INEC website also revealed that the conduct of party primaries, including the resolution of disputes arising from the primaries, will take place between January 4 and 29, 2022. Other details on the timetable of the next year’s governorship election in Ekiti include: Publications of personal particulars of candidates (EC9) by the Commission, February 11, 2022; last day for withdrawal by candidate(s)/replacement of withdrawn candidate(s) by political parties, February 25, 2021 and the last day for submission of Nomination Form (EC13B) by political parties, March 11, 2022 Political parties, according to INEC, will begin a public campaign on March 20, 2022, while the last date for campaigns by political parties and their candidates is June 16, 2022. This will be preceded by the publication of the final list of nominated candidates by the Commission in May, 2022.

on INEC’s website, the conduct of party primaries, including resolution of disputes arising from the primaries, is scheduled to take place between February 16 and March 12, 2022, while the last day for withdrawal by candidates/replacement of withdrawn candidates by political parties will end by April 8, 2022. Campaigns by the political parties and their candidates will start on April 17, 2022 and end on July 14, 2022. The announcement of the dates for the governorship elections has spurred the hitherto sleeping states into action as politicians across the nooks and crannies of the two states have woken up from slumber induced by the worsening insecurity across the country. Caucus meetings across party divides are already taking place and governorship aspirants are making their intentions known. They are already on their guard and preparing for the elections that will determine those who will succeed the incumbent governors. While Fayemi is on his second and final term, Oyetola on the other hand is constitutionally entitled to a second term of four years after his first tenure. Political analysts and watchers of political developments in Ekiti and Osun believe the elections will be two-horse races between the candidates of the ruling All Progressive Congress (APC) and the main opposition party, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). PDP’s Preparation The Peoples Democratic Party has released its timetable and schedule of activities in early preparation for the June 18, 2022 governorship election in Ekiti State. Speaking through its National Publicity Secretary, Kola Ologbondiyan, the party said the sale of expression of interest and nomination forms commenced on September 13 and ended September 30.

INEC has also announced Saturday July 16, 2022 as the date of the governorship election in Osun State. The tenure of the current governor of the state, Alhaji Gboyega Oyetola, will end on November 26, 2022.

Ologbondiyan noted that the party’s National Working Committee had concluded the screening of aspirants while appeals on the screening exercise were ongoing.

Also, according to the election timetable obtained by THEWILL

The PDP spokesman stated that the party’s congresses to elect a

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Speaking, Olujimi said her decision to join the governorship race was borne out of a desire to salvage Ekiti State from the woods through selfless service to the people, irrespective of their social status. The lawmaker, representing Ekiti South Senatorial District, said she decided to throw the hat into the ring, following calls from the downtrodden, traditional rulers and eminent sons and daughters of the state. Olujimi claimed that she had the quality and experience required to harness the vast state’s resources for productive and developmental purposes, adding that her political and public sector experiences had prepared her for the job. She said she joined the governorship race to turnaround the fortunes of the state by revolutionising all the sectors of governance with focus on the masses and if elected, she would reposition Ekiti for economic prosperity by creating an environment for industry to thrive with a better approach to taxation that will reduce dependence on federation allocations. APC’s Preparation The All Progressives Congress has equally released the schedule of activities and timetable for the Ekiti and Osun governorship elections. The National Secretary, Caretaker/Extraordinary Convention Planning Committee (CECPC) of the party, John Akpanudodehe, said the announcement is in accordance with the provisions of the Electoral Act 2010 (as amended) and INEC guidelines. According to him, for Ekiti, the notice of election to the state chapter of the party was scheduled for Monday November 15 and the sale of forms at the party’s National Secretariat is fixed for Tuesday, November 16. “The last day for submission of completed forms and accompanying documents (National Secretariat) is Tuesday January 11, while the screening of aspirants is scheduled for Thursday, January 13. •Continues on page 10

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POLITICS/INTERVIEW

Nigeria Cannot Achieve Progress Without Restructuring – Babatope T

he PDP recently held its national convention where new members of the National Working Committee were elected. How was the convention? It was a good convention that we had. In spite of the division in the party, everything went well. We thank God for that. What is your charge to the newly elected NWC members? My charge to them is that we are having a presidential election in two years time and we believe we are going to win the election. They must do everything within their powers to ensure that comes to fruition. The party has made up its mind that it is going to set up some committees that will work for peace and harmony within the party. I support this and I want them to also support reconciliation and peace moves. I know that the new Chairman of the party, Dr Iyorchia Ayu, will do very well to ensure that that comes to fruition. Then we can work together to win the forthcoming election. Why are you so optimistic that the PDP will win the 2023 presidential election? I am optimistic. That is why all of us are striving hard to achieve unity and harmony within the party. We are very determined to win the election because we know that for some years now, Nigerians have been suffering. They have suffered enough and we want to put an end to their suffering. We want to move the people forward. The PDP chairmanship was zoned to the North and southerners believe the presidency should be zoned to the South. What is your take on this? As far as I am concerned, political parties are meant to do the best for the people. And we should all put our hearts together and speak with one voice. I believe the PDP is going to win. I believe in the people and I believe they deserve to be governed by fair-minded leaders. There will be governorship elections in Ekiti and Osun States in 2022. What are the chances of the PDP in those elections? In Osun State, we are very ready. If you have been following events through the newspapers, you will know that we have put our house in order. A former chairman of the state chapter of the PDP, Soji Adagunodo, was recently elected as the new National Vice-Chairman of the party in the South-West. So we are determined to end the election successfully. How would you assess President Muhammadu

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Buhari’s government in the last six years? As far as I am concerned, we are opposed to the All Progressives Congress and Buhari. We don’t want them to win any election. I can’t give Buhari a pass mark because his government is a failure. We are determined to push the party out of Aso Rock in 2023. What is your reaction to the ongoing insecurity across the country? The situation is quite appalling. It is pathetic that Nigeria has gradually become a country where human lives and properties are no longer secure. It was not like this before. Every patriotic citizen is worried, especially the elderly. The nation is seriously bleeding. I hope that President Muhammmadu Buhari will rise to the occasion because the buck stop at his table. There is insecurity everywhere and this is very sad. The situation has never been this bad. Nigerians can no longer move about freely due to the activities of bandits, kidnappers and other criminal elements, who seem have taken over the space and are now making life very uncomfortable and harsh for law abiding citizens. Nobody is safe. Today travelling across the country today has become a nightmare and very dangerous. Before we got to this terrible state, we started by rigging elections. Later insurgency, banditry and kidnapping followed. Here we are today with the situation getting worse by the day. Nigeria needs divine intervention urgently. This is not the Nigeria envisioned by her founding fathers. With what is happening in the country, ordinary Nigerians are getting really scared. Nobody is even sure of what will happen in 2023 or before we get there. The situation is very frightening and this is why we need divine intervention. The situation was not as bad as this when the PDP was in power. I am very sure that, come 2023, if the presidential election is free and fair, the PDP will bounce back because Nigerians now have an opportunity to make a comparison between the PDP and APC. They now know the difference. On our part, we in the PDP have learnt our lessons. What is your advice to the Federal Government on the prevailing insecurity? The government must commit itself to free and fair elections. Once we have that, everything will go well for the country. The problem we have in this country is the absence of an electoral umpire that will ensure that elections are free and fair. Let us have that and we will know where we are going. Some people believe that the creation of state police is one of the best ways to tackle Nigeria’s security challenges. Do you agree with them? The state police will help. I don’t see anything wrong in having state police, if that will be a democratic solution to our security problems. If it will help us to achieve peace and also help us to toe the path of true federalism, let’s go ahead with it. But I think what is important is for all of us to know that we are all Nigerians and we should ensure, as much as possible, that we have a safe country for all of us to live in.

Babatope

A former Minister of Transport and member of the Board of Trustees of the Peoples Democratic Party, Chief Ebenezer Babatope, speaks on issues affecting the PDP and Nigeria, in this interview with AYO ESAN. Excerpts:

“

We must redefine the federal nature of our country. We must examine our commitment to the Federal system of government. We need to restructure the country. If we don’t do this, we cannot make progress

How do you assess the Federal Government’s current efforts to restore sanity in the country? The insecurity is a terrible and frightening situation. The Federal Government should increase what it is doing and ensure there is peace in the country so that we will have a country we can call our own. Frankly speaking, I am more than 70 years-old and I do not want to be a citizen of another country. Having said this, Nigeria must remain one indivisible and united country. The Federal Government should intensify its efforts to restore peace in the country. Some Nigerians have said that the 2023 general election may not hold, if the government fails to find a lasting solution to insecurity. What is your take on this? I won’t pray for that. I will pray for the continuity of the country in a manner that it will make the people to have rights to participate in elections and elect those who will govern them. Also I pray for a situation that will make them to be happy to do so. The National Assembly recently adopted direct primary as the means of choosing candidates for elections. What is your position on this? The development is not a bad one. But what I know is THEWILLNIGERIA

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POLITICS/INTERVIEW Ogun Assembly Demands Arrest Of Nollywood Actor, Hassan, Over Olu Of Imobi Stool STORIES FROM SEGUN AYINDE gun State House of Assembly has requested the arrest of a Nollywood actor, Goriola Hassan, within 14 days, for unlawfully parading himself as the king elect of Imobi in Ijebu East Local Government Area of the State

The demand for his arrest follows the presentation of the report of the House Committee on Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs by its Chairman, Hon. Bolanle Ajayi at the plenary session presided over by the Speaker, Hon Olakunle Oluomo. Ajayi who later moved the motion for its adoption, seconded by Hon. Ganiyu Oyedeji and supported by all the lawmakers through a voice at the Assembly Complex, Oke-Mosan, Abeokuta, also accused Hassan of converting a government building to his private use. He said that the actor disobeyed the orders of constituted authority to stop parading himself as the Olu of Imobi, and that his activities had been causing tension that could lead to serious crisis among Imobi indigenes if not check. The chairman of the committee however affirmed that the Onitasin of Itasin remained the only King and prescribed authority in Imobi Land and had not granted such consent to Hassan Ajayi in the committee’s recommendations directed that directed that the government building- Community Dispensary House - at Fotedo, which was Imobi earlier converted to private use by him to be taken over by the community and he should be declared wanted and handed over to the security agencies for presentation before the Assembly accordingly. The lawmaker through its committee also enjoined the ministry of Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs to take necessary steps to ensure that the said Hassan to stop parading himself as a monarch in the area. Recalled that the Assembly had earlier extended three separate invitations to Goriola on Tuesday, 10th August, 17th August and Thursday, 2nd September, 2021 respectively all of which he failed to appear to respond to allegations levelled against him by the members of the Imobi Descendants’ Union, Imobi Ijebu Development Association, the Baales of the 36 villages in Imobi at the instance of the lawmakers.

Gov. Abiodun Appoints New Attorney General

that whether you adopt direct or indirect primary, the important thing is the total commitment of the people in government toward ensuring there is free and fair election. Nigerians want free and fair elections. If future elections are not free and fair election, whatever way we conduct primaries will be useless.

Nigeria recently celebrated 61 years of independence. How do we move forward as a nation? All of us should be committed to having one Nigeria. God will help us in that process.

What about the Independent National Electoral Commission? I hope the INEC will give us free and fair elections. I hope they will do that in 2023.

The Southern Governors Forum have insisted that the next President must come from the South. Northern governors and political leaders are also saying that the position must go to the North. How do you see these contradicting demands? As far as I am concerned, the PDP, by the Grace of God, will solve the problem. It’s a question of what to do with our federalism. That is why Afenifere is saying we need to restructure. When you restructure, other things will be added. What I meant by restructuring is the redefining of our federal system. It is very important.

Do you think Afenifere is right to insist on restructuring before the 2023 general elections? The position of Afenifere is very good. We must redefine the federal nature of our country. We must examine our commitment to the Federal system of government. We need to restructure the country. If we don’t do this, we cannot make progress. So Afenifere is saying the right thing and I support them wholeheartedly.

Chief Bode George recently said it will be difficult for anybody above 70 years to perform well as Nigerian President. Do you agree with him? I have not seen Bode in recent time to know his comments. But George is a politician that has committed his total life to the survival of democracy in Nigeria. I know that people above 70 are also Nigerians and they have the right to aspire to become president.

What is your advice to the electorate as we moved towards 2023? They should be careful. They should be committed to the workings of democracy.

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overnor Dapo Abiodun of Ogun State has approved the appointment of Mr. Oluwasina Olanrewaju Ogungbade as the new the Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice of the state. The Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Kunle Somorin, made the announcement in a statement in Abeokuta. Mr. Ogungbade, 48, before his appointment, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) designate, hails from Abeokuta North Local Government, and studied Law at the Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile Ife, Osun State and was called to the Nigerian Bar in 2000. “He is currently a Deputy Managing Partner at Afe Babalola and Co and comes with vast litigation, advocacy and commercial law experience garnered over two decades with leading law firms like GOK Ajayi & Co and Ebun Adegboruwa & Co, among others.. “He has appeared as lead counsel in over 50 appeals decided at the Court of Appeal and the Supreme Court of Nigeria and was a counsel for Nigeria at the International Centre for Settlement of Investment Dispute (ICSID,.” the statement said. The Commissioner designate will soon appear before the State House of Assembly for the statutory screening and confirmation.

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POLITICS

It’s Southern C’River’s Turn To Produce Next Governor – Bassey The Chairman of the Cross River State Caucus in the National Assembly, Senator Gershom Bassey, speaks with BASSEY ANIEKAN on issues affecting the state and Nigeria as a whole

Is your governorship ambition still on course and can you match the powers that be financially and otherwise? That is an old politically motivated story. Go and ask again. My empowerment programmes, inflows to the state and generosity are unparalleled. That is why after my consultations, if I decide to run it will be with or without zoning. It will be based primarily on my record, qualification and capacity. We will match anybody naira for naira, dollar for dollar. If they go to get money from Bill Gates to fight, we will go to Jeff Bezos and Elon Musk in response. The next Governor will be from the south.

What have members of the National Assembly from Cross River State contributed to the development of the state? I’m sure that all the legislators themselves can answer this question positively. Soon I will publish my scorecard for the 8th and 9th assemblies. It will give a full account of my activities. I am sure that you will give me an A after evaluating it.

The Southern Senatorial District, which you represent,

Zoning is about equity and a moral persuasion, which I believe is now due to the south. But if other zones feel otherwise, I’m prepared to contest at the primaries and general election against anybody. It amuses me to hear insinuations that the south is not prepared, the south is lazy and broke and it does not have the financial muscle to run an election. Donald Duke, a major stakeholder in the south is reported to have spoken against zoning. Will this work against the south? That’s an old interview. His current position has changed. He supports the Southern Senatorial District.

he National Assembly recently approved another tranche of foreign loans to President Muhammadu Buhari without relevant details. What is your take on this? We have the relevant details and the committee duly scrutinised the MDA’s justification over the funds before making recommendations to the Senate.

Senator Sandy Onor is threatening to contest that same position despite the zoning arrangement. Are you bothered by this? Don’t single out Sandy. There are many contestants or potential contestants and I welcome them all.

Lalong

The 2023 governorship election is in the front burner in Cross River, particularly as regards the issue of zoning. What is your take on zoning? Zoning is a moral and equity-based question and resolution passed by the PDP caucus. One leg of that resolution was zoning the governorship seat to the northern part of the state in 2015. Now, the second leg is zoning the seat to the southern part and this must also be implemented.

support in every community across the state. I have what it takes to run the governorship race.

is largely expected to produce the next governor of the state based on zoning. Is the district relying solely on zoning? The south does not depend on zoning and I do not depend on zoning. I am ready to match anybody from anywhere, regardless of their zone. I have the guts and the grassroots

Do you have what it takes to turn the fortunes of Cross River State around as governor? As I had earlier said, if I decide to run, my record qualification, capacity and unparalleled empowerment programmes within the state will speak for me, regardless of the opposition. I have the state’s blueprint and I know where and how to turn the fortunes of our dear state around, if given the mandate. I implore my supporters across the State to be calm. I will continue to engage every stakeholder I need to engage.

...Preparation For Ekiti, Osun Governorship Elections •Continued from page 7

victory even before the election. What can the PDP in particular campaign for or will say against our able Governor Oyetola?

malfunctioned BVAS and the time it took INEC technical staff to fix the technical glitches.

“Primary election will take place on Saturday January 22, while election appeal will be held on Wednesday January 26.

“As we can see, Oyetola is not just in the Bola Ige House for nothing. He has touched the lives of so many people. And it can be corroborated. I mean it is evident that you can see a governor that is prepared to work. That governor is not even bothered about publicity. We thank God that we have him and we know we will win”.

“For Osun, the notice of election to the state chapter and sale of forms were s scheduled for Wednesday, November 17 and Thursday, November 18, respectively.

Also speaking with THEWILL, the South-West Secretary of the PDP, Mr. Rahman Owokoniran, said the PDP will win both elections in Osun and Ekiti.

In its report on the Anambra election, Yiaga Africa said, “In 45 per cent of the polling units, the system malfunctioned at some point during the accreditation. The BVAS was replaced in 1 per cent of polling units and fixed in 39 per cent of polling units. In 5 per cent of polling units, the BVAS malfunctioned but was not fixed or replaced. In 3 per cent of polling units, the presiding officers resorted to manual accreditation of voters in contravention of INEC guidelines and regulations.

“The last day for submission of completed forms and accompanying documents (National Secretariat) is Friday, February 18, 2022 and the screening of aspirants will take place on Tuesday, February 22, 2022.

“The two states are traditionally PDP states. We lost them to APC due to internal wrangling. Now that peace and unity is being achieved, we are sure of victory in the two elections coming up next year”, he said.

“The publication of claims and objections and screening appeals are scheduled for February 25 and February 28, 2022, respectively.

INEC’s Preparation The Independent National Electoral Commission has reiterated its resolve to improve on the two off-cycle elections coming up next year.

“The publication of claims and objections is slated Monday, January 17 and screening appeals will take place on Wednesday, January 19.

“Primary election comes up on March 5, while election appeal will be held on Thursday, March 10, 2022.” According to the APC, the total cost of forms is N22.5 million. Both the nomination form and the expression of interest form cost N20 million and N2.5 million, respectively.

The electoral umpire said it would continue the use of the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS), which was used in Anambra election but with some lapses.

The party also said that female aspirants and physically challenged aspirants would pay 50 per cent of the prescribed fees.

By replacing Smart Card Readers with the BVAS, INEC intends to enhance the integrity of the electoral process by introducing additional checks to ensure that only eligible voters could cast ballots on Election Day.

Speaking with THEWILL, the APC Director of Publicity in Osun State, Mr. Kunle Oyatomi, said, “APC is one of the parties that will participate in the governorship election of next year. We are overwhelmed by the support we are getting from all the corners of this state, which shows glaringly that the APC is cruising to

In Anambra, the BVAS was used throughout the accreditation of voters in 95 per cent of polling units. However, in practice and as observed by election observers, BVAS malfunctioned and slowed the process, resulting in long queues and extended waiting time for voters. Some voters were discouraged from voting due to the

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“The 2021 INEC manual for election officials clearly states that where the BVAS for replacement is not available by 2.30 pm, the presiding officers should inform the voters and polling agents that accreditation and voting for the affected polling unit shall continue the following day. Yiaga Africa notes that the commission did not adhere to this procedure in the polling units where the BVAS did not accredit the voters. Yiaga Africa expresses concern with INEC’s framework for adopting new electoral technologies, as the BVAS, though a valuable tool for electoral integrity, fell short of expectations. “Yiaga Africa notes the value of adopting new technologies to enhance the credibility of the electoral process, including the introduction of the INEC Results Viewing Portal (IREV) to improve the transparency of the results declared at the polling units. “Yiaga Africa commends INEC for deploying the portal for the election and further recommends that INEC reviews the portal to make the interface user-friendly and provide electoral results data in a usable format to facilitate citizens’ monitoring of the announcement of election results.” Political observers and analysts believe INEC will correct the observed lapses in the Anambra governorship election before the next year’s elections. THEWILLNIGERIA

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POLITICS

The Women Who Said NO Mrs Nworah, 41-year-old school teacher, confirmed Mrs Menkiti’s reference to the awareness of their rights as a source of their political action after the NGO sensitised the community on the girl-child rights. “Mrs Menkiti and another group, Hope Giver, worked in our community, but her organisation worked long enough to prevent our decision to marry off any girl who got pregnant to the man, whether he is 100 years-old or younger. She kept insisting on knowing our rights. That was how we organised and I became the leader of the women. When we make some decisions we usually approach the Igwe and he would listen to us.” She said According to her, a few days to the election the traditional ruler of the community comprising eight villages, Eze Chris Nnaegunna, summoned the women and agreed to their decision to reject any bribe.

Obiano & Mrs. Onuegbusi

“That was how we met and made a decision on Soludo and APGA and rejected money from the party that wanted to give us N5,000. If we sold our consciences, we would not be able to talk about our rights again.”

Nworah

When asked why they pitched tent with Soludo and no other party candidate, she waxed philosophical: “We just believed he is the right person. That is how God wants it. You could not have located me for this interview if it was not meant to be.”

BY AMOS ESELE ote buying in Nigeria has become a political culture, devised, nurtured and sustained by politicians, particularly of the Fourth Republic, that any break from the norm seizes the popular imagination as odd. They are so brazen about it that they openly display video shots of their illegality, which often go viral on social media.

But the one that went viral on social media during and after the November 6, governorship election in Anambra State was so counterintuitive that it is still trending and attracting salutation on different platforms, just as public discussions are being held to eulogise the women who individually and collectively rejected the idea of selling their votes and voting, according to their conscience. In the personal example is Mrs. Eunice Ngozi Onuegbusi from Amagu village in Dunukofia Local Government Area of Anambra State and in the crowd example are women from Ebenebe Community who, at separate voting places, boldly refused all entreaties, pressures and enticements to sell their votes and voted for the candidates of their choice among the candidates from the 18 political parties that participated in the off-season election won by Prof Charles Soludo of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA). Mrs. Onuegbusi had gone to cast her vote in Ward 1, polling unit 04 in Dunukofia LGA when she was approached by a party agent who offered her the sum of N5,000 to vote for his candidate. According to her, she made the decision based on personal experience. “APC has done too many bad things to us,” she was heard saying in Igbo in the viral video, as she rejected the N5,000 while waiting to take her turn on the voting queue. She had insisted on voting for APGA. But for Ebenebe, an agrarian community, it was a long journey in over three years of community interface with an NGO, Women Information Network (WINET). Executive Director of the group, Mrs. Miriam Menkiti, told THEWILL that Ebenebe was a WINET project community for three years. Although their advocacy was towards child rights issues, to highlight child rights over early marriage leading the community leader to make a proclamation against it, the spin-off from the meeting was that the community became more sensitised about their rights. She said, “We had been working with the community on THEWILLNIGERIA

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and off since 2019 not specifically on voting rights, but girl-child marriage. Here, once you get pregnant you may be married off. So, young girls were affected. Through the project, during which we educated them on the Child Rights Act, we were able to make them stop it and the community leader issued a proclamation.” According to her, the three-year project, however, enabled them to “know their rights and assert it and say things exactly as it is.” For her stand, she has been rewarded materially by Governor Willie Obiano. He gave her a cash reward of N1million at a church service held to commemorate her bravery. “Madam Eunice knew that though money could buy her temporary relief, Anambra would be a better place if she voted according to her conscience,” said the governor. Obiano added in a political tone, “Our victory belongs to our loyal party men and women, who resisted temptations of financial inducement from rival parties to fight under the banner of APGA, because they knew that victory for APGA is a victory for the ordinary citizens of our dear state.” For the women of Ebenebe, who rejected vote-selling, it was a matter of principle. Speaking to THEWILL, Women leader of Ebenebe Town Union Women’s Wing, Mrs. Favour Nworah, said they had had enough of broken promises by past administrations in the state and decided to fall in line with Soludo once he swore that he would rebuild the community’s broken basic infrastructure, particularly roads. “It is not about money. What we need is someone to fix our road so we can move our farm produce like plantain, tapioca, rice. There was a time when buyers for our garri (cassava flour) used to come from Port Harcourt. They don’t come any more. Because of the bad roads, our women pay up to N200 per trip to commercial motorcycle operators. That is too much for them.” Video clips of the community by Signature TV showed a typical rural setting that still survives on subsistence farming surrounded with greenery, with all the hallmarks of poverty, non-existence of basic infrastructure like potable water, clinic, tarred roads and electricity. From their reasons adduced for rejecting the bribe, it was easy to see the genuineness of their insistence on voting for a particular candidate after extracting commitment from him.

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Asked if she and her officials were aware that Governor Obiano had rewarded Mrs Onuegbusi for performing the same feat as theirs, she did not feel disturbed by the story as she insisted that all they wanted was to ensure their community was made habitable. “There is no amount of money we need. We just want our roads fixed and clinics running so our women do not have to go very far to get help,” she said. She also stated that her advocacy was beyond the community, now that what they planned for the election had worked out. She disclosed that at a time vote-buyers increased the offer to N10,000 and they still rejected them. When asked what the way forward was, Mrs. Nworah, who disclosed that she was speaking from Abuja where she was billed to receive an award on Thursday, said she would take the campaign on women knowing and insisting on their rights, throughout Awka North Local Government Area. “It is good for women to know their rights and defend them.” She also appealed for media support to ensure that issues affecting women are given sufficient attention by the government, adding that continued reportage of the Ebenebe matter, for example, would keep Soludo on his toes to deliver on his promises for the community. In his reaction, Eze Nnaegbunna reportedly explained why he gave support to the women of his community. According to him, the only road leading to the community had remained incomplete since May 1, 2007 when it was flagged-off by the then Governor Peter Obi. The women identified with someone they thought would make a huge impact in their lives. “We voted for APGA and Soludo. As women we thought that if we sold our conscience we would not be able to take any stand on our rights again,” said Mrs. Nworah, who revealed that she was not afraid of any form of attack, adding that she too understood politics. Further investigation showed that Soludo’s campaign train was able to articulate its manifesto in a way that captured the imagination of the women to discern and identify with his message. Against the background of allegation by Situation Room, an election observer group and former Governor Peter Obi during the election, the feat by these women stands not only as a symbol of personal and group conviction but also as a real possibility that the anti-democratic, vote-buying monster illegality can be tamed.

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EDITORIAL

Time For Women’s Inclusion in Political Process

he InterParliamentary Union (I PU)’s recent ranking of women in parliaments, which scored Nigeria 179 out of 187 countries worldwide, has once again drawn attention to the issue of active involvement of women in the political process and the patent refusal to implement various international instruments to which the country is a signatory. When the issue is examined on a continental scale, it becomes glaring that the widely acclaimed giant of Africa is, indeed, lagging behind most other countries in the continent. South Africa, Kenya, Rwanda and Egypt, for example, have scaled the bar by registering between 25 and 33 per cent on elective positions and appointments for their women. Right from the United Nations Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CE DAW) in 1985 to the 1990s Beijing Convention, which urged countries to reserve 35 per cent for women in the administrative and legislative structures of government and the 2005 Protocol to the African Charter on Human and Peoples Rights on the Rights of Women in Africa, Nigeria has continued to pay lip service to issues on women’s inclusion.

Indeed, the National Gender Policy in 2006 recommended a benchmark of 35 per cent of seats in the National Assembly to be filled by women. What is more, the country has no formal barriers against women taking office as the 1999 Constitution, amended, guarantees equal political rights. Clearly, while the government has ratified and endorsed the relevant international instruments, it is yet to implement them due to lack of political will. If it must fit into this continental bracket, then it must embrace affirmative action, which has contributed to boosting women representation in the aforementioned African countries. Blaming the Nigerian condition on cultural and traditional barriers, as has often been the case, is half truth, if not an illusion. The global demand to give more room to women in governance is not based on fancy or intended to placate feminists; it is a realisation that with the acquisition of education, civilised conduct, skill sets, capacity and competence, women deserve to be included in governance to deepen participation and social engineering. In fact, one of the characteristics of a civilised country is the political development of its women. How far down the political road have Nigerian women travelled?

Nigeria the greatest challenges affecting or obstructing women’s participation in politics is the lack of internal democracy, particularly in political parties, and failure on the part of the parties to comply with the regulations guiding party primaries; inadequate training and knowledge, political violence; limited financial resources; and poor portrayal of women in the media. Gender stereotypes and stigmatisation are also prevalent in the coverage of female political leaders. Most political parties have a position for women leader, which often appears as a token as the structure is heavily weighed against whoever occupies this position, in terms of policy formulation and

The Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU)’s recent ranking of women in parliaments, scored Nigeria 179 out of 187 countries worldwide

Studies have shown that in

Successive governments in the country, no doubt, have been giving ministerial appointments to women. Lagos and Akwa Ibom states rank as the most women friendly states in this regard, but the issue for emphasis here is the intentional implementation of policies that favour women’s inclusion in the political process and not pointless movements that depend on the whims and caprices of the political elite. That is the point in the recent push in the National Assembly to pass a bill seeking to reserve a constituency in each of the 36 state for female senatorial candidates in future elections. Sponsored by the Deputy Chief Whip in the House, Nkeiruka Onyejocha and 85 others, the bill has passed second reading. If it becomes law, the Senate will have a minimum of 37 women, while the House of Representatives will have 74 women. Accordingly, the State Houses of Assembly where three seats per state are expected to be reserved for women. At the level of senior lawmakers, women can strengthen their voices to make and pass legislation with stiffer penalties against defaulters to stop the bad experience of the past. While expecting favourable outcomes on the bill, we call on the government to respect the instruments it is signatory to by implementing them, even if it is for the sake of saving its image among less endowed but compliant countries in the continent. Initiating policies and implementing them will institutionalise the import of the referenced international instruments.

Publisher/Editor-in-Chief

Austyn Ogannah Editor – Olaolu Olusina Deputy Editor – Amos Esele Politics Editor – Ayo Esan Business Editor – Sam Diala News Editor (Online) – Felix Oboagwina Copy Editor – Chux Ohai Cartoon Editor – Victor Asowata Entertainment/Society Editor – Ivory Ukonu Photo Editor – Peace Udugba Head, Graphics – Tosin Yusuph Circulation Manager – Victor Nwokoh

Also, we encourage women politicians, related NGOs and other stakeholders to put the issue in their agenda and continue to strategise until it becomes a national policy. They should look into many areas of decision making and participation that can quicken this advocacy through women involvement as candidates, voters, electoral officials, party agents, security personnel that are deployed to monitor elections.

Nigeria Bureau: 36AA Remi Fani-Kayode Street, GRA, Ikeja. Lagos, Nigeria. info@thewillnigeria.com / @ THEWILLNG, +234 810 345 2286, +234 913 333 3888. EDITOR: Olaolu Olusina @OLUSINA [Letters/Opinions: opinion.letters@thewillnigeria.com]

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execution. So-called provisions for a waiver of fees for election nomination forms turn out to be a ruse as the women have been known, in many cases, to be asked to step down for their male counterparts who purchased the forms.

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OPI N ION

Zik Deserves National Holiday on November 16

BY UZOR MAXIM UZOATU

r Nnamdi Azikiwe, Nigeria’s foremost nationalist and first president, deserves his birthday, November 16, to be slated as a national holiday. It is a deserving honour for the pivotal leader who led the charge for Nigeria’s independence on October 1, 1960. As a result of his unparalleled efforts, Azikiwe would in the course of time become the only black Governor-General of Nigeria, the first President and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, the only Nigerian whose name appeared in a Constitution of Nigeria, the first Senate President, among many other sterling firsts. The great one fondly called Zik of Africa remains a binding force of togetherness in Nigeria, even in death. He deserves a national holiday on his birthday, November 16, as eminently highlighted by Governor Willie Obiano of Anambra State. It is incumbent on President Muhammadu Buhari to declare the birthday of Nigeria’s first president as a public holiday. Governor Obiano had earlier made the call at Alex Ekwueme Square, Awka while marking Nigeria’s 59th Independence celebration. He stressed then that some African nations like Ghana and Tanzania, had honoured their pan-African leaders, such as Kwame Nkrumah and Julius Nyerere. Incidentally, Zik mentored both Nkrumah and Nyerere back in time. Obiano described Azikiwe as the greatest Nigerian who lived in the last century. He argued that the requisite honour given Azikiwe would enable the people to have a better understanding of Africa and the black race that he inspired. Of course, Azikiwe inspired notable citizens and nationalists, including Chief Obafemi Awolowo and Bashorun M.K.O Abiola, with his intelligence, eloquence and public oratorical skills. Leading from the front, Governor Obiano put into effect that Anambra State would henceforth observe November 16 annually as a work-free day in commemoration of the birthday of Azikiwe. He pointed out that the day would be set

aside to reflect on the contributions of the statesman to the growth of the country at large. There is no gainsaying that Zik remains Nigeria’s foremost nationalist and therefore deserves a national holiday. This comes from the background of President Muhammadu Buhari having set the precedent of honouring the presumed winner of the June 12, 1993, presidential poll, Chief Moshood Abiola, with the renaming of the National Stadium in Abuja after him, bestowing on him the Grand Commander of the Federal Republic, Nigeria’s highest national honour given to only heads of state, and making June 12 a national holiday. As the erudite Anambra State Commissioner for Information and Public Enlightenment, C. Don Adinuba, said, “Abiola never left anyone in doubt that he was greatly inspired by the nationalism, patriotism and sportsmanlike spirit of Nigeria’s first president, Dr Nnamdi Azikiwe, GCFR, PC. Abiola remained an avowed Zikist up to his death.”

established as early as the 1950s newspapers in Ibadan, Zaria, Kano, Onitsha, Port Harcourt and, of course, Lagos to fight for Nigeria’s liberation from oppressive colonial rule. Zik inspired a generation of Africans, including the late President Nkrumah of Ghana, Chief Obafemi Awolowo and Dr Nwafor Orizu, who became Nigeria’s second Senate President. It has, therefore, become a national scandal that a national holiday has yet to be declared in honour of this great African son. The people and government of Anambra State once again call upon President Buhari to end this national blight by declaring November 16 of every year a national holiday in commemoration of Dr Azikiwe’s birthday.” A quintessential Renaissance man, Zik was a politician, poet, author, orator, sportsman, visionary, nationalist, but above all else, a remarkable human being.

On his part, Governor Obiano reiterated: “It has become imperative to remind President Buhari of the request I made to him on behalf of the government and people of Anambra State when he visited Onitsha to commission the newly completed Zik Mausoleum that he declare Zik’s birthday as a national holiday. Ghanaians observe the birthday of their first president, Dr Kwame Nkrumah, himself a protégé of Zik. Tanzanians observe a national holiday in memory of their first president, Mwalimu Julius Nyerere, as Angolans do in memory of Dr Agustiono Neto, their first president.

Zik lived and died as the acclaimed Father of Modern Nigeria. He was the complete Nigerian.

The Great Zik of Africa was not just Nigeria’s first president or the man who led Nigeria to independence in 1960. He was Nigeria’s first indigenous Governor General and the first Senate President. He was the first Nigerian to build a bank, thus inspiring his colleagues as regional premiers in the 1950s to establish their own banks. He was also the first Nigerian to set up a university and consequently challenged his peers to follow in his footsteps.

Zik who wore the traditional title of Owelle of Onitsha with uncommon aplomb was the lionised author of books, such as Renascent Africa, Liberia in World Politics, My Odyssey, etc.

A Nigerian nationalist of incomparable status and a man of letters through and through, the Great Zik of Africa had

President Buhari will gain great credit if he makes Zik’s Day happen.

Born in the Hausa-Fulani North of Eastern Igbo parentage, Zik spent his most productive years in the South-West. He spoke Hausa, Yoruba and Igbo fluently, as well as other Nigerian languages. He was a welcome presence everywhere in the country. A native of Onitsha in Anambra State, Zik was born on November 16, 1904 in Zungeru and died on May 11, 1996.

A national holiday for the leader who made Nigeria’s independence possible is very imperative. The Nnamdi Azikiwe national holiday, or Zik’s Day, is an idea whose time has come in celebration of the father of modern Nigeria.

Yakubu’s New Voting Units of The Absurd BY FELIX OBOAGWINA

he other day, the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof Mahmood Yakubu, announced additional polling units newly created nationwide. For a Nigerian demography with a rapidly shifting shoreline, the exercise met a germane need. However, it is the regional distribution and its future implications that trigger some interest here.

votes he garnered outshone Goodluck Jonathan’s 12,853,162 by a paltry 2,571,759. INEC’s new booths indicates that today, the North with its 4,768,000 superior votes, can produce that difference singlehandedly. Little wonder the arrogance, belligerence and bellicosity displayed by some organisations in the North in viral videos, where they boasted about holding the ace for 2023. And they have good reason to brag.

From the 119,974 voting units the country had used for 25 years, INEC shot up the total number of voting booths to 176,846, an increase of 56,872. This new configuration inflated Nigeria’s voting space by 47 percent. For the 2019 general elections, voters on INEC’s register amounted to some 84,004,084 names. That means that, give or take a few voters, the new figure of 176,846 booths would be catering for 500 voters apiece. That should create some elbowroom of convenience for voters.

Section 134(2)(a)(b) of the Constitution says: “A candidate for an election to the office of President shall be deemed to have been duly elected where, there being more than two candidates for the election –he has the highest number of votes cast at the election; and he has not less than one-quarter of the votes cast at the election each of at least two-thirds of all the states in the federation and the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja.”

However, viewed with greater scrutiny, the exercise looks pigeonholed to suit a script. To the discerning, it leaves the impression that INEC, or someone within or outside that commission, orchestrated the exercise to reaffirm primordial prejudices, jingoism and chauvinism. As of today, the distribution pattern of polling units through the six geographical zones cedes majority of existing polling units to the North-West: 41,671 South-West: 34,898 North-Central: 27,514 South-South: 27,126 North-East: 24,006 South-East: 21,631. While the INEC Chairman, running a second five-year term, created 31,196 brand new polling units for the 19 northern states and Abuja, he allocated 25,676 polling units to the entire 17 states in southern Nigeria. Going by the country’s usual North-South dichotomy, these figures show that while northern Nigeria now has a total of 93,191 polling units, southern Nigeria has the fewer booths of 83,655, a difference of 9,536. Computed at an average polling booth capacity population of 500 each, that already gives the North a head start of 4,768,000 votes.

However, what will happen where the election becomes too close to call or fails to produce an outright victor? Section 134(4) says there will be a run-off between the two leading candidates, in which the winner must satisfy the requirement of “one-quarter of the votes cast at the election in each of at least twothirds of all the States in the Federation and the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja.” Furthermore, should any of these two leading candidates fail to satisfy the requirement, a second run-off election will hold between them; and victory boils down to a simple majority. INEC’s new polling units, with an overwhelming majority located in the North, will make that region the sole determinant of who then becomes President. The problem sprouts from the fact that the North’s current electoral supremacy defies the science of population and voter distribution globally.

That is alarming to southerners! It implies that the North will not only decide the winner of the presidential election, but also have the last word on the exercise.

How do the arid savannah grasslands of the North have more population than the rain forests of the South? Agreed, the North has a vast share of Nigeria’s total land mass of 923,768 square kilometres (356,376 square miles); but its claim to a commensurate population has always been regarded as standing logic on its head.

In the 2015 polls that Muhammadu Buhari won, the 15,424,921

Anyone who has traversed much of the country knows that in

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the North, you can travel for hours without sighting as much as a settlement in a vast ocean of flatlands in every direction of your line-of-sight. True, Nigeria’s northern borders all stop outside stark desert. Even then, much of the North lies within the Sahel, the fringe of the 5,000-kilometre (3,125-mile) stretch of savannah on the edge of the Sahara Desert. That such a region will have more people than the seashores and tropical rain forests remains a mystery. It has been pointed out that Nigeria remains the only country in the world with more population in its arid region than the coastal. The oil, the coast, the ports, relative peace, all these are population magnets. Why do they not count in Nigeria, as they do in other parts of the world? For example, the coastal state of California on the fringe of the Pacific Ocean holds about 12 percent of the United States’ total population; and Texas on the lip of the Gulf of Mexico has 9 percent. Conversely, the arid state of Utah has 0.97 percent, Arizona 2.19 percent and Idaho 0.54 percent. These are just examples from the US. Of the lone country continent of Australia, one authority says: “Australia’s population is not spread evenly across the landscape, since a large portion of the country is desert.... About 90 percent of the population inhabits the cities, which are mostly in coastal areas.” Yakubu’s new booths lends further foothold to the abnormal and the absurd. Current realities further prove the illogicality of Yakubu’s allocation of fewer polling units to the South and more to his native North. One is the climate change-driven desertification that has brought about population emigration from the North. How do the North’s conflict zones harvest a population windfall that translates into more votes? The INEC henchman must explain this amorphous illogicality. When Yakubu announced INEC’s new polling units, Southern politicians apparently paid little attention, understandably beclouded by #EndSARS, insecurity and the Fulani herdsmen brouhahas. Now, the South must raise its head and push for Yakubu and INEC to return to the drawing board and redress his absurd polling units’ allocation. Failing to address this issue quickly, the South may just find itself numerically inconsequential in the politics of 2023.

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Unilever: Dividend Drought Awaits Shareholders For Third Year BY SAM DIALA

hareholders of Unilever Nigeria Plc, a major Fast-Moving Consumer Goods (FMCG) firm, will witness another dividend drought this year as the company wriggles out of the loss terrain it slid into about two years ago. Although the food and personal products giant returned to moderate profitability in the first half of the year (H1 2021), culminating in further improved results in the third quarter (Q3 2021), data from its website shows a trend of elongated dividend drought that will attend the multinational firm at the end of 2021. Evidently, Unilever has not fully recovered from the two recessions that struck Nigeria during the past five years (2016 and 2020). Except in 2018 when it gained the muscle to pay a dividend of N8.61 billion translating to N1.50 per share, the narrative has been a mixture of paltry and moderate returns for the investors. In 2016, the firm recorded a Profit After Tax (PAT) of N3.07 billion and paid a dividend of N378 million, amounting to 10 kobo per share; it paid 50 kobo per share in the following year, 2017, from a total dividend of N2.87 billion before the 2018 ‘largesse’ made possible by a PAT of N10.55 billion. The profit chapter closed for a while thereafter.

after two years when it slumped into the loss trench, booking red in 2019 with a loss of N7.41 billion and another loss of N3.96 billion when COVID-19 struck almost at the time the Nigerian economy suffered the agony of a 15-month land border closure. Like most FMCG firms, Unilever was caught up in the border closure that left a sour taste in the mouths of manufacturing firms. While there is moderate improvement in revenue, the company battled with high operating expenses as Cost of Sales and administrative expenses escalated. As expected, the firm followed the footprint of its global parent company by effecting an upward adjustment of its product prices the high inflationary trend, which weakened consumers’ purchasing power, resulted in low revenue and a dip in profits. According to the reports posted on its website, the company’s revenue rose from N69.77 billion in 2016 to N90.77 billion in 2017 representing 30 percent, before it peaked at N92.89 billion in 2018 – an increase of 2.3 percent. It thereafter dropped to N60.48 billion and N61.95 billion in 2018 and 2020 respectively – the two years it booked losses. Cost of Sales has also shown the effect of the firm’s mixed fortune. In 2016, the company recorded N49.48 billion, which climbed to N57.67 billion in 2017, representing 16.55 percent

The company began to show signs of post-2016 recession pains

Revisiting New Security Administration At Nigeria’s Airports BY ANTHONY AWUNOR

n recent times, some Nigerian airports have been in the news for issues that have to do with security lapses. These lapses include runway encroachment, pilfering, touting, loitering and extortion, among other vices that are

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contrary to international best practices. Beyond being a threat to security and safety of lives and property, such practices have also undermined the purpose of Ease of Doing Business being promoted by the Federal Government. Continues on page 15

MORE INSIDE Nigerian Firm To Participate In Intra-Africa Trade Fair PAGE 39

Red Star Freight, Arik Air Sign GSA Contract PAGE 39

Continues on page 15

We Spend Over N6bn On Staff Salaries – SEC DG BY SAM DIALA

he Director-General of Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), Mr Yuguda Lamido, has disclosed that the Commission spent over N6 billion on staff salaries in 2021. Added to other overhead costs, the total expenditure is N8 billion. Lamido’s disclosure also revealed that a huge chunk of the emolument was consumed by top management staff of the Commission who earn Continues on page 39 THEWILLNIGERIA

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AVIATION/BANKING Revisiting New Security Administration At Nigeria’s Airports

Unilever: Dividend Drought Awaits Shareholders For The Third Year Continued from Page 14

Continued from Page 14

rise in Cost ot Sales. It rose further to N64.67 billion in 2018 or 12.13 percent before dropping to N55.73 billion and N49.15 billion in 2019 and 2020, respectively. While the Q3 2021 figures are now in the green and look better than the corresponding period of the previous year’s, they do not show the strength that could create a robust year-end result for the company to declare a dividend in 2021. Compared to a loss of N1.54 billion in Q3 2020, Unilever posted a PAT of N368 million in Q3 2021. Revenue climbed from N17.39 billion to N18.57 billion in Q3 2020 and Q3 2021, respectively. Cost of Sale showed a slight increase of 0.58 percent from N13.58 billion in Q3 2020 to N13.66 billion in Q3 2021.

For this reason, the House of Representatives is considering a major reform of the nation’s international airports in support of the Federal Government’s Ease of Doing Business (EODB) initiative that will usher in a single security screening point for arriving and departing passengers. This followed the outcome of meeting between the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila, and the House Committee on Aviation, the Committee Chairmen on Health and Agric Services, as well as other relevant committee chairmen, which also included the leaders of all the agencies operating at the airports and the Special Adviser to the President on the Ease of Doing Business, Dr Jumoke Oduwole. At the end of the crucial interaction, which lasted several hours, Gbajabiamila, based on the contributions from the stakeholders on how to achieve international best practices, urged the Chairman of the Committee on Aviation, Hon. Nnolim Nnaji and the chairmen of other relevant committees, to work with the heads of the aviation agencies to come up within two weeks a Bill that would ensure a single security outfit similar to Transport Security Administration ( TSA) in the United States of America that would take charge of security at the airports. He also said that the menace of touting and extortion at the airports must be tackled squarely with more stringent measures, adding that the problems remained unabated because there were no severe consequences. The Speaker stressed that traveling through the airports must be made as seamless as possible, noting that the level of stress and discomfort, which travellers undergo t at the nation’s prime gateways must be eliminated. “Our airports must give travellers the comfort they deserve, the facilities must work” he added, noting that the situation must change forthwith. Nnaji had also noted that the Federal Government’s intervention was needed urgently to help FAAN fix the aging infrastructure at the various airports, especially the Lagos and Abuja airports, which are the major gateways. Nnaji’s appeal was sequel to a previous explanation by the FAAN Managing Director, Captain Rabiu Yadudu, that the Murtala Mohammed International Airport, which is over 43 years-old required a total overhaul because all the facilities had been overstretched beyond their life span. He also disclosed that the airport generates 70 percent of the authority’s THEWILLNIGERIA

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total annual revenue. Also in her comments, Dr Oduwole expressed her appreciation to the leadership of the House of Representatives and Nnaji for the initiative, adding that the situation at the nation’s prime gateways was a huge embarrassment to the country. She shared the views of Nnaji that the kind of image some of the officials at the airports present to the nation could not in any way promote the philosophy behind the Ease of Doing Business, stressing that such was capable of scaring foreign investors. The Speaker had directed Hon. Nnaji to invite the Managing Director of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), Captain Rabiu Yadudu, the Director-General of the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority, (NCAA), Captain Musa Nuhu and the leaderships of all the agencies involved in the facilitation of passengers and goods at the airports, including Oduwole, to discuss the issues of touting and extortions at the airports. Gbajabiamila, who expressed his displeasure with what he described as viral videos circulating on social media about the ugly scenes at Nigeria’s International Airports, said he had to ask Nnaji to call for the meeting in order to discuss how such a national embarrassment could be arrested forthwith. The agencies invited for the meeting were, the Nigeria Police, the Nigerian Immigration Services, (NIS), the Nigeria Customs, National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, (NDLEA), Nigeria Centre for Diseases Control, (NCDC), the Port Health, the Plant Quarantine Services among others. Some of the major agencies, including the Police, the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, (NDLEA) and the Customs Service, however, did not attend the meeting which was held on November 17, 2021 at the House Conference Room 028 in the afternoon. The Speaker, who was not happy with the absence of those agencies, however, declared that their absence would not slow down the process of changing the ugly situation at the airports. The Aviation Committee Chairman, Hon. Nnaji on behalf of all other chairmen and members present at the meeting thanked the Speaker for his patriotic zeal and timely intervention on issues that have to do with the progress of the country. THEWILLNIGERIA

Like its global parent company, Unilever, the Nigerian subsidiary is battling with high cost of raw materials and a lot of it is imported. Its case is compounded by the fact that Nigeria has one of the most volatile foreign exchange markets. With the lingering acute dollar shortage, the company passes through the valley of shadow of death to obtain foreign exchange to import raw materials and machinery. Unilever Nigeria revealed during an investor conference call in Lagos last July that it was being forced to buy dollars above the official market rate in the country. This was attributed to the rationing of foreign exchange by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) due to the shortage of the greenback. The challenge was exacerbated by the COVID-19induced lockdown and the crash in global oil prices which negatively impacted the country’s external reserve. Quoting the Unilever Nigeria Finance Director, Adesola SotandePeters, Bloomberg said that the company bought the foreign exchange from currency traders and banks at an average of between N440/$1 to N450/$1 in the first half of 2021, as against the N410.80/$1 that it closed on the last working day, representing over 9.5 percent overpayment. The exchange rate has deteriorated as the Naira now exchanges N520/$1. Sotande-Peters was quoted as saying that Unilever had not seen an increase in dollar supply since the CBN stopped the sales of forex to Bureau De Change (BDC) operators. “We are still waiting to see how liquid banks will be to meet a lot of customers’ demand,” Bloomberg said, adding that Unilever needs foreign exchange to import petrochemicals, a raw material for many of its products. Speaking at the conference call, the Managing Director of Unilever Nigeria, Carl Cruz, said that in order to ameliorate the impact of the dollar shortage on operations, the company is increasing local sourcing of raw materials to enable it to be forex neutral in the very near future. Like many of its peers, Unilever has intensified efforts at implementing the backward integration policy of the Nigerian

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While the Q3 2021 figures are now in the green and better than the corresponding period of the previous year, they do not show the strength that could create a robust yearend result for the company to declare a dividend in 2021 government. The global parent company Unilever, which holds 76 percent stake of Unilever Nigeria, said last July that increasing commodity costs would harm its full-year operating margin, driving shares down on the London Stock Exchange. Analysts had said that Unilever Nigeria’s inability to source raw materials locally may hamper its growth amid increased insecurity threatening the farmers who belong to the supply chain of the health firm. The company has increased its spending on marketing and distribution with a positive impact on revenue. But the improved figures must be seen in the context of the 2020 results, which were largely affected by COVID-19 lockdowns and border closures. In December 2017, Unilever opened a $12 million Blue Band margarine factory in Agbara, Ogun state so that it does not have to import margarine from Ghana, as it did in previous years. It also initiated talks with suppliers to switch to a locally-sourced flavoring agent for its toothpaste. “These are examples of how the Anglo-Dutch group, l rivals, has been forced to adapt its business to cope with a central bank decision to restrict access to foreign currency for the import of certain products since 2015 to boost the economy”, Reuters reported in January 2018. Major FMCG firms listed on The Exchange recorded significantly impressive performances in their half year (H1 2021) operations, a performance that was far beyond industry expectations. A significant point was that these firms had been waging a battle of dwindling returns since 2018 before the pandemic struck. The fast recovery of the firms after the double tragedy of the 2020 COVID-19-induced recession and the 15-months land border closure offers hope for the small firms engaged in the backward integration policy. Backward integration is a practice where companies are encouraged to cultivate their own raw materials by purchasing their suppliers or establishing farms to grow produce for their factories. Though conceived in the 80’s, the policy gained Continues on page 39

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BANKING

IMF Ranking And Future of Banking in Nigeria BY MARCEL OKEKE

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Truly, the drop in the number of bank branches and ATMs in Nigeria is strictly indicative of progress in ‘cashless economy’ and financial inclusion efforts. It rather attests to a record of achievement of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN’s) policies aimed at entrenching e-banking or digitisation, which is indeed the trend, across the globe

In the United States of America (USA), the number of FDIC-insured bank branches declined from 78,196 in 2017 to 77,134 in 2018 and dropped further to 76,837 in 2019. (Source: https://www.fdic.gov). The Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) is one of two agencies that provide deposit insurance to depositors in American depository institutions; the other being the National Credit Union Administration, which regulates and insures credit unions. In these two advanced economies (UK and USA), the number of bank branches and ATMs have been dropping. It is not obvious why the IMF survey did not showcase this trend in these leading economies, but chose to highlight Nigeria and others dropping on its so-called Financial Access Score (FAS). Truly, the drop in the number of bank branches and ATMs in Nigeria is strictly indicative of progress in the ‘cashless economy’ and financial inclusion efforts. It rather attests to a record of achievement of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN’s) policies aimed at entrenching e-banking or digitisation, which is indeed the trend, across the globe. It should be pointed out that even the massive use

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recent report by the International Monetary Fund (IMF) has shown that Nigerian banks closed 234 branches and 649 Automated Teller Machines (ATM) in 2020, leading to a decline in the country’s Financial Access Score (FAS) to 4.44 last year against 4.78 in 2019. The global financial institution disclosed this in its Financial Access Survey (FAS) 2021 Trends and Developments. IMF is known to utilise two FAS indicators to monitor an item of the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), which aims to increase domestic financial institutions’ capacity to promote access to banking and financial services. The number of commercial bank branches per 100,000 adults and the number of ATMs per 100,000 adults are the two commonly used FAS indicators. According to details from the IMF report, Nigeria experienced reductions in these two FAS indicators, among others. For sure, the pursuit of ‘financial inclusion’ or “access to banking and financial services” is a germane global policy, but the IMF indicators are rather archaic and otiose. In a world of fast-paced digitisation of financial services, further fast-tracked by the Covid-19 pandemic, applying the number of (physical) bank branches as indicator of progress (or otherwise) is purely anachronistic. IMF says Nigeria experienced reductions in these two crucial FAS indicators and so, went further to highlight and ‘justify’ how the country has not fared well on a particular SDG target. But, in point of fact, Nigerian banks made quantum leaps in such performance indices as number of bank customers, volume and value of transactions in the past couple of years covered by the IMF survey. Like in many climes, one of the crucial ‘gains’ from the COVID-19 pandemic was the massive embrace of e-payment platforms and digital transformation in Nigeria. Data from the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) and the Nigeria Interbank Settlement System (NIBBS) Plc amply portray this trend. NIBSS’ data show that the value of Nigeria’s e-payment (all channels: ATM, POS, Mobile, Web, NIP and e-Bills) transactions increased by over 85 percent, from August 2020 to August 2021, to hit N172 Trillion. Between January and August 2020, the figure rose by N93 Trillion. It should be noted that these sharp increases commenced effectively in the second quarter of 2020, ironically during the ‘lockdown’ of parts of the economy, owing to the ravaging pandemic. And this trend has been sustained. This scenario is not isolated for Nigeria. Indeed, it is about the same across the globe. Naturally, as more people embraced the e-payment platform for their banking transactions, (physical) bank branches were practically deserted and abandoned. In truth, many banks in Nigeria had, before the onset of the Coronavirus pandemic, built a number of branches in various locations across the country. Today many of these ‘new’ branches are still under lock and key, lying fallow. Also, some banks are known to have shut down many ‘loss making’ branches as part of their cost optimisation strategy in the face of emerging challenges in the local and global economy. Some comparative analyses will bear out the above scenario. In the United Kingdom, for instance, the number of ATMs peaked in 2015 at 70,588, according to a study by the House of Commons’ Library (dated 12 October 2021). The report is titled: “Statistics on Access to Cash, Bank Branches and ATMs”. From that peak, it “has fallen each year since then to the July 2021 total of 52,951”, says the report written by Lorna Booth. Going further, “between July 2018 and July 2021, the number of ATMs in the UK fell 12,986 or twenty percent. There was a fall in the number of ATMs in all regions and countries of the UK”, the report asserted. The largest fall was in London (-23 percent); and the least fall was in Northern Ireland (-15 percent).

of ATMs is a counterpoise to the effective pursuit of ‘cashless economy’, as most Nigerians use the ATMs to spew cash for all manner of transactions. But, notwithstanding, whatever the IMF claims to be the intendment of its surveys, massive embrace of ATMs and ‘mushrooming’ of bank branches is retrogressive and antiquated. In line with what banking should be in the ‘new normal’, yours sincerely had, in a recent webinar as a guest speaker, articulated the way forward in a presentation themed, ‘Developing Effective Strategies for Managing Financial Institutions in Post-Covid-19 Pandemic Era’. During this webinar organised by the Chartered Institute of Bankers of Nigeria (CIBN) Lagos Branch, which recorded good patronage, I posited that gone were the days of massive branch network, imposing head office and branch buildings and large fleet of marketing cars as indices for size and ranking in the banking world. Who needs more bank branches, when a bank customer can open a bank account (while living) in Lagos and operate it from anywhere else in Nigeria or from abroad? Who needs imposing buildings and massive office spaces when many staff are being required to work from their homes (‘remote working’) and bank customers would rather consummate their transactions from the comfort of their bedrooms? Has branchless banking not become a reality? Truly, crowded bank offices and/or banking halls now belong to the very ugly past of the ‘brick and mortar’ banking era. Overall, rather than being driven by the hackneyed FAS of the IMF and its ilk, banks in Nigeria should build what Bill Gates (in his book, ‘Business at the Speed of Thought’) calls “Digital Nervous System” and connect every activity to it. This way, they will ensure consistent efficiency and exceptional service delivery underpinned by sustainability tenets. Not focus on ‘primitive’ branch expansion feints! Marcel Okeke, an economist and consultant, writes from Lagos. He can be reached at obioraokeke2000@yahoo.com THEWILLNIGERIA

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KENNETH OKONKWO

THE CHANGE AGENT PAGE 33-38 THEWILLNIGERIA

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Seasoned actor, Kenneth Okonkwo, is many things rolled in one: Actor, lawyer, politician, administrator, father and husband. He speaks to Shade Metibogun about the state of the movie industry and the nation. Excerpts:

Okonk wo

NIGERIA STILL WORK IN PROGRESS – KENNETH OKONKWO Y

ou are one of the lead actors in Living in Bondage, which was produced in 1992, and the 2019 remake of the film titled, Living in Bondage: Breaking Free, as well as many other movies. How does it feel being relevant in Nollywood? The story of Living in Bondage about Andy Okeke, which I was privileged to have portrayed, is a thing of grace. It is what only God can do. Out of about 200 million people, God counted me worthy to be chosen as one of the people to act in that movie, which started Nollywood. I feel so grateful for that opportunity. I was also called again after some decades to act in the remake of the movie. It means the movie has remained relevant historically as the story that started Nollywood. Apart from that, it has remained relevant as an entertaining and educating movie, too. You can imagine how gratifying it is to be called twice to feature in the movie. It has reinforced the belief that the movie is blessed. I feel excited, privileged and gratified. I can only say that to God be the glory. For the benefit of those who do not know, what were your roles in both two movies? I played Andy Okeke in both movies. In Living in Bondage, Andy Okeke was a ritualist, but he later converted and became a pastor in Living in Bondage, Breaking Free. My son experienced the same thing I experienced as a cultist (in Living in Bondage) so I went to assist him. The second movie is a continuation of what happened in the first one. As one of the pioneers of Nollywood, how much progress would you say the industry has made since inception? We started in 1992. Today we are reckoned as the third biggest movie producing nation in the world. The entrance of Living in Bondage sums up all aspect of entertainment in Nigeria. After the movie broke into the international scene, young people became bold and creative enough to use our indigenous culture and language for everything entertainment. Within a few decades, we became a global power in entertainment. I can say that we have made progress in terms of techniques. We are on all internationally recognised networks. Our shooting methodology has improved. Also, there is improvement

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in terms of equipment. The depth of acting, the artistic prowess and technical finish - have all improved. I can say that we have made all-round progress. Many up-and-coming actresses complain of being asked for sex in exchange for roles. What can be done to curb the excesses of some producers? In all honesty, I can only speak for Living in Bondage. The producer Okonkwo of the movie would not even choose you, if you were not good enough. That is why everybody involved in the movie did a very good job. People were chosen for the movie because of their talent, skill, competence and capability. Things were not like that in those days because producers were private businessmen who wanted to make money. They concentrated on the beauty of what they would present so they could get positive returns on their investments. But now, I can say that the industry has grown and we have a lot of producers and directors who have sponsors. They are not the people providing the capital invested on movies. So they are not concerned if the sponsors get good returns on their investments or not. Having said that, the issue of sex for role can be considered in two ways: Is it the actresses or actors that are giving sex to get roles that they are not qualified for or is it the producers that are asking for sex to give out roles? In all honesty, I cannot say for sure. As an elder in this industry, I have confronted some producers about it on set. I told them, ‘I heard this thing about you. Are you doing it or not?’ The response I got was no. They said that the people accusing them should come out and also confront them. They said they were ready to face anybody. But nobody came out. It is either that the sex for role is an enticement from the actor or actress or it can also be an inducement. I wouldn’t know which one to say. But an adult that consents to do something cannot come out to complain that he or she was intimidated to do so. You only felt that you needed to use it

to get what you want, which for me is prostitution. If nobody comes out to say that she was raped, then, it is prostitution. It is a mutual thing. As a lawyer, if you take this issue to court, you have to produce evidence. The only thing I can fight is rape and when you are denied a role. But you must have the evidence to show that you are qualified for the role, but you were denied. In 2019, you indicated interest in the governorship election in Enugu State and later shelved your plan to contest. If given another opportunity, would you try again? I did not contest because I felt it wasn’t the right time to do so. Anyway, I had my own condition. When you say you are bringing change to a system, you have to maintain your own standard. If that standard cannot take you through, you should be gentle enough to quit. I aspired to that position, but did not contest. I am in politics, but politics is not about being in power; it is about being influential. Leadership is the ability to influence people through any situation. I want a platform that I would be able to use to inspire my generation and even the next generation towards positive change. You will hear from me anytime that I am ready. Be rest assured that I am going to let you know. Except God says otherwise, I have not shown any interest to contest for any elective office in 2023. But I am in politics because I am interested in bringing about change. If you are not governing, you should be interested in people who will THEWILLNIGERIA

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govern you. We must be able to choose the right leader if we are not presenting ourselves. I am not the power drunk type but the change agent type.

As someone aspiring for elective office in the nearest future, what is your advice to our leaders? They should work hard and watch their utterances so that peace can be firmly established in Nigeria. The prevailing obsession with money and power should be radically modified. They should work on those two because they are some of our greatest challenges. Insecurity is aggravated by the insincerity of our leaders and their failure to apply wisdom in their utterances. Corruption, which is the abuse of public office for private gain, has its root in obsession with money and power. If they can work on these two, Nigeria will be a greater nation.

Why did you change your mind? All I will say is that I aspired for the post, but eventually did not contest. When the time is ripe, I will aspire and contest. You know that there is a time for everything. It is not yet time for me to contest. It was time for me to aspire and I did. In Nigeria, politics evolves. You cannot get into politics one day and expect to get to the post you desire immediately. You have to grow and be patient enough to get there. Whatever happened to you must have happened to other aspirants, too. We cannot pretend that in Nigeria we have come to a level where in internal democracy, someone can tell you that the most influential person will win. A lot of factors come into play. You should be able to know the environment you are dealing with so that you can make wise and reasonable decisions. I just felt that it wasn’t time to contest because of the things happening around me. That is why I did not contest. You just have to make an informed decision after venturing into certain things. How would you describe your perception of politics between the period you aspired to be governor and now? I am a change agent. The only constant thing in life is change. The more you are exposed to politics, the more you will understand the real problem we have with leadership in Nigeria, the more you will realise that our problem is not the North, South, East or West. Our biggest problem is the manipulative tendencies of our leaders. If we can tackle corruption and insecurity successfully, we will have enough Okonkwo for ourselves. Nations that are not blessed with natural mineral resources are ruling the world economically. You can imagine how we would have been on top of the world if we had been managing our resources very well. Our problem in Nigeria is not our diversity, religion or geography. It is bigger than we think. You will discover that a lot of people like to boast publicly, but you will also note that it is all grandstanding. You cannot tell me that the Yoruba or Hausa doesn’t like me. The first movie I appeared in was shot in Yorubaland, but it was an Igbo language movie and everyone liked it. We were asked to subtitle it. It was because of the love of the people who are not Igbo in Nigeria that they insisted we must subtitle it. If we had a problem with tribes, the people who are not Igbo wouldn’t love the movie. Sometimes when some people complain that somebody does not love them, I feel it is because they are not bringing out good products that other people can patronise. Once they don’t have good products, they will be blackmailing the products of others who are getting patronage. I think excellence is the greatest antidote against primeval sentiment. Once you do something that is good, people will appreciate it, irrespective of their religion, race or ethnicity. That was what happened to Living in Bondage. The movie had acquired an international standard. That is why the remake was produced in the language that many people would understand, not just Igbo language. You can see how We have to entrench justice in our country because if you the whole world accepted it. One Nigeria is better for all of want peace, there has to be an end to conflict. There must us. We would be able to annex our resources and diversity. be justice. We have to be able to accommodate each other and give one another a sense of belonging. Nigeria is still a Let us talk about Nigeria. What is your take on the state work in progress. We should be patient enough to manage of the nation? the work in progress. We will be able to attain a nation of My opinion is that all will be well. Every nation of the our desire one day. We should be grateful to God that we world has its own challenges, including the United States are alive. We have survived the Nigerian Civil War and of America where a sitting president is alleged to have the Boko Haram insurgency, as well as many challenges instigated an insurrection. If it had happened in Africa, they and we are still standing as one country. It is something we would have said that it can never happen in a developed should be grateful to God for. Afghanistan, for instance, world. Every nation has its own challenges. God is going has been fighting a war for more than 20 years and it has to arise and the enemies of the nation shall be scattered. not stopped. We have to be grateful to God that we are still Soon we shall witness the dawn of a new era. We have to together as a nation. entrench peace by putting an end to any kind of insecurity.

“

All I will say is that I aspired for the post, but eventually did not contest. When the time is ripe, I will aspire and contest. You know that there is a time for everything. It is not yet time for me to contest. It was time for me to aspire and I did

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You graduated from law school in 2009. What inspired the decision to study law? I had graduated from the university before taking off as an actor. I am a trained manager of organisations. I studied management in school. I am an expert in business management. I entered the movie world as a hobby. It was not meant to be my profession, but it became so successful that people wanted more. A lot of people wanted more of me as an actor because they thought acting was my profession and the other ones were my hobby. I just did not allow it to swallow up my profession. I love to learn. I love knowledge. I kept multiplying degrees. I have degrees in Theology, Law, International Law and Diplomacy. Basically, I am an academic, but the movies are the way I want unwind when my head is full. My first love has always been administration. You can see why I am in politics, but I can also say that I love acting. I am passionate about it. We didn’t have an industry that encouraged people to see acting as a profession back in the days. Luckily, we entered into it and we broke through. That is why people now aspire to be actors and actresses. For me, it is a gift from God. I have never been to a school of Theatre Art. We are grateful to God for that. Which would you choose between acting, law and business management and why? I would choose all of them. That is why I am doing all of them. I don’t do things I am not passionate about. Nobody pushed me to do any of those things. They all have to do with adding value to humanity. As a lawyer, you are an advocate. As an entertainer you are an advocate. As a manager, you are also an advocate. I love to be a gentleman. I am trained as an executive gentleman, which I got from management. I was trained as a learned gentleman in law. I was trained as a revered gentleman in Theology. But all work without play makes Jack a dull boy. When I attend court proceedings and if any of my colleagues does not remember my name, they call me “barrister actor”. I am enjoying all of them. I know there will be a time that I would have to drop some. I cannot delegate my acting roles because I have to be there myself. So, I believe that the time has come for me to focus on other aspects of my life so that I can achieve the reason for going into such a field. In acting now, I am more interested in establishing a movie academy to train the next generation so that I can be practising management. Your law chamber, Supreme God Chamber, could easily pass for the name of a church. Are you planning to unleash the theological side of Kenneth Okonkwo very soon? The best use of theology is to impact you first. If people who claim to be Christians in Nigeria were truly Christians, the country would be in a better condition by now. Going into theology is first for me. If you become prosperous and you do not serve God with it, you will use it to kill yourself. Some celebrities use their status to kill themselves just because of the absence of God and godliness. However, if you profess to be something, people will want to hear from you to know the reason for your action. That is why I preach the gospel at my convenience. I am also a minister of the gospel. It is only the fear of God that will help you to focus on whatever you do. Theology is first for my own sanity and redemption. The future is in the hands of God. For now, I am not a pastor but a politician.

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STORIES BY IVORY UKONU

How Olori Sekinat Elegushi Celebrated 45th Birthday

SHADE GBADAMOSI SHOWS OFF NEW LOOK failed third marriage and may perhaps be ready to mingle again. While sources sympathetic to Babatunde claim their marriage ended because of Shade’s alleged overbearing and nagging attitude, in addition to running her estranged husband down continuously, such as alleging that he was a postman in the United Kingdom who had nothing to his name before she agreed to marry him, those sympathetic to her claim that Babatunde allegedly impregnated a Nigerian lady based in the UK named Yinka Balogun, an accounting and finance specialist. According to them, Babatunde’s treachery earned him an expulsion

Gbadamosi After

here really must be something about getting a divorce that makes women more physically attractive than they were. And this quality has managed to manifest itself in Shade Gbadamosi, who is now looking nothing like she did when she was married to her third husband, Babatunde Gbadamosi, a former governorship aspirant in Lagos State. A mother of five, three from her previous marriages and two with Babatunde, Shade, who is urrently the chairman and CEO of Redbrick Homes International Limited, promoters and developers of Amen Estate, now looks surprisingly more attractive than ever. Gone is the village grandmother look she paraded in the past and in its place is a more attractive looking woman. Perhaps the new look is evidence that she has finally moved on from her

Gbadamosi Before from their matrimonial home and the business they both ran together. She has since taken full control of the business and has been asserting her authority as the owner of the business. However, she is yet to revert to her maiden name, Balogun, and still retains Gbadamosi as her surname.

Oritsefemi Recants, Apologises For Maligning Otunba Cash S

inger Oritsefemi Majemite Ekele has retraced his steps and has apologised to his erstwhile buddy, ex-convict and socialite, Emmanuel Aneke, otherwise known as Otunba Cash, for publicly maligning him. The singer was recently seen in a video apologising to the CEO of Istanbul Entertainment for shaming him during his trial for fraud and eventual jail term. Oritsefemi alluded to his outburst as the result of the harrowing times he was going through at that time and hoped that Otunba Cash would deem it fit to forgive him. Recall that THEWILL had reported

Oritsefemi

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Otunba Cash’s release from a Turkish prison six months ago, after serving time for committing fraud. He was arrested after the Danish police sent a letter to the Turkish Police Department in May 2018 via Interpol, informing them about an unauthorised access made to a GM Plast company’s email address. The company had paid money into some accounts in Turkey and an investigation by the Turkish Cybercrime Department led to the arrest of Turkish ED, ZI and N.M, whose companies were used as fronts. The investigation further revealed that Nigerians were behind the scam and a simultaneous

Aneke

operation conducted by the police led to the arrest of Emmanuel Aneke at a luxury hotel where he was staying with some of his accomplices. They were promptly charged, tried and sent to jail. During the period he was on trial, Oritsefemi had publicly denied knowing Otunba Cash, whom he benefitted immensely from. There are video evidences of Otunba Cash spraying money in different currencies on Oritsfemi while he performed at different events. But the singer not only denied knowing him, but also hoped that his benefactor would end up in jail. Following his release, Otunba Cash has been holed up in Turkey where he is based and obviously had no reason to travel to Nigeria after the majority of his male friends in the entertainment industry, most of who benefitted from him, as well as his numerous girlfriends turned their backs on him during his predicament. But Oritsefemi has unashamedly swallowed his pride and is seeking Otunba Cash’s forgiveness in the hope that their business and personal relationship would be revived. Otunba Cash is yet to pay the singer any attention.

n November 10, Olori Sekinat Aramide Elegushi, the first wife of HRM Oba Saheed Elegsuhi, clocked 45 and rather than roll out the drums as usual, Olori Sekinat chose to do something different. After a series of photo shoots where she was dressed in queenly clothes that were reminiscent of the Victorian era, as well as in a three-piece suit by upscale fashion designer, Mai Atafo, Olori Sekinat hit the streets of Lagos Island to celebrate with the people of Eti-Osa Local Government Area. The Olori said she felt the need to celebrate, be with the people, see them and connect with them. Dressed down in a tee shirt a pair of jeans and accompanied by her friends and a team

from her Queen Sekinat Elegushi Foundation, she visited some markets where she gave gift items to market women, presented some with cash gifts, and bought all the goods on display from some others. Next, she invited the Women Optometrist in Nigeria (WON) which she is an ambassador of and requested for eye screening and tests for residents of IkateElegushi. The eye test for about 150 people and eye glasses given to more than 100 of them, including medication, was fully funded by the Olori. Naturally, the beneficiaries couldn’t hide their joy as they showered her with prayers. Hopefully by her next birthday, the Olori will double her gifts towards the people of Eti-Osa, IkateElegushi.

Elegushi

Rev Esther Ajayi Acquires Private Jet

Ajayi

oseline Oduyemi, the widow of late Rev Gabriel Oduyemi of Bethel Ministries, may be the first female cleric to use a private jet in Nigeria, but the Spiritual Director and Founder of the Love of Christ Generation Church (C & S), Reverend Esther Ajayi, also known as Iya Adura, has become the first female cleric to acquire one. While Oduyemi’s jet was inherited from her late husband, Iya Adura paid for hers from her pocket. In any case, Mrs Oduyemi no longer makes use of the private jet as she was once quoted as saying she didn’t think a private jet was what God planned for her and

subsequently gave it out to actress Omotola Jalade-Ekeinde’s pilot husband. Iya Adura’s latest acquisition is coming on the heels of the launch of her multi billion-naira church auditorium situated in Victoria Island, Lagos. Like most clerics, she considers a private jet an essential tool for effective and easy evangelism. Back in July, she had said in an interview that she didn’t desire a private jet or wealth that she would not be in a position to help the poor or needy. But a few months down the line, she posted several pictures of herself posing in and outside what looks like a Challenger 10/12-seater private THEWILLNIGERIA

jet, while reiterating in the caption of the post that private jet is a tool for evangelism. She also posted a cryptic message saying “It’s our time to fly. When we shall mount up like an eagle! We shall not be weary. But we shall occupy up there.” A philanthropist, Iya Adura became popular through her evangelical work in her UK church on Clapham Road precisely, before making a formal inroad into West Africa and Nigeria specifically. Although a branch of her ministry already existed in Nigeria before her homecoming, her return to the country opened up a new vista in her ministry.

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STORIES BY IVORY UKONU AND SHADE METIBOGUN

MEET TOBI ADEGBOYEGA, SYMBOL OF ‘HOLY FLAMBOYANCE’ A cousin of British actor, John Boyega, Tobi Adegboyega is the founder of Salvation Proclaimers Anointed Church, SPAC, a pentecostal church based in London, England, otherwise known as Nxtion. He started out as a pastor under Nigeria-based Prophet Samson Ayorinde of the World Evangelism Bible Church (WEBIC) before leaving to set up SPAC in 2008, three years after he moved to London from Nigeria. However, in May 2020, Adegboyega decided to hand over SPAC to two of his able lieutenants, while he took up higher responsibilities. The cleric lives in a mansion valued at £2.5 million and drives flashy cars, such as an orange and a yellow Lamborghini, a black Mercedes Benz G-Wagon SUV, a black Brabus and a black Range Rover SUV. These cars cost between $150.000 and $2 million apiece. He also likes to wear very outlandish, in your face, designer outfits and seems to particularly like the Louis Vuitton brand. Besides having Rolex (s) in his collection of wristwatches, Adegboyega is an ardent fan of the Richard Mille brand. His junior pastors also follow in his footsteps, dressing in designer ensembles and drive fast cars. He also likes to throw loud late-night parties that once attracted the wrath of his wealthy neighbours. When the cleric and his pastors show off, he explains it as community wealth and not personal wealth. He describes other flamboyant pastors and church Iyiegbu members as a community of ‘fighters and winners’ who don’t care what anyone thinks about them. In his opinion, anyone who condemns how they live does not like good things and obviously cannot withstand their resolve. Adegboyega has had his fair share of controversy. At different times, he has been accused of financial exploitation, financial misappropriation, fraud, domestic abuse and sexual abuse. The church at some point reportedly pressured the youths to take out loans and sell their blood in order to pay for the church’s lavish spending via their church doctrine known as “bleeding for seed”. At other times, the pastors allegedly threatened parishioners, who failed to raise enough money, or allegedly told members to beg, borrow or steal in order to make financial contributions to the church. Adegboyega is fond of saying publicly that there is e may be enmeshed nothing wrong if a member of his church gives at in a series of troubles least £1,000 a month to his church. A member of his church even claimed that he once requested the sum detained for days by the of £20,000 from him for an investment. Also, while still Economic and Financial Crimes with WEBIC as resident pastor, he allegedly defrauded a Commission for alleged tax church member of about £110,000. evasion, money laundering and

igerian cleric based in the United Kingdom, Tobi Adegboyega, recently clocked 41 and unlike most other clerics, who would prefer a quiet and eventful celebration, he chose to paint the city of London red in a convoy of exotic cars. The vehicles included seven colourful Lamborghinis, Range Rovers and a couple of Mercedes Benz G-Wagon SUVs, all driven by his junior pastors and some members of his church. They all gathered at an upscale restaurant for a three-course birthday dinner. As expected, Pastor Adegboyega was roundly criticised by some Nigerians who felt the display was a bit too much, unnecessary and unbefitting of a preacher. But his ardent followers saw nothing wrong with what he did. How could they, when they also crave that kind of flamboyance. Beyond his flamboyance, who really is Tobi Adegboyega and what is he really all about?

Kunle Afod’s Obsession With Women N

ollywood actor, director and producer, Kunle Afod might be married but his love for women has been one of his weaknesses despite his talent and versatility. His love for anything in skirt has led to several squabbles between his beautiful wife, Desola, his fans and colleagues in the industry who mock her over her husband’s infidelity. Afod has fathered two children outside wedlock as a result of this with more baby mamas gearing to be unleashed. She however takes solace in the fact that the actor is a responsible father to her four boys. The actor had his first child, Oyinkansola with his colleague, Queen Oluwa 18 years ago, three years after he started dating his now legally married wife. A few years ago, Desola called out some actresses who derive joy in sleeping with her husband at movie locations. She issued them a stern warning to stay away from her man. Earlier this year, the father of six was fingered to be responsible for the collapse of actress Motilola Adekunle’s marriage. It was alleged that Kunle fathered Motilola’s last child because of the striking resemblance between the child and Afod. All hell broke loose when Desola got to know about the affair between her husband and the actress despite the fact that Motilola was still married to her Air Force husband, Adekunle. Afod pacified his wife but Motilola’s action wrecked her marriage. More recently, Afod was also accused of sleeping with Mariam Muftaudeen, a baby mama to Musiliu Akinsanya also known as Mc Olumo. THEWILLNG

he rift between gospel music stars, Lanre Teriba and Tope Alabi, is yet to come to an end. Their squabble started several months ago after Tope Alabi publicly criticised a younger colleague, Adeyinka Akinyemi, more popularly known as Yinka Alaseyori, for one of her songs, Oniduromi. In the song, Alaseyori described God as her spiritual guarantor and advocate. But Tope Alabi said it was wrong for anyone to tag God as his or her guarantor. Arguing that God is more than a guarantor or surety, she advised gospel artistes to digest their songs very well before releasing them for public consmption, otherwise individuals would be singing something senseless. Tope’s criticism didn’t go down well with many who faulted her for discrediting Alaseyori’s work on stage. One of those who protested was Lanre Teriba. He posted a video, in which he openly condemned Tope for her criticism, on social media. According to him, someone must make a wrong statement for Alaseyori’s glory to shine. He thereafter raised a prayer point for his fans and people present while he was ministering. He asked them to pray so that someone would make a wrong statement so that their glory would shine. When Tope saw the video, the matter degenerated into a quarrel between both stars, which persists till this day. Despite the fact that Tope Alabi apologised to Alaseyori, Teriba was not satisfied. A few days ago, the President of the Gospel Musician Association of Nigeria (GOMAN), Evangelist Funmi Aragbaye, said she had tried to wade into the matter but all her efforts were in vain.

OBI CUBANA TO OPEN NEW NIGHT CLUB IN UK Odion Ighalo Adds Dubai-based

Adegboyega

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Lanre Teriba, Tope Alabi Still at War T

Afod

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the most recent one, a patron getting electrocuted in his Abuja night club, Hustle and Bustle - all these have not stopped Obinna Iyiegbu, fondly known as Obi Cubana, from forging on. The nightlife entrepreneur who recently ventured into the real estate business via his Casa Cubana homes has his eyes set on inscribing the Cubana signature in the United Kingdom with Cubana Club. For the success of this venture, the businessman recently visited the UK High Commission where he intimated high ranking officials of his plan and sought their support. The building of the club, which has already started, is expected to be completed and launched by February 2022, all things being equal. In addition, a restaurant that will serve mostly Nigerian cuisine will berth alongside the club.

Teriba & Alabi

Socialite to His Harem

o doubt he is a handsome young man and very rich, on account of his profession as a footballer. Beside the fact that women naturally swarm around him like bees to honey, Odion Ighalo also has a weakness for very beautiful, curvy and tall ladies. From his ex-wife, Adesuwa to actress Lilian Esoro to a Zimbabwean baby mama who gave birth to his fifth child, he knows how to catch them. Now his new love interest is an African/latina socialite named Caroline Brooks, who is based in Dubai. Originally from Boston, Caroline has lived in Dubai for the last 11 years. In addition to being the executive director of a real estate brokerage firm in Dubai, she owns her own beauty salon and spa, a common trait with Ighalo’s women as Lilian Esoro also owns one. Caroline will be appearing in a franchise of popular reality TV show, The Real Housewives of Dubai, which is ready to be broadcast in 2022.

Ighalo & Brooks

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STORIES BY SHADE METIBOGUN

PRINCESS UNVEILS NEW COMEDY SHOW C

omedienne Oluwadamilola Adekoya, otherwise known as Princess, has regained her bounce after surviving a painful divorce and a recent traumatic experience involving a colleague, Olanrewaju Omiyinka, a.k.a Baba Ijesha, who allegedly sexually molested her foster child. The comedienne on Sunday, November 14, 2021, staged a comedy show tagged Princess Live on Stage and themed, Nothing But The Truth at the MUSON Centre in Onikan, Lagos. The event, sponsored by Minime Nigeria, was attended by her fans and friends, including the likes of Kofi Nuel, Josh Alfred, popularly known as Josh2funny; Iledare Oluwajuwonlo, also known as Jaywon; Olanrewaju Ogunmefun, professionally known as Vector da Piper and a host of others. Ahead of the event, Princess had taken to her social media to call out

Tiwa Savage Acquires Multi-million-naira Jewellery A Adekoya

her friends and colleagues who refused to publicise the show despite the fact that she reached out to them. According to the comedienne, some of them had promised to give her their support only to disappoint at the last minute. The likes of Babatunde Adewale, also known as Tee A, Gbenga Adeyinka, Atunyota Alleluya Akpobome, also known as Ali Baba, Bayegun Oluwatoyin, also known as Arole and Onyebuchi Ojieh, otherwise known Buchi, were among those she accused of disappointing her. The show was held a few months after Princess’s court battle against Baba Ijesha began. The comedienne had planted a Closed Circuit Television in her home and it captured the actor sexually molesting her foster child. She reported the case to the police, which led to his arrest. Baba Ijesha was charged to the Lagos State Special Offence Court in Ikeja

on a six -count charge bordering on indecent treatment of a child, sexual assault, attempted sexual assault by penetration and sexual assault by penetration. The case has generated a lot of heated argument online, especially among Yorubaspeaking Nollywood actors. While some condemned the act, others took sides with Baba Ijesha. During the trial, a forensic expert, Mrs Anike Ajayi-Kayode, the Executive Director of Cece Yara Foundation informed the court that Baba Ijesha engaged his victim in sexual activities twice when she was seven years-old. She narrated how Baba Ijesha inserted a key into his victim’s private part and told her not to tell anyone. She added that the attributes exhibited by Baba Ijesha were dynamics of child sexual abusers and modus operandi of perpetrators which involves secrecy, intimidation, threat and coercion. The case is still ongoing.

pparently no longer bothered by reports associating her with a sex tape scandal that went viral on the social media for weeks on end, music star, Tiwa Savage recently shared her latest acquisition, a customised diamond encrusted chain and pendant worth several millions of naira, with her fans on social media. The expensive piece of jewellery was allegedly paid for by her lover in a bid to regain her trust and to make up for the humiliation she has had to endure as a result of the leaked sex tape. Although the divorced mother of one owns a sizeable collection of gold and diamond jewels, it is believed they are incomparable with her latest acquisition, which was shipped to Nigeria from the United States by Icebox, a reputable jeweler based in Atlanta, Georgia. Clearly excited, the singer has been telling everyone who cared to listen that it was her dream accessory. Only a few months ago, she flaunted a new Patek

Philippe wristwatch encrusted with diamonds as well. This piece reportedly set her back by a sun of N79 million. She also bought an

expensive customised diamond necklace for her son, Jamil, last year in celebration of his fifth birthday.

How Bimpe Oyebade, Lateef Adedimeji Deceived Fans About Their Love Affair

Criticism Trails Okechukwu Ogunjiofor’s New Film L

They also described the movie as below standards in terms of cinematography, cultural relevance, poor screenplay, embarrassing costume design and blundering misrepresentation of ancient Zazzau history. Stressing that Amina the movie is just a typical Nollywood movie decorated with a Netflix cover, the critics said northern movie producers would have done a better job than what Ogunjiofor did. They also noted that the producers should have involved indigenes and experts like historians, who can serve as consultants, at least for fact-checking. Although they acknowledged that Ogunjiofor might have done that, they were convinced that he did not go the extra mile. It was obvious, they claim, that he and his crew were in a hurry to finish the movie the Nigerian way, which is why the errors are glaring. Even if the intention of the producers was to tell an intriguing story, the interesting details like an overview of Queen Amina’s reign should have been further explored. Ogunjiofor was also accused of focusing on how Amina got to power, instead of depicting her exploits. Despite the criticism trailing the movie, THEWILL reliably gathered that the project began during the reign of Ogunjiofor late military Head of State, Gen Sani Abacha. His wife, Maryam Abacha, wanted to do something around women empowerment and she planned to document a film to easoned movie producer, Okechukwu Ogunjiofor, help drive the initiative. The producer sent a proposal to do might be a veteran in movie production, but his latest flick, Amina, which is now showing on Netflix, is a book and a film on the life and times of Queen Amina of Zaria, whom he thought stood out when it comes to currently under severe critcism. women empowerment. The proposal was accepted but the The historic movie tells the story of the legendary Queen Amina, who reigned in Zaria (in present day Kaduna State) First Lady’s Office said they were not ready to fund it. But he in the 16th century. The cast of the movie include notable got a letter introducing him to all the emirs and influential Nollywood actors, such as Ali Nuhu, Asabe Madaki, Clarion people in northern Nigeria, the dons, the museums, the traditional institutions and everyone with a history. Chukwura, Lucy Ameh and a host of others. Despite the Ogunjiofor got a researcher and they started a journey. They time and resources invested in it, condemnation has travelled everywhere to learn the story of Queen Amina and continued to trail the film among northern viewers, who in the process, visited about 13 emirs. But nobody really claim that the movie does not truly represent Queen wanted to talk about the story of Amina. At one point, he Amina and her culture. felt that there was a conspiracy against Amina. Even when The critics pointed out that although Queen Amina ruled they went to Zazzau and Kano to check the period that she men and led them to war, women were not subjugated reigned, they found that the 34 years of her reign was not at that time as portrayed in the producer’s opening recorded. Also, after the reign of Bakwa of Turunku (King statement. They argued that the movie is riddled with Nikatau), her father ended, there were no records of another historical inaccuracies and mistakes, especially in the person who reigned for another 34 years until the next king manner by which the Igala regent addressed Madakin took over the mantle of leadership. Zazzau.

Savage

ast week, social media was agog after wedding details of Nollywood actress, Adebimpe Oyebade and her colleague, Lateef Adedimeji surfaced online. Fans who saw their wedding card were shocked because the two movie practitioners had often denied having a romantic relationship. Bimpe had granted interviews on different occasions to exonerate herself from any rumoured relationship with the actor. She once stated that Lateef was not her type of man. She stressed that she could not imagine herself dating the actor. According to her, all they have between them was a working relationship. Adebimpe made it known that the actor was her number one fan and her closest friend. She also

revealed that she was in a healthy relationship with another man. She even unveiled her lover in one of her posts, but she covered his face and asked her fans to guess his identity. A rumour that they were about to get married started spreading after a supposed wedding picture circulated on the Internet last year. They were both swift to deny the allegation, stating that the wedding picture was from the photo shoot of a brand they both represented. Lateef also granted interviews where he made it clear that he was just a friend of the actress. Now, the two role interpreters are preparing in earnest for their special day, which is scheduled to take place on December 22, 2021 at Grandeur Event Centre in

Oregun, Ikeja, Lagos. One of the two beautifully designed wedding invites, in the form of a passport is already in circulation among close friends and colleagues of both actors with a hashtag “Adeadeforever” already flooding the social media space, ahead of the wedding ceremony. Adebimpe met Lateef many years ago in the line of duty. They got close while Bimpe was shooting her second movie, Entrapped. He took over all her productions as the movie’s coordinator and they have been working together ever since then. Hardly does Bimpe produce a movie without casting Lateef as the main character. The two actors also jointly own a fashion brand, Adefits and most of their loved-up pictures are for their clothing brand.

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BUSINESS NEWS Red Star Freight, Arik Air Sign GSA Contract BY ANTHONY AWUNOR

igeria’s logistics company, Red Star Express Plc, has entered

into a partnership with Arik Air as the General Sales Agent (GSA). The partnership was announced recently by the Chief Operating Officer of Red Star Freight, Mudiaga Okumagba, at the company’s headquarters. According to Okumagba, the partnership is expected to enhance Red Star Express’ cargo movement across Nigeria from any location and at any time of the day.

L-R Chief Executive Officer, Nigerian Exchange Limited, Mr. Temi Popoola, CFA; Group Chairman/President, Dangote Group, Alhaji Aliko Dangote, GCON, and Chief Executive Officer, Central Securities Clearing System (CSCS) Plc, Mr. Haruna Jalo-Waziri, at the funeral of the Vice President, Dangote Group, Alhaji Sani Dangote in Kano on 17/11/2021.

We Spend Over N6bn On Staff Salaries – SEC DG

Continued from page 14 “fat salaries”.

He made these disclosures while defending SEC’s 2022 budget and performance for 2021 before the Senate Committee on Capital Market in Abuja. The SEC boss also explained that the projected revenue and recurrent expenditure fell significantly behind target. Accompanied by top management staff of the Commission, Lamido said the capital market regulatory agency would retire about 152 top management staff who earn “fat salaries”, as a way of reducing the financial burden of the Commission. He said this would pave the way for recruitment of fresh workers, which will be less burdensome financially. Describing SEC’s N8 billion expenditure as outrageous, members of the panel said it was wrong for the Commission to have expended close to 90 per cent of revenues made in the 2021 fiscal year on staff salaries and emoluments. Mr Yuguda had said that N11.5 billion was projected as revenue for 2021, of which N2.7 billion was realised as at June with the hope of making more before the year runs out. Continued from Page 15

“Total recurrent expenditure for 2021 was budgeted at N13.53 billion, but the actual expenditure was N4.063 by the end of June. Our budgeted deficit was N5.173 billion, but the actual deficit as at end of September was N2.834 due to funding of it from our reserve. “Although revenue performance is still weak, a series of innovations, such as the newly introduced charges for secondary investors, will boost it from the 2022 fiscal year and beyond,” he explained. Expressing dissatisfaction over the financial presentation by SEC, the Chairman of the panel, Ibikunle Amosun, said, “Your emolument was almost N6 billion out of the N9 billion and other expenses. So, clearly you are spending almost all of the revenue that comes to you on staff emolument and other related things. “You should give us the number of staff that you have in the commission, such that we need to look at what is happening. If you generate about N9 billion and almost N8 billion is purely for servicing the staff, you are having a huge deficit of almost N4 billion. When you continuously make this deficit, year in, year out, then something is wrong.” •Continues online at www.thewillnigeria.com

...Unilever

momentum in Nigeria following the crash in crude oil prices which started in the fourth quarter of 2014. The government put the measure in place to save foreign exchange, create jobs, productivity and grow the GDP.

Nestle Nigeria, Dangote Sugar, Nascon and Flour Mills of Nigeria hit N52 billion as against N42.6 billion in the corresponding period of 2020, representing a 22 percent up-jump. Analysts at Investdata believe that Unilever could pay a dividend in 2021. “The company will pay a dividend commensurate with their full year earnings,” Ambrose Omorodion, Chief Investment Officer at Investdata told THEWILL in a note.

Operators in the SME space belonging to various sectors, especially agriculture and transportation, have benefited from the policy as the FMCG firms take giant strides in supporting and implementing the policy. Governments at the three levels have also benefited from the measure The comment of Unilever Corporate by way of tax revenue, skill acquisition, Communications Department, which it infrastructure and technology. said would be forwarded through e-mail, Data from the firms’ H1 reports showed was not received at the time of going to that the combined profit of Unilever, press. THEWILLNIGERIA

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Ogun Farmers To Benefit From $500m World Bank Lifeline FROM SEGUN AYINDE, ABEOKUTA

armers on the Livestock Productivity and Resilient Support Project (L-PRESS) in Ogun State are to benefit from a $500 million lifeline offered by the World Bank, to boost productivity in the livestock sector for successful commercialisation in the state. L-PRES is a World Bank assisted project which focuses on poultry, cattle, dairy, piggery and bee-value chains, to increase productivity, ensure commercialisation, and conflict resolution across the selected value chain. Mrs. Winnie Lai-Solarin, the Federal Director, Animal Husbandry and the National Project Coordinator, disclosed this during a stakeholders’ meeting between officials of the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, the State Ministry of Agriculture and members of L-PRES in Abeokuta, the state capital. Lai-Solarin said the purpose of the meeting was to articulate, plan and prepare the programme with farmers inputs, which would aid in creating an enabling environment for their businesses to thrive. She, however, enjoined the farmers to focus on a particular value-chain and ensure that the criteria outlined by government were met, so as to benefit from the project, while encouraging the beneficiaries to ensure best practices in the rearing of their animals for commercialisation. Dr. Adeola Odedina, the State Commissioner for Agriculture said the state would ensure that livestock farmers benefit maximally from the projects, as it would create more job opportunities. Also Dr. Dotun Shorunke, the Permanent Secretary in the ministry, maintained that the state was chosen as a beneficiary of the project, based on the initiative of the State Governor, Prince Dapo Abiodun Shorunke added that the project was people-centered with a bottom-top approach, in order to acquire the inputs of farmers in the livestock value-chain, which would ensure that farmers’ challenges were considered, for the success of the project. •Continues online at www.thewillnigeria.com

“We are happy with this yet another achievement in the GSA space. It is going to impact our efficiency and service delivery to our customers. Having an integrated approach like this would help improve our service deliveries across all our business units and subsidiaries,” he stated. On his part, the Business Development and Freight Manager (GSA), Mr. Adeyinka Adewumi, emphasised that Red Star Express being Arik Air’s exclusive cargo broker, is a considerable achievement. “Although we started the GSA business only just recently, its growth has been unprecedented. We look forward to greater achievements”. According to Adewumi, Red Star Express has always wanted to play in this space, and it is great to see that the desire is coming to fruition. “It has always been an ambition to become the top GSA in Africa,” he reiterated.

Nigerian Firm To Participate In Intra-Africa Trade Fair BY SAM DIALA

igeria’s major food and beverage manufacturer, Rite Foods Limited, says it will participate in the 2nd Intra-African Trade Fair (IATF) in Durban, South Africa in November. The company says it will use the opportunity to deepen grounds for the actual commencement of the African Continental Free Trade Agreement (AfCFTA). The company said in a statement made available to THEWILL that it will use the IATF platform to boost its intra-African trade and investment, alongside maximizing the opportunity in discovering new customers and partners to broaden its network in its journey towards building enviable brand equity. The Rite Foods team is represented by the National Sales Manager, Adeniran Yunus, and the Brand Manager, Boluwatife Adedugbe. “At the event, they will be engaged in trade diplomacy with select African trade ambassadors as well as leading trade partners across the continent, with the hope of engendering the growth of the top-quality brand which has become a major attraction in its category across the African continent. “The team will also meet with worthy distributors across Africa with the hope of deepening penetration within the continent, taking the company’s products that have been the hallmark of distinctiveness to consumers in other emerging and developed markets,” the company said. Adedugbe stated that Rite Foods with unique brands in its product portfolio is poised towards extending its brand-building equity to other frontiers across Africa and to ensure that consumers get refreshed with the uniqueness attached to our premium brands. •Continues online at www.thewillnigeria.com

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STATE OF THE STATES BY SAM DIALA & OLAYEMI SHABA

Introduction:

here are concerns that Nigeria’s worsening revenue challenge may escalate into a financial implosion, with the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory (subnationals), being the worst hit. The situation is aggravated by the nation’s escalating public debt stock (now over N35 trillion). The debt stock comprises domestic and external loan obligations of the Federal Government and the sub-nationals. With over 70 percent of the nation’s revenue committed to debt servicing annually, governments at all levels are struggling to survive. There is little left for capital budget, pay salaries and undertake other priorities to grow the economy. Moreover, there is a limit to which the people and corporates could be taxed. Yet, profligacy and waste take the centre of

our governance space while frugality assumes the back seat. As such, the sub-nationals are hemorrhaging huge resources in paying salaries and other emoluments of a bloated bureaucracy. To survive, they are urged to diversify their revenue base, embark on aggressive internally generated revenue (IGR) and depend less on the shrinking federal allocations. The purpose of State of the States project, is to present evidence-based alternatives. These include avenues for the sub-nationals to become more viable and less dependent on the Federal Accounts Allocation Committee (FAAC) – referred to as Abuja handout. State of the States, a bi-weekly publication, features two states per edition. It endeavours to unearth hidden treasures in each state and ascertain, through consultations and evidencebased survey, areas of comparative advantages and economies

RIVERS STATE

of scale. The publication will show-case, in no exaggerated terms, the socio-economic status of each state and highlight the opportunities and threats. Furthermore, State of the States will examine existing realities that hinge on sector-specific areas of competitive advantage – Agriculture, Tourism, Transportation, Education and Skill Acquisition, Wellbeing and MSMEs. Ultimately, the project seeks to create the desired spotlight on the subnationals to motivate them to venture into something different for better results. We have featured Lagos and Ogun, Kwara and Kogi, Anambra and Enugu, Benue and Taraba, Kebbi and Sokoto, Cross River and Akwa Ibom, Ekiti and Osun, Bauchi and Gombe. This week periscopes Rivers and Bayelsa.

ivers State was created in 1967, its capital and commercial centre is Port Harcourt. It is bordered by Imo and Anambra states to the north, Abia and Akwa Ibom states to the east, and Balyesa and Delta states to the west. The inland part of the state consists of tropical rain forest; and towards the coast the typical Niger Delta environment features many mangrove swamps. Rainfall is seasonal and heavily occurs between the months of March and October through November. The only dry months are January and February. Agriculture and fishing is the primary occupation of the people. Rivers is one of the leading states in the production of yam, cassava, cocoyam, maize and rice. About 39 percent (760,000 hectares) of the state’s total land mass, particularly in the upland area, is suitable for cultivation.

Occupation of the people also includes mat weaving and pot making. Tourist Sites Rivers state has many beautiful tourist sites to behold such as the PH Cultural Centre, Finima Beach and Natural Park, PH Tourist Beach, Statue of King Jaja of Opobo, PH Zoo and Upper Orashi Forest Reserve. Others are Biseni Forest, Ikuru Atlantic Beach, National Museum and Bonny Island. Isaac Boro Garden Park, Iroko Beach and the NLNG Facility are the others. The influx of oil-related workers boosts patronage for these sites. Natural resources More than 60 percent of the country’s output of crude oil and gas is produced in the state. Other natural resources found within its boundaries are bitumen, silica sand, glass sand and clay. Boost in Agribusiness To diversify from oil, Rivers state is engaging massively in agriculture to tap the huge potential of the state’s highly fertilized arable farmland. Rivers is among Nigeria’s top 5 cassava-producing states. In partnership with the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, the state has commissioned a 450 metric tons cassava processing plant in Oyigbo LGA from which 20,000 farming families will benefit. The plant will promote the adoption and use of 10 percent high quality cassava flour (HQCF) in bread and confectionery business, so as to reduce wheat importation and conserve foreign exchange earnings. Oil palm production and processing at Oguta, Elele, Akpoku Etche and Alua clusters are under rapid development linked to the Oyigbo Market and Oil Beach retail and wholesale outlets. This is a major source of employment and income for the residents. The Oil Mill Equipment fabrication in the state facilitates business in palm oil production and processing. Investment in oil palm plantation has also received a boost. Plantain flour production and processing has become a major activity given the high population that the oil industry attracts. There is also co-operative cocoyam farmers in the upland area.

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Wike

Major cash crops produced are oil palm products, rubber, coconut, raffia palm and jute. Other crops grown for food include vegetables, melon, pineapples, mango, pepper, banana and plantain. The fishing industry is a thriving sector in Rivers state. Fishing is also a favourite pastime activity. There are approximately 270 species of fish existing; with many artisanal fishermen in the riverine areas. The state provides valuable seafood such as crabs, oysters, shrimps and sea snails among others.

FACT-FILE: Local government area: 23 Land Area: 4,277sq mi. Population: 7.023 m @ 2019 Registered businesses: 7,139 Public primary schools: 1,085 circa Public secondary schools: 60 circa University (4): Federal - 1, state - 2, private -1 Polytechnic (4): Federal -1, state - 2, private - 1 College of Education (3): Federal -1, state-1, private-1 College of Agriculture: Federal - 1 Nursing School (5): Federal - 4, private - 1 Technical school: State -3 Total revenue: N258.37bn @ 2020 Total tax: N 110.73bn @ 2020 Total IGR: N117.18bn @ 2020 (45.36% of total revenue) FAAC: N141,18bn @ 2020 (54.64% of total revenue) Domestic debt: N266.93bn @ 2020 External Debt: $96.69m @ 2020 Unemployment rate: 43.7% @ 2020 Airport: Port Harcourt International Airport. Seaports: Onne, Port Harcourt THEWILLNIGERIA

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STATE OF THE STATES

Rivers Targets Rapid Economic Growth

he Songhai Rivers Initiative Farm (SRIF) established in the state targets rapid economic growth. It combines livestock, aquaculture and agro-tourism. The centre serves as a place of excellence for training, production, research, demonstration as well as development of sustainable agricultural practices. SRIF was set up in partnership with Songhai International Centre, Porto Novo. The project is located on 314 hectare of farm land at Bunu in Tai local government area. There are different units through which the SRIF executes its functions. These units include:

• Production • Cow and goat ranch • Concrete fish ponds • Earthen pond • Fish hatchery • Artificial lake

• Administrative and hospitality centre

• Green house maggotery

• Technology and industrial park

Other units are broilers production, cassava processing, feed

mill, rice mill, machines production, stabilised bricks production, free range poultry, plantain farm, pineapple, vegetable garden, cassava and moringa cultivation. More units designed for future production at the centre include coconut, animal feeds, mango orange for juice and input for animal processing and snail production. The state government is fast-tracking infrastructure to boost economic development, job creation and revenue. “Our intention is to provide basic infrastructure that would improve the economic activities of the state and make Port Harcourt among the best cities in the country,” Gov. Nyesom Wike said. Challenging Factors: Water piracy, militancy, lack of access roads, insecurity, water pollution, poor power supply.

ENDOWMENT AND INVESTMENT OPPORTUNITIES

Commercial fishing

Oil & Gas services (Engineering, Procurement, Construction, Installation)

Boat and Berge services

Palm produce

Cassava processing

ICT Services

Supermarket

Water transport

Housing

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STATE OF THE STATES

ayelsa State was created on October 1, 1996 out of the old Rivers State and its capital is Yenagoa . The state shares boundaries with Delta in the North, Rivers State on the East and the Atlantic Ocean on the West and South. It has vegetation characterized by mangrove forest and in the north it has a thick forest with arable lands for cultivation. Bayelsa State is a picturesque tropical rain forest, with an area of about 21,110 square kilometres. More than three quarters of this area is covered by water, with a moderately low land stretching from Ekeremor to Nembe. Bayelsa is an oil-rich state and site of Oloibiri oilfield where oil was first discovered in Nigeria and estimated to produce 30-40 percent of the country’s crude oil. As such its economy is dominated by the Petroleum Industry. The state is reported to have the largest gas reservoir (18 trillion cubic feet) in the country which contributes to local economic development. Occupations in the State include fishing, farming, palm oil milling, lumbering, palm wine tapping, local gin making, trading, carving and weaving. Tourist Sites Nigeria’s first oil well, Oloibiri (12,008 feet deep, 1956), Ox-Bow Lake , Mungo Park Residence, Mangrove Creeks, Apoi Creek Forest, The Agricultural Palm Beach, The Odi Holiday Resort in Kolo, The Ossiama Fish Lake ,The Koluama Holiday Resort, Akassa Lighthouse, Akassa Slave Transit Camp and Tunnel, Bayelsa National Forest, Edumanum Forest Reserve, OkpoamaBrass Beach, Odioma Beach, Bayelsa Ferry Terminal and Resorts, Ox-Bow Lake Bayelsa, Monument of Late Christopher Iwowari, Statue of Late King Ockiya Mausoleum -Obgolomabirin, The Accent Nembe War Canoe Regatta.

BAYELSA Natural Resources The state is rich in Crude oil and Natural gas, Salt, Silica sand, Clay, Lime stone, Manganese, Lignite, Lead. Agribusiness In addition to being an oil-producing state , the people of Bayelsa have always been involved in Agriculture as their occupation. Some of the produce in the state are timber, cane wood, raffia palm, palm produce, cassava, coco-yam, yam, rice, maize, plantain, sugar cane, iringa (ogbono). Other agricultural products are fish, oyster, shrimp, and other sea foods. However the oil and gas industry took its toll on the agricultural sector as the state became more dependent on oil while agriculture suffered gross negligence. Realising the need to increase food production, the Bayelsa State Governor, Douye Diri, sought partnership with the Peoples Republic of China in agricultural, infrastructure, technical and educational development of the state. An agribusiness firm, SWEER Global Farms is using modern farming technology and techniques to galvanize food production in Bayelsa State. It said the company found the state suitable for the project because of the potential.

College of Arts & Science: 1 Nursing School: State - 1 Health Science : State - 1 Technical School (7): Federal - 1, state - 6 Total Revenue: N156.47bn @ 2020 Total Tax: N12bn Total IGR: N12.15bn @ 2020 (9.47% of total revenue) FAAC: N116.40bn @ 2020 (90.53% of total revenue) Domestic Debt: N114.12bn @ 2020 External Debt: $62.97m @ 2020 Unemployment rate: 34.22 percent @ 2020 Airport: Bayelsa International Airport, Wilberforce, Amassama.

The target of the company is to revolutionize agriculture and agribusiness in the State, because of the natural endowment and peace that exists. FACT FILE: Local Government Area: 8 Land area: 8,150 sq mi. Population: 2.24 million @ 2019 Registered businesses: 263 Public primary schools: 540 circa Public secondary schools: 300 circa University (4): Federal - 1, state - 3 Polytechnic (2): Federal 1, state - 1 College of Agriculture : State - 1

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Diri

College of Education : State -1

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STATE OF THE STATES

Bayelsa to Execute ‘Belt and Road Initiative’

n a bid to achieve rapid development, the governor is taking a cue from the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) project.This is a global infrastructure plan conceived in China in 2013 and implemented in over 70 countries with the goal of partnering in the design and implementation of large infrastructure projects. The state is set to take adequate advantage of its water bodies. According to the governor “We believe Bayelsa offers a considerable window to the world and will be a spectacular platform to showcase the BRI in the building of roads that traverse several water bodies, as well as providing access to a reservoir of resources in the coasts of Bayelsa. “Our state’s expansive coastline is ideal for fishing, tourism and wind energy. Our government has identified agriculture as the main sector within which it will achieve sustainable development and growth. We have already identified four areas to substantially invest, which are fishing, farming, rice, cassava and plantain cultivation”

The Federal Government said it will further increase the local farmers’ income and create more jobs for youths. Some of the projects meant to actualise the objective include the MiniWater treatment plants in Sagbama, Paved road networks and solar street lights in different parts of the rural communities; re-stocking of lakes and water bodies, establishment of fish processing plants as well as live birds market in Yenagoa. The Governor said that the state has huge potential in fish farming and other areas of agribusiness. “If properly tapped, Bayelsa State can feed itself and the entire nation; we will also want to partner with the Federal Government in order to boost the fish production value chain”. Bayelsa Airport to Boost Agribusiness The issue of an airport project to be conceived by past and present leaders of the State after creation in 1996 has been welcomed ad\s commendable. This is because of the international status the State has in terms of its location by the Atlantic Ocean bordering other countries. The state is

also massively endowed with oil and gas resources including lands for agriculture and agribusiness activities. “The Bayelsa International Airport came at the right time when the Federal Government is seriously talking about diversifying the economy through other vital sectors, which agriculture is the centre piece to drive it, and Bayelsa State has one of the best soils for agricultural purposes that would be seen as natural hub for agribusiness and also to promote organic agriculture in all areas”. According to the government, “We know from time that with the take-off of commercial flight activities at the Bayelsa International Airport it will boost agribusiness in the state and the Niger Delta region in no distant time because it will massively attract investors to the State. “And this airport will be a selling point we will use to attract our partners abroad into the State to invest not just only in agriculture but in other sectors that are yet to be tapped and unlocked. We see a lot of business and investment potentials. and where to delve in for investment.” Challenging Factors: Water piracy, militancy, lack of access roads, insecurity, water pollution, poor power supply.

ENDOWMENT AND INVESTMENT OPPORTUNITIES

Trawling

Fish processing & packaging

Boat repairs and maintenance

Oil & Gas service

Berge & Boat supply

Mobile Money service

Starch SeafoodManufacturing packaging

Commercial Rice Production Cassava processing

Poultry Guest house

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Mama Roz’s Chronicles

Saving Stella BY ROZ AMECHI

Stella’s Story tella had been away from Nigeria for almost two years and was excited to be returning if only for a few weeks or so she thought. She had been admitted into Southern Illinois University Carbondale to study for her PhD and had only three months to go when she decided to return to Nigeria to carry out some research for her dissertation. Unbeknownst to Stella, the events that would occur on this trip would change her life forever. She was on her way to Kano for a meeting with one of her organisation’s members but she never made it there. Feeling very tired, she fell asleep at the back of the Toyota Camry she was travelling in. She woke up to find the car upside down whilst she was still strapped into her seat. People were surrounding the car trying to drag her out. She felt a warm rush of blood pouring down the side of her face and excruciating pain in her back, and then slowly realised that she had been in an accident. Under her breath with all the horrible drama unfolding around her, she muttered the words: “not again. Please God not again”. Stella was referring to an earlier accident she had been in several years before which had almost cost her a leg due to poor medical care. Knowing first-hand the consequences of that, her primary concern when she realised the situation she was in, was to avert any errors that could have fatal consequences. Stella had a degree in nursing from the Obafemi Awolowo University, Ife so she pretty much knew from the nature of her pain that her back was broken but try as she did, she could not communicate to the crowd of panicking people who were trying to rescue her, that more damage could be done if she was not handled with care. She spotted someone in an NYSC uniform and explained that she had to be carried in a certain way to avoid further complications. So, she was carried in a log roll into a waiting bus. Due to a doctor’s strike, Ahmadu Bello Teaching Hospital, Zaria, though the nearest, was not an option. She was taken to a nearby maternity home that lacked the equipment to even carry out an x-ray to determine the extent of the damage. She had been carried quite roughly from the stretcher to the bed and all they could do was stop the bleeding from her head injury. The next day she contacted her family and they arranged an ambulance but the usual delays resulting from obtaining a police report and other documentation slowed down the proceedings. The ambulance service which was organised by an Ashoka fellow, Nkem Momah, who had earlier been in similar circumstances and now dedicated himself to providing help to others, came as a relief.

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She was moved to National Hospital where her problems were compounded. She was still bleeding profusely from the head and the medical officer focused only on treating the head wound despite the fact that she kept telling them that her back was broken. Her eventual admission into the ICU caused more damage from sheer neglect. She had a tingling sensation in her legs and could raise them when she arrived at the hospital but by the next day when the Consultant arrived, she had no feeling or movement in them. The MRI that he ordered for her back caused more excruciating pain and damage as they moved her around at different angles. Another consultant arrived from Usman Dan Fodio but he admitted that they did not have the equipment to offer the aggressive treatment her injury required and asked the hospital staff to wrap her in POP. Stella wept from the pain and begged for death to come but death wasn’t ready for her yet. Stella’s salvation when it came, was through her former colleagues and a total stranger. Her previous work saving HIV patients had touched her colleagues and now they rallied round to save her. Dr. Mike Ebo, Dr. Odaga, Dr. Natalia Kanem and Kathleen Perry are among the people that Stella will never forget. They contacted doctors all over the world looking for options. Finally, they found a doctor in New York, Dr Ohanabe Boachie who had founded an organisation called Focos Foundation for complex orthopaedic and spinal surgeries. He

“

Stella’s next treatment is due at the end of November. If she does not receive the treatment, she could die. It’s as simple as that

especially during maternity care and sensitized the public about the National Health Act. She carried out a series of campaigns but always felt that she was not making a huge dent on the system. And then, Stella discovered farming. It started out as just a little vegetable patch that provided some of the nutrients she required and then she went into fullscale farming and animal husbandry. Stella was ecstatic. She had found her calling. She conducted lectures and wrote articles on healthy eating and nutrition. Most importantly she found that her own health had greatly improved. She lost weight, became stronger and came off most of her medications. The only down side was a procedure she had to do every six months in the United States but she had sufficient earnings coupled with her savings to cover that, so there was no problem. But then Covid 19 struck!

Stella Iwuagwu

Poor medical care is one of the greatest challenges we face living in Nigeria. If you can afford it, medical tourism is a solution and that’s assuming you can be flown out in time. However, with the current economic recession, and the high cost of foreign currency, many people who could hitherto travel abroad for treatment are finding themselves in dire straits. Stella’s story takes us through a painful journey of poor medical healthcare, its consequences and our current limited choices.

agreed to take her case after reviewing the MRI. She was flown to Ghana the next day. A complete stranger who leased chartered aeroplanes volunteered to fly her to Ghana. Mike and Kathleen stood in the gap. She was touched to see Mike physically carry her onto the plane all the while encouraging her to hang in there. The second doctor who was scheduled to travel with them did not show up so Kathleen dropped everything she was doing, called her family and told them she was travelling. Then she hopped on the plane and followed her to Ghana. The support was incredible. For Stella it was a surreal moment that was imprinted in her heart and will remain there for the rest of her life. When they arrived in Ghana, two surgeons waiting at the tarmac, whisked her to Kolebu Teaching Hospital and within 24 hours of her arrival the surgery was performed. The bone was reset, relieving the pressure on her spinal cord. To this day, Stella tells the story of how she died in Nigeria and was resurrected in Ghana. Four weeks later she was flown again to the United States where the prognosis was that the chances of her walking again were very slim. Her journey back to life started there. She did 40 hours of physiotherapy every week. She had to extend her doctorate degree for another two years so that she could get the required medical assistance only available to full time students. Stella still had several medical issues to be resolved. She had constant back pain which felt like someone was cutting her back with a razor blade and dropping lemon juice on it. Even simple daily bathroom routines required assistance that tampered with her dignity and selfesteem. Her two children aged 12 and 14 became her primary carers, cleaning, washing and feeding her; taking her to the hospital. Their childhood was truncated and even a few years later when her daughter got a scholarship to

Stamford University, she turned it down to stay close so she could care for her mum. Stella often felt like giving up but she knew that as a single mum, she had to survive for her children and she could not let all the people rooting for her down. So, she fought back and conquered. When she finished her course, she could not return to Nigeria immediately as she was still receiving treatment so she got a job as an Assistant Professor at Cleveland State University, Ohio where she worked for about 6 years during which period, she had multiple surgeries. The decision to return home came after a series of devastating events. Stella’s sister died in 2015 shortly after childbirth. Again, poor medical care was the culprit. The nurses had left some of the placentae in her womb and the family could not raise N250,000 for her treatment. Shortly after this incident, both her father and her close cousin died also of medical mismanagement. Stella was shattered, heartbroken and depressed. She blamed herself for being too far away to help them and at that point vowed to return home to continue her contribution to the health sector. Through a miracle, after she promised God that she would return to work in Nigeria if she walked again, she was out of the wheelchair and walking with a rollator. So, she resigned her job in the US and returned to Nigeria. Back in Nigeria Stella dove right in with a documentary called ‘Failed by Angels’ which highlighted the medical negligence experienced by patients,

Like many other people around the world, the Covid 19 lockdown took its toll on Stella’s business. Her farm hands could not come to work and she lost a huge number of her livestock. She had planted seven hectares of cassava but cows stormed through her farm and ate most of it. At harvest time she only had 2 hectares worth of cassava left. It was a huge blow to her vision and financial security. As a result, Stella can no longer afford the biannual trips to the United States for her treatment. But all is not lost. The company that manufactures the equipment used for the procedure informed her that a certain Dr Ojo had been trained on the procedure and could perform it if he had the equipment, software and medication. He works at the Lagos University Teaching Hospital. Stella was excited to receive the news and contacted the doctor who confirmed that he could do the procedure if he had the equipment which will cost five million Naira (N5m) to procure. Stella’s next treatment is due at the end of November. If she does not receive the treatment she could die. It’s as simple as that. If you are touched by her story and you want to help us keep Stella and others with the same condition alive, please donate towards her next treatment and the purchase of the equipment. We are also appealing to the Lagos State Government to assist with the purchase of the equipment which will benefit several patients. Donations can be sent to: Account Name: Stella Iwuagwu Account No: 6237781539 Bank Name: Fidelity Bank Plc Roz Amechi © 2021. No part of the story/documentary may be copied, photocopied, reproduced, translated or reduced to any electronic medium or machine-readable form, in whole or in part, without prior written consent of the author, Roz Amechi.

Re: Homeless in Abuja

If you wish to support any of the three women featured in the story, you can make donations to THEWILL Communication Company Limited, UBA Account: 1023834067. Please donation should be specified to which of the persons it is for. Email: rozamechi@gmail.com; (+234) 7087086950 THEWILLNIGERIA

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SHOTS OF THE WEEK PHOTO EDITOR: PEACE UDUGBA [08033050729]

L-R: President and Chairman of Board of Directors, Afreximbank, Prof Benedict Oramah; Secretary-General, African Development Bank Group, Prof Vincent Nmehielle and Chairman, Nigeria Governors’ Forum Ekiti State Governor, Kayode Fayemi of Ekiti State, during the Experience Sharing Session by Selected African Sub-sovereign Governments, at the Intra-African Trade Fair (IATF) in Durban and South Africa on 18/11/2021.

L-R: Sector commander, Federal Road Safety Corps, Ogun State, Ahmed Umar; Deputy Governor of Ogun State, Noimot Salako- Oyedele; Governor Dapo Abiodun of Ogun State, Secretary to the State Government, Tokunbo Talabi; Commissioner for Special Duties, Femi Ogunbanwo and the Commander Traffic Compliance and Enforcement, Seeni Ogunyemi at the petrol tanker explosion accident at Ogere toll gate, along Lagos-Ibadan Express road, Ogun State on 17/11/2021.

L-R: L-R: Member of Yewa Chamber of Commerce, Industries, Mines and Agriculture, Ogun State, Dr. Allinson Idris L-R: National Sales Manager, Rite Foods Limited, Adeniran Yunus; Executive Director, Nigerian Export Promotion Babatunde; Chairman, Ikeja Computer Village, Ade Adewumi; Chairman, Sevikay International Limited, Olowolade Council, Segun Awolowo, and the Brand Manager, Rite Foods Limited, Boluwatife Adedugbe, at the company’s Julius; Actress Iyabo Ojo and Manufacturer, Dessoi Flour, Paulin Adjagbodjou, during the officer Launching and stand at the Intra-African Trade Fair, in Durban South Africa on 18/11/2021. Unveiling of Dessoi Flour food, at LTV8, Lateef Jakande, Agidingbi, Lagos on 17/11/2021.

(L-R) Front row: Founder / President CMC African Award of Excellence, Mr. Cornell Udofia; Somolu Local Government Chairman, Abdul Hamed Salau; Former Miss Pepeiye, Bolatito Sowunmi and others, during the presentation of the Best Local Government Chairman Award in Projects and Infrastructures in Nigeria to Somolu LG Chairman at the Somolu Local government Area in Lagos on 15/11/2021. THEWILLNIGERIA

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L-R: Mr. Tomoyoshi Maehira; Chairman, House Committee on Nigeria-Japan Parliamentary Friendship Group, Rep. Mukhtar Ahmed; Japanese Ambassador to Nigeria, Amb. Matsunaga Kazuyoshi; Speaker, House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila and Namikawa Hokuto, after a courtesy visit to the Speaker by a delegation from the Embassy of Japan at the National Assembly on 17/11/2021.

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