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ANAMBRA:

In Eye of The Storm as Uncertainty Surrounds Governorship Poll

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Soludo

Ozigbo

Uba

COVER

BY AMOS ESELE

Onitsha, the auto and business hubs, and the various headquarters of the 21 local government areas of the state. Last Tuesday, the Inspector-General of Police, Usman Baba Alkali, deployed 100 senior police officers comprising DIGs, AIGs and CPs to coordinate and direct security activities before the polls. In addition, the police authorities have deployed 34, 587 personnel and three helicopters.

ing heights of the country? And they continue to keep quiet. Every time we hear come and vote, come and vote. What is my benefit in voting all these years?

We have passed that stage. We cannot challenge what Kanu has directed. He cannot be under incarceration and at the same time election is being held in Igboland. We would be seen as unserious people if we disobey,” Uwaze said.

“In terms of a peaceful election, if you take past elections conducted in the state and the build up to it, violence becomes an anti-climax,” the Managing Director of B3 Communications, a public relations firm and member of the Soludo for Governor Campaign Organisation, Joe Anatune, told THEWILL in a brief interview.

When reminded of the unnecessary killings going in the South-East because of the hardline position of their proscribed organisation and its refusal to listen to the call for dialogue and strategic engagement by elders and statement in Igboland, he raised his voice angrily.

Anambra: In Eye of The Storm as Uncertainty Surrounds Governorship Poll M

ost governorship election circles in Anambra State come with an attention-grabbing crisis nationwide, which seems to suggest that the gateway state to the heartland of the SouthEast is jinxed politically.

It was in this state in 2003 that a governor of the state, Chris Ngige, (now Minister of Labour and Employment) was abducted by a host of government forces led by Assistant Inspector-General Ralph Ige and power-brokers in the state. His successor, Dr Peter Obi, in 2007 was impeached for his refusal to defect to the ruling Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, and then prevented from running for a second term until he won back his mandate through an appeal upheld by the Supreme Court. Now, in 2021, the irreverent secessionist group, the proscribed Indigenous Peoples of Biafra, IPOB, has joined the fray, holding stakeholder’s attention with its directive to the people to sit out the election.

Six days to the governorship poll, which is scheduled for November 6, the pre-eminent state in the South-East is so thick with tension you could see it like a wall. The people, who had always obeyed the sit-at home directive of IPOB on Mondays in all the five South-East states to protest the detention of its leader, Nnamdi Kanu, look forward with trepidation to a similar, but a one- week order from November 5 through November 11, meant to scuttle voting by the electorate.

As Election Day approaches, soldiers mounting sandbags at check points are visible in most parts of the state, notably Awka, the state capital; Nnewi and PAGE 4

“When we have an off- season election, you find that everybody is focused on that election. Anambra is where you have extremely educated and wealthy people and everybody wants to be on top of the game. It is in the interest of everybody that the election holds.

I feel very strongly that all stakeholders, including IPOB, who I believe are reasonable people, are in the same boat. At the end of the day, we all want a better life for everybody,” he said.

Barrister Ohaeto Uwaze, a member of IPOB’s legal team, thinks otherwise. He told this newspaper that elections held in the region have brought no tangible result to the people, adding that only Kanu can revoke the November 5 to 11 sit-at-home order of the proscribed group.

“What has elections brought to Igboland? There is no difference between Igbo leaders and Al-Queda.

How many of them are in positions in the command-

“We have been shouting, but the country’s leadership has refused to hear us. We want the world to hear us.

The world has a way of looking at the issues differently from Nigeria.”

For Mr Victor Ogene, former Deputy Chairman of the House of Representatives Public Affairs Committee, the general voter fear and apathy is prevalent in the cities and stakeholders have continued to appeal to IPOB. Ogene, who is currently Director of Media and Publicity of the Andy Uba Campaign Organisation, said, “We appeal to our brothers in IPOB, that no elective office, as former President Jonathan said, is worth the shedding of blood of anybody. That was why Andy Uba suspended his campaign when Dr Akinyuli was killed.”

Then he added, rather, sarcastically; “When the Attorney General and Minister of Justice, Abubakar THEWILLNIGERIA

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COVER Malami mentioned the possibility of declaring a state of emergency in the state, peace returned to the state.

There may be voter apathy but there will be localized elections within the communities except in the cities where people will be afraid. We have appealed to them not to.”

Attempts to reach former Governor Chukwuemeka Ezeife for comments proved abortive. The ex-governor who was stopped alongside a traditional ruler by security agents when they tried to gain entrance into the court during Kanu’s appearance on Wednesday, October 16, is said to be working round the clock to get IPOB leaders to calm down and allow the election to be held unhindered.

However, the umbrella socio-cultural organization for the Igbo, Ohanaeze Ndigbo, has appealed to IPOB to lay down their arms. In a statement titled, ‘Ohanaeze pleads with IPOB for Anambra election’ and issued by its National Publicity Secretary, Chief Alex Ogbonnia, pleaded with IPOB to reconsider the seven days seat at home order in the South-East so as not to cripple the region economically through the prevention of the November polls in Anambra State, the economic base of the region.

Ogbonnia said in the statement, “Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide pleads with the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) to reconsider the 7 days’ sit- at -home order in the South-East of Nigeria from November 5 to November 11. This is to enable the Anambra governorship election scheduled for November 6 to be held.

“It is important to note that Anambra State is the economic live-wire of the South-East with an impressive steady growth trajectory. For instance, the state showcases the best rural road network and rural community development in the South-East, if not in the entire country.”

“It is important to point out that one of the causes of the crisis of confidence in the South-East is the yawning gap between the youths and indeed, the masses on one side, and the political leaders on the other.

Therefore, the leadership of the various youth groups should not be excluded in any meeting aimed at resolving the current crisis in Igboland.

“Ohanaeze Ndigbo reiterates its solidarity with any group that protests Igbo alienation in Project Nigeria, with a caution for restraint, maturity and wisdom. It is based on the foregoing that Ohanaeze adopts the philosophy of dialogue and negotiations in coalition with other concerned groups that comprise the Southern and Middle Belt Leadership Forum led by Chief Edwin Clark.

“It is also lamentable that the burial ceremony for the Afara Ukwu- born Mrs Victoria Aguiyi-Ironsi, slated for November 5 in Umuahia, Abia State, may be affected by the prevailing Igbo social climate. General Aguiyi-Ironsi represents so many things to the Igbo and we owe his soul a duty.

“Ohanaeze Ndigbo urges the Governor of Anambra State, Chief Willy Obiano, to convene a joint meeting of the Anambra State chapter of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, led by Chief Emeka Udodeme, and the Association of Town Unions, led by Titus Akpudo, with a view to activating meetings in all the 181 towns in the state. Traditional rulers, Archbishops, Bishops and the Clergy are also requested to brace themselves for their roles as the cultural and spiritual leaders of society.”

Ohanaeze warned that the disruption of the Anambra governorship election and the adverse consequences will be “a major setback to the Igbo civilisation.”

A REPLAY OF THE PAST? The antics of the key players look like a repetition of Anambra State’s political past, as earlier mentioned.

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Starting on Thursday, July 10, 2003, when the then Governor Chris Ngige, (now Minister of Labour and Employment) was abducted by a host of federal forces led by Police AIG Ralph Ige and the Uba brothers.

According to reports, Ngige resigned his office at gunpoint in a nondescript toilet and had sworn an oath of loyalty to the Uba brothers at the dreaded Okija shrine.

Ngige denied he ever resigned and claimed he played along by going to the shrine with his Bible.

Two Justices, Egbo-Egbo of the Federal High Court, Abuja and Stanley Nnaji of Enugu High Court gave different but supporting rulings; that Ngige actually resigned and so he should quit office. The crisis dragged on and on the wee hours of November 10, 2004, some hoodlums brought into the state in 40-odd buses burnt every building of government business and the broadcasting houses.

Fearing the possible security implications for the country, the PDP National Chairman at the time, Audu Ogbeh, wrote a public letter to former President Olusegun Obasanjo that it was only incumbent on him to stop the Anambra mayhem.

Matters reached a head until the election tribunal removed Ngige, thus paving the way for the coming of Dr Peter Obi. Obi refused to defect to the ruling PDP and was soon made to taste the bitter pills of power.

He was impeached in an unholy hour by a handful of legislators holed up in the hotel room of a neighbouring state, Dame Virgy Etiaba, Obi’s deputy, was sworn in as governor.

By another twist of fate orchestrated by the powers that be, Peter Obi got his mandate back through the court, but in the 2007 governorship election in Anambra, Obi and Ngige were excluded from the ballot by INEC on “orders from above”, thus paving the way for Andy Uba to be declared the winner of the election.

Once again, Obi went back to the Supreme Court, asking for the determination of his actual tenure. The apex court gave him a favourable judgment and Uba was sent packing after having served only 16 days as governor.

home orders, he noted, have largely been obeyed by the people, who are scared for their lives.

He said, “The arrest and detention of Nnamdi Kanu has made a myth out of him. Anything he says now becomes law in Igboland. Reveling in their new found power, the IPOB leaders feel they can extend it anywhere. Governors are no longer in control of the people. Do not let anyone deceive you. They have come into a newfound power. They feel the best way to get back at the politicians is to scuttle the polls” Why Anambra? The aide explained the political connection.

“Anambra takes front row in having heavy weights in politics, public affairs and statecraft in the region since the days of the great Zik of Africa, the late Okigbo brothers, Chinua Achebe, a revered royal institution, the Obi of Onitsha and former President of the Senate, Chuba Okadigbo, Dr Peter Obi and so on. That is why stakes are always high in elections here.

INEC TAKES A STAND INEC as part of its readiness to conduct a free and fair election that it had promised would be transmitted electronically, following the support of the Senate, has increased the polling units in Anambra from 4, 608 to 5, 720. This effort is intended to allow a situation where polling units will be accessible to the electorate.

Reinforcing this move, Chairman of INEC, Prof Mahmood Yakubu, last Wednesday declared the readiness of the commission to conduct a free and fair governorship election in the state and transmit the results electronically.

Speaking at a meeting with the Joint National Assembly Committee on INEC and Electoral Matters held to engage with the commission over the forthcoming election in Abuja, Prof Yakubu, said, “We have recovered from the series of attacks on our facilities and I am happy to say that we have deployed all the nonsensitive materials to all the local government areas.

“As far as INEC is concerned, we are good to go on November 6,” he added.

Governor Willie Obiano’s aide, who prefers anonymity, disagrees that the current situation bears any resemblance to the past. For him, what is at play is the display of ‘raw power’.

THE WAY FORWARD The way forward, according to one of the major protagonists in the current situation in the state, IPOB, is a referendum.

As he explained to THEWILL, the success of the sitat-home order in the South-East has given the IPOB leadership a new found strength. Monday’s sit-at

Affirming this, Barrister Uwaze said, “The best way to resolve the crisis is to conduct a referendum on our demands. If the vote is against us, we will bow down.

We have passed the stage of fighting, but calling for the adoption of international best practices on situations such as we find ourselves.”

“

Reveling in their new found power, the IPOB leaders feel they can extend it anywhere.

Governors are no longer in control of the people. Do not let anyone deceive you. They have come into a newfound power. They feel the best way to get back at the politicians is to scuttle the polls

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When asked if he knows that preventing people from expressing themselves during elections was against international conventions and the best practices he had summoned in defense of his position, he said, magisterially, “We cannot be talking about Biafra and talking about election at the same time. The world or reasonable persons would not take us seriously. The other day I heard Ambassador Babagana Kingibe say the unity of Nigeria is negotiable. That is it. We are already down. He that is down needs fear no fall, as a writer puts it.”

The Chairman of the Senate Joint Committee, Kabiru Gaya, during the meeting between INEC and the Senate on Wednesday last week noted that “the situation in Anambra is quite unfortunate especially at a time when we are approaching the gubernatorial election in the state.

“Elections, as you are aware, is a recruitment process of leadership as well as the foundation that carries the builders of change and development.”

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OCTOBER 31 - NOVEMBER 6, 2021 T H E W I L L N E W S P A P E R • www.thewillnigeria.com

GLOBAL NEWS Pope Urges ‘Radical’ Climate Response in Exclusive BBC Message

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US President Joe Biden, met with the Pope ahead of climate change Summit.

COP26: Biden On Diplomatic Drive Ahead of Climate Summit

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resident Joe Biden has arrived in Europe ahead of next week’s key UN climate summit, with his signature climate policy yet to pass through the US Congress.

The president’s $1.75 trillion (£1.2tn) Build Back Better social welfare package includes more than $500bn of spending on green policies. Before leaving Washington, Mr Biden described the measures as historic.

But differences among Democrats mean it is unlikely to pass before the summit. “It’s a framework that will create millions of jobs, grow the economy, invest in our nation and our people, and turn the climate crisis into an opportunity.” Mr. Biden said in a TV address from the White House.

The president heads for the COP26 global climate summit in Scotland on Sunday, but his first stop was the Vatican where he met the Pope after arriving in the early hours of Friday.

Mr. Biden thanked the pontiff for his advocacy for the world’s poor and those suffering from hunger and persecution.

He also praised the Pope’s leadership on climate change.

Mr. Biden will also attend the G20 summit of major economies in Rome.

His Build Back Better legislation covers a wide range of extra funding for health and child care, education and clean energy reforms.

Green spending would seek to dramatically slash US greenhouse gas emissions by 2030, provide new tax breaks for electric vehicles and roll out installation of solar panels on American homes.

The president had hoped to have the package passed in time for COP26 which begins in Glasgow on Monday.

The package is linked in Congress to a separate infrastructure bill worth $1.2tn.

The bill has passed through the evenly split Senate, but some leftwing Democrats want changes to Build Back Better before agreeing to pass the infrastructure legislation through the House of Representatives and say both bills must be voted on at the same time. Mr. Biden’s fellow Democrats abandoned plans for a vote on Thursday.

The president implored Democrats during a closed-door meeting on Capitol Hill to support his legislative plans, saying he wanted to prove that US democracy still works.

Canada: Evacuations As Ship Spews Toxic Gas Off Coast

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ixteen people have been evacuated from a burning container ship off Canada’s Pacific coast. The Zim Kingston ship is expelling toxic gas but officials said there is “no safety risk” to people on land.

The ship was en route to Vancouver when it caught fire late on Saturday.

Response vessels spent the night cooling the exterior of the ship with water, but could not douse the flames directly because of the chemicals, CBC News

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reports.

“The ship is on fire and expelling toxic gas.” The Canadian coast guard said.

He added that 10 containers had been affected by the fire.

“Currently there is no safety risk to people on shore, however the situation will continue to be monitored,” He said. The coast guard reported the ship was carrying more than 52,000kg of chemicals located in two of the containers that are on fire.

Indonesia Calls for Vaccine Equity After Covid Toll

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ndonesia’s President, Joko Widodo, has urged richer countries to share their vaccines with poorer ones, in an exclusive interview with the BBC. Mr Widodo said it “shouldn’t be just a few countries that get all the vaccines, and some other countries get only a little.”

He was speaking ahead of a visit to the G20 and COP26 meetings, where he will be meeting other world leaders. Indonesia was one of the countries hardest hit by the Covid pandemic.

President Jokowi, as he is popularly known, also made the case for why there should be more vaccine equity so that developing and poorer countries aren’t left behind in this pandemic.

“Everyone has helped, but in my opinion it’s not enough.” He said, in a virtual interview from the Indonesian presidential palace in Jakarta. “In this time of crisis, advanced countries need to do more in helping poor countries get vaccines, so that we can overcome this pandemic together.”

Mr Widodo’s comments come as Indonesia attempts to recover from the ravages of the pandemic. At its peak, the country officially recorded more than 50,000 cases a day, but the real numbers may have been higher.

Nearly 150,000 people have died, according to government data.

People died in their homes, gasping for breath as oxygen supplies ran out across the archipelago. The sick were turned away from overflowing hospitals and funeral grounds ran out of space for the dead.

The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies said that the country was “teetering on the edge of a Covid-19 catastrophe.”

But Mr Widodo’s administration initially downplayed the disease. His former health minister Terawan Agus Putranto famously said the country would be spared from the virus, because of “all the prayers.”

In the interview, he acknowledged the mistakes his administration made in managing the pandemic, saying that it was down to the lack of healthcare infrastructure in the country.

n a message recorded exclusively for the BBC, Pope Francis has called on world leaders meeting next week at the UN Climate conference in Glasgow to provide “effective responses” to the environment emergency and offer “concrete hope” to future generations.

Speaking from the Vatican for BBC Radio 4’s Thought for the Day, the Pope talked of crises including the Covid-19 pandemic, climate change and economic difficulties, and urged the world to respond to them with vision and radical decisions, so as not to “waste opportunities” that the current challenges present.

“We can confront these crises by retreating into isolationism, protectionism and exploitation,” the pontiff said, “or we can see in them a real chance for change.”

He evoked the need for “a renewed sense of shared responsibility for our world”, adding that “each of us, whoever and wherever we may be, can play our own part in changing our collective response to the unprecedented threat of climate change and the degradation of our common home.”

The Pontiff is due to meet US President Joe Biden at the Vatican later. Mr Biden’s domestic climate policies remain on hold after his party postponed a vote on his spending plans.

The message is a reminder of the emphasis Francis has placed on environmentalism throughout his pontificate. He has frequently evoked the climate crisis in speeches, and in 2015 published an encyclical, or papal document, called Laudato Si’ focusing on the issue. In the text, subtitled On Care for our Common Home, he decried environmental destruction, stressed the need to take mitigating measures and gave an unambiguous acceptance that climate change was largely manmade.

The letter was issued before the 2015 UN climate conference in Paris, COP21, and was seen as having some impact on pushing leaders towards an agreement.

It was evoked during discussions, including by the president of Paraguay, who spoke of the Pope’s “dramatic warning that we face a crisis and need to protect the world upon which we rely for life”.

Six years on, world leaders are preparing to gather in Glasgow for this year’s climate summit, COP26.

With growing evidence that the commitments made in Paris to keep global temperature rises “preferably to 1.5 degrees Celsius, compared to pre-industrial levels” aren’t being met, Pope Francis has again focused on the issue, hoping his intervention will have a similar impact.

Earlier this month, he gathered almost 40 faith leaders from across the world at the Vatican to sign a joint appeal calling on COP26 to stick to pledges on global warming, carbon neutrality and support for poorer nations to transition to clean energy. In return, the leaders committed to educating and informing their faithful about the climate emergency.

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NEWS Edo Deputy-Gov Visits Correctional Centre, Hails Security Operatives

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Ekiti State Governor, Dr Kayode Fayemi, presenting the 2022 budget to the State House of Assembly in Ado-Ekiti on 28/10/2021.

Recovery of 301 Houses: CACOL Commends ICPC

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he Centre for Anti-Corruption and Open Leadership, CACOL, has commended the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) for recovering 301 houses from two public officers in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja.

CACOL, in a statement issued by the anti-graft coalition’s Director of Administration and Programmes, Tola Oresanwo, on behalf of its chairman, Mr Debo Adeniran, said, “It would be recalled that the Chairman of ICPC, Prof Bolaji Owasanoye, at the inauguration of the House of Representatives ad-hoc Committee on Investigation of the Operations of Real Estate Developers, said the agency recovered 301 houses from two public officers in the (FCT). “The ICPC chairman said that while 241 buildings were recovered from one of the suspects at different locations

within the FCT, the remaining 60 were recovered on a large expanse of land at another location.

“We commend Prof Bolaji Owasanoye, for recovering these properties from the public officers concerned. It is pathetic that it is now a norm for unscrupulous civil servants to amass huge wealth, which they cannot account for, and use the fund to acquire choice properties in different parts of the country and even abroad”.

CACOL described the ICPC boss’s revelation as an indication that corruption had berthed among public officials and personal aggrandisement had been placed above service to the society.

The statement noted that the development showed that some public officials, who were entrusted with funds meant to carry out specific assignments, could no longer be trusted.

Ogun Educational Policies ‘ll Distinguish Students From Peers Nationwide – Commissioner FROM SEGUN AYINDE, ABEOKUTA

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he Commissioner for Education, Science and Technology in Ogun State, Prof Abayomi Arigbabu, has said that the formulation of efficient educational policies and implementation of programmes would make learners in the state to stand out among their peers across the nation.

Arigbabu made the disclosure exclusively shortly after receiving the state’s representatives at the National President’s Inter-Secondary School Debate Championship in Abeokuta, the state capital.

The commissioner, who commended the participants for making Ogun proud, said the state was blessed with brilliant people, including the Nobel laureate, THEWILLNIGERIA

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Prof Wole Soyinka and Chief Obafemi Awolowo, to mention a few, whose names had been written on marble.

Arigbabu, however, reiterated that the Ogun State Government would continue to prioritise policies in education that would affect students positively.

He appealed to students in the state to try to retain the enviable height, which the state had attained in education and in producing great men known to the world.

The commissioner also urged the students to be punctual at school and attentive in the classroom and always put in their best in their academics, saying that the desire of the state government and their parents or guardians was to see them thrive in their studies.

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‘My Wife Stopped Cooking my Meals Because I Smoke Marijuana’

BY SEGUN AYINDE, ABEOKUTA

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married man, Adeleke Mejigbedu, has filed a divorce suit against his wife, Deborah Mejigbedu, at a Customary Court, sitting in Ake, Abeokuta, Ogun State, for refusing to cook for him for the past two years.

Adeleke in a suit number: C/218/2021, told the court that his wife of 20 years had stopped cooking for him because he refused to quit smoking marijuana and drinking alcohol.

The father of four, who appealed to the court to help him beg his wife to change for better, insisted that his wife had no right to stop him from smoking and drinking alcohol.

Describing his wife as the ‘love of his life’ and appreciating her for standing by him in difficult times, he said her troublesome behaviour had been the reason he was always scared of going home early.

Adeleke, who said he wanted to divorce his wife on the ground of provocation, frequent fighting, lack of peace, threat to life and her troublesome behaviour, said he had reported the matter to her family but to no avail.

He said: “It is now two years since my wife cooked for me at home. She has been fighting me because i smoke marijuana and drink alcohol.

“Please help me beg her to calm down. She is the love of my life and she stood by me in the time of trouble. All I can say is that she can’t stop me from smoking, but help me tell her to calm down and take things easy,” he added.

In her defense, Deborah said that her husband lied against her for saying that she had not cooked for him for the past two years.

Change of Name I, formerly known as Anehita Gloria Erediauwa now wish to be known as ANEHITA GLORIA ALETOR. Former documents remain valid. This is for the attention of the general public.

he Edo State Deputy Governor, Rt. Hon. Comrade Philip Shaibu has hailed officers of the Nigeria Correctional Service and other security operatives in the state for foiling an attempted jailbreak at the Benin Correctional Centre on Sapele Road, Benin City, Edo State.

Shaibu gave the commendation shortly after inspecting the facility, following an attempted jail break at the correctional centre.

He said: “It was just a minor incident from the inside. Some inmates were just trying to be unruly and were trying to take advantage of what was going on inside.

“I thank the officers of the correctional service for being on top of their game and I want to really salute the courage of the men of the correctional service for actually nipping it in the bud. If not, it would have been another story today. Even before the other agencies responded, they had already put the situation under control. For what has happened here today, we must give it to the security agencies and thank the courage of the officers of the service.

“The number of inmates as of this morning in this facility is totaling 421 and they are still intact as we speak.”

In his contribution, the Zonal Coordinator Zone G, Covering Duty, Correctional Service, Mr Ekanem E. Ekanem, hailed the government for its continuous support, noting that all 421 inmates in the correctional facility were still intact.

GSS Ipee 1981 Set Hosts Gov AbdulRasaq

BY JOY ONUORAH

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overnor AbdulRahman AbdulRasaq of Kwara State will be the special guest of honour at the 40th Reunion and Project Commissioning of the 1986 set of Government Secondary School, Ipee on Saturday, November 6, 2021. The ceremony, which holds at the school premises in Ipee, Oyun Local Government Area of Kwara State, will also be attended by other top state government officials.

A statement by the Coordinator of the 1981 set, Alhaji Yekeen Bello-Adunoye, who is also the General Manager, Kwara State Traffic Management Agency (KWATMA), said the project commissioning would be preceded by a reunion party scheduled to hold at Bukoye Hotel, Ipee on Friday, November 5, adding that the party would be hosted

by Mr. Dele Adeniyi.

While imploring members of the ‘81 set to make it a date with their old classmates at the 40th reunion and project commissioning event, Bello-Adunoye said the Oba of Ipee, His Royal Majesty, Oba Mufutau Adesina Lawal, who is also a member of the ‘81 set, will be the chief host.

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NEWS Mother, Son Arrested For Stabbing Neighbour to Death

BY SEGUN AYINDE

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he Police in Ogun State have arrested one Mary Ogbeifu and her physically challenged son, who stabbed their 60-year-old neighbour, Iyabo Olasheinde, to death with a broken bottle in the Ojodu area of the state The suspect, 35, and her 17-year-old son, Godwin Ogbeifu, were arrested, following a distress call received at the Ojodu Abiodun Divisional Police Headquarters.

The Ogun Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Abimbola Oyeyemi confirmed the incident to journalists on Friday in Abeokuta.

Oyeyemi explained that while Godwin Ogbeifu, who resides at Akoko Crescent, Yakoyo area of Ojodu, went to the compound of the deceased at Omolara Street, Yakoyo, he was sent away, having been warned not to come to the compound.

“On getting home, he informed his mother who then followed him to the said compound where they met the deceased.

“While the mother was quarreling with the deceased and demanding the reason why her son was sent away, the son, who is deaf and dumb, stabbed the deceased in the neck with a broken bottle,” he said.

The Police PRO said that upon a distress call, the DOP Ojodu Abiodun, SP Eyitayo Akinluwade mobilised his men and moved to the scene, where the two suspects were promtly apprehended.

He noted that the victim was rushed to the nearby hospital for treatment where she was later pronounced dead by the doctor. Her corpse has been deposited at the mortuary for autopsy.

EFCC Arrests 2 Herbalists, 24 Others For Cyber Fraud

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peratives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, Ibadan Zonal Command, have arrested two self-proclaimed herbalists, Ajisafe Toheeb and Ogundayo Usman, in the Soka area of Ibadan over their alleged involvement in offences bordering on Internet fraud.

The suspects were arrested alongside 24 others, four of whom claimed to be students of Lead City University.

Twenty-two suspects have been indicted by the investigation, which is still ongoing.

They are Soyinka Emmanuel Oluwafemi, Olaoti Fawaz, Omoke Ogbonaya, Okhiria Alex, Olamilekan Ibrahim, Olagoke Olalekan, Adeniran Ibrahim Adesina, Olasupo Temitayo Ayomide, Adeniran Basit, Ogunsetan Gbolahan Oluwasegun, Balogun Salam Omolade and Olamilekan Ibrahim.

Others are Ilesanmi Mayowa, Amao Emmanuel Abiodun, Olakanmi Babatunde Abdulrahmon, Olasile Jide, Dauda Sodiq, Hammed Ayomide Rasheed, Sodiq Olaide, Idris Damilola Yusuf, Abdulramon Mubarak and Ogunbiyi Segun.

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Vice President Yemi Osinbajo SAN, (right), meets with Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu in Abuja on 29/10/2021.

Road Maintenance Plan: IYC Kick Nigeria’s First National Against Non-Inclusion of Bayelsa Youth Conference to Hold in Abuja

BY DAVID AMOUS-OWEI, YENAGOA

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he Central Zone of the Ijaw Youth Council (IYC) has expressed its discontentment over the non-inclusion of Bayelsa State in the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC)’s plan for the construction and rehabilitation of 21 roads in the six geo-political zones.

It would be recalled that the Federal Executive Council (FEC) recently approved the plan to reconstruct 21 federal roads across the country.

Speaking with journalists in Yenagoa, the Bayelsa State capital, the chairman of the Central Zone of the IYC, Comrade Clever Inodu, faulted the NNPC for channeling all the available resources for the Road Infrastructure Development on petroleum energy distribution alone without recourse to connecting major petroleum activity destinations to the rest of the country.

He said the total neglect of Bayelsa in its recent move is an indication that the

state has never been on the framework of the corporation, even though it is amongst states in the top chart of petroleum activities in the country.

He said: “The most anticipated NembeBrass Road has been on the Federal Government’s drawing board since 1973, but it has received little or no attention, despite its socio-economic viability.”

Expatiating on the importance of the road, he explained that when completed it will provide access to the Brass fertiliser/petrochemical project, the Atlantic modular refinery Okpoma and the BPPT Brass petroleum product terminal, amongst others.

Inodu, who doubles as the chairman of the Ijaw Youth Council Zonal and Chapter Chairmen Forum, expressed his displeasure and rejected the trend in its entirety, describing the move as a deliberate marginalisation of Bayelsa State by the NNPC.

House Committee Calls For More Funding For Military Commands

BY DAVID AMOUS-OWEI, YENAGOA

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he House of Representatives Committee on the Navy has called for improved funding of military commands in Nigeria, considering the arduous tasks that military personnel are required to perform daily to maintain the territorial integrity of Nigeria.

The call was made by the Chairman of the committee, Yusuf Gagdi, who led the members on an oversight visit to the Central Naval Command (CNC) headquarters in Yenagoa, on Friday.

During the visit, Gagdi also commended the CNC for its professionalism, discipline and prudent management of resources, saying the navy had done very well with the little

resources at its disposal.

He said that when the Armed Forces act is passed, it would enable the Navy to prosecute offenders in the maritime domain.

Gagdi said the act would empower the Nigerian Navy to take offenders to court for prosecution without them handing over to other security agencies.

The committee chairman who later inspected facilities at the command, lamented the dearth of infrastructure at the command headquarters.

“The Navy has done incredibly well.

In terms of the little resources made available to you, the quality of the projects is highly commendable.”

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igeria’s Ministry of Youth and Sports Development, in collaboration with private sector partners, have concluded plans to host the first-ever National Youth Conference from November 1 to 3, 2021 at the Velodrome of the Moshood Abiola National Stadium, Abuja.

A statement by the Director, Press and Public Relations, Mr Mohammed Manga, said the conference was premised on the realisation that Nigeria needs its youth, not only to be supported and developed, but also to understand the dimension of political developments, grasp national issues and consciously position themselves as co-builders in the socioeconomic growth of the country.

According to the minister, Mr Sunday Dare, the conference will discuss diverse and urgent issues confronting the youth and tugging at the very heart of the nation in line with the policy thrust of the President Muhammadu Buhari-led Administration.

Mr Dare added that the objective of the conference will be to explore critical issues in the agitation for more inclusive youth policies and also create the structure and system for youth to participate and thrive regardless of the sector they choose to play in – politics, governance, technology and creativity.

“The conference, which is a hybrid of physical and virtual meetings with the theme: Energizing the youth for Development: Inclusiveness, Governance, Security and Employment, is expected to host over 370 delegates from all the 36 states of the federation including the FCT, chosen to reflect gender disparities, diverse educational levels and professions” Dare explained.

Our Correspondent revealed that over 10,000 youths are also expected to hook up and participate in the conference for more inclusiveness. Already, about 6,000 youths have registered to participate virtually.

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Buni

Buhari

POLITICS

Implosion Looms in APC as Parallel Executives Emerge State Deputy Governor, Chief Iyiola Oladokun, has also said it did not receive any petition.

BY AYO ESAN

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he crack within the ruling All Progressive Congress (APC) is deepening everyday as efforts made to reconcile aggrieved members and to put an end to divisions arising from the party’s congresses organised by the various factions within is not yielding positive results.

Appeal panels set up by the party’s Caretaker and Extra- Ordinary Convention Planning Committee (CECPC) to look into complaints arising from the state congresses, which were held on October 16, 2021 are being shunned by aggrieved members.

For instance, the APC State Congress Appeal Committee for Osun State, which had upheld the election and victory of Gboyega Famodun, who emerged from the Congress organised by Governor Gboyega Oyetola’s group as the authentic chairman of the party in the state, said it did not receive any petition from any factional group.

The five-man appeal panel also affirmed the victory of other state officers elected at the congress, which was held in Osogbo on Saturday, October 16, 2021.

Chairman of the committee, Obed Wadzani, disclosed that despite reports that a parallel state congress held in Osun, the panel did not receive any petition or appeal since its inauguration by the leadership of the party at the National Secretariat, Abuja.

Wadzani said the decision of the panel to affirm the results of the state congress conducted and supervised by the Gbenga Elegbeleye-led state congress committee was therefore taken in the absence of any petition or appeal.

The Appeals Committee for Ogun State, led by Hon. Patrick Obahiagbon, also claimed that it was yet to receive any petition since the Congress held on Saturday October 16, 2021.

The five-man Committee is mandated to receive and address petitions from aggrieved members of the party over the recent state congresses in order to ensure equity, justice and guarantee the integrity of the congress.

The members of the committee include Hon. Patrick Obahiagbon as Chairman and Barrister C.J Chinwuba as Secretary.

Others are Hon. Muazu Bawa Rajua, Mr Aboge-Isaac Felix and Hon Jubrin Akowe.

“We commenced operations at the party secretariat, but we didn’t see anybody to present any petition before us.

“Before we left Abuja, no petition or document of complaints was given to us. We were even here at the secretariat on Tuesday, but we received none.

“We learnt all the officials emerged through consensus at the state congress. Despite that, there was still voice affirmation in electing the 36-member executives. Based on this, we are preparing our report to be submitted at the national headquarters of our party.

“No group by the name SWAGA submitted any petition before us. No petition from any group or individual was received in the course of our stay here,” he said.

It would be recalled that a group known as the South-West Agenda for Asiwaju (SWAGA) had set up parallel executives at the ward and local governments levels in Ekiti State. The group has already dragged the APC National Headquarters to an Ado Ekiti High Court over the conduct of the Ward and Councils’ congresses.

The chairperson, State Congress Appeal Committee for Lagos State, Fatima Umar, had to appeal at a special meeting with party chieftains to resolve all fallouts from its October 16 state congress at the party’s secretariat on Acme Road, Ikeja, Lagos last Monday.

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...We know that some of the leaders of the ruling party will not defect early. They will do it late. You saw that during the 2015 election.

So, keep watching

The Appeal Committee set up for Ekiti State and led by former Oyo THEWILLNIGERIA

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The splinter groups within the Lagos APC held parallel ward, LGA and state congresses between July 31, September 4 and October 16, respectively, thereby producing separate lists of party executives.

Speaking, the leader of one of the factional groups, Mr Fouad Oki, said that if nothing is done about the grievances and fallouts from the various state congresses, they might affect the outcome of the 2023 general elections in the state.

Mr Oki expressed hope that the committee chairperson would keep her promise to look at the process, the law guiding the process and the party’s constitution.

He said all aggrieved groups were trying to exhaust all conflict resolution mechanisms before taking the next action.

Also, Jimi Shobayo of the Conscience Forum, another aggrieved group within the party, told the committee that there were contending factions in the state chapter of the party and he called for fairness, equity and justice.

Mr Shobayo lamented that various aggrieved groups within the party had not received the results of the ward and local government congresses set up by the national headquarters of the party.

“Let justice and equity be the watchword. What we are contending for is that there must be inclusiveness in the Lagos APC. “The APC in Lagos is one big family and what we are seeing today are minor issues and I believe they can be resolved. We are open to reconciliation,” he said.

Also speaking, Sunday Ajayi, of the Lagos4Lagos Movement, another splinter group in the party, expressed doubt that the members would get fair treatment.

He said his group was not pleased with the constitution of groups invited for the meeting by the committee.

“We want the committee to sit tight and have a rethink. We have presented our petitions,” Ajayi said.

Analysts see the silence of the aggrieved members in various states and their non submission of petitions to the appeal committees as a way of showing their lack of confidence in the committees.

On his part, a former Legal Adviser of the APC, Dr Muiz Banire, speaking on a Television programme, said mass defections were *Continues on Page 13

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OCTOBER 31 - NOVEMBER 6, 2021 T H E W I L L N E W S P A P E R • www.thewillnigeria.com

POLITICS/INTERVIEW

It’s Unfair to Have a Yoruba President in 2023 – Williams

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Major-General Isola Williams (retd.) is a former Chief of Training, Operations and Plans of the Nigerian Army. In this interview with AYO ESAN, he speaks on issues as they affect the country. Excerpts:

Therefore it is only the presidency now, may be the Attorney General that can say okay, who is a terrorist?

What is the condition they should attain to be able to call them terrorists? But everybody in Nigeria is convinced that these are not bandits anymore. For the past one or two years, these are terrorists’ period. And if you have somebody like Sheikh Gumi coming out to say that, if you call them terrorists, then you must be ready for the consequences. You know that gentleman called Sheikh Gumi is acting like the president of Nigeria. The sort of things that he says, is unbelievable. For a citizen of a country, that had the rule of law, and had law and order as a fundamental, I can’t believe it when I heard some of his pronouncements and he gets away with it.

He doesn’t care. And he doesn’t give logical or good reasons for making such a statement. Which means that he is above the law in Nigeria. And secondly too, he must have a special relationship with the president.

There is no doubt about that. Thirdly, he must have also special relationship with the DSS. That is indisputable because I don’t think any other Nigerian can make such statements and DSS will let him be. So what can one say? But it is clear to everybody that the bandits are now more of terrorists. If the Governor of Kaduna can say so and not only that, he said he has tried to convince the presidency. But the president does not want to own up.

So what could common man like us do?

The National Assembly has made a U-turn on the issue of electronic voting and electronic transmission of results, approving instead of opposition it. How do you see its new position?

Anybody in a certain position looks at a situation and tries to manipulate the situation to suit his interest. For the members of the National Assembly, they have no limit unlike the President and governors who have two terms. A member of the National Assembly can continue to go there for the next 20 years. One member of the House of Representatives has just announced that he is PAGE 10

collecting N88.5 million every month. If it were you, how do you want to leave that place?

It means that he has been using a method to go there and somebody wants to change that method to the one you cannot even manipulate. What would you do? You would just sit down there and say yes I agree. Of course you would not agree. It is just natural. It is only somebody with conscience that can do that, but politicians are not people with conscience anyway. That is why I call them politikians.

Everybody knows that what you are looking for is to have a system that cannot be easily manipulated for our elections. One thing that you people has forgotten is that up till today INEC has not brought out the electronic total number that was supposed to be out in 2019. I hope you remember that Atiku took them to court. The court threw out the case because INEC said it did not use electronic system to count the votes. But it was very clear that they used the electronic system. It is the same INEC that is now asking for e-voting.

If they bring out all the results of the 2019 election, you may discover that Atiku won the election. But they will not bring them out. They don’t have the courage to do so. So there must be something shady there. Now that the INEC supported e–voting under pressure from everybody, the National Assembly had to make that change.

In 2015 and 2019 when you saw the video of people voting in Kano, for example, these Almajiriis were voting. Till today, nobody knows the population of the core northern states. So every time they keep telling us that there are more people in the North than in the South.

And they know that it is not true. It is not true and that is why they don’t like census. When you go there, they said they have their wives in purdah and nobody can see their faces. They never allow any results of census taking in Nigeria to come out. The day we get the true figure, that is the day things will change in Nigeria.

Let’s talk about 2023 general election. What are the qualities you expect from the next Nigerian President in 2023?

The same quality that you expect. First of all, we have to be serious because most of the voters are not really serious people. And it has to start from the political parties. The political parties are dominated by people who have stolen money and are using the money to gain power. That is what is happening. And these people with money dictate those to be elected and what they do is to do stomach adjustment programme like Fayose said.

And what happen is that in some cases people don’t even go out to vote because they know the election will be rigged. Therefore, if we want to take it serious, it should start from the political parties.

It starts from the primary elections of political parties.

They are going to hold their conventions now. PDP and the APC are the main political parties. We don’t hear anything about the other parties. Towards 2023 now, you will see some of them who are recongised by INEC

Williams

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any Nigerians, including Governor Nasir el-rufai of Kaduna State, have called on the Federal Government to designate killer bandits operating in parts of the North as terrorists.

What is your position on this?

You know it is super difficult for anybody else apart from the presidency to answer that question. This is because, for a long time everybody know that these sorts of people especially in Kaduna, Zamfara, now moving to Niger , they have gone beyond what you can call banditry . And therefore with what they are now doing also in Sokoto, it is beyond the understanding of anybody who would called them bandits. The second thing which is also very important, the security agencies for one reason or the other have not been able to deal with the problem or to deal with the challenge. Recently, Commissioner Frank Mba of the Nigerian Police did say that they are not overwhelmed by the lack of public safety. So if they are not overwhelmed, what is the problem? They have also push the military to act like a constabulary to try to support them on these bandits and kidnappers and so on which normally is not for the military who also have the problem in the north east with the insurgents . And they have not been able to do it.

I do not support this idea of a Yoruba person becoming the next president. I will not support that, because I believe they have had their turn. Obasanjo served for two terms, Osinbajo as vice president for two terms. No, it will be unfair for a Yoruba man to be president in 2023

trying to collect money from big parties and say our candidates will be dropped for you. In such situation, you can’t get good people to run.

Now they are talking about rotation, we need the two parties to rotate the presidency to the south. Now the southerners should now meet and rotate it to the South East. Then they should now look for somebody from either the North- Central or somebody from that area or North-East to be the Vice President. That will be for equity sake. If you don’t have that, then it means that there is a premeditation that somebody from the South and from the South-East will not become president. I do not support this idea of a Yoruba person becoming the next president. I will not support that, because I believe they have had their turn. Obasanjo served for two terms, Osinbajo as vice president for two terms. No, it will be unfair for a Yoruba man to be president in 2023.

Former Lagos state governor, Senator Bola Ahmed Tinubu, is seen to be interested in the 2023 presidency.

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POLITICS/INTERVIEW Nigeria Urgently Needs Restructuring – OPC

BY AYO ESAN

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he Pan – Yoruba Group, Oodua Peoples Congress, OPC has reiterated the need for immediate restructuring of Nigeria.

Speaking during the inauguration of the OPC new executive in Lagos, the new OPC President, Otunba Wasiu Afolabi said President Muhammadu Buhari must realise that Nigeria urgently needed restructuring because according to him, no nation, with its complexity and diversity could be welded together by fear, by force and by injustice.

He said: “OPC supports restructuring. If the Nigerian government continues to ignore the cry for restructuring, it will only result in more agitation by more people for everybody to go their separate ways, saying to prevent this, Nigeria must be restructured along the lines of True federalism, which formed the basis of its Independence in 1960.

“If President Muhammadu Buhari will not adopt the 2014 Confab report and others, then he should urgently package a National Conference to work out an acceptable Federal Constitution adding that “Without this, Nigeria should dissolve peacefully and let all the people go their separate ways.”

The new OPC leader also warned those he accused of encouraging foreigners to invade and oppress true Nigerians, saying, the triumph of evil over good would only be temporary.

He warned: “Nigerians who support foreign herdsmen to kill, rape and kidnap local farmers and indigenes will only endanger themselves.

The displacement of native Nigerians from their God-given lands will not be allowed in the South, the East, the West or even the North.

“OPC asks the Nigerian Armed Forces to refuse to become instruments of injustice and oppression against Nigerian people. Instead, all the Security Agencies should go after all the evil foreign invaders and their supporters. OPC pledges its support to the law enforcement agencies to help maintain security based on equity and socialjustice.”

Are you saying you don’t support his plan to contest in the 2023 presidential election?

I have said it that I won’t support any Yoruba person for 2023 presidency, whoever he is. Even if the name of the person is Areola Bello, I won’t support the person.

I will support Ike Chukwuma or Ngozi or any person with such names. No matter what, I will support that person.

What is your advice to Nigerians as we move towards the 2023 election?

If it is possible that what I would have done is to create an Institute for Followership. That institute will first of all tell people the type of person it wants as your local government chairman. Two, governor before any other and then three, president. After that I would now ask them what type of Nigeria they want for their children and grandchildren. Then I will ask them that these criteria they have laid down for chairman, governor and president fit the Nigeria that they want. Can the chosen persons lead them to the type of Nigeria that THEWILLNIGERIA

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they want? We now say okay in doing that which is important, choosing the right person or taking the sum of N5,000, which will finish in one or two days. Which one do you prefer? Therefore are you ready to vote for an honest person who will go there and serve you?

Then I will now ask them a very important question.

After independence, during the time of Awolowo, Azikwe no matter how poor you are, if you join any of the political parties, you must pay membership dues. Can you go back to that? If they do that, they can now control the party. The people I am going to challenge are young men and women below the ages of 40 years. I would ask them at that level, can you make sure that the people you want are the people that get there with your votes? Then I will ask the people between the ages of 30 and 55 : Since they are the majority in political parties, why don’t they take over the political parties? Those are the sort of questions I will ask them at this institute and orientate their minds towards determining the type of person they want.

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Afolabi said that the government must immediately stop hunting and persecuting those agitating for a separate nation, such as Nnamdi Kanu and Sunday Igboho, as their right to demand self-determination was guaranteed by international conventions that Nigeria signed.

“OPC recommends that the government should formulate inclusive policies that will convince agitators and separatists that Nigeria is worth sustaining and worth living for. The government must show that Nigeria is not for foreign Fulani herdsmen and their evil sponsors; but that Nigerian land is for Nigerian people,” the group’s President said.

Chairman of the occasion, Hon. Wale Oshun urged OPC to continue to honour Fasehun’s legacies and ideals together with his ideological comrade, the Late Dr. Beko Ransome-Kuti.

He said: “Fasehun set out to protect the interest of the Yoruba at a crucial time in the nation’s history.

The new leaders and all members of OPC owe the Yoruba people to continue to render this service by upholding social justice for all and sundry.”

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POLITICS

Ijaw Affairs Ministry Created to Fast-Track Ijaw Needs – Patrick involved. Everybody was enjoined to pray in their closet for a peaceful election as the previous election history was too ugly an experience to witness again. With God all things are possible.

I also took some steps, such as the introduction of e-voting and the Vice chancellor of Niger Delta University, Prof Samuel Edoumiemokumo and Prof. Fubara from Rivers state were involved.

Bayelsa State Commissioner for Ijaw National Affairs, Erasmus Patrick, speaks with DAVID AMOUS-OWEI on the mission and vision of the ministry, among other issues. Excerpts:

When l told Governor Diri, who also gave me his words that he had no particular candidate, he ensured neutrality in whoever would emerge and implored all the contestants to go out and test their popularity. I also commended him for his wise counsel.

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hy did Bayelsa State create a separate ministry for Ijaw national affairs?

The ministry of Ijaw National Affairs was created specifically to handle Ijaw national affairs by the former governor of Bayelsa State and the distinguished lawmaker representing Bayelsa West Senatorial District, Senator Henry Seriake Dickson, in 2012 as a platform for fast-tracking the needs of the Ijaw worldwide.

When I gave my briefs on e-voting, he gave his nod, considering the fact that when he was in the National Assembly, House of Representatives and Senate, he was an advocate of e-voting.

With the conviction from the Vice Chancellor of NDU, who had used it to conduct a free and fair election in the university community, he quickly obliged the idea. Initially most of the aspirants kicked against e-voting, but after due consultations they all keyed into it. I promised the governor that with the calibre of people as umpire, the election would be transparent, free, fair and without rancour.

Bayelsa State remains the Jerusalem of the Ijaw all over the world and the only homogenous Ijaw state. The idea behind the creation of this unique ministry was purely for Ijaw affairs across the globe. So when Senator Douye Diri was inaugurated as governor of Bayelsa State in 2020, he excised the culture component to tourism to form a Ministry of Culture and Tourism and by that arrangement, the ministry was named the Ministry of Ijaw National Affairs, a full fledged ministry of Ijaw National Affairs to leverage on what Senator Dickson created to fast-track and articulate the needs of the Ijaw worldwide. Bayelsa State is the homeland of all Ijaw people. The ministry therefore, is an instrument of the previous government.

Also I ensured that further steps were taken. First l took permission from the governor to barricade the expressway and the ministry was shut down to all staff. I also warned the IYC to stay away from the ministry where their office is domiciled.

I told them that I didn’t want to see their shadow. The governor gave me the go ahead and the IYC cooperated and kept their distance throughout the duration.

Although the INC Central Zone election was within the ministry, it was under the umbrella body, the Ijaw National Congress.

The ministry only supervised it in collaboration with notable stakeholders.

Patrick

Has the objective for creating the ministry been fulfilled?

The Ministry for Ijaw National Affairs as the name implies is a service oriented ministry and it is poised to tackle every fundamental needs of the average man of Ijaw extraction. The ministry gave rise to the establishment of the Ijaw Heroes Park.

The idea behind the park was to immortalise and bury departed Ijaw who have made their mark in all fields of human endeavour. It is for all Ijaw. So far so good, a few of illustrious departed Ijaw sons have been buried therein and more will come.

The ministry also oversees and partners with the Ijaw National Congress and works hand in hand with its leadership to fast-track and facilitate government administration. So far, apart from the Ijaw National Congress, the ministry also has an oversight function of handling Ijaw Youth Council matters too. Another beauty and uniqueness of the ministry is the study of the Ijaw Language in private and public schools within the state. And this is a work in progress. Very soon, to be precise, by November 8 2021 it will be unveiled as a deliberate policy and experts have been sent for further training to acquire the necessary skills to ensure that our children are taught Ijaw language and to ensure that the language does not go into extinction. By the time the policy is implemented, the average Ijaw child would speak the language fluently without any flaws.

The Bayelsa State Executive Council has given its nod to make the Ijaw language a compulsory subject in both private and public schools. The initial plan was to domicile a centre for study of Ijaw Language, but the Exco approved the second prayer to make it compulsory for the learning of Ijaw Language and this will be made public on November 8 , 2021. This is not only a work in progress, but also a dream that must be realised. In order to promote our cultural heritage, there is an approved dress code, which was put in place by the immediate past governor of the state, Senator Seriake Dickson, who made it mandatory for all civil servants to dress in Ijaw attire to work every Friday. Henceforth, every Friday our ladies will go to work dressed in wrapper and a head tie to match while their male counterparts also put on etibo and bowler hats to match.

To further enhance it, the Commissioner for Culture and Tourism, Dr Iti Orugbani, has sent a memo to the present governor for all commissioners to appear during executive council meetings in traditional attire and the governor has graciously approved it. Soon it will be extended to all corporate organisations operating in Bayelsa State to adopt the dress code.

Arising from an inter-ministerial committee drawn from the Ministry of Education, the Ministry of Ijaw National Affairs and the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, the Commissioner of Education, my colleague, Dr Gentle Emelah, is the chairman and plans have been concluded to implement the teaching of Ijaw language in all schools.

You were a former Senior Special Adviser to the Governor on Ijaw National Affairs and Culture and now a commissioner. Is

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The ministry also oversees and partners with the Ijaw National Congress and works hand in hand with its leadership to fasttrack and facilitate government administration there any advice you offered that was not implemented?

Government is a continuum and as SSA l had a working relationship with the pioneer Commissioner for Ijaw National Affairs and Culture, Dr Felix Tuodolo and Dressman the second commissioner.

I am trying to move the Ijaw culture forward and my office is widely open for any positive and progressive ideas that would promote and project Ijaw affairs in every ramification. Government is one, whether my advice was not implemented remains immaterial. I gave the best l could.

Your tenure as commissioner has witnessed the peaceful conduct of elections by both the Ijaw National Congress and the Ijaw Youths Council. What is responsible for the peace and stability?

Who else do l attribute these peaceful elections to other than the Almighty God? l must not fail to extend my appreciation to our miracle governor, Senator Douye Diri, who graciously approved the memo l sent for the conduct of the Ijaw National Congress election and his timely release of funds made the work very easy for me and other stakeholders. l recall that during my screening at the State House of Assembly, l was bombarded with questions on how l would be able to fix the moribund Ijaw National Congress, which was without leadership for many years. So when l was to conduct the election, l put my profound proposals to the governor. I also embarked on prayers.

Before the elections, there were prayer sessions every Tuesday and Thursday. All the staff of the Ministry of Ijaw National Affairs were

Again another professor from NDU, Prof Ambly Etekpe, with his electoral officers also conducted another free and transparent election that produced leaders for the Central Zone and they were inaugurated by the National president of INC, Prof Benjamin Okaba. In all of these elections, l gave God the glory.

What is the position of the Ijaw on thorny issues, such as PIA, resource control and restructuring?

The Ijaw are the fourth largest ethnic group in the country and being the oldest inhabitants in the Niger Delta, it will continue to oppose any form of deprivation, neglect, marginalization, oppression, inequality and other obnoxious tendencies from the Federal Government. Until the Ijaw are given their rightful attention and provision, they will continue to agitate and fight for their rights.

We have not shifted grounds on the PIA, resource control and true federalism. Until the Federal Government agrees to accept 70 percent and allow us to manage the 30 percent, there will continue to be agitation and feelings of neglect and oppression will still resonate.

Nobody can tell us the quantum of oil produced from the Niger Delta region, Ijawland to be specific, as the Federal government continues to feign ignorance of 70 percent proceed tax. This is indisputable and can’t be compromised. What is due to us should be given to us.

The argument that if they give us 10 percent, we shall fight ourselves is not tenable. We assure them, no life will be lost and we remain resolute and despite the insecurity across the nation, the Niger Delta remains peaceful to investors and residents.

How long will the NDDC forensic audit last? The appointment of an interim administrator is thwarting the aims and objectives of the interventionist agency. We want an authentic board of the NDDC to fast-track the infrastructural deficit in the Niger Delta, in spite of its contributions to the economy of the country.

We applaud President Muhammadu Buhari for the reappointment of Col. Millad Dixon Dikio as Administrator of the Presidential Amnesty Program ( PAP). Although from its inception till the tenure of Kingsley Kuku, who initiated scholarships and human development programmes, that had impacted the lives of the exagitators, the periods of Col. Boro and Prof. Dokubo, are left for history to judge. But Col. Dikio has brought a lot of reforms that triggered a paradigm shift. Today he has brought the programme closer to the grassroots where the ex-agitators lived. With the introduction of the entrepreneurial scheme and cooperative, the ex-agitators will no longer rely on the N65,000 monthly stipends.

This will not only make them become self-reliant, but employers of labour and with his reappointment, these noble programmes will be achieved for overall peace and stability in the Niger Delta region.

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POLITICS

...As Parallel Executives Emerge known as The Osun Progressives, TOP also conducted its own congress, where a different party executive was elected.

Two APC factions in Abia State held parallel congresses in Umuahia, the state capital, where two different state party executive committees and chairmen emerged. The factions are separately led by a former governorship candidate, Ikechi Emenike and the Abia State APC Caretaker Committee Chairman, Donatus Nwankpa.

In Kwara State, the Minister of Infromation, Alhaji Lai Mohammed and Governor Abdulrahaman Abdulrazaq staged parallel state congresses in Ilorin, the state capital. Both parallel congresses produced two different executives.

Whilst Sunday Fagbemi was announced as the new Chairman of APC in Kwara State at the congress conducted by the governor’s camp, Bashir Bolarinwa emerged the new chairman of the party in Kwara State from Lai Mohammed’s camp.

Amosun

Aregbesola

The parallel congresses recorded in the October 16 APC state congresses is seen by political analysts as a direct consequence of cracks already existing within the party.

imminent in the party.

The parallel state congresses led to the emergence of two different party chairmen and executive committees in some state chapters of the APC.

Banire hinted that the factions that were not recognised by the national leadership of the APC might be forced to exit the party.

The states where parallel congresses were held included Enugu, Ogun, Osun, Kwara, Akwa Ibom, Kano, Niger, Lagos and Abia.

Speaking on Sunday Politics, a current affairs programme broadcast on Channels Television, Banire, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, recalled predicting the present development in the APC.

In Enugu, parallel congresses were the outcome of a lingering supremacy battle between the foundation APC members led by the state chairman, Ben Nwoye and the Director-General of Voice of Nigeria, Mr Osita Okechukwu, and the newcomers, led by the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Geoffrey Onyeama, and a former Senate President, Ken Nnamani. A former governor of Enugu State Sullivan Chime is also in the camp of the newcomers.

*Continued from Page 9

Banire said, “The implication is simple: That is factionalisation of the party all over. It started from the ward congresses, through the local government (area congresses) to the state (congresses). It is unlikely or unexpected that, even at the national convention, you are likely to have the same thing. If you recall vividly, a few months ago, I predicted it that it would happen. Certainly, the implosion, in my very strong view, is inevitable.”

The foundation members have been resisting attempts by the newcomers, most of who defected from the PDP, to take over the APC in Enugu State.

GENESIS OF THE CRISIS At the national level, the APC is led by a caretaker committee – the Caretaker/ Extraordinary Convention Planning Committee (CECPC) – which was set up in the absence of an elected party executive committee after the sack of Adams Oshiomhole - led National Working Committee in 2020.

The CECPC is headed by Governor Mai Mala Buni of Yobe State.

Mai Mala Buni’s dual role as governor and caretaker chairman is at the root of the APC national leadership crisis.

Watchers of political developments in the country are aware that the APC is currently grappling with a national leadership crisis that is centred on the constitutionality of Buni’s dual role as state governor and chairman of the party’s caretaker committee.

The Supreme Court had on July 28, 2021, while delivering judgment in the petition filed by the PDP candidate in last year’s Ondo State governorship election, Eyitayo Jegede, against the election of Ondo State governor, Rotimi Akeredolu of the APC, noted that Buni’s position as party chairman was not in compliance with the provisions of Section 183 of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended).

Section 183 of the 1999 Constitution stated: “The governor shall not, during the period when he holds office, hold any other executive office or paid employment in any capacity whatsoever.”

According to him, most of the people that are already outside or declared to be outside by the party will “find their way elsewhere… to another platform.”

The minister’s camp held its state congress at the Bush House Event Centre in Enugu, where Ugo Agballah was announced as the new state chairman.

Also speaking, the former President of the Senate, Bukola Saraki, has hinted that a former APC governor and some bigwigs will soon defect from the APC to the Peoples Democratic Party.

But a different state chairman emerged from the congress conducted by the Nwoye’s camp.

It would also be recalled that a group known as Concerned APC Stakeholders, who believed that the Supreme Court pronouncement rendered Buni’s leadership illegal, had called for the dissolution of the APC caretaker committee.

The parallel congresses in Ogun State were organised by the two factions – the group led by former Governor Ibikunle Amosun and another by his successor, Dapo Abiodun.

The group also asked for the nullification of ward congresses earlier organised by the caretaker committee on July 31.

While Abiodun’s camp held its congress at the MKO Abiola Stadium, where Yemi Sanusi was declared the new APC state chairman, Amosun’s faction held its congress at Ake Palace Ground.

But governors elected on the platform of the party, under the aegis of the Progressive Governors’ Forum (PGF), backed the Buni-led CECPC and endorsed the ward congresses organised by the caretaker committee.

Saraki, who made this known last Tuesday in an interview on Arise Television, said many members of the APC had concluded plans to defect to the Peoples Democratic Party, ahead of the 2023 general election. Former Governor Olusegun Mimiko of Ondo State on Thursday defected from the Labour Party to the PDP. He also hinted that there would be a gale of defections this week. He said, “We have the potential to turn the country around and that is why I believe that with the right leadership, things can change in the country. I often say that no one can give whatever he does not have.

In 2023, we have to get it right and to do that, we need the right kind of leadership.

“There were some governors who already knew that they would leave.

We were not surprised that they defected to the APC. Since then, we have had some bigwigs that joined us. This week, there is a former governor that is going to join our party, the PDP. “Aside from that, we know that some of the leaders of the ruling party will not defect early. They will do it late. You saw that during the 2015 election. So, keep watching. Nigerians will not be surprised when they begin to see some defections from the ruling party to the PDP.” It would also be recalled that before the state congresses were held on October 16, 2021, grievances arising from the ward and local government congresses had earlier widened cracks within the APC, which is already grappling with a leadership crisis at the national level.

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The Amosun camp announced Derin Adebiyi as the new Ogun State APC chairman.

The parallel congresses in Akwa Ibom State was the result of an ongoing struggle for supremacy and control between the Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Godswill Akpabio and the National Secretary of the APC Caretaker and Extraordinary Convention Planning Committee, (CECPC), Akpan Udoedehe.

In September, a Delta State High Court sitting in Asaba restrained Buni from acting or parading as chairman of the caretaker committee until the determination of a substantive suit before the court.

The court, presided over by Justice Onome Umukoro, also stopped the APC Local Government Congress in Delta State scheduled for September 4, 2021.

Akpabio’s loyalists held a congress at Kara Event Centre, where a new state APC executive committee was elected.

Buni has, however, continued to function as the APC caretaker chairman, despite all the hue and cry by some members.

Another Akwa Ibom State APC executive committee emerged at the congress held by Udoedehe’s camp at Sheer Grace Centre in Uyo.

Aside the Appeal Committees set up to look into the crisis in the various state chapters of the APC had on October 11 2021 inaugurated a National Reconciliation Committee.

Osun State also witnessed a parallel state congress. Loyalists of Governor Adegboyega Oyetola, otherwise known as Ileri Oluwa Group, elected a new state party executive led by Gboyega Famodun as Chairman.

The faction loyal to Minister of Interior, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola

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The members of the committee include the Minister of Special Duties and former governor of Benue State, George Akume; former governor of Enugu State, Sullivan Chime; former Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt. Hon.Yakubu Dogara and a former governor of Jigawa State, Saad Birnin Kudu.

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EDITORIAL

Fresh Concerns Over Worsening Insecurity

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nsecurity across the nooks and crannies of Nigeria is on the ascendancy. Deadly attacks on innocent people by local bandits and blood-thirsty terrorists have become a daily affair. Hardly a day passes without reports of killings by these criminals. Yet, the Federal Government continues to play the ostrich, pretending that all is well.

The attacks and killings are now longer restricted to well-known troubled zones in the North-East and North-West. Almost every part of the country has now become a killing field.

Despite all assurances from the authorities, kidnapping for ransom is still a big business in the North and it has crippled educational activities in most parts of the region.

Daily reports of attacks and killings across the country are not only scary, but also worrisome. With over 81 people reportedly killed in Sokoto communities just within 10 days, no part of the country could be said to be safe. More worrisome is the report that the rampaging terrorists are now demanding taxes from local residents in Sokoto State.

Kogi and Niger State States do not fare better as terrorists fleeing the military onslaught in Zamfara forests are escaping into neighbouring states leaving tears, blood and sorrow on their trail.

In the South-East, hoodlums seem to have hijacked a well-known agitation thus unleashing mayhem across the region. Imo, Anambra and Ebonyi States are reeling under continuous attacks by these local criminals who appear to have constituted themselves into a parallel authority that must be taken seriously. Only recently, these hoodlums stormed a meeting of traditional rulers in the South-East, killing about three of the monarchs and injuring others in the deadly attack.

The South-West is not in any way immune from these criminalities. The recent attack on a prison facility in Oyo town is a pointer to the dangers ahead as the fleeing inmates of the Correctional Centre, who include deadly kidnappers, armed robbery kingpins and notorious ritualists, pose a great threat to the security of the region.

The lesson and experience from a similar attack on Benin Prisons in Edo State late last year are still fresh in the minds of citizens of the area, with increased attacks and robberies in the aftermath of the jail break.

The recent call by Governor Nasir elRufai of Kaduna State that the Federal Government should designate the so-called bandits as terrorists, which, they really are, is an acknowledgement of the increasing spate of killings, not only in the North but across the country.

However, religious leaders such

as Sheik Gumi and others are not helping matters with their rantings and outbursts as they continue to encourage the Federal Government to continue treating the terrorists with kid gloves. A recent report credited to Gombe State Governor, Muhammadu Yahaya, urging the Federal Government to provide a faculty for repentant Boko Haram terrorists in the newly-created Nigerian Army University, is most disappointing.

Last week, the South-West Governors placed the issue of worsening insecurity on the front burner at their meeting in Lagos, thus acknowledging the grave danger the region might find itself in if nothing urgent is done.

Although the region has been in the

In a recent travel advisory, the U.S. warned her citizens not to travel to Borno, Yobe, and Adamawa States due to terrorism and kidnapping

While we pretend that the ongoing insecurity is just a local problem, it is already affecting investment inflow into the country as potential investors are now getting scared to the marrow. The United States and the United Kingdom have been warning their citizens about travelling to Nigeria through different security alerts and travel advisories. In a recent travel advisory, the U.S. warned her citizens not to travel to Borno, Yobe, and Adamawa States due to terrorism and kidnapping; Bauchi, Gombe, Kaduna, Kano, Katsina, and Zamfara states due to kidnapping; and coastal areas of Akwa Ibom, Bayelsa, Cross River, Delta, and Rivers States (with the exception of Port Harcourt) due to crime, kidnapping and maritime crime.

According to the United States travel advisory on Nigeria, terrorists continue “plotting and carrying out attacks in Nigeria, especially in the Northeast. Terrorists may attack with little or no warning, targeting shopping centers, malls, markets, hotels, places of worship, restaurants, bars, schools, government installations, transportation hubs, and other places where crowds gather. Terrorists are known to work with local gangs to expand their reach.

“There is civil unrest and low-level armed militancy in parts of Southern Nigeria, especially in the Niger Delta region. Armed criminality, including kidnapping and maritime crime, is also pervasive in this region.”

Although all these are not farther from the true situation on ground, the Federal Government, we believe, has not shown enough sincerity in its much-flaunted fight against insecurity and terrorism, despite all the grandstanding.

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

While we commend the military for the renewed onslaught against the bandits and terrorists in the North, which, of course, is yielding results, we would be glad to see a change of tactics from selective bombings and attacks to a complete routing of the terrorists from all fronts in order to prevent the hoodlums from fleeing to other areas to continue their evil works.

The Federal Government should also do the needful and stop fooling Nigerians with its insincere and selective fight against terrorism. It is sad to note that while it has taken the government an eternity to name and shame those funding Boko Haram, it would hurriedly come out with its findings on those allegedly funding selfdetermination agitators in the SouthWest and South-East.

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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fore-front of the creation of regional security outfits, such as Amotekun, in response to the worsening insecurity in the country, armed robbery and kidnapping for ransom are still a big threat to security.

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OPI N ION

Gov Polls: Why Anambra Must Get It Right

BY SAM DIALA

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n many ways, the 2021 governorship election in Anambra, scheduled to take place on November 6, is crucial to the existential imperatives of the state and the entire South-East. As the gateway to the South-East and major parts of the South-South, Anambra occupies a strategic position among the sub-nationals in the territory, which tap from its economic potential. From commerce to industry, entrepreneurship to small and medium enterprise (SME) value chain, Anambra is ahead of its peers in that region as recent facts have shown.

Data from the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) shows that Anambra recorded a total revenue of N78.92 billion in 2020 made up of FAAC N50.91 billion (64.51 per cent of the total revenue) and IGR N28 billion (35.49 per cent of the total revenue). Total Tax was N15.84 billion. These figures are among the highest in the country. The Debt Management Office (DMO) says the state has one of the lowest debt stocks among the 36 states of the federation and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT). Its domestic debt during the period was N59.97 billion while external debt was $108 million.

Being a state rich in oil and gas, Orient Petroleum Resource Ltd (OPRL) was licensed in June 2002, by the Federal Government to construct a private refinery with a capacity of 55,000 barrels per day. The foundation stone-laying ceremony of the refinery was performed in 2012, thereby making Anambra an oil-producing state.

The Onitsha Inland River Port is a major economic advantage to the state and the entire South East. Anambra is one of the most industrialised states in Nigeria driven by robust SMEs. Available data shows that Anambra is conscious of its potential as an industrialised economy and the state government is working towards that. The export-oriented policy of the government has also created an environment to promote a private sector-driven economy leading to the construction of an international cargo airport in the state.

The industrialsation drive encourages the government to frontally tackle its revenue challenge – a major stumbling block to the economic development of many states. Anambra ranks among 10 top revenue generating states and the FCT

in 2020. The state grew its internally generated revenue (IGR) by 61.3 percent within five years – from N17.3 billion in 2016 to N28 billion in 2020 which a few like Lagos, Kano, Rivers and Akwa Ibom could attain.

The feat was achieved through its unique Grassroots Tax Awareness Campaign (GTAC) initiative of 2018, which has revolutionised its tax system. The initiative is driven by the Taxpayer Education and Enlightenment Team (TEET) under the Anambra Internal Revenue Service (AIRS), which aims to address the low tax compliance culture in the state.

The immediate past President of the Chartered Institute of Taxation of Nigeria CITN, Mrs Gladys Simplice, described it as the best local tax initiative among the states.

Furthermore, Anambra recorded a foreign investment inflow of $10.02 million, making it the 6th highest capital importation destination in Nigeria as of the end of 2020, the COVID-19 ravaged year. The state also has the second lowest domestic debt in the South-East (N59.9 billion) after Ebonyi (N44.2 billion) as of 2020. Others are Imo (N150.2 billion), Abia (N89.2 billion) and Enugu (N68 billion).

The NBS Unemployment and Underemployment report for the third quarter of 2020 (Q3 ’2020) showed that Anambra had the lowest unemployment rate among the 36 states of the federation and the FCT. This is a remarkable development, going by Nigeria’s frightening unemployment rate in the past six years, which grew from 6.4 per cent in 2014 to 33.3 per cent in Q4 2020. The state has a total of 1,220 registered businesses and 3,797 registered vehicles as at 2020, one of the highest in the country after Lagos and Abuja.

Determined efforts must be made and practical actions taken to consolidate the gains of democracy, which Anambra has recorded in the past 16 years under the leadership of former governor Peter Obi and his successor, the outgoing Willie Obiano. This is why genuinely patriotic and well-meaning people of the state and the entire South-East must ensure that the forthcoming governorship election is held in a peaceful atmosphere.

The Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) should reconsider

its sit-at-home action planned for November 4 – 10 in protest of the continued detention of its leader Mazi Nnamdi Kanu.

This is important because it might provide the enemies of the South-East the opportunity to scuttle democratic practice in Anambra and install a leadership of contrary character that will destroy the economy of Anambra and by extension, the South-East.

Anambra residents and indigenes must resist any move to transplant the putrid, ignoble and emasculating electoral fraud that produced the corrosive political leadership in neighbouring Imo where the residents are undergoing the Biblical orgy of weeping and gnashing of their teeth.

Imo is retrogressing rapidly. A study by THEWILL this year showed that the hospitality industry, which has been the backbone of the economy of Imo State has practically crumbled due to insecurity, bad governance and hostile operating environment. `Patronage has dropped by 80 per cent with hotel operators losing N2 billion monthly, according to the chairman of Imo State Hoteliers Association, Mr Chima Chukwunyere.

Definitely, the economy of Imo is severely challenged.

The state recorded the highest unemployment and underemployment rates among the sub-nationals and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) in 2020, according to data from the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS).

Anambra has a total of 1,220 registered businesses and 3,797 registered vehicles as at 2020 – one of the highest in the country after Lagos and Abuja. There are about 590,000 pupils in public primary schools and about 510 public secondary schools as of 2020. Enrolment in private secondary schools is about 14,000 during the period. Its youth have come top in reputable public examinations and competitions in Nigeria and abroad. wThese are too precious a gain to be left in the hands of a political leadership that will drive the people into the abyss of and unending valley of the shadow of death like what Imo is experiencing. Anambra must never inhale the putrefied political odour oozing from neighbouring Imo.

Next President Nigeria Needs

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BY SEGUN DIPE

any Nigerians are mad at the country’s political leaders — both progressives and conservatives — and they are voicing their anger, which is understandable. The Federal Government, through no fault of anyone in particular, is paralysed and unable to tackle any of the major challenges facing the country or even accomplish basic functions. Most politicians are more concerned with getting elected or re-elected than with the future of the country.

Whoever emerges President Muhammadu Buhari’s successor will certainly inherit the task of solving Nigeria’smajor domestic problems, especially insecurity. So, what kind of qualities should we be looking for in a new president? We need a president who understands the system of government, which the founding fathers of the country bequeathed to the people and the fact that with power divided among the three branches of government, building of coalitions and making compromises are the only ways to ensure a lasting democracy.

Democracy pays if it is allowed to work. Arch-conservatives may want little governance and arch-liberals may want a lot, but many functions of government are critical to our well-being and they can be carried out effectively only if the parliament and the president work together in all sincerity.

Those who believe that compromise is synonymous with selling out or giving up one’s principles need to resit their primary school leaving certificate examination. The next president should have a core philosophy and set of principles, but he or she also needs to be a pragmatic and skilled political leader.

Millennials, for instance, would like the next president to be a young, political insider with experience in government and law.

They want a president who will listen to them and understand their yearnings, one who is capable of opening his mind and communicating with them as millennials. To them, that is the change Nigeria needs from the present government.

Certainly the next president needs to speak truthfully to the people.

His language and mannerisms must be sober, yet presidential.

‘Spinning’ has been a part of the political process since ancient Greece, but as mistrustful as most Nigerians are today of political THEWILLNIGERIA

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leaders, the next president must speak candidly and honestly to the people. One reason so many Nigerians reminisce about the leaders of the First Republic is that they were good at telling it like it is. People love brutal candour, but that candour is too often detached from reality and responsibility; too many candidates demagogically use divisive rhetoric and make grandiose promises that would be impossible to fulfill. Their rhetoric appeals because so many established politicians are viewed as speaking in platitudes and euphemisms, if not being deceptive or even lying.

Yet too many candidates are being just as deceptive and dishonest.

We have a lot of problems and the next president has to be honest with Nigerians about their seriousness and complexity and how to tackle them effectively.

The next president must be resolute. He or she must be very cautious about drawing red lines among the ethnic groups that constitute Nigeria. He must know that crossing a red line drawn by some selfish politicians will have serious, even fatal, consequences. Everyone must be carried along and convinced that the president’s word is his or her bond and that promises and commitments will be kept and threats will be carried out.

The next President must hold people in government accountable.

When programmes or initiatives are bungled, senior appointees should be fired for sloppy performance. He or she needs to have the courage to act in defiance of public opinion when the national interest requires it.

Nigeria’s next president must be a problem-solver. Come the 2023 presidential election, we will not look for one whose agenda is just to make things work. This is a tall order at a time when most of the candidates are highly ideological. But the paralysis of platitudes has been harming the country and putting our future at risk. No wonder so many Nigerians are pessimistic about the direction of the country. We desperately need a bridge-builder who will strive tirelessly to identify and work with members of all political parties and be interested in finding practical solutions to our manifold problems. We need a president who understands that those problems are so complex and so big, yet they are man-made and overcoming them will require non-partisan support through multiple approaches.

Terrorism is Nigeria’s number one security challenge today. It is

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at the heart of the frosty relationship between the government and the governed. But the next president must understand that it is first and foremost a political tactic. The basic goal of terrorist violence is to provoke a violent response. Because terrorists hide within larger populations of people, governments that respond to terrorist acts often do so to the detriment of large subsets of those populations. The effect is to cause people in those populations to start viewing the government in question as their enemy. It enables the terrorists to say, “Well, we’re the ones who have been fighting this dangerous enemy of yours all along.”

So what should the next President do that terrorists would truly hate? The answer is to build up political alternatives to them. The way to do that is to develop a balanced sharing of power between national, state and local governments.

We need a president who is restrained in rhetoric, avoids unrealistic promises exaggerated claims of success and dire consequences if his or her initiatives are not adopted exactly as proposed; who respects the prerogatives of the other branches of government.

The next president must be restrained from unnecessary adventures and from using military force as a first option rather than a last resort; restrained from questioning the motives of those who disagree and treating them as enemies with no redeeming qualities. He must be restrained in terms of expanding government when so much of what the country possesses works so poorly.

Finally, the next president must be a true unifier of Nigerians. The nation is divided over how to deal with the various challenges confronting us, too many politicians are working overtime to deepen our divisions, to turn us against one another and to play to our fears. They are prepared to place all that holds us together as one people, as Nigerians, at risk for their own selfish ends.

The next president must lead in restoring civility to our political process. We must hope that he will constantly remind all Nigerians of our common destiny and that our fate as a nation and as a people is bound up with one another. Our new leader should appeal to “the better angels of our nature.”

• Dipe, a political analyst, contributed this piece from Ado Ekiti, Ekiti State.

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Hassan

O CTO B ER 31 – NOVE MBE R 6, 2021 www.t hewillnigeri a. c om VOL .1 N O.3 8

Over 128m Bank Accounts Secured Amid Digital Disruptions – NDIC

BY SAM DIALA

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he emerging digital disruptions in the global financial ecosystem pose no threat to the over 128 million bank accounts in Nigeria, the Nigeria Deposit Insurance Corporation (NDIC) has said.

According to the Corporation, the accounts in Nigeria’s deposit money banks grew from 83.0 million in 2016 to 99.1 million in 2017; then 112.0 million in 2018 to 128.4 million in 2019.

Nigeria has 32 deposit money banks, six merchant banks and three non-interest banks. There are also 875 microfinance banks.

Digital disruption is the change that occurs when new digital technologies and business models affect the value proposition of existing goods and services. Example is the introduction of Financial Technologies (FinTechs) and the tools employed to drive financial inclusion, such as bank products, Internet banking and Bank Verification Number (BVN).

Financial Technology (FinTech) refers to the use of software and digital platforms to deliver financial services with disruption to established business models by creating new and efficient means of providing services.

Beefing Up Security Surveillance At Nation’s Airports ANTHONY AWUNOR writes on recent efforts by the Federal Government to beef up security at the nation’s airports

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o avert breaches and ensure unimpeded flight operations, the federal government has started making efforts to fortify security at Nigeria’s airports. It has also

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installed new automated check-in systems at international airports.

Construction Ranges

of

Shooting

Continued Next Page

Technology is a key driver of rapid changes in the banking industry. As technology enhances the quality of existing banking services and/or facilitates the introduction of new ones, so also are the expectations of the banking public getting increasingly more complex.

Banks play financial intermediation roles by mobilising deposits from the surplus units and lend to the deficit units, thereby facilitating economic growth and development, among other functions. This makes them, arguably, the most regulated business (enterprise) globally.

As a result, strict regulatory measures are adopted to guarantee the safety of stakeholders’ assets such as depositors’ funds, creditors’ instruments and investors’ stake. Besides being the most regulated, the banking industry is also, perhaps, the most disrupted industry today globally.

Following the effects of the global financial crisis of 2078/2008, and the disastrous fallouts of the banking consolidation of 2002, the NDIC has been repositioned to play preventive regulat0ry roles over the banks to ensure sustained financial system stability.

Continued Next Page

MORE INSIDE Guinness Nigeria Reports 58% Increase In Revenue For Q1 F22 Result PAGE 35

Dubai Expo: Emirates Offers SMEs Business Reward Incentives

Airtel Africa Records $335m PAT In H1 21

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irtel Africa plc has recorded Profit After Tax (PAT) more than doubled to $335m, in its results for half year ended 30 September 2021.

The figure, according to the company, is largely due to higher profit before tax which more than offset the associated increase in tax charges According to the reports, there was strong

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AVIATION/MONEY MARKET Beefing Up Security Surveillance At Nation’s Airports Continued from previous page

Over 128m Bank Accounts Secured Amid Digital Disruptions – NDIC Continued from previous page After the global financial crisis (2007/2008), FinTech has evolved to disrupt and reshape commerce, payments, investment, asset management, insurance, clearing and settlement of securities and even money itself with cryptocurrencies such as Bitcoin.

Murtala Muhammed International Airport Part of the efforts to boost security at the airports is the construction of shooting ranges at major airports. The shooting ranges which are nearing completion are said to be part of measures to train aviation security personnel in the industry.

screening and surveillance systems are currently replacing old and epileptic systems in order to improve efficiency and assure satisfactory customer experience while enhancing security of flights, crew and passengers.”

Minister of Aviation, Senator Hadi Sirika made the disclosure while declaring open the maiden edition of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), Airports Council International (ACI) Africa, Security Week in Abuja recently.

He added, “The Authority has strengthened its collaboration with host communities more than ever before and will continue to constructively engage them as critical partners in our journey towards building a robust security culture in and around our airports. Our security communication is receiving the needed attention for operational efficiency and the next generation of AVSEC instructors are being identified, developed and certified.”

Senator Hadi Sirika said the Federal Executive Council (FEC) recently approved the deployment of (K-9) security at the country’s airports following the ministry of aviation presentation.

The minister, who was represented by the Director General of the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority NCAA, Capt. Musa Nuhu said this is expected to upscale the safeguarding of national and international civil aviation against acts of unlawful interference in limits yet to be recorded in Nigeria’s history.

Sirika said, “We are working with FAAN and other stakeholders to quickly actualise the approval of the FEC for Aviation Security personnel to bear arms. We are currently addressing the challenges related to damaged, incomplete and non-existent perimeter fences at Nigeria because as the first layer of defence, airport perimeters will minimise attacks, prevent incursion and enhance general security.”

Managing Director of FAAN, Captain Rabiu Hamisu Yadudu who also spoke at the event, said following the International Civil Aviation Organisation ICAO’s re-launch of the Year of Security Culture (YOSC) 2021, FAAN in collaboration with key stakeholders in November 2020 designed an approved AVSEC roadmap.

The roadmap, in line with the Nigerian Airports Security Week theme: ‘Promoting Security Culture in Nigerian Airports’ covers awareness workshops/ seminars/symposium, Policy and process articulation, enhanced security reporting system and community relations.

The rest are security communication, standardised/ structured security awareness programme, signage, posters and announcements, increase in number of AVSEC instructors and functional training schedule/programme and background checks.

The FAAN helmsman said, “To move these policy issues into measurable actions, we have focused on capacity development for our security personnel whose professionalism has become a source of pride to the entire country.

The Need For Rapid Response Squad Also speaking, FAAN Director of Aviation Security Services, Group Captain Usman Abubakar (retd) said government should consider the formation of a Rapid Response Squad capable of providing timely and professional interventions in any crisis and distress situations to arrest the ubiquitous and unconventional pattern of the new sets and levels of potential security threats against civil aviation in Nigeria and the Sahel/Sub-Saharan region as a whole.

He said, “Considering the size, challenges and technological advancements, it has become very important to draw management’s kind attention towards the approval of additional General Managers position in line with the Directorate’s restructured organogram.”

Arming AVSEC Confirming efforts by the government to arm AVSEC, Sirika stated that the Ministry is working with FAAN and other stakeholders to quickly actualise the approval of the FEC for Aviation Security personnel to bear arms.

According to him, their approach so far has been holistic and results-oriented, adding that the construction of shooting ranges at major airports is nearing completion.

But Yadudu disclosed that until the agency put in place necessary infrastructure to accommodate the arms, among others, it will not deploy the weapons to its Aviation Security (AVSEC) personnel.

Yadudu said, while FAAN has received approval from the federal government, the programme has reached an advanced stage even as a lot of work needed to be done in recruitment and profiling of such operatives.

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“As economies across the globe continue to grapple with the devastating impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, it has become expedient and highly desirable, for supervisors to come up with appropriate strategies that are required to build resilience into our financial system as we seek to provide the much-needed support to the Federal Government’s economic recovery agenda,” said Bello Hassan, Managing Director/Chief Executive of NDIC at a capacity building session for financial media professionals recently.

Outlining the measures taken by the corporation towards achieving its mandate, Hassan stated that the management had ensured that adequate coverage was provided for depositors and accounts as the number grew exponentially over the years. He also allayed fears being expressed by Nigerians over the safety of their deposits in the different categories of financial service institutions, stressing that adequate provision had been made to safeguard their assets.

Hassan said much of the concerns were based on lack of adequate understanding of the factors underlying the coverage of the prescribed limits, adding that Nigeria’s regulatory deposit framework is judged the best in the world.

“Much of the concerns are predicated on the lack of adequate understanding of the principles, rationale and realities that informed the determination of our coverage limits. It is in that respect that we urge the media through this forum to make Nigerian depositors aware that the NDIC’s maximum coverage limits of N500,000.00 per depositor per commercial, merchant and, non-interest bank, primary mortgage bank and mobile money operator, as well as N200,000.00 per depositor per microfinance bank remain the most adequate and robust in the world,” he said.

One of the tools is the Deposit Insurance Scheme (DIS). This is a key safety net initiative with the key objective of ensuring banking system safety and stability through depositor protection As a key safety net initiative, a DIS is required to have robust resilience and reinvention strategies in place all the time but most especially during this period of extreme disruptions in the banking industry, globally.

Banking system safety and stability

“

As economies across the globe continue to grapple with the devastating impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, it has become expedient and highly desirable, for supervisors to come up with appropriate strategies that are required to build resilience into our financial system as we seek to provide the much-needed support to the Federal Government’s economic recovery agenda will facilitate the effectiveness of the financial intermediation function of banks. Effectiveness of the financial intermediation function of banks also depends on sound risk management by individual banks and strong prudential regulation and supervision.

Other measures include prudential regulation and supervision.

These would ensure soundness of the individual banks (and financial system stability), sound market conducts and consumer protection.

Today, digital disruptions in the form of payment solutions, lending and savings facilitations are transforming the banking industry. In response to these, banks and other financial institutions are forced to either partner with Financial Technology (FinTech) companies or develop their own solutions.

This marriage or convergence of financial services and transformation technology is reshaping the financial services industry.

FinTech is a mantra indicating ‘innovation is future’.

Some areas of this innovation include artificial intelligence, blockchain technology, crowdfund investment, digital currencies, ePayments, peer to peer lending, robotic investment advisers etc.

The global financial services industry is facing a wave of digital disruption with FinTech competing with traditional financial approaches in the delivery of financial services and making financial services more accessible to the general public.

A lot of concerns have been expressed about the role of FinTech in the financial service industry.

But a major concern has been that FinTechs could displace traditional financial service industries.

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AVIATION

BY ANTHONY AWUNOR viation experts in the country have warned that if the political elite in Nigeria continues to interfere unnecessarily in the oversight functions of the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority Authority (NCAA), the country may lose the United States Federal Aviation Administration (USFAA) Category 1 Status.

FAA Category One (Cat 1) certification enables direct flight connections between the US and other countries.

In recent time, the National Assembly has been at loggerheads with the NCAA over safety and technical issues. First, there was the issue of issuance of Air Operator’s Certificate to an airline, although the lawmakers later changed their minds. The NCAA recently gave its approval to ground handling companies in the country to increase the new safety threshold handling rates after 36 years, with commencement dates slated for October 1, 2021 (for international) and January 1, 2022 (for local) operators, but the House Committee on Aviation directed it to stop the implementation forthwith.

Consequently, the handling companies have made an arrangement to embark on indefinite strike, beginning from Friday, November 5, 2021 to ensure the commencement of the new regime, as approved by NCAA about two months ago.

A

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Sirika

Political Interference May Cost Nigeria FAA Cat-1 Status – Experts

THEWILL gathered that, with the new rates, the handlers could charge between $1,500 and $5,000 (passenger and cargo flights) for narrow and wide body aircraft on international routes, respectively, while for domestic operators it was upped to N20,000 and N70,000, depending on the aircraft type.

With the approval, the ground handling companies in Nigeria: The Nigerian Aviation Handling Company (NAHCO) Plc, Skyway Aviation Handling Company (SAHCO) Plc, Precision Aviation Handling Company Limited (PAHCOL) and the Swissport Handling Company, were expected to charge the same handling rates as their counterparts in the sub-African countries.

In his reaction, the Director, Research, Zenith Travel, Olumide Ohunayo, advised the National Assembly, to stop interfering with the decisions taken by the regulator of the industry.

According to Ohunayo, Nigerians cherish their achievements on the safety level, based on the prowess of the regulator and the ability to sustain it over the years and that has made them to retain all certifications – FAA and ICAO. “We do not want these to be jeopardised or ridiculed by interference with the decisions taken by the regulator. This is never done and never accepted. The world is watching us. So we appeal to the

“

I think we need to advise the NASS members of the aviation committees to have copies of the CAA and Regulations, which they promulgated, read them to know where they have powers in them before they exercise those powers; can they promulgate a judicial law or Act and begin to exercise the executive powers in the law

House Committee on Aviation and Senate Committee to back off from the decisions taken by NCAA with respect to the industry,” he said.

Ohunayo warned that political interference would make Nigeria lose face in the comity of nations, principally with the regulator.

He advised that the government should allow the regulator to do its job without any form of interference from the House of Reps Committee and its counterpart in the Senate.

On the other hand, he advised the Aviation Ground Handling THEWILLNIGERIA

Association of Nigeria (AGHAN) to do what they need to do as every investor in a company always recover costs as well as make profits.

In his submission, the President of Sabre Network, West Africa and ART President, Dr Gabriel Olowo, concurred that political interference, especially where it hinges on safety, should be condemned in very strong terms. Aviation global frowns at such scenario.

On the increment, Olowo said, “It is absolutely justifiable, given global economic indexes on all factors of production that have increased astronomically, including severe currency fluctuations. Refusal by government not to allow the prices to be driven by market forces suggests that the operators may be enjoying all sorts of åsubsidies, waivers, etc. Just a speculation”.

To the Chief Executive Officer of Centurion Security Services, Group Captain John Ojikutu, what the NCAA did was the oversight right given to it by the provisions of the economic regulations in the Nig CARs Part 18 on all operators – government or private and allied services.

Ojikutu confirmed that the handling rates approved for ground handling companies are not different from similar provisions for the airlines fare tariff.

Explaining further, he said that political interference has been some form of obstacle to the progress of the sector and it has caused the defunct or the downfalls of most Nigerian airlines, including the Nigeria Airways.

He said that political actors in and out of government often ask for debt concessions or government intervention funds for private operators and sometimes government services providers where they have personal and individual interests.

“I think we need to advise the NASS members of the aviation committees to have copies of the CAA and Regulations, which they promulgated, read them to know where they have powers in them before they exercise those powers; can they promulgate a judicial law or Act and begin to exercise the executive powers in the law? They need to decide on which sides of the divides they want to be and move there; not a bird and rat at the same time,” Ojikutu said.

Also an aviator, who spoke on condition of anonymity, told THEWILL that he was very concerned about what is going on at the moment.

“We went through the ministry, agencies and the national assembly in getting the regulation. We made it clear to them then that we should have an NCAA without political interference and this is very important. I think this issue can be resolved because this issue is not good for us as an industry and a nation”.

“Category One is the highest rating and if you down it, you can be relegated. This has happened to many countries because of cases like these in the past. You heard what Sen. Na’Allah said on one of the same issues, recently? He has spoken as a professional. I expect other members of his committee to follow suit.”

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BUSINESS NEWS Dubai Expo: Emirates Offers SMEs Business Reward Incentives

BY ANTHONY AWUNOR

A

s Premier Partner and Official Airline of Expo 2020 Dubai, Emirates is enhancing the benefits that SMEs stand to gain from visiting the largest themed event taking place in Dubai.

Small and medium sized businesses (SMEs) planning a visit to Dubai during Expo 2020 Dubai will be reaping more rewards during the six-month mega event with the launch of the latest Emirates Business Rewards incentive.

L-R: Group Chief Executive Officer, Nigerian Exchange Group Plc, Mr. Oscar N. Onyema, OON; FCS, President and Chairman of Council, Chartered Institute of Stockbrokers, Olatunde Amolegbe; Chairman, House of Representatives Committee on Capital Markets, Hon. Ibrahim Babangida; FCIB, President and Chairman of Council, Chartered Institute of Bankers, Mr. Bayo Williams Olugbemi and Director, NGX Group Plc, Mr. Oluwole Adeosunat during the 25th Annual Stockbrokers Conference at the Chartered Institute of Stockbrokers in Lagos on 28/ 10/ 2021.

Airtel Africa Records $335m PAT In H1 21

For flights booked to Dubai by 15 November 2021, for travel until 31 March 2022, Emirates Business Rewards members will see their rewards balance grow faster by earning 25 per cent additional Business Rewards Points on their trip.

Guinness Nigeria Reports 58% Revenue Increase In Q1 F22 The offer will enable businesses to earn 1.25 points for every US Dollar spent on inbound flights to Expo’s host city.

Continued from page 16 growth across the Group, doubling profit after tax, increased cash generation, lower leverage and dividend upgrade The report further indicated that “H1’22 reported revenue grew by 25.2 per cent to $2,272m with double digit growth across all regions. Q2 reported revenue growth of 20.3 per cent and revenue in constant currency grew by 27.6 percent.

In addition, there was strong doubledigit and constant currency revenue growth across all regions: Nigeria up 32.4 per cent, East Africa up 25.8 per cent and Francophone Africa up 22.1 per cent; and across all key services, Voice up 19.7 per cent, Data up 36.9 per cent and Mobile Money up 42.0 per cent.

Also, underlying EBITDA grew by 35.2 per cent to $1,098m in reported currency and underlying EBITDA margin improved to 48.3 per cent, an increase of 360 basis points led by both revenue growth and improved operational efficiencies.

The report also showed that customer base grew by 5.4 per cent to 122.7 million, with increased penetration across mobile data (customer base up 10.9 per cent) and mobile money services (customer base up 19.0 per cent).

The customer base growth was however, affected by the new NIN/ SIM registration regulations in Nigeria; excluding Nigeria the customer base grew by 13.7 per cent.

The board also declared an interim dividend of 2 cents per share (1.5 cents in H1’21) in line with an upgraded dividend policy aimed to grow the dividend annually by a mid to highsingle digit percentage from a new base of 5 cents per share for FY 2022, with a continued focus to further strengthen the balance sheet.

Meanwhile, Airtel Africa has launched a comprehensive sustainability strategy.

to improve the lives of millions of people across Africa through digital and financial inclusion and access to education.

It also includes specific goals around environmental protection and the ongoing development of a rewarding, diverse and inclusive workplace.

Speaking on the new strategy, Segun Ogunsanya, CEO, Airtel Africa, said “Today is a significant milestone in Airtel Africa’s journey. Our new strategy provides a solid foundation for us to accelerate change for the communities we serve and the environment in which we operate. We have worked closely with our stakeholders to ensure that this strategy is ambitious, robust and credible. This partnership approach underpins all the work we will deliver through our strategy”.

“We will look to collaborate across the industry, recognising that by working together, we will be able to drive a more significant impact for the people who need it most. We are more committed than ever to ensuring open and honest communication on our progress as Airtel Africa embarks on its long journey towards a more sustainable future”, Ogunsanya added.

According to him, the sustainability strategy includes nine goals and commitments, with corresponding programmes that address the business’ material topics (identified through an extensive consultation at the beginning of the year) and enable the Group to continue delivering sustainable growth and uphold the best governance standards.

The nine goals include data security goal, service quality goal, supply chain goal, commitments to our people, digital inclusion goal, financial inclusion goal, access to education goal, greenhouse gas emissions reduction goal and environmental stewardship.

The strategy sets out its detailed plans THEWILLNIGERIA

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BY SAM DIALA

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uinness Nigeria, a subsidiary of Diageo Plc, and a leading total beverage alcohol company in Nigeria has posted a revenue of N47.46 billion for its first quarter period ended 30 September 2021.

Business Rewards Points can be redeemed to book flights and upgrades for eligible individuals from the registered organization, including business owners, their employees, in addition to guests.

The unaudited results, which were released to the Nigerian Exchange Group (NGX) revealed a 117 per cent increase in gross profit in the period, with double digit revenue growth across all key categories despite the impact of continued COVID-19 related restrictions and ongoing economic challenges.

Over 20,000 SMEs are currently enrolled in the Emirates Business Rewards programme and potentially lucrative opportunities lie ahead for its member base, consisting of professional services and consulting firms, technology providers, traders as well as businesses across various sectors including real estate, construction, IT and healthcare, among others.

Speaking on the announcement, Mr Baker Magunda, Managing Director/CEO, Guinness Nigeria Plc, said, “In the 3 months ended 30 September 2021, Guinness Nigeria delivered exceptional results despite the challenging external environment characterised by continued restrictions related to COVID 19, high inflation and heightening operating costs”.

Expo 2020 Dubai is now open and entrepreneurs from all corners of the globe can take advantage of the opportunities made possible through the largest and most diverse World Expo to be ever held, with the rich line-up of events and match-making opportunities to grow their business, build and nurture their business networks, and expand their reach into new markets.

“Revenue grew by 58 per cent to N47.4 billion, driven by resilient consumer demand and improved outlet coverage, as well as benefitting from headline price increases in key brands. Revenue grew across all key categories driven by our strategic focus brands, Malta Guinness and Guinness, as well as double-digit growth in local and imported spirits and the ready-to-drink category.”

With 192 countries participating in the event, Expo 2020 Dubai is expected to attract 25 million visitors, out of which 17 million will be international. It is also the first-ever World Expo hosted in the Middle East, Africa and South Asia (MEASA) region, providing businesses with a platform to capitalize on the prospects presented by the vast and rapidly-developing market consisting of 3.5 billion people in total.

“We are aware of the challenges in the operating environment, and regardless, our focus remains on delivering value to our stakeholders. This is why we continue to invest behind our strategic focus brands and categories, and to support the recovery of the on-trade, as seen in the 50% Marketing spend increase. Cost of sales also increased by 40%, largely due to sales volume growth, inflationary pressure, a shift towards more expensive can products and forex devaluation impacting imported materials.” He added.

The company also revealed that despite the devaluation of the naira, its net financing costs decreased by 38 per cent as a result of reduction in the net interest cost on the back of better cash generation; and Operating profit grew 1010 per cent to N6.5 billion.

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As part of the offer, designed especially for SMEs, the airline is providing bonus Emirates Business Reward points to members of its corporate loyalty programme, applicable on flights to Dubai for the duration of the event.

Under the theme, “Connecting Minds, Creating the Future,” Expo 2020 Dubai’s vast offerings and rich programme aims to inspire people by showcasing the best examples of collaboration, innovation and cooperation from around the world, and bringing the best minds together to find solutions to key challenges in sustainability, mobility and opportunity.

SMEs visiting the global event can tap into its tremendous potential for business opportunities, and look forward to simply enjoying six months of art, culture and entertainment at the country pavilions as well as special pavilions.

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

President Muhammadu Buhari (left,), receives Letter of Credence from the Ambassador of Ireland to Nigeria, Ms Sile L – R : Chief Executive Officer, Lagos Free Zone, Dinesh Rathi; Director General, Securities and Exchange Commission Maguire, at the State House in Abuja on 25/10/2021.

(SEC), Lamido Yuguda and Chief Executive Officer, Nigerian Exchange Limited, Temi Popoola, during a courtesy visit to Lagos Free Zone on 29/10/ 2021.

Governor of Imo State, Hope Uzodimma (left), with the Managing Director of Shell Petroleum Development Chairman, Credentials Screening Committee/former Minister of Justice, Mohammed Bello Adoke (right), Company, Mr. Osagie Okunbor, when the latter paid a courtesy call on the governor at Government House, Owerri presenting the reports to the Chairman PDP Convention Planning/ Organising Committee, Governor Ahamadu on 22/10/2021.

Fintiri of Adamawa State, at the party’s secretariat in Abuja 23/10/2021.

L-R: Winner of a brand new Sport Utility Vehicle, Mrs. Adetoro Ojora-Akintola; Wife of Lagos State Deputy Governor, Mrs. Oluremi Hamzat; Governor of Lagos State, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu; winner of the 3-bedroom apartment star prize, Mrs. Olasunbo Bankole; First Lady and Chairman, Committee of Wives of Lagos State Officials (COWLSO), Dr. Ibijoke Sanwo-Olu and winner of a return ticket to London, Mrs. Amodu Mary-Ann Adetoro, during the Gala Night of the 21st Conference of COWLSO, held at Eko Hotels and Suites, Victoria Island, Lagos on 28/10/2021.

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L-R: Ekiti State Head of Service, Mrs Peju Babafemi; Deputy Governor of Ekiti State, Otunba Bisi Egbeyemi; Governor Dr Kayode Fayemi; his wife, Erelu Bisi Fayemi and Chairman, Ekiti State Traditional Council, Onisan of Isan-Ekiti, HRM Oba Gabriel Ayodele Adejuwon, during the launch of Ekiti Values Education Curriculum and Textbooks in Ado Ekiti on 27/10/2021.

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OCTOBER 31 31 - - NOVEMBER NOVEMBER 6,6,2021 2021 OCTOBER T H E W I L L N E W S P A PER T H E W I L L N E W S P A P E R • www.thewillnigeria.com • www.thewillnigeria.com

DR OGECHIKA ALOZIE

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THE MEDICAL IMMIGRANT

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Nigerian/American infectious disease expert, Dr Ogechika Alozie, shares his dream to see the health sector in Nigeria thrive, in this interview with IVORY UKONU Alozie

I’D LOVE TO BE PART OF NIGERIA’S DEVELOPMENTAL STORY – DR OGECHIKA ALOZIE

W

hat is it like as a Nigerian physician practising in the USA? I think it’s a little bit different. I moved to the United States in 2002 after finishing medical school at the University of Benin. Just trying to get into the medical programme was difficult because I had to do a lot of examinations. The standard of care in the United States makes the whole process difficult. I think once you get established as a a doctor, everyone treats you accordingly. I think being a Nigerian makes you have expectations. There are pros and cons to it, but it has been a blessing especially being able to provide for my family by coming here and I won’t change it for the world.

Judging by the calibre of news outlets that seek your opinion on medical issues, you are obviously one of the most sought-after physicians. How were you able to achieve this feat?

I think it’s a lot of things. You have to take opportunities as they present themselves to you. If you don’t, you will miss out on a lot of things. I remember being afraid, as a student and a fellow, to make presentations, but one day, someone said to me right before I was to make a presentation: “Hey, what are you worried about? Even if there’s an expert in the room as of that time you’re talking, you’re the most qualified person in the room because you’ve done the research the night before. So, own it, put it in your chest and go with it.”

And I think that sort of helped me mentally and then I was sort of blessed or lucky early on in my career to be approached by a couple of organisations that wanted me to speak for them to patients. I am very passionate about patient care in the HIV and Hepatitis C space. So I was able to, for many years, talk probably two to five times a month to patients and I used that to really own my skills

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Alozie

Nigeria sometimes feels like that child who has so much promise and has been hyped up by doting parents, which spoils the child. Having squandered everything he was given, the child has sort of come to a crossroads. Oil isn’t going to last forever

and understand how to engage with people and how to be dynamic. Part of it was just the Nigerian in me. I used to dodge questions, but I learnt how to take a question, flip it, manipulate it and spit it back so that I give part of the answer but not all of the answer. I think that has really been it and people also appreciate it if you are blunt, direct and you are able to synthesize. Overtime, I have learnt how to take complex things, distill them into simple things for people to understand.

What has been your experience with racism in a country that claims to be a free nation but still has an issue with racism?

I think one of the things that have to be said is that I grew up in the United States. I moved to the US when I was four months-old. My father was a PhD student until he passed away when I was four and I lived there until I turned 16

before my mom sent me back to Federal Government College, Okigwe. And so when I was growing up in Minnesota, I didn’t realise or feel racism per say. Obviously, there were kids in school that would call me a nigga and all sort of things, but you deal with that as a man or a young boy. You fight and you move on. As I returned as an adult, it was not as blatant as it used to be and I think one thing that people don’t realise is that one’s educational status and financial ability protects one from certain things. Nobody is coming up to me and calling me a nigga. Nobody is outright and directly being racist to me, but there are the subtle things, like being passed over for certain positions or the way people approach you, or sometimes patients thinking that you are a nurse or a garbage collector, even though you’re wearing your white scrub. They have probably never seen a black doctor before. Another thing is about where you live.

If you live in a black neighborhood, you are not affected by race day-to-day. If you live in a predominantly white neighborhood that is affluent, you may not be affected dayto-day by it. However, it’s the subtleness of not being invited to dinner parties or maybe your kids don’t get to play with other kids as much. But I don’t think that racism goes away.

I will say that the United State is much less racist than it used to be, but then if you’re not white, you have to come to terms with it quickly or it will affect not only the way you grow, live, learn and love but also your professional opportunities.

I think it’s important for people to sort of walk into that with both eyes wide open.

Why did you leave Nigeria?

Opportunities! I could barely get a house job after I finished from the University of Benin. I had to do a programme where they didn’t pay me for four years and then I went for youth service in Ado-Ekiti. That was nice because it THEWILLNIGERIA

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gave me the opportunity to prepare to leave the country.

Nigeria doesn’t afford you as many opportunities as you need. But I got the opportunity, passed my exams, trained to become a specialist and an expert in my field and I am able to take care of my family. I think at the end of the day that’s what everybody wants. Do we want Nigeria to be better? Absolutely. Do we want to have opportunities to improve Nigeria? Absolutely. Does Nigeria afford you those opportunities without having to do an immense amount of work that you don’t have to do in another country?

Absolutely not. People leave not because one country is better than another, but because of opportunities.

connection between how you can take somebody as an immigrant, naturalise them and make them more comfortable in a technology-driven society and in doing so, enhance their health care experience. I think that really becomes sort of germane to Nigeria. We don’t potentially need to keep all the people that want to be physicians in the country, but if the technology and infrastructural backbone is appropriate and enhanced, they can do telemedicine visits. I think that’s how we allow people in the Diaspora to give back to Nigeria without necessarily having to come to Nigeria, by enabling that technology and I think that is a worthwhile investment.

What do you make of the Federal Government’s lackadaisical attitude towards the health sector and the brain drain?

Until the government realises that health is wealth and makes an investment in health care, medical practitioners are going to continue to leave and the country will lose its best and brightest. Nobody that has opportunities to leave and improve themselves stays in an environment that is wallowing or decrepit or breaking down. The reality is that people who have the means, access and resources leave the country for medical care. It is unfortunate that sometimes when I engage with some of my colleagues about basic clinical concepts, you can tell that they’re not up to speed and that is just disappointing. It’s not just the health care sector, the government and private industries have to invest in technology because I truly believe that is the only way Nigeria will come out of this. Oil is not going to save us. In fact, I think oil has destroyed us. When the people at the top don’t trust the system, they help to destroy the system. We need new leadership. I don’t know where that leadership will come from, but we need new and different thinkers that think about Nigeria as a cohesive entity and are willingly to invest in it. When a third to a quarter to a half of our money disappears into other people’s coffers and foreign bank accounts, how do you want to account for growth?

You are an expert in infectious disease. What was the attraction?

I wanted to be a cardiologist or a sports medicine physician.

When I got to Minnesota in 2002 and I started doing my masters in public health in cardiovascular epidemiology, it just didn’t speak to me, I didn’t enjoy it and it just felt mundane. I went through a particular summer where I didn’t have a job and I was doing some odd jobs and my mom called to tell me that one of my aunties contracted HIV. She began to ask me a series of questions like; What do I have to do? Do I stop sleeping in the house? Do I get new plates?

Do I do this or that? I don’t know what it was, but my mom was a PhD holder from the University of Benin and she was asking me these questions and telling me about the stigma ....... It just sort of sparked a fire in me while trying to help her find medications, and help her understand it better. I was all of a sudden intrigued by it and so that became my passion and my focus, specifically around the space of HIV and that’s what I have been doing ever since.

How significant is your work as an infectious disease expert viz a viz corona virus?

I don’t know if it’s significant. I didn’t help create any of the vaccines like other Nigerian countrymen have done. Kudos to them, but I hope what my gift has been to my community at least, is being able to give them straight, simple, fast concept around COVID-19: how to stay safe, how to think about coronavirus for themselves, their loved ones or children and how to think about the vaccine, having been a huge proponent of vaccines since they became available. I think, as an infectious disease physician, that it is just part of my role to educate the community about prevention and infectious diseases and how we can treat it and so hopefully I have been able to do a little bit of that.

What is it like owning your own private practice in Texas?

It’s a challenge and a blessing, but I think the blessing is I don’t have a boss. I am my own boss, I am the CEO of both Southwest Viral Medicine and Sunset ID Care. We are merging soon to be called Sunset West. I have always been an entrepreneurial being, someone that sort of pushes the envelope and someone that looks at things creatively. For me, it has been a blessing. I have about 15 staff that are focused on HIV and Hepatitis C and health care. So, it has just really been a blessing. I have taken a lot of knowledge in education from multiple employers that I have had over the years, but I think this is just the right space for me to be and I am blessed to be in it.

You have won quite a few awards for your works as an infectious disease expert. Which is the most significant?

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Alozie

A l o zi e

Wow! I mean two of them; one will be the year I won Best Physician in the city which I won via online voting. It was sort of exciting that I didn’t even know I was relevant and people knew about the practice. I think that sort of helped to catapult the practice and helped my team really see that they were doing great work. The El Paso Physician Association also gave me an award some years ago for most innovative practice and that really touched me because it was what I was trying to do, both at the university and when I was trying to do my private practice. Being noticed and getting honoured was really a blessing.

What has been most challenging about your work as an infectious disease expert?

You know the infectious diseases I deal with are HIV and Hepatitis C specifically. A lot of stigma is attached to them.

Being a heterosexual physician in a field that primarily affects MSM (Men Having Sex With Men) or gay men in the United States has always been interesting. Either the MSM population or community doesn’t think you’re good enough because you’re not MSM or people that are none MSM wonder why are you doing this and wonder if you are a closeted gay. Also getting adequate resources is difficult. Up until Covid-19 emerged, infectious diseases never got a lot of resources. It was always a challenge, but it’s worth it because I enjoy what I do.

You gave a TedX-El Paso talk titled ‘The Digital Immigrant’ a few years ago. What was it all about?

As an immigrant, when you come to a new country and you don’t understand their customs and their ways, you have to figure things out and then you eventually understand it.

I realised that in health care and in technology, we have a lot of immigrants, people that are born in other countries that don’t have technology. People that are old or the baby boomers, as they are called, didn’t grow up with technology as opposed to my children and the younger generation that grew up with technology. They’re tied to their phones, tablets and the Internet and that’s the world they are in. That is why Instagram, Snapchat and everything else has flourished.

So the TedX on the digital immigrant was showing the

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What is it about your growing up years that has shaped you to become the person you are today?

I would say first of all, being a student at the Federal Government College Okigwe. That experience and realising that if you can survive that, you can survive anything. I just think the Nigerian experience prepares you for when you go someplace that things are not as difficult. Where there is constant light, constant water, where you can get access to resources easily and consistently, it makes it easier for you to grow and thrive. And then I think part of it too is growing up poor, as an only child whose father died at four. My mom did her best to raise me as best as she could. So, when she saw that I was going in a different direction she sent me back to Nigeria where I lived with my father’s family in Owerri. So, I grew up always having that drive to do better.

What would you say has been your greatest achievement in life so far?

I mean coming out of poverty is one of my biggest achievements and the fact that I survived Nigeria after not growing up there, the fact that I was able to use that growth and come to the United States and still achieve some of the things I have achieved. If somebody had told me when I was 14, 15, 16 years that I would be at this level or this stage, I would have laughed or maybe cried and sometimes I look back now and say, “Hey it has been an amazing journey.”

I will turn 50 next year and I hope the next 20 or 30 years will be great. I mean I don’t want to work for 30 years, but I want to give at least another 10 to 15 years of productive education, learning and knowledge and just growing. Also, having children is a blessing, but while they are not my achievement per say, I still look forward to seeing them grow into this world and into this global village that we have, I just want to continue to try to give back and help people as much as I can. And at the end of the day, I will just thank God and pray that I can make it day by day.

Would you accept an invitation return to Nigeria to help, say in the Ministry of Health?

I will actually happily and immediately accept it. I think that I would hope I have a role to play and I would hope I bring a different vision. Maybe that’s the delusion on my part but I just feel as if we need some sort of new leadership that thinks about the country differently. It’s a complicated and huge country but if I was asked to play a role, I will definitely do that because I think I have a skill set both from a communication standpoint and an intellectual standpoint and the training that I have received could be of benefit. It may not be as a minister or as a special adviser, whatever it is, I would love to play a role in the Nigerian developmental story.

Nigeria celebrated its 61st independence anniversary in October. What is your wish for the country as a whole and the health sector in particular?

Nigeria as a whole I think has to come to terms with themselves. Nigeria sometimes feels like that child who has so much promise and has been hyped up by doting parents, who spoils the child. Having squandered everything he was given, the child has sort of come to a crossroads. Oil isn’t going to last forever. We see this as Saudi Arabia and some of the other OPEC nations have begun to move away from oil and into sustainable resources. We need to figure ourselves out as a country. What are we proud of? What do we have to offer not just to the world, but also to ourselves? How do we enhance the generation of children and people in this country that are yearning to do better? I truly think that technology is one of those things that is the way out. We need to invest in 5G and fibre technology that allows everybody in Nigeria affordable access to technology because technology opens the world up for them in terms of education, business and finance. When I think about the medical sector, I think we need to truly put money into a full-fledged payment system, something like the National Health Service, that allows people that have the means to do private insurance and then actually modernise our health care system. Our hospitals are falling apart, we really need to put equipment in them and get on a technological footprint. We also need to train the upcoming generations of physicians accordingly.

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STORIES BY SHADE METIBOGUN

Benjamin & Anene

H

e is averagely built, light-complexioned and handsome. He is Kelvin Anene, the married man who is the significant other of Maria Benjamin, ex Big Brother Naija reality show housemate. He lives in Dubai, the United Arab Emirates and has his business located there as well. He is the Chief Executive Officer of The Boss, a nightclub and bar situated in a highbrow area of the United Arab Emirate. He is also the CEO of First Oil and Gas Limited and is married to Maryanne Onyinyechi. They are blessed with two children, a boy and a girl. The stupendously wealthy tycoon was born in Enugu State, but he owns landed properties in Owerri, Imo state. One of his buildings is where his wife and children were staying before they got separated.

Kelvin and Maria, who worked as an air hostess with Emirates Airline in the UAE, same place as where Kelvin resides, were already an item long before she became well known via the reality show. They were ironically introduced to each other by night life enterprenuer Pascal Okechukwu, also known as Cubana Chief priest. Ever since then, the duo remained inseparable with Maria moving into his Dubai mansion and taking

on the position of the lady of the house. For being his favourite side chick, Kelvin spoiled Maria silly.

Unfortunately, her pride and nasty attitude towards Kelvin’s other side chicks and even his legally married wife would be her undoing. This was what earned her a calling out

by Cubana Chiefpriest recently on social media. However, contrary to the night life entrepreneur’s tale that he called out Maria for disrespecting Kelvin’s wife, who he claims is his relation, the night club owner was simply trying to protect his interest as it concerns his dealings with Kelvin.

Apparently, Chief priest is a pimp to some of his friends, one of whom is Kelvin, who allegedly has a large appetite for women.

For his services, he allegedly gets rewarded handsomely by these friends who also patronise his other businesses. The bubble burst when one of Kelvin’s side chicks, who was introduced to him by Cubana Chief Priest, called his home. Maria answered the call and warned the caller to desist from calling her man ever again. The caller reported the incident to her benefactor who promised to deal with Maria.

One of the best ways he thought to deal with Maria was to use

MEET KELVIN ANENE, MARIA BENJAMIN’S CURRENT LOVER

Onyinyechi. Thus began the narrative he pushed out; accusing Maria of snatching Kelvin and getting him estranged from Onyinyechi. He also accused Maria of threatening her.

What further helped his cause was the existence of a WhatsApp chat between Maria and Onyinyechi.

However, in the chat, rather than threaten Onyinyechi as Cubana Chief priest alleged, Maria tried to pacify Kelvin’s wife in a bid to get them back together. The chat was prompted by Onyinyechi’s visit to her husband in Dubai, who abandoned her and their children in Nigeria, only to be received at the door by Maria.

Onyinyechi on the other hand isn’t without blame as she reportedly maltreated Kelvin’s relatives.

According to Kelvin’s brother, Paul, an aspiring artist, she once threw them out of his building and each time their mother visits, she starves her of food. Perhaps, this explains some of the reasons Kelvin has been cheating repeatedly on his wife.

Onyinyechi moved out of her matrimonial home because of Kelvin’s incessant cheating as she was done fighting every lady her husband was dating. Months after discovering that her husband and Maria were an item, she filed for divorce at the Aba High Court in Abia State and is now awaiting court proceedings.

How N45,000 Almost Stopped Natacha Akide’s Graduation From School A nita Natacha Akide, popularly known as Tacha, has recounted her grass- to-grace story while celebrating her laudable achievements on social media.

The reality television star spoke about some challenges she had to face in the course of her journey to stardom and how she managed to stay above board.

According to her, she couldn’t graduate in 2017 because she was owing her school the sum of N45,000. She revealed how she would slide into some celebrities’ direct messages on social media to beg for money, which she put together to enable her to graduate from school.

However, fortune smiled on her after she participated in Big Brother Naija Reality TV Show, Season 4. Although she couldn’t make it to the finals, having been disqualified for breaking house rules, it didn’t stop her

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from pushing till she became a ‘self-made’ lady.

Tacha recently, grabbed a spot on an international reality show, The Challenge, a few months ago.

She was enrolled as a rookie on the show, a rank for beginners that comes with weekly participation earnings and bonus earnings.

The beautiful vlogger was flown into Croatia on a business class ticket and rewarded handsomely for participating in the challenge.

Akide Tacha owns a logistics company known as Everything Tacha Logistics, which was launched in September and also a clothing brand, NLNT89, launched in the same month. She

is also a brand ambassador to several companies. While reflecting on her struggles, she encouraged her fans not to cut corners, but to continue striving hard for greatness.

Mercy Eke Finds Love in Billionaire Businessman, Joseph Ezeokafor

B Melaye

CONTROVERSY TRAILS DINO MELAYE’S LAW DEGREE FROM BAZE UNIVERSITY

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enator Dino Melaye, may have graduated with a degree in Law from Baze University, Abuja but the acquisition is mired in controversy. A week ago, one of his aides, Bode Gbadebo, posted on Facebook that the senator bagged a first-class degree and was among the best graduating students of the institution.

However, investigations revealed that the senator graduated with a second-class lower degree. It was gathered that he struggled during his stay at the institution and battled several carryovers, which he had to re-register for before eventually graduating.

Dino Melaye who has reportedly relocated to Dubai, United Arab Emirate after losing his re-election to the Senate, had to shuttle between Dubai and Nigeria and this drastically affected his performance at school.

The senator posted pictures of his convocation on social media a couple of days ago. He stated that he had joined the league of law degree holders.

Besides Melaye, a former Minister of Aviation and currently governorship candidate in Anambra State, Osita Chidoka and Senator Ifeanyi Ubah were also among the graduates. While Ubah, who is also contesting in the Anambra governorship election scheduled for November 6 under the Young Progressives Party, graduated in Second Class lower division, Chidoka graduated Second Class Upper from the institution.

ig Brother Naija season four winner, Mercy Eke, is allegedly neck deep in a hush-hush relationship with billionaire oil magnate, Joseph Ezeokafor, otherwise known as Jowizaza. The duo, who allegedly started dating not too long ago, only just returned from a trip to Marrakech in Morocco shortly after her lavish birthday in September. The two sparked a romance tale after Instagram socialite, Sophia Egbueje, who is a very close friend of Mercy refused to wish the latter a happy birthday and in return, Mercy didn’t invite her to her party. It wasn’t until pictures of Jowizaza and Mercy vacationing in Marrakech surfaced online that it became obvious that something had transpired between Sophie and Mercy.

Although the lovebirds did their best to prevent prying eyes from detecting, it was obviously not enough as pictures of the same location where Mercy was away to were also posted by Jowizaza a few hours apart.

The two pictures showed the same buildings and terrain coincidentally, indicating that they were together.

THEWILL gathered from investigations that Jowizaza allegedly dumped Sophia after she introduced Mercy to him while on an outing together. This naturally

caused friction between the two erstwhile friends, which made Sophia to keep mute on Mercy’s birthday.

Jowizaza has reportedly been spoiling Mercy silly with the good things of life which she flaunts it on social media. Although he tried to maintain his distance during her birthday party in September, he is believed to be the one who financed the party. He even posted a video of Mercy on his Snapchat but later deleted it to avoid suspicion.

Jowizaza is one of the youngest billionaires from Ekwulobia in Anambra State.

He is the Chief Executive Officer of Jezco Oil and Lubricant, a company founded by his father, Chief Joseph Ezeokafor. He took over the management of the company after his father’s retirement and has been managing it well. Jowizaza is a lover of exotic cars and he has quite a number of them in his garage, some of which are a Lamborghini Aventador, Rolls Royce Cullinan, Bentley Continental Gt, Brabus G wagon, Mercedes Bent 4matic and a host of others.

He is a close friend of Obinna Iyiegbu, otherwise known as Obi Cubana.

A message sent to the reality star’s instagram handle to confirm the story was not replied before going to press.

Eke & Ezeokafor

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STORIES BY SHADE METIBOGUN

Double Celebration For Isaac And Nneka Moses

EX-BBN STAR, KATRINA JONES UNDERGOES BUTT LIFT R

eality television star and entrepreneur, Katrina Jones has joined the league of celebrities who are paying hefty sums to change their looks. The Big Brother Naija Lock-down housemate recently underwent a Brazilian butt lift and she has been flaunting her backside for all to see. Ka3na jetted out of the country a couple of weeks ago for the procedure at Mono Cosmetic Clinic, located in Izmir, Turkey. The hospital is reputed for its expertise in plastic and

T

Jones

constructive surgery for local and international patients.

The mother of one who informed her fans on social media that she would be travelling for the procedure in Turkey, kept them glued to her Instastory as she gave them regular updates on the surgery. This is also in addition to all the interesting places she visited while in Turkey, where she had fun and experienced the luxurious lifestyle her hard-earned money could afford. The reality TV star was given a VIP pickup from the

airport to her private portal room at the Mono Aftercare Villa owned by the clinic after the procedure. She has since been feeding fat on luxury meals as displayed on her Instastory. Medical consultants, cooking and cleaning staff have all been at her beck and call to ensure the success of her butt lift. Ka3na, who is married to a 64-year-old Caucasian, has since been flaunting her butt in most of her posts since the successful completion of the surgery.

Temmie Ovwasa Wages War With Olamide I t doesn’t look like the rancour between Yahoo Boy No Laptop Nation boss and indigenous rap artist, Olamide Adedeji, who is simply known as Olamide, and his former signee, Temmie Ovwasa, will be coming to an end anytime soon. It all began last year after the artist accused Olamide of cruelty.

She accused Olamide of ruining her hope of becoming a successful music star after abandoning her in his house.

Temmie, who is a self confessed lesbian expressed her displeasure with the way she was treated

by Olamide, questioning his motive for taking her away from her parents on the pretext of rendering some help only to end up making her unproductive and redundant for five years. She said that in five years, she only Ovwasa recorded four singles and four videos, which were never released two parties. Some blame her for by her record label for reasons best not addressing the issues with known to Olamide. her former boss properly rather Temmie claimed that she was than taking it to social media. They restricted from performing at also said she should be blamed events and shows. She also accused for her ill-luck because Olamide Olamide of using his fans to bully is known for experimenting. He her into silence, but insists that would take artists off the street, she would continue to shout even work with them for a while and sign if her voice is not loud enough. As a proper contract with them if they expected, her outburst generated become an overnight success. They mixed reactions from fans of the mentioned the likes of Lil Kesh, THEWILLNIGERIA

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Adekunle Gold and Fireboy, all of whom the record label boss had groomed. However, some other critics blamed Olamide for being unfair to her.

After a while, when nothing was heard again from both parties, Temmie, to the surprise of many, revisited her grouse with the singer. In a recent question and answer session with her fans about a week ago, the talented singer was asked if she is still in touch with her former boss. Responding, Temmie recounted the ordeal she suffered while still signed on to Olamide’s record label.

According to her, she was 18 years-old when Olamide took her from Ilorin to Lagos after spotting her talent. She was asked to stay with his wife who verbally abused her in the presence of her friends and children.

She stated further that Olamide messed up her mind and later tried to compensate her for it. She also revealed that she was not interested in keeping in touch with him. Asked if she would like to collaborate with her former boss in the future, she declared that she would not want to be associated with men who use their position to hurt others.

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he month of October is a special one for co-hosts of Goge Africa, Metche Isaac Moses and his wife, Nneka. The couple debuted their tourism show on major television stations across the state and also got married in the same month. The delectable couple celebrated the 22nd anniversary of their show about three weeks ago while they marked their 24th wedding anniversary on October 25, 2021.

Celebrating their milestone with a lovely photoshoot, they reiterated their years of resilience and sacrifice while also documenting the beautiful culture and heritage of Africa.

To draw the curtain on their double-edged celebration, the couple hosted friends and family to a two-day party at Fantasia Hall, Eko Hotel and Suites between October 23 and 24. The fun-filled event had many dignitaries in attendance, including traditional rulers who took time off their daily schedules to honour the couple.

One of the highlights of the event was pep talks by the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Tourism, Princess Adenike Adedoyin-Ajayi, who spoke on relationships and Dr Tolu Oko-Igaire who spoke on sex therapy. There was another session where the delectable co-hosts bared it all. They spoke about their love story and the

The Moses

lovely memories they both shared in their 24 years marital journey.

They also opened up on issues that bothered them since they began their marital journey. One of such issues raised by Nneka is the fact that her husband used his rickety Mercedes-Benz to take her home after their wedding. The event came to an end after the cutting of the anniversary cake and a photo session by those in attendance.

Goge Africa was first broadcast in October 1999 across four Nigerian TV stations, featuring different

cultures and festivals in Africa. The show has been viewed by more than 50 million people across the globe and the team has visited over 32 countries in Africa.

The TV show was created to showcase the richness of African culture, dance, food, clothes and tourism. Isaac and Nneka got married on October 25, 1997, after meeting on the set of a movie where they both played romantic roles. They waited for 13 years before giving birth to their son, Chikamara Isaac Moses.

birthday party on Saturday, October 23, 2021. The politician, who spared no cost to ensure his ‘jewel of inestimable value’ had a grand celebration amidst friends, family and associates. The guests were treated to delicious delicacies by Asbanorr Catering, a corporate and events catering outfit owned by the celebrant. Gorgeously dressed in a black velvet open back, floor length gown embellished with pearls,

she was complemented by her husband who looked charming in a white suit and bow tie.

A few weeks ago, Emami, who is the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of A and E Group of Companies, was stripped of his traditional chieftaincy title by the Olu of Warri, Oba Tsola Emiko, the Ogiame Atuwatse lll. Emami was first suspended before his title was finally taken away from him. He had mounted a stiff opposition to the emergence of the monarch, insisting that the latter was not qualified to ascend the throne due to his maternal heritage. He was eventually stripped of his title after he tore into shreds the nomination paper of the crowned king presented to him by kingmakers, an act considered as a great affront to the kingdom.

Seemingly unfazed by the Olu of Warri’s action against him, Emami insists that he does not recognise the monarch’s authority and his action is not binding on him. He subsequently instituted a court case against the monarch to that effect.

Embattled Ayiri Emami Celebrates Wife at 40 L

ast weekend, businessman, Ayiri Emami, put aside the many issues he is battling with, one of which is his disgraceful removal as the Ologbotsere or traditional prime minister of Warri Kingdom, to celebrate his beautiful wife, Asba Jite Emami. The mother of two recently clocked 40 and besides eulogising her on social media, her husband threw her a lavish

The Emamis

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WHERE ARE THESE NIGERIAN RAP QUEENS?

Kel

Eva

Sasha P

OLAJIDE TOGBE beams the searchlight on top female rappers who made their mark on the Nigerian music scene at some point in the past

O

nce upon a time, Nigerian female rappers shared the spotlight with their male counterparts. The music industry at that time had quite a number of talented female rap artists or ‘Femcees’ as they are often called, who won the admiration of many music fans with their lyrics and word play. They were the equivalent of afro-pop divas currently dominating the music scene. They gave their very best and were unstoppable. Unfortunately they have all gone ‘AWOL’ without leaving behind any successors. As a result, the Nigerian rap scene has been missing some ‘girl power’ for a while now.

SASHA P Anthonia Yetunde Alabi, a 38-year-old who many music fans once referred to as the First Lady of Nigerian hip hop, gained recognition at a time when there were very few female hip hop artistes in Nigeria. Subsequently, her success helped pave the way for other female rappers and musicians. Her hit singles, Emi Le Gan and Adara, earned her accolades as she was also well decorated and achieved a number of firsts as a female rap artist. In 2008, she became the first Nigerian female artist to perform at the World Music Awards.

Two years later, she became the first Nigerian to win the Best Female Artiste award at MTV Africa Music Awards (MAMA) and Women in Entertainment Awards, UK in 2009 for her single Adara. Since her break from rap music to focus on her clothing line, Eclectic, little or nothing has been heard of her musically.

WEIRD MC Nigerian-British rapper, Shola Idowu, otherwise known as Weird MC, is one of Africa’s most popular female rappers and one of few Nigerian female artistes associated with afrobeat.

The 51-year-old, who liked to infuse the Yoruba language in her English lyrics became famous in 2006 after the success of her monster hit, Ijoya, a single off her second album by the same title. The song earned her an Award for Musical Excellence in Nigeria (AMEN) for Most Popular Song and a Channel O Music Video Award for Best Special Effect. She also released other singles such as Allen Avenue, Palava and Moving On. In various interviews she has spoken of how she was discriminated against by her male counterparts and also criticised female rappers for not persevering in order to earn their place in the music industry. The rapper, who has been out of the country for about four years, says she left because she wanted a break. She suffered a major loss in the death of her friend, Nomoreloss. Weird MC recently featured in a movie production in England and afterwards announced that she would no longer limit herself to music, adding that she was experimenting with other things, including scriptwriting.

She is also the presenter of Da Gatekeeper series.

BOUQUI Bukola Folayan, otherwise known as BOUQUI, is one of the daughters of Oba Ololade Folayan, who was a professor of Biochemistry. Growing up in the academic environment of the Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, influenced her deep lyrical style and cosmopolitan outlook. Her Christian faith and strong belief in the word of God also inspired the creation of the Bouqui brand. A former broadcaster at Eko FM Radio Station in Lagos, Bouqui started her professional career with an all-girl music group known as the G-Vibes before going solo and changing her focus and style. Her debut album titled B.O.U.Q.U.I was a 2-in-1 package due to the

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Blaise

Weird MC

BO UQ UI

Music, the former award-winning rapper went on a downhill and never regained her star power. Musically, Kel still raps and sings, but she has since moved on to other things. She is the CEO of Keke’s Good Eats, an online restaurant.

BLAISE Blaise, born Obafunke Martin Luther, is one female rap artiste with a distinct sound. She was born in Lagos but spent a significant part of her childhood in the United Kingdom and Ibadan, Oyo State. She began her rap career as a member of one of Nigeria’s most infamous rap group, Da Trybe, which became quite popular with the hit song, Oya. After the group broke up, she became a solo artiste and paired up with one of her ex-group members who produced her singles, The Definition and Bragging Rights. After this, she gained a lot of respect and popularity in Nigerian hip hop music. The rapper’s unique approach to hip hop and delivery was what brought her into the limelight.

Mo’cheddah

fact that it contained a record breaking 14 tracks and four skits, the highest by any debutant in the Nigerian music industry.

Still on breaking records, her lead single, Get It Started in less than a month, debuted at number one on the backyard beats segment of the PJ Butter hosted World Chart Show, also another first by any home-based Nigerian artiste in the history of Nigerian music. The album won several accolades and nominations, including the much coveted AMEN awards in 2007 for best female act. The gospel rapper still finds time to make gospel rap music and is currently pushing the frontiers of Afrocentric fashion in Hollywood, California, USA where she is currently based. This is in addition to being the host of BOUQUI’S Place TV show, a programme KEL Kelechi Ohia, better known as Kel, is remembered for her hit singles, Waa Wa Alright, You Too Fine and Turn By Turn, which featured Wizkid. At the time, she was regarded as the best female rap MC in the country and she lived up to the billing until she started having issues with her record label, Capital Hill Music owned by renowned video director, Clarence Peters. Following her departure from Capital Hill

EVA Born Elohor Eva Alordiah, Eva was at one time one of the most sought-after female rappers in the country. She shared the stage with popular Nigerian music artistes and was on a track with the defunct P-Square before she stopped making music abruptly and moved to Ghana. The 32-year-old, whose first album 1960: The Album was released in September 2016, revealed that she stopped making music because she wanted to get back to the core of her essence. A fitness enthusiast, Eva now runs Kobocourse, an Internet company that creates and sells online courses, e-books and memberships. She is also a beauty entrepreneur and a motivational speaker.

MO’CHEDDAH Modupe-Oreoluwa Oyeyemi, otherwise known as Mo’Cheddah, stormed the music scene at a relatively young age with a promotional single, If You Want Me which was quickly followed by her debut studio album, Franchise Celebrity, while signed to Knighthouse Entertainment.

She parted ways with Knighthouse in February 2012 and established her own label, Cheddah Music, under which she released some songs, two of which earned her awards – Herself, which got her an MTV Africa Music awards as Best New Artist in 2010 and a Channel O Music Video Awards as Best Female Video for the single, If You Want Me. Mo’Cheddah, who is married to politician and businessman, Bukunyi Olateru-Olagbegi, passes time as a beauty instructor.

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Mama Roz’s Chronicles

Homeless In Abuja (3) As she pondered what to do next, someone (it is not clear who) suggested that her best bet would be to go to Abuja and find ‘Embelembe’ who would give her all the money she requires to solve her problems.

This sounded like a good idea at the time and gave Amina renewed hope. Even though she did not have the money for the trip, she reckoned that it would be a good investment since many people before her who had found themselves in similar conditions had given testimony that they had been rescued by this renowned philanthropist, ‘Embelembe’; why would her case be different?

Her friends did not hesitate to loan money to her

A

Amina’s Story mina Mohammed arrived in Abuja from Beji, Niger state, a few days before Sallah in May 2021. She had quite recently lost her husband and had no means of livelihood. Her landlord, sympathetic to her plight had given her a year’s grace to find the rent or alternative accommodation as the last rent ran out two months after her husband died. Both of her parents had passed on several years ago and her only two surviving siblings live far away from Beji. In fact, she has no relatives at all in Beji but she has 8 children to feed and support including a baby who was born shortly after her husband passed.

Her husband’s death was quite sudden; he was brought home one day from the farm where he was working writhing in pain; it was his stomach.

He was taken to the hospital where he received treatment for three months by which time her savings were completely depleted. His condition was getting neither better nor worse as the doctors were unsure of the nature of his ailment and then suddenly one day, he closed his eyes and died.

Amina was lost; she had given up her trade when she got married almost 20 years ago. Then she had reared chickens and goats. For a while during her marriage, she also sold food but she gave up her business when she became overwhelmed with raising her 7 children.

Amina had no formal education and got married quite young although she couldn’t say exactly how old she was when she got married because she didn’t know what year she was born. She had a happy marriage and her husband took very good care of her and her extended family. As 7 of her 8 children were boys, she and her husband longed for a daughter so they raised two of her young nieces as their daughters. Her husband spent considerable funds on their education and then also paid for them to learn tailoring. When her husband died and she could not see the way forward, she asked the two nieces to start a tailoring business to support her and the other children, since her husband had trained them. But both nieces had different ideas about what they wanted to do and they both wanted to get married. So, in addition to all her other challenges, Amina was under pressure to find funds to buy their wedding clothes and some other items for them. She also needed to find school fees for 6 of her children who are still in school.

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One of the women she met at Central Mosque told her that she could make a living from begging for alms in Maitama.

By this time, she had run out of funds completely so she went with the woman and camped out in front of Arthur 1000’s residence where she has since been receiving funds to eat and feed her small child.

She has also been able to send some money home for the children’s school fees and books

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waiting like several other women in the same position, for someone to come forth and rescue her.

Amina has not been on the streets for very long like many of the other women she now spends her days with. Since the death of her husband, her life has changed completely and she is still trying to come to terms with her new reality. She dreams of running a business again. She was quite successful when she sold boiled rice and ‘semo’ and if “God blesses her with a provider” she would pay her rent, children’s school fees, nieces’ trousseau and open a food business. If only she could meet someone who would help her, she said sadly as she tried to hold back the tears.

Amina

BY ROZ AMECHI

for what they all considered a worthy venture and quite quickly she raised sufficient funds for her trip.

Finding ‘Embelembe’ (or Ordinary Ahmed, as he is actually known) was not difficult once she arrived in Abuja, and she spent a few days in his premises waiting for her turn to see him.

Every day, there were long queues of people waiting and after four unsuccessful days, one of the soldiers guarding the premises advised her to seek help elsewhere as there were people there who had been waiting to see him for the past eight months and there was no guarantee that she would get an audience this year.

And even if she did manage to get his attention, he may still be unable to help her as many with ‘worse cases’ had been turned away unaided. Crushed, Amina did not know what to do next.

She certainly did not have enough funds to sustain her for eight months and she had pressing needs waiting for her back home including the friends who had lent her money for her trip. She was advised to go to the Central Mosque and find a ‘Mallam’ to assist her with the fare back to Niger state. Amina went to the

Mosque but after hanging around for another couple of days, she met with a Mallam who told her he could not help her or any of the other numerous people who were there also seeking his help.

One of the women she met at Central Mosque told her that she could make a living from begging for alms in Maitama. By this time, she had run out of funds completely so she went with the woman and camped out in front of Arthur 1000’s residence where she has since been receiving funds to eat and feed her small child. She has also been able to send some money home for the children’s school fees and books.

However, Amina is not keen on returning to Beji without the funds for her nieces’ weddings, the funds she borrowed and N100,000 to pay the landlord for outstanding rent. She is very sad to be separated from her children but some of them were already living with relatives in other towns even before her husband died. She feels that she is of no use to the other children or her two nieces who are like daughters to her unless she returns with sufficient funds to address their needs. So now, she sleeps on the streets, hoping and

Victoria, Martha and Amina are just three of the teeming homeless women living on the streets of Abuja hoping for a messiah to rescue them because they have nowhere else to go and no one to help them. While I was interviewing them, many more appeared. They all have a story; similar sad stories.

Teenage pregnancy, the death of a husband, lack of education, insurgency and many other societal ills have conspired to bring them to ruin and keep them on the streets. Most of them have children who are being raised on the streets imbibing the culture of begging for their daily bread.

Some of the children were born on the streets and some even go to school from the streets in a bid to maintain some normalcy of family life.

Philanthropists and NGOs do their bit to ensure their daily survival but many of the women have spent several years on the streets and the end is not in sight. Some of them said they survived the pandemic through daily meals supplied by generous donors otherwise they would most definitely have died. Once in a while a few lucky ones get rescued and give hope to the many others who keep waiting whilst more women arrive in the capital city daily to join the ever-increasing numbers. It’s an endless cycle.

•If you wish to support any of these three women, 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

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ARTS

My Nigeria: Five Writers and Artists Reflect on The Place They Call Home A curious picture of pride, optimism, despair and frustration emerges as the country’s creatives consider their homeland. Failed state? Why Nigeria’s fragile democracy is facing an uncertain future.

Wale Lawal is Editor of The Republic magazine

Abubakar Adam Ibrahim is an author and journalist

W

hen the train travelling from Abuja to Kaduna rolled into the station at Jere that Thursday morning, none of the passengers were sure if it was because the faulty engine had broken down again. When the train refused to move nearly an hour later, everyone was almost certain it was the engine. Until another train travelling the opposite route rumbled by, pockmarked with holes and impact damage. The rumours followed, jumping from coach to coach on the lips of flitting characters who passed through, talking loudly enough for everyone else to hear.

There had been an attack on the other train. Guns, some said. A bomb on the tracks, others said. From the officials, only silence. I and some writers were travelling to the first Hausa international book and arts festival in Kaduna. None of us dared to go by road. The roads belong to the bandits who kidnap people for ransom. The 200km (120-mile) stretch of highway linking Nigeria’s political capital, Abuja, to Kaduna, its military capital, has been unsafe for travellers for years.

Hours passed. The heat rose. So did our anxiety and fears, rising until it was almost nauseating. Are we sitting ducks here, some wondered? Will the bandits come and herd us into the forest at gunpoint, demand ransom for those of us who would survive, or just shoot up the train as they have done to farmers and villagers in Sokoto, and Kebbi, and Katsina and those other places?

While some passengers prayed, others jumped off and disappeared through the browning waist-length wilderness, heading into Jere town to find cars that would take them far from this place. But if the bandits had blown up the tracks, wasn’t it because they wanted to harvest the road?

As with any gathering of Nigerians, people debated politics and food prices, which have gone up by as much as 500% in some instances. Also like a gathering of Nigerians, we laughed at ourselves, for being frightened, stranded and helpless. Laughter makes the things anger cannot condone tolerable. Here, laughter is our saviour and our bane.

But fear pervades everywhere now. People are taken even from their homes. Like the two brothers in Kaduna whose walls were breached and armed men bundled them away in the night, in the rain, leering at their mother’s tears. And when the ransom that was delivered fell short of the kidnapper’s demand, they shot one brother while the other looked on.

On the train, hours passed and the heat rose with the sun. This was my country. This train. These coaches filled with anxiety and frightened people, caught halfway between a dream and a promise, waiting to be led to a promised destination. A terrorised people who have stubbornly refused to surrender their laughter. But hours later, when the train started to move, very slowly at first, heavier, it was in the direction we had come. How do you travel nowhere and return with a fear that weighs even a train down?

Noo Saro-Wiwa is a travel writer

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s a black person, the world judges me based on Nigeria’s state of affairs, and I will never feel at peace with my place in the world until Nigeria fulfils its potential.

I was last there a few months before Covid hit, and I hope to return in 2022.

Last time I was there I met highly skilled government technocrats (who really ought to be running the country), plus hardworking, talented young people. Yet the ambitions of both groups are held back by terrible infrastructure, visionless superiors and a lack of government investment.

They are not allowed to shine.

Sixty years of complacent, rent-seeking governments have shirked this opportunity and maintained dysfunction as an instrument of enrichment.

But as the world tries to move away from carbon-based fuel, time is running out for Nigeria: our population is racing above 200 million and land is getting scarce: nomadic herders are clashing violently with farmers; Islamist terrorism has gripped the jobless youth in the north; kidnappings across the country have become a money-making norm.

Social media shows our under-35s how the global north lives, and their patience is wearing thin, as demonstrated by the protests against police brutality in 2020. The youth are getting restless. The country faces a huge population explosion coupled with an economic implosion later this century. But the federal government can avert this by putting its people first and letting them unleash their potential. It’s not too late to start doing things differently.

One very simple indication that it intends to break with the past would be to exonerate my father, Ken Saro-Wiwa, who in 1995 was falsely convicted of treason and judicially murdered as a result of his campaign for human rights and environmental justice in the Niger Delta. Clearing his name would be a sign that the Nigerian government is prepared to heal the nation and move it in the right direction. Refusing to take such a simple step does not bode well for the rest of the country. If it can’t honour the memory of a good, dead man, what hope is there for the living?

Umar Turaki is a writer and filmmaker

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’ve always been an optimistic person.

And it’s easy to find cause for optimism on the streets of Nigeria. In the vibrant artistic culture that continues to propel rising stars of every art form – music, film, fashion, literature, theatre – into

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Chika Unigwe is an author and academic

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was at a salon in Atlanta recently and a Nigerian artist started playing on the radio. My American hairdresser knew the song – as did her colleagues – but they thought the artist was Jamaican. I said no, he’s Nigerian. They said how much they loved his music and wow, Nigerian?

They mentioned a few more singers and songs they liked and each time, I was proud to say “Nigerian too.” I may have made a joke about the Nigerian prince but it fell flat.

Internet scams like the “Nigerian prince” emails are no longer what people think of when they hear Nigeria, and the Nigerian arts scene – music, literature and Nollywood – has a lot to do with that. Our musicians are collaborating with stars across the globe, our fiction is being published by mainstream commercial publishers in the west, winning international prizes and no longer read as anthropology, and our movies are streaming on Netflix to an international audience. It’s easy for me to talk about Nigeria with fierce pride abroad and I very often do. I always put Nigerian writers on my courses at Georgia College. I send out recommendations for Nigerian music and films to new friends who have little knowledge of my country. Nigeria is my beloved when I am away from it. However, when I visit, the fierceness of that pride dissipates into something cold and limp in the face of the reality that is Nigeria today. The last time I was home, I could not leave the house without my father worrying. He wasn’t always this anxious, his phone by his side waiting for me to call to tell him I got to Asaba safely, that I flew into Lagos safely, that I was safe in my hotel room. Thank God. Now I can go to bed. Well-meaning friends offered me the services of drivers and security personnel. Offers I would have scoffed at in the past before abductions became the norm. Almost everyone I know has a kidnapping story. Last week, on a panel on identity, I was asked where I felt most at home, having lived on three continents. I said Nigeria without even thinking about it. But after I said it, I thought to myself that if home is where one feels safe, if “feeling at home” is synonymous with feeling comfortable, being at peace, then can Nigeria still claim to be home?

I am reminded of the Nigerian saying: monkey no fine but im mama like am (the monkey might be ugly but his mother loves him). Nigeria may be far from perfect but it is mine, and I love it.

the international limelight. In innovators and entrepreneurs finding solutions for everyday problems in tech and finance. In every micro business that is lubricated by sweat and laughter and sustained by muscle and mettle. In the regular Nigerian who is forced to play the role of their own government, day after day, until their cash runs out or until reality catches up. It used to be easy. Is it possible for the luck of an entire nation to run out?

But dark clouds have gathered, perhaps the darkest in my lifetime.

Many older people say the darkest in the history of the country. And it’s becoming increasingly difficult to be optimistic, to focus on the bright spots. With an unprecedented insurgency that continues to gain ground and is met with bureaucratic corruption and sheer lack of political will.

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nly one word comes close to describing Nigeria these days and that is “uncertain”.

“Ineffable” may come up too in conversations – indeed, there are no words for the atrocities you might have read about in Nigeria in the past year alone: hundreds of schoolchildren kidnapped; military jets bomb anti-terrorism squad “by mistake”; unarmed protesters shot by police and soldiers while singing the national anthem; elected officials trapped in the age of feudal lords, hoarding Covid-19 relief items.

What confounds is not just the absurdity of these failures, but how we are expected to consider them “normal” in the same country where another world leader or billiondollar startup could emerge as we speak. Given the size and complexity of Nigeria, our being a “giant” or “too big to fail” depending on whether one sees the glass or its emptiness, “ineffable” may offer the promise of (finally!) defining our situation. But “uncertain” triumphs. Not least because uncertainty is a much older, far more resilient Nigerian condition.

A civil war and more than half a century later, not much has changed. It was, after all, under a similar atmosphere of intrigue and optimism that the incumbent All Progressives Congress came into power, all while fielding a presidential candidate who had once ruled Nigeria as a military head of state. (Nigerians will do anything for a sense of direction.) A familiar bitterness, the want of foresight that quickly followed our optimism on leaving the British Empire, is now what connects us as we trudge through the final bends in the forest of the Muhammadu Buhari administration.

The problem would appear to be us and the very leadership we choose. But no one dare say it. Not even when we have a ravenous pandemic to contend with, a tragedy that has proved here to be not only biological and socio-economic but also statistical.

After years of our governments overlooking local healthcare and playing politics with our numbers, it is hard to say just how badly we’ve been hit by the virus.

It is impossible not to be haunted by the possibility that there are many whose deaths cannot be counted because, despite being “Africa’s largest economy”, we simply do not have the means. Our most reliable sources tell us we have recorded fewer than 3,000 Covid-related deaths.

This in a country we claim has a population of more than 200 million. If we are laughing it is because we might cry otherwise.

In Nigeria, each generation eventually makes the same discovery: nobody knows where we’re going. Not our priests, our policymakers, our experts nor their numbers can tell us. It is reckless, but we have made uncertainty the axis of our lives. 2023, the year of our next presidential election, is the current object of our anticipation: “Will the old man go quietly?”, “Will there be another civil war?”, “Will Nigeria still even exist by then?” people ask.

In the past year alone, we’ve seen just how easily decades of progress can be erased. Maybe there’s hope on the other side of 2023, but a lot can still change before then. Who knows?

With growing agitation for secession from aggrieved corners of the country. With a silent genocide (that isn’t so silent) unfolding across the land, carried out by mysterious attackers who vanish into thin air but leave behind the evidence of dead bodies and destroyed homes.

I am afraid of the questions. How long can we continue to get away with doing the same things and expecting different results? Is it possible for the luck of an entire nation to run out? We have been to many brinks and back, can faith and hope bring us back from this one? These unfolding times are a long, endless moment in which I am holding my breath, waiting for something to hit, for something to land, for something to give.

•Culled from The Guardian of London

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TOURISM NANTA Unveils Nominees For Media Hall Of Fame Awards

STORIES BY JANEFRANCES CHIBUZOR

T

he National Association of Nigeria Travel Agencies (NANTA) Eminent Persons Award was introduced about four years ago, the event unfortunately did not hold last year, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, which had a huge impact on the globe.

The nominees for the awards include, the Director-General for National Arts and Culture (NCAC), Otunba Segun Runsewe; Director-General of NIHOTOUR, Nura Kangiwa; and the General Manager, Envoy Silk Road Hotel, Dewarld Kroger, among others.

Another name on the list is the Emir of Kano, Alhaji Aminu Ado Bayero, who confirmed through his personal secretary that he will grace the occasion not only as the Royal father of Day, but also as a lover of Nigerian cultural tourism and travel, which NANTA represents and promotes.

The forthcoming event, scheduled for November 12 at the International Conference Centre, Abuja, is designed to encourage Nigerians in strategic governance and to privatise positions, to put in their best to salvage the nation at a time like this.

recently received in his palace the NANTA executive led by Akporiaye, on a courtesy visit, had assured the association that he would partner with its team to rebrand Kano as a culture, trade and tourism destination, adding that the promotion and marketing of the famous Kano Durbar would be left in the professional care of the association.

The Emir was also joyfully taken aback by NANTA’s nomination of Kano under his royal leadership as the most peaceful domain in Nigeria and for making the hub of the trans-Saharan trade route a home for all Nigerians and foreigners alike.

Akporiaye, on her side, pointed out that the Emir’s presence at the second edition of NANTA Eminent Persons Award, reflects the very inspiring acceptance of the values of the travel trade body and its commitment to ensure that industry achievers and role models are recognised so as to encourage others to put in their best to salvage our dear nation at a time like this.

“We want to thank his royal highness for identifying with us and for also accepting to be our Royal father of Day, a significant appearance and support which we shall never forget as individuals and as a group. It’s history made in the lifetime of the association,” She explained.

According to Otunba Runsewe, identifying and appreciating the contributions of individuals and corporate entities in the industry, has a deep spiritual meaning and it helps to keep award recipients on their toes.

The choice of the theme for the 2021 edition of the summit is in line with the strategic framework for delivering on Africa’s goal for inclusive and sustainable development through accelerated intra-African trade and to boost Africa’s trading position in the global market by strengthening Africa’s common voice and policy space in global trade negotiations. This is based on an agreement establishing the African Continental Free Trade Area adopted on March 21, 2018, which became enforced on May 30, 2019.

In reaffirming the need for developing programmes of international cooperation within the African continent in order to improve and strengthen the basic conditions for the sustainable development of tourism and transportation industries, the 2021 expo seeks to deliberate on the complex relationship between transport provision and tourism in boosting the economy of the continent via a single market for goods, services, facilitated by movement of persons, as well as to deepen the economic integration of the African continent.

UNWTO Reschedules General Assembly Meeting

Otunba Runsewe who made this revelation towards the end of the week, said, “Madam Susan, I want to thank you and your association for this honour. NANTA did the same to me four years ago for turning around NTDC, and again today, for the little we have done at NCAC. We shall be there to tell the world that NANTA is our pride.”

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Away from the NCAC, the National Institute for Hospitality and Tourism (NIHOTOUR), came to the fore as the Best International Air Transport Association (IATA)Training School in Nigeria.

he United Nations World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO), has confirmed the news of a change of venue for the forthcoming 24th Session of the General Assembly earlier billed to take place in Marrakesh, Morroco between November 30 and December 3, 2021.

Nura Kangiwa described the award from NANTA as the evidence of a change of narrative about the foremost government vocational training school under his watch, adding that training and retraining of industry practitioners, can only produce tested professionals.

In an email from the UNWTO secretariat, the conference department confirmed the change of venue, saying more details about the change and activities would be made available on their website.

Runsewe

Kangiwa, who is also the immediate former Vice-President of the Federation of Tourism Associations of Nigeria (FTAN), North Central zone, said the expectations of industry practitioners for changes in NIHOTOUR was a huge burden, but he assured that the NANTA Eminent Persons Award, zeroing on the achievements of NIHOTOUR, meant that he had no option than to work harder for the industry, which must be regulated to check the free entry regime into the sector.

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he annual edition of the International Tourism, Transportation Summit and Expo is held between November 15 and 16.

Organised by the Institute for Tourism Professionals of Nigeria [ITPN], in collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Information and Culture, Federal Ministry of Aviation, Federal Ministry of Transportation, Federal Capital Territory Administration, the organised private sector and relevant organisations and critical stakeholders in the travel tourism and transportation sectors, the event will hold under the theme, ‘Tourism Transportation Connectivity and Partnership: Leveraging the AfCFTA Regime for Economic Sustainability’.

Organisers of the Summit and Expo also believe that with tourism and transport connectivity, being critical issues relating to bridging transport and tourism policies and the creation of a liberalised market for easy movement of goods and services, the event will help to highlight and bring to the front burner, policy implementation modules developed for successive rounds of negotiation among trading partners of the African continent. And it will be held for a two-day programme, which is expected to draw participants and exhibitors from all the travel and T=tourism related agencies.

Speaking shortly after receiving his certificate of nomination for strategically being at the behest of cultural tourism, arts and crafts promotion in Nigeria in the past two decades from the President of NANTA, Mrs Susan Akporiaye, Otunba Segun Runsewe stated that the NANTA Eminent Persons Award is the Oscar of the Nigerian tourism sector.

“My sister and President of NANTA, you have just told us to brace up to do more by this prestigious validation of our focal agenda and from today, NANTA will provide us professional guidance on travel, trade and business beyond training,” he stated further.

National Tourism And Transportation Expo

Meanwhile, despite Najib Balala, Kenya’s Cabinet Secretary for Tourism and Wildlife’s invitation to UNWTO to hold the 2021 General Assembly in Kenya, instead of moving from Africa, was not considered.

WIHN to Hold ‘Hospitalitea’ in Lagos on Nov 6

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Akporiaye, who also presented a certificate of nomination to the Envoy Silk Road Hotel, Abuja as the hotel to watch, noted that the insistence of the Kangiwa-led NIHOTOUR stakeholders and practitioners in the industry must be certified before engaging in travel trade and tourism.

OSPITALITEA, a quarterly gathering of the best minds across various sectors that are associated or affiliated with the hospitality and tourism industry in Nigeria is organised by Women in Hospitality Nigeria [WIHN], with the aim of fostering discussions on trends and pertinent issues as they affect the entire value chain.

right now.

No exaggeration intended, Nigeria is worth exploring in and out for the uniqueness and fun-filled experiences it entails.

She described NANTA businesses as timely, adding that the association would soon issue new guidelines for admittance, in line with the NIHOTOUR training scheme.

For stakeholders to better understand how global trends and local dynamics interplay in shaping this nascent but very promising travel, leisure, and hospitality sector.

The event scheduled to be held on November 6, 2021, promises to be an exciting experience filled with learning and solutions.

The General Manager of Envoy Silk Road Hotel, Dewarld Kroger, said the hotel would partner NANTA to sell its rooms and services, noting that the award would boost the morale of the hotel’s workforce trained to ensure its guests’ satisfaction.

This quarter’s edition of Hospitalitea, will focus on ‘How to Leverage Local Experiences For Hospitality and Tourism Growth in Nigeria’.

On the separate development, Alhaji Aminu Ado Bayero, who THEWILLNIGERIA

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Tourism in Nigeria deserves more local recognition than it has

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The big question is: How can we maintain this local tourism experience while preventing a decline?

WIHN is an association of strong female professionals engaged in management, operations, travel and tourism, education, consultancy, and development in the hospitality and tourism industry in Nigeria, whose aim is to support and unify women while empowering and inspiring them to grow and attain leadership positions in the hospitality and tourism industry.

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FEATURES

BY JOY ONUORAH

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he last decade in Nigeria has witnessed increased migration of her citizens, especially youths in search of the proverbial greener pastures and possibilities.

Although several factors have contributed to this situation, the educational system and its inadequacies, which have left tertiary education in shambles, is to blame.

More Nigerian Students Leave For Neighbouring Countries

Many Nigerian students, especially those seeking tertiary education, now migrate, temporarily and permanently, to countries they believe have better educational systems.

One may argue that there is no discernible difference in the quality of education in Nigeria and some of the preferred destinations. However, the conditions, ranging from security and stability, constant power and water supply, a congenial environment and fixed academic duration, among others, in these countries are relatively better.

It is an irony that the citizens of a country with 43 federal, 48 state and 99 private universities, fully accredited by the Nigerian Universities Commission (NUC), would prefer to study in other countries. Some images that have made their way to the social media space recently are pointers to this reality. The images, showing graduating students from the University of Uyo, University of Port Harcourt, and University of Calabar with sarcastic but highly paradoxical captions written on their shirts, have been given a hilarious bent.

The captions are not random, but they are spurred by the experiences of the students in their respective institutions.

Some of the captions read, ‘I pity those wey just dey write JAMB’, ‘Even signpost, I no go read again, ‘If I do Masters, make I bend’, ‘If you enter school, graduate, make you thank God’ amongst others.

Insecurity, incessant strikes, cultism, lecturer irregularity, sex for grades and the other issues are predominant in public tertiary institutions. In addition, following the country’s economic situation and its impact on low- and middle-income families, many families and wards cannot afford the cost of tuition in private institutions.

Then there are the incessant strikes by both academic and non-academic staff of tertiary institutions, which disrupt the academic calendar.

The Academic Staff of Universities Union (ASUU) and the Federal Government have always conflicted over funding for Nigerian universities and better working conditions. This conflict has, since 1999, led to multiple strike actions that disrupt academic calendars.

In 1999, the ASUU strike lasted five months, three months in 2001; two weeks in 2002 and six months in 2003 (ended in 2004). In 2005, there was a three-day strike, a one-week strike in 2006 and a three-month strike in 2007. In 2008, it was a one-week warning strike that was followed by a four-month strike in 2009. In 2010, it was a five-month strike, followed by a three-month strike in 2011 that spilled over into 2012.

The longest strike was the 2015 strike that lasted five months and two weeks, followed by a one-week warning strike in 2016 and a one month, six days strike in 2017.

Meanwhile, the 2018 ASUU strike was officially declared indefinite. In some cases, the ASUU strike is compounded by strike actions embarked on by the NonAcademic Staff Union (NASU).

Approximately 37 months—three years—have been spent on strikes between 1999 and 2018. Sadly, the average Nigerian university student, particularly those in federal institutions, is the victim in all of this.

While ASUU strikes can be challenging for alreadyadmitted students, the Joint Admission Matriculation

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Board Examination (JAMB) is the bane of parents and their wards, who are seeking admission into Nigerian tertiary institutions.

Several parents who spoke with THEWILL complained about having to pay to register their wards for every year they are unable to gain admission into a university, irrespective of how good their score is. According to them, the JAMB results should be valid for a minimum of two years.

Meanwhile, some undergraduates complained of not being granted their choice courses or something close to it. Many of them have had to accept this for fear of staying at home for a few more years.

In a chat with Omoyele Blessing, a 300L student of the Univeristy of Ibadan, she discussed how she stayed at home for five years post-secondary school without gaining admission, despite surpassing all cut-off points for admission. She said she ended up settling for a course she did not want just so she could leave home.

Similarly, Chibuike Okerafor said he almost got depressed as it took nearly six years before he finally settled for a polytechnic where he is currently studying Mass communication.

Speaking on lecturer irregularity, particularly in tertiary institutions owned by the Federal Government, Simisola Ayodeji, discussed how students saw some lecturers only once in a semester. Therefore, sitting for and passing exams were wholly dependent on personal study.

subject to threats from lecturers and cultists, not at risk of kidnap nor at the mercy of ASUU and its incessant strikes. He added that he would always advise parents to send their kids out of the country to study if they have the means.

Like Blessing, Chibuike, Simi, Mrs Ononuju and Mr Akin, there are countless other persons with the same tales and even worse.

The cost of living and the time-saving feature of these schools abroad, especially in Ghana, the Republic of Benin and South Africa, appears affordable for many families.

For instance, in Ghana, one should expect to pay between GHS 20,000 and GHS 70,000 per session for an undergraduate degree programme and between GHS 20,000 and GHS 60,000 per session for a postgraduate degree programme, depending on the institution. More so, some universities offer scholarships for international students.

It is common for universities in Ghana to offer halls of residence for the duration of one’s study. This means that the living costs are less, if one had to find private accommodation, than expected. On the average, an intending student or parent should budget between GHS 2,500 and GHS 7,500 per semester for halls of residence or a university hostel.

Mrs Chidinma Ononuju shared her pain of having to raise money for the schooling of her three children as a widow and the pain of seeing them return home due to incessant strikes.

Nonetheless, one existential problem has always been the exchange rate. While the prices of things in these countries have not changed considerably in recent times, changing the naira to other currencies has not been favourable. For example, in the Benin Republic, it is currently N1,000 to 950 CFA, from 1,600 CFA two years ago and 3,500 CFA five years ago.

A transporter and father of two, Akinwunmi Anifowoshe, told THEWILL that sending his wards to Cotonou, Benin Republic to study was the best decision he could have made for them. According to him, his wards are not

However, this has not stopped the outflow of students as they seek safe havens to receive tertiary education, with a significant number of this having no desire to return to the country.

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OCTOBER 31 - NOVEMBER 6, 2021 T H E W I L L N E W S P A P E R • www.thewillnigeria.com

SportsLive

Unfortunate Crises Within Nigeria Basketball Federation Basketball governing body, by instituting an Electoral Committee chaired by the respectable Dr Lanre Glover, a two-time Vice President of NOC, based on his wealth of experience in over 20 elections at the national and international stage. Glover accepted to midwife an electoral process that all Nigerians and basketball stakeholders will be proud of and was optimistic that with all members of the electoral committee being men and women of strong and reliable character, a hitch free election will be organised.

BY JUDE OBAFEMI

A

t the end of September, when the Nigeria Olympic Committee (NOC), working in collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Youth and Sports Development (FMYSD) gave the feuding factions within the Nigeria Basketball Federation (NBBF) no fewer than 21 days to resolve their differences, ahead of a planned schedule for an elective congress into the Board of the federation, it was believed that a consensual position would be reached to allow the electoral process to progress without hiccups and, from that resolution, create a pathway towards internal cohesion that is focused on advancing the objectives of the federation.

However, circumstances around the Elective Congress took a turn for the worse when the very wranglings that prompted a 21-day postponement led to another intervention by the FMYSD only a few days to the October 30 Congress date.

On Tuesday, October 26, the news broke that the Ministry had indefinitely suspended the Congress via a statement signed by the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Youth and Sports Development, Ismaila Abubakar, on Monday.

The suspension was founded on the need to avert further deterioration of the leadership crisis that had engulfed the federation which had persisted despite several attempts by the Ministry to resolve them.

In fact, as the NBBF approached the October 30 schedule for the elective congress, there are even dark clouds of uncertainty and broader issues of divisive matters that have elevated the once internal wrangling of the factions to the national stage with the involvement of the Ministry of Sports.

These wranglings have only grown in intensity as the elections approached to the point of threatening the very process itself, especially after the FMYSD went public with an order that immediately suspended the elections, but which the NBBF immediately rebuffed as an over-reach.

It is an unexpected turn of events, especially within sports governance and the ministry, which is still dealing with the concatenating factors involved in the ban of athletes from Team Nigeria’s contingent to the Tokyo Olympic Games 2020 by the Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU) and the consequent disappointing show at the entire event, which have been blamed squarely within the matrix of divisions at the leadership level in the Athletics Federation of Nigeria (AFN).

The parties involved shared an optimism for a peaceful resolution at the time of the postponement. A former NBBF board member, Mukhtar Khaled, during the tenure of Tijani Umar, who was at the September 29 meeting where the decision was taken to give the federation 21 days to iron out divisions within its ranks, disclosed that the Minister of Youth and Sports Development, Sunday Dare, and the NOC President, Habu Gumel, met with the NBBF parties in the minister’s office at the Moshood Abiola National Stadium on Wednesday and the cordial nature of the resolution gave the promise of consensus, ahead of the congress.

Khaled was quick to declare the intervention of the combined efforts of the FMYSD and NOC a success as it brought the Umar and Kida factions to the table to chart a course forward based on mutual objectives for the sake of the good of Basketball in Nigeria. The fulfilling discussions that were held hinged on resolving all divisions and lingering contentions that these factions considered relevant to their causes, which may be inimical to progress should they continue to adversely affect Basketball governance in Nigeria.

At that meeting, it was uncovered that the bone of contention was a constitutional dispute. This discovery was the rationale THEWILLNIGERIA

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Dare

If current realities within the NBBF itself, with the leadership scuffle between Tijani Umar, a former NBBF President, and Musa Kida, the immediate past chairman on the one hand, and its very public spat with the rank and file of sports administration in the country, on the other, are anything to base a conclusion on, then it is beyond reasonable doubt to state that the 21-daysextension did not yield the expected fruits. The conflict has not been doused nor have the involved warring parties sheathed their swords for the sake of federation’s progress and for Nigerian basketball.

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Khaled was quick to declare the intervention of the combined efforts of the FMYSD and NOC a success as it brought the Umar and Kida factions to the table to chart a course forward based on mutual objectives for the sake of the good of Basketball in Nigeria

for allowing a 21-day period to afford the rival factions time to comb through the constitution and compile areas with grievances for each party and forward this compilation to the FMYSD, who promised to work together with the NOC in finding a workable pathway that will bring an end to the wranglings and allow peace to reign in the Federation.

If Khaled gave voice to the Umar faction in expressing optimism for a resolution of the infighting, Kida himself considered the FMYSD-NOC intervention a positive step towards progress and peace. The immediate past chairman was particularly impressed with the decision to allow the process be guided by the NBBF Constitution but called for a mutually agreeable process by which the mandate of the Constitution will be effected and the manner in which the contentious issues therein will be amended. Kida expressed his desire for what he termed “an excellent Constitution” while insisting that he was not going to be a “roadblock initiative” in the process of uniting the basketball family.

Believing the fractional issues behind them leading towards the final weeks of October, the NBBF complied with their statutes, which were confirmed by FIBA, the world

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Reacting swiftly, the NBBF negated the claims made in the FMYSD press release, while stating that any such suspension amounted to “an usurpation of the powers of the NBBF Congress as enshrined in the NBBF Statutes.” The refutation, which was signed by Kida, in his current position as the NBBF caretaker committee chairman, pointedly concluded, “In view of the full arrangements already made for the Elective Congress in Benin, on the 30th of October, 2021, We hereby wish to inform all invited delegates and Candidates that the NBBF is still going ahead with the Elective Congress as approved by the Extraordinary congress of the 9th of October, 2021, unless it is decided otherwise by the NBBF Congress.”

On Wednesday, October 27, Glover reiterated the resolve of the Electoral Committee he chairs to proceed with the schedule for the Elective Congress in apparent disregard of the suspension from the Ministry and the purported dissolution of the Committee by the Secretary-General of the NBBF that followed the statement of the FMYSD Permanent Secretary. Glover’s stance was on the notion that the Electoral Committee remained unaware of anything that has changed that may justify a volte-face on the holding of elections. And because the Electoral Committee was set up by a duly constituted Congress of the NBBF and is responsible to that Congress, whose authority is supreme, they were going to proceed with their task of organising the elections.

To this end, and with a standoff likely, the Electoral Committee will proceed to conduct the 2021 NBBF election on October 30 as stipulated by the NBBF Congress. There is the possibility that a lot can still happen before that takes place even though all arrangements have been put in place for the Congress in Benin City and FIBA, FMYSD and NOC representatives have been invited as observers. It would appear that another AFN-type crises is imminent.

Just when the Ministry was seeking a fresh direction for sports governance with recent elections and new mandates in the various boards of different federations, the last thing it needed was infighting and determined stance against directives of the Ministry as has been witnessed recently in the NBBF imbroglio. The FMYSD and NOC desired to avoid a situation of this magnitude when they allowed the Federation a 21-day grace, believing that the need for peaceful resolution of the outstanding divisions will create the best atmosphere for the Elective Congress to run smoothly. But, circumstances have dictated that the crises is a lot deeper than what 21 days can impact. It points to more squabbles and scuffles in the NBBF and that is clearly unfortunate.

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OCTOBER 31 - NOVEMBER 6, 2021 T H E W I L L N E W S P A P E R • www.thewillnigeria.com

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