Friday 2nd December 2016 by THISDAY Newspapers Ltd

Nigeria’s Imports Drop on Renewed Drive to Encourage Local Production IMF: Additional exchange rate depreciation could further worsen already high NPLs Rising exports slash trade deficit balance to N104bn Obinna Chima in Lagos and James Emejo in Abuja The

import

substitution

policies being driven by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and the federal government appear to be yielding results,

as a country assessment report on Nigeria by the International Monetary Fund (IMF) has indicated that a sharp decline

in imports contributed to a modest recovery in Nigeria’s external current account balance in the first half of 2016.

Although the report showed that Nigeria’s exports declined by 14 per cent in the first half of 2016, it revealed

that imports fell more than proportionately by 25 per Continued on page 8

Soyinka Fulfills Promise, Discards U.S. Green Card… Pa g e 9 Friday 2 December, 2016 Vol 21. No 7897. Price: N250

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FG Orders CBN, NPA, 15 Others to Refund N450bn Unremitted Revenue Defaulting agencies face prosecution Central bank says it has remitted operating surplus

Ndubuisi Francis in Abuja Seventeen revenue-generating agencies have been summoned for a meeting to tender proposals on how they intend to repay N450 billion unremitted operating surplus into the Consolidated

Revenue Fund (CRF). The federal government about two weeks ago announced the setting up of a committee to recover the unremitted operating surpluses from the agencies. Continued on page 8

Telcos Kick Against NCC’s Suspension of Data Tariff Hike Emma Okonji Te l e c o m m u n i c a t i o n s operators have kicked against the suspension of the new data tariff floor recently approved by the Nigerian Te l e c o m m u n i c a t i o n s Commission (NCC), which would have increased charges for data services offered by the firms had

NCC allowed its take off yesterday. Worried about the public outcry that greeted the planned tariff hike, NCC on Wednesday announced the suspension of the initial directive it gave to operators on the introduction of a new data tariff floor. Continued on page 8

Senate Resolves Lacuna on Successor OLANIWUN AJAYI… CELEBRATION OF A LIFE WELL SPENT Lagos State Governor, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode, with Dr. Ola Ajayi and Prof. Kayinsola Ajayi (SAN), both sons of the late of Deceased Candidates… Page 12 L-R: Sir Olaniwun Ajayi, at the funeral service of their father at the Methodist Church, Isara-Remo, Ogun State… yesterday

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PAGE EIGHT NIGERIA’S IMPORTS DROP ON RENEWED DRIVE TO ENCOURAGE LOCAL PRODUCTION cent in the first half of this year, compared to the same period last year. Also, the foreign trade report released yesterday by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) showed that the country’s total value of merchandise trade rose to N4.72 trillion in the third quarter (Q3) of 2016, representing an increase of 16.3 per cent, or N661.5 billion, compared to N4.06 trillion recorded in the preceding quarter of the year. According to the NBS, the country’s balance of trade still remained negative despite the improvement, as the rise in exports in the quarter only helped to reduce the existing deficit trade balance from N484.23 billion in the preceding quarter to -N104.14 billion in the third quarter. The IMF report, which detailed an assessment of Nigeria's macroeconomic situation, was prepared for the African Development Bank (AfDB) by the Fund, as part of the conditions for the country to access the $1 billion budget support loan from AfDB. The document, dated September 30, 2016, was made available to THISDAY by a

presidency source yesterday. The AfDB in November released the first tranche of the loan amounting to $600 million. It was also gathered that the country is aggressively working towards securing an additional $2.5 billion budget support loan from the World Bank, just as it finalises plans for its $1 billion Eurobond issue for the first quarter of next year. However, THISDAY gathered that part of the conditions for the World Bank loan is for the CBN to freely float the naira exchange rate, which the Nigerian regulator has strongly resisted. The CBN ditched its 16-monthold peg on the naira in June this year and introduced a flexible exchange rate regime to allow the currency to trade freely on the interbank market. But perennial dollar shortages in the economy appear to have frustrated the objective of the central bank, as the gap between the interbank FX market and the parallel market has continued to widen. This has made the central bank to maintain its managed float system. “There is no central bank in the world that allows a free-float of its currency. That

would encourage an attack on the currency by speculators. What you do is try to find the price level and find the rate at which you can live with,” a bank chief executive officer in support of the CBN policy told THISDAY. The chief executive, who pleaded to remain anonymous, pointed out that freely leaving the naira exchange rate to market forces would have dire consequences on the economy. This he listed to include a spike in the price of goods and services including energy prices, and worsening unemployment, adding that the naira would also record significant depreciation. The six-page assessment report from the IMF on Nigeria noted that while liquidity and capital adequacy ratios for the financial industry as a whole remained above prudential levels in the first half of 2016, asset quality had deteriorated, with some banks reporting non-performing loan (NPLs) ratios above 20 per cent (the NPLs for the banking sector was 11.7 per cent as of 2016 Q2). It stated that a prolonged economic slowdown and additional exchange rate depreciation could further increase the already high NPLs.

“Renewed disruptions to, or inadequate recovery of oil production could further increase fiscal financing needs. With external financing likely to fall short of budget, the domestic financing requirements needed if the budget is to be fully implemented are very large, crowding out private sector credit and investment. “An additional financing constraint facing the FG is the likely need for further assistance to state governments that are facing deteriorating finances and the re-emergence of domestic payment arrears,” it added. The report acknowledged that the Nigerian authorities have introduced some key measures, but stressed that much stronger measures were needed to address the severe imbalances. The Fund said: “In May this year, the regulated fuel prices were raised by 68 per cent, bringing them in line with the cost of importation. While the 2016 budget assumed no subsidies, it was estimated that the continuation of the previous regime would have cost 0.3 per cent of GDP. “However, the regulated price system has remained in place,

FG ORDERS CBN, NPA, 15 OTHERS TO REFUND N450BN UNREMITTED REVENUE This is just as the federal government unveiled plans of a new financing model for its universities and hospitals, taking into consideration their funding model and requirements, in a bid to entrench better controls and improved service delivery. Briefing journalists in Abuja yesterday on government’s independent revenue sources, the Minister of Finance, Mrs. Kemi Adeosun, disclosed that of the projected N1.5 trillion revenue target from such sources for the year, a total of N272.03 billion had been generated between January and October 2016. Adeosun said in order to control leakages and increase revenue generation several measures had been adopted, including putting in place a new financing model for federal government-owned universities and hospitals. According to her, the accounts of 33 government agencies had been audited for the periods 2010 to 2015, with 17 of them found to have defaulted in remitting an operating surplus totalling N450 billion. The defaulting agencies are the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Nigeria Shippers Council (NSC), Nigeria Export Promotion Council (NEPC), National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS), Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), Nigeria Postal Service (NPS), National Information Technology and Development Agency (NITDA) and Nigeria Television Authority (NTA). Others are Bureau of Public Enterprises (BPE), National Pensions Commission (PenCom), Nigeria Bulk Electricity Trading Plc (NBET), Raw Material Research & Development Council (RMRDC) and Nigeria Ports Authority (NPA). Also on the defaulters’ list are the Nigeria Export Processing Zones Authority (NEPZA), Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria (FRCN) and Council for the Regulation of Engineering in Nigeria (COREN).

Curiously, three agencies listed among the defaulters, in a press statement two weeks ago by the Ministry of Finance, were not included on the list of 17 released yesterday. They are the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), National Agency for Drugs Administration and Control (NAFDAC) and Petroleum Technology Development Fund (PTDF). The central bank, reacting, also stated it has always complied with the statutes requiring it to remit its operating surplus to the CRF. A deputy governor who spoke to THISDAY on the phone last night said the finance ministry must have been mistaken including the CBN as one of such agencies that had failed to remit its operating surplus. “For instance, in 2015, we reported an operating surplus of N108 billion, of which over N80 billion was paid into the Consolidated Revenue Fund, being 80 per cent of the amount that the CBN reported as its operating surplus. “So the Ministry of Finance must be mistaken, as we have always complied by remitting 80 per cent of our operating surplus to the CRF as required by law,” the deputy governor, who did not want to be named, informed THISDAY. Adeosun said the 17 affected agencies had been issued notices to come up with proposals on how to repay the unremitted operating surpluses, adding that the agencies in question are to appear for a meeting on December 6 with the committee set up to recover the funds, which is headed by the Accountant General of the Federation, Ahmed Idris. The Idris committee has been saddled with the task of recovering the outstanding N450 billion, as well as initiating bilateral discussions and undertaking impromptu visits on revenue agencies, going forward. Adeosun observed that the

Fiscal Responsibility Act, 2007 (FRA) was designed to provide guidelines and controls to elicit greater accountability and transparency in fiscal operations. She, however, regretted that “actual compliance with the provisions of the Act has been poor resulting in revenue leakages as confirmed by our audit findings including the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Nigeria Shippers Council, Nigeria Export Promotion Council, National Health Insurance Scheme”. The minister listed areas where the revenue agencies had breached the FRA provision as non–remittance and underremittance of operating surpluses due to the CRF; operating without an approved budget; overstating of budgets and spending above budgeted amounts; under reporting of revenues; making payments without invoices and absence of payment receipts, and failure to retire cash advances. Others are granting loans and grants to parent companies without prior approvals; poor book keeping; failure to reconcile accounts and existence of irreconcilable differences; lack of fixed asset registers and sale of assets to staff; fixed asset register not updated with all items purchased; and purchase of fixed assets directly from internally generated revenue; among others. In an effort to plug leakages and enhance revenue from independent sources, the minister said the federal government decided to increase the number of government agencies required to comply with the strict provisions of the FRA, including remitting 80 per cent of their operating surpluses. According to her, a circular on the inclusion of 92 additional corporations, agencies and government-owned companies to the schedule of the Act was issued on November 21, 2016. She also disclosed that henceforth, all government agencies are to submit a budget to be approved by the National

Assembly and to improve the quality of their budgeting processes. A circular, she said, had already been issued requesting the agencies to submit for review and approval, estimates of revenues and expenses for the next three financial years, annual budgets (IPSAS-compliant), as well as projected operating surpluses. Adeosun also stated that a review team had been set up to evaluate submitted estimates before the budget submission to the National Assembly. She warned that agencies that fail to review and approve their budgets as advised would be restricted to payment of salaries until the budget is regularised. According to her, the circular was issued on November 22 with agencies given seven days to comply, adding that “this circular is backed by an Executive Order of Mr. President”. The minister also disclosed that a circular was issued on the approved template for the computation of operating surpluses. Responding to questions, the minister said since the move to recover the unremitted operating surpluses commenced, some agencies had started making remittances to the CRF, adding that N640 million had been received from the NSC. On what sanctions the government would mete out to agencies that are in breach of remittances of operating surpluses besides recovering the unremitted revenue, the minister stated that all the audit reports had been sent to parent ministries. She added that cases that needed to be referred to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) would be channelled appropriately. Adeosun also said some of the unremitted surpluses of the agencies might be part of the funds in the Treasury Single Account (TSA), adding that once they present their repayment proposals, a mutually suitable window would be conceded to them.

which poses a risk that further increases in the landing cost of fuel or additional depreciation of the exchange rate could result in renewed shortages if the price is not adjusted.” The IMF said there was urgent need to implement an appropriate and coherent set of policies to rebuild confidence in the near term and foster economic recovery over the medium term. These included articulating a plan to place fiscal policy on a sustainable footing, ensuring the monetary policy stance is kept sufficiently tight, and pressing ahead with structural reforms to improve competitiveness and facilitate economic diversification, it said. “Specifically, it will be important to: Pursue strong macroeconomic policies to provide the fiscal space to enable priority capital expenditure to be executed. For the remainder of 2016, implement high-impact and priority capital expenditure, subject to available financing. Significant under-execution of the capital budget will limit the anticipated impact on growth,” it stated. In addition, it urged the federal government to implement measures to support fiscal and debt sustainability. This, it stated, would include: containing the fiscal deficit across all tiers of government; boosting the ratio of non-oil revenue to non-oil GDP, through a combination of improvements

in revenue administration, broadening the tax base (including through curtailing of waivers and exemptions), and adjusting tax rates; rationalising recurrent expenditure, and implementing an independent price-setting mechanism to minimise/eliminate petroleum subsidies; adopting safety nets for the most vulnerable; and fostering transparency and enhanced accountability and an orderly adjustment of subnational budgets, by encouraging reform of budget preparation and execution and strengthening public financial management. Other measures recommended in the report included improving the monetary and FX policy frameworks. “A more forward-looking monetary policy strategy, with the overriding objective of price stability, would help better anchor expectations and policy credibility. “As emphasised in the 2016 Article IV staff report, staff do not support the policies that have given rise to exchange restrictions and multiple currency practices, as they distort the allocation of FX and inhibit the adjustment of the exchange rate to underlying fundamentals. “Enhance vigilance of the financial sector. The authorities are taking measures to strengthen financial intermediation, but with declining asset quality in a low growth environment, Continued on page 9

TELCOS KICK AGAINST NCC’S SUSPENSION OF DATA TARIFF HIKE The Director, Public Affairs at NCC, Mr. Tony Ojobo, who announced the suspension, said: “The commission has weighed all of these and consequently asked all operators to maintain the status quo until the conclusion of a study to determine retail prices for broadband and data services in Nigeria.” Reacting to the suspension, the Association of Licensed Telecommunications Operators of Nigeria (ALTON), yesterday in a statement by its chairman, Mr. Gbenga Adebayo, and its Publicity Secretary, Mr. Damian Udeh, expressed dissatisfaction with the decision to suspend the implementation of the new data tariff floor. According to the statement, “ALTON notes that price changes for data services across all networks following any intervention by the NCC were not expected to have a detrimental effect on broadband penetration, contrary to some sentiments being expressed in the media. “ALTON wishes to emphasise that while it is imperative that telecommunications operators continue to explore opportunities to provide their subscribers with more value for their money, it is important that prices are set at realistic levels which ensure that subscribers are not only able to afford services but operators are also in a position to provide first rate services to their subscribers. “While we fully understand the public sentiments that would appear to have greeted the announcement of the new minimum data tariff introduced by the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), ALTON wishes to state that NCC intervened to set the

data tariff floor in exercise of its statutory responsibility to promote healthy competition by periodically reviewing voice and data tariffs in the industry and ensuring the sustainability of the Nigerian telecommunications industry. “It is noteworthy to mention that the NCC commenced extensive consultation with the industry prior to the finalisation of the data tariff floor, but the commission has since Wednesday suspended the implementation of its determination on the data tariff floor.” This situation, if left unaddressed, could result in a sustained deterioration in the quality of data services across all networks and the attendant poor quality of experience for users, ALTON warned. “In this regard, our members await the conclusion of NCC’s market study when the commission will be in a position to determine its requisite intervention,” the body said.

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T H I S D AY • FRIDAY, DECEMBER 2, 2016

STARTERS

Soyinka Fulfills Promise, Discards U.S. Green Card

Two-Minute Briefing NEWS Buhari Seeks Support of CJN,

AGF on Designation of Special Courts for Corruption Cases Buhari yesterday in Abuja expressed the hope that Onnoghen and Malami would come to some form of agreement over specially designated courts that would… Page 10

EDITORIAL Thought For The Physically

Challenged People with Disabilities (PWDs) in Nigeria used the Ondo State gubernatorial election of last weekend to draw attention to their plight by demanding for more inclusive participation in electoral processes… Page 15

POLITICS Remembering Abubakar Audu

A year after the passing away of the first executive governor of Kogi State, Abubakar Audu, the people still recall the pain of his sudden exit at the cusp of another governorship feat, writesYekini Jimoh Page 17

WEEKENDFILE ‘I Want My Films to be Tools

Soyinka Nigerian Nobel prize-winning author,

Prof. Wole Soyinka, said yesterday that he had fulfilled his pledge to throw away his U.S. residency green card and leave the country if Donald Trump won the presidential election. Shortly before the vote, Soyinka had vowed to give up his permanent U.S. residency over a Trump victory to protest against the Republican billionaire’s campaign promises to get tough on immigration. “I have already done it, I have disengaged (from the United States). I have done what I said I would

do,” the 82-year-old told AFP on the sidelines of an education conference at the University of Johannesburg. “I had a horror of what is to come with Trump… I threw away the (green) card, and I have relocated, and I’m back to where I have always been” — meaning his homeland Nigeria. The prolific playwright, novelist and poet won the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1986 and has been a regular teacher at U.S. universities including Harvard, Cornell and Yale. At the same time he said he would

not discourage others from applying for a green card. “It’s useful in many ways. I wouldn’t for one single moment discourage any Nigerians or anybody from acquiring a green card… but I have had enough of it,” he said. Soyinka, one of Africa’s most famous writers and rights activists, was jailed in 1967 for 22 months during Nigeria’s civil war. He was reported to have recently completed a term as scholar-inresidence at New York University’s Institute of African American Affairs.

NIGERIA’S IMPORTS DROP ON RENEWED DRIVE TO ENCOURAGE LOCAL PRODUCTION intensifying monitoring of banks and further enhancing contingency planning and resolution frameworks become even more important. “Reduce impediments to growth, including by investing in infrastructure and improving the business environment, thereby facilitating higher private investment and national savings. Strong macro policies that underpin macro stability could provide the fiscal space or conditions to allow borrowing for implementing priority capital expenditure. “Nigeria remains on the standard 12-month Article IV Consultation cycle. Staff continue to actively engage with the authorities, including through the provision of technical assistance,” it said.

Trade Deficit Balance Drops to N104bn Meanwhile, Nigeria’s total value of merchandise trade rose to N4.72 trillion in the third quarter of the year, representing an increase of 16.3 per cent or N661.5 billion, compared to N4.06 trillion recorded in the previous quarter. The improvement was aided by increases in exports and imports, which stood at N2.30 trillion, an increase of N520.8 billion or 29.1 per cent and N2.41

trillion, representing an increase of N140.7 billion or 6.2 per cent, respectively. According to the foreign trade data for Q3 2016, which was released yesterday by the NBS, the country’s balance of trade still remained negative despite the improvement as the rise in exports in the quarter only helped to reduce the existing deficit trade balance from N484.23 billion recorded in the second quarter to -N104.14 billion. In the period under review, crude oil export value stood at N1.94 trillion, indicating an increase of N458.4 billion or 30.9 per cent, compared to Q2 estimates. Year-on-year, exports decreased by N24.4 billion or 1.0 per cent against the export value recorded in the corresponding quarter of 2015, while imports value was 6.2 per cent more than the N2.27 trillion recorded in the preceding quarter, and was an increase of N724.8 billion or 42.9 per cent compared to Q3 2015. According to the bureau, the structure of the country’s export trade was still dominated by crude oil exports, which accounted for N1.94 trillion or 84.2 per cent of the total domestic export trade. The highest export product for the country in 2016 was mineral products, accounting for N2.24 trillion, or 97.3 per cent, while other products comprising

prepared foodstuff, beverages, spirits, vinegar and tobacco contributed N24.3 billion or 1.1 per cent to total exports. Also, vegetable products contributed N9.4 billion, or 0.4 per cent of total exports. A further breakdown of export trade in Q3 showed Nigeria mainly exported goods to Europe and Asia, accounting for N767.7 billion, or 33.3 per cent, and N672.8 billion, or 29.1 per cent, respectively. The country also exported goods valued at N371.2 billion, or 16.1 per cent, to Africa while exports to the ECOWAS region was valued at N190.3 billion. On the other hand, imports were dominated by mineral fuel, lubricants etc.; machinery and transport equipment; and chemicals and related products, which accounted for 30.3 per cent, 25.1 per cent and 14.4 per cent, respectively, in Q3 2016. The value of mineral imports was put at N746.2 billion in the quarter. India remained Nigeria’s major trading partner in the quarter under review, accounting for 25.4 per cent of total exports, while the United States and France respectively accounted for 17.9 per cent and 10.7 per cent of total exports. China was the country’s largest import destination, representing 27.2 per cent of total imports for the period.

for Reawakening' Some years back Nollywood films only boast of a handful of viewers at cinemas, no thanks to their appalling production. But today Nollywood is indeed upping the ante. Credit must be given to very skillful film directors and producers like Imoh Umoren… Page 27

BUSINESS Diminishing Number of

Operating Aircraft Hurting Air Transportation in Nigeria The declining number of operating aircraft in Nigerian airlines’ fleet is taking a toll on air transportation in the country as most flights are either delayed or cancelled leaving passengers stranded at various airports. Page 19

CITYSTRINGS Ogah Gives Hope to the Downtrodden in Ebonyi Chinedu Ogah has devoted his life to uplifting the lives of the downtrodden in the society through his Foundation and Initiatives Platforms, writes Benjamin Nworie Page 40

INTERNATIONAL Gambia Holds Presidential Election Gambians is holding its Presidential election in the first serious electoral challenge to PresidentYahya Jammeh, who has said only Allah can remove him from office and once claimed he would rule the… Page 50

SPORTS AWCON Final as Dress Rehearsal for Eagles, Lions’ Clash The rivalry between Nigeria and Cameroon in football will be the talk of the continent again as the Super Falcons defend their title against the Indomitable Lionesses tomorrow in the final… Page 63

FRIDAY DECEMBER 2, 2016 • T H I S D AY

NEWS

News Editor Davidson Iriekpen Email davidson.iriekpen@thisdaylive.com, 08111813081

Buhari Seeks Support of CJN, AGF on Designation of Special Courts for Corruption Cases Igbo traditional rulers ask president to pay attention to IPOB’s demands

Tobi Soniyi in Abuja President Muhammadu Buhari yesterday in Abuja expressed the hope that the acting Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Justice Samuel Walter Onnoghen, and the AttorneyGeneral of the Federation (AGF), Abubakar Malami (SAN) would come to some form of agreement over specially designated courts that would give accelerated hearing to some corruption cases. Buhari who spoke while receiving the South East Council of Traditional Rulers at the State House in Abuja expressed frustration with the length of time it was taking to secure conviction. Buhari said: “We want Nigerians to know we are serious.” The president noted that some trials had been going on as far back as the tenure of former President Olusegun Obasanjo. “We are asking the judiciary to clean itself. Nigerians are tired of waiting. They want some actions,” he lamented. In their presentation to the president, the Igbo traditional rulers pledged their total belief in one united and indivisible great nation called Nigeria but insisted that the federal government should address the grievances outlined by the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB). Led by the Chairman, of the Council, His Royal Majesty, (Dr.) Eberechi N. Dick (JP), the Igbo monarchs also expressed support for the anti-corruption war embarked upon by President Buhari. Dick, who made a presentation to the president on behalf of his colleagues, called on Buhari to give serious consideration to the demands of those agitating for a Biafra Republic. He said: “On the issue of the agitation by some of our youths like IPOB and others for a Biafran Republic, we have continued to engage and preach to them that every problem of the nation can

be best resolved through peaceful dialogue and respect for the rule of law. “While, we re-assure Your Excellency of our total belief in one united and indivisible great nation of ours called Nigeria, we also want to call the attention of the federal government to some of their mentioned grievances for serious considerations, which include: ‘Neglect of the South East in the Amnesty Programme; deplorable state of federal roads and other infrastructure in the South East; relegation of oil producing states of the South East in NDDC projects and exclusion of the South East in key federal appointments; and anti-nationalistic treatment of Igbo people by other Nigerians.” He said Igbo nation had been following with keen interests all the programmes introduced by Buhari since he assumed office. “I must commend Your Excellency for the focused fight against corruption, which has eaten deep into the very existence of Nigeria.” He also told Buhari that he had the mandate of the South East Council of Traditional Rulers to inform him of the council’s support for his programmes, especially the war against insecurity and corruption. Dick said: “While we are happy over the award of contracts for the construction and maintenance of some federal roads within the South East geo-political zone, we want to use this opportunity to request for the rehabilitation of Aba-Ikot Ekpene, Onitsha - Enugu, Owerri Port Harcourt, Owerri Aba, Abakaliki federal roads. “We also express our gratitude to you for continuing with the construction of the 2nd Niger Bridge, which when completed, will surely reduce the suffering of our people using that route.” He drew the president’s attention to the criminal activities

Tributes as Osinbajo, Amosun, Ambode, Osoba, Bid Olaniwun Ajayi Farewel Sheriff Balogun in Abeokuta Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, Governor Ibikunle Amosun of Ogun State, his Lagos State counterpart, Akinwunmi Ambode; wife of Oyo State Governor, Mrs. Abiola Ajimobi; Ondo State Governor - elect, Rotimi Akeredolu, and foremost industrialist, Chief Aliko Dangote, yesterday bid late Afenifere elder and legal icon, Chief Olaniwun Ajayi, farewell. Others who graced the final burial of Olaniwun held in his country home in Isara area of Ogun State were: Afenifere leader, Pa. Reuben Fasoranti; Mrs. Bola Obasanjo, former Governor Gbenga Daniel, Chief Ayo Adebanjo, Chief Olusegun Osoba, Minister of Mines, Dr. Kayode Fayemi, Olusegun Oni, Chief Justice of Ogun State, Justice Olatokunbo Olapade; her Lagos State counterpart, Justice Funmi Atilade; Deputy Governor of Ogun State, Mrs Yetunde Onanuga.

The former President of Christian Association of Nigeria(CAN), Dr. Sunday Mbang, in his sermon, described last Ajayi as the most humble man he had met, saying despite having “ all the trappings of power and wealth, Ajayi remained a humble man and a true soldier of the Lord.” Osinbajo, in his tributes, hailed the deceased, saying his “life was all about service to Yoruba people and Nigeria.” Osinbajo said the late Ajayi was a great author, devoting the last 10 years writing books, saying he also set up a flourishing law firm “with the best practice on the continent of Africa.” On his part, Amosun said Ajayi lived his life in the service of mankind, saying: ”We are all Baba’s children and today is not for long speeches, Baba Ajayi lived a life of service to man and service to man is what we owe to God.”

of kidnappers and some cattle herdsmen which he said posed serious security challenges to the people of South East. He said: “In the recent times, so many lives and property worth billions of naira have been lost. While the governors and traditional rulers of the zone have been managing the situation, we want to call on the federal government to use all the instruments of power and resources available to you to come to our rescue.” They also called on Buhari to redress the injustice meted out to one of them (HRM Eze Samuel Agunwa Ohiri, the Chairman, Imo State Council of Taditional Rulers) by the previous administration. Dick said: “While appointing chairmen of state councils of

traditional rulers, chancellors of various federal universities, his state’s slot was erroneously given to somebody who is not even a traditional rulers. We therefore call on Your Excellency to magnanimously use your good offices to correct this error.” A statement issued by the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Mr Garba Shehu, on the visit of the traditional rulers from the South East said Buhari has again reiterated the essence of the unity of Nigeria, urging those contemplating its break-up to have a rethink. The statement said Buhari told the traditional rulers that the question of having another country out of Nigeria was misplaced.

“The question of having another country out of Nigeria is going to be very difficult. From 1914, we have more than 200 cultures living with one another. God had endowed this country with natural resources and talented people. We should concentrate on these and be very productive,” the president said. Addressing specific issues raised in the address by the traditional rulers, the president gave assurance that the South East would also benefit from the new railway architecture being put in place by his administration. On their request for more representation for the South-East in his government, the president said he was “very conscious of the sensitivities of the South Easton account of which, he gave the

region’s four out of five states Senior ranking ministers in the federal cabinet. Buhari used the occasion to appreciate the good work of the ministers from the region in the federal government, saying they are doing very well for the country. He appealed to the traditional rulers to persuade their people to give his government a chance and to continue to serve as beacons of culture and traditions of their people. The president assured the delegation that kidnapping and cattle rustling, which he described as “unfortunate” would be the government’s next target, now that “we have managed to calm down the North-East.”

DRIVING INDUSTRIALISATION

L -R: Chairman, Honeywell Group, Dr. Oba Otudeko; Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, Manufacturing Director, Honeywell Flour Mills Plc, Mr. Nino Ozara, and Managing Director, Honeywell Flour Mills Plc, Mr. Lanre Jaiyeola, when the Vice-President paid a working visit to the new Honeywell factory development at the Sagamu Interchange, Lagos-Ibadan expressway...yesterday

Oil Prices Continue Rally on OPEC, Russia Output Deal How Kachikwu negotiated Nigeria’s exemption Ejiofor Alike with agency reports Crude oil prices rose $1 per barrel yesterday, building on big gains made after the Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) and Russia agreed to restrict production to drain a global glut. Under the agreement, the Minister of State for Petroleum, Dr. Ibe Kachikwu, successfully negotiated a key concession exempting Nigeria from the production cuts, citing the attacks on oil and gas facilities by the Niger Delta militants in recent months OPEC agreed last Wednesday its first oil output reduction since 2008 after de-facto leader, Saudi Arabia, accepted “a big hit” and dropped a demand that arch-rival Iran also slashed output. The deal also included the group’s first coordinated action

with non-OPEC member, Russia, in 15 years, according to Reuters. The OPEC deal triggered frenzied trading, with the global benchmark, Brent crude yesterday rising $1.10 a barrel to a high of $52.94, ending at $52.90, up $1.06. Last Wednesday, the Brent contract rose by $4.09 or 8.8 per cent to $50.47. United States light crude oil was up $1 a barrel at $50.44. However, oil prices are still only at September-October levels - when plans for a cut were first announced - and crude oil prices are less than half mid-2014 levels, when the oil prices began to collapse. Rising from its 171st meeting held at the OPEC headquarters in Vienna last Wednesday, OPEC reached a landmark deal that will effectively cut production by about 1.2 million barrels per day (mbpd), or about 4.5 per cent of current production, to 32.5 million barrels

per day. This agreement follows an earlier meeting held in September in Algeria, where each member country reached a consensus on the need to cut production. Speaking on the deal, the Director, Press at the Ministry of Petroleum Resources, Idang Alibi, spoke on Kachikwu’s negotiation in getting Nigeria, Iran and Libya exempted from the production cuts. The details of the deal saw Saudi Arabia agreeing to take the deepest cut of 486,000 barrel a day to its output, while persuading Iraq to reach a decision to reduce its output, as well as getting non-OPEC producer, Russia, on board for a 300,000 barrel-a-day cut, according to the statement. Alibi said the landmark deal was made possible because Kachikwu worked assiduously with ministers from other OPEC countries and Nigeria’s Dr. Mohammed Sanusi

Barkindo, the Secretary General of OPEC, to steer the organisation to achieve and sustain unity and competitiveness in the global energy market. According to the statement, member countries at the meeting agreed on the deal where considerations of the cartel offered to Iran, Libya and Nigeria would mean that in 2017, total production might likely increase, even as other members sought to cut output in the first quarter of next year. It added that Kachikwu, who led Nigeria’s delegation to the meeting, championed the negotiation which saw Nigeria get the exemption from the production cuts. “The concession was given as the country has been through production challenges recently due to the vandalism of oil and gas infrastructure which has negatively affected the country’s ability to produce oil optimally in the recent past,” the statement said.

T H I S D AY FRIDAY DECEMBER 2, 2016

FRIDAY DECEMBER 2, 2016 • T H I S D AY

NEWS

Senate Resolves Lacuna on Successor of Deceased Candidates Amends Electoral Act to provide for fresh primary in 14 days Provides legal backing for manual voting if card reader fails Omololu Ogunmade in Abuja The Senate yesterday laid to rest the lacuna over who succeeds a dead governorship or presidential candidate who dies before the

announcement of the result of an election as a new bill provides for the conduct of a fresh primary within 14 days to choose the new candidate. The bill, which is sixth amendment to 2010 Electoral

2017 Budget will Be Passed on Time, Saraki Assures Nigerians

As he consults Buhari on national issues Tobi Soniyi in Abuja The Senate President, Dr. Bukola Saraki, has given an assurance that the 2017 budget will be passed in good time, unlike the experiences with past budgets. Saraki said the National Assembly was ready for President Muhammadu Buhari to come and present the budget before the lawmakers. Buhari is expected to lay the proposal before the joint session of the Senate and the House of Representatives for consideration on a date to be agreed upon by the executive and the legislature. Speaking with State House correspondents after meeting with the President Buhari at the Villa, Abuja, Saraki said much consultations had been carried out on the soon-to-be presented 2017 Budget proposals. According to him, the National Assembly is ready to receive the president as soon as communication is received from the Executive. He also said the issues concerning the Medium Term Expenditure Framework (MTEF) would soon be resolved. Saraki said: “We are ready. Once the document comes to us, we are

ready. I think this time around, a lot of work has taken place behind the scene, there is a lot of collaboration, and you will see the result of that in the time frame it will take after the president would have presented it. “I came for consultation with the president on a number of national issues. We are all getting towards the end of the year; getting the budget. Just regular consultation.” On MTEF, he said: “That is still a work in progress. I am sure that very soon, that matter will be concluded. But I am very optimistic that this year’s budget will be passed much more sooner than what we saw in the past.” Asked if he can give details about the budget, he said: “Well, I haven’t seen the details until the president lays it. I am sure within the next ten days, it will be presented.” The Senate Presidnet said that the defection of a lawmaker from one political party to another on the floor of the Senate was democracy at work. “It is democracy at work. The opposition party has its views about the defection of a senator to the APC. Normalcy has been restored to the house and we are one family again,” he said.

APC Rejects Banire’s Resignation Shola Oyeyipo The National Working Committee (NWC) of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) has rejected the decision of the party’s National Legal Adviser, Dr. Muiz Banire (SAN), to resign. Banire had about three weeks ago written to step down as the APC National Legal Adviser following an investigation launched by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) into a gift of N500,000 given to an old friend, who sought his financial assistance to defray part of the burial expenses of his late mother about three years ago.In a letter dated December 1, 2016, and signed by the APC National Chairman, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun, the party said the NWC “resolved that your voluntary submission for investigation by the EFCC and subsequent offer to step aside from your position as National Legal Adviser to the party is an exemplary representation of the credo of our party. The NWC is proud of your

conduct in this respect.” The letter stated further that “after intense discussion, the NWC unanimously decided not to accept your offer to step aside as the National Legal Adviser.” The party explained that its decision is hinged on the fact that Banire’s offer is “inappropriate since your responsibility as the National Legal Adviser of our party will not in any way impede any ongoing investigation by the EFCC, more so, as the allegation has no nexus with the party. “The party is currently saddled with a number of sensitive litigations and your role in professionally handling the ongoing cases is critical. The NWC is of the view that we keep to the credo of our jurisprudence where an accused is considered innocent until otherwise proven guilty by a competent jurisdiction. In this case you have not even been accused,” the party stated and sought for Banire’s understanding of its decision to refuse his offer to resign from the NWC.

Act, also provides that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) shall suspend the conduct of a new election for 21 days when the death of a candidate is recorded after the commencement of an election and before the announcement of result. The new provision was spurred by the sudden death of the candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Abubakar Audu, at the November 21, 2015, governorship election in Kogi State before the announcement of the election result. The situation generated a wide range of disputes which was contested from the high court to the Supreme Court as his running mate, James Faleke, believed that he should automatically inherit the votes of the deceased candidate. But he lost the case from the lower court to the apex court. Against this background, a new

Section 3 has been inserted into the new Electoral Act. The section provides that: “If after the commencement of poll and before the announcement of the final result and declaration of a winner, a nominated candidate dies, (a ) the commission shall, being satisfied of the fact of the death, suspend the election for a period not exceeding 21 days; (b) the political party whose candidate dies may, if it intends to continue to participate in the election, conduct a fresh direct primary within 14 days of the death of its candidate and submit a new candidate to the commission to replace the dead candidate; and (c) subject to paragraphs (a) and (b) of this subsection, the Ccommission shall continue with the election, announce the final result and declare a winner.” The new bill also provides a legal backing for the use of manual

voting in situations where card readers malfunction. Whereas the manual option has always been adopted as an alternative to the malfunctioning of card readers, the new provision is meant to make the action legally valid. Since the card reader is mainly needed for accreditation, the new amendment provides that once the presiding officer at the election is convinced that the intending voter is the owner of the voter card, he should go ahead and accredit him. Thus Section 49(1-4) of the Electoral Act being amended, provides that: “The Presiding Officer shall use a Smart Card Reader or any other technological device that may be prescribed by the commission from time to time for the accreditation of voters, to verify, confirm or authenticate (a) the genuineness or otherwise of the voter’s card; (b) that the voter’s card presented

by the voter is registered at the polling unit in the constituency in which the card is presented; (c) the biometric connection or otherwise of the intending voter with the voter’s card; and (d) the number of duly accredited voters in the polling unit. “(3) An intending voter shall not be accredited to vote in an election if the voter’s card presented by him to the Presiding Officer is not (a) a genuine voter’s card issued by the commission to the intending voter; (b) registered at the polling unit in the constituency in which the card is presented, and (c) biometrically connected to the intending voter. “(4) Notwithstanding paragraph (3) (c) of this section, the Presiding Officer on being satisfied that an intending voter is the owner of the voter’s card, may accredit the intending voter to vote in the election.”

YOU ARE WELCOME

President Muhammadu Buhari with the Ambassador of United States of America to Nigeria, Mr. W. Stuart Symington, and Minister of Foreign Affairs, Geoffrey Onyeama, as Buhari receives Letter of Credence from the US ambassador in State House...yesterday

Bird Flu: FGYet to Compensate Farmers

ExxonMobil Engineer Dies in Blast

Crusoe Osagie

A Senior ExxonMobil staff in Eket, Akwa Ibom State, has been killed by a blast in the early hours of Tuesday this week. The News Agency of Nigeria reported that the deceased was identified as one Mr. G. Okorocha, the Chief Engineer (Aviation Department), who was in charge of servicing airplanes and helicopters in the company. An official of the company, Okorocha, was killed by a blast from a burst tyre in the aviation wing of the company along Eket Oron road, in Eket Local Government Area of the state. The official said the deceased was inflating a spare tyre of his car with an apparatus meant for the inflation of helicopter tyres, which is against ExxonMobil safety rules and regulation. The official said the late Okorocha had just finished servicing a helicopter of the company at about 4:15 a.m. before the tragic incident. The source revealed that as he

The federal government has been admonished to fulfill its pledge to compensate poultry farmers who lost their stock of birds during the avian influenza (bird flu) outbreaks of 2015 and 2016 in the country. Making the call yesterday, President of the Poultry Association of Nigeria (PAN),Dr. Ayoola Oduntan, said as at November 2016, out of a total 3,475,706 birds confiscated by the association under the supervision of Ministry of Agriculture, farmers had only been compensated for 1,050,904 birds leaving an outstanding of 2, 424,802 birds. According to Oduntan, who spoke at the opening of the 2016 Poultry Show in Abeokuta, Ogun State, “Immediately after the outbreak, the Minister of Agriculture promised that compensation would be paid for all dead and confiscated birds, but this promise has not been fulfill.

“We are urging the government to follow international best practice, and fulfill its pledge. We are not being done a favour. Government instructed us to slaughter our birds for the greater good of the country. We would have sold those birds while they were dying or taken them to the market and contaminated the whole country with the virus, but we chose not to do that. “Instead we called the appropriate government authorities, they came in, did the census and together we slaughtered these birds. For those famers that obeyed the law and followed international best practice, not to be compensated more than a year after the outbreak is unfair.” Oduntan who expressed the Association’s dissatisfaction over the current budget allocation for Agriculture, said such amount cannot implement the diversification agenda of the current administration.

was inflating the spare tyre, the pressure from the company’s apparatus caused a blast that detached the rim of the tyre and cut the deceased’s throat. “The rim also ripped off some parts of his body, including his finger and he died instantly. The decapitated parts of his remains were packed together and deposited at Immanuel Hospital, Eket,’’ the source said. When the of the accident was visited, the airstrip of ExxonMobil was condoned off while sympathisers were seen discussing the incident. Reacting to the development, Mr Ogechukwu Udeagha, Manager, Media and Communications of the company confirmed the incident. “On the morning of Tuesday, Nov. 22 there was an accident involving a member of our workforce while inflating his personal vehicle’s tire, resulting in a fatality,” he said.

T H I S D AY FRIDAY DECEMBER 2, 2016

T H I S D AY • FRIDAY, DECEMBER 2, 2016

COMMENT

Editor, Editorial Page PETER ISHAKA Email peter.ishaka@thisdaylive.com

WHAT WILL I TELL CHIEF AWOLOWO?

Opeyemi Agbaje pays tribute to Olaniwun Ajayi, lawyer, author and chieftain of the pan Yoruba socio-political organisation, Afenifere

use “Afenifere ” in this tribute in multiple meanings. In its literal meaning, “Afenifere” may mean those who wish good things (blessings, good fortune, goodness or more broadly prosperity) on others as they wish themselves. In this sense, Afenifere virtually approximates to the Biblical injunction of our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ to do unto others as you would have them do to you (Matthew 7: 12). The opposites of “Afenifere” are “Kenimani” (those who may have prospered, but want no one else to experience prosperity!) “Afenifere” also refers to a specific political movement rooted in Western Nigeria, founded by the great Chief Obafemi Awolowo in his lifetime which took formal manifestation as Action Group (AG) and Unity Party of Nigeria (UPN) in the first and second republics respectively, and the Yoruba socio-political organisation named “Afenifere” which sought to sustain the heritage of Awolowo’s politics and ideology in Nigeria, and especially within Awolowo’s Western Nigeria base. There may also be a sense in which “Afenifere” refers to all true-born Yoruba persons in line with the traditions of community and honour, in which all proper sons of Oduduwa are “Omoluabi” who uphold the values and interests of their shared community. What however is clear is that whichever context or meaning we speak of, the great Yoruba and Nigerian Icon, Chief (Sir) Olaniwun Ajayi was troubled about the fate and direction of Afenifere as he departed this world. There are multiple accounts and evidences of just departed Baba Olaniwun’s concerns, especially as his exit from the worldly stage became imminent-the refrain that I have heard most commonly is “what will I tell Chief Awolowo?” Papa Awolowo, of course rests in the great beyond since his passage in 1986 exactly 30 years, before his loyal and committed disciple. Chief Ajayi’s concerns were well-founded – Afenifere, the organisation is hobbled and divided, reduced to a rump of elders in their 70s and 80s, with a few itinerant younger men; Afenifere the ethnic group is seemingly rudderless and in disarray, disunited and receding even in terms of quality education, governance, prosperity and development, in which it led the rest of Nigeria and Africa six decades ago; and “Afenifere” the value system is eroded-Yorubaland fast losing its values of integrity, dignity, honour, community and diligence and being progressively (actually retrogressively!!!) replaced by “Nigerian” values - corruption, prebendal politics, dysfunctional education and an “alright Sir!” ethos!!! The biggest good that can and will come from Baba Olaniwun Ajayi’s passage is a new “Afenifere” awakening and the re-invigoration and renewal of our cherished values. I’ve read three books written by Sir Olaniwun Ajayi-“Isara Afotamodi: My Jerusalem”, “This House of Oduduwa Must Not Fall” and “Nigeria: Political Power Imbalance-The Bane and Chain Down of Nigeria’s Progress and Development”. Together they give the reader a vivid sense of his passion and commitment to his beloved Isara in Remo, Ogun State; his family, the Methodist Church, Yoruba land, Afenifere and Nigeria. Baba Olaniwun Ajayi in “Isara Afotamodi” describes his

AFENIFERE THE ETHNIC GROUP IS SEEMINGLY RUDDERLESS AND IN DISARRAY, DISUNITED AND RECEDING EVEN IN TERMS OF QUALITY EDUCATION, GOVERNANCE, PROSPERITY AND DEVELOPMENT, IN WHICH IT LED THE REST OF NIGERIA AND AFRICA SIX DECADES AGO

home town as a “a town fenced and fortified by rocks; a fortress impenetrable to enemies by invasion” and speaks of the pride of Isara indigenes and descendants in the cognomen “Afotamodi”. He compares Isara to Jerusalem (“just as mountains surround Jerusalem, all entry points into my town are hilly, and the points of ascendance are either rivers or streams”) and declares, “I am eternally grateful to my Maker that it is from this town that I take root”. Throughout the book his Christian and specifically Methodist education and heritage shines forth despite its location within a previously idolatrous context. In “This House of Oduduwa Must Not Fall”, Sir Ajayi’s pre-occupation as the title suggests was with the “travails of the Yoruba in Nigerian politics” from British colonial administration, through the first republic (when the Mid-West was excised from Western Nigeria, a state of emergency declared, the AG split with external support and Chief Awolowo jailed for treason), through to the annulment of the June 12, 1993 election of MKO Abiola to contemporary times. In chapter 6 “The political chaos in Yorubaland and the unlearned lessons ”Chief Ajayi reflected on the AG crisis and the mis-steps of Chief S.L Akintola and spoke of contemporary developments: “In the recent past, young ones in Afenifere and the Alliance for Democracy took it upon themselves to insult, abuse, denigrate and degrade the elders.” Yet in the last days of his life, Baba reached out to and visited those who had offended him and his colleagues in a last, valiant effort to unite his people before he left. Sir Olaniwun Ajayi’s concern with the unresolved “national question” was also in focus in the same book as well as in his last publication, “Nigeria: Political Power Imbalance-The Bane and Chain Down of Nigeria’s Progress and Development”. Whatever imbalances he wrote about when the book was published just last year in 2015, things have gotten much worse perhaps prompting the urgency and near despair with which he urged his younger compatriots to act. In a fourth book, his memoirs, “Lest We Forget”, Baba tells his entire life story-his birth in Isara to Benjamin Awoyemi Ajayi and Marian Efundolamu Ajayi; his love and marriage to his beloved late Adunola who Ajayi describes as “saint…rock-ribbed partner…affectionate friend”; his Wesleyan education and Methodist heritage; his career as a teacher, qualification as a corporate lawyer and then legal practice; the stormy days in the politics of the West and Nigeria; and the NADECO days under Abacha. Chief Olaniwun Ajayi was born on April 8, 1925 in his father’s “parlour” in a small, thatch roof, wood house at Gbasemo Compound, Itun Abe, Isara, Remo. He died a giant, in far more auspicious circumstances, on November 4, 2016. He was a great leader of Isara, a proud son of Remo, a committed Methodist and Christian, an eternal Afenifere and staunch son of Oduduwa, and a distinguished Nigerian. He was a very successful lawyer and founded the leading law firm of Olaniwun Ajayi LLP. As a tribute to Baba Olaniwun Ajayi, Afenifere will rise again. Agbaje is CEO, Resources and Trust Company Ltd

PLACING FAYOSE’S ALLEGATION IN PERSPECTIVE

The Ondo State Governorship election reflects the will of the people, argues Akin Ademulegun

t’s a threadbare fact that the greatest enemy to the Nigerian state is the politician. He is also his own foe. That very much was revealed in the just concluded election in Ondo State, where the candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Mr Rotimi Akeredolu, emerged winner. With 244, 842 votes, Akeredolu defeated Mr. Eyitayo Jegede (SAN) of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), who came second, with Mr Olusola Oke of the Alliance for Democracy (AD) in a distant third with 126, 889 votes. While we, the Ondo people, saw the results as largely a true reflection of our votes, I find it rather weird that some outsiders, particularly Ekiti State Governor Ayo Fayose, would want people to think otherwise. Fayose alleged that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) aided APC to win the election. I don’t see how this makes sense, both in law and in fact. Even our governor, who was the greatest loser in the contest, has accepted the result of the election and congratulated the winner. But according to controversial Governor Fayose, the decision of the electoral body to obey an Abuja court to replace PDP’s candidate, Mr Jegede, with Mr Jimoh Ibrahim, a factional candidate of the party,

was to deliberately give victory to the APC. But what was INEC supposed to do? Disobey the judgment? Some people, like Fayose, have argued that there were two judgments and INEC could have chosen to obey the ruling of court in Akure which restrained it from substituting Jegede’s name. Seriously? First, it was INEC that chose to monitor the primary that produced Jegede as PDP candidate and ignored the one that produced Ibrahim. That, in itself, shows that the electoral body believed that the Markafi’s PDP was the authentic party. Or it could be that it believes its primary followed laid down rule than the one that produced Jimoh Ibrahim. Thus, rightly listed Jegede as the PDP candidate. Then on October 14, an Abuja Federal High Court, of controversial Justice Okon Abang, ordered INEC to recognise Ibrahim as the candidate for PDP. This, apparently, leaves the body with no choice. The ideal thing forJegede to do was to approach the same court, not another court of coordinate jurisdiction, and apply for a stay of execution so that he can appeal. As a lawyer, this he did. But Okon Abang rejected the application. Tell me, what should INEC have done, in the absence of another court order from a higher court?

Jegede and his party, obviously out of desperation, rushed to another high court in Akure, on October 27, to restrain INEC from removing his name from the list, on the same day INEC released the final list that excluded his name. That was an abuse of court process, from what senior lawyers later said. Mr Femi Falana, for example, said INEC did the right thing by obeying the first order. He said no court can stop the judgment of another court if they are both equal in status. He said, “You can’t go and initiate a process that will set one court in collision with another. It’s primitive. It’s not done in any civilised society. If there’s a judgment against you, you go to that same court to set it aside. You don’t go and file a fresh action in another court, thereby setting the courts on collision course, which may result to conflicting court orders.” According to him, since the Markafi faction had appealed the judgment, it should have waited for the outcome of the appeal. Other prominent lawyers, such as Mr. Festus Keyamo, said the same thing. But does Fayose have the depth to fathom this? Or will he chose reason over emotion? His antecedents do not give me much hope, I’m afraid. This was the same man that contributed to the problem that

almost engulfed the PDP which later affected Jegede’s chances at the poll. It was Fayose and his like, Governor Nyesom Wike, that forced Ali Modu Sheriff on the party as the chairman, against better counsel from party leadership. And who ruined PDP’s chances in our state during the election? It was Sheriff and his candidate, Ibrahim. I must salute Prof. Mahmood Yakubu and his INEC for not yielding to pressure to postpone the election. The question is, on what ground was INEC to postpone the poll? Fayose fails to realise that, in the eyes of the law, all political parties are equal. The electoral body would be missing the mark to suspend election simply because one party could not put its house together. What if another party, possibly little known Citizens Popular Party, was involved? Would Fayose and the likes have asked INEC to suspend the election? While Fayose may continue to rue his decision to install Sheriff in the past, the Ondo people have spoken. They have simply wielded their power to decide who leads them. This is also a lesson for the APC. If Akeredolu fails to fulfill his promise to settle salaries of civil servants and other campaign promises, we will be waiting for him in 2020. Ademulegun wrote from Ondo, Ondo State

T H I S D AY • FRIDAY, DECEMBER 2, 2016

EDITORIAL THOUGHT FOR THE PHYSICALLY CHALLENGED The government must create a conducive atmosphere for socio- political integration of the physically challenged

eople with Disabilities (PWDs) in Nigeria used the Ondo State gubernatorial election of last weekend to draw attention to their plight by demanding for more inclusive participation in electoral processes and governance across the nation. And as people across the word tomorrow mark the United Nations International Day of Persons with Disabilities (IDPD) with the theme, “Achieving 17 Goals for the Future We Want”, it is important for the authorities in Nigeria to begin to pay attention to a huge segment of our society. Besides the law that compels the government to accommodate them in any major enterprise, Nigeria is a signatory to many international conventions that support equal opportunities for all citizens. The United Nations defines equalisation of opportunities as “the process through which the general system of society, such as the physical and cultural environment, housing and transportation, social and health services, educational and work opportunities, cultural and social life, including sports and recreational facilities are made accessible to all.” However, it ATTEMPTS MUST BE MADE remains unfortunate TO OPEN UP EDUCATIONAL that the physically AND EMPLOYMENT challenged persons in our society are OPPORTUNITIES SO THAT still discriminated THEY CAN COMPETE AND EMBRACE LIFE WITH MORE against and face social stigma. From CONFIDENCE transportation which allows movement and interactions, through health, recreations and even educational services which can make them compete effectively, people with one disability or another are most often discriminated against and deprived of their rights. Everywhere and every day, obstacles are thrown on their paths. They are generally dispossessed of physical structures. In Nigeria today, the physically challenged are most often denied employment opportunities and they are also subjected to stigmatisation by both the society and the authorities. To worsen the situation, many are regarded by

Letters to the Editor

their families as a source of shame and treated as objects of charity. The few vocational training centres set up by government are ill-equipped and ill-maintained. Many end up in the streets as beggars while others turn to drugs and other socially unacceptable behaviour to generate income.

F T H I S DAY

EDITOR IJEOMA NWOGWUGWU DEPUTY EDITORS BOlAJI ADEBIYI, JOsEph UshIGIAlE MANAGING DIRECTOR ENIOlA BEllO DEPUTY MANAGING DIRECTOR KAYODE KOMOlAFE CHAIRMAN EDITORIAL BOARD OlUsEGUN ADENIYI EDITOR NATION’S CAPITAL IYOBOsA UWUGIAREN

T H I S DAY N E W S PA P E R S L I M I T E D

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF/CHAIRMAN NDUKA OBAIGBENA GROUP EXECUTIVE DIRECTORS ENIOlA BEllO, KAYODE KOMOlAFE, IsRAEl IWEGBU, EMMANUEl EFENI, IJEOMA NWOGWUGWU GROUP FINANCE DIRECTOR OlUFEMI ABOROWA DIVISIONAL DIRECTORS pETER IWEGBU, FIDElIs ElEMA, MBAYIlAN ANDOAKA, ANThONY OGEDENGBE DEPUTY DIVISIONAL DIRECTOR OJOGUN VICTOR DANBOYI SNR. ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR ERIC OJEh ASSOCIATE DIRECTORS hENRY NWAChOKOR, sAhEED ADEYEMO CONTROLLERS ABIMBOlA TAIWO, UChENNA DIBIAGWU, NDUKA MOsERI GENERAL MANAGER pATRICK EIMIUhI GROUP HEAD FEMI TOlUFAshE ART DIRECTOR OChI OGBUAKU II DIRECTOR, PRINTING PRODUCTION ChUKs ONWUDINJO TO SEND EMAIL: first name.surname@thisdaylive.com

rom the “Nigerians with Disability” military decree of 1993 which provides “a clear and comprehensive legal protection and security for Nigerians with disability as well as establish standard for enforcement of their rights and priviledges” to the several efforts by the National Assembly in the past 17 years, it is clear that the law is not the problem. The main challenge has been the attitude of Nigerians to the plight of this vulnerable group. Yet according to World Health Organisation (WHO) reports, there are as many as 25 million Nigerians living with one form of disability or another. A recent news report stated clearly that about 98 per cent of public buildings in the country such as schools, hospitals, banks, even shop stalls, where some can make economic transactions, are still inaccessible to persons with disabilities. The plight of this category of Nigerians becomes more worrisome today at what is now a makeshift arrangement for domestic travellers who now use the international wing of the Nnamdi Azikiwe Airport in Abuja. They practically have to go through hell to travel. Yet the physically challenged persons constitute about 19 per cent of the population. The government as a matter of policy must create a conducive atmosphere for social, economic and political integration of the physically challenged in our society. Even if old public institutional buildings cannot be modernised to accommodate them, new ones should be built in such a way that they provide access to the physically challenged. Attempts must also be made to open up educational and employment opportunities so that they can compete and embrace life with more confidence. The physically challenged in our midst must be empowered to help themselves and their families, and contribute to the growth and development of the society.

TO OUR READERS Letters in response to specific publications in THISDAY should be brief (150-200 words) and straight to the point. Interested readers may send such letters along with their contact details to opinion@thisdaylive.com. We also welcome comments and opinions on topical local, national and international issues provided they are well-written and should also not be longer than (9501000 words). They should be sent to opinion@thisdaylive.com along with the email address and phone numbers of the writer.

THE KILLING OF IPOB MEMBERS

he Nigeria Army is once more in the eye of the storm because of some indiscretions and unprofessional conduct of some of her operatives and officers with regard to internal military operations.

Under the current dispensation the Nigerian Army has had several face offs with international humanitarian groups over alleged widespread killings of civilians. The latest challenge to the corporate image of the Nigerian Army is the alleged killings of over 150 unarmed protesters thought to be members or sympathisers of the Europe registered group known as the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB). IPOB has for two years now waged peaceful advocacy campaigns for selfdetermination for the people of South-east of Nigeria. The British- founded global human rights body known as Amnesty International has recently issued damaging but extensively verifiable reports of the killing spree conducted by the Nigerian Army in the South-east of Nigeria in the last one year leading to the slaughter through extra-legal means of unarmed civilians belonging or exercising their sympathy for the messages of self-determination being spread peacefully by IPOB. This report has understandably generated considerable reactions with the army hurriedly denying any involvement. But in another breath it said it was only defending her operatives from violence. Which violence? One may ask. The killings of civilians by the army go against everything that constitutional democracy stands for because extra-legal execution of civilians is absolutely antithetical to civility and democracy. For the better part of the last two decades, Nigeria embraced civilian democracy and an essential ingredient of this system of government is the constitutionally guaranteed right to peaceful protests. Importantly, the attempt to sweep under the carpets these senseless killings

captured in audiovisuals and which are watched globally, offends everything that make us rational and thinking beings. The killings if tolerated would amount to overturning all the efforts we have genuinely made to build a Nigerian nation whereby the rule of law would become our national ethos. Professor Isawa J. Elaigwu who contributed a piece in the University of Jos Alumni Association lecture series even alluded to the basic fact that impunity and cover up by government officials and all other relevant authorities would deny Nigeria the benefit of becoming a civilised polity in line with global best practices. His Words: “While laws, structures and processes are useful in the operation of federalism as a mechanism of managing conflicts in the process of nation-building, the human dimension poses the greatest challenges to the polity. It does not matter what laws and structures are in place, human beings must run the system. Human operators must imbibe the values of justice, equity and accommodation of opponents….” I must say it straight away that the attempts by the army’s directorate of public relations and the Nigerian political establishment in Abuja headed by President Muhammadu Buhari to sweep under the carpet these serious allegations of mass killings of members of IPOB by the Nigeria Army can only succeed in graphically presenting our society as primitive, brutish, violent and blood tasty. Even in a state of nature the crude and primitive resort to self-help measures and open use of lethal weapons as used by the Nigerian Army against IPOB members made up of unarmed men, boys, women, girls and their babies, amounted to grave crime against humanity. The only option open to the Chief of Army Staff Lieutenant General Tukur Buratai and President Buhari is to dispassionately take legal notice of this large scale evidence of mass killings as presented by Amnesty International, arrest and prosecute the offenders or else the International Criminal Court could be asked to step in. Emmanuel Onwubiko, Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria

ESTABLISH RICE PROCESSING MILLS

any Nigerian rural farmers are finding it difficult to process their harvested rice on the field. This has to do with the neglect of the rice processing mills in the country. There are few functional ones in addition to lack of different machinery and technologies that could aid the processing of harvested rice from the field. All this poses constraints to rice farming and part of the reason for the high cost of rice. The federal government and the private sector should build more rice milling units in Nigeria and stimulate the right policies, practices, innovation and technologies to contain the problems of rice farming in Nigeria. Michael Adedotun, Gwagwalada, Abuja

FRIDAY DECEMBER 2, 2016 T H I S D AY

T H I S D AY • FRIDAY, DECEMBER 2, 2016

POLITICS

Group Politics Editor Olawale Olaleye Email wale.olaleye@thisdaylive.com 08116759819 SMS ONLY

PERSONALITY FOCUS

Remembering Abubakar Audu A year after the passing away of the first executive governor of Kogi State, Abubakar Audu, the people still recall the pain of his sudden exit at the cusp of another governorship feat, writes Yekini Jimoh

housands of people from all walks of life recently besieged Ogbonicha in Ofu Local Government Council Area of Kogi State, country home of a former governor of the state and the All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship candidate in the November 2015 governorship election, the late Abubakar Audu, who died at the nick of his victory. The event was put in place by his eldest son, Muhammed Audu to mark his one year passing and also to launch a foundation in his honour. Before the November 2015 governorship election, a lot of pressure had been brought on Audu as a majority of the people was determined to change the leadership of the state at the time. However, the clamour for the change of leadership was not itself the solution, but the inherent ability and capability of the leader that would emerge, to rescue and restore the state as well as guarantee development in every sector of the state economy. It was about the search for a leader with a clearly defined mission and vision. A leader that was development-driven remained the only solution to the myriad of challenges bedeviling the state at that crucial moment in history. Thus, for a people passionately desirous of good governance and development, the challenge rested on the shoulders of Audu, having been tested, to reduce burden of the state. Audu and Chief James Faleke led the collective resolve of a majority of the people of Kogi State to take their destinies in their hands, defeat the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and bring the PDP siege to an end in the state in a controversially inconclusive election, following the dramatic twist of fate on November 22, 2015, when Audu died. Delivering his speech, Muhammed Audu said he would continue the legacy of his father as he launched The Abubakar Audu Foundation. He noted that the achievements of his late father would be sustained because he brought massive development to the state, when he was governor. He mentioned that the foundation would cut across all the 21 local governments of the state by empowering youths, women, the less privileged people and widow, adding also that it would go a long way helping the people. Muhammed Audu, who mentioned that the foundation was not a political initiative, said he decided to embark on the foundation to fulfill the legacy of his father. He explained that his late father was committed to uplifting the state and that when he was governor of the state for two terms, his achievements cut across all the councils of the state. “A man associated only with success, Prince Abubakar Audu won the election of December, 1991 and was sworn in on 2nd January 1992 as the first executive governor of Kogi State. It was in this capacity that he transformed the infrastructural landscape of Kogi State within the 22 months lifespan of that administration, which was abruptly terminated by military intervention,” he said. Rolling out some the achievements of his father during his brief first term, Muhammed recalled such feats as the establishment of three different housing schemes for public officers consisting of over 1,500 housing units in Lokoja, the transformation of Lokoja Township with asphalt roads and many more. “In his second coming, the establishment of Prince Abubakar Audu University now Kogi

Audu...still on their minds

State University, Anyigba, is another testimony to the vision, dynamism and resourcefulness of the governor and a clear testimony of his love for education. “The people of Kogi State cannot forget the historic day, 30th November 1999, when for the first time, a head of government of Nigeria in the person of former President Olusegun Obansajo visited the state and laid the foundation stone of the state university. About a year later, the president returned to Anyigba during a state visit to commission the University complex,” he noted. According to him, over the years, Audu had the rare privilege of dominating the political stage in Kogi State especially with the outstanding success he recorded in the provision of infrastructure for communities across the state on an equitable basis. Muhammed Audu, who thanked the people of the state for the support given to his father when he was alive stressed that

A man associated only with success, Prince Abubakar Audu won the election of December, 1991 and was sworn in on 2nd January 1992 as the first executive governor of Kogi State. It was in this capacity that he transformed the infrastructural landscape of Kogi State within the 22 months lifespan of that administration, which was abruptly terminated by military intervention

his late father did his best for the people of the state when he was governor as most of his achievements can be seen across all the three senatorial districts of the state. Speaking with newsmen at the occasion, Faleke said there could not be any reconciliation in the state without justice, adding that “We are prepared to go hungry for the next four years, but I can tell you that God sparing our lives, the song will change surely”. He noted that the crisis in the party in the state could not be resolved because of the way and manner the national leadership of the party handled the issue. He opined that there could never be any reconciliation in a situation where somebody works from first day to the last day of the month and another person collects his salary, adding that what could only guarantee genuine reconciliation is for the salary to be returned to the person who worked. That is the only reconciliation. He stressed that every right thinking man knows that the development had affected the party in the state as a result of the fallout of the faulty manner with which the national secretariat of the party handled the crisis after Audu’s demise. “The architects of the crisis in Kogi State started the imminent downfall of our party, APC. The way and manner the issue of Kogi was handled was least expected of a political party. I have heard that one of the cabals said APC was just a gathering of some people, not yet a political party. “I want to say that as far as what happened in Kogi State is concerned and how it is affecting the party, I am sure those in government in the state can confirm that all is not well within the party in the state because when you work and some people are benefitting or reaping the fruits of your labour, they will know that all cannot be well and that is why they are not getting their feet right. “It is one year after Audu and nothing seems to be moving. It has taken the state more than seven to eight months to do screening and pay salary. People have died through queuing or waiting for their names to be screened and those that had been screened

have not collected salary since January this year. You can imagine that certainly things are very bad. We know how much we spent to maintain our people in the state to keep life moving. When people work and at the end of the month they are not paid, you can be sure that nothing can go well, so, whatever that goes on in the civil service in the state is also affecting the party. “What happened to us during the case and when we lost our leader one year ago and all the battles we went through in the legal process, the way and manner the court judgments came, the issues that were determined have shown that we are not in a party yet, as far as I am concerned, until the party at the national level wakes up. “You know that this party was formed by all of us. We contributed to it. It is not an animal farm; it belongs to everybody and until they realised that, that is the only time that this party can have a foot and can move forward. If our people get paid, if our people are empowered and entrenched, I am sure the songs will change. But as it is now, it is bad song,” he said. Also speaking, Chairman of the occasion, Senator Rabiu Kwankwaso commended the late Audu for bringing development to the state while in office. The former governor of Kano State stressed that the late Audu brought Kogi State to a lime light while in office. According to him, the late former governor brought rapid development by establishing state university within one year in office. He noted that the demise of Audu was a lesson to everybody as God knows the best why he took his life, when he was already winning the 2015 governorship election in Kogi State. Kwankwaso, therefore, called on the state governor to name the state university after Audu and commended his son, Muhammed for launching a foundation in honour of his father. Among the eminent personalities that graced the occasion are some traditional rulers, former ministers, former Niger State Governor, Abdulkadir Kure, former governor of Edo State, Chief Lucky Igbenidion, members of the National and State Assembly and members of the diplomatic community.

T H I S D AY • FRIDAY, DECEMBER 2, 2016

POLITICS

ONTHEWATCH

As Ondo Election Fever Catches Ekiti

Political gladiators in Ekiti State are currently on the edge following the likely implications of the outcome of the recent Ondo State governorship election on the state. Victor Olakiitan Ogunje writes

Fayose...will he hold his ground this time?

he Ondo State governorship poll has come and gone, but the outcome has started to have a ripple effect on Ekiti politics. Most rattled by the outcome of the Saturday, November 26 election was Governor Ayodele Fayose’s political family, within the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) that is now mulling several political options in the bid to prevent being caught in the web of electoral defeat in 2018. In actual fact, the victory recorded by the candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Mr. Olurotimi Akeredolu has started redefining the politics of Ekiti State in many ways. One, it has changed the political strategy within Fayose’s camp for the 2018 governorship poll. Two, it has emboldened the already disarrayed APC in Ekiti, whose voice was only being heard through occasional statements issued by its Publicity Secretary, Taiwo Olatunbosun to start musing the impression that Fayose’s days are numbered. Grapevine sources within the PDP confided in THISDAY that what Fayose, the well-acknowledged generalissimo of Ekiti politics wanted to do to outsmart the APC is to get a candidate from Ado Local Government in Ekiti Central Senatorial District. Thus, the name of a former Commissioner for Works, Mr. Kayode Oso, was being touted as a likely candidate in this regard. But immediately the Ondo issue came up, the governor is said to be having a change of heart and what remains on his card now is his preference for a candidate from Ekiti South senatorial district, which has not produced the governor since 1999. This, according to feelers was a fast game to avoid stepping on the banana peel. In Ondo State, Governor Olusegun Mimiko, who is from Ondo town in Ondo central fielded Eyitayo Jegede from Akure, situated in Ondo Central. This among other issues was considered as the greatest undoing of the party. This tendency considered to be a technically wrong political strategy was said to have fueled the electoral revolts in Ondo South and North respectively. The results of the Ondo election gave a bizarre lesson that picking somebody from the state capital may not actually sway votes in a party’s favour. Akeredolu polled 25,797 to trounce Jegede, who got 25,005 in Akure Municipal Council. Fayose, an ebullient and deeply rooted politician understands the dynamism of politics, particularly the one that has to do with Ekiti. His winning two incumbents at different elections in the state confirmed his political wizardry and ingenuity. Fayose trounced Otunba Niyi Adebayo in 2003 as an underdog and repeated same feat in 2014 against Dr. Kayode Fayemi. Having contested various elections and well groomed in the art, Fayose must have swiftly grasped the import of the Ondo election. He must have understood that having cut down the big Iroko tree (Mimiko) in Ondo, the APC

Fayemi...can he reinvent the Ondo scenario?

will surely push to get the PDP out of Ekiti. Besides, the involvement of Fayemi, the Minister of Solid Minerals, in the Ondo project had sent a vivid signal about the former governor’s interest to take a pound of flesh against Fayose. Feelers from the ex-governor painted a picture of something similar to reprisal in 2018. Fayemi, according to many of his confidants, has not forgotten how Fayose derisively ousted him from office and his becoming a minister in Buhari’s cabinet has conferred on him the privileges to pay Fayose back, even above his own coin. Learning from this, Fayose, according to many of his handlers may not favour Ado Ekiti for the poll and he was said to have started reaching out to those that matter within and outside the PDP to be able to wriggle out of the impending doom staring him in the face. As a crafty politician, Fayose has Plan B and the option is to pick the candidate from the South and deputy, probably a Muslim from Ado Ekiti. The second option is quickly gathering momentum going by information from the PDP and taking cognizance of the Ondo debacle. Like a prophet, Fayose had the premonition that the PDP would crash out of the race in Ondo. Before the election, Fayose had accused the APC of conniving with the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to rig the election in advance. The harsh statement the governor issued to condemn the outcome of the poll confirmed that he realized his position was gradually becoming more vulnerable. The governor didn’t spare Justice Okon Abang, who gave the verdict that led to the replacement of Jegede with that of Jimoh Ibrahim. Fayose branded the judge as notoriously noted for doing hatchet job for the ruling party,

The results of the Ondo election gave a bizarre lesson that picking somebody from the state capital may not actually sway votes in a party’s favour…As frightening and asphyxiating as the political climate has been for the PDP since Ondo election was conducted, politicians have a way of down-playing situations, even the most terrible of them

describing him (Abang) as dangerous to the integrity of the country’s democracy. “As just as I would have loved to congratulate the winner, Mr Akeredolu (SAN), because in every contest, there must be a winner and a loser, the role of INEC in awarding victory to him in the election left much to be desired. “To sustain the ‘see and buy’ strategy and legalise money politics, the APC-led federal government deliberately created poverty in the country so as to continue to enslave the minds of Nigerians with peanuts to get their votes on election day,” saying, “Dibo ko s’ebe (vote and collect money to cook soup) was the slang used by the APC in the Ondo State election and that only worked because the APC federal government had put Nigerians in abject poverty. “Even though INEC allowed what appeared like a free and fair atmosphere on the Election Day, the election had been won and lost before it was held. For instance, INEC that witnessed the PDP primary election that produced Mr. Eyitayo Jegede succumbed to pressure from the APC cabal to replace him with Jimoh Ibrahim, who did not take part in any primary election known to the Electoral Act. “What could anyone have done under 72 hours in an election that was heavily monetised by the APC? The whole process was a deliberate sabotage by INEC, which has totally bastardised the electoral process. Obviously, all these shenanigans are geared towards turning Nigeria to a one part state by weakening all opposition parties ahead of the 2019 general election but I can assure Nigerians that this will not last because the people’s will, will always defeat tyranny.” As frightening and asphyxiating as the political climate has been for the PDP since Ondo election was conducted, politicians have a way of down-playing situations, even the most terrible of them. The PDP Publicity Secretary in Ekiti, Mr. Jackson Adebayo, said the party was never disturbed by the tide being made by the rampaging President Buhari’s boys in the South-west. Adebayo said though Ekiti and Ondo have similar political culture, he however restated that losing Ondo State to APC may not translate to automatic loss in Ekiti. He said many indices must be factored in into what will shape Ekiti politics in 2018. One, according to him is the robustness of each party. “As we speak now, the PDP is very solid in Ekiti while the APC is in shambles. We have one solid family in the PDP under the leadership of Mr. Ayodele Fayose. We are solidly behind him and the nucleus of the party is intact. Even those who formed a faction under Senator Buruji Kashamu have started retracing their steps and considering all indications. The PDP will approach the election as a united party,” he said. Adebayo pointed out that Ekiti APC has over four factions with each paying allegiance to different godfathers.

“The APC is torn between the Buhari and Tinubu’s boys in Ekiti. Even those who are sitting on the fence are more than four groups. So, APC will never settle in Ekiti to gather enough strength to wrest power from Fayose”. He added that the judgment of Appeal Court, which nullified the Ali Modu Sheriff-led National Working Committee (NWC) has already bridged any crack the APC can use to burrow into the party, exuding confidence Fayose won’t go down the way of the PDP in Ondo. But a member of the seventh House of Representatives and Chieftain of the APC, Hon Bamidele Faparusi, said the defeat suffered by the PDP in Ondo would be a child’s-play to the fate that would befall it in Ekiti. Congratulating Akeredolu , Faparusi described the landslide winning as a an indication of the popularity of the policies and programmes of President Buhari’s government among Nigerians. He said nothing is playing out to suggest that Ekiti APC is polarised into factions. He said the theory of Buhari and Tinubu’s boys, which he said was contrived by the PDP has no place in Ekiti APC. Faparusi said the APC won because of its doggedness and the popularity of Buhari’s policies and programmes among Nigerians. He added that Ondo joining the ranks of progressive party was a signal of good things to come for the entire people of the South-west region and that Ekiti can’t be an exception. He thanked President Buhari and other members of the team that worked for the success recorded in Ondo for their unflagging loyalty to the party in spite of the bedlam created by the primary election, saying this had attested to the fact that APC has become a household party in Nigeria. “The fact that Governor Fayose has refused to pay over six months salaries of workers gave a pointer to the fact that impending doom awaits him. Ekiti is a civil service state and this is the main reason the economy has been stagnated under him. Nothing is happening. Ekiti is retrogressing rather than progressing, so Ekiti has nothing to vote for in Fayose and the PDP. “All the moribund investments like Ikogosi Warm Spring, Ire Burnt Brick Industry, Ikun Dairy Farm and Orin farm settlement which the administration of Governors Fayemi and Segun Oni had revamped had died again. What else can Ekiti vote for in Fayose and the PDP? They have ruined our fortunes and there is nothing they can do to prevent this coming defeat,” he said. Now, both the APC and PDP are flexing muscles on what will be the outcome of Ekiti election in 2018. But the people are patiently waiting on whether Fayose will go the way of Governor Mimiko or survive the onslaught and become a lone voice in the wilderness in a manner reminiscent of how former Lagos Governor, Bola Tinubu survived the 2003 tsunami that swept the AD away in the Southwest.

T H I S D AY • FRIDAY, DECEMBER 2, 2016

BUSINESSWORLD R A T E S NIBOR OVERNIGHT 1-MONTH

A S

NIBOR

9.6667% 17.874%

A T

3-MONTH 6-MONTH

N O V E M B E R

19.539% 20.8243%

NITTY 1-MONTH 2-MONTH 3-MONTH

18.0333% 18.6745% 16.2693%

Group Business Editor Chika Amanze-Nwachuku

Email chika.amanzenwachukwu@thisdaylive.com 08057161321, 08033294157

2 5 , 3-MONTH 6-MONTH 12-MONTH

2 0 1 6

18.7836% 119.3948% 22.4006%

EXCHANGE RATE N304.50//1US DOLLAR* *AS AT LAST FRIDAY

Quick Takes Indomie Rewards Consumers With N50m

Indomie Instant Noodles has announced that its promo, which kicked-off in October has rewarded the projected 500 lucky cash prize winners with a total of N50 million. Notwithstanding the 500 mark, the company said consumers will continue to win lots of gift prizes in the ongoing promo. Speaking at the prize presentation ceremony, Group Public Relations and Events Manager, Dufil Prima Foods Plc, Mr. Tope Ashiwaju said the promo which was designed to celebrate and reward consumers for their loyalty has enjoyed an unprecedented participation from consumers across the country, “with hundreds of gift prize winners emerging since the promo commenced and the target of 500 consumers slated to win cash prizes worth N50 million has also been reached, even though the promo still runs till the end of the year.” According to him, “We planned to give out prizes worth over N600 million in the “You Like No Other” promo, amongst whom 500 consumers are expected to walk home with a cash prize of N50m (N100,000 each). As I speak to you, I am delighted to announce that in less than 2 months into the promo this sum of N50m has already been disbursed to these lucky winners.The promo however runs till the end of the year and we look forward to seeing more winners walk home with other gift items.”

WELCOME TO NPA

L-R: Executive Director, Marine & Operations, Nigerian Port Authority (NPA), Dr. Sokonte Davies; Chairman Nigerian Ports Consultative Council (NPCC), Kunle Folarin; Managing Director, NPA, Hadiza Bala Usman and Vice Chairman NPCC, Major Henry Ajetunmobi (RTD.), when the NPCC team paid a courtesy visit to NPA management at its corporate headquarters in Marina, Lagos…recently

Diminishing Number of Operating Aircraft Hurting Air Transportation in Nigeria Chinedu Eze The declining number of operating aircraft in Nigerian airlines’ fleet is taking a toll on air transportation in the country as most flights are either delayed or cancelled leaving passengers stranded at various airports. THISDAY checks revealed that the air passengers that wait in departures are currently on the rise, as there are only few aircraft currently that airlift passengers to their destinations. The grounding of Aero Contractors, which formerly had about 10 aircraft in its fleet, has not helped matters. With the suspension of Aero’s schedule operation, the market

AVIATION lost the airline’s fleet of aircraft. Also with the skyrocketing cost of aviation fuel, airlines are said to be spending more money on cost of operation and may not save money to pay for high maintenance checks, like C-Checks, which could cost as much as $500,000 or more; so when their aircraft are due for check, they ground it as AOG (Aircraft on Ground). The situation is made worse by the high exchange rate and the inability of the airlines to access foreign currency despite the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) extension of easier forex window to the airlines are also worsening the situation.

According to industry insiders, Nigerian airlines have lost about 40 percent of their fleet since early last year and the number of aircraft on AOG may continue to increase as airlines find it increasingly difficult to access forex and as their finances continue to deplete due to recession and reduction in passenger traffic. President of Aviation Round Table (ART), Gbenga Olowo observed recently there has been continuous depletion of the fleet of Nigerian airlines. He recalled that in 2010, Nigerian airlines had 54 commercial operating aircraft but by 2013 the fleet had reduced to 39, noting that with declining fleet size, route expansion would be limited and

robust schedule very difficult and down time for maintenance would impact negatively on schedule. He attributed the failure of airlines to improve and add more aircraft to their fleet to the harsh operating environment, high charges paid by the airlines to aviation agencies and poor managerial skills by the airlines management. “Airline user charges for example are as high as 15 per cent. User charges are revenue collected for other organisations factored into the fare (without commission) whereas airlines are not revenue collectors. Hence the former International Continued on page 20

FG Urged to Halt Collection of Practitioners Operating Fees at Ports Eromosele Abiodun The National Council of Managing Directors of Licensed Customs Agents (NCMDLCA) has called on the federal government to stop the collection of practitioners operating fees (POF) by the dissolved governing board of the Council for the Regulation of Freight forwarding in Nigeria (CRFFN) through the Ministry of Transport. President of NCMDLCA, Lucky Amiwero in a letter to President Muhammudu Buhari stated that CRFFN no longer exist.

MARITIME According to Amiwero, “A Federal High Court ruling on Suit No FHC/L/CS/5172 /2008 as referred by the Court of Appeal, was delivered on the 24th of March 2015, which upheld that the tenure of the Council/ Governing Board Expired on the 25th of November 2012, that the Council has vacated office, as there is no existing Council and no Council to deliver judgment. He added: “The Suit was filed by members of the National

Council of Managing Directors of Licensed Customs Agents (NCMDLCA) won in Federal High Court and the Appeal Court and later referred back to the Federal High Court for the continuation of the suit, on which the above ruling was delivered. “It forms legal decision on the proper position of the non existence of the Council/ Governing Board and the function on the Council as contained in section 4 that can only be performed by the Council elected under Section 2 and presided over by the Chairman/Vice chairman

under Section 2-(3).” Amiwero said the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF) letter addressed the statutory provision of the expired/dissolved Council, which function cannot be exercised by the Register/ Staff, “who are not elected as members of the Council under section 2-(1) a-g (2) & (3). He added: “The Registrar is an appointee of the Council, whose function is tied to the directive of the constituted Council by the Act, the apContinued on page 20

IATA Backs Renewable Energy Directive

The International Air Transport Association (IATA) welcomed the European Commission’s revision of the Renewable Energy Directive (RED) to incentivise sustainable fuels, and urged policy-makers to go even further in prioritising their use for air transport. The largest user of renewable fuels, the road transport sector, has increasing options to move towards electrification; however, aviation has no technological option but to continue with liquid fuel at the present time.Therefore, there is a strong case for sustainable fuel policies to prioritise air transport, in order to boost supply and reduce costs. “Aviation is on a path towards carbon-neutral growth and ultimately to reduce emissions in half. Sustainable fuels are an essential element of our carbon-cutting strategy, with the prospect of an 80% decrease in carbon compared to traditional jet fuel. Policies to incentivise the production of such fuels have been successful in the United States and elsewhere. Europe has an opportunity to take the lead in sustainable fuel production if the revised RED contains the right measures,” IATA’s Director, Aviation Environment, Michael Gill said.

Chingosho Retires as AFRAA Secretary

The African Airlines Association (AFRAA) has announced that its Secretary General and Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Dr. Elijah Chingosho, will retire in 2017 after serving seven years in the role. “Eng. Elijah Chingosho has been an effective leader of AFRAA, who has achieved a lot as its Secretary General and CEO. It is regrettable that he will be leaving the Association, but we respect his decision to leave AFRAA after 16 years, firstly as DirectorTechnical andTraining and in the past six years as its SG and CEO.The Executive Committee throughitsGovernance,NominationsandHRCommitteewillembarkon a search for his successor. In the meantime, the Executive Committee will continue to guide and support Elijah and his team in their mission to deliver a safe, efficient and sustainable African airline industry”, stated Mbuvi Ngunze, Chairman of AFRAA Executive Committee. After 16 years in AFRAA of which 7 years were at SG and CEO, I believe it is time for me to retire and leave the organisation. It has been a great privilege and honour to lead AFRAA, and I am proud of what the AFRAA team has achieved during my term of office. I would like to thank the Executive Committee for their support and guidance and the AFRAA membership fraternity. I am fully committed to lead AFRAA until my successor is appointed, said Dr. Elijah Chingosho. Before joining AFRAA, Dr. Elijah Chingosho was the General Manager Engineering of Air Zimbabwe. Notes to Editors:The African Airlines Association, also known by its acronym AFRAA, is a trade association of airlines from the member states of the African Union (AU). Founded in Accra, Ghana, in April, 1968, and headquartered in Nairobi, Kenya, the primary purposes of AFRAA are to foster commercial and technical co-operation among African airlines.

“It is very significant to Nigeria and to Africa for an African, a black man to be reelected as the President of the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) Council

Director General, the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority

Captain Muhtar Usman

T H I S D AY • FRIDAY, DECEMBER 2, 2016

BUSINESSWORLD DIMINISHING NUMBER OF OPERATING AIRCRAFT HURTING AIR TRANSPORTATION IN NIGERIA Air Transport Association (IATA) Director-General, Tony Tyler described airlines as cash cows. “High cost of fuel, high cost of funds, exorbitant airport rent and airspace movement charges at home require government serious attention. On the other hand, poor management decisions and corporate governance by the airlines owners have resulted to high mortality rate in the industry,” Olowo said. Last week the Managing Director of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), Saleh Dunoma narrated the difficulty encountered trying to get a flight from Abuja to Lagos. He observed that paucity of operational equipment is now a fundamental challenge to Nigerian airlines, which may have aircraft in their fleet but not many of them are operational and airworthy. According to him, “The major problem is the dwindling capacity of our airlines. They are faced with lack of equipment and fuel scarcity. FG URGED TO HALT COLLECTION OF PRACTITIONERS OPERATING FEES AT PORTS pointment is contained in section 11-(1), which states, the council shall, appoint a fit and proper person to be Registrar for the purpose of this Act. The restriction of the performance of the Registrar is contained in various section, which only conferred authority solely to the Constituted Council as contained in provision of section 11-(2) which clearly states, the Registrar shall prepare and maintain, in accordance with rules made by the Council, in effect, there is no Council in place that allows the Registrar to perform any function without the constituted Council.” Amiwero argued that there is no provision in the Act that authorises the Registrar or any other organ of government to Act on behalf of the Dissolved Council.

Group Business Editor

Chika Amanze-Nwachuku AgriBusiness/Industry Editor

Crusoe Osagie

Comms/e-Business Editor

Emma Okonji

NEWS

Lagos Clears Water Hyacinth from Waterways to Ease Movement Eromosele Abiodun The Lagos State government has intervened to end the difficulty boat operators on Lagos waterways encounter by acquiring the equipment to clear water hyacinth, a dangerous sea weed that has over the years remained a clog in water transport in the state. The state government to this end has donated two hyacinth harvester/craft and one boat to the Association of Tourist Boats Operators and Water Transportation of Nigeria (ATBOWATON), to clear the hyacinth from the boat paths even as the association said more of those machines were needed in other jetties. At both Jetties, THISDAY observed that water hyacinth covered some parts of the waters even as the seaweeds cluster and decay under it, making it difficult for boat to operate smoothly. A visit to the Ebute and Sea Coach ferry terminals in Ikorodu on Monday, showed that the operators had begun enjoying the impact of the operations of the harvester as it clears the weeds from waterways. However, the unwanted weeds easily find their ways back to the sea as they clear them vigorously. Chairman of ATBOWATON, Ayomikun Aworetan, explained that they have over the years, encountered difficulty in boat operations as the hyacinth, which clusters on the sea, poses a lot menace to their boats. He said the weeds often

damage boat engines, gear box or any other part that of the equipment once they get in into them, adding that boats also consume more fuel when they encounter the hyacinth. “When there is water hyacinth, there is no business, for instance, we spent over N500,000, 000 to construct that demarcation over there just to prevent them from the boat paths and that is what we do annually, the worst part of it is when the hyacinth get clustered or decays, it does a lot of dangers to the boats’ engines. “The business actually involves a lot of risks, for

instance, without water hyacinth, we use 30-35 litres of fuel but with hyacinth, the boat can consume over 45 liters, an engine is about N2 million, a new gear box is around N300,000,000, sometimes, the hyacinth damages any part or the engine and may demand outright change, the cost of operations is expensive. “We are grateful for this gesture from the state government but there has not been any government support but from private, we need more assistance in the form of more hyacinth harvesters and other facilities, we need to pay salaries, pay some fees to

LASTMA and other agencies”, he said. Also speaking, Bolaji Alaska, who operates executive boats at the Sea Coach ferry terminal, said many expensive boats have broken down as a result of water hyacinth, which clustered into their engines or propellers. He said the terminal recorded two incidents involving engines overnight due to hyacinth, adding that sometimes the hyacinth harbours a lot of clogs and unknown to the operator, it gets into the engines. “The propeller can be damaged, it is fair, if it is a single double boat but if it is single, the boat may not work

for day once the weeds get in and so we spent millions every year in demarcating the waterways from hyacinth. More of the harvesters are still needed even at other jetties”, he said. He said it will be difficult to tranever the cost of operations on the passengers adding that they need to be attracted and won’t be able to pay heavy fares. Tume Igwolawor, a captain of one the boats, said although the hyacinth harvester is a relief as it has started clearing the weeds, many of their boats have been damaged as a result of the menace, especially during the season when the hyacinth covers the sea.

YOU ARE VERY WELCOME

L-R: Chief Executive Officer, Phase3 Telecom, Mr. Stanley Jegede; Minister of Communication Technology, Barr. Adebayo Shittu and Director, Legal & Regulatory Services, Phase3 Telecom, Mr. Adebayo Azeez during the minister’s visit to Phase3 Telecom corporate headquarters in Abuja ...recently

Aviation, Tourism Identified as Alternative Revenue Sources Chinedu Eze The President of the National Association of Nigeria Travel Agencies (NANTA) Bankole Bernard has said that tourism and aviation could serve as huge alternative sources of revenue for Nigeria if the two sectors were properly harnessed. He said Nigeria as a country with large air passenger market and diverse tourist destinations could generate enormous resources from these two areas of the economy with the right policies, incentives and proper regulation. Bernard, who made the remark in a chat with journalists in Lagos, disclosed that NANTA

would organise Eminent Persons Award on December 15, 2016 to honour those, who have contributed immensely to the development of the travel industry, adding that the association has received commitment from stakeholders to support the programme. He said that aviation and tourism are inseparable, noting that if government takes the right decision in the aviation sector it would definitely rub off positively on the tourism sector. He called on the federal government to take decisive steps to address the challenges in the aviation industry, which include decaying infrastructure

at airports, incessant scarcity of aviation fuel, exit of international airlines from Nigeria, the trapped funds of the airline operating in the country, dwindling fortunes of domestic airlines and other issues. Some of these problems, he argued have been there for years and no significant efforts were made in the past to resolve them. “NANTA can speak up on issues without holding back on government policy affecting the aviation industry. If we continue to keep quiet all of us will live with a frustrated industry. We need to speak out on anything that is wrong with the industry,” he said.

The President disclosed that he met with the Minister of State, Aviation, Senator Hadi Sirika severally on issues affecting the aviation industry and how to address the challenges, adding that these meetings happened because, according to him, NANTA has not relented in pointing out the ills affecting the industry. On planned concession of the four major airports in Lagos, Abuja, Kano and Port Harcourt, Bernard said NANTA was not against the concession of the airports but that what the body is saying is that Nigerians must get value for airports when concessioned. He said that in 2017, NANTA

would not only put government on its toes but also ensure that the aviation industry got its desired attention from the federal government. “In 2017 NANTA is going to work like it has never worked before and we are going to let our industry get relevance that has been lacking before now. When the federal government gets aviation right, it will move into tourism. Tourism needs to be given the right attention so that we can maximise the benefits from it. If we develop aviation, tourism will benefit from it. Majority of the tourists who come to Nigeria for tourism come by air,” he said.

was inadequate and far below its requirement. Garba maintained that the issue of load shedding and inadequate power supply would be a thing of the past as soon as the project is integrated to the grid. “By the time the project is integrated to the grid then the final test running will be done and the project will be

inaugurated for use. “So, the country’s generation will be enhanced by 30 mega watts of electricity. That means in future, we are not going to have load shedding but regular power supply in Sokoto, “ Garba added. The IPP Project was awarded in 2008 by former Governor Aliyu Wamakko at the cost of N3.8billion.

Capital Market Editor

Goddy Egene

Senior Correspondent

Raheem Akingbolu (Advertising) Correspondents

Chinedu Eze (Aviation) Linda Eroke (Labour) Eromosele Abiodun (Cap Mkt) Ejiofor Alike (Energy) James Emejo (Nation’s Capital) Obinna Chima (Money Mkt) Reporters

Nume Ekeghe (Money Market) Nosa Alekhuogie (Maritime)

Sokoto Begins Test Run of IPP Project Mohammed Aminu in Sokoto Sokoto State Government, Wednesday commenced test run of the 30 mega watts Independent Power Plant (IPP). Addressing journalists at the IPP site in Arkilla area of Sokoto, the Secretary to the Sokoto State Government, Prof. Bashir Garba, said the test run was carried

out to ensure that the plant is in good condition before connecting it to the national grid. “This is the first stage to ensure that the turbines are working. It is a dual plant that can be powered by fuel, gas and diesel. “The next thing is to connect the power from the plant to the National grid through the injection station.

“So, by the time we get clearance from the transmission of Nigeria, then, the power will be transmitted to the National grid. As you are aware, when you generate more than one mega watt, it is a policy of the federal government that only TCN can uptake that power, “he said. He decried that what the state receives from the national grid

T H I S D AY • FRIDAY, DECEMBER 2, 2016

BUSINESSWORLD

AvIATION

AIR WATCH

NCAA Saves N2bn Annually by Domesticating International Training Programmes Chinedu Eze The Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) has devised ways of carrying out compulsory training for its technical and administrative staff in Nigeria as against the former practice, whereby the staff were sent overseas for the training. This cost cutting measure, according to the agency, will save it about N2 billion annually. Spokesman of the agency and General Manager, Public Affairs, Sam Adurogboye, who made this known on Tuesday said that civil aviation authorities all over the world have outlined compulsory training programme for their staff endorsed by the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) and because of poor local capacity, most of these training programmes were done overseas, but in the

reality of Nigeria’s present economic recession, the NCAA has decided to domestic many of these programmes. Adurogboye noted that long before the recession set in, NCAA was expending the bulk of its forex on overseas training for its staff, both technical and administrative. “It was a matter of policy that all middle and senior cadre staff attend one form of foreign training programme or the other at least once in two years. It was an entitlement, something staff really looked forward to. But it was a drain on the Authority’s purse. Its workforce has climbed steadily from just over 400 at its founding in 2001 to around 1,400 now. And this is without commensurate rise in its earnings. In fact, its main source of income, the five percent ticket and

cargo sales tax has remained almost static. Worse, airlines and other service providers owe NCAA over N12 billion, and are defaulting in rescheduled payments,” Adurogboye explaned. He noted that despite this reality the agency still carries out its training programmes for the staff because NCAA’s training programmes are mandatory and must be run on schedule, otherwise its status as a Category 1 institution could be in jeopardy. Adurogboye explained that such was the situation that Captain Mukhtar Usman found on ground when he assumed duties as the Director-General in 2015. For him, it was a delicate balancing act: find funds to train staff or risk losing the much cherished Category 1 safety status, which had just been renewed on his watch.

Economic Recession Calls for Intensified Monitoring of Airlines, Says DG, NCAA To ensure that Nigerian airlines continue to operate safely under the present economic recession, the Director-General of the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), Captain Muhtar Usman said the Authority has intensified the monitoring of activities of the operators. He said NCAA sanctioned some airlines and pilots recently when they strayed from the rules, adding that the Authority while supporting the operators in every way possible would ensure they do not compromise standards. “One of the major components of the regulatory agency is surveillance and we have intensified that; especially since this recession started, to ensure that all operators are abiding by the provisions of safety and security regulations and in the areas of enforcement and compliance, we have done a lot’’, he said.

He said recently the regulatory body withdrew the licenses of some pilots for infractions, in addition to sanctions on some airlines. “There are those that thought they would slip under our radar and do things that they should not do, we were able to sanction a number of operators; even individuals who had license and were trying to operate in ways contrary to the privileges given to them in their license, such as the pilots we caught and suspended from operating flights as a result of testing positive to illicit substances and some flying without necessary documentations and other infractions,” the Director General said. He noted that contrary to reports making the rounds, NCAA has been carrying out both local and international training because training of technical personnel is the

bedrock of the Civil Aviation Authority anywhere in the world, remarking that NCAA cannot deviate from that, adding that due to the present economic situation in the country, overseas training has to be prioritised and the agency has to be very prudent and strict in the way already limited funds are deployed. Muhtar also spoke about the development of the new headquarters of NCAA in Abuja, noting that no work has been done in the building since about four years ago because no funds was credited to the project in the budget. “As I am talking to you now international training is going on and local training is going on. T he only thing we want to do is to prioritise in view of the resent economic recession. The budget was done at the time dollar was below N200 and now it is about N400.

ICAO President Calls for Liberalisation of African Airspace The President of the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) Council, Dr. Bernard Aliu has called on African states to support the intra-connectivity of Africa by air transport, as enunciated in the Yamoussoukro Decision. Aliu made the call in an interview shortly after his re-election as ICAO Council President in Montreal, Canada. He said that the liberalisation of African airspace would boost the economy of African states, grow airlines in the continent and encourage trade among African nations. “At a personal level, it is a difficult subject for me to discuss, because I was one of those who negotiated the Yamoussoukro Decision for Africa

in the 90s. Unfortunately, that very important liberalisation document has not been fully implemented. And it was aimed to liberalise the movement of people in Africa. Although, there are some constraints- very difficult visa regimes, tax regimes that makes movement of people to be difficult. It can be improved upon for its size as a continent. Aviation in Africa can do better and Africa states can participate more equitably in international air transport,” Aliu said. He said African states should open up their market for movement among themselves first (among African states), removal of barriers to free movement of goods

and services and people. “It will become very attractive to low cost carriers and it will bring the cost of air travel down to the level of average income earners. And there is a growing middle-class market in Africa that is waiting to be tapped. Connectivity with the rest of the world is not possible without aviation. I am aware that the African Union is working on this, to create a single air transport market in Africa by 2017. But we are already at the end of 2016. ICAO has extended support to the Africa states in this area. There are issues that were of constraints before like the safety oversight, security oversight, development of necessary workforce,” Aliu said.

Lagos Airport domestic terminal, MMA2 How Emirates Dominates the World’s Skies

Emirates’ Business Class cabin

ith modern generation aircraft, highly efficient service, best-trained personnel and a nostalgic modern city, Emirates Airlines has made international air travel very competitive. About 10 years ago, European airlines dominated the African airspace. They charged high fares with straightjacket on-board service, until Middle East airlines, led by Emirates began to give them a run for their money. Today, European and America airlines are striving to meet the pace of Emirates, which continues to go a notch higher with its inimitable on-board service, extraordinary cuisine and unique passenger satisfaction. According to independenttraveller.com, “Everything is over-the-top in Dubai -- and this airline from the United Arab Emirates is no exception. From the striking draped-scarf headgear that their attendants wear to the entertainment system that offers more channel choices than other airlines, the carrier doesn’t shy away from standing out. Emirates was also the first airline to allow people to use their cell phones in flight.” Emirates distances itself from airline alliances and chose to code-share and buy over airlines. It placed itself at a level that it has become a preferred airline by passengers from different parts of the world that could reject their own national carriers to enjoy the unique service of the Middle East carrier. Emirates is known to erode the markets where European and American carriers hold sway and that explains why there have been agitation by these airlines to review the open sky policies in the US and in Europe with the aim to forestall the inroad Emirates is making in these markets. Recently the airline took selected Nigerian aviation journalists on a trip to Dubai on facility tour of its cabin crew training. Emirates aviation cabin crew training covers a number of key learning areas. This is where cabin crew personnel are made to imbibe the culture of the airline. For a new or ab-intio trainees, training takes place over seven weeks on all emirates aircraft: A330/A340, Boeing B777 and A380. The seven-week course covers all aspects of the crew member’s role, including evacuation and safety and emergency procedures, group medical training, cabin service training, image and uniform and duty free sales. Speaking during a tour at the Emirates Cabin Crew Training Centre, Dubai, Pamela Mizzi said cabin crew are trained on how to wear their uniforms and how to attend to customers, adding that the seven splits in the scarf of the uniform represents the seven emirates of the United Arab Emirates. On their appearance, she explained that the ladies are taught how to apply their makeup, the foundation to use, red lip stick of their choice to match up with their skin colours, nutrition and fitness and proper skin care. Mizzi said once the crewmember wears their uniforms for the first time, it is usually like a dream come true for them. “Every time before the crew members fly, their

hairstyle, nails, accessories and makeup are checked to make sure they meet up to the standard Emirates has set down. We take note of how cabin crew compose themselves and speak to customers,” she added. Also the Training Specialist Service, Ujala Bhan explained to the journalists that the seat demonstration room is essential for cabin as it prepares them on how to manually function the seats if there are malfunctions. On the duty free products, which are sold to passengers while on-board flight, she disclosed that the bestselling destination is Africa and Lagos is one of the highest destination sales. “Not all crew members are trained for duty free but in time to come, all crew members will be trained on duty free. The airline has its exclusive products. Cabin crew members receive 10 percent commission on sales for duty free,” Bhan said. Instructor, Safety and Emergency Procedure, Walid Mansy said the airline has two simulators and it takes participants 13 days to embark on safety training. “Pilots and cabin crew are taught on emergency landing, what to do when there is turbulence and how to respond in emergency situation. Every year, pilots from various countries and different airlines come here to renew their license. We train them, using simulators. “Presently, we operate Boeing 777-300 aircraft and we are the largest operator of the Airbus 380-82. In all, we have 250 aircraft. One thing we pride ourselves in is that we continually operate the most modern fleet,” Mansy added. No airline has grown at a faster pace in aviation history. In the past 31 years, Emirates Airline has not only become one of the largest commercial air carriers in the world but it has dramatically influenced the entire global industry. Emirates officials disclosed that Emirates has remained the airline to beat in the world, from breaking plane order records to setting new industry standards, the world has often turned to Dubai to witness yet another astonishing milestone. Today, Emirates carries over 50 million passengers annually, with a fleet of more than 250 aircraft. Its 140 destinations in more than 80 countries on six continents are continually expanding. Its workforce also is immense, with 75,000 people representing more than 160 nationalities. The airline few weeks ago announced that it had done away with all other aircraft types in its fleet and would henceforth operate only Airbus A380 and Boeing N777 aircraft. The airline officials also explained that Emirates was launched on October 25, 1985, with a Boeing 727-200 flight to Karachi, Pakistan. Chairman Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum and Briton Sir Maurice Flanagan had been given two planes and $10m to get the airline off the ground – a figure they would now spend in a split second. Emirates has come and jolt the long haul air travel market, forcing other carriers to jostle and upgrade their standards. Not only that the airline jolted the international air market, the Middle East airline is also there for the long haul.

T H I S D AY • FRIDAY, DECEMBER 2, 2016

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AVIATION

Outcry on Aviation Sector Falls on Deaf Ears In the last few months, the National Assembly has raised concerns about the state of the aviation industry. But despite the efforts to draw the parlous attention to the Nigerian authorities, their solutions appear to have fallen on deaf ears, writes Chinedu Eze

Members of Senate Committee on Privatisation inspecting facilities at MMA2

About two months ago, the House Committee on Aviation came to Lagos on a fact-finding mission, to confirm reports about impairments at the international terminal of the Murtala Muhammed Airport, Lagos. This was followed by a public hearing about the ills threatening the aviation industry, which include paucity and high cost of aviation fuel; the grounding of Aero Contractors scheduled operation; the obsolete facilities at the airports and issues concerning planned concession of airport terminal facilities and controversy over the concession of the Murtala Muhammed airport domestic terminal, known as MMA2, given out in concession to Bi-Courtney Aviation Services Limited (BASL). Last week, the Senate Committee on Aviation visited the Lagos airport and lamented financial wastages of past administrations on unrealised projects and the prevailing infrastructure decay at the airports. For the first time a searchlight was beamed at the inadequacies of Nigeria’s navigational and communications facilities in the airspace, forcing the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA) to acknowledge the failure of equipment and the well-known blind spots in the airspace where pilots cannot communicate with air traffic control while in-flight. Last Monday, the Senate Committee on Privatisation visited the Lagos airport, had a tour of the facilities at MMA2 and berated the federal government for its failure to honour agreements and explained how this infraction has damaged Nigeria’s image abroad and discouraged foreign, direct investment. Implementation While these issues were raised by the National Assembly, industry observers express worries that these myriads of problems are never solved after all the hoopla of media frenzy and in the next political section, the legislators will start all over to drum attention to themselves with the same problems. They would always say they would issue reports at the end of the day to the executive. But no one can forget the circus show with so much media hype, which public hearing on aviation and other sectors attract. Industry critics say that the National Assembly should go steps further beyond doing reports to nudge government to execute their recommendation in those reports. When the House Committee visited the Lagos airport and toured the new international terminal facility, the members were not so much attuned to the present clamour for the concession of airport facilities. They were also eager to see the problems of the industry solved. More Action, Less Words The Chairman of the Committee, Hon. Nkiru Onyejeocha said the House would assist the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) to take deliberate action to alleviate the pain

occasioned by the current recession on the airlines, noting that if such action was not taken the airlines might collapse and requested from the Director-General of the regulatory authority, Captain Muhtar Usman if any measures had been adopted already to support the domestic carriers. “We want to help the airlines overcome this recession period. We do not want any other airline to go under. Now that Aero Contractors has stopped scheduled service many people will be out of jobs if it does not resume and the industry will be adversely affected if another airline is allowed to go under,” Onyejeocha said. Onyejeocha said in an interview with THISDAY: “We are facing issues of recession, inadequate supply of Jet A1 and airlines not performing optimally due to hindrances like lack of airfield lighting on some runways. And now some airlines may go under. Aero Contractors has already stopped operation. IRS Airlines, Chanchangi and others have been out of business for a while, so I am worried. As a Nigerian I am worried because aviation should be one of the sectors that should fund our budget. It should contribute to our GDP and if it is not, every right thinking person should be worried. This is more so when I am the Chair, House Committee on Aviation, so everything that is not working towards the upliftment of the sector should keep me worried. Asked how the House will ensure these problems are solved?, she said: “We are going to make recommendations. The Ministry representatives were at the public hearing. The Director-General of the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority attended the public hearing. Our recommendation will be based on what is obtained internationally. We must apply best international practices because there is no way Nigeria can be charging airlines VAT while in other countries airlines do not pay VAT. And in Nigeria it is only the airlines in that pay VAT in the transportation system.’’ She added: “As far as I am concerned, aviation is a global sector; while certain regulations could be localised but the mode of operation must follow that international standard because Nigeria is a member of the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO). So we must do everything

The Senate Committee noted that if government signs an agreement that it does not intend to honour the consequence is that it damages the image of the country

in compliance with ICAO standard. The way to go is to do recommendation and we have seen everything and I did not see them fault those submissions concerning over taxation.” Poor Navigational Aids When the Senate Committee on Aviation visited last week, the members pointed out issues with the nation’s disclosing that navigational aids are obsolete and some of them are in disrepair so it is difficult for pilots to fly through some parts of the airspace. They also pointed out that the communication between pilot and air traffic control is impaired by blind spots; that is, the areas of the airspace where there is no communications between the pilot and air traffic control, where the pilot has to use experience to manoeuvre through. All these the Senate noted constitute danger to safe flight operation. Vice chairman of the Senate committee on aviation, Senator Bala Ibn Na Allah who is also a pilot spoke about the hard decisions pilots have to contend with on a daily basis in order to fly safely through the airspace with inadequate navigational equipment, noting that ineffectively communication in the airspace has become inimical to air safety. N’Allah recalled that these problems have been there over the years and despite huge amount of money spent on projects to improve safety in the airspace, the problems have continued to exist. The Committee berated the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA) and the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority, saying that the later failed in its oversight functions to regulate the airspace management agency, while decrying the billions of Naira spent on equipment procurement and execution without any discernible improvement in airspace safety. Na’Allah observed that in the aviation industry contracts are inflated and when compared to other countries, a 10th of what is budgeted to execute a project in Nigeria is used to provide the best of similar project overseas, adding, “The navigational aids we have in Ghana, Togo, Dakar, Senegal, we have spent five times of the money they spent, yet we are yet to have the kind of equipment they have. So when we talk about funds the problem is much more than that. Collectively we have failed, so individually let us correct those mistakes that we made in the past. We do not have the funds now. We will never have the kind of funds that we had in the past in the foreseeable future. So we need to change our attitude now.” Honouring Agreements The Senate Committee on Privatisation led by its Chairman, Senator Ben Bruce spoke to newsmen with fury after inspecting the facilities at the domestic terminal of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos.

The Committee berated the federal government for its failure to honour agreement it entered into when it concession the domestic terminal of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, known as MMA2 to Bi-Courtney Aviation Services Limited (BASL). The concession agreement, which was reached in 2006 stated that BASL would build a new terminal after the old one was consumed by fire and it would be done on built, operate and transfer (BOT) arrangement with the terminal operating as the only domestic facility in Lagos state and also allows the company to operate regional services. The agreement had attracted a lot of flaks from industry insiders and legal luminaries because the terms of agreement were not kept by government and since that agreement was reach in 2006 and the terminal flagged off in 2007, the controversy has refused to go away. The Committee Chairman, Senator Ben Bruce noted, “We have just been presented by Captain Jari Williams (COO of BASL) about the difficulty Bi-Courtney has had with government either with the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) or the Ministry of Aviation representing the federal government of Nigeria. You concession this facility and having done that you had an agreement, which is binding legally but you do not intend to honour any aspect of the agreement. That is what is fundamentally at stake. Why go into an agreement, and I am assuming the federal government has very intelligent lawyers, who were protecting the interest of government. “If the agreement says, for instance, West African flights should leave or land here, why has that not happened? If you say, for example, all the flights in Lagos should take off from here; why has that not happened? Why would you concession a terminal and you go to government or to the public and collect money to built another facility when you have a private sector individual funding this by himself? That is a fundamental issue, which makes no sense in law or logic,” Senator Bruce said. The Senate Committee noted that if government signs an agreement that it does not intend to honour the consequence is that it damages the image of the that country and “you frighten people who otherwise would want to get involved in a concession in the privatisation any other government concern.” These issues brought to the fore are germane and they are the acute problems the industry has been suffering from over the years. But the pontification of the National Assembly seems to be a cycle that comes with so much furry and ends without any implementation. And while the National Assembly may still be lamenting about the failure of government to honour the agreement it reached with BASL, another controversy is presently in conception: the future concession of Nigeria’s major airports to the Tav Group of Turkey.

T H I S D AY • FRIDAY, DECEMBER 2, 2016

BUSINESSWORLD

AVIATION

Mawadri: Nigeria’s Aviation Sector has Great Potential for Growth

General Manager, Etihad Airways in Nigeria, George Mawadri, in an interview with journalists, said the country’s population portends a huge air travel market on a continent that is today the world’s second fastest growing destination for international traffic. Chinedu Eze brings the excerpts: You have been operating in Nigeria for over four years. Can you give us an insight on how business has been for you on the Lagos – Abu Dhabi route? Etihad Airways currently operates four-timesper-week service between Lagos and Abu Dhabi and the route is operated by an Airbus A330-200 aircraft configured to carry 20 business and 240 economy class passengers. We launched our service in July 2012, and business has been good due to the large number of passengers regularly travelling between Nigeria and key business and leisure capitals around the world. Nigeria is Africa’s most populous country and the Nigerian aviation industry has great potential for growth and development to meet the demand for international travel as foreign investment in the country, and the West African region, continues to grow. However, it is always going to be competitive due to the number of carriers in the market. This is only to be expected, and we welcome competition because it enables us to differentiate ourselves from other carriers through the quality of our services, and the innovative products we offer on-board and on the ground. What is your disposition on the challenges local airlines are going through in Nigeria I think the aviation industry generally faces the same problems in the country. The fuel shortage recently was a problem. We also struggled with fuel shortage but I am glad to mention that there are steps that the government is taking with reference to those shortcomings that we have at the moment within the market. Fuel and infrastructures were part of the issues mentioned at the stakeholders’ conference in Lagos. At the international airport, a lot is happening and we appreciate what the Transportation Ministry is doing to make it easier for us as operators. It will make Nigeria a better destination. You are operating in Nigeria at a time when many local airlines are undergoing challenges and downsizing. How have you managed to retain and grow your business performance? We focus on providing our guests with innovative products and services, both in the air and on the ground. Understandably, Nigerian travellers want the best, and we are committed to providing that for them. We have also built close working relationships with our corporate and travel trade partners here in Nigeria. Thankfully, they have been very supportive of our business and I am confident this will continue in the future. What are some of those unique things travelers can lookout for in Etihad Airways? In January 2014 the US Transportation Security Administration (TSA) opened a Pre-Clearance facility in Abu Dhabi, which enables Etihad Airways passengers from Nigeria travelling onwards to New York, Washington, Dallas, Chicago, San Francisco and Los Angeles, to arrive in the US as a domestic traveller, and able to leave the airport quickly without having to wait in long queues. Being able to clear immigration, security and customs checks in Abu Dhabi makes the travel process very efficient and hassle free for our guests, and the feedback to-date has been extremely positive.

Nigerian travellers want the best, and we are committed to providing that for them

Mawadri

Over the last year, Etihad Airways has brought new levels of luxury and comfort to travellers with the introduction of our Airbus A380 and Boeing B787-9 Dreamliner aircraft, which feature the airline’s ground-breaking cabins. Also, guests who fly on Etihad Airways’ long-haul routes from Abu Dhabi can experience award-winning premium products and services. For discerning guests, the ultimate experience is The Residence aboard our fleet of A380 aircraft. This is a luxurious private three-room suite in the sky, which offers the same levels of comfort that can be found in some of the world’s leading hotels and restaurants, with private shower and a personal butler, allowing them to relax, dine and sleep in the ultimate of settings. Available on our next generation A380 and B787 aircraft is the First Apartment, which offers a complete living space with a reclining lounge chair and a full-length ottoman which opens up to become a separate 80.5 inch long fully-flat bed. Other unique features include a chilled mini-bar, a personal vanity unit, and a swivelling 24” monitor. A fully equipped shower room is also available on the A380 for exclusive use by first class guests. What do you regard as the key operating challenges in Africa today? Africa is the world’s second fastest growing destination for international air traffic, but greater synergies are needed by governments and industry partners to ensure safety standards are enhanced, operating efficiencies are realised and there are more qualified people to join the workforce across the continent. Share with us your expansion plans in Nigeria, West Africa region and Africa? Etihad Airways has steadily grown its network in Africa and currently operates scheduled services

from 10 destinations including: Johannesburg, Nairobi, Entebbe, Dar es Salaam, Khartoum, Casablanca, Rabat, Lagos, Cairo and Mahé in the Seychelles. We have also been able to significantly extend this reach to a total of 23 destinations across the continent by entering into codeshare partnerships with kulula, Kenya Airways, Royal Air Maroc, and strategic equity partner in Air Seychelles. In the circles of the Nigerian government, there are considerations to revive Nigeria Airways, the national carrier what are your thoughts on this? We would welcome it. As I mentioned previously, competition benefits travellers and provides them with greater choices; it drives up the standards of the products and services on offer, and at greater value. What do you think is giving you competitive edge over other airlines in the Middle East and beyond? Our fleet is one of the youngest in the world, with over 110 aircraft travelling to over 100 destinations. When you join our loyalty programme, Etihad Guest, you can earn and redeem miles with seven airlines in over 150 destinations worldwide. You can also spend your miles in our online reward shop or convert them into cash with PointsPay. If you are travelling on business, your company could earn miles every time you travel. Sign up for BusinessConnect, the loyalty programme that rewards you, and your company, for every trip. Why not break up your next business trip or holiday with a stopover in Abu Dhabi? Our Business Class guests can enjoy a complimentary one-night stay in a 5-star hotel in Abu Dhabi or Dubai. We have our comfortable seats with in-seat

massage facility, adjustable headrest and footrest, and on our A380/B787 Dreamliner, adjustable seats firmness. There are special mattress for bedtime comfort with complimentary loungewear and slippers on ultra long-haul flights. We also have food and beverage manager to also guide you through the extensive menu options and make wine and beverage recommendations. Our flying nanny provides a helping hand with little ones on long-haul flights. Hundreds of hours of the latest movies, TV, music and games enjoyed through noise-cancelling headsets on a touch screen TV of up to 18 inches. Etihad Airways was established by Royal (Amiri) Decree in July 2003. It commenced operations in November 2003 and has developed into one of the fastest growing airlines in the history of commercial aviation. The airline seeks to reflect the best of Arabian hospitality - cultured, considerate, warm and generous - as well as enhance the prestige of Abu Dhabi as a centre of hospitality between East and West. Our goal is to be a truly 21st century, global airline, challenging and changing the established conventions of airline hospitality. Every year, we receive a range of awards that reflect our position as one of the world’s leading premium airline brands, including ‘World’s Leading Airline’ at the World Travel Awards for five consecutive years. We are committed to a strategy of collaborative growth in order to gain the scale we require to be competitive in the global air transport market. Beyond our organic growth, this is being achieved through the development of a strong base of codeshare partnerships, and minority investments in strategically important airlines, which combined, provide access to hundreds of destinations we do not serve with our own aircraft.

T H I S D AY • FRIDAY, DECEMBER 2, 2016

BUSINESSWORLD

MARITIME

Oderinde: Growth of Agro-allied Sector Will Boost the N’Delta Economy

Team Leader, Market Development in the Niger Delta, Tunde Oderinde, in this interview with Eromosele Abiodun, relates how his organisation is stimulating improved performance in select agriculture value chains to better the lot of individuals and grow the Niger Delta economy Our readers would like to know more about MADE? Market Development in the Niger Delta (MADE) is a programme that seeks to increase the incomes of poor men and women in the Niger Delta. We adopt a market development approach to support growth in the region’s non-oil economy by stimulating sustainable, pro-poor growth in selected agricultural and agricultural input markets, and improving the position of economically active poor and women in these markets by making them more inclusive. How far have you gone in achieving your objectives in the Niger Delta? The overall objectives of MADE is to increase the incomes of at least 150,000 poor men and women in the Niger Delta. As at 2016, MADE has attracted approximately 1.4 million Pound Sterling private sector and partners contributions to the various intervention pilots in the Niger Delta. MADE intervention implementation continues with focus on consolidating and scaling up series of initiatives with market actors in the five value chains across all nine Delta state. These interventions areas of focus are: Improving fish farmers knowledge and access to new markets; sustainable cassava production with bio-products as inputs in the Niger Delta region; improving access to and the use of improved small-scale processing equipment (SSPE) by small and medium scale millers and mill users; improving productivity and access to new markets for small household poultry producers; Improving quality, distribution and sales of finished leather goods. Your organisation recently launched some grant opportunities for people in the Niger Delta, what was it all about? Yes, we launched the grant called Technology Adoption Grant (TAG). It is a N80,000,000.00 (Eighty Million Naira) private sector matching grant fund aimed at stimulating improved performance in select agriculture value chains palm oil, fisheries, to increased incomes for the actors – individuals, enterprises and economic growth in the Niger Delta. The grant funds will be awarded to eligible individuals and enterprises through a competitive grant process. Successful bids can receive up to a maximum N1.1 million depending on the funding window. The competition is open solely to individual businesses and enterprises domiciled and operating in the Niger Delta. The TAG fund is financed by the UK Department for International Development (DFID) and managed by MADE. The TAG fund seeks to encourage adoption of new technology in select value chains - palm oil and fisheries, and inclusive business model that will stimulate the participation of the poor in the value chain by demonstrating commercial incentives, production efficiency and benefits to the actors on the supply and demand sides. The fund intends to support businesses engaged in the select value chains at the production and processing levels targeting new market actors and related service providers (such as oil palm commercial millers, harvesters, farmers group) to acquire newly or upgrade to use of improved technologies to improve efficiency and commercial viability of their businesses. This will trigger the demonstration effect required for wider adoption by other actors in the value chain that meet the eligibility criteria and fund objectives and successful scale. How do you expect farmers to apply? The TAG fund has three windows, each with a different focus. Eligible applicants can apply for funding through any of the windows. The first window is for improving access to affordable improved fish smoking Kiln. Access to new kilns will increase health benefits for

Oderinde

fish smokers, increase safety from fire hazards, smoking efficiency, smoking capacity, and reduce fuel costs. These will reduce wastage of unprocessed fish and increase incomes for the smokers. Improved fish smoking capacity will increase fish smokers’ incomes and profitability by reducing on-shore post-harvest losses. Savings will be made from reduction in expenditure on maintenance / reconstruction of housing units and of the old traditional smoking. The second window is for improving access to improved Palm Oil processing technologies. As a response to low oil output and earnings experienced by smallholder millers through the use of engine powered digester and a manual press, MADE is encouraging equipment manufacturers to fabricate and sell small sized components of improved palm oil processing technologies. One of such is the NIFOR designed Small Scale Processing Equipment (SSPE) which has been proven to increase oil extraction rates by 30 per cent, reduce time spent on processing and labour usage. MADE seeks lead commercial millers, who are interested in acquiring the small set of SSPE for their use and organising demonstrations on its benefits and use targeted at other millers, mill-users and farmers. This is expected to increase awareness on benefits of SSPE and in turn, increased demand for the technologies by millers and mill users, thus leading to increased oil yields while the third window is improving access to improved harvesting technologies. Harvesting of oil palm Fresh Fruit Bunches (FFB) by small and medium scale oil palm plantation farmers in the Niger Delta region is largely a manual operation which is highly inefficient. In addition, climbers are becoming scarce due to changing demographics and rural-urban migration. MADE is engaging with the marketers to promote the benefits and use of improved harvesting technologies such as the Mechanical Adjustable Harvester and Malaysian knife proven to increase the quantity

of harvestable Fresh Fruit Bunches (FFB) by 50 per cent compared to manual method and reduce time spent on harvesting. MADE seeks lead commercial harvesters and farmers groups who are interested in acquiring the Mechanical Adjustable Harvester and Malaysian knife for their use and organising demonstrations on its benefits and use targeted at other farmers. This is expected to increase awareness on benefits of the improved harvesting technologies and in turn, increased demand for the technologies by farmers, thus leading to increased FFB output. The grants are limited and it runs from November to December 2016. There is a technology component of your work. You provide improved technology to make the products better and equally more profitable. How do you help these local fishermen and those who produce palm oil in the villages to improve technology processing and production? We look across the value chain to see how we can bring efficiency, improved product quality and at the same time participation at affordable price. We realised that for a lot of the processors who would want to get value for money, using the obsolete mills is not giving them the value they would really like to have. For instance, the people in palm oil complained about not been able to breakeven except they have to sell the kernels and all other things after extracting the oil and I think that helped us to look deep. In collaboration with NIFOR, we realised that they have already developed a new mill, which is small scale processing equipment. Through that we’ve built capacities of fabricators within the Delta who now know how to fabricate that. Do people know about the technology, not so sure and that’s why we try to promote the use of that technology through the grant. And I will tell you the logic. If we have the technology spread across the Delta

and we are able to get our processors to use that technology, and we see the benefits, it means a lot of the millers will want to upgrade the technology. We know that financing is a problem and for some of them, the offering cost is always a challenge, not that they don’t want the finance. We’re also looking at the financing component where they can leverage on our support and our relationship with some of the financial institutions for them to be able to take that forward. The same thing in the fishery industry as well, we have seen that at a point when almost every farmer is producing for the market, there is likely glut and what is means is the fishes are ripe to be sold but because of the gluts the price offering is not worthwhile and the fishes cannot be kept because it’s like the person is wasting money trying to feed them after six months. We are saying why not process and add value to the fish, stock it up, give it longer life for another six months to one year where people who relish dry fish will come for it or you could take it to high value market. What we see around is the drop but we are now coming up with the Kiln which will enable them do the value and also able to bet the right moisture contain. The Kiln is a product after several researches by the Nigerian Institute of Oceanography and Marine Research and through that also we have built capacities of fabricators for them to be able to fabricate these for any interested investor. What next after the grant? MADE continues to work across the nine states of the Niger Delta and is on course to meet its key impact target, which is, an increase in the incomes of at least 150,000 poor men and women. We will continue to consolidate our work in the five value chains whilst achieving improved integration of cross-cutting support, especially in terms of gender mainstreaming.

T H I S D AY • FRIDAY, DECEMBER 2, 2016

BUSINESSWORLD

MARItIME

House Committee Pledges to Support Rebuilding Process in NIMASA

Eromosele Abiodun

The House of Representatives Committee on Maritime Safety, Education and Administration has resolved to support the rebuilding efforts of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) in its quest to reposition, for greater efficiency. The Chairman of the Committee, Hon. Mohammed Umar Bago disclosed this when he led other members of his committee on an oversight visit to the agency.

Bago challenged the agency’s management on its budget implementation stating that the Committee expects an implementation of over 90 per cent. He called on the management to spend the funds appropriated according to the provisions of the law so that the value of the projects can be realised. Describing NIMASA and the Committee as partners in progress, Bago pledged the unflinching support of members to enable the agency deliver on its mandate in ensuring the

growth and development of the maritime sector, especially now that the country is in a recession. The committee chair called on the management not to see their visit as punitive but as a wakeup call noting that, “in the 8th Assembly, the legislative agenda is the same. All of us apply the same approach now in trying to bring out the best in our parastatals. We should not be seen as vindictive or punitive but as partners in progress.” On its part, the management of NIMASA assured the Committee of the Agency’s readiness

to cooperate with the Committee in the interest of the maritime industry and the country as a whole. “When you are given an assignment, you are expected to be accountable, you are expected to conduct the assignment in a transparent manner. The oversight function today is part of the accountability responsibility on our side. The National Assembly appropriates for us so we are expected to be accountable. And so we have given account of our stewardship.

“The National Assembly may not have been totally satisfied with what we have done but they appreciate that a lot is being done to change the narrative in NIMASA, “it stated. NIMASA assured the Committee that there would be a significant improvement in the operations of the Agency. It also welcomed the call for synergy between the Executive and Legislative arms of government for the benefit of Nigerians. “The beauty of democracy is collaboration, synergy between

the Executive and the Legislative arms of government. It is not we versus them; we are all working for a single purpose to help Nigerians. We are working to help the Nigerian people to ensure that life is better for all our people. No single arm of government can do it alone; we must work in a collaborative manner,”it added. The Committee also visited the NIMASA Resource Centre and met with some stakeholders in the maritime industry including the Maritime Workers Union of Nigeria (MWUN).

‘Maritime Sector Can Bail FG Out of Recession’ The nation’s maritime sector can bail Nigeria out of economic recession if the federal government gives the necessary attention to the sector, the League of Maritime Editors has said. President of the League, Mr. Ovie Edomi argued that even at hard times, the nation’s maritime industry has the potential to generate more revenue for the government. Edomi who spoke at a one-day seminar titled, “How to Improve Maritime and Allied Industries Revenue in a Depressed Economy,’ said that for this to be achieved, the government must be ready to make the necessary sacrifice. He said part of the measures would be for government to consider as fast as possible infrastructures rehabilitation at the nation’s ports in such a way that it impact positively on the ease of doing business in Nigerian ports. Edomi also noted that efficiency in the ports system as a result of improved facilities will reduce cost of doing business in Nigeria and will in turn discourage those who have chosen to divert cargoes meant for Nigeria through the neighboring ports. He thus stated that all the agencies of government in the ports should be awake to their statutory responsibilities as this will promote efficiency. He added that this should include checking the excesses and arbitrary high charges by service providers, one of the reasons why some Nigerian businessmen patronise neigbouring ports. According to him, once facilities were working efficiently at affordable costs, the trend will in turn lead to improved revenue generation from the ports as more and more people will use the nation’s ports. Edomi said: “It is pertinent for me to state at this stage that as Editors and Publishers, we saw this great nation in the era of oil boom to the extent that in the 70s, the Nigerian nation was thinking of what to do with her foreign reserve. “Today the situation is different; the giant of Africa is in a recession. As Editors and watchdog of the society, we believe that there are vast

opportunities/resources in the maritime industry. In fact, after oil the next highest source of generating revenue is the Maritime industry. “Some people argue that if Nigeria harnesses her Maritime potentials, the country can generate three times what the country currently generate from oil. If the experts say this, as gatekeepers and agenda setters, we feel that policy makers need to take a second look at peerless editorials, as well as opinions expressed by experts on the issue.” Edomi explained that the lecture was part of League’s contributions to economic development in the maritime sector by identifying ways in which the industry can improve on their revenue generation. According to him, if the nation must achieve any economic reckoning in the vision 2020 framework, the country must not only create jobs and develop capacity, the seamless transition in the way image makers manage their bosses as well as the various agencies, institutions of government must be given deep consideration. Meanwhile, the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency, NIMASA, has said that it was committed to addressing all security issues on the nation’s territorial waters in order to boost robust maritime operations and achieve increased revenue generation. The Head of Corporate Communications Team of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), Hajia Lami Tumaka, commended the League for the efforts. Tumaka advised the organisers not to be discouraged due to the recession, adding that one day, their efficiency would be rewarded. She added, “the recession the country is facing is affecting everybody. I will want the maritime media to report people’s views on solutions to the situation we found ourselves. The media should support NIMASA in searching for alternative means of getting revenue for government. It is encouraging now that every pieces of land nearby are being used for farming.

FASHION WEEK

L-R: Chairman Style House Files/Lagos Fashion and Design Week, Tokunbo Akerele; Minister of State for Industry, Trade and Investment, Aisha Abubakar; and Head MSME Banking, Sterling Bank Plc, Omolara Akinfolarin at the Lagos Fashion and Design Week 2016 X-Retail … recently

House Committee Decries NIMASA’s Treatment of Maritime Labour Eromosele Abiodun The House Committee on Maritime Safety has accused the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) of undermining maritime labour stressing that something should be done to reverse the trend. The Chairman of the Committee, Mr. Mohammed Bago, made the remark during a familiarisation tour to the National Association of Stevedoring Companies (NASC) in Lagos. He said that the Bureau of Public Enterprises (BPE), the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) and concessionaires were working toward harnessing the operations of stevedoring companies. Bago said he agreed with the allegation made against NIMASA by the leader of maritime Labour that the agency was not allowing tally clerks and onboard security men to operate at the ports. The committee chair said that NIMASA had enormous power in Nigeria in terms of maritime service. He said due to lack of understanding and lack of commitment, the Department of Labour in NIMASA had not

been given priority. The chairman said shipping development had been given much attention by NIMASA, while the stevedoring companies were not given enough attention by the agency. Bago, however, commended the efforts of the NASC for creating time in spite the short notice to accommodate them and to listen to their views, adding that the operators should improve on their synergy and pass their views to the committee. He said that the committee would work toward a retreat by bringing all the maritime stakeholders together with the hope of moving the country forward. However, the Director, Maritime Labour and Service of NIMASA, Mrs. Juliana Gunwa, said that the agency was presently holding stakeholders meeting to look into the operation of onboard security men and tally clerks. Gunwa said that the agency had been having peaceful relationship with the operators in the maritime labour industry in the last few years. “The issues raised by stevedoring association are all being looked into because the Federal Ministry of Transportation had approved a Ministerial regula-

tion which is supposed to take care of some of these issues. The executive management of NIMASA had given an approval for these regulations to be formally presented to stakeholders in December 15, this year. These will go a long way in solving the issue of members of stevedoring companies not being allowed to participate effectively at the jetties, offshore and others, “she said. She said that the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) had yet to review the concession agreement, adding that NIMASA had been having good relationship with the union. Gunwa said that the Management of NIMASA was working toward being able to be on top of enforcement duties. The National President of the NASC, Mr. Bolaji Sunmola, said the NPA without regard to the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) Act refused to pay the tally clerks and onboard security men. Sunmola said that NPA eventually locked the tally clerks and onboard security men out of the ports. “Whereas the NIMASA Act provides the procedures and conditions under which

a registered dockworker could either be removed, suspended or dismissed. We took our protest to the Minister of transportation with no favourable response. We are now talking with the owners of the NIMASA Act and wish to humbly request that this breach of the law should be revisited under parliamentary overview. For now, we are hearing that the work of the tally clerks is about to be contracted to cargo surveyors. This matter Needs urgent investigation by the House Committee, ’’he said. He also complained about the refusal of private jetties and offshore terminal operators to accept stevedores and stevedoring companies appointed by the NPA. “Bearing in mind that the duties of loading and off-loading of cargo in this area belong by law to registered stevedore/stevedoring companies, it is obvious that government is losing a great deal of revenue. As registered and licensed stevedores under the NIMASA Act, we demand a monopoly of the job and protection from any form of encroachment by other unauthorised port users, seeking for contracts within the terminals as is the position of the law at present, ’’he stated.

T H I S D AY • FRIDAY, DECEMBER 2, 2016

BUSINESSWORLD

NEWS

High FX Rate: Insurers Groan under Huge Claims Figure Ebere Nwoji The twin problems of high exchange rate, which has seen the Nigerian commodity price index moving at geometric increase rate and adverse effects of climatic change with its attendant risk of damages to lives and properties in 2016 have exposed Nigerian insurers into high claims ratio experience in 2016 more than ever. The insurers, said their claims experience in the current year, more than doubled what it was in 2015, adding that by the nature of insurance business, which is periodic and is renewable on annual basis, the high exchange rate of Naira to dollar has more than doubled their claims figure as what they spend in paying claims to their clients whose properties were damaged during the course of the year compared to what it

was before now has more than doubled. Both the Chairman Nigeria Insurers Association (NIA), Eddie Efekoha and Group Managing Director Royal Exchange Plc Auwalu Muktari, said the above twin problems gave insurers tough time during the year. Specifically, the NIA Chairman, narrating the operators’ claims experience during the year 2016, at a press briefing organised by the association in Lagos, said during renewals in 2015,when premiums were paid, it was paid based on old Naira exchange rate to dollar which was N196.00 to a dollar but now claims are paid based on current exchange rate which is over N400.00 to a dollar. He gave instance of third party motor insurance, saying the cost of repairing even the least damage on a vehicle has

more than doubled because of high prices of motor spare parts adding that the same goes to other classes of business and claims emanating from them. Muktari of Royal Exchange, said the year 2016, came with challenges of huge claims coming the way of the industry operators particularly as a result of negative impact of climatic change. He said against the backdrop of the economic recession , premium generation has not really been a serious problem to insurers but huge claims experience coming their way particularly this year as a result of negative effects of climatic change. The Royal Exchange boss, said: “In the year 2016, we envisaged a lot of claims coming our way due to climatic change.” There has been heavy rain in the northern part of the country,

before now, it has not been like that. With the climate change, there is heavy rain in the north this year .We have not seen that before in the north we have only seen it in the south so they are not prepared for it. So many houses have been affected, also, the terrorists activities have caused a lot of pipeline vandalism, the terrorists activities in the north, in form of Boko Haram, many police, soldiers were killed, and these have group life cover. Houses were damaged, all these brought a lot of claims to the industry in the current year. There are a lot of factors that have affected claims rate in this 2016”, he stated. On the way forward for the industry, Muktari, said the most important thing is how to increase operators’ capacity of doing businesses so that the industry will have larger capacity to accommodate more risks

instead of ceding huge risks outside the local market. He said with improved capacity, operators can focus and reposition the industry so that they can retain more risk in the local market and with retention of more businesses locally, there will be creation of more jobs for the teeming population of Nigerian youths. He said with improved capacity, there will also be rapid growth of the insurance industry, and there will be a lot of funds for share holders to enjoy and the industry will become one of the greatest industry in Africa and part of the world in general. The NIA Chairman, said the operators are battling to survive the situation adding that they have been proffering solutions both at individual and at group level. The NIA chairman speaking

on other issues affecting the industry debunked claim recently made by the Chairman Ad-hoc Committee on Insurance, House of Representatives, Adekunle Akinlade in which he said that mass fraud of over N200billion was discover in insurance of federal government assets. Efekoha, said: The Association would have waited for the Committee to conclude its investigation before making its comments but to date,so much damage has and is still being done to the image of our industry by some of the statements credited to the Chairman of the committee, which in their material facts are inconsistent with known insurance market practice. He frowned on the allegation against the industry, stating that there is no N200billion fraud anywhere as claimed by the chairman.

Customs Arrests Suspect with Wraps of Indian Hemp Eromosele Abiodun The Nigeria Customs Services (NCS) Seme Command has arrested a suspect with fourteen wraps of suspected Indian hemp. The suspect identified as Mr. Hassan Yusuf, said to have been intercepted by the patrol officers along Ashipa –Gbethromey axis and the illicit drug, have been handed over to the National Drugs Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA). In the same vein, the Command also handed over a driver and four children in his possession to the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) Seme. The driver, Mr. Porsu David, suspected to be a human trafficker and the four children were intercepted at Ashipa axis by officers and men of the Command on 17th Nov,

2016 at 1200hrs in a vehicle with registration number AGL 538 BB. Commenting on the handing over of the suspects to the relevant agencies saddled with the responsibilities of investigating the suspected trafficker and prosecution of the drugs suspect, the Ag Customs Area Comptroller, D/C Mulima, A. disclosed that the gesture was strictly in line with inter-agency cooperation that exist at the international land border. He further stated that as the lead agency at the border, the Nigeria Customs Service will continue to collaborate with the relevant agencies for effective and efficient border management. He added that as an agency that work strictly in line with the ethics of securing, coordinating and managing the border in line

IMPROVING ETHICAL CONDUCT

Executive Director Business Development & Investment, Premium Pensions Limited, Mr. Kayode Akande (middle), flanked by staff of Premium Pension during the celebration of the company’s Compliance & Ethics Week 2016…recently

Largest Vessel Berths at Ports & Cargo Terminal

Benue to Partner DFID in Agricultural Devt

Eromosele Abiodun

George Okoh In Makurdi

History was made recently when the largest ship to call at any Nigerian port berthed at the Tin Can Island Port, Lagos terminal of Ports & Cargo Handling Services Limited, a subsidiary of SIFAX Group. The container vessel, MSC SHAULA, owned and operated by MSC Ship Management Hong Kong, the Asian division of Mediterranean Shipping Company (MSC), which is second largest container shipping operator in the world, has an overall length of 275.04 meters and the length between perpendiculars stands at 263.00 meters. MSC SHAULA, built by the Hyundai Heavy Industries, has a maximum cargo capacity of 4,651 TEUs while its draft and gross tonnage are 13.62 meters and 51,836 GRT respectively. Speaking on the significance of the vessel, Group Managing Director, SIFAX Group, Mr. John Jenkins, said it was historic but not coincidental that such vessel berthed at the Ports & Cargo terminal. According to him, “We are

delighted that history was made with the arrival of this humongous vessel in the Nigerian waters, most especially its berth at our terminal. Ports & Cargo terminal has demonstrated over the years its leadership capability in the country’s maritime industry, particularly in the area of port terminal management coupled with excellent customer service. “The company has made a huge investment in infrastructure and equipment at the terminal in the last ten years and has also attracted a number of discerning clients, including MSC, the operator of the vessel. What has been the unique selling proposition of the terminal is the quality of service that we provide.” Speaking on his experience, the captain of the ship, Captain Dinkar, noted that he has received warm welcome from the Ports & Cargo terminal staff as well as other government regulatory agencies like Nigerian Ports Authority, among others. He also expressed his delight at the impressive equipment at the terminal.

Benue state government has promised to partner the Department For International Development (DFID) to boost agriculture. Making the disclosure while receiving DFID’s country director of Business Innovation Facility, Dr. Bala Magaji, at the Benue People’s House, Governor Samuel Ortom said agriculture has the capacity to take the place of oil. He said Nigeria should develop agriculture since oil production in the Niger Delta region is faced with the problem of security. He assured DFID that Benue state would look into the issue of the provision of warehouses and other facilities as the organisation establishes demonstration farms that would help farmers to have better yields. The governor directed commissioners for finance, commerce and agriculture to discuss with DFID representatives various ways of making the organisation’s agricultural programme to have more impact and expressed his administration’s commitment

to the diversification of the economy. Earlier, DFID’s country director of Business Innovation Facility, Dr. Bala Magaji, had told Ortom that each of the organisation’s demonstration farms in Guma engaged 20 to 25 farmers and added that two to three tons of crop yields were recorded per hectare of land. Magaji further stated that the project would need intervention in the areas of post harvest losses, value addition, farmers access to facilities and production processes and requested the governor to assist in removing the constraints. He equally spoke on the need for a private sector seed development company to be involved in the agricultural project and expressed the organisation’s intention to scale up the demonstration farms that would be for all seasons. He said farmers may have the problem of multiple taxation and disclosed that DFID Business Innovation has the capacity to establish a poultry farm with a capacity of 650,000 birds that would need a feed mill.

Tyre Dealers, Unity Bank Partner on N1.5bn Market Emmanuel in Ugwu, Umuahia Tyre and heavy motor spare parts dealers in the popular Azikiwe Street Aba have commenced the construction of N1.5 billion specialised market that would take them out of the already congested commercial city to a new location on the outskirts. The state government was already bent on relocating most of the market clusters out of the centre of the bustling commercial city to free it from encumbrances in the ongoing efforts at urban renewal. But the traders under the aegis of Aba Heavy Motor Parts and Tyre Sellers Association (AHMPATSA) said that they would not wait for government to take them by surprise with forceful eviction hence their decision to build their own market at Alaoji. To give effect to the construction of the market with capacity for 1,200 shops, a memorandum of understanding (MoU) has been signed with AHMPATSA, Unity Bank, the project financiers and Logistics De-Luke Ltd, the contractors. Speaking at the ceremony, the chairman of board of trustees

(BoT) of AHMPATSU, Chief Phillip Ezekwem said that said that the dream for a specialised market for trye and heavy motor spare parts dealers started in 1994 and with the signing of the MoU , “the journey is coming to an end“. “Our problem is over after signing the paper works as work would commence immediately,” he said, assuring that “we are going to fulfill our own part of the deal.” The chairman of the developers of the new market, Logistics DeLuke Ltd, Mr. Raymond Aliga noted that the AHMPATSA has become the only market association in the Southeast zone that has acquired land, designed their market and got a developer to build it. He said that the new market was strategically located within the axis of Abia, Imo, Akwa Ibom, Rivers and Cross River, adding that the market would be ready in nine months. Aliga urged other market associations to emulate AHMPATSA and assured that the modern market would be open to tyre and heavy motor spare parts traders outside Aba, including Lagos and Port Harcourt.

WEEKEND WEEKLY PULLOUT

UT H

& RE A SO

Acting Features Editor: Charles Ajunwa Email: charles.ajunwa@thisdaylive.com

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â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;I Want My Films to be Tools for Reawakening' Some years back Nollywood films only boast of a handful of viewers at cinemas, no thanks to their appalling production. But today Nollywood is indeed upping the ante. Credit must be given to very skillful film directors and producers like Imoh Umoren, who are reinventing the industry and making Nigerian movies conform to higher standards. In this interview with Mary Ekah and Rebecca Ejifoma, Umoren talks about what he intends to achieve with his movies, and also shares the success story of his very recent and much talked about big screen project,'The Happyness Limited' Can you tell us how people like you brought about the turnaround in Nollywood? Initially, when Nollywood started, it was viewed by the intellectuals (middle class) as a thing that poor people do. But gradually, people started seeing the reward of being a filmmaker. When I made my first film in 2009, 'Lemon Green' everybody was startled and said things like â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;So, you are a director? That is cool!â&#x20AC;&#x2122; Between 2007 and 2009, was when the new generation of directors started emerging. From that coolness, people started accepting that Nollywood had come to stay and a big business. So, we had more investors investing in films because more viewers were also demanding more Nigerian content. That was how we evolved gradually. Although till date there are some people who say they can't go to the cinemas to see a Nigerian production. But that percentage is coming down as the graphics and qualities of the films are getting better and the people doing it are becoming more professional. There are more people coming into it. Acceptability is increasing now and we are getting a higher percentage of viewership. Besides these, what is the one magic fused into the graphics and soundtrack that has enhanced today's Nollywood films as seen at the cinemas? There has been more expertise now. I have to attribute that to television and commercials. From 2007 to 2010, there were a lot of franchised shows that came to Nigeria and these shows had to be met with a certain speck. What that did with TV revolution was that a lot of people working with the television learnt skills. From working in TV and commercials, then that skill developed further when more people went overseas to study filmmaking and different aspects of film making then came back. A lot of the progress in films was also instigated by the TV revolution that happened in the late 2000s, which has transcended into films now. That has spurred more interest. But in reality, TV shows were part of the elements that really sparked the revolution. The reason was that more expertise was required. More people learnt under the foreign crew that came to Nigeria. How many films have you produced? I have produced four movies: Lemon Green in 2009, Have a Nice Day was a TV movie for Ebony Life in 2013 that was nominated for best cinematography in the MBCAs. My third movie was an environmental black and white film called Hard Times while the fourth is The Happyness Limited to premiere on Saturday, December 3. What informed Happyness Limited? The Happyness Limited is an allegory of life. It is a film about a man, Gregory Ojefua played by AMVCA winner, Tope Tedela who loses everything in a fire. He is trying reclaim his life and he is scared. His badly burnt child needs a surgery and Gregory does all he can to raise money for her. He is seriously hampered, as people will not hire him because he is deformed. He eventually finds work as a party mascot for children. Hoping this was a ray of sunlight but his life takes another turn when he falls in love with his prostitute neighbour, Agnes (played by Kiki Omeili) and forms an unlikely bond with her daughter, Mandu (Played by Miriam Kayode). In life, people try to bully you out of depression and sadness. If you walk around, looking sad, people may think there is something wrong with you. So, you must always have a smile

took multiple rewrites consistently over a year plus. The film had to be pushed back because of location problems but was eventually made in March 2016. What actually instigated it was when I was in my car listening to the radio on a Christmas day. The presenters were receiving phone calls, laughing and all cheering. I mean this is a time you want to spend with your family. I felt saddened about it. The message in the film is in multi-layer. The Happyness Limited is not just about a guy, who lost everything in a fire outbreak but tries to start all over and tries to overcome the obstacles, it is also guilt tripping on the Nigerian society. What do you do when you are face-to-face with poor, vulnerable persons? We talk about bomb blast in Maiduguri. What if one of your family members was blown into pieces, how do you react? Now, this is the story of a guy with scarred face. He goes into the world, tries to look for a job. For the first time, people have to come with terms with the fact of his face. We say we are nice people, how do we react when such person seeks employment in your company? Do we accept or push it under the carpet? So, I try to simplify even though it has a complicated philosophical undertone. But when you watch it, you will realise that it is more than what we are trying to do. There is also love and family life, too. The film is a tragedy. Nigerians love comedy; some people have questioned me why I chose tragedy rather than comedy. We have to face the truth. We can laugh and crack jokes. But sometimes, someone has to tell us the truth about reality on how to solve qualms. Hence, this film, like most of my films, is to reawaken consciousness to other societal issues.

Umoren

Umoren on your face and it is supposed to show on the media, where everybody must appear to be successful and happy in order to set up the norms. The whole world as we live in almost requires that you must be fresh and nice. It is almost a demand. Even though I won't call it a stigma; it's a near stigma to people that are depressed. If you go to a family and say you are depressed, their response will be "Yon

A scene in 'The Happyness Limited

won't be depressed in Jesus' name." Depression is not like those illnesses but like a trauma or anxiety. People don't listen; they just want you to have a happy face. That is what this film is about. The Happyness Limited took two and a half years to make, from scripting to filming. It was filmed on location in Lagos and Abeokuta with an intensive planning period of more than two years. The scripting process

We have several producers and directors. What is that distinguishing difference you are infusing into the industry? Truth. It's not just in Nollywood but also worldwide. But there is suppression of truth because people are too afraid to speak the truth or lose support. So, I want to speak the truth with my films. Film is entertainment but also a bargaining tool. But it should be a spiritual experience. I'm not ridiculing those who make film purely for entertainment and money; they have a part in the society. But there must also be a place in the society for people that speak the truth. But film must make you think and make you talk about what is happening in the society. My next film, Riot, will be shooting before the year runs out. I want my films to be toosl for reawakening of the society, not just suppressing your emotions. I want my film to be a daring tool for the revolution. I mean the revolution as the society that we are in, not in Nollywood. The biggest revolution for us is to think for ourselves. Yes, I want to make films that bring a lot of money but I don't want to lose the message while making a successful film. I was an orphan at an early stage of my life. My life has been a struggle; the more I overcame the stronger my faith became. We have different experiences in life. Spiritually, I want my films to be able to instigate people, who are in abusive relationships and all, to speak up. In truth, if you try to preach to some people, they will switch off. But if you give the information, you will cause them to think. That is what The Happyness Limited is about. That is the idea of creating a new generation of thinkers than forcing it down their throats.

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For Madam Mary Dickson Bob, It Was a Life Well Spent Funke Olaode Sweet they say is the demise of the righteous. And happy is he or she who finished the labour of life well. And for those who touched many lives, community, impacted humanity and also committed to their God till the end, their names indeed will remain in the sands of time. All these saying without doubt suit Madam Mary Dickson Bob (nee Adiaha Ekpa) perfectly well. And without doubt she has left an indelible mark that cannot be easily erased in her community, church of God and her family. Her name cannot be easily forgotten in her community where she lived till she breathed her last at the ripe age of 90 years. It was therefore a celebration of a life well spent for Madam Mary Dickson Bob, mother of the distinguished Senator Effiong Bob and his siblings when they rolled out the drum to celebrate Mama who many described as hardworking, compassionate, kind, loving, upright, caring and above all, a committed and devoted Christian. For a whole week, the entire Akwa Ibom State and particularly her community, Ikot Ekwere in Nsit Ubuim Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom State stood still for this virtuous woman. The burial rites began on Sunday November 6, 2016 when different age groups paid condolence visit as the tradition demands. On Friday November 11, 2016, the atmosphere in the entire community was charged as people lined up the street to pay their last respect. It was a serene community but from the look of things, Mama Mary Bob was a beloved who was indeed loved in her lifetime and celebrated even in death. The sonorous voice of different choristers led by the deceased church, The African Church rented the air that warm evening while the Brass Band also played an important role that reminds all that it was not time to mourn but to

celebrate. The service of song held on Friday was led by the deceased son, Senator Effiong Bob. The incumbent governor of the state, Mr. Udom Emmanuel, Speaker, Mr. Offiong Luke, former Governor Godswill Akpabio, Senator Tunde Ogbeha, UNILAG Class Law 80-83, former EFCC Chairman, Mallam Nuhu Ribadu and other dignitaries too numerous to mention registered their presence to honour this mother of their friend who was one in a million. In a short sermon titled ‘Seek the Lord’ which was delivered by Ven. Chris Ndom, he enjoined all to examine their relationship with God. According to him, people should not wait till the end to seek God as the right time is now as God is always there to provide for His own. Ven. Ndon extolled the virtue of the late Madam Bob who was totally committed to her God till the end.” In his short speech, Governor Emmanuel also praised Madam Bob for the humanitarian works she did during her life time which are worthy of emulation. On Saturday, November 12, dignitaries from all walks of life converged on an open field in her community for the Funeral/Thanksgiving service conducted by the African Church, St. Michael’s Parish Ikot Ekwere in Nsit Ubuim Local Government Area, Uyo Central Diocese. The unprecedented crowd that thronged the venue without doubt had not been witnessed in the entire community in recent time as the beautifully decorated field welcomed who-is-who into the abode. Delivering her speech on behalf of the governor, the First Lady of Akwa Ibom State, Mrs. Martha Udom Emmanuel condoled the entire Bob’s family. According to her, “We share in your pain particularly at this time that her words of wisdom are needed. We congratulate her for seeing her children reaching the pinnacle of their careers. I believe she is resting in the bosom of the Lord watching her investment

of integrity, moral values, uprightness that she had inculcated in her offsprings. Her life is worthy of emulation. She was a kind and loving woman whose life is a testimony of how we should fear God, impact lives and be of good to humanity,” she said. The First Lady implored all to be like Mama as a role model in the community. And generally as people, we should be kind to one another. Talking glowingly about his mother, Senator Bob on behalf of his siblings extolled the virtue of a mother who made them who they are today. According to him, this was a mother of 13 children who died at the age of 90 years which he said is worthy of celebration. Speaking further, he said “She was a good woman and God blessed her and in turn bless us. She was not educated but exceptionally brilliant and intelligent. “We called her Ma and she called me De Boy (The Boy). There was something special about that name: De Boy; My special boy, the expected one; the one that must lead the way. It was not just a name but a statement. It was meant to create a supernatural influence on me. The name stuck; because till today, that’s what some of my age mates and seniors call me. She and my father insisted that all of us must go to school which was not common in those days. “When I graduated as the first lawyer in the rather obscure community where I was born Ma was elated. Still, she kept praying that more of my type would be produced in the community. Today, that dream has come to pass because even before she died in July this year at the ripe age of 90, she has produced four lawyers in the family across four generations, including my son. Add to the engineers (which also include my daughter), and experts in other areas such as nursing, business management and even pastors. Mama suffered for us as she combined farming with trading. She would

cook with firewood for all us three times in a day. She would trek to the market of about seven kilometres and sometimes we would join her. She was also a devoted Christian which she combined with community development. In her old age, she went to adult education, wore uniform so she would be able to read and write and sing in her local dialect. Above all, to be able to record her transaction. “The one that really shaped us was her strength in character, integrity, honesty and trust in God. There was a time a woman was caught stealing cassava in the farm. Instead of embarrassing the woman, she invited the woman to the house and counsel her not to steal again. She empowered her and till today, the woman and her children have become part of our family. By the time she died, about a 100 people named their children including a male child just to show appreciation for what she was. We the children adore her and we took care and maintained her till the end.” Rounding off his speech, Senator Bob enjoined people in his community to always trust in the Lord, believe in themselves and above all, to embrace education which is the only liberator from the shackles of poverty. He also seized the opportunity to thank family and friends including the Speaker, Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly, Mr. Offiok Luke, Deputy Governor, Mr. Moses Ekpo, First Lady, Mrs. Martha Udom Emmanuel, the UNILAG Law Class 80-83, University of Benin governing council led by its Vice-chancellor, Prof. Faraday Orumwense, UNILAG Alumni, Akwa Ibom State Chapter. Service over, it was followed with an interment after which invited guests were treated to sumptuous meal. For Madam Mary Dickson Bob, from the testimonies from community leaders, children, without doubt died a satisfied, fulfilled and an accomplished mother.

Senator Effiong Bob and wife, Comfort, at the burial ceremony of his mother, late Madam Mary Dickson Bob

L-R: Senator Tunde Ogbeha, Senator Godswill Akpabio and Senator Effiong Bob

L-R: Mallam Nuhu Ribadu and Akwa Ibom State Governor, Udom Emmanuel

Speaker, Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly, Hon. Offiok Luke, First Lady, Mrs. Martha Udom Emmanuel and Deputy Governor, Mr. Moses Ekpo

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NGO Inaugurates Renovated ICT Centre for Lagos State Model Primary School

Metro-Mart Opens 24 Hours in Abuja

Godbless Eduviere

Adedayo Akinwale in Abuja

As part of its annual public school assessment and support drive, the Africa Youth Empowerment and Change Initiative, AYECI Africa in collaboration with SAP Nigeria has refurbished a 16-seater ICT centre, donated and installed a projector and 3.5Kva generator to power the ICT room, for Lagos State Model Primary School, GRA-Ikeja. The Managing Director, SAP West Africa, Kudzai Danha, represented by the Marketing Manager, Miss. Juliet Omorodion said that the organisation was committed to making computer education accessible to Nigerian children. According to Omorodion, the project is to support government's new regulation to include ICT in school curriculum, and that the company came up with the initiative to support Lagos State government's efforts. According to Kudzai Danha, to ensure that the project serves the intended purpose without being hindered by power failure, a brand new 3.5Kva generator was provided to serve as an alternative power supply for power the ICT centre. "The alternative power supply has become necessary because of uncertainty of power. We don’t want anything to interrupt the learning process of the children. This

In a swift way of breaking away from the conventional shopping style in the country, and to treat Abuja residents and shoppers to a new way of shopping, Metro-Mart recently opened 24 hours supermarket in Wuse 2, Abuja. Speaking at the event immediately he was unveiled as the brand ambassador, Comedian Chuks De General said by the virtue of his passion and personal decision that he likes to be a part of something when is growing. He noted that, "this is a new brand, it is a new supermarket and I love the fact that I am signed in at the beginning, I'm part of the growth, not about the money they gave me, it is about the fact that I'm part of the growth. "First of all we are 24 hours, we have a lot of supermarkets that are fantastic but none is 24 hours. I have been in Abuja for the past seven years and I have three places I shop, they have never rewarded me, but in Metro-Mart, we have the concept of continuity makes you a stakeholder, at the end of every year because of your continuity you get a reward, so as you shop your reward is increasing,” he added. Earlier, the Managing Director, Chief Chima Nwanyanwu, said that despite the fact that a lot of supermarkets are scattered all over the city, the accessibility and the reasonable price of commodities makes the supermarket unique. According to him, "we believe that the time we are in is when people are looking for where to buy food, things to eat, it is not the time to buy cars, it is not the time to buy houses, basic necessities of life, so we have look at this environment and there are very few, there are big shops all over the places, but we need a shop that will be close to the people and as a company that is founded in God's name, there will be no profiteering here, we are going to sell things in such a way that it will be accessible to the common man." The managing director stated: "We stock those things that are necessary for families, most importantly this is a 24 hours shopping experience, you can wake up in the mid-night and come, and we brought it to Wuse 2 so that it is very close to people. As I said, our price is going to be reasonable and considerate."

Executive Director of AYECI Africa, Ifeoma Adibe, pupils of Lagos State Model Primary School, GRA, Ikeja, Marketing Manager, SAP West Africa, Juliet Omorodion and the Head Mistress of the school, Mrs. Adebola Elizabeth during the inauguration of the renovated ICT Centre in Lagos…recently

project is very important for the children and it is going to improve their learning experiences." Disclosing that as part of its annual week-long CSR programme, Danha said "we came together to teach children how to code from the scratch. This year, we decided to teach and train hundred students and teachers from Lagos State. It was a successful project and it’s something that we will continue to do.” Stating that the NGO focuses on expanding education opportunities for the young people, the Executive Director, AYECI

Africa, Mrs. Ifeoma Adibe, said that the intervention is part of the AYECI Africa's ongoing support especially for public schools. "One of the major things we do is to make sure that every child receives a gift of literacy which is actually very broad. It’s not just the ability to read and write but also digital skill, environmental skill and financially skills. "The ICT centre for us, is key because these children need opportunities to learn how to develop their computer skills so that they can become relevant in this century and SAP is one of our core partners.”

Red Letters Channel to Kick off with New Orientation on Trinity Mary Ekah A new cable TV station, Red Letters Channel, a dynamic Christian oriented platform that will specifically put spotlight on trinity doctrine in the Christian fold as well as signal the beginning of the gospel of the Kingdom, which the church is said to have ceased to preach for a very long time. Over time, most churches have held the view that God is three consubstantial persons - the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit – as one God in three divine persons but Mr. Samuel Bob-Manuel, who describes himself as a bondservant of Jesus Christ the Nazarene and also doubles as the founder, Red Letters Channel, a Plume & Partner Limited Christian edutainment channel, has refuted these claims, saying that such doctrine is erroneous. He is therefore coming up with a TV channel that will amongst other things, use every idea and resources in its disposal to correct this age-long believe in the Christendom. Speaking during a press briefing in Lagos

Founder, Red Letters Channel, Samuel BobManuel

to intimate the public about the new channel scheduled to be launched in the first quarter of 2017, Bob-Manuel said, “My motivation for calling this press conference is to signal the commencement of the rule of truth over lies, light over darkness over and above all in obedience to the commandments of the Lord Jesus Christ.

"Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptising them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit" Matthew 28; 19. “The first programming for our TV station is a very serious issue because there have been a lot of erroneous teachings that have come out of the Christendom to say that there are three personality in the God-head – the Father, Son and Holy Spirit, which are co-equal and also co-exist, all of which make up the God-head that is now known as the trinity. We are out to correct this notion with everything at our disposal,” he noted. He has insisted that there are just two personalities unlike what is being preached by over 90 per cent of churches in the world. “For you to have eternal life, you must recognise, and identify two personalities - the father, who Christ calls the only true God and Jesus Christ who the Father Himself has sent,” he said. Speaking further, he said, “Today we have God, the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit. Where did that come

Aramex Returns to Nigeria It was an exhilarating evening of networking as Aramex recently re-launched its presence fully into the Nigerian economy having encountered challenges with its previous entry into the country a few years ago. At the event held in Victoria Island Lagos, the Chief Executive Office, Aramex Global, Hussein Hachem, and its Nigerian Managing Director, Faisal Jarmakani, kicked off the re-launch by sharing the latest developments and presence of Aramex in Africa, as well as insights on recent global developments in technology and innovation. The evening also featured a thoughtful discussion on how to catalyse the potentials in Nigeria’s’ diverse market with influential entrepreneurs. It was indeed an evening of great conversation, fine dining and amazing musical performances by SPAN (Society of Performing Arts Nigeria). Aramex is a leading global provider of comprehensive logistics and transportation solutions, and a listed company on Dubai Financial Market (DFM: ARMX) employing over 17,000 employees across over 60 countries. The Chief Executive Officer, Aramex, Hussein Hachem, who at the event af-

L-R: Chief Executive Officer, Aramex Nigeria, Mr. Faisal Jarmakani; Postmaster General/CEO, NIPOST, Mr. Bisi Adegbuyi; CEO, Aramex International, Mr. Hussein Hachem; Associate Director, KPMG, Mrs. Ehile Adetola Aiibangbee; and Chairman, Aramex Nigeria, Mr. David Spargo, at the event

firmed the firm’s confidence in the ability of the Nigerian economy to regain its place as Africa’s biggest and fastest growing economy despite the ongoing recession, noted that the decision to invest in the Nigerian economy, despite current challenges, was a demonstration of its support for the government’s efforts to stabilise the economy and make it once more attractive to global investors. He said that Aramex will ensure that a greater population of Nigeria are able

to access e-Commerce platforms and be able to buy anything they want through the internet, adding, “We believe Nigeria is the hub for the region and we would like to connect more Nigerians to their neighbours in the region as well as to the global community.” Aramex, Hachem assured is committed to offering solutions to help shape the logistics and transportation industry using technologies that will connect Nigeria with the rest of the world, ensuring safety of goods and prompt delivery.

Soul Stirring Artistes to Thrill at Experience Lagos Akinwunmi Ibrahim After months of preparation, the cosmopolitan city of Lagos will be in the news again as thousands of worshippers and gospel music enthusiasts will converge for the biggest gospel music concert in Africa on December 2 at the Tafawa Balewa Square, Onikan, Lagos, for ‘The Experience Lagos 2016’. For the past 10 years, Experience initiator, Pastor Paul the interdenominational gospel Adefarasin concert has received nods and is regarded as the biggest in Africa and arguably one of the biggest in the world. Incontestably, at this worship concert, gender, nationality, status and race cease to exist as people lift up their voices in praise of the Almighty God. Lagos has been home to thousands of worshippers every December as it heralds the festive vibes of Christmas. With over 750,000 worshippers, which gathered yearly with gospel ministers across the world, they see this as one- of- a- kind concert as a glowing platform for them to express worship. Last year, ‘The Experience’ celebrated in awesome style has a decade landmark of its existence. This year’s edition, which is themed: ‘The Experience 11 is Revealing Jesus’. While an underway plan for this edition shows that, there is no stopping move. Shedding more light on this year’s theme, the Senior Pastor of House on the Rock, Pastor Paul Adefarasin said, “The purpose of the 2016 edition is to further reach the world with the message of the Gospel of Christ, in a fashion so simple, yet effective.” The Experience Lagos 2016 will be ever promising as it features soul stirring mix of ministers that will give worshippers an incredible reason to look forward to the day. Ministering are: Don Moen, Frank Edwards, Travis Greene, Tope Alabi, Micah Stampley, Cece Winans, Donnie Mcclurkin. Also ministering are Gabriel Eziaschi, Eno Michaels, Chioma Jesus, Nwando, Tim Godfrey, Midnight Crew, Smokey Norful and Samsong, among others. Meanwhile, the popular Experience Portal has been made bigger and more interactive to ensure that users from all parts of the world get The Experience every day even before the main event. The online portals also provide insightful articles, music reviews, event information and highly engaging activities with provision for users to register in order to benefit fully from the rich resources shared.

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Yinka Shonibare’s Wind Sculpture Excites in Lagos Mary Ekah It was a sight of awe and excitement for residents and visitors in Lagos as erudite and wide ranging, London-born physically challenged Nigerian artist, Yinka Shonibare MBE (RA), flagged off his “Wind Sculpture IV” exhibition with a six metre high by three metre wide artwork, penultimate Thursday, at the Ndubuisi Kanu Park, Ikeja, Lagos. The Wind Sculpture VI, made from fibreglass and steel by the London-born Nigerian artist, Shonibare as part of his artistic inquiry into the motion of wind as it passes through fabric. This is the first time that his work has gone on public display in Nigeria. It is actually the first solo presentation in Nigeria by the artist, who was born in London and moved to Lagos as a child. The UK-based artist, who travelled all the way to Nigeria for the unveiling of the sculpture, gave a talk to students and attended a screening of a selection of his film works at the venue of the installation. “It is particularly exciting to be showing my art in Nigeria, the country of my childhood. It gives me great pleasure to be launching my first exhibition in Nigeria in the context of a British/ Nigerian cultural exchange. The importance of such an exchange can never be underestimated as it forms the basis for our mutual peace and prosperity through art. Through my art, I am not afraid to explore new ideas and new ways of doing things, I challenge, provoke and entertain in equal measure,” Shonibare said. Speaking on the display of his work, Shonibare noted that his interest in art started while he was growing up in Nigeria. “If there is a museum in Lagos, for example, it will create massive employment opportunities for people especially in the art, culture and tourism sector. There is a need to regenerate the art scene in Lagos,” he said while calling on Nigerians to support art and artists, adding that Nigeria is culturally dynamic and diverse with a lot of untapped talents that can contribute to national development.

a culmination. “The art season is designed to create opportunity for people in the UK and Nigeria to mix and collaborate. And also get better as a result. This art displayed today is a great example of the reason for the UK-Nigeria art season,” he noted. Sponsored by the British Council in collaboration with GTBank, the Wind Sculpture artwork will remain on display at the Ndubuisi Kanu Park, Ikeja, Lagos till 17 January, 2017as part of British Council’s UK/Nigeria 2015–16 season, which aims to build new audiences, create new collaborations and strengthen relationships between Nigeria and Britain.

Harvest of Goodnews of Total Restoration Guests admiring Yinka Shonibare’s Wind Sculpture installed at Ndubuisi Kanu Park, Ikeja, Lagos

With his Wind Sculptures series, the artist has captured a moment in time where wind passes through his signature Dutch wax batik fabrics on a dramatically grand scale. These six metres high sculptures appear to be an ephemeral billowing form but are actually rendered in steel and fibreglass. The organic concaved and convexed shapes formed by nature are mirrored in the patterns, which replicate traditional 'African' fabrics. There is a different pattern and palette for each sculpture in the series that are hand painted onto the surface with bright colours. All of the these elements together lend the work a magical and poetic quality that deliberately plays on initial perceptions, frames of reference, a thread running throughout Shonibare’s practice. The installation of Wind Sculpture VI forms part of a series

of important large-scale works that marked a new departure for Shonibare by working in fibreglass and steel. Using these materials, Shonibare investigates the shifting movement of wind passing through fabric and encapsulates the sheer, three-dimensional volume of wind. Deputy British High Commissioner, Simon Shercliff, at the flag off of the exhibition said, "This amazing, beautiful, provocative sculpture, Wind Sculpture VI, is going to be on display in this park for the next three months. We hope that this park is going to be the venue of events, workshops, gatherings and public events and that the artwork here will inspire people and encourage art discussion and debates." The exhibition, Shercliff, reiterated is part of the UK-Nigeria art season, which has been on for over a year now, and it is coming to

The Assemblies of God Church, Gbagada (Kings Parish) of the Bariga Section of the Mainland District, would on Sunday December 4, 2016 hold her 2016 Annual Harvest Thanksgiving Service. In a statement signed by the Chairman, Harvest/Thanksgiving Committee, Dr. Nzeribe Okegbue (JP) and the Secretary of the Committee, Bro. Kelvin Omoke, respectively stated that the special service with a theme ‘Harvest of Goodnews of Total Restoration’ will hold at the church premises at No. 9 Ora-Ekpen Crescent, Roundabout Bus Stop, Gbagada, Lagos State by 8am prompt. Citing Psalms 92: 1 "It is good to give thanks to the Lord and to sing praises to the Most High," the Thanksgiving/Harvest Committee has urged the members and the general public to avail themselves the opportunity to be part of the unique service that will be conducted by the host Pastor, Rev. Connel Idem.

UNIBEN SUG Honours Oracle Agency’s George Osondu The University of Benin Student Union Government has bestowed 2016 excellence awards in youth development and entrepreneurship on the Operations/Business Development Manager of Oracle Experience, Mr. George Osondu for his legendary role in grooming youths and equipping them with entrepreneurial skills. Prior to this latest honour, Osondu was in 2014 awarded the Nigerian Oscar award from Obafemi Awolowo University, Ife as an event manager of the decade and University of Ibadan Queen Elizabeth II Hall award this year. Accompanied by other executive members of the SUG, the President of the University of Benin’s SUG, Miss Lauretta Oyemwenosa Obakpolo, noted that Osondu exhibited highest level of entrepreneurship by training the students and guiding them on path to self-sustenance. “We were very impressed because no one had come to our campus in the past to really demonstrate such level of interest in students’ welfare and wellbeing after school,” she said. Obakpolo further said that Osondu was

L-R: Attorney General, Student Union Government, UNIBEN, John Aigbogun; Operations/Business Development Manager, Oracle Experience Limited, Mr. George Paul Osondu; President SUG, UNIBEN, Miss Lauretta Obakpolo and Secretary General,SUG Uniben, Jatto Ovie during the presentation to Paul Osondu in Lagos

still being expected back in the school. “He left remarkable memory amongst the students hence they keep asking when he will come back.”

Speaking on Osondu’s contribution in the area of youth development and entrepreneurship, the Public Relations Officer of the union, Ikotu

Gideon Kelechi said the entire students of the University of Benin are proud to bestow the honour on Osondu for his achievements during NESCAFE Hot Air Balloon activation in the campus. “Several others have visited us but they never left any positive impression on the students. Indeed, we are very excited and proud to identify with him,” he said. Responding to the honour done him by the students, Osondu said, “I never knew I was being noticed by what I do. I was only doing my job and in the course of it, I felt the need to mentor these young ones. “I happy not only because I am recognised by them but also the singular act of travelling from Benin to Lagos to present this award gladdens my heart more,” he said. While advising the students’ representative to look beyond paid employment, he urged them to banish fear if at all they want to succeed in their own businesses because fear has become the biggest obstacle to any prospective or budding entrepreneur.

Organisations Partner to Fast Track Fight against Malaria In a bid to eliminate malaria in Nigeria, foremost financial institution with a strong bias for excellent services delivery, Access Bank, under the leadership of its Chief Executive Officer, Mr. Herbert Wigwe and Private Sector Health Alliance of Nigeria have championed an innovative financing platform that seeks to galvanise private sector resources and capabilities for sustained support towards averting at least one million malaria cases and deaths by 2020–a first step towards complementing government’s effort in achieving its malaria pre-elimination goals by 2020, tagged ‘Malaria-To-Zero’ Initiative. This platform will integrate existing and new initiatives on eradicating malaria, and thus build synergies that produce impact far greater than what could be attained with fragmented efforts. While understanding that Malaria is a completely preventable and treatable life-threatening disease which is responsible for significant loss of lives, especially of women and children, globally, it has also caught the attention of Chinese multinational networking and telecommunications equipment and services company, Huawei Technologies as

they are also making commitment to be part of impact makers to eradicate malaria totally as they believe that collaborations and platforms like this are key catalysts to accelerating the impact of malaria intervention Malaria represents one of the biggest public health and developmental challenges in Nigeria. According to 2015 estimates, Nigeria had over 100 million malaria cases and about 300,000 malaria deaths, representing the highest number of malaria casualties worldwide. Its negative implications transcend all sectors, generations and social strata among the Nigerian population including mothers who lose their lives during pregnancy, children who die before their 5th birthdays, and members of the corporate workforce who are absent from their jobs. CEO of Private Sector Health Alliance of Nigeria, Dr. Muntaqa Sadiq said that ‘the currency in the health sector is the number of lives saved and the goal of Malaria to Zero is to save 1,000,000 lives from malaria death’. PHN has also acknowledged that accelerating progress towards pre-elimination requires rethinking the way malaria interventions are developed, executed

and financed, from a public, fragmented, tactical approach to an innovative public-private bespoke approach. The CEO of Access Bank, Wigwe also reaffirmed the commitment of the bank to fight malaria in Nigeria by stating that “malaria

kills business productivity and denies children access to education, we are strongly committed to Malaria to Zero so as to continuously strengthen a conducive platform aimed at supporting the National Malaria Elimination Strategy. “

L-r: Representative of Lagos Commissioner for Health, Dr. Eniola Eriasho, Managing Director, Huawei Nigeria, Mr. Frank Li; Group Managing Director/CEO, Access Bank Plc, Mr,Herbert Wgwe; and CEO, Private Sector Health Alliance of Nigeria, Dr. Muntayo Umar- Sadiq at the Malaria to zero initiative event

32 /ERAVE

02.12.2016

eraveonline@gmail.com

Wizkid, Diamond Platinumz, AKA, Yemi Alade, Others Nominated for 2016 Soundcity MVP Awards The organisers of the awards, Soundcity, have announced the nominees for the 2016 Soundcity MVP awards. Nigeria’s Wizkid is topping the nominees’ list with a record-breaking eight nominations, which include Best Song, Best Video, Viewers’ Choice and Listeners’ Choice. Popular act, Davido is also up for Digital Artiste of the Year alongside Tekno, A.K.A, P-Square, Tiwa Savage and Tekno. The 2016 Soundcity MVP Kenya’s Victoria Kimani, Tanzania’s Vanessa Mdee and Ghana’s MzVee face off with their Nigerian counterpart for Female MVP of the Year. Adekunle Gold‘s ‘Pick Up’ and Tekno‘s ‘Pana’ go head to head for both Viewers’ Choice and Listeners’ Choice. ‘Soweto Baby’ by South Africa’s DJ Maphorisa, ‘Mbilo Mbilo (Remix)’ by Uganda’s Eddy Kenzo and Emtee‘s ‘Roll Up’ would be battling other Nigerian collaborative anthems for Best Collaboration. The 2016 Soundcity MVP will broadcast live across the globe on Thursday, 29 December from the Expo Center of the Eko Hotel and Suites, in Lagos Nigeria. See the complete list of nominees below: BEST MALE Diamond Platinumz (TANZANIA) Emtee (SOUTH AFRICA) Wizkid (NIGERIA) Falz (NIGERIA) Olamide (NIGERIA) Patoranking (NIGERIA) Phyno (NIGERIA) BEST FEMALE Tiwa Savage (NIGERIA) Victoria Kimani (KENYA) Yemi Alade (NIGERIA) Vanessa Mdee (TANZANIA) Cynthia Morgan (NIGERIA) Ms Vee (GHANA) Simi (NIGERIA) BEST HIP HOP Cassper Nyovest (SOUTH AFRICA) Olamide (NIGERIA) CDQ (NIGERIA) Emtee (SOUTH AFRICA) El (GHANA) Riky Rick (SOUTH AFRICA) Stanley Enow (CAMEROON) Phyno (NIGERIA) BEST POP Wizkid (NIGERIA) Kiss Daniel (NIGERIA) Tekno (NIGERIA) Yemi Alade (NIGERIA) Adekunle Gold (NIGERIA)

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THA SUSPECT

Navy Kenzo (TANZANIA) R2Bees (GHANA) Toofan (TOGO) PSquare (NIGERIA) VVIP (GHANA)

Wizkid . Timaya (NIGERIA) Tiwa Savage (NIGERIA) DIGITAL ARTISTE OF THE YEAR PSquare (NIGERIA) Wizkid (NIGERIA) AKA (SOUTH AFRICA) Tiwa Savage (NIGERIA) Davido (NIGERIA) Cassper Nyovest (SOUTH AFRICA) Tekno (NIGERIA) BEST COLLABORATION Mr Eazi Ft Efya – Skintight (NIGERIA / GHANA) Patoranking Ft Sarkodie – No Kissing (NIGERIA / GHANA) Eddy Kenzo Ft Niniola – Mbilo Mbilo Remix (UGANDA / NIGERIA) Emtee Ft Wizkid & AKA – Roll Up (SOUTH AFRICA / NIGERIA) DJ Maphorisa Ft Wizkid & DJ Buckz – Soweto Baby (SOUTH AFRICA / NIGERIA) Phyno Ft Olamide – Fada Fada (NIGERIA) Olamide Ft Wande Coal – Who You Epp (NIGERIA) Harrysong Ft Olamide, KCee – Raggae Blues (NIGERIA) Masterkraft Ft Flavour & Sarkodie – Finally (NIGERIA / GHANA) VIDEO OF THE YEAR Pana – Tekno Directed by Clarence Peters (NIGERIA) Aje – Alikiba, Directed by Meji (NIGERIA) Babanla – Wizkid, Directed by Sesan (NIGERIA) One time – AKA, Directed by AKA & Alessio (SOUTH AFRICA) Sin City – Kiss Daniel, Directed by H2G Films (NIGERIA) Emergency – D’Banj, Directed by Unlimited L.A (NIGERIA) Made for you – Banky W, Directed by Banky W (NIGERIA) Gbagbe Oshi – Davido, Directed by Slash (NIGERIA) Pray for me – Darey, Directed by MEX (NIGERIA) BEST GROUP OR DUO Sauti Sol (KENYA) Mafikizolo (SOUTH AFRICA) Micasa (SOUTH AFRICA)

SONG OF THE YEAR Kwesta ft. Cassper Nyovest – Ngud (SOUTH AFRICA) Mr Eazi – Hol Up (NIGERIA) Patoranking ft Sakordie – No Kissing (NIGERIA) Wizkid – Babanla (NIGERIA) Tekno – Pana (NIGERIA) Emtee ft Wizkid – Roll Up (SOUTH AFRICA / NIGERIA) DJ Maphorisa ft Wizkid & DJ Buckz – Soweto Baby (SOUTH AFRICA / NIGERIA) Olamide ft Wande Coal – Who You Epp (NIGERIA) D’banj – Emergency (NIGERIA) BEST NEW ARTISTE Koker (NIGERIA) YCee (NIGERIA) Mr Eazi (NIGERIA) Emtee (SOUTH AFRICA) Simi (NIGERIA) Niniola (NIGERIA) Tekno (NIGERIA) Nasty C (SOUTH AFRICA)

Nigerian act, Tha Suspect has announced his exit from Clarence Peters led Capital Hill Records. “Capital Hill has been the best years of my life. Now I’m building Anyhow Records from scratch. Please give me your support”, he announced on Twitter. His exit followed the recent departure of popular act, Chidinma from the label.

VIEWERS CHOICE Mr Soldier – Falz ft. Simi (NIGERIA) Babanla – Wizkid (NIGERIA) Osinachi – Humblesmith ft. Davido (NIGERIA) Pana – Tekno (NIGERIA) Hollup – Mr Eazi (NIGERIA) Pick Up – Adekunle Gold (NIGERIA) Mama – Kiss Daniel LISTENERS CHOICE Lagos to Kampala – Runtown ft. Wizkid (NIGERIA) Babanla – Wizkid (NIGERIA) Omo Alhaji – YCee (NIGERIA) Pana – Tekno (NIGERIA) Who You Epp – Olamide ft Wande Coal (NIGERIA) Oluwa ni – Reekado Banks (NIGERIA) Pick Up – Adekunle Gold (NIGERIA) Skintight – Mr Eazi ft Efya (NIGERIA/GHANA) AFRICAN ARTISTE OF THE YEAR Wizkid (NIGERIA) Vanessa Mdee (TANZANIA) Diamond Platinumz (TANZANIA) Sarkodie (GHANA) Yemi Alade (NIGERIA) Olamide (NIGERIA) AFRICAN PRODUCER OF THE YEAR DJ Maphorisa (SOUTH AFRICA) Gospel on the Beat (NIGERIA) Masterkraft (NIGERIA) Young John (NIGERIA) Legendury Beats (NIGERIA) Sess the problem kid (NIGERIA)

LYNXX Nigerian rapper, Lynxx recently addressed the rumour making the rounds that he has switched from secular to gospel music. He said, “I am not doing gospel. I have never said I was doing gospel. You don’t have to be gospel to praise God. The same way you don’t have to be a pastor to live a godly life. My album is out, you can go listen to it. It’s not a gospel album. So, I don’t know where that came from.. I hope this can lay the rumour to rest.”

Omoni Oboli Wins Female Movie Producer of the Year Star actress, Omoni Oboli has been named the female movie producer of the year at the just concluded ELOY Awards 2016 which held November 27 in Lagos. The event tagged, ‘All Women Are Worth Celebrating’ saw women ferrying home awards from different categories. Omoni received the award based on her work on Wives on Strike. The movie which was a box office hit has received commendable

reviews. This has been a big year for the star actress and instead of resting on her oars; she’s getting ready to dazzle movie lovers again with her new movie, Okafor’ Law, which is set for release next year. Omoni Oboli is an actress, producer and recently turned director. She has starred in many blockbuster movies including Anchor Baby, Being Mrs Elliot, Wives on Strike and many more.

Bez Unveils Sophomore Album Details Popular Nigerian singer, Bez is finally ready for the release of his sophomore album titled ‘Gbagyi Child’. The singer has just unveiled the album cover and track list of the album. Along with the track list comes a booklet which details the inspiration behind the album and the journey to the album’s creation. The 13-track album reveals collaborations with two

of Nigeria’s finest songstresses, Yemi Alade and Simi and is set to be released on the 28th of November, less than a week to go! Speaking concerning the album, Bez said, “the sounds that make up the Gbagyi Child album were all the pieces woven together intricately with an intent to create magic. This magic is my sophomore offering”

OBOLI

KOREDE BELLO Mavin artiste, Korede Bello’s latest video ‘Do like that’ has recorded a whooping 1,000,000 views on Youtube. The video was released on Tuesday, November 22, 2016 and already scaling heights under just one week. - Recall that it was the same song that Iyabo Ojo and her daughter danced to and went viral.

33/ TRAVEL, LEISURE & TOURISM

02.12.2016

Anambra Govt, Topwide Ventures to End Housing Problem in Awka In a bid to put an end to the housing problem in Anambra State, Governor Willie Obiano has entered into a strategic partnership with Senator Annie Okonkwo’s Topwide Ventures to construct a new estate in Awka, writes Anayo Okolie On assumption of office, Governor Willie Obiano promised to make Anambra State the first choice investment destination, hub of industrialisation and commercial activities by creating social and business friendly environment that would attract both foreigners and indigenes to invest in Anambra. And since coming on board, Obiano has demonstrated seriousness in the implementation of his housing policy to ensure delivery of housing estates in the state. In order to ensure that sufficient homes are provided for low, middle and high income earners in Anambra following his promise, the state government led by Obiano in collaboration with Topwide Ventures Limited owned by Senator Annie Okonkwo recently entered into a strategic partnership to construct several homes in Awka. The construction of the new housing estate, Eagles Hill Estate Awka, flagged off by Obiano is estimated to gulp $3.4m which is about N1.4 billion. The project, which is in the heart of the state capital, would consist of about 98 units of flats, 42 units of another set of flats and 50 high rising apartments as well as various types of houses including duplexes and high rise apartments. The estate is however, sitting on 24 hectares of land donated by Ezinano Community in Awka South Local Government Area and it is expected to be completed within 18 months. The estate, financed by Senator Annie Okonkwo, who represented Anambra Central in the 6th Senate, has provisions for a shopping complex, offices, a police post, schools and hospital. Okonkwo would contribute 90 per cent of the funds while the state government would contribute 10 per cent and on completion, the profit sharing formula would be 85 per cent for the investor, who is the investor, 10 per cent for the state government and 5 per cent for the host community. Obiano, who appealed to the youths of the community not to disrupt work on the site, said that the project would create about 2000 direct and indirect jobs. He said with the take-off of the project, his administration had attracted investments of about 4.8 billion dollars since assumption of office, adding that the project was the 27th he had attracted to the state. According to him, this brings to eight, the total number of companies his administration has signed on in real estate development in the state, to build about 120,000 housing units. The governor noted that with the adequate security of lives and property which his administration has put in place, a lot of people are now relocating to Anambra, a development that presents the challenge of inadequate housing facilities, hence the increased efforts of his administration at providing housing services for citizens. The governor, who promised to remodel Awka, immediately after taking oath of office, said his administration will re-design and remodel Awka to meet the structural and aesthetic requirements of a 21st Century city that Anambarians can all be proud of. According to him, “my administration shall launch Anambra into a new economic phase through what I call the four pillars of development and they include aggressive mechanised agriculture, oil and gas, trade and commerce, and industrialisation. We shall provide an enabling environment for our traders to switch from importation to manufacturing the goods they currently import to Anambra. We shall introduce e-Commerce and build ultra-modern markets and Shopping Malls and revamp existing ones with new amenities. Anambra State, Obiano said hosts a large number of industrial clusters. “My administration will strengthen this advantage with an appropriate policy framework that will boost our indigenous capacity in this sector. This will have a direct impact on wealth creation in the state and bring down unemployment. Thanking Okonkwo for partnering with the

R-L: Anambra State Governor Willie Obiano; Managing Director/CEO of Topwide Ventures, Senator Annie Okonkwo; and Anambra State Commissioner for Housing and Urban Renewal, Mr Frank Offor, during the groundbreaking of Eagles Hill Estate in Awka...recently

Traditional rulers at the groundbreaking ceremony

state, Obiano expressed hope that the construction phase will generate economic activities that will create wealth opportunities for the people to enable them stay afloat in the face of the present economic recession. The governor also urged other high networth Ndi Anambra to heed his administration’s call to bring their investments home, assuring them of maximum returns. While commending the governor and the host community for their support, Senator Okonkwo, who is sponsoring the construction of the Eagles Hill Estate, expressed happiness that he was able to bring to Anambra the type of projects he had seen in other major cities in the world. “We are delighted to partner with Anambra State Government under the dynamic leadership of Chief Willie Obiano, whose commitment to the rapid transformation of the housing sector is not in doubt. The fact that the governor’s ‘Think Home Hospitality’ is bearing the desired fruits gladdens our hearts. This is evident with the number of Anambra sons and daughters from various parts of the country indicating

interest to join the governor’s vision to develop the state.” Okonkwo said the investment could not have been possible if Governor Obiano had not created a conducive environment that favoured investments. The senator said that though Obiano had excelled in the area of security, that his greatest achievement since coming to office was the unification of Anambra people irrespective of their political affiliations. According to him, “Obiano is a Governor that does not discriminate in the development of the state and it is what he is doing that is attracting our people from all parts of the world to come home and invest. “With what he is doing, Anambra State will soon become a home for tourism in Nigeria and it will not take long for the state to become self sufficient in many sectors of the economy. He therefore needs the support of Anambra people to actualise his programmes. “Though I do not belong to the same political party with Obiano, I would not hesitate to say that he has done more than any other person

that had governed the state in the past,” the senator stated. Okonkwo, however, acknowledged that Obiano’s greatest achievement is his ability to unify Ndi Anambra irrespective of party affiliations and galvanise them towards the state’s development, and assured that they were committed to executing the project within the specified time frame, pledging to continue to support the governor. The Chairman of Anambra State Investment Promotion and Protection Agency(ANSIPPA) who is also the traditional ruler of Umuoji, HRH Igwe Cyril Enweze, on his part believe that apart from its capacity to improve housing services to the people, the project will also contribute significantly to urban development and boost the state’s capacity to IGR. The Commissioner for Housing and Urban Renewal, Mr. Frank Offor, disclosed that housing remains a key enabler for the present administration which it has been able to attract so much investment in and his ministry will follow through for effective execution.

34/XTRA

02.12.2016

Numero Unoma’s La Nigritude Solo Exhibition Berths in Abuja Abuja comes alive with art as the La Nigritude solo exhibition by Numero Unoma, the artist also known as No1, arrived at the Thought Pyramid Gallery from the 28th-30th November, 2016. Taking inspiration from those of whom Wole Soyinka once said “a Tiger does not proclaim its tigritude”, the Nigerian-German visual artist’s body of work is a huge roar, of laughter and expression, protest and pain. Tigers come from Asia, whereas in Africa we have lions, which, unlike tigers, can roar. The pieces are not shy of colour, or texture, or punch. Symbols and graphics are employed to convey messages that often seem vibrant and innocuous, whilst taking sniper shots at those things that invariably define our society and cultures. In this exhibition, money, marriage, status and power mirror their prominence in everyday Nigerian life. Philosophy, humour, and angst, as well as generosity and hospitality, also find their place in drawing parallels with the experiences of the ‘ordinary’ Nigerian. The prevalence of consumerism, the huge impact of technology and the desperation of migration, or even just immigration, all find expression in a satirical collection that takes the edge off introspection and self-critique. The Thought Pyramid Centre, located in Libreville Crescent, in the Wuse II district of Abuja, has become the city’s highest profile exhibition space. Comprising an exhibition space and a restaurant, it has curated the work of Bruce Onobrakpeya, Diseye Tantua and other great Nigerian artists. Numero Unoma’s La Nigritude exhibition opened on the 28th of November with a centerpiece dedicated to Ken Saro Wiwa Jr (1968—2016) and his father, Ken Saro Wiwa (1941—1995). Ken Jr would have been 48 on the day of the opening. Complementing and amplifying the paintings will be a series of intimate time-lapse photographs of popular locations, poetry and odes to Nigeria, by spoken word virtuosos, Jumoke Verissimo and Soonest Nathaniel Scholes. There will also be a celebration of the humble and ubiquitous bench. The wooden benches, on which our country and our continent are run, serve as central pieces, artworks on which to sit and rest whilst taking in the visual cornucopia of the exhibition.

power brokers, who actually do the big time ‘chopping’ with no regard for the next man, or the next generation. (“Join Me I & II”) In a city like Lagos where life is crowded and lean, the ordinary man and woman still stand tall with pride, turn themselves out flamboyantly and subject themselves, amongst a milieu of yellow cabs, molues and danfos, to a hectic daily grind which promises the hope of improvement. (“Lagos Vida Loca”) Nigeria is a country where it is normal to have multiple income streams, where payment for one’s service cannot be taken for granted, and where corruption is endemic at all levels of society. The question of where the money is, remains a perennial backdrop to the struggles and hustle of the average Nigerian. (“Paperwork I, II & III”) Unoma

Notes on some of the featured work Many of us will recognise ourselves, and our experiences in this series of paintings, which employs brands as idioms, colloquialisms as mottos and symbols as metaphors. Texture, colour and geometry feature heavily in concealing the gravitas of sociopolitical critique, whilst at the same time celebrating the indomitable spirit, humour and optimism of the Nigerian people. Despite the lack of infrastructure, opportunity and economic stability, an ‘ordinary’ Nigerian will never sit down to a meal without inviting one to join him or her, much unlike the corrupt

f.e.a.r.

Artist’s Bio “My work comes forth from that space between the spaces. The proverbial message in the bottle, corked lovingly, and cast out in the hope that it will be found, engaged with and understood in the context of a timely, emotive and relevant narrative. The perspective is personal, and the gaze is a very subjective angle on universal themes pertaining to identity, displacement and sometimes just simply pondering the imponderable. My work is born of the vast wealth of energy and inspiration gathered from a life of travel, work and relation-

Paperwork III

lagos vida loca

As ’76 Enters the Stage

Olisa Nwokedi There is no gainsaying the fact that Nollywood is slowly becoming a fantastic and creative avenue to teach Nigeria, Africa and the international audience about our country’s history. This year we have already seen 93 Days, a movie that revolves around the Ebola virus epidemic that could have wiped out the entire country. In the year of 2016, we have also seen the story of how the first oil well discovered in Nigeria impacted the denizens of Oloibiri in Rivers State. A part of our history that doesn’t get a lot of light or discussion is indeed the many military coups that have altered the course of our nation. After seven years in development hell and a rigorous six month shooting period at Mokola Barracks in Ibadan, 76 is the first movie that aims to shine light on this facet of our history. Set six years after the civil war, 76 is a historical drama that uses the unsuccessful military coup and assassination of then Head of State Murtala Muhammed that occurred in February 1976 as a backdrop. The movie follows a young and patriotic officer, captain Joseph Dewa (Ramsey Nouah) who is stationed at an army barrack in Ibadan who is in a strained marriage with the heavily pregnant Suzie (Rita Dominic) who hails from the South-eastern region. While the pair is waiting for the birth of their first child, fellow officers at the army barracks are in the final phases of planning a coup to off Murtala Mohammed. Dewa is asked to take part in it but wishes to have no involvement as his priority lies with his journey to fatherhood and saving his marriage. Fearing that Dewa will report on the mutineers, the officers stationed in the barracks plan to stop Joseph from leaving the barracks using methods of blackmail, violence if necessary and utilising the hostility of Suzy’s disapproving family who are not of

Marriage and sex are also major social vectors, and therefore also feature significantly in the series (“Privatised”, and “Who Dash Monkey”).

ships in various parts of the world. “I am mother, wife, sister, lover, grandmother, creator, friend, guardian angel and nemesis all rolled into one. “I approach each work respecting the process, layering on texture, vibrancy and color to give life to the subject matter I am treating. Inherently, my method is organic in its development, and I would like to think that this lends itself to the raw messages therein. The work is sometimes visually misunderstood, as being of shock value, and subtleties are at times missed, simply because of my no holds barred approach. “The media I use mimic the technologies of my lifetime, the analog and the digital, employing paper, or a tactile canvas as comfortably as an intangible digitally manipulated projection with audio augmentation. These are the building blocks of the creative world in which I have developed: vinyl LP’s, cassettes, mini discs, mp3s, mp4s, 35mm film, 6x7 medium format silver halide, jpegs and pdf’s. “I am that Nigerian - that mixed race Nigerian - who, having had the chance to hold German, British and American citizenship, have found my Nigerian passport, (more than a green card, it is a green book), the symbol of my belonging, to be more than enough to represent my identity. We Nigerians know that we cannot profess that deep and voluminous love we have for our country without the counterbalance of our pet hates and real resentments, those things that represent the other side of our relationship with our young troubled nation, indeed with our very identity.

'76

the same ethnic group. After the assassination of Muhammed occurs the military police clamp down on the barracks and arrest all officers and since Dewa has ties to the plotters, suspicion that he was involved naturally arises and the police come to the conclusion that he is destined to face death by firing squad. It is up to Suzie to prove his innocence even though the odds are against him. Featuring Nollywood powerhouses like Ramsey Nouah, Chidi Mokeme and Rita Dominic and the vision of African Movie Academy Award winning director Izu Ojukwu who also serves as co-producer with Adonaijah Owiriwa; is this drama one that should be added into the history books or is one that should be forgotten in the annals of time? The film’s cinematography and production values are very good. The film is shot beautifully on Super 16mm film, which gives the film a clean and crisp look that is a cut above many other Nollywood productions. The movie is oozing with style thanks to clever camera work that includes the use of striking angles, grainy point of view shots from period appropriate cameras and economic use of black and white footage which helps give the movie documentary-esque feel when it is required to help visualise the

1970s Nigeria. The movie’s sound quality and mixing is also without a doubt the best I have heard this year from Nollywood. 76 did its homework on the authenticity department. The costumes, props and vehicles scream Nigeria in the 70s and the movie is backed with an impressive soundtrack that helps characterise the era the movie is set in. From the jazzy feel of Fela Kuti’s “Buy Africa” to the bluesy undertones of Miriam Makeba “where does it lead”, the songs in the movie help set the mood and in certain instances help move the story forward. There are some impressive performances across the board. Ramsey Nouah gives one the strongest performances this year as Captain Dewa, a very likeable officer with a strong moral compass who is intelligent, calm, resourceful and authoritative. Another notable performance that is worthy of awards is Rita Dominic as Suzie. She portrays her character with a deep level of sincerity that enables her to pay homage to the strength of Soldiers wives who have to also deal with the consequences of a soldier’s decision whether it is in the battlefield or the office. She has a great rapport with Nouah’s character, which makes the intertribal relationship more believable and also gives the film an ample opportunity to shine light on the challenges that lovers from two different tribes face. Memry Savanhu also gives the crowd a solid performance as Dewa’s neighbour Eunice a dirty-dancing girl who wears eccentric fashion wear and styles that encapsulates the 70s and also acts as the films comic-relief. Chidi Okeme’s turn as fellow officer Gomos is also good as he presents himself as a character who possesses wit and charm but makes a villainous switch at the flip of a coin when the coup is about to commence. One of the biggest praises I can give to this movie is its ability to raise the stakes and

suspense whilst keeping its audience on their toes without resorting to the excessive use of violence. The movie manages to do this thanks to the great story and the casts acting ability. Some pacing issue bugs the experience down. The opening minutes whilst entertaining and paramount to setting up the movies characters, motives and scenery were a little too slow for my liking, thankfully the movie picks up itself up during the second half and doesn’t really slow down till its conclusion. I appreciate the fact that the movie’s main focus isn’t re-telling the story of the aborted coup but a love story. I feel that the movie missed an opportunity to give greater historical context to the state of the nation at that particular time. The movie fails to provide a valid reason for why people wish to overthrow the current head of state and I don’t think he is even once mentioned by name. The movie instead throws the audience into the deep end as they are transported to that era as soon the movie starts. Despite this particular nitpick the movie still manages to stand tall over this flaw thanks to its plot and this talks volumes about the film’s story if it can get the audience engaged without providing detailed background knowledge. 76 is a gripping historical drama with great production values and performances from its extremely talented cast. It manages to walk the line of being educative and entertaining with its history and its themes and it ultimately stands as a perfect indicator that the industry is moving forward. The movie was directed by: - Izu Ojukwu; Produced by: - Adonaijah Owiriwa; and Starring: - Ramsey Nouah, Chidi Mokeme, Rita Dominic, Ibinabo Fiberesima, Daniel K. Daniel, Memry Savanhu, Adonai Owiriwa, Pat Nebo, Nelly Ekwereogu, Shauaibu Ebenesi Adams, Debo Oguns.

35/ENTREPRENEUR

02.12.2016

‘We Have Trained Successful Entrepreneurs Through Our Empowerment Programmes’ Samuel Oladunjoye, is the Director of Healing Wings Foundation, a Non-Governmental Organisation fighting poverty among youths and women through empowerment programmes. In this interview with Peter Uzoho, Oladunjoye speaks on the mission of the organisation, the successes and challenges, among others

Oladunjoye

When did the organisation start? By the grace of God the NGO started about seven and half years ago. That time we were majorly into cancer screening and cancer awareness. Then I travelled to four to five countries doing cancer awareness, vaccination, medical check-ups and so on. But like four and half years ago we looked at it that people are suffering. We discovered that a lot of people were not coming up again for the cancer diagnosis. So on the process, we now decided that we have to look for another way we can touch and change the lives of people. So the idea of empowering people came to us. We reasoned that people are doing this at a cost ranging from N80, 000, N120, 000 and above depending on the capacity of an individual which was so high for most people to afford. So we sat down and thought that as an NGO we have to do something so that we can take this challenge off people. Immediately, we went out and did some field work. We sampled people’s opinions and discovered that a lot of people want to learn something to be on their own but there is no means. Some of them said the money was too high and they couldn’t do it again. We now looked at it and said we can actually assist these people. We now asked them to register with just N5000 and come and receive the training. Sincerely the N5000 is too small. If we had help from the government the people are not supposed to pay. They would have just come to receive the training for free. We have written over 150 letters, it was only Akintola Williams that gave us N430, 000 and after him nobody has given us any money again. With the N5000, we looked for professionals in those areas who would bring out passion in them to come and partner with us in the project.

We pleaded with them not to look at the money but to look at those lives that were wasting away. We pleaded with them to look at those single ladies that have been forced into prostitution that wouldn’t have liked to go into it ordinarily. After winning their conscience to buy into the idea we started meeting churches to partner with us. That’s why anywhere we are going, we try to use the facility of the church to do the training. So I can tell you that there are some place that we still have to go and look for money to get some other things. So that’s how we have been doing it since we started. So I can boldly tell you that we have trained over 8,750 people for the past four years since we started the empowerment and more than 85 per cent of them are on their own now doing what they were taught and over 500 families are feeding from them. A lot of testimonies come out from them on regular basis and that’s gives us encouragement. I can tell you the truth most of the time we have to go hungry; no food to eat but we still struggle to make sure that somebody somewhere gets what he is supposed to get. We continued doing it because we believe that somebody’s life is being touched. By grace of God even with that N5000 we have a lot of professionals doing it the right way. They have a lot of eateries and our students are there and they are doing very fine because God supported us. He knows what we are doing for humanity. So I’m pleading with people anywhere they are even if they don’t have the money, to come and get the training because God sent us to try our best to ensure that people that do not have the opportunity to go and pay those huge amount of money to get the training are trained through this project. We also ensure that they have good quality

training in line with our motto which is “quality and service to humanity”. How did the inspiration come to you? The inspiration came from the fact that a lot of people are outside there suffering without people helping them. I was working in a Specialist Hospital, it got to a stage that my salary was close to N220,000 but my house rent was N180,000 per year and I will go and borrow before I will pay house rent. I’m supposed to use one month salary to pay house rent and still have some baIance but I can’t. Even when my children did not fall sick, my wife did not go to hospital then I started asking myself what’s happening. Then I heard it clearly that people are suffering and you are enjoying yourself. So I met some pastors and they said ‘Samuel! You need to go back.’ And I told them there was no salary but they said if God said go that I should go and I left. But inside of me I knew that a lot of people are depending on what God gave to me. And I knew that when I was with that Hospital I was spending for myself only and that’s why God did not allow me to have peace. Since the day we started this empowerment that happiness has always been with me. I heard it again that ‘by making other people happy that is when your happiness will come’. So all I do every day now is to make sure that somebody is happy through our work. That’s why when I get to a centre I will shout, do everything, try to talk to them and I will tell them that this thing that you have got from us don’t let it be with you, go and bless somebody. If you can’t do that for now go and assist your husband. If you are a student go to school. Don’t wait for your parents to give you money start doing something. There is no selfishness here because anybody that

is selfish, I try and remove that person because it’s in our plan. God really helped in the sense that there is no instructor that joins us that his life will not change. They always testify to me and we believe that when you touch somebody’s life your life will not remain the same. As an experienced entrepreneur what are your greatest challenges? Finance! Finance! Finance because when you get to some churches we will still pay. The security will collect money; the one that will wash and clean the environment will collect money; the church authority gets something. Also we have to pay money for advertisement. So the major challenge is finance. If we see someone that will sponsor our empowerment programme, it will make the job very easy for us. What is your advice to young entrepreneurs? Those young people that are idle that are out there looking for white collar jobs should go and get something else that can better their lives instead of idling about. The bible said, “I will bless the work of thy hands”. When you have something doing with your hand you will be comfortable. So they should look for something rather than depending on their parents or somebody somewhere. Secondly, for young entrepreneurs the beginning may not be easy they should try and then do what they have passion in .They shouldn’t do what they don’t have passion in because when you have passion in something you will stay long in it whether it pays or it does not pay. So let them do what they have passion in, continue in it and before they know it God will open the way for them. And lastly, they should pray because work without prayer will resort to frustration.

36/COLLAGE

L-R: Wife of Speaker of Ogun State, Mrs. Adekunbi Oluwaseun; Speacial Adviser to Governor on Commerce and Industry; Mrs. Funmi Ajayi; Olute 111 Alagbara of Agbara Kindom, Ogun State, HRM Oba Lukman Agunbiade; Representative of Minister of Health, Alhaji Mohammed Orire; Commissioner for Commerce and Industry, Ogun State, Mr. Bimbo Ashru; Wife of Ogun State Governor, Dr. Olufunsho Amusu; Category Manager-Maternal and Infant Nutrition, Dr. Rizwan Yousu; Commissioner fo Health Adamawa State, Dr. Fatima Atiku and Commissioner for Health Ogun State, Dr. Babatunde Ipiye, during the Celebration of First Spoonfuls for 150 Years of Nestle Food at Ogun State...recently. ..DAN UKANA

L-R: Prof. Ibiyemi Olatunji-Bello her husband, Tunji Bello, Mrs. Mosunmola Meroyi Mr. Bode Dawodu, the celebrant, Mrs. Ibijoke Dawodu and her daughter, Feyisayo at the 50th birthday of Mrs. Dawodu... in Lagos...recently

L-R: Metro Chancellor, James Famure, Supreme Treasurer, Lawrence Okonofua, Metro Grand Knight, Charlees Mbelede and Deputy Metro Grand Knight, William Adebisi, at the 2016 Annual Funfair hosted by the Order of Knight of Saint Mulumba, Lagos Metropolitan Council in Lagos...recently

L-R: Ojora of Ijora, HRM Oba Abdul Fatai Aremu Aromire; Baba Adini of Ijora , Aihaji Minkaila Alabi Onisemo; Chief Imam, Ijora, Fadeelatu Shayk Alh. Mudathir Abd. Lateef Faro Ojora and Chief Imam Tajudeen Adewusi during the Turbaning Ceremony of Baba Adini of Ijora at Oloba Central Mosque in Lagos…recently. PHOTO: JAMES AGORI

02.12.2016

Lagos State Deputy Governor, Dr. Oluranti Adebule (right); consoling the widow of late former Minister for National Planning, Mrs Tinuade Rasheed Gbadamosi, at their Olushola Gbadamosi Crescent, Ikorodu, Lagos… recently

L:R – Salim Ali Mohamed, Mo Abudu Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed; and Regional Director - Africa, International Operations -Dubai Tourism, Stella Obinwa, at the grand world premiere of the movie - 'The Wedding Party' in Lagos.. recently...

L-R: Mr Remi Omowon, 1st Runner Up, Miss Western Nigeria, Alice Oyinlola, Mr Adebayo Adeleke, Chairman, Dawn Global Platform Solutions Ltd, Miss Western Nigeria, Queen Oluwatobi Bankole and Engr Taiwo Fawole at the Oodua Business Ambassador Awards 2016 in Lagos..recently

L-R: CEO of Red Star Express Plc, Mr. Sola Obabori; Recipient of the fellowship of the Society for Corporate Governance Nigeria (SCGN) and Director, Red Star Express Plc, Mr. Isaac Orolugbagbe; his wife, Modupe; Elder statesman and past president, SCGN, Mr. Christopher Kolade and Divisional MD, Red Star Express, Mr. Charles Ejekam during the annual president’s dinner and induction ceremony of SCGN in Lagos.....recently.

37/PERSONALITY

02.12.2016

Thomas

Thomas Steps in as NGA President Ndubuisi Francis The Nigerian Gas Association (NGA) is a critical stakeholder in the nation's gas sub-sector. It is the professional body responsible for the promotion and protection of the interests of the gas industry in Nigeria. Formed in 1999, its initial membership was drawn from the primary gas production and utilisation companies in Nigeria. The earliest members include Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), Shell Petroleum Development Company(SPDC), Nigeria Liquefied Natural Gas Limited (NLNG), Chevron Nigeria Limited, Nigerian Gas Company (NGC), Elf Petroleum, Mobil Producing Nigeria, Nigerian Agip Oil Company (NAOC) and Conoco Energy Nigeria Limited. It has since grown to encompass the entire gamut of stakeholders and operators in the Nigerian gas industry – from gas producers, to transmitters, gas industry service providers, students, academia and government. The association presently has over 40 corporate members, 800 individual professional industry members, and more than 100 student members. The NGA is also a full chartered member of the International Gas Union (IGU), representing Nigeria on the council of the global gas body. For such an august association, its catalytic role cannot be downplayed. It was therefore another occasion to showcase its strategic role and contributions not only in the oil and gas sector but the nation's socio-economic environment that the NGA recently held its 10th international gas conference and exhibition at the highbrow Transcorp Hilton Hotel, Abuja.

The event was declared open by the Vice President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, who delivered the keynote address. A major highlight of the week-long NGA conference/exhibition was the change of baton in the leadership of the Association. The founder and Chief Executive Officer of Frontier Oil Limited, Engr. Dada Thomas took over the mantle of leadership from the immediate-past NGA president, Bolaji Osunsanya at a dinner, which was held at the Congress Hall of Transcorp Hotels to draw the curtains on the conference/exhibition. With over 36 years of experience in the oil and gas industry majoring chiefly in facilities engineering and project management, Thomas worked for 21 years with the Shell Group and managed a variety of increasingly complex engineering projects and general management roles in both Nigeria and Holland before setting up Frontier Oil Ltd. He resigned from Shell in 1998 to set up Tri-Ocean Nigeria Engineering Ltd, a joint venture between Tri-Ocean Engineering Limited and Leed Technology Ltd, providing engineering and related services to the international oil companies in Nigeria. In 2001, he bought out Tri-Ocean Engineering Ltd with other Nigerian partners and re-branded the company as Fairshores Ltd. He was later to found Frontier Oil Limited (FOL )- an indigenous oil and gas production and development company with a proven track record of developing and bringing into production both crude oil and non-associated gas (NAG) from the Uquo Marginal field. The company was formed to participate in the 2003 federal government's Marginal Field programme through which the company acquired the Uquo Marginal Field located in OML13, onshore Akwa Ibom State. FOL, working with its financial and technical

partner, has successfully brought the formerly stranded Uquo Marginal Field into production and, in doing so, created a brand new gas development, supply and distribution infrastructure in the South-east Niger-Delta. In addition, FOL is the operator of a joint venture operating a crude oil evacuation and delivery infrastructure from three marginal fields located in OMLs 13 & 14 to the Exxon Mobil Qua-Iboe crude oil terminal. FOL’s experience, as operator of the Uquo Marginal Field, spans the entire hydrocarbon value chain, from seismic acquisition all the way through to production of crude oil and non-associated natural gas. Core activities include: the development and effective deployment of Quality, Health, Safety, Security and Environmental (QHSSE) processes and systems; judicious application of industry and national codes and standards. It also include adherence to regulatory processes and compliance with regulatory requirements; effective management of third-party service provider relationships; development of a robust and fully functional best–in-class community relations/ community development program with the Uquo Marginal Field’s host communities, among others. The company is without a scintilla of doubt a professionally managed and committed indigenous operator with the ambition of becoming one of the leading indigenous E&P companies in Nigeria and a mid-size regional player. Thomas, who is the CEO of the company had his education at Loughborough University of Technology, United Kingdom, and is a registered engineer in Nigeria and Alberta, Canada. For such a man with a rich repertoire of experience, it was not surprising that the

NGA found him worthy to step into the driver's seat as President. In his address at the investiture, Thomas thanked the Minister of State, Petroleum, Dr. Ibe Kachikwu as well as the Senate and House of Representatives Committees on Gas. He also thanked the immediate-past NGA Council members led by Mr. Bolaji Osusanya for what he described as the excellent work and achievements in the last two years in revitalising the NGA. He assured of the resolve of the new council to build on the successes achieved by all the past NGA councils, especially the immediate-past one. He also thanked the International Gas Union, saying the NGA looked forward to deepening the existing relationship. With his assumption of office as NGA President at a critical period when a paradigm shift is recommended, Thomas is expected to provide the required leadership that the NGA needs to align with the federal government's Gas Vision”. In his address at the conference/exhibition, Kachikwu had restated that "gas is identified as a critical area of focus in our agenda for the sector." Interestingly, a draft National Gas Policy was released to about 1,000 stakeholders for consultation at the conference/exhibition. The draft gas policy promotes a competitive business environment for both current and new investors, articulates the vision for the sector and sets policy goals, strategies and an implementation plan for government's medium to long-term targets for gas market development. Thomas is better positioned to provide the leadership that NGA needs to key into the gas.

38/PERSPECTIVE

02.12.2016

Cross River and Ayade’s Hamper of Goodies Tunde Adeyemi For the people of the Northern Senatorial Zone, that make up the five local government areas of Cross River State, a huge infrastructural light finally came flaming after several months of high hopes and great expectations that were nearly ruptured by 17 months of waiting, despair, frustration and cynicism. It was a week that Governor Ben Ayade’s developmental train made an impactful stop at Obanliku, Bekwarra, Ogoja and Yala Local Government Areas of the state. For the people of the zone, it was a refreshing homecoming of a worthy son returning with plenty of game and also one that signaled the arrival of a hamper of goodies. On November 2, the waiting game was over as despair turned to hope, cynicism to optimism and frustration to a sense of fulfillment. On this day, the governor’s message was astoundingly clear and reassuring- they were not forgotten in the industrialisation hurricane sweeping across the state; and while this might have taken a little while in coming, it was neither a rejection nor denial of the zone of the share of the largesse. In a carnival-like procession, a vast concourse from different walks of life, the young and the aged, men and women, including students poured out in their thousands to receive the august visitor and his convoy. This was not one of the everyday visitors they have seen come and go. This particular visitor held something special. With a uniquely different package for each of the five local councils in the Northern Senatorial Zone, Ayade, on arrival, immediately swung into action by unveiling what would arguably be a an exceptional gift for the people of Obanliku and Bekwarra Local Council Areas with the official inauguration and inspection by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) governor, Mr. Godwin Emefiele of 30,000 and 20,000 hectares of rice farms in Obanliku and Bekwarra respectively, with the former belonging to the governor. As good entrepreneur and CEO of the state, an administrative model he has brought to bear on running the state, Governor Ayade has exhibited great skills at seeing prospects and going after them. He identifies needs and understands exactly how to translate them into results. An adherent apostle of President Muhammadu Buhari’s policy on selfsufficiency in rice production, Governor Ayade’s decision to venture into rice farming is a clear demonstration of his leadership by example. In what could be described as rousing the rice revolution in the state, the governor’s audacious venture is now a galvanising tonic as nearly everyone is now sleeping, thinking and doing rice. As an impetus to bolstering the ongoing rampage in rice production, the governor, took advantage of the CBN governor’s unwavering support for the scheme by issuing a marching order to his commissioners as well as all political appointees to acquire not less than 18,000 hectares of land for the cultivation of rice across the state. One of the earlier promises he made to the people even before his swearing-in on May 29, 2015, was his open declaration to put an end to the misnomer of seeing Ogoja rice processed in Abakiliki and rechristened “Abakiliki Rice”. In giving oxygen to his declaration and ensuring that he walked his talk, Governor Ayade, during the course of his one week of delivering his hampers to the zone, performed the groundbreaking of a multimillion naira ultra-modern rice mill in Ogoja. In his inspiring message at the groundbreaking, the governor had this to say: “The people of Ogoja are traditionally the number one rice growing people in the South-south of Nigeria, all the rice cultivated in Ogoja ends up in

Ayade (2nd left) performing the groundbreaking of 133km Mfom-Okpoma-Imaje-Bekwarra-Obudu-Obanliku dual carriage road…recently

other states. "Indeed, it is our rice and we have come to put an end from taking our rice from Cross River to somewhere else and adding to the rice cultivation statistics of other state.” In that impassioned rhetoric, Ayade has no doubt stoked a rice frenzy capable of morphing into a contagion. He assured that the product which would be called "Ogoja Rice” will be packaged to reflect the identity of the people so as to distinguish it from other products when it gets into the market. There cannot be any nationalistic fervor than this. In demonstration of this feeding frenzy, youths of farming age from Bekwarra, Obanliku and Ogoja, defied the sweltering sun in show of commitment to their governor’s rice farming initiative. As if to underscore the significance of the programme, Kebbi State Governor and Chairman, Presidential Committee on Rice and Wheat, Atiku Bagudu, who slummed it along with the CBN governor, through the crater-riddle Enugu-Abakiliki-Ogoja-Bekwarra road, commended Governor Ayade for his pragmatic roles demonstrated in ensuring the country is self-sufficient in rice production, an effort he noted, had midwifed over 73 cooperative groups and 2,183 farmers already mobilised in the northern part of the state for dry season farming. In similar vein, Emefiele, disclosed that CBN had spent over N3 billion in the programme in the state so far, assuring that once there was evidence of achieved success, the bank was ready and willing to bring in more money to the state. While commending Governor Ayade for his unflinching commitment towards the programme, the CBN governor was optimistic that his effort would serve as a motivation to Cross Riverians who were yet to key into the scheme to think of owning their personal farms and start growing rice and other essential produce. With the excitement on display, the journey to self-sufficiency in rice production may have not only begun in the state, but also points the way to its destination in no distant future, given the governor’s infectious enthusiasm. Having unfolded the package for Bekwarra and Obanliku, it was now the turn of the people of Yala Local Government Area where a mammoth crowd was on hand to receive their digital governor who came to deliver some of the dividends of his one and a half years in office. For a community that had been native

to perpetual darkness for ages, Ayade’s visit was indeed a welcome relief and a final goodbye to the nightmare that had been something of a permanent feature in their lives. Speaking at the inauguration of the Imaje/Ekpirinyi electrification project, the governor lamented the long neglect of the over 10 beneficiary communities and assured that never again would any community suffer such abject treatment which had cut them off from civilisation. The governor who said the inauguration of the electrification project was the beginning of the many dividends of democracy that were coming, promised to extend similar gesture to several other communities there still in darkness. While thanking Ayade for rescuing them from what he described as the cloak of darkness, Clan Head of Imaje, His Royal Highness, Ogamode Edema Ipuole, said the governor had done what others before him had either forgotten or failed to do, even as he called for corporate prayers for peace and good governance in the state. Shortly before the official lighting of the Imaje/Ekpirinyi communities, Governor Ayade had carried out the biggest ritual ever performed in the lives of the people in the last 40 years and one for which the five local council areas will forever be grateful. As early as 7:am, the Mfom-Ogoja Junction was literally barricaded as 30,000 people, including paramount rulers, chiefs, elders, men and women, drawn from the five local government councils of the northern part of the state poured out to witness the groundbreaking/flag off of the dualisation of MfomOgoja-Yala-Bekwarra federal road being undertaken by the state government. Since its 40 years of existence, the road has gone through severe dilapidation as a result of lack of maintenance. And because the road, over the years, has become seriously famished, it has gulped as much blood as it has experienced commuters. Worryingly, the entire north has been cut off from socio-economic intercourse with the rest of it brothers and sister from the central and southern part of the state. But in a bid to re-energise, reactivate the tempo of economic activities and increase footfalls into the famous Obudu ranch resort, Governor Ayade again, showed up as he is wont to do to flag off the construction work on the 133 kilometres Mfom-OkpomaImaje-Bekwarra- Obudu-Obanliku dual carriage road. The construction of the Federal road

which will traverse the five local government areas that constitute the Northern Senatorial District of the state is estimated at N31 billion and it is expected to be completed in 30 months. Speaking at the groundbreaking ceremony that was attended by his deputy, Prof Ivara Esu, House of Representatives members from the five local government areas, the five paramount rulers as well as a huge crowd of indigenes from the five local government areas of Bekwarra, Yala, Ogoja, Obudu and Obanliku, Ayade said the milestone was the beginning of a new journey in the history of the Northern Senatorial District which for 45 years has been denied the luxury of driving on good roads occasioned by the challenges of the times and circumstances not occasioned by the people of the zone. The governor lamented that the people are totally disconnected from the point of mercantile, social interactions and indeed all prospects that give people dignity. With tears welled up in his eyes, Ayade sobbed: "Our economic life is completely gone, our large farms that fed the entire South-south and Southeast is gone. Our educational institutions and all that united us have gone as a result of perpetual neglect and bad roads, but God has brought us again to take our destiny into our own hands that we shall be reconnected and be united.” In an optimism laden note, the former senator-turned governor declared: “We will succeed because I know the trying moments of my people, the difficulty in gaining access to farm lands, locating streams, coupled with harsh weather condition is over. We toil so much, pray so hard struggle so much but earn so little. God cannot forsake us at this point.” On the economic viability of the road, Ayade noted that “the road is not driven by ambition nor childhood propensity to achieve what you have set, but it is a thorough reflection of the yearnings and needs of our people. “I believe that this road is the beginning of prosperity and in the words of the Paramount Ruler of Obudu, it is clear that it is one thing that is going to build us again as a team and as a people and l believe that the people of the Northern Senatorial District are totally united in solidarity with this road.” According to the governor, “it is an opportunity to attract the desired traffic from the eastern flank of the country to access our facilities at the Obudu, return back to our bustling Okuku Market once again and most importantly rewrite the Ogoja’s name in our country’s map. “This project is anchored on a promise of decoupling our people from over dependence on government because road is a major infrastructure in the socioeconomic development of our state." Speaking on behalf of the Traditional Rulers in the area, Paramount Ruler of Obudu, Uti Joseph-Davies Agba, described the road as an umbilical cord that will bind and unite the people again, even as he thanked Ayade for his pragmatism in ensuring that he brings back life to Ogoja, the oldest and most neglected local government in Nigeria. On his part, the Federal Controller of Works, Federal Ministry of Works, Engr. Agbara promised to support the state in its effort at constructing the road, assuring that the ministry will be on site to ensure that contractors keep to the scope, design and specification during construction. For the people of Bekwarra, Obanliku, Obudu, Ogoja and Yala council areas, it was weep not, my brothers, weep not, my sisters, weep not, my fathers, but with these visit, let me remove your tears, as the ravening clouds which for long dotted your skyline shall no longer be victorious, because the digital governor came calling with a hamper full of goodies. Adeyemi wrote in from Lagos

T H I S D AY • FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 25, 2016

BUSINESSWORLD

NEWS

Aba’s Renewal and Smart Power In this article, C. Don Adinuba analyses the application of the smart power theory in the campaign for patronage of made in Nigeria products by Senator Enyi Abaribe President Muhammadu Buhari’s economic policy may not be generally considered wonderful, but the commitment to a substantial increase in the domestic content in the real sector of the Nigerian economy may go down in history as his most enduring legacy. The commitment in the agric sphere is represented by the steady growth in local rice production and consumption while the commitment to industrial development is symbolized by renewed nationwide interest in locally manufactured goods. Buhari did make a mark in the country’s agro-industrial growth in his first incarnation as Nigeria’s leader from 1983 to 1985 when breweries were compelled to use local maize in place of barley malt. The breweries went a step further by producing lager beers with an overwhelming local content. Guinness, for instance, came up with the Merit brand while Premier Breweries in Onitsha, Anambra State, introduced Masters beer in the market. Though the breweries were to declare crop failures because, in the words of Pius Okigbo in his Essays in the Public Philosophy of Development, the brewers were not farmers, the local content in the Nigerian beverage industry has changed for the better. Recent months have seen growing nationwide interest in domestic goods, often called Made-in-Aba products, though most local manufactures are not from this city in Abia State. The interest did not stem from sheer patriotism, as our people are still bewitched by foreign goods and services. It rather arose out of the high costs of foreign items in the wake of naira’s drastic depreciation against international currencies. Every mono-product economy which is import-dependent is bound to experience acute difficulties if its foreign exchange earner crashes. This is Nigeria’s lot, forcing the president to become the cheerleader of the campaign promoting patronage of domestic goods. If Made-in –Aba goods have all of a sudden become synonymous with locally manufactured goods, it has to do with a wellchoreographed campaign initiated by Enyi Abaribe, the economist and business manager representing Aba South in the Nigerian Senate. Since his election into the National Assembly, Abaribe has been organizing the annual Made-in-Aba Trade Fair in Abuja. The choice of Abuja, rather than Aba, as the location is strategic: to get the Federal Government to buy into the campaign. When he commenced the campaign, he was almost derided as an incurable optimist and idealist. But he persisted. The awareness grew. He was joined by Governor Okezie Ikpeazu, who appears far more purposeful than his predecessor, Theodore Orji. Senate President Bukola Saraki has now joined the campaign

Abia State Governor, Okezie Ikpeazu

with gusto, almost taking charge. When the army announced it was ordering 50,000 pairs of boots from Aba, Saraki responded with a well received statement which not just commended it but also enjoined the navy, air force, the police, National Youth Service Corps, and paramilitary organisations like the Federal Safety Corps and the Nigerian Security and Defence Corps and Customs Service to take a cue from the army. It is most likely that the army will increase the quantity because Aba products are quite competitive in terms of quality and price. This will have an effect on the other armed forces as well as the police and the paramilitary organisations. As Senator Abaribe has remarked, it is not just boots that these organisations can order from Aba but also belts, bags, caps, trousers, T-shirts and shirts. A good percentage of products wearing the labels of world class fashion designers like Gucci, Louis Vulton and Pierre Cardin are actually produced in Aba. It says something about the quality of Aba products that even many sophisticated people cannot differentiate the local imitations from the original western designs. Aba manufacturers’ ingenuity is recognised internationally. It goes beyond the considerable exports to Cameroon, Chad,

Mali and Democratic Republic of Congo. As World Bank president, James Wolfohnson visited Aba in 2004, accompanied by NgoziOkonjo-Iweala, then Nigeria’s Minister of Finance, to have firsthand knowledge of problems militating against mostly small and medium scale leather manufacturers at Ariara Market. The producers identified irregular and low quality electric power supply as the foremost constraint. Mrs. Okonjo-Iweala therefore appealed to Bart Nnaji, a well regarded Nigerian engineering researcher based in the United States who had by 2001 built and successfully run the country’s first indigenous power plant located in Abuja, to establish a plant dedicated to Ariara Market. Nnaji took up the challenge, and with a little prodding from members of the Aba Chamber of Commerce decided to make the plant serve big manufacturers in other parts of the town. Individual residents were then added to the list which would make Aba an electricity island. That is, Nnaji’s Geometric Power would generate electricity in Aba, supply it to residents and commercial organisations in the place, and recover the cost from revenue paid by the people and firms. The fact that the Nigerian Army has placed an order for 50,000 boots from Aba producers, which is bound to have what

economists call productivity spillover effects, is a milestone in the support for local manufactures. It is, indeed, a triumph for Senator Abaribe who understands the value of soft power. When the United States in the 1980s unabashedly adopted the jackboot approach in its relations with the world, Joseph S. Nye of Harvard University developed the soft power theory which advised the American government to go on a charm offensive around the world because, as he argued, the world loved American politics, government, media, sports, music, religion, education, science and technology—in fact, American way of life. He was misunderstood by some Americans who thought that Nye, a former Deputy Secretary of Defence who had admirals and generals reporting to him, was asking the United States to become a wimp or lamb in world affairs. Consequently, he changed the term soft power to smart power. But in his recent writings, Nye reverted to soft power, a term now used extensively across the world, from educational institutions to governments. It has caught the global imagination. A former business manager and economics lecturer, Abaribe is familiar with Adam Smith’s comparative advantage of nations as well as Michael Porter’s competitive advantage of both nations and firms. Having done an analysis of the Nigerian environment, he has applied the principles in these theoretical frameworks for the benefit of not just his Aba constituency but also the Nigerian nation. In a series of articles earlier this year on the Igbo condition, one had suggested that Igbo political activists replace their “nzogbu, nzogbu” approach to national politics with soft power. Like Nye, one was misunderstood. The critics were blissfully ignorant of how the Jews, who were discriminated against in the United States up to the 1960s, became extremely powerful in today’s America despite constituting less than 6% of the American population. They were obviously ignorant of how the Chinese who are a minority in places like Malaysia, Indonesia, the Philippines and Vietnam became a great force in each of these countries. Yet, neither a Jew has become the American president nor has a Chinese led Malaysia or Indonesia or the Philippines. Today one pays public homage to Senator Abaribe for strategic thinking. He understands the value of smart power. And this fact has stood him out for most effective representation of his people in the legislature. Abaribe’s constituents must be satisfied. May his tribe multiply in the Senate and elsewhere. •Adinuba is head of Discovery Public Affairs Consulting

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Ugo Aliogo, AbdulkareemAzeezat and Salami Ibukunoluwa

Crusoe Osagie

One of the leading missioncritical technology systems, and solution companies, Converge Group has expressed its desire to promote standardisation in technology usage amongst companies in the country. Disclosing this during the CIO Executive breakfast session in Lagos on Tuesday, the Director of Operation, Akan Jacobs, said presently most companies are using the Red Hat free community version as a result they don’t have enterprise grade technology in working their versions, therefore they are prone to hacking and suffering some security flaws.

He advised businesses to leave the free product platform to the Red Hat enterprise ready platform, which he said would cost them a little; adding that Red Hat hardens the new community version and makes them enterprise ready. Jacobs said that cloud computing in the Nigerian information Communication and Technology (ICT) space is already growing, expressed thehope for a very rapid adoption, which he said is delayed due to the infrastructure problems in the country. “Nigeria as a country has used technology as medium to leapfrog to where it is today in the technology and development spectrum”, he said. The meeting, which also had in attendance one of the group’s international partners Red Hat,

one of the leading Technology solutions in the companies in the world, provided a learning opportunity for the invited banks executives to learn recent innovations in cloud and software solutions. Speaking on the impacts of Red Hats to the Nigeria market, Jacob said Red Hat has created certain products that are coming new into the Nigeria market such as open shift which is used by developers to accelerate development efforts, and open stark which is an infrastructure as a service (IEAS) technology that allows you to drive virtualisation platform. He added: “Red Hat has also cloud form which is a cloud infrastructure that allows a user to drive infrastructure as a service and also virtualisation platforms.

The Lagos State government has commended Nigerian Breweries Plc’s investment drive in job creation, reaffirming the State’s commitment to providing the enabling environment for businesses to attract both local and foreign investments into the country. The Governor, Lagos State, Akinwunmi Ambode, explained that Nigeria needs investment such as this to complement the efforts of federal government in bringing down the double digit unemployment rate in Nigeria. The Governor during a courtesy visit to Nigerian Breweries to acquaint himself with the company’s operations, also lauded the company for its

investments in Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR), maintaining that this is the way to go to attain the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)to end poverty, fight inequality and injustice and tackle climate change by 2030. According to him, the company has done more in terms of CSR more than any company in Lagos State, adding that Nigerian Breweries has also contributed immensely to the growth of the State in terms of job and wealth creation. He said the company’s move into cassava production as an alternative for sugar is a welcome development, pointing out that it is in line with the present administration’s effort to diversify the country’s economic

revenue away from oil. “We need to revive the economy and the only way we can reactivate the economy is through non-oil resources. We will continue to support you in every way we can in order to boost your investments across the country. This visit marks a new beginning of many more partnerships to come,” HE SAID. Earlier, the Chairman, Nigerian Breweries Plc, Mr. Kola Jamodu, said the company has evolved into 10 operating breweries, two malting plants, 19 brands and 54 Stock Keeping Units (SKUs) and currently employs about 4000 people supporting over 500,000 jobs nationally. “This includes 250,000 farmers working in our sorghum and cassava value chain.

T H I S D AY • FRIDAY, DECEMBER 2, 2016

CITYSTRINGS

Acting Features Editor Charles Ajunwa Email charles.ajunwa@thisdaylive.com

Ogah Gives Hope to the Downtrodden in Ebonyi Chinedu Ogah has devoted his life to uplifting the lives of the downtrodden in the society through his Foundation and Initiatives Platforms, writes Benjamin Nworie

Ogah distributing wrappers to women in Ebonyi

ne thing Ebonyi people so greatly miss since the end of the past administration under the leadership of Chief Martin Elechi in Ebonyi State was the impacts and contributions of Ebonyi Youths Assembly (EYA). EYA was a veritable political organisation created by its Founder and National President, Comrade Chinedu Ogah to facilitate and enhance the policies and programmes of the Elechi’s administration. Ogah’s generosity and magnanimity know no bounds in the upliftment of the welfare of the people. EYA was a platform that was indeed, an extension of government at the grassroots for the growth and development of the state. The activities of EYA provided succour to the lives of Ebonyi residents. It was a window with which the administration of Elechi was accessed. Since the emergence and creation of the youths platform, it had remained a life-support systems for the generality of Ebonyians and non-indigenes. Apart from humanitarian services, EYA was a political incubator for upcoming politicians

with the agitation for youth’s inclusiveness in governance. Through the activities of the group, youths participation in governance was unprecedented in the Elechi’s administration.

The foundation has secured over 520 jobs for indigent Ebonyi residents in federal agencies and establishments and trained more than 600 Ebonyi people in various skills and looked after the elderly people in the state. It was unbelievable, the uncommon initiative of the Foundation to build shelter for the foremost oldest man in the state

The impacts and contributions of the Ogah’s group necessitated the likeness and attention of the former governor, who had always seen and described them as the “backbone of his security network”. Throughout the eight years of Elechi’s administration, Ogah provided supportive roles and assistance to the development and security network of the state. The former governor said he first met Ogah in the heat of his campaign for the governorship of Ebonyi State in January 2007 when Ogah approached him and offered to help in his campaigns. Elechi said that “from that point Chinedu Ogah accompanied me to all campaigns in all the three senatorial zones of the state. Without my knowledge, he went ahead to open campaign offices in all the zones of the state and followed it up till we won the election. Ogah’s skills in youth mobilisation and leadership as well as his interest in security and intelligence matters helped my administration to have a peaceful and impactful passage and I was not surprised when the federal government spotted him and honoured him with the National Honour of the Officer of the Order of the Niger (OON).”

This was possible through Ogah’s youths mobilisation and empowerment initiatives where majority of the unemployed youths were engaged in various job opportunities. EYA grew so powerful to the extent of contributing to the governance of the state and oversaw the management of critical sectors. Ogah enjoyed the commendations of the people from all walks of life, especially those he rescued from life threatening conditions, like payment of hospital bills and medical treatments across the country. One could still recall with great delight how the residence of Ogah used to be a beehive of activities and gathering of youths and stakeholders, who thronged for one favour or the other. It was believed as people intuited that no one visits Ogah’ s house and went back with his or her problems unattended to. However, with the discordant tunes that shaped the 2015 governorship election in the state, Governor David Umahi, on assumption of office proscribed EYA, citing security implications, perhaps to drive home his annoyance on Ogah’s role in the election. But the success story of EYA led to the formation of another group loyal to Presi-

T H I S D AY • FRIDAY, DECEMBER 2, 2016

CITYSTRINGS

Ogah....touching the lives of the downtrodden

The three bedrrom bungalow built by Ogah for the oldest man in Ebonyi, Pa Nmbaka Nwanchati

It is good for leaders to make their impact felt at the rural level. It is good that we relate with the people at the grassroots level in order to bring dividends of democracy to their door steps. We have done a lot and we will continue by God’s grace

dent Muhammadu Buhari, named Buhari and Osinbajo Initiative for Demonstrating Change. Under the auspices of the group, led by Ogah as its national coordinator, the people of the state have witnessed another tremendous relief and assistance from the initiator. This has become a platform for rallying support for the President in the country. He is also using the platform to help trickle down development and assistance to the rural people. Further, EYA played complementary role with Chinedu Ogah Foundation. The mission of the Ogah’s foundation was to provide succour and assistance to the downtrodden in the society. The activities of the foundation added quantum leap to the desire of the founder to touch all the segments of the society. The foundation has secured over 520 jobs for indigent Ebonyi residents in federal agencies and establishments and trained more than 600 Ebonyi people in various skills and looked after the elderly people in the state. It was unbelievable, the uncommon initiative of the Foundation to build shelter for the foremost oldest man in the state. The Foundation also at various times distributed wrappers, food items, money and other useful items to the people of the state/ The beneficiary, Pa Nmbaka Nwanchati, aged 153 was adjudged the oldest man in the state. The life of Pa Nwanchati was unbearable and excruciating. Stakeholders and political bigwigs have abandoned this aged man to his fate. The leaking thatch mud house was a nightmare in the rainy season. Yet, with his old age and impaired vision, Pa Nwanchati has lived in his thatch house in all the seasons for decades and

Ebonyi oldest man, Pa Nmbaka Nwanchati (153 years), during the inauguration of the three bedroom bungalow built for him by Ogah

nobody to carter for him, until fantasies of Ogah’s foundation beamed and blessed him with three bedroom bungalows. Pa Nwanchati hails from Edukwu-Ohatekwe community of Ikwo Local Government Area of the state. Ikwo council area is home for Ebonyi political bigwigs such as senators, commissioners, federal appointees, including Elechi and serving Deputy Governor, Kelechi Igwe. “It is good for leaders to make their impact felt at the rural level. It is good that we relate with the people at the grassroots

level in order to bring dividends of democracy to their door steps. We have done a lot and we will continue by God’s grace,” Ogah said. The construction of building in the area brought together a mammoth crowd to felicitate with the beneficiary and his family members. The organisation also constructed a culvert for Obeagu-Ohatekwe community to ease their movement to other neighbouring communities and avert incidents of drowning as experienced by members

of the community in times past. Ogah who expressed the determination of his organisation to sustain the tempo in the provision of basic amenities and welfare packages to the less-privileged across the state assured that the gesture would continue for the betterment of all and sundry. Residents of Amagu community in Ebonyi State have a lot to thank a businessman and philanthropist Chinedu Ogah for. He lifted the spirits of the poor such as widows as well as needy youths by giving them foodstuff and such other items as fertilisers, salt, even cash. The Foundation is committed to making life better for the less-privileged. Through this foundation, a day of expectation and reckoning enveloped the minds of the residents of Item Amagu in Ikwo Local Government Area of Ebonyi. For many decades, the people of Item had no access to primary healthcare. Any outbreak of disease had always taken death toll to the apex. But worried by the non-availability of a functional health centre close to the people of Item Amagu in Ikwo Local Government Area of Ebonyi , the Chinedu Ogah Foundation has built and donated a one story building worth over N30m to the Healthcare Centre located in the community to help alleviate the plight of the people in accessing quality health care. But the neglected people of Item will ever remain indebted to the intervention of the Ogah’s foundation for building a brand new health centre equipped with state-of-the-art equipment to run health services in the area. Dedicating this edifice to President Buhari, Ogah said it was a token to complement the efforts of the President in providing efficient health services to all Nigerians. “This change is all about good health to the people, it is all about uplifting the standard of leaving of the people in all its ramifications and we deem it fit to name this edifice after Dr. Ogbonnaya Onu in recognition of his years of service to the people of the state and Nigeria in general. “Buhari is a man of reputable character; he is a man with vision. That is why we erected this building. Every leadership irrespective of party we pray for them. We are very happy with what APC government is doing; we are appealing to Nigerians to be patient with Buhari. He is trying to take his time so as not to make mistakes. If you do things in a hurry you may not achieve success but if you have strategic planning, you will achieve success. And that is what I believe he is doing. In a short period of time, he will start unveiling his programmes for Nigeria.” A member of the community and pioneer Vice Chancellor of Ebonyi State University, Abakaliki, Professor Fidelis Ogah, thanked God for using the NGO to construct the culvert and build a house for the oldest man in the state. Ogah, a philanthropist, distributed wrappers and cash to over 1000 women who graced the occasion at the community’s playground.

FRIDAY DECEMBER 2, 2016 T H I S D AY

T H I S D AY FRIDAY DECEMBER 2, 2016

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 2, 2016 • T H I S D AY

BUSINESS/MONEYGUIDE

Emefiele: Present Challenges Would Pave Way for Nigeria’s Prosperity Obinna Chima The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Governor, Mr Godwin Emefiele has said that if well tackled, Nigeria’s current economic challenges can pave the way to future prosperity for the country. This, he said was the reason why the federal government and the central bank are constantly formulating and re-evaluating policies they believe would set the country on the path of greater economic prosperity. This is as he disclosed that losses due to cybercrimes across all sectors were estimated globally to hover between $400 – $550 billion in 2015. The figure, he said could rise to $2 trillion by the end of 2019. “This amount is more than the annual GDP of most individual nations, including Nigeria. Here at home, we are not spared of losses due to cybercrimes and the global trend ought to alarm us about the gravity of this problem,” he added.

Emefiele said this in a keynote address delivered at the 35th Quarterly General Meeting of the Association of Chief Audit Executives of Banks in Nigeria, in Lagos yesterday. “Where and when necessary, we must remain bold and persistent, and never afraid to try new ideas, as these are major requirements in a time of change. That is why I am confident that Nigeria will overcome our current challenges. But, I suspect that we can only overcome these challenges if we are ready to make fundamental change in many of our attitudes, orientations and practices,” said Emefiele whose speech was read by his Special Adviser on Financial Markets, Emmanuel Ukeje. He added: “Nigeria is at a crucial point in its financial history. The economy is in recession. The price of oil, which is our main source of foreign exchange earnings and government revenue, has significantly reduced, and may remain so for a long time.

“Money is scare for most citizens. Regrettably, because our economy is still largely import-dependent, this fuels the general rise in the prices of goods and services. Hence, there is a noticeable decline in the purchasing power of the people. Indeed, there are many challenges. But, I also see opportunities.” According to him, Change is the categorical imperative of the moment. This, he said applies to the central bank as the nation’s lender of last resort and the banking sector regulator; to commercial banks, and other financial institutions - as financial entities and fiduciary intermediary agencies; and even from members of the public. “For you as internal auditors, the changes may seem slow or rapid; they may be merely procedural or at times they may be radical. Whatever may be the case, the cumulative effect of change is to alter the business environment in which you serve.

CBN Plans Financial Services in Villages By 2020 Adibe Emenyonu in Benin City The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Mr. Godwin Emeifele yesterday announced plans to render financial services to villages across the country by the end of 2020. Emefiele who made the disclosure at a two-day CBN fair tagged, “Promoting Financial Stability and Economic Development,” said the CBN now has a Central Complaints Center where customers can present their challenges which would be resolved immediately. Represented by the Benin Branch Controller, Mr. Richard

Jumbo, the CBN governor said it has become pertinent to sensitise the people on their rights and duties as a customer, urging participants to be dedicated to preaching the CBN gospel of actualising a full cashless society by the year 2020. According to him, “The banking sector has improved to the extent that you can buy and transfer money with your phone. You can use your ATM to pay for goods in shops through POS. He said the programme was also aimed at teaching those looking for loan for agriculture and business to be taught how to get the loan. His words: “We want to bring

financial services to the villages that there are things that can be done with the phone not when you want money you have to travel for miles to another town. Now you can seat in your house and send any amount of money you want to send. Now the Central Bank has a channel where you have your complaints and they will be resolved”. On his part, the Deputy Director and Leader of the Team, Mr Sam Okojie who spoke on handling the currency said the naira need to be treated with respect as the cost of producing the currency is higher than the denomination itself.

AfDB, UBA Seal Deal on $150m Credit Line The African Development Bank Group (AfDB) and United Bank for Africa Plc (UBA) have signed a $150 million loan agreement to finance infrastructure and SME projects, including women-owned enterprises in Nigeria. “The Fund will support development of productive sectors of the economy; particularly the power sector, Infrastructure, Women owned enterprises as well as SMEs. This line of credit comes at an opportune time and would boost efforts at reducing the huge power

sector-financing deficit that is limiting energy supply and complement our support to medium and small scale enterprises while also promoting gender diversification across the value chain,” UBA Group Managing Director/CEO, Kennedy Uzo was quoted to have said in a statement yesterday. AfDB has remained UBA’s long-term partner in its financing activities. In 2009, AfDB provided liquidity facilities to deepen its trade finance and other lending activities, thus contributing to key

economic sectors of the Nigerian economy, particularly at a time when the economy requires critical funding to stimulate growth and employment. By leveraging UBA’s branch network, the Line of Credit will also scale up lending to SMEs and women enterprises in both urban and rural areas to create more jobs and to promote inclusive growth for Nigeria’s economy by stimulating the various sectors such as manufacturing, construction, agriculture, education and services.

More Millionaires Emerge in Diamond Bank Promo More winners have emerged in the DiamondXtra directorate draw where 41 lucky customers were rewarded with cash prizes and a star prize of a Hyundai SUV at the season 8 grand finale draw held in Lagos, recently. Speaking at the event which held at the Oshodi branch of the bank, Head, Retail performance, Lagos/west district, Chigozie Onyeocha stated that Diamond Bank’s sincerity in purpose was highlighted in the fact that eight years after the inception of the savingsxtra scheme, the bank still retains the same passion to

rewarding its loyal customers. He informed the gathering that Diamond Plc has given out over N4bn over the course of the promotion. He said: Diamond Bank is committed to meeting the needs of all our customers nationwide. We are inspired to do more for new and existing customers and the SavingsXtra reward scheme is just one of the ways in which we say thank you for being loyal to the bank’’ He further explained that to qualify for the draw, all a customer needs to do is maintain

a minimum monthly balance of N5, 000. Each sum of N5, 000 represents a single entry meaning that additional deposits will represent multiple entries thereby increasing the customer’s chances of winning. Present at the event where representatives from the national lottery commission and leading audit firm KPMG who endorsed the authenticity of the draw process which saw 10 customers win 1million naira, 30 customers win N500, 000 and 1 lucky winner drive home the star prize of a brand new SUV.

Emefiele

MARKET INDICATORS MONEY AND CREDIT STATISTICS

(MILLION NAIRA)

JUNE 2016 Broad Money (M2)

21,684,965.22

-- Narrow Money (M1)

9,125,933.16

---- Currency Outside Banks

1,379,187.93

---- Demand Deposits

7,746,745.22

-- Quasi Money

12,559,032.07

Net Foreign Assets (NFA)

7,105,663.47

Net Domestic Assets(NDA)

14,579,301.76

-- Net Domestic Credit (NDC)

24,318,143.03

---- Credit to Government (Net)

2,893,190.01

---- Memo: Credit to Govt. (Net) less FMA

5,004,677.26

---- Memo: Fed. and Mirror Accounts (FMA)

-2,111,487.25

---- Credit to Private Sector (CPS)

21,424,953.01

--Other Assets Net

-9,738,841.27

Reserve Money (Base Money)

5,370,199.87

--Currency in Circulation

1,684,725.89

--Banks Reserves

3,685,473.98 • Source - CBN

MANAGED FUNDS Initial Price (N)

Buying Price(N) 1,660.29

1,685.29

1,000.00

11,002.32

11,326.67.11

Stanbic Balanced Fund Stanbic IBTC NEF

Selling Price

Stanbic SIBond

120.47

Stanbic IBTC Ethical

1.10

1.13

Stanbic IBTC GIF

142.90

143.38

UBA Balanced Fund

1.2563

1.2493

UBA Bond Fund

1.3443

UBA Equity Fund

0.8205

0.8074

UBA Money Market Fund

1.1510

ARM Aggressive Growth Fund

N13.0544

N13.4480

ARM Discovery Fund

N288.2515

N296.9425

ARM Ethical Fund

N22.5268

N23.2060

ARM Money Market Fund

13.1030 (Yield % ) • Monetary Policy Rate - 13%

OPEC DAILY BASKET PRICE AS AT 24 NOVEMBER 2016 The price of OPEC basket of fourteen crudes stood at $45.22 a barrel on Thursday, compared with $45.35 the previous day, according to OPEC Secretariat calculations. The new OPEC Reference Basket of Crudes (ORB) is made up of the following: Saharan Blend (Algeria), Girassol (Angola), Oriente (Ecuador), Rabi Light (Gabon), Minas (Indonesia), Iran Heavy (Islamic Republic of Iran), Basra Light (Iraq), Kuwait Export (Kuwait), Es Sider (Libya), Bonny Light (Nigeria), Qatar Marine (Qatar), Arab Light (Saudi Arabia), Murban (UAE) and Merey (Venezuela). SOURCE: OPEC headquarters, Vienna

T H I S D AY • FRIDAY, DECEMBER 2, 2016

Nigeria’s top 50 stocks based on market fundamentals

17-Nov-16

16-Nov-16

% Change

Capitalisation

EPS

P/E

P/S

Div. Yld

Price/ Book Value

Table 1 Market Statistics Mkt Indicators

01 Dangote Cement Plc

154.00

0.00%

2,624,238,140,370.00

9.20

16.73

4.62

5.19%

3.51

02 Nigerian Breweries Plc

143.02

145.00

-1.37%

1,134,020,009,001.76

4.03

35.45

3.76

2.52%

6.92

03 Guaranty Trust Bank Plc

22.80

22.65

0.66%

671,030,886,307.20

4.90

4.65

1.67

7.76%

1.36

810.06

0.00%

642,099,123,495.12

8.81

91.93

3.72

3.58%

20.35

Thisday BGL 50 Index Thisday BGL 50 Market Cap (N'Trillion)

05 Zenith Bank Plc

13.80

0.00%

433,271,614,246.80

3.91

3.53

0.91

13.04%

0.62

Table 3 Top 5 Gainers

06 Lafarge Africa Plc

42.70

0.00%

194,494,307,287.00

-9.39

-4.55

0.91

7.03%

0.96

Stock

342.90

0.00%

189,730,106,327.70 -44.58

-7.69

2.44

4.64%

0.48

48.00

0.00%

181,598,220,000.00

0.69

69.35

2.74

0.10%

19.36

9.86

0.00%

180,926,574,979.90

0.68

14.58

0.31

6.29%

0.29

44.07

0.00%

174,978,923,373.15

0.03 1,507.19

2.45

2.95%

4.18

11 Access Bank Plc

5.45

0.00%

157,657,445,388.95

2.59

2.11

0.45

10.09%

0.36

12 United Bank for Africa Plc

4.31

4.30

0.23%

156,364,758,447.82

1.75

2.47

0.47

13.92%

0.36

04 Nestle Nigeria Plc

07 Seplat Petroleum Dev. Co. Ltd 08 Unilever Nigeria Plc 09 Ecobank Transnational Incorporated 10 Presco Plc

13 Stanbic IBTC Holdings Plc

15.00

0.00%

150,000,000,000.00

2.04

7.37

1.07

0.67%

1.27

14 Guinness Nig Plc

89.00

0.00%

134,024,048,732.00

-3.06

-29.10

1.30

3.60%

3.40

15 FBN Holdings Plc

3.11

3.10

0.32%

111,634,360,583.12

0.21

14.99

0.21

4.82%

0.18

16 Mobil Oil Nig Plc

294.00

266.67

10.25%

106,015,007,028.00

19.32

15.22

1.17

2.45%

5.73

17 Total Nigeria Plc

250.80

258.90

-3.13%

85,152,076,719.60

38.02

6.60

0.32

5.58%

3.74

18 7-Up Bottling Comp. Plc

129.36

0.00%

82,866,769,357.68

-0.05 -2,832.18

0.89

1.70%

3.73

59.20

53.71

10.22%

77,106,881,297.60

3.31

17.91

0.50

5.83%

1.78

20 Dangote Sugar Refinery Plc

5.95

0.00%

71,400,000,000.00

1.03

5.80

0.50

8.40%

1.15

21 International Breweries Plc

19.00

18.42

3.15%

62,590,736,320.00

0.02

843.25

2.35

1.32%

5.71

22 Flour Mills Nig. Plc

19.49

0.00%

51,146,382,774.63

-1.19

-16.33

0.12

10.26%

0.51

23 Julius Berger Nig. Plc

35.00

0.00%

46,200,000,000.00

-2.95

-11.88

0.40

4.29%

2.43

3.79

0.00%

45,611,205,608.26

-3.15

-1.20

0.18

19.79%

0.29

25 Okomu Oil Palm Plc

38.01

36.20

5.00%

36,258,119,100.00

4.82

7.88

5.51

0.26%

2.25

26 U A C N Plc

16.15

0.00%

31,021,959,850.05

3.37

4.79

0.41

6.19%

0.41

27 Transnational Corporation Of Nigeria Plc

0.70

0.00%

27,104,698,197.50

-0.47

-1.50

0.52

0.00%

0.37

28 Fidelity Bank Plc

0.80

0.79

1.27%

23,170,068,553.60

0.39

2.07

0.15

20.00%

0.13

33.00

0.00%

23,100,000,000.00

2.28

14.45

3.46

3.48%

13.50

30 Custodian And Allied Insurance Plc

3.70

3.76

-1.60%

21,762,897,521.50

0.76

4.85

0.60

3.78%

0.76

31 Wema Bank Plc

0.55

0.54

1.85%

21,215,956,344.55

0.06

9.23

0.41

0.00%

0.45

32 Diamond Bank Plc

0.90

0.93

-3.23%

20,844,350,071.20

-0.29

-3.07

0.10

0.00%

0.09

33 Cadbury Nigeria Plc

11.07

0.00%

20,791,696,582.80

0.50

22.17

0.74

11.74%

2.03

34 Sterling Bank Plc

0.69

0.70

-1.43%

19,865,388,506.94

0.29

2.40

0.18

13.04%

0.24

35 FCMB Group Plc

0.99

1.01

-1.98%

19,604,683,673.19

0.61

1.62

0.12

10.10%

0.11

36 Mansard Insurance Plc

1.71

0.00%

17,955,000,000.00

0.28

6.14

0.90

2.92%

0.85

37 National Salt Co. Nig. Plc

6.66

0.00%

17,645,259,597.48

0.85

7.84

0.94

8.26%

2.39

38 Glaxo Smithkline Consumer Nig. Plc

14.00

0.00%

16,742,270,832.00

-2.98

-4.69

0.60

2.14%

1.90

39 PZ Cussons Nigeria Plc

15.20

0.00%

15,200,000,000.00

5.69

2.67

1.06

0.66%

0.41

40 Continental Reinsurance Plc

1.02

1.00

2.00%

10,580,199,198.24

0.42

2.43

0.48

11.76%

0.57

41 Honeywell Flour Mill Plc

0.98

1.00

-2.00%

7,771,593,704.84

-0.40

-2.42

0.16

16.33%

0.23

42 Skye Bank Plc

0.50

0.00%

6,940,150,705.00

-2.93

-0.17

0.04

60.00%

0.07

43 Wapic Insurance Plc

0.50

0.52

-3.85%

6,691,369,126.00

0.18

2.78

0.85

6.00%

0.41

44 Unity Bank Plc

0.51

0.53

-3.77%

5,961,562,350.42

-0.10

-4.97

0.09

0.00%

0.07

45 Resort Savings & Loans Plc

0.50

0.00%

5,664,866,202.00

0.03

17.71

3.72

0.00%

1.94

46 Cement Co. Of North.Nig. Plc

4.26

4.48

-4.91%

5,353,447,283.16

0.22

19.46

0.48

2.35%

0.50

47 AIICO Insurance Plc

0.59

0.00%

4,088,820,643.20

0.22

2.65

0.14

8.47%

0.40

48 UACN Property Development Co. Limited

2.23

2.34

-4.70%

3,832,812,488.85

0.30

7.45

0.91

31.39%

0.11

49 Nigerian Aviation Handling Company Plc

2.32

2.44

-4.92%

3,768,187,500.00

0.15

15.35

0.47

8.62%

0.63

50 Fidson Healthcare Plc

1.46

0.00%

2,190,000,000.00

0.24

6.20

0.33

3.42%

0.34

19 Forte Oil Plc.

24 Oando Plc

29 Cap Plc

TOTAL

8,281,541,452,691.43

TOTAL MARKET CAP

8,812,503,866,468.62

% OF MARKET CAP Annotation - MA* = Simple Moving Average

93.97%

NSE All Share Index NSE Market Cap (N'Trillion)

Open 16-Nov-16

Close 17-Nov-16

Change %

25,653.14 8.83

25,599.79 8.81

-0.21% -0.21%

106.58 8.30

106.36 8.28

-0.21% -0.21%

Open Close Change 16-Nov-16 17-Nov-16 %

National Salt Co. Nig. Plc Honeywell Flour Mill Plc Fidelity Bank Plc AIICO Insurance Plc Ecobank Transnational Incorporated

7.51 1.04 0.76 0.58 9.71

7.88 1.09 0.79 0.60 10.00

4.93% 4.81% 3.95% 3.45% 2.99%

Table 4 Top 5 Losers Stock

Open Close Change 16-Nov-16 17-Nov-16 %

Forte Oil Plc. Glaxo Smithkline Consumer Nig. Plc Cap Plc Cadbury Nigeria Plc Total Nigeria Plc

87.02 14.25

82.67 -5.00% 13.54 -4.98%

33.74 10.57 290.00

32.07 -4.95% 10.05 -4.92% 276.03 -4.82%

Market moves slightly northward with 0.09% gain Market pulse on the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE) today – Thursday, December 1st, 2016 ends again on a positive note as stock market close green. This was further highlighted by positive performance from the NSE subsectors: Banking and Oil & Gas (Save Insurance and Consumer Goods). Trading activities increased in volume as 773.87 million shares worth of N1.91 billion in 2,334 deals exchanged hands today. This is an increase from the 414.16 million shares worth of N3.42 billion in 2,567 deals which exchanged hands on Wednesday. Topping in volume terms were Wema Bank Plc, Diamond Bank Plc and Access Bank Plc, while Guaranty Trust Bank Plc and Wema Bank Plc ended trading as the most active stocks in value terms. The All Share Index (NSEASI) closed negative with 0.09% (+23.45) increase to close at 25,265.08 from 25,241.63 the previous trading day. Market Capitalization appreciated in tandem to N8.69 trillion from N8.69 trillion of prior trading day. Similarly, the Thisday BGL 50 Index followed suit qwith increase of 0.06% to close at 104.79 from 104.72 recorded at the end of the previous trading day, while its market capitalization stood at 8.16 trillion from 8.15 trillion of the previous trading day. A total number of 15 stocks gained on the bourse today while 14 stocks declined, 70 leaving stocks unchanged. Mobil Oil Nig. Plc re-emerged as the day’s toast of investors as it topped the Thisday BGL 50 Index gainers’ list with a gain of 10.25% to close at N294.00 per share. It was followed by Forte Oil Plc with a gain of 10.22% to close at N59.20 per share. Others on the gainers list include: Okomu Oil Palm Plc, International Breweries Plc and Continental Reinsurance Plc; while on the decliners’ list, Nigerian Aviation Handling Company Plc emerge with a loss of 4.92% to close at N2.32 per share. It was followed by CCNN Plc with a loss of 4.91% to close at N4.26 per share. Others on the decliners list include: UACN Property Development Co. Limited, Wapic Insurance Plc and Unity Bank Plc.

REQUIRED DISCLOSURE This report has been prepared by BGL Plc. BGL Plc does and seeks to do business with companies covered in its research reports. As a result, the firm may have a conflict of interest that could affect the objectivity of this report. Investors should use this report as one of many other factors in making their investment decisions.

For more details go to www.thisdaylive.com

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 2, 2016 • T H I S D AY

MARKET NEWS

Stock Market Sustains Positive Run for the Second Day Goddy Egene and Nosa Alekhuogie The Nigerian equities market closed on a positive note for the second day yesterday as the Nigerian Stock Exchange All-Share Index (NSE ASI) rose 0.09 per cent to close at 25,265.08. The market had rebounded the previous day to halt five days losing streak

following the activities of bargain hunters. The positive run was sustained yesterday with the NSE ASI rising by 0.09 per cent to be at 25,265.08, while market capitalisation added N2.2 billion to close at N8.7 trillion. However, analysts at Cordros Capital Limited said the marginal gains of the past two days , despite the huge sell-off

T H E

experienced last month, do not point to sustainable recovery. According to analysts at Meristem Securities Limited, performance of the market was driven mostly by bargain hunting on selected stocks and buy sentiments towards the oil and gas stocks, following OPEC’s decision to cut crude oil output by 1.2mbpd on Monday. “We expect this trend to

N I G E R I A N

persist for the rest of the week,” they said. In line with the renewed interest in oil and gas stocks, Mobil Oil led the price gainers for the fourth consecutive day, rising by 10.2 per cent. Similarly, Forte Oil Plc added 10.2 per cent, just as Oando Plc garnered 4.8 per cent. Outside the oil and gas sector, Portland Paints chalked up 9.2 per cent, while

STO C K

Okomu Oil Palm added 5.0 per cent. In terms of performance across the sectors, two sectors appreciated, while three declined. Obviously, the NSE Oil & Gas Index led with 3.0 per cent driven by sustained rally in Mobil Oil Nigeria, Oando Plc as well as bargain hunting in Forte Oil Plc. The NSE Banking Index

E XC H A N G E

followed, advancing 0.3 per cent on account of renewed buying interest in Guaranty Trust Bank Plc (+0.7 per cent), Wema Bank Plc(+1.9 per cent) and United Bank for Africa Plc(+0.2 per cent). Analysts at FSDH Research recently said many banking stocks are trading at huge discounts compared to their peers in other jurisdictions.

T H I S D AY • FRIDAY, DECEMBER 2, 2016

MARKET NEWS

Collective Schemes Investors Urged to Use SEC-Registered Fund Managers Goddy Egene Collective schemes investors have been advised to always invest their funds through fund managers that are registered by the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC ). While investing through collective investment schemes in the nation’s capital market has many advantages, some investors are still discouraged due to their past experiences of losing their funds to fund managers. But speaking in an interview

with THISDAY at the general meeting of the Fund Managers Association of Nigeria (FMAN), Lagos yesterday, President of the association, Dr. Ore Sokefun said the situation has changed significantly given the efforts by SEC and operators to reposition and develop the industry. According to her, investors should ensure they patronise fund managers that are registered by SEC. “In recent past we do admit

A Mutual fund (Unit Trust) is an investment vehicle managed by a SEC (Securities and Exchange Commission) registered Fund Manager. Investors with similar objectives buy units of the Fund so that the Fund Manager can buy securities that willl generate their desired return. An ETF (Exchange Traded Fund) is a type of fund which owns the assets (shares of stock, bonds, oil futures, gold bars, foreign currency, etc.) and divides ownership of those assets into shares. Investors can buy these ‘shares’ on the

that some fund managers were not abiding by the ethics of the profession. But now FMAN, being a self-regulatory organisation and SEC making sure that everybody is filing their returns and looking at things more correctly, we believe that now you can definitely entrust your money to SECregistered fund managers. The mistake a lot of investor make is that they do not ensure that who they give their money to is registered by SEC. The list of

floor of the Nigerian Stock Exchange. A REIT (Real Estate Investment Trust) is an investment vehicle that allows both small and large investors to part-own real estate ventures (eg. Offices, Houses, Hospitals) in proportion to their investments. The assets are divided into shares that are traded on the Nigerian Stock Exchange. GUIDE TO DATA: Date: All fund prices are quoted in Naira as at 30-Nov-2016, unless otherwise stated.

all registered fund managers is available by looking at SEC website and very soon the list of registered fund managers will also be available on FMAN website, which is www.fman. com.ng,” she said. Speaking on the volatility in the market, Sokefun said investors should have a long term approach while investing in the stock market. “As investors we need to think long term. If you are investing today, you do not invest the

money that you are going to need in the next one year. Asset prices are very low today and they will surely rebound when the economy rebounds. We need to know that as investors we need to have long term approach and buy with the money you can afford to invest in the two to three or four years,” she said. Sokefun, who is the managing director of Investment One VenCap Limited, said investing in collective investment schemes

using fund managers has many benefits. “If you want to invest you money and do not have the time to do the research yourself or to stay abreast of the market, it is always better for you to go through a collective investment. You will have a professional, a fund manager who looks at the fund every day and stays abreast of the information that will either move the market either positively or negatively and react to it,” she said.

Offer price: The price at which units of a trust or ETF are bought by investors. Bid Price: The price at which Investors redeem (sell) units of a trust or ETF. Yield/Total Return: Denotes the total return an investor would have earned on his investment. Money Market Funds report Yield while others report Year- to-date Total Return. NAV: Is value per share of the real estate assets held by a REIT on a specific date.

DAILY PRICE LIST FOR MUTUAL FUNDS, REITS and ETFS MUTUAL FUNDS / UNIT TRUSTS AFRINVEST ASSET MANAGEMENT LTD Web: www.afrinvest.com; Tel: +234 1 270 1680 Fund Name Bid Price Afrinvest Equity Fund 121.08 Nigeria International Debt Fund 220.21 ALTERNATIVE CAPITAL PARTNERS LTD Web: www.acapng.com, Tel: +234 1 291 2406, +234 1 291 2868 Fund Name Bid Price ACAP Canary Growth Fund 0.69 AIICO CAPITAL LTD Web: www.aiicocapital.com, Tel: +234-1-2792974 Fund Name Bid Price AIICO Money Market Fund ARM INVESTMENT MANAGERS LTD Web: www.arm.com.ng; Tel: 0700 CALLARM (0700 225 5276) Fund Name ARM Aggressive Growth Fund ARM Discovery Fund ARM Ethical Fund ARM Money Market Fund AXA MANSARD INVESTMENTS LIMITED Web: www.axamansard.com; Tel: +2341-4488482 Fund Name AXA Mansard Equity Income Fund AXA Mansard Money Market Fund CHAPELHILL DENHAM MANAGEMENT LTD Web: www.chapelhilldenham.com, Tel: +234 461 0691 Fund Name Nigeria Global Investment Fund Paramount Equity Fund Women's Investment Fund FBN CAPITAL ASSET MANAGEMENT LTD Web: www.fbnquest.com; Tel: +234-81 0082 0082 Fund Name FBN Fixed Income Fund FBN Heritage Fund FBN Money Market Fund FBN Nigeria Eurobond (USD) Fund - Institutional FBN Nigeria Eurobond (USD) Fund - Retail FBN Nigeria Smart Beta Equity Fund FIRST CITY ASSET MANAGEMENT LTD Web: www.fcamltd.com; Tel: +234 1 462 2596 Fund Name Legacy Equity Fund Legacy Short Maturity (NGN) Fund FSDH ASSET MANAGEMENT LTD Web: www.fsdhaml.com; Tel: 01-270 4884-5; 01-280 9740-1 Fund Name Coral Growth Fund

100.00

aaml@afrinvest.com Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn 122.01 11.13% 221.48 10.04% info@acapng.com Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn 0.69 11.30% ammf@aiicocapital.com Offer Price

Yield / T-Rtn

100.00

16.80%

enquiries@arminvestmentcenter.com Bid Price 11.81 278.73 21.69

Offer Price 12.17 287.13 22.35

Yield / T-Rtn -3.08% -0.27% -1.62%

1.00

16.02%

investmentcare@axamansard.com Bid Price 102.93

Offer Price 103.58

Yield / T-Rtn 3.25%

1.00 1.00 15.56% investmentmanagement@chapelhilldenham.com Bid Price 2.13 9.00

Offer Price 2.19 9.23

Yield / T-Rtn 4.85% -8.67%

83.22

85.36

2.60%

invest@fbnquest.com Bid Price 1,074.90 108.69 100.00 $101.46 $101.24 106.98

Offer Price 1,076.09 109.24 100.00 $102.24 $102.03

Yield / T-Rtn 4.90% 3.12% 14.51% 5.29% 5.07%

108.41

7.69%

fcamhelpdesk@fcmb.com Bid Price 0.90 2.54

Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn 0.92 0.00% 2.54 9.19% coralfunds@fsdhgroup.com

Bid Price 2,159.86

Offer Price 2,184.08

Coral Income Fund 2,083.67 INVESTMENT ONE FUNDS MANAGEMENT LTD Web: www.investment-one.com; Tel: +234 812 992 1045,+234 1 448 8888 Fund Name Bid Price

Yield / T-Rtn -0.72%

2,083.67 10.13% enquiries@investment-one.com Offer Price

Yield / T-Rtn

Vantage Guaranteed Income Fund

1.00

15.21%

Vantage Balanced Fund

1.65

1.67

1.18%

LOTUS CAPITAL LTD fincon@lotuscapitallimited.com Web: www.lotuscapitallimited.com; Tel: +234 1-291 4626 / +234 1-291 4624 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Lotus Halal Investment Fund 0.99 1.01 11.49% Lotus Halal Fixed Income Fund 998.47 998.47 -0.15% MERISTEM WEALTH MANAGEMENT LTD info@meristemwealth.com Web: www.meristemwealth.com ; Tel: +234 1-4488260 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Meristem Equity Market Fund 9.17 9.25 -6.24% Meristem Money Market Fund 10.00 10.00 14.36% PAC ASSET MANAGEMENT LTD info@pacassetmanagement.com Web: www.pacassetmanagement.com/mutualfunds; Tel: +234 1 271 8632 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn PACAM Balanced Fund 1.04 1.05 5.31% PACAM Fixed Income Fund 10.38 10.45 4.19% SCM CAPITAL LIMITED info@scmcapitalng.com Web: www.scmcapitalng.com; Tel: +234 1-280 2226,+234 1- 280 2227 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn SCM Capital Frontier Fund 107.22 107.91 5.22% SFS CAPITAL NIGERIA LTD investments@sfsnigeria.com Web: www.sfsnigeria.com, Tel: +234 (01) 2801400 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn SFS Fixed Income Fund 1.23 1.23 9.37% STANBIC IBTC ASSET MANAGEMENT LTD assetmanagement@stanbicibtc.com Web: www.stanbicibtcassetmanagement.com; Tel: +234 1 280 1266; 0700 MUTUALFUNDS Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Stanbic IBTC Balanced Fund 1,797.31 1,807.15 7.01% Stanbic IBTC Bond Fund 151.95 151.95 3.31% Stanbic IBTC Ethical Fund 0.75 0.75 0.00% Stanbic IBTC Guaranteed Investment Fund 184.15 184.15 8.52% Stanbic IBTC Iman Fund 128.31 129.89 -5.19% Stanbic IBTC Money Market Fund 100.00 100.00 16.78% Stanbic IBTC Nigerian Equity Fund 7,330.79 7,427.04 1.99% UNITED CAPITAL ASSET MANAGEMENT LTD unitedcapitalplcgroup.com Web: www.unitedcapitalplcgroup.com; Tel: +234 803 306 2887 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn United Capital Balanced Fund 1.14 1.16 8.40% United Capital Bond Fund 1.25 1.25 15.97% United Capital Equity Fund 0.68 0.69 -1.31% United Capital Money Market Fund 1.00 1.00 13.00% ZENITH ASSETS MANAGEMENT LTD info@zenith-funds.com Web: www.zenith-funds.com; Tel: +234 1-2784219 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Zenith Equity Fund 9.48 9.64 -0.61% Zenith Ethical Fund 10.98 11.07 -4.16% Zenith Income Fund 16.92 16.92 5.47%

REITS

NAV Per Share

Yield / T-Rtn

11.58 122.98

3.99% 6.15%

Bid Price

Offer Price

Yield / T-Rtn

8.67 72.66

8.77 74.03

-9.45% -12.69%

Fund Name FSDH UPDC Real Estate Investment Fund SFS Skye Shelter Fund

EXCHANGE TRADED FUNDS

Fund Name Lotus Halal Equity Exchange Traded Fund Stanbic IBTC ETF 30 Fund

VETIVA FUND MANAGERS LTD Web: www.vetiva.com; Tel: +234 1 453 0697

Fund Name Vetiva Banking Exchange Traded Fund Vetiva Consumer Goods Exchange Traded Fund Vetiva Griffin 30 Exchange Traded Fund Vetiva Industrial Goods Exchange Traded Fund Vetiva S&P Nigeria Sovereign Bond Exchange Traded Fund

funds@vetiva.com Bid Price

Offer Price

Yield / T-Rtn

2.48 7.09 11.62 15.36 127.80

2.52 7.17 11.76 15.56 129.80

8.58% 10.89% -6.02% -19.94% -

The value of investments and the income from them may fall as well as rise. Past performance is a guide and not an indication of future returns. Fund prices published in this edition are also available on each fund manager’s website and FMAN’s website at www.fman.com.ng. Fund prices are supplied by the operator of the relevant fund and are published for information purposes only.

FRIDAY DECEMBER 2, 2016 T H I S D AY

T H I S D AY FRIDAY DECEMBER 2, 2016

FRIDAY DECEMBER 2, 2016 • T H I S D AY

INTERNATIONAL

WORLD OF ISLAM

Gambia Holds Presidential Election

Life is a Fitnah! (2)

email:foreigndesk@thisdaylive.com

Gambians is holding its Presidential election in the first serious electoral challenge to President Yahya Jammeh, who has said only Allah can remove him from office and once claimed he would rule the tiny riverside West African nation for “a billion years”. Jammeh, who seized power in a 1994 coup, has made headlines by claiming to have a herbal cure for AIDS that only works on Thursdays, declaring Gambia an Islamic republic and threatening to slit the throats of practising homosexuals. Rallies for the main opposition challenger businessman Adama Barrow have attracted crowds of thousands, in a rare show of defiance to a leader rights groups say frequently imprisons and tortures opposition figures. Barrow has promised to revive Gambia’s economy, one of the region’s most

sluggish, end wide spread human rights abuses and to step down after three years as a boost to democracy. Jammeh’s supporters deny allegations of atrocities and he frequently rails against Western interference in African internal affairs. Dressed in white robes and carrying a copy of the Koran, the president has also drawn large crowds during rallies across Gambia, which straddles the Gambia river on Africa’s west coast. Voters queued up at polling stations where they will chose by dropping marbles into drums painted green, silver and purple for the three candidates, each with his picture on. Gambian officials say the system is designed to avoid spoiled ballots and to simplify the process for the many illiterate voters. A Reuters reporter in the country said both internet and international phone signals had been jammed. Repeated attempts to call sources

in Gambia did not go through. Activist Jeggan Grey Johnson with Open Society Foundation called the outages a “deliberate attempt by the incumbent to control any sort of information sharing”. Gambia’s communications minister could not be reached for comment. European Union observers have been barred from monitoring the presidential poll; African Union observers have been admitted. In April, small protests in Banjul calling for electoral reform led to dozens of arrests, including that of the leader of the main UDP opposition party Ousainu Darboe. Two UDP members have since died in custody while others remain in jail. Jammeh said this week: “My presidency and power are in the hands of Allah and only Allah can take it from me.”

Iranians, Kenyan Face Terrorism Charges Two Iranians and their Kenyan driver, who worked for the Iranian embassy in Nairobi, were charged on Thursday with collecting information for a terrorist act after filming the Israeli embassy, lawyers said. Sayed Nasrollah Ebrahimi, Abdolhosein Ghola Safafe and driver Moses Keyah Mmboga “were found taking video clips of the Israeli embassy ... for the

use in the commission of a terrorist act”, according to a charge sheet produced in court. The three men were in a car belonging to the Iranian embassy when they were arrested on Tuesday, the court papers said. The diplomatic status of the two Iranians was unclear. The Iranian embassy did not respond to requests for comment. “My clients pleaded not guilty and have been detained by the ATPU (Kenya’s Anti Terrorism Police Unit) for further interrogation,” defence lawyer Cohen Amanya told Reuters after the men’s court appearance.

CHANGE OF NAME

I formerly known and addressed as MISS IBIYINKA MARY YEWANDE, now wish to be known and addressed as MRS IBIYINKA MARY YEWANDE SOREMEKUN. All former documents remain valid. The general public should please take note. We formerly known and addressed as Consign Brothers Club of Nigeria now wish to be known and addressed as Concerned Brothers Club of Nigeria. All former documents remain valid. The general public should please take note.

I formerly known and addressed as ONYEMEZIRI EVAN CHINYERE now wish to be known and addressed as MRS IHUGBE EVAN CHINYERE. All former documents remain valid. The general public take note. I formerly known and addressed as PATIENCE FRANCIS OSIOBE now wish to be known and addressed as PATIENCE CLEMENT FRANCIS. All former documents remain valid. The general public take note. I formerly known and addressed as MISS TEMITOPE OYEYEMI OYENEYE now wish to be known and addressed as MRS TEMITOPE OYEYEMI ADESANYA . All former documents remain valid. The general public take note. CORRECTION OF NAME I formerly known and addressed MICHAEL as AYOOLA TOMINIYI now wish to be known MICHAEL and addressed as TOMINIYI AYOOLA. All former documents remain valid.The general public take note.

Prosecutor Duncan Ondimu said the two Iranians were visiting Kenya but gave no further details. Kenya has suffered repeated militant attacks in recent years but those were mainly carried out by ethnically Somali militants who would be hostile to Iran because of sectarian differences. In 2002, 15 people died when an Israeli-owned hotel was bombed in the coastal town of Mombasa at the same time two missiles were fired at an Israeli jet, narrowly missing it. In 2013, a Kenyan court jailed two Iranians for life on terrorism-related charges, including possessing explosives. The sentence was reduced to 15 years on appeal.

US on Watch for IS Militants Dispersing in Libya The United States is “watching very carefully” for Islamic State militants operating outside Sirte as the jihadist group faces defeat in its former North African stronghold, a senior U.S. Department of State official told Reutersew. Libyan forces have been battling Islamic State in Sirte for more than six months and have reduced the amount of ground held by its fighters to a small cluster of buildings near the city’s Mediterranean sea front. Since Aug. 1 the forces, led by brigades from the western Libyan city of Misrata, have been backed by U.S. air strikes. “They have made a great deal of progress, but the fight has been quite severe and the Libyan forces have taken a lot of casualties,” said Marie Richards, the Department of State’s deputy counterterrorism coordinator for regional and multilateral affairs. “We are very confident that in a short period they will be able to eliminate the threat coming out of Sirte.” However, Richards said that there will inevitably be elements that disperse throughout Libya. “We are watching very carefully where they go,” she added.

Edited by: MJO Mustapha Email deji.mustapha@thisdaylive.com

Continued from last week

Shaykh Saalih ibn ‘Abdil-’Azeez AalishShaykh (www.bakkah.net)

The Fitnah of Seeing the Enjoyment of the Disbelievers Another kind of fitnah that is mentioned in this soorah is that a man sees the enemies of Allaah and His Messenger (sallallaahu ‘alayhe wa sallam) living long, secure lives. He sees that they live long lives on earth, enjoying their strength and oppressing others, and they are the enemies of Allaah, polytheists! This may lead him to start following the pleasures of the dunyaa, and join them in preventing others from the path of Allaah. Allaah says [Q2v212]: “The life of this dunyaa is made beautiful to those who have disbelieved. They have mocked the people who believed, but the people who have taqwaa will be above them on the Day of Judgement” That was from Soorah Al-Baqarah. In this soorah, Soorah Al-’Ankaboot, Allaah, the Mighty and Majestic mentions the story of Nooh (‘alayhis-salaam) in only two verses. What is the relationship of this story to the them of the soorah, which is fitnah? Allaah, the Mighty and Majestic, says [Q29v14-15]: “And verily we sent Nooh to his people, and stayed amongst them (calling them to Allaah) for all of 1000 years, save 50. Then the great flood overtook them while they were oppressive. So we saved him and those on his boat, and we made it a sign for all the creation.” The story of Nooh is found here in only two verses? What is the reason for that? This entire time, 950 years, he was inviting them, while the believers were very few, as is understood from another soorah [Q11v40]: “And no one believed along with him, except very few” Some of the scholars explained that the number of believers had only reached 13 individuals. Others said that seventy-some men and women had believed. He stayed amongst them a thousand years while shirk was the predominant practice, the worshipping of idols: Wadd, Suwaa’, Yaghooth, Ya’ooq, and Nasr. [Q71v23] And he was advising them and inviting them day and night, secretly and openly, and no one responded except this small number. Wouldn’t the hearts be facing a fitnah? Indeed this was a fitnah. It was not just 10, 20, or 50 years, or even 100 years. 200 years went by, 300, 400, 500, to a complete 1000 years, save 50. Then finally came the way out from Allaah, the Mighty and Majestic. Therefore, a man may be put to trial by seeing the long lives of the enemies. So this soorah causes the true believer to take heed and realize that this is for a reason. Allaah says [Q29v3]: “So that Allaah would make known those who have been truthful, and so that Allaah would make known the liars.” When will this be made known? When the fitnah is encountered, and it is dealt with successfully. So the theme of the soorah, as we are noting, is fitnah, even with the story of the Prophet (Nooh). The lesson here is fitnah, and what will save you from the fitnah that lasts for a long time. Some people mistakenly think that Allaah’s affair will reach him however they want. No, rather the wisdom of Allaah is all-encompassing. He will test people, as He tested Nooh (‘alayhis-salaam) and his people, as they lived amongst their people (calling them to Allaah) for 950 years, and after that only a small group of people responded. So one way to succeed in the face of

trials is mentioned here in the soorah, and that is by way of patience. Allaah says [Q29v15]: “So we saved him and those on his boat, and we made it a sign for all the creation”

The Fitnah of Passions and Desires After this, Allaah mentions the story of Loot (‘alayhis-salaam). In it is mention of the fitnah of the desires of men that go against man’s very nature. This, along with a number of other passions and their outward promotion of them, they claimed that there was no harm in them. They would refute anyone who prohibited them from their actions. He (Loot) prohibited them, and said, “You are practicing all kinds of evil in your gatherings!” But all they said to him was, “Bring us Allaah’s Punishment if you are indeed truthful!” [Q29v29] It was great fitnah for Loot that his wife from his own house had given into their evil and became like them, encouraging the men to have intercourse with the men who came to their land, and the likes. Allaah says [Q7v83]: “So we saved him and his family, except his wife, as she was from those who stayed behind” So then the desires are a form of fitnah. How can one escape his desires and passions? He escapes them by recognizing that they are a source of fitnah. Allaah intended for the passions in the flesh of mankind to be something that leads him to preserve his lineage (by having children), and to test the servant as well. Does he have perseverance or not? Does he push forward, firm upon what Allaah wants from him, or does he turn to his desires and lose hold of his grasp over them, going after anything he wants? So in this story, the fitnah was something that led to the release of Allaah’s Punishment upon those who did not cease doing things He, the Mighty and Majestic, had forbidden.

The Fitnah of Disobedience Upon Knowledge Another kind of fitnah is when the people have knowledge, the society knows what is correct, but they do not act according to the knowledge. An ignorant man can be taught, but when knowledge has spread throughout a society and the people know the boundaries and they have some insight, but they contradict what they know, isn’t that a fitnah?! Knowledge has not been a blessing for them, rather it has only been a fitnah. Allaah, the Mighty and Exalted, mentions that the tribes of ‘Aad and Thamood were people of knowledge. They knew and had insight, but with that they rebelled and disobeyed. Allaah, may He be glorified, said [Q29v38]: “And (remember the destruction of) ‘Aad and Thamood! Verily their (destroyed) places of residence have made clear to you (how they were destroyed). The Shaytaan beautified their actions for them and kept them away from the Path, while they were people of insight.” The Shaytaan beautified their actions for them, and then kept them away from the Path, while they were people of insight! Were they ignorant? No. Were they deficient in some of their knowledge? No. They had knowledge, but the Shaytaan had beautified their actions for them, and thus kept them away from the Path! All of this while they had good insight and clear vision. This is a tremendous fitnah, that a man has knowledge but he obeys the Shaytaan, leaving behind the knowledge that he has received from his Lord, the Mighty and Majestic, and from His Messenger (sallallaahu ‘alayhe wa sallam).

FRIDAY DECEMBER 2, 2016 • T H I S D AY

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NLC Tackles Presidential Advisory Committee against Corruption Carpets Sagay, Odekunle, Owasanoye Paul Obi in Abuja The Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) yesterday took a swipe at the Presidential Advisory Committee against Corruption (PACC) over the disparaging comments by the committee against the inclusion of NLC as members of the think-tank. NLC President, Ayuba Wabba, said such comments were

unwarranted and uncharitable given the strategic role played by organised labour in the fight against corruption. He said: “Our attention is drawn to the unwarranted attack launched against organised labour by some members of the Presidential Advisory Committee Against Corruption (PACAC) to a harmless observation by the Acting General

Osinbajo: FG is Resolved to Support Private Sector Players Sheriff Balogun in Abeokuta Vice President Yemi Osinbajo yesterday disclosed that the federal government has resolved to work with and support private sector players who demonstrate commitment to value addition and job creation in the economy. The Vice President who visited the ongoing development of the Honeywell Foods and Agroallied Industrial Complex in Sagamu, Ogun State, commended Honeywell’s patriotic efforts at reducing food imports. He added that the company in its new Agro-allied industry would be creating employment in the allimportant food, manufacturing and agriculture sectors of the economy. Shortly after the tour of the factory, Osinbajo with Chairman, Honeywell Flour Mills Plc, Dr. Oba

Otudeko, unveiled the company’s initiative to accelerate Nigeria’s quest for self-sufficiency in food production. Otudeko in his message, said the massive project commenced in 2014, saying it would see Honeywell invest about N64 billion to develop a world class integrated facility. He said with the investment, economies of scale and scope will be leveraged to drive down cost and provide Nigerians with more affordable food products. He disclosed that “the company has commenced work on the first three phases of the complex: initially with the construction of a pasta plant; being followed by a sorghum flour mill and an animal feed mill. He therefore, said that Honeywell’s Foods&Agro-allied Complex would support Nigeria’s progress towards self-sufficiency in food production.

Secretary of the Trade Union Congress (TUC) that it would have been good if NLC and TUC were made members of the committee. Leading the assault, Professor Femi Odekunle, said: “the labour leaders are corrupt”compromised, no longer trustworthy and cannot protest against acts of corruption. “Professor Bolaji Owasanoye, the executive secretary of the committee said the fact that unions do not protest against corruption at the National and State Assemblies while state governors award themselves sickening pensions and workers go without pay, shows that unions are collaborators or beneficiaries of these acts of corruption. “Professor Itsay Sagay, the chairman of the committee, said the inclination of the unions or trade centres to be made members of the Committee is “... a very wrong

attitude, very negative attitude.” Wabba maintained that “the Nigeria Labour Congress considers this posture by the committee to be an unnecessary display of arrogance and self-righteousness, which is most unfortunate. “Due to our respect for his record of support for popular struggles before he took the current appointment as chairman of the advisory committee, we had refrained from responding to an earlier unwarranted attack on organised labour by Prof. Sagay. “For Prof. Odekunle, we know his records from ABU Zaria. It appears his recent trademark is his penchant for flippant and unguarded attacks against organised labour to draw attention of people in authority for political appointment. “The secretary of the advisory

committee, Prof. Bolaji Owasanonye in his comments exhibited a total ignorance of our struggles against bad governance and corruption which was shocking.” He argued that “organised labour was in the forefront of supporting president Buhari’s anti-corruption campaign. We organised a nationwide anti-corruption rally earlier in the life of the administration. “Our actions were informed by our conviction that corruption was at the heart of our underdevelopment as a nation. This informed our call for capital punishment for some category of graft during our protest, a call that many of our civil society allies and sections of the NBA were uncomfortable with. “We wonder how anyone who has been following events in the country can accuse us of doing

nothing when our irresponsible political elites in the states failed to pay workers’ salaries, and fix themselves outrageous pensions. Wabba stated that “at the last count, two workers of Nasarawa State Government were gunned down in cold blood when they accompanied the NLC leadership to discuss with the state government on it’s arbitrary cuts in, and nonpayment of wages. “As NLC, we had at no time expressed a desire to be a member of this committee. If we wanted to, we know where to channel our request. “We have no doubt that the observation made by the TUC Acting General Secretary during an interactive session with PACAC in Lagos was in good faith and was intended to broaden the ownership of the war against corruption.

House Demands Urgent Attention for 400,000 Malnourished Children in North-east Wants special intervention fund for textile industry Damilola Oyedele in Abuja The House of Representatives yesterday called for urgent humanitarian action to save the over 400,000 malnourished and starving children who are at risk of death in the North-east. It therefore called on the Presidential Initiative on North East (PINE) to take urgent action. A recent report of the United Nations, released in November 2016, raised alarm that 75,000 children in the region may die of malnutrition and starvation unless urgent humanitarian aid is provided. Hon. Aisha Dukku (Gombe APC) in a motion of urgent public importance noted that the children are part of seven million, in need of humanitarian assistance in the region that has been ravaged by over six years of insurgency. “Concerned that 400,000 out the seven million in need of humanitarian assistance are children, with 75,000 in critical condition, arising from grossly inadequate funding for humanitarian aid, especially food supply needs which the UN puts at $5.1 million,” she added. Dukku also expressed concern that only about 4.7 million persons are targeted for aid in 2016 out of the 14.8 million people affected by Boko Haram activities in the region. “5.5 million persons need

protection, safe and secure environment while over one million children are in need of access to education,...there is a sharp rise in the figure when compared with the figure that the UNICEF gave few months ago,” she added. The lawmakers, following the adoption of another motion, called for the revival of textile industries in Kaduna and Kano states through an inclusion of special Intervention funds in the 2017 budget. The motion sponsored by Hon. Sunday Marshal (Kaduna APC) and 40 others including the Speaker, Hon. Yakubu Dogara, also urged the Nigerian Customs Service (NCS) to increase surveillance of the nation’s borders to check the activities of smugglers, and ensure collections of the right tariff for imported textile. Marshal said the current trend of importing almost 80 percent of textile is not helping Nigerians in terms of employment, job creation and foreign exchange. “Despite the introduction of an industrial revolution plan aimed at revamping and fastracking the growth and development of the cotton, textile and garment sector, and addressing the various problems facing it, it is obvious that at the moment, one of the most daunting challenges staring the sector on the face is the influx of foreign textile into the country,” he said.

BRAINSTORMING E-COMMERCE

L-R: Chairman, Committee of e-Bankiing Industry Heads (CeBIH), Dele Adeyinka;, Country Manager, PayU Nigeria, Juliet Nwanguma, and MD/CEO, Nigeria Interbank Settlement System Plc (NIBSS), Adebisi Shonubi, at the CeBIH retreat in Abuja… yesterday

Bolaji Abdullahi Emerges Publicity Secretary of APC I remain party’s spokesman, Timi Frank insists Onyebuchi Ezigbo in Abuja The former Minister of Sports and the newly elected National Publcity Secretary of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi, has said that he would approach his job differently from his predecessor, Alhaji Lai Mohammed. However, in a swift reaction, the embattled Deputy National Publicity Secretary of the party, Timi Frank, said he remains the authentic spokesman of the party despite yesterday’s election. Abdulahi who spoke on behalf of other three officers elected by the North-central zonal congress yesterday in Abuja, said he would be operating under a different template and terrain from his predecessor, Alhaji Mohammed. “The position of the spokesperson of the ruling party is an entirely different assignment from my

former position as the Minister of Sports. They all demand different approaches,” he said. The newly elected APC Spokesman assured that he would do everything humanly possible to endear the party to Nigerians. “I have fair understanding of what I am expected to do even though you never know until you really get there. What I can assure is that I will do the best I can, not only in the improvement of our party but also in contributing to the progress of this country especially at this challenging period,” he noted. Asked if he will operate under any form of pressure due to the crisis in the party, he replied: “Let me say that I am not under any form of pressure because I don’t think any pressure can be bigger than my former position as the sports Minister.” “However, what I know is

that every human being is under pressure. Mr President, the ruling party chairman and everybody including the journalists are under pressure. There will always be pressure because the expectations of people are very high. “So, irrespective of the economic challenges, we have to continue to weather the storm especially now. I am brought in to be part of the process. All I can reassure is that I will give the best I can to ensure that we continue to move forward,” he said. Abdulahi and three other national officers were elected at the North-central Geo-Political Zone of the APC through a voice vote by delegates comprising the executive governors of Plateau and Niger States, Simon Lalong and Alhaji Abubakar Sani Bello respectively. There were also representatives of the Kogi and Benue States

governors, the representatives of the Senate President, Dr. Bukola Saraki, the National Vice Chairman of the zone, Alhaji Zakari Idde. Meanwhile, in a statement issued in Abuja yesterday, Frank said though he is not against Bolaji as a person, “the process to become an authentic spokesman should be followed. “I want to congratulate Bolaji Abdullahi for his nomination but he should know that this matter is still in court and until the court says otherwise, I am still the authentic acting National Publicity Secretary of APC. “I will wait patiently for the party leadership to convene a national convention and ratify Bolaji’s nomination as the substantive National Publicity Secretary but until then, I,Timi Frank remain acting Publicity Secretary of theAPC.

FRIDAY DECEMBER 2, 2016 • T H I S D AY

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Buhari: I Remain Committed to Fighting Corruption, Salvaging Economy Trump interested in wellbeing of Nigeria, says new US envoy Tobi Soniyi in Abuja President Muhammadu Buhari, yesterday in Abuja said his administration remained committed to realising the key priorities of securing the country, fighting corruption, and salvaging the economy in spite of current challenges. Receiving the Letter of Credence of the new United States Ambassador to Nigeria, William Symington, at the State House, President Buhari said the security situation in the North-east had improved significantly following support in training of the military and supply of hardware after the G-7 meeting in Germany in 2015. ‘‘When I was invited to the G-7 meeting after my inauguration on May 29, 2015, I thought I was going to be an observer at the meeting, but without prompting, I was asked to brief the leaders on the security situation in Nigeria, and I did. Since then, we have received support in training and military

hardware, and I hope we have not disappointed,” he said. In response to Buhari, the United States of America’s new Ambassador to Nigeria, Symington, assured that the US Presidentelect, Mr. Donald Trump, is interested in the wellbeing of Nigeria. Buhari however said the target of reversing the ‘‘culture of corruption’’ in the country had received support from Nigerians, with many realising the depth of damage done by some previous administrations from the ongoing investigations and prosecutions. ‘‘The corruption we met at personal and institutional levels was unbelievable. Corruption was turning into a culture. After we came in, people started realising the truth,’’ he added. President Buhari told the U. S ambassador that his administration was still determined to continue investigations and prosecution of corrupt persons in

the country as ‘‘Nigeria will either kill corruption or corruption will kill Nigeria in the long run.’’ Buhari noted that the years of mishandling of the economy at a period of financial prosperity, affected the economy, making it more challenging to create employment for the youth and improve the livelihood of many Nigerians.

‘‘It has not been easy for another party to come in and get things done properly, especially with the new economic reality of $37 per barrel of oil, against the $100 for the period, and there was no savings, no infrastructure on ground,’’ he said. President Buhari said the timely intervention of the United States, with a visit of the Secretary of State,

John Kerry to Nigeria, before the 2015 elections helped in ensuring peace and stability in the country. In his remarks, the U.S ambassador said the interest in the well-being of Nigeria was of mutual benefit. ‘‘We do it not only for Nigeria, but for ourselves. We did it because it was right for us and right for our people,’’ he said.

Symington said he would work hard to further strengthen the relationship between his country and Nigeria. The president also received letter of credence from the Ambassador of the Kingdom of Morocco, Mr. Moha Ouali Tagma, assuring him of Nigeria’s willingness to improve bilateral relations between the countries.

We Don’t NeedYou in APC, Lalong Tells Fayose I won’t join ruling party, Fayose insists Onyebuchi Ezigbo in Abuja The Governor of Plateau State, Simon Lalong, has told his Ekiti State counterpart, Governor Ayodele Fayose, to jettison any thought of joining the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) since the party is not in the mood to accommodate his likes in its fold, at least for now. Fayose who is one of the most virulent critics of the Muhammadu Buhari administration, had said that he may be forced to use another platform to prosecute his succession battle during the 2018 governorship poll, to avoid the crisis in his party, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). However, Fayose, yesterday clarified his intention to seek another political platform, stressing that under no circumstance would he join the APC. “We are still studying the situation. We have to play the game left, right and centre and whoever we are going to use and the platform, you will all be part of the process because party politics is about the people,” Fayose said. Meanwhile, Lalong advised Fayose not to think of defecting to APC as the party is currently making sweeping gains in the South-west without him. The Plateau governor advised his Ekiti counterpart to remain with the PDP until the APC completes its victory run in the state in 2018. Apparently responding to Governor Fayose who made headlines that he may be dumping his party, the PDP, Lalong said he was eagerly waiting for the elections to come up in the state, promising that the APC will replicate the successes the party recorded in Edo and Ondo States. Lalong said: “the one I am waiting for is Ekiti. I understand that after Ondo, the man has been saying he wants to come to APC,

we are saying he should remain in PDP till after the election. “We just came back from Ondo and we were again recruited yesterday to go to Rivers again and conduct another election. Our own is to ask for your usual and continued support. “Before now, some people were looking down on APC, but now people with ambitions for 2019 are withdrawing from the PDP and coming to the APC. We are going to Rivers State and we will win the elections there. After there, we are moving to Anambra and that one is a done deal,” he said. Lalong used the opportunity to debunk reports that governors from the zone are planning to defect to a new mega party, stressing that the North-central was the only Zone that elected APC in all the states, saying that the zone deserves a larger chunk of Presidential appointments in appreciation of the commitment of the zone. “As far as I know, if there is any zone that is supposed to serve as a model in this movement, it is the North Central. We should get the highest percentage that should go to any zone with the highest vote. “We shall remain very faithful to the APC. I hear some people saying that there are plans to form a mega party but I want to state that for the North Central governors, no body is thinking of any mega party. If they come to you, tell them that you are for APC,” he added. Explaining his intentions, Fayose said he remains constant and unshaken with the PDP, the platform he had used to win the governorship polls twice but noted that he may not use PDP platform to present a candidate for the 2018 poll.

SUPPORTING NCC

L-R: Chief of Staff to the Executive Vice Chairman, Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), Usman Mallah; Ambassador of European Union Delegation to Nigeria and Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), Midiel Arrion; Executive Vice Chairman of NCC, Prof. Umar G. Danbatta, and Director, Public Affairs of NCC, Tony Ojobo, when the delegation from the EU paid a working visit to the NCC... yesterday.

PDP, APC Senators Reconcile, Promise to Sustain Co-operation Omololu Ogunmade in Abuja Twenty-four hours after the defection of Senator Yele Omogunwa (Ondo South) from Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC) between APC and PDP senators resulted in a walk-out by the latter, both camps held a closed-door meeting yesterday after which they resolved to put the matter behind them. The opposition senators staged a walk-out during Wednesday’s plenary following the refusal of Senate President Bukola Saraki to heed their calls to declare the seat

of Omogunwa vacant. The PDP senators had insisted that since there was no division in PDP as provided in Section 68(g,h) of the constitution as the only basis for defection, Omogunwa’s action was a breach of the constitution and hence his seat should be declared vacant. But their call fell on deaf ears. But after yesterday’s meeting,the Senate Deputy Leader, Bala Na’Allah, said continuous cooperation between the APC and PDP caucuses was necessary in the interest of peace. He said: “I honestly and sincerely commend the patriotism, the commitment of the leadership of the Peoples Democratic Party

(PDP) caucus ably guided by Distinguished Senator Godswill Akpabio and supported by distinguished Senator Ike Ekweremadu. And to happily say that as from today, I feel happy that I have been vindicated that this Senate is a distinct Senate; that this Senate means well for this country and there is nothing and I repeat, there is nothing that we do not have the capacity to resolve politically. I thank the leadership of PDP caucus for that very good quality.” Responding, Senate Minority Leader, Godswill Akpabio, said the matter had been amicably resolved as the meeting provided the platform to sort out their

differences in the interest of peace and unity. Responding, Saraki said: “I can also note and add a word to commend the friends of the PDP caucus and continue to show that this Senate is one family. As we have always said, the major issues are national issues. We are here representing the country and the people that voted for us. The issues before us are not really known but what is important is to continue to move Nigeria forward and I must continue to appreciate the collaboration and the brotherhood that has existed in this chamber and will continue to exist in the interest of this great country.”

Biafra: Again, Court Turns down Kanu’s Bail Application Alex Enumah in Abuja Efforts by embattled leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) to get freedom from custody pending the determination of his trial suffered set back as the Abuja division of the Federal High Court trying him for alleged treasonable offences again rejected his application for bail. Trial judge, Justice Binta Nyako, yesterday declined to grant the bail application filed by Kanu and three others facing an amended 11-count charge including treasonable felony and terrorism. Kanu and his co-accused, Mr. Chidiebere Onwudiwe, Benjamin Madubugwu and David Nwawusi

were arraigned before the court by the federal government for offences bordering on treasonable felony and their alleged involvement in acts of terrorism. Delivering her ruling on the bail application of the defendants yesterday, Justice Nyako held that the offences the defendants were charge with were very serious in nature and therefore were not ordinarily bailable. Nyako also held that some of the charges against the defendants could attract life imprisonment if proved by the FG. On the contention by the defendants that President Muhammadu Buhari had openly directed that they should not be

released on bail, the judge held that President Buhari, being a citizen of Nigeria, was at liberty to exercise his freedom of speech. She maintained that the President lacks the capacity to influence the decision of the court, saying the defendants did not place any new fact or law capable of persuading the court to reverse an earlier ruling of the court that denied them bail. “The offences are serious in nature and carries very severe punishment if proven. “I hereby therefore refuse bail of the applicants. “But in the alternative, I hereby order accelerated trial of this matter to almost commence immediately, but not later than two months,”

she held. Following the order of accelerated hearing, the federal government immediately applied for all the witnesses to be allowed to testify behind screen. The FG prayed the court for identities of the witnesses not to be revealed in any record of the proceeding. But the defendants in a vehement opposition of the application contended that granting such request would amount to a gross violation of their rights to fair hearing. “We vehemently oppose secret trial of the defendants. They were accused in the open; we also request that they be tried in the open.”

FRIDAY DECEMBER 2, 2016 • T H I S D AY

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Wike Kicks as INEC Releases Fake APC- Dominated Adhoc Staff List Insists assassination threat won’t deter him

Ernest Chinwo in Port Harcour Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, has berated the leadership

of the Independent National Electoral Commission ( INEC ) for releasing a list of adhoc staff to conduct the December 10 rerun elections with APC ward chairmen

BOI Partners Firm on Solid Minerals Development The Bank of Industry (BOI) has partnered Laurel School of Mines (LSM) to boost gem stone development, noting that this move is the boldest initiative the Development Finance Institution ( DFI) has taken so far in the solid minerals space in the country. The acting Managing Director, BOI, Mr. Waheed Olagunju, also said the partnership is in line with the bank’s commodity based industrialisation strategy which is adding value to the nation’s vast natural resource endowments. Olagunju during a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signing ceremony with LSM, said”We have lots of agricultural resources, solid minerals and oil, but solid minerals are the lowest hanging fruits is in the minerals space. With gem stones , you do not have to wait like agriculture where you plant to harvest and process. We have gem stones where we can pick them up, add value and within few weeks and make thousands of dollars.” According to him, the partnership is also coming on the heels of Nigeria’s quest to diversify its economic revenue base, saying

that the gem stones industry is capable of earning the much needed foreign exchange for the Nigerian economy. The turnaround time is faster in precious stones unlike what we have in agriculture or the petroleum sector. We are going to generate a lot of entrepreneurs in this sector. We will be training 1600 in each locations. 200 per location across the country spanning the six geopolitical zones including Lagos and Abuja. Those who are trained and show signs of becoming a potential will be supported by the BOI. We will give them concessional facilities to enable them trade and export gem stones to earn foreign exchange which would go a long way to help Nigeria diversifying the economy while also earning foreign exchange for the country,” he added. ”We are about to engage Laurel School of Mines, they will be training 1600 Nigerian youths in eight locations across the country where 200 will be trained in each locations. There will be four batches of 50 each in these locations in order to ensure that the training is effective which is expected to last for three days,” he stressed.

and ward secretaries as Assistant Presiding Officers (APOs). The governor also charged PDP members to as from Thursday till the conclusion of the rerun elections, resist politically engineered arrests. Flagging off the rehabilitation of the General Hospital, Terabor and General Hospital, Bodo in Gokana Local Government Area yesterday, Wike expressed shock that the electoral umpire could publish a list of adhoc staff, fraught with such level of fraud. He presented the fake INEC adhoc list to thousands of PDP supporters in Gokana, noting that the APC ward chairmen, secretaries and members have been duly identified. He said INEC and her sponsors will be resisted. According to him, it was unfortunate that INEC and security

agencies were disregarding the directive of President Muhammadu Buhari that they should be impartial and deliver free and fair elections. The governor noted that majority of the APC ward chairman and secretaries listed as assistant presiding officers, were fraudulently tagged staff of the University of Port Harcourt, even when they are unemployed illiterates. “INEC has released a fake list of adhoc staff for the rerun elections before the conclusion of their mandatory training. Majority of those on the list are known APC ward chairmen and ward secretaries who are mainly unemployed but are listed by INEC as staff of the University of Port Harcourt . “They think that my love for peace is a sign of weakness, but I want to declare that enough is enough. We are supposed to be

under an era of change, but the love for fraud by INEC and Police is unprecedented,” Wike said. The governor added: “Anyone whose son or daughter is on that fraudulent INEC list should tell him/her to stay away on election day. “All these desperate actions are geared towards the plot to rig in favour of a particular candidate, but that candidate will not win. The people of Rivers South-East Senatorial District must be allowed to vote persons of their choice”. The governor stated that the security agencies are working with APC leaders to release fake police and army uniforms to thugs for electoral fraud. “Nobody should intimidate you with security agents . Beginning today, resist any arrest .

You must move around in groups to promote resistance of the robbers of mandate . “For me, they are threatening that I will be the first governor they will assassinate. They are threatening that they will show me that they are security agencies. But, I will always protect the interest of Rivers State, no matter the threat,” Wike said. On the rehabilitation of the General Hospital, Terabor and General Hospital , Bodo, Governor Wike said it would be completed and equipped in record time. He added that the Kpopie-Bodo road abandoned by Senator Magnus Abe after he allegedly collected over N4 billion was nearing completion, while the dualisation of Sakpenwa-Bori road was progressing according to schedule .

Lagos State Wins Lafarge Literacy Competition Lagos State contestants have emerged winners of the third edition of the Lafarge Africa National Literacy Competition after beating their counterparts from other regions; Plateau, Gombe, Enugu, Edo, Abuja at the grand finale which held at the Shell Hall of MUSON Centre, Onikan in Lagos. The Lafarge National Literacy Competition is organised annually, in collaboration with Ovie Brume Foundation, a non-governmental organisation. It engages pupils in activities that measure and advance their ability to read, write and spell correctly. It also features literacy tests, essay/ summary writing and spelling

bees to evaluate their reading and writing abilities. Commenting on the success of the competition, the Group MD/CEO, Lafarge Africa Plc, Michel Puchercos, stated that the organization continues to provide support and interventions in education as part of its core areas of social investments in furtherance of its commitment to building a greater Nigeria. He explains that the competition is one of the national social investment programmes developed by the construction solutions giant to take corporate social responsibility beyond her host communities to a wider Nigerian audience.

EMBASSY SEARCHING TRILINGUAL PERSONAL ASSISTANT - RECEPCIONIST Requirements Fluent speaking and writing skills in English, French and Spanish appreciated: writing letters, notes, e-mails. High experience in using Microsoft Office Suite, Windows 7 and 8.

Responsibilities: Translate documents, process the correspondence of the office, send and receive documents, e mails, manage appointments, the official agenda of the office and travel arrangements, coordinate events, programs and other official events, organising the logistic, tax and social insurance payments and others that could be needed. Send certify copies of your CV with photograph and certificates, and a cover letter indicating why you are suitable for this position to postabuja2016@gmail.com Application will expire on 10/12/2016

PROMOTING SAFETY CULTURE

L-R: Director–Generall, Nigeria Employers Consultative Association (NECA) , Mr. Segun Oshinowo,; Managing Director, Portland Paints Nigeria Plc, Mr. Mukhtar Yakasai, receiving an ambulance from the acting MD/CE Nigerian Social Insurance Trust Fund (NSITF), Mr. Ismail Agaka, as an award for promotingexceptionalsafetycultureintheworkplaceinLagos....yesterday

Experts Offer Solutions for Nigeria’s Ailing Economy

NAMFI Proffers Sustainable Solutions to Stem Medical Tourism

Sunday Okobi

Ugo Aliogo

To boost the Nigerian ailing economy and pull the country out of the current crisis economic experts havechargedgovernmentsatalllevelsto engagetheyouthsineconomicactivitiesas well as aggressively design programme to finance exportation of locally-made product from Nigeria. They noted that until the federal and stategovernmentswithexpertguidance from the financial sector start fruitful engagement of youths in sectors like the environment and export, through proper financing, other sectors would hardly help to reflate the economy. These were some of the advices in remarks made by economists, investment bankers among other business moguls who graced the recent launch of the book ‘A-Z of Export Business Financing’ written by trade (export) consultant, Mr. Bamidele Ayemibo, in Lagos. According to one of the economists who spoke to THISDAY, Tope Fasua, the Nigerian government needs to take asystemicviewabouttheeconomyand

avoidoldmethodofdoingthingsbecause it cannot continue to try solving today’s problemwiththesametoolsthatcreated it. “Ithinkitishightimethegovernment started devising ways of getting newer ideas on board, and this can efficiently come from the youths. “The Nigerian government is still practicing that old ways of growing the economy. They are other ways the government can intervene. In my opinion,Ibelievethatthetriggertowards this country advancing lies with the Nigerian youths. Government must invest in the youths, and since they are a lot to be done, the youths would do them. It is bad enough that after 18 months, this government missed it way by not been able to harness this most important resource which is the youth. The government stopped talking to the people, and by so doing, everything went down. Nigerian youths, instead of being economically engaged, are spending their time on unproductive ventures, which are sometime criminal when they were actually ready to contribute to the progress of Nigeria.”

The Nigeria America Medical Foundation (NAMFI) has expressed its desire to address the increasing flow of medical tourism out Nigeria, stating that the practice has become a serious challenge for the country and it is creating a lot of economic drain on the federal reserves. Speaking during an interview with THISDAY in Lagos yesterday as part of activities to create awareness for the 4thNAMFI Annual Meeting, convener of the meeting, Dr. Adeyinka Shoroye, said human capital is one of the challenges facing the country, noting that in the areas of sub-specialties, the country lacks enough technically skilled manpower, “we also face the challenge of infrastructure and sustainability.” He noted that the central idea behind what the foundation is doing is to address these challenges, stating that members are putting measures in place to ensure that they bring Nigeria doctors working abroad

to come home and volunteer their services on a regular basis. “Some of these doctors are already settling home, but others are not. So we could have a volunteer service which we will be running all year round on routine basis. We have about 60 sub-specialties which is large. For instance within pediatrics’ sub-specialty, we have about 27 sub-specialties. We are focusing on cardiology, but interventional cardiology. In the US, medical associations’ database, we have an estimated 24 Nigerian doctors who are neurologists,” he added. Shoroye further noted that in the area of neurology, some specialise in electro-physiology, and others specialize in neurology muscular conditions, adding that these are very narrow areas which the country doesn’t have specialties for, “therefore people go abroad for treatment. If we have 24 neurologists, they will be fitted for 12 months of the year, which means that one will take two weeks.”

friDAY, December 2, 2016 • T H I S D AY

FRIDAYSPORTS

Group Sports Editor Duro Ikhazuagbe Email duro.ikhazuagbe@thisdaylive.com

AWCON Final as Dress Rehearsal for Eagles, Lions’ Clash Femi Solaja with agency report The rivalry between Nigeria and Cameroon in football will be the talk of the continent again as the Super Falcons defend their title against the Indomitable Lionesses tomorrow in the final of the 10th Women Africa Cup of Nations in Limbe. The game is being viewed by football buffs as a perfect dress rehearsal for the Super Eagles clash with the Indomitable Lions in the qualifying race for 2018 FIFA World Cup finals. Nigeria and Cameroon were lumped into the so-called African qualifying series’ group of death, alongside Algeria and Zambia, when the draw was made for the big race to Russia. However, the Super Eagles have a vice grip on the pool after winning their first two matches of the series, and are four points clear of second-placed Cameroon, who have just two points. The next two match-days, which

will pit the Eagles and the Lions against themselves in Uyo and Limbe, are seen as capable of determining the team that will come out of that pool to represent Africa. A win in both matches will catapult the Eagles to the World Cup, with only the minimum to do in their remaining two matches. Conversely, victory in both games will renew Cameroon’s hopes of a seventh FIFA World Cup finals appearance. Another consideration for the Super Falcons however, is the pin-fall handed the Super Eagles 16 years ago by the Lions, in front of home fans during the final of the 2000 Africa Cup of Nations competition in Lagos. On the eve of St. Valentine’s Day in 2000, the Lions showed no love to a packed National Stadium, Lagos as they raced to a 2-0 lead with goals from Samuel Eto’o Fils and Patrick Mboma. Raphael Ndukwe reduced the tally just before half time and Austin Jay Jay Okocha slammed in a

long-range equaliser just after the restart, but Nigeria lost following a dramatic penalty shoot-out, in which Tunisian referee Mourad Daami ruled Victor Ikpeba’s kick that bounced behind goalkeeper Alioum Boukar a no-goal. Saturday is an opportunity for pay-back, even though these are the women. The Falcons are unlikely to forget that the Lions also beat the Super Eagles in the Cup of Nations final of 1984 and 1988, and stopped Nigeria from going to the 1990 FIFA World Cup after winning 1-0 in Yaounde when the Eagles needed a draw. The Lionesses themselves will recall how the Falcons badgered them to a 2-0 defeat in Windhoek in the final of the last edition, and how the Eagles bundled then Cup holders Cameroon out at the quarter final stage of the 2004 Cup of Nations in Tunisia. The Falcons have never lost a Cup of Nations final match, winning in 1998, 2000, 2002, 2004, 2006, 2010 and 2014.

Different Strokes for Nigerian Duo at Stamford Bridge

Moses: I want to Repay Conte’s Confidence in Me Mikel’s agent confirms transfer talks ongoing Victor Moses has said he hopes to repay the confidence Chelsea manager Antonio Conte has in him. The Nigeria star has named as the PFA Fans Player of the Month for November after he started Chelsea’s last seven games under Conte. He was even the match winner in the London club’s last league game against Spurs. This has been a sharp departure from previous seasons when he was shipped out on loan to other Premier League clubs like Liverpool, Stoke City and West Ham United. “I want to repay the confidence of the manager,” Victor Moses said. “He showed faith in me and in pre-season he walked up to me and told me I was not going on loan. “I have worked very hard in the last three years, but it is now I

have got the backing and this has made me to work even harder.” He has also said he has come to love his new right wing-back position at ‘The Blues’ as it allows him to have a lot of the ball. Interestingly, while the fortunes of Moses is on the upswing, another Nigerian star, John Mikel Obi appears to be on his way out of Stamford Bridge in the January transfer window. Mikel who has yet to play competitively for Chelsea this season, has reportedly attracted interest from a slew of clubs including Manchester United, Besiktas and most recently, Valencia. The midfielder’s agent, John Ola Shittu, revealed that Mikel has had conversations with the Chelsea manager about his future. “Obi Mikel and Antonio (Conte) have been speaking. “The manager, club and player

have been talking. So I am not in a position to tell about what they have been speaking about, in the next few weeks things should be clearer. “We have been having meeting with a few parties who are interested in him, once we are able to agree the way forward with Chelsea, then we will take it from there,” Shittu said. Reports had claimed last week that former Chelsea manager, Andre Villas-Boas was keen to bring the Nigerian to his new Chinese Super League club, Shanghai SIPG. Shittu confirmed that contact had been made over his client as regards a possible move away from Europe. “There are a few clubs in Europe and Asia, they are numerous and are interested in him because he is a quality player, aged only 29, and we just have to speak, so we will see. A lot of interest is there.

Jago Milk Partners Nigeria Sports Award In line with its brand tagline “For the Winner in You”, Sosaco Nigeria Limited, custodians of the Jago Milk brand has thrown its weight behind the 2016 Nigeria Sports Award ceremony by partnering the organiser’s – Unmissable Incentives Limited towards a successful hosting of the event. According to the Head of Marketing, Sosaco Nigeria Limited, Anudeep Sharma, the sponsorship of the 2016 edition of the award ceremony is in line with the company’s strong belief in recognising the potential of excellence in every one, as captioned in its brand tagline. “We are very proud to support

this year’s award ceremony which is the 5th anniversary edition. We are willing to identify with the vision of the award which is recognizing and rewarding excellence performance among Nigerian athletes by providing product sponsorship and we hope to sustain this partnership for a long time in a manner that will be mutually beneficial to the award organizers and the Jago Milk brand,” he said. In his own remarks, the General Manager, Unmissable Incentive Limited, organizers of the award, Mr. Kayode Idowu, expressed his appreciation towards the company for the sponsorship, which he noted

will go a long way to deliver a better event than what was obtainable in the last four editions. Idowu then used the medium to call on other brand owners and well-meaning individuals to emulate Jago Milk by sponsoring the Nigeria Sports Award to position it as the most prestigious sports award in Africa. The 2016 Nigeria Sports Award event is scheduled to hold tonight at the Eko Hotel and Suites, Victoria Island, Lagos and would have in attendance several dignitaries in the country including Captains of Industries, past and Present athletes as well as Nigeria’s Top Sport Personalities.

Falcons’ Onome Ebi (right) and a Cameroonian forward at the 2014 AWCON final in Namibia

Okpekpe Road Race Seeks another First Set to become Nigeria’s first AIMS member Barely three years after becoming the first and only road race in Nigeria and the West African subregion to be awarded a label status by the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF), the annual Okpekpe International 10km Road Race is set to make another indelible mark. The event which holds every May in Okpekpe near Auchi in Edo State, is set to become the first road race in Nigeria to be listed in the calendar of the Association of International Marathons and Distance Races (AIMS), an association of long-distance running races. Now in its fifth year, the Okpekpe race organisers’ desire to join AIMS, an organisation founded in 1982 by race directors of many of the prestigious road races in the world to among other things foster and promote distance running throughout the world and its membership has grown to over

400 in over 100 countries. “Pamodzi Sports Marketing, organisers of the Okpekpe race are desirous of making the race pass all available international tests not only as one of the leading road races in the world but also as the leading road race in Nigeria and the West African sub-region. This greatly informed the decision to become a member of AIMS,” revealed Dare Esan, spokesman for the race. Esan is confident the race will also pass the AIMS test just like it did with the IAAF test. “AIMS is independent of the IAAF but collaborate with the governing body for the sport on all matters relating to international road races. It is also set up to exchange information, knowledge and expertise among the members of the Association,” said Esan who revealed that Mike Hughes, an accredited AIMS course measurer based in Kenya will arrive Nigeria today to measure the course

for next year’s race. ‘’One of the requirements set by AIMS for would-be member is that the course must be measured by an accredited AIMS Grade A or B course measurer. That is why Hughes, a Grade B measurer is coming in to measure the course for the fifth edition of the race,” added Esan who believes organisers of the race have made Nigeria one of the top destinations for road races in the world. “Our label status has conferred on us that right. A IAAF Road Race Label events by definition are races that the IAAF designates as one of the leading road races around the world. Nigerians should be proud to have an internationally acclaimed and recognised road race in Nigeria. Last year only two road races in Africa, the Okpekpe Road Race and the Cape Town Marathon were awarded label status,” concludes the race spokesman.

Three Women to Fly Nigeria’s Flag at Winter Olympics for First Time After the Nigerian paralympians brought joy to our hearts earlier this year by excelling beyond our already high expectations and shattering a bunch of world records, three other Nigerian athletes are set to make history again. Seun Adigun, Ngozi Onwumere and Akuoma Omeoga want to put Nigeria on the map by being the first representatives

at the Winter Olympic Games come 2018 – in Bobsled. Very few African countries participate in the Winter Olympics for obvious reasons, but these badass women based in the United States are determined to add Nigeria to that exclusive list of African countries – which include Ghana, Kenya and Zimbabwe. Seun Adigun, who refers to the

project as her ‘gift to Nigeria’, said: “The success of this bobsled team will positively affect millions of people all over the world and will represent monumental international advancements in social, athletic, and economic statuses. Together, we can demonstrate that nothing is impossible with a little faith, support and willingness to persevere.”

T H I S D AY FRIDAY DECEMBER 2, 2016

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MISSILE Malami to Arrested Judges

“The state was in receipt of multiple petitions of corrupt practices by the judicial officers and there was further apprehension that if immediate steps were not taken, the possibility of dissipating existing evidence that were believed to have been kept within their respective domains will eventually be tampered with. Arising from the responsibility created and established by Section 15 of the constitution, the state had to act.” – The Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) and Minister of Justice, Mr. Abubakar Malami (SAN), disclosing that he authorised the raid on the homes of judges and their subsequent arrest by the Department of State Services (DSS).

BENMURRAYBRUCE MAKING COMMON SENSE

ben.murraybruce@thisdaylive.com

What I Saw in Borno I

was in Borno State last weekend as a member of the Senate ad hoc Committee on the Humanitarian Crisis in the North-east and what I saw tested my humanity. I saw thousands of Nigerian citizens (and could not see hundreds of thousands more because of the multitude) who had lost everything to the Boko Haram insurgency and were now refugees in their own nation. You will not believe the level of despair in the Internally Displaced Person (IDP) camps in Borno and if not for the Governor of Borno, Kashim Shettima, many of them would have no hope. What that young man has succeeded in doing in the face of incredible odds is nothing short of a miracle. It would surprise many that though he was a political foe of former President Goodluck Jonathan, Shettima did admit that whatever financial assistance he received from the federal government at all came from the Jonathan administration which sent him N200 million in 2014. Even more surprising is what many of the IDPs had to say. Many of them complained openly and in camera to me and my colleagues led by Senator Shehu Sani that they felt that all the focus of the present administration is on Chibok and the Chibok girls and that no one cares for them. A particular village head in the presence of the Shehu of Borno, narrated how Boko Haram killed his father in his presence said to us, and I quote: “Are we not human beings? Are we not Nigerians? All we hear is Chibok girls? Are we not also important.” Their complaint (I do not know if this is true or not) is that neither President Muhammadu Buhari nor his representatives have paid them a condolence visit or come to see their plight. If President Buhari ever gets to read this, I urge him to find some way to use his executive powers to come to the aid of Governor Shettima who is overstretched. He is, by his own admission (and I believe him based on what I saw) spending N600 million every month just to feed and cater for the needs of the 250,000 IDPs in the camps. He still has to worry about the one million IDPs who are staying with relatives within the state. I must confess that Governor Shettima is one of the bravest men I know. And no matter what you might say about

Shettima

former President Jonathan, you must still admit that he had the right idea in using education to tackle the insurgency in the long term because the reason why we even have a Boko Haram insurgency in the first place is because we refused to spend our previous oil boom billions to educate the children of the poor especially in Northern Nigeria and more especially in the North-east. Now because we refused to educate their children with those billions, we are now faced with the spectre of using even more billions to fight adults who were once illiterate children. You see, billions must be spent. Whether we spend them on books or bullets, the choice is ours. But not only is the choice ours, the consequence is also going to be ours and our children. Only last week, the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) announced that 70 per cent of the children in Kebbi

Is it a coincidence that the Boko Haram insurgency began in the Borno-Yobe axis which are also the poorest states in Nigeria? What is happening to the almajiri schools that Jonathan built? It seems that after he left office the idea just died with him. But it must not be so

State are not in school. Now, they could not get reliable figures for Borno because of the insurgency but you can imagine if the situation is so bad in a relatively peaceful Kebbi, how will it be in Borno, Yobe and Adamawa? Is it a coincidence that the Boko Haram insurgency began in the Borno-Yobe axis which are also the poorest states in Nigeria? What is happening to the almajiri schools that Jonathan built? It seems that after he left office the idea just died with him. But it must not be so. Politics must not be like that. That programme is a good initiative and must be continued. The Nigerian army cannot fight this insurgency like Nigerian teachers and the idea of combining Islamic education with western education in an almajiri school is an idea that is tailor made to starve Boko Haram off future recruits. And even beyond almajiri schools, we must also redistribute Nigeria’s wealth and make sure that the elite do not disproportionately enjoy it at the expense of the poorest of the poor. Whatever must be done to more equitable redirection of Nigeria’s wealth to meet the needs of the poorest of the poor ought to be done. Now do not get me wrong. I am a capitalist and socialism does not work so I am not advocating that we should take the money that comes from the hard work and sweat of other Nigerians and give it to the people of Borno. No. that will just create a new set of problems and open up crises that will be national in scope, not just regional, and may threaten Nigeria’s corporate existence. What I am saying is this, rather than pay elected and appointed politicians and public servants, like me, handsome wages, that money should be redirected to where there is need. And it is just common sense really. This applies to even our rapidly deteriorating infrastructure and public health and education services. The Senate and the House of Representatives, the presidency and the Federal Executive Council (FEC) and the judiciary must be a place for sacrifice and not a place for avarice. The people who occupy and staff these arms of governance should by and large be independently successful people who should in reality be paid allowances rather than salary. If

we can do this, then certainly the federal government will have more than the N200 million which then President Jonathan gave Shettima to spare. This year alone, officials of the presidency have spent more than that on travels. They have spent more than that on feeding. They have spent more than that on new cars. They have spent close to that or even more on foreign and domestic health care. Just as that village head, I also ask, “Are IDPs not also Nigerians? Are IDPs not important?” Nigerian leaders opens themselves to ridicule when they preach brotherly love during Independence Day, Christmas, Eid el Fitrj and other special holidays only to then be seen in their obscene and very unnecessarily long convoys of foreign cars! Each of those convoys can change the life circumstances of at least a thousand IDPs forever. I remember watching Peter Obi’s unforgettable Independence Day speech in which he exposed the obscene waste that is the reality of governance in Nigeria today. One of the things he touched on was how hundreds of millions were spent on hosting presidential visits. Is that money well spent? If hundreds of millions are spent on presidential visits, then with all due respect, those visits should be to the IDP camps in Borno. They certainly need the hundreds of millions that go into such visits! Let me conclude by saying that I watched as the Ondo State governorship election was unfolding and both parties were campaigning. Money flowed left right and centre as did rice, garri and other types of ‘stomach infrastructure’. I then thought to myself, if Nigeria’s leaders are willing to spend so much money to acquire power, why are they not willing to spend even a fraction to save lives? Let me at this moment thank former President Jonathan for the N200 million he sent to Borno. It may not be a lot, but at least it made a difference. I cannot just see that level of suffering and do nothing, so I have decided to adopt an orphaned baby girl from amongst the internally displaced persons and I urge all Nigerian elite to consider following suit. • Murray-Bruce is the founder of the Silverbird entertainment group and the senator representing Bayelsa East at the National Assembly

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