SATURDAY 10TH APRIL 2021

Global Mourning as Prince Philip, Husband of Queen Elizabeth, Dies at 99 Nigerian President, other world leaders grieve Festus Akanbi and Charles Ajunwa in Lagos and Deji Elumoye in Abuja President Muhammadu Buhari yesterday joined other world leaders to condole with the

British Royale family over the death of Prince Philip, the Duke of Edinburgh and husband of Queen Elizabeth II of England, who died at 99 yesterday.

A statement posted on

the royal family's website yesterday morning said: "It is with deep sorrow that Her Majesty the Queen announces the death of her beloved husband, His Royal Highness, Prince

Philip, Duke of Edinburgh.

His Royal Highness passed away peacefully this morning at Windsor Castle. Further announcements will be made in due course. The Royal Family joins with

people around the world in mourning his loss."

In accordance with tradition, a framed notice containing the news was also placed on the railings outside Buckingham Palace.

Shortly after, world leaders, in a show of solidarity jostled to identify with the Queen and the entire royal family in a flood of condolence messages.

Continued on page 5

COVID-19: Lagos Relaxes Restrictions on Social Gatherings… Page 8 Saturday 10 April, 2021 Vol 26. No 9498

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Insecurity: IG, Southern Police Commanders Brainstorm on Fresh Strategy Baba: Challenges will require Force to rejig tactics Kingsley Nwezeh in Abuja and Bennett Oghifo in Lagos The Acting InspectorGeneral of Police, Usman

Baba yesterday convened a meeting of Police Strategic Commanders – Zonal Assistant Inspectors General of Police, Commissioners of Police and

Deputy Commissioners of Police (Operations) - in charge of the South-east and Southsouth states to brainstorm on how to tackle the security crisis

SWAT officers deployed in state commands

in the two zones.

The meeting, held at the Force headquarters, Abuja, few days after the twin attacks on the Imo State

Police Command and on the Nigerian Correctional Service in Owerri, the state capital, was part of efforts by the new police leadership to critically

diagnose the security threats in the regions and evolve new policing strategies and Continued on page 5

PDP Governors to Buhari: Stem Ethnic, Religious Tension Now Say fault lines stretched to the limit by FG, demand new revenue sharing formula Chuks Okocha in Abuja and Oko George in Makurdi Governors elected on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP)

have challenged President Muhammadu Buhari to, as a matter of utmost urgency, stem the tide of endless ethnic and religious tension spreading like wildfire in the country.

The governors also called for a review of the current revenue sharing formula for better management of the nation’s resources.

Lamenting the growing

divisions on ethnic and religious lines, the governors in a communique read by Governor Aminu Waziri Tambawul at the end of their meeting in Makurdi,

Benue State yesterday, said the endless ethnic and religious tension would make Nigeria a failed state under the watch of the All Progressives Congress (APC) if not quickly curbed.

The PDP governors expressed deep concern and alarm at the deteriorating relations between various Continued on page 5

LET THERE BE LIGHT...

L-R: Governor Abubakar Badaru of Jigawa State; Abdullahi Ganduje of Kano State; Vice President Yemi Osinbajo; Minister of Power, Saleh Mamman; and the Minister of State for Power, Jeddy Agba, at the inauguration of solar power for Jangefe community in Jigawa State… yesterday

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T H I S D AY, T H E S AT U R D AY N E W S PA P E R ˾ ˜ ͹͸˜ ͺ͸ͺ͹

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UNHCR: Internal Displacements on the Rise in Nigeria Says it is struggling with growing humanitarian needs arising from dislocations Festus Akanbi The United Nations High Commission for Refugees has raised the alarm over the rising cases of displacement in Nigeria caused by escalating insecurity in the country.

The agency said it was struggling to respond adequately to the growing humanitarian needs arising from the displacement, noting that it was “chronically underfunded.”

The UNHCR Representative to Nigeria, Ms Chansa Kapaya, who spoke at the launch of the

Zakat Fund in Abuja on Thursday, pointed out that more Nigerians were being forced to leave their homes as cases of insecurity escalate in Nigeria.

Kapaya stated: “We are witnessing a growing level of internal displacement within Nigeria. While the relentless violence by the non-state armed groups in North-East Nigeria continues to cause mass suffering and displacement in the region, we are also concerned about the critically evolving situation in North-West Nigeria, where violence and banditry are

aggravating communities, forcing families to flee their homes."

She noted that unfortunately, funding had been grossly inadequate, adding that the agency had received only 10 per cent out of the $96.4 million it needs in 2021.

She said, “But as we witness increasing levels of internal displacement in the country, we struggle to adequately respond to the growing humanitarian needs.

UNHCR has been chronically underfunded and so far for this year, we have only received 10 per cent out of the $96.4m we need

in 2021 to support the various populations of concern.”

Kapaya called on private sector operators, including citizens, companies and foundations in Nigeria to assist displayed persons, saying private sector operators have a crucial role in assisting vulnerable internally displaced families.

She expressed the hope that the Zakat Fund would encourage the Muslim community to give generously to support IDPs in dire need.

She also spoke on the readiness of the Nigerian people to assist

the distressed in their midst saying, “but as displacement situation increases, so too does the willingness and generosity of Nigerians to respond.”

In his presentation, the Senior Advisor on Islamic Philanthropy to UNHCR’s High Commissioner, Mr Khaled Khalifa, recalled that in 2020, the UNHCR’s Islamic Philanthropy programme was able to provide critical assistance to over 2.1 million people in 13 countries.

Soliciting financial contributions from Muslims and non-Muslims in the country, he said, “With

the vast majority of IDPs in Nigeria being eligible for Zakat, we endeavour, through the Refugee and IDP Zakat Fund, to channel Zakat to help alleviate their suffering.

“The fund does not charge any administrative fees on collection and implementation of Zakat activities. 100 per cent of your contribution goes to those in need. It is a globally trusted, Sharia’ compliant programme that offers a most effective vehicle to any donor to channel their Zakat to those who are eligible to receive it.”

business running the affairs of our country."

It further expressed surprise that the APC is interested in playing politics and jockeying for power in 2023, when they have done an abysmal and terribly poor job of their current questionable mandate."

The communique said: "The Governors were distressed that Nigeria is now officially the country with the highest unemployment rate in the world at 33% under the disastrous leadership of APC. This is following on the heels of yet another feat of being the country with the second highest poverty rate in the world. For APC, it is indeed a race to the bottom."

The governors, who received briefings from the National Chairman of PDP, Prince Uche Secondus, and Chairman PDP

Board of Trustees, Senator Walid Jibrin, assured Nigerians that help was on the way “as the PDP is primed to offer effective leadership.”

They enjoined Nigerians to once more place their trust in the PDP as the only effective vehicle to salvage the country.

The meeting commended the Governors of PDP-controlled states for their innovative approaches to governance in many fields, especially in the development of infrastructure, education, health, women and youth initiatives and the timely delivery of developmental projects across the country.

According to PDP governors, "It is these legacy projects being undertaken in many PDP-governed states that will be presented to Nigerians as our scorecard at the appropriate time."

He added: "Prince Philip was a man of great purpose and conviction, who was motivated by a sense of duty to others. We will fondly remember him as a pillar in the life of our Queen."

While the cause of his death is not yet known, it comes soon after the longest hospital stay of his life. He was admitted to King Edward VII’s hospital in central London on February 16 after feeling unwell, and later had a successful procedure for a pre-existing heart condition at another London hospital, St Bartholomew’s.

After being discharged on March 16, the duke returned to Windsor Castle and was said to be in “good spirits”.

In a statement, Buckingham Palace said he was discharged “following treatment for an infection and a successful procedure for a pre-existing condition”.

Philip spent 65 years supporting the queen, retiring from his public role in 2017 and staying largely out of the view since. In his active years, he helped set a new course for the monarchy, championing Britain itself, as well as environmental causes, science and technology.

Philip’s relationship with Princess Elizabeth began as a story of young love.

“We behave as though we had belonged to each other for years,” Elizabeth wrote in a letter to her parents shortly after they married.

Philip’s health had been slowly deteriorating for some time.

He joked he could no longer stand up when he stepped down from royal engagements in May 2017. His final official public appearance was made later that year during a Royal Marines parade on the forecourt of Buckingham Palace.

said the officers of the SWAT units were sent for training by the various state commands, adding that they have been deployed to their commands having completed their training “They have ended their training and they have been posted to the state police commands that brought them for training. They are there with them and they are performing the functions of the SWAT,” the minister said.

Also speaking on the gunmen that attacked the Imo State police headquarters in Owerri and the failure of police to repel them, the minister said they came prepared and in large numbers, with “all the arsenals at their disposal.”

He wondered why the police was singled out for blame for not taking action after the Department of State Services (DSS) intelligence report reached them, stating that other security outfits got the same report but did nothing to prevent the attack.

The minister said, “People are always pointing accusing fingers at the police. This report was not just sent to the police, it was sent to other security agencies and to the government as far as my understanding is concerned and then the police at that particular time did the best that they could but they were overpowered.

“Don’t forget that these people came prepared, they came with all the arsenals at their disposal and they came in large numbers and that is why they were able to overpower the police at the entrance of the police headquarters in Owerri.

“So, it is not just the police to be blamed, the police did their best and it was not only the police that was hit; the correctional centre in Owerri was also attacked. It is a collective responsibility. Security is the responsibility of everybody and we have a responsibility to ensure that we remain alert and focused on these issues 24 hours a day.”

PDP GOVERNORS TO BUHARI: STEM ETHNIC, RELIGIOUS TENSION NOW groups in Nigeria, stating that they are deeply worried that indeed, “all the fault lines and differences are being stretched to the limit by a government that clearly lacks the capacity to govern.”

The PDP governors agreed that this had given rise to ethnic and tribal tension, religious divisions, and various forms of social and political cleavages.

The communique said that the governors were alarmed that security of lives and property of Nigerians were no longer guaranteed under the present government “as a result of leadership incompetence and mismanagement of the nation’s affairs,” while noting that governors have a role to play in the handling of some of the worsening situations.

They regretted their hands “are

tied” behind their backs “as the entire coercive authority in the country is monopolised by the APC federal government.”

The communique said, "Time has come to take advantage of the ongoing Constitution Amendment process to decentralise the security architecture of Nigeria and involve States and Local Governments.”

Consequently, the governors reaffirmed their conviction that an urgent devolution of powers and restructuring of the country in a way that brings together various groups and tendencies appear to have become imperative and timely now, as Nigeria cannot afford another civil war.

The PDP governors also called on the Revenue Mobilisation Allocation and Fiscal Commission to send a new revenue allocation formular that will give more

resources to states and local governments, to the President and for the National Assembly’s action.

They said, "It is a scandal that 21 years after the 1999 Constitution came into being, no new revenue formular is in place", while calling for a more transparent and accountable running of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC).

According to the communique, "The meeting further condemned the intimidation of sitting governors by the APC administration, using all sorts of weapons like security agencies, unequal access to federal resources, promotion of divisions in the opposition political parties with fake promises and falsehoods.

"We significantly condemn the double standards that are

applied by the APC-led federal government to intimidate PDP controlled states. To this end, we call on Mr. President to lift the so-called ‘No flight Zone’ and other intimidating tactics, imposed on Zamfara State as similar measures have not been extended to similar states with security challenges like Kaduna, Borno, Katsina, Yobe and others. This is mostly politically motivated to ensure that the Governors move over to APC," the PDP governors said.

They noted that the APC had been unable to even have a democratically-elected National Executive Committee as required by the Nigerian Constitution, saying, "a political party that operates by military fiat with an appointed and unelected Executive Committee at all levels from ward to national has no

GLOBAL MOURNING AS PRINCE PHILIP, HUSBAND OF QUEEN ELIZABETH, DIES AT 99 President Buhari, was quoted by his Media Assistant, Garba Shehu as saying: "The death of the Duke of Edinburgh is the end of an era. Prince Philip was one of the greatest and publicly recognisable international figures whose contributions to the Commonwealth will be remembered for generations to come."

According to the President, who incidentally is in London for medical check, "Prince Philip was a great man in his own right who made enormous contributions to philanthropic activities and charities especially for wildlife conservation and youth development programmes in more than 130 countries."

He described the late Duke of Edinburgh as "a remarkable husband who had been happily married to the Queen since 1947," adding that "this is an impressive record for any marriage at any

level."

President Buhari also commiserated with the Government of the United Kingdom, the members of the Commonwealth "for the sad loss of this royal and indeed global icon."

Spain's king and queen telegrammed "Dear Aunt Lilibet" to mourn the passing of "Dear Uncle Philip".

Along with tributes from Europe's royal households, many Commonwealth nations praised his exceptional public service.

They paid tribute to a life of duty, purpose, and devotion to the Queen.

US President Joe Biden also sent condolences, praising the duke for his dedication "to the people of the UK, the Commonwealth and to his family", as well as for his service during World War II, championing environmental

efforts and inspiring young people.

The telegram from King Felipe and Queen Letizia of Spain was particularly poignant, sending "all our love and affection" to Aunt Lilibet (the affectionate name used by the duke for his wife) and Dear Uncle Philip.

"We shall never forget the moments that we shared with him and the legacy of service and dedication to the Crown and the United Kingdom by your side," they told the Queen.

Sweden's King Carl Gustaf was also moved, saying the duke had been "a great friend of our family for many years, a relation we have deeply valued".

Swedish royal family spokeswoman Margareta Thorgren told the BBC the king and the duke had sailed together in England, adding: "That was the start of a great friendship between them."

The Dutch royal family said they remembered Prince Philip with great respect, adding: "He dedicated his long life to the service of the British people and to his many duties and responsibilities. His lively personality made an indelible impression."

Australian PM Scott Morrison said in a statement: "He embodied a generation that we will never see again."

He praised the duke as the patron of dozens of organisations in Australia.

The praise from New Zealand's PM Jacinda Ardern was similar, saying that "thousands of young people have completed life-changing challenges" through the duke's Hillary Award.

Canada's PM Justin Trudeau said the duke had "contributed so much to the social fabric of our country - and the world".

INSECURITY: IG, SOUTHERN POLICE COMMANDERS BRAINSTORM ON FRESH STRATEGY responses towards tackling them.

On the same day, the new IG approved the appointment of AIG Hafiz Inuwa as Force Secretary, while AIG Dandaura was redeployed to Zone 7 Police Headquarters, Abuja. Baba also reappointed Frank Mba, a Commisioner of Police, as Force Public Relations Officer, while CP Idowu Omohunwa retains his position as Principal Staff Officer (PSO) to the IG. It also emerged yesterday that units of the just introduced Special Weapons and Tactics Team (SWAT) had been deployed in police commands across the nation.

At the meeting, which the IG said was to review the "critical" security situation in the two geo-political zones, he said: "We have called this meeting to discuss issues affecting us in the South-east and South-south geo-political zones.

"We have a very critical situation in the two zones which needs immediate attention,

rejigging our strategy to ensure that it is contained. It is not like we do not have problems in other geopolitical zones of the country, but we have to address them one after the other.’’

He said calling a larger meeting of all Commissioners of Police and other senior officers would not be alright at the moment because of COVID-19 protocols.

The IGP, while noting that the South-East and SouthSouth geo-political zones of the country are very critical in the socio-economic stability and growth of Nigeria, said no intelligence, operational and administrative efforts should be spared in ensuring that the security challenges in the zones are surmounted.

He, therefore, gave marching order to the Strategic Commanders to rejig the security architecture in their areas of responsibilities and work with relevant stakeholders in restoring law and order.

The IGP further directed the

Command Commissioners of Police and their supervisory Zonal Assistant InspectorsGeneral of Police to return to their states and implement resolutions reached, especially on intelligence-led and community-driven operational strategies, to ensure security of lives and property in the region.

The IGP called for the support of citizens, noting that the operational strategies would be within the framework of citizens’ consent, trust and the rule of law.

Sources at the meeting told THISDAY last night that the Commissioners of Police and other senior officers presented the new IG with a long list of issues hindering their operations - largely equipment and manpower - and pleaded with him to swiftly address the problems for them to perform optimally.

The source said Baba promised to address the operational challenges listed and urged the senior officers

to raise their games in their various states.

After the brainstorming session, the IG ordered all the AIGs in the zone and the DIGs inspecting the two zones to go back and implement resolutions agreed to ensure that there is a change.

Police Deploy SWAT in State Commands Minister of Police Affairs, Mohammad Dingyadi yesterday disclosed that units of the just introduced Special Weapons and Tactics Team (SWAT) had been deployed in police commands across the nation.

The immediate past Inspector General of Police, Mohammed Adamu, announced the establishment of SWAT as replacement for the disbanded Special Anti-robbery Squard (SARS) after the deadly #EndSARS protests, last October.

Dingyadi, who discussed the deployment of the new special unit in a television programme,

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THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER ˾ ͹͸, 2021

NEWS

News Editor Ahamefula Ogbu 08116759810 (sms only) Email ahamefula.ogbu@thisdaylive.com

Military Denies Massacre of Civilians in Benue as Ortom Calls for Restraint Kingsley Nwezeh ÓØ ÌßÔË and George Okoh ÓØ ËÕßÜÎÓ

Defence Headquarters (DHQ) yesterday denied the alleged massacre of civilians in Konshisha Local Government Area of Benue State by troops of Operation Whirl Stroke operating in the area.

This is as Governor Samuel Ortom of Benue State has

called for restraint on all sides including the military following the crisis between communities in Konshisha and Oju local government areas resulting in the current military operation in some communities.

The Defence Headquarters said the bodies of soldiers killed in Konshisha by bandits were burnt beyond recognition even as it warned that the military

Saraki Refutes Rejecting Buhari’s $1bn Request for Arms Purchase Bennett Oghifo

Former President of the Senate, Dr. Bukola Saraki, has denied a claim that the 8th Senate he led rejected request of $1 billion from President Muhammadu Buhari to purchase arms to fight insecurity in the country.

He said they merely insisted that the Executive follow due process provided by the nation’s Constitution. This is contained in a statement issued yesterday by Oluwole Onemola, a media aide to the immediate past President of the Senate.

The statement titled ‘MURIC Lied: 8th Senate Aided, Not Hindered President Buhari’s Fight Against Insecurity’, described the claim allegedly made “by one Prof.

Ishaq Akintola,” as “unenlightened propaganda piece disguised as a ‘press statement,’ which was published on Thursday, April 8th,” and that the claim of the professor, who acted “under the one-man operation group known as MURIC, is factually and constitutionally incorrect.”

Akintola’s statement, the for-

mer Senate president’s aide said “intentionally attempts to re-write history by falsely suggesting that the Saraki-led 8th Senate “rejected the President’s request for $1billion for the purchase of arms. However, the truth is that the 8th Senate never rejected any fund request for security but only insisted that the due process provided by the Constitution of the Federal Republic should be adhered to even by the Executive branch.”

He recalled details of what transpired at the time, stating that it was important to do so “to enlighten the public about the facts, and once again put it on record for posterity’s sake.

“On Wednesday, the 25th of April 2018, the then-President of the Senate, Sen. Dr. Abubakar Bukola Saraki, read a letter from President Muhammadu Buhari, which stated that he had granted ‘anticipatory approval’ for the release of $496,374,470. These funds were said to have been paid directly to the Treasury of the United States (U.S.) government.

establishment would not condone the jungle justice meted out on soldiers on national duty.

The social media was awash with pictures of about 200 houses destroyed and claims of the killing of 51 civilians during a military invasion of Konshisha.

The Nigerian Army had, Thursday night, issued a statement confirming the killing of one officer and 10 soldiers in Konshisha by bandits.

A statement issued by the Director, Defence Information, Brigadier-General Onyema Nwachukwu, said beyond killing the soldiers in cold blood as they approached the area to quell a communal clash, the bodies of the 11 soldiers were burnt beyond recognition.

“The attention of the Defence Headquarters is drawn to numerous publications in the media and other online blogs reporting massive killing and destruction of houses and other property by the military in Konshisha LGA of Benue State.

“The Defence Headquarters

which has oversight responsibility for Operation Whirl Stroke deployed to maintain peace in Benue, Nasarawa and Taraba states, has deemed it necessary to refute these spurious allegations and put the records straight,” he said.

Explaining the root of the crisis prior to the killings, the DHQ said: “there have been incessant cases of communal clashes in recent times between the people of Konshisha and Oju over boundary demarcation. As part of efforts to resolve the crisis, the Benue State Government held series of meetings with stakeholders from both local governments with a view to arriving at amicable solution to the problem.

“Appreciable progress has been made and a final date fixed for all stakeholders to meet in the disputed areas to fully demarcate the boundary so that peace could reign. Trouble however started on the eve of the final meeting during Easter holiday, with reports that fresh

fighting has broken out in the area.”

The statement noted that “all along, 72 Special Forces Battalion has troops deployed on the Oju side of the boundary and troops of the Battalion were on their way to replenish their colleagues on 5 April 2021, when they were attacked by armed bandits at Bonta in Konshisha. The troops who were under command of a Captain were seized at a checkpoint mounted by the so called “Bonta Boys” and taken into Konshisha forest where they were all brutally murdered. “Not satisfied with killing the soldiers, the bandits proceeded to burn all the eleven soldiers and their officer beyond recognition while their weapons and ammunition were carted away. Military reinforcements were dispatched to Bonta the following morning.”

The Defence Headquarters further said: “unfortunately, the reinforcement also came under attack from close to 500 armed youths who by this time had fully occupied Bonta. The

sheer number of youths involved in the attacks suggests that the armed bandits cannot be from Bonta alone, but were joined by bandits from other parts of Konshisha LGA. “The military repelled the attack after more than four hours of intense fighting during which military helicopter provided close air support to ground troops.

Ten armed bandits were killed during the fight with the rifle of one of the killed in action soldiers recovered from the bandits who fell casualty during the exchange of fire.”

The Defence Headquarters maintained that apart from the initial 10 bandits, there are no other civilian casualties recorded in any part of Konshisha.

“We, therefore, challenge anybody from Konshisha to present to the public the 200, 70 or 30 dead bodies of innocent persons, male, female or children killed by troops in Konshisha.

There was never a massacre as being touted by some mischief makers.

Buhari, Tinubu Mourn Tukur, Say he was True Patriot Deji Elumoye ÓØ ÌßÔË

President Muhammadu Buhari has mourned his close associate and exceptional scholar and administrator, Dr. Mahmud Tukur, describing him as a true patriot and a nationalist.

Also, All Progressives Congress National Leader, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, has commiserated with President Buhari, First Lady Aisha Buhari, and Mallam Mamman Daura over the passing of Tukur, who died yesterday.

The President, in a message to the family, friends and associates of the founding Vice Chancellor of the Bayero University, Kano, stressed that “Dr. Mahmud Tukur’s service to the nation will be remembered by generations. He had a passion for a prosperous, economically strong and united Nigeria.

He was a proud nationalist.”

President Buhari, in his tribute, recalled that as Minister of Trade in his first coming as

Military Head of State, Tukur introduced a lot of schemes that revived the local industry, boosted exports and gave real meaning and effect to import substitution in regenerating the indigenous manufacturing sector of the economy.

He prayed to Almighty Allah to accept him in Aljannah Firdaus and give the family, friends, the Adamawa Emirate Council and the people of the state the strength to bear this grievous loss.

Tinubu also extended his condolences to the family of the late Tukur, the academic community as well as the government and people of Adamawa State.

In a condolence message issued by his Media Office yesterday, the former Governor of Lagos State said: “I’m deeply saddened by the news of the passing of renowned scholar and former Minister of Trade during the General Buhari military regime, Dr. Mahmud Tukur.

COVID-19: 71 New Cases Recorded Nigeria recorded 71 new cases of COVID-19 yesterday, taking the number of confirmed cases to 163,652 with 154,073 discharged and 2059 deaths.

MARITAL BLISS. . .

L-R: Former Governor of Abia State and Senator representing Abia Central, Chief T.A.Orji; the groom, Mr. Chiemeka Orji; his newly wedded wife, Oroma, and wife of Senator Orji, Mercy, at the couple’s wedding in Umuahia...recently

NLC Urges El-Rufai to Reverse Unlawful Retirement of Workers

Again, Petrol Dealer Kidnapped in Governor Fayemi’s Hometown

Onyebuchi Ezigbo ÓØ ÌßÔË

Victor Ogunje ÓØ ÎÙ ÕÓÞÓ

Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has petitioned the Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai demanding the reversal of the sack and compulsory retirement of some workers in the state.

The Labour Movement kicked against what it described as arbitrary, draconian and insensitive move to retire workers from 50 years old and above.

In the letter addressed to El-Rufai and titled ° Re: Rationalisation and Conversion to Casual Engagement of Workers by the Kaduna State Government”, NLC said the action apart from violating labour laws, would have a serious impact on the livelihood and survival of thousands of workers in the state and their families.

“We write to demand that Your Excellency quickly reverse the so-called rationalisation and casualisation of Kaduna State

workers. If this unsavoury situation persists, Organised Labour will not hesitate to fall back on the lawful options available to workers to pursue justice in this matter,” they said.

The letter reads: “Your Excellency, we wish to refer to a letter with reference number GH/KD/5 and addressed to the Head of Service, Kaduna State by Dr. Salisu Suleiman, Principal Private Secretary to Governor Nasir El-Rufai.

“The letter under reference conveyed the decisions of the Kaduna State Government to give effect to the following: ‘Compulsory retirement of officers that are 50 years old and above; Compulsory retirement of officers on Grade Level 14 and above even if they are less than 50 years; Conversion to causal workers all category of officers on Grade Level 01 - 06; and the directive that no Local Government in Kaduna State shall have more than 50 staff strength”..

Kidnappers terrorising Ekiti State in recent time have again abducted a petrol dealer, Mr. Itakorode Adebayo at Governor Kayode Fayemi’s hometown of Isan Ekiti, in Oye Local Government area of the state.

Itakorode is the General Manager of Prosperous Filling Station located at Isan Ekiti .

This incident happened few months after a chieftain of the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria(IPMAN), Alhaji Suleiman Akinbami, was kidnapped by unknown gunmen at his filling station along Ado-Ijan road.

It was gathered that gunmen numbering eight had invaded the petrol station around 7pm on Thursday and abducted the victim.

The Police Public Relations Officer, Ekiti Command, ASP Sunday Abutu, who confirmed the incident, said a team of

police operatives and detectives, including the Amotekun Corps and the local Hunters had been deployed to rescue the victim.

Abutu said they had been mandated to rigorously comb the bushes and the forests across the State to ensure they rescue the man.

Abutu explained that the gunmen stormed the filling station through the bush on about six motorcycles and started shooting sporadically before whisking the victim away.

Abutu said: “The Ekiti State Police Command, in addition to the rescue teams deployed, has contacted all the States bordering Ekiti State for possible assistance towards the rescue of the victim and the arrest of the perpetrators.

Abutu also revealed that two suspected goat thieves had been arrested for theft by men and officers of the command .

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NEWS One Killed, 10 Abducted in Daylight Attack on Niger Community Laleye Dipo in Minna

PROVIDING INFRASTRUCTURE… L-R: Senator Jibrin Barau, President of the Senate, Ahmad Lawan, and Governor of Imo State, Senator Hope Uzodinma, during the inauguration of a road project in Owerri ...yesterday.

Lagos Relaxes Restrictions on Social Gatherings

Festus Akanbi

The Lagos State Government yesterday announced the relaxation of the restrictions on social gatherings and event centres in the state.

The statement signed by the Commissioner for Tourism, Arts and Culture, Mrs. Uzamat Akinbile Yusuff, and the Director-General, Lagos State Safety Commission, Mr. Lanre Mojola, said the decision to ease the restriction was taken after due consultations with relevant stakeholders in the state.

According to the statement titled ‘Lagos State Government

Eases Restrictions on Social and Event Centres, COVID-19 protocols must be complied with’, warning that “any violation of this protocol shall attract fines and penalties in line with the Lagos State Infectious Diseases Control Regulation 2020.”

“The Governor of Lagos State, Mr. Babajide Olusola Sanwo-Olu, after due consultation and deliberations with relevant stakeholders and MDA’s including The Lagos State Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture and Lagos State Safety Commission has approved the further easing of social centres across the State with immediate effect,” it added.

In reeling out new guidelines for social/event reopening, Akinbile-Yusuff and Mojola, who insisted that COVID-19 protocols must be complied with, said that “any violation of this protocol shall attract fines and penalties in line with the Lagos State Infectious Diseases Control Regulation 2020.”

Some of the guidelines stated that event centres must register before reopening and event duration should not exceed a maximum period of six hours.

The guidelines read in part, “All event centres must hold a valid license of The Lagos State Ministry of Tourism, Arts and

Culture prior to operating as an event centre in the State.

“Safety Marshals shall be deployed by an accredited event safety consultant from Lagos State Safety Commission for every social event with attendance exceeding over 200 people.

“Occupancy limit at any event must not exceed 50 per cent of the maximum design capacity of the hall, wherein Occupancy Limit stickers provided by the Lagos State Safety Commission must be boldly pasted at the entrance of the event hall.

“Maximum allowable capacity for Event Centers irrespective of occupancy limit is 500 people.

Lawan: Attackers of Imo Police Formations, Correctional Facilities Enemies of People Bennett Oghifo President of the Senate, Ahmad Lawan, has stated that those who attacked some police formations and correctional facilities in Imo State recently were enemies of the people.

Lawan said the aim of the attackers was probably to cause a distraction for the Imo State Government or even the federal government, according to a statement issued yesterday by Ola Awoniyi, the Senate President’s Special Adviser (Media).

The Senate President, Awoniyi said, spoke in Owerri where he inaugurated a road project which was completed by the administration of Governor Hope Uzodimma.

“We have been experiencing insecurity recently, especially in Imo State - the jail break, burning of Police Headquarters and so on and so forth. These may be attempts by enemies of the people to distract this administration or indeed the Government of the Federal Republic of Nigeria,” said the Senate President who was accompanied on the trip

by Senator Jibrin Barau, Senator Biobarakuma Degi, Senator Halliru Jika, Senator Sani Musa, and Senator Michael Opeyemi Bamidele.

The road, which is named after a former Senate President, Late Chief Evan Enwerem, is one of the many infrastructural projects inaugurated to mark one year in office of Governor Uzodimma.

Lawan charged the people to take ownership of the projects, utilise them well and protect them.

He said, “When a government’s programme or project is vandalised, when a government institution is vandalised and burnt, those doing so are enemies of the people because when you incarcerate someone in prison and normally the due process would have been followed. This is in the public interest and therefore for anyone, whosoever that person is, to go and release prisoners or burn down the correctional centre otherwise known as prison, is No 1 enemy of the people.

“Our security agencies need more resources to ensure that we are all protected and life is secured as well as our property. We will

continue to support our security agencies in partnership with the executive arm of government.

“This is so important because this kind of attitude, this kind of insurrection can lead to insurgency.

We have witnessed that in the North-east. “Thank God by 2015, the insecurity and insurgency in the North-east started to come down because of the efforts of the Federal Government of Nigeria.

“We have unfortunately discovered that we have other security challenges from banditry to militancy,” Lawan said.

The Senate President said the appointment of the new Service Chiefs and Acting Inspector General of Police was to inject fresh ideas in a bid to finally overcome the security challenges.

5 Inmates,2 Officials Injured In Bauchi Attempted Jail Break Segun Awofadeji in Bauchi There was palpable tension and apprehension in Bauchi State capital as armed personnel of the Nigeria Correctional Service attached to the Bauchi Custodian Centre yesterday averted what would have been another jail break akin to the Owerri incident that happened few days ago.

THISDAY checks revealed that while the incident lasted

five inmates and two personnel of the Correctional Service were injured from gun shots; they are presently receiving treatment at an undisclosed hospital in Bauchi metropolis.

Confirming the attempted jail break to journalists, the PRO of Bauchi Command of the Nigeria Correctional Service, Abubakar Algwallary, explained that the situation had been put under control as all the inmates had been

put back into their respective cells.

According to him, “yes, there was a little problem in the Custodian Centre today (yesterday), we were just coming from there with the Command Controller, we have gone to see the situation and I can tell you that everything has been brought back to normal.”

On the cause of the chaos, the PRO said that, “it was discovered that one of the staff was smuggling prohibited substances into

the centre for the inmates, he was caught and tried by the authorities. Some of the inmates who were getting the items felt bad and decided to protest the action of the NCS.” He added that, “also, we have some inmates from the Southern part of the country who were aware of the happenings in Owerri so, they teamed up with those protesting the stop of the supply and attempted to do a jail break”

One person was killed and 10 others kidnapped yesterday in a broad daylight invasion of Gurmana Community in the Shiroro Local Government Area of Niger State.

An eyewitness told THISDAY on phone that a top member of the local vigilante whose name was given as Idi Fylo narrowly escaped being killed as he was said to have just stepped out of his residence when the bandits struck. His house and yam barn were however set ablaze.

It was also learnt that one Maiangwa Sarkin Zamma was shot in the right arm and was already receiving treatment in a local clinic in the area.

According to eyewitnesses, the bandits in their numbers stormed the community shooting sporadically and leaving the people to scamper for safety.

It was gathered that the bandits rustled several cattle and dispossessed the villagers of their property apart from

setting ablaze their harvested food stores.

THISDAY was told that raids of communities in the area had become a daily occurrence since the withdrawal of soldiers and policemen from their camps in Allawa and Bassa over a week ago after six soldiers and one policeman were murdered, their camps and operational vehicles set ablaze.

The Co-Convener of the Shiroro Youth Associations, Yussuf Abubakar Koki and the Spokesperson of the Coalition of Shiroro Associations, Comrade Salis Sabo in separate comments confirmed the incident.

The embattled Chairman of Shiroro Local Government Area, Alhaji Sulaiman Chikuba when contacted on phone said he had heard the “sad news but I don’t have the details.”

Police Public Relations Officer Niger State Police Command, DSP Wasiu Abiodun when contacted promised to get back to THISDAY but did not do so until the time of going to press.

Bauchi Police Arrest 30 Suspected Robbers, Kidnappers, Cattle Rustlers Segun Awofadeji in Bauchi The Bauchi State Police Command has arrested 30 suspects in connection with various criminal activities ranging from armed robbery, kidnapping, cattle rustling and phone snatching.

Parading the suspects yesterday at the Police headquarters, the State Commissioner of Police, Abiodun Sylvester Alabi, said that on Monday 22nd March 2021, a joint operations with members of Peace and Security Committee, Bauchi, led to the arrest of one 24-year-old Aliyu Usman of Anguwan Hardo and one 18-year-old Abdullahi Ibrahim of the same address, who conspired with one Nazifi of Kofar Simi Bauchi and others at large, and burgled the house of one Habib Mohammed, a staff of Ruwasa.

He said the suspects, armed machetes and other deadly weapons, burg led t he hou se of t he oc cupant and robbed him of a la p t op c omp u t er, t wo I nfinix p hones, one Ta mbo p hone a nd jewelr ies, a dding t ha t the suspects would be charged

to court for proper prosecution.

The CP said that on Thursday 25th March 2021, a team of detectives attached to Area Command Metro in collaboration with members of Peace and Security Committee, Bauchi State, arrested a group of suspected armed robbers, house trespassers and phone snatchers.

He mentioned the names of the suspects to include Abdullahi Hashim, age 20 of Zango, Shuaibu Mohammed Nasir Alias of Zango, Ahmed Abdullahi Alias of Nasarawa Bauchi, Al-Anon Dahiru of Jahun Bauchi, Mohammed Ismail of federal low-cost Bauchi and Aliyu Adamu of Jahun Bauchi, adding that they conspired with eighth other suspects.

He said that the suspects who armed themselves with dangerous weapons such as machetes and knives, broke into houses at Zango, attacked the occupants and robbed them of valuable items which include phones, laptops, motorcycles, plasma Television and jewelries, all valued at the sum of N3.1 million in addition to a cash sum of N290,000 which they cartered away.

Police Foil Bank Robbery in Delta, Arrests 2 Sylvester Idowu inWarri Operatives of the Delta State Police Command have arrested 32-year-old Joshua Oghenenovo and 29-year-old Kingsley Gbeneku over alleged attempt to rob a new generation bank in Ughelli, Delta State.

The Acting Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) Delta Command, DSP Bright Dafe, who made the disclosure yesterday in a statement yesterday said it was a major breakthrough by the command, under the watch of the Commissioner of Police (CP) Ari Mohammed, which foiled the attempt to rob the bank.

He said Oghenenovo was the

alleged robbery ring leader, while Gbeneku, a staff member of the bank was the informant in the planned robbery.

He thanked the public for providing the prompt intelligence that led to the arrest of the suspects whom he said had confessed to the crime.

According to PPRO, the command on Wednesday, based on intelligence, gathered that a robbery syndicate was planning to attack and rob one of the new generation banks in Ughelli.

“The Commissioner of Police then directed the Eagle Net Special Squad, headed by SP Usman Dimka to trace and fish out the criminals.

SATURDAY APRIL 10, 2021 • T H I S D AY

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THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER APRIL 10 ,2021

NEWS United States Embassy Alerts on New Visa Scam MichaelOlugbode inAbuja

The United States Embassy in Nigeria has alerted Nigeria to a new visa scam The Embassy in a press release yesterday said the scammers in the publicised press release promised Nigerian citizens between 40-55 years a work visa, which was phoney.

The press release read: “The U.S. Mission to Nigeria is drawing the general public’s attention to a fake “press release” claiming to

HURIWA Faults IG’s South-east Security Assessment

TAKING STOCK… L-R: Managing Director/CEO, Guaranty Trust Bank Plc, Mr. Segun Agbaje; Chairman, Mrs. Osaretin Demuren; and the Company Secretary, Mr. Erhi Obebeduo, at the 31st annual general meeting of Guaranty Trust Bank Plc in Lagos... yesterday PHOTO: ETOP UKUTT

'UXJ 7UDͿFNHU ([FUHWHV NJ Cocaine at Lagos Airport Michael Olugbode in Abuja

A Madrid-bound suspected drug trafficker, Okonkwo Chimezie Henry arrested at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, MMIA, Ikeja, has excreted 113 wraps of cocaine weighing 1.750 kilogrammes, with a street value of N423 million.

Okonkwo, who was arrested on Easter day, Sunday 4th April, 2021, was about boarding a Turkish

Airline flight number TK0626 at about 8p.m. when he was apprehended at screening point 2.

He was taken into custody by the NDLEA operatives at the Lagos airport and subsequently put under observation at the JBTF/NDLEA facility for further investigation.

Okonkwo, who has been living in Spain, had within 24 hours he was put under observation excreted 39 wraps of cocaine and

subsequently passed out113 wraps in five excretions.

Further investigation revealed he ingested the illicit drug in a hotel in Igando area of Lagos.

Speaking on the incident, the Commander, MMIA Command of the NDLEA, Ahmadu Garba, said: “The suspect excreted 39 wraps weighing 600 grammes at 9.58am on April 5; 13 wraps weighing 200 grammes at 6.30pm same day; 16 wraps weighing

250 grammes at 10.30pm same day; and 32 wraps weighing 500 grammes at 7.30am on April 6.”

In the same vein, operatives at the airport have intercepted a 2.8 kilogrammes of skunk meant for Dubai in UAE through Emirate Airline.

The illicit drug was concealed in crayfish; bitter leaves and melons packaged in a sack but was recovered at the SAHCO export shed of the MMIA.

Group Seeks Legislative Reforms to Enhance Media Leaders Honour Akinfeleye at Book Launch Quarantine Agency’s Performance Olawale Ajimotokan in Abuja Media leaders yesterday turned up in impressive number at the launch of a book in honour of the Professor of Journalism and Mass Communication, Prof.

Ralph Afolabi Akinfeleye, at the Vice Chancellors’ Conference Hall, Abuja.

The book: Journalism: Communication and Society was edited by Prof. Umar Pate, the Vice Chancellor of Federal University, Kashere.

It was presented by the Secretary-General UN Nigeria National Commission for UNESCO, Olagunju Idowu, who described it as apt and a valuable book for scholars, researchers and knowledge seekers.

The book was launched by the Founder of DAAR Communication, Dr. Raymond Dokpesi, while it was reviewed by the Acting Director-General National Broadcasting Commission (NBC), Prof. Armstrong Idachaba.

Former Governor of Ogun State, Chief Olusegun Osoba, who was the father of the event, described Akinfeleye as a standard touch bearer of excellence in matters of the practice of journalism.

Osoba, who was represented by the Editor-in-Chief Vanguard newspaper, Gbenga Adefaye, said Akinfeleye had done well in building the capacity of journalists and was a reference point in assisting the state to formulate the national communication policy.

A non-governmental organisation, the National Ecosystem Advocates of Nigeria (NEAN), has appealed to the National Assembly to embark on the review of the current NAQS Act, 2017, with a view to identifying and strengthening the law to ensure that the main objectives of the legislation is fully attained.

It noted that having operated the NAQS Act 2017 for vet three years now, there were noticeable areas of the legislation that needed to be strengthened for the effective discharge of the functions and activities of the agency.

The group also identified the need for the cooperation of some of the sister agencies of government working with NAQS for the success of the agency. In a statement

signed by NEAN’s National Coordinator, Comrade Ben Iguabor and the National Secretary, Silas Modaccai, it regretted that a situation where the agency’s activities were being sabotaged by another sister agency like the Nigerian Customs Service or the Nigerian Police remained most regrettable.

It noted for instance that, NAQS as a leading agency in ensuring standards and compliance in the export of agricultural products out of the country, it was wrong that while the agency insisted on full compliance by exporters, personnel of the Nigerian Customs would be at the backend sabotaging such efforts, noting that, “If properly coordinated, Nigeria has very huge potential of raking in stupendous income through agricultural exports.

APC Caretaker Committee Meets, Mum on Party Convention, Congresses Adedayo Akinwale in Abuja

The All Progressives Congress (APC) Caretaker/Extraordinary Convention Planning Committee yesterday after an emergency meeting held at the party secretariat in Abuja maintained a graveyard silence regarding the party Congresses and convention.

There have been unconÀrmed reports that the caretaker committee was plotting another six months extension which will end in December 2021 rather than conducting the party’s convention

oͿer a new type of work visa to Nigerians. Scammers and fraudsters circulate this phoney information that the new work visa applies to Nigerian citizens aged 40-55.

“The U.S. Embassy in Abuja and Consulate in Lagos is warning Nigerians not to fall victims to the scam.”

It said. “It is the same old scam, but in fresh packaging – don’t become a victim!”

It however tasked anyone with questions about whether visa information is legitimate, to refer only to o΀cial.

by June.

The Director General of Progressive Governors Forum (PGF), Dr. Salihu Lukman, recently warned the Caretaker Committee led by the Governor of Yobe State, Mai Mala Buni, not to abuse the conÀdence of President Muhammadu Buhari by delaying the National Convention of the party beyond June 2021.

He said under no circumstances should there be any contemplation of extending the tenure of the Caretaker

Committee.

However, the National Secretary of the committee, Sen. John Akpanudoedehe, in a statement issued yesterday after the 9th meeting of the committee said the meeting deliberated on the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Area Council Elections; quarterly review of the activities of the committee; and evaluation of the ongoing Party membership registration, revalidation and update exercise.

He added that the meeting further deliberated on the state

of aͿairs of the party; review of the interventions of the federal government in the face of security challenges in some parts of the country. Akpanudoedehe said the meeting therefore resolved that, “in accordance with the provisions of the Electoral Act 2010 (as amended) and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) guidelines, to adopt the Party’s guidelines, timetable and schedule of activities for the conduct of Area Councils Election in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja.”

Human Rights Writers Association (HURIWA) has faulted the claims of the newly appointed Inspector General of Police Usman Baba of dire security situations in the South-east region of the country.

They counselled the new police boss to concentrate on solving he perennial security situation of the country and desist from sexing up situations which tend to potray the South-east security situation darker than it was.

In a statement by the Executive Director, Comrade Emmanuel Onwubiko, HURIWA carpeted the President for displaying gross insensitivity to the Federal Character Principles on appointments to top Internal Security heads since coming to o΀ce, stated that what is playing out in most parts of Southern Nigeria was that millions of Nigerians feel that they were totally alienated and schemed out on all issues that border on National Security since none of their people serving in any of the segments of the armed security forces were good enough to head the police, Customs, Immigration, Civil Defence or correctional centers also known as Federal Prisons.

“Millions of citizens of Southern Nigeria have

come to the conclusion that the government of President Muhammadu Buhari has no conÀdence or trust in them to contribute towards internal security matters and so some of the actions and counter actions may be related to civil disobedience.

Those who are beneÀciaries of the rotten status quo like the Inspector General of Police should stop talking like new emperors but should embark on genuine consultations with diͿerent interest groups in the Southern part of Nigeria to bring them on board and to reassure them that their lands are not under Military or Police occupation.

“The inspector General of Police must be ready to work out constructive partnership with genuine civil society stakeholders so as to reassure millions of Southerners that there is no deliberate agenda to occupy their places,”they pointed out.

They said the major crisis that the new IGP had to face was the Police and not the South-east of Nigeria, adding, “The situation is much graver within the institution of the Nigeria Police Force and so the new head of Nigeria Police should embark on thorough Internal Clean up and restore discipline and professionalism.”

Revisit Jonathan’s Confab Report, APC Group Urges Buhari Kayode Fasua inAbeokuta National Chairman, Congress of Democrats (CD), a pressure group within the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), Mr. Bola Ajimuda, has called on President Muhammadu Buhari to reconsider revisiting the recommendations of the National Constitutional Conference enpanelled by former President Goodluck Jonathan, in 2014.

Ajimuda, in an interview with THISDAY in Abeokuta, Ogun State, lamented the rising wave of criminalities and the continued restiveness of ethnic nationalities, attributing them to “the poor foundations of our federal composition”.

The CD chairman, who is a banker and development finance expert, and also a former Senior Special Adviser to Ondo’s Governor Rotimi Akeredolu on Oil and Gas Matters, said, “No patch-work can any longer save Nigeria, except

we face the reality of assuaging the feelings of disgruntled ethnic nationalities.”

“For one, we in the ruling APC are unhappy about the seemingly intractable challenges of insecurity in the country, which involve kidnapping for ransom, herdsmen attacks, cattle rustling, Boko Haram insurgencies, and robberies.

“While this administration has got many pluses in terms of infrastructural development and war on corruption, the gains are unfortunately being eroded by the atmosphere of insecurity in the country.

“We find it shocking that the fear of travelling on a typical Nigerian road is now the beginning of wisdom, to avoid being kidnapped or killed.

“While the Nigeria Police are doing their best, it is glaring that they are overwhelmed, apparently by the structural defects in the Nigerian nation,” he lamented.

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APRIL 10, 2021 • THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER

COMMENTARY

VACCINATIONS: REPLACE POLITICS, WITH PRAGMATISM Rajendra Aneja urges leaders to stop squabbling and focus on vaccinations

S

ince the COVID-19 pandemic started, the world has been engulfed by the “politics of the pandemic”. Presidents like Trump of the USA and Bolsonaro of Brazil, played down the perils of the disease. They refused to lockdown or source vaccines proactively. Trump blamed China for the virus. The blame-game and lack of focus on the disease, resulted in severe losses of human lives.

After the vaccines were discovered, began the politics of cornering them. The richer nations booked vaccines to cover their populations, three to four times. Economically weak countries, especially in Africa, received negligible quantities of vaccines, even after four months of the vaccines being discovered. Nigeria has only vaccinated 0.4 percent of its population, with 0.7 million vaccines disbursed, by 31 March 2021.

There has also been squabbling between the UK and European Union, about the efficacy of the vaccines. Doubts have been raised about the effectiveness of Oxford’s AstraZeneca, even though UK is deploying it successfully to fight COVID-19.

There is also growing vaccine nationalism. Western countries are shy of endorsing the vaccines from China and Russia. Countries are also prioritizing their own populations, against export commitments. This is understandable for countries have to manage their own populations too.

However, shunning all the politics, countries like Israel, Australia, New Zealand have focused on vaccinations to make their countries safe. Dubai has employed mobile clinics to bolster vaccinations. Instead of waiting for people to come, the government, is taking the vaccines to them. This is the only way to defeat Covid-19.

Countries with large populations like India, Brazil, Nigeria, Malaysia, Egypt, etc., should adopt the UAE model of mobile vaccinations. Inoculating people on a phased basis, ensures control on the numbers being immunized. However, it is very slow. In 11 weeks, India has vaccinated just about five percent of the population. Now, India is on the verge of a second wave. Vaccinations in countries, reeling under the Covid-19 pressures, should be undertaken by mobile units. Vaccinations should commence 24x7, at railway stations, airports, universities, shopping malls, temples, mosques, etc.

To accelerate the vaccinations and create awareness about Covid-19, health departments should use “Retailing and Propaganda” vans.

These are four-wheel vans or three-wheel autos, which undertake vaccinations and propaganda activities.

Health authorities can deploy vans with freezers, to transport the vaccines to the slums and villages. Health workers can vaccinate from the vans, to the accompaniment of music.

In addition, a propagandist distributes masks free to the assembled villagers. He makes announcements on the measures to avoid infections, i.e. masks, social distancing, washing hands, etc. Videos can show how to use the mask, maintain social distancing, importance and method of washing hands, etc. Showing is always more effective than merely telling. The van can cover at least two villages per day. If three hundred villagers congregate at every meeting, a van could vaccinate 600 villagers daily. Retailing and propaganda vans have been used effectively in countries like India, Nigeria, Kenya and Brazil, etc., to propagate the consumption of consumer products in the smaller towns and villages by companies. Now, this grass-root retailing mechanism

can be deployed to vaccinate villagers.

COVID-19 IS A MASSIVE MONSTER AND GETTING STRONGER WITH VARIANTS. IT IS TIME TO STOP BICKERING AND FOCUS ON VACCINATING EVERY CITIZEN, IN EVERY COUNTRY

“Covid-19 Warrior Boats” Many villages and tiny townships are inaccessible by roads, in countries like India, Egypt, Brazil, Peru, etc. In these countries many villages can be accessed through boats. Health authorities can deploy boats to vaccinate villagers. There are few roads connecting the villages along the Nile River (longest river in the world, 6,853 kilometres) in Egypt and Africa. Most of the villages along the Amazona River (second longest river in the world, 6,400 kilometres) which flows through Peru, Colombia and Venezuela, are inaccessible by road. The villages along the Niger River in Nigeria (4,180 kilometres), can be covered through boats for vaccinations.

In Brazil and Peru, we travelled to many villages on the banks of the Amazona River, briefing villagers on personal hygiene and dental care. In water-bound regions, accessible only through boats, Health authorities can initiate special “Covid-19 Warrior Boats”, which will carry medical staff, vaccines and masks. They will visit five to six villages per day, vaccinate dwellers and distribute masks. They can also organise demonstrations on how to maintain social distancing and the importance of washing hands and sanitisation. The team can distribute pictorial pamphlets to educate the villagers. The speed boats should visit villages on the basis of fixed itineraries, to ensure that inhabitants take both the vaccine jabs.

Mother Ship with Vaccines A refrigerated mother ship would carry the vaccines. It will feed 10 to 15 smaller speed “Covid-19 Warrior Boats”, carrying health workers to surrounding villages. At night, the smaller boats return to the Mother ship for replenishment.

Health departments should deploy some of the mass grass-root level retailing techniques used by FMCG companies, to vaccinate villagers, who cannot be accessed easily through road networks.

Operation Vaccine Flood Globally around 230 vaccine candidates are being researched to fight Covid-19. Of these, about 10 vaccines are being deployed globally. By the end of 2021, hopefully we could have 15 to 20 vaccines approved for global usage. Gradually, there should be no shortage or queues for vaccines, in any country. WHO should launch “Operation Vaccine Flood”, to ensure that by the end of 2021 or mid-2022, every person should be able to buy a vaccine of choice, from any pharmacist.

If a lockdown is declared, then the time should be deployed to vaccinate people in their homes. Just confining people to homes, testing and tracing is insufficient. It is time for mass vaccination in homes, apartments, slums. It would be worthwhile to declare a lockdown in selected localities, only for vaccinations.

Covid-19 is a massive monster and getting stronger with variants.

It is time to stop bickering and focus on vaccinating every citizen, in every country. Vaccination is the only umbrella we have, against the Covid-19 downpour. So, it has to be implemented with precision and discipline. Countries can neglect the vaccinations, at their own peril.

Aneja was the Managing Director of Unilever Tanzania. He is an alumnus of the Harvard Business School and is the author of “Rural Marketing Across Countries”

WHEN LAGOS WELCOMED LESOTHO

Lagos with its experience of hosting bigger events could do better, writes Ayodele Okunfolami

I

didn’t have that sense of entitlement with the news that the Super Eagles would be returning to Lagos.

I had argued previously that time had changed from Lagos being the seat of power and Nigeria having only a handful of stadiums of international standard. Political capital has moved to Abuja and since the advent of democracy, Nigeria is now spoilt for choice with good enough stadiums to host international games all around the federation. I also maintained that the Super Eagles can’t and shouldn’t have an eternal home because unlike England where professional sports are not government run and the Football Association owns Wembley. Nigeria is different.

Demand for more developmental dividends of democracy has rightly shrunk budgetary allocations to sports making it more financially taxing for the football authorities to have a permanent ground. Political, cost and other opaque considerations compel managers of our football to take it away from Lagos (or Abuja). I had proposed that in a free-market world, professional sports should be completely free of government and that the Super Eagles should not be restricted to any particular ground but that national spread, stands size, condition of the playing turf, accessibility to fans, security, hotel accommodations, TV friendliness of the stadium, importance of the match, opponent disadvantage and the like would be considered along with commercial partners in choosing where Super Eagles play their matches.

And attaching the seesaw performance of the Eagles to their inability to have a perpetual home ground is balderdash. The aquilinity of the Super Eagles of the 80s and 90s was never in doubt. Their opponents lost afore arrival not because they were to play in Lagos, Eagles won their matches because they were Super. There was no need for traffic advisory those days as the streets were deserted

before and during their games as everyone closed shop to seek a place to watch the Super Eagles.

My sentiments aside, I was happy the Super Eagles could play in Lagos again after over two decades and decided to make the most of it.

Being the hub of democratic activism to commerce and entertainment, Lagos historically is positioned to be the pacesetter for the rest of the federation.

However, I was taken aback when a section of the Lagos public raised a fuss about the traffic advisory issued by the state government ahead of the match.

Lagosians should know that this is standard practice everywhere in the world when events of such magnitude take place. Residents should have instead channeled their angst to the lack of effective public transportation in the state. A working network comprising rails and water transportation would automatically reduce the volume of vehicular traffic on Lagos roads making nonissues out of travel advisories. And when such predictable, safe, flexible and rapid multimodal mass transportation network is federated, it would be easy for anybody to travel to watch the Super Eagles wherever they play in Nigeria. Then, the team would not be playing in front of Lagos or Uyo fans, but always before Nigerian fans.

Sports had always been a made-for-television event and less a spectator event even before corona.

Sports is the reason we keep paying our television providers premium. Moreover, we were getting used to the new normal of empty terraces the pandemic brought. All the more so developed climes are cautious about opening up so I wondered why the organisers requested for a reduced number of fans for the Lesotho game during the pandemic.

With that decision to open the gates for a limited number of fans, considering that Lagos is also the

epicentre of the coronavirus pandemic in Nigeria, the organizers could have just restricted the spectatorship to the health workers that braved it all. It would have been an opportunity for the state government to appreciate and showcase them to the world. Alas, it was almost a stampede getting into the stadium as every single COVID-19 protocol was disobeyed.

No social distancing, fans pushed and shoved, the security officers mismanaged the crowd, and at the end impatient fans that had been left restless on the unmoving queue stormed the gates to get in minutes after the match started. This left some people that didn’t have tickets get into the stadium while legitimate ticket carriers stranded outside.

Lagos with its experience of hosting bigger events can do better. I have always advocated that the Nigerian sports industry be taken away completely from the hands of government and take a cue from the entertainment industry. Why was the ticketing not outsourced to ticketing agencies and transparently advertised? Must one have gotten to the stadium on matchday to get a permit? Why didn’t they explore getting tickets online or using decentralized means of eateries or other sales points? What happened that day was that tickets (that we later heard was supposed to be free) were black marketed to fans.

Let me use this opportunity to give my penny worth suggestion on how to handle the perennial match violence in our local league and packaging it for greater good. First, our “professional” league should be made for television. By this, I don’t mean just showing it on television, but that there should be multiple cameras with sweet flowing stats-filled commentaries to capture all the controversial events, excellent dribbles, passes, tackles, goals and fan reactions with instant replays from different angles.

It makes refereeing transparent and the games

more emotionally engaging. What we have now is amateur camera coverage unpleasing for viewership.

Sadly, after covering two world cups, only two cameras were on ground to cover the Lesotho game.

A friend that watched on television asked how videos I posted of the match through my phone were clearer than what he watched on NTA. No space to talk about refereeing but let say a word on ticketing. We still carry professional sports as a social service in this country. It is in this same economy that people pay over N10,000 to get the rearmost seat and millions for VIP stage side seats in comedy and musical shows. But when a whole Super Eagles game is going for as low as N5000 at black market price, then expect thuggery and chaos at football venues, something that we never hear in those entertainment shows. Stadium football should be such that one can go with his family or date.

Even if the match was free, our security personnel should be schooled in crowd control. Why fans were not permitted to enter as early as noon beats me. It is this same Lagos that hosts those gospel musicals every December with millions in attendance without any negatives.

Well, the pitch in Teslim Balogun was lush green perfect. Sound system was crystal clear. The giant monitor was colourful. Flood lights were bright.

Nigeria won three nil.

Final whistle, the joyful fans transited from a welllit stadium to become darkened citizens journeying home through Funsho Williams avenue that had no street light on. They held their phones and other belongings tight through that terrible Lagos-Badagry expressway. Went to bed hoping those little drops of joy the Super Eagles brought to Nigerians would be repeated sooner.

Okunfolami wrote from Festac, Lagos

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APRIL 10, 2021 • THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER

INSIGHT

chaos on the loose...

Super Eagles’ Homecoming to Lagos

A

fter over two decades of absence, it was a sweet homecoming for the national senior male soccer team, the Super Eagles, as it soared back to Lagos in a most remarkable

fashion.

The mission was to secure a spot in the upcoming African Cup of Nations (AFCON) in Cameroon.

And the goal was to demolish the Squirrels (of Benin Republic) as well as the Crocodiles (of Lesotho) in the crucial 2021 AFCON qualifying matches.

As soon as news got around that the Super Eagles were in town, not a few soccer fans were excited.

Well, who would blame them? Prior till now, their darling Super Eagles have not played in Lagos for over 20 years. So, you can imagine how overtly thrilled they were at the news that the Eagles were back in their favourite hunting ground-Lagos.

Being a super soccer fan himself, Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu, was understandably in the forefront of the plans and efforts to make the Super Eagles homecoming a most memorable one. Characteristically, Mr. Governor pledged to support the team, just as he tasked the technical crew and players to work tirelessly to defeat the Republic of Benin at Porto Novo and also beat Lesotho at the Teslim Balogun Stadium, Surulere, Lagos.

Speaking during a dinner that had in attendance the President of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), Amaju Pinnick; Super Eagles Technical Adviser, Gernot Rohr, technical crew and players, at the Lagos House, Marina, Governor Sanwo-Olu, reiterated the commitment of his administration to improving sports activities in the state.

The governor during the dinner also surprised a member of the Atlanta 1996 Olympic Football Gold Medalist, Patrick Pascal, who is now in the Super Eagles’ coaching crew, by giving him a three-bedroom apartment in the newly commissioned 360 units’ Prince Abiodun Ogunleye Housing Estate in Igbogbo, Ikorodu. Sanwo-Olu said it is the state’s modest way of encouraging more youth to venture into sports and bring more laurels to the country.

Expressing great delight at the return of the Super Eagles to Lagos for a competitive football match after 20 years, Sanwo-Olu said: “When it was announced that we are going to have the match in Lagos, we did not only jump at it, we saw it as an opportunity to rewrite our history again.”

Truly, Lagos used to be the home of football and, indeed, sports in the country. Most famous footballers in the country and, certainly, in Africa came out of Lagos. These include the legendary Teslim Balogun, Stephen Keshi, Peter Rufai, Henry Nwosu, Samson Siasia, Jonathan Akpoborie, Odion Ighalo and many others.

It is, therefore, in order to sustain this noble tradition that the Sanwo-Olu Administration has been supporting sporting activities in different parts of the state. Part of the objectives is to get more youth develop interest in sports, not only as a passion, but also as a source of livelihood. To this end, the Sanwo-Olu administration has unveiled a plan to build a stadium in Igbogbo and Agboyi-Ketu parts of the state. An integral part of the plan to redevelop sports in the state also include providing all the local teams in the state with the necessary infrastructure they need to boost sporting activities.

Globally, football has become a money spinning sport. Its organisation and management in Europe, especially, is a multi-million dollars venture with all the teams running other sports related businesses.

Indeed, all sorts of professionals-doctors, physiotherapists, psychologists, grass men, scouts, etc-are employed by the various teams in their drive for not only soccer glory, but also financial success.

Consequently, in Europe, football has gone beyond the mere recreational activity that it is in Nigeria and other parts of Africa. As a result of the excellent manner in which it is managed in Europe, youths across the continent and other parts of the world have found in football a means through which they could use their talents to escape poverty.

Tayo Ogunbiyi, is Deputy Director, Public Affairs, Ministry of Information & Strategy, Alausa, Ikeja

A Sure Shot Idea

P

resident Joe Biden is making a first step to addressing gun control by requiring checks on “Ghost Guns”, not guns that make people ghosts but guns that are not regulated and are untraceable. The idea that these can be homemade or bought online by anyone is concerning. Of course, registering guns does not make them less deadly but it helps to know who could have fired them.

Why the NRA has so much power in

America is puzzling for an outsider, like any Australian who has limited access to or contact with guns and little need for them.

Guns in Australia are generally only used by the best and worst, the police and criminals although farmers and sportspeople have controlled access to them.

President Biden offers hope and yet he must know how hard it will be to make any significant change. Good luck sir.

Dennis Fitzgerald, Melbourne, Australia

The Rot We’ve Wrought In Japan, the corrupt commits harakiri In Europe, he’s sent to their kirikiri In China, he is murdered But in Africa, he is glorified His career furthered And he’s virtually deified In the warped psyche of a society Where parsons preach prosperity To the total neglect of piety So, we crop mediocrity An electorate so gullible A people plain malleable And completely begowked You wonder how it worked?

They’re one and all of a kind Stricken by poverty of the mind The virtuous groan In tired resignation And discretely moan The institutionalization Of systemic corruption That ushered in retrogression Relief can’t be found By eggheads, be-gowned Who profusely postulate And tirelessly theorize Intent to stimulate But sadly terrorize Students for endless hours At discolored Ivory Towers

T H E SAT U R DAY N E W S PA P E R EDITOR YEMI ADEBOWALE DEPUTY EDITOR FESTUS AKANBI MANAGING DIRECTOR ENIOLA BELLO DEPUTY MANAGING DIRECTOR KAYODE KOMOLAFE CHAIRMAN EDITORIAL BOARD OLUSEGUN ADENIYI EDITOR NATION’S CAPITAL IYOBOSA UWUGIAREN MANAGING EDITOR JOSEPH USHIGIALE

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, IJEOMA NWOGWUGWU, EMMANUEL EFENI DIVISIONAL DIRECTORS BOLAJI ADEBIYI, PETER IWEGBU, ANTHONY OGEDENGBE DEPUTY DIVISIONAL DIRECTOR OJOGUN VICTOR DANBOYI SNR. ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR ERIC OJEH ASSOCIATE DIRECTORS PATRICK EIMIUHI, SAHEED ADEYEMO CONTROLLERS ABIMBOLA TAIWO, UCHENNA DIBIAGWU, NDUKA MOSERI DIRECTOR, PRINTING PRODUCTION CHUKS ONWUDINJO HEAD, COMPUTER DEPARTMENT PATRICIA UBAKA-ADEKOYA TO SEND EMAIL: first name.surname@thisdaylive.com

Deliver thy products of emptiness Into a society of nothingness Enroute camps where their suffering Continues ayont convocation Without a practical vocation Not even an avocation They strut the streets posturing An impoverished laity Is ceaselessly praying Fixated with prosperity Not a kobo for offering Parsons can’t hide their chagrin Apostates offer a mocking grin At the softly spoken spell Heralded by the tolling iron bell “There’s neither heaven nor hell” Heretics strain to tell O. Jason Osai, ozomogoosai@gmail.com

14

THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPA P PER ˾ APRIL 10, 2021

SUPER SATURDAY Rita ta Dominic omin minic ic

After Playing an Intense Role, I Cook to Cool Down Nollywood y star, Rita Dominic has for over two decades activelyy contributed to the movie industryy in Nigeria g and Africa at large. g Over the years, y she has improved p creatively. y Thus, it’s no surprise p to see her blossom into a world class actress and a film maker. The ageless beauty tells Azuka Oguijuba about her latest film, “La Femme Anjola”, future plans and more

O

ne thing g that got g many y interested in the movie La Femme Anjola j was having g a new face in Nollywood y as the lead actor. How did y you discover him? Was he trained to play the role or he just fitted in?

Nonso Bassey y who p played y lead (Adejare) j in La Femme Anjola j is a lucky yg guy. y Other p people p were casted and it didn’t work out. Few months before the photography, p g p y my y business partner, Mildred said to me ‘I’ve p seen who will play p y Adejare’ j and she decided to do a chemistry y test with us and it felt like I’ve known him for a while. He was willing g and eager g to do the work. He worked hard with the help p of the director and we had time to create and rehearse well and even hangout g because the chemistry y needed to be there. If the chemistry was missing, g La Femme Anjola j wouldn’t turn out to be this.

This is y your company, p y Audrey y Silva’s 3rd movie and I noticed that y you take your time for p y productions. What is the reason behind this?

For me, is not that we don’t want to rush things. g I mean every y creative Dominic person would want to have his work out there p early. y Just that the sort of script p we get g requires q more time to make it into a great g movie. Like La Femme Anjola j was Four y years before we shot it.

We read it, like it and we felt we needed to find the right g budget g to shoot the movie, so we kept p it. Luckily y we found an investor. We shot 2019, it would have been out last y year but covid-19 happened. pp So it is not like we are taking g our time, we’re just j waiting g for the right g time and also pre p -production p takes about a year, a year plus and there are our factors.

How did you come about the name, Audrey Silva?

When we shot “The Meeting”, g the first film we shot, we wanted to pay p y homage g to two women who have inspired p us and would continue to inspire p us in Nigeria g and Nollywood, y late Audrey and Joke Silva. That’s why we paired the names for our production firm’s name.

What different touch did you add to La Femme Anjola?

This is a g genre we’ve not done before, not like this in Nollywood. y So it is different. The story y telling, g the style, y the visuals, the cinematography g p y and the budget g are not things g we’ve done before.

We’ve not shot at this level before. I remember telling g my y business p partner, Mildred Okwo, this is one your y signature g has to be on top. And I’m so proud of her.

What were your expectations before the movie came out?

I believe that we have a g good p piece. We created ag good p piece of art. For me, they y say y Nigerian g only like comedy y but there is something g I Always y say, y Nigerians g are one of the most intellectual p people p you’ll meet in the planet. y p So any yg genre y you g give them, as long as it is well done, they will buy it.

All your life as an actress, this is a different Rita on set. Were you trained for the role?

w a very was y stylish y woman and I ffeel whatever you’re y wearing, g be iit the dress or jewelry, j it should sspeak for itself.

What is your biggest fear?

Snakes and I’m not sure I can fface that fear. My y biggest gg fear in llife would be the fear of losing g tthe legacy I have worked so hard f for.

What is y your favorite fashion aaccessory?

I love shoes and structured cclothes that is well tailored .

Who is your favorite designer?

Lanre Da Silva What was the favorite gift you rreceived as a child?

It was from my y dad actually. y I sstill remember he went to London aand bought g me a fancy, y beautiful rred dress. I wore it so many y ttimes. A nice short red dress.

I believe when you y take in a role, you y try y your y possible best to read and become that person. p p So, with La Femme Anjola, j I did a research and created a back story y for the character. What is a back story? y It is a story y you y create for a character, not necessarily y in the script. p A story y about who she is, where she is from, how she was raised and why y does she behave the way y she does. It helps p you understand the character better because she’s y a performer. p I had to do research of singers g in the 50s and there’s a particular p woman I used as case study, y late Brenda Fassie. Why y I used her as a case study y was because of the similarities she had with the character Anjola. May her soul Rest in peace.

How was it like working g with your business partner, Mildred Okwo on set?

She is my y big g sister. Obviously y when it is time to work we know our departments. p I studied theatre art and I was taught g when you y get g on set, the director is the Demi-god. g So, I have that training. g Before we go g on set, we talk and run minds and she believes y yelling g on actors can p put them off so she does not do that. She talks to us.

I’ve worked with her for many y years. y This is the fifteenth year y of working g together. g I understand her and she understands me.

When you’re not busy, how do you relax?

I watch a lot of films, I cook. Cooking g is very therapeutic p for me. I love and enjoy j y cooking g especially p y when I jjust finished p playing y g an intense role. I also go g to the beach, sometimes alone.

Like when we finished the Nigerian g filming g of La Femme Anjola, j Nonso Bassey y and I had to go g to the beach. Mildred took us along g with some team members jjust to g get out of the whole p process. I jjust do things Rita Dominic would do. And I read books.

What does fashion means to you?

Fashion means comfort. What y you’re comfortable wearing. I think I got it from my mother. She

What was it like growing up?

Growing g up, p I was born into a medical family. y My y Parents were both medical p w people. p Funny thing g is none of the children studied medicine. My yp parents encouraged g us to pursue p our dreams. From a small age, g everyone y knew I was going g g into the acting industry. y I started acting g at age g five. My y parents p supported pp me doing g stage g p play y and I was a bit of what you y call a Child Star. We lived in Abba and after church, everyone y wants to be with me. In secondary y school, I was the Vice President of the Drama Club, Vice President Press Club and went ahead to study y Theatre Arts. My y Parents are p proud of me. They y are late. My y mom didn’t get to see me blow. I love her so much.

What memories do you have of your parents?

The most memorable is every y weekend, they y go g for this dance at The Spot p Club then. So they y do rehearse and practice p in front of us to get g ready for the weekend. It was kind of funny y because they y actually y took it seriously. y I remember this particular day p y they y were rehearsing g and my y dad mistakenly y stepped pp on my y mom’s leg g and she screamed, she g got upset p but they ended up going to the dance together.

What is the lesson life has taught you?

The sorts of people p p you y hang g out with determine how you y think and see life. It is important p you y protect y p your peace p and space p because energy gy is real. And I’ve learnt to make progressive friends.

Did you have a nickname growing up?

As a baby, y I used to eat a lot. So this RiRi I’m known as was my yg grandmother that started it. She called me RiweRiwe - it means eat, eat, eat. But as I got older, they shorten it to RiRi. What are your future plans?

In terms of work, is to continue to do films at this level, films that have international recognition, g create new stuffs, series, featured films and there is something g I’m working on. It should be out by the end of the year.

15

THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER ˾ ͹͸, 2021

08054699539

Security Has Never Been This Bungled in Nigeria

E

leven days after a Nigerian Air Force fighter jet crashed in Borno State, the military is still struggling to locate the crash spot. The Alpha light attack jet was on a mission to support troops fighting the terrorists when it lost radar contact. Many are hoping Boko Haram’s claims that it shot the jet would turn out to be false. If the jet the terrorists were seen dancing around turns out to be the missing plane, then this country is in serious trouble. It means the range of equipment now in their possession is a big threat to the capabilities of the Nigerian military. The failure of the military to locate the so-called true crash site reflects the level of decay in Nigeria’s security. Modern search and rescue is about technology, equipment and quality manpower. This country lacks capacity for these and unwilling to seek help from abroad.

Scores of Boko Haram terrorists celebrating on our soil with video of alleged triumph, while wielding AK-47, Rocket Propelled Grenade (RPG) and other artillery equipment, is depressing.

Let’s hope that the picture of the crashed jet is not genuine. But the massive military equipment displayed by these terrorists is real. It is dizzying seeing non-state actors with such equipment. This must not persist in a country with a legitimate government. The outlaws are evidently waxing stronger and controlling territories while the Buhari government goes about with trickery that no Nigerian territory is under the control of the terrorists.

The tenacious sabotage of power towers supplying electricity to Maiduguri by Boko Haram is another security failure that has persisted for too long. Three weeks ago, the terrorists again blew two of the towers along the Damaturu-Maidugiri 330kV transmission line, plunging the Borno State capital city into darkness barely three days after electricity was restored. The towers are obvious targets for Boko Haram; yet, for years, an effective security arrangement can’t be put in place for them. In this modern security era, we should be talking about protecting the towers with drone from a preemptive and properly staffed control centre.

For now, darkness continues in the beleaguered city of Maiduguri as the other line feeding the city from Damboa was destroyed by the terrorists years back. All the five highways into Maiduguri have also been made impassable by Boko Haram, while the Buhari regime continues with the deceit that the terrorists have been decapitated.

The security glitches under the Buhari government are ceaseless and consuming too many innocent lives. The level of security ineptitude is frightening. How do you explain gunmen invading the Imo State Police Command headquarters and wrecking so much havoc? The gunmen burnt buildings and almost all the vehicles parked at the HQ. They also

Zamfara AK-47-wielding bandits

freed all the suspects in the cells. This place is supposed to be a high security zone, yet, it was penetrated with so much ease. The attackers spent about 30 minutes unhindered. Where were the policemen guiding this sensitive workplace? Offices of other security agencies like DSS and NSCDC are few minutes from the Imo Command headquarters; yet, help did not come from them.

Same day, these gunmen also attacked the Nigeria Correctional Service, Owerri, burnt some buildings and freed all the inmates. It is shocking that the attackers sang solidarity songs at the Imo Government House roundabout for about 30 minutes before attacking these facilities. The armed guards at the Correctional Centre fled while the gunmen took away their arms and ammunition. They left the Correctional centre, moved to a military base at Umuorji on the Owerri-Onitsha expressway, killed two persons and burnt operational vehicles of the Army.

Insecurity pours under Buhari. This government is still struggling to explain how gunmen attacked three communities in Ishielu Local Government Area of Ebonyi, leaving deaths and destruction. The attackers were unhindered and went out of the state, also undetected, despite so many security posts around. I am very sure that the justice promised victims of the Ishielu attacks by Vice President Yemi Osinbajo will never happen.

How can one explain the invasion of Federal College of Forestry Mechanization, Mando in Igabi Local Government Area of Kaduna State located opposite the Nigerian Defence Academy along the Kaduna International Airport road? The bandits abducted 39 students here on March 11.

This school is situated near Nigeria’s foremost military institution, yet, bandits slipped in with

ease and abducted students. They also went out unopposed. How can this be explained?

How can this government explain the Jangebe, Kankara, Kagara and other abductions carried out with so much ease, with culprits hardly arrested to account for the crime? How can one explain hundreds of AK47-wielding Fulani militias in the forests of Zamfara, Katsina, Niger and Kaduna states? As usual, Buhari openly orders arrest of criminals but it never happens.

How do you explain the killing of one officer and 10 soldiers by bandits in Konshisha Local Government Area of Benue State? How do you explain terrorists snatching Military outpost and barracks with ease? A military outpost in Marina, Safana Local Government Area of Katsina State came under attack on March 4 and the soldiers were dislodged.

The security and welfare of our gallant soldiers are also being bungled. So, how will they secure the country? They are ill equipped and ill-motivated. Images of soldiers of an unidentified battalion in Operation Lafiya Dole staging a protest, 16 days ago over their posting to a location in the Theatre of Operation, due to poor working condition, remain fresh. The soldiers stormed the headquarters of the Theatre Command in Maiduguri, shooting sporadically into the air as they rejected their posting. They mentioned non-payment of allowances and poor equipment as reasons for their rebellion. They also complained about how a unit that went for reinforcement when Marte was captured last month, lost many soldiers due to poor weaponry they took to confront the insurgents who were armed with sophisticated weapons.

This protest came barely two weeks after the National Security Adviser, Babagana Monguno,

Kaduna Killings, Abductions and Endless Lies When Army Spokesperson, Brig. Gen. Yerima Mohammed reported that five of the abducted 39 students of Federal College of Forestry Mechanization, Afaka, Kaduna State, had been rescued by the military, I knew something was amiss. The Army Spokesman saying the GOC 1 Division, Kaduna, commended the troops for their effort in the rescue and charged them not to rest until all the kidnap victims were rescued, was nauseating. It was not the true story. Trying to take credit for a job not done is not fair. It was good the military took the five students to their facility for medical attention, but saying they rescued them amounts to mocking the victims. The Kaduna State Government joined the Army to spread the falsehood by saying the Army “recovered” the five students.

One of the five freed students blew the whistle on the Army on Tuesday, by revealing that the bandits released them voluntarily. Francis Paul, a 200 Level Student at the institution said: “One afternoon, they (the bandits) came and started selecting us… I was very ill that day. So, they asked me to sit aside and they added some girls and put us on motorbikes.

El-rufai

They dropped us at a village close to the main road and said we should walk towards the road and we did.” This is the true story. The next set of five students released last Thursday

followed this process too. The Army should move out and rescue the 29 students still with the bandits instead of peddling falsehood.

It is not good for the image of this great institution. The biggest drawback to this war against bandits is the endless lies by governments at all levels and security agencies.

As for Governor Nasir El-rufai, it is not enough to say that you will not negotiate with bandits, those who took the Afaka students inclusive. Of course, many of us are against negotiating with bandits. We support you on this. But what have you done for almost one month to ensure the release of the Afaka students and several others still with kidnappers? Honestly, I can’t see any serious action in this direction.

The trauma led to the death of one of the parents, Ibrahim Shamaki, whose daughter spoke in Hausa in a viral video released by the bandits. Killings and kidnappings in this state are never-ending. El-rufai has to use his security vote proactively. The remaining 35 students have already spent 31 days in the dungeons of the abductors. The pain is too much for these young fellows.

claimed monies allocated for the purchase of weapons during the tenure of the immediate past service chiefs could not be accounted for.

Monguno later chickened out.

Catholic Bishop of Sokoto Diocese, Bishop Matthew Kukah, was apt when he blamed those in power for the increasing cases of banditry, kidnapping, terrorism and armed robbery in the country. In his 2021 Easter message titled, “Before our Glory Departs, Kukah said: “Taunted by Boko Haram, ravaged by bandits, kidnappers, armed robbers, and other merchants of death across the nation, there is collective fear as to whether Nigeria’s glory is about to depart! Retired military and intelligence officers lament over what has become of their glorious profession as they watch the humiliation of our military personnel.

“Traumatised citizens are tortured daily by bandits. The nation has since become a massive killing field, as both government and the governed look on helplessly. A thick and suffocating cloud of desperation, despondency, desolation, gloom, and misery hangs in the hot air. We have no message and have no idea how long this will last. Our people seek solace and protection, but frustration and darkness threaten to drown them. Is their government on AWOL? Sadly, human life is hemorrhaging so badly in Nigeria, but the greatest tragedy is the death of empathy from those in power.”

Indeed, the spate of killings, kidnappings and destruction across the country in the last six years of the Buhari government has become a big embarrassment to this country. The Nigerian state has never been this weak. I am tempted to ask Buhari to wake up. But, honestly, I doubt if this can ever happen within the two years left of his tenure. We are in a big mess.

Buhari’s Boundless Clannishness For a moment, I thought President Buhari will put aside his clannishness and show some respect for our Federal Character law in the appointment of an acting Inspector General of Police. A section of this country currently dominates headship of military and paramilitary agencies – The Army, DSS, NSCDC, Police, Customs, EFCC, Navy, NIA, Immigration, NSA and Prisons. It did not happen as Buhari again named a northerner Usman Alkali Baba as acting Inspector-General of Police. Our President evidently mismanages our diversity and unity.

Nigeria has never had it so bad.

My very good friend, Human rights lawyer, Mike Ozekhome (SAN), was also disappointed and remarked: “Can’t President Buhari for once, just for once, in his opaque appointments, look beyond his religion and immediate environment, and forsake sectionalism, cronyism, prebendalism, tribalism, favouritism, and act as a true statesman? I thought he gleefully told Nigerians on 29th May, 2015, while taking his first oath of office, that he was for everybody and for nobody? So, Buhari had actually deceived Nigerians and is desecrating his solemn oath of office? I can’t decode Buhari’s defiant refusal to respect the Federal Character principle enshrined in Section 14(3) of the 1999 Constitution. Or, can you?”

No doubt, the injustice of the Federal Government under the leadership of Buhari is responsible for the growing agitations and insecurity in the South-east. Ohanaeze’s National Publicity Secretary, Alex Ogbonnia said: “It is unjust and unfair to sideline the South-east in the security architecture of the country.

Injustice promotes insecurity; it promotes all forms of crisis and problems. With injustice, there is no peace anywhere. We thought that the President would be concerned about the level of injustice, agitations and crises we have in the South-east and would try to ameliorate these things but unfortunately, he is not thinking in that direction.”

Genuine patriots must persist in mounting pressure on Buhari to respect Section 14(3) of the 1999 Constitution for the sake of this beautiful country’s unity. Our President’s ethnic and religious bigotry is a threat to the harmony of Nigeria.

16

THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER ˾ ͹͸˜ ͰͮͰͯ

NEWSXTRA

FG Offers Doctors New Deal to End Strike Onyebuchi Ezigbo ÓØ ÌßÔË Federal government has presented resident doctors with new commitment with a view to getting them to call off their ongoing strike.

Rising from another conciliation meeting between federal government and the National Association Resident Doctors (NARD) held yesterday, both

sides tried to resolve various issues fuelling the current strike including; non-payment of HouseOfficers/non-recruitment of House officers; abolishment of the Bench fees; non-payment of National Minimum Wage consequentialadjustmentarrears.

Other issues taken up at the meeting were residency training allowance;hazardallowanceand payment of Resident Doctors on

GIFMIS platform.

The meeting which was a follow up to the conciliatory meeting of March 31 saw both sides taking a step further to iron out grey's areas of concern.

Intheissueofthenon-payment of House Officers salaries, a 5-man Committee was set up to harmonise the list of the names submitted by NARD to the Chairman of Committee of

ChiefMedicalDirectors(CCMD) and MDCN. The Committee was asked to workfor72hoursandtoproduce a valid list to the Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System (IPPIS) through the Federal Ministry of Health.

IPPIS is to as soon as possible create a platform where all payments made and the recipients would be made available for

accessibility and information to determine those that have been paid and those not paid.

On the issue of abolishment of the bench fees, CMDs are to waive this payment and that the Permanent Secretary Federal Ministry of Health will issue a circular to this effect and send a memorandumonthisforratification at the National Council of Health (NCH) whenever it is convened.

Regarding the non-payment of national minimum wage consequential adjustment arrears and salary shortfall in 2014 – 2016 for resident doctors, the meeting agreed that theCCMDsshouldimmediately submit list of affected institutions and personnel strength in order for it to be captured in the 2021 Supplementary Budget.

Itstatedthatthearrearsshould be fromApril 2019 to December 2019.

Also on the isuue of residency trainingallowanceitwasresolved that 1003 doctors not paid would be captured in the 2021 Supplementary Budget while those wrongly paid would be requested to refund same.

The meeting noted that the issue of hazard allowance was not peculiar to NARD but cuts across the entire Health Sector and her workforce.

The meeting noted that the Presidential Committee on Salaries (PCS) would be meeting on Monday, 12thApril, 2021 at the Federal Ministry of Finance to examine the hazard allowance issue with National Salaries, Incomes and Wages Commission (NSIWC) after which the Nigeria Medical Association (NMA), Joint Health Sector Unions (JOHESU), NARD and other stakeholders will meet on Wednesday, 14th April.

Makinde Inaugurates N8.5bn Road in Bauchi Segun Awofadeji ÓØ ËßÍÒÓ

BRAINSTORMING FOR POWER...

L-R: Abia State Governor, Dr. Okezie Ikpeazu; Enugu State Governor, Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi; Zamfara State Governor, Bello Mohammed Matawalle; Sokoto State Governor, Aminu Tambuwal; Delta State Governor, Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa; and Benue State Governor, Samuel Ortom, during a meeting of Peoples Democratic Party’s governors in Makurdi, Benue State…yesterday

Rugby Stars Share Success Stories on African Voices In continuation of its focus on African change makers who are making positive impacts in different areas of life, African Voices on CNN International will this weekend showcase two rugby players and their impactful lives on and off the pitch.

The 30-minute programme sponsored by Globacom, will feature Tendai Mtawarira, Zimbabwean-born former rugby player resident in South Africa, and Kenyan Humphrey Kayange, also a former player.

Mtawarira, 35, began donning the South African colours in 2008. He gained 117 caps to become the most capped prop in South African history and the third most capped Springbok of all time.

He had the most Super Rugby caps by a South African with 160 caps and was also a 2019 Rugby World Cup winner.

Nicknamed ‘Beast’ during

his career, Mtawarira, upon retirement in 2020, established The Beast Foundation through which he builds a community of enthusiastic young people who aspire to find their feet in sports and education.

His counterpart, Kayange, was born in 1982. He bagged a degree in Organic Chemistry from Jomo Kenyatta University, Juja, Kenya, before venturing into rugby. He

Abia APC Elders, Drum Support for Contact Strategy Committee Emmanuel Ugwu-Nwogo ÓØ ×ßËÒÓË

A group of party elders and stakeholders of the All Progressives Congress (APC) Abia State chapter has called on all members of the ruling party to give full support to the party's

Oformata Emenike for Burial ThefamilyofOformataEmenike hasannounced thedeathoftheir husband, father, brother, uncle, in-law and grandfather, Chief Oformata John Emenike (Og-

Emenike

was in the Kenyan squad at the Rugby World Cup Sevens which reached the semifinals of the game, and in 2009 was nominated for the International Rugby Board Sevens Player of The Year.

The ardent player was awarded the Kenyan Presidential Order of Golden Warriors (OGW) in the 2008/2009 IRB world series alongside his brother who is equally an accomplished rugby player.

buehiOreyi-IgbonanyaIn’Azia), who passed on at the ripe age of 90. According to a programme releasedbythefamilyhead,Hon. Sunny Emenike, the obsequies will commence tomorrow with ChristianWakeKeep/VigilMass at his residence by 5p.m.

HisremainsleavesRoyalSaint Mortuary,AwoIdemili,ImoState on April 12 to his home town, Umuezikechukwu, Umudiokpara Village, Azia, Ihiala LGA, Anambra State for lying in state.

This will be followed by Requiem Mass/Interment at his compound. Thanksgiving and outing service takes place at MarytheQueenCatholicChurch by 9a.m. on April 18.

Contact/Strategy Committee to achieve the set goals of the party.

Thehighpowered61-member committee set up by the national leadership ofAPC was given the taskofrebuildingandrepositioning the ruling party in preparation for the 2023 general election.

With the Jigawa State Governor, MohammedAbubakarasChairman and Dr. Ikechi Emenike as Secretary, the Contact/Strategy Committee is composed of 12 servingAPC governors, former governors, serving and former National Assembly members, ministers, among others.

In a statement signed by Engr. Chris Okpechi, chairman and Mazi Enyinnaya Harbour, coordinator, made available to journalists in Umuahia, the Abia APC elders and stakeholders lauded the national leadership of the party for its wisdom in constituting the committee.

It expressed strong confidence in the ability of the Contact/Strategy Committee "to deliver the goods" given the array of quality party men and women appointed as members.

He runs the Atlas Foundation which is a platform for mentoring and advocating for Kenyan athletes and young sports prospects in his country.

Both remarkable rugby greats will be on CNN on DSTV Channel 401 on Saturday at 9.30 a.m., while repeats of the programme will be shown on Sunday at 4.30 a.m., 7.30 a.m., 12.30 p.m., 7.30 p.m. and on Monday at 5.30 a.m.

The Governor of Oyo State, Seyi Makinde, has commended Governor Bala Abdulkadir Mohammed for the construction of 24.5km Itas-Gadau Road project worthN8.5billioninBauchiState, sayingthattheroadprojectwould leavealegacyforhisadministration.

Speaking at the official ground breakingceremonyatItas-Gadau LocalGovernmentAreaofBauchi Stateyesterday,GovernorMakinde said that the inauguration of the roadprojectwassignificantbecause of its economic social value to the peopleoftheareaandBauchiState as a whole.

He said that he was convinced that leaders could succeed in moving Nigeria forward if they continue to drive up people economic empowerment by providinginfrastructuresthepeople need,addingthatNigerianswere resilient people who needed the right environment to flourish.

According to him, "I have seen the specifications of this road and

am happy that it is not the kind ofroadthatwillfallapartinafew months.Thefinishingwitha40mm asphalt wearing cost is worth mentioning for its durability. As leaders,wemustneverforgetthat whatwedowiththeopportunity wearegiven,willeventuallyspeak for us.

"We must remain focused in doingtherightthingstothebestof ourabilities.Wemustworktoacceleratedevelopmentinourareas and road construction is one of thosecoredevelopmentprojects that must never be overlooked."

He said "People always wonder why I always call you my brother because we are all one. East, West, North or South, we are all one. When something affectsone,itaffectstheotherand when I had challenges in Oyo State with clashes at Sasha MarketbetweentheYorubasandthe Fulani communities out there, you showed me support, you called me and encouraged me, I’m glad to say today that we have absolute peace in that area.

Oyetola Appoints Folaranmi as New DG for OSBC Osunstategovernor,Mr..Gboyega OyetolahasapprovedtheappointmentofMr.AbdulrasheedKayode Folaranmi as the acting Director GeneralofOsunstateBroadcasting Corporation(OSBC)withimmediate effect.

Mr. Folaranmi succeeds Mrs. JumokeAkinjiolawhohasbeeninthe

positionforaboutthree yearsnow.

The new acting Director General, Mr.Folaranmiuntilhisappointment wastheDirectorofAdministration and Supply of the corporation.

He holds MSC in Organisational Pyscologyatthepremieruniversity, University of Ibadan.

In a statement issued in Osogbo

CHANGE OF NAME

recently and signed by the state Head of Service(HOS) Dr. Festus Olowogboyega OyebadeappreciatedtheoutgoingformerDG,Mrs. Akinjoola for her outstanding performance as the Head of the Corporation.

The governor wished her well as she retires on 15th April, 2021.

17

THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER APRIL10,2021

SHOWBIZFLAIR

Ferdinand Ekechukwu 08035011394 Email: ferdi_adthisday@yahoo.com

The Essence of Wizkid and Tems

As much, a lot of body confidence is expressed in the video of Essence, the 11th song on WizKid’s Made in Lagos album, featuring Tems. Ferdinand Ekechukwu reports

T

he video for “Essence,” the 11th song on WizKid’s Made in Lagos album, which features fellow Sony Music act, Tems, is out and hot. The song expresses a mature longing between two people who have fallen out of love after a long relationship. A lot of body conÀdence is expressed in the video as Tems croons “You no need no other body/Only you Àt hold my body.” The uncrowded beat shows the ability of the artistes to hold onto their rhythms while expressing trust in a relationship. Tems opens up the song singing like someone that thinks love has superpowers. As for WizKid, it appears he doesn’t quite match Tems’ energy on the song, but he did a great job of playing someone that she can touch.

This is the fourth video from Wizkid’s Made in Lagos project. The album, which surpassed 100 million streams across Àve platforms ten days after release last October, is regarded as one of the best albums of 2020.

The Afrobeats star balances the formula to unite home and abroad with big pop songs that can compete across cultures and an underlying theme that embraces his roots. It made the Guardian UK’s Top 50 Best Albums of 2020 and British Vogue’s 12 Best Albums of 2020. It was aso one of former U.S president, Barrack Obama‘s favourite songs

WizKid

of 2020. The album features music heavy weights including Burna Boy, Skepta, Damian Marley, H.E.R., Ella Mai and Terr.

Made in Lagos looks good to

dominate the air waves for a while Last year, Tem’s collaboration with Wizkid on “Essence” earned her number one spot on BBC 1Xtra Airplay Chart as at 30 January

2021. Though she has just a handful of released songs, the singer has quickly become one of Nigeria’s shining stars with a voice that’s hard to resist.

Yewande Zaccheaus’s Blasts in ‘The Wait’ In The Wait, Yewande Zaccheaus details the experiences of women on their journeys to fertility. Ferdinand Ekechukwu reports

M

any who k n o w Ye w a n d e Zaccheaus are familiar with her book, God’s Waiting Room. Like most authors, the renowned lawyer and entrepreneur tells a personal story in her faithbased book. Hers is a painful yet peculiar one. After the birth of her first child, she had to endure a nine-year wait before she was able to conceive and be delivered of her second child.

It was a time of deep anxiety, fear, pain and all other emotions that go with the disappointment of not conceiving when one desires to.

This part of her life journey inspired the new movie, ‘The Wait’. “This emotional and suspense-filled thriller will keep you at the edge of your seat from start to finish,” the foremost event planner posted on her Instagram page.

“This April we bring to you ‘The Wait’, a movie where the lives of two couples; a job seeker, and a passionate

doctor, intertwine in a tale of patience and redemption,” Yewande had earlier informed, subtly teasing her followers via a social media post.

Produced by Eventful Nigeria in collaboration with Tolu ‘Lord’ Tanner, ahead of its April 30 cinema release, she also shared the official trailer to the Yemi Morafa and Fiyin Gambo-directed feature film.

The one minute fifty seconds trailer shows the lives of different individuals and families as they try to navigate the disappointments and obstacles of life while waiting for their moment in the sun. The pressure, emotions and trauma trailing their moments come quite unpleasant. As they unburden their fears and listen to each other while they are been counseled, they share their stories and challenges, deprived of the welcoming warmth expected of a good family home.

“My father used to say something. In his words, ‘when you walk into your

home, you don’t just want to feel safe, you want to feel its welcoming warmth,’ one of the female characters could be seen telling the group.

She’s been married for 10 years. But her case is made pathetic when a supposed mother-in-law character asks her in another scene “Is that not an awfully long time to be barren?!”

The Wait centers on multiple characters as they struggle through disappointments of infertility just like in Yewande Zaccheaus’s book which details the experiences of women on their journeys to fertility. With a star-studded cast including Nse Ikpe-Etim, Deyemi Okanlawon, Ini Dima Okojie, Kate Henshaw, Joke Silva, Jimmy Odukoya, Chimezie Imo and Meg Otanwa.

Yewande also the executive producer gave some snippets from behind the scenes in one of her posts. “What a great time we had on the set of The Wait movie…a few of my sister friends came to hang with me on this day… we had a blast!”

Yewande Zaccheaus

18

THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER APRIL10,2021

SHOWBIZFLAIR

Tosin Clegg

07062816737 e-mail: tosinclegg@hotmail.com

Immanuella Iniodu’s Journey into Acting

F

or Lovers of MTV Shuga, the electrifying adorable face of Immanuella Iniodu would always stay on your mind without

resistance.

Her charm on screen is one like no other with undiluted inno-

cence and cheerful being.

She is undoubtedly one of the big names in Nollywood as her role speaks realism and artistry.

Speaking on becoming an actor Iniodu said: “I had always wanted to be an actor but I never really sought out an opportunity until one day, I stumbled on an audition notice for MTV shuga

on Instagram, and I literally just said to myself, maybe it’s time to try this passion out and I booked a flight to Lagos and went for it.”

In five years, Immanuella wants to become a regular face on television screens and with so much enthusiasm added she is aiming for the Hollywood screens as well.

Iniodu

TuneAfrique Distribution Partners Mike Okri TuneAfrique has positioned itself as the distribution platform of choice for artistes and labels within and outside of Nigeria.

This user-friendly platform is driven by very innovative technology that makes easy for recording artistes and labels to monetize their music on streaming platforms. Appointed as ISRC managers since 2017, TuneAfrique’s unique technology has enabled the delivery of world class catalogs for music businesses across the globe.

Beyond its global distribution reach, TuneAfrique recognizes the critical challenges faced by independent artists in the music industry, worsened by the scarce resources to make investments in music proÀtable. TuneAfrique will now include in its services, additional promotional support and access to advance royalty payments.

It is with this oͿer in mind that TuneAfrique is Áagging oͿ the support partnership program with legendary Nigerian singer Mike Okri, whose new project “Lend a Hand” is exclusively delivered to digital platforms by TuneAfrique.

Speaking about the signiÀcance of this partnership, founder and CEO, TuneAfrique, Dr. Olakunle Oladehin describes it as a strategic move that would encourage

L-R: Hembadoon Peter-Thomas, Mike Okri, Olakunle Oladeinde and Akinwumi Akinnuoye, all of TuneAfrique

the craft by providing necessary advance funding to help artistes in their promotions, and also ease oͿ the worry associated with a lack of Ànancial support especially for independent artistes. He noted that Okri had experience under his belt and a track record of delivering quality music, adding

that the decision to bank on him comes from the review of his existing catalogue, and the projection of his current body of work, including upcoming collaborations with household names like Omawumi, Yemi Alade and Seyi Shay.

For Mike Okri, this is a timely and in-

novative support. “This is a great way to sustain the music industry, which has changed a lot from the early years of his career,” said Okri.

As part of TuneAfrique’s growth strategy, the structural unit in-house has expanded with the appointment of two new members of the team to serve in the capacity of Artiste and Label Services Directors.

They are Hembadoon Peter-Thomas, a singer-songwriter and PR executive for the Nigeria and Anglophone West Africa arm, and Folami Ayedun for the UK and other regions arm.

The addition is meant to help the organization position itself further by providing unique services to support the technical oͿerings it has worked tirelessly to perfect over the last four years of its creation, Oladehin said.

For TuneAfrique, this is a journey of a thousand miles coming together after the much intended sacriÀce. Oladehin said: “Emphasis on the technology provided on the backend, combined with the services on the front end, is sure to make the organization stands out even more, and perhaps this is exactly what artistes in the Nigerian music industry need now, in order to compete on the world stage.”

Don Jazzy’s Cousin, Uche Unveils ‘Mago Mago’ To say that music runs in the family of popular musician, producer and entrepreneur, MichaelAjaere popularly known as Don Jazzy is not an understatement but a fact. Unknown to many, Gabriel Akujobi better known as Uche and face of ‘Yankari’ an afrobeat band based in Dublin, Ireland is making waves around the world with his band.

It seems the same musical genes Áow in Don Jazzy and Uche. Uché who is currently in Nigeria to promote the band’s latest single, ‘Mago Mago’ explains what the song is all about: “Mago Mago is a Nigerian phrase used to imply a person or action of a deceptive or untrustworthy intent, a trickster of sorts.

Unfortunately, as we all know, this term ap-

plies to many people in positions of power all over the world.

As such, the song is a statement on the struggles faced by all of us as we move through an age of fake news and questionable leadership at this point in time where both the people and planet have had enough.”

Born in Nigeria and moved to Dublin, Ireland in his teens, Akujobi found comfort expressing himself in music especially in the style of his idol Fela Anikulapo Kuti. Yankari was formed by Uché and brothers - Segun and Michael Akano who are also originally from Nigeria. Uche’s wife, Antonia, has also been a mainstay of the band from its inception; as a backup singer and now advisor. So it’s

more of a family aͿair.

The trio aspires to advance the original Afrobeatgenrebyincorporatingcontemporary sounds, such as, jazz, funk, dance, rock-and-roll whilst keeping the traditional elemental groove of Afrobeat. They now work with incredible musicians from Ireland, America and all over the world to bring this new sound.

With his band, Yankari, he has been able to tour the world and now wants to give back to his motherland, Nigeria. Where he learnt what it is to be a proud African. A number of promoters have approached him with the view of getting his band to perform in many live music festivals all around Europe and America as well as the popular ‘Felabration’.

Uche

Kpadobi’s Soaring Gospel Music Career

Kpadobi

Thatgospelmusician,ChukwuemekaKpadobi, is taking his career up a notch is interesting news to the ears of friends and fans at large. When this Reggae gospel artiste recently launched his latest song, “Salvation is free”, it suddenly diverted attention of gospel fans away from others.

Not just does Kpadobi chose gospel music as a career, he is an evangelist of the gospel and has consistently Áayed the pollution of gospel music industry. He once said: “What I will love to change is mediocrity and compromise in the gospel music industry, and lack of spirituality. I will continue in Excellence and Righteousness.

“Afrirock@g fusion is my brand of reggae. It’s reggae without ganja, cocaine, nor any kind of hard drug at work in man. In the place of ganja

or any hard drug, I replace it with the spirit of Christ. In the place of Patua, I replace it with the word of God. My discovery is this: In ganja, you only feel high for a season but in the spirit of Christ, your highness has no time and season or limitations. I call that anointing and l tell you the truth you can’t go higher than the most high.”

He added that he chose reggae music because it’s all encompassing: “In reggae, you will Ànd rock, soul, bebop, jazz, country, highlife, hiplife, hip pop, R&B etc.

It ticks like the human heart and it carries a high level of spirituality with a freedom eͿect.

Be it political, social, religious or spiritual, reggae music heals and it’s highly spiritual with a unifying force in bringing people together beyond

their diͿerences. It’s a perfect code to download eternity to time. Therefore, Reggae music is my code but Jesus remains my focus.”

Speaking on “Salvation is Free”, the Imo State born musician said: “The song explains a lot.

God took our place and paid a price we could not pay, while we were yet his enemy. What an amazing grace. Salvation is free, but someone paid for it. Oxygen is free but someone paid for it. In my daily life as I meditate over these things, I hear more than a thousand songs from the other side of life.”

Kpadobi is penning a deal with Veemost Entertainment, an international Àrm behind the much-anticipated Williams Uchemba’s movie, “Mamba’s Diamond.”

19

THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER ˾ PRIL 10, 2021

POLITY

Convention: APC’s Quest for Clean, Comprehensive Register

Michael Olugbode writes that the long awaited convention of the All Progressives Congress (APC) may soon be around the corner with almost everything required getting ready

T

he APC National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting chaired by President Muhammadu Buhari on 25th June 2020 had no choice but to dissolve the Adams Oshiomhole-led National Working Committee of the party on seeing disaster and collapse looming with the continuous dwindling fortunes of the party and many members dissatisfied with how the affairs of the party was being managed. The party had gotten its nose bloodied in political battles, especially with the way the governorship election in Bayelsa and Zamfara states were lost, and the way it was stopped from presenting a candidate at the River State gubernatorial election and how it almost lost the Osun State gubernatorial election.

To make matters worse, the party was involved in many leadership crises with various court decisions taking sides with different party men for the soul of APC. The fact was that the party was ailing from within and was really drowning at sea and in need of a lifeguard. This was what the president and the party’s NEC saw and had to take a decisive action and dissolved the party leadership and appointed in its place a Caretaker/ Extraordinary Convention Planning Committee chaired by Yobe State Governor, Mai Mala Buni, with the task to recover and reposition the party.

It was no surprise that when the Caretaker/Extraordinary Convention Planning Committee of the APC was constituted, it was well accepted and received by all the members of the party who had expressed worry about the protracted leadership crisis bedeviling the party.

The 13-member caretaker committee, headed by Mai Mala Buni, was given six months by the NEC to complete its assignment.

Within the six months, the committee was mandated to organise a national convention for new leaders to emerge and to reconcile aggrieved members ahead of the planned national convention of the party.

It was believed that the task would be concluded in a short time, once the brewing tension, factionalisation of the party, crisis and the ever-growing court cases threatening the existence of the party were resolved.

As everyone had come to realise, the most important thing was to make sure that there was unity among members as it would be wrong to approach the convention with a divided house.

To bring a proper house back before the convention, the Buniled committee engaged in genuine reconciliation of aggrieved party stakeholders some of whom had left the party. Many were brought back as they saw new hope and confidence in the party under the caretaker committee.

Those who joined APC, following the efforts of the Buni-led bommittee were Dave Umahi, Governor of Ebonyi State; former Ogun State Governor, Otunba Gbenga Daniel, who was also chairman Atiku Abubakar Presidential campaign organisation and two former speakers of House of Representatives - Yakubu Dogara and Dimeji Bankole. Barnabas Gemade former PDP chairman and Lt. Gen. Ihejirika also joined the APC. The Caretaker Committee has settled what was seen as irreconcilable differences among stakeholders in Zamfara, Rivers, Bayelsa and Cross River states.

The committee out of its wisdom and efforts to reposition the party, in line with Article 9(4) of the party’s constitution, embarked on membership registration and revalidation exercise to take stock and establish the numerical strength of the party; to expunge names of those who have left APC or are now dead; to register youth who have attained 18 years and above; to provide members with opportunity to revalidate their membership; to give new entrants opportunity to register and be officially recognised as members; to give members ownership of the party and to assist the party in planning processes, especially during congresses, conventions and general elections.

The registration and revalidation, which started in February this year, was perhaps the most important task by the committee to have been criticised as many people are suspicious, perhaps needlessly, that it may have been introduced to kill the ambitions of some persons believed to have presidential ambition.

It had to be extended in order to increase the number of Nigerians entering the party, this made it impossible to complete the registration and revalidation in three weeks, according to the Caretaker Committee, which further argued that the second extension of the registration exercise was occasioned by unforeseen problems deliberately created by some people to shut out some new comers considered as rival groups and threat to older members, and to give more members the opportunity to be registered.

For the party to approach the ward, local government and

Governor Mala Buni

state congresses and the national convention with a clean, authentic and up to date register, the time expended should be of little importance. To ensure collective participation with everyone carried on board, Niger State Governor, Abubakar Sani Bello chairs the committee on registration and revalidation with the members of the Caretaker Committee heading registration and revalidation exercise in various geo-political zones, while other non-members of the caretaker committee were coopted for the exercise to succeed.

It is pertinent to note that the Forum of APC State Caretaker Chairmen had also demanded for an extension of the exercise.

Chairman of the Borno state APC who also chairs the forum, Alhaji Bukar Dalori said his members had seen tremendous turnout of Nigerians and the mass increase in the party strength in the last few months “and it is only proper that we allow the exercise to progress to the best of conclusion.”

What should be the watchword is the need for the registration exercise to be done appropriately and successfully. The caretaker committee needs the support of every party member to complete the registration exercise successfully for APC to remain strong and united and to continue in the aura of Africa’s largest political party.

Should the speculations surrounding the anticipated defections of Former President Goodluck Jonathan and the current Governor of Zamfara state Alhaji Bello Mutawali be anything to go by, and the need to get them registered before the end of the ongoing registration and revalidation of members, the extension of time would be justified.

The time spent to get things right is of little importance, but the real job of getting things done properly is what is important.

This was supported by Chief Olayinka Gabriel, Lagos State APC chieftain who said: “A Comprehensive register will promote credible and acceptable Convention that is free from complaints of exclusion and possible litigation. This is necessary to ensure everyone is captured and empowered to actively contest and elect leaders of their choice for the party.”

He posited that the party is currently breaking the jinx of failed party membership registration and revalidation exercise.

No doubt the Caretaker Extraordinary Convention Planning Committee under Governor Mai Mala Buni has retrieved the party from an imminent collapse and destruction, and is surely nearing the conclusion of the task it was given, and the long quest to approach the convention of the party with a clean bill of health may be sooner than imagined.

20

THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER ˾ APRIL 10, 2021

POLITY

Emiko Begins Journey to Olu ofWarri’s Stool The congratulatory message of President Muhammadu to Prince Utieyinoritsetsola Emiko as the Olu of Warri-designate, may have brought a spontaneous political solution needed to calm the brewing tension over his selection process, reports Festus Akanbi

W

ith President Muhammadu Buhari’s endorsement of the selection of the Olu of Warri-designate, on Tuesday, it is obvious that the coast is clear for the new monarch to ascend the throne of his forebears. The calculation is that the President would have consulted with the Delta State Government before extending its congratulatory message to Prince Utieyinoritsetsola Emiko.

Emiko will be the 21st Olu of Warri and will be crowned after a 90-day seclusion during which he will be schooled in the culture and tradition of the Itsekiri people and kingship protocols. The President’s congratulatory message eventually put official seal to the choice of Emiko, who has distinguished himself in the private sector of the Nigerian economy.

His selection on Monday had drawn protests from some of the principal actors in the Olu of Warri contest. And as the rite of passage for the demised Olu of Warri, HRM Ogiame Ikenwoli Atuwatse 11 continues in the entire Itsekiri land, the reality is that the social and religious activities in the entire three local governments where Itsekiri people are domiciled will no longer remain the same.

Prince Utieyinoritsetsola Emiko being presented as the new Olu of Warri Itsekiri people live mainly in the Warri South, Warri North and Warri South West local govern- isations, -Noble Nigerian Ltd and Coral Curator Ltd. ment areas of Delta State.

He is also a director, Ocean Marine Security Ltd and directors, Gulf of Guinea Ltd and Vessel link Nig Ltd. In 2014, he married Ivie Okunbo, the daughter of The Ceremonies Begin billionaire Capt. Idahosa Okunbor. The Olu of WarriThe ceremony that took place in Itsekiri land on Designate is also described as a goal getter, who loves Monday were in two folds- The commencement of traveling, hiking, swimming, kayaking, football, the transition ritual in honour of the demised Ikenbasketball and American Football. With Itsekiri’s woli, and the presentation of his successor, Prince blood flowing in him, it is not a surprise that he is a Utieyinoritsetsola Emiko to the public before the latter keen follower of history and he enjoys movies. He is a proceeded on a 90-day seclusion. practising Christian.

A visit to the ancient town of Warri on Tuesday showed that although people were going about their normal activities, the palace was getting set to receive a Buhari’s Message, a Game Changer new occupier, after the mandatory process of seclusion In his message, which was contained in a statement and other traditional rites. At Ajamimogha and other signed by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, adjourning streets in front of the palace, traditional Mr. Femi Adesina, the President also commiserated rites were visible with white cloth being used to cordon with the Itsekiri people on the demise of their monarch, off some of these streets.

Ogiame Ikenwoli Atuwatse 11, which was formally In spite of the brewing controversy over his choice, announced on Monday. people described the Olu-designate, who was educated Adesina quoted the President as calling for reconciliin Nigeria and abroad, as a man with a large heart, imation after a race for the throne, noting that peradvenbued with conflict resolution potential that he garnered ture any dissension exists, such should be resolved from his extensive working experience. through due process.

The statement read, “President Muhammadu Buhari sends sincere greetings to the Itsekiri nation on the The Man Utieyinoritsetsola Emiko announcement of a new Olu of Warri, as pronounced He was born on April 2, 1984 to Prince Godwin by the Iyatsere of Warri Kingdom.

Toritseju Emiko, the late Ogiame Ikenwoli Atuwatse “The President also condoles with the Itsekiris on the 11 and Gladys Durorike Emiko in Warri, Delta State. passage of the immediate past Olu, His Royal Majesty Utieyinoritsetsola attended the Nigerian National Ogiame Ikenwoli, which was equally formally anPetroleum Corporation (NNPC) Primary School and nounced.

Adesanoye College, Offa, Kwara State between 1995 “President Buhari prays that the Olu-designate, and 2001. His search for knowledge took him abroad Prince Utieyinoritsetsola Emiko, will have a peaceful when he was admitted into Case Western Reserve reign, signposted by massive development of Itsekiri University, Cleveland, Ohio, United State of America land.

(USA), where he obtained Bachelor of Arts degree “He counsels love and reconciliation after a pulsatin International Studies and Political Science, while ing race for the throne, noting that peradventure any minoring in History and Economics between 2002 and dissension exists, such should be resolved through due 2006. process.

Not done with schooling, the Olu-designate went “As the Itsekiri nation mourns their departed Olu for further to earn a Masters of Science degree in Managethree months, President Buhari prays godly comfort ment from Case Western Reserve University in 2007 for them, and a smooth ascendancy for the incoming and returned to Nigeria for his NYSC in 2008. He served in the Public Affairs Department of the National monarch.”

Watchers of the unfolding drama said the President’s Petroleum Investment Management Service (NAPIMS), statement has challenged the Itsekiris home and abroad among other experiences in the private sector and to come together and resolve whatever differences that entrepreneurship. could mar the succession process.

His search for better offer and bigger responsibilities took him to Shell Nigeria between 2009 and 2010, where he worked as an officer at Shell Nigeria Closed Bone of Contention Pension Fund Administrator (SNCFPA) and GovernProblem started when a leading title holder in the ment Relations. Between 2010 and 2012, he worked kingdom, the Ologbotsere of Warri Kingdom, Chief with Sahara Energy. Determined to carve a niche as an Ayiri Emami, had contested the selection process. It employer of labour, Emiko set up two promising organ- was gathered that Emami, who headed the Olu Advi-

sory Council and Ojoye-Isan before his suspension, is mulling a legal challenge. Sources said the Emami-led Ojoye-Isan, a council of five high-ranking chiefs, disqualified Prince Emiko because his mother is not of Bini or Itsekiri ethnic groups, in line with extant edict.

His mother is a Yoruba from Ogun State.

But, the Ginuwa I Ruling House, under the Olori-Ebi, insisted on the candidate. However, with the President’s endorsement, it is obvious the coast is clear for Emiko.

The Rites of Passage for the Demised Olu Announcing the demise of the former Olu of Warri, the Iyatsere of Warri Kingdom and acting Chairman of Olu’s Advisory Council, Chief Johnson Atserunleghe, at a traditional ceremony in Ode Itsekiri, the homestead of the Itsekiri stated that there would be no celebrations in Warri Kingdom for the next three months.

He stated this while declaring a period of mourning in the kingdom, as a part of activities to grieve the passing of the Warri monarch.

“There shall be no merrymaking of any kind anywhere in Iwere land. All Itsekiri sons and daughters must tie their wrappers upside down during the duration,” Atserunleghe said.

The announcement was immediately opposed by the Ologbotsere of Warri Kingdom, Chief Ayiri Emami, who contended that there had been a breach of law.

The Kingdom of Warri (Warri Kingdom) or Iwere Kingdom (1480-1848) was part of the Nigerian traditional states based in the city of Warri in Delta State.

The Olu or Ogiame (King) of Warri now only rules the Itsekiri people living in the town of Warri in the Delta State of Nigeria as a traditional leader.

According to Bini and Itsekiri histories, Olu Ginuwa, a prince of Benin Kingdom founded the Warri kingdom about 1480. In the 15th century, it was visited

by Portuguese missionaries. At the beginning of the 17th century, a son of the reigning Olu was sent to Portugal and returned with a Portuguese wife. Their son Antonio Domingo was Olu of Warri in the 1640s.

Olu Erejuwa, who reigned from about 1720 to 1800, expanded the kingdom politically and commercially, using the Portuguese to further its independence of Bini and to establish control over a wider area.

Later Warri served as the base for Portuguese and Dutch slave traders. Warri became a more important port city during the late 19th century, when it became a centre for the palm oil trade and other major items such as rubber, palm products, cocoa, groundnuts, hides, and skins. Warri was established as a provincial headquarters by the British in the early 20th century.

21

THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER ˾ PRIL 10, 2021

POLITY

Lower Limbs Deformity Patient Seeks N1.8m for Final Surgery Godwin Ifijeh

M

iss Ijachi Blessing Maria, a lower limbs deformity patient, who had had two successful surgeries at the National Orthopaedic Hospital, Igbobi, Lagos, in an effort to correct her severe bowing of both limbs and deformities, is again appealing for support to enable her to undergo a final surgery that would put an end to her travails.

Blessing had her first surgery at the hospital in August’ 2019 in a bid to redress her situation, using Ring Fixator/Taylor Spatial Frame due to the grotesque nature of her deformities and a second surgery in July’ 2020 to effect some adjustments, arising from the first operation on the legs to make it possible for her to walk.

All made possible through public support, Blessing, who has been having physiotherapy sessions and receiving other treatments at the Orthopaedic Hospital, said during the week that her doctors have assured her of becoming fully restored after the next major operation to gradually correct her deformity with Ilizarov leg device at a cost of N1.8million.

The 19-year old Benue State born Blessing, who now looks more resplendent and cheery but still held down with the apparent deformities on both legs, said the doctors have done wonderfully well and have assured her that once she is able to raise the N1.8million and successfully go through the surgery, she would have put paid to every form of deformity left of the legs and walk normally.

She expressed unreserved appreciation to Nigerians for the mercy so far showed her in their unqualified financial and moral support, praying to God for His blessings and glory on all who have supported her so far to see that she fully get restored, appealing once more for more assistance to see that she is able to get the N1.8million needed for the final surgery slated for June’ 2021 to completely see her out of retardation.

“The doctors are saying that irrespective of the efforts we have recorded so far in arriving at the level I am today, unless I undergo this operation to carry out a ‘Gradual Deformity Correction with Ilizarov device of the leg,’ I will go far worse than I was before, go down crawling on my buttocks, this should not happen to me again, I beg in the name of God that this money is raised for me to see that I don’t become a liability, that I am able to undergo this operation, move beyond the stage I am now and don’t put to waste the over N3million people have already invested in my treatment through donations and other public support and become fully well, go back to school to complete my education

Miss Blessing Maria

and live responsibly,” Blessing said, pleading that donors make their contributions to her account, John Blessing Maria, GT Bank Account No. 0468466784 to save her life.

Blessing experienced a 12-year unabating harsh pains from severe bowing of both limbs and dropped out of school in the Senior Secondary School (SSS) Form 1 in 2016 as she could not walk to and

fro to school any longer.

She developed problems with her legs at age two and half and was taken to the General Hospital, Ikeja, from where she was first referred to the National Orthopaedic Hospital, Igbobi, Lagos.

“Igbobi prescribed a surgery for me at that age, my dad was to raise the money for the operation but he became sick and died. We couldn’t get the money for the surgery after my dad’s death, so, it became impossible for us to go back to Igbobi for the operation,” Blessing said the mother told her of the beginning of what has become a threat to deform and make her life meaningless.

She managed to go through elementary school and then Junior Secondary School (JSS) at the Ikeja Junior Secondary School, Oshodi, Lagos. But with the pains and her level of deformity worsening as she grew older, it became impossible for her to walk to school daily, sit all through in the class and walk back home.

Described by her teachers as good and brilliant, Blessing painfully dropped out of school in Form 1 at the Ikeja Senior Secondary School in 2016.

“It was a very painful end to the education of a most academically promising child,” one of her teachers then, remarked of Blessing, who remains committed to returning to school once she fully recovers.

The hope-raising medical report for Blessing signed by Dr. Izuagba Emeka B., Consultant Orthopaedic Surgeon, Padiatric Orthopaedics and Limb Reconstruction Unit, NOHIL, dated March 26, 2019 and entitled: Re: Medical Report on Ijachi Blessing Maria/ Female/17years, Hospital No. 639273, reads: “The Above named patient of our hospital was first seen on 17/09/2018 with complaints of severe bowing of both limbs of 12years duration.

There is associated knee pains, difficulty in walking or running.

“She initially presented to the hospital 7 years ago for treatment but defaulted as she could not afford the cost of the required surgery. The deformities have since progressively worsened up to the present state.

“On presentation, she was thoroughly re-examined and a diagnosis of severe Bilateral Infantile Blounts disease to rule out skeletal dysplasia was made following clinical assessment and X-ray imaging studies.

“She requires a surgical treatment of gradual correction of lower limb deformities, using Ring Fixator/Taylor Spatial Frame due to the grotesque nature of the deformities.

“A surgical assessment has already been given to her detailing the cost estimates required for the surgery.”

Now in her last stages of treatment, she stands to lose all the gains she has recorded in her treatment so far and relapses badly into crawling on her buttocks if for lack of funds she is unable to carry out the operation and complete her treatment.

PHOTO NEWS

L-R: Senior Pastor, Trinity House, Pastor Ituah Olajide Ighodalo; pupils of Footprint Bright Achievers Nursery and Primary School, Ilaje, Bariga, Opemipo Ogungbamila; and the school founder, Seun Awobajo, at a party held for the pupils by Pastor Ituah to commemorate his 60th birthday anniversary, held in Lagos...recently SUNDAY ADIGUN

L-R: Director, GO Media Ideaz Limited, Kunle Shokunbi; Chief Marketing Officer, FRAPAPA, Charles Dungor; and FRAPAPA Brand Ambassador, Remilekun Safaru, at the media unveiling of Reminisce as the Chief Frapstar for the FRAPAPA brand in Opebi, Lagos…recently SUNDAY ADIGUN

L-R: General Secretary, Oodua People’s Congress (OPC),Olubunmi Fasehun; National President (OPC), Otunba Wasiu Afolabi; Deputy National President, Alhaji Adeleke Akintayo; National Co-ordinator, Alhaji Kasimu Lawal; and Vice President, Operations, Comrade Balogun Olasunkanmi, during the swearing-in of the newly constituted Oodua People’s Congress officials during the National Convention held in Lagos...recently

L-R: Director General, NCAC, Otunba Olusegun Runsewe; Olori Kunbi Runsewe, Visioner Zawmah Springs and Strings, Chichi Zawmah; and Lead Pastor Citizens Church, Pastor Peter Balogun, during the album launch titled ‘Ebenezer’...recently

22

THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER ˾ APRIL 10, 2021

POLITY/BOOK REVIEW

Uka Ezenwe, the Indispensible Economist Uzor Maxim Uzoatu

W

hile going through a WhatsApp group recently I beheld the icon: Emeritus Professor Uka Ezenwe, the venerated dean of legions of economists who has over the years taught great captains of industry and distinguished leaders across the globe but genially retains the common touch. Ezenwe remains a very rare gem who is equally at home with the high and mighty as well as the lowly in society. He gives his all in rendering help to humanity, and you can never ever see him hugging the klieg lights. He is a great advertisement of the genius of Nigeria.

He is an illustrious Consultant and Chairman on the board of e-Barcs Microfinance Bank Plc, Abuja. A uniquely goal-oriented don and dean, he had been engaged in teaching, research and consultancy services in the last fifty years in the areas of International Trade and Cooperation, Finance and Development Policy.

A former Head of Department of Economics at Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, he set up the Ph.D (Economics) programme in 1984 and restructured the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences when he became the Dean in 1993.

The Department of Economics, University of Abuja, also mined his profound mind. An esteemed world-class economist in high demand, Ezenwe has been a consultant to the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), the World Bank, the African Development Bank (ADB), the then Organization of African Unity (OAU), the UN Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA), UNCTAD, ITC, UNIDO, ECOWAS, the Environmental Protection Agency and the Federal Government of Nigeria.

Born in the town of Umuchu, Anambra State on September 29, 1942, Ezenwe was educated at the University of Ghana, Legon where he took B.Sc. (Hons) and M.Sc. in Economics.

He then upped the ante of his studies at the University of St. Andrews, Scotland where he earned M. Litt. (Econs) and Ph.D Econs. He had the distinction of excelling in the highly coveted World Bank Development Banking Course, Abidjan in 1981.

Ezenwe served as the President of the Nigerian Economic Society between 1995 and 1996.

He was Director, Research & Market Development at the Securities & Exchange Commission (SEC), Abuja between 2002 and 2004 and again in 2007. His lectureship career started at Ahmadu Bello University (ABU), Zaria in 1973, and he became a professor in 1984. But for a one-year stint as Development Economist, ECOWAS Fund, Lome in 1980-1981, he remained in ABU until 2002.

Then he took his services to Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) in Abuja before settling into the Economics professorial chair at the University of Abuja in 2008. An astute

Ezenwe

administrator, he was Dean, Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences, Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, 1992-1995; Head, Department of Economics, Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, 1983-1986 and 91-93; Deputy Director of Research, ECOWAS Fund, Lome, 1981; Executive Director, Nigeria Capital Market Institute (NCMI), Abuja 2004 – 2007; Chairman, Board of Directors e-Barclays Microfinance Bank, Utako, Abuja.

Ezenwe served as a member of the Central Working Group on Nigeria’s Vision 2020 in 2009. His technocratic oeuvre is indeed diverse, notably as: Co-Author, Report of “An Evaluation of UNDP’s Assistance to African Inter-Governmental Organizations (IGOs)”, prepared for UNDP and financed by UNDP Headquarters, New York, November 1990; Co-Author, Report on the “Relationship between the African Economic Community and the Regional Economic Communities”, prepared for OAU and funded by UNDP, Addis Ababa, 19991; Author, “Study of Selected Economic Integration Instruments, Sectorial Transformation and Restructuring in West Africa”, prepared for UNECA and funded by UNDP, May 199;. Author, “An Assessment of ECOWAS Experience in Economic Integration”, 1988, a report prepared for African Development Bank, Abidjan, 1988; Author, “Evaluating the Performance of West African Integration Movements (ECOWAS, CEAO, MRU and

Others), 1988, a paper prepared for the World Bank, Washington; “External Debt: The West African experience”, commissioned by the Society for International Development, Rome, 1985; “ECOWAS and the Theory of Integration”, a paper prepared for the ECOWAS Secretariat, Lagos, 1981; Programme Document for External Trade Promotion for Nigeria, September 15, 1993, funded by UNDP. He is the acclaimed Author, “Implications of Uruguay Round Agreements for the Nigerian Industry: Trade Prospects and Challenges”, a report prepared for UNIDO, November 1997; Author, “Trade Information and Export Development and Promotion”, interim report prepared for ITC, UNCTAD/WTO, January 1998; Author, An Evaluation of the Southern Africa RECs (SADC) for ARIA Report prepared for the UNECA, Ethiopia, April – July, 2001 (UNA – 0704); Author, Assessment of Current ECOWAS Trade Facilitation Needs, Report prepared for UNIDO, Vienna, April, 2002; Member, Central Working Group on Nigeria Vision 2020, Abuja, August, 2009; Member, Team of Experts to draw up Implementation Roadmap for West African Poverty Reduction Strategy, Accra, Jan 2010.

In the course of his international engagements, Ezenwe has travelled, worked or lived in Ghana, Togo, Benin, Cote d’Ivoire, Guinea, Guinea Bissau, Niger, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Burkina Faso, Cape Verde, Gabon, Gambia, Liberia, Botswana, Bahrain, South Africa, Ethiopia, India, Qatar, Lesotho, Malawi, Kenya, Britain, Germany, Belgium, Holland, Switzerland, Denmark, Sweden, Italy, United States, Japan, Jordan, Angola, Namibia, Mexico, Lesotho, India, Swaziland, Zimbabwe, Hong Kong, Israel and of course his native Nigeria.

Call the self-effacing professor a world-beater and he would only smile back humbly at you. He has published well over 60 articles in learned journals all over the world. He is the author of the books ECOWAS and the Economic Integration of West Africa, published

by C. Hurst and Co. Publishers (38, King Street, London), 1983, also co-published in Nigeria by West Books Publishers, Ibadan, and in the USA by St. Martin’s Press, New York, 1984; Regional Dimensions of Structural Adjustment in West Africa, a Presidential address published as a booklet by the Nigerian Economic Society, Ibadan, August, 1996; and Industrialization Strategies in Nigeria: Some Lessons from the East Asian Economic Miracle, an Inaugural Lecture published as a booklet by Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, Nigeria, 1998.

He has published many others in league with other economists and writers. Married with four children, Prof Ezenwe is a firm believer in strong family values who in the doting company of his beautiful and personable wife has accommodated many under his roof. A community leader of high repute, he is a much sought after inspiration in his native Umuchu in Aguata LGA, Anambra State.

Professor Ezenwe is an evergreen economist who still has the presence of mind to rescue Nigeria from her economic woes. He remains indispensible to the cause of Nigeria.

Architects of the Nollywood Phenomenon Title: Reflections on Nigerian Movie Industry: Salute to Pioneering Creativity and Perseverance Format: e-Book Author: Femi Akintunde-Johnson Publisher: Basic Skills Academy, 2021, 158pp Reviewer: Uzor Maxim Uzoatu

N

igeria is celebrated across the globe as being amongst the three biggest movie-making nations in the world. The United States through Hollywood, India via Bollywood, and Nigeria with her irrepressible Nollywood are the acclaimed three leading countries in the art of telling stories with moving pictures.

Femi Akintunde-Johnson, popularly known as FAJ, in his book Reflections on Nigerian Movie Industry: Salute to Pioneering Creativity and Perseverance offers a list of the pioneers and players of the dramatic and filmic arts that made the Nollywood phenomenon possible.

According to Femi Akintunde-Johnson (FAJ), “as a result of close to three decades of interrogating the Nigerian entertainment industries, I have selected, what in my own opinion, were few of the magnificent gems whose contributions to the growth, sustenance and projection of Nigerian dramatic sector, have led us to where we are today – a globally recognized industry proudly self-styled Nollywood.”

FAJ then offers what he calls “Caveat Apologia” thusly: “I might have omitted some names; I might have slighted others unknowingly; I might even have under-rated a few; but one thing is very clear, as I devoted hours of research and introspection on these matters: that all my selections (not in any special order) are uncommon, gifted and exceptional people.”

Reflections on Nigerian Movie Industry: Salute to Pioneering Creativity and Perseverance

is divided into seven broad sections, namely: The Incomparable Progenitors, The Generalissimos of the Genesis, The Pathfinders, The Impressarios across the Ages, The Masterminds of Nollywood, The Reigning Halcyon Ferment, and Distinguished Mentions.

The first section, The Incomparable Progenitors, is made up of: Hubert Adedeji Ogunde, Duro Timothy Adisa Ladipo, Kola Ogunmola, and Oyin Adejobi. The next section, The Generalissimos of the Genesis, is made up of: Olusegun Olusola, Moses Olaiya Adejumo, Ola Balogun, Ade Afolayan, and Eddie Ugbomah.

FAJ’s third section, The Pathfinders, contains these worthies: The Ojo Ladipo Dynasty, Lanre Hassan, and Adebayo Salami. The fourth section, The Impressarios across the Ages, bears the names of: Pete Edochie, Olu Jacobs, Taiwo Ajai-Lycett, Lola Fani-Kayode, Zebulon Ejiro, Amaka Igwe, Peter Igho, Sadiq Daba, Kingsley Ogoro, Tunde Kelani, Joke Silva, Richard Mofe Damijo, Jab Adu, Bukky Ajayi, Tade Ogidan, Wale Adenuga, and Sam Loco Efe. The fifth section, The Masterminds of Nollywood, gives pride of place to these names: Kenneth Nnebue, Muyideen Aromire, Chris Obi Rapu, and Okechukwu Ogunjiofor.

The sixth section, The Reigning Halcyon Ferment, contains the names of: Segun Arinze, Ngozi Nwosu, Sola Onayiga, Gloria AnozieYoung, Eucharia Anunobi, Lillian Amah, Lancelot Imasuen, Omotola Jalade-Ekeinde, Kunle Afolayan, Nse Ikpe Etim, Genevieve Nnaji, Charles Novia, Yemi Solade, Edmond Enaibe, OC Ukeje, Odunlade Adekola, Yomi Fash-Lanso, Mahmood Ali-Balogun, Muritala Sule, Funke Akindele, Femi Odugbemi, Desmond Elliot, Patience Ozokwor, Nkem Owoh, Norbert Young, Taiwo Hassan, Chiwetalu Agu, Chico Ejiro, Francis Onwochei, and Jetta Amata.

The final section, Distinguished Mentions, is made up of: Tunji Bamishigbin, Zack Amata, Rita Dominic, Liz Benson, Funsho Adeolu,

Stella Damasus, Sola Shobowale, Fred Amata, Joe Dudun, Afeez Oyetoro, Tina Mba, Antar Laniyan, Ramsey Nouah, and Hilda Dokubo.

FAJ took the initiative to produce Reflections on Nigerian Movie Industry because, in his words, “the younger generations kept lamenting the total absence of reputable data, catalogues, original stories of Nigerian entertainment figures, past and present.” He goes further to stress: “The very few available were written by foreigners, with all their predictable prejudices wrapped in good intentions.”

Reflections on Nigerian Movie Industry was first written in 2012, then became modified in January 22, 2015 and was finally reviewed, revised and updated in March, 2021.

In the words of FAJ, “The glamour and panache of today were planted and watered by tears, blood and sorrows of redoubtable pioneers whose sacrifices cannot be wished away or subordinated by the giddy aroma of today’s superstars.”

It’s striking reading that the master of comedy, Moses Olaiya alias Baba Sala, started out as a magician while still a secondary school student between 1954 and 1957 at Obokun High School, Ilesa, in present-day State of Osun, and one of his early apprentices happened to be Abiola Folorunso, that is, the legendary magician Professor Peller!

Incidentally, in the controversies surrounding the founding of Nollywood, Baba Sala’s son has come up with the revelation that his father shot and released Agba Man on video (VHS) format back in 1988.

FAJ cites the case of “some historian on Wikipedia” who wrote: “The first film produced on video in Nigeria is 1988’s Soso Meji, produced

by Ade Ajiboye. Subsequently, Alade Aromire produced Ekun (1989) on video.”

The pivotal place of the 1992 release of the Igbo language film, Living in Bondage, is highlighted by FAJ thus: “History will no doubt escort Kenneth Nnebue for his pioneering and, incredibly, his popularizing efforts of the video product (especially in the Yoruba lore). More importantly, Nnebue later delved into his own mother-tongue and uprooted a storm – arguably, the best known Nigerian video (shot in Igbo) and possibly the biggest, Living In Bondage, in 1992! The pioneering work was directed

by Chris Obi Rapu, co-written/produced by Kenneth Nnebue and Okechukwu Ogunjiofor.”

It was Okechukwu Ogunjiofor who brought forth the story of Living in Bondage, and he was directed to Kenneth Nnebue as the man with the wherewithal to produce it. Ogunjiofor insisted on not just shooting it on run-of-the-mill VHS, and then brought in his experienced mentor Chris Obi-Rapu to be the Director. As Chris Obi-Rapu told me, “It is the Director that makes the movie, or you will end up with the ‘concerts’ you see all over the place.”

Read full article online - www.thisdaylive.com

23

THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER ˾ ͹͸˜ ͰͮͰͯ

MEDIAGAFFES

EXPRESSION

BY

Recurrence, Not ‘Reoccurrence’

D

AILY INDEPENDENT of April 3 circulated five blunders: “We are glad that the police has (have) recognized terrorism as a menace that calls for special training of its (their) officers.”

“Care must be taken, however, to ensure that the need for specialized training on terrorism for officers and men of the security agencies are not turned into avenue (an avenue) to line up (for lining up) the pockets of top officials of the agencies.” The most critical aspect of the foregoing extract: Care must be taken, however, to ensure that the need for…is (not are)….

Let us visit Vanguard of March 9: “The state, therefore, does not deserve the treatment being currently meted to it”. Fixed expression: meted out (to). And this: ‘being’ and ‘currently’ cannot co-function.

“Chief of Naval Staff advocates for increased productivity via industrialization” What a wordy head! When used as a verb, ‘advocate’ does not admit ‘for’. Let us economize words, especially in headline casting: Naval Chief advocates increased productivity.

“For the university to recommend that students should pay for the damages while they have.…” A recurring error: except in legalese, ‘damage’ cannot be pluralized. (Daily Independent, March 9) “…rather than investigating and finding out who were involved and check against future re-occurrence.” Beyond recurrence (not reoccurrence), can an event yet to take place happen in the past? “…the university is pointing its accusing fingers in the direction of the lecturers.” Correct expression: point a/the finger. “…the AU summiteers concentrated almost exclusive (sic) on the political independence and liberation of countries in the continent.” (Daily Trust, April 8) In the interest of African Unity: on the continent.

“Monday’s action, which started at dawn, was as a result of the break-down of series of

negotiations…” An agendum: a series of.

“According to the source, the institution has a very high percentage of failure in the last academic year.” Reported speech: the institution had (not has). “…that the authorities of the institution was (were) still waiting the result of the police analysis of the bomb”. “…in the next three years, its per capital income would have….” This way: per capita income.

THE GUARDIAN on Sunday of April 4 disseminated dozens of blunders: “The home of the chairman…was vandalized and most of his properties littered outside. “ No chaos: most of his property.

“So how come that (why is it that) Mr.…. who was vehemently criticized by our sports writers during his coaching days with our Super Eagles has now warmed his way into the hearts of these same people…” In the spirit of sportsmanship and lexical sanity, let us replace ‘warmed’ with ‘wormed’.

THISDAY of March 9 embarrassingly went down with copious solecisms: “But experts have pointed that the inflation rate….”

Contextually, the phrasal verb that applies here is ‘pointed out’… and not just the verb ‘pointed’ which means another thing entirely.

Additionally, phrasal verbs do not tolerate hyphens.

“In his six-page address paying glowing tribute and homage to former electoral boss late Abel Guobadia….” The late Abel Guobadia….

‘Nigeria Breweries poise for better future performance’—the alcoholic beverage firm is poised (not poise) for … An aside: ‘debut’ cannot function as a verb in any form. It is a noun.

“Furthermore, the conduct of officials and the general logistical support for the just-concluded voter registration were unprecedented in the annals of our nation’s history.” ‘Annals of history’ is simply tautological. Just employ any of the variants. Both cannot be used in the same context.

“Despite the Moslem-Moslem ticket which he and his vice-presidential candidate held, majority of Christians across the country still rallied in their favour.” No protest in the build-up to the next general elections coming up in 2023: a majority of Christians.

“In fact, nobody needs to go far in our contemporary world to find such helplessly troubled spots because they abound everywhere, in virtually all parts of the globe.”

Morphology in turmoil: trouble spots, please.

“The eventual failure of many of such drugs have not discouraged fresh attempts at inventing more effective ones.” The battle against discord continues: The failure...of drugs has (not have).

“The heavy downpour most of last year has made the price of perishable commodities in the market to come down due to low patronage by consumers.” ‘Downpour’ does not require amplification (heavy) because of inherence.

And ‘patronage’ is usually by consumers or their proxies. So, ‘by consumers’ is otiose.

This next paragraph is repeated because of the persistent committal of the infraction. This column will not address it again.

“Of all the first generation (a hyphen, please) universities, OAU is arguably the one that was able to preserve its known ideology for the longest.” I do not agree with the usage of “arguably” by a majority of Nigerian writers.

The explanation I got from one of the country’s frontline editors recently was not convincing: when you have points to justify your claims, it becomes arguable and when there are no justifications, you employ “unarguably.” If you are sure of your statement, make it declarative by jettisoning “arguably.” And if you are unsure, do not make claims. If you do, be ready to argue it elsewhere when confronted (not in your contribution). For the avoidance of doubt, “arguable” (adjective) and its adverb (arguably) mean: ”…for which good, if not necessarily convincing, reasons may be found/open to doubt/not certainly, but reasonably held to be.”

(Source: THE NEW LEXICON WEBSTER’S DICTIONARY OF THE ENGLISH LAN-

EBERE WABARA

ewabara@yahoo.com, 08055001948

GUAGE, 2018) My grouse about this illogical excerpt is the intrinsic and quite avoidable element of doubt.

Avoiding theTerm ‘Tribe’…

TO the contrary, avoiding the term “tribe” is saying that ideas matter. If the term “tribe” accurately conveyed and clarified truths better than other words, even if they were hard and unpleasant truths, we should use it. But “tribe” is vague, contradictory and confusing, not clarifying. For the most part it does not convey truths but myths, stereotypes and prejudices.

When it does express truths, there are other words that express the same truths more clearly, without the additional distortions.

Given a choice between words that express truths clearly and precisely, and words that convey partial truths murkily and distortedly, we should choose the former over the latter.

That means choosing “ethnic group,” “nation,” “people,” “community,” “chiefdom,” “kingroup,” “village” or another appropriate word over “tribe,” when writing or talking about Africa. The question is not political correctness but empirical accuracy and intellectual honesty.

Most scholars already prefer other terms to “tribe.” So, among the media, does the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC). But “tribal” and “African” are still virtually synonyms in most media, among policy-makers and among Western publics. Clearing away this stereotype is an essential step for beginning to understand the diversity and richness of African realities.

This essay was adapted with permission from “Talking About ‘Tribe’: Moving From Stereotypes to Analysis,” originally published by the Africa Policy Information Center in 1997. The principal author was Chris Lowe, a historian of Africa who lives in Portland, Ore. Additional research was provided by Tunde Brimah, PearlAlice Marsh, William Minter and Monde Muyangwa.

AfDB/IFAD Support for Ogun’s Agric Value Chain Femi Ezekiel

A

t a critical time like this, when developing countries have started diversifying their economies into growing the agricultural sector, Nigeria is not an exception to exploit the endowed natural resources at its disposal for guaranteeing food security, employment generation and in shoring up its internal revenue base. In Ogun State, its pilot scheme, the joint intervention of the African Development Bank (AfDB) and the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) has come into play at a right time. Notwithstanding, the present administration in the state is not leaving any stone unturned, while it is thinking outside the box to breathe life into the dwindling fortune of the once-upon-a-time inherited legacy the Gateway state is noted for.

With abundant potentials that are being put in place, in the areas of good road network, power plant, rail, deep sea port, gas pipeline, dams, among other factors that promote industrialisation, the current administration is not found wanting. The giant strides, no doubt, began to manifest few months after Prince Dapo Abiodun mounted the saddle of leadership in the state.

However, it is not surprising that Ogun is among the six states that the AfDB team on Environmental and Social Assessment Appraisal Mission, in collaboration with the IFAD have chosen to implement the proposed Special Agro-Industrial Processing Zone (SAPZ).

A fortnight ago, during a visit to the governor, the duo of Dr Chuma Ezedinma (head of the AfDB/IFAD team) and Dr. Patrick Habamenshi (IFAD Country Director), it was established that Ogun State had an ample opportunity for achieving greatness through agriculture.

“Our vision is to make agriculture a model. We are here (in Ogun) to develop this programme together, between AfDB and IFAD. We want to ensure that the vision is coming within and it is going to be a big plus for the state. We are committed to support Ogun state to make this vision happen, by bringing agriculture to an enviable position,” said Habamenshi.

Ezedinma also charged the government to seize the opportunity provided in the programme. By and large, the present administration has placed premium on agriculture. The agricultural agenda has been bold, encouraging and exemplary since the administration assumed the mantle of leadership on May 29, 2019. Of note is that the encouragement of the scheme has attracted no fewer than 80,000 people (mostly youths) who have keyed into the agricultural value chain opportunities, with the linkage of well over 15,000 to credit, input and guaranteed market and productivity in

the FGN/CBN Ogun Anchor Borrowers’ Programme and other programmes, despite a restrictive COVID-19 pandemic year, and a host of others.

The intervention of the global agricultural authorities and experts, as part of the bid for the Special Agro-Industrial Zone (SAPZ) project is driven by the administration’s continuous efforts to seek partnership and collaboration in the resolve and commitment to support all levels of agricultural activities, including small-holder farming, achieve food security, create job opportunities and link primary producers and youths to your industrial process, and promote agricultural industrialisation.

Not left alone, the involvement of the private sector participants would go a long way in adding impetus to the scheme, because of their leading role in the SAPZ implementation which is also expected to align with the current reforms in the state, with the creation of the Public-Private Partnership (PPP) office and Ogun State Investment Promotion Agency (Ogun Invest).

No doubt, Ogun is naturally an SAPZ location and suitable for its innovation and case study, considering the current infrastructure, concentration of Agro-Investors, close proximity to raw materials and ready-made markets. There is a level of coordination, aggregation and agro-transformation that is ongoing in the state, as the largest hub for both conventional industries and Agro-Industries which are located near Lagos, one of the largest markets in Africa.

Also, the improved coordination of aggregation, processing and access to large markets will accompany the much desired SAPZ and will transform lives, commerce well-being of the people in the state, Nigeria, Africa and the world, at large.

While taking congnisance of the potentials, in terms of infrastructure, such as road networks, power plant, rail, deep sea port, gas pipeline network, rivers and dams that are available, the potentials alone will not translate to industries, jobs, competitiveness and large markets. But inter connectivity of resources, partnerships and support, such as being proposed to AfDB, is intended to change the world of agricultural and industrial interventions, which will achieve win-win situations and sustainable inclusiveness.

However, the governor, Abiodun, strongly believes that the competitive bidding process would be beneficial to all and sundry.

According to him, “I am delighted that the process would guarantee a prize for everyone-whether through the Agricultural Transformation Centres or Infrastructures and hubs or other proposed features of the SAPZ-no one would be left with nothing.

“I am particularly delighted with the mutual approach by the Ogun and Lagos teams, to cooperate and benefit from the new focus on agriculture, as evident by the presence of the Lagos

team, led by the Honourable Commissioners for Agriculture and Economic Planning and Budget, to support Ogun State.

“Their presence here today, is an extension of the cooperation between Ogun and Lagos states, respectively, since the AfDB-SAPZ inception workshop held last year, with Ogun State recognising Lagos State as a market destination, and Lagos State cooperating with Ogun State as a national resource and primary production and processing hub. Ogun State enjoys similar relationship with stakeholders, both nationally and globally.

“Ogun State has taken the AfDB-SAPZ initiative to a higher level with deliberate earmarking of 20,000 hectares, including advance level brown field activities, and commencement of the Cargo Airport which will complement export opportunities and nationwide supplies. The first phase of the Cargo Airport would be delivered in 2022.

“I note with great pleasure, our agenda to pursue international collaborations which is leading us, with hope from the AfDB-SAPZ initiative, just like our collaboration with IITA which has helped us deliver on key agricultural outputs, with extraordinary performances; and FGN/IFAD Value Chain Development Programme (VCDP), where 13,000 people have been linked to credit, market and jobs; as well as benefits of infrastructure, markets, roads, land clearing and others.”

Similarly, Mr. Dapo Okubadejo, Ogun State Commissioner for Finance and Chief Economic Adviser (CEA) to the Governor, noted that the AfDB/IFAD programme and the Environmental and Social Assessment (E&S) to the state were part of the requirements before the proposed Special Agro-Industrial Processing Zone could kick off.

He said the process was a determinant of the readiness of the state government and the engagement of the AfDB/IFAD to do business with the state.

Earlier, the team, which had commenced a two-day Environmental and Social Assessment (E&S) of the proposed Special Agro-Industrial Processing Zone, had met with the State SAPZ Inter-ministerial Techical Team, local communities where hubs, farmlands and other infrastructure would be situated. Also, it had inspected local Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) and industrial hub and other project locations.

Meanwhile, the event attracted a good number of top financial experts, traditional rulers, critical stakeholders and top government functionaries. Essentially, Agriculture remains the cornerstone to the economy of the state, and if well harnessed, it will put the economy development at a very fast space.

–––Ezekiel wrote from Abeokuta, Ogun State

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SATURDAY APRIL 10, 2021 • T H I S D AY

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THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER ˾ APRIL 24, 2011

GLOBAL SOCCER A

WEEKLY PULL-OUT

10.04.2021

Leon Balogun A New Home in Ibrox

NEWS

TOP FOUR QUEST PAGE. 29

THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER ˾ ͹͸, 2021

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GLOBAL SOCCER

Leon Balogun makes a goal attempt

Leon Balogun A New Home in Ibrox

His 19 league appearances and three assists, which in no small measure helped Glasgow Rangers to win the Scottish Premier League for the first time in over a decade, has culminated in the eggheads of the Ibrox side extending the contract of Leon Balogun for one year

A

fteranimpressiveperformance that helped Glasgow Rangers win the Scottish League for the 55th time and for the first time in over a decade, Super Eagles of Nigeria defender, Leon Balogun, has had his contract extended at Scottish Champions having fulfilled a part of his contract that required him to play a specific number of games.

The 32-year-old centre-half signed a one year contract with the Steven Gerrard tutored side in July 2020 having parted ways with Wigan Athletic.

Several reports have indicated that Balogun would pen the new deal on his return to Scotland after the international break during which he helped the Super Eagles to victories against Benin Republic and Lesotho.

Balogun has made 19 league appearances and nine more in other competitions to take

his season tally for the Gers to 28.

Balogun needed 23 starts to trigger a one-year extension, a feat he achieved in the Europa League match against Slavia Prague of Czech Republic back in March.

The Nigeria international has expressed delight to be part of the Gers’ side that won their 55th Scottish top-flight trophy, revealing his side were over the moon after ending Celtic’s Scottish Premiership title dominance.

The trophy is the first for the Super Eagles defender in his career and he revealed he dreamt of achieving the feat with the Gers, and was particularly delighted his side ended the winning streak of their arch-rivals, Celtic.

“The cool thing about this is that I’m part of a team that has tried in the past few years to stop the other side of town and polish up the Rangers logo,” Balogun told Sport 1.

“It never happened and this season, the big topic was to stop their ‘10 InARow’ which neither

team has yet succeeded in doing.

“That’s what makes the story so much bigger, especially in view of the recent past. Sure, for me it’s the first league title in my career. But I have to let that sink in first.

“For the last six months of my contract with Brighton & Hove Albion, I played at Wigan Athletic. When my boys there heard that I was going to join Rangers, they all said to me ‘unbelievable, that’s awesome, you’ll love that’.

“And I said to Chey Dunkley ‘just watch, I’ll be holding that trophy at the end of the season’.

The easiest thing was to dream about it. Putting it into practice was a different matter.

“There are other guys in my team who have seen so much and had to put up with so much from the other side of town. Hence the title has a much greater meaning for them. But it was a successful first year for me.”

The rivalry between Rangers and Celtic is so fierce that none of the Gers stars speaks the name of their rivals and Balogun quickly adapted to it on his arrival.

“I got used to that right away. I don’t say the name of this other team, I always say, ‘the ones from the other side of town’,” he continued.

“The rivalry between us and the club on the other side of town is incredible. The tenth title that club was aiming for was the big theme this season. “Honestly I still have no real idea of this rivalry because no fans are allowed to be there yet.

“I get an insight through social media, or the last time before the game when we arrived at the stadium and the streets were full of fans and the police had to guide us through.

“But even then my teammates said to me ‘Leon, you haven’t seen anything yet’. I still have no idea how crazy our fans are and what it feels like to play in front of them.”

Balogun has revealed he is open to returning to Germany, although he would like to continue his stay with his Scottish Premiership club.

The defender teamed up with the Gers last summer after leaving Wigan Athletic, signing a one-year contract with an option of a one-year

extension.

Balogun has spent most of his career in Germany, playing for Turkiyemspor Berlin, Hannover 96, Werder Bremen, Fortuna Dusseldorf, Darmstadt 98 and Mainz 05 before moving to England in 2018 to join Brighton and HoveAlbion.

The 32-year-old has stated he would consider returning to Germany, where his family is based, after ending his stay with Rangers.

It’s just a matter of form, I don’t have to worry about that - I definitely want to stay at Rangers,” Balogun told Blid.

“Germany is my Home. I sacrificed so many moments with my family in order to pursue my career. If there was a chance to get closer to them again, I would listen to it.”

Balogun has been delivering impressive performances for Steven Gerrard’s men, having already featured in 28 appearances across all competitions.

His contributions helped the Ibrox Stadium outfit clinch their 55th Scottish Premiership title and he is delighted with his decision to team up with the club.

“When my advisor called me a year ago, he immediately said: ‘I have one thing here that is huge for you: the Rangers’,” he continued.

“At first, I thought: Scottish League, well. But then I felt Steven Gerrard’s interest. I don’t mean to say that he chased me. But he really went out of his way to help me.

“I felt that he wanted me as a player, as a guy, as Leon Balogun. He said I was a perfect match for his game idea and the identity of the club. With every word, he convinced me even more.

“The goal was very clear that we had to win the title. Draws felt like defeat to us. You could feel the team’s mentality there.”

Balogun also revealed Gerrard as a very good manager and compared him to Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp.

“He’s definitely more like Klopp! He is a young coach who you can tell immediately that he played at the highest level himself and he has a very good sense of how to deal with us,” he added.

“Whether someone needs a kick in the ass or whether he has to take someone aside and build him up. He has a lot of empathy.

“He doesn’t need that at all to get loud when something doesn’t suit him]. He hits the right words in every situation and knows how to grab us. That is the art. Every player feels: the coach needs me.

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THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER ˾ ͹͸, 2021

GLOBAL SOCCER

Spurs’ Top-four Finish Quest Faces United Test

After failing to secure maximum points against Newcastle last weekend, Jose Mourinho’s hope of booking a Premier League top-four finish faces another big test as Tottenham Hotspur welcome Manchester United in what is no doubt the week 32 headline fixtures.The Lilly Whites humiliated the Red Devils 6-1 in the first leg and Ole Gunnar Solskjær’s side would therefore be craving for revenge and will be spurred by their 2-0 away win to Granada in the Europa League

ÜÏ×ÓÏÜÝÒÓÚ ËÌÖÏ Man City 31 45 74 Man Utd 30 25 60 Leicester 30 19 56 West Ham 30 11 52 Chelsea 30 16 51 Tottenham 30 19 49 Liverpool 30 15 49 Everton 29 3 47 Aston Villa 29 11 44 Arsenal 30 5 42 Leeds 30 -1 42 Crystal Palace 30 -16 38 Southampton 30 -14 36 Wolves 30 -11 35 Burnley 30 -16 33 Brighton 30 -5 32 Newcastle 30 -20 29 Fulham 31 -17 26 West Brom 30 -34 21 Sheff Utd 30 -35 14 PREMIER LEAGUE TODAY

Man City v Leeds United 12:30 Liverpool v Aston Villa 15:00 Crystal Palace v Chelsea 17:30 SUNDAY

Burnley v Newcastle 12:00 West Ham v Leicester 14:05 Tottenham v Man Utd 16:30 Sheffield Utd v Arsenal 19:00 MONDAY

West Brom v Southampton 18:00 Brighton v Everton 20:15

Ë ÓÑË TODAY

Getafe Bilbao Eibar Madrid

v Cádiz 13:00 v Alavés 15:15 v Levante 17:30 v Barcelona 20:00

SUNDAY

Villarreal v Osasuna 13:00 Valencia v Sociedad 15:15 Valladolid17:30Granada 17:30 Real Betis v Atlético 20:00 MONDAY

Celta Vigo v Sevilla 20:00

ÙÞ ÒÙÞ PLAYERS

Manchester United’s Captain, Harry Maguire jostle for possession with his Tottenhan counterpart, Harry Kane

T

ottenham will be hoping that their 6-1 thrashing of Man Utd at Old Trafford back in October can inspire them to a similar performance at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in what is a big game for Jose Mourinho’s side in their quest to finish in the top four.

After conceding late, they went on to draw 2-2 away at Newcastle last Sunday, those two points dropped have prevented Spurs from leapfrogging Chelsea into fifth-place in the Premier League table and they cannot afford any more room for error against secondplaced Man Utd. Whilst the Red Devils will be stretched physically, having been in Europa League action against Granada just three days previous to this encounter, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s men are a forced to be reckoned with away from home. United have not lost in their last two successive Premier League matches on their travels, an incredibly impressive feat and their pace on the counter attack through the likes of Marcus Rashford may prove fruitful for them here when combined with the precision of midfielder Bruno Fernandes.

Meanwhile, Manchester City will be looking to continue their charge towards the Premier League title when they welcome Leeds United to the Etihad Stadium today afternoon.

The Citizens are currently top of the table, 14 points ahead of second-placed Manchester United, while Leeds occupy 11th position, level on points with 10th-placed Arsenal on the same number of games.

Only an incredible turn of events will prevent Man City from winning this season’s Premier League title, with 14 points currently separating the leaders from second-placed Man United.

The Citizens have won their last three in England’s top flight since suffering a 2-0 loss

to Man United on March 7, including a 2-0 victory over Leicester City at the King Power Stadium last weekend.

Pep Guardiola’s side are chasing the quadruple this season, and they recorded a 2-1 win over Borussia Dortmund in the first leg of their Champions League quarter-final on Tuesday evening, leaving the tie delicately poised ahead of the return fixture on April 14.

Man City will face Tottenham Hotspur in the final of the EFL Cup at the end of the month, meanwhile, and will take on Chelsea in the semi-finals of the FA Cup on April 14, meaning that Guardiola will need to rotate his squad in the coming weeks due to the volume of matches.

The Citizens have comfortably the best home record in the Premier League this season, picking up 38 points from their 16 matches, but Leeds have recorded seven away league victories this term, which is the same as Tottenham Hotspur, West Ham United, Liverpool and Chelsea.

Leeds, meanwhile, will enter the contest off the back of successive Premier League victories over Fulham and Sheffield United, which has moved them into 11th position in the table.

The Whites have won 13, drawn three and lost 14 of their 30 league matches this term to collect 42 points, level with 10th-placed Arsenal and just two points behind ninthplaced Aston Villa.

Marcelo Bielsa’s side lost four of their five league games between February 14 and March 8, but it has been a strong few weeks for the promoted club, who have drawn with Chelsea, in addition to beating Fulham and Sheffield United, in their last three fixtures.

The Whites have won seven times on their travels in the Premier League this season, which is an impressive record considering their position in the table, while they held Man City to a 1-1 draw when the two teams

locked horns at Elland Road back in October.

Meanwhile, redemption, revenge and a return to form at home will be on the agenda for Liverpool when they welcome Aston Villa to Anfield today.

The champions were on the end of a 7-2 humiliation in the reverse fixture at Villa Park in October - one of nine defeats they have suffered this season to leave them playing catch-up in the top-four race.

A huge amount has transpired since these two last faced off in the league more than six months ago, but Liverpool will no doubt feel as though they have some unfinished business after finding themselves on the wrong end of one of the most remarkable Premier League scorelines of all time.

The champions had made a strong start to their title defence heading into that fateful day at Villa Park, boasting a 100% record of three wins from three, including dominant back-to-back victories over Chelsea and Arsenal.

In hindsight, what followed was the first real glimpse of what would become a torrid attempt to retain the title this season, and even before their defence had been ravaged by injury, they found themselves ripped apart

by Villa.

Jurgen Klopp usually insists that each game is a new game and that past meetings would have no bearing on future showdowns between certain sides, but even he might be tempted to tap into the bruised egos Liverpool suffered in October ahead of Saturday’s match.

Huddersfield Town were the last team to lose seven top-flight home games in a row on their way to relegation in February 2019, and Liverpool’s tally of six this season is already their most in a campaign since 1953-54, when they finished bottom of the table.

Just as concerning as their losing run will be their lack of goals on home turf, having netted

Harry Kane Mohamed Salah Bruno Fernandes Calvert-Lewin Patrick Bamford Son Heung-min Jamie Vardy Ilkay Gundogan Alexandre Lacazette Ollie Watkins Callum Wilson Wilfried Zaha Harvey Barnes Emerick Aubameyang Raheem Sterling Marcus Rashford Riyad Mahrez Tomas Soucek Danny Ings

CLUB

GOALS

Tottenham 19 Liverpool 18 Man Utd 16 Everton 14 Leeds United 14 Tottenham 13 Leicester 12 Man City 12 Arsenal 11 Aston Villa 11 Newcastle 10 Crystal Palace 9 Leicester 9 Arsenal 9 Man City 9 Man Utd 9 Man City 9 West Ham 9 Southampton 9

just once in those six defeats and, excluding penalties and own goals, failed to score with any of their last 115 shots at Anfield.

It has been more than a month now since their last Premier League game at home, though, and Klopp will be hopeful that such a gap is enough to break whatever bizarre hoodoo has befallen his side since the turn of the year.

The highest any team has ever finished in the top flight having lost six or more consecutive home games in a season is ninth - a dubious feat achieved by Sunderland in 1946-47 - making the prospect of securing a top-four finish all the more unlikely should that run continue.

A good weekend last weekend means that Champions League football next season is still very much within reach, though, and due to the schedule of games this weekend Liverpool would actually climb into the top four temporarily at least with a win over Aston Villa.

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THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER ˾ ͹͸, 2021

GLOBAL SOCCER

Middle East could be the host for Joshua/Fury’s unification fight

Arinola Abdulateef poses with his medal

Olayinka Thrilled by Performance NationalSportsFestival against Arsenal in Europa League Lagos, Making Its Budding Slavia Prague Nigerian striker, Peter Olayinka has taken to social media to react to his club’s 1-1 draw ith Arsenal at the Emirates Stadium in the first leg of the UEFAEuropa League quarter-finals on Thursday.

The Slavia Prague number nine started and put in a great 85-minute performance before making way for Ibrahim Traore, a minute before the Gunners opened the scoring.

Nicolas Pepe seemed to have given the north London team a win when he dinked the ball over the goalkeeper, only for the lead to be erased in the fourth minute of added time as Tomas Holes netted with a header.

Manager Jindrich Trpisovsky deployed Olayinka on the left wing and he had Slavia’s first attempt on target in the 35th minute with a left-

footed effort from the edge of the box but it was easily saved

by Leno.

The Nigeria international posted on Instagram using emojis to describe his feelings following the draw.

Olayinka has helped Slavia Prague remain undefeated in their last five matches in the Europa League, all against British opponents, scoring once and providing two assists.

Joshua, Fury Set for Middle East Venue Anthony Joshua versus Tyson Fury could be staged in the Middle East despite extreme weather conditions in July, with indoor venues already prepared, says promoter Eddie Hearn.

Unified champion Joshua and WBC king Fury have signed contracts for an undisputed world heavyweight title fight, with promoter Eddie Hearn confident as ever of finalising a date and venue for a blockbuster battle this summer.

The Matchroom boss will present multiple options to both fighters, including Wembley Stadium on July 24, but the

Middle East is a serious option with purpose built arenas in place to host the event.

Eddie Hearn says Anthony Joshua and Tyson Fury will receive ‘multiple offers’ this week as they look to agree a venue and date for their undisputed world heavyweight title fight.

Joshua and Fury have ‘multiple offers’ to stage their fight, says Eddie Hearn “Nothing is ideal,” Hearn told Sky Sports. “If it was ideal, we’d just be in Wembley with 100,000.

“But I don’t know whether Tyson Fury would accept that offer. We may see on Sunday.

“But if it’s 20,000 or 15,000 in an arena, all the Middle East offers have been based on an indoor arena.

“We know it’s hot there in July, of course, so there is no option to go outside. It has to be in an indoor arena and those arenas are already in place, ready to stage this fight.”

Hearn has previously revealed that SaudiArabia is “absolutely keen” to secure Joshua vs Fury, telling Sky Sports: “We had a great experience there back in December 2019, with Anthony Joshua against Andy Ruiz, so they are players that we know are for real.”

Runsewe Appeals for Continuity in National Sports Festival Charles Ajunwa Director General National Council for Arts and Culture (NCAC), Otunba Olusegun Runsewe, has appealed to Edo State Government to continue to give its support to the national sports festival.

Runsewe, who is the Patron of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), stated that the games was a veritable vehicle of national unity and an outpost to discover hidden young talents to help Nigeria sustain its leadership position in sports in Africa nay the world.

The NCAC boss who is the President, Africa Region, World Craft Council (WCC), further noted that Edo State successfully hosted the National Festival of Arts and Culture (NAFEST), two years ago, enthroning and supporting the growth of national cultural values and therefore should make the necessary sacrifice in the true spirit of nation building, to sustain the ongoing sports fiesta for the sake of the young Nigerian sport persons, many who may be visiting Edo, the Home of Culture for the first time.

Runsewe called on men and

women of good will, governments and corporate giants, to come to the aid of the state government and Ministry of Sports to ensure that the enthusiasm and talents of young Nigerian mobilised at the festival, were not ruptured by lack of funds. “ We must rise to support this festival of national unity and for the sake of our children, boys and girls who will do Nigeria proud in future sports programmes in Africa and the world, all capable philanthropic hands must support Edo State hosting of the festival,” he said.

El Clasico, Premier League, Serie A matches, Live on GOtv Max Viewers on GOtv can look forward to live football action from the 2020-21 Premier League, La Liga and SerieAseasons, with matches scheduled for 9-12April, as SuperSport continues to provide quality sport programming for GOtv subscribers.

This weekend’s Premier League action sees Liverpool looking for revenge when they host Aston Villa this afternoon at 3pm. Another key game to watch is the relegation six-pointer between Burnley and Newcastle United, showing on Sunday at 12pm. Both matches will be airing live on SS Football (channel 31).

The pick of this weekend LaLiga matches for this round sees Real Madrid host Barcelona at

Estadio Alfredo Di Stefano for the latest edition of ‘El Clasico’, today at 10pm, live on SS La Liga (channel 32).

Other matches today include a Basque derby between Athletic Bilbao and Deportivo Alaves at 3:15pm and Eibar versus Levante at 5:30pm.

Elsewhere in Spain this weekend, Atletico will have to respond to whatever happens in ‘El Clasico’ with a win, when they visit Real Betis on Sunday night at 8pm live on SS La Liga (channel 32). Other games to watch include, Valencia’s clash with Real Sociedad at 3:15pm and Real Valladolid versus Granada at 5:30pm, all showing live on SS La Liga (channel 32).

Talent Count at Edo 2020

By Agunloye Bashiru

F

rom 2-14 April 2021, the focus of Lagos State is on Edo State for the 20th National Sports Festival. It is a period when future stars are expected to showcase their talent to the national limelight, and Team Lagos, with their budding athletes, has been on parade vying for honours with other participating states including the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja.

Coming from a fourth position at the last festival in Abuja in 2018, where they won146 medals with a breakdown showing 36 gold, 37 silver and 73 bronze medals, Team Lagos is out to up the ante of showing what the Centre of Excellence is made of with a target of at least 100 gold medals this time around.

There is no doubt that Lagos State has what it takes to meet this target judging from the support sports has been receiving since the coming of Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu who has ensured that the athletes, coaches and officials are adequately taken care of.

The Governor has been doing this through the Lagos State Sports Commission, which has been in capable hands of the Executive Chairman, Mr. Sola Aiyepeku and the Director General, Mr. Oluwatoyin Gafaar. The duo have been consistently driving Lagos sports and steering the ship professionally to ensure that Team Lagos are battle ready for the hostilities at the Edo 2020 National Sports Festival.

While some states to Edo 2020 are exploiting the opportunities of the Federal Ministry of Youth and Sports’ declaration that the biennial festival was open to all classes of participants, relying on foreign-based professionals to fight for honours, “We are going to Edo with wholly locally discovered, nurtured and monitored athletes, because we are a state that has always believed in identifying talents, nurture them to become future stars,” said the Director General of the Sports Commission.

“The future of our athletes is paramount to the government, that is why we would ensure that our athletes take the best out of the festival to get expose and develop their talents,” Gafaar said.

It is on record that Lagos State is the epicentre of sports in Nigeria because the state sticks to its principle of using home-grown athletes who are developed under the tutelage of the state’s grassroots development programmes over the years to prosecuting national competitions and Edo 2020 is not an exemption.

The Chairman of Lagos Sports Commission, Aiyepeku said: “We are going to the National Sports Festival in Edo State with athletes who have been consistently representing the state, won medals and employed in the service of Lagos State Government and still competing. We have never abandoned our own. Most of them have been given training grants monthly.

Opeyori, Olufia Thank Lagos Govt for Opportunity to Showcase Talent Anuoluwapo Opeyori and partner, Godwin Olufia are products of Lagos State Sports Commission’s grassroots development programme over the years and they are living testimonies in the grooming factory that Lagos State Government had over time invested on.

The performance of the two players in national competitions has always resulted in golden results.

They made it gold for Lagos in the last National Sports Festival in Abuja in 2018, winning Team Gold in the male badminton event. They also made it gold in the same event in the ongoing Edo 2020 NSF in Benin City on Tuesday.

Opeyori was so thankful to God for giving them the victory and more importantly, the Lagos State Government which

provided the enabling environment for themtoshowcase their talent in Badminton for the state.

He said after the goldenouting onTuesday:“IthankGodandIam so much happy that myself and partner,Godwin Olufia won the gold medal in the Team Event of Badminton back to back. At the last National Sports Festival in Abuja, we won gold and now in Edo, we won gold again.

Controversy Trails Pregnant Woman’s Medal Winning Feat A Lagos State female athlete at the ongoing National Sports Festival in Benin, Edo State, Aminat Idrees, who won gold in taekwando has been enjoying rave attention since her feat. However, observers have been blaming the media, (not THISDAY) for not educating the public enough that the event is a demonstration one that does not involved kicking one another.

“It was just a demonstrating

event and the Nigerian media over-hyped it. People have been wondering how an eightmonth pregnant woman could withstand the kicks involved in taekwondo, not knowing that Poomsaie is just a demonstrating event. Moreover, why should the organisers allow a heavily pregnant woman to even participate,” an observer fumed.

“In a competition such as the Olympic Games, which is

what the National Sports Festival should be modelled after demonstration events are never medal scoring events, so why should the NSF be different. We shouldlearntodothingsaccording totheworldstandardpractice,”an officialfromoneofthestatesatthe festival who would not want his name mentioned told THISDAY. Meanwhile,the27-yearoldhas dedicated her feat to Lagos State taekwondo team, coaches and officials.

THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER ˾ ͹͸, 2021

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GLOBAL SOCCER

Umar Sadiq Can Almeria Still Hold on to Its Jewel?

Umar Sadiq may be saying goodbye to Almeria at the end of this season

With 23 goals and seven assists, Nigeria 2016 Olympics bronze medalist, Umar Sadiq is the hottest property in Spanish Segunda Division and with such scoring form that attracted an invitation to Nigeria’s last AFCON qualifiers but could not materialise due to coronavirus issues.

With Bundesliga giants Bayern Munich and LaLiga power house Sevilla already probing; Almeria may be on the verge of losing their top striker

W

ith Bayern Munich and Sevilla competing to sign Nigerian striker, Umar Sadiq involved in 30 goals this season, Rangers fans would be wondering just how the Nigerian has gone from Ibrox flop to potential Bayern signing. And would be suggesting that maybe Steven Gerrard could have shown more faith in him at Rangers, but it’s safe to say that nobody saw this kind of thing coming.

According to celebrated Spanish sports daily Diario AS, European champions Bayern Munich and Sevilla are interested in signing 2016 Olympics bronze medalist Umar Sadiq in the summer.

If Sadiq is to leave Almeria when the transfer window opens, then it will be for 60 million euros, the fee stated in the striker’s release clause but the price would rise to 80 million euros if the Rojiblancos are promoted to La Liga at the end of this season.

On the other hand, Almeria would be willing to listen to offers as from 30 million euros if they remain in the second-tier.

The former Nigeria U23 international is having a fantastic season, leading to a maiden call-up to the Super Eagles for their 2021 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying matches against the Republic of Benin and

Lesotho, but was prevented from linking up with the squad due to coronavirus concerns.

Sadiq has directly participated in 30 goals (23 goals and 7 assists) in all competitions combined for Partizan Belgrade, where he started this season, and current club Almeria.

Sevilla are reportedly the front runners to sign the lanky striker who has a contract with Almeria until June 30, 2025.

Sevilla chief Monchi knows all about the qualities of Sadiq as he was once the sporting director of AS Roma, the player’s former club.

Sadiq was a major flop with Glasgow Rangers but could be on his way to one of the world’s biggest clubs as he is being lined up

by German giants Bayern Munich and Spanish powerhouse for a big-money summer move The Nigerian striker was a major flop at Ranger and is best remembered in Glasgow for diving instead of tapping the ball into the net during the Betfred Cup semifinal defeat to Aberdeen in 2018.

It was the only start Sadiq made in his Rangers career with Alfredo Morelos suspended and Kyle Lafferty cup-tied during Steven Gerrard’s first season at the club.

He was shipped back to Roma in the January after failing to impress, with Gerrard heavily critical of him in press conferences during

the season.

He moved onto Partizan Belgrade before joining Spanish second tier side Almeria last summer.

The 24-year-old has impressed while in Spain with 17 league goals in 32 games this season, and has reportedly attracted the interest of Bayern Munich.

Spanish outlet AS says the German giants are very interested in him, but Almeria aren’t willing to listen to offers and will only accept his release clause.

That means Bayern would need to splash an eye-watering €60million at a minimum, up to €80m if Almeria earn promotion to the top flight.

Sadiq was a major flop at Ibrox, but has turned his career around and could end up playing alongside Robert Lewandowski if this deal happens.

Born in Kaduna, Nigeria, Sadiq came through the Future of Africa Football Academy and the Football College Abuja on his way to the top. He made the move to Europe first to Italy, joining the Spezia youth academy and then on to Roma, who he debuted for and scored for at the age of 18.

A series of loans followed as he went in search of first team minutes to fellow Italian sides Bologna and Torino, Dutch side

NAC Breda, Scotland’s Rangers, Perugia back in Italy, and Partizan Belgrade in Serbia.

With so much upheaval at such a young age, it was tough for Sadiq to truly settle, but he finally found stability in Belgrade and produced an incredibly impressive 23 goals and 19 assists for the Serbian club in just 52 matches.

His talent was obvious to see, and he was quickly snapped up

by Almeria to bring him to LaLiga – a league which has embraced African talent to the full over the decades. At Almería, he is experiencing a different footballing culture and continues to thrive.

“We have a lot of confidence in him,” says Almeria coach Jose Manuel Gomes of Sadiq. “He’s a striker who disrupts opposition centre-backs, who has quality, who is very strong and who can score goals.”

It however remains to be seen how much Almeria would be able to ward off the forays two top European clubs on the trail of the jewel striker.

G LO B A L S O C C E R ASSISTANT EDITOR

THISDAY ON SATURDAY EDITOR

THISDAY NEWSPAPERS EDITOR-IN-CHIEF/CHAIRMAN

MANAGING DIRECTOR

DEPUTY MANAGING DIRECTOR

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THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER APRIL 10,2021

FAIRGROUND with

AZUKA OGUJIUBA

azuka.ogujiuba@thisdaylive.com

Ini Edo’s ‘Beauty Secret of April’

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ne of Nigeria’s celebrated Nollywood artistes, Ini Edo recently launched her skincare product called Beauty Secret of April in Lagos.

It was a glamorous event that saw her friends, family and colleagues in attendance. She took out time to explain to her guests why her beauty products are unique and suitable for all skin type.

According to her, the Beauty Secrets of April (BSA) is an indigenous beauty and aesthetics company dedicated to high quality, aͿordable and eͿective products that can be used safely by all complexions.

Edo explains: “We are particularly attractive to dark skinned clients who want glowing, beautiful skin without the hazards of bleaching. The active ingredients in all our products are naturally extracted and manufactured with the highest professional standards and can be used with extreme conÀdence by all persons interested in looking young and beautiful.

“Retinol is a type of retinoid, which is made from Vitamin A. It is one of the best-known skin care ingredients on the market and is used in many formulations used on the face and body. It works by going deep beneath the epidermis (outer layer of skin) to your dermis. Once in this middle layer of skin, retinol helps neutralize free radicals to boost the production of elastin and collagen. Retinol also has an exfoliating eͿect on the skin’s surface that can further improve texture and tone.

“Vitamin C as a topical preparation is acidic. When applied to the skin, it helps remove dead cells from the skin’s surface leaving it brighter and smoother. This process speeds up new cell regeneration by accelerating the production of collagen and elastin. Collagen is the protein Àbers that make skin plump and prevent sagging; elastin is protein Àbers that help skin bounce back.”

Omoni Oboli , lni Edo and Chioma Akpotha

Uti Nwachukwu and Mercy Eke

Anastasia and Chuka Ezeanyanwu

Ini Edo

Derenle Edu

Idia Aisen, lni Edo, Tolu Bally and Lily Afe

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˜ ˾ APRIL 10, 2021

PERSPECTIVE Resilience, Triumphs as Edo 2020 Kicks Off Stanley Nkwazema

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ast Tuesday, the 20th National Sports Festival was officially flagged-off in Benin City, one year after it was initially billed for the same venue but postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic which shut sporting and economic activities the world over. Stanley Nkwazema takes a look at the smooth take off of the games following efforts of Governor Godwin Obaseki to refurbish abandoned sports centers in the state 11,500 athletes and officials from the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory, FCT Abuja, heaved a sigh of relief that 27 months after they bade each other bye in Abuja, they have come to compete for honours in the biennial ritual that brings together different tribes, religion to what is indisputably the numeru uno sports competition in Nigeria.

The original mission was to discover young sports talents from different parts of the country to eventually represent the country at international competitions and to promote the spirit of healthy competition, unity and nationalism amongst Nigerian youths in the wake of the fratricidal civil war which ended in 1970 and almost tore the country apart.

When Edo State in 2018, at the Moshood Abiola Stadium Abuja, was officially handed over the flags for hosting rights of the 2020 edition of National Sports Festival, ahead of other states, the athletes, coaches and functionaries with glee, looked forward to 2020, for the biennial sports festivities that has come to represent the convergence of athletes from all nook and crannies, selecting and nurturing them for national and international assignments.

At Abuja 2018, Governor Obaseki received the National Sports Festival flag signifying Edo State as the next host of the games billed for March, 2020. He meant every word when he said: “We will take every step necessary to make it the best games in the annals of the sports festival. We are Edo people; we have the men who can do the job and the facilities that will raise the profile of the festival. Edo 2020 Sports Festival will be grounded in strategy, organisation, technical apparatus, sports science, mechanics and boost the morale of sportsmen.”

Edo State successfully played host to the games in 1981 and 2002. Indeed, Edo State renowned for staging world class sporting events like the Ogbe Hard Court Tennis Championship that produced the likes of Nduka Odizor, Veronica Oyibokia et al, as well as Africa Female football tournament, Super Eagles World Cup and AFCON qualifiers, gladly accepted the March 21-April 1 dates for the 20th edition (before the final shift to April 2) despite the state of disrepair of facilities in Benin, Afuze and several centres often characterised by neglect and lack of focus by past administrations.

More so, while the state mobilised available human, material and financial resources to actualise the dream, Governor Obaseki was resolute, like a field marshal, he knew the odds at stake despite the fact that he equally had a political battle to face for his second term gubernatorial bid.

Whilst relevant organs and agencies started work in earnest, albeit the Edo 2020 kick-off date was really close,

the LOC headed by the Deputy Governor Comrade Phillip Shuaibu still managed to get their facilities in top-notch shape.

Though the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) went ahead to organise a successful election where Obaseki was given a second mandate to steer the affairs of the deeply cultural state, every major sporting event, including the 2020 Summer Olympics scheduled for Tokyo, Japan, were put on hold. Football matches were also suspended and when they returned, never delivered the much-needed fun, with empty stands as the pandemic became the new normal.

Attempts to start the festival between December 3-18 and February 14-28 this year did not receive the much-needed nod from the Presidential Task Force on COVID 19, because they felt the safety of athletes and officials was more important.

This was despite elaborate preparations to showcase its rich cultural potentials and state of the art facilities by the state government.

After suffering multiple setbacks, the Minister of Youth and Sports Sunday Dare aligned with Edo to go ahead. The review by the PTF on COVID-19 did not make it a matter of debate but a priority to keep the athletes engaged. Not only had Edo State indicated that it needed funding from the federal government to proceed, the three postponements were painful and funds spent in view of the fact that events that were scheduled to hold March last year and financial commitments made by the state government to her vendors may not be refunded as they have already met their contractual obligations. The famous Ogbe Stadium, the University of Benin Sports Complex, the Afuze Games Village and the Zonal Indoor Sports Complex had extensive renovation works carried out to meet Olympic standards.

For Edo State which has produced athletes of repute, it was not just bidding to host for the mere fun of it. They invested heavily to fix the venues like every other state or country hosting games of multiple sporting events and expect return on investment as reiterated by the Deputy Governor, Comrade Phillip Shuaibu: “The festival has been planned in such a way that monies spent on the construction and organization of the event would be regenerated through the same facilities.

The multiplier effect of hosting an event of such magnitude shall impact tremendously on our economy. Our GDP will improve and it will reduce unemployment. It’s a whole economy on the rise.”

Many felt that it would have been disastrous if the upgraded facilities were not put to use for the purpose of the festival and thereafter. Indeed, the only way to keep athletes in shape is to expose them to trainings and competitions; test-run the facilities and expose them to latest techniques. Naturally, rustiness will set-in after training without proper competition.

Indeed, beyond the festival itself which has come to be seen as a veritable instrument of unity and a way of engaging the youth, there’s the Tokyo 2020 Olympics shifted for the summer. Edo 2021 will allow for fine-tuning the last phase of Nigeria’s preparations for the global event. The Federal Government realised the wisdom in Obaseki’s insistence that “if we have to make a decision on our optimal participation at the Tokyo games, there must be a balance quickly, confirmed the dates and chose Edo State as camping sites for the

Obaseki Olympic and Paralympic Games-bound athletes. At least the refurbished and renovated facilities will immediately be put to use days after the festival”.

At the final inspection of facilities by the Edo and federal governments, the Sports Minister confirmed venue for the festival and equally chose it as the final camping ground for the nation’s 42 athletes billed for Tokyo.

Besides hosting the event, Edo State which came 3rd on the overall medals table of the Abuja edition, with 47 gold medals, 41 silver medals and 53 bronze medals, would strive to better that record ahead of others, having put together a strong team of sports men and women.

Of course, Edo and the old Bendel State in the past produced several notable athletes like Nigeria’s first Olympic Gold Medalist Isaac Ikhuoria, coach Brown Ebewele, Charlton Ehizuelen, Yusuf Ali. Others include coaches Sebastine Imasuen-Brodericks, Izilien, and Amodu Shauib, Augustine Eguavoen, Thompson Oliha, Sunday Eboigbe, Edema Fuludu, Julius Aghahowa and several others for the country.

They excelled at the All Africa Games, World Championships, the Commonwealth Games and several standard meets.

Clearly, resilience has triumphed as the events are underway.

Hearty congratulations to Edo State, to the athletes and the sporting community. Let the games begin!!!

Mairo Al-Makura: First Ladies Deserve Constitutional Roles Deji Elumoye in Abuja

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pecial Assistant to the President on African First Ladies Peace Mission (AFLPM), Dr. Mairo Al-Makura, has called for specified legal roles for the Office of the First Lady particularly in Nigeria and Africa at large.

She said such roles would promote continuity, accountability, and streamlining of development initiatives, noting that the current scenario where every First Lady came with her own programmes, which often disappeared at the expiration of the husband’s tenure was a major setback to national development.

Al-Makura, a former First Lady of Nasarawa State, made the call at the national summit on “Emerging Trends in the Role of First Ladies in National Development” held at the Conference Hall of the State House, Abuja She said: “Over time, the Office of the First Lady in Nigeria and indeed Africa has been a subject of debate and even controversy as to their essence and roles given that Africa is a largely patriarchal society and that the Office of the First Lady is neither elected nor stated in the constitution, but only established by conventions emulated from more advanced democracies.

“However, given our realities and the enormous developmental challenges facing Nigeria and the rest of Africa, I make bold to state that we cannot afford armchair First Ladies at any level.

We must instead strive to give more meaning to the Office of the First Lady if we want them to play greater roles in national development.

“Therefore, there is need to streamline, elevate, and institutionalise the Office and interventions of the First Ladies at all levels”.

According to heritage, it would not be out of place to accord

Mairo Al-Makura the Office of the First Lady a constitutional mention and enacting a consequential Act of Parliament to that effect to accord it the much talked about legal status.

“This will also promote accountability and address the present situation where every First Lady comes with her programmes, which are not usually sustained with the same momentum after leaving office.”

Citing the United States as an example, Al-Makura said

developed democracies were increasingly recognising the First Lady as a great source of positive influence for good governance and development if well harnessed.

“Mrs. Clinton played key roles as the First Lady of the United States. She was even appointed by Bill Clinton in 1993 to chair the Task Force on National Health Care Reform. She spearheaded advocacies for expanding health insurance coverage, promoting proper child immunisation, and raising public awareness of health issues. She later became the first ever US First Lady to be elected into the Senate and narrowly lost the bid to become the first female president of the United States.

“Eleanor Roosevelt strongly fought for the New Deal, civil rights, and rights of women. She later played a leading role in the formation of the United Nations at the end of World War II and helped to draft the ‘Universal Declaration of Human Rights’.

“Rosalynn Carter even sat in on many Cabinet meetings with Jimmy Carter as a close adviser. Betty Ford actively advocated the Equal Rights Amendment and the legalization.

“It is therefore heartwarming that from the late Mrs. Maryam Babangiaga, who redefined the role of First Ladies in national development through the Better Life for Rural Women Programme initiative to Mrs. Maryam Abacha’s Family Support Programme, Justice Fati Abubakar’s Women Rights Advancement and Protection Alternative (WRAPA), Mrs. Stella Obasanjo’s Child Care Trust, Hajia Turai Yar’Adua’s International Cancer Centre initiative, Dame Patience Jonathan’s Women for Change Initiative, and and Her Excellency Mrs. Aisha Buhari’s Future Assured initiative, which is energetically championing the wellbeing of women, children, and adolescents, our First Ladies at all levels have continued to put their best foot forward, introducing programmes that touch the lives of our people,”said Mairo Al-Makura.

THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPA P PER ˾ PRIL 10, 2021

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TRIBUTE

Dangote at 64: Salute to Audacious Pan-African Industrialist Chidiebere Nwobodo

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hen curtains fell on 9th April p of 1957; the day y that heralded 10th April p of 1957; Aliko Dangote’s g birthday, y not even the commercial city y of Kano got g wind of what the next day y would arrive with it. The weather was normal as usual, p people p went about their businesses; farming, g religious g activities, etcetera, without a glimpse g p of what the next day y would deliver. At the eve of 10th April, p 1957, I can guess g that not even Mariya y Sanusi Dantata knew the enormousness of the seed of g greatness in her womb. The D-day y came, Aliko Dangote g was born like every y other child. Nigeria g became endowed with this great son of Africa.

As a new born baby, y he cried, laughed, g played p y and fed like every y other new born baby. y Nothing g special p differentiated this boy from every y other child. But the huge g call of greatness and burden of destiny g y was on him.

Like every y other legends g cum giants g in dif ferent fields that had worked the surface of this earth, who started manifesting g signs g of greatness early, g y little Aliko was set to embark on turbulent sojourn j to the land of greatness. g He didn’t choose his field of assignment g or sphere p of exploits, p nature chose for him.

He was born an entrepreneur. p He was genetically g y wired to be a g great salesman, quintessential industrialist and ambitious q risk taker. The business ingenuity g y over whelmed him very y early, y and railroaded him into childhood entrepreneurial p adventures. In order to express p this entrepreneurial p grit g cum gift, Aliko began g g buying y g sweet (candy) y to sell—even to his fellow children. The burning desire to venture into business was all over him, of which he nurtured consistently. y In 1977, the young, y g energetic g and pragmatic p g Dangote g took a dive into the swirling g ocean of business. He subsequently q y moved to eco nomic capital p of West Africa—Lagos, g for his business career. Being g born a northerner with Muslim background, g didn’t stop p him from moving g down south. He grew g up p as a detrib alised cum cosmopolitan p Nigerian, g where he made more southern friends than northern.

This personality, p y coupled p with business dexterity, y shrewdness and entrepreneurial p prowess, set him on the runway p y of g greatness, where not even force of gravity g y could stop his geometric rise into fame and fortune.

The flight g of his greatness g having g taken off, few y years down the line, Dangote g had become a household name in Nigeria g in the business of commodities and importation p of raw ma terials like cement, sugar, g flour, etcetera. As an avid believer in local content, he ventured into industrialisation; building g factories and plants for his cement, sugar, p g flour, etcetera, companies, p respectively, p y in Nigeria. g He pursued this p p philosophy p y that Nigeria g should not be a dumping p gg ground for imported p g goods alone; the nation can become industrial hub of Africa where finished p products are exported to other African countries and beyond.

By y then, he had emerged g as Nigeria’s g number one industrialist, employer p y of labor, philanthropist p p and astute entrepreneur. p And subsequently q y hit the continental spotlight p g as Dangote Pan-African industrialist and richest black man such exalted award. on earth, riding g on the back of his multi-billionIn 2014, CNBC enlisted this Nigerian g illustridollar conglomerate, g Dangote g Group, p with many ous son amongst g the “Top p 25 Businessmen in the of its operations p in Zambia, Benin, Cameroon, world that changed g and shaped p the century”. y At Ghana, Togo, g Nigeria, g etcetera. At the latest about the same p period, p prestigious g Time Maga g Forbes ranking g released for 2021, the Kano-born zine featured him among g its “100 most Influential billionaire was worth $12 billion dollars—retain People p in the World”. The following g year y of 2015, ing g his p position as richest in the continent.

Bloomberg g recognized g him as one of the “50 Most Dangote g had so much blazed a trail in the Influential Individuals in the World”. Dangote, g nation’s economy y via his vast business interests GCON, has been on the Forbes list for close to a and tens of thousands of Nigerians g on his p payroll, y decade as the “Most Powerful Man in Africa”. that Nigerian g government under former Presi g This industrial icon cum entrepreneurial p tycoon y dent Goodluck Jonathan considered it necessary has revolutionized critical sectors of Nigeria g to recognize g his giant g strides, by y awarding g him economy y and beyond. y For instance, his cement the second-highest g honour in the land—the company, p y Dangote g Cement, is the largest g cement Grand Commander of the Order of the Niger g producing p g industry y in Africa, with conspicuous p (GCON); unprecedented p in the annals of our presence in ten African countries, with produc history, for a non-public officer holder to clinch

tion capacity p y of up p to 48.6 million tonnes, annually. y In sugar g refining g sector, the le viathan presence p of this industrial maven is also magnificent g and unparalleled. p Dangote g Sugar g Refinery y controls esti mated 70% of sugar g market in the coun try, y of which supplies pp companies, p brew eries and confectioners. It is the largest g sugar g refinery y in Africa and the third in the world; producing p g estimated amount of 800,000 tonnes of sugar g annually. y The same feat is replicated in flour, salt, rice, tomatoes, etcetera. Dangote g Group p is not only y the biggest gg conglomerate g in Africa but the most diversified. Anytime y I see Dangote’s g p picture, I do g gaze at it and ponder in awe: what manner of man is p this—how does he gets g all these chains of factories, p plants, refineries, offices, etcetera, running g at the same time?

Despite p all these mountainous and enviable feats already y achieved, Dangote g does not stop p dreaming, g thinking g and building g big. g The more he builds; the more he discovers how much he has not built and new frontiers yet y to be conquered. He sees g q greatness as a jjourney and not a destination. This ideology gy lead him into oil and fertilizer sectors.

In order to solve the problems p of petrol p crisis and limited fertilizer for farmers in Nigeria g and beyond, y Dangote g embarked on what analysts y described as “overam bitious drive” of p projects j executed by ya single g individual in the history y of Africa.

When African richest billionaire conceived the vision to build biggest gg petroleum refinery p y and fertilizer p plant in Africa, albeit simultaneously, y many y naysayers y y thought g he wasn’t being g “real istic”. When juxtaposed j p with failures of government-owned four refineries and g cesspool p of corrupt p they y have become via Turn Around Maintenance (TAM), faint-hearted entrepreneur p would have recoiled to his shells of comfort; out of fear of uncertainties—but not Alhaji j Aliko Dangote—who g is renowned for daring g to thread where mere mortals dread to venture into.

Against g all odds, the construction of Dangote g Petrochemical Complex—com p prising p g oil refinery y and fertilizer p plant, commenced at Ibeju-Lekki; j sited on nearly y 2,635 hectares of land—six times the size of Victoria Island of Lagos. g The Dangote g Oil Refinery y is the largest g re finery y in Africa with capacity p y of 650,000 barrels-per-day, p y while the fertilizer p plant is the world’s largest, g with installed capacity p y of 3 million Tonnes annually. y This is huge g and mind-blowing. g Dan gote Petrochemical Complex g p became biggest gg construction site in Africa! The Refinery y has the p potential to meet Nige g ria’s p pressing g need of refined p petroleum products and still export p p to neighboring g g countries, when it comes on stream. From sugar g to flour to cement to fertilizer to oil, Dangote g has left an indelible foot prints of entrepreneurship p p p cum industri alism on the sands of Africa. Imagine g for a second, lives and families that are tied to ingenuity g y of one man. Incredible!

His p philanthropic p milestones through Dangote g Foundation, is another plethora p and cascades of achievements that will take a full article to enumerate. Numerous in the endless list of his p philanthropic p strides, is the renovation of National Stadium, and now known as MKO Abiola Stadium. As a sports p lover, he has invested a lot to support pp both the National Team and local leagues. g The efforts of CACOVID Committee led by y him was felt by y the masses via the p palliatives distributed to various states governments, to share to the populace. p p As Dangote, g GCON, celebrates his birthday, y my yg greatest wish is that may y he reproduce p many y other Dangotes g before his time on earth is up. p He has really y impacted p his generation. g Happy Birth day, y sir. And many y happy ppy returns.

––Nwobodo writes from f Abuja via chidie berenwobodo@yahoo.com.

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THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER APRIL 10,2021

AUTO WORLD

Bennett Oghifo 07052343083 Email:bennett.oghifo@thisdaylive.com

TIPS OF THE WEEK 5 Old School Repair Tricks Every Car Owner Should Know

New limited edition model from Mercedes AMG

Mercedes-Benz CLS Adorns Sportier Look, Greater Individualisation

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he Mercedes-Benz CLS is now imbued with sportier look and greater individualisation.

According to the automaker, the CLS will come to the starting line this month with a sharpened design. The front end in particular, with new radiator grilles and bumpers, expresses the dynamism of the four-door coupé even more strongly. At the same time, the interior has been upgraded with additional leather and trim combinations as well as a new generation of steering wheel. A latest-generation diesel with integrated starter-generator expands the model range. A strictly limited special model of the Mercedes-AMG CLS 53 4MATIC+ (combined fuel consumption 9.0-8.7 l/100 km; combined CO2 206-199 g/km)[1] forms the sporty-exclusive spearhead. The modernised CLS celebrates its world premiere in April, and the Àrst models arrive at European dealers in July.

Thanks to a comprehensive refresh last summer with updates to the driving assistance systems, the MBUX (Mercedes-Benz User Experience) multimedia system and ENERGIZING Comfort, the CLS was already up-to-date technologically.

As a coupé, the CLS, together with all roadsters and cabriolets, belongs to the category of dream

cars at Mercedes-Benz. To date, more than four million examples have been sold to customers all over the world, including more than 450,000 CLS models since the launch of the Àrst generation in 2004. China was the largest sales market for the CLS Coupé in 2020, followed by South Korea, the USA and Germany. The reason most frequently cited by customers for buying the CLS is its design: Sportiness is the true luxury in this customer segment.

Now the CLS shows oͿ an even sportier look. The entry-level model with AVANTGARDE Exterior as standard features a new front apron with striking air intakes, two louvres at the sides, and a front splitter in silver chrome. The rear apron has a black diͿuser-look insert and a silver-chrome trim strip.

Two new designs are available for the 19-inch light-alloy wheel: 5-twin-spoke or multi-spoke rims.

If the CLS is equipped with the AMG Line Exterior, it signals its sportiness even more clearly: AMG styling components are Àtted in this version.

These include an AMG-speciÀc front apron with A-wing in black, a front splitter in silver chrome, sporty, distinctive air intakes with vertical bars and aerodynamically shaped Áics in high-gloss black. Other features include AMG sill trim on the side and AMG spoiler lip on the boot lid. In combination with AMG Line Exterior, two new

colours can be selected for the 20-inch, high-gloss AMG multi-spoke light-alloy wheel in bi-colour look: tremolite grey or high-gloss black.

All models with AVANTGARDE Exterior or AMG Line Exterior receive a new radiator grille. Special features of this grille are the Mercedes-Benz pattern (a three-dimensional star pattern with chrome-gloss surfaces), a louvre in high-gloss black with chrome inlay and the integrated Mercedes star. The new paint colour for the CLS is spectral blue metallic.

In addition to the more distinctive exterior, the interior has also been enhanced. Two new trim Ànishes, including for the centre console, are available in open-pore brown walnut and high-gloss grey wood. The range of leather seat upholstery has also been expanded: Neva grey/magma grey and sienna brown/black are the two new colour combinations here.

As part of the update, the CLS receives a redesigned multifunction steering wheel in nappa leather. The spokes are Ànished in high-gloss black with silver chrome edging, the paddle shifters in silver chrome.

With the Driving Assistance Package (optional extra), the driver is supported by Active Distance Assist DISTRONIC and Active Steering Assist. Here, the steering wheel uses the capacitive principle to detect the driver’s hands.

Toyota Launches LS, Mirai Equipped with Advanced Drive

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oyota has launched LS, and Mirai equipped with advanced drive that enables drivers and cars to drive together in Japan, achieving human-centric driving assist in accordance with Toyota’s ultimate goal of reducing fatalities from traffic accidents Toyota Motor Corporation (Toyota) seeks, as a mobility company, to enrich people’s lives through mobility. As a part of this effort, Toyota has positioned safety as a top-priority issue in accordance with its ultimate goal of reducing fatalities from traffic accidents to zero and is developing safety and automated driving technologies to offer unrestricted mobility to all. Toyota will review once again what true safety is for customers and what customers believe is true convenience and will link the results of its inquiries to people’s happiness.

The approach for achieving this is the Mobility Teammate Conceptаan automated driving concept unique to Toyota that seeks to enhance communication between drivers and cars, enable them to reach out to each other for mutual assist, and enable coordinated driving similar to that by close friends. Rather than cars taking over driving from people and taking their place, drivers and cars act as partners to protect one another so that drivers can enjoy the experience of driving while deferring to automated driving at times, achieving truly safe, secure and unrestricted mobility.

Toyota LS and Mirai The new LS and the new Mirai lineups include grades equipped with Advanced Drive, a new function of Toyota/Lexus Teammate, the state-of-the-art driving assist technology developed based on this concept. The new LS was launched in Japan on April 8, 2021 and the new Mirai will be launched in Japan on April 12, 2021.*1 With the aim of ensuring that drivers remain the focus even as technologies advance, the driver and car confirm each other’s status by engaging in a dialogue, leading to safe driving and comfortable mobility.

Features of Advanced Drive

Advanced Drive has five technology characteristics: Intelligent, Reliable, Perceptive, Interactive, and Upgradeable.

The objective is to achieve automated driving that drivers can rely on through making decisions with the highest priority on safety at all times including consideration for the drivers of other vehicles while achieving natural and smooth driving equivalent to that of a person. AI technology centered on deep learning is incorporated to forecast various situations that may be encountered while driving and provide assist for driver responses.

Today’s engines are smaller and far more efficient, reliable, and complex than anything mechanics had to deal with in decades past, and as time marched on the technicians that keep our cars safely functioning had to change their approach to turning wrenches and pick up a computer instead. From electronic control modules to engine diagnostic OBD2 scanners, the modern mechanic is becoming less greasy than ever before, as mechanical failures give way to software glitches and electronic headaches.

With the world’s first coast-to-coast self-driven Delphi Audi showing us what the future holds, things are looking even more “techy” for today’s mechanic. And as times change so do the training sessions deemed necessary for ASE certified technicians, with computer diagnostic training at the forefront.

But suspension components still remain metallic and mechanical, catalytic converters still clog over time, and rotors still warp, toasting pads as they waver in the face of a complete stop. So there will always be some sort of need for socket sets, pry bars, and all manner of toil beneath the bonnet, as many find that the old school tactics used by the veterans of the industry can still be applied to today’s automobiles.

Schweitzer’s Garage may not look like much from the outside, but that 116 year-old carriage house in the northern suburb of Cincinnati is home to more than just a mechanic and his tools. It remains one of the city’s longest lasting family-owned service shops, originally founded by Lee Schweitzer in 1955. The garage began as nothing more than a downtown Texaco service station with an outside lift, but the current shop was obtained in 1960 and its operations were transferred over to Lee’s two sons, Tom and John, and that is when things began to get interesting.

Over fifty years later, it is the latter of the two sons who spoke with us here at Autos Cheat Sheet, as he has seen the automotive industry move from carburetors to fuel injection and direct injection, has worked on European imports to rusted-out Cadillacs, and offers more interesting stories than anyone else you will meet in a repair shop. With his mischievous blue eyes a-twinkle, old man Schweitzer answers our questions, giving us reason to believe that the old way of doing things is often the right way still.

The simple string alignment trick Electronic alignment machines are an amazing advancement, but most people don’t know that race car owners and pit crews have been aligning cars for decades with little more than a ball of string, some jack stands, a tape measure, and a plumb bob — and it works, really, really well. Commonly known as “stringing a car,” this technique is easy for anyone to understand if they can handle basic geometry and have a healthy amount of patience. The more detail oriented the aligner is, the more precise that suspension will be, and this “outdated” style of aligning a car can be done by virtually anyone, as this YouTube instructional video gives you a pretty good idea as to what all is involved. While there are more complex ways of going about this, the approach in the video is easily the simplest and most popular way of doing it and can be used on virtually any car, regardless of how old or new it may be.

The engine-saving oil change The repair manual in the glovebox says you should change your oil every 10,000 miles or so, and that synthetic oils will keep deposits at bay, regardless of what mileage may be on the car. While this may be what the manufacturer feels works best for a certain vehicle, mechanics like Schweitzer, who have completed extensive training seminars on engine lubricants, viscosities, and molecular breakdown, say to do this at your own risk. Changing your oil every 10,000 miles prior to the 100,000 mile-mark may not be a bad thing at first, but as an engine ages its seals, internal components, and reliability begin to fade, and the last thing anyone wants to do is need to swap in a fresh motor. Remember, a fresh filter and a few quarts of oil are a hell of a lot cheaper than a new engine, so play it safe guys, and change that oil every 3,000-5,000 miles.

Prematurely busted brakes are 100% preventable Hitting the brakes is an unavoidable occurrence in an automobile, and eventually everyone’s car is going to need a fresh set of rotors and pads, or if you are unfortunate enough to own a car with drums in the rear, shoes and hardware. So to better protect those precious stopping components, Schweitzer recommends two-second braking periods at high speeds and avoiding riding the brakes until the vehicle dips below 35 miles per hour. You can hit that pedal as many times as you wish, just know that you’ll cook your brakes if you ride them too long. Modern vented rotors will cool extremely quickly at high speeds, so a two second on/off approach is best when taking that off-ramp, with the only exception being for wealthy individuals who can afford titanium and carbon-ceramic brakes.

(Source: MotorBiscuit)

SATURDAY APRIL 10, 2021 • T H I S D AY

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THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER APRIL 10, 2021

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MARKET PLACE with Omolabake Fasogbon... 08155131874

L-R: Lawrence Ekhator – Chairman, Association of Community Pharmacists Lagos State, Prince Elochukwu Adibo –Laboratory Director, EL-LAB Diagnostics and National President, Guild of Private Medical Laboratory Directors, Dr Agbolagorite Olurotimi – Director of Disease Control Lagos State representing the Commissioner for Health, Lagos State, Mrs Ayodele Iroko - Senior Private Sector Advisor, USAID/SHOPS Plus, Dr Makinde Akinlemibola – Chairman, Association of General and Private Medical Practitioners of Nigeria, Lagos State

L-R: Brand and Corporate Communications, Leadway Pensure PFA, Temitope Esho; and Head of Customer Experience, Leadway Pensure PFA, Uzoma Mmuogbo, receiving the Gold Award for Customer Service Excellence won

by Leadway Pensure PFA at the 2021 edition of the African Brand Awards held in Lagos… recently

New 16 Modular GeneXpert Machine Unveiled at EL-LAB Medical Diagnostics

Bigi Extends Support to Creative Industry

The Federal Ministry of Health, Lagos State Government and USAID/SHOPS Plus recently unveiled a 16-Module GeneXpert Machine, the first of its kind in the country, on Monday, March 22nd, 2021 at the Diagnostics Complex of EL-Lab in Festac Town, Lagos.

According to WHO, TB is a major public health concern in Nigeria with the country ranked 6th among the 30 high TB burden countries globally and about 15 per cent of the global gap in TB case notification.

The machine, which is for molecular diagnosis of tuberculosis (TB), was purchased by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) through its funded Sustaining Health Outcomes through the Private Sector Plus project (SHOPS Plus) for the government of Nigeria to facilitate case detection in the private sector.

The machine was launched at EL-Lab Ltd, one of the leading indigenous medical diagnostic and research centres in Nigeria, with a view to closing the gap in TB case detection, notification, and treatment. EL-Lab is one of the 118 engaged stand-alone laboratories trained by SHOPS/Plus and has been very active in PPM Mix activities in Lagos State.

Mrs. Ayodele Iroko, the Senior Private Sector Advisor USAID/SHOPS Plus who anchored the event started by commending all private sector partners that have remained committed to the

Nigerian leading foods and beverages company, Bigi, has reaffirmed its commitment to the Nigerian movie industry through its support for the movie “Prophetess” which was premiered recently for a select audience of movie fans.

The movie packs exciting features capable of uniting the nation, connecting families and communities, including football comedy and family entertainments.

The Prophetess is about the story of one Ajoke (Toyin Abraham), a local prophetess who made a spurious prophecy about a football match that sets off a chain of events beyond her control. Knowing that her life was in danger, she decided to seek assistance from her sister and as events unfold, the narrative continues with awe-inspiring scenes that kept spectators marvelled.

Commending Rite Foods for the sponsorship, the Movie Producer, Victoria Akujobi, said the company has contributed immensely to the development of talent and the entertainment industry in general.

She commended the firm for its support as she maintained that such gesture would help in taking the movie industry to an enviable height.

Speaking further, Managing Director of Rite Foods Limited, Mr. Seleem Adegunwa stated that the company is committed to the promotion of Nigerian talents in entertainment, special skills and ideapreneurship.

“We are particularly interested in the Nigerianess of positive invention, idea generation and talents that promote our common values, he added.

proactive screening, testing, and treating of TB in their various communities. She also encouraged all engaged health professional associations to work tenaciously at expanding the pool of private sector TB providers by scaling up engagement to include more of their members while facilitating efforts to integrate tested approaches into facilities service provision for ownership and sustainability.

In his opening remarks, the National Coordinator, National Tuberculosis and Leprosy Control Programme (NTBLCP), Dr Chukwuma Anyaike identified two main national goals as regards TB; to find the missing cases, and to ensure all cases found are adequately treated.

He applauded the efforts of the private sector partners, citing the increase in TB case finding and recent times but also emphasised that there is still a lot of room for improvement. Anyaike also stressed the need for more up-to-date statistical data on TB cases in Nigeria.

Anyaike described the introduction of the 16-Module GeneXpert Machine as a “milestone” and encouraged optimal use of the machine to achieve maximal results. He pointed out, however, that the mission goes beyond case finding, to ensuring treatment for all cases. He encouraged stakeholders to re-strategize and think outside the box in order to “fish out all TB cases.” Omosalewa Oyelaran, Deputy Director at USAID Nigeria office for HIV/AIDS & TB also commended the efforts

of all stakeholders and encouraged them to take up the challenge of finding and treating all cases of TB in Nigeria. She expressed her excitement about the launching of the 16-Module GeneXpert Machine stating that it will increase the testing capacity, allowing patients to know their status and be placed on treatment as quickly as possible.

Oyelaran expressed her organization’s commitment to supporting private sector engagement while encouraging them to take ownership and add value to success stories. She also encouraged all stakeholders to continue to raise awareness around the upcoming World Tuberculosis Day. In a brief goodwill message, Mr. Mayowa Joel, the Executive Director of STOP TB Partnership expressed gratitude to USAID and SHOPS Plus for their efforts in facilitating and supporting private sector engagement. He emphasized the need to strengthen and sustain the public -private collaboration.

Individual remarks were also given by Dr Makinde Akinlemibola, Chairman, Association of General and Private Medical Practitioners of Nigeria, Lagos State; Mr. Clement Olaifa, Chairman, Lagos State Association of General & Private Nursing Practitioners of Nigeria, Mr. Anorue C.J Chairman, Guild of Private Medical Laboratory Directors, Lagos State. Pharm. Lawrence Ekhator – Chairman, Association of Community Pharmacists of Nigeria, Lagos State.

Xiaomi’s Redmi Note 10 Series Enters Nigeria Market Global technology firm, Xiaomi has announced the launch of Redmi Note 10 series into the Nigerian market.

The new smartphones which launched in Lagos were Xiaomi’s updated mid-range level devices and they included:Redmi Note 10, Redmi Note 10S, Redmi Note 10 5G and the Redmi Note 10 Pro. Marketing Director of Xiaomi, Habeeb Somoye stated that the new devices pack innovative features and major improvements over their previous models.

Introducing some of the devices traits, Somoye

said that Note10 comes with IP53 water resistance and a battery capacity of 5,000mAh as well as fast-charging capabilities of 33W. “The phone has a 6.43-inch AMOLED DotDisplay. and offers FHD+ resolution, with 20:9 aspect ratio, dual speakers and an entry-level Qualcomm Snapdragon 678 chipset, he said.

He added that the phone packs a quad rear camera configuration led by a 48MP main lens and an improved built-in Night Mode and time-lapse feature.

Somoye stated that Redmi Note 10 Pro packs every feature of Note10 and more.

He said that the Pro version comes with a bigger display at 6.67-inch at the same resolution and aspect ratio, but also has NFC and packs in 120Hz refresh rate and 240Hz touch sampling rate which makes it palatable to both gamers and video-watchers.

“Both Note 10 and Note 10 Pro use a USB Type-C port, are 4G/LTE devices, and have its iconic multi-purpose IR blaster. Both also have dual speakers and a 3.5mm audio port to cover consumers listening needs,” he said.

He disclosed that the devices are already available for sales at popular phone store.

Group Hails Bashir’s Appointment as DG NCWD

Co-conveners of African Women Conference have commended President Muhammadu Buhari over the appointment of Dr. Asabe Vilita Bashir, as the Director General of National Centre for Women Development (NCWD).

The group in a statement issued in Abuja described the Bashir as a woman of profound character, integrity, hardwork and dedicated to the services of humanity.

The Co-convener of African Women Conference, Dr. Jumai Ahmadu, who signed the statement, pledged the group’s readiness to support any programme or policy that would contribute to nation building especially the challenges of women, children and education in the country.

The group, however, tasked the Director General to use her present position to focus more on bottom top approach on the development of women, stressing that rural women are more vulnerable.

“The appointment of Dr. Asabe Vilita Bashir, as the Director General of National Centre for Women Development by President Muhammadu Buhari. It is a well deserved appointment.

“Going by her pedigree as a lawmaker and astute politician, she is a woman who has contributed immensely to nation building especially on issues that affect women and children. Also, at the regional and continental levels, she has been a voice to the voiceless,” the statement said.

Ahmadu called on all hands to be on deck to

ensure that women are equipped with all relevant information to adapt to the post Covid-19 reality that has led to new normal.

Recall that Dr Bashir, before her appointment was elected Member, Borno State House of Assembly, twice 1997 and 2003. Later, Member Borno State Executive Council from 2005 to 2014 as Commissioner (Ministry of Health; Ministry of Agriculture and Natural Resources; Ministry of Housing and Rural Electrification; Ministry of Poverty Alleviation and Youth Empowerment Ministry of Women Affairs and Youth Development.

She was elected to the House of Representatives where she represented Gwoza, Damboa and Chibok Federal Constituency between 2015 to 2019.

Mouka Unveils Promo to Reward Customers Mouka, Nigeria’s leading manufacturer of branded mattresses, pillows and other bedding products, has rolled out exciting promotions to reward and celebrates easter with customers just as it unveiled new line of products.

Chief Executive O΀cer of Mouka, Raymond Murphy, stated that the Àrm prides itself in being the innovation trendsetter in its industry.

According to him, Mouka is constantly renovating its current portfolio and innovating to ensure its oͿerings are exciting and attractive to its teeming consumers.

Speaking on the new product, Senior Brand and Innovation Manager of Mouka, Akeem Audu said, “Royal Pillow Top Mattress is a true deÀnition of luxury at its Ànest and comes with a 10-year warranty.

Its pillow-top layer delicately contours your body, providing relief to all pressure points.

The premium breathable fabric cover adjusts to body temperature, keeping one cool and comfortable through the night.The mattress’s core is built with tempered and knotted Bonnell spring coils that ensure every part of your body gets the right support it needs” Audu added that Mouka is rewarding consumers who purchase tnew Royal Pillow with two luxury memory foam pillows worth N38,800 instantly.

He also encouraged consumers to visit Mouka activation points to have a feel of the new Royal Luxury Pillow Top Mattress.

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THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER ˾ ͹͸˜ ͰͮͰͯ

JOE/FAJ

THEFRONTLINES

NNPC’s $1.5b Port Harcourt Refinery Rehabilitation Mess

JOSEPH USHIGIALE

I

t is quite obvious by now that the President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration is hell bent on exiting its tenure as one of the most unpopular government since independence in 1960.

Since assuming office in 2015, the administration has left no one in doubt that Buhari only changed his military uniform to ‘mufti’. In reality, his actions and utterances have all the footprints and trappings of a maximum ruler.

For a man who was packaged and marketed to Nigerians as a dictator who has transformed to a democrat, Nigerians had expected Buhari to lead more by consensus building through public participation in policy formulation and implementation. But what are they seeing?

Buhari, in his almost six years on the saddle, has demonstrated his disdain for people-driven democracy. He has jettisoned people’s power for rulership by a few or call it a cabal. He has transmuted from a President mandated by popular votes to an autocrat, a despot who rules without recourse to what the people want.

From his disregard for the rule of law through the level of contempt the administration shows to judges who are arrested and hounded out of office on charges of corruption to disregard for judicial rulings as in the case of Sambo Dasuki and leader of Islamic Movement of Nigeria (IMN), Sheik Ibrahim El Zakzaky who have remained incarcerated even after several court rulings for their release.

In the energy sector, Buhari’s sphere is influence is ubiquitous and strangling. Since his debut, Nigerians have experienced untold hardship never before known under even a military dictatorship.

He has approved increases in electricity tariffs arbitrary severally with the latest being under the COVID-19 period when families are finding it difficult to survive.

Barely a year into office, he approved the first adjustment on May 11, 2016, when the price was raised by about 67 per cent from N86.50 per litre to N145. This was followed by a downward review in March to N125 following the drop in oil prices in the global market and deregulation of the downstream sector of the oil industry and hence removal of subsidy.

The price was raised again in May 2020 to a band of between N121.50 to N123.50 per litre for petrol. This was followed by another upward review in July to a band of N140.80 – N143.80 per litre. In August, the price was readjusted to N148 – N150, and further to price of N162.44 per litre in December following continued rise in crude price.

For a President that disparaged previous administrations and insisted that there was no subsidy regime except corruption; no

Mele Kyari one knows today whether the petroleum sector is regulated or deregulated largely because of policy inconsistencies and deceit.

According to a recent research conducted by BudgetIT titled “Nigeria’s Petrol Subsidy Regime: Dilemma of the World’s Most Populous Black Nation”, “Nigeria currently imports an average of 91% of its daily petrol needs, thus disproportionately exposing local petrol prices to price shocks from international factors of production and exchange rate volatility. There is a near perfectly inverse relationship between the fall in the value of Naira and the rise in the cost of imported petrol. That is, when next the Naira is devalued, Nigeria’s subsidy bill can be expected to jump.”

It noted that “the continuation of petrol price regulation perpetuates safety nests for exceptional forms of corruption within the country’s subsidy regime. Import subsidy creates petrol price arbitrage ( which is the differential between the regulated price in Nigeria and the high petrol prices in neighbouring countries) which is big enough to incentivise smuggling of subsidized products to neighbouring border towns.”

It would be recalled that Nigeria has spent about $25 billion in turnaround maintenance of refineries in the past 25 years, the prevailing development is coming after promises by the administration that the government would no longer spend on the facility.

Nonetheless, by its own admission, the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) audit report had last year revealed that three of the nation’s four refineries recorded N1.64 trillion cumulative losses in their 2014 to 2018 details. “There was no associated crude plus freight cost for the three refineries since there was no production but operational expenses amounted to

GreatNation,PoorPeople:EducationalMishaps

W

e continue to probe the suspicion that our paucity of responsible and service-oriented leadership is presumably a reflection of the poverty ingrained in the consciousness and attitude of the vast majority of Nigerians. We are a people violated and dehumanised for a long time, by the circumstances of our reality. Apparently, in a circle of mutual self-destruction, both blocs of the population play see-saw with the posterity of a delicately balanced country.

The last time in this column, we explored one of the nine elements we suspected had a traumatic effect on Nigeria of the 21st century: a nation scared of its own shadows, diversity, old sins and delayed punishments. It all started from a broken micro-structure of the human society, the family.

The second element that has led us to this sorry state is the way we have handled our educational system and policies over the past six decades. In the 50s, before we became independent, we read about the great exploits of our sons and daughters who travelled abroad; or stayed at home, with the few institutions available: same results mostly - excellent grades, inspiring stories of out-witting grinding poverty to grab some certificates. Scholarships were fairly common, and they were judiciously and indiscriminately deployed - irrespective of time and zone. When you merited it, you got served. Progress was easy and predictable.

Then the politicians went overboard, clutching at inanities, and creating dogfights over territories and captive constituencies. Of course, the military, restless and unoccupied, rolled in to “sanitize the corrupt system”. And coups and counter-coups later, the “corrupt system” became more intractable, laughably monstrous, to the point when the military had to high-tail out of power; relinquishing it to the sons and daughters of the older bands of civilian marauders.

While we were being stream-rolled into all sorts of knee-jerked governance, our educational system suffered all sorts of devastations and dumping down, to accommodate and compensate political exigencies, and conceited agendas. Suddenly, idiotic appendages like quota system, catchment areas, deregulated cut-off marks in government-owned secondary schools and universities became a lingo. Thus began the unconscionable socio-cultural marginalisations, where brilliant students from the south of Nigeria could score excess of 150 in so-called common entrance examinations into federal “unity” colleges; and yet would have to queue behind abysmally low scores from their mates from the North of the same country. Don’t laugh when you hear that marks could

be as ridiculously low as fifteen (15)! Yes, even much less in some blighted states.

The vastly ridiculous excuse is that those educationally poor states would be completely left behind if they were subjected to the same stringent cut-off, somewhere between 130 and 150! And lumping students who score consistently above 150 with those struggling to get 10 would somehow make the laggards become smart, and mould them into effective and efficient manpower for the development of their beloved states? The answer is staring at us all over the northern states now.

A bemused observer would no longer wonder why similar obnoxious premise is used in governance and resource sharing… when states that contribute next to nothing take equitable chunk of the federal allocation of resources largely mined in the South South, plus the principal portion of VAT coming from the blissfully manacled residents of Lagos State. What sort of leadership expect an informed and driven followership to give their best heartily, with such soul-wrenching inequalities?

Same is sadly true about qualification limit for admissions into higher institutions in Nigeria. Though several tertiary institutions claimed four or five credits in one sitting as the least for admission, who would bet his life that more than few have not strolled in with fewer than that number of credit limit? Institutions that are created in pursuit of excellence have allowed a system of deferred corruption to dilute their mainframe by accepting applicants who have fewer credits, and lower marks in JAMB and post-JAMB exams, to come through the cracks, when more excellent students have had to be turned back because they were not born in the correct states, away from a particular university. It’s shamelessly called “catchment areas”. So, some, by sheer force of their all-round brilliance, have forced their way in, while few others would simply adopt the “catchment” states as their homesteads, with their active and wily parents providing the financial and logistical endowments to make the miracle happen. And you expect that child, threatened by a stupid long-held policy, to project love and patriotism in the face of colossal indifference and red-tapeism?

Yet, we have not mentioned the seeming uncoordinated wilful demonisation of public schools by both the state and federal governments. Perhaps it is not deliberate, but the reality is that there have been periodic and relentless policies of denial, demolition, dislocation and de-marketing of the power and presence of public schools, on the altar of the economic and pivotal benefits of private schools. Mostly ill-equipped and overwhelmed by the huge number of private kindergarten, nursery, primary, junior and senior secondary schools in many states, the regulators have

jushigiale@yahoo.co.uk, joseph.ushigiale@thisdaylive.com 08023422660 (sms only)

10.27 billion.

However, opinions remain highly divided over the latest decision by the Federal Executive Council to approve $1.5b for the rehabilitation of Port Harcourt refinery in the light of the huge losses recorded in the last 25 years.

Throwing his weight against the FEC’s decision, founder of Stanbic IBTC Bank Plc, Atedo Peterside, who had earlier asked the government to subject the plan to a national debate, said NNPC would only “enmesh Nigeria into a deeper financial mess by throwing $1.5 billion (including debt) at a problem it created.”

He lamented that while the Port Harcourt refinery contributed zero revenue in 2019, it incurred N47 billion; almost N4 billion a month, the reason he is recommending an end to the ‘nightmare’ through a Bureau of Public Enterprise core investor sale.

Peterside, who thought Nigeria would have learned lessons from the COVID-19 pandemic by making informed decisions did not see the rehabilitation as a priority, adding that going ahead with the project amounts to “mortgaging the future of our children and grandchildren in the hands of people who have not shown that they can manage anything.”

Yet palpable fears of corruption continue to dog the refinery project, stakeholders are also raising concerns over what they described as scam in the return of petrol subsidy, questioning the nation’s daily petrol consumption, which now hovers around 60 million litres from estimated 52 million litres.

Energy expert Micheal Faniran, sees continuous subsidy payment as reinvigorating corruption and smuggling.

“That is the challenge with subsidy. At some point, people were getting subsidies in Nigeria and selling the product to other West African countries. So, in any case, we are subsidising the whole of West Africa,” Faniran said.

Predictably, it is government officials who remain adamant and have been defending the government’s insistence on spending $1.5 billion on the rehabilitation even as the nation may have spent over N360 billion on subsidy of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) in the first quarter of 2021, Group Managing Director of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), Mele Kyari, said the overhaul of the refinery remained the best option.

But people are angry that Buhari has taken them for a ride with fake promises. Their expectations were that given his campaign promises to reinvigorate local refining capacities, end products importation as well as subsidy regime and restore seamless petroleum products supply across the country, choosing to do nothing in the last six years is the hall mark of deceit and failed promises.

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COUNTERPOINT

FEMI

AKINTUNDE-JOHNSON fajalive1@gmail.com 08182223348 - (SMS Only)

simply abandoned any pretensions of curriculum reviews, teaching capacity verification, structural adjudication, and moral monitoring.

You can gauge the barometer of resentments and underlining tensions amongst our ‘leaders of tomorrow’ when social events organised by government or corporate bodies bring them together.

The situations, if not creatively and carefully moderated and chaperoned, would flare and fester in shockingly worrisome dimensions. We have seen lots of evidence on midday TV news flashes.

It is lost on our rulers, the true spine of the wise counsel in the aphorism that when you give fish to one person, you merely feed him only, or at most, his family; but when you teach him how to fish, you invariably feed the entire village or city. Simply put, quality education presents the receiver with the immense opportunity, if he is wise and progressive, to expand his knowledge, influence and capacity; to replicate and deploy his acquired resources for the benefit of his family, contemporaries, community, and ultimately, his nation.

Conversely, the student challenged by the inadequacy of his surroundings, but shoed-in by a broken, unfair and ridiculous system, into receiving quality, or qualified, education that mostly flies above his head, will most likely come out to express his deepened shortcomings in only ways he can survive this cruel, demanding, unquota-ed world. He will likely cheat and game the systems to climb the ladder. He will supplant his superiors by the use of primordial tactics to get to the tip of the ladder, in supersonic speed. He will inevitably pillage the treasury, while at the height of the ladder, and slump at the probe panel when comeuppance calls.

Such a man, or woman, currently sits atop one critical government agency or department, in one corner of Nigeria, as you read...he may be a short-time ‘visitor’ in one of our seedy prisons, writing ‘memoirs’ of how and where to spend the billions he had stolen, and starched on one of those tiny island covens of roguery and laundered loot, from nations wiped clean by poorly educated and lavishly tolerated scallywags, who call themselves leaders. A sob.

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CAN President to Buhari

“We put you there to secure the nation; we didn’t put you there to be complaining about bad leaders.”

– President, Christian Association of Nigeria, Samson Ayokunle, berating President Muhammadu Buhari over persistent insecurity in the country.

PENDULUM DELE MOMODU

dele.momodu@thisdaylive.com

The Truth My Fulani Friends Must Accept “ Everything that has a beginning must have an end.

As they say on the street: “ E fit take time, but one day, one day, Monkey go go market” “I love this quote about injustice: “Every person remembers some moment in their life where they witnessed some injustice, big or small, and looked away because the consequences of intervening seemed too intimidating. But there’s a limit to the amount of incivility and inequality and inhumanity that each individual can tolerate. I crossed that line. And I’m no longer alone.” - Edward Snowden.

“One day, and very soon, Nigerians will cross that line too.

For there is indeed a limit to human endurance. One day, we all shall rise to say Enough is enough. One day!”

F

ellow Nigerians, I have had to shelve the continuation of the celebration of Ovation International magazine at 25 in order to address matters of pressing national importance. I have just received some new horrific videos of bestial killings in some parts of Nigeria, and it is obvious Satan himself has landed in Nigeria.

The above quotation is from my cerebral Sister-in-law, Sister T, whose brains I respect a lot and whose comportment and composure are remarkably wonderful. Not much fazes her. She simply takes things in her stride.

She has several outstanding features, qualities and principles. Above all else, and germane to today’s epistle, she was a Buhari fanatic.

But today, she has parted company with him, for obvious reasons. Before I continue, let me introduce myself properly. It is important and necessary to do so as we currently live in the age of cynicism and ignorance. I do not want to assume that everyone knows my antecedents.

I used to wonder why Chief Moshood Abiola used to introduce himself in those good old days.

For a man who was probably the most famous man of his generation, I found it strange that he still greeted people with “My name is Moshood Abiola!” He explained that one should never assume that everyone knows him. I later saw the sense in that statement because it is simplistic but true. No matter how popular or notorious you are, a lot of people will never have heard of you and even if they have, most people will not have seen your face before.

So, let’s now go to my own personal introduction. My name is Dele Momodu. I’m a man of many parts but I love to be known and described principally as a reporter and a journalist without borders. With all sense of humility and sincerity, I am bold enough to say that I’m a completely detribalized man. I come from a mixed ethnic and religious background.

My Dad was from Edo State and my Mum came from Osun State. My paternal grandparents were Muslims while my parents were Christians. I was born in Yorubaland and had all my education in Yorubaland. I studied Yoruba as my first Degree in University and became accustomed with African traditional religion particularly Ifa, and its divination. I have travelled globally across five continents spanning more than 60 countries, territories, and islands. I have interacted with lumpen proletariats, prominent members of the bourgeoisie as well as top officials at the highest echelons of government. In all, I have maintained

Buhari my sanity, humility and modesty. I am able to tell my friends the truth, whether they are in power or not. This is a rarity in our country where leaders of all hues and colourations are treated as Demi-gods and they also consider themselves as such, and where the lives and livelihoods of most people depend on government patronage. Let me now go to the main meat of my epistle today.

My letter today is meant for my Fulani friends.

I know and have many of them as buddies. They are naturally handsome and beautiful depending on the sex. This is not a stereotype. The educated ones are mostly so sweet natured and mild mannered. The unlettered ones are mostly the exact opposite. I apologise if I over-generalise, but that is my opinion, which is shared by a lot of other compatriots including the Fulani themselves. I have undertaken some research about the origin and character of the Fulani people lately as a result of the unfortunate hoopla they have generated in many West African countries, Nigeria in particular. According to my investigations, the Fulani are largely itinerant in nature. They have the power and the stamina to trek long distances with or without their cows. They pride themselves as warriors and the advent of Major General Muhammadu Buhari - a man seen as epitomising all the virtues and vices ascribed to the Fulani, and who they see as an Icon and a Messiah - as President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria has really emboldened the Fulani.

The result is that more than ever before, because of the manner of governance of Mr President, the Fulani now arrogantly consider themselves as being superior to other tribes that make up Nigeria including their other Northern brethren.

I used to argue that Nigeria is indivisible, and we must protect its unity with everything we have but not any longer. While I may not yet have crossed the Rubicon, I’m sufficiently convinced and reasonably assured that Nigeria is truly on the fringe of another civil war if we do not push back. I know that those in government are not likely to see or feel the heat like most of us watching from the sidelines.

President Buhari has obviously driven Nigeria closer to war than any of our leaders since 1967.

What is worse is his nonchalant and reckless demeanour and outlook. He just does not seem to care about whatever happens to the country he campaigned vigorously and beguilingly to lead and on which basis the unsuspecting majority of Nigerians entrusted their future to him! This is a man who appeared to wear his

patriotism on his sleeve when he cried bitterly after being adjudged as having lost the 2011 Presidential elections. He cut a sorry, pathetic figure then. It now appears that this was all part of a charade aimed at wooing and ingratiating himself into the heart of Nigerians who naturally sympathised with him.

While it is very convenient for our Fulani compatriots to play the victim and blame everyone else for the woes they have brought upon all of us for no justifiable reason, they need to be told the gospel truth. Many of us do not hate the Fulani but they obviously hate us non-Fulani people especially those of us who are south of the Niger. They hate many facts about us. They hate our liberal nature and our psychedelic and glamorous lifestyles, but we do not concern ourselves with how they live their own lives. It is their choice that they decide to live a spartan almost ascetic existence out of suppression and subjugation. We are very tolerant and do not even mind that this tends to draw us back. Many of the Fulani who are not astute enough view us as arrogant, but this is not true. What they call arrogance is a product of our Western education and robust knowledge of the world which is in stark contrast to the Arabic education that most of them possess and embrace. We do not begrudge them their education which is steeped in religious mores because we recognise that we live in a secular nation. We appreciate that Arabic education is itself of a high standard and encompasses almost all facets of human life and endeavour whereas Western Education may sometimes be narrow and limited in certain aspects. What is not in doubt is that Western education breeds in us a degree of confidence which is seen as a threat by our fellow Fulani citizens.

The Fulani have been over-pampered in Nigeria.

We have ascribed to them humongous mythical powers which they do not possess. Because of our conciliatory nature and disposition, we have been complicit in elevating their status and position in the country. For this reason, it has been easy for them to manipulate us into the position where we find ourselves today. Based on this false premise on invincibility, we have allowed the Fulani to hold power for periods much longer than all other ethnic groups in our country. They have almost erroneously come to consider it their birthright to lead Nigeria to the detriment of other sections of the country. Yet, despite all this extended leadership periods, their people remain almost irredeemably pauperised.

The reason is simple, lack of proper education (Western or Arabic) and, more importantly, vocational training have rendered many of the Fulani youths unemployed and unemployable.

The Northern politicians who chose to use the Almajiris as their slaves and thugs particularly during elections have shot themselves in the foot.

They have murdered sleep. Restless and restive youths will eventually turn on their handlers. It has always been a disaster waiting to happen.

Feudalism could never work for too long and certainly the opening of eyes occasioned by various forms of social media has meant that these youths can see how they have been repressed and oppressed. Many of the Fulani oligarchs and nouveau riche can no longer visit their villages and sleep with their two eyes closed.

Their leaders refused to take a cue from chief Obafemi Awolowo whose main legacy was the investment in free education.

Therefore, my first suggestion to our Fulani friends is that they should abolish their wasteful investments on unproductive ventures like foreign exchange trading and ill-thought projects like building a railway to Niger Republic or the

rehabilitation of moribund refineries with a whopping billions of US Dollars. Let them embark urgently on compulsory Western education mixed with Arabic norms and teachings. In this way, they will produce stellar citizens who will develop their cattle rearing methods, if indeed they must continue to rear cattle. I am certain though that they will realise that the world does not begin and end with cows!

Next is the overbearing Fulani attitude of cornering every important position in the government. This will always be a major source of friction. It is not feasible or sustainable in the long term and the Fulani being in the minority will eventually be the losers. They should realise that their champion, Buhari, has over-acted and overreached himself by his apparent Fulanisation agenda. Neither he nor them can or will last.

The more the Southerners protest against clear acts of division, oppression and suppression, the more Buhari provokes them recklessly with more insulting appointments for Northerners.

It will all lead to tears for them in the end because when you push people to the wall and there is nowhere else to go, they will come out fighting with all guns blazing.

The Northern Hausa-Fulani irredentists should also understand that Southern Nigeria is too cosmopolitan and globally influential to be conquered by any invading Fulani bandits and terrorists. This is what is playing out now.

The Government may be turning a blind eye to their atrocities but those being pillaged, raped and murdered will not do so. Their home is their castle, and they will stoutly and robustly defend it. This may ultimately be what makes the downfall of Nigeria.

What Buhari has succeeded in doing is to unite the Southerners in the face of common tribulations. I have never seen the level of anger I see today in our country. Only God through our youths can possibly avert the monumental collapse of a once beautiful and powerful country brought to its knees by the myopic vision of a bigot. The truth is Nigeria is greater than all this and I believe that as the Fulani youths achieve their emancipation through qualitative education, they will join their Southern brethren in creating a Nigeria based on equality, fairness and justice. This is not a pipe dream. Our country’s youths may well save us.

Good Night,Yinka Odumakin We lost our very dear friend, the social activist, Mr Yinka Odumakin. Words have failed me ever since I heard the news and as I told his wife, Dr Joe Okei-Odumakin, during my condolence visit, I’m still too shocked to know what to write simply because I am torn by grief and there is so much to say about this indomitable, dogged and spirited freedom fighter. A patriotic Nigerian par excellence.

May his soul rest in peace.

And the Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, Too I cannot help but also mention the reverberating news of the death of The Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, Husband of Queen Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom. The accolades have been pouring in for this genial, gentle giant who served his adopted country in a remarkably uncompromising selfless way. His is a lesson in true service to one’s country.

May his soul rest in peace.

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