SUNDAY 5TH SEPTEMBER 2021

Govs Caution FG over Payment of $418m Paris Club Refund to Six Consultants Ask banks not to implement payment directives Alex Enumah in Abuja The Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF) has cautioned the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and the federal government against going ahead with

the planned payment of the sum of $418 million to some individuals and organisations for the roles they played in the Paris Club refund received by the federal government.

The governors have also

warned all chief executives/ managing directors and chief compliance officers of Nigeria’s commercial banks against implementing the directives to pay the said sum to the affected parties.

President Muhammadu Buhari was said to have approved the payment of the controversial $418million in Paris Club refund-related judgment debts to six creditors, without considering the

governors’ calls for a forensic audit into the claims of the creditors.

Following Buhari’s approval, the Federal Ministry of Finance was also said to have directed the Debt Management Office

(DMO) to commence issuance of promissory notes to the creditors, as approved by the president.

But the NGF, in the warning Continued on page 6

Nigeria Struggles to Meet OPEC’s Crude Oil Quota…

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Parallel Congresses Hit APC in Lagos, Oyo, Sokoto, A'Ibom, Ogun, Others Omo-Agege’s faction holds exercise in Delta despite court order Okorocha, Ararume, Lai Mohammed’s factions shun congresses Our Correspondents The crisis in the All Progressives Congress (APC)

deepened yesterday as the local government congresses were characterised by protests and the election of parallel

executives by different factions of the ruling party in many states.

Some of the affected states

include Lagos, Adamawa, Sokoto, Rivers, Oyo, Enugu, Bayelsa, Abia, Ekiti, Ogun, Kwara, Niger, Imo, Akwa

Ibom, among others.

Despite an order of a Delta State High Court restraining the party from organising the

LG congresses in the state, a faction of the party led by Continued on page 5

Secondus Asks Appeal Court to Affirm His Four-year Tenure Insists his tenure ends December 9 Says only NEC can suspend PDP national officer Chuks Okocha in Abuja The embattled National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Prince Uche Secondus, has asked the Abuja Division of the Court of Appeal to affirm that his four-year tenure ends on December 9, 2021.

He also asked the appellate court to quash the orders of the two high courts that restrained him as the national chairman of the party.

Secondus also asked the court to nullify his suspension, insisting that Section 59(3) of the PDP constitution clearly stated that the ward or the state executive committee of any state has no powers to suspend any national officer of the party.

Following attempts to remove Secondus from office by some chieftains of PDP, the governors of the party, Board of Trustees (BoT) members, former Senate Presidents,

former governors, and other leaders of the party had on August 10, 2021, abridged his tenure by bringing the party’s National Convention forward from December 2021 to October.

They had also prevailed on the Secondus-led National Working Committee of the party (NWC) not to seek re-election at the October National Convention.

Political analysts had thought that the intervention of the leaders of the party would calm frayed nerves, But a Rivers State High Court, in an interim order dated August 23, 2021 and signed by Justice O. Gbasam and the Assistant Chief Registrar (Litigation), Patricia N. Victor Nwoka, restrained Secondus from parading himself as the PDP National Chairman.

The claimants/applicants in Continued on page 12

Shutdown of Health Sector Looms as 65 HEARTY CHEERS... of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Mrs. Funmilayo Boss Mustapha (left); and the SGF, Mr. JOHESU Issues Strike Notice...Page 6 Wife Boss Mustapha, at a special thanksgiving to mark his 65th birthday in Abuja…yesterday

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ROYAL ENDORSEMENT...

L-R: Senior Brand Manager, Goldberg, Nigerian Breweries Plc, Mr. Olaoluwa Babalola; Corporate Affairs Manager, Mr. Tayo Adelaja; the Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi; National Trade Marketing Manager, Akure, Nigerian Breweries, Mr. Olufunsho Ayeni; and Brand Manager, Goldberg Lager Beer, Mr. Oluyemi Ekundayo, at the Ooni’s declaration of September 11 as Goldberg Omoluabi Day held in Osun State …yesterday

Bandits Kill 15 People in Niger Community, Destroy Several Houses Laleye Dipo in Minna In what appears like a reprisal, bandits have raided the Magami community in the Shiroro Local Government Area of Niger State, killing no fewer than 15 villagers, while others were said to be missing.

It will be recalled that between Wednesday and Thursday last week men of the Special Security Task Force launched an attack on the bandits killing no less than 15 of them and recovering 15 motorcycles in addition to arms, mostly AK-47 rifles, and ammunition.

However, Concerned Shiroro

Youths, a group monitoring affairs in the local government area, said the bandits came in their numbers to unleash terror on members of the community.

In a statement issued yesterday the group said: "Realising that the combined team of hunters and local vigilantes had returned to their base at Galadima Kogo, the syndicate returned like a pride of wounded lions killing people at sight. They murdered and butchered their victims with dangerous weapons. Unfortunately, the unarmed, peaceful, and defenceless locals are now at the receiving end.

"By reliable records, no fewer than 15 people have gruesomely been murdered by the marauding criminals.

Six people were confirmed dead at Unguwan Magiro under Madaka Ward, Rafi Local Government Area, four people at Farin Hula, and five people at Magami and environs all under Manta Ward of Shiroro Local Government while, scores of others are still missing - probably killed too," the statement said.

The statement signed by the Co-Convener of the group, Yussuf Abubakar Kokki said many villagers have now fled to Kuta,

headquarters of the local government where they are now staying as internally displaced people.

"Kuta, the headquarters of Shiroro Local Government Area which is considered a safer ground is swelling with fleeing IDPs who have since vacated the troubled areas scampering helter-skelter for shelter, peace, and security," Kokki said in the statement.

Kokki suggested that the "Onslaught against criminals need to be a sustained one to avoid a replica of this nature" adding that "sustained operation can go a long way in halting or avoiding any possible reprisal that

could result into unwanted casualties".

The Concerned Shiroro Youths of Niger State, he said, was calling with "a loud voice on the authorities concerned to immediately mobilise security personnel as well as local vigilantes and station same at Magami, which is now the epicentre of atrocities being perpetrated by dreaded criminals to restore security in the area".

This, he said, would guarantee peace and enable the locals to continue with their lawful and legitimate activities.

All efforts to get the reactions of the Chairman of

the Local Government Area, Alhaji Sulaiman Chikuba, on phone was abortive as he did not pick up despite several calls made to it.

A government official who spoke to THISDAY on condition of anonymity, confirmed the attacks on Kukoki, Bassa, Magami, and Madaka villages, saying "they attacked and killed many people but the number is yet to be ascertained".

Police Public Relations Officer Niger State Police Command, Wasiu Abiodun, when contacted, promised to get back to THISDAY but did not do so as to at the time of filing this report.

PARALLEL CONGRESSES HIT APC IN LAGOS, OYO, SOKOTO, A'IBOM, OGUN, OTHERS the Deputy Senate President, Senator Ovie Omo-Agege, organised the exercise which the deputy senate president described as peaceful.

Two factions of the APC also held parallel congresses in some local government areas in Oyo State.

The LG congresses did not hold in Anambra, Kaduna and Zamfara.

The national leadership of the APC had exempted the Anambra State chapter of the party from the congresses to allow the party to prepare very well for the forthcoming governorship election, billed to hold on November 6.

Kaduna State did not hold the congresses yesterday because of the LG elections that took place in the state.

The internal crisis within the party and insecurity prevented yesterday’s exercise in Zamfara State A Delta State High Court sitting in Asaba had on Wednesday restrained the National Chairman of the Caretaker and Extraordinary Convention Planning Committee (CECPC) of the APC and Governor of Yobe State, Mr. Mai Mala Buni, from conducting the LG congresses in the state.

While the faction of the party in the state led by Omo-Agege, insisted that the congresses took place yesterday, the other faction of the party, which parades APC chieftains like Chief Great Ogboru, Hon Festus Keyamo, Dr. Cairo Ojougboh, Chief Victor Ochei, and Mrs. Mariam Alli insisted that the congresses did not hold because of the subsisting court order.

However, a statement by the Chairman, Delta State Local Government Congress Committee, Mr. Matthew Omegara, said that the party was aware of the court ruling, but that the court order only barred the State Chairman of the party, Prophet Jones Erue, from conducting the congresses and not the party officials from the national headquarters.

Meanwhile, Omo-Agege last night hailed the conduct of the party's local government congresses in the state, saying they were peaceful and satisfactory.

Omegara also agreed with Omo-Agege that the exercise was peaceful, adding that INEC and armed security personnel witnessed the exercise.

In Akwa Ibom State,

supporters of the Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Senator Godswill Akpabio, and the National Secretary, APC Caretaker Committee, Senator John James Akpanudoedehe, held parallel congresses in the 31 LGAs of the state.

Akpanudoedehe controls the state chapter of the party.

Some members of the party who spoke to journalists on the condition of anonymity said materials for the congresses were hijacked and taken to unknown places where the elections congresses allegedly took place.

The spokesperson of APC in the state, Nkereuwem Enyongekere, said the congress was generally peaceful across the state.

In Sokoto State, THISDAY gathered that two LG executives emerged from the parallel congresses held.

A leader of one faction and member of the House of Representatives representing Gwadabawa/Illela Federal Constituency, Hon. Balarabe Salame told THISDAY that the faction followed the party’s guidelines by obtaining the forms and electing its executives at wards and local governments’ levels.

He further disclosed that

“the other faction just stayed in somebody's room and write the names of their executives.”

“As I'm telling you, what they did in the other faction is undemocratic; you can't deny people of their right to express their franchise,” he added.

Salame and the Speaker of the state house of assembly, Hon. Muhammad Aminu Achida, belongs to one faction, while the former governor of the state, Senator Aliyu Wamakko, and the Minister of Police Affairs, Mr. Maigari Dingyadi belong to another faction led by Wamakko.

Addressing the delegates and members of the party in Bodinga, the headquarters of Bodinga Local Government Area of the state, the police minister said the party in the state in its wisdom adopted consensus.

The APC congresses were marred by the crisis in Adamawa State as aggrieved party members from Yola North and Yola South LGAs faulted the distribution of election materials to members who were not supposed to handle the materials.

Chairman of the Congress Committee, Professor Umar Katsayal, and his committee members narrowly escaped an

attack by irate youths when they were about to leave the party’s secretariat.

The youths stormed the party’s secretariat in their numbers demanding election materials for their zones.

The senator representing Adamawa Central, Senator Aishatu Dahiru Ahmed Binani also stormed the party secretariat to kick against the process.

THISDAY gathered that journalists (cameramen) were forced to delete the visuals of the fracas at the party secretariat.

In Mubi North and other local governments in the state, some APC stakeholders organised their own separate local government congress in their preferred venues.

The crisis in the Ogun State chapter of the party deepened yesterday as the group loyal to Governor Dapo Abiodun and a faction of the party led

by Senator Ibikunle Amosun held parallel congresses across the 20 local government areas of the state.

Before yesterday’s congresses, the two factions of the APC had sworn in the elected executives that emerged from the parallel ward congresses they held

in July.

On the eve of yesterday’s congresses, the seven-man congress committee led by Mr. Wale Ohu had cautioned the APC members in the state against holding parallel congresses.

Addressing journalists after the conduct of the congresses, Ohu emphasised that any congress held outside the supervision of the committee was null and void.

While a faction of the party in Ekiti State called Southwest Agenda for Tinubu 2023 presidential poll (SWAGA) had challenged the previous ward congresses, the Ekiti State APC yesterday insisted that the local government congresses were undertaken without violating the constitution of the party and the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

The Secretary of the Ekiti State APC Congress Committee, Mr. Job Femi Akindeke, said the unconfirmed report that SWAGA went to court to challenge the ward congress did not vitiate the outcome of the local government congresses.

Continued on page 8

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NEWS

Shutdown of Health Sector Looms as JOHESU Issues Strike Notice Onyebuichi Ezigbo in Abuja A total shutdown of Nigeria's health sector is imminent as the Joint Health Sector Unions (JOHESU) and Assembly of Healthcare Professional Association (AHPA) has threatened to commence an indefinite strike in the next 15 days if the federal government does not address “outstanding welfare issues” of their members.

The unions’ threat is coming barely six days after the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) issued a 21-day ultimatum to the government.

The sector is facing disruption in services already because of the industrial action commenced by the leadership of the National Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) on August 2, 2021.

JOHESU’s National President, Mr. Biobelemonye Josiah, said in a letter addressed to the Minister of Labour and Employment, Senator Chris Ngige, and other relevant stakeholders in Abuja, that the 15-day ultimatum was necessitated by the non-challant attitude of the government to the plight of its members.

According to Josiah, the welfare issues include Adjustment of Consolidated Health Salary Structure (CONHES) as was done with Consolidated Medical Salary Structure (CONMESS) since 2014, payment of all withheld April and May 2018 salaries of their members, and withheld Salaries in Federal Medical Centre (FMC), Owerri; JUTH and LUTH; and the review of the defective implementation of COVID-19 Special Inducement and Hazard Allowance.

Others include: Implementation of National Industrial Court of Nigeria (NICN) Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR), Consent judgment and other court judgments, increase in the retirement age from 60 to 65 years for health workers, and 70 years for Consultant Health Professionals.

“Others are payment of reviewed hazard allowance in terms of payment that guarantees fairness and justice to all concerned, payment of actual 30 per cent consolidated basic shift duty allowance to

Nurses/Midwives and others.

“Payment of teaching allowance to members on CONHESS 7 and 8 (Nurses, Midwives, and others) and proper placement of Nurse Graduates and Interns,” he said.

JOHESU president also said others include: Payment of outstanding salaries of intern health professionals and all the tertiary health institutions, proper implementation of the consultant pharmacist cadre for pharmacists in the public sector, among others.

According to him, “you will recall that up till the time of writing this letter, the federal

government has not deemed it fit to honour the Terms of Settlement entered into with JOHESU since September 2017. ”This is especially the upward review of CONHESS Salary Structure as agreed, to be completed within five weeks from the date of agreement amongst other requests. ”Government did not deem it fit to address these key issues during the duration of the last seven days warning strike and has only met with JOHESU on July 12,” he said.

Josiah said that it would also be recalled that in July 2020, that the Minister of Health agreed

that a mistake was made by the government in the payment of COVID-19 Special Inducement and Hazard Allowances.

He noted that the shortfall was in the payment of 50 per cent Basic of Consolidated allowances to all those health workers.

He said the minister acknowledged that it was a mistake on the part of the government and that the shortfall shall be paid accordingly to affected health workers.

He added that up till the time of this letter, the shortfall has not been paid.

Josiah further argued that

to make matters worse, when the payment for June 2020 was made, the government decided to again wrongfully pay 10 per cent of Consolidated Basic Allowances to our members affected by the shortfall of April and May 2020.

He described the action of the government as a contravention of the spirit and content of the MoU signed on April 21, 2020.

“JOHESU, in compliance with the provision of Section 41 of the Trade Disputes Act Cap.T8 LFN 2004, is constrained to give the Federal Government of Nigeria 15 days’ ultimatum with effect from September 3.

”This also is to inform you that with effect from midnight of September 17, all our members in the federal health institutions shall embark on indefinite strike action in all state and local government health institutions.

“You are all placed on red alert for the strike if the federal government foot drags in attending to our demands,” he said.

Josiah, however, noted that JOHESU had shown maturity, selflessness, and patriotism in the face of extreme provocations and the government’s nonchalant attitude on the welfare of its members.

PARTY AFFAIR...

Chairman, All Progressives Congress Local Government Congress Committee for Ogun State, Hon. Wale Ohu (left), and Governor Dapo Abiodun, after the party's congress at St. Saviour's Anglican Primary School, Ikenne…yesterday

GOVS CAUTION FG OVER PAYMENT OF $418M PARIS CLUB REFUND TO SIX CONSULTANTS letter to the CBN Governor, Mr. Godwin Emefiele; Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Mr. Abubakar Malami (SAN); Minister of Finance, Budget and National Planning, Mrs. Zainab Ahmed; and the Director-General, Debt Management Office (DMO), Ms. Patience Oniha, questioned the rationale behind the payment of the alleged debt to the said consultants and contractors.

The governors argued that the said payment is already an issue of litigation.

The governors in the "Caveat" letter dated Friday, September 3, 2021, also wondered why the federal government was in a rush to make such payment to individuals at a time when both the federal and state governments need funds for provisions of critical infrastructure for the people.

The letter signed on behalf of the NGF by its lawyer, Mr. PH Ogbole (SAN), also warned all chief executives/managing directors and chief compliance

officers of Nigeria commercial banks against giving effect to any directive regarding the payment of the said sum to the affected parties.

Ogbole, in the letter titled, "Caveat on the Payment of $418 million Suspicious Debts", argued that since the federal government was aware of the current court cases challenging the payment of the alleged debts, it ought not to take any further steps on the matter.

According to the senior lawyer, the governors on August 3, 2021, got wind of the federal government's move to effect the payment.

He noted that the governors learnt that some consultants/ contractors alleged that they were retained by some states and had done some work for the states and local governments in Nigeria about the Paris Club refund.

"The Minister of Finance is said to have directed the Director-General, Debt Management Office (DMO) to issue Promissory Notes in favour of the Consultants. The

purported amounts claimed by the various consultants are as follows: Ned Nwoko - $142,028,941; Ted Iseghoghi Edwards -$159 million; Riok Nigeria Limited, Orji Nwafor Orizu, and Olaitan Bello $142,028,941.95 and Panic Alert System Limited and George Uboh - $47,831,920", Ogbole explained.

He explained that the consultants relied on judgments of the Federal High Court which are presently being challenged by the 36 governors in several actions in various courts.

He identified the cases to include suits number FHC/ Abj/CS/123/2018 between Panic Alert Security Systems Limited & Anor Vs Trustees of Nigeria Governors’ Forum & 3 Others; FHC/ABJ/CS/453/2021 between Trustees of Nigeria Governors’ Forum Vs Panic Alert Security Systems Limited & Anor (5 others); and M/3542/2021 between Riok Nigeria Limited Vs The Trustees of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum The senior lawyer added that

some of the consultants have already joined issues with the NGF, while the matters have been set down for hearing on September 28 and 29, 2021.

He further claimed that the Minister of Finance, the DG of DMO, and the AGF had since been duly served and notified of the pendency of these actions in court in different letters written by counsel to the NGF. "It is therefore strange and indeed alarming that having been served and made aware of the pendency of the various court cases, the Minister of Finance would readily but in complete disregard of the law direct that Promissory Notes be issued in favour of the consultants", he said.

While arguing that custodians and managers of public funds are public trustees and must at all times act in the public interest, he stressed that the interest of all the states and local governments of the federation is involved in this instant case and ought to be protected by the Minister of Finance.

Ogbole added that "the

issuance of Promissory Notes of a humongous sum of over $418 million to private persons for alleged consultancy work demands not only caution but strict due diligence, particularly when the judgments which gave rise to the payments sought to be enforced are the subject of pending litigation.

"Matters that are subjudice must not be acted upon in a manner that will foist a situation of complete helplessness on the courts and render their decisions nugatory," he added.

He, however, explained that this caveat was issued as a Further Notice to the Minister of Finance and the DG, DMO, to act in the interest of the public and refrain from foisting on the nation another case of P& lD in which, he noted, would have fleeced the nation of billions of dollars but for due diligence.

"The nation is already going through economic adversity and every dollar is needed to be channelled to people-oriented projects. Public duty and probity demand that public trustees

must, at all times, act in the interest of the people they serve to protect their commonwealth.

"Accordingly, justice must be allowed to run its full course.

“All chief executives of banks and their compliance officers are hereby advised to desist from or otherwise not to accept for exchange or process for payment or giving value to any promissory notes issued by the DMO for purpose of satisfying alleged Paris Club Consultants fees afore-mentioned.

"The entire public is also notified to be at the high alert of this hasty attempt to circumvent the rule of law and dissipate hard-earned public funds meant for development purposes to private persons on matters which are presently being litigated upon.

"Let no grant be sealed in the funds of the 36 states of the federation and the 774 local government areas in the sums mentioned in this caveat without notice to the caveator (the Nigeria Governors' Forum) as the matter of the payments is sub judice," he added.

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Electronic Voting: El-Rufai Loses His Polling Unit to PDP John Shiklam in Kaduna Following the adoption of electronic voting in yesterday’s local government elections in Kaduna State, which prevented rigging, Governor Mallam Nasir El-Rufai lost his polling unit to the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

El-Rufai had earlier voted at the polling unit where he also declared that he was not desperate to win at all costs, but to improve the voting process using the Electronic Voting Machine.

According to the governor, the introduction of the electronic voting system by his administration has clearly shown that the APC-led government in Kaduna State does not believe in cheating or rigging election.

Announcing the results for the El-Rufai’s Angwan Sarki 001 polling unit, the Presiding Officer, Mr. Mohammed Sani, said the PDP scored 86 votes in the chairmanship election, while the All Progressives Congress (APC) got 62 votes.

Sani said in the councillorship election, the PDP scored 100 votes while the APC recorded 53 votes.

The governor had earlier in an interview after casting his vote, expressed disappointment over the low turnout of voters in the council polls.

“What worries me is that I noticed that people didn’t turn out much,” he said.

The governor said there were challenges in some polling units as wrong machines were given.

“I know that in many polling units, there were challenges with the Electronic Voting Machines.

“Some machines were taken to the wrong polling units; so, they had to be changed. So, people who came out early to vote, thought that the voting had not started,” he said.

Speaking on the use of Electronic Voting Machines for the elections, the governor said: “Technology is the key to minimising cheating in elections and unless we remove cheating in elections, we will never have credible leaders; we will never have accountable leaders and this is why we are committed to this.”

He said there has been a significant improvement on the machines compared to the ones used in the 2018 LG polls.

El-Rufai said the improved voting machine being used for the elections makes it nearly impossible to do multiple voting which, according to him, “happened a lot in 2018.”

He said the voting machine was activated with voting card, explaining that, “once you come and you are accredited that this is your polling unit, you go to the voting machine, you place your voter’s card, it opens the machine for you, you vote.”

According to him, “the whole process takes less than 15 seconds. So, it is very quick, very efficient and you see your ballot paper being printed so that the ballot papers can be counted.

“So, we are very happy

with the improvement and we are pleased that this time it will be extremely difficult for anyone to rig these elections.”

He explained further that, “the machines also transmit the results at the end of voting to a server as well as a back-up at a USB as well as printed copies for all parties and all the security agencies; so, it is very difficult to alter anything.”

The governor said his administration was committed to free and fair elections in Kaduna.

“As I said several times, we are not going to behave like other parties or other state governments where the ruling parties win everything.

“We will allow the people of Kaduna State to elect who they want; we do not have to win everywhere.

“We know that we have worked for the people of Kaduna State; we know that they can see the footprints of the government and local government everywhere; the APC government and we are confident that all reasonable minded and fair-minded people will vote for our party and our candidates because they know that we are committed the welfare of the people.

“We don’t believe in cheating; we don’t believe in rigging elections, but we also do not believe that others should cheat us.

“This is why we encourage

SIECOM to come up with a very improved, full proof system and I am happy that they have done that.

“What we have shown in Kaduna is that it is possible to do this across Nigeria and I think INEC is looking at the experiment in Kaduna very closely.

“They were observers in 2018 and they had sent a team to look at what we are

doing in 2021.

When THISDAY visited some polling units in Kaduna South and Kaduna North LGAs, it noted the general apathy among residents.

In Gidan Hakimi, Kakuri polling unit, Kaduna South LGA, both the agents of the APC and the PDP, confirmed that people did not come out to vote.

“I think that people didn’t

come out to vote because of the general hardship in the country”, one of the party agents said.

Also at the Abubakar Kigo LEA Primary School polling unit, Kaduna North LGA, election officials were idle as people did not turn out.

Meanwhile the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), has raised the alarm over the conduct of

the elections, alleging that the voting machines were programmed to accept and prints votes for the APC only.

Addressing newsmen at the NUJ Press Centre yesterday in Kaduna, spokesman of the state chapter of the party, Abraham Catoh, alleged that machines in some polling units were only printing results for the APC.

INVESTMENT DRIVE...

L-R: Minister-Counsellor (Economic Affairs) at the Embassy of Nigeria, Bangkok, Mrs. Francisca Jomomoh; Overseas Director of Flying Star Machinery, Thailand, Mr. Shannon Lee Ferry; and Nigerian Ambassador to Thailand, Ambassador Oma Djebah, at the end of a business meeting on agriculture and food security at the Embassy of Nigeria, Bangkok, Thailand…weekend

PARALLEL CONGRESSES HIT APC IN LAGOS, OYO, SOKOTO, A'IBOM, OGUN, OTHERS "Let me tell you that there wasn't any legal encumbrance to our local government congress. We followed the due process of the law,” he said.

"We appeal to our people to exhaust internal mechanisms before resorting to court. The process is still ongoing and the party has not received any court order stopping us from doing what the party is constitutionally empowered to do," he explained.

The Rivers State chapter of the APC led by the Minister of Transportation also yesterday held what it described as peaceful local government congresses across the 23 LGAs of the state.

The congresses were boycotted by the supporters of a former Senator representing Rivers East, Senator Magnus Abe. However, the spokesman of the caretaker committee of the party in the state, Chief Ogbonna Nwuke, told THISDAY that the election was peaceful and smooth, adding that the party was now positioned to take over power in the state.

But a leader of Abe’s faction, who spoke off record, said they boycotted the exercise because it did not follow due process. The faction had rejected the ward congresses of APC held in the state.

The faction had also submitted a petition to the national secretariat of the party on the development.

In Niger State, the consensus option adopted by the APC to choose its local government officials hit the rocks in some parts of the state following the insistence by aspirants for election to

be held.

The consensus arrangement was challenged in Chanchaga, Paikoro, Bida Lapai Agaie, among other LGAs. Despite the emergence of two factions of the party in Enugu State, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mr. Geoffrey Onyeama has hailed what he described as the peaceful conduct of the local government congresses in the state.

Onyeama disclosed this in the Udi Local Government Area of the state while briefing journalists on the outcome of the exercise in his council.

The minister described the process as democracyin-action, adding that the people were allowed to willingly choose their leaders.

However, supporters of the Director-General of the Voice of Nigeria (VON), Mr. Osita Okechukwu, did not participate in the exercise held by Onyeama’s faction.

Meanwhile, former Senate President, Dr. Ken Nnamani, has described as fake, a letter purportedly issued by the national leadership of the party, recognising Mr. Ben Nwoye as the state party chairman.

Nnamani spoke during the congress in Nkanu West Local Government Area of the state.

He said that the letter which was circulating in the social media and purportedly issued by the Secretary, APC Caretaker/ Extraordinary Convention Planning Committee, Senator John Akpanudoedehe was forged.

In Imo State, the congresses were conducted by supporters of Governor Hope Uzodimma without the participation of

Senator Rochas Okorocha and Senator Ifeanyi Araraume's camps.

Imo State Chairman of the APC loyal to Governor Uzodimma, Chief Marcillinus Nlemigbo, said the exercise was free and fair.

The two APC factions in Lagos State also held parallel local government congresses across the 245 wards of the 20 local government areas of the state.

The two congresses were held without any violence as the factions comprising the Tunde Balogun-led group and the Lagos4Lagos group held their separate local government congresses in different venues.

On the side of the Balogunled faction, a former member of the Lagos State House of Assembly, Hon. Ahmed Ipoola Omisore said the Lagos chapter is returning the party to the people at the grassroots.

In Agege Local Government Area, the Vice-Chairman, Apex Committee, Lagos4Lagos, Hon. Prince Sunday Ajayi said his group remains the only faction of the Lagos APC that upholds the party’s constitution in the conduct of the congresses.

“We are two factions in Lagos but Lagos4Lagos is the only faction of the APC that conducted the ward congress.

The other side only paraded appointed candidates but we own the population of the party.

“For instance, they held local government election; Lagos APC registered 2.5 million members but less than 500,000 members voted as a result of our boycotting the election. We have over 2 million members in Lagos

state and that is why the national body cannot close its eyes to us,” he added.

Two factions of the party in Osun State led by Governor Gboyega Oyetola and the Minister of Interior, Mr. Rauf Aregbesola, also battled each other in the state.

The exercise was marred by the crisis in Ede North LGA as armed political hoodlums reportedly attacked members of the party who were holding their congress in the area.

The thugs, according to eyewitnesses, stormed Film House, NITEL area, beside Pere Police Station, Ede, with guns, cutlasses, and other weapons with which they attacked members of the APC. A former Chairman of Ede North Local Council Development Area, Mukaila Uthman, confirmed the attack, saying that he was a witness.

Officers of the Nigeria Police Force, Department of State Services (DSS), and Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) witnessed the congress which was held at Oduduwa College Ile-Ife in Ife Central LGA. The majority of the APC members that participated in the exercise were members of The Osun Progressives (TOP), loyal to Aregbesola The state Commissioner for Information and Civic Orientation, Mrs. Funke Egbemode, however, stated that the crisis rocking the state chapter of APC is an internal affair that will soon be settled amicably.

In Kwara State, the APC faction, which is loyal to Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq adopted consensus for its local

government congresses of the party.

The faction loyal to the Minister of Information and Culture, Mr. Lai Mohammed was not part of the arrangement.

In Bayelsa State, a faction of the party held congresses despite a court order that restrained the party from holding congresses in the state.

While the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Chief Timipre Sylva, was reportedly absent due to official commitment out the country, the Vice Chairman, South-south Zone of the APC Caretaker/Extra ordinary Convention Planning Committee, Chief David Lyon, was seen at party secretariat in Yenagoa at the end of the exercise.

However, Sunday FrankOputu, a chieftain of the APC and member of the faction led

by Hon. Ebierien Fala, faulted the conduct of the congress, describing it as a violation of a subsisting court order before the State High Court and Court of Appeal, sitting in Port Harcourt, Rivers State.

Frank-Oputu called on the party leadership to sanction Sylva and the caretaker State Secretary of the party, Alabo Martins over conduct of the congresses against subsisting court order.

In Abia State, two factions loyal to the state Chairman of the party, Chief Donatus Nwankpa, and Chief Ikechi Emenike, held parallel congresses but the Local Government Congress Committee led by Hon. Israel Goli only supervised the congress conducted by the faction loyal to Emenike.

SUNDAY SEPTEMBER 5, 2021 • T H I S D AY

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ͽ˜ ͺ͸ͺ͹ ˾ T H I S DAY, T H E S U N DAY N E W S PA P E R

NEWS

Nigeria Struggles to Meet OPEC’s Crude Oil Quota Records 2.8m barrels supply shortfall in August Emmanuel Addeh in Abuja Despite requesting for a higher baseline in August, Nigeria failed to meet the existing crude oil supply quota allocated to it by the Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) during the month, THISDAY’s investigation revealed yesterday.

The country lost 90,000 barrels per day in August, or roughly 2.8 million barrels in the month, making last month’s production of 1.43 million bpd one of the lowest in five years.

While Saudi Arabia and Iraq were the main drivers of OPEC’s production for August, with additional production of 290,000 bpd and 200,000 bpd, respectively, Nigeria, which can produce two million bpd, other things being equal, slumped from its July figure of 1.520 million bpd, according to an OPEC document.

Production growth in Nigeria, Africa’s highest oil producer, going by recent data, is proving a major challenge due to infrastructure challenges and technical difficulties, leading to shut-ins.

In addition to the above problems, there have also been instances of community or workers' protests, which incessantly disrupted operations, leading to severe losses.

A document obtained by THISDAY showed that the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) and its partners lost 6.035 million barrels of crude oil to emergency shutdowns in the previous month.

In its August presentation to the Federation Account Allocation Committee (FAAC), which was held between the 18th and 19th of August, the corporation recorded 32 such incidents throughout its facilities in the country.

A breakdown of the losses, according to the document, indicated that the highest combined shortage of 1.62 million barrels was from Qua Iboe, with 200,000 barrels due to production shut-in arising from flare management and low wellhead pressure.

Additional 530,000 barrels were lost to shut-ins on Qua Iboe following tank top concerns, 650,000 barrels as a

result of production cut-back as directed by the Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR) as well as a loss of 240,000 barrels due to a gas leak on one of the assets.

This was followed by losses from the Forcados facility, which shed 200,000 barrels, 84,000 barrels, 30, 000 barrels, and 80,000 barrels respectively on different days, with reasons ranging from leak repairs, tank top issues, a fire incident, and declaration of a force majeure.

Forcados continued its shutins, shedding an additional 405,000 barrels of crude oil at the Uzere/Afisere/Kokori axis following a shutdown as a result of protests by community workers as well as a loss of 80, 000 barrels due to a fire

infrastructure will be resolved this September, but OPEC data showed that the country had already been allocated 1.614 barrels per day for the month.

Due to Nigeria’s inability to meet its quota, in addition to the challenges in Angola, OPEC produced about 10 per cent below its overall quota but kept output from its 13 members at about 27.11 million barrels a day in August.

But Iran, Venezuela, and Libya continue to be excluded from the OPEC production quota deal, which has led to steady stability in the oil market.

In April last year, OPEC and its allies were known as OPEC+ embarked on production cutbacks in a bid to rescue the

global oil industry, which at some point hit the negative territory mainly due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the oil price war between Russia and Saudi Arabia.

If Nigeria, Angola, and other countries are unable to meet production due to a build-up of the technical problems resulting from years of investment constraints and market supply remains in a deficit, countries with spare production capacity, including Saudi Arabia, Iraq, and the United Arab Emirates may be called upon to make up for the shortfall.

OPEC+ had confirmed individual crude production quotas for the 19 countries participating in its ongoing output restraint deal after its

September 1 agreement to a 400,000 bpd increase in its collective output.

Originally set to expire in April 2022, the OPEC+ group's decision to extend the deal allows for more time to unwind the 5.8 million bpd that is still being withheld to be unwound more slowly.

Aside the Minister of State, Petroleum Resources, Chief Timipre Sylva, making a similar appeal when the OPEC Secretary-General, Dr. Sanusi Barkindo, visited him in his office recently, during last week’s meeting of the cartel, Nigeria reiterated its call for a baseline adjustment, which currently stands at 1.829 barrels per day, excluding condensates.

EXECUTIVE FANS...

L-R: Governor, Central Bank of Nigeria, Mr. Godwin Emefiele; Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu; and Minister of Youth and Sports Development, Mr. Sunday Dare, at a World Cup qualification match between the Super Eagles and the Lone Stars of Liberia, at the Teslim Balogun Stadium, Surulere, Lagos…weekend

SECONDUS ASKS APPEAL COURT TO AFFIRM HIS FOUR-YEAR TENURE the suit No HC/240/2021, are: Ibeawuchi Ernest Alex, Dennis Nna Amadi, Emmanuel Stephen and Umezirike Onucha, while the defendants are: Secondus and the PDP. In obedience to the Rivers State High Court order, Secondus abdicated his office and handed over to his deputy, Mr. Yemi Akinwonmi However, his supporters went to a Kebbi State High Court, which issued an interim order directing him to resume office, pending the determination of the substantive suit.

But few hours after respite came his way, another high court in Cross River State ordered him to stop parading himself as the Chairman of the main opposition party The interim order was issued

by Justice Edem Kufre, upon an application brought by a member of the party, Enang Wani, ahead of the PDP NEC meeting.

To ensure that he returns to his desk and also remains in office until the end of his

incident.

In the same vein, Anyala Madu shed 105,000 barrels, Bonny suffered total shut-ins of 335,000 barrels, Ugo Ocha lost 30,000, Okono's shutdown led to the loss of 96,000 barrels, while Sea Eagle lost 750,000 barrels.

Usan shed 585,000 barrels, Brass lost 200,000 barrels, Erha lost 230,000 barrels and Yoho lost a cumulative 280,000 barrels during the month.

Similarly, Agbami lost 630, 000 barrels during the month, Egina lost 70,000 barrels of crude, Pennington shed a total of 195, 000 barrels, while Ima posted a loss of 30,000 barrels in the month under review.

It’s unclear if the current challenges with Nigeria’s oil

tenure, Secondus has asked the appellate court to affirm that his four-year tenure will end on December 9, 2021.

In the appeal filed by his lawyer, Mr. Emeka Etiaba (SAN), the PDP chairman is challenging the order of the Degema High Court in Rivers State and the Calabar High Court in Cross River State.

He argued that Section 59(3) of the PDP constitution clearly stated that the wards or the state executive committee of any state has no powers to suspend any national officer of the party According to him, it is the National Executive Committee (NEC) of the party that has the right to suspend a national officer after he has passed through a disciplinary committee.

He also insisted that the constitution of the party guaranteed that the tenure of any member of the NWC, including the national chairman, is four years, stressing that his tenure will end on December 9.

You Have Reinvented Nigeria Before the World, Fayemi Tells Olu of Warri Sylvester Idowu in Warri The Chairman of Nigerian Governors Forum and Ekiti State Governor, Dr Kayode Fayemi, yesterday commended the Olu of Warri, Ogiame Atuwatse III for reinventing Nigeria in the eyes of the world with his inspiring speech during his coronation.

Fayemi made this remark during a courtesy visit to the monarch in his palace in Warri, Delta State, saying the ascension of Ogiame Atuwatse III was a sign of possibilities for the country.

According to him, we know that it is a sign of what is ahead of us, a sign of the possibilities in our nation. It is a sign that whatever the challenges are – we may be going through the valleys, hills, the meandering lines – what is clear is that this nation is on the path to positive development.

He, therefore, said: “It is my

pleasure and delight to be here before you. You have received over the last two weeks, some individual visits from some of our members notably the governors of Kebbi and Delta States have been here for the thanksgiving.

“All over the world, we have been enthused and honoured as a people. You have re-invented Nigeria in the eyes of the world. For those of us who are Omoluabi from the roots, we thank God for your coronation.

It was most organised.”

“Your ascension is not just an indication of a positive development to happen in the kingdom, it is a positive signal that the best is yet to come in our country. In your reign, all our losses, pride of place as a country will be restored. The peace, the prosperity, development we are all yearning for as a people will come upon us.”

“The insecurity in the land

will become a thing of the past.

We know that this is history in the making. You are not just destined to play this critical role.

This is God ordained “On behalf of all my colleagues that have sent me here even after I spoke on the phone with Your Majesty, I want to reassure you that we will cooperate with this kingdom in whatever way you want us to work with your stool, right from our colleague in Delta State.

“Just call on us, we will support you and do whatever is necessary for this country to progress and this kingdom is respected among the committees of kingdoms in the country.”

“In Ekiti, royalty is very important. As Yoruba people with very strong links to the Itsekiri, we see this as our own celebrations. And I pray that this time will be good times, God has earmarked this kingdom for great good that will spread

across the country. And your time shall be remembered for the positive in many ways,” he prayed.

Ogiame, Atuwatse III, thanked Governor Fayemi for the honour and insights, adding that his speech was actually primarily directed to the Itsekiri nation.

He said: “We pray for peace in the Warri kingdom. When we wrote our speech for the coronation, we focused on Itsekiri.

I said this thing God has done, I humbly submit myself in the service to the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

“We said we were going to redefine the roles of the Olu of Warri. When we put our heads together with the government, the legislators to come up with creative ways to build our people from the grassroots, our women, we want to help the people. We want to create services that will improve not just the Warri kingdom, but the country.”

T H I S D AY, T H E S U N D AY N E W S PA P E R ˾ SEPTEMBER 5, 2021

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EDITORIAL

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

THE NORTH AND THE EDUCATION SPACE Frequent violence in schools poses further threat to the future of children

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or the umpteenth time on Thursday, bandits invaded a public secondary school in Zamfara State to abduct students and their teachers. But apparently to make a statement about their capacity, and dare the authority in the state, they went for a school in Maradun, the hometown of Governor Bello Matawalle. The Police have confirmed that 73 students were abducted, in another terrible blow to the education sector not only in the state but the entire northern region, where many schools have now been closed because of incessant insecurity. In simple term, education is under systemic attack in many of the northern states.

Seven years after 276 schoolgirls were seized from Chibok in Borno State, mass kidnapping of students is increasingly becoming a way of life. In 2018, some criminal gangs abducted 108 schoolgirls from Dapchi before most were eventually returned after a controversial deal in which a Christian girl (Leah Sharibu) was left behind.

Last month, gunmen killed three people at the College of Agriculture and Animal Science in Bakura, Zamfara State, and kidnapped 15 students and four staff in continuation of a wave of mass abductions. Two days later, motorbike-riding bandits snatched eight pupils and a teacher of an Islamic seminary heading home after school at Sakki, Katsina State. As if all these were not bad enough, the Nigerian Defence Academy, the premier military university was invaded by bandits who killed two officers and went away with another.

These targeted attacks on schools, students, and

A generation of children are being deliberately robbed of the right to education, and by extension, their future. And as it stands, the cycle of poverty and violence is being perpetuated

Letters to the Editor

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S U N DAY N E W S PA P E R EDITOR DAVIDSON IRIEKPEN DEPUTY EDITORS FESTUS AKANBI, EJIOFOR ALIKE MANAGING DIRECTOR ENIOLA BELLO DEPUTY MANAGING DIRECTOR ISRAEL IWEGBU CHAIRMAN EDITORIAL BOARD OLUSEGUN ADENIYI EDITOR NATION’S CAPITAL IYOBOSA UWUGIAREN MANAGING EDITOR BOLAJI ADEBIYI THE OMBUDSMAN KAYODE KOMOLAFE

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teachers are widespread and dispiriting.

According to the United Nations, about 950 students had been abducted since December.

An estimated 1,500 schools were destroyed between 2014 and 2018 in a zone in dire need of school infrastructure. As a result of the mass displacements, many children are holed up with their parents in internally displaced camps with limited schooling at most – and with no textbooks and teaching aids. A generation of children are being deliberately robbed of the right to education, and by extension, their future. And as it stands, the cycle of poverty and violence is being perpetuated.

The United Nations Children’s Emergency Fund (UNICEF) has put the number of schoolteachers killed between 2009 and 2020 at 2,295 in the ongoing conflict in the northeastern states of Borno, Adamawa and Yobe.

The Borno Field Officer for UNICEF, Nguyen Phuong, recently said that more than one million children had been forced out of school. The figures of the killed, maimed, held hostage, or displaced will likely double if the Northwest and the North Central are added as they are increasingly drawn into the vortex of violence. Indeed, many schools in the Northwest have been shut down in response to the raging violence ravaging the zones. The students abducted from the Federal Government College, Birnin-Yauri in Kebbi State are spending their third month in captivity while several others from different schools in Kaduna and Niger States are still with kidnappers.

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his climate of fear is further worsening the low level of education and literacy in the north. It has been found that conflict reduces school enrolment as well as years of education. Expectedly, the number of out-of-school children in the country has spiked, put at about 15 million, and mostly from the north. The implication of such a state of affair is implicitly damaging. Education is fundamental to development. And the state of education in the north is increasingly falling into disrepair as safety is central to quality education.

In 2014 the Safe Schools Initiative was launched to counter the growing attacks on the right to education and to build community security groups to promote safe zones for education, consisting of teachers, parents, police, and community leaders. While the initiative has been abandoned, safety is an issue we cannot afford to push to the corner. The school child has the right to life through adequate security in the school environment. We must address the safety and protection of our children.

TO OUR READERS Letters in response to specific publications in THISDAY should be brief (150-200 words) and straight to the point. Interested readers may send such letters along with their contact details to opinion@thisdaylive.com. We also welcome comments and opinions on topical local, national and international issues provided they are well-written and should also not be longer than (950- 1000 words). They should be sent to opinion@thisdaylive.com along with the email address and phone numbers of the writer.

PARIS CLUB PALAVER: SAVE US FROM OUR FRIENDS

rguably, President Muhammadu Buhari’s single most outstanding credential in a morally besmirched landscape, is his personal integrity. At this point in his career he must truly care about this priceless resource. But a threat carrying a direct personal consequence now looms in the horizon. And here it is.

Buhari has reportedly approved the payment of a controversial $418 million in a Paris Club refund related judgement debt to six creditors. In doing this, the president is reported to have turned his back on well -meant objections raised by several lobbies. These platforms include the Nigeria Governors’ Forum, not always known for its high volume and also the

Association of Local Government of Nigeria (ALGON). These groups as well as a rising body of Nigerian opinion have questioned the legitimacy of the payments.

It is now public knowledge that the Federal Ministry of Finance has approved this judgement payment and has requested the Debt Management Office to commence the issuance of promissory notes to the creditors.

The debts had accrued from cumulative court judgements given in favour of the creditors as consultants or contractors.

They claim to have been involved in assisting the state’s and local governments to recover overpayments deducted from their allocations by the federal government between 1995 and 2002 to service the London and Paris Club loans.

Other beneficiaries are also alleged to have carried out certain projects in all the 774 local government areas across the country. These works they say, was done in anticipation of payment.

However, the authenticity of these claims has been widely challenged and, an organisation which ought to know, is in the front ranks of this critical vanguard. They have challenged the parties which seek to make hay from these judgement debts.

Indeed they insist that the consultants are Trojan horses.

They pose as friends but they are in reality enemies who seek to run away with the family purse.

The Nigeria Governors’ Forum too has not been sitting on its arms. Kayode Fayemi, leader of the Forum, has raised

public alarm and has sought a review of the payments. He has indeed called for a forensic audit so that a more transparent payment regime can be established. It is not known if President Buhari has himself been personally apprised of all these developments. But in February, the NEC led by Vice President Yemi Osinbajo as well as all governors and several other top functionaries threw its weight behind the demand for a suspension of payments and the conduct of a forensic audit.

President Buhari is well known for strict concern with propriety when it comes to fiscal matters. Many will be outraged by his insistence on approving the payment of the Paris Club judgement debt. The claims have been challenged widely and many of those involved have made opaque demands.

We are in a period of great challenge.

Our doctors are on strike; citizens are hungry and angry and inflation

threatens to burn up what is left.

President Buhari should not stoke up the flames by paying this controversial judgement debt. It is in the public interest to order a forensic audit.

The president is on his home run.

He has publicly expressed a special concern for his place in history. These last winding down months carry a defining character. The controversial Paris Club payment is sensitive and concerning. The resource belongs to the all Nigerians. But in particular it is a common man resource. It can raise our health infrastructure or be used to make our communities safer. Those who clamour for a stay of execution on this matter, do so because they care for the people and also care for the president’s reputation and believe he can still rescue the chestnuts from the fire. The president must save us from our friends.

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T H I S D AY, T H E S U N D AY N E W S PA P E R ˾ SEPTEMBER 5, 2021

OPINION

PIA AND THE FUTILITY OF HOPE

The new act will not make any appreciable difference on the challenges of the oil and gas sector, argues Greg Tonye

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daydream, I fail in suppressing a chuckle, albeit I remain an optimist.

Simplifying the ‘massive investment logic’, may I add that PIA in itself is not going to sway investment decisions in Nigeria’s direction if the necessary enablers are lacking, and one of these is security. PIA will not stop militancy in the Niger Delta; it won’t deter the massive crude oil theft that is a huge enterprise subscribed to by politicians and their financiers, including some leaders in oil-bearing communities. Rivers State Governor Nyesom Wike had recently added military top brass to the subscribers’ list.

Pause for a moment and ask why leading global energy companies are reconsidering their continued business interests in Nigeria even at a time when the PIA was almost a done deal.

From the giant in their fold, Shell, to Chevron, to Mobil, to Agip, and to Total, they are more of vendors of their controlling interests in Nigeria’s oil blocks than they are of acquirers of new ones. In the last 10 years, for instance, Shell says it has sold over half of the OMLs where it held interests in the Joint Venture arrangement with NNPC, Total and Agip. And, for every exit move by Shell from any block, it’s not a coincidence that other two international oil companies in the Joint Venture – Total and

he Petroleum Industry Act (PIA) is here.

We’re over the hump, right? This piece sees it differently. Popular Nigerian columnist and publisher of The Cable, an online newspaper, Simon Kolawole, did a good job of educating and enlightening those who genuinely do not understand the fiscal elements of the PIA. In a piece titled: “The Triumph of Mischief,” Kolawole also informed those who mischievously distorted the facts in the new legislation. He made the point that not everyone was being fooled by the mischief-makers who tended to serve the PIA as poison in a chalice offered to oil producing states to deny them their entitlement from the natural resources around them. Kolawole’s piece was enough anatomisation of the legislation, and, a word to the wise.

Perhaps a quick clarification is important on profit oil and profit gas which Kolawole described as ‘NNPC’s share of the profit from its production sharing contracts (PSCs) after the contractor — the provider of finance and expertise — has taken the bulk.’ Contrarily, the government, through the national oil company, the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), corners the bulk through royalty oil and tax oil, both of which are deducted from the revenue before profit oil and profit gas are shared among the parties.

So, by the time the relevant tax agencies finish the feast on the revenue what is left as net profit oil and profit gas for the operator is a fraction, yes, a tiny fraction, of what accrues to government.

That said, hopes and hopes are hinged on the PIA. With the enactment of PIA, we’re being fed with a sense of boom and bliss. The legislation is presented as the silver bullet that will address all the issues, acrimonies and challenges in the Nigerian oil and gas sector. I’ll examine the most ambitious and critical of these hopes – multibillion dollar Foreign Direct Investment to develop Nigeria’s oil and gas resources and grow the economy.

President Muhammadu Buhari and the NNPC are united in the wild imagination that but for the delay in the passage of the PIA, some $50billion investment should have happened in the country in the last 10 years. So, with the enactment of the legislation, they are quick to jump into a frenzy of impending windfalls of petrodollars. Each time I read this

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Agip – follow suit, instanter. Scratch not your head for the systematic shrink in IOCs’ interests in Nigeria. The Group CEO of Royal Dutch Shell has the answer. At the last annual general meeting of the company, Ben van Beurden said, “Over the last 10 years we have reduced the total number of licenses in onshore Nigeria by half. But unfortunately, our remaining onshore oil operations continue to be subject to sabotage and theft… This means that the balance of risk and reward associated with our onshore oil portfolio in Nigeria is no longer compatible with our strategic ambitions. Because of this, we have started discussions with the Nigerian government to align on a way to move forward.”

Beurden’s frustration is just one of the issues that the PIA will not address while the hope of El Dorado in the Niger Delta remains a chimera. Community issues won’t go away with the Host Community Development Trust Fund.

For instance, how will the PIA stop the bizarre situation in Belema, Rivers State, where some community members, reportedly sponsored by a highly- connected individual, took over an oil producing critical national asset, chased out the staff and contractors of the operator, and have remained in occupation of the facility for over four years, insisting that the asset must be sold to their financier or no deal? This act of lawlessness denies the country tens of thousands of barrels of oil per day and the best the government has done was to direct the facility operator to negotiate with the group’s financier to repossess the facility. It will therefore be nothing but a ridiculous fallacy to assume that the host community fund solution is a panacea for community issues. Added to that is the fact that the default but unrealistic expectation of direct cash benefit to individual oil bearing locals from the fund will only fuel conflicts, distrust and disruptions of exploration activities. The risks this will pose to oil companies may be more daunting than any business case for investment can override.

In the ecstatic wait for the billions of petrodollars is yet another issue that the PIA has rather than addressed, diminished unthinkingly.

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WITNESS TO THE WESTERN REGION CRISIS writes that ‘And the West Went Wide’ holds lessons for Nigeria

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seemingly innocuous spark in an otherwise isolated part of a nation can change the course of history.

Nigerian history as we have it today owes its shape to the handling or mishandling of the Action Group crisis of the early 1960s. The initial crisis led to a chain of events culminating to the Nigeria/Biafra war and the deeply polarized and wounded nation such as we have today. “May you live in interesting times,” is a twice-told charge; and thus Chief Simeon Olatunde Oloko found himself through forces beyond his control to be in the epicenter as a witness of the events that reshaped Nigerian history. Born at Agodi in Ibadan, the author who studied at the esteemed London School of Economics and Political Science, and was called to the bar of Inner Temple in 1958, served as secretary of the pivotal Western Nigeria Development Corporation (WNDC) from the vantage point of which he lived through the manifold crises that bedeviled the old Western Region and Nigeria.

According to Chief Oloko, in his book, …And the West Went Wild (Aftermath of the Action Group Party Crisis of 1961/1962), “One of the questions I try to find answer to in this book is how the Western Region, the foremost, the wealthiest, and the most dynamic of the three regions that made up the country at that time became a political football and object of derision and contempt by those that thitherto used to look up to her as a model. Was it merely a failure of management leadership or a mismatch of economic and political variables? Might events not have turned out differently if the resources of the region had been better husbanded and the cart not put before the horse? Was it just a coincidence that the crisis broke out at the time the region was broke? What lesson in human management and control of resources can the future generation learn from the catastrophic events that plagued the region?”

The author answers these questions and more. Even as he stresses that a greater part of the book came from memory and personal recollection, Chief Oloko assures that as much as possible memory slips had to be guarded against through crosschecking with other living witnesses and newspaper records. A good chunk of the book is made up of actual court judgments such as Chief Obafemi Awolowo’s treasonable felony trials and government commissions like the Coker Commission of Inquiry.

“Nigeria has so often been described as a mere geographical expression,” writes the author who goes on to assert that “Nigeria is a creation and victim of British imperialism, an administrative contrivance to suit the whims and caprices of Frederick

Lugard….” He iterates the early nationalist movement as championed by Herbert Macaulay and Nnamdi Azikiwe and deposes: “Dr Azikiwe was not cast in the mould of a regional leader as he had always seen himself as a federalist. Chief Awolowo was at that time a regionalist, a tribal leader who owed his leadership to a pan-Yoruba cultural group known as the Egbe Omo Oduduwa. Sir Ahmadu Bello distrusted them both and wanted the north to develop at its own pace without any pressure from what he considered as the radical south.”

The 1951 election to usher in internal self-government for the regions brought with it the spectre of carpet-crossing based on tribal linkages, and Chief Oloko writes: “The NCNC and its allies did very well at the polls, but between the time the results were declared and the first sitting of the House of Assembly, the picture changed miraculously.” Adegoke Adelabu was the only man left standing in Zik’s corner at the NCNC while Adisa Akinloye led others to cross carpet into Awo’s Action Group. Zik perforce left the West to oust the Eyo Ita regime in the East, and the old nation was thus divided along the tribal lines of the major ethnic groups and the marginalized minorities.

It was in 1959 that Chief Oloko was employed as Senior Assistant Secretary (Legal) of the WNDC and, according to him, “had I gone back into legal practice and left the WNDC, I would not have been able to witness at close quarters the cataclysm which engulfed the western region not long after and which is the main subject of this book. The WNDC was a good vantage point from which to see all that was going on in the western Region. It was the economic hub of the region, the region’s window to the business world. The top political party men were all there either as executive directors, board members or representatives in associated companies.”

The book is rendered in chapters that overlap with headings such as: Chief Obafemi Awolowo; Chief Samuel Ladoke Akintola; the National Investment and Property Company; Chief Mrs H.I.D Awolowo & Faderera Akintola; the Action Group Crisis of 1962; State of Emergency 1962; the Coker Commission of Inquiry; Chief Akintola’s Government; the Treasonable Felony Trial; the NNDP Government and the Aftermath; Treasonable Felony – Extracts from Proceedings; the 1965 Western Regional Election; the 1966 Military Coup and Beyond; the Release of Chief Awolowo from Prison; the Nigeria of Tomorrow; and Nigeria’s Leadership. As can be seen from the titles of the chapters, Chief Oloko tackles

well-known, if controversial, issues in Nigerian history. What he brings to bear on them is bold and fresh personal insight.

“Writing on the Action Group is tantamount to writing on Awolowo,” asserts the author, adding, “The Action Group was his party to which he invited others to join. The Party and Chief Awolowo were two sides of the same coin.”

Chief Oloko cites the disparaging saying by some that “the Action Group was a tribal political party formed by Chief Awolowo to propel him to the leadership of Nigeria.” Awo carried a messianic aura on behalf of the Yorubas who were “affronted by the Igbos boasting that their domination of Nigeria was a matter of time.” Chief Oloko admits that Awo was not Zik’s match at the national level, though a particular poem “If we must die let it not be like hogs…” which he attributes to Zik was actually written by the African-American Claude McKay! Awo was venerated to the extent that Chief Alfred Rewane who was the author’s boss always took off his cap whenever talking to the sage on phone! Others such as Chief S.O. Awokoya who fell out of Awo’s grace were summarily discarded. The Action Group led by Awo “believed fervently in the power of money.” The chieftains controlled all the business pies, notably Dr Akinola Maja, Chief S.O. Gbadamosi, Chief S.O. Shonibare, Chief Rewane, Dr Doherty, etc.

Chief Akintola, as Awo’s deputy, fell into trouble with the leader in the field of undiluted loyalty. The author believes that the Action Group crisis could have been averted if Awo had remained in the West and left his subaltern Akintola to fight the elections at the centre as Ahmadu Bello did with Sir Abubakar Tafawa Balewa in the north. Just as Awo had a powerful wife in HID, Akintola had an equally powerful missus in Faderera who would not submit to further humiliation of his husband by the leader. Akintola found allies in the north. Awo had to undergo the Coker Commission of Inquiry and the treasonable felony trial and was eventually jailed even as Justice Mbanefo wrote a minority judgment that cast a smear on the process. Awo was thus propelled to the realm of martyrdom. t 6[PBUV JT B KPVSOBMJTU BOE QPFU

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T H I S D AY, T H E S U N D AY N E W S PA P E R ˾ SEPTEMBER 5, 2021

15

LETTERS

ABUJA'S ONGOING DEMOLITION EXERCISES

T

he Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja recently witnessed a flurry of demolition activities carried out by the task team on city sanitation.

Some of the areas affected by the demolition exercises include the areas around Lugbe Across, Lugbe-Berger, Car Wash, Lugbe Zone 5, Iddo and other settlements and villages along GiriGwagwalada road close to University of Abuja.

Also affected is the Illegal Market at Yarkasuwa 6th Avenue in Gwarinpa, among others.

The decision to carry out these demolition activities must have been a very difficult one for the FCT Administration due to the discomfort it has inevitably brought to the affected persons.

But the truth must be said that those whose structures were pulled down also share in the blame.

As have been enunciated time and time again, Abuja the Federal Capital Territory is a creation of law. The city was created specifically 45 years ago by its founding fathers to cater for the needs of the country and to prevent a repeat of what happened in the old capital of Lagos State. That is why whatever is done in Abuja is done according to the law.

The infrastructure, the city planning, the traffic and building regulations, are all very clearly spelt out in the extant laws of the FCT. Unfortunately, the increasing influx of people into the FCT to either seek greener pastures or escape from the conflicts and unrest in other parts of the country, has brought with it the ugly consequences of proliferation of urban slums.

Consequently, virtually all sections of the city today are grappling with the problem of unplanned and unsightly settlements. From Lugbe, to Gwarinpa, to Apo, to Kabusa, Mpape, Jahi, Durumi, Asokoro to name a few, are all negatively impacted by squatter settlements.

Sadly, these settlements neither conform with the Abuja’s master plan nor the city’s development control regulations.

What you have in Abuja are residents approaching the local chiefs to illegally acquire land and erect structures in flagrant violation of the Abuja master plan.

Today, the illegal settlements and problems associated with them are daily on the increase.

In the case of Mpape, it was reported that the Landlord Association petitioned the FCT Administration where they made a passionate appeal to the

FCT minister to come to their aid and remove the illegal structures that are making life unbearable for them.

Intelligence information also indicate that these illegal settlements are responsible for the increasing crime and criminality, traffic snarls, vandalism of public infrastructure, prostitution, kidnapping, armed banditry among other vices that have become more visible in the FCT. The FCT also recently experienced an outbreak of cholera disease which medical experts blamed on the unhygienic conditions found mostly in these illegal settlements, ranging from open sewages, open defecation, stagnant waters,

huge piles of refuse dumps, contamination of drinking waters, among others.

All these issues no doubt have brought to the fore the inevitability of these demolition exercises. As the FCT Administration, through its minister recently explained, Abuja is currently at a tipping point where the city could be lost completely if nothing is done to reverse this trend.

The minister also disclosed that the city has exceeded all expectations in terms of the indices of development projected by its founding fathers.

From availableinformation, it was expected that the city would have a population of two million people at the current stage

ONLY THE TRUTH CAN SET NIGERIA FREE

F

rom the pre-independence period, through the years of parliamentary rule traversing the series of military jackboot dictatorships up till the current selfserving governance cloaked as a pseudo-democracy, Nigeria’s political trajectory has been replete with the recurring battle between the forces of darkness and light; of falsehood and of truth. But no matter how long it might seem, how tortuous the path has been for the beacon bearers, light has always triumphed over darkness.

For instance, back in 1946 nationalists such as Herbert Macaulay, Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe, Dr. Olorun-Nimbe, Michael Imoudu, A. O. Omage and Oged Macaulay (Herbert’s son) embarked on a nation-wide tour.

They wanted to obtain the mandate of Nigerians and solicit for funds to send a delegation to London. The noble and patriotic aim was to protest against the Governor Richard Constitution and ‘’the obnoxious bills which sought to degrade Nigerian chiefs to imperialist marionettes under the use of ‘Indirect Rule’ and alienate the people’s land and minerals to the British Crown.’’

As aptly captured by Mokwugo Okoye in his eye-opening masterpiece of enduring history of Nigeria ‘Storms on the Niger’, ‘’wild enthusiasm met them everywhere they went and at the

end of December, 1946 they had bagged £13,481 for their mission’’. By then the NCNC boasted of a robust council membership of some 180 organizations, tribal unions, youth and cultural associations that represented six million Nigerians. Though Macaulay died in the course of the struggle and Zik took over the headship of the NCNC, the battle against indirect rule as well as land grabbing by the colonialists was eventually won.

If perhaps, 75 years after those historic protests, you as a Nigerian citizen still cannot understand the firm positions of Governors Samuel Ortom of Benue State, Rotimi Akeredolu of Ondo State and Nyesom Wike of Rivers State against open-cattle grazing

by Fulani herders, you need to go back to study Nigeria’s intriguing history. And if you are still at sea as to the patriots’ rage against the controversial RUGA in the 21st Century Nigeria; against those being hounded and hunted out of their homeland by foreign armed bandits, you need to understand where we are coming from as a people. And of course, where some political leaders with ‘vaulting ambitions’, are planning to take us to, regardless of how many innocent lives are lost! But the voice of truth has to stand up and say ‘’no!’’ against all their intimidation and might.

That brings to the public sphere the recent vexations of Gov. Ortom on the

state of gross insecurity in the country. He stated with uncommon candour that: ‘’Nigerians are being kidnapped for ransom, raped, maimed and killed in their hundreds and Buhari’s government has no coherent response… Life has become worthless under Buhari’s watch and he must be called out because the buck stops at his table.’’

As expected, the presidency is outraged by his audacity to speak the truth to power. Even some of his people in Benue State - one of Nigeria’s killing fields - are calling him names; that he has crossed the boundary of verbal decency. But the burning question remains: Has Ortom said it as it is, or is he fabricating lies? The answer, sad to say, is right before us all.

If we consider Ortom’s onslaught against the Fulani race as inciting tribal bigotry, how do we describe the threat by the Emir of Muri, Abbas Tafida, a Fulani man who gave a 30-day ultimatum to the bandits to leave the forests? They were once given entry to the lush green lands for cattle rearing but turned them into the theatre of the absurd. That is, for acts of rape of defenceless women, kidnapping for ransom and killings of fellow Fulani men and women. But that is not all.

How do we explain the scary scenario of Katsina, the home state of the President that has become so unsafe

that Governor Bello Masari has declared the closure of some highways, markets and routes to some border villages? With all due respect, this is the same state governor who has openly supported amnesty for terrorists and whose photographs with some of their fully armed members went viral on the social media! He has in recent times praised the president as the best Nigeria ever had.

But on the other hand he is currently calling on his kinsmen to arm themselves to the teeth to battle the insurgents and bandits! We may need another definition of contradictions.

That brings to mind the pertinent question: Why is everyone afraid to tell the president the truth, bitter as it may taste? Rather, some of his ardent supporters, erroneously equate his interests to that of the nation. They even see him as a saint- as the man who never does any wrong. They praise him to the highest heavens! But the wise ones say that: ‘’a true friend is that person who would tell you the truth at the risk of losing your friendship’’. So, where are those friends as at this day? If they exist they should remind him that my people say that, ‘’a leader is like a dustbin and should be ready to accommodate every debris’’.

t "ZP 0ZP[F #BKF -BHPT

of development. However today, Abuja is home to over 6 million people. This huge and rapidly expanding population has outpaced the rate at which infrastructure can be provided, hence the proliferation of urban slums.

It is the fear of many that the rate at which the slums are expanding, it is only a matter of time before a breakdown of law and order in the FCT ensues.

This is one of the main challenges that the FCT Administration is currently facing, how to continue to cater for a city and a territory that is increasing at an alarming rate and the problems that have come with it.

As the FCT Minister also explained, a city is like a human being. It needs to be rejuvenated, protected and taken care of. Once a disease enters a city, it reaches a point where you can’t reverse it.

Painful as the demolition exercises might seem, Abuja residents and other Nigerians should try to

understand that the nation’s capital is the city for all Nigerians, including those in the executive, those in the judiciary, businessmen, artisans, among others and there is need to protect the sanctity of the master plan.

If efforts are not made to fight and save the city through enforcement of regulations, then all the reasons that were advanced for moving the federal capital from Lagos to Abuja and the gains made so far would be lost completely.

That’s why it is very important for all stakeholders, including residents, the National Assembly, the security agencies and other Nigerians to really look at the issue beyond just individuals and give their support to the FCT Administration. There is need to have a holistic look at why this city was created in order to have a better understanding of the ongoing demolition of illegal settlements. t %BOMBEJ "LJMV (VEV %JTUSJDU "CVKB

PETROLEUM INDUSTRY ACT AND PARALYSIS OF PERCEPTION

F

or many years, the Petroleum Industry Bill became in the National Assembly the battle line across which stood familiar ethnic warriors cheered on by their people who saw in the bill a historic opportunity to look out for their own interests and nothing more.

There was always something to hold back the bill from hurtling over the line of passage, and always something to keep it from complete rejection. There was always the startling lack of clarity about key areas of the bill and the sweltering controversy about whether it was ultimately in the best interest of Nigerians, especially the long suffering people of the Niger Delta, or a particular section of the country which seems to have perfected the art of reaping from where it did not sow.

Before the advent of law which is recognized as a social contract, and instrument of social engineering, to make the affairs of the society smoother, life in the words of Hobbes was nasty, brutish and short. Law came as a great equalizer, a soothing balm for festering wounds. Law came as the great tiebreaker in the various conflicts which necessarily assail human existence.

But it has never been enough that legislations are passed in any society.

What has been of even more critical importance is that those laws are obeyed from the highest rungs of a society to its lowest rungs. It Informs the entire idea of the rule of law and its prescription that

the law must be supreme at all times and extract supreme subservience from everyone in the society.

Nigeria`s experience with the law has been bittersweet.

The country gained independence in 1960 but erupted into Civil War seven years later. The military, largely to blame for the country`s teething problems would make hugely harmful intrusions into the governance of the country until 1999 when Nigeria returned to democracy. Since then, the rule of law in the country has yet to take a sound footing.

The long-suffering people of the Niger Delta were to discover that all that glitters is not gold soon after oil was discovered in their land. In intervening years, ruthless oil exploration which has calamitously abandoned the golden goose that lays the golden eggs has left the region on the brink of extinction.

Its waters are polluted.

Life has been sucked out of its soil. Even the air its people breath is laden with lethal pollutants. The Niger Delta equation in Nigeria`s oil politics has always been a question of justice.

Thus, the Petroleum Industry Bill which was to overhaul the oil and gas sector was stymied for a decade over concerns it would deal an unfair hand to the people of the Niger Delta. Now that it has finally got over the line with the assent of President Muhammadu Buhari, the concerns are about to flare into a conflagration of chaos. t ,FOF 0CJF[V "CVKB Read the full article online - www. thisdaylive.com

16

SUNDAY SEPTEMBER 5, 2021 • T H I S D AY

17

THISDAY, THE SUNDAY NEWSPAPER SEPTEMBER 5, 2021

BUSINESS

Editor: Festus Akanbi 08038588469 Email:festus.akanbi@thisdaylive.com

Judgment on VAT as Triggers for Agitation for Restructuring As the nation awaits the Court of Appeal ruling against the judgment of the Federal High Court, Port Harcourt, which conferred the right to collect the Value Added Tax (VAT) on the Rivers State government, economic watchers say the emerging scenarios are reinforcing the call for the restructuring of revenue sharing in the country, reports Festus Akanbi

R

eactions over the August 9, 2021 court victory invalidating the right of the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) to collect ValueAdded Tax (VAT) and Personal Income Tax (PIT) in Rivers State have continued to pour in, almost a month after the controversial judgment.

Delivering judgment in suit No. FHC/PH/ CS/1 9/2020, Àled Ey the stateAttorney-*eneral for Rivers State, against the FIRS and theAttorney*eneral of the Federation, the court presided over Ey -ustice Stephen Dalyop Pam of the Federal High Court, Port Harcourt ruled that the Rivers State government,nottheFederalInlandRevenueService (FIRS)hastherighttocollectValueAddedTax(VAT) and Personal Income Tax (PIT) in Rivers State.

-ustice Pam also issued an order of perpetual injunction restraining the FIRS and the Attorney*eneral of the Federation, Eoth Àrst and second defendants in the suit, from collecting, demanding, threatening and intimidating residents of Rivers StatetopaytoFIRS,personnelincometax,andVAT. A Chain of Events 0eanZhile,inaEidtoputastampofauthorityon the judgment, the Rivers State *overnor, Nyesom Wike has signed the Valued Added Tax Law No. 4 of 2021 into law.

Wike maintained that the verdict of the Federal High Court had su΀ciently addressed the illegality perpetrated Ey the FIRS. He claimed that when agencies of the federal government are allowed to illegally demand and collect taxes meant for states, they strangulate the state Ànancially and turn them to Ee Eeggars.

While the Chartered Institute of Taxation of Nigeria (CITN) has explained it is reviewing the situation, the Federal Inland Revenue Service is engaging the Lagos State *overnment on the need to maintain the status quo till the determination of the appeal instituted Ey the FIRS. The FIRS did not stop at appealing the judgment, it further read a RiotAct to any taxpayer who stops the payment of VAT and other taxes to the FIRS covers pending the determination of the appeal Àled against the Rivers State High Court judgment. ´As the decision is Eeing appealed and given the pending applications for injunction and stay of execution which the FIRS has Àled in court against the judgment, memEers of the puElic are advised to continue to comply with the Value Added Tax oEligations until the matter is resolved Ey the appellate courts to avoid accruing the consequent penalties and interest for non-compliance,” the FIRS said in a statement.

Executive Chairman, FIRS, Muhammed Nami, made this known in a letter dated August 24 and addressed to Moyosore 2nigEanjo, the attorney general and commissioner for justice in Lagos state.

The Lagos State government had directed the FIRS to stop issuing demand notices for payment of VAT in the state and to render accounts, within seven days, of all sums collected as VAT in the current accounting circle in the state.

The state government premised its demands on the decision of the federal high court in Port Harcourt, Rivers State.

Mobilisation for Legal Battle While the Nigerian puElic awaits the determination of the appeal, tax practitioners, economic analysts, and frontline lawyer, Femi Falana, Eelieve the Rivers judgment will serve as a tonic to the campaignforeconomicrestructuringinthecountry.

Falana explained that the judgment of the Federal High Court was consistent with Items 58 and 59 of Part 1 of the Second Schedule of the 1999 Constitution, which according to him, did

Lead counsel to Government of Rivers State, Donald Chika Denwigwe, SAN, (middle); member of the counsel, Ken C.O. Njemanze, SAN (left) and another member briefing journalists after the Federal High Court declared FIRS collection of Value Added Tax in Rivers State unconstitutional in Port Harcourt…on Monday, August 9, 2021

not encompass the VAT or consumption taxes.

The SeniorAdvocate of Nigeria also considered the favouraEle judgment as a clarion call for other states of the federation to Àle applications to join the case at the Court of Appeal as interested parties to defend the judgment of the Federal High Court.

Falana pointed out that Eecause of the valid and suEsisting judgment of the Federal High Court, the Rivers State Value Added Tax Law No. 4 of 2021, “has not impugned any provision of the 1999 Constitution (as amended).”

The senior advocate explained that the judgment of the federal high court, “has conÀrmed the struggle for restructuring via litigation. That means that the judgment will strengthen the campaign for restructuring.”

Falana also oEserved that the judgment, “has a lot of implications for the dwindling revenue of the state and local governments across the federation,” which according to him, reinforced the call for other state governments to join the suit at the appellate court.

“VAT was increased from Àve per cent to .5 per cent last year Ey the National AssemEly. Right now, VAT collected is Eetween N1.5 trillion and N1.8 trillion per annum.”

A foremost tax consultant, who is also the Fiscal Policy Partner and Africa Tax Leader at PwC, Mr. Taiwo Oyedele, said a likely scenario if Rivers State court victory is upheld will Ee such that will give states where such VAT is generated an upper hand in the allocation of VAT proceeds.

Speaking on a television programmemonitored in Lagos last week, Oyedele said what it means, for instance, is that states which forEid the sale of certain products in their domains will not stand to EeneÀt from the tax paid on such products.

Watchers of the unfolding scenario explained that irrespective of what happens in days to come, the fact is that the Rivers State·s victory is Eound to trigger more legal Eattles Eetween the states and the federal government, especially on issues Eordering on the revenue sharing formula.

Like Rivers, Like Other States Responding to the Erewing controversies, the foremost tax audit Àrm, PwC Nigeria stated, “If the judgment is enforced or upheld on appeal, it will apply to other states and not just Rivers State. This means each state would administer VAT within their territory. By implication, FIRS will administer VAT within the FCT and non-import foreign VAT, while the Nigeria Customs Service will collect import VAT on international trade.”

The judgment on paper is likely to favour state and local governments who currently receive 5 of the revenues generated from VAT. However, this may not Ee the case.

Sifting the :heat froP the Cha; However, a recent PWC report explained that the judgment, if upheld Ey a higher court, could spell doom for some states which currently do not generate enough economic activities to Eoost their VAT numEers. According to PWC, states such as Lagos, Rivers, and .ano might just Ee the only EeneÀciaries of this ruling, considering the signiÀcant level of economic activity in the states that can generate high VAT revenues.

The auditing Àrm Eelieves that a few states like Kano, Rivers, Oyo, Kaduna, Delta, and Katsina may experience minimal impact, while at least 30 states account for less than 20 of VAT collection will suͿer signiÀcant revenue decline.

It is Eelieved the federal government may Ee Eetter oͿ, given that FCT generates the secondhighest VAT (after Lagos) in addition to import and non-import foreign VAT. Dissenting Voices It is in the light of this that one understands the opposition of the Katsina State *overnor, Alhaji Aminu Bello Masari to the victory of the Rivers State government.

He descriEed the Federal High Court judgment as capaEle of causing chaos across the states of the federation, vowing that, “we will resist its implementation.”

Masari spoke when a delegation from the Revenue MoEilisation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC) paid him a sensitisation visit at the *overnment House.

According to Masari, “We have heard the judgment of the state High Court in Rivers and we have appealed against that judgment.

“It means people will Eegin to pay douEle VAT Eecause if you pay VAT in Kano, at the point of departure it means when you come to Katsina you pay another VAT. “If you pay VAT in Lagos it means you also pay VAT all along the way until you reach your destination.

“II will Ering a lot of Eurden on the people. That judgment is not fair. “It is other parts of the country that make Lagos and Rivers states what they are.

“We have to work together as a nation and come up with something that will work for all of us.”

VAT, the Golden Eggs Experts were not surprised that VAT was the focus of the legal Eattle, given the sheer amount of money it currently generates to the federal government for onward distriEution among the three tiers of government.

VAT has since its introduction in 1993 continued to Ee one of the most staEle and highest yielding sources of tax revenues for the federation account. In the second quarter of 2021, VAT collections rose Ey 5 per cent to N512 Eillion from N32 Eillion in the corresponding period of 2020, a relief to cash-strapped states who pocket 50 per cent of VAT collected.

The judgment could set the precedent for other states to push for the collection of VAT and PIT in their states.

Experts Eelieved that the Federal High Court·s decision Erings far-reaching consequences ²ranging from renewing discussions around revenue sharing formula to the possiEility of aggressive taxpayers challenging the powers of the FIRS to collect VAT from them.

18

THISDAY, THE SUNDAY NEWSPAPER SEPTEMBER 5, 2021

BANKING

Atuche: Stripped of Spoils of Office As the court stripped former Managing Director of the defunct Bank PHB, Francis Atuche of proceeds of funds stolen from the bank in a landmark judgment, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission may have sent a strong warning to chief executives of banks and other public quoted companies about its resolve to pursue its anti-crime war to a logical conclusion, no matter how long it takes, reports Festus Akanbi

I

t was Douglas Horton, an American Protestant clergyman and academic leader, who lived between 1891 and 1968, that succinctly captured the stark reality of a fall from a position of grace with his popular quote, “To hit bottom is to fall from grace.”

For the convicted former Group Managing Director of the defunct Bank PHB, Mr. Francis Atuche, it’s a devastating fall from grace when a Lagos State High Court in Ikeja, last Thursday froze his assets and funds to the tune of N19,178,253,050 allegedly kept in 24 banks.

With the judgment, Atuche has been stripped of all the cash and assets stolen from the bank where he presided as chief executive between 2007 and 2008. His pleas could not save him from the court hammer just like his co-traveller in the stealing binge, Mr. Ugo Anyanwu, a former Chief Financial O΀cer of the bank, who has since been sent to jail.

The two were in June this year, convicted on at least six of a 27-count amended charge of conspiracy to commit a felony and stealing brought against them by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

While Atuche who was found guilty on counts 1, 3, 5, 7, 9, and 23 of the charge would serve a 6-year term for each count, Anyanwu will serve a 4-year jail term for counts 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 11, 22 and 24 of the amended charge.

They are to serve their jail term consecutively. This sentence is coming after a trial that lasted over 12 years.

In delivering her sentence, Justice Okunnu held that the EFCC successfully proved its case against the convicts beyond a reasonable doubt.

Gone with the Winds Consequently, his assets and funds in the following banks were frozen: Access Bank Plc, Citi Bank Ltd, Ecobank Nigeria Ltd, Fidelity Bank Nigeria Plc, First Bank of Nigeria Ltd, First City Monument Bank, and Globus Bank Ltd. The list also includes Guaranty Trust Bank Plc, Heritage Bank Ltd, Keystone Bank Ltd, Lotus Bank Ltd, Mainstreet Bank Plc, Polaris Bank Plc, Platinum Mortgage Bank Ltd, Providus Bank Ltd, and Stanbic IBTC Nigeria Ltd. The rest are Standard Chartered Bank, Sterling Bank Plc, Titan Trust Bank Ltd, Union Bank of Nigeria Plc, United Bank For Africa Plc, Unity Bank Plc, Wema Bank Plc, and Zenith Bank Plc. Justice Lateefat Okunnu made the order sequel to an August 17 application by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) in Charge No. ID/1549/2011 between the federal government on the one hand and Atuche and Ugo Anyanwu as Àrst and 2nd defendants.

Justice Okunnu, while sentencing Atuche and Anyawu, recently, had ordered that they should make restitution of the N25.7billion to the federal government to replace the funds stolen from the public to bail out the bank.

The EFCC team led by Kemi Pinheiro (SAN), had in 2011, charged Atuche; his wife, Elizabeth, and Anyawu with a 27-count charge of conspiracy and stealing of N25.7 billion belonging to Bank PHB via Àctitious loans and shares.

Atuche and his spouse were accused of fraudulent conversion of money described as bank loans.

The EFCC said that the couple diverted funds belonging to the bank by buying shares for Àctitious companies linked to them.

Anyanwu on the other hand, was accused of using his position as the bank’s CFO to

Atuche

aid Atuche in committing the crimes.

The anti-graft agency said that the trio stole more than N25.7 billion belonging to the defunct Bank PHB (now Keystone Bank) between November 2007 and April 2008, while Mr. Atuche was the chief executive o΀cer.

Fallen from Grace When it dawned on the former bank chief that his initial grandstanding would take him to nowhere as far as the criminal case against him was concerned, he decided to appeal for leniency when the case came up in June this year, claiming that never at any material time did it occur to him that he would set up a scheme to defraud the bank.

“I plead for mercy, leniency, your kindness, and I plead that out of your kindness and generosity, you will not allow me to go to jail. I am sorry and remorseful,” he said.

Atuche told the court that as a professional banker and chartered accountant, he certainly did not want to become a convict.

“I pray that God will place in your heart to be kind. I plead from the bottom of my heart. I’m extremely sorry; today will be a turning point in my life, I’m very sorry,” he said.

As the EFCC continued to turn the heat against him, the disgraced bank chief broke down and said: “What I achieved in the banking industry is by stint of hard

work. I have suͿered in the last 10 years of this trial.

“I am sorry if I was appearing cocky in the witness box during my examinationin-chief.

“I have two kids who are barely teenagers. They look up to their father, and I wonder what kind of impact this will have on them.”

Day of Reckoning Banking industry aͿairs commentators described the judgment as a day of reckoning for Atuche. They pointed out that with the seizure of his entire assets and life savings in Nigeria and overseas, there is no doubt that the EFCC was sending a serious warning to bank chiefs with potential criminal tendencies that a nemesis must surely catch up with them.

Beyond the material losses, analysts doubt if the indicted individuals can ever be trusted again in any corporate environment, both in Nigeria and abroad with the landmark judgment that left them with nothing to hold back unto.

Barred from Proceeds of Financial Crimes In the latest judgment, the judge granted the agency’s 12 prayers pursuant to sections 6(d), 20, 24, 26(1), 30, and 34(1) of the EFCC Act and sections 290, 294, and 297 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Law 2015, Àled by the

prosecution counsel led by Pinheiro.

Justice Okunnu held: “An order is made restraining the 1st defendant (Atuche) whether by himself or acting through the persons or entities listed or such other persons including but not limited to his family members or agents, from removing, alienating, disposing of, dealing with or diminishing the value of assets, proceeds of economic and Ànancial crimes or otherwise in the name of the 1st defendant…”

She noted that the assets or funds included those held indirectly by or for Atuche’s beneÀt, whether solely or jointly held, that is located in Nigeria or worldwide.

The judge further froze any bank account being run and operated by Atuche “personally or jointly, whether in his name or otherwise or with the Bank VeriÀcation Number: 22295357230 in any of the respondent banks to the tune of N19,178, 253, 050.00 only, pursuant to the restitution order made by this honourable court on the 16 day of June 2021.”

She barred Atuche and his privies – including his lawyers – from presenting to the respondent banks any mandate or instruction for the withdrawal of any money and/or funds standing to the credit of any of their accounts to the tune of N19,178,253,050.

In another order, she restrained the banks from honouring any such instruction from Atuche and his privies.

The judge added: “A mandatory order of injunction is made directing the named respondent banks to Àle within 48 hours of service of this order of this honourable court on their returns of the Statements of Account of the 1st defendant (personally or jointly) whether in his name or otherwise or with the Bank VeriÀcation Number: 22295357230 and the accounts of persons and entities listed in the aforementioned Schedules A and B maintained with them…

“A further order is made directing service of the order made herein on persons aͿected thereby including in particular, the persons and entities listed in Schedules A and B. by way of advertisement in either The Punch or THISDAY or The Guardian newspaper.

According to the EFCC, 15 persons were used as a front by Atuche to launder the funds.

They are: Anthony Atuche, Emeka Patrick Atuche, Paul Okobi, Felix Oyiana, Moruf Kazeem Adisa, Olatunji Abiodun, Daniel Enebeli, Aina Olugbenga, Augustine Nwabueze, Omonua Benedict, Oliver King Nduaaron, Dr Chris Ike Ogbechie, Mr Murat Bektaslar, Attah Omataikpo Olukemi and Thomas Etuh.

The EFCC said all the oͿences were committed between April and September 2008.

On the same day, Elizabeth Atuche was arraigned before another judge, Lateefah Okunnu, on a three-count charge of conspiracy and stealing. She was accused of fraud totalling N11.4 billion “being property of Bank PHB Plc by fraudulently converting the proceeds of several illegal loans for the acquisition of 337,500, 000 units of Bank PHB Plc shares on behalf of Ghazali Yakubu Investment Ltd. and AFCO Associates Limited.”

During Mrs Atuche’s bail hearing, her lawyers pleaded for the judge to allow her to remain in EFCC custody to enable her three young children to visit her regularly.

The judge declined the request, ordering that she be remanded in prison until she fulfils her bail conditions: two sureties who must deposit N100 million and also possess a landed property worth N25 million in Lagos.

Certainly, Atuche would have wished to turn back the hands of the clock, but it’s too as the Thursday judgment has set him many years behind.

19

THISDAY, THE SUNDAY NEWSPAPER SEPTEMBER 5, 2021

BANKING

Zenith Bank’s 2021 H1 Result Excites Shareholders Zenith Bank’s half-year audited results for the Ànancial year ended June 30, 2021, which has been described as very impressive, has again vindicated shareholders and Ànancial analysts who described the bank’s model as a good template for proÀtable businesses in a recovering economy like ours, reports Festus Akanbi

Zenith Bank building, Lagos

L

ast week’s release of the audited results for the half-year (HI) ended 30 June 2021, of Zenith Bank Plc, has continued to dominate discussions in the nation’s capital market as shareholders count their blessings over the impressiveresultschurnedoutbythebankdespite the current recovery mood of Nigeria’s economy.

The record showed that the bank recorded positive growth across key Ànancial metrics in deÀance of the crippling eͿects of the Covid-19 Pandemic on the overall economy.

Although the nation’s economy just recovered from a recession, yet the Group result showed growth in proÀt before tax of three per cent, from the N114 billion reported in H1 2020, to N117 billion in H1 2021. The Group also recorded a nine per cent growth in non-interest income from N116 billion in June 2020 to N127 billion in June 2021.

Shareholders’ Endorsement Speaking on behalf of numerous shareholders of the bank, the National Coordinator Emeritus, Independent ShareholdersAssociation of Nigeria (ISAN), Mr. Sunny Nwosu told THISDAY in an interview that Zenith Bank shareholders are impressed with the result which, he said, has brought smiles to the faces of the investors of the bank.

Nwosu, who disclosed that the shareholders’ expectations were met, said “Zenith Bank is always a delightful investment to shareholders.”

The bank, according to him, is always making a signiÀcant diͿerence in quarterly returns.

“The bank’s reports and returns always excite shareholders,” he stated.

On shareholders’ expectations at the end of the full year, Nwosu said “Though the shareholders won’t give the bank any target if they can hit the N200billion mark as proÀt after tax at the end of the year, the board, management and the shareholders of the bank will be happy for the feat.”

Anothershareholderofthebank,Mr.Olubunmi Adeagbo, explained that the shareholders are also glad about the resolve of Zenith Bank to fully maximise the opportunities that the recovering

fundamentals present while leveraging technology to expand its retail footprints to deliver improved returns to all its stakeholders.

This resolve, according to him, shows that the board and management of the bank are reliable and that they would not use the current economic challenges in the country as an excuse for unimpressive performance at the end of the year.

Financial analysts however explained that beyond the commendation of the bank’s shareholders, Zenith Bank’s ability to tap from the emerging opportunities in the nation’s eͿorts to recover from the doldrums brought about by the Covid-19 pandemic is a testimony to the resourcefulness and far-sightedness of the management of the bank.

On the domestic economy, Nigeria’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) grew by 5.01 per cent in the second quarter of 2021, and the inÁation rate, which peaked in March 2021 at 18.17 per cent is gradually trending down and currently at 17.38 per cent as of July 2021.

Drive for Retail Business As a mark of its innovation, Zenith Bank was able to restrategise by ramping up its retail business in its bid to take a big chunk of the retail market, an exercise that eventually paid oͿ within the period under review.

Consequently, the Group’s retail journey continued to deliver positive results as retail deposits grew by N38.2 billion from N1.72 trillion to N1.76 trillion year-to-date (YTD).

Another feature of the impressive result was the signiÀcant reduction in interest expense by 26 per cent and growth in non-interest income by nine per cent culminated in improved proÀtability.

Also, the Ànancial institution’s savings balances grew marginally by two per cent YTD to close at N1.18 trillion, from N1.16 trillion as of December 2020.

The drive for increased retail deposits and a low-interest yield environment helped reduce the cost of funding from 2.2 per cent to 1.3 per cent in the current period. Furthermore, the results showed that operating expenses grew by 10 per cent year-on-year, but growth remained below the inÁation rate, while the Group improved its Earnings per Share (EPS), which grew two

per cent from N3.30 to N3.38 for the half-year ended June 2021.

The Group also increased total customer deposits by eight per cent to close the period at N5.77 trillion, demonstrating growth in its market share, just as total assets grew marginally to N8.52 trillion as of June 30, 2021, from the N8.48 trillion recorded as of December 31, 2020.

Despite the COVID-19 pandemic-induced challenges and the challenging operating environment, the Group grew its risk assets as gross loans were up to three per cent year-to-date, from N2.92 trillion to N2.99 trillion.

This was conservatively achieved at a low non-performing loans (NPLs) ratio of 4.51 per cent (FYE 2020: 4.29 ) and a reduced cost of risk of 1.3 per cent (June 2020: 1.8 ).

Leveraging on Innate Opportunities Consequently, it was all praise galore for the management team led by the Group Managing Director, Mr. Ebenezer Onyeagwu for leading the bank in the period of the storm.

Giving a clue into the secret of the bank, its chairman, Mr. Jim Ovia had told the shareholders at its 2020 annual general meeting that it is the tradition of Zenith bank, as a resilient brand to leverage the innate opportunities within the environment and record a performance that further attests to the Group’s sound Ànancial health.

Culture of Resilience There is no doubt that Zenith Bank’s halfyear 2021 result is a continuation of a culture of improvement performance exhibited in the bank’s 2020 Ànancial year. For instance, the Group’s gross earnings grew by Àve per cent from N662.25billion in 2019 to N696.45billion in 2020.

Within the same period, ProÀt-before tax (PBT) rose by Àve per cent, from N243.29billion in 2019 to N255.86billion in 2020, while ProÀt-After-Tax (PAT) rose by 10 per cent, from N208.84billion in 2019 to N230.57billion in 2020.

Total deposits were N5.34trillion for the year ended December 31, 2020, representing a 25 per cent increase over the previous year’s Àgure of N4.26trillion. During the same period, total assets of the Group grew by 34 per cent from

N6.35trillion to N8.48trillion, while shareholders’ funds rose by 19 per cent, from N941.89billion to N1.12trillion.

ZenithBankGroupisthelargestbankinNigeria by total assets size and Tier 1 Capital and is the tenth largest bank in Africa as measured by Tier 1 Capital (The Banker, July 2020). Zenith Bank is an international bank with operations in the United Kingdom, United Africa Emirates, and three other West African countries apart from Nigeria, namely, Ghana, Sierra Leone, and The Gambia.

In Nigeria, Zenith Bank has a strong franchise and reputation as one of the leaders in key Ànancial variables such as customer deposits, total assets, earnings, and proÀtability. Within 30 years of its existence, Zenith Bank has demonstrated its resilience irrespective of the business/economic cycle and witnessed growth in virtually all areas.

Its growth is driven principally by strategic business focus and a conservative business model. The group has a stable and experienced management team that is well-positioned for strong execution leading to signiÀcant market share opportunities.

And according to the bank’s chairman, Jim Ovia, the combined intellectual capital and dedication of the staͿ, Management and Board have shaped Zenith Bank into the world-class institution that it is today.

Speaking at the bank’s last annual general meeting, Ovia explained that over the years, the Zenith Bank brand has become synonymous with leadership in the use of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) in banking and general innovation in the Nigerian banking industry.

The Bank has e΀ciently deployed its competitive edge of excellent customer services, size, brand name, branch network, and customer reach, stable management as well as motivated workforce, strong capital, and liquidity base to eͿectively compete in the Nigerian banking landscape.

Giving Back to Society The bank has also continued to give back to the society through its sustainability and Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiatives which Ovia said are hinged on the belief that today’s business performance is not all about the Ànancial numbers, “We believe that an institution’s social investments, contributions to inclusive economic growth and development as well as improvements in the condition of the physical environment, all constitute a balanced scorecard.

“Our social investments are targeted at health, education, women and youth empowerment, sports development, and public infrastructure enhancement. To demonstrate our commitment to creating and expanding opportunities, the Bank regularly makes donations towards the setting up of ultramodern ICT centres in several educational institutions across the country. It also supports various developmental projects and healthcare delivery causes in Nigeria.”

The Bank equally contributes to the development of sports in Nigeria through its sponsorship of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), the Zenith Women Basketball League, and the Zenith Bank Delta Principals’ Cup, to name a few. In response to the Covid-19 pandemic, the Bank donated N1 billion as part of the CoalitionAgainst COVID-19 (CACOVID), a private sector-led initiative to support the Nigerian Government to combat the Covid-19 crisis. Apart from our healthcare sector interventions, we expanded our support for women-owned businesses in the year under review.

As a testament to our achievements in these areas, Zenith Bank won the awards for “Best Company in Promotion of Good Health and Wellbeing” and “Best Company in Promotion of Gender Equality and Women Empowerment” in Africa at the 2020 Sustainability, Enterprise and Responsibility Awards (SERAs).

THISDAY, THE SUNDAY NEWSPAPER SEPTEMBER 5, 2021

20

BUSINESS INTERVIEW TIMIPRE SYLVA:

Sylva: I Don’t Foresee Unrest in N’Delta over PIA Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Chief Timipre Sylva, spoke to journalists in Abuja recently on issues and controversies surrounding the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA).

Emmanuel Addeh, who was at the event, presents the excerpts

N

ow that the PIA has been passed, do you have any plans for roadshows abroad to look for foreign investors?

After the passage, the next thing is to ensure that the PIA crystallises for investments in the country and we have taken that on board. But of course, all these initial housecleaning has to also be done. And then as you hinted, we might be going on some travels around to ensure that we speak to potential investors.

But then my position on this is very clear.

The Àrst port of call will be to investors that are already in the country; the international oil companies that are here, we have to engage them, to ensure that this PIA translates to more investments from the International Oil Companies (IOCs) in the country.

There are a lot of projects that are on the verge of crystallising. But of course, even some of the IOCs that are in the country took a seat earlier than now because they were waiting to see the Ànal outcome of the PIB before they took investment decisions.

Now that the PIB has been passed, they can see and a lot of engagements were ongoing between us and IOCs that led to the passage and what is passed was mostly part of the engagements that we had with the IOCs. So, we believe that most of their concerns have been taken care of in the PIA. So we expect them to react positively, as well.

So, I will not want to say how many other countries will go to. But at least we will talk to the IOCs that are already in the country before we now take a decision on where else to go for other investors that are willing to come. There are a lot of other investors that have reached out to us, even post-PIB. These past few days, I’ve had a few contacts, and a few people have called indicating a lot more interest in our environment, but we ‘ll start with the IOCs that are in the country, with the investors that we know we’ve had a long relationship with and then we will look for the other investors.

You are aware that a number of IOCs have indicated their interest to divest from Nigeria’s onshore operations. What are your thoughts?

The IOCs are leaving the onshore, but there’s still a lot of prospects oͿshore. Not all the IOCs are leaving onshore. Some of them have indicated their interest in the deep oͿshore. Some of them are still onshore.

Even the ultra deep, because the oͿshore that we have been exploring up till now is just about 2,000 metres. To go deeper than that we have not really done a lot of work.

There are a lot of prospects in the ultradeep oͿshore. So there’s a lot of potential still within the Nigerian setting. I don’t think we’ll have a problem. We will deal with

Sylva

those oil companies that are thinking of leaving onshore since showing interest in the oͿshore of Nigeria and even the ultra deep water, which is still a frontier territory.

So, what’s the update on Dangote reÀnery?

Of course, for the Dangote reÀnery, the Federal Executive Council (FEC) has given the approval for us to plan ahead, and the processes are right now ongoing between NNPC at the technical level with the Dangote reÀnery o΀cials. I really cannot tell you exactly where they are, but it is fully on course. We are going

to take our stake as approved by FEC.

You have made comments to the e;ect that the planned upstream commission , a regulatory agency will be involved in crude handling. Doesn’t that mean its involvement in commercial activities?

Yes, when I gave that answer yesterday, I didn’t have the opportunity of saying everything.

The other question should be whether NNPC as a commercial body, registered under CAMA can be in charge of federation crude. We have to Ànd a way out of this. That crude belongs to the federation of Nigeria and when it is sold, it has to

go to the federation account.

So, the commission is not necessarily going to sell the crude, but will handle that crude.

So if NNPC sells the crude on a commercial basis, the revenues accruing from the sales of the crude will now go through the commission to the federation account and NNPC will charge commission for that role.

As a commercial activity, it will just sell and it is doing that as a commercial entity and the fund will be moved through the commission into the federation account. And of course, those are all part of the issues that we’ll be discussing at the implementation level so that we have a seamless way of doing things.

THISDAY, THE SUNDAY NEWSPAPER SEPTEMBER 5, 2021

21

BUSINESS INTERVIEW Sylva: I Don’t Foresee Unrest in N’Delta over PIA together. So now you must have a critical mass of CNG stations and a critical mass of converted vehicles. And that process is still very much ongoing. I have announced several times, even in our last press brieÀng that the vice president is leading an eͿort to ensure that we have these 1 million conversion kits coming into Nigeria.

And of course, we will liaise with the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) that is giving some funding for the development of the critical mass also. So this is a process, it has already begun since last year and a lot has happened since then.

But now, I can assure you we are getting to a point where things will move even faster because the discussions at the level of the vice president have been very advanced and you will soon see a lot of activity in this period of CNG conversion kits and CNG dispensing stations.

Could you give us an estimate of how much the 30 per cent frontier basins will translate to in terms of actual monies annually?

On the issue of what is accruing to the host communities, the Group Managing Director of NNPC, just mentioned a Àgure. It was an example explaining that last year this amount was spent as operational expenses.

We cannot hang on to that example. Next year it may be lower or higher.

But if you ask me about the 30 per cent, how much is likely to accrue, I don’t want to make the mistake that the GMD made so that I won’t be quoted. But we all know that 30 per cent will come from proÀt oil from NNPC crude. So, you can always check what the NNPC crude is.

And of course 30 per cent of that crude is what is going into investment fund we call frontier exploration and it’s a reinvestment fund because we have to commit to Ànd more oil in the frontier territory.

The ultra deep oͿshore, is also a frontier territory. You have the Anambra basin to explore and there’s already some gas Ànds in the Anambra basin. The Calabar basin is also a frontier basin. The Chad basin is also a frontier territory.

So there are a lot of other territories out there. So, these funds will be available to invest in these frontier areas so that we can Ànd new oil especially at this time when we actually need to urgently produce the oil in Nigeria, because the oil era is almost getting to a close.

So, we need to have this money so that we don’t look for money or don’t need to be going around looking for money when we want to invest.

What are some of the projects that you are looking at right now in-country?

There are a lot of projects, like the Bonga North, Bonga South-west, Agip is already looking at Zabazaba, Total is looking at some projects etc. So, now with the Àscal environment provided by this PIA, we believe that most of these projects will be fast-tracked, and of course, in the medium term, a lot of other projects will come on stream.

What happens to the licences that have been renewed under the PIA? Licences are renewed for a tenure of 20 years. So, if a licence has been renewed because we wanted to raise money, nothing will happen to it because it has been renewed until it expires.

There’s a provision of grandfathering in this Act which means that everything that has happened before, will be taken along, so that we don’t because there’s a new law, we’re not changing the environment. So if something has been done, it will be taken on board as far as the PIA is concerned.

So, there is no problem at all. Any renewal that has been done under the petroleum act of 1969 will still fall within the ambit of this law and there’s no problem. The PIA recognises everything that has already been done under the 1969 petroleum Act. What about the issue of gender equity in the PIA steering committee that has just been set up?

You know that the minister of Ànance is a woman. You all know that. She nominated someone, but I will discuss with her. But we have a working group and at that level , I can assure you we have so many women, but we will take this on board.

You also seem to be the only person from the South-south...

You see, this situation, let us not over-Áog it because it is o΀ces that are represented in the nominations. I represent the ministry of petroleum resources as minister of state.

There’s no way because of gender equality that I am going to look for a gender and if we say the executive secretary of the Petroleum

Sylva

Training Development Fund (PTDF) is the secretary of the committee, there’s no way that I can go and change that.

Same way for the GMD of NNPC, we cannot be looking for a South South GMD or South East GMD. So, these are issues that you have raised to take on board and of course, these are some of the issues that the PIA also seeks to correct in terms of the transparency and the inclusiveness.

Governors have raised issues about the ownership structure of the proposed NNPC Limited. What’s your take on that?

You must agree that there’s a federal government and there’s a federation.

The federal government of Nigeria can always hold something in trust for the federation. Depending on which side you stand on, you want to introduce complications on this matter.

But I can assure you that we are already discussing, and we are clarifying some of these issues. In this case, what the federal government is doing is to hold this equity in trust for the federation.

This is not the first time this has happened. The federal government of Nigeria is currently holding the equity in trust of the federation in Nigeria LNG in Bonny. There are a lot of other examples I can give you.

So, if the federal government holds the equity in trust for the federation, it means it is holding it in trust for the states, for the local governments and by extension, also the communities.

We are one country, everything flows out from this country, let’s not make it look like we are not one country. The federal government of Nigeria is the preeminent government among the tiers, the levels of government.

So now, the federal government of Nigeria is in a position to hold equity in trust of the rest of Nigerians. And this is what we’re doing in this case, and this is what federal government has also done in other cases.

Why does the autogas programme which was launched last year by the government seem to be losing steam?

We rolled out the auto gas programme last year. Some Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) stations are already functional, a lot of them in Edo, same thing in Port Harcourt.

But the success of this programme is when we have a critical mass of CNG stations, and a critical mass of converted vehicles. If you have CNG stations all over the country, and you don’t have enough vehicles converted to use CNG, the investment in the CNG stations would have become stranded because there will be no vehicles going there.

And if you have a lot of converted vehicles, and you don’t have a commensurate amount of CNG stations, then those converted vehicles will not have a place to Àll up.

So, this is why we have to ensure that the growth from the two sides, go on

Do you foresee a likely unrest in the Niger Delta as a result of the three per cent which they say is not enough?

Frankly, I don’t know why there will be any unrest in the Niger Delta. I know that there are a lot of politicians who have taken this as a political issue. And they are politicising it, but I have not heard the leaders of the Niger Delta that I respect speak against this.

I see a lot of politics, a lot of politicking, but I’ve not really seen very senior Niger Delta people that we all respect, that are apolitical speak against this. If you look at it very well, you cannot really say it’s only three per cent. This per cent is on top of so many other things.

If you are talking about three per cent to host communities, you talk about what is going to the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), the 13 per cent derivation and others and when you put this together, it amounts to a lot of money.

When we started NDDC, people wanted more for NDDC, but what the national assembly approved was 3 per cent. We have seen what that can do. Let’s be patient and see what the 3 per cent can do. There are agitations and things are being done to assuage this agitation.

I can assure you that well-meaning Niger Deltans are not against this. It is the political Niger Delta that is speaking. And if the political Niger Delta is speaking, I am a part of that political Niger Delta and I will not want to join issues with them yet.

What is the role of government in the management of the host communities’ fund, especially against the backdrop of recent comments by the minister of Niger Delta Affairs to monitor the funds.

I am not aware of that and there’s no role specifically for the Niger Delta ministry that I am aware of. Maybe that’s an arrangement they are already proposing, I don’t know.

But if it’s the PIB that has been passed to PIA , I don’t see any role. It’s between the communities and the companies. This is a targeted fund and it’s because other funds have failed to target the host communities.

The NDDC is not specifically targeted at the host communities, same with 13 per cent going to the states. The PIA has sorted that out. So, there’s no space for anybody else, not even for the Niger Delta ministry.

What’s the state of the reÀneries? Has work begun in earnest?

Rehabilitation of Port Harcourt reÀnery has commenced. Having said that, FEC only approved the rehabilitation of Warri reÀnery about two weeks ago. So, its too early, but I can assure you that a lot is going on.

Once FEC has approved a contract, it will have to be complete because the contracting process will not even be completed until FEC approves it. So, FEC approves the contract, then the paperwork has to be completed, which can take at least a week.

22

T H I S DAY, T H E S U N DAY N E W S PA P E R • SEPTEMBER 5, 2021

MARKET NEWS A Mutual fund (Unit Trust) is an investment vehicle managed by a SEC (Securities and Exchange Commission) registered Fund Manager.

Investors with similar objectives buy units of the Fund so that the Fund Manager can buy securities that willl generate their desired return.

An ETF (Exchange Traded Fund) is a type of fund which owns the assets (shares of stock, bonds, oil futures, gold bars, foreign currency, etc.) and divides ownership of those assets into shares. Investors can buy these ‘shares’ on the

floor of the Nigerian Stock Exchange.

A REIT (Real Estate Investment Trust) is an investment vehicle that allows both small and large investors to part-own real estate ventures (eg.

Offices, Houses, Hospitals) in proportion to their investments. The assets are divided into shares that are traded on the Nigerian Stock Exchange.

GUIDE TO DATA: Date: All fund prices are quoted in Naira as at 02Sept-2021, unless otherwise stated.

Offer price: The price at which units of a trust or ETF are bought by investors.

Bid Price: The price at which Investors redeem (sell) units of a trust or ETF. Yield/Total Return: Denotes the total return an investor would have earned on his investment. Money Market Funds report Yield while others report Year- to-date Total Return.

NAV: Is value per share of the real estate assets held by a REIT on a specific date.

DAILY PRICE LIST FOR MUTUAL FUNDS, REITS and ETFS

MUTUAL FUNDS / UNIT TRUSTS

AFRINVEST ASSET MANAGEMENT LTD aaml@afrinvest.com Web: www.afrinvest.com; Tel: +234 818 885 6757 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Afrinvest Equity Fund 160.90 162.25 -0.62% Afrinvest Plutus Fund 100.00 100.00 5.19% Nigeria International Debt Fund 324.13 324.13 -15.98% Afrinvest Dollar Fund 110.40 110.40 -0.51% ALTERNATIVE CAPITAL PARTNERS LTD info@acapng.com Web: www.acapng.com, Tel: +234 1 291 2406, +234 1 291 2868 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn ACAP Canary Growth Fund N/A N/A N/A ACAP Income Funds N/A N/A N/A AIICO CAPITAL LTD ammf@aiicocapital.com Web: www.aiicocapital.com, Tel: +234-1-2792974 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn AIICO Money Market Fund 100.00 100.00 6.59% AIICO Balanced Fund 3.31 3.47 -2.69% info@anchoriaam.com ANCHORIA ASSET MANAGEMENT LIMITED info@anchoriaam.com Web:www.anchoriaam.com, Tel: 08166830267; 08036814510; 08028419180 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Anchoria Money Market 100.00 100.00 7.78% Anchoria Equity Fund 138.75 140.42 4.32% Anchoria Fixed Income Fund 1.15 1.15 -13.69% ARM INVESTMENT MANAGERS LTD enquiries@arminvestmentcenter.com Web: www.arm.com.ng; Tel: 0700 CALLARM (0700 225 5276) Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn ARM Aggressive Growth Fund 19.57 20.16 7.92% ARM Discovery Balanced Fund 431.91 444.93 7.88% ARM Ethical Fund 38.15 39.30 13.17% ARM Eurobond Fund ($) 1.09 1.10 -0.56% ARM Fixed Income Fund 0.97 0.98 -7.14% ARM Money Market Fund 1.00 1.00 8.49% AVA GLOBAL ASSET MANAGERS LIMITED info@avacapitalgroup.com Web: www.avacapitalgroup.com Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn AVA GAM Fixed Income Dollar Fund 106.03 106.03 4.25% AVA GAM Fixed Income Naira Fund 1,031.03 1,031.03 3.10% AXA MANSARD INVESTMENTS LIMITED investmentcare@axamansard.com Web: www.axamansard.com; Tel: +2341-4488482 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn AXA Mansard Equity Income Fund N/A N/A N/A AXA Mansard Money Market Fund N/A N/A N/A CAPITAL EXPRESS ASSET AND TRUST LIMITED info@capitalexpressassetandtrust.com Web: www.capitalexpressassetandtrust.com ; Tel: +234 803 307 5048 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn CEAT Fixed Income Fund 2.04 2.04 -8.11% Capital Express Balanced Fund(Formerly: Union Trustees Mixed Fund) 2.12 2.16 -7.45% CARDINALSTONE ASSET MANAGEMENT LIMITED mutualfunds@cardinalstone.com Web: www.cardinalstoneassetmanagement.com ; Tel: +234 (1) 710 0433 4 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn CardinalStone Fixed Income Alpha Fund 1.01 1.01 2.88% CHAPELHILL DENHAM MANAGEMENT LTD investmentmanagement@chapelhilldenham.com Web: www.chapelhilldenham.com, Tel: +234 461 0691 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Chapelhill Denham Money Market Fund 100.00 100.00 8.15% Paramount Equity Fund 16.49 16.80 3.13% Women's Investment Fund 136.48 138.05 2.55% CORDROS ASSET MANAGEMENT LIMITED assetmgtteam@cordros.com Web: www.cordros.com, Tel: 019036947 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Cordros Money Market Fund 100.00 100.00 7.18% Cordros Milestone Fund 2023 118.54 119.28 Cordros Milestone Fund 2028 N/A N/A Cordros Dollar Fund ($) 108.08 108.08 CORONATION ASSEST MANAGEMENT investment@coronationam.com Web:www.coronationam.com , Tel: 012366215 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Coronation Money Market Fund 1.00 1.00 7.96% Coronation Balanced Fund 1.21 1.22 0.72% Coronation Fixed Income Fund 1.41 1.41 -10.80% EDC FUNDS MANAGEMENT LIMITED mutualfundng@ecobank.com Web: www.ecobank.com Tel: 012265281 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn EDC Nigeria Money Market Fund Class A 100.00 100.00 7.82% EDC Nigeria Money Market Fund Class B 1,000,000.00 1,000,000.00 7.58% EDC Nigeria Fixed Income Fund 1,157.37 1,174.17 0.48% FBNQUEST ASSET MANAGEMENT LTD invest@fbnquest.com Web: www.fbnquest.com/asset-management; Tel: +234-81 0082 0082 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn FBN Fixed Income Fund 1,410.64 1,410.64 11.64% FBN Balanced Fund 191.53 192.78 2.05% FBN Halal Fund N/A N/A N/A FBN Money Market Fund 100.00 100.00 10.11% FBN Nigeria Eurobond (USD) Fund - Retail FBN Smart Beta Equity Fund FCMB ASSET MANAGEMENT LIMITED Web: www.fcmbassetmanagement.com; Tel: +234 1 462 2596 Fund Name Legacy Money Market Fund Legacy Debt Fund Legacy Equity Fund Legacy USD Bond Fund FSDH ASSET MANAGEMENT LTD Web: www.fsdhaml.com; Tel: 01-270 4884-5; 01-280 9740-1 Fund Name Coral Balanced Fund Coral Income Fund Coral Money Market Fund

126.98 158.55

126.98 3.48% 160.77 4.87% fcmbamhelpdesk@fcmb.com

Bid Price 1.00 3.97 1.59 1.19

Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn 1.00 5.82% 3.97 2.54% 1.62 4.46% 1.19 4.40% coralfunds@fsdhgroup.com

Bid Price N/A N/A N/A

Offer Price N/A N/A N/A

Yield / T-Rtn N/A N/A N/A

GREENWICH ASSET MANAGEMENT LIMITED assetmanagement@gtlgroup.com Web: www.gtlgroup.com ; Tel: +234 1 4619261-2 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Greenwich Plus Money Market Fund N/A N/A N/A Nigeria Entertainment Fund N/A N/A N/A GROWTH & DEVELOPMENT ASSET MANAGEMENT LIMITED assetmanagement@gdl.com.ng Web: www.gdl.com.ng ; Tel: +234 9055691122 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn GDL Money Market Fund N/A N/A N/A INVESTMENT ONE FUNDS MANAGEMENT LTD enquiries@investment-one.com Web: www.investment-one.com; Tel: +234 812 992 1045,+234 1 448 8888 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Abacus Money Market Fund 100.00 100.00 7.75% Vantage Balanced Fund 2.79 2.85 -2.39% Vantage Guaranteed Income Fund 1.00 1.00 4.50% Kedari Investment Fund (KIF) 152.79 153.07 -1.74% Vantage Equity Income Fund (VEIF) - June Year End 1.28 1.32 1.54% Vantage Dollar Fund (VDF) - June Year End 1.10 1.10 0.64% LOTUS CAPITAL LTD fincon@lotuscapitallimited.com Web: www.lotuscapitallimited.com; Tel: +234 1-291 4626 / +234 1-291 4624 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Lotus Halal Investment Fund 1.42 1.44 4.17% Lotus Halal Fixed Income Fund 1,147.76 1,147.76 5.69% MERISTEM WEALTH MANAGEMENT LTD info@meristemwealth.com Web: http://www.meristemwealth.com/funds/ ; Tel: +234 1-4488260 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Meristem Equity Market Fund 11.47 11.50 8.88% Meristem Money Market Fund 10.00 10.00 9.10% PAC ASSET MANAGEMENT LTD info@pacassetmanagement.com Web: www.pacassetmanagement.com/mutualfunds; Tel: +234 1 271 8632 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn PACAM Balanced Fund 1.67 1.69 7.15% PACAM Fixed Income Fund 11.57 11.56 -4.91% PACAM Money Market Fund 10.00 10.00 6.01% PACAM Equity Fund 1.64 1.66 3.86% PACAM EuroBond Fund 113.02 114.91 2.91% SCM CAPITAL LIMITED info@scmcapitalng.com Web: www.scmcapitalng.com; Tel: +234 1-280 2226,+234 1- 280 2227 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn SCM Capital Frontier Fund 131.60 134.17 8.84% SFS CAPITAL NIGERIA LTD investments@sfsnigeria.com Web: www.sfsnigeria.com, Tel: +234 (01) 2801400 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn SFS Fixed Income Fund 1.05 1.05 10.02% STANBIC IBTC ASSET MANAGEMENT LTD assetmanagement@stanbicibtc.com Web: www.stanbicibtcassetmanagement.com; Tel: +234 1 280 1266; 0700 MUTUALFUNDS Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Stanbic IBTC Balanced Fund 3,299.58 3,334.47 2.73% Stanbic IBTC Bond Fund 232.69 232.69 3.49% Stanbic IBTC Ethical Fund 1.22 1.24 4.24% Stanbic IBTC Guaranteed Investment Fund 306.68 306.68 4.08% Stanbic IBTC Iman Fund 226.32 229.67 3.70% Stanbic IBTC Money Market Fund 100.00 100.00 7.58% Stanbic IBTC Nigerian Equity Fund 10,467.45 10,614.58 -0.26% Stanbic IBTC Dollar Fund (USD) 1.27 1.27 3.66% Stanbic IBTC Shariah Fixed Income Fund 115.48 115.48 3.96% Stanbic IBTC Enhanced Short-Term Fixed Income Fund 103.44 103.44 UNITED CAPITAL ASSET MANAGEMENT LTD Web: www.unitedcapitalplcgroup.com; Tel: +234 01-6317876 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn United Capital Balanced Fund 1.31 1.33 2.42% United Capital Bond Fund 1.91 1.91 4.47% United Capital Equity Fund 0.87 0.89 9.74% United Capital Money Market Fund 1.00 1.00 8.97% United Capital Eurobond Fund 120.06 120.06 4.89% United Capital Wealth for Women Fund 1.06 1.08 4.11% United capital Sukuk Fund 1.06 1.06 6.12% QUANTUM ZENITH ASSET MANAGEMENT & INVESTMENTS LTD service@quantumzenithasset.com.ng Web: www.quantumzenith.com.ng; Tel: +234 1-2784219 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Zenith Equity Fund 12.86 12.97 8.35% Zenith Ethical Fund 14.31 14.46 17.21% Zenith Income Fund 24.33 24.33 1.44% Zenith Money Market Fund 1.00 1.00 6.11%

REITS NAV Per Share

Yield / T-Rtn

124.98 53.10

10.62% 5.15%

Bid Price

Offer Price

Yield / T-Rtn

13.31

13.41

0.67%

121.32 96.51 17.42 18.25

124.34 98.61 17.51 18.35

0.90% -2.73%

Fund Name SFS REIT Union Homes REIT

EXCHANGE TRADED FUNDS Fund Name Lotus Halal Equity Exchange Traded Fund SIAML Pension ETF 40 Stanbic IBTC ETF 30 Fund MERGROWTH ETF MERVALUE ETF

VETIVA FUND MANAGERS LTD Web: www.vetiva.com; Tel: +234 1 453 0697 Fund Name Vetiva Banking Exchange Traded Fund Vetiva Consumer Goods Exchange Traded Fund Vetiva Griffin 30 Exchange Traded Fund Vetiva Money Market Fund Vetiva Industrial Goods Exchange Traded Fund Vetiva S&P Nigeria Sovereign Bond Exchange Traded Fund

funds@vetiva.com Bid Price

Offer Price

Yield / T-Rtn

3.89 5.44 17.38 1.00 19.47 158.16

3.93 5.52 17.48 1.00 19.67 160.16

3.00% -4.29% 7.13% 0.00% -5.09% -28.10%

NAV Per Share

Yield / T-Rtn

107.40

13.11%

INFRASTRUCTURE FUND Fund Name Chapel Hill Denham Nigeria Infrastructure Debt Fund

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

SUNDAY SEPTEMBER 5, 2021 • T H I S D AY

23

24

SUNDAY SEPTEMBER 5, 2021 • T H I S D AY

A

WEEKLY PULL-OUT

5.09.2021

SAGE HASSON USING THE POWER OF WORDS It’s been 16 years since Sage Hasson discovered the power in Spoken Word Poetry. Words leap from his lips like a gazelle and encircle his audience like a fisherman’s net. But not all has been rosy. From collaborating with musicians, running a music company to becoming a sought-after by big brands, Hasson tells Vanessa Obioha the highs and lows of his craft in a recent encounter ASSISTANT EDITOR OLUFUNKE OLAODE/funkola2000@gmail.com

T H I S D AY, T H E S U N D AY N E W S PA P E R ˾ SEPTEMBER 5, 2021

51

GLITZ PERSONALITY

Challenges Bring out the Best in Me, Says Njideka Udochi Earlier in the year, Dr Njideka Udochi was named Maryland’s Family Physician of the Year 2021 by the Maryland Academy of Family Physicians in the United States. She is the first black woman to earn the honour. She has also received a major award for Covid-19 community engagement and response in Howard County, Maryland, USA. Udochi, younger sister of WTO DG Dr Ngozi OkonjoIweala, graduated as a doctor from the University of Nigeria at the age of 22 and proceeded to the US where she earned a Masters Degree in Public Health from the Bloomberg School of Public Health at Johns Hopkins University. She thereafter embarked on a professional career that has taken her to the heights in her chosen area of specialisation: family medicine. A Fellow of the American Academy of Family Physicians, she is certified by the American Board of Family Practice and the American Academy of HIV Medicine. In this interview, she tells Martins Ifijeh about her journey to success, highlights of her experiences as a black woman medical entrepreneur in the US, the most challenging period of her career, what she has learnt from her experiences and her new multispecialty medical practice.

A big gap exists in terms of resources (medical personnel) and tools needed to manage and properly care for patients in Nigeria. You have to really admire the ingenuity of physicians in Nigeria who despite the limited resources and the practice environment have figured out a way to continue to provide the best possible care to their patients. Patients in Nigeria are very dependent on their physicians and leave all decision making to the doctors whereas in the US, patients feel more empowered and its more of a collaboration. Most patients pay out of pocket for all their care whereas in the US employers, government and patients pay for different portions of care.

As a black woman doctor, have you faced any form of profiling or discrimination?

Yes, definitely and still continue to. Its subtle in some situations and in others, totally blatant. I am not unique and other female physicians of colour have and continue to experience racism. But nothing succeeds like success so I have learnt to live with it and not let it bother me. It motivates me to do the best I can to create the best possible life for my people and myself.

Tell us a bit about your growing up years, would you say it influenced your journey significantly?

I

grew up in university campuses (both of my parents were academicians; my dad, a Professor of Economics and Statistics and my mom a Professor of Sociology) first at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka and then at the University of Ghana where my dad was the Director of the United Nations Regional Institute for Population Studies. So this had a major impact in my life journey. Surrounded by academicians and children of academicians, the emphasis was on academic excellence and hard work. This expectation has been the major guide as I navigated my life and career. In Ghana I also learnt the importance of tolerance and respect of all people. Since my father was working in the UN, I was fortunate to meet and interact with his colleagues’ children who were from different parts of the world and learned quickly that we are all the same and want the best for each other. The love shown me by my friends in Ghana helped mould me into who I am today.

Tell us a bit about your career journey?

My career has been very interesting. After graduating from the University of Nigeria Nsukka as a physician at the age of 22, I proceeded to the United States to study Public Health at Johns Hopkins. (My classmates remind me that I always wanted to be a public health physician working for the WHO.) I then spent a few years in Public Health first as a Research Assistant at Johns Hopkins and then at the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene rising to the position of Director of Clinical Methods for the Center for Health Program Development and Management.

In that position, I was a key player in getting the High Cost User Initiative developed to target and identify high cost patients in the states Medicaid programme and develop an initiative targeting these patients to help reduce cost.

I then left public health to begin a residency at the George Washington University Hospital in Family Practice and completed a Fellowship in Geriatrics at the same hospital. After my residency and fellowship and with young children in tow, I decided to choose a job that combined both public health and clinical medicine and went to work for Mercy Hospital in Baltimore as the Medical Director of Healthcare for the Homeless in Baltimore City. After that, I pivoted into private practice and worked as a solo practitioner for 16 years and more recently with the disruption in the health space merged my practice with others to become a multispecialty practice to deliver care to patients in the DMV (Washington DC, Maryland and Virginia) area.

You come from a family of global achievers, did that put a bit of pressure on you in any way?

My parents taught my siblings and I to focus on ourselves and our talents and socialised us to celebrate one another’s achievement. My extended family has always had a high expectation for everyone so it came naturally to want to excel and do the best you can especially in service to others.

You recently opened your medical practice, what does this mean to you and for black women there?

It feels awesome. For many years working in the primary space which is very fractured, I have yearned for a more holistic and comprehensive approach to achieving better health outcomes by taking a team-based approach to care like we had at Health Care for the Homeless, caring for a very vulnerable population. So it feels wonderful to be able to finally implement this model of care with a very experienced and talented group of physicians many of whom are women.

What would your practice seek to do differently and what can patients expect from you?

Summit Medical is what we call a patient-centered medical home model. Our patients should expect us to use evidencebased medicine and a multiciliary team approach to address their health issues. Working with other partners in the community we

How would you rate Nigeria’s health sector, is it living up to full potential?

The health sector in Nigeria is definitely below average.

Nigeria has a long way to go to ensure equitable and good care is provided for all Nigerians. A healthy society can help propel technological advances and improve all sectors of the economy.

This has become more evident with Covid 19.

Udochi

will also focus on other social determinants of health that impact health and address this for our patients. Bridging the inequities in the health space is very dear to us as physicians of color and women in particular.

What would you say has been the most challenging moment of your career till date The business of medicine has been the most challenging part of my career. As a physician you are trained to provide and care for patients and most physicians are good at this. But there is very little training given on how the business of medicine billing, coding, etc. And so many physicians like myself rely and contract/outsource these aspects to billing companies to provide expertise and bill for the services we provide. The problem comes when the company/companies provide you with a code which is not appropriate and then that code is used to bill for services on your behalf. This is what happened to me and to many other physicians. We outsourced our billing to companies that provided us with wrong codes for payment. As a result we were very shocked to discover that although the services were provided the codes were wrong. There is a class action lawsuit in my state Maryland by physicians who are in a similar position.

Unfortunately, I and many other physicians have learnt that it is the physician or practice that gets blamed when the billing companies don’t do what is expected of them. In my own case, I decided to resolve the case without admitting any liability and we are pursuing legal action against the marketing company, the billing company and manufacturer of the device. Most physicians that go through a traumatic experience like mine will just give up.

It’s highly unfair when you know you’ve done nothing wrong.

It is very important to pursue legal action against the entities that wronged you. So that’s what I am doing. A lesson learnt. In life what doesn’t kill you makes you stronger. I am now a better “business physician” and have decided to improve my business knowledge by obtaining an MBA at Cornell University. I hope to use my knowledge to guide other physicians in the health space and improve the business of medicine.

As someone with experience both home and abroad, what would you say are some major differences between practicing medicine here and over there?

Many doctors and other healthcare professionals are leaving Nigeria in droves; why does this trend persist?

Physicians invest a lot of years and effort to train to become doctors and deserve a living and comfortable wage to support their families and themselves. As Nigerians we are go-getters and optimists so if the wage gap is not bridged for this sector of the economy and an enabling environment provided for doctors to flourish, they will continue to leave to seek work in other countries who value their expertise.

A lot of people see medicine as a calling, is that how it feels for you?

Definitely. I love my job, really love my patients and my colleagues. You cannot imagine the sacrifices physicians face every day to do their work and save lives. Covid 19 has really underscored the importance of Medicine and physicians. My love for my profession led me to encourage my son to also go into medicine.

Today he is finishing up his residency in the same hospital, George Washington University where I trained and will be beginning a fellowship in Gastroenterology.

If you weren’t a doctor, what else would you have been?

An architect. I love building and art and would have moved into that space.

In what ways can we improve Nigeria’s healthcare and access to it?

Nigeria’shealthcaresystemneedsspecialattentionandanoverhaul.

TheinfantandmaternalmortalityrateinNigeriaremainsveryhigh.We shouldfocusonprovidingbettertrainingtohealthextendersespeciallyin ruralareasofthecountryandbasicprimarycareservicesforallNigerians.

ThiswillhelpimprovethehealthstatusofmanyNigerians.Weshouldalso improvethesupplychainforpharmaceuticalsandalsoimprovethepractice environmentbydevelopingandprovidingbasicinfrastructure.Thiswill enabletheuseoftelemedicinetohelpprovideexpertiseinareaswherewe lackmanpower.

Living the busy life you do, how do you strike a perfect work-life balance?

There is no perfect work-life balance. I just try to ensure that I do the best I can as a mom and wife. Having a supportive spouse or partner is really important and family support is also key. My husband provides the backbone from where I have been able to pivot. He encourages me to excel at my work.

50

T H I S D AY, T H E S U N D AY N E W S PA P E R ˾ SEPTEMBER 5, 2021

COVER

People Do Not Know How Well To Utilise The Art Form

Despite the growing fame of the spoken word, Hasson fears that the economics do not match the dynamics, leading to stunted growth.

HASSON

O

nce upon a time, a 13-yearold boy came across the popular Jamaican artiste and dub poet Mutabaruka on TV. He was instantly enthralled.

His performance style stood out for the boy among the other reggae artistes that performed on the TV programme Reggae Sunsplash. Curious, he asked his mother what Mutabaruka’s performance was called. She told him it was a certain kind of poetry.

From that day, the boy began to envision himself performing with words like Mutabaruka. He wasn’t entirely new to the world of poetry, but Mutabaruka’s rhymes and rhythms were exceptional to him.

He would recite reggae chants, spin lines, hoping to impress his listeners. His art finally came into full bloom in the third decade of his life. During this period, he decided to allow the art of poetry to sail into his soul.

That young man is Sage Hasson, the pioneer of Spoken Word Poetry in Nigeria.

For 16 years, Hasson has dedicated his life to Spoken Word, enrapturing audiences

with the intensity of his words. Each time he mounted the stage for a performance, the audience was not only entertained but awed by his craft. His words leap like gazelle from his lips and encircle them like a fisherman’s net, such that they leave with a sack of golden truths. For instance, early this year, he performed at the Under 40s CEO Forum. His performance was titled ‘African Renaissance’, where he painted the resilient spirit of the continent as the new frontiers of business with colourful words.

Hasson was born in Kaduna but is from Niger. His early memories of Kaduna is a far cry from what it is today.

“I left Kaduna in 1983, right after primary school. As an adult, I keep visiting - not just central Kaduna but other parts of it. I honestly don’t know what to make of what’s going on, but there is an uncertainty and a halting of growth and development,” he said. “The politics over the years since the tribal and religious dissonance has slowed the social development of the people. I mean, Kaduna was the capital of Northern Nigeria, but now there’s nothing to show for

that glorious honour it once had. Jos, on the other hand, is forcefully marching forward despite similar challenges it faced and faces.

But the resilience of the people of Kaduna is commendable, and hopefully, eventually, we will all see a better day soon.”

He sees the same doggedness in the country despite the avalanche of problems confronting it.

“Nigeria is resilient. My goodness. We will scale through this. This ship will sail this rough sea,” he said passionately. “I mean, we are still laughing and making jokes about what’s going on. There are two things to this - either we joke and collapse, or we laugh and just see this as another challenge to overcome.

We are an incredible lot. South Africa or any country cannot face this beating right now.

We are still standing.

“We are like that whale that waged up on the beaches of Lagos 20 years ago that refused to diminish despite the people who hacked out large chunks of it to eat. I saw it; the more they cut, the hole was covered like it had an abundance of itself somewhere no one could reach. We are like that whale. You cut us, we heal. I know now we are being cut too many times in too many places, and the healing is slow, but this whale will not diminish. When they are done, we will stand. Or, like the whale, the ocean will claim its seed before they do. And the ocean, in our instance, is the people. It’s time we take back our country.”

Whether Hasson realised that his response was poetic or not, he carried on the conversation as if he had just answered in simple terms.

Over the years, Hasson watched the craft of Spoken Word spread its wings like an eagle all over the country. New faces were coming into the field. Pockets of performances were held in familiar and strange places. To him, the spread was welcoming. It had always been in his plan.

“When I started Spoken Word, I felt the responsibility of carving this niche for the tribe that was coming after. I knew what it meant to be a leader of a difficult genre.

Whatever I did in my career, at the back of my head was the thought that you must make room and make way for a thousand.

So, even my name, the ‘Sage Has Son,’ is an allusion to that; the Sage will have offspring, will be a father. So everything was designed to suit the purpose of being a father of an art form. How well I fared is another matter entirely.”

Not all has been rosy in his over a decade career. He started professionally in 2005 and had his first major performance at Hip Hop World Awards in 2006. He had few collaborations with some Nigerian musicians like Mode 9, Silver Saddih. Tosin Martins.

Bez. “Recently, I did something with Parker Ighile. I did a track on Brymo’s album Tabula Rasa and a few others,” he disclosed.

Hasson even tried to run a music company. It was short-lived.

“I don’t run a music company anymore. I think I failed in that one. I ran three labels, but my human management skills were deficient, and so I suffered for it. I watch the other companies, contemporaries of mine doing

so well, and I sometimes wish I had the sense to keep going rather than throw in the towel. But everything happens for a reason.

Hopefully,” he said, laughing.

While he has received accolades and earned respect from people, he sometimes feels underappreciated compared to other artistes.

“You’re underpaid and not as opportune to work. So there are days and seasons of hunger and being misunderstood. There seems to be no reprieve for being a poet.”

To be sure, one of his goals, when he embraced his calling, was to take it where pop music could go.

“It was not easy, but I managed to do so. Now I am more particular about writing legacy pieces that define me as a poet and not as a pop star.”

He doesn’t shy away from admitting that he sometimes felt relegated as a pioneer of a craft. It is a reality that most pioneers live with. He explained it this way: “Usually, the next set will see something that you don’t and take advantage of it. And usually, the pioneer is unable to do what it takes to change. This is the situation for pioneers. But not all. In some instances, a pioneer benefits from their labour. A few times, though. If a pioneer is young or holds on then, they end up benefiting, or they can end up being a fool for trying to compete with those they opened the door for. It’s a dicey call.

“I have seen those who came after me enjoying some benefits I only dreamed of.

I am happy. I have the joy of a father. There are those whose pride would not allow them to acknowledge my position, but it’s alright.

I know who I am and what I have done.

Like one poet said, ‘ God gives me what I’m worth.’”

Despite the growing fame of the spoken word, Hasson fears that the economics do not match the dynamics, leading to stunted growth.

“There are too few poets making any economic sense from this. Too few. The majority are doing it for the love of it. So yes, I have seen Spoken Word all over from Jos to Lapai (my hometown), Port Harcourt, Aba, and I’m sure some little hamlet with a name that may not be on any map. I only wish somehow we will find a way to make poets make something off of this.”

A piece of advice he often gives to upcoming artistes is that they should be prepared for a life of a ‘suffering’ artiste.

“You must have a passion for the beauty of images and emotion and the brevity of art. You must be willing to be under-appreciated, under-paid, but sometimes revered and respected. Be ready to read, to feel, to think, to write, to practice elocution if necessary.”

He considers the greatest challenge of performing art to be its utilisation.

“People do not know how well to utilise the art form, so we are mostly reduced to performing at art clubs and some events. It is no one’s fault - it is the nature of poetry to be elitist and difficult sometimes. My goal was to simplify it, oversimplify it actually so anyone could access it and then it can grow into hitherto unavailable channels.”

A good spoken word poet must be able to use his tools and devices such as rhyme, verses, imagery, mood, outstandingly, according to Hasson. This, he said, is what differentiates them from a regular orator.

“They must not only be present, but they should be present. It’s like saying you are cooking jollof rice, and you don’t have all the ingredients needed to make it tasty. You might not enjoy the meal. You can make do with some if not all the ingredients are available. The flip side is you can have all the tools and devices and still write an uninteresting piece. At the end of the day, what matters is the judicious and wise use of what you need to cook a poem that will interest the palate of your audience. The cooking is all in the dexterity of the chef,” he explained.

Notwithstanding the shortcomings of his career, Hasson is unlikely to trade his craft for something else. The potency of words still excites him to date.

“The life it gives to words. The power inherent in it. The way you can say simple words and move people to desire, anger, fear, pain, empathy and how you can say words you wrote in the privacy of your room but that speaks the thoughts of the audience in a room exactly. That’s powerful,” he noted emphatically.

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GLITZ ENTERTAINMENT

Trouble in 2Baba’s Home?

Waje in ‘Flower the Musical’

Powerful Female Characters in Film and Theatre Highlighting the Struggles of Women Stories by Vanessa Obioha Strong female leads are some of the driving forces of the theatre and film art forms. Recent productions such as ‘King of Boys’ which features Sola Sobowale and Toni Tones as old and young versions of the lead character Eniola Salami respectively, spotlight the unique strengths and struggles of women.

In theatre, however, the women who featured in MTN Foundation sponsored musical ‘Flower the Musical’ stand out for their delivery of the complex issues confronting Nigerian women today.

The two-hour musical monologue which had its second outing this year, tells the story of six women – a faithful wife, an accused murderer, a corporate leader, a religious hopeful, a trophy wife and a sex worker, who navigate complex issues relating to their existence in a modern Nigerian society while promoting the emancipation of discriminated women.

Tosin Adeyemi plays a victim of female genital mutilation who waits for five years that her unfaithful husband would return home and fall in love with her again. Her husband, on the other hand, prefers to remain with a sex worker called, Lady of the Night, played by singer Waje. On the surface, Waje seems unbothered by her libertine ways. Her clients are mostly married men. But beneath all that powerful exterior is a victim of rape. She was sexually abused by her father. The only escape from the trauma was to become a sex worker.

Nini Mbonu plays the typical trophy wife, who got married to satisfy her mother. Her life seems perfect, but she is infantilised and treated like another piece on her husband’s collection of shiny things. She is ultimately trapped in her marriage. Meanwhile, Elvina Ibru embodies the woman by the book character, a religious woman who is unable to conceive after several years in marriage. She feels compelled by societal expectations to procreate and becomes desperate as she approaches menopause. There is also Oluchi Odii who killed her rapist and is serving time in jail. She is rebuked by everyone who couldn’t understand why she had resorted to taking revenge on the man who raped her.

Ufuoma McDermott typifies the boss lady. She is one of the biggest lawyers in the city; a very successful woman who reached the peak of her career, but not without having to work twice as hard as her male counterparts.

Despite her success, she doesn’t win the love and respect of her parents who made it clear that they would have preferred a male child.

The musical starkly exposes and reminds victims that they are not alone in their struggles as it spotlights the injustices they suffer to create conversations around them.

“We found the story very intriguing. Over the years, it has been tough for women. Not every woman speaks out, but we find this gives a lot of strength to women to know they’re not alone whenever they go through things like rape, genital mutilation, abandonment, and neglect. So, for us, it’s a way to leapfrog a very important part of the social segment, which is the women and also the men,” says the Executive Secretary, MTN Foundation, Odunayo Sanya.

We may officially be in the breakup season. The past few weeks have seen celebrity couples splitting for known and unknown reasons. The latest celebrity couple to suggest they are heading to ‘Splitsville’ is Annie Idibia, wife of popular musician Innocent ‘2Baba’ Idibia.

Annie reportedly went on her Instagram Story to call out her husband for spending more time with one of his baby mamas.

It is no news that before settling down with Annie, 2Baba sowed a few wild oats. His first baby mama was Pero Adeniyi, daughter of a prominent businessman Jude Adeniyi, who had three children for him, while Sumbo Ajaba-Adeoye had two children for him. There is no love lost between Annie and Pero since a picture of 2Baba reportedly kissing Pero at the singer’s nightclub back in 2015 surfaced on the internet. Both ladies have constantly slung mud at each other on social media but in 2018, they had a public reconciliation.

It seemed that Annie couldn’t stomach the interference of her husband’s baby mamas anymore when she vented on Instagram that the baby mamas “constantly use your children as an excuse for all sorts of rubbish.”

She expressed her displeasure with 2Baba spending the night in Pero’s house.

“What kind of man takes his kids to Disney and spends the night in the same apartment with the kids and their mother? How many times have you gone to see your kids with Pero? And she stays with you and the kids under the same roof for nights? “I try to stay gracious, you are not the first man on the planet to have kids by different women.

Everything I do is to show the good human that I’m, but today this move you, Efe Frankie and your family took is unacceptable.”

Her spouse’s alleged cheating was not the only thing on her mind. Annie disclosed that she received little or no support from her husband and his family, claiming that they make use of any opportunity to shame her in public. What ensued was a war of words between Annie and 2Baba’s younger brother Charles who accused the former of being a drug addict and using diabolical means to keep his brother in the marriage.

Annie’s allegation resurrected interest in 2Baba’s love life which once hugged headlines during the early part of his solo music career. In 2019, 2Baba went on Twitter to tender an apology to Annie for some undisclosed reasons. He only hinted that he had “failed as a role model and as a father and as a husband. Annie, I’m sorry,” he tweeted. Should we expect an apology from him?

2Baba and wife Annie

BBNaija S6: The Kiss and Tell Housemates What happens in Big Brother’s House should stay in Big Brother’s House right? But the Shine Ya Eye housemates are not abiding by this rule. On Thursday evening Boma and Angel had a verbal war on who spilled the tea.

Apparently, Boma, who is now in an affair with Tega, a married woman, had kissed Angel at the Executive Lounge but told her not to spread the news. Somehow, some of the housemates got to know about their intimate moment and this ticked Boma badly.

While in the game room, Boma, in his gentle voice, confronted Angel for telling Queen that he is a ‘kiss and tell’. Angel insisted that she never did. Within minutes, the two blew up their lids. Boma called Angel a child and insulted her parents while Angel took offence that he was always trying to bully her. She threatened to deal with him and wouldn’t stop hurling insults at him even while others tried to calm her.

Tonight’s live eviction show, the organisers announced Friday will be of king-size proportions. It is a pointer that the eviction may not follow the double or triple but multiple evictions. Will the kiss and tell housemates Angel and Boma survive the night?

Boma and Angel had a verbal war over gossip

SUNDAY SEPTEMBER 5, 2021 • T H I S D AY

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HighLife Bola Atta: An Amazon with Beauty and Brain

...Amazing lifestyles of Nigeria’s rich and famous

Adaora Umeoji: Imprints of an Amazon Nigeria has witnessed an emergence of female MDs, CEOs and other high-level executives in the corporate sector, especially in banking recently. With this new force in operation, one wonders how best to describe one female banking executive who has kept pace with the men on her block long before other women daringly attempted to follow in her steps. Who else is this Amazon among Amazons but Adaora Umeoji?

For those who know Umeoji and have followed her career closely, few women in corporate Nigeria can compare. Within the hallowed halls of Zenith Bank Plc, the spirited woman is essentially indomitable. Her charm billows to the heavens and her grace puts swans to flight. But her talents and grasp of banking and leadership? There are, at most, a handful of women that can hold a candle next

to her.

With 20 years under her belt as a corporate executive in banking and finance, Umeoji is one of the individuals that have gradually risen to epitomise business ethics and dignity.

If the corporate jungle had nobility, Umeoji would be a crownless queen.

This is actually the case in Zenith Bank where she has made as many solid contributions as anybody else. No wonder it is said that the Zenith Bank founder, Jim Ovia, would entrust the helm to her if he must.

In recent days, Umeoji has been highlighted as one of the more successful women in corporate Nigeria. As more and more of her peers are climbing the topmost spot in their banks and organisations, folks are standing to wonder if the paragon among paragons will soon follow suit. At the moment,

Umeoji

Umeoji is Zenith Bank’s Executive Director in charge of the Public Sector and has placed the bank at the height of popularity and influence in the northern and southern regions.

Will Ambode Visit Asiwaju in London?

Atta

It has been a while since the saying that “what a man can do a woman can do twice as well” made the rounds. Truth be told, there are quite a number of women in the Nigerian corporate corridor that bring that notion to mind, especially since they started taking over the big banks in recent days. Nevertheless, one woman who has always been in that position is Bola Atta, one of the champions of the United Bank for Africa (UBA).

Describing Atta in a few words is an arduous task. The woman is a legend. Since stepping into the corporate limelight some two and a half decades ago, she has been leaving massive prints on the lists of the high and mighty in the country. Although she is most popular for her accomplishments in marketing and communications, the woman is really an all-rounder.

Atta is currently the Group Director for Marketing and Corporate Communications for UBA, CEO of UBA Foundation, and the Executive Producer of REDTV. So dazzling is her career profile that she was celebrated as one of the 100 most influential women in Nigeria in 2015. But that is not all she is.

As stunning as she is brilliant, Atta exhibits both excellencies with a charm that few people can wield. If hers is the face that launched a thousand ships like Helen of Troy, it would not only have been on account of her beauty.

She has a large and working brain, to say the least, or she could not have accomplished half of what she has.

Atta’s nearly three decades of corporate experience derived from an unyielding passion and a relentless pursuit of her dreams. With only a Bachelor ’s degree in Economics and an MBA in Marketing, how else could Atta have risen to the heights of banking, communications, entertainment and the media in the past 25 years?

This is truly an Amazon among Amazons, one whose footprints are all over the African continent and gradually stretching into the distance.

with KAYODE ALFRED 08116759807, E-mail: kayflex2@yahoo.com

Ambode

Ralph Hodgson wrote that marvellous poem titled: ‘The Bells of Heaven’. It would ring the bells of heaven, he said, the wildest peal

for years if Parson lost his senses and people came to theirs. This poem strangely comes to mind at the sudden gathering of well-wishers, almost-rivals and well-known political enemies of Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu at his London base. Somehow, Tinubu’s simple actions are already ringing the proverbial bells of heaven, and folks are thronging in to clinch first place in the race to ingratiate themselves to him.

It might be because of his allegedly failing health or the fact that the 2023 elections are getting closer, but Tinubu has suddenly gotten exponentially popular among several circles of the Nigerian elite. Indeed, Tinubu has always been popular considering he helped lay the bricks of democratic governance in the country.

This new development, however, is still far from everyday experience.

One individual who some folks are saying will soon be found in the company of Ekiti and Ondo States Governors, Kayode Fayemi and Rotimi Akeredolu, respectively, is Akinwunmi Ambode, the immediate past Governor of Adenuga

These are rainbow times for the new Managing Director of Total Nigeria Plc, Samba Seye, as the former MD is reassigned to make room for him. As every visionary is sending in their compliments, one is reminded of the proverbial fitting of round pegs and round holes. This is Seye in the best position possible.

Total Nigeria Plc recently announced that its MD, Imrane Barry, will be handing over his position to Seye. This bit of news was welcomed in every corner of the country as it is evident that Nigerians are gradually striving and succeeding to lead their industries in their own countries.

Needless to say, Seye is getting far more accolades than usual as it appears as if the man has broken the chains of mediocre ambitions and begun to glide through the distant clouds.

Folks who paid more attention to the appointment of Seye noted that his star is indeed rising after so many years of

Samba Seye: Right Peg in Right Hole diligence and unyielding efforts. After all, how often does the MD of a respectable oil company in Nigeria get reassigned to a different country for someone else to get appointed almost immediately to take over the prominent position? And yet this is the fortune that has fallen on the laps of Seye after Barry got reassigned to TotalEnergies SE Headquarters in Paris, France.

For those who do not know Seye, he is one of the most notable figures in the Total conglomerate. A well-known corporate savant, Seye joined Total in 2014 after his foray into Shell. With a doctorate in Fluid Mechanics from the University of Sciences and Techniques of Lille, France, Seye might have become an established engineer. But the call of the corporate world outclassed that of engines and levers.

Will Andy Uba Get Lucky This Time?

It has to be said that Nigeria has not seen a gubernatorial aspirant that is as confident in his victory as Senator Andy Uba. Citing the fact that he has been in the game far longer than any of his opponents for the Anambra gubernatorial chair, Uba’s confidence stirs the interest of all the people of Anambra and outsiders alike. Will he get in this time? That is the question.

For those who are a bit unaware regarding the matters of the Senator whose real name is Emmanuel Nnamdi Uba, this is not the first time he has trained his gaze, efforts and resources to the Anambra governorship seat. In 2007 and 2011, Uba contested the seat and was defeated by Peter Obi both times.

Lagos State. For those with a good memory, Ambode shockingly lost his second shot at commandeering the Lagos State ship. Among the many factors indicated as responsible for Ambode’s misfortune was the profoundly loud absence of Asiwaju Tinubu drumming up support beside him.

Folks have stated that it was not Tinubu’s wish that Ambode get the return ticket to the number one position. Therefore, Ambode lost the ticket to someone else that Tinubu’s staff had touched on the shoulder: Babajide SanwoOlu who won that election and became Governor of Lagos.

So the question is whether or not Ambode will forget old slights and pay a visit to his supposed godfather in London. And if he does, will there be small talk before the can of worms is opened? Will there even be closure, forgiveness, blood and sweat and tears?

Maybe not. Maybe Ambode will not even step out of the country to pay homage to a promising presidential aspirant come 2023.

Uba

The first time, Uba even won and spent 17 days in office before Obi involved the court and got himself reinstated to the horror of Uba. Interestingly, Uba has tested nearly every major political party in the country, bearing their flag at one point or another. In the 2007 Anambra guber, it was the Peoples Democratic

Seye

Party (PDP); in 2010, it was the Labour Party (LP). He had to return to PDP in 2011 or he might not have gotten the senatorial title that has characterised his political profile ever since. Now, he is a proud card-bearer and flagflier of the All Progressives Congress (APC).

These experiences have enclosed the heart of politics in Nigeria to Uba, some folks have said. It might explain why Uba would go so far as to refer to his gubernatorial contenders, Prof. Chukwuma Soludo of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), Valentine Ozigbo of the PDP and Obiora Okonkwo of the Zenith Labour Party (ZLP) as juniors and learners before him. For this comment and more, the contest is heating up.

As all three parties amass even more resources to contend against Senator Uba, the question on the minds of folks is whether or not Uba’s confidence will hold. Will he clinch the Anambra seat in the face of solid opposition or not?

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HIGHLIFE

Between Dakuku Peterside, Tonye Cole …

Who Will Rotimi Amaechi Support?

Nigerian poet Niyi Osundare is a marvel. His poem, ‘The Leader and the Led’, narrates the contest for the leadership of the jungle among the animals. The eyes of the giraffe are too far from the ground, he said; the warthog is too ugly and the rhino is too riotous. A similar contest and comparison of characters are gradually playing out as the Rivers 2023 gubernatorial election draws near. On one side is the camp of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and all the drama native to that camp, and on another side are the other parties. In the middle, truth be spoken, is Rotimi Amaechi.

It would be a lie to state that the Minister of Transport does not hold any sway over who will eventually emerge as Rivers State Governor.

Some have compared his influence in the state to the influence of a certain Lion of Bourdillon in Lagos State.

Thus, to those who are familiar with this speculation, cosying up to Amaechi is one of the surest ways to clinch the Rivers State top seat. But who will win the Transport Minister’s favour?

At the moment, the top contenders for the seat are

Peterside

Cole

There are quite a few people oiling their gears for the 2023 presidential race. The political profiles of these individuals are enough to recreate the settings of George Orwell’s novel, ‘Animal Farm’. One can only say that some of the front liners in the race— Kogi State Governor Yahaya Adoza Bello come to mind—are facing more opposition than others.

More curtains are falling over the presidential ambition of Bello. These curtains have taken the form of complaints and allegations to the effect that the Ebira man has left his constitutional duties and begun to chase his dream of occupying the presidential suite at Aso Villa. In other words, Bello has been accused of gradually shifting gears, abandoning his current seat of power in Lokoja for regular visitations elsewhere. Why? Because he wants to be President come 2023.

Interestingly, this is the latest sling of accusations thrown against the charismatic and audacious 46-year-old. Ever since he came into gubernatorial power in 2016, it has been one allegation over another. For the first time, however, the accusations have taken the tone of complete abandonment. This is all the more remarkable considering that Bello has declared time and time again his deep and overwhelming disinterest in the top seat.

One of the most recent slurs against Bello

on the APC side: the former Director-General of Nigeria Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), Dakuku Peterside, and renowned oil mogul, Tonye Cole. Between these two, folks have been debating which has the fortune of winning the hand of favour of Amaechi for the imminent 2023 elections.

Unsurprisingly, some other folks have stated that this would determine the eventual winner of the election.

It is no secret that Amaechi threw his weight behind Cole in the 2019 Rivers gubernatorial elections even though Peterside was also vying for the party ticket.

However, someone might argue that Peterside has known Amaechi and has been loyal to him longer than Cole.

But Amaechi chose Cole, not Peterside. And Peterside has remained loyal even then, going so far in recent days as to offend the incumbent Governor Nyesom Wike in his defence of Amaechi.

Is this enough for Peterside to win Amaechi’s favour and support or will there be a repeat of the 2019 saga? Who will Amaechi choose? That is the question on the minds of the people.

Will Kogi Governor Finish His Term in Peace?

Bello

came from within his All Progressives Congress (APC), a youth group given to the approbation

of Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu. This group accused Bello of being the worst Governor in Kogi State history as he had done nothing worthy of commendation or emulation. The accusation came after Bello advised Tinubu to allow the younger generation to lead the country while he (Tinubu) could assist them from the background.

In any case, Bello’s popularity came as a surprise for many considering that he did not feature among the ranks of the most effective state governors as of 2018. One might argue that it was the COVID-19 pandemic (during which time Bello ran against the grain) that brought him to prominence. Unfortunately, this cannot sustain any political ambition, presidential or senatorial. One might also argue that the only thing Bello has going for him is his age and a political party that is seemingly fractured and frazzling.

Ergo, folks are wondering how he will get himself out of the bind, prove that he is still a working governor, and assuage the reported anguish of Kogites.

Petra Atlantic Boss, Wale Akintujoye in the News Ad

There are very many things that can expose one to the wilderness and fruitful fields of life.

Education is one, wealth is another — and there’s the fruit in the garden — each of which usually leads to the same thing, a kind of wisdom that is usually incongruent with common sense. One might argue that Wale Akintujoye, the young and strapping oil trader is gradually enjoying the fruits of his affable association with First Lady Aisha Buhari with bigger oil deals. Is there a danger in being indebted like this? Opinions vary.

From what some folks are saying, these are orange times for Akintujoye. The man is striking it hot, they say. This is especially the case after Akintujoye reportedly secured a mouthwatering oil deal that is bound to shake his already nearly unshakeable strongroom of wealth. So why are folks complaining?

According to reports, Akintujoye’s ability to secure that oil deal came primarily because he

is capably related to her excellency. One has to know that being related to the lion in the jungle is its own kind of security at times. Not always; only at times. And this is what folks are saying about Akintujoye.

For one reason or another, folks are drawing parallels between the First Lady’s favour on Akintujoye and the favours that former Minister of Petroleum Resources, Diezani AlisonMadueke, granted to some people. Those people got into trouble when she did. Is that the case with Wale Akintujoye?

There’s really no arguing the man’s potential and room for growth. He is quite capable considering how far he has come, especially his work in Petra Atlantic. But is that enough security against overwhelming indebtedness? Considering all the First Lady has done for him, how can he be anything but grateful and devoted to her should the storms rage later on?

Akintuojoye

Emami

Ayiri Emami Recoils into His Shell?

The people of Warri are still celebrating the ascension of the new Olu of Warri, Tsola Emiko, Ogiame Atuwatse III. After months of disagreements over who is deserving of the throne and who is not, the dust has finally settled and the noble and common alike can put their minds to rest. However, there is one individual whose rest is slightly different: Chief Ayiri Emami. His is a rest born out of forced retirement, the kind that eventually graduates into his living under the radar. And it already has.

Some folks are doubtlessly wondering where exactly Emami, the honourable Ologbotsere of Warri and Chairman of the Olu Advisory Council has run off to.

He was noticeably absent at the coronation of the new Olu of Warri.

So conspicuous was the absence of the traditional Prime Minister that folks wondered if there would be an ‘Orubebe-ic’ performance in subsequent days. But no, nothing of the sort has happened, indicating that perhaps Emami has decided to let sleeping dogs lie. For those in the know, Emami was one of the staunchest voices against the emergence of the now affirmed Olu of Warri. While Ogiame Atuwatse III was only the Olu of Warri Designate, Emami voiced his support for a different prince. So firm was Emami’s unyielding resistance that it eventually led to the Ginuwa Ruling House suspending him.

Emami’s opposition was reportedly predicated on the traditions of the Itsekiri people which qualified some royal princes to the throne and consequently disqualified others.

By this logic, Emami insisted that Prince Tsola Emiko (now Ogiame Atuwatse III) was less qualified compared to the eldest son of a former Olu of Warri. Thus, when Emami was suspended and the Prince he opposed came out on top, he left the limelight of his own volition. Ever since Emami has turned into a hobbit that is dedicated to his shire.

No outing, no press releases, nothing.

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LOUD WHISPERS

with JOSEPH EDGAR (09095325791)

Mr President, Please Don’t Stop There Was I happy when I received the news of the sacking of two ministers by my man President Buhari? I know you may be surprised that I am calling him my man. Oh boy! Did you see the blue shoes he wore to his son’s recent wedding? That is the kind of shoe you wear when you want to ‘show them’.

Baba probably thought to himself, “shebi you people have been looking at me and saying that I am boring and dour. Let me show you people that papa was a rolling stone.” That was how my guy nack the blue shoes, come pose like James Brown.

Anyways, Daddy has just sacked two Ministers in Agriculture and Power for non-performance. This is nothing but just pancakes. It is but a ruse because there is no way in hell these two or the rest of them

would have performed under the circumstances they have found themselves in.

Daddy had better be taking his legacy seriously because history does not do break dancing. It will tell it as it is. If Daddy likes, let him sack the whole cabinet including the First Lady and her makeup artist. If he doesn’t look very critically at himself, his position in history and the opportunity he has to reposition this country, then he is just wasting his time — a commodity he doesn’t have control over.

Lord, you should be focused on security. Simple. Nothing can be achieved again on the other side without securing peace. How can the Agricultural Minister perform when bandits are castrating farmers and throwing their testicles into the rivers

that flow through their farmlands? How can the Minister of Power perform when the whole infrastructure is inefficient and corrupt? Sacking these two is shallow.

Please face your security architecture.

They are the ones that should take your time and energy. Start to chiefly command well. Let’s decimate these terrorists, bandits, kidnappers, anything you want to call them.

That thing you used to say, abi na Lai Mohammed dey talk am, that terrorists have been ‘technically defeated’ is now the lie of the century.

So, my Lord of the blue shoes and the toothpick, do more. Security is your purpose now, no be Agric and power, that one na playing to the gallery. Thank you and congrats on your son’s recent wedding; it was a beautiful ceremony.

VICE ADMIRAL AWAL GAMBO: A NIGHT OF A THOUSAND LAUGHS My brother, that was how I have seen it reported that your board has approved the sighting of a Navy Base in Kano. I laugh, almost vomiting. I laugh o. Admiral!!!

Please don’t kill me. I quickly rushed to the map to see where Kano dey. Don’t blame me, you know Geography was not my strong point in school. That made me think that at best, Kano was near Lokoja where we can still manage to berth the warships on River Niger.

My people Kano is one damned landlocked state up in the very northernmost part of the country.

What is a frigging Naval base doing there o?

In this kind of matter, you will cool down o. There must be something you are not seeing o. These people are wise and well-trained people and they will not take a decision that is so blatantly crass just like that o. They must see something that the rest of us cannot see o.

So, I hold my peace. Maybe, there is something there because from where I am sitting even if the Navy wants to be using a canoe like the ones in Makoko and Ibeno, they will still not reach Kano. Abi, they will

carry the ships by train while the seamen will probably catch a night bus on Ekene or GIG, and when they get to Kano, they will drop the ships in the nearest stream or their own Ogunpa and work starts.

Like I have noted, maybe there is more to this thing, so make we just dey wait and see. But let me just say this, these people do not make it easy for those of us who still believe that things will still work in this country. I tell you. They just make us look really stupid and sad. Navy base in Kano? Help me.

bitterly about oga ‘cross carpet champion’.

Julian was really upset as he fumed.

I respect myself and stand far. I did not want to hear. Me na something else I find come. After the call, he greeted me and tried to smile but you could see he was still very visibly upset.

I told him, “Lord no matter what it is, calm down no go fall down o. You know you get fine wife and your children still young o.” He replied, “It is ok my brother, this Mu’azu guy just does my head in.”

Bro Mu’azu, while settling down in your new party, the matter between you and Julian, try sort am out o.

He really looked very upset that day and na your name he dey call.

Let there be peace in our country.

woman kissing somebody.

Please what planet does her husband come from and from which family does she even emanate? Where is her state governor and what has INEC done about her local government chairman?

A married woman? This is taking the depravity too far. Wait, the husband will also be watching, with his children and mother?

What is going on in this country?

What madness and we are all still watching and laughing? A married woman, frolicking up and down with men on live TV? Na wa. What will we not do for money in this country? Mad.

Gambo

Mu’azu

Buhari

ADAMU MU’AZU: THE GAME CHANGER That is what they used to call him when he had any relevance in the game. The former Governor of Bauchi State and former National Chairman of the PDP I hear has just jumped into APC. Well, this is no longer news as jumping up and down by our people is a daily occurrence not driven by any ideology but by the all-important need for selfpreservation in most cases and anywhere ‘bele’ face in other cases.

In fact, I would not have even said a word if I didn’t stumble on a discussion between my brother Julian Osula and somebody at the Wheatbaker Hotel in Ikoyi recently.

As I walked towards Julian - I no even recognise am again, the beard is now full; the head is now fully bald but the man is still fine. Na him I hear am on the phone complaining

BIG BROTHER NAIJA: SODOM AND GOMORRAH IN THE HOUSE You see, I have not said anything about this programme and the things that are going on inside there. Me, I will just waka pass and be doing my thing. I will no longer be hypocritical because that was exactly what most of us have been doing. We will be shouting against the happenings in the house and yet the next minute we are on xvideos. So, as I no want to collect slap, I keep quiet.

But they will not let sleeping dogs lie; that was how the clip of a married woman in the house under the duvet with their hands moving up and down went viral. I weak o.

The next time, e be like say I see the

Amaechi

ROTIMI AMAECHI: KILLING ME SOFTLY Someone should just help me with this Egbon. The man can talk sometimes like a cartoon character. Mbok, how do they steal loudly again o? The man has been reported as saying that under Buhari people are stealing quietly. How else do people steal or do they carry billboards and announce it? Mbok, if you really do not have anything to say at times, sha go watch football or something.

Uwaifo

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T H I S D AY, T H E S U N D AY N E W S PA P E R ˾ SEPTEMBER 5, 2021

LOUD WHISPERS Haven’t you heard of the saying; silence is golden.

You no leave us where una put us, let us continue to be looking at ourselves until this pestilence is over, instead of coming and tickling us with this kind of talk. This is what my former oga Wale Oluwo used to call beer parlour talk. In fact, you cannot talk this kind talk in some beer parlour. Abeg. Sha leave us alone bro.

OGBONI LEADER: DISAPPEARING ACT GONE WRONG Just when you think you have seen it all in Nigeria, something new comes up. You see, up until very recently, Nigerians were said to be the happiest people in the world.

That is why our Fela sang ‘Suffering and Smiling.’

Under this carnage, we will still sha find something to amuse us. That is how I stumbled on the report of a self-acclaimed Ogboni leader who was boasting during the last democracy demonstrations that he will disappear if police or anybody come near him.

My people, he was arrested and disrobed. His confidence level left him looking like a drenched chicken. Afterwards, they asked him, “why didn’t you disappear” and he said he was worried about his followers and that it would have been so unfair for him to have disappeared and left them in the hands of the ‘wicked’ police.

Such leadership. Our APC and PDP masquerades should come and learn very strong tenets of leadership from this person o. He made the sacrifice of allowing himself to be arrested instead of just biting the ‘orogbo’ and appearing in his hut to the warm breast of his shrine assistant.

Mbok, police should treat him well o, so he doesn’t make their Inspector General disappear o. Me, I no dey there o.

CHIEF EMEKA ANYAOKU: LONG TIME NO SEE Mbok, writer’s block is doing me more than ever before o. I do not know if it is out of old age, lack of sex or just plain tiredness that is doing me. Before, I could write this column of about 4,000 words in a matter of minutes, now na struggle.

I will just be looking at my laptop, thinking about school fees, about how the next Hotel EFCC will ‘attack’. You know that thing is not funny especially for those of us who are still in the game.

Imagine being jacked up in a hotel where you went to conduct some very serious discussions on global warming just because EFCC had done ‘tumbo tumbo’ and picked that same hotel to raid. What will you tell your family and admirers after your picture is all over the media as a yahoo yahoo?

That one, you will be begging to accept the lesser evil which is: “I am not a yahoo yahoo o, it is my secretary o or it is my landlord’s daughter I brought here o.” Mbok, don’t make me laugh.

That was how it suddenly dawned on me that I have not heard from my father, the Honourable Chief Emeka Anyaoku since the lockdown. How terrible of me! A man who gave me tea in his house. A man who introduced me to his lovely wife and who calls me ‘The Duke’ with a fine aristocratic accent, not like how my other brother, Yinka Shonekan will shout Dukeee.

YEMI OSINBAJO: AWO BECKONS Last Sunday, we hosted Chief Olusegun Obasanjo to a wonderful showing of the play ‘Aremu’. The play depicts him and traces his trajectory from the little hamlet in Owu to global recognition. After the play, Obasanjo took to the stage and in between tears thanked Nigerians for the opportunity to serve and also the opportunity to be himself.

This Sunday, it will be the turn of ‘Awo’. The historical train will berth with the showing of ‘Awo’, a cleverly scripted journey that will take the audience from the birth of the late great sage throughout the colorful milestones of his life touching very seriously on the

role his Jewel of inestimable value played in his life to his contributions to our country and society. The play will also throw up the ideals and ethical considerations that made him what he was with the hope that current leaders and most especially upcoming leaders will be inspired.

This is an open invitation to Prof Osinbajo to come be my guest at the showing of the play at the historic Glover Memorial Hall. I will give you and your entourage afang if you come as long as you are not more than five people o, minus the DSS, I no get their power. Them fit go chop boli and epa up the road. See you soon sir.

was amused because he had kept us waiting for like an hour before he came out.

The showman that he was, he regaled us with stories of his exploits and took us on a tour of his house which was a gallery and museum rolled into one. This was a living legend who was proud of his achievements and his heritage. He loved life, he loved his people and was ever so happy and grateful to God that he was a Bini man.

He pulled his hair and said, “Edgar see, it’s my hair. At my age, I still have full hair, God is merciful.”

I clapped for him and begged to take a picture with him so I could pose. He refused and I said, “No afang for you.” He retorted, “Go and siddon with this your afang, I don tire for the thing” We agreed to work on Joromi together but Covid spoiled it and now he has carried his guitar upstairs to the lord.

My prayer na make them no put am for any hostel near my mama o. That guitar guy too fast. Rest in peace my Lord.

YEMI KALE: WELL DONE! WELL DONE! WELL DONE! You see this my ‘well done’ no be small thing o. Na Abacha I copy am from. Somebody had come up with a brilliant idea that he should place a call to the Super Eagles who had just reached the finals of the Cup of Nations. After the first three players, Super Dictator no get wetin to talk again o. Na well done, well done, well done we just dey hear everywhere.

So my brother Kale, well done, well done, well done. At least your office under your tenure gave us periodic figures that we could measure government with.

The fact that even the government you served kicked against some of your data like Chris Ngige and Garba Shehu did shows the integrity that you put in, ensuring that we got near factual data on our economy. If you ask me, brilliant tenure and I wish you well. Well done, well done, well done.

Osinbajo

So, I reached out and oga came on Whatsapp. “Duke, I am in a low-key cos of this pandemic and I am sorry I cannot attend any of your shows,” he said. “My Lord, I understand, please stay safe o,” I replied.

“You know you are ‘aje butter’ not like them OBJ who are ‘paki’ and will just be running up and down and the virus sef go dey fear them.”

God keep you, my lord. You are a

Anyaoku

National Treasure.

SIR VICTOR UWAIFO: KILLING ME SOFTLY The news of the demise of the maestro has hit town. He was still very sprite and youthful the last time I saw him in Benin. But that was two years ago. I still remember the powder he had rubbed on his face before he came out to see us. I

Kale

AJIBOLA ADEBUTU: A WORTHY NIGERIAN You see, I have never met this bro and I am really looking forward to meeting up with him. It is his brother Bisi that is my friend o. He never pick my call in two years sha but na better person. I love him to bits especially how he will say, “Edgar, you cannot use my head.

That your sweet mouth when he reach my side, just kill am. I get sense pass you.” We would now laugh and drink coffee.

But let me say something about this gentleman who is a deacon at the Redeemed Christian Church of God. He runs the powerful JB farms, one of the fastest growing Oil Palm Companies and the Tosett Agro Industries limited that refines the palm oil.

With over 15,000 hectares and a staff strength in excess of 3,400 and locations in Ogun, Ondo and Cross River states, the firms are silently arrow heading the agricultural renaissance that is expected to push us out of the economic doldrums.

Married to Kenny whom I have also never met and who I hear loves my writings, the couple are blessed with kids. Well-done guys and keep staying blessed.

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T H I S D AY, T H E S U N D AY N E W S PA P E R ˾ SEPTEMBER 5, 2021

Adebayo Adeoye bayoolunla@gmail.com; 08054680651

SOCIETY WATCH

Joy in Oba Kuoye Lukman Adeleke’s Heart If a horse, as the Yoruba would say, could walk in the belly of the Olu of Imasailand, Oba (Rtn) Kuoye Lukman Olalekan Adeleke, it would not tumble. That his heart was filled with joy when he received the Staff of Office from the Governor of Ogun State, Dapo Abiodun, who was represented by the Hon. Commissioner for Local Government & Chieftaincy Affairs, Hon. Afolabi Afuape, recently, is putting it mildly.

The new monarch assured the indigenes of Imasai in Yewa North Local Government of Ogun State of his commitment towards the development and progress of the ancient kingdom. He promised that his reign would be all-inclusive and asked for cooperation from all stakeholders as well as their unflinching support toward a peaceful reign in the town.

Speaking during the ceremony, he said: “I want to specially appreciate our indefatigable Governor, HE Dapo Abiodun, and other Executive Council members, for standing firm for what you believed in. This is a very important activity and ceremony, and I do not take for granted the trust you have all bestowed on me.

“It is my firm belief that the unblemished track record of my performance where I have worked, both in the private and public sectors will be used for the development of this town. I am very grateful for this opportunity and I want to thank my fellow contestants who have graciously accepted the decision of the people.

I want my dear brothers who vied for this stool with me to know that we are all winners as my Obaship will be inclusive administration.”

The monarch, from the Oyesokun Ruling House, emerged victorious during the selection process conducted by the traditional chiefs under the strict supervision of officials of Egbado North Local Government.

Until his selection to the stool of his forefathers, he had worked with the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC). He had also served as the Special Assistant to Otunba Gbenga Daniel, a former governor of Ogun State, and was also a former Secretary and ViceChairman, Transition Committee of Ado-Odo/Ota Local Government.

Oba Adeleke

Segun Agbaje: The Champion Extraordinaire

Agbaje

No matter how you look at it, Patrick Ifeanyi Ubah is one of Nigeria’s business titans.

Quite expectedly, when the Chairman of Capital Oil turned 50 last Friday, his family members, friends and associates took turns to felicitate with him.

It was clear that those who rejoiced with him on the occasion had done so in appreciation of his heart of gold and outstanding feats in life. The Senator representing Anambra South Senatorial District has touched so many lives in his earthly sojourn. So, for some of the beneficiaries of his kindness, the occasion provided a rare opportunity to celebrate and pray for him.

His story is definitely an inspiration to many. At a relatively young age, the Nnewi-born businessman had stubbornly followed his heart, with a steely resolve to rule his world later in life. That was at a time when many of his mates were still oblivious of what the future had in stock

History, many say, is often written by champions, who also sometimes rewrite it.

This is true of banking expert, Segun Agbaje, who is acknowledged to be a problem-solver.

It is a fact that the quintessential banking guru, blessed with some unique attributes as well as leadership qualities, has mentored many individuals, who today occupy top managerial positions in their respective organisations.

Since he assumed office as the MD/CEO of one of the fastest-growing new generation banks in the country, GTBank Plc, a few years ago, Agbaje has proved pundits wrong that age is not a big factor when it comes to efficient service delivery and well-focused administration. Even in the face of persistent opposition from both within and outside the financial world, he has remained focused, while also steadily delivering immeasurable growth to the bank, with several customer-friendly products and services that can

make other banks go green with envy.

At the moment, Agbaje has reiterated his commitment to take the bank to the next level, with the birth of GTCO. This is coming weeks after the official listing of the shares of the newly formed Guaranty Trust Holding Company (GTCO) on the Nigerian Exchange Limited (NGX), following the restructuring of Guaranty Trust Bank (GTB) Plc. GTCO has commemorated the listing of its shares on the local course, with a closing gong ceremony, while also unveiling the company’s new brand identity to capital market stakeholders and members of the general public.

Indeed, Agbaje, who is now the Group Chief Executive Officer of GTCO Plc, is a professional banker par excellence, with an intimidating academic and cognate profile of over two decades.

Oil Top Player, Senator Ifeanyi Ubah, Celebrates at 50

for them.

Call it an audacious ambition and you will not be wrong! But it was obvious that he could no longer be stopped in his tracks to lay the foundation of his business empire, which has now grown to become a conglomerate.

At 50, he could be described as a warrior, who has survived many wars that would have ordinarily consumed a lily-livered both in business as well as politics. The member of the Upper Chamber could also be likened to a cat with nine lives; the more they try to bury him, the more he sprouts like a seed in a well fertile land. He is known to be unapologetically committed to the uplift of his community, while also helping the course of humanity. Little wonder he is a leading candidate in the coming Anambra State governorship election coming up in November this year.

Ubah

Crisis Trails Shina Peller’s Chieftaincy Title

Peller

If information reaching Society Watch is anything to go by, then a serious crisis that may disrupt the peace being enjoyed by traditional rulers in the South-west may have reared its ugly head.

This is coming against the backdrop of the chieftaincy titles conferred on popular socialite and member of the House of Representatives, Hon. Shina Abiola Peller alongside his wife, Ayobola as the Ayedero of Yorubaland and Yeye Ayedero

by His Imperial Majesty, Iku Baba Yeye, Oba Lamidi Olayiwola Atanda Adeyemi III, the Alaafin of Oyo. Ayedero of Yorubaland literally means someone who brings peace and prosperity to his people (Yorubaland) as well as someone who ensures that tranquillity reigns in the land and makes life easy for all.

The event was held at the Royal Palace of the Alaafin in Oyo, Oyo State and attended by royal fathers, traditional chiefs, businessmen and women, celebrities

and other prominent personalities in and outside the country.

Following the ceremony, Society Watch gathered that some monarchs have decried the statement credited to Alaafin, who reportedly boasted that he remains the only monarch who reserves the exclusive rights to confer chieftaincy titles that would cover Yorubaland on worthy individuals. While some traditional rulers in the South-west were said to agree with the Alaafin’s position, some others kicked.

Asource hinted that the Deji of Akure land, Oba Aladetoyinbo Aladelusi, frowned on the statement, saying that every authentic traditional ruler in Yorubaland has his root in Ile-Ile and that the issue of exclusive right should not arise.

The Oluwo of Iwo, Oba Abdul-Rasheed Akanbi, another source disclosed, threw his weight behind Oba Adeyemi, saying the title, Alaafin, confers leadership on the monarch in the region, considering the fact that the title was first used by Oduduwa himself and Oranmiyan.

The pertinent question, therefore, remains: did Alaafin goof or not?

After Vacation Abroad, Sir Kessington Adebutu Rejuvenates In Nigeria today, Sir Kessington Adebutu, famously known as Baba Ijebu, is a household name. You don’t have to be in the business world to know him. He is blessed with a larger than life image. Indeed, if the history of billionaires in Africa were to be documented, Adebutu’s name would stand out. Also, it is no exaggeration that he is respected by all, not only for his wealth but also for his uncommon brilliance, a situation that makes him dine and wine with the most powerful across the world.

The Odoole of Yorubaland is a businessman, an inspiration and one of Nigeria’s brightest minds in business.

He has shown a substantial capacity to manage every storm that has hit the betting sector, as evidently seen in how he transformed and recreated the sector with his Premier Lotto.

Since he single-handedly remodelled the industry, it has turned into a billion-

Naira-generating sector that many are now willing to invest in.

In recent times, the flamboyant man has slowed down partying or attending social functions following the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic. After he attended the last convocation ceremonies of the University of Lagos, Akoka, where he was honoured with an honorary Doctor of Science, he jetted out of the country to London with his youngest wife and his twin children for the summer holiday.

He was also said to have spent some time in Malta.

But sources revealed that the cerebral and well-respected business magnate returned to the country last Friday after several weeks of a welldeserved holiday.

Adebutu, who will be 86 on October 24, 2021, is said to be looking more relaxed and rejuvenated with his skin

Adebutu

THISDAY, THE SUNDAY NEWSPAPER ˾ JUNE 24 2012

ARTS & REVIEW A

PUBLICATION

5.09.2021

VICTOR UWAIFO WAS NOT JUST ABOUT MUSIC… Music may have made Victor Uwaifo famous, but his restless creativity found its expressions through other mediums, which included the visual arts. Okechukwu Uwaezuoke reports

S

ometime in 1967…

An eerie moonlit night at the Bar Beach in Victoria Island provided the ideal mise en scène for an otherworldly encounter.

Victor Efosa Uwaifo, then working in the graphics department of the nearby Nigerian Television Service (one of the precursor stations of the Nigerian Television Authority), had made a fetish of spending his after-working hours at this now extinct popular Lagos beach.

It was in search of inspiration. This was how the musician, who suddenly departed this earth-life on Saturday, August 28, explained this quirk in an interview with Channels Television.

Granted that he couldn’t have foretold his spooky encounter with a water sprite, but staying out so late into the night made it seem as if he was literally asking for it. Suddenly, restless waves came crashing into the almost deserted beach.

As they retreated only to surge forward towards him again, it seemed that the undines were setting the stage for something that was about to happen. Then, towards the right at a distance from where he stood was this dazzling apparition.

A“glittering figure”, he called it. And he thought it was all a dream.

No, it was not, as it soon turned. For before he knew it, the figure – a mermaid, known across Nigeria as“Mami-water”– was right in front of him. When the mermaid called – or rather, he heard her call – him,“Guitar Boy”, his response, which was wrenched out of him, sounded like a scream. This was the sound that he sought to replicate with the twang of his guitar strings.

The following day, he quickly assembled his band and the song“Guitar Boy”became an instant big hit and a staple of the 1960s’Nigerian aficionados. This was in the good company of his first gold disc-winning“Joromi”, which was released in 1965, and others. And even as the civil war broke out in 1967, its lyrics continued to trail fans and advise them:“If you see Mami water o-oh! / If you see Mami water o-oh! / Never, never you run away/ E-eh, e-eh/ Never run away with your wife o-oh!”

Talking about the man Uwaifo, whose musical career is almost as old as the independent Nigerian nation, he could easily have turned into an anachronism in the local music scene.

But, thanks to his remarkable resourcefulness, his name remained indelibly engraved on the industry’s consciousness.

Indeed, this Benin City-born polymath owed his path to stardom to the benevolence of Providence. And the fact that his success story, which reads like a classic grass-to-grace one, had modest beginnings was partly corroborated by none other than the Esama of Benin Chief Gabriel Igbinedion. At a dinner party he hosted last month in honour of Uwaifo, whose last earthly birthday – his 80th actually – was on March 1, the billionaire businessman had disclosed that both he and Uwaifo hawked in the streets of Benin in their childhood years. While he hawked kerosene, Uwaifo, he told the dinner guests, hawked kola-nuts.

In the good company of his wife, with whom he had been married for 30 years, he repeated the often-heard refrain among his keen devotees: that he had never smoked, taken drugs, taken alcoholic drinks – except for red wine, which only just started drinking modest quantities after meals – and that he only got his highs from music.

Victor Uwaifo With eyes set on his goal, he had plodded on with the mindset never to tarred with the same brush as most musicians.

About his passion for music, it had been weaned from constantly listening back then to gramophone records of Spanish and Latin American musicians. And by the time he turned 12, he had become proficient enough in playing the guitar to be noticed.

Surely, a father who desired loftier things for his son wouldn’t exactly be excited about that.

No, he wouldn’t let him end up in palm wine bars or become a philanderer. Luckily, it had taken the intervention of his mother to save his guitar.

This was after his father had seized it. He only got it back after gaining admission into the Western Boys’High School Benin, from where he later moved to St Gregory’s College, Lagos.

Having completed his secondary education in

1961, he had enrolled in a national art diploma programme at the Yaba College of Technology, Lagos, where he graduated with a distinction in graphics in 1963 at 22 and won the Lintas Scholarship for the Best Graduating Student.

Years later, somewhere along the line – even as he was basking in the limelight –, he must have felt that he was missing out on something.

Otherwise, what was the point of a degree programme at the University of Benin when he was already 50? After he got a first-class honours bachelor’s degree in fine and applied arts from the university at 54, he gunned for a master’s degree in sculpture, which he got at 56. Earning a PhD from the university, albeit at 77, was the next logical step.

With not much left to prove in the academic realm, he would eventually become a professor at the same university. Obviously, a restless streak

d drives this predilection for academic laurels, as h he confirmed in his last interview with THISDAY’s b broadcast arm, Arise Television.“I cannot stay iidle at any point in time,”he told the interviewer C Charles Aniagolu.“I must keep moving. I like e exploring …and exploit what I have and then d draw from the past to advance the future…”

Though he had his musical exploits to thank for h his limelight years, they only filled up a gap during tthe interregnum between his protracted studies iin the visual arts. Hence, even as he relished his rrenown as a musician, the visual arts remained a m medium, through which he could express things h he could not through music.

But then, it wasn’t as if he ever gave up practisiing music. For, back in his St Gregory’s years, he h had taken it up from where he left it. Soon, he w would become a leading high school bandleader llike Segun Bucknor and held jam sessions with V Victor Olaiya’s All Stars band. His post-secondary sschool years saw having brief stints with such h highlife greats as E. C. Arinze, Stephen Osita O Osadebe and Fred Coker, before forming his own b band, The Melody Maestros in 1965.

His winning Africa’s first golden disc with his ssong“Joromi”became his career-defining mom ment and as he relished his renown, his patented g genres with such names as Ekassa, Mokassa, TTitibitis, Shadow and Akwete wormed their way iinto the local music lexicon. Seven other golden d discs followed while he performed under the n name Victor Uwaifo and His Titibitis. By the time h he had produced 600 songs and 100 records, a ttotal of 12 golden records became the icing on h his over half-a-century-long career.

Whenever it looked as though his popularity w was about to wane, a slew of honours someh how retained him in the public’s consciousn ness. And among the most cherished of tthese honours were the Member of the O Order of the Niger (MON) award by the N Nigerian government in 1983 and the rrecognition as the UNESCO’s Living Human TTreasure in 2017.

The man who became Edo State’s Comm missioner for Arts, Culture and Tourism – a position, he stressed, was the first of its kkind in Nigeria – preened himself on his aachievements and many firsts. Besides iinventing and popularising the doublen neck guitar with 18 strings with a “sixth ffinger”, which he could spin 360 degrees m mid-air, he also designed and built the ccar he called Vision 01 with fibreglass.

Then, there was this private museum he called Revelation Tourist Palazzo, which shares the same premises as his mansion in Benin City as well as his Joromi Organisation, which operates a recording and a television studio in the Edo State capital.

Meanwhile, the word is out that the late musical legend’s family has announced plans for the interment of his earthly cloak.

Apparently, the obsequies would be an elaborate affair, which will span a period of three days – starting from Thursday, September 23 with a “service of songs” (possibly a wake) at Uwaifo’s Benin residence and ending on Sunday, September 26 with a thanksgiving service at the Holy Cross Cathedral in Benin.

The programme also included a special“outing service”(a memorial service?) in honour of the departed on Friday, September 24 and a planned “lavish ceremony at an undisclosed venue”for “guests and dignitaries”.

EDITOR OKECHUKWU UWAEZUOKE/ okechukwu.uwaezuoke@thisdaylive.com

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THISDAY, THE SUNDAY NEWSPAPER SEPTEMBER 5, 2021

ARTS & REVIEW\\PHOTOGRAPHY

INVANTAGEPOINT,TWOPHOTOGRAPHERS BLENDPERSPECTIVES Yinka Olatunbosun

A

photography exhibition curated

by SMO Contemporary Art parades Bernard Kalu and Oyebola Famuyiwa’s unique perspectives of Lagos to mark the Wheatbaker Hotel’s 10th anniversary.

Through 25 spectacular photographs, Kalu and Famuyiwa explore the culture, history and aesthetics of the mega-city. Lagos is reintroduced by the two artists through new heights, angles, aerial and terrestrial perspectives to reveal the unique beauty and complexity of the bubbly city. Through their works, the photographers have shown their deep interest in preserving the culture, history and energy of Lagos as well as the spaces and people within it.

Their photographs play the“symbiotic game of planned and spontaneous.”

Titled Vantage Point, the show is a testament to Kalu’s and Famuyiwa’s connection with the city, investing many years in finding the unique norm of Lagos, while beaming light on its dynamic environment.

Kalu is a documentary photographer with a knack for street photography. Born and raised in

Lagos, he had traversed the heart of the Lagos metropolis in areas like Dopemu and Iyana Ipaja to meet artisans, street traders and urchins, beginning with friendly conversations. While there is a shift towards reinventing Lagos, Kalu’s stills document the city’s temperament and historical signposts such as the mass commuter bus known as‘Molue’ as seen in some of the images in his series with titles such as“Outlier”,“Stance”and“Swagger”.

Having graduated from Enugu State University with a Bachelors in computer engineering, he began street documentary and wedding photography in 2014 with Auxano Photography now Verteller Studios. He is an official Fujifilm Global X-photographer, a certified Canon Miraisha master storyteller, VII Academy Foundry Alumni and first runner-up in the 2017 NATGEO Portfolio Review.

On his part, Famuyiwa appropriates his aerial photography in deepening appreciation for nature, architecture and the human experience. With a background in technical drawing, he obtained a toy drone in 2015 and a professional one in 2019 to capture aerial shots of Lagos. In his work, titled “X-Factor”, he focuses on merging lanes and intersections as visual metaphor for the marketplace of ideas in human relationships. He has a no-holds barred attitude to photography which is quite evident in his shot, titled“Launch Out”, taken at the

famous Ember Creek. Though he wouldn’t describe himself as a loner, he is attracted to items that exist alone or are abandoned. That is his subtle way of making a statement on restitution.

Armed with a degree in electrical and electronic engineering from the University of Ibadan, photography was a deviation from his childhood dream of being a pilot. Still, he came close to this dream with his expertise in drone photography.

His photos have been featured in numerous exhibitions including the China-Nigeria Friendship in Pictures Photography Competition in 2019and the British Council 2011 iCreative Expo and the LagosPhoto Amateur Photography Competition in the same year. His pictures were also featured in the 2009 Life in My City Art Festival (LIMCAF). He currently manages ArtbyOye (Fine Art Photography), Potterclay Photography (Lifestyle and Events) and PixBus (a Mobile Phone Booth situated in a 1979 Volkwagen Bus. “Both artists are strikingly different but complementary,”said remarked Nneoma Ilogu, the show’s curator.“Their diverse narratives remind us of the importance of perception. Each image encourages us to look past the surface to what lies beneath. An opportunity to cast the gave upward and hope or dream of something better. These two trailblazers are a critical addition to the broadening

X Factor by Oyebola Famuyiwa canon of photography of Lagos. My hope is that ‘Vantage Point’makes us appreciate and see both the macro- and microscopic realities of Lagos as enjoyed from a terrestrial and bird’s eye perspective.’’

FORAHARMONISED WAYFORWARD…

A

n inauguration of the Joint National Working Committee of the National Gallery of Art (NGA) and Society of Nigerian Artists (SNA) for the Harmonisation of [the] NGA Establishment Act for Repeal and Re-enactment was held recently on Friday, August 20 at TAFAS Art Gallery in Ikeja, Lagos.

The event, organised by the Ebeten William Ivara-NGA, was graced by leading artists like Chief Timothy Adebanjo Fasuyi (the host) and

Dr Kolade Oshinowo, Omooba as well as by the renowned art collector and founder of the Yemisi Shyllon Museum of Art @ PanAtlantic University Omooba Yemisi Adedoyin Shyllon. Professor Bruce Onobrakpeya, who was unavoidably absent, was represented at the event by one of his sons Dr Mudiare Onobrakpeya.

Above are the recently-appointed committee members: NGA’s Dr. Simon Ikpakronyi, SNA’s Archibong Bassey, SNA’s Dotun Alabi, SNA’s Oliver Enwonwu, NGA’s Ngozi JohnUyah and NGA’s James Irabor.

R-L National Gallery of Art (NGA), Dr. Simon Ikpakronyi, Archibong Bassey, Society of Nigerian Artists (SNA), Dotun Alabi (SNA), Oliver Enwonwu (SNA), Ngozi John-Uyah (NGA) and James

TELEVISION

LANIAISIDA:AS“RUMOURHASIT”ENDS,THEKINGOFWEBSERIESSPEAKS The third season of the popular web series Rumour Has It aired its last episode this past Friday, 27 August. Lani Aisida, a chartered accountant turned screenwriter, wrote all 10 episodes, and has been the recipient of immense praise—but also complaints as some viewers have been unhappy with one character’s fate. Besides his work on RHI3, Aisida has written, co-written or created Skinny Girl in Transit, Phases, and Oga Pastor. caught up with Nigeria’s King ofWeb Series and these are excerpts:

H

ow familiar are you with your online popularity as Rumour Has It season 3 comes to an end? There are people who missed the first two seasons and are checking them out solely because of season 3.

I have been blown away. But there is always that thought that can we do better.Yes, I wrote it, but as you know, it takes a village. Director, actors and production team. I hope the next project is even better but honestly, the response to this season gives me so much joy. I have been writing for about 7 years, but this is the first time that viewers have slid into my DMs with queries.“So, you are the one that is giving me high BP”,“you better resurrect Nnenna”and many more comments. I am learning to compartmentalise my life so I can enjoy my private life and interact with the fans as well.

to be that it is you who got to handle the writing for this third season?

A couple of years ago, Ndani contacted me to work on Season 2. I co-wrote it with Temitope Salu. They wanted to write this season and asked me to come up with a story. I pitched the story and they loved it.

It was challenging to write the entire season alone, but the outcome is superb.

Some people believe web series are doing better than parts of big screen Nollywood. Do you agree?

And why is that the case? Is it budget related?

For me, with a low or high budget, big or small screen, the goal is to entertain, inform and engage the viewer.

I’m very big on strong stories. Cinemas have suffered because of covid, so more people are drawn to the small screen.YouTube is a free platform and hey, people like free things. But the challenge is the same: Give great content. It is what I try to do.

You are quite likely the most in-demand web series writer. What does it take to be Lani Aisida, king of Nigeria’s web series?

Being me isn’t so difficult. It takes creativity, focus and discipline. I am the quietest person in the room but I’m usually people watching and thinking of adapting things into stories. It’s both easy and not easy to be Lani.

What is your process? I imagine there are different processes for a series you didn’t create and for those you did create?

The biggest thing is immersing myself in the story world. Letting the characters use me to tell the story rather than force a story through them. Obviously, it is easier with a show I create because I am the god of that world.With shows I do not create, where possible, I speak with the creator so I can understand the vision.

Then I put pen to paper (or fingers to a keyboard) to build the characters, the story world, possible scenarios.

RHI has had some famous writers since its first season years ago. Could you talk about how it came

NdaniTV. They are a creative outfit owned by a corporate entity, an incredibly big bank. How much freedom do you have in crafting storylines?

I hope I am right to say that Ndani TV was one of the pioneers of online TV in Nigeria and the beauty about them is that we view content the same way.

In the words of Robert McKee“If a society repeatedly experiences glossy, hollowed-out pseudo-stories, it degenerates. We need satires and tragedies, dramas and comedies, which shine a clean light into the dingy corners of the human psyche and society”. Ndani and I agree with McKee and it’s a pleasure.

Lani-Aisida Interesting dialogue comes to me.Then script and voila!

Of the many interesting characters in Rumour Has It, which do you think has something of Lani Aisida in them?

[Laughs]. This is a tough one. If I said Deda would that make people wary of me? I’ve read comments about people saying they fear the mind of RHI3’s writer.

[Laughs]. So, I will just say none of them and all of them.

That is a cheat answer but let me get away with it.

Fair enough. You have worked several times for

It is probably harder now to break into the web series sub-industry now. For anyone looking to do so as a writer, what would you offer as advice and as step-by-step guide?

I tell younger writers to focus on the one thing you have absolute control over. You. Improve yourself, write, read books, write, read scripts, write, watch Nigerian and foreign content, write the bad writing out of your system. Write without being commissioned.

Create shows. Write the whole season. That is what I did. When you have that one chance to sit in front of a decision maker, hopefully your hard work when no one was looking will stand you in good stead. Most people can tell if you are committed to your craft.

Malcolm Gladwell has said you need 10,000 hours. · Aigbokhaevbolo is a Lagos-based entertainment writer.

THISDAY, THE SUNDAY NEWSPAPER

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SEPTEMBER 5, 2021

CICERO

Editor: Ejiofor Alike SMS: 08066066268 email:ejiofor.alike@thisdaylive.com

IN THE ARENA

Will Oduah’s Alleged Sins Be Forgiven?

Following the controversial statement by a former Chairman of the All Progressives Congress, Adams Oshiomhole, that the sins of the members of the Peoples Democratic Party who joined the ruling party would be forgiven, the main opposition party had described the APC as a sanctuary for corrupt politicians.

Ejiofor Alike wonders if the alleged N5 billion hanging on the neck of the former Minister of Aviation, Senator Stella Oduah, would be dropped with her recent defection from the PDP to the APC

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former Minister of Aviation and Senator representing Anambra North, Mrs. Senator Stella Oduah, had in late last month dumped the PDP for the APC, claiming that she wanted to be part of the process of changing the political narrative in the South-east.

A statement issued by APC spokesperson, Salisu Na’inna Dambatta, had revealed that the former minister was received at a brief ceremony in Abuja and admitted into the party by the Chairman of the APC Caretaker/Extraordinary Convention Planning Committee (CECPC) and Governor of Yobe State, Alhaji Mai Mala Buni; Chairman of the Progressive Governors’ Forum, Alhaji Abubakar Atiku Bagudu of Kebbi State; Imo State Governor, Senator Hope Uzodimma and the Deputy President of the Senate, Senator Ovie Omo-Agege.

A former National Chairman of the APC, Mr. Adams Oshiomhole, had in January 2019 urged members of the opposition party to join the APC so that their sins could be forgiven.

He spoke at the APC rally in Benin City, the Edo State capital, while receiving some members of the PDP into the APC during the rally.

He said: “We have some PDP defectors. They are, Henry Tenebe, Iluobe….Iluobe means I have done something wrong. Yes, once you join the APC, your sins are forgiven.”

In a swift reaction the PDP, through the then Director, Media and Publicity, PDP Presidential Campaign Organisation (PPCO), Mr. Kola Ologbondiyan, averred that Oshiomhole had exposed Buhari and APC members as criminals, describing Buhari’s anti-corruption fight as a ruse.

The PPCO said that Oshiomhole’s confession had “directly confirmed that the APC is a sanctuary of treasury looters and that President Buhari’s fight against corruption is mere racketeering”.

Indeed, some APC members or defected PDP members under investigation are known to have received preferential treatment in the anticorruption war.

For instance, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) had returned 48 houses seized from a former governor of Bayelsa State, and Minister of State for Petroleum, Mr. Timipre Sylva, claiming that Justice Adeniyi Ademola was the one who thwarted the case in a controversial ruling.

The anti-graft agency said the case was controversial because Sylva was discharged barely a few days to the APC governorship primary in 2015.

However, it was not certain if APC appealed against the judge’s ruling.

The EFCC had also in 2015 commenced probe

Oduah of a former Governor of Akwa Ibom State and Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Senator Godswill Akpabio over alleged theft of N108.1billion, following a petition forwarded to the commission by an Abuja-based lawyer and activist, Leo Ekpenyong.

However, nobody knows the outcome of the probe since he defected to the APC. Corruption charges filed against Senator Danjuma Goje by the EFCC were also dropped at the Federal High Court in Jos after the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Mr. Abubakar Malami (SAN) withdrew the charges in July 2019.

While Goje claimed the AGF withdrew the

an alleged N5 billion fraud case.

Oduah was billed to be arraigned in July on 25 counts, but she was not in court along with the 4th defendant.

At that day’s proceedings, the prosecuting lawyer, Mr. Hassan Liman, told the judge that all the defendants had been served with the charges as earlier ordered. He expressed displeasure that the former minister was again, not in court without any excuse.

Liman revealed that 32 witnesses had been assembled to testify against Oduah and eight others in order to establish the fraud charges against them.

The judge while fixing October 19 for the arraignment of the former minister, warned the absentee defendants to be in court on the date or have bench warrant of arrest issued against them.

The arraignment of Oduah, alongside Chinese construction giant, CCECC, and six others, charged with laundering funds to the tune of N 5billion, was stalled in February.

The arraignment was initially stalled on February 9 due to the non-service of the charges on the defendants.

Ekwo, then rescheduled her arraignment for Monday, February 22, 2021.

However, when the case was called, although Oduah this time was present in court and was represented by Chief Onyechi Ikpeazu (SAN), but her arraignment again failed due to non-service of suit on two other defendants.

The EFCC had on December 17, 2020 filed 25 counts accusing the defendants of laundering various sums of money totaling about N5,052,415,984 between February and June 2014.

Before Oduah was charged with the alleged N5 billion fraud, the federal government had in October 2018 slammed criminal charges against her and Senator Hope Uzodimma, following their alleged refusal to declare their assets.

The two separate charges, were lodged before the Abuja Division of the Federal High Court by charges because the alleged N25 billion fraud the Special Presidential Investigation Panel for case against him was more of persecution than the Recovery of Public Property (SPIP). prosecution, many Nigerians had believed that The duo, who were serving lawmakers, were to Malami took the action as a show of appreciaanswer to a two-count charge that was okayed tion for Goje’s withdrawal from the race for the by the Attorney General of the Federation and position of the Senate President to pave the way Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami (SAN). for the emergence of the government’s preferred While the charge against Oduah was assigned to candidate, Dr. Ahmad Lawan.

Justice Ijeoma Ojukwu, Uzodimma, who was then Before Oduah’s defection last month, the Federal a factional gubernatorial flag-bearer of the APC High Court in Abuja had in July threatened to issue in Imo State, was expected to take his plea before a warrant for her arrest over her failure to appear trial Justice Babatunde Quadri. in court for her corruption trial.

Now that Oduah has defected before the OctoJustice Inyang Ekwo said he would order the exber 19 adjourned date, Nigerians are anxious to minister’s arrest if she failed to appear for the trial know what will become of the charges. on October 19, 2021 slated for her arraignment in

P O L I T I CA L N OT E S

Who is Afraid of Soludo?

Soludo

After travelling from Imo State to Jigawa State to procure court order in their failed bid to stop the governorship candidate of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) in the November 6 governorship election in Anambra State, Prof. Charles Soludo, desperate politicians in the state took their desperation to another level on Wednesday when they hired those described as political thugs to protest against the former governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) in Abuja.

While dismissing the frivolous court orders procured in Imo and Jigawa states, Justice Chioma Nwosu-Ikpeme of the Court of Appeal, Awka Division had accused Anambra politicians of going round the country shopping for judgments to enable them to contest in the November 6 governorship election.

She had also demanded punishment for the

judge of the Jigawa State High Court, Justice Ubale of Birnin Kudu, and his counterpart in the Imo State judiciary, Justice B. C. Iheka, for what she described as their unprofessional conduct by dabbling into the Anambra State gubernatorial election controversy.

Not satisfied with the decisions of the courts, which frustrated all their efforts to exclude Soludo from the election, these desperate politicians last Wednesday opted for illegal means by hiring protesters to barricade the National Headquarters of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), demanding the exclusion of Soludo from the election.

Many politicians that lack decency have always viewed Anambra politics as cash-and-carry politics that is conducted in a crude manner, otherwise the self-acclaimed National Coordinator of the Anambra Restoration Movement (ARM), a faceless group, Mr.

Gabriel Uguru, and the Publicity Secretary, Goodness Chioma, should have known that INEC lacks the powers to disqualify a candidate.

Uguru, Chioma and their sponsors threw caution to the wind and called on the INEC and the federal government to embark on illegality to disqualify Soludo just to pave the way for their candidate.

It is pertinent to note that the brand of politics played by Uguru’s paymasters in Anambra State has cost many judges and an Assistant Inspector General of Police (AIG) their jobs.

With Justice Nwosu-Ikpeme’s outbursts and the invitation of some judges by the National Judicial Council (NJC), it is obvious that the November 6 election may also claim casualties.

But who is afraid of Soludo and why are they afraid of healthy contest?

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BRIEFINGNOTES Did Delta Court Order Actually Restrain Buni?

In less than one week, two courts in Rivers and Cross River states delivered rulings against the embattled National ChairmanofthePeoplesDemocraticPartyPrinceUcheSecondus,whichhereligiouslyobeyed,demonstratingPDP’s respect for the rule of law. In contrast, the National Chairman of the Caretaker Extraordinary Convention Planning Committee of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and Governor of Yobe State, Mr. Mai Mala Buni, has claimed that mischief makers misrepresented the facts without having access to the court ruling, Ejiofor Alike writes

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he crisis besetting the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) came to a peak late last month when a Rivers State High Court, in an interim order dated August 23, 2021 and signed by Justice O. Gbasam and the Assistant Chief Registrar (Litigation), Patricia N. Victor Nwoka, restrained the National Chairman of the party, Prince Uche Secondus from parading himself as the PDP National Chairman.

In obedience to this order, Secondus abdicated his office and handed over to his deputy, Mr. Yemi Akinwonmi However, his supporters went to a Kebbi State High Court, which issued an interim order directing him to resume office, pending the determination of the substantive suit.

The embattled Secondus returned to his desk 24 hours later but another high court in Cross River State restrained him again.

In obedience to this order, Secondus asked his deputy, Akinwonmi to preside over the National Executive Council (NEC) meeting held last Saturday and has been out of office since then.

So, when media reports claimed that a Delta State High Court sitting in Asaba, last Wednesday restrained the National Chairman of the Caretaker and Extraordinary Convention Planning Committee (CECPC) of the All Progressives Congress and Governor of Yobe State, Mr. Mai Mala Buni, along with other members from acting or parading themselves as the APC CECPC until the determination of a substantive suit before the court, many Nigerians thought Buni would abide by the court order to show example as chairman of the ruling party.

But Buni has dismissed the purported court order, describing it as the work of mischief makers who did not wish APC well.

However, the reports had claimed that the presiding judge, Justice Onome Marshal Umukoro, also stopped the scheduled APC Local Government Congress in Delta State slated for September 4, 2021 (yesterday).

APC Deputy Chairman, Olorogun Elvis Ayomanor leading other officials of the Delta APC had approached the court to challenge the outcome of the Ward Congress in the state.

In the ex-parte motion by the applicants, lead counsel, Mr. Daubry Ebipade Richard prayed the court to grant the seven-point reliefs sought, insisting that going ahead with yesterday’s Local Government Congress in Delta State, would cause more damage to his clients.

Principal among the reliefs sought by the applicants was: “An order of interim injunction of this Honourable Court restraining the 2nd – 14th defendants/respondents from further acting or parading themselves as the members of the Caretaker/ Extraordinary Convention Planning Committee (CECPC) of the 1st defendant (APC), pending the hearing and determination of the Motion on Notice already filed and served in the suit; “Alternatively: An order of interim injunction of this Honourable Court restraining the 2nd – 14th Defendants/Respondents from conducting the Local Government and State Congresses slated for September 4, 2021 or any other date, and other Congresses of the 1st defendant in Delta State, pending the hearing and determination of the Motion on Notice already filed and served.

Lead counsel to the defendants/ respon-

Buni dents, Mr. Robert Emukpoeruo (SAN), was said to have initially challenged the jurisdiction of the court to entertain the suit but later on sought that certain parties be joined as co-defendants/ respondents.

But counsel to the applicants, Richard had reportedly argued that the matter before the court was an ex-parte motion, which did not require consideration of the parties.

It was reported that in his ruling, Justice Umukoro granted seven days’ order of interim injunction restraining Buni and the CECPC from conducting the Local Government and State Congresses slated for September 4, 2021, or any other date, and other congresses of the APC in Delta State, or parading themselves as National Caretaker Committee of the party, pending the hearing and determination of the Motion on Notice already filed and served.

The matter was adjourned to September 7, 2021, for further hearing.

But in swift reaction, Buni dismissed the reports that he was restrained by the High Court order.

The Yobe State governor, in a statement issued by his Director General for Press, Mr. Mamman Mohammed, acknowledged that the restriction of the forthcoming local government congresses was also limited to Delta State and did not affect other states.

He, however, noted that some mischief makers, who never wished the party well, had continued to misrepre-

sent the facts without having access to the court ruling.

Buni explained that one Mr. Elvis Ayomanor and seven others had on August 19, instituted the case, praying the court to among other things, issue and serve the originating summons on 15 defendants, including the party, Buni and members of the national caretaker committee as well as, the chairman of the party in the state.

Buni added that applicants also sought the court to issue an interim injunction to restrain him and members of the committee from acting or parading themselves as leaders of the party, pending the determination of the case against the outcome of the ward Congresses in Delta State.

He noted that they also prayed for an interim injunction restraining the party from conducting the local government and state congresses slated for 4th September in the state pending the determination of the case before the court.

Buni, however, clarified that the High court in its wisdom, ruled: “This court has looked at the motion Ex-Parte dated 18th/8/2021 and filed 19/8/2021 seeking the reliefs as set out on the face of the motion paper.

“This court has also looked at the supporting affidavit along with exhibits attached as well as the written address containing legal arguments in support of the prayers sought. Reliefs 1, 2, 3 and 4 have to do with issues of service of processes on all parties in this suit.

“Relief 5, 6 and 7 are injunctive reliefs being sought in the interim. The affidavits in support contain sufficient grounds for the grant of the reliefs being sought. Reliefs 1,2,3,4 and alternative prayer 5 of the motion Ex-Parte are hereby granted.

“Alternative prayer 5 is granted only in relation to the 15th defendant (Jones Ode Erue, Chairman APC, Delta State). In compliance with order 39 Rule 7(3) of the Extant Civil Procedure Rules of this court, this order of injunction granted shall abate after seven days.”

Buni insisted that the court ruling only affected the 15th defendant (Delta State Chairman of APC) and not him and other members of the committee.

Did the court actually restrain the Yobe State governor as claimed in the media?

Was he not supposed to follow the example demonstrated by Secondus instead of interpreting the order?

Many analysts feel that move by the Yobe governor is typical of APC. They said since the party assumed office in 2015, it is either it is disobeying court orders or judgments or choosing which one to obey.

“An order of court is an order of court.

It must be respected and obeyed until a superior vacates it. Anything contrary amounts to lawlessness,” said one of the analysts who prefer to remain anonymous.

He drew attention to the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, who in 2019 told Nigerians that his office can choose to disobey certain court orders in the interest of the public.

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CICERO/COURT

Ending the Menace of Conflicting Court Judgments The current move by the leadership of both the bench and bar of the Nigerian judiciary to address the issue of conflicting judgments by the courts, is indeed a proof of the saying that ‘a stitch in time, saves nine,’ writes Alex Enumah

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orried over the spate of conflicting orders by courts of coordinate jurisdiction against political parties, politicians and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), upon exparte applications, the Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Justice Ibrahim Muhammad had on Monday, summoned Chief Judges (CJ) of six State High Courts across the country.

The move was fuelled by an urgent need to halt the decay, disregard, contempt of the judiciary, occasioned by the indiscriminate granting of court orders and injunctions by some judges.

Unlike previously when the National Judicial Council (NJC) would wait for a petition from the public before investigating and disciplining any erring judge, the CJN on his own, in this instant case, took the decision to look into the issue with the possible punishment of any judge found culpable.

Among the affected CJs the CJN has invited for explanation are that of Rivers, Kebbi, Cross River, Anambra, Jigawa and Imo States High Courts.

According to the invitation letter dated August 30, the heads of the courts were to appear before the CJN as a prelude to the forthcoming plenary of the NJC this week, to explain what might have warranted the issuance of conflicting court orders by judges in their courts.

The action of the CJN, who is also Chairman of the NJC, was necessitated by THISDAY Newspaper’s publication of August 30 with the headline: ‘Concerns Mount as Court Injunctions, Orders Threatened Nation’s Democracy.’

Between June and August no less than six High Court judges had issued restraining orders on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and major political parties in the country, as well as the National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Prince Uche Secondus.

While the CJ of the High Courts of Imo, Jigawa and Anambra were to explain the roles of their courts in the Anambra governorship election slated for November 6, 2021, their counterparts in Rivers, Kebbi and Cross River on the other hand are to explain the role of their courts in the PDP leadership crisis.

From the tone of the CJN’s invitation letter, it was obvious that the CJN was not only worried but also bitter over the development, which sources around the CJN noted is a huge embarrassment to the Nigerian judiciary and the country at large.

However, it was not only the leadership of the bench that had been worried about the unfortunate descent of the judiciary in recent times.

Few hours after the CJN’s summons of six Chief Judges, the leadership of the umbrella body for lawyers, the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) issued a statement condemning the development.

President of the NBA, Mr. Olumidie Akpata, in the statement issued August 30, assured that while the body would support necessary steps to stem the tide, it would not hesitate to sanction lawyers behind the unfortunate acts. It would be recalled that Justice Chioma Nwosu-Iheme of the Court of Appeal, Awka, Anambra State in a judgment early August had indicted lawyers for forum shopping for favourable judgments for politicians. The judge in a ruling on the authentic governorship candidate for

Tanko Muhammad the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), called for sanctioning of both judges of the High Courts that went out of their territorial jurisdiction to entertain motions due to alleged inducements as well as the lawyers that brought those applications before them.

Indicating that it might sanction erring members going forward, the NBA said: “By the issuance of this statement, the NBA confirms unequivocally that it will not stand by and watch a ridiculing of the profession and the justice administration system by a handful of its members and will be considering its deterrence options in this regard.”

To this end, Akpata said the NBA would urgently seek audience with the CJN to address this issue holistically and as such would “enlist the support of the Chairman of the NBA Judiciary Committee, Dr. Babatunde Ajibade, (SAN) as well as the Chairpersons of the NBA Section of Legal Practice (NBA-SLP) and NBA Section on Public Interest and Development Law (NBASPIDEL), Mr. Oluwaseun Abimbola (SAN) and Dr. Monday Ubani for this proposed engagement.”

Although the country’s constitution and the Electoral Act allow the judiciary (courts and election tribunals) to intervene particularly when issues of non-compliance, manipulation, violence allegedly marred the process of electing a particular representative, however, the manner and ways these interventions are being carried out by some judges have become a source of worry and strong concerns, particularly as preparations for the 2023 general election gears up.

It should be stated also that this is not the first time that the court has attempted to truncate democracy in the country. In 1993 Justice Bassey Ikpeme of the Federal High Court, Abuja, had issued a restraining order on the defunt National Electoral Commission (NEC) not to proceed with the June 12, Presidential election despite Decree 13, which forbids the court from intervening

in the election.

Even when the electoral body was defiant and went ahead to conduct the poll, another High Court subsequently restrained the NEC from further announcing the results.

Other notable judges who had at one time or the other issued questionable and controversial injunctions at one time or the other include; justices Wilson Egbo-Egbo, Stanley Nnanji, Okechukwu Opene, among others.

They were unceremoniously removed from office.

A former National Chairman of the APC, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole was also a victim of conflicting injunctions by High Courts of Abuja, Benin and Kano. While one ordered his suspension another ordered his continued stay as Chairman.

However, if the interventions of the courts within the last two months in the Anambra governorship election are anything to go by, one can only predict dangers in 2023.

Between June and August alone, various courts have given orders and counter orders to INEC over who to be on the ballot for the three major political parties contesting the November 6, governorship election. And sadly, most of these orders were issued by courts that arguably lacked the territorial jurisdictions to hear such matters.

Most sadly is the fact they the orders were hinged upon exparte application for which the leadership of the judiciary has warned judges to be “circumspect” of. For example, INEC had on July 16 published the name of Umeoji as the APGA candidate following an order by the Jigawa State High Court on June 28. On July 18 Justice Charles Okaa of Anambra state High Court directed INEC to publish Prof. Charles Soludo’s name as APGA’s candidate. Meanwhile justice Iheka of the Imo state High Court again ordered INEC to publsh Umeoji’s name as APGA’s candidate.

Still on the Anambra governorship poll,

Justice Obiora Nwabunike, of an Anambra State High Court, had declared Ugochukwu Uba as the PDP candidate for the November 6 governorship election, while at the same time, Justice Hyeladzira Nganjiwa, of a Federal High Court, Awka, ordered INEC to publish the name of Valentine Ozigbo as candidate of the PDP for the same election.

At a point, INEC had to drop the names of APGA and PDP candidates from the list despite its assurance to obey court orders.

According to INEC, the decision was taken in cognisance of the Judgments/Court Orders served on it in relation to the primaries of the political parties and other processes leading to the election.

The courts were again indicted of another professional misconduct in the case of PDP National Chairman, with one High Court appearing to be sitting as an appellate court over another, suggesting that something else is involved outside the pursuit of justice.

First, Justice O. Gbasam of a High Court of Rivers State, on August 23, 2021 issued an order of interim injunction restraining Secondus from carrying on as Chairman of the PDP, pending the hearing and determination of a suit challenging his continued stay in office.

Justice O. Gbasam of the Degema Division of a High Court of Rivers State, sitting in Port Harcourt issued the orders while delivering ruling in an exparte application by some chieftains of the PDP in Rivers State.

But three days later, August 26, Justice Nusirat Umar of the Kebbi state High Court ordered Secondus to return to his position as the National Chairman. The judge made the order while delivering ruling in a suit marked KB/AC/M. 170/2021, filed by three concerned members of the party, Yahaya Usman, Abubakar Mohammed and Bashar Suleman.

Just as the electoral umpire would be confused on which of the various High Courts orders to be obeyed, so is the case with the PDP on which of the orders to obey. Initially Secondus obeyed the order of his suspension but later said he is obeying the latter order to go back to office. So, the confusion continues, with negative impact on the judiciary and the image of the country globally.

An exparte application, which is a preservative order is usually granted by a court to protect the ‘res’ from being destroyed, abused, or tampered with. Before granting it, a judge must be fully convinced that something is being endangered and needed court’s temporary order for protection, and preservation before parties are called upon to present their cases for adjudication. However, in all these cases where the affected courts have issued restraining order, nothing seemed to be in danger that must be protected by the court.

Rather than granting the applications, these judges ought to have placed the respondents on notice. This is where the need to be circumspect as has been advocated comes in.

Since the Supreme Court in several decisions, had held that the internal matters of political parties are not issues of the courts, one begins to wonder the attraction to disobedience and disregard to precedence by some judges.

The move by the CJN as well as the NBA will help redeem the image of the judiciary if any judge or lawyer is given the maximum sanction to serve as a deterrent to others.

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CICERO/REPORT

Duke

Imoke

Ayade

Ayade Takes on Imoke, Duke in a Supremacy Battle Chuks Okocha writes that the defection of Governor Ben Ayade of Cross River State from the

Peoples Democratic Party to the All Progressives Congress, was a declaration of political war on former governors Donald Duke and Liyel Imoke ahead of the 2023 general election

S

ince the return of democracy in 1999, clinching political power in all elections in Cross River State has always been an easy ride for the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), which almost turned the state to a sort of one-party state.

Led by what was then known as the three wise men- former governors Donald Duke, Liyel Imoke and Senator Gershom Bassey, who were believed to have developed a roadmap that would shape the politics and development agenda of the state for at least three decades.

Indeed, the emergence of Duke and Imoke helped tremendously to reposition Cross River as a frontline state. The agenda was to enthrone Gershom as governor in 2015 to complete the 24 years the trio set to achieve in the political dominance of the state.

But the clamour for zoning of the governorship to Cross River North Senatorial District truncated that plan.

That was how Governor Ben Ayade was installed at Pellegrino House - the state seat of power, to ensure equity and fairness in the distribution of political power among the three senatorial districts of the state.

With Duke’s success on tourism, which projected Cross River to the world, and Imoke’s rural transformation which brought development to rural populace of the state, it was also hoped that Ayade would pursue industrialisation of the state.

However, many are alarmed at what they described as Ayade’s conspicuous betrayal of the Cross River mandate and its developmental drive, with his defection to the APC. They argued that in taking that political risk, Ayade failed woefully to take into cognisance of the long history of Imoke’s political grip on the state.

Also, Ayade’s inability to build his own political structure after he took over power in 2015 was also seen as a grave mistake for his political future.

Again, Ayade’s style of governance where he was said to have christened his younger brother as a co-governor did not go down well with most politicians and key stakeholders in Cross River.

It was not surprising that when the governor

set in motion his defection train to APC, only his political appointees and two House of Representatives members, Hon. Legor Idagbo representing Obudu/Obanliku/Bekwara Federal Constituency and Hon. Mike Etaba representing Obubra/Etung Federal Constituency, shipped with him to the APC. With the two members, APC now has three, including Hon. Alex Egbuna. The expectations, according to those privy to Ayade’s negotiations with the APC national officials at the Abuja headquarters was that all the political class would decamp with him. But instead of fueling massive defections to the APC, Ayade’s defection has strengthened the PDP to the extent that even many of his appointees has called his bluff and remained with the PDP. This scenario has played out in Boki, where Ayade is believed to have garnered some support due to his food-on-the-table appointments.

While the Secretary to the State Government, Tina Agbor; the Commissioners for Aviation and Works, Hon. Dr Jake Enyia and Hon. Dan Osim Asu defected to the APC, most of their followers and supporters have remained in the PDP going by the massive support seen in the recent rallies in both Boki Constituency I and II. The two rallies were said to have shaken the Ayade and APC camps, such that a similar rally is being planned by the APC. Etung is already divided with Sentor John Owan Enoh holding forth for APC, while the current Senator for Cross River Central, Prof.

Sandy Onor leads the PDP. In Yakurr, there is a split between former Commissioner of Education, Obol Godwin Etta versus current Commissioner for Land and Urban Development, Prof. John Inyang.

In the northern senatorial district, specifically, Obudu, where Ayade comes from, opposition from former PDP National Publicity Secretary and candidate for the State Chairman, Hon. Venatius Ikem; and the House of Representatives aspirant and younger brother to the current Minister of State for Power, KJ Jedy-Agba will be a threat for Ayade’s political future in 2023.

The rising profile of a House of Representatives aspirant, Peter Akpanke in Obanliku

has also brightened PDP chances there. In Yala, the Appeal Court’s truncation of Dr. Stephen Odey’s short-lived tenure at the senate has dealt a big blow both to Ayade and APC in Cross River Northern senatorial district. In Bekwara and Ogoja local governments, APC has been completely kept at bay following the growing influence of Hon. Jarigbe Agom Jarigbe, who was recently declared by the Appeal Court as the Senator-elect for the zone.

In the southern senatorial district, the coast is still uncertain. But some gladiators like Senator Gershom Bassey, Hon. Dan Asuquo - two prospective governorship candidates, and the current Chairman of the PDP Caretaker Committee and former Deputy Governor, Efiok Cobham have remained firm with the PDP. On the APC flank, the presence of Ekpo Okon, Senator Bassey Otu, and Deputy Governor, Prof. Ivara Esu would attempt to show power ahead of 2023.

Beyond these political configurations, the power bloc within the APC even before Ayade’s defection, boast of prominent political heavyweights who should ordinarily be able to turn the tables against PDP. The likes of former Senate Leader, Victor Ndoma-Egba; Minister of State for Power, Prince Godwin Jedy-Agba; Senator Enoh, former Minister of Niger-Delta Affairs, Usani Usani; Chief Okoi Obono-Obla; Margaret Ekpere-Era; John Upan Odey among others, all have the political reach to assist Ayade to permanently turn Cross River to an APC state. But the political infighting and bickering among these arrowheads could deplete the fortunes of the APC in the state and mar the party’s chances in 2023.

However, Senator Owan Enoh thinks APC is capable of resetting the politics of the state. In a statement to welcome Ayade to the APC, Enoh explained that Ayade’s entrance to the APC is a “lit to the light of unbridled optimism in the minds of party members and teeming supporters in the state,” who are yearning for a formidable APC. However, speaking on Ayade’s movement to APC, PDP Caretaker Committee Chairman, Efiok Cobham explained that “APC is a

strange party in Cross River State and so they are trying to introduce themselves to the people. “What we will do is meet the people, talk and not mega rallies, they are strange to the people, that is why they are trying to introduce themselves and their rallies are for the optics.”

Cobham went on to state that, “their bid to socket to the centre has opened up a lot of opportunities and has brought fresh air. We thank APC for inheriting a bad omen, they went to transfer window and bought a wrong player in Ayade,” the former deputy governor added.

Beyond the political ding-dong, the return of former Governor, Duke to the PDP seems to have added colour to the chances of PDP in the state. Duke had in 2023 ran for the presidential election under the Social Democratic Party (SDP). His comeback to the PDP will likely improve the chances of PDP at the detriment of APC in the southern senatorial district.

Although, there are speculations that Duke may run for the Senate, his popularity with the youths will shape the outcome of 2023 elections in the southern senatorial district.

It was speculated that Ayade would persuade Duke to join APC. Duke’s return to PDP has now scuttled that plan, leaving the governor in the cold. For now, Ayade faces many daunting challenges and nothing is certain, even as many questions stare at him over his political future.

Has Ayade mispriced his political future with the cascades of events prior to and after his defection to the APC? Some would conclude that the incumbent governor, with his defection to the APC has plunged himself into a battlefield and political uncertainty he will not be able to predict and control.

With three PDP senators ready and willing to crush Ayade’s political ambition, the end is not yet in sight for the battle that lies ahead.

With the PDP led by Imoke and Duke renewing their bond to battle Ayade, will the governor survive the gathering storms?

Will APC garner victory in 2023 that may nail the political future of the three wise men? The coming months promise to be explosive as political gladiators in Cross River slug it out in a fierce political warfare that only the strongest survives.

THISDAY, THE SUNDAY NEWSPAPER

SEPTEMBER 5, 2021

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CICERO/INTERVIEW

Madumere: I was Lucky I Survived Impeachment Onslaught For several years, he was a strong ally of former Governor of Imo State, Rochas Okorocha. From his Chief of Staff in 2011, he was elevated to the position of Deputy Governor when a controversial impeachment was carried out against Okorocha’s first deputy, Jude Agbaso. Interestingly, he almost lost the seat but survived all the political shenanigans thrown at him by the same Okorocha, who called for his impeachment again just a few months to the 2019 general election. The courts saved him. Years after serving and surviving the onslaught, Prince Eze Madumere is still fighting to collect his backlog of salaries and allowances from the state government. While making a case for stronger roles for Deputy Governors, he tells Stanley Nkwazema that he is not done with politics

Y

ou marked your birthday recently; do you feel fulfilled?

I feel great and I owe God all the gratitude because without Him, I am nothing.

I have looked back and taken time to appreciate how far He has led me. I give Him all the glory because if one critically evaluates some of the things he has passed through, you will realise I had no chance as a human being. Again, I have always been content with whatever God has given me at every point in time.

I will say that I feel fulfilled because I live and I am as healthy as anyone could ever wish to be. Interestingly, God has also used me to accomplish a number of things. My children are all doing well. At every point in my life, I have always lived within my space and above board too. And most importantly, when I had some opportunities, what did I do with it? I believe God used me to achieve certain things for humanity.

You left government as the Deputy Governor of Imo State, how do you feel now as a private citizen?

I feel good. Yes, there is nothing as good as a good name. I am a free citizen and I walk freely. When I want to sleep, I sleep with my two eyes closed because I am not worried about who comes to the door looking for me for explanations. What is important is the grace of waking every day and finding a way to contribute to society.

Sometimes, your experience could be shared with other leaders to help resolve some challenges which are normal.

Of course, I am not retired from politics but we prefer to keep it cool. The real meaning of politics should humble anyone because it is a selfless and thankless service. As a compassionate politician, service and struggle to bring about development to your people is vital to bringing about development and uplifting people’s standard of living.

Are you vying for any elective post in 2023?

I keep that to myself. However, be rest assured that I shall be vying for an elective post. I am yet to see the Nigerian dream. By God’s grace, I shall achieve it by what I shall achieve in both human capital development and development of our country. In the nick of time, our people will be addressed and you too will know.

What sort of challenges did you face while in office and the high points within the period in question?

The first challenge I faced as someone who acted as the midwife on the emergence of our government, I took it as a challenge to ensure that the government succeeded. As the then Chief of Staff, I worked round the clock to ensure that areas where we couldn’t get it right were managed.

To the glory of God, I achieved a number of things successfully.

The second challenge was being in power but not being in power.

As a Deputy Governor, Nigeria’s constitution renders you dormant except whatever the governor considers to leave for you to handle.

Except the statutory position of being the Chairman of the Boundary Commission, every other thing is at the discretion of the governor.

Even as Chairman of the boundary commission, you may not be funded. So, these are fundamental challenges we have in the polity.

The challenge was what to do to help even your immediate Constituency who are suffering because of impassable road networks.

Again, our people do not know what is possible in any position in government. The moment you are in government; the feeling is that you have it all. Of course, I had to stoop to achieve the little I did, especially to the loving people of Mbaitoli. Apart from the link roads from Okigwe road through Obazu, my Community, Achi to Ubomiri then linking you to Orlu road; the same with link road starting from Orlu Road express to Orodo then towards Ogwa, some efforts were made from Orlu Road to Ifakala then towards Ogbaku but not completed. The high point was using my office to reconcile warring communities, and giving hope to communities that were relegated to the background. God used me to give them their voice.

Again, I attracted some projects to the State. Among them are Rural Access and Mobility Projects (RAMP) worth over $60 million with over 400 kilometers of Roads and 20 River crossings.

The same way I attracted NEWMAP that has helped in management of erosion sites and other ecological concerns.

I brought stability in oil rich communities and insisted that the right things were done and all MoU signed with communities were kept to the letter.

funds, among other wickedness, to break me. God gave me the heart and grit to withstand such blows. It’s history. They never succeeded.

I want to use this opportunity to thank Nigerians who volunteered to fight my battle. You all stood by me. The Media, Legal luminaries, the youths, activists. I cannot end without mentioning the role of Mr. President Muhammadu Buhari and his Vice, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, the lawyers who because of love they have for me obtained chains of Court Orders without prompting, I have not forgotten and will never forget. Above all, I have fearless and brave Judges, one of them is Justice Ben Iheka who amid all pressure did not give a hoot as his ruling proved that our judiciary remains the last hope of common man.

You have been battling to collect the backlog of your salaries and allowances running into billions of Naira apparently withheld by the then administration of Okorocha. Why have you not been paid all your entitlements?

I would have chosen to be silent on this but for the records, I have not received a dime. I say so because most people have accused me of having been paid part sum or even all the sum.

Madumere I also made my mark by ensuring that people had their way because they are the sovereign. This is democracy. One of the most dangerous things in democracy is that the majority may be wrong but because they are more in number, you allow them to have their ways. Interestingly, they will still be the ones to raise alarm for a repeal when the problem arises from what they yearned for.

In Democracy, do not become Eze Onye agawalam.( a man who knows it all) .When you try to push your idea to the people and they reject it, please rescind that decision. Those were the unseen roles I played to ensure there was stability in the system.

More so, I played a strategic role in the formation of today’s government and I have no regret championing that.

That’s the most I can say for now. What is important is looking ahead.

What were you doing before your appointment as the Deputy Governor of the state?

I got involved in politics and governance, I joined in the struggle to get power so as to plough some of the ideas we had into the polity and help our people. Evaluating what transpired is a story for another day. Before politics, I was in Corporate America for close to two decades. I did well for myself to the glory of God. I was also the Manufacturer’s representative in Nigeria and the West Africa subregion. So, I was also into international trade.

Beyond that, I am a management consultant, administrator and negotiator. I have used these skills to create stability in some corporate outfits, including families. I also brought this to bear while resolving crises and restiveness in oil bearing communities in Imo State, including managing Ezeship tussles in the communities.

I have also not done badly in real estate, which I am still into till date.

The then Governor Okorocha called for your impeachment months before the end of his second term in office. Were you taken aback?

I thought I could have been spared this past. It’s already in history.

The issue of impeachment onslaught didn’t come as a surprise. As a strategist, I should read situations and preempt the next step and of course other options at your disposal. The last was the challenge of allowing Imo people to have their way politically and walking the rope of political onslaught. You are aware that there was a serious effort to have me removed from office as a Deputy Governor but the God I serve, Imo people and Nigerians at large said no to that landmine. Beyond that, I was marked for murder but I survived, not by my power but God shielded me from all that. I was starved of

I know you have been shuttling between the courts in Abuja to get paid? Can you throw more light on the moves to settle the issue with the present Government of Senator Hope Uzodimma? Is there any hope in sight?

Who told you that? No comment please. I don’t think shuttling to Abuja over that is correct. However, I know that the governor is managing a lot of challenges. I trust he understands and I believe he will act. There are challenges and the case is still in Court. There are two cases to that effect. The COVID-19 pandemic delayed the cases and again, the sacking of the Imo state cabinet also contributed to the delay by the present government of Senator Hope Uzodimma.

What really contributed to the sudden change of attitude towards you by Okorocha, having associated with him years before he became Governor of Imo State in 2011? What actually went wrong?

I have put that behind me. What I want people to know is that humans are no God and perfection is almost unattainable especially when it comes to power and money. Let’s leave that. I am still alive to tell the story. I don’t want to dwell on that because I have moved forward. But I learnt lessons.

No doubt Imo State and indeed Owerri that used to be a reference point of peace suddenly turned into a theatre of absurdity. What is your take on the violence characterised by killings and attacks on security agencies by ‘unknown gunmen’?

I have condemned this publicly. Attacking security formations in the state is a great disservice to our people because we end up exposing everyone to danger and hoodlums will surely take advantage of the trend.

It is condemnable. What is important is that normalcy has been restored to the state. I believe that leaders will move in to engage with the people. We must engage our youths and work with the traditional rulers to get to the grassroots. However, I believe that some bad eggs took advantage of the dicey situation in the system to unleash mayhem in the polity.

How would you assess Governor Hope Uzodimma’s administration so far?

That is why it is said that every leader emerges for a purpose and God designs such because you may think you have it all but the whole changes, that is the God factor. Looking at how he came in; he has done well and could do better. The quality is what I admire. The recent empowerment move must be commended. Some felt he just gave out money. No. These youths had been trained in entrepreneurial skills before the stage of backing it up with some funds. This is to help young people’s businesses.

He is also reaching out to various communities, sections and every zone. In the area of roads, he is doing a great job. The Orlu Road is seriously a work in progress. The same thing with Owerri Okigwe Expressway. Owerri city is breathing some fresh air with quality roads.

Also bear in mind that this is the rainy season. It affects construction and by the time these projects are completed, the city would have received an appreciable facelift. He is also doing a lot to stabilize the state and get the economy back on track.

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THISDAY, THE SUNDAY NEWSPAPER

GAVEL

SEPTEMBER 5, 2021

Editor: Ejiofor Alike SMS: 08066066268 email:ejiofor.alike@thisdaylive.com

Former Governors as Legislators: A Report Card The ninth National Assembly has been on the spotlight since an independent legislative think-tank started releasing the performance report cards of members of the Senate and House of Representatives, writes Oke Epia

A

lthough the National Assembly is currently on its annual recess, there has been a swirl pool of public conversations around the performance of its members, especially relating to bills introduced in the Àrst two years. The current 9th assembly clocked two years in o΀ce on June 10th 2021 and as is customary, the leadership of both the Senate and House of Representatives respectively, took occasion to thump-chest and trumpet achievements deemed to have been recorded. However, a deep interrogation of the facts and Àgures by OrderPaper Nigeria, an independent multi-platform interface, reveals an interesting mix of performance – from the impressive to the disappointing. The organisation benchmarked its appraisals within the period of June 2019 to May 2021 where it focused its data analysis so far released on the yardstick of sponsorship and progression of bills in both chambers.

A cursory look at the 716 bills in the Senate and the 1,367 in the House of Representatives captured in the analysis shows a preponderance of deÀcit of deep thinking, clannish proclivities, and lack of dedication and steadfastness in the drafting, presentation and pursuance to passage of the hundreds of the proposed legislations. Certain patterns observed support this assertion. This includes a disproportionately huge number of establishment bills, especially on educational institutions by senators and members. Coming at a time when there are concerns about the cost of governance and clamour for reduction in the size of government as well as the di΀cult economic condition of the country, these bills largely pander to personal ego and a drive to fulÀll bogus and sometimes unrealistic promises made during the electioneering campaigns. It also reveals the lack of the ability to balance clannish proclivities and national interest by the lawmakers in the performance of their duties. This is not to say that some of these establishment bills are not deserving of consideration.

Another important pattern observed by the OrderPaper research is the reintroduction of bills which could not be completely processed in previous assemblies. This brings up the worrisome phenomenon of legislative plagiarism occurring in the National Assembly. Recall that House Speaker, Femi Gbajabiamila, had in a plenary session of the last assembly (when he was majority leader) raised public eyebrows when he accused some members of ‘stealing’ bills drafted by colleagues who were no longer in the parliament and presented such as though they drafted them. This lack of originality amounts to laziness, and worse still, a prevalent lack of deep thinking by the lawmakers.

There is yet another very important pattern raised by the data analyses

by OrderPaper. There is a growing propensity of lawmakers in both chambers to simply sponsor bills but shirk the responsibility of chas-

ing them through to passage. The observation is that some members of parliament are content to just have a high number of bills to their names and not bother about if those drafts progress down the legislative mill or not. Such lawmakers savour the fancy of being top sponsors of bills but the fact of the matter is that sponsorship of bills is not the complete picture of performance measurement as far as the metric of lawmaking is concerned.

The critical revelation in this regard is that some top sponsors of bills in the Senate and House of Representatives are not necessarily the best performers as most of those legislative proposals have been stuck at the Àrst and second reading stages. The more critical stages of referrals to committee, reporting from committees to plenary, and subsequent third reading and passage are where the hard work really is but unfortunately, present the yawning gap.

The research however acknowledges that there are some lawmakers that have not only put up impressive bills in terms of content but also done the hard work of pushing them through the mill. This is where the productivity index category comes with a clearer picture of performance on bills. In the Senate for instance, it turns out that the highest sponsors of bills are not all on the progression/ productivity index. In fact, a few who did not rank on the number of bills sponsored make a showing with how advanced their bills have progressed.

For instance, while Senator Stella Oduah, who features prominently on the sponsorship index is absent on the productivity score as majority of her bills are on Àrst reading. Two senators from Lagos and one from Oyo make a showing on the productivity index while Sen. Ibikunle Amosun, who leads the pack of ex governors on sponsorship, is absent on the critical

performance score of progression.

Other interesting revelations from the OrderPaper research include the fact that ranking members of the legislature are not necessarily top performers, punching the time-worn argument that lawmakers be reelected consecutively to represent constituencies so they can deploy experiences gained to deliver better performance.

As acknowledged by the research, sponsorship and progression of bills are not the total picture of measuring performance. This is why it can hardly be said that Sen. Enyinnaya Abaribe, minority leader of the senate, has not performed even though he has sponsored only two bills in two years of the current assembly.

The same argument can be made of Sen. Ahmad Lawan, President of the Senate who has not sponsored a single bill in two years. But when the bills scorecard of his counterpart in the House, Femi Gbajabiamila, who has 19 bills to his credit in the same period under review, is considered one wonders if Sen. Lawan can be conveniently excused for his nonperformance on bills. Especially when presiding o΀cers Ovie Omo-Agege (Deputy President of the Senate) and Idrs Wase (Deputy Speaker of the House) have given a fair account of themselves on this score. In fact, Sen. Omo-Agege features prominently on the bills productivity index!

Another interesting Ànding by the OrderPaper analyses is a fact that tends to validate the popular belief that former governors in the senate are more or less on a retirement lounge. Of the 17 ex-governors in the 9th senate, only 9 of them have sponsored 5 bills and above in two years.

Former governor Ibrahim Shekarau of Kano State has not sponsored any while Chimaroke Nnamani of Enugu has managed only one. Adamu Aliero (Kebbi), Ibrahim Geidam (Yobe) and Danjuma Goje (Gombe) have got two bills each in two years, amounting to one in 365 days apiece. Abia State, which has all three senators who are former governors a deputy governor, posts a total of 13 bills amounting to 1.7 of total bills presented in senate in the period under review.

On a geo-political basis, the research Ànds that 18 senators from the Southwest geopolitical zone have sponsored 148 bills in two years (20.7 ).

This is followed by 18 members of the senate from the North-central with 146 bills (20.4 ); and then the South-east (with Àve states and 15 senators) with 145 bills (20.3 ).

Anambra State senators sponsored 78 bills from this zone. The Southsouth zone follows with 105 bills (14.8 ) and the North-west (with seven states and 21 senators) comes next with 95 bills (13.3 ), indicating that Kaduna has 36 bills as the highest while Jigawa has Àve bills by three senators in two years. The North-east comes last with 71 bills (9.9 ) and Yobe senators present three bills in two years. Senator Philip Aduda, lone representative of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja, has sponsored 6 bills in the period under review, amounting to 0.8 of all bills in the senate.

THISDAY, THE SUNDAY NEWSPAPER

SEPTEMBER 5, 2021

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INTERNATIONAL ISIS-K Terror, Creative Diplomacy, and UNSC Resolution: Lessons for Nigeria’s Boko Haramism

T

he Taliban takeover of Kabul, the capital city of Afghanistan, is currently a major source of international concern, not only in light of the antecedents of the Taliban, but more so with the suicide bombing carried out by ISIS in Khorasan (ISIS-K) on Thursday, August 26, 2021 at the Amid Karzai International Airport. The suicide bombing was foreseen by the United States, who advised, before the bombing, on a likely terror attack at the airport. And true, the attacks took place at the Abbey gate of the airport, near the Baron Hotel, where thousands of people had been desperately gathering in preparation for airlifting out of Afghanistan, possibly before US President Joe Biden’s deadline of August 31, 2021 for the withdrawal of all American troops from Afghanistan. The withdrawal was a fait accompli on August 30 and, therefore, now belongs to the dustbin of history.

Noteworthy is the point that the suicide bombing was brutal: 13 US service members were killed, 18 US service members were wounded, over 170 people were killed and over two hundred people were wounded. This not only points to a new wave of terrorism, but has also prompted the suggestion of a creative diplomacy, cum use-of-force, approach by Dr Henry Kissinger, former US Secretary of State, as well as the adoption by the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) of Resolution 2593 of 30 August, 2021.

Besides, the immediate aftermath of the Taliban takeover of Kabul has raised some critical challenges: future of the struggle for political control of Afghanistan; the new coordinating place of jihadist terror, especially if Afghanistan is prevented by the Taliban government from being used as a theatre for training of terrorists and spread of terrorism; how best to maintain international peace and security, by particularly nipping terrorism in the bud; the likely influx of international terrorists into Nigeria and the likely roles to be played by the Boko Haram; and perhaps most importantly, the future implementation scenarios of the UNSC Resolution in an emerging new Cold War era. The maintenance of international peace and security is most largely to be defined by how these problems are addressed.

ISIS-K Terror, Creative Diplomacy and UNSC Resolution ISIS-K is the short form for the Khorasan (Afghanistan) branch of the central ISIS in the Middle East. It is also referred to as the ISIS-KP or Islamic State Khorasan Province. It was founded in 2015 and is very hostile to both the Taliban and the United States. It was responsible for the airport suicide bombing attacks. This means that the whole world, and particularly the United States and Nigeria, may be under very severe threats of terrorism in the foreseeable future. Since 9/11 in 2021, the US has been relatively free from terrible al-Qaeda terror at the domestic level. But what now happens outside of the United States? What happens in Nigeria, the terra cognita for boko haramism?

As regards creative diplomacy, it is about how to contain the use of terror in international life and maintaining global peace. Dr Henry Kissinger has suggested that an enduring solution to the problem of international terrorism requires combining creative diplomacy with the use of force, especially considering that the United States has not been able to turn Afghanistan into a modern democracy. In this regard, what really is creative diplomacy? Which type of force is required, as different from the type of force being used now? How is Nigeria likely to be affected, in light of the strong relationship between the Al-Qaeda and the Boko Haram in Nigeria, and particularly considering that Al-Qaeda is a staunch opponent of the Taliban in Afghanistan and Boko Haram may also have support for the Taliban at a point in time? To what extent can creative diplomacy be relevant or adequate as a solution mechanism in this type of situation? We cannot, with ease, provide answers to these questions without first looking at the chronological developments in diplomacy since the Seventeenth Century as explained by Dr Kissinger.

As Dr Kissinger has it,‘in the Seventeenth century, France, under Cardinal Richelieu, introduced the modern approach to international relations, based on the nation-state and motivated by national interest as its ultimate purpose. In the Eighteenth Century, Great Britain elaborated the concept of balance of power, which dominated European diplomacy for the next 200 years. In the nineteenth Century, Metternich’s Austria reconstructed the Concert of Europe and Bismarck’s Germany dismantled it, reshaping European diplomacy into a cold-blooded game of power politics. In the Twentieth Century, no country has influenced international relations as decisively and, at the same time, as ambivalent as the United States. No society has more firmly insisted on the inadmissibility asserted that its own values were universally applicable.’Put differently, Dr Kissinger is simply saying that every century is marked by one critical international development since the Treaty of Westphalia in 1648 and that while France is noted for promotion of nation-state

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Onyema and national interest system, and Great Britain for balance of power theory, while Metternich and Bismarck were noted for the promotion of Concert of Europe and power politics respectively.

Additionally, Dr Kissinger is also saying that the United States prides itself as having the best type of government in the world.

In his words,‘the singularities that America has ascribed to itself throughout its history have produced two contradictory attitudes toward foreign policy. The first is that America serves its values best by perfecting democracy at home, thereby acting as a beacon for the rest of mankind. The second, that America’s values impose on it an obligation to crusade for them around the world.’Even though the American thought has oscillated between isolationism and commitment, the belief of the American people is that a normal global international order should be based on democracy, free commerce, and international law.

In this regard, since no such system has ever existed, its evocation often appears to other societies as Utopian, if not naïve… Thus, the two approaches, the isolationist and the missionary, both of which are of American experience, do reflect‘a common underlying faith: that the United States possessed the world best system of government, and that the rest of mankind could attain peace, prosperity by abandoning traditional diplomacy and adopting American reverence for international law and democracy. America’s journey through international politics has been a triumph of faith over experience’(vide Chapter One of his book, Diplomacy). This is the background to Kissinger’s suggestion of the need for creative diplomacy. How do we create newness from the foregoing and on the basis of faith?

Ordinarily speaking, diplomacy is not only an art and tact, but also a field of study and a technique of negotiating away inter-state differences, of enhancing and restructuring power, and essentially for managing inter-state relations by peaceful means. As an art and method of conducting and managing the foreign policy interests of sovereign nation-states in international relations, diplomacy should not be confused with International Studies, International Law, International Affairs or International Relations, even though diplomacy can still be explicated differently under the various disciplines.

Definitionally, creative diplomacy is essentially about the evolvement of new strategies to deal with noisome problems. The art of creativity requires thinking beyond the box and also looking at a multidisciplinary approach in every solution-finding effort. As

Solutions to terrorism in Nigeria requires making a choice between creative diplomacy, collaborative diplomacy, bio-diplomacy, and brainstorming diplomacy. Creative diplomacy, as suggested by Henry Kissinger, has its advantages and limitations, in the sense of what is required: need to create. Collaborative diplomacy, according to Robert Albro, requires rethinking of some of the methods and goals of cultural diplomacy, because ‘the publics are now much less distant, more assertive, and actively engaged participants in the making of their encompassing cultural worlds…

Collaborative diplomacy underscores trust-building through cooperation on mutual objectives and around shared values, often via team work.’

Bio-diplomacy is about promoting the ‘new forms of technology-based international partnerships’ with the ultimate objective of changing the traditional patterns of international cooperation. Diplomacy, be it creative, collaborative, bio-based, art, etc, requires thinking and newness of purpose. Thus, the mother of all lessons for Nigeria is the need for a Brainstorming Diplomacy à la Nigériana to serve as art and guide to policy making in Nigeria’s Grand Strategy agenda. Brainstorming Diplomacy will be a technique of inquiry into problems of governance, delineation of security challenges, articulation of the possible solutions with their implementation challenges, and recommendations for the future

defined by Routledge,‘a creative involvement is a kind of diplomatic thinking which encourages more active participation in international affairs and advocates creative solutions’(vide Yizhou Wang, Creative Involvement: A New Direction in China’s Diplomacy, Routledge, April 2020, 104 pp. and Routledge - Publisher of Professional & Academic Books Routledge - Publisher of Professional & Academic Books Routledge publishes professional development books and textbooks across psychology, education, STEM, humanities ...

In other words, creative diplomacy is defined by increasing active participation and pursuit of fresh solutions to current challenges.

And one good illustration is the creation of the new position of High Representatives of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security in the Lisbon Treaty that entered into force in 2009. The High Representative is deployed and functions under the supervisory authority of the European External Action Service (EEAS) which has delegations in 169 countries of the world.

As for the UNSC Resolution 2593 of 30 August 2021, adopted at its 8848th meeting, the Security Council not only reaffirms‘its strong commitment to the sovereignty, independence, territorial integrity and national unity of Afghanistan. It condemned‘in the strongest terms the deplorable attacks of August 26, 2021…’and therefore ‘demands that Afghan territory not be used to threaten or attack any country or to shelter or train terrorists, or to plan or to finance terrorist acts…’The resolution also reiterates the importance of combatting terrorism in Afghanistan’and‘upholding human rights, those of women, children and minorities,’and the need for‘negotiated political settlement.’

And perhaps most importantly, the Resolution expects that the Taliban government will adhere to its statement of August 27, 2021 according to which‘Afghans will be able to travel abroad, may leave Afghanistan anytime they want to, and may exit Afghanistan via any border crossing, both air and ground, at the re-opened and secured Kabul airport, with no one preventing them from travelling, including regarding the safe, secure, and orderly departure from Afghanistan of Afghans and all foreign nationals.’

This resolution is interesting, but more interesting is the aspect of likely non-compliance. There have been many UNSC resolutions and statements by the UNSC presidents on Afghanistan in the past, but they have largely not been adhered to. For example, there was the 18 December 2020 Resolution no, S/Res/2557 which renewed the mandate of the Monitoring Team Supporting the 1988 Afghanistan Sanctions Committee for another year until 17 December 2021.

There was also the 15 September 2020 S/Res/2543, which similarly renewed the mandate of UNAMA (United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan, until 17 September 2017. The UNAMA was set up in 2002 by UNSC resolution 1401 in laying the foundations for sustainable peace and development.

The immediate implication of these renewals is that, with the August 30, 2021 withdrawal of the US troops from Afghanistan, what are the likely implications of the renewed mandates? Why have the foundations for sustainable peace and development not been laid since 2001? The main purpose of US intervention in Afghanistan was not simply to avenge for the 9/11 saga by seeking the end of Osama bin Laden and stopping the use of Afghanistan as an instrument of international terrorism. The more important objective was also to completely neutralise the use of terror in international life and relations. In fact, as President George W. Bush put it by then, it was to ensure that peace and freedom reign in the world. Above all, what really are the lessons that can be drawn for Nigeria?

Lessons for Nigeria There are five levels of implications of the Afghanistan saga from which lessons can be drawn for Nigeria’s boko haramism.

The first is at the level of the former President of Afghanistan, Professor Ashraf Ghani Ahmadzai, who fled the country. He was an economist and a Professor of Anthropology in many universities, including the Johns Hopkins University before he resigned to take appointment with the World Bank and thereafter returned to Afghanistan to first become the Minister of Finance and later the President. He authored a book, entitled, ‘Fixing a Failed State,’ with Clare Lockhart. His abandonment of his followership is not befitting of a professorial leader. A professor is like a Field Marshall in a battlefield and when a Field Marshall decides to abandon his troops for whatever reason, it does not speak well. In the event of a trouble in Nigeria, if the Chief of Staff runs away, it is pardonable, but if PMB is the first to run away, it cannot but be an unforgivable sin. But the lesson here is a question, what happens if PMB, with the mounting tension in the country as at today, decides to‘Andrew’ himself out of Nigeria in the mania of Professor Ghani?

Second is the imminent civil war in Afghanistan that has the potential to continue to threaten international peace and security.

The war is likely to arise from the struggle for control of Afghanistan which can renew and prolong the war in the country because of three militant groups contesting the government of the Taliban: the Northern Alliance (the Panjshir Valley), which opted out of the Taliban rule in 1996-2002 and has vowed to fight the Taliban; the ISIS-K, comprising hard-line Sunni Islamist militants, who pledged allegiance to the slain ISIS leader, Abu Bakre al-Baghdadi, in 2015; and the Al Qaeda, which has a close rapport with the Haqqani network branch, in spite of the agreement done between the US and the Taliban on non-use of Afghan territory for terrorism.

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THISDAY, THE SUNDAY NEWSPAPER

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ENGAGEMENTS

SEPTEMBER 5, 2021

with ChidiAmuta e-mail:chidi.amuta@gmail.com

Democracy and the Tyranny of Judges Chidi Amuta

T

hose paid to protect the guardrails of democracy hardly look in the direction of the courts for enemies.

Nor do most people suspect that judges could become facilitators of authoritarianism and subtle promoters of anarchy. As custodians of the rule of law, judges and the courts over which they preside are the insurance for democracy’s ultimate good. The entire edifice of democracy thrives because the judicial system is expected to act in a manner that reassures ordinary men and women that the excesses of politicians will not be allowed to endanger law and order or the presumed equality of men. That at least is the standard expectation and the reassuring assumption.

Curiously,however,inNigeria’sfledglingdemocracy, the judiciary has lately been operating more like an unregistered political party, one that towers above all the other parties. It not only wields the decisive gavel in political cases but has been known to hand down judgments that subvert the popular will expressed through the voting process. Thus, in its serial nefarious interventions in political matters, the Nigerian judiciary has emerged as an interested political force and a major disrupter of the democratic process.

Some judges hardly disguise their partisanship just as they are ready to hawk pre-packed judgments to the highest bidder.To that extent, part of the trouble with Nigerian democracy is the tyranny of judges in their conversion of the law into a merchandise of political confusion often in pursuit of their personal or group self aggrandisement.

An offshoot of the troublesome role of judges in fuelling political confusion is a certain lingering concern with rampant corruption among some judges. At the onset of Mr. Buhari’s second term in office,hesoughttoconfrontcorruptionamongjudges frontally. Security and anti-graft agency operatives stagedaseriesofprogrammedraidsonjudges’homes and offices. The findings unsettled a public long inured to tales and instances of epic public sector looting. Some judges bedrooms were literal bank vaults with troves of cash in various currencies. Some judges’bank accounts would make low level Forbes billionaires green with envy. Some of them had real estate inventories that read like telephone books and in no way related to their legitimate earnings. A few were prosecuted, hardly found guilty and hardly any was convicted. By a curious irony, the bulk of illegal funds found with the ugly judges were traceable to proceeds of corrupt payments by the very same politicians that were hounding the judges.The chase ran cold and was discontinued. Some of those sent to search judges homes allegedly ended up sharing or re-looting the judges loots. End of chapter!

Now to the current anxiety. In quick response to an embarrassing recent epidemic of conflicting injunctions and ex parte orders on political cases, the ChiefJusticeoftheFederation,Mr.TankoMuhammed, last week summoned the Chief Judges of six state High Courts over a recent wave of conflicting and embarrassing court orders on political matters.The statechiefjudgessummonedtotheCJN’sadmonition meeting include those of Rivers, Imo, Cross River, Anambra, Kebbi and Jigawa states.

A similar summons has gone out from the National Judicial Council (NJC) to the same set of state High Court judges to explain their role in the indiscriminate granting of conflicting ex parte injunctions from courts of concurrent jurisdiction even from states far away from the actual theatres of political trouble.

The Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) whose members feed the courts with these spurious requests for ex parte motions has itself weighed in on the same side as the CJN and the NJC by condemning the rampant practice and inherent abuse of judicial powers.What has spurred this outpouring of outrage and condemnations is the embarassment which the judiciary has become to itself and the threat it now constitutes to the nation’s democracy in general. In the immediate instances at issue, two critical aspects of democracy are under direct threat.

First is the integrity of political parties in terms of their internal leadership selection and replacement procedures.The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has recently been wracked by a slew of crises bordering on whether their embattled national chairman, Uche Secondus, should remain in office after his legitimacy was been challenged by aggrieved members and factions within the party. In reference to one of these suits, a Port Harcourt high court ruling suspended the party chairman, Uche Secondus, from office. He was in the process of obeying the ruling with the

Buhari ascendancyoftworivalactingchairmenwhenanother high court ruling quickly reinstated him. He hurried to the party secretariat to re-assume his contested position only to be informed that another state high court had just voided his position once again.

As matters now stand, no one is sure of who is in charge of the day to day running of the party as Secondus clings on to office in defiance of confusing court rders. The intervention of the party’s Board of Trustees and various elders conclaves to fix a date for the party’s convention is not likely to resolve the crisis with so many cases still in courts.

The ruling APC is itself not immune from instability resulting from conflicting legal interpretations of its present state of interim leadership. Soon after the Supreme Court ruling on the election petition of the former Deputy Governor of Ondo State challenging the victory of Governor Akeredolu, key legal voices in the APC hierarchy quickly used the ruling as a basis to challenge the legality of retaining the Governor Buni-led caretaker committee of the party.The sum of the argument was that if Buni had been joined in the suit, there probably would have been a different and more favourable outcome. In this opinion, Mr. Buni’s leadership is in violation of the constitution of the party as he is a substantive governor and cannot also be a substantive party chairman.There are many number of court cases instituted to challenge the incumbency of the caretaker on the basis of this contention. Only the anticipated party convention before the end of the year is retraining some of the potential judicial combatants. There again, the stability of a political party is subject to the whims and vagaries of conflicting judicial interpretations and outcomes.

In this process, the very survival and integrity of the major political parties is being subjected to a ridiculous judicial ping pong by lawyers and judges with doubtful motivations. Ordinarily, political parties are the building blocks and lifeblood of a democracy.

They produce successive political leadership of the nation through their internal leadership selection processes. They determine the direction of public policy through their ideological underpinnings and theprogrammestheycanvassintheirmanifestoes.The direction of a nation and the well being of its citizens is a direct reflection of the state of the parties that comprise its political ecosystem and also emplace the governments in power.

Of course the legitimacy of party leaderships and the processes that produce them is subject to occasional legality stress tests based on contests based on the party constitution and of course the general relevant laws of the land. The role of the judiciary in preserving the integrity and coherence of political parties is inherent in its overall responsibility to guarantee and protect the rule of law in a democracy.

When judicial rascality encourages perennial crises in political parties, the very survival of the nation as a democracy is under threat. Judges that tacitly

encouragedissidenceandconfusionintheleadership of political parties are undermining the foundation of democracy.

A different threat to democracy is active in Anambra State. In the countdown to the November governorship elections in the state, there has been an avalanche of court actions and conflicting rulings on whoshouldflytheflagofthevariouspartiesespecially the ruling All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA).The unstated assumption is of course that any candidate supported by the incumbent governor, Mr. Willie Obianor, of APGA would almost certainly move into the Governor’s Lodge in Awka.That assumption has fed serial controversies as to who is the legitimate candidate of the party for the November election.

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has had the unenviable task of constantly changing the approved candidate of the party for the November polls in obedience to constantly changing and conflicting court orders emanating from courts of concurrent jurisdiction in far flung states. As matters stand now, no one knows exactly who will be on INEC’s final ballot for APGA in the November Anambra governorship election.

Here again, a purely intra party political process, namely the selection of a party candidate for an electoral contest has become the football field of political entrepreneurs and judicial scavengers. In the process, the consciousness of the electorate is being shredded and tormented. The people of Anambra State are being deprived of the certainty to freely debate and openly campaign to choose the candidates of their choice for governor. In this unfortunate drama, the Nigerian judiciary is again leading the charge.

Ordinarily, the special position of the courts and judges especially in political matters confers on them a great deal of power.The indiscriminate conflicting judgments and injunctions are therefore nothing short of impunity and abuse of power. And in a democracy, nothing is more lethal than wanton abuse of power. It injects elements of authoritarianism into a democratic milieu and soon enough converts the rule of the majority into the dominance of those rich and powerful enough to thwart the popular will by bribing judgments and purchasing court injunctions and judgments.

The current atmosphere of rampant judicial rascality is not novel in the short history of our young democracy. It all comes down to power politics and, manybelieve,themoneythatfuelsit.Inthisclime,very few things survive a handshake let alone an embrace with politics and politicians. Nigerian politics taints and toxifies nearly all that it comes into contact with.

Rewind to Imo State in 2020.The 2019 governorship election overwhelmingly returned Mr. Emeka Ihedioha as the winner of the election. He was duly sworninandbeganinearnesttoshowcaseexemplary people oriented leadership in the state. Meanwhile, a series of election petition processes were ongoing

at the Election Tribunal, Court of Appeal and even the Supreme Court. Mr. Ihedioha seemed to have his mandate all secure and confidently assured.

TheelectionpetitioncaseescalatedtotheSupreme Court which on January 15, 2020 surprisingly altered thestate’spoliticallandscape.AcontroversialSupreme Court verdict sacked the short- lived administration of Mr. Emeka Ihedioha of the PDP and installed Mr. Hope Uzodimma of the APC as governor of the state.

In the Imo case, the Supreme Court judges literally trespassed into realms constitutionally reserved for INEC by veering into the zone of vote tallying. To be fair, nothing stops a court from using mathematical data as an evidential basis of a judgment.

First, the court took over INEC’s role as ultimate vote tallying agency. Not only that, the court revalidated votes that had been nullified as defective by INEC without caring to ascertain how many of these controversial votes there were.Worse still, the court relied on the evidence of a controversial witness- just one police officer- to arrive at its verdict. In an apparent haste to hand Mr. Hope Uzodimma the keys to the Owerri Governor’s mansion and toss Mr. Ihedioha into the job market, the Supreme Court retrieved and tallied the INEC discredited votes and arrived at a ruling that produced a voter turnout far in excess of the total number of registered and accredited voters in the affected polling stations.

Even in an age where every cheap smart phone is a calculator, the apex court lost sight of this mathematical incongruity, electoral curiosity and political minefield. The Supreme Court simply leap frogged Uzodimma from a fourth position in the original score ranking to number one and governor in an instant.

In an apparent haste to hand Uzodimma the keys to the Owerri Governor’s mansion, the court retrieved and tallied the INEC discredited votes and arrived at a ruling that produced a voter turnout far in excess of the total number of registered and accredited voters in the affected polling stations.

In the process, the court opened itself to charges of vicarious ballot inflation amounting to election rigging.These are felonies that Nigerian politicians are repeatedly charged with but hardly get convicted for. In the aftermath of this ruling on the Imo governorship elections, therefore, it became hard for the public to choose between the Supreme Court and crass partisan politicians.

The growing tradition of judicial recklessness is not exactly the fault of the judiciary. Its origins and driving force are essentially political and societal. We have bred a political class that has a fundamentally transactional attitude to power.

Nigerian politicians treat and approach political contests as the equivalent of warfare in which they have to conquer their opponents through the deployment of everything at their disposal.

Cash and violence are the principal weapons of choice. Politicians have been known to bribe INEC election officials to twist the ballot, the police to barricade their opponents and even the military to terrorize their rivals. Even when they lose the very elections, politicians have been known to bribe or blackmail judges to overturn legitimate electoral outcomes. Through the overwhelming influence of politicians on the judiciary, our democracy has been so disfigured that we now rely on the verdict of a handful judges to validate or vitiate the verdict of millions of voters.

The unsavory conclusion is that the Nigerian judiciary has in recent times constantly mired itself in odious political mud. In the process, it has descended from the pinnacle of learned discourse to the rough and tumble of street corner banter and gutter sniping. Hardly anyone out there takes our courts, judges and judgments seriously anymore.

Among common folk these days, the reputation of our judges and the courts over which they preside is repeatedly thrashed and lampooned by fish mongers, two penny whores, casual artisans and assorted palm wine bar patrons alike. Struggling free from this reputational mess will be hard and prolonged, if ever.

Thesupremacyoftheruleoflawonlyfindsmeaning in a democracy because there is a standard expectation that the instruments of law will exemplify order.

Something goes awfully wrong when the law itself violates the codes of orderly conduct and becomes a source of anarchic behavior. That is exactly where we stand now. The countdown to the fraught 2023 electoral season is a bad time for our judges to exhibit their trademark rascality and crass mercantilism.

These judicial bad manners are endangering our democratic prospects and laying the red carpet for authoritarianism and anarchy. It is a playground for unscrupulous politicians. And we are all at risk.

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T H I S D AY, T H E S U N D AY N E W S PA P E R ˾ SEPTEMBER 5, 2021

NEWS Obaseki, Keyamo, Elumelu Kick as Gunmen Kill Sowore’s Younger Brother in Edo

News Editor: Gboyega Akinsanmi E-mail: gboyega.akinsanmi@thisdaylive.com,08152359253

Adibe Emenyonu in Benin City and Udora Orizu in Abuja Edo State Governor, Mr. Godwin Obaseki; Minister of State for Labour and Employment, Mr. Festus Keyamo; and the leader of the Minority Caucus in the House of Representatives, Hon. Ndudi Elumelu, have condemned the killing of Olajide Sowore, the younger brother of the Convener of ‘#Revolution Now’, Omowale Sowore, by suspected herdsmen.

He was kidnapped and killed in Edo State by suspected herdsmen.

In a one-paragraph message to journalists, the Commissioner for Police, Edo State, Mr. Bello Kontongs confirmed the killing of the younger Sowore.

Kontongs said in addition to killing the younger Sowore, the suspected kidnappers made away with five unidentified persons, just as he added that Sowore’s corpse had been deposited at the Igbinedion University Teaching Hospital.

Kontongs’ message read: “This is to confirm to you that suspected kidnappers at about 0645hrs along Lagos-Benin Expressway by Isuwa kidnapped five unidentified persons and in the process shot to death one Sowore Felix Olajide, male, a pharmacy student of Igbinedion University Okada.

“His remains have been

deposited at IUTH mortuary, Okada, while effort is ongoing to rescue the five kidnap victims search and rescue operation is ongoing,” the police commissioner said in his message to journalists yesterday.

Also, in a statement early yesterday, the Publishers of Sahara Reporters, Omowale Sowore confirmed the death of his younger brother.

The statement read: “I have very sad news! My immediate younger brother, Olajide Sowore, was today (yesterday) shot and killed near Okada in Edo State by reportedly herdsmen/kidnappers on his way from Igbinedion University in Edo State where he is studying Pharmacy.

“This act, in itself, will not delay their day of justice.

“I travelled widely with you and our father as a little kid. You were the most loved robust kid I ever first knew. You, Mr. Magnet had no enemy!

“You, the guy who was an out-of-the-box thinker who decided school wasn’t for you and created your own genre of music and then turned around to go to school after you almost turned 50!” “ In a statement by his Special Adviser on the Media, Mr. Crusoe Osagie yesterday, the state governor, Obaseki commiserated with Sowore, over the death of

his brother.

Obaseki said the state government would work with relevant security agencies to investigate the unfortunate incident, noting that efforts will be intensified to bring the culprits to book.

Also in a statement yesterday, the Leader of the Minority Caucus in the House of Representatives, Elumelu condemned Olajide’s killing, saying the incident was another sad commentary on the horrible security situation and

utter hopelessness in the country under the current administration.

While calling on the Inspector General of Police to immediately bring the killers to book, the lawmaker charged President Muhammadu Buhari to take clear steps to tackle the insecurity in the country.

The caucus said, “It is indeed heart-breaking that our nation’s promising young ones are being daily felled and maimed by bandits, terrorists and kidnappers

who are now freely marauding our country, while the government looks overwhelmed and helpless.”

In his condolence letter to the senior Sowore, Keyamo promised that himself and other compatriots would pressurise the law-enforcement agents to track down the killers.

Keyamo urged the expresidential candidate to take heart and remain committed to helping the nation find a lasting solution to the challenges

confronting the nation.

“It is quite sad and regrettable that such a young man would be cut down in his prime by criminal elements.

“Myself and other compatriots would be pressurising the lawenforcement agents to track down these killers without delay and bring them to justice. This, and many others around the country, must be checkmated with all arsenals at our disposal.

APC CHIEFTAINS …

INEC official, Mr. Yakubu Muhammed; Chairman, All Progressives Congress Committee for Bwari Area Council, Mr. Idris Umar Faruq; APC chieftain, Mr. Gbenga Olawepo-Hashim; and Chairmanship Candidate for Bwari Area Council, Hon. Audi Haruna Shekwolo, during the APC the local government congress in Abuja…yesterday

Nigeria Can’t Afford One Doctor to 600 Patients Ratio, FG Tells UN, WHO Onyebuichi Ezigbo in Abuja The federal government at the weekend disclosed that Nigeria was unlikely to meet the recommendation of the United Nations and the World Health Organisation’s (WHO) ratio of one doctor to 600 patients.

The Minister of Labour and Employment, Senator Chris Ngige, made this disclosure at a two-day quarterly meeting of the Nigeria Health Commissioners Forum in Abuja on Friday.

The two-day forum was held under the theme, Building a stronger health sector in Nigeria through collaboration

and strategic partnership’.

The meeting was primarily convened to discuss how to strengthen the health system at the sub-national levels, with an overall objective of achieving Universal Health Coverage (UHC).

Speaking at the meeting, the minister said: “We are not a United Nations’ country, we are a developing country. So, when such figures are given, I will tell them every rule has an exception.

We are not yet there”.

“So, we shall make do with what we have. And when they’re saying he said yes. Surplus doctors.

We have surpluses. I keep on telling them that we have not

FG Pledges to Sustain Fleet Recapitalisation for Navy Kingsley Nwezeh in Abuja

President Muhammadu Buhari yesterday expressed the federal government’s determination to aggressively drive the ongoing fleet recapitalisation of the Nigerian Navy.

The president gave this assurance in a message to the closing ceremony of the 2021 Chief of Naval Staff Annual Conference, (CONSAC), held at the Kano State Government House.

Buhari, who was represented at the ceremony as the special guest of honour by the Minister

of Defence, Maj.-Gen. Bashir Magashi said the need to acquire more platforms for the Navy was sacrosanct in order to enhance her capabilities to effectively secure the national waters against infractions by the sea pirates and other criminal elements.

He commended the Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Awwal Gambo, for his patriotic service to the nation in emplacing proactive performance in dealing with threats that are inimical to harnessing maritime assets and the nation’s rich economic prosperity.

deployed our medical manpower proportionately, and adequately as we should do.

“How many doctors do we have in the rural areas and in the suburbs since everybody is in the townships, with a medical and dental council data showing 4,000 doctors every year. Before, it used to be 3000, before the private universities came a lot of them were not doing medicine including Afe Babalola and others.

“We are now at about 4000 plus, the people even trained abroad are coming back from Russia and Ukraine and the rest of them, all Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria (MDCN), are

registering them.

“Almost everybody has come to Abuja, Lagos and Port Harcourt to stay. We have 10,000 primary care centres that are unmanned as at the last count.”

Lagos State Commissioner for Health, Prof. Akin Abayomi, called on state governors to create an enabling environment for physicians in their states.

Abayomi said that there were more than 20,000 Nigerian born physicians outside the country doing extremely well.

“This is why our governors should create an enabling environment for our physicians.

By now, Nigeria should not be

talking about brain drain. Rather, it should be talking about bringing back our physicians to the country,” he stressed.

Speaking on how the state was responding to COVID-19, Abayomi said Lagos state used the experience it had acquired in 2014, when it responded to the Ebola outbreak.

“This experience has helped us to effectively control the spread of the virus in the state despite our huge population.

“We had robust data collection supporting our policy decision making. We built a system of data collection, analysis and interpretation along the lines

of each pillar of the Emergency Operations Centre (EOC).

“We then invested in technology to automate our data collection system through the information and implementation of the Lagos state emergency response system (LASERS), which allowed us to get data in real time for our response.”

The health commissioner, however, advised that the civil service should not be used to structure or manage any-pandemic, instead, a quick policy should be developed to raise funds for effective pandemic management, otherwise, the whole system would go down.

Gunmen Kill Bauchi Federal Poly’s Chief Engineer, Injured Resident

A’Ibom Police Arrest ASP for Killing Suspected Cultist in Custody

Segun Awofadeji in Bauchi

Bassey Okon in Uyo

Gunmen stormed Burshin Fulani settlement, killing a Chief Engineer of the Federal Polytechnic, Bauchi, Mr. Abubakar Muhammad and injured another resident, the State Police Command has revealed.

The police command, also, revealed that Muhammad’s murder took place in his house located at Burshin Fulani along Bauchi-Dass road at about 2:30 a.m.

In a statement by its Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Mr. Ahmed Wakili, the command revealed that

the gunmen whose number could not be ascertained stormed the area to carry out the attack.

Wakil, a Superintendent of Police, said: “I can confirm to you that unknown gunmen attacked Burshin Fulani and killed one man, Abubakar Garba Muhammad of Federal Polytechnics.

“He was shot on the neck and died on the spot. Our men who rushed to the scene evacuated him to the Abubakar Tafawa Balewa Teaching Hospital, Bauchi where the medical team on duty certified him dead.”

The Akwa Ibom Commissioner of Police (CP), Amiengheme Andrew has ordered the arrest of ASP Joweigha Michael for alleged involvement in the death in custody of a suspect, Kubiat Isaac.

The Police Public Relations Officer in Akwa Ibom, Odiko Macdon, disclosed this in a statement issued yesterday in Uyo, the state capital.

“To actualise this, the CP ordered for the immediate arrest and detention for questioning of ASP Joweigha Michael who preliminary investigation revealed was the

officer who effected the arrest of the late Isaac,” Macdon said in the statement.

Isaac, who was arrested at Eni Stores, was allegedly beaten to death by a police personnel.

“It is expedient to state that the said late Kubiat Isaac was being investigated for the offence of suspected armed robbery and cultism and had been evading arrest for some time.

“He was traced to and arrested at Eni Stores in Uyo on Aug. 29 and taken in for questioning.

“On arrival at the Division Police Station, the DPO ordered that he be transferred to the State CID where the case was pending for discreet investigation.

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ͽ˜ ͺ͸ͺ͹ ˾ T H I S DAY, T H E S U N DAY N E W S PA P E R

NEWS

Ndume Insists on Prosecution of Repentant Insurgents Deji Elumoye in Abuja Former Senate Leader, Senator Ali Ndume has canvassed for the proper profiling of Boko Haram insurgents who have dropped their arms with a view to determining those with bloods in their hands for prosecution.

He also stressed that repentant members of the terrorist sect should not be set free but should be appropriately profiled and interrogated to know those who are real criminals.

The Chairman of the Senate committee on Army who disclosed this while speaking with journalists at the weekend after a meeting with President Muhammadu Buhari at the State House, Abuja emphasised that the

former insurgents cannot just be set free because they have surrendered.

According to him, though there may be innocent persons among them, some of whom may have been used as slaves and human shields, they must all be processed according to national and international laws.

The ranking Senator maintained that since the insurgents have surrendered, they cannot be summarily executed just as no one has the right to let them go without following due process of the law.

His said: "We have to resettle the victims, then process, interrogate and investigate or prosecute the repentant terrorists. Or if those that are innocent,

because among those that surrendered, there are victims also because I know even in my place, in my local government, there are people that are trapped by Boko Haram and for all these years, they're not part of the Boko Haram, but the Boko Haram used them as shield.

"In fact, some of them were converted to what they call slaves because they are victims. Those that have surrendered to them are converted to slaves; they farmed for them, they do their manual works for them. So, if such people, in

the process of surrender, if they come in, you have to find out whether he is actually Boko Haram or a victim of Boko Haram in the hands of Boko Haram.

“This is what we are saying that there should be no hurry in it. Once they are taken in, they should be kept somewhere and in fact, we are suggesting that they should be somewhere they will be housed so that it will give a place for interrogation and investigation.”

Speaking specifically on reintegrating the former insurgents into the Borno

society, Ndume said: “There is a national law that should guide all this and there's international law that guides this because this is not the first time we're having this sort of challenge in various countries.

“Normally, when you get to war level, you are expected to either defeat the enemy, or the enemy surrenders. Once the enemy surrenders, you lose the right of summarily executing him because he is an enemy. You also don't have the right to summarily declare him innocent and say, Oh, you have sinned, go and sin

no more.

“What I'm saying initially, and I still maintain this position, in as much as we welcome the surrendering of the Boko Haram, it is very important that we follow the due process, according to the law of the land and the international law. That is to say, take them in, profile them, process them, investigate them, interrogate them and then those that are innocent, should be let go, and those that have blood in their hands, they should be appropriately prosecuted,” Ndume explained.

FG Directs Telcos to Shut down Operations in Zamfara over Insecurity Emma Okonji The federal government has directed the telecommunication companies (telcos) to shut down their operations in Zamfara State as part of the renewed efforts to address the security challenges in the state, THISDAY has learnt.

Following this directive issued by the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), the telecoms operators in the mid-night on Friday shut down their operations and demobilised sites in the state.

The development also affected the neighbouring states that rely on telecoms facilities in Zamfara State for telecommunications signals.

The shutdown automatically demobilised all telecoms activities in the state, leaving telecoms subscribers, incommunicado.

THISDAY gathered that no subscriber in the state could generate or receive calls since Friday night.

The subscribers woke up yesterday morning to discover that they could not make calls and could not receive calls, without prior notice from the telecoms operators.

THISDAY gathered that the directive to shut down telecoms sites in Zamfara State, came from the federal government and was handed down to NCC to direct all telecoms operators - MTN, Airtel, Globacom, 9mobile, and ntel, including Fixed Wireless and Wired Network operators, to shut down telecoms sites in the state.

A letter from NCC, directing telecoms operators to shut down their sites in Zamfara State, showed that the directive was given to address insecurity, following the recent mass kidnapping of students in the state.

According to the letter sent out by NCC to all telecoms operators, dated September 3, 2021, and signed by the Executive Vice Chairman of NCC, Prof. Umar Garba Danbatta, which THISDAY sighted, NCC said the prevailing security situation in Zamfara State, necessitated the immediate shutdown of all telecommunications

services in the state from Friday night.

THISDAY also gathered that security operatives have commenced rescue operations of the kidnapped students in and around the state, and have requested for the demobilisation of telecoms services in the state, to cut-off communications among the kidnappers on one hand and between the kidnappers and the family of their victims on the other hand.

The NCC letter directing all telecoms operators to shut down telecoms operations in the state was leaked.

Shocked that the NCC letter was leaked, both the NCC and the telecoms operators have decided not to comment on the directive.

THISDAY placed several calls to the Director of Public Affairs at NCC, Dr. Ikechukwu Adinde, as well as to all telecoms operators, but they did not respond to the calls and did not reply to the text messages sent to that effect as at press time.

The letter further said the directive would enable relevant security agencies to carry out the required activities towards addressing the security challenges in the state.

The shutdown order would last for two weeks in the first instance, beginning from September 3, 2021, after which the security situation in the state would be reviewed.

Some telecoms experts, who spoke to THISDAY concerning the directive, said the measure, though timely, would affect businesses and communications among telecoms subscribers.

They expressed worries over the losses that the directive would pose on businesses and called on the federal government to devise other means of tracking and arresting kidnappers across the country.

Following the rising cases of kidnapping in the country and the recent kidnapping of 73 students from a public school in Zamfara State, the state government last week, announced a dusk to dawn curfew across the state and also shut down schools across the state.

NEW COMPLEX FOR NBA...

L-R: Secretary, Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Abuja Branch, Prince Adebiyi Adetosoye; Chairperson, Dr. Evelyn Hauwa Shekarau; Principal Partner, J-K Gadzama LLP, Chief Joe-Kyari Gadzama (SAN); and Principal Partner, Kunle Ogunba and Associates, Mr. Kunle Ogunba (SAN), at the official opening of the NBA, Abuja Branch secretariat in Abuja…recently

Mustapha Reflects on New Age, Says Attaining 65 Years a Bonus Olawale Ajimotokan in Abuja The Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Mr. Boss Mustapha, has described his attainment of 65 years as a bonus, in the light of the life expectancy in the country.

He made the remark yesterday in Abuja at a special birthday thanksgiving, which was organised by the staff of the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (OSGF) as part of activities to commemorate his 65th birthday.

Mustapha, who also the Chairman Presidential Steering Committee (PSC) on COVID-19, noted that as the life expectancy for men in Nigeria is between 54 to 58 years, clocking 65 implied that he had broken that jinx by getting some extra years.

"Being 65 means a lot to me, truly, because the expectancy, life expectancy rate in Nigeria for men is between 54 and 58. So, it means that I have crossed that bar. What I have been getting now is a bonus.

It has been a long journey; it has been a very happy, sometimes tedious journey.

"And it is a moment of reflection truly in my life, you have not gotten to where I have got in the terms of age.

I believe that God is leading me somewhere. It is a moment of reflection," Mustapha said.

He, however, said that, Nigerians have lots to be grateful to God ahead of the

nation's 61st Independence anniversary.

Reflecting on the state of the nation and expectations, he said: "Nigeria is known for human and material resources.

We are not where we want to be as a nation, but the crafting of nationhood, is a gradual process. We have had our fair share of crisis, but we have overcome those crisis.

And our trajectory into the future is bright.

"If you see some of the things that we have been able to do under the leadership of President Muhammadu Buhari to exit the recession in record time most established democracies are battling with recession, we have exited it.

And you can see the growth pattern that is evolving, I believe in Nigerians who consciously acknowledge the fact that this is our nation.

"You see the power of life and death. This is what you say about your country is what you get. I think the future looks good. The picture is rosy. Building a nation is a gradual process and it is a sustainable and enduring process which is not a sprint, it is a marathon.

"Most of the democracies that we want to compare ourselves with have gone past 300 years - some 400 years," Mustapha said.

In the same manner, the SGF also conceded that the COVID-19 pandemic has exposed the weaknesses of the country's health care that people thought were

perfect but which is being properly managed.

He said: "I believe that we have a great country. We all have to work together in harmony. Yes, there are difficulties here and there, which we must acknowledge.

But when you acknowledge the difficulties and begin to walk towards the job, this begins the processes of building a virile nation."

Also in her remark at the reception, the spouse of the SGF, Mrs. Funmilayo Boss Mustapha, said apart from celebrating his 65 birthday, she and the family were also grateful to God for the privilege of Mustapha serving the nation as the Secretary to the Government of the Federation.

"The work is enormous. I must admit, but every day he depends on God. Every day he draws his wisdom from God, and God has been guiding him and helping him to articulate and to help in the responsibilities that he holds for the nation.

"I love him more today than I did when we got married 33 years ago. He is a good man. He is a great father. I learnt a lot from him. Yes, he has a lot of humility. He is generous, kind, loving and everything that a woman would want in a man," she said.

Asked on how the family copes with his demanding schedules as SGF, Mrs. Mustapha said: "We pray for him. I think that is the

most important thing that we can do: we pray for him.

Sometimes we are human beings and we are like, oh we wish we could have more of your time, but then we know the enormity of the assignment that is before him, so we just pray for him and commit him into Gods hands."

Also joining those that feted the SGF is President Muhammadu Buhari, who in his birthday message, praised Mustapha for bringing passion and commitment into the service of the country.

Buhari described the SGF as a dedicated public servant, with the nation’s COVID-19 management under him worthy of praise.

The resident said: “Since his appointment as SGF, my respect and admiration for Mustapha have grown ever stronger and deeper because of the passion and energy with which he does his job.”

On his part, President of the Senate, Dr. Ahmad Lawan, descrbed Mustapha as a distinguished Nigerian, who has enriched public office with personal integrity and dedication to work.

He said his glittering public service record is a testimony to his deep knowledge of the system and understanding of it as a veritable vehicle for development.

Lawan joined his family, friends and political associates to rejoice with him on the auspicious occasion.

THISDAY, THE SUNDAY NEWSPAPER

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SEPTEMBER 5, 2021

SUNDAYSPORTS

Edited by: Duro Ikhazuagbe email:Duro.Ikhazuagbe@thisdaylive.com

TOKYO 2020 PARALYMPIC

Ugwunwa Rakes in Last Day Gold Medal for Team Nigeria Duro Ikhazuagbe with agency report

T

eamNigeriaendeditsTokyo2020 ParalympicGamescampaignon Saturday morning at the Tokyo Olympic Stadium, raking in one more gold and a bronze to finish withfourgold,onesilverandfive bronze medals and 32nd overall

on the log.

Flora Ugwunwa claimed Nigeria’s fourth gold of theTokyo Games in the F54 javelin on the last day of competition.

Lauretta Onyinye started the closing day of Nigeria’s contest by winning bronze in the women F40 shot put event and Ugwunwa a brought icing on the cake with gold in the F54 javelin event.

Lauretta who competed under very difficult conditions on the wet and slippery grounds of the stadium threw 8.29 metres, not enough to rattle gold medalist Sliwinska Renata of Poland whose8.75metrescancelledoffLauretta’sgames record of 8.40m set in Rio 2016, and Djelal Salem of Algeria secured the silver with 8.33 metres.

Ugwunwa turned the story around in the F54 javelin finals, Nigeria’s last event, dusting her opponents with 18.39 metres throw to leave KurbanovaNurkornofUzbekistanandYangLiwan of China in the second and third positions.

Speaking shortly after achieving the gold feat, Ugwunwa said, she planned to achieve more at the Paralympic Games but remains thankful to God for the gold medal.

“My aim was to break my own record and set a new one. We had good training during our camping, thanks to the Minister of Sports (Sunday Dare) who ensured that the conditions were conducive, but the situation changed somewhat as we got into Japan. I had a little bit of difficulty with the time zone and weather, and I also became ill. All the same, I kept on and I thank God I ended with the gold.

“I dedicate it first to God who has been my strengthandthentomyhusbandandchildren,to my coach, Patrick Anaeto, as well as to coach Ade who has been very helpful through this period.”

It is not quite so for Lauretta who is unhappy with her bronze and feeling like a queen who just lost her crown.

“I thank God that I won something but this is

With the exception of Victor Osimhen (Number 9) based in Italy, all Nigeria’s UK-based Super Eagles’ players have all returned to their clubs. L-R: Ola Aina, William Troost-Ekong, Kelechi Iheanacho, Alex Iwobi and Leon Balogun

not my position. I came into this competition as the Paralympic Games record holder and I intended to defend that and possibly extend the record.

“I know I could have done better but the conditions were bad for me. Look at the throw with which they won the gold and silver. I did more than that even in training but see how I lost the gold.

“First, they disqualified my competition shoes at the last call room. I couldn’t borrow from my competitors some of who had two or three standard shoes. Even my canvass was over size. I had to compete bare footed. It was drizzling throughout, the ground was slippery

and without shoes, I was always mindful not to fall. I had just one socks which constantly got soaked and I kept pulling it out and squeezing it.

“Seeing that I was trailing in the third position, I decided to give everything in my last attempt but while I had a long throw which would have given me the gold, I slipped and fell across the line and it was ruled a bad throw.

“Idonotknowwhytheydisqualifiedmyshoes.

I was told it is no longer allowed but nobody told me. My coach didn’t seem to know about it too because he has not been allowed to go for competitions with me. He was not with me in Tunisia as well as in Dubai as they said there was not enough fund to take him,”she recalled.

Waldrum Lists Nigeria’ 23-woman Squad for Aisha Buhari Cup Super Falcons Head Coach, Randy Waldrum, has named a 23-woman provisional list for the maiden edition of the Aisha Buhari Invitational Women’s Tournament, taking place in the City of Lagos, between September 13th and 21st.

The list includes first choice goalkeeper Chiamaka, defenders Onome Ebi and Osinachi Ohale, midfielders Ngozi OkobiOkeoghene and forwards Asisat Oshoala, Francisca Ordega and Rasheedat Ajibade.

Elsewhere, Head Coach of South Africa women’s team, Desiree Ellis, has named a 25-woman provisional squad for the Aisha Buhari Cup, as the Banyana Banyana will be aiming to solidify their preparation for the upcoming Africa Women’s Cup of Nations qualifiers with the six-nation invitational women’s showpiece also featuring Cameroon, Ghana, Morocco, Mali and hosts Nigeria.

Ellis’ 25-player squad include 19 homebased professionals and six overseas-based stars, including Thembi Kgatlana of Atletico Madrid and captain Janine Van Wyk of Glasgow City.

The 19 invited local players are expected to arrive at the SAFA Technical Centre (Fun Valley) on Sunday, 5 September 2021, where they will undergo a week of training camp before leaving for Nigeria.

FALCONS SQUAD Goalkeepers: Tochukwu Oluehi (Maccabi Kishronot Hadera, Israel); Chiamaka Nnadozie (Paris FC, France); Yewande Balogun (California Storm, USA) Defenders: Onome Ebi (Minsk FC, Belarus); Glory Ogbonna (Umea FC, Sweden); Osinachi Ohale (Deportivo Alaves, Spain); Faith Ikidi (Pitea DFF, Sweden); Michelle Alozie (Houston Dash, USA); Akudo Ogbonna (Edo Queens); Oluwatosin Demehin (Rivers Angels) Midfielders: Rita Chikwelu (Madrid CFF,

Spain); Ngozi Okobi-Okeoghene (Eskilstuna United, Sweden); Tony Payne (Sevilla FC, Spain); Regina Otu (Minsk FC, Belarus); Goodness Onyebuchi (Edo Queens); Joy Bokiri (AIK Sweden FC, Sweden) Forwards: Asisat Oshoala (FC Barcelona, Spain); Rasheedat Ajibade (Atletico Madrid, Spain); Francisca Ordega (CSKA Moscow, Russia); Gift Monday (FC Robo Queens); Uchenna Kanu (Linkopings FC, Sweden); Desire Oparanozie (Dijon FC, France); Esther Okoronkwo (Saint Etienne, France) .

WORLD CUP QUALIFIERS

Dare Celebrates Super Eagles’ Victory over Liberia The Minister ofYouth and Sports Development, Sunday Dare, has felicitated with the Super Eagles for starting their 2022 World Cup campaign with 2-0 victory over Lone Star of Liberia last Friday in Lagos.

Dare applauded the team for displaying football mastery and cohesion which reflected in their dominance and deserved victory over the Liberians “This is a brilliant start. I enjoyed the game. The players and the technical crew did us proud. We have to take this momentum to the next game against Cape Verde on Tuesday.

“The players gave their best on the pitch. They soared like the super eagles that they are, defended the honour of Nigeria with pride and made all of us happy. They showed class.”

Nigeria’s winning start has put the Super Eagles in control of the Group C after the opening day fixtures. Eagles are already two points clear on the log after the other group game played on Thursday between CapeVerde and Central African Republic ended in a 1-1 draw.

Iheanacho Leads UK-based Players out of Eagles’ Camp Femi Solaja

In fulfilment of Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) agreement with United Kingdom based clubs, seven Super Eagles players left the Super Eagles’ camp last night for respective clubs.

Two-goal hero in Nigeria’s 2-0 victory over Lone Star of Liberia, Kelechi Iheanacho, along with his Leicester City team mate, Wilfred Ndidi left the team’s camp’s in high spirit with the hope that the rest of their compatriot will

finish the job at Cape Verde on Tuesday.= “They would have loved to remain in camp for the next match but the agreement NFF had with their clubs compelled the federation not to renege so had to excuse them fly back to their clubs,”a top level Sunday Dankaro House source confirmed to THISDAY yesterday.

Others who joined Iheanacho and Ndidi on the return journey to England include; Oghenekaro Etebo and William Troost-Ekong both of Watford FC, Alex Iwobi of Everton, and

the duo of Leon Balogun and Joe Aribo from Glasgow Rangers in the Scottish Premiership.

Both Frank Onyeka of Brentford and Emmanuel Dennis of Watford were dropped at the last minute of to reduce the list of Invited players to 30.

The remaining 19 players in camp with Coach Rohr are expected to jet out of Lagos at 1:00am on Monday to Mindelo for the Match Day-2 of the World Cup 2022 qualifying series against the Blue Sharks of Cape Verde.

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The Fallacy of Ethnic Homogeneity

A

t the centre of separatist campaigns in Nigeria, and possibly around the world, is the desire to have “homogenous” nations, or nations where an ethnic group is overwhelmingly in the majority, thereby leaving little room for rivalry, conflict and instability. When an ethnic group is overwhelmingly dominant in a country, the tendency for ethnic conflicts — which are often deadly and destabilising as we have seen in Rwanda and Ethiopia — is expected to be minimal.

With a sense of cultural harmony, therefore, a nation is expected to enjoy peace and progress, and such conditions are considered necessary for development. This is a key belief and driving ideology in separatist circles.

Political scientists define “nation” as a people with a shared sense of history and identity. The aspiration is to turn a state into a nation-state.

Some will instinctively argue that Nigeria is a not a nation but a country, basically a geographical expression or a political entity. In the well-quoted words of Chief Obafemi Awolowo, the Yoruba nationalist, as contained in his book, ‘Path to Nigerian Freedom’ (1947), “Nigeria is not a nation.

It is a mere geographical expression. There are no ‘Nigerians’ in the same sense as there are ‘English’, ‘Welsh,’ or ‘French’.” However, increasingly, ‘nation’ and ‘country’ are now used interchangeably, perhaps as a reflection of a changing world.

Nigeria can be described as a country of 250 nations, based on the identified ethnicities. But three stand out: Hausa-Fulani (deliberately hyphenated by me because the two groups have become so fused that ‘pure’ Hausa and ‘pure’ Fulani are difficult to come by these days as anthropological evolution continues), Igbo and Yoruba. They stand out because they are the biggest. While the Hausa-Fulani, dominant in most of the 19 northern states, have the biggest population of the Big Three, the Igbo and the Yoruba are not minorities and cannot subjugate themselves, or be subjugated, to the Hausa-Fulani. The end result is rivalry, ignited mostly by the political economy.

Because we do not capture census figures for ethnic groups in Nigeria, we do not know their actual sizes. We removed religion and ethnicity from the population census questionnaire since 1991 because of our perennial ethno-religious conflict which always leads to the rejection of the results. However, the CIA World Fact Book (2021) estimates that Hausa-Fulani are 36 percent, with Yoruba and Igbo combined making up 31 percent.

The ethnic homogeneity hypothesis suggests that if Hausa-Fulani were to be an overwhelming majority, say 80 per cent, and Igbo and Yoruba were to be just 10 per cent combined, there would be little or no room for ethnic rivalry in Nigeria.

With Nigeria perpetually locked in a fierce ethnic rivalry which tends to always dictate the tone of national discourse and slow down national development, some analysts are of the opinion that the country is too big and too diverse to make progress as one unit. The best way forward, they propose, is to break up the country along “homogenous” ethnic lines to be able to contain the conflicts, foster peace and engender human and economic development. This is perhaps the mildest view in the pro-balkanisation camp. For many devout campaigners, the agenda is not strictly about national development but a desire to own a country or not to be in the same country with others.

The campaigns for Yoruba Nation and Republic of Biafra can be understood within this context. The Yoruba Nation would overwhelmingly be Yoruba, perhaps by 95 per cent. For sure, the Ogu (also called Egun) people of Badagry, Lagos state, are distinct and there are also Ijaw in parts of Ondo state. But there is no doubt that the Yoruba would be the absolute majority. It is regularly projected

President Buhari that if the Yoruba own a country and call the shots — in the absence of the Hausa-Fulani, in particular — their nation would become one of the most prosperous in Africa. It is expected to achieve quick economic boom, particularly with its industrial base and access to the Atlantic Ocean.

Also, if Biafra were to become a country, the Igbo would own it. The south-east is the most homogenous geo-political zone in Nigeria, with every indigene identifying as Igbo. Biafra, if it is created purely from the south-east, will be 100 percent Igbo. If it includes the south-south, the Igbo would still be a clear majority, especially as there are several ethnic groups of Igbo origin in Delta and Rivers states in the south-south. The argument of the ethnic homogeneity school of thought means a country where the Igbo are predominant would be less prone to ethnic conflicts and would, thus, be able to focus on governance and development. This notion favours the IPOB cause.

Conversely, the glaring lack of enthusiasm in the south-south to be part of Biafra (Chief Edwin Clark, the Ijaw leader, recently got battered by IPOB for saying the Niger Delta would not be part of Biafra) may be because the oil-rich region senses that it would still be a minority entity under the proposed country. The region is made up of disparate ethnic groups, perhaps 50 or more, and is only bound by the “Niger Delta” identity because of the oil. If Niger Delta, or more appropriately the south-south zone, were to become a country of its own, the Ijaw, Urhobo, Efik, Ibibio and Edo would most battle for domination — similar to what is going on among The Big Three in today’s Nigeria.

What is my opinion on ethnic homogeneity as a driver of national development? My initial comment would be that there is definitely a correlation between ethnic homogeneity and development: Western European countries are the least ethnically diverse in the world and are, remarkably, the most developed. They rank high on development indices that define the standards of living of citizens. They are also less prone to ethnic and religious violence. Conversely, Africa is the most diverse and the least developed of all the regions, scoring pretty low on human development indices. So, on the basis of these evidences alone, an argument can be made for homogeneity.

But wait for this: Yemen, Comoros, Bangladesh, Somalia and Haiti are among the most ethnically or culturally homogenous countries in the world.

Yemenis are all Arabs; the non-Arabian population is made up of immigrants. Though, Yemenis are Arabs and Muslims, their homogeneity has neither prevented conflict nor turned them into an economic power. Yemen is one of the poorest Arab countries and has been under the strain of a

civil war since 2014. Bengalis make up 98 percent of Bangladesh. They are Muslims. Bangladesh broke away from India in 1971 in the name of ethno-religious homogeneity but is now officially recognised one of the poorest countries in the world.

Somalia, which I have cited as an example a dozen times, must be the most tragic case in recent history. They are of one ethnic stock, they profess Sunni Islam and they even look alike physically.

But because human society must contend with one conflict or the other, the Somalis broke up along clannish lines with the fall of President Siad Barre in 1991. Even when you are of the same religion and of the same sect, there is no end to human capacity for conflict and rivalry.

The Al Shabbab terror group has turned Somalia to a slaughter slab. Somalia is a classic example of how speaking the same dialect is neither an automatic panacea for conflict nor a certified tonic for development.

My second comment, therefore, would be that correlation is not the same thing as causation.

That homogenous European nations are advanced economically and technologically does automatically not mean Biafra, Yoruba Nation and Boko Haram’s Islamic Caliphate will be developed when they become countries on their own. Europe went through upheavals in the course of history. If we delve into the development history of the “homogenous” European countries, which I cannot do today because of space, I will show proof that homogeneity was the least driver of their progress. If homogeneity were the magic wand, Somalia would be the most advanced country in Africa.

There are many other issues I cannot touch in this article because of space: for instance, the internal divisions in Nigeria’s regions that are likely to be magnified if the country is broken up for the purpose of ethnic homogeneity. Human capacity for sub-division is infinite. We can always invent one for purpose. The more you divide a group, the more you magnify internal differences.

That is why demands for state creation never end even when a state is homogenous. I am also unable to discuss, herein, the pre-colonial history of Nigeria and the intra-ethnic wars that shaped, for instance, the Hausa and Yoruba kingdoms, and homogeneity did not eliminate conflicts and violence.

We now return to my pet theory: that development is a product of competence and patriotism. It is about ideas and commitment to progress. It is about the quality of the brain.

It is about leadership. It is about followership.

All the argument about ethnic and religious homogeneity, no matter the merit of it, amounts to work avoidance — always looking for someone or something to blame for our own failures. Let us look at the tragedy of South Africa: it used to be ruled by a tiny but racist ethnic minority and it competed with the best in the world. The ethnic majority is now in charge of South Africa with little opposition, but the country is going down the drain — like Zimbabwe next door.

I will conclude in my usual wont. Although I believe in one Nigeria and will continue to campaign for a united and prosperous nation “where peace and justice shall reign”, I have passed the stage of pleading that we shouldn’t break up.

If we decide to balkanise our country, let’s please ourselves. Until then, however, I will keep saying this: diversity is no cancer and balkanisation is no magic formula. Even if we break Nigeria into 250 “homogenous” nations, good governance will still be key to development. All countries battle internal conflicts — racial, ethnic, religious or class.

In fact, conflicts only take new shapes in new countries. In the Nigerian case, I wish I knew what to expect.

And Four Other Things…

BITTER PILLS Where you think you have hit rock bottom, you ain’t seen nothing yet. With the doctors’ strike already paralysing public hospitals, the Joint Health Sector Unions (JOHESU) and the Assembly of Healthcare Professional Association say they will commence an indefinite strike in two weeks — if the federal government does not address “outstanding welfare issues”. That is total lockdown looming. Who is suffering the burden of the current strike and who will be hurt from the impending one? You guessed right: the poor. The high and the mighty are never the victims. To be poor in Nigeria is a crime, and you always get punished for sins you did not commit. Sickening.

SILENT STEALING Rt Hon Rotimi Amaechi, the minister of transportation, says anyone stealing under President Muhammadu Buhari is doing it quietly, compared to previous administrations. “Corruption was so pervasive that nobody was talking about it.

It was not hidden that people completely and openly displayed their wealth… but here, if you are stealing, it is done quietly,” the former governor Rivers state told Daily Trust. Actually, we’ve heard of some ministers buying up every property on sale in FCT. There are stories of bribes being flown into the country as diplomatic baggage. We will hear the full story when Buhari leaves office, and we hope the “quiet stealing” will be punished. Loudly.

COZY CABINET When I got hints that President Buhari would drop two ministers, I kept doing what I was doing as if I didn’t hear. After six years in office, Buhari had cut the picture of an employer of labour who would never sack anybody. Job security in his cabinet is second to none. The incentive to be excellent is not there: you know that you are safe and secure irrespective of your performance at your duty post. Most ministers are guaranteed eight years in office. I was overly surprised that Buhari fired Mallam Saleh Mamman, the minister of power, and Alhaji Sabo Nanono, the minister of agriculture. But there are even more deadwoods in the cabinet. Let us hope the weeding continues. Overdue.

DIFFERENT PRISM Newly elected President Hakainde Hichilema of Zambia has given an appointment to the man who once oversaw his detention. In 2017, Hichilema, then opposition leader, was detained by President Edgar Lungu for “treason” — because he failed to give way to the presidential motorcade. Hichilema spent four months in detention under the watchful eyes of Kuyomba Bwalya, whom he described as “professional” (Bwalya probably allowed conjugal visits). Bwalya is now the deputy commissioner-general of prisons, fancifully called “correctional service” when it is anything but. Hichilema is saying the right things. I hope this would not be another typical African leadership story. Populism.

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