SUNDAY 5TH FEBRUARY 2023

Glamour, Unlimited Craftsmanship as Arise Fashion Week and Jazz Festival Ends Herbie Hancock, Wizkid enchant Lagos with cross-generational sounds Yinka Olatunbosun A night of glamour and unlimited

showmanship yesterday marked the end of the three-day fashion staple, Arise Fashion Week, broadcast

live from Eko Convention Hall, Victoria Island.

The 2023 edition of the high-

fashion tradition was the pilgrimage of renowned fashion designers of African descent, models, stylists and

other key players in the fashion ecosystem.

With pulsating sounds to match

the models' runway confidence, Continued on page 5

Obi: Currency Redesign Not Peculiar to Nigeria… Page 8 Sunday 5 February, 2023 Vol 28. No 10162

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Hoarding of Naira Notes: Zulum Threatens to Revoke Banks’ Land Allocations ICPC arrests bank officials over sabotage Naira scarcity de-marketing APC, says Akeredolu Kingsley Nwezeh in Abuja and Michael Olugbode in Abuja Following the alleged hoarding of the naira notes by the banks, the Borno State Governor, Professor Babagana Zulum, has directed

banks in the state to dispense the new notes via Automated Teller Machines (ATMs) and banking halls or risk losing their lands to the state government.

The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related

Offences Commission (ICPC) has also arrested bank officials in Dei Dei, Abuja, for hoarding cash.

Also, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has commenced an investigation of Oluwadarasimi Omoseyin, an

actress and cosmetologist, for allegedly tampering with the redesigned naira notes, an offence contrary to Section 21 (5) of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Act, 2007.

This is coming as the Chairman

of the Southern Nigeria Governors’ Forum and Ondo State Governor, Rotimi Akeredolu, has alleged that the scarcity of the naira could demarket the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in the forthcoming elections and called on President

Muhammadu Buhari to address the issue before it snowballs into crisis.

Zulum gave the warning yesterday after visiting branches Continued on page 5

In Uniting APC, Buhari Says Tinubu will Give His Best to Nigeria Former Lagos gov hails president for being focused amid distractions Tinubu responsible for Nigeria's economic setback, says PDP

See story on page 5

MOMENT OF GLITZ AS WIZKID, HERBIE HANCOCK TRILL AUDIENCE… Award-winning artistes, Wizkid and Herbie Hancock, shutting it all down at the 20th Edition of Arise Fashion Week and Jazz Festival in Lagos…yesterday

S & P Rekindles Hope of Nigeria's Economic Recovery, Revises Outlook… Page 8

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FEBRUARY 5, 2023 • T H I S DAY, T H E S U N DAY N E W S PA P E R

PAGE FIVE IN UNITING APC, BUHARI SAYS TINUBU WILL GIVE HIS BEST TO NIGERIA Deji Elumoye, Adedayo Akinwale in Abuja and Igbawase Ukumba in Lafia Following the tension arising from the allegation that some people at the Presidency were working against the presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Bola Tinubu in the February 25 election, President Muhammadu Buhari yesterday moved to unite the party, declaring that he would campaign for the former Lagos State governor to emerge as the next President of Nigeria.

He specifically reassured Tinubu of his unwavering commitment to ensuring that he wins the presidential poll, pointing out that the APC presidential candidate will give his best to the country.

But the Atiku/Okowa Presidential Campaign Organisation has said the presidential candidate of the APC set the stage for the national economic setback of the country.

Buhari made the declaration yesterday in Lafia, the Nasarawa State capital, at the APC presidential campaign rally with thousands of party supporters and residents in attendance.

The president also confirmed the earlier statement of the APC presidential candidate on their over 20 years of friendship, assuring Nigerians and the people of Nasarawa State that Tinubu would be a good President that would make the country better after him.

He thanked the party's supporters for defying the hot weather and standing in the sun for hours to express their support for the party's candidates in the forthcoming elections.

The president told the crowd of party supporters that he would continue to campaign for the

emergence of Tinubu as the "next president of Nigeria."

Buhari, who spoke in both English and Hausa, said: "I am happy to be part of the campaign today for Bola Ahmed Tinubu as the next President of Nigeria and Governor Sule for his second and final term.

"I congratulate and assure you that God willing, we will win through and through. As Tinubu said in his speech, I have known him for more than 20 years, and I will continue campaigning for Bola Ahmed Tinubu. He is a committed Nigerian, and I believe he will give his best to Nigeria.

"Also, vote for Abdullahi Sule for a second and final term as governor," he said.

Speaking before the rally while paying homage to the Emir of Lafia, Justice Sidi Dauda Bage, in his palace, President Buhari thanked the first-class traditional ruler for always welcoming him to his palace, noting that in the last eight years, he had lost count on the number of visits.

Commenting on Tinubu's ambition, the Emir and retired Justice of the Supreme Court said: "I have known him (Tinubu) for many years since my days in Lagos State at the Court of Appeal; we saw what he did, his transformational agenda in the state. We are waiting for that for our nation. We know you can do it; you can transform this nation."

Speaking earlier at the rally, Tinubu saluted the president's courage, who he said had continued to offer leadership with boldness and courage despite all the challenges, adding that the country would recover from her challenges.

Speaking further, Tinubu compared Buhari with former

United States President Abraham Lincoln, who also led his country in a crisis and still recorded huge achievements in infrastructural development like President Buhari did for Nigeria.

The APC presidential candidate thanked the president for being the "poster boy" of his campaign, fighting and working hard for the survival of Nigeria.

"Nigeria is surviving as a nation, and we believe because of constitutional democracy, we would have asked you to continue, but you said no, you are going back to Daura, your hometown."

Tinubu also used the forum to chide those insinuating that he had a frosty relationship with the president.

"Our president and Leader of APC worldwide, it is a thing of joy that you are a poster boy for APC and Bola Tinubu today. Those who think there are cracks in our friendship and relationship will continue to be disappointed and have their short-time joy dashed.

Ours is not about individuals. It is about integrity and nation-building.

"Nobody ever thought a man in uniform would be a democratic, principled, and honoured leader.

Today, it is a thing of joy and honour to have you at the rally," Tinubu explained.

"President Buhari faced the challenges of Nigeria courageously and squarely. You fought hard and worked hard. Nigeria is surviving as a nation, and we believe because of constitutional democracy, we would have asked you to stay on, but you said no, you are going back to Daura.

"You said there is more to do, and you will allow other people to continue. Few leaders have faced challenges and crises like you and continue to build infrastructure.

One of them is Abraham Lincoln.

You have joined great men, who can stay focused amid distractions and enemies. You have tolerated criticisms, and there is no labeling you have not endured, but today in Nasarawa, you are celebrated, commissioning project after project.

"We can see true leadership, but we may not be able to read the leader's mind. Today, I stand before you and pledge again that Nigeria will recover from all challenges.

We are brave. We are resilient. We will focus on agriculture; we will build our mineral resources. We will turn the earth and our dust into money. We will work hard.

We promise you. Your children and grandchildren will not have any regret about our nation and ourselves. Happiness, joy, and prosperity will be part of our success," Tinubu added.

Also speaking at the rally, the National Chairman of APC, Senator Abdullahi Adamu, who addressed the crowd in Hausa, narrated the history of friendship between President Buhari and Tinubu and rallied them to vote for the APC because of the excellent job the current administration has accomplished for the country and in Nasarawa State.

On his part, the Senate President, Dr. Ahmad Lawan, urged the people to vote for Tinubu, stressing that APC has delivered excellence to the people of the state.

Similarly, the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Hajiya Sadiya Umar Farouq, joined the party's National Women Leader, Betta Edu, to mobilise women's support for the presidential candidate.

Plateau State Governor and Director-General of the Campaign Council, Simon Lalong, and former Nasarawa State Governor, Umaru Tanko Al-Makura, told the people

HOARDING OF NAIRA NOTES: ZULUM THREATENS TO REVOKE BANKS’ LAND ALLOCATIONS of banks in Maiduguri, the state capital, to assess problems being faced by residents trying to access new naira notes.

“Any bank in Borno State unwilling to ensure their ATMs are fully dispensing new naira notes cash to ease the suffering of our people, we will withdraw their land title immediately. We will only spare Banks with verifiable constraints,” Zulum said.

He added that he was unhappy seeing hundreds of people queuing at a bank branch, with only one out of 10 ATMs dispensing cash.

“As you can see here, only the less-privileged people are queued up. I didn’t see rich people here.

Many people are said to be here since 3:00 am; some could not even eat anything. The new naira note and even the old ones are not available, which is adversely affecting commercial activities in the state, and people are suffering,” the governor said.

He said further: “We just released salaries of about N5 billion, and the banks don’t have money; some of the ATMs are not working. We don’t have any problem with the CBN policy or the withdrawal limit, they said individuals could only withdraw N20,000, but why can’t everyone have access to that N20,000?” he queried.

“Yesterday, I was in Gubio with over 70,000 people, but it was impossible to source N100,000 in the entire local government, neither of the new or old notes.

A ram worth N100,000 is now being sold for N35,000 because people are desperate for cash, and some wicked rich people are going to rural areas to exploit poor people,” Zulum explained.

The governor urged the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to ensure the availability of new notes at commercial banks for people to access their money.

“Right now in Borno State, I have visited more than 10 ATMs, and there’s no cash,” Zulum said.

ICPC Arrests Bank Officials over Sabotage

Meanwhile, ICPC yesterday said it arrested bank officials in Dei Dei, Abuja, for hoarding naira notes.

The commission said in a statement that the bank officials, who deliberately refused to upload the machines despite the availability of cash, were compelled to load the machines.

It added that the move was in continuation of its clampdown on elements frustrating efforts in making the redesigned naira notes available to members of the public.

One of the bank officials, the branch service head of the Deidei Branch of the bank, was taken into custody for her deliberate refusal to upload cash into the branch’s ATM even when the money was available and people were queuing at the ATMs. Facts available to the ICPC operatives indicated that the branch delivered the cash around 11:58 am and either willfully or maliciously refused to feed the ATMs with the cash.

The statement said investigations were still ongoing, and the commission would take appropriate actions as soon as they were concluded.

In a related development, the ICPC Compliance Team in Osogbo, the Osun State capital, has busted another bank where some ATMs were loaded with cash with their wrappers un-removed, thus preventing the money from being dispensed.

Therefore, the team directed that the wrappers be removed and the cash be loaded correctly.

However, when a follow-up visit was undertaken the following day to ascertain the level of compliance, the team discovered that one of the ATMs was still loaded with un-removed wrappers.

The operation manager of the bank was arrested and taken in for questioning.

Similarly, seven Point of Sale (POS) operators and a security guard were arrested during the ongoing exercise in Osun State for charging exorbitant commissions

for cash.

Investigations revealed that they got the money from filling stations that collected new notes from fuel buyers, but they resold the cash to the public at exorbitant rates.

The statement said the arrested persons are helping the commission with information to assist investigations and bust any syndicates involved in the hoarding or sales of the redesigned notes.

In another development, the EFCC has said it commenced an investigation of Oluwadarasimi Omoseyin, an actress and cosmetologist, for allegedly tampering with the redesigned naira notes, an offence contrary to Section 21 (5) of the CBN Act, 2007.

Operatives of the ICPC arrested Omoseyin on Wednesday, February 1, 2023, along Awolowo Road, Ikoyi, Lagos, following an intelligence report.

The 31-year-old was arrested after the video of her spraying and stepping on the newly redesigned naira notes at a party surfaced online.

In the viral video, she was also seen flaunting wads of the new naira notes.

The suspect was subsequently handed over to the EFCC on Thursday, February 2, 2023, for further investigations.

Meanwhile, Akeredolu has called on President Buhari to address the issue of naira scarcity before it snowballs into crisis.

Akeredolu, in a personal statement he signed, said the people had been compelled to live under excruciating pains occasioned by the naira and fuel scarcity.

In the statement titled: ‘The President Must Intervene, Decisively on the Crisis of Distribution of Petrol and Currency Notes,’ the governor lamented that “Nigerians are practically buying the country’s currency to feed when we are not in a state of war.”

According to him, these ugly developments are already eroding the goodwill enjoyed by the federal government for the stability

achieved in the past seven years.

Akeredolu fingered some people he referred to as unscrupulous elements as being behind the scarcity in the distribution chain of fuel and the new naira notes.

“The struggles and actual fights recorded in banking halls, ATM and PoS points, and markets across the country are disquieting.

“The ordinary people are the victims. Depositors can no longer access their monies even to feed their families. Hunger is not the anticipated result of a monetary policy.

“While no reasonable person will contend with the decision of the CBN to discharge its statutory functions, the plight of the downtrodden must, however, be considered. The majority of Nigerians groan, at present, under the crushing weight of these crises.

“There is pervasive discontent in the land, and unless some urgent redemptive steps are taken to ameliorate the debilitating effects of seeming desultory and nonchalant disruptions of their normal simple lives, a series of events with unpleasant consequences are inevitable.

“A situation which permits a few individuals to inflict pains on the populace, seemingly without check, is deplorable.

The CBN Governor, Mr. Godwin Emefiele, must come clean on the new monetary policy. Nigerians practically buy the country’s currency to feed when we are not at war.

“The fact that the ruling party hopes to present candidates for election in the general elections in the coming weeks accentuates the level of suspicion as regards the possibility of having certain elements whose interests stand at variance with the public aspirations of the party and its committed members.

“There is no better way to demarket a brand than this ruthless execution of a pernicious motive.

The federal government, through the president, must act now,” he said.

to vote for all APC candidates in the coming elections.

Progressives Governors' Forum leader and Kebbi State Governor, Abubakar Atiku Bagudu, who led his colleagues to the campaign ground, told the people to continue to support the APC administration and vote for the party candidates in the general election despite the current challenges of fuel and new Naira notes scarcity caused by saboteurs.

Bagudu said: "The current challenges of the Naira and fuel scarcity are transitional issues.

The opposition wants to cash in to demarket our party, but we are proud of President Muhammadu Buhari's achievements and the achievements of APC governors in their states.

"We are proud of our party, our presidential candidates, Asiwaju Tinubu and his running mate, Senator Shettima, and we know they will win the election in the next 21 days."

Tinubu Responsible for Nigeria's Economic Setback, Says PDP Meanwhile, the Atiku/Okowa Presidential Campaign Organisation has said Tinubu set the stage for the nation's national economic setback.

In a statement issued yesterday, the Spokesperson of the campaign, Kola Ologbondiyan, recalled how Tinubu led a vicious anti-people movement against the introduction of gradual removal of fuel subsidies, which had accompanying palliatives that were cushioning the effects of the subsidy on Nigerians.

He said PDP was aware that Nigerians knew that Tinubu was not worried about fuel and new Naira notes scarcity, but was concerned that the situation was

affecting his life ambition of turning Nigeria into his economic empire and fiefdom.

"If Tinubu was ever concerned about Nigerians, what effort did he make to get the government, where he is the national leader, to address the worsening economy, the abysmal living standard, and our national descent as one of the fastest growing economies of the world under the PDP to the poverty capital of the world under his APC? "It is on record that under this government, which he brought into power and made many appointments, inflation and unemployment have galloped; millions of Nigerians have lost their jobs, and many more can no longer afford their daily meals due to the astronomical cost of living. What were the consoling words of Tinubu to Nigerians?"

Ologbondiyan queried.

He also recalled how Tinubu reportedly engineered and masterminded the reckless and shady increase in the subsidy paid by the Buhari administration without evidence of a corresponding increase in the volume of fuel consumed by Nigerians.

Ologbondiyan challenged Tinubu to disclose the advice he provided his government when Nigerians began to take their own lives by jumping into the lagoon in Lagos State out of frustration. In contrast, others were forced into slavery missions abroad as an option to dying of hunger and acute poverty.

He noted that Tinubu only remembered the cost of the Naira, the non-availability of fuel, and the new cash crunch when he mounted a soapbox to campaign for his ambition.

He said it was clear that Tinubu was not interested in the national challenges, but in the presidential race for his "Emilokan" agenda.

GLAMOUR, UNLIMITED CRAFTSMANSHIP AS ARISE FASHION WEEK AND JAZZ FESTIVAL ENDS the show was kicked off with the glamorous-looking duo- Seyitan Atigarin and Kachi Ofia.

The 14-time Grammy-award winner, Herbie Hancock started off with a newsflash: 80 per cent of his DNA is Nigerian. With an applause to welcome the jazz master back home, the flutist began his performance on a rather magical note alongside his band.

A simultaneous movement on piano and flute, they set a high benchmark for Starboy, Wizkid, who shared the stage with him for the night.

Interestingly, this season of the fashion experience was largely influenced by the 80s trend of puffed sleeves, sequins, sheer and some rope dresses.

Lanre Da Silva Ajayi set the tone for the night with the shimmering overload with pieces showing hints of green.

Graceful, sophisticated and with some daring sheer appeal, the queens of sequins slayed with their sweeping garments, emitting glamour.

Bringing crisp masculine cuts to the show is El-Attire. His fluid transition of robe from male into female figures made the predominantly dark-coloured pieces intriguing.

Rattling the audience is Lisa Folawiyo's visual play with asymmetrical hems, tropical fabric, fur-play around the sleeves, carefully sought mixed prints and some 'fringe benefits.'

The collection got its welldeserved ovation perhaps for its detailed Afrocentric signature on the runway.

For Kadiju, her collection is a potpourri of sorts: Oversized jackets, a touch of frills and a dash of fringe benefits, sleeves.

With the metallic glow albeit indistinctive style the outstanding body of creative work deepened the curiosity of the Lagos audience.

At the first glance, there was something 'street and swaggy' in

Syari Bespoke's collection. From the cross-culture pieces of robe and baseball cap to the scarf and sneakers that formed the accessories for the shoes, his edgy cuts and flowing silk transported the spirit of trado-urban attitude in the body of work.

Arguably the flame of the night, Huddaya delivered a blend of conservative and sexy, with his show-stopping pieces that was nothing short of pure craft.

With Ajabeng, street fashion is a minimalist experience. His subtle but impressive stamp on the runway is wearable.

The official partner for Arise Fashion Week, Darling Hair showcase was appetising from the entry to the exit.

Drawing inspiration from water ripples, Olooh mixed some street fashion with eye-catching designs- a few of them were so pink; reminiscent of DJ Cuppy.

Expectedly, Wizkid drew the crowd into a frenzy, returning the audience from Hancock's electrifying spell to Ojuelegba- the roots of Wizkid's artistry in Afrobeats.

Wizkid tapped from his oeuvre of songs to deliver "Bad to Me," "Essence" "2Sugar" amongst others Sophisticated, the multi-layered details in Tiffany Amber's craftsmanship echoed its originality.

With Naomi Campbell as the headline model at the show, the body of work is a product of painstaking effort to make a bold fashion statement.

Starboy's show would have been incomplete with his Grammynominated song "Essence," which got the audience fired up.

Wizkid had the stage to himself as paparazzi maintained their respectful distance.

Wizkid drops a consolation message as he rounds off his performance with "Ojuelegba."

"No fuel, no light, but Starboy dey for you," he said, extending his hands to the audience in an emotional moment.

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WE ARE BEHIND YOU… President Muhammadu Buhari (left), presenting the presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress, Senator Bola Tinubu to party’s supporters at the presidential and the gubernatorial campaign rally in Lafia Nasarawa State … yesterday

Restructuring: You're a Pathological Liar, Saraki Tackles El-Rufai Don't impose Tinubu on the North, Bafarawa tells Kaduna gov Gboyega Akinsanmi A former President of the Senate, Dr. Bukola Saraki, and an ex-governor of Sokoto State, Attahiru Bafarawa, have faulted the Governor of Kaduna State, Mallam Nasir El-Rufai on his claims that Saraki frustrated the restructuring plan of the All Progressives Congress (APC), and that the party and its presidential candidate, Bola Tinubu, have already won the 2023 elections.

El-Rufai had claimed that he and his party prepared a report on restructuring and engaged with the National Assembly leadership to amend the Constitution in 2018.

He had further claimed that Saraki, as the President of the Senate between 2015 and 2019, frustrated the restructuring plan.

In a separate interview on BBC Hausa, El-Rufai had accused the northern elders of working against a power shift to the South and described the elders as mere paperweights who cannot swing votes in anyone's favour.

While insisting that the 19 northern governors were the real elders of the North, El-Rufai declared that even with what he called "all these sabotage and conspiracies," the APC has already won "this coming 2023 election."

But reacting to the allegation against him, Saraki, who described the Kaduna State governor as a pathological liar, alleged that the APC, El-Rufai, and other state governors frustrated the effort of the eighth National Assembly to restructure Nigeria.

In a statement issued yesterday in Abuja by the Head of his Media Office, Mr. Yusuph Olaniyonu, the former Senate President, gave the details of how the National Assembly attempted to restructure Nigeria comprehensively.

Saraki stated that under his

leadership, the National Assembly commenced the constitution amendment process in February 2016 by setting up committees in both chambers.

He, therefore, noted that El-Rufai's statement "is not only false but also indicative of how the governor of Kaduna State is fond of making excuses and trading blames to explain his failure and that of his party."

He explained: "El-Rufai claimed he and his party prepared a report on restructuring and engaged with the National Assembly leadership to amend the Constitution in 2018 when as of February 2016, more than two years earlier, the eighth National Assembly had commenced the constitution amendment process by setting up committees in both chambers.

"Members of the committees traversed the entire country and came up with reports and draft bills.

By 2018, as El Rufai mentioned, Buhari had commenced assent to constitutional amendment bills.

"Out of the 32 Constitution Bills considered by the National Assembly, 24 secured the required number of votes on the floors of both chambers. Also, when the 24 were sent to the state Houses of Assembly, only 12 bills got the required votes."

The former Senate president alleged that this same El-Rufai was one of the governors that frustrated the passage of most of the bills by the State Houses of Assembly.

According to Saraki, even after the state Houses of Assembly concluded their proceedings, the President only assented to five of the 12 bills submitted to him in 2018 and refused to sign seven others.

He asked the governor of Kaduna State to explain how his state has implemented important restructuring bills passed by the

eighth National Assembly headed

by Saraki that had been signed into law, like the Financial Autonomy for State Legislature and Judiciary Act. Saraki further observed: "If the APC was elected into power in 2015 and El-Rufai and his cohorts were talking about amending the Constitution to implement restructuring three years later when the government had less than a year to the end of its tenure, the restructuring agenda must be an after-thought or a less important one on the hierarchy of issues on the APC's plate.

"It should also be noted that it has been a clear 44 months since Saraki left office as Senate President.

Within that period, El- Rufai and

his party have the Senate President they want and the type of Senate they want, yet they have not done anything to restructure Nigeria.

"We have not seen the so-called 'excellent' report of his committee being translated into bills and assented to by the President. He even claimed his committee drafted restructuring bills," Saraki explained.

"El-Rufai should tell Nigerians if Saraki is also the one that is responsible for the high level of insecurity, which has escalated from just the North-east to a menace that has now engulfed the whole of Nigeria under the APC administration," he added.

Meanwhile, a former Sokoto State governor and chieftain of the PDP,

Bafarawa, has told El-Rufai that he can't impose Tinubu on the North.

"He (El-Rufai) insisted that Tinubu must win the election; whether people like it or not, they have already won. Who told him that the whole of the North supported the APC? "This is just his opinion in that case; he has no right to insist on the North because everybody has his candidate.

"The way he is campaigning for Tinubu, that is how we are campaigning for our candidate," Bafarawa said.

Bafarawa insisted that an individual does not have the power to impose his candidate on other people, saying, "we will

shock them; we will make them understand that this country belongs to nobody, likewise the North."

"He (El-Rufai) is talking about being 63; doesn't he see that elders are still left in the North? We see that these comments are lacking in responsibility," he said.

Bafarawa said El-Rufai's comment was an insult to the North.

"His comments lack courtesy; what is expected of him are comments that can lead to the development of the North and the country at large.

"El-Rufai talked about contesting for elections and winning; if this is what he referred to as being responsible, we have contested and won before him," he added.

My Life is under Serious Threat, Human Rights Lawyer, Adegboruwa, Cries out Wale Igbintade Human rights lawyer and Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), Mr. Ebun-Olu Adegboruwa, has raised the alarm over the threat to his life and safety as a result of his advocacies and actions in relation to the campaign for good governance, rule of law and accountability.

Adegboruwa in a statement issued at the weekend said his conviction and opinions should not constitute a threat to the ambition of any politician or a threat to the life of any advocate.

He stated that while his views and actions may seem to antagonise or support certain political tendencies depending on the divide, he has no allegiance to any political party.

The human rights lawyer appealed to Nigerians, the

international community, friends, colleagues and fellow patriots to hold the government and the security agencies accountable should anything happen to him.

The statement read: "In recent times, I have noticed and been warned of attempts upon my life, based purely on my convictions, advocacies and actions, especially in relation to the campaign for good governance, rule of law and accountability.

"I do not belong to any political party and I have no political affiliation in any manner whatsoever. My training, professionally and spiritually, is to serve the people, mentor people, secure justice and transform lives, for good.

"As I do not yet have the financial power to undertake philanthropic engagements to

birth my convictions, I deploy my professional experience, knowledge and services to campaign for a better society, where justice and peace shall reign.

"This should not warrant any threat to my life at all, either from politicians or from the government.

Power belongs to God. No human life should be worth the political ambition of anyone.

"This notice is to all Nigerians, the international community, my family, friends, colleagues and fellow patriots that my life is under serious threat. While I seek your prayers always, the government and the security agencies should be held accountable should anything happen to me.

"All that the people of Nigeria seek is good leadership, a better life through efficient management of our resources, security of lives and

property, durable infrastructure that will galvanise improved economic conditions and good governance.

"This should not constitute a threat to the ambition of any politician or indeed a threat to the life of any advocate. While my views and actions may seem to antagonise or support certain political tendencies depending on the divide, I bear no allegiance to any political party.

"In regard to the 2023 general election, anyone that Nigerians consider worthy of their votes in free, fair and credible elections, will also be my leader. I do not support or oppose anyone; my constituency is Nigeria.

"With the help of God, I shall continue the revolutionary struggles for which I have been trained and known, notwithstanding the threats.

My life is in the hands of God.”

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ROYAL VISIT… L-R: British High Commissioner to Nigeria, Catriona Laing; Olu of Warri, His Royal Majesty Ogiame Atuwatse III; and Olori Atuwatse III, during the monarch’s courtesy visit to the British High Commission in Abuja…weekend

Obi: Currency Redesign Not Peculiar to Nigeria Says he has capacity to change the country Northerners won't vote for you, Adebanjo Tells Tinubu James Sowole in Abeokuta The presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP), Mr. Peter Obi, yesterday weighed in on the scarcity of the naira which has increased the suffering of the masses, saying currency redesign was not peculiar to Nigeria.

Obi said although the process of the Naira redesign came with some inconveniences, it has long-term rewards.

This is as he declared that he and his running mate, Mr. Yusuf Datti Baba-Ahmed, have the capacity to change Nigeria, pointing out that the country is the most insecure in the world.

The leader of the pan-Yoruba socio-political group, Afenifere, Chief Ayo Adebanjo, has also told the presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Senator Bola Tinubu to withdraw for Obi, stressing that the northerners will not vote for him.

Obi in a statement obtained by THISDAY, noted that even though there are improvements that can be made, he urged Nigerians to bear with the CBN and the federal government with the hope that Nigerians would harvest the gains that would come with the reforms.

The LP flag bearer called on the CBN and commercial banks to ensure that the redesigned notes spread as quickly as possible so as to ease the pain of the masses.

He said: “The currency redesign is not peculiar to Nigeria. It is an exercise that comes with some inconvenience and pain but it has significant long-term economic and social benefits.

“Even though there are improvements that can be made, I urge Nigerians to bear with the CBN and federal government with the hope that the general populace and Nigeria will harvest the gains that will come with the reforms.

Ikpeazu's Chief of Staff Emerges New Abia PDP Governorship Candidate Emmanuel Ugwu-Nwogo in Umuahia The Abia State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) yesterday elected Chief Ambrose Okechukwu Ahaiwe as its new candidate to replace the late Professor Eleazar Uche Ikonne, who passed away on January 25, 2023.

Ahaiwe, who until last week was the Chief of Staff to Governor Okezie Ikpeazu, emerged victorious in the special governorship primary held at the Umuahia Township Stadium.

The Chairman of the committee and Governor of Edo State, Mr. Godwin Obaseki, said Ahaiwe scored 469 votes, representing 91 percent of the 516 votes cast by the delegates.

The Deputy Governor of Abia State, Sir Ude Oko Chukwu, came a distant second with 12 votes alongside Lucky Igbokwe, who got the same number of votes, while Sampson Orji got 11.

Before balloting, three of the eight contestants, Bob Ogu, Eric Opah, and Ezinwanyi Jonah, stepped down for Ahaiwe, citing the zoning arrangement to Isiala Ngwa North Local Government Area.

The late governorship candidate hailed from Isiala Ngwa North, and the State Caucus of the party

decided last Sunday to retain the ticket in that area.

In his acceptance speech, Ahaiwe said he was humbled to be chosen to fly the ruling party's flag in the 2023 poll.

"The decision to take the ticket back to Isiala North has united our party and made it stronger," he said, adding that it was a product of wide consultations across the state.

The former Chief of Staff said the primary outcome was a victory for everybody with "no victor, no vanquished."

He called on the other aspirants to join hands with him and make the party formidable enough to win the forthcoming polls.

Governor Obaseki had, while addressing the delegates, said the special governorship primary, which was ordered by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), was in consonant with the provisions of the Electoral Act. "The process here today is to strengthen democracy because someone who has been popularly and democratically nominated will be supported by all," he said.

The exercise was monitored by the INEC National Commissioner for Information and Voter Education, Mr. Festus Okoye, and the Abia State Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), Ike Uzochukwu.

“We equally implore the CBN and the banks to expedite efforts to make the new currency available to small depositors and the unbanked in order to reduce the pains of my fellow Nigerians, especially the underprivileged and those living far away from banks in the rural areas.”

In another development, Obi has declared that he and his running mate, Mr. Yusuf Datti Baba-Ahmed, have the capacity to change Nigeria, pointing out that the country is the most insecure in the world.

Addressing a mammoth crowd of LP members and supporters at the party's campaign rally in Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital, yesterday, Obi stated that Nigeria needed a change.

The LP presidential candidate who had earlier paid a visit to the palace of the Alake and Paramount ruler of Egbaland, Oba Adedotun Aremu Gbadebo, before addressing hundreds of youths at a town hall meeting held within the premises of the Olusegun Obasanjo Presidential Library (OOPL), described Nigeria as a failed and one of the most insecure countries of the world.

He said he wants to change Nigeria, adding that he and his running mate, Datti Baba-Ahmed,

are the only set of people that can do that.

Obi noted that they both could change Nigeria and appealed to Nigerians to entrust them with the country to make it great.

The former Anambra State governor again challenged Nigerians to hold them responsible for dealing with the country's problems.

He said: "For me, I have served the people of Anambra State and was rated as number one in the implementation of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), and the records are there. Even in education and taking people out of poverty without borrowing a Kobo from anybody, I paid all the pensions owed before I assumed office.

"So, let presidential candidates come out and show Nigerians what they have done in the past before aspiring to govern the country.

"We are determined for a new Nigeria; we want people who are confident and qualified for the job.

This year's elections are essential; we can no longer be comfortable with incompetence. We want people who are committed; this job requires physical and mental energy. So, we want people who are ready for the job. Datti and I want to

change Nigeria.

"Datti and I want to change Nigeria; we are the only set of people that can do that. We can do that, and that is why we are saying that you should entrust us with the country and we will make it great. Hold us responsible for dealing with this matter.

"Nigeria is a great country, but we have all allowed it to be in the hands of few who do not know how to manage it. Your Majesty, that is why we are here; to plead for your blessings. We know that no royal father goes into politics, but when your subjects are dying and if you don't intervene, one day, they will come for you because there is no alternative, please, save them."

Northerners Won't Vote for You, Adebanjo Tells Tinubu Meanwhile, Adebanjo has advised Tinubu to withdraw his candidacy for Obi, and save himself from the shame of losing at the polls.

The Afenifere leader stated this at the presidential campaign rally of the LP in Abeokuta.

Adebanjo, accompanied by another leader of Afenifere, Senator Femi Okunronmu, said Tinubu would be disappointed by the

northerners at the polls.

The Afenifere leader described the LP as the new National Democratic Coalition (NADECO), which according to him, would save Nigerians from the misrule of the APC. He said: "All those who know Tinubu should tell him; I have always told him and will tell him again - the northerners will not vote for him.

"He (Tinubu) should come back home now and support Obi because when they finally defeat him, he won't have the courage to come back again; if he comes back now, we will forgive him and take him back.

"I have told you before, and I want to repeat it, the Labour Party is now NADECO; those of us supporting Obi are the ones that want good governance; we want Nigeria to be better; we want to liberate ourselves from the captive of the ruling class.

"We are behind Obi; leaders of the progressive movement are behind Obi. Those fraudsters who parade themselves as Yoruba do not love the country. Yoruba do not take things that belong to other tribes.

A Yoruba man has been President before," Adebanjo added.

S & P Rekindles Hope of Nigeria's Economic Recovery, Revises Outlook Kunle Aderinokun Barely one week after Moody's Investors Service downgraded Nigeria's ratings, S & P Global Ratings revised the country's outlook to negative from stable but affirmed its 'B-/B' sovereign credit ratings.

However, the revision is a step before downgrading.

S & P, one of the world's leading rating agencies, predicted that the nation's economy would recover and exceed its prepandemic size in 2023, with the expectation that it would record an annual growth of about 3.1per cent over 2023 to 2026.

It, however, pointed out that growth in GDP per capita terms would remain low, partly reflecting the country's high population growth.

S&P, which made these known in its latest report on Nigeria at the weekend, noted that the country's fiscal and external imbalances were

being exacerbated by "low crude oil production, high refinedpetroleum subsidy costs, high debt service expenditure, and associated sizable fiscal deficits."

"Limited and expensive access to international capital markets, and a consequent increasing reliance on significant domestic funding at relatively high-interest rates, is further weighing on net interest costs and the government's fiscal position," it added.

On the forthcoming elections, the agency said the February 25 presidential election is "a close three-way presidential race," pointing out that whoever emerges as the winner and becomes president "will inherit a deteriorating fiscal story," even though all the three leading presidential candidates have pledged significant reforms.

S & P also lowered the country's long - and short-term national scale ratings to 'ngBBB-/ ngA-3' from 'ngBBB/ngA-2'.

The transfer and convertibility assessment remained 'B-, it added.

It explained that "the negative outlook reflects increasing risks to Nigeria's debt servicing capacity over the next one-to-two years due to intensifying fiscal and external pressures."

Painting a downside scenario, it said, "we could lower the ratings if risks to Nigeria's capacity to repay commercial obligations continue to worsen, either because of declining external liquidity or a reduction in fiscal flexibility.

This could occur, for instance, if we see higher fiscal expenditure, higher debt servicing costs, or significantly reduced liquid foreign exchange reserve levels."

For its upside scenario, it noted, "We could revise the outlook to stable if Nigeria experiences significantly stronger economic performance than we expect, and external and domestic financing pressures prove to be contained, while fiscal deficits decrease faster than we project.

Explaining the rationale, S & P pointed out that "The outlook revision reflects our view that Nigeria's debt servicing capacity has weakened due to high fiscal deficits and increased external pressures. "These stresses stem from low (albeit recently rising) oil production volumes, large refined-petroleum subsidy costs, high debt service expenditure, and a relatively large planned fiscal deficit in the 2023 budget."

"The economy is estimated to have expanded by about 2.8per cent in 2022, and we forecast real GDP to average 3.1per cent in 2023-2026.

Below-capacity oil production will likely continue to affect export growth, while inflationary pressure, fiscal constraints, and sluggish investment will weigh on consumption and investment growth. However, after the elections, these factors are likely to be partially counterbalanced by a new, potentially more business-friendly administration."

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CELEBRATING THE NEW CHIROMAN MUBI… L-R: Senior lawyers, Prof Joy Ezeilo (SAN); Prof Ernest Ojukwu (SAN); Chairman, Council of Legal Education, Chief Emeka Ngige (SAN); Celebrant and Director-General of the Nigerian Law School, Prof. Isa Hayatu Chiroma, (SAN); his wife, Mrs. Chiroma; Mr. Kayode Enitan (SAN); Chief Eddy Mark; and Mrs. Elizabeth Max-Uba, at the turbaning of Chiroma as the Chiroman Mubi in Mubi, Adamawa State…weekend

INEC Fully Ready for Elections, Yakubu Declares Says commission to transmit accreditation figures, results simultaneously

Adedayo Akinwale in Abuja The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) is fully ready to hold this year's general election, its chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, said.

Yakubu spoke following the successful conduct of its nationwide mock accreditation yesterday.

The mock accreditation exercise was meant to test the effectiveness of the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) being deployed for the election nationwide as a replacement for the card reader.

The exercise took place in about 436 polling units in the 36 states of the federation and the Federal Capital Territory, with two polling units

drawn from six local government areas and two Area councils of the FCT. The INEC boss monitored the exercise in two polling units in Abuja Municipal Area Council and Bwari Area council, expressing satisfaction with the conduct of the exercise.

Addressing journalists after the monitoring of the exercise, Yakubu

said what the commission intended to achieve was to test the integrity of the machines further it would deploy on election day.

The INEC boss said accreditation figures and results would be transmitted simultaneously on election day.

He added that such simultaneous transmission would ensure the

Nigeria Loses $500m Yearly to Foreign Airlines’ Exploitative Fares, NANTA Alleges Chinedu Eze and Oluchi Chibuzor The National Association of Nigeria Travel Agencies (NANTA) has cried out that the deliberate suffocating practices of foreign airlines operating in the country have lost 720,000 jobs since 2021 and $500 million yearly.

NANTA accused the foreign airlines of hiding under trapped funds to rip-off Nigerians with high fares and wreak havoc in the nation’s economy; even when most of them sell tickets in dollars to Nigerian travellers.

The travel association said that between 2021 and 2023, businesses in the travel and tourism sector have lost over 720,000 jobs as a

result of the unscrupulous activities of the foreign carriers.

Explaining the practices, NANTA said its findings showed that most of the foreign airlines have mastered the art of exploiting the forex challenges to their advantage by removing all low-fare inventories from Nigeria and transferring them to neighbouring countries.

This, according to the association, has enabled most of the neighbouring countries to earn more revenues, which ought to have come to the federal government in terms of taxes and charges.

Speaking at a press conference in Lagos yesterday, the President of NANTA, Mrs. Susan Akporiaye

said the ongoing unfavourable situation, which is inimical to Nigeria’s economy, is bedeviling the downstream sector of the aviation industry.

She stated that it is only in Nigeria that an economy ticket is sold for N3 million, adding these exploitative fares have crippled travel agents businesses and forced Nigerians to travel across the nation’s borders at huge security risk to connect cheaper flights to international destinations.

“As we speak, it is only in Nigeria that a traveler is made to cough out over $2,000 for an economy ticket and if a passenger wants to change the date of the flight itinerary for

whatever personal reasons would be made to pay about N1.5 million to N1.8 million. To put this in perspective, all low-fare inventories of the airlines have been deliberately blocked to our members and to this market. Airlines, even after various engagements as partners, have seemed not to take such relationship or business history with NANTA into consideration, rather have gone ahead to make the market extremely difficult for members and in effect expensive for travelers. This now means Nigeria is at a disadvantage since the airlines seem to have mastered the art of exploiting the forex market to their advantage,” Akporiaye said.

Appeal Court President: We’ve Received over 600 Pre-election Cases Alex Enumah in Abuja

The President of the Court of Appeal, Justice Monica DongbanMensem, at the weekend, said the court had so far received 600 pre-election matters from its 20 divisions.

Justice Dongbam-Mensem made this known when the Ambassador of the European Union Delegation, Samuela Isopi, paid her a visit to her office.

“The court received over 600 preelection appeals in the 20 divisions of the court from November to date, and more appeals are still being filed.

“Over 60 panels were set up in the various divisions to hear and determine all pre-election appeals filed.

“Mindful of the pressures under which the Hon Justices are working, some experienced court registrars were empanelled to summarise the decisions so far made and distribute to the various divisions to avoid conflicting decisions,” she said.

The president expressed joy at her presence which, she said, provided an opportunity to exchange views, share experiences, and learn from their respective experiences in their countries.

According to her, transparency in the electoral process is one of the core values of democratic stability in a nation.

She stated that the active involvement of Election Observation Missions in Nigeria to ensure free, fair, and credible elections is appreciated.

“It is pertinent to state that the role of these Observer Organisations has greatly impacted the resolve to review the Electoral Act, 2010.

“The Electoral Act 2022 has introduced laudable innovations to strengthen our democracy and ensure credible elections.

“The Court of Appeal has reviewed, developed, and expanded the scope of working materials for Judges,” she said.

According to her, there is now a Judicial Electoral Manual that

incorporates decisions of the Supreme Court and those of the appellate court and the “critical” fundamental sections of the Electoral Act, 2022.

She said this is to ensure that appeals with similar facts and issues are categorised together to maintain the doctrine of stare decisis.

“In preparation for the delivery of its constitutional mandate, the court faces numerous challenges which include but are not limited to paucity of funds,” she said.

“Permit me to state that the court is in a dilemma; we have just 21 days to the general election, and the special intervention fund to conduct the Election Petition Tribunal is yet to be released,” she said.

She added that this would impact negatively on the activities of the court and tribunals to discharge their constitutional duties effectively.

“It is expected that by now, provisions would have been made for the procurement of necessary materials and equipment needed for

the smooth running of the various tribunals.

“Also, we ought to have organised further training for Hon. Justices, Members of the Tribunals, and Secretariat Staff, but we cannot due to lack of funds.

“We are hopeful that these challenges will be addressed soon before the general election.

“I thank your excellences for the visit and look forward to a fruitful interactive session,” she said.

Speaking, Isopi, expressed delight in the effort noticed in the improvement in election matters.

“One of the points you made was to support the judiciary in building the capacity of judges on election-related matters.

“I am happy to say we could support 300 judges in training.

“We also trained secretaries and support staff because this is seen as being crucial for us.

“This is because we know that it really can contribute to improving and promoting election disputes resolutions,” she said

figures correlate.

He said although the commission would not comment on the court judgment of the Osun State governorship election because it amounts to subjudice, it has learnt some lessons.

"However, in every situation, the commission learns, carries the experience from what has happened to improve the processes for the next election," the INEC chairman said.

"We have learned some lessons from what happened, and one of the lessons is to be able to transmit the accreditation data," he added.

Hesaid INEC created a new uniform resource locator (URL) on its results viewing portal where both the accreditation figure and results could be viewed.

He said: "We are satisfied with the tests in our office, but we needed to test the machines in the field ahead of the election. Bearing in mind that this is the first time we deployed the devices nationwide, so we have identified 436 polling units nationwide on the equality of tests of the federation, based on two local governments per senatorial district and four polling units by the local government, making a total of 16 polling units per state, based on which you have not deployed the machines.

"So, in the FCT, four polling units

are earmarked for the test. This is one of the polling units. The other one is the one we visited at the post office. And so far, so good; voters have been verified using their PVCs and then authenticated, using their fingerprint or facial, based on which they will be given the ballot papers on election day after successful accreditation.

"There is no failure report in the two polling units visited so far. The machines are performed optimally.

And this is the report we're getting so far nationwide, but we have also made contingency arrangements, like we will do on election day, that there is a spare machine in the case and the unlikely event of a malfunction. We will be able to respond and fix the machines.

But so far, so good, no incident, no failure, and we're hoping and praying," he said.

The INEC boss expressed optimism that having worked very hard that the machines would also perform optimally during the February 25 and March 11 elections He added: "Well, you have seen so far. In this polling unit, the last person accredited in our presence took less than 30 seconds to accredit.

This is the report we are getting from all the nationwide polling units.

So the speed is good. And also the authentication is good."

Stallion Nigeria Denies Alleged N13bn Debt to GTBank, Says Case Still Pending in Court Wale Igbintade

Stallion Nigeria Limited has denied media reports that it is indebted to Guaranty Trust Bank (GTB) to the tune of N13 billion.

The firm, in a statement, described the publication as false and the works of mischief-makers as no such debt exists.

GTB had alleged that it took possession of assets belonging to Stallion Nigeria Limited in Lagos and its sister firms.

The publications alleged that the takeover of the assets followed a N13 billion judgment debt in suit FHC/L/CS/2/47/2019 filed at a Federal High Court sitting in Lagos.

Possession was allegedly taken through Temilolu Adamolekun, the receiver/manager appointed

by GTBank.

But Stallion Nigeria Limited, in a statement, said the matter concerning the alleged indebtedness is still pending before the court and, to that extent, remains subjudice.

The firm urged the public to ignore the media reports as no such

court verdict existed anywhere, as alleged in the publications.

The statement read: "Our attention has been drawn to an article circulating in the media alleging that Stallion is indebted to GTBank to the tune of N13 billion.

"The publication is false, and the works of mischief makers as no such debt exists.

"Stallion has been in court with GTBank since 2019 over allegations and claims, with Stallion winning against GTBank at the Court of Appeal.

"The matter is yet in court and, to that extent, remains subjudice.

As a law-abiding corporate entity with faith in the Nigerian judiciary, we refrain from commenting on a matter that is subjudice except to clarify that the publication is false, mischievous, and a ploy to smear the unblemished reputation of Stallion.

"We implore the general public to ignore the publication as no such court verdict exists anywhere as alleged in the publication. The matter is still pending in court."

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News Editor: Gboyega Akinsanmi E-mail: gboyega.akinsanmi@thisdaylive.com,08152359253

IN DEFENCE OF GOSPEL… L-R: Senator representing Osun West, Mr. Adeyemi Oriolowo; General Secretary, Africa Baptist Fellowship (ABF), Rev. Elias Apetogbo; General Secretary, Baptist World Alliance, Dr. Elijah Brown; Vice Chancellor, Bowen University, Prof. Joshua Ogunwole; President of ABF, Dr Adelani Akanji, and Pro-Chancellor, Bowen University, Deaconess Olatoyosi Ayo, after the meeting of Baptist leaders at Bowen University, Iwo, Osun State ... weekend

Fuel, Naira Notes Protest Stalls Obi’s Appearance in Ibadan Parley Kemi Olaitan in Ibadan The protest on scarcity of fuel and new naira notes rocking some parts of Ibadan, Oyo State yesterday stalled the appearance of the presidential candidate of Labour Party, Mr Peter Obi at a forum.

Obi was billed to attend a presidential parley organised by the South-West Development Stakeholders Forum (SWDSF) at

Jogor Events Centre in Ibadan.

There were pockets of protests by some aggrieved youths across the city over non-availability of the new naira notes and fuel, which led to loss of lives and property.

Many supporters of Obi, who had thronged the venue of the forum since 8.00 a.m., went home disappointed, having sat for hours without seeing the presidential candidate due

to security reasons.

Obi, whose chopper reportedly landed at the Obafemi Awolowo Stadium in Ibadan in the afternoon, was prevented from featuring in the programme by his Campaign Director-General, Mr Akin Osuntokun, for security reasons.

Speaking on the development, Chairman of the Forum and Publisher of Alaroye Weekly Magazine, Mr Adedayo Alao

later dispersed Obi’s supporters, assuring them that the parley would be reconvened on another date.

Alao, however, decried the hardship, which Nigerians were going through as a result of scarcity of fuel and new naira notes.

He said that Obi’s life was at risk due to possible hijacking of the programme by unsuspecting elements.

Alao urged concerned authorities to prevail on the situation and entrenched normalcy so as to enable the people to go about their lawful activities.

The platform was for the South-West people to hear directly from the candidates on how they intend to address issues of insecurity and the worsening quality of life in the region.

The parley aims at promoting the Development Agenda for Western Nigeria (DAWN), a non-partisan blueprint jointly prepared by the six states in the geopolitical zone.

It is for the region’s security and socioeconomic development. It also aims at championing the development plans of the South-West people and finding common grounds among the presidential manifestoes.

A’Ibom YPP Alleges Recruitment of Judge’s Killing: Imo Lawyers Begin Three-day Court Boycott Monday PDP Members as INEC Adhoc Staff Amby Uneze in Owerri

The Young Progressives Party (YPP), Akwa Ibom has decried the recruitment of members of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) as ad-hoc staff of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for the February 25 governorship election.

The Chairman of Akwa Ibom YPP, Dr. Andy Nyeneime made the allegation at a news conference he addressed in Uyo yesterday.

At the conference yesterday, Nyeneime claimed that INEC in the state had jettisoned the online recruitment of Adhoc staff as advertised for the forthcoming election and instead received a list submitted to it by the PDP,

containing names of beneficiaries of Governor Udom Emmanuel’s Entrepreneurship project.

Calling on relevant authorities to investigate the allegation and bring perpetrators to book, Nyeneime warned that if INEC in Akwa Ibom “goes into such open collusion to rig the forthcoming election in the state, the exercise will be a clear case of imposition.

“The latest abnormality is that INEC in the state has jettisoned the online recruitment of ad-hoc staff as copiously advertised for the forthcoming general elections and instead blatantly received a list directly from Governor Udom Emmanuel’s led administration.

SERVICOM Commends NUPRC Chief Executive The management and the entire staff of SERVICOM has commended the Chief Executive of the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC), Mr. Gbenga Komolafe for commitment to improved, customer-focused service delivery in the commission.

In a letter of commendation by its National Coordinator/CEO, Mrs Nnenna Akajemeli, SERVICOM also lauded Komolafe for his unwavering interest in the sterling performance of the commission.

The letter said: “I write on behalf of management and the entire staff of SERVICOM presidency to com-

mend your unwavering interest and commitment to Improved, customer-focused service delivery in the commission.

“We are indeed encouraged by your inspiring strive in ensuring that Nigerians receive quality and timely service from the Nigerian state.

“We shall continue to count on your support and cooperation as a key stakeholderintheprovisionofsatisfactory services to al citizens in the realisation of the essence of governance “Once again, I think you and assure you of my highest esteem and regards,” SERVICOM said in its letter of commendation to NUPRC CEO.

Lawyers in Imo State will on Monday begin a three-day boycott of courtroom activities to register their anger over the killing of the President of Ejemekwuru Customary Court, Nnaemeka Ugboma, in Oguta Local Government Area of the state.

About five gunmen on Thursday invaded the customary court, dragged the jurist out while he

was presiding over a session and shot him dead.

The killing sparked public outcry leading to lawyers in the state calling on the police to arrest and persecute the suspects.

The five branches of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) in the state, in a joint statement yesterday, called for, among others, the provision of security personnel in all courts in the state.

The statement signed by D.

U. Alinnor for Owerri Branch.

B. A. Munonye for Orlu Branch.

Ambrose Ugbala for Mbaise Branch, E. A. Ochionu for Okigwe Branch and Richard Anyanwu for Mbano/Etiti branch, decried the constant attacks on judicial officers and facilities in the state.

It reads: “The branches of the Nigerian Bar Association in Imo State (Imo Bar) deplores the coldblooded murder of a judicial officer, His Worship Nnaemeka Ugboma,

who was shot point blank in court by yet-to-be-identified gunmen on the 2nd of February, 2023.

On receipt of the news, the Owerri branch of the Nigerian Bar Association promptly engaged lawyers within the affected jurisdiction as well as staff of the affected court, who confirmed the incident.

We also convened an emergency meeting and further contacted the heads of the judiciary particularly the Chief Judge of Imo State and

Two Killed as Gunmen Attack Ex-minister’s Convoy A former Minister of Niger Delta Affairs and governorship candidate of the Peoples Redemption Party (PRP), in Cross River State, Usani Usani, narrowly escaped being killed by suspected kidnappers along the Calabar-Ikom highway.

The two unidentified persons were, however, not lucky as they were killed by the gunmen who shot at their vehicles in a bid to abduct them.

Usani was said to be on his way to his home town in Nko, Yakurr Local Government Area,

alongside the deputy governorship candidate and others when they were attacked.

He was minister in the first term of President Muhammadu Buhari administration.

The State Commissioner of Police, Sule Balarabe, who confirmed the news, said it occurred between the axis of Akamkpa and Biase Local Government Areas of the state at about 4 p.m. on Friday.

He said it started when a white Ford with Registration number AAA 41 AQ was ambushed by

the suspected kidnappers, killing the two yet-to-be identified victims.

The commissioner further said that three other persons were abducted in the process by the gunmen.

“The vehicle in which they killed two persons had seven occupants including two police officers, ASP Ibor Bassey and Insp.

Ebro Ebri who escaped and called for reinforcement.

“A tactical unit was immediately dispatched to the area and three persons have so far been rescued,”

he stated.

Mr Balarabe said that the rescued persons were members of the PRP who were traveling with the former minister.

He solicited support by way of useful information to the police from the communities along the Calabar-Ikom highway.

“We are appealing to all community leaders and traditional rulers to help security agencies by providing us with useful information through our dedicated lines.

NLC Condemns el-Rufai’s Disparaging Remark on Judiciary

Onyebuchi Ezigbo in Abuja

The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has described the comments made by Kaduna State Governor, Mr. Nasir ElRufai against the National Industrial Court of Nigeria (NICN) as irresponsible, unbecoming and capable of undermining the country’s public institutions.

The congress expressed grave concerns about

El-Rufai’s remarks in a statement signed by its President, Comrade Ayuba Wabba yesterday, El-Rufai had regretted that one of the biggest mistakes Nigeria made was setting up the National Industrial Court.

He had cited instances where the court allegedly freed people accused of corruption. He allegedly stated this in response to

NICN’s judgment in a suit between the state and some employees of the Kaduna State Government.

In its statement yesterday, the labour movement said the governor’s allegations against the National Industrial Court were “spurious, mischievous, malicious and prejudicial”.

NLC said the action reveal the extent of El-Rufai’s bigotry and ignorance in

simple judicial matters.

It said: “The disparaging comments by Governor ElRufai about the judiciary, in particular the NICN on a national television platform which was aired recently are irresponsible, unbecoming, and dangerous because they are capable of undermining our public institutions. They also represent the height of flippant commentary.

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THISDAY, THE SUNDAY NEWSPAPER FEBRUARY 5 , 2023

BUSINESS

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

Reviving Savings Culture through Digital Banking The rise in patronage for digital banking in Nigeria has opened a new vista of opportunities in the promotion of the culture of savings and personalised banking, reports Festus Akanbi

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ith the latest resolve of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to pursue its cashless policy with renewed vigour through a cocktail of directives that discourage cash withdrawals from EDQNV ÀQDQFLDO DQDO\VWV VDLG LW LV natural for attention to shift to digital banking platforms, which boast of EHWWHU FDSDFLW\ IRU PRUH H΀FLHQW FXVWRPLVHG DQG H[FHSWLRQDO services to business and private concerns in the new dispensation. $OWKRXJK WKH FXUUHQW EDQNLQJ UHIRUPV WRRN HͿHFW WKLV \HDU WKH VDYLQJV FXOWXUH WKDW GLJLWDO EDQNLQJ SURPRWHV KDV H[LVWHG LQ various societies since man’s inception. $V WKH ZLQG RI FKDQJH FRQWLQXHV WR EORZ LQ WKH ÀQDQFLDO VHFWRU H[SHUWV EHOLHYH WKH WLPH KDV FRPH IRU GLJLWDO EDQNV ZKLFK DUH SURGXFWV RI WKH UDSLGO\ JURZLQJ ÀQWHFK VHFWRU WR WDNH WKH OHDG LQ WKH WUDQVIRUPDWLRQ PDUNHG E\ WKH JRYHUQPHQW·V GHOLEHUDWH HͿRUW WR GLVFRXUDJH WKH XVH RI FDVK IRU SD\PHQWV DQG RWKHU ÀQDQFLDO transactions.

According to reports, Nigeria had 3.7 billion real-time payments LQ UDQNLQJ VL[WK DPRQJ FRXQWULHV ZLWK WKH ODUJHVW UHDO WLPH SD\PHQWV PDUNHWV ZLWK RYHU ÀQWHFK ÀUPV LQ 1LJHULD SURYLGLQJ online access to mobile payments, digital banking, and commercial DQG SHUVRQDO ÀQDQFH DFWLYLWLHV Digital banks, like traditional banks, allow their customers to save and invest. +RZHYHU ZKHQ H[FOXVLYLW\ DQG SHUVRQDO WRXFK DUH FRQVLGHUHG analysts believe that digital banks have the upper hand, particularly among younger generations. The roll call of the leading digital banks in Nigeria includes Smartsaver, PiggyVest, Cowriewise, Carbon, Kuda, and Eyowo. The list includes Alladin, V Bank, SumoTrust, Jetseed, Rubies, ALAT, GoMoney, Mint, Koloplay, and Sparkle.

SmartSaver SmartSaver prides itself on its multi-dimensional, unique products and services that include; helping its users build their net worth over time with a particular product, Guaranteed Investment 6DYLQJV *,6 FRXSOHG ZLWK DQ H[WUDRUGLQDU\ LQWHUHVW UDWH per annum on personalised savings. It also allows users to collect loans with no collateral, handle bill payments and make transfers on their secured app. With its launch in 2017, this platform has served millions of Nigerians and continues to impress and add to its already impeccable reputation as Nigeria’s top digital bank.

PiggyVest 3LJJ\YHVW RͿHUV LWV XVHUV WKH RSSRUWXQLW\ WR VDYH DQG LQYHVW Piggyvest has risen to become one of the country’s most popular DQG XVHG GLJLWDO EDQNV ,W EHFDPH WKH ÀUVW RQOLQH VDYLQJ SODWIRUP in Nigeria and West Africa in 2016, when it made its debut as 3LJJ\EDQN KDYLQJ RQH RI WKH EHVW DXWRPDWHG VDYLQJ DSSV ,W RͿHUV LWV XVHUV SHUVRQDOLVHG DQG DGDSWDEOH SODQV ZLWK XS WR LQWHUHVW UDWH RQ VDYLQJV DQG RQ LQYHVWPHQWV WKDW DOORZ IRXU withdrawal dates.

Cowriewise Cowrywise, launched in 2017, has become one of the top saving platforms in the country. It boasts a user-friendly interface and interest rate calculator. It provides its users with interest rates of XS WR WKDW YDU\ DFFRUGLQJ WR WKH XVHU·V SHUVRQDO FKRLFH thus giving both high and low-earners the freedom to save at their

own pace. It also allows users to save as a group.

Carbon Carbon is one of the country’s most transparent and secure digital banks. Founded in 2012, it is a multi-dimensional VC-backed company. Although more famous for its zero-collateral loans that UHDFK XS WR 1 PLOOLRQ LW DOVR RͿHUV XVHUV D LQWHUHVW UDWH per annum when registered users invest in its Payvest product.

Additionally, its user-friendly app allows users to pay bills, make low-cost, hassle-free transfers, recharge airtime, and a unique free FUHGLW UHSRUW WKDW VKRZV WKHLU FUHGLW KLVWRU\ LQ DOO ÀQDQFLDO LQVWLWXWLRQV Kuda The Kuda Bank ranks as one of Nigeria’s most popular leading digital banks, known as the ‘bank of freedom.’ It is free of the obscene fees that conventional banks frequently impose on their consumers. This software makes budgeting, saving, and intelligent spending easier.

Eyowo Eyowo, an innovative payment solution, was launched by a 1LJHULDQ ÀUP 6RIWFRP LQ DQG LW VDLG WKH SODWIRUP ZRXOG revolutionise how people send, spend, save, receive, and borrow money. The company said that Eyowo aims to provide simple, PRGHUQ DQG UHOLDEOH ÀQDQFLDO VHUYLFHV WR DQ\RQH ZLWK D SKRQH number. These include consumers, retailers, businesses, and developers.

Eyowo is a digital bank that believes that if you have a phone QXPEHU \RX VKRXOG EH DEOH WR XVH FXUUHQW ÀQDQFLDO VHUYLFHV IRU IUHH $V D UHVXOW WKH\ RͿHU VLPSOH DQG PRGHUQ ÀQDQFH VRIWZDUH that you may use with your phone number.

Alladin Alladin is a digital ecosystem bank that provides small businesses with quick access to loans, high-interest savings and investments, a robust marketplace of over 40,000 sellers and buyers, and a social feed to foster interaction between all customers in one digital app.

The company launched its digital app in 2021 and created AfULFD·V ÀUVW PDUNHWSODFH GLJLWDO DSS 7KLV XQLTXH IHDWXUH FUHDWHV D connection between buyers and sellers, successfully combining banking and commerce into one digital app.

V Bank V Bank is an all-in-one digital bank that enables you to access your account and perform all your banking transactions from RQH DSS IURP WKH FRPIRUW RI \RXU KRPH RU R΀FH ,W LV D SURGXFW RI 9)' 0LFURÀQDQFH %DQN 7KH\ RSHUDWH DV D 0LFURÀQDQFH EDQN and their services include access to loan services, fund transfer VHUYLFHV 866' EDQNLQJ 7DUJHW 6DYLQJV DQG )L[HG 'HSRVLWV SumoTrust SumoTrust is an automated savings and investment platform helping reshape Africans’ poor saving and investment culture.

The bank provides a platform for individuals who need money to start a business, pay for rent, buy a property, buy a car, do some VKRSSLQJ SD\ VFKRRO IHHV HWF ,W RͿHUV DQ DXWRPDWHG VDYLQJV DQG investment platform that is helping to reshape the poor protection and investment culture in Nigeria.

Jetseed Jetseed is another dominant player. Pettysave Limited wholly owns it. They operated with the Pettysave name before the change LQ ,W ZRUNV XVLQJ FRRSHUDWLYH DQG PLFURÀQDQFH EDQNLQJ

OLFHQVHV 0DUYHORXV 0)% 7KH EDQN H[SODLQHG WKDW WKLUG SDUW\ partnerships provide all money transmissions through regulated and licensed entities in their respective jurisdictions. At the same time, funds are invested in insured and vetted private ventures ERDVWLQJ VROLG ÀQDQFLDO WUDFN UHFRUGV WR HQVXUH WKH VDIHW\ RI FDSLWDO and guarantee returns.

FairMoney )DLU0RQH\ LV D SURGXFW RI )DLUPRQH\ 0LFURÀQDQFH %DQN and the company is known for its cheap loans, bill payments, and transfers. The savings products are FairLock and FairSave. )DLU/RFN LV OLNH D )L[HG GHSRVLW DQG )DLU6DYH LV D ÁH[LEOH VDYLQJV RSWLRQ )DLU6DYH RͿHUV LQWHUHVW SHU DQQXP ZKLOH RͿHULQJ XS WR SHU DQQXP Rubies Rubies Bank allows you to create virtual dollar cards when users create an account. It is one of Nigeria’s few digital banks that help manage future billing. Among Rubies’ other features are savings, investing services, and the option to request money and make invoices.

Alat Alat is a Nigerian digital bank administered by a traditional bank (Wema Bank). Alat, like most digital banks, provides free debit cards delivered to customers’ homes. They also have virtual cards available.

You can save alone or in groups with Alat. You can also conduct standard banking transactions. If you are an Alat user, you can also get access to quick loans.

Gomoney GoMoney is another Nigerian digital bank that enables people to send and receive money and send payment requests, reminders, and receipts.

You can divide payments with friends or anybody else with a GoMoney account. When you open a GoMoney account, you’ll receive both physical and virtual cards.

Mint Mint is a trusted digital bank that aims to provide more Nigerians ZLWK ÀQDQFLDO DXWRQRP\ <RX PD\ VHW VSHQGLQJ OLPLWV RQ \RXU account, lock your card, create virtual cards and fund them, and set regular payments with Mint as your bank.

Mint bank also allows you to open a current account with as little as N2000.

Kolopay 7KLV LV DQRWKHU VDYLQJV EDQN GRLQJ ZHOO LQ WHUPV RI RͿHULQJV DQG acceptability. The available options are EasySave andAutosave. You can automate your savings by schedule, daily, weekly, or monthly. .RORSD\ RͿHUV DQ LQWHUHVW UDWH RI XS WR DOORZLQJ \RX WR KDYH multiple accounts with the Koloshare feature to invite others.

Sparkle Sparkle is a leading operator of another top Nigerian digital bank formed by the former CEO of Diamond Bank, presently part of Access Bank, Uzoma Dozie. Sparkle has two accounts: one for SHUVRQDO XVH DQG RQH IRU FRUSRUDWH XVH $ GHELW FDUG DQ H[SHQVH tracker, customised savings, bill payments, and other banking services are all included with the personal account.

16

THISDAY, THE SUNDAY NEWSPAPER FEBRUARY 5 , 2023

FINANCE

Looking Beyond FIRS’ N10.1tn Tax Haul For a nation with serious revenue challenges like Nigeria, the N10.1 trillion tax collection by the Federal Inland Revenue Service for 2022 is not a mean feat. However, from the experience of the FIRS, it is crystal clear that Nigeria has what it takes to raise the bar of revenue collection if it’s ready to put its house in order, writes Festus Akanbi

I

t is no longer news that the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) has remained the goose that lays the golden eggs in Nigeria amidst the colossal failure of the oil proceeds to meet the country’s growing expenditure over the years.

It is also a fact that the FIRS has been consistent with a legacy of good performance, a feat which its chairman and chief executive Mr. Muhammed Nami proudly attributed to a combination of VKHHU GHWHUPLQDWLRQ RQ WKH SDUW RI WKH VWDͿ to support the economy and the collective desire to meet the yearly revenue targets.

6R LW ZDV ZLWK D GHHS VHQVH RI IXOÀOment that Nami, recently announced the N10.1 trillion tax revenue generated by the agency in 2022.

Culture of Performance In 2021, the revenue service had collected a total of N6.405 trillion in both oil (N2.008 trillion) and non-oil (N4.396 trillion) revenues as against a target of N6.401 trillion.

For its 2020’s operation, the FIRS collected N4,952,243,711,728.37. The service explained that the landmark achievement represents approximately 98% of the national tax target of N5. 076 trillion set for the FIRS by the federal government.19 Jan 2021.

As it is, the 2022 revenue represents the highest tax collection ever recorded in the history of the service and any other revenue agency in the country but it falls short of the N10.44 trillion target for the year under review.

Missing the Projection $OWKRXJK WKH ODWHVW ÀJXUH LV XQSUHFedented in the history of tax collection in Nigeria, the FIRS chairman lamented that KLV RUJDQLVDWLRQ·V HͿRUW ZDV KDPSHUHG by a chain of debilitating factors which includes a series of unresolved court cases, the regime of tax waivers and government LQÁXHQFH DPRQJ RWKHUV Nami said the service would have surpassed its projection for 2022, but for the various tax incentives granted under the respective laws, which amounted to N1.81 trillion. He added that this was not part of the total tax receipt for the year under review.

Nami also said political interest and distractions, including litigations against the service, hindered its tax collection drive last year.

He said, “We would have done better, but for several issues, some of which are political and very sensitive to discuss in the public domain.”

It is absurd that the same federal government which has been lamenting a general UHYHQXH VKRUWIDOO FRXOG EH ÀQJHUHG LQ WKH revenue crisis.

Listing obstacles to revenue mobilisation in the period under review, Nami disclosed that the most important one is distractions from certain interests within the federal government itself and the sub-nationals or people who want to do what FIRS is doing – in other words, those that want to perform the statutory functions of FIRS of assessing, collecting, and accounting for taxes in Nigeria.”

The FIRS chairman added, “These are not just mere issues but people instituting legal actions against FIRS to further distract us. People instituting, even federal agencies instituting legal actions against

Ahmed laws that have been passed by the National Assembly and signed into law by Mr. President.

“So, these challenges impacted negatively, because you see on so many occaVLRQV SHRSOH ZULWLQJ LQ WR ÀQG RXW WKDW ‘tax A, we are confused, we don’t know who to pay to now that there’s a court ruling to restrict you from collecting such taxes’. So, this really impacted negatively on what we did last year.”

Legal Tussle over VAT Collection Since 2021, the FIRS has been locked in a contest with the Rivers State government over which entity has the right to collect VAT. The federal government, through the FIRS, has been in charge of VAT, which it then shares with the federal, state and local governments. That was until a federal high court in Port Harcourt in August 2021 ruled that it was the right of the Rivers government to receive VAT in the state.

The state argued that it was against the constitution for it to generate VAT that is later shared with other states.

The highly populated Rivers, Lagos and four other states are responsible for about 80 per cent of VAT collected in Nigeria.

While the Court of Appeal has asked parties to maintain the status quo on the PDWWHU VR DV QRW WR DͿHFW WKH VXEMHFW PDWWHU of the suit, states like Lagos and Rivers have enacted laws backing up their collection of VAT within their states. This ZLOO DͿHFW WKH XQFHUWDLQW\ RI EXVLQHVV DV businesses would not know which agency has prevailing authority over the collection of VAT and non-remittance will amount to a breach of the law.

Tax experts said the legal tango will also create enough opportunities for potential tax evaders to thrive since the resort to court action is a recipe for confusion over who to collect the taxes.

Controversy over Waivers’ Policy The unprecedented increase in tax waivers granted by the federal government in recent times has been hotly debated by concerned stakeholders who have argued that it is a drainpipe on the economy.

During the preparation for the 2023

Nami budget, the Senate Committee on Finance reportedly rejected a N6 trillion tax and import duties waiver proposed by the federal government in 2023 budget, stating that wastages and leakages must be blocked.

Subsequently, the Minister of Finance, Zainab Ahmed, was directed to cut down the tax waivers E\ KDOI WR 1 WULOOLRQ WR RͿVHW WKH 1 WULOOLRQ GHÀFLW RI WKH 1 trillion proposed as expenditure for the 2023 budget.

The lawmaker’s grouse is that PDQ\ RI WKH EHQHÀFLDULHV RI WKH waivers are not ploughing accrued gains made into expected projects as far as infrastructural developments are concerned.

Economists said for a nation with a serious revenue challenge, there is a need to review the waiver policy in D ZD\ WKDW ZLOO JXDUDQWHH WKH ÁRZ RI more revenue to the nation’s covers.

Harmonising Tax Laws One of the issues raised by Nami included the need for the three tiers of government to discuss the possibility of harmonising the country’s tax system. He said the global best practice was to have a single tax authority with a single technology to drive tax administration.

Nami argued that a multiple tax system would only help people to dodge tax payments, stressing that harmonisation would help boost tax receipts in the interest of the economy.

Analysts noted that Nigeria, which should be the leading light in terms of tax administration in Africa, given its position as the most populous with the largest economy in the continent, has continued to lose billions of naira in tax revenue to illegal tax collectors.

According to the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), in its Revenue Statistics in Africa 2021, the average ratio of Tax-to-GDP of 30 selected African countries in 2019 was 16.6

per cent while Nigeria recorded a mere 6.0 per cent.

There is no doubt that Nigeria is bleeding from the activities of illegal revenue collectors, especially non-state actors.

A good example of the operation of illegal revenue collectors is found in Lagos State where motor park touts, popularly FDOOHG DJEHURV ÁHHFH WKH VWDWH RI ELOOLRQV of naira in transport taxes collected from drivers of commercial buses, tricycles and motorcycles.

For example, it is estimated that there are about 75,000 commercial buses (danfos) in Lagos, according to the Lagos Metropolitan Area Transport Authority (LAMATA).

There are at least 100 revenue-collecting agencies at both federal and state levels FRPSHWLQJ ZLWK WKH R΀FLDOO\ GHVLJQDWHG tax authorities like the Federal Inland Revenue Service and state internal revenue services, leading to multiple taxations and compounding the ease of doing business in Nigeria.

Perhaps, one major incentive to taxpayers is the evidence that the revenue collected is well spent. Therefore Nami urged the three tiers of government to apply the funds generated by the service to critical sectors of the economy to “give value back to taxpayers as far as their monies are concerned”.

He stated, “We appeal to them to continue to invest the little we are generating judiciously so that they can encourage taxpayers to continue to comply and pay PRUH VR WKDW WRJHWKHU ZH FDQ À[ 1LJHULD µ Analysts said most Nigerians decline to pay tax because the ostentatious lifestyles of many political leaders do not march the reality in terms of dividends to the people.

A Lagos-based tax expert, Mr. Kingsley 8JERQQD VDLG WKH JRYHUQPHQW LV ÀQGLQJ LW GL΀FXOW WR FRQYLQFH 1LJHULDQV WKDW WKH economy is down.

“How do you reconcile a situation whereby people are asked to pay tax while JRYHUQPHQW R΀FLDOV WUDYHO RXWVLGH WKH country for social engagements? Costs of living are moving up daily. Nigerians are ÀQGLQJ LW GL΀FXOW WR JHW HVVHQWLDO LWHPV OLNH fuel, electricity and good roads whereas some political leaders are spending money on frivolities with impunity,” he said.

17

T H I S DAY,, T H E S U N DAY N E W S PA P E R • FEBRUARY 5, 2023

SOFT FINANCE with AYO AROWOLO The only column you may need to read on everything personal finance, money, investing -and other life matters

EMAIL: AYO.AROWOLO@THISDAYLIVE.COM PHONE: 08086447494( SMS ONLY)

Leveraging On Franchising For Wealth Building Questions on alternative ways of creating wealth have not ceased to trickle in. In this piece, Prince Yemisi Shyllon, a knowledgedriven investor, posits that franchising is a viable option for individuals who do not have what it takes to build a business to get into the fray and create wealth. Enjoy.

F

ranchising is a form of business enterprise for building legitimate wealth through the acquisition of a licence to do business with the brand and/or trademark of a company by an individual or group of people to enable them to carry out specified commercial activities in the name of the issuer of the licence.

Franchisees are usually people with some capital, either borrowed or accumulated, who want to own a business but do not know much about how to start. In a franchise arrangement, a wealth builder can enter into a business relationship in which the franchisor allows the franchisee to sell his products, services and intellectual property in the franchisor’s registered trade name and brand.

The buying of a franchise generally reduces the risk of freshly going into some unknown business terrain. However, it still requires and involves the hard work and commitment of franchisees to ensure success. Therefore, wealth builders need to ensure that the businesses for which they obtain franchises are those that they have an interest in and about which they can see themselves enjoying on a day-to-day basis. This requires wealth builders to carry out some business overview, investigations and research before seeking to obtain franchises and to ensure that their franchise business is one in which they have interest or passion, and management expertise.

Franchising is usually used as a means of distributing products or services involving the owner of such products or services, called a franchisor, who has an established trademark for a business system, that enables a franchisee to pay royalties and often an initial fee for the right to do business under the franchisor’s name and management system.

WHAT IT TAKES TO OPERATE A FRANCHISE Opening a franchise business is a relatively low-risk way of doing business because of the full support of the franchisor. Franchisees must be fully aware of overriding regulations and contents of the agreements reached with their franchisors and must factor into their operations what would make their franchise successful. Usually, franchisors issue franchise licences as a way to expand their businesses and create widespread branches in a way they could not have achieved on their own.

Thus, franchisors seek out wealth builders to help them expand and grow their businesses through franchising at a minimum cost. On another end, franchising allows franchisees to benefit from the opportunity to run their businesses with the licence and support of franchisor companies.

Franchise business arrangements have been proven globally to be successful for wealth builders with little know-how about the business line of their investment interests. Hence in a franchise arrangement, one does not have to worry about building a recognised and trusted brand, developing well-trained support teams, and finding reliable advisors to help them to manage their businesses.

The franchisor provides all these in the franchise arrangement.

Given that franchises are readily available, wealth-builders are advised not to jump into a franchising business in haste. Wealth builders should first investigate the franchise business of their interest to ensure it aligns with their business intentions and goals. Available franchise opportunities can be differentiated and preferentially selected on how well franchisors support and assist wealth builders in extensively using their licensed brands and trademarks.

CATEGORIES AND FORMATS Generally, there are three main available classes of franchising: BUSINESS FRANCHISE A business franchise allows franchisees to pay franchise fees and get the system developed by the franchisor with the right to use the franchisor’s name for a specific number of years, which is usually spelt out in the operating franchise agreement.

The business franchise is the most common type of franchise, which allows wealth builders to buy the licence to businesses with established

reputations for their contracting services in their field of work.

A typical example of this is found with large successful plumbing contractors who give out plumbing services franchise licences to smaller contract plumbers, who then allow clients to have wider access to plumbing services. This franchise arrangement gives such franchises greater technical and marketing reach and the support of a team of management professionals, which helps franchisee plumbers to manage client bookings, payments and complaints better. As stated earlier, this class of franchising is best for contract service businesses.

Shyllon brand names. Such wealth builders’ new franchise businesses would often be supported by the category of the franchise throughout the initial stages of business. Such support may continue to be extended throughout the life of the franchise businesses. In return for this business support, franchisees will have access to experienced professionals and the right to use the brand name of the franchisor. The franchisee is, however, obligated to pay royalties to the franchisor regularly as per the agreement reached between both parties.

The best example of this class of franchise arrangement is found in the fast-food industry.

The global example of this class is Kentucky Fried Chicken and McDonald’s. The Nigerian examples include Tantalizers, Tastee Fried Chicken and Chicken Republic. These franchisors allow franchisees to use their trademarks and brand names and take advantage of the economics of their supply logistics and the secrets behind their menu. This arrangement sometimes requires the franchisors to continuously train their franchisees to ensure they maintain the franchisor’s standards of top-quality products and services. They may also guide their franchisees with internal audits to help block income leakages. Marketing expertise is provided chiefly to franchises to optimise franchisors’ profitability, business expansion and enhanced business images, among others.

In total, this arrangement benefits both the franchisee and the franchisor. It is highly recommended for newly-retired employees, who do not have business ownership experience. They can take advantage of the available franchise support system to start good businesses of their own.

PRODUCT OR SINGLE-OPERATOR FRANCHISE The other category of franchises is the product or single-operator franchise. This franchise focuses on giving out franchise licenses to individuals who sell products and deliver services in specific fields. The franchisors in this arrangement allow franchisees to use their brand names and trademarks, provide them with uniforms and equipment to properly represent franchisor brands and provide support to franchisees to deliver products and services to third parties. Product franchises are an excellent option for start-up wealth builders, independent contractors and home businesses. The investment outlay needed under this franchise class is usually smaller than that of the business franchise. Examples of independent contractors’ franchises are companies that have already established good names and

MANUFACTURING FRANCHISE Manufacturing franchises are the third classification of franchise arrangements. In a manufacturing franchise, the franchisor allows the franchisee to produce products and provide services using the franchisor’s brand name and trademark. This type of franchise is very popular with food and drink companies in the manufacturing industry. The best example of this franchise is with soft drink companies. Here, the parent company would produce a concentrated syrup and then sell it along with the right to use its brand and trademark to a bottling franchisee company which would mix the syrup with various ingredients and then sell the bottled drinks.

An unlimited choice available to wealth builders who still feel very passionate and ambitious after building their franchise businesses to successful levels, but want to expand to other locations or other businesses, is to simply retain control of their existing franchise and continue generating profits from them while expanding to other businesses outside their franchise.

FRANCHISING AS A GREAT LEVERAGE Indeed, franchises of all classes have many advantages over other entry strategies for new business builders, who have problems and difficulty coming up with original ideas about which business to engage in.

The first advantage of franchising is instant brand recognition. When wealth builders start businesses of their own, they have to build their brand recognition from the start. This is usually difficult at the beginning, especially with business builders who have to compete in areas with existing strong competitors. In such places, it is better to enter into business as a franchisee of an existing strong franchisor. Under that arrangement, the franchisee business builder will use the logo and brand power of the strong, existing franchisor to attract loyal customers and generate good revenue and profitability.

The second advantage is the corporate support provided under franchise arrangements for start-up business builders. This is so because most corporate franchisors go out of their way to succeed and thus, give strong support to their franchises to ensure their success too. We must not be unaware that business builders starting their businesses for the first time would most likely go through tough times because they are entering unfamiliar terrain.

The corporate support provided by franchisors also includes providing classes and training workshops to ensure that franchisees know how to better open and manage their businesses. The franchisors also provide some mentoring, coaching and consultancy for their franchisees. The power of the franchisor’s entire brand, therefore, grows appreciably for his ultimate benefit.

A big advantage of franchising to wealth builders is the strength and benefit of a continuous flow of revenue during the lifespan of the business. This is the biggest advantage of franchises as a form of business for wealth builders. Once franchise owners can run their business well and get comfortable with their location, they can continue to collect monthly revenue above their expenses, thereby resulting in

Given that franchises are readily available, wealth-builders are advised not to jump into a franchising business in haste. Wealth builders should first investigate the franchise business of their interest to ensure it aligns with their business intentions and goals

profits that should grow over time.

Another advantage of franchising as a business arrangement for wealth builders is flexible responsibilities. Being franchise owners, wealth-builders would be confronted with many responsibilities. However, once the business of their franchisee has gathered some momentum of its own, then the franchisee would be better able to control their responsibilities. Before then, the franchisee’s responsibilities are shared flexibly to minimise the risk exposure of the franchisee of their businesses. Franchisors in some cases help to hire managers and other professionals for their franchisees to ensure the delivery of high-quality franchise arrangements.

Franchising as a business has an advantage for wealth builders. There is an unlimited choice of franchising. This is because there are franchise opportunities in dozens of industries, with thousands of brands to choose from. As against starting one’s own business from scratch, a franchise business arrangement gives wealth builders unlimited choices to pick from. Wealth owners will, therefore, have unlimited brands and businesses that suit their personalities, and passions and genuinely appeal to them to pick from. Franchising also allows wealth builders to have many opportunities to develop the frontiers of their businesses outside their pioneer franchise.

In other words, where wealth builders may have stockpiled enough savings of their own to fund other businesses, they can walk into other franchise arrangements and could decide to sell off their existing franchise to expand into other franchises. Hence, wealth builders, who would like to start their businesses after employment for some years or after retiring and obtaining retirement benefits, can become self-employed by buying and establishing franchises in their area of interest and start their business enterprises with the support of the management skills and at times products and services of the franchisor.

Franchise arrangements by experienced franchisors help to take care of the customer support of franchises by providing everything they need before starting their business. The only risk franchises need to take, in most cases, is to provide the first investment capital under the franchise business agreement.

THE DOWNSIDE However, you must be warned that franchising is not all a bed of roses, as some problems may arise and constitute low ends for franchise businesses.

The first of these is start-up cost. Most franchises require huge initial investments which may not be easily available to many start-up wealth builders.

Hence, franchise businesses may not readily be available to wealth builders with small capital.

Indeed, franchising generally requires good access to capital for its success, which is most often obtained through bank loans, equity contributions or cooperatives. However, if capital is obtained via bank loans, as against cooperatives, equities or relying on accumulated savings of some years, such franchises could be exposed to economic and high-interest rates, especially in countries with a high cost of capital, such as Nigeria.

This is one low end of franchising as a viable form of wealth building. The aforementioned low ends do not, however, take away the viability of franchising as a good source of wealth building.

Franchising only requires thorough investigation, proper planning and low capital cost as sources for investing in franchises. This, therefore, reminds us of our past conversation about how cooperatives offer us the opportunity of communal sourcing of capital in starting businesses. With cooperatives, two or more poor start-up wealth builders can form a strong cooperative, to buy franchises for building wealth for and on behalf of cooperative wealth-building members. Also, friends can come together under partnerships to put their savings together to take advantage of the opportunity available to them in business franchising. However, operating a franchise is not necessarily a guarantee of business success.

Read the full article at https://www.thisdaylive.com

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SUNDAY FEBRUARY 5, 2023 • T H I S D AY

OPI NION

119

T H I S D AY MONDAYSunday MARCH 14, 2022 2023 5 February, Vol 27. No 10162

opinion@thisdaylive.com

www.thisdaylive.com

AFRICA AND THE VATICAN’S POPES

Pope Francis took to Kinshasa a legacy of historical combat against exploitation of poor communities for which he was known in his native Argentina, writes OKELLO OCULI

The courthouse donated to Ekiti State will impinge on public perceptions of the administration of justice, contends CHIDI ANSELM ODINKALU

WHY PHILANTHROPY STOPS AT BUILDING A COURTHOUSE “Nothing is to be done which creates even a suspicion that there has been an improper interference with the course of justice.” Lord Hewart, 9 Nov, 1923 in R v. Sussex Justices, [1924] 1 KB 256

See Page 20

READINGS OF THE ‘CITY BOY’ ON THE CAMPAIGN TRAIL

Tinubu’s carriage and lexicon are too unpresidential to be taken seriously, contends TUNDE OLUSUNLE

See Page 20

EDITORIAL THE NASARAWA CASUALTIES OF INSECURITY

See Page 45

S

omething extraordinary happened in Ikere-Ekiti in Ekiti State, south-west Nigeria, on 19 January, 2023. On that day, the governor of the state, Abiodun Oyebanji, received and commissioned a new courthouse built by senior lawyer, Chief Oluwole Oladapo Olanipekun. Luminaries from various walks such as politics, faith, business, and the professions graced the event. THISDAY newspaper led in describing WKH SURMHFW DV DQ DFW RI ´VHOÁHVV SKLODQWKURS\µ Governor Oyebanji himself invited the state’s “indigenes all over the world to emulate this DFW RI JHQHURXV JLYLQJ EDFN µ Chief Olanipekun, who built the courthouse, is a proud son of Ikere, where the new courthouse is located. His credentials in the universe of Nigerian philanthropy are not in dispute. He is a benefactor of leading universities in the country, including the Universities of Ibadan and Lagos, as well as the Ajayi Crowther University. He gave generously to alleviate suffering during the worst months of the COVID-19 pandemic.

For decades, Chief Olanipekun has run a scholarship scheme to support the tuition and stipends of indigent students in various levels of education in Nigeria up to graduate studies as well as vocational studies in the 1LJHULDQ /DZ 6FKRRO :LWK VRPH MXVWLÀFDWLRQ philanthropy has been described as his way of life.

Chief Olanipekun is arguably the most successful Nigerian lawyer of his generation. +H UXQV RQH RI WKH ELJJHVW ODZ ÀUPV LQ the country and is the lawyer of choice WR SUHVLGHQWV SROLWLFLDQV DQG SURÀWDEOH companies. He became a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) in 1991 before being elected President of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), eleven years later. He has served as ProChancellor and Chair of Governing Council of several universities around the country.

He also now leads the Body of Benchers, the statutory body responsible for admitting new lawyers into the legal profession. He is himself a father of two SANs. The construction of this courthouse was not done in secret. As Chief Olanipekun made plain at the commissioning ceremony, the project “was initiated with the consent and permission of the Honourable Chief Judge of (NLWL 6WDWH ZKR DOVR DSSURYHG DQG PRGLÀHG WKH GUDZLQJV DSSURSULDWHO\ µ This is where the problems begin: what exactly was the Chief Judge thinking of when he gave consent for a lawyer in active private SUDFWLFH WR EXLOG DQG ´GRQDWHµ D FRXUWKRXVH to the judiciary? Despite everything that can be said in favour of the well-appointed courthouses, the idea of any person building DQG ´GRQDWLQJµ RQH WR WKH MXGLFLDU\ DQ\ZKHUH is so staggering in its implications that it

must be rejected out of hand as a model for addressing the manifest challenges of Nigeria’s judicial system. Of the many reasons WKDW FDQ EH DGGXFHG IRU WKLV ÀYH VWDQG RXW Let us begin with the most basic.

Courthouses go to the very essence of statehood. The state exists for the wellbeing of all who live within it. To protect them, it enjoys certain basic monopolies. One is a presumptive monopoly on the legitimate use of violence; the other is a monopoly of legitimate adjudication. The latter monopoly in fact precedes the former. If the state dispenses justice credibly, it diminishes the likelihood that grievances can boil over into violence. This is why the monopoly over legitimate adjudication is not one to be trifled with.

Second, the credibility of judicial function and public trust in its institutions is a high constitutional value dependent (in the words of Nigeria’s constitution) on public perceptions RI WKH ´LQGHSHQGHQFH DQG LPSDUWLDOLW\µ RI WKH courts. If one man builds a courthouse in a state from which he comes and in which he owns property, business, it is difficult to see how any decisions issued in that courthouse can be free from the whiff of partiality. Even people who come from his village and whose cases have to be decided in that court will never be free of the perception that their cases may have been decided in a particular way because the courthouse was built by their famous son.

Judges who sit in such courts could live under a perpetual cloud. No matter how hard they try to be fair, firm, and just, their decisions will never be impartial enough.

Third, a lawyer in active practice cannot be allowed to build or donate a courthouse for obvious reasons: such a project can never be free of perceptions of professional influence peddling. This particular donation could soon prove to be more expensive than it is worth.

In time, it will become grounds for appeal against decisions of judges who sit in it, exposing them to innuendoes and denuding them of the intangible assets of trust and FRQÀGHQFH RQ ZKLFK WKH MXGLFLDO IXQFWLRQ LV anchored.

Fourth, this idea of donation of courthouses invites the classic slippery slope. Let us begin from the premise that this donation is motivated by the purest of intentions. Not every person who may choose hereafter to LQYHVW LQ WKLV PRGHO RI ´SKLODQWKURS\µ FDQ EH credited with the same purity of purpose. If one man can build and donate a courthouse, then every big man who has stolen money will sooner-or-later adopt that same model as their own down payment on impunity. In no time, courthouses around the country could become annexed into private estates of questionable provenance and their preoccupation will not be justice administration but decision making as to who gets shafted both in reality and in the public perception.

Above all, it is impossible for this kind of project to avoid a violation of the constitutional rules of fair hearing and the Judicial Code of Conduct. Rule 1(4) of the Code precludes every judge from “contacts that may lead people to speculate that there is a special relationship between him and someone whom the Judge may be tempted to favour in VRPH ZD\ LQ WKH FRXUVH RI KLV MXGLFLDO GXWLHV µ How does a judge who sits in a court built by one man avoid the impression that he or she KDV D VSHFLDO UHODWLRQVKLS ZLWK WKH ´RZQHUµ RI the court?

It is not in doubt that Nigeria’s judicial system has far reaching problems of both capital and recurrent kinds. The state may well be unable to fully pay for all that the courts need. If private contributions are needed, one response could be to adopt the model of the security trust fund established by many states to address insecurity and policing. A parallel for the judiciary could take the form of an Administration of Justice Trust Fund under suitable statutory guarantees.

The only question that remains is what to do with this ‘donation’ already made in Ekiti State.

It would be proper to extend appreciation to the donor for his high sense of public duty. However, the facility can be repurposed for other uses such as a public library - which will not impinge on public perceptions of the administration of justice. The public interest in a justice system that works for everyone demands no less.

It should be clear that this is not something that any state should have entertained or allowed. This kind of project guarantees an impression of improper interference in the administration of justice. This deserves the attentions of the NBA, the Chief Justice of Nigeria, and the National Judicial Council to HQVXUH WKDW WKLV ÀUVW ZLOO DOVR EH WKH ODVW DQG WKH RQO\ LQVWDQFH RI WKLV NLQG RI ´GRQDWLRQµ anywhere in Nigeria.

ODINKALU teaches at the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy

20

T H I S D AY SUNDAY FEBRUARY 5, 2023

Pope Francis took to Kinshasa a legacy of historical combat against exploitation of poor communities for which he was known in his native Argentina, writes OKELLO OCULI

AFRICA AND THE VATICAN’S POPES

It is not clear if television newsreels showing a vibrating lake of black faces was telecast in Buenos Aires for fear that it might raise awkward noises in local slums.

The last time a Black NGO activist went to JHW D SDVVSRUW WR WUDYHO WR WKH 8QLWHG 6WDWHV RI $PHULFD LPPLJUDWLRQ RIÀFLDOV GHQLHG that there were Afro-Argentineans.

It was a ‘’Papal Bull’’ (Holy Decree) which shared out the Americas to Portugal and Spain for colonisation and exploitation. Divinely guided Papal wit also gave legitimacy to hunting for human beings in Africa to replace genocidal killings of native populations in these lands.

These historical legacies opened SRWHQWLDO ÁRRGJDWHV IRU OHJDO GHPDQGV for ‘’Crimes Against Humanity’’ and ‘’Reparations’’ against the Vatican government and governments in the Americas.

In 1988, Mariapia Fanfani, a vigorous and charming wife of a former president of Italy, assembled at Rome novelists and poets drawn from Africa outside Maghreb, and European immigrants across Southern Africa. The goal was apparently to build her record for a possible Nobel Prize for Peace.

We were seated around the stage where Pope John-Paul 23rd blessed pilgrims from global provinces. The event boasted the imperial reach of Catholicism; the charisma oozing out of the physical body of that Pope and its contrast to the dull cynical and seasoned look of old Cardinals and heads of the bureaucracy which surrounds and tames a passing charisma. Pope Francis must inject into this Kafkain forest of intrigues holy, bold and radical African reformers.

Apart from Muslim Tunisia, Algeria and Sudan, liberation wars were led by Catholic baptistees. Robert Mugabe (in Zimbabwe); Samora Machel and Eduardo Mondlane (in Mozambique); Patrice Lumumba of Congo; Amilcar Cabral in Guinea Bissau and Cape Verde were martyed. Agustinho Neto of Angola was believed to have been poisoned.

Mwalimu Nyerere, a devout Catholic, was the custodian of Africa’s collection Liberation Committee. Leading poorly armed people into the sunshine of freedom from brutal centuries of exploitation and slave-labour by Catholic Portugal and rebel Catholics in Britain must be a condition

of Sainthood. Pope Francis must help the Catholic community to recognise and honour the historic responsibilities which these heroes of liberation undertook.

Pope Francis was a young priest when brutal dictatorships across Latin America provoked the birth of ‘’Liberation Theology’’.

Bishops and priests who preached it were brutally murdered by state security thugs.

Paradoxically, despite the regime of ‘’Crime Against Humanity’’ sustained as forms of government in South Africa, South West Africa (now Namibia), the Vatican either encouraged or shamelessly ignored the silence, indifference and cowardice of its European and African priests, bishops and cardinals.

The absence of courageous anti-apartheid late Bishop Desmond Tutu (of the Anglican Church), among the Catholic Clergy remains D VFDQGDO :KLOH WKH 8QLWHG 6WDWHV %ULWDLQ DQG Scandinavia continue to punish Zimbabwe for refusing to pay reparations to European immigrant farmers, they continue to remain silent about British and Euro-American companies inflicting bodily brutalities and economic robberies against Africa. Decades of looted mineral resources and fertile soils demand reparations.

7KH 8QLWHG 6WDWHV LV FXUUHQWO\ OHG E\ a Catholic Irish descendant. France is predominantly Catholic. Both countries host the most powerful 830 companies which D 8QLWHG 1DWLRQV &RPPLWWHH DFFXVHG RI supplying weapons to the over 120 militia groups that kill, burn homes and drive communities from areas known to contain rich mineral resources. The Pope mentioned this problem. He should convene a Vatican Conference against resource-based violence in Africa to be attended by Joe Biden, Emmanuel Macron, Felix Tshesekedi of DRC and ECOWAS leaders whose mineral deposits have attracted hired terrorists.

The pandemic of violence reflects a determination to block post-colonial development in Africa. The notion that EuroAmerica can only continue to prosper by looting and blocking human and material development in Africa is evil and shortsighted. German industry is carrying out a roaring trade with a highly developing China.

Poverty in Africa means a market for cheap low quality consumer goods: cheap plastic sandals, box of matches, powdery biscuits instead of high quality Marakesh leather sandals, self-driving cars and computer piloted helicopters.

As a Jesuit clergyman, Pope Francis knows that one of the crimes of colonialism was the wastage of African brain-power by limiting converts to reciting the 10 Commandments and the ‘’Lord’s Prayer’’. The Vatican should establish schools which feed into a Jesuit-type 8QLYHUVLW\ LQ HYHU\ UHJLRQ RI WKH $IULFDQ 8QLRQ The DRC bloomed into a thousand ÁRZHUV RI ,QYHQWLRQV XQGHU 0REXWX 6HVH Seko. I hope Pope Frances demanded to KHDU WKH UHQGHULQJ RI ¶·0,6$ /8%$·· ²D thrilling Zairean/Congolese rendering of a Catholic Mass. It took New York’s music market by storm in 1971.

PROF OCULI writes from Abuja

Tinubu’s carriage and lexicon are too unpresidential to be taken seriously, contends TUNDE OLUSUNLE

READINGS OF THE ‘CITY BOY’ ON THE CAMPAIGN TRAIL With the manner in which the current electioneering season is unravelling, it may yet be the most interesting, most suspenseful and most revealing, of the nation’s fourth republic.

My mind goes back to the popular, dancefloor funk tune, popular in my generation, “Sixty thrills a minute.” It was produced by the New York-based music group which goes by the name *Mystic Merlin,* over four decades ago.

The very title of the song suggests that every second of the 60 which make up a minute, throws up novelties. It speaks to the infinite possibilities, realisable within the blink of an eye. This exactly is what the ongoing campaigns are throwing up in parts. You switch on your television set or follow real-time coverage of campaigns on social media, never sure what to expect. The general elections scheduled for later this February and early March, will produce new leaders and representatives for Nigerians, from the bottom, to the top of the representational political pyramid. And every single day of the ongoing exercise throws up brand new scenarios.

Campaign gears such as customised shirts, vests, caps, bowler hats, wristbands, broches, even footwear, have collectively added colour and pizzaz to electioneering across the country.

The carnivalesque air, the boisterous ambience, the music, singing, gyrations, characteristic of road shows and campaign grounds, have remained constants across the national landscape. Popular rule, which is in its third decade in Nigeria, is probably here to stay despite its multiple imperfections, after all. Nigeria will not be going in the direction of Burkina Faso, Guinea or Mali, its neighbours on the west coast of the African continent, anytime soon, going by the convictions and reassurances of the military. Democratic governance in the countries we alluded to above, have been torpedoed by military adventurists in recent years, arresting the evolution of popular rule.

Expectedly, the campaigns have thrown up a kaleidoscope of high dramas and novelties.

While these continue to be rib-crackers on one hand, they are, on the other, sober exposes on our seriousness as a people and a country in today’s global community.

In the south west of the country, indigenous Yoruba musical instruments like the *gangan,* *omele* and *bata,* regularly echo that famous campaign chant: *Ipade di ojo ibo/Ipade di ojo ibo/B’awa le ju wa lo/B’eyin le ju wa lo/ Ipade di ojo ibo.* In English, this means “We shall meet on election day/If you have more followers than we do/Or we have more supporters than you do/The election day will be the decider.”

The Hausa/Fulani, the Igbo, and other sociocultural strands of the Nigerian behemoth, also have campaign chants and choruses, peculiar to their environments.

Elsewhere, I have remarked about the enchanting musicality and compelling dance essence of Tiv songs and poetry, including political compositions. They are usually accompanied by *gida,* *kwen,* *gbande,* among other indigenous instruments. Dino Melaye, campaign moderator of the Peoples Democratic Party, (PDP), has been a multitasking raconteur, singer, bandleader and performing artist on the campaign wagon. He never misses any opportunity to take digs at opponents of his party and its presidential flagbearer, Atiku Abubakar. Such has been the entertainment component of the current political season.

Instructively, the presidential campaign endeavours of the All Progressives Congress, (APC), singularly, seem to have thrown up more preposterous foibles, comic substance and theatrics, than all the other parties put together.

Bola Ahmed Tinubu, also known by a variety of aliases, including *Asiwaju,* *Jagaban,* *Olowo Eko,* *City Boy* and *National Leader,*

Emeritus governor of Lagos State, is the presidential candidate of the APC. Alone, he has generated much more comic content, many tragicomic substance, than all the other parties put together. He has unwittingly gifted Nigeria’s burgeoning film industry, better known as *Nolloywood,* such an abundance of sumptuous meat which will sustain the sector for seasons to come. Skit makers are savouring the prospects already.

Keen political enthusiasts are indeed keeping tabs on Tinubu’s various gaffes and goofs. The other day, I dabbled into a YouTube documentary of 20, yes 20 most recent and indefensible Tinubu verbal *faux pas* on the campaign train. This is just as a rostrum has been invented for him on campaign dais to help him maintain some physical stability and balance. Please observe the unease of the APC leaders, usually his running mate, Kashim Shettima; the national chairman of the APC, Abdullahi Adamu; the host governor and similar leaders of the party, whenever Tinubu grabs the microphone. There is that discernible edginess that Tinubu might just drop another uncoordinated gibberish, another headless missile. This is even as party leaders almost ever serve as his prompters, whispering into his ears and slipping *aide memoires* to him, to guide his thread of thought.

Tinubu has graduated from his days of “a church rat eating a poisoned holy communion.” He has gravitated from his struggles with the pronunciation of very simple words like “umbrella” and “technological.” In Akwa Ibom State the other day, Nigerians watched with consternation as Tinubu described his PDP opponent as the “former Senate President” who he produced. Tinubu’s words: “They don’t have mandate. What they have is ice cream. It melts quick. They are yeye people. Atiku when we made am Senate President, abba...” Tinubu at the VDPH RXWLQJ SURÀOHG 8GRP (PPDQXHO governor of the state, as “that boy who used to stay in my boy’s quarters in Lagos.”

Curiously, Tinubu in some of his outings, has turned the revolver to his own chest, literally, by throwing his own party and the platform of his presidential quest, under the rail lines. In Abeokuta, Tinubu took a swipe at the Buhari government, for attempting to sabotage his election, by its currency change policy. He equally tackled the Buhari government for the lingering fuel crisis in the country.

OLUSUNLE, PhD, is Special Adviser on Media and Publicity to PDP presidential candidate Atiku Abubakar

45 T H I S D AY SUNDAY FEBRUARY 5, 2023

EDITORIAL

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

THE NASARAWA CASUALTIES OF INSECURITY Security agencies should do more to avoid costly mistakes and uncertain results during combat operations

N

igeria’s epidemic of insecurity has necessitated a war-like response. In most troubled places, the military has routinely mounted spirited combat operations against armed adversarial non-state actors. Predictably, these DHULDO ERPEDUGPHQWV DQG EDWWOHÀHOG JURXQG DVVDXOWV have led to unintended casualties in several instances.

The most recent one is the gruesome murder of innocent herdsmen in Doma local government area of Nasarawa State. According to reports, they were returning from Benue (where they had gone to retrieve their herds of cattle seized by authorities there for infractions against the state’s anti-open grazing regime) when they were struck by an Air Force combat aircraft on a security operation in the area.

Available reports indicate that about 37 persons died, and scores of others were injured, some severely. The dead include nine members of one family. Sadly, there KDV QRW EHHQ DQ RIÀFLDO IHGHUDO JRYHUQPHQW VWDWHPHQW on the incident. Tragedies such as the Nasarawa experience have become frequent in the troubled parts of the country with the involvement of the air force in the ongoing counter terrorism and anti-bandit security operations. Meanwhile, the bereaved have buried their dead and the nation seems to have moved on.

About the same time as the Nasarawa killings, a similar incident occurred in the Shiroro area of Niger State leading to numerous fatalities and the displacement of over a thousand innocent citizens.

Quite curiously, neither the federal government nor the military has been forthcoming with full accountability or the necessary show of compassion for those unfairly affected by these accidents. Yet, it is a minimum requirement that in all such cases, the authorities need to show full responsibility, especially when innocent lives are lost.

While such avoidable mistakes and accidents cannot be ruled out in situations of general insecurity, the compassionate component of government must never be in doubt. Even in a situation of desperate insecurity, government must not abandon its primary role of protector of the people. If in the honest and legitimate

course of protecting lives and property accidents occur, it behoves government to investigate such incidents and ensure they do not recur. Such investigation should be followed by remedial recourse including discipline of erring service personnel and palliatives towards victims.

To the extent that such security operations are not directed at an external enemy, they primarily remain police operations. But where the intensity of adversarial force is beyond what the civil police can handle, involvement of the military becomes inevitable. And there comes the risk of unintended collateral casualties.

Indeed, the nature of our insecurity has created an environment for such accidents of mistaken targets and identity to occur. A military operation waged against XQGHÀQHG HQHPLHV LQ WKH forest can lead to imprecise targeting and unintended consequences.

When an internal security operation graduates into a limited war, the military walks into an uncertain terrain. There are no formal battle lines. The enemy has neither a distinguishing XQLIRUP QRU GHÀQLQJ LQVLJQLD (QHP\ WHUULWRU\ LV everywhere and nowhere. The enemy is himself anonymous and undifferentiated from the common run of innocent humanity in farmlands, urban streets, or village squares. Only a very high level of training and the application of precise targeting equipment and foolproof techniques can prevent routine security operation from degenerating into periodic massacres of innocent people.

However, while military accidents leading to numerous civilian casualties may not be totally avoidable in internal security operations, when they occur ever so frequently, there is cause for concern. It calls for an urgent revision of training manuals and standard operating procedures. It is also time to revise the rules of engagement. But whatever happens, the military and security forces must be held to standards of rigorous accountability when their actions involve the loss of innocent lives.

When adversity and loss of lives result from even the best intentions, the compassion of the state is urgently needed while those entrusted with the instruments of state coercion must be held to account.

When adversity and loss of lives result from even the best intentions, the compassion of the state is urgently needed while those entrusted with the instruments of state coercion must be held to account

Letters to the Editor

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

LETTERS

NIGERIA’S WORRYING SPATE OF SUICIDES Nigerians are renowned for their remarkable fortitude. Whether at home or abroad, they are known to show grit and grind their teeth as they glide through situations that would ordinarily prove the undoing of others. %XW OLIH LQ 1LJHULD FDQ EH GLIÀFXOW and even impossibly dreary at times.

The simplest tasks can swiftly become gruelling and ponderous. Alarming statistics recently emerged that in 2022, at least 79 Nigerians comprising 70 males and nine females committed suicide in and outside the country.

7KHVH ÀJXUHV RQO\ FDSWXUHG WKH stories of suicide in the media which invariably means that the casualties of suicide were much higher.

In November 2022, Nigeria’s population hit the 217 million mark with a large portion of this number claimed by children and young people. Yet, it remains unbearable that all over, Nigeria continues to post statistics in some aspects of national life which particularly paint a grim picture of life in Nigeria.

But why do people kill themselves?

2U SXW PRUH VSHFLÀFDOO\ ZK\ GR Nigerians kill themselves? Many Nigerians are deeply religious. So, no matter how tough things get for them at any point in time, they DOZD\V ÀQG VRPHWKLQJ WR KROG RQ to no matter how fragile. When nothing is found to hold on to and a person goes to the extreme of taking

their lives, it suggests an impossible situation.

The conditions in Nigeria are not ideal at all. They have never been in a long time. With the 2023 general election just by the corner, it is telling that fuel queues have grown ever longer; the cost of living has soared while there is a new kid on the block: queues at ATM machines as desperate Nigerians seek to withdraw cash, their money.

But the answer to life’s many problems is not to take life itself.

It never is, it never has been and it never will. In a country where life expectancy remains scandalously low while many people hit rock bottom with depression and

other mental illnesses, there is an inescapable conclusion that many Nigerians are not getting the support that they need.

Many young people who for far too long have drank the dregs of depression and desperation remain perilously close to taking their lives as the reality of living in a dysfunctional country bites harder.

For many of them, the only way out is to sign the eternal checkout.

However, hope springs anew and in being their brothers’ keepers Nigerians must especially look out for those who sated with life’s woes are about to jump off the cliff.

Kene Obiezu, @kenobiezu

46

THISDAY, THE SUNDAY NEWSPAPER FEBRUARY 5 , 2023

INTERNATIONAL African Continent without the Maghrebin Region, Now a Desideratum: Morocco as an Agent Provocateur

A

frica, as a notion or concept has always been ambiguous. People talk about Africa, Africa as a continent, as a region, as south of the Sahara, as sub-Saharan Africa, and as south of the Sahel, etc.

The most confusing of all is the consideration of Africa as a region in international politics. According to the United Nations, there are seven regions in the world, which many Anglo-Saxon countries also refer to as continents.

In order of their size, Asia is the largest in area and most populous, thanks to China and India. It is followed by Africa, North America and South America, and then Antarctica, Europe, and Australia the smallest.

Similarly, the M49 Coding Classification of the UN Statistics Division, has it that there are six regional, 17 sub-regional and nine intermediate regional groups. This typology is based on statistical conveniences, and should not be confused with the UN sub-regional groups.

For the United Nations, the whole of African continent constitutes a region. But, contrary to this, the 3rd June 1991 AbujaTreaty Establishing the African Economic Community divided the whole of Africa into five regions. Article 1(d) of theTreaty stipulates that‘region shall mean an OAU region as defined by Resolution CM/Res.464 QCXVI of the OAU Council of Ministers Concerning the Decision of Africa into five (5) regions namely North Africa,West Africa, Central Africa, East Africa, and Southern Africa.’Article 1(e) says a‘sub-region shall mean at least 3 (three) States of one or more regions as defined in paragraph 1(d).’

Put differently, Africa as a region and West Africa as a sub-region ceased, since 1991, to be so within the new framework of the OAU and the African Union regulations, especially that the 1991Treaty has been integrated as part of the AU Constitutive Act.With this, Morocco belongs to North Africa geo-politically. North Africa is basically a home to the Arabs. Even though Morocco was a founding member of the Organisation of African Unity (OAU), and to a great extent, has played many active parts in the OAU development efforts, there is also no disputing the fact that Morocco is also a major instrument of under-development and setbacks of Africa. It is for this reason that there is the need to redefine Africa geo-politically to allow an Africa of black people to have a distinct identity, fair share of international appointments, and better international personality. International politics makes it a desideratum now.

Rationales for Africa of Black People Black Africa is only considered important and respected because of its rich raw and mineral resources needed for the development of Europe and which Nigeria’s Commissioner of External Affairs, Dr. Okoi Arikpo, vehemently opposed under the GeneralYakubu Gowon regime. Beyond that, there is very little or no regard. It is not just the more developed countries of the West that have no regard for Africa, the Maghrebin North Africa does not give any due regard to Africa of Black people as many examples have shown. Indeed, many of them consciously undermine Nigeria’s foreign policy in the context of a spirit of better than thou. Let us look at the issue of permanent membership of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) at the level of Egypt and the United States of Africa at the level of Libya.

When the OAU requested for five seats for Africa with the intention of enabling each region of Africa to have a seat with or without veto, the UNSC made it clear that only two seats could be accommodated.

Granting five seats to Africa would unnecessarily make the Council unwieldy.Onetruth,however,isthattheUnitedStateswantedGermany and Japan to be admitted as Permanent Members because of their significant assessed and voluntary contributions to the maintenance of international peace and security.The membership of the two countries, in the eyes of the United States, would surely reduce the heavy financial burden carried by the United States, as well as strengthen United States foreign policy interests and global governance. These countries are therefore of more strategic value in the eyes of Americans.

Apart from this, there was also the strong Arab lobby for a permanent seat, but the Arabophone countries do not constitute a region by UN definition. UN Permanent Seats are allocated based on regional representation. The United States came up with a delicate policy of advocating one of the two seats earmarked for Africa for Egypt, arguing that Egypt is both African and Arab. By the thinking of black African leaders, the two seats should be occupied by Nigeria and South Africa on behalf of Africa’Thus, the United States expected that South Africa

with

Bola A. Akinterinwa Telephone : 0807-688-2846

e-mail: bolyttag@yahoo.com

Onyeama andNigeriashouldcontestfortheotherseat,whileEgyptoccupiesone.

The conditions often required for eligibility for a seat include contributions to the UN international peace-keeping efforts. Nigeria, without any shadow of doubt, has been engaged in such efforts beginning with her participation in the UN peacekeeping missions in the Congo crisis of 1960. Comparatively, South Africa would only beginactiveengagementattheUNasfrom1994whenitspariahstatus was removed following de-apartheidisation.The point being made here is that, based on this singular factor, Nigeria is more qualified than South Africa.

Another requirement is the payment of assessed and voluntary dues to the United Nations.This is defined by various factors, including ability to pay, percentage of GDP, weighted principle, and voluntarism.

South Africa and Egypt have been paying like Nigeria, though Nigeria has not been paying as much as they do because of their higher GDP. Indeed, Nigeria has an advantage of being a regional influential with the highest black population.

TheproblemofpermanentseatarosewhenChiefOlusegunObasanjo was Chairman of the AU Assembly of Heads of State and Government and Ambassador Oluyemi Adeniji, CON, was Chairman of Council of Ministers. A Committee ofTen, comprising two members from each region of Africa, was sent to hold discussions with other potential candidates for a permanent seat: Germany, Brazil, Japan, etc. In the report of the Committee which Ambassador Adeniji chaired, it was recommended that it would be advisable to first ensure occupation of the Permanent Seats without the right of veto and then struggle from within for the right of veto. This was the collective recommendation of the consultation meetings.

This position coincidentally, not to say unfortunately, was not different from the position of Nigeria at the AU. Many Arab countries, particularly Libya, and probably Algeria too, argued that permanent membership of the UNSC would be meaningless without the right of veto.Consequently,therecommendationoftheCommitteeofTenhad to be jettisoned even at the Ezulwini summit following the previous

Grosso modo, let us recall how a 17-year old Nigerian, Master Joshua Abdul-Azeez, was maltreated by Egypt Air in 2014, how his passport was torn into pieces and denied food for three days after wrongly routing his air ticket. This situation compelled Nigeria’s Minister of State 1 for Foreign Affairs, Mrs. Viola Onwuliri, to summon the Egyptian Ambassador to Nigeria, His Excellency, Ashraf Salama, for explanation. After the explanation, she told him that ‘you (the ambassador) are worried about four pages of newspaper report on the issue, but I am surprised that you are not worried that a Nigerian passport was torn by an official of Egypt Air. I am surprised that you are not worried that a young boy, a Nigerian citizen, was left without food and water by an airline operated by your government. I am really surprised at you Mr. Ambassador’. If we also reckon with the attitude in and role of Morocco to African affairs, and if the same Morocco is to be used as a staging point against Russia in the Russian-Ukraine war, which has the implication of extending the war to Africa, no one can be left in doubt that the interests of the Arab Maghreb and Africa of black people are not the same, despite the pretension that there is need for African integration in its holistic sense. Africa of black people must not be involved in any war as the deterioration of the war is consciously being sustained by the EU and the NATO. The main problem, however, is the double standard in allowing permissible invasions of the US-led NATO, but complaining about the non-permissible invasion of the Russians. Neither is good for Africa of black people. Above all, any contemplation of a Permanent Seat for Africa should be understood as a Seat for Africa of Black People

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VIE INTERNATIONALE

Addis Ababa summit where the decision of the need to consult with other countries with vested interests was first taken.

Apparently,Egypt,consideringthattheUnitedStateshadtheintention to lobby for a seat for her, decided to launch a campaign of calumny against Nigeria under President Olusegun Obasanjo. The Egyptian Foreign Minister convened an international press conference in Cairo and alleged that Nigeria, rather than going out to implement the African Union directives, decided to use the assignment to canvass for Nigeria’s interests, which was never true. I was much embittered with the allegation for two reasons: I had the opportunity to accompany Ambassador Adeniji to the meetings and knew that the Egyptian allegation was very malicious. Secondly, accusing the President of Egypt publicly in the press was legally prohibited but the Egyptian Foreign Minister had the effrontery to condemn and lambast Nigeria’s President Olusegun Obasanjo and the Minister of Foreign Affairs in their own Press.

The DailyTrust of Nigeria not only carried the story but also got the original statement in Arabic translated. I got the published translated statement verified that the translation was consistent with the original press statement. Much vexed about the published statement, I too wrote in this column and made it clear that Egypt was not truly an African country as she is African in the morning, Arab in the evening, and white the following day. I recalled Egypt’s non-reliability as an African country because Nigeria strained her diplomatic ties with Israel in solidarity with Egypt in the quest for a Home for the Palestinians.

However, Egypt went to sign the Camp David Peace Accord without prior consultation with Nigeria, a situation that again justifies the need for Professor Bolaji Akinwande Akinyemi’s Consultation Doctrine in all the foreign policy calculations of Nigeria.

The Egyptian government felt very offended by my publication and decided to summon the Nigerian Ambassador to Cairo, Ambassador Ghali Umar, to the Home Office.The matter eventually was reported to Ambassador Oluyemi Adeniji who was also summoned by President Obasanjo to explain what transpired.The rest of the story is reserved for the future.The essential point here is the need to note the role of Arabs in the cold war surrounding the African struggle for a permanent seat.

Internationally speaking, France says she would support any country put forward by the African Union. China says she had no problem in supporting Nigeria’s candidature. The United States preferred South Africa to Nigeria even though Nigeria is believed to be very critical to the protection of US strategic interests in the Gulf of Guinea.

Thus the interests of the Maghrebin region are generally inconsistent with those of Black Africa. If there is to be any Permanent Seat for Africa in the foreseeable future, it must be for Africa of Black People. The hallmark of the Arab world’s black African relations is largely inspired by the Arab enslavement of Africa. It was hegemonic mistreatment and this must now be stopped. The seats currently occupied by the United States, France, the United Kingdom, Russia and China were for themselves, for their peoples, and not for Europe, not for Asia and not for the Americas as regions. This is why Africa as a region should be geo-people interpreted and referred to as Africa of the Black people.

Whenever the debate on UN reform, and expansion of the UNSC will be renewed, Nigeria is the first, most qualified primus inter pares in the choiceofAfrica’srepresentative.Evenifoneseatistobeconceded,Nigeria is most suitable because of her foreign policy of Africa as centrepiece and protection of black dignity.The case of Morocco is more of concern by virtue of its policy attitude and apparent objective to undermine Nigeria’s foreign policy interest as a regional influential in Africa.

Morocco as an Agent Provocateur Without doubt, Morocco has generally been an agent provocateur in intra-African politics. First, an agent provocateur can refer to lingerie, a business outfit in the United Kingdom, but this is not our intended meaning here, it is the French etymological meaning that is intended, that is, a provocative agent. A provocative agent is‘an undercover agent who instigates or participates in a crime, often by infiltrating a group involved in suspected illegal conducts, to expose and punish criminal activity,’ or ‘any ‘person who entraps or entices another to break the law and then informs against the other as a lawbreaker.’

In this regard, an agent provocateur should not be confused with an accomplice because the rules may not be the same.The Malaysian Current legal position has shown that‘an accused can be convicted on the uncorroborated evidence of agent provocateurs if the court accepts the truth of the evidence’ (vide “Lex: In Breve,” University of Malaya Law Review, 10 March, 2018). In intra-African affairs, Morocco appears to have been more of a centrifugal force, an agent of disunity, an agent of theWest to foment trouble in Africa and undermine Nigeria.

A first illustration of this observation is Morocco’s politique de la chaise vide, meaning‘policy of the open chair.’It is the act of not taking active part in the activities of an organisation to which one belongs as a measure of protest and with the ultimate objective of obstructing decision-taking. It is a policy meant to undermine policy decisiontaking and this is frequent in international relations. The UNSC veto powers engage frequently in this: In the 1960s, Charles de Gaulle of France practised it within the framework of the European Economic Community (EEC).

For example, when the agreement on Nigeria’s associate membership of the EEC was to be signed in Lagos in 1963, all the members of the Europe of Six were there, including France. While Italy, Germany and the Benelux countries (Belgium, Netherlands and Luxembourg) signed the agreement, France was in attendance but never signed.

This was a good manifestation of an open chair policy.

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GLITZ ENTERTAINMENT

All Eyes on Burna Boy, Tems, Tobe at Grammys Stories by Vanessa Obioha The 65th Grammy Awards will be taking place tonight at Los Angeles Crypto. com Arena in the United States and all eyes will be on the Nigerian nominees.

They include Burna Boy who got two nods for his album ‘Love Damini’, and his song ‘Last Last’ in Best Global Music Album and Best Global Music Performance respectively.

Temilafe Openiyi better known as Tems snagged three nominations: Album of the Year (AOTY) for Beyonce’s ‘Renaissance’; Best Melodic Rap Performance and Best Rap Song for Future’s ‘Wait for U’. The Future’s track also had other Nigerian songwriters like Tejiri Akpoghene, Israel Ayomide Fowobaje and Oluwatoroti Oke. They all stand a chance to be identified as Grammy winners if the song emerges winner of the Best Rap Song award.

The Nigerian US-based rapper Tobe Nwigwe is nominated for the Best New Artist award. He is competing with other newcomers in the category like the Brazilian artist Anitta, the British indie rock band Wet Leg as well as the American jazz singer Samara Joy. Nwigwe was in the country recently to celebrate his nomination in the company of his wife.

“It was surprisingly overwhelming because I didn’t think they would have the audacity to nominate an independent artist like me, “ Nwigwe said in that gathering sponsored by Afrozons and Heineken.

Burna Boy who has won a Grammy in the past is the most favoured of the three to continue his winning streak. It is expected that with time, Burna will become like Angelique Kidjo, the veteran musician from the Republic of Benin who has won more than three Grammys. She is also nominated for Best Global Music Album for her collaboration with Ibrahim Maalouf ‘Queen of Sheba’.

With the Album of the Year eluding the American celebrity musician Beyoncé for so long at the Grammys, expectations are high that tonight will make a difference. A win for Beyoncé automatically translates to a victory for Tems who has been gaining international acclaim recently.

The 65th Grammys is hosted by the former The Daily Show host, Trevor Noah and will feature performances from Bad Bunny, Lizzo, Mary J. Blige, and a host of others. The U.S. First Lady Jill Biden will also be gracing the event and presenting an award.

Grammy nominees Burna Boy, Tems and Tobe

Africa Magic Rolls out Three New Indigenous Series For the first quarter of 2023, Africa Magic is bringing new indigenous flavours to the screen. Setting the tempo is ‘Nwaanyi Ike’ which premiered on February 1 on Africa Magic Igbo on DStv and GOtv. The drama series follows the polygamous Okeke family and the conflict that ensues after the patriarch’s death. The first daughter, convinced that she is upholding her father’s legacy, wages war with her only brother and further divides the family. Meanwhile, external forces try to take advantage of the discord.

Like ‘Nwaanyi Ike’, lovers of Hausa drama series will be entertained by ‘Dalla Dalla’ when it premieres on February 13, on Africa Magic Hausa. Centred on a polygamous family, the series revolves around hunger for things beyond one’s reach. The main character, Farouk, receives a keepsake of $120,000 from his close friend Hamisu to keep it secret. In an unexplained turn of events, someone murders Hamisu and leaves Farouk with a windfall that no one knows about, or so it seems.

The last series ‘Irora Iya’ will premiere on March 1, on Africa Magic

Yoruba. The series is about a teenage girl Morayo, who gets pregnant after secondary school, runs away from home and tries to abort her baby.

However, the doctor, who secretly works for an infant trafficker, cajoles Morayo into seeking refuge with the trafficker. The trafficker finds out from her herbalist that Morayo is very important to her establishment and must not leave. When Morayo discovers the true horrors of the place, she makes futile attempts to escape while her parents and former boyfriend search for her.

“We are delighted to present our viewers with these new indigenous series,” said Executive Head of Content and West Africa Channels, MultiChoice, Busola Tejumola.

“They explore captivating storylines delivered by a great ensemble of cast and crew that will keep viewers glued to their screens and on the edge of their seats. It’s always exciting to see our traditional stories being told in their purest forms and our local languages, especially when they are created with the highest production standards, as these have.”

Nickelodeon Brings After School Fun with ‘The Smurfs’, ‘Spyders’

BBTitans Update: Mmeli, Olivia Get Candid The third week at the Big Brother Titans house is full of revelations, confrontations and some melting moments.

With the housemates still trying to understand one another, particularly now that they have been paired, it is expected that emotions would run high and lead to unknown places that may leave a trail of rue. This seemed to be the case for Mmeli. He opened up to Blue Aiva on his intimate encounter with fellow housemate Nelisa which according to him, he regrets.

He felt the entanglement made Nelisa audacious and he disliked the way she told some of the housemates about their intimacy. It sort of irked him and he had to withdraw from her.

Olivia on the other hand expressed her dismay at Juicy Jay for telling Big Brother during their diary session that she had a big crush on Thabang. She bluntly told him that she did not come into the house for love affairs and did not like that he made such slips to Biggie.

Kanaga Jr, however, had a hard time overcoming the decision he made with his veto power on Monday night. He and Blue Aiva saved Yemi Cregx and Nelisa (Yelisa) and replaced them with Marvin and Yaya (Maya). Considering the closeness between him and Marvin, the latter did not take his decision lightly and it kind of strained their relationship. Confiding in Blue Aiva, he let the tears flow as he tried to control his emotions.

But will the guilt linger if Maya gets evicted tonight? They stand a chance of leaving the house alongside Blaqleng (Blaqboi and Ipeleng), Khosicle (Khosi and Miracle Op), Thabana (Thabang and Nana), and JayKay (JayPee and Lukay).

Sandra and Theo Traw became the first evictees of the season last Sunday, leaving 22 housemates competing for the $100,000 grand prize.

Nickelodeon’s Kamp Koral

The children-friendly entertainment brand Nickelodeon has announced a slew of shows that will be entertaining children in this first quarter. They include ‘The Smurfs’, the three-apple-tall blue folk who are off to some new adventures. With the evil wizard Gargamel and his Azrael on the prowl, the Smurfs must battle their way out of sticky situations.

A new season of ‘Spyders’ will start airing from February 20 to March 17. The new season will see the Fisher siblings, Daniel, Nikki and Tommy get more caught up in the world of crime fighting with their spy parents and confronting more criminals from the Environmental Counter Crime Organization.

There is also the new show ‘That Girl Lay Lay’, which centres on Sadie’s wish for a best friend and Lay Lay, an artificial intelligence avatar comes to life just as she wanted. The show will run from February 27 to March 15.

Also debuting on NickToons is ‘Twisted Timeline of Sammy and Raj’. It follows the antics of cousin-brothers Sammy and Raj as they bend through time with a timealtering app. It starts airing on February 6.

‘The Patrick Star Show’ is coming to NickToons too and will begin airing on February 13.

Other children’s favourites such as ‘Danger Force’, ‘The Thundermans’ and ‘Henry Danger’, ‘Kamp Koral’, ‘Paw Patrol’ and ‘Peppa Pig’ are also in the lineup.

BBTitans Housemates Mmeli and Olivia

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WEEKLY PULL-OUT

5.2.2023

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ADEBAYO ADEDEJI WINNING EDGE OF TRAVELS AND LEISURE In almost four years since he joined Wakanow, Adebayo Adedeji has transformed it into a leading travel tech company in Africa, sealing deals, recording astounding growth and expanding to more regions. This year, he restructured the company and stepped into the new role of Group Chief Executive Officer. Vanessa Obioha unravels the humanness of the business leader that empowers Adedeji to lead one of the most loved travel companies in Nigeria

e prepared. This is one of the notes you may likely get on a first encounter with Adebayo Adedeji, the Group Chief Executive Officer of Wakanow, the leading travel tech company in Africa. Given the fact that he is nicknamed Lion, one may wonder if he/she is at risk of being devoured. Certainly, you will be, but by his large chest of nuggets of wisdom and knowledge. In the one hour-long conversation at his pristine office in Lekki, one couldn’t help but count the number of quotes he shared. “The library of hearts,” “The lucky brand,” “Sales cures all”, and “If you have no fear of losing, you are playing in the wrong league,” are some of the wise sayings that reeled from his lips.

On the white wall of his office hung two portraits. One is a frame covered in words he often drums into the ears of his employees. They include “Let nobody write your story for you,” “Wisdom roars,” “In God we trust, all others pay cash,” “Who is number 1? The customer,” and so many others.

The other is a portrait of a lion.

Everyone calls him a lion because of his approach to problems. The moniker is copious in his social media accounts; even his employees once made a T-shirt with a lion emblem to describe him. In fact, he said the employees even wanted to post a lion image on the door of his office. Interestingly, both portraits are gifts from his employees.

Explaining the meaning behind the sobriquet, Adedeji said: “I think it’s my approach. I like the quest of the lion. The lion wakes up, looking to eat and in the process of eating, it has to devour and in the process of devouring, it has to kill.

For me, it’s the notion that when a lion is chasing a meal, it’s not thinking of anything but that meal, it removes all the extremities out of its way and focuses. It is purpose-driven.

“I like the aggression and God already gave me a husky voice. Even when I’m calm, my voice always comes out this way.”

Notwithstanding, he sees fear as a great motivation to be successful.

Accompanying his bubbling mien is that infectious and convincing spirit.

As a salesman, Adedeji is gifted with words and he spews these with such an admiring conviction. It is one of the traits he said made his late mother never engage him in an argument any time he had an issue with his older sister.

“I will always win the argument,” he said, chuckling.

Adedeji is affable and approachable.

The last child of a family of six, he does not subscribe to the description of one’s background as humble or wealthy. He counts himself lucky to have a mother who prioritised education, having lost his father when he was a toddler.

“I’m from a lucky background. We are not rich or extremely poor. We were in a place where my mother understood the value of education so she sent me to Lagos Modern College, Meiran. My mother figured out that I needed a better education than she could afford so she sent me to a free school that was intended to make me stand out from my peers. So I was lucky, even though the

ASSISTANT EDITOR OLUFUNKE OLAODE/victoria.olaode@thisdaylive.com.

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COVER

The success of Wakanow is driven by its people school was free. Though we didn’t have money, she was intentional enough to send us to the best free schools and universities. I went to the University of Ife (now Obafemi Awolowo University), and when we were on strike, somebody suggested to her that she enrolled me in a private university but she said she could not afford it.”

Adedeji is still grateful for that luck today.

“We didn’t have a tonne of money.

She was a single mother with six children and a true leader. I saw a woman struggle through life to raise us to get the very best education we could get in the country. I remember when I would come back from school, my mother might not have all the time but when she did, she would look through my entire books. She would look at how I write, and speak, and encourage me to debate. She never stopped me from competing in debates and trained me for my first debate. Those things are why I say I’m lucky. It’s not humbleness or wealth, it’s the fact that somebody actually dedicated that part of their life to make sure that I was well trained.”

Adedeji has an MBA in Finance from Clark Atlanta University and has lived abroad and worked with international companies such as Walmart. He came back in 2019 to pick up a role in Wakanow as Head of Transformation and climbed the rungs to become Group Chief Executive Officer last month. His mantra is “serve the customer, lead the people and grow the bottom line.”

Different things make CEOs tick.

Many things make Adedeji tick.

First is his sense of fashion: simple and easy. He does not belong to the ‘suit and tie’ group. He has about 30 denim (Ralph Lauren is his lucky brand) of different colours and alternates them with native attires.

He admitted that his wife buys most of his stylish clothes. Left to him, he would buy the same outfit every day.

Therefore when he posted on Instagram that he intends to wear more tux this year, not a few encouraged him to do so. Adedeji explained his choice of wardrobe this way: “Sometimes I feel like the smarter you are, the less hindrance you want in your life. You just want to be comfortable because sometimes you wake up with that frame of mind where you want to get stuff done.

You got a new idea. You just want to wear a t-shirt and jeans.”

He added this nugget: “If we change the ideology that what you wear makes you smarter, what will happen is that you will attract better people because the smartest of us don’t like to wear corporate clothes all the time. And as human beings, we have the capacity to do more if we can remove those hindrances.”

Secondly, he is a teacher. He teaches his leaders every Monday morning for about two hours whenever he is in town. His topics are varied and include math, retail, P&L (profit and loss statement), as well as data and guts.

He gave an insight on data and guts: “Do you make gut-based decisions or data-based decisions?

Sometimes what we call guts is a result of data that was consumed in the past. So there are no real guts; you’ve consumed so much data in the past that they’re framing your gut feeling for data but the data is forming the baseline of your decision-making because it’s not just emotion. It is data consumed subconsciously. If you consume data regularly, you become a

Adedeji

stronger leader to make better decisions. It’s not about the conscious effort of consuming data but the subconscious effort. When you fill the library of your heart with good information, you will be able to make better gut-based decisions as a result of the data you have subconsciously consumed. I’m encouraging my leaders to be conscious of what they consume in that data library. If you consume a lot of irrelevant stuff, your guts will only be suggesting that we do skits.”

Thirdly, all he knows is hard work.

“I don’t know any other way to achieve success than hard work.”

Given the astounding turnaround of Wakanow, a company that was almost struggling to pay salaries and stay afloat in 2019, everyone sees Adedeji as a superhuman, the businessman with the Midas touch or a magic wand that transforms things with the speed of superman. The businessman however is not cocky about his achievement.

The secret of his leadership success perhaps lies in an attribute he inherited from his mother: leading with empathy.

“When you have employees that you’re empathetic about and you understand that the position you have is a privilege, it’s not a right, and what you have is not permanent; it’s only temporary. You understand that you didn’t get here only by merit, that there’s a bit of luck and God’s ordinance on your path. It humbles you. You don’t get cocky,” he said.

He continued: “I believe that my background has helped me to not get caught up in a title or a position. It allows me not to even be driven by the hunger of my belly, but by the hunger of my heart, which means that I am not easily rattled by what people have or material things because there’s this inner desire for bigger success outside of wealth. To watch Wakanow succeed is a joy for me. It is more than a joy actually.

It is a success for me to see a company that did not pay salaries for nine months to see you come into that company, and do a full turnaround to a place where we are profitable is a success to me.

Indeed, it is his empathy that made the employees stand by him during the pandemic in 2020, less than a year after he joined the company. The travel industry was badly hit by the capricious coronavirus as countries stayed locked down to prevent further spread. A visionary leader, Adedeji saw the opportunity to lead the industry. One of the few things he did to restructure the company when he joined was to deal with the salary backlogs, followed by reorganisation of employees. Although some were retrenched, those who were retained were willing to give it their all to put the company back on its feet.

Therefore when the pandemic began to bite, the employees were willing to work freely but Adedeji insisted on paying them. Throughout that period, they took home 20 per cent of their salaries but did their work wholeheartedly. Adedeji also got the shareholders to put more money into the company as he began the process of innovating the business.

“We pushed this business during that period. And it gets me emotional when I look back. I saw people that were dedicated to the company because of my leadership. Even though they were not getting paid full salary, they were willing to do the work.”

Today, employees are spread across the world and are paid salaries on time.

They also get quarterly bonuses. Last December, they were paid their 13th and 14th salaries. The workers are given free breakfast and lunch every day and those stationed at the headquarters are conveyed to the office. There is no employee that Adedeji is not familiar with and relates to them in a genial manner. It is difficult to differentiate the boss from the employee in Wakanow because of the way he embraces them. Even though he is the helmsman, he can sell tickets to a customer.

“Leadership is earned and not given.

If leaders can come down from their high horse and understand the people they work with, they will realise very quickly that the realities of life are different from theirs and will be grateful for the life that they have.”

In his four years helming the company, Adedeji has recorded outstanding growth.

Between 2021 and 2022, the company recorded 154% growth.

“I didn’t do the work, they did.

Wakanow’s success is driven by its people,” he said.

Ticketing remains the biggest source of revenue for the company. Adedeji revealed that he has a sales team that makes about N300-N500 million every month from ticketing. Wakanow is also into other lifestyle and travel packages such as hotels, local transfers, airport services, visa services and other vacation adventures for tourists.

Last year, the company served about 500,000 customers.

This year, Adedeji is steering Wakanow into other countries such as Sierra Leone, Liberia, the Gambia, Francophone Africa, and the United Kingdom and the U.S. These destinations were informed by the number of Nigerians living in the diaspora that still buy their tickets from Wakanow.

The expansion would allow the citizens of these countries such as Sierra Leone which does not have an online travel agent to access Wakanow services.

Understanding that transactions are local, Wakanow is adding more indigenous languages to its platform.

Adedeji is always looking out for opportunities where the company can grow and that is not limited to the travel industry. He foresees a future where Africa will be a solutions provider.

“I believe only Africa can fix Africa.

If Africa starts creating things for all Africans, we will move forward,” he said.

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HighLife Fear Grips Senator Adeleke’s Camp

Adeleke

Politics in Nigeria has never been a venture for the faint of heart.

As they say in the villages, an individual who has not eaten the heart of a lion should not fantasise about surviving in politics. Whether or not Senator Ademola Adeleke is such an individual remains to be seen. After all, he is currently stuck on the threshold of being the Governor of Osun State and leaving the office for his rival, Adegboyega Oyetola.

A change in government is never really a big deal in Nigeria, even if the outgoing government only spent four years (one term) in office. However, the exchange of former Governor Oyetola of the All Progressives Congress (APC) for Senator Adeleke of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in July of 2022 made people pay attention.

This was because Adeleke had almost gotten into gubernatorial power four years prior, only losing out. After all, the opposition managed to prove a case against him in court. Now that Adeleke won the gubernatorial election and finally became Osun governor, the issue has returned.

According to the ruling of the Osun State Governorship Election Petitions Tribunal, the election that saw Adeleke emerge as Osun governor must be nullified. The contention against Adeleke is that his school certificate was forged, and so Oyetola is more qualified to be governor. This is after the Court of Appeal cleared Adeleke of any such forgery case before the elections.

As a result, there is a bit of confusion over the entire thing. Is it a different certificate? What did the tribunal see that the Court of Appeal did not so that the conclusions of both entities are contrary? On his own, Adeleke has started making moves to appeal the case. Even so, there is fear in his camp. What if the Supreme Court holds up the judgment of the tribunal?

Things still need to be settled in Osun. If Adeleke loses out this time, it might break his spirit or that of his followers. Then again, nothing is set in stone yet.

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

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

Pillar of Prosperity … Dangote Starts the New Year on a Solid Note We generally love to think that every individual is exceptional. But as some clever people have pointed out, if this is true, then, nobody is really special since we would all belong to the same crop of fellows. Aliko Dangote, Africa’s number one person of affluence, has marked out another large territory of identification for himself, thanks to the recent award to him by Vanguard Newspapers.

2023 started a while ago and many people are still oiling their engines as they prepare for greater success and realisation. But Dangote, the increasingly dynamic man, has already earned a golden token from Vanguard Newspapers for his good work in the past year. Given this token of recognition, other businesspeople on the same level as Dangote can only peer at him from a distance.

According to Vanguard, Dangote is worthy of the Personality of the Year award because every venture with his name attached to it has yielded measurable value in Africa and to

Africans. Moreover, with his Dangote group of companies growing its strong presence in 17 African countries, it is difficult to find someone other than Dangote whose contributions to the African economy do not dwarf that of African presidents.

Of course, Vanguard is not merely tooting the horns of Dangote. The man has proved himself to be a visionary, one whose business ambition extends across national regions and continents.

Unsurprisingly, he has monopolized the title of Africa’s wealthiest man according to Forbes. It is especially awesome because his wealth can be traced to value, particularly with his business hegemony in cement production and sale across Africa.

Dangote is doing amazingly well for himself, Nigeria, and Africa as a whole. The man remains the tallest pillar of prosperity in the African continent, not because he is the wealthiest player. No. It is because he is the most valuable and valuedelivering player.

Man of the People… Nigerians Hail Abdulkabir Aliu To distinguish oneself might require a sacrifice, but the recognition that often comes with such a determination would overshadow the pain. With so many issues battering the average Nigerian and bringing heartache, it is a good thing that there are individuals whose minds are set on doing the right thing. From the reports on the streets, one such individual is Abdulkabir Aliu, the man behind Matrix Energy Limited.

With fuel scarcity at its peak, Aliu and his company are doing their best to manage the situation.

Fuel scarcity is one of the biggest constants in the present. Many big oil companies and others at the center of the situation have decided to milk Nigerians and boost their revenues, thereby disregarding the plight of the common man. However, based on the news from corners in Nigeria, Matrix Aliu

Dangote

Energy Limited is not among these companies.

According to the reports, the work of Aliu and his Matrix Energy Limited is finally yielding fruit in the form of increasing the availability of fuel for the Nigerian populace. Being a controlling force in the Nigerian energy sector, Matrix Energy Limited takes its role very seriously. However, this is not altogether surprising considering that the company’s Group CEO, Aliu, always takes the side of expertise and humaneness, leaving his profit-minded peers to scour after ungodly lucre without regard for other people.

It is no wonder that many folks are grateful for Aliu and his Matrix Energy Limited. They say that it is due to their combination that the fuel situation is gradually being moderated and the price of fuel is dropping daily, thereby enabling the common man to do business without losing too much to operating costs.

So, for Aliu and his company, a million kudos have been sent out and many more are expected in the coming days. And he deserves all of it for his work in the energy sector.

Senator Teslim Folarin Remembers Wife, Angela, One Year After

Late Folarin

Death remains one of the most difficult perils of human life. To the individual that is alive and thriving,

death is an interloper, something that does not belong here. And yet, it comes and comes majestically. For Teslim Folarin, the senator representing Oyo Central Senatorial District, death came to the door of his wife, Angela, and claimed. Now, a year later, the senator remembers her and demonstrates that she is not forgotten nor will ever be.

He gathered many of his relatives, friends, and well-wishers to honour the memory of his late wife.

Accompanied by these individuals, Folarin expressed deep sadness that she was no longer with him and showed his determination to continue living, bringing to manifestation the plans they made together while she was alive, and completing the circle of impact that they initiated when they became man and wife.

A special memorial service was held in the late Angela’s honour at the Sacred Heart Catholic Church, Ilupeju, Bodija in Ibadan. During the event, many of her contributions to the family and the region were noted and prayers were made regarding her enduring legacy.

The deceased, aged 48, passed on in the United Kingdom on January 28, 2022.

She had been the support upon which her husband’s political ambition and influence were built, to the point of being a pillar for his campaign to become Oyo Governor.

Nevertheless, things remain bright and beautiful for Senator Folarin. Given enough time and resources, not to mention luck, the good senator will likely reach the point of attaining their mutual dreams and goals, bringing true rest to his late wife and beloved partner.

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HIGHLIFE

Herbert Wigwe’s New Love Having a passion that is unrelated to the need for survival and sustenance is a good thing. The average person cannot countenance the value of such passions and habits, but visionaries can relate. For Access Bank Super Boss Herbert Wigwe, needless to say, such a passion is divorced from his well-known aspiration to take over the world of banking everywhere. But he has it. This passion is art and art collection, something shared by the brightest minds that ever lived.

Wigwe stands at the peak of artwork collectors in Nigeria. He does not only favor foreign art but also indigenous creations.

His offices in Lagos, Nigeria, and Cape Town, South Africa, are said to be alive and resplendent with works of art that titillate the enlightened mind to no end.

You would think that someone of Wigwe’s standing would be unreservedly committed to pouring over financial blueprints and investment portfolios. Not Wigwe. The Access

Bank Super Boss has made it known time and again that artworks strike a deep chord in him, leaving him with impressions that eventually become inspirations, thereby empowering him to see the world differently. Wigwe has also made references to the historical and cultural values of these artworks, helping him know a bit more about the real world.

According to sources, Wigwe inherited his passion for gazing at and collecting special and rare artworks came from his father, Pastor Shyngle Wigwe. Nevertheless, he has come to admire and adore art pieces for what they are, divine creations of other people such as Ben Enwonwu whose work Wigwe reportedly venerates to no end.

Despite the seeming exclusivity of Wigwe’s passion, there’s no question that it makes him more humane and relatable. After all, if all he did was sip coffee in the morning and then devise plans to take over a bank in China, Russia, the US, or any other world power, he

Makarfi Becomes Go-to Guy in Kaduna Wigwe

would be a monster of a man, unreachable and untouchable. But if he draws inspiration from art, then Wigwe is one of us. Still a peerless genius, but one of us.

Supremacy Battle Trails Faleke and Bello

Faleke and Bello

There is much to be said about supremacy battles among political figures in Nigeria. For one, alliances turn to enmities and then alliances once again, leaving observers with the feeling that the individuals involved are only playing. Secondly, serious implications could result from this ‘play’ including the loss of status and dignity. So it seems in the allegedly ongoing supremacy battle

between Kogi state Governor Yahaya Bello and the lawmaker representing Ikeja Federal Constituency, Abiodun Faleke. Given that the implications of the reported battles are loss of face, there is no saying who among the two will be the first to surrender.

According to reports, Faleke wants to be Kogi’s governor once Bello’s second term is concluded.

However, Bello allegedly does not want Faleke to be his successor, so there are a lot of underground political movements going on at the moment to ensure that the intentions of both individuals, though contrary, are realized in the Confluence State.

Bello and Faleke are very interesting individuals. In many ways, they could be brothers who have led somewhat miraculous political lives. For instance, Bello seems to have appeared out of nowhere to claim the governorship seat in Kogi following the death of Abubakar Audu, the candidate who won the gubernatorial contest in 2015. Faleke, on

the other hand, is a native of Kogi that has somehow managed to unite both Kogi and Lagos politics under him.

Historically, Faleke is no friend of Bello.

When Audu passed away during the early days of having won the Kogi gubernatorial election, Faleke prepared to take over as governor since he was Audu’s running mate.

But Bello was given the position instead of Faleke because Bello came second in the election. And so, a bit of bad blood was sown. Nevertheless, Faleke has always declared his support for Bello, which is why he has come under verbal attacks many times.

Things are a bit different now, it seems.

Following both the positions of Bello and Faleke under Bola Tinubu for the All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential ambition, anything can happen if Faleke insists on becoming Kogi’s governor after Bello and the latter refuses.

Real Reason Former First Lady, Turai Yar’Adua Avoids Politicians One of the biggest pieces of evidence of self-regard and an understanding of personal value is humility. When an individual is overly loud and ever clamouring to be the centre of attention, there is usually a part of that individual missing and vice versa. For the former First Lady of Nigeria and wife of the late Umaru Musa Yar’Adua, Lady Turai, humility is her favourite suit. Even now, she stands out among the First Ladies of Nigeria because of how much time she prefers to spend away from the limelight.

It is that time of the year when we scrutinise some of the political figures basking in the limelight and some of those who have made it a point to stay far away from said location. Lady Turai is so far out of the range of the paparazzi and all the drama of politics that it would be unimaginable that she was ever a very prominent figure.

Lady Turai continues to excite some of the visionary youngsters in Nigeria because

she refused to remain in the limelight when she does not need to be. Avoiding politicians, she has earned herself a position on the unofficial list of Nigerians with the wisdom to stay away from trouble.

Considering the good reputation left behind by her late husband, Lady Turai can be drawn into the presidential contest and used as a routing signal by political candidates. However, she knows that agreeing to such things would only malign the image of her husband.

Moreover, it goes against her character as she has revealed it before, during, and after her and her late husband’s time in the presidential villa.

Even now, Lady Turai is a much-respected individual with a heart for the underprivileged of society. That is where her focus is, not on politicking and other radical exercises that have reputation-damaging consequences. And since reputation is a precious coin to wise people like Lady Turai, she should continue to avoid politicians and their drama.

Yar’Adua

There is a time for everything: one period to accumulate capacity and experience and another time to spring up with the prowess of a heroic figure. For Ahmed Halilu, elder brother to First Lady Aisha Buhari, this is the time to burst forth with oxen strength and cheetah speed. As optimists are in the habit of declaring during such opportune times, great things are over the horizon.

President Muhammadu Buhari appointed Halilu to the Nigerian Security Printing and Minting Company (NSPMC), the governmental institution responsible for printing Naira many months ago where he’s serving as Managing Director (MD). This appointment was in line with the president’s attempt to consolidate his legacy as his tenure draws closer to its scheduled end. Thus, by appointing Halilu, Buhari is essentially confirming what others have said: that Halilu is what NSPMC needs to move things to the next level.

Halilu is not a novice to the functions and tasks of the Naria-printing institution. Before this appointment, he served as the acting

Ahmed Halilu is under Pressure

Halilu

MD and only got the nod of permanent leadership from the President following the reported approval of Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) governor, Godwin Emefiele. So, it is very unlikely, as many would suppose, that Halilu would become incompetent simply because of the influence and command he now has in Nigeria. At the moment, we leant Alilu is working round the clocks to make sure Nigerians have access to the new Naira notes.

Furthermore, Halilu is an experienced corporate executive who is not at all unfamiliar with the callings of the banking sector. Before his assignment to the hustle and bustle of business life as a staff of the NSPMC, Halilu worked with African International Bank Limited (AIB) and Zenith Bank Plc. Moreover, he is a proud member of the Nigerian Institute of Management (NIM), which is no surprise based on his active banking experience of over two decades in the banking and financial management industry.

Influence is a variable that is easily misunderstood. To the layman, influence is just another face of popularity. But time and political circumstances have shown that this notion is false. Instead, influence derives from an in-depth understanding of stuff, which is one of the selling points of former Kaduna governor, Ahmed Makarfi and his recent resurgence in the politics of Kaduna State.

It looks as if another era is upon the people of Kaduna state as Makarfi leads the charge of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

As one of the most prominent political figures to come out of the Centre of Learning, Makarfi has shown himself to be sharp and savvy, needing only the smallest push to set things rolling. Thus, the upcoming presidential election has transformed into a reason for his resurgence in national politics, allowing him to flex his muscles of influence in Kaduna.

According to recent reports, Makarfi has promised to deliver Kaduna to PDP. In other words, when the general elections come whistling by, Makarfi will be at the forefront to ensure that the PDP gets the position of state governor as well as the president. And because Makarfi has shown that he stands by his words, people are taking him seriously.

With Makarfi’s resurgence, many underground movements have started. However, unlike the usual direction of this movement towards the grassroots, these political movements are directed towards Makarfi who appears to have a firm grasp of the heart of the common people. Whether or not this is an exaggeration of the man’s importance in Kaduna has been proven time and again. Even so, it will be put to the test in the coming weeks.

Despite all of this analysis, there is no debating the fact that Makarfi is once again a power broker in Kaduna and the go-to guy for all things politics, at least, for the PDP.

Makarfi

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LOUD WHISPERS

with JOSEPH EDGAR (09095325791)

Dear President, Nigerians are Frustrated and Overwhelmed

Buhari

Sir, did you see the viral video of the lady who stripped to her underwear in the banking hall, screaming that she wanted her account closed?

Yes, that was overly dramatic and somewhat contrived but the message was very clear. Today at the twilight of your very colourful ‘reign’, Nigerians have to choose which of the two national queues they would have to join daily – fuel or ATM queues.

How this makes you sleep well at night beats me. There is chaos everywhere and Nigerians have really been pushed by some of your policies to almost a breaking point.

It is no wonder that the incident in Kano happened. PDP has claimed that your helicopter was stoned and your usual spin doctors are saying

Osinbajo

Adeleke.

FOR YEMI OSINBAJO, IT’S A DIGNIFIED SILENCE When they say someone is erudite, do you think it is a joke? The man has decided to toe the Bola Ige line- siddon look. It was Ige who said, he will just siddon look when things were going awry that year. So, it is no surprise that the very well-respected Professor of Law and fine gentleman has decided to step aside and just be looking from afar as this train of cacophony hurtles down a slippery path.

This latter day attempt at sainthood, occasioned by the humiliating turn at the APC primaries where he beat Pastor Bakare’s zero performance doesn’t impress me. But all the same, I will still give him a thumbs up because he could have joined the chorus of sycophants who are still singing praises to the most tragic political story since Independence.

As far as I am concerned, Nigerians that night of the primaries, sold their birthright for a morsel of amala. Leaving this man and going to where we have gone, was as tragic as can be. It was the worst type of decision-taking in the history of mankind, that is Nigerian mankind. Ever since, things have gone bulla ballu, finding ourselves in one huge town hall where everything is totally different.

So, in a later day look back, Prof after serving as Attorney General in a regime that is all but that and playing the loyal soldier and giving super powerful legal backing, structuring legal frameworks that aided and protected rape in unprecedented proportions is now having a Saul of Tarsus moment and has gone

quiet.

Kai, what am I even saying? I no pity am again. So, it took the humiliating turn at the primaries for the scale to fall out of his eyes? It took the resounding rejection by the cabal, he had supported and worked for, for him to go quiet? Abeg, I no hail am again jo. Good for him, I will state.

If I ever see him again, I will walk to him and say, “Prof, this is your brother, The Duke of Shomolu…” And I will do like Dino Malaye and pull my eyelids down and stick out my tongue and say bulla balluuu. Sad. ADEMOLA ADELEKE DANCES LIKE A KING The judge even mocked him. In the ruling that we have seen all over the media, the Judge, in an attempt at cracking a joke, alluded to His Excellency’s dancing skills. Me, I was shocked o, but my Oga, Chief Pedro, now mentioned that judges do this. That they sometimes take the liberty in their judgments to go lighter.

Well, if you ask me, this judge was not funny.

The joke fell flat and was in my estimation inappropriate under the circumstances.

Well today, no be the matter of a failed comedian who found himself or herself on the bench. But the manner in which my brother, Governor Adeleke has taken this minor setback. He simply went on a dancing spree.

God, I love this man. He was later seen dancing his soul away at an event and the people of Osun joined him. The man is immensely popular and his propensity to remain happy despite all of the turbulence

something else, claiming that it is the Kano branch of Lagos ‘agberos’ that were fighting themselves. The truth cannot be hidden, people are simply just frustrated and overwhelmed.

This your style of exit is what we call in Shomolu ‘inglorious exit’. One would have thought that you would at least try to end your public service in a blaze of glory. But this is looking like a public career that started in the 70s and will end with charcoal all over the place.

The Naira redesign thing na fiasco. The timing is so wrong, the execution pitiable and the strategy for public acceptance terrible. Fuel? Make I no talk, the

economy? Finally destroyed, national cohesion is shattered.

Will you be leaving us with a collective feeling of despondency?

Will you be leaving us in a state of anomie? What kind of leadership is this? What kind of legacy is this? Is this a golden opportunity wasted?

Have you stopped to wonder why God chose you among 200 million people for such a beautiful run in public service? It has been an undeserving good luck for you.

From the Army, with all sorts of plum appointments, culminating in reaching the apex position twice and seeing how you are paying fate back.

Na wa o. Me, I just tire for you. I just tire, I swear. Na wa.

el-Rufai

Awolowo

around him makes him my number one politician in Nigeria today.

I sent the video to all my contacts on Whatsapp, all 10,000 of them and asked them to- see how this man has taken the court judgment. I asked them if this was not inspiring. Instead of moping and going on a cursing spree and blaming his ‘political enemies’, he has decided to keep himself happy by dancing, while challenging the ruling and clearing all backlogs of salaries – something the past two administrations could not do.

My brother Excellency, well-done, keep dancing and you will be ok. You have our full support. well-done.

interview where he said that some people inside the Villa do not want them to win the elections have validated my position on the elections. I have won a bet and my N5,000 has been paid to me since ElRufai’s interview.

I had argued that Mr. Tinubu had lost the weight of incumbency. As I was watching the CBN money fiasco, the DSS move against the governor and the sound bites from the President, his decision to go to only 10 states, I come dey suspect say things are not the way they are supposed to be o.

So, when Mr. Tinubu went to Abeokuta to shout ‘Emilokan’, I was confident enough to wager N5,000 on my position. Then he went back to Abeokuta to shout again – “they can seize fuel, seize money, I will still win…” I just knew that all was not well.

One clip I even saw, he shouted at people trying to muzzle him “allow me say his mind.”

So, El-Rufai has blown it in the open.

I think Mr. Tinubu, being the political wizard that he is, must have seen all these surreptitious moves and has come out in horror to shout.

El-Rufai’s assertion that some people in the Villa don’t want APC to win is now just like saying the obvious. It is very clear.

Abi, why would a sitting government bring this kind of CBN policy at a time of elections and just as El-Rufai says, “it doesn’t make any economic or political sense.”

NASIR EL-RUFAI, I FORGIVE YOU Some people close to me know that I am not happy with Governor El-Rufai. The man fall my hand. After sending a very strong message of support during our play ‘Emir Sanusi’ which made us go borrowing, he simply did not perform. As if that was not enough, some people around his government started asking for 40% before they will ‘facilitate the release of this una money’ . I just laughed and walked away.

Even though it is still paining me, I will not pay anybody 40% on a fund that I have borrowed against and am still paying a killer interest rate on.

Since then, anytime I see El-Rufai on TV, I will just hiss and walk away. One time, I nearly destroyed my TV. Anyways, all is forgiven. This his last

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The only answer is that some very powerful people are not very happy with Mr. Tinubu and are moving against him. Me sef, come dey pity this Tinubu. He has worked too hard for this his ambition. Why not let him have his turn, after all Nigeria presidency na jangrover.

Na everybody dey ride am. Kai! SIENE ALLWELL-BROWN, GARLANDS AT 70 It was my big brother, Magnus Onyibe, that informed me o. “Edgar, Siene will be 70 this week.”

Now I do not have any relationship with the golden girl and have seen her just once near the woman selling boli at the NTA studios in Victoria Island, but like most Nigerians who were old enough in the 80s, I had carried on a romantic relationship with her.

Mbok, who born you to talk when my parents were watching her on screen. My mother used to call her ‘my friend’ and I suspected that my father had more interest in her than just the way she read the news. Or how do you explain the knock he gave me because I had stupidly attempted to change the channel when she was on screen. The beating I got that day, started to make me feel like, “this Ibibio man get another agenda with this woman for TV o.”

She read the news with the smoothness of a gazelle. Her posturing, her movements and the way the words flowed out of her very beautiful lips made watching the news a must for millions. She was a goddess, a shining star that made you listen and instead of connecting to the dreariness of what she was reading, one is pulled to her beauty and elegance.

Here is wishing her a happy 70th and even though Mr. Onyibe had invited me to something and then, I did not hear from him again, let me warn that ‘boy’, who used to live in my backyard that I have information on him and if I don’t get an invite, I will make Mrs Onyibe ask him one or two questions.

Happy birthday my dear golden girl and may God continue to give you the grace to live a much more fulfilling life. It will be a mad pleasure and a lifetime achievement if you could allow me to take you for lunch one of these days. A plate of Afang and well pounded yam as a show of appreciation for all that you have done for Nigerian television and also as a last laugh at my father who despite the knock he gave me couldn’t achieve the huge feat of meeting you before he went to heaven. Happy birthday my dear big aunty. Let’s do this Afang o.

SEGUN AWOLOWO, FATE INTERVENES AGAIN I was out with someone the other day and the talk reach Uncle Segun’s side. “Look Edgar, I know he is your friend but let me just say my mind…”

The talk, even me, I fear. Such bile, such negativity and all of that. After it all, I lost my appetite. As I stared at the bowl of Afang steaming hot, the goat meat now looked like those fake buttocks our Lekki girls are parading all over the place.

Then I asked him, “have you met Segun before?” And he said no. I almost poured the soup on his head. So, if you have not met him before, why take such strong positions against him? Why say all these things you have said to me? Why do this na. Not fair.

And in a lame attempt at defense, he said, “na gist for town.” I told him “gerrout.”

Then the other day, I reached out to Uncle Segun. He was supposed to be at the Command Performance of ‘Awo’ but could not make it as a result of ill health and I reached out to say pele ooo and we gisted a bit and he mentioned the pressure he has been facing post service.

Kai. He sounded really down and I felt for him.

So, you can imagine my joy when the announcement of his new appointment as the Secretary, National Action Committee on African Free Trade Area (AfCTA) for a tenure of four years.

His job is to provide direction to the National Action Committee on AfCTA for effective coordination of relevant stakeholders towards… abeg make una google the rest, I don tire.

Let me just state that you can’t keep a good man down. Congratulations Egbon.

Congratulations. God will bless you and protect you from the snare of the fowler.

Please be reading Psalm 91 before you go out and drink ‘agbo’ twice a week o. Jehovah will protect us all.

Ini Edo

Ikpe-Etim

BOLA TINUBU, UDOM IS NOT A BOY

Tinubu

Please sir, let me state very clearly that all 7.9million Akwa Ibomites find those comments about our Governor, His Excellency, Governor Emmanuel Udom abhorrent and unacceptable.

The statements ascribed to you- wait not ascribed because we all saw the videos and heard the soundbites where you had called our Governor that boy... and continued by saying that, “he lived in my backyard, I for drive am…” And then said, “that one wey dey call himself Governor is not only sad, but quite unfortunate.”

You see, we understand why and how you can call the one in your real backyard, ‘Eleyi’ but we really cannot understand why you would call our own, ‘that boy’. You had no hands in his election, no say in his government and no input in how or why he does the things he does. So, coming to pour mud on him and the generality of our people beats my imagination.

The ones who stood by you and clapped for you in that stadium that afternoon have only proven that people who are not sure of their parental odyssey flock together. How, for the life of me, will a true blooded Akwa Ibomite stand there and be clapping as our heritage is smeared and muddied on the altar of partisan politics.

It is very clear that I do not stand with Udom. In fact, my candidate for his replacement belongs to the APC but a slap on Akwa Ibom is a slap on Akwa Ibom. All Akwa Ibomites must come together and resist this latest in a series of derogatory remarks and look down on a very proud people.

It is not today that the Akwa Ibomites are being made an object of ridicule. In Nollywood, we are perpetual houseboys and housemaids. The other day, I saw a TVC by a big telco where the Akwa Ibom man was the houseboy to a Yoruba family and he made a slight mistake and the Yoruba mother of the house knocked the Akwa Ibom man fully on his head and called him, ‘stupid Calabar boy’. This was a full-grown man that had been diminished to a state of servitude, and they expected us to buy their stupid recharge cards. The fact that Akwa Ibom was an early investor did not make them think beyond their ineptitude.

I wrote very angrily and they reached out and begged that they had spent millions on the campaign and I said, ‘to hell’. That I will continue railing and abusing them until they drop it. Thankfully they did.

See Mr. Tinubu, our Governor is not a boy.

He is a full-grown distinguished banker. We know his parentage. We know his village, we know all the schools he went to, we know everywhere he worked and he has not forfeited any money to any government under whatever guise and no bullion van has mistakenly entered his compound.

He is a well-respected, dignified and brilliant true blood Akwa Ibom son.

Although he too can be funny with his very funny policies and an ill-conceived succession plan, still leave am. He is our Governor and not anybody’s boy let alone of being your boy. I think an apology at this point is needed. Thank you, Sir.

CHIKE OGEAH: A NIGHT WITHOUT FRILLS Please I need to apologise and also beg my big brother for a refund o. Abeg anybody wey close to am, should please help me bring up this matter very gently with him.

So, the Marriot where he runs the holding company that owns the hotel was opening a new lounge – Wakame the other day and he invited me. By the time I spent four hours in Lagos traffic to get there, I was madly hungry.

I looked at the lounge and they were serving drinks and cocktails and finger food. The hungry that was doing me was Pounded Yam and Afang hungry and not shrimps. As the place fine reach, I asked bros “Abeg I wan chop,”and he said “go to the buffet.”

When I got there, it was paradise. Nothing wey no dey there o. These Marriot people really know how to lay it out.

It was a long table of assorted food. Come and see. Like four different kinds of rice, vegetables, Afang, Amala the type they call abula and the starters were killing and then you were expected to drown it all with sweet beautiful wine.

I asked how much, make I respect myself.

They said N19,000. I said he never bad reach like that. The Duke of Shomolu can afford N19,000. I can even afford to pay for three people in that place sef if I vex. So, I decided to start slow first before I end up with the Afang after demolishing the Amala and fish pepper soup that had the complexion of Toke Makinwa.

Mbok, na so I take two small pieces of bread and pepper soup. Before I even took one bite, my driver called, “Boss, car no start o and we park for mainroad and dem fit come tow us o’.

That is the problem with all these Tokunbo cars. To be embarrassing you anyhow. How can my car come die in front of Marriott of all places? I whispered to him, “common push the damn thing comot for there. Push am go police college make them think say na CP get am.” He said, “na automatic, he cannot comot for gear so we no fit push.”

Kai, I went out with the belief that within five minutes, I would be out. My people, we were there till midnight and as such my N19,000 lost.

So please I am begging all right-thinking Nigerians, this one is not fuel subsidy debate again. This one is beg. Make una help me beg Uncle Chike to either give me back my money less the two bread I chop or ask me to come back and finish the buffet. I have been having bad dreams since then. Eating the buffet in my dreams. Na beg.

INI EDO AND NSE IKPE-ETIM: VERY FAR FROM A SHANTY PERFORMANCE As I was saying, the time to stop casting my people as ‘houseboys’ and semi-illiterate denizens is now. The type casting is not only annoying but disturbingly entrenches a positioning of the Akwa Ibom person as a second-class citizen who can only be seen in servitude or at best, a sex god or goddess. Kai, Calabar girls can… is all you hear.

So, you can imagine my joy as I watched these two screen sirens kill it in the surefire Netflix hit ‘Shanty Town’. Ini and Nse held the fire. Throwing up Oscar winning performances and boldly carrying out lines in full Ibibio.

‘Shanty Town’ was a mad depiction of the underground in our cities. Drugs, sex, crime and their inverse relationship with politics was clearly explored in this very exciting show.

The very best of Nigerian talent was dutifully displayed. It was an ensemble; from the everbrilliant RMD, to the elegant Shaffy Bello, the very best of Nollywood was thrown up.

Chidi Mokeme made me cry. His depiction of the drug lord and ‘agbero’ was mad. He killed it. He killed it oooo. His carriage, his persona, diction and interpretation were world class.

Mbok, what was that P-Square boy doing there? He looked so stiff that one would think he wanted to throw up as a result of the stress he was putting himself through all in the name of acting. Nancy blew him off the screen and at some point, lowered her acting as it seems she was coaching him instead of sharing a screen with him.

But in all, it was Ini and Nse that did it for me. Their inter flow, their seamless move from Ibibio to pidgin to good English. Their characterization all made me very very proud. Ohhhhh Akwa Ibom isongo, my sisters well-done. Kai!

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Adebayo Adeoye bayoolunla@gmail.com; 08054680651

SOCIETY WATCH

Befitting Burial for Adebutu’s Wife

Komolafe

Great Commendation for NUPRC Boss, Gbenga Komolafe Indeed, Gbenga Komolafe, has shown that he is a round peg in the round hole. His appointment as Chief Executive Officer of the Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC) in 2021 was met with great adulation from many that attested to his good work in past.

The Ondo State-born is a rare breed, a patriotic silent achiever and one who believes in the potential of Nigeria and its greatness.

He has been taking gradual and steady steps towards reforming the commission in line with the promises he made when he assumed office two years ago. The brilliant man has been taking critical decisions to ensure that NUPRC’s mandates are achieved.

Society Watch gathered that his wonderful and spectacular work was appreciated recently when he received letter of recommendation from SERVICOM. According to the letter available to us, it read: “I write on behalf of management and the entire staff of SERVICOM Presidency by its National Coordinator cum CEO, Nnenha Akajemeli, to commend your unwavering interest and commitment to improved, customer-focused service delivery in the commission’’ “We are indeed encouraged by your inspiring strive in ensuring that Nigerians receive quality and timely service from the Nigerian state.

“We shall continue to count on your support and cooperation as a key stakeholder in the provision of satisfactory services to all citizens in the realisation of the essence of governance. Once again, I thank you and assure you of my highest esteem and regards.”

A Fellow of Nigerian Society of Engineers, Council of Registered Engineers of Nigeria and member of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Komolafe was the Manager, Operations, Petroleum Equalisation Fund (PEF), General Manager, Operations of the Petroleum Products Pricing Regulatory Agency (PPPRA), among several others.

Aside being an engineer, Komolafe has degrees in law, industrial and labour relations and is a recipient of various awards.

Those we love don’t go away, they walk beside us every day, unseen, unheard, but always near, still loved, still missed, and very dear.

This is the case with billionaire businessman, Sir Kessington Adebutu. Since he lost his first wife, Mrs. Caroline Adebutu, penultimate week, has been playing host to eminent personalities who thronged his home and office to console him.

Society Watch gathered that the lotto king and his household, this week, would give the late matriarch a befitting burial.

As disclosed, the Odoole of Ife alongside the children of the late Otun lya Laje and the lya Apesin of Lagos is not leaving any stone unturned to make the funeral of their mother, who died on Friday, January 20, at 83, one of the grandest ever. Trust the Adebutus, they hardly do things in half measures.

The programme, according to a family source, will commence with Service of Song on

Tuesday, February 7, 2023, at Harbour Point while the Wake will hold at her residence at Odogbolu on Thursday. The final journey would begin at Iperu-Remo with a funeral service at Wesley Church, and the reception later at a resort centre in the sleepy town.

The matriarch of the Adebutu family was married to her husband in 1960 and had their first son, Ladi Adebutu, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship candidate in Ogun State two years later.

The Yeyemode of Oodua had other children that include Dr. Abiola Olorode, Ajibola Adebutu, Mrs. Abolanle MatelOkoh, Mrs. Adeyemi Olusoji, and Olusegun Adebutu who is a top player in the oil sector and Chairman of Petrolex Petroleum.

She was from the popular Odogbolu family of Jaiyesimi. Her father was the late Pa Clement Jaiyesimi Okuwa and her Mum, Madam Comfort Badejoko.

Late Caroline Adebutu

AbdulRazaq’s Love for Humanity

AbdulRazaq

Long before he showed his interest in politics, many of those who have encountered AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, the amiable Kwara State governor, would attest to the fact that he is a sincere and good man that is very passionate about the wellbeing of fellow human beings.

His story, if you read it with undivided attention, will confirm to you that this unassuming man is a true definition of a man with love for

humanity.

And for the son of the famous AGF Abdulrazaq, the first lawyer of Northern extraction in Nigeria, the journey to fame began when he ventured into the importation of petroleum products at a relatively young age.

It was an age when some of his agemates were still tied to the strings of their mothers’ aprons.

The founder of First Fuels Limited joined the elite class of those calling the shots in the nation’s oil and gas sector early in life. Like most happy ending stories coined to inspire, AbdulRazaq, despite his privileged upbringing, according to sources, refused to rely on his father’s wealth and influence but worked hard to make an endearing name for himself, and he has by all standards achieved that.

Not a few would remember the story several years ago when his company had several million litres of petroleum products stored in the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation’s tanks in Ejigbo depot as well as Mosimi depot in Ogun State, both serving the needs of independent marketers in the Southwest.

Again, eyes turned to him when Mobil Oil wanted to export its first batch of condensate out of Nigeria. It was AbdulRazaq who came to the rescue and succeeded in getting the best international prices and buyers for the product.

Who can forget how through his shrewdness, he executed a lot of oil-related transactions that launched the firm into the big league and fetched him billions of naira as a reward for the sweat?

To say that he is a legend in that sector would amount to an understatement. His name surely deserves to be carved in gold for making a strong impact in the lives of younger businessmen like Tonye Cole, Ade Shonubi, Ade Odunsi, Adewale Tinubu, Omamofe Boye and Onajite Okoloko.

So, when he dumped the oil business for politics, the idea was received with thunderous applause, as it was long expected. Many agreed that his inclusion into the nation’s political settings would definitely bring succour to his people. Little wonder he won his election convincingly as the number one citizen in the state.

Pastor Wole Oladiyun’s Wondrous Donation How much do you know about the Senior Pastor of the Christ Livingspring Apostolic Ministry (CLAM), Pastor Wole Oladiyun?

To some, he is simply a Man of God. Some know and see him as a father figure, while many others see him as a philanthropist.

The Ondo State-born cleric is noted for the benevolence act of giving quietly without calling for cameras. Society Watch recently gathered that he was at it again with the donation of a multimillion naira ultra-modern maternity facility in his hometown, Ile Oluji in Ondo state.

The maternity facilities, christened after his parents, Samuel and Dorcas Oladiyun Maternity, were handed over to the Christ Apostolic Church (CAC) in Ondo State yesterday, Saturday, January 28, 2023. for the Christ Apostolic Church, OkeIsegun, Ile-Oluji, Ondo State.

The maternity was also dedicated by Pastor

S.O. Oladele, President, CAC Nigeria, and commissioned by Ondo State Governor, Olurotimi Akeredolu, SAN. HRM Oba Olufaderin Adetimehin, the Jegoun of Ile-Oluji Kingdom, was the Royal Father of the Day, while the Bishop of Ile-Oluji Diocese (Anglican Communion), The Rt. Rev. Abel Ajibodu led other religious leaders to the event.

The Samuel and Dorcas Oladiyun Maternity is a modern facility fitted with multi-million naira equipment for diagnostics, treatment, and post-natal care.

It is not the first time the man of God would be making such a donation. In 2014, he donated a fully-equipped Children’s Ward to the General Hospital, Ile-Oluji. The facility was inaugurated

by Dr Olusegun Mimiko, the then Governor of Ondo State.

Oladiyun

High-flying Businessman, Joe Onyiuke, Entrepreneurial Exploits

Onyiuke

If you ever think of compiling a list of businessmen who deserve commendations for their shrewdness and brilliance, Joe Onyiuke will certainly make the list with a generous mention. All you need to do is listen to him and

he will arrest your attention with his excellent grasp of Nigeria’s business climate. This he has always used to chart the way forward for the industry on the continent.

By all measures, the businessman is no doubt an accomplished man. His status makes him the envy of many, as he continues to tower far and above many of his contemporaries.

This is evident even in his everyday life, as his profile is continually on the rise. It is easily agreed that he is blessed with the proverbial Midas touch!

The trained lawyer is an embodiment of numerous virtues: diligence, excellence, integrity and so much more. That his workaholic disposition has taken him around the world is a testament to his growing influence and resultant affluence.

A force to be reckoned with in Nigeria’s economic sector, his entrepreneurial exploits readily qualifies him as one of the most audacious business moguls Nigeria can boast of. The exceptional achiever grabbed life by the lapel and got transformed into an enviable

status filled with accomplishments.

His convictions moved mountains; his determination shattered ceilings and his confidence dared and achieved success in the strangest of places.

That he has made an impact in whatever he does is stating the obvious. As an agriculturist, he is the pathfinder who charts new ways for the industry and he is the president of the Oil Palm Growers Association of Nigeria.

As a hotelier, his hotel, The Grill House in Asokoro remains one of the most sought-after in the Federal Capital Territory for its beauty, hospitality and topnotch services.

He recently put Nigeria on the global map with his innovation and ingenuity by marketing the country and discussing how to partner with the Nigerian Institute for Oil-Palm Research (NIFOR) and the Oil Palm Growers Association of Nigeria (OPGAN).

As gathered, his effort is not only beginning to yield fruit but has given the country a positive image in the eyes of many across the globe.

THISDAY, THE SUNDAY NEWSPAPER ˾ JUNE 24 2012

ARTS & REVIEW A

PUBLICATION

5. 2. 2023

An Art Festival Primed for New Energies With the recent increased cash value of its prizes and the addition of new category awards, things are definitely looking up for the long-running annual Life in My City Art Festival, Okechukwu Uwaezuoke

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theme like "Fix It!"— and, of course, eyes that are riveted on the prizes—should prime this year's Life in My City Art Festival competition's young contestants to strive hard to make sense of the raging chaos around them. Of course, these artists, who are called — or have taken it upon themselves — to distil inspirations from above into accessible forms for their audience, should be looking beyond the awards or the whims of the judging panel, if only for their own credibility.

In a poster announcing the annual festival’s recent call for entries, with the deadline for submissions set at 11:59 p.m. on May 31, the organisers explained: "The world is passing through unprecedented challenges, and we should all arise to this by acting well [on] our parts. Humanity appears to be at a critical stage of launching into the future, [and] it calls for a holistic response for all to "FIX IT!’" In other words, the contestants, who must be no older than 35 years old on October 28 and have lived in Nigeria for the previous five years, are being asked to perform their duties as mediators of higher inspirations while also eyeing the increasingly attractive prizes.

Speaking about the prizes, the organisers have, in a recent press release, announced an overall 100% increase in the competition’s cash value. For instance, the overall winner’s prize, which hitherto was worth N500, 000, has now been upped to a million naira, while the main category prizes for painting, sculpture, textile, ceramics, and graphics, which were worth N250, 000, are now worth N500, 000.

Also, new category awards have been added to the existing ones.

These are for the Most Creative Female Entry, the Most Promising Female Young Artist (known as the Fidelia Okoroafor Prize for the Most Promising Young Female Artist, open to young artists under the age of 18 and worth N200,000), and a Special Prize for Persons with Disability, according to the festival's art director, Dr Ayo Adewunmi.

He also said that the addition of these new prizes was meant to bring the festival—more commonly known by its acronym LIMCAF—"in line with international best practices”, in which females, the younger generation, and people with disabilities are given special incentives to practise and participate fully in all areas of human activity. This, of course, does not exclude female artists from competing in other categories.

Meanwhile, little has changed in the endowed award category. With the exception of the Justice Anthony Aniagolu Prize, which has been increased from N150,000 to N300,000,

The winner of the last year’s Prize for the Best Ceramics, Coming and Going this Severe

The overall winner at the last year’s competition, Cold Pure Water, Cold Mineral, wood installation by Samson Ejiofor

the financial value of the other prizes, such as the Dr Pius Okigbo, Barrister Mfon Usoro, and VinMartin Ilo Prizes, remains untouched for the time being.

Overall, it is now anticipated that the total monetary worth of all rewards offered will be N6.4 million per year, a rise of more than

100%. Of course, this does not include other perks like residency programmes and the top six winning artists' free attendance at the Dakar Art Biennale (also known as Dak'Art) thanks to Professor El Anatsui's funding.

Then there are the workshops offered by LIMCAF for secondary school students and art teachers, which annually welcome 100 young participants along with their teachers and coordinators.

These workshops are intended to strengthen the festival's grassroots orientation, which sees art as a potent tool for the social development of young people in our society, according to Dr Adewunmi.

In addition to continuing these workshops, LIMCAF seems determined to cast a wider net to include a lot more gifted young people in the hopes that sponsorship and public support will increase along with an understanding of LIMCAF's mission and vision. The talk of sponsorship emphasises the support provided by the festival's primary sponsors, the MTN Foundation and the Ford Foundation, as well as the patrons whose ongoing interventions, support, and encouragement have helped the festival reach new and significant heights. As a result, LIMCAF's Chairman, Elder K. U. Kalu, and the entire Board

expressed their gratitude during the meeting attended by Dr Adewunmi.

As unarguably Nigeria’s biggest and longest-running visual art festival, LIMCAF has come a long way from its modest beginnings in 2007, when it was first organised by an Enugubased art patron, Chief Robert Oji, who is also the CEO and founder of Rocana Nigeria Ltd. (a publishing and outdoor advertising agency). Back then, it had the support of the Alliance Française network and the French Embassy and the tacit endorsement of the local art community.

The annual art festival, which has been held for 16 years without interruption (excluding the COVID-19 year in 2020), has attracted an impressive number of participants totalling about 4,000 young artists, who have won an estimated total of about N19 million in prizes, ranging from the overall prize through the category prizes to the endowed and consolation prizes.

Over time, it has amassed enough influence in the art world to catch the eye of notable figures from the field, including Bruce Onobrakpeya, Obiora Udechukwu, the late Okwui Enwezor, the late Olabisi Silva, Kolade Oshinowo, Jerry Buhari, Kunle Filani, Sani Mu'azu, Peju Layiwola, Joe Musa, Chijioke Onuora, and Tonie Okpe.

Andy Okoroafor, the founder of the international digital journal of pop art and culture, CLAM, who lives in France, was also drawn to the yearly fiesta and supervised workshops in one or more of its editions.

Additionally, its annual awards and gala nights, held in recent years at the Institute of Management and Technology (IMT), Enugu’s International Conference Centre, have been distinguished by the presence of personalities. Among these are the Obi of Onitsha, Igwe Nnaemeka Achebe, who also serves as the festival's grand patron; the former governor of Cross River State, Donald Duke; a prominent Nigerian industrialist and banking mogul, Oba Otudeko; the founder and chairman of OYASAF, Omooba Yemisi Shyllon; the MTN Foundation’s Dennis Okolo; and Professor Paul Modum (a former commissioner for information, social development, youth, sports, and culture in the old Anambra State).

With these recent developments and widespread support, LIMCAF appears to have cemented its status as a viable platform for the nation's younger generation of artists to advance their careers. However, this places additional responsibility on it. And that is helping to shape the future direction of the contemporary Nigerian art scene.

Again, to remind artists of their roles as mediators of finer recognitions, the organisers might consider including seminars to acquaint them with concepts linking them to higher sources of inspiration.

EDITOR OKECHUKWU UWAEZUOKE/ okechukwu.uwaezuoke@thisdaylive.com

THISDAY, THE SUNDAY NEWSPAPER FEBRUARY 5 , 2023

56

ENGAGEMENTS

with ChidiAmuta e-mail:chidi.amuta@gmail.com

2023 Polls and Non-ballot Factors

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s the organized fanfare of the campaigns wind down, something more potent is about to take its place. The drama and travelling circus of the campaigns will shortly be followed by the ritual of democratic observance. In a little overtwo weeks, people will queue up to cast their ballot in ritual conformity with democratic routine. Those are the obvious proceedings. The real forces that will determine the outcome of the elections this month are less obvious and perceptible. It is the interplay of unseen forces that will determine the outcome of the elections. Let us call them non-ballot forces. They are already rehearsing in different theatres and may shape the decisive moment.

In effect, we are approaching the moment of non-ballot combinations that could determine the outcome ofthe elections wehave preparedso much for. This may be the hour of a more ancient struggle, the real struggle for raw power. The interplay of underground interests, forces and unintended determinants of real power are sharpening their cudgels for a go at the throne. The summary of the drama of the next fewweekscomesdowntoonesupremequestion: who will assume occupancy of Aso Rock Villa on 29th May? It may be distasteful to hint that a democracy with elaborate structures and guided by INEC’ s convoluted processes could be subject to outcomes determined by unseen forces not easily captured by poll projections and intellectual statistical forecasts. But we are where we are.

In this place, power ascendancy can be guided by factors that are above the ballot box. It is in the realm of vested interests, received assumptions and unintended consequences that we need to lookfortheoutcomesoftheforthcomingelection especially at the presidential level.

The contenders are already crawling out of the dark into full display. Kaduna state governor, my friend Nasir El Rufai has a way of being around when power succession becomes subject to unclear schemes and uncertain calculations.

Remember his whereabouts when Obasanjo’s succession drama ran into a bump and led to the emergence of Yar’Adua. El-Rufai was on the wrong side of the train and so fled only to return after the demise of Yar’Adua.

Now again, he has fired the opening salvo in what looks like an interesting power transition chronicle. He has openly alleged that there are forces in the Villa who are working against the emergence of Mr. Tinubu of the All Progressives Congress (APC) as Mr. Buhari’s successor. That proposition is by no means a light one but is indicative of the emerging disquiet in the place of receding power.

Very quickly, Mrs. Aisha Buhari, easily among Nigeria’s most politically engaged First Ladies in recent times, has tacitly endorsed El-Rufai’s contentious submission by reposting the footage on the social media. Apparently rattle and embarrassed by El Rufai’s troublesome claim, the presidency has been dragged into a fray it probably did not prepare for. The presidency has reaffirmed the president’s support for Tinubu as his party’s flag bearer.

Following the Kaduna governor’s stormy claim, speculative fingers have begun pointing in the direction of the Villa’s in-house cabal led by Mr. Mamman Daura, Mr. Buhari’s ubiquitous and meddlesome nephew. Knowledgeable sources see Mr. Daura as the helmsman among the unseen hands in El Rufai’s proposition. There is no certainty of what Mr. Daura and his court collective may have been up to in recent times.

What is however undeniable is that the syndicate did set up an informal parallel clearing house for Buhari’s possible successor prior to last May’s presidential primaries. The narrative is that this is how come diverse persons as far flung as Dr. Akinwumi Adesina of the African Development Bank, Godwin Emefiele of the Central Bank and even former president Goodluck Jonathan found themselves paying for APC’s N100 million apiece nomination forms.

Somehow, Mr. Bola Tinubu may have wriggled through from outside the preferred candidates’ list of the cabal. From within the Villa then, it would appear that two clear factions have emerged on the Buhari succession train: the Mamman Daura faction and the Aisha Buhari factions.

Yakubu But the diversity of unstated interest around the presidential succession election are not restricted to the schemes inside Aso Rock. Norare they limited to the ruling APC for that matter.

What is at stake is the ultimate power in Nigeria.

Therefore, the other major candidates, namely, Atiku Abubakar and Peter Obi also come with their own stakes and interests. All of them come with their own bag of factors and interests. This season’ top contenders come loaded with their peculiarities.

First, for the first time in our post military partisan politics, the three top contenders represent an unconscious replay of Nigeria’s tripodal ethnic equation. Tinubu from the Yoruba southwest; Atiku from the perennial Hausa Fulani north and Mr. Peter Obi who gatecrashed to the top of the race is the unexpected Igbo man flying the most nationalistic and detribalized flag. By accident or design, this representation puts on display the familiar stock assumptions of Nigerian politics.

Each of them therefore comes with a baggage of deficits, unstated assumptions and supporting attributes.

Secondly, the three candidates come with an interesting mix of religious profiles and undertones. Mr. Atiku Abubakar is an undisguised northern Fulani Muslim. Mr. Tinubu is a Yoruba Muslim with a Christian wife parading a MuslimMuslim ticket with Mr. Kashim Shettima, a fellow Muslim, as his running mate. On the other hand, Mr. Peter Obi is an unadulterated Igbo Christian, an unrepentant Roman Catholic. This mix and match of backgrounds of faith and ethnicity is perhaps representative of the Nigerian diversity. The campaign has been all about each of the candidates proving that they can transcend their ethnic and regional identities to be more Nigerian than the others. But the combination comes packed with multiple electoral and political permutations, possibilities, and advantages.

Thirdly, this is the first time in the post military political era that the presidential race is not featuring a war time military hero or general.

Therefore, it is the track record of the candidates in previous elective public office rather than the myths of military and battle field heroism that is being invoked in marketing them to the Nigerian electorate. To that extent, none of them is in a position to frighten us with tales of war time leadership and sometimes dubious heroism.

Over and beyond the unstated factors in the backgrounds of the contestants, there are frightening developments that could affect the very conduct of the elections themselves.

Already, systemic darts are being aimed at the

elections themselves. INEC has in recent days been compelled to reassure the public and the world that the elections will not be postponed or the schedule tampered with.

An inexplicable nationwide fuel scarcity has overwhelmed the entire nation. As consequence, the pump price of gasoline has gone haywire all around the country with some areas recording prices as high as N600 per litre over and beyond the regulated N180 per litre. This is a clear danger and threat to election logistics. A general election in the whole of Nigeria is a massive logistical undertaking requiring uninterrupted energy, power, and unhindered robust internet network viability.

Official excuses for the nationwide fuel scarcity have ranged from sabotage to smuggling across the borders to the mischief of system ghosts. A presidential task force with the president himself as chairman has been set up with no perceptible improvements yet. Since the president, who is also the Minister of Petroleum, is the chairman of the new task force, failure of the committee cannot easily find a fall guy. But the threat of fuel scarcity to the election remains. Even at the private level, people will need to get to their polling boots and back. INEC will need to move electoral materials to the most remote places by road, air, or boats.

Barely three weeks to the elections, an apparently unplanned and disastrously executed currency change has been unleashed.

The entire nation is literally cash strapped. A maneuver that was originally advanced as an anti-inflationary measure became a ruse to check vote buying by wealthy politicians. The sloppy policy has thrown the entire national economy into a tailspin. Majority of Nigerians can hardly find cash to transact their daily needs. To access limited quantities of their own cash, they must pay a premium, thereby worsening the already scandalous inflation situation. Banks are starved of the new notes just as the existing old high denomination notes have been decreed out of legal tender. The spiral impact of possible upheaval is everywhere in evidence. If unchecked, the development could seriously threaten public peace and orderly social and economic life. The possibility of holding the elections could be threatened with a heightened possibility that the emergency powers in the constitution could be invoked if matters get out of hand.

Against the background of the prevailing insecurity across the country, fears remain that elections may be interrupted in parts of the country. In the southeast, for instance, repeated

attacks on INEC facilities and personnel in Imo State have raised fears that the elections may be interruptedbyviolenceandheightenedseparatist agitations. Of course, IPOB, the lead separatist groupinthezonehasissuedastatementabsolving itself of threat to the elections.

Similar fears have been expressed about parts of the north like the northeast where remnants of Boko Haram and ISWAP still constitute a security concern. The troubled states of Zamfara, Kaduna, Katsina and Niger remain places of high security interest. The possibility that terrorists and bandits in these areas could be determined to disrupt the elections is a matter of course.

Even in states that are not directly subject to terrorist or bandit attack, sitting governors are disturbing the peace. In a bid to monopolize the political space in their states, some governors have lately resorted to draconian authoritarian tactics to stifle their opponents. In Rivers State, for instance, Governor Nyesom Wike has literally garrisoned the state with violent thugs. He has in addition outlawed campaigns by all rival parties in public spaces like stadia, schools, and arenas.

His armed thugs have occasionally barricaded campaign venues of rival parties with gun shots and attacks with dangerous weapons. The possibility of reprisal attacks and equally violent responses could plunge the state into anarchy which could necessitate a state of emergency and the postponement of elections.

Taken together, this wide range of circumstancesinthenationalsocialandeconomicenvironment are enough to truncate the best intentions of those who have designed and marketed an orderly democratic transition through a free and fair election. And the possibility of botched elections would open a range of undemocratic possibilities in a bid to ensure national survival and collective security. All informed assessments of Nigeria’s chances with this month’s elections have never failed to factor in undemocratic interventions in government if the elections do not go well.

Even if the elections go well, there remains a fear about the outcome and the possibility of post-election upheaval. The configuration of backgrounds and loyalties among the three major contenders for the presidency leaves room for contentious outcomes. If the ailing Mr. Tinubu wins the election with his Muslim-Muslim ticket, there remains a fear that the Christian population of the south could rise against his victory on religious grounds. His Aso Villa based traducers could also engineer a rejection of his victory for all manner of reasons. Widespread triumphalism among his devotees in the southwest could grate badly on the feelings of other nationalities.

An Atiku Abubakar victory would in the same vein meet with a faith-based series of protests.

AgainstthebackdropofMr.Buhari’sjihadistantics, the fear that another Fulani Muslim president coulddeepenexistingfearsofsectionalhegemony and herdsmen violence may spark pan-southern protests and a violent rejection of the outcome of the elections.

On the other hand, a surprising Peter Obi victory would be the most tectonic outcome of the 2023 presidential election. An Obi victory would unsettle some of the assumptions on which the Nigerian federation has existed in the post-civil war era. An Igbo man as president of Nigeria would unsettle the political, security and even psychological comportment of the Nigerian state and society. Christians would rise triumphant just as the Igbos would feel a new sense of inclusion in the Nigerian federation 53 years after an unfortunate civil war.

That outcome could produce unintended resistance and even violent protest in parts of the federation since the fear of Igbo ascendancy is one factor that has continued to unite the rest of Nigeria’s ethnic nationalities. For the youth and most urban educated Nigerians, that would perhaps be the most desirable outcome of the forthcoming presidential election. A feeling of real change is likely to sweep through the nation as most people have become enamored of Mr. Obi’s gospel of a new Nigeria in which power is returned to the people.

As Nigerians prepare to troop out to cast their votes, it is best to bear in mind that the factors that will determine the outcome of these elections may lie beyond the polling stations. Incidentally, it is the non-ballot forces at play in a society that determine the quality of its democratic choices.

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THISDAY, THE SUNDAY NEWSPAPER FEBRUARY 5 , 2023

CICERO

Editor: Ejiofor Alike SMS: 08066066268 email:ejiofor.alike@thisdaylive.com

IN THE ARENA

Naira Redesign: Amid Twists and Turns, Emefiele Maintains Course The high-level intrigues to derail the new currency policy of the Central Bank of Nigeria have failed on account of President Muhammadu Buhari’s strong backing of the sound economic plan being religiously implemented by the CBN Governor, Godwin Emefiele, writes Louis Achi

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he Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Mr. Godwin Emefiele, lacks the rock-star image of Alan Greenspan, former Chair, US Federal Reserve Board.

This may have significantly aided the misreading of the strength and focus of the unassuming CBN’s command-room boss.

With a stuttering dollar-denominated, consumptiondriven and almost solely petroleum-funded economy plus a misunderstood role of central banks the world-over, recourse to attacking the candid CBN governor appears a logical fair game. These dimensions were more recently mirrored in high-intensity attacks against the CBN governor over the naira redesign and currency swap policy.

Even the extension of the initial January 31 2023 deadline by the CBN, whereby the N200, N500 and N1,000 notes would cease to be legal tender, to February 10, 2023, did not assuage several powerful, and entrenched interests now in panic mode.

The extreme lobbying, roughneck tactics and outright threats to the Emefiele-led CBN to abandon course were unprecedented and raised the spectre of open conflict. But these shadowy and known forces misread Emefiele who has the full backing of President Muhammadu Buhari.

Persistent moves from the national parliament to hobble the policy, subtly robed in public interests apparels, hardly shifted the focus of the CBN boss. Although it must be noted that it is within the purview of the legislature to rein in deleterious executive policy in the public interest. But in this instance, the shrill intervention of the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila, a protégé of the presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Bola Tinubu, is perceived to suggest untoward motives.

As it were, after successive ‘celebrated’ invitations to Emefiele to come and explain the currency redesign policy, the CBN governor who had been on annual leave stopped over at the House of Representatives last week with his team and succinctly illuminated the policy move.

During the meeting with the House of Representatives Ad-hoc Committee on the Review of the CBN’s Cashless Policy and Extension of the Timeframe of the Currency Swap programme, held in Abuja, the CBN boss assured Nigerians that nobody would lose his or her legitimately earned money due to the naira redesign project, insisting that the exercise was in the overall interest of Nigerians and the economy.

Emefiele who was accompanied to the meeting by all the four deputy governors of the CBN, also told the parliament that the value of old naira notes of N200, N500 and N1000 would still be redeemed even after they have ceased to be legal tender after the February 10 deadline, at the CBN. He explained that the redemption was in tandem with the law, precisely Section 20 (3) of CBN Act. The essence was to mop up the old notes in circulation, he stated.

While listing steps taken by CBN to ensure the effective distribu-

Emefiele tion of the new banknotes, he disclosed that about N1.9 trillion of the old banknotes had so far been collected since the commencement of the exercise. According to him, the currency redesign policy has so far recorded about a 75 per cent success rate given the fact that many of those in the rural and underserved locations across the 36 states of the country have had the opportunity of swapping their old banknotes for the new series of the banknotes.

Noting that one of the reasons for the naira redesign was to bring in the N2.7 trillion outside the banking system which is currently being held in people’s homes, he accused commercial banks of breaching the apex bank’s guidelines, with the way the new naira was being sprayed in parties.

The apex bank was working closely with relevant agencies of the federal government to ensure full compliance with the CBN guidelines issued to the banks for the seamless distribution of the new banknotes, he further apprised the lawmakers.

While anticipating more benefits of the policy in the future, he ap-

P O L I T I CA L N OT E S

pealed to Nigerians for their support, stressing that the naira redesign was good of Nigerians. “I addressed the bankers on Sunday and I expressed to them my disappointment and in fact, the disappointment of the president, the disappointment of leaders in the country with the way this has gone on because many of us have unfortunately seen the new naira instead of being used for the purpose it was meant, the new naira is being used in parties, in celebrations,” he explained.

To rein in the alleged underhand play by banks, he said the CBN has enlisted the support of security agencies to track the policy compliance. According to him, “When I met President Buhari, I told him that we have met with the EFCC, the ICPC and NFIU and that we are now going to bring EFCC, ICPC, NFIU to join us in monitoring the flow of this currency to our people. We are doing this so that the Nigerian economy can be better than it is today and I am saying that we are beginning to see some of the benefits.”

More specifically, he said: “Inflation last month is not rising, not stagnating but somehow moderating. We are expecting that it will continue to moderate. The exchange rate to be stable and we are hoping that with this exercise, the naira can even get stronger.”

Last week, suspected members of the Islamic State of West Africa Province (ISWAP) reportedly distributed huge amounts of old notes to scores of commuters in the Lake Chad Basin ahead of the deadline of the CBN cashless policy. The incident occurred after Mairari village, along the Maiduguri/Monguno highway on Saturday in Guzamala Local Government Area of Borno State. This is perceived to have been triggered by the new currency policy.

It could be recalled that on October 26, 2022, Emefiele, announced that new Naira notes would be introduced to replace the current N200, N500, and N1000 notes and that the redesign would take effect from Thursday, December 15, 2022. At the unveiling of the new naira notes at the State House on November 23, 2022, the CBN boss told newsmen that existing notes would cease to be legal tender by January 31, 2023.

Since this policy enunciation and rollout, all hell broke loose as politicians who nursed unconventional agenda to corner power in the looming elections were seriously threatened. Even some state institutions were curiously roped in to achieve the illegal objective of caging Emefiele.

But in all the Mafia-type plots to remove Emefiele on specious, trumped-up allegations, one fact stood out starkly and ultimately saved the day: President Buhari who appointed the top banker was stoutly behind him. President Buhari has repeatedly assured Nigerian that he wants to leave an economy reasonably stabilised even against the enervating vagaries of the global village.

Emefiele’s brief is no doubt a juggler’s nightmare. Managing a slew of regulatory responsibilities requires no less a navigator with adroit multi-tasking skills and a cool head. This is Emefiele’s forte.

Who Wanted Buhari’s Visit to Kano Cancelled?

Uzodimma Buhari

There was a mild drama shortly before President Muhammadu Buhari’s last Monday’s visit to Kano State.

Shortly before the scheduled visit, Governor Abdullahi Ganduje had written to President Buhari asking him to postpone the visit to the state on account of purported security concerns occasioned by the naira redesign policy of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).

But barely 24 hours later, the governor suddenly made a U-turn and hosted the president as originally scheduled.

Many have linked the failed attempt to stop Buhari’s visit and the subsequent attempt to instigate crisis and stone his helicopter with ongoing efforts by some politicians to arm-twist the president to back down on the naira redesign policy.

Since the Governor of the CBN, Mr. Godwin

Emefiele, unveiled the apex bank’s plan to redesign the naira, many political leaders, who have been the cause of the suffering of the poor masses of this country have suddenly become activists and champions of the cause of the poor.

Politicians who had never sympathised with the poor masses over the persistent petrol supply crisis and other harsh conditions of living in the country, suddenly found their voice to speak on the “evil” effects of the ongoing fuel scarcity and naira redesign on the poor.

Despite the gains of the naira redesign to the economy, these politicians, who have been robbed of the opportunity to stockpile cash for the forthcoming elections, have continued to mount unprecedented pressure on the president to do their bidding.

The letter by the Kano State government

to President Buhari last Friday, asking him to postpone his visit to the state was viewed by many as one of the arm-twisting tactics to force the president to back down on the policy.

Those who concocted the impression that Buhari, who is a household name in Kano, would be unsafe in the state, were believed to have thought that they could use such subtle blackmail as a weapon to stop the policy.

However, the war-tested military general ignored their antics in view of his popularity and wide acceptance in the state.

After their failed attempt to use the security agencies to cow Emefiele into submission, they tried to force the hands of Buhari.

There is no limit to what those who are opposed to the naira redesign can go to frustrate the policy.

58

THISDAY, THE SUNDAY NEWSPAPER FEBRUARY 5 , 2023

BRIEFINGNOTES Wike’s Unending Confusion and Self-delusion Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike’s recent political volte-face denying ever promising to publicly announce his preferred presidential candidate was a clear evidence of confusion in his collapsing world of fantasy, Ejiofor Alike reports

R

ecent events have shown that the Rivers State Governor, Mr. Nyesom Wike, may have lost ideas on how to handle his disagreement with his party, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), and its presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar.

Following their disagreement with Atiku, the governor and other members of his so-called G-5 governors – Seyi Makinde of Oyo State, Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi of Enugu State, Samuel Ortom of Benue State and Okezie Ikpeazu of Abia State - have been entertaining Nigerians with their “Asoebi” clothes, gallivanting around the world, identifying with rival political parties and threatening to unveil their preferred presidential candidate.

With the unlimited resources at his disposal, Wike is believed to have overestimated his relevance in Nigerian politics, parading himself as the strongman who will determine President Muhammadu Buhari’s successor.

Many political analysts argue that he forgot so soon that Governor Aminu Tambuwal whom he supported in the party’s presidential primary in 2019 lost to Atiku and could not make it to the presidential election, let alone unseating Buhari.

Analysts now wonder how Wike who could not make himself the PDP presidential candidate, could make anyone the President of Nigeria.

Despite their repeated vows to adopt a presidential candidate, Wike and his G-5 have continued to wallow in confusion and indecision.

Barely three days to the last Christmas, Wike, while inaugurating a flyover in Obi-Akpor Local Government Area of the state, vowed to unveil his preferred candidate in January 2023.

He also vowed to mobilise people “from state to state” for his preferred candidate.

“From January next year, I will campaign to my people who they will vote for. So, all of you who have been suspects and have been saying all kinds of things and abusing me, wait. January has come,” he said.

“Not only will I tell them where they will vote, I will also move from state to state and (tell them) why they should vote for people I think they should vote for.”

But by mid-January, Wike had not named his preferred candidate.

When asked about it in an interview with the BBC, the Rivers State governor retorted: “Why are you in a hurry? I didn’t mention the particular date in January. People should calm down. We are all politicians; we have political strategies. I don’t work as an individual. That’s what people don’t understand.”

Wike’s apparent confusion came to a peak last Wednesday when he denied ever promising to publicly announce his choice of candidate.

He declared that he never told the public the method by which he would disclose his choice.

After vowing to mobilise support from “state

Wike to state” for his choice of candidate, Wike’s courage may have abandoned him after heating up the polity for several months.

Replying to a reminder served him by a former Director General of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), Dr. Dakuku Peterside, about his promise to announce his preferred presidential candidate in January 2023, Wike said: “I never told anybody one day, I will bring a camera and announce to you this is who will go. I said I will tell Rivers people the candidate they will support. I did not tell you the method of saying it. I did not tell you I will bring live coverage and say it.

But Rivers people know,” Wike reportedly said.

He is believed to have opted to work secretly for a rival presidential candidate for fear of sanctions by the PDP. In the middle of the dilemma he plunged himself into, he had provided logistics support to the presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP), Peter Obi when the LP candidate campaigned in his state. He was also reported to have reached a deal with the presidential candidate of the All Progressives

Congress (APC), Bola Tinubu in London, but he quickly denied the reports.

“I am not someone who will go and see somebody and hide. Hide for who? Who is that person that will threaten me? They said Wike had a deal with so, so, and so person.

Meanwhile, no video, no anything!

And some of you waste time listening to such things. Don’t you know when I want to do something, I do it? You don’t need to speculate,” he reportedly said.

However, there are strong speculations that he instructed the local government chairmen in the state to work for the APC presidential candidate, while intensifying his war against the party’s governorship candidate, Mr. Tonye Cole.

The same PDP governor had in September 2021 told the then Minister of Niger Delta Affairs,

Senator Godswill Akpabio that the “APC has cancer in stage four that can kill.”

Speaking at the inauguration of a new police headquarters in Rivers State where Vice President Yemi Osinbajo represented President Buhari, the governor had declared that “I prefer to stay where there is malaria than to go to where there is cancer. Cancer at the fourth stage, you’re likely to die. So. I don’t want to die now”.

The question is: Has the current self-inflicted confusion pushed Wike to swallow his words?

During his campaign for the PDP presidential primary, he berated the APC presidential aspirants who had promised to continue the good works of President Buhari and wondered how the current insecurity, inflation and other vices allegedly inflicted on the country by the APC-led government could be called good works.

In a fit of rage, he cancelled the approval given to Atiku for the use of the Adokye Amiesimaka Stadium for his campaign on February 11.

In a letter with reference No: MOS/C/409/ S.49/T/15 of 11 January 2023 signed by the Rivers State Commissioner for Sports, Christopher Green, the state government alleged that the Atiku Presidential Campaign Organisation and a faction of APC, led by Cole were working in collaboration to share the facility for their campaign.

The state government said it cancelled the venue because the activities of the APC in the state have always been marred by violence.

Wike, who has indulged in anti-party activities more than any other politician under this current dispensation, last week accused the national leadership of the PDP of anti-party conduct for withdrawing from the suits filed by the state PDP against some opposition parties in the state.

The governor who overrated himself as having a monopoly of everything had expected the national leadership of the party to defend the state leadership when he attacked the national leadership on a daily basis.

As Wike continues to weigh unpleasant options, his political missteps have already claimed casualties in Edo State PDP where the camp he allegedly empowered to fight Governor Godwin Obaseki was recently rendered politically irrelevant by a judgment of the Supreme Court.

Wike is said to be behind the Legacy Group of PDP in Edo State led by the party’s National Vice Chairman, Mr. Dan Orbih.

But the Supreme Court on Wednesday ruled that the candidates who emerged from the primaries conducted by the Obaseki-led faction are the authentic candidates and not those produced by the Orbih group.

The judgment brought to an end the control of the party in the state by the Wike-backed Orbih-led camp.

As Orbih and his group are licking their wounds, nobody knows the next victims of Wike’s political miscalculation.

NOTES FOR FILE

Will Peace Return to Edo PDP?

Orbih

Since the Supreme Court has dismissed the appeal filed by a faction of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) loyal to the National Vice Chairman of the PDP (South-south),ChiefDanOrbih,willpeacereturntothe party in the state?

TheapexcourtinajudgmentdeliveredlastWednesday recognised the Governor Godwin Obaseki’s faction of the party as the authentic faction that should produce candidates for the forthcoming general election.

BothObasekiandOrbihhadbeenlockedinaleadership battle for the soul of the party in the state.

While a Federal High Court in Abuja had in May last year recognised Orbih’s faction as the authentic candidates, another in Benin City, gave recognition to Obaseki’s faction.

Both had appealed the judgments at the Court of

Appeal.

The crux of the matter is who has the power to conduct the primary election for the selection of candidates for the forthcoming elections slated for February 25 and March 11.

Thejudgmentwhicharosefromtheconsolidation of all cases relating to the leadership tussle has put to rest anxiety as to the right persons to represent the party in the elections.

DeliveringjudgmentintheappealfiledbyOmoregie Ogbeide-IhamaandothersagainstHon.MathewIduoriyekemwenandothers,theapexcourtheldthatthe caseoftheappellantwasfaultyasitdidnotemanate from the judgment of the appellate court.

In the appeal, the appellants had sought a reversal ofthejudgmentofthelowercourtclaimingiterredin

lawwhenitfailedtodeclarethemrightfulcandidates of the PDP in the elections.

But the apex court in its judgment delivered by Justice Centus Nweze, dismissed the appeal on the grounds that it was incompetent.

According to the judgment, an appeal must be based on issues contended at the lower court to qualify for review.

ItwassimplynonsensicalandneedlessforOrbihto becontestingtheleadershipofthepartywithGovernor Obaseki in the first place. All over the country, the governor is the leader of the party ruling the state.

Whyhechosetofightwiththegovernor,nooneknew.

Nowthehighestcourtinthecountry,theSupreme Courthasputanendtotheunnecessarydispute.But will peace return to Edo PDP?

THISDAY, THE SUNDAY NEWSPAPER FEBRUARY 5 , 2023

59

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Osun Tribunal Puts INEC on Edge over BVAS The judgment of the Osun State Election Petitions Tribunal nullifying the election of Ademola Adeleke as governor of the state and declaring Gboyega Oyetola validly elected as governor, has raised many questions over the credibility of the much-touted Bimodal Voters Accreditation System, which the Independent National Electoral Commission described as the game changer for the 2023 general election, Ejiofor Alike writes

I

t is no longer news that the Osun State Election Petitions Tribunal sitting in Osogbo, penultimate Friday, annulled the July 16, 2022 governorship election that brought Governor Ademola Adeleke of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). What is now news is the credibility and efficiency of the technology deployed by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for the election - Bimodal Voters Accreditation System (BVAS) – which it has described and touted as the game changer for the 2023 general election.

In the poll as announced by INEC, Adeleke had polled 403,371 votes against Gboyega Oyetola of the All Progressives Congress’ (APC) 375,027 votes. The PDP candidate was victorious in 17 of the 30 local government areas in the state governorship poll. The remaining 13 local government areas went to Oyetola.

Oyetola had filed a petition at the tribunal challenging the declaration of Adeleke as winner of the election. He asked the panel to nullify the election, relying on alleged over-voting, infractions in some polling units, and the authenticity of the West African Examination Council (WAEC) certificate presented by the PDP candidate, among other grounds.

While it found Oyetola’s arguments on Adeleke’s certificate as lacking in merit, the tribunal agreed that the PDP was declared winner in error owing to over-voting in some polling units.

All through the sitting of the tribunal, analysts posited that the technology INEC deployed for the gubernatorial poll – BVAS - was on trial.

Explaining what BVAS is, as well as its importance to elections, Sections 47(2) of the 2022 Electoral Act says that to vote, the presiding officer shall use the smart card reader or any other technological device that maybe prescribed by the commission for the accreditation of voters to “verify, authenticate the intending voter in the manner prescribed by the commission.”

At the point of introducing the device to Nigerians, INEC had painstakingly explained that BVAS was an electronic device designed to read Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) and authenticate voters – using the voters’ fingerprints – in order to prove that they are eligible to vote at a particular polling unit.

The commission said BVAS usage entails either scanning the barcode/QR code on the PVC/ Voter’s register or entering the last six digits of the Voter Identity Number or typing in the last name of the voter by the Assistant Presiding Officer (APO 1) to verify and authenticate the voter.

INEC guidelines say BVAS shall be the only mode of accreditation for the purpose of the election. All voters were subjected to it before they were issued with ballot papers to vote.

After elections, the results were then collated and entered manually on INEC form EC8As. More importantly, the number of voters on INEC Form EC8A must never exceed the number of accredited voters on BVAS. If that happens, over-voting would be established and the implication is automatic cancellation of the result of the affected polling unit as prescribed by the Electoral Act 2022.

Thus, when a winner was declared at the end of the July 16, 2022 governorship election in Osun, it was assumed that the numbers of accredited voters and eventual voters on BVAS and Form EC8As respectively tallied. Going by this innocent assumption, it was widely thought that Adeleke won and Oyetola lost.

Preparatory to filing their petition at the tribunal, APC had applied for the BVAS report and Form EC8AS days after the winner was declared. The legal team needed to study the documents to see if there were loopholes they

Yakubu could argue at the Tribunal. Though the APC was convinced that irregularities occurred during the election, what needed to be established was the mode and shape the irregularities took. The answer to this, the APC and Oyetola believed, lay in a proper scrutiny of the documents obtained from INEC. Alas, from the Certified True Copy (CTC) BVAS report made available to Oyetola and the APC about three weeks after the July 16 governorship election, accreditation through BVAS was less than the number of votes cast in 749 polling units across 10 LGAs as declared

by INEC. During its sittings, the Tertsea Aorga Kume-led panel admitted and marked 976 BVAS machines as exhibits. Oyetola’s counsel, Akin Olujinmi (SAN) alleged that in some polling units BVAS was not used, and this enabled irregularities to take place.

Justice Kume deducted the over-voting observed from the votes scored by the candidates and declared that Oyetola won the election, having polled 314, 921, while Adeleke’s score came down to 290, 266.

According to the judgment, all parties admitted that “BVAS machine is the primary source of the results which were analysed.” The verdict also established that the Voters’ Register has no place in the present dispensation with the enactment of Electoral Act 2022.

He said issuance of two different BVAS reports to the petitioners and the respondents by INEC amounted to tampering with documents. The chairman said, the BVAS report issued to the petitioners clearly showed that there was over-voting in the result declared by the INEC. According to the panel, none of the witnesses of the respondents disputed the evidence of the petitioners as regards over-voting on the BVAs report, just as the INEC did not withdraw the BVAS report issued to the petitioners.

The panel further ruled that the arguments of the respondents that the BVAS reports issued to the petitioners was “unsynchronised and inchoate” was misconceived, as such claims were not shown on the report.

It recommended that to forestall manipulation of BVAS machines in the conduct of subsequent elections, the INEC server should be linked to the Nigeria Police server and linked with National Security Adviser for transparency,

Ariwoola saying any of the reports emanating from these sources can be subjected to investigation.

But in a dissenting view, Justice P. Agbuli opposed the ruling, saying that the petitioners placed their evidence on the Biometric Voter Registration (BVR) obtained on July 27 and paid for on July 28, 2022.

Justice Agbuli held that relying on exhibit BVR to reach the conclusion of the judgment is not reasonable.

According to him, “it is remarkable to note that the petitioners did not controvert the exhibit RBVR series and the report of physical inspection, that is exhibit RWC, they stand unchallenged and I so hold.

“Exhibit RWC is a document made from the time resources which are the machines used on Election Day. The exhibit on RWC is in existence and was there on the machine date of the election. Section 64 sub 4,5 and 6 of the electoral act recognized BVAS machines as a key material to be used in the collation of results and in the resolution of any dispute arising therefrom.

“The petitioners are not saying that the entries on exhibit RBVM series which is the machine itself are not the same as the entries in exhibit RWC, their grouse is that since exhibit RWC came from the same first respondent it will not be allowed to stand in view of the discrepancies of figures in them via-a-vis the entries.

“In view of the following I hold that exhibit BVR is a product of inadequacies and cannot be the best evidence for the determination of the accurate number of accredited voters on the 16th July 2022 election.

The same is true of exhibit RBVR; the best evidence to that regard is RBVL, 1-119 down to RBVL 1-59 used in the polling units under contest and I so hold”, he added.

He then struck out the petition and upheld the election of Adeleke

as the governor.

While many observers have been questioning the role of BVAS machine in ending irregularities in elections, others have faulted INEC for not properly prosecuting, defending and justifying the use of BVAS in Osun at the tribunal, they always faulted for allowing the APC to catch it unaware before it synchronized the BVAS with the electoral register. “INEC messed up the case at the Osun State tribunal. It failed to properly defend the election it conducted.

Can you imagine that? It was supposed to put its house in order before allowing the APC to have access to every document and technology used for the election. But it didn’t do that.

“If it doesn’t learn any lesson from what has happened in the Osun case, be sure that there would be chaos by the time the election tribunals begin to annul victories after the 2023 elections,” a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) who didn’t want his name mentioned told THISDAY. However, a former Director of Voter Education and Publicity of the INEC, Mr. Oluwole OsazeUzzi, has argued that the majority judgment was based on an incomplete report obtained by the APC. Speaking on a live programme of a national television state, Osaze-Uzzi said the discrepancy in the election, as it related to the BVAS, was owing to the fact that the APC obtained an incomplete report upon which the judgment was based.

“The second member [of the tribunal] – the Honourable Justice who dissented from his two colleagues – said, ‘I would rather use the primary source of this information, and the primary source of this data is actually the machine itself.

“It is basically a computer. So, rather than go to the server where it transmitted data, I would use the printout from the machine itself,” he said.

He added, “The machines were tendered, so were the reports from the server, and there ought not to have been a discrepancy, but somewhere along the line, not all the data had been transmitted at the time the APC obtained the certified copy of the initial server report.”

“It was BVAS that exposed that as it were, and the fact that the BVAS report was relied on. But we have to be careful; which of the BVAS reports was relied on? Was it what was transmitted to the server – to the backend – or was it the BVAS itself?”, he further stated.

He said there was a need to break the verdict of the tribunal, adding that the majority of the tribunal members – “the chairman and the second member” – relied on the initial report and the initial report of the backend, duly certified by INEC. Osaze-Uzzi explained that the APC obtained a certified copy of the initial server report; the remaining data was transmitted by the BVAS hardware.

“It was downloaded from the server [after it was] transmitted. But a couple of days later – INEC used the word ‘synchronised’, I’m not too sure I like that word, but – you synchronise it and say, ‘Have all the results been transmitted – has all data been transmitted from the machine, BVAS itself, to the server?’

“The machine is a physical one and then it transmits to a physical one. It now went, checked and said, ‘There’s a problem here.’The BVAS report now downloaded itself, [we] now brought it out and examined each BVAS machine and found out that no, some data was not transmitted to the server,” the ex-INEC director said.

Osaze-Uzzi, however, encouraged stakeholders to be optimistic about the use of BVAS as it exposed the over-voting in the election as ruled by the tribunal.

He described the judgment as a validation of the role BVAS has played in enhancing the electoral process.

THISDAY, THE SUNDAY NEWSPAPER FEBRUARY 5 , 2023

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Seyi Makinde’s Historic Feat in Oyo The town hall meeting held by the Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde, with a cross-section of stakeholders in the state on how to move the state forward was an opportunity for them to table some requests as the governor is seeking a second term in office, Kemi Olaitan writes

T

he date was Sunday, January 29 and the venue was the Fresh FM hall, Felele, Ibadan.

The hall was filled to the brim by a stellar cast of representatives of various associations, and crowds of supporters and spectators unable to gain entrance staged their own carnival outside the hall.

From pensioners to teachers unions, members of the business community and the Nigeria Medical Association (NMA), members of the Nigerian Society of Engineers (NSE) and International Federation of Women Lawyers (FIDA); market women and men, student bodies, the sports community and people living with disabilities, it was a great harvest of exchanges as the Oyo State governor, Mr. Seyi Makinde, took stock of the journey so far and the one ahead, taking on board new tasks as the people dictated. It was a heart-to-heart discussion and so there was no prepared speech, and the man fondly referred to as Seyi held the audience spellbound as he tracked his administration’s strides in infrastructure, health, education, town planning, sports and agriculture with encyclopedic breadth and candour, leaving no doubts about his firm grasp of developments in Oyo State under his leadership, and their ideological, political, economic and social foundation.

Articulating his philosophy, the governor said: “Oyo is now used to engagement, not constituted authority. We always visit zones, asking people what they want before rolling out the budget…”

Remarkably distinguished, the gathering provided clear insights into Makinde’s stellar stewardship without shying away from the daunting challenges yet to be surmounted. Nearly every association lauded the governor’s stride in its own sector, but there was also critique and a wish list, and the governor did not shy away from limiting his promises to the extant realities, and admitting mistakes. To members of the Nigerian Union of Pensioners (NUP) deeply appreciative of his first term of office but wondering, given the experiences with past governments, if he would still be in stout defence of their case as he has been in the first term, Makinde said he would never stop caring for those who had toiled for years in service of the state. He pointed out that his government had paid all pensioners in Oyo State flat rate of 10,000 as Christmas bonus, and regularised the payment of pensions with salaries, adding: “The opposition can fault us on any other thing but not on welfare for our pensioners, who have served the state. We will improve on engagement with our pensioners and make them happy.”

On 65 years retirement age, Makinde argued that the federal government’s embrace of a policy does not necessarily make it the best. Increment in pensions, he averred, “is increasingly linked to our capacity to pay, we need proper planning on what increment we can make.”

The removal of the N3,000 education levy imposed by the immediate past government, he told the audience to roaring applause, was one of the first decisions his government took, “and it brought our children back to school.” The governor, who had also given students in higher education a new lease of life upon assumption of office, also spoke on his strides in higher education.

Hear him: “Before we came in, Oyo had one and a half universities, namely First Technical University and Ladoke Akintola University of Technology, co-owned with Osun State. But now we have three universities. The opaque ownership structure in First Technical University has been removed and

Makinde

it is now fully owned by Oyo State. We’ve brought back LAUTECH and we upgraded Emmanuel Alayande College of Education to a university. The NUT already mentioned that we recruited 5,000 teachers as well as education officers. We have constructed close to 700 classrooms in less than four years. We have employed 5,000 teachers.

On recruitment of teachers into primary schools, this administration has been able to remove distraction as against what obtained in the past. We will process the payment of their leave bonus for year 2022 soon.”

A listening leader, Makinde did not attempt to lecture the FIDA representative who claimed that the association had not enjoyed a robust relationship with his administration. Instead, while acknowledging FIDA’s great work in women and children’s advocacy, he apologised and granted the association’s requests.

He said: “This administration gave Oyo State its first female Chief Judge. We appointed her because she was qualified. I am sorry if we haven’t worked as closely as we should. We will make amends. I will take it up with the Attorney General. I am glad you mentioned our renovation of courts. I will add renovation of crèche.”

The applause this time was deafening.

Dr. Wale Lasisi, chair of the NMA, spoke on brain drain and the need for increased allowances for resident doctors, and Governor Makinde couldn’t agree more.

Thanking the doctors for their role during the COVID-19 crisis, he acknowledged that even though credit had been given to him for the astute management of the crisis, the doctors had in fact played a key role. He said it was resident doctors who had suggested radical improvement of the state’s health facilities rather than merely converting

stadiums to isolation centres, as was being done in many parts of the world.

That way, the facilities would still be in use post-COVID. “I am so happy I listened to you,” Governor Makinde enthused, adding that another suggestion by the doctors that proved so pivotal was self-isolation. Beginning from himself, he said, many residents of the state who contracted COVID self-isolated, and the Oyo strategy was later adopted by the federal government.

He said: “I refused to lock down Oyo State and because of our success here, the federal government moved from total to partial lockdown. The opposition candidate came to this very station shouting that Makinde wanted to kill Oyo people. If he had listened to logic and data he would not have made that statement.”

Mentioning his administration’s building of over 200 primary healthcare centres, Governor Makinde said his government determined that “people must not go beyond one kilometre radius of their residence to access care, adding: “We will continue to provide conducive environment for resident doctors.”

On brain drain, he noted that “the key to retaining the stars that we have is to create a far more productive economy that will allow us to pay higher wages.” Again, applause!

The governor also extended courtesies to members of his base, the Nigerian Society of Engineers whose state chairman, Dr. Adekunle Olaoye, thanked him for the yeoman’s job on flood, and for appointing an engineer

into the rural electrification board. Then the governor said: “We are engineering a modern Oyo State. Infrastructure deficit is real for us but we have laid the foundation to bridge that deficit. One way is to link communities. We have linked Ibadan to Oke Ogun zone with the 65-kilometre Moniya-Iseyin road; we have linked Oke Ogun with Ogbomoso zone with the 78-kilometer Iseyin-Ogbomoso road. All other zones have been so similarly linked with quality roads.”

Challenging critics to “name any government in the history of Oyo State which has started and completed a 65-kilometre road,” Makinde loud on his projects linking Oyo communities, creating estates and undertaking junction improvements to gradually take the state into the first world.

Hear him: “If you go to those GRAs we have built, you will notice that they are almost a first world environment…

Gradually we are changing the face of the state. After Challenge, we’ve done Idi Ape, Agodi Gate and UI junction improvements.

We are creating a new town in Akinyele.”

On the clamour for a new ministry by town planners, Governor Makinde said he was not sure that the creation of a new bureaucracy is the way to go, as each new ministry would come with a bureaucracy.

Nevertheless, he said: “If you can convince me with logic and data, I will bow to superior argument.”

Lauding the governor’s all-encompassing style of leadership shone forth, the representative of People Living with Disabilities, Evangelist Olu Kayode, said: “We thank you for giving us a voice. Today, our people are not only seen but heard across the 33 local governments of Oyo State. We thank you for employment given to 150 people living with disability in TESCOM, the health sector and the judiciary. You have made good your promise to create an agency for people living with disability.”

Also speaking on the occasion, representatives of religious bodies lauded the governor’s efforts to promote religious harmony in the state. As they spoke, reinforcing statements made by one another, it was clear that the bond among religious leaders in the state is unbreakable. For instance, the representative of the League of Imams and Alfas in the state, in advocating for teachers in religious instruction in primary and secondary schools in the state, called for all religions to be represented, while the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) chairman advocated monthly prayers by Christian and Muslim leaders in the state secretariat.

Said the Muslim speaker: “We never thought you would be this magnanimous to us. Whoever sees the wonder in the newly-built Adogba mosque will pray for you everyday. We see your impact on the Hajj Commission in Olodo and the office of the Chief Imam. We pray that God will continue to support you as you are about to enter the Omituntun 2.0”.

Listen to the representative of the traditional religious faith: “Past governments chose special advisers for only one religion, you chose three. Your government was the first to allow us to do Iwure.”

To traders, Makinde said that paying salaries on the 25th of every month was a deliberate policy to expand the Oyo economy, adding that every year, an additional N4billion enters the economy. On the call for grants, he said the government would assist where it could but that he would rather create a conducive environment. He was also open to the idea of a female football team for Oyo State, and to acceding to various demands by students.

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B AC K PAG E C O N T I N UAT I O N COMMON ERRORS ABOUT NIGERIA (III) in the US, from where we copied our presidential democracy, there are only three criteria for you to become a president: one, you must be at least 35 years of age; two, you must be a natural born citizen; and three, you must have lived in the US for at least 14 years. There is no mention of academic qualifications or family background, yet the US has not collapsed since July 4, 1776. But Nigeria will collapse if we don’t include these criteria in our constitution!

Or should I cite the example of the UK, our colonial masters? They practise parliamentary democracy, so the executive powers lie in the hands of the prime minister. They don’t have a president. They don’t even have a written constitution.

They are ruled by acts of parliament and conventions. There is only one requirement for you to be a prime minister: you must be a UK citizen. There is no mention of age or academic qualifications. The king can appoint anyone as prime minister, although the convention is to pick the leader of the party with most seats in parliament and that leader is usually a member of parliament. Obviously, a criminal cannot be prime minister.

However, because we think we are so special in Nigeria and we are not like any other country in the world, we need to write everything into the constitution.

Otherwise, the country will not develop.

The country “will collapse”. We need to write how many times presidential candidates can belch. We need to prescribe the toothpaste they should use. Many developing countries are focusing on how to improve the productive capacities of their people, how to ramp up the provision of critical infrastructure to push economic development, and how to pull millions of

people out of poverty. We are still stuck with the notion that it is constitutions that develop countries. Aren’t we special?

I got into a little argument with a respected newspaper columnist some years ago. He went on and on about how the 1999 Constitution is “tying Yoruba people down” and stalling “our development”.

What part of the constitution, I asked, and he replied: “Can you imagine that we cannot build a rail line?” I shook my head as if I agreed with him. He was way older than me, so I needed to handle his ego with caution. But isn’t Lagos state building rail? “Why must we get approval from Abuja?” he retorted. He complained about the exclusive legislative list that restricts jurisdiction on aviation, prisons, banking, oil and gas, creation of councils and telecoms, etc, to the federal government.

Again, I do not want to go deeper into the issues around our peculiar understanding of federalism in Nigeria (remember we are a special people) but I still do not accept that we are in this sorry state because of the exclusive list.

Even though railways is not on the list, I am not aware that any state wanted to build a rail and it was stopped. Aviation is on the exclusive list, but states are building airports up and down. Nobody has stopped them. In a federation, certain sectors have to be regulated by the central government, lest there be commotion and chaos. Air transportation is one.

Railways is another. But, as we can all see in Nigeria, regulating does not mean exclusive ownership.

I totally agree that some items on the exclusive list should be devolved to the states, but I think we are so used to exaggeration and negative framing that

we keep mixing up the issues. Take, for instance, telecoms. It is on the exclusive legislative list, but states are not barred from participating and making money if they so desire. Lagos, Delta and Akwa Ibom states invested millions of dollars in Econet (now Airtel) in 2001 and reaped more millions. Nobody stopped them.

They can set up telcos to rival MTN and Globacom if they wish — trust me, there is nothing in this “evil constitution” stopping them. There is no limit to the billions of dollars states can make with good investments.

Ownership of petroleum resources is clearly the most contentious issue in the 1999 Constitution and probably the reason why many people have been groomed to despise it. There has been a campaign for resource control by the oil-producing states to keep the petrodollar revenues.

It is argued that we should return to the 1963 Constitution (described by its admirers as the “greatest ever”) so that we can have “resource control” in Nigeria.

Actually, mines and minerals, including oilfields, oil mining, geological surveys and natural gas, were under federal jurisdiction in the 1963 Constitution.

Don’t believe me: kindly check item no 25 under the exclusive list. It is there in black and white.

Do you know that the 1999 Constitution does not stop any state from incorporating an oil and gas company and operating anywhere in the world and making billions of dollars? In addition to 13 percent derivation, Ministry of Niger Delta, Amnesty Programme, Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) and host community funds, the states can make much more money without any constitution amendment. Actually, many

already have oil companies: Akwa Ibom has Universal Oil & Gas Ltd, Bayelsa (Bayelsa Oil & Gas Ltd), Delta (Midwestern Oil & Gas Ltd), and Ondo (Owena Oil & Gas Ltd). But we prefer to write a new constitution than probe how well these companies are doing.

We want to write a new constitution and return Nigeria to the regional system as it was “in the good old days”, yet there are so many opportunities for regional co-operation to facilitate economic development. In fact, many regions are already into it. You don’t believe me? The south-west states have O’dua Investment Ltd and the DAWN Commission. South-south states have BRACED Commission. There is South East Development Commission (SEDC). The 19 northern states have the New Nigeria Development Company (NNDC). Rather than find out how well these bodies are marshalling and implementing regional development agenda, we want a magical constitution.

To put it in Yoro-English, I would say we still don’t know what is “doing” us in this country. We point to the constitution, the rules, and everything else as our problem — but often conveniently leave out the pivotal role of good governance in development. A “bad” constitution in the hands of competent, patriotic and visionary leaders will produce excellent development outcomes compared to a “perfect” constitution in the hands of buccaneers and misfits. I do hope that someday, the scales will fall off our eyes.

For too long, we have been misled by some eloquent opinion shapers who always pull the wool over our eyes by playing on our emotions. Can we continue like this?

And Four Other Things…

TRUE COLOURS I should be one of the least surprised Nigerians over the chaos that has disrupted the economy with the deadline for old naira notes. I did make a few comments here about the limited technological capacity for electronic transactions in Nigeria, but I paid little attention to the massive arbitrage opportunity for Nigerians. Who will see a cheap opportunity and not go for it? To get the new notes is akin to squeezing water out of stone.

The chaos of the past one week has hurt the fragile economy in many ways. The Q1 2023 report of the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) will confirm this later. Meanwhile, didn’t we change the colours of the naira in 1984?

Did it end corruption? Lessons?

‘SHUFFERING AND SHMILING’ You cannot but love Nigerians. In the midst of the untold suffering brought by the naira redesign chaos, Nigerians are still making out time to crack jokes. It is a case of “Shuffering and Shmiling”, as Fela sang. Commenting on the sharp practices by POS operators who place heavy charges on those who want the new notes, a Twitter user wrote: “The naira is gaining against the naira in the POS parallel market.” Another Nigerian tweeted that he doesn’t have anything in his bank account but he queues up and sells his position on the queue when it gets to his turn. He claimed to have made N12,000 in one day and wants to be credited with inventing this line of business! Hilarious.

G5 AND ITS UNKEPT PROMISE more persuasive.

In a 1st January 2023 article on this page (titled ‘G5’s Flirtations and 2023 Electoral Permutations’), I anticipated how difficult it would be for the G5 to go ahead with its pledge and argued that the move would be a complicated proposition for some of the parties involved. I concluded that: “With the complications on all sides, the affair may not be openly consummated.”

Here we are, at least for now.

In terms of what follows next after the missed deadline, I see three possibilities.

One, the G5 governors may reach a last-minute accommodation with the presidential candidate of their party, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar. If this happens, this will be a major boost for the PDP flagbearer, especially in Rivers, which has a sizeable number of voters at play and where a G5 governor is best positioned to enforce his will.

Two, the G5 governors may secretly endorse different presidential candidates based on their individual preferences and on local peculiarities. And three, they may still go ahead with an open endorsement of a candidate outside their party in the three weeks left before the presidential election.

In politics, especially in the Nigerian version, it is difficult to predict with certainty. But my money will be on the middle course.

G5 governors

JUDICIAL DEMOCRACY Nigeria, we seem to have agreed, is a special country where anything can happen. Is there any other country in the world where the courts play such a central role in elections?

Although I accept that judiciary is key to democracy and seeking judicial redress is part and parcel of the electoral process, there is no doubt that the people are gradually losing their voting power. Many candidates are now decided by the courts. Courts even disqualify parties from fielding candidates.

After elections, judges decide who won and didn’t win in many instances. This is a real threat to democracy. In my opinion, the politicians have to take most of the blame.

They need to change their ways. Desperation.

DOOMED IN DOMA Dozens of Nigerians were killed in an explosion in Doma, a border community between Nasarawa and Benue states, on January 24.

It has now emerged that 31 of them were herders who had gone to get back 1,250 of their cows seized by the Benue livestock guards. A man lost nine children. There is yet no official confirmation of the source of the explosion. Reports initially attributed the tragedy to wrong intel on the location of terror cells in Nasarawa state, but that remains a rumour. The lack of official account of what really happened is leaving room for speculation, insinuation and tension. A proper investigation needs to be done so that the bereaved can have some closure. Condolences.

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NEWSXTRA Gunmen Attack Police,Vigilante in Anambra, Kill Three David-Chyddy Eleke in Awka Gunmen have attacked police and vigilante facilities at Abagana in Njikoka Local Government Area,

Anambra State.

A source from the area said there was a rain of bullets in the area at about 9:00 p.m. on Friday, and that the incident lasted for close

NIMASA Rescues Seven Distressed Workers Onboard Vessel in Lagos Chibuzor Oluchi A team of coastguards attached to Deep Blue Project, a maritime security outfit funded by Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), has rescued seven distressed workers on MT ALIMA, a chemical/oil products tanker built in 2004.

The team intervened following a distress call to NIMASA’s Director General, Dr. Bashir Jamoh.

The call, which came in at about 11.30 pm on February 2, from the Safety Officer on MT ALIMA reported that while cleaning the tanks of the vessel by a private cleaning company, 8 of the cleaners developed complications due to insufficient oxygen available in the tank to sustain them.

The position (coordinates) of

the ship at the time of the call was 06*20.9’’N,003*21.9’’E at the single buoy mooring area in Lagos.

Jamoh immediately directed NIMASA’s Head of the Deep Blue project and Head of the Maritime Safety Department to deploy one of the fast intervention boats for rescue operations and also immediate medical attention to the survivors.

NIMASA took the seven survivors to the military hospital at Ikoyi for medical attention, where they are presently recovering at various degrees. Five of them are now stable, one has a broken leg and one is still in critical condition.

While reassuring the maritime community of NIMASA’s ever-ready 24-hour vigilance to respond to distress calls using any of the procured air, land

Kola Abiola Pledges to Implement LG Autonomy If Elected Kemi Olaitan in Ibadan The presidential candidate of Peoples Redemption Party (PRP), Mr. Kola Abiola has taken a swipe at state governors in the country for continuing to resist the autonomy of local governments, assuring that if elected, his administration would ensure that the councils are free from the hold of the governors.

Abiola, the son of the late business mogul and presumed winner of the 1993 presidential election, gave the commitment at the weekend, in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital, during the presidential campaign rally of the party where the party’s flag was handed over to candidates in the six states of the South West Among others, Abiola was accompanied by the National Chairman, Mallam Falalu Bello; National Secretary, Babatunde Alli

and the National Legal Adviser, Mrs. Juliet Ogba.

While addressing a horde of supporters that welcomed him to the ancient city, Abiola bemoaned the deplorable situation the country has continued to be in the last 30 years when his father contested and won the presidential seat on the platform of the Social Democratic Party (SDP), but denied the victory. bemoaned the deplorable situation the country has continued to be in the last 30 years when his father contested and won the presidential seat on the platform of the Social Democratic Party (SDP), but denied the victory.

He said many of the politicians going about promising restructuring, true federalism, local government autonomy and the rest were just making empty promises, stating that, “They will never do it.

British Council Expresses Support for Nigeria’s Creative Michael Olugbode in Abuja The British Council has indicated its willingness to continue to support Nigeria’s creative industry, insisting that with the right investment and support it has the potential to be the highest employer of labour and contributor to the nation’s wealth.

Project Manager Arts and Creative Industry, British Council SSA, Uju Dubas-Agbasi revealed this at the Creative Enterprise Showcase Programme (CESP) in Abuja Dubas-Agbasi said the creative industries in Nigeria “are rapidly growing economic powerhouses that are increasingly being recognised as pathways for sustainable livelihoods for young people across art forms.

She, however, said most creative artists “are faced with obstacles of weak policy support, a lack of infrastructure, low levels of awareness of the livelihood opportunities that exist within the art sectors and limited opportunities especially for networking, collaborations, and skill-sharing.”

He added that if the industry “is properly harnessed and supported it has the potential of leading the earning index of Nigeria.”

To understand the state of the industry, according to him, it is important to highlight some of the several business opportunities that are integral and immensely profitable which include but are not limited to, showcasing of various creative art forms through seminars, art events and residency.

to 45 minutes, before the bandits finally fled the area.

A resident of the area, Nnaemeka Obitube said at least three vigilante operatives were gunned down by the bandits, while several persons, including Obitube himself and his friend, who he described as Odi, who live around the area at the time sustained bullet wounds.

While Obitube sustained bullet injury on his arm, his friend, Odi was brushed in the chin by a stray

bullet.

He said both of them were treated at night after the bandits had left the area.

He also narrated how the incident happened, saying: “It was very unimaginable. It was Chelsea match that kept me outside at that time.

“The boys came prepared, they shot three vigilante operatives on arrival, then drove down to Enugwu-Ukwu, turned back and

stopped in front of the police station and vigilante office.

“They set the inmates free and set the facilities ablaze. The corpses (of the slain vigilante operatives) are still lying by the roadside, along Union Bank to secretariat.”

He also claimed to know two of the slain vigilante operatives: “Just two known for now: Agu-Rice and Mr. Benjamin Ilonze. Others have badly shot faces, and cannot be recognized.”

The state police command’s spokesperson, DSP Toochukwu Ikenga in his reaction said the vigilante operatives murdered by the bandits were two and not three.

He also added that police operatives stoutly resisted the bandits, causing them to flee.

“They only threw petrol bombs on an old structure in the station which affected the building partially,” Ikenga said.

PROJECT INAUGURATION… L-R: Senate President, Dr. Ahmad Lawan; Chief Executive Officer, National Agency for Science and Engineering Infrastructure, Prof. Muhammed Sani Haruna; President Muhammadu Buhari; and Nasarawa State Governor, Alhaji Abdullahi Sule, at the inauguration of the Agricultural Machinery and Equipment Development Institute in Lafia ...yesterday

PDP Denies Directing Legal Team to Withdraw Cases in Rivers Adedayo Akinwale in Abuja The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has denied directing its legal team to withdraw certain cases in Rivers State.

The party said the purported report claimed it had declared that it did not have any record of individuals that were gifted forms for their loyalty to Governor Nyesom Wike, that an individual

made a “buck” purchase of forms on behalf of Wike and that the PDP is ready to do a rejoinder on the issue.

In a statement by its National Publicity Secretary, Debo Ologunagba yesterday, PDP condemned the fake report, which it said was the handiwork of enemies of the party.

To this end, the main opposition party urged Nigerians,

especially its members and supporters in Rivers State, to disregard the report.

The party also said it had commenced an investigation into those behind this malicious publication, adding that it would take firm legal and punitive actions against any individual found culpable in accordance with the law and the Constitution of the PDP.

Ologunagba said: “The attention of the National Working Committee (NWC) of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has been drawn to a fake report purported to have been signed by the National Publicity Secretary, Debo Ologunagba mischievously claimed that the PDP had directed its legal team to withdraw certain cases in Rivers State.

REA Signs 342 Funding Deals on Renewables with Local Firms Emmanuel Addeh in Abuja The Rural Electrification Agency (REA) yesterday revealed that it had signed 342 grant agreements with local firms to provide renewable, off-grid electricity for far-flung areas across the country under the Nigeria Electrification Projects (NEP).

Likewise, National Oil Spills Detection and Response Agency (NOSDRA) had announced that the fire reported at the Oil Mining Lease (OML) 18 operated by Eroton Exploration and Production

Company has been put out.

The REA programme, which has so far provided electricity for an estimated 6.8 million Nigerians, is financed by a $350 million World Bank loan and a $200 million loan from the African Development Bank (AfDB).

In his remarks at the agency’s board and management staff retreat in Abuja, the Minister of State for Power, Goddy Jedy-Agba said the government was determined to bridge the grid electricity gap through the deployment of off-grid

solutions nationwide.

He said: “Renewable energy is the solution to bridge the electricity gap in the nation quickly, which is why we plan to continue to optimise it while drawing in quality investments and private sector participation in the space.

“This administration’s efforts to improve energy access through on and off-grid electrification solutions are commendable. We must not lose sight of Vision 30:30:30, aimed at raising the generation capacity to 30,000MW by 2030, of which

30 percent will be from renewable sources,” he stated.

Jedy-Agba described the agency’s vision and the critical roles it must continue to play in the global conversation on energy transition and off-grid electrification.

He expressed confidence in the current REA management and board, noting that the entire country was witnessing the positive effects of their leadership and dedication to the agency’s growth and impact.

NASENI to Modernise Agribusiness to End Hunger, Create Jobs The Executive Vice Chairman and Chief Executive of the National Agency for Science and Engineering Infrastructure (NASENI), Prof. Mohammad Sani Haruna, yesterday said the agency would modernise agribusiness to end hunger and create jobs in the country.

Haruna also said the agency was set for the production of made in Nigeria agricultural implements, machinery and equipment.

He added that the tools will

be manufactured to suit the peculiarity of Nigerian soil and peculiar topography.

Haruna made the submissions at the commissioning of Agricultural Machinery and Equipment Development Institute (AMEDI), Lafia, Nasarawa State.

AMEDI is one of the 12 new institutes to fast-track transition of Nigeria to a manufacturing knowledge based economy.

He said AMEDI was targeted at the use of science and engineering infrastructure to

support the presidential efforts in the attainment of food and nutritional security in Nigeria and for Nigerians.

“Mr. President may recall his directive for the establishment of six (6) new AgriculturalTechnology based institutes, one each per geo-political zone of Nigeria in 2021 as part of the 12 new institutes approved to be established. NASENI under my leadership has developed a culture of speedy delivery on Presidential directives not only to justify the

new status of the agency but also to fast-track transition of Nigeria to a manufacturing knowledge based economy.

He said: “AMEDI Lafia is the first to be completed among the six equals across the geo-political zones of the country. The conceptualisation of this model institute was targeted at the use of science and engineering infrastructure to support the presidential efforts in the attainment of food and nutritional security in Nigeria and for Nigerians.”

THISDAY, THE SUNDAY NEWSPAPER FEBRUARY 5 , 2023

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SUNDAYSPORTS

Edited by: Duro Ikhazuagbe email:Duro.Ikhazuagbe@thisdaylive.com

NPFL

Gombe Halt Bendel Insurance’s Winning Streak with Draw at Ogbe

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L-R: Deputy Governor, Lagos State, Obafemi Hamzat; Winner of the Female Category of the 42km Road race, Ethiopian Alemenesh Guta; and Chairman, Access Bank Corporation Plc, Ajoritsedere Awosika, at the prize presentation of the 2023 Access Bank Lagos City Marathon in Lagos....on Saturday

Kenyan Edwin Kibet Wins Access Bank Lagos City Marathon Duro Ikhazuagbe

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James Tarkowski (second left) in flight heading the winning goal for Everton against Arsenal. It was the Toffees first game under new Manager Sean Dyche...yesterday

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Price: N400

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Bafarawa to el-Rufai

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“He (el-Rufai) was insisting that Tinubu must win the election, whether people like it or not, they have already won. Who told him that the whole of the North is supporting the APC?”– Former Governor of Sokoto State, Attahiru Bafarawa, telling Governor el-Rufai of Kaduna State that he can’t impose Bola Tinubu on the North.

4*/$&

SIMONKOLAWOLE SIMONKOLAWOLELIVE!

simon.kolawole@thisdaylive.com, sms: 0805 500 1961

Common Errors about Nigeria (III)

A

s a student of development, I have patiently studied the trajectories of several nations — Korea, Singapore, Taiwan, the US, the UK, Norway and some developing countries — and I have a confession to make this morning: it is only in Nigeria that people blame their underdevelopment on the constitution. I admit that we are special, so special our own case must always be different. That is why we have an emotional attachment to an imaginary “perfect constitution” as the basis for development. The constitution is expected to eradicate poverty and disease and elevate us to the comity of prosperous nations. According to us, we will never rise because of our “evil” constitution.

In the first instalment of this series on five common errors about Nigeria, I argued that Nigeria is not a rich country, no matter how many times we make that audacious claim. We are potentially rich for sure, but we are not generating enough income to meet the critical needs of 200 million people even if no kobo is stolen or wasted from the public purse. In the second instalment, I sought to dismiss the age-old notion that all of Nigeria’s problems

Buhari

should be blamed on the president. He plays a key role in national development, but we run a federal democracy, not a unitary or military system. Therefore, all the governors and council chairpersons must be on top form for us to make

progress.

In this instalment — the third in the series — I want to touch on an issue that has become highly emotional for some sections of the country: that our slow progress, or lack of progress, is because of the 1999 Constitution. For Nigeria to develop, it is argued, “we the people” must write a new constitution. Opposition to the document is based on several arguments.

Some say the constitution was written by the military and therefore lacks legitimacy.

Some say it is faulty because it does not guarantee “true federalism” — whatever that means. Some say it is because of the lengthy exclusive legislative list which bestows too much power on the centre to the detriment of the states.

I need to narrow down this discussion so as to keep focus. I do not intend to discuss fiscal federalism, true federalism, resource control, state police, regionalism, confederalism and other isms and schisms.

We can always debate those ones in detail from time to time. Rather, I intend to focus on the popular claim that because the exclusive list is very long, the federal government is too powerful and the states have consequently been constrained from embarking on initiatives that will allow

them to grow. It is often passionately argued that most items on the exclusive list should be transferred to the concurrent list so that the states can be empowered to deliver the goods.

Before I proceed, I want to quickly quote Aare Afe Babalola, one of our foremost lawyers, who recently played host to Mr Peter Obi, the presidential candidate of the Labour Party. He attacked the 1999 Constitution and asked for a new one.

“The new constitution should provide for stringent conditions in respect of age, academic qualifications, character and personality, as well as family background of candidates, especially for the presidency and the National Assembly,” he said. “Unless a new constitution similar to those of 1960 and 1963 Constitutions, with necessary amendments, is put in place, none of the aspirants, and indeed no angel, can save Nigeria from total collapse.”

Babalola is 92 and has seen Nigeria inside out, so you cannot ignore his opinion. Many young people may take their cue from him and insist that we need a new constitution “to save Nigeria from collapse”. But let me amuse you: Continued on page 61

WAZIRIADIO G5 and Its Unkept Promise POSTSCRIPT

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anuary 2023 arrived and departed, but the Group of Five (G5) failed to redeem its voluntary pledge to publicly endorse a presidential candidate within the first month of the year. Endorsements have become two-a-penny, and it is doubtful that they carry as much electoral punch as the endorsers and the beneficiaries wish.

That notwithstanding, endorsements are not only bestowed but also actively sought and highly treasured. They have signalling appeal or they telegraph a measure of social proof or wide acceptance.

And since electoral politics is a game of addition and not subtraction and voters are historically known to be risk-averse, any suggestion of additional support is valued by politicians, their strategists and their supporters. A vote is better than none.

The pledge or the threat by the Governor Nyesom Wike-led G5 was enchanting for two reasons. The first was the orchestrated suspense. After making itself available to every interested suitor, the rebel faction within the Peoples Democratic Party

(PDP) gave a three-month notice of an impending endorsement, and constantly reminded anyone who paid attention of a big announcement coming in January.

When in early January a BBC News Pidgin journalist reminded Governor Wike of the self-assigned deadline, he retorted, with dramatic flair: “Why are you in a hurry? Why are you in a hurry?... January… Did I tell you January 4th? Did I tell you January 10th? Did I tell you January 16th? You people are just errrr… Calm down!” This comical encounter, which became an instant hit on social media and was pressed to many hilarious ends, heightened the suspense.

The bombshell would still drop in January.

And Wike and his group had not a few salivating.

The second reason why the pledge by the G5 aroused significant interests was the embedded promise of high political drama.

Clearly, Wike and company were not doing all the song and dance just to pitch their tent with the presidential candidate of PDP, their party. That would have been an anti-climax. But five sitting governors

openly supporting and campaigning for a presidential candidate competing with the flagbearer of their own party would be quite a sight, a novelty actually, even in Nigeria’s highly treacherous and drama-laden political landscape.

However, despite the suspense and the theatrics, the G5 failed to drop the hit song, to the relief of some and the disappointment of others. Wike, G5’s indisputable leader, has tried to spin the no-show. At a midweek rally in Port Harcourt, he said he never promised to announce his preferred presidential on camera. The people of Rivers State, he added, already know who to vote for on 25th February. It is a smart attempt at word-play but it is naked.

It is without doubt that the G5 has chickened out of a promise it made without anyone putting a gun to its head. The natural questions are: why didn’t the group fulfil its promise and what is likely to happen next? A number of reasons have been hazarded on why the G5 reneged on the January deadline.

I will stick to three here. One, that the

group was divided on who to support between the two southern candidates on their shortlist. Two, that the personal preferences of the governors do not align with the widespread sentiments of the people of their states. And three, that pushing different parties for federal and state elections could confuse the voters or create a bandwagon effect that could see the governors or their candidates losing in the state elections on March 11th.

All these reasons are plausible and they are not mutually exclusive. Their point of convergence is that openly endorsing a presidential candidate from another party comes with heavy risks to most of the G5 governors. So, the rebellious G5 settled for playing safe. The endorsement may also hurt its beneficiary, especially if the PDP candidate is able to line up the north behind a southern gang-up narrative. Already, there is said to be a campaign slogan that translates to ‘yours is yours.’ An open endorsement by the G5 can make such narrative more sticky, Continued on page 61

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