SUNDAY 13TH FEBRUARY 2022

FG Rejects Two Cargoes of Adulterated Petrol Imported from Belgium STI SYMPHONY makes U-turn off coast of Guinea OPEC’s production drops by 700,000bpd Emmanuel Addeh in Abuja Following the circulation of adulterated petrol in Nigeria, which damaged vehicle engines last week, the federal government has turned

back two tankers carrying petrol loaded in Antwerp, Belgium, and destined for Lagos, THISDAY learnt.

This is coming as the Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) and its allies

have continued to produce crude oil below their production targets, with the group’s output falling by a record 700,000 barrels per day (bpd) below its collective quotas in January.

The off-specification fuel, it was learnt, was rejected amid the raging controversy over the bad fuel in circulation in the country, which led to the disruption of the country’s supply chain, resulting

in long queues in filling stations across the country.

The current problematic supply of petrol, which grounded movements in Abuja, Lagos and some other parts of the country, was made

worse by the shortage of inventory, according to the figures released by the sole importer, the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Continued on page 6

APC Begins Sale of Forms Tomorrow ahead of National Convention... Page 6 Sunday 13 February, 2022 Vol 27. No 9805

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Atiku Under Fire for Kicking against Zoning Presidential Ticket Former VP being driven by money, not ability, says Middle Belt Forum PANDEF, Ohanaeze Ndigbo: Atiku’s position a mockery of Nigeria’s constitution Deji Elumoye in Abuja, Christopher Isiguzo in Enugu and Seriki Adinoyi in Jos Former Vice President Atiku

Abubakar yesterday came under fire for faulting the call on the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to zone its presidential ticket to a particular region of

the country, and insisting that the Nigerian constitution does not recognise zoning.

The 17 southern governors; the Southern and Middle-Belt

Forum, comprising the Yoruba socio-political group, Afenifere, the pan-Igbo socio-political group, Ohanaeze Ndigbo, and the Middle-Belt Forum, had

called on all political parties to zone their presidential tickets to the South.

But Atiku, who is one of the prominent northern politicians

interested in contesting the 2023 presidential election, has faulted the agitation.

Continued on page 8

Head of Sokoto Caliphate Kingmakers, Danbaba Dies Suddenly, Buried in Glory President expresses shock, millions mourn

John Shiklam in Kaduna and Onuminya Innocent in Sokoto The Head of Sokoto kingmakers, the Magajin Garin Sokoto, Alhaji Hassan Danbaba, who died yesterday, has been laid to rest in a glorious ceremony.

President Muhammadu Buhari has expressed deep shock over the death of the kingmaker, who was until his death, the board chairman of the Sokoto Rima River Basin Development Authority (SRRBDA).

He was a non-exectuive director of THISDAY Newspapers Limited and owned several businesses including hotels.

The influential kingmaker, who was the grandson of the late Premier of Northern Region and Sardauna of Sokoto, Sir Ahmadu Bello, reportedly slumped in his hotel in Kaduna yesterday, and died on his way to the hospital.

Danbaba died at the age of Continued on page 5

MAGAJIN GARIN GOES HOME… Imam of Sultan Bello Jumaat Mosque, Sokoto, Malami Muhammad Bello Akwara, and other dignitaries, after the funeral prayers for the Head of Sokoto Kingmakers, the Magajin Garin Sokoto, Alhaji Hassan Marafa Danbaba, in Sokoto State…yesterday

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SEVENTY-ONE HEARTY CHEERS… L-R: Executive Director, Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), Hon. Victor Ochie; Minister for Transportation, Hon. Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi; and celebrant/Chairman, FUNKE OLAODE Starzs lnvestments Company Limited, Mr. Greg Utomwen Ogbeifun, during 71st birthday thanksgiving service and reception for Ogbeifun, in Benin City, Edo State, yesterday

DMO Allays Fears over IMF's Concerns on Debt Sustainability Ndubuisi Francis in Abuja The Debt Management Office (DMO) has allayed fears over concerns by the International Monetary Fund (IMF) on Nigeria's debt sustainability.

IMF’s Mission Chief for Nigeria, Ms. Jesmin Rahman, had during a virtual media briefing on its Nigeria’s 2021 Article IV Consultation Staff Report recently observed that Nigeria’s debt sustainability was at risk and causes a great deal of concern and unease in the long-term.

The IMF also projected that the federal government could spend as much as 92.6 per cent of its revenue on debt servicing in 2022.

Reacting to the IMF's position in a statement issued yesterday, the DMO noted that while the reports by the IMF and Agusto and Co. that Nigeria's debt levels and debt service levels had grown over the years may be the case, "these reports have failed to consider the challenges experienced by Nigeria in recent times such as two recessions, sharp drop in revenues and security challenges."

The DMO added: "Even more, the analysis does not acknowledge the improvements in infrastructure, which have been achieved through borrowing, as well as, the strong measures by the

government to grow revenues."

The debt management agency stated that it was re-iterating the fact that the government was already implementing policies towards increasing revenues and developing infrastructure through public private partnership arrangements, both of which would improve debt sustainability.

The DMO also noted that the Nigerian government has active and regular engagements with the IMF on borrowing and debt management.

The Minister of Finance, Budget and National Planning, Mrs. Zainab Ahmed had in an interview reiterated that Nigeria’s debt to gross domestic products (GDP) ratio was still low at 33 per cent amidst

concerns over heightened increased borrowing.

She had also restated that the federal government’s borrowing was accurately planned to boost growth and development of the economy.

“We have made sure that we have a debt management strategy and a medium-term debt management strategy. So, this borrowing is not being done

by just a fiat as it is capsuled in a plan. We are guided by the fiscal responsibility that sets the limit of how much you can borrow at any particular time.

“We have also structured the borrowing to make sure we have a good balance between domestic borrowing as well as external financial borrowing.

“So, truly, in 2020 because of a COVID-19 crisis, we ended up

borrowing more than we had planned, because we have to change all our plans to be able to accommodate the revenue crash. So, we have to change our plans to be able to borrow more to contain the pandemic because if the pandemic was not contained, Nigeria will have been in a bigger problem, than the type of recession that we went into.”

RMAFC Drags AGF, FIRS, Minister to Court over Finance Act Adedayo Adejobi The Revenue Mobilisation Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC), which has the constitutional mandate to monitor revenue accrual into the Federation Account and disbursement from the Federation Account to the three tiers of government, has gone to the Federal High Court to seek interpretation of the Finance Act, 2021 which was passed on December 31, 2021.

According to the commission, the Finance Act does not have the powers to stop its operations or monitoring activities as enshrined in the constitution.

The case, which was scheduled for hearing on February 1, 2022, was adjourned to March 10, 2022.

The commission in the suit filed against the Attorney General of the Federation;

Minister of Finance, Budget and National Planning and the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) as defendants, is seeking the interpretation of Section 68 of the Federal Inland Revenue Service (Establishment) Act 2007 as amended by the Finance Act (2021, Section 89 of the Stamp Duties Act as amended by the Finance Act (2021) and Section 4 of the Finance (Control and Management) Act as amended by the Finance Act (2021) respectively.

Specifically, the commission questioned whether the provisions of the amendments to Section 68(1) of the Federal Inland Revenue Service (Establishment) Act 2007 as contained in the Finance Act 2021 is valid, in the light of the combined effects of the provisions of Section 153, 160, 162 and Paragraph 32 of Part 1 of the 3rd Schedule of the

1999 Constitution, in so far as it purports to subject the RMAFC to the FIRS? The commission is also seeking to determine whether the provisions of the amendments to Section 68(2) of the FIRS (Establishment) Act 2007 as contained in the Finance Act 2021 is valid, in the light of the combined effect of the provisions of Section 153, 160, 162 and Paragraph 32 of Part 1 of the 3rd Schedule of the 1999 Constitution, in so far as it purports to subject the RMAFC to the FIRS? Further reliefs sought by the commission is the declaration by the court that the provisions of the amendments to Section 68(1) of the FIRS (Establishment) Act 2007 as contained in the Finance Act 2021 is invalid, unconstitutional, null and void, in so far as it seeks to render all laws including the combined

provisions of Section 153, 160, 162 and Paragraph 32 of Part 1 of the 3rd Schedule of the 1999 Constitution, subservient to it by providing that the provisions of the Finance Act prevail over any other law and the provisions of that other law shall, to the extent of the inconsistency, be void.

Besides, the commission seeks to know the interpretation of the court with regards the provisions of Section 89(3) of the Stamp Duties Act as contained by the Finance Act 2021 which makes it invalid, unconstitutional, null and void, in so far as it is inconsistent with the combined effect of the provisions of Section 153 160, 162 and Paragraph 32 of the 3rd Schedule of the 1999 Constitution as it relates to the powers and functions of the RMAFC in so far as it purports to enable the minister in charge

of finance to make regulations in respect of allocation and distribution of the areas of the relevant Stamp Duties and Electronic Money Transfer Levies collected between 2015 and 2019 fiscal years.”

The Finance Bill 2021 was presented to the National Assembly as an Executive Bill to be enacted as part of the legal instrument for the successful implementation of the 2022 budget.

Being a bill regulating the Fiscal Policy of the federal government on the implementation of the 2022 budget, the plaintiff reviewed the same and made presentations to the Joint Committee on Finance; Customs, Excise & Tariff; and Trade & Investment Committee of the National Assembly during the public hearing on the bill in December 2021.

HEAD OF SOKOTO CALIPHATE KINGMAKERS, DANBABA DIES SUDDENLY, BURIED IN GLORY 51, barely 22 months after he lost his mother, A’ishatu, the eldest daughter of the late Premier of Northern Region.

His mother died in Dubai, United Arab Emirates (UAE) in April 2020.

A source close to the deceased said the late Magajin Garin Sokoto, was in Kaduna to condole with a former National Security Adviser (NSA), General Aliyu Mohammed Gusau (rtd), on the death of his brother.

The source said: “Magajin came to Kaduna on Thursday to condole with General Gusau, on the death of his brother.

“As usual of him, he lodged in his hotel, Stonehedge in Kaduna metropolis.

“Both Gusau and Magajin had prepared to make a joint return trip from Kaduna to Abuja on Saturday. After having his bath at 11 a.m., he dressed up to go and join General Gusau in his house.

“When he was about to leave, he slumped. His aides rallied around him and rushed him to a hospital. But on the way, he gave up the ghost.”

The source added that the Kaduna State Governor, Mallam Nasir el-Rufai, had ordered the evacuation of Danbaba’s

remains to the Government House in Kaduna before he was airlifted to Sokoto, where he was buried according to Islamic rites.

“By virtue of his position as the head of the kingmakers of Sokoto Caliphate, there is a reserved cemetery, Hubbaren Shehu, where royal leaders are usually buried in Sokoto,” the source added.

Until his death, he was one of those behind the Rice Revolution of President Muhammadu Buhari being championed by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).

He played a key role in the

last Rice Pyramid fair in Abuja by the RIFAN. Magajin Garin Sokoto was part of the eminent Nigerians who converged on Lagos last weekend to find solutions to the challenges confronting the country ahead of the 2023 elections.

In a condolence message issued by his media aide, Garba Shehu, in Abuja, President Buhari said: “I am shocked beyond words. The Magajin Gari leaves a void that will be difficult to fill in the Sultanate and our nation. ”He was always full of happiness and warmth. He will

be remembered as an envoy of the culture and traditions of the Sultanate.

“My prayers and thoughts are with the family he left behind, the government and people of Sokoto State. May his soul rest in peace.”

Meanwhile, the Senator representing Sokoto North Senatorial district, Aliyu Magatakarda Wamakko, has also expressed grief over the demise of Magajin Garin Sokoto.

In a condolence message issued yesterday by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Mr. Hassan Sahabi, the senator

described the late Magajin Gari as a distinguished gentleman and respected traditional ruler, who contributed immensely to the development of the Sokoto Caliphate, and the nation.

According to Wamakko, the Sokoto Caliphate has indeed lost a father and a respected leader who lived a life of service to the Caliphate, Nigeria and humanity.

Wamakko, prayed to Almighty Allah to forgive his shortcomings and reward his good deeds with Aljannat Firdaus.

He left behind three wives and six children.

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SPORTS DEVELOPMENT… L-R: Chairman, Access Bank, Mrs. Ajoritsedere Awosika; Winner female category, Access Bank Lagos City Marathon, Dagne Siranesh Virga; Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babajide SanwoOlu; and Minister of Sports, Mr. Sunday Dare, at the 2022 Access Bank Lagos City Marathon in Lagos…yesterday

APC Begins Sale of Forms Tomorrow ahead of National Convention Cracks in govs' camp widen over consensus chairmanship

Chuks Okocha and Adedayo Akinwale in Abuja The All Progressives Congress (APC) will on Monday commence the sale of forms to all aspirants vying for national offices ahead of the party's national convention slated for February 26.

This is coming as the cracks in the Progressives Governors’ Forum (PGF) have widened over the choice of a consensus national chairman of the ruling party.

In the schedule of activities released by the party and signed by the Secretary of the Caretaker/ Extraordinary Convention Planning Committee (CECPC), Senator John Akpanudoedehe, the purchase of forms will take place at the national secretariat of the party in Abuja.

The party said: "Sale of Forms to all aspirants vying for National Offices (APC National Secretariat) - 14/02/2022.

Submission of completed forms and accompanying documents (APC National Secretariat) - on or before 19/02/2022."

It added that the publication of the members of the subcommittees for the national convention is scheduled to take place on February 19, 2022, while screening of all aspirants vying for national offices would take place between February 20 and 22, 2022.

The party noted that the screening appeal committees to hear and resolve complaints arising from the screening exercise would be held on February 23.

However, following the recent inauguration of state executives of the party, which has further polarised the ruling party, indications have emerged yesterday that the ruling APC is doing all it can to avoid an elective convention.

However, there appears to be cracks in the Progressives Governors’ Forum over the choice of a consensus national chairman.

THISDAY gathered that the cracks widened after two North-west governors allegedly

presented their choice of a consensus chairman for the party to the presidency without the knowledge of the other APC governors.

It was learnt that the two governors presented their choice to the Presidency but other APC governors rejected the choice.

A source privy to the political

horse trading told THISDAY that the Presidency told the two governors to meet the Chairman of the APC Caretaker Committee, Governor Mai Bala Buni and other members of the committee to discuss and agree on the options that met its (presidency) criteria.

THISDAY gathered that the

consensus arrangement was being considered in order to reduce the acrimony within the party.

Meanwhile, some chairmanship aspirants have disagreed on the mode of election of the new national leaders of the party.

While some aspirants promised to align with the decision of the

leadership of the party, others said they would prefer an elective convention to elect the chairman of the ruling party.

Speaking on the issue, the Senator representing Niger East and a chairmanship aspirant, Senator Sani Musa, said the mode of election would depend on the provision of the law.

Also, the former Governor of Zamfara State, Abdulaziz Yari said he wouldn't mind if he emerges as the consensus candidate of the party.

Yari, who spoke through his Chief of Staff, Mr. Abdulkarim Tsafe, told THISDAY that he would prefer an elective convention.

FG RE JECTS TWO CARGOES OF ADULTERATED PETROL IMPORTED FROM BELGIUM (NNPC).

As at yesterday, majority of filling stations in Abuja were shut even as motorists spent hours in the sun struggling to buy from the few that were open.

The imported cargoes were said to have high methanol content, while marketers were advised not to sell to consumers, after over 100 million litres were said to have been in circulation.

But quoting Refinitiv Eikon ship tracking and other sources, Reuters reported that the two tankers, STI SYMPHONY and VELOS DIAMANTIS, were turned back by the federal government against the backdrop of other petrol cargoes loaded in Antwerp for containing too much methanol.

According to a fixture list from a ship broker and Refinitiv Eikon data, Litasco chartered the STI SYMPHONY for January 15 to take 90,000 tonnes of petrol to West Africa.

The STI SYMPHONY loaded petrol in Antwerp around January 22 before sailing to Lagos, but has now been turned back, according to the Refinitiv Eikon ship tracking.

However, the tanker did a U-turn off the coast of Guinea on February and is now heading back to the Amsterdam-Rotterdam-Antwerp oil hub, Reuters reported.

According to the report, NNPC did not respond to a request for comment. Litasco had previously said it does not comment on trading activities and did not immediately respond to a query on the STI Symphony.

The VELOS DIAMANTIS, carrying 60,000 tonnes, and allegedly chartered by Mercuria, did a U-turn on February 4, after showing Lagos

as its destination, Refinitiv Eikon ship tracking showed. A Mercuria source, however, said the company no longer owns the tanker’s cargo.

The NNPC had while labouring to absolve itself of complicity in the importation and distribution of millions of litres of the bad product into the country, named Belgium as the country of origin of the adulterated fuel.

Amid the damage done to vehicles in some states in the country, the federal government had vowed to investigate the matter with a view to bringing the culprits to book.

Group Managing Director of the NNPC, Mallam Mele Kyari, however, stated that from his investigation, the four petrol cargoes were imported by MRS, Emadeb/Hyde/AY Maikifi/ Brittania-U Consortium and Oando.

All the companies mentioned, aside Duke Oil, the NNPC’s trading arm, have since denied complicity.

Ironically, Kyari had maintained that the cargoes’ quality certificates issued at the loading port in Belgium, by AmSpec Belgium, indicated that the product complied with the Nigerian specification.

Furthermore, he said the NNPC quality inspectors including GMO, SGS, GeoChem and G&G conducted tests before discharge, which showed that the cargo also met the country’s standard.

He stated that all defaulting suppliers had been put on notice for remedial actions, stressing that the NNPC would work with other stakeholders to take further necessary actions in line with subsisting regulations.

He did not explain what “further

necessary action” would be taken even after saying that there was no national standard for methanol in the fuel imported into Nigeria.

The decision to reject the cargoes also came days after President Muhammadu Buhari expressed anger over the importation and circulation of the contaminated petrol in the country.

THISDAY had exclusively reported that the President had therefore ordered that the Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA), Mr. Farouk Ahmed, be queried immediately.

NNPC had also in January announced that it received four tankers carrying unusable petrol that was loaded in Belgium by Litasco, the trading arm of Russia’s Lukoil, and sold to local traders.

The fuel was found to contain too much methanol and was removed from circulation, causing shortages nationwide.

Following the incident, the NNPC banned methanol content in future petrol deliveries. Previously, traders said Nigeria did not specify methanol content. Methanol is sometimes added to petrol in small amounts because it is a cheaper, and cleaner burning fuel that also optimises engine functioning.

Although methanol, in small amounts, is a regular petrol additive, the industry’s regulator said the supplier of the off-specification petrol was known but did not name the firm.

NNPC handles nearly all the imports through crude-for-fuel contracts, known as Direct Sale, direct Purchase (DSDP), with consortia of local and foreign oil

firms.

Each consortia THISDAY learnt, receives some quantities of crude oil in exchange for petrol.

Embattled Chief Executive Officer of the NMDPRA, Farouk Ahmed, during the week, stated that the NNPC had received a delivery of 300 million litres to close the supply gap created in the country by the withdrawal of the off-spec petrol.

The NMDPRA boss had further stated that the country currently has petrol that can last for 20 days, 10 days short of the usual 30-day reserve

OPEC’s Production Drops by 700,000bpd Meanwhile, OPEC and its allies have continued to produce crude oil below their oil production targets, with the group’s output falling by a record 700,000 barrels per day (bpd) below its collective quotas in January.

An S&P Global Platts survey indicated that OPEC's 13 countries raised output by 150,000 bpd from December, pumping 28.19 million bpd of crude, while the nine non-OPEC partners, led by Russia, only managed to add a meagre 10,000 bpd, producing 13.99 million bpd.

The cartel’s underperformance continued even as there appears to be no end in sight to the rising prices of oil occasioned by tightening supply and growing demand for the commodity, mainly on the back of growing tensions between Ukraine and Russia.

Oil traders have continued to be rattled by reports that a Russian invasion of Ukraine could take place within days and bid up oil

prices to over $95 in large trading volumes.

Traders fear disruptions of oil and natural gas flows from Russia to Europe in case a war begins, either directly from blown-up pipelines or halted flows, or indirectly when energy trade gets caught up in sanctions.

Russia delivers Europe with one-third of its natural gas needs and exports around 2 million bpd of both crude oil and refined products to European nations.

According to the OPEC's Monthly Oil Market Report (MOMR) for January, released this week, Nigeria struggled to pump 1.399 million bpd out of the total allocation, quoting primary (direct) sources.

This was in contrast to December 2021, when it pumped 1.197 million barrels per day and November when it was only able to produce 1.275 million bpd.

The biggest increases in crude oil production came from Nigeria, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), and Kuwait, while output declined in OPEC's second-largest producer Iraq, as well as in Venezuela and Libya.

But in all, S&P stated that 14 out of the 18 members with quotas underproduced their targets, pushing OPEC+ compliance to 120.8 per cent, the highest since the group instituted record output cuts in April 2020 to pull the oil market out of its pandemic crash.

Despite strong gains from the group's core Gulf members and Russia, disruptions in several OPEC+ countries, including Venezuela, Kazakhstan, Libya and Iraq, limited the bloc's growth in January, it stated.

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Ortom Kicks as Security Operatives Him from Entering NAF Base' 'Bar Air Force apologises to Benue gov George Okoh in Makurdi The Governor of Benue State, Dr. Samuel Ortom, yesterday disclosed that he was denied entry into the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) Base in Makurdi, the state capital, where he was expected to receive the Vice President, Professor Yemi Osinbajo.

NAF has however apologised to Ortom, who later received Osinbajo on his way back from Wukari in Taraba State, where he attended the combined convocation ceremony of the University of Wukari.

The government disclosed that he had accepted the apology.

Ortom, who spoke to journalists at the Government House, said that security personnel barred him on getting to the airport of NAF. The governor brandished a letter from the Presidency dated February 10, 2022, and signed by Ambassador Abdullahi Gwary, Senior Special Assistant to the president on foreign affairs/ head of protocol office of the Vice President.

The letter was titled: ‘Visit of His Excellency, Professor Yemi Osinbajo, SAN, GCON, Vice President, Federal Republic of Nigeria, to Wukari, Taraba State, Transiting through NAF Base Makurdi, on Saturday, 12th, January (February), 2022.’

Ortom said following the letter, he had to shelve other state matters and move to the airport to receive the vice president but regretted that he was barred from entering the airport.

According to him, “It is unfortunate that an ugly incident occurred today, which is a breach of protocol and I felt so sad for our country, Nigeria, where everything has been reduced to politics.

“I was to attend the burial ceremony of our leader, Professor Ayua; I had made all arrangements to go to Konshisha but a letter was brought to me that the vice president was

transiting from Makurdi to Wukari.

“It is a normal thing that when distinguished people like the president or vice president is passing through your state, the governor should receive him.

“So, I asked the deputy governor to represent me at the burial of Professor Ayua.

“This morning I went to the Air Force base to receive the vice president, who will be transiting to Wukari but unfortunately, I was barred in my own state.

It is a breach of protocol,” the

governor added.

Ortom described the action as political and warned that such would continue to retard development.

He said: “This is politics taken too far and somebody must account for this. If the personality of the vice president was passing and I didn’t go, it will be a breach of protocol on my side.

“How can I go to Air Force base and I am barred?

It has never happened; it is not acceptable. May be, the

Presidency that wrote to me is not aware of this. If we must make progress, we must learn to differentiate between politics and governance.

“I am not a busy body; I have so many things to do. As I talk to you, the entire Gwer West is under siege. The Fulani are burning houses and I had to shelve everything to receive the vice president. I feel so pained that politics has gone beyond what it is supposed to be. That is very bad.

“There is no permanent

enemy in politics or permanent friend. Tomorrow, I can feel to be the best friend of Mr. President if they do the right thing. I don’t hate the president or vice president. All I am saying is to add value to development.

I have never insulted the president; I have never insulted the vice president or the federal government but there are certain things they are doing that are wrong.”

Ortom who expressed worries over the style of governance of President Muhammad Buhari

advised him to learn to be a democrat The governor who later received the vice president on his way back, said the Air Force authorities apologised and he had accepted the apology.

In a brief chat with journalists at the Presidential Wing of the Makurdi Airport shortly after seeing off the vice president, the governor said the misunderstanding came as a result of an error in communication, which had been resolved.

GREAT HONOUR… Vice President Yemi Osinbajo (left), and Mr. Damian Dodo (SAN), during the conferment of Doctor of Law (LLD), Honoris Causa, on Dodo by the Federal University, Wakari, Taraba State…yesterday

ATIKU UNDER FIRE FOR KICKING AGAINST ZONING OF 2023 PRESIDENTIAL TICKET Speaking at a meeting with members of a group, ‘Let’s Fix Nigeria’ who were on a solidarity visit at his residence in Abuja on Friday, Atiku said zoning was unconstitutional.

The former vice president argued: “There is no zoning in the constitution; there is none. I was a member of the constituent assembly that drafted the current constitution and there was nothing like that.”

He also reportedly stated that any Nigerian endowed with the right attributes could lead the country, as against the call for a younger president.

Reacting to the rejection of zoning by Atiku, the National President of Middle Belt Forum (MBF), Dr. Bitrus Pogu, told THISDAY yesterday that the former vice president was being driven by money and not ability.

He advised Atiku to be patriotic in his quest for power, adding that “he’s not more intelligent than everybody in this country.”

“If Atiku were not a rich man, would he have been clamouring for president? He’s just a Nigerian; he’s not more intelligent than everybody in this country. It’s his money that is driving him, rather than ability. Is he saying he’s the only one that has the intellect and capacity to rule

this country? Does he have to be a president to be able to add value to governance in this country? There some individuals who think if they are not the one, nothing can happen in this country. But that is a lie; there are so many people out there.

“We are trying to save this country; the presidency is not about an individual, but about saving Nigeria,” Pogu said.

Reacting to Atiku’s claim that zoning is not in the Nigeria’s constitution, Pogu said: “There are so many things that are not in the constitution that we practice for political stability in the country.

“For instance, the Peoples Democratic Party; a party Atiku joined in founding; a party that I can say that he’s one of the greatest beneficiaries, has zoning in its constitution,” he added.

Pogu recalled that in 2019, “we all felt that this government was not doing well for Nigeria, and we said Atiku should then come in and take over.

We did what we should do.

But there were a lot of rigging and inflation of votes; like in Borno State that her people have been dislodged from their places producing unbelievably higher votes than states that are stable; and Yobe State producing votes higher than accredited voters.

“When the party went

to court, Atiku abandoned everybody and disappeared to Dubai. People didn’t even ask him the reason he disappeared. It was as if he was not interested in taking back his mandate. Today, he is the one saying this, because he thinks it is birthright. I don’t want to talk too much. Nigerians will give him the deserving response.”

Pogu urged the former vice president to be a patriot and an elder statesman, and support any Southerner he believes would not be a tribalist and would not be nepotic to address Nigeria’s problems.

PANDEF: Atiku's Position on Zoning Unfortunate, Disappointing On its part, the Pan Niger Delta Forum (PANDEF) has described the position of Atiku that zoning is not provided for in the 1999 Constitution as unfortunate and disappointing.

The group also described Atiku's position as a mockery of the nation's constitution, which preaches equity, fairness and inclusiveness.

It reiterated the call on all registered political parties to field southern candidates for the 2023 general election so as to

have the support of the group.

National Publicity Secretary of PANDEF, Hon. Ken Robinson, told THISDAY yesterday that his group was disappointed at the statement credited to Atiku on the zoning of the presidency.

He said: "It is rather unfortunate that the former vice president drew such a conclusion. He knows his statement is inconsistent with established and justifiable protocols and conventions, which have helped to sustain considerable understanding, peace and stability in the polity."

According to him, the narrative that there is no zoning in the nation's constitution is a conscienceless mockery of Nigeria’s democratic evolution, and indeed, the country's constitution.

"It bears underscoring that Nigeria's Constitution, though flawed, has ample provisions that emphasise inclusiveness, fairness and equity.

"Section 14(3) of the Constitution (as amended) provides that ‘the composition of the Government of the Federation or any of its agencies and the conduct of its affairs shall be carried out in such a manner as to reflect the federal character of Nigeria and the need to promote national unity, and also to command national loyalty, thereby

ensuring that there shall be no predominance of persons from a few states or from a few ethnic or other sectional groups in that government or any of its agencies.” The intent and purpose of this section are precise and explicit."

Robinson further stated that zoning and rotation of key political positions in the polity cannot be discarded in a diverse and complex society like Nigeria, particularly, under the prevailing circumstances.

He advised Atiku and other northerners interested in succeeding President Muhammadu Buhari in 2023 to forget such idea, adding that it cannot stand the test of time.

Ohanaeze Ndigbo Expresses Disappointment Also reacting, the apex Igbo socio-cultural organisation, Ohanaeze Ndigbo yesterday expressed disappointment at Atiku’s comments on zoning, describing them as unfortunate and sad.

The organisation said it was unthinkable that the former vice president who had benefited from zoning in his political contests over the years would suddenly kick against same.

National Publicity Secretary

of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Chief Alex Chiedozie Ogbonnia, who spoke to THISDAY, noted that having enjoyed tremendous support of Ndigbo over the years, Atiku should use the 2023 presidency to reciprocate the gesture.

“In the first place, Atiku has been involved in the politics of this country for about 30 years, from SDP, and several other parties.

“He understands the politics of Nigeria. We are surprised at this his position. PDP has been using zoning as strategy for winning elections in the past.

He should realise that Igbos have always supported him even four years ago. If there are any people he should show support, it should be Igbos,” he stated.

He further noted that Atiku should not to allow his presidential ambition to becloud his sense of reasoning.

“We are completely disappointed that he is making this kind of comment. Atiku knows the truth and should not allow his ambitions to lead him to abandoning all he once stood for.

“We used to know him as a man that supports justice, fairness and equity; let him not deviate from this because it will be so unfortunate and sad,” Ogbonnia added.

SUNDAY FEBRUARY 13, 2022 • T H I S D AY

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

NEWS

PARTY AFFAIRS… L-R: Enugu State Deputy Governor, Mrs. Cecilia Ezeilo; Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi; state Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, Hon. Augustine Nnamani; and Deputy Minority Leader and member representing Aninri/Awgu/Oji River Federal Constituency, Hon. Toby Okechukwu, during the PDP’s local government elections campaign in Aninri Local Government Area…yesterday

Nullification of Executive Order 10: No Winner, No Loser, Say SANs Alex Enumah in Abuja As reactions continue to trail Friday’s judgment of the Supreme Court nullifying President Muhhamadu Buhari”s Executive Order 10 (E10), which directed the implementation of financial autonomy for the states’ judiciary and legislature, senior lawyers have described the judgment as one that was neither won nor lost by parties in the suit.

Senior lawyers, who spoke on the implications of the judgment, were of the opinion that it is the constitution that is rather the winner in the legal battle between the federal and the state governments.

The apex court had in a split decision of six-to-one, held that the president exceeded his powers when he initiated the E10 to compel the governors of the 36 states to implement the constitutional provisions on financial autonomy of the states’ judiciary and legislature.

In his apparent bid to deepen democracy in the country, and in response to the agitations of judiciary workers, President Buhari had in 2020 signed into law the Executive Order 10 to compel the states to implement the provisions of Section 121(3) of the 1999 Constitution.

Specifically, E10 directs the Accountant-General of the Federation to deduct from the allocations due to a state from the Federation Account, any sums appropriated for the legislature or judiciary of that state, which the state fails to release to its legislature or judiciary as the case may be and to pay the funds directly to the state’s legislature or judiciary concerned.

The move it was believed would curtail the alleged dominance of the state executive over the two other arms of government.

But the states through their Attorneys-General swiftly approached the court to challenge the legality of the presidential order, insisting that it was unconstitutional and should be voided.

However, the seven-man panel of justices of the apex court, which heard the matter

held divergent positions leading to split decisions on the two issues raised before the court.

Delivering judgment in the suit on Friday, six justices of the apex court agreed with the position of the plaintiffs that President Buhari exceeded his powers by initiating and signing the law.

According to the majority decision, the Executive Order 10 was inconsistent with the 1999 Constitution and therefore unconstitutional, illegal, null and void and of no effect whatsoever.

Those who held this view include: Justices Muhammed Dattijo, Centus Nweze, Ejembi Eko, Adamu Jairo, Helen Ogunwunmiju and Emmanuel Agim.

The court subsequently voided E10 signed into law by President Buhari in 2020.

Reacting to the Supreme Court decision on the The Morning Show, a programme of ARISE NEWS Channel, Mr. Abiodun Owonikoko (SAN), was emphatic that there was no winner or loser in the legal contest between the federal government and the states. “It is not anybody”s loss, it is the constitution that has won,” he said.

According to him, although the judgment came in form of anti-climax, the federal government should be commended for making the various state government activate the provisions of Section 121(3) of the 1999 Constitution.

“Ultimately, the executive arm of government has achieved its objective, the judiciary vindicated,” since the Nigeria Governors’ Forum has agreed with both the judiciary and the federal government to implement the provisions by enacting fund management law for the purpose of the independence of the legislature and the judiciary.

Responding to questions whether the judiciary did not enter judgment foreclosing its own independence when it nullified the E10 which appeared to be in its favour, Owonikoko replied, “The court has not ruled against itself because before the executive order, it has been a matter of executive discretion by the various states’ government, how much and in what manner

monies due to the other two arms of government are released whereas the Constitution at that time expressly by the amendment made in 2017, took that discretion out of the hands of the governors”.

He explained that because most of the state legislators were in the pockets of the governors they were unable to assert themselves, adding that the constitution itself was not a self-executing instrument, thereby necessitating the need for some form of framework by which one can judge compliance with Section 121(3).

“Now, the governors by assenting to the various fund management bills that were initiated by consent of all of them at the level of the governors’ forum can no longer exercise those powers because there are bodies set up which will start with budget preparation, budget allocation and then appropriation.

“Once the appropriation is done in form of financial bill in the state houses of assembly, the governor has no say anymore.

Whatever is due from the consolidated revenue to it or the other arms of government go directly from the accountant general of the state to their account’s management bodies.

In the court, the heads of the courts and the chief registrar manage the finances of the courts.| Also reacting, another senior lawyer, Reverend John Baiyeshea (SAN), noted that the simple implication of the judgment is that the constitutional provisions on the subject matter shall prevail.

According to him, Buhari had initiated E10 “out of genuine concern (as a result of agitations and long strike actions by JUSUN for the enforcement/ implementation of same).

He however, agreed with the majority judgment that since the Constitution has covered the field, the Executive Order 10 made by the President becomes unnecessary.

“Actually, the issue of autonomy of the judiciary as provided for in the Constitution is with regards to control of the

funds budgeted for the Judiciary.

State governors over the years have always hijacked the funds of the judiciary and they will now be giving pittance to judiciary as if doing them a favour.

“The governors derive enormous pleasure in exercising power to control the judiciary.

The judiciary is never in charge of their affairs. If you cannot control your fund, you are not independent.

“So, it is all about independence of the judiciary.

The same governors who have been frustrating the full implementation of the autonomy for the Judiciary 'rushed' to Court to challenge Executive Order 10, which the President made to strengthen the independence of the Judiciary.

For Mr. Dayo Akinlaja (SAN), “the plain implication of it is that the EO10 is now non-existent in the eye of the law and not

binding on the states.

“It is a decision of the apex court of the land against which there is no appeal. In the circumstance, the states are at liberty to continue with the issue of funding the judicial sector as they may choose or consider appropriate”.

He however, noted that the only remedy lies with the amendment of the Constitution.

“Until then, the status quo continue,” he added

Shake-up in Aso Villa as Buhari Sacks First Lady's Aide, Redeploys Three Others Okays Zorro, two others as aides to Aisha Deji Elumoye in Abuja President Muhammadu Buhari has approved the sack of one aide of the First Lady, Aisha Buhari and the redeployment of three others.

He also approved the appointment of former President of the Nigerian Union of Journalists (NUJ), Mallam Sani Zorro, as media aide to the First Lady.

Buhari has also approved the appointment of two more personal aides to Aisha.

According to a statement issued yesterday by the president’s spokesman, Mallam Garba Shehu, the disengagement of the Special Assistant to the President on Domestic and Social Events, Office of the First Lady, Zainab Kareem, took effect from Friday, February 11, 2022.

At the instance of the First Lady, Aisha Buhari, the president also approved the immediate redeployment of three of the political appointees in her office to the office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, pending their assignment to some other government departments or agencies.

Those affected by the redeployment are: Dr. Mohammed Kamal Abdulrahman, Senior Special Assistant to the President on Health and Development Partners and Personal Physician

to the First Lady; Hadi Uba, Special Assistant to the President on Administration and Wole Aboderin, Special Assistant to the President on Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs).

President Buhari also gave the go-ahead for the appointment of a journalist, politician and former lawmaker, Zorro, as the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Public Affairs and Strategy, Office of the First Lady.

Zorro, a famous journalist, brings to the new job decadeslong experience in media practice, publishing and unionist leadership.

He was at various times President of NUJ, West African Journalists Association (WAJA) and the Federation of African Journalists (FAJ).

Zorro was in the House of Representatives where he chaired the committee on Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs), Refugees and Initiatives on North-east.

Buhari has also approved the appointment of two more personal aides to the First Lady.

According to a separate statement issued by Shehu, A’isha Rimi, a law graduate of the University of Buckingham in England is appointed as the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Legal Matters, Office of the First Lady.

Rimi, is a resourceful administrative executive and a founding partner at Africa

Law Practice, a commercial law firm in Nigeria.

Dr. Zabah Muhammad Jawa is also appointed as Personal Physician to the First Lady.

Jawa, a Senior Consultant in Nuclear medicine and European Certified in Nuclear Medicine is a Fellow of the College of Radiologists of Nigeria and Fellow of the South African College of Nuclear Physicians.

No reason was given for the reshuffle but it came barely 48 hours after the first lady was spotted on an evening train returning from Kaduna to Abuja.

Pictures of the First Lady sitting in one of the cabins of the Kaduna to Abuja rail line, were all over the media on Friday morning, including some major national dailies, leaving many of those conversant presidential travels wondering.

She has since explained why she decided to travel back to Abuja by train rather than following the routine flight back.

Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Office of the First Lady, Aliyu Abdullahi, said she did it to encourage patronage for the railway service system in the country.

Abdullahi explained that the first lady intended to interact with ordinary Nigerians while on the journey, and also show Nigerians that travelling by rail is safe and effective.

SUNDAY FEBRUARY 13, 2022 • T H I S D AY

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T H I S D AY, T H E S U N D AY N E W S PA P E R ˾ FEBRUARY 13, 2022

EDITORIAL

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

EXECUTIVE ORDER 10 AND THE GOVERNORS The executive order is in excess of the president's constitutional powers

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HISDAY is not surprised by the Supreme Court judgement that has annulled President Muhammadu Buhari’s Executive Order 10, which seeks to compel the 36 states of the federation to implement the financial autonomy granted to the legislature and judiciary by the 1999 Constitution as altered.

The quashed order, ‘Implementation of financial autonomy for state legislature and judiciary 2020’, had provided that in the event of failure of any state government to release the allocations due their legislature or judiciary, the Accountant General of the Federation should deduct the allocation from source and pay it to the legislature and the judiciary in the defaulting states.

In a split judgement delivered in a suit by the 36 state governors last Friday, the apex court affirmed that President Buhari exceeded his powers by initiating and signing Executive Order 10. “This country is still a federation and the 1999 Constitution it operates is a federal one. The Constitution provides a clear delineation of powers between the states and the federal government,” the court ruled in its lead judgement read by Justice Dattijo Muhammad. “The President has overstepped the limit of his constitutional powers by issuing the Executive Order 10. The country is run on the basis of the rule of law.”

In the THISDAY editorial of 2nd June 2020, we predicted this outcome: “We agree with the principle behind Executive Order 10 signed by the president…

But there are also contending issues.

The provision which empowers the Accountant General of the Federation to ‘authorise the deduction from source in the course of Federation Accounts Allocation from the money allocated to any

We hope the governors will not see this judgement as a victory for their lawlessness. We are encouraged by the fact that some have indeed complied with the law in their states

Letters to the Editor

State of the Federation that fails to release allocation meant for the State Legislature and State Judiciary in line with the financial autonomy guaranteed by Section 121(3) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (as Amended)’ is contentious. Notwithstanding Section 5 of the Constitution which confers on the president powers to uphold and defend the Constitution, the right of states to their own shares of the funds in the federation account by virtue of section 162 cannot be hindered by an executive order….”

However, it is important to understand that the president was pushed into what turned out to be self-help by the recalcitrant disposition of the governors. As we argued in the past, in a country where the rule of law is supreme, there would have been no need for any executive order to compel governors to comply with a constitution they all swore to uphold. The import of Executive Order 10 was to ensure that governors allow the houses of assembly and judiciary in their states to operate independently as provided by the 1999 constitution as altered. hat many governors believe their powers come without accountability is at the root of this crisis. And with that, both the judiciary and legislature have been rendered prostrate in a majority of the 36 states. Lack of financial autonomy by these two arms of government accounts for this situation.

That is what Executive Order 10 sought to resolve. The lone dissenting judgement of Justice Uwani Abba-Aji makes this clear. “The action of the president is justifiable taking into consideration the hanky-panky subterfuge played by state governors against the independence and financial autonomy of state judiciary,” she said. “It is a pitiable eyesore what judicial officers and staff go through financially at the hands of state executives, who often flout constitutional and court orders to their whims and caprices.”

Meanwhile, this judgment has not nullified the Constitutional provision on the first line charge. What it says is that the president lacked the powers to issue Executive Order 10.

That has, however, thrown up a fundamental question: If governors can blatantly refuse to obey the constitution, as it is the case on this matter, how do the affected parties seek redress?

Overall, we hope the governors will not see this judgement as a victory for their lawlessness.

We are encouraged by the fact that some have indeed complied with the law in their states.

Those that have not should do the needful by implementing the provision of the constitution as interpreted by the courts in an earlier case on the subject matter.

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

T H I S DAY N E W S PA P E R S L I M I T E D EDITOR-IN-CHIEF/CHAIRMAN NDUKA OBAIGBENA GROUP EXECUTIVE DIRECTORS ENIOLA BELLO, KAYODE KOMOLAFE, ISRAEL IWEGBU, IJEOMA NWOGWUGWU, EMMANUEL EFENI DIVISIONAL DIRECTORS SHAKA MOMODU, PETER IWEGBU, ANTHONY OGEDENGBE DEPUTY DIVISIONAL DIRECTOR OJOGUN VICTOR DANBOYI SNR. ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR ERIC OJEH ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR PATRICK EIMIUHI CONTROLLERS ABIMBOLA TAIWO, UCHENNA DIBIAGWU, NDUKA MOSERI DIRECTOR, PRINTING PRODUCTION CHUKS ONWUDINJO TO SEND EMAIL: first name.surname@thisdaylive.com

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

THE CONTINUED RELEVANCE OF RADIO IN THE DIGITAL AGE

R

adio seems to be getting a run for its money these days.

As we celebrate World Radio Day today, it would appear on face value that radio, as the first information and communication technology for instantaneous mass communication, is in decline. That a celebration of radio is perhaps even anachronistic, in this online, digitized world.

Has the relative ease of digital connectivity and multiplicity of platforms like WhatsApp, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, YouTube and TikTok, among many others, relegated radio to a position of mere background noise, literally and figuratively?

Radio’s important role in society was defined by the first Director General of the fledgling BBC in 1920. John Reith said radio should inform, educate

and entertain. Through his long tenure as the Director General of the BBC, Reith fought several battles to keep radio a public service devoted to the education and enlightenment of the British people. Across the Atlantic in the Unites States, disparate groups of educationists, reformers and other professional groups fought a similar battle. But they failed in their efforts, and radio became a part of corporate America, diminishing its public service and education role.

The first radio broadcasts in Nigeria in 1932 were programmes of the BBC’s British Empire Service. In the 1940s, the Radio Distribution Service (RDS) broadcasted weekly educational programmes, and radio for education and development was entrenched in the Nigerian Broadcasting Service in 1951.

In fact, there is a generation

of older Nigerians today whose first exposure to numeracy and literacy was through the educational broadcasts of Radio Nigeria. Radio has everything to perform an educational role effectively. It has the warm intimacy and soothing voice of your favourite teacher. Radio breaks down the barriers of distance and illiteracy, reaching far-flung, difficult to access communities in their own languages. It is cheap and mobile.

These qualities have kept radio going despite the onslaught of its younger cousins, television, the internet, and social media.

Radio is not in decline in Nigeria, despite the growth and sometimes overbearing arrogance of new communication technologies. There are 33 million active social media users in Nigeria.

This is about 16 per cent of the population. But, according to the

Broadcasting Board of Governors Gallup polls, more than 77 per cent of Nigerians still listen to the radio at least once a week, making radio the most dominant means of mass communication in Nigeria.

“Virtual” - or remote - learning started with radio more than 70 years ago in Nigeria. The advent of COVID-19 pandemic and its attendant lockdowns, coupled with the possibility of digital connectivity for education, seem to have put radio on the back foot. But radio reached more children with remote learning during the lockdown than did digital platforms. It reached far more children in deprived neighbourhoods and hard-to-reach communities.

UNICEF supported several state governments to pilot radio learning programmes for children during the lockdown. For example, working with the State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB) in Borno State, more than 300,000 children received learning in four core subject areas including

English and Mathematics.

In planning communication strategies and education interventions today, it is good to focus on the new technologies. Our future, after all, is digital. But when we look to conquer the learning crisis that stares us in the face, with more than 13 million children not going to school in Nigeria; when we agonise over the ravages of the COVID-19 pandemic on education and how to address them, let us not forget the importance of radio.

Any strategy that ignores millions of poor children in hard-to-reach communities who are digitally excluded will only succeed in achieving less than half of its objective. It needs the complementary role of radio, the sound alternative that allows us to reach all.

Dr. Geoffrey Njoku, Communications and Advocacy Specialist, United Nations Children’s Fund

THISDAY, THE SUNDAY NEWSPAPER FEBRUARY 13, 2022

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Edited by: Ejiofor Alike

The Week in Review...

MRS, Oando, Duke Oil in Adulterated Fuel Saga A major highlight of last week was the circulation of adulterated petrol, which damaged the engines of some vehicles in the country.

The withdrawal of the off-spec product from circulation caused fuel scarcity and long queues in filling stations.

Reacting to the development, the Nigerian National Company Limited (NNPC) stated that its investigation revealed the presence of Methanol in four petrol cargoes imported by MRS, Emadeb/ Hyde/AY Maikifi/Brittania-U Consortium, Oando and Duke Oil. Group Managing Director of NNPC, Mallam Mele Kyari disclosed this during a media briefing on Wednesday, saying he had since ordered the holding back of all the affected products in transit (both truck & marine).

Speaking in Abuja, Kyari, argued that petrol brought into Nigeria usually does not include the test for the level of methanol content.

The NNPC helmsman maintained that cargoes’ quality certificates issued at the loading port in Belgium, by AmSpec Belgium, indicated that the product complied with Nigerian specification.

Furthermore, he said the NNPC quality inspectors including GMO, SGS, GeoChem and G&G conducted tests before discharge, which showed that the cargo also met the country’s standard.

“As a standard practice for all PMS import to Nigeria, the cargoes were equally certified by inspection agent appointed by the Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) has met Nigerian specification.

“It is important to note that the usual quality inspection protocol employed in both the load port in Belgium and our discharge ports in Nigeria do not include the test for per cent of methanol content and therefore the additive was not detected by our quality inspectors,” he reportedly said.

The Week in Review...

Sanusi: Adesina: Africa’s GDP Nigeria Declined by $165bn in 2020 Now President of the African Development Bank (AfDB), Dr. Akinwunmi Adesina, has painted a gloomy picture of Africa, saying dwindling economic fortunes in 2020 resulted in $165 billion decline in the continent’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP).

Adesina, Nigeria’s former Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, stated that over 30 million jobs were lost while 26 million persons fell into extreme poverty.

He revealed this decline in a paper he delivered to African leaders at the 35th Ordinary Session of the Assembly of the African Union in Addis Ababa, the Ethiopian capital, recently.

The paper was titled, “Mobilising Financing for Africa’s Accelerated Economic Recovery, Development and Integration,” x-raying the status of Africa’s economy in 2020.

He said, “It has been a global economic cyclone.

Africa witnessed a decline in GDP growth of 2.1 per cent in 2020, its lowest in 20 years. Africa’s GDP fell by $165 billion. Over 30 million jobs were lost and over 26 million people fell into extreme poverty.”

The AfDB boss, however, praised African leaders for their effort to tackle the COVID-19 pandemic.

He stated, “I wish to commend the leadership efforts of the African Union, and our Heads of State and Government, for the critical roles you have played in dealing with the pandemic and the socio-economic challenges in its wake.

“Today, thanks to these efforts, 11 per cent of the population has been fully vaccinated, and another 16 per cent has been partially vaccinated.

“However, while developed countries have moved to booster shots, Africa is still struggling with basic shots.”

Buhari Vows to Sanction Suppliers of Adulterated Fuel President Muhammadu Buhari on Thursday said suppliers of the methanol-blended petroleum products in the country were liable for the bad fuel and should be held accountable.

Buhari directed relevant government agencies to take every lawful step to ensure the respect and protection of consumers against market abuse and social injustice.

In a statement by his spokesman, Mallam Garba Shehu, the President said the protection of consumer interests was the priority of his administration. He said his government was ready to take necessary measures to protect consumers from hazardous products, loss or injuries from the consumption of substandard goods.

The president directed that in line with the law, service providers must make full disclosure of relevant information with respect to the consumption of their products. He said dissatisÀed consumers were entitled to proper redress of their complaints.

However, following the disclosure by the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC) that its investigation revealed the presence of methanol in four petrol cargoes imported by MRS, Emadeb/Hyde/AY MaikiÀ/Brittania-U Consortium, Oando and Duke Oil, the House of Representatives yesterday directed the national oil company to suspend the companies involved.

Again, Buhari Warns Foreign Diplomats against Meddling in Nigeria’s Internal Politics President Muhammadu Buhari has warned foreign diplomats against meddling in the internal politics of Nigeria as the nation prepares for the 2023 general election.

He gave the warning recently while presenting letters of credence to four ambassadors at the State House, Abuja on Thursday, urging all diplomats in the country to adhere to diplomatic practices.

This is the second time in Àve months that the president would be asking diplomats to steer clear of the nation’s local politics.

Buhari had urged foreign envoys to be guided by diplomatic practices to ensure that their activities remain within the limits of their profession in the build-up to the 2023 general election.

After the presentation, the president advised diplomats in the country to stay within the limits of their schedules, and not intrude in the internal politics of the country as the countdown to the 2023 elections begins.

Welcoming the Ambassadors of Czech Republic, Zdenek Krejci; Italy, Stephano De Leo; Spain, Juan Ignacio Sell Sanz and Israel, Michael Shual Freeman, Buhari said: “You are assuming your diplomatic responsibilities in Nigeria at very interesting political period as Nigeria’s national elections are due in early 2023.

“As you settle down in the face of these developments, it is my hope that you will also be guided by diplomatic practice, to ensure that your activities remain within the limits of your profession as you monitor the build-up to and the conduct of the general election next year.’’

The president called for the support of the envoys in tackling rising global insecurity, and strengthening of communality.

Awujale of Ijebuland, Oba Sikiru Adetona (left), and National Leader of the All Progressives Congress, Senator BolaTinubu, during Tinubu’s consultative visit to the monarch on his presidential ambition in Ijebu-Ode…yesterday

Living on Extra Time

A former Emir of Kano, Muhammadu Sanusi II has said whoever will win the 2023 presidential election will face more challenges compared to when President Muhammadu Buhari assumed o΀ce in 2015.

Speaking at a reception to mark the 80th birthday of the Babanla Adinni of Egbaland, Tayo Sowunmi, in Abeokuta, Ogun State, Sanusi said Nigeria is living on “extra time”, noting that the new set of leaders must be ready to make di΀cult decisions.

He said: “To be honest, this country, we are living on extra time. In 2015, we were in a deep hole. In 2023, we will be in an even deeper hole than in 2015,” Sanusi said.

“All those people who are struggling to be president, I hope they understand that the problems that they are going to face are multiples of the problems that were faced in 2015.

“All of us have to be ready for di΀cult decisions and if they are taken, we are all going to pay for them.”

SuprePe &ourt 1ulliÀes Osinbajo: Supreme Court Exceeding Executive Order 10 Constitutional Limit in Election Matters The Supreme Court in a split decision of six to one on Friday held that the Executive Order 10 was unconstitutional and should be declared null and void for contravening the provisions of the constitution.

Out of the seven Justices who sat on the panel, only Aba-aAji disagreed that the Executive Order 10 by President Muhammadu Buhari be nulliÀed for contradicting the 1999 constitution.

According to her, the president’s order was made in good faith to check the excesses of various state governments in respect of the autonomy of states judiciary.

The 36 state governors had dragged the federal government to court over the funding of capital projects for state High Courts, Sharia Court of Appeal and Customary Court of Appeal.

The governors, in the suit, also applied for an order of the apex court to compel the federal government to pay them N66 billion being an amount they have so far spent on capital projects for the three courts in their respective states.

Meanwhile, in another split judgment of four to three the apex court also held that the funding of capital projects for state High Courts, Sharia Court of Appeal and Customary Court of Appeal remains the responsibility of the various state governments.

Vice President Yemi Osinbajo has expressed worry over the judicial interventions in election matters, concurring with rising calls for interrogation of the role of the judiciary, especially, the Supreme Court, in electoral issues, speciÀcally, whether it has not been exceeding its remits.

Osinbajo spoke at the 53rd Conference of the National Association of Law Teachers, held at Bayero University, Kano (BUK). The conference had the theme, “Law, Democracy and the Electoral Process.”

The vice president said legal interpretation must always bow to the wish of the people, citing what he viewed as the unfortunate outcome of the 2019 elections in Zamfara State.

Osinbajo visited the family of the Àve-year-old Hanifa Abubakar, who was killed by proprietor of Nobel Kids Academy, Kwanar Dakata, Nasarawa Local Government Area of the state, Abdulmalik Tanko. He condoled with the family and prayed God to give them the courage to bear the painful passing of their daughter.

Delivering his lecture at the conference, Osinbajo insisted that appropriate interpretation of the law should always bow to the will of the electorate, because the idea of democracy was for the people to determine their leaders.

Judiciary Blames Malami for Delay in +igh proÀle Cases

Malami: Prima Facie Case Now Established against Kyari

Just after the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) Mr. Abubakar Malami blamed judiciary for delay in the trial of politically exposed persons, the third arm of government has faulted his claim, stating that such allegation “appears to be one-sided.”

This was contained in a statement by Ahuraka Isah, Senior Special Assistant (on Media) to the Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Justice Ibrahim Muhammad. In its statement, the judiciary said while it might not be perfect as an institution, it expressed hope that the various allegations being made against it “are not just a way of giving a dog a bad name so as to then hang it.”

The statement claimed that the judiciary “has continued to give its best despite the very harsh conditions under which it is operating.

“The Nigerian judiciary is not here to lay claim to be perfect but when the political and economic conditions under which it is operating is compared with its counterparts in other climes, it would be adjudged a prized model.

“The judiciary by its constitutional position does not have criminal investigation unit or ‘’Fraud Detective Squad’’ to detect and investigate criminal involvement of any person, neither does it have a garrison command to fight its cause or enforce its orders and decisions”, the statement read.

The Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Mr. Abubakar Malami (SAN) has disclosed that a prima facie case has been established against suspended Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP), Abba Kyari over allegations levelled against him by the United States in the fraud case involving an internet fraudster, Ramon Abbas, popularly called Hushpuppi.

Malami revealed this during an interview on Channels Television, noting that multiple jurisdictions were involved in the matter, including the United Arab Emirates, America, and Nigeria.

During the session, the AGF added that though investigations were still on-going, the possibility of extraditing the officer was high.

He also claimed that the number of convictions the administration had so far secured in the fight against corruption clearly established that a recent report by Transparency International had no basis.

Malami explained: “There is a lot of considerations that are ongoing, including the possibility of extradition and that is why the collaboration element comes in.

“There could be a need for extradition. As far as I am concerned, parties are discussing; we are collaborating and there are exchanges of correspondence. Reasonable ground of suspicion has been established and that will eventually translate into prosecution and eventual conviction.”

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T H I S D AY, T H E S U N D AY N E W S PA P E R ˾ FEBRUARY 13, 2022

OPINION

METHANOL-BLENDED PETROL: WHO TAKES THE BLAME? Ayo Akinsola wants erring importers of the contaminated fuel sanctioned

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ollowing the discovery of Methanol-blended petrol otherwise known as Off Spec fuel by the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Ltd and the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) and the withdrawal of the commodity from the markets across the country, the blame game has broken loose – some well-intentioned and corrective, some vexatious.

The news of the imported off spec petrol broke last week as motorists besieged filling stations for petrol when the ``adulterated’’ commodity was withdrawn by the authorities.

Since then some have been calling for the scalp of the officials of NNPC and NMDPRA. This batch of products contained methanol in a proportion that is too high for use in the Nigerian region considering the high oxygen levels in the fuel and the temperature of our region.

Methanol is a clean burning, high octane blending component made from alternative non-petroleum energy sources such as natural gas, coal and biomass. It has been commercially blended into gasoline at various times and locations since 1980. Following the crude oil price shocks of the 1970’s, methanol blending in gasoline was first introduced commercially in the early 1980’s. Because carburetted fuel systems have limited ability to handle high oxygen levels in the fuel, methanol blends were generally limited to three to five volume percent of the gasoline blend. For the mischief-makers or those who are all-out to rubbish the enviable achievements of the duo of President Muhammadu Buhari as the Minister of Petroleum and the duo of the Minister of State, Chief Timipre Sylva, and the Group Managing Director of NNPC Ltd, Mele Kyari, they have forgotten that it was the NNPC that discovered the off spec fuel in the first instance and announced a massive withdrawal of the product nationwide. This was in a bid to ascertain the levels of methanol and determine the appropriate actions to mitigate the issues arising.

Consequently Kyari launched a major investigation to unravel the cause(s) of the unsafe quantity of methanol in the petrol imported into the country. In a swift reaction on Wednesday night, Kyari briefed the press and revealed

the companies that imported the four petrol cargoes as MRS, Emadeb/Hyde/AY Maikifi/Brittania-U Consortium, Oando and Duke Oil and ordered the holding back of all the affected products in transit (both truck & marine).Shedding light on the consignments, Kyari said petrol brought into Nigeria usually does not include the test for the level of methanol content as this was not a typical blend in Nigeria’s gasoline supplies. He also maintained that cargoes’ quality certificates issued at the loading port in Belgium, by AmSpec Belgium, indicated that the product complied with Nigerian specification without indicating the percentage levels of methanol. ``NNPC quality inspectors including GMO, SGS, GeoChem and G&G conducted tests before discharge which showed that the cargo also met the country’s standard,’’ the NNPC boss was quoted as saying.

To ameliorate the situation, the NNPC asked oil trading firms to embark on an emergency supply of petrol to replace cargoes that were rejected because of their poor quality. He said: “In order to prevent the distribution of the petrol, we have ordered the quarantine of all un-evacuated volumes and the holding back of all the affected products in transit (both truck & marine). All defaulting suppliers have been put on notice for remedial actions and NNPC will work with the authority to take further necessary actions in line with subsisting regulations. NNPC wishes to reassure Nigerians that we are currently sourcing additional cargoes to ensure product sufficiency.”

As a timely intervention and remediation, NNPC received delivery of 300 million litres of petrol to close the supply gap created in the country by the withdrawal of the off-spec petrol through six vessels ordered by the company.

In addition, a 9,000-metric tonne vessel being discharged at

How did this off spec product get into circulation undetected and cleared as fit for distribution?

the Apapa Port, Lagos, to major marketers, including OVH, TotalEnergies, 11 Plc, Conoil, and Ardova Plc will also help rid the filling stations of queues.

Cautioning against blame game between NNPC and some of its designated importers over the ‘off spec fuel’, the national body of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) acknowledged the proactive efforts of the Mele Kyari-led NNPC Ltd management to shore up the supply of petrol following the withdrawal from circulation of the contaminated commodity.

The union wrote in a statement signed by its National President Chris Isiguzo: “Since the unfortunate development, it is regrettable to observe that there has been some blame game between NNPC and some of its designated importers over the ‘off spec fuel’. It is important that as responsible corporate organizations, the importers of the contaminated fuel will take full responsibility and seek restitution for the economic mishap.

“What ought to obtain now is for a demand that the probe panel by President Muhammadu Buhari is conclusive, while adequate compensation be paid to all verifiable claims of those whose vehicles may have been affected by the high methanol PMS. Also after having appraised efforts by the Mele Kyari-led NNPC management notes with satisfaction measures to shore up supply of recalled contaminated fuel to ensure that Nigerians do not suffer needlessly.’’

A former Executive Director of an oil company in the country, who did not want his name in print, said NNPC has no blame in the whole matter, insisting that the importers are culpable. ``The good job by the gentleman at the helms in NNPC should not be destroyed; he has brought a lot of stability to the industry and reducing corruption to the barest minimum. No petrol scarcity or adulterated fuel since he took over. ``The government should sanction the four erring importercompanies,’’ a newspaper quoted him as saying.

–Akinsola writes from Lagos

Read full article online - www.thisdaylive.com

NIGERIA AND THE 2023 ELECTIONS The electorate should make informed choice of leaders, urges Kunle Jenrola "Politics is the art of looking for trouble, finding it whether it exists or not, diagnosing it incorrectly, and applying the wrong remedy."

- Ernest Benn (British Author/Political Publicist)

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ven if this unflattering assertion was informed by unwholesome political undercurrents in Britain of the 20th century, it also paints a perceptual characterisation of the political climate in Nigeria of the 21st century.

It captures the reality of a democratic culture redolent in the art of reaping political dividends by stoking dormant but, ultimately, devastating sociopolitical firestorm; without a trouble- shooting strategy.

That's probably why the appeasement for inability to fix petroleum refineries is a policy somersault on fuel subsidy removal at the dawn of an election year.

It is worthy of recall that a cocktail of "wrong diagnoses and incorrect remedy" including President Muhammadu Buhari's approval of $1.5 billion, about N575 billion, for the rehabilitation of the Port Harcourt Refinery in 2020 and a proposed monthly transport grant of N5000 payable to 40 million "poor Nigerians" during the first half of 2022 is distasteful.

Needless to hint that the turmoil of uncertainty created by this administration in the fuel subsidy debacle is now muted by the certainty of turmoil that the next administration would have to deal with.

Again, the same absurd problem- solving style, is evident in the tariff- hike remedy for failing public utilities such as electricity and water; while the antidote for high food prices is the conjuration of rice pyramids in Abuja.

Perhaps no incident validates Benn's Theory better than the evidence provided by the root cause of our insecurity challenge in the North.

A lot of Nigerians remember that the ogre of Boko Haram insurgency, banditry and kidnapping in the North was roused by the perverse dexterity of politicians and organs of state to commit the extra judicial killing of the founder of Boko Haram, Mohammed Yusuf.

This fatal diagnosis became the linch-pin for the radicalisation of Boko Haram and the leeway for importation of extreme religious doctrines symbolised by Islamic States of West African Province (ISWAP). How about of the fomentation of the End Sars Protests presaged by a long history of police brutality leading to the infamous 10-day national slide on a slippery slope to anarchy in October 2020.

Till date, the signs of youth restiveness and embers of self- deter-

mination agitations have retained a tinderbox potential in the Southeast and the Southwest.

What we have here is a setting where governments and politicians have always, albeit inadvertently, turned complex problems into compound troubles Otherwise, why would agreements between government and associations such a National Association of Resident Doctors(NARDs) and Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) remain existential threats to our health and education wellness?

It is only hoped that, by this time, the government would have applied a correct remedy that could head off an imminent long ASUU strike.

As if to switch on a pressure cooker that has nothing but a vote-catching cuisine to serve, the President Muhammadu Buhari's government announced recently that it would soon name and shame sponsors of terrorism in Nigeria.

But, questions are being raised about the timing and propriety of this move from an administration that wears a toga of corruption intolerance: even as this claim is palled by the recent poor rating by Transparency International of Nigeria's anticorruption crusade.

Of course, with a widening gulf of trust between the government and the governed, there's as much distrust as to arouse suspicion that the Buhari government delayed naming sponsors of terrorism till election time in order to tar their opponents in the run-up to next year's general elections.

A theme of Matt Ridley's "The Rational Optimist" that "the more people trust each other in a society, the more prosperous that society is, and trust growth seems to precede income growth" becomes instructive, at this juncture.

Perhaps the argument is sustainable that these incidents that pushed the nation onto the rank of serial debtor resulted from the overzealousness or negligence of top government functionaries and security agents.

But, it is also tenable that in a clime where the institutions are weak and previous agreements are wilfully dishonoured, all actions, reactions and inactions to social challenges flow from the crassitude of the politicians.

The list of insensitive and provocative handling of social challenges is inexhaustible as the scorecards of administrations remain high at identifying problems, only to dash promises made on the altar of economic expediency and exhibition of virtuous selfishness.

In other words, Nigerian politicians, in their quest for power, tend not to "leave any stone (of want) unturned", during campaigns. But, end up not to "leave any turn (of need) unstoned" through denials and betrayal of trust when in office.

This explains why manifestos of political parties have become mere works of fiction produced from the fertile imagination of political spin artistes.

In the meantime, the challenges of Nigeria have remained perennially unyielding to remedies prescribed by successive administrations.

Topical issues such as restructuring, true federalism, corruption, insecurity, infrastructural decay and the politics of oil subsidy have gained pernicious roots in our polity. Indeed, the habitual lack of political will and creativity to tackle these challenges frontally have continued to warp our sense of comparison.

Consequently, governments swept out of office due to underperformance suddenly become the darling of the masses under the bungling glee or highhanded parternalism of a subsisting administration.

One then begins to wonder whether it is the perfidy of the politician that's at play or the gullibility of the electorate that's to blame.

Yes, the citizenry, drenched in the rain of harsh economic reality and electoral unchastity seem unable to shake off the tag of lethargy. Pray, the Electoral Bill would receive the much-awaited Presidential assent from which the masses could draw inspiration.

This reel of political flipflopping of today and yesteryears is to sensitise and prepare Nigerians for a more active engagement with politicians in the next dispensation or, better still, compel us to "shine ya eyes" and make informed choice of leaders in 2023. After all, it is said that "selectivity foregrounds productivity". There's hope in the horizon the moment we realise that crying over spilled milk is counterproductive when there's an opportunity to work on how to prevent a slop or slapper in future. The opportunity to prevent a journey down a slope to disaster presents itself in the unfolding season of 2023 political activities through the vetting of a column of aspirants filing out. It's time to apply an objective test to our recruitment processes for political offices.

Expectedly, all the aspirants are at their brand-enhancing best.

Suddenly, the hardcore politicians: the Atikus, Tinubus, Tambuwals, Okorochas, Orji- Kalu's and Umahis; irrespective of the "EFCC and moral baggage" some carry are dusting up a persona of high integrity and crystal incorruptibility.

– Jenrola, a veteran journalist and communication consultant, writes from Lagos

Read full article online - www.thisdaylive.com

T H I S D AY, T H E S U N D AY N E W S PA P E R ˾ FEBRUARY 13, 2022

15

LETTERS

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AKINWUMI ADESINA’S ALARM ON AFRICA

igerians remember Mr. Akinwumi Adesina fondly, even warmly. He it was who left his post as the Vice President of Policy and Partnerships for the Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA) to become Nigeria`s Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development in 2010.

As Nigeria`s Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, he was named Forbes African Man of the Year for his reform of Nigerian agriculture. He introduced more transparency into the fertilizer supply chain and even proposed to give mobile phones to farmer but was eventually put off by a lack of mobile network in country areas.

On May 28, 2015, Mr. Adesina was elected the presumptive President of African Development Bank.

In 2017, he was awarded

the 2017 World Food Prize and on August 27, 2020 he was re-elected as President of the Africa Development Bank for a second term of five years.

In a paper titled, “Mobilising Financing for Africa`s Accelerated Economic Recovery, Development and Integration”, delivered to African leaders at the 35th Ordinary Session of the Assembly of the African Union in Addis Ababa, the Ethiopian capital, he painted a gloomy picture of Africa amid startling revelations to the effect that Africa had witnessed a decline in GDP growth of 2.1 percent in 2020, its lowest in 20 years; a GDP fall of 165 billion dollars leading to a loss of over 30 million jobs leading over 26 million people to fall into extreme poverty.

He largely blamed the global Covid-19 pandemic for the figures but went

on to starkly warn that, “We must learn from this experience. Africa can no longer outsource the security of the lives of its 1.4 billion people to the benevolence of others. We must secure Africa lives.”

He further added that, ”It is time to build Africa`s healthcare defense system. This must be based on three strategic priorities. First, building Africa`s quality healthcare infrastructure. Second, building Africa`s pharmaceutical industry, and third, building Africa` vaccine manufacturing capacity.

According to him, “Africa needs 600 million to 1.3 milllion dollars to meet its goal of attaining 60 percent vaccine production by 2040. Investing in health is investing in National security. The African Development Bank plans to invest three billion dollars to support pharmaceutical and vaccines manufacturing capacity for Africa.”

Amid truly startling statistics, Mr. Adesina painted a crystal clear picture of the mountains standing in Africa`s way to complete recovery from the pandemic and

advancement along the path of growth because as things stand, if African children are to have any kind of stable future, it is absolutely necessary that the structures are put right.

It was out of nowhere that the Covid-19 pandemic struck the world with such forceful fury. As people watched lives and livelihoods crumble before their eyes, there was the unmistakably bitter feeling that things were going to take a painfully long time to stabilize.

In this time, it was predicted too by experts that the world`s most vulnerable people would take some pretty big hits.

This has come true. Africa which has many of the world`s most vulnerable people has taken a big hit as the figures from the president of the AfDB shown. In Nigeria for example, the World Bank recently said that 91 mil-

WHERE HAVE ALL THE PARENTS GONE? “Education is our children’s passport to the future, for tomorrow belongs to those who prepare for it, today” -Malcolm- X

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aving spent 69 years on Planet Earth, one cannot but be grateful to God for His limitless mercies, love, grace and favour, especially when one still enjoys sound health against all odds. The pain however, stems from the current state of the nation, especially with preventable mass poverty, hunger in the land and youth unemployment that has spiraled into sundry crimes, in the midst of abundant God-given resources.

One is seriously disturbed by the news headlines which are scary, literally screaming blood and getting more heart-rending by the day. For instance, recently, residents of an estate in Abuja panicked as 40 suspected 'Yahoo boys,' all dressed in white, stormed the place for their nocturnal meeting. That same week, a young man was paraded in Delta State, after he was apprehended with human faeces, by a vigilante group in the area, which they observed that he ate from time to time. Reprehensible, isn’t it?

Not long after, one Afeez Olalere, a 32-year-old suspected yahoo boy, confessed to killing his younger brother with the support of his mother, for money ritual! He was arrested by operatives of the Lagos State Police Command during a stop-and-search operation along Itamaga, Ikorodu Road, in Lagos State. What do we make of this horrendous tale of the inhuman kind? But there was more to come.

Early in this same February, the Deputy Superintendent of Police, Ogun State, Abimbola Oyeyemi paraded four teenagers suspected to have killed Sofiat, a girlfriend to

Soliu, one of them for ritual purposes. The boys, aged 17 to 19, were discovered by a community security guard who saw them burning the head of the girl! He, in turn, informed the police at Adatan station, who swooped on the boys. What a generation of blood-thirsty criminals, driven only by the Machiavellian doctrine of the end justifying the means!

It all reminds one of ‘Get Rich Quick, or Die Tryin', a 2005 American hip-hop crime-drama film starring rapper 50-Cent in his feature film acting debut. Years before then, precisely in 1992 the first mainstream movie on Nigerian home video ‘Living in Bondage’ shook the nation’s socio-economic spectrum. The movie tells the riveting story of the occult world and the story of ritual killings.

As of this day the news media is awash, virtually on daily basis, with stories of varying grades of cybercrime, advance free fraud, internet fraud and 419 as grand deception. Others include scam emails and those on false marriage proposals to foreigners. With the greatly misguided Nigerian youth as the hungry flies caught in the well-woven cobweb of money answering all questions, there is cause for serious concern. And they lead us to the burning questions: How did we get to this depth of moral depravity as a people? What factors fuel the passion for sundry crimes? What are the most sustainable solutions to clipping the wings of the vampire bats chasing the shadows of get-rich-quick by all foul means? How do we get the younger generation of Nigerians to follow the natural principles of sowing seeds with the sweat of hard work, weeding off the thistles and thorns, waiting patiently for them to flower and flourish and eventually reaping the fruits when they are ripe and juicy?

That was how life panned out when one was growing up as a youngster. That was back in the rural and largely agrarian, idyllic setting of Oboroke-Ihima town in the then Kabba Province of Northern Region of Nigeria, from the mid’50s up to mid ‘60s. With a deep sense of nostalgia one recollects that moral standard was high, facilitated by a people-oriented leadership structure. The citizens valued the family’s ‘good name’ and did everything humanly possible to protect it. Our parents were there for us; to inculcate in the children the virtues of hard work, humility, self-discipline, respect for elders and creativity.

With the communal living matrix of ‘one for all and all for one’, we ate food from the calabash bowls of love for family and niegbours. Such was the level of discipline that we were corrected from wrong doing not only by our parents but older members of the extended family, who saw us as one. Crimes were therefore, few and far between. In fact, there were thoroughbred herbalists and traditionalists who could identify thieves with their unfailing investigative tools. The perpetrators were brought to speedy justice, as the law was no respecter of people or places, or the sentiment of social status.

That was apart from protecting our rich culture through festivals and the creative programs of cloth-weaving, weaving of baskets, mats, communal cultivation of farmlands and sharing of the bumper harvests.

Besides all these, there was great respect for the sanctity of human life. From the family unit through the education and religious institutions nothing was spared to ensure that the life of every villager counted.

Even as the feats of achievers were celebrated so was the probing of the sources of

anyone boasting of sudden wealth. But what do we have these days? Some teenagers who suddenly appear with fanciful cars and mansions are celebrated by those who should question their sources of sudden riches!

The million-naira question therefore, is to ask if the ritualists, the kidnappers, the armed robbers, the bandits, the members of Boko Haram and other groups of insurgents do not come from some homes? Where are their fathers and mothers? Who is feeding them with food and arming them with weapons of war? Why are they having a field day when the primary duty of those in different arms of government is to protect their lives and property?

The way forward is for every citizen to understand that sound and solid education begins from the home front. But unfortunately, the family unit has broken down. Back in the ‘80s Frank Olize who anchored the hugely popular NTA Newsline on Sundays would look at his watch and ask: “The time is 9 pm, do you know where your children are?”

How many parents of today can answer that all-important question? Do the parents know what manner of hard drugs their children consume, when, where and with whom? How many parents of the 13.2 million schoolaged Nigerian children currently out-of-school can tell us if they know where they are, what they feed on, what they do during the day, or where they sleep at night, if they do?

The current spate of sundry crimes by the youth can also be traced to the dysfunctional political structure that makes our ministers and law makers some of the highest paid political appointees in the world.

They, their family members, cronies and hero-worshippers show off wanton wealth to

satisfy their epicurean tastes, stirring up mass anger and disenchantment.

This is therefore, the right time to use the Root Cause Analytical Approach (RCAA) to stemming the waves of crimes involving our rudderless youth. Only then shall we understand that the solution is predicated on sound moral education foundation right from the family unit. We need solid education delivery in schools and sustainable education policies by the government that place great emphasis on the significance of the protection of human life of others, just as we value ours.

– Ayo Oyoze Baje, Lagos

lion Nigerians live below the poverty line which figure was truly alarming.

Now, with the depredations of the pandemic, many Africans are in for tougher times. Africa should be doing better than it is today but so many factors have simply not allowed an extravagantly gifted continent to thrive.

These factors have conspired to ensure that Africa especially sub- Saharan Africa continues to post some of the worst statistics of human misery.

The immiseration of Africans has been deliberate and systematic. It has come from within and without Africa as bitter colonialists combine forces with homegrown leaders to undermine democracy in many African countries.

With democracy undermined and its structures dismantled, accountable governance goes through the window just as corruption comes in to savagely delineate for a few what should be the lot of many.

Then there are the needless mindless conflicts that continue to convulse many parts of Africa and the growing threat of terrorism.

These all have contributed to weakened government structures in many African countries forcing military men who are themselves incurably corrupt and avaricious to stage military coups. The recent coups that have swept across West Africa bespeak a terrible menace and a dangerous trend.

Africa`s recovery will begin from Africa and it is urgent for the wellbeing of its millions of longsuffering people that it should begin now.

– Kene Obiezu, keneobiezu@gmail.com

THE DEATH OF AYOMIKUN AJIBOLA he death of Miss

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Ayomikun Ajibola, a 200-level student of the Department of Linguistics and African Languages, Obafemi Awolowo University, after falling into a poorly constructed septic tank has sent the entire university community into mourning.

Eye witnesses in the maintenance hostel where Miss Ayomikun resided testified that the young lady spent more than 35 minutes in the septic tank before she was rescued, and confirmed dead at the hospital.

The poor emergency rescue culture in Nigeria has once again contributed to the death of this innocent student, whose parents laboured hard to finance her education up to the tertiary level.

While the university management should ensure that the case is investigated to avert a recurrence, it will be important for the manage-

ment to also institute a high - powered committee responsible for monitoring the welfare of students in private hostels.

The lack of swift emergency response in Nigeria has contributed to waste of lives. While the Nigeria Fire Service Act of 2004 placed the Nigerian Fire Service directly under the supervision of the Federal Ministry of Interior, it is important for the ministry to devise new techniques by ensuring Nigerians are better protected during emergencies. States and federal governments should also prioritize this section within their jurisdictions by providing better welfare for staff of these agencies, and providing them with adequate equipment in order to promptly respond to distress situations.

– Okanume Precious Mmesoma, Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile Ife, Osun State

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SUNDAY FEBRUARY 13, 2022 • T H I S D AY

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THISDAY, THE SUNDAY NEWSPAPER FEBRUARY13, 2022

BUSINESS

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

Oil Importation Error: Absurdity of Nigeria’s Lack of Refining Capacity Last week’s disruption in fuel supply and the attendant return of queues in Lagos and Abuja was another wake-up call on the need to focus on policies that will build local reÀning capacity, end the Áawed subsidy arrangement and remove the pressure on foreign exchange earnings, reports Festus Akanbi

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ithin a spate of one week, a chain of developments in the petroleum sector succeeded in raising tension in the polity as attention shifted away from other pressing issues to the biting eͿects of disruption in the supply of fuel in some parts of the country.

First was the spike in the prices of crude oil at the international market, which hit $95 last week, amid Nigeria’s declining capacity to meet its production quotas. The second issue is the fear that the rising prices of crude oil will bring more trouble for the Nigerian government, which recently postponed the implementation of the removal of fuel subsidies.

The third issue was the disruption in the supply of petroleum products as a result of an importation error and the attendant scarcity, hoarding and the unilateral increase in the pump price of petrol by some oil marketers cashing in on the panic buying of some members of the public.

Losing Out on All Fronts As the issues continue to unfold, economists who spoke with THISDAY lamented the unfavourable position Nigeria has found itself. It is argued that whichever direction one wants to look at the situation, the country is losing out on all fronts.

Nigeria’s production quota is 1.610 million bpd, but industry sources said current production Àgures hover around a 1. 00million bpd.

Oil demand has held steady while supplies have been hit by production shortfalls from the Organisation of the Petroleum Exporting Countries and its allies (OPEC+). Also lending support to prices has been a perfect storm of myriad geopolitical tensions and politically-related supply outages.

Goldman Sachs analysts last week revised their oil price forecast. They’re now calling for global benchmark Brent crude to climb to $96 a barrel this year and $105 next year before markets rebalance in 2023.

Fuel Supply Disruption Unfortunately, while some oil-producing nations are counting their gains of the current rise in prices of crude oil, it is not so in Nigeria as higher crude oil price means the Nigerian government will pay a higher subsidy to cushion the eͿect of the rise in cost. It also increases the temptation of fuel marketers to raise the prices of their products unilaterally, and those who couldn’t do that may resort to the importation of cheap products.

Following the supply of a wrong speciÀcation of petrol in some parts of the country, and its subsequent removal in compliance with a government order, long queues have once more returned to petrol stations in Abuja, parts of Lagos, and some other states. It was a hell of a week for commuters who had to spend hours and days at fuelling stations, a reminder of the sorry state of the nation’s fuel supply management of the previous administrations.

Economic analysts who spoke with our correspondents in separate interviews, however, believed the current fuel scarcity would soon disappear by the time the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) can rid the nation of the contaminated fuel in circulation.

Paying for Lack of ReÀning Capacity They however insist that the greatest problem which Nigerians should worry about is the lack of reÀning capacity, which compels Nigeria to rely on imported petrol for local consumption. This development is the same factor robbing Nigeria of the gains

Fuel queue in Abuja

of the current spike in prices of crude oil.

This was the main reason why the federal government insisted that it would not be excited about the rising prices of crude oil in the international market as long as the fuel subsidy regime remained in Nigeria’s domestic market.

The Director-General of the Budget O΀ce of the Federation, Mr Ben Akabueze, who said this, lamented that the decision to retain fuel subsidy in the 2022 budget would compel the federal government to borrow an additional N1 trillion to oͿset its cost while the state and local governments in the country would suͿer an estimated loss of N1.5 trillion in revenue.

Speaking during a webinar that was organised by the Financial Institutions Training Centre (FITC), under its National Economic Development Outlook Series 2022 with the theme, “Rebooting the Economy: The Path to Sustainable Growth, Akabueze said, “Regrettably, for those of us on the Àscal side, the expectation of high oil price does not excite us as long as this subsidy regime remains because the crude oil price is the biggest factor in the price of reÀned oil products. Above the price of $63 per barrel the impact on us Àscally will be negative with this subsidy regime. Higher dollar revenue will strengthen the external sector but the impact on government revenue is negative.”

Subsidy Arrangement Unsustainable The contentious issue of fuel subsidy wouldn’t have arisen if Nigeria can reÀne all its needed petroleum products as dependence on imported fuel has continued to put serious pressure on Nigeria’s foreign exchange account at the expense of other productive sectors of the economy.

These were the views of the Managing Director, Chief Economist, Africa and the Middle East, Global Research of Standard

Chartered Bank, Razia Khan, Chief Executive O΀cer, Centre for the Promotion of Private Enterprise (CPPE), Dr Muda Yusuf and Managing Director, SD&D Capital Management Limited, Mr Idakolo Gbolade.

Khan said that despite the rise in the country’s OPEC + production ceiling, the absence of much spare capacity has constrained Nigeria’s ability to raise production, pointing out that near-term, potential gains from the more favourable oil price environment are missed.

She argued that Nigeria is suͿering from a lack of political power to end the fuel subsidy regime.

She said, “Of much greater seriousness however is the failure to act even sooner on fuel subsidies, as well as the nature of the subsidy itself, with a capped price.

This means that any rise in oil prices has the potential to add to budgetary stress in Nigeria, detracting from any rise in Àscal revenue.

“There is no theoretical limit on the cost of the subsidy, given its design. The persistence of the fuel subsidy may also be one of the factors impeding the adoption of an FX regime that would do more to enable growth in Nigeria. The cost of the subsidy is therefore much more substantial than the direct budget outlay alone would imply.”

On his part, Yusuf, who was also a former director-general of the Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry, explained that the surge in crude oil price represents a mixed blessing for Nigeria.

He said the surge would impact positively on our foreign exchange earnings and government revenue, warning, however, that the reverse foreign exchange Áows on account of massive importation of petroleum products would considerably dampen the expected positive outcomes from the spike in oil price.

Losing out from Oil Windfall “Nigeria is perhaps the only oil-producing country that has not positioned its economy to take full advantage of the uptrend in crude oil price. We are stuck with an oil economy where reÀneries have practically collapsed for over years. It has been very di΀cult to attract private capital into the petroleum downstream sector because of the policy and regulatory regime.”

According to him, the way forward is to accelerate the process of ensuring domestic reÀning of petroleum products.

“Steps should be urgently taken to entrench reforms in the oil and gas sector to attract more private capital. There should also be an acceleration of reforms in the foreign exchange market to unlock opportunities for foreign capital inÁows into the economy,” he submitted.

Gbolade believed the rising crude oil price is supposed to be a blessing for Nigeria if we had reached self-su΀ciency in reÀning capacity, lamenting however that because we have not attained su΀ciency in local reÀning capacity we are bound to obey the rules of the cost of importation of reÀned petroleum product at the attendant cost of crude in the international market.

On how to address the problem, Gbolade said, “The major way to solve the problem is to Àrst Àx the major challenges aͿecting crude output in Nigeria from the perspective of NNPC and other oil majors and implement, to a large extent the PIA (Petroleum Industry Act) already passed into law.

“The second major and immediate step is to ensure self-su΀ciency in local reÀning both from government-owned and private reÀneries like Dangote reÀnery to bring down the cost of reÀned petroleum products and also eradicate the corruption associated with the subsidy regime.”

THISDAY, THE SUNDAY NEWSPAPER FEBRUARY13, 2022

18

FINANCE

CBN’s 100 for 100 Policy as Pathway to Macroeconomic Sustainability James Emejo writes on the latest intervention by the Central Bank of Nigeria to strengthen non-oil export and industrial sectors which had been begging for the support over the years

O

nlyrecently,theGovernorof the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Mr. Godwin EmeÀele, in matching words with action, formally inaugurated the muchanticipated funding initiative aimed at boosting the country’s industrial capacity by stimulating output production. At the unveiling of the Àrst cycle of the recently announced 100 for 100 Policy for Production and Productivity (PPP) initiative, the apex bank had presented cheques worth N23.20 billion to 28 companies whose projects had been selected for funding.

EmeÀele had last year announced the policy under which eligible companies in priority sectors will be screened and 100 companies will be selected to receive funding from the CBN every 100 days, beginning from November 1, 2021.

The CBN governor pointed out that the disbursements, which are loans that must be repaid by the beneÀciaries, followed the due screening of the applications received, adding that the projects, valued at N23.20 billion, comprise 1 in the manufacturing sector, 12 in the agricultural sector, and two in the healthcare sector.

Ailing Industrial Sector There’s no gainsaying the fact that all is not well with the country’s industrial sector and all eͿorts by the Àscal authority to revive it had only suͿered setbacks. Once regarded as an economic fortress, the real sector had lost its steam and was arguably in a shadow of its own, plagued by sundry challenges, and unable to contribute meaningfully to growth.

The lack of capacity for value addition, the incessant products’ rejection by foreign trading partners due to lapses in the enforcement of standards and the dearth of basic infrastructure remained part of the key obstacles.

Until recently, when the apex bank has had to intervene in critical sectors of the economy, funding had remained a huge challenge towards industrialisation.

Why is CBN Bothered?

Even as some critics have questioned the rationale of the CBN’s interventions in the economy, given its primary mandate of monetary and price stability, they failed to acknowledge the fact that there’s no way the central bank could successfully achieve its mandate when the real sector especially non-oil export segment which is crucial for forex earnings, is in comatose.

Notably, the central bank’s interest in supporting the real sector could be derived from the fact that the failure of the sector could negatively impact monetary policy administration.

Today, the foreign exchange crisis faced in the country had been directly linked to the weak domestic output traceable to a largely subdued manufacturing sector as well as a struggling non-oil export sector. It is further argued that the most eͿective way to strengthen the local currency was to boost local out and export.

But the reverse had been the case.

This is the reason why the apex bank’s resolve to fund manufacturing as well as strengthen the non-oil export sector to get it back on its feet is not only music to the ears but a move that should be applauded.

100 for 100 PPP Scheme Nonetheless, EmeÀele explained that the cardinal objective of the 100 for 100 PPP initiative, was to ensure that priority is accorded to companies who display veriÀable progress in the bank’s imports substitution and job creation drive.

He explained that for the Àrst batch, 2 3 applications valued at N321.06 billion, spread over key sectors including agriculture, energy, healthcare, manufacturing, and services sectors were submitted on the portal - but only 9 applications valued at N121.8 billion, were received

Emefiele

by the central bank from commercial banks, for projects in six sectors, namely agriculture, energy, healthcare, manufacturing, mining, and services sectors. The applications were assessed based on production e΀ciency and scalability; local content capacity; job creation and human capital development; operating sector relevance; and potential contribution to economic growth.

The CBN governor added that only 28 companies with projects that have articulated proposals were eventually selected for funding.

EmeÀele also said the policy was designed to stimulate investments in Nigeria’s priority sectors with the core objective of boosting production and productivity, which will aid eͿorts to stimulate greater growth of our economy and create employment opportunities.

New FX Bidding Regime In furtherance to boost local output, the CBN governor also hinted that a new market-driven foreign exchange bidding regime was underway and would support companies that accord utmost priority for local production and job creation drive.

He said: “We want to see to it that you are conducting business activities that reduce our imports and reduces your level of import, reduces your reliance on raw materials imports«Those will be the kinds of companies we will accord priority in FX allocation going forward.”

Boost for Non-oil Export Activities The central bank also said it is working with stakeholders to stimulate non-oil export activities to boost foreign exchange earnings in the country. This should come as huge relief to the exporters who had continued to groan under a harsh business environment and had drawn the government’s attention to challenges in the sector.

According to the apex bank boss, the initiative is aimed at generating badly needed export earnings amidst the uncertainty and oil price vulnerability. The idea is to make

non-oil export more attractive to players by providing aͿordable Ànancing at single digit as well as ensuring that operators who are into processed or reÀned products are accorded priority and supported by the central bank.

The intervention would further lay to rest, exporters’ complaints that it was di΀cult for them to access their export proceeds.

He said, “We feel at this stage that while we are pursuing the programme on import substitution, we should also explore the best way to diversify our foreign exchange earning space and we think that Nigeria with all the opportunities and potentials, there is need for us to look into export stimulation again in Nigeria.

“There are so many products in Nigeria and I mean Ànished products that end up in diͿerent markets in diͿerent parts of the world but unfortunately, we Ànd that those companies that produce those goods here in Nigeria do not earn FX from those items that get exported out of the country.

“Again, we suspect that they may have been illegally exported and that is why those countries are not getting the FX revenues.”

He said the plan was to ensure that those who truly conduct export activities, particularly where there has been value-added to the economy, got government support.

Policy Commendations The CBN’s real sector intervention programmes have continued to receive accolades from the federal government, stakeholders and Nigerians in general.

The Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Mr Boss Mustapha, while commending EmeÀele, described the policy initiative as well thought out adding that it would signiÀcantly impact the economy if well implemented.

On his part, Minister for Labour and Employment, Dr Chris Ngige, lauded the CBN for spurring economic activities through its various intervention programmes. The minister noted that while productivity remained crucial for economic growth,

the apex bank’s interventions had been key in achieving President Muhammadu Buhari’s aspiration to lift 100 million Nigerians out of poverty.

The President of the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN), Mr. Mansur Ahmed, commended the CBN intervention adding that all members would provide support towards the programmes’ successes. He praised EmeÀele for showing commitment and determination towards addressing the challenges facing the economy.

Ahmed noted that while the oil economy had made little impact on the economy, the apex bank’s intervention eͿorts will achieve huge economic transformation adding that the way to reset the economy was to follow the CBN governor’s mindset. He also urged his members to take advantage of the CBN funding.

He added that MAN was ready to work with the central bank and commercial banks to make the policy a success.

The Chairman of the Body of Bank Chief Executives O΀cers, Mr. Herbert Wigwe, while commending the CBN eͿorts said the banks would do everything humanly possible to ensure the success of the policy.

He said the resolution was in a further realisation that banks can’t survive without the customers. He also said Nigeria must take advantage of the youthful population, to commit them to productive ventures rather than allow them to deploy their energies to negative activities which are detrimental to the economy.

Also, Managing Director, Harvest Feed and Agro-Processing Limited, Mr Adedolapo Adeyemi, who is one of the beneÀciaries of the intervention 100 for 100 policy initiative said, said the support would boost its production by 60 per cent as well as create about 300 jobs.

While commending the CBN on behalf of other beneÀciaries, he said the scheme would be a breakthrough for businesses in the country.

EmeÀele, however, appealed to the banks to give special consideration to small businesses given their capacity to create jobs for the teeming population.

19

THISDAY, THE SUNDAY NEWSPAPER FEBRUARY13, 2022

TELECOMS

Globacom Boosts Strategic Expansion Plan with Ceragon Deal The 19-year history of the operation of Globacom Nigeria, an indigenous initiative owned by billionaire businessman, Michael Adenuga, is replete with stories of game-changing policies and landmark deals that set it apart from other players. Festus Akanbi, in this report, writes on the multimillion naira deal with Ceragon Networks Limited of Israeli to expand Glo’s broadband coverage across Nigeria

L

ast week, the Nigerian telecommunications industry was jolted by media reports announcing the landmark agreement between Globacom Limited (Glo) and Israeli network equipment supplier, Ceragon Networks Limited to expand Glo’s nationwide broadband coverage across Nigeria.

Details of the agreement show that Ceragon will be providing Globacom with a customised solution that covers long-haul rural areas, highcapacity metro as well as the access network – enabling it to not only enhance its existing subscribers’ quality of experience but also to expand its reach to grow its market share further. The project, initiated in Q4 2021, is due to complete deployment through the Àrst half of 2022.

The Nigerian Communications Commission, (NCC) rates Globacom as the second-largest telecom services operator in Nigeria, with a 28.09% market share.

Ready for 5G Networks However, the main gist of the multimillion deal was given by the Chief Executive O΀cer of Ceragon Networks, DoronArazi, who disclosed that Globacom’s network will be ready for 5G, as Ceragon Networks’ solutions will provide Globacom with a 10-gigabyte-per-second (Gbps) network capacity over the air, with the ability to upgrade to 20 Gbps, if necessary.

According to him, “This capacity will strengthen the network of rural areas over long distances, high-capacity metropolitan networks as well as the access network.”

In a statement, Globacom explained that the network infrastructure extension aligns with its strategic expansion plans to build Africa’s biggest and best telecommunications network and provide quality telecom services to its customers.

It said, “We believe that our partnership with Ceragon will help in our desire to build the most robust, advanced telecommunications network. Ceragon’s Àeld-proven solutions and services allow us to quickly and reliably ramp up our 4G and future 5G network and capacity needs while minimising our overall Total Cost of Ownership (TCO).”

Globacom, the Game Changer Those familiar with the pioneering records of Globacom were not surprised by this farreaching development which promises to be a game-changer in GSM operations in Nigeria.

The perception in the industry is that although it did not participate in the recent 3.5 gigahertz (GHz) spectrum auction for the deployment of Fifth Generation (5G) technology to support the delivery of universal broadband services in Nigeria, where MTN Nigeria Plc and Mafab Communications Ltd emerged the two successful winners, Globacom was nevertheless putting its house in order because it planned to come out big, stronger and better. That was why last week’s report on the agreement with the Israeli company did not come as a surprise.

The belief is -Globacom is set to take the stage by storm once again.

Right from its inception in August 2003, Globacom has made a very loud statement about its commitment to stay ahead of the competition in terms of technological revolution. It also ensured its services are aͿordable to all segments of Nigerian society.

Ending Per-Second Billing Debacle As a company that does not fear challenges, Globacom became a game-changer when it launched on per-second billing which the older networks said was not possible. In doing that, Globacom became the Àrst network in Africa to launch on a per-second billing platform. Trust

internet, vehicle tracking, prepaid roaming, in-Áight roaming, etc.

Championing Technological Revolution An analysis of the nation’s telecoms industry showed that Glo was the only operator in Africa to have launched its operations on the superior 2.5G network which enabled the convergence of voice, data and multimedia technologies.

The next stage was the introduction of the 3G Plus technology, which marked the second time that Globacom has been at the forefront of pioneering the latest transmission network in Nigeria, having introduced the 2.5G technology at launch in 2003 when other operators were running on the 2G platform. The 3G Plus technology enables much faster transmission of data, voice, broadband internet and multimedia services over a range of frequencies. It allows customers to do a video call, video streaming and high-speed mobile internet access, amongst others, from their 3G mobile handset.

Thereafter, the company became the Àrst network to launch a nationwide coverage of the 4G-LTE network in Nigeria, thus availing its subscribers enhanced data transfer rates, unmatched mobile broadband experience and high data speeds and reliability.

Adeunga

We believe that our partnership with Ceragon will help in our desire to build the most robust, advanced telecommunications QHWZRUN &HUDJRQ·V ÀHOG SURYHQ VROXWLRQV and services allow us to quickly and reliably ramp up our 4G and future 5G network and capacity needs while minimising our overall Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) the Nigerian market, immediately the company broke the jinx in terms of per-second billing, it became a household name and within nine months, it made history as the Àrst network to amass a million subscribers in that space of time.

Still bent on making its services aͿordable and readily available to the Nigerian market, Globacom also made history by crashing the cost of SIMs from N20,000 and N50 a minute respectfully to as low as N200 and Àve kobos per second. The company has thus ensured massive telephone penetration in Nigeria.

By making telephony accessible to the common

man, Glo is said to have accelerated national development. Industry watchers believed that the fact that over 170 million Nigerians in both urban and rural areas today have access to the telephone is attributable to the network’s intervention. The International Telecommunication Union, an agency of the United Nations, had in 2004 commended Globacom for playing a critical role in the revolution in the Nigerian telecommunication industry. It is reputed as the innovation leader in the industry in Nigeria and Ghana. It pioneered Multimedia Messaging Service (MMS), mobile banking, mobile

Investing in Fibre Optic Backbone It is also on record that Globacom has the most extensive Àbre optic backbone across Nigeria.

The facility was built to further enhance voice and data transmission for mobile and Àxed telephone operations in the country.

Globacom has also contributed to boosting international connectivity in Nigeria by building and launching an international submarine cable, Glo 1. It was the Àrst time a single company would implement such a massive undersea project in Africa. In addition to boosting the provision of services to telecom end-users, the facility is currently providing the much-needed connectivity to critical sectors of the economy such as oil and gas, manufacturing, banking, commerce, education and health, among others.

The 9,800km-long cable has landing points in Lagos in Nigeria, Accra in Ghana, Senegal, Nouakchott in Mauritania, Casablanca in Morocco, Vigo in Spain, Bude in England, etcetera.

The company said Glo-1 delivers much faster and robust connectivity for voice, data and video.

It explained further that in addition to boosting the provision of services to telecom end-users, the facility is currently providing the much-needed connectivity to critical sectors of the economy such as oil and gas, manufacturing, banking, commerce, education and health, among others.

This humongous subsea cable has increased internet connection between Nigeria and the rest of the world.

As part of its commitment to oͿer excellent service, Globacom had earlier signed a deal with Eutelsat of France for satellite deployment in the Nigerian market towards the end of 2021.

The partnership deal was coming at a time when the federal government approved the rollout of the 5G network in Nigeria, which will boost internet connectivity in urban and rural communities.

The partnership between Globacom and Eutelsat is expected to enhance the deployment of 500 Wi-Fi relay stations to far-Áung rural areas, for connection to a Eutelsat satellite.

It was gathered that likewise, French group, Vocalcom, which already manages the software for Glo telecom’s call centres in Nigeria, is hoping to open a new deal in the mobile-money sphere with Globacom.

Therefore, analysts believed the latest business deal between Globacom and Ceragon Networks Limited will set a new threshold for GSM operation in Nigeria, especially when the assignment is completed by the Àrst half of this year.

THISDAY, THE SUNDAY NEWSPAPER FEBRUARY13, 2022

20

MARITIME

Unlocking $300bn FDIs from Samsung, LADOL’s Truce With the Ànal settlement of the three-year dispute between Samsung Heavy Industries Nigeria (SHI) Limited and the Lagos Deep OͿshore Logistics Base (LADOL) Group, which had cost the Nigerian economy substantial investments, Ejiofor Alike reports how the truce can unlock over $300 billion in Foreign Direct Investments to the country

T

he joint venture between the global shipbuilding giant, Samsung Heavy Industries Nigeria (SHIN) Limited and Lagos Deep OͿshore Logistics Base (LADOL) was established when SHIN was awarded the $3.3billion contract for the Egina Floating Production Storage O΁oading (FPSO) vessel.

The contract had required the construction of a fabrication and integration yard to carry out the in-country aspect of the FPSO for the 200,000 barrels per day deepwater Àeld, which contributed 10 per cent of Nigeria’s daily crude oil production.

Before the Egina project, most maritime construction for African oil and gas projects took place outside Africa. Nigeria did also not have the capacity to fabricate and integrate an FPSO locally.

But due to SHIN’s investment in the SHIMCI yard, the shipbuilding giant established Nigeria as a fabrication and integration hub on the African continent.

Though the Egina FPSO project was successfully executed, no other major project was carried out at the yard due to the friction between the two partners, which started in 2018. The commercial dispute had led to a total breakdown of communications and engagements between the two parties resulting in court proceedings in Nigeria and the United Kingdom.

With the hostility in its operating environment, the shipbuilding giant was not able to bring in more investments and technology, leading to considerable loss of investments by Nigeria.

For Nigeria’s economy to compete globally, foreign companies need incentives to invest in the country to create employment opportunities and boost the growth of Nigeria’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP).

While Nigeria was losing investments due to the dispute between SHIN and its Nigerian partner, another Korean company, Samsung Electronics had unveiled plans to invest $17 billion in a new advanced chip manufacturing facility in Taylor, Texas, United States.

The electronics giant, which also operates in Nigeria, is one of the world’s largest makers of electronic devices and the tiny semiconductors that power them.

The company had unveiled a plan to build a $17 billion semiconductor factory outside of Austin, amid a global shortage of chips used in phones, cars and other electronic devices.

Samsung said it would start building the Texas plant in 2022 and would begin operations in the second half of 2024.

Vice-Chairman of Samsung, Mr Kinam Kim, had stated that the company chose the site based on several factors, including the government’s incentives and the “readiness and stability” of local infrastructure.

Infrastructure is particularly important for chip operations, which need a stable supply of power.

The Governor of Texas, Mr Greg Abbott had touted Texas’s low taxes and talent pool as major draws for tech companies, describing Samsung’s decision to invest in the state as “a testament to the economic environment that we have built.”

Poor electricity supply, inadequate infrastructure, excessive taxation, insecurity, excessive bureaucratic bottlenecks, and political interference with businesses are some of the factors that inhibit the inÁow of FDIs to Nigeria.

The dispute between SHIN and LADOL denied huge Nigerian FDIs from foreign companies that felt their investments would not be safe in the country, following SHIN’s experience.

However, with the intervention of the Nigerian and Korean governments, as well as the various agencies of the federal government, SHIN and LADOL recently reached a deÀnitive settlement and rea΀rm their lasting partnership

LADOL’S Chairman, Ladi Jadesimi

as shareholders in SHI-MCI. This landmark agreement, which demonstrated SHIN’s ongoing commitment to its subsidiary, SHI-MCI and Nigeria, also demonstrated LADOL’s commitment to consolidating and continuing the development of LADOL Free Zone to ensure that Nigeria becomes an African hub for industrialisation.

SHIN and LADOL had signed the Ànal settlement agreement, which would be registered as an o΀cial judgment in the High Court in London.

It would also be registered in the respective courts in Nigeria, having been approved by the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) and the Nigerian Exports Processing Zones Authority (NEPZA).

The settlement agreement rea΀rmed that the July 1, 2014 Shareholders’ Agreement between SHIN, SHI-MCI, and MCI FZE Yard Development Limited (MCI), would remain valid.

The two partners also agreed that SHIN would continue to retain 70 per cent equity in SHI-MCI while LADOL’s MCI would retain a 30 per cent stake, as provided by the Shareholders’ Agreement.

The settlement agreement also provides for a new sublease agreement which has been executed between SHI-MCI and Global Resources Management Limited (GRML), with the NPA as the head-lessor to GRML. Importantly, the new sublease agreement is long-term and is one day less than the term of the head lease between the NPA and GRML. By the terms of the settlement, NEPZA, as part of its statutory duties and role as administrator of all NEPZA free zone areas in Nigeria, would continue to be responsible for the issuance and renewal of SHI-MCI’s Operating Licence.

NEPZA had previously issued an Operating Licence to SHI-MCI in the form of a National Operating Licence dated October 4, 2021, which is valid for three years.

Present at the settlement ceremony in Abuja were stakeholders in Nigeria’s economic zones, including Managing Director of NEPZA, Professor Adesoji Adesugba; acting Managing Director of NPA, Mr Mohammed Bello Koko; Chairman of LADOL, Chief Ladi Jadesimi; outgoing Managing Director of SHIN, Mr Jejin Jeon; and Chairman of Nigerian Economic Zones Association (NEZA), Chief Oluwatoyin Elegbede.

MD of SHIN, Jejin Jeon

Speaking at the event, Adesugba said the dispute had shut out investments worth over $7 billion and 3,000 jobs, adding that the peaceful resolution would also provide direct employment opportunities to over 10,000 Nigerians.

He said: “We are very happy that we have been able to actualise Mr President’s directive that we must as a matter of national urgency ensure that this dispute is arrested.

“We are celebrating that investments worth this quantum is being unlocked into the Nigerian economy and we hope that we will continue to monitor what is happening between Samsung and LADOL to ensure that they live up to the spirit of what they have signed today.

“We expect that we shall start seeing visible results within the next couple of months, not up to a year; we will start seeing employments and diͿerent projects coming into the country.

“We were in Seoul, and they promised us that if we can resolve this, Nigeria is going to have more companies coming from South Korea to invest in the Nigerian economy. We are very optimistic that this is going to be a win-win situation for both the investors and Nigeria.”

He commended President Muhammadu Buhari for his insistence on unlocking investments in the country as well as the Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Mr Niyi Adebayo, for his role and leadership to ensure the success of the intervention.

Speaking at the occasion also, Koko said the conÁict, which had previously deÀed multiple attempts towards a resolution, had led to the loss of jobs and revenue to the government.

He stated: “In the past three years, no activities have been taking place there (economic zones).

There’s been a loss of economic values and a loss of jobs. So, we are happy that has been resolved today. Both parties have agreed to work together and going forward, if there are any disputes, NPA will be involved in it.

“We want to thank President Muhammadu Buhari who had taken the action that has led to the resolution of this dispute. Today is a happy day and is good for the nation and this would ensure that conÀdence of investors improves in terms of foreign direct investment in Nigeria.”

Speaking in Lagos during the signing of the Ànal settlement agreement, the Managing Director of SHIN, Mr Jeon, disclosed that the many years of legal proceedings had hindered SHIN’s

ability to operate in Nigeria and threatened its contribution to the Nigerian economy.

He conÀrmed that the settlement has become a deÀnitive statement in favour of SHI-MCI’s right to operate in the LADOL Free Zone.

“In recognising that Samsung Heavy Industries (Nigeria) lawfully holds 70 per cent of the shares in SHI-MCI, the settlement acknowledges our extraordinary contribution to the LADOL Free Zone and its role in the economic development of Nigeria,” Jeon said.

Jeon noted that before the Egina project, most maritime construction for African oil and gas projects took place outside of Africa, stressing that Nigeria could not fabricate and integrate an FPSO locally.

“Thanks to our investment in the SHI-MCI yard, we have established Nigeria as a fabrication and integration hub on the African continent.

Over six years, SHIN has trained 600 Nigerians from disadvantaged backgrounds in a comprehensive welding qualiÀcation programme, in one of the most advanced welding academies in Nigeria. “This has contributed to 560,000 man-hours of training in total. In addition, SHIN has directly employed 2,500 Nigerians with a further 5,000 employed by our suppliers, working in highly specialised skills and roles.

“This has moved the dial in practical terms – with the local contribution rising from one per cent to over 25 per cent.”

According to Jeon, SHIN’s focus remains to execute the plan to make Nigeria the hub for fabrication and integration works supporting the oil and gas industry and infrastructure development and ensuring SHI-MCI’s participation in future fabrication and integration projects.

“SHIN is deeply committed to ongoing and future projects in Nigeria and as part of SHIMCI, we plan to invest in future projects in the coming year and remain focused on creating and delivering mega deep oͿshore projects for Nigeria,” he added.

Commenting on the settlement agreement, the Chairman of LADOL, Jadesimi, said: “This settlement brings to an end the dispute between the LADOL and SHI Groups, which has been lingering for a little while and it became critical that it be sorted out. Now it has been completely resolved. The key thing is that we have been able to come back together peacefully cementing a far stronger joint venture going forward.”

21

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

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

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

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

floor of the Nigerian Stock Exchange.

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

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

GUIDE TO DATA: Date: All fund prices are quoted in Naira as at 10Feb-2022, unless otherwise stated.

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

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

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

DAILY PRICE LIST FOR MUTUAL FUNDS, REITS and ETFS MUTUAL FUNDS / UNIT TRUSTS AFRINVEST ASSET MANAGEMENT LTD aaml@afrinvest.com Web: www.afrinvest.com; Tel: +234 818 885 6757 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Afrinvest Equity Fund 173.11 174.26 3.74% Afrinvest Plutus Fund 100.00 100.00 9.03% Nigeria International Debt Fund 321.74 321.74 3.32% Afrinvest Dollar Fund 99.71 100.86 -1.28% AIICO CAPITAL LTD ammf@aiicocapital.com Web: www.aiicocapital.com, Tel: +234-1-2792974 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn AIICO Money Market Fund 100.00 100.00 9.79% AIICO Balanced Fund 3.50 3.57 -1.05% ANCHORIA ASSET MANAGEMENT LIMITED info@anchoriaam.com Web:www.anchoriaam.com, Tel: 08166830267; 08036814510; 08028419180 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Anchoria Money Market 100.00 100.00 7.91% Anchoria Equity Fund 145.19 147.02 4.91% Anchoria Fixed Income Fund 1.18 1.18 3.27% info@anchoriaam.com ARM INVESTMENT MANAGERS LTD enquiries@arminvestmentcenter.com Web: www.arm.com.ng; Tel: 0700 CALLARM (0700 225 5276) Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn ARM Aggressive Growth Fund N/A N/A N/A ARM Discovery Balanced Fund N/A N/A N/A ARM Ethical Fund N/A N/A N/A ARM Eurobond Fund ($) N/A N/A N/A ARM Fixed Income Fund N/A N/A N/A ARM Money Market Fund N/A N/A N/A AVA GLOBAL ASSET MANAGERS LIMITED info@avacapitalgroup.com Web: www.avacapitalgroup.com Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn AVA GAM Fixed Income Dollar Fund 108.71 108.71 6.88% AVA GAM Fixed Income Naira Fund 1,077.85 1,077.85 7.79% AXA MANSARD INVESTMENTS LIMITED investmentcare@axamansard.com Web: www.axamansard.com; Tel: +2341-4488482 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn AXA Mansard Equity Income Fund N/A N/A N/A AXA Mansard Money Market Fund N/A N/A N/A CAPITAL EXPRESS ASSET AND TRUST LIMITED info@capitalexpressassetandtrust.com Web: www.capitalexpressassetandtrust.com; Tel: +234 803 307 5048 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn CEAT Fixed Income Fund 2.07 2.07 8.59% Capital Express Balanced Fund (Formerly: Union Trustees Mixed Fund) 2.28 2.32 33.95% CARDINALSTONE ASSET MANAGEMENT LIMITED mutualfunds@cardinalstone.com Web: www.cardinalstoneassetmanagement.com ; Tel: +234 (1) 710 0433 4 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn CardinalStone Fixed Income Alpha Fund 1.02 1.02 1.07% CHAPELHILL DENHAM MANAGEMENT LTD investmentmanagement@chapelhilldenham.com Web: www.chapelhilldenham.com, Tel: +234 461 0691 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Chapelhill Denham Money Market Fund 100.00 100.00 9.15% Paramount Equity Fund 18.58 18.92 10.42% Women's Investment Fund 146.55 148.19 5.38% CORDROS ASSET MANAGEMENT LIMITED assetmgtteam@cordros.com Web: www.cordros.com, Tel: 019036947 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Cordros Money Market Fund 100.00 100.00 9.19% Cordros Milestone Fund 137.93 138.83 4.34% 111.06 111.06 0.56% Cordros Dollar Fund ($) CORONATION ASSEST MANAGEMENT investment@coronationam.com Web:www.coronationam.com , Tel: 012366215 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Coronation Money Market Fund N/A N/A N/A Coronation Balanced Fund N/A N/A N/A Coronation Fixed Income Fund N/A N/A N/A EDC FUNDS MANAGEMENT LIMITED mutualfundng@ecobank.com Web: www.ecobank.com Tel: 012265281 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn EDC Nigeria Money Market Fund Class A N/A N/A N/A EDC Nigeria Money Market Fund Class B N/A N/A N/A EDC Nigeria Fixed Income Fund N/A N/A N/A assetmanagement@emergingafricafroup.com EMERGING AFRICA ASSET MANAGEMENT LIMITED Web:www.emergingafricagroup.com/emerging-africa-asset-management-limited/, Tel: 08039492594 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Emerging Africa Money Market Fund 1.00 1.00 8.50% Emerging Africa Bond Fund 1.01 1.01 3.71% Emerging Africa Balanced Diversity Fund 1.04 1.04 2.50% Emerging Africa Eurobond Fund 101.27 101.27 0.41% FBNQUEST ASSET MANAGEMENT LTD invest@fbnquest.com Web: www.fbnquest.com/asset-management; Tel: +234-81 0082 0082 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn 1,412.24 FBN Bond Fund 1,412.24 10.98% 182.51 FBN Balanced Fund 183.88 4.14% 116.81 FBN Halal Fund 116.81 8.86% 100.00 FBN Money Market Fund 100.00 8.87% FBN Dollar Fund (Retail) FBN Nigeria Smart Beta Equity Fund FCMB ASSET MANAGEMENT LIMITED Web: www.fcmbassetmanagement.com; Tel: +234 1 462 2596 Fund Name Legacy Money Market Fund Legacy Debt Fund Legacy Equity Fund Legacy USD Bond Fund FSDH ASSET MANAGEMENT LTD Web: www.fsdhaml.com; Tel: 01-270 4884-5; 01-280 9740-1 Fund Name Coral Balanced Fund Coral Income Fund Coral Money Market Fund

122.67 154.69

122.67 3.84% 156.70 2.67% fcmbamhelpdesk@fcmb.com

Bid Price 1.00 4.00 1.82 1.21

Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn 1.00 7.64% 4.00 -0.19% 1.86 4.92% 1.21 0.50% coralfunds@fsdhgroup.com

Bid Price N/A N/A N/A

Offer Price N/A N/A N/A

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

INVESTMENT ONE FUNDS MANAGEMENT LTD enquiries@investment-one.com Web: www.investment-one.com; Tel: +234 812 992 1045,+234 1 448 8888 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Abacus Money Market Fund 100.00 100.00 6.69% Vantage Balanced Fund 2.93 2.99 2.54% Vantage Guaranteed Income Fund 1.00 1.00 4.50% Kedari Investment Fund (KIF) 142.38 142.43 -8.50% Vantage Equity Income Fund (VEIF) - June Year End 1.30 1.34 2.96% Vantage Dollar Fund (VDF) - June Year End 1.07 1.07 4.05% LOTUS CAPITAL LTD fincon@lotuscapitallimited.com Web: www.lotuscapitallimited.com; Tel: +234 1-291 4626 / +234 1-291 4624 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Lotus Halal Investment Fund 1.54 1.57 2.54% Lotus Halal Fixed Income Fund 1,147.99 1,147.99 0.99% MERISTEM WEALTH MANAGEMENT LTD info@meristemwealth.com Web: http://www.meristemwealth.com/funds/ ; Tel: +234 1-4488260 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Meristem Equity Market Fund 12.62 12.71 7.06% Meristem Money Market Fund 10.00 10.00 8.58% NORRENBERGER INVESTMENT AND CAPITAL MANAGEMENT LIMITED enquiries@norrenberger.com Web: www.norrenberger.com, Tel: +234 (0) 908 781 2026 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Norrenberger Islamic Fund (NIF) 100.98 100.99 8.74% Norrenberger Money Market Fund (NMMF) 100.00 100.00 8.90% PAC ASSET MANAGEMENT LTD info@pacassetmanagement.com Web: www.pacassetmanagement.com/mutualfunds; Tel: +234 1 271 8632 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn PACAM Balanced Fund 1.65 1.67 2.51% PACAM Fixed Income Fund 11.57 11.56 3.34% PACAM Money Market Fund 10.00 10.00 7.44% PACAM Equity Fund 1.52 1.54 5.40% PACAM EuroBond Fund 114.92 117.30 -0.29% SCM CAPITAL LIMITED info@scmcapitalng.com Web: www.scmcapitalng.com; Tel: +234 1-280 2226,+234 1- 280 2227 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn SCM Capital Frontier Fund 131.00 133.51 7.20% SFS CAPITAL NIGERIA LTD investments@sfsnigeria.com Web: www.sfsnigeria.com, Tel: +234 (01) 2801400 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn SFS Fixed Income Fund 1.08 1.08 10.03% STANBIC IBTC ASSET MANAGEMENT LTD assetmanagement@stanbicibtc.com Web: www.stanbicibtcassetmanagement.com; Tel: +234 1 280 1266; 0700 MUTUALFUNDS Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Stanbic IBTC Balanced Fund 3,526.13 3,563.63 2.40% Stanbic IBTC Bond Fund 236.48 236.48 0.32% Stanbic IBTC Ethical Fund 1.34 1.36 3.85% Stanbic IBTC Guaranteed Investment Fund 315.07 315.07 0.55% Stanbic IBTC Iman Fund 245.27 248.85 1.30% Stanbic IBTC Money Market Fund 100.00 100.00 6.83% Stanbic IBTC Nigerian Equity Fund 11,317.88 11,474.20 1.87% Stanbic IBTC Dollar Fund (USD) 1.30 1.30 0.47% Stanbic IBTC Shariah Fixed Income Fund 117.39 117.39 0.36% Stanbic IBTC Enhanced Short-Term Fixed Income Fund 107.40 107.40 UNITED CAPITAL ASSET MANAGEMENT LTD unitedcapitalplcgroup.com Web: www.unitedcapitalplcgroup.com; Tel: +234 01-6317876 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn United Capital Equity Fund 0.97 1.00 4.71% United Capital Balanced Fund 1.41 1.43 3.80% United Capital Wealth for Women Fund 1.14 1.16 5.19% United Capital Sukuk Fund 1.08 1.08 0.85% United Capital Fixed Income Fund 1.97 1.97 0.79% United Capital Eurobond Fund 123.07 123.07 0.60% United Capital Money Market Fund 1.00 1.00 7.88% QUANTUM ZENITH ASSET MANAGEMENT & INVESTMENTS LTD service@quantumzenithasset.com.ng Web: www.quantumzenith.com.ng; Tel: +234 1-2784219 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Zenith Balanced Strategy Fund 13.43 13.55 1.84% Zenith ESG Impact Fund 15.36 15.53 5.12% Zenith Income Fund 22.24 22.24 1.14% Zenith Money Market Fund 1.00 1.00 5.88%

REITS NAV Per Share

Yield / T-Rtn

124.98 54.65

10.62% 8.10%

Bid Price

Offer Price

Yield / T-Rtn

14.05 135.86 107.08 19.51 21.94

14.15 139.26 109.43 19.61 22.04

0.60% 3.23% 3.34% 0.00% 0.00%

Fund Name SFS REIT Union Homes REIT

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

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

funds@vetiva.com Bid Price

Offer Price

Yield / T-Rtn

4.53 5.73 18.57 1.00 21.28 161.35

4.63 5.83 18.77 1.00 21.48 163.35

20.16% 12.54% 8.02% 7.59% 9.68% 2.25%

NAV Per Share

Yield / T-Rtn

107.28

10.80%

INFRASTRUCTURE FUND Fund Name Chapel Hill Denham Nigeria Infrastructure Debt Fund

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

22

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

CONVERSATION WITH MY BILLIONAIRE FRIEND ayo.arowolo@thisdaylive.com 08086447494 (SMS only) PERSONAL FINANCE SAVINGS BUDGETING COMMODITIES

AYO AROWOLO

GOLD

INVESTING

You Do Not Necessarily Have to Own Your Own Business to Build Wealth QUIZ: WHO IS A BETTER EMPLOYEE?

““Wealth from get-rich-quick schemes easily disappears and destroys; however, wealth from hard work grows over time” – Prov. 13:11 (New Living Translation).

EMPLOYEE A TOTAL TAKE-HOME PA: N10M r #BTJD

/ . r )PVTJOH

/ . r %SFTTJOH

/ . r -FBWF BMMPXBODF / . r 6QGSPOU

/ .

“Recently, I was intrigued by a study done on those who had won lotteries. Of the hundreds who had become instant millionaires, most went broke again and very fast too, after having foolishly blown away such money. Just a year or two after winning the lottery, they were in worse shape than they had been, before winning the lotteries. They mostly ended up with no jobs; had alienated many friends and relatives, and many had even lost their homes. Of all the people researched, no single one had a happy ending; not even the Christians among them, who had won. Overall, it seemed that winning the lottery is one of the worst things that could happen to anyone” – RICK JOYNER.

F

ive days to my usual appointment with my Billionaire Friend, we had a conversation over the phone. He agreed to receive feedback from you (my readers) so that you too could have a HD view of our conversations.

I set to work immediately and sent off the notices to some of the persons who had contacted the column. I made arrangements to contact my Billionaire Friend to brief him on what I had gathered. Unfortunately, a deep sleep fell on me. It was like my body planned a coup against me. I slept and did not wake up until about five hours later.

By the time I woke up, my Billionaire Friend had called 6 times on my WhatsApp. I was alarmed!

I called him back several times. He did not respond to any. And it was already midnight. What should I do? Fortunately, just as I was about to give up on reaching out and retiring to sleep, I received a message on WhatsApp and the conversation went thus: “Ayo, I am waiting for the questions ooo.

“Good day sir. I slept off while I was trying to send it… I just woke up. Sorry sir” So I sent the questions I had gathered from readers coupled with my own to him: 1. A lot of people believe it is impossible to build wealth working for others as an employee. What is your position given the fact that you became a BILLIONAIRE even while working for others?

2. What does it take to build wealth working for others?

3. I have been working for years, yet I don’t seem to be building anything. My strength has been used working for others. What do I do?

4. What are the practical steps to take to achieve this?

5. Is there an age limit to achieve this wealth-building after which it might not be possible again?

6. Most people are not earning well in Nigeria. How will they be able to build wealth?

7. Is the mindset required to build a billion wealth different from the one to build a million worth of wealth? That is the question he was trying to ask 8. For most employees making ends meet is a struggle because the pay is small and something people are owned salary. What wealth-building practices can such people employ to get out of the rat race?

9. What investment principles can employees apply to build wealth?

10. Employees Vs Entrepreneurs, who has the higher chance of building wealth?

“Sir, the column is getting the attention of people already, and I am getting feedback from ministers, bankers, Christians, Muslims, free thinkers, regulators, and students. Thank you for your selfless service. The universe will reward you long after you might have gone.”

Our job is to preserve part of your legacy…and that is what we are doing on a weekly basis. Together we win, and God takes ALL THE GLORY. A short reply came from my Billionaire friend after that: “Okay, my boss. See you on Sunday”.

I was in my friend’s place at the appointed time, all security protocols duly observed.

He was already waiting at our usual corner in his garden. And the business started with no more time to waste.

“Well. I have studied all the questions you sent in, it is obvious that most, if not all the questions, are from employees and workers who want to learn how to build wealth while working for others. So our topic is appropriate, but I need to let you know that we will have to spend a couple of weeks dealing with the issues raised. I will just kick off with some introductory thoughts to start off and we shall then deal with the rest, in our subsequent meetings. Please,

EMPLOYEE B TOTAL TAKE-HOME PA: N5M r 4BMBSZ

/ . r %JWJEFOE GSPN TIBSFT / . r 3FOU GSPN UFOBOUT / . r %FMJWFSZ GSPN 0LBEB CVTJOFTT / . r %FQPTJU JO 5SFBTVSZ #JMM / .

Artist Impression of my Billionaire Friend

“The process of building wealth from earned incomes in paid employment is a long-term process. It is not a process of acquiring wealth within a short time; it is a gradual process of continuous devotion to converting savings into wealth, by using the adage of “little drops of water makes a mighty ocean” be rest assured.”

Very well sir.

As I was waiting for him to fire, he pulled out two small sheets of paper containing two figures and asked me to look at them very well.

On the first one was a figure N10 million. The second one had N5 million on it. He then posed a question to me. Those figures are real balances in the accounts of two bank workers, who came to me about five years ago, for counselling.

“Here is the question: who between the two of them is better off?”

That is a no-brainer, sir. Obviously, number 1 is better off.

“Really? Since you are a churchman, let me frame it differently. Assuming two of them are fired by their employers today, which of them would go to the church to do thanksgiving? It depends, sir.

“On what?”

On how they interpret the situation. Then shortly, he pulled out another two sets of papers and showed me with the same numbers on top, but broken down this way.

“Let me pose the question again: which of these two gentlemen could go to do thanksgiving?”

It is obvious, sir; the second.

“So what made you change your mind?”

I could see that if they are both fired, the second guy will simply continue his investment business.

The first guy might be in trouble if he does not quickly get into paid employment again.

“Good. Good observation.” But that is not even the point I wanted to make. As someone who is learning to build wealth in the billions realm, you must never jump to any conclusion about any investment information shared with you. The question I expected you to ask is: please, give me more information before I can better answer the question. This is because, if you do not do that, you would enter into the same trap, as with people who want to invest N100,000, and someone is telling them they can get 50% returns in the next one month, without asking questions, such as: which investment instruments would they be investing in, which is expected to get them such a high return, within a month. Because they do not ask such an important question, they then become victims of Ponzi schemes, about which they end up regretting for life.

“I have encountered individuals who sold their businesses to invest in such Ponzi schemes, and who ultimately lost both their businesses and their invested funds. Some have ended up committing suicide, as a result. Hitherto happy marriages have also been dissolved on account of this type of financial indiscretion of one of the spouses.

“That is just by the way. It is another way of telling you that in this approach I am sharing with you, you need to invest in acquiring relevant and applicable knowledge first. It would save you years of sorrow, depression and heart-breaking tragedies.

“Ise alase jeun, owo alase la”. This is a misleading

“I was deep in thoughts. It was as if my Billionaire Friend put me on something like a financial scanning machine dissecting all the errors I had made. And to now cap it up, he even said I should be praying for my employers.

At that point, I wanted to consider doing what the disciples of Jesus did when he was preaching on issues that were above their heads.They turned back and followed him no more” ASSIGNMENT Read the entire book of the week: THE RICHEST MAN IN BABYLON and do a self assessment of your current financial reality.

If you don’t like what came out, then stay glued to this column every week. The solution is on the way.

Yoruba proverb, which holds that when you remain in paid employment, you can only earn enough to feed yourself. But on the other hand, if you choose to do business, it is only then, that you can acquire wealth. Unfortunately, this proverb is far from reality, in the modern world. The building of wealth is possible while in continuous employment through the process of being frugal at living, living below your paid income and planning with a focused mind at always making continuous savings from your salaries and emoluments towards building wealth. This is achievable from a well-planned investment of your savings in wealthbuilding instruments. Given that your savings at the beginning of your post-graduation employment are expected to be small, you need to start building wealth by putting your little savings in blue-chip, financially stable stock market instruments, just as I did. But I must warn that choosing the stock instruments to invest in, requires taking time to acquire knowledge about the stock market. I chose those blue-chip stock instruments with a history of high capital gains but low dividend options, at my start. You must be acquainted and conscious every time of the inherent speculative market risk and capital loss nature in stock market instruments. But, if well-chosen as I did, the returns can be very fulfilling. This should continuously be combined with those of other available investment instruments of principal guaranteed and predictable nature as you grow, but of usually less gainful returns to those obtainable from the stock market, as I did.

The reason for this is to ensure the availability of some funds when necessary to take advantage of some sometimes suddenly available [options] better than one’s portfolio investments to key into and to selectively cover for the various different unique risks of each investment head. Those others apart from stocks are investments in the money market, such as high yields saving accounts, mutual funds, short-term certificates of deposits, short-term governments and corporate bonds, etc. The whole essence, as I did at my beginning, is to build and accumulate funds for some say 10 years into the future investments of high capital natured investments.

“The process of building wealth from earned incomes in paid employment is a long-term process. It is not a process of acquiring wealth within a short time; it is a gradual process of continuous devotion to converting savings into wealth, by using the adage of “little drops of water makes a mighty ocean”.

“Earning salaries and emoluments while being employed for this process involves living below one’s income, ensuring that one’s total living cost is managed continuously to be much less than one’s earned incomes and having one’s wealth-building goal in mind, all the time.

“Indeed, the process of building wealth under gainful employment must be backed by having well thought out annual plans, at the beginning of every year, in which salaried wealth builders, must pre-determine what they intend to achieve at the end of every year, via using the savings made from earned incomes and salaries on a continuous basis and thus cumulatively build wealth. Of course, the success of this process would not and cannot happen, where one’s lifestyle is not properly positioned and planned to create room for the flow of savings, on a continuous basis, for investments in wealth-building instruments. This is the core of the process required in building wealth when fully employed by others.

“Hence, it is not wise for people to believe that it is not possible to build wealth while working for others, as an employee. You could build wealth working for others as an employee if well informed, knowledgeable, frugal, committed and focused. Over the years, you can become a billionaire, investing first in those investment instruments earlier listed and then gradually and methodically investing in land, properties, joint venture and angel investments. Indeed, you can considerably raise the value of your wealth by so doing, after starting with growing some wealth from investing in stock instruments, treasury bills, sovereign and corporate bonds, etc., as I did. Starting with investing in the secondary market of monetary instruments at the beginning of your employment life, after graduation, one would be able to afford to buy small units of such instruments, and then eventually grow and graduate into being able to invest in higher capital investment instruments. And thus, as time goes by, you will be able to gradually invest in larger capital demanding investments.

Read the full article and the review of the book of the week recommended by my Billionaire Friend at www.thisdaylive.com

SUNDAY FEBRUARY 13, 2022 • T H I S D AY

23

24

SUNDAY FEBRUARY 13, 2022 • T H I S D AY

A

WEEKLY PULL-OUT

12.2.2022

Aisha Muhammed-Oyebode Preserving Murtala Muhammed’s Legacy For some, the images may be blurry now but in the footage of Nigerian history, we see him clearly as a hero; an exceptional General, regarded as an incorruptible gentleman. Until he was silenced by gunshots on February 13, 1976, late General Murtala Muhammed, Nigeria’s former military Head of State was a pillar of unity, impacting on the nation’s social, political, and economic development in a very short time at the helm of power. It has been 46 years since he was killed in a bloody coup d’etat. His family, led by his eldest child, Aisha Muhammed-Oyebode has kept his memories alive through the Murtala Muhammed Foundation (MMF), an organisation founded 20 years ago. To commemorate the 46th year anniversary of his death, MM Foundation is organising its 2022 Annual Murtala Muhammed Lecture themed ‘Beyond Boko Haram: Addressing Insurgency, Banditry, and Kidnapping in Nigeria.’ Against this backdrop, Muhammed-Oyebode recounts some of the lasting legacies of her father in a conversation with Funke Olaode.

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

50

T H I S D AY, T H E S U N D AY N E W S PA P E R ˾ FEBRUARY 13, 2022

COVER My Late Father’s Extraordinary Impact on the Social Economic Development of Nigeria Cannot Be Undone

T

he late former Head of State, General Murtala Muhammed was a distinguished army officer with a track record of excellence.

At just 38 years, he became the head of state. He was a man of valour that many oral storytellers of Nigerian history believed could have changed the nation for good. With the commitment and dedication he brought to the seat of government, he changed the landscape of politics in the post-civil war era marked by reconciliation, reconstruction and rehabilitation.

He fought against corruption almost to a point of repression. Still, it is very arguable that the nation’s social, political, and economic development during his time cannot be undone.

Even in death, the late general was not forgotten as his name had been etched on monuments, roads and state buildings - the most prominent of these being the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Ikeja Lagos.

In 2002, his family led by his eldest child, Aisha Muhammed-Oyebode set afloat a foundation with the aim of keeping his memories alive.

Mrs. Mohammed-Oyebode was a 12year old student of the Queens College Lagos when the general was murdered in Lagos leaving behind a young widow, Ajoke with six children. It was not an easy journey for Aisha and her siblings at first but with the support of a dedicated mother and a supportive nation, they weathered the storm. Today, she is an accomplished lawyer and a boardroom guru.

Her younger siblings have excelled as well in their chosen careers.

Looking gorgeous in a long purple gown during a recent encounter, Mrs. MuhammedOyebode has a warm and loving personality, with no airs. Is this a reflection of her personality?

“What right does anyone have to have airs? What for?,” she asked in response to compliments on her approachable nature.

“Only those who use their God-given abilities to their fullest potential are truly exceptional. Also, my parents did not have airs.

If you recall, the reason my father was such an easy target 46 years ago was because he refused to ride in the motorcades and convoys of his predecessor, symbols that would eventually become emblems of over-bloated African leadership. In fact, after he took office as head of state, we remained in the same residence we had occupied prior to July 1975. If you have met my mother, you’d be surprised at how down-to-earth she is. She also instilled in us the belief that we are only as good as our own efforts and successes. As a result, our family’s guiding principle and mantra remains education,” she said.

Right from childhood, her parents instilled in her a core set of values.

“Let me share a humorous story with you.

As a family, my husband and I had vowed that our children would be as grounded and balanced as our parents had insisted that we were. Thus, one day at around age six, one of our children came home and told us that they were going on a school trip to the national museum.

The realisation that we were yet to inform them who their grandfather was and that the museum was the location of the car their grandfather was killed in, sent us into a panic. This is who I am.”

Mrs. Mohammed-Oyebode who spoke glowingly about her father said he was indeed a devoted family man to his family, career and the nation. And this value he ingrained in his children. He frequently spoke about Nigeria, during family road trips which were long and frequent between Lagos and Kano.

“He was very committed to our education, including those of us the girls. You can see why the Foundation founded in his memory must advocate for universal education. He loved nature; flowers, trees and birds. In his days, he was fairly tech-savvy, so if he were still alive today he would probably be on Twitter and utilising the latest devices. Despite his demanding schedule and fervent desire to build a nation, my father was very hands on as a parent, he took us out regularly, for swimming and plenty of travels within Nigeria. My dad brought us up to be close,” she recalled.

Having such a prominent citizen as father comes with its own challenge. Although it could open doors, it sometimes creates a burden of expectation. Of course, she also felt the heat at the initial stage to be a role model and a shining example to younger siblings. “Without a doubt, the pressure will always be there. Being the firstborn and a girl, there was tremendous pressure to go above and beyond in order to succeed. My parents, thankfully, believe in the importance of educating girls and have done an excellent job with me.”

Her late father was renowned as an

incorruptible officer, a nation builder and a man who believed in qualitative education and democracy. And exactly 26 years after his demise, a foundation was established to keep alive his philosophies. In 2002, Murtala Muhammed Foundation was established and she serves as its Executive Director.

To create a culture of sustained memory, she has been unrelenting in making February 13 an unforgettable date in the Nigerian calendar, without alluding too much to the morbid history that the day holds.

“One of the driving challenges behind the preservation of the memory of the late General Murtala Muhammed is truly the inability to develop, archive and maintain the hagiographies of Nigeria’s heroes from the past. Even though memorials to General Muhammed have been erected over time, it has been up to his family to ensure that his legacy lives on in the hearts of those he served. It is a monumental task, however, the tremendous impact he had on our nation’s social, political, and economic development during its formative years are extraordinary, and they cannot be undone. For as long as we can immortalise him, we will ensure that his legacy lives on in the hearts and minds of the people of Nigeria and the rest of the world.

We are doing this through the very important work of the Murtala Muhammed Foundation, with the annual lectures, the work we do with women in development, the Foundation’s humanitarian response, especially to persons in situations of fragility across the nation. Some of this fragility is caused by so many crises that we face today; conflict, poverty, and all kinds of violence.

The work of the Foundation, especially around education, honours extensively the late general’s vision and commitment to the development of a working nation and a continent of self-reliant people.”

To sustain the memory and ensure that her father’s good deeds continue to outlive him in the national consciousness is a communal effort.

“Keeping the memory of late General Muhammed alive and ensuring that his extensive achievements live on in the national consciousness is also happening beyond the Foundation. In 2019, postgraduate students at Obafemi Awolowo University in Ile Ife erected a statue in his honour, to preserve the memory and legacy of the late General Muhammed and ensure that his many accomplishments remain ingrained in the collective memory of the country. From Namibia to Angola, General Muhammed’s legacy is still being celebrated throughout southern Africa.

General Muhammed has become a symbol for his generation and beyond because of his fight against corruption, which still plagues our nations across the continent and remains a cankerworm eating at the fabric of our societies. Considering his unconditional and unwavering support for the South African nations in their fight against apartheid and in support of the liberation of African people, his vision for Nigeria and for the African continent is still unrivalled to this day.”

She enumerated the mandates of the foundation and its remarkable activities.

“Nigerians have long regarded the Murtala Muhammed Foundation as a pioneer in democratic debate, policy advocacy and as a trailblazer when it comes to advancing the rights of women, advocating for progressive transformation, and providing disaster relief and humanitarian assistance to the continent’s poorest and most marginalised communities.

The Foundation’s conferences have resulted in productive dialogue and long-term engagement and activism with the government. The Foundation is an outspoken proponent of legislation in critical areas of government and continues to demand demonstrated national leadership and ingenuity in organizing and integrating responses to crucial issues that we face as a nation on a local and global scale.

During disasters, the MMF mobilises groups with specialised knowledge that have specific skills and interests. The MMF’s response to catastrophes in collaboration with these organisations is focused on the four Rs: - Relief; Restoration; Repair; and Reintegration—as a means of assisting the most vulnerable.

“It has been an incredible 20-year journey of tremendous support from a very involved board of trustees. The mission of the Foundation is to become the beacon of institutions that transcends boundaries and is dedicated to the socio-economic development of Nigeria and the continent, Africa. This we expect to achieve ultimately so we continue defiantly on the journey to that goal.”

Although none of Murtala Muhammed’s offspring is in the Nigerian armed forces, it is not an indication of lack of patriotism. As a matter of fact, Muhammed-Oyebode has been a very

Muhammed-Oyebode

strong socio-political commentator, who is passionate for better Nigeria. She is in support of having the best and brightest citizens in both the military and other law enforcement agencies.

“One of the Foundation’s most important initiatives is to inspire young people, particularly those living in conflict-torn areas of the country, to enlist in the military. We have actively encouraged a few including from the Chibok community to join; one of them, a young lady, is in the army and another young man, the Airforce. Another young lady has expressed interest, I believe in the navy and we are working with her on that currently.”

Muhammed-Oyebode is eternally grateful for the show of love bestowed on her late father by the government at various levels to keep his memory alive.

“We are truly humbled by what successive governments at various levels have done to keep General Muhammed’s memory alive.

Not everyone has their image on a bank note or an international airport, or that numerous hospitals, parks, roads and educational institutions have been named in their honour, or that statues of them have been constructed throughout the country. In fact the number of tertiary educational institutions across the country that are named after the general is heartwarming. You are aware that the Foundation has a large scholarship programme and quite a few of the students have applied and gained admission to schools named after General Muhammed. It is always a surprise to hear of yet another school named after him. However, we hope that further effort will be made to preserve and commemorate the accurate history and accomplishments of General Muhammed.

There is something fishy about a country where history is no longer taught and narratives are dictated by those in power.”

To commemorate his 46th anniversary, MMF is organizing the 2022 Annual Murtala Muhammed Lecture is themed - Beyond Boko Haram: Addressing Insurgency, Banditry, and Kidnapping in Nigeria. The annual lecture will be held on Monday, February 21, 2022, at the Musa Yar’Adua Centre, Abuja. The focus

of the 2022 lecture this time is to seek to define a new direction for Nigeria in the face of a raging insurgency, militancy and organised crime.

The lecture will bring together stakeholders and will provide a forum for policymakers and security analysts to discuss and evaluate some of the underlying factors that are contributing to the current national security dilemmas. This year’s Keynote Speaker will be His Excellency, Dr. Kayode Fayemi, the Governor of Ekiti State and Chairman of the Nigerian Governors’ Forum (NGF), under the distinguished Chairmanship of Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, former President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and Chairman of the Murtala Muhammed Foundation.

If there is any figure that has played a pivotal role in her life trajectory, Mrs. MuhammedOyebode will point at her mother whom she describes as a courageous woman.

“She was only 33 years when my father died, she nurtured us. She was instrumental in shaping me into the woman I am today. Being able to raise her children, as well as many of my father’s cousins, nieces and nephews, on her own, and seeing them all thrive and succeed in their endeavours speaks volumes about the substance my mother is made of.

“Again, being the widow of a former head of state at a difficult time in our nationhood requires you to have a strong heart, resolve and most importantly, courage. My mother demonstrated all of these and more. Today and always, I honour her because she is truly an amazon!”

Mrs. Muhammed-Oyebode hasn’t done badly for herself, heading one ‘big office’ as this and that. What has been her driving force? “I am compelled to continually strive harder in order to continually improve.”

At 58, Mrs. Muhammed-Oyebode has a slim figure which radiates happiness and contentment. She could pass for a woman in her early 40s.

“Thank you very much for that compliment.

I can say that I am lucky to have inherited good genes, but I also try to eat well and healthy. I give time to have ample rest, stay in the most positive state of mind at all times and, remain physically and mentally active. All in all, I am truly blessed.”

T H I S D AY, T H E S U N D AY N E W S PA P E R ˾ FEBRUARY 13, 2022

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GLITZ FOCUS

Where is the Love?

As St. Valentine’s Day is marked tomorrow, Vanessa Obioha reports on how the quest for riches and social media validation have altered the concept of love

U

che grew up with the notion that love is sacrificial and selfless. Her ideal love relationship is one that both partners commit to helping one another without entitlement.

That concept was eroded the moment she started seeing her friends post expensive gifts from their boyfriends on Instagram.

Her boyfriend is a nine-to-five worker whose take home pay is sufficient to meet family obligations and take her out to dinner twice a month. He buys gifts for her on special occasions such as birthdays, Christmas and Valentine’s Day. The gifts are not extravagant but she adores his gestures.

Yet, each time she came across a friend’s post that showed fancy gifts such as costly jewelry, a vacation to an expensive resort or a new car, she could not help but feel miserable about her love life. Her insecurity slowly crept into her relationship and the gestures she once enjoyed became annoying. It didn’t help that her friends advised her to get a ‘real man’ who can spoil her for good.

It was only a matter of time before the relationship hit the rocks.

Uche’s scenario is so common in today’s world that one often wonders if love still exists.

Defining love in Nigeria today may be a herculean task but it is pertinent to seek the meaning in a month known for love.

By tomorrow, the Valentine’s Day craze will be in full gear. The town will be painted red by love-themed events

and hotels offering a romantic getaway for couples.

Even if you live under a rock, the extravaganza of the day will reach your ears one way or the other because the level of materialism will be splashed all over the internet, and who knows, one anonymous post may land on your feet.

The time and effort spent in getting the perfect gift, perfect look, perfect setting for a perfect social media post is alarming such that one feels inadequate for not participating. People do the unimaginable, just to present a perfect lifestyle to online audience. They call it ‘Pepper Dem’.

Time was when simple acts of love fetched you compliments. Not anymore.

Nowadays, love is mostly dependent on one’s financial status. It’s not as if this notion was non-existent but certainly not to this degree. Mr Right is no longer just a charming prince, he must equally be rich to find his damsel.

“Money can buy love nowadays, especially women’s love,” said Linda Okorie, a customer service representative. She argued that most people focus on money because they attribute success to money.

This quest for riches and fame has led many to a dangerous path. It is no news that there is a disturbing trend of young boys luring girls with fancy gifts only to end up using them for rituals. Stories about young boys using their girlfriends for rituals to make money faster abound in today’s news cycle and leaves a frightening trail. There is no assurance that the young man you are crushing on is not a ritualist. But how did love get so tainted?

“It’s all about the mindset,” explained Okorie. “With the advent of yahoo boys

and ‘range rover girls’, nobody is questioning the source of money but assuming hard work and God’s grace.”

Jerry Olayinka, a media relations consultant shared similar sentiments.

“Based on the algorithm of today, materialism seems to be a huge prerequisite. And once that’s not available, the efforts become watered down which I think it’s why most relationships or marriages crumble at the slightest level of ‘stress’.”

He opined that the young generation does not understand the language of love. “Love as I understand it is a conscious effort but today, it is transactional.”

Many times, women are often accused of being too materialistic which explains why men go the extra mile to get rich, even if it’s a hellish journey. However, Lawrence Akande, a single parent feels men too are becoming avaricious.

“I know most women are materialistic when it comes to love.

Men too are changing, considering what a women will bring to the table when it comes to a serious relationship, not just one night stand.”

What Okorie finds more irritating is the superficial validation people seek online. Just like the case of Uche who sought a kind of validation from her friends online.

“The whole paparazzi is annoying. It has made love so superficial. The idea of bringing

your lovelife to social media for validation from people that don’t know you is quack.”

She continued: “We now have online in-laws. And we have given this set of people so much power that they now decide the value of your relationship.”

When asked if she would celebrate Valentine’s Day tomorrow, she replied in the affirmative.

“Of course I will. Just for the fun of it.

We will probably have a kitchen date.”

While Valentine’s Day celebration is quite subjective, this year’s may provide an opportunity to re-evaluate love.

What we consider the most important ingredient. Should it be based on selfless acts and romantic gestures or solely on money. And if we are to go by the true goal of the celebration, then we should show some humanity. With many killings and poverty stealing lives, why not extend help to someone in need. Maybe a homeless child or poverty-stricken family.

This season should be a time of deep reflection on the values we place on love.

Olayinka captured it succinctly.

“People should reflect on selflessness.

More of whoever they are celebrating than themselves. Val’s Day is now more like a business transaction. I will go over and beyond to buy an expensive gift for my Val, I expect him or her to buy me more too. And if the Val doesn’t buy or return the gesture, questions start mounting.

People should not make it transactional.

Love should give without expecting in return.”

Valentine’s Day, also called the Feast of Saint Valentine, is celebrated annually on February 14.

It originated as a Christian feast to honour a Christian martyr named Saint Valentine.

Through later folk and traditions, the day has become a significant cultural, religious, and commercial celebration of romance and love in many regions of the world.

Nigeria is not left out, as the day is being interpreted and observed by many, as Lovers’ Day. While families choose to see the feast as a day to share agape love to individuals and society, others take it as immoral love between a man and woman.

The colours red and white typically grace the environment on this day.

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T H I S D AY, T H E S U N D AY N E W S PA P E R ˾JANUARY 13 2022

GLITZ ENTERTAINMENT

Top Nigerian Love Songs for Valentine’s Day Stories by Vanessa Obioha It’s that time of the month when love is in the air. To make your Valentine’s Day more colourful this season, here are some quintessential Nigerian songs to spice up the ambience on the special day.

Onyeka Onwenu, ‘One Love’

She may be called the ‘elegant stallion’ as a show of feminine strength, but there’s a softer side to Onwenu.

This is revealed in the 1991 smash song ‘One Love’. It is a Jazz infused mid-tempo anthem that had the entire nation basking in platonic love.

2Baba ‘African Queen’

The opening guitar riffs always set the mood. Released in the early 2000s, the ballad has remained relevant as a go-to love song for lovebirds. It is possibly the country’s greatest love export. Invest in it.

Timi Dakolo ‘Iyawo Mi’

Raising a family can be a daunting task, and sometimes might rub off some of the romantic shine in a relationship.

Dakolo gives a tutorial on how to appreciate your significant other through words and deeds in this song.

Wande Coal, ‘Olulufe’

Do you have a hard time expressing how you feel about that special someone? Well, let this piece where Coal shines in falsetto glory do the talking for you. It is the crooner at his most vulnerable, so put pen to paper and make notes.

Styl-Plus, ‘Olufunmi’

Relationships are not a bed of roses. Even as the love bug bites you, the itch isn’t felt immediately, so we tend to overlook minor flaws. But over time, the shortcomings become apparent and unbearable. In the love tale marked by string instruments, the trio of Styl-Plus are on the brink of losing their relationships. Listen in on how they sang their way to redemption.

MI ft. Waje, ‘One Naira’

Many love stories don’t start on a high note, and for those that did, difficult times abound. This period, as perceived by many, is the litmus test of true love. On ‘One Naira’, MI and Waje reassure each other of the commitment they owe themselves. How’s that for a Nigerian Bonnie and Clyde?

Paul Play Dairo, ‘Angel of My Life’

This one has an airy aura to it. Steeped in Caribbean influences on the backdrop of R’n’B, Paul Play delivers this once in a lifetime piece. With direct lyrics, he woos the love of his life. That’s one man who knows exactly what he wants.

Follow him.

Flavour, ‘Ada Ada’

The idea of weddings is beautiful and frightful at the same time. In this Igbo highlife song, Flavour details the array of emotions when a man and woman decide to be with each other.

Davido, ‘Aye’

Davido, Simi, Johnny Drille, Chike

Sunny Neji, ‘Oruka’

Two words: Wedding day. Neji spins vows into lyrics. It’s time to reaffirm your commitment to your significant other.

Johnny Drille,‘Romeo and Juliet’

Drille diverts into the folk music genre to conjure this powerful piece on love inspired by Shakespearean characters Romeo and Juliet with slight modifications to his story. Indeed, this one is a modern classic.

Being with someone who loves you for who you are will instil peace of mind. You become confident that your significant other will stand beside you through thick and thin. ‘Aye’ is a special ode to those who have stood right next to you when it truly mattered.

Simi, ‘Love Don’t Care’

Lagbaja, ‘Never Far Away’

P-Square,‘Ifunanya’

The masked singer explains that true love isn’t affected by distance. Although he admits that it is shaken now and then, still it stands tall. The powerful ballad that runs into over six minutes of playtime will have you awed by the vocal prowess of Ego and the precision of the orchestral arrangement.

‘You found love in a hopeless place’ is the expression that best describes this song. It’s the kind of love that is out of grasp, yet Simi fights for and claims what her heart desires using soft words on relaxing instrumentals.

months to plan. Playing ‘Olomi’ in the background puts the cherry on top of your efforts. It tells the story you aren’t able to tell. The melodies will heighten the experience.

Because Valentine’s Day is a gift that keeps giving, here are some honourable mentions: Jodie’s ‘Under the Mango Tree; Banky W’s ‘Whatchu Doing Tonight’’; D’banj’s ‘Fall in Love’; Adekunle Gold’s ‘Orente’; Duncan Mighty’s ‘Obianuju’ and Chike’s ‘Running’.

Tube Awards Unveiling Holds Today

Although they have a plethora of love songs to choose from their discography, ‘Ifunanya’ carries a certain punch to it. They make love seem fun.

Tosin Martins, ‘Olomi’

Finally, you both settle in for that great dinner that took

Janet Jackson Documentary to Air on M-Net The MultiChoice Group recently announced that the much-talked-about documentary ‘Janet Jackson.’ will debut on its M-Net channel from Thursday, February 17.

“M-Net is very excited to bring the much-talkedabout Janet Jackson documentary to the African continent. It’s a never seen before, all-encompassing coverage of her career journey and family. We know our viewers will be intrigued by the story,” says Jan du Plessis, Channel Director, M-Net Channels.

The four-part documentary event sees the American singer-songwriter travel back to Gary, Indiana, where her incredible journey began. Speaking like never before, Janet discusses everything, including her Superbowl appearance with singer Justin Timberlake in 2004, the controversy surrounding her brother Michael Jackson, and becoming a mother later in life.

It will air from 8:30 pm on M-Net (DStv channel 101).

All four episodes will be available on DStv Catch Up an hour after its broadcast.

Segun Arinze to host Tube Awards

Jackson

The much-anticipated unveiling of the Tube Awards will be held today, February 13, at the Eko Hotel and Suites. Tube Awards is a first of its kind in the Nigerian television industry.

It recognises and rewards artistic and technical skills in the TV industry. The awards will accept and review works on cable, digital and terrestrial television.

Hosted by veteran Nollywood actor Segun Arinze and model Fadeke ‘Moymo’ Adesunloye, the unveiling is an avenue to intimate stakeholders and practitioners in the TV space on the peculiarities of the award as well as introduce the Board of Trustees.

According to the organising committee Tube Afrique, the awards which has been in incubation for two years is likely to be held later this year with the aim of making it the Emmys

SUNDAY FEBRUARY 13, 2022 • T H I S D AY

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T H I S D AY, T H E S U N D AY N E W S PA P E R ˾ FEBRUARY 13, 2022

HighLife

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

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

Fight to Finish! The Real Reason Tinubu’s Supporters and Osinbajo’s Fights on Social Media

lghodalo

Holy Fire from the Pulpit… If All Pastors were Like Ituah “Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu is my personal friend. As a person, I love him very much. He has been very kind to me. He is a good man.

But leadership today in Nigeria is greater than any personal ambition.

The kind of leader we want is not someone who says being president has been my life ambition, no, you must do better than that.”

These are the words that Pastor Ituah Ighodalo, the Senior Pastor of Trinity House, Lagos, uttered regarding what he thought about the presidential aspiration of Tinubu. Coming from a pastor in today’s world, these are bold words—this much is obvious.

The Bible talks about prophets who practically directed the heavens to spit fire against their antagonists. Ighadalo takes it even further. First, he spits the fire himself. Second, the fiery tangent leads towards someone that he considers his friend. As pundits have noted, Ighadalo has either proved himself to be a genuine priest or the most controversial person a politician is ever likely to befriend Many people indeed have reservations regarding Tinubu’s presidential candidacy. However, Ighadalo is the first cleric with close ties to the Lion of Bourdillon to oppose his bid. According to the minister, Tinubu ought to remain in his former position as a kingmaker and help the country transition into a progressive phase. Emerging as the person to lead the charge is, in Ighadalo’s books, something that Tinubu should not do.

How Tinubu is going to react to Ighadalo’s comment is still a thing of speculation. However, any sensible person knows that he is not likely to be cheering for it. Nevertheless, since truth and audacity generally commands respect, Tinubu is likely to nod his head and down a glass of wine as a sign of respect. Afterwards, knowing the resolute attitude of Jagaban, he will continue down the path he has taken.

Overall, hats are being taken off as a show of veneration to the pastor that dared to oppose Tinubu’s presidential ambition even though they are friends.

Nigerian politics will always remind one of the gimmicks of its film industry, Nollywood. They are like Siamese twins.

And Nigerians enjoy the thrills and intrigues that come from both sectors.

Presently, they are responsible for the widening gulf between two beloved potential presidential aspirants for the 2023 national elections: Prof. Yemi Osinbajo and Senator Bola Tinubu.

With the way things are going, you would think that Osinbajo and Tinubu are at loggerheads over who will take over from President Muhammadu Buhari. Although there is an avalanche of articles online detailing their presidential aspirations, these two appear to be as chummy with each other as humanly possible. But why not, one might ask. After all, they are from the same ethnic extraction, political party, and might even have similar plans for the development of the country. The problem is the unbridled passion of their followers.

Anybody who pays attention to the goings-on on social media would have come across debates regarding who is Marriage takes people to interesting heights.

But sometimes, these heights are only possible because individuals have the vision to choose their battles and fellow commandos. With the Governor of Ondo State, Rotimi Akeredolu, and his wife, Betty in the picture, one cannot think of a better executive pairing in the current political configuration of Nigeria. Hence, the rumour of Betty nursing the ambition for an elective post has not been thrown out of the window as hearsay.

To say that Madam Betty is powerful in Ondo State is to say that a centipede has about a hundred legs. Compared to her husband who is both forceful and charmingly subtle, Betty reportedly stays behind the curtains and wields political power. But it is said that she is her husband’s number-one fan and the person that is most feared by his associates and rivals.

With this curious reputation in mind, people have not been able to ignore the Ondo First Lady’s reported intention to represent Imo West Senatorial District in the next elections.

According to the reports, this is the lady’s next

more qualified to bear Buhari’s mantle for another four to eight years. Tinubu’s supporters are likely the most populous, insisting that their preferred candidate has laboured in the political jungle longer than Osinbajo has. Also, he appears to weigh more in terms of influence.

But Osinbajo’s supporters tend to be louder in their support. They continue to sing Osinbajo’s praises, painting him as the saviour that the country needs at this time, a brilliant planner whose intellectual prowess and humility helped to balance out the perceived tyranny of the present administration.

And on and on and on the debates go.

But the people in question have not said anything about each other. Upon meeting, Osinbajo never hesitates to shake hands with and even hug Tinubu, and Tinubu never objects. One can tell that they have a shared and understanding interest in something. Is that thing the presidency or something similar? That is best left to the day after the presidential elections in 2023.

In the meantime, social media is rife

Will Betty Akeredolu Contest for Elective Post?

Akeredolu

Osinbajo and Tinubu

with Tinubu and Osinbajo’s supporters throwing down and hurling insults at one another. It is a relief that everything is virtual or it will spell doom for the Southwest’s ambition to claim the presidency in 2023. political move after helping to ensure that her husband’s power and prestige are preserved in Ondo State.

Some people have immediately opposed the idea of an Ondo State First Lady becoming a Senator in Imo. Others who are more informed regarding the true state of things have generously updated these people on the basics: Betty is originally (and still is) a native of Imo. Her marriage to Governor Akeredolu notwithstanding, Betty has at least checked that qualification box. But is this enough to contest with the others for the Imo West senatorial position? That is a question for further deliberation.

Nevertheless, it has to be said that Madam Betty is no novice to politics. Having stood beside her husband all these years, not to mention her achievements prior to his gubernatorial position, there is no doubt that she is confident of the odds. So if it turns out to be true and Betty contests for the senatorial position, the election is sure to be intriguing regardless of the results.

From Ethiopia to Egypt, Governor Abiodun Shares Investment Vision, Opportunities in Ogun with African Business Leaders, Investors In continuation of his ‘Building Our Future Together’ Agenda for Ogun State, Governor Dapo Abiodun was recently in Cairo, Egypt; and Ethiopia, where he met with business leaders and investors to share and identify partnership opportunities that would facilitate and accelerate more multi-sectoral investments in the industrial development of Ogun State.

Indeed, Governor Abiodun has the gift of presence. When he walks into a room, people sit up, straighten their ties, hold their breath in anticipation. And he dazzles them with his graceful command.

He enjoys the bequest of performance too, which often translates to rare excellence.

The moment he set foot in the State House of Ogun, as Executive Governor and number one citizen of the state, Abiodun imbued his office with unprecedented nobility and passion for excellence.

This perhaps explains the palpable storm of accomplishments coursing through the Abeokuta and every sphere of governance in the state.

The governor undoubtedly wears his gubernatorial strength and savvy like a badge of honour, on his chest; shining it with sweat, as true virtuous men do. He stands tall, wading through odds with the courage of a knight and the confidence of a champion.

Enemy Within: As Mattawale and Gusau’s Fight Continues

Gusau

There are levels to the executive feuds that Nigerians bear witness to. In the traditional sense, assuming there is such a category for inhouse political squabbles, an ex-Governor hurls insults at their successor or something to that effect. In the Zamfara State of today, the executive squabble is between the incumbent Governor, Bello Mattawale, and his deputy, Mahdi Gusau.

And the primary reason for the difference in opinion has to do with Mattawale’s cross-carpeting to the All Progressives Congress (APC).

Say what you will about party-switching in Nigeria and how it is like throwing an egg at a rock but Gusau is not having it. Following the defection of his higher half from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Gusau has told whoever has ears and the patience to listen that Mattawale is a person that makes false promises.

Gusau explained his grievances to the Governor of Sokoto State, Aminu Tambuwal when the latter visited Zamfara on Monday, February 7, 2022. Tambuwal had to sit tight

Abiodun

while Gusau clarified his beef with Mattawale.

Why would the latter defect to the APC when it was the PDP that brought him to power? On what grounds did Mattawale make that move especially when they had a prior agreement about bearing the rains and storms of political changes together under the umbrella of the number-one party in Nigeria after the APC? To be sure, Gusau’s grievances are understandable but surely Mattawale did not jump ship so that he will be more popular with the people. Or maybe he did. But he didn’t take Gusau’s feelings to heart when he left his PDP gang in the dust and joined the APC wagon.

Or, again, maybe he did.

Meanwhile, Gusau is not the only person with a bone to pick against Mattawale. A Federal High Court sitting in Gusau, the capital of Zamfara recently struck out a case against Mattawale. The plaintiffs intended to remove Mattawale from the Governor’s seat on account of his defection but the court thought otherwise. So the Deputy Governor is not the only person in Zamfara ready to come to blows with the governor.

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T H I S D AY, T H E S U N D AY N E W S PA P E R ˾ FEBRUARY 13, 2022

HIGHLIFE What is Okorocha’s Legacy in Im mo State as He Reports Uzodinma to Buhari?

Tourism Giant, Runsewe Set to Host Another High-Octane Event Any sharp social executive in Nigeria’s high society knows that business contracts make for only half of the muscle of influence that they wield. The other half goes to the category of parties that they can throw. In light of this fact, the Director-General of the National Council for Arts and Culture (NCAC), Otunba Segun Runsewe, has sent out invitation cards to the most prestigious individuals in the country to gather and mingle.

According to reports, Runsewe organised this high-octane event as a salute and shout out to the leadership of the National Association of Nigeria Travel Agencies (NANTA). Runsewe seems to think that NANTA is a giant among the governmental agencies in the country and occupies the number-one position for being the most peaceful, impactful hardworking industry trade group in the country.

While the date of the party is yet to be scheduled and announced to the invitees, Runsewe has already told all and sundry to prepare their tummies for food and wine and their hips for dancing in Abuja of all places.

Thus, it is expected that it is not only the higherups of Nigeria’s top-tier business merchants that will make it to the event but also expatriates and representatives of other governments that will be present. In brief, anybody who is anybody in the Culture-Tourism, Aviation, and the corporate world, in general, will be there.

For those who know Runsewe, while the NCAC DG has earned a reputation for throwing great parties, there is almost always an intention behind it. As we see in the case, there is going to be a lot of bridge-crossing and nationbuilding in the process. But that’s just the kind of man that Runsewe is, one that thinks ahead

Runsewe

and knows his onions enough to raise culture and tourism above his shoulders every time he steps out of his house. No wonder he remains the leading person for all things culture and tourism in Nigeria.

Billionaire Businessman, Musa Danjuma’s Ex in the News Again

Things continue to heat up in Nigeria’s social space with new developments on who is dating who and who is throwing shades at them. This week, the face of bellyaches is none other than Caroline Danjuma, the lovely former wife of billionaire businessman Musa Danjuma. And why is Ms Caroline, a former Nollywood actress who is now a businesswoman, at the centre of tiffs that bring nothing but headaches to the thoughtful and progressive? Timaya is the answer.

Timaya is a superstar in Nigeria’s music and entertainment sphere. Something else he is notable for is having multiple baby mamas (women he is not married to but who have delivered children for him). One of these baby mamas, Tamara Sinclair, is the one who has gotten into the ring with Ms. Caroline, Danjuma’s ex-wife, and is ready to send a haymaker the latter’s way.

From the reports from social media, a blogger was convinced that Caroline has joined Timaya’s ‘other room’ as a lover and potential baby mama. But responding to the charge,

Caroline stated that she was not in an amorous relationship with the ‘Plantain Boy’ singer, but that they are good friends. And then Caroline threw Sinclair under the bus, implying that the blogger had been motivated by the latter to fabricate lies about her being lovers with Timaya.

But Sinclair was not interested in subtly joining the fun. Instead, she hurled imagemelting accusations at Caroline, stating that the other was a ‘cola-nut’ (implying that Caroline was being passed around). Sinclair also claimed that Caroline used to date her (Sinclair’s) elder brother and she (Sinclair again) did not know that Caroline had jumped ship.

It is important to know that both of these women are not children but influential folks that likely others look up to. Caroline is a mother to three of Danjuma’s children (two sons and a daughter) and Sinclair has a son for Timaya. So why hurl insults at each other on social media? Then again, this is the trend these days. But is this good for public image, especially for Caroline?

Danjuma

Hon. Abdulrazak Namdas is the Hottest Topic in Adamawa Politics

Namdas Adeola

The democratic system in Nigeria is tricky.

While every individual can potentially emerge from anywhere and be voted for, there is a

political hierarchy that is usually followed.

Thus, it isn’t strange for one party to hand over power to another. Even so, people still blink at this somewhat rare occurrence. This is why it is fairly odd that Abdulrazak Namdas, a gubernatorial candidate in Adamawa under the auspices of the All Progressives Congress (APC) is a hot topic when the governor he intends to take over from, Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri, is a proud member of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

There is no doubt that Namdas has what our Mexican comrades call ‘cajones.’ In a place overrun by the PDP, Namdas distinguished himself as a member of the APC and has come to be recognised as the number one APC person for the gubernatorial seat come 2023.

Obviously, Namdas is not counting chairs and jadedly flipping reports at the floor of the House of Representatives.

It is said that Namdas is the primary pillar of the APC in Adamawa. More than that, the man has built a strong support bridge so that he can relate to any demographic in the state,

from the youths to the grassroots and elites.

But maybe this is nothing spectacular for the representative of Jada/Ganye/ MayoBelwa/Toungo Federal Constituency and former Chief Press Secretary to former Governor Boni Haruna of Adamawa State.

Indeed, Namdas is an interesting politician. For someone who still wears the image of a journalist in speech from time to time, Namdas has built a golden reputation for himself. While ardently bearing the flag of the APC, the man has worked hand-inhand with several PDP giants, including former Vice President Atiku Abubakar.

Yet, Namdas remains a stalwart and majestic figure in the APC many years later.

Should any change come to the party structure of Adamawa after the next gubernatorial elections, one ought to check behind the curtains for Namdas.

This is assuming he doesn’t end up as the main gubernatorial flagbearer and then goes on to be Adamawa Governor.

Celebrating Nigeria’s Foremost Political Amazon, Kemi Nelson at 66 When one considers this life and the various dynamics that characterise success and meaningful popularity, one can only conclude that there are levels to human existence. Comparing oneself to individuals like Chief (Mrs.) Kemi Nelson who is up there with historic figures is the very essence of sadism. But one must admire the best things of life to reach their height.

For Chief Nelson, 66 is no mean age.

Others at the same age would be slightly bent at the hip and need the assistance of relatives and strangers to stand upright.

But Nelson stands as upright as one can be, still a stalwart figure who doesn’t abide by the nonsensical and petty prejudices of others, still a shining model of commitment to home and country.

Thus, as one of Nigeria’s leading political figures, her reputation precedes her. And for good reason.

Upon clocking 66, a deluge of goodwill flowed towards Nelson from virtually

Nelson

every political and corporate quarter in the country. Even as the Executive Director of the Nigeria Social Insurance Trust Fund (NSITF) and National Zonal Women Leader in the South-west, her

presence of mind puts folks of similar age and bearing to shame. But that is a true Amazon for you, walking a simple path and shining with enough light to drive stars into hiding.

Is it her educational qualification that stands her out or the political career built through blood, sweat, and tears?

That Nelson is the only female serving member of the Lagos State Governor’s Advisory Council (GAC) says something about her uniqueness. But delving deeper shows the plainer truth: she is not one to hide behind the curtains and point fingers. No! You will find Nelson where the wheels are turning and the decisions are made.

So, at 66, Nelson remains a height for people of identical age and status to look up to and dream of passing.

Maybe it has something to do with her unshakeable sense of propriety and loyalty. Nevertheless, she is an Amazon of aristocratic proportions.

Things are happening in Nigeria.

Former Imo State Governor and current Senator representing lmo West senatorial district, Rochas Okorocha, has requested the intervention of President Muhammadu Buhari in the running of Imo State.

Rochas insisted that his successor, Governor Hope Uzodinma, is messing up the state and making the people cry. In response, critics of the former governor and alleged aspiring candidate for the 2023 presidential seat have stated that Okorocha has nothing to base his accusations on. If anything, the man is only looking to poke holes in the shirt of his successor.

If there is one individual whose presidential bid is first, sending people reeling in shock and then into fits of laughter, it would be Okorocha. He is a nice person, an individual that seems to put everybody else before himself.

In keeping with this image, he recently asked President Buhari to help him stop Governor Uzodinma from removing his legacy —which in his opinion might be the only thing keeping Imo together.

Okorocha’s request has been met with guffaws in some quarters and sighs in others. This is because it is difficult to point out particular legacies of the former governor that might be capable of consoling Imo citizens.

Okorocha

THEWILL Newspaper Set to Mark First Anniversary in Grand Style These are great times for the readers of THEWILL Newspaper. Come February 14, 2021, the print edition of the paper will be marking its first anniversary with pomp and pageantry. And as invitation cards are being ferried out across Nigeria, the brains behind the paper, especially the founder Austyn Ogannah, are still contemplating how best to celebrate themselves and their readers for having made it this far.

Twelve months in operation might seem like a short time in any other sector in Nigeria, but the information and media sector is an exception. Agencies that wield journalistic powers understand how difficult it is to survive a year of serious work. There are more people you can offend than you care to and fewer with an appreciative mind than you want.

So THEWILL Newspaper surviving its first year in print is a pretty big deal. No wonder the management team is intent on having a grand celebration.

According to reports, the place for the event has been decided. Thus, guests will have to make their way to an upscale restaurant in Victoria Island on Valentine’s Day to join Ogannah and the paper’s other operating team in celebration. But Ogannah has organised two different events to mark the anniversary and only the first will be held on Valentine’s Day. Nevertheless, the cocktail party organised by the paper’s subsidiary, DOWNTOWN Magazine, will not go to waste. The main theme for the event is reportedly the subsistence of the paper despite the paralysing effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. If there is no other reason to celebrate, surely having staff to work, stories to report, and a loyal audience is something worthy.

Overall, Ogannah and his team will not disappoint. In fact, they are likely to overcompensate which is great news for the guests invited to the party.

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T H I S D AY, T H E S U N D AY N E W S PA P E R ˾ FEBRUARY 13, 2022

LOUD WHISPERS

with JOSEPH EDGAR (09095325791)

Khadija Okunnu-Lamidi: Kindergarten Presidential Aspirants Every election cycle, they come out in droves like termites in season. They declare ambitions, join some weak political platforms and rabble-rousing in Lagos and maybe Abuja. After that, they calm down and go back to whichever hole they crawled from.

This is kind of irritating and thankfully they do not gather moss so their activities do not even register on scale let alone distract us from the very serious job of looking for credible leadership in this our nation.

This cycle, they are out again. Khadija Okunnu-Lamidi says she wants to be President and was inspired by the #EndSARS movement. I snigger.

But one other person has caught my interest- Chukwuka Monye. He is actually taking himself very seriously as I hear he walks around with bodyguards and bouncers. I saw his picture beside the Nigerian flag and apart from his handsome face, he

really has nothing to contribute to these discussions.

I reached out to him and asked to have a session. He has agreed and the session will be held this evening. Unfortunately, you would be reading this by that time.

I took a cursory look at his background and found nothing to support this ambition. He calls himself Social Innovator among other highsounding and meaningless phrases that can charm the undies of a very beautiful lady but not dent the hardened voter or party leader in faraway Kebbi.

Nigeria is too serious to be toyed with like this even on an extended ego trip.

Sadly, these people – Chukwuka and Khadijat have the brainpower, clarity of thought and strong exposure to play credibly well at the grassroots where the work really is. But no, na presidency dey hungry dem.

Do they even understand how the

security network works? Do they understand the dizzying turn in the economy? Do they understand the shifting tables that is the warped federalism we practise?

This is why I call them ‘kindergarten” in every true sense of the word including derogatory. Their king, Fela Durotoye, drove himself with ‘sweet nothings’ in the run-up to the last elections and suffered a national embarrassment when his understanding of simple issues relating to the economy and other sectors exposed his intellectual nudity.

Please let us go and fight for positions at the MDAs, build from there and work up the system, learning and garnering experiences. When you are ready, we will know.

The Nigerian presidency is not a Reality TV show, it is the most important and most powerful office in Africa. Not for termites. Thank you.

EMMANUEL UDOM: STILL ONTHE MATTER It was my Oga, Mr Kekere-Ekun that told me to “never be in a hurry to comment always. Listen and watch carefully before taking a position. You now have a voice so be reticent in speaking.”

Another Oga advised me “I have seen things… so I use my mouth less and let my eyes and ears do the work.”

Shebi it is someone who is normal you will be telling this one to. Me, I no normal o and I no gree, especially on this matter. We had expected a divergence from the past. We had expected that with the pedigree that came from years in corporate Nigeria that worst-case scenario, we would see a balancing that would shift us a little bit away from the sad part of selective candidacy.

But what we even saw this time was even crasser than what had hitherto been obtained. So, this time around, “God’ was pulled in. We were waiting for God and he came in a dream sequence to deliver the messiah Governor. Kai, we have suffered. The least he could have done was to have allowed internal primaries and work to the answer.

Anyways, we now have a preferred candidate and we all have been ‘instructed’ to push the candidacy. What else can we do? Don’t we all belong to Animal Farm? It is well. We will keep watching. No problem.

BABAJIDE SANWO-OLU: A LITTLE WORD OF SUPPORT I walked into an office in Ikeja the other day and saw an old rickety Range Rover covered with campaign memorabilia for Governor Sanwo-Olu. The driver was very energetic and hyper. I told him “please, no jam my car o.” He replied, “No vex, we dey campaign,” and zoomed off with thick black smoke coming out from its exhaust.

I smiled and shook my head; I really do hope that this ramshackle Range Rover does not represent the state of Oga’s reelection bid.

Anyways, this is not the aim of this writeup. The aim is to send in a little word of support. Mr. Sanwo-Olu has tried. I have moved from deep apathy towards him to restrained respect. His vigour, energy and strong will to deliver are not lost on Lagosians.

Although we still see a few glitches here and there, the genuineness of the actions smoothens that up. The issue of the schoolgirls should never have come out because of the millions more in the state in the same situation without any real hope.

Abi, should we all go and line up our out-of-school children on His Excellency’s footpath so we can get recourse?

Would I like to see a Sanwo-Olu second term? I’ll say yes. Simply because of his strong engagement of his people, his policies especially in transport, tourism

and infrastructure and much more importantly his willingness to sha jump in – #EndSARS, Covid, Magodo and many more.

Anyways, let’s keep him in prayers.

Udom

Sanwo-Olu

Okunnu-Lamidi

AKAN UDOFIA: THE RENAISSANCE Man By now, you will know that I have taken sides in the politics of Akwa Ibom. I am standing very firmly behind the man I call Renaissance Man, Mr Akan Udofia. I first heard of him through my lord Chike Ogeah. Chike said, “Edgar, you mean you don’t know AK 47?”

“Mbok, who be that?”

“He is someone you should meet, you guys have the same outlook towards some of these issues.”

Then, I met my sister, the eternally beautiful Eno Udoh. Kai, I used to have a mad crush there o. She told me to meet Akan and actually facilitated the meeting.

Akan called and invited me to his house in Uyo. The meeting that was meant to be just a whistling stop lasted four hours.

Discussions were varied, deep and intellectually stimulating. His views on the economy, federalism, infrastructural development and socio-economic policy thrusts all hit the mark. His position on empowerment of the people through private and entrepreneurial positioning as against the current run where we all wait cap in hand for federal allocation hit the

mark with me and stayed there.

That got me. I simply just relaxed and decided to work in my own little way for his victory.

Anyways, the Pastor now knelt and got his anointing from his Deacon and the whole place went mad. I haven’t seen Akan since that declaration although we have been chatting. I had asked for his response, he said calm down. When I asked if he was still in the race, he gave me a resounding “definitely.”

Then he called.

“Meet me at my house in Ikoyi and let’s have lunch.

“Don’t come and give me rice o’ I warned him o.

“Duke, no fall my hand. Come and eat Afang.”

With Afang, me no get principles o. Even if Pastor Eno offered me Afang, now Akan fit lose me o.

The table was laid well. The Afang sat there majestically, rich and arrogant.

It was posing beside one ‘draw’ soup like that and the fufu was very white and refreshing. The meal needed my immediate attention so I told him: “Bro, make us chop first, leave Akwa Ibom politics, make we chop before the food cold.’ He said ok. My sister and everlasting crush Eno was there. She used her immortal beauty to scatter the room.

Mbok, the Afang was melodious. It was

Udofia

Olanipekun

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T H I S D AY, T H E S U N D AY N E W S PA P E R ˾ FEBRUARY 13, 2022

LOUD WHISPERS green, it had periwinkles and ekwong.

It was smooth and went down so glibly that against doctors’ orders, I had four plates. Done and satisfied, I turned to Akan and said, “Your Excellency, I cannot discuss politics again, I need to sleep. I am sorry.”

Eno fell into deep laughter as I walked away, holding my tummy and reminding myself to take Andrew Liver Salt. I had over-indulged.

My brother, next time we want to talk about Akwa Ibom politics, no bring Afang. Too distracting.

BODE OLANIPEKUN: SOMETHING ABOUT HIM Bode Olanipekun is a SAN. I heard he made it before 40. He is the son of the almost mythical Wole Olanipekun whose strides in the profession continues to amaze.

Now, Bode is my friend and we are up to something quite huge and powerful. I do not know if I am at liberty to mention it because it is still in its early days. The size and implication on national cohesion continue to rankle me, making my mouth shake o. Should I talk?

Before I even talk, let me note something here. Discussions with Bode always leaves me with goose pimples. His clarity of thought and obvious passion for the rule of law as the very strong basis for our democracy leaves no one in doubt as to his intentions and love for Nigeria.

This project will pull in the president and almost all state governors during the National Day celebrations in a bold attempt to pull all of their ears as to the need to work a little bit harder to achieve better national cohesion.

I am really trying not to leak the secret but let’s be rest assured that come this October, Bode will be making a major statement through some very powerful storytelling and the whole nation will tune in to listen to him and The Duke of Shomolu would be right in the middle, directing affairs.

God will keep us all alive.

DOUYE DIRI: ANOTHER SAD SONG When we talk about visionary leadership, we do not even come to this bus stop. The other day, I watched as His Excellency was weeping like a child. Regurgitating the same old story that has been our lot since prehistoric times.

“Ohhh, the federal allocation is too small. It has made us poor; how can we own the land and the resources underneath are owned by the federal government” he wailed.

I just looked at him with pity. Pray, when he was contesting what exactly did he tell the Bayelsans before those ones voted for him?

Did he tell them, he will singlehandedly increase the allocation or what, because me I don’t understand these tears.

Waiting for constitutional reforms to provide the basics for his people is really sad. This is a man lining up the perfect blame for a lame time in government. Everything is the federal government’s fault. Everything o.

As the allocation is dwindling, what are you putting in place to shore it up? What IGR initiatives are you pushing? What opportunities are you opening up?

This is an oil-rich place o. Even if the federal government has seized everything, what exactly is your recourse? Please stop all these tears, they just sadden us.

If they increase the allocation by 1,000%, it is still the same tears that we will be seeing because all expenditures will go up at the same rate.

You see why we have to be very circumspect as we go to the polls.

Nigerians should look beyond the usual

crop of leaders and seek those who know what time it is.

CAPTAIN OKOROCHA: LET’S ABORTTHE FLIGHT I watched Chief try his very best Martin Luther King impression and I must say he really tried. Maybe when I get to do my play on Nnamdi Azikiwe, I would cast him in the title role.

That part where he said, ‘I am Captain Rochas, relax and enjoy the flight’ was brilliant but it ends there.

Bro, enough of the games. Please go and concentrate on other matters and stop disturbing us with the chicanery of your efforts.

Me, I have decided to be a one-man, ‘chase them away’ army. I will be yabbing and abusing all these kinds of candidates from my little corner until they have sense and go and be watching Big Brother Africa so that we can concentrate and look for credible leaders to take us home.

This generation and indeed the ones behind us have this 2023 and at best 2027 to put credible leadership in place. My

generation after allowing this ‘tsunami’ to be fostered on us since 2015 will now come and be listening to Captain Okorocha? That shows there is something really wrong with our collective heads.

Captain, if becoming a pilot is what is hungrying you, please go to your brother in Air Peace and let him look for a job for you. They can let you fly the Owerri route, that is if your brother Uzo will let you land.

PROF YEMI OSINBAJO: STORYTELLER OF LIFE I love listening to him. His stories and anecdotes are always so well delivered.

His diction, his pacing and his punch lines are usually the best. He is a master storyteller.

I have just read one where he talked about typists at UNILAG. Chief typist, middle typist and junior typist. He told us the junior was the most hardworking and that gave him a position at the Hague as against his senior colleagues who were quite lazy. Lovely story.

But the one in focus today is the one on his N620 salary while being a lecturer in

FOLAKE ANI-MUMUNEY: A DROP OF ELEGANCE She walked into the prestigious Southern Sun Hotel where I was hosting a crop of corporates in an evening of appreciation. She was the keynote speaker.

My people, when people with depth talk, you will sha just know. Sweetly beautiful and charming, she took the podium and spoke in measured and deliberate Queen’s English. Me, I was not hearing what she was saying o, it was the way she was saying it that caught my attention o.

The words, the enunciations, the twist in the sentencing and much more importantly, the delivery. I was starstruck.

She is the Group Head

Marketing Communications and through her team, First Bank of Nigeria continues to impact art and culture in a way that remains remarkable and dignifying.

After the event, I asked to take a picture and thanked her so much for coming and making that beautiful speech.

After the show, I asked my friend Abim who is also another talented professional on the First bank team to please send me the paper she delivered because I wasn’t listening.

Thank you so much ma, we really do appreciate you and your team.

uney Ani-Mum

UNILAG. No wonder those lecturers will be frowning every time. I was in UNILAG in the 90s and I used to sha wonder why the lecturers used to be doing one kain. Didn’t know they were earning that kind of money, no wonder they can go on strike.

Well, I have seen the calculations done

by ASUU on this salary, adding inflation and exchange rate and arrived at about N420,000 at today’s money. They have now used this to strengthen their agitation.

Well, me, I have no pity for them. I see them as tunnel-visioned and lazy in strategy. They know how it works in better climes but will not want it here because they don’t have the pulling power.

Instead, they will come and be waiting for federal government subvention and when that one does not come, they will be threatening us with a strike. Mbok, keep striking, that is your lot.

It is not even their fault. It is the government’s that is still pretending it can afford this thing. The Government cannot afford tertiary education, at least not at the scale we now have it in the country. It is that simple. They should sell everything and turn to regulators to protect the lower end of the population who would not be able to afford the thing at the privatised level.

Where they cannot sell, they can adopt phased commercialization where departments and courses cover their cost and the government just supports and ensures standards. The lecturers know this, the government knows that they are both just playing chicken and egg with themselves for selfish purposes.

See, if you are a learned professor people will register for your course, you will attract grants and the school will do everything to keep you. It’s a simple demand and supply thing.

My daughter got her course cancelled because enough people did not register for it. Guess what happened to the lecturer? Labour market. No sentiment.

This one that lecturer will still be using a handout he used to teach Azikiwe before independence to teach millennials who are building software and taking over the world cannot work.

Government should look at streamlining the universities, scrapping meaningless courses and putting a firm demand and supply mechanism that allows for lecturers to cover their costs and that of the school while it regulates If you don’t have the mind, appoint me. I will do it in one week and this perennial ASUU wahala will end. What are they even teaching? I listened in on an MBA class in a first-generation University and I almost cried. The lecturer didn’t even understand the first thing about listing a company and then the next thing, he will go on strike.

Privatize, commercialize, streamline.

Those are the buzzwords. One week max. We solve this problem once and for all.

AYO SUBAIR: A BELATED GREETING I have just heard of my egbon’s confirmation at the Lagos State Internal Revenue Service (LIRS). This hardworking Lord truly more than deserves all of the accolades and commendations.

The other day, I was in his office on a visit and witnessed very pragmatically the buzz. There is work in that place o and I begin to ask him how he comes out looking as cool as a cucumber all the time.

Kindly accept my apologies for not sending my wishes earlier than now, there has been fuel scarcity that is why.

Anyways, you truly deserve this and more. God will keep you for us. Well done sir, well done.

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T H I S D AY, T H E S U N D AY N E W S PA P E R ˾ FEBRUARY 13, 2022

Adebayo Adeoye bayoolunla@gmail.com; 08054680651

SOCIETY WATCH

Again, Ifeanyi Ubah Sprouts Like a Seed It is no exaggeration to say that billionaire businessman, Ifeanyi Ubah, is someone many wish to be as blessed as he is. But unknown to those who covet his successes, he has faced many challenges that would ordinarily consume a lilylivered.

Interestingly, Ubah has proved to his detractors that he is indeed a cat with nine lives. In other words, the more they try to bury him, the more he sprouts like a seed in a well fertile land. Though he is a lone fighter, he has proved beyond reasonable doubts that he is indeed a warrior, as he has always emerged victorious in all his legal battles so far.

His capacity to win played out recently when some management staff of Capital Oil Plc, a limited liability company, slammed a N1billion suit on his company over alleged unlawful use of part of its company’s registered name Capital Oil. The Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) was joined as co-defendants in the suit before the Federal High Court in Lagos.

A source disclosed that the company’s lawyer, Chioma Okwuanyi claimed that it became aware of the existence of Capital Oil and Gas Industries Ltd when correspondences meant for the company were delivered to it and upon inquiry, it discovered that the company engages in the business of dealing in petroleum products which is the same line of its business.

However, the suit was later settled by a term of settlement filed before a court and entered as consent judgment whereby Senator Ubah agreed to pay and indeed paid 100 million to the plaintiff to remove Capital from its name.

But it seems greed and covetousness took the better of them, as the money was refunded when it was discovered that the Board of Directors of Capital Oil company was not carried along in the purported settlement, which the company accepted.

For reasons only known to the management of Capital Oil, they, thereafter, filed another suit against the lawmaker from using the name Capital Oil. Again, they were defeated at the court before Justice M B. Idris, who upheld the argument of Ubah that the consent judgment was still valid and subsisting.

Dissatisfied with the said judgment, they later approached the Court of Appeal. The appellate court, in its judgment dated May 19, 2021, upheld the judgment of the lower court and found the judgment of Justice M. B. Idris to be valid and subsisting.

Since then, the management of Capital is said to be begging the oil mogul to pay the N100 million they had earlier rejected.

It was gathered that the lawmaker has called off their bluff and refused to pay to date.

Oba Akinruntan’s Daughter, Omobolanle, Finds Love Again

Akinruntan

Princess Omobolanle, is the beautiful daughter of one of Africa’s most colourful monarchs, Olugbo of Ugboland, Oba Obateru Akinruntan. For a lady born into affluence, she has had the privilege of travelling around the world.

Very cosmopolitan, one of her pastimes is reading, an experience that has broadened her understanding of life. Through reading, she has come to understand the power of love, especially as it is found in romantic novels that foreground the lives of some fictional characters that are romantically attracted to each other. The volume of romantic movies she has seen must have also impacted her understanding of love.

But nothing compares to the lesson on love that her dutiful mother and father must have shared with her. Therefore, when she ran into handsome Olaniyi, an equally cosmopolitan and well-read young man, she knew she could pull it off romantically with him.

But the beautiful Princess did not cheaply

LIRS Boss, Ayodele Subair’s Magic Wand It was Werner Erhard who said, “Many of us are unaware that we possess within ourselves at every moment in our lives, under all circumstances, the power to transform the quality of our lives.”

This powerful quote describes the current position of the Executive Chairman of Lagos Internal Revenue Services (LIRS), Hamzat Ayodele Subair, who, with the wave of his professional wand, has pivoted the operations of the tax payment institution to a seamless and exceptional process.

Those who have crossed paths with him say that this dynamic and seasoned chartered accountant is a thoroughbred. Little wonder that his appointment in 2016 was marked by loud and prolonged applause from different sectors.

People who have worked alongside this mastermind have endorsed his competency and knack for attention to details and excellence.

At first glance, Subair does not come across

Subair

give her heart to Olaniyi as would be expected, especially as she has suffered heartbreak in the past. Fate, the ultimate determiner, has been leading them in their romantic adventure to the admiration of all.

And after years of courtship, trying to study each other like a book, the love-struck duo took their love affair to the next level.

Yesterday, they walked down the aisle in the presence of many dignitaries.

Omobolanle’s billionaire father, who is not known to do things in half measures, went the extra mile to ensure a successful wedding for his lovely daughter.

Society Watch gathered that when the colourful invitation cards were distributed, those who were lucky to be invited knew they were coming for a wedding party that would be a yardstick for social events in the year 2022. Some of the best party planners, fashion designers and makeup artists were contracted, all in anticipation of the shindig.

as a stern, shrewd, and enthusiastic go-getter.

Rather, he gives the impression of a quiet, camera-shy, humble, yet confident man.

However, his calm exterior must never be taken for simplicity. He is the professed head of the Lagos tax industry and the brains behind the tax revenue generation in Lagos State.

Subair is responsible for creating, executing programmes, and implementing strategies to develop, impact and maintain revenue generation and collection in the state.

Despite the economic challenges in the country, the tax wizard hasn’t stopped to showcase his wizardry and the Lagos State revenue has continued to grow in leaps and bounds.

Born on May 21, 1960, Subair holds a Bachelor of Arts in Economics from the Metropolitan University of Manchester and an MBA from the University of Lagos.

As a rookie, Subair started working at PriceWaterHouse from 1982 to 1987 and proceeded to work as a manager at Hamzat Subair, Folami & Co., where he rose to the rank of Managing Partner.

Senator Florence Ita- Giwa Still Glowing at 76 At over 70, Senator Florence Ita- Giwa, a former Special Adviser to President Olusegun Obasanjo, is still committed to her acts of charity. As the septuagenarian community leader gets older, she has renewed her pact with the needy.

It is a fact that the woman of substance is widely acknowledged to have positively impacted her society. As a philanthropist, she is well loved by people; and as a society woman, she is well admired.

Little wonder, her influence continues to soar higher. She has remained relevant even after many years of leaving the government.

Today, she still commands respect not only among her fellow women but also the menfolk.

Society Watch gathered that as her birthday approaches, many of her friends, business associates, fans and admirers are

falling over each other to outshine one another to make the day a memorable one for the woman who many have benefited from her milk of kindness.

The ageless former member of the Red Chamber will be celebrating her 76th birthday on February 19. The beautiful and stylish woman is known for engaging in the celebration of life.

Indeed, she has organised several shindigs that turned out to be the talk oftown. This, perhaps, is one of the reasons many have signified their intention to attend the birthday soirée.

The woman epitomises poise, allure and style, even at her age, she is still glowing and commands respect in the social circle. Just like a goldfish that has no hiding place, her sartorial elegance speaks volumes about her.

Ita-Giwa

Ex-Ekiti Governor, Segun Oni’s Waggish Political Ideology

Ubah

For a good scriptwriter, the story of Olusegun Oni, ex-governor of Ekiti State, will not only make an interesting read, but also a box office success.

Since his defection, last week, to the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) tongues have been wagging about the former governor’s politicalideology.Inthewakeofthisrecentdevelopment,it issaidthatthemovehasfurtherconfirmedhisdesperation forpowerandpoliticalrelevance.

This, indeed, has given his compatriots cause to confirm that an average Nigerian politician is capable of spewingsurprises.

Why his defection has been widely criticised is that Oni was formerly one of the governorship aspirants of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in the forthcoming election in the state. In the thinking of many, his action reeks of desperation for power, political relevance and lack of clear-cut ideology. He had dumped the party after he failed to clinch the PDP ticket for the June 2022 governorship election in the state.

Since he was unceremoniously chased out of office in 2010 after spending three years in office,

Oni

and following he has been making frantic efforts to stage a comeback. Oni had earlier dumped the PDP for APC in 2014. He would later return to PDP. Since then, he has been viewed by many as a desperate politician who can do anything for power.

Oni was elected governor of Ekiti State in April 2007 on the PDP platform. He was removed from office on October 15, 2010, following the judgment of an Appeal Court which ruled against him. His election as governor had been contentious right from the moment he was sworn in. His main opponent in the 2007 general election, Dr. Kayode Fayemi, had challenged his victory at the Election Petition Tribunal in Ekiti State.

Consequently, he was briefly thrown out of office after the court of appeal overturned the decision of the lower court. He got a respite in 2009 when the tribunal called for a re-run election before he was finally sent packing out of office when the case of massive vote-rigging was established against him.

THISDAY, THE SUNDAY NEWSPAPER ˾ JUNE 24 2012

ARTS & REVIEW A

PUBLICATION

13.2.2022

FOR JIMOH AKOLO, AN UNSUNG HERO, HERE IS ONE WAY TO ROLL OUT THE DRUMS

There are other reasons, besides his brief connection with the Zaria Art Society, why the reticent octogenarian artist Jimoh Akolo merits a seat of honour among Nigeria's top modern and contemporary artists, says Okechukwu Uwaezuoke

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ven after more than a halfcentury of hosannas, the aura surrounding the Zaria Art Society's titans does not appear to be fading any time soon. That could explain why Jimoh Bola Akolo's connection to this phenomenal group – oddly dubbed "Zaria Rebels" by Ghanaian critic Kojo Fosu – seemed so important to kó, the gallery hosting his retrospective.

To be sure, Akolo's membership in the Society—which he left after three months "for personal reasons"—so to speak, gilded his already illustrious career. Moreover, seeing the works of this Nigerian College of Arts, Science, and Technology (NCAST) alumnus and contemporary of such leading Zaria Art Society members as YusuͿ Cameron Grillo, the late Uche Okeke, Bruce Onobrakpeya, Emmanuel Okechukwu Odita, and Demas Nwoko is an added incentive for art enthusiasts hoping to grace the Cameron Road, Ikoyibased art space.

Titled The Essential Jimo Akolo: A Retrospective of Drawings and Paintings from 1961 to 2015, the exhibition, which opens on Tuesday, February 15, will feature the artist in Lagos for the Àrst time since 2018.

That was the year that he was featured in Mydrim Gallery’s 25th-anniversary exhibition on Sunday, June 3 and Monday, June 4 held at Desiderata in Banana Island, Ikoyi alongside such industry luminaries as El Anatsui, Abayomi Barber, Jimoh Buraimoh, David Dale, Nike DaviesOkundaye, Bisi Fakeye, Yusuf Grillo, Gani Odutokun, Bruce Onobrakpeya, Kolade Oshinowo, and Muraina Oyelami.

According to information gleaned from kó's o΀cial press release, the gallery will go to great lengths to celebrate this artist, who turns 87 on September 20. Over 31 drawings and paintings will be on display, some of which have been loaned from collections both within and outside of Nigeria. Besides, the exhibition catalogue will include images of the artist's early works, which are housed in the collections of the UK's Bristol Museum and the University of Sussex, as well as the Yemisi Shyllon Museum of Art at Pan-Atlantic University, Lagos.

Akolo's reticence towards the Zaria Art Society's “Natural Synthesis” ideology, which has been widely alluded to, appears to be more on paper than in reality. True, he was quoted as saying in an interview with the late Ugandan playwright and novelist Robert Serumaga that he didn't “think that there should be any rules guiding African artists,” and went on to say, “They should do what they like. They are expected to produce. It's not necessary to tell them what to think.” Yet, there were designs and patterns, which could have been inÁuenced by Hausa architecture and art, evident in the works he produced during a short-lived experiment shortly after he graduated from the NCAST. This is likely what prompted Chika OkekeAgulu, a Prince University professor of art history, to speculate in his book, Postcolonial Modernism: Art and Decolo-

Jimo Akolo - Horse Man I - 1995 - Pencil on paper

Jimo Akolo - The Conspiracy - 2000 - Oil on canvas

nization in Twentieth-Century Nigeria, that Akolo sympathised with the cause advocated by his former colleagues.

Before his time at NCAST, he studied art at Ke΀ Government College under Dennis Duerden, an education o΀cer in the Nigerian Colonial Service, who not only exposed him to painting, but also boosted his conÀdence enough for him to be included in the 1956 Ke΀ Boys exhibition at the Museum of Modern Art in New York.

After graduating from NCAST, he went on to study at Hornsey College of Art in London and Indiana State University in Bloomington, USA. It was at the latter that he obtained his MSc degree in education in 1966 and eventually a doctorate in art education in 1982. In the meantime, he had joined Ahmadu Bello University’s education faculty in 1966, where he taught for over three decades.

The themes of his artworks, which revolve around indigenous cultural traditions and everyday life, attest to

Jimo Akolo Egbe 6 Jan. 2022 Photo Jerry Buhari

his commitment to a uniquely Nigerian aesthetic canon. Among his works that allude to his Northern Nigerian experience, are the oil on board works are “Test of Manhood” (Sharo) 1982, “Horn Blowers from Southern Kaduna Welcoming the Governor” 1984/1986, “Milk Maid” (Fura da Nono) 1998, “Man on Horse” 1996 and “War, Red War” 1996, the oil on canvas works “Dambe” (Native Boxing) 1998, “Mother and Child” 1998 and “Wrestling Match” 2000, as well as the pencil on paper, works “Horse Man II” 1995 and “Durbar”, among others. The inÁuences are clearly Yoruba in oil on canvas works like "Owambe" 2013 and "The God of Thunder" 1964, as well as pencil on paper works like "The Model" 1961.

Interestingly, Akolo’s meticulous manipulation of colours—measured and calculated, some aÀcionados would wager—is linked to his earlier penchant for engineering. Indeed, it is believed that Duerden weaned him oͿ engineer-

ing and directed his path toward the visual arts. Could this be why the oil on board painting “The Conspiracy” 2000 appears to be reminiscent of cubism?

Once described by the late German-born editor, writer, and scholar Ulli Beier – in a review of Nigeria’s Independence Exhibition – as the “coolest formalist among them”, he patented a stylised representational style in loose brushstrokes of matt, yet intense colours. This style appears to have reincarnated in works by Kolade Oshinowo, Edosa Oguigo, Alimi Adewale, and Abiodun Olaku.

Back to the retrospective exhibition at kó, curated by Professor Jerry Buhari of Ahmadu Bello University’s Àne arts department. It also oͿers a recent video conversation with the artist at his hometown, the historic Kogi State town of Egbe, as well as scholarly tributes by people who have closely interacted with him.

Among these people are Professor Sunday Ogunduyile (Vice-Chancellor, Ekiti State University), Professor Jacob Jari (Department of Fine Art, Ahmadu Bello University Zaria), Professor Tonie Okpe (Department of Fine Art, Ahmadu Bello University), Dr Simon Ikpakronyi, Director and Head of Curatorial Services, National Gallery of Art Abuja, Dr Bruce Onobrakpeya, his classmate at Zaria, Professor Adamu Baikie, his classmate and former colleague at the Faculty of Education, Ahmadu Bello University, Richard Deji, his only son, Mercy Feyisola Akolo, his younger sister and their youngest sister, Grace Yemisi Ukhueleigbe.

The exhibition, which closes on Saturday, March 12, rea΀rms Akolo's unwavering devotion to the principles of individual artistic independence, which does not have to conÁict with the core principles of “Natural Synthesis”. Furthermore, its art-historical signiÀcance cannot be overstated, as the retired art education professor's exploits in the art scene have previously received little public attention due to his natural aversion to publicity.

This is even though one of his murals is permanently installed at the Northern House of Assembly in Kaduna State.

A recipient of Nigeria’s National Cultural Trophy, Akolo has also won several other prestigious awards, among which are the First Prize for Drawing and painting at the Northern Nigerian Self-government Celebration Exhibition in 1959 and The Best Artist of the Year in Sao Paulo Biennial Mention of Honour in 1962.

The artist's works have been sold at prestigious auction houses such as Arthouse Contemporary, Bonhams, and Sotheby's, among others, and he has participated in several exhibitions both within and outside of Nigeria. The Commonwealth Institute in London in 1964, a group touring exhibition in London and Edinburgh in 1965, a solo show at the Nigerian Arts Council in 1970, the All-Nigerian Festival of Arts, Ibadan, in 1971, the Visual Arts Exhibition of FESTAC in 1977, and the second Havana Biennial in Cuba in 1986 are among these exhibitions.

EDITOR OKECHUKWU UWAEZUOKE/ okechukwu.uwaezuoke@thisdaylive.com

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ARTS & REVIEW\\CONTROVERSY

GRIEVING OVER THE SAD END OF ‘COMMUNITY’ Yinka Olatunbosun

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boloreSobayo'sdaywasdisrupted by a distressing phone call. The visual artist, fashion designer, and politician has recently focused on community art, with hundreds of children from low-income families beneÀting from his art centre, Jelosimi Art Centre in Oshodi. During the phone call, a colleague informed him that one of his prominent art pieces, an installation titled “Community,” at the famous Ile Zik bus stop along the Lagos-Abeokuta Expressway, had been demolished.

This would not be the Àrst time Sobayo's work has been relocated from its original location. His iconic statue of Afrobeat legend and activist Fela Anikulapo Kuti was once relocated from Allen Roundabout to Opebi Allen Roundabout to allow for the state's tra΀c decongestion exercise.

However, in the case of the “headless Fela statue”, with the title “Liberation”, he was duly informed so that he could supervise the work's removal and reinstallation.

For this installation called “Community”, he was completely blindsided by the process. Though distraught by the news, he took some time to explain the situation on Wednesday, February 9. “After that, I went to the site to see what was on ground and I found that the works has truly been demolished. I felt bad as artist and I felt bad as a person who has created a piece of art that is being appreciated by some in the public,” he began, pouring out his heart.

TheinstallationhasmorethanaestheticsigniÀcance for the state; it is also a cultural heritage being part of the state commissioned projects to mark Lagos at 50. “‘Community’ is an art installation with an excellent display of unity in Lagos,” he said.

Although it is a commissioned project, Sobayo considers this work as one of the highlights of his portfolio as a visual artist. Of course, the interdisciplinary artist has made a name for himself as a successful politician when he was elected to represent Ogunoloko Ward in Isolo/Oshodi

The demolished public installation Local Government Area, Lagos as the Leader of the Council from 2011 to 2014. The graduate of Yaba College of Technology was born and raised in Oshodi hence his commitment to community art projects emanates from a place of deep passion.

“I will surely miss the piece as I will be reminded every time I pass through this route. Community is about the communal life in Lagos state and also served as a form of documentation with the maps of the 57 local government areas and LCDAs. Are artworks and intellectual property in the state safe?

I have more questions than answers.”

Meanwhile, the damaged installation had been vandalised repeatedly over the last years – Àrst in 2019 when the perimeter fencing was stolen and in 2020 when the metal pole carrying the logo of the state was removed by unknown persons. He had reportedly drawn the attention of concerned authorities to these developments in order to secure the work. For him, the recent demolition shows no respect for the artist’s right to the creative work.

“It is important for information about relocation

or demolition to be communicated to the artist because oftentimes, the artists have created these works and even if the works had been acquired and commissioned by the state, the artist still has intellectual property right to the work. The artist should be notiÀed about any amendment that would go into the work. The artist would be able to advise properly on how it would be moved without causing damage to the work, rather than going ahead and forcefully removing or destroying the works and wasting the funds used in creating the works.

“One of the things I wish we can look at is the fact that how much value do we place on art.

Art should not be seen, especially public art should not be seen as furniture or a bus stop park that can be demolished. It is quite wrong for anybody to demolish public arts. I think the artist as a stakeholder should be involved in such decision making.

It is unclear if there are laws that protect public art in Nigeria. But in other climes, most public

ARCHIVE FEVER: MEMORIES, NOSTALGIA, REFLECTIONS EXHIBITION Chikaogwu Kanu

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n his quest for a strong artistic voice as a burgeoning sound artist, Peter Okotor’s recent debut solo exhibition – which held from October 1 to October 25, 2021 – explores the Nigeria’s troubling past, using sound installation as a medium of expression. The exhibition, which took place at the Centre for Contemporary Art (CCA), Lagos, entitled Table of Paradox, is an installation of archival materials that speaks to postcolonial history of Nigeria from the sociopolitical perspective.

The installation which comprises turntables, “reconstructed photographed album cover and original vinyl of songs whose lyrics are of everyday life struggles”, gives one a sense of being immersed in archive in a physical sense diͿerent from Derrida’s concept of power. This whole conÀguration is juxtaposed with “hope-Àlled speeches >of leaders of the independence generation] that set Nigerians alight with joys and celebrations of the startling event heraldingself-governance.”RecallthatNigeriabecame a postcolonial state after her independence in 1960.

The moment was greeted with so much hope for a blissful future and a great sense of responsibility as captured by the independence address of the Prime Minister, Sir Abubakar Tafawa Balewa.

However, this expectation was dashed shortly after, as the political crisis that ensued following the Àrst military coup and counter coup of January and July 1966 respectively culminated in a bloody NigeriaBiafra civil war of 1967-1970. From this point, things have continued to degenerate in such a manner that provokesseveraldisturbingquestionsandconjectures among the citizenry in the quest for a solution to the nation’s intractable problems.

This same concern was also shared by the artist owing to the conversation he had with the father, which according to him, inspired this show. The conversation reads in part, “…my father told me that they ate chicken >as students] in the university. ‘Chicken, in university, Nigeria?’ the artist wondered. “So, as the conversation progressed, I pondered what went wrong if that was their reality.”

Okotor Peter was probably shocked as this no longer happens in the nation’s universities of his current generation.

Consequently, this exhibition which interrogates how this dismal situation resonates through the contemporary sociopolitical realities also calls for a sober reÁection on the way forward for a dream Nigeria of the founding fathers.

InÁuencedbythisconversation,Peter,therefore,invites the audience into his creative space to share with him why things are not just working. So, the “eating chicken in the university” narrative now becomes a metaphorinthecontextofthisexhibitiontomakesense of the dismal state of nation’s sociopolitical structure which is also a reÁection of the current gloomy state of the Nigerian universities where not only that the chicken is no longer being eaten, but incessant strike by lecturers due to poor salary structure and lack of adequate funding, among other woes, have become the order of the day.

This miserable state of the nation aptly informs the show’sthemesong:“WhichwayNigeria?”Aquestion Sonny Okosun poses in his 1984 hit song - 24 years after the independence, and 38 years since the song was released. A question that still begs for answer as the worsening condition of Nigeria seems to defy all possible solutions.

So, the whole idea of the interactive exhibition is to get theaudiencetalkingandthinkingaboutthechallenges that have bedeviled Nigeria since independence, perhaps for a possible solution. Consequently, the choice of archival music and turntables to “evoke people’s thoughts on history and social values” is on point. This conversation is, therefore, made possible by listening to the selected songs that speak to the present woes of our nation using an obsolete turntable. Though the only functional turntable is the

one playing the theme song “Which way Nigeria”

by Sonny Okosun, each turntable installation has an accompanying Quick Response Code (QR Code) that gives the audience access to the songs it supposed to be playing, for critical reÁections. The selected songs all seem to clearly capture the soul and spirit of the message it is trying to communicate.

A message of long-desired hope and good life that has consistently remained a mirage to the Nigerian citizens – an age-old expectation indeed.And again, using antiquated material collections as a work of art to speak to age-old intractable national issues in a notion of contemporary display in an ambient gallery space is not only apt, it also succinctly suggests resilience in the face of daunting challenges.

This spirit is simply what we need at such a time as this in the sociopolitical life of our nation. This is because I believe that there is still hope for Nigeria, and Nigeria can still be great again. So, as we reÁect on the sweet memories of the ideals of the founding fathers very nostalgically, we should also bear in mind that it is still possible to make those memories a reality. However, we need all hands-on deck if we must make it happen.

The show is indeed a great patriotic eͿort by the artist in view of the fact that most citizens have apparently given up on the nation. So, kudos to Peter for a job well done. This notion of patriotism probably informed the opening of the exhibition on October 1, the Nigeria’s independence anniversary celebration so as to possibly engage the audience in a national debate for a way forward.

Peter Okotor had his professional training at Kelani Abass Studio (2013 - 2016). He is anAccess BankArt X 2019 Prize Finalist, and currently CuratorialAssistant at the Centre for Contemporary Art (CCA) Lagos.

Okotor’s oeuvre is reminiscent of Emeka Ogbo – a Nigerian-born, Berlin-based artist, who also engages the same subject with the theme: “TheAmbivalence of 1960’’ (2012/2014). However, while Ogbo, the pioneer Nigerian sound artist explores “collage of audio excerpts from some prominent speeches made during the 1960 independence celebrations, Okotor on his own part adopts the juxtaposition of archival sound materials, and digital technology to further confront these realities.”

Kanu,aPhDstudentofArthistoryattheUniversity of Nigeria, Nsukka, writes from Lagos

art disputes between the developer or the state and the artist revolve around issues of whether the art can be moved, altered or even destroyed.

For instance, in the US, developers pay dearly if they violate artists’ rights. The most important federal law in this area is the Visual Artists Rights Act (VARA), which grants moral rights to artists for works of “recognised stature.” The law grants artists continuing rights over works that have been sold and bars “intentional distortion, mutilation, or other modiÀcation of that work which would be prejudicial to >the artist’s] honor or reputation” and “prevents any destruction of a work of recognised stature, and any intentional or grossly negligent destruction of that work.”

For Sobayo, one of the things that he has learnt from a situation like this is how to move forward.

“This has happened to my work and I wouldn’t appreciate it if it happens to any other artist’s work,” he explained. “Looking forward, this is what I would like to lobby and hope to advocate for a law that protects public art not just in Lagos but across the nation.”

In a press release signed by the Director, Press and Public AͿairs, Lagos State Task Force, Gbadeyan Abdulraheem, the demolition exercise was said to have been carried out to rid the state of criminal elements who rob commuters caught in tra΀c along that axis and use the installation area as a hideout. “Commuters who constantly ply that axis claimed that suspected tra΀c robbers –after carrying out their illegal acts usually run into the canoe monument erected to beautify the city,” it read in part.

The “Canoe Monument” is a cultural signpost for the state. The UNESCO Convention Concerning the protection of the world cultural and natural heritage in 1972 considers monumental sculptures as cultural heritage and under article 4 of the convention, every state that is signatory to the convention has the duty to “protect” and “conserve” historical monuments.

Instead of stacking its remains like discarded Àsh cartons, the installation could be preserved for proper relocation and installation.

WITH BLACK JOY, TAAG GALLERY OFFERS FRESHER VISIONS OF BLACKNESS Black Joy, an exhibition organised by TAAG Gallery, opened online on Friday, February 11 to Friday, March 11.Theexhibition,heldincommemorationoftheBlack History Month, features 10 Nigerian artists, whose works interrogate the visual portrayal of the Black body and person all through history.

Hence, through their paintings, the artists – Olaniyi Omotayo, Theophilus Madaki, GbemilekeAdekunle, Esewhaye Oghenetejiri, Simeon Nwoko, Oloruntobi Aina, Paul Ogunlesi, Kelani Fatai, Mubaraq Yusuf, and Mamus Esiebo – grapple with the questions: Is joy possible in the aesthetic conception of Africa? Is it shown enough in our imaging?

The artists’ paintings, which transcend the usual stereotypical perceptions of Africa, oͿer the viewers freshervariedandtextureddimensionsoftheAfricans.

“These paintings are not showing ‘the RealAfrica,’ an annoyingly reductionist phrase used when referring to particular kinds of images of Africa,” a statement by the gallery says.

Rather, the paintings – most of which are portraits – depict the continent as one revelling in joy in its many forms and nuances. Among these works are Olaniyi Omotayo's “Black Pride” (2022), Theophilus Madaki's “MyCrush”(2021),GbemilekeAdekunle's“InBloom” (2021), Esewhaye Oghenetejiri's “Happiness Is Free” (2021), Simeon Nwoko's “The Boy with the Shawl” (2019), Oloruntobi Aina's “Lady Coal” (2021), Paul Ogunlesi's “Slumbering Saviour” 1 (2020), Kelani Fatai's “Welcome to My World” (2021), Mubaraq Yusuf's“GuardianoftheRelic”(2021),MamusEsiebo's “Beach Cruise” (2021).

Kelani Fatai before his work

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THISDAY, THE SUNDAY NEWSPAPER FEBRUARY 13, 2022

CICERO

Editor: Ejiofor Alike SMS: 08066066268 email:ejiofor.alike@thisdaylive.com

IN THE ARENA

Certainly, Not Another ASUU Strike!

As the Academic Staff Union of Universities rises from its crucial National Executive Council meeting at the University of Lagos, it may commence another enervating strike cycle that would ground the public university system. While ASUU should opt for dialogue, the federal government must quit dithering and meet its serially breached obligations, writes Louis Achi

P

eering into the future of humanity, South Africa’s revolutionary first black President and Nobel Peace Prize laureate, Dr. Nelson Mandela once observed that: “There can be no keener revelation of a society’s soul than the way in which it treats its children.”

With compelling authority forged in the searing furnace of Robben Island Prison and a life of principled activism, he stated that “education is the most powerful weapon, which you can use to change the world,” proclaiming that: “No country can really develop unless its citizens are educated.”

To Nigeria’s political leadership, these free, enduring philosophical advisory may sound like strange homily.

This is why what is unfolding in the nation’s academic arena currently is comparable to an Athenian tragedy but certainly lacking the majesty of a Greek drama.

To-date, it’s hardly debatable that Nigeria’s development quandary at this juncture of human history is firmly linked to how cavalierly its leadership has been treating the education of its children. The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), founded in 1978, has fought unending war to ensure that the university system draws the vital oxygen of funding, infrastructural and other critical inputs from its promoters to give real meaning to having varsities in the first place.

Consequently, over the decades’ strike threats by ASUU and other sister unions have continued to dog the nation’s tertiary educational system. Curiously, no regime has found a lasting solution to these intermittent crises.

At the heart of the union’s work stoppages is the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), reached between the federal government and the union in 2008 which was never implemented. After serial strike actions which always ended with the federal government giving assurances during the negotiations, ASUU went on one of its most protracted strikes in March 2020, just before the COVID-19 pandemic lockdowns.

Eventually, ASUU called off the strike in December 2020 after the unimplemented MoU was rechristened Memorandum of Action (MoA). Fourteen months later, the federal government has only released N55 billion to partially address the issues of Earned Allowances and the Universities’ Revitalisation.

As it were, the promise to deploy the University Transparency and Accountability Solution (UTAS), rather than the FG’s payroll system, the Integrated Payroll and Personal Information System (IPPIS), to ensure academic freedom, has not been fully activated. ASUU is miffed that even the Earned Allowances, Universities Revitalisation Funding and deployment of UTAS have not been satisfactorily implemented.

Education Minister, Adamu

More, very little has been done about the issue of poor funding of state universities, promotion arrears and others. Though not a candidate for sainthood, ASUU’s struggle is nevertheless targeted at up-scaling its members’ welfare to align with modern trends to guarantee staff commitment. This is legitimate.

The union also wants the universities to be upgraded in terms of facilities to fairly compete with their peers in other parts of the world where the nation’s grasping ruling elite and wealthy individuals send their children to access sound, qualitative education. This position can hardly be validly faulted.

The union certainly is to be commended for canvassing restoration of the nation’s university system to enable it draw students from other parts of the world. This was the scenario in the 1960s and 1970s.

It would be recalled that ASUU’s NEC recently directed its various chapters to set aside a day to sensitise and mobilise Nigerians for its fight of saving the university system

from collapsing. Rising from its congress meeting in Abuja, the Zonal Coordinator of Abuja ASUU Zone, Dr. Salahu Lawal, echoed the key issues, saying it is not going into the signing of new agreement or Memorandum of Understanding or Action with the federal government.

The union blamed the government for the blatant refusal to implement the crucial February 7, 2019 MoA, which contained important highlights of the 2009 ASUU-FGN agreement and aggregated the cardinal arguments of the 2012 and 2013 MoUs and the 2017 MoA. It also blamed the government for failing to implement the December 2020 MoA, which signing ended the longest strike in the history of the nation.

An important dimension to the apparently insincere stance of the federal government is that the ruling elite have allegedly found nimble ways of corruptly accessing public funds, enriching themselves and accessing the educational services of more civilised countries for their children.

The children of the middle class and the poor (of which those of ASUU are among) are left to languish in a decayed system from which they come out as unemployable products. This scenario has drawn considerable sympathy for ASUU’s struggles.

Without question, ASUU’s demands can be met if government becomes really serious and resolves to produce a credible and actionable road-map to change the disastrous narrative of the nation’s public university system.

Looking at the big picture, ASUU also demands the regulation of the proliferation of state-owned universities by governors, who it alleges owe staff salaries and university subventions, leaving the universities with failing infrastructures.

According to the coordinator of Lagos zone of ASUU, Dr. Adelaja Odukoya, “this proliferation has led to the decayed infrastructural facilities, withholding of salaries of academic staff, and non-payment of research grants. “The common practice of state governments withholding the salary of our members for a period ranging from three to eight months is condemnable! In most cases, net salaries are paid and sometimes not paid at all. The continued denial and non-release of subventions to cater for the needs of these universities by reason of exigencies is unacceptable.”

Just as Mandela pointed out, “There can be no keener revelation of a society’s soul than the way it treats its children.” The federal government must bestir itself and meet the substance of the MoA it had freely entered with ASUU and conceptualise a sustainable, actionable funding and tertiary education development template that can save the youth who represent the future.

For ASUU itself, another strike action is certainly not an option because this may finally crash the tottering public tertiary education system.

P O L I T I CA L N OT E S

Is Nigeria’s Presidency Now Anybody’s Job?

Yakubu

Next year’s presidential election is going to be one of the most interesting polls in Nigeria’s political history, and many factors are responsible for this. First is the north/south agitations over which region should produce the next president, a debate that has remained relevant and is already prevalent in the journey to 2023.

The second reason the election would be interesting is, because of the fact that everyone now believes they could be president of Nigeria and so, all manners of funny characters have since been indicating interest in the nation’s number one job, not minding the weight of the task at hand or whether they are even presidential in the first place.

Talking about the first factor, rotational

presidency is not a constitutional demand but a democratic improvision peculiar by political parties, which is dependent on the prevailing situation in the respective parties.

Therefore, while the agitations in all the parties, particularly, the two major ones are legitimate, it remains undemocratic to force what’s obtainable in Party A on Party B. Their circumstances cannot be the same at every point in time. The argument that the APC must go South is valid, because the outgoing president is from the north. But that’s not applicable in the PDP, whose last president was from the south. After all, of PDP’s 16 years in power, the South had 13 years and more to itself, therefore, the party is open to zoning

anywhere, depending on its winning strategies.

Any argument to the contrary would amount to sheer mischief and indeed, undemocratic to force the hands of some to do the biddings of others.

The second factor speaks to the markup in the number of questionable characters supposedly interested in the presidency, not minding their education, exposure, character and general dispositions. Unfortunately, the current president appears to have made this possible. What everyone seems to be saying is that if Buhari, with all his inadequacies could be president, why not them? Well, true to that, why not? But, does it make the Nigerian presidency that cheap? Think about it too!

THISDAY, THE SUNDAY NEWSPAPER FEBRUARY 13, 2022

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BRIEFINGNOTES AbdulRazaq’s Mishandling of Hijab Crisis in Kwara Kwara State, a once-peaceful state, has joined other states in the country with record of religious violence following the decision of Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq to impose the wearing of hijab in public schools without allowing the judicial process to run its full course, and stripping these schools of their Christian managements, control, and all forms of Christian affiliations, Ejiofor Alike writes

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hen the military administration of General Yakubu Gowon (rtd) promulgated a Decree in 1974 to take over all missionary schools, many of these schools across the country were stripped of all forms of Christian affiliations by changing their names from Christian names to non-religious names. The change of names and managements gave these schools new identities and effectively removed all sense of ownership or entitlements from the religious bodies. It also gave Christians and Muslims equal sense of ownership.

But in Kwara State, for instance, these schools retained their original names and managements, while the missionaries retained the sense of ownership and control even when government claimed to be funding them.

It was reported that the earliest schools in the state were established by the American Southern Baptist Christian missionaries who first came into the state in the 1940s. When the government claimed to have taken over the funding of the schools without changing their names, the original owners still remained attached to them. It was not surprising that the Baptist Church remained attached to the Oyun Baptist High School, Ijagbo, in Oyun Local Government Area of the state, which came under religious violence recently. Some of the other schools that still retained their original identities include: Cherubim & Seraphim College, Sabo Oke; St. Anthony College, Offa Road; ECWA School, Oja Iya; Surulere Baptist Secondary School; and Bishop Smith Secondary School, Agba Dam. Others include, CAC Secondary School, Asa Dam; St. Barnabas Secondary School, Sabo Oke; St. John School, Maraba; St. Williams Secondary School, Taiwo Isale, and St. James Secondary School Maraba, all in Ilorin, the state capital. The educational system of the Christian schools promotes Christian values and moral standards in line with the guiding principles of the churches.

So, with the churches still attached to the schools they founded, they continued to promote their own values, which were expected to be imbibed by the students.

With the government claiming to have taken over these schools, Muslims and Christians are supposed to enjoy equal sense of ownership and privileges. However, the Christians are contesting the status of these schools and the matter is in court.

In order to claim their privileges in public schools, Muslims have insisted that their female students should wear hijab in these Christian mission-founded schools.

Separate judgments by the Kwara State High Court delivered in 2016 and that of the Court of Appeal delivered 2019 were said to be in favour of the Muslims.

But when the female Muslim students wore hijab to these schools in early 2021, they were turned back by the school management and this led to riots and the closure of the above 10 affected schools by the state government.

Secretary to the State Government, Prof. Mamma Saba Jibril, had disclosed in a statement that the 10 schools in Ilorin were to remain shut, pending the announcement of the state government’s position on the use of hijab.

Unfortunately, AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq’s government did not take the necessary steps to change the names of these schools to strip the Christians of the sense of ownership and management, if

AbdulRazaq it is responsible for the funding of these schools, as claimed.

If indeed, the state government is responsible for the full funding of these schools, Christians have no business running the schools unless the ownership reverts back to them.

But if the Christians are still responsible for part of the funding, these schools cannot be said to be public schools.

The state government should have allowed the judicial process to run its full course, before it took the misstep of ordering that the use of hijab must be allowed.

In a statement issued in Ilorin by the SSG titled: ‘Position of Kwara State Government on the Hijab Question in Public Schools’, the government directed the Ministry of Education and Human Capital Development to come up with a uniform hijab for all the public schools, which would be the accepted mode of head covering in schools.

The statement added that consultations on the hijab controversy were held with the stakeholders on February 24, 2021 with Governor Abdulrazaq in attendance.

“The government has also paid particular attention to the ‘declaratory’ nature of the subsisting judgments of the Court of Appeal and their purports.

“Consequently, the government hereby acknowledges and approves the right of the Muslim schoolgirl to wear the hijab, and directs the Ministry of Education and Human Capital Development to come up with a uniform hijab for all public/ grant-aided schools, which will be the accepted mode of head covering in schools.

“Any willing schoolgirl with the approved (uniform) hijab shall have the right to wear same in public/grant-aided schools.”

AbdulRazaq’s administration knew that the matter of ownership of these schools was still subject of litigation when it took this premature decision.

The Secretary to the State Government had acknowledged this in his statement, when he noted that “the government had carefully noted submissions regarding ownership of grant-aided schools and related issues.

“While the status of these schools is the subject of judicial determination, this and other related matters will soon be subjected to a technical committee to advise accordingly.”

Having noted that the status of these schools was a subject of litigation, why did the AbdulRazaq’s administration hurriedly authorise the use of hijab without allowing the judicial process to be exhausted?

Why did the state government not take steps to change the managements and names of these schools if it had taken over the funding of the schools?

How can students wear hijab in a CAC Secondary School, or St. John School, or First Baptist High School, when the Christian names, managements and identities of these schools are still intact?

CAN, through its General Secretary, Rev. Joseph Bade Daramola, had declared that AbdulRazaq should be “held responsible if the crisis over hijab wearing in schools degenerates”.

Daramola, had in a statement argued that “it was AbdulRazaq’s pronouncement on hijab in violation of the court’s directive on the matter to maintain status quo until the matter is finally resolved by the court that led to this trouble,” adding “the state government ordered the reopening of the closed schools without resolving the crisis.

The crisis has since degenerated as one person was killed last week in a protest by Christian and Muslim parents of students of the Oyun Baptist High School in Ijagbo, Oyun Local Government Area of the state, over the use of hajib, turned violent.

The violence was triggered by the decision of the management of Oyun Baptist High School, on January 17, 2022 that Muslim students should not wear hijab to the school again.

Sultan of Sokoto and President-General of Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs (NSCIA), Alhaji Mohammed Abubakar Sa’ad, had identified the deceased as Habeeb idris.

The Sultan, in a statement signed by the Director of Administration of NSCIA, Zubairu Haruna Usman-Ugwu, said the Court of Appeal had given at least three declaratory judgments in favour of the use of hijab in public schools in the state, adding that the Oyun Baptist High School is one of many missionary schools that were taken over by the Yakubu Gowon Decree of 1974.

By the said decree, missionary schools, including Muslim-owned ones, acquired a new status of public schools.

If these schools had actually acquired new status as stated by the Sultan, the AbdulRazaq’s government mishandled the issue by not changing their names and managements to give both Christians and Muslims equal sense of ownership.

But if the status of these schools is still a subject of litigation, AbdulRazaq’s administration erred by approving the use of hijabs in these schools without waiting for the judicial process to be exhausted.

NOTES FOR FILE

When a Priest Engaged in Hate Speech

Bishop Alfred Martins

A church is supposed to encourage large attendance of worshippers from different tribes to grow in strength, and in the propagation of the gospel as one big family.

Unlike a political gathering where the fear of domination and marginalisation is prevalent, a church encourages every tribe to record the highest number of attendance in its activities.

But the Parish Priest of HolyTrinity Catholic Church, Ewu-Owa, Gberigbe in Ikorodu, Lagos, Rev. Fr. James Anelu, recently deviated from the teachings of the church when he banned Igbo songs and choruses in his parish over the fear that the tribe was dominating others.

The supposed priest was said to have angrily stopped a soul-lifting chorus during the second collection, noting

that the Igbo cannot keep dominating other people in his Catholic parish.

He reportedly cited the case of his Benin Diocese where he claimed that the Igbo dominated to the point of becoming the Bishop.

With his level of education and exposure to the words of God, Anelu failed to realise that the church does not offer material rewards to its members to attract crowd. It is the members of the church that contribute all the funds for the running of the church, including the welfare of the priest, without receiving anything in return, except the words of God. It is shocking to note that Anelu’s hatred for Ndigbo blinded his eyes that he did not realise that the larger the number of Ndigbo in his parish, the greater the contributions they make for the growth of the Catholic

church.Those who are not in a position to contribute financially also make themselves available to offer selfless services to the church but Anelu also failed to realise this because of his hatred for the Igbo.

It is heartwarming that the Catholic Archbishop of Lagos, Bishop Alfred Martins, in a “disclaimer,” had suspended the priest, directing him to proceed on “an indefinite leave of absence”.

While announcing the suspension, Martins, in the letter dated February 7, 2022, noted that he made some completely unacceptable comments about Igbo songs being sung in the church and unsavoury remarks that do not represent the Catholic church’s position on the common brotherhood of peoples of all tribes and religions.

Anelu should also be prosecuted for hate speech.

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THISDAY, THE SUNDAY NEWSPAPER FEBRUARY 13, 2022

CICERO/ISSSUES

Reviewing Academic Qualifications for Political Office Holders Many Nigerians have called for the review of the minimum educational qualifications for persons aspiring to be president, vice president, governors, deputies and other political office holders, to raise the bar for governance in Nigeria, Vanessa Obioha reports

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he Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila recently stirred the hornet’s nest when he called for constitutional review of the educational qualifications of public office holders from secondary school certificates.

Gbajabiamila made this call while delivering the 52nd convocation lecture of the University of Lagos titled: ‘Building Back Better: Creating a New Framework for Tertiary Education in Nigeria in the 21st Century.’ His suggestion was in tandem with the general agitation for quality education in the country.

He argued that “the National Assembly needs to look into Section 131 (d) of the 1999 Constitution with a view to increasing the minimum educational qualification for persons aspiring to be Presidents of Nigeria and other top offices, including the National Assembly, as against the current minimum educational requirement.”

In vying for the positions of president, vice president, governors, deputy governors Senate, members of House of Representatives and even chairman of local governments in Nigeria, the constitution stipulates that the aspirant must be educated up to at least school certificate level or its equivalent, apart from being a citizen of the country.

Specifically, Sections 65, 106, 131 and 177 of the 1999 Constitution state that a person must be qualified for election into the aforementioned elective offices if he/she “has been educated up to at least School Certificate level or its equivalent”.

This has been the status quo for political office holders in a country where academic qualification matters more for any corporate position but less when it comes to occupying political offices.

While a school of thought sees no anomaly in the constitutionally set standard, another feels the time is long overdue for a review of such standard, believing that it may bring a turnaround in the country’s developmental quest.

Though many had acknowledged that possessing higher educational qualifications does not guarantee good governance and leadership, as character and integrity are paramount, others had argued that people of great intellect should be given a chance to govern.

Those who spoke to THISDAY argued that it is strange that Nigeria with over 170 universities and over 120 polytechnics, has the school certificate as the minimum educational requirement for public officeholders.

They maintained that if higher educational qualification is needed to employ an individual that would take up a particular responsibility in a given organisation, then a double of such level of education should be recommended for those saddled with the responsibility of administering the states and the nation.

Barely a month after Gbajabiamila made the call, a bill seeking to raise the educational qualification for election into the office of the president and governor surfaced in the House of Representatives.

The bill passed the second reading at the House. Simultaneously, the Constitution amendment bill, which passed first

Gbajabiamila reading last Tuesday, also seeks to raise the minimum academic qualification for election as a governor, state and federal legislator.

The new bill, which is sponsored by Hon. Adewunmi Onanuga, a lawmaker from Ogun State, seeks to raise the qualification to at least a “university degree level or its equivalent”.

Speaking on the floor of the House during plenary on Tuesday, Onanuga said raising the minimum educational requirement for these political positions will better prepare candidates for the job ahead.

“This is not a bill targeted at stifling the interest of Nigerians in politics, rather it is a bill that will help Nigerians to sufficiently prepare for the humongous task of political leadership,” she said.

“As we have begun to see, the race for elective offices at both state and national levels has become increasingly competitive. While this is good as a tenet of universal suffrage, it can also be counterproductive if people, who are not sufficiently prepared educationally, get into these elective offices.

“If a managing director, who holds an equally strategic position in a company within this country, cannot be employed without a university degree or its equivalent, why should the above political offices be held by people without a university degree or its equivalent?

“We all know that after a university degree or its equivalent in this country,

comes the compulsory National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), without which it would be difficult to get into any employment especially within the public sector.

“Invariably, by leaving the qualification of these political offices to remain at school certificate level, we are implying that the NYSC is not a requirement to hold political offices but it is a requirement to secure a job in the public sector.

“Otherwise, how do we place value on education if I say to my son who wants to be a doctor that he needs a university degree or its equivalent to achieve his dream and then say to my daughter who wants to be a president someday that she only needs to have a school certificate?”

The legislator said the bill, when passed into law, will affect the quality of candidates who run for elective offices in the country. She added that studying up to a university level would afford a candidate the knowledge, skills and preparedness that cannot be obtained at the school certificate level.

A non-governmental organisation, Society for Civil Liberties and the Rule of Law, is among those campaigning for upgrading the educational qualifications of political officeholders.

Irrespective of what the constitution says, the group said the time has come for all stakeholders to come together and brainstorm on upgrading the academic qualifications of political office holders in the interest of the country.

Specifically, the group urged the

National Assembly to look into the matter and act on it by way of a constitutional amendment or enactment of a new law.

Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the group, Mr. Emeka Umeagbalasi, argued that there was an urgent need “to mandatorily, constitutionally and statutorily raise the qualification for the seats of the president, governors and their deputies in Nigeria to master’s degree.

“It amounts to racing back to the cave from being Africa’s cradle of knowledge for Nigeria’s seats of presidential and gubernatorial powers to be cheaply occupied by persons without physically proven or certified educational certificates or qualifications.

“It is further insulting beyond quantification to the modern day knowledgeable world for the offices of the president and governor in Nigeria to be allowed to be occupied by persons with ordinary secondary school or primary school certificates-whereas in other social climes, such are occupied by professors and doctorate holders with unassailable charisma.”

He continued: “Ignorance and stark illiteracy must never be allowed a space over knowledge and ideas in the country’s corridors of power. As a jurisprudential tradition in the world over, judicial blunders and disasters such as the instant case arising from apex and appellate decided cases are periodically remedied by ways of constitutional amendments or enactment of new laws to take care of such judicial blunders or disasters. We hereby call on the National Assembly of Nigeria to act on the above without further delays.”

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THISDAY, THE SUNDAY NEWSPAPER FEBRUARY 13, 2022

CICERO/REPORT

Fayemi

Oyebanji

Bamidele

Adeyeye

Averting Post-primary Crisis in Ekiti APC As the winner of the January 27, 2022, governorship primary of the All Progressives Congress in Ekiti State, Mr. Abiodun Abayomi Oyebanji relishes the joy of his victory, party stakeholders should sustain their reconcilliatory effortstoensurethattheygointotheJune18,2022governorshipelectionasonefamily,RaheemAkingbolureports

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or the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Ekiti State, it has been two weeks of anxiety, disagreement, and finally, victory. Though the anxiety was high 48 hours before the party’s primary as contestants were rounding off their campaigns, they still enthusiastically attended a stakeholders’ meeting at the instance of the chairman of the party’s Governorship Primary Election Committee, Governor Mohammed Badaru of Jigawa State and agreed to all the election procedures.

At the meeting, which was attended by seven of the aspirants, Badaru had promised that he would not accept any results written from homes and hotel rooms during the primary election, pledging that the exercise would be transparent. Aspirants at the meeting were, Mr. Biodun Oyebanji, Senator Opeyemi Bamidele, Senator Dayo Adeyeye, Mr. Femi Bamisile, Mr. Bamidele Faparusi, Mr. Kayode Ojo and Olushola Afolabi, while Demola Popoola was absent.

The committee chairman explained that the party register handed over to the committee by the national headquarters of the party with 183,000 registered members would be used, saying that the party members would queue behind the posters of their preferred aspirants.

He further added that the accreditation of party members would commence by 8.00am and end by 12pm, while voting would start immediately till 2pm with party’s membership card and INEC voters card as prerequisite for voting.

After the meeting, the stage was set as party members headed to their respective wards. By 8am on Thursday, January 27, loyal members of the APC had moved to polling units for accreditation. Then the rumour started filtering in that some contestants had withdrawn from the race, alleging unfair treatment by the leadership of the party in the state. Few hours into the election, it went viral again that some aggrieved contestants were already staging a protest at the party headquarters and calling for the postponement of the election. Fortunately, the election was already going on as at the time the information was shared and so only few people took it seriously. While some party members had dismissed the news as fake, many enlightened members of the party considered it irrelevant since it didn’t emanate from constituted authority.

Of course the governorship primary electoral committee had swiftly reacted and denied the postponement in a statement titled, “Ekiti State

APC Primary Election is not Postponed.”

An APC youth leader from Ward 01, Ekiti West, Surajudeen Alao who spoke to THISDAY admitted that he heard the story about the purported postponement but dismissed it as fake news.

“Like every party member, I went to bed on 26 of January after a final meeting with our leaders, in preparation for the following day’s election. I was already on the queue for my accreditation around 9am when I heard of the purported postponement.

Personally, I dismissed it because I knew it was only the election committee or perhaps the party leadership that could call for postponement,” Alao said.

The picture painted by the youth leader was similar to what many other party members who spoke to THISDAY said, but indeed, there was a statement issued by some of the aspirants and a follow-up protest in Ado Ekiti, the capital of Ekiti State.

Speaking with journalists at the party’s secretariat in Ado Ekiti, on the morning of the election, the aggrieved aspirants had alleged that aides and loyalists of Governor Kayode Fayemi were appointed by the Badaru-led committee as presiding and returning officers. But in a swift reaponse, the Jigawa State governor insisted that each of the eight aspirants submitted a list of 20 loyalists, who were accommodated in the list already prepared by the party.

While some members of the party, who were sympathetic to the position of the aggrieved aspirants were celebrating the purported postponement, elections were ongoing in about 97 per cent of the 177 wards in Ekiti State.

By 4pm same day when THISDAY visited the APC secretariat in Ado Ekiti, electoral officers had started trouping in with the results from the various wards with collations in progress . By 9.30pm, Governor Badaru announced Oyebanji as the winner of the primary election having scored 101,703 votes while Ojo, his closest rival, polled 767 votes. Bamidele got 760 votes, Adeyeye scored 691 votes and Bamisile polled 400 votes. Also, Faparusi garnered 376 votes, Popoola scored 239, while Afolabi scored 47 votes.

According to the committee chairman, out of the total number of 183,000

registered members of the party who were also registered voters, 107,877 were accredited while 104,983 votes were cast.

As a result of the controversy that trailed the election, the leaders and elders of the party immediately embarked on moves to quickly reach out to aggrieved members, especially other aspirants.

Oyebanji who set the tone of reconciliation, had, in his acceptance speech titled: “This is a win for all,” which he read late that night, extended hands of fellowship to the aggrieved aspirants.

He said he needed their support for the task ahead, thanking party leaders and supporters across the state, for the opportunity given to him to be the party’s standard bearer in the coming election.

“To my fellow aspirants, all of you worthy Ekiti sons, I salute your courage of conviction and your passion for the upliftment of our dear state. Your participation in the process has served to strengthen our party, through the mobilisation of many voices.

During contests such as this, tensions are understandably high, and tempers rise in all quarters. This is all normal in the course of democratic expression. I hereby promise my fellow aspirants that together, we will work towards victory and a bright future for our people.

“I will be reaching out personally to seek an audience with every one of you in the coming days. I want to listen to you, so that together we can fit in our respective parts of the big picture and run a wholesome campaign that connects with the hearts and minds of our people. According to the popular Yoruba proverb – agbajo owo la fi ns’oya, ajoji owo kan ko gberu d’ori, and the popular maxim – ‘together, we are greater than the sum of our individual parts’– without a doubt the undertaking ahead of us must be a collective one, and we need everybody. I, therefore, humbly ask for your support as we begin the task of campaigning for the Saturday, June 18, 2022 general election.

We have a huge mission ahead of us to retain the governance of our dear state under our great party, and to ensure the continuity of our progressive programmes and policies as established by our leaders.”

Speaking as a guest on Morning Show of ARISE NEWS Channel, the following

day, Oyebanji had also promised that the matter would be resolved, pointing out that APC had an internal mechanism to resolve such bickering.

“Well, I have already reached out to the other contestants. I have spoken to some of them.

We are in conversation and in the next few days, I’ll be going to them one-on-one for further discussion and to deepen the already agreed conversations with them. I believe strongly that the APC is strong and the APC has an inbuilt mechanism to resolve issues arising from the context. One thing is clear, in every context, there will be different views and opinions and it behooves on each and every one of us to bend back and resolve the issue in the interest of our people, in the interest of the state and interest of the party and I’m confident that all those things will be done.”

The candidate also stated that he has personal relationship with all of the aspirants and that he was sure they all wanted the best for the state and the party, hoping that in the spirit of ensuring that Ekiti State develops, reason will prevail without necessarily rupturing the APC. In an interview with THISDAY on efforts being taken to reconcile contending forces in the election, House of Representatives’ member, representing Ekiti North Federal Constituency II, Hon. Kunle Ibrahim Olarewaju, said the reconciliation was already ongoing, with respected leaders calling and visiting all the aspirants. He also expressed confidence that the party would go to the June 18 election with one voice.

“Those who are in doubt over whether we would reconcile all the aggrieved parties or not obviously don’t know the workings of a progressive party like APC. In 2018 for instance, Governor Fayemi emerged winner in a primary, where close to 30 party members participated.

At the end, APC leaders embarked on reconciliation and everything was settled. Today, not less than five of those contested with the governor are in this present administration, while two others, including Senator Opeyemi Bamidele and Hon. Femi Bamisile, are members of the National Assembly,” Olarewaju stated.

Though many sources within the party had confirmed that most of the aspirants were open to reconciliation and that the process was ongoing, there are still fears about the entire scenario. And in view of the importance of the reconciliation to the success of the party at the poll in June, political observers are drumming it daily into the ears of APC members in Ekiti State that the election is not won until it has been won.

THISDAY, THE SUNDAY NEWSPAPER FEBRUARY 13, 2022

GAVEL

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Editor: Ejiofor Alike SMS: 08066066268 email:ejiofor.alike@thisdaylive.com

Federal Lawmakers Move against Ritual Killings Worried over the spate of ritual killings in Nigeria, the House of Representatives has declared a national emergency to stem the evil scourge, Udora Orizu writes

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t plenary last week, members of the House of Representatives declared a national emergency on ritual killings in Nigeria, and called on National Orientation Agency (NOA), parents, heads of schools, religious leaders and media to undertake a campaign to change the negative narrative that is bedeviling the society.

In recent times, incidents of ritual killings have assumed an alarming rate in the country.

The killings are performed by obtaining human body parts for charms. Ritualists search for human parts at the request of herbalists, who make the sacriÀces. Some people are believed to engage in ritual killings to obtain charms that would protect them from spiritual attack, illness or accidents, while a majority do it to acquire quick wealth. Statistics indicate that there has been an increase in the number of missing persons all over the country in recent times. Majority of those who disappear without a trace are often believed to be victims of ritual killings.

As reported cases of ritual killings surge in many parts of the country, law enforcement agencies keep arresting perpetrators with gory pictures of human skulls and dismembered bodies.

In 2019, Port Harcourt, Rivers State made international headlines in ritual killings with the case of Gracious David-West, Nigeria’s most celebrated ritual killer in recent times. From July to September 2019, David-West killed at least 15 women, mainly in the Rivers State capital city. After his arrest, he confessed to at least 15 murders.

Also in Rivers State, a suspected ritual killer was arrested February last year while attempting to sacriÀce a nine-year-old girl in the Ibaa community in Emuoha Local GovernmentArea.

According to reports, the girl’s parents had raised the alarm over her sudden disappearance after she went to dispose of refuse in a nearby bush.

It happened that the suspect had taken the minor to an abandoned compound, tied her with white clothes, applied white clay on her body with a co΀n already stationed for the ritual purpose. He was in the process of performing the ritual when he ran out of luck.

On March 24, 2014, the nation was thrown into a moment of confusion when a kidnappers’ den was discovered in Soka community, Ibadan, Oyo State. The den was discovered by some commercial motorcyclists, who were searching for two of their colleagues after they took two passengers to the community without returning. After the den was busted, human skulls, dried human parts alongside malnourished victims which were reserved for ritual purposes, were discovered.

Also, in 2016, the Ogun police discovered a ritualists’ den located within an abandoned Àlling station at Iyana-Ilogbo axis of SangoOta of Ogun State, following a tip-oͿ from a member of the community. The police arrested two suspected ritualists in connection with the activities carried out in the den.

On August 30, 2017, two people were killed by a mob in the Mushin area of Lagos State over alleged involvement in kidnappings and ritual killings.

Aside peer pressure, Nigeria’s movie industry is believed to have played a role in inÁuencing the minds of the youths who have imbibed the negative mindset of getrich-quick syndrome. Without any doubt, Nollywood Àlms with its replete themes and scenes of ritual murder, magical and spiritual powers have been attributed to the prevailing belief system that ill-gotten wealth can be made through the diabolical means of ritual killings, hence the rising menace among youths in the society.

House of Representatives during plenary An instance was seen when Ayobamidele Ayodele, a kidnap suspect who was recently nabbed by the security operatives in Ogun State for abducting a six-year-old, Ebube Eze, confessed that he had learnt the act of kidnapping by watching the Àlms of Nollywood actor, Zubby Michael.

Ayodele was reported saying, “Zubby Michael is my favourite Nollywood actor and he is good at kidnapping roles. I decided to try out some of the methods used by Zubby to kidnap children and adults in the movies. I started by visiting several schools around Ojo to see the possibility of picking children without anyone noticing”.

Many Nigerians are heartbroken to see developed societies invest in science and technology to keep abreast with a dynamic world, while their fellow compatriots are stuck in the foolish belief that sacriÀcing human blood is the surest route to wealth.

It is expected that such evil and barbaric acts would no longer exist in our society given our level of exposure and civilisation.

The Legislative Declaration As security agencies tries to checkmate the trend, the federal lawmakers in the House of Representatives in a bid to stem the evil act, at the plenary on February 9 declared a national emergency on ritual killings.

The House also called on the Inspector General of Police, Usman Alkali Baba, to take urgent steps to increase surveillance and intelligence gathering with a view to apprehending and prosecuting all perpetrators of ritual killings in Nigeria.

It further called on the Executive Director, National Film and Video Censors Board to rise to the mandate of the agency as the clearing house for all movies produced in the country.

The resolutions of the lawmakers followed the adoption of a motion of urgent public importance sponsored by the Deputy Minority Leader, Hon. Toby Okechukwu at the plenary, last Wednesday.

Moving the motion, Okechukwu lamented that incidents of ritual killings have assumed an alarming rate in Nigeria in recent times.

He noted the upsurge of reported ritual killings with increasing cases of abductions and missing persons in diͿerent parts of the country, which in most cases, the culprits also rape, maim, kill and obtain sensitive body parts of unsuspecting victims for rituals.

He said the House is aware that ritual killing has become a predominant theme in most home made movies which if not checked, the younger generation may begin to view it as an acceptable norm.

The Deputy Minority Leader, recalled the grievous killing of Iniobong Umoren, a young woman in her 20s; after being lured to a particular location in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State for a job interview, as widely reported in the national dailies.

He expressed concerns over the moral decadence in the society, a trend he said that has promoted the get-rich-quick syndrome among youths.

While pointing out that fake clerics, imams, herbalists and native doctors are often complicit in the heinous practices, the lawmaker further expressed concerns that although communities are getting more religious with the proliferation of churches and mosques, the ugly trend of ritual killings is on the rise as the quest for wealth at all cost pervades the society.

He advised that such cruel and barbaric acts should no longer be promoted in the society given the demands of today’s

world, adding that there’s a lot to be done by the police and other law enforcement agencies to checkmate this ugly trend.

Okechukwu said, “Further Notes that the Red Cross Society in 2017 reported that it received 10,480 reports of missing persons in Nigeria. Aware that on January 22, 2022, three teenage suspects and a twenty year old reportedly killed one SoÀat Kehinde and had her head severed and burnt in a local pot in Abeokuta, Ogun State.

“Also Aware that Ogun State Police Command on Monday, February 7, 2022 reported that one of the suspects confessed that he learned the act of ritual killing from a video he watched on Facebook. Mindful of the role of the Nigerian movie industry in moulding behavioral patterns in our society vis-a-vis the mandate of the National Film and Video Censors Board as a clearing house for movies produced in the country. Also aware that merchants of such wicked acts often use the social media as a ready tool to advertise their evil behaviours.”

He added, “Aware of several reports where law enforcement agents arrested and paraded suspects of ritual killings with gory pictures of human skulls and dismembered bodies.

Worried that while youths in other climes are embracing science and technology as a way of maintaining pace with our dynamic world, some of our youths seem stuck in the mistaken belief that sacriÀcing human blood is the surest route to wealth, safety and protection. Also worried about the growing rate of unemployment in the country. Mindful of the role of media as a tool to change this wrong narrative among our youths.”

Adopting the motion, the House mandated its Committees on Police AͿairs, Information, National Orientation, Ethics and Values to ensure compliance and report back to the House within four weeks for legislative action.

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THISDAY, THE SUNDAY NEWSPAPER FEBRUARY 13, 2022

INTERNATIONAL Terrorism, Armed Banditry, and Coups d’État in West Africa: Recidivist Dynamics and Quo Vadis

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errorism, armed banditry, and coups d’état have five common factors: use of force to compel the admission of a request; the force is driven by cruelty in most cases; the cruelty is indiscriminate in terms of its impact; the indiscrimination is explained using small arms and light weapons in most cases.

And more importantly, they are nationally and internationally illegal and therefore prohibited.

Terrorism, armed banditry, and coups d’état are manifestations of aggression on individuals and sovereign states which every Member State of the international community is required to prevent. The ECOWAS Protocol on Non-Aggression, done on 22nd of April , 1978 in Lagos, provides that Member States shall not only ‘refrain from threat or use of force or aggression or from employing any other means inconsistent with the Charters of the United Nations and the OAU against the territorial integrity or political independence of Member States’ (Article 1) but to also ‘refrain from committing, encouraging or condoning acts of subversion, hostility or aggression against the territorial integrity or political independence of the other Member States’ (Article 2). And perhaps most importantly, Article 3 requires a Member State to‘prevent foreigners resident on its territory from committing the acts referred to in Article 2’ and to ‘undertake to prevent non-foreigners from using its territory as a base for committing the acts referred to in Article 2.

The implication of the foregoing protocolar provisions is not simply that Signatory States should refrain but should prevent their nationals and foreigners residing in their countries from engaging in the use of force and aggression. Thus, terrorism, armed banditry, and coups d’état or subversion are unlawful and should not be condoned. The ultimate objective of the protocol is to promote good neighbourliness among West African States and ensure mutual assistance in the event of threats and actual cases of aggression.

VIE INTERNATIONALE with

Bola A. Akinterinwa Telephone : 0807-688-2846

e-mail: bolyttag@yahoo.com

Use of Force and Dynamics At the international multilateral level, there are the Inter-American Convention Against terrorism adopted on 9 December 1999 by the UN General Assembly to suppress the financing of terrorism; international instruments related to the 1996 measures to eliminate international terrorism and the 1997 Prevention and Suppression of terrorist bombings. In fact, there are more than 15 universal anti-terrorism instruments.

For example, an International Convention for the Suppression of Terrorist Bombings was done in New York on 15 December 1997.

Benin Republic acceded to the convention on 31 July 2003 and Burkina Faso on 1 October 2003. Cape Verde acceded to it on 10 May 2002, Ghana on 6 September 2002, Guinea on 7 September 2000, Guinea Bissau on 6 August 2008, Liberia on 5 March 2003, Mali on 28 March 2002, Mauritania on 30 April 2003, Niger on 26 October 2004, Nigeria on 24 September 2013, Senegal on 27 October 2003, and Sierra Leone on 26 September 2003. Togo signed it on 21 August 1998 and ratified it on 10 March 2003.

What is noteworthy here is that all the West African States acceded to the Convention save Togo which signed and ratified it.

More importantly, Nigeria was the last to accede to it, which raises the extent to which a terrorist bombing is taken as a priority is limited. It is against this background that the problems of force in the form of terrorism, armed banditry and coups d’état are explicated and that the quo vadis should be understood.

Use of force varies according to the type of violence and force should not be confused with violence, even though they are interchangeably used to mean the same thing. Force is a vis, a Latin word meaning power which, lato sensu, is ambiguous. Vis can be of any type. It is defined as any force, any violence or any disturbance relating to a person or property. As explained by Bryan A. Garner,‘vis, as a legal term, was understood to denote the organizing and arming of tumultuous bodies of men for the purpose of obstructing the constituted authorities in the performance of their duty, and thus interrupting the ordinary administration of the laws.’ More importantly, violence is described as ‘the use of physical force usually accompanied by fury, vehemence, or outrage’ It is the ‘physical force unlawfully exercised with the intent to harm’(vide the Black’s Law Dictionary, Thomson Reuters, Tenth’s Edition, 2014).

Explained differently, violence exists when force is physically used unlawfully to harm, while force is synonymous with a vis. Force is the use of power to compel a change lawfully or unlawfully. In all cases, terrorism, armed banditry, and coups d’état have always been manifested in the form of force and violence in Africa in general, and West Africa, in particular.

Voluntarily or otherwise, they harm they obstruct and militate against the constituted authorities in the performance of their duty, and they also interrupt the ordinary administration of the laws. And true enough, the various coups d’états in Francophone West and Central Arica, the armed banditry and insurrectional terrorism in Nigeria are clear illustrations of a vis, violence and force, the dynamics of which vary from one country and sub-region to another.

In general, there are three main dynamics of the recidivist character of terrorism, armed banditry and coups d’état that have now become the most critical challenge facing African leaders.

The first dynamic is the declining influence of France and French

French forces and then we will start the move towards economic and monetary sovereignty.’ On the critical issue of insecurity, Mr. Diarra said ‘for the security of my people, I am ready to make a pact with Satan (Russia) to drive out France and its terrorist allies’ (vide Al Jazeera reports).

In this regard, many points are noteworthy: consideration of French and European troops fighting the jihadist terrorists as terrorists, implying that Malians have been pushed to the wall; The junta has some thought-provoking reasons for the coup: France has been engaged in the anti-jihad terrorism since 2013 but the situation of insecurity has not improved; elected governments have been helpless and do not have any foreseeable solution to the problem of jihadist terrorism; Malians do not have access to social justice and their natural resources. They believe that their resources are under foreign control, particularly the big French multinational companies.

Another point that is noteworthy is that all the coups are taking place mainly in the French-speaking countries, apart from Guinea Bissau, a Lusophone country, where the latest coup took place on February 1, 2022, but failed. The Bissau president, Sissoco Embaló, said many security forces were killed and that the coup attempt was a ‘failed attack against democracy.’ From the perspective polemology, why is it that it is the Francophones that are playing host to the coups? Why the calls for economic and monetary sovereignty at this time?

The second dynamic, apart from the French factor, is the role of the ECOWAS in the promotion of democracy and good governance in the ECOWAS region. The role has been identified as a reflection of double standard that assists bad governance and oppresses the people. The role of the ECOWAS is particularly raised in the context of the Côte d’Ivoire which has not been openly seen to have played host to a military coup, but which, following the acquittance of former President Laurent Gbagbo by the International Criminal Court, has shown that President Alassane Ouattara organized a civilian coup by initiative and a military coup by execution.

Problematique and Quo Vadis

CDS, General Lucky Irabor speakingness in Africa. The decline is largely a resultant from the promotion of French multinational interests to the detriment of the general interest of the local people. The people have been complaining quietly in the past but have now changed their complaints into an open confrontation. Rather than seeking to address the complaints, France, the ECOWAS, and the international community took side with the elected governments.

In Mali, France supported the ousted IBK (Ibrahim Boubacar Keïta) who was Malian president from September 2013 to August 2020 but forced to resign with his Prime Minister, Boubou Cissé.

The ECOWAS and the African Union suspended Mali’s membership and prevented it from participating in their activities. The ECOWAS also closed the land and air borders with Mali. And true again, the Organisation Internationale de la Francophonie suspended Mali’s membership. The United States cut off military aid to Mali on 21 August 2021. All these sanctions were in vain in outcome.

On 24 May 2021 a second coup, again led by Assimi Goïta and Vice President took place. President Bah N’daw, Prime Minister Moctar Ouane and Minister of Defence Souleymane, Doucouré were captured. In this regard, the coupists, have invited Russian mercenaries with the intention of replacing the French troops that have been helping to contain jihadist terrorism since 2013 in the country. The French did not like this development and prefer to withdraw their troops that be in the same boat together with the Russians. When the first coup took place, there were no display of Russian flags during public demonstrations in support of the coup. When Assimi Goita, who did not accept to be the president but the position of Second-in-Command and accepted this time to be the president.

The bilateral misunderstanding got to its crescendo on Monday, 31 January 2022 when the Goïta junta blocked and prevented the European troops from seeking to fight the jihadist terrorists. Goïta did not only expel the French ambassador to Mali, His Excellency, Mr. Joel Meyer, giving him an ultimatum of 72 hours to leave the country, but also called for a review of Franco-Malian defence agreement. In response, the French Foreign Minister, Jean Yves Le Drian described the Goïta junta as‘irresponsible’and‘illegitimate.’

He also accused the Russian mercenaries of ‘helping themselves to the country’s resources in exchange for protecting the junta.’

At the level of the European allies, sanctions were taken against five members of the Goïta regime mainly because the Francophone CFA franc used in 14 countries is tied to the European Union Euro.

Untying the politico-economic cord between Francophone Africa and the EU has serious negative implications. The EU sanctions taken on 4 February 2022 include travel ban and attachment of their assets.

One of the five members, Mr. Adama Ben Diarra explained that the EU sanction ‘is an important step in the fight, but the victory must go all the way, the next step must be the departure of

The problematique and major dynamic from the foregoing is external in character. It is a combination of the quest to impose Islam and Fulanisation by force, on the one hand, and the quest to make very secure all countries where strategic mineral resources are found in Africa. In this regard, France and her allies are bent that whoever comes to power in such countries where resources are located are not hostile to the protection of Euro-American strategic interests. There is nothing that they do not do to ensure their security survival.

When hostile leaders emerge, they are quickly removed By France and her allies. When such leaders have popular support and the people organize public demonstrations in support of coupists as it is the case in Mali and Burkina Faso, a problematic is necessarily raised: how to reconcile people’s interest and support for coups, on the one hand, and unconstitutional change of government as prohibited by the AU and the ECOWAS. Coups in the Francophone countries are of two types: people and military-driven coups. People-driven coups are permissible while military-driven coups are non-permissible. The coups in Mali, Guinea Conakry and Burkina Faso are military but enjoy popular support. Those in Chad and Guinea Bissau are military but without popular support. In fact, there is a civilian-initiated coup in the Côte d’Ivoire, which is different from all others and are hardly talked about. Let us begin with the attempted coup in Niger Republic and the Ivoirian case as a problematique.

Olayinka Ajala of the Leeds Beckett University identified three dynamic of the failed coup in Niger: World Bank’s 2019 report that over 40% of Nigeriens were living in extreme poverty; ethnic tension in which the largest ethnic group is the Hausa (56%), Zarma-Songhai (22%0 and Tuareg (8%). The problem is that successive military governments took various measures to stifle conversations on the need to prevent an ethnicity-driven and dominated polity. As a result of the issue of ethnicity, the Tuaregs threatened to secede at a point in time. The third dynamic is the division in the army which is similarly informed by politics of ethnicity. As noted by Ajala, ‘the most common criticism is that the army is negatively affected by appointments that are made along ethnic lines rather than for professional reasons.’

Based on these dynamics, a coup attempt took place at about 3 a.m., two days before the inauguration of the president-elect, Mohammed Bazoum. It was led by Captain Sani Saley Gourouza and came on the heels of the 2010 coup that overthrew the government of Mamadou Tandja and the 1996 coup that ousted Mahamane Ousmane. The immediate dynamic of the failed coup was the rejection of the results of the run-off presidential elections by the defeated candidate following announcement on February 23, 2021. Mohammed Bazoum, former Minister of Interior, polled 55.75% while Mahamane Ousmane, the opposition candidate, reportedly got 44.25% but argued that he did poll 50.3%. In this case, why is it that there is never any election in Africa that the opposition never accepts that elections could be free and fair?

When will there not be another coup when some coupists were arrested and some escaped and can still come back? Niger had four coups already: in 1974, 1996, 1999 and 2010. Can there be an antidot to coup making in Niger?

Read full article online - www.thisdaylive.com

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THISDAY, THE SUNDAY NEWSPAPER FEBRUARY 13, 2022

ENGAGEMENTS

with ChidiAmuta e-mail:chidi.amuta@gmail.com

Politicians, ASUU and Dangerous Universities

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etween the federal government and the organized trade union of Nigerian university teachers, ASUU, a familiar dance is about to resume. Few adult Nigerians canrememberanylengthoftime in the recent past when ASUU was not on strike. The last stretch coincided with the Covid-19 lockdown, making it harder to know what exactly kept the students marooned at home for so long. If news is the definition of momentous happenings worthy of public attention, I am not sure that anyone will call an ASUU strike or threats thereof news in any serious sense.

If the tradition of irrational obstinacy on both sides prevails as usual, the teachers may resume their paid vacation in the name of strike any time from now. I am not aware that they have lost even a single month’s pay during each of the many decades of their serial strikes. The pattern has become familiar. With each threat of strike, ASUU reactivates a litany of unfulfilled promises and violated agreements on the part of government.

As employers of university teachers in federal and state service, our governments have been less than responsible guarantors of public trust. By any known rules of employer-employee contracts, our public university teachers should have been fired en masse several times over and made to refund salaries received for work not done. Our governments play to the gallery about the arguably unreasonable demands of ASUU without admitting that the government side has been in the habit of reneging on nearly every agreement entered into with ASUU. Responsible governments do not trifle with agreements. But ASUU is dealing with governments led by Nigerian politicians, a unique breed of cavalier creatures.

The persistent blame tossing between the federal government and ASUU is not likely to end soon. It is an unwinnable war for many reasons.The governments may never find enough money to satisfy the ever expanding demands and entitlements of ASUU. Quite disturbingly, ASUU leadership has become something of a perpetual ‘profession’ in itself. Some otherwise brilliant scholars have found it more profitable to be perpetual ASUU unionists than committed teachers and researchers. Ironically, between the politicians at the ministries of Labour and Education respectively and professional ASUU trade unionist professors, endless televised negotiation sessions have become national theatre.

A curious reversal of roles has taken place in the process. The perennial ASUU chieftains in their opportunistic appeals to public sentiments have been playing politics with the future careers of our students. On their part, the negotiating government officials seem to enjoy the photo opportunities and endless negotiations with ASUU so much that they are beginning to look more like the actual trade unionists themselves.

There is enough luggage of faults and blames on both sides. But government bears the greater burden. Being the employer of academics comes with extra requirements of candor and civility.

Asking university teachers to literally queue up for their pay while the federal ministry of finance completes a centralized digitized centralized pay platform is an insult. It undermines the legal autonomy of individual universities. Ordinarily, it is the bursary department of each university that should administer their respective staff salaries.

Holding back arrears of sundry allowances due teachers for whatever reason is autocratic and insensitive. Moreover, habitually reneging on agreements reached with ASUU is reckless and irresponsible.

However, in the process of the perpetual ego ping pong between politicians and ASUU chieftains over the years, certain fundamental questions about our university sector have been raked up. It is only by asking these questions and seeking serious answers to them that we can hope to salvage our university system from the present rot.

Is a university a social service or a business enterprise? Or, better still, is a university teacher an executive in a business venture or a civil servant in a state charity or parastatal? What university tradition, of all existing models, is Nigeria following? Should university education be cost free to parents and students?

Deservedly, academics like all other skilled professionals and workers need to be adequately remunerated. This is even more imperative in a

ASUU President, Osodeke system that limits their options of employment to mostly the universities. Governments that insist on maintaining a regulatory and proprietorship stranglehold on public universities should match their monopolistic clutch by paying the teachers well. Politicians and parents who desire uninterrupted academic calendars and tranquility on the campuses should pocket their ego and stop treating intellectuals like mundane civil servants and glorified houseboys.

The long struggle between ASUU and our governments is rooted in a bit of confusion on both sides about precisely what university tradition Nigeria is following. The assumptions that inform ASUU’s endless labour struggles are rooted in an old Soviet style unitary university model. In that model, the universities belong to the government as public institutions. Higher education is an entitlement of all citizens who qualify. Hardly any fees are charged. University teachers are public servants and are equal irrespective of the depth of their research and the currency of their findings. They progress according to a unified pecking order, not necessarily according to research relevance or significant breakthroughs. A rigid government approved pay structure unites all academics irrespective of the profundity of their scholarship.

Politically, the public is indoctrinated into a certain sense of entitlement that tertiary education is the right of every citizen whether or not they can afford it. The whole approach of ASUU to issues of university funding and tuition fees is founded on this communist model. ASUU trade unionism is an offshoot of the communist era labour internationalism, an ideological remnant of the Cold War. In this struggle for a utopian communist egalitarianism, ASUU teachers want to compete with politicians for lavish perks but insist on insulating the students from paying sensible fees that would make the public universities sustainable. ASUU unionist teachers and the more naïve students and their parents are stuck in a dead entitlement society culture.

New realities have emerged. Governments have run out of cash to fund higher education and pay the teachers. But government remains reluctant to cede ownership and control. It hands out appointments to university councils to all comers as political patronage. The office of Vice Chancellor has become another chieftaincy title in which extant selection criteria are often subordinated to the whims of powerful political influencers. External influence on the universities from Abuja and the state capitals stretches to

contract awards, admissions, promotions, employment and staff tenure.

We are now in a sad place. Infrastructure in public universities have crumbled under the weight of student population explosion. The quality of available teaching manpower has been eroded and diluted by an unplanned expansion in the size of public universities. Dire economic conditions have forced an exodus of high caliber academic staff either abroad or lately to the many new private universities.

Tragically, the low fees and dilapidation in our public universities are yielding vast dividends of wrath. We are confronted with youth armed with cudgels, machetes and even AK 47s at every street corner or highway bend. Sophisticated campus cyber criminals, Yahoo Boys, ritual murderers, an epidemic of rape and suicides, cultists and a flowering of superstition on nearly all our public university campuses. The privileged children that we have sent abroad in the hope that they will return to form a new elite, born in Nigeria but bred and tutored abroad now return home to face the monsters that the hypocrisy and neglect of our elite have bred. On the average, most of Nigeria’s youngest and brightest are staying put in the West, adding to their bank of genius while deepening our development deficits.

Our lip service to modernity now finds a huge mocking bird at the gates of our public universities where there are endless festivals of the cultural traits of the Dark ages. It is not only the government that has to be blamed on the descent into hell on our public university campuses. ASUU’s prolonged absence from its primary duty posts is a grave disservice to our youth in particular and the nation at large.

There is a way out. As against the persisting Soviet model university system, we are confronted with an alternative system. Since 1985/86, Nigeria has migrated into an imperfect free market system. This reality dictates a different university model which lies somewhere between the United States and the British models.

The American model boasts of both private and public institutions. The classic private model is at its best in places like Harvard. For purposes of teaching, learning and research, Harvard boasts of some of the best faculty and facilities. This solid base is supported by a sound business model which ensures the sustainability of the infrastructure and resources required to keep the tradition of excellence running. But those who want to go to Harvard or send their children to study there must ensure that in addition to solid academic credentials, they can afford the

hefty tuition and boarding costs.

Today, Harvard has an endowment surplus fund in excess of $34 billion dollars, slightly more than our total external reserves as a nation. That fund is managed by a crop of some of the best Wall Street class investment experts.

They do what they know how to do best in order to grow the wealth of the university while the academic leadership get on with the work of research, learning and teaching to sustain the tradition of excellence.

Some of America’s most successful public universities thrive on charging modest but sensible fees to ensure sustainability of systems and affordability of access. Their eyes are set on the models of academic excellence set by the Ivy League universities while conscious of their responsibility to a wider catchment population of students. In both private and public institutions, the US university system lays emphasis on both academic excellence and system sustainability.

The university teacher remains a disciple of the long established tradition of pursuit of learning and enlightenment. They are not perpetual trade unionists locked in relentless pitch battles against politicians and government bureaucrats.

Let us face it, the current regime of token fees charged in Nigeria’s public universities is laughable. At today’s rates, it costs more to keep a kid in a private urban kindergarten in a term than it costs to keep an undergraduate in a Nigerian public university for a whole year.

Similarly, it costs more to keep a teenager in a modest private secondary school in a year than it costs to pay for four years of public university education.We cannot expect to make the top ranks of universities in the world while no one wants to pay for the facilities and personnel required to compete in a world that is surging ahead.

We all appreciate the value of sound uninterrupted education for our children. That is why for the last 25 years, most of us -politicians, ASUU chieftains, senior government officials, big journalists etc. -have sent our university age children to some of the best institutions in the world while closing our eyes to the funding needs and the crying necessity for reform in our public universities at home.

We have been ready to pay an average of $50,000-$75,000 a year for undergraduate courses abroad to keep our children in choice American and European universities. Yet we advocate the retention of paltry token fees sometimes as low as N100,000 per student per annum for undergraduate studies in Nigerian public universities. These schools are now reserved for the children of the less privileged.

Only recently has a middle of the road option emerged. There are now a spiraling number of private universities.The rise of private universities in Nigeria is driven solely and exclusively by a profit motive. Nigerian entrepreneurs have seen the billions of dollars Nigerian parents are spending to send their children abroad and concluded that even a fraction of that amount would support a profitable sector. Nigeria now has a total of 79 private universities as against 43 federal and 48 state universities. Average tuition and accommodation costs in Nigerian private universities are between N1m and N1.5m, far much lower than the $50,000 average in American universities.

There is a disconnect between the current two penny public university and the practical realities of an open market economy and society.

The free market means that the labour force being trained by our Soviet style university system will service the needs of a free market where labour and manpower are commodities with price tags. Profit and competition are the key words in this jungle.

Unfortunately, therefore, our public universities need to charge sensible fees to remain competitive and sustainable. Infrastructure needs to be maintained and expanded. Libraries and laboratories need new current stock of books and equipment. Staff need to be motivated to go out and compare notes with their colleagues in the rest of the world so that they can compete and excel. Admittedly, competitive fees and charges will strain the social fabric where poverty remains a limitation to high educational aspirations. The politics of inequality will stroll into education where it should not. But we need to initiate a series of innovations: (See concluding part on www.thisdaylive.com)

T H I S D AY, T H E S U N D AY N E W S PA P E R ˾ FEBRUARY 13, 2022

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NEWS

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

Malfunctioning BVAS, Apathy, Late Arrival of Materials Mar FCT Council Polls Chuks Okocha and Adedayo Akinwale in Abuja Voter apathy, late arrival of materials as well as electoral officials and malfunctioning

Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) marred yesterday’s Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Council elections.

A coalition of election monitoring group under the aegis

Oyebanji: Ekiti APC, Electorate Won’t Regret Electing Me as Governor Victor Ogunje in Ado Ekiti The former Secretary to the Ekiti State Government and All Progressives Congress governorship aspirant in Ekiti State, Hon. Biodun Oyebanji, has assured Ekiti people that they won’t regret, if voted as governor in the June 18 poll.

Oyebanji spoke in Ado Ekiti, on Saturday, during a programme tagged “Walk4BAO” organised by a group within the APC fold to mobilise support for his candidacy, where over 5,000 APC members had participated.

Astatement issued by his Media Assistant, Raheem Akingbolu, quoted Oyebanji to have while addressing the mammoth crowd of supporters, described the exercise as encouraging and appreciated the party members for the show of love.

“I have received several calls from members of the public and I have sightedmanypicturesonline,detailing how the ‘Walk4BAO’ exercise went.

It wowed not only me but other members of the public. “ Without doubt, this is a selfless effort that I personally appreciate it.

It has simply demonstrated that the project is a collective one and I will make sure Ekiti people do not regret supporting me”.

As early as 8am, members of the party, who had earlier signified intention through online registration started assembling at the popular Ori Apata, opposite School of Nursing, alongAdebayo Road and by 9.30am, the place was full to the brim.

At exactly 10.05 am, after various security personnel and health officials had taken their positions, the walk began, and the train moved towards theJKFCampaignofficealongAjilosun road, through the popularAdekunle Fajuyi Park and Oja Oba, Ado Ekiti.

The party members, who wore branded shirts, danced and waved to onlookers as the walk continued.

By the time the march reached Oja Oba Market, the crowd had become bloated as a result of the way some members of public and party members joined the walk from one point to another.

Addressing Journalists about the initiative, one of the conveners of BAO Movement, Hon. Mary Oso Omotoso, said the decision to organise an early morning walk in support of Oyebanji’s candidature was born out of the group’s conviction that the candidate would positively impact Ekiti by taking the 25 years old state to another level.

According to Osho-Omotosho, “’Walk4BAO’ is an initiative of a group called ‘BAO Movement’ and it was organised to show the acceptability of Hon. Biodun Abayomi Oyebanji across various interests in the state. It will interest members of the public that today’s exercise was organised and funded without any input from either the party or the candidate,” Speaking further, OshoOmotosho, who expressed her satisfaction with the turnout, said despite the low key publicity given to the online registration for the event, APC members still registered well and came out en masse.

While appreciating members for coming, the conveners urged them to get their PVC ready ahead June 18, Osho-Omotosho, added that the only way their impact could be felt is to cast votes for the candidate on the election day.

Olumuyiwa Adejobi Takes over as Police Spokesman as Frank Mba Begins Course at NIPSS The Nigeria Police Force (NPF) has announced Olumuyiwa Adejobi as the new force public relations officer (FPRO).

The development was announced in a statement issued yesterday by Benjamin Hundeyin, administrative officer, FPRO department.

According to the statement, Adejobi takes over from Frank Mba, who was nominated by the inspector-general of police for a senior executive course at the National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies (NIPSS), Kuru, Jos. The appointment takes effect immediately.

“Olumuyiwa Adejobi, a Chief Superintendent of Police, is an alumnus of the prestigious University of Ibadan where he studied Archeology and Geography (Combined Honours),” the statement reads.

“He also holds a Master’s

Degree in Peace and Conflict Studies from the same University.

He was the Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) in the Ogun State Command from 2008-2016; PPRO Zone 2 Headquarters, Onikan, Lagos, in 2016, and PPRO Lagos State Police Command between September 2020 and August 2021.

“CSP Olumuyiwa is an experienced communicator and image manager who has achieved great strides in his previous appointments.

“He is a member of several professional bodies and associations which include: Nigerian Institute of Public Relations (NIPR); International Public Relations Association (IPRA); Pointman Leadership Institute, USA; International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP), USA; and the Institute of Corporate Administration, Nigeria.”

of Yiaga Africa also yesterday released its preliminary reports, identifying late commencement of polls, poor functionality of the BVAS machines, communication glitches among other operational deficiencies that characterised the Council polls.

Officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) made up mainly of National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) members arrived at most of the voting centres two to three hours behind the 8:30 am official commencement of voting.

In most of the places, when accreditation finally commenced, the Bimodal Voter Accreditation

System (BVAS) device failed to function or was very slow as a result of a poor network.

Apart from Polling Unit 007 located at LEA Primary School in Mpape, Bwari Council Area, which witnessed a massive turnout of voters, there was serious voter apathy at most of the Polling Units.

In Karu, Abuja Municipal Council Area (AMAC), voters failed to turn up at most of the centres.

At polling unit 010 at AYA Roundabout, the BVAS device was non-functional leading to the disenfranchisement of voters in the area.

The presiding officer in

charge of the PU said they had called the INEC office over the problem but were yet to get feedback.

At another polling unit, 055 opposite Furnishing Centre, Karu, though the BVAS was functioning, the INEC officials there said not one person had turned up to vote until around 1 pm.

At polling unit 077, Itsekiri Way, Karu, the INEC officials said even one person did not turn up to vote.

INEC attributed the late arrival of election materials and staff to fuel scarcity that delayed some of the drivers

held up at petrol stations.

INEC Commissioner and Chairman Information and Voter Education Committee, Festus Okoye, when contacted, said the Polling Units opened before 8 am, adding that the Ad hoc Staff were also deployed on time.

The Executive Director of Yiaga Africa, Mr. Samson Itodo, at a press conference, attributed the late opening of polling stations to poor logistics and security problems.

Itodo said polling officials encountered difficulty in locating assigned polling units, including late arrival of police officers at the registration area centres.

MARITAL BLISS… L-R: Mother of the bride, Mrs. Taiwo Akanbi; the new couple, Mr. and Mrs. Ilyas AbdulRahman; and father of the bride and Deputy Editor, THISDAY, The Sunday Newspaper, Mr. Festus Akanbi, during couple’s wedding ceremony in Lambe, Ogun State...yesterday

2023: We will Make Nigerians Happy, Says Tinubu after Visit to Traditional Rulers in Ogun James Sowole in Abeokuta National Leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Senator Bola Tinubu, yesterday said his party would continue to work towards ensuring Nigerians are happy.

He spoke yesterday evening, after visiting three traditional rulers in Ogun State.

Tinubu was at the palaces of the Alake of Egbaland; Sikiru Adetona, Awujale of Ijebuland, Oba Adedotun Gbadebo,; and the Olu of Ilaro and ruler of Yewaland, Oba Kehinde Olugbenle,.

According to him, he visited the traditional rulers to inform them of his decision to contest the presidency in 2023.

Addressing journalists after the visit, he said Nigerians need to understand that there would be difficult times, but that his focus will be on ensuring that people are happy.

“My message to all Nigerians is that there will always be dif-

ficult times and there will be times for joy,” he said.

“We are very navigating Nigeria through a very difficult and windy period. We will survive it.

We will be happy. We will hold onto the hope that Nigeria will be united, prosperous and sufficient in benefits for the people. We will make Nigerians happy.”

Speaking at the palace of the Olu of Ilaro, he said Nigeria has what it takes to excel.

“It is important to sow the seed of leadership for the nation.

We have what it takes — the land, brains, resources,” he said.

Speaking after his visit to the Alake of Egbaland, the former governor of Lagos also explained why he first informed President Muhammadu Buhari of his decision to run for president.

Tinubu: I’ve informed Buhari of my interest in contesting presidency... ...

Bola Tinubu, a chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC), says he has informed President Muhammadu Buhari...

“I told the president I want to replace you and I don’t want to offend you. I told the president that I want to step into his shoes, but not step on his toes,” he said.

“I told him as the number one citizen, I should start my presidential bid by informing him first, and he told me to inform the whole world, and I have done that.

“I will continue to tell and consult Nigerians and international partners about my presidential ambition.

“I have done crusades to return Nigeria to democratic rule before I started hearing the voices of the people that I should contest for president.

“I have thought about it deeply, but I cannot think about it alone. The people said, this time around, I should run for the president of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.”

The APC National Leader, who earlier visited the Awu-

jale of Ijebu-Ode, Oba Sikiru Kayode Adetona, said when he told the president of his ambition, Buhari requested him to tell the people (Nigerians).

Tinubu, who is the holder of the tittle “Are Ago of Egbaland, stated that it was the people that asked him to contest for the presidency of the country.

He said, “I contested the Senate at the youngest age ever, I won. I contested for the governorship, I won twice. Before that, I was part of the struggle for return of democracy in Nigeria.

We supported several persons for several positions, the Governor, Senate, House of Representatives, House of Assembly, chairmen of councils, councillors and help people in several political positions in the country.

“This time, it is the people that asked me to contest for the presidency of the Nigeria.

When they started, I was not there and they had moved to several places.

NACA Cautions against Risky Behaviours on Valentine’s Day Onyebuchi Ezigbo in Abuja The Director General, National Agency for the Control of AIDS (NACA), Dr. Gambo Aliyu, has cautioned Nigerians especially the youths to avoid actions that would expose them to getting infected with HIV. In a statement issued by NACA’s Head, Public Relations and Proto-

col, Toyin Aderibigbe, advised that the day be used as a season of love to encourage Nigerians, especially young people, to know their HIV status and avoid risky behaviors The DG said, “New HIV infection is currently highest among young people aged 15-24 years. It is important to reduce this worrying trend among Nigerian youths by

encouraging faithful relationships for those who cannot abstain from sex to practice safer sex.

“This period is particularly noted for young people expressing their love for one another. The DG NACA urges Nigerians, especially the youths, to express love within the context of caring deeply for their loved ones and avoid behavior that will make them vulnerable

to HIV/AIDS.” Aliyu stated that, “As we express love on this day, remember to Love Wisely. As members of the wider society, your health and productivity are vital to the future of our country. So, I urge you to avoid risky behaviors as we commemorate Valentine’s Day. Love Wisely, Share Love not HIV. Get a HIV test today.”

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T H I S D AY, T H E S U N D AY N E W S PA P E R ˾ FEBRUARY 13, 2022

NEWSXTRA

Makinde to Name New Olubadan of Ibandanland Tomorrow Kemi Olaitan in Ibadan The Governor of Oyo State, Mr. Seyi Makinde will tomorrow (Monday) name the new Olubadan of Ibadanland.

The governor made the disclosure yesterday, while speaking at the final burial rites for the late Olubadan of Ibadanland, Oba Saliu Adetunji, who died on January 2, 2022, held at the Obafemi Awolowo Stadium, Ibadan.

He added that the emergence of the new Olubadan was in line with the laid-down tradition of the town, stating that all issues regarding the Olubadan stool have been laid to rest.

He explained that the state has returned to the normal way of installing a new monarch in Ibadanland, adding that it is a system that everyone wants to imitate.

“I want to greet all the traditional chiefs here seated. I also greet all the Mogajis and those working together with me in this government.

“I must sincerely thank God for a day like this because what we really hoped for is exactly what is happening here today.

The last respect we are paying for our late father today shows that Baba lived a good life.

“When the crisis of the Obaship in Ibadanland started, I was right here in the Liberty Stadium and said that if there is any division or faction in the land, I will pitch my tent with the King.

“Today, I am also happy that the crisis we have been witnessing on the issue of Olubadan stool has been settled. God has really taken control of everything.

“I have received a letter from the Olubadan- in-Council and by

Two Dead, Two Rescued as Building Collapses in Lagos Two bodies have been recovered, while two persons were rescued from the rubble of a three-storey building which collapsed in Yaba, Lagos, yesterday.

The Director-General of the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA), Olufemi Oke-Osanyintolu, confirmed the development in a statement.

Earlier yesterday, an official of LASEMA had said some construction workers were in the building when it collapsed.

“Upon arrival of LASEMA response team at the incident scene, a three-storey building

under construction was discovered to have collapsed,” the official had said.

“Further investigation revealed that the construction workers numbering about five were on site when the structure came down and are still trapped underneath.” An eyewitness also said a part of the building had collapsed in 2021, but that construction had continued.

Giving a development on the rescue efforts on Saturday night, Oke-Osanyintolu said as of 9:45 pm, two male bodies were recovered, while two other men were found alive.

Supreme Court Orders Substituted Services in Secondus’ Appeal against PDP Chuks Okocha in Abuja The Supreme Court has ordered a substituted service on the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the suit challenging the sack of Prince Uche Secondus as the national chairman of the main opposition party and the October 30 and 31, 2021 national convention of the party. The apex court has also ordered that the respondents file their responses within nine days from the last date of hearing, which was February 8, 2022.

It asked the registry to give a date for hearing and adoption of arguments, as in the words of the court, it “intends to determine the appeals before Easter”.

At the resumed hearing of the suit on Tuesday, the panel of the Supreme Court judges consisting

of Justice Olukayode Ariwoola (presiding), Justice M.L Garba, Justice Uwani Musa Abba Aji, Justice Adamu Jauro and Justice Emmanuel Agim, granted an amended relief by Secondus.

There are two appeals in the Supreme Court challenging the legality of Secondus’ ouster as the national chairman, and praying the apex court to: “Set aside all decisions and actions taken by the party in which Secondus was supposed to have presided in taking those decisions and actions but unlawfully denied doing so by the illegal act of his removal as national chairman (these include the NEC meetings, setting up the zoning, congresses and convention committees, the congresses and convention conducted, etc.)”

Valentine: Glo Subscribers to Enjoy Bonus Data In celebration of the 2022 Valentine season, Glo is offering its subscribers a special edition of Smartphone Festival which will give them Free Bonus Data ranging from 500MB to 3GBmonthly over the next six months to share with their loved ones.

The company said that the offer, which will run from February 10 to 25, 2022, is open to any customer who visits any Gloworld outlet during the period to buy a smartphone.

It explained that the data volume the subscriber gets will

be determined by the price of the particular smartphones purchased.

“The new Smartphone Festival was unveiled to add flavour to our customers’ Valentine season. We expect that our customers will be engaged in a lot of online activities before and around February 14, so we decided to provide a convenient platform for them to buy genuine devices at affordable prices for themselves and their loved ones while enjoying free data at the same time”, Globacom said in a statement in Lagos.

the grace of God, on Monday, I will make the official announcement of the new Olubadan of Ibadanland.

“This is another victory for Ibadan traditional institution. The process and the system were never broken. So, there is nothing to fix.

“So, I can say that we have

now returned to our normal way of installing a new monarch in Ibadanland.

“Now, it is a system that everyone wants to imitate, which shows how we set the pace in Oyo State.

“When the person who came to represent the Chief

of Imam was praying, he appealed that we should take care of all Baba left before he joined his ancestors. And I want to believe that we all know that I, Seyi Makinde, am one of those Baba cherished.

“Therefore, don’t leave me. Continue to pray for my

administration.”

The ceremony was witnessed by different traditional leaders, members of the Central Council of Ibadan Indigenes (CCII), Islamic and Christian leaders, clerics, pressure groups, political office holders, and a host of others.

RUBBING MINDS… L-R: European Union Delegation to Nigeria and ECOWAS, (Political Counsellor), Paulo Barroso Simoes; European Union Commission(Head of Unit-DG International Partnerships) Francesca Di Mauro; CEO Tony Elumelu Foundation, Ifeyinwa Ugochkwu; European Union Ambassador to Nigeria and ECOWAS, Samuela Isopi; European Union Delegation to Nigeria and ECOWAS (Head of Cooperation) Cecile Tassin-Pelzer; European Union Delegation to Nigeria and ECOWAS (Head of Trade Section)John Taylor at the roundtable with youth, innovators, start-uppers, women entrepreneurs in Lagos at the Tony Elumelu Foundation.

Ogun: Police Arrest Couple in Possession of Human Parts James Sowole in Abeokuta For being in possession of fresh human parts, men of the Ogun State Police Command, yesterday, arrested one Kehinde Oladimeji and his wife Adejumoke Raji.

The arrest of the couple, was contained in a statement signed by the Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) for the command, Bimbola Oyeyemi.

According to the PPRO, the couple, residents of No.72 MKO Abiola Way Leme Abeokuta, were arrested following a report lodged at Kemta Divisional

Headquarters by one Chief Moshood Ogunwolu, the Baale of Leme Community.

The Baale was said to have reported that one Pastor Adisa Olarewaju, who is a co-tenant with the suspects informed him of offensive odour coming out from the room of the suspects.

He said, “Upon the complaint, the Divisional Police Officer, for Kemta Division, Adeniyi Adekunle, quickly led his detectives to the scene where search was conducted.

“On searching the room, a plastic bowl containing fresh different parts of human being

was discovered in the room, and the couple were promptly arrested.

“On interrogation, the suspects confessed they were herbalists and that the human parts comprises of hands, breasts and other parts were given to them by one Michael who they claimed resided in Adatan area of Abeokuta.

“All efforts to locate the said Michael proved abortive as the suspects could not locate his house.”

The PPRO said that a dismembered body of an unknown

person was found in a swamp area at Leme area of Abeokuta about a week ago, it is not yet clear whether the parts is that of the found body or not .

Oyeyemi said the State Commissioner of Police, Lanre Bankole, has ordered the immediate transfer of the suspects to Homicide Section of the State Criminal Investigation and Intelligence Department for discreet investigation.

The CP vowed that anyone who is directly or indirectly involved in the crime would be brought to book to serve as a deterrent to others

Fire Guts Sheikh Gumi’s Kaduna Residence John Shiklam in Kaduna Resident of Sheikh Ahmad Gumi, a Kaduna based Islamic cleric, was gutted by fire yesterday.

No life was lost in the inferno said to have lasted for about four hours.

Gumi’s family resident was not affected by the fire, but the Girls Secondary School, established by the cleric, located upstairs within the compound was said to have been razed The well-equipped laboratory,

the computer section and four classrooms were said to have been destroyed.

Tukur Mamu, a media consultant to Gumi, confirmed the incident in a statement yesterday’s evening.

He said the fire lasted for about four hours, adding that the cause was yet to be determined.

Manu, said incident occurred at the section of the female Secondary School, “Khulitul Banat Girls College,” founded

by Gumi and located within

the compound.

The statement read: “This is to confirm a fire outbreak in Sheikh Dr. Ahmad Gumi’s residence.

While the cause of the fire which lasted for about four hours has not yet been ascertained, we can confirm that no life was lost.”

Mamu said, “contrary to media reports, the fire did not affect the second part of the large building where the Sheikh and his family reside,” He said, “For clarity, part of the big edifice, an upstairs in the

main entrance is housing a female Secondary School, Khulitul Banat Girls College, which was founded

by Gumi while the Sheikh stays with his family in large duplexes at the inner part of the house.

“The side that was completely destroyed by the fire is the upstairs of the Girls College. “The wellequipped laboratory, computer sections (with about 50 computers) and 4 classrooms all in the upstairs of the building were all destroyed by the fire. The source of the fire is not yet known.”

Military School Ex-Boys Support NDLEA on Drug War Michael Olugbode in Maiduguri Members of the Nigerian Military School Ex-Boys Association, in solidarity with one of their own, has expressed their willingness to join the on-going war and advocacy campaigns against the menace of illicit drug trafficking and abuse especially among Nigerian youths.

They gave the promise at the weekend during a visit to the National Headquarters of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) in Abuja by

some leaders of the group led by their President, Engr. Femi Ikuponiyi.

The Chairman/CEO, NDLEA, Brig. Gen. Buba Marwa (Retd), was, at a time, student of Nigerian Military School.

Ikuponiyi said they were on the visit to identify with Marwa’s strides of accomplishment and vision for the NDLEA as an ExBoy and a pride of the Ex-Boys family.

He expressed the willingness of Ex-Boys to join advocacy campaigns to stem and eradicate

the menace of use of illicit drugs amongst the Nigerian youths particularly in areas of intelligence gathering and reportage.

Ikuponiyi commended Marwa and described him as a pacesetter and an exemplary ambassador of the NMS ExBA. In his response, Marwa thanked the NMS Ex-Boys for their visit and offer to support the drug war, stressing that such was an indication that the key message of the War Against Drug Abuse, WADA, launched by President Muhammadu Buhari last June

is fast achieving its target of mobilising every citizen to take ownership of the battle against the drug scourge.

Meanwhile, the NDLEA boss was given the Daily Asset newspaper’s Public Servant of the year award for 2021.

The award, which was presented in a well-attended event held at the conference hall of Nicon Luxury Hotels Abuja on Thursday, 10th February, had Professor Iyorwuese Hagher, a two-time Nigeria’s minister as the chairman of the occasion.

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

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B AC K PAG E C O N T I N UAT I O N MADE IN NIGERIA, ONLY FOR NIGERIANS kinds of terminologies: offshore processing arrangements, swap deals, and now direct sales, direct purchase (DSDP) — all contrived to package and deodorise our incompetence.

But this is what pains me to no end: for a country that is so import-dependent — relying heavily on foreign goods to meet strategic supplies whose disruption can result in a crippling crisis — it is incredible that we do not have the capacity to do certain things right. We imported and sold off-spec petrol simply because we do not have the capacity to test for methanol content. Addressing the media on Wednesday night, Mallam Mele Kyari, the GMD of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) Ltd, put it bluntly: “Our discharge ports in Nigeria do not include the tests for percent methanol content and therefore the additive was not detected by our quality inspectors.”

I need to get this right. NNPC partners with some companies to bring in petroleum products. NNPC pays them with the domestic crude allocation for our dead refineries.

We know that outside Nigeria, there are different gasoline blends — methanol and ethanol. However, we only test for ethanol.

We cannot and do not test for methanol.

We have never tested for methanol. We, therefore, take the suppliers by their word and sell the product to Nigerians. Wonderful.

This is Nigeria unedited. Now we want to probe. The noise is all over the place.

But, pardon me, why — and how — would you hold people responsible for what you didn’t specify and didn’t test? I think we are generally joking.

And it is not just petrol. Fake and

substandard drugs and electrical cables and several products enter our country without strict assessment. Nigerians are being harmed by fake drugs and houses are getting burnt by fake electrical cables.

We move on. Is it not Nigeria, a country where anything goes? We do things that cannot pass the common-sense test, much less suggest that we take ourselves seriously.

We behave like a group of people who do not have the capacity or capability to think much less apply simple solutions to simple problems. I wish I could understand why we do some of the things we do. Something tells you Nigeria can be better run than this. How did we get here?

Simple question: what would it take to put the requisite equipment and procedures in place to test imported fuels? Did we need consultants from the moon to advise us that we should test our petroleum products properly before we sell to the public? Is this thing as complicated as brain surgery, or rocket science, or even Sudoku? Our legendary amateurism and incompetence are what I call “Made in Nigeria, Only for Nigerians”.

They stick out like a sore thumb. They belittle you as a Nigerian and make you feel like Nigeria is still in the Stone Age. You and I know that nothing will come out of this.

Remind me, who was punished for the off-spec petrol imported in 2008?

We are full of plenty nonsense. On Wednesday, the Federal Executive Council (FEC) of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, presided over by the president, met and announced that it had granted citizenship to 286 foreign nationals. The highest ruling

executive body in the land? I stand to be corrected but where else in the world does this happen? Citizenship is a routine process for civil servants to handle — at best under the purview of a director in the ministry of interior acting on behalf of the minister. But this is what a 21st century FEC considers as work. They are not satisfied with their low-level routine of announcing contract awards every Wednesday. Who did this to us?

Another product “Made in Nigeria, Only for Nigerians” — and not fit for export “to be enjoyed around the world” — is the educational requirement for political office holders as enshrined in the constitution.

Nigeria has hundreds of universities, colleges of education and polytechnics. Students are expected to graduate with degrees and diplomas and do the national service for one year. Without the NYSC discharge certificate, it is illegal to be employed. But you know what? To become a governor or president, you don’t need more than secondary school education “or its equivalent”. It is easier to qualify to be elected president or governor than to qualify to be graduate trainee.

I have tried to understand the thinking behind this law. The assumption is that it was to accommodate the educationally disadvantaged parts. But I doubt if this can withstand scrutiny. From the 1960s, all parts of Nigeria have been producing highly educated people. As of 1979 when the provision was slotted into the constitution, there was no state in Nigeria that did not have graduates and even PhDs and professors. We perennially spend billions on constitution amendment (that is the “oil block” of the deputy senate

president and deputy speaker) but we have avoided amending simple provisions that can add some quality to governance. We play too much in Nigeria.

I can go on and on, but enough said for today. Still, I cannot ignore the drama surrounding Mr Abba Kyari, the deputy commissioner of police who was indicted by the US Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) in the case involving Ramon Abbas aka Hushpuppi, a self-confessed international fraudster. While still under suspension over the allegations, Kyari had the effrontery to be attending social events organised by his bosses and posting pictures, on social media, he took with a character under EFCC probe over suspicion of money laundering.

Apparently, Kyari is well connected in the Nigerian system and was only showing us the middle finger and asking us to do our worst. Made in Nigeria.

We have perfected a way of embarrassing ourselves before the rest of the world. When you know the capacity that Nigeria has, when you see how many Nigerians are working hard day and night in their little corners to make this country better, when you realise that some Nigerians really want to fly the green-white-green flag proudly, you cannot but be dismayed at how we keep messing up at simple and straight-forward things. Nigeria can be far better than this.

We have all it takes to be compared to the best societies across the globe. But some people in critical positions of power and authority are clearly not putting in a decent shift. That is why we look like amateurs.

Disheartening.

And Four Other Things…

EXECUTIVE DISORDER The Supreme Court on Friday nullified President Buhari’s Executive Order 10 which he signed in May 2021 to grant financial autonomy to the legislature and the judiciary in the states. The order empowers the accountant-general of the federation to deduct funds for the state legislature and the judiciary from the federation allocations to the states. The court ruled, by 6-1, that the federal government exceeded its constitutional powers. Actually, executive orders are being misused in Nigeria. They are meant to fill a lacuna on a temporary basis until proper laws are passed. They are not meant to amend the constitution or usurp legislative functions.

Buhari was misadvised. Blunder.

SOAKED AWAY Ms Ajibola Heritage Ayomikun, a 200-level student of Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), Ile Ife, died tragically on Wednesday when she fell into a soakaway close to her hostel. The school said it tried everything possible to save her but she was pronounced dead at the OAU Teaching Hospital Complex.

The student, who was studying linguistics and African languages, is yet another Nigerian that has died under avoidable circumstances.

Our poor application and enforcement of standards will continue to hurt us, but what will keep hurting us the more is that nobody will be held responsible for the state of the soakaway. We just move on, until the next tragedy happens. Cycle.

CHILD ABUSE Here we go again. A two-year-old pupil of a private school in Lagos state has been reportedly beaten “mercilessly” for being unable to recite the English alphabets. We need to move decisively against such violence towards a toddler. But I see a fundamental problem: at two, kids should be learning colours and shapes and how to co-ordinate their hands through the use of sands and play dough. We have a serious problem with the education system in Nigeria: the curriculum is tailored towards cramming and recitation rather than building the IQ and imparting knowledge. We are programmed to cram and pass exams without developing the IQ to become creative and innovative. Backward.

TRUCKER TROUBLE For weeks, protesting Canadian truck drivers have blocked major roads over COVID vaccine mandates for cross-border travellers. They have paralysed socio-economic activities. The government of Ontario province has declared a state of emergency. Blocking crucial infrastructure is now punishable by imprisonment and fines, while driving licences of the violators could be cancelled.

“Your right to make a political statement does not outweigh the right of hundreds of thousands of workers to earn their living,” the Ontario premier, Doug Ford, said. An Ontario judge has allowed police to use force to remove those blocking a major bridge to America. Obviously, it is not only in Nigeria that some protesters don’t seem to know when enough is enough. Overacting.

NIGERIA AND CRUDE OIL’S PRICE SURGE trade.

But challenges abound, including avoidable and self-inflicted ones. Nigeria is currently not primed to take full advantage of high oil prices and may reap more of the downsides than the upsides. For one, we can’t max out by raising production. We are not one of the countries with spare capacities. For a country that used to conveniently pump between 2.2m and 2.5m barrels per day, it is quite a slide. Currently, Nigeria is struggling to even meet its OPEC quota of 1.7m barrels per day. According to OPEC figures, our daily production for January 2022 was 1.4m barrels per day, up from 1.2m barrels per day in December 2021. This struggle is due to a combination of factors such as the impact of underinvestment overtime, fiscal uncertainties, high production costs, high cost of restarting shut production, and increasing spate of vandalism and theft.

Second, high oil prices will also mean high petrol prices or higher subsidy on petrol.

According to the Ministry of Finance, Budget and Planning, the total revenue that the Federal Government made from the oil and gas sector in eleven months in 2021 was N1.468 trillion (made up of N970.33 billion from crude oil, N117.31 billion from FG’s share of NLNG dividends, and N381.27 billion from signature bonus and early renewals).

Sum of N1.43 trillion was spent on petrol subsidy last year, which is almost all of FG’s total earnings from oil (though the subsidy was borne by the Federation, not just the Federal Government). The national oil company has submitted a N3 trillion bill as estimate for subsidy in 2022. That’s more than double the total subsidy payment for last year. If crude oil soars to $150: you can fill in the blanks.

Third, and most disturbing, is that high oil prices may not necessarily translate to corresponding increase in foreign exchange earnings, or bigger foreign reserves or less pressure on the Naira. This is because almost all the oil that accrues to the Federation goes to domestic crude allocation, which

Nigeria Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Timipre Sylva the national oil company uses for a form of exchange for fuel through the direct sale, direct purchase scheme. With reduced quota and reduced production, and with most of the production coming from offshore, the oil companies get most of the oil produced in Nigeria.

According to data from NNPC’s monthly financial and operations report for August 2021, the Federation lifted 13.82 million barrels or just 29% of the total liftings of 46.97 million barrels in July 2021. The 13.82 million Federation lifting is broken down as follows: 2.9 million barrels for tax paid

in oil for the production sharing contracts (PSCs), 2.1 million barrels for royalty paid in oil for the PSCs, 0.15 million barrels as Federation Export, and 8.56 million barrels for domestic. This means that allocation for domestic consumption was 62% of total of 13.82 million barrels of Federation liftings and 98% of NNPC’s total lifting of 8.71 million barrels.

Incidentally, Federation Export used to be about 50% of Federation Lifting and used to be paid in full and in dollars to the Federation Account. Federation export has now been comprehensively eclipsed by Domestic Crude Allocation, which is treated like a first line charge. This is inevitable: as the supply/availability of refined product has been reduced to government’s responsibility, domestic crude allocation not only takes the lion share of reduced liftings but has of necessity been prioritised ahead of export.

This quaint prioritisation wouldn’t have been a problem if the crude is paid for in dollars and in full. It is not. NNPC exchanges domestic crude allocation and some payments made in oil for fuel through the DSDP, makes deductions for subsidy and sundry expenses upfront, pays whatever is left to the Federation Account in Naira (not in dollar). The net effect of this is not only that there is less oil money to share at FAAC but also that there is less and less dollars from oil due to the Federation to build our reserves, even with record-level oil prices and even when oil still accounts for about 80% of our exports.

The current oil price surge is a rare opportunity. It may linger; it may not. No matter the duration, Nigeria ordinarily should capture more of the benefits than the burdens. But that is looking less likely, based not just on historical choices but also sadly on current ones. If the first Gulf War yielded Nigeria a $12.8 billion windfall that ended up in smoke, the possible Russian/ Ukraine/NATO faceoff may yield, all things considered, only more of a shortfall to Nigeria.

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THISDAY, THE SUNDAY NEWSPAPER FEBRUARY13, 2022

SUNDAYSPORTS

Edited by: Duro Ikhazuagbe email:Duro.Ikhazuagbe@thisdaylive.com

FIFA CLUB WORLD CUP

Havertz the Hero as Chelsea Conquer the World Duro Ikhazuagbe

U

EFAChampionsLeaguewinners Chelsea added the only missing clubfootballtrophytotheirchest yesterday as the Blues defeated Brazilian club-side Palmeiras to win the FIFA ClubWorld Cup for the first time in the club’s history

in Abu Dhabi.

After the European champions were held to a 1-1 draw in normal time, the match went to an additional 30 minutes before Kai Havertz struck the winner from the penalty spot in the 117th minute.

Romelu Lukaku had cut a frustrated figure in the first half. Shortly into the second, however, Kai Havertz crossed from the left and the Belgian headed home from close range for his second goal of UAE 2021.

But Palmeiras cancelled out that goal when they got the equaliser from the spot, after the Brazilian side were awarded a soft penalty for aThiago Silva handball.

Thematch,whichappeareddestinedforapenalty shootout, was lacking in clear-cut opportunities but Chelsea proved to be the more composed side in Abu Dhabi.

Their winner came as they were awarded a spotkick when Cesar Azpilicueta’s goalbound effort was blocked by Luan Garcia’s hand.

Already assured of a place in history as Chelsea’s match-winner in the UEFA Champions League final, Kai Havertz cemented his place in Blues folklore by securing the club’s first world title.

And Havertz made no mistake as he sent the Weverton the wrong way to seal the full set of available trophies for Chelsea to win.

“We are the champions of Europe and now the champions of the world, and it is an incredible

Chelsea players and officials celebrating winning their first FIFA Club World Cup after defeating Brazilian Palmeiras in the final...yesterday in UAE. PHOTO: FIFA Images feeling,”said Havertz after the match.

Earlier, Egyptian club, Al Ahly hammered Odion Ighalo’s Saudi Arabian side, Al Hilal 4-0 to finish third in the tournament.

The Nigerian international was unused sub as his Asian Champions League winning club fell to

the superior powers of the Egyptian team that was depleted at the early stage of the competition.Their players were on national duties with the Pharaohs at the AFCON 2021 in Cameroon.

Al Ahly Coach, Pitso Mosimane, described the victory as sweet “It means a lot to us. We know we

Ethiopians Win 2022 Access Bank Lagos City Marathon Ethiopian runners showed class yesterday, winning the men and women’s categories of the 7th edition of the Access Bank Lagos City Marathon.

While Ulfata Gelata claimed the first position in the men’s race, his compatriot Dagne Siranesh Yirga finished ahead of all the other runners in the women’s category.

Geleta who finished as the first runner-up at last year’s edition moved up this time to emerge as the proud winner of the $30,000

first price money.

Though the Ethiopian’s winning time of 2.11.54 sec was short of the Course Record set in the 2020 edition, it is the secondfastest ever in the history of the annual 42km road race.

Kenyan duo of David Barmasai and Emmanuel Naibei settle for second and third places respectively.

Barmasai and Naibei went home with $20,000 and $15,000 respectively for their

efforts at this year’s race.

In the women category, Ethiopia’s Dagne winning time was 2 hours 33 minutes and 50 seconds.

She was followed in second place by compatriot Alemenseh Guta and Kenya’s Naomi Maiyo in third place.

This is only the second time that an Ethpionan will win both the male and female categories of the Access Bank Lagos City Marathon.

Lagos Dangote Clinches Dapo Ojora Cup, Almat in Open Final Lagos Dangote clinched the maiden Adedapo Ojora Memorial Cup with a 10 - 5 win over Malcomines of Jos as the first week of the 2022 NPA/GTCO Lagos International Polo Tournament climaxed with fanfare today.

The newly-introduced cup marked the first of the six subsidiary titles to be won at the month-long international tournament.

Both sides headed into the match having lost their opening ties and it was Mohammed Dangote who opened the scoring with a low drive to give the Lagos side the lead but Argentine Andre Crespo leveled scores barely a minute later with a breakaway move.

Dangote, who also featured Adebayo Karim, Dorean Bolteau and Sylvester Donovan, regained their lead through their patron going to the second chukka. Further goals by Frenchman Bolteau and Dangote put the home team in control but Crespo reduced the deficit to two goals for Malcomines - parading Haruna Kari, Fernando Munoz and Bello Buba - with a brilliant individual effort for a 4-2 score line heading to the third chukka which ended.6-3 as Dangote and Bolteau sustained their influences on the match.

“I can’t be happier today,”Lagos Dangote team Patron, Baba Dangote declared moments after the exciting final game.“Winning the maiden Dapo

2022 NPA/GTCO LAGOS POLO Ojora Cup this evening means everything for me.

He was my mentor and I dedicate this victory to him and my daddy, Sani Dangote, he added with pride.

In the opening match of the day, Argentine six-goaler Manuel Crespo and Colombian Filipe were on fire as they spearheaded Petrogas Almat from Abuja to a narrow 6-5 win over STL of Lagos, to emerge winners of the stream and book a ticket for the Open Cup final.

didn’t improve in terms of the colour of the medal, but we are happy and our fans are happy. We got here against all odds considering the absences we had. We showed Al Ahly spirit. The bronze medal this year means a lot more to me than the one last year,”he concluded.

Osimhen Impressive as Napoli Miss Chance to Step Up Victor Osimhen was in action for 84 minutes as Napoli missed the chance to leapfrog Inter Milan to the summit of the Italian Serie A yesterday. Napoli were forced to a one-all draw.

The draw means Inter stay top on 54 points, just one point ahead of secondplaced Napoli.

Osimhen, who was on from the start, put in a five-star display and had a hand in Napoli’s goal before he was replaced on 84 minutes by Dries Mertens.

It was immediately frantic Napoli’s Giovanni Di Lorenzo drilling inches wide but it was the host who took the lead in the 7th minute from the penalty spot.

Stefan de Vrij had caught Osimhen on the back of the ankle and after a VAR review, the referee awarded a penalty, which Lorenzo Insigne converted.

All Set for Sportsville Award

Players of Lagos Dangote team (winners) and Jos Malcomines team (Runners-up) share podium celebration with family members of the late legend, Dapo Ojora, and officials of Lagos Polo Club during the Prize Presentation Ceremony at the polo ground on Friday

The stage is set for the annual Sportsville award which holds today at the Radisson Hotel, Ikeja, Lagos.

The event which is in its second edition is expected to attract big wigs in the nation’s sports sector to be led by the Minister of Sports Chief Sunday Dare who is being honoured with a special award.

Chief Executive Officer of Sportsville, Frank Ilaboya disclosed yesterday that everything has been put in place for a memorable show in which guests are to be treated to several side attractions.

Ilaboya said all the 13 distinguished Nigerians to be honoured have signed up to be physically present at the venue to receive their award.

Sunday February 13, 2022

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“I don’t hate the president or vice president. All I am saying is to add value to development. I have never insulted the president; I have never insulted the vice president or the federal government but there are certain things they are doing that are wrong” – Benue State Governor, Dr. Samuel Ortom, querying why he should denied entry into the NAF Base in Makurdi to receive Vice President Yemi Osinbajo.

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Made in Nigeria, Only for Nigerians

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fter celebrating “Made in Nigeria, Enjoyed Worldwide” in my previous article, I was immediately confronted with the other side of our beloved country as we slipped into the “Only in Nigeria” mode again. It emerged that motorists had unknowingly been buying off-spec petrol. Their car engines were getting damaged. Apparently, the authorities tried to downplay things despite complaints. But the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) finally admitted on Tuesday that petrol with methanol quantities above specification was discovered in the supply chain. This, sadly, reminds me of my series on our disgraceful peculiarities in Nigeria.

To be sure, there is nothing wrong with methanol being blended with what we call premium motor spirit (PMS) in Nigeria but which some countries call gasoline and or simply petrol. Blending is part of the innovative steps to deal with the negative effects of fossil fuels on the environment.

Methanol, according to the experts, is a clean burning, high octane blending component. It is made from non-petroleum energy sources such as natural gas, coal and biomass. Because it burns slower, it is also supposed to last longer and reduce fuelling costs. Methanol was introduced commercially in the 1980s

Buhari to help slow down the volume of petrol consumption and reduce demand for crude oil.

There are two challenges I can see immediately. One, how much methanol should be in the petrol blend? Two, how many engines in Nigeria are “configured” to be able to consume the methanol blend? From what we have read so far, the methanol content of the imported petrol is above acceptable levels.

But even if it is within limit, is it safe for all the car engines in Nigeria? Ethanol, I have to quickly add, is also a form of renewable fuel. It is made from plant materials. Like methanol, it burns slowly and is clean, and is thus environment-friendly. But as with methanol, too, there is a limit to how much should be mixed with a litre of petrol before it becomes “bad fuel”, as we call it.

Now, this is why the latest development comes under the ambit of my “Made in Nigeria, Only for Nigerians” series, which I started in 2005 to highlight how we keep embarrassing ourselves before the rest of the world with amateurism and incompetence.

For a start, it is a thing of monumental shame that for decades, we have been importing petroleum products without any exit date in view. It became a norm under military rule and we were told then that it was because family members of the rulers were the ones handling the import contracts.

I remember when “foul fuel” flooded the market under Gen Sani Abacha, nobody was held accountable because, as we learnt,

it was in-house.

Military exited and democracy entered.

President Olusegun Obasanjo ruled Nigeria for eight years, from 1999 to 2007, and the refineries still did not work. We kept importing petroleum products despite all the money pumped into turn around maintenance.

President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua was there, or thereabouts, for three years. He revoked the privatisation of two refineries and promised to make them work. They did not work. President Goodluck Jonathan called the shots for five years. The refineries still did not work as we kept importing products. President Muhammadu Buhari has now spent close to seven years and the refineries are still not working and we are still importing.

Nigeria is such a peculiar country that we have devised all kinds of schemes to whitewash the sepulchres. Initially, we were doing direct importation of products by awarding contracts to marketers and rent collectors. We paid them trillions of naira for imported products — both real and imagined.

We went through the era of fuel subsidy scam as private jets started filling up our skies, owned mostly by brief case-carrying buccaneers who gave their occupation as “oil and gas”. Then we graduated to all Continued on page 70

WAZIRIADIO POSTSCRIPT

Nigeria and Crude Oil’s Price Surge

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he price of crude oil plumbed a depth hitherto thought unimaginable on 20 April 2020. Within a few hours that day, the price of the futures contract for the West Texas Intermediate crude for May 2020 plunged from $18 a barrel to minus $37 a barrel. It was deemed a point of no return. Many close and distant watchers of the petroleum sector pronounced the end of the oil age.

Their call was not just based on the shocking plunge or on the state of the global economy at that time. They reckoned with the rising political and commercial commitments to climate change and energy transition. And who would not when even some leading oil companies had started pivoting away from fossil fuel to renewables? Based on reduced investments, and the expected interaction of the forces of demand and supply, the days of oil as the king of the global energy mix was deemed dated. Some feeble twitch was expected to follow, then the certain end.

However, it seems that projected death of oil that looked so credible at the time was a bit, and crudely, exaggerated.

From April 2020 when it took a historic beating that left it for the dead, oil has regained both life and bounce. The easing of COVID-19 lockdowns around the globe has shoved oil demand ahead of supply,

resulting in increasingly high oil prices. This recovery started in that same 2020, and even with the volatility native to the oil market, continued the following year. In 2021, the average price of crude oil increased by 55%.

The oil rally seems eager not to be a flash in the pan. Buoyed by increasing demand, lagging and managed supply, and mostly now by the threat of war and disrupted supply posed by Russia’s massing of more than 100, 000 troops around Ukraine, oil prices zapped above $90 a barrel early this month.

Yesterday, Brent crude soared to $95 a barrel shortly after the United States warned that Russia is likely to attack Ukraine in a matter of days.

The last time the world witnessed a $95 oil was in October 2014. That seemed like a century ago, as oil prices averaged about $50 a barrel for almost a decade. Now that this psychological barrier has been broken, and with the factors driving the latest round of high oil prices likely to stick around a bit, most analysts have jacked up their projection of oil prices for this year and beyond. The $100 mark is just a matter of when not if.

Already, JP Morgan has projected that oil may hit $125 a barrel if Russia invades Ukraine, and the US and others impose sanctions on Russia. Both conditions are now a saliva

spit away from the realm of possibility.

To be sure, there is an incentive for the US and others to dip into their strategic reserves, to encourage fracking, to press allies with spare capacities to increase production and to even ease sanctions against Iran. But it takes time to crank up production. And the major driver of this surge is not just a supply crunch but fear and perception.

If the tension around Russia, Ukraine and NATO persists, oil may even aim for the $150 per barrel barrier that was almost breached in 2008.

Winners and losers of the oil price surge are emerging. Major oil companies are reaping bumper harvests. BP, ExxonMobil, Chevron, Total Energies and Shell have declared record profits for 2021. These were companies that muddled through 2020 and were even deemed destined for life support. They will do even better if oil prices stay as predicted in 2022.

On the balance, however, consumers and countries that rely heavily on fossil fuel for energy will bear the immediate brunt, but the discomfort will eventually be evenly distributed. Most countries are already dealing with record-level inflation, driven by high energy and food costs. The US January inflation rate, at 7.5%, is the highest annual rate since 1982. Fuel-induced higher transportation costs will likely worsen

the current global supply chain challenge.

This is likely to negatively impact the costs of fuel, transportation, food, and medicine across the globe.

While this suggests that many countries have reasons to ensure that the oil surge is contained, oil-producing countries have reasons to expect that the surge is sustained.

For one, they stand to earn more or at least have more resources than others to cope with what will be the distributed downsides of high oil prices.

For Nigeria and for this current administration, high oil prices should be a godsent relief. For the past seven years, Brent crude has sold for an average of $56.92 per barrel as opposed to an average of $95.48 a barrel for the previous seven years, a 40% difference. At $95 a barrel, Brent is currently selling at 53% above the $62 per barrel benchmark for the 2022 budget. This should be good news on all score, akin to a ladder miraculously descending to take us out of the present fiscal hole. Ideally, more revenues and reliefs should accrue, with potentials for reduction of deficits and borrowing, increase in savings and foreign reserves, and improvement in balance of Continued on page 70

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