SATURDAY 24TH FEBRUARY 2024

Night Club Operators Lament Low Patronage as Economic Hardship Bites Harder

Ferdinand Ekechukwu and Tosin Clegg

As the impact of the high cost of living continues to bite harder, some operators of night clubs are lamenting the drop in patronage.

Some of the operators who spoke in separate interviews with THISDAY, disclosed a drop in the sale of alcoholic drinks and food.

A nightlife connoisseur, Efe Tommy Adabamu, who has worked with quite a number of clubs as PR strategist, consultant and managed some of the biggest nightlife parties across major cities in the country, especially at Lagos premium night clubs, stressed that the economy has affected the business of night clubs, citing the depreciation of the Naira exchange rate as one major reason.

According to him, “I host some of the biggest nightlife parties. I think the economy has really affected the nightlife industry so badly because of the exchange rate as most of the drinks we sell, we bring them in from abroad. So, that has really affected the cost of drinks.

“The prices of drinks have shot up, some three times the price, some twice the price. It has affected so much. But of course you know this is Lagos, the party must go on.” adding that, “Some clubs that couldn’t withstand the challenge closed. And new clubs opened with even better experiences and new vibes.”

The co-owner of Tommybriggs Lifestyle also debunked claims that night club patronage is mostly exclusive to a particular category of fun seekers.

“That’s not true. The patronage is diverse. You have different kinds of individuals as patrons,” he stressed.

“You have the bank MDs, CEO’s of companies, high Net-worth Individuals. They come to the club to celebrate when they close better deals. You have businessmen; you have a mix of patronage; not really exclusive to any particular group or the Yahoo Boys. And you know some of the people that returned from abroad, one of the places they want to go to are the clubs.”

Olaoluwa Williams, who is also a nightclub business consultant who had worked with Cubana, Ikeja and Rumors, Ikeja, said: “Drinks have become way more expensive because they are mostly imported and as such the exchange rate has affected landing cost which in turn means price hike; but we try as much as possible not to raise the price too high.

“We try not to hurt the pockets of our customers, especially those that reside at Lagos Mainland. But in general, purchasing power has reduced.”

Esther Whyte-Bassey, who is fondly known as Queen of Nightlife and

the owner of Ectasy, while speaking on the impact of the high cost of living on night club business said, “It has been terrible; it's not even easy for me as a club owner, talk less of my consumers. For me, I'm just hoping things get better and the government does something about the economic state of this country because it is affecting everyone.

“Prices of drinks have risen, the cost of diesel is something else, everything has gone through the roof.”

Similarly, the Public Relations Officer at Bayrock Lifestyle, Lekki, Precious Poma, noted that the

exchange rate crises triggered a rise in drink prices, thereby eliminating the ability to offer discounts.

“The cost of beverages has skyrocketed, with luxury drink prices climbing and jumping to outrageous prices. As the dollar continues its ascent, suppliers have hiked their costs, leaving us with no alternative. Moreover, we've reduced our operational days due to the economic challenges we're navigating.

“Customers have shown understanding towards the price adjustments, acknowledging the external economic factors at play.

While some have expressed concerns about the increased prices, our transparent communication about the challenges has helped build trust.

“The decision to operate on specific days has been met with mixed reactions, but overall, patrons appreciate our efforts to navigate these economic uncertainties while still providing a quality experience.”

Poma also spoke about how as PROs they have had to work on their relationships with loyal customers who love to unwind and ensure their patronage was still very constant.

“I have noticed a shift in spending patterns among our clients. Many

are more conscious of their budgets, resulting in a more cautious approach to discretionary spending. Apart from returning customers, I have to make new friends every day and also develop the attitude of inviting them to club with us every weekend.”

Victor Edem John, who works at one of Surulere’s biggest clubs, Jacoin, said: “It has really affected sales in many ways and the prices of drinks have gone up, the cost of diesel and petrol have really increased so it has made even customers to calculate their pockets before coming out.

CBN INTRODUCES SWEEPING REFORMS TO SANITISE BDC OPERATIONS

de Change (BDC) Operations in the country, in which it prescribed a minimum capital requirement of N2billion for Tier-1 firms in the sub-sector.

Under the new regulatory framework, tier-2 BDCs are expected to have N500 million as minimum capital requirement.

This comes just as the CBN, yesterday advised the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) and other related parties to adopt the closing foreign exchange (FX) rate on the date of opening Form M for the importation of goods for import duty assessment going forward.

In a related development, the Financial Markets Dealers Quotation (FMDQ) has introduced a 2-Way FX market, an initiative which is expected to strengthen the naira exchange and stabilise the market.

The new regulatory guidelines for BDC significantly enhances the regulatory framework for the operations of BDCs as part of ongoing reforms of the Nigerian Foreign Exchange market.

The document revises the permissible activities, licensing requirements, corporate governance and Anti-Money Laundering/ Combating the Financing of Terrorism (AML/CFT) provisions for the operators, and sets out new record-keeping and reporting requirements, among others.

These were contained in a circular addressed to BDCs and stakeholders in the financial services industry and signed by CBN Director, Director, Financial Policy and Regulation Department, Mr. Haruna Mustafa.

Under the new guidelines, the central bank introduced two categories of BDC licences including Tier 1 BDCs, which are authorised to operate on a national basis, and could open branches and may appoint franchisees, subject to approval of the CBN.

A Tier 1 BDC shall exercise supervisory oversight over its franchisees. All franchisees shall

adopt their franchisor's name, branding, technology platform and rendition requirements, with N2 billion as minimum capital requirement.

On the other hand, Tier 2 BDCs are authorised to operate only in one state or the FCT and may have up to three locations – a head office and two branches, subject to approval of the CBN, with N500 million as minimum capital requirement.

The regulation, however, barred BDCs from engaging in street-trading, maintaining any type of account for any member of the public, including accepting any asset for safe keeping/custody; taking deposits from or granting loans to members of the public in any currency and in any form; retail sale of foreign currencies to non-individuals, except for BTA; international outward transfers; engaging in off-shore business or maintaining foreign correspondent relationship with any foreign establishment; and opening or maintaining any account with any bank or financial institution outside Nigeria among others.

It further barred the BDCs from borrowing sums which in aggregate exceed the equivalent of 30 per cent of its shareholders’ funds unimpaired by losses, in the BDC’s audited financial statements of the preceding year.

The draft regulation further stipulated that sellers of the equivalent of $10,000 and above to a BDC were required to declare the source of the foreign exchange and comply with all AML/CFT/CPF regulations and foreign exchange laws and regulations going forward.

The document stressed that payments to customers for cash purchases of foreign currency, the equivalent of above $500, shall be by transfer to the customer’s Naira bank account, adding that if the customer is non-resident (whether Nigerian or not), a BDC shall issue the customer a prepaid NGN card.

The CBN said where such a card

was issued, relevant maximum credit and cumulative limits, in line with relevant Know Your Customer requirements, shall apply.

Furthermore, payments to customers for cash purchases of foreign currency of the equivalent of $500 and below may be made in cash.

Also, BDCs are required to limit the sale of FX to Personal travel allowance (PTA); Business Travel Allowance (BTA) - provided that a person who receives BTA on behalf of a non-individual entity shall not be entitled to PTA for the same period.

Sale of FX by BDCs shall also be for payment of medical bills, school fees; and repurchase of unused Naira from a non-resident from whom the BDC had sourced foreign currency in the course of that visit.

The bank said a beneficiary of BTA or PTA shall receive up to 25 per cent of the foreign currency in cash. In other words, at least 75 per cent of any sale of foreign currency by a BDC shall be transferred to the customer electronically (to the customer’s Nigerian domiciliary account or prepaid card).

CBN Reviews Import Duty FX Rates

The CBN yesterday advised the NCS and other related parties to adopt the closing FX rate on the date of opening Form M for the importation of goods for import duty assessment going forward.

Also, the central bank added that effective February 26, 2024, the new rate would remain valid until the date of termination of the importation and clearance of goods by importers.

The bank disclosed this in a circular dated February 23, 2024, titled, “Foreign Exchange Rates for Import Duty Assessment”, which was signed by CBN Director, Trade and Exchange Department, Dr. Hassan Mahmoud, and addressed to all authorised dealers, NCS, and

EDO 2024: AKPATA EMERGES LP'S GUBER CANDIDATE, OKPEBHOLO WINS APC TICKET

result showed that Kenneth Imansuangbon scored seven votes; Prof. Sunday Eromosele also got seven votes while Sergius Ogun got four.

Speaking at the end of the election, the chief returning officer for the primary election and Deputy Governor of Abia State, Ikechukwu Emetulu, noted that the outcome of the exercise was a true testimony that the LP represents truth, hard work and transparency.

Emetulu who thanked the aspirants for showing the spirit of sportsmanship, also encouraged Akpata to be magnanimous in victory and carry other aspirants along.

In his acceptance speech, Akpata paid tribute to the late Governor of Ondo State, Arakunrin Rotimi Akeredolu.

He spoke about Akeredolu’s trajectory, whom he described as his mentor and predecessor as national

chairman of the NBA, promising to follow the late governor's ideals if elected governor.

Akpata assured members of the party that he would unite the party ahead of the September election, and solicited their support to make the dream of the LP occupying the Edo State Government House a reality.

Meanwhile, Okpebholo was declared as the winner of the Edo State All Progressives Congress (APC) rescheduled direct primary election.

With this, the Senator representing Edo Central district in senate chambers, is now the candidate of APC in the governorship election.

The Governor of Cross River State, Senator Bassey Otu, who was the Chairman of Edo APC's shadow poll held yesterday, made the declaration after collating the results from the 18 local government

areas' returning officers that conducted the shadow poll in the 192 wards of the state.The collation and declaration took place at Lushville Hotel and Suites, Gapiona Avenue, Government Reservation Area (GRA), Benin City.

Okpebholo got 12,433 votes to defeat Dennis Idahosa, the member, representative of Ovia constituency in the House of Representatives, who scored 6,541 votes.

Governor of Imo State, Hope Uzodimma, had in the previous primary election, declared House of Representatives member, Dennis Idahosa, winner at an election held at Protea Hotel.

In a related development, the Deputy Governor of Edo State, Philip Shaibu, has warned that the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) may lose the election if the party fails to field him as its candidate.

Shaibu, said this while speaking in an interview on Channels

Television yesterday. He maintained that he was the authentic candidate of the party for the election, saying that Edo people do not want Ighodalo, whom he said was not a homeboy.

According to the outgoing deputy governor, “The option is for the PDP not to go and argue against my candidacy, if they do that PDP will lose Edo State. Edo people do not want Asue Ighodalo to be the governor of Edo State because he is not a homeboy they know.

“They are looking for someone that they know, somebody they can feel, somebody they can touch. PDP has a date with history, delegates have spoken that they want Shuaibu and I can bet you that the other eight aspirants will support Shuaibu if they party back him.”

Shaibu insisted that he was elected by the authentic delegates of the party in the state.

“Also we have had to increase our drink prices to meet the cost of operations. Even the birthday parties have not been coming frequently like before since the subsidy was removed.”

Similarly, the Manager, Greenlight Exclusive Hotels, Egbeda, Lagos, Uzoma Mbalari, said: “basically we have been losing customers due to the increase in the price of drinks. We cannot sell below cost price because we need to make profit to take care of diesel, electricity, gas costs. The increase in the price of petrol and diesel has also affected our ability to supply power for 24-hours. “

the public.

The central bank noted that following the liberalisation of the FX market on the Willing BuyerWilling Seller trading principle, the bank had noted the concerns of importers of goods and services in the irregular changes in the Import duty assessment levies applied by the customs.

The apex bank noted that these developments had further built uncertainties around the pricing structure of goods and services in the economy, creating abnormal increases in the final sale prices of items, which was largely driven by uncertainties, rather than traditional market fundamentals, with implications to near-term inflation trend.

The CBN however clarified that the new directive would enable the customs and importers to effectively plan appropriately and reduce the uncertainties around varying daily exchange rates in determining their revenue or cost structure, respectively.

The circular stated that, “Effective February 26, 2024, the closing rate on the date of opening of Form M for the importation of goods and services would be the rates that would apply for the assessment of import duty. “This supersedes the requirements

of Memorandum 9, J (2) of the Central Bank of Nigeria Foreign Exchange Manual. (Revised Edition), 2018.”

The CBN stated that it was particularly mindful of the initial volatility and price distortions in the aftermath of the FX market liberalisation.

The bank, however, expressed confidence that the reforms in the FX segment would in the medium term, ensure stability in the market and entrench market confidence necessary to attract investment capital for the growth and development of the Nigerian economy.

FMDQ Introduces 2-Way FX Market, Circuit Breaker

The FMDQ has introduced a 2-Way FX Market.

Taking cues from Nigerian Exchange Group, where stock brokers implement a stoppage once a particular percentage is surpassed, sources told THISDAY that yesterday, that the 2-Way FX Market imposes a minimum amount threshold, market operators would be mandated to quote both on their

Continued on page 38

SPECULATORS, UNSCRUPULOUS INDIVIDUALS

SABOTAGING OUR REFORM EFFORTS, SAYS IDRIS

Equally, the federal government yesterday, disclosed that its plan to release 42,000 metric tonnes of assorted food commodities in support of the vulnerable population across the country was now in the final stages.

Also, yesterday, the Special Adviser on Economic Affairs in the office of the Vice President, Tope Fasua, reaffirmed that while the current policies of the government may have brought about hardship, they would ultimately pave way for future growth.

This was just as the Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of Financial Derivatives, Bismarck Rewane and a former StatisticianGeneral of Nigeria, Yemi Kale, underscored the need to reset the economy.

Idris, stressed that relevant regulatory and security agencies had been placed on the red alert to ensure that malpractices capable of undermining the Naira were averted and that those engaged in such acts were brought to book, adding that the federal government would not allow its efforts to be jeopardised.

"Sadly, as with any effort to reform and sanitise a system entrenched in long-term malpractice, the CBN’s efforts have been met with ferocious resistance from speculators and other unscrupulous players within and outside our country, who profit from dysfunction and opacity.

"To tackle this, regulatory and enforcement agencies of the government have been working round the clock in the past few days, joining forces to address these efforts at undermining the reforms. That strategic alliance has led to the intelligence-led identification,

investigation and sanctioning of individuals and organisations involved in illegal activities and sabotage within the forex market.

"Relevant regulatory and security agencies have been directed to remain vigilant to ensure that malpractices capable of undermining our currency are averted and that those engaged in these acts are brought to book," Idris said.

He, however, assured the public that the ongoing reforms to address the raging economic volatility had started to yield results as the Naira had begun to gain stability against other currencies.

Idris asserted that when President Bola Tinubu was sworn in on May 29, 2023, he made far-reaching statements regarding his economic vision for the country, pronouncing an immediate end to the petrol subsidy regime as it was not sustainable and promising to channel the savings accruing from the removal into much-needed investments in public infrastructure, education, healthcare, social investment and prosperity for millions of Nigerians.

He noted that since the removal of the petrol subsidy, petrol importation had dropped by 50 percent, amounting to one billion litres monthly, according to data released by the National Bureau of Statistics, while crude oil production had steadily increased to an average of 1.55 million barrels per day in Q4 2023, from 1.22 million barrels per day in the preceding quarter.

The minister also stated that since the subsidy removal, monthly receipts

Continued on page 38

World Bank Decries Nigeria’s Energy Poverty, Set to Provide Power to 200,000

Adelabu laments underutilisation of FG's investments in sector Minister to Army: Discos cannot cancel your N12bn electricity debt

Emmanuel

Addeh in Abuja and Adibe Emenyonu in Benin

The World Bank has decried Nigeria’s energy poverty, describing it as a paradox, in spite of the country’s enormous resources .

In a piece she titled: “Lighting Up Africa: Nigeria Can Show the Way,” which she penned and made available to THISDAY, exclusively, World Bank’s Managing Director for Operations, Anna Bjerde, stated that despite progress in the past 20 years globally, Africa has been the exception in terms of electricity supply.

This was just as the Minister of Power, Chief Adebayo Adelabu, yesterday, said despite the huge investments of the federal government in the power sector, it is still being underutilised.

Also yesterday, Adelabu, told Nigeria’s Chief of Army Staff Lt.-Gen. Taoreed Lagbaja that the debt owed the Abuja Electricity Distribution Company (AEDC), amounting to about N12 billion cannot be written off.

Barde, reiterated that over 600 million people were without access

to reliable electricity on the African continent where electrification efforts haven’t kept pace with population growth.

In Nigeria alone, Bjerde stated that over 85 million people —more than four out of 10 persons— are deprived of electricity.

Without the lifeblood of electricity, the senior world Bank official stated that communities will struggle to preserve crops, irrigate their fields, engage in economic activities, run health clinics, or allow children to study or play in decent and safe conditions.

On what the World Bank was doing to ameliorate the situation, she stated that the bank has bold plans for Nigeria —and the rest of Africa.

“We have launched a groundbreaking programme called DARES (Distributed Access through Renewable Energy Scale-Up), which will provide access to clean and reliable energy to 20 per cent of the un-electrified and over 200,000 Micro, Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (MSMEs) by 2030 through private sector interventions.

“To create the conditions for

JOHESU Urges Tinubu to Reconstitute Boards of Federal Health Institutions

The Joint Health Sector Union (JOHESU) has called on President Ahmed Bola Tinubu to urgently reconstitute the Boards/Governing Councils of all Federal Health Institutions (FHIs), Professional Regulatory Councils and other agencies in the health sector to bridge the yawning gaps in the management of the health institutions.

In a letter to the President, the union said that the non-constitution of the Board and Governing Councils has far reaching effects on the institutions, including the disruptions and poor oversight responsibilities of key structures in the hospital system, and stalls the promotion of senior staff as well as those who should be in management committees of the hospitals which needs the approval of the board.

It noted that, "There is observable culture of impunity and lack of adherence to due process by Chief Executive Officers of these Federal Health Institutions in the absence of Boards of Management.

"The absence of constituted Boards/Governing Councils for the institutions and agencies in the health sector would result in disruptions and poor oversight responsibilities of key structures in the hospital system including entire procurement process of drugs, dressings, consumables,

construction works, transport and vehicular logistics and other related endeavours in healthcare management.’’

It further posited that, "it would impede other establishment procedures with regards to the training, research, and specialised care protocols of the Federal Health Institutions (FHIs). Vital decisions on specialised appointments which are incidental to care in hospital, have been delayed and almost jeopardised in some instances.’’

JEHOSU also argued that professional bodies which ought to enjoy legal status of perpetual succession are probably more affected because vital areas of their output are grounded in statutory provisions.

"Regulation and control of practice to enhance good professional practice protocols is lost in many instances because there is no governing council to statutorily empower the organs of the registry of the various councils. Also affected is the accreditation of training facilities which includes faculties in the universities, Schools of Health Technologies and indeed other cadres because the Governing Councils must give an approbation in law before these centres of learning and training facilities can be recognised in law.’’

even greater victories, we are working closely with the Nigerian authorities on grid reforms and sector performance improvements,” she stated.

Bjerde added that governments, starting with Nigeria, needed to take the lead in jump-starting the clean energy revolution through reforms and stable policy and regulatory frameworks, supported by

concessional finance that can attract big amounts of private finance.

DARES, she said, specifically prioritises affordability, by providing highly targeted subsidies to populations that need it most.

This, she said was being done by linking access solutions to productive uses of electricity; and scalability, by catalysing upfront private investments and accelerating the deployment

of mini grids and standalone solar solutions.

Adelabu Decries Under Utilisation of FG's Investments in Power Sector

The Minister of Power, Chief Adebayo Adelabu, yesterday, said despite the huge investments of the

federal government in the power sector, it is still being underutilised. He disclosed this during his tour of the Niger Delta Power Holding, Benin Electricity Power Plant, Ihovbor, in Edo State.

Adelabu said the federal government had invested so much money in the energy sector, noting that it was a pity that Nigerians were still battling with issues of light.

Invest Heavily in Intelligence Gathering, Akpabio Charges Security Executives

Army destroys another illegal oil refinery in Rivers

Sunday Aborisade in Abuja and Blessing Ibunge in Port Harcourt

The President of the Senate, Senator Godswill Akpabio, has charged security executives to be mindful of intelligence gathering in any operation as this would enhance security of lives across Africa.

This is as the 6 Division, Nigerian Army, Port Harcourt, said it has destroyed another illegal oil refinery, after discovering eight reservoirs filled with stolen crude oil and five boilers in a thick forest at Odagwa community in Etche Local Government Area of Rivers State.

Akpabio gave the charge when he addressed the faculty members and participants of the Executive Intelligence Management Course 17 of the National Institute for Security Studies who paid him a courtesy visit. Participants in the course were drawn from 30 security related agencies in Nigeria and five African countries of Cote d’Ivoire, Chad,

Ghana, The Gambia and Rwanda. They would undertake a 10-month course on the theme, 'Artificial intelligence, security and emerging economies in Africa: challenges and prospects'.

A statement by the Special Assistant on Media/Communication to the Senate President, Mr. Anietie Ekong, quoted Akpabio as imploring the participants to deploy the knowledge gathered at the course to bring about security of not just West Africa but of Africa and the global community in general.

Akpabio said, “Be mindful of the need for intelligence. It is extremely important in any operation. Today, we are faced with insecurity across the globe, from Gaza to Ukraine, Iraq and some of our neighbouring countries which are suffering from disrupted democracies.

"There is also the issue of cross border banditry and kidnapping, Boko Haram, insurgencies and all sorts of insecurities around the world.

“That is why you are here and it is expected that with the knowledge that you have gathered as participants in the course, when you go back to your duty posts, things will be different.”

Akpabio took the course participants through the workings of the parliament as the Chairman of the National Assembly, from lawmaking to oversight functions.

In his address, the Deputy Commandant and Director of Studies of the National Institute for Security Studies, Mr D. E. Egbeji, commended Akpabio for always identifying with the Institute since his days as the governor of Akwa Ibom State.

Meanwhile, the 6 Division, Nigerian Army, Port Harcourt alleged that the illegal crude oil refinery that steals crude oil from wellheads in the area, was destroyed during an anti-crude oil theft operation led by the Garrison Command.

The Commander, 6 Division Garrison and Sector 3, Operation Delta

Safe (OPDS), Brigadier General Eddie Effiong, told journalists yesterday, at the site of the incident that the operation was carried out after a tip off, notifying the division of the establishment of the illegal refining site.

Effiong stated that the achievement is in continuation of the Division's fight against oil theft in Rivers State and Niger Delta region.

He said, "In continuation of the fight against crude oil theft and illegal bunkering activities, we got a tip off that since we destroyed the last illegal oil refinery on the opposite side, the oil thieves have relocated here and then reestablished their illegal refineries and continue their illegal activities.

"And coming here today, we found out that they truly relocated to the right side and reestablished their illegal refining site, and they are still trying to establish more. And having confirmed this, we are here to ensure that those illegal refineries are destroyed.

Ango Abdullahi Backs Bill on Parliamentary System

Insists presidential system not working

Adedayo Akinwale in Abuja

The Convener of Northern Elders Forum (NEF), Prof. Ango Abdullahi, has backed the ongoing legislative campaign for Nigeria's return to parliamentary system of government.

Abdullahi, who expressed his support yesterday in Abuja, commended members of the House of Representatives who sponsored the bills seeking for the adoption of a parliamentary system led by Hon. Abdulsamad Dasuki and Hon. Wale Raji who visited him at his residence.

He was of the opinion that the parliamentary system of government

as practised in 1963 was not given sufficient time to thrive in the country.

Abdullahi posited that the current presidential system of government has failed to yield desired results over the past 24 years.

He said: "If you are talking of the failure of the system, it's totally unfair to say that the parliamentary system failed in Nigeria. It has not. Only that it has not been given sufficient time.

"So, my personal position is that, I'm 100 per cent against the presidential system of government, it's an unsuitable system not only for Nigeria, but any country that is in this reckless, greedy Western world.

Because the democracy the Western world is trying to force down the throat of every nation in the world is to serve their interest. And check honestly, academically, materially and so on, see what has happened since 1960 till date.

"For me, if I'm going to react to your visit, I'll react in two ways. The first level is my own personal conviction. I'm a product of the First Republic and I cherished being that product. As a teacher who marks exams from A1 to failure, I'll mark the Pioneer Leaders as A1, up to the present leadership F10.

"So, when the military came and

insisted that we should abandon what was kicked out in 1966, I think was the first major mistake this country ran into up till now."

"For 24 years now, you just show me where the presidential system succeeds in terms of moving Nigeria forward? A country with 200 million that is generating 4,000 megawatt of electricity. 4,000 megawatt is not enough for a big house in Europe?"

Earlier, Raji was of the opinion that the cost of governance and election is higher under the presidential system of government than the parliamentary system of government.

Ikpoki; Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Wale Edun; National Finance Director, Unilever Nigeria, Folake Ogundipe, and Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Finance, Okokon Udo, during a courtesy visit to the Minister by Unilever Nigeria's management and Board of Directors in Abuja... recently

MSME QUARTERLY COMMUNICATIONS FORUM…

L–R:

In New 526-page Document, INEC Insists 2023 General Election Was Unique

Says no party dominated poll Admits failure to upload presidential results impacted public perception

Adedayo Akinwale in Abuja

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has reiterated that the 2023 general election was free and fair, insisting that it reflected the wishes of Nigerians.

The commission revealed this in its comprehensive 526-page document on the 2023 general election that was released yesterday.

INEC’s National Commissioner and Chairman, Information and Voter Education Committee, Sam Olumekun, in a statement, stated that the report showcased the election's unparalleled diversity in party representation, demonstrating

significant democratic progress.

The commission however admitted that its failure to upload Polling Unit results of the presidential election to the INEC Result Viewing (iReV) portal in real-time impacted on the public perception of the election.

Olumekun said: "On Thursday, 22nd February 2024, the Commission convened for its weekly meeting, where the 2023 General Election Report was reviewed and approved for publication.

"In keeping with our tradition over the last four electoral cycles, and our commitment to transparency, we are pleased to announce the release of the official INEC report on the 2023

NASFAT Prays for Jonathan over Sister’s Demise

The Nasrul-Lahi-l-Fatih Society (NASFAT) has prayed and condoled with former President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan over the death of his elder sister, Madam Obebhatein Jonathan. NAFSAT, in a statement yesterday, said the prayer, offered by Chief Missioner of NASFAT, Imam Abdul-Azeez Onike, was prompted by Jonathan’s call to people of goodwill to pray for his family, especially his mother, who is currently mourning the death of one of her two surviving children.

The former president had made the call for prayer for his family at Otuoke, Bayelsa State, during the funeral for his sister.

The statement quoted Onike as saying that while doing the prayer, he was personally moved by the statement of the former president that his mother has now lost eight children, leaving him as her only surviving son.

Onike said while the position of Islam is clear on the prohibition of prayer for a dead non-Muslim, a Muslim is encouraged to share in the grief of a living being and condole with him for the sake of humanity regardless of his religion, race or sex.

Onike prayed to Allah to grant the former president’s mother and her family the fortitude to bear the loss.

General Election.

"This comprehensive 526-page document, structured into 13 chapters and enhanced with 60 tables, 14 boxes and 10 graphs, offers an in-depth analysis of the election’s key processes, achievements, and challenges, alongside valuable lessons learned."

Olumekun said the report also showed that the 2023 elections saw four political parties winning gubernatorial elections; seven parties won senatorial seats, eight in federal constituencies and nine in State legislatures, illustrating a broad shift in political representation across Nigeria.

Olumekun added that the report underscores the pivotal role of technological advancements,

particularly the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS), in enhancing electoral integrity and reducing fraud.

He noted that the report addresses public concerns about the INEC Result Viewing (IReV) portal, explaining the technical issues encountered during the upload of polling unit results for the presidential election.

Olumekun stressed that other aspects covered in the report included logistics, security arrangements, staff recruitment and training, inclusivity measures, and the electoral framework.

The report stated: "A key challenge that impacted on the public perception of the election and elicited widespread commentary is the failure to upload

Polling Unit results of the presidential election to the INEC Result Viewing (iReV) portal in real-time at the close of polls on Saturday 25th February 2023."

According to INEC, the spread of results across party lines was better than in all elections that had been conducted in the country.

It however admitted that the currency swap by the Central Bank of Nigeria, attacks on INEC facilities and a few glitches were the challenges encountered during the elections.

It added: "The implementation of electoral activities were not without challenges, the most devastating of which was the spate of attacks on Commission’s personnel and facilities by thugs, unknown gunpersons, and

arsonists nationwide.

"During the period between the 2019 general election and 12th December 2022, the Commission suffered over 50 attacks on its buildings and facilities in various LGAs and State Offices across 15 States of the federation in which vehicles, office equipment and election materials were destroyed.

"Furthermore, currency swap by the Central Bank of Nigeria and the limit placed on cash withdrawals from banks constituted encumbrances on the Commission’s operations for the payment to some unbanked service providers and the ability of particularly transport providers to service and fuel vehicles, boats and motorcycles in readiness for Election Duty.

Varsity Funding: ASUU Seeks Government Release, Disbursement of Earned Academic Allowance

Funmi Ogundare in Lagos and Seriki Adinoyi in Jos

Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) Lagos zone, yesterday, called on the federal government to ensure the immediate release and disbursement of Earned Academic Allowance (EAA) appropriated into the 2023 budget, as well as the development of a more enduring funding framework.

This is just as the Bauchi State chapter of ASUU has lamented the current harrowing economic condition of Nigerian citizens, calling on the federal government to accelerate the

Probe Tinubu's Subsidy Savings, CISLAC, CSOs Tell National Assembly

Sunday Aborisade in Abuja

The Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre (CISLAC) and a coalition of civil society groups yesterday urged the National Assembly to probe proceeds from the subsidy removal by President Bola Tinubu since his emergence in 2023.

Executive Director of CISLAC, Mr. Auwal Rafsanjani, led the groups that comprised the Tax Justice and Governance Platform (TJGP), ActionAid, Christian Aid, Centre for Democracy and Development, International Budget Partnership, the Nigeria Labour Congress and Oxfam, to address a news conference at the

National Assembly. The coalition said the National Assembly must take serious steps that would address the current hardship in the country through urgent legislative measures that could return the country to economic stability and prosperity, The group said the management of rising public debts and the seeming absence of the details of how the government had spent the huge loans over the years was a serious concern to it.

The groups also called for a full investigation into all loans taken by successive governments, especially the $3.4 billon World Bank facility as reported by the Office of the

Auditor-General of the Federation in 2020.

Part of their prepared speech read, “The escalating debt burden has profound implications for the well-being of Nigerian citizens, and failure to act quickly could result in an additional 23 million Nigerians living in poverty and 80 million working-age citizens without a full-time job by 2030.

“These concerning trends underscore the need for the National Assembly to urgently commit to sound reforms and balanced resource allocation, thereby paving the way for significant investment in critical sectors that directly impact the lives of vulnerable Nigerians.”

process of arriving at a minimum living wage as demanded by the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC).

The Coordinator of the union, Comrade Adelaja Odukoya who made this call while briefing journalists, at the University of Lagos, Akoka, recalled that N120 billion was proposed to be used for the revitalisation of universities based on the Needs Assessment report out of N170 billion allocated by the federal government in the 2023 budget following the union's 2022 strike action, while the remaining amount would be used for the payment of the EAA.

He stated that the sums are no

longer adequate for revitiisation purposes, owing to increasing deterioration of current facilities and the astronomical rise of the exchange rate.

He expressed concern about the failure of the federal government to address the payment of of the backlog of the EAA, a portion of which was included in the 2023 national budget for federal universities saying, "the mainstreaming of EAA into academics' wages was reiterated in the December 2020 Memorandum of Action (MoA) between federal government of Nigeria and ASUU,

to the effect that the next tranche of allowances would be paid in 2021.

"The planned payment was reneged on, while the mainstreaming of EAA in federal and state universities has stalled since 2022."

Odukoya explained that government at all levels should not wait for another round of strikes before paying these entitlements which values have now been eroded, and which were included in the budget that the union was given access to by the former Speaker of the House of Representatives and now Chief of Staff to the President, Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila.

Court Gives FAAN Three Months to Account for Airports’ Toll Gate Revenue Since 2015

Wale Igbintade

Justice Ibrahim Ahmad Kala of the Federal High Court in Lagos, yesterday, ordered the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) to account for revenue made from toll gates and parking lots fees in all federal government-owned airports across the country and how much it remitted from January 2015 till January 2024.

The court held that the refusal and failure of the respondent (FAAN), to accede to the applicant's freedom of information requests dated August 24, 2021; October 6, 2021, and April

22, 2022, seeking to know the total annual generated revenue from the toll gates and parking lots in each of the federal government- owned airports across the country since 2015 till date was a gross violation of the Freedom of Information Act, 2011.

Consequently, the court compelled FAAN (the sole Respondent) to provide details of the revenue to a public interest applicant, the Registered Trustees of the Centre for Law & Civil Culture.

The judge gave the federal agency three months to comply with the order.

The applicant filed the suit marked FHC/L/CS/1086/2022 following the

Respondent’s failure to accede to its Freedom Of Information request of August 24, 2022, saying this violated the Freedom of Information (FOI) Act, 2011.

B.O. Fowowe represented the Applicant while A.A. Lawal represented the Respondent.

Following the conclusion of hearing on January 25, 2024, with both parties adopting their written addresses, the court adjourned for judgment.

At the resumption of proceedings yesterday, the judge granted the Applicant’s prayer, noting that it had satisfied all the conditions stipulated in Section 20 of the FOI Act.

Senior Special Assistant to the President on Digital Media and Emergency Management, Ahmed Ningi; Director General, Voice of Nigeria (VON), Mr. Lanre Issa - Onilu; Deputy Chief of Staff to the President, Office of Vice President, Sen. Ibrahim Hadejia; Head Emergency Businesses Access Bank, Chioma Kema Ogun; Minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, Dr. Bosun Tijani, and Senior Special Assistant to the President on Job Creation and MSMEs, Tola Johnson, during the Job Creation and MSME Quarterly Communications Forum held in Abuja… yesterday

When famed German composer and pianist, Beethoven described music as a “higher revelation than all wisdom and philosophy” and as “the electrical soil in which the spirit lives, thinks and invents”, he may well have laid out a profound exposition of the depth and reaches of the art, one that is unrestricted by time or distance, by creed or colour, by status or zone. He envisioned a limitless art form. Today, we speak not only of its internal freedoms, but of its transcendent liberating force coursing through entertainment, education, politics, the economy, technology, and social change. Music has become a life form meandering like the know it.

In Nigeria, the music industry has grown in leaps and bounds. With over $2 billion in revenue annually, over 30 million monthly listeners worldwide, over 500 music producers, over 1000 record labels, over 50 radio stations amplifying its rhythms and sounds, and multiple digital music distribution platforms, Nigerian music has become the stuff of dreams, if only commercially.

Sadly, the fine art of the classical, orchestral and live performance genre, with its accompanying socially valuable messaging, is dying. The rapid rise of studio-recorded music, with its massive commercial success, has sadly provided an alternative to total music, one that substantively accommodates a wide array of ‘real’ instruments, trained voice, and electrifying theatre. It is perhaps the appeal of total music that inspired Victor Hugo to bellow, “Music expresses that which cannot be put into words and that which cannot remain silent”.

This challenge is one that is not only unique to Nigeria or Africa, but a universal one. In Sasha Frere-Jones’ piece, “Do Recordings Kill Music?”, she cited a profound quote from Richard Kostelanetz’s interview with John Cage, thus: “I’ve always said that a record is not faithful to the nature of music.” David Grubbs, a professor at the Conservatory of Music at Brooklyn College, she reports, “takes up a specific belief of Cage’s: that recordings can injure the ability of an audience member to experience a performance in real time. In theoretical terms, the recording reifies a specific moment, potentially interfering with a composition’s ability to live and change and breathe by fixing a single iteration as the ‘authoritative’ version”. Perhaps, nothing captures the triumphantly seductive and absorbing force of the authentic live performance than Robert Ashley’s description of Alvin Lucier’s 1969 piece, “Vespers” as referenced by Grubbs. Ashley wrote of “Vespers”: “No number of microphones and loudspeakers can reproduce the relationship between the sounds and the space in which the sounds create the musical experience.” This reminds one of Mozart’s delicate refrain that “The music is not in the notes, but in the silence between.”

This dying art form was once the force that rocked the bowels of mother Africa, from the Sahara to the Mediterranean. From Fela and Makeba to N’Dour, Salif Keita, Amr Diab, Sangare, Mapfumo, Kidjo, Mtukudzi and Ladysmith Black Mambazo, the glory days of messageladen total music may, but for the flickers embodied by the likes of the eternal Kidjo and the heirs to the Fela dynasty, be well and truly over.

But there appears to be a rebirth glistening in the hallways of MUSON Diploma School, a core component of the MUSON School of Music. The MTN MUSON Music Scholars Program, conceived in 2006, a partnership between MTN Foundation and the Musical Society of Nigeria (MUSON) School of Music, powers the diploma school. The partnership involves a two-year diploma in Music at the MUSON Diploma School. All the students admitted to the diploma course receive MTNF Scholarships comprising annual scholarships worth N250,000 to cover tuition, books and transportation over a two-year

It is with much grief that I write this tribute in honour of an intimate media and personal friend, Muhammad Salissou Hamissou, who died in a motor accident on Wednesday, February 14, 2024. A citizen of the Republic of Niger, Hamissou was a correspondent of Radio France International (RFI) Hausa Service based in Lagos. He was Ado Ahmad Gidan Dabino, MON, a notable Nigerian author and dramatist whose Kanobased Gidan Dabino Publishers published my Hausa books. That was in 2009. After our introduction, Hamissou did not waste time in inviting me to RFI studio in Lagos for an interview on my literary works, particularly my folktale publications in Hausa.

I went together with Gidan Dabino to the studio. The interview was focused on Taskar Tatsuniyoyi, a compendium of fourteen books I had published in Hausa. Knowing that Babur/ Bura was my mother tongue, he was particularly fascinated that I wrote books in Hausa and that I chose the folktale genre, a dying and generally abandoned literary tradition. He was an interviewer who was interested in hearing the other side of an argument. He agreed with me that reviving a dying tradition should not be discountenanced, particularly when that tradition transmits immense educational benefits and embodies some of the best values and customs

Chinedu Chidi makes a case for music revivalism

period. The graduating students are awarded an internationally recognized diploma in Music. The scholarship is an open opportunity one. It allows applications from all musically talented youth through an open and fair process.

The school is home to the award-winning MUSON Diploma Choir directed by Sir Emeka Nwokedi, and the MUSON School Orchestra & Concert Bands. It has been able to produce outstanding Jazz ensembles such as the all-female GIRLZ RULE Band, the 5YZ MEN and The Theosolites.

At MUSON, MTN scholars take advanced training in music with majors in voice or any of the instrument forms of: Piano, Organ, Violin, Viola, Cello, Double Bass, Flute, Clarinet, Saxophone, Trumpet, Trombone, Percussion, and Classical Guitar. “Students are also required to take two terms of an instrument minor other than their major instrumental family. All voice students must pass grade two piano, instrumentalists must pass vocal techniques and all students must belong to the choir. Orchestra is required for all string majors. All wind and percussion majors must belong to band. Others who may not be majors are welcome to audition for the orchestra band”, the school says. They also take part in high-level musical productions which provide the perfect opportunity to exhibit their talents and skills. At the end of their programme, the music scholars have the opportunity to showcase the result of their advanced training through performances at the annual Donors Appreciation Concert. This speaks to the neat integration of sound and rhythm, of theatre and messaging; the total music.

MUSON has been at the heart of developing and preserving the purest form of music in Nigeria, and helping to export same to the rest of Africa and the world. Created in 1989 by a group of friends, namely Mr. Louis Mbanefo (SAN), Mr. Akintola Williams (late), Chief Ayo Rosiji (late), Mrs. Francesca Emanuel (late) and Chief Rasheed Gbadamosi (late), the school was designed to promote, as Mr. Mbanefo, who is Chairman of the school, aptly captures, “the performance, understanding and enjoyment of serious music”. The dream, he notes, has continued to be realized, producing internationally reputed graduates and changing the dynamics of music in Nigeria and Africa. “The school has produced over 400 Diploma graduates, many of whom have continued their musical education in Europe, South Africa and America and attained international recognition. Most of our alumni have made and are making very impressive contributions to the musical life in Nigeria and indeed, the world. They have raised considerably the standard of singing and musical performance in churches, in schools and at social events. Indeed, many churches and musical societies throughout Nigeria are borrowing from the templates established by MUSON”, he proudly reveals.

IF THE MUSON DIPLOMA SCHOOL IS TO CONTINUE TO PLOT THE COURSE FOR NIGERIA’S MUSIC SALVATION AND BECOME THE SURE HOPE OF TOTAL MUSIC’S TRIUMPH FOR ALL OF AFRICA, THEN IT MUST DISPLAY RESILIENCE, WHICH ITS PARENT BODY— THE MUSICAL SOCIETY OF NIGERIA— CHOSE AS ITS FESTIVAL OF ARTS THEME DURING THE CELEBRATION OF ITS 40TH ANNIVERSARY

of a people. Hamissou later interviewed me on other aspects of my writing that centred on culture, including A History of Biu, a book in which I provided a detailed and updated history of the traditional state of Biu, my birth place; he also covered and interviewed me regarding my literary awards, which he felt would encourage more people to be engaged in cultural research.

Listeners of RFI Hausa Service will recall Hamissou’s voice and the charming zest he brought to all his programmes. He was a passionate broadcaster, a professional newsman as well as a features writer and presenter. He would be remembered for the accuracy and relevance of his Hausa news bulletins and for the validity, significance and people-interest quality of his Hausa programmes. Concerning the latter, regular RFI Hausa Service listeners would readily recall his thrilling Al’adunmu na Gado (Our Tradition) and Dandalin Fasahar Fina-Finai (Film Industry in Nigeria) programmes. He featured my interviews and news several times on both programmes. My frequent emphasis on the importance of animated folktales and cartoons in instilling moral values in our children and my quest for turning into animation some of my folktales were what prompted him to feature me on his film-related programmes. Notwithstanding his being a citizen of Niger Republic, Hamissou valued and actively promoted the Nigerian film industry.

RFI gave a pride of place to the promotion of

As the proud owner of Nigeria’s “only professional Symphony Orchestra” and a choir of international renown, the school boasts a rich platform for empowering young Nigerian artistes and instrumentalists, especially in the dying art of classical and orchestral music performance. Accredited by the federal government to award Diplomas in Music since 2002, the MUSON Diploma School grants all MTNF MUSON graduates diplomas which are equal to those awarded by the Associated Board of the Royal Schools of Music in the United Kingdom. If the MUSON Diploma School is to continue to plot the course for Nigeria’s music salvation and become the sure hope of total music’s triumph for all of Africa, then it must display resilience, which its parent body— The Musical Society of Nigeria— chose as its Festival of Arts theme during the celebration of its 40th anniversary last year. Chiobe24.cc@gmail.com

culture and promoted programmes that served that purpose. Some of those programmes were created and presented by Hamissou who took active interest in coverage of events on culture. As the President of the Nigerian Folklore Society (NFS), I invited him to NFS general meeting that took place at Bayero University Kano in 2014. I remember and value the initiative he took to conduct series of interviews in the Federal Capital Territory Abuja regarding the value of folktale books the Dr Bukar Usman Foundation had donated to educational institutions. The outcome of those interviews was expertly compiled and aired on RFI.

Hamissou was interested in public policies, particularly as they touched on culture and development. For example, he was concerned about the abolition of teaching of history in Nigerian schools, by the Nigerian educational authorities. He took it upon himself to conduct a number of interviews with various stakeholders on the reasons behind that decision. All of those interviewed, including Emeritus Professor Dandatti Abdulkadir, a notable historian, Gidan Dabino, and myself were unanimous in condemning the decision. We stressed that anyone who does not know where he is coming from would not know where he is going. Fortunately, following concerns expressed by many stakeholders, that decision had since been reversed.

All of the foregoing made it a very sad day

for me when news came on Thursday, February 15, 2024 that Muhammad Salissou Hamissou had passed away. He was involved in a motor accident while returning to Nigeria after a visit to Niger Republic, where he had gone to see his family. I saw him last on January 29, 2024 when he visited me in Abuja and talked about political developments in the West African sub-region. I showed him my new publications, My Literary Works: Reviews and Reports and Conversations with Bukar Usman. The latter contained most of the interviews he held with me. We agreed that he would collect his personal copies of the books and those of his organization, RFI, on his way back to Lagos. Alas, that appointment would no longer hold! Hamissou is survived by his wife and children, one of whom is in military service in a foreign country outside Africa.

With Hamissou’s passing away, I lost an intimate and faithful friend, a professional media correspondent, newscaster, well-informed reporter and presenter to the core. He remained open and warm to me from our first encounter till his exit from this world. My heartfelt condolence and sympathy go to his bereaved family, teeming RFI listeners, associates and well-wishers. May God grant his soul heavenly peace and comfort his family

Usman is a former Permanent Secretary in the Presidency and the President of the Nigerian Folklore Society

Bukar Usman pays tribute to Hamissou, a ‘cultural’ broadcaster

There is a link between witchcraft accusations and widowhood in the communities. And the following incident underscores this connection. In August, for Alleged Witches (AfAW) to the case of Mrs. Asekhamhe from Etsako East in Edo State. The message which was sent via Whatsapp mother. She has been beaten like a slave in her Agenebode, Etsako East Local Government in Edo State. He was accused of witchcraft

and human rights movements to come to her aid. Please, I want the whole world to Apotse

motor accident. This barbaric act must stop”.

He also sent us a photo showing the woman to walk.

Although Mrs Asekhamhe sustained serious injuries, she did not die. A relative intervened, rescued and took her to the hospital for some treatment. Some days later, this relative sent us an update: “Good evening, about the case that I reported to you, that is the case of a woman who was accused of witchcraft and subsequently beaten up by some youths. The youths almost beat her to death. I rescued her and took her to the hospital where she is receiving treatment. Today is a week since this incident. She is still in the hospital. I am calling on the general public to help bring those who assaulted her to justice. This woman is a poor widow. She has no child, no son to fight for her”.

We phoned to the commissioner of police in Benin, but he did not pick up. We later spoke with the state police public relations officer who advised that a complaint be lodged at the area command in Auchi. We informed the relative accordingly. We were also informed that another organization, Braveheart Initiative, was working with the Edo State commissioner for social welfare and gender issues and the state

police command to address the issue. Early in September, AfAW received this update from the relative: “I have taken her from the central hospital to a traditional medical center for treatment. First, we took her to an orthopedic doctor and he said that they would carry out a surgical procedure and it would cost about 3.5 million naira. We took her to a tradomedical doctor who charged about 250 thousand naira. The Braveheart Initiative paid a part of the bill, 174 thousand naira for the treatment at the central hospital. I paid the balance of N152,000.

Now I am unable to pay for the treatment that she is currently receiving. I need your assistance this time, Thanks and God bless you all”. The AfAW would support the treatment of Mrs. Asekhamhe although we would prefer that she be taken to an orthopedic doctor. We could only pressure the family to take her back to the orthopedic doctor for surgery if AfAW could pay for the cost of the procedure, which we cannot at this moment.

Leo Igwe directs the Advocacy for Alleged Witches

In Igboland, southeast of Nigeria, even with the advent of western civilization, a child that “Abiku” or “Ogbanje”. But what does an Abiku stand for? An Abiku is a spirit child, who dies and is re-born to the same parents, several times,

The brevity of the life of an Abiku child brings deep sorrow to the Abiku’s parents. To die young is a proof that the deceased is accursed, according to the Igbo people’s belief system. In order to prevent an Abiku child from dying in his or her infancy, the face of an Abiku will be scarified when he or she starts ailing. The scarification of the face of an Abiku child will make the Abiku child unrecognizable to other spirit beings in the ethereal world. So when the time allotted to the Abiku child to stay on earth has elapsed, the spirit beings in the ethereal world cannot bring him or her back because the Abiku’s scarification has made the Abiku unrecognizable to those spirit beings in the ethereal world.

Like other religious or metaphysical matters, the

reality of the Abiku phenomenon cannot be empirically proved. However, daily, we are being regaled with tales about Abiku children whose toes were chopped at death only for them to reincarnate on earth, again, to the same parents with missing toes.

But one thing that I am certain about is that no parents want their children to die young. So when their children take ill, they will take them to hospitals for treatment. And some parents with superstitious bent of minds will tie charms and amulets round the waists of their children to ward off evil influences from them.

The people of Obosi have a festival called Ito Ogbo Obosi Festival. The triennial cultural event is a collective birthday celebration for members of an age grade, who have recently become octogenarians. The festival epitomizes and encapsulates a people’s reverence for old people. It is their expression of thankfulness to God for granting their parents longevity. Against the background of people dying young in Nigeria owing to the existence of economic hardship and security challenges in our country, old people have a cause to throw a collective birthday bash to celebrate their attainment of the age of eighty years. The Ito Ogbo Obosi Festival, which is at the cusp of being enlisted into the UNESCO’S list of non-tangible cultural heritage, has become synonymous with Obosi town.

Chiedu Uche Okoye, Uruowulu-Obosi Anambra State

Akpan Ekpo: Tinubu Was Wrongly Advised on Petrol Subsidy Removal

Few months to his retirement as Professor of Economics and Public Policy at University of Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, Prof. Akpan Ekpo, who is a former member of the Board of the Central Bank of Nigeria; former member of the Monetary Policy Committee; former Director General of West African Institute of Financial and Economic Management, former Chairman of the Academic Staff Union of Nigeria, in this interview, proffers solution to the economic hardship and exchange rate crisis the country is facing presently. Ekpo, who is currently the Chairman of the Foundation for Economic Research and Training in Lagos, advises President Bola Tinubu to urgently address the hunger in the land. Dike Onwuamaeze brings the excerpt:

In a recent opinion article you wrote on the state of the economy, you warned that the government should act urgently before it is too late. What will you tell President Bola Tinubu or his economic management team if you have the opportunity to meet with them today?

I will tell him that his policies have not worked and if I was to part of the team that advised him on those policies I wouldn’t have recommended them. advised such. So, if they are bold enough the best is to reverse some of these policies. The suffering is too much; they should reduce petrol prices. If you crash it, all prices will come down. The structure of the economy for

now, in our context, depends on petrol. They should be bold to reverse the petrol subsidy removal. Secondly, I will tell them to go back to a managed float exchange rate system. The inflation we are seeing now is what we call exchange rate pass through. The economy is not productive; it is not diversified, because there is a difference between an economy being diversified and the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) being diversified. The GDP has 46 sectors, but the economy itself is not that diversified. So go back to managed float. I am stressing the word “managed.” The problem of that market is on the supply side that is virtually vertical.

The demand side is there and you can curtail it if you want to. But the problems are supply and access. Therefore, return back to managed float. No country opens up its foreign exchange market, especially a developing economy, completely to the forces of demand and supply. Those two things – returning petrol subsidy and reversing floating of the exchange rate - are very crucial if they can be bold to reverse them. Before the inception of the President Bola Tinubu’s administration, the rate at Investors and Exporters’ (I&E) window was just above N400 per dollar, now the rate is approaching N1,700 or higher. Definitely, anybody that imports by buying dollar at that rate, the price of your goods or

Ekpo

Akpan Ekpo: Insecurity Scaring Foreign Investors Away from Nigeria

services would go up. We are having a free fall of the Naira because people are buying dollars as if they do not know what will happen tomorrow and before you know it, we are going to have runaway or hyperinflation, which we are almost getting into. So, reverse the petrol subsidy removal and go back to a managed float system, at least in the short to medium term. The other thing they have to do, and it is no longer a rocket science, is the problem of power. No economy grows with generators. None! We know the companies that do power in the world. They should be brought on board instead of using these people that have captured the state to bring power and they are just milking the economy. The suffering is too much. So reverse those policies at least in the short to medium term while you now plan for a long term. Then, they should walk the talk. There is too much talk but you cannot see any action. You have to be very careful in any economy where the emerging middle class have now entered the poverty class. What that is needed now is quality government intervention. The market forces we are focusing on would not help us. If they will look at economic history, those countries that leap-frogged growth and development within a very short time did not do that by depending on market forces. They looked at their economies and prescribed solutions suitable to them. A lot of them rejected the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and World Bank policies, which are mostly one size fit all template. China, Malaysia and Singapore that we all admire abandoned the IMF and World Bank policies. Nobody is against market forces, but there are some forces more powerful than the market. Like the foreign exchange market for instance, as I was saying earlier, it is not a typical competitive market. So, I will advise that they do not open up the foreign exchange market but they should go back to a managed float system. The recent data from National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) showed that our economy is not yet diversified. Manufacturing as a ratio of trade export was about two per cent while manufactured import was almost 48 per cent. When I saw this administration’s economic policy document I knew that it will not work because they were all neo-liberal policies that had been abandoned long time ago. When the government opened the foreign exchange market, it benefits a few elites who have domiciliary accounts. They will take out their dollars and become multi-billionaires in Naira. The past government printed a lot of Naira that people used to buy dollars on the streets and put them in their domiciliary accounts. A government that is radical should have gone to the banks and demand to view peoples’ domiciliary accounts for them to explain how they earned millions of dollars. Going to arrest people and forex traders on the streets will not solve the problem. If you have a properly managed float system, you can supply forex to genuine users. What you are seeing now is exchange pass through and it is a free fall.

But the CBN under the immediate past government practiced a managed float system, which requires the government to defend the naira, why are you asking us to go back to that when we don’t have the buffers to defend the naira?

The former CBN Governor did not practice a managed float forex system properly. That is because the idea is to observe the market and make adjustments at any time. But some of them at the CBN were also gaining from it. For example, you had N415 as the I&E window rate and a street rate of N600. When you see that the parallel market rate has moved, you move the I&E window close to that rate. But they were not doing that because a lot of them where gaining from it. When you bring in your dollar they would change it for you at above N500 and make money. The banks were colluding to re-export dollars. So, we had a managed float system, but it was not well managed because of the corruption in the system. An economy that has crude oil and has three or four refineries must ensure that the refineries work. There is no reason exporting crude oil and use the dollars you have earned to import finished petroleum products. Singapore has no oil but it has refineries. Let our refineries work. In the 1980s Nigeria was exporting refined petroleum products. So, what happened? As long as government will not punish people who misbehaved, it will not set a good example. If refineries work today we will have supply of petrol and other refined products, you will see a turnaround in the economy. What they are calling subsidy never really existed

Ekpo

but they were inputting the money and taking it out. Subsidy is very simple. It is saying that the price is too high that people cannot pay and the government comes in to help. But in the oil sector, the demand side is exaggerated. People were giving wrong numbers on consumptions so that they can import petrol. So, where do you have the so called appropriate price before you can determine the subsidy? I was involved in building some macroeconomic models for this economy for years. The subsidy they claim does not exist. They just input the money and take it out. As I have said in that article I wrote, the President was wrongly advised. When you are being sworn-in as a country’s president, you make a short speech and leave. Do not make a statement that will create problems. That statement that oil subsidy is gone is the problem that we are having. He did not have to say it because the budget for 2023 had already removed the so called subsidy. He ought to have kept quiet and observe what was happening for three months before making pronouncements. We have done this reform before. After all, what was the Structural Adjustment Programme (SAP)? It was all about market forces when everything was deregulated and there were crises in the economy. In fairness, it was Chief Anthony Ani as the Minister of Finance that came with the idea of a guided deregulation to get some succor from the crises. So, we are going back to the same policies that gave us problems. The problem that I have with my colleagues, especially the so called economists and analysts is that they do not think deep outside the box. There is nothing like market forces where you can have an appropriate value of the Naira to the dollar. We know that it does not exist in reality. It is theory. There are three basic conditions before you have the equilibrium they talk of: existence, uniqueness and stability. You cannot find them in practice even in the United States of America. Whenever there is problem with crude oil prices the government of the United States of America does not wait for the market. It sends officials to Saudi Arabia to discuss how Saudi will pump in more oil to bring down prices. They do not wait for the market. What we call competitive market is just one benchmark for comparing other models. Why do we have regulated monopoly? It is the government that comes in and says that this cannot happen so let us regulate it. I have looked at President Tinubu’s advisers and see maybe two or three are economists. But economists have different tendencies. So, you must have to look at the structure of our economy. What we have now is called structural inflation that is caused by the oil wahala. I warned since the 1990s that prices will go up about 400 per cent if one wrongly touched petrol subsidy.

What will you predict that will be the end of this second coming of a structural adjustment programme?

You are already seeing what that is happening: strikes and protests everywhere. How it will end?

I do not know. It may end up in mass uprising, which will not be good for the economy. All this talk on foreign investment will not materialise. They will not come. No genuine investor will come when you have insecurity problem. Foreign Direct Investments is what we need so that people will come and build factories, employ people and not portfolio investments, which may not even come if we don’t address the forex crisis. There is a lot of confusion. Government said it will not borrow but it is borrowing. What it needs to do is to assemble a team of experts to discuss and agree on how to move the economy forward. It is to rescue the system back to what it was, which was not even that good but it was not as bad as this. Let me give you an example. I am a Professor and my salary is N414,000 per month. What do I do with that? The system that builds manpower is being destroyed because the younger ones that have first class will not enter, because the entry level salary for a PhD holder is N120,000 a month. What will he do with that and why must he be a lecturer? We now look for the dregs to teach. The ones who are very good in every field are leaving the country in droves. I am sad because our great grandparents were taken there as slaves and they built North America and Europe. Now the ones that we have trained here cheaply are going back to also build those countries. Unfortunately, the President came in “out of civil struggle” for the realisation of June 12 mandates, so I think he needs to look at his advisers again and use experts who understand the Nigerian economy and are not slavish to IMF/ World Bank’s prescriptions.

What are the low hanging fruits that can assuage the hunger and hardship in the country?

It is very simple. Most Nigerians have bank accounts. The government has to put money in their pockets. The N35,000 salary award is not good enough. It should be increased. People need money to buy goods and services. That is the low hanging fruit now. Also, I felt sad when I read that the government will not import food. It should import food now. People are hungry. There should be massive import of food. We should not rely on local farmers because if you plant corn today you will not eat it tomorrow. It will take a while. So, we should import food massively for people to be able to eat. We have the money to do these imports. Look at the money they are spending on other things and the cost of governance and readjust them by doing what we call expenditure switching. Use that money to import food to assuage the vulnerable groups. Where we are having protests today in Nigeria are where we never had protests years back: the north.

What do you think should be the role of the Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) at this point in time?

Well I sympathise with the members of the MPC now because the only instrument the CBN has is to increase the interest rate. The inflation

we are seeing is not essentially demand-driven inflation. It is more of supply and cost pull inflation. If I am at the MPC, I will just observe and stress that the fiscal side should do its work. The central bank is becoming a commercial bank. When I look at its board members many of them are commercial bankers and not academicians and experts. Most countries try to make their central banks little bit neutral and they bring experts to the MPC and the board. In the time of Prof. Chukwuma Soludo as CBN Governor, there was Prof. Olofin, myself and a few others. And from my experience some members were just politicians. If you do not have a strong board and a strong MPC, which is the engine room, you will create a problem. The CBN has serious technocrats who know what to do. From what I am seeing, if you let the bankers’ committee run the central bank then you are no more a monetary policy institution. The commercial banks will now dictate monetary policy, which is wrong. The way this works is that the government through monetary and fiscal policies ought to surprise the private sector and the private sector is supposed to try and predict government. Where that does not happen you are in trouble. That was the problem Emefiele had. When you bring a banker to head central bank you are going to have problems.

Do you think that having and implementing a national development plan could have saved Nigeria this trouble?

There is a national development plan, which former President Muhammadu Buhari approved for 2021 to 2025. That plan should have been followed through so that we will not need this Renewed Hope Agenda they are talking about. I was a member of what they called the senior technical review of that plan. Since it is the same political party, Tinubu should have continued with its implementation. The capital components of this 2024 budget should have been drawn from that plan. But that was not done and there is a complete disconnect. Any country like ours must have a development plan. Any country that has made progress has a development plan. Even the United States of America has what they call educative planning. Why I am shocked was that it is the same political party and this administration is not following the plan. But the greatest mistake this administration made was announcing the removal the petrol subsidy on the first day. The President should have just kept quite over it because it was no longer in the budget. Also trying to collapse the exchange rate is not possible because we are running a capitalist system that will always have speculators.

What should the federal and state governments should be doing with the increased revenue they have been receiving following the removal of subsidies?

First, import food for the people. Secondly, put money in the pockets of poor people to relate the economy because people are suffering. The minimum wage is now useless. For me our problem has never been revenue but the cost of governance. They can increase taxes forever, but it will never help them. The more you increase tax you will reduce growth because you will scare away companies. What they should be doing is to bring more people into the tax net. For me our problem is expenditure problem and not revenue problem. Our cost of governance is too high. The presidential system is too expensive.

Finally, how has life been since you retired from WAIFEM?

It has been exciting although I am retiring formally as a Professor in June. I will deliver my valedictory lecture on June 26 at Uyo, Akwa Ibom State. I am still active. I still supervise students and I still have some global engagements once in a while. I just came back from a conference in America where I read a paper on how policies of developed countries create problems for developing countries. They give us grants and aid that is not working and still they keep giving them. It may be working for them. You know that in economics we have tendencies. I have no apologies because I am in the left of the profession. But luckily I know what those on the other side are doing. So, I will remain active and as one of my friends used to call me I will remain an unrepentant critic of any government that is not doing its job. I criticise to make government to do its job so that many people will benefit. There is no economy where everyone is happy. But at least 85 per cent should be doing relatively well.

‘Deadlocked’ Adjective, Not Verb

YOU are welcome to our clinic today: “Kano/Jigawa Customs intercepts trucks of smuggled food items” The Nigeria Customs Service will not, officially, intercept goods or items that were not smuggled. Only the bad eggs in the service will occasionally carry out such operations, illegally of course. So, delete ‘smuggled’ from the headline.

“ONSA, CBN join forces to crackdown on (crack down) forex speculators”

“FG uncovers 32 food smuggling (foodsmuggling) routes in Sokoto” Unless if the national newspaper weirdly meant that ‘the food was smuggling the routes’!

“Groups provide free HIV testing (HIV-testing) services” The preceding elucidation applies here equally.

“How incessant import duty hike (hikes) fuel cargo diversion, smuggling”

“ASUU raises alarm (the alarm) over emergence of new IPPIS, urges Tinubu to fish out brains behind it”

“Niger: Organised Labour begins warning strike as meeting with govt deadlocked” Please note that ‘deadlock’ and ‘deadlocked’ are noun and adjective, respectively. Therefore, its verbal usage here is wrong. Get it right: …as meeting ends in deadlock. Alternatively: as meeting remains deadlocked. ‘Deadlock’, on the other hand, can function as a noun and as a verb transitive. ‘Deadbolt’ means the same thing too.

“…says ex-governor develop (developed) his constituency”

Classic FM 93.7 introduces us today to Old English which ended about 1150: “If that is the criteria….” (Tuesday, February 21, morning belt) Singular: criterion; plural: criteria

THE NATION ON SUNDAY of February 19 follows with its own Middle English versions which ceased to exist about 1500: “Why non interest

(non-interest) banking should be encouraged”

“…but nearly a decade had passed without a trophy before today’s result which led to criticism (criticisms) of the Gunners (Gunners’) boss.”

“Another feather to (in) Zuriel’s cap”

“Akpabio decries low uptake of mosquito treated (mosquito-treated) nets”

“…said Nigeria needs (needed) N1.92 trillion yearly to achieve….”

The next fault is from THISDAY of February 21: “…the last thing the public needs (need) now is to rub salt in (into) their wounds.” A reader drew my attention to this correction last week and pointed out that ‘public’ takes both singular and plural verbs. I know this full well, but it depends on the context. In this case, the pronoun, ‘their’. Is plural referring to the public (‘they’). Consequently, to avoid pronounverb disorder/admixture, the public in this instance (they) need—not needs.

The PUNCH of January 24 circulated just this blunder: “UK police arrest mother over (for) children’s death”

Daily Trust of January 24 voiced one of the headlines wrongly: “Jonathan commends Tinubu over (for/on) position on terror war”

“The appointment…is often greeted with lot of expectation….” (OPINION Page) This way: lots of expectations or a lot of expectations

“…we are indeed happy and proud to be associate (associated) with you….”

“We wish you more feather to your cap” Get it right: more feathers in your cap

“How four under-aged (underage) girls were rescued”

“I am going to Lagos in 2027 because it is available for grab (it is up for grabs).”

“I spoke to reporters on phone disassociating (dissociating) the party from the move.”

“If the party does not win elections, it will go into extinct (go extinct/go into extinction or become extinct).”

“Healed of barenness” Spell-check: barrenness

“…the more the desperadoes accuse her of all manners (manner) of things….”

“Huge gap on medical personnel to patient ratio”

A rewrite: Huge gap on medical personnel-topatient ratio

Finally from the Daily Trust Back Page: “Therefore, President Tinubu may do well to withdraw the soldiers and the police deployed to (in) the three states of Borno, Adamawa and Yobe.”

The next contribution is by Mike Oluranti Ayodele (08034065353); “They even argue over such things as sitting (seating) arrangements.”

THISDAY of January 24 goofed tragically: “Hardly does any month passes (pass) without a report of a boat accident and often with heavy casualty figures.”

“Brazilians will love Eagles (Eagles’) style, says….”

THISDAY of February 23 marketed commercialese instead of modern English: “Top players in the marketing communications industry, (dysfunctional comma) converged at (on) a summit organised by….”

The following contribution is from Ken Ugbechie. Please note that ‘reelect’, like ‘reelection’, is not hyphenated. ‘Title’/’headline’ is for the story while ‘caption’ is for the picture, photograph, cartoon, etc.

THE NATION of February 23 issued a couple of flaws from its advertorial to editorial pages: “…we wish you many happy return (returns) of the day.”

“We, the Management and Staff of RNL, heartily congratulate…for (on/upon) achieving this great feat….”

“…so the industry was going through crisis (a crisis or crises).”

“The number one tailor in Nigeria, your commitment, dedication, professionalism and good leadership quality has (have) earned you this well-deserved honour.”

“How can people gather together to rob?” Yank away ‘together’.

From Daily Independent Online of January 23 comes the next set of howlers: “Why we

A Titan Takes A Bow

When the news rolled across the globe on Wednesday, 7 February, 2024 that one of Nigeria’s more renowned and most respected uncles, Jimi Solanke, has changed address, the Nigerian creative community paused momentarily in contemplation of the greatness and selflessness of a spirit-being thoroughly immersed in the creative process, all the days of his life. It is in this plaintive mode, we dig out of a short ‘reflection’ of Olujimi Solanke published a couple of years ago in the book, ‘Reflections: Anthology of Thoughts on Nigerian Movie Industry’ (Amazon, June 2021).

“JIMI SOLANKE: In our estimation, a huge percentage of his fans are much younger than him, on account of his over four decade dalliance with passionate entrenchment of the socio-cultural construction of the African child through folkloric storytelling; thus we call him Uncle Jimi. But Olujimi Adeboye Solanke is more than a master storyteller: he’s a dramatist, poet, folk singer, playwright, visual artist, culture educator and writer. He was in the first set of students admitted in 1963, into - in his own words - “the first School of Drama in Africa”... at the University of Ibadan. So it was easy to appreciate his dexterity and maverick career when you consider his sojourn with the first and second generations of Africa’s major scholar-playwright-dramatists: Professors Wole Soyinka, Ola Rotimi, Femi Osofisan, Zulu Sofola, Akin Euba, and others.

Even long before Ibadan, Solanke was a doughty music composer as a student of a secondary school near Ikenne. He revealed that one of Roy Chicago’s classics, “Oro ma re ara adugbo…” (Onile Gogoro) was actually composed by his precocious teenage self! Few years later, he was jamming with Chris Ajilo (who died on 20 February, 2021 at 91) at a nightclub in Ibadan! Charmed life!

After school, lured by the migrant lives

of committed artistes, he found himself in the company of Soyinka, Ayo Lijadu, Demas Nwoko...at the Mbari ‘club’ around 1961. And Theatre became his life.

In Ibadan, after graduating with a drama certificate in 1966, he was a staple in Soyinka’s plays, including in the epochal Death and the King’s Horseman. He was also a part of Nigeria’s first homegrown filmic adaptation, Kongi’s Harvest by Ossie Davis and Francis Oladele, in 1970.

With fiery-eyed devotion to the stage, Solanke (81 on July 4, 2023) is so enraptured with the performing arts that his trajectory, after leaving UI, has taken him to the Uni- versity of Ìfé (from 1969) as an associate fellow of the Institute of Cultural Studies led by Ola Rotimi; to leading roles in Rotimi’s plays: Kurunmi, Ovonramwen Nogbaisi, The Gods Are Not to Blame, etc. In fact, he was ‘detained’ in Benin City of the 1970s by then military administrator of Mid-Western region, Brigadier Samuel Ogbemudia (died 9 March, 2017), after a bewildering performance as Oba Nogbaisi in Rotimi’s tragic historical play, Ovonramwen Nogbaisi. He spent the next three years setting up the drama, dance and music sections of the new Midwest Region Arts Council.

And that was just the beginning of a remarkable career. He surged through to the heights of being the Dance Director at FESTAC 77; to travelling to the US performing in traditional African dresses with his group, The Africa Review; to featuring in plays by Femi Osofisan (Chattering and the Song - published 1977), and other drama dons.

Yet Jimi Solanke would later, after his return from the US in 1986, be famous as a folk singer and inventive creator of several popular children’s series on the burgeoning television stations of the 70s and 80s. He created, designed and/or presented these glorious kids’ stuff: Children’s Scene (on WNTV, the precursor of NTA, Ibadan), Family Scene on Lagos Television (LTV, 80s); Storyland (the epic that ran for about seven years on NTA network), and African Stories on Africa

International Television (AIT). His musical compositions, which often traverse many of his other dramatic offerings, have been captured in few albums: Eje Ka Jo, In The Beginning, Ase, Storyteller, America Has Got Magic, Orin Orisa, Multiplicity of Praise, Hidden Gold and Once Upon a Time.

(After) six decades of devotion to dramaturgy, the grandee of popular theatre and grassroot music retired to his hometown, Ipara-Remo (Ogun State); not as a mere recluse bemoaning ancient glitters, but a weaving, thriving and evolving master builder and ‘harnesser’ of budding talents. He (built) his pet project, Centre for Creative and Performing Arts Enhancement on a serene 10-hectare land, with hope and thirst for sustaining a legacy that will outlive him and his peers. Typical of an anchorage for countless thespians.”

Adieu, master storyteller… continue to serenade the host of heavens in celestial glory.

Mr. President, Is It Your Final Answer?

Though one is not versed in economics, not to mention macroeconomics… we however remember that some people warned years ago when our political leaders were throwing money at poverty, claiming they were trying to help the poor, especially the vulnerable poor, with all sorts of schemes: Sure-P, Trader-Moni, N-Power, Anchor-borrower, etc. Instead of the poor getting out of the grind of poverty, today we look back in biting frustration as the number of Nigerians below the poverty line has exploded uncontrollably.

Few years ago, some people familiar with the intricacies and twirls of economic inevitability warned us that the ways and means we were printing money to offset our incredible thirst for foreign exchange and fulfilling wooly

re-introduce (reintroduced) boarding schools— Dickson”

“…I foresee an imminent explosions” (Why?)

“ALGON President seeks LGs (LGs’) autonomy at national confab”

“It is such that some candidates have approached it as a do or die affair” Standard view: a do-or-die affair

“With our population, the highest, not only in the region but in (on) the entire continent….”

“…the tourism potentials inherent in our various geo-political (geopolitical) zones.” ‘Potential’, unlike ‘potentiality’, is non-count.

“Confessed witches apprehended in Benue” Community Mirror: Witchcraft-confessors (not ‘confessed witches’)

Let us welcome Blueprint to this forum. Its edition of February 21 goofed: “FCT residents groan over (at/with) security road blocks (roadblocks)”

“US based (US-based) Nigerian lawyer in trouble over $1.5m fraud”

“…the expected tally of between 12 to 15 items….” Between 12 and 15 or from 12 to15

“However, it is feared that the state of this oil blocs (these oil blocks) may….”

“Of course I have heard some delegates demanding for their own state.” Delete ‘for’.

“What the respected former intelligence officer was saying was that there are (were) gaps in terms of synergy….”

The next three blunders from the same page of Leadership of January 23 showed lexical laziness by employing the same verb, ‘urge’, in three out of the five headlines on the page: ”2027: Abia South leaders urge Abaribe to run for gov”; and “Ohaneze urges Tinubu to shut borders over insecurity” There are many synonyms for the abused word!

“Libya to expel illegal Nigeria (Nigerian) immigrants”

“…if it gets its acts right (act together).”

campaign promises… would lead to 1,000 of our dear Naira going for only $1. Poor naira. Alarming as that sounded, nowadays we are shocked daily as the naira continues to fall like a luckless orphan, torpedoing to hitherto unbelievable figures - ₦1,800 to the dollar!

The pressure on foodstuff and other edibles have snowballed into people grumbling loudly on the streets, and not merely in their bedrooms. Daily, the cost of living goes a step higher than the day before - just when you were thinking, it could not be worse than yesterday! There are regional threats to embargo food migration from one section of Nigeria to another, while the government, in typical knee-jerk reactions, have been running around in circles to find answers to the immediate and present danger of food scarcity.

Yet, the president is insisting he would not support setting up a price control mechanism to stem the spiralling hikes in food prices. Apparently, he seems worried about the antics of few Nigerians who gleefully play the roles of profiteers, renters, hoarders, and such unscrupulous economic saboteurs. As a free market apostle, the president wants his government to speedily intervene, and flood the country with food and agricultural products, to checkmate the lecherous middlemen. Let’s join hands to pray for their interventions to work out as planned, and with immediate effect.

Nonetheless, the president should start thinking of some sort of control in a land where some of us would not ignore any opportunity to make extra money simply because the president has ordered law enforcement agents to seek and confiscate warehouses hoarding food items.

FEATURES

The Uganda Martyrs

Charles Ajunwa writes that the site of the Namugongo Martyrs Shrine has become a Mecca for Ugandans and tourists from all over the world

The Uganda Tourism Board (UTB), organisers of the 2023 Explore Uganda Familiarisation trip, included Namugongo Martyrs Shrine as one of the historical sites to be visited by journalists and tour operators in the Pearl of Africa.

Other Uganda Martyrs shrines not listed include St. Adolf Mukasa Ludigo shrine in Fort Portal District, St. Andrew Kaggwa (Kahawa) shrine in Hoima District and St. Anatole Kiriggwajjo shrine in Hoima District.

But Namugongo became more popular because of the bloodbath that took place there some 126 years ago. Kabaka Mwanga II in an effort to curb the Christian influence and try to regain the traditional and customary authority over his subjects who converted to Christianity, executed between January 31, 1885 and January 27, 1887, 22 Catholic and 23 Anglican Christians in a place that came to be known as Namugongo. Today, this is regarded as one of Uganda’s darkest moments in history.

As we embarked on the journey to Namugnongo, which is located approximately 14 kilometres (9 mi), by road, northeast of the central business district of Kampala, Uganda’s capital, I observed that its past of notoriety seemed to have been caught up by civilisation and modernity as schools, hospitals, supermarkets and real estate dotted the whole landscape.

But this cruelty of man to man cannot be hidden forever as it is tucked right inside the Namugongo Shrine. Apart from some of the relics of the martyrs carefully preserved at the Namugongo Shrine, images of how the Christian prisoners were tortured and killed by the executioners on the orders of the Kabaka, were reconstructed for visitors to the shrine to appreciate what the martyrs went through.

History of the Uganda Martyrs

The tour guide said the first Catholic Christian martyr, St. Joseph Mukasa Balikudembe, was killed on 15th November 1885 in Nakivubo, Kampala.

“But this was before, the then King of Buganda, Kabaka Mwanga held a court session at his palace in Munyonyo located on the shore of Lake Victoria and sentenced to death a group of 15 Christians on 25th May 1886, and his ruling marked the beginning of the large-scale persecution and killing of Christians who refused to denounce their faith. Once the Christians were sentenced to death at Munyonyo, they were tied up and put on the march to Namugongo which was the execution ground of the Kabaka. The journey from Munyonyo (and from other places where Christians were picked after the Kabaka’s ruling) to Namugongo was tormentous that many Christians, nine in number, died or were killed along the way when they could not continue.

“Too tired to walk, the l ast Christians were dragged on their backs as they got to Namugongo. It is this practice that gave birth to the name “Namugongo” which was derived from the phrase “babaleta na mugongo”, meaning “they were brought (to the execution grounds) on their backs”. “Mugongo” is a word in the local Luganda language for the body part “back”. “Na mugongo” literally means “on/by the back“, hence the name of the place “Namugongo”.

“The final group of 13 Christians that survived the horrendous journey and reached the execution ground at Namugongo were executed by burning them to death, on 3rd June 1886. They were tied between reeds and lots of firewood, and the wood was put on fire from the feet area so that they could die a slow and painful death. The Christians died with defiance, singing and praising God as they burned away in the blazing firewood.”

Uganda Martyrs Day

The tour guide said June 3 became Uganda Martyrs Day, being the day the Uganda Martyrs were burned at Namugongo, “Is one of the most important days of the calendar for Catholic and Anglican Christians in Uganda and the region. Millions of pilgrims make a trip to Namugongo to celebrate the Uganda martyrs on 3rd June. This is perhaps the biggest religious gathering on the continent, and one of the biggest in the world.

“Many Christians coming from the far corners of the country and from across the borders chose to walk for days and weeks to get to Namugongo for the martyr’s day celebrations on 3rd June. The Christians subject themselves to the hardships of walking hundreds of kilometers to emulate the martyrs who sacrificed their lives for their faiths. The Christians who draw inspiration from the martyrs feel their faith is strengthened by the long walk and hardships they face during the journey to Namugongo.”

The 22 Catholic Martyrs include: Achilleus Kewanuka (date of death 3 June 1886 at 17 years) was burnt; Adolphus Ludigo-

Mukasa (3 June 1886 at 24 years) was burnt; Ambrose Kibuuka Katekamu (3 June 1886 at 18 years) was burnt; Anatoli Kirigwajjo (3 June 1886) was burnt; Andrew Kaggwa Kaahwa (26 May 1886 at about 30 years) killed with Panga and a knife; Athanasius Bazzekuketa Kizza (27 May 1886 at 20 years) killed with spear; Bruno Sserunkuuma (3 June 1886) burnt to death; Charles Lwanga (3 June 1886); Denis Ssebuggwawo Wasswa (25 May 1886 at 16 years) and Gonzaga Gonza Nghonzabato (27 May 1886 at 24 years) killed with spear.

Others are Gyavira Mayanja Musoke (3 June 1886 at 17 years) was burnt; James Buuzabalyawo Kalumba Ssebayigga (3 June 1886 at 26 years) was burnt; John Mary Kiwanuka Muzeeyi (27 January 1887) killed with panga; Joseph Mukasa Balikuddembe (15 November 1885 at 20 years) died through panga and fire; Kizito (3 June 1886) was burnt; Lu (ke (Lukka) Baanabakintu (3 June 1886 at 30 years) was burnt; Mathias Kalembe Mulumba Wante (30 May 1886 at 50 years) knife and panga; Mbaaga Tuzinde (3 June 1886 at 17 years) died through stick and fire; Mugagga Lubowa (3 June 1886 at 16 years) burnt; Mukasa Kiriwawanvu (3

June 1886) burnt; Noa Mawaggali (31 May 1886) Tied on the tree and dogs bit and then thrown on the road and Ponsiano Ngondwe (26 May 1886 at 30 years) killed with spear. The Catholic Church beatified the 22 Catholic Uganda martyrs of its faith in 1920 and they were canonised in 1964 by Pope Paul VI. at the St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome. In 2014, Uganda celebrated 50 years since the Uganda Martyrs were canonized and elevated to sainthood by Pope Paul VI on 18 October 1964.

Basilica and Martyr’s Lake

The basilica stands majestically at Namugongo and has become the icon of the Martyr’s shrine and Martyrs Day celebrations. Next to the basilica is the Martyrs lake, a small manmade lake which is at the site of the swamp/ stream where killers of the martyrs washed their pangas executing the martyrs. The water of the lake is considered holy because it is where the blood of the martyrs was washed off the pangas of the killers.

The lake is surrounded by the pavilion where pilgrims seat to attend mass during the martyr’s day celebrations.

Uganda Martyrs Museum

“There is also a museum which showcases the journey and execution of the martyrs through sculptors.

“A monument is built at each martyrdom site, starting from Munyonyo near the shores of Lake Victoria,” the tour guide said.

Uganda Martyrs Trail and Kampala City Tour

According to the tour guide, “The Uganda martyr’s trail tour is one of the most spiritually nourishing experiences for a Christian pilgrim. It is also a great source of history about religion in Uganda, as well as culture, as the trail overlaps the Buganda Royal tourism circuit.

“The Uganda Martyrs tour is a full day experience where you go tracking the different monuments/shrines of each martyr through the chaotic Kampala City before winding up at the pristine grounds of Namugongo Martyrs shrine, the final execution ground of the martyrs. You can drive to each of the shrines or decide to walk in the footsteps of the martyrs and trek to each of the sites.

“The Martyrs trail tour starts at Munyonyo Martyrs Shrine where King Mwanga gave the order to kill the Christians. Within the area of Munyonyo the first three Christians were killed right after the king gave the orders. A beautiful basilica sits here, and you can start the Martyrs trail tour by celebrating mass in the basilica.

“You will visit the martyrdom sites of each of the nine Christians that were killed enroute to Namungongo, and learn about the unique backgrounds of each of these martyrs and how they met their death with such conviction of their belief in God. The martyrdom sites are littered in different suburbs of the city and within the busy and chaotic central business district.

“You will also visit the Buganda Royal Tourism circuit which includes the Kabaka’s Palace in Mengo, the royal mile, the Buganda Parliament and the Kabaka’s Lake in Mengo. You will learn so much about the Buganda Kingdom, the history, culture and traditions of the Baganda people who occupy much of central Uganda. The Buganda Kingdom and the Uganda Martyrs are intertwined because the King of the Buganda gave the orders to kill the Christians.

“You will also have an insight into the day to day lives of the local people in Kampala City,” adding, “Visiting all the nine martyrdom sites requires a full day and on this day you will not make it to Namugongo.

“The following day you will then go visit the Namugongo Martyrs shrine and the museum, the climax of the Uganda Martyrs trailer~

The burning place

Christian prisoners tied to the tree

POLITY

Uzodinma and Burden of Public Service

James Udemba

It was the accomplished author, Betrand Russell, who posited that the world would have been a better place if people pursued their happiness rather than invest in the misery of others. Unfortunately, people tend to derive joy in the misfortunes of others to the extent that they magnify and celebrate challenges encountered by such people, even if it as an honest mistake. This is very common in politics, and it is a malaise borne out of envy and sheer jealousy.

It is really worrisome that the inconclusive Edo APC governorship primaries presided over by Imo State Governor, Senator Hope Uzodinma has now become his Golgotha where all manner of persons seek his head to assuage their frustration.

Even those who knew they could not win their polling units in an election have found their voices, seeking the crucifixion of Senator Hope Uzodinma. It is also unfortunate that a section of the media has joined in the baying of the crowd oblivious of their constitutional responsibility of informing and educating the public on what were the real issues in the Edo APC governorship primaries. Suddenly, we are reading that Uzodinma presided over an election that produced three candidates. Haba! It was only Hon Dennis Idahosa that emerged the candidate as announced by the Imo state governor. The others emerged from the bedrooms of their sponsors, etc.

In the din of the cacophony, nobody has heard the position of INEC that the only legitimate venue it recognised for the primaries was that presided over by Uzodinma. People also have suffered amnesia that as a true and committed disciple of the party, Uzodinma must have had the express approval of the National Working Committee to hold the primaries at the designated venue. Now, if Uzodinma as the chairman of the panel was satisfied that a particular aspirant had substantially complied with the guidelines for the primaries, what is wrong in declaring him the winner.

Nobody faults those who went to unapproved venues. Nobody is blaming those who ab initio sought to thwart the plan of the Committee by blatantly refusing to follow guidelines. Suddenly, Uzodinma “organised” thugs to disrupt an event he was presiding over! Such an infantile postulation. But that is the price we have to pay for free speech where idiots and charlatans are allowed to open their mouths and vomit venom against established public officers.

It is also as well that the leadership of APC has elected to have another primary, this time with Governor Bassey Otu of Cross River State in charge. Politicians, being who

they are, have already positioned their poisonous arsenal against the new helmsman because there is no way he would please everyone. And heaven will not help the unpopular ones to suddenly become champions. Those who claim Uzodinma goaded the national chairman of APC to endorse Idahosa should also watch the next stage since Uzodinma has been removed from the scene.

However, what rankles in the entire exercise is the imputation of ulterior motives against Senator Hope Uzodinma in the Edo APC governorship primaries saga. Some even went to the ridiculous extent of accusing him of working against President Tinubu by ensuring that a “ wrong” candidate is “ foisted “ on Edo APC. In one of his epic plays, William Shakespeare wrote that he who filches his name had robbed him of everything. It appears that disgruntled elements, already afraid of the rising national profile of Uzodinma, are up in arms to rob him of his precious name using the Edo debacle as a pedestal.

Yes, all the attacks have come from all corners, with enemies uniting for a common foe. Characteristically, the ones from the Igbo extraction appear to be more virulent, though ludicrous. One Osita Okechukwu demanded the removal of Uzodinma as Chairman of the Progressive Governors” Forum. He blamed Uzodinma for APC poor performance in the 2023 General elections in the southeast and saw him as an enemy of the Tinubu’s administration. The nexus between his rantings and what is at stake remains hazy, but many of us know where he is

coming from.

First of all, Osita Okechukwu should come forward and tell Nigerians whether he was able to deliver his unit and ward in the said 2023 election. Available information suggests that he failed woefully. This explains why he sought to hide his shameful electoral outing by reeling out deceitful and fraudulent statistics on the performance of each South-east States during the election. But he suffered irreparable selective amnesia to the fact that Peter Obi ran for president in an election that Ndigbo believed that it was their turn. He also forgot to share the statistics of the legislative election across the five states. Today, under the leadership of Uzodinma, South-east states produced more APC Senators and House of Representatives than it had ever done since 2015. Both Imo and Ebonyi Houses of Assembly are led by APC.

Beyond that, however, it was most unfortunate though expected that Osita Okechukwu sought the removal of Uzodinma as Chairman of Progressive Governors Forum, the very same position that he has used to attract federal government’s attention to Igboland. It was the Ebonyi State Gov, Francis Nwaifuru, who publicly acknowledged, in a meeting of Ohanaeze Ndigbo in Abuja last year, that Uzodinma used that position to make it possible for Ndigbo to have a service chief in the current administration, something that has eluded us for eight years. There are other numerous benefits that have accrued to Ndigbo because of the visibility of Uzodinma in the national sphere. Instead of Osita Okechukwu and his band of poor losers to acknowledge the same and show respect, he is busy denigrating the name of Hope Uzodinma. Hopefully, a million of such disgruntled elements cannot stop the National march of the Imo State Governor.

Without any doubt, APC in the south-east has grown from strength to strength under the able and capable leadership of Uzodinma. In spite of various challenges posed by weaklings like Osita Okechukwu, Uzodinma has led the South-east to the national grid of politics in Nigeria, and the people are reaping the dividends. The recent approval by the Federal Government for the dredging of Oguta Lake to the Atlantic is one of such because it would radically change the economic fortune of the entire states in the southeast. Being very close to President Tinubu is not a crime by Uzodinma.The president knows his worth, the same as his brother governors who entrusted the leadership of the Progressive Governors Forum to his care. The wishes of naysayers like Okechukwu cannot change what is on the ground.

L-R; Chairman, Nigerian Bar Association Benin Branch, Mr. Nosa Francis Edo-Osagie,Esq., presenting a distinguished service award of the Nigerian Bar Association to Past Rotary International Vice President. Olayinka Babalola during the District Team Training Seminar of Rotary district 9141 held in Port Harcourt... recently

L-R: Mr Nagesh Rao; Mr Chirag Tirathrai; Mr Sapan Debnath; Mr Tahara Kentaro; Mr Deepak Rupani; Director, Sacral Industries Ltd , Mr Suraj Rupani; CEO, Sacral Industries Ltd, the Ambassador of Japan to Nigeria, His Excellency, Mr Matsunaga Kazuyoshi, Dr. Osu Otu - UNIDO, Mr. Oluyomi Banjoi -UNIDO, Ms. Christy Obase-UNIDO, Mr Cyril Ogu, Daikin Nigeria, Mr Vineeth Gokulam, Daikin Nigeria, Ms Monica Nwosu, Fresh Fountain Consulting, Mr Harpreet Arora, DaiTech Nigeria Ltd; and Mr Rajeev Girglani - Managing Director, Sacral Industries Ltd during the visit of the Ambassador to Sacral Industries factory in Lagos... recently.

L-R: Head Agency; BetKing Nigeria; Uche Okafor; Head HR Operations; BetKing; Nigeria; Bonike Ayanbadejo; Managing Director; BetKing; Nigeria; Gossy Ukanwoke; Beneficiary of the BetKing CSR Initiative and Captain of Ikorodu City Football Club, Captain Ojetoye Waliu; and Head BTL Marketing, BetKing Nigeria, Oludare Kafar during the football banter between staff and agents of BetKing as part of activities marking their 6th anniversary in Lagos… recently

Uzodinma

60TH BIRTHDAY SERVICE…

Shettima: FG'll Do More to Secure Nation's Border Communities against Incursions

Deji Elumoye in Abuja

Vice President Kashim Shettima has pledged the federal government’s readiness to secure and develop Nigeria's border communities to improve the lives of residents and the security situation in the country.

Shettima, who stated this during a meeting with a delegation from the

Border Communities Development Agency (BCDA) at the State House, Abuja, noted the challenges faced by these communities, including insecurity and lack of basic amenities.

"Most of the challenges we face stem from our poor border security evident in the free flow of light weapons and ammunition across the border. We need to address the

role of the BCDA in changing the security landscape of our country,” the Vice President said.

He stressed the importance of border communities in national security and pledged continued support for their development needs.

Shettima acknowledged the need for residents to feel a sense of belonging as Nigerians and assured

of the government's commitment to improving access to healthcare and other essential services for the residents of these communities.

The Vice President also urged the BCDA to develop a roadmap for strengthening the agency, highlighting the need for increased government funding.

Speaking earlier, the agency's

Court Grants Former Kwara Governor, Ahmed N50m Bail, Case Adjourned to April 29

The Ilorin Zonal Command of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) yesterday, arraigned former governor of Kwara State, Alhaji Abdulfatah Ahmed, before a Federal High Court sitting in Ilorin on a 12-count charge bordering on money laundering.

However, Ahmed was later granted bail with the sum of N50 million and two sureties in like sum.

The EFCC is investigating the former governor and his Commissioner for Finance, Mr. Demola Banu (2nd defendant) over offences bordering on money laundering allegedly committed during his tenure between 2015-2019.

The Ilorin Zonal Command of the anti-graft agency had on February 19, invited the former governor in continuation of its ongoing investigation where he was detained and taken to court yesterday. The second defendant was however absent from court and was neither represented by his counsel.

Counsel to EFCC, Rotimi Jacobs, had told the court that the second defendant "jumped administrative bail" asking the court to issue a summon, warrant of arrest or both on the defendant.

He alleged that the 2nd defendant on getting wind of the arrest of the 1st defendant jumped the administrative bail earlier granted him and travelled

to the United Kingdom.

"The EFCC men visited his house severally but could not be found," he said. Jacobs said the surety to the second defendant, had also "cut off his line" and could no longer be reached.

On the 1st defendant, the EFCC asked the court to accept the 12-count charge preferred against him and allowed such be read to him to take his plea.

Some of the charges read: "That you, Abdulfatah Ahmed (while being the Governor of Kwara State) between 2015 and 2019 in Ilorin within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court used an aggregate sum of N1,610,730,500.00 (one billion,

six hundred and ten million, seven hundred and thirty thousand, five hundred naira) property of Kwara State Government, meant for the security and running cost of the Government of Kwara State to charter private jets through Travel Messengers Limited on different occasions for your local travels and which sum you reasonably ought to have known formed part of the proceeds of your unlawful act, to wit: Criminal Breach of Trust or Theft and you thereby committed an offence contrary to section 15(2) (a) of the Money Laundering (prohibition) Act, 2011 (As Amended) and punishable under section 15 (3) of the same Act.

Projects Not Carried Out for Political Reasons in Akwa Ibom, Says Gov. Eno

Okon Bassey in Uyo

In keeping to his campaign promise of connecting the dots especially in the area of rural development, Governor Akwa Ibom State, Umo Eno, has flagged-off road construction projects to re-connect communities in Obot Akara, Essien Udim and Etim Ekpo local government areas.

The roads flagged-off include 11.71Km Abiakpo Ikot Otu-Atan Ibong-Usaka Annang Road and Nto Ndang-Nto Ekpu Road, with two bridges, each spanning 15 metres, and 16km Midim Atan-Ikot InyangIkot Akpan Ekpeyong-Etok Uruk Eshiet-Ikot Imonte Road, with 30 metres span bridge, linking some villages in Essien Udim and Etim Ekpo local government areas.

Speaking at the flag-off ceremony of the Essien Udim - Etim Ekpo access road at St. Paul’s Primary School Midim, Essien Udim, Governor Eno said his administration was committed to the promise made during his campaign and urged the people to exercise patience as every part of the state will benefit from his administration. He reaffirmed his commitment to selecting and undertaking projects primarily on the basis of impact and benefits to the generality of the people,

rather than satisfying and serving individual’s interest.

Eno noted that he was moved by the sad stories of the community and especially, the "pregnant-womenswallowing-bridge" as was told by one of the community members, and assured that such sad tales will become history within the shortest time.

He stressed that the 16Km Essien Udim-Etim Ekpo Road and the bridge projects had no political motivation, but a pointer to his administration's sensitivity to the plight of the people, especially the women and children who had been exposed to avoidable risk by using the collapsed road and bridge.

According to him, "we didn't come

to do this projects based on political reasons. It is God that directs the government on this road project, not any politician.

“We are connecting two local government areas by this project.

"We want to thank our brother, Celestine Mel who has used his God-given talents to attract this project here.

NUPRC Incorporates 103 Community Trusts, Inaugurates BoT for HCDTs

Emmanuel Addeh in Abuja

The Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC) yesterday, disclosed that it had incorporated 103 community trusts in compliance with the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA), which provides for implementation of the Host Community Development Trust (HCDT). A statement by the organisation signed by the Head of Public Affairs and Corporate Communications, Mrs. Olaide Shonola, noted that the commission’s Chief Executive, Gbenga Komolafe, made the remark while inaugurating the Board of Trustees (BoT) forum of the HCDTs in Abuja.

Komolafe said it had become imperative because of the need for not just a one-stop-shop for resolving host communities' issues, but a vehicle that would enable the smooth administration of the host community provisions in the PIA.

Komolafe said "in compliance with Sections 232 and 235 of the PIA, which provides for implementing the HCDT, NUPRC has incorporated 103 Trusts.

“This is because of the commission’s priority on social inclusion, which is one of the key objectives of the ‘HostCom’ provisions under the PIA, with the belief that social inclusion is and will be the recipe for peace and harmony that will enhance the operations of the oil industry.”

He said it was the reason the commission brought up the HDCT BoT so that there could be, aside from other benefits, a rule of uniform application as part of the developmental objectives provided under the law.

Komolafe pointed out that from the outset, the commission had decided to implement the HostCom provisions transparently.

He added that for efficiency and effectiveness of the scheme's implementation, the commission partnered with an Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) to develop a transparent real-time digital portal/reporting system, known as HOSTCOMPLY, where administration of the scheme will be reported.

Executive Secretary, Junaid Abdullahi, acknowledged the challenges of limited resources and expressed hope that under Shettima's leadership, the agency would receive the necessary support to fulfill its mandate.

He said, “Our border communities feel alienated from the rest of the country because of neglect. If we can get development into our border communities, the pressure on the

centre will reduce. We would have reduced rural-urban migration and also addressed most of our security challenges.

“Under your chairmanship, we believe that following your antecedent as Governor of Borno State, we are sure you will give us the needed support to see that our agency is funded to carry out its mandate.”

Customs Sells Seized Rice to over 78 Vulnerable Persons, 3,000 Others

No fewer than 78 physicallychallenged persons and other Nigerians who benefited from the subsidised 25kg foreign rice commended the federal government and the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS).

Some of the beneficiaries expressed appreciation in an interview with newsmen in Lagos yesterday.

The distribution exercise commenced at 8.00 a.m. with support of the security agencies including the Nigeria Police, DSS, Nigerian Army, Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA) among others.

It was observed that many less privileged Nigerians were beneficiaries of the government relief exercise.

Some of the beneficiaries on the first day of the distribution exercise were, artisans, teachers, religious bodies, less privileges person, Sweepers from various areas in Lagos.

One for the Beneficiaries, Mr. Taiwo Lawal, a physically challenged person, busted in tears why appreciating the federal government for considering them in the distributing of the food

items.

"This have never happened in the history of Nigeria where majority of Nigerians will benefit from relief items genuinely without preference.

"If government engages in more of these type of gestures, prices of goods would reduce for common people to afford," Lawal said.

Another vulnerable per cent, Mrs. Amdalat Balogun, who lost her sight from birth, said she got the news from the radio and quickly borrowed N10,000 from her neighbour to enable her benefits from the rice.

Balogun said she bought the rice because of Ramadan fasting and appreciated the initiator as well as the federal government.

She also pleaded with government to improve more of the subsidised food to sustained the livelihood of the ordinary Nigerians.

The Chief Imam of Magodo Phase 2, Central Mosque, Imam Abdul-Semiu Kelani, thanked the government and prayed for successful regime of the present administration.

Police Parade Corpse of Serial Kidnapper, Killer of DPO in Rivers

Blessing Ibunge in Port Harcourt

The Rivers State Police Command has recovered and paraded the corpse of a serial kidnapper and wanted killer of SP Bako Angbashim, Divisional Police Officer of Ahoada East Local Government Area of the state.

The suspected serial killer Gift Okpara, popularly known as 2BABA, had attacked and killed the SP Angbashim in September 8, 2023, in a thick forest at Odumude community, Ahoada East, during a gun battle.

Following the incident and other threats to lives in the area, 2BABA and his gang were declared wanted by the police. The state government also placed a bounty of N100 million for any information leading to his arrest.

Upon assuming office as the

Commissioner of Police for the State in November last year, CP Olatunji Disu conducted an operational tour to the area, where the late DPO was murdered.

The commissioner gave a matching mandate to officers to intensify efforts in apprehending those responsible for the gruesome killing. During the operation, more than 70 suspects linked to SP Angbashim's murder were arrested and prosecuted.

Relentlessly, the police formed specialised teams, coordinating with the Army, Navy, Air Force, Department of State Services (DSS), and Nigeria Security and Defence Corps (NSCDC) in joint security meetings. A resolution was reached to smash the gang that has made the Ahoada axis and environs unlivable.

L-R: Secretary of Conference, Methodist Church Nigeria, The Rt.Rev. Babatunde Taiwo; Prelate Emeritus, Methodist Church Nigeria, His Eminence, Sunday Makinde; Celebrant, Rt. Rev. Ezekiel Akande; his wife, Yetunde Akande; son, Oluwafemi Akande and daughter, Oluwatoyin Akande, at the 60th birthday service of the Bishop of Methodist Church Nigeria, Diocese of Lagos - West, Ezekiel Akande, held at Methodist Cathedral of Blessing, Palm-Avenue, Lagos… recently

Ferdinand Ekechukwu - 08035011394

Email: ferdi_adthisday@yahoo.com

Why Flavour’s Performance Triggered Controversy at Pastor Siju’s 60th Bash

Ferdinand Ekechukwu

Reactions have continued to trail Flavour Nabania’s performance at Pastor Siju Iluyomade’s 60th birthday shindig. Siju, a Pastor and wife of Idowu Iluyomade, a senior pastor at the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG), City of David, Lagos, turned 60 recently and celebrated in style. The popular Nigerian musician was one of the entertainers booked at the birthday party.

Videos from the glamorous celebration went viral, including the performance of Flavour. As Flavour dished his hit song “Big Baller,” clips of Pastor Siju dancing to the song on stage began to circulate on the social space, sparking a backlash that transcended the Eko Hotels venue of the party.

On the other hand, there were those who frowned upon the timing of the landmark party as the RCCG church parish had just lost one of its prominent members alongside his wife and son.

Like someone echoed, “This is Herbert Wigwe’s church, he perished with his wife and son less than a week ago and the pastor is throwing a party with Flavor as performer!!!”

A critic observed this moment became a focal point for a broader discussion about the church’s role and the integration of secular

elements into its functions. Flavour has a mix of both gospel and secular songs. The neo-highlife artist and the choice of song, with its worldly themes, was perceived to be inappropriate for such occasion as some have argued it blurred the lines of Christian values.

While some have defended the Pastor’s choice,

saying Christianity and secular music are not mutually exclusive, others saw it as a sign of the church straying from its core values. But then it shows how much popular culture has eroded religious/ traditional beliefs.

Note that Flavour has performed that song far and wide at several occasions since he dropped his last album African Royealty, which the song leads, late last year. Known for his vibrant beats and captivating performances, Flavour’s presence at Pastor Siju’s birthday party was unexpected by many.

music catalogue like ‘Virtuous Woman”, “Good Woman”, or with his somewhat religious songs such as “Most High”, “Power and Glory”, “Chimamanda”. And the renowned Pastor Siju Iluyomade, would still have had a blast marking her 60th.

Gospel Creatives Set to Host Inaugural Kingdom Conference

Gospel Creatives Community, under the aegis of Exploits By Holy Spirit (EBHS) has announced the inaugural edition of Kingdom Creatives Conference tagged, “The Gospel and Mainstream Media” of Kingdom Creatives Conference holds tomorrow. The conference aims to educate kingdom/gospel creatives on the importance of creating edifying content through various media such as movies, music, animations, podcasts, comedy, poetry, and much more. The conference’s lineup of guests is bound to excite any attendee, with notable media personalities like Tomike Adeoye, Pastor Wale Adenuga, ID Cabasa, Pastor Adeola Abolaji, Gaise Baba, Dr Foy, Icon Oreoluwa, Haye Okoh, Ifeanyi Kalu, Blessing Manafa, and Pita

Sings expected to be in attendance. Attendees can also expect to be thrilled with a music performance from Greatman Takit and enjoy a panelist-led workshop.

The conference is a non-denominationto pioneer a platform for Kingdom creatives and provide essential knowlsupportive community, to enable them to excel, foster collaboration, and make an impact within mainstream media spaces.

Speaking on the driving force behind the conference, the convener, Pastor Clinton Wilson said; “In today’s world Content is KING. We consume so much content on various platforms on the go, hence why it is important to start educating and creating awareness about the importance of Christians actively producing Godly content and to help the extent of work needed to be done outside the pulpit.”

Gbaluwe Ayodele’s Unique Approach to Creating Sustainable Clothings

With a design philosophy revolving around celebrating the human form and enhancing its beauty, the Creative Director of Classy Clothings, Gbaluwe Ayodele Moses, is poised to

Graduating with a BA in Fine and Applied Art and specialising in textile design for industrial purposes as a student, he was provided with valuable knowledge and experiences that became a great use in his career today.

Gbaluwe further explains that, “My entrepreneurial journey started at a young age witnessing my father’s business activities. During my years of training I had a positive attitude and developed a good relationship with both classmate and lecturers most importantly I cultivated

patience necessary to deal with people’s need. “As a fashion designer, my creations are an expression of my artistry and passion

for fashion. Through my designs, I strive to convey a unique style that is both innovative and elegant. Each piece is carefully crafted with attention to detail, from the selection

In addition, he places a strong emphasis on sustainability by carefully selecting eco-friendly materials and ensuring ethical production methods were implemented throughout production process. He further said, “I am dedicated to providing exceptional customer service and working closely with their personal style and vision.

“As a fashion designer, I am always looking for new challenges and opportunities to grow and evolve creatively, while staying true to my unique voice in the world of fashion.”

Taking inspiration from various sources, including art, architecture, music, and nature, individuality and aesthetic sense, Gbaluwe is committed to creating fashion that is not only visually striking, but also comfortable to wear.

Improvement in Tourism Will Boost Events Industry, Says Moses Improvement in Tourism Will Boost Events Industry, Says Moses

Arecent surge in the tourism sector of some African countries, during the AFCON 2023 boost for the events industry of those countries.

Owing to that, popular Master of Ceremonies, media professional and TV Host, Adeyemo Moses, widely known as SimplyMhoses believes that the Nigerian event in the immediate and near future if the tourism sector was positioned and given more attention.

“When people travel, they aren’t just looking for sights; they’re seeking experiences. And what better way to immerse in a culture than through events?” Moses said.

The native of Osun who has mastered the art of occasion and media, dazzling at functions and interviewing esteemed personalities added, “Events are the soul of tourism, and everyone knows that no one does socials like Nigeria.”

He elaborated while reminiscing about the events that took him beyond Nigerian borders, revealing the incredible potential for cross-pollination between industries.

“With increased travel, there’s a heightened demand for events that tell a story, that celebrate uniqueness and diversity,” Adeyemo emphasised.

The linkage between tourism and the events industry is akin to a marriage where both parties can thrive from each other’s success.

Tourism opens the gates for various types of events: from festivals that celebrate local culture, to international conferences, and everything in between.

With landmarks such as the Zuma Rock, the mystical charm of Osun Sacred Forest, and the bustling cityscapes of places like Lagos and Abuja, the nation has an attractive mosaic of culture and beauty that beckons worldwide explorers.

“The trend is clear; tourism in Nigeria can sprint ahead,” he enthused.

Much like the tourist hotspots, Nigeria’s event industry exhibits unrivalled potential. Events like the Lagos Theater Festival, Ake Book Festival, and Calabar Carnival beckon tourists from afar, illuminating Adeyemo’s point of convergence for both sectors.

Adeyemo’s perspective stems from his substantial local and international experience, where he has witnessed the transformation of local events into global spectacles and the increase in social currency, perception and economy. These are the sorts of experiences that could put a place on the map, not just as a destination but also as a hub of vibrant cultural exchange.

As a graduate of Graphics Arts, Creativity is at the heart of Moses’ proposed solutions.

“We must innovate our way into a robust events industry that can ride the tourism wave,” he said.

This includes developing event packages that integrate local tourism activities to international

Global observation comes into play as he highlighted best practices from countries that have married tourism and events successfully.

Ferdinand Ekechukwu

Flavour serenading Pastor Siju

Gbaluwe Ayodele

Tosin Clegg

Tosin Clegg

Adeyemo Moses

Pastor Clinton Wilson

CBN’s Invalidation of $2.4bn Forward Contracts as Crushing Blow to Manufacturing Sector

Donatus Eleko

In a move that has sent shockwaves through Nigeria’s already fragile economy, the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) earlier this month announced the invalidation of approximately $2.4 billion worth of forward contracts sold to manufacturers. The development, with its far-reaching consequences, comes at a time when the nation is grappling with a myriad of economic challenges, exacerbating the woes of both small and large-scale manufacturers alike.

The CBN Governor, in an interview on Arise News Channel gave reasons for the invalidation to include not having valid import documents; entities did not exist but got allocations; entities who asked for FX but got more than what they asked, and those that did not ask for FX but got allocations.

Indeed, the current state of affairs in Nigeria paints a grim picture. Businesses across various sectors are reeling from the impact of inflation, heightened by dwindling purchasing power and currency devaluation. The ripple effects of these economic hardships have led to a surge in unemployment, underemployment, and a sharp increase in crime rates within the country.

The invalidated forward contracts, amounting to a staggering $2.4 billion, were originally entered into by manufacturers seeking to hedge against currency fluctuations and mitigate exchange rate risks. However, the CBN’s decision to render these contracts null and void has left these manufacturers in dire straits, with devastating financial implications.

For over a year, manufacturers have been saddled with the burden of paying naira interest on the funds utilised to purchase the forward contracts, compounded by substantial post-negotiation charges. Despite these hefty financial commitments, many manufacturers find themselves unable to recoup their investments as the forward contracts matured amidst an unprecedented surge in the exchange rate.

The stark contrast between the prevailing exchange rates at the time of contract initiation and the current FX landscape has further compounded the financial crisis faced by the companies. Manufacturers who purchased

goods and conducted business based on exchange rates ranging between N600 to N700 to a dollar, are now confronted with an exchange rate that has soared well beyond N1800/$. For instance, companies with $5,000,000 forward contract invalidated by the CBN, would experience a staggering loss of between N5 billion and N6 billion loss on FX for previous year transactions.

The repercussions of the invalidated forward contracts are catastrophic. Small companies, already teetering on the brink of collapse, now face imminent closure, exacerbating the unemployment crisis and further stifling economic growth. Larger corporations, faced with mounting forex losses, are contemplating exit strategies, dealing a severe blow to Nigeria’s investment climate and overall economic stability.

What is perhaps most alarming is the apparent lack of consideration for the dire economic realities faced by Nigerian manufacturers. The CBN’s decision to cancel $2.4 billion worth of forward contracts without engaging stakeholders to assess the impact on an already beleaguered economy is deeply concerning. Moreover, the failure to compensate manufacturers for the interest costs incurred over the past 12 months while their funds were held by the CBN adds insult to injury.

Clearly, the delivery of the forward contracts was expected to be utilised by the banks to liquidate the foreign obligation on their correspondent banks. These lines were utilised for valid Letters of Credit transactions, approved by the CBN and shipments received by the customers in Nigeria.

Therefore, the cancellation of the forwards implies that the foreign lines availed by the correspondent banks would be clogged and classified as bad debt due to the tenors fallen after 180 days of establishment. This would force the correspondent banks to take further risk measures on the available line to Nigeria banks and reduce the capability of the real sector to undertake trade transaction.

Also, the inability of the CBN to honor matured forward contracts constitutes a default risk to the central bank. The key questions being asked should be how would the manufacturers hold CBN accountable for failing to honor contractual agreements for valid transactions approved by

them instead of turning around to declare the same transactions invalid.

In addition, as part of the transaction dynamics for the forward contracts, customers’ accounts were debited with the naira equivalent of the allocated dollars for the transactions. These funds have been deposited with the CBN for over a year. The CBN should pay interest to cover all interest and bank charges incurred by the customer as the funds were deposited with the apex bank. This has become pertinent to note that some of the forward contract payments were funded using bank loans and the customers has suffered significant finance cost and charges on these transactions.

The apex bank disclosed that some FX allocation was declared invalid because some entities got more than what they asked. Further investigation revealed that the CBN gave approval for the re-allocation of the excess forex for other valid transactions and have turned around to reverse its own approvals granted to the customer. This requires further evaluation to prevent a situation where the CBN is acting as a Judge and Jury in the same circumstance.

These approved transactions by the CBN is expected to be honored as the customers have complied with the laid down procedures for handling such matters.

Indeed, the declaration of $2.4 billion forward contract forex transaction invalid has huge implication for the market. The current forex market lacks sufficient liquidity to meet the daily requirement of the real sector and by this decision, the CBN has increased the demand side with a potential $2.4 billion that is required to be sourced by customers. This would further devalue the Naira, increase cost of production and inflation within the country.

The adverse effect of this decision is disastrous to the manufacturing sector. This is premised on the fact that the forwards had been utilised to established LCs for valid form M transactions at rates within N600/$1 and the repayments of the obligations would have to be done at N1,500/$. Due to the devaluation of the Naira, the policy declaration of the CBN has increased the cost of transaction by N900/$.

Shehu Osidi: Mortgage Banking Professional to Lead New FMBN

Richard Imhoagene

The definitive, strategic, and well-crafted unveiling of housing and urban development reform initiatives by the federal government over the past couple of months shows that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s pledge to revitalise the housing sector and make homes accessible to all Nigerians is a promise that he intends to keep.

From the President’s demerger of the Federal Ministry of Housing and Urban Development to his appointment of Ahmed Musa Dangiwa, a built environment professional, consummate housing finance professional, and former Managing Director of the Federal Mortgage Bank of Nigeria, to the holistic reforms that he has set out to implement in line with the Renewed Hope Agenda, there is a rising sense of optimism within stakeholder quarters that the nation is on the right course towards housing development.

On the heels of the inauguration of the four housing sector reform task teams in January and the recent launch of the Renewed Hope Cities and Estates Programme, which aims to build 50,000 homes in the first phase across the country, the President appointed Mr. Shehu Usman Osidi, an accomplished banker, experienced mortgage finance professional with more than 30 years’ experience in the housing and finance space, as Managing Director/Chief Executive on Thursday, 14th February 2024.

Housing industry experts have hailed the decision of Mr. President to appoint Osidi to the top leadership of the nation’s apex mortgage bank as wise, fitting, and historic, as it will enable seamless implementation of the Renewed Hope housing reforms being championed by the Hon. Minister of Housing and Urban Development, Arc. Ahmed Musa Dangiwa.

Born on 10th May 1965 in Shafa-Abakpa, Toto Local Government Area of Nasarawa state, Shehu Osidi was, prior to his appointment, the Special Assistant on Housing and Chief of Staff to Dangiwa, with whom he also worked as a Special Assistant while the latter was Managing Director of the FMBN between 2017 and 2022.

Between 1990 and 2010, Osidi worked with four commercial banks in Nigeria, starting with Lion Bank of Nigeria Plc from 1990 to 2005. He then moved on to Diamond Bank in 2005 for a one-year stint before answering the call

Osidi

to join Intercontinental Bank from 2006 to 2007, and Afribank Nigeria Plc from 2007 until 2010. His stellar performance at Afribank in those three years proved transformative, as he was able to turn around the fortunes of the branch within the threemonth deadline, from a loss of N7 million in the first month to a profit of N6 million in his third month. He was able to maintain the performance progressively, growing the branch’s monthly profit to N18 million before his departure.

It was in 2010 that Osidi joined FMBN as an Assistant General Manager, becoming a pivotal staff of the bank.

Career Highlights and Achievements

Osidi significantly contributed to FMBN’s major accomplishments over the past 15 years. Just two years after joining the bank, he rose to lead the Special Products Group, excelling in this role from 2012 to 2017. His commitment to financial inclusion led him to innovate and cater to the needs of the informal sector and low-income individuals.

As Group Head of Special Products and under the guidance of Dangiwa, Osidi played a lead role in the development and operationalisation of the Cooperative Housing Development

Loan product designed to bring members of the informal sector under the umbrella of the National Housing Fund (NHF) scheme. Using the scheme alone, the bank disbursed a total sum of N22.082 billion, delivering 3,540 housing units to cooperative societies across the country.

Other innovative products that he led efforts to design include the Rent-to-Own Scheme, FMBN Home Renovation Loan, and the Diaspora NHF Mortgage Loan product. The Home Renovation Loan was introduced to widen the beneficiary net of the NHF scheme, affording contributors with limited affordability the chance to enjoy low-hanging fruits, up to N1 million to upgrade, renovate, expand, or complete their homes. Within the period, the Bank under the visionary leadership of the current Housing Minister disbursed a total of N80.1 billion to 77,575 beneficiaries in Home Renovation Loans.

On the other hand, the Diaspora Mortgage Loan sought to address two key issues; providing more Nigerians with access to affordable homeownership and tapping into the housing finance opportunity that the $20 billion annual diaspora remittance offers. The Rent-to-Own product allowed beneficiaries to simply move into an FMBN-funded house and pay up the cost as monthly or annual rent, at single-digit interest rate. No equity contribution is required from such a subscriber. A total of N1.14 billion was disbursed to 76 beneficiaries in what were the early days of the scheme.

An expert in International Housing Finance matters, Osidi was a crucial part of the Arc. Ahmed Musa Dangiwa team that initiated and implemented transformational policies and actions, causing the bank to achieve its most historic milestones between 2017 and 2022 throughout its 30-year history. From his role in the development and implementation of a Six-Point Agenda for the new management which resumed in April 2017, to the passionate pursuit of automation across the bank’s processes, micro-management, and completion of nine out of 26 abandoned projects, aggressive debt recovery, and implementation of the Enterprise-wide Risk Management Framework to cut down the incidence of non-performing loans.

Osidi, as a key staff and confidante of the then Managing Director of FMBN, now Housing Minister, contributed to the historic milestones recorded.

Imhoagene is a Housing Analyst and Commentator based in Abuja.

PERSPECTIVE

Abiodun’s N5bn Palliatives and Food Sufficiency

Femi Ogbonnikan

Following recent waves of protests against the rising cost of living in some parts of the country, Ogun State Governor, Dapo Abiodun, on Wednesday, February 14, 2024, announced a N5 billion intervention fund to cushion the effect of food inflation in the State.

While addressing a press conference held at Abeokuta, the Governor stated that provision would be made for food palliatives to include rice and other food items for about 300,000 households across the State.

This, he said, “brings our total immediate interventions as a responsible State Government to about N5 billion across all sectors of the State economy.”

For all intent and purposes, this is a time to know a leader who is proactively sensitive to the needs of the citizenry as against reactionaries. For being so swift in his response to the challenging socio-economic situation in the country, not only did the Governor appreciate the people for their perseverance, patience, and understanding, but he also assured them of food self-sufficiency in line with the agricultural policy of his administration.

His words came like a soothing balm when he said: “As our administration acknowledges the concerns raised by many of our citizens regarding the rising food prices and shortages, coupled with the depreciation of the Naira value, we identify with you and are taking proactive measures to alleviate the impact of these challenges to guarantee the welfare, well-being, and wellness of our citizens in this difficult time.

“Let me assure you that the present economic situation is just a transient phase that will soon pass. Whatever we experience now are just necessary sacrifices that we have to make towards ensuring a greater tomorrow.

“In a special way, we extend our appreciation to the President, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, for his continuous efforts in navigating the complexities of our nation’s economic landscape.”

As far as Ogun State is concerned, the latest intervention is not a one-off thing. Since he assumed office on May 29, 2019, Governor Abiodun has been consistent in his policy to boost agricultural productivity as a way of ensuring food self-sufficiency. For four and a half years of the present administration, agricultural development has remained one of the key pillars of development of the state. This has been sustained through Public-Private Partnerships (PPP) with the commitment to boost the agriculture sector for the well-being of all and sundry.

And, of course, in a situation such as this, the only antidote against food crisis and hunger is a sustained effort to boost productivity. For this concern, Governor Abiodun has assured that he would continue to implement policies that would guarantee people’s access to affordable quality food to ease the burden of the rising cost of living. “In this direction and through targeted interventions, we aim to address these

challenges by implementing a series of phased initiatives aimed at alleviating these burdens on all our citizens,” he stated.

The essence of the planned interventions emphasised by the Governor is to underscore the readiness of the administration to frontally confront the hunger that is threatening the stability of the polity with a pocket of protests against the high cost of living in some states.

The ordinary people of Niger State who could no longer remain silent in the face of the hardship of the economy recently took their anger to the streets of Minna, the state capital, protesting the high cost of living. Youths and women had thronged the popular Kpakungu Roundabout along Minna-Bida Road to lament their lack of access to food. Subsequently, the protest spurred similar indignations in some other parts of the country.

And because of adversarial politics going on in the country, some reactionary members of the opposition, who wanted to make capital out of the situation, turned the blame against President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, citing the removal of fuel subsidy and foreign exchange rate unification as the reason for the current hardship confronting the people.

That submission was shallow, hasty, and a lack of critical thinking in the analysis of issues. For all they care, such a triviality is undeserving of public attention. And quite interestingly, the insinuation has been rightly treated with benign neglect by the listening audience. There is no denying the fact that since the declaration of the two

audacious policies, the hardship arising from the socio-economic consequences of the new regime of subsidy removal has taken the better part of the common people, questioning the reality of the “Renewed Hope Agenda” of the administration. Among other things, the combined effects of these two policies have resulted in a high rate of food inflation and a lack of access to basic needs. From the records, the current rate of inflation (28.92%) remains the highest in the recent past.

But all Nigerians know that the food security situation in the country has over the years been impacted by insecurity, especially the insurgency in the North East; armed banditry in the Northwest; perennial farmer–herder conflicts in the North Central, South West, and increasingly across the country. Other factors contributing to the food insecurity situation include rising inflation, poverty, and unemployment with deleterious effects on the conditions of living of citizens, and their ability to access food.

Before then, the food security situation in Nigeria had been a major concern with 17 million people estimated to be critically food insecure in 2022. A similar report by Cadre Harmonise, a government-led and UN-supported food and nutrition analysis, estimated that about 25 million Nigerians were likely to be food insecure between June and August of 2023.

There is a nexus between the current food crisis and natural disasters, like floods in some parts of the country. For instance, according to the report of the National Emergencies Management Agency (NEMA), the 2022 floods led to the destruction and washing away of over 675,000 hectares of farmland. One can only imagine the extent of the impact of this scale of destruction of farmlands on agricultural activities and food production across the country. Farmers, the majority of whom are small-scale, lost not only crops and harvests, but also farm animals, poultry, fishery, and farm implements to the raging floods.

What all this means is that the food crisis has been a looming threat for the past two years but the cynics feign ignorance of the hunger that has been lurking long before the inauguration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

For the Patriots, this is not a time for a blame-game. We must all see the current situation as a collective tragedy that requires the collective action of all concerned stakeholders. As Jean Ziegler rightly quipped, “Hunger is a ‘Weapon of Mass Destruction.’ Hunger is not a respecter of tribal, religious, or racial boundaries. Hunger happens when people do not have enough food to eat. The main cause of hunger is not a collective shortage of food but rather access to food. Addressing hunger is more than just giving verbal support or condemnation”.

To show that the APC-led administration is not shying away from the current reality, the Federal Government has identified food insecurity as well as climate change as factors responsible for lower incomes and higher prices of foods in the country. These challenges have seriously put food out of the reach of many Nigerians.

In August last year, President Tinubu saw the threat of the looming crisis when he declared a state of emergency on food insecurity and unveiled a comprehensive intervention plan to ensure food affordability and sustainability.

Rathore: Nigeria Has No Reason Importing Fertilizer

The Managing Director, Rahamaniyya Fertiliser Plant, Satish Singh Rathore, in this interview with Adedayo Akinwale, says Nigeria has no reason importing fertilizer. Excerpts:

What kind of fertiliser are you producing in your company?

At Rahamaniyya Fertilizer, we prepare NPK 20:10:10 fertilizer and NPK 15:15:15. These two varieties are very familiar and very famous with the farmers and we produce all kinds of NPK fertilizers: They use NPK 20:10:10 and NPK 15:15:15 for various crops. The aim of Rahamaniyya fertilizer is to produce very good fertilizers for farmers. That is our target. In preparation of NPK, we use urea, we use DAP, MOP and limestone. Limestone is a raw material, but in preparation of the limestone, we have our own products, we don’t buy from anybody. That means our limestone granules are very good product because it’s 100 per cent limestone. We give 100 per cent to farmers. The Rahamanniyya Fertilizers — NPK 20:10:10 and NPK 15:15:15 are some of the best fertilizers in Nigeria. We have already given the sample to the Nigerian government, they have already approved the two as the best in Nigeria. We are giving the farmers good products, that is the target of Rahamanniyya Fertilizer. What we give farmers pure fertilizer. Purity means what are the elements in the fertilizer, just like Urea. Urea must be pure, DAP must be pure, MOP must be pure and limestone should be pure. Nowadays in the market, we have seen so many varieties of limestones, but our limestone is the number one in the market. I challenged others to check the quality of the limestone we are using. They can come to our plant and see our limestone granules name and they can check the property and the quality we are using. We are using pure ground limestone, which does not have dust and mud.

It means it will yield more profit to farmers automatically. And my whole team is working according to that.

What is the cost of the project?

We have two lines of NPK. Two lines mean line one and line two. All the lines are designed for 60MT per hour. That means we can say one line has the capacity of 1,414. The two lines have the capacity of 2,818 MT per day. That means we are capable of producing 2,818 MT per day of NPK. After two lines of blending plants, we also have a limestone plant. The problem of limestone is dust. Our limestone plant has zero dust. That is why our fertilizer is very pure. We have two limestone plants. One plant is already commissioned and the second is almost at completion. Within two months, the project would be completed. After the competition, we can run four plants at a time.

How many metric tonnes can it produce per annum?

We are producing 2,818 MT per day. So you can say 1,028,570MT per annum is our blending capacity and limestone capacity is 40MT per hour and if you calculate in 30 hours or 24 hours, we can say 800MT per day production for the limestone granules. This is the first plant in Nigeria with this capacity. Rahamanniyya Fertilizer is one of the biggest and highest capacity plants in Nigeria. It’s a huge production.

There are similar fertilizer plants across Nigeria, what would you say is the strength Rahamanniyya Fertilizer has over others?

Actually in Nigeria, a lot of fertilizer plants are available. And for the urea, the Dangote fertilizer plant is also there in Lagos. Indorama fertilizer is in Port Harcourt, Rivers State and so many other NPK plants. The Dangote fertilizer is producing only urea and the Indorama fertilizer produces only urea. But we are mixing the fertilizer. What is the purpose of urea? Urea is giving

nitrogen to the crops. But, we are mixing the fertilizer. That means we are giving nitrogen, phosphorus, potash and limestone. That is why I’m saying our fertilizer is unique.

With the Rahamanniyah fertilizer coming on board, do you think it is enough to stop Nigeria from importing fertilizer from other parts of the world?

Yes, that is a big problem we are facing in Nigeria. That we are importing fertilizer from abroad is not good because everything is available in Nigeria. Phosphate is available. Sokoto is rich in limestone — very huge quantity of limestone is available in the State. Dangote and Indorama are producing urea, so we are not depending on other countries for the urea, we are depending on our own.

Abiodun

Rathore

Lighting Up Africa: Nigeria Can Show the Way

Anna Bjerde

Over the past 20 years, considerable progress has been made in electrifying the world, with the number of people without electricity at home being chopped in half — the most transformative and immediate way of transforming lives. Yet Africa is the exception — when it shouldn’t be.

Today, over 600 million people are without access to reliable electricity on the African continent where electrification efforts haven’t kept pace with population growth.

But blaming demographic pressures for the slow progress is way too easy. It’s time for collective responsibility and collective action. An unplugged continent is our last great obstacle to realizing our promise of a world with electricity for all.

In Nigeria alone, over 85 million people —more than 4 out of 10 Nigerians— are deprived of electricity. My trip to Abuja earlier this month reinforced what I already knew: the paradox of energy poverty in a land of plenty. Nigeria, an economic powerhouse with huge solar potential, has the largest electricity access deficit in the world. A shocking reality for a country beaming with energy.

And even those connected to the grid face frequent power outages, at a huge cost for society and the economy. Without the lifeblood of electricity, entire communities struggle to preserve crops, irrigate their fields, engage in economic activities, run health clinics, or allow children to study or play in decent and safe conditions. All of this creates a ripple effect that threatens the very foundation of healthy, prosperous, and resilient societies.

My time in Abuja also convinced me that Nigeria can show the way to electrifying Africa. Why? Because Nigeria’s transformation has already begun – with every new household connected to electricity a small victory.

At the World Bank, we have bold plans for Nigeria —and the rest of Africa.

Just recently, we have launched a groundbreaking program called DARES (Distributed Access through Renewable Energy Scale-Up), which will provide access to clean and reliable energy to 20% of the unelectrified and over 200,000 Micro, Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (MSMEs) by 2030 through private sector interventions. To create the conditions for even greater victories, we are working closely with the Nigerian authorities on grid reforms and sector performance improvements.

Governments, starting with Nigeria, need to take the lead in

Tinubu

jump-starting the clean energy revolution through reforms and stable policy and regulatory frameworks, supported by concessional finance that can attract big amounts of private finance. DARES specifically prioritizes affordability, by providing highly targeted subsidies to populations that need it most; sustainability, by linking access solutions to productive uses of electricity; and scalability, by catalyzing upfront private investments and accelerating the deployment of mini grids and standalone solar solutions.

Most importantly, this project holds potential for broader development across Africa. Connecting people in Nigeria is just the tip of the iceberg. Key components of DARES, such as affordability, sustainability, scalability, and regional cooperation, are the much larger submerged parts of the energy access challenge – elements which, I’m convinced, require far-sighted strategies, adaptive cross-sectoral government programs, and replicable regional approaches to fulfill our pledge to connect at least 200 million additional people to electricity in Africa by 2030 (100 million in Eastern and Southern Africa and 100 million across West and Central Africa).

Affordability is the key that unlocks the full transformative potential of electricity for development. Electricity cannot be reserved for those who can afford it. Closing the electricity gap cannot deepen existing inequalities. Instead, it should empower

Buhari: Akpabio’s Shot in the Dark

Enefiok Ekanem

Nigerians have been having harrowing experiences since President Bola Tinubu took office, as they are confronted by mounting unprecedented hunger and insecurity as well as crushed naira whose value keeps tumbling without restraint, heading towards exchanging for probably N2000 to a dollar.

Though these are true reflections of the goings on in Nigeria, not a few citizens were shocked by the Senate President, Senator Godswill Akpabio, when he publicly shredded the immediate past president, Muhammadu Buhari, and dumped the country’s economic woes at his doorstep.

According to him, the National Assembly is beginning to understand the full extent of the economic damage allegedly done by Buhari and the former Central Bank Governor, Godwin Emefiele, whose policies he claimed left the country indebted and its people living in extreme penury.

Speaking at Senator Barinada Mpigi’s thanksgiving service in Koroma, Tai Local Government in Rivers State, Akpabio reportedly said: “A lot of people will not understand the kind of debt and economic mess that we are in, but I remember (former) President Obama saying that you cannot know Washington until you get to Washington. It was awful by the time we arrived to examine the nation’s economic status.”

Truly, Akpabio deserves to hold his views, rightly or wrongly. The problem is, Who is Akpabio?

In fact, he does not need any introduction. He is the President of the 10th Senate. He is a former governor and senator of the Federal Republic but above all, Akpabio served as a minister in the Buhari administration where he presided over the all-important Niger Delta ministry.

It is worrisome that a character like Akpabio, like many others, is occupying such a sensitive office in a land in which he has no moral scruples. If, indeed, Buhari is responsible for the mess Nigeria is currently undergoing, by blaming the former president, Akpabio has also self-indicted himself because being part of the Federal Executive Council, he was part and parcel of whatever he is now accusing Buhari of doing.

Unfortunately, Nigerians are too docile or tolerant. Akpabio should have been chased out of the senate chambers by now. How could Akpabio, who was a key player in the Buhari administration assault and insult our intellect with such balderdash? At least, there was never any report that Akpabio disagreed with the president over any policy.

Besides that, how has Akpabio fared as the senate president to give him a solid ground to stand and criticise others?

Akpabio’s bland senate presidency has not only led to the clamour for his resignation, but he has also drawn the ire of his lead colleagues, who are not comfortable with how he has turned the Red Chamber into a cowering and groveling extension of the president.

He has been called out for his penchant for ambushing senators by foisting deliberately delayed presidential communication on the Senate in a manner they would not have time to debate and scrutinise such issues.

Some leading senators like the Chief Whip of the Senate, Senator Mohammed Ali Ndume, had even confronted him on the floor of the Red Chamber over this and accused him of not giving senators adequate opportunity to interrogate and scrutinise bills, especially money bills.

Ndume warned that history would judge him for approving executive requests and passing important legislation hastily.

Ndume is just one too many in the swirling criticism of Akpabio over his dour leadership of the National Assembly. It was as a result of this and the fear that he would be impeached at the least opportunity that drove him to amend the Senate standing rules to the effect that no first-term senator is qualified to vie for the position of presiding officer, which clearly breaches the constitution that allows senators to freely choose their presiding officers at their first sitting irrespective of ranking. Also, Akpabio has remained an unserious lawmaker, a chronic latecomer, who philanders while urgent matters of state require his attention. Nevertheless, it is doubtful if he would last in the gilded office.

Strangely, Akpabio has suddenly turned the people’s advocate and can now blame Buhari. Here is a man, who only recently mocked the masses when a senator commented that the government should ‘let Nigerians breathe’. He turned such a serious matter into a joke, evoking guffaws from his unempathatic co-travelers

To be fair to Akpabio, he is standing on the same slippery ground that they manipulated to get him into the senate and consequently foisted him on the upper chamber as its president. There are far too many skeletons in his cupboard for which he is being blackmailed or so it seems. He is desperate to cling to the office because all that his blackmailers need is to pick up one of the items on his brimful file and whip him back in line, using the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC. Unsurprisingly, he is more of the president’s errand boy than the leader of the country’s legislature.

It is difficult to know whether Akpabio was joking when he said the government does not know the offence to charge the former Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN,

people, boost economic growth, and improve health and educational outcomes. Innovative schemes like “Pay as you Go” plans for solar energy can help close the affordability gap for end-users. And targeted measures and incentives designed to increase the productive use of electricity will lead to increased demand and further investment in improving electricity quality and affordability, thus creating a virtuous cycle.

Accelerating the Productive Use of Electricity : Enabling Energy Access ...

The productive use of electricity in rural communities can contribute to significant socioeconomic development a...

Sustainability involves a combined focus on deep sector reforms and productive use of electricity that will progressively break the cycle of reliance on public money and government subsidies. A future where energy access will not be a handout, but a self-sustaining driver of progress and prosperity.

Finally, scalability means that every penny of public finance dedicated to energy access can also serve as a launchpad and catalyst for private enterprise and investment, maximising the leverage of limited public funds.

In a context where energy resources are abundant but heavily concentrated, and the upfront investments needed to develop them exceed the capacity of national power markets, thinking regionally is the way forward.

The integration of countries’ power systems can help grow exponentially affordable and sustainable power supply from the sunbelt in the Sahel, the water towers in Ethiopia, Guinea, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and the geothermal and wind farms in Kenya – a few examples I find so promising.

But regional integration is not only about building physical cross-border infrastructure. It requires countries to cooperate in building open and competitive regional power markets. It requires stronger utilities trading power on regional markets. The results can be transformative and are already apparent as power pools expand across the continent.

Closing the energy access gap is not an impossible feat. With the cost of renewable energy falling over the past 10 years, we are closer than ever. But we can’t go into it halfway. It will take bold policy reforms, groundbreaking innovations, and massive investments in clean, affordable, and reliable sources of energy. Only then can we truly envision a green future for all.

Bjerde is the World Bank Managing Director for Operations

Godwin Emefiele with. This exposes the government he purports to represent to ridicule because they should as well let the man go if they don’t know what his offences are.

By the way, the only difference between Emefiele and Akpabio is the fact that Emefiele is already answering for his alleged offences while Akpabio is privileged to have so far put a lid on his. We in Akwa Ibom, and Nigerians know that the Senate President had been a guest of the EFCC over the alleged theft of N108.1 billion of Akwa Ibom funds and we eagerly await the conclusion of the matter.

He also has explanations to give over allegations of a N40 billion fraud perpetrated in the Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC, a parastatal under him as the Minister of Niger Delta Ministry for three years. There were also allegations of over N86 billion contract scams, involving him and a former Acting Managing Director of the NDDC, Prof Kemebradikumo Pondei, which is still under investigation by the anti-graft agency. It is, therefore absurd that Akpabio should use his undeserved privileged position to try to pull a wool over our eyes.

Enefiok, a social commentator wrote in from Oron, Akwa Ibom State.

Akpabio

Budgeting for Your Household amid Rising Inflation

This is not the best of time for West Africa’s largest economy. Nigerians are inarguably in one of their toughest times in recent times. Evidently, 21-year high of 29.9 per cent in January 2024, which according to National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) data, was the highest since 2003.

January 2024 quickened to 35.41 per cent on a year-on-year basis, which was 11.10 per cent points higher compared to the rate recorded in January 2023 (24.32 per cent).

Soaring food prices have been a major challenge in Nigeria, since after President Bola Tinubu announced the end of fuel subsidy payments during his inauguration on May 29, 2023. the country, from Niger, to Kano, Osun and some others States.

The upward trend in the prices of these staples as well as other products has weakened the purchasing power of many citizens, making it people sliding into poverty. now grapple to meet up with life’s essentials including clothing, shelter, health, transportation and children’s education which prices are also constantly rising like food.

The fact remains that Nigerian citizens are now paying more for few with income that does not commensurate with prevailing market prices.

While food remains a basic necessity of living, life’s reality still pegs on biblical truism that ‘Man shall not leave by bread alone’.

Unfortunately, the situation in the country: has come to stay for a long time, as experts argued that it may not be peculiar to Nigeria or Africa alone. For instance, the UK economy has entered recession after recording two successive quarters of negative economic growth in the on Thursday. Gross domestic product in the UK shrank by 0.3 per cent in the fourth quarter of 2023 after contracting 0.1 per cent in the Statistics revealed in a statement, meeting the

For households in Nigeria, experts have advised that with little resources, there must be need for budget preparation. In realising this, a proper household budgeting is advised to balance income and expenses, while securing

THISDAY spoke with some experts who

also a Professor of Finance, Godwin Oyedokun, shared some the tips below:

- Start by tracking your expenses for a few months to understand where your money is

(e.g., rent, utilities) and variable (e.g., groceries, dining out) costs.

- Based on your analysis, set a realistic budget that aligns with your income. Allocate amounts for each category, including non-negotiable categories such as groceries and entertainment.

- Given the rising food costs, make sure you prioritise essential items like groceries, healthcare, and transportation. Avoid unnecessary expenses.

-Plan your meals in advance and create a grocery list accordingly. Stick to this list while shopping, avoid impulse purchases, and compare prices to make informed decisions. Consider buying in bulk or using loyalty programs to save money on groceries.

- Cooking meals at home is generally more Explore simple and budget-friendly recipes, and consider batch cooking to save time and money. Leftovers can be utilized for future meals.

- Save on utility bills by being mindful of when not in use, adjust your thermostat to conserve energy, and consider investment in while shopping for groceries or other household items. Many stores have loyalty programs or apps that provide additional savings. Consider rebates on eligible purchases.

- As circumstances change, regularly review your budget to ensure it aligns with your evolving needs. Adjust allocations based on

- Set aside some money monthly to cover emergency expenses. This can provide a safety

or using budgeting tools and apps that can automate and streamline the process.

Similarly, Vice President, Association of Chapter, Dr. Titilayo Fowokan, suggested that families should try to identify and embrace substitutes for household requirements. She also urged everyone to go green.

“Going green comes at a low cost. Organic inorganic and processed meal which comes with inputted Value Added Tax (VAT) to bring them to consumers’ reach.

“More so, endeavour to avoid waste. Waste reduction would facilitate identifying the quantity of food consumable by the family at once with little or none to be disposed of,” she said.

She added, “Strive to eat balanced diet. This will save you hospital cost.”

Also lending his voice, an economist, Ajibola Olude, advised couples to pool resources for

“There is no better time to consume what is produced in Nigeria than now”, Ajibola added.

Report: Four of Ten Nigerians in Debt

Anew report by indigenous has revealed that four out of 10 Nigerians are in one kind of debt or the other. The report disclosed further that 26 per cent of apps spread across the country.

Roundtable in Lagos, recently, Co-founder and COO of PiggyVest, Odun Eweniyi, further decried growing wealth divide among Nigerians, saying it was inimical to economic growth.

According to her, the new report captures

country viz- a-viz their savings and spending plans.

She charged government to harness right collaborations to bridge growing wealth divide among Nigerians as to enhance economic development.

She informed further that expectations were high of loan and credit support facilities to constantly embrace innovations as part of

She said, “We must also know that while innovation is key, it cannot go far without social interventions for the people.

SystemSpecs Unveils Portal for Children’s Essay Contest

Financial technology company, SystemSpecs has reaffirmed commitment to development of children, just as it unveiled portal for its annual Children’s Day Essay Competition, CDEC.

The CDEC is a Corporate Social Responsibility, CSR initiative of the company aimed to power an inclusive and sustainable future for Nigeria’s technology industry.

In a statement, the company’s Group Head, Corporate Services, Mrs. Bukola Adeboye, stated further that the initiative was designed to empower

young Nigerians to express their creative minds in solving national issues using technology, also to ensure that their views were prioritised in national issues.

She explained that this year’s contest, with the theme: “Protecting the Nigerian Child from the Dangers of Online Technology,” is opened to young Nigerians between ages nine and 16 in primary or secondary school.

Managing Director of Remita Payment Services Limited, Mr. Deremi Atanda, stated that discussion around children’s safety on the internet remained crucial in evolving technology space.

Bigi Lauds Nigerians’ Resilience amid Economic Challenge

Carbonated soft drink brand, Bigi has pledged support to dreams and aspirations of Nigerians just as it commended them for doggedness in the midst of challenges in the country.

In a new television commercial recently released, the organisation acknowledged Nigerians ability to overcome obstacles with infectious resilience, laughter, and an unyielding belief in that no dream is too big.

Speaking on the television commercial, Assistant Brand Manager of Bigi, Biola Aransiola, stated that the commercial was a tribute to the hustle, laughter and unwavering spirit of Nigerians in the face of adversity.

She said, “The commercial features vibrant visuals, a catchy soundtrack, and relatable story of everyday Nigerians chasing their dreams. But the heart of the message lies with a powerful message that the Naija spirit is bottled up in every refreshing sip of Bigi.

Top Female Communication Strategists Join Jury for EMEA SABRE Award

Organisers of the SABRE Awards for Europe, Middle East, and Africa (EMEA) has enlisted two foremost African female communication leaders to its distinguished jury for 2024 edition of the initiative.

The jurors, Nene Bejide and Lynda Aguocha bring in their wealth of experience to the jury entries for the prestigious awards.

The SABRE EMEA awards is a global platform committed to honouring excellence in strategic

planning, creativity, and business results within the public relations and communications space.

Aiming for professionalism, the organisers of the award has set aside esteemed panel of over 50 industry leaders to perfect justice on the over 200 entries received for this year’s edition.

A statement by the organisers stated that the awards would highlight campaigns that epitomise the pinnacle of strategic planning and creative excellence.

The statement described the duo of Bejide and Aguocha as industry icons respected for their sheer professionalism, adding that their presence in the jury board reiterated organisers’ commitment to excellence.

Omolabake Fasogbon

L-R: Co-founder and Chief Marketing Officer, PiggyVest,Joshua Chibueze; Managing Director, RedTech, Emmanuel Ojo; Managing Director, VFD Microfinance Bank, Gbenga Omolokun; Head, Data and Analytics at Interswitch Group, Adejoju Ajani; Senior Vice President, Loans at Moniepoint Inc., Tobi Amira; Head, Innovation Unit at Nigeria Data Protection Commission, Chidera Ike-Okonkwo and Group Head, E-Business at ProvidusBank, Elliott Kayode Sangoleye during Piggy Vest Financ round table in Lagos, recently

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Chery Commits to Sustainability, Showcases Ecofriendly Models to Reduce Environmental Impact

Bennett Oghifo

Chery has highlighted its commitment to sustainability by showcasing eco-friendly models and initiatives aimed at reducing the environmental impact of transportation.

Carloha Nigeria, the authorised dealer of Chery vehicles in Nigeria displayed Chery’s latest advancements in automotive technology at the Lagos Motor Show, the maiden edition, for visitors to see

The Lagos Motor Show was held at the Tafawa Balewa Square (TBS), Lagos from February 16 to 17, 2024, and Carloha Nigeria put up a brilliant display of the Chery line of vehicles. During the two-day event, Chery brand stole the show with displays of their latest models, such as the Arrizzo 5, Tiggo 2, Tiggo 4, Tiggo 7 Pro, and Tiggo 8 Pro.

One of the highlights of Chery’s presence

at the show was its interactive booth, where guests had the opportunity to test their knowledge of Chery’s automobiles. Those who participated were generously rewarded with Carloha luxury gift items, adding an element of fun and excitement to the overall experience.

At the Lagos Motor Show, Chery in the Nigerian automotive market, setting new standards for innovation, quality, customer satisfaction, forward to building on the success of its participation in the Lagos Motor Show by continuing to engage with customers, partners, and stakeholders to drive positive change in the automotive industry.

“Chery’s participation at the Lagos Motor Show underscores its commitment to innovation, excellence, and customer satisfaction. The brand continues to set new standards in

wide range of vehicles that combine style,

To make vehicle ownership easy and

and 6 years free maintenance package for the purchase of any Chery models.

“Moreso, Carloha has a state-of-the-artneers and technicians to ensure adequate aftersales services to all Chery customers.”

The Show was declared open by Alhaji Mohammed Dantoro (Kitoro IV), Mai Borgu, the esteemed Emir of Borgu Kingdom, Niger State. His presence added a touch of royalty and prestige to the occasion, setting the stage for a truly remarkable showcase of automotive excellence.

Chery stood out among a host of other automobile companies with its stunning display and engaging activities. Attendees were treated to a feast for the senses, with exciting side attractions such as a drive-in event, motor stunts featuring antique cars, and Chery’s innovative experiential marketing initiative.

Jetour Introduces New Compact SUV, Dashing

Jetour Nigeria Mobility Service has introduced a compact SUV, Dashing, as one its latest offerings to the local market as it hopes to win the hearts of more new automobile lovers in the country.

Dashing, it says, is a luxury automobile that will undoubtedly feature on the To-Do list of discerning car enthusiasts this year due to its unique features.

The design and the safety features provide the bespoke desire for car lovers and it is brand that has landed in the Nigerian automotive market with a bang.

Dashing is a compact crossover SUV produced by Jetour, a sub-brand under Chery’s umbrella targeting younger car buyers.

Now, the Jetour Dashing making waves globally is available in the Nigerian market, says Jetour Nigeria Mobility Service.

Jetour currently has nine different SUVs, with petrol and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEV) powertrains. But the Dashing is the first vehicle to feature the brand’s new Kunlun Architecture. Jetour says it will use this architecture for an entire series of new cars, ranging from pickup to trucks, SUVs and 4×4 off-roaders.

Design

The design of Dashing focuses on the latest fashion trend. It aims at the overseas market of

TIPS OF THE WEEK

10 Essential Vehicle Maintenance Tips for Ensuring Your Car Runs Like a Charm

Caring for your car shouldn’t be so hard!

In a 2021 survey, 92% of car owners admitted that they put off vehicle maintenance longer than they should. Delaying car maintenance results in drivers spending nearly $1,200 more on repairs over time.

Many people put off maintenance because they assume it’s difficult, but in reality, you only need to perform a few steps every season. Here are ten essential vehicle maintenance tips that require little money or time.

1. Wash Your Car

Even small amounts of dirt and grime can scratch the paint off your car and corrode your suspension and undercarriage. You should wash your car at least once a month using a water hose, detergent, and microfiber towels. If you notice insects or bird droppings, you should use a bug-and-tar remover approved for cars.

Waxing your car will make your car look cleaner and protect the exterior from harm. You can wax your vehicle by cleaning it, then using an applicator pad to apply carnauba wax. When you’re done waxing your car, clean your floor mats using a carpet cleaner.

2. Remove Unused Items

Heavy items can reduce your fuel economy and put stress on your tires. You can keep an emergency kit in your trunk or glovebox, but remove anything else you don’t need, including spare seats.

When you are carrying bulky or heavy items, distribute the weight as evenly as possible. You can fold back seats down and then lay the items over them.

3. Check Your Fluid Levels

After one month of driving and before any major road trip, you should check your fluid levels. Do not rely on your dashboard, as indicators may be broken and you may need to top your fluids off.

Open the hood of your car and check your engine oil and coolant levels. Step to the driver’s side of your car and look at your brake fluid reservoir and the power steering fluid reservoir. If your fluids look discolored, you must drain your reservoirs before adding new fluids in.

4. Change Your Engine Oil Oil changes prevent sludge from building up in your engine and allow your car to remain running on cold days. You should change your oil every 3,000 to 5,000 miles, though you should check your owner’s manual to see if your manufacturer has a recommendation.

You can change your oil by yourself by replacing your oil filter and filling your engine with a funnel. However, if you’re experiencing signs of vehicle problems, you can take your car to a Killeen mechanic for assistance. They can change your oil and remove any sludge or debris left in your engine.

5. Fix Your Headlights

You should also check your headlights at least once a month. If you notice that the light coming from your headlights is less clear or has a tinge, you must clean your headlights immediately. Some auto repair stores sell formal headlight cleaners, but you can use a mixture of toothpaste and baking soda to remove grime on your headlights. Mix the two together and then apply it to your headlights using a soft-bristled brush, swiping it in circular motions to avoid scratching your lights.

Dashing

A-class SUV and combines fashion with intelligence. The borderless-style air intake grille, overall large fastback shape, and bilateral four-outlet exhaust ports highlight the aesthetics and dynamic figure.

Exterior

The Jetour Dashing measures 4,590/1,900/1,685mm with a 2,720mm wheelbase. To attract young buyers, the Jetour Dashing features a progressive design with sharply cut lines and sporty touches.

Carloha Nigeria displays Chery brand of vehicles at Lagos Motor Show in Lagos… recently

Social Media Bit

company had filed the lawsuit against Davido after the singer failed to perform at a concert in Warri which he was fully paid for. The company is asking the court to award N2 billion as general damages against Davido. The company is also asking the

as legal and

It was God who told me to go to the beach naked to campaign for Tinubu. I do not regret campaigning for Tinubu if I have the opportunity to do it again, says Actor Olaiya Igwe.

Nigeria’s senior men’s national basketball team, D’Tigers has withdrawn from the AfroBasket 2025 qualifiers due to a lack of funds. The team’s withdrawal was revealed on D’Tigers’

D’Tigers withdraw from AfroBasket 2025 Qualifiers due to lack of funds

X handle.

Some ladies don’t want marriage, just child support, says journalist Agba Jalingo

Ghanaian influencer, Mona Faiz Montrage popularly known as Hajia 4Real, has pleaded guilty for her role in laundering the proceeds of a series of romance scams.

The U.S. Department of Justice said she pleaded guilty on Wednesday, February 21, to conspiracy to receive stolen money before U.S. Magistrate Judge Sarah L. Cave.

Airline places clothes on a wet floor so passengers can board their flight after heavy rain caused flooding at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos.

Man left dejected after his girlfriend left him to have a raunchy moment on stage with Nigerian singer, Omah Lay, at his concert in the U.K

Bride crawls a distance to present the cake to her in-laws on the wedding day

A Delta State High Court sitting in Effurun has refused the application by singer, David Adeleke, aka Davido, seeking a stay of proceedings in the N2 billion suit filed against him by Brownhill Investment Company Limited owned by former NFF president, Amaju Pinnick, over the annual ‘Warri Again Concert’ Amaju’s

court for N150 million

professional fees and an additional N30 million as the cost of filing the suit.

GLOBAL SOCCER

José Peseiro

What Next for the Portuguese?

GLOBAL SOCCER

José Peseiro What Next for the Portuguese?

With less than a week to the end of his contract and having surpassed the target given to him by his employer-anAFCON semifinal,and with former Nigeria international,EmmanuelAmuneke throwing his hat in the ring for the Super Eagles job,the Nigeria Football Federation is still yet undecided as to whether to renew the contract of the Portuguese or not

For many Nigerian soccer fans, Jose Peseiro was not the right man for the Super Eagles job having shunned in some lacklustre performance for the senior national football team, most especially the two 2026 World Cup qualifier matches against Lesotho and Zimbabwe in which his tutored side forced their minnow opponents to a 1-1, in matches which ordinarily should have been six points in the bag for Nigeria.

With the Africa Cup of Nations ahead then, many felt the Portuguese’s cup was already full and that the biennial tournament hosted by the Ivorians would be his waterloo.

However, the 63-year-old manager, against all odds surpassed the semifinal target given him by the Nigeria Football Federation, NFF, and guided the final of the biennial competition, thereby putting the country’s football body in a fix as to whether to renew his contract or not.

With his 2023 exploit, Peseiro has become a ‘beautiful bride’ of sort with some African countries, most especially Algeria and Egyptians giants, Zamalek, said to be muting the idea of employing the Portuguese.

The Deserts Foxes are said to be offering the Portuguese a monthly salary of $90000, while the latter are still at crossroads as to if go for the former Venezuala coach.

Meanwhile, Super Eagles on field captain, William Troost-Ekong has said he would be happy to see Peseiro sign a new contract with the Nigeria Football Federation heading into the remaining 2026 World Cup qualifiers.

Three-time champions, the Super Eagles finished in second place at the recently concluded 2023 Africa Cup of Nations having been beaten by hosts Ivory Coast in the final on February 11.

The Portuguese football tactician has just few days left on his contract with the Nigerian Federation and confirmed earlier this week that he has been approached by the Algerian Federation to take up the Desert Foxes’ managerial position.

Despite criticism by some fans and pundits over Peseiro’s lack of tactical flexibility in the Africa Cup of Nations final, Troost-Ekong has underlined that Peseiro deserves a lot of credit for the progress the team has made in the last two years.

In an exclusive interview with CNN World Sport, Troost-Ekong was asked if he would like to see Peseiro stay on as Nigeria coach amid links with the Algeria job.

The Super Eagles assistant captain responded: “Yes. I think the players are happy with him. Reaching the final is something significant and also something we can build on.

“However, on what he has in mind, I did try to ask him before we left and he said he’s going to call me back. I think I’m just as much in the dark as you guys are but I think all the players would be happy to see him back.”

the call yet and the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations Best Player responded: “No. I’m still looking at my phone and nothing yet.”

Peseiro has been coaching the Super Eagles since May 2022 and his record stands

at 11 wins, four draws and seven losses in his 22 games in charge.

There have been reports indicating that the Portuguese coach intends to depart from his role due to ongoing contract disputes with the NFF, which has left him unpaid for several months.

Despite the impressive performance of the Super Eagles during the 2023 AFCON, there are conflicting reports about whether Peseiro was offered a new contract by the NFF. However, it appears he has opted to reject any such offer.

This has led to concerns within the Nigerian football community regarding the 63-year-old manager’s future with the team.

The situation surrounding Peseiro’s contract remains unclear, with reports indicating the NFF’s desire to continue with him as head coach.

Meanwhile, former Barcelona winger and Nigerian football icon, Emmanuel Amuneke, has thrown his hat into the ring for the role of head coach for the Super Eagles.

This comes as the tenure of current coach Jose Peseiro hangs in balance following the conclusion of his contract post-AFCON 2024, where Nigeria clinched a second-place finish under his guidance.

In the wake of the Super Eagles’ recent AFCON campaign, which saw them fall just short of the title, losing 2-1 to Ivory Coast in the final, speculation around the team’s coaching future has been rife.

Amuneke has expressed a keen interest in leading the national team.

“I am a Nigerian. All my life, I have served Nigeria as a player,” Amuneke said.

He further added, “If Nigerians now find me fit to add value to the team, of course, it is a welcome development.” Yet, he was quick to note the importance of unity and support for the team above all discussions about coaching positions, emphasizing, “But for now, it is not necessary to talk about this issue... We have to support the team and other Nigerians; they are going through a lot of sadness.”

The future of Jose Peseiro with the Super Eagles is under scrutiny despite the team’s commendable performance at AFCON 2023, which fulfilled the condition in his contract regarding a potential extension.

NFF has yet to make an official statement on whether Peseiro’s journey with the team will continue.

Peseiro’s recent accolade, being named a member of the Order of the Niger alongside his Super Eagles players, highlights his contributions to Nigerian football, yet does not clarify his contractual status moving forward.

Amunike’s managerial record, highlighted by his success with the Golden Eaglets at the 2015 FIFA World U17 championship and the development of talents like Victor Osimhen and Samuel Chwukueze, presents a compelling case for his candidacy.

As the NFF deliberates on the future direction of the Super Eagles’ coaching staff, the Nigerian football community and fans await a decision that will shape the team’s path forward.

Peserio warming up for a trainning session with the Super Eagles

Arsenal Title Push Gets Newcastle Test at Emirate

Arsenal have moved past their recent wobble to fire themselves back into the Premier League title race.The Gunners are enjoying a run of four straight victories with the most impressive coming 3-1 at home to Liverpool and, emphatically, 6-0 away at West Ham. Mikel Arteta’s men are third on the table, level one point adrift of Manchester City and just five adrift of leaders, Liverpool. As for Newcastle, they also seemed to have worked out a few problems, taking seven points from their last three games, including beating AstonVilla 3-1 away from home, following a four-match losing streak in the league

An Arsenal side reeling from an excruciating injury-time goal host a Newcastle United team who rejoiced in a last-minute intervention in last Saturday’s Premier League clash at the Emirates. The Gunners fell to a 1-0 loss in the first leg of their last-16 Champions League affair with Porto on Wednesday evening, while Eddie Howe’s men left it late to snatch a point in a 2-2 draw with Bournemouth last weekend.

Record-breaking goalscoring feats in Premier League away games did not translate into an evening of continental

dominance for Arsenal on Wednesday, where a defensively-sound Porto unit did not allow the Gunners a single shot on target in their opening Champions League knockout tie, which was destined to end without the net bulging once.

However, naivety cost Mikel Arteta’s men dear in additional time, as rather than maintaining control of the ball and seeing out a respectable goalless draw, the young guns conceded possession and conceded to Galeno, who beat David Raya all ends up with a phenomenal curler into the corner.

The unusually shot-shy Gunnerswho last failed to have a shot on target in a Champions League game in 2011 - still have 90 minutes in North London to right their European wrongs, though, and Arteta’s men resume Premier League duty on a historic five-game winning sequence in the top flight.

By tearing Burnley to shreds in a 5-0 slaughter last weekend, Arsenal won their opening five league f ixtures of a calendar year for the first time in their history, but Arteta’s troops remain in the bronze medal position in the table, one point behind Manchester City and five behind Liverpool, who have played an additional game. Now on the hunt for a third straight Premier League home success following triumphs over Crystal Palace and Liverpoolnotching eight goals along the way, Arsenal still boast the division’s meanest defence with just 22 goals

shipped, but Newcastle and Porto have something in common when it comes to keeping the Gunners out. Keeping their fans thoroughly entertained throughout February so far, Newcastle had already shared the spoils in an eight-goal Luton Town extravaganza and defeated Nottingham Forest in a 3-2 thriller before welcoming Bournemouth to St James’ Park for another riveting affair last weekend. Twice the Cherries went ahead in the second 45 through Dominic Solanke and Antoine Semenyo, and twice Newcastle hit back through an Anthony Gordon penalty and the unlikeliest of sources in Matt Ritchie, whose injury-time intervention prolonged the Magpies’ unbeaten streak. After coming out on the losing side in seven of their eight fixtures from December 7 to January 1, Newcastle have now only been beaten in one of their last seven affairs in all tournaments - winning three and drawing two of their most recent five - to reignite their European charge, although the Champions League dream remains a distant dream for now.

Eighth in the table and with a sevenpoint gap to make up to sixth-placed Manchester United, usurping Brighton & Hove Albion in the Europa Conference League spot is currently Newcastle’s best bet for a return to continent, and the Magpies head to North London with multiple goals struck in their last six Premier League outings. Eddie Howe’s men have also gone with-

PREMIER LEAGUE

TODAY

Aston Villa v Nott’m Forest 15:00

Brighton v Everton 15:00

Crystal Palace v Burnley 15:00

Man Utd v Fulham 15:00

Bournemouth v Man City 15:00

Arsenal v Newcastle 20:00

SUNDAY Wolves v Sheffield Utd 13:30

MONDAY

Ham

Premier League Table

Can Newcastle stop Arsenal’s five-match winning run in the Premier League?

GLOBAL SOCCER

Amidst Saudi Arabia Link, Troost-Ekong Fancies Playing with Ronaldo

Super Eagles assistant captain William Troost-Ekong has reacted to speculation linking him with a summer move to the Saudi Pro League.

The PAOK central defender was officially the standout player of the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations, scoring three goals to win the Player of the Tournament accolade.

Those performances have not gone unnoticed with several unnamed top-flight clubs in Saudi Arabia expressing an interest in his signature ahead of the reopening of the transfer window.

The Saudi Pro League has become a key player in the transfer market, attracting several prominent African stars

such as Riyad Mahrez, Franck Kessié, Edouard Mendy, Sadio Mané, Seko Fofana and Kalidou Koulibaly.

Regarding a potential move to Saudi Arabia, Troost-Ekong admitted that while he finds the prospect intriguing, he would need to evaluate it further if it were presented to him.

In an exclusive interview with CNN World Sport, Troost-Ekong said: “I’m very happy here. I haven’t spoken to my agent yet but you never know in football.

“You might get tempted by something bigger and better and I think at my age of 30 you have to think about all your options.

“Yeah, I think it would be

something that I would definitely consider.”

When asked if he would consider a move to Saudi Arabia, Troost-Ekong replied: “I can’t tell you that now because it’s not right in front of me.

“The Saudi League is something which is exciting, you saw quite a lot of the best players who were part of the AFCON have headed in that direction and are playing there.

“If that option is in front of me, then, I will have to study it a bit more and consider it.”

The biggest name currently on the books of a Saudi Pro League club is former Manchester United, Real Madrid and Juventus superstar Cristiano Ronaldo.

Paris 2024: Falcons, Lionesses Battle to Scoreless Draw in Douala

Heavyweights Nigeria and Cameroon fought to a 0-0 draw in their 2024 Women’s Olympic Football Tournament third round, first leg encounter in Douala yesterday.

The nine-time champions of Africa took the pitch with their usual dash and gloss and forced consecutive throw-ins. Yet, the game would become a ding-dong as time wore on, and in the 27thminute, midfielder Toni Payne wasted a good opportunity to put Nigeria ahead.

Twelve minutes later, the Indomitable Lionesses caught sight of goal, but goalkeeper Chiamaka Nnadozie, one of the world’s safest pair of hands at the moment, had things covered.

In the second half, the Lionesses stepped up

their game as they were urged on by the home crowd at the Stade de la Reunification Douala.

Yet, it was Nigeria that had the ball in the net five minutes into the second half, only for Ugandan referee Shamirah Nabbada to rule Jennifer Echegini off-side.

In another match in the penultimate round of the African qualifying series, reigning continental champions South Africa trounced Tanzania’s senior girls 3-0 in Dar es Salaam, with goals from Jermaine Seoposenwe, captain Thembi Kgatlana and Hildah Magaia. The winner on aggregate of the Nigeria/Cameroon fixture will most likely have to duel with the African champions for a place in Paris.

Joshua Must Knock out Ngannou to Force a Showdown with Fury, Says Sparring Partner

Anthony Joshua will knock out Francis Ngannou and force a showdown with Tyson Fury, says sparring partner, Jeamie TKV.

TKV hasn’t just had a ringside seat to watch Joshua’s preparations for his March 8 clash with Ngannou, he’s been inside the ropes to experience just how effective the former unified world heavyweight champion still is.

TKV believes Joshua will demonstrate his full capabilities against one-time UFC champion Ngannou.

“I personally think that AJ knocks him out,” TKV told Sky Sports ahead of the Ngannou

bout. “He’s fast. He’s got good movement, he moves his feet very well and now he’s been working on certain things where every time he moves, you’ve got to be on point.

“He’s fast, he’s sharp, strong. He’s a very dangerous fighter overall.”

TKV noted: “I feel like Ngannou, from the way I’ve been seeing him talk, he gave more respect to Tyson Fury than he’s giving to AJ. A stylish Joshua victory will also shift public perception once again.

“When AJ was winning everyone loved him,” TKV said. “You weren’t talking about this or that when he was winning. He’s achieved so much, fights everyone, how can you hate on a guy like that?”

TKV is convinced a destructive showing against Ngannou will lead Joshua to a long-awaited showdown with Tyson Fury.

“That’s the thing with boxing sometimes. Fury was probably the greatest heavyweight at one point to everyone. He had one bad night - he’s ‘the worst heavyweight ever’. You see how things changed,” TKV explained.

Guardiola Backs Ratcliffe to Turn Man

Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola believes Manchester United “will be back” with the help of new investor Sir Jim Ratcliffe.

Ratcliffe’s deal to buy a 27.7% stake in Manchester United was completed on 20 February.

The British billionaire says he hopes United can knock cross-city rivals City “off their perch”.

Responding to the comments, Guardiola said: “As [soon] as the teams admit it they will be closer to us.”

The 53-year-old Catalan added:

“If they want to deny it for things that are not the reality then it’s their problem - it’s not our problem.

“When I’ve been below teams I’ve always admired them and thought about what we need to do to be close, to challenge them.

“When we were below and United were winning, we were watching them, admiring them. That’s why, for these type of comments, that I have the feeling that they will be back.”

Guardiola has led Manchester

Chelsea End Osimhen’s Pursuit, Turn Attention to Boniface

Chelsea may have put a closer in their pursuit of Nigeria international, Victor Osimhen as the Blues have turned attention to Napoli striker’s compatriot, Victor Boniface. Osimhen has piqued the interest of Chelsea, Manchester United, Bayern Munich and a host of other top European clubs for his impressive performance with Napoli

Chelsea is expressing strong interest in securing the services of 23-year-old Nigerian striker Boniface from Bayer Leverkusen for the upcoming season.

Earlier, the London side was linked with pursuing Victor

Osimhen from Napoli, who aspired to follow in the footsteps of his idol, Didier Drogba.

However, reports from Sport BILD via ESPN suggest that this pursuit may not materialize, as Napoli demands Chelsea to meet Osimhen’s release clause of €130 million.

Given Chelsea’s significant expenditure of €1 billion across the last three transfer windows, the club faces potential financial fair play issues.

As a result, they are considering a more cost-effective option, with Boniface potentially available for €40 million to strengthen their attack for the next season.

Boniface has made a significant impact at Bayer Leverkusen since joining from Union SG last summer for a reported fee of €20.5 million.

In his debut season with the Bundesliga side, he has demonstrated his scoring prowess, tallying 10 goals and seven assists in 16 Bundesliga appearances.

His impressive performances have been pivotal in Bayer Leverkusen’s successful campaign, with the club currently topping the Bundesliga table and maintaining an unbeaten record in 32 games across all competitions.

Alakija’s Team Emerges Champion at Coronation Silver Cup, Lagos Polo Tournament

Coronation Group Limited, Africa’s leading financial services provider, successfully concluded the highly anticipated Coronation Silver Cup final today at the prestigious Polo Club in Ikoyi. The final match of this esteemed tournament was marked by the presence of distinguished guests, thrilling gameplay, and a celebration of sporting excellence.

Special guests in attendance included President Tinubu’s Special Adviser on Industry, Trade and Investment, John Uwajumogu, Abdul Samad Rabiu, Chairman/Founder at BUA Cement Plc. among others. Their presence added to the excitement of the event and underscored the significance of the Coronation Silver Cup in the Nigerian sporting landscape.

In a display of sportsmanship and skill, Rita Alakija’s team, Ibadan Durante emerged as the worthy winners of the

Coronation Silver Cup. Led by their captain, Rita Alakija, the team delivered an outstanding performance on the polo field, showcasing their dedication and determination throughout the tournament.

Following the thrilling final match, Mr. Wole Onasanya, Managing Director/CEO of Coronation Group Limited, along with other Coronation executives, joined esteemed dignitaries to present the Coronation Silver Cup to Rita Alakija’s victorious team.

Expressing their gratitude and appreciation, Koye Ige, a member of Ibadan Durante team, remarked, “I am immensely proud of my teammates for their hard work and dedication, which led to our victory in the Coronation Silver Cup. We are grateful to Coronation Group Limited for their support and for hosting such a prestigious

tournament that celebrates the spirit of polo and sportsmanship.”

In his statement, Mr. Wole Onasanya, MD/CEO of Coronation Group Limited, shared his excitement about the success of the tournament, stating, “The Coronation Silver Cup final was a remarkable showcase of talent and passion for the sport. We are proud to have hosted this prestigious event and congratulate Ibadan Durante on their well-deserved victory.”

The Tournament Manager, Olumayowa Ogunnusi also expressed his satisfaction with the outcome of the tournament, saying, “The Coronation Silver Cup final exceeded our expectations, thanks to the exceptional teams, supportive sponsors, and enthusiastic spectators. We look forward to continuing to promote polo and sportsmanship in Nigeria.”

Oluyole Police Games Kicks off Today

Kemi Olaitan in Ibadan

More than 4,000 athletes are expected to participate at the 14th Biennial Police Games tagged ‘Oluyole 2024’, scheduled to kick off in Ibadan today.

The eight-day sports fiesta will be rounded off on March 2 at the Lekan Salami Stadium, Ibadan.

Utd Around

City to the Premier League title in each of the past three seasons, and in five of his six completed campaigns at Etihad Stadium.

City won the Treble of Champions League, Premier League and FA Cup in 2022-23 and Guardiola has won 14 major trophies since taking charge in the summer of 2016.

Manchester United have won three trophies since Guardiola arrived across the city but new investor Ratcliffe has high hopes of bridging that gap in the near future.

The Inspector-General of Police, Olukayode Egbetokun, while addressing journalists in Ibadan, said the aim of the competition is to discover

talents for the country and also for the fitness of the police personnel.

The IGP who was represented by the Force Public Relations Officer (FPRO), ACP Olumuyiwa Adejobi, said the theme of the competition is, ‘Competing for peace, unity, stability and development of Nigeria.’ Adejobi disclosed that the IGP will lead other management team to Ibadan while Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo

State, will be the Chief Host.

He said, “We know that the Nigeria Police Force has a very good history when it comes to sports development in Nigeria. For many years we have been at the forefront of producing and projecting talents in all sports arenas of Nigeria and beyond this country globally, Nigeria Police Force has produced a very large number of athletes in football, wrestling and talk of any games in the whole world.

Argentina-Nigeria Friendly Confirmed for March 26

Argentina has scheduled matches against El Salvador and Nigeria in the United States next month as part of preparations for the Copa América, replacing a tour to China canceled after Lionel Messi’s absence from the match. Inter Miami pre-season in Hong Kong.

Argentina will face El Salvador on March 22 at Lincoln Field in Philadelphia and Nigeria four days later at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, the Argentine Football Federation announced Thursday.

Messi , Argentina’s captain, will likely be

with the world champions and will miss Miami’s Major League Soccer match against the New York Red Bulls on March 23.

World champions Argentina were due to face Nigeria in Hangzhou and Ivory Coast in Beijing during a tour of China from March 18-26.

L-R: Team member, Ibadan Durante, Ahmed Umar; Captain, Ibadan Durante, Rita Alakija; Head, Brands and Communications, Coronation Group Limited, Aishat

L-R; Nigeria Professional, Garba Muhammed; Head IBB Gulf club, Dominic Andrew; Director Professional, Golfers Association of Nigeria, Tony Philimoor; Professional, Steven Okpe; and Professional, Azi Ajang at the Meristem Open Professional Golf Development Tour Tee Off held yesterday in Abuja. .. Julius Atoi.

Obi to FG: Disclose Details of Financial Support to Ameliorate Hardship in States

Says he has not left Labour Party

Sunday Karimi alleges money released by President Bola Tinubu to governors already in forex market

Chuks Okocha and Sunday Aborisade in Abuja

Presidential candidate of the Labour Party in the 2023 general election, Mr. Peter Obi, has taken Senate President Godswill Akpabio to task over his recent revelation of the financial support of N1.1 trillion doled out to state governments to help ameliorate the present hardship in the country, urging that the federal government be transparent on the matter.

This is as the Chairman, Committee on Senate Services, Senator Sunday Karimi, has alleged that part of the multi billion naira released by the

federal government to the governors in the 36 states might have ended up in the forex market.

Karimi who disclosed this yesterday in Abuja, said both the fiscal and monetary policies initiated by the President Bola Tinubu's administration were not working because of some corrupt privileged Nigerians in high places.

Obi made this call via his official X handle yesterday saying, “While the federal government is to be commended for offering such a huge support, considering the difficult times people are going through, it is pertinent, for the interest of good governance and transparency, that the details of the disbursement of such support be explained further, so that the public, the masses for whom the support is meant, can follow through and ensure that it is utilised appropriately to the benefit of the people.”

He said that while waiting for the details of the support of the federal government to the states, he appealed “that concerted efforts should be made to ensure that the resources are genuinely and transparently invested in productive ventures to alleviate present hardship and help the future growth of the country.

“We must stop this unproductive habit of throwing scarce and borrowed money at immediate problems, and consumption, but rather through an articulated plan, invest aggressively in production, in a clear, visible, and transparent manner, in which people can see the future benefits.”

Obi further stressed the need to be more deliberate to move to production in order to overcome the challenges of hardship bedeliving the nation.

“Now more than ever, our nation needs a clear and urgent move from consumption to production by prioritising and investing in human development which will go towards providing a sure and lasting solution to many of our challenges of today.

“That is the surest way to put us on a path of developmental growth. This is the spirit of the New Nigeria we are clamouring for,”Obi said.

Meanwhile, Obi yesterday dismissed reports that he has parted ways with the Labour Party, blaming the report as the handiwork of mischief makers

A statement by one of his media aides, Jude Nwolisa, said that Obi is presently concerned on how to make Nigeria work, stating that those trying to destabilise the Labour Party are the enemies of democracy in Nigeria.

"The Peter Obi Media Reach (POMR) wishes to outrightly dismiss trending fake and fallacious news stories suggesting that he was parting ways with the Labour Party.

"This is not true and it did not originate from Obi or the Obidient Movement but from mischief makers bent on sowing the seed of discord in the party.

"These rising misdemeanors on the party did not start today as they set out to destroy and disorganise the party all to get at Obi and derail the inevitable journey of rescuing Nigeria.

"Presently our principal is preoccupied with making Nigeria work not on partisan politics which ended on October 26, 2023, when the Supreme Court of the land took their

final decision on the general elections."

The statement further said, "Those bent on creating a crisis in the Labour Party are clearly enemies of democracy wishing for the failed status quo to remain.

"Obi’s focus at the moment is on creating an environment where democracy is to be practiced according to the defined tenets not the rascality

and all forms of impunity prevalent in the country today

"Peter Obi therefore would like to assure Nigerians, particularly the Obidient family that his way with Labour is unshaken and intact and that the struggle to rescue Nigeria from the criminal gangs holding it down will not stop until it’s achieved through the will of the Nigerian people."

APC S'East, Group Condemn Call for Uzodinma's Removal as Progressive Governors’ Chairman

David-Chyddy Eleke in Awka

The National Vice Chairman of All Progressives Congress (APC) in the South East, Dr. Arodiogbu Ijeomah has condemned a recent call for the removal Imo State governor, Senator Hope Uzodinma as Chairman of Progressive Governors Forum.

Also, a pressure cum cultural organisation, Igbo Renaissance for Progress, asserted that it had intelligence reports that Osita Okechukwu was leading a group

to smear the image of the governor.

A founding member of the party, Osita Okechukwu recently attacked Uzodinma, calling for his removal as chairman of the forum, following controversies trailing the conduct of the Edo APC primaries.

Reacting to this, the zonal leadership of the party in the South-east denounced such call, describing the Okechukwu as that of a "rabid dog".

Ijeomah in a statement made available to THISDAY wondered where the Governor of Imo State

and leader of the APC in South East had erred in the discharge of his duties as the Chairman of the Edo APC Primaries Committee for the governorship elections, to warrant such call.

"As the National Vice Chairman of the party in the zone, I must frown at the penchant for certain elements to openly cast aspersions on our leaders in the party.

"It is worrisome that the likes of Okechukwu, who have never won an election either in his polling booth

or in his ward will turn around and throw careless words against the leadership of Senator Uzodinma.”

Arodiogbu insisted that Uzodinma committed no crime in the discharge of his duties as Chairman of the Edo State Primary Committee.

In its separate statement in Enugu, the coordinator, Igbo Renaissance for Progress, Nwankwo Njoku, noted that Okechukwu was still sulking over his loss of ministerial appointment which he alleged was attributed to the governor.

NGOs Call for Creation of National Philanthropic Policy, Association

Sunday Ehigiator

Non-governmental organisations (NGOs), TrustAfrica and WINGS, have called for the creation of a National Philanthropic Policy in Nigeria and the creation of Nigerian philanthropic associations by organisations and private individuals.

This was made known yesterday

during the presentation of the report on the ‘Philanthropic Ecosystem in West Africa’ by the duo at Ford Foundation West African Office, Banana Island, Lagos.

Speaking at the event, the Executive Director, TrustAfrica, Dr. Ebrima Sall, said, the report being presented came out of a study that was carried out in six West African

countries on the Philanthropic Support Ecosystem.

“We believe philanthropy is part of our culture and well-being and has kept our societies going for a long time in terms of hardship and dealing with issues that are important to our communities, such as infrastructures, Wells, schools, bridges, roads etc.

“Philanthropy is becoming

much more important because we have a lot of foundations being established by communities, religious organisations, and high net worth individuals. People just want to give back to their communities. What is often required is just a much more supportive environment and an enabling environment for the work to scale up in a big way.

HashIT Launches New Solution for Managing Finances

Bennett Oghifo

HashIT, a tech company, said it has launched a new app (HashITapp), which is an approach to managing finances, connecting with communities, and enhancing lifestyles.

Officials of the company said, “Through its Quest & Tasks feature, users can earn rewards while engaging with the platform.”

The firm said the development of the HashIT app was a meticulous

process, incorporating user feedback and leveraging cuttingedge technologies. The result is a comprehensive platform that seamlessly integrates financial transactions, social interaction, artificial intelligence, and lifestyle enrichment all in one easy to use application. Users can expect unparalleled convenience, security, engagement, and rewards.

Head of Communications at HashIT App Limited, Flora Kanu, expressed excitement about the product's launch

and confidence in its potential impact on users and the fintech industry. She stated, "We are thrilled to announce the beta launch of our revolutionary mobile application that is positioned to change how Nigerians can keep finance and socials in one place.”

Led by U.K-based tech entrepreneur Dr. Ike Madu, currently the CEO of Kavlr.com, a leading U.K. and Europe e-money service company, the HashIT app team is experienced, dedicated,

and passionate about prioritising user needs. The beta version of the app introduces key features that showcase their commitment to delivering an exceptional user experience. Built with care, the HashIT app offers a range of everyday life features, including money transfers, virtual cards in USD and Naira, AI-powered ChatGPT technology, utility and bill payments, Quest & Tasks, and a marketplace for micro trade and commerce.

L -R: Chairman Programmes Committee Nigerian-British Chamber of Commerce (NBCC), Tajudeen Ahmed; President/Chairman of Council, Ray Atelly; MD/CEO, Coleman Technical Industries Ltd. And Guest Speaker, George Onafowokan, and Executive Director CAST Ltd/Moderator, Jide Benson, during NBCC's Next Generation Series held in Lagos...recently

Tinubu, Akume, Govs, Other Dignitaries Mourn as Akeredolu is Buried in Owo

President: Nigeria lost fearless soldier, unwavering advocate I will never forget Akeredolu, says Aiyedatiwa

Deji Elumoye in Abuja and Fidelis David in Akure

President Bola Tinubu yesterday, led dignitaries from all walks of life to Owo town, in Ondo State to witness the burial of the former Governor of the State, Mr. Oluwarotimi Akeredolu (SAN), after a nine-day funeral rites.

Late Akeredolu died on Wednesday, December 27, 2023 after a prolonged illness at the age of 67.

Aside Tinubu who was represented by the Vice President, Kashim Shettima, other dignitaries including Secretary to the Government of the Federation, George Akume; National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress, Abdulahi Ganduje; governors, ministers, monarchs, captain of industries, and other well-meaning Nigerians witnessed the burial of the former governor, held at St Andrews Anglican Cathedral, in Owo.

Governors present were Lucky Aiyedatiwa (Ondo); Babajide Sanwolu (Lagos); Biodun Oyebanji (Ekiti); Ademola Adeleke (Osun); Seyi Makinde (Oyo); Dapo Abiodun (Ogun); Godwin Obaseki (Edo) Sheriff

Oborevwori (Delta); Charles Soludo (Anambra); Rev. Fr. Hyacinth Alia (Benue); Peter Mbah (Enugu) and Ahmed Ododo, represented by his deputy, Salifu Oyibo (Kogi).

Other eminent Nigerians who graced the event were minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Adegboyega Oyetola; Senator Opeyemi Bamidele; Former Governors Dr Olusegun Mimiko (Ondo); Kayode Fayemi (Ekiti) Abubakar Yari (Zamfara) Gbenga Daniel (Ogun); Niyi Adebayo (Ekiti); friends; family; political associates and other numerous dignitaries from all walks of life.

Tinubu in his tribute described Akeredolu as a, "fearless soldier and unwavering advocate for his people.

The President lauded the deceased indomitable legacy of national service, saying, "We are gathered here today to bid farewell to a remarkable soul, Arakunrin Oluwarotimi Odunayo Akeredolu SAN, CON.

“As we gather here today, we are confronted with one inexorable truth: seasons come and seasons go, much like the ebb and flow of our lives,

CBN INTRODUCES SWEEPING REFORMS TO SANITISE BDC OPERATIONS

buying and selling prices with a fixed N50 spread.

This would require banks to disclose their selling price before making a purchase, contributing to increased transparency and fair trading practices.

Furthermore, in a move to mitigate excessive volatility, the 2-Way FX Market incorporates a circuit breaker mechanism as it has adopted a -/+5 per cent band around the previous day's NAFEX rate.

This preventative measure ensures that daily exchange rate movements do not exceed five per cent. The directive also stated that a standard ticket size of $100,000 would be adopted.

Analysts applauded the initiative, but noted that the efficacy of the measures hinges on a balanced market with a substantial number of buyers and sellers.

Commenting on the initiative, Head, of Financial Institutions Ratings at Agusto & Co, Mr. Ayokunle Olubunmi said: “In stock exchanges, there is a minimum amount and once it passes a particular percentage, they can say you should stop trading on a particular share.

“Banks need to quote how much they are buying and how much they are selling and it must be with N50 spread. In other words, to have to first quote how much you are selling

before buying.

“Also to avoid volatility, there would be a circuit breaker of -/+5% band around the previous day's NAFEX meaning that the exchange should not move more than five per cent in a day. “This is to bring a bit more transparency. But if there is not enough activity in the market and the circuit breaker stops trade, it may cause people to go outside the market to settle transactions.”

Meanwhile, THISDAY yesterday, showed that BDC operators who had been arrested for over two days in Lagos have not been released, even as security agencies continued their arrest of the foreign currency traders.

An operator told THISDAY that his colleagues were yet to be released, adding that most of the BDC operators were conducting their businesses with clients they know secretly.

However, the naira yesterday remained stable at the parallel market closing at N1,700/ $1, while the official market saw decline.

The Nigerian Autonomous Foreign Exchange (NAFEM) closed yesterday at N1665.5/$1 compared to N1,571.31/$1 it closed on Thursday.

Notably, yesterday recorded a daily turnover of $151.93 million, the highest spot rate recorded yesterday was N1805 while the lowest spot rate recorded was N1,301.

and each of us shall go with the tides one after the other.

“We are also reminded that in this transient journey through life, we are but whispers in the wind. The parts of us that endure after we get to the end of our journey are the choices we make, and this moment is the ultimate confirmation of the noble paths trodden by our dear brother,” the President said.

Tinubu traced Akeredolu's journey, from his distinguished legal career to his pivotal role as Governor of Ondo State. He praised his vast intelligence and the profound impact of his leadership, noting that " There was no point in life where his voice shook in telling his truth. He was a vastly intelligent man whose passion has created quite a wide vacuum beyond this community.”

The President emphasised

Akeredolu's commitment to serving through democratic means, stating that "he recognised that the most pragmatic path to serving humanity is to present ourselves willingly to be chosen by the people."

He commended his, "strength of character and conviction", acknowledging the sacrifices he made to serve his community.

While acknowledging the grief of the nation, Tinubu emphasised that this day was not just about mourning, saying, "Today is a day of remembrance, a day to pay our respects, a day to reflect on the fact that our friend and brother served humanity to the best of his abilities."

Also, Aiyedatiwa said his late principal used the instrument of governance to intervene in different sectors of the state, including education, health services, and infrastructural

development, among others.

"You are all here to pay your friend, our leader, and our governor last respect because of the relationship that he had with all of you at one time or another. Some of you were his childhood friends of over 60 years; some of you his professional colleagues; some former governors; some of you from the community he hailed from; and some of you from the church.

"You are all here because he stood for something: good governance and the rule of law. He means a lot to different people, and that is why he has been described in different words. He was a courageous leader, a fighter, and a warrior. How can we forget him so soon? It is not possible because he lives on.

"Sometimes we wonder how he decided to leave us so soon. Why

can't God give him more years to still stay with us? A real husband to the wife, a real father to the children, a leader and governor for the state for many years, and loyal friends to all of you. Why did God take him home so soon?

"They say good people don't live for too long; I think he is one of them. For me, I cannot forget him so soon because we share a lot together. How can I forget those political, physical, and dusty roads that we have travelled together since 2012?"

Earlier, in his funeral sermon, the Primate of the Church of Nigeria, Anglican Communion, Most Rev. Dr. Henry Ndukuba, represented by the Anglican Bishop of Ikwerre, Rivers State, Most Rev. Dr Blessing Enyindah described the late Akeredolu as a man who contributed his quota to the development of the country.

SPECULATORS, UNSCRUPULOUS INDIVIDUALS SABOTAGING OUR REFORM EFFORTS, SAYS IDRIS

by states from the Federal Accounts Allocation Committee (FAAC) had surged giving governments at all levels billions of Naira in extra headroom to deliver the dividends of democracy to Nigerians.

He described as egregious that all the three other major candidates in the 2023 presidential election, who were stridently unanimous in their campaign messaging about the need to remove petrol subsidy were now pretending to be against it.

According to the minister, "this insincerity does not bode well for our country and our democracy."

He added that the President’s second most far-reaching pronouncement was his promise that the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) would work towards a unified exchange rate.

He noted that in line with his vision for a more transparent and equitable monetary policy, without jettisoning its operational independence, the CBN took the very bold step of loosening control of foreign exchange rates, allowing access to foreign exchange to take place at market rates determined on the principle of ‘willing seller willing buyer.’

"As a government, we are not under any illusion that these policy moves are silver bullets, or that nothing else is required. We understand that these are foundational fiscal and monetary policy moves, upon which we must now build the superstructure of true economic growth and prosperity.

"As respected economists and experts have acknowledged, these foundational reforms will be difficult and painful for Nigerians in the short-

term. At the same time, there is the consensus that they are inevitable, given just how much they have held back robust and lasting economic growth.

"The problems that we are solving are no doubt multifaceted, intertwined, and deep-rooted, requiring creative, strategic, decisive, and multi-pronged solutions. These bold moves being implemented are in full alignment with what is required," Idris said.

He said the CBN had been proactive, initiating a comprehensive strategy to enhance liquidity in the forex market, adding apart from unifying the rates, the bank had also cleared a significant amount of outstanding forex obligations, and outlined new operational mechanisms for commercial banks, Bureau De Change (BDC) operators and International Money Transfer Operators (IMTOs).

"It is heartwarming to note that we are starting to see the results. Indeed, the Naira is stabilising, and the foreign exchange market is seeing a surge of inflows. The latest NBS figures show that capital importation into Nigeria rose by over 66 percent in Q4 2023, compared with the preceding quarter. The CBN Governor has also highlighted the fact that $1.8 billion flowed into the forex market last week, on the back of the new reforms," he said He described the emerging stability of the Naira as a development that was in the interest of all Nigerians, saying Nigerians should rest assured that the government would continue to take further steps to stabilise the Naira and safeguard the economy.

FG Says Process of Release of 42,000 MT of Grains Nationwide in Final Stages

The federal government has disclosed that its plan to release 42,000 metric tonnes of assorted food commodities in support of the vulnerable population across the country was now in the final stages.

The update was provided last night by the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga.

Onanuga said the Tinubu administration was doubling efforts to ramp up food supply in the country through the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security.

He said the grains in seven locations of strategic reserve, were now being bagged for onward delivery to the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), adding the need to bag the grains, caused the delay as the bags were freshly ordered by government.

"Nigerians will not need to pay for the grain bags, as they are free. This will be complemented by the 60,000 metric tonnes of milled rice to be purchased by the Federal Government from the Mega Rice Millers," Onanuga said.

He also quoted the Minister of Agriculture, Senator Abubakar Kyari as saying that the announcement of the impending releases of food commodities from the Strategic Reserve had led to a noticeable reduction in commodity prices across major grains markets in the country,

The update added that the federal government was also ramping up food production by boosting dry season farming under the National Agricultural Growth Scheme AgroPocket (NAGS-AP) Project .

The first phase of the dry season farming, which was launched in November, 2023, focuses on the cultivation of wheat across 15 wheat-producing states, covering 118,657 hectares and involving 107,429 farmers.

According to Kyari, the fields were now lush green while harvest would commence in a matter of weeks.

He also shared impressive reports on the growth of wheat from Jigawa State, which was projecting to harvest from about 50,000 hectares, 10,000 hectares more than initially allotted under the programme.

"Phase 2 of the Dry Season Farming will commence soon, across all 36 states of Nigeria and FCT. It will cover rice, maize, and cassava.

“For rice, the target is 250,000 hectares involving 500,000 farmers with the expected output of 1 million metric tons of paddy rice.

“For maize, we are cultivating 55,000 hectares with 110,000 farmers thereby adding 165,000 metric tons to national maize production while for cassava, we are doing 35,000 hectares with 70,000 farmers to produce 525,000 metric tons of cassava.

“The NAGS-AP Project offers a 50 per cent subsidy. However, the Federal Government is providing additional support for Phase 2, which will bring aggregate subsidy to about 93 per cent to farmers cultivating the crops.

BACKPAGE CONTINUATION

TRIBUTE TO PROF. BENJAMIN OBIEFUNA NWABUEZE

government in 1978. I was not only a member but chairman of one of the subcommittees that produced Chapter 2, the fundamental objectives and [principles of state policy]; and one of the cardinal flaws in the constitution is the concentration of powers in the centre.

“That is why I accept that I am partly responsible for that because at the time, late Chief Rotimi Williams, a close friend of mine, and nearly everybody in the Constitution Drafting Committee, were so overwhelmed with this feeling, this patriotic feeling that we needed unity and the most effective way to achieve unity of the country is by having a very strong central government.

“Most of us in the committee shared that idea at the time. Chief Williams shared it because of the patriotism in us and we wanted a united Nigeria, we feel we can achieve unity by having a strong central government. Then, what did we do to achieve our mis-guided objective? We

took away 50 per cent of the items on the concurrent list and gave it to the centre.

“We feel by doing this, we are establishing unity. We did not stop at that. We looked at the residual matters, these are matters exclusive to the states, we took a large part of it, more than 30 percent and close to 50 percent; we took it away from states and gave to the centre. And the result is the almighty Federal Government, but what we discover was that instead of producing unity, we produced disunity because of the intensity of the struggle to control the centre.

“The intensity is so much and it is not just in the political power that was concentrated at the centre, much of the money also went to the centre, and so by action we destroyed what is called fiscal federalism. Too much money at the centre increased the struggle for the control of the centre and the control of the money itself, and that has remained the feature of the Constitution up till today.

“So when people struggle and agitate

TREMBLE, MICROPLASTICS ON THE PRAWL

electromagnetic fields are inevitable for all existents”.

Now, coming back to the issues before us today, the aforementioned researchers discovered that the most readily available polymer in the placental tissue they were experimenting with was polyethylene. This is the thing used for the manufacturing of plastic bags and plastic bottles. It was found to constitute 54% of the total plastics detected in the sample human placenta. The next in concentration was PVC (Polyvinyl chloride) and nylon, at about 10% of the total. The balance was made up of nine other polymers.

For the record, the word ‘polymer’ refers to a class of natural or synthetic substances composed of very large molecules. The large molecule, which are called macromolecules, are just a collection of simpler chemical units called monomers. Thus, many of the materials in living organisms, and which present the basic foundation for many minerals and man-made materials everywhere, are actually polymers.

In the matter under reference here today, some of the microplastics formed by splitting off from larger pieces of plastic. This could be plastics that fragmented over time, due to wear and tear. We may also think of particles artificially made very small intentionally, like the cosmetic microbeads used in facial scrubs.

Several recent studies are now finding microplastics in almost everything we eat today, from meat, fruits, bottled water and many otherwise natural food items. The new tools and methods adopted by the researchers in measuring the microplastics present in human placentas made it possible for what had remained difficult for a long time to be possible. And that is being able to quantify how much microplastic was present in human tissue.

It was no longer a question of researchers counting the number of particles under a microscope, no. The new approach made it possible to adequately quantify things and speak of the number of micrograms or milligrams per plastic under investigation.

The phenomenal increase in the use of plastics all over the world, over the last six decades, has translated into millions of metric tons of plastic waste. This is a general environmental hazard, a specific threat to natural waterways, and also an emerging menace to plant and animal life.

While it is true that plastics, over time, break down from exposure to the sun’s ultraviolet rays, as well as other agents of chemical denudation, it is also true that this only accentuates the problem. Some of the plastic ends up aerosolized, making them part of the combination of gases and radiations in the air we breath. Some of it

for true federalism, for fiscal federalism, they know what they are talking about and they are right, that must be changed; and until it is changed, we might not achieve true federalism because the basis on which we did it has proved to be misguided, the unity we thought we will achieve was not achieved and what we achieved was more disunity than unity because of the struggle. . . .

“So not only restructuring in political power, not only restructuring in financial power, you have to restructure the territorial basis of zones. . . .”

And so, the 1979 Constitution was Nwabueze’s greatest project but also a cataclysmic failure, and his deepest regret. His efforts to correct that mistake and make amends to the nation came to nought. In his own voice, and in the voice of The Patriots, the activist organization which he co-founded, Nwabueze repeatedly called for a Conference of the Nigerian Nationalities to write a new Constitution

also seeps down into natural water tables and become part of the groundwater we later pump up to drink.

Ingested or inhaled, microplastics still get into our system; and it stays back to create new, and strange, combinations of substances and radiations that lead to all manner of health disruptions. Human beings, aquatic animals, the local chicken out there, and general farm produce, are all in the line of fire. And this is not about to go away.

Many plastic products take between 50 and 300 years to fully degrade into simple elements and original compounds. That is what scientists mean when they say that many plastics have a long half-life; that is the amount of time needed for half of a sample to degrade. The question here for us are these: (1) How long will it take the microplastics everywhere today to fully degrade? What will be happening to us and our environment as this business of being degraded is going on? Is the global health community paying attention?

It is already a fact of science that we all have some amount of microplastics in our bodies. It is also clear that these

microplastics should not have been there in the first place. What is not clear, as I write, is what damage it is doing to us and what possibly unmanageable health problems it is brewing without our knowing.

Now that we have some microplastics that can actually cross cell membranes and easily enter where they have no business in the human body, what next? What do you do, or say, about a piece of microplastic that is so small that it is measured in nanometers (that is one billionth of a meter), in a world where we had always assumed that plastics are biologically inert? You cannot have the type of blossoming agglomeration and concentration of microplastics in living human tissues without consequences.

Check out the type of baffling health problems that are springing up everywhere. Early onset of prostate problems in men, inflammatory bowel disease, growing cases of shockingly early onset of erectile dysfunction, colon cancer and inexplicable challenges with the human autonomic nervous system in many highly industrialized countries.

When you now stop to think about the

and restructure the territory in a way that reflects the will of the People. When eventually President Goodluck Jonathan organized such a Conference in 2014, his successor in 2015 paid no heed whatsoever to its recommendations. Nigerians can judge for themselves in what direction the nation travelled in his successor’s eight years in office.

The struggle for restructuring and a new Constitution continues.

For Nwabueze, it’s lights out.

Good night, Sir.

And may the Good Lord who made us all and sees every heart, forgive you your sins, look kindly on your efforts to make amends for your mistakes, and grant you rest in His Heavenly Kingdom.

•Prof. Onwuchekwa Jemie was a cofounder of The Guadian Newspaper, and its pioneer Editorial Page Editor. He was also Editor-in-Chief of BusinessDay Newspaper.

conspicuous presence of microplastics in baby placenta, it becomes completely benumbing. Tissues containing everything needed to form every cell and every organ of the human body, and which had been in existence for less than on year, is loaded upfront with microplastics? And our cheerful production and use of plastics in massive quantities continues. As the researchers said, “... even if we were to stop it today, in 2050 there will be three times as much plastic in the background as there is now. And we’re not going to stop it today.”

So, it looks like microplastics are only a more recently recognized addition to the negative bombardments with which we human beings has resolved to finish ourselves. As was said in the article “5G Controversy Needs Honest Science” nearly four years ago: “... electromagnetic fields ... are strongest close to their points of origin ...it is open to argument whether any set of radiations will retain their original characteristics in the midst of an altered ecosystem. It is a fact of science that a substantial percentage of human exposure to man-made radiation comes from gadgets, home electronics and medical procedures.” Well, we now have microplastics”.

The article under reference continued: “Some electromagnetic radiations are strong enough to break bonds between molecules and introduce changes in the human DNA. This is what alters certain things in the shape, or functions, of certain cells of the body. Gamma rays from radioactive materials, cosmic rays and X-rays, also known as ‘ionizing radiation’, can do this. We are also being bombarded by denatured food, high-energy radiation/cosmic and intergalactic rays and particles admitted by our damaged Ozone Layer.”

The article said, still: “Radiation particles can pass through our bodies ...The radiations can introduce breaks, or damages, in certain chemical bonds in the body. This breaking of chemical bonds distorts the genetic information in the living cells and introduce errors in the formation of certain body parts. The interfering radiations change the original formats of the various building blocks of our body. Skin cancer, for instance, is nothing but a disruption of the processes governing the development of normal skin. These are facts of science. People are advised against having more than one chest x-ray in a year, because a single exposure gives a dose of about 10 mrem. But we are running all over the place and doing full-body CT scans, of which one exposure gives a dose of 1,000 mrem.” Watch out! Microplastics and harmful radiations are on the prawl.

Matthew Campen

Peter Obi to FG

“The federal government should stop the arbitrary and ever-increasing customs duties as it is now negatively impacting businesses and the cost of items, and this portends a huge danger to the economy. If this situation is not corrected, our importers may resort to using ports of nearby countries, a situation that will leave our ports under-productive, and further deepen our economy into a worse situation as a result of loss of revenue” –Presidential Candidate of Labour Party in the 2023 election, Peter Obi

PROF. ONWUCHEKWA JEMIE GUEST COLUMNIST

Tribute to Prof. Benjamin Obiefuna Nwabueze

Let us celebrate Prof. Benjamin Obiefuna Nwabueze, one of the great legal minds of our generation.

It is difficult to speak of Nwabueze except in superlatives. His grounding was in constitutional law. He was a renowned scholar, a university teacher and a mentor to many, a prolific author of many books, an adviser to governments across the African continent, and a drafter of democratic constitutions.

The encomiums showered on Nwabueze from all sides are well deserved—and so are some of the criticisms. Nwabueze was not a god with feet of clay. He was thoroughly human, with his full share of the positives and negatives to which all flesh is heir. And when it is all added up, when his achievements are weighed against his failings, he would be found to be an exceptional person, a rare specimen of the human family.

Nwabueze’s most ambitious project was the drafting of the Nigerian Constitution of 1979. Led by Chief Rotimi Williams, the

nation’s then-leading name in the legal profession, Prof. Nwabueze and the other

eminences of the 1978-79 Constitution Drafting Committee constructed what turned out to be an ill-conceived, ill-fitting American-style outfit which was draped over Nigeria as it attempted to return to civilian rule after 13 years of military dictatorship and civil war.

The goal was admirable, but the method and the result were dismal. All that the 1979 Constitution did was to canonise the military dictatorship then in practice, with all the decentralised and reserved powers of the four Regions of the First Republic taken away and handed to a central, plenipotentiary civilian federal government.

The 1979 Constitution was a boomerang. When its obvious defects were observed during the civilian government of Shehu Shagari, October 1, 1979 to December 31, 1983, discussions to amend it had hardly begun when another military coup blew everything to pieces. Then was to follow 16 more years of military dictatorship. Nigeria whirled further and faster downhill till it hit bottom with six years of General Sani Abacha, the worst of them all.

OKEY IKECHUKWU

okey.ikechukwu@thisdaylive.com

Abacha’s sudden death in 1998 brought no relief. On the contrary, his henchman and successor dredged up the flawed 1979 Constitution, transmogrified it a dozen-fold, and foisted it on the incoming civilian government as the 1999 Constitution.

One might ask: Where was Prof. Nwabueze in all this drama?

It takes intelligence to perceive one’s mistakes; humility to accept them when pointed out by others; godliness to confess your mistakes publicly and accept responsibility for them; and saintliness to openly and seriously engage to correct your mistakes and undo the damage.

Prof. Nwabueze was one of the first to see the flaws of the 1979 Constitution. Here are his own words in a newspaper interview:

“Quite frankly, there are many flaws and many errors in the content of the constitution. So many errors, and I as a person was partly responsible because I was a member of the constitution drafting committee set up by the military

Continued on page 39

Tremble, Microplastics on the Prawl

Today, let’s move away from the vaulting national grumblings about hunger, dollar rates, and protests. Let us, instead, look at some emerging global health issues; the final effects of which have not yet been fully determined, or understood. Our bodies, our health and the global ecosystem, are likely casualties. The danger looms for all humanity, because of the wide and continuous penetration of microplastics into our environment, our food and, wait for it, the placenta of unborn babies!

A relatively recent study published in the journal Toxicological Sciences by a team led by Matthew Campen, reported finding microplastics in all 62 donated placenta samples tested. The concentrations ranged from 6.5 to 790 micrograms per gram of tissue. Yes, a microgram is a laughably insignificant one millionth of a gram. But here is the catch: There is a steady rise in the amount of microplastics everywhere. Its

likely overall, long-term effect and impact on the ecosystem generally, and on human life in particular, is yet to be determined.

But a few facts are clear so far, based on simple common sense and basic science. The first is that any substance that finds its way into an environment where it does not belong, and where it is not naturally supposed to be, is a foreign body. The second is that a foreign body can cause a mild upset, some disruption, or substantial damage. The third is that a poison does not become a threat to life until it has built up to a lethal dose. As things stand now, we may well be building up enough microplastics in our bodies to create physiological, or even possibly also physiognomic, Armageddon.

The aforementioned research discovered a way of making tissue samples give up whatever small nuggets of plastic are hidden in them. They used a process called saponification, which meant chemically treating the samples and then spinning them in an ultracentrifuge, after which

they got the plastic nugget at the bottom of the tube.

Next, they put the plastic pellet in a metal cup and heated it to 600 degrees Celsius. Under this enormously high temperature, gas emissions emerged from the plastic particles. The emissions were captured, as different types of plastic combusted at specific temperatures. Anyone with a passing knowledge of Fractional Distillation, which explains Biafran refinery and our plethora of illegal refineries easy of today, will understand “different types of plastic combusted at specific temperatures”.

The gas emissions were then sent to a device for detecting and analysing the wavelengths of electromagnetic radiation. It was the device, a mass spectrometer, that broke things further down, even if with alarming details.

On the matter of the inevitability of radiations, let us go back to what was said on this page on June 5, 2020. Under the caption, “5G Controversy Needs Honest Science”.

In an attempt to place some elements of modern science before the reading public while the 5G controversy raged at he time, this column said: “It is a fact of science that everything on earth gives out a definite radiation. It is also a fact of science that what we call “matter”, like a table, or even our bodies, is just pure energy vibrating at a specific frequency. It is the frequency and rate of vibration that creates what we call shape, size, texture, etc.”

The article further said: “These particles also generate small electrical impulses, creating some sort of “field” around objects, even if only at a microscopic/atomic level for some of them. The human aura, for instance, is the result of electrical impulses, which continue from the subatomic level until they emerge as our electromagnetic field. What we eat, how we live and where we live can alter our aura significantly. So, using the term loosely if you like,

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Late Prof. Benjamin Obiefuna Nwabueze