SATURDAY 11TH MARCH 2023

UN: Killing of 30 Borno Fishermen by ISWAP Deeply Shocking Says it’s another horrific reminder of violence in the region The United Nations has condemned the killing of no fewer than 30 fishermen in Mukdolo village, Ngala Local Government Area of Borno State, last Wednesday by fighters of the Islamic State

West African Province (ISWAP), describing it as “deeply shocking.”

The ISWAP fighters invaded the village (located in NigeriaCameroon border along the fringes of Lake Chad) in their numbers,

torturing their victims before killing them.

In a statement on Thursday, Matthias Schmale, UN resident and humanitarian coordinator, said the attack is a reminder of

the sufferings faced by residents in the 13 years of armed conflict in Nigeria’s North-east.

The statement reads: “The United Nations strongly condemns the ambush and brutal killing of more

than 30 civilians in Mukdolo village in Ngala Local Government Area of Borno State yesterday.

“Several people were also reportedly injured, and others are still missing following the deadly

attack allegedly carried out by an armed group.

“On behalf of the United Nations, I extend my heartfelt condolences Continued on page 5

Alleged Racism: Seplat’s CEO Steps Aside, Hands over to COO... Page 5 Saturday 11 March, 2023 Vol 28. No 10195

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Boris Johnson to Deliver 2023 Anyiam-Osigwe Lecture

Ex British PM will offer solutions to some global challenges, says organisers Bennett Oghifo Former Prime Minister of the United Kingdom and Member of Parliament, L-R: Lagos State Head of Service, Hakeem Muri-Okunola; Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu and a relative of one of the victims of Wednesday’s train/bus collision, during Sanwo-Olu’s condolence visit to the deceased’s family home in Lagos…yesterday

Continued on page 5

Atiku Writes INEC, Demands Immediate Compliance with Court Order on Poll PDP wants EFCC, Police, DSS to commence prosecution of INEC’s Chairman/officials for ‘financially compromising electoral laws’ Trouble in APC as National Vice Chairman calls for resignation of Abdullahi Adamu, Omisore Chuks Okocha and Adedayo Akinwale in Abuja The candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the February 25 presidential election, Atiku Abubakar has written to the Chairman of Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) Prof.

Mahmood Yakubu, demanding immediate compliance with a recent court order on the inspection of the election materials used during the poll.

On the same day, the All Progressives Congress (APC) Continued on page 5

LP ADOPTS GOV ABIODUN… L-R: The Ogun State Chairman of the Labour Party (LP) Comrade Michael Asade; Governor Dapo Abiodun and the National Publicity Secretary of the party, Abayomi Arabambi; during the endorsement and adoption of Governor Abiodun for second term for the March 18 gubernatorial election in Ogun State …yesterday

Supreme Court Removes Shekarau as Senator-elect... Page 6

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SATURDAY, MARCH 11, 2023 • T H I S D AY, T H E S AT U R D AY N E W S PA P E R

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Alleged Racism: Seplat’s CEO Steps Aside, Hands over to COO Peter Uzoho Seplat Energy PLC yesterday announced that its Chief Executive Officer, Roger Brown, a Briton, has stepped down from office following the order of a Federal High Court in Lagos last Wednesday.

The court had restrained Brown, from parading himself as the firm’s CEO, pending the determination of a suit filed against him and others by aggrieved stakeholders of the company.

The aggrieved stakeholders accused Brown of racism, favouritism for expatriate workers, discrimination against Nigerians, and breach of good governance.

The statement announcing Brown’s resignation was signed by the Chairman of the board of

Seplat, Basil Omiyi, who stated further that the embattled CEO had delegated authority to Seplat’s Chief Operating Officer, Samson Ezugwore, to act as CEO during this period.

The statement revealed that Seplat had been served the court processes and the ex parte order of Justice Chukwuejekwu Aneke of Federal High Court, Lagos, “restraining Brown from participating in the running of the Company for a period of 7 days.”

According to Seplat, the court order was premised on allegations of unfair, prejudicial, and offensive acts by the Chairman, CEO and all of the Independent Non-Executive Directors of Seplat Energy.

The allegations include that the CEO organised a site

visit for a number of its major shareholders to the company’s operations, cancelled some catering and landscaping contracts, and introduced a new job performance rating.

Refuting the claims, Seplat Energy said that Nigerians had been appointed to the company’s most important positions, including Chairman, Senior Independent Non-Executive Director, Chief Financial Officer and Chief Operating Officer, since Roger became CEO in 2020.

The board stated that the allegations levelled against it were reactions to its enforcement of corporate governance standards and a determination to continue to uphold its fiduciary duties to the company.

The statement reads, “The Order allows the Chairman, Mr Basil Omiyi, and all the INEDS of Seplat Energy to continue running the affairs of the Company on the basis that it is in accordance with Nigerian law.

“Mr. Brown has delegated authority to Mr. Samson Ezugwore, Chief Operating Officer, to act as CEO during the period that he is required to step back from his executive duties.

“Seplat will follow the due processes of law in responding to the allegations before the courts. At the same time, the Company will continue to maintain its operational excellence and act in line with the best corporate governance standards.”

The case was adjourned to

March 23, 2023, for a hearing on the pending application.

Recall that the Ministry of Interior has revoked Brown’s work permit, visa, and residence permit over allegations of racism and discrimination.

The Ministry, in a letter dated March 3, 2023, and addressed to the chairman of Seplat’s board, conveyed its decision revoking Brown’s work permit, visa, and residence permit.

Seplat has denied the allegations levelled against Brown.

In a statement signed by Omiyi, the board of Seplat denied the allegations.

Part of the statement read, “The Board believes that these allegations are a spurious and vindictive reaction to the enforcement of

corporate governance standards in the Company by the Board of Seplat Energy. Over the past decade, Mr. Brown has earned an unblemished record of service and leadership in the Company.

“In March 2023, the Board of Seplat Energy unanimously passed a vote of confidence in Mr. Brown, who continues to discharge his duties and responsibilities as CEO from the SEPLAT UK office.”

It was also revealed that the company will be engaging with the Interior ministry on the matter which they claimed wasn’t brought to the attention of the CEO. Brown joined Seplat in 2013, as the Chief Financial Officer and was made the company’s CEO in November 2019. He effectively assumed office in 2020.

ATIKU WRITES INEC, DEMANDS IMMEDIATE COMPLIANCE WITH COURT ORDER ON POLL National Vice Chairman (North-west), Dr. Salihu Lukman called for the resignation of the party’s National Chairman, Abdulahi Adamu and National Secretary, Senator Iyiola Omsiore, in the interest of the party.

Also yesterday, the PDP asked the Police, the Department of State Security (DSS) and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to commence prosecution of the INEC chairman and some officials of the commission “for financially compromising the electoral laws through inducement.”

Atiku and Peter Obi of the Labour Party (LP), who lost the presidential election to Bola Tinubu of the APC, refused to concede defeat and approached the Court of Appeal, requesting to inspect the election materials used. The request was granted on March 3.

Yesterday, Atiku’s lead counsel, Joe Gadzama wrote on behalf of his client to the INEC Chairman, calling for immediate compliance with the court’s order on access, inspection, examination and analysis of the presidential election materials.

Gadzama wrote: "You will recall that the Court of Appeal, presided over by Hon. Justice Shagbaor Ikyegh, JCA sitting in Abuja, granted orders on March 3 2023 in favour of our clients.

"The Court expressly ordered INEC to allow and grant access to our clients and their representatives to

inspect, scan, make copies, forensically audit and obtain certified true copies (CTC) of all electoral materials which were used in the conduct of the presidential election.

"The Court in Order no. 6 specifically allowed our clients to carry out forensic examination/ analysis of the BVAS machines/ devices and all information stored in the server/IREV/backend/clouds, amongst others. The enrolled court order was duly and promptly served on the Commission on the same 3 March 2023 by the Court bailiff accompanied by our clients’ representatives.

"We have attached the acknowledged copy of the court order for ease of reference. It is our clients’ brief that upon service of the order, they immediately requested a date to follow up and they were asked to return on 6 March 2023.

"On 6 March, our clients’ representatives, led by Adedamola Fanokun, Esq (office of the PDP National Legal Adviser), returned to the Commission ready to commence inspection, examination and obtaining of the electoral materials as ordered by the Court but they were informed at the Commission’s legal registry that there was no instruction yet from the Commission on the Court Order.

"Our Clients further requested an audience with the Commission’s Director of Litigation to accelerate the process but they were not allowed as

they were told by the Registry staff that the Director was in a meeting.

"Sadly, these and other efforts by our clients have yielded no result. It is disturbing that despite service of the Court Order on the Commission since 3 March 2023, the Commission is yet to allow our clients and their representatives to access, inspect and/or obtain the needed electoral materials as ordered by the Court despite repeated visits to the Commission and follow-up in respect thereof. No doubt, the Commission is bound by the orders of the Court and cannot choose if, when and/or how to comply with the same.

"The unqualified obligation of the Commission, which of course includes INEC officials, is to unhesitatingly comply and give effect to the subsisting order of Court; there is no discretion to exercise here.

In the circumstances, we hereby demand that the Commission should immediately comply with the subsisting orders of Court and in particular, we reiterate the following demands on behalf of our Clients: “Daily access to all polling documents, voters register, ballot papers and electoral forms/ materials for purposes of scanning, forensic audit, expert examination and inspection; Daily access to the BVAS machines/devices and server/IREV/backend/clouds for purposes of forensic examination

UN: KILLING OF 30 BORNO FISHERMEN BY ISWAP DEEPLY SHOCKING to the bereaved families and wish the injured who are recuperating a speedy recovery.”

Schmale said the victims of this heinous attack were fishermen and farmers eking out a livelihood in a very insecure environment.

“They included both internally displaced persons (IDPs) and host community members from the neighbouring Dikwa Local Government Area.

“This deeply shocking attack is another horrific reminder of the real threats of violence and insecurity that IDPs and other people affected by more than 13 years of the

non-international armed conflict in the region continue to face daily in their struggle to survive. The village of Mukdolo had been abandoned prior to the attack due to the activities of non-state armed groups.

“I remind all parties to the conflict to adhere to their obligations under international humanitarian and human rights law to protect civilians from harm,” said the UN official.

Schmale called on state authorities to investigate the crime and swiftly bring the perpetrators to justice.

Sources in the local government

area confirmed that the men were killed while on fishing and woodcutting activities on Wednesday evening by terrorists riding on motorcycles.

It was reported that the terrorists started shooting sporadically killing 30 while seven others barely escaped with degrees of injuries.

Another source in the village said: “The terrorists asked the victims to lie down. Thereafter, they used their fishing net to wrap the victims before they started torturing them. After they became unconscious, they opened fire on them and killed all 30 of them.”

and analysis; and CTCs of all BVAS accreditation reports, forms EC40A, EC8A, EC8AVP, EC8C, EC8D, EC8E and all other electoral forms/materials on a State by State basis.

“We hope that our demand will receive the prompt positive action that it requires as we will continue to visit the Commission on a daily basis for the exercise as set out above in line with the subsisting order of the Court. Thank you in anticipation of your urgent positive action in this regard as time is really of the essence.”

The Justice Joseph Ikyegh-led panel of the appellate court, which will also sit as the Presidential Election Petition Tribunal, granted the request for inspection of the electoral materials on March 3 after it heard two separate ex-parte applications brought by Atiku, Obi and their political parties.

Tinubu, who won the February 25 election scored 8,794,726 votes, the highest of all the candidates, thus meeting the first constitutional requirement to be declared the winner.

He also scored over 25 per cent of the votes cast in 30 states, more than the 24 states constitutionally required.

The INEC Chairman, who announced the final results, said Atiku came second with 6,984,520 votes. Obi came third with 6,101,533 votes while Rabiu Kwankwaso of the NNPP came fourth with 1,496,687 votes.

Atiku and Obi have refused to concede defeat, vowing to recover their mandates in court.

Vice Chairman demands Resignation of Adamu, Omisore

The APC National Vice Chairman, Lukman is calling for the resignation of Adamu and Omsiore for a number of reasons.

Lukman in a statement issued yesterday titled, “APC Internal Dynamics and the Future of Democracy”, said it was important that even before May 29, 2023 when Tinubu would be sworn in as President, every step must be taken to rectify any situation that might be used to continue divisive campaigns and propaganda against

BORIS JOHNSON TO DELIVER 2023 ANYIAM-OSIGWE LECTURE Boris Johnson will address the 16th session of the Osigwe AnyiamOsigwe annual lecture series.

The former UK leader will address the august gathering in Lagos on March 27, 2023, coming after the last edition that was addressed by the President Muhammadu Buhari.

While announcing the 2023 event, Acting Coordinator-General of Osigwe Anyiam-Osigwe Foundation, George Anyiam-Osigwe noted that the former UK Prime Minister joins a list of several distinguished men and women who have served as keynote speakers at the Foundation's annual Lecture.

They include: F.W. de Klerk, former President of South Africa; Shimon Peres, former Prime Minister and President of Israel; former American Vice-President Al

Gore and his wife, Tipper Gore; His Majesty, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, the 16th Asantehene of Ghana; John Major, former British Prime Minister; Helmut Kohl, former Chancellor of the Federal Republic of Germany; Cherie Blair (QC), wife of the then British Prime Minister; Fernando Cardoso, former President of Brazil; Alexander Kwasniewski, former President of Poland; Vaclav Klaus, President of the Czech Republic; His Holiness, the 14th Dalai Lama, Tenzin Gyatso; Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga, former President of Sri Lanka; General Pervez Musharraf, former president of Pakistan and Joyce Banda, former President of Malawi.

The Acting Coordinator-General said Johnson will bring to bear his experiential knowledge as one of the significant international statesmen

of the 21st century to examine the central theme of the lecture, "Rehumanising Human Experience: A Synopsis of Anyiam-Osigwe's treatises."

George Anyiam-Osigwe adds: “The former Mayor of London and former UK Foreign Secretary, through his Keynote address, will offer solutions to some of the global challenges that are currently plaguing the world, stoking citizens' frustrations and anger.”

On the choice of Boris Johnson, the Acting Coordinator-General said the former PM was chosen for his courage, extensive and practical knowledge in confronting some world knotty domestic and global problems such as Brexit, COVID-19 and the Russia-Ukraine war during his premiership.

"We considered him the right

person to speak to the theme of Rehumanising the world.

The world has gone through serious upheavals in the last two decades; from the civil war in Syria, political instability in parts of Africa, Brexit that has really tested United Kingdom and the entire European Union, trade war between China and America and the COVID-19 pandemic that shut down the entire world for more than a year with attendant social and economic dislocation.

"Former Prime Minister Johnson is one of the active global leaders of the last decade who had to deal with some of these problems and led the world through a once in a century pandemic. We are of the strong view that our country and the world can benefit from his experience and perspectives."

the APC and its control of the federal government.

To this end, he called for an Emergency National Convention where the new national leadership of the party would emerge.

He said with a National Chairman who is also a Muslim, it would be important that every necessary step was taken to inject a change of leadership for the party so that a new National Chairman who is a Christian takes over.

To him, part of the advantage of this was that the National Chairman could be retained in North-Central.

The party chieftain stressed that the current National Chairman has done an excellent job to manage a successful campaign to win the 2023 election with all the attendant challenges, adding that there should be no difficulty in convincing Adamu to resign to create opportunity for a Christian Chairman to emerge.

According to him, "For that to happen, it may require an Emergency National Convention because if the hierarchy of the current leadership is to be followed, the successor to Sen. Adamu will be Sen. Abubakar Kyari who is a Muslim from the North-east.”

Lukman stressed that apart from changing the National Chairman, there was the need to address the case of the National Secretary of the party.

He stated categorically that Omisore had become a source of strong dispute in Osun State.

He noted: "Unfortunately, rather than serving as a unifying factor for the party leadership in Osun State, Omisore is more a divisive factor, which may have been responsible for why APC lost the 2022 Governorship election to a political mediocre whose only qualification in politics may appear to be comic dancing skill."

Lukman also said there was need for APC leadership to properly plan the distribution of key positions in the federal government to reflect both ethnic, religious, gender and other demographic considerations.

Against this background, he called on the leadership of the party to zone the positions of the Senate President and the Speaker House of the Representatives to North-west, South-east or South-south.

Lukman pointed out that given that the President and Vice President are from South-west and North-east respectively, nobody from either of these two regions should aspire for the positions of Senate President or Speaker of the House of Representatives.

He said opportunists might argue that in the last four years, the South-west also produced the Vice President and Speaker of the House of Representatives, but insisted that the party must correct this kind of lop-sided reality as a strategic approach to dousing ethnic and religious tension in the country.

Lukman stated: "Accordingly, the positions of Senate President and Speaker House of Representatives should be zoned to North-west, South-east or South-south. With a Muslim President and a Muslim Vice President, it is only logical to zone the

Senate President who is the number three ranking leader of government to either the South-east or South-south who would be a Christian.

"Logically, the position of Speaker of the House of Representatives should be zoned to the North-west.

This would have the advantage of acknowledging that the North-west gave Asiwaju Tinubu the highest votes of 2,950,393, representing 33.6% of the votes he won."

PDP wants INEC Chairman Prosecuted

For the second time in 10 days, the PDP has called on Yakubu to resign as INEC Chairman.

PDP also asked the Police, the Department of State Security (DSS) and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to commence criminal prosecution of the INEC Chairman and some officials of the commission for “financially compromising the electoral laws through inducement.”

The National Publicity Secretary of the PDP, Debo Ologunagba who made the demands at a press conference in Abuja yesterday said: “The party has further reviewed the widely-condemned infractions, brazen violation of the provisions of the Electoral Act, 2022 and criminal manipulation and alteration of election results by the Yakubu-led INEC to subvert the Will of Nigerians in the February 25, 2023 Presidential and National Assembly Elections.

"The PDP has also reviewed the latest scheme by INEC to reconfigure the BVAS devices, erase and destroy evidence of its manipulation of the Presidential election, deny Nigerians and political parties, especially our party and candidate access to relevant information required to prosecute our case at the Presidential Election Tribunal.

"It is also obvious that the Commission under Prof. Yakubu deliberately sabotaged the uploading and transmission of results directly from the Polling Units to give room for the criminal mutilation, alteration and switching of election results across the nation in favour of the APC as now abundantly exposed in the pictorial and video evidence of compromised results sheets in many parts of the country.”

Consequently, Ologunagba said the PDP demands that Yakubu should immediately step down from office, having allegedly abused the confidence and dashed the hope of millions of Nigerians, as well as political parties and the international community for a free, fair and credible election.

Furthermore, he said "the PDP demands that the Inspector General of Police and the Director General of DSS immediately commence investigations into the electoral violations and manipulations by INEC with the view to prosecuting Prof. Yakubu and other officials of the Commission for electoral offences.

"In the same vein the EFCC should open investigation into allegations that certain top officials of INEC were heavily compromised financially to manipulate the electoral process."

THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER ˾ MARCH 11, 2023

6

NEWS

News Editor Charles Ajunwa 09157401421 (sms only) Email charles.ajunwa@thisdaylive.com

Boris Johnson to Deliver 2023 Anyiam-Osigwe Lecture Former Prime Minister of the United Kingdom and Member of Parliament, Boris Johnson will address the 16th session of the Osigwe Anyiam-Osigwe annual lecture series.

The former UK leader will address the august gathering in Lagos on March 27, 2023 coming after the last edition that was addressed by the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Muhammadu Buhari While announcing the 2023 event, Acting Coordinator-General of Osigwe Anyiam-Osigwe Foundation, George Anyiam-Osigwe noted that the former UK Prime Minister joins a list of several distinguished men and women who have served as keynote speakers at the Foundation’s annual Lecture.

They include F.W. de Klerk, former President of South Africa; Shimon Peres, former Prime Minister and President of Israel; former American Vice-President Al Gore and his wife, Tipper Gore; His Majesty, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, the 16th Asantehene of Ghana; John Major, former British Prime

Minister; Helmut Kohl, former Chancellor of the Federal Republic of Germany; Cherie Blair (QC), wife of the then British Prime Minister; Fernando Cardoso, former President of Brazil; Alexander Kwasniewski, former President of Poland; Vaclav Klaus, President of the Czech Republic; His Holiness, the 14th Dalai Lama, Tenzin Gyatso; Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga, former President of Sri Lanka; General Pervez Musharraf, former president of Pakistan and Joyce Banda, former President of Malawi.

The Acting Coordinator-General said Johnson will bring to bear his experiential knowledge as one of the significant international statesmen of the 21st century to examine the central theme of the lecture, “Rehumanising Human Experience: A Synopsis of Anyiam-Osigwe’s treatises.”

George Anyiam-Osigwe adds: “The former Mayor of London and former UK Foreign Secretary, through his Keynote address, will offer solutions to some of the global challenges that are currently plaguing the world, stoking citizens’

frustrations and anger.”

On the choice of Boris Johnson, the Acting Coordinator-General said the former PM was chosen for his courage, extensive and practical knowledge in confronting some world knotty domestic and global problems such as Brexit, COVID-19, Russia-Ukraine war during his premiership.

“We considered him the right person to speak to the theme of Rehumanising the world. The world has gone through serious upheavals in the last two decades; from the civil war in Syria, political instability in parts of Africa,

Brexit that has really tested United Kingdom and the entire European Union, trade war between China and America and the COVID-19 pandemic that shut down the entire world for more than a year with attendant social and economic dislocation.

“Former Prime Minister Johnson is one of the active global leaders of the last decade who had to deal with some of these problems and led the world through a once in a century pandemic. We are of the strong view that our country and the world can benefit from his experience and perspectives.”

Johnson is a champion of democracy, freedom and free market capitalism, and believes that the sheer innovative power of the west will take us through the ramifications of the war on Ukraine and post-covid shocks, and will defeat struggling authoritarian regimes.

He believes technology, driven by free market democracies, will ultimately defeat our biggest challenges on health, science and global warming.

He argues that in the 21st century, countries must be able to deregulate and be as

competitive as possible. That is why Boris Johnson successfully campaigned for Brexit - taking back control of UK law, marking the biggest constitutional change for half a century, and enabling the UK to generate the fastest vaccine approval in the world and the fastest vaccine rollout in Europe - with all the subsequent economic benefits.

Johnson is the kind of politician who takes risks for the principles of democracy, freedom and free markets, and stands alongside those fighting against authoritarian regimes.

National Census Date May Be Shifted Michael Olugbode in Abuja The commencement of the 2023 national housing and population census, which was earlier slated for March 29, may likely be put forward due to the postponement of the governorship and state assembly elections.

Speaking at the presentation of 16 Post Enumeration Survey (PES) laptops put at a cost of N2 million each to the National Population Commission (NPC) by the United Nations Population Fund (NPF), in Abuja, the Chairman of Commission, Hon. Nasir Isa Kwarra, said the holding of the census is sacrosanct and the decision of when to hold it depends on President Muhammadu Buhari.

The state elections, which were earlier scheduled to hold on March 11, have now been scheduled for March 18 by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

Kwarra, who did not reveal the specific date the census may be moved to, said what he can assure was that it is going to hold in 2023 and that consultation is going to be done with President Muhammadu Buhari for a suitable date for the exercise.

Meanwhile, the Nigeria’s 2023 Census received a major boost with the donation of Post Enumeration Survey (PES) Laptops to the National Population Commission (NPC) yesterday by the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA).

Presenting the laptops to Kwarra, the Country Representative, UNFPA Nigeria, Ms Ulla Mueller said Census-taking is a priority national development activity worldwide that should be conducted at least decennially, insisting that: “Despite a seven years’ delay, the Nigeria 2023 Population and

Housing Census is billed to be transformative in its agenda and process, buoyed by the extensive use of digital technology to ensure transparency and credibility as well as quality results.”

Mueller said: “The United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) is delighted to identify with the 2023 Census agenda, continuously providing an enabling environment to ensure that it is embedded in the SDGs framework, ICPD goals, Agenda 2063 and the Nigerian national development vision – all of which emphasise the dire need for up-to-date data pertaining to individual circumstances and ensure that we Leave No One Behind in making key decisions.

“As the Lead global partner, UNFPA brings to the Nigeria 2023 Census high level technical expertise, experience, comparative advantages in operational intelligence and best practices collated from decades of work in more than 150 countries.”

She noted that with the availability of the PES laptops Nigeria’s 2023 Census was bound to meet the global best standard and present the country and indeed the world with a tool needed for development.

She said: “I’m aware that NPC has already put the right structures and work programme in place and are farther along in the process to ensure the successful implementation of the PES as well. Nigeria 2023 Census needs a good PES. It is to be understood that the PES, just like the Census, will be transformational - fully digital and employ methodological and technological innovations to guarantee quality and timely results, and conducted up to international standards.”

HOME WITH THE PRESIDENT… L-R: President Muhammadu Buhari with the Imo State Governor, Hope Uzodimma, when the latter visited the President at his Daura residence...

Thursday.

Supreme Court Removes Shekarau as Senator-elect Alex Enumah in Abuja The Supreme Court yesterday put to rest the issue of who is the authentic candidate of the New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP) for the Kano Central Senatorial seat, when it dismissed the appeal filed by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) challenging the nomination of Senator Rufai Hanga.

The apex court in a unanimous judgment delivered by Justice Emmanuel Agim held that the appeal by INEC is unmeritorious and should be dismissed.

Hanga and the electoral umpire have been engaged in

legal battle over the authentic candidate of the NNPP for the Kano Central Senatorial election, won by the NNPP. The NNPP initially submitted the name of former Kano Governor, Mr. Ibrahim Shekarau to INEC as its senatorial candidate for Kano Central District.

However, following Shekarau’s defection to the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), the NNPP formally wrote INEC asking that the name of Shekarau be replaced with Hanga.

But INEC refused on the grounds that the time for such replacement had elapsed, thereby leading to the current litigation.

Recall that the Federal High Court Abuja as well as the Court of Appeal Abuja had in their concurrent judgment disagreed with INEC and ordered the commission to publish Hanga’s name as authentic candidate of the NNPP. Dissatisfied, INEC again approached the apex court to upturn the concurrent judgment of the two lower courts.

In its judgment delivered yesterday, the apex court held that the Judgments of the Federal High Court and the Court of Appeal were in line with the position of the law and subsequently affirmed

them.

According to Justice Uwani Musa Aba-Aji who prepared the lead judgment, the case of the electoral umpire was lacking both in merit and substance and should be dismissed in its entirety.

The apex court pointed out that there was no need to interfere with the judgments of the lower courts except there was any evidence that the judgments were pervert, adding that in the instant appeal, INEC failed to prove that the judgments were pervert.

“The appellant’s appeal failed and is accordingly dismissed”, it held.

Ogun Guber: Labour Party Adopts Abiodun as Candidate James Sowole in Abeokuta Ahead of the governorship election rescheduled for March 18, the Labour Party (LP) in Ogun State, has endorsed and adopted the All Progressives Congress (APC) gubernatorial candidate and the incumbent governor of Ogun State, Dapo Abiodun for another term of four years in office.

Speaking when he led the state executive members of the Labour Party to the governor’s residence at Iperu-Remo, the state chairman of the party, Comrade Michael Ashade, disclosed that the good works of the governor

and the need to sustain them till 2027 informed the party’s decision to throw its weight behind him.

With Ashade were the National Publicity Secretary of LP, Abayomi Arabambi; state secretary, Mr. Michael Feyisola; Women Leader, Elizabeth Oladimeji; Ogun East Senatorial Chairman; Babaseun Ogunyemi; State Treasurer, Sobayo Olaniyi and State Youth Leader, Adebiyi Adekunle.

Others are State Legal Adviser, Monday Mawahi; Assistant Secretary, Wale Okusanya and State Deputy Chairman, Otunba Yinka

Adeboye, Senatorial chairman for Ogun West, Olufemi Olusola, State Organising secretary, Tosin Meadows and Youth Leader, Ogun West, Godwin Adeleye Ashade said, “We are here to appreciate His Excellency, our governorship candidate, whom we have come to endorse at this occasion. We have not had it better in Ogun State at a time like this, we as an opposition party are not intimidated by the fact that we are in the opposition.

“All through the campaign period which is still ongoing, I don’t think any party will complain that its supporters are

being strangulated or impeded.

None of our candidates can make that statement. We want to thank you sir for giving all the parties a level playing ground, we equally want to thank His Excellency for allowing peace to reign before, during and after the election of February 25.

“It is glaring that all through the nation, Ogun State can stand out as being the most peaceful during this election period. Your leadership style has alluded to this and your statesmanship in leading this state on the right path has laid credence to that.

SATURDAY MARCH 11, 2023 • T H I S D AY

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THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER ˾ MARCH 11, 2023

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NEWS Imo Govt Accuses Ajaero of Plotting to Destabilise State with Strikes Imo State Government yesterday alleged that it was in possession of classified information indicating that the President of Nigeria Labour Congress, Comrade Joe Ajaero, is in a secret political agreement with some collaborators to use his office to actualise the governorship ambition of his kinsman.

The agreement, according to government was reached three weeks ago at Emekuku in Owerri North local government of Imo State where Ajaero accepted to work to destabilise the administration of Governor Hope Uzodimma.

According to the State Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Hon Declan Emelumba, the said kinsman who is a serial governorship aspiration spanning PDP and APGA, has already picked the form of one of the

political parties for his ambition.

Emelumba said it was also at the meeting that George Ofoegbu Ugochukwu, another kinsman of Ajaero and the governorship aspirant, was selected as the arrowhead of the battle as new NLC chairman in the State.

The Commissioner noted that the plan was for George who was picked by the serial governorship aspirant, to unleash strikes on the State administration so as to make it unpopular.

“From information available to us, the strike declared by Ajaero is derived from the Emekuku agreement and therefore politically motivated. Also, to ensure that the plot succeeds at all costs, Ajaero has been moving from one labour leader to the other lobbying for support,” Emelumba alleged.

He said that it was because of the haste to activate the implemen-

tation of the agreement that made Ajaero to throw all caution to the wind by unilaterally imposing a Caretaker NLC Chairman on the State and declaring strike without any notice to the State government as demanded by Labour laws.

The Commissioner said the Government is raising the alarm for Nigerians, especially the security agencies and labour leaders, to know that what is going on in Imo State has nothing to do with labour issues but the personal clannish ambition of one man.

Said he: “People should know that Ajaero is abusing his office, using NLC to run down this administration for the interest of his kinsman.”

He noted that the manner the election of Imo NLC was botched, the way the same George was imposed as Caretaker Committee

Chairman and the hasty declaration of the strike without notice, point to a premeditated agenda

by Ajaero and his kinsman.

Emelumba therefore called on Imo workers to be wary of the activities of Ajaero and his cohorts before they are led astray.

He further assured the workers that the State government would continue to give their welfare the priority it deserves.

Crisis Hits Katsina NNPP over Endorsement of APC Guber Candidate Francis Sardauna in Katsina The Katsina State chapter of New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP) is in crisis over the endorsement of the governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Dr. Dikko Umar Radda by the leadership of the party.

The state chairman of the party, Hon. Sani Liti-Yankwani and the running mate to the party’s governorship candidate, Dr. Muttaqha Rabe-Darma, had in a meeting with executive members of the party endorsed Radda for the March 18 governorship election.

Although the last Thursday endorsement meeting which was held at Munaj Event Centre, Katsina, ended in chaos, it was reportedly attended by all the 34 local governments and 361 ward chairmen of the party.

Allegedly convened by

Darma and chaired by Yankwani, the meeting was attended by the APC guber candidate and other bigwigs of the party. But Nura Khalil, the state NNPP governorship candidate who stormed the venue of the meeting in a commando style, chased away the NNPP officials.

But Darma, while addressing members of the party before the arrival of Khalil and his foot soldiers, said the party’s leadership had unanimously endorsed Dr. Dikko Umar Radda, the APC guber candidate because of his track records and humanitarian services.

He therefore implored NNPP members across the state to vote for Radda in the forthcoming governorship election, describing Khalil as an unserious candidate who has sidelined his party’s executives after getting the governorship

PAC Sacks Rivers State Branch Executives for Misconduct Onyebuchi Ezigbo in Abuja The national leadership of Inter-Party Advisory Council (IPAC) has dissolved the Rivers State Chapter of the Council for gross misconduct.

IPAC said the executives of the Rivers state chapter flagrantly violated the provisions of the 2021 Revised Code of Conduct of the council which barred them from openly endorsing any candidate in an election.

In a statement signed by the National Secretary, Yusuf Dantalle, IPAC said that its General Assembly has approved the dissolution of the Rivers state branch.

The statement reads: “The General Assembly of the Inter-Party Advisory Council in a meeting held on 9th March 2023 ratified the immediate dissolution of the Rivers State Chapter of the Council for gross misconduct in flagrant

violation of the provisions of the 2021 Revised Code of Conduct.

“The Inter-Party Advisory Council is not a political party but a platform for all political parties saddled with the mandate of promoting and defending the interests of all registered political parties in Nigeria, hence should be neutral, fair and impartial.

“The Council condemns and dissociates itself from the irresponsible act of the Rivers State IPAC executives in endorsing the Rivers State PDP governorship candidate, Sir Siminialaye Fubara. Let it also be unequivocally stated that those behind this scripted spectacle are as irresponsible as those who have been used as political pawns.

“All political parties whose party officials in Rivers State have been found culpable are enjoined to take disciplinary actions in accordance with their respective party constitutions”.

ticket.

He said Radda’s victory would boost development, adding that the state was in dire need of someone like him who has the capacity to govern with sincerity and honesty for development to thrive in the state.

According to him, “Dr. Dikko Radda has the capacity, the qualifications and experience to move the state out of the woods; we need to attain our goals”.

DESIRE ACHIEVED… L-R: Former Governor of Ogun State, Chief Olusegun Osoba; his grandson, Gbeminiyi; and his son, Honourable Olumide Osoba when the elected House of Representatives member presented his INEC certificate of return to his father in Abeokuta ...yesterday.

Microsoft, OCP Africa Partner to Sustain, Grow Food Security in Africa Bennett Oghifo Microsoft, through its Africa Transformation Office, and OCP Africa has announced a partnership that will positively impact smallholder farmers and Agri-stakeholders across Africa by 2025.

A statement issued by Microsoft said the partnership was announced at the 5th United Nations Conference on the Least Developed Countries (LDC5), taking place in Doha, Qatar, OCP Africa, an African company that supplies fertilizer solutions adapted to local conditions and to the needs of soils and crops across the continent, is partnering with Microsoft to reinforce and scale its Digital Agriculture Platform. This platform enhances the quality

of farmers’ production, enables them to better manage their businesses. Partnership between both companies will scale the Agri-platforms rapidly with new and existing geographies, enhancing the services offered and developing new services.

The partnership will enable smallholder farmers to access skilling and information through Agri-digital services leveraging on OCP Africa programmes like the Farmer Hub concept to support millions of farmers. OCP Africa will also work with Microsoft to explore the use of big data, machine learning and Artificial Intelligence (AI) to build their data and AI platform to enhance operational efficiency and better serve the stakeholders in the ecosystem.

“We believe that precision farming, brought about by

the adoption of advanced technologies into the agricultural sector, will revolutionise food production and help to eliminate hunger and poverty in Africa.

Technology is the key factor to enabling and increasing access to finance, equipment, and sustainability for rural farmers, empowering local farmers in Africa. Our partnership with OCP Africa will help to directly impact smallholder farmers and improve production,” says Wael Elkabbany, General Manager for Microsoft Africa Regional Cluster.

“African agriculture is at a transformational moment in its history – and a time of incredible possibility and promise for farmers and industry alike. Digitising agricultural practices in Africa allows smallholder farmers to

optimise their decision-making, which in turn helps optimise production. The partnership between OCP Africa and Microsoft will allow us to increase the services provided and scale-up our digital platform, expand our reach and make an even bigger impact on food security across the continent,” says Dr Mohamed Anouar Jamali, CEO of OCP Africa.

The statement said in this time of increasing food insecurity, enhancing the resilience and livelihoods for smallholder farmers is needed to drive increased agriculture productivity, including reducing losses in the food production chain.

With the increasing impacts of more frequent extreme weather events, adaptation and resilience are of crucial importance to the food system’s transformation.

Onuesoke Laments Delay in Restarting Itakpe-Warri Rail Line Sylvester Idowu inWarri Chairman of DAS Energy Services Ltd in Udu near warri, Chief Sunny Onuesoke has lamented the continued delay in opening of the Warri-Itakpe railway line corridor after the derailing incident in January this year.

He recalled that the Itakpe-Warri rail line was suspended after it derailed at Km 30 Ajaokuta-Itakpe section of the track at about 12:30hrs on Sunday 22nd January

2023 forced many passengers to be stranded.

However, Onuesoke who faulted the delay in resumption of service to passengers on the rail corridor in a statement issued in Warri, Delta State yesterday lamented that the delay has caused passengers travelling along the Itakpe –Warri rail corridor hardship and financial losses.

He said before the incident, travelers from Warri to Abuja had found the rail route to be cheap, safe and fast in connecting

to the Federal Capital Territory, adding that after the suspension, those travelers through the route became stranded.

“When the Itakpe-Warri rail route was inaugurated, I was among those who commended the Federal government and Nigeria Railway Corporation (NRC) over the development because it opened an easy route of travelling from Warri, Delta State through Edo State to Kogi State.

“It made it as well easier,

cheaper and safer for those travelling to Abuja. Besides, it opened route to socio-economic benefit as most people now use the opportunity to do business along the corridor”, he said.

Onuesoke, a former governorship aspirant and Chieftain of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in Delta State however regretted that since after the derailment incident and suspension of the rail route all things have become difficult to those plying the corridor.

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NEWS LASTMA: No Casualties as Three 40ft Containers Fall in Lagos Bennett Oghifo

FOR WOMEN’S DAY… L-R: Deputy Comptroller General of Nigeria immigration, (Migration), Angela Esakaigbe; Assistant Comptroller General,( Kaduna Zone) Zainab Lawal; Deputy Comptroller General, (Passport /Travel Documents ) Dupe Anyalechi; Deputy Comptroller General, (Finance), Caroline Adepoju; Representative of Interior Minister, Mrs. Atinuke Ajiboye ; President, Immigration Wives Assoc, Hajia Isah Jere ; Representative of Minister of Women Affairs, Dr. Joan Sanni and Deputy Comptroller General, Research & Development, Dora Amahian during the Public Lecture to mark the International Women’s Day hosted by the NIS in Abuja...

Train Accident: Sanwo-Olu Pays Condolence Visits to Deceased Families Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu, yesterday paid condolence visit to families of the Lagos State Government VWDͿ ZKR ZHUH LQYROYHG LQ WKH train accident that claimed six lives on Thursday.

Governor Sanwo-Olu was accompanied by the Head of Service, Mr. Hakeem MuriOkunola, and some members of the State Executive Council to sympathise with the bereaved families.

A Lagos State Government 6WDͿ %XV ZLWK 1XPEHU

carrying civil servants and some dependents from Isolo to Alausa had a collision with a commercial train at PWD Bus-Stop, along Agege Motor Road, in the State on Thursday.

The accident occurred when the Lagos State Government VWDͿ EXV ZDV DERXW WR FURVV the rail track and during the process, it collided with a commercial train at the location.

Six out of the 85 passengers on the bus died while 79 civil servants and their dependents on the bus sustained varying

degrees of injuries.

Governor Sanwo-Olu who was received by the three families he visited in Jakande Estate, Oke Afa, and Ikotun areas of Lagos State, commiserated with the bereaved families and prayed for them over their irreplaceable losses.

He urged them to take the death of their loved ones in good faith and see it as an act of God. The Governor visited the families of Esther Rokosu, a VWDͿ RI /DJRV ,QWHUQDO 5HYHQXH

Service (LIRS), and 54-year-old Mrs. Victoria Johnson nee 'DGD D 6RFLDO :HOIDUH 2΀FHU of Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LASUTH).

He also paid a condolence visit to the home of a Youth Corps member, Miss Aina Oreoluwa Juliana, who was serving in the Ministry of Education before her untimely death.

During the visit, prayers ZHUH RͿHUHG IRU WKH GHFHDVHG families, various ministries, and the Lagos State Government.

7KH /DJRV 6WDWH 7UD΀F 0DQagement Authority (LAETMA) said yesterday that three 40ft containers fell in Ikeja, Mile 12 and Ojuelegba areas of the state.

In a tweet, LASTMA said the ÀUVW LQFLGHQW WRRN SODFH DW DERXW 6:55 AM when a 40ft container IHOO RͿ D WUDLOHU RQ 2MXHOHJED bridge inward Stadium. The DJHQF\ QRWHG WKDW WUD΀F ZDV diverted on the bridge as the incident blocked the entire main carriage way. “#Ojuelegba #RoadIncident A IW FRQWDLQHU IHOO RͿ D WUDLOHU RQ Ojuelegba bridge inward Stadium blocking the entire main carriage way now. Diversion in progress thru the Ojuelegba service lanes. ´0HQ RI WKH 1LJHULDQ 3ROLFH Force are already on ground as mechanism for evacuation has arrived.”

LASTMA stated that the second incident occurred at 7 AM under the bridge by the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital. “#RoadIncident. A fallen

40-foot container-laden truck fell at General Hospital under bridge ,NHMD ,W QHHGV WR EH R΁RDGHG before recovery is done. Personnel fully on the ground managing WUD΀F DFFRUGLQJO\ µ In the afternoon, the agency tweeted that a third container fell at the Mile 12 area of Ikorodu road, stating that there is currently no access through the service lane.

The agency tweeted, “A fallen 40ft container at Demurin junction inwards Ile Ile/Mile 12, there is no access through the service lane presently. ´(ͿRUW LV RQ IRU UHFRYHU\ ZKLOH RXU R΀FHUV DUH RQ VFHQH PDQDJLQJ WKH VLWXDWLRQ HͿHFWLYHO\ 1R FDVXDOWLHV UHFRUGHG µ LASTMA stated that in all cases, no casualty was recorded unlike the incident that occurred in January when all the occupants of a mini but were crushed to death by a container that fell RͿ D WUDLOHU DW 2MXHOHJED 7KH DJHQF\ VDLG HͿRUWV ZHUH being made to clear the obstacles WR HQVXUH IUHH ÁRZ RI WUD΀F

PDP, APC Trade Words over Allegations of Vote Buying in Kwara Hammed Shittu in Ilorin

The Director General, Peoples Democratic Party(PDP) Campaign Council in Kwara State, Professor Ali Ahmad has raised the alarm over the alleged transfers of funds by the ruling All Progressives Congress(APC) led government to electorate so as to induce them ahead of the forthcoming governorship poll in the state.

The PDP said that, the fund WUDQVIHUV ZDV EHWZHHQ 1 1 DQG 1 DGGLQJ that, such development was Olawale Ajimotokan in Abuja against the Electoral Act and the are capable of undermining ments, divisive and dangerous WKH QDWLRQ·V GHPRFUDF\ “In as much as the Commis- campaign council has directed the peaceful co-existence of FRPPHQWV·· 7KH 1%& '* QRWHG WKDW WKH sion believes in the freedom of its legal department to write 7KH 1DWLRQDO %URDGFDVWLQJ the country.

“Any further breaches of the media has a role to play in expression, it is also seriously the Economic and Financial &RPPLVVLRQ 1%& KDV YRZHG to close down broadcast stations 1LJHULD %URDGFDVWLQJ &RGH DQG ensuring national development constrained to act decisively on Crimes Commission and other airing programmes capable of $FW ZLOO QR ORQJHU EH WROHUDWHG ·· by publishing or broadcasting any broadcaster that exploits anti-corruption agencies over the narratives of national recon- WKH IUDJLOH SHDFH RI RXU QDWLRQ ·· ugly development in the state. undermining national security he warned.

But, the ruling All Progressives He said the Commission ciliation and healing in these he stressed. and peaceful co-existence.

He appealed to broadcast Congress Campaign Council 7KH 'LUHFWRU *HQHUDO 1%& monitored the coverage of the unsettling times.

Malam Balarabe Ilelah, issued elections by some broadcast He urged broadcast stations stations to abide strictly by in the state has described the the warning at a meeting with VWDWLRQV DQG ZDV SHWULÀHG WKDW to avoid the promotion of ODLG GRZQ UXOHV RI WKH 1LJHULD allegations as uncalled for saybroadcast stations on the cover- some of them yielded air time negative conversations that Broadcasting Code, the Act ing that, the disbursement was DJH RI WKH 3UHVLGHQWLDO 1DWLRQDO to unpatriotic individuals to are not only dangerous to and other extant laws guiding PHDQW WR ÀJKW SRYHUW\ DPRQJ the people of the state and not Assembly, Gubernatorial and make subversive, hateful, and democracy, but constituted EURDGFDVWLQJ LQ 1LJHULD inciting utterances, particularly WKUHDWV WR 1LJHULD·V FRUSRUDWH He stressed that the media to woo electorate for the poll. state assembly elections.

Speaking at a news conference has responsibility to ensure that existence. ´7KH 1%& LV JLYLQJ LWV ODVW post-election.

He noted, however, that He acknowledged that using national issues discussed on warning to broadcast stations and will not hesitate to shut or the coverage of the elections broadcast platforms to incite the airwaves were done with revoke the license of any when and post-election matters were supporters or create enmity decorum, civility, patriotism and convinced that its activities “marred by unguarded state- would not help in deepening a sense of fairness.

NBC Threatens to Shut Stations Airing Programmes Detrimental to National Security

in Ilorin yesterday, the DG of the PDP campaign council, Prof Ahmad said that, “For the avoidance of doubt, the Electoral Act has criminalised this old practice of voter inducement.

“It provides in Section 121 that whoever directly or indirectly by himself or on his behalf, “corruptly makes any gift, loan, RͿHU SURPLVH SURFXUHPHQW RU agreement to or for any person, in order to induce such person” person to vote at any election DV FRPPLWWHG DQ RͿHQFH OLDEOH on conviction to 12 months imprisonment”.

Ahmad said that, “We have correct and factual information DERXW KRZ SROLWLFDO R΀FH holders, private individuals RXWVLGH JRYHUQPHQW LQÁXHQWLDO people in our society, and even bureaucrats receive huge money from government accounts and these individuals then either retain the money as their own to buy their support while some others are charged with paying a huge part of the money in tranches of 1 1 DQG 1 to ordinary voters.

New Rivers Immigration Comptroller Assures ,QYHVWRUV RI 6DIH 3URÀWDEOH (QYLURQPHQW

Northern Community in Rivers State Backs Tonye Cole for Governor 7KH 1RUWKHUQ &RPPXQLW\ LQ Rivers State has thrown its weight behind the Governorship Candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Rivers State, Arch. Tonye Cole.

This was confirmed by the Chief Imam of Rivers State, Alhaji Haliru Imam when they played host to the former Minister of Transportation and former Governor, Rt Hon. Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi as part of his campaign rounds for the APC governorship candidate in Port Harcourt yesterday.

Imam said (to Amaechi), “We know Tonye Cole being a Pastor will be good like you. I remember when you were in power, people ZHUH VKRXWLQJ DERXW 1RUWKHUQHUV

but you told us, ‘feel free, this is \RXU KRPH · 'XULQJ \RXU WHQXUH WKH Christian Muslim Board existed, but today there is nothing like pilgrim board even to Christians, because of one man.”

7KH 1RUWKHUQHUV DOVR FRPSODLQHG DERXW WKH FXUUHQW DGPLQLVWUDWLRQ·V handling of Slaughter in TransAmadi and Taskforce issues.

They expressed hope that Tonye Cole will do better when elected as Governor of the State.

6SHDNLQJ WKH 1RUWKHUQ <RXWK Leader in Rivers State, Alhaji Shehu Ahmed, expressed delight over $PDHFKL·V YLVLW VWDWLQJ WKDW 5LYHUV people and party faithful would be better off with his presence and emboldened to reclaim the State.

“Sir, your coming has emboldened us. We beg you to leave Abuja for now and stay with us in Rivers state.

Responding, Amaechi encouraged them to go all out and vote for Tonye Cole and protect their votes on election day. “All we need from you is to go out and vote, and protect your votes.

Everybody should be his own policeman. When you vote, sit down there until they upload it. Even when they upload it, escort them to the Ward centre, let them upload it there. Another set of people should escort them to the Local Government centre.

7KDW·V KRZ \RX EHFRPH \RXU RZQ policeman. Me as Governor, you

SHRSOH FDQ·W GHQ\ PH , PDGH VXUH that as Governor, 1200 Christians went on pilgrimage, 500 Muslims also went on pilgrimage every year for eight years and we appointed a Muslim pilgrims board, the same way we appointed a Christian welfare pilgrims board. Somebody talked about Slaughter; the reason why we did not build the Slaughter we wanted to build for you in Greater Port Harcourt was that when we came forward, you people stopped us and said you have a traditional way of killing animals and it is not the same way as the PRGHUQ VODXJKWHU 6R WKDW·V KRZ ZH left the Trans-Amadi Slaughter, if not we were to build one between Oyigbo and Eleme.”

Blessing Ibunge in Port Harcourt

regretted how some persons go through illegal means for The newly deployed their demands, saying that the &RPSWUROOHU RI WKH 1LJHULD federal government agency ,PPLJUDWLRQ 6HUYLFH 1,6 5LY- was not set up to witch-hunt ers State Command, Sunday anybody.

Speaking on investment James has assured investors, especially expatriates doing drive in Rivers, James said businesses in the state of safe “All the expatriates residing DQG SURÀWDEOH HQYLURQPHQW in Rivers state should as a The former Public Relations matter of fact go through due 2΀FHU RI WKH VHFXULW\ DJHQF\·V diligence process whenever headquarters in Abuja and they are looking for anything immediate past comptroller of that has to do with our faciliimmigration service in Bayelsa, ties.

He further expressed detersaid the agency will ensure that investors legally doing mination to ensure that every business in the state, stay safe. expatriate living in Rivers has He urged expatriates a valid passport and must resident in Rivers to follow comply with the rules and due process whenever they regulations of immigration need the agency services. He service.

SATURDAY MARCH 11, 2023 • T H I S D AY

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MARCH 11, 2023 • THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER

COMMENTARY

THE BLIND SIDE OF IRREGULAR MIGRATION Irregular migration is driven by poverty, writes Bell Ihua

“

Dem no dey tell man, na man dey decide for himself,” meaning no one is told what to do, everyone is responsible for his or her own decisions. This phrase is one of the ‘commandments’ of irregular migration, gleaned from a research study I led a few years ago. In 2017 to be precise, with the support of the German Embassy in Nigeria, I was privileged to serve as principal investigator on a study on irregular migration, or ‘illegal’ migration as we call it colloquially. The study sought to examine the motivations for irregular migration from the lived experiences of actual and prospective migrants exploring emigration options through the dreaded Sahara Desert and the Mediterranean Sea, with hopes of arriving Europe someday. It was really about understanding this phenomenon dubbed ‘Europe by road’ and the psyche of those young Nigerians who seek, against all odds, to make those arduous journeys. Adopting a mixed methods approach, we visited recognized irregular migration clusters in Nigeria, like Benin City, Agbor, Asaba, Lagos, Onitsha and Uromi; to gather primary data from prospective irregular migrants and returnees repatriated from Libya, Mali, Niger, Italy and Spain.

Nigeria’s National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) has continued to monitor and report incidence of irregular migration arising from the country’s huge population, weak economic climate, endemic poverty and porous borders. In June 2022, the Agency reported that over 20,000 Nigerians were trapped in Malian shanties, and exposed to forced labor and sexual exploitation. Federal authorities also repatriated over 3,000 Nigerian migrants from Libya between January and November 2022. Despite these and other revelations, the number of irregular migrants continues to bulge unabated. I argue in this piece, based on findings from our study, that there is a blind side, consisting of certain critical factors, which continues to trigger the surge of irregular migrants in Nigeria. These factors have remained rather off the radar of policymakers, thus limiting their grasp of the issues, and the policy prescriptions aimed at tackling the menace. Amongst several factors identified in the study, five were distinct.

Poverty and economic motivations Behind almost every case of irregular migration are anecdotes of poverty, unemployment, deprivation and inequality of all shades. These stories also highlight clear trends of ineffective to non-existent social safety nets to cater for poor and vulnerable citizens. From our study, 84 per cent of the over 3,000 respondents surveyed identified the lack of jobs and poor economic conditions as the most important reason why many young Nigerians are exploring the option of emigrating to Europe without valid documents. This is unsurprising, given that 133 million Nigerians, representing 63 per cent of the country’s population, are multidimensionally poor, as indicated in the 2022 Multidimensional Poverty Index report. Lamentably, Federal and sub-national governments continue to make attempts at tackling the issue of irregular migration, in isolation of the twin evils of poverty

NO MATTER THE NUMBER OF TASK FORCES AND MEDIA CAMPAIGNS ORGANIZED AGAINST HUMAN TRAFFICKING AND IRREGULAR MIGRATION, HUNGRY AND IDLE MINDS REMAIN THE DEVIL’S WORKSHOP

and unemployment. They forget that no matter the number of task forces and media campaigns organized against human trafficking and irregular migration, hungry and idle minds remain the devil’s workshop.

Cultural legacies of irregular migration Some cities, towns and communities have a long heritage of migration, with many of their sons and daughters living abroad. Travelling overseas in such communities attract honor and respect, not only for migrants but also their families. On the flip side, such communities mount intense pressure on young abled-bodied members to check-out at all cost. Two quotes from the qualitative data aptly summarized this point: (1) From a focus group participant in Agbor: “In my community, once a child completes secondary education, the father sells a piece of land to fund the child’s trip to Libya, and he or she must surely get to Italy. This is rampant in Agbor.” (2) From another returnee in Benin: “The community is fond of mocking people who are not doing well… even one’s family can encourage him to embark on this deadly journey… to be the sacrificial lamb to liberate the family.” Clearly, tackling such hardwired cultural legacies require much more than establishing skills acquisition centers.

Myths and faulty perceptions Myths, faulty perceptions and outright lies also fuel this menace. How else can you explain the ridiculous assertion that those who travel illegally through the Mediterranean Sea will be placed above those who travel by flight, because they get ‘baptized at Sea’; or the faulty belief that the late Catholic Pontiff, Pope John Paul II, declared that any migrant who crosses the Sea shouldn’t be sent back to Africa? Besides, many prospective migrants believe they can never obtain regular travel visas; while others have bought into the lies that Spanish, Italian and French coast guards have been instructed not to repatriate anyone rescued at Sea. Believe it or not, these false narratives have become deeply entrenched within these circles.

Traffickers, agents and “buggers’ Irregular migration thrives on a complex web of social networks comprising traffickers, agents, spotters, recruiters, buggers, and even witch doctors. A common thread from the qualitative data highlighted the role of buggers. Buggers are unscrupulous returnees, who have taken up a vocation to chaperon newbies on these deadly journeys. Their aim is purely pecuniary, with a hint of treachery, seeking to ensnare unsuspecting victims. Hardly will you hear tales of trips from Agbor or Benin City to Kaduna, Agadez, Gao, El Golea and Tripoli, without their frequent mention. I met up with two buggers in Benin City. They even showed me their identity cards, or if you like, their bragging rights, to have been through the ‘valley of the shadow of death’ and back unscathed.

Bell Ihua mni is a Professor of Practice in Opinion Research at Coal City University, Enugu, and Executive Director at Africa Polling Institute

42 YEARS ON Regeneration berths on Lekki-Epe Expressway, writes Akeem Lasisi How can we forget you Epe? Reliable source of akokonkoko, Cheerful giver of eja osan The fish basket of our salivating land…

(From the poem, ‘Epe Fish Market’) or human beings, life begins at 40. But this is hardly true of a road. No matter how strongly built, it is normal for it to suffer depreciation and, in some cases, outright collapse, after being repeatedly marched and pounded by millions of zooming tyres for so long. This has largely been the fate of the Lekki-Epe Expressway, which was constructed in 1981. But, like many other parts of Lagos State, which are experiencing renewed development, the wind of regeneration is blowing on the vital road that leads to the fish basket of the aquatic land: Epe. About two years after Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu flagged off the 18.7-kilometre six-lane rigid pavement carriageway from Eleko to T-Junction in Epe, respite has come, renewal is here. The first project, which is the first phase of the monumental project, has been completed as promised and is being commissioned.

Experts observe that when the Lateef Jakande government first constructed the Lekki-Epe Expressway in 1981, the builders had adopted a rural road cross-section without drainage, except for chutes provided at intervals to allow water percolate into the soil along the verges.

The current reconstruction, however, entails an upgrade in both capacity and pavement structure, with an increase from a two to three-lane dual-carriageway and a dedicated truck lane plus reinforced concrete rigid pavement.

While flagging off the work on 1 November

F

2020, at a function held at the Pan African University in Eleko, Ibeju Lekki area, Governor Sanwo-Olu had said: “We recognise the importance of the Eti-Osa-Lekki-Epe Expressway Road to the economic prosperity of Lagos and its citizens. We are aware of the agitation and concerns of people about this strategic infrastructure. This is why we initially declared a state of emergency on the road and put in place temporary measures last year in November.

“Today, I am delighted to be at the historic flag-off of the rehabilitation and upgrading of this 40-year-old Eti Osa-Lekki-Epe Expressway.

This effort will culminate in a three-lane dual carriageway reinforced concrete pavement road with a dedicated lane in each direction for trucks and a rigid pavement to accommodate the envisaged axle loadings expected to ply the road when it is completed”.

While inspecting the project about six months after, the Governor, on a mission for a ‘Greater Lagos’, had assured Lagosians that the work was on course, acknowledging that the contractor had been active on site. “We are happy with the progress of the project because the contractor works day and night. I believe the work is on track. We are happy with what we have seen, and we believe that the contractor should be rounding off the work by end this year or first quarter next year”, he had noted.

Based on the prevailing circumstances at the time of conception, the Lekki-Epe Expressway reconstruction can be described as the proverbial white pap that flows from a fire-hurt black pot.

The government had defied the harsh memory of the disruptive COVID-19 and #ENDSARS crises

when it flagged off the project. Against all odds, it envisioned the succour the road would bring to motorists, the golden hours it would save and the added prosperity it would bring to the expansive and strategic Lekki area and beyond.

Special Adviser to the Governor on Works and Infrastructure, Engr. Aramide Adeyoye gave the envisaged gains in perspective: “Aside the fact that the Lekki-Epe Expressway project, when completed, will eliminate the perennial traffic gridlocks, it would ultimately improve socioeconomic activities in and around Lekki and reduce drastically the travel time of commuters”.

All hands were indeed on deck to ensure the project did not derail. The government too had to wield the big stick at a point to guarantee discipline and the sanity the contractors needed, to the point of demolishing illegal structures right and left of the road. During such an exercise, the General Manager of Lagos State Planning and Environmental Monitoring Authority, Daisi Oso appealed to all stakeholders to cooperate with the government to ensure all unfold well.

He said: “Lekki remains a very critical area and one of Nigeria’s fastest-growing axis, where both government and private sectors are making huge investments. Because of this, the state government will continue to preserve the environment, and anything less becomes an irritant because the present government is committed to achieving its T.H.E.M.E.S. agenda.

This demolition exercise will be extended to other parts of the state, especially where infractions are noticed on Setbacks/IOS”.

At last, the phase is completed for the benefit of all and sundry, with the engine of history

being oiled by Governor Sanwo-Olu as well as President Muhammadu Buhari. It is also noteworthy that work has begun on the second phase of the project – the 26.7km from Eleko junction to Abraham Adesanya junction in EtiOsa. In celebrating with all users and residents in general – but to Epe people in particular – here is a poetic tribute to the town regarded as the fish basket of the state: EPE FISH MARKET The goat never forgets the benevolent hand The ram is ever grateful To the one that blesses its cheek with eeri ogi Then, how can we forget you Epe? Reliable source of akokonkoko, Cheerful giver of eja osan The fish basket of our salivating land.

Everywhere I go, Your aroma follows me The world attests to the richness of your fish Antidote to rascally calories, Immunity to evils of chicken and meat: At every hospital or medical school Doctors confer honour on your nutritious fish.

From Lascofis to Amala Shitta, to Amala Canada to White House and Iya Ola I have been to more than a hundred joints, Where your fish is served in multiple styles – Some boiled, some roasted, some painstakingly sauced with onion fresh Some pampered with ugwu, some flirted with sokoyokoto Some so loved after a fiery treat, They are posthumously honoured with tomato crowns.

Lasisi writes from Lagos

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MARCH 11, 2023 • THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER

INSIGHT

What went wrong?

Witchcraft Persecution and Advocacy without Borders in Africa

T

he Advocacy for Alleged Witches urges Africans to campaign against abuses linked to witchcraft beliefs everywhere. This call follows the rescue of Nigerian nationals, who were accused of witchcraft in Kenya.

As reported, the police rescued these Nigerians in Thika Town in Kiambu County. It was stated that an angry mob beat and almost lynched them while they were performing some rituals. These Nigerians claimed that they were conducting some prayers. It was not stated the kind of prayers that they were conducting. The police intervened, resisted the mob, and took these nationals, who sustained some injuries, to a nearby hospital.

The Advocacy for Alleged Witches commends the Kenya police for intervening and rescuing these foreign nationals.

As in many parts of Africa, witchcraft accusation is a killer phenomenon, and a death sentence. These foreign nationals were fortunate. Police rescued them. In many instances, the police arrive late, after the damage has been done.

Recently, Kenya recorded incidents of witch persecution and killing. Last week, two elderly women, accused of witchcraft, were lynched in Murang’a County. There is still no information regarding the arrest and prosecution of suspected perpetrators of this heinous crime. In other African countries, such as Ghana, Malawi, Zambia, and Zimbabwe, accusations of witchcraft and witch persecution take place. Alleged witches have been attacked, killed, or banished. However, in most cases, locals are the target. People often accuse members of their neighbors, members of their family or community. This incident draws attention to the fact that foreigners are also at risk of being accused. Africans should look beyond their borders in advocating against witchcraft-linked violations.

People often demonize strange and unfamiliar prayer and ritual forms. They regard them as evil, as invocations of occult harm. African Christians and Muslims have been indoctrinated to demon-

ize, occultize and witchcraftize religious others, especially traditional religions or any ritual forms that deviate from religion, as they know it. As this incident has illustrated, those who conduct prayers and rituals that depart from local norms are at risk of being accused of witchcraft and evil magic. Witchcraft accusation is a threat to the lives of Africans everywhere. Africans should not look the other way as alleged witches are attacked and killed in other countries.

They should know that everyone is at risk of being accused or killed for witchcraft, whether you are a local or a foreigner. Africans should strive to advocate against witchcraft accusations and witch persecution without borders.

Leo Igwe directs the Advocacy for Alleged Witches

T H E SAT U R DAY N E W S PA P E R EDITOR YEMI ADEBOWALE DEPUTY EDITOR AHAMEFULA OGBU MANAGING DIRECTOR ENIOLA BELLO DEPUTY MANAGING DIRECTOR ISRAEL IWEGBU CHAIRMAN EDITORIAL BOARD OLUSEGUN ADENIYI EDITOR NATION’S CAPITAL IYOBOSA UWUGIAREN MANAGING EDITOR BOLAJI ADEBIYI THE OMBUDSMAN KAYODE KOMOLAFE

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

Unsocial Media

T

he ugly side of Social Media, or in reality Unsocial Media, is on display again with attacks on Australian ABC News Breakfast presenter Lisa Millar. The attacks may include criticism of her performance in her work role but as she reports they are mostly attacks on her appearance and her family.

There are two sets of people to actually criticise in relation to the bullying that occurs, those that do it and those that allow it to happen.

The first group, usually anonymous because they are cowards, seem to derive some pleasure from putting others down and thus thinking they are better but they are mistaken. They rarely have anything positive to say or worth listening to. The negative approach is the path losers take.

The second group are those that own Social Media platforms or run them as they permit material that should get someone jailed. If they were responsible, or made responsible, for everything that appears they might actually do something about it. The words of David Morrison: “The standard you walk past is the standard you accept” are still as apt as when said.

Get off social media if you are a troll, get out of your mum’s basement and go out into the sunlight.

Dennis Fitzgerald, Melbourne, Australia

14

THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER MARCH 11, 2023

NEWS Ikpeazu’s Last Minute Promotion of Abia Workers Deceptive, Says Abia Lawmaker Emmanuel Ugwu-Nwogo in Umuahia Abia State Governor, Dr. Okezie Ikpeazu has come under fire for announcing a promotion of Abia workers less than three months to the end of his tenure.

A member of the State House of Assembly, Hon Obinna Ichita told journalists at a press conference in Umuahia that the outgoing governor was out to deceive workers with phony promotion.

Ikpeazu had during a series of meetings with the National Union of Local Government Employees (NULGE) and with civil servants at the Ochendo International Conference Centre, Umuahia, directed one grade level L- R: MD/CEO, Wema Bank, Moruf Oseni; MD/CEO, FITC, Chizor Malize, and the Founder/CEO Of The Gem Stone Group, Fela Durotoye, showing their support at the promotion to all workers.

SARA by Wema International Women’s Day event themed “embrace equity”, at the Civic center...recently He also directed the payment of the contentious annual leave allowances for workers in the state civil service within the next seven days.

But Hon Ichita faulted Governor Ikpeazu’s move to politicise workers promotion at the tail end of his tenure to lure workers to Adedayo Akinwale in Abuja President-elect, Asiwaju Bola positions of Senate President will be held at the State cast their votes for his annointed Tinubu and Vice President- and Speaker of the House House Banquet Hall, Aso governorship candidate, Chief Rock Villa, Abuja.

Ambrose Okey Ahiwe.

The leadership of the All elect, Senator Kashim of Representatives.

“Senators/House of The notice read: “This to He urged workers to ignore the Progressives Congress (APC) Shettima.

The meeting would be inform all Senators-elect and Representatives-elect must automatic promotion and see it has summoned Senatorselect and members of the held at the State House members of the House of come to the meeting with as a ruse hatched to attract votes, House of Representatives- Banquet Hall, Aso Rock Representatives-elect of the their Independent National adding that they should guard All Progressives Congress Electoral Commission (INEC) against falling for “the Ikpeazu elect to a meeting next Villa, Abuja by 2p.m.

Though the agenda of the (APC), that they are invited &HUWLÀFDWH RI 5HWXUQ DQG tricks” Monday.

“This is nothing but deception!; In a notice of the meeting meeting was not known, but to a parley with the Party’s must come alone.”

Omisore said all invited It’s an insult to the collective signed by the National Sec- it may not be unconnected National Leadership.

“The meeting which will guests are expected to arrive intelligence of the people of retary of the party, Senator with the zoning of the leaderIyiola Omisore, the meeting ship positions of the National be attended by the President- early to allow for screening Abia State. What it just shows would be attended by the Assembly, especially the Elect and Vice President-elect, and be seated before 12 noon. is that Abia Government thinks

EQUITY IN SERVICE…

N’Assembly Leadership: APC Summons Senators-elect, House Members-elect

Sullivan Chime: It’s Ridiculous to Say Pinnacle Oil is Enugu’s Money Former governor of Enugu State, Mr. Sullivan Chime, has dismissed the insinuations that Pinnacle Oil and Gas founded by the governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Enugu, Dr. Peter Mbah, was built with public funds, saying, ]“it’s not possible”.

This is even as the chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC) said it was time for Enugu to look beyond party and go for the governorship candidate with the capacity to rebuild the state and take it to where it should be.

Chime, who threw more light on why he endorsed the candidature of Peter Mbah over and above his party’s and other candidates, bared his mind on Freedom Square, a popular 6ROLG )0 FXUUHQW DͿDLUV UDGLR programme monitored in Enugu.

Asked if there was any iota of truth to the rumour that Pinnacle

Oil and Ltd could have been built with public funds, Chime, who also served as Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice between 2003 and 2007, said, “It is not possible. It is not possible. Peter Mbah just happened to be the Commissioner for two years. He joined the Chimaroke administration, which I was part of. I served all through the administration. I joined Chimaroke Nnamani before he was inaugurated. Peter Mbah joined us in the second term.

All these top players were all part of the Ebeano Family. It was the new PDP and anybody that played politics in Enugu within those years was Ebeano.

“Peter Mbah took over from )UDQN 1ZHNH DV WKH &KLHI RI 6WDͿ and later became the Commissioner for Finance. I talked with him and how he got involved with the Economic and Financial

Crimes Commission’s investigation because I was the Attorney General and he wasn’t invited by the EFCC. He personally volunteered to be investigated.

“So, it’s ridiculous to think that the Commissioner for Finance can take money. No. The Governor approves expenditures personally.

What the commissioner does is just to implement. The Governor must endorse, must approve it physically and sign. Then the Accountant General and the Commissioner for Finance working together will now implement it.

Anybody accusing him of that should know it’s not possible.

“The funny thing is, go back to those years, how much was Enugu making then? The IGR of Enugu them way below 50 million every month. That was what we made; N50 million every month. Where did the money come from?

“And when we came in, the state government was owing workers three months salaries.

The state government was struggling with money, so where did the money come from? It’s ridiculous”.

Chime further stated that Mbah was in business long before his stint in government, adding that anyone who is prepared to leave a business like Pinnacle that is the number one in the downstream oil and gas subsector and records over N1.4 trillion turnover anQXDOO\ LV PDNLQJ D VDFULÀFH DQG could not have been looking for Enugu’s money. He wondered how many years it would take the state to record a combined receipt of N1 trillion.

On why he endorsed Mbah ahead of other candidates, including his party’s candidate, Chime VDLG ´7KH 2΀FH RI JRYHUQRU LV a very high position and should

be taken seriously by everyone.

This year, the candidates for the position of governor have emerged. So, we are looking at the candidates and I urge the entire electorate to look at the candidates, and not the party.

“Mbah is a very young man, probably the youngest among the candidates, who went into business long before his stint in government. He has served in government and understands how government works. He went back to build from scratch what is today known as Pinnacle Oil and Gas. I understand that company does well over N1 trillion in turnover annually.

7KDW LV SUREDEO\ WKH WRWDO ÀQDQFLDO receipts of Enugu State for 10 years at least. So, I see no reason somebody from such a big establishment would come down to Enugu to want to be governor if not service.

Emenike, Abia APC Mourn as Party Loses NWC Member, Nwosu Emmanuel Ugwu-Nwogo in Umuahia Barely nine days to the conclusion of the 2023 general election, the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) has lost its National Welfare Secretary, Chief Friday Nwosu.

His demise has brought deep sorrow and grief to the Governorship Candidate of the party, High Chief Ikechi Emenike, the leadership and the entire Abia APC family.

A statement issued by his

son, Pastor Chibuzo Nwosu on behalf of the Nwosu family, said that the “shocking death of our dearly beloved father, husband, uncle and brother, the National Welfare Secretary of the APC, occurred (on Thursday) after a very brief illness”.

Reacting to the eternal passage of the Abia-born member of the ruling party’s NWC, the Abia APC governorship candidate said that the party has lost “a very strong pillar in Abia”.

He described Nwosu’s death as “a personal loss” adding that he was “a highly dependable ally, trusted friend and a straightforward politician not given to equivocation”.

Emenike, who has been in mournful mood since he received the sad news, further stated that Abia “has lost a great son, who lived, desired, worked and fought for the progress of God’s own state”.

“Chief Friday Nwosu was among the crop of Abians with genuine concern about the

rot in Abia and was at the vanguard of the ongoing HͿRUWV RI $3& WR UHVFXH DQG develop Abia (RADA).

He assured that what Nwosu stood for and fought would be eventually realised to his eternal memory and IXOÀOPHQW IRU WKRVH WKDW shared his vision for a better Abia.

The APC governorship KRSHIXO RͿHUHG KLV KHDUWIHOW condolence to the family of F.N.Nwosu and urged them to bear the huge loss with

fortitude.

Nwosu, a lawyer by profession and Knight of the Catholic Church had been in active politics for decades and had been a governorship aspirant on two occasions.

He was popularly known as “Ikpeghe ebeghi” which literally translates to money cannot buy his conscience. The name stuck to him he formed a political movement known as Ikpeghe Ebeghi NationalLVW 0RYHPHQW WR ÀJKW EDG governance in Abia.

that our people are so stupid; it thinks that we have suspended our intelligence, and would be carried away by fake promises.

To justify his claims that the last minute promotion of workers was fake, the fiery lawmaker, who represents Aba South state constituency, pointed out the Ikpeazu did not capture promotion of workers in the 2023 appropriation bill.

He said: “This is a government that has not paid leave allowances since 2015; not promoted anybody; and that has not paid salary of doctors and teachers and others when due. Now barely few weeks to the expiration of its tenure, is announcing automatic promotion for everybody.

“If the Government were sincere about the automatic promotion, it would have included this in the budget so that we will know we are expecting our people to be promoted and paid their salaries.

“The Government has no plans to pay. Civil servants should disregard this fake promise from this failed Government that has perpetually subjected our people to exceptional servitude”.

Ichita alleged that Ikpeazu has trust deficit having made myriads of promises none of which he has fulfilled, adding that of recent has also come with a basket of promises even when he knew that time was no longer on his side.

15

THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER ˾MARCH 11, 2023

RingTrue 08054699539

Yemi

Adebowale

yemi.adebowale@thisdaylive.com

The Infamy of Abubakar Malami

W

hen President Muhammadu Buhari, in a nationwide broadcast on February 9, confidently directed that only the old N200 note should co-exist with new Naira notes till April 10, while he invalidated the old N500 and N1000 notes effective February 10, I knew he had been so-advised by our notorious Minister of Justice/Attorney General, Abubakar Malami. Following a suit by the governors of Kaduna, Zamfara and Kogi states against the Naira swap deadline, the Supreme Court had clearly in an interim injunction on February 8 ordered the suspension of the February 10 Naira swap deadline, and also directed the continued use of all the old notes.

The court’s interim order was a simple one: Put on hold the implementation of the Naira redesign policy pending the hearing and determination of the case brought by the state governors. But Nigeria’s clumsy Attorney General advised Mr. President to breach the Supreme Court’s interim order.

Even lawyers freshly called to Bar would Malami know that Buhari’s February 9 directive on the Naira swap deadline was a breach ary 9 nationwide address on Naira swap of the interim order of the apex court. “was a frontal call to chaos, anarchy and Malami obviously knows this but because national upheaval. It was a direct assault of his disdain for rule of law, encouraged on the authority of the Supreme Court, the President to commit contempt of court the highest court of the land and also the head of the entire Judiciary, the 3rd and abuse the rule of law.

At the 67th Ministerial press briefing arm of government under the doctrine at the State House in Abuja (this was of separation of powers.”

Ozekhome adds: “To have whimsia few days after Buhari’s Naira farce) Malami shamelessly defended his warped cally and capriciously varied the order advice to Buhari on the Naira swap of the Supreme Court was to pick and deadline, arguing that the president had choose what order to obey or disobey. not acted in breach of the February 8 These breaches the supremacy of the 1999 injunction of the apex court regarding Constitution provided for in section 1(1) the Naira redesign and swap deadline. thereof. It also frontally assaults the proviSo, our Minister of Justice is saying Mr. sions of section 287(1) of the Constitution President can unilaterally vary the apex which provides that the decisions of the court’s extant order on maintenance of Supreme Court shall be enforced in any part of the Federation by all authorities and status quo? What garbage!

As senior lawyer Mike Ozekhome persons, and by courts with subordinate rightly stated, Buhari’s imperious Febru- jurisdiction to that of the Supreme Court.”

Well, the apex court eventually delivered judgment in the suit challenging the legality of the Naira redesign policy/ swap deadline on March 3, declaring the policy as unconstitutional and a violation of the fundamental rights of Nigerians as provided under the 1999 Nigerian constitution as amended. It held that the directive by President Buhari to the CBN for the redesigning and withdrawal of old notes of N200, N500 and N1,000, without consultation with the states, the Federal Executive Council and the National Council of State and other stakeholders, was unconstitutional. The apex court observed that no reasonable notice was given before the implementation of the policy as provided under the CBN Act and therefore ordered the use of the old Naira notes alongside the new notes till December 31 of this year.

Justice Emmanuel Agim, who delivered the judgment, held that President Buhari cannot unilaterally take currency redesign decision without consulting stakeholders which the plaintiffs are a part, and to that extent, his actions are invalid.

For me, the other key point in the Supreme Court’s Judgement was where the panel in its unanimous decision berated President Buhari for disobeying the interim orders of the court halting the banning of the old Naira notes. “The disobedience of the orders of the Court is a sign of the failure of rule of law”, the apex court held. It’s a confirmation that Buhari acted in breach of the February 8 injunction of the apex court regarding the Naira swap deadline. This is the level Nigeria has degenerated with Malami’s unending selfish and useless legal advice to the President.

APC’s National Vice Chairman (North-West) Dr. Salihu Lukman was apt when he called for the resignation of Malami (and Godwin Emefiele, CBN governor) for misleading Buhari into acts of illegality and abuse of executive powers as pronounced by the Supreme

Social Protection Feats? Osinbajo Must Be Joking

V

ice President Yemi Osinbajo says the federal government is proud of its accomplishments in the Social Investment Programme, adding that the “social protection” inherent in it is an entitlement of the citizens.

Osinbajo, who was speaking recently, while receiving a delegation from the FCT People Living with Disabilities Community, adds: “The Social Investment Programme is one of the biggest in Africa. We provided for young people with no employment (N-Power); we provided Conditional Cash Transfer for the poorest Nigerians. We provided TraderMoni, MarketMoni for 2.4 million traders. The Homegrown School Feeding Programme, we were able to feed 9.5 million children every day. We are proud of the fact that we were able to provide these services to the people.”

At another forum on March 2, The Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development, Hajia Sadiya Umar Farouq said no fewer than 1,940,004 vulnerable Nigerians are each currently receiving N5,000 cash gifts every month, under the Conditional Cash Transfer programme.

Honestly, I can’t understand what Osinbajo is celebrating. I am sure most Nigerians can’t understand too. Free meals for 9.5 million children every day? Where? When? How? Almost two million Nigerians receiving N5,000 cash gifts monthly? TraderMoni and MarketMoni

for 2.4 million traders? The whole thing is looking weird. The kids who benefited from the school feeding were fed with a quantity of food not even suitable for birds. The truth that must be told is that Buhari’s National Social Investment Programme, NSIP, created in 2016 to tackle social and economic inequalities and alleviate poverty among Nigerians, has failed woefully. The impact has been inconsequential.

I am not sorry to say that the entire NSIP is a big fraud; billions of Naira down the drain. The Buhari administration can’t, in the real sense of it, account for the huge sums gulped by the NSIP. After seven years of Buhari’s bogus NSIP, there is still so much poverty in beloved Nigeria. Just look around you and you will understand what I’m saying. Early last year, Nigeria was listed as one of the “20 hunger hotspots” in the world in a joint report by the Food and Agricultural Organisation (FAO) and the World Food Programme (WFP).

Hunger is real in beloved Nigeria. In the report, the two agencies warned that acute food insecurity was likely to deteriorate further in Nigeria and 19 other countries. The FAO and WFP thereafter issued an early warning for urgent humanitarian action in Nigeria and the 19 other countries where part of the population is likely to face a significant deterioration of food insecurity that will put their lives and livelihoods at risk.

The FAO and WFP alerts are real. More Nigerians now struggle for a meal a day. Many

Osinbajo

can’t access the basic things of life like water and decent housing. While the NSIP is on, millions of Nigerians have been pushed below the poverty line by an economy mismanaged

by Buhari. Joblessness has worsened with millions losing jobs in the Buhari years. The sad news is that with the NSIP in action, Nigeria surpassed India as the country with the largest number of people living in life-threatening poverty in the world. This country became the poverty capital of the world. Buhari and Osinbajo should be ashamed of this.

Court. Lukman stressed that in advanced democracies, public officers who commit such acts of illegality voluntarily resign from their appointments, adding, “the rule of law is fundamental to democracy and individuals who flagrantly violate the laws or promote acts that breach the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria must not be tolerated.”

Yes, Malami must not be tolerated in beloved Nigeria. Unfortunately, he has been enjoying free rein for almost eight years. Our Minister of Justice is never on the side of the people. The interest of the larger Nigerian society is never a priority in the course of his duty. Malami has a long list of atrocities along this line. I will never forget how he transformed into the Attorney General for the six consultants aiming to grab a massive US$418 million state and local government money, supposedly for facilitating refunds of the over-deductions on their accounts by the federal government in obligations to Paris Club. Malami relied on a dubious consent judgement to recommend that the claims be paid to the firms. This minister is the state agent backing the consultants with all his might for selfish reasons.

Malami has been flagrantly campaigning for the payment of $418 million fees to these deceptive Paris Club loan refund consultants, even after state governors went to court to challenge the payment.

He is functioning as the lead advocate of the dubious consultants. As AttorneyGeneral of the Federation, the interest of the public ought to be uppermost. This has not been the case with Malami.

Even when President Buhari directed that the payment be stopped until the case is decided by the court, the AGF is still canvassing for the consultants. Malami has been raucous, insisting that the state governors had no right to complain about the planned deduction of $418 million from states and local government funds.

He should at least shut up if he is not prepared to defend public interest.

Malami’s role in the return of Abacha loot from Switzerland in 2019 also shows that he is averse to defending public interest. There was duplication of legal fees in the recovery of the $321 million from Switzerland. Fees amounting to $2 million were allegedly paid to two Nigerian lawyers for the recovery of $321 million stolen by former military ruler, Sani Abacha. Malami allegedly engaged the two lawyers after the job had been completed by Enrico Monfrini, a Swiss lawyer hired by a previous government to work on the recovery.

The Obasanjo administration had engaged the services of Monfrini in 1999 to help trace, identify, freeze and recover all looted funds linked to Abacha. After seven years of work, including investigations and litigation across various countries, Monfrini traced and recovered $321 million from Luxemburg banks. The funds were domiciled with the government of Switzerland in 2014 pending a final request for transfer from Nigeria.

However, Malami, rather than write directly to the Swiss authorities to seek the transfer of the funds to Nigeria, engaged the two Nigerian lawyers for the purpose.

Monfrini openly declared that fresh lawyers were absolutely unnecessary because he had concluded all legal work.

So, whenever I say Malami is always against public interest, I know what I am saying. The facts and figures are there for all to see. One thing is certain: Malami will one day account for these infractions.

16

SATURDAY MARCH 11, 2023 • T H I S D AY

17

THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER MARCH 11, 2023

TRIBUTE

MM: The Quintessential Long Distance Runner Raheem Adedoyin

H

onourable Moshood Mustapha, former Honorable Member of Federal House of Representatives, former Honourable Commissioner in Kwara State, astute politician and transnational businessman, attains the Diamond age today.

At 60, MM, as he is popularly known and called, is a dogged fighter with strategic patience. He is best described as a long-distance runner.

Mustapha was pivotal to the OtoGe revolution in Kwara State that swept away the long-existing political Leadership in that state. He, in fact birthed that political tsunami with a daring parallel congresses he organised during the primaries for the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Kwara State in 2019.

He dared the then Senate President, Dr. Bukola Saraki (CON) who was then the political leader of the state and a national figure with tremendous clout. The parallel congress led to the exit of the Leader from the ruling party. The rest, as they say, is history.

You can see MM through his own lenses and more clearly through the lenses of his closely-knit family, devoted friends, political allies and business associates.

He is quick to let you know that as he celebrates his 60th birthday anniversary, his family remains the centre of his glory.

“I am privileged to attain the Diamond age. It has been a long journey.

There are so many favours God has granted me. But the greatest are my kind of family, my kind of parents and my kind of children who are all doing very well.

“There is no success without a succession plan. God has been faithful to me, when you have children that give you joy, that give you pleasure, you are fulfilled. They never stress me. I thank God for good health. I am 60 but feeling 30.”

You never will find MM alone.

If he is not surrounded by family members, he is in the company of friends and associates. He speaks glowingly about his friends and why he is comfortable with them.

“I am glad I have a rainbow of friends and a retinue of partners and associates. Having and keeping good friends is in-built. My mum used to say that people flocked around me at a very young age. I love to have people around me, very knowledgeable people. You can’t learn when you stay alone. You gain when you interact with different people. You learn from different people “ MM has a reputation for being fearless but he shoots straight.

No malice, no hatred. His political sojourn is marked with scars and but also with remarkable successes. He hopes to be a shining example to the younger ones.

“The most important thing in life is to deal with issues; listen more and talk less. This attribute I have imbibed since childhood.

“This birthday is a milestone; now, I am an elder statesman whom the younger generation looks up to for advice and guidance. I learnt from dad, the virtues of sincerity and openness.

“This has helped me in my political life. You can always know my position on any issue. We should not

Mustapha

make politics a profession, it is an aberration to say you are a full-time politician. Politics should not be a do- or -die thing. Power is transient, it is time-lined. Politics is a vehicle for service to the people.”

An avatar in the OtoGe movement in Kwara State, he gives respect to his close political associates who became the cornerstone of his quest for the governorship of the state.

The movement is called TeamMM whose members include former cabinet members, former National Assembly members and notable political stakeholders.

“Team MM is a movement beyond the bearer of the name, Moshood Mustapha. It was formed in 2017 in

our quest for the governorship of Kwara State, in advancement of my governorship ambition.

“In Team MM, there are layers: Apex, Zonal, Local Government, Ward and Polling units. Team MM is the most formidable political group in Kwara State. It has the spread across the state. They sabotaged our movement in the 2019 APC governorship primaries but we are undeterred.

Despite some queer developments in the 2019 APC Primaries in Kwara

An avatar in the OtoGe movement in Kwara State, he gives respect to his close political associates who became the cornerstone of his quest for the governorship of the state. The movement is called TeamMM whose members include former cabinet members, former National Assembly members and notable political stakeholders

State, MM resisted the pressures on him by refraining from taking legal action against the party.

“I didn’t take action that would have prevented APC from fielding a governorship candidate in 2019. We didn’t want to throw away the baby with the bath water. We would have had the Zamfara scenario play out in Kwara. Fortunately, our party’s candidate then who ended up being elected the Governor, Mallam AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq visited me in Abuja for electoral support and he met with our group at our Secretariat in Ilorin to also solicit for our support which we obliged.

We campaigned vigorously for APC candidates to be elected.”

MM vaunts his devotion to APC and his fidelity to the party. He does not hide his support for the re-election of Governor AbdulRazaq.

“I am APC to the core. I am in politics because of the welfare of the people. Governor AbdulRazaq is working excellently for the people.

So, it is easy for me to work for his re-election.”

MM was planning for a double celebration today for his Diamond birthday anniversary and for Governor AbdulRazaq’s re-election. Well, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has shifted the other leg of the celebration to 18th March.

For a cheerful giver whose philanthropic deeds are well- known, it is not surprising that a Foundation for the needy is underway.

The MM Foundation with a N100 million seed money, will cater for the needy in the areas of education, healthcare, those in captivity (prisoners) etc.

Happy Birthday to the Man of the People.

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THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER MARCH 11, 2023

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BRANDSDAY Why Terra Jollof Cube is Becoming Consumers’ Pick Olu Osagie

S

inceitsentryintothemarket,TerraJollof Cubeshasbeenextolledbyconsumers foritsgame-changingmovetocomplement the preparation of Jollof rice in Nigeria. Before now, chefs, caterers andhomemakershavehadtomakedo withahostofspices,complicatedrecipesandcooking methodsinanattempttoachievethedesiredtastes they craved for in Jollof rice.

Along with its promise of an extraordinary jollof experience,TerraJollofCubesispackedwithunique mix of traditional ingredients like pepper, thyme, turmeric and garlic among others in a single cube to deliver that bottom pot Jollof taste that stands out in a competitive marketplace.

Across-sectionofchefs,caterersandhomemakers whoofferedtheirperspectivesconfirmedthatTerra JollofCubeshasnotonlyfurthersimplifiedtheprocess ofpreparingJollofricewithitsexcitingcombinationof traditionalspicesinacube,buthasgreatlyimproved their jollof rice aroma and taste.

There are no stereotypical ways of making jollof rice but you cannot miss the unique and irresistible bottom-pot taste and aroma that comes out when you add cubes of Terra Jollof Cubes.

Mrs.EuniceUdoma,ahousewifeandmotherof3who livesinAgegestatedthatwhilethereareseveralways ofpreparingJollofrice,however,everyoneagreeson itsendpoint–agreatextraordinarytasteandflavour.

“Ihavealwayssoughttoachievethatextraordinary bottompottasteofjollofriceIeatatsomepartiesat home.Ialwaysgetclosetoachievingitbutneverspot on.MyfriendatworkintroducedTerraJollofCubesto me and since my first try, I have never missed having a pack of Terra Jollof Cubes in my kitchen cabinet.”

“AdditionofTerraJollofCubetomypotofJollofrice hasaddedaremarkabletastetomyjollof,leavingmy family with smiling faces of satisfaction and with no single grain left on the plate” she stated Deepanjan Roy, Group Executive Director - TGI says that the company is delighted with the positive feedback and is confident that Terra Jollof Cubes is achieving its objective of elevating the taste and aroma of Jollof rice across homes, restaurants and

jollof rice and chicken

in celebratory occasions.

“Wesawavacuumintheareaofgivingourconsumers aseasoningcubethatistailor-madefortheirjollofrice cooking, and we went ahead to fill it” he says.

ProbalBhattacharya,ChiefMarketingOfficer,TGI Group stressed that Terra Jollof Cubes symbolizes the understanding of what consumers value in their tasty, bottom-pot, flavourful jollof rice.

“We developed Terra Jollof Cubes after years of in-depth research, studying and understanding the consumers’ palate and taste preferences in various regionsaswellastheirwaysandpatternsofcooking Jollofrice.Weunearthedrichinsightsfromthesestudies that guided us in developing the very special recipe for Terra Jollof Cube that is now being so widely appreciated by consumers.

“AsthewordofitsuniqueimpactinmakingJollofso specialspreads,weknowmoreandmoreconsumers would include Terra Jollof Cubes in their pot of Jollof ricetoachievethatextraordinaryJollofexperience” Bhattacharya noted TerraSeasoningCubesaremadeupofwholesome, carefullysourcedessentialingredientsspeciallydesigned to meet the discerning Nigerian consumers’ needsineverymeal,offeringgreattaste,flavourand aromaforthatuniquecuisineexperience.Everymeal cookedwithTerraguaranteesanenjoyablemealanda richsignaturehomemadetasteexperience.Available inBeef,Chicken,ShrimpandJollofflavours,invarious consumer-friendly pack sizes, nationwide.

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THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER ˾ APRIL 24, 2011

GLOBAL SOCCER A

WEEKLY PULL-OUT

NEWS

SET FOR SECOND STANZA

11.03.2023 PAGE. 29

Samuel Chukwueze Finally Finds His Rythm?

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THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER ˾MARCH 11, 2023

GLOBAL SOCCER

Samuell Chukwueze Samuel Sam Ch C huk ukw kw k wuez ue ez ze ttries rrie iies ie es tto oo out ut p ut pac paces aces for former orrm mer e err R Re Real ea all M Mad Ma Madrid ad a drid riiid d ca ccaptain, capta aptain, ptaiin, pta n, M n, Ma Marcelo arce rrccce ello oV Vie Vieira iieira ie eira rra

Samuel Chukwueze Finally Finds His Rythm?

In spite of being an exciting player and a nightmare for most defenders, his lack of goals has been a concern to most managers. Prior to this campaign, his best figure in terms of goal involvements was 13 (5 goals, 8 assists) which he achieved in 2020-2021. Things seems to have taken a new turn for Samuel Chukwueze after the Nigeria international contributed 20 goals to his club so far this season

S

amuel Chukwueze continued his excellent season with two assists as Villarreal claimed a 2-0 road win over AlmeriainaLaLigamatchatthePower Horse Stadium last weekend.

In doing so, the 2015 FIFA U17 World Cup winner took his goal involvements for the 2022-2023 campaign to 20 (10 goals, 10 assists), making it the first time in Chukwueze’s professional career that he has hit double digits for goals and assists in a single season.

Prior to this campaign, his best figure in terms of goal involvements was 13 (5 goals, 8 assists) which he achieved in 2020-2021.

After a goalless first half, Villarreal broke the deadlock in the 76th minute through Gerard Moreno, who fired home after Chuwkeuze’s brilliance down the right flank.

Two minutes to the end of the game, Morales sealed the win with a first-time volley after another assist by the Nigeria international.

Chukwueze’s goal involvement of 20 comprises eight in La Liga, six in the Copa del Rey, four in the group stage of the Europa Conference League and two in the UECL qualifiers.

The Villarreal winger has emerged as one of the most decisive players in La Liga thanks to the Midas touch of Manager Quique Setién.

Since the Cantabrian coach’s arrival,

Chukwueze is one of only two players to have accumulated 1000 minutes or more, solidifying his position as a crucial member of the Villarreal squad.

Under Setién’s tutelage, Chukwueze has gone from being an alternative player to an undisputed starter in the league, amassing impressive statistics that testify to his transformation. With the increasing trust in his abilities, Chukwueze has been inspired to achieve a significant milestone in his career by registering double digits in both goals and assists for the first time.

With two exceptional assists over the weekend, he has accumulated 10 goals and 10 assists in La Liga this season. This remarkable feat makes him the first Nigeria international to achieve double digits in goals and assists in a single season across Europe’s top five leagues Chukwueze’s success can be attributed to Setién’s tactical approach, which emphasises possession-based play, quick passing, and movement.

This style of play allows Chukwueze to receive the ball in dangerous areas and utilise his explosive pace and dribbling skills to run at defenders and create scoring opportunities for himself and his teammates.

Setién’s emphasis on attacking football has also given Chukwueze the freedom to

express himself on the pitch. The Nigerian is often allowed to roam across the forward line, cutting inside from the right flank to create scoring chances.

This newfound freedom has allowed Chukwueze to play with greater confidence and creativity, cementing his position as one of La Liga’s most exciting young talents.

Chukwueze’s impact on the pitch has not gone unnoticed by Villarreal fans or the wider footballing world. His goals and assists have been instrumental in securing Villarreal’s recent victories against Getafe and Almeria, and his performances have earned him widespread praise from fans and pundits alike. Chukwueze was snapped up by the Spanish top-flight team from Diamond Football Academy thanks to his impressive outing where he helped the Golden Eaglets of Nigeria win the 2017 Fifa U-17 World Cup in Chile. There, he was named third-best player behind Johannes Eggestein and compatriot Victor Osimhen.

Having impressed for the club’s reserves in the third tier, he was promoted to the senior team – making his debut in a Europa League game against Rangers – as manager Javi Calleja brought him in as a 79th-minute replacement for Nicola Sansone.

Since then, he has been a regular in the Yellow Submarine setup, while accentuating his importance to the team with

eye-catching performances.

Days after winning the Bronze Ball - on the strength of three goals and three assists - and helping Nigeria win a fifth U-17 world title, football agency Stellar Group signed Chukwueze and three other players from the Nigerian squad.

The deal saw the highly sought-after star, who models his game on Arjen Robben, sign for a top European club, as those before him had done.

The only snag that hindered a potential move abroad very early was his age, as the attacker 16, and would have to wait for two years before he could sign professional terms.

The teenager returned home while awaiting news from his agents about a potential career move, and kept busy by shuttling between training and playing for Diamond Academy and the Nigeria U-20s, who were involved in the qualification for the ill-fated 2017 U-20 Africa Cup of Nations.

After celebrating his 17th birthday, he seemed poised to join Arsenal, alongside Nwakali, who signed a five-year contract with the Gunners.

However, Diamond Academy pulled the plug on the deal at the last minute, and Chukwueze began to slip out of the limelight, a situation made more challenging by his Golden Eaglets teammates of lesser profiles securing moves to Europe.

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THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER ˾MARCH 11, 2023

GLOBAL SOCCER NPFL TABLE GROUP A TEAM

Bendel Enyimba Akwa Utd Plateau Utd Remo Stars Gombe Shooting Kwara Nasarawa El Kanemi

P W D

L

PTS

9 7 2 9 5 1 9 4 3 9 4 2 9 4 2 9 2 4 9 2 4 9 2 3 9 2 1 9 1 2

0 3 2 3 3 3 3 4 6 6

23 16 15 14 14 10 10 9 7 5

P W D L

PTS

GROUP B TEAM

Lobi Stars 9 6 1 2 Sunshine 9 4 3 2 Rivers Utd 7 4 2 1 Abia Warriors 8 4 1 3 Tornadoes 9 3 3 3 Doma Utd 9 3 3 3 Rangers 8 2 3 3 Bayelsa Utd 9 1 5 3 Wikki Tourist 9 2 2 5 Dakkada 9 2 1 6

19 15 14 13 12 12 9 8 8 7

C. Obioma Enyimba I. Osarenkhoe Insurance R. Mizo Bayelsa O. Ifeanyi Plateau K. Suur Lobi Y. Taiye Gombe I. Seriki Bendel J. Atule Lobi U. Abba Lobi

7 6 6 4 4 4 4 4 4

Naziru Auwalu of Rangers is challenged by Bidemi Owoku of Doma United

Rangers Prepare for Second Round with Three New Signings The management and coaching crew of the ‘Flying Antelopes’, Rangers International F.C have succeeded in getting the services of the troika of Austin Osayande, Leonard Ugochukwu, and Chinecherem Ugwueze as the team completes preparations for the commencement of the second round of the 2022/2023 NPFL abridge season on March 26.

The three have already started training with the Enugu side and are in high spirits to contribute their quota toward helping the club achieve its set target for the season.

Attacking midfielder and fleet-footed Osayande was gotten from Dakkada F.C just as Ugochukwu, a veteran of many top sides is joining forces with the ‘Flying Antelopes’ from Akwa United. In contrast, young defensive midfielder, Chinecherem, joins from the NNL side, Giant Brillars F.C of Enugu.

Speaking at the short unveiling ceremony that took place at the club’s administrative headquarters,

G.R.A, Enugu, Ferdinand Ugwuarua, Administrative Secretary of Rangers, said, “It is a thing of joy for us to have the three players join our ranks to help us achieve our set target for the season.

With the approval of the coaching crew, we went for the players and it is our hope and belief they are coming with the needed skills and determination to help us achieve what we set out initially to achieve at the start of the season.”

Recall that Rangers did not start the season as expected, picking up nine points from its first eight matches scoring four goals while leaking in six goals.

Rangers will be taking on the league defending champions, Rivers United F.C. in a rescheduled match day 8 fixture at the Adokiye Amiesimaka Stadium, Port-Harcourt on March 15, 2023.

Meanwhile, Rangers Wednesday, at the final match of the 2023 edition of Enugu State F.A/Aiteo Cup played at the Rangers Practice Pitch, Independence Layout, did a demolition job of their

opponent, Ingas F.C of New Haven with scores standing at 5-1 at the end of proceeding .

Lining up what may be described as a very strong match day squad that had Uche John leading from the back with the midfield trio led by Saidu Adamu and Shedrack Asiegbu with Godwin Obaje leading the attack, coach Abdul Maikaba showed the tenacity that has been sought after since the start of the season with the right-back, Chidera Ezeh opening the flood gates of goals with a sublime free kick from the edge of the box which nestled safely inside the opponent’s goal on seven minutes.

At the end of the well-contested fixture, Rangers coach, Abdul Maikaba said, “It was a good game against a determined side but our early goals destabilised them. I am happy with the performance of my players today, especially with the harvest of goals and it is my belief that it will motivate the players going into the

Abia Warriors Assure Fans Team’ll Finish Well Abia Warriors Manager, Erasmus Onuh, has assured fans of the club that the team would finish well this season.

Onuh whose Abia Warriors are presently placed fourth on the NPFL Group B log behind the trio of Lobi, Rivers United and Sunshine Stars said he is satisfied with the performance of his players before the league went on break.

He said he is doing everything possible to get better results when action resumes after the general election.

“The team I have is not yet where I want them to be but I must say the boys are doing well. We are still building but one thing that I want to assure the fans is that we will finish well. The management of the team has equally been doing well and I

pray that they give me the free hand to deliver,” Onuh said.

The Abia Warriors coach also gave pass mark to the referees insisting that they have been doing a good job.

“You can see that this season you can win anywhere. That shows the referees and the league body, IMC are doing their job. I want to commend that and urge them to remain firm when the second round gets underway.”

second round of the NPFL season starting with our rescheduled match with Rivers United.”

On his part, the coach of the NLO side, Kingsley Obiekwu (MON), said, “I congratulate Rangers for this victory but it is my belief that we shall have a better outing at the national level.”

Chairman of Enugu State F.A. Anthony Ugwu described the final match as a perfect display of great football artistry by both sides and stated that it was his belief that both sides will make a great representation of the

Remo Stars Target Strong Start at League Resumption Remo Stars head coach, Daniel Ogunmodede, has expressed confidence in his side ahead of the resumption of the second half of the season.

The Sky Blue Stars suffered a setback in their second-stanza preparation after they crashed out of the Federation Cup this week.

Ogunmodede, however, stressed that he will work on his team’s lapses before the start of the second round.

“We are confident of resuming with full force in the second round,” Ogunmodede stated.

“We won’t relent on improving in all the departments of the team.”

Remo stars will welcome Nasarawa United to Ikenne when the NPFL resume on March 26.

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THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER ˾MARCH 11, 2023

GLOBAL SOCCER

Crystal Palace Jordan Ayu tries to block Manchester City’s Jack Grealish from pulling the treiger when both sides met at the Etihad Stadium

Man City Continue Pressure on Arsenal with Visit to Selhurst Park Manchester City will endeavour to keep the pressure on Premier League title rivals, Arsenal when they travel to Selhurst Park to face Crystal Palace this evening

W

hile Manchester City have won four of their last five top-flight matches, Crystal Palace are still searching for their first victory in 2023.

New Year’s Eve of 2022 was the last time that Crystal Palace celebrated victory in any competition – beating Bournemouth 2-0 on the road and Patrick Vieira’s men have since endured a 10-game winless run, including four defeats and five draws in their last nine Premier League matches.

Following three successive draws against Brighton & Hove Albion, Brentford and Liverpool, the Eagles suffered a narrow 1-0 defeat at Aston Villa last weekend.

Cheick Doucoure’s two yellow cards within the space of five second-half minutes did not help their cause, and Palace ended the contest without registering a single shot on target for the second consecutive match.

Vieira’s goal-shy side have now suffered 10 Premier League defeats this season and although they currently sit 12th in the table, the threat of a relegation dogfight is looming as they are only five points above the bottom three, albeit with a game in hand on 18th-placed Everton.

Hopes of claiming three valuable points today may be slim for Palace, but they have frustrated opponents at Selhurst Park over the last two months, drawing each of their last four home league games, all of which against teams currently placed inside the top eight.

The Eagles played out a goalless draw in their last home meeting with Man City, but that stalemate extended their winless home run against the Citizens to seven matches since a 2-1 victory back in April 2015.

After missing a plethora of chances in frustrating 1-1 draws with Nottingham Forest and RB Leipzig, Man City have since rediscovered their goalscoring groove, netting nine times in their last three matches.

Back-to-back away victories over Bournemouth (4-1) and Bristol City (3-0) were followed by a routine 2-0 home win over Newcastle United last weekend, to extend

their unbeaten run in all competitions to seven games.

Pep Guardiola’s men were temporarily sitting just two points behind Premier League leaders Arsenal following their lunchtime win over the Magpies, before the Gunners came from two goals down to beat Bournemouth 3-2 a few hours later, to ensure the gap at the summit remains five points heading into the final 12 games of the season.

Man City head into today’s contest with a respectable away record of seven wins, three draws and three defeats from 13 Premier League games, with only Arsenal claiming more points on the road so far this season. However, the Citizens have already dropped more points away from home this season (15) compared with the entirety of the 2021-22 campaign (11).

Guardiola’s side have failed to win three of their last six meetings with Crystal Palace, but they came out on top earlier this season at the Etihad Stadium, with Erling Braut Haaland netting his first Premier League hat-trick in a 4-2 comeback triumph in August, and City will be confident of completing the double over an out-of-form Eagles outfit today.

Meanwhile, having both been involved in two of the season’s most electrifying Premier League matches last week, Bournemouth and Liverpool renew hostilities at the Vitality Stadium today.

The Cherries let a two-goal lead slip in a heartbreaking 3-2 loss to leaders Arsenal, while Jurgen Klopp’s merciless men humiliated Manchester United 7-0 at Anfield.

Setting the tone for the match after just 9.11 seconds through Philip Billing, and the rest of the five-goal thriller would appropriately live up to the billing.

The travelling Cherries faithful were in dreamland when Marcos Senesi doubled their side’s lead in the second half, but their two-goal advantage was quickly wiped out

by Thomas Partey and Ben White before a last-gasp Reiss Nelson strike sparked

arguably the wildest celebrations that the Emirates has ever seen.

Heads were on hands for the disconsolate Bournemouth players, but Gary O’Neil had every right to feel proud about his side’s efforts against the league leaders, having also bravely attacked Manchester City the weekend before during a 4-1 defeat.

However, bravery alone does not put points on the board for Bournemouth, who are rooted to the foot of the Premier League table - behind Southampton on goal difference - but they only have a one-point gap to make up to Leeds United in 17th place and are by no means down and out.

Ending a four-game Premier League winless run at the Vitality Stadium would be the first step towards clambering away from danger for the Cherries, who have now suffered three defeats when leading by two goals this season - squandering 17 points from winning positions in total.

Only Leicester City (19) have let more points slip away from them while in the ascendancy than Bournemouth.

From Mohamed Salah becoming their all-time Premier League goalscorer, Roberto Firmino scoring an emotional seventh and Cody Gakpo showing his former admirers exactly what they are missing, Sunday’s demolition of Manchester United was very nearly the perfect day for Jurgen Klopp.

Braces for Salah, Gakpo and Darwin Nunez came before Firmino made it seventh heaven for the Reds, who are now threatening Tottenham Hotspur’s place in the Champions League spots as they lie fifth, three points behind the Lilywhites with a game in hand.

A run of four wins and a draw from their last five Premier League games - with five clean sheets is just what the doctor ordered amid an otherwise underwhelming campaign.

Klopp’s men have only won one of their last five away games in the top division, but no Bournemouth fans will need reminding of the 9-0 drubbing inflicted upon them at Anfield back in August.

Premier League Table TEAM

P

Arsenal Man City Man Utd Tottenham Liverpool Newcastle Fulham Brighton Brentford Chelsea Aston Villa Palace Wolves Forest Leicester West Ham Leeds Utd Everton Southampton Bournemouth

26 34 63 26 41 58 25 6 49 26 10 45 25 19 42 24 18 41 26 4 39 23 14 38 24 8 38 25 - 1 34 25 -7 34 25 -11 27 26 -16 27 25 -24 26 25 7 24 25 -10 23 25 -11 22 26 -19 22 25 -21 2 25 -27 21

GD

PTS

PREMIER LEAGUE TODAY

Bournemouth v Liverpool 12:30 Everton v Brentford 15:00 Leeds Utd v Brighton 15:00 Leicester v Chelsea 15:00 Tottenham v N’Forest 15:00 Crystal Palace v Man City 17:30 SUNDAY

Fulham v Arsenal 14:00 Man Utd v Southampton 14:00

LA LIGA TODAY

Real Madrid v Espanyol 13:00 Elche v Real Valladolid 15:15 Celta Vigo v Vallecano 17:30 Valencia v Osasuna 20:00 SUNDAY

Mallorca v Sociedad 13:00 Sevilla v Almería 15:15 Villarreal v Real Betis 17:30 Bilbao v Barcelona 20:00

Hot Shot PLAYERS

CLUB

Erling Haaland Harry Kane Ivan Toney Marcus Rashford Gabriel Martinelli Aleks Mitrovic Bukayo Saka Rodrigo Miguel Almiron

Man City Tottenham Brentford Man Utd Arsenal Fulham Arsenal Leeds Utd Newcastle

GOALS

27 18 15 14 11 11 10 10 10

THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER ˾MARCH 11, 2023

31

GLOBAL SOCCER

Flying-Eagles beat Tunisia to win 2023 U20 Afcon

Afcon U20: Flying Eagles Pummel Carthage Eagles 4-0 to Clinch Bronze FIFA World Cup-bound Nigeria eased to a four-goal victory over Tunisia’s Young Carthage Eagles yesterday to claim the bronze medals at the 17th Africa Cup of Nations in Egypt.

It was clear from the first few minutes that the seven-time African champions had shaken off the lethargy from their lone goal semi-final defeat to The Gambia on Monday, which upturned their dreams of an eighth continental title for Nigeria.

Ibrahim Muhammad, whose rocket accounted for one of the two goals that sank Mozambique in the group phase and shot the Flying Eagles to the quarter-finals, put the Tunisians to task by scoring only nine minutes into

the clash at the mammoth Cairo International Stadium.

Belgium-based forward Ahmed Abdullahi increased the yoke on the North Africans with the second goal barely after the re-start, and Jude Sunday made it three for Nigeria only two minutes after to put daylight between themselves and the Young Carthage Eagles.

Man-of-the-match Jude Sunday rounded off a blistering afternoon and good day in the office for the Flying Eagles with a fourth goal in the 90th minute.

The Nigerian U-20 national team had the head-to-head advantage over the Carthage Eagles at this tournament, and they went about making it count

from kick-off.

Nigeria dominated the match from start to finish, with their attacking prowess and solid defense proving too much for Tunisia.

With this victory, Nigeria become the nation with the most Afcon U20 bronze medals in history, cementing their reputation as one of the most successful teams in the competition’s history.

Victory earned Nigeria the bronze medals for a recordextending fourth time at the Africa U20 Cup of Nations, and the Flying Eagles will also be one of the 24 teams in the pot on March 31, when FIFA conducts the draw for the FIFA U20 World Cup taking place in Indonesia May 20 June 11.

Akpom Nominated for Championship GOTM Award Arsenal’s Hale End Academy product Chuba Akpom has been nominated for another monthly award.

The Middlesbrough striker has been shortlisted for the Championship Goal of the Month accolade for his effort against Blackpool on February 4, 2023.

Akpom bagged a brace against the Seasiders, opening the scoring in the 32nd minute with a curling strike, before doubling the advantage at minute 59.

While the first goal was voted

by Boro supporters as the club’s Goal of the Month, his second half strike made the shortlist for the Championship Goal of the Month.

Akpom and Riley McGree picked their way past Blackpool defenders before McGree slipped in a cheeky disguised pass for Akpom to apply the finish.

The 2017 Super Eagles invitee is up against Perry Ng (Cardiff City), Ilias Chair (Queens Park Rangers) and Marcelino Nunez

(Norwich City) for the Championship Goal of the Month.

Meanwhile, Akpom has missed out on the Championship Player of the Month award, with the EFL announcing on Friday that Millwall striker Tom Bradshaw took home the prize.

The 27-year-old is the leading marksman in the Championship with 21 goals in 28 games.

Seventeen of those goals were scored with Manchester United legend Michael Carrick in the Middlesbrough dugout.

Chelsea Appoint Nigeria’s Sulaiman as U18 Coach With a statement on their official website, English Premier League giants, Chelsea have confirmed the appointment of Nigerian football tactician Hassan Sulaiman as the new coach for the U18 team.

Ed Brand’s departure opened up a managerial vacancy at Chelsea U18s, and the powers that be at Stamford Bridge have decided to hire from within in their search for a new coach.

Sulaiman has held several roles at Chelsea and was the

head coach of the U16s before his recent promotion to the U18s.

The Nigerian is qualified to coach Chelsea U18s as he is the holder of a UEFA A License, which allows him to be head coach of youth teams up to age 18.

Speaking on his appointment, Sulaiman said: “I am delighted to take on this new role and this is an opportunity that I am really looking forward to.

“I want to thank the leadership

team for having the confidence in me to continue the success of the Academy.

“My passion is to help players become better people and better footballers, ultimately maximising their potential.”

Sulaiman coached a Chelsea U14s side captained by Chinonso Chibueze to win the PL-ISL Next Generation Mumbai Cup in February 2020 and the following year, he was in the Chelsea U16 dugout as they won the annual Premier League tournament.

Klopp Admits Surprise at Firmino’s Decision to Leave Liverpool Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp says he was “surprised” by Roberto Firmino’s decision to leave Anfield at the end of the season.

The Brazil forward will end an eight-year stay at Anfield when his contract expires in June.

Firmino, 31, had been in talks over a new contract but has chosen to leave.

“Surprised? Yes, a little bit - it could go two ways and it went one. And I respect that a lot,” Klopp said on Friday. Latest Liverpool news, analysis and fan views Get Liverpool news

notifications Listen to the latest The Red Kop podcast “But it’s completely normal in this kind of long relationship that we have and Bobby has with the club.”

Firmino scored seven goals in 13 Premier League games prior to the break for the World Cup but suffered a calf injury that kept him out for two months following the domestic restart.

He returned in February’s derby win over Everton but has been limited to five substitute appearances with January signing Cody Gakpo preferred up front alongside Darwin Nunez

and Mohamed Salah.

Roberto Firmino’s goal against Manchester United was his first since netting in a 3-1 win over Southampton on 12 November However, he came off the bench to score Liverpool’s final goal - and his 108th in 354 Reds appearances - in the 7-0 thrashing of Manchester United on Sunday.

“I loved the reception he got when he came on against United,” said Klopp, who added that the striker had told him he now wanted “to bring this wonderful story to a positive end”.

Victor Osimhem and Ademola Lookman will slug it out at the Diego Amanda Maradina Stadium this weekend

S’Eagles Manager, Peseiro to Watch Osimhen, Lookman’s Clash in Naples After three straight losses to Costa Rica, Portugal, and Algeria, coach Peseiro has been working nonstop to turn around his team’s fortunes.

The 62-year-old manager, who has been to England, Nigeria, and Egypt to scout for his finest player to integrate into his lineup for the AFCON qualification match against Guinea-Bissau this month, has made a stopover in Italy to see the match between Osimhen’s club and Lookman’s Atalanta.

Following an unexpected 1-0 loss to Lazio, Napoli will

be aiming to return to winning ways when they take on Atalanta in the Serie A round 26. The Orobici, on the other hand, aim to put an end to their three-game winless run.

However, the ex-manager of Venezuela will check on his star players during the match to make sure they’re committed to representing their country and demonstrate that he appreciates his players.

As the camp opens in less than two weeks, the manager, who is anticipated to have a selection challenge in his roster for the Super Eagles match against

West Africa’s Atlantic coast side, given a number of Nigerian players exhibiting an exceptional performance throughout the world, will finally name a selection best for the tie.

Meanwhile, Manchester United could turn to another striker on their radar, that being Napoli ace Victor Osimhen.

The Nigerian, who has netted 21 goals in 26 games for the Italian club this season, was added to United’s shortlist of options back in November and has been generating plenty of attention since.

Rashford Beats Iheanacho to Player of the Month Award Nigeria international Kelechi Iheanacho has missed out on the Premier League Player of the Month.

The Leicester City center forward had been nominated for the prestigious accolade alongside Berd Leno (Fulham), Marcus Rashford (Manchester United), Emerson Royal (Tottenham Hotspur), Manor Soloman (Fulham) and Ollie Watkins (Aston Villa).

EA SPORTS in conjunction with the English Premier League announced yesterday that Rashford has won February’s Player of the Month award, earning the prize for the second successive month,

and the third time this season.

The Manchester United number 10 has equaled the Premier League record for most EA SPORTS Player of the Month prizes in a single season, emulating Liverpool winger Mohamed Salah, who won three in 2017-2018.

Former West Brom striker Peter Odemwingie won the award three times overall and twice in a single season, in 2010-2011.

Other Nigerian players who have won the Premier League Player of the Month award in the past include Austin Jay-Jay Okocha, Odion Ighalo and Iheanacho.

Iheanacho started all the matches contested by Leicester City in the top-flight in February, and repaid the manager’s faith by directly participating in five goals (2 goals, 3 assists) in four games.

It is Rashford’s third time this season to be named Premier League Player of the Month, equalling a record held

by Liverpool’s Mohamed Salah.

Salah set the bar for most Player of the Month awards in a single season in 2017-18.

Rashford won the award in September, January and February, scoring four goals in five games last month.

Aruna Draws Germany’s Filus in First Round of WTT Singapore Smash Africa’s highest ranked table tennis star Quadri Aruna has been handed a familiar foe in Germany’s Ruwen Filus in the first round of the men’s singles today, at the WTT Singapore Smash taking place at the Singapore Sports Hub’s OCBC Arena.

Aruna arrived in Singapore on Thursday from his base in Portugal to confront the German defensive player having played together at Fulda TTC in the German Bundesliga for two years.

The Nigerian listed among the top seeds that will start their campaigns from the first round of the main draw tomorrow has had an edge over the German in their previous meetings

but the recent form of Filus in the Bundesliga would be a threat to Aruna.

Being his third WTT tournament this year having featured at the WTT Doha and Durban earlier this year, Aruna will be hoping to surpass his secondround exit at the 2022 edition with a comfortable win over the German star.

Also, the second African star competing in the main draw is Egypt’s Omar Assar and the former African champion has been pitched against Portuguese international Tiago Apolonia in the first round.

2022 Africa Cup champion Hana Goda has been drawn against Germany’s Sabine Winter while Africa’s highest

ranked female player Dina Meshref of Egypt will face home girls Goi Rui Xuan in the first round of the women’s singles.

Meanwhile, all eyes will be on defending Singapore Smash champions China’s Fan Zhendong and Chen Meng who are eager to do battle to retain their singles crowns, while Singapore’s table tennis players are also raring to do the home fans proud when the main draw starts tomorrow.

The main draw of Singapore Smash 2023 commences from today through March 19, and will feature 64 players men’s and women’s singles and 24-pair doubles and mixed competitions.

32

THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER MARCH 11, 2023

Ferdinand Ekechukwu - 08035011394 Email: ferdi_adthisday@yahoo.com

Mosun Oduoye

I Didn’t Leave Nollywood, I Just Took A Break Thespian Mosunmola Oduoye, after taking a break from Nollywood, returns with her first cinema project titled ‘Different Strokes’.

The film boasts some of the best-known faces including Mercy Johnson Okojie, Shaffy Bello, Jim Iyke, Adedimeji Lateef, Jide Kosoko, among others.

Renowned for her remarkable storylines, Mosun Oduoye tells Ferdinand Ekechukwu about the movie while giving a peek into her career, and life as wife of a politician

A

re you back into the movie industry? There were some reports that you quit acting following your marriage some time ago.

Is it true?

Well, I never left… I never left I just took a break. I did not quit acting.

While on break from acting did you miss anything?

Of course I did. When you have passion for something and you take a break from doing such thing of course you will miss it. I missed being amongst my colleagues, WKH JLVW WKH ÁRZ WKH SOD\ HYHU\WKLQJ we do while on location.

You have a new movie coming out soon. What is it all about?

The movie is about four ladies in marriage; their travails, their pains, and how they plan or aim to achieve their JRDOV LQ WKHLU GLͿHUHQW PDUULDJHV ,W·V DQ

SHOWBIZFLAIR person because I have seen her works; , VHH WKDW VKH·V YHU\ JRRG DW ZKDW VKH GRHV 6R , VDLG VKH·V WKH RQH , ZDQW 6KH·V HYHU\ERG\·V GLUHFWRU

What’s a typical day like for you as the wife of a politician and a movie practitioner? ,·P OLYLQJ P\ QRUPDO OLIH DV EHVW DV SRVVLEOH 7KHUH·V QR ELJ GHDO ,·P QRW LQYROYHG in politics my husband is a politician, EXW ,·P QRW LQYROYHG LQ SROLWLFV , GRQ·W do the politics run with him.

If you weren’t into acting/movie production what other career choice would you have favoured?

Well I have three other things that I could have done; I could have been a professional dancer, I could have been a banker, I could have own a school or orphanage.

Can you take us through a bit of your journey into the movie industry?

As a child, I have always admired seeing people on screen; you know then there was no easy access to movies like that. :H ZHUH XVLQJ 9+6 VR RQFH LQ D ZKLOH when we are allowed to watch or you JR WR \RXU QHLJKERXU·V KRXVH WKDW KDV 9+6 RU VWXͿ OLNH WKDW DQG \RX ZDWFK , appreciate and admired them. I know KRZ WR PLPLF SHRSOHV· YRLFHV OLNH WKDW 6R ZKHQ , ZDV VPDOO P\ GDG ZKHQHYHU WKH\ ZDQW HQWHUWDLQPHQW DQG WKHUH·V QR OLJKW DQG VWXͿ OLNH WKDW WKH\ ZLOO FDOO me to the middle and say I should start mimicking. There was this particular woman Iya Niwe… ah I can mimic her for life. I went to college of education; ÀUVW ZKHQ , JRW LQWR FROOHJH , MRLQHG the school theatre troupe where we do stage performances, life shows and all WKDW WKDW ZDV KRZ LW WUXO\ VWDUWHG 6R ZKHQ , ÀQLVKHG IURP FROOHJH , MRLQHG a movie practitioner group owned by 'LPHML ,MDGXDGH WKH\ FDOO KLP 'LPHML popularly. And I trained under him for like three years that was in 2005. That was how it started.

So how would you describe your journey so far?

Well in the beginning it was rough; it ZDVQ·W VPRRWK ,W·V QRW OLNH QRZ RQFH you have money you want to produce you just come and you start producing.

Then you have to train! They train like you underwent for vocational training (speaks in Yoruba) that you even do graduation, you know. They will give you list of things to bring all those elders will pray for you, you will kneel down.

7KDW·V WKH SURSHU ZD\ ZH GLG LW WKHQ The beginning was so rough…when you JR WR ORFDWLRQ \RX GRQ·W JHW SDLG DV DQ apprentice and you have to be there. Even LI WKH\ GRQ·W JLYH \RX DQ\ UROH \RX KDYH WR EH WKHUH WR ZDWFK DQG OHDUQ 6R LW ZDV QRW DQ HDV\ SHDV\ VWXͿ EDFN WKHQ

Mosun Oduoye

:H OHDQW WKHDWUH DUW LQ YHU\ , ZRXOGQ·W say hard, but strict. But once they discover the talent in you and they know you know what you are doing, they pick you up they start using you; they start with three eye- opening storyline that even March. There were no challenges as such. VFHQHV ÀYH VFHQHV DQG WKHQ IURP WKHUH singles will learn from. But it talks Grace and mercy spoke for me which I Even back then before you leave where more about family, relationship and can say. The cast and crew were very you are training to go act for another marriage, love, betrayal and all that. wonderful and supportive. Even when we group you have to take permission from had a challenge with a particular location, your boss. More like a vocation then. But Is it a true life-story kind of ZH FRXOGQ·W DFFHVV WKH ORFDWLRQ WKH RZQHU we thank God, we grew and we grew. of the building was like we have done experience?

1RW HYHU\WKLQJ %XW WKHUH·V D enough we should leave and we have Recall some of the movies you featured bit of true-life in the storyline. QRW \HW ÀQLVKHG WKH\ GLGQ·W PLQG WKH\ in, and how many you produced? stayed. They even put a call through to ,W·V WLWOHG ´'LͿHUHQW 6WURNHVµ )HDWXUHG LQ" , FDQQRW FRXQW %XW WKH RQFH the owner of the building to speak on , SURGXFHG , FDQ FRXQW EHFDXVH ,·P QRW You also acted in the movie, my behalf to plead with the owner of the a regular producer. People know me for what role did you play? Tell us house to allow us use it. Mercy spoke P\ VWRULHV 6R ZKHQ , SURGXFH , JR DOO for me, grace spoke for me. There were RXW , GRQ·W MXVW SURGXFH IRU SURGXFWLRQ about your character…

I played the character Jesudunni, no challenges. And we shot for like three sake or to make money. I want to pass an housewife who left her career, ZHHNV 'LVWULEXWHG E\ )LOP2QH (QWHUWDLQ- a message across. left virtually everything to be there ment and will be available in cinemas for the family; husband, for the nationwide from March 17th, 2023.

What do you consider the greatest kids but was never appreciated.

LQÁXHQFH LQ \RXU OLIH" And you had Biodun Stephen as the :HOO WKH ZRUG RI *RG LQÁXHQFHV PH D 7KLV LV \RXU ÀUVW FLQHPD director, what was it like working with ORW 1RERG\ FDQ LQÁXHQFH PH , GR ZKDW movie...where there challenges KHU" , JXHVV WKLV LV WKH ÀUVW WLPH , ZDQW WR GR 7KDW·V ZK\ , GRQ·W KDYH you encountered in the course <HDK WKLV LV WKH ÀUVW WLPH %XW , KDYH D ORW RI IULHQGV <RX FDQ·W LQÁXHQFH PH of shooting? seen most of her work. I actually chose but what I read from the word of God The movie was shot last year KHU , WROG P\ OLQH SURGXFHU WKDW·V WKH LQÁXHQFHV PH D ORW

33

THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER MARCH 11, 2023

SHOWBIZFLAIR

Mercy Chinwo Set to Headline ‘Excess Love’ Concert Ferdinand Ekechukwu

F

or over a decade, awardwinning gospel singer, songwriter, recording and performing artiste Mercy Chinwo has been working for Christ with soul-lifting songs and her musical talent. Her hit single ‘Excess Love’ released in 2018 earned her the attention of not only the Nigerian gospel music industry but also on the international scene.

The internationally-celebrated gospel artiste, popularly known as Minister Mercy, is set to pull thousands of her francophone fans in an atmosphere of electrifying praise and worship at a grand concert in Republic of Togo. The concert which is opened for all at the Omnisport Stadium, Lome is scheduled for today March 11 and tomorrow Sunday March 12, 2023.

Known for her popular hit song ‘Excess love’, among other incredible hits such as Obinasom, Chinedum, Chinwo is billed to minister at the widely-anticipated concert dubbed “Grand Concert Excess Love” — which aims to create an opportunity for all to come together as a body of Christ to celebrate the goodness of God and His excess love.

Sharing the stage with a starstudded lineup of gospel ministers and gospel music artists from other African countries, the 2-day event promises to be a night of high-energy praise, worship, and diverse expressions of God with something for everyone — young, old, friends, and family. Gospel pastors and gospel music musicians from other African nations will also perform.

With a career spanning over 8 years, Mercy who is well known for her powerful vocals and heartfelt lyrics gushes: “I am excited to be a part of this event and I’m looking forward to an evening of worship, celebration, and connection with the audience. Join me at the stadium as we usher the Lord into our midst.

See you all there”.

Since breaking into the gospel scene she has been featured on a number of gospel music projects, working with the likes of JJ Hairson, Nathaniel Bassey, Chioma Jesus, Banky W, Joe Praize, Samsong, Moses Bliss and a host of others.

The theme song ‘Excess Love’ is the number six track on her album The Cross My Gaze released in 2018.

Mercy Chinwo

Rosemary Isong

I Once Worked as a Maid in a Cocoa Farm Rosemary Isong is known for her content creations, particularly comic videos, which have earned her over one million followers across several social media platforms. She talks to Tosin Clegg about growing up, journey into acting and content creation, becoming popular and a lot more thing - my work and relationship.

But you can never tell till you try so I took the bold steps. I left my house in Uyo and went to Lagos where I was not even sure of a roof or food. I used to go from Ikorodu to VI almost every day because I believed inthe beauty ofmy dreams and only determination can make it possible. At a point, I almost gave up but whenever I walk on the streets, I get a lot of hype from my fans, and they take pictures with me and that alone gave me enough energy. So, I said ‘no Rose, you have come too far to go back.’

Growing up was raised by many hands. My mum left with me when I was still a baby. My grandmother raised me alongside many others. So, growing up was no fun at all. I was bullied, called a witch and treated like one. At a point, I worked as a maid in a cocoa farm in Ondo State. Daily, we leave for the farm as early as 6am and return 7pm. Then, I was taking my bath in the bush. It was so bad and that’s one of the reasons I must give my children a responsible father.

I

Return to Akwa Ibom State I had no hope for education but that changed in 2012. This was when my step brother came looking for me. So, I left Ondo State in 2012, moved with my brother to Uyo, Akwa Ibom State. That was where I started feeling loved and knowing what it feels to have a father because everyone thought I was his child till date. But the feelings didn’t last for long as I lost him to the cold hands of death in 2014 after losing my mother in 2013. After my secondary education, I had to stop there, because all through my secondary level was hell.

So, I managed to get WASSC and vowed to push myself to higher institution.

Bad times don’t last forever My perception of life is that bad times don’t last forever. There was a time in my life that death was a better option but thank God I didn’t end it all because I will be missing all these good lives. Am not where I wish to be but am not where I used to be, so, bad times don’t last. Just do what makes you happy and the world will adjust. Rosemary is a very fun person, very accommodating and peaceful, if I don’t want, I will show you I don’t want because

Rosemary Isong

I don’t know how to pretend. I started my journey because nothing else was working.

After my secondary education, I learnt fashion designing in two different places but e no gree enter my head. I worked in an Hennessy store, then resigned to focus on my talent and I am proud I did.

At first I was scared cause I gave up every-

My inspirations I get my inspirations from the things I see on social media and my environment. My creative process is sometimes hard because you get different opinions from friends and if you don’t listen, they feel bad.

So, it always stressful and I will also have to think how my fans will feel about it. My characters are simple, unique and funny but it passesagoodmessagetoeveryone including children, sometimes I also create content which are sad but it sends out good message and lessons to my audience. Without social media, I won’t be here and a lot of us won’t be here. Social media has blessed my life, put a roof over my head, food on my table and gave me a name and a brand. Social media is life but it is not real life.

Lagos traffic is crazy I have not really worked with many creators because am an introvert.

So, going out to shoot is more like a

challenge, and Lagos traffic is crazy. I used to suffer in traffic when I was still upcoming.

Going through it again makes me sick but I have worked with amazing creators one of them is Mr Funny aka Sabinus. He is so fun and he listens, he also gives you time to be perfect in the character he wants you to play. I have worked with Ashmusy and her energy is on another level.

My style relatable My style is simple cause it is relatable.

What makes my work exceptional is because I do content for all, children can watch my content and have a good laugh, some even try to mimic me. The challenge was much in the early stages as sometimes I had to wait for hours so I could use someone’s iPhone 6 to shoot, and finding a house to shoot was always an issue because people make it look like you want to carry their house but.

I had to be calm and take whatever insult comes with it because I knew that bad times won’t last. I can’t tell my success story without Laff Nation Entertainment.

This is my backbone and always gives me reasons to keep pushing so building my brand was not too bad because he has more experience and he guided me.

Good acting is being real. A lot of times, my fans do tell me that they love my craft because I make it so real, some will say ‘so you can speak good English so good like this?’. For me, the basic of a good actor is to be able to interpret your roles well and make it look real, put in your emotions and everything in it. What I see as a challenge these days is trying to fit in because people seem to appreciate craft that has to do with a woman’s body. They don’t care if you are passing a message or not they just appreciate the fine ladies with big bums on the video. I think actors should try and change that narrative.

34

THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER MARCH 11, 2023

AUTO WORLD

Bennett Oghifo 07052343083 Email:bennett.oghifo@thisdaylive.com

TIPS OF THE WEEK

What is a Cold Start and Why is it Important?

Managing Director, ABC Transport, Frank Nneji (m) during the presentation of mini buses to ABC Transport pioneer drivers to mark the 25th anniversary in 2018

ABC Transport Commits to Providing Innovative Services, Celebrates 30th Anniversary

A

BC Transport, a foremost long distance transportation company in Nigeria has committed to providing excellent and innovative services that meet the needs of their customers, as they celebrated their 30th anniversary recently.

ABC Transport, which began operation in Nigeria on the 13th of February 1993, has been providing safe, comfortable, and reliable transportation and logistic services to millions of Nigerians and beyond.

The company began with two buses with a loan from Diamond Bank (now Access Bank).

Today, ABC Transport has grown to become a household name in the transportation industry, ZLWK D ÁHHW RI RYHU YHKLFOHV DQG D QHWZRUN of over 60 locations across the country. The company has also expanded its operations to other African countries such as Ghana, Togo and Benin Republic.

A statement he issued, the Managing Director/ CEO of ABC Transport Plc, Mr. Frank Nneji said: “As we mark the 30th anniversary of this great company, we would like to express our sincere gratitude to our customers, stakeholders, partners, and employees for their unwavering

support and loyalty over the years. We remain committed to providing excellent and innovative transportation services that meet the needs of our customers and are looking forward to the future. In commemoration of our 30th anniversary, we have lined up several activities and events, LQFOXGLQJ FXVWRPHU DQG VWDͿ DSSUHFLDWLRQ events that demonstrate our commitment to our customers and the communities we serve.” Mr. Nneji’s entrepreneurial spirit and commitment to excellence have been the driving force behind the company’s success.

Speaking about the future of the company, the Group Head, Innovation & Strategy, Mr. Victor Nneji shared optimism of the company’s resilience to continue to innovate and serve Nigerians and Africans at large. He said: “As we look towards the future, one thing is certain: the possibilities are endless. With advancements in technology and a commitment to innovation, ZH DUH FRQÀGHQW WKDW RXU EXVLQHVV ZLOO FRQWLQXH WR SURYLGH VDIH UHOLDEOH DQG H΀FLHQW VHUYLFH WR our valued customers for many years to come.”

Having done business in Nigeria for 30 years, ABC has faced multiple head winds from all corners of the environment. It is highly commendable that ABC Transport Group has not only stood the test of time but has maintained its

spot as a top player in the Travel and Logistics industry.

Over the past 30 years, ABC Transport has achieved numerous milestones which have contributed to its success and growth. One of its earliest milestones was introducing luxury buses with on-board restroom facilities, television, DLU FRQGLWLRQLQJ DQG RWKHU DPHQLWLHV DQG RͿHUHG RQ ERDUG UHIUHVKPHQW 7KHVH HͿHFWV RͿHU D KLJK level of comfort to passengers and made ABC 7UDQVSRUW WKH ÀUVW 1LJHULDQ WUDQVSRUW FRPSDQ\ WR RͿHU UHDO OX[XU\ &RDFKHV WR LWV FXVWRPHUV ABC Transport has also been credited for EHLQJ WKH ÀUVW DQG RQO\ URDG WUDQVSRUW FRPSDQ\ to be listed on the Nigerian Stock Exchange.

The company has also been recognized for its outstanding performance in the transport industry, winning several awards and accolades both nationally and internationally. ABC Transport ZDV ÀUVW WR HVWDEOLVK XOWUDPRGHUQ 7HUPLQDOV LQ Nigeria and beyond.

ABC Transport rolled out Coach West Africa RQ -XO\ ZLWK QHZ VWDWH RI WKH DUW ÁHHWV - featuring the most modern coach service in the West African sub-region. Coach West Africa brought West African countries closer than ever imagined. This initiative stimulated ECOWAS integration in terms of travel, tourism and trade.

Ford Increasing Production of Popular Electric, Gas, Hybrid Vehicles

F

ord is increasing production at manufacturing plants across North America to meet strong customer demand for vehicles including Mustang Mach-E, F-150 Lightning, Bronco Sport and Maverick. The company is also preparing to launch all-new versions of four significant vehicles in 2023: Super Duty®, Ranger®, Mustang® and Escape®.

According to the automaker, “We have had a strong start to 2023 sales and we are moving to fast-track quality production,” said Kumar Galhotra, president, Ford Blue. “Increasing production benefits both our customers and our business.”

Through February, Ford is America’s No. 1 selling overall brand as well as the top truck manufacturer and SUV brand. Ford electric vehicle sales are up 68 percent.

In February, Ford’s U.S. market share increased by 1.4 percentage points to 13.3 percent, powered by a 21.9 percent sales increase.

Mustang Mach-E: Ford began increasing production of the Mustang Mach-E this week.

Changes at the plant will allow Ford to nearly double its hourly production and bring its annual manufacturing run rate to a targeted 210,000 units by year’s end.

Mustang Mach-E helped propel Ford to No. 2 in U.S. EV sales in 2022, and is bringing new customers to Ford, with more than two-thirds of customers coming from other makes.

Bronco Sport and Maverick: Ford is increasing production for Bronco Sport and Maverick.

Production is targeted to increase by more than 80,000 units this year, helping to meet demand in both North and South America. In the U.S.,

Ford Bronco Sport Ford brand SUV sales totaled 777,770, up 4.6% in 2022 versus 2021, led by the Bronco family of vehicles. Maverick was the No. 1 small truck in America in 2022.

F-150 Lightning: In Michigan, production of the F-150 Lightning at the Rouge Electric Vehicle Center is on track to triple this year, targeting an annual production run rate of 150,000 by the end of 2023.

The F-150 Lightning, the best-selling electric truck in the U.S., had sales of 3,600 through February, in addition to the 15,617 sales recorded in 2022.

F-150 Lightning production will resume March

13. Overall, for the F-150 Lightning production increase, Ford is investing $2 billion across three plants in Michigan and adding 3,200 union jobs.

Transit and E-Transit: Also adding an additional crew in April is Kansas City Assembly Plant, which manufactures the Transit and the E-Transit vans, America’s best-selling gas and electric vans in 2022. Ford is targeting an annual production increase of 38,000. Ford is investing $95 million and adding 1,100 union jobs as part of the production increase. Ford is America’s best-selling commercial van maker for 45 straight years.

This is a necessary process to get the vehicle’s engine up to its optimum operating temperature.

If you have started a vehicle that hasn’t been used for a while, you will notice that its engine will idle at a higher RPM (revolutions per minute) than normal. This is what is known as a cold start, it means that the engine isn’t yet at its optimum temperature and therefore is “cold.” While some may worry that something is wrong, a cold start is completely normal and is part of getting your car’s engine up to temperature. This is part of an important process to ensure that everything in your engine is well lubricated so it can function properly.

Why is a cold start important?

Getting into the technical side of things, a cold start not only lets your engine get up to temperature, but will also let the oil within get warmed up. Oil is a FULWLFDO ÁXLG LQ \RXU PRWRU DV LW NHHSV all the moving parts well lubricated and functioning optimally. If an engine hasn’t been used for a long while, let’s say from when you park your car at night to when you start it in the morning, most of the oil settles at the bottom of your engine.

While there will still be residual oil at the top of the engine, it isn’t enough protection especially if you run your engine hard from its start-up. This is why it is important to give your engine a few seconds to get that oil pumping and up to temperature.

Getting your oil up to temperature will depend on its viscosity or its ability to be easily poured at a certain temperature.

Its viscosity might be thicker at colder WHPSHUDWXUHV UHGXFLQJ LWV DELOLW\ WR ÁRZ and limiting its capabilities in creating a thin layer of protection for the moving parts. If you let your engine warm-up via its cold start function, this will allow time for your oil to get up to temperature and ÁRZ EHWWHU What’s the proper RPM range for a cold start?

This will depend on your vehicle, however, a typical cold start will hover above 1,000rpm and may even initially exceed the 1,500rpm range. Do not worry, as the engine warms up the RPMs will slowly start to decrease and your motor will return to its normal idle range. Only worry if even after reaching its optimum temperature, the engine still does not go back to its normal idle, this could be a sign that something is broken within the motor itself and will require immediate attention.

Does this mean I should let my engine ZDUP XS ÀUVW" For older model vehicles it is recommended that you warm up your HQJLQH ÀUVW EHIRUH VHWWLQJ RͿ 7KLV especially applies to vehicles that still run on carburetors. However, if you have a modern engine with tighter tolerances and that uses electronic fuel injection, then you can choose not to warm up your engine. This will allow you to drive the vehicle to where you need to go, but keep in mind that the oil will need time to get up to the correct temperature as well. It is highly advised that you drive slowly and at lower revs so that you don’t strain the engine until it reaches its operating temperature. Once it reaches its operating temperature or the cold temperature light RQ \RXU YHKLFOH WXUQV RͿ WKHQ \RX FDQ proceed to drive it normally.

(Source: AD)

35

THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER MARCH 11, 2023

AUTO WORLD

Mercedes-Benz Revised GLE SUV, Coupé Models now in Showrooms

S

ales of the revised MercedesBenz GLE models started a few weeks ago. The Mercedes-AMG dealerships are now also taking orders for the upgraded RͿ URDGHUV $W 0HUFHGHV $0* prices for the GLE 53 4MATIC+ SUV (fuel consumption combined: 10.7-10.3 O NP &2ϔ HPLVVLRQV FRPELQHG g/km)¹ start at €112,495.65². The top-ofthe-range GLE 63 S 4MATIC+ Coupé (fuel consumption combined: 12.7-12.3 l/100 km, &2ϔ HPLVVLRQV FRPELQHG J NP LV available starting at €174,739.602.

The standard equipment in the AMG PRGHOV LV VLJQLÀFDQWO\ PRUH H[WHQVLYH than in the previous models. In the GLE 53 4MATIC+ SUV, it includes the electric panoramic sunroof, heated front seats, adaptive high beam assist and smartphone integration. There’s also the selectable AMG Performance exhaust system, Burmester® surround sound system, the Memory package, the 360-degree Parking Pilot, the KEYLESS GO package and Blind Spot Assist. The latest generation of the AMG Performance steering wheel is also always on board. In the GLE 53 4MATIC+ Coupé (fuel consumption combined: 10.5-10.2 l/100

NP &2ϔ HPLVVLRQV FRPELQHG J km)1, the standard equipment is even more luxurious: climate control for the front seats, the MBUX Augmented Reality function and MULTIBEAM LED headlights also come as standard.

7KLV FRQÀJXUDWLRQ IURP WKH IDFWRU\ DOVR applies to the GLE 63 S 4MATIC+ SUV (fuel consumption combined: 12.8-12.4 l/100 NP &2ϔ HPLVVLRQV FRPELQHG J km)1. In the GLE 63 S 4MATIC+ Coupé, customers can also look forward to the AIR BALANCE package, the multi-contour front seats, and the head-up display. The MBUX Interior Assistant, temperature-controlled cupholders, and the logo projector with $0* VSHFLÀF DQLPDWLRQ ZKHQ WKH IURQW doors are opened also come as standard.

The new models are distinguished from the front by the newly designed LED daytime running lights. The 53 versions also have a revised front spoiler with expressively shaped side air intakes in a jet-wing design. Visually, this brings them closer to the eight-cylinder models. The rear is characterised by revised LED rear lights. Two new colours enhance the paint range: MANUFAKTUR alpine grey uni and sodalith blue metallic.

Mercedes-Benz GLE

Kia Niro, EV6 GT Named Top 3 Finalists in 2023 World Car Awards

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wo Kia models have been selected DV D WRS WKUHH ÀQDOLVW LQ WZR categories for the 2023 World Car Awards. The Kia Niro has earned a position among the WRS WKUHH ÀQDOLVWV IRU WKH :RUOG Car of the Year category, while WKH .LD (9 *7 KDV EHHQ QDPHG DV D ÀQDOLVW in the World Performance Car category.

The recognition comes from a jury of 100 distinguished international automotive journalists representing 32 countries, who evaluated a broad range of vehicles from around the world.

The Kia Niro, a contender for the prestigious title of the World Car of the Year award, brings a new level of sustainable mobility with its innovative features and user-friendly technology.

The Kia Niro’s potential win this year would

EH DQRWKHU VLJQLÀFDQW DFFRPSOLVKPHQW IRU the Kia brand in the same category as the Kia Telluride’s victory in 2020.

7KH .LD (9 *7 D WRS WKUHH ÀQDOLVW in the World Performance Car category, boasts impressive acceleration with 567 horsepower on tap, combined with longrange capability, and a spacious interior, all wrapped up in a sleek and sophisticated design. The Kia EV6, upon which the EV6 GT is based, has already made history by receiving two highly esteemed awards: the 2022 European Car of the Year and the 2023 North American Utility Vehicle of the Year.

The winners will be announced live at an awards ceremony at the 2023 New York International Auto Show on April 5, 2023.

Kia EV6 GT

Is Excessive Speeding Worth It? In September 2022, my piece titled, A Black Sunday Night in September, captured the tragedy that befell 19 people who were burnt beyond recognition along the Yangoji Gwagwalada route in the Federal Capital Territory. Three vehicles were involved in that crash caused by excessive speeding and wrongful overtaking. The crash occurred on 18 September at about 0040 hours.

Please I won’t bore you with the details as you can read the full story online.

Just last Sunday, there was another tragedy.

It involved 10 happy and exciting families. All siblings, including their parents. Their mission was a home coming to celebrate with loved ones who were tying the knot. The ceremony ZDV PHDQW WR EH ÀOOHG ZLWK H[FLWHPHQW DQG laughter, but sadly the story which is real ended on a tragic note. All 10 members of the same IDPLO\ GLHG LQ D URDG WUD΀F FUDVK VKRUWO\ DIWHU the wedding on the Kaduna-Kachia highway while returning from a wedding in Kano State.

It was gathered the victims’ vehicle had a KHDG RQ FROOLVLRQ ZLWK D ORUU\ FRQYH\LQJ ÀUHZRRG A witness said that all the victims were Kano indigenes who resided in Kachia town. I knew most of them, he said and noted that they went to their home town in Kano for a wedding and on their way back to Kachia town. The saloon Gulf they were travelling in collided with a lorry FRQYH\LQJ ÀUHZRRG NLOOLQJ DOO WKH WHQ PHPEHUV of the family on the spot.

7KH URDG WUD΀F FUDVK DFFRUGLQJ WR WKH )HGHUDO Road Safety Corps was attributed to dangerous overtaking which led to the driver losing control.

Meanwhile the Gulf car was overloaded at the time of the crash. Among the ten family members were eight men and two boys. As I write this piece I recall the position of the Corps against overloading as well as the infractions caused

by Gulf car drivers.

I am sure you read the story involving the

SAFE DRIVING with Jonas Agwu

amnipr, mcipr,mprsa,arpa Assistant Corps Marshal Zonal Commanding Officer Federal Road Safety Corps.

BRT BUS and a moving train at Shogunle area of Ikeja, Lagos. I hear that no fewer than seven SHUVRQV KDYH EHHQ FRQÀUPHG GHDG ZKLOH RWKHUV sustained injuries. This avoidable crash saddens me and I pray for those who died as well as for God Almighty to comfort their families. It is not my usual style to write on such when the incident is still fresh but have chosen to for once look at the issues. But how did the avoidable crash involving a bus that is expected to be the safest for commuters occur? A survivor according to reports revealed that they begged the driver to wait for the train to pass but he refused.

Another survivor who corroborated the above narrated that she boarded the bus to work stating that the incident happened around 7.15am.According to her, when we got to the intersection at PWD in Ikeja, the driver continued driving.

Passengers inside the bus, including myself, begged him to wait for the train to pass before crossing but he didn’t listen.. Another witness who recounted the incident too, said I think the fault is from the driver because before a train gets to a level crossing, it begins to horn from a kilometre away and if you are a good driver, you should be aware of the loud horn alerting people.

The story I cherish most was from a male

witness who said that the keepers of the Nigerian Railway Corporation at that level crossing tried to stop the driver from passing because of the incoming train, but he refused. I guess he thought he could pass before the train caught up with him. Unfortunately, the reverse was the case.

When I read of the incident, I was stunned to hear that the appropriate iron bars that must be installed at railway level- crossing were not there to prevent trains from running into vehicles.

Was there an advanced warning that should be given when a train is passing? %HWZHHQ WKH ÀUVW DQG VHFRQG FUDVK ZH DUH dealing with the risk driving behaviour of excessive speeding, overloading, as well as dangerous driving. But what really is the best practice at railway crossings?. When I sourced for the best safety practice at railway crossings WKHVH DUH P\ ÀQGLQJV /LNH WKH %57 GULYHU many others tend to pay little or no attention at highway railway crossings simply because they drive there daily without seeing a train and so throw caution to the wind which is risky and dangerous.

I have chosen to publish verbatim what I sourced with very minor additions or commentary.

First you must know that trains can be on any track, at any time, going in either direction.

When locomotive engineers see a vehicle or person on the tracks in the path of their train, they can only sound the warning horn and apply the emergency brakes.

A train in emergency braking will stop, but not in time to avoid this collision. The average freight train consisting of 100 cars and weighing anywhere from 12 million to 20 million pounds takes over a mile to stop in emergency braking.

There are brakes on every wheel, but it takes that long for all of those brakes to overcome the momentum of the tremendous weight pushing the train.

Secondly, always yield the right of way to the train which the BRT driver failed to do hoping he would outrun the train. The train cannot yield to you. More than half of all motor vehicle-train collisions occur at crossings equipped with the automatic signals. It’s because some drivers choose to drive around the gates or WKURXJK WKH ÁDVKLQJ UHG OLJKWV EHFDXVH WKH\ believe they can beat the train, or they assume a stopped train has activated the signals or the signals are malfunctioning.

The third which I hear the BRT driver also fell short of, is, never ignore active warnings at crossings. Locomotives are huge;17 feet high and 10 feet wide. As a result, they appear to be traveling much slower than we think when viewed from a slight angle at the crossing.

The combination of the size and angle create this illusion. The parallel lines of the rails converging toward the horizon contribute to the illusion and fool our minds into thinking the train is farther away than it actually is.

It is virtually impossible to accurately judge the speed of a train when these combinations of illusions are present.

The fourth which the BRT driver was guilty RI DV WHVWLÀHG E\ D ZLWQHVV LV WKDW WUDLQV ZLOO arrive at a crossing faster than you anticipate.

One in four crashes occurring at highway-rail crossings takes place when vehicles run into the side of the train. Often, it’s because the vehicle is traveling too fast for conditions, such as darkness, rainy weather or fog. Many drivers “overdrive their headlights.” This means driving too fast to be able to stop in the distance illuminated by your headlights. By the time drivers see the train at the crossing, it’s too late to avoid the crash. In other instances, there may be high levels of noise in the vehicle, which distracts the driver from noticing the train’s warning devices.

THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER MARCH 11, 2023

36

MARKET PLACE with Omolabake Fasogbon... 08155131874

L-R: Dean and Director, The FATE School, Mr. Bambo Adebowale; Assistant General Manager, Corporate Affairs, Branding and Marketing, Standard Chartered Bank Nigeria Ltd., Joke Adu; Executive Director, FATE Foundation, Adenike Adeyemi and Chief Executive Officer, Millenium Apartment and the Aspiring Entrepreneurs Program (AEP) Course Director, Max Menkiti, at the 2023 Induction ceremony of Aspiring Entrepreneurs Programme (AEP) sponsored by the Bank in Lagos... recently

Executive Director, Isiaka Ajani-Lawal; Divisional Head, Agency Banking, Funso Toki; Chief Financial Officer, Tunde Lawal and Divisional Head, Marketing, Akeem Mustapha all of Lotus Bank at the launch of Cowry Wallet in Lagos... recently

Nokia Rebrands, Unveils new Logo 6PDUWSKRQH PDQXIDFWXUHU 1RNLD KDV XQYHLOHG D QHZ ORJR DV SDUW RI LWV ORQJ WHUP VWUDWHJLF WUDQVIRUPDWLRQ DLPHG DW accelerating B2B technology innovation.

7KH ÀUP H[SODLQHG WKDW WKH LQLWLDWLYH would drive digitalisation across every industry, while harnessing the rapid HYROXWLRQ RI WHFKQRORJ\ SDUWLFXODUO\ metaverse.

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and the society at large.

He said, “Our market-leading critical networking technology is increasingly needed by customers and partners LQ HYHU\ LQGXVWU\ :H VHH D IXWXUH where networks go beyond connecting people and things. They’re adaptable, autonomous and consumable. They are networking that sense, think and act, DQG WKH\ PD[LPLVH WKH RSSRUWXQLW\ RI digitalisation.

“Today we share our updated company DQG WHFKQRORJ\ VWUDWHJ\ ZLWK D IRFXV RQ

XQOHDVKLQJ WKH H[SRQHQWLDO SRWHQWLDO RI QHWZRUNV ² SLRQHHULQJ D IXWXUH ZKHUH networks meet cloud. To signal this DPELWLRQ ZH DUH UHIUHVKLQJ RXU EUDQG WR UHÁHFW ZKR ZH DUH WRGD\ ² D % % technology innovation leader. This is 1RNLD EXW QRW DV WKH ZRUOG KDV VHHQ XV EHIRUH µ 7KH ÀUP UHYHDOHG WKDW LWV UHIUHVKHG VWUDWHJ\ ZDV IRFXVHG RQ IXUWKHU DFFHOHUDWLRQ DFURVV VL[ SLOODUV It listed the pillars as “Growing market share with service providers, driven by

FRQWLQXHG WHFKQRORJ\ OHDGHUVKLS H[SDQGLQJ WKH VKDUH RI HQWHUSULVHV ZLWKLQ LWV FXVWRPHU PL[ DQG PDQDJLQJ LWV SRUWIROLR actively to ensure a path to a leading position in all segments where it decides WR FRPSHWH µ DPRQJVW RWKHUV Lundmark said the pillars will be achieved with the company’s wellGHÀQHG HQDEOHUV LQFOXGLQJ D IXWXUH ÀW talent; investment in long-term research; GLJLWLVDWLRQ RI RZQ RSHUDWLRQV WR IXUWKHU improve agility and productivity as well DV EUDQG UHIUHVKPHQW

Coca-Cola Boosts Digital Firms Urged to Extend Operations in New Deal CSR Gesture to Education Multinational beverage company, Coca-Cola has inked a deal with OpenAI’s Dall-E and ChatGPT to leverage LWV DUWLÀFLDO LQWHOOLJHQFH SODWIRUP WR boost operations. &KLHI ([HFXWLYH 2΀FHU RI &RFD &ROD James Quincy stated that the partnership DYDLOHG WKH FRPSDQ\ D IUHVK RSSRUWXQLW\ WR H[SORUH LWV EXVLQHVVHV IRU LPSURYHG productivity. :KLOH H[SUHVVLQJ FRQÀGHQFH LQ WKH partnership, Quincy added that the move would enable the company to XQOHDVK WKH QH[W JHQHUDWLRQ RI FUHDWLYLW\ RͿHUHG E\ HPHUJLQJ WHFKQRORJLHV OLNH DALL-E and ChatGPT. +H H[SODLQHG WKDW WKH GHDO ZRXOG enhance the company’s marketing WKURXJK FXWWLQJ HGJH DUWLÀFLDO LQWHO-

ligence.

For Coke CFO and President, John Murphy, the partnership will boost the PDUNHWLQJ SURVSHFWV RI WKH RUJDQLVDWLRQ ´:H KDYH D FRXSOH RI UHDOO\ LQWHUHVWing cases with the marketing team to enhance the work that we’re already doing with our new marketing model and to be able to marry the ability to deliver creative content at speed and WR GR LW ZLWK H[SRQHQWLDO H΀FLHQF\ µ he said.

Coca-Cola in 2017 had earlier announced that it was going to start using ´$, SRZHUHGµ YHQGLQJ PDFKLQHV DV SDUW RI LWV DUWLÀFLDO LQWHOOLJHQFH FHQWHUHG business strategy that uses algorithms to GHWHUPLQH ZKLFK ÁDYRUV DUH SHUIRUPLQJ best.

Private organisations have been advised to prioritise education in their Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) plans to enhance SHUIRUPDQFH LQ WKH VHFWRU 7KH &RXQWU\ +HDG RI +3 1LJHULD (PPDQXHO Asika said this was important to redeem WKH VHFWRU IURP WKH DODUPLQJ RXW RI VFKRRO ÀJXUHV DFURVV WKH FRXQWU\ In particular, he decried the poor quality DQG RXWSXW RI HGXFDWLRQ REWDLQDEOH LQ PRVW schools in the country.

Asika who was discussing at a programme in /DJRV UHFHQWO\ VWDWHG WKDW PXFK ZHUH H[SHFWHG RI SULYDWH RUJDQLVDWLRQV HVSHFLDOO\ WHFKQRORJ\ companies to improve the nation’s education.

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VLWXDWLRQ LQ WKH FRXQWU\ LQIRUPHG +3 LQYHVWPHQW LQ RXW RI VFKRRO FKLOGUHQ DQG WHDFKHUV as well as partnering with 1Million Teachers DQG 7HDFK IRU 1LJHULD 7)1 LQLWLDWLYHV +H VDLG ´7UDQVIRUPLQJ WKH HGXFDWLRQ VHFWRU requires an entire ecosystem moving in the right direction. Policy Makers, education ministries, international donor organisaWLRQV ORFDO 1*2V 7HOFR FRPSDQLHV VRFLDO entrepreneurs, educators, and purpose-driven multinational and local companies are all involved, each bringing their unique skills and value to the equation. ´$W +3 WKURXJK ERWK ÀQDQFLDO LQYHVWPHQW DQG WKH VDOH RI +3 WHFKQRORJ\ DQG SURGXFWV we use the economic investment to widen economic opportunity and help the young DQG GLVDGYDQWDJHG JURZ WKHLU VNLOOVHWV µ +H IXUWKHU GHVFULEHG 776:* DV D ZRUWK\ partner in education cause.

Chinese Manufacturer Professionals Mark Digital Enters Market with Learning Day new Smartphone &KLQHVH SKRQH PDQXIDFWXUHU Realme has entered the market with its latest, GT3 smartphone which boasts a speed charging IHDWXUH The phone was unveiled recently at the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona.

According to Realme, the new device s designed to be IXOO\ FKDUJHG LQ QLQH PLQXWHV and 30 seconds. &KLHI ([HFXWLYH 2IILFHU RI 5HDOPH 6N\ /L UHYHDOHG WKDW WKH ODXQFK ZDV SDUW RI LW H[SDQVLRQ SODQ WR JURZ LWV

EXVLQHVV LQ $IULFD DQG JOREDOO\ +H UHYHDOHG WKDW WKH ILUP intends to sell 85 million phones globally.

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'LJLWDO 3URIHVVLRQDOV DFURVV the country have marked this year Digital Learning Day, as WKH\ FDOOHG IRU PRUH LQYHVWment in Tech learning.

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The day is devoted to VKRZFDVLQJ WKH EHQHÀWV RI digital learning, such as increased access to educational resources, improved student engagement and motivation and personalised learning H[SHULHQFHV Celebrating the day, leading business and management

FRQVXOWLQJ ÀUP 3KLOOLSV Consulting, remarked that the ÀUP ZRXOG UHLQIRUFH PRYH WR ensure that organisations are equipped with digital learning solution.

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It stated on its social media handle, “Today, we also recognise our resource persons, sponsors, and partQHUV RYHU WKH \HDUV IRU WKHLU VDFULÀFHV DQG FRQWULEXWLRQ WR accelerating learning in digital FRPPXQLFDWLRQ SUDFWLFH µ

THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER MARCH 11, 2023

37

FEATURES

Joy Jeff surrounded by Italian security agents arriving Italy to face Justice

Finally, Italy Grabs Most-Wanted Nigerian Pimp Joy Jeff, a 48-year-old Nigerian woman who was last Wednesday extradited to Italy happens to be one of the established Nigerian prostitution ring leaders. The fugitive was one of the few women on Italy’s mostwanted list since 2010 for charges of criminal conspiracy, enslavement, trafficking in people, exploitation of prostitution and other offenses. Ferdinand Ekechukwu reports

I

n recent decades, thousands of young women from Nigeria are being lured to Italy on false promises of a better future.

Instead, they find themselves victims of criminal organisations, who force them mostly into selling their bodies to repay debts contracted for their journey, often amounting to tens of thousands of Euros. Roughly 11,000 Nigerian women arrived in Italy in 2016.

Upon arrival the women were psychologically abused and even subjected to “macabre voodoo rituals,” designed to keep them from contacting Italian authorities for help and making them fear harm to their families back home should they fail to repay their expenses or disobey their handlers. While some are forced into drug trafficking, the exploitation stretched outside Italy into Germany and Libya, according to reports.

The sex trade in Italy has become widespread and controlled by madams mostly through an extensive network of women, often ordering them on demand from their home country. Madams are reportedly often cruel and violent; inflicting physical and psychological harm on the women they’ve trafficked. Jeff Joy, a 48-year-old Nigerian woman who was last Wednesday extradited to Italy happens to be one of the established Nigerian prostitution ring leader.

Joy was one of the few women on Italy’s most-wanted list since 2010 for charges of criminal conspiracy,

enslavement, trafficking in people, exploitation of prostitution and other offenses. A video released by the Italian police showed the woman being flown from the Nigerian capital Abuja to Ciampino airport in Rome where she was taken away in a wheelchair by police.

Joy had been on the list of the 100 most dangerous fugitives for some years after the Italian police investigation nailed her for perpetrating acts contravening the laws of the country.

She had been sentenced to 13 years in prison in absentia following the conviction order against her by an Italian court for crimes including running a prostitution ring. According to reports, Italian police in a statement describes her as a prominent figure in the Nigerian mafia.

She was responsible for receiving potential Nigerian victims upon their arrival in Italy and managing their operations as they settled in Italy. Although street prostitution is lawful in Italy, the law forbids organised prostitution in the manner Joy had perpetrated it in the country.

The statement from the Press Office of the Italian National Police further revealed that investigations into Joy’s crimes date back to 2007 when she oversaw cross-border prostitution business among Italy, the Netherlands and Spain.

“The investigations by the Ancona policemen date back to 2007 when the woman held an important role in the management of the prostitution

business between Italy, the Netherlands and Spain, characterized by violence and threats also against the families of girls in Nigeria,” the statement read in part.

The police hinged her extradition on the provision of the extradition treaty between Nigeria and Italy, largely facilitated by a collaborative effort by the Department of State Services, the judiciary and the Italian ambassador in Nigeria.

“The criminal is one of the few women included in the list of 100 dangerous fugitives, drawn up by the integrated joint group for the search for fugitives of the Central Directorate of the Criminal Police,” the Italian police stated. “His extradition represents the first provision under the extradition treaty between Italy and Nigeria, signed in 2020, and was possible thanks to the joint work of the Nigerian judiciary, the Italian ambassador in Nigeria and the Italian Ministry of Justice.

“Following an investigation by officials of the International Police Cooperation Service (SCIP) in the African country and the issuance of a red notice in 2010, the Department of State Services (DSS),

the Nigerian intelligence service, managed to track down and arrest the woman on June 4, 2022, thanks also to the collaboration between the Italian immigration expert in Nigeria and the local police forces.”

The statement quoted Vittorio Rizzi, deputy chief of police, as saying, “Today Africa is confirmed as a strategic area for the search for fugitives and the fight against organized crime. Developing African countries also represent elective places for the laundering of the illicit capital of organised crime and Italy is committed at an international level to facilitate, through penal and administrative instruments, the tracing of the illicit assets of the mafias for their seizure and confiscate.”

The successful extradition was made possible due to the excellent collaboration between both countries, with the Italian Immigration Expert providing support to the local police forces. The extradition marks a unique event in relation to Italy and Nigeria as it was the first case since the extradition treaty came into power in 2020.

The process started immediately following her arrest on June 4, 2022 in Nigeria by local intelligence departments. Subsequently, on February 10, the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami informed Italy’s ambassador to Nigeria, Mr. Stefano De Leo that Joy would be handed over.

38

THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER MARCH 11, 2023

PEOPLE Iseoluwa Abidemi

My Jewellery Brand Separate from My Growing Music Career For Iseoluwa Abidemi, music is her calling and has since remained so having started singing at the age of five. Iseoluwa, the teen gospel star is an inspiration to many young ones. Now at 18, growing into the woman of her dreams, and doing well in her studies abroad, the talented young lady has got her creative hands on something new– a jewellery brand she calls Funmz.

Coined from her middle name – Funmilayo, the Funmz by Funmilayo body ornaments is solely her design, unique and originally crafted by one of the best manufacturers in UK. She tells Ferdinand Ekechukwu more about the brand which will be launched soon…

L

ast time you spoke to me we talkedaboutyourmusiccareer, schoolandsettlingdownhaving newly relocated to the UK and hereyouaretalkingaboutyour jewellery brand, tell us about it The brand is called Funmz, it is a jewellerybrandthatfocusesonthecreationof silver jewellery and falls in between the classy and casual categories, with unique but limited designsthatcanbewornwithalmosteverything.

The designs are eye catching and attention seeking. And this brand will be launched on the 3rd of March 2023.

Hasthissortoftakenoveryourmusiccareer?

My jewellery brand is a separate career from my music and do not relate with each other in any way.

What kind of jewellery is the Funmz by Funmilayo?

Funmz jewelleries currently focuses on the making on silver jewelleries such as necklaces, rings, earring, brooches and other body ornaments but currently we have only one design which is limited for the purpose of the brand launch.

ThisstatementtakenfromyourInstagram page is quite fascinating kind of. It says “It’s jewellerybutnotforeveryone;unique,scarce, original and royalty.” Can you to talk a bit more on it?

Our jewellery brand is a brand for people with taste.Itisnottargetedtotherichbutitislimited and hard to copy. The designs are my original design and at Funmz we consider our audience as royalty.

Is the Funmz jewellery brand self-conceptualized? How did you come about it?

Yes,everydesignseenonFunmzismyoriginal designwhichincludeseveryinchofthepackaging and the jewellery. The colours, the materials, the ideas and even the letter font, everything seen on Funmz is well thought out, reviewed, tested and then released to the public eye. The creation of the brand itself has taken a year.

However, our jade necklace took about 6 to 8 months to create, review and test and it will be released a month from now.

Is there any sample of it out in the market already?

TheFunmzjewellerybrandisyettobelaunched.

We plan to ensure our products are available to everyone, which is why we aim to place our products in more retail stores in the UK and hopefully in Nigeria to make it convenient for ourconsumerstopurchase.Atthemomentour target audience is between the ages of 18-35.

But we like to believe that our silver jewellery is for everyone which is why it can be worn with almost every outfit.

And what influences the designs?

LikeIstatedbeforethedesignsofourjewellery

Every design seen on Funmz is my original design which includes every inch of the packaging and the jewellery. The colours, the materials, the ideas and even the letter font, everything seen on Funmz is well thought out, reviewed, tested and then released to the public eye. The creation of the brand itself has taken a year. However, our jade necklace took about 6 to 8 months to create, review and test and it will be released a month from now

comesfromme,itcantaketryingseveral conceptsbeforecomingoutwithafinal design,whichwasthecasewhencreating ourjadenecklace.Andthishappensoften because Funmz jewelleries main aim is tomakeuniqueout-of-the-boxjewellery designs.

Whatisitmadeof?Howdoyousource the materials?

Forourjadenecklacehasyettobepreviewed,IwantedtouseSterlingsilverand gems that matched the colour wheel of ourbrandbecauseIpreferthejewellery Imaketofallbetweenclassyandcasual.

And these materials are sourced by our manufacturers.

Can you talk to us about the uniqueness of Funmz by Funmilayo; the designs, crafting?

For the design that the brand will be launchingwithonthe3rdofMarchwhich is the jade necklace, it was designed to changecolourbasedonthelightandcan be used as a pin if the chain is removed.

Iseoluwa

Andasyouknowthebrandpackagingisemphasised on Instagram and that is because it is no different,thecolours,thefontandeventhestyle of the box is all uniquely designed by me to be sustainable to the brand and convenient for the consumers. Another reason the brand is unique isbecauseitcannotbecopiedaseachdesignhas its own code that proves it legitimacy.

How many products/designs do you have under the Fumz brand?

Althoughwehavevariousdesignsdrafted.We

only have one design that has been produced, whichisthejadenecklaceandeventhathasonly 50 made.

Where do you want to see the Funmz by Funmilayo in the future?

I see Funmz diversifying into the creation of men’saccessoriesandIseethebrandbecoming a well-known brand by almost everyone for its uniquedesignsandunpredictablenature.Butfor now, I’ll focus on the launch date coming, which is the 3rd of March 2023.

39

THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER ˾MARCH 11, 2023

POLITY

South-East Govs Threw Obiozor Under the Bus Eddie Mbadiwe

G

eorge Obiozor was buried two weeks ago after a poorly attended requiem mass at Assumpta Cathedral, Owerri. Straight from the Cathedral to his grave at Mgbidi. There was no evening of tributes as is the norm for such dignitaries.

The Chairman of South-east Governors Forum who boasts that he was a billionaire at 23 and all that is verifiable in that he has a diploma from I.M.T Enugu. Nigerians will certainly like to know the source of this flaunted wealth. He could not organize government funds from five states to send George home properly.

Barely two weeks after his burial, there was a slot on Channels metro file which showed that the hearse for George was a Rolls Royce. perfect example of medicine after death.

The only governor present was Hope Uzodimma of Imo State and his deputy Placid Njoku.

My grouse is that knowing George, if any of our friends were to die, George will be at the forefront of funeral arrangements. When our good friend; Arthur Nwankwo died a couple of years ago, George Obiozor and Osita Chidoka

provided the initial seed money of N500,000 each before the rest of us sent in contributions. I believe Arthur was well pleased at the way we saw him off.

George had paid his dues and respected his elders and was adequately compensated first as High Commissioner to Cyprus, then ambassador to Israel and ultimately ambassador to the States. He also served as Director General of Nigeria Institute for International affairs. Ohaneze is a strong Sociocultural Organization committed to the welfare of Ndigbo in a multicultural, multi-ethnic diverse country that Nigeria is.

The other ethnic nationalities will only assess and rate Ohaneze based on the pedestal we place our leadership.

I had occasion to disagree with George when I felt Ohaneze was going comatose and to his credit, he listened to me. In the colonial and pre-independence days, the Ibo State Union under the able leadership of Chief Z.C. Obi commanded so much respect that any matter they got involved with ended up with Justice and their word almost had the force of law.

After the war, the Igbo had a kind of focal disorientation and it took the vision of these men among others; Dr. Alex Ekwueme, Ikemba Emeka Ojukwu, Dr. K.O. Mbadiwe, Prof.

Joe Irukwu, Chief Jerome Udoji, Chief Mathias Ugochukwu,

Victory for Michael Prest in Nevis Azuka Ogujiuba

I

n a landmark ruling on February 10, Justice Patrick Thompson Jr in the Caribbean Island of Nevis cleared businessman Michael Prest (brother of former beauty queen, Helen Prest) of all allegations of wrongdoings in the running of his bank.

In Claim No: NEVHCV2021/0099, Justice Thompson quashed the decision of the Nevis’s Regulator of International Banking restricting the activities of Prest’s bank called BONI. Thus, Prest was successful in his claim for Judicial Review.

Prest, described by Businessweek as one of “The Rich Boys”, also owns Petrodel. He is a protégée of the late King of Oil, Marc Rich.

Prest has had a home in Nevis since 1996. He is the owner of Bank of Nevis International Limited (BONI) and one of the largest employers of the small Idyllic Caribbean Island, In June 2021 the Island’s Regulator Heidi Lynn Sutton and its Regulator of International Banking, Phil Jones sought to weaponize their position by serving Prest with a Cease and

Desist Order and imposed fines on BONI. Lawyers for Prest argued that neither the Regulator and or Regulator of International Banking had such powers and that they were acting with impunity.

People feel Prest had no choice but to stand up to Public Officers acting with impunity. A source says Prest feels the judgement is a victory for everyone who’s ever been set upon by a baying mob or pushed around but didn’t have the means to defend themselves.

Another source privy to Prest’s case in Nevis said: “Business and investment have a choice. If public officers decide not to follow the Rule of Law and or due process, it augurs very bad for small Islands states seeking international investors and investment. Investors want to feel that they are protected, that their investment is protected and there is respect for due process and the sanctity of commercial contracts entered into freely by consenting parties.

“It remains unclear, in light of Justice Thompson’s Judgment, whether Miss Sutton or Mr Jones can retain their jobs. Can we be sure they can meet the standard benchmark of being fit and proper?

L-R: Group Head, Human Resources, NEM Insurance Plc, Olayinka Ojikutu; Group Head, Underwriting, NEM Insurance Plc, Bolanle Baruwa; Assistant General Manager, Marketing, NEM Insurance Plc, Moyosola Olayinka Okeremi; Deputy General Manager, Corporate Services, NEM Insurance Plc, Mojisola Teluwo and Group Executive (Company Secretary), Olajumoke PhilipAkede, during activities marking the International Women’s Day held at NEM Insurance head office in Lagos.

L-R: Former first lady of Benue State, Mrs. Yemisi Suswam; Her Royal Highness, Olori Atuwatse III; with Managing Director Urban shelter, Hajia Saadiya Aminu during the Dotmount communication International women’s day lecture with the theme “Embrace Equality” in Abuja recently KINGSLEY

Prince Emeka Onyesoh, Dr. Joe Nworgu, Prof. Ben Nwabueze. The name; Ohaneze was suggested by Dr. K.O Mbadiwe and was unanimously adopted. Governor Okwy Nwodo donated the Secretariat.

In discussion with other Nigerian nationalities, some exuberant young men were pushing the so called Handshake across the Niger.

Some of us had serious doubts as recent events have shown. Zoning to me is a retrogressive step as it does not bring out the best in any society. The Americans rejected it after their civil war. Taking into cognizance the level of under development in Nigeria, we can gloss over it for now. One hopes it is not a permanent arrangement However, when Nigerian political parties decided that the Presidency should be zoned to the South, Senator Bola Tinubu shocked most when he introduced ‘emilokan’ into the political vocabulary to justify his ambition. If anybody should be shouting ‘emilokan’ from the roof tops, it is people from the South-east. As events unfold, we hope people of the South-east will become a lot more circumspect in their relations with other Nigerians.

The South-east governors owe Ndigbo an explanation and an apology for the shoddy treatment given to their late President, George Obiozor.

Rt. Hon. Dr. Eddie Mbadiwe wrote from Abuja.

“They’ve clearly lost all credibility and I can’t imagine them going to international conferences to represent Nevis financial services sector without other banking professionals and service providers, calling them out.” The decision on whether they stay will be determined by Premier Mark Brantley. Whether they can represent what’s good in St Kitts & Nevis (and there is a lot) is a matter for new Prime Minister Dr Drew.

Prest and BONI were represented in the trial by Tim Prudhoe and Jackie Hunkins Taylor.

An August 14 2021 article written Micheal Prest about Prest in Nevis stated: “The You can tell that his brain is always working. Every action and everything that he says; every move is well thought out and well calibrated.

He does more observing and listening than speaking. The toughest negotiator the oil industry produced. You go up against him, and when you think that he has backed off, is when he comes on like a tonne of brick. He grinds his opponents into submission. He goes quiet on you, behaving as though he has a hundred years to spare, then out of the blue he attacks.”

It seems the Regulators may have missed that article.

L-R; Route to Market Transformation Director, FrieslandCampina Sub-Saharan Africa Cluster (FC SSA), Dolapo Otebayi; Managing Director, FC SSA, Ben Langat; Executive Director, Legacy Foods Limited, Adunola Faseyi; and Executive Director, Corporate Affairs, FrieslandCampina WAMCO, Oreoluwa Famurewa during the celebration of the 2023 International Women’s Day tagged “Embrace Unity” at FrieslandCampina WAMCO Nigeria PLC in Lagos…. yesterday

L-R: President Pro-Nigeria Group Mr. Lai Omotola and Special Assistant to the Lagos State Governor on Photo Journalism and Member of Pro-Nigeria Group Mr. Kola Olasupo during the Press Briefing on the need for Logicians to return Governor Sanwo-Olu as the governor held in Lagos recently ETOP UKUTT

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MBF to INEC Chairman “We call on the INEC Chairman to toe the honourable path by resigning before the next election. His frittering of tens of billions of Naira on a technology that he did not intend to use makes him unfit to continue to maintain his position” –The Middle Belt Forum calling for the resignation of the Chairman of INEC, Prof. Mahmoud Yakubu.

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ARUKAINO UMUKORO GUEST COLUMNIST

Osinbajo, Quintessential Gentleman at 66

A

few weeks before Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, SAN, was sworn in as Vice President on May 29, 2015, my then editors assigned me and another colleague an important task: to do a special report on the man fondly known as the Prof.

Our assignment took us to different places in Lagos: Victoria Garden City – where the VP lived; Obanikoro - where the VP’s mum lived; and Ikoyi, where the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG) branch he pastored was located.

It was a revealing portrait of the person and character of Prof. Osinbajo. For the special report, we spoke to people and close friends and associates who had known the VP for between one to over 30 years. They shared similar views about his character, competence, values and integrity. It was almost akin to being as constant as the Northern star.

But I didn’t get to meet the Vice President in person until in October 2016, at the African Union’s (AU) Extraordinary Summit on Maritime Security, Safety and Development in Africa in Lome, Togo.

As a Nigerian journalist covering the African summit, I ensured I was early to the venue before the arrival of the AU Heads of State and Government. Vice President Osinbajo led the Nigerian delegation.

While awaiting the arrival of the Heads of State and Presidents at the venue, I walked around the auditorium. On locating the “Nigeria” seat, I made a mental note to look out for the arrival of the Vice President, while I scanned for other reportage materials and sound bites.

Prof. Osinbajo was among the first African leaders to arrive at the auditorium, alongside the Nigerian delegation. When the Vice President sat down at his seat (Nigeria), I quickly walked up to him and greeted him. “Good morning, Your Excellency,” I said as I introduced myself.

He replied courteously, and was quite friendly, and down to earth. Then he obliged to my request for an interview at the sidelines of the summit. No fuss, no airs.

At the end of the Summit, the VP kept true to his words. Despite the impatient throng of several reporters and cameramen, jostling for spaces to interview and record him. As I finally squeezed in some space to get my digital recorder closer to him, he recognized me and beckoned on me to ask my question. Long story short, the report of my brief interview with him in Lome made front page of the national paper I was working with at the time.

When I got to meet Prof. Osinbajo again, for the second time, this time in his office in 2017, I was introduced to him by his equally excellent spokesperson and the Senior Special Assistant to the President, in the Office of the Vice President, Mr. Laolu Akande. On introduction, the Vice President had this pleasant, curious look on his face, and he told me that I looked familiar. I concurred and quickly replied that I had first met him at the Lomé Summit, where he obliged me to an interview. He laughed.

Whether you are a critic, supporter or neutral, one thing you can’t take away from the Vice President is his unwavering values, character, competence and integrity. Many of his long-time friends and close associates attest to this. That tells a lot about the greatness of the man, especially in an age where people’s character and personality, especially that of politicians, flutter like leaves in the wind every other year or so. It goes

Osinbajo

without saying that Vice President Osinbajo is renowned for his excellence, leadership qualities, integrity, steadfastness, loyalty and dedication to service for the country.

No wonder he has been described by many as a dependable ally to President Muhammadu Buhari, who has also acknowledged on several occasions the exemplary leadership values of the VP. In 2021, President Buhari said Prof. Osinbajo is “a reliable and dedicated deputy who is not only admirably competent but also exudes confidence and passion in the performance of his job. The Vice President is a cool-headed gentleman who puts the interest of Nigeria above other narrow considerations.”

In the President’s birthday message to the VP on Wednesday, March 8th, the Special Adviser to the President, Femi Adesina, noted that “President Buhari lauds the sterling service the celebrant has provided to the country, as an academic, Attorney-General of Lagos State (1997-2007), and Vice President (2015 till date).

“He applauds the deft way Osinbajo, a pastor with the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG), has combined scholarship with governance, and pastoral work, commending such dedication to the younger generation whom the Number 2 man serves as a torchbearer to.”

Prof. Osinbajo is indeed an excellent leader with a big heart and compassion for people.

He also practises what he preaches. As former Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice in Lagos State, Prof. Osinbajo established several people-friendly initiatives and reforms, including the judicial reform in Lagos State to address critical areas such as judges’ recruitment, remuneration, training and discipline. He also ensured the poor and vulnerable were able to access justice, by establishing appropriate institutions in the Office of the Public Defender (OPD) and the Citizens Mediation Centre (CMC).

Prior to his foray into politics and public life, Prof. Osinbajo initiated several charitable causes as senior pastor in the RCCG. As Vice President, Prof. Osinbajo spearheaded several government programmes and initiatives for the betterment of the citizenry. Between 2016

and 2019, Prof. Osinbajo supervised the globally recognized Social Investment Programmes of the Buhari administration. Over 35 million Nigerians are direct and indirect beneficiaries of the SIPs, widely renowned as the biggest social welfare programme in sub-Saharan Africa.

Similarly, in response to the fallout of the COVID-19 pandemic, President Buhari had in June 2020, mandated the Vice president as chair of the Economic Sustainability Committee (ESC) to coordinate the implementation of the Economic Sustainability Plan (ESP) aimed at cushioning the economic effects of the global pandemic. Over 2 million jobs were retained or created through the implementation of programmes under the Osinbajo-led Economic Sustainability Plan.

In his birthday message, former Lagos State governor and president-elect, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, equally noted that the Vice President “has been a remarkable intellectual in public service.”

“As the Vice President of our country, Prof.

Osinbajo has partnered very well with our leader, President Muhammadu Buhari, to deliver on the progressive programmes of our party to make life better for Nigerians especially in areas of massive infrastructural development and life-changing Social Investment Programmes,” Tinubu said.

As a statesman, Osinbajo has elevated the level of strategic engagements towards development, peace and stability, particularly in conflict areas, which could be used as a template on the African continent. One notable example of the VP’s statesmanship was his tour of the once-volatile Niger Delta in January 2017, where he engaged with elders, traditional rulers, stakeholders and people across the States in the region.

The Vice President’s successful engagements, on behalf of President Buhari, birthed the New Vision for the Niger Delta, an initiative of the administration to develop the region.

The New Vision initiative, driven by the Vice President, helped to resolve insecurity and youth restiveness in the region, and restore near maximum productivity of crude oil, the country’s major foreign exchange earner.

The VP’s deft handling of burning issues did not just improve the country’s oil revenue that was decimated by a series of pipeline explosions in the region at the time, it helped Nigeria speedily exit the recession of 2016.

Osinbajo’s leadership acumen also helped to rebuild the trust of many who had been skeptical of the Federal Government’s plan for the region, as a result of the neglect and broken trust from past administrations. But with his strategic engagements with stakeholders and people in the region, among others, he laid a foundation that ended attacks on oil installations and decades of militancy. Simply put, the Vice President’s efforts have since brought about the sustained peace and stability in the region.

Also, the Vice President’s spokesperson, Laolu Akande, succinctly captured the VP’s qualities in his piece to mark his 66th birthday.

Akande wrote: “What I have come to know about the VP is that he is an inspirer, and watching him do things is in itself an inspiration. People like that exist to inspire individuals, groups and nations to attain goals and objectives that advance their causes and lead irrevocably to greatness. He provokes something in people that conduces towards excellence, endurance and empathy, attributes that he himself exemplifies.

“Excellence; so that people can reach into themselves to discover hidden capacities.

Endurance which enables people to sustain the pursuit of vision by imbuing patience and humility that creates perseverance. And finally, empathy that reinforces a common bond of humanity by which individuals become an example of selflessness, rendering service and value on private and public levels.”

“It is the empathy that took him to Maiduguri in the early months of this administration where he led a charitable effort that produced the Learning Centre where orphans coming out of the insurgency have in the last 6 years now been receiving some of the best education available anywhere in the world.

“It is the endurance that kept him in place when all kinds of malevolent forces were bent on diminishing the effective delivery of public goods directly to the people of this nation on an unprecedented scale, such as the Social Investment Programme of the Buhari Administration when some entrusted with leadership responsibilities wanted to privatise the process by sharing slots among the elites in a scheme meant to secure some social safety nets in a country fiercely battling poverty.

“Finally, it is the excellence for instance that makes him interrogate his aides and people pushing laudable ideas in and out of government by demanding for scaling up the numbers.

After all, he would wonder, ‘what’s the use of a government programme that reaches only a few thousand in a population of over 200 million?’

“For him, Excellence says, ‘think, not just out of the box, but think big. Do the hard part, apply yourself, be relentless, work tirelessly at goals.’ So today as the Vice President turns 66, I wish him a happy birthday and many happy returns of the day. My dear boss, and Nigeria’s number 2 citizen, we pray that as your days so shall your strength, wisdom and favour be with God and man!”

Interestingly, the VP’s birthday usually falls on the International Women’s Day. As is well known, Prof. Osinbajo is a passionate advocate of many social causes, as well as girl education and women in leadership positions. For instance, a significant percentage of staff in the Office of the Vice President are women - smart, brilliant, innovative, hardworking and excellent leaders in their own rights, but these incredible women are a sort of embodiment of the VP’s exemplary personality with strong work ethics and values.

Speaking in a pre-recorded message in September 2022 as the Special Guest of Honour at the Women Directors’ Conference, Prof. Osinbajo advocated for more female representation in leadership positions in government and across different sectors, “as an economic imperative and not a moral duty of men or mere concession by men.”

Renowned for his famous Awo cap, Prof.

Osinbajo wears different hats: dotting father and grandfather, a senior pastor, mentor, legal luminary, Senior Advocate of Nigeria, professor, an academic of repute, a public servant, and Nigeria’s most hardworking Vice President. But in all, millions would agree that, indeed, he is a true patriot and fine gentleman, a selfless, inspirational and excellent leader.

Happy 66th birthday, again, Your Excellency.

You’re a rare find and a rare kind.

•Arukaino Umukoro is the Special Assistant to the President, Communications/Niger Delta, Office of the Vice President.

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