FRIDAY 7TH MAY 2021

Heirs Holdings Oil Company Names Igiehon Pioneer CEO Appoints Udoma, Dua, Musa, Lawson, Nwanze to board Peter Uzoho Heirs Holdings Oil & Gas (HHOG), Africa's integrated energy company, has announced the appointment of its management board, with

Mr. Osayande Igiehon as the pioneer chief executive officer.

Igiehon's appointment took effect from May 4, 2021.

The company, in a statement yesterday, said Igiehon would be working with a non-

executive board, which brings together leading industry figures with considerable global and regional experience to steer the company to growth and sustainability.

Igiehon, who joins from

the Royal Dutch Shell, where he was a vice president with the group in The Hague, Netherlands, brings to HHOG, his over 27 years of experience and expertise in the oil and gas sector with Shell.

He previously served as chairman and chief executive officer of Shell Gabon, where he led the successful turnaround of Continued on page 41

Elumelu

Buhari Approves Amaechi’s Request to Suspend Bala-Usman as MD NPA...

Page 42

Friday 7 May, 2021 Vol 26. No 9525. Price: N250

www.thisdaylive.com TR

UT H

& RE A S O

N

Buhari, Jonathan, Atiku, Lawan, Others Console Adeboye over Son’s Death... Page 41

Obedience to Constitution Non-negotiable, Judicial, Legislative Workers Tell FG Insist on implementation of full financial autonomy for judiciary, legislature Onyebuchi Ezigbo in Abuja There seems to be no end in sight for the industrial action by the judiciary and legislative workers pressing for the full implementation of financial autonomy for the two arms of government in states as they have vowed not to compromise on their demands for the implementation of the 1999 Constitution as altered.

The workers, who have been

on strike for about one month, said yesterday at a meeting with a federal government team, led by Minister of Labour and Employment, Dr. Chris Ngige, that the issue of financial autonomy for state legislatures and judiciaries was the constitutional provision that did not warrant any negotiation with governors.

The national leadership Continued on page 42

Bloomberg: Zenith, Access Banks Express Interest to Acquire Union Bank Obinna Chima with agency report Two Nigerian lenders Zenith Bank Plc and Access Bank Plc - are among the list of financial institutions from Africa and the Middle East that have indicated an interest in the acquisition of Union Bank Plc and other African assets of Atlas Mara Group, a Pan-African banking group.

Bloomberg which disclosed this quoted

sources familiar with the matter to have disclosed that Atlas Mara Limited, the London Stock Exchangelisted pan-African banking group started by Mr. Bob Diamond has received a number of approaches for its 49.97 per cent holding in Lagos-based Union Bank of Nigeria.

Zenith Bank Plc and Access Bank Plc are among the suitors that have Continued on page 42

MAIZE PYRAMID IN THE MAKING...

L-R: Kebbi State Governor, Senator Atiku Bagudu; Governor, Central Bank of Nigeria, Mr. Godwin Emefiele; and President, Maize Farmers Association Mr. Bello Annur, during the flag-off of the National Maize Harvest and Loan Recovery of 2020/2021 Dry Season Maize Farming in Katsina…yesterday

Buhari: NIN Registration Essential for Winning War against Insecurity...Page 8

2

FRIDAY MAY 7, 2021 •T H I S D AY

FRIDAY MAY 7, 2021 • T H I S D AY

3

4

FRIDAY MAY 7, 2021 •T H I S D AY

5

FRIDAY, Ϳ˜ ͺ͸ͺ͹ ˾ T H I S D AY

NEWS Buhari: NIN Registration Essential for Winning War against Insecurity

Group News Editor Ejiofor Alike

Email Ejiofor.Alike@thisdaylive.com, 08066066268

Deji Elumoye in Abuja President Muhammadu Buhari yesterday described National Identification Number (NIN) registration

by Nigerians as key to win the ongoing war against insecurity.

He, therefore, called on Nigerians to fully participate in the ongoing synchronisation of NIN with SIM cards as it will provide a digital framework for improving security and strengthening the economy.

The president, at the launch of the National Policy for the Promotion of Indigenous Content in Nigerian Telecoms Sector and Revised National Identity Policy for SIM Cards registration at the State House, Abuja said proper identification of all Nigerians and legal residents in the country and the ability to conveniently access a database would provide the impetus for more effective planning and security oversight.

He assured the nation that his administration is fully committed to the safety of Nigerians, adding that linking the SIM to NIN will significantly enhance security, aid national planning and budget preparations.

He said: “The NIN will cover one of the weaknesses in our security structure. We will be able to easily identify and know the personality of Nigerians. We will identify people easily, including the crooks."

Buhari said the launch of the Revised National Digital Identity Policy for SIM Card Registration was timely as it would support efforts to enhance security and develop the economy.

“The National Identification Number is the foundational digital ID for the country; both Nigerian citizens and legal residents

are expected to obtain the NIN. It will provide access to government services and will give government useful insights that will enable us to utilize scarce resources in a more efficient way," he added.

He stated that the first National SIM Policy was launched in February 2020, and the revised policies align with the objectives of the administration in the areas of economic development, security and anti-corruption.

He said: “The digital economy sector has made significant progress and recorded a number of unprecedented achievements since we expanded the mandate of the Ministry of Communications to include the digital economy mandate.

“The Information and Communications Technology sector was the fastest growing sector in both the fourth quarter of 2020 and the entire year 2020, based on the Report by the National Bureau of Statistics.

“The sector’s 14.70 per cent double digit growth rate played a principal role in supporting our country to exit the recession triggered by the COVID-19 pandemic.

The growth rate of the sector exceeded four times the next fastest-growing sector of Q4 2020, ICT Sector which had a growth rate of 3.42 per cent.

This is truly commendable.’’

He stated that the digital economy sector provided online options for activities hitherto restricted to offline channels, while minimising the disruption to activities of both public and private sectors, and reducing the cost of meetings.

He also said the National Policy for Indigenous Content in the Nigerian Te l e c o m m u n i c a t i o n s Sector was in line with the administration’s commitment towards

ensuring that Nigerians become active participants in the different sectors of the economy, including the telecommunications sector.

“The federal government embraced institutionalising online meetings through the approval of the national policy on virtual engagements in federal public institutions. As a result of this, we now have virtual Federal Executive Council, virtual Council of State and virtual National Economic Council meetings, among others, even though this development was triggered by COVID-19.

“As a country, our desire to produce what we eat, and consume what we produce, is not limited to the literal meaning; rather we want to work towards being self-sufficient in every

sector of the economy. For the telecom sector, we want Nigerians to play a major role in the design and manufacture of devices, in meeting the manpower requirements and in becoming an active part of the telecommunications ecosystem of the country.

“The policy aims to achieve this and I have earlier directed the Honourable Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Dr Isa Ali Pantami, to develop the structure for its implementation and forward this to the Nigerian Communications Commission to implement.

We are confident that the execution of the policy will further enhance our economy and lead to the creation of jobs,’’ the president added.

Buhari said there had been many futile attempts to promote the use of digital identity in the past.

“Previous attempts have been unsuccessful due to a number of reasons, including sabotage. Our focused approach shows that this administration is dedicated to ensuring that we derive the benefits of a secure and robust digital identity system," he said.

Earlier, Pantami had appreciated the president for the continuous support to the telecoms sector, including regulators and operators, thanking him for the keen interest in ensuring that the security sector gets a boost with more information on Nigerians and legal residents.

According to him, NIN Registration has recorded a

huge success with 54 million Nigerians already captured in the process, with over 12 million of them enrolled within six months.

He said it was now possible to have virtual ID cards that could be used in various transactions, adding that the NIN and SIM card registration for Nigerians and legal residents will cover 99.9 per cent of the target audience.

Pantami stated that the buoyancy of the telecoms sector has given Nigeria many leadership roles in international organisations, listing the impact on education, training, health and welfare of many, including the establishment of 600 computer centres, and a world class SIM card manufacturing company sited in the country.

RAISING EDUCATION INFRASTRUCTURE BAR...

Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu, during an interaction with students of Akintan Junior Grammar School, Surulere as part of the inauguration of new blocks of classrooms in the school…yesterday

Parents Demand Rehabilitation of 27 Forestry Students John Shiklam in Kaduna Parents of the 27 students of Federal College of Forestry Mechanisation, Afaka, Kaduna, who were freed on Wednesday after 56 days in kidnappers’ den, have called for the rehabilitation of their children to enable them to overcome possible post-traumatic stress disorder.

The parents, in a statement yesterday, also appealed to the federal government to aggressively pursue safe schooling as an agenda so as to give parents the confidence to send their children to school.

The statement, jointly signed by the Chairman and Secretary of the Forum of Parents of Afaka Abducted Students, Abdullahi Usman and Catherine Saleh,

respectively, urged the Minister of Environment, Dr. Mohammad Mahmood Abubakar, and the management of the school, to ensure that all the students are rehabilitated to live a normal life and continue with their education.

“The journey is not yet over because our children will definitely require rehabilitation to overcome the trauma that accompanies such ugly experiences,” the parents said.

They prayed for the repose of the soul of one of the parents, Malam Ibrahim, who died as a result of the trauma from the abduction of his daughter.

The statement also prayed for the souls of the five students of Greenfield University, Kaduna, who

were killed by their abductors and asked God to grant the remaining students' speedy release.

“We call on the government to get more serious and aggressively pursue safe schooling as a pertinent agenda so as to give parents the confidence to send their children to school because if the schools remain as porous as they now are, many may not find it worth the trouble to enrol their children in schools anymore,” the parents added.

The statement expressed gratitude to former President Olusegun Obasanjo, former military Head of State, Gen. Abubakar Abdulsalami (rtd); Sheikh Ahmad Gumi and the Provost of the Forestry College, Dr Usman Bello, as well as other Nigerians and

the media for their roles in securing the release of the students.

The parents added that although 39 students were abducted, two of them escaped while the bandits released 10, leaving 27 in captivity.

“First and foremost, it is pertinent for us to effect an important correction on the number of the released students.

“They are 27, not 29, as reported by some media. The total abducted students were 39, out of which two escaped not long after the abduction.

“Ten of them were released in two batches of five each, leaving the remaining 27, who were released yesterday, Wednesday, May 5, 2021, after 56 days of their abduction”, the statement said.

It added that on arrival in Kaduna on Wednesday, the students were taken to the Police College Clinic for medical checkup.

“We, as parents, made several efforts to secure the release of the students. We even took our peaceful march to the National Assembly on Tuesday, 4th May, 2021, presented our plight and prayed for the intervention of the lawmakers in securing the release of our children.

“We are grateful that we did not leave any stone unturned on the path to where we have arrived today.

“We most especially register our immense gratitude to former Presidents Olusegun Obasanjo, Abubakar Abdulsalami, Sheikh Ahmad Gumi and the Provost of the College, Dr Usman, for the

various roles they played in securing the release of our children.

“We appreciate immensely the students and staff of the Institution for their relentless solidarity.

“We call on the government to get more serious and aggressively pursue safe schooling as a pertinent agenda so as to give parents the confidence to send their children to school because if the schools remain as security porous as they now are, many may not find it worth the trouble to enrol their children in schools anymore”, the statement said.

Usman also told THISDAY in an interview that the students were expected to be handed over to their parents yesterday, but the event was postponed till today.

6

FRIDAY MAY 7, 2021 •T H I S D AY

FRIDAY MAY 7, 2021 • T H I S D AY

7

8

FRIDAY, Ϳ˜ ͺ͸ͺ͹ ˾ T H I S D AY

NEWS

CBN Extends ‘Naira 4 Dollar Scheme’ to Sustain Gains Again, Emefiele opposes maize importation, tasks youths on agriculture

Obinna Chima in Lagos and James Emejo in Abuja The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) yesterday extended indefinitely its 'Naira 4 Dollar Scheme’ introduced to encourage remittances from Nigerians in the Diaspora.

The CBN, in a circular posted on its website, said the initiative initially expected to end this month would continue until further notice in order to sustain the gains of the scheme.

Also yesterday, CBN Governor, Mr. Godwin Emefiele, said the bank would continue to resist the importation of maize into the country.

The CBN had in a circular dated March 5, 2021, signed by Mr. A.S. Jibrin, on behalf of the Director, Trade and Exchange Department stated that the ‘Naira 4 Dollar Scheme,’ which became effective in March, would end tomorrow.

With the initiative, all recipients of Diaspora remittances through CBN’s licensed International Money Transfer Operators (IMTOs) are paid N5 for every $1 received as remittance inflow.

The CBN, in the circular, had said: “The CBN shall through commercial banks, pay to remittance recipients the incentive of N5 for every $1 remitted by the sender and collected by the designated beneficiary.

“This incentive is to be paid to recipients whether they choose to collect the United States dollar as cash across the counter in a bank or transfer same into their domiciliary account. In effect, a typical recipient of Diaspora remittances will at the point of collection, receive not only the USD sent from abroad, but also the additional N5 per USD received.”

But the CBN, in the latest circular shifting the deadline said: "Further to the CBN circular referenced: TED/ FEM/PUB/FPC/01/003 dated March 5, 2021, on the above subject matter, which was originally scheduled to end on May 8, 2021, we hereby announce the continuation of the scheme until further notice.

"All aspects of the operationalisation of the programme remain the same.

Please take note and ensure

compliance."

Emefiele had highlighted the benefits of the scheme, saying that it was expected to attract Diaspora remittances through the official foreign exchange channels as well as support forex stability in Nigeria.

Emefiele had said it would offer Nigerians in the Diaspora a convenient way to send remittances, adding that it would also aid Diaspora investments.

“Our policy on the administration of remittance flows is aimed at increasing the transparency of remittance inflows, reducing rent-seeking activities, and providing Nigerians in the Diaspora with cheaper and more convenient ways of sending remittances to Nigeria.

“In addition, we believe that this new policy measure will encourage banks and financial institutions to develop products and investments vehicles geared towards attracting investments from Nigerians in the Diaspora.

We have no doubt that these changes can help to finance a future stream of investment opportunities for Nigerians living abroad,” he had said.

support farmers to better their lots and contribute to the nation’s economic development.

However, while reiterating the apex bank's opposition to the importation of maize, Emefiele stated that it would further, resist attempts by those who seek to continually import maize into the country.

He said the maize unveiled at the ceremony would be sold to reputable feed processors and that this would impact positively on current poultry feed prices.

Justifying the bank’s continued strategic intervention in the value chains of focal crops, he said the CBN was leading the revolution "because the impact of our monetary policy measures would be limited, if the monetary authority in collaboration with the fiscal authorities failed to address some of the structural constraints that limit productivity in key sectors of our economy such as agriculture."

He stated that the bank’s intervention is in line with its mandate and aims at

ensuring price stability as well as improved availability of staple food items.

According to him, the CBN and Maize Association of Nigeria (MAAN) sought to increase the targeted hectarage for 2021 to 500,000 hectares from the 2020 target of 250,000 hectares.

He added that to achieve the target, the apex bank resolved to introduce the use of contiguous land, high yielding seeds, mechanisation, leveraging technology for land mapping and monitoring as well as expanding the Strategic Maize Reserve (SMR).

Emefiele said, so far, the bank had released 100,000 metric tonnes of maize to the market, through the major producers and urged all stakeholders to sustain the current efforts to galvanise agricultural production to meet the requirements of Nigeria’s growing population.

He said the country could not continue to dwell on the neglect of past years, if it was determined to realise the national target of producing what Nigerians eat and eating what is produced in Nigeria.

However, he expressed the belief that youths could leverage their talents, along with technological tools to improve farm productivity and delivery of agricultural produce to markets.

Emefiele said while agriculture offered benefits for the youths, the central bank had put in place measures to improve access to credit for youths interested in farming under the Anchor Borrowers Programme (ABP) as well as the Agri-Business Small and Medium Enterprise Investment Scheme(AGSMEIS).

He added that groups of youths with contiguous land for farming are eligible to seek the bank's support through its prime anchor arrangement.

He said: "The CBN will not only provide access to credit for these youths but will also provide guarantees that their products will be purchased by a prime anchor at agreed prices.”

In his remarks, the Governor of Katsina State, Hon. Bello Masari, said that the state had suffered a setback in agriculture as over 60,000 hectares of farmlands were

uncultivated due to banditry that has hindered farmers from gaining access to their land.

His counterpart from Kebbi State, Senator Atiku Abubakar Bagudu, who represented President Muhammadu Buhari at the occasion, however, reassured the farmers, processors and other value chain participants of the support of government towards ensuring that they perform optimally.

He said the availability of inputs such as high yield seedlings and fertilisers were being made available to farmers adequately in addition to prompt off-taking of produce.

Also, Governor of Jigawa State, Alhaji Badaru Abubakar, however, recalled with nostalgia that the historical groundnut pyramids he read about in history books were "today being seen physically in rice and maize across the country through the help of the Central Bank of Nigeria".

He encouraged the youths to take advantage of the CBN support schemes and embrace agriculture for wealth creation.

Again, Emefiele Opposes Maize Importation, Tasks Youths on Agriculture In another development, Emefiele yesterday expressed the bank's continued opposition to the importation of maize into the country.

According to him, maize farmers currently have what it takes to close the over 4.5 million metric tonnes demand gap.

He said with over 50,000 bags of the commodity readily available as well as other aggregated quantities across the country, the farmers were sending a message that "we can grow enough maize to meet the country’s demand."

Emefiele, during the unveiling of the first maize pyramid and the launch of 2021 maize wet season farming in Katsina State also challenged the youths to embrace agriculture.

He assured them that the central bank is ready to

PLOTTING AGAINST INSECURITY… Acting Inspector-General of Police, Mr. Alkali Usman (left), and Chief of Defence Staff, Gen. Lucky Irabor, after a meeting between the Senate and the service chiefs on insecurity in Abuja…yesterday julius atoi

THISDAY MD, Bello, Lauds Niger Biscuits’ Intervention in Apapa Fire Incident The management of Niger Biscuits has been lauded for its timely intervention in the recent fire outbreak that gutted Ibru Jetty extending into THISDAY press hall.

Managing Director of THISDAY Newspapers Limited, Mr. Eniola Bello, said during a thank-you visit to the company in Apapa, Lagos that the quick intervention of the management in deciding to mobilise its firemen, including its firefighting assets, went a long way in mitigating the damage that

the fire would have caused.

Bello, who was accompanied on the visit by the Divisional Director, Finance, Mr. Peter Iwegbu; and Managing Editor, Mr. Joseph Ushigiale, described the company's quick intervention as the "action of a good neighbour."

He said the visit was to tell the management of Niger Biscuits: "We appreciate highly your quick intervention in deploying both your firemen and assets to fight the fire that

broke out from the Ibru Yard.

We don't know what would have happened without your timely intervention. You have demonstrated that you are a good neighbour."

Responding, the Executive Director of the company, Mr. Femi Akinnirun, expressed his appreciation for the visit, stating: "You don't have a choice other than to respond quickly when it is a fire incident because it doesn't give any notice."

He stated that as soon as the fire was brought to his

notice, he raced to the spot to assess what could be done, adding that he did what he did in reciprocity.

Akinnirun said: "I was in court playing lawn tennis when I was informed of what was going on. I quickly abandoned the game and raced to the scene manoeuvring between trucks that had already blocked the road.

"When I got to the office and took a quick study of the scenario, I called and mobilised our firemen and assets to engage the fire

through THISDAY premises. I had to do what I did because I remember in 2016 when we also had our own unfortunate fire outbreak, THISDAY came to our rescue.

“In fact, given the difficulties we encountered positioning the fire trucks to fight the fire your management graciously permitted us to break down a portion of the wall so that firemen and equipment would gain access."

He stated that initially, the severity of the fire was

not known until one of the floors crumbled, causing the conflagration to spread to the rest of the building, including THISDAY press hall.

Akinnirun said the development compelled him to call the attention of men of the Lagos State Fire Service who were unaware of the spread to THISDAY premises, adding that "when they came with their more sophisticated fire equipment and with our own hose, we were able to effectively put the fire under control."

FRIDAY MAY 7, 2021 • T H I S D AY

9

10

FRIDAY MAY 7, 2021 •T H I S D AY

FRIDAY MAY 7, 2021 • T H I S D AY

11

12

FRIDAY MAY 7, 2021 •T H I S D AY

5,*+76 ,668(

RI

25',1$5< 6+$5(6 2) .2%2 ($&+ DW

1 3(5 6+$5( 21 7+( %$6,6 2) 1(: 25',1$5< 6+$5( )25 (9(5< 25',1$5< 6+$5(6 +(/' $6 $7 7+( &/26( 2) %86,1(66 21 7+ -$18$5<

¥ ä k-‫ژ‬Uw‫ژ‬FÅkk‫ ژ‬w‫ ژ‬-¥¾ w -‫ژ‬

$&&(37$1&( /,67 23(16 7+ 0$< $&&(37$1&( /,67 &/26(6 7+ -81( ,668,1* +286(6

/($' ,668,1* +286(

-2,17 ,668,1* +286(

$9$ &$3,7$/ 3$571(56 /,0,7(' 5&

.$,526 &$3,7$/ ,0,7(' 5&

FRIDAY MAY 7, 2021 • T H I S D AY

13

14

T H I S D AY • FRIDAY, MAY 7, 2021

COMMENT

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

THE PLATFORM AND DISCUSSION WE ALL AVOID Where is the place of the citizenry in the issues at stake? asks Olalekan Adigun

E

very May Day, the Pastor Poju Oyemade-led Covenant Christian Centre, Lagos invites speakers of all shades of opinions to speak at a discussion programme The Platform with the view to proffering solutions to Nigeria’s multifaceted problems. At every edition, speakers give brilliant speeches on how best to make the nation work. Speakers like Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, Rev. Fr. Matthew Kukah, Governor Peter Obi, and persons of such ilk have spoken at The Platform on several topical issues from the economy, governance, etc. It’s difficult to see an edition of the programme without a controversial position or character on any selected national discourse or topic.

Any curious observer will not fail to notice that most of the discussants speak so much about the problems in governments (federal, states, and local), institutions, systems (whatever that means), the civil service, etc., but not a lot of them made any attempt about the role of the citizens in all these. One begins to ask himself or herself if the citizens have any role in all these.

This, interestingly, is a discussion we all are, understandably, trying very desperately to avoid.

Observing the challenges of adopting democracies in postcolonial African states, Professor Mahmood Mamdani, in his seminal work Citizen and Subject: Contemporary Africa and the Legacy of Late Colonialism – beautifully and boldly dissects the impacts of colonial mentality in reproducing “racial identity in citizens and ethnic identity in subjects” on the former colonies.

Even though Professor Mamdani’s case studies are primarily in two Southern African countries - Uganda and South Africa – many of his thoughts are still being firmly reflected in Nigeria today.

The Colonial State in Africa did not hope to prepare Africans for citizenship. This made locals view everything “Government” with so much distrust. Public properties mean nothing other than “nobody’s business” or something to be looted at the slightest opportunity because of poorly defined ownership. An invitation to serve in public office is an opportunity to “partake in the national cake”. As Nigeria’s foremost novelist, Chinua Achebe, wrote in his No Longer At Ease, once a young (wo) man get appointed or elected into public office, he automatically begins to shoulder the responsibilities of his extended family, his clan, or friends who sees his or her appointment as their window to “take” their portion from state’s resources, rather than an opportunity to serve. Mr Obi (the central character in the novel), soon found out that the demands from his clan’s people will soon make him engage in corrupt practices as the Secretary of the Scholarship Commission in the Ministry of Education. After all, according to Achebe in A Man of the People, nobody wants to miss “their chance of getting …their share of the national cake…”

In all these, one will notice the patterns have been about what is to be taken from the state. The citizens feel a sense of entitlement without any corresponding value addition. Governance is an opportunity to “chop”, and not to serve. The recent spat between Festus Keyamo and Eedris Abdulkareem over the latter’s new song “Jaga Jaga Reloaded” shows how unapologetic many Nigerians see public service as a kind of empowerment scheme with everyone desperately competing for their turn or share.

While not saying government officials shouldn’t be held accountable for their (in)actions or that our institutions need to

HOW CAN THE NATION WORK WHEN EVERYONE JUST WANTS TO ‘TAKE’ WITHOUT GIVING BACK ANYTHING IN RETURN? A NATION WHERE PEOPLE ONLY TALK ABOUT RIGHTS (GETTING) WITHOUT CORRESPONDING RESPONSIBILITIES (GIVING BACK) WON’T WORK

undergo reforms. One thing we seem to always forget is that these officials who occupy these institutions are also citizens like the rest of us. These institutions or systems won’t run themselves. They will be run by officials who come from within and amongst us. These persons were brought up in the same society, environment, or conditions as most of us. They are not strangers or people from other planets. Getting elected or appointed into public offices won’t just suddenly change them into something they are not. The Professor who was recently caught collecting money to rig for one of the candidates in an election he served as Returning Officer, has probably cheated all his life undetected. If not, he couldn’t just have developed the cheating trait all of a sudden. No one teaches old dogs some new tricks. Old habits die hard. The Twitter influencer, who recently bagged a PhD, says “integrity doesn’t put food on the table or pay bills” because a virtuous woman returned money (running into millions) she found at an airport to the owner has probably lived his life believing cheating or gaming systems will be the best way to go. If we check properly, I won’t be surprised his doctoral thesis will be a huge academic fraud since he sees no problem with academic dishonesty. If these characters finding their ways into public offices, they will surely have no issues violating the Procurement Act in the contract bidding process in favour of their friends, families, or other close relatives since integrity “doesn’t put food on the table…” There are always clues if we are paying enough attention!

I have also read through the 1999 Constitution and say how well detailed the framers of the documents spelt out the rights of citizens from Sections 33 to 45. Something that is conspicuously missing in the same constitution is the Section dealing with the responsibilities of citizens. Even in Sections 25 to 32 where Citizenship is established, not a single mention of their responsibilities. Well, this can’t simply be an innocent oversight on the part of the framers of the constitution. They are simply too aware of the kind of citizens we are. John F. Kennedy knew what he was saying when he said “… ask not what your country can do for you, ask what you can do for your country” during his inaugural address as the 35th US President in 1961.

We can talk (or rant) so much about how rascally public officials behave at every talk shows. We can talk about how “politicians are dragging us back” or how the nation is not working. We can speak passionately about how the devolution of powers will be the magic wand to solve all our problems. We can speak about how changing parties in government will be the almighty formula to all our challenges. We will keep leaving out the serious issues around the crisis of citizenship. How can the nation work when everyone just wants to “take” without giving back anything in return? A nation where people only talk about rights (getting) without corresponding responsibilities (giving back) won’t work. It’s like being employed in a company but just want to be collecting salaries monthly without giving much or anything in return. As noted by Frantz Fanon in his The Wretched of the Earth, “A government or a party gets the people it deserves and sooner or later a people gets the government it deserves.” It’s obvious we are avoiding this discussion but we will come back to it someday whether or not we like it.

This will be part of my contributions to The Platform if I’m ever invited to speak!

Olalekan Adigun wrote from Lagos

ODE TO TONY SULEIMAN MOMOH Victor Kassim Oyofo remembers Tony Momoh, former Minister of Information

H

e is my friend and spirit brother.

He sojourned on earth from 27th April 1939 to 1st February 2021.

This Ode is not a recount of his life on earth. He wrote a lot about his own life experiences in the many “Letters to his Countrymen” and the many books he published especially on the subjects of politics and spirituality. One cannot do enough justice to these subjects on his behalf than he himself did for himself.

Now, I really want to draw attention to what I know is most important to him but which he tried to do but which he did not achieve to his satisfaction. Now that he has passed into the Great Beyond this goal still remains his burning desire!

He now stands in urgent anticipation and expectation that I and all those knowing ones he left behind, would hasten to sound the alarm bells; to inform the people about the times we stand in; the urgency of the knowledge of the End and the need for everyone to make haste because the End is now here!! The need to embrace the Truth, which alone sets you free. Everything is passing away and only

the Truth and the True; will remain.

Whenever we were in deep spiritual discussions, which were many, he always said to me that “the Light granted that you should build the Temple but that I should fill it with the peoples.” He was talking of the Grail Temple, in the Grail in South Ibie, Iyakpi, Etsako West Local Government, Edo State.

Now the pressure is on him as he now comes to recognition in the Beyond. He is now calling up to his people amongst whom he was born a Prince. But he called out to them whilst he lived on earth, but they did not hearken to his call.

He even called out to well beyond Auchi, his hometown, in Etsako West Local government.

He, in his life, was placed in positions where his voice sounded well beyond the boundaries of his community and his country, Nigeria.

My friend, be consoled. Prince Tony Suleiman Momoh be consoled in the knowledge that man already has his free will. It is therefore not your fault if your people did not choose the way shown to them. They are endowed with free will by God, and they made their choices and not yours. They will account for their actions.

I encourage you as a friend and brother to look only upwards to the Light and let the laws of God take precedence.

What is most important for you now is to focus on your ascent into Paradise. Everyone has made or will make his choices. The choices one made have placed each one on where he is today. There’s no one who has not received guidance from the Light. Dear Tony, please focus on your ascent and there is a lot to correct and the Light will grant the strength as soon as one pleads for it.

Your funeral on Grailland, the place chosen for the internment of the earthly cloak; was reasonably well attended by those who wished to be there. My wife and I were there amongst your family.

Now permit me to say a few words about your funeral ceremony; both to all cross bearers and even to the general public who came. My aim is to make them realise the times we are in and also to point to the correct path to take for those who seek salvation. This is what you wish them to know!

Everyone should know now that we are living in the End Time. This is the time when the Judgement promised by God is being executed and is being finalised. It is now being fulfilled by God through the Holy Spirit, His Son, Imanuel, Who is now on earth.

During your funeral on the 11th of February

2021 some things were said. As you have gained greater awareness you were able to sort them out into the necessary and the unnecessary; into the useful and into the mere human wishes incapable of being fulfilled.

More importantly; you were able to get the sensing of the actual situation of the earthman vis-a-vis the Judgement; his state of being, the urgency and above all, the unfathomable love of God which dovetails with His Justice.

As you look up to the Light you will come to the knowledge of the “Last Rescue” which carried with It the coming on earth for the third and last time of the Holy Spirit, Imanuel. He came also with the other members of the Trigon.

They will conclude the Judgement and the Great Purification and usher in the 1000 years of peace in the Kingdom of God here on earth.

You can now see clearly the turmoils and the tribulations about to descend on the earth and on our country, Nigeria. May the Lord have mercy!

And may the Light grant you the strength to swing upwards to the realms of peace and joy.

Amen!

Your friend and spirit brother.

Senator Oyofo represented Edo State in the upper arm of the National Assembly

15

T H I S D AY • FRIDAY, MAY 7, 2021

EDITORIAL THE NATIONAL CENTRE FOR SALW The national centre for control of arms has its work clearly cut out

L

ast week, President Muhammadu Buhari approved the establishment of a National Centre for the Control of Small Arms and Light Weapons (NCCSALW) to be domiciled in the Office of the National Security Adviser. It replaces the defunct Presidential Committee on Small Arms and Light Weapons and shall serve as the institutional mechanism for policy guidance, research, and monitoring of all aspects of Small Arms and Light Weapons (SALW) in Nigeria. We hope this measure will help in addressing the menace of violence in our country.

From Benue to Taraba to Zamfara, Kaduna and Ekiti to Enugu and other conflict zones across the country, killings have become a routine fare. Indeed, the ability of terror-minded gangs to thumb their noses at the authorities each time the security forces attempt to make claims and boastful noises must be seen as a measure of their strength vis-a-vis the weakness of the federal government.

Nigeria, according to most reports, accounts for at least 70 per cent of the illegal small arms and light weapons (SALW) circulating IT WAS EASY ACCESS within the West TO SALWS BY SOME African sub-region.

UNSCRUPULOUS ELEMENTS A few years ago, the THAT RESULTED IN TOTAL then Chief of Army BREAKDOWN OF LAW AND Standards and Evaluation, Major-General ORDER IN SOME OF THE FAILED STATES IN AFRICA OF Shehu Abdulkadir WHICH SOMALIA IS A PRIME said that “it is estimated that over 70 EXAMPLE per cent of eight to 10 million illegal weapons in West Africa are in Nigeria.”

Today, the situation is worse. That much was affirmed by former head of state General Abdusalami Abubakar (rtd.) recently. The nation is under siege from unlicensed arms in the hands of bandits, kidnappers, and sundry criminal cartels.

In the past four years, the Nigeria Customs Service has on different occasions gleefully displayed the cache of

Letters to the Editor

arms it claimed to have intercepted at the Tin Can Island Port of Apapa in Lagos. To date, nobody is on trial for any of these serious national security threats which indicate a systemic arms build-up. It is, therefore, no longer convenient for us to sit by and watch government and its security agencies slack hugely in their responsibilities.

Given the ominous statistics on the existing SALWs in the country, we hope the NCCSALW will provide a more urgent and concrete response to the challenge.

I T H I S DAY EDITOR BOLAJI ADEBIYI DEPUTY EDITOR YEMI AJAYI, DAVIDSON IRIEKPEN, MANAGING DIRECTOR ENIOLA BELLO DEPUTY MANAGING DIRECTOR KAYODE KOMOLAFE CHAIRMAN EDITORIAL BOARD OLUSEGUN ADENIYI EDITOR NATION’S CAPITAL IYOBOSA UWUGIAREN MANAGING EDITOR JOSEPH USHIGIALE

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 BOLAJI ADEBIYI, PETER IWEGBU, ANTHONY OGEDENGBE DEPUTY DIVISIONAL DIRECTOR OJOGUN VICTOR DANBOYI SNR. ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR ERIC OJEH ASSOCIATE DIRECTORS PATRICK EIMIUHI, SAHEED ADEYEMO CONTROLLERS ABIMBOLA TAIWO, UCHENNA DIBIAGWU, NDUKA MOSERI DIRECTOR, PRINTING PRODUCTION CHUKS ONWUDINJO HEAD, COMPUTER DEPARTMENT PATRICIA UBAKA-ADEKOYA TO SEND EMAIL: first name.surname@thisdaylive.com

TO OUR READERS Letters in response to specific publications in THISDAY should be brief (150-200 words) and straight to the point. Interested readers may send such letters along with their contact details to opinion@thisdaylive.com. We also welcome comments and opinions on topical local, national and international issues provided they are well-written and should also not be longer than (9501000 words). They should be sent to opinion@thisdaylive.com along with the email address and phone numbers of the writer.

INSECURITY AND 2023 ELECTIONS

I

ndependent National Electoral Commission (INEC), last week, announced 18th of February 2023 as the date for presidential election, 660 days from the date of announcement. The chairman of the commission, Professor Mahmood Yakubu stated that the complete time table will be released after the November 6th Anambra gubernatorial election.

Immediately the INEC announced the elections’ date, mixed reactions trailed it. The national chairman of PDP, Uche Secondus, expressed fear that the 2023 general elections may not hold unless government nips in the bud the growing crisis of insecurity across the country.

Other Nigerians, disturbed by the continued killing of defenceless Nigerians have also shared or held the same fears expressed by Secondus and other security experts.

Prior to 2015 general elections, the country’s insecurity was limited to Boko Haram insurgents who held a firm grip of Borno, Yobe and Adamawa States. The country also witnessed suicide bombings in our places of worship, markets and public buildings. After the election of President Muhammadu Buhari, the war against Boko Haram was intensified leading to “technical” defeat of the terrorist group.

While Boko Haram was partially crushed leaving it to attack soft targets, the north-west states started experiencing banditry. It is very sad to state that Zamfara, Katsina, Sokoto and Kaduna States have become the den of bandits. These notorious bandits have continued to attack, kill and abduct helpless farming communities.

t stands to reason that with access to abundant illegal weapons the rogue elements in our midst have become more fortified and hence less amenable to entreaties to make peace. Yet it was such easy access to SALWs by some unscrupulous elements that resulted in total breakdown of law and order in some of the failed states in Africa of which Somalia is a prime example.

The danger in the proliferation of weapons is that when they fall into the hands of non-state actors, they become objects of terror by people who have no regard for international laws and conventions.

As matters stand today, there are far too many guns out there that we need more than revision of licensing rules. Nigeria now needs a comprehensive nationwide arms’ decommissioning programme. We should start with a mass voluntary arms surrendering programme with incentives. This should be followed by whistle blower-assisted arms recovery process. Following from that, the authorities can then enact a comprehensive gun law as we seek practical solutions to the challenge of insecurity in our country.

The NCCSALW is expected to serve as the national focal point on SALW in the country while leading a multi-stakeholder process to tackle the menace. Its pioneer coordinator, Major General AM Dikko (rtd) comes highly recommended given his international experience and exposure. As this newspaper has pointed out on several occasions, there is an organic linkage between the failure of the authorities to secure the lives and property of citizens and the geometric rise in the inclination towards self-help. That, we have also repeatedly warned, is a prelude to anarchy!

The North-central states are battling with farmer-herder crisis. Our security personnel have increasingly become the target of Eastern Security Network (ESN). The daily horrific trending news emerging from the South-east states, where police and other men in uniform are being killed heightens the tension in the country. With this alarming rate of insecurity and the government’s perceived siddon look attitude towards addressing it, one is confused to say, whether the 2023 election will be possible or not. Election can only be conducted in an atmosphere devoid of rancour. We are not sure if Boko Haram, bandits, kidnappers and other non-state actors will allow a peaceful election in the country. In a country where insecurity is usually politicised, there are fears that our politicians may likely exploit the current mess to intimidate their opponents.

In 2015, INEC had to postpone election by some days to enable troops liberate Borno communities which were sacked by Boko Haram. While in 2015 it was Borno State alone, the insecurity has now spread to nooks and crannies of the country. If the 2023 elections are to be conducted, the government should quickly move and contain the rising cases of insecurity. There is need for government to look for international assistance in the war against insecurity in the country. Let truth be told, insecurity is threatening the 2023 elections. Unless government addresses it, Nigerians should forget about the election and by extension our democracy.

Ibrahim Mustapha, Pambegua, Kaduna State

GOVERNMENT AND THE NATION’S SECURITY

E

very reasonable and discerning person in Nigeria knows that the country is sinking. Banditry, terrorism and tribalism have now become our subject matter and thus a threat to our corporate existence. As it is now, Nigeria is not normal. There is uproar in the North, South East, South South and South West, indeed it’s a tough time for the nation.

The rate at which insecurity is spreading is shocking. Boko Haram seems to have resurfaced now in Geidam; reports have it that the town has been taken over by the enemies. Mainok in Borno is not safe again. It’s very touching that residents of the affected areas have left all their hard-earned property behind as they were chased out.

Vulnerable women and children, especially the girls, are not spared. It’s sad to imagine what these innocent lives are facing. Where are you Mr. Governor? The outcry is worrisome. They said you were not there for them in Geidam.

From Boko Haram’s Maiduguri, Borno State, this unholy act of maiming and raiding villages has gone beyond the North East. From April 24th— 26th, 2021, 11 police men and custom officers were killed in Rivers State, 11 civilians were also killed in Geidam, Yobe, 30 soldiers and a commander were killed in Mainok, Borno.

One Police DPO and eight officers were killed in Sakaba, Kebbi and five more soldiers in Rivers State. This is pathetic. Are these criminals really taking over this country? Is it that they’re more powerful and untraceable?

Bandits have sacked over 50 villages in Niger, according to Governor Bello. Imagine the trauma these villagers are going through. “When they came back the next time, they asked the women to cook food for them after which they still raped the women,” a local recounted. “For three weeks now there is no person living in Kuchi town and there is no food for the fleeing villagers. The armed men have entered very deep into the area and have overran several villages. They have occupied Kuchi where they now sleep as their homes,” he added. All these happening in a country led by a retired general.

Please, remember your primary responsibilities and do well to save our societies and fellow human beings, put a halt to this mess. Now, it’s not time for politics, forget politics and finish off these bandits. Remember the students whose future was cut short. The same bandits we failed to address killed them. Please do the needful and save our country from this mess.

Usman Abdullahi Koli Koli, Mass Communication Department, Abubakar Tatari Ali Polytechnic, Bauchi

16

FRIDAY MAY 7, 2021 •T H I S D AY

FRIDAY MAY 7, 2021 • T H I S D AY

17

18

FRIDAY MAY 7, 2021 •T H I S D AY

FRIDAY MAY 7, 2021 • T H I S D AY

19

T H I S D AY ˾ FRIDAY MAY 7, 2021

20

POLITICS

Group Politics Editor NSEOBONG OKON-EKONG Email: nseobong.okonekong@thisdaylive.com 08114495324 SMS ONLY

Dapo Abiodun’s Strategic Build-up Towards 2023 Funmi Branco celebrates the virtuoso of Governor Dapo Abiodun of Ogun State, who many never gave a chance to survive the political terrain merely because he was perceived as a boardroom guru and not a tested politician

S

ince coming on board on May 29, 2019, the Ogun State Governor, Prince Dapo Abiodun, has fostered a remarkably different template in the state’s politics. Traditionally, Ogun has been one of Nigeria’s most politically volatile states given the configurations of elite participants, interests and geo-specific configurations. Like many other states, Ogun has often witnessed violence and divisions as competing political tendencies literally go to war.

Remarkably, however, the feeling among political watchers has been quite different in the last two years, and of particularly interest is the political alignments and re-alignments currently ongoing in the state. First, Governor Abiodun came on board amid allegations of political persecution, having run for office with the entirety of the political machinery of the immediate past establishment ranged against him.

His victory was contested up to the apex court with all the associated shenanigans by vested interests, including by establishment politicians in the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) who hobnobbed with the opposition while pledging their alliances to him as the battle raged. And even when victory came at the apex court, there were still insinuations that not much could be expected from the governor. The crux of the argument of those who never gave him the chance to survive the political terrain was that he was merely a boardroom guru and not a tested politician who could successfully navigate the slippery and volatile political terrain and make meaningful impact.

Some of the critics fixed their gaze on the proverbial banana peels while others sought to derail the new administration with the instrumentality of fake news. But apparently due to his clear cut agenda, the governor has been able to change negative perception about his personality and vision for the state.

He has, within a short time, quietly mastered the art of governance and demonstrated his preparedness for the job. This can be seen in the massive physical development that the state has witnessed under his watch in just two years and in spite of the coronavirus pandemic. But on a political terrain, it can also be seen in the fact that he has wooed substantial populations into the ruling party. It is a tribute to Governor Abiodun’s genius that an unusually high number of political opponents have come into the APC fold, with massive implications for future electoral contests. Apart from the notable individuals who have joined the political train, a number of opposition political parties have also dissolved themselves, endorsed and thrown their weight behind him.

Among the high profile individuals who have cast their lot with Abiodun are a two-time governor of the state, Otunba Gbenga Daniel and a former Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt-Hon Dimeji Bankole. Others include Alhaja Salmot Badru, a former deputy governor of the state, and Prince Gboyega Isiaka, candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) and a main challenger during the 2019 governorship election. The list

also includes Apostle Dave Salako, a two-time member of the House of Representatives; Elder Joju Fadairo,

former state chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP); and Chief Pegba Otemolu, former state sec-

Why Culture of Solidarity and Collaboration Should Prevail

Abuja-based human rights lawyer, Kayode Ajulo raises some critical points on the urgency for collaboration between labour and solidarity

D

ating back to the 1880s and born as a result of the worldwide struggle of workers for daily working hours, 1st of May is all the more important as we come to well realise the importance of solidarity.

There is no doubt that we are living a historic moment when we have to better understand the value of labour, and the importance in our lives of each and every worker ranging from health workers to store workers, bakers to delivery staff, farmers to pharmacists, barbers to waiters and waitresses, domestic workers to taxi drivers particular at this unprecedented time where insecurity, banditry, unemployment have become the order of the day.

Unless radical reforms are undertaken to improve the efficiency and efficacy of the defence and security institutions, Nigeria’s socio-economic indicators will deteriorate with dire consequences for the corporate existence of the Nation.

There is the need for government to be proactive in dealing with security issues and threats, through modern methods of intelligence gathering, and intelligence sharing, training, logistics, motivation, and deploying advanced technology in managing security challenges.

Rather than calling for engagement of mercenaries and external support, President Buhari should look inward by engaging the services of prominent and meritorious retired public officers including military and paramilitary personnel. There’s urgent need for convocation of National Security Summit where out veterans expertise will be put to use to surmount the problem.

On the issue of the onging strike action of the Judicial Staff Union of Nigeria, the Leadership of JUSUN should take a clue from the inces-

sant strike action embarked upon by ASUU including other Trade Unions in Nigeria and its consequent implications.

It must be noted that strike action is not the ultimate panacea to resolve disputes each has to be decided based on the circumstances surrounding it and parties involved as well that any action taken must be for the greater good for the people.

The leadership of JUSUN is thus admonished to look inward and consider a more beneficial approach to ensure that their agitations are implemented by these erring Governors and not allow same to inimically affect the fundamental rights of the Citizens and the confidence reposed in the judiciary by members of the society. Federal Government should also take the bull by horns, hence the need to deduct funds of other arms of government from the source in compliance with constitutional provisions.

We are at a critical juncture where we need to collaborate and support one another against the devastation and decadence currently beleaguering the Nigerian landscape.

Solidarity is indeed the expectation of everyone. It is my strong belief that policies and actions responding to the crisis must be prioritised in protecting the vulnerable in the society.

We have come to the point where the culture of solidarity and collaboration should prevail; and incite everyone to contribute to developing sustainable, inclusive, fair, human-centered and decent policies.

I wholeheartedly wish to remind everyone us about the utmost importance of solidarity between workers and the need for collegial effort in ensuring a better Nigeria.

retary of PDP. In addition, there is Hon. Abiodun Niyi Sylvester, the only PDP member in the Ogun state House of Assembly and Aare Remilekun Bakare, former Director General of Governorship Campaign team of late Buruji Kasamu and PDP In the 2019 guber poll. Others were Chief Kola Sorinola, Commissioner for Special Duties during the Gbenga Daniel administration; Hon. Azeez Bello (aka Arole), a close ally of Hon. Ladi Adebutu, and Mrs. Josephine Makanjuola.

Then there are the members of the political camp of the late Senator Buruji Kashamu, who have all left the PDP and signed up for Governor Abiodun’s effort to create a formidable structure. It is indeed trite restating the fact that Prince Abiodun has been able to build a political structure that has endeared him to former adversaries who now see his style of governance as an attraction on the political mountain.

This point was stressed by Gboyega Isiaka when he averred thus: “We found an alignment of values, which for us is fundamental for any political relationship. I saw in him, a man determined to run governance with sincerity and purpose. Among other shared values also, the governor believes that the people must be the primary focus of any responsible government and that is reflected in his “Building our Future Together ’ mantra”. More importantly, and despite the winner takes all of our politics and system of government, the APC in Ogun state through His Excellency, indicated strong resolve to have an inclusive and open administration that is receptive of other ideas and competencies.” In any case, as noted by former governor Gbenga Daniel: “Our coming into the party would bring in more members into the party in the state, all what the party needs at a time it is receiving more members is good management, which Prince Dapo Abiodun is capable of providing.”

It is not fortuitous that APM members in the House of Assembly have moved to APC under Abiodun’s watch, making the party stronger, more united and focused to face the challenges ahead. The governor insists that his administration will be all-inclusive, and has made appointments across board.

All of the bigwigs joining the train say that they are enamoured by his insistence on development and the progress of the people. They reference his willingness to hearken to advice, abhorrence of political witch-hunt and firm embrace of the doctrine of politics without bitterness. Within last two years, the governor has been able to consolidate the political structure of the APC in Ogun. And, what is more, many strategic actors are willing and eager to join his team. It is worthy of note that the defectors are formidable political leaders in their respective areas and will be crucial to delivering the 2023 goals of the APC and Governor Abiodun who, to all intents and purposes, has effectively decimated the opposition.

He has been able to galvanize major political stakeholders in the state to believe in his vision for the good people of Ogun State. The dividends of the strategic moves promise to be enormous.

T H I S D AY ˾ FRIDAY MAY 7, 2021

21

PERSPECTIVE

RE: Lessons PDP Must Learn in Abia Shaking the Gates of Marriage and Tech Chido Nwangwu wonders how seers in many African countries, including Nigeria, failed to predict that Bill and Melinda Gates will go their separate ways this year

I

t certainly came as a shock to so many people who admire(d) the couple. Especially the spectacular humanitarian global services and support they are giving through the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. More so, in the African continent and other developing areas of the world.

Bill and Melinda’s surprise (for some people it was a shocking) announcement on Monday May 3, 2021 that they have decided was neither mentioned nor forecast by any of my creative, religio-business pastors and oriestesses in South Africa, Ghana and Nigeria.

How could Nigeria’s export to Ghana, our big brother of Oduduwa heritage TB Joshua have missed this earth-shaking event? After all Bill Gates and Melinda Gates donate more funds, offer greater technical support and do more things for the African continent than the Africanborn billionaires and multimillionaires. Certainly, there are Africans who have made a difference like the Gates in the lives of the people and in other continents. And there are those whose lifestyles reflect sheer exhibitionism and flashy modes; those we can classify as the My-Mercedes-is bigger-than-yours tycoons.

Fact is Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation transformed scope, scale and consistency in charitable giving.

As the principals and initiators of what I’ll classify as the new platform in public global service, they opened the eyes of the world, institutionally, to the possibilities of charitable foundations in the world. Regardless there are many in the world especially also in Nigeria, some parts of Africa and Latin America who believe that Bill Gates is a force for negative action. They alleged across the social media very aggressively that he’s leading an agenda and “secret” drive to control the population growth of Africans and Latinos/Latinas through medication, vaccination an other claims which are too far from reality.

Despite the facts of their unfolding divorce Bill and Melinda Gates have assured the world that although they had made the decision to end their marriage of 27 years, they will continue to build on the achievements of their foundation: “We have raised three incredible

children and built a foundation that works all over the world to enable all people to lead healthy, productive lives…. We ask for space and privacy for our family as we begin to navigate this new life.”

Bill Gates had, in the early 2000, been ranked the world’s richest person; estimated at well over $107 billion. He made most of those through technology and Software especially Microsoft operating system and Microsoft office suite.

For hundreds of millions of people around the world, Bill Gates is the most famous face who introduced the windows operating system to the world of computing.

For so many people, Bill Gates represented the perfect picture of a gentleman even with his awkward and sometimes fidgety mannerisms in front of a camera during an interview, almost any interview.

Somehow, he always managed a smile behind his big prescription, reading glasses.

He was most famous geek in the world. He was a geek as a very young kid, during his teenage years, through his youth and adult decades as the chief executive officer and chairman of Microsoft. He was emblematic of the popular goal and mission to have a Windows computer on virtually every desk across America, and most parts of the world.

Somehow the defunct Netscape browser, Apple iPads and iPhones, Samsung and Huawei phones disrupted the outdated restrictions and fixation on the Windows OS desktop strategy by Microsoft.

Secondly and very critical Microsoft browser Internet Explorer was too cumbersome, buggy and unstable.

In my estimation as techno-multimedia analyst, Windows mobile is not competitive.

The programmers and coding folks were slacking and missing the paradigm shift and Web 2.0 features in the Netscape and Apple’s Safari browsers.

Lest I forget, Google unsettled Microsoft by leaping thousands of miles ahead of Microsoft Windows such that when it introduced the Google search and deployed the use of what became known popularly as algorithms.

I chose Apple since 1992, long before the techno-paradigm shift became obvious.

Google itself was established on September 4, 1998 in California.

Apple Computer was established on April 1, 1976 also in California.

Microsoft was established on April 4, 1975 in Albuquerque New Mexico.

On August 2, 2018, Apple became the first American corporation in the world to achieve a market capitalization of USD1 trillion and later of USD2 trillion.

And I believe that Bill and Melinda Gates deserve the privacy they have asked for.

The trillion dollar question remains what will Bill Gates do next?

Prince Ifeanyi Onyeije responds with more details to an earlier article on zoning of the governorship by the Peoples Democratic Party in Abia State

T

he piece authored by one Ugo Aliogo at Page 19 of THISDAY of Tuesday, April 27, 2021 made an interesting read.

The author tried to X-ray the last House of Representatives bye election for the Aba North/Aba South Federal Constituency won by the PDP candidate, Chimaobi Ebisike.

However, a closer look at the piece and its real intent reveals a well oiled political plot aimed at strengthening the argument for power shift fo Abia North in general, and to the Isuikwuato area in particular, in 2023.

This objective made the writer to swerve from an objective standpoint and ended up obfuscating and needlessly politicizing what would have been a great write up.

The writer attributed the victory of the PDP in the Aba House of Representatives election to the sole reason of successfully managing the complexities of power shift in the state. In the words of the writer, “PDP’s mantra of justice and popular participation strongly appeals to the Republican minded Igbo who flourishes under an atmosphere that promotes equity. PDP’s strenght in the State is rooted in the Abia Charter of Equity.

The Charter rotates the governorship position and other elective and appointive positions among the major political blocs that make up the State.”

The real intent of the writer became very clear after doing what amounts to a jaundiced analysis of the true meaning and application of the Abia Charter of Equity, he then stated thus, “The matter would have been settled, from the point of equity, had the Isuikwuato Division insisted on producing the next Governor after Orji Kalu in 2007. Instead, they reasoned that such a move would mean having one senatorial district producing the Governor for 16 years, and denying other zones the opportunity. THE ONLY COURSE OF JUSTICE AND EQUITY IS TO RETURN THE GOVERNORSHIP TO ISUIKWUATO”.

(Emphasis mine).

The piece is riddled with several factual inaccuracies. First, the reasons for the victory of the PDP in the last House of Representatives elections in Aba were two fold, namely, performance of the Ikpeazu administration in Aba, and equity/justice.

That election was a clear referendum on the performance of the Ikpeazu administration in Aba. It was an opportunity for the people of Aba to pass judgement on what Ikpeazu’s administration has done in Aba. It is an open secret today that under the watch of Governor Okezie Ikpeazu, Aba has become a massive construction site with several hitherto impassable roads turning into beautiful and well paved roads. Major roads that define the landscape of the Enyimba City that had long been forgotten have come back to life under Ikpeazu with several others in the pipeline. The people see these projects with their two eyes. They see the workers, they follow the construction process. They see it completed and commissioned and they also begin to use these roads.

The resultant effect is that the people of Aba are happy with Governor Okezie Ikpeazu and were prepared to work with his party in that election.

They see real economic growth and development. They feel it. They see Aba coming back to life and bouncing back to reckoning.

They see new businesses springing up with prospects for job creation. They see major markets being accessible. Indeed, all the major markets in Aba are opening up because all the major roads that lead to these markets are receiving heavy attention from the government. Indeed, it got to a point where the former Governor Orji Kalu, whose younger brother was the candidate of the APC in the elections, openly claimed road projects done by Ikpeazu in Aba as

Federal Government projects. That claim spoke to the quality of the projects.

In addition to the renewed efforts at rebuilding infrastructure in Aba, the PDP played another masterstroke by fielding an indigene of Aba as their candidate, thereby reversing a trend that had been in place since 1999 that no aborigine of Aba had ever been elected to the Green Chambers to speak for their own people. That argument was unassailable. It was unquestionable.

Our people have a deep sense of justice.

The writer was correct when he stated that one of the reasons for the failure of the APC in that election was because they allowed former Governor Orji Kalu to foist his biological youngest brother on the party as their candidate after another of his younger brothers had spent eight unproductive years at the House of Representatives for the same people of Aba. The people of Aba had become fed up of family oligarchies in our politics.

Equity means giving equal opportunity to everyone.

On the vexed issue of where the next governorship candidate of the PDP will come from, the writer was very passionate about his choice of Isuikwuato. He was so passionate that he forgot that Governor Okezie Ikpeazu and the Senate Minority Leader, Enyinnaya Abaribe are from Obingwa LGA in Abia South Senatorial District and not from Osisioma Ngwa LGA as he erroneously posited in his write up.

The true and most objective approach to the issue is to clearly understand that the main thrust of the Charter of Equity is to ensure that no Zone holds power consecutively to the exclusion of others.

Abia as presently constituted has three clear Senatorial Zones and it is these three Zones that have formed the platform for the smooth implementation of the Charter of Equity, under which the Governorship position has moved from Abia North to Abia Central and now to the South.

In other words, each of the Zones has had a shot at the office of Governor, meaning that the Charter of Equity has completed its first full rotation. Another rotation will commence by 2023.

By 2023, the PDP is expected to stick to the Abia Charter of Equity. This it will do by ensuring that the seat must move from Abia South where it is domiciled presently. Now the question is where it should go to.

The answer is very simple. The Abia North and Abia Central Zones will have equal rights to vie for the position. These two zones had produced governors before and it will now be a question of ensuring that the prerequisites of micro zoning will be put in place. Put differently, the micro zones that had produced the governor previously won’t be allowed to produce the governor by 2023.

NOTE: Interested readers should continue in the online edition on www.thisdaylive.com

22

FRIDAY MAY 7, 2021 •T H I S D AY

23

T H I S D AY ˾ ͵˜ ͰͮͰͯ

BUSINESSWORLD R A T E S MONEY MARKET OBB OVERNIGHT

A S

A T

REPO 27.50 % 27.75 %

CALL 1-MONTH 3-MONTH

24.50 % 26.50 % 26.50 %

A P R I L S & P INDEX INDEX LEVEL 1-DAY MONTH-TO-DATE

Group Business Editor Obinna Chima Email obinna.chima@thisdaylive.com 08152447875

3 0 , 2 0 2 1 512.20 % -0.15 % -8.33 %

S & P INDEX 1/4 TO DATE -8.33 % YEAR TO DATE -23.58 %

EXCHANGE RATE N379/1US DOLLAR* ̩

Quick Takes

Immigration Gets 4 Additional Commands

COURTESY VISIT

Managing Director of Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), Hadiza Bala- Usman (left), presenting the agency’s corporate plaque to the Ambassador of Greece, Yannis Plotas, who paid a working visit to the NPA headquarters in Lagos…recently

FG to Raise $250m for National Carrier Chinedu Eze The federal government has said it expects to raise about $250 million from the private sector to float it proposed national carrier, which is now at the stage of procurement phase.

This was disclosed by the Ministry of Aviation in a publication titled, ‘Status of the Road Map/PPP Projects’ and made available to THISDAY. The publication stated that the next steps would involve the commencement of procurement phase by placing adverts for request for qualification in the national dailies and foreign media.

The federal government explained that the establishment of a national carrier would enable Nigeria gain optimal benefits from Bilateral Air Service Agreement (BASA), take full advantage of the Single African

AVIATION Air Transport Market (SAATM) and introduce competition, leading to competitive fares and services as well as to generate employment.

“The national carrier project will be private sector driven, with government holding not more than five per cent of the shares. The private sector consortium may comprise reputable international airlines, such as Qatar Airways, leasing companies, aircraft manufacturers (OEMS), financial and institutional investors,” the publication stated.

It noted that government would provide the required support by creating enabling environment in terms of sustainable policies, allocation of BASA, routes provision, financial guarantees and ensuring fiscal

incentives to sustain the success of the airline.

Government explained that the project development phase has been completed with the development of the outline business case (OBC) and subsequent issuance of compliance certificate by the Infrastructure Concession Regulatory Commission (ICRC), adding that the next step would be placement of request for qualification (RFQ) in local and international media.

On aircraft leasing company, the federal government said the leasing company would provide leasing opportunities for Nigerian and African airlines in order to boost fleet size; alleviate the problems of aircraft leasing and the attendant high insurance premium charges.

“The aircraft leasing company has been structured as a joint venture between the government and the private sector and

its business objectives will be to initially lease aircraft from international lessors and subsequently sub-lease to African airlines and in the future acquire and own its aircraft.

“Government is considering providing financial guarantee and ensuring fiscal incentives to facilitate the success of the leasing company,” the Ministry said.

Government also said it is at advanced stage in the procurement phase and that a preferred partner has been selected and negotiations would soon commence, adding that the next move would be to commence negotiations with the preferred bidder.

On airport concession, the federal government said the concession of the four major airports in Lagos, Kano, Abuja Continued on page 24

N600bn Lekki Deep Sea Port Nears 50% Completion Eromosele Abiodun The effort by Nigeria to have a new seaport with better facilities is gathering momentum as the Core of Main Breakwater at the Lekki Deep Sea Port has been completed and construction 50 per cent completed.

The Managing Director, Lekki Port LFTZ Enterprise Limited, Mr. Du Ruogang, disclosed this recently, during the first quarterly monitoring visit by the Federal Ministry of Transportation to the project site in Lagos.

The Lekki Deep Seaport Project was awarded to the Lekki Port LFTZ Enterprise Limited

by Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) on a build-own-operateand-transfer (BOOT) agreement.

Under this agreement, LFTZ is required to develop, finance, build, operate the port for a

MARITIME period of 45 years and transfer it to NPA thereafter. Slated for completion late 2022, the project is the single largest private investment in infrastructure in Nigeria being developed on non-recourse project finance basis with majority of financing being raised internationally.

He said construction of the Lekki Deep Sea Port has reached almost 50 per cent with the completion of the 1,909m long core of the main breakwater while work on the quay wall and landside infrastructure has reached advanced stages.

He added that the significant milestone of the completion of the core of the main breakwater was achieved on April 29, 2021.

During the visit, officials of Federal Ministry of Transportation, Nigeria Ports Authority, Ni-

gerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), Nigerian Shippers’ Council (NSC) laud the promoters of the project, stressing that the Nigerian economy would benefit on completion.

The Lekki Port LFTZ Enterprise boss while briefing the Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Transportation, Dr. Magdalene Ajani and other key stakeholders in the project, including the Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of the NPA, Hadiza Bala Usman; the Director-General of NIMASA, Dr. Bashir Jamoh and the Executive Secretary/ Chief Executive Officer, NSC, Hassan Bello, assured them that the construction would be completed as scheduled with a targeted commercial operations date in fourth quarter of 2022.

He affirmed that the con-

tainer terminal operator - Lekki Freeport Terminal, a subsidiary of CGM/CMA is ready to commence operations once the construction is completed.

Speaking during the visit, Ajani stated that it was heart-warming to note that the project is moving at a fast pace, assuring all the promoters and stakeholders that the Federal Government would play its part to ensure the smooth take-off of the Port come the last quarter of 2022.

She noted that the progress of work since the initial visit of the ministry in November 2020, is impressive and that the federal government through the Federal Ministry of Transportation would work out modalities of rail connectivity to the port for easy evacuation and transfer Continued on page 24

An Assistant Comptroller General and Zonal Coordinator, Nigeria Immigration Service, Zone A, Mrs. Doris Briamah, has commended the operations of the service with regard to the protection of the borders as well as repatriations of illegal immigrants into the country.

Briamah also commended the Comptroller General of the NIS, Muhammad Babandede for the recent creation of new commands at Idi-iroko in Ogun State; Mfon in Cross Rivers State; Jirba in Katsina State and Ilella Border in Sokoto.

Braimah, made these known during a parley at the Zonal Office in Lagos stating that officers of the service remain vigilant to their responsibilities.

She said, “The Service has expanded and we have an additional four Commands today. That is Idi-Iroko, which is now a command.

Idi-Iroko, which is in the border, is now a command headed by a Comptroller and that is applicable to my zone, Zone A. “Then you have the Mfon Border which is in Cross Rivers Command as well as the Jirba Border in Katsina which is now a command and then the Ileya Border Command in Sokoto is equally now a Command so the service is expanding and we should celebrate the Service for the work the CGI is doing.”

On access through the nation’s points, Braimah stressed that those at the point of entry are doing an incredible job in partnership with other security agencies.

“The people at our points of entry are very vigilant and I must tell you that as Zonal Coodinator, that the officers are very watchful. They are at the top of their work, all security agencies are at the top of their work especially the immigration officers who determine the entry of foreign nationals, we are in line with our duties,” she added.

Emirates Skywards Launches Exclusive Offers

Emirates Skywards said it has rolled out an exclusive offer to help members move to a higher tier status. Members can automatically earn double Tier Miles on all Emirates and flydubai flights booked from April 1, until June, 30, for travel between April 1 and December 31, 2021.

To be eligible for the reward scheme, customers need to simply be existing Emirates Skywards members, or join as a new member before June 30, 2021. Members can now move up tiers faster, and unlock an extensive range of benefits and rewards. The offer applies to any ticket, regardless of fare type, purchased on Emirates or flydubai during the offer period.

“For example, an Emirates Skywards Blue tier member can upgrade to an Emirates Skywards Silver tier member, and an Emirates Skywards Silver tier member can upgrade to an Emirates Skywards Gold tier member,” it explained in a statement.

Emirates Skywards said it offers four tiers of membership – Blue, Silver, Gold and Platinum. EachTier offers members unique privileges and advantages, including lounge access, priority boarding, dedicated check-in counters, complimentary seat-selection, and much more.

“In addition to earning double Tier Miles, members will still be able to earn Skywards Miles on flights flown during the offer period. Skywards Miles can be redeemed for an extensive range of rewards, including flight upgrades, hotel stays and money-can’tbuy experiences.

“With more than 27 million members worldwide – Emirates Skywards continues to provide its members with rich value offerings, unmatched rewards and innovative offerings.

“Earlier this year, the loyalty programme was one if the first in the world, and first in the region, to offer members a generous extension on tier status until 2022,” it added.

UnitedNigeriaIncreasesLagos–AbujaFrequency The United Nigeria Airlines has said effective from today, it will increase flight frequency from the Murtala Mohammed Airport (MM2) in Ikeja, Lagos into the Nnamdi Azikiwe InternationalAirport Abuja and vice versa.

The airline, with the development, will additionally fly Lagos-Abuja at 16:00hrs every day. United Nigeria Airlines will also, additionally, fly Abuja-Lagos every day at 17:30hrs. The new schedule adds to United Nigeria Airlines regular schedule on the Lagos-Abuja-Lagos route which emanates from MM2 at 13:00hrs and from Abuja at 14:30hrs.

“The biggest challenge in our aviation market is finding partner with similar business culture as yours because workforce has to mix in order for codeshare or interline to work,” Chief Operating Officer, Ibom Air,

George Uriesi

24

T H I S D AY ˾ ͵˜ ͰͮͰͯ

BUSINESSWORLD FG TO RAISE $250M FOR NATIONAL CARRIER and Port Harcourt would help fast-track, upgrade and enhance their operational efficiency, profitability and reposition them to operate competitively.

“The project is being structured as a terminal concession under Public, Private Partnership (PPP) arrangement between the government and the private sector, were the private investor will be required to upgrade, manage and operate the airport terminals over the concession period,” the Ministry of Aviation said.

On the status of project development, government said the development phase has been completed with the development of the Outline Business Case (OBC) and subsequent issuance of compliance certificate by the ICRC. The next step on airport concession would be placement of request for qualification for local and international media.

These three major projects were what the President Muhammadu Buhari said his administration would accomplish in the aviation sector.

Others include establishment of Aerospace University and designation of airports as free trade/economic processing zones.

But as the second tenure of the administration has gone half way through, these projects are still far from being completed.

The Managing Director, Flight and Logistics Solutions, Amos Akpan told THISDAY that there was not much time left for the Buhari’s administration to realise the projects in the aviation sector.

N600BN LEKKI DEEP SEA PORT NEARS 50% COMPLETION of cargo to the different parts of the country.

She also promised to liaise with her counterpart at the Federal Ministry of Works and Housing on the issue of the road network at the corridor to prevent the issue of congestion.

In her remarks, the Managing Director of NPA, Bala-Usman, said NPA would play its part to ensure that the timeline set for the delivery is achieved, adding that efforts were being made to facilitate the deployment of all necessary infrastructure needed before commercial operations begin.

NPA, NBS Seal Deal on Data Collection Agreement on Ports’ Operations Stories by Eromosele Abiodun The Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) and the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) have entered into an agreement on data collection on ports’ operations.

The two government agencies signed the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) in Abuja.

The Statistician-General of the Federation, Yemi Kale, who spoke after the ceremony described the ports as major channels of both import and export cargoes, adding that the ports remain critical to the development of the nation’s transport sector.

Kale, said the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) would lead to an increase in trading and storage activities in Nigeria.

He added that with such development, generating and disseminating more granular information on these activities would be useful to assist policymakers and managers in the sector.

Kale said such data would also provide a sound basis for operators and potential investors in the sector to make informed decisions.

He said: “The output from

Obinna Chima

Capital Market Editor

Goddy Ogene

Comms/e-Business Editor

Emma Okonji

Asst. Editor, Money Market

Nume Ekeghe

Senior Correspondent

ËÒÏÏ× ÕÓØÑÌÙÖß (Advertising) Correspondents

Chinedu Eze (Aviation) ÜÙ×ÙÝÏÖÏ ÌÓÙÎßØ (Maritime) James Emejo (Finance) Ebere Nwoji (Insurance) Chineme Okafor (Energy) ××ËØßÏÖ ÎÎÏÒ (Energy) Reporters

ÙÝË ÖÏÕÒßÙÑÓÏ (ICT) Peter Uzoho (Energy)

this effort will contribute to the growing array of statistics produced by the statistical system in Nigeria and also shed more light on the important work that you do in administering port activities in Nigeria.”

Also speaking, the Managing Director of the NPA, Hadiza

Bala-Usman described the collaboration as the only way to bridge the identifiable gaps in data gathering, analysis, storage, retrieval and dissemination.

Specifically, Bala-Usman added, “The creation of joint data verification and mechanism in order to have feedback on

data and output among the items of collaboration between the two agencies. In addition, I would like to specifically request the collaboration of automation of data collection.

“This is an area that we would really require support towards automation in our

data collection, which would eliminate errors and also have live and up-to-date information when required.

“So I would like to specifically ask for that area of support to guide the NPA in the deployment of automation as it relates to data gathering.”

CONDOLENCE VISIT

L-R: Executive Director, Regulatory and Corporate Affairs,9mobile, Abdulrahman Ado; Acting Chief Executive Officer, Juergen Peschel; Emir of Bichi, His Royal Highness, Alh. Nasiru Ado Bayero; Non-Executive Directors,9mobile, Alexander Okeke;and Imhoudu Mamudu, during a condolence visit by the management of 9mobile to the Emir’s Palace in Bichi, Kano State...recently

Ibadan Raids: Senate Orders Customs to Return Rice Seized from Markets The Senate Committee on Ethics and Privileges have directed the Comptroller-General of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Col Hameed Ali (rtd.) to ensure that officers of the service return bags of rice and money seized from shops in popular Oja Oba market in Ibadan, during a raid.

This followed a petition

by Senator Kola Balogun who represents Oyo South Senatorial District complaining of the seizures.

The petition according to Senator Balogun was on behalf of the affected traders who said their shops were raided during which bags of rice and money were collected.

Following the petition, the Senate President, Dr. Ahmad Lawan, had referred the matter

to the Senate Committee on Ethics, Privileges and Public Petitions to carry out an investigation on the allegation of looting by the Customs.

NCS officers had last week invaded the Oja Oba market and carted away eight truckloads of rice and money found in the shops of the affected traders.

The operation was carried out a month after the operatives raided Bodija International Market, Ibadan, where they also carted away bags of rice.

The Senate Committee in its resolutions urged the Comptroller General of Customs, Hameed Ali, to ensure that the seized goods and money were returned to the affected traders within two weeks and their shops unlocked.

Members of the Senate committee expressed reservations that the action of the NCS was a breach of the Customs and Excise Management Act (CEMA) and the Executive Order signed by former President Olusegun Obasanjo in 2007, which empowers the agency to only impound smuggled goods within a 40-kilometer radius to the border.

Chairman of the committee, Senator Ayo Akinyelure, who recalled that a similar operation carried out by the NCS in Katsina State led to the dismissal of the officer who led the operations while the confiscated goods were returned to the traders on the orders of President Muhammadu Buhari, urged the Comptroller-General of Customs to extend the same

gesture to the affected traders in Oyo State.

“Why do you allow the goods to come in through the borders and they find their way to the market of innocent citizens? These people are retailers, they don’t have the capacity to import. There is no reasonable ground for your people to go to the market in the thick of the night. The market isn’t within 40km radius of the border. Some people gave you information and you didn’t verify.

“There is a precedence that this thing happened in Katsina and the officers were sacked.

Is this the time to go and raid helpless women who borrowed money to do their business?

You also took their money from their shops, you admitted. Is

money also contraband,” he queried.

He added: “You should stop raiding markets and car shops.

This committee is sending message to Hameed Ali that the same thing happened in Katsina. We are appealing to the CG Customs to return the goods taken in Bodija and Oja Oba markets.

“They should return those goods within 15 days. Tell the CG to unlock their shops so that they can continue to do their business. The market isn’t within the 40km radius of the border. The precedence that happened in Katsina and a directive came from above.

So, if it happened in Katsina and Ibadan, the capital of south-west shouldn’t be an exception.”

10,000 Farmers to Benefit from Agric Subsidy Scheme in Kwara Hammed Shittu in Ilorin

Group Business Editor

NEWS

Kwara State Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq has said that about 10,000 verified farmers would benefit from the state’s agricultural input subsidy scheme.

The initiative is part of efforts to cushion the effect of COVID-19 pandemic.

AbdulRazaq said the gesture would assist the affected farmers to have access to various inputs at 50 per cent market price in order to align with the state’s strategic plan for food security and sustainable development.

Speaking at the official flag-off the scheme in Ilorin on Wednesday, the governor said the intervention became necessary in order to compensate

the farmers for their loss, due to the pandemic that affected the last farming season as well as to boost food production in the state.

He said, “This subsidy scheme gives our farmers easy access to certified seeds, assorted fertilisers and herbicides for the 2021 planting season at 50 per cent market price.”

AbdulRazaq stressed that, “This initiative is part of the administration’s sustained efforts to use agriculture to drive economic growth and food security in the post Covid-19 pandemic era.

“I assure you that mechanisms have been put in place, especially reliable data, to ensure that these inputs get only to the intended farmers.

“This programme is basically

to improve productivity. We have to bring this subsidy because our farmers went through a lot of hardship last year with COVID-19.

“So, we needed to step in to enable them to get fertilisers, improved seedlings and herbicides to boost production.”

The governor added, “It is not just about food security in Kwara State but in Nigeria as a whole. Farmers are farming largely without any problem in Kwara.

“We only need to support them. The aim is to achieve food security in Nigeria, not just Kwara. From animal husbandry to all other facets of agriculture.”

He opined further that, “Kwara is also working out a partnership with the Lagos State

government on rice production which may see roughly N10 billion investments over the next four years.

“We have the land. We are negotiating with some states, especially Lagos state. Lagos has arguably the biggest rice mill in Nigeria today, but they don’t have land.

“We want to take advantage of that and we are talking in that direction to have an MOU. And then, the federal government is working with us. We are working on the special agro-processing zone to be located in Lata which will see the investment of about N10 billion going to agriculture in Edu and Patigi local governments alone in the next two to four years; so we need to scale up what we are

doing in those areas.”

He urged the farmers to make good use of the opportunity to have a more rewarding farming experience this year, adding that the efforts will lead to better outcomes and improved livelihood across the state.

Also, the State House of Assembly Committee Chairman on Agriculture, Ojo Olayiwola commended the state government for placing high premium on the agricultural sector with several supports to farmers in the state.

Permanent Secretary Kwara State Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development Hajia Maryam Nurudeen, explained that the scheme was designed to enhance and improve the productivity of the farmers.

T H I S D AY ˾ ͵˜ ͰͮͰͯ

25

BUSINESSWORLD

ANALYSIS

As Anambra Airport Records Inaugural Flights Last week the Anambra State International Airport, Umueri marked its first test flights, thus indicating the readiness of the facility to host scheduled and cargo flights. Chinedu Eze, who attended the ceremony, writes about the expected and benefits of the infrastructure to people of the state.

A

nambra state government surprised many Nigerians on April 30, 2021, when its new airport received three flights to mark its inauguration. The surprise came from the fact that not many knew that the airport was being built and also not many knew that it had reached the level of completion to host flights.

This explained the excitement and frenzy when the first aircraft, a Boeing 737 operated

by Nigeria’s major carrier, Air Peace, landed at the airport, the home of the people who arguably are the most travelled in Nigeria.

The people could not contain their happiness that the expanse of land that hitherto was a farmland had been transformed to an airport, where a flight could take off from anywhere in the world and land after it has been certified.

The second flight that landed was Embraer 145, also operated by Air Peace and the third flight was a private jet.

The celebration was reminiscent of what happened in September 2009, when the Akwa Ibom International Airport was opened for flights.

Then, the tumultuous crowd who were so elated became human traffic gridlock, as they trekked from Uyo to Okobo community to witness the first aircraft that landed at the airport.

It was also a similar scenario at Gombe when the Sani Abacha International Airport was inaugurated in 2008. The throngs of people from the state celebrated and hailed the then governor of the state for his foresight to build the airport.

Approval For the people of Anambra state, the state government has unlocked an opportunity for job creation, for easy movement of goods and for connecting to the rest of the world from the state.

Attention of Nigerians was drawn to the airport when the Director General of the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), Captain Musa Nuhu commended the facility after detailed inspection.

He described it as one of the best in the country and said he was amazed at the elaborate, carefully planned and masterfully executed facilities at the new airport.

“I am amazed, almost speechless at the level of work, and the level of compliance with our regulatory requirements and also with international standards and recommended practices.

“We have gone round the airport. We have a runway of 3.7kilometers with a runway safety area on both ends of the airport of about 1000 meters. There’s no airport in Nigeria that has a racer area of 1000 meters at both ends of the runway.

“With two taxiways. We have gone to the tower; the control tower is amazing, certainly if not one of the best control towers in Nigeria today. We have seen the fire service station.

Amazing.

“It’s going to be a CAT (category) 955 firefighting station which will allow big planes and international flights to be landing and taking off here once flight resumes.”

“It takes care of the need of not only the airport but also of the firefighting service. We have seen the emergency evacuation center, trauma center in case, God forbid, anything happens.

“There’s arrangement to deal with any eventuality. I have seen the operational fence, I have seen the perimeter fence, significantly done or almost completed. And in the vehicle earlier today, I had said that ‘Anambra means business.’ And I mean it when I say Anambra means business,” the Director General, who was obviously satisfied with the work done, said.

Quick Execution The Chairman and CEO of Air Peace, Allen Onyema, an indigene of the state who was elated that the state government could in a short time build such facility, gave kudos to Governor Willy Obiano and his team for building the airport in record time.

“I shed tears when I landed here because nobody ever believed that this day would come. I remember some months ago when I

Anambra airport terminal

went on television to tell the world that what I saw here was impressive, some people went to town to condemn me.

“But today, I have been vindicated. This is the fastest airport to be approved by the federal government for a test flight and it is a testament of the quality of job done here. What we have here is the best runway in Africa and the widest runway to be built. This runway can land a Boeing 777 and an Airbus 380, which are the biggest planes.

“We decided to bring a small plane and a big one to show the quality of job the government has done. This airport is not going to serve only Anambra people; it would serve the South East and the entire country. I said four months ago that President Muhammadu Buhari would approve this airport as an international and cargo airport.

“One thing that is certain is that the airport will generate thousands of jobs for our people.

Forget where the airport is sited; we have nothing against it because there is plenty of land, which helped to ensure that a 3.7 kilometer runway was built,” Onyema said.

Quality of Work The Anambra State Commissioner for Works and Head of the project delivery team, Marcel Ifejiofor disclosed to newsmen that the level of work done in the airport was 90 percent, but the runway was 100 percent completed.

“The apron is 100 percent completed and the taxi way is 100 percent completed. The terminal is 90 percent completed. The good thing about what we are doing here is that all the equipment has been paid for. The lights, the avio bridges, the security, the Instrument Landing Systems (ILS) and the VOR (Voice Ominidirectional Radio Range) have all been paid for.

“In the next two months, everything should have been completed and we would commission the airport. For landscaping, the contract has been given. Our budget is on a yearly basis,” he explained.

He said the Governor of Anambra State had created a community by building the airport, noting that an airport is a community both socially and economically. Ifejiofor added: “In the construction stage, we employed about 2,500 workers and we have the suppliers. In a day, our suppliers bring in about 72 trucks, 30 tonnes of gravels. People are supplying these things and the equipment we are using here are many.

“These include diesel, cement and sand, which are supplied. The food vendors are also benefiting. The employment opportunities are unprecedented.”

He remarked that when the terminal is completed, it won’t take anything less than 1000 workers, adding that employment opportunities

would cut across aviation security, fire control workers, shops and others.

of fire cover we have here is category 9, which is the biggest,” the Commissioner said.

Certification THISDAY learnt that since it dawned on many that the airport has become a reality, there arose a raging argument whether the airport would be designated as international airport.

Such designation, experts said, is at the discretion of the federal government. But the Anambra state government in building the airport raised it to the standard that it would meet the fire cover of international airport. It also built a runway that met international standards and all other infrastructure in the airport were built to meet the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO), the Airport Council International (ACI) and the International Air Transport Association (IATA) standards. But it is left to the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority to give its verdict on the airport.

Ifejiofor explained, “The licence we have from the Ministry of Aviation recognises it as Anambra International Cargo Airport. It is equally licenced for passengers. Our runway is 3.7 kilometres; the apron is 300 by 200 meters.

It can take eight Boeing 737. The critical aircraft for this place is Boeing 737.

“We have a strip of 140 meters on the other side of the runway. We have three access roads to this airport. We have one that is under contract and is being worked on, another one comes from Onitsha road but we have the major entrance that leads to the express. This is 5.7Km; that road is 85 percent completed. You can go through that road.”

Training He said the state government has already awarded the contract to train the technical personnel to East Wing. The personnel to be trained include general training, aviation safety and security.

The Commissioner also said the Governor visited this site at least once a week and construction has been on for one year and three months and no contractor is owed; “once contractors submit their certificates, he (the Governor) pays.

He has not borrowed any money to construct this airport.”

Ifejiofor also disclosed that airlines and other service providers are showing interest to come to this airport, adding that so many people want to build maintenance hangar here, including Nigeria’s major carrier, which has indicated interest to set up a Maintenance Repair Overhaul (MRO) facility at the airport. He added that there are plans to set up aviation training school at the airport premises.

“Before December 2021, commercial schedule operations would have commenced at this airport,” the Commissioner assured.

Capacity He said that the projected passenger traffic for the airport at the onset would be 1,200 daily because the terminal was designed for 400 passengers at a time.

“In other countries, there are airports in every city. The easiest and safest means of transportation is by air. So, it doesn’t matter if we have more airports. As we speak we are doing a tank farm with a capacity of 2.1 million litres of aviation fuel and it is a private sector arrangement. That facility is 80 percent completed. We have the tallest control tower in Nigeria and it is done on concrete.

“The staircase is fire prove. We call it the safe heaven. Once there is fire in that building and we enter the staircase and close it, the fire would not get in. It also has self fire-fighting equipment. We have a tank, we have a fire pump house and we send water. Every room and office has a sprinkler.

“Beside it, we have a firehouse. The firehouse is the most recent fire tenders in the world from Germany. This fire service takes 12,500 liters each and they are three. So the category

Potential Industry expert and CEO of Belujane Konsult, Chris Aligbe, told THISDAY that for the Anambra airport to be of high utility and profitable, it must be designated as cargo airport, whereby the federal government would recognise it as cargo facility to enable it take in cargo directly from overseas.

“They should seek an approval for international cargo operation. They should not border about passengers. Passengers can go to Enugu for major international flights, but they should look at cargo and seek approval for international cargo operation. If they should do that and begin to build on it, the airport will become attractive. For cargo, the airport will be the only one in that region, except Enugu. But if it does well as a cargo airport, it can go a long way,” Aligbe said.

Also the Chief Executive Officer of Mainstream Cargo Limited, Seyi Adewale said the airport would further endear many economic actors to the state, thereby increasing the state’s prosperity and accessibility considering the current state of the country’s road network Adewale explained that the capacity of the state to generate additional Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) would improve based on rentals and other taxes that would be generated from the airport and associated businesses. He also noted that the enhanced and efficient movement of goods, services and human capital would improve the state’s capacity to attract investment.

26

T H I S D AY ˾ ͵˜ ͰͮͰͯ

BUSINESSWORLD

MARITIME

As NSC Moves to Abolish Container Deposit Eromosele Abiodun writes that the move to abolish container deposit will reduce losses due to illegal charges imposed on importers by multinational shipping companies

N

igerian ports are said to be among the most expensive place to do business in the world. Aside from the cost of doing business, there are multiple challenges that have left observers’ wonder how a people can descend to a level that defy human reasoning.

Efforts to resolve the multiple problems, which include poor infrastructure, poor traffic management, corruption, racketeering and pilfering has never yielded any positive results.

This is not to say that government agencies are not trying. They are trying but entrenched interests who have made an industry out of the crisis in the ports have ensured that every effort made to restore sanity is frustrated.

At the expense of Nigerian shippers, shipping companies are smiling to the bank imposing all manner charges on importers and exporters. Common of the most contentious and unexplained charges include; demurrage charges, container deposit charges, storage charges and landing fees.

The Nigerian Shippers Council (NSC), the port economic regulator, has been in the forefront of the fight to end unreasonable charges. Irked by a report that put Nigeria’s loss through illegal shipping charges imposed on Nigerian importers by providers of shipping services at N64 billion, the NSC had on October 29, 2014, published a public notice to terminal operators and shipping companies, directing a downward review of their charges.

Acting as the port commercial regulator, it stated that some of the charges had been a subject of controversy and persistent complaints by importers and customs agents.

The charges, whose reversal was to take effect from November 3, 2014, included: the progressive storage charge; free storage period; shipping line agency charge; container cleaning and maintenance fee and container demurrage.

The council had ordered an increase in the container storage period at the ports from three days to seven days and also directed shipping companies to reduce their charges from N26,500 to N23,850 for a 20ft container and from N48,000 to N40,000 for a 40ft container.

It further directed shipping agencies to refund container deposits to importers and agents within 10 days after the return of the empty containers. The council had increased the container Free Storage Period to seven days instead of three days. The council also increased container demurrage-free days to 10 days and directed that henceforth, container deposits must be refunded within 10 days after the empties had been returned to the shipping companies.

The Executive Secretary of the NSC, Mr. Hassan Bello, while confirming the review said the decision was arrived at after several meetings and consultations with the terminal operators and shipping companies.

“We were all in agreement with this decision. The cost of doing business at our ports is very high compared to our competitors.

Once we remove these charges, we would attract more cargo to our ports. Terminal operators are to revert the storage charge to that which was approved as far back as May 1, 2009.

“That was when the last approval was given. But they unilaterally increased the charge; now, they have to revert,” he said.

He added: “The free storage period, that is, the period before you are charged for storage or demurrage has been increased from three days to seven days. We have also told the terminal operators that the seven days free period will take effect from the time when the container is discharged from the ship. The free period formerly took effect even when the ship had not discharged the container.

This is in line with what is happening in the region and in the world all over.”

Bello explained that shipping companies were required to reduce the shipping line agency charge. For a 20 feet container, the shipping line agency charge was reduced from N26,500 to N23,850. For a 40-feet container, it was reduced from N48,000 to

achieved 70 to 80 per cent automation. The second phase is the integration of systems with banks and government agencies like the Nigeria Customs Service (NSC), “he said.

Bello also decried the environmental pollution at the nation’s seaports by hawkers who loiter the place with engine and other hazardous substances.

“Our port environment is not clean, we are working with the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) to clean up the place, move out hawkers and retailers whose activities is messing up the port, “he added.

The federal government, he added, has linked the port with rail, which he stressed is a significant achievement, “Because rail carries more cargo and is cheaper and most efficient. We now also use our waterways where we use barges to move cargo to other parts of the country.

“The electronic call-up system that was recently introduced by the NPA will help solve the traffic problem along port access roads. We all need to support it, it requires discipline, and we all need to work together for its success. We all know some people who are benefiting from the crisis will not want it to work, we must not allow them.”

Hassan Bello

N40,000. Shipping agencies were also directed to refund container deposits to importers and agents within 10 working days after the return of the empty containers.

“There is a container cleaning and maintenance fee, which shipping companies charge about N2,500; it has been reduced to N1,500. The free period before which container demurrage is charged has been increased from five days to 10 days. This is just the beginning of the revolution; we want to drive down cost and have efficient ports. We equally want to stop arbitrariness in tariff increase, and to eliminate unnecessary charges,” he added.

Report Outcome The NSC’s research team had carried out investigation on what Nigeria loses annually to illegal shipping charges imposed on importers by multinational shipping companies and terminal operators who took over cargo handling operations from the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) since 2006. The findings of the team grieved the council, prompting it to reduce some of the shipping charges.

The ports regulator had viewed the illegal charges as ‘imported inflation’ into the nation’s economy by the shipping companies and terminal operators.

A breakdown of the figure, which was allegedly collected illegally in 2013, by both terminal operators and shipping companies showed that the sum of N32.04 billion was collected by the affected providers of shipping services on Shipping Line Agency Charge (SLAC); Progressive Storage Charge – N28.8 billion while the sum of N2.5 billion was collected on container cleaning charge. The research team had also compared shipping charges in Nigeria with those of Cotonou Port, in Benin Republic, which has been the haven for diversion of Nigerian cargoes which are later smuggled into the country.

The report revealed that while an importer in Nigeria pays N62,682 and N87,695 as Terminal Handling Charge, customs examination and delivery charge for 20ft and 40ft container, it costs N24,000 and N48,000 respectively for 20ft and 40 ft container in Cotonou port.

On Free Storage Period, the NSC discovered that while it is three days in Nigeria, it is seven days in Cotonou and Ghana and 11 days in Cameroun. It was also found that unclaimed container deposit being held by shipping companies runs into several billions.

Ending Container Deposits Meanwhile, after several setbacks and following assurances by the National Insurance

Commission (NAICOM) the NSC has said it will finally abolish container deposit by June ending this year.

Bello said Nigerian shippers paid a whooping N16 billion as container deposit in 2018 alone.

Container-deposit also known as a depositrefund system, is the collection of a monetary deposit on certain containers at the point of sale and/or the payment of refund value to the consumers. When the container is returned to an authorized redemption center, or retailer in some jurisdictions, the deposit is partly or fully refunded to the redeemer who is presumed to be the original purchaser.

The NSC boss said: “We are sure of this new deadline because we have stakeholders on our side. We are talking with stakeholders, which include the shipping companies who are the owners of the containers. On the regulatory side, we are working with NAICOM and we have called individual insurance companies.

“Some of the insurance companies have already written us that they want to undertake the insurance and the shipping companies are happy about that. As we speak, a meeting is going on between NSC, NAICOM and other partners. We are actually thinking of the best way forward. There will be a process flowchart that will talk about registration, which take care of the empty containers that are being dumped all over the place.”

Bello also assured that the NSC would continue to ensure the smooth running of the port as it did during the COVID-19 lockdown.

He said the port automation that the NSC is working hard to achieve will put an end to port congestion, Apapa traffic gridlock and corruption at the port.

Port automation will also stop revenue leakages, corruption and make Nigeria’s ports to be more competitive.

While praising the federal government on its effort to develop new deep seaports in the country, he said the Lekki Deep Seaport will be the game changer for Nigeria and help Nigeria define its role in the transportation sector.

“The Lekki Deep Seaport will no doubt justify the need for Public Private Partnership (PPP) in infrastructural development, “he said.

He said the NSC has gone far in its quest for port automation adding that reports from major terminal operators showed that they are fully digitalized.

“They are commending the NSC for what we are doing to promote port efficiency in Nigeria. Payments at some terminals now are been done online, some terminals have

Impact of Charges Experts believe Nigerian consumers are the ones being over burdened with high charges, which they described as a tax imposed on imports, which are goods coming into a country.

Charges, they argued, may range from a few percent of the cost of the good to well over 100 per cent of the cost of the good!

The charges, they added, is ultimately passed on to consumers, resulting in higher prices.

The experts believe the bid to drive down cost of doing business at the port was a good plan, which will help the system in the long run.

“Every time you go shopping, you likely pay higher prices because of tariffs and quotas.

It is hard to believe that some of the goods you may be purchasing cost you more than twice as much as they could because of these economic measures! Dairy products, vegetables, tobacco, wool clothes, auto parts, brooms, Chinese tires, leather shoes, peanuts, and chocolate are just some of the common items we pay more for because of tariffs or quotas, “said a player in the industry who do not want his name in print.

He stated that there are many reasons that charges and quotas may be used adding that the most common reasons are often geared towards protecting newer or inefficient domestic industries that are seen as important to the economy and the production of jobs.

He added: “The government view is that by protecting these domestic industries, we can maintain jobs through increased sales of domestic goods. This ultimately can lead to higher tax revenue collected. The additional tax, or tariff, on imported goods can discourage foreign countries or businesses from trying to sell products in a foreign country.

“The additional taxes make the foreign import either too expensive or not nearly as competitive as it would be if the tariff didn’t exist. This can lead to fewer choices of goods and a lower quality for consumers. The amount of chocolate, fruits and vegetables, and automotive parts you have to choose from are all subject to the effects of tariffs.”

Domestic producers, he stated, benefit by ultimately facing reduced competition in their home market, which leads to lower supply levels and higher prices for consumers.

He said: “When a consumer does purchase a higher-priced imported good with a tariff imposed on it, the consumer now has less money to spend on other things. This forces consumer to either buy less of the imported good or less of some other good, ultimately lowering the purchasing power of consumers.

“It is important to remember that although consumers may pay higher prices because of tariffs and have limited options, the potential benefit is that domestic sales of goods can increase, ultimately leading to higher domestic sales and more jobs for companies inside the country.”

27

T H I S D AY ˾ ͵˜ ͰͮͰͯ

Caverton Posts N728m Profit Stories by Chinedu Eze Caverton Offshore Support Group Plc has announced its unaudited results for the period ended March 31, 2021. The company stated that the results showed a profit before tax of N728 million and a profit after tax of N520 million.

It also recorded revenue of N8.2 billion in the period under review, higher than the N7.9 billion it realised in 2020; while EBITDA for the period was N2.5 billion, compared with the N1.4 billion it garnered in 2020.

It noted that it recorded

the results in the face of the serious negative impact that the Covid-19 pandemic continues to have on business operations in Nigeria and the rest of the world, which has caused significant reduction in activities by international and local oil and gas companies who are its major clients.

Commenting on the results, Caverton’s Chief Executive Officer, Mr. Bode Makanjuola, said the results was a further demonstration of the company’s resolve to re-align its operations in the face of the challenging economic conditions, geared towards ensuring continued business

survival and profitability.

“In order to boost revenue, the marine service sector of the Group, has also been restrategising to position the company towards exploring further opportunities within and out of the oil and gas sector,” he added.

He further stated that, “our Maintenance Repair and Overhaul (MRO) facility and our Simulator Training facility, both in Lagos, are expected to officially commence business operation in the second half of 2021 and when completed will herald a new age in the Nigerian aviation sector and better fortune for the Group.”

FAAN Denies Imposing N2000 Fee on Passengers’ Luggage The Federal Airport Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) has denied imposing N2000 on passenger’s dutiable items, saying only the Nigeria Customs Service is empowered by law to collect duties, except for cargo charges.

Reacting to an allegation by a public affairs analyst, Dr. Joe Abah, who complained of being charged N2, 000 for carrying a dutiable item in his travel suitcase, the General Manager, Corporate Affairs of FAAN, Henrietta Yakubu, said the fee was a cargo surcharge, adding that it is only applicable to items that are supposed to be facilitated through the cargo section of the airport,

but being brought in through passenger terminals.

She said the essence of imposing the surcharge was to discourage passengers from bringing such items through passenger terminals, saying such negatively impact on the serviceability of conveyor belts and other facilities in the terminals.

“The attention of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria has been drawn to a tweet

by Dr. Joe Abah, a passenger who complained of being charged a fee of N2, 000 for carrying a dutiable item in his travel suitcase, and sought explanations on the legal basis for charging this fee.

“For the purpose of clar-

ity, the N2, 000 is not a fee charged on dutiable items, as only the Nigerian Customs Service is empowered by law to collect duties.

“The N2, 000 is a cargo surcharge, and it is only applicable to items that are supposed to be facilitated through the cargo section of the airport, but being brought in through passenger terminals,” she added.

She explained: “The essence of imposing this surcharge is to discourage passengers from bringing such items through passenger terminals, as they negatively impact on the serviceability of conveyor belts and other facilities in the terminals.”

28

FRIDAY MAY 7, 2021 •T H I S D AY

THIS WEEKEND WEEKLY MAGAZINE

NEWS METRO THISLIFE ART WEEKEND ENTERTAINMENT Group Features Editor: Chiemelie Ezeobi chiemelie.ezeobi@thisdaylive.com 07010510430

Helen Grant: Parliamentarian, UK Envoy, Legal Practitioner Championing the Girl-child Education

30

T H I S D AY ˾ ͵˜ 2021

COVER

Helen Grant: Parliamentarian, UK Envoy, Legal Practitioner Championing the Girl-child Education Helen Grant is United Kingdom’s Special Envoy for Girls Education, and also a Trade Envoy to Nigeria. She has been a member of Parliament for about 11 years, having practiced as a family lawyer for 23 years. She was recently in Nigeria to prepare ground for the forthcoming Global Partnership in Education Summit to be hosted in London between July 28 and 29, 2021. In this interview with Michael Olugbode, she bares her mind on the impact of the summit on global education and the plan to get 40 million more girls in primary and secondary school by 2025 globally

C

an you shed more light on who Helen Grant is?

Well, by way of background, I became a member of the UK parliament in 2010. So I’ve been an MP for nearly 11 years now.

I was a minister in David Cameron’s government between 2012 and 2015, first as a justice minister, then minister for men and equalities, and then minister for sport. In October last year, the prime minister invited me to be his trade Envoy to Nigeria. And in January of this year, in addition, he also asked me to be his special Envoy for girls education, which of course is a huge honour. Prior to politics, I was a family lawyer for 23 years and much of my work revolved around representing women and children who had suffered violence. I also did all the child abuse work and I enjoyed my profession enormously. I also have a wife assignment, a mother to Benjamin and Joel, who are my grown-up sons. And on a personal level, Nigeria is also very close to my heart because my father is Nigerian, my mother is English.

Our family name is Okuboye. So you have the Grant now because I married an Englishman, but my father’s name was Julius Akanji Okuboye. He went to school at the great Saint Gregory’s College in Lagos in the 50s. And then he came to study in England where he eventually became a doctor and he met my mum there who was training to be a nurse. So I am extremely proud of my Nigerian heritage and my British heritage. And I believe that my love and understanding of both countries, both the UK and Nigeria will help to bring people and businesses together.

Perhaps you wouldn’t mind to say what part of Nigeria your father was from?

Well Jos in Plateau State, that’s where he grew up, a bit of the North, but he went to school in Lagos and I have visited Plateau State on a number of occasions. And it is one of the most beautiful areas.

Do you speak any Nigerian native language?

Well my family speaks Yoruba but I have to do a bit more work on my Yoruba before you test me on this, but the next time I come back, maybe we could have a conversation in Yoruba.

We already know you are a diplomat, but which area would you say is your strength, your specialty?

Well, I enjoy enormously the work that I am doing now, I do actually believe trade and girls’ education go very well together. You know, I am here on this visit because we value enormously our relationship with Nigeria and Nigeria”s success is important to the UK. it is also important to the continent of Africa and in order to realise that success, in my opinion, we want Nigeria to do even more trade and we want more girls to be educated. So I think the two connect extremely well. On girls education, the role is very much about taking out the prime minister’s message that 12 years quality education for every girl is one of the best ways of tackling many of the difficult issues that we have to deal with today, like poverty, climate change, and inequality. And we know that if we want to change the world for the better, girls education is a very good place to start. A child of a mother who can read is 50 per cent more

girls. many of them are out of school, many of them will never return to school, lowering their chances of good livelihoods, finding good jobs and fully participating in society. We also know too that out-of-school girls are more at risk of, of violence, sexual violence, early pregnancy, forced marriage, child marriage, FGM, human trafficking, and you know there is a very real risk of a lost generation of girls, unless we can work really hard and work together to make sure that doesn’t happen. And that’s one of the reasons why I am visiting an important nation like Nigeria. That we have a good relationship with, to talk about these important issues and what we can do together to move that dial and get more children into school and receiving a quality education.

Grant

likely to live beyond the age of five, twice as likely to go to school themselves and 50 per cent more likely to be immunised. And we also know that girls who are educated are more able to choose if, when and how many children they have. So in investing in girls and their education is really important, it’s important for women and girls who make up 51 per cent of the population, but it’s also really important in leveling up society, boosting incomes and developing economies and nations, and, you know, all of these things that are extremely important to Nigeria and to the UK. I would like to draw you back a little by asking, what is the role of the special envoy?

The role is very much about taking that message, taking that mission of our prime minister, Boris Johnson, taking that message out about the importance of 12 years quality education and the transformative impact it can have on nations, on communities, on families, on children. So that’s very much what the role is about. And, you know, we are doing many special things in this area. And I think that, we are also showing leadership in this area, and that’s why the prime minister has put girls’ education at the very heart of the G7, that we will be hosting in June, so that the transformative effect of it can get the priority and profile it needs and deserves as well as the financial and political commitments. Our foreign secretary has set two very important new global targets. The first one is to get 40 million more girls in primary and secondary school by 2025 and a third small girls reading by 2025. And then of course we will be cohosting with Kenya, the global partnership for education financing summit on the 28th and 29th of July in London. And we are working very hard with our international partners to raise the replenishment commitment needed of at least $5 billion for children’s education for the next five years. So a lot is happening, leadership is coming from the very top. It is a marvelous job, it’s a marvelous role, but of course there’s an awful lot of work to be done.

And the situation has been made more pressing because of the impact of the pandemic, which is, you know have had a huge effect on most nations. We know that it has disrupted a lot, it has become one of the biggest disruptors in our history. And it has disrupted 1.6 billion children’s learning. many of those children are

Apart from some of those things that you have said, what is UK doing about education globally, and perhaps in assisting Nigeria as a country?

Well, we were doing a lot, as I mentioned that the UK, I feel for starters is showing considerable leadership in relation to what Boris Johnson has done. They’re putting, you know, girls’ education very much at the heart of our agenda this year for these important events that we’re either hosting or co-hosting, you know, like the G7, like the GP. And it will even be part of the cop as well, showing that girls education could be part of the solution to climate change. So first of all, great leadership, but specifically in Nigeria I can tell you that during the last 10 years we’ve supported, something in the region of 8 million children to receive an education. And that has taken the form of teacher training, supporting children into primary schools and secondary schools and boosting education management systems, which is extremely important.And I am also very proud to have to say that of the work that the team in Nigeria have been doing here to adapt to what has happened with COVID. And they have been able to really help keep children learning by developing home and community led learning programmes, some accelerated learning programmes to help with catch-up. And of course, the recording of radio and TV lessons which have actually amazingly helped something in the region of 3.5 million children in six different states across Nigeria.

So there is a lot happening here, but there is a lot happening as well in terms of leadership, What is Global Education Summit, and what is the UK and Kenya doing to host the rest of the world in London?

The global partnership for education is an important fund and they are having their educational financing summit, which we are co-hosting with Kenya on the 28th and 29th of July. There are many vital enablers to education, but actually having the financial resources to support our girls and boys is an important part of that. And that’s why this summit is extremely important. The global partnership for education, the GPE are a unique fund in that they are the only fund that focus entirely on educating children. The UK is one of the original founders of the fund and we are the largest single donor. The fund is chaired by Julia Gillard, the former prime minister of Australia and the chief executive who also leads the fund very well is a lady called Alice Albright; they are aiming to raise at least $5 billion to fund children’s education over the

next five years. And we are working very hard with our international partners to make sure that happens. And you said, why is this so important? If that happens, that could help to ensure 175 million more children can receive education. It could add billions to the economist of developing nations, and it could lift millions of families, people, children, out of poverty.

Pledges have already started to come in, Finland and the Netherlands have made a pledge. I know there will be others from other nations, and we hope that a good collective pledge from the G7 members will go a long way towards reaching that very important target.

Kenya and UK jointly hosting is some kind of strange, considering the distance between the two countries, we would want to know what are the roles of the individual countries in the hosting. What are the roles laid out for Kenya and England differently or jointly?

I think everybody’s just working as hard as they can to make sure that we have a really successful summit and that means raising the funds that we need for children’s education.

And also making sure that nations who are partners with the GPE allocate sufficiently good size of their domestic budget towards education.

Why is educating girls important and why are you championing this?

It’s transformational, it is as our prime minister said, if we can do that, we can tackle many of the huge issues facing the world today, like poverty, climate change and inequality. And as I said just thinking about that transformational impact, that child of a mother who is educated has 50 per cent or more likely chance to live beyond the age of five, twice as likely to attend school themselves and 50 per cent more likely to be immuniaed. This all together means that society will level up income, and communities and nations will be able to develop.

What is the situation for girls’ education in Nigeria?

There are lots of children who are out of school in Nigeria, many of them are girls and that disparity increases over time. There are more girls out of school in secondary school and primary school. And there are many reasons for that. Some are to do with cultural and religious reasons, some are to do with a preference sometimes towards the male child.

And there are some gender based reasons too.

Like I said earlier, cases such as violence, early pregnancy, child marriage, early marriage, FGM, all of those types of reasons can often stop girls from attending school. So we want to see even more girls attending school and enjoying education in Nigeria and in a lot of other countries around the world, too.

What is the UK doing to support girls education in Nigeria?

I think I have said what we are doing in terms of supporting girls education in Nigeria. Over the last 10 years we have supported millions of children especially girls get education. A few of this is in teacher training, supporting education management systems and supporting children to primary and secondary school and at least 8 million children over 10 years, have been assisted into school.

31

T H I S D AY ˾ ͵˜ 2021

NEWS

Foundation Leads Conversation on Mental Health, Inclusion with Short Film Stories by Mary Nnah In celebration of its fourth anniversary, last week, Olamma Cares Foundation rolled out a short film that portrays the need for mental awareness in Nigeria.

The documentary, CIRCLES, released in Pidgin, Yoruba, Igbo and Hausa, will also go a long way to show the importance of having conversations about mental health and the need for a support system for everyone.

Speaking about CIRCLES, Olamma Cares Founder, Chioma Nwosu explained the importance of using the media as a tool to spread positive messages. “As an organisation, we understand that the media is a great tool to pass across a message. We decided to leverage drama to drive home key points about mental health and its issues in Nigeria.. “Having this short film in different languages also makes it easier for individuals living in underserved communities to also be a part of this cause,” Nwosu noted.

CIRCLES premiered on

Enogie of Useh Dukedom, Egor LGA, Edo State, HRH Prince Olomuza Eweka (middle) flanked by the palace chiefs and other stakeholders during the event

March 30, 2021 to celebrate Olamma Care Foundation’s fourth aniversary.

From rural to urban communities in Nigeria, one thing is common - the sheer denial of mental issues among Nigerians and in various communities and social structures. However, as is the foundation’s aim, more and more Nigerians are becoming aware of mental issues and have shown adequate interest in seeking mental support where needed. Olamma Cares, having positioned itself to provide mental support for those who need it, has also been able to reach out to over 5000

individuals across Nigeria within the past four months with its Telemedicine Project.

In celebrating its fourth anniversary, the foundation in collaboration with the UK’s Foreign, Commonwealth and Development office for the Digital Access Programme, provided mental health support across various communities in Nigeria within the past four months.

The project which is aimed at providing Mental Health Support for Digitally Underserved Persons in Nigeria during the COVID-19 has successfully fostered digital inclusion by promoting effective, sustain-

able and viable community based mental health care that leverages on creative solutions to provide telemedicine to digitally underserved communities in Nigeria.

Established in 2017, Olamma Cares Foundation has continued to raise the awareness on mental health and mental health issues in Nigeria by encouraging the social acceptance of people living with mental health conditions and the provision of support for persons living with a mental health condition or in need of mental health support.

Ooni of Ife Canvasses for Locally Made Products The Arole Oduduwa and Ooni of Ife, Ooni Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi Ojaja II, has urged Nigerians to patronise locally made products, stating that such gesture is required to grow the country’s economy.

Ogunwusi made the call recently at his Ile Oodua Palace Ile-Ife,whileplayinghosttomanagement of Titan Multi-business investmentLimited,producersof Titan Rice. The Titan team were on a courtesy visit to theAfrican foremost monarch to formally invite him as the special guest of honour at the commissioning of the Titan Farms Corporate head office and rice factory located in Ibadan, slated to hold soon.

The Ooni commended

Ooni of Ife with the Titan Farms team

Titan management for their patriotism and originality, while rendering qualitative services to Nigerians.

“We should commend the management of this great company and other few ones across

the country for standing up to the challenges in the competitive market, it is obviously not easy” the Ooni said.

Founder and Chief Trader, Titan Multi-business Investment, Mr. Gbenga Eyiolawi, thanked

the Ooni for the kind words, affirming his organisation’s readiness to uphold its efficient service delivery mechanism.

“Titan is an agro-commodity processing and trading outfit, buying farm produce directly from Nigerian farms and processing them with our partnermills and processing facilities using High-Tech equipment in the Northern part of the country.

“These processed goods are packaged in our brand and sold directly to distributors across South-west Nigeria. Pioneer of such goods is our rice brand known as Titan Rice which is produced and packaged in the North and then sold in the South,” Eyiolawi noted.

MSII SDG Challenge: Raising Quality Female Leaders Girls’ education goes beyond getting girls into school. It is also about ensuring that girls learn and feel safe while in school; have the opportunity to complete all levels of education acquiring the knowledge and skills to compete in the labour market; learn the social and emotional and life skills necessary to navigate and adapt to a changing world; make decisions about their own lives; and contribute to their communities and the world.

Girls’ education is a strategic development priority.

Better educated women tend to be more informed about nutrition and healthcare,

have fewer children, marry at a later age, and their children are usually healthier, should they choose to become mothers.

They are more likely to participate in the formal labour market and earn higher incomes. All these factors combined can help lift households, communities, and countries out of poverty.

Understanding this fact, the driver of the Muhammad Sanusi II Sustainable Development Goals, (HH MSII SDGs) challenge has announced plans to raise $2million in funds to spur objectives realisation and the initiatives expansion across

Africa. The organisation also disclosed that it will begin its first showcase in August 2021, following the launch of the programme in January this year. The idea of the challenge is designed to empower teachers towards achieving SDGs 4 and 5 - quality education and gender equality and consequently address other SDG challenges.

Speaking on the challenge, UN SDG Advocate and Chairman, Board of 1MillionTeachers, Muhammad Sanusi II, stated that the challenge is a call to action for female teachers across Africa in partnership with 1 million Teachers and other partners

like Queens University in Kingston Ontario Canada, to create a grassroots movement of empowered teachers, which are in the frontlines of education and gender equality.

1million Teachers is an organisation based in Canada that empowers teachers to provide an inclusive and gender responsive education.

Sanusi explained further the challenge is to provide improved equitable costeffective, safe and coordinated innovative, quality, gender-responsive education, especially for girls and to empower teachers in subSaharan Africa.

AshHamman’sMovie,‘Seven’LeadsonNetflix A movie titled, Seven whose Executive Producer is Abdul Sammir Hamman, popularly known Ash, is currently topping charts on Netflix occupying the #1 spot on the trending Nigerian movies platform.

‘Seven’ showcases the events of a man who must survive seven days in the Nigerian neighbourhood of Ajegunle after his affluent fa-

Ash

ther passes, posing obstacles to keep him from his inheritance.

Ash, who is also Chief Executive Officer of ImmaQul’8 Entertainment, is a multi talented singer/songwriter, movie producer and entrepreneur.

Speaking about his role in the movie, Ash said, “Seven’ was truly a ride that had a lot of ups and downs; it all started

in Dubai with an idea from a movie I watched many years ago.

“I ran it by my partner Tosin and the team over a few Skype sessions, we flipped it with a very interesting twist and it came out amazing. This is my first Executive Producer role and this movie made it to Cinemas, then Netflix, I feel truly blessed.”

Addiction Crooner, Claurreth Daniels Introduces Puppy on Bed She originally hails from Imo state, Nigeria and produces awesome beats and has a thrilling voice. She is currently working on her new video titled “Puppy on Bed”.

Speaking on what inspired the yet to be released music video she said, “Puppy on bed” was brought into life Claurreth Daniels to explain the passion that couples miss in their relationships and how to rekindle that passion.”

Daniels whose precious song, Addiction, was released many years back, recalled that Addiction originally started in 2013 but due to numerous business trips, she had to put the song on hold for a while till it was released a couple of years later.

She explained further what Addiction is all about. “In Addiction, I talk about the living standard of couples in love, how they fight, make up, how the men get distracted and how the female in the relationship is being ignored by the male counterpart but get attention from other males outside her relationship but she keeps fighting for her love.”

Daniels who said she had a humble beginning, got educated like her peers, went to high school and university as her mom strived hard to give her and her siblings the best of education.

“I have always loved singing and as such, I went into singing here and there, joining music groups like Acapella. I also traded in Dubai to make ends meet. I used to import goods from Dubai and sell in small scale back then”, she recalled how it all started.

Speaking further she said “When I graduated from school, I got more musically curious. At some point I joined a live band which I let go when one of our band members died. “I had producers frustrate me in music because of my gender as a female so when I got to the states I became a producer and made my own beats and wrote my own songs. Music to me is like breathing.”

UAC Foods Unveils Gala spicy, Classic Variants UAC Foods Limited, makers of Gala, has announced the launch of two new variants of its well-loved beef sausage roll - Gala Spicy and Gala Classic. The new product variants, which come in a bigger 100gram size, have been carefully formulated to enrich the Nigerian snacking experience, on the go.

These new variants are crafted to deliver more value, the new Gala Spicy and Gala Classic variants come in a bigger size, offering more spice and beef filling at N100 only.

For existing and new beef roll fans, the all-time Nigerian favourite snack launches its Gala Spicy and Classic variants at N100. The Gala Spicy sausage roll is enhanced with extra flavour and spice (pepper) to match Nigerians’ love for delicious spicy food and snacks. The Gala Classic is a remake of the old Gala classic sausage roll, offering more in beef filling, taste and size, and giving consumers more value at a great price. Managing Director of UAC Foods Limited, Dele Ajayi, said “UAC Foods Limited has been a partner to the Nigerian diet for over fifty years, offering nutritional products that enrich the Nigerian lifestyle. “The launch of our Gala Classic and Gala Spicy variants is no different. Our commitment is to deliver great value at a great price to our consumers. I am certain that our consumers will enjoy the tasty experience of the new Gala Spicy and Gala Classic”.Gala is a leader in the sausage roll category in Nigeria, which has been satisfying Nigerians since 1962.

Maryjane Orji Wins the Beauty Ambassadors Contest Miss Maryjane Orji has emerged winner of the maiden edition of the Beauty Ambassadors Contest, an online photogenic contest, held in April, 2021.

Organised by Melanin Pride Concept Limited, owners of the Black and Beautiful Group, the contest aims at appreciating the beauty of the black woman, through a periodic photogenic contest, with winners chosen by registered voters on the company’s website.

Black and Beautiful Group is a platform dedicated to informing, inspiring and celebrating the black woman and her numerous achievements in various spheres.

The black woman, both on the African continent and in the diaspora, has demonstrated her strength, capacity and resilience.

She has continued to break boundaries and blaze the trail on various fields. In spite of the demonstrated intellectual and physical prowess in various fields, there still persists a general perception of the black woman as weak, intimidated and helpless. The Black and Beautiful Group platform, the CEO, Chidi Orazulike, explained, is designed to challenge the prevailing stereotype, promote a powerful global image of the black woman and share culture.

Established in 2007, the platform operated as a print publication until 2012. The necessity for a medium transformation, for optimal delivery and greater impact, informed the transition to online engagements.

The platform offers many informative, inspiring and entertaining video contents. Aside from the monthly Beautiful Ambassadors photogenic contest, Black and Beautiful is also concluding plans to hold an annual Beautiful Brain Awards, to celebrate and encourage academic excellence among the female student population.

Though focused on the black woman, the Black and Beautiful concept has demonstrated a cross-demographic appeal.

The beauty, intelligence, challenges and successes of the black woman are equally appealing to men and women of all races.

32

T H I S D AY ˾ ͵˜ 2021

E-TRENDS

MUSIC SHOWBIZ

…Your weekly entertainment delight

NOLLYWOOD

Will Baba Ijesha Case Finally Kick off a #MeToo Movement in Nigeria?

Vanessa Obioha writes that the #MeToo movement is long overdue in Nigeria and perhaps, Baba Ijesha’s case may be a good starting point Each time a prominent person is accused of sexual abuse, there is a flicker of hope that the long-awaited #MeToo movement that started in the United States — and diminished powerful people who were once deemed invincible — would finally find its voice in Nigeria. There have been pockets of #MeToo moments in the country such as the #ArewaMeToo in the northern region in 2017. It was inspired by 24-year-old pharmacist Khadija Adamu in Kano State. Adamu who was sexually assaulted by her boyfriend blogged about her abuse eight months later, spurring other women in the region to speak about the sexual violence against them.

In 2019, when the popular photographer Busola Dakolo, accused the charismatic and fashionable pastor of the Commonwealth of Zion Assembly (COZA) Biodun Fatoyinbo of raping her, not a few thought that justice would finally be served.

But that would not be the case as Dakolo’s suit demanding a letter of apology from Fatoyinbo was dismissed by Justice Oathman Musa who presided over the case. He ruled that the case was an act of injustice and an abuse of the judicial process, describing it as empty and sentimental.

Last year, while the world was dealing with the strains of the pandemic, popular musician D’banj was in the news for allegedly raping a lady, Seyitan Babatayo. Again, after a series of legal battles, Seyitan withdrew her petition against the singer who maintained his innocence throughout. That case like Dakolo’s yielded no big #MeToo moment.

In Nigeria, 30 per cent of girls and women aged between 15 and 49 reported having experienced sexual abuse. The prevalence of sexual abuse such as sex for roles/marks (both in the academic and creative sectors), abuse of minors are often done with impunity because of the limited access to justice, particularly when a prominent figure is involved. Oftentimes, such cases are dismissed for lack of evidence, mainly because the victims did not report the crime on time. As such, the

Baba Ijesha

veracity of their allegation is often questioned and sometimes described as a defamatory act.

Filmmaker Kunle Afolayan tried to address the sexual abuse of students by lecturers which is prevalent in universities in his movie ‘Citation’.

Perhaps, the recent case of the popular Yoruba actor Olanrewaju Omiyinka aka Baba Ijesha may tip the scales of justice in favour of victims and bring celebrities who hide behind their veneers of stardom to commit atrocities to justice.

The actor was accused of allegedly sexually assaulting a 14-year-old girl in the care of popular comedian, Adekola Adekanya, otherwise called

The Voice Nigeria Knockouts Stage is Set

Fela is Coming to Clubhouse

Vanessa Obioha

Vanessa Obioha

After filling up their teams in last week’s episode, the blind auditions officially came to an end. The stage is now set for Knockouts where the coaches will pair their teams up and figure out which talent has the potential to make it to the live performances and eventually win the season. The coaches final pick to complete their teams in the sixth episode were Dapo Zacchaeus (Darey), Anu Akinlagun (Waje), Nneka Ngwe (Falz) and Okiemute ‘Kitay’ Okotete (Yemi Alade).

Each episode of the Blind Auditions had memorable highlights but the last episode may have recorded the most.

From Waje’s broken heart when Dapo picked Darey over her to Yemi Alade’s left ventricle which must have felt lacerated when Nneka chose Falz over her. The Knockouts stage will likely see more drama between the coaches.

The official names of the talents on each team as they proceed to Knockouts are Vanilla, Loven,

On Saturday, May 15 and Sunday, May 16, an audio adaptation of the Broadway musical ‘FELA!’ will make its debut on Clubhouse, the popular audio chat platform.

Titled ‘Fela Ten Twenty’, the adaptation will feature a new interpretation of Bill T. Jones’ and Jim Lewis’ original ‘FELA!’ script, framing the #EndSARS movement in the context of Fela Kuti’s legacy.

Fela’s legend is steeped in his fight against police brutality which is also the background of the #EndSARS movement.

“Fela’s music, the foundation for Afrobeat, demanded global engagement with African political thought. In the aftermath of the October 2020 #EndSars protests against police brutality, his message still achingly resounds. This production is a love letter to those fighting for a better Nigeria,” says ‘Fela Ten Twenty’ writer, director and producer, Funa Maduka.

Coach Waje of The Voice Nigeria

Ewaoluwa, Toeseen, Tim Ayo and Kitay (Yemi Alade); Dapo, Blescene Uche, Ayomikun, Esther, Jeremiah and Rachel (Darey); Nuel Ayo, Anu, Teslim, Eazzie, Ifunanya and Inioluwa (Waje); Peace, Neky, KPee, Okemdiya, Tamara and Naomi Mac (Falz).

Sponsored by First Bank Nigeria which is dedicated to the discovery of musical talents and contribution to the arts and entertainment industry, viewers can watch all the drama and talents on The Voice Nigeria on Africa Magic Channels on DStv and GOtv on Saturdays and AIT, Views Channel and Wazobia/Max TV on Sundays.

Princess. After receiving CCTV footage that found him culpable, the actor was arrested on April 22.

It was gathered that the actor defiled the minor when she was seven-year-old, and seven years later, he again carried out his pedophilic actions on her.

His action has drawn severe backlash from the public, albeit not everyone is throwing stones at the actor.

Recently, over 7,500 persons signed a petition started by Aunt Landa’s Bethel Foundation on behalf of the victim’s foster mother, to prevent the release of the actor. The petition was titled

‘Olanrewaju James Omiyinka must not be released in Nigeria for defiling a seven-year-old girl’.

As of Tuesday, the Lagos State Government advised the state Police Command to charge the actor to court over the sexual abuse allegation against him. The advice was given by the Directorate of Public Prosecutions which revealed that Baba Ijesha may be sentenced to life imprisonment if found guilty in court.

In a statement signed by the Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice in Lagos, Hon. Moyosore Onigbanjo (SAN), the state government recommended that the actor should be charged under the following provisions of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015: “Section 135, Indecent Treatment of a child — punishable by seven years imprisonment; Section 137, Defilement of a Child — punishable by life imprisonment; Section 261 Sexual Assault by Penetration — punishable by life imprisonment; Section 262, Attempted Sexual Assault by Penetration — punishable by 14 years imprisonment and Section 263, Sexual Assault — punishable by three years imprisonment.

“Whilst the State would ensure that Mr Olanrewaju James’s rights as enshrined in the Constitution are upheld, the Ministry of Justice would not relent in its efforts in ensuring that whoever sexually abuses any resident of Lagos State is speedily brought to book,” the statement read.

The statement also revealed that since the establishment of the Domestic and Sexual Violence Response Team in 2014, the Ministry of Justice has to date prosecuted over 800 cases of sexual and domestic offences.

So far, the handwriting on the wall indicates that Baba Ijesha may not escape the hammer of the law. Perhaps, his case will be a reckoning one for the entertainment industry and encourage young persons and women who have suffered sexual abuse at the hands of untouchable celebrities and prominent persons in the business and political landscape to report their abusers.

Fela Anikulapo-Kuti

The audio adaptation was inspired by Eniola Mafe, Omolola Adele-Oso, Chinedu Enekwe and Audu Maikori, who hosted a table read of ‘FELA!’ on Clubhouse to commemorate the 10th anniversary of the close of the show’s Broadway run. They approached Maduka to direct but the latter pitched reimagining it.

The audio musical will be co-produced by the original lead producer of the show Stephen Hendel who remarked that “Fela belongs to Nigeria, Africa and the world. It is a thrill to have the show reimagined by a team

of young, creative Nigerians. I’m proud to support these artists who have come together to honour Fela Kuti’s legacy with such immense commitment and dedication.”

Hendel’s show was nominated for 11 Tony awards.

Other producers include Maduka, and Olabimpe Olaniyan, daughter of the late renowned Fela scholar, Tejumola Olaniyan.

Kingsley Okorie and Benjamin James of The Cavemen are tapped to produce music for the production.

An array of talented actors from Nigeria, the UK and the US will be bringing the production to life. They include Sir Marcell, Jumoké Fashola, NC Grey, Nneamaka Nwadei, Aliu Ajala among other actors.

Proceeds from the show will be used to support GEANCO Foundation, whose David Oyelowo Leadership Scholarship provides full tuition, healthcare, and social and psychological support to young female survivors of terrorism and gender inequality.

HAPAwards Calls For Entries Vanessa Obioha Organisers of the Hollywood and African Prestigious Awards (HAPAwards) are calling for entries for the year in review. Interested participants are expected to submit their works in different categories such as music, film, comedy and fashion. Billed to take place at the Orpheum Theatre from October 22 to 24 in Los Angeles, California, USA, HAPAwards is a United States of America award which recognizes outstanding individuals, whose lives have been marked by extraordinary personal and professional accomplishments.

The theme for this year’s edition is tagged ‘Collaboration for Global Development, Peace and Prosperity.’ The Producer and African Representative of HAPAwards, Mr. Adeola Odunowo revealed that the award creates an avenue to appreciate and honor exceptional actors, musicians, comedians, celebrities and world-renowned dignitaries.

33

T H I S D AY ˾ ͵˜ 2021

AderinsolaJolaoshoLaunchesFreeDigitalMarketingClassforSmallBusinesses Stories by Chiamaka Ozulumba Aderinsola Jolaosho, a communication and brand consultant, has expressed her interest to train small scale business owners and digital marketing enthusiasts for free in a fourweek-long intensive digital marketing class scheduled to be held on all Sundays in May. All the classes are free and are part of her contribution to solving the problem of unemployment and helping small businesses thrive in Nigeria.

According to the PanAtlantic University MSc graduate on her Linkedin handle, the training, which started as a post on her WhatsApp story, will transform lives, help business thrive, and improve employment opportunities.

Narrating how she birthed the idea, she wrote on her

Linkedin handle; “I woke up on ‘the good side of the bed’ one Thursday, so I held a free class.

“I simply put up posts on my WhatsApp Status, telling people to choose what course they would like to learn out of three.

“Digital Marketing won, and we started the class at 5:00 pm on Zoom. We had 120 minutes of insightful teaching and fun.

I enjoyed the entire process.

“We moved from research to Quora marketing to Email Marketing. However, after the class, many people saw my updates and felt they didn’t have the opportunity to participate.

“That is why I decided to do this again. I will give practical and insightful pieces of information for FREE”.

Explaining why the class is free, Jolaosho said: I conduct in-house training for organisations and one-on-one classes

Jolaosho

for Business Executives.

“A few people have reached out to me for mentorship and internship, but my schedule cannot accommodate this. “ So after I put up a post, did a Zoom Class, and got positive feedback from my WhatsApp contacts, more people reached

out to me for the same opportunity. This class is worth 200,000 NGN! Over 250 people have registered for this class, and I am amazed!”

Supporting her claim, Tejiri Ikide, one of the participants of the first Zoom class said; “I learnt a lot from the class in

just two hours. I learned about website statistics, keyword analysis, and how to create digital strategies that will aid engagement and sales.

“This training is worth paying for, and God bless Derin for putting this together. I would advise those interested in learning how to use digital platforms to scale up their businesses, those who want to improve their digital communications skills, and those who are interested in learning new skills to register for this course. I have already filled the form myself”.

Another LinkedIn user, Adetola Adeyemi, commended Jolaosho for the initiative, saying, “the class was so insightful.

I enjoyed it. Thanks for sharing your knowledge with us”.

Reactions from other attendees and enquiries regarding the class followed this comment.

The class will start May 2, 2021, and interested participants can register here.

Jolaosho is a communication and brand consultant, who prefers to be referred to as a Creative Problem Solver.

With a speciality in Strategic Thinking, Branding, Public Relations, Search Engine Optimisation, Media Relations, Writing and Communications Consultancy, she has helped organisations and individuals solve their communications and perception problems.

She has a degree in English from the University of Lagos and a MSc in Media Enterprise from the Pan Atlantic University. Since 2016, she has worked in the real estate, hospitality and franchise development sectors, and she is passionate about helping businesses thrive. She is currently the managing partner of ThePush.ng.

NAFOWA National President Pays Working Visit to Logistics Chapter The Nigerian Air Force Officers’ Wives Association (NAFOWA) National President, Mrs Elizabeth Olubunmi Amao, on Tuesday, May 4, paid a one-day working visit to the Logistics Command, Lagos.

The visit, which was her maiden to Lagos since her assumption of office, was to acquaint herself with NAFOWA, Logistics Command chapter and commission some NAFOWA projects. In her speech, she urged members to always pray for their husbands and the country especially during this period of insecurity, just as she solicited their support to move the association forward.

Noting that the association was created for the women to stick together, she reminded the women it was not a platform for intimidation nor gossip.

She said: “I want you to remember

The President, Nigerian Air Force Officers’ Wives Association (NAFOWA), Mrs. Elizabeth Amao (second left); NAFOWA Logistics Chapter, Mrs. Oluwayemisi Makinde (second right) and other members

that NAFOWA is not an avenue for gossip, not a place to show power.

There are a lot of things to benefit in

NAFOWA. “NAFOWA is a platform for you to stick together. This can be done by

cooperating with your chairperson and commander’s wife.

“Ladies, you should serve as

example to people around you. The senior officer’s wife should serve as an example to the younger ones.

“Mostly, we should learn to be prayerful. We should remember our husbands, family in prayers and also our country, Nigeria especially in this time of insecurity.”

Assuring them their requests for provision of a bus and other infrastructure have been noted, Mrs. Amao also admonished the women to ensure they respect the by-laws governing the group.

Earlier, the Chairperson, NAFOWA LC chapter, Mrs. Oluwayemisi Makinde, appealed for assistance to complete some pending projects in the chapter including a school in Victoria Island, relocation to permanent site of the NAFOWA Little Angels School, Ishaga, among others.

The AfCFTA can Transform African Economies, but it will Stall without the Right Infrastructure Sipho Makhubela We are living through the first stages of a radical remaking of Africa’s economic landscape. On January 1, 2021, the largest global free trade area in terms of countries participating came into existence, with the potential to transform the continent’s economic prospects.

The African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) covers 55 countries that are home to 1.3 billion people and a collective GDP of $3.4 trillion. The agreement’s core aim is the reduction of trade costs.

To achieve this, it will eliminate 90% of tariffs, and focus on the removal of outstanding non-tariff barriers. In much the same way that the European Union did, it will create a single market facilitating the free movement of goods and services. African economies will achieve greater integration with the world’s supply chains by having their rules around intellectual property, the movement of persons and labour, competition issues and investment overhauled.

These aims and characteristics give the agreement the potential to transform trade, and therefore economic activity, across Africa. A recent World Bank report expects regional

income will be boosted by 7% or $450 billion, while 30 million people are expected to be helped out of extreme poverty by 2035 as the agreement helps stimulate economic growth and wages.

Intra-continental exports are also seen increasing by 81%, while the increase to non-African countries would be 19%. It is estimated that the agreement will increase Africa’s exports by $560 billion, with the largest contribution coming from manufacturing.

African countries currently conduct extremely limited trade with each other – in fact, the World Trade Organisation (WTO) highlights that just 17% of African exports are intracontinental, and that Africa accounts for just 2% of global trade. This doesn’t compare favourably with Asia, where almost 60% of trade takes place with other Asian economies, and European where more than two-thirds of trade is intra-European.

There is no doubt that the AfCFTA will solve multiple problems, and bring a wealth of benefits to African economies, as it creates a lucrative enabling environment. However, the WTO has already warned that the agreement must overcome implementation challenges if it is to realise its many benefits. Not least among these implementation challenges is the need for

robust, modern and well-maintained infrastructure. Better power, transport and communications infrastructure will be pivotal to its success. Improved road, air, port and rail networks that facilitate cross-border trade and faster, more efficient borders are just one factor that investors, regulators and potential trade partners are reviewing as they assess the continent’s current systems of trade.

The massive uptick in growth we all want the AfCFTA to deliver can’t be measured, or delivered without infrastructure. This will require a massive collective effort, driven by public / private partnerships, to build predictability into the systems needed to support increased trade.

The agreement has the power to shift procurement and sourcing from more established markets to African states over time, creating new industries and expanding existing sectors. We have already seen momentum added to the establishment of new industrial activity like automotive component manufacturing in key markets like Kenya, Nigeria and Ghana.

As businesses operating in Africa begin to trade with new, more regional partners, they will need to know that the systems supporting these relationships are able to support their

objectives. At the moment, the logistics around products from sophisticated trading nations like China are predictable – we know when they will arrive, and we know what standard the products are delivered at. Good infrastructure enhances predictability and helps make the choice of dealing with new African trade partners clearer, more simple and less risky.

This need will have massive implications for the continent’s often outmoded and aging land transport systems, and we are particularly excited by the potential that these changes represent for the rail business, particularly in landlocked countries like Rwanda. The country’s reliance on the Mombasa port in Kenya adds a massive cost overlay to Rwanda’s imports, creating a major competitive disadvantage for the country. AfCFTA will help countries in similar positions compete, but we can only overcome these disadvantages if infrastructure enables the goals of the agreement.

We also see Information and Communications Technology (ICT) playing a critical business enhancing role.

Advances in monitoring and control technologies built around the Internet of Things will eliminate the need for managers and owners to be constantly present at their facilities. Trusted,

reliable communications networks will be as valuable as better roads and railways in this regard.

Without modern, robust infrastructure we won’t see the benefits of the AfCFTA come through at pace, and implementation of the agreement may stumble. We are working with our network of partners across Africa in the knowledge that infrastructure is pivotal to the successful delivery of the AfCFTA. As we unlock the vast potential that the AfCFTA represents, we should remind ourselves that it doesn’t help for South Africa, or any other country on the continent to grow in isolation. If you stay in a double story house, you don’t want to see your neighbours living in a shack.

Africa needs to grow together. The AfCFTA is the right policy. Now we have a lot of work to do together to make it a reality. ˾ ËÕÒßÌÏÖË ÓÝ ÞÒÏ ÙÐ ËÜÓÞÒ ÏØÏÜËÖ ËÜÞØÏÜݘ Ë ÙßÞÒ ÐÜÓÍË̋ÌËÝÏÎ ÖÏËÎÓØÑ ÚËØ ÐÜÓÍËØ ÓØÐÜËÝÞÜßÍÞßÜÏ ÎÏ̋ àÏÖÙÚÏÜ ËØÎ ʨØËØÍÓÏܲ ËÜÓÞÒ˪Ý ÚßÜàÓÏá ÓÝ ͽͽ ÍÙßØÞÜÓÏݘ áÓÞÒ ËØ ÏâÞÏØÝÓàÏ ØÏÞ̋ áÙÜÕ ÙÐ ÚËÜÞØÏÜÝÒÓÚÝ ËÍÜÙÝÝ ËÖÖ ÙÐ ÞÒÏ ÍÙØÞÓØÏØÞ˪Ý ÍÙßØÞÜÓÏݲ ÒÏ Ù×ÚËØã˪Ý ÓØàÏÝÞ×ÏØÞÝ ÝÚËØ ÞÜËØÝÚÙÜÞ˜ ËØÎ ÚÙáÏÜ

34

T H I S D AY ˾ ͵˜ 2021

ART WEEKEND

…For pure art enthusiasts

40 Years Gone: Trailing the Imprints of Bob Marley May 11, 2021 marks the 40th year anniversary of the death of the famed reggae musician, Bob Marley whose music revolutionised the world, writes Yinka Olatunbosun

R

obert Nesta Marley, simply known as Bob Marley has become so synonymous with reggae music that you’d think he invented it. The truth is ‘Bob Marley and The Wailers’ has the biggest selling reggae album of all time. Marley is also one of the most documented artists of his time with three Nobel Peace Prize nominations on his sleeves.

He elevated reggae from being Jamaican music to a leading cultural export by infusing his reggae brand with strong political themes and Rastafari spirituality. His gift in music combined with his striking looks made him a sex symbol of sorts. Although some purists and critics will argue that he wasn’t the best thing that happened to reggae music; he became the poster boy of reggae music with his medley of reggae anthems that appeal even to non-reggae fans.

Songs like “One Love,’’ “Redemption Song’’ “Rastaman Vibration’’ were examples of his commercial success stories and chart-topping breakthroughs. But that’s not all: he became controversial for advocating for the legalization of marijuana.

Before he found his voice that resonated across the world, Marley had his humble beginnings in Trench Town- one the poorest neighborhoods in Jamaica. He struggled with poverty, which largely influenced the subject matters in his music and lyrics. Alongside his friends, he formed the ‘Wailing Wailers’ in 1963. But it wasn’t until 1972 that they made their break with a recording contract with Island Records.

Poor record sales and other rancour made the wailers drift apart. On his part, Marley married Rita Anderson on February 10, 1966. Eventually, Marley left for the United States where his mother resided. After eight months, Marley returned to Jamaica, reuniting with Livingston and McIntosh to form the Wailers. Meanwhile,

Bob Marley

Marley had started exploring his spiritual side and developing a growing interest in the Rastafarian movement and Pan-Africanism.

In the late 1960s, Marley worked with pop singer Johnny Nash. Nash scored a worldwide hit with Marley’s song “Stir it Up.” The Wailers also worked with producer Lee Perry during this era; some of their successful songs include “Trench Town Rock,” “Soul Rebel” and “Four Hundred Years.” The Wailers added two new members in 1970: the bassist Aston “Family Man” Barrett and his brother, drummer Carlton “Carlie” Barrett. The following year, Marley worked on a movie soundtrack in Sweden with Johnny Nash.

His debut studio album Natty Dread (1974) was well received, as did its follow-up Rastaman Vibration (1976). Afew months after the album’s release, Marley survived an assassination attempt at his ‘Safe House’ in Jamaica while he and his team were rehearsing for an upcoming concert.

It was a time when political tensions were high

in Jamaica with both Jamaican Labour Party and People’s National Party courting Marley’s support. PNP had reportedly moved their rally to a date that coincided with Marley’s Smile Jamaica Concert. Though he was said to be politically neutral, he was perceived to be supporting the Prime Minister, Michael Manley and his party People’s National Party. This might have provoked the opposition party, leading to the attacks.

Following the attempted assassination, Marley moved to England where he spent two years in a self-imposed exile. During his time in London, he recorded the album Exodus (1977), his ninth studio album which was mix of reggae and some tinge of blues, soul, British rock and funk. It includes songs like “Natural Mystic’’ “Jamming’’ “Waiting in Vain’’ “Turn Your Lights Down Low’’ and “One Love.’’ It is on the hinges of the contributions of the likes of Bob Marley that reggae music became associated with promoting equal rights, unity and justice

and as the popular British radio presenter Angie Greaves says, “a code for deviance.’’ Marley’s music trajectory is one of the crucial elements to understanding the relationship between Jamaican music and Birmingham youth culture.

Marley’s influence in UK trails after his Jamaican forerunners such as Max Romeo, Dave Barker and music director, Bigga Morrison. Undoubtedly, he has inspired several generations of reggae and dancehall artists and music bands including UB40, Steel Pulse, ASWAD, The Police, and lately, the first female and the youngest to win a Grammy in the Reggae album category, Koffee.

In 1977, he was diagnosed with acral lentiginous melanoma, a form of skin cancer. He sought treatment on a toe he had injured earlier that year. After discovering cancerous cells in his toe, doctors suggested amputation. Marley refused to have the surgery, however, citing his religious beliefs which prohibited amputation.

He died as a result of the illness on May 11, 1981.

The news of his death sent shivers through the ‘true Marlians’ across the world; he was only 36 years old. Survived by 12 children, he received a state funeral in Jamaica. Other reports claimed that Marley had admitted to having 11 offspring from seven different mothers and about 25 others have claimed to be of his blood. His last album, Uprising was released a month after his death, featuring a lion-maned Rastafarian image with arms raised in victory. The last song on the record, RedemptionSong,includesexcerptsfromspeeches by the Pan-Africanist Rastafarian leader, Marcus Garvey calling for emancipation. The greatest hits album titled ‘Legend’ was released in 1984, and remains the best-selling reggae album of all time. Marley, ranked as one of the best-selling music artists of all time has an estimated sale of more than 75 million records worldwide.

He was posthumously honored by Jamaica soon after his death with a designated Order of Merit by his nation. In 1994, he was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Rolling Stone also ranked him No. 11 on its list of the 100 Greatest Artists of All Time.

Germany Gears to Return Looted Artefacts to Nigeria Museum holds more than 500 artefacts from Benin Kingdom.

The German Culture Minister, Monika Grutters revealed that the works would be returned in 2022.

“We face up to our historic and moral responsibility to shine a light and work on Germany’s historic past,’’ she declared at a recent summit between museum experts and political leaders.

However, most of the loot estimated to be more than 900 are housed in the British Museum.

Following the massive Black Lives

Yinka Olatunbosun Germany is set to become the first European nation committed to return the looted art treasures to Nigeria. The artefacts were stolen under the colonial government. It was widely reported thousands of artworks were looted from the Kingdom of Benin during the British expedition in 1897.

After years of auctions, some of the bronzes ended up in museums and private collections across Europe. Berlin’s Ethnologisches

Display of Benin Bronze

Exploring Abstract Art with Quahar Yinka Olatunbosun He may be fresh out of Art school but some of his works have sold out at international exhibitions. Born Gafar Oluwabori Quahar, this young artist cultivated the habit of streaming his painting sessions live on the social media platforms. What many find interesting about his studio session is that he dances to upbeat music and allow his paintings to communicate with the curious audience. For him, the live painting sessions are not just to entertain viewers but to teach onlookers how to paint.

The fresh graduate of Fine and Applied Arts at the Creative Arts Department of Tai Solarin University of Education, Igagun, Ijebu-Ode, Ogun

state discovered his talent in art in 2003 when he was in primary six. Starting with painting masquerades- in imitation of his friend who loves drawing- he began to develop the skills that would later earn him some money. To create his stylish forms, he practiced how to use geometrical shapes to illustrate and capture movement.

“I seek to capture movement and simplicity of life through whether by brush or pallet knife. I work in representation or abstract arts from the look to patterns, motifs, movements, feelings and emotion to influence

my works. My intention is to make art that awakens the soul and moves the viewers to connect with the world arrow and beyond man’s thoughts.’’

Quahar had participated in group exhibitions including The Pathfinder (2018) Art of Our Culture Education (2019) at the Lagos Business School; International Conference Stigma Art Contest in London (2019); Each for Equal in Tanzania (2020), International Conference Stigma Art Contest in London (2020) and Hope International Online Art Exhibition in 2021.

Matter Protests last year, there has been a marked attitudinal change towards restoring dignity and rights to Africans. Also, for the past ten years, a consortium known as Benin Dialogue Group had been working hard to repatriate the works.

Hence, it came as no surprise that the Scotland’s University of Aberdeen promised to return a Benin Bronze that it acquired in 1957. Last year, France had approved the restitution of its collection of Benin Bronzes.

Signature Beyond Launches Obasi’s ‘Golden Square’ Yinka Olatunbosun The Ikoyi-based art gallery, Signature Beyond Art Gallery has unveiled a nine-day exhibition of the works of Prince Obasi, a full-time studio artist. With the theme ‘Golden Square,’ the paintings are colourful pieces executed with acrylic on canvas. Largely influenced by the Yaba Art school, Obasi paints with the precision of an orator using techniques of symbolism. With focus on portraiture, Obasi creates a visual satire of the Nigerian society through this body of works.

Take a look at the bulging

eyes of the models in this paintings. They seem to have connections with the aesthetics of Constantine. To be sure, Obasi may have used the eyes as motif to illustrate the struggles of Nigerians along the lines of poverty, political emancipation, political and social denial that pervades the socio-economic structure of the nation.

An art scholar, Irokanulo Ikemefula Emmanuel offers his views on how to approach the works born out of philosophy and contemplation.

“Whether or not an artwork possesses representational content is always

strictly irrelevant to its status as an artwork. As we go through the huge canvasses of Obasi today to obtain its relevant and significant form to our aesthetic consciousness, we must not forget that the young artist has just set out on a journey of creating and redirect our consciousness of aesthetic understanding. We watch as he struggles to free his creative sensibilities from the influences of his teachers to pure new forms that he is showing us today. My thinking is that the young artist has a new language to speak to our aesthetic consciousness,’’ he declared

35

T H I S D AY ˾ ͵˜ 2021

Why Access is not Inclusion Tomilola Adejana, who is the co-founder and CEO at Bankly, a digital savings and peer to peer transfer product where users fund their wallet using tokens available on Bankly vouchers nationwide in a “Recharge Recharge to save” model, chronicles her thoughts on why banking should be as easy and affordable as fast-moving consumer goods to reach Nigeria’s banked and underbanked

I

n the early 2000s, the arrival of the telecoms companies opened a whole new world of access to telephone services to Nigerians.

Wealthy Nigerians could afford to buy sim cards that cost as high as N20,000 ($170) — that excludes the cost of a mobile handset. For the rest of us, we had to go to the nearest kiosk or mom-and-pop shop to make phone calls, paying as much as N50 per minute.

Fast forward to today. We all have mobile phones. We top-up digitally and are able to do more than just call. We can use this technology in our day-to-day lives: e-top ups, USSD transactions, mobile apps, and social media. The difference is that Nigeria has evolved from access to inclusion in the telecommunications industry.

This trajectory is also underway in financial services.

Over the last three decades, Nigeria has come a long way with financial inclusion.

Over 45 million Nigerians have access to affordable financial products and services.

They have proof of identity (a bank verification number) and a bank account.

From the creation of the NIBSS payment switch to instant P2P transfer to USSD banking, Nigeria’s regulators and largest banks — GTB, FirstBank, Zenith and Access Bank — pushed through reforms and innovations that drove financial inclusion.

Despite these strides, a large swathe of Nigerians still remain outside the formal banking sector. Financial exclusion goes hand-in-hand with the nature of employment. The vast majority of Nigerians — representing 84% of the total labor force — work in the informal sector, both in rural and urban areas. They are market traders, minibus (danfo) drivers, okada drivers, and smallholder farmers. They earn and transact in cash on a daily basis outside of the formal financial system.

Cash is still king in Nigeria. This is not just the case in Nigeria but in all African countries. According to the World Bank, 43% of Sub-Saharan Africans are financially included but 95% of retail transactions are in cash.

The next frontier in financial services will focus on bringing the roughly 30 million Nigerian adults into the formal banking sector. Fintechs have a large role to play with their strong advantage in banking the unbanked and underbanked. They can leverage innovation to reach the last mile and, in the process, expand the financial services pie in Nigeria.

Fintechs cannot afford to shy away from the hard work required to serve the truly excluded — smallholder farmers, traders, and other informal workers — rather, we overly focus on cutting a slice of the existing pie and serving the same customers: middle class digital natives who are already banked.

When I started to research the use of cash in the informal sector, I had two light bulb moments. If we were to succeed in banking Nigeria’s unbanked population, we had to: Meet people where they are and create a gateway use case that solves their dayto-day problems.

Treat banking like a consumer good. We had to ask ourselves: how can we make banking services as widely available as coke, soap, or recharge cards?

By acting on these two insights, we would reach the North Star of financial inclusion: we would digitize the money inflows and

The market reaches a turning point when agents are no longer service providers but instead sell commodity products. As more Nigerians own the asset (for mobile inclusion that is a sim card; for financial inclusion, a store value wallet) companies are less dependent on agents for the customer relationship. They begin to directly acquire customers.

The telecoms example is illuminating. As more Nigerians bought mobile phones, they no longer relied on agents to provide the service. They could make their own calls.

Instead of transacting on the customer’s behalf, agents became points of sale. They sold commodity products and services like recharge cards.

The idea is the same for banking. With market maturity, agents become “cash in points”. Unbanked Nigerians deposit cash with an agent to store their savings digitally. Once income inflows are saved in a mobile wallet, they can pay for services and products digitally, accelerating the spread of financial services.

This stage of growth kicks off a positive feedback loop. The more that Nigerians transact digitally, the more data on behavioral insights and transactions are gathered. This helps create formal identification and a credit profile and allows other financial service providers to offer lending, insurance, and other products to the unbanked.

Adejana

outflows for Nigeria’s unbanked.

Digitizing the use of cash was not enough.

While payments are incredibly important, they are merely a piece of the puzzle in financial inclusion.

We had to digitize the income of Nigerians working in the informal sector.

Inspired by consumer goods — and telecoms in particular — I approached building Bankly based on the following three views of the market.

When you are selling a product or service for the Nigerian mass market, distribution has to be core to your strategy. Since Nigerians who work in the informal sector have lower disposable income, they are limited in what they can buy

Distribution is the key first step in bringing banking services to the unbanked but it is not inclusion If you are selling a product or service for the Nigerian mass market, distribution has to be core to your strategy. Since Nigerians who work in the informal sector have lower disposable income, they are limited in what they can buy. Whether in a rural village or a mega-city like Lagos, transportation is expensive. Your product needs to go to them. It needs to be everywhere. Fast-moving consumer goods companies are masters at distribution. Every mom and pop shop carries Coca-Cola, Omo, and Indomie. In Lagos, it is hard to miss MTN agents selling airtime under the company’s distinctive yellow umbrellas.

Yet, in the case of financial services, distribution is only the first step in reaching unbanked Nigerians. It is not financial inclusion. Nigerians depend on agents to access basic banking services (cash deposits, transfer, bill pay, etc) because they are not able to transact directly. Under a pure agent banking network, power is in the hands of the agent, not the customer. If Nigerians can’t access banking services independently, they are not financially included.

As the market evolves, agents become a point of sale

Network stage: financial inclusion is complete With incentives like access to affordable credit, more unbanked Nigerians move to store their savings digitally. The organic spread of financial services creates a network effect. Since a critical mass of the unbanked are storing value electronically in a wallet, they can pay for more services digitally with a card or transfer.

In the telecoms industry, at this stage of development, customers could buy airtime and data directly. In response, telecoms companies, MTN, Airtel, and 9Mobile, diversified their distribution channels so they could sell even more services to customers. To do that, they integrated with partners, like banks.

As more cash is digitized, more Nigerians working in the informal sector will start receiving their income via their wallets.

They will no longer depend on cash like they once did.

It is at this stage that financial inclusion is achieved.

Creating a bank for the unbanked Banking the unbanked is a long journey.

Any company that is serving the Nigerian mass market is committed to the long-term.

Tolaram, the company that makes Indomie noodles, took twenty years to become a household name in Nigeria. While we marvel at the innovation and size of Nigerian banks, we didn’t see the long-term investments in infrastructure that they made decades ago.

After nearly two years of operations, we are just getting started at Bankly. With our recent seed round, we will accelerate our customer acquisition plans. We will continue to grow our 15,000 person agent banking network to serve our customers at the last mile. After two years of research, we will roll out tailored products that meet the needs of Bankly customers. It brings us one step closer to accomplishing our mission: putting a bank in the pockets of 38 million unbanked Nigerians.

36

T H I S D AY ˾ ͵˜ 2021

METRO

…Your city life in print

European-American University Honours Nigerian Hospitality Magnate Vanessa Obioha At a recent convocation ceremony of EuropeanAmerican University (EAU) in Accra, Ghana, the Chairman of Spanish Kingdom Group Onyeka “Don Perry” Ogbatu was among those recognised by the institution. The global university which offers educational opportunities for adults bestowed the hospitality magnate an honorary Doctor of Science (DSc) in Luxury Hospitality Management and Corporate Governance.

The Nigerian born graduate of several Nigerian and European institutions of learning is a novel entrepreneur who has grown his businesses across the European and African space, some of these are the Don Perry Global Services Ltd, Spanish Kingdom Estates Ltd, Spanish Kingdom Apartments and Suites Ltd, D&C Mining Ltd, and Don Pee Wines and Beverages Ltd. Last year, he opened the doors of Spanish Kingdom Apartments and Suites in

Chairman of Spanish Kingdom Group, Onyeka “Don Perry” Ogbatu

Owerri, Imo State, which is the first hospitality of his

company. The facility offers visitors a touch of the Orient

in its room decor, cuisine, and cabins.

It has 22 royal rooms and a double duplex with five serviced luxury apartments, providing complete and pleasurably cosiness with a range of services including VVIP guest cabins, domestic security escorts, and an extensive variety of other personalized services.

The restaurant facilities offer a menu of local, western, and oriental selections to both overnight and day visitors with a peculiar mama-put menu option

for even more personalised alternatives.

The businessman from Obodoukwu in Imo State is also famed for his philanthropic lifestyle and his passion for peace, equity, and justice.

He was among those committed to fighting cultism and other vices in the state through its partnership with the Police Campaign Against Cultism and Other Vices (POCACOV), an initiative of the former the Inspector General of Police (IGP) Mohammed Adamu.

T.B. Joshua Pledges Support for NigerianTourism Vanessa Obioha At a recent courtesy visit by the National Institute of Hospitality and Tourism (NIHOTOUR), Lagos zonal office to the founder and Senior Pastor of Synagogue Church of All Nations (SCOAN), T.B. Joshua, the clergyman pledged to assist, within his capacity, in

the development of Nigerian tourism.

He assured the six-man team led by the zonal coordinator, Mrs Chinyere Ibeabuchi to help the agency in its mission to promoting tourism in Nigeria.

While speaking on the reason for the visit, the Ibeabuchi said NIHOTOUR is having a new lease of life under the

Hollandia Yoghurt Unveils New Communication Campaign Hollandia Yoghurt, Nigeria’s leading drinking yoghurt brand, has unveiled a new communication campaign themed “Wholesome Nourishment From Your Favourite Brand”.

The campaign is aimed at increasing brand awareness as it looks to further endear the brand to consumers as the favourite drinking yoghurt brand for wholesome nourishment.

Deployed across different communication channels including TV, Radio, Print, and Digital platforms, the new campaign features recently signed talented Actress, TV personality and Influencer, Zainab Balogun-Nwachukwu.

Through her versatility in the campaign, BalogunNwachukwu stimulates positive consumer experiences with her favourite Hollandia Yoghurt and connects them with the nutritious benefits of the brand.

The “Wholesome Nourishment From Your Favourite Brand” campaign will particularly strike a chord with millions of Muslims across Nigeria as they embark on the Ramadan fast this season.

Experts say that when it comes to building a healthy diet during Ramadan, the key is to go for lighter but filling foods and dairy that will help your body meet and replenish the amount of energy and nutrients it needs during the day.

Hollandia Yoghurt provides the wholesome nourishment

for active replenishment and revitalizing energy that keeps you positively recharged to be at your best for the day.

Hollandia Yoghurt can be consumed on-the-go, at work, at school, at play, or at any other time or place and comes in delightful variants, as well as convenient pack sizes.

It is loved by consumers who want a healthy and great tasting dairy beverage that provides an exciting way to add the required nutrients to their daily diets.

Hollandia Yoghurt contains B-Vitamins (B2, B5, B12 & H), Vitamin A, Proteins, Carbohydrates, Calcium, Potassium and Iron, which are essential to support the body’s development and overall wellness.

Commenting on the new campaign, CHI Limited Marketing Director, Mrs. Toyin Nnodi, stated that the new Hollandia Yoghurt “Wholesome Nourishment From Your Favourite Brand” campaign will drive consumer awareness and appeal to a larger audience to adopt the brand for its quality nutritional benefits, convenience and value.

“We have a great product with a very loyal following and hope to broaden our awareness of the Hollandia Yoghurt brand as well as grow our consumer base with the new campaign in a way that resonates with our target audiences,” she said.

Hollandia Yoghurt is available in two variants of Plain Sweetened and Strawberry.

leadership of the DirectorGeneral, Nura Kangiwa who mandated them to move out, get acquainted with tourism establishments within the zone and familiarise with activities in these places.

“It is in line with the charge by our Director General that we decided to visit the SCOAN. You, through the SCOAN and Emmanuel

TV, have contributed so much in the development of Nigeria tourism,” she said, citing that independent researches showed that 60 to 70 per cent of inbound tourists visiting Nigeria are pilgrims visiting the SCOAN. “This is a massive contribution to the socio-economic development of the country.

“The impact of your min-

istry could also be seen in and around Ikotun and the environment.

The high numbers of accommodation facilities are all drawing their clientele from visitors to the SCOAN. “Thousands of Nigerians are feeding directly and indirectly from activities at the SCOAN, including the SCOAN Prayer Mountain Resort.”

The Prayer Mountain which is located at Agodo-Egbe is exclusive for pilgrims visiting the SCOAN. It boasts about 500 different categories of bed spaces.

It also has a massive lake with a helipad in the middle, a close to five kilometres prayer walkway, a prayer garden and the thatch-roof huts where the church started from.

Hospitality Providers Should Create Experiences to Capture Interest in LocalTourism Market, Says Ogunseinde The Executive Director, Uraga Real Estate Limited, Moyo Ogunseinde, said leisure and hospitality providers should create packages and experiences to capture the long-term interest of the local tourism market. She disclosed this at the maiden edition of the West Africa Tourism Roundtable Series themed: ‘Domestic Tourism and COVID-19 – trends, and paths to sustainable hospitality, travel, and tourism businesses in WestAfrica’ in Lagos recently Speaking on the impact of COVID-19 on the hospitality industry and new paths to consider, Ogunseinde, said “it is important that leisure and hospitality providers ensure that we create packages and experiences to capture the long-term interest of the local

tourism market.”

The Executive Director, who shared insights on the experience of hotel operators in Nigeria during COVID-19, hinted that hotel operators had to re-strategise and focus on the domestic leisure tourism market, whereas hitherto, the focus had been on the business and international tourism market.

Ogunseinde charged the participants to address some of the challenges of creating a local tourism market across the country. In her remarks, Senior Advisor at Red Clay Advisory, Dr.Adun Okupe, stated that the tourism roundtable series was conceived because “we need to come to articulate ourselves better in West Africa and identify ourselves as tourism professionals, no one is going to do it for us.”

The roundtable series is a platform for knowledge sharing, networking, and more importantly deliberations on problem-solving to address the most critical challenges the industry faces, which would have a catalytic impact on the development of the tourism industry in West Africa.

In his remarks, the Senior Expert on Communications in Africa at the United Nations World Trade Organisation (UNWTO), Kojo BentumWilliams, posited that “if we are ready to promote tourism in West Africa, we will need laws, mechanisms, infrastructure, and financing opportunities for businesses within the sector.”

Bentum-Williams, who was the guest speaker, maintained that there is much to be done,

especially in connecting investors, updating the legal framework, and building the hard and soft infrastructure required for tourism development in West Africa.

In her remarks, the Executive Secretary of the Lagos State Employment Trust Fund (LSETF), Teju Abisoye, explained that it was important to create stronger linkages between the public and private sector, through active engagement.

“The potential of the tourism industry in West Africa needs to be harnessed, in a tangible way to make strong contributions to sustainable development. One of the key reasons for the slow growth of tourism in West Africa is the lack of prioritisation of the sector by the government.

Nexgate CEO Father’s Funeral Holds May 14 All roads lead toAgulu Town in Anaocha Local Government Area of Anambra State as the father of the Chief Executive Officer of Nexgate Group will be laid to mother earth on May 14, 2021.

Some of the prominent figures to attend the Icon’s funeral are former governor of Anambra State, Mr.Peter Obi; CEO Vixa Pharmaceuticals Chief Ebuka Okafor; Founder Westfield Energy, Henry Okolie-aboh; and Chairman Chris Ejik Group, Dr Chris Imoka.

Others include Chief Mike

Late Enemuoh

Enemuoh, Planet Oil Chief Cosmas, Anigbogu, Cossel Construction, Romax Properties Ltd, Chief Romanus Orji, Sen Uche Ekwunife,

Hon Dozie Nwankwo, CEO Vintage Interiors Ltd Francis Nwogwugwu, Henry Montego Homes, Henry Ebulofor, Denbury Oil & Gas Group Henry Agbodike, Diesel Point Ltd Chief Innocent Ibeh, Dr Ifeanyi Okoye, CEO Juhel Pharmaceuticals and among others.

According to a statement tagged “Celebrating the Life of a Great Man” made available by the family, the Enemuoh family in Umubialla Village of Agulu would bury the deceased, Engr Lazarus Okafor Enemuoh, who died at age of 83.

The funeral arrangements will commence with a Christian wake keep at 5pm on May 13, 2021, at his residence in Umubialla Village. His body leaves St Joseph Montuary Adazi Nnukwu at 7am on May 14, 2021 to his country home Umubialla Village of Agulu, followed with a Holy Mass at Madonna Assumpta Catholic Church, Agulu at 10am.

Condelence visit continues on Saturday 15, 2021 while the funeral will be concluded with a thanksgiving service at Madonna Assumpta Catholic Church, Agulu at 9am.

T H I S D AY ˾ ͵˜ 2021

37

POLSCOPE

áÓÞÒ ÎÎã ÎÓàáÜÓ ÏÎÎã˛ÙÎÓàáÜÓ̶ÞÒÓÝÎËãÖÓàÏ˛ÍÙט ͸΀͸ͽ ͻ͸; ΁ͻͽ;

Buhari and the Verdict of History

President Buhari

L

ast week, I promised to revisit an interview the then Gen Mohammadu Buhari granted this newspaper, in December 2014, as he was yet aspiring to win the presidential ticket of the All Progressives Congress (APC).

The interview which was published as “Presidential Series” was aimed at presenting the ‘repented’ Buhari to the voting public. He had borne the dark patch of being a military dictator, in his ‘first missionary journey” to save Nigeria. So, his publicists were not only so keen to present a re-oriented and more tolerant Buhari to the public, but also to project a man with a kind of Deus ex Machina capacity to fix Nigeria and her many ills.

So many of the questions he was asked focused on his capacity or the prospect of it, in dealing with the problems plaguing the country.

His responses? Most reassuring!

I will highlight some of the salient and cardinal questions, which are still very relevant today, if he were to grant an interview, almost seven years after.

Buhari was asked that in the face of the onslaught of the Boko Haram menace at the time, how would he, as a Commander-in-Chief of the Armed forces, prosecute the war against the terrorists differently.

This is what he said: “What would I do differently? It is to make the military much more effective in their operations. I am sure you know that an attempt was made in the National Assembly to conduct a Public Hearing on the issue because Nigerian soldiers were giving information to the foreign press, that they were being sent to the battle fields without proper arms, ammunition and leadership. So the National Assembly wanted to conduct the hearing, they summoned the Service Chiefs and Chief of Defense Staff, and that hearing never saw the light of the day. It was scuttled.

If we get the opportunity, we will make the Nigerian military capable again because if we could go through ECOMOG forces to stabilize troubled zones and go to Dafur and to other places of the world and perform, why can’t we perform at home when our national sovereignty is being threatened? That is what we will do differently.

To make Nigerian military capable again” Chiding the then President Goodluck Jonathan in what was like a sneering rebuke for inability to rescue the abducted Chibok Girls, Buhari sounded so offended that the problem remained unresolved.

Hear him, ”…How could Boko Haram abduct 200 school girls of ages 14 to 18 from their school and we were given the impression that these girls were in Nigeria? For seven months, the Nigerian government could not get the intelligence of where the girls were in particular and where they were moved. They kept saying we know where the girls are. Then what the hell is stopping you from getting the girls out? Imagine you have got a daughter there… how do you go to bed and how do you wake up for seven months? Your 14-year old daughter is in the hands of insurgents and your government is making noise and spending, money on unnecessary things. I think the whole country ought to have been mobilized to get those girls back alive or their bodies so that their parents can go to bed and sleep” Comment How history gets repeated with amazing accuracy and irony!

Maj Gen Monguno (Rtd.)

As they say, physician heal thyself! He was furious that the girls had spent seven months unrescued. Under him they recently clocked seven years in captivity. A proportionate anger should have been a hurricane, but what we got was a whimperish memorial. Seven years after, how much intelligence has his government gathered on the wherabout of the girls. Under him more than 200 school children have been kidnapped, in Kankara, near his own Daura community, in Zamfara, in Niger, in Kaduna where some of the students have even been killed. And we are looking dazed.

Not only did then Gen Buhari get the opportunity he so sought after, he went ahead and won the general election and became the President about six months after that interview was published. So for over six years, he’s been on the saddle. Two questions: Did Mr President himself not refuse, last December 9, to appear before the National Assembly, when he was invited by the Members of the House of Reps to explain the action plan against terrorism? Did the Justice Minister not dissuade Mr President from honouring the invitation? If he could make a mocking reference to the aborted Public Hearing under Jonathan in a probe attempt on the poor and insufficient arms available to soldiers fighting the insurgency, what will he say today, seven years after, when today it is reported (by Senator Ali Ndume) that arms are now being “rationed” among the soldiers in the frontline? This is coming after $1 billion was said to have been approved and released for the

purchase of more arms.

The last question on this is this: Is the Nigerian military more capable today than they were six years ago? Have we not lost more soldiers in the last six years than we did between 2010 and 2015?

How better equipped are the Nigerian military today, than they were six years ago?

Asked what credentials he was bringing to governance vis-a-vis the leadership question, then Mr Buhari, answered saying, “ Yes, I tried to mention one. While I was the GOC in 1982 and Nigeria was giving Chad economic help. And instead of the President of that country coming to thank our President for giving him economic support, he just sent his soldiers to kill our soldiers. I had the Command then and it was within my areas of responsibility. I went and sorted it out. Secondly, you must have known about Maitasine sect. I was the Head of State in 1984. Maitasine, you recall, developed from Kano. And he was killed during the second republic, but his followers resurfaced in Burunkutu, again in Borno and Jimeta, Yola.

My second in command then, Tunde Idiagbon was not in the country. I flew into Yola. Gambo Jimeta, I think was the AIG and Wash Pam were there and that was the last we heard of Maitasine.

Really I don’t think the Nigerian military including the law enforcement agencies have absolutely lost their capacity to deal with internal security problem”.

He stressed further, “ The leadership seems not to be aggressive and could not properly lead.

And the fundamental problem of Nigeria now is security. Nobody is feeling secured in the country and I think this is the fundamental responsibility of government. So the leadership must make sure that they secure Nigeria and efficiently manage it”

aside the shenanigans of “we can’t disclose security strategies” do not produce cheering outcomes.

And the people--- young and old-- are dying in their dozens. If he could say “nobody is feeling secured”, nearly seven years ago, Mr President should be told that the situation is far worse than he described then. If he said it then to shame then President Goodluck Jonathan, and thereby gain political matrix, the dire situation of today betrays either hypocrisy or over-rated competence on the part of Mr President.

Space will face me to review the entire interview.

But his views and position on corruption is as interesting as it is curious. Even as he vowed to wrack down the monster called corruption, under his government, we have recorded some of the wildest degrees of corruption with little or nothing being done to such persons. If you doubt me, ask them where Babachir Lawal, Orji Kalu, Wadume, Abdulrasheed Maina, etc., etc., cases are. This is not to talk about the miasma of sleaze that goes on in the oil and gas industry in the name of petrol subsidy. Mr President is the substantive Minister Of Petroleum, Resources.

Let me finally reflect on the position of Mr President on the seemingly less crucial issue of religion and ethnicity. He was asked to comment on the perception that he is a religious fanatic.

He didn’t like the question. He responded: “This perception that I am a religious fanatic is what I can call sophisticated disinformation. I cannot disown my religion because of the accusations.

People I worked with for more than 20 years and I rose from second lieutenant to general. All the command and staff that I worked with along the line, most of my associates were Christians…”

How could Boko Haram abduct 200 school girls of ages 14 to 18 from their school and we were given the impression that these girls were in Nigeria? For seven months, the Nigerian government could not get the intelligence of where the girls were in particular and where they were moved. ...Your 14-year old daughter is in the hands of insurgents and your government is making noise..... I think the whole country ought to have been mobilized to get those girls back alive or their bodies so that their parents can go to bed and sleep (Buhari in 2014)

Comment Six years after being on the saddle, where are we with President Buhari on these avowals? Where is the action-packed General that quenched the silly intrusion from Chad? Where is the aggressive Head of State that permanently put out the light on Maitasine sect riots? Is it age that has sucked off the idea and the agility from Mr President? If he could do it then, why not now even when the stakes are higher? When last did Mr President get so moved about the nonsense going on everyday to visit a particular scene of violence? Does our President not get ensconced in the comfort of the presidential Villa, picking his teeth after sumptuous meals, while women wail and groan for the murder of their children and husbands’?

He raised the issue of leadership. Now he is the leader. How has Mr President defended and projected his leadership in the interest of Nigerians?

If I am not exaggerating, it may be safe to say that beside Garba Shehu and perhaps Lai Mohammed, and a few handful of political lackeys, nobody else is happy with the leadership style of Mr President.

Even those whose job description demands that they defend Mr President in the public domain, do admit, in their quiet recesses, that things are awful and that “the country is bleeding.”

Not only is Mr President damn too slow, he seemingly wrings his hands in helplessness. He has come to typify the infamous Emperor Nero that fiddles away while Rome is burning. He eats and sleeps while his nationals are being slaughtered in the forests, farms, highways, duty posts, etc… just any and everywhere. Security Council meetings ,

Comment That may be true of a pre-presidency Buhari. But ever since he got elected , it appears the power to discern and provide balancing flew from him into the skies. Almost all prime appointments, including even the one of this week, National Centre for the Control of Small Arms and Light weapons has to be headed by yet another northern Muslim, Maj Gen A. M Dikko as pioneer Co-ordinator. If Mr President is truly blind to religious and ethnic sentiments he would have seen and identified many qualified southern Christians for various appointments across the country. But that is not what we have and see everyday.

What is more, the trouble bandits and terrorists have visited on the rest of Nigerians is strongly linked to Mr President’s ethnic stock of Fulanis.

Many people argue that the near kids glove treatment from the federal government is what has lionized the insurgents and the bandits to our collective danger, as a people. Were it not so, why have we not until now had these crises activated

by Fulani herdsmen?

Was the president sounding so nationalistic and noble so he could win the people’s votes? Or did he simply get overwhelmed by the avalanche of national problems and thus lost his bearing?

In all, what we see is a marked difference between a courageous, idea-filled, conscious political aspirant and a demobilized president with dysfunctional faculties, supported by comprehensive inertia.

Whatever history will record for Mr president will draw content from all that represents his good, the bad and the ugly. May the weight of the former be heavier. The ugly past can be redeemed.

38

T H I S D AY ˾ ͵˜ 2021

BUSINESS/MONEYGUIDE

New FRCN Boss Vows to Enforce Accounting Standards in SEC, Others James Emejo ÓØ ÌßÔË The newly appointed Executive Secretary/Chief Executive, Financial Reporting Council of Nigeria (FRCN), Alhaji Shuaibu Ahmed, yesterday said, he is committed to the enforcement of accounting standards, supervision and collaboration with regulatory supervisory bodies including the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and the National Pension Commission (PenCom).

He also listed the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) and National Insurance Commission (NAICOM) as other priority institutions to be assessed during his regime. He spoke during his inauguration by the Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Mr. Niyi Adebayo, in Abuja.

The minister, had earlier tasked the FRCN boss on the need to develop a sound accounting and financial reporting standards in accordance with the Act establishing the council.

He also emphasised the need for the council to achieve its mandate as specified in Section 8 of the Act by enforcing accounting standards, advising the federal government on accounting and financial reporting standards and maintaining a register of professionals in the accounting sector related to the process of creation of financial reports.

Adebayo, further tasked the council to review and monitor the professionals in the accounting sector, and the monitoring of corporate governance financial papers.

He urged Ahmed to consider

his appointment as a privileged one based on his past achievements, and ensure that he left landmark achievements by the time he leaves office.

In a statement issued by his media aide, the minister said: “You are therefore, expected to discharge your duties in accordance with the rules and regulations laid down in the Act establishing the council and Extant Rules.”

Nonetheless, Ahmed who said he was prepared to ensure that FRCN lived up to expectation under his leadership, pointed out that the council being the apex regulatory agency for financial reporting and corporate governance in the country, its actions and inactions may make or mar local and foreign investors’ confidence in the economy.

COVID-19: Okonjo-Iweala Welcomes US’ Willingness to Wave TRIPS Dike Onwuamaeze The Director-General of the World Trade Organisation (WTO), Dr. Ngozi OkonjoIweala, has welcomed the willingness of the United States of America to engage with proponents of a temporary waiver of the Agreement on Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS) to help in combatting the COVID-19 pandemic.

The TRIPS Agreement is an international legal agreement between all the member nations of the WTO that established minimum standards for the regulation by national governments of different forms of intellectual property (IP) as applied to nationals of other WTO member nations.

The agreement was elaborated

in 2001 to state that, “TRIPS can and should be interpreted in light of the goal ‘to promote access to medicines for all.’”

However, Okonjo-Iweala, in a statement yesterday welcomed the United States’ Trade Representative, Ms. Katherine Tai’s willingness to engage with proponents of a temporary waiver of the TRIPS Agreement.

She said: “As I told the general council yesterday, we need to respond urgently to COVID-19 because the world is watching and people are dying. I am pleased that the proponents are preparing a revision to their proposal and I urge them to put this on the table as soon as possible so that text-based negotiations can commence.

“It is only by sitting down together that we will find a pragmatic way forward — ac-

ceptable to all members — which enhances developing countries’ access to vaccines while protecting and sustaining the research and innovation so vital to the production of these life-saving vaccines.”

The WTO also disclosed during the WTO General Council press briefing, which was held virtually, that ensuring access to, “essential medical goods during a pandemic, securing a global deal on prohibiting harmful fisheries subsidies and addressing the concerns of ‘graduating’ least developed countries were among the topics discussed at the 5-6 May meeting of the WTO’s General Council,” adding that “members also exchanged views on the WTO’s continuing work on electronic commerce and the legal status of the ongoing ‘joint initiatives’ talks.”

Babalola, Hassan-Odukale Visit FBN Group The newly appointed chairmen of FBN Holdings Plc and its subsidiary, First Bank of Nigeria Limited, Remi Babalola and Tunde Hassan-Odukale, have paid a scheduled visit to the head office of the FBN Group.

According to a statement, they both visited the head office on Wednesday.

On hand to receive them were the Group Managing Director, FBNHoldings, Mr. U.K. Eke; the Managing Director of FirstBank, Dr. Adesola Adeduntan, and the Deputy Managing Director of FirstBank, Mr. Gbenga Shobo.

“The chairmen held a meeting with the executive team of the Group further to their recent appointments by the Central Bank of Nigeria.

“The meeting availed the leadership of the Group the opportunity to update the chairpersons of the Boards on the strategic direction of FBN Holdings and its subsidiaries,” the statement added.

Babalola is a graduate of Agricultural Economics from the University of Ibadan. He is a fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria,

the Chartered Institute of Taxation of Nigeria, and the Institute of Directors of Nigeria. He also holds a Masters of Banking and Finance degree from the University of Lagos On the other hand, HassanOdukale is a graduate of the University of London and City University, London. He holds a Bachelors Degree in Pure Mathematics and a Postgraduate Diploma in Actuarial Science.

He is the Managing Director of Leadway Assurance and sits on the board of various blue-chip companies.

Shareholders Hail Sterling Bank Shareholders of Sterling Bank Plc have commended the board and management of the bank for the display of resilience, improved financial performance and returns on investment in 2020 despite the adverse impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on the global and local economic environment.

They also approved resolutions for the declaration of a dividend of five kobo per share, the election of directors, remuneration of auditors, and the election of shareholders’ representatives on the statutory audit committee. The shareholders gave the commendation and approved recommendations at the 59th Annual General Meeting (AGM) of the bank held

by proxy in Lagos, yesterday, and streamed live across digital platforms.

The Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) had approved attendance at the AGM to be by proxy only due to restriction on large gatherings to prevent further spread of the COVID-19 pandemic. Commenting on the bank’s performance, President of Nigeria Solidarity Shareholders Association (NSSA), Mr Matthew Akinlade, commended the bank for consistently improving on its earnings per share in the last five years. In her comments, the National Coordinator of Pragmatic Shareholders Association, Mrs Bisi Bakare, congratulated the

bank for another successful year.

She applauded the Board and Management for the significant growth in total assets and deposit base, improved retained earnings, increased profit before tax and reduced operating costs and non-performing loans.

Also, the National Chairman of Progressive Shareholders Association, Mr. Boniface Okezie, commended the bank for its achievement in a pandemic year.

He appreciated the bank’s management for the consistent dividend payout while urging it to continue to pursue its repositioning strategies aggressively to ensure it competes favourably in the industry.

L-R: Outgoing Acting Executive Secretary (ES)/CEO, Financial Reporting Council of Nigeria (FRC), Dr. Iheanyi Anyahara; the New ES/CEO, Adamu Shuaibu Ahmed; Minister, State, Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment (MITI), Maria Yalwaji Katagum; Minister, Adeniyi Adebayo; and Permanent Secretary, MITI, Dr. Nasir Sani Gwazo, during the inauguration of the new ES/CEO in Abuja…yesterday

MARKET INDICATORS MONEY AND CREDIT STATISTICS

(MILLION NAIRA)

JANUARY 2021 Money Supply (M3)

38,779,455.43

-- CBN Bills Held by Money Holding Sectors

1,039,129.55

Money Supply (M2)

37,740,325.88

-- Quasi Money

21,779,302.69

-- Narrow Money (M1)

15,961,023.19

---- Currency Outside Banks

2,364,871.13

---- Demand Deposits

13,596,152.06

Net Foreign Assets (NFA)

7,414,275.50

Net Domestic Assets(NDA)

31,365,179.93

-- Net Domestic Credit (NDC)

42,916,586.63

---- Credit to Government (Net)

12,304,773.44

---- Memo: Credit to Govt. (Net) less FMA

0.00

---- Memo: Fed. and Mirror Accounts (FMA)

0.00

---- Credit to Private Sector (CPS)

30,611,813.19

--Other Assets Net

3,892,112.74

Reserve Money (Base Money

13,264,585.14

--Currency in Circulation

2,831,167.19

--Banks Reserves --Special Intervention Reserves

10,433,417.96 317,234.17

˾ ÙßÜÍÏ ̋

Money Market Indicators (in Percentage) Month

March 2018

Inter-Bank Call Rate

15.16

Minimum Rediscount Rate (MRR) Monetary Policy Rate (MPR)

14.00

Treasury Bill Rate

11.84

Savings Deposit Rate

4.07

1 Month Deposit Rate

8.82

3 Months Deposit Rate

9.72

6 Months Deposit Rate

10.93

12 Months Deposit Rate

10.21

Prime Lending rate

17.35

Maximum Lending Rate

31.55

˾ ÙØÏÞËÜã ÙÖÓÍã ËÞÏ ̋ ͯͱϱ

OPEC DAILY BASKET PRICE AS AT TUESDAY, 4 MAY 2021

The price of OPEC basket of thirteen crudes stood at $66.67 a barrel on Tuesday, compared with $65.09 the previous day, according to OPEC Secretariat calculations.

The OPEC Reference Basket of Crudes (ORB) is made up of the following: Saharan Blend (Algeria), Girassol (Angola), Djeno (Congo), Zafiro (Equatorial Guinea), Rabi Light (Gabon), Iran Heavy (Islamic Republic of Iran), Basra Light (Iraq), Kuwait Export (Kuwait), Es Sider (Libya), Bonny Light (Nigeria), Arab Light (Saudi Arabia), Murban (UAE) and Merey (Venezuela).

SOURCE: OPEC headquarters, Vienna

39

T H I S D AY ˾ ͵˜ 2021

Unilever Assures Shareholders of Commitment to Corporate Governance Goddy Egene Unilever Nigeria Plc yesterday assured shareholders of its commitment to corporate governance practices to drive sustainability and efficiency across its operations.

The Chairman of the Board, His Royal Majesty, Nnaemeka Achebe, stated this while addressing shareholders at the 96th annual general meeting (AGM) in Lagos, yesterday.

He commended the shareholders for their trust and loyalty to the company despite the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic in the year under review. Unilever ended 2020 with a revenue of N61.9 billion, up from N60.78 billion in 2019, while loss after tax was reduced to N7.4 billion to N4.0 billion in 2020.

Achebe said the company would remain strategic in its approach to attaining sustainable growth and profitability.

P R I C E S MAIN BOARD

F O R DEALS

According to the chairman, the N62 billion in 2020 was driven by 7.3 per cent growth in its food products, which was slightly offset by a three per cent revenue drop in the home and personal care segments.

He explained that even though 2020 was a year of significant disruptions and volatilities impacting the operating environment, Unilever Nigeria continues to build its resilience to navigate the impact of headwinds.

S E C U R I T I E S MARKET PRICE

QUANTITY TRADED

VALUE TRADED ( N )

Achebe added that the company remains focused on its strategy to deliver sustainable growth both in the medium and long-term riding on the pillars of operational efficiency, cost optimization, purposeful brands and increasing market share across key categories.

“We continue to monitor the business environment and respond appropriately to volatilities in the operating environment as well as disruptions from the

T R A D E D MAIN BOARD

A S

Covid-19 pandemic,” he said.

Before the AGM, the Corporate Affairs and Sustainable Business Director, Unilever Nigeria Plc Mrs. ‘Soromidayo George, had said that although 2020 was a year of significant disruptions and volatilities impacting the operating environment, the company continued to build its resilience to navigate the impact of headwinds.

According to her, the company remains focused on its strategy to

O F

deliver sustainable growth both in the medium and long-term riding on the pillars of operational efficiency, cost optimisation, purposeful brands and increasing market share across key categories.

Meanwhile, trading at the stock market remained bearish as the Nigerian Exchange Limited (NGX) All-Share Index (ASI) declined by 0.81 per cent to close at 39,114.73, just as the market capitalisation shed N167.1 billion to close at N20.5 trillion.

0 6 / 0 5 / 2 0 2 1 DEALS

MARKET PRICE

QUANTITY TRADED

VALUE TRADED ( N)

40

FRIDAY, MAY 7, 2021 ˾ T H I S D AY

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

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

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

floor of the Nigerian Stock Exchange.

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

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

GUIDE TO DATA: Date: All fund prices are quoted in Naira as at 05May-2021, unless otherwise stated.

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

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

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

DAILY PRICE LIST FOR MUTUAL FUNDS, REITS and ETFS MUTUAL FUNDS / UNIT TRUSTS AFRINVEST ASSET MANAGEMENT LTD aaml@afrinvest.com Web: www.afrinvest.com; Tel: +234 818 885 6757 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Afrinvest Equity Fund N/A N/A N/A Afrinvest Plutus Fund N/A N/A N/A Nigeria International Debt Fund N/A N/A N/A Afrinvest Dollar Fund N/A N/A N/A ALTERNATIVE CAPITAL PARTNERS LTD info@acapng.com Web: www.acapng.com, Tel: +234 1 291 2406, +234 1 291 2868 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn ACAP Canary Growth Fund N/A N/A N/A ACAP Income Funds N/A N/A N/A AIICO CAPITAL LTD ammf@aiicocapital.com Web: www.aiicocapital.com, Tel: +234-1-2792974 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn AIICO Money Market Fund 100.00 100.00 4.27% AIICO Balanced Fund 3.34 3.50 -5.80% ANCHORIA ASSET MANAGEMENT LIMITED info@anchoriaam.com Web:www.anchoriaam.com, Tel: 08166830267; 08036814510; 08028419180 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Anchoria Money Market 100.00 100.00 1.31% Anchoria Equity Fund 127.37 128.84 -4.24% Anchoria Fixed Income Fund 1.06 1.06 -20.10% ARM INVESTMENT MANAGERS LTD enquiries@arminvestmentcenter.com Web: www.arm.com.ng; Tel: 0700 CALLARM (0700 225 5276) Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn ARM Aggressive Growth Fund 18.85 19.42 3.93% ARM Discovery Balanced Fund 411.97 424.39 2.90% ARM Ethical Fund 36.85 37.97 9.33% ARM Eurobond Fund ($) 1.20 1.20 -1.81% ARM Fixed Income Fund 1.02 1.03 -8.69% ARM Money Market Fund 1.00 1.00 2.82% AVA GLOBAL ASSET MANAGERS LIMITED info@avacapitalgroup.com Web: www.avacapitalgroup.com Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn AVA GAM Fixed Income Dollar Fund 103.95 103.95 2.20% AXA MANSARD INVESTMENTS LIMITED investmentcare@axamansard.com Web: www.axamansard.com; Tel: +2341-4488482 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn AXA Mansard Equity Income Fund N/A N/A N/A AXA Mansard Money Market Fund N/A N/A N/A CAPITAL EXPRESS ASSET AND TRUST LIMITED info@capitalexpressassetandtrust.com Web: www.capitalexpressassetandtrust.com ; Tel: +234 803 307 5048 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn CEAT Fixed Income Fund 1.96 1.96 -26.41% Capital Express Balanced Fund(Formerly: Union Trustees Mixed Fund) 2.18 2.22 -9.38% mutualfunds@cardinalstone.com CARDINALSTONE ASSET MANAGEMENT LIMITED Web: www.cardinalstoneassetmanagement.com ; Tel: +234 (1) 710 0433 4 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn CardinalStone Fixed Income Alpha Fund 1.01 1.01 0.71% CHAPELHILL DENHAM MANAGEMENT LTD investmentmanagement@chapelhilldenham.com Web: www.chapelhilldenham.com, Tel: +234 461 0691 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Chapelhill Denham Money Market Fund 100.00 100.00 3.36% Paramount Equity Fund 15.87 15.59 -2.54% Women's Investment Fund 130.53 131.89 -1.97% CORDROS ASSET MANAGEMENT LIMITED assetmgtteam@cordros.com Web: www.cordros.com, Tel: 019036947 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Cordros Money Market Fund 100.00 100.00 3.38% Cordros Milestone Fund 2023 114.29 115.00 Cordros Milestone Fund 2028 N/A N/A Cordros Dollar Fund ($) 106.18 106.18 CORONATION ASSEST MANAGEMENT investment@coronationam.com Web:www.coronationam.com , Tel: 012366215 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Coronation Money Market Fund 1.00 1.00 1.51% Coronation Balanced Fund 1.16 1.17 -3.37% Coronation Fixed Income Fund 1.36 1.36 -14.41% EDC FUNDS MANAGEMENT LIMITED mutualfundng@ecobank.com Web: www.ecobank.com Tel: 012265281 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn EDC Nigeria Money Market Fund Class A N/A N/A N/A EDC Nigeria Money Market Fund Class B N/A N/A N/A EDC Nigeria Fixed Income Fund N/A N/A N/A FBNQUEST ASSET MANAGEMENT LTD invest@fbnquest.com Web: www.fbnquest.com/asset-management; Tel: +234-81 0082 0082 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn FBN Fixed Income Fund 1,362.84 1,362.84 8.29% FBN Balanced Fund 184.70 185.95 -1.59% FBN Halal Fund N/A N/A N/A FBN Money Market Fund 100.00 100.00 4.53% FBN Nigeria Eurobond (USD) Fund - Retail FBN Smart Beta Equity Fund FCMB ASSET MANAGEMENT LIMITED Web: www.fcmbassetmanagement.com; Tel: +234 1 462 2596 Fund Name Legacy Money Market Fund Legacy Debt Fund Legacy Equity Fund Legacy USD Bond Fund FSDH ASSET MANAGEMENT LTD Web: www.fsdhaml.com; Tel: 01-270 4884-5; 01-280 9740-1 Fund Name Coral Growth Fund Coral Income Fund FSDH Treasury Bills Fund

124.54 150.42

124.54 3.10% 152.48 -0.50% fcmbamhelpdesk@fcmb.com

Bid Price N/A N/A N/A N/A

Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A coralfunds@fsdhgroup.com

Bid Price N/A N/A N/A

Offer Price N/A N/A N/A

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

GREENWICH ASSET MANAGEMENT LIMITED assetmanagement@gtlgroup.com Web: www.gtlgroup.com ; Tel: +234 1 4619261-2 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Greenwich Plus Money Market Fund N/A N/A N/A Nigeria Entertainment Fund N/A N/A N/A GROWTH & DEVELOPMENT ASSET MANAGEMENT LIMITED assetmanagement@gdl.com.ng Web: www.gdl.com.ng ; Tel: +234 9055691122 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn GDL Money Market Fund N/A N/A N/A INVESTMENT ONE FUNDS MANAGEMENT LTD enquiries@investment-one.com Web: www.investment-one.com; Tel: +234 812 992 1045,+234 1 448 8888 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Abacus Money Market Fund 100.00 100.00 3.53% Vantage Balanced Fund 2.75 2.82 20.06% Vantage Guaranteed Income Fund 1.00 1.00 4.50% Kedari Investment Fund (KIF) 148.11 148.54 -4.70% Vantage Equity Income Fund (VEIF) - June Year End 1.20 1.24 27.03% Vantage Dollar Fund (VDF) - June Year End 1.08 1.08 5.83% LOTUS CAPITAL LTD fincon@lotuscapitallimited.com Web: www.lotuscapitallimited.com; Tel: +234 1-291 4626 / +234 1-291 4624 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Lotus Halal Investment Fund 1.38 1.40 1.39% Lotus Halal Fixed Income Fund 1,131.68 1,131.68 2.50% MERISTEM WEALTH MANAGEMENT LTD info@meristemwealth.com Web: http://www.meristemwealth.com/funds/ ; Tel: +234 1-4488260 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Meristem Equity Market Fund 10.50 10.57 Meristem Money Market Fund 10.00 10.00 4.45% PAC ASSET MANAGEMENT LTD info@pacassetmanagement.com Web: www.pacassetmanagement.com/mutualfunds; Tel: +234 1 271 8632 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn PACAM Balanced Fund 1.63 1.66 7.31% PACAM Fixed Income Fund 12.39 12.55 2.54% PACAM Money Market Fund 10.00 10.00 2.38% PACAM Equity Fund 1.59 1.61 0.95% PACAM EuroBond Fund 110.55 113.47 1.14% SCM CAPITAL LIMITED info@scmcapitalng.com Web: www.scmcapitalng.com; Tel: +234 1-280 2226,+234 1- 280 2227 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn SCM Capital Frontier Fund 127.58 129.71 8.01% SFS CAPITAL NIGERIA LTD investments@sfsnigeria.com Web: www.sfsnigeria.com, Tel: +234 (01) 2801400 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn SFS Fixed Income Fund 1.01 1.01 2.47% STANBIC IBTC ASSET MANAGEMENT LTD assetmanagement@stanbicibtc.com Web: www.stanbicibtcassetmanagement.com; Tel: +234 1 280 1266; 0700 MUTUALFUNDS Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Stanbic IBTC Balanced Fund 3,101.66 3,125.95 -3.56% Stanbic IBTC Bond Fund 228.83 228.83 1.77% Stanbic IBTC Ethical Fund 1.15 1.17 -1.69% Stanbic IBTC Guaranteed Investment Fund 299.93 299.93 1.79% Stanbic IBTC Iman Fund 215.32 217.95 -1.47% Stanbic IBTC Money Market Fund 100.00 100.00 4.12% Stanbic IBTC Nigerian Equity Fund 10,173.80 10,302.12 -3.13% Stanbic IBTC Dollar Fund (USD) 1.25 1.25 1.91% Stanbic IBTC Shariah Fixed Income Fund 113.39 113.39 2.08% Stanbic IBTC Enhanced Short-Term Fixed Income Fund 100.77 100.77 UNITED CAPITAL ASSET MANAGEMENT LTD Web: www.unitedcapitalplcgroup.com; Tel: +234 803 306 2887 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn United Capital Balanced Fund 1.33 1.35 -2.79% United Capital Bond Fund 1.93 1.93 2.16% United Capital Equity Fund 0.88 0.90 1.99% United Capital Money Market Fund 1.00 1.00 5.87% United Capital Eurobond Fund 120.02 120.02 2.50% United Capital Wealth for Women Fund 1.06 1.08 -2.11% United capital Sukuk Fund 1.04 1.04 4.13% QUANTUM ZENITH ASSET MANAGEMENT & INVESTMENTS LTD service@quantumzenithasset.com.ng Web: www.quantumzenith.com.ng; Tel: +234 1-2784219 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Zenith Equity Fund 12.02 12.13 1.32% Zenith Ethical Fund 13.22 13.33 8.20% Zenith Income Fund 24.32 24.32 1.41% Zenith Money Market Fund 1.00 1.00 3.06%

REITS NAV Per Share

Yield / T-Rtn

122.84 53.12

1.74% 1.37%

Bid Price

Offer Price

Yield / T-Rtn

12.70 121.12 96.38

12.80 121.12 98.14

-3.87% -0.51% -3.03%

Fund Name SFS REIT Union Homes REIT

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

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

funds@vetiva.com Bid Price

Offer Price

Yield / T-Rtn

3.57 5.56 16.99 1.00 19.32 160.71

3.61 5.64 17.09 1.00 19.52 162.71

-5.33% -2.33% 3.91% 2.66% -5.82% -26.55%

NAV Per Share

Yield / T-Rtn

107.52

13.11%

INFRASTRUCTURE FUND Fund Name Chapel Hill Denham Nigeria Infrastructure Debt Fund

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

41

FRIDAY, Ϳ˜ ͺ͸ͺ͹ ˾ T H I S D AY

PAGE FOURTY-ONE

Buhari, Jonathan, Atiku, Lawan, Others Console Adeboye over Son’s Death Our Correspondents President Muhammadu Buhari; former President Goodluck Jonathan; former Vice President Atiku Abubakar; President of the Senate, Dr. Ahmad Lawan; his predecessor, Dr. Bukola Saraki; Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila and some governors yesterday led dignitaries who condoled with the General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG), Pastor Enoch Adeboye, his family and the members of his church over the death of his son, Dare.

Some of the governors who commiserated with the cleric included: Prince Dapo Abiodun of Ogun State; Babajide Sanwo-Olu of Lagos State and Rotimi Akeredolu of Ondo State.

The Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria (PFN) also described as tragic, the demise of the son of Adeboye.

RCCG had earlier yesterday announced the death of Pastor Dare Adeboye, the third child of the 79-year-old Adeboye.

The 42-year-old junior Adeboye reportedly died in his sleep on Tuesday in Eket, Akwa Ibom State, where he was based with his family.

In an official statement issued yesterday via its verified Twitter handle, @rccghq, the church said though it was shaken by the sudden death of the young cleric, its anchor remained Jesus Christ.

It stated: “It is with a deep and heartfelt sense of loss, we announce the departure of our beloved son, brother, husband and father,

Oluwadamilare Temitayo Adeboye, who went to be with the Lord on the 4th of May, 2021.

“His life was well lived as he served the Lord without reserve, giving effortlessly and leading fearlessly. He was crowned by the Lord with the blessings of three seeds and a beautiful wife.

“Though shaken, our anchor remains Jesus Christ in whom we have the assurance that we will one day meet in a place where there is no pain. It is the wish of the family to be granted privacy at this moment and that prayers be offered on their behalf.”

Born on June 9, 1978, Dare would have clocked 43 next month.

In his condolence message, Buhari, in a statement by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Mr. Femi Adesina, urged Adeboye, his family and the church to “find comfort in the teachings of the holy scriptures that those who have chosen to serve God faithfully will see Him as He is in eternity.”

According to it, “President Muhammadu Buhari extends deepest sympathies to the family of Pastor Enoch Adeboye, the General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God, on the passing of his son, Pastor Dare Adeboye.

“Also commiserating with members of the RCCG on the demise of the Assistant Pastor in charge of Region (Youth) 35, President Buhari urges them to find comfort in the teachings of the Holy Scriptures that those who have chosen to serve God faithfully will see Him as He is in eternity.

“The president prays to God Almighty to grant

the departed rest in His everlasting kingdom and comfort the grieving family, friends and associates.”

In a message of condolence to the general overseer and RCCG members, Jonathan expressed sadness over the passing on of the pastor, describing him as a muchloved clergyman.

The former president stated that the deceased lived a life that was a pattern of good works and prayed God to grant his soul eternal rest.

He said: “My family and I condole with Pastor Enoch Adeboye and the entire membership of the Redeemed Christian Church of God, on the death of Pastor Dare Adeboye, son of the general overseer, and a much-loved clergyman.

“Though I never knew Pastor Dare personally, I have had cause to meet his father, Pastor Adeboye, and it would seem that the Apple did not fall far from the tree.

“From every account, Pastor Dare lived a life that was a pattern of good works and a credit to the Body of Christ. He was known to emulate the godliness and moral leadership that his father is well known for.

“We share in the grief that naturally comes when such a devout man passes on to eternal glory. May God grant his family and ministry the fortitude to bear the loss.”

Atiku in his condolence message on his Twitter handle, @Atiku, tweeted: “My thoughts and prayers are with the family of @ PastorEAAdeboye in this trying time.

“I pray that God, in this trying time, will comfort and strengthen him and his family by God’s grace.”

Lawan, in a condolence message, said: "I share their deep grief over the loss of a beloved son, husband, father and committed labourer in the Lord's vineyard. May God Almighty comfort the highly respected pastor, his family and the entire members of his flock over this great loss and repose the soul of the deceased in eternal bliss."

Lawan's predecessor, Saraki, tweeted via his Twitter handle, @ bukolasaraki: “My family and I send our heartfelt condolences and prayers to @PastorEAAdeboye, his family and the entire @Rccghq community over the passing of Pastor Dare Adeboye.

“We pray that the Almighty grants you all the much needed strength that you need as you mourn this significant loss.”

Gbajabiamila described Dare’s death as painful, saying that the younger Adeboye lived a life full of worship to the Lord and service to humanity. ''I was saddened by the news of the demise of Pastor Dare Adeboye. His demise is painful, especially now that we need youth like him to serve as role models to their peers," he said The PFN also described as tragic, the demise of Dare.

PFN, in a condolence message by its National Publicity Secretary, Bishop Emman Isong, described Dare’s death as shocking.

"Our heartfelt condolences to Baba and Mama Adeboye, and the entire members of the RCCG worldwide,” PFN said.

Abiodun in a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Mr. Kunle Somorin, expressed

shock over the death of the young, vibrant and spiritfilled pastor, who according to him, was a role model not only to the youth in the RCCG but also the country.

Abiodun described Dare’s death as heart-wrenching and shocking, saying he was one of the people who had followed the spiritual trajectory of the young pastor in the vineyard of God. While expressing his condolences to Adeboye, the Ogun State governor commiserated with the entire RCCG family, urging the general overseer to take solace in the fact that Dare served and died in the service of God, noting that his footprints in the church will forever remain indelible.

In mourning Dare, Akeredolu described his sudden death as a tragic loss to the Christendom, Adeboye’s dynasty and the youths considering the role of the deceased in youth mentorship as a regional youth evangelist.

He said: “Undoubtedly if Christ tarries, no one is excused from the tragic end of death. What is most desirable is that we all come of ripe age and live our lives well in the hope that we bury our parents and not the other way round.

“It becomes devastating when a father experiences this kind of loss. This is indeed a big blow to take.

Pastor Dare was a promising servant of God. His death in his prime is, to say the least, excruciatingly painful.

“While we condole with our father in the Lord, Pastor E. A. Adeboye, and the entire family of RCCG worldwide on this irreplaceable loss, we

urge Pastor Adeboye to take solace in the words of God: ‘He gives and takes. He is an unquestionable God.” Sanwo-Olu also commiserated with Adeboye and his wife, Pastor Folu.

The Lagos State governor, in a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Mr. Gboyega Akosile, expressed his heartfelt sympathies, urging the deceased family, friends, associates and entire members of RCCG to take the death of the junior Adeboye in good faith.

He said: “No doubt the death of a loved one is usually painful as it is irreparable but we must always take solace in God, especially if the deceased had lived a good life, just like the late Pastor Dare Adeboye.

“The pastoral and wise counsel of Pastor D, as he was fondly called, will be sorely missed by his family and the entire members of RCCG, especially in Eket, Akwa Ibom, where he played active roles as a cleric before he passed on.”

The governor, government and the people of the State of Osun, in a statement by the Commissioner for Information and Civic Orientation, Mrs. Funke Egbemode, said they received with pain and shock, the news of the demise Dare, and expressed deepest and sincere sympathy.

“Dare was one of your seeds who had chosen to follow closely in his revered father's footsteps,” the statement said, adding: “No parent deserves this kind of loss. We feel your pain. Our dear state has lost yet again another bright light. We just buried Yinka Odumakin and now we have to mourn the loss of another young one.”

HEIRS HOLDINGS OIL COMPANY NAMES IGIEHON PIONEER CEO the operational, safety and financial performance of the organisation.

HHOG also announced the appointment of private sector and senior industry leaders into its board, including Mr. Tony Elumelu as the chairman.

Elumelu is also the Chairman of Heirs Holdings, the United Bank for Africa (UBA), Transnational Corporation of Nigeria (Transcorp), and Founder of the Tony Elumelu Foundation.

Other members of the board are Ms. Sally Udoma, who previously served as general counsel for Chevron Europe, Eurasia, and the Middle East Exploration and Production.

Udoma was previously, the general counsel for Sasol Chevron Consulting Limited and managing counsel at the London Legal Service Centre for Chevron Global Upstream and Gas. She has also served as general counsel and general manager for Chevron Nigeria Limited.

Also on the board is Mr. Anil Dua, a founding partner at Gateway Partners Limited, a private equity fund specialising in dynamic growth markets, including Africa, the Middle East and Asia.

Prior to this appointment, Dua worked for over

30 years with Standard Chartered Bank in Asia, Africa, Europe and the US, where he held various roles, including regional chief executive officer, West Africa and Regional Head of Origination and Client Coverage, Africa.

Mr. Ahmadu Musa, who previously served as deputy managing director of Total Exploration and Production Nigeria Limited, with over 32 years of experience in the oil and gas industry got the company’s board appointment.

Musa, according to the statement, brings considerable expertise in Nigerian oil and gas into the company.

The company also appointed Dr. Stanley Lawson, who currently serves on the board of Transnational Corporation of Nigeria Plc, as a member of its board.

Lawson is the managing partner at Financial Advisory & Investment Consultants Limited and previously occupied the position of group executive directorFinance and Accounts at Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC).

The other member of the board is Mr. Samuel Nwanze, who is the chief finance officer at Heirs Oil and Gas. Prior to his latest

Igiehon

Udoma

Musa

Dua

Lawson

Nwanze

appointment, Nwanze was the chief investment officer at Heirs Holdings, where he was responsible for the investment and capital management of the group.

Heirs Holdings Limited’s (HH) portfolio company, HHOG, completed the acquisition of Oil Mining Lease (OML) 17 in January 2021 in one of the largest oil and gas financing in Africa in more than a decade with a financing component of $1.1 billion.

The transaction represented a further implementation of the HH Group strategy of creating the leading integrated energy business in Africa.

Through a series of strategic portfolio holdings, HH is executing this strategy and most recently, its affiliate company, Transcorp, made a $300 million acquisition of Afam Power, increasing the group’s installed electricity generating capacity to 2,000 megawatts.

Commenting on his appointment, Igiehon stated: “HHOG represents an extraordinary opportunity to create Africa’s first true integrated energy company, with a mission to ensure that Africa’s natural resources are directed toward value creation in Africa, powered by sustainable, robust and abundant African energy.

"I am excited to join the Heirs Oil and Gas leadership team and look forward to the opportunity to transform the

energy sector, purposefully address Africa’s energy needs and improve the lives of people across Africa.”

Elumelu expressed satisfaction with the appointments, saying: “I am delighted to welcome our new board members.

We are building a role model institution for African businesses and our investment in human capital is a further strong demonstration of our intent.

"The regional and global expertise of our board members will serve to further drive value creation to our continent, as we execute our goal of becoming Africa’s largest, indigenous, integrated, energy company.”

Heirs Oil & Gas is a leading African, indigenous owned, integrated energy company headquartered in Nigeria, whose assets include Nigerian oil block OML 17, with a current production capacity of 30,000 barrels of oil equivalent per day and 2P reserves of 1.2 billion barrels of oil equivalent, with an additional one billion barrels of oil equivalent resources of further exploration potential.

Heirs Oil & Gas is jointly owned by Heirs Holdings, the leading African strategic investor, and its affiliate company, Transnational Corporation of Nigeria Plc (Transcorp), Nigeria’s largest publicly listed conglomerate.

FRIDAY, Ϳ˜ ͺ͸ͺ͹ ˾ T H I S D AY

42

NEWS

Buhari Approves Amaechi’s Request to Suspend Bala-Usman as MD NPA Appoints Koko as acting MD Orders probe of agency Deji Elumoye in Abuja Minister of Transportation, Hon. Rotimi Amaechi’s two-year plot to shove aside Managing Director of Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), Ms. Hadiza Bala-Usman, materialised last night as President Muhammadu Buhari approved his request to suspend her with immediate effect.

A late-night statement by

the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Mallam Garba Shehu, said her suspension would allow a panel of inquiry set up by the federal government to investigate the management of the agency to carry out its task without hindrance.

The president approved the appointment of Mr. Mohammed Koko to act for Bala-Usman.

Buhari also approved

the recommendation by Amaechi for the setting up of an administrative panel of inquiry to investigate the NPA management.

The panel is to be headed by the Director, Maritime Services of the Ministry of Transportation, while the Deputy Director, Legal of the ministry will serve as the secretary.

Other members of the panel will be appointed by

the minister.

Reliable sources told THISDAY last night that Amaechi had been on BalaUsman’s case for about two years but finally had his way yesterday.

The latest pretest the minister used to oust the NPA boss, said a source, is related to the audit and payments to the Consolidated Revenue Fund of the federation,

which was managed by the authority’s Director of Finance and Administration, Mr. Mohammed Koko, who has now been appointed the acting managing director.

Koko is also said to be Amaechi's account officer while he was governor in Rivers State.

He is also the minister's appointee to the NPA board.

Another source expressed

fear that Bala-Usman might not justice as the panel investigating her is made up of Amaechi’s staff in the ministry.

A source close to the intrigue told THISDAY: “What more evidence of impending Kangaroo proceeding do you expect when the person managing the suspect's account is now in charge of the organisation? Does that make sense?”

Senate Pledges Support for Service Chiefs to Tackle Insecurity Deji Elumoye, Udora Orizu and Juliet Akoje in Abuja The Senate yesterday assured the Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), General Lucky Irabor, the service chiefs, Acting Inspector-General of Police (IG), Mr. Alkali Usman, and heads of intelligence agencies, of its readiness to ensure that they have all they need to tackle the worsening insecurity in the country.

President of the Senate, Dr. Ahmad Lawan, gave the assurance while welcoming the security chiefs to a closed-door meeting with senators over security challenges facing the nation.

The meeting, which was in response to last week’s summoning of the CDS and service chiefs by the Senate

lasted for about four hours.

Earlier, Lawan had told the security chiefs that they were doing their best in providing security for Nigeria and Nigerians in an extremely difficult situation.

He said: "The parliament is ever ready to make the necessary interventions required. The Senate and by extension, the National Assembly is ready to give expeditious consideration to whatever the supplementary budget is presented by the executive in this regards because the environment must be stabilised for Nigeria to be a hub of foreign and local investments."

He identified poor funding of the military as hindering the ability to surmount resurgence of insurgency and banditry.

He told the service chiefs that they haven't achieved the optimum, which can be attributed to inadequate resources; hence the essence of the meeting, to brief the lawmakers on what they think will help them and other security agencies to perform better.

Lawan, however, commended the security agencies for fighting the security challenges nationwide, saying that some personnel in the process lost their lives.

He said: ''We appreciate what you are doing because we know that you are doing your best with what you have at hand.

I want to assure you and everyone that the challenges we face are taken seriously and extremely by the parliament.

Hardly a day passes without

this Senate discussing one security incident or the other.

And it has been so for many years, not only this session. ''We pray that at the end of this interaction, we will see better ways and means of providing the necessary provision of resources to enable our armed forces to continue with national case to provide national security that we need to protect the lives and property of citizens to stabilise our environment for the economy to receive better investments for this country; to be a hub for investments that will provide employment opportunities to our teeming youths.''

The Senate spokesperson, Senator Ajibola Basiru, told reporters after the executive session, that the service chiefs

briefed the senators on the state of security in the country.

According to him, the security chiefs gave an analysis of their various corporation and activities, the topography across the six geopolitical zones, the complexities and challenges that are being faced and the ways they believe that the parliament can work together with the executive and heads of security agencies to curb insecurity.

He said the lawmakers also thanked the service chiefs for their forthrightness, and pledged commitment to ensure all necessary legislative and appropriation support to all the relevant agencies.

He said: "After listening to the briefings, I personally became upbeat that a lot of work had gone into addressing

the problem of insecurity and from the various perspectives that were brought into the discussion which is very frank, clear and without any form of duplicity, it became very clear that Nigerian security agencies are not only looking at the internal dimension of the challenge we have, but we also look at all ramifications both in terms of the political context, economic context and international context to the development.

"There were even perspectives as to what happened recently in Chad was also considered. So it is a very thorough discussion and I also believe that the forthrightness of the leadership of the security agencies showed the seriousness that they attached to that exercise.

bank by market value is its largest investment and seen as a foothold into the continent’s most populous nation.

Commenting on the matter, Frontier and Sub-saharan Africa Banks’ Analyst, Renaissance Capital, Adesoji Solanke, wrote in a note made available to THISDAY yesterday: “Good for Atlas Mara if they’re able to exit successfully, as they’ve been selling a bunch of assets over the past year, to KCB and Access Bank

respectively across different markets. Whether they get a good valuation for Union Bank is another thing.

“We don’t think it’ll be a transformational deal for Access or Zenith (Returnon-Equity dilutive for both), but could be a good way for the Middle Eastern banks to get a decent foothold in the market. We suspect getting the other private equity investor block to sell will be critical as we wouldn’t expect a strategic bank investor to desire a minority shareholding.”

BLOOMBERG: ZENITH, ACCESS BANKS EXPRESS INTEREST TO ACQUIRE UNION BANK expressed interest alongside other African rivals such as Morocco’s Attijariwafa Bank, the sources said.

THISDAY also confirmed the development from sources in the two tier-1 banks, who also pleaded to remain anonymous.

Middle Eastern banks and private equity suitors have also shown interest, according to the sources.

Some potential buyers have indicated that they may acquire all of Atlas Mara’s remaining assets in Africa, which would

include its Zimbabwe unit, they said.

Atlas Mara has been working with Rothschild & Co. to consider options for its Union Bank stake.

No final decisions have been made, and there’s no certainty the deliberations will lead to a transaction, the people said.

Representatives for Atlas Mara and Zenith Bank didn’t immediately respond to requests for comment. Attijariwafa Bank Managing Director Ismail Douiri and a representative

for Access Bank declined to comment.

A deal could bring down the curtain on Atlas Mara’s African foray after Diamond, a former Barclays Plc chief executive officer, misjudged competition on the continent and overpaid for acquisitions.

The company said recently that it’s secured regulatory approval for the sales of its businesses in Botswana and Mozambique and received interest in other assets, without elaborating.

Atlas Mara also said

it completed a planned restructuring process and extended a standstill agreement with its creditors to May 17 to complete the necessary documentation.

It’s still in legal disputes with two creditors, TLG and Norsad, it added.

The coronavirus pandemic has accelerated the need to reposition the company, which has seen a plunge of about 96% in its stock since it started trading toward the end of 2013.

The firm’s stake in UBN, Nigeria’s sixth-biggest

OBEDIENCE TO CONSTITUTION NON-NEGOTIABLE, JUDICIAL, LEGISLATIVE WORKERS TELL FG of the Judiciary Staff Union of Nigeria (JUSUN) and Parliamentary Staff Association of Nigeria (PASAN) also insisted that the governors must fully implement financial autonomy for the two arms of government in the 36 states of the federation as guaranteed by the constitution before the current strike will be called off.

But the federal government pleaded with the unions to consider the efforts being made to resolve the dispute and suspend their strike to enable courts and legislative houses to reopen.

Ngige said yesterday in Abuja that progress had been made on about 90 per cent of the issues in dispute.

However, the meeting between the federal government team and the leadership of the unions ended last night with an agreement that the unions should go and study the government’s proposal, while the meeting reconvenes next week.

But earlier, during the opening of talks with the federal government team and representatives of the governors, the Deputy Chairman of JUSUN, Mr. Emmanuel

Abioye, said the unions still maintained their stance on the full implementation of financial autonomy for the judiciary and legislative arms of government in the states.

Abioye, while responding to the minister's address, said: "I am happy that when you were talking, you said it is a constitutional issue and so since it is a constitutional issue, I don't think we should negotiate on it. We are trying to avoid someone somewhere coming to challenge the constitution one day. So, anything short of this is not why we are here."

Also, President of PASAN, Mr. Mohammed Usman, said the meeting availed them the opportunity to receive the fresh proposals by the governors, adding that the unions resolved to present the proposals to their national executive committees.

He stated that the unions would be reporting their decisions to the government at another meeting next Tuesday, adding that the strike will continue.

According to him, the governors only agreed to shift ground on the issue of ceding money for capital projects to the two arms of government.

"Aside from the ceding of capital projects, there is nothing new in the governors' position.

However, we are happy that the federal government has opened negotiations on the matter but we will not suspend the strike until there is agreement on the implementation of full autonomy," he added.

Ngige, however, asked the workers to suspend the strike.

While welcoming the parties to the resumed negotiations, the minister said about 90 per cent progress had been achieved in harmonising issues with the governors.

Ngige expressed optimism that the strike would soon end.

He said the government side had made offers to the two unions for them to consult with their various National Executive Committees and revert back.

According to him, a lot of work went into the proposal given by the government side to the two unions, which substantially addressed their demands for judicial and legislative autonomy in the 36 states of the country.

The minister stated that the proposal was produced by the committee of the government

side, comprising the SolicitorGeneral of the Federation and Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Justice, Mr. Dayo Apata (SAN); the Secretary of the Presidential Committee for the Implementation of Judicial and Legislative Autonomy, Senator Ita Enang; representative of the National Judicial Council (NJC) and the Director-General of the Nigerian Governors Forum (NGF).

Ngige said: “A lot of work went in. We have exchanged briefs with the JUSUN and PASAN. They have their demands, which they had earlier submitted. The government side has given counter offers and properly addressed the burning issue of financial autonomy for state legislatures and judiciary.”

He stated that questions were asked and answered, while observations were made and explained, working on the proposal given by the government side.

Ngige said the meeting had been adjourned with a view to enable JUSUN and PASAN to take back the government proposal to their members for consideration.

“We expect them to work on

the documents from tomorrow and if they are satisfied, they should inform us. And you know that when they are satisfied, the logical thing is to call off the industrial dispute.

So, we are to receive their views on the government offer by Tuesday morning,” he added.

Ngige said the discussions were fruitful, adding that they have moved from the initial position of ground zero, to ground 85.

He, however, appealed to the striking workers to return to work to enable the government to meet the remaining part of their demands.

“We cannot do this when the legislatures are closed in various states. We cannot also operationalise them when the courts are closed and heads of courts are not allowed into the courts or their offices.

“We have made documentation and statistics for the state Houses of Assembly to make appropriate laws. So, we plead that you open the courts and state Houses of Assembly.

“Besides, we are menaced by bandits, terrorists and arsonists.

With the courts closed, the police cannot tackle insecurity,”

Ngige said.

Senior Special Assistant to the President on Niger Delta Affairs, Senator Eta Enang, who also spoke at the opening talks with representatives of JUSUN and PASAN, said the suspension of the strike had become necessary to enable the legislatures to pass legislation needed to ensure the smooth implementation of the financial autonomy.

"I just want to appeal to JUSUN and PASAN that we did not undertake all these efforts in vain and that when we arrive at a certain decision at the end of the technical session, you will be able to hit the ground running. We plead that you call off the strike because we will not be able to pass the necessary laws if the legislative houses remain closed,” he said.

According to him, from the engagement so far with the governors, he believed that the gap was being closed.

Enang stated that President Muhammadu Buhari had told the governors to do what was right to the judiciaries and legislatures in their states just as was being done at the federal level.

FRIDAY MAY 7, 2021 ˾ T H I S D AY

43

NEWS

Gunmen Attack Police Station in Anambra, Kill Two Officers Abduct university students in Abia

David-Chyddy Eleke in Awka and Emmanuel Ugwu-Nwogo in Umuahia Gunmen Wednesday night attacked a police station in Obosi, Idemili North Local Government Area of Anambra State, killing two policemen.

THISDAY gathered that the two policemen killed in the attack were inspectors, but their identities were not disclosed.

The attackers also set ablaze two buildings in the compound before leaving.

This is coming as the Abia State Government yesterday confirmed the abduction of an unknown number of students of the Abia State University by

gunmen.

There have been incidences of attacks on police formations in Anambra State.

The latest incident occurred just hours after the new Commissioner of Police, CP Chris Owolobi, assumed office in the state on Wednesday afternoon.

The state Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Ikenga Tochukwu, confirmed the incident, adding that the command was on top of the situation.

The PPRO said the Commissioner of Police, Chris Owolabi, had dispatched a tactical team for on-the-spot assessment of the incident.

He added, “The tactical team led by an Assistant Commissioner of Police was directed to have an on- the -spot assessment of the place.

“The team was equally directed to possibly identify and apprehend the hoodlums that perpetrated the attack.”

Ikenga stated that the bodies of the two fallen policemen had been deposited at a nearby morgue and that investigation into the matter had begun Meanwhile, the Abia State government yesterday confirmed that an unknown number of students of the state-owned

university was abducted by gunmen.

The missing students of Abia State University Uturu(ABSU), who were travelling in a minibus were said to have run into a gang of hoodlums operating along the Okigwe-Uturu road where they disappeared.

The State Commissioner for Information, Chief John Okiyi Kalu announced the disappearance of the students in a statement made available to journalists yesterday in Umuahia, the state capital, saying that the government was worried by this sad development.

48 Arrested By Police as Hoodlum Stabs Another to Death in Lagos Sunday Ehigiator in Lagos The Lagos State Police Command has confirmed the arrest of at least 48 suspects for unleashing violence in Gengere community in the Mile 12 area of the state.

The hoodlums unleashed mayhem on the community after one Aliyu Shuaibu stabbed one Sadiq Oloyo to death.

As a result of the incident, some hoodlums, on reprisal attack, went on rampage and caused commotion in the area, Police Public Relations Officer in the state, Muyiwa Adejobi, said in a statement.

The statement was titled, ‘Again, Police Arrest 48 Suspects Over Mile 12 Crisis, Adopt 24 Hour Surveillance’.

It read, “In furtherance of the command’s commitment to maintain law and order in Gengere Community, Mile 12, Lagos State, the Command has

again arrested 48 suspects in connection with the crisis that broke out between some hoodlums at about 1am today, Thursday 6th May, 2021.

“In the course of investigation, It has been discovered that one Aliyu Shuaibu, m, stabbed one Sadiq Oloyo, m, both of Gengere Community, and lost his life before any medical attention could be given to him. As a result of the incident, some hoodlums, on reprisal attack, went on rampage and caused commotion in the area.

“On the strength of this development, the Commissioner of Police, Lagos State, CP Hakeem Odumosu, directed that additional men be deployed to the area to restore normalcy while forty eight of them were arrest. Police boss has ordered that the hoodlums should be made to face the full wrath of the law and serve as deterrent to others who might want to

EFCC to Approve Movement of Funds By NGOs in North-east Kingsley Nwezeh in Abuja The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) yesterday declared that movement of funds by NonGovernmental Organisations (NGOs) operating in the North-east must be approved by it.

The commission also sought the collaboration of the Nigerian Army to end terrorism in the North-east by halting terrorfinancing and money laundering in the North-east.

Some NGOs in the region have been suspected of involvement in terror-financing.

Some were said to have paid for a 10-year hotel accommodation making it difficult for travellers to find accommodation in Maiduguri, the Borno State capital.

Former Acting Chairman of EFCC, Mr. Ibrahim Magu, had raised the alarm that some NGOs had 50 bank accounts and sought the cooperation of

banks to arrest the situation by providing the necessary information.

A statement by the commission said the Maiduguri Zonal Head of the commission, Mr. Onwukwe Obiora, said movement of cash by NGOs in Borno, Adamawa and Yobe states must be approved by the commission.

He spoke during a courtesy call on Theatre Command of Operation Hadi ka in Maiduguri.

“We want to equally inform you that in carrying out our mandate the commission ensures that movement of cash by Non-Governmental Organisations across the local governments in Borno, Yobe and some part of Adamawa State must be approved by the zonal office”.

He further stated that if sponsors of insurgency and kidnapping were cut off, the fight against insurgency would be won by the theatre command.

THANK-YOU VISIT …

L-R: Divisional Director, Finance, THISDAY Newspapers, Mr. Peter Iwegbu; Operation official of Niger Biscuits, Mr. John Nduka; Executive Director, Niger Biscuits, Mr. Femi Akinnirun, Operation official, Niger Biscuits, Mr. Stephen Ogbuehi; and Managing Director, THISDAY Newspapers, Mr. Eniola Bello, when THISDAY paid a thank-you visit to Niger Biscuits for their heroic efforts in preventing the fire that gutted Ibru House last Saturday from spilling over to THISDAY Corporate Headquarters in Apapa, Lagos...yesterday

Armed Robbers Attack Bullion Van in Ondo

James Sowole in Akure

Two persons were feared killed and one other injured when armed robbers attacked a bullion van at Elemosho Village on Ondo- Akure highway.

A source said the bullion van left Ondo City for Akure but was ambushed around 5:00pm at a point between Ireje and Elemosho village.

The source said the heavilyarmed men, operating in a

Toyota Lexus car and other vehicles, rained bullets on the bullion van and the two police escorts’ vans.

He said the robbers were able to access the van vault after breaking the lock with bullets.

The source said the incident, temporarily halted traffic flow on the busy Akure-Ondo road while the villagers ran into the bush.

The Commander of the Ondo State Security Network,

Amotekun, Chief Adetunji Adeleye, said it was his men that rushed one of the injured victims to hospital.

Adeleye said he was told that three persons were shot but his men met only one injured man at the scene.

He however, said that the injured man, that his men rushed to the hospital, was not among those that was escorting the money but somebody who just ran to the scene.

The latest incident brought to three the robbery incidents involving bullion van within the same axis on Ondo-Akure road.

When contacted, the Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Mr Tee Leo Ikoro, confirmed the incident.

The PPRO said some people were injured but no person died in the incident He said the police detectives were on the trail of the robbers.

NNPC Hands Over Port Harcourt Refinery for Rehabilitation Emmanuel Addeh in Abuja The Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) yesterday formally handed over the Port Harcourt refinery, Rivers State, to an Italian Firm, Tecnicmont SPA for an overhaul expected to cost $1.5 billion.

With the formalities now over, the corporation stated that the contractors can fully mobilise

to the site to start work on the refinery which began operations in 1989 and has the capacity to refine 210,000 barrels of crude oil per day.

The Federal Executive Council (FEC), in March, had approved the sum for the modernisation of the oil refinery, which is expected to be completed in three phases.

The first phase is scheduled

to be rounded off within 18 months, taking the refinery to 90 per cent production capacity.

The second and final phases are to be carried out within 24 months and 44 months respectively.

Nigeria, Africa’s top oil exporter, has made producing its own fuels a priority for years but efforts to revamp its refineries have failed, leaving

it entirely reliant on imports and now struggling to balance a promise to end costly fuel subsidy with public resistance to higher pump price of petrol.

Funding for the project will come from the state oil company’s cash flow, budget provisions and Afreximbank, the Minister of Petroleum Resources, Mr Timipre Sylva, had stated in March.

Abducted Kogi LG Chairman Regains Freedom Ibrahim Oyewale in Lokoja The Chairman of Yagba West Local Government Area of Kogi State, Mr. Pius Kolawole, who was abducted by kidnappers last Saturday, has regained freedom.

The state Commissioner of Police, Ayuba Edeh, who confirmed the release of Kolawole while speaking of with journalists in Lokoja yesterday,

said the chairman was abducted by gunmen while returning from Ilorin, Kwara State.

Edeh explained that the local council chairman regained his freedom through the combined efforts of the police, other sister agencies, hunters and vigilante men.

The state police boss added that the rescue was made possible by the assistance of

technology and unrelenting pressure mounted through continuous search in the forests.

He said the search, which began last Saturday, saw his men and the team working round the clock until the chairman was released According to Edeh, “I’m however not in the picture of any ransom payment.”

Kolawole was abducted last

Saturday evening while returning to Kogi State from Ilorin.

A family source, who spoke with journalists, said the chairman was received by jubilant supporters and family members in his hometown, Egbe.

According to the family source, the local council chairman is hale and hearty, and has reunited with his family and supporters.

Gunmen Kill Inspector in Fresh Attack on Ebonyi Police Station Gunmen launched a fresh attack on a police formation in Ebonyi State, leaving an operative dead.

The Police Spokesman, DSP Loveth Odah, confirmed the attack to journalists in

Abakiliki, saying the attack happened at the Obiozara Police Station in Ohaozara Local Government Area.

Odah said the gunmen invaded the station in their numbers in the early hours of

the day and started shooting sporadically.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) quoted an eyewitness, Mr. Emmanuel Onuh, as saying that the attackers invaded the station around

3am and began to set some parts of the building on fire.

“They shot one inspector dead and burnt down the office of the Divisional Police Officer and Administrative Block.”

FRIDAY MAY 7, 2021 ˾ T H I S D AY

44

NEWSEXTRA

Insecurity: Akeredolu Threatens to Sanction Traditional Rulers James Sowole in Akure

Ondo State Governor, Mr. Oluwarotimi Akeredolu, yesterday read the riot act to traditional rulers in the state over issues of cultism, settlers and chieftaincy disputes.

Akeredolu threatened to sanction any traditional ruler who allowed any unknown group of persons that settled in their domain without reverting to the state government.

The governor gave the warning in a statewide broadcast where he addressed issues of illegal herders in the forest reserves, cultism, chieftaincy

crisis and the crisis in Owo and Ikare-Akoko in which over nine persons were killed and several others injured.

Akeredolu warned that any traditional ruler found unable to contain the activities of cultists in his domain would be sanctioned according to the law.

He listed Ikare-Akoko, Owo, Okitipupa and Igbokoda as communities, where cult activities were prevalent.

According to him, “The State Government will not hesitate to impose 24- hour curfew on any community where there are crises and any culpable traditional rulers shall be sanctioned

PDP: Uzodimma’s Stance on State Police Exposed His Sympathy for Bandits Chuks Okocha in Abuja The Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP), yesterday, accused Imo State Governor, Senator Hope Uzodimma, of showing sympathy for terrorists and bandits who have been killing, kidnapping and ravaging the nation by standing against the popular demands for the establishment of state police.

The PDP based its allegation on Uzodimma’s interview on Channels Television’s Politics Today on Wednesday, where he justified President Muhammadu Buhari’s failure to wake up to the statutory demand of his office and take expected steps to rescue Nigerians from terrorists and bandits.

The party, in a statement that was issued by its National Publicity Secretary, Mr. Kola Ologbondiyan, asserted that Uzodimma’s anti-people stance against efforts to establish state policing system also exposed his insensitivity to the plight of Nigerians in the face of the failure of the All Progressives Congress’ (APC) controlled federal security apparatus to protect the people.

The PDP, however, alleged that Uzodimma, who is in the Imo State’s government house as a beneficiary of criminal manipulation of the electoral and judicial processes by the APC, could not but justifying the failures of his benefactors at

the expense of the lives of other Nigerians, including the people of Imo State.

It said: “Nigerians are now seeing the faces of the APC leaders who have sympathy for terrorism and should hold such individuals responsible for the activities of such deviants in our country.

“Governor Uzodimma, as a former legislator, knows that the Second Schedule (Exclusive Legislative List) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended) vests the operation of the police, the military and other armed services; the control of arms and ammunitions as well as criminal records among other statutory paraphernalia of national security on the federal government and not the states.”

Against this backdrop, the PDP said that any well-meaning leader ought to be lending his or her voice to the call by Nigerians for President Buhari to wake up to his statutory responsibilities and initiate the required executive instrument to accelerate legislative actions towards the amendment of relevant sections of the constitution to establish a desirable state police system.

Furthermore, the PDP also cautioned Uzodimma against politicising the current security crisis in Imo State, which is occasioned by his mismanagement of the sensibilities of the citizens.

Institute Seeks Quick Passage of Forensics Bill The fight against corruption is waning due to the dismal number of convictions secured by prosecution agencies such as the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Independent Corrupt Practices and Related Offences Commission (ICPC) and the Police.

According to the President/ Chairman of Council of the Institute, Dr. Iliyasu Gashinbaki, the situation will be reversed once the Bill for the establishment of the Chartered Institute of Forensics and Certified Fraud Examiners is passed into law.

The bill, which is being promoted by the Association of National Accountants of Nigeria (ANAN) scaled second reading at the House of Representatives on April 29, 2021.

Speaking at ANAN House, Abuja, Gashinbaki said the passage of the Bill into law will

be the best gift the 9th National Assembly will give to Nigerians as a way of rooting out fraud and corruption in Nigeria.

“We don’t have a chartered professional body in Nigeria, responsible for fraud examination and forensics, and that is why this Institute is not just coming at the right time, but it is the right thing for the Nigerian people who have an Institute of this nature that will train independent professionals, not government funded, but an independent professional body that will be focused on capacity building of forensic professionals and fraud examiners to provide water tight evidence to secure convictions in courts.”

He therefore urged President Muhammadu Buhari to give quick assent to the Bill once the National Assembly presents it to him.

“Every individual having illegal firearms are advised to submit them to the security agencies as government has mandated the security agencies

to prosecute any person found with such weapons; and Parents are advised to control their wards on the use of drugs and other enablers as security

agencies have been mandated to be on guard with a view to apprehending users of such drugs.”

Akeredolu who denied report

that 3,000 Fulani men were resident at the Army Barracks in Okitipupa, expressed concern over abuse of the social media to propagate false and fake news.

VISIT TO OIL TOWERS…

Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Chief Timipre Sylva (left), and President, Petroleum Product Retail Outlets Owners Association of Nigeria, Dr. Billy Gillis-Harry, during the visit of the association to the minister in Abuja…yesterday

NECO Releases Results for External Candidates, Announces Date for 2021 Exams Kuni Tyessi in Abuja

The National Examinations Council (NECO) has released the results of external candidates of the 2020 Senior School Certificate Examination (SSCE).

The release of the results was announced yesterday by the Registrar/Chief Executive of the NECO, Mr. Godswill Obioma, who disclosed that

39,503 out of 41,459 candidates that were registered sat for the examination.

A statement issued by Head, Information and Public Relations Division of NECO, Mr. Azeez Sani, said that the registrar explained that a total of 26,277 candidates obtained five credits and above including English Language and Mathematics.

Obioma reiterated the

council’s zero tolerance for examination malpractice and noted that appropriate standards and excellence were maintained right from the planning stage to the release of results.

The registrar disclosed that 6,465 cases of examination malpractice were recorded in the 2020 SSCE External as against 17,004 cases in 2019.

He noted that the reduction

in the level of malpractice was as a result of deepened monitoring of the examination by members of the governing board, management and senior staff of the council.

The registrar explained that four supervisors, who were found culpable of aiding and abetting, have been blacklisted and would no longer be engaged in the conduct of NECO examinations.

Ebonyi Accuses South-east PDP of Spreading Falsehood Ebonyi State Government has described the 15- point Communiqué of the leaders of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the South-east on their resolution for states to maintain a joint security vigilante to be called Ebubeagu Joint Security Network as an exercise in futility and an attempt to mislead the general public.

The state government said “We consider this attentionseeking communiqué as one

of their sinister publications concocted with demeaning and misleading falsehood and calculated to distract the peace-loving people of Ebonyi State and reap the gracious attention of the people-oriented administration of the performing Governor of Ebonyi State, Mr. David Nweze Umahi.”

The State Commissioner of Information and Orientation, Mr. Uchenna Orji, in a

statement, said he had tracked a communiqué credited to South East Zonal Working Committee of PDP dated Saturday, May 1, 2021 and authored by one Elochukwu Okereke who purports to be the Zonal Publicity Secretary of PDP. According to Orji, the content of the publication and the context of their argument unfortunately exposed the inadequacies of the reasoning

faculties of their political thinktank and the incompetencies of the present crop of the leadership of South-east Zonal Working Committee.

He pointed out that “the arguments canvassed in their substantive paragraphs denote a body of political operators who have little or no information about precedents and practice of governance structure and systems in a federal system of government.

Abishola to Feature on Glo-sponsored African Voices Folake Olowofoyeku, popular actress on an American hilarious sitcom television series, Bob Hearts Abishola, is one of the guests on this week’s African Voices Changemakers on CNN International.

The 30-minute programme sponsored by telecommunications service provider, Globacom, will also host South African singer, Makhadzi, who is fondly addressed as the ‘Queen of

Limpopo’ by her teeming fans.

Olowofoyeku who also plays music under the moniker, The Folake, was born in 1983 in Lagos, Nigeria. She relocated to the United States in 2001, and bagged a Bachelor of Arts degree in Theater from the City College of New York. In 2019, she began to co-star with American comedian Billy Gardell in the series, Bob Hearts Abishola.

Makhadzi, whose real name is

Ndivhudzannyi Ralivhona, is best known for her songs “Tshanda Vhuya” and “Matorokisi, and was one of the performers at the 2020 DSTV Mzansi Viewers’ Choice Awards during which her performance was adjudged one of the best performances of the night on social media.

The 24-year-old music star was named winner of the best Tshivenda hit with her song Yo Shoma during the Limpopo Music

Awards ceremony in 2017 and was in 2018 nominated at the TSHIMA awards for Best Tshivenda Dance Artist/Album of the Year, Female Artist of the Year, Tshivenda Song of the Year.

Both ladies will be on African Voices Changemakers on Saturday on CNN, DSTV Channel 401, at 9.30 a.m. with repeat broadcasts from Sunday 4.30 a.m., 7.30 a.m., 12.30 p.m., 7.30 p.m. and Monday at 5.30 a.m.

House Summons NNPC, Addax, Others over Alleged Irregularities in Oil Sector Udora Orizu in Abuja

The House of Representatives Committees on Petroleum Resources (Upstream), which is investigating the circumstances surrounding the revocation and award of oil mining leases (OML), has given the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), Addax Petroleum Company Limited and Santex Nigeria Limited two-week ultimatum to appear

before it and explain alleged irregularities in the corporations.

The Chairman of the committee, Hon. Sarki Ada, issued the ultimatum at the commencement of the hearing, following the refusal of NNPC and others to honour invitations or reply letters.

The lawmaker said the committee had asked for relevant documents to investigate the activities of the NNPC, and that the

corporation had refused to oblige the committee.

He explained that three letters were written to them at an interval of three months each requesting for their budget, budget performance and list of asset they are holding and managing on behalf of Nigerians.

Ada added that the lawmakers would not hesitate to invite President Muhammadu Buhari to appear before it as

the Minister of Petroleum, if the corporations shun their summons again.

According to him, ‘’Our message to all those who have failed to appear before us as invited are: the NNPC, Addax Petroleum Company Limited and Santex Nigeria Limited. We are giving them two weeks from today; we will reschedule this meeting for two weeks for them to appear before this committee before this committee.

45

FRIDAY MAY 7, 2021 ˾ T H I S D AY

24 HOURS...

24 HOURS...

Operators Kick against Revocation of 11 Marginal Fields’ Licences Urge Buhari to cancel revocation Peter Uzoho Some marginal fields’ operators have kicked against the revocation of 11 oil field licences by the Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR) under the guise that the affected fields had been left fallow, stressing that the action of the regulator has jeopardised investments valued in excess of $450 million and exposed them to local litigations and international arbitrations.

They appealed to President Muhammadu Buhari to direct the DPR to withdraw all letters of revocation and grant them all pending approvals to enable them to continue with the execution of their field development plans.

The affected oil fields and their operators include: Atala operated

by Bayelsa Oil/CEPL; Dawes Island operated by Eurafric; Ofa operated by Independent Energy; Ke operated by Del-Sigma/ Xenoil; Ororo operated by Guarantee/Owena; and Ekeh operated by Movido.

The other affected fields and their operators are Akjepo operated by Sogenal; Tsekelewu operated by Sahara/Africa Oil; Tom Shot Bank operated

by Associated/Dansaki; Oriri operated by Goland and Ogedeh operated by Bicta.

In a letter to President Muhammadu Buhari these operators pointed out that the issuance of the instant revocation letters has jeopardised the investments of several state governments, Nigerian entrepreneurs and their foreign technical partners.

They further argued that the action of DPR has further created additional Non-Performing Loans (NPLs) for the local banks.

“Not only are the actions of the DPR at complete variance with the Marginal Field bid guidelines and the duly executed Farm-out Agreements, we are extremely concerned that the DPR has chosen to pursue such a course of action in the midst of a global economic crisis

with its resultant impact on the Nigerian economy at large, and in particular the primary economic contributor thereto, being the oil and gas sector.

“The revocation of the licences will certainly lead to litigation against the Marginal Field Operators by foreign partners and banks who have financed the development of the Marginal Fields, in addition to sending the wrong signal to both Foreign

and local investors” the operators stated.

The operators explained that they were neither contacted by the DPR nor afforded an opportunity to make any representation before letters revoking their licenses were issued on the April 6, 2020.

“We have conservatively invested over $ 400 million in developing the affected fields, with a number of them in

production, whilst others are in various advanced stages of development including testing of oil wells, drilling of new wells, construction of production facilities, etc.

“These investments were made despite low crude oil prices, militancy and insecurity in the Niger Delta region, resulting in frequent shut down/ vandalisation of crude export pipelines,” they explained.

House Probes N2bn Safe School Programme Adedayo Akinwale inAbuja The House of Representatives has ordered an investigation into the use of over N2 billion released for the safe school initiative alongside donations from foreign countries and organisations.

The House ordered the investigation following the adoption of a motion moved at the plenary yesterday by Hon. Aniekan Umanah.

Moving the motion, the lawmaker recalled that the Safe School Initiative Programme (SSIP) was launched in 2014 to promote security, the safety of schools, pupils, students and teachers as well as facilities.

Umanah stressed that the objective of the programme was to design and implement the best global standards through the employment of qualified teachers, provision of library and laboratory equipment, conducive teaching and learning environment, as well as provision of habitable classrooms and hostels in the Nigerian educational sector.

He observed that the activities of the insurgents and bandits have

further exacerbated the already low levels of enrolment in education and literacy in the country as 910 schools have been destroyed between 2009 and 2016, while several schools were forced to shut down due to security concerns in the past six months.

Umanah expressed worry that the unfortunate increase in security crisis in the country with schools as targets as witnessed recently has exposed the unimaginable decadence and dilapidation of schools.

He added that some students now learn under trees, use blocks as desks, the roofs of most classrooms are completely blown off, hostels in pitiable states and most schools are without perimeter fences, etc.

The lawmaker said: “Although an initial $20 million was donated for the takeoff of the SSIP in 2014 and as at 2018 a total of $1,720,2406 (N41 billion) has been realised as donations from countries and donor agencies, yet not much is on the ground to indicate seriousness to fully implement the laudable objectives of the initiative as it relates to the safety of schools, students, teachers and facilities.”

CONGRATULATIONS…

L-R: Executive Secretary of Financial Reporting Council of Nigeria (FRCN), Mr. Shuaibu Adamu Ahmed; Minister of State, Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment (FMITI), Ambassador Mariam Yalwaji Katagum; the Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Mr. Adeniyi Adebayo, when Ahmed was handed over his letter of appointment in Abuja…yesterday

Heavy Flooding Expected in 121 LGAs, FG Warns Udora Orizu in Abuja The federal government yesterday said about 121 local government areas across 28 states of the federation would likely experience heavy flooding this year.

The Minister for Water Resources, Suleiman Adamu, who disclosed this at the presentation of the 2021 annual Flood Outlook by the Nigeria Hydrological Services Agency (NIHSA) in Abuja, said another 302 local government areas across the 36 states and

the FCT will likely experience moderate flooding.

He warned that this year, just like 2020, the country would grapple with the two threats of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and the impending floods as predicted in the AFO. The minister, who also said there would be heavy coastal flooding in Rivers, Cross Rivers, Bayelsa, Delta, Lagos and Ondo States, called for concerted efforts to mitigate the impact of the expected flood.

According to him, “So far, the flood levels will be higher

than in previous years but will not attain the levels of the 2012 devastating floods. In summary, the 2021 AFO forecast indicates that 302 LGAs in 36 states, including the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), will fall within the moderate probable Flood Risk Areas. It is expected from the forecast that 121 LGAs in 28 states will fall within the Highly Probable Risk Areas.

The states contiguous to River Niger and River Benue are, without doubt, going to experience river flooding.

“These states include

Kano, Jigawa, Bauchi, Rivers, Akwa Ibom, Cross River, Ebonyi, Imo, Delta, Lagos, Ogun, Oyo, Kogi, Bayelsa, Anambra, Taraba, Nasarawa, Benue, Gombe, Kaduna, Niger, Kwara, FCT, Zamfara, Kebbi Niger and Sokoto. Flash and urban floods from heavy inundation are predicted to occur in some major cities, the severity of which will depend on the availability and adequacy of the drainage systems and adherence to urban planning regulations.”

Boss Harps on High Ethical Standards in Banking Industry DSS Arrests Gbajabiamila’s NDIC system. by the President/Chairman of of the institute aligned with James Emejo in Abuja Hassan said though there had Council, Mr. Bayo Olugbemi, that of the corporation, which Impersonator The Managing Director/Chief been some improvements in which paid him a courtesy visit focuses on the protection Adedayo Akinwale in Abuja

Operatives of the Department of State Security Services (DSS) have arrested some alleged impostors, Aminat Jimoh, Olalekan Adenuga and many others for allegedly impersonating the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila.

The Lagos office of the DSS was said to have made the arrests while investigating the forging of the official letterhead and signature of the Speaker and using same to allegedly defraud unsuspecting individuals and organisations in the country.

It was gathered that before luck ran out on Aminat and her accomplice, Adenuga, the Speaker’s office in the National Assembly had received several complaints about unknown persons writing to agencies and organisations, claiming to

be the Speaker and his aide, making all manner of requests from the unsuspecting bodies.

Following the developments, the Speaker’s office had on April 2, 2021, written to the DSS and requested the secret police to investigate the complaints.

Operatives of the department were said to have acted on the request, which eventually led to the identification and arrest of Adenuga, one of the prime suspects, while the DSS are said to be on the trail of other suspects.

Findings showed that in one particular act, Adenuga had introduced one lady, Aminat Oluwabukola Jimoh, to Caverton Helicopters at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos.

In the forged letter, Adenuga, fraudulently acting as the Speaker of the House, recommended Jimoh to Caverton for employment.

Executive of the Nigeria Deposit Insurance Corporation (NDIC), Mr. Bello Hassan, yesterday stressed the need for banking professionals to comply with the high standards in ethics and professionalism in the industry.

He described it as critical to maintaining the safety and soundness of the banking

risk management practices in the banking industry, there’s the need to strengthen current efforts aimed at ensuring that banking professionals comply with the high standards.

He stated this when he received executive council members of the Chartered Institute of Bankers (CIBN) led

in Abuja.

Hassan also emphasised the need for effective collaboration between regulators and operators in the banking system for the establishment of sound ethics and professionalism in the banking industry.

He, however, pointed out that the vision and mission

of depositors through the provision of deposit insurance in licenced banks and deposit taking financial institutions and assisting monetary authorities in formulating sound banking policies, which he said contributed to the safety and soundness of the banking system.

Abaribe Should be in Prison for Failing to Produce Kanu, Says Wase Adedayo Akinwale in Abuja The Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Ahmed Wase, has stated that the Minority Leader of the Senate, Eyinnaya Abaribe, should be in the prison for his failure to produce the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu, just like Senator Ali Ndume was taken to prison for his inability to produce Abdulrasheed Maina.

Wase stated this at the plenary yesterday while contributing to a debate following a pointof-order raised by Hon. Sada Soli, who said his privilege was breached when the Minority Leader of the House, Hon. Ndudi Elumelu, allegedly told journalists that some All Progressives Congress (APC) lawmakers approached him about their planned defection to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

The deputy Speaker said it was out of place for Elumelu to have divulged to journalists what he described as confidential matter, which was discussed during an executive session.

Wase said: “There is a kind of false situation that I am seeing because after that meeting, PDP caucus of the two chambers went and had another discussion. We need to be serious. I see someone

like Abaribe as a leader in the Senate championing that. Yes, there are many flaws. He bailed Nnamdi Kanu, and during the #EndSARS protest, we knew what happened. Kanu then was the one who was asking for the head of Tinubu. But we have allowed him. He knew what happened to Ndume. Ndume, who bailed Maina, was taken to prison for not producing him, but we allowed this man to go because he is in opposition.

46

FRIDAY MAY 7, 2021 ˾ T H I S D AY

24 HOURS...

24 HOURS...

Formation of SWAGA, Anti-party Activity, Fayemi Tells Tinubu Group Victor Ogunje in Ado Ekiti The Governor of Ekiti State, Dr. Kayode Fayemi, has insisted that the formation of a group called Southwest Agenda for 2023 (SWAGA) to lead the presidential aspiration of the former Governor of Lagos

State, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, was tantamount to anti-party activity.

Fayemi said it was wrong for the group to have been conceived in the first instance, even when the Lagos State Governorship Advisory Council(GAC) chaired

by Tinubu had dissolved all

Non-state Actors in Possession of 5m Weapons, Says Report Kingsley Nwezeh in Abuja A report prepared by a research and consultancy group, Beacon Consulting Ltd., a member of ASIS International, world’s largest association for security management professionals, has shown that of the 6.5 million small arms and light weapons circulating in Nigeria, 5 million are in the possession of non-state actors while 568,000 are in the hands of law enforcement agencies.

Speaking yesterday on “The

CHANGE OF NAME I formally known and address as UKAEGBU VERONICA UCHENNA, ow wish to be known and address as ORAKWE VERONICA UCHENNA. All former documents remain valid. The general public should please take note.

I formally known and address as ORATOKHAI OLOHI BLESSING, ow wish to be known and address as ESEIGBE OLOHI BLESSING. All former documents remain valid. The general public should please take note.

I formally known and address as MISS AKHIDENOR UNUO- TARA VERA, ow wish to be known and address as MISS IDAHOSA OSAROBO OSASERE UNUO-TARA VERA. All former documents remain valid. The general public should please take note.

I formally known and address as AYINDE SEKINAT, ow wish to be known and address as OGUNDIPE SEKINAT ADEJOKE. All former documents remain valid. The general public should please take note.

I formally known and address as OLAREWAJU OLABISI PERCY, ow wish to be known and address as OLAREWAJU OLABISI JIMOH. All former documents remain valid. The general public should please take note.

I formally known and address as IGWILO EDITH EBERE, ow wish to be known and address as WILSON EDITH EBERE. All former documents remain valid. The general public should please take note.

I formally known and address as MISS ABOSEDE JULIET OLOWU, ow wish to be known and address as MRS ABOSEDE JULIET FAGBOHUN. All former documents remain valid. Nigeria immigration services, and general public should please take.

Morning Show”, a programme of ARISE NEWS Channel, a THISDAY broadcast arm, the Assistant Regional Vice President, Region 11 ASIS International and Managing Director Beacon Consulting Ltd, Dr. Kabiru Umar, said his consultancy group conducted a research, which showed that non-state actors were in possession of six million light arms and small weapons while law enforcement agencies were left with 586,000.

“Just in March, we did a survey on the circulation of small arms and light weapons in Nigeria now and I don’t mean to be a harbinger of bad news or to raise the alarm.

But I think it’s important that we know how bad these things are.

We came to the conclusion based on verifiable information that there are 6.5 million small arms and light weapons in circulation.

“So, we now did the next step, which is to break down in terms of who has what and we came up with a figure 586,000 in the hands of our law enforcement agents”, he said.

NACCIMA to Honour Jigawa Gov, CBN, AMCON, Others The Nigerian Association of Chambers of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture (NACCIMA) has concluded plans to commemorate its 60th anniversary and that of Nigeria by honouring deserving Nigerians and institutions.

According to the President of NACCIMA, Hajiya Saratu Iya Aliyu, the event would be held “at a time our country is facing various challenges; we hope with the great accomplishments by the awardees, this event will inspire and encourage all Nigerians to regain their confidence and continue to promote the culture of excellence in every aspect of our work, recommit to national development and nation building.”

The categories of award cut across the private and public sectors as well as outstanding services in the Chamber movement in Nigeria. Some of the esteemed awardees include the Director-General of the World Trade Organisation (WTO), Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala; President of the African Development Bank (ADB), Dr. Akinwumi Adesina; Deputy Secretary-General of the United Nations, Mrs. Amina J. Mohammed; Flutterwave; Interswitch; Chief Sunday Adeniyi Adegeye popularly known as King Sunny Ade.

groups in All Progressives Congress (APC) in Lagos, for internal cohesion.

Senator Adeyeye had last Wednesday blasted Fayemi for allegedly instigating the removal of a ward 8 Chairman in Ado Ekiti Local Government Area, Mr. Clement Afolabi, for allegedly hobnobbing with SWAGA against Fayemi presidential aspiration.

The Ekiti State governor, who

responded yesterday through his Senior Special Assistant on Public Communications, Segun Dipe, said Adeyeye allegedly has dementia by linking him to the removal of a mere ward chairman.

He said: “We considered referring to himself (Adeyeye) as SWAGA chairman within the APC as a misnomer. Perhaps Adeyeye needs to be reminded that the APC had since made

pronouncements against setting up groups within the party.

“Last June, the Lagos APC led by Tinubu dissolved all groups within the party into the APC structure in the state.

According to a communique duly signed by the Governor’s Advisory Council, which is the highest decision making body within the Lagos APC, said all groups, including the two most powerful, The Mandate Group,

and Justice Forum, ceased to exist.

“The resolution, Tinubu had said, was to restate the often stated position that the only group known is the APC and not any factional group.

“One then wonders where Adeyeye and his co-travellers derived their powers to float another group within the APC, which they are calling APC members to start moving to.

EFFECTIVE COLLABORATION…

L-R: Chief of the Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Awwal Gambo (left); and the Commandant, Nigerian Defence Academy, Major General Sagir Yaro, during the Commandant’s visit to Naval Headquarters in Abuja...yesterday

FCTA Debunks Alleged Schools’ Closure Olawale Ajimotokan in Abuja The Education Secretariat of FCT Administration has debunked reports that schools in the Bwari Area Council have been closed due to the fear of the residents that the area might have been infiltrated by bandits after sighting trucks loaded with strangers in the communities bordering Kaduna State on Wednesday.

The Acting Secretary Education

Secretariat, Abdulrazaq Leramoh made the rebuttal yesterday at a press conference attended by the representatives of the Commissioner of the FCT Police Command and the Department of State Services (DSS).

While admitting that the security challenges being experienced across the country had been of utmost concern to the FCT authority, Leramoh said the administration had continued to put all efforts and strategies

together to safeguard the territory.

He allayed the fears of members of the public, parents, and guardians about the safety of all school-age students in the various schools in the FCT by assuring that no security breach had been recorded to warrant the closure of schools as reported.

The acting secretary, who is also the Director, Administration and Finance, stressed that all students under the Education Secretariat custody were safe

while FCT Schools remained safe with effective and efficient learning and teaching taking place unhindered.

He therefore appealed to parents, guardians and the stakeholders not to relent in complementing the government efforts by sustaining the various safety measures the FCT Administration had already put in place while reminding them that security is everybody’s business.

Rice Farmers Oppose Return of Impounded Commodity to Traders James Emejo in Abuja Rice farmers under the umbrella of the Rice Processors Association of Nigeria (RIPAN), yesterday kicked against the directive by the Senate Committee on Ethics, Privileges and Public Petitions, to the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) to return the smuggled goods it impounded from rice traders’ shops in Ibadan, Oyo State.

The group stated that the resolution of the committee was at variance with the resolve of both the federal government and

Nigerians to grow local capacity in the rice sector in order to achieve food security.

The association also argued that the “Nigerian rice is affordable, and within the reach of the Nigerian people”.

The Director General of RIPAN, Mr. Andy Ekwelem, at a media briefing in Abuja, said, the senate directive was capable of sending shock waves that could collapse the rice industry, discourage further investments and put over 15 million jobs at risk as well as erode the gains so far achieved in the country’s rice revolution.

The association, therefore, argued that if smuggling was not tackled with appropriate dispatch, the magnitude of loss to Nigerian stakeholders particularly the federal government, integrated rice millers, funding banks, Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), and farmers, among others, would be devastating for the country’s fledgling economy.

Ekwelem, pointed out that there was the need for urgent action to avert a looming national food emergency, adding that all hands must be on deck to combat smuggling.

“What we need is to grow our local capacity and not foreign rice,” he said.

The body further expressed support for the Nigeria Customs Service, adding that the raid on markets that were dealing on smuggled rice was legitimate and welcoming.

RIPAN, further advised the Senate Committee to “take a second look at the matter from a national economics prism because from where we are currently with the Nigerian economy, personal biases must be eschewed if we must make progress”.

Oyo/Osun NCS Command Rakes in N15.8bn Revenue

Kemi Olaitan in Ibadan

The Nigerian Customs Service (NCS) Area Comptroller (CAC), Oyo/Osun States Command, Mr. Adamu Abdulkadir, yesterday said the command generated N15,890,489,479.26 between February and April this year.

This is just as he said the command has set a proficient team with the codename: ‘Excise Task Force’ to further enhance anti-smuggling capabilities of the command through tactical raids and interceptions of smuggled items through the border, stating

that it will also help to widen the dragnet to infuse factories that have qualified to be enlisted under the Customs and Excise Control.

Abdulkadir, who made the disclosures while addressing journalists at the Command headquarters in Ibadan, Oyo State, said the income generated was the cumulative of import duty from bonded terminals, excise duty from factories under the excise net, auction fees and all other ancillary charges into both federation and non-federation accounts.

He said towards making the command a no-go area for smugglers, it seized no fewer than 331 bags of foreign parboiled rice, intercepted 487 litres of petrol, 221 cartons of imported dry fish, nine sacks of imported dry fish, nine sacks of cannabis sativa and six bales of used shoes within the period under review.

Other seized items included 138 (10 litres) gallons of vegetable oil; 572 (2.5 litres) gallons of vegetable oil; 21 bales of second-hand clothing and one used DAF truck.

The Customs boss further stated that the contraband items were

intercepted at various locations within the command, noting that the duty paid value of the seized items is N134, 477, 316.00.

According to him, “From February 1 2021, to April 2021, the Command generated N15, 890, 489, 479.26.

“The command’s antismuggling achievement within the same period under review is as follows: ‘Foreign parboiled rice 3,311 (50 kg) bags; petrol 487 (25 litres) kegs; imported dry fish 221 cartons; nine sacks of imported dry fish; nine sacks of cannabis sativa, and six bales of used shoes.

FRIDAY MAY 7, 2021 ˾ T H I S D AY

47

FRIDAYSPORTS

Group Sports Editor Duro Ikhazuagbe Email duro.ikhazuagbe@thisdaylive.com 0811 181 3083 SMS ONLY

CAF Moves Super Eagles’ 2022 World Cup Qualifier against Liberia to September Covid-19 fingered for second round qualifiers shift to ‘ember months’ Duro Ikhazuagbe Super Eagles who were scheduled to open their 2022 World Cup second round qualifying campaign against the Lone Star of Liberia on June 6 in Lagos, may have to wait a little longer.

The Confederation of African Football (CAF) ruled yesterday that the qualifiers have been moved from June to September due to the recent spread of the Covid-19 that has made it impossible for some of the venues to host matches.

CAF said in a statement yesterday that the decision was made in conjunction with FIFA “taking into consideration the current disruption caused by the Covid-19 pandemic and the need to ensure optimal playing conditions for all teams.”

The qualifiers were scheduled to begin in early June, having

already been postponed from October last year due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

Cape Verde and Central African Republic are the other teams in Group C. Super Eagles Manager, Gernot Rohr was expected to release his list of 50 players to use during these qualifiers for the race to Qatar 2022.

Just this week, CAF issued a list of approved stadiums for the first two rounds of qualifiers, which left a quarter of the 40 teams competing for places in Qatar 2022 without a venue to play their home matches.

The Teslim Balogun Stadium in Lagos to host Super Eagles games of the qualifiers was given all- clear as the rate of Covid-19 infectious was under considerable control in the country.

Countries who were affected include Senegal, who competed at the last World Cup in Russia

in 2018, and Mali, who were among the top seeded teams for the preliminaries.

Burkina Faso, the Central African Republic, Liberia, Malawi, Namibia, Niger and Sierra Leone have all also been affected.

There has also been concern

over travel restrictions placed on players coming from Europe, many of whom had to sit out March’s final round of qualifiers for the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations due to some host countries being on the ‘red lists’ of European nations due

to the pandemic.

According to CAF, the shift in calendar means there will now be two rounds of World Cup qualifiers in each of the FIFA international windows in September, October and November this year, essentially

concluding the group phase in 11 weeks.

The 10 group winners will then advance to the final playoff stage in March, which is contested on a home and away basis, where the five victors will earn their place in Qatar.

T O K Y O O LY M P I C S

Nigeria’s Relay Teams Take Qualification Quests to USA Sports Minister, Sunday Dare, sees off the contingent at Lagos airport Nigeria’s preparations for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics has hit top gear as 16 athletes departed the Murtala Mohammed International Airport yesterday aboard Delta Airlines to Texas, United States of America (USA) where they will take part in some track and field meetings as they bid to qualify for the five relay events at the Games in Tokyo.

The 16 athletes and coaches decked in their new kits were seen off by the Minister of Youth and Sports Development, Chief Sunday Dare.

The team had almost three weeks training in Abuja in preparation for the relay races they have been scheduled to take part in and which have been designated as qualifying events for the Olympics after

missing out of the World Relays in Selasie, Poland due to visa hitches.

This is contrary to the report in a national daily which claimed Team Nigeria was stranded due to lack of funds. ‘’Our athletes are highly motivated to participate in various relay events in the United States contrary to a report in a national daily newspaper which claimed the team was stranded. As you can see, it is just the figment of imagination of the writer,” Secretary General of the Athletics Federation of Nigeria (AFN), Prince Niyi Beyioku told the few sportswriters at the airport.

Beyioku was full of praises for the Sports Minister who facilitated the trip.

Villarreal Deny Arsenal All-England Europa Final Arsenal’s Europa League hopes were dashed last night as Villarreal sealed a semi-final victory that will almost certainly end the Gunners’ unbroken 25-season run of appearing in European competition.

Trailing 2-1 from the first leg in Spain and knowing that victory in this tournament represented their only realistic route back into the Champions League, Mikel Arteta’s side could not find a way past the visitors’ stubborn defence as the second leg ended goalless.

Nicolas Pepe and Emile Smith Rowe both fired efforts wide early in the second half and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang hit the post again with a downward header later in the game but such moments were few and far between.

With Manchester United seeing off Roma in the other semi-final 3-2 (8-5 aggregate) and Chelsea and Manchester City into the Champions League final, Arsenal’s loss ruins a Premier League clean sweep of European competitions this season.

Sports Minister, Mr Sunday Dare (left), addressing the Nigerian contingent at the Murtala Muhammed Airport in Lagos shortly before the team’s departure for the USA in pursuit of qualification for the relay events of Tokyo Olympics...yesterday

Super Falcons to Feature in America’s Glamour Summer Series Nine-time African champions Nigeria will be one of four participating teams at this year’s WNT Summer Series that will also have the Women A National Teams of host nation United States of America, Portugal and Jamaica in attendance. The tournament is presented by AT&T 5G. Matches will be played at the BBVA Stadium in Houston and at the brandnew, $240million Q2 Stadium in Austin built by the newest club in the Major League Soccer, Austin FC. Both cities are in the State of Texas and the clash between the Super Falcons and the US Women A team will be the first-ever football match at the state-of-the-art Q2.

The glamour tournament, which also held in 2017 and

Super Falcons are primed to take on world champions USA in an invitational game in Houston, Texas in June

2018, will run between 10th– 16th Juneand will see the Super Falcons clashing with their Jamaican counterparts in Houston on the 10th before taking on Portugal three days later at the same BBVA Stadium.

Their last match is against

the USA squad, four-time winners of the FIFA World Cup and four-time winners of the Olympic football gold, at the Q2 Stadium on 16th June.

Randy Waldrum, who presently coaches Nigeria’s Women A team, is an American who also coached

the Trinidad and Tobago Women’s National Team between 2014 and 2016, and led the Super Falcons to three wins out of three in the Turkish Women’s Invitational Tournament in Antalya in February.

The USA is the only one of the four teams in the Summer Series that will compete in the 2021 Tokyo Olympics, but Nigeria has remained the dominant force in Africa since qualifying for the first edition of the FIFA Women’s World Cup in 1991 in China. Falcons won the first edition of the Women AFCON in 1998.

Portugal is among a group of European teams that is making big strides forward in the women’s game, and Jamaica qualified for its first Women’s World Cup in 2019.

Nigerian Golf Firm Secures European Partnership to Grow Local Tour International Sports Management (ISM) has signed a partnership with Nigeria’s International Golf Management and Development Company (IGolfMDC) with a view to staging tournaments and helping grow the game in Africa.

Set up by former professional Chubby Chandler in 1989, ISM has a rich history of putting on events, including the European Tour’s British Masters, Turkish Airlines Open and, most recently, Cyprus Open.

That influence is now set to be extended to Africa for the first time with the aim of taking new tournaments to

the continent and boosting golf there.

IGolfMDC is a sport management company focused on contributing to the development of golf in Nigeria, specialising in tournament organisation, talent management, and youth development.

Olusola J. Lawson Jnr, who set up IGolfMDC in 2014, managed the first professional golfer tour in Nigeria, the PGA Nigeria Tour from 2007 to 2012.

ISM Chief Executive Officer Chandler said: “We’re really excited to be linking up with Sola and IGolfMDC. No-one knows more about staging

tournaments in this part of Africa than him and we’re looking forward to exploring some untapped potential.

“In my playing days, the Safari Tour was a real success in so many ways and if we can create something similar, helping the game in those countries, then I’d be delighted,” gushed Chandler.

Lawson is in no doubt about the significance of the new partnership and believes it can help create a pathway for African players to the European Tour and PGA Tour.

He also believes that hosting tournaments can show off all the region has to offer and boost

tourism, as the Turkish Airlines Open and Cyprus Open did for Turkey and Cyprus respectively.

Lawson said: “Over the years, I have nursed the idea of promoting international professional golf via a panAfrican platform to enhance playing opportunities for Nigerian and African pros, giving them the opportunity to compete with their counterparts from Europe and America.

“Signing a Working Agreement with ISM is a huge step for IGolfMDC. ISM is a major sports management company representing some of the world’s leading talent in Golf.

Friday May 7, 2021

Book Your COVID-19 Tests & Vaccinations TEXT

‘COVID’ TO 58123

This service is provided in association with accredited service providers

TR

UT H

& RE A SO

N

Price: N250

MISSILE

Wike to FG “If Nigeria is a nation where honour and integrity are valued, the present APC-led federal government which does not care even if dead bodies are littering on all the roads in the country, will honourably quit power” – Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, lambasting the APC-led federal government for its inability to resolve security challenges.

ISSAAREMU GUEST COLUMNIST

Unquotable Robert Clarke: Unhelpful Hysteria “When men are ruled by fear, they strive to prevent the very changes that will abate it” -Alan Paton, South African writer “When fear comes in the door, logic goes out the window” - Ina Perlman

C

hief Robert Clarke is a respected Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN). Last Sunday he unsettled many of his compatriots inclusive of yours comradely. He curiously and magisterially declared (hold your breath for the slander!) that “Nigeria may not survive the next six months”.

While lamenting the spate of insecurity in Nigeria on Channels Television’s Sunday Politics, the senior lawyer in loud sound and fury, declared that, “Many things are happening and I swear by my father’s grave, if care is not taken Nigeria will collapse in six months time.”

It is strange that an octogenarian would ever swear for an apocalypse rather than pray for peace.

It is even a scandal that an elder would swear with a late father resting in perfect peace in the grave.

Who then would guide “our youths the truth to know” (national anthem) when our leaders are as misguided and xenophobic?

The late Fela Anikulapo Kuti in his grave would have exclaimed “Just like that”! It’s really a “wonder” “Wonderfulment” as Fela put it in his “Just like that” album. It’s simply unfathomable that a Senior Advocate of Federal Republic of Nigeria would verbally assault a Republic, (without which he and other current fashionable nation- building skeptics would not have been known).

Paradoxically by his own reminiscence, Chief Clarke once disclosed that he “ was... privileged to be a classmate to the late Fela Ransome-Kuti, later known as Fela Anikulapo Kuti; his brother, the late Beko Ransome-Kuti”. As a fan of the Kuti brothers, particularly Fela and Beko, I bear witness that never in their moments of documented frustrations, did they whimsically give up on Nigeria to the point of wishing and swearing for the collapse of a country of 200 million Africans.

On the contrary, up to his death, the legendary Fela inspired hope for a strong united Nigeria, Africa peaceful and inclusive world. Fela

Clarke bemoaned with his legendary saxophone the perennial crisis of governance since independence manifesting in serial revelations of “Authority Stealing”, police and military brutality and shortages of water, light and food. But never betrayed faith in a united indivisible, just and fair Nigeria and greater Africa. At times like this, certainly late Chief Gani Fawehinmi (another SAN like Chief Clarke) just like late Fela Anikulapo Kuti would not have declared a distasteful post dated “collapse” of Nigeria.

Fela was not so honored like Chief Clarke who “took the Silk” in the past 15 years, after almost 50 years in rewarding legal practices in Nigeria which on his own account nurtured him from orphanage to a remarkable and enviable position of statesmanship in his own deserved rights. But he was a standing patriot to the end.

The consolation is that there are once positive quotable quotes of Chief Robert Clarke beyond last Sunday hysterical outburst.

The worthy life and times of Chief Clarke on his own account belie the doomsday hysteria

that Nigeria would collapse. Indeed, his profile underscores the fact that Nigeria has come of age, survived two world wars, lowered the British Union Jack flag in 1960 survived unfortunate three years civil war with its human devastation, survived prolonged military dictatorship and so far is deepening democratic process in the last two decades with all the challenges of insecurity.

Of dual British father and “Hausa/Fulani” (in his own words) mother, Chief Clarke was born on July 11, 1938, “later fostered ..to a Yoruba family”, (in his own words!) attended the best of public primary and secondary schools, graduate schools with scholarships at home and abroad. He was once the lawyer to the late President Shehu Shagari!.

At 80, Chief Clarke should be attributed with motivational words for his children and grandchildren in a prosperous, peaceful Africa. Not unhelpful fear and tele-phobia about a doom. As we have seen with the consequences of the collapse of former USSR and Libya, collapse of states is better imagined than being experienced. The recent fashionable but unhelpful verbal and physical attacks on Nigeria point to the degeneration of the Nigeria elite in addressing the crisis of nation- building. Certainly it’s time Nigerian elite organize their thoughts about Nigeria and stopped openly agonising of dubious value.

There must be a collective realisation that we are dealing with legacy problems of underdevelopment, mass poverty and inequality which in turn fuel current youth unemployment and violence of varying dimensions. Yes the current challenges might be “overwhelming” but the solutions are not in anger and addictive baseless fears.

I agree with Desmond Mpilo Tutu, the South African Anglican cleric and theologian, that “Resentment and anger are bad for your blood pressure and your digestion”. Lest we forget the “bitter heart devours its owner”. There is a Yoruba received wisdom that we should not “..run the world hastly; Let us not grasp at the rope of wealth impatiently; what should be treated with mature judgement, let us not treat in a fit of temper.”

To allude to a collapse of ones country is a slander: we dare not repeat such slander; Compatriots should not even hear it; for it is the result of unhelpful “hot temper”. Happily, “a stone thrown

in anger never kills a bird! I agree with Jackie Mason, the American Author/Comedian who rightly observed that in the final analysis all “Predictions are preposterous”! Indeed most negative predictions about Nigeria, with the benefits of hindsights are at best absurd and ridiculous, and at worse, foolish and laughable. False predictions about Nigeria include that of the German author, Karl Maier, ‘a native of Louisville, Kentucky’ who according to his 2000 book ‘lives in London’ (not Lagos!).

In his provocative controversial notorious title; ‘This House Has Fallen’, Karl Maier concluded long before year 2000 that Nigeria would collapse as a nation state!

In late 1990s, it will be recalled that Nigeria was in the crisis of transition from military dictatorship to democracy with coups and counter-coup plots, serial deaths of political notables such as General Shehu Yar Adua, Chief Moshood Abiola and General Sani Abacha. The subsequent “sharia” crisis of 2001, 2002, and the serial bloodletting across some major cities of the North increased the noise level of Maier’s predictions. Thank God and resilience of Nigerians, this house called Nigeria has NOT fallen contrary to the doomsday scenario of Karl Maier.

Another celebrated false hysteria about Nigeria came from a former American Ambassador to Nigeria (2004 -2007), Professor John Campbell. In a hysterical preview of his book entitled; ‘Nigeria: Dancing on the Brink’, he had claimed that “The 2011 elections in Nigeria, scheduled for January 22, pose a threat to the stability of the United States’ most important partner in West Africa.”

Of course in 2005, we recall a so-called CIA Report according to which Nigeria would be a failed state in 2015. It is again to the eternal resilience of Nigeria and Nigerians that Nigeria weathered the political storms of 2011 and indeed the most challenging of all 2015! The challenge today is that of democratic consolidation, war against banditry and criminality which is only possible with national consensus and solidarity.

Notwithstanding the current challenges, Nigeria has shown that like most nation-states, the challenges of development are always there. The issue is the capacity to overcome them. Things may occasionally fall apart, but with determination, things can fall in place.

Time to Raise The White Flag Our country is crippled. Our compatriots are being slaughtered like chickens all over the country.

Insecurity has become the most interrogated phenomenon of our time and the result is clear for all to see.

Food inflation is way over 20% and the people are starving because terrorists and bandits have made a visit to the farm grave risk to their lives.

Meanwhile, tariffs and taxes are going up and incomes are collapsing even as inflation is rising and unemployment soars into record territory.

Funding budgets have become a nightmare. Given crude oil price decline and the mismanagement of petrol pricing, refining, importation and distribution, the states are being threatened that FAAC Account meetings to share revenue may be put on hold.

The lack of imagination in public finance management which keeps out monetisation of assets and external sector stimulation of the circular flows of income in Nigeria, further worsens the budget crisis. The stress and tension on the streets are so palpable you could slice the air with a blunt knife.

A real emergency, whether declared or not, exists. It can be felt in refusal of many to travel even short distances and in the daily shedding of innocent blood across the country.

Change is imperative with an urgency of

yesterday, far more hurriedly than an urgency of now.

It seems the Robert Kaplan prediction of a coming anarchy has come. The time for bravado is over.

We should raise the white flag of surrender, not to the forces of evil that threaten our way of life but to humble pie. We must tell the world that we need help.

We must shout from the rooftops to the world that they need to come to our aid now or risk the cost of coming late as they did in Rwanda and lose more lives trying to flush out the undesirable in the interest of human solidarity in this our interconnected world, belatedly as was the case in Iraq.

We support the call of Professor Wole Soyinka to seek external assistance ASAP to prevent Nigeria from getting on a “one chance” transport on the road to Somalia.

Beyond pleading for help we have some home truths to admit to ourselves and some serious conversations to engage with on a way forward.

Have we reached the point where the legislature can turn to the idea of a Doctrne of necessity to create new leaders and refocus the agenda of the country. Yes we have. Perhaps we should invoke that doctrine of necessity to introduce a

government of National Unity.

They say we cannot afford a civil war but Nigeria is at war already. A government of National unity, just like General Yakubu Gowon put together in 1967, in the wake of the last civil war, will provide a war chest of wisdom that can lead us to a new Nigeria.

People in public life have been seen as largely driven by self-love and the pursuit of gain without pain. Most of the things we should have done or failed to do that have got us to where we are, derive from corruption, nepotism, and disregard for merit and accountability. We must confront them all now. Consequence must not be ignored.

Now the results have come in, collapse stirs us in the face.

The Commissioner for Security Matters in Kaduna State, Samuel Akuwan, provides some of the evidence of how current conditions check off most boxes on the failed states index. Providing data on the current conditions in the state, he said 323 people had been killed and 949 kidnapped in three months. Few of the many civil wars in the country throw up such statistics of death.

But it gets worse.

Three years earlier, the then Governor of Borno State, Kashim Shetima, had revealed that Boko Haram killed more than 100,000 people and

displaced more two million.

It is pertinent to note that the IMF has indicated that Nigeria rank160 out of 166 on the 2030 MDGs and that we need to be growing GDP at 14% per annum when we are afraid of another recession, which is quarter on quarter negative growth.

These are all grave enough conditions for extraordinary measures to halt our rush towards state failure.

As if the foregoing are not enough the people on the street feel despair and investors are unwilling to commit until they have a sense of a halt in the drift and the setting of a new course Can we commit to changing the conduct that brought us to this sorry pass? Can the crisis of values that has brought collapse to our door steps be reversed?

With our reality as a true existential threat we must move from emotional rationalisations of our past behaviour to recognising that we have created our troubles.

Talk may not be cheap as often suggested but now is a time for ACTION. None can afford to look on like bystanders.

We call on thought leaders across the land, traditional leaders, religious icons, elders of the nation in groups of past leaders to rise in one accord to demand change right now.

Printed and Published in Lagos by THISDAY Newspapers Limited. Lagos: 35 Creek Road, Apapa, Lagos. Abuja: Plot 1, Sector Centre B, Jabi Business District, Solomon Lar Way, Jabi North East, Abuja .

All Correspondence to POBox 54749, Ikoyi, Lagos. EMAIL: editor@thisdaylive.com, info@thisdaylive.com. TELEPHONE Lagos: 0802 2924721-2, 08022924485. Abuja: Tel: 08155555292, 08155555929 24/7 ADVERTISING HOT LINES: 0811 181 3085 0811 181 3086, 0811 181 3087, 0811 181 3088, 0811 181 3089, 0811 181 3090. ENQUIRIES & BOOKING: adsbooking@thisdaylive.com