SUNDAY 2ND JULY 2023

Nigeria’s Increasing Oil Production Reduces OPEC's Declining Output

Emmanuel Addeh in Abuja Nigeria’s rising crude oil production has reduced the declining output

by the other member countries of the Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC), a survey has shown.

According to the survey, crude oil output from OPEC fell only slightly in June as rising production levels in Nigeria and Iraq limited

the impact of cutbacks by other member countries. A Reuters survey did not indicate the actual volume of the

commodity produced by Nigeria, but the country which registered improvement during the month under review, has been unable to

meet its OPEC production allocation for over 30 months.

Continued on page 5

FIRS Set to Implement New VAT Filing Procedures for Importers, Suppliers…

Obi-Datti Campaign Alleges Attempts

Chuks Okocha in Abuja

As President Bola Tinubu, the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC)

open their defence tomorrow at the Presidential Election Petition Court in Abuja, the Obi-Datti Presidential Campaign Organisation yesterday warned the electoral umpire against tampering with

INEC Result Viewing Portal (IREV) to give 25 per cent of the votes in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) to the All Progressives Congress (APC).

The Peoples Democratic Party

Page 6

to Doctor FCT Results

(PDP), Labour Party (LP), and their presidential candidates, Atiku Abubakar and Peter Obi, respectively, had closed their cases penultimate Friday. But a statement issued yesterday

by the Obi-Datti Campaign Organisation alleged that INEC was trying to yield to pressure to tinker with the results of some states, including the FCT to enable the ruling APC to be in good standing.

The statement, which was signed by the Head of the Media Office of the campaign organisation, Mr. Diran Onifade,

Continued on page 5

N’Assembly Members Intensify Lobby for Appointment into Key Committees

Pro-Yari senators plan to challenge Akpabio's victory in court

Sunday Aborishade in Abuja

As the members of the National Assembly resume plenary on Tuesday, July 4, after the Sallah break, the federal lawmakers have begun to intensify lobbying for appointment as chairmen and members of key standing committees considered, THISDAY has learnt.

Also, plans by the aggrieved senators in the camp of the former Governor of Zamfara State, Senator Abdulaziz Yari, to challenge the emergence of Senator Godswill Akpabio as the Senate President in court, thickened at the weekend as the disgruntled group insisted that the result of the election was manipulated.

However, Akpabio’s loyalists have described the threat of court action as a mere ploy by the proYari lawmakers to negotiate for

appointment into the standing committees of the Senate, just as the National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Senator Abdullahi Adamu, has charged the federal lawmakers to collaborate with President Bola Tinubu.

THISDAY gathered that the lobby has become more intense in the House of Representatives, which has since constituted a selection committee to recommend members for appointment as chairmen and vice chairmen of the various Standing Committees.

Before the lawmakers adjourned for the Sallah break, the Speaker of the House, Hon. Tajudeen Abbas, had appointed seven special committees, including a selection committee chaired by himself. The six other committees include

TETE-A-TETE…

monarch

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu (left); and Oba of Lagos HRM, Alayeluwa Oba Rilwan Aremu Akiolu, when the president paid homage to the

at his palace in Lagos Island…yesterday

Threat a mere ploy to negotiate for committee positions, say Senate president’s loyalists APC urges lawmakers to collaborate with Tinubu

SEVENTY HEARTY CHEERS…

N’ASSEMBLY MEMBERS INTENSIFY LOBBY FOR APPOINTMENT INTO KEY COMMITTEES

Internal Security Committee, led by Mohammed Danjuma; Media Committee to be headed by Buka Ibrahim (APC-Yobe); the Legislative Agenda Committee, to be chaired by Julius Ihonbvare (APC-Edo) and the Rules and Business Committee, to be led by Igariwey Iduma (PDPEbonyi); Welfare Committee, headed by Wale Raji (APC-Lagos); and Ethics and Privileges Committee, which would be led by Tunji Olawuyi (APC-Kwara).

The selection committee will have one member each from the 36 states and is expected to come up with a list that is likely to be announced when the House resumes.

“Lobbying for membership or chairmanship of influential or what you call key committees is a normal thing in the life of every National Assembly. What matters is that at the end, round pegs will be in round holes and the appointments will reflect the country’s geographical spread and also give a sense of belonging to the minority parties,” one of the lawmakers told THISDAY.

Though Akpabio has not set up similar committees in the Senate, THISDAY gathered that the old and new members of both chambers have begun lobbying for committees regarded as key committees.

Investigations also revealed that many of those who stepped down for Akpabio and Abbas during the elections for the positions of the Senate President and the Speaker of the House would be rewarded with the chairmanship of key

committees.

National Assembly committees that oversee influential ministries and agencies with huge annual budgets are considered very lucrative.

Pro-Yari Senators Plan to Challenge Akpabio's Victory in Court

Meanwhile, plans by the aggrieved senators in the camp of the former Governor of Zamfara State, Senator Yari, to challenge the emergence of Akpabio as the Senate President in court, thickened at the weekend as the disgruntled group threatened to go to court this week.

The aggrieved senators vowed to drag the National Assembly Management to court this week for allegedly announcing a wrong result.

The pro-Yari senators maintained that the ballot papers used in the election were serially barcoded.

Some senators, who are members of the ruling APC, who spoke to THISDAY strictly on conditions of anonymity in Abuja, also threatened to dump the party, if the Clerk to the National Assembly, Magaji Tambuwal, fails to submit the exact barcoded ballot papers used for the poll for proper scrutiny.

About 22 senators of the APC had allegedly planned to defect to the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to make the PDP the majority in the Senate.

But a former Senate Chief Whip, Senator Orji Uzor Kalu, had in a video last week, debunked the reported defection plans.

He had also said the June 13 election held to elect Akpabio was fair and transparent, and not manipulated as alleged.

Kalu had said: “Let me be honest with you, the election in the Senate was very transparent.

"Senator Akpabio won the election. It was free; it was fair. I congratulate the Clerk of the National Assembly.

"I congratulate the Clerk and all the staff of the Senate. You know, I cannot lie against my conscience. Akpabio won the election hands down."

However, some senators, who spoke to THISDAY disagreed with Kalu’s statement.

They vowed to challenge Akpabio’s election in court.

Two senators from the Northeast, who spoke on the issue, told THISDAY that the election was manipulated against Senator Yari.

“Though the election had been held and Akpabio emerged, there are still questions surrounding his victory.

"The ballot papers were tampered with and compromised. The ballot papers were serially barcoded such that the idea of secret balloting never existed.

"Some senators were forced to vote against their will. These actions were not only undemocratic, but unconstitutional and embarrassing.

“A lot of senators who voted for

Akpabio did so under compulsion and threat. They never wanted him to be President.

"We are interested in telling the world how barcodes were used to rig the election. Why should an electoral process be tampered with?

"Until it is determined there would be too many other questions to answer in the 10th Senate.

"This is the first-time ballot papers will have a barcode. Akpabio won’t last as Senate President,” one of the senators said.

Another Senator also said, "An election that was supposed to be secret balloting was manipulated and compromised.

"We believe that the right thing must be done to avoid international embarrassment.

"What happened on June 13 was against the Senate rule. You can’t have a Senate president that came on board illegally.

"We will challenge the process and make sure that the electoral processes are not tampered with in the future," he explained.

But in a swift reaction, proAkpabio senators, who also spoke to THISDAY on condition of anonymity, told THISDAY that the threat of court action was a mere ploy by the supporters of Yari to negotiate for the chairmanship of influential committees.

“The so-called threat is a mere gimmick to negotiate for positions in the standing committees. They know that they lost the election, which was conducted in a very fair and transparent manner. Even

NIGERIA’S INCREASING OIL PRODUCTION REDUCES OPEC'S DECLINING OUTPUT

OPEC and Nigeria’s upstream regular had yet to release the data for June as of yesterday.

Nigeria’s crude oil production had picked up in the last quarter of last year and has since continued to grow slowly, except in April when the output fell to roughly 1 million barrels per day.

Reuters report stated that OPEC pumped 28.18 million barrels per day in June, down 50,000 bpd from May's revised figure when output dropped by 240,000 bpd as the latest cut took effect.

The survey suggested little further progress by OPEC in limiting supply ahead of a further voluntary reduction by Saudi Arabia which took effect yesterday, as part of the producers' latest agreement made in June to support the market.

Several members of OPEC+, which include OPEC and allies such as Russia, had in April pledged voluntary cuts on top of those made in late 2022 as the economic outlook worsened.

For May, six OPEC members agreed to cut output by a further 1.04 million bpd, adding to about 1.27 million bpd of reductions already in place. The curbs remained in place for June.

The Saudi-led OPEC group came down hard in Nigeria last month when it slashed the country’s

baseline from 1.742 million barrels per day to 1.38 million bpd for 2024 after Nigeria failed consistently to meet the expected volume allocated by the international oil cartel.

Last week, THISDAY reported that in the first five months of 2023, Nigeria only recorded production of just 56 per cent of the total expected output, according to its analysis of data from the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC).

The data indicated that whereas the country was expected to produce an estimated 261.3 million barrels between January to May, given the about 52.26 million barrels projection every month, Nigeria’s total volume between January and May 2023, was 181.5 million barrels.

The slump in production, which had become more pronounced since 2020, left a deficit of 80 million barrels of crude oil not produced during the period.

In monetary terms, at a conservative oil price of $70 a barrel during the period, it means that Nigeria, between January and May 2023 lost a whopping gross sum of $5.6 billion due to underproduction of its crude oil quota.

In all, out of the over 52 million barrels expected monthly volume, the country's output was 39 million

barrels in January, 36.5 million barrels in February, and 39.3 million barrels in March.

April was the most hit in terms of the low volume of oil drilled, with Nigeria only able to produce 29.95 million barrels out of the over 52.3 million barrels expected cumulative production for the month. In May, the country produced 36.69 million barrels to continue the country’s deficit run.

Reuters said that OPEC's output was still undershooting the targeted amount by almost 1 million bpd partly because Nigeria and Angola cannot pump as much as their agreed level, even though Nigeria’s production edged up marginally.

OPEC's Gulf producers Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, and the United Arab Emirates have largely implemented their voluntary cuts and continued to show high compliance in June, the survey found.

Saudi Arabia lowered its output by 40,000 bpd, according to the survey, the biggest decline among the nations required to limit output.

OPEC's biggest decline, of 50,000 bpd, was seen in Iran, where exports fell back from a usually strong level in May, the survey found. Iran, along with Libya and Venezuela, is exempt from OPEC cuts.

“Nigeria also posted a further

small gain with exports holding strong from key streams, the survey found, although it is pumping much less than allowed under the OPEC+ deal,” the Reuters report stressed.

The survey tracks supply to the market based on shipping data provided by external sources, Refinitiv Eikon flows data, information from companies that track flows such as Petro-Logistics and Kpler, and information provided by sources at oil companies, OPEC, and consultants.

Meanwhile, oil prices rose above $75 a barrel at the weekend but were on course for a fourth consecutive quarter of losses amid concerns over sluggish global economic activity and fuel demand.

Benchmark Brent crude futures, for September delivery, were up 82 cents, or 1.1 per cent, at $75.33 a barrel while the less-traded front-month contract, was up 52 cents at $74.86.

The contract was on track for a six per cent decline in the three months to the end of June, marking a fourth straight quarterly decline.

United States West Texas Intermediate crude (WTI) was up 86 cents or 1.2 per cent to $70.72. The contract was down 6.5 per cent quarterly, its second consecutive quarterly drop.

Senator Orji Uzor Kalu, who is a staunch supporter of Yari has attested to the fact that the election was credible. They are just seeking relevance by issuing threats so that they will be carried along,” one of the pro-Akpabio senators said.

APC Urges N’Assembly to Collaborate with Tinubu

In another development, the National Chairman of the APC, Senator Adamu, has charged members of the National Assembly to collaborate with the executive arm of government led by President Bola Tinubu in the overall interest of Nigerians.

Adamu gave the charge yesterday when Akpabio led members of the Senate on Sallah's homage to his Keffi residence in Nasarawa State.

Adamu said: "I congratulate you and your deputy on your emergence as the President of the Senate and Deputy President of the Senate, respectively.

"Your emergence was a great relief to the party. Contests for offices are over, it is now time for governance. There must be an effective collaboration between the Legislature and the Executive in the overall interest of our people.

"Nigerians expect a lot through you and that can only be achieved through a united legislature and the executive working in sync in a bipartisan manner.

"As the President of the Senate and Chairman of the National Assembly, you have the knowledge, experience, and

what it takes for the two arms of government to work in harmony for the peace and development of our country," he said.

Akpabio who was accompanied to the Keffi home of the party's chairman by the Deputy President of the Senate, Jibrin Barau, Senators Dave Umahi, Ali Ndume, and Opeyemi Bamidele, expressed happiness for the opportunity to pay homage to the APC National Chairman, adding that "Sallah is a period to exchange love which is what Islam enjoins us to do."

He described Adamu as a man of integrity who piloted the recent zoning arrangements in the National Assembly that produced results.

Akpabio said: "We are here to pay Sallah homage to a man of honour; to give respect to whom it is due.

"We thank the leadership of the party and the National Working Committee (NWC) through you for the role you played which led to the success of the National Assembly leadership elections.

"We also thank the Almighty Allah for keeping you alive and we pray that He keeps you alive in good health for more contributions to the development of the youth of this country.

"As I have been saying, the 10th National Assembly will support the President Bola Tinubu-led administration to succeed.

"We will put laws in place to support the Renewed Hope agenda of this administration in the overall interest of national peace, unity, and development," he explained.

OBI-DATTI CAMPAIGN ALLEGES ATTEMPTS TO DOCTOR FCT RESULTS

quoted the Campaign Manager of the organisation, Mr. Oseloka H. Obaze as saying in a tweet that intelligence reports showed that INEC was trying to tinker with the declared results of the February 25, 2023, presidential election.

Onifade said: “According to our source, INEC is tempering with the machines used in the election to adjust FCT results to give the APC candidate, the much-needed 25 per cent, which he did not get as per the initial INEC declaration and for which he is being challenged at the Presidential election tribunal.

“It’s not clear how the electoral commission can brazenly carry out such bizarre action but given the abracadabra they did to announce the APC Candidate winner by 4 a.m., there is nothing to be taken for granted.

“Obaze warns that INEC and the ruling APC may be taking the adherence to the rule of law and due process disposition of Nigerians in general and the ‘Obidient’ movement in particular for granted, but it would be courting catastrophe for them to want to pour salt into an open wound inflicted on Nigeria’s electorate.

“The former United Nations diplomat reminded INEC that what they are trying to do is tantamount to raising a dead horse and that whether reports were fake or real, the commission should know the level of public confidence in them has long eroded," Onifade added.

The PDP and the LP, as well as their candidates, have since closed their case against Tinubu and the APC, while the ruling party, its candidate, and the electoral umpire will open their defence tomorrow.

Before the commencement of the hearing, the two political parties and their candidates had disclosed that they had lined up 150 witnesses for their cases.

While Atiku and PDP said they would line up 100 witnesses to give evidence in support of their joint petitions challenging the outcome of the election, Obi and LP told the court that they would call 50 witnesses.

However, while closing their cases on June 21, the two political parties and their candidates ended up presenting 40 witnesses in total.

Atiku and PDP called 27 witnesses, while Obi and LP called 13.

L-R: Judge of Lagos State High Court, Justice Olajumoke Pedro; Celebrant, Mr. Akin Kekere-Ekun; his wife and Justice of the Supreme Court, Justice Kudirat Kekere-Ekun; and former Deputy Governor of Lagos State, Otunba Femi Pedro, during Mr. Kekere Ekun's 70th birthday reception in Lagos... yesterday KUNLE OGUNFUYI

EID MUBARAK…

IPMAN Denies Alleged Plan to Hike Petrol Price to N700

Kemi Olaitan in Ibadan

The Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN) has denied reports that it planned to increase the pump price of petrol to N700 per litre nationwide.

This is as a coalition of Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) said it would resist the planned increase in the price of petrol being allegedly worked on by IPMAN.

Chairman of IPMAN, Southwest Zone, Dele Tajudeen, spoke in Ibadan at the weekend Tajudeen said the price of the product would not be more than what it is currently being sold for.

“Even in the PIA bill, it has been clearly stated that the subsidy must be removed,” he said.

“So, I want to commend the president for removing the subsidy and I want to say that we are totally in support. This is because the subsidy was a scam.”

The association’s South-west chair urged Nigerians to be at rest as the commodity would not be out of reach for the masses.

“I want to disabuse the mind of the people that they

should not panic about it; there is no cause for alarm, we are in control and there is nothing like that,” Tajudeen said.

“So, people should be rest assured that there is no way they can buy petrol more than the price it is being sold now.

“If we look at the price from NNPC retail limited, which is an integral part of NNPC limited, they have more advantages than independent marketers and major marketers.

“So, it was the retail price that they announced [and] they have never given a specific price to the independent marketers.

“However, I have read what somebody put into the paper, it is just speculation, it is not a reality. Nothing like that I want to assure the masses.

“There is no way the price can go to N700 as we speak, because even if the foreign exchange (FX) is N700 or N800 that has nothing to take the price of petroleum from N500 to N700.”

Tajudeen said the product has been deregulated, noting that the slight increase and differentials in pump prices were due to the cost of transportation as it is related to location.

Elon Musk: Unverified Users Limited to Reading 600 Tweets Daily

The billionaire founder of Tesla Inc., Elon Musk, has said a temporary limit has been made to the number of posts users can read daily on Twitter.

The move seeks to tackle issues around “data and systems manipulation”, Musk, the chief technology officer (CTO) and chairman of the firm, said in a tweet yesterday.

He said verified users will have access to 6,000 posts daily, while unverified and new users will be allowed to read 600 and 300 posts, respectively.

But Musk did not disclose when the temporary restrictions would commence nor for how long they would last.

“To address extreme levels of data scraping and system manipulation, we’ve applied the following temporary limits,” Musk tweeted.

“Verified accounts are limited to reading 6,000 posts per day. Unverified accounts to 600 posts per day. New unverified accounts to 300 per day.”

In a related tweet, the billionaire added that limits to users’ readership would be increased subsequently by about 33 per cent.

“Rate limits increasing soon to 8,000 for verified, 800 for unverified, and 400 for new unverified,” Musk added.

Since Musk took over the microblogging platform, Twitter has introduced several features and changes.

In 2022, the firm came up with a subscription package for the verified blue tick mark.

In April 2023, Musk introduced a feature that allows media publishers to charge users on per article basis.

This followed the announcement that Twitter users will be able to monetise their content, including long-form text and hours-long videos.

Providing updates later in May, the Twitter chairman said the platform would take a 10 per centcut on content subscriptions after the first year.

“If you are moving products within Lagos the price may not be more than N300,000 but if you are moving up to Ibadan or there about it could be as much as N500,000,” the IPMAN chair explained.

“And if you are going to Ilorin, it could be as high as N700,000, which would account for the difference in prices.

“I want to say with all sense of authority that as of today within Lagos metropolis nobody should sell more than N515 to N520 per litre.

“Though NNPC has given us the price, the reality of it is that we buy from the market;

because NNPC limited is not the only source for our product, we get it from private depots.

“So, whatever we buy is what we put on our own margin and sell.

“But as of today, the highest you can get anywhere should be around N550; Lagos, N510 per litre, Ogun state between N500 and N520.”

Tajudeen, therefore, urged Nigerians to disregard the speculation and not to engage in panic buying

Meanwhile, a coalition of CSOs has said it would resist planned increases in the price of petroleum being allegedly

worked on by IPMAN.

The CSOs made their position known in a statement jointly signed by the Convener, Dr Basil Musa; and Co-Convener, Malam Haruna Maigida, in Abuja on behalf of others.

Others who signed the statement were officials of the Oil and Gas Transparency and Advocacy Group, Civil Society Coalition for Economic Development (CED), Centre for Citizens Rights, Centre for Good Governance Advocacy and Action against Corruption in Nigeria, among several others.

The CSOs said that information reaching them

was to the effect that IPMAN was planning to increase petrol price to N700 per litre, a move which they vowed to resist by picketing IPMAN members’ filling stations across the country.

They accused the IPMAN of inflicting pain on ordinary Nigerians through their unilateral adjustment of the price of petroleum.

They described the planned increment as unacceptable and called on the federal government to stop IPMAN from its alleged profiteering at the expense of ordinary Nigerians.

Tinubu Ready to Provide Required Leadership Role in Africa, Says Alake

Deji Elumoye in Abuja

President Bola Tinubu has recognised that Nigeria is being looked upon for leadership, and he is prepared to step up to the challenge, his Special Adviser on Special Duties, Communications, and Strategy, Mr. Dele Alake, has said.

Addressing journalists yesterday after the visit of President Umaro Sissoco Embaló of the Republic of Guinea Bissau to President Tinubu at his Ikoyi, Lagos residence, Alake explained that the visit was private.

Alake however, disclosed that President Embaló took

the opportunity to express his solidarity and willingness to cooperate with Nigeria under the leadership of President Tinubu.

According to him: "Everybody is looking up to Nigeria, especially in Africa and the ECOWAS region and President Tinubu is ready to take up the gauntlet".

He also highlighted that the visit allowed Embaló, who is currently the Chairman of the ECOWAS Authority of Heads of State and Government, to reinforce the fraternal relations between the two countries.

His words: "President Embalo

commended the laudable policy initiatives of President Tinubu in the last month and added that everyone in the international community has been commending the giant strides of the Nigerian leader.

"He came to pay his solidarity and bond with a brother African Head of State, in the first instance, and in particular as a brother Head of State in West Africa.

"This is a very commendable sign of things to come in the entire West African region in terms of the atmosphere being generated by Nigeria’s giant steps in the last one month, and

the need for Nigeria to take its rightful place in African affairs".

On the entourage of the visiting Bissau-Guinean leader were his Special Adviser, Caramo Camara; Chief of Staff, Califa Soares and Diplomatic Advisor, Ambassador Alfredo Cabral; and Image Operator, Bonifacio Correia.

Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, who had earlier received the visiting President at the Presidential Wing of Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Ikeja, and the Chief of Staff to the President, Hon Femi Gbajabiamila were also present during the visit.

FIRS Set to Implement New VAT Filing Procedures for Importers, Suppliers

James Emejo in Abuja

The Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) has provided updates on the implementation of the input value-added tax (VAT) filing procedures via its administration solution, TaxPro-Max.

TaxPro-Max enables seamless registration, filing, payment of taxes, and automatic credit of withholding tax as well as other credits to the taxpayer’s accounts among other features.

Input VAT is the value-added tax on the price paid for eligible goods or services. Firms that are

VAT-registered can charge and add VAT to the value of goods and services they supply.

Providing guidelines on VAT filing processes on the TaxProMax platform in a statement at the weekend, FIRS said “taxpayers are to file their April 2023 returns, in May 2023 as normal. All the disabled columns will be opened [and] the auto credit for purchases will be disabled”.

The service said from June 1, 2023, taxpayers claiming input VAT for purchases should upload a purchase schedule; while those claiming input VAT for withholding VAT (WVAT)

were asked to upload a WVAT schedule.

WVAT is a method of collecting VAT where a portion of the VAT is collected by appointed withholding VAT agents from payments made to a local supplier of vatable goods and services schedule.

FIRS also directed businesses claiming input VAT for imports to upload a purchase imports schedule, while also providing steps on how all input VAT claims from June 1, 2023, can be applied for.

“For illustration purposes, June 1 to June 30 transactions

are treated as month one,” FIRS said.

“The month following the month of transactions, in our example, using the month of June, will be July 1 to July 21 at midnight: file returns of month one transactions.

“The month following the monthly VAT returns were filed, in our example, using the month of July, this will be, August 1 to August 31: the input VAT claims that TaxPro MAX is not able to verify, validate and cross-check online, are manually traced, using the data entered by the taxpayer when filing.”

L-R: Senator Dave Umahi; Senator Opeyemi Bamidele; Deputy Senate President, Senator Jibrin Barau; National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress, Senator Adamu Abdullahi; Senate President, Senator Godswill Akpabio; and Senator Ali Ndume, during a Sallah homage to Adamu at his country home in Keffi, Nasarawa State..yesterday

RESEARCH EXCELLENCE AWARD…

Oshiomhole: My BP Would Have Risen If I Lost My Senatorial Bid

Adibe Emenyonu in Benin-City

Former National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Senator Adams

Oshiomhole, has said that if he lost his senatorial ambition, his blood pressure would have risen to 360 millimeters of mercury (mm Hg)

Oshiomhole, who is also former Governor of Edo State, said this weekend during the post-inauguration/thank-you party hosted in his honour by friends and well-wishers at his country home, Iyamho, Etsako West Local Government Area

of the state.

“If you have voted against me, I don’t know if my blood pressure will now be 240/360; that is if I’m still alive.

“Because the jubilations by the opponent would have been such that they will come and lock my small door and break my small bones, but you said no”, Oshiomhole told his audience.

Oshiomhole said that many governors lost in their senatorial bids, adding that it would have been a shame to him if he also lost.

He thanked the people of Edo North for voting for him as a senator, after leaving office as

governor.

He also thanked the people for voting for President Bola Tinubu in the presidential election, adding that the Edo-North district was the only district where Tinubu won in Edo.

Oshiomhole said he was ready to sacrifice his senatorial ambition for President Tinubu to win his presidential election.

He also said even though he knew his political opponents would have harassed him out of Edo North if he had lost the National Assembly election, he was ready to take the risk for Tinubu.

He said the people of Edo North voted for him because they wanted him to repeat what he did for the state as governor adding that he would ensure that the district and the state get the dividends of democracy from the APC administration headed by Tinubu.

He said: “During the campaign, I told you if you want to give me one vote give it to Tinubu, I said to you it was better he won as a president even if I lost as a senator than for me to win as a senator and he loses as president, in the end I’m very proud to say and to repeat today here and

Court Affirms FCCPC Duties, Powers of Investigation

Wale Igbintade

A Federal High Court in Abuja has affirmed the powers of the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) to investigate a broad range of consumer protection issues irrespective of whether other components (such as criminal) of the legal process are implicated by the conduct that is subject of consumer dissatisfaction.

The court dismissed the suit filed by Premiere Academy, Lugbe, seeking to stop the FCCPC from investigating the circumstances, which led to the rape and death of a 14-year-old Keren-Happuch Aondodoo Akpagher.

Justice Evelyn Maha in her judgment, dismissed the suit for being frivolous and lacking in merit.

The judge said: “Having gone through the relevant provisions of the Police Act as well as the 1999 Constitution, there is nowhere the FCCPC is barred from discharging its statutory functions.”

Beyond that, Justice Maha added that “the court lacks powers to stop a statutory body from carrying out its duties as doing that will negate the doctrine of separation of powers.”

“The plaintiff, (Premiere Academy) is not entitled to the reliefs sought. The defendants acted within the statutory

powers provided by the Act establishing it.

“The first defendant, (FCCPC) acted within its rights. The plaintiff is not entitled to the reliefs sought and the case of the plaintiff is frivolous and lacking in merit and accordingly dismissed,” the judge held.

Justice Maha equally granted a joinder application argued by Chioma Onyenucheya-Uko on behalf of the deceased mother, Mrs. Vivien Vihimga Akphagher.

She held that the applicant had placed sufficient documents before her to justify her request to be joined in the suit.

Accordingly, she ordered that the applicant – Mrs. Akpagher be joined as the 3rd defendant and directed counsel to the plaintiff (Premiere Academy), Eyitato Fatogun (SAN) to effect the joinder and serve all process in the suit on her.

Recall that on June 22, 2021, Keren, a student of Premiere Academy died after having taken ill in the boarding facilities of the school.

The circumstances leading to her death have become disputed, including allegations of lack of sufficient care against Premiere Academy in managing and escalating her medical condition and clinical status, as well as an allegation that Keren may have been subjected to sexual molestation, which conducts or aftermath may have contributed to her medical/clinical condition and eventual death.

The commission commenced an investigation by issuing a Notice of Commencement of Investigation under Sections 17, 18, 32, 33, 113, 157, and 159 of the FCCPA, to determine any infringements of the FCCPA that might have occurred concerning the duty of care owed to Keren and her family, and to ensure Premiere Academy as an institution and facility are sufficiently equipped, safe and secure to continue to render boarding or other custodial services to existing and prospective students.

Premiere Academy in response and continuation of a resistance to fully comply with the commission’s request for evidence, filed this action at the Federal High Court, seeking to restrain the commission from discharging a vital statutory responsibility to consumers.

Responding to the judgment, the Executive Vice Chairman/ CEO, of FCCPC, Babatunde Irukera, in a statement at the weekend, commended the court for upholding the statutory powers of FCCPA to carry out its duties

“The clear unequivocal decision of the court in characterising the suit by Premiere as ‘frivolous and lacking in merit’; as well as judicially affirming the responsibility and powers of the commission to investigate occurrences in the circumstances as not inconsistent with the

Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended) and the Nigeria Police Act, 2020 is a further demonstration, strengthening and institutionalisation of an important national priority and constitutional imperative, which is consumer protection and holding service providers accountable to their customers or persons/entities who act on their behalf.

“The court’s further declaration that “courts lack powers to stop a statutory body from carrying out its duties as doing that will negate the doctrine of separation of powers” is though a repeated judicial declaration but, a timely emphasis that is crucial for an accountability framework that promotes and ensures the appropriate duty and standard of care that businesses and service providers must embrace in delivering what they sell or provide to consumers and their interactions with regulators.

“The commission welcomes this well-thought-out decision and commends the Premiere, other institutions, and undertakings that provide goods or services to consumers. In the absence of any legitimate or legal restraint in the circumstances, the commission will accordingly and assiduously progress this long pending and outstanding investigation; and invites Premiere to recognise and comply with its obligations under the law,” Irukera said.

now that in each of these six local governments, every ward Bola Tinubu won, every ward Adams Oshiomhole won.

“Today, I can say I will proudly carry the results of Afemai people and I will say Mr. President this is my certificate, my people voted for you”.

While thanking the people for the overwhelming voting for president Bola Ahmed Tinubu during the elections, he assured that President Tinubu will “change the face of Nigeria” and as president will make Edo State better.”

On his election, Oshiomhole said: “I don’t know what would have happened if you have voted against me. My blood pressure would shoot up and that is if I’m still alive.

“The jubilations by the opponent would have been such that they will come and lock my small door and break my small bones and harassed me out, but you said no. I thank Afemai people for that.

“There were sitting governors who contested for the senate across the country and many of them lost, I left office seven years ago and my people still honoured me with victory, how can I thank you enough.

“Take this message home that I will represent Edo North but I have Obligation to Edo State and Tinubu is interest in Edo State.

“So, my people, those who say ‘Edo no be Lagos, Tinubu cannot control us,’ please tell them Tinubu is now Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces”, he said.

Demolition: I Have No Regrets, Says Kano Gov

Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf of Kano State has said he has no regrets about the demolition of some structures across the state.

Yusuf disclosed this while hosting the Emir of Kano, Alhaji Aminu Ado Bayero, at the government house during the celebrations of the Eid-El-Kabir.

“Your Highness it is important for the Emirate Council to note that we embarked on the demolition exercise to bring back public properties that were illegally acquired and we will ensure that all such properties are restored back for the interest of the good people of Kano.”

“No regrets over the demolition of the structures that were sold out by the past administration of Abdullahi Umar Ganduje.”

He appreciated the Emir and members of the Emirate Council for the visit which is the first of its kind since his assumption of office while he also enumerated achievements of his administration in the last 31 days in office.

He mentioned his achievements to include: payment of NECO fees for

55,000 secondary schools’ students amounting to N1.5 billion; restoration of streets lights; and minimizing the cases of phone snatching within Kano metropolis.

Other achievements, according to Governor Yusuf include the resumption of screening for the award of foreign scholarships for Kano indigenes with firstclass degrees; prompt payment of salaries and pensions; and evacuation of thousands of tonnes of refuse within the metropolis.

The governor further urged the Royal Father to keep supporting the policies of his administration designed to bring development to the state and dispense democratic dividends to the people of the state.

On his part, the Emir of Kano, Alhaji Aminu Ado Bayero said the visit was to felicitate the Governor on Eid-el-Kabir, and assured of his readiness to offer advice that will be of importance and beneficial to the development of the state.

The Emir also called on the government and affluent individuals to assist the less privileged in cushioning the effects of fuel subsidy removal.

Ibrahim Shuaibu in Kano

L-R: Vice Chancellor, Obafemi Awolowo University, Prof. Adebayo Bamire; Chief Executive of Green Energy International Limited, Prof. Anthony Adegbulugbe; and his wife, Afolake, when Adegbulugbe was awarded the first academic research excellence award by the university in Ile-Ife, Osun State

CELEBRATING THE TWINS…

L-R: Brother of the celebrants, Mr. Chizoba Eboh; Chairman, See Today’s Interior Nigeria Limited, Chief Obinna Ezeugoji;

Nwamaka; and Mr. Chibuzor Eboh, at the 40th birthday celebration of Stanley and Ifeyinwa in FESTAC Town, Lagos…recently

Saraki Under Pressure to Lead PDP as National Chairman

Fresh facts have emerged that the governors and National Assembly members elected on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) are putting pressure on a former Senate President, Dr. Abubakar Bukola Saraki, to accept to lead the party in the capacity of national chairman, THISDAY has learnt.

A Benue High Court had sacked Dr. Iyorchia Ayu as the national chairman, leaving the leadership of the main opposition party in the hands of Ambassador Illya Umar Damagun, who is in an acting capacity.

The PDP, it was learnt, is planning for a total reorganisation

of the party, if the presidential election tribunal did not favour its presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar.

A member of the party’s National Working Committee (NWC) told THISDAY that: "Those mounting pressure on Saraki are visiting his Maitama, Abuja; and Ikoyi, Lagos, homes under the guise of discussing the future of the main opposition party. While some make it a single-person visit, others come as small groups.”

The source stated further that the various individuals have been expressing worry that the opposition party will die under the Tinubu presidency if not led by a person who can pull every

Netherlands’ King, Willem- Alexander, Apologises for Country’s Role in Slavery

The King of the Netherlands, Willem-Alexander, has formally apologised for his country’s role in the slave trade, saying he felt “personally and intensely” affected.

The country became a major colonial power after the 17th Century, holding territories across the globe, and Dutch slave traders trafficked more than 600,000 people.

The king called the practice a “horror”. The royal family did nothing to stop it, he said

King Willem-Alexander was speaking at an event marking the 160th anniversary of the abolition of slavery in the country.

It was unclear ahead of the event whether the King would apologise for the Royal family’s role in the practice.

In June, a new study revealed that Dutch rulers received the equivalent of €545m ($595m) in today’s money between 1675 and 1770 from colonies where slavery was enforced.

During his speech in Amsterdam, King WillemAlexander conceded that the “monarchs and rulers of the House of Orange took no steps against (slavery)”.

“Today I’m standing here in front of you as your King and as part of the government. Today I am apologising myself,” he said.”

“Today, I am asking for

forgiveness for the crystal-clear lack of action.”

Accompanied by his wife Queen Maxima, the King acknowledged that he could not speak for the entire nation, but he told the crowd that “the vast majority” of Dutch citizens “do support the fight for equality for all people, regardless of colour or cultural background”.

“After acknowledgment and apology, we can work together on healing, reconciliation and restoration,” the King added.

His speech received cheers from the crowd at the Keti Koti Festival – the country’s annual commemoration of the abolition of slavery.

Saying sorry for slavery leaves Dutch dividedDuring the 17th Century the Netherlands conquered large swathes of territory in regions that now make up Indonesia, South Africa, Curaçao and West Papua, and became a key player in the transatlantic slave trade.

Thousands of people were trafficked from Africa to Dutch colonies in the Caribbean and South America – amounting to around 5% of the entire transatlantic slave trade – before the practice was banned in 1863.

But in the nation of Suriname it continued during a mandatory 10-year transition period, causing untold grief and pain.

member or group back into the fold and build a strong party.

Another member of the NWC said that with the current situation of the party, which has left the national secretariat as a graveyard with no activity, the only solution is a reorganisation with somebody like Saraki at the helm of affairs.

According to him, Saraki is a natural unifier who enjoys wide acceptability and goodwill among all groups including the G-5 Group, Atiku’s acolytes, the non-aligned members, and others, such as the members of the NWC. Saraki, he said, did very well when in 2021 he handled

the reconciliation assignment of the party that brought life back into the party when it was hemorrhaging after the 2019 loss of the presidential election.

"Saraki also enjoys the support of elder statesmen like Generals Ibrahim Babangida, Aliyu Gusau, and the rest of them. His acceptance by the youths is also a strong factor", the NWC member said.

However, it was gathered that the former Senate President has continued to rebuff the overtures.

A source close to the former Senate president told THISDAY that he has insisted that the discussion about the next

executive should not come up until after the litigation over the presidential election result has been finally resolved.

The source added that Saraki has cautioned those who spoke to him about the need to avoid opening a fresh crisis by trying to terminate the tenure of the present NWC members.

The source said that Saraki also said to have made it clear that he would rather operate from the background to help the party than to take a formal party position.

It is, however, believed that those close to the former Senate President within the party are

unrelenting about getting him to lead the party.

Those mounting the pressure on him, it was learnt, are said to be planning to involve his associates in the business world in the move to get him to help rebuild the party.

When contacted, some chieftains of the PDP said that they would not be drawn into the discussion as the time was not ripe for it.

"We are in the tribunal now. I won't be a party to this discussion. We are still in the tribunals for now," a member of the National Executive Committee (NEC) of the party, told THISDAY.

Govs Pledge to Complement FG’s Relief Initiatives for Nigerians

Segun James

State governors have pledged to complement the federal government’s initiatives aimed at providing relief to Nigerians.

Governor Yahaya Bello of Kogi State said this at the weekend in Lagos after a meeting with President Bola Tinubu.

He said the successful implementation of the succour pledged by the federal government to cushion the negative effect of the fuel subsidy removal must be matched by all tiers of government.

“Now we have a leader who has clearly spelt out his policy direction for revamping the economy and

he needs all our support.

“That support will be complemented by the state governors.

“We are all ready to provide relief for our people. We feel their pains and trust the people to be patient in this trying phase so that they will reap the benefits of the new government’s economic initiatives.

“We shall not let the President down and we shall not let our people down in this phase of the new economic journey to a stronger and resilient nation.

“The President has given us that full assurance of being peoplefriendly,” the governor said.

Similarly, Rev. Fr. Hyacinth Alia

of Benue said his government has already marshalled out an action plan to restore the lost glory of the state “after the long drought”.

He said the state government has worked out immediate policies to stimulate both the civil service and agriculture sectors as remedial interventions toward a vibrant Benue.

“The people of Benue, and indeed all Nigerians, can rest assured that a new dawn is coming to Benue.

“I have started by working on the welfare of the civil servants. That is not even a project that ordinarily one should state. But it’s a way forward due to what we met on the ground.

“Other agricultural incentives for farmers are in the pipeline and will be deployed very soon.

“I want to restore Benue to its position of being the food basket of Nigeria. Agricultural potential in the state is worth more than crude oil,” Alia said.

The state governors in the country have national, zonal, and local fora, irrespective of party affiliations, where they meet to harmonise policies and programmes.

The Nigeria Governors Forum, the Progressives Governors Forum, and the six zonal chairmen of governors are all systems put in place for such meetings of minds.

Senate Minority Leader: PDP Group Backs Tambuwal

Chuks Okocha in Abuja

A political pressure group affiliated with the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), the PDP Action 2023, has backed the immediate past Sokoto State Governor, Aminu Tambuwal, and Senator representing Sokoto South Senatorial District to clinch the Office of the Senate Minority Leader when the red chamber resume from the Sallah break.

This is just as the group flayed the recent attacks on Senator Tambuwal by those it described as ‘dictators’ afraid of the growing political profile of the former Speaker of the House of Representatives.

In a statement signed by the

group’s chairman, Rufus Omeire, and made available to journalists on Saturday, the PDP-affiliated body, accused some unnamed persons of leveling unsubstantiated allegations against Tambuwal, for reasons not unconnected with his aspiration to the Senate minority leadership.

“In the National Assembly, a Speaker outranks a senator. As a former Speaker, he has the ranking and qualifications to become the Minority leader of the 10th Senate. So, why are they afraid of Tambuwal? Are they worried that he may become a stumbling block to the alleged plot for complete dictatorship in Nigeria?” the group asked.

The statement read in part, “They

alleged that he (Tambuwal) once betrayed some people and PDP. Behind these allegations is an attempt to re-litigate the 2022 PDP presidential primaries. They have consistently tried to pin on him the issue of the betrayal of some of his friends because of the patriotic role he played during the PDP national convention. We cannot hold brief for Tambuwal, but at the appropriate time, the relevant question would be asked: Who betrayed who? He didn’t betray the PDP or the nation in his eight years as Sokoto State governor.

“Tambuwal had shown interest in the PDP presidential nomination long before some people suddenly

appeared on the since and expected him to drop out for them just because they believed that they had more financial resources than him. Whether they had better programmes for Nigerians or not, didn’t matter.”

Lauding the leadership quality of the former Governor, the group argued that Tambuwal’s broadmindedness played a huge role in his unanimous election “As the Chairman of the Nigeria Governors Forum, a position usually reserved for majority party Governors,” stressing that he successfully “Rallied round the entire Nigerian governors to speak with one voice and assist the nation at its trying times of transition.

Chuks Okocha in Abuja

his wife and Co-celebrant, Ifeyinwa; and Twin brother, Mr. Stanley Eboh; his wife,

Adeniyi Gets into the Saddle as New Customs Boss

Festus Akanbi

it will also reposition the service to tackle its failure to maximise its capacity in revenue generation and insulate the economy from the menace of smuggling

It is not in doubt that the current administration is under very severe revenue pressure as the reality of governance is beginning to make nonsense of the illusion of political campaigns that preceded the 2023 general election.

Economic affairs commentators, therefore, observed that one month after coming into power, the greatest challenge is how to fund the 2023 budget of N21.83 trillion. The problem is accentuated by the erosion of revenue derivable from the sale of crude oil, which forms the bulk of the revenue accruable to the government.

The 2023 budget maintained the recurrent expenditure at approximately N8.27 trillion, while capital expenditure increased from N5.35 trillion to N5.9 trillion and debt servicing also increased from N6.31 trillion to N6.6 trillion.

With the flip-flop performance of the oil sector, analysts said it is natural for the government to shift to the two other major revenue-generating firms, the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) and the Nigerian Customs Service (NCS).

In 2022, the FIRS collected N10.1 trillion in revenue while it received N200.16 billion, representing two per cent of total generation as the cost of collection. On the other hand, the NCS, which followed with N2.60 trillion in revenue generation, withdrew N128.64 billion (5%) as the cost of collection.

While there were reservations in the recent call for the introduction of more taxes, on the other hand, a wide spectrum of economic watchers believe the customs service, if well positioned, stands the chance of doubling its revenue performance within a short time frame. For instance, towards the end of the immediate past administration, there were calls for restructuring of the NCS in a way to bring the desired revenue haul.

For instance, there were campaigns for the appointment of the head of the agency among customs officers instead of bringing a non-customs officer as in the case of Col Hammed Aliu, the immediate past Comptroller General who was a former military officer.

New Dispensation

It was this scenario that heralded the appointment of Adewale Bashir Adeniyi, a Deputy Comptroller General, as the acting Comptroller General of the Nigeria Customs Service. Adeniyi is the 14th indigenous comptroller-general of customs and 31st since its establishment in 1891.

Interestingly, a few days before his handover, former President Muhammadu Buhari assented to the Nigerian Customs Service Act and according to “Section 14(1)(a) of the Act, “The President shall appoint a career officer from the service, not below the rank of Assistant-Comptroller General (who shall be responsible for the overall management of the service) and be accountable for all revenue collections and all expenditures made under this Act”.

Analysts said with the appointment of Adeniyi, President Tinubu has confirmed his resolve to right the wrongs in the

revenue-generating agency.

Until his appointment, Adeniyi was in charge of Strategic Research and Policy at the Customs Headquarters in Abuja. Analysts described his choice as another masterstroke from President Tinubu to avert the kind of initial crisis that heralded the appointment of Colonel Hammid Ali (rtd) on August 27, 2015. They maintained that with the urgency of the need to boost revenue, the current administration does not have the luxury of time to waste on squabbles over the appointment of who leads the customs service.

Removing Encumberance to Goods Clearance

One of the issues which Adeniyi has to contend with, as a matter of urgency, is the difficulty in goods clearance, which the neighbouring countries are exploiting by offering respite to Nigerian exporters being frustrated by the cumbersome process at home.

The question is why do Nigerian im-

porters prefer the ports in other countries to our seaports? What happened to the operation of the Automated System for Customs Data (ASYCUDDA) or Single Window Projects initiated to make the clearing of goods faster and in line with international standards?

There are reports that alleged corruption has continued to bug the projects down. Analysts, therefore, believe that Adeniyi’s appointment as the new helmsman should be able to turn things around.

Tackling Smuggling Cartels

One other important issue that calls for the urgent attention of the new helmsman is that of smuggling and the attendant crippling of the local industries. Smuggling hurts the economy in several ways. Because it is an act of tax evasion, the government is

deprived of the much-needed revenue to provide social services and undertake development projects, especially for an economy that is vulnerable to external revenue shocks. Illegal activities are also putting local industries at a big disadvantage as inferior goods finding their way into the country make locally produced ones unattractive. For instance, reports have it that the various efforts of federal and state governments to encourage local rice production are being frustrated by rice smuggling in many parts of the country as different brands of the product, especially from Thailand and India are flooding into some markets in Kano, Jigawa, and Katsina states. This is an area where the new helmsman of customs is expected to make a difference.

Instead of the current practice where customs personnel chase smugglers into border towns and villages with dire consequences on residents, analysts said Adeniyi would be expected to lead the agency in preventing smuggling through proactive measures. There is therefore the need for the Acting CGC and his team to sit down early in their administration to re-strategise and increase aerial surveillance along the Northern corridors to check the influx of arms from that axis, as well as, the massive smuggling from the neighbouring countries.

To achieve this, there is a need to promote transparency in cargo examination by installing ICT equipment, especially scanning machines in the Arrival Halls of international airports.

The Profile

A professional that is conscious of the need to build a solid image for the agency, Adeniyi once served as customs spokesman for almost two decades until January 2017 when he was redeployed to the Apapa Area Command as a Deputy Comptroller.

He was promoted to the rank of Comptroller in 2017 and appointed Deputy Commandant of the Nigeria Customs Command and Staff College, Gwagwalada, Abuja.

In 2019, he was redeployed to serve as the Controller of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA) Command, Lagos.

He was promoted to the rank of Assistant Comptroller General in February 2020 shortly after he supervised the seizure of $8.07 million cash being illegally taken out of Nigeria through the E-Wing of the international airport tarmac. He was subsequently posted to head the Nigeria Customs Command and Staff College, Gwagwalada, Abuja as Commandant.

In recognition of his service, former President Muhammadu Buhari, on October 11, 2022, conferred the national honour of Member of the Order of the Federal Republic (MFR) on Adeniyi.

It is expected of him to make a big difference and justify the clamour for the appointment of a career officer as the helmsman of the agency. Nigerians are indeed waiting for his Midas touch. How soon this will happen will be dependent on his style of leadership.

Adeniyi

INTERVIEW

steadfast in its commitment to empowering local farmers and communities, revolutionising the dairy sector one step at a time. under whose leadership the company has emerged a trailblazer in the dairy industry

YoudeclaredN324.7billion inrevenueatyour50thannualgeneralmeeting,which marked21% growthover

If there was one year where businesses that are not strong could have slipped, made huge losses, or shut down, it was 2022. It was an extremely slippery year. We try as much as possible to protect our business by ensuring that we get margins that enable us to reinvest. So when costs go up, we do what is called Revenue Growth Management; a combination of many things beyond pricing. When you do Revenue Growth deal with that. Sometimes it is about the price, sometimes it’s about the grammage or pack has not gone up but prices have gone up. As a nutrition company making nutritious products for consumers, which is better: to let consumers consume a little at a certain price or to miss it

downsizing, other times direct price increases and even value engineering to see how to substitute raw and packaging materials for cheaper sources then able to manage our costs, maintain a good rian business. First of all, WAMCO, which is an acronym for West African Milk Company was of their lives. So FrieslandCampina WAMCO

brand that has been here for more than 30 years; period and we are very proud of that heritage. Furthermore, we are also very proud that we dairy development, as far back as 1984. We

Our brands are localized and we are truly a partment,towhatextenthaveyoudevelopedlocal has a hot, humid environment which typically is very good for beef cattle and that is why you see a lot of the Fulani cows doing very well.

been doing for many years. For over 12 years, FrieslandCampina WAMCO has continued to sourcing raw milk locally for manufacturing. We we are running several factories – the Evaporated factories are running on local milk, so we can say portfolio. However, to be able to meet the total dairy nutrition demands in a country as large as model that the country will run will still have a reasonable mix of importation of some of the raw materials, while local content is developed over some time.

We are proud to say that some of our products are 100% locally sourced and very well priced that mothers can easily add to their children’s school lunch boxes. However, in terms of the dairy nutrition needs of the country, local milk sourcing is still at a very low level. It’s such a big task that we have ahead of us as a nation. WAMCO, we want to prove that it is doable, annum locally today. We are the highest so far as no other organization has reached that number. However, we’re talking about a country that when you do the calculations, you would see long way to go. Countries like Kenya and South Africa started local dairy development way back

and they have continued on that journey. time and that is why we are still in this phase of backward integration.

initiativeimprovedtheearningpower

It’s a day and night comparison. For example, we collect about 40,000 litres of milk in a day during peak periods.

is the amount of money that goes into those communities every day. So when you go to those communities today, you will see a big change. Fashola, in Oyo, I believe, was not a major trading centre.

I am always pleased whenever I visit the developed, schools being developed around and children looking healthy going to school. You see some trading because they have some cash. Our pres ence in Fashola ensures they have a ready market for their milk and it does not go their testimonials in a manner that makes us feel very proud of what we do.

We are doing all the right things if you look at it from the employment perspec tive. Among the 12,000 farmers we work with, there are about 1500 Fulani women, who have been at home not fully engaged. occupation for which they are being paid regularly and their families are much more prosperous than before – the farmers, their wives, and children. In some cases, their

mud huts have been rebuilt into brick houses and their children now go to school, which they

routes to Oyo, Abeokuta, or Ibadan and stand a few of our milk trucks carrying raw milk from of people who are engaged in all of these activities both directly and indirectly.

over 12,000 farmers of which about 1,500 are women; we work with 23 dairy cooperatives; we collect more than 40,000 litres of milk daily

29 milk collection centres and locations where we do dairy development. We have the Maya demonstration farm in Oyo state which is near completion and is going to be open soon. We also have another large farm, about 300 hectares which we are developing in Fashola, Oyo state. We recently just signed another MoU for a big farm in the north, Jos to be precise which interestingly is where we started our dairy development in

dairy development.

In addition, we are introducing crossbreeds into this market with a cow called Girolando from Brazil. As I stated earlier, the reason dairy partly because of the hot and humid environment, instance. So if you bring a cow from such climes Brazil, they were able to successfully crossbreed a local cow with Holstein Friesian until they produced the breed called Girolando which is very hardy, with a big body size and high milk production. So armed with this knowledge, under the Value4Dairy Consortium, we are working with Urus, the world’s largest cattle genetic company to improve the milk yield in our local cows through crossbreeding. In 2022, 1400 Girolando semen straws were produced crossbreed Girolando calves have been birthed about the cows. After all, the weather in Brazil tropical. We are rolling out this programme crossbreed Girolando cows are also what we will have on our farms.

In terms of volume, the yield of a Fulani cow that has not been crossbred is about one to two average of 20 litres per day. We have to continue crossbreeding to improve the productivity of more I am happy to share.

Read full article online - www.thisdaylive.com

Langat

SOFT FINANCE

Here Comes the “Loan Doctor”

Accessing loans can be a daunting challenge for many entrepreneurs, especially women. Fayo Williams, a pharmacist by training, an entrepreneur by choice and a certified management consultant, has gained extensive experience in securing various types of loans from different sources, earning her the nickname “the Loan Doctor.” With her expertise in both pharmaceuticals and finance, Williams is on a mission to bridge the gap between these two worlds through her work in financial literacy for women. Vanessa Obioha reports.

From a young age, Fayo Williams demonstrated a passion for research and knowledge sharing, initially sparked by her curiosity about the pharmacodynamics of painkillers. Today, she wears multiple hats in pharmaceuticals and finance, striving to empower women through initiatives that promote financial literacy.

Obtaining a bachelor’s and master’s degree in pharmacy from Obafemi Awolowo University, Williams launched her first business as a small pharmacy store owner, one that shares proximity to her residence. Within 30 years, she has advanced to take on the dual role of executive director of a health and safety supplies and training company and the managing consultant of Simply Exponential Consult Limited, a social enterprise involved in hub management that offers entrepreneurship and employability training, as well as production of digital content for learning management systems.

Before venturing into entrepreneurship, Williams gained valuable experience in paid employment, working for a manufacturing company in Ibadan before coming to Lagos to work as a healthcare consultant.

Throughout her business journey, Williams recognised the critical importance of financial support in achieving her goals.

“All along the way, I found out that, at various times, I needed funding to expand my business. So I became quite adept at getting different kinds of loans, ranging from loans from family and friends to cooperative society loans. I was able to raise a loan from my insurance company backed by my policies. I was able to raise non-collateralised loans from a financial institution.

“I was also able to raise development finance, including the FGN COVID-19 funds, as well as a hub loan from the Lagos State Employment Trust Fund under the Lagos Innovates programme. That was the second time, the first being the Lagos State SME Loan,” explained Williams. These series of events around securing a loan and building her business expanded to new locations over the years. They prepared her to serve as a beacon to other women who were running SMEs and finding it difficult to navigate through the rigorous processes of securing loans and effectively running their day-to-day financial affairs. It was in 2010 that she delved fully into the finance field.

“I decided to forge into that space (finance) to do what I love doing best, which was to train and educate SMEs because I got asked a lot of questions: How come you’ve been able to stay so long in business? What are the ways you run your financial management and your planning? How come you are at exhibitions? How do you bid for projects and things like that? So, I found out that I had a lot to share. That took me into the management consulting space.”

Using a pragmatic approach, Williams walks her mentees through the basics of record keeping, irrespective of the tier of business they run. It usually ranges from market women in the informal sector to professionals in the formal sector.

“I’ve trained in the informal sector for about three years running, in vernacular, my native language. I’ve been able to communicate, dance with them and pass on these nuggets of personal

Fayo Williams

finance.”

By these nuggets, Williams meant educating them on the need for delayed gratification, planning and budgeting, as well as calculating return on investments. Williams also established an online course called HERMONEYCLINIC, designed to instil a winning money mindset in women. The course addresses misconceptions surrounding money and funding requirements, emphasising the need for proper assessment.

“My online course, HERMONEYCLINIC, was borne out of the need to take women through a winning money mindset. I found that a lot of women had the wrong notion when it comes to getting money. At times, they would say things like, ‘Oh, if you just give me two million, just bring two million,’ and you ask for what, and sometimes you can’t get a cogent reply.

“So, that means that the funding requirements have not been properly assessed. Many times, record keeping is deficient. People are asked to bring records, and they say, ‘Well, I pay money into the bank, and these are my bank statements.’ And, in the bank statements, you find money being used for non-business items. Furthermore, bank statements are not equivalent to financial statements.”

With poor record keeping and tax evasion usually the case for ailing businesses, Williams doesn’t fail to highlight the role such practices influence in driving off potential investors who can’t properly assess the profitability of the business. She said this has also resulted in financial institutions declining loan requests due to low confidence levels in such businesses to service the loans.

“Many also use the money for personal pursuits, for the care of the family, but the way I have overcome that is to put myself on a salary and to encourage the women we trained to do the same so that out of your salary, the personal expenses would come, while the money for the business remains in the coffers of the business. And that would help them to maintain the strong financial

health for their business,” she advised.

She further emphasised that women should not wait until they are financially broke to seek funding. Consistent business traction and a strong customer base are crucial to demonstrating the viability and stability of a business when approaching financial institutions for loans.

“They need to consistently access a lot of traction and have repeat customers because many times, the banker wants to see the same name popping up severally in your bank statements. It gives them the comfort that you have loyal customers and that the business is not on the brink of collapse. So, there must be consistent inflows.”

Aside from the firsthand experience Williams garnered from her entrepreneurial exploits, Williams understands the role continuous honing skills plays toward personal growth and evolution. So far, she has amassed certifications from renowned bodies to further her cause of lifting female entrepreneurs to flourish. To her, she’s as good a student as she is a tutor.

“I’ve been able to attend a number of courses,” she disclosed. “FATE Foundation course on internal control and financial management was particularly striking. I also attended the Enterprise Development Centre under Lagos Business School Certificate for Entrepreneurship Management. I met very brilliant facilitators who took us through various kinds of electronic bookkeeping systems, and that

bookkeeping system in my organisation, and to date, we still run with a bookkeeping system that makes it easy to draw out information anytime we need it rather than manual. And my expertise in money management was further honed at the WeConnect International Moody’s Bootcamp, which I have attended for about two or three years now. And every year, it gets bigger and better. We take case studies, and we end up recommending growth strategies for female entrepreneurs.”

As the Loan Doctor, Williams not only assists women entrepreneurs in accessing loans but also educates them about alternative forms of financial support beyond traditional bank loans. She emphasised the importance of grants, angel investors, and crowdfunding, tailoring the approach based on the specific needs of each entrepreneur.

One of the ways she revealed female entrepreneurs could flourish is by collaborating with financial institutions and agencies by becoming members of reputable groups to access funding. She noted that this strategy had worked for her as a member of various groups like the NECA’s Network of Entrepreneurial Women.

“In my view, the integration of personal financial planning and effective money management do contribute to long-term sustainability and growth of women-led businesses. So, my business is an example. I’ve been in business for 30 years.”

Given the ever-changing business landscape, Williams recommended three innovative tools that entrepreneurs need to have.

“I would like to advise on at least three categories of digital tools namely, Communication, Online Marketing and Business Management tools. Under business management tools, women can sign up and send electronic invoices to customers, keep their records, check their expenses, and so on. Under this category, there are also productivity tools that help women in their word processing and spreadsheets for their quotations, etc. We have tools that help in project management, that help in collaboration. In the communication tools category, video conferencing apps help women save costs instead of travelling long distances while online marketing tools such as online stores are very important.”

To ensure that businesses stay on top of their game, Williams asserted the need for strong online visibility through content creation and storytelling for businesses to create traffic that translates to sales is paramount.

Williams strongly believes that entrepreneurship can translate to wealth and progress for the country. Therefore, she strives to create a thriving ecosystem where women entrepreneurs can flourish and contribute to the growth and progress of the

As the Loan Doctor, Williams not only assists women entrepreneurs in accessing loans but also educates them about alternative forms of financial support beyond traditional bank loans. She emphasised the importance of grants, angel investors, and crowdfunding, tailoring the approach based on the specific needs of each entrepreneur

Redefining Nigeria’s Foreign Policy under President Bola Tinubu: The Challenge of a World in Crisis

igeria’s foreign policy under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, (PBAT), GCFR, is still evolving, especially in terms of tactical approaches: some foreign policies and principles have a non-negotiable character since the time of independence in 1960. Protection and defence of territorial integrity and political sovereignty is a desideratum. So is the Protection of the African and Black man in any part of the world a desideratum. Principles like non-alignment, Africa as centrepiece, Professor Bolaji Akinyemi’s Consultation Doctrine, Professor Ibrahim Agboola Gambari’s Foreign Policy Concentricism and Ambassador Oluyemi Adeniji’s beneficial and Constructive Concentricism, etc. have remained constant in the conduct and management of Nigeria’s foreign policy since their adoption.

One first domestic foundation of Nigeria’s foreign policy under PBAT emerged on June 1st, 2023 when he renamed some federal airports as part of efforts to‘reform the aviation Sector.’Reportedly, the Akure Airport became Olumuyiwa Bernard Aliu; Benin Airport became Oba Akenzua II. Dutse Airport was renamed Muhammad Nuhu Sanusi; Ebonyi Airport is now Chuba Wilberforce Okadigbo; Gombe Airport is now Brigadier Zakari Maimalari. Ibadan Airport is now Samuel Ladoke Akintola, Ilorin Airport is henceforth General Tunde Idiagbon Airport, Kaduna Airport has become Hassan Usman Katsina Airport, while the Maiduguri Airport is renamed General Muhammadu Buhari Airport.

Three points are noteworthy about the renaming of the airports: purpose, message, and effect. As regards the purpose, deductively speaking, it makes the dead a living name, it shows gratitude to the living, and reflects a semblance of national solidarity. On the message, PBAT is consciously suggesting that the private individual names are more significant than the existing geo-political names. Ibadan is the biggest city in West Africa and one of the biggest in Africa. Ibadan is greater a name than whatever any individual stands for.

Without any whiff of doubt, naming a monument or institution after noble men is to appreciate and make people seek a better understanding of the nobility. However, it is ridiculous naming a barrack or place after General Sani Abacha, knowing fully well that he destroyed Nigeria with unprecedented fantastic ill-gotten funds. PBAT has not done well by naming an airport after General Buhari. Government should stop abusing the use of‘honour’as the contributions of any individual should always justify an award of honour. History must not be written mid-way. In terms of impact, PBAT has already sent signals of indecency to the detriment of merit to a world already in a leadership crisis and legitimacy.

AWorld in Crisis and Diplomatic Illness

Nigeria’s foreign policy attitude should be more cautious than ever before towards the current world in crisis and openly fraught with daily diplomatic untruths,‘broken tongues’to borrow from Dr Amanze Obi of The Sun Newspapers (Nigeria). Seeking to reform the aviation sector is a very welcome development. However, PBAT must always remember that an international airport is the first reconciliation between the acceptance of a passport with visa or its rejection. The airport is a transit end for an incoming traveller and the starting point for whatever endeavour is being sought in the country of arrival. A name of an airport, especially when it is changed, necessarily compels changes by all airlines in other countries of the world. All their documents must reflect the new names. But more significantly, when foreigners begin to ask questions about the significance of the individuals after whom the airports have been named and good and justifiable reasons cannot be adduced, it means the first pillar of PBAT’s foreign policy is faulty.

More symbolic names like that of the heroic Dapchi school girl, Leah Sharibu, the only Christian among the school girls kidnapped by the Boko Haram and who refused to deny her Christianity and therefore is still kept in captivity since March 2018, merit priority. The same is true of the 20 October 2020 End SARS Protest. Names

of great scholars and leading scientists, dead or living, are more historic and appropriate to be honoured. For example, bringing the person of an Awolowo down to the level of a Muhammad Buhari in the re-naming of airports is most unfortunate. Where is the parity in dignity? The issue is not that former President Buhari is not qualified to be honoured. He could, but he has just left office and we do not have access to his political governance records.This is why PBAT must be more cautious and advised to learn how to thread softly and make haste slowly in the various boulevards of diplomacy in the world. It is too early to begin to show gratitude.

Beyond the domestic level, let us begin with the crises of mistrust as revealed at the closing ceremony of the New Global Financing Pact Summit in Paris. The South African President, Cyril Ramaphosa, raised three critical issues in Africa’s relationships with the more developed countries. It is quite interesting that President BAT had the opportunity to attend the closing ceremony of the summit. First, President Ramaphosa raised the question of the Board of Directors of the multilateral institutions. As he put it, ‘the boards of directors of your multilateral institutions are not made up of independent directors they are largely internal people or shareholders, so that in itself for us it’s an important reform’ that is required. In Ramaphosa’s thinking, there is the need to reform the international financial architecture of the world,‘because without that reform the dreams and objectives that we have to address our challenges will not be realised, and

In other words, the 50-square kilometre mega city should be basically a centre of research for all known disciplines in the social, engineering, medical, space, technology studies, etc. This is what foreign policy of a Greater Nigeria under PBAT should be. By so doing, foreign policy will no longer be simply reactive as it was under President Muhammadu Buhari under whose administration foreign policy achievement is nothing more than seeking international appointments for Nigerian nationals. Foreign policy under PBAT should be very proactive and focused, and guided by the three main principles of Consultation Doctrine as espoused by Professor Bolaji Akinwande Akinyemi, Foreign Policy Concentricism as espoused by Professor Ibrahim Agboola Gambari, and Beneficial and Constructive Concentricism as espoused by Ambassador Oluyemi Adeniji. The protection and defence of Nigeria’s political sovereignty and territorial integrity is a core foreign policy interest that is already taken for granted. Thus, Nigeria’s foreign policy of a Greater Nigeria cannot but have an ultimate objective of making Nigeria second to none in Africa in all aspects of human endeavour

that those reforms need to touch on a whole range of issues.’

Secondly, President Ramaphosa raised the issue of distribution of the Special Drawing Rights with its set rules of either you get zero or get 34 billion. He lodged his complaints thus: ‘in our view, this is not a zero-sum game, it’s a game where we all need to be dealt with equity, in an equitable manner and there is a need for reform in that regard as well.’More important, he said that‘it’s important in the new era that the world is in now that there should be a good measure of equality among Sovereign Nations.’In essence, President Ramaphosa simply wanted to underscore the point that Africa wants‘to be key players even in the financial markets and in the MDBs’and will no longer be prepared to be treated or seen as beggars. Africa wants to be respected as well without fear or favour.

Thirdly, and perhaps most disturbingly, President Ramaphosa raised the issue of summitry of pledged but failed commitments which the French President, Emmanuel Macron, referred to as the ‘sommet de paroles,’ that is, ‘summit of statements.’ Ramaphosa discussed the issue of $100bn which was promised in Paris and which has not been fully lived up to. For example, several countries like Germany and the United States had put forward some initiatives but which have been to no avail.

Non-fulfilment of pledges apart, the issue of vaccine availability was also raised as a more critical problem. When Africa needed badly COVID-19 vaccines in the same manner all other Member States of the international community also needed the vaccines. However, President Ramaphosa recalled when he was Chairman of the African Union and he sought vaccines for the people of Africa. As he unhappily explained it, the countries of the Northern hemisphere ‘had bought all the vaccines in the world and they were hogging them and they didn’t want to release them at the time when we needed them the most, and we felt like we were begging, and at times it felt like they were just the droppings from the table that yes, we will give you that and that, and let me tell you something that generated a lot of resentment.’

And most disappointingly, the relationship and resentment got worse when Africa wanted to manufacture its own vaccines. President Ramaphosa said: ‘we went to the WTO, there was a lot of resistance, enormous resistance, and we kept saying what is important? Life or profits by your big pharmaceutical companies and that too, I must tell you, has now generated and deepened that disappointment and resentment on our part because we felt like living in the northern hemisphere is much more important than living in the global South, and these are issues that need to be addressed.’In fact, in an attempt for the Northern hemisphere countries to show more seriousness of purpose and as an evidence of readiness to either walk the talk or talking the walk, President Ramaphosa suggested the transformation of the Inga Dam to Inga Dam Power Station. In his thinking, 600 million people in Africa do not have electricity, and yet, they have all the resources to generate electricity, especially from the mighty Congo River. An Inga Dam power station can generate electricity to the tune of 70,000 megawatts and for, at least, 12 African countries all at once.

These observations by President Ramaphosa should be understood in the context of the declared objectives of the New Global Financial Pact which, according to President Emmanuel Macron, was to draw up a new financial order that would scale up finances and support developing countries for energy transition, poverty reduction, while respecting the sovereignty of each nation.

In this regard, if the summit would need more mobilisation and political will for redesign and implementation, as reasoned by the United Nations Secretary General, Mr Anthonio Guterres, if Mr Bill Gates has disclosed that his foundation intends to commit $7bn to Africa in the next four years to support routine immunisation in Nigeria and the Global Polio Eradication Initiative in Northern Nigeria,movingbeyondasommetdeparolestoasummitofconcrete actions cannot but raise the question of where the mobilisation and political will has to come from.

It is against the background of these crises of trust, largely predicated by the increasing protests against the current international financial order, that the lessons for Nigeria’s foreign policy attitude should be drawn.

Foreign Policy Attitudinal Determinants to Underscore

There is one important domestic pillar of Nigeria’s foreign policy under President BAT, which is the merger of the official and black market foreign exchange rates. This not only has the potential to reassure international investors of a stable exchange rate, but also has the likelihood of considerably influencing market rates in the West African region. Foreign policy attitude will need to defend the Naira internationally.

International development aid policies are generally fraught with hypocrisy and dishonesty of purpose. Additionally, if, as shown by President Ramaphosa, commitments had always been made but the commitments have hardly been better than chiffons de papier that are not made concrete, what really then is the need for new commitments and such sommet de paroles which President Macron is talking about? Nigeria is therefore more challenged by a world of not only diplomatic lies and illness but also a world of deepening crises to which Nigeria must evolve very appropriate foreign policy attitude based on realpolitik.

Tinubu

Emmanuel Efeni Best Newspaper Reviewer of the Year

From the THISDAY Newspapers, where he distinguished himself before moving to the broadcast arm, ARISE NEWS Channel, he has continued to shine brilliantly. Deputy Managing Director of ARISE NEWS, Emmanuel Efeni, has demonstrated his stunning aptitude as a newsman. Recently, Efeni brought glory to the world-class station when he was honoured with an award as ‘Seasoned Journalist and Best Newspaper Reviewer of the Year 2023’ for his contributions to national development and his unparalleled commitment towards his chosen profession, Funke Olaode reports.

Boldly inscribed on his award plaque were “Media Excellent Category presented to Emmanuel Efeni of ARISE TV as ‘Seasoned Journalist and Best Newspaper Reviewer of the Year 2023,’ In Recognition of Your Outstanding Feats of Media Excellence and Professionalism; For Your Impactful Contributions to National Development and Your Unparalleled Commitments towards Transforming Lives In Nigeria.” The awards organised by the Nollyfans Achievements Awards were presented to eminent personalities for their diligent contributions and achievements in their chosen endeavours.

That the Deputy Managing Director of ARISE NEWS Channel, Emmanuel Efeni, is a distinguished journalist, broadcaster, writer, and administrator will be an understatement. He has demonstrated his commitment to duty since his heyday as a reporter in The Guardian newsroom. His spirit of excellence and commitment to duty have continued to trail his career exploits, first as a newspaperman and later as an outstanding broadcaster.

Unassuming, humble and reserved, Efeni would rather allow his works to do the talking and even in the face of challenges, he would always forge on believing that his best would come. And that self-discovery, faith in himself, focus, dedication, hard work and commitment

have seen him triumph. Indeed, his best is evolving, winning awards for his TV station and himself. Just a few months ago, he led the delegation that received three awards from the Broadcasting Organisation of Nigeria. Under his watch, ARISE NEWS has won ‘TV Station of the Year’, ‘News Station of the Year for English Language’, and ‘Reporter of the Year.’ The latter was won by Ovietieme Judge. And now, he has gone on to take his own individual award to celebrate his achievement.

With robust analysis of news content, and in-depth newspaper analysis, Efeni has endeared himself to Nigerians within and in the Diaspora.

“Oftentimes, the people who work behind the scenes, particularly the faces you don’t often see on screen, go unrecognised, but it is great to see that people recognised Efeni, that has been here for many years, serving excellently from THISDAY Newspaper to ARISE NEWS Channel excellently. As part of the lead of the Editorial team for The Morning Show, Efeni contributes significantly to the outcome of the show that people enjoy so much,” Oseni Rufai remarked.

Eulogising his colleague and ‘Great Malabites’ as they address themselves since their path crossed as undergraduates of the University of Calabar in 1981, veteran journalist and Efeni’s ‘personal person’ on ARISE NEWS, Dr. Reuben Abati, said it was an honour welldeserved.

According to him, “Well, nobody should be surprised; after all, he is a Great Malabite! Malabites continue to prove their greatness whether it is in the media, politics, or at the level of the National Assembly, where only recently we have a Great Malabite as Senate President and another Great Malabite as Deputy Speaker.

“And the great impact of this is that the reward for hard work, as I keep saying, is more hard work. And I am sure I don’t need to explain that to Emmanuel Efeni, whom I have known as a hardworking person since 1981 when our paths crossed.

“Congratulations to Emmanuel Efeni, and congratulations to ARISE NEWS and all the people in the backend who are always making it possible for those of us who sit at the front of the camera to shine,” Abati said.

Speaking at the event, the organiser of Nollyfans Awards, Stephen Akposibruke, said the awards were aimed at celebrating individuals who have distinguished themselves through excellence and greatness. And ARISE NEWS Analyst and Deputy Managing Director, Efeni, was also among the chosen.

According to him, due diligence was followed in selecting the awardees as prominent and credible personalities served as panelists and vetted the credential of the nominees. “For the media, we asked some of those veterans in the media as to who are the best in the media sector. They gave us names. The likes of Dr. Ruben Abati was one of our awardees last year.

“I always watch Emmanuel Efeni’s programme on TV, and I love his analyses. If you watch him as well, you will see that he is simply doing what he does out of passion for the job and country and not to gain unnecessary attention. Left for him, if you give him enough time, he is going to use up all the hours analysing burning issues regarding the nation. That’s why I love him.”

One of the guest speakers at the occasion, Dr. Bello Osigwe, also praised Efeni for his professionalism. “ARISE NEWS has made some of us proud! When you listen to Mr Emmanuel Efeni when he is analysing the news, we get excited by putting you in the mood of relaxation. Then you are ready for the analyses. Emmanuel does his work with passion.”

In his response, the awardee thanked the organisers for the honour bestowed on

him. “I am elated. I am excited. I was given this award in recognition of what we do every day and what we have done over the years in journalism and, most recently, the newspaper review on ARISE NEWS, which has been generating a lot of acclaim across the country. And today, there is an award specially for ‘The Best Newspaper Reviewer of the Year 2023’. I want to thank the organisers of this awards for recognising what we do, and also to thank God that one’s effort is also being recognised with an award like this. And, of course, thanks to all my colleagues on The Morning Show, the flagship programme of the ARISE NEWS Channel.”

Born on September 8, 1963, Efeni attended Hussey College, Warri, Delta State, from 1975-1980. He is a graduate of the University of Calabar, where he studied Philosophy, and he attended the Executive Management Programmes of the prestigious Howard University Business School, Washington DC, USA, as well as Aston University Business School, Birmingham, UK. He is a Fellow of The Leadership Institute, Arlington, Virginia, U.S.A.

He began his journalism career in 1991 as a Reporter with The Guardian Newspaper. At Guardian, he was nominated for Features Writer of the Year and Investigative Reporter of the Year categories of the Nigeria Media Merit Awards (NMMA) in 1992.

He joined THISDAY as an Assistant Editor in 1996, where he distinguished himself in all aspects of the newspaper business.

He was, at various times, Features Editor, Deputy Editor and Editor, e-Publishing. He also edited the weekend titles, THISDAY, the Saturday Newspaper, and the Sunday Newspaper before his elevation to the Editorial Board. He was a Divisional Director and later Executive Director.

Apart from being a newsman, Efeni is also an administrator par excellence. He was at different times THISDAY’s Director of Operations, Director of Newspaper Sales and Distribution, Director of Administration and Human Resources and Director of Advertising and Marketing.

A well-grounded individual, upon the establishment of ARISE in 2013, Efeni was seconded to the foremost TV station as Executive Director of the THISDAY-ARISE Media Group. He is currently the Deputy Managing Director of the award-winning Arise News Channel, a familiar face and critical voice in The Morning Show, the flagship programme of the television station.

Efeni, displaying his award at the ceremony

Former Senior Special Assistant on Education to Governor of Lagos, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, Dr. Adetola Salau (middle) presenting the award to Emmanuel Efeni while organiser of the Nollyfans Awards, Stephen Akposibruke (right), watches with admiration

WIGWE, ECONOMIC DIPLOMACY AND NIGERIA-FRANCE RELATIONS

Herbert Wigwe is leading the charge towards a more mutually beneficial economic relationship between Nigeria and France, contends CHUKWUEMEKA UWANAKA

RUMINATIONS ON TINUBU’S FIRST 30 DAYS AT THE HELM

or provide palliatives for them, following the removal of fuel subsidy.” The situation is that dispensation.

THE CASE FOR A NATIONAL PEACE POLICY IN NIGERIA OLALEKAN A. BABATUNDE argues the need for an inclusive and sustainable peace policy

Whether the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is a substantive one or a “placeholder” to deploy a new addition to Nigeria’s electoral lexicon, will be decided by the courts in the land. He was declared winner of the Saturday February 25, 2023 presidential election by Mahmood Yakubu, Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, (INEC). Two of the 18 political parties which participated in the poll and their candidates have since challenged the proclamation of Tinubu as true and authentic victor in that contest. The Peoples’ Democratic Party, (PDP) and its presidential candidate, former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, as well as the Labour Party, the veracity of the triumph of Tinubu of the All Progressives Congress, (APC). Revelations from the Presidential Elections Petitions Tribunal thus far, are mind-boggling for the ears of laymen like some of us. Tinubu would seem to be standing on tenuous grounds, even marshlands if the judiciary were to discharge its obligations fairly and dispassionately.

While the legal brickbats proceed, it is

See Page 21

EDITORIAL PAYING ATTENTION TO THE WAGNER

GROUP

See Page 21 See Page 22

President of the United States of America, Franklin D. Roosevelt introduced the concept of assessing the “First 100 Days” of his government in 1933. It has become fashionable globally thereafter, to examine the preliminary months of administrations against this precedence. I was Director of Information and Public Affairs to the pioneer democratically elected governor of the teething Kogi State, Abubakar Audu, back in 1992. I recall very vividly how very seriously my boss, now deliverables within the preliminary 100 days of his government. As a familiar proverb tells us, “morning shows the day.”

The social media was dominated early this week by video clips of Tinubu’s return to the country after his recent visits to France and the United Kingdom. Scenarios from recordings of his departure from the airport for his Lagos home, are instructive. The convoy of automobiles which accompanied him in one particular two minute, twenty seconds clip couldn’t have been any less than 100! And this is being really conservative. There were SUVs, sedans, trucks, buses and other vehicular brands in that entourage. The very predictable alibi if one were to interrogate this will be to the effect that the carnival air was appearance in Lagos, his home state since his inauguration as Commander-in-Chief, a month ago. It will be suggested that the entire political superstructure of Lagos State

was activated to honour the homeboy.

A similar video clip of about one minute, featured the exit ceremonials for the President

of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio, from the premises of the National Assembly complex, to his Abuja home. The convoy was complete

The President of the Senate is the *Numero Uno* lawmaker in the land and the third most hierarchy. He comes behind the president and his deputy. The argument for such lascivious display will be hinged on the premise that the nation’s chief lawmaker must be chauffeured in style and elan.

These twin incidents could be interpreted regime which recently removed subsidies on petroleum products. Yes, this specie of topmost echelons, stands logic on its head arising from the economy-induced pall across the country. From petrol, to diesel and Hapless Nigerians have been subjected to grievous socioeconomic discomfort and grave hurt so early in the life of an administration which canvassed “renewed hope.” Petroleum products are as costly themselves as much as they have triggered

There were reports on the eve of the *Eid el Mubarak* celebrations, that certain categories of rams, the favourite animal protein for this season, skyrocketed to as much as N700,000 in many markets! The World Bank indeed, recently observed that “Nigeria has one of the its latest “Development Update” on Nigeria, that at least seven million Nigerians will soon join the club of the poor. This is “if the federal government fails to compensate them

Side by side with these discombobulations is the unsettling free cascade of the *naira* in the foreign exchange market. This follows the new government’s policy on the the nation’s currency. In the last few days, the pound sterling hobbled very close to N1000 each, while the United States Dollar has been nestling on the borders of N800. The naira has since it replaced the “Nigerian pound,” under the superintendence of Yakubu Gowon, fourstar army General and Nigeria’s civil war era rolls back in time to the blunt Governor of *The Rise and Fall of Idi Amin* who told his principal that the nation’s currency was more worthless than toilet paper. The *CFA francs* in use by neighbouring West African countries is suddenly stronger than our *naira.*

There were insinuations in recent days to the effect that electricity tariffs will also be increased by as much as 100 percent, a report which got people uptight and scurrying around to boost their power account balances. Rebuttals have since followed, reassuring harried Nigerians that the planned increment on energy costs has not been be desirable, they are evidently hasty and frame. This is especially because the new regime has not emplaced succour of any kind to cushion the gravity of the changes. From foodstuffs to transportation, and to clothing, Nigerians are agonisingly paying much more. The differential could be as much as 200 percent in many instances.

Certain appointments have been made by the president at the level of advisers and similar support staff. The portfolios of some unwieldy and capable of encroaching into the schedules of some other aides. This could government in gestation. What do we make of an omnibus schedule such as: “Special Duties, Communications and Strategy,” all in one box? It is so open-ended, so blatantly grabbist. It can as well pass for the unintended consecration of an “alternate president,” or a “deputy vice president,” given its amorphous, amoebid possibilities. Each of the various departments under this three-pronged brief, is a mouthful on its own. This is not alluding to the deadweight of such a tri-legged potpourri on one single head! I speak from the point of cognate experience in a similar designation for the better part of my eight-year service government.

The first month of the dispensation has been dreary, argues

Olusunle, PhD, poet, journalist, scholar and author is a Member of the Nigerian Guild of Editors

WIGWE, ECONOMIC DIPLOMACY AND NIGERIAFRANCE RELATIONS

also a member of the Governing Council of the Chartered Institute of Bankers of Nigeria. For some more context on his suitability for the role of a high-level economic diplomat, Access Bank which Wigwe leads, currently operates in 18 countries, across four continents, including representative offices in China, India, Lebanon and United Arab Emirates (UAE). With more than 42 million customers, Access Bank Plc became the largest bank in Africa by customer base, and the largest Nigerian bank by assets. The bank has built a Chinese desk, working with China. Leveraging on that, a German desk was built, in working partnership with (German Investment and Development Corporation) DEG and the German government.

THE CASE FOR A NATIONAL PEACE

POLICY IN NIGERIA OLALEKAN A. BABATUNDE argues

need for an inclusive and sustainable peace policy

The current dynamics and realities of vicious cycles of never-ending structural, direct and cultural violence and violent extremism in Nigeria have once again demonstrated the urgent need for a new peace strategy. Since 1999, we have witnessed worsening causes, new and ignorant conflict actors, enlarged geographical spread of violence and the exploitation of violence by conflict entrepreneurs, among a plethora of phenomena. The key part of the problem is the lack of better-coordinated efforts at building peace and managing conflict. The fragile contexts and protracted violent conflicts have raised concerns about the country’s capacity to deal with such levels of violence at their underlying and proximate causes and dynamics.

Group CEO of Access Corporation and Pan-African investor, took over from pioneer President, Abdul Samad Rabiu, Chairman of BUA Group, as the President of the France-Nigeria Business Council (FNBC). Beyond the personal accolades that should go to him, Wigwe’s evolving tenure as President of the FNBC provides a strategic opportunity for some mutually beneficial economic and political outcomes for Nigeria, and France, when viewed from an economic diplomacy perspective.

The FNBC was inaugurated in June 2021 as a private sector initiative to enhance mutually beneficial business relations between the two countries. The Council therefore provides a platform for sustainable and inclusive partnerships, collaboration and innovation between both countries. Its Globacom and Conoil; Gilbert Chagoury of Chagoury Group; Aliko Dangote of Dangote Group; Tony Elumelu, Chairman UBA, Heirs Holdings and promoter of the Africapitalism economic philosophy; and current President Herbert Wigwe, as the Nigerian members of the council. Dassault, Danone, Axens, Ponticelli and TotalEnergies are some of the large French companies that are also members of the council.

Within the context of Nigeria-France economic relations, Access Bank launched its to support corporate and private customers operating in Nigeria and France plus Francophonie. The presence of Chrysoula State for Development, Francophonie and International Partnerships at the launch of the Desk, further underscores the diplomatic platform that Wigwe has. The Access Bank French Desk is a strategic platform which would serve as a vital link between Business France, PROPACO, Agence Française de Développement (AFD), and other multilateral organizations. The mutual economic objective of the Desk is best captured by Wigwe when he states that “The Business Desk will provide tailored support and guidance to French businesses operating in Nigeria, as well as Nigerian businesses seeking to expand their presence in France.” Access Group has also opened an operational banking subsidiary in Paris, will have the provision of trade finance between France and Francophone Africa percent of shares in Access Holdings, the parent company of Access Bank.

To further appreciate the role that Wigwe has to play as an economic diplomat, there is however the need for better comprehension of Nigeria-France relations, especially contemporary trade relations.

France established diplomatic relations with Nigeria in October 1, 1960 following Nigeria’s independence. Apart from 1961 when Nigeria broke diplomatic relations with France because France conducted an atomic test in the Sahara Desert, as well as suspicions on the role France played during the Nigerian Civil War of 1967 – 1970, Nigeria has largely enjoyed cordial relations with the European country over the years, with major French companies such as Peugeot, Elf, TotalEnergies and Air France having significant historical and contemporary economic presence in Nigeria. That all the countries Nigeria shares land borders with, namely BeninRepublic, Niger Republic, and Cameroon are francophone, further underscores the strategic importance of Nigeria’s relationship with France.

From experience, the issues of conflict seem to have divided us more than unified us to addressing them. Responses have often been reactive rather than strategic, long-term, and preventive approach to peacebuilding. Peacebuilding happens mostly during “emergencies”, for instance, during acute fear of electoral violence.Also among the peacebuilding community, responses and approaches are sometimes out of date or at cross-purposes, as conflict dynamics have changed significantly over time. Joint conducts of updated analyses are often not beyond phases of specific events or crises.

With a history of inter-ethnic communal violence, violent extremism, land conflict and election-related violence, Nigeria is overdue for a national framework to guide efforts to prevent, build peace, promote human rights and justice in a more coordinated effort. Peace is an asset many societies yearn for. Once the society has it, the sky is the limit for its development initiatives. Growth and development begin to shape socioeconomic and political lives of its people.

One would have thought a country that has been bedevilled by conflict and secessionism for decades would have been addressing its sociocultural, political, ethnic and climatic causes of conflict with a policy. Thousands of lives and millions of livelihoods lost while billions of property consumed by violence including millions of people displaced within and outside the borders. Billions of naira expended on quelling armed violence and counter-terrorism would have been channelled into development.

In this new administration’s quest to rejig the security architecture of the country to attract foreign investment, promote national unity and foster peaceful coexistence, it is imperative to take closer look at working with its institutions and agencies saddled with the mandates to promote peace-related activities through research, conflict prevention and conflict resolution inventions in order to actualize this peace plan. President Ahmed Tinubu has during the Eid-el-Kabir in Lagos, promised that Nigerians would experience peace, stability and prosperity.

As the new service chiefs reportedly resolved to use “maximum force against terrorists, bandits and other enemies of state”, we should by now know that kinetic force alone cannot address the myriads of underlying drivers of the violence perpetrated by these non-state actors. If so, the nation would have been ridden of these miscreants since 1999. Also incessant increase in the numbers of police and security men will not save Nigeria from insecurity except it changed its systems of building peace. While Nigerians are not in doubt of the ability and determination of the security forces to bring peace, the implementation of a peace policy will make their conflict deployment needless, but instead will only focus on external threat, which is their primary function.

Having a peace policy will not only be in line with the spirit of our Constitution, but also the vision of the policy will enhance the socalled coordination that has been inadequate in prevention, mitigation and management of conflicts. Like any other effective policy, the peace policy will improve sustained peacebuilding processes in the most participatory, cultural sensitive, inclusive, transparent and accountable manner. With the IPCR example, the policy framework will be the government’s deliberate effort towards developing a comprehensive, legal and administrative mechanism to processes in Nigeria.

The draft peace policy has already set out an infrastructure for peace, taking into account the multi-cultural heritage of the people and the context within which it will operate as well as the institutional mechanism appropriate to the Nigerian context. The infrastructure proposes that representatives from communities, women, youth, civil society and the government, will work together to prevent a variety of conflicts, including resource-based, religious, crossborder and climate change-related conflicts, among others.

In the last 26 years, the exports of Nigeria to France have increased at an annualized rate of During the same 26 years period, the exports of France to Nigeria have increased at an Nigeria has a more favourable balance of trade. However, the details of what each country exports show that France and the French economy is better off, in its economic relations with Nigeria.

Wigwe comes prepared for the role of an economic diplomat. In Nigeria, economic diplomacy was formally introduced by General Ike Nwachukwu, one of Nigeria’s finest infantry officer and gentleman, when It is a policy that emphasizes the need for economic opportunities to occupy primary place in Nigeria’s relationship with other countries. In so doing, the private sector is accorded prime position in diplomatic conduct. Though Wigwe is a private sector operator, the inauguration of the FNBC by relevance. Wigwe is currently Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Access Holdings PLC, traded as Access Corporation. He was the Bank PLC, one of Nigeria’s top five banking institutions. The founder of Wigwe University, Isiokpo in Rivers State, Wigwe is Chairman of The Access Bank (UK) Ltd, Non-Executive Exchange; Shared Agents Network Dr. Uwanaka writes from African University of Science and Technology, Abuja. chukweks@yahoo.com

One agency should be in focus as his administration is making political calculations to develop a new peace strategy. The Institute for Peace and Conflict Resolution (IPCR) has in 2012 developed a carefully elaborated peace policy. Unfortunately, it is yet to be adopted. The draft development was marked by strategiclevel coordination, consultative process and a joint vision from local to national levels, and focusing on long-term goals to address deep-rooted ethnic, religious and political in land. By the time the Institute launched this has gone ahead to establish a peace policy called the National Policy on Peacebuilding

The need for a national framework to guide efforts of public and private sectors at the national, state and local levels to cannot be overstated. A peace policy will provide a coherent, participatory and peacebuilding and conflict management in the country. Everyone will have a strategic role to play at different levels.

Peace structures like the eminent National Peace Committee have been provided for in the draft policy. The policy also provides legal and institutional frameworks for the allocation of resources to peace interventions by the government as well as the private sector, including having a National Peace Commission, which will go a long way in ensuring that conflict issues are addressed in real time.

Looking at the conflict patterns and the cruciality of a whole new approach to security, and indeed, the decisive steps the Tinubu administration has taken in in the national system with policies and appointment, I therefore, call on the administration to consider having a peace policy for an inclusive and sustainable Nigeria. Grounded on evidence building from the draft peace policy, the government can revisit the document based on current realities. Adopting a peace policy will cease

writes via austinebabatunde@yahoo.com

the

Herbert Wigwe is leading the charge towards a more mutually beneficial economic relationship between Nigeria and France, contends

Chukwuemeka Uwanaka

Babatunde, a part-time professor at the Zhejiang Normal University, China;

Editor, Editorial Page PETER ISHAKA

Email peter.ishaka@thisdaylive.com

EDITORIAL

PAYING ATTENTION TO THE WAGNER GROUP

The infiltration of the Wagner Group in Africa poses serious threat to the continent’s fragile democracies

The Russian authority and the Wagner Mercenary Group (WMG) may have been ‘resolved’, but African leaders should be concerned, especially with reports suggesting most of their troops in Ukraine may relocate to the continent. Already, the mercenary group has thousands of fighters in Mali, Libya, Sudan, Central African Republic (CAR) and other countries within the continent where they have for years been spreading their tentacles with the active connivance of the Russian government. In CAR, for instance, Wagner influence is such that presidential bodyguards are drawn from its men. In return, companies associated with Wagner are involved in lucrative deals in minerals, timber, etc. In Sudan and Mali, Russian companies associated with Wagner are also said to be involved in gold mining.

Despite the aborted mutiny by Wagner mercenary fighters, President Putin’s Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov insists that nothing will change concerning their operation in Africa. “In addition to relations with this PMC (Wagner), the governments of Central African Republic (CAR) and Mali have official contacts with our leadership,” Lavrov said last week. “At their request, several hundred soldiers are working in CAR as instructors. This work will continue.” Last Friday, the United Nations Security Council voted for the full withdrawal of the decade-old Multidimensional Integrated Stabilisation Mission in Mali (MINUSMA) at the instance of the country’s military government which has placed its trust in Wagner mercenary fighters apparently so that it would not be held accountable.

Founded in May 2014 by a Kremlin caterer, Yevgeny Prigozhin, essentially to support Russian troops fighting in Ukraine’s Donbas region, Wagner started making inroads into the continent when the Kremlin signed several deals that paved the way for their operations in CAR. In the process, a Russian national, Valery Zakharov, was also appointed security adviser to President FaustinArchange Touadera. Meanwhile, pressure of jihadist violence from the Sahel have also created widespread political instability across West Africa leading to the military overthrow of civilian governments in Guinea,

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Mali, Chad, Sudan, and Burkina Faso. In addition, the progressive withdrawal of French troops as a stabilising force exposed their former colonies on the West African coast to the ambition of politicised soldiers. And as the French interest and influence diminished, there has been an increase in official Moscow interest in the region.

Essentially due to the activities of the Wagner Group, increasing Russian presence and interest signals a significant shift of Western sphere of influence from West Africa where France had been the major holding power. In what looks like a subtle recolonisation of the affected territories, the Russian government through the Wagner Group pays itself through mining contracts and concessions with unlimited access to mineral deposits. It was therefore little wonder that some of the crowds that trooped out in Ouagadougou to welcome last October’s coup in Burkina Faso carried Russian flags and placards denouncing France.

In April this year, there was a report in the American ‘Washington Post’ about the leaked American intelligence documents describing an effort by Russia’s paramilitary Wagner Group to recruit rebels as part of an “evolving plot to topple the Chadian government”. According to the report, the documents detail a discussion in February this year between Wagner’s leader, Yevgeniy Prigozhin, and his associates about the timeline and facility for training an initial group of rebels in Avakaba (a city in CAR), close to the Chadian border, and the route that Wagner would use to transport them.

The critical danger posed by the infiltration of the Wagner Group in Africa is the threat it poses to fragile democracies on the continent. Their fighters are mostly in these countries at the invitation of military autocrats and anti-democratic forces. But there is a larger issue. Now that there is a crisis between Wagner leadership and the Russian authority, there are both immediate and long-term challenges. If these troops are not paid and left to their own devices, they could become more disruptive in countries that are already unstable. It is therefore in the interest of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and the African Union (AU) to pay particular attention to developments in Moscow concerning the mercenary group.

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

Letters to the Editor LETTERS

JIGAWA: THE RIGHT MAN COMMETH

There is Jigawa State, aptly named, “The New World” is endowed with tremendous natural and human resources. However, harnessing the resources had been an issue until recently. It was amid a strong yearning for a leader who would appropriately harness the resources that the people of Jigawa State on May 29, 2023, witnessed the elevation of Mallam Umar A. Namadi as the fifth civilian governor.

For the people of Jigawa State, it has been in tandem with the ancient Italian saying that “the right man comes at the right season”.

Governor Umar Namadi came into office with a clear vision to develop the state based on his revolutionary development blueprint tagged “Development Agenda for Greater Jigawa which was premised on speedy development through prudent management of human and material resources. Taking deliberate steps to ensure realisation of the stated objectives, the governor has been working assiduously towards a leaner, efficient, prudent, responsive and above all, competent bureaucracy.

Over the last 30 days, Governor Namadi has

become a metaphor of administrative excellence with the appointment of key officials and establishment of Jigawa State Empowerment/ Employment Agency. The pace of development in the state has underlined the administration’s determination to transform Jigawa into an enviable state beyond the expectations of the people. The Dan Modi administration has been focused and efficient to offer fulfillment for the people in every facet of human life.

During the period under review, it has been observed that the administration of Mallam Namadi is indeed an open one. This is for the reason that people are always at liberty to hold an audience with the governor and acquaint him with their problems either individually or collectively and subsequently their problems are given attention and in most cases urgent problems are solved within a snap of a finger. Governor Namadi, FCA, is a man of his words and amazingly bold: he means every word he says and goes for it. His statements are never taken for granted as are astonishingly translated into action for the good of the people of Jigawa.

In his inaugural speech he declared, “Let me also from the onset, state most emphatically that we hold this mandate as sacred trust entrusted to us to deliver the will of the people in the most responsive manner. The mandate is sacrosanct. It is a compact between us and the people of Jigawa State. Accordingly, we now stand obligated to continue to deliver the legitimate yearnings and aspirations of the people. Let me therefore assure the people of Jigawa State that we will religiously adhere to the discharge of this mandate. We will govern with transparency, accountability, inclusion, prudence, responsiveness and above all, with the fear of Allah to Whom we will all ultimately be held accountable”.

Mallam has demonstrated an uncommon spirit in his revolutionary drive of transforming the entire institutional framework of governance, employing in its wake, the reports of various transition committees whose articulated road map and blueprint have accounted for the phenomenal developments landmarks widely acclaimed by political pundits as best-ever in the

state’s history.

Against this backdrop, Jigawa State government under the leadership of Governor Umar A. Namadi has been aggressively pursuing a well-articulated vision of aspiring to be a leading Nigerian state with prosperous, healthy and well educated citizens living in harmony with people and nature and pursuing their legitimate interests in freedom moderated by good governance. Explicit in this unique vision is a proven road map of where we are, where we want to be and how to get there. The above agenda articulated by Mallam Umar is of course a rare sign of foresight in governance.

With his performance in just a few days on the saddle, Mallam Namadi has earned the trust and confidence of many people. He is charting a new course of state and his work simply speaks for him. There is a consensus that the government is working for the good people of Jigawa.

It is in the interest of the Economic Community of West African States and the African Union to pay particular attention to developments in Moscow concerning the mercenary group

Ahmad Muhammad Danyaro, Wuse 2, Abuja, ahmaddanyaro2017@gmail.com

A MILITARY ICON AND HIS ENDURING LEGACY GENERAL LUCKY IRABOR

As he bows out of military after 37 years of serving the Armed Forces of Nigeria meritoriously, General Lucky Irabor’s footprints on the military and the nation will endure and solidify his legacy, Vanessa Obioha writes

A Military Icon and His Enduring Legacy

Amidst the turbulent currents of history, General George S. Patton, an esteemed commander in the United States Army, forged a path marked by unwavering resolve. Leading the Seventh United States Army in the Mediterranean Theater of World War II, he demonstrated strategic brilliance and an indomitable spirit that etched his name into the annals of legend. From the arid deserts of North Africa to the fields of Europe, he led his troops to victory, leaving an indelible mark on warfare. Today, Patton’s legacy serves as a reminder of the tenacity and leadership required to triumph over adversity in the face of daunting challenges.

Similarly, General Lucky Irabor, a highly respected and accomplished Nigerian military officer with a distinguished career spanning over three decades, rising to the highest echelons of the Nigerian Armed Forces as the Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) had faced daunting challenges but surmounted them to become a reference point that inspires men and women of the Armed Forces of Nigeria. But like every good story that is often revisited, there is an end to each chapter. General Irabor marked a close to one of such chapters recently.

The former Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) of Nigeria was honoured and pulled out of the Armed Forces of Nigeria during a ceremony held at Mogadishu Cantonment in Abuja. In his farewell speech, General Irabor expressed his pride in leaving the armed forces stronger and more capable in tackling adversaries than when he took charge.

“We were encouraged to pursue these measures in addition to other initiatives to reinvigorate the national security architecture to deliver critical national security functions. I make bold to say that I’m leaving the armed forces of Nigeria

today, bigger, stronger, and more capable to deliver on its constitutional mandate and national security functions,” he asserted.

Under Irabor’s leadership, significant progress was made in curbing the threats of terrorism, insurgency, piracy, sea robberies, vandalism of national assets, and kidnappings.

He emphasised that the collaboration between the Armed Forces of Nigeria (AFN), other security agencies, and stakeholders brought about delivering a secure environment for law and order, democratic processes, human security, and national development.

“We successfully worked in conjunction with other security agencies and stakeholders to deliver a physical security environment that is amenable for law and order, critical democratic processes, as well as human security and national development,” he added.

Fully aware of the magnitude of the security crises he faced, Irabor wasted no time in formulating strategies to combat Boko Haram, the Islamic State of West African Province (ISWAP), kidnappers, and other threats to Nigeria’s collective peace. He rolled up his sleeves, engaged in critical thinking, and fostered collaboration with other security chiefs and relevant stakeholders.

In a matter of weeks after assuming office, he unveiled his command philosophy, aptly named PEARL. Representing a Nigerian military that is Professional, Effective, Agile, Resultoriented, and Loyal to constituted authority, PEARL provided a solid foundation for the military’s defence of Nigeria’s territorial integrity. The philosophy resonated deeply and served as a guiding principle for future generations of soldiers.

As he bade farewell to the military service, Irabor urged citizens to appreciate and support the military, emphasising that they are a beacon of hope, strength, and resilience in a complex world. He called for the avoidance of denigrating the contributions of the armed forces to national security, unity, and stability. Irabor concluded by expressing his gratitude to the officers, men, and women of the AFN for their dedication, patriotism, hard work, and sacrifices.

Born on October 5, 1965, in Aliokpu Agbo, Delta State, Nigeria, Irabor embarked on his military journey by joining the Nigerian Defence Academy (NDA) Kaduna in 1983 as a member of the 34 Regular Course. He was commissioned Second Lieutenant on June 28, 1986, into the Signals Corps of

the Nigerian Army.

In 1995, Irabor pursued his junior staff course at the prestigious Armed Forces Command and Staff College, Jaji (AFCSC). Seeking to further refine his expertise, he undertook the senior staff course at the Ghana Armed Forces Staff College in Teshie, Accra, Ghana, in 2000/2001. Driven by an unquenchable thirst for knowledge and a commitment to outshining his peers, he pursued advanced studies at the National Defence College in Bangladesh in 2010. Additionally, he enhanced his leadership acumen through enrollment in the distinguished Harvard Kennedy School of Government and Executive Education programmes in the United States in both 2012 and 2017.

Irabor’s pursuit of intellectual growth is paralleled by his impressive academic achievements. He holds a bachelor’s degree in engineering from Obafemi Awolowo University and has attained two master’s degrees from the University of Ghana and Bangladesh University of Professionals, Dhaka. These accomplishments reflect his unwavering dedication to learning and determination to stand out as an exceptional leader.

Irabor held numerous crucial positions throughout his career. He showcased unwavering dedication, resilience, and strategic acumen in addressing Nigeria’s complex security challenges. Notably, he played a significant role in the fight against the Boko Haram insurgency and other security threats plaguing the country.

As Theatre Commander of Operation Lafiya Dole, the Nigerian Army’s counterinsurgency outfit in the group’s heyday, Irabor was seen as Boko Haram’s nemesis for his courage and determination in wrestling the insurgents. Under his guidance, the Nigerian Army took control of occupied territories under the control of Boko Haram, resulting in the killings of some of the commanders of the terrorist

I make bold to say that I’m leaving the armed forces of Nigeria today, bigger, stronger, and more capable to deliver on its constitutional mandate and national security functions

L-R: General Irabor, daughter and wife , Victoria during pulling out parade in Abuja... Friday

group. Particularly, he was responsible for capturing Alargano Forest, a sort of spiritual base for Boko Haram. He also planned and executed operations that led to the clearance of the notorious Sambisa Forest. Indeed, his leadership contributed to significant successes in reducing the activities and influence of these insurgent groups.

Recognised for his exceptional skills in planning and executing military operations, Irabor was later appointed as the Chief of Training and Operations of the Nigerian Army.

On January 26, 2021, Irabor was appointed as the 17th Chief of Defence Staff, the highest-ranking military position in Nigeria. In his new role, he was in charge of the overall defence policy formulation and implementation, providing strategic direction to the Nigerian Army.

Irabor worked closely with other security agencies and international partners to address the evolving security landscape in Nigeria. Also, many security and intelligence services were organised. He authored a gender policy for the Armed Forces and built a very healthy relationship between the Nigerian Army and other countries’ armed forces, such as Niger Republic and Chad. Through his interventions, many abducted citizens were freed from the clutches of their

captors.

Irabor’s leadership style was characterised by discipline, professionalism, and a commitment to upholding the integrity of the Nigerian Armed Forces. He prioritised the welfare of personnel, promoted interagency collaboration, and emphasised the importance of training and capacity building.

His commitment to the well-being of the troops and police was unwavering. He visited war zones and commands, providing much-needed motivation and support to the gallant peacekeepers. His presence alone sparked a fire of determination within the soldiers, inspiring them to push harder and crack down on conflict elements. The soldiers recognized that Nigeria belonged to all.

Throughout his illustrious career,

Irabor received numerous awards and commendations for his exceptional service and contributions to national security, including a national honour in 2022. Former President Muhammadu Buhari conferred on him the Commander of the Order of the Federal Republic (CFR).

As he bows out of service, Irabor’s impact on the military and the nation will endure, solidifying his legacy as an influential figure. His indelible mark, imprinted through his leadership and achievements, will shape the course of the military for years to come. The values he embodied and the solutions he brought to the table will continue to guide and inspire future generations, ensuring that his contributions remain an integral part of Nigeria’s history.

I make bold to say that I’m leaving the armed forces of Nigeria today, bigger, stronger

We successfully worked in conjunction with other security agencies and stakeholders to deliver a physical security environment that is amenable for law and order, critical democratic processes, as well as human security and national development

Senior military officers pulling out General Irabor after a parade in Abuja... Friday

L-R: General Irabor and his wife , Victoria during pulling out parade in Abuja... Friday

HighLife

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

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

For Gov Adeleke, It’s Not Dancing Time

Politics and drama tend to go hand in hand. In Osun State, this interplay often accompanies the governor, Ademola Adeleke. Before he ascended the gubernatorial throne, he was in the eye of the storm multiple times. Now, having reached this height, he is still having to deal with all sorts of troubles, the most recent one taking place on a day of celebration.

Adeleke is currently having to deal with all kinds of sympathy-themed messages. The happy dancer is being his usual composed and chuffed self, but it is obvious that the recent incident took some of the wind out of his sail. For someone whose very presence reflects the bright and unyielding rays of sunshine, the episode had him frowning.

Fresh Battles Trail Yari and Akpabio’s Camp

Things are still happening over at the 10th Senate despite the previously held belief that the jostle for the Senate President would bring all excitement to a definite close. Ambition is not a lump of coal so easily quenched. The way things stand, Senator Abdulaziz Yari might have found the opportunity to eclipse the power and authority of his former rival, the now-President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio. It is all about getting the principal seats in the 10th Senate.

Different variables have been thrown into the competition, ranging from religious affiliation to ethnic background. Currently, regional circumstance is the polarising factor, leaving proponents of a democratised electoral process lost for words at the apparent disregard for fairness.

Over at the Senate, the senators are throwing shades at one another as they consider those that would take up the topmost positions. From quarrelling over who will be Senate President and Deputy Senate President, the senators are now concerned about who will be Majority Leader, Minority Leader, Deputy Majority Leader, Deputy Minority Leader, Chief Whip, and Minority Whip. The deputising positions are also responsible for the current unease in the house.

It is reported that senators from the South and the North cannot agree with the best people for these positions. Insisting that senators from their regions should man the positions, even those from the South-west have become especially loud.

One cannot forget the noise that rang out after Akpabio was elected over Yari. Those canvassing from zoning changed their minds when it did not benefit them. Others that stood against the emergence of Akpabio have used the current tensions in the house to insist that Yari would have been a better choice.

The way things stand, it is clear that the camps of Yari and Akpabio are hard at work, some stirring up the unease, and all of them looking to benefit from the ensuing chaos.

It all started on Wednesday, June 28. Determined to join the prayers at the Osogbo central Eid ground for the Muslim celebration, the governor happened to arrive there just when a contest of rights and privilege was underway between former Senate spokesperson Senator Ajibola Basiru and people identifying themselves as being from

the governor’s camp.

Specifically, Basiru arrived early at the Eid ground and sat in front. However, supposed Adeleke cronies asked him to relocate elsewhere as the place he occupied had been reserved for the governor. Basiru reportedly left the seat and moved some paces away, but was asked to leave the first row entirely, a request that he refused.

The entire back-and-forth allegedly stirred the crowd, and many of them, appearing to be on the side of Adeleke, moved in to forcefully evict Senator Basiru from the front row. But they were not very successful as he is reported to have remained there throughout the prayers, only leaving after.

Conversely, it was Adeleke that was forced to leave the Eid ground long before the conclusion of the prayers. Clearly, the poor seating arrangements suggested that the powers that be in the area were not willing to give him face. Thus, Adeleke reserved whatever prestige he could still summon and left.

It became apparent to listening ears that all was still not perfect with Adeleke’s authority in Osun. For him, the Eid celebration is no longer an excuse to dance and jollificate.

Even in Death, Family, Friends and Associates Celebrate Ajimobi

The achievements of an individual are often limited to their lives. One person can only do so much or create ripples in the sea of impact. Even so, individuals like the late Abiola Ajimobi, former governor of Oyo State, have left behind marks that are difficult to remove. Even three years after his demise, relatives and associates remember the former statesman and person of business.

If the world had spaces for people, his space would remain empty. His name would also continue to be known despite his humble disposition. Some commentators have allied his life and achievements to resonate with the present, meaning that it will be a long, long time before Ajimobi’s name begins to gather dust from disuse or disregard.

In reality, recounting the man’s political abilities and capacity from causing even lions and sheep to

In the vibrant heart of Lagos, a celebration of extraordinary magnitude is on the brink of dazzling the city’s elite. On the enchanting eve of Friday, July 7, 2023, at 5 pm on the dot, the illustrious Highpoint Events & Suites, nestled within the prestigious Alausa Ikeja, shall bear witness to an opulent affair unlike any other. The heavens themselves seem to descend upon this hallowed venue as the resplendent Omolara

have goodwill towards one another, Ajimobi’s marks will remain for a long time to come. Of course, it helps that his family members have not done anything ruinous since the late senator passed on. Instead, they have shared in the glory and prestige he left behind to bring much relief to the people around them.

It is no wonder the past few days have been dedicated to the memory of Ajimobi. Renowned individuals from all over the country posted old photos of him on the internet, accompanied by good words. They remembered his calm, his strength, and his reliability, taking the time out of their busy schedules to ask for others to emulate him.

The coming days might be difficult for some people, especially those with similarly humble backgrounds as Ajimobi once had. However, the memory of the man and his mantle will doubtless help these people claim victory and reach their peaks in no time at all.

All Set for Highpoint CEO’s High-Octane Birthday

Adebiyi, CEO of the esteemed Highpoint, prepares to embark on a remarkable journey into the golden realm of her 50th birthday. With her adoring husband, the renowned Lekan Adebiyi of Laralek Construction, by her side, this gala with a Christian theme promises to be a mesmerising soiree fit for royalty.

Under the watchful gaze of a moonlit sky, a tag of ethereal significance emerges, symbolising Omolara’s magnificent half-century: #50withgrace. A befitting tribute to a woman whose grace and charm have captivated the hearts of all who have had the pleasure of her presence. As the luminous stars align to herald this milestone, the stage is set for a night of divine praise, where the heavens will reverberate with melodies, and spirits will soar to celestial heights.

Ah, the resounding harmonies of the celestial realm shall be entrusted to a trinity of exceptional talent summoned

from the realm of music’s divine pantheon. Dunsin Oyekan, the minstrel of celestial melodies, shall grace the evening with his heavenly compositions, eliciting an outpouring of euphoria from the guests, who shall be spellbound by his mellifluous serenades. The ethereal aura shall be further amplified by the angelic voice of Adeyinka Alaseyori, whose soul-stirring intonations shall evoke an overwhelming sense of awe and admiration. And to ignite the fervour within the hearts of all present, the spirited Bidemi Olaoba shall unleash his irresistible energy, filling the air with the pulsating rhythm of his anthems.

Highpoint Events & Suites, a sanctuary of refined luxury and unrivalled elegance, has long graced Lagos with its magnificence, captivating even the most discerning of patrons. With its resplendent halls adorned in opulent grandeur and its ethereal ambience enchanting all who enter, this venue is the epitome of refined taste and sophistication.

On this extraordinary night, the very essence of grandeur shall meld seamlessly with the spirit of celebration as Highpoint becomes the enchanting backdrop for Adebiyi’s unforgettable jubilee. With the eminent figureheads of Lagos society converging upon this spectacular occasion, the red carpet shall unfurl, laying a scarlet pathway for the crème de la crème of the city’s high society. Distinguished guests, adorned in their most resplendent attire, shall exude an aura of elegance and sophistication that harmonises perfectly with the enchanting atmosphere.

As the clock nears the bewitching hour, anticipation hangs palpably in the air. The 50th of Grace, an extraordinary ode to Adebiyi’s life, shall etch itself into the annals of Lagosian lore. A night where every moment is imbued with the magic of jubilation and where grace weaves its spellbinding tapestry through the hearts and souls of all who gather to pay homage to this extraordinary woman.

Adeleke

Yari

Late Ajimobi

Adebiyi

The Billionaire Who Sees Tomorrow … Why Femi Otedola’s Friends Call Him ‘Prophet’

All right-thinking human beings can indeed appraise the past, picking through it to determine the various ups and downs of everyday life. However, the future is left to the fated and the skillful, even though it holds all the treasures that time has to offer. For Femi Otedola, a man acknowledged for having the keys to this treasury, one can only throw a humble salute in his direction.

Things are getting weirder among the critics determined to show Otedola as a businessman with ordinary investment instincts. From standing in a position to oppose his apparent genius, many of these critics and public commentators have been converted. It seems that even they have been converted to become his fans, sitting on the edges of their chairs to see him make predictions of the corporate world and rake in the profits.

Despite his apparent grasp of all things business, past, present, or future, people have never been able to put his talent to words until his 60th birthday. The

Dr. Kayode Fayemi: Back in His Natural Terrain

Original aspirations and intentions tether us to reality. They ensure that we never disregard the happy visions of youth and the tall expectations of life. Kayode Fayemi, the former Governor of Ekiti State, is lucky to have these visions and expectations still standing erect after being through so much. Now back in his natural terrain, the accomplished statesman and academic has nothing to offer to God but thanksgiving and gratitude.

Every informed person in Nigeria knows that some of the prestige attributed to Ekiti in terms of politics traces back to the works of Fayemi. Due to the cleverness of this man, as well as the seeming superior ease

Being a humanitarian means that you have a heart large enough to accept people of all beliefs and circumstances. This is the kind of person many world leaders aspire to be. This is the kind of person that the Governor of Oyo State, Seyi Makinde, is. A knowledgeable man, Makinde sees little in the differences between individuals, using his actions to show his love for all people.

Critics and public commentators are still confused over Makinde’s most recent actions. Convinced that he has something else in mind outside the immediate scope of these actions, these critics have researched the motives of the governor and only found that he does what he does because he wants to and believes that he is making a difference with these actions.

For those unaware of these actions, Makinde has erected a new mosque for the Muslim faithful in his state. Using the blueprint provided to him by the leaders of the mosque, the government erected a beautiful edifice that is expected to stand the test of time and remind others that Makinde stands by all people.

There is a story behind this move of Makinde’s. Not long ago, the news made the rounds that Makinde was set to demolish the Adogba Central

with which he does things, the state has come to be known as a leading incubator of master politicians. However, those that know his history better understand that the true strength of the man is academics.

Indeed, the recent conferment of the Lagos State University brought out the academic aspect of Fayemi and revealed it to the general public. Conferring an Honorary Doctorate of Humane Letters to the former governor,

felicitations at that time were accompanied by the recognition of his apparent capacity to read the future. Thus, he was described as a spiritual man, a lover of God, and a prophet.

Granted, Otedola may not be able to predict the future and tell you that an earthquake is bound to happen somewhere at one period or another. However, if you are interested in determining where you pitch your investment tent, Otedola is just the man for you. He has proved time and again, leaving his peers to imitate his investments.

There is no arguing that Otedola is brilliant. His generosity puts selfacclaimed charity giants to shame. Nevertheless, this ‘prophetic’ mantle of his is something worth pondering and researching. Should it be determined that the fond title of ‘business prophet’ that his friends call him is something they believe in, one might have to stand behind Otedola to learn about the future of business.

The new era in Nigeria has been met with all kinds of responses. For those intent on making trouble, one needs only point to the doings of President Bola Tinubu to shut them up. Others are honest, recognizing the president’s work but also declaring that people like Abdulkabir Aliu are helping to make things easy for the new administration. This is the truth and another reason to celebrate the contributions of Aliu and his Matrix Energy group.

the tertiary institution recognized all he has done in the past in the areas of human rights, as well as national integration and security in Africa.

Fayemi remains relevant despite leaving the hotspot of political activity. Now that it looks like the ivory tower is recalling his achievements in times past, the man might once again become the giant of all things academia in Ekiti, reaching out to Lagos.

Seyi Makinde: A Governor with a Difference

Mosque in Ibadan. The naysayers did not report that the demolition was going to affect a church building nearby. Being a Christian, it was assumed that the governor was playing pranks on the Muslims.

However, Makinde personally visited the Muslims during a prayer session held at the mosque to be demolished. After the prayers, he explained why the building needed to go and promised to erect another close to the original location. And this is just what he did, letting the Muslims worship in a bigger and better place.

Now, it is clear to Makinde’s critics that he has nothing else in mind than what he says. Now called a promise keeper, Makinde has d emonstrated that he is different from every other governor that his people know, in the past or present.

Aliu is no ordinary man. Among oil and gas tycoons, he is widely known as one of the most insightful and fair. Nothing has corroborated this prestige more than the current state of the commercial side of the fuel industry. Even as different petrol fuel stations are exaggerating the prices and adjusting their metres to make ridiculous profits, Aliu’s businesses insist on fairness and decency.

According to some of the people that have benefitted from his goodwill, the fuel stations of Aliu continue to sell at the normal rate. They are not yielding to the temptation of undue profit. Instead, they are giving Nigerians hope and a refreshing opinion of businessmen in general.

It is not surprising that Aliu’s fuel stations are being fair. Last time there was a spike in the price of fuel, Matrix Energy distribution stations stuck to the normal rates, never going beyond. They also never considered using this as an opportunity to attract new customers by advertising their prices. Instead, they simply served those that came to them.

Of course, all of this matches the businessman vibes that Aliu gave off the very first time he entered the public eye. That sense of being even-handed has never left him. It is no surprise that he has only become more popular since the subsidy removal. The coming weeks will likely see him ascend to a new height in the hearts of those that benefited from his fairness.

Makinde

Mr and Mrs Kayode Fayemi

Aliu

Otedola

President Tinubu as a Name Dropper

I have been waiting for this very secretly. Our President is an expert in name dropping. A lot of you have forgotten that one of the very first things he did as Governor of Lagos State was to rename streets. Just like now, some people were in court challenging his Chicago journeys, and Johnny wey just come is not even bothered, instead he took a d rive to Oyingbo and looked at the road and said, “I proclaim thee, Moshood Abiola Road.” He didn’t end there o. He also went to Kingsway Road and traffic catch am there, in anger he shouted in Yoruba, “I proclaim thee Alfred Rewane road.”

People were surprised and a lot resisted for whatever reasons, Baba stood his ground and the roads were all renamed with brand new signposts. Today, the original names have come back as I cannot reme mber anybody asking me to meet them up at the “Ikoyi Registry on

DAVIDO AS FATHER OF NATIONS

As I write, women from all over the world are ringing in with stories of pregnancies. Our US and Ede-born superstar apart from being very prolific in music is looking like he is chasing the world record set in place by the “abami eda” himself who married 27 in one day.

As we speak, an American went on record to do a pregnancy test and came out with a positive result and screamed – Davido.

As we were still struggling with that one, another French lady also came out with the stinker, that she thought she was the only one with a pregnancy for golden boy.

If you now consider the fact that

there are rumours that his wife the very patient Chioma is also pregnant then you begin to see the proficiency of Davido in these things. Anyways, let me send a very serious message to the superstar as an egbon. All these talks of pregnancy here and there portend to one thing –unprotected sex. In this crazy world, someone is going around the nooks and crannies of the globe without protection? That to me is the zaniest of it all. He is not only exposing himself but also his long suffering wife who had dropped out of school to follow him up and down. Someone should please talk some serious sense into this boy about

Rewane Road….” It is usually meet me at the registry, the one on Kingsway Road. So, this should make Chief Obasanjo calm down. I have looked at the list and his name is conspicuously absent. Meaning that President Tinubu is being petty o. 15 names, and a war hero, farmer and letter writer is missing? Even if we do not have enough airports to cover his name, we for at least look for one fountain in Ekiti to name after Baba. This is not good o.

Anyway, it is a good move immortalising prominent Nigerians for their efforts and contributions to the country. The only other snag after leaving out Obasanjo, is Buhari. You for wait small for the Naira to come down to at least N200 and we repair some other things wey he spoil before we put his name abeg.

Putting his name on the same list as that of Uthman Dan Fodio leaves one kind of taste in my mouth. Like sour afang. Kai!

the dangers of sleeping with these people unprotected. I even heard that the American one is a porn star. His uncle should calm down from too much dancing and struggling at the prayer ground and sit his nephew down and talk sense into his head. Secondly, it’s like our superstar have not heard of R.Kelly and Bill Cosby and their travails with these kinds of women o. All they need to do is shout rape o. They don’t even need to know how to spell the word, before the whole of America will come after him. At that point, he would need to run and go and hide in the Osun grove and hope that he gets protection from any of the highly

respected deities. But why go and disturb the gods when you can at least give yourself some sense and zip up and where you cannot zip up, unzip with sense and caution. A word is enough for the wise…. Kai, different strokes, while some of us are here struggling with power failure, this boy is everywhere shooting like a Russian Wagner troop. Kai, life. SAMUEL ORTOM DIDN’T DO WELL AT ALL

Wait oo. So all the time this oga was dancing all over the country with Makinde and Wike, he was not paying salary? So, he even had money to be sewing costumes with Wike, shamelessly going to

Tinubu

help Wike commission projects and yet he was owing as much as seven months salaries to his people?

I didn’t know o, I would have been yabbing him and calling on him until he did the right thing. As an entrepreneur who had owed salaries before, I used to be very cautious when it comes to abusing people who owe salaries. This is because I know that when the company is not making money, it will be difficult to pay but employees will not understand. But the ease with which the new governor has paid and even promised to pay June salary is making me wonder what kind of wickedness was forged on the good people of Benue in the last four years.

My major annoyance is that this person was a stringent critic of Buhari who was paying salaries o. See person wey dey owe seven months salaries dey abuse person wey dey pay salary. If you ask him now o, he will say it’s Fulani herdsmen o. No wonder those ones been dey pursue am all over the place.

Thank you, so much Reverend new Governor, and may your communion bread never finish and may your communion wine never dry up in the name of the Lord. Thank you so much.

FASHOLA: HAPPY BIRTHDAY INSPECTOR GADGET

Let me quickly send my greetings to one of my favourite persons ever. Chief, Doctor, Elder, Raji Fashola who turned 60 during the week. We all remember his investigative skills, when in one second, he found critical evidence at the tollgate in Lekki. Something the CIA, KGB and the Nigerian Red Cross tried for over one year and could not solve. Baba just dropped from his car and walked towards the spot and shouted in Yoruba “owun re.”

Fashola remains one of the most enigmatic leaders in the country. His performance as the Lagos State Governor has created a benchmark in which gubernatorial assessments are made nationwide. His work as Minister of Works and the other portfolios – abeg I no fit remember, also achieved many milestones including the bridge over the River Niger, among others. Happy birthday Sir, and may your gray hair never see sorrow. God bless you. Where is the party o?

TOSIN OTITOJU: A HIDDEN GEM

In my many waka, I have met a lot of incredible people but none as massively brilliant as this shy and sweet lady from Ekiti. Graduated summa cum laude from Howard University and with a perfect score from the California Institute of

ENDLESS AMERICAN WONDER

My people, let me give you guys one gist. The American Embassy do me America wonder during the week o. That was how it took us over four years to get an appointment for an interview at their embassy. They had four years ago suddenly revoked my visa, just like that, and asked me to reapply. I just ignored them, dem no know me? I am a titled man from Nsit Ibom in Akwa Ibom State. You cannot just revoke my visa and ask me to reapply like I am one small Labour Party operative. Anyway, that was how four years later and after a lot of pressure from Duchess, including effective sanctions – suspension from the other room and a possible invite by the DSS, I carried my big head go join queue at Walter Carrington.

The whole idea of the queue has never sat down well with me o. Three queues o, we just stand there like zombies, clutching documents and looking very humbled. Their Nigerian staff were all looking and feeling like ‘something’. People that my driver earn pass o, come dey do like Abacha. Stand here, sit here, show me your death certificate and all. We all stand and sit and move like zombies. Come and see Nigerians as we mellow. Nobody is shouting o, no struggle o, nothing, everybody is respecting themselves, laugh nearly kill me.

Na drop box we dey do before o, so this idea of queuing was kinda strange to me. I am happy I witnessed it because it showed me how Nigerians were zombified, all because they want to enter America and from there heaven.

Anyway, it was my turn. We were 80 in the room and we could all hear the derogatory questions they were asking everybody.

“Why do you want to travel, is your father a monogamist, have you been imprisoned before and are you circumcised?As I stood there, I called one of the Nigerian guards and announced that I was the Duke of

Shomolu and a member of the ruling party who voted for Sanwo-Olu and as such demanded to be given VIP treatment instead of standing in a queue for two hours. The man just looked at me and sent me to the most wicked official o.

One ‘small’ girl o wey no reach my receptionist. “How many wives do you have?” I look the girl with shock, my sister, what have my wives got to do with this matter? She asked again, by this time, she don dey do face like say she is getting irritated. “Sir, how many wives do you have?” I said three. “Where are they?” One is beside me, one has died and one is in Shomolu. The way she did her face I knew that na only Jesus of Gethsemane go fit intervene in this matter.

From there na downhill o. “Why were you revoked?” I said I don’t know. I have been to the US so many times in my life, even pissed in the toilet near Madison Square Garden and went to a strip bar and touched some things in Baltimore. So the revocation is still like looking for what sank the Titanic in my head.

All these one no concern Ms. Piggy. The next thing, “I am sorry, you do not qualify to enter the US.” She dropped one blue letter for my hand and turned her back and walk away. I stand there- me? Duke of Shomolu? Conqueror of Osa? Main customer of Juliet Hotel in Shomolu and the first Akwa Ibom man to drink hot and cold water at the Ikogosi Warm Springs in Ekiti, na him this girl do like this?

My shame was not even the refusal but how I will turn and face the other 79 Nigerians in the room who were already seeing me as a prominent member of the ruling party and Sanwo-Olu voter. Anyway, we walked out o straight to Senator Florence Giwa’s restaurant to go and drown my anger in a well-cooked bowl of afang. Me? Na them go beg me to come

Technology (Caltech), this 42-year-old single lady has the brain power that if effectively engaged and empowered could begin to generate a new wave of knowledge economy which is driving countries like India. Her academic laurels dwarf even those of a Nobel Laureate. In 1996 she got the best WAEC result in the whole of West Africa and was the first Ekiti indigene to be celebrated. She won the very prestigious Poincare Fellowship, a fellowship that is reserved only for geniuses at the level of Einstein.

She also won the Chrysler Certificate of achievement and the NASA certificate too.

She has lectured at the Universities of Lagos and Bells in advanced level structured mathematics and something dynamics apart from doing very critical work for the Lagos State Government with a strong letter of commendation from them.

The knowledge economy is what some other countries are using to capture the world. We have a huge and nascent knowledge industry with the way our people are taking over critical sectors like medicine, engineering and entertainment all over the world. The need for us to engage and put structures around it to ensure massive national benefits has become very critical and this is why people like Tosin must be harnessed. Simple.

JERRY OKORODUDU: SAD ENDING, NEW BEGINNING

Celebrated boxer has just been reported to have passed. He was owing N600,000 in unpaid medical bills and his corpse at the time of writing had been seized. Now, before we start shouting government, let us realise that the government cannot be held responsible for the sad stories that come out from the stables of our veteran heroes.

We must realise that these sports superstars make in one year at their peak the kind of money that 100 million Nigerians in poverty will never make in 600 lifetimes. So, years of high living will lead to consequences and we will now be shouting government. The footballers’ own is the most annoying. The match winning bonuses for one match can complete a small clinic in a rural area and they will now go on hedonistic living and after that, they will shout government. I am sorry, I am using Jerry’s passing as a trigger point but an Olympic hero? World famous boxer? N600,000 unpaid medical bill? Something is wrong somewhere and it is definitely not with the government. Insurance, pensions, wealth management? Sports, music and indeed all Nigerians get a financial adviser NOW.

David Greene

Gladys Chukwuedo’s Great Impact

Banking Wizard, Subomi Balogun, Transits into Eternal Glory

That the late Subomi Balogun lived a fulfilled life is an understatement. The banking wizard lived the life many would wish to live, even briefly. The man, who until his death was an authority in the financial market, came, saw and conquered all that was there to be conquered.

Balogun was not only a wizard but also a colossus in the Nigerian money market. He was a man of excellence and integrity, a trailblazer and pioneer extraordinaire in the sector.

Although he was trained as a lawyer, he came into the financial sector just when the country was seriously in need of top intellectuals like him. In no time, he reshaped the industry and became a household name. He would be eternally remembered as one of those who rewrote the story of the country’s financial sector and launched it into the global map.

An avalanche of tributes was paid when the founder of First City Monument Bank (FCMB) bade farewell

to mother earth Friday, May 19, 2023. Even in death, like he was venerated while alive, he was highly celebrated, with his contributions to Nigeria’s banking sector emblazoned to high heaven.

As disclosed to Society Watch, his final journey to eternal rest begins on Friday. The burial rites will begin on July 4, 2023, with a night of tributes at Eko Hotel and Suites, Victoria Island, Lagos.

On July 5, a service of songs will be held with a wake at Harbour Point, Victoria Island, Lagos. It would continue with the lying-in-state on July 6 at his residence, Milverton Road, Ikoyi.

On July 7, Balogun’s body will continue with another lying-in-state at the Otunba Tunwase Court in Ijebu Ode.

Funeral service will take place on July 8 at Cathedral Church of Our Saviour in Ijebu Ode with private family interment while guests will be received at Otunba Tunwase Court.

Gladys Chukwuedo belongs to the class of the few who believe that women can indeed play important roles in society and can excel in male-dominated environments.

For her, women are created differently from men. And since she was appointed the head of the passport control unit at the Ikoyi office of the NIS, the new Passport Control Officer (PCO) at the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS), Alausa, Lagos, she has showcased her brilliance and projected the agency in a new light while taking the commission by storm with her exceptional skills.

Since she assumed her position, Chukwuedo has left an indelible mark throughout the commission. Her outstanding performances have earned her recognition as one of the most effective PCOs in the history of the NIS.

As disclosed, she has been described as both beautiful and intelligent, with a leadership style that instils discipline in her subordinates. She is respected by her colleagues and feared by those who do not condone indiscipline in the workplace.

Many Nigerians have expressed a high level of satisfaction with the services rendered by the NIS Alausa annex since Chukwuedo assumed the PCO role. The efficiency of the passport control unit has improved tremendously, leading to shorter processing times for passport issuance and renewal. In recognition of her amazing feats, she has received accolades from various stakeholders and government officials. They have commended her for her outstanding performance in the discharge of her duties and her significant contributions towards the overall development of the NIS.

Chukwuedo continues to inspire her colleagues as she leads them to greater heights in their daily responsibilities. Her commitment to excellence and exceptional leadership skills have made an indelible mark in the history of the Nigeria Immigration Service’s passport control unit.

No doubt, Aisha Ogieriakhi is one of the few Nigerians in the United Kingdom, making her country of birth proud. She is a shining light championing the glory of the country and has proven that you don’t need to get involved in any shady deal before you make it.

By every standard, a woman of substance, Aisha earned her place at the top through hard work and perseverance. She has proven that even without a privileged background, one can attain greatness through resilience and determination.

The Edo State-born beauty boasts of other enviable credentials from reputable institutions in the UK.

The woman, who is also a beauty consultant and a fashionista, last week celebrated her birthday. The birthday allowed her to look back and appreciate her Creator in the last 55 years, which according to her, have been decades full of God’s grace and abundance. For Aisha, she couldn’t be happier for the gift of life.

Obviously, her new milestone calls for celebration. And trust the beautiful mother of one adorable girl, she didn’t let the opportunity

Last weekend, the crème of society gathered in Lagos for the grand party held in celebration of the 60th birthday of His Imperial Majesty, Oba Francis Alao, the Olugbon of Orile Igbon, Oyo State.

A week before the Saturday party at the Federal Palace Hotel, Victoria Island, Orile Igbon was agog for the celebration of the sixth coronation anniversary of the monarch, who is the acting chairman of the Oyo State Council of Obas.

Society bigwigs and top government functionaries stormed the town for the occasion that also saw the first leg of the celebration.

The tempo was then taken to another level on Saturday at the grand finale in Lagos. And right beside the monarch all through is his adorable queen, Olori Olusola AdedoyinAlao, his beautiful and loving wife.

Alao was crowned in 2017 at the age of 54. His reign in the past six years has seen some groundbreaking blessings to his household and achievements to his land and subjects.

The kingdom regained its momentum of leadership and has been elevated to having a first-class Monarch in Oyo State.

The pedigree of the monarch was clearly on parade at his colourful 60th birthday soirée on Saturday, with the retinue of first-class traditional rulers, captains of industry, political juggernauts and socialites that attended.

slide away without celebrating. Society Watch gathered that, though it was low-key, it was classy as she was surrounded by her loved ones, friends as well as close business associates.

Ogieriakhi, born and bred in Ibadan, Oyo State, can best be described as a pan-Nigerian who is obsessed with a passion for humanity.

An alumnus of Yaba College of Technology, Lagos, including a diploma in User IT Skills, Customer Service and most recently, Data/ Business Analytics, she currently works as a seasoned Data/ IT Administr ation for a leading construction company in the United Kingdom. She was also a two-term UK Coordinator for the Institute of Information Management (IIM).

Apart from her impressive profile, Ogieriakhi is not lacking in the area of philanthropy. She has repeatedly shown her charitable side countless times. She is the founder of Bluebaby Support Initiative (BBSI), an NGO dedicated to supporting vulnerable children, orphans and the less privileged.

Alao

Late Balogun

Ogieriakhi

Chukwuedo

The Ministers Tinubu Does NOT Need

PresidentBolaTinubuhasdisplayed acommendablepreparednessto be president. He has, in just one month, shown a keen familiarity with the current state of the nation. In line, he has made bold policy pronouncements indicating an unmistakable eagerness to be different from his tepid and clueless predecessor. Whether it is in the devaluation of the Naira or the dramatic removal of the troublesome oil subsidy, Mr. Tinubu has shown the courage to take charge and an awareness of the burden of power. He has in the process displayed two essential qualities of executive presidency: a sense of direction and decisiveness. He has coupled these with the requisite willingness to engage, negotiate and hear voices from important contending quarters in the nation.

However, the time is still short. Nothing has so far been achieved in concrete terms. The policy directions that have been indicated can in the short term only lead to more hardship and suffering. Both the fuel subsidy removal and the Naira devaluation have already ushered in considerable inflation and cost of living spikes.

But Mr. Tinubu is lucky. Eight years of Buhari’s rudderless incompetence prepared our citizens for the very worst. Even the indication that here comessomethingpositivelydifferentisenoughto inspire patience and endurance. The hope is that with time and popular forbearance, the policies should lead to the desirable direction of a better life for the majority. No one can as yet swear by the blank cheques that the Nigerian populace has issued to the Tinubu administration at this onset of its honeymoon days. While Mr. Tinubu has shown that he understands what our desperate situation requires, the current public mood indicates a society that is willing to give the new president a chance.

But so far, the president has acted and spoken largely through a personal ambit of presidential authority. Soon after inauguration, he spoke alone at Eagle Square when he casually shut off the fuel subsidy. That is a classic demonstration of the loneliness of ultimate power. Since then, he has actedandindicateddirectionsonlyinthecompany of a slim collection of advisers and personal aides. But the time aloud for brash displays of sovereign swagger are running out. There is a limit to how effective presidential authority can be when the machinery of state is run only by a well intentioned president surrounded by a handful of boisterous advisers and enthusiastic foot soldiers. He now needs to fully constitute a government. Only then can his good intentions and actions reflect the collective wisdom of the nation he is elected to govern. In other words, Tinubu now needs a cabinet to begin translating his statements of good intentions and nice wishes into the tangible actions of a government. It is precisely in the choice of ministers that the prospects of Tinubu’s legacy may lie.

In a representative political setting, erecting a cabinet requires a deft combination of politics and clear executive discerning. The president needs to play the politics of managing our diversity in the choice of those he appoints as ministers. He also needs to navigate the interests of his party and the pressure of other contending parties and interests in the National Assembly. Above all else, he has to inspire the confidence of the local populace in and the international community in the caliber and capacity of those he chooses to run the affairs of the Nigerian state as ministers. Perhaps inadvertently, Mr. Tinubu has defined the caliber of ministers he needs to activate the promise of his opening policy shots. He wants boldness in policy measures. He wants speed in initiating policies and implementing programmes. He probably wants a reasonable level of credibility and transparency in those who will wear the toga of key state officials. Above all else, his policy indicators imply that his ministers must have the knowledge base, proven capacity, competence and experience to understand the complexity of the issues that urgently confront today’s Nigeria. Without saying so in many words, there is every indication that Mr. Tinubu is in a hurry to catch up on grounds lost by his embarrassing predecessor. His options are clear and well defined. He either hires a cabinet of politicians, seasoned technocrats or a combination of the two. In a UK-type parliamentary system, his choice would be simple. He would just need to select from among the leading MPs in his party to constitute a cabinet in a

Wike

relatively short time. But the presidential system and the imperatives of republican democracy offer a different template. It is made even more complex by the sheer expanse and diversity of the Nigerian landscape as well as the rich bank of manpower available in Nigeria at home and abroad.

Thesimpleformulaunderthepresidentialsystem ought to be that once a president is elected, the assumption is that the entire nation becomes his constituency. It is from that wide expanse that he is challenged to choose the best hands and heads to run the affairs of state. He may in theory not be limited by considerations of partisanship. But in reality, the president needs to reward his political party associates and key supporters whose support earned him victory. He also needs to reflect the interests of vital constituencies and special interests. An ally may be a great political mover but a totally useless administrator and hopeless manager of resources and manpower.

In the context of what is emerging as the Tinubu imperative, therefore, the job description and scale of competence of the ministers he needs have been self-defined. It does seem as though he has implicated himself into hiring a cabinet dominated by technocrats, knowledgeable and experienced hands and not necessarily politicians. His record as governor of Lagos State suggests that he is at his bestwhenhegoesouttohead-hunt knowledgeable experts and competent hands from across board to run the affairs of state. Will he follow that pattern which has worked for him previously?

All things considered, Tinubu’s options are somewhat narrow. He cannot follow the pure technocrat/intellectual dominant cabinet that we see in a place like Singapore where the cabinet readslikeanIvyLeagueuniversityfacultylistofwho graduated from which top Western university. The Singaporean model is historical and specific. They are coming from a history of Spartan meritocracy in a foundation laid by their late founder, the great Lee Kuan Yew. They do not have our history of nastypoliticsandsillycompromisesandcompulsive glorification of mediocrity.

On the contrary, Tinubu’s options are defined by the scope and nature of what he has defined as his priorities. It is also defined by the immediate backdrop of his predecessor for whom a cabinet literally meant no more than a room full of human political furniture. Buhari and his cabinet ruined the nation and brought us to this sordid pass. They did this by just sitting there and doing practically nothing except in a few cases of commendable performance. Minimally, then, Tinubu has to have a better and different cabinet from Buhari. In this sense, the nature of the Tinubu cabinet has been defined by the minuses of the Buhari catastrophe as well as his own early definition of his policy

pathway.

In this regard, the president has an immediate model and precedent in the current US cabinet. President Joe Biden literally had his cabinet options defined by the minuses of Donald Trump’s excesses. He won the election on a platform of diversity, competence and character against the background of Donald Trump’s record of bigotry, nastiness, division, incompetence and amorality. So, Biden went for a diverse and very ‘American” cabinet. From his choice of the first African American and female vice president, he appointed a Latino secretary of Homeland security, an openly gay Secretary, a number of women, blacks and youth secretaries. He even has ablackDefenseSecretaryintheillustriousGeneral Lloyd Austin. Deeper down, there is a mixture of a few Democrat political figures as well as very outstanding technocrats and intellectuals from his NSA and Secretary of State, Anthony Blinken.

The immediate Nigerian backdrop in terms of Buhari’s ministers is a disgraceful throwback. It was mostly a parade of anonymity and rank incompetence. Of the few that were recognizable, half were noteworthy for reasons of their public nuisance and notoriety in matters of either crass incompetence or questionable credibility. For some, visibility was more the public consequence of their portfolio rather than whatever content and value they brought to the job that gave them visibility. Admittedly, there were a few good men in the pack.

The majority were a vast uninspiring army of office occupants and seat warmers. There is a slew of viral anecdotes on aspects of the conduct of the Buhari ministerial class. It is said that the former president only saw most of the vast majority of his ministers at the weekly Federal Executive Council meetings where he often has to be reminded of the names of most ministers. Otherwise, most were never summoned to brief the president on their portfolios since there was no brief or marching orders from the onset. They were not required to submit monthly, quarterly or annual briefings or reports on their stewardship. Reportedly, there were no performance targets, no time lines, and no scoring formula to assess which ministers were doing what or who was succeeding or failing in what. In Buhari’s cabinet, 99 percent of the ministers stayed in office for the entire eight years until some had to opt out either from boredom or under the guise of going to contest the 2023 presidential election.

The result was an embarrassing lack of co-ordination in the activities of the ministers. In times of national crises, government acquired many voices. A cacophony of clashing and distressed choristers at the altar of an absentee deity. While trying to

defend the same administration, different key officials and ministers presented a chaotic chorus of dissembling voices and competing narratives held together by nothing in particular.

Yet, Nigerians assumed there was a government in Abuja entrusted to cater for their interests and welfare. But to what end? The concept of ultimate responsibility resting with the President was in doubt as the presidential seal of finality was permanently missing. The president was either mostly absent or in detached aloofness. The nation doubted whether in fact anyone was in charge. That is how the theory that Nigeria was a packed flight on a tragic auto-pilot was born.

The handful of ministers who burst into limelight did so by taking advantage of the missing central commanding voice. They seized advantage of the strategic importance of their portfolios to present themselves to the public as isolated islands of activity and performance. The rest, lost in the comfort of their own anonymity, were content with occupying cozy seats, enjoying copious perks and helping themselves to the honey pot of state power and unmerited privilege.

Going forward and given his projected policy trajectory, there is a distinct category of ministers that Mr. Tinubu needs to avoid. This is the category of nakedly ambitious political rabble rousers and noise makers.

The imperative of the hour is work and national recovery from eight years of abysmal leadership and atrocious governance. Tinubu does not need political trouble and noise makers. Nor does he need ministers who will compete for headlines with the president. Under the presidential system, the top political spot belongs to the president. Those who want to clamber onto the president’s mandate to chisel out their own political ambition should have no place in the imminent cabinet. As public parlance puts it, Tinubu only needs men and women who know “the road” of how to manage resources and people in the service of a nation in trouble.

But from the chatter around him, there is a powerful lobby of ambitions politicians lining up in desperate hustle for ministerial jobs. Some of them have even pre-selected their portfolios.

The most conspicuous embodiment of this category is Mr. Nyesom Wike, immediate past governor of Rivers State. This prime advocate of disruptive politics and bill board governance is said to be hell bent on making Tinubu’s cabinet list at all costs. After overturning the boat of his party, the PDP, Wike gatecrashed into reckoning in the winning APC through an electoral abracadabra that is still unfolding.

The rumours say he wants to be minister of works, Niger Delta, police affairs or even defense! Mr. Wike is a Nigerian citizen and a politician at that. He is entitled to change his party affiliation or aspire to any position as a matter of right. But he comes with a baggage full of a wild pedigree of serial betrayals, disruptive behavior, uncouth manners, ostentation, exhibitionism and alleged serial abuse of sundry substances.

Of course, what Wike eats may not give Mr. Tinubu indigestion. But his known political trajectory does matter. Tinubu as the employer of ministers is entitled to establish ground rules as to who qualifies for entry. Mr. Wike is well known to Tinubu. He serially betrayed Mr. Rotimi Amaechi, former Rivers governor, who dredged him from the political swamps and gave him prominence and a gateway to unprecedented visibility, wealth and influence. He revolted and humiliated his political associates in the Rivers State PDP, demolishing businesses, homes and wiping off livelihoods. He intimidated the leadership of the rival APC in the state, hounding most of its leading lights either into internal exile in the state or far away Abuja.

He confronted, serially disrespected and betrayed Mr. Atiku Abubakar, presidential candidate of the party as well as Dr. Iyiorchia Ayu, immediate past chairman. He wanted the presidential ticket of the party and could not secure it. He was also turned down for the number two slot. In revolt, he splintered the party along north-south lines and seceded with a handful of PDP governors to emerge as leader of something called Group of Five. Mr. Wike has a reputation for heading to court against everyone whose actions conflict with his political interests. He is said to be lucky to enjoy the ‘friendship’, loyalty and sympathy of a significant number of judges at every level of the judicial hierarchy.

Nwobike: Giving Back to the Legal Profession

Dr. Joseph Nwobike, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, is the Lead Partner of a multi-disciplinary law firm, Osborne Law Practice, with offices in Lagos, Port-Harcourt and Abuja. Recently, he made history as the first legal practitioner to single-handedly build and donate a befitting Bar Centre free to any branch of the Nigerian Bar Association in Rivers State, writes Wale Igbintade

build and donate the secretariat which he made in September, 2022 to the branch’s executives, following their plea for office accommodation.

He thanked God for His provisions which made it possible for the project to be delivered within time. He urged the NBA Isiokpo Branch to put the building and its facilities to their best use.

Dr. Nwobike said the donation was an expression of his commitment to sustaining the branch, and giving back to the profession from which he has benefited immensely.

“This project, I must confess, is one of my little ways of giving back to the profession from which I have derived so much. In all, I want to thank God for providing the means, grace and divine understanding which clearly enabled the completion of this project within this time, he stated.

According to Nwobike, it all started on August 22, 2022, when some Isiokpo-born lawyers, and other members of the NBA, Isiokpo branch visited his chambers in Lagos on the activities and challenges facing the NBA Isiokpo Branch, as well as problem of office accommodation confronting the branch since its creation in 2002.

He said he accepted to support the branch and immediately directed one Stephen Alu, to source for land in Isiokpo Town for that purpose.

“I purchased the land, and on the September 22, 2022, handed over the ownership of the two plots of land to the Branch at a ceremony attended by the executives and members of the Branch, At that event, the Branch Chairman, Dr. Cashmia Ofurum, in his address, pleaded for my assistance to their quest to construct a befitting secretariat for the Branch. Following this plea, I announced my decision to build and deliver a befitting secretariat on that land to the Branch within the shortest possible time. What we are gathered here today, being the 23rd of June 2023, is the highpoint of that unconditional commitment made by my humble self to the NBA Isiokpo Branch on that day’’, he stated.

He thanked members and executives of the branch for naming the secretariat after him and that he was indeed humbled by this gesture.

He also commended the Chief Judge of the state, the judges of the various High Courts, the state Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, the members of the Inner and Outer Bar, traditional rulers and other dignitaries presented at the occasion.

contain apartments and four lock-up shops.

“We are confident that this property would yield income of at least N1military annually. This is a shift from the previous situation where the branch will depend mostly on gifts from the Government and members of the public to survive.

‘’The NBA Isiokpo Branch is further blessed with a wonderful breakthrough by God Almighty through Dr. Joseph Nwobike, SAN. While at the NBA annual general conference last year, Stephen Alu, Simple Oroha (both members of Isiokpo Branch) and Chigoze Amadi, the current Director Public Prosecution, Rivers State (Port Harcourt Branch) decided to pay a courtesy visit to Dr. Joseph Nwobike, SAN. I must categorically state here for the records that it was that visit that paved the way for the commissioning of the Bar Centre that we are witnessing today.

“As providence would have it at that courtesy visit, Dr. Joseph Nwobike SAN decided to buy two plots of land and donate same to the NBA Isiokpo Branch. As if that was not enough, the learned silk, true to his word, began raising this edifice for the branch. The branch equally bought two additional plots of land to add to the one donated to us and sent a token to facilitate in developing the area we purchased, and before we knew it, the learned silk has completed this building within a shortest possible time. Learned Silk, it is not enough to name the Bar Centre after you, the branch shall eternally remain grateful to you’’, he added.

The historic occasion attracted many high court judges, magistrates, senior lawyers and other dignitaries from far and near, including His Royal Majesty King Blessing A N Wagor JP, Wagidi XL, who led other traditional rulers to the occasion.

Some of the dignitaries at the event were judges of the state judiciary, the Solicitor-General of the state, Mr. Egerton Madume, Director of Public Prosecution, the Paramount Ruler of the Isiokpo Ancient Kingdom, HRM Blessing Wagor The Wagidi XL, Senior Advocates of Nigeria, Chris Ezem, the immediate past Secretary to the Abia State Government, Hon. Eloka Tasie-Amadi, former Rivers State Commissioner for Works, lawyers, the clergy, among others.

It is often said that the true meaning of wealth is giving back to the society at large. This is true, and applicable to Dr. Joseph Nwobike SAN, who through philanthropic gestures has empowered many people over the years.

Last week, Nwobike made history as the first legal practitioner to single-handedly build and donate a befitting Bar Centre free to any Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) branch in Rivers State. The Bar Centre, named ‘Dr. Joseph Nwobike SAN Law Centre’ was erected on an expansive land at Alimini, Isiokpo town, Rivers State, and was officially inaugurated by the Chief Judge of Rivers State, Justice Simeon Amadi.

At the event, Justice Amadi commended Dr. Joseph Nwobike for the kind gesture, stressing that he has written his name in gold, and made the jobs of lawyers in Isiokpo easy, as they now have a befitting office to carry out their legal-

related activities.

The Chief Judge admonished lawyers to constantly support the NBA in its quest to promote the rule of law and its activities. The jurist, who noted that the donor is the first lawyer in the state to build and donate a secretariat for the NBA, admonished lawyers to always find ways to assist the Bar and young lawyers to grow professionally.

He stated that Dr. Nwobike has made giant strides in the legal profession, adding that building a modern Bar Centre for the Isiokpo branch is laudable and worthy of emulation by others.

In his remarks, the Chairman of NBA, Isiokpo Branch, Dr. Cashmia Ofurum, thanked Dr. Nwobike for donating the magnificent edifice to the branch.

In his remarks, the donor, Dr. Nwobike said the event was the high point of the promise to

Earlier in his welcome addresses, Chairman of NBA, Isiokpo Branch, Dr. Cashmia Ofurum, expressed appreciation to the donor for putting smiles on the faces members of Isiokpo branch.

According to him, it was at the NBA annual ge neral conference that two members of the branch decided to pay a courtesy visit to Dr. Nwobike, adding that it was the visit that paved the way for the inauguration of the Bar Centre.

He said: “The NBA Isiokpo branch is indeed proud to play host to the commissioning exercises of her property and Dr. Joseph Nwobike (SAN), NBA Isiokpo Law Centre. Upon our being sworn in as the Chairman of the Family Bar, we bought the property at Igwuruta town and renovated same. Wilcox Abereton, SAN sponsored the painting of the property. We appreciate you, Elder. Our property at Igwuruta town is located in a serene and cozy environment and consists of: One bedroom flat apartment; three self-

Dr. Joseph Nwobike has been being a legal practitioner for over three decades. He attained the prestigious rank of the Senior Advocate of Nigeria in 2009, and Notary Public for Nigeria. He was called to the Nigerian Bar in 1992 after graduating with 2nd Class Upper Honours at both the University of Lagos and the Nigeria Law School, Lagos.

He holds the Masters of Law and Doctorate from the Universities of Lagos and Abuja respectively. A fellow of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators (UK), and Chartered Institute of Taxation of Nigeria. He drafted, and managed the legislative advocacy that led to the enactment of, the Chartered Institute of Local Government and Public Administration of Nigeria Act, No.1, 2017.

Nwobike has conducted extensive litigations at all levels of the court system across Nigeria, and has advised on several researches and successful litigations in the United States of America and the continental Europe. His practice interest areas are in financial transactions, tax appeals, legislative advocacy, capital markets, commercial and public interest litigation as well as secured credit and proprietary interest transactions.

He has authored and published several authoritative articles on a number of legal interest areas.

Nwobike

The expansive Law Centre at Isiokpo Town, Rivers State built by Nwodike, SAN

ARTS & REVIEW ARTS & REVIEW

Taking ‘The First Step’ to Great Expectations

Through their bold visual narratives in a group exhibition in Lagos, 14 young female artists, drawn from four African countries, including Nigeria, regale their audience with offerings that deeply strike a chord, Okechukwu Uwaezuoke reports

Fourteen young female artists, just by their sheer numbers, should ordinarily pique the interest of both local and international even more interesting is the fact that the divergent perspectives of these artists from Malawi, Rwanda, Gambia, and Nigeria, who were featured in an exhibition at the Art Pantheon in Oniru, Lagos, have been distilled through the artistic mediums of painting the exhibition, titled The First Step, which ends on Sunday, July 2, lifts the veil on their creative Foundation’s African Female Artist Mentorship Programme (AFAMP), which was organised in collaboration with Art Pantheon Gallery, the Ezechukwu, Lawrencia Nnedinso Ozioko, Funmilayo Tejumola, Jessicah Ene, Ogonna Sonayon Thomas, and Temitayo could rightly be described as purveyors of a generational vi-

good narratives that resonate deeply,” enthused the Art Pantheon Gallery’s Nana Sonoiki in her short, has a long history of empowering girls through workshops and educational activiof mural projects in three areas in Lagos and Enugu states targeted at reducing cases of sexual

following year, the foundation has always had its sights set on combating poverty by providing a platform through which marginalised girls can discover their innate creative talents, cultivate them through art education, and also make a

With the exhibition The First Step, which follows closely on the heels of its mentorshipgramme, the participants—under the guidance well as the expert advisors, Nnenna Okore, Peju

on a transformative journey, mastering idea generation and technical skills, honing storytelling and presentation skills, learning more about the art world, and discovering the profound impact into paintings and photos, experimenting with

where unique pieces created with oils, acrylics, mixed media, including embroidery, found objects, and photography, convey the individual narratives of these mentees, touching upon personal, cultural, socio-political, and spiritual -

tion’s unique selling point swirls around its exposure of hitherto not-so-well-known young

this reason that their engagement with many

concerns of the human condition appears bothpher Ogonna Onwuagba, who is enthusiastic about capturing beauty, texture, and colour in aesthetics and depicts her photographic subjects

Likewise, the lawyer-turned-photographer visual storytelling and highlighting beauty in

for whoever stands in front of her camera, in addition to evoking the emotions captured in each shows a recently widowed woman in what she

As for Gambian female sports photographer captures the emotion and excitement of sports

shop—hints at her celebration of the female Enugu-based painter Nnedinso Lawrencia Ozioko explores themes of life and health in the human body, its form and shape and its fragility is through a process where she adds layers of tissue paper exploratively to symbolise fragility

on You” depicts the stages of development from infancy to adolescence, adulthood, and old age by accentuating the viewer’s sense of fantasy through accommodation, drive, willed adapta-

the Lagos-based full-time studio artist emphasises the importance of mutual accommodation and clueless background criticism, albeit with For each of the artists, this exhibition represents but also possibly serves as a preview of their

2.

Focus on the Machine by Sarjo Baldeh

A section of the exhibition hall

Writing Loss and Grief in Cheta Igbokwe’s Homecoming

Darlington Chibueze Anuonye and Anthony Chibueze Ukwuoma

“Things we lose have a way of coming back to us in the end, if not always in the ways we expect.” This remark, excerpted from J.K. Rowling’s Cheta Igbokwe’s play, Homecoming, a magisterial debut that leaves one wondering how many lives the playwright, a 26-year-old MFA candidate at the University of Iowa, has lived to be so intimately aware of the fragmentations of human destiny, the kind that manifest in the lives of his characters, Nwakibe and Adannaya Echeruo, and their new tenant, Johnson.

under the directorship of Ugochukwu Victor Ugwu, at the Arts Theatre of the University of Nigeria, by Noirledge Publishers, Ibadan. The play depicts the subtlety of loss, its consequences on the psyche of the grieving, and its tendency to alter their reality. It follows the life of Adannaya, a mother so broken by grief over the disappearance of her only Nebolisa is studying at Oxford but also expects other people, especially her husband, Nwakibe, a retired teacher and a catechist, to validate her imagination. In Adannaya, Igbokwe creates an utterly devastated woman longing for someone with whom to anticipate the homecoming of her

Unlike Adannaya, Nwakibe acknowledges the fact of his son’s disappearance, but in a manner almost similar to Adannaya’s strange conviction, he believes that the chief priest of Ogwuogwu shrine, Ahumaraeze, is responsible for his predicament. Despite their dissimilar reactions to their tragedy, the Echeruo’s emotional attachment to their son’s return is deeply haunting. However, Igbokwe’s sympathetic rendering of the couple’s experience of loss draws the reader and the theatre audience into, as well as relieves them from, the puzzling grief that powers Homecoming.

Igbokwe’s involvement of the reader and the theatre audience in the dramatic experience gives Homecoming an epic quality, even though these participants may become, unlike in epic theatre,

BOOK REVIEW

emotionally involved in the actions unfolding before them. For instance, Adannaya and Nwakibe are conscious of the audience witnessing and weighing their lives. By doing so, the play complicates the relationship between reality and illusion in theatre.

In the following excerpt, Adannaya demonstrates her awareness of the witnessing audience: NWAKIBE: Untie me, so I can listen to his letter as you read.

ADANNAYA: You have never wanted to read his letters. (Stands, facing the audience.) He goes about telling people that I have lost my mind and that I now write letters to myself. Imagine, my own husband. (Turning towards NWAKIBE) True or false?

knows their son’s whereabouts delusional, and this infuriates Adannaya to the point that she wishes Nwakibe dead. With this nearly-insane disposition, Igbokwe seems to draw our attention to the capacity of loss and grief to ruin human

relationships. Adannaya’s desire to have a friend with whom she could share her fantasies makes her look forward to meeting Johnson, who is a writer, with the hope that if she makes a good impression on him, she will have at least one person who is not cynical about her truth. Loss and grief also upended Nwakibe’s life. For instance, he hates instead of a solution to his problem. So, while loss and grief render Adannaya obviously insane, they subtly alter Nwakibe’s mind. Beyond demonstrating the individuality of human reactions to the enormity of loss and grief, Homecoming is also a commentary on the consequences of spousal hostility on children from violent homes. That Nebolisa disappeared on the night his parNebolisa, then ten years old, left home to escape domestic violence but got lost while wandering the village at night. Despite its tragic evolution, Homecoming is a most comical play. The following relief even in shockingly melancholic situations:

ARTSPLIT Partners VBANK on Art-based Loan

Ahas arrived on the arts scene with the new art-driven loan in Lagos. Nigeria’s leading digital bank, Vbank, managed has partnered with ARTSPLIT, an art trading technology company, to launch an art-based loan. provide capital for art galleries, dealers, and art collectors who can leverage the market value of their artworks.

Vbank’s art-based loans are indeed a unique opportunity for art enthusiasts and businesses to maximise the value of their art collections withproduct allows borrowers to keep ownership of their artwork while obtaining a loan backed by the appraised value of the artwork.viduals and corporates, respectively, ARTSPLIT will validate provenance, value the artwork, andvantages, including Flexible Financing. This means that borrowers can obtain loans based on a percentage of the appraised value of their capital. Also, the art-based loan is individually structured to meet the borrower’s unique needs. It preserves ownership, allowing borrowers to retain ownership of their artwork throughout the loan. Another attribute of the loan is the diverse use of funds. Loan proceeds can be used for a

ART FINANCING

variety of purposes, including the acquisition of new artwork, the expansion of art businesses, the support of exhibitions, and the meeting of short-term liquidity needs.

“We are thrilled to introduce our art-based loan

Vbank, at the launch held at The Boardroom Apartments, Lekki, Lagos. “Our ground-breaking solution enables art collectors and businesses to maximise the value of their art assets whiledent that with ARTSPLIT & AAM’s expertise and

The Benin Bronzes: A Blueprint for Future Repatriations?

The Benin Bronzes: A Blueprint for Future Repatriations?

Segun Ade-Martins

The Society of Nigerian Artists (SNA) and the Goethe-Institute have organised a one-day forum to discuss the repatriation of the Benin bronzes to Nigeria. The forum focuses on whether the future holds.

Art Gallery in Abuja on May 27 with notable panellists from the German Embassy in Nigeria, the SNApresident, Muhammad Sulaiman; Prof. Ben Okoli from Ahmadu Bello University, the director-general of the Nigerian Copyrights Commission, John O. Asein, and heir apparent to the Ozoro throne within the Benin Kingdom, Prince Akeni Prosper.

So far, the media narrative has focused on the details of repatriations to Nigeria. Now, German museums through the state have resolved to return all Benin artefacts in their possession to their origins.

The panellists' selection aided in framing the arguments and crystallising stakeholders' grasp of the stakes.And it appears that we have entered a new debate in this roundtable, one that includes the role of the birthplace of these long-disputed artefacts.

Germany has decided that the bronzes belong to the people of Nigeria and is working with the Nigerian authorities to repatriate them. Other museums globally are either in the process of doing so or have returned part or all of their treasures.

However, these custodians of the objects view them as aesthetic and archaeological anthropological objects that need to be in a museum’s collection. Along with this viewpoint is the possibility for Nigeria to develop a museum culture to capitalise on the economic value of these artefacts.

Museum culture involves the gathering and sorting of artefacts to tell stories about people and their cultures before our time. For the Europeans,naissance,” the German Deputy Ambassador to Nigeria, Martin Huth, says, “and this renewed interest in the past that many of them actually started collecting and putting together collections of art.And this was a function of actually asserting power and privilege.”

Typically, museum artefacts don’t have descenmostly a voyeuristic gaze into the past to satiate curiosity and create a romantic vision of the past.

In between panel sessions, Addy Daniel Oyinkuro performed a folklore dance infused with contemporary techniques like krump, set to traditional Benin music. His presence was commanding as he embodied the Trials of Oba of the colonialist past. However, is Nigeria free from colonialism's oppression today?

The second panel session, with the rhetorical question, “A Part of History, or a Pathway to the Future?”, sets the discourse and debate of what to do with the returning artefacts. Currently, museums have agreed to repatriate the artefacts to Nigeria, with the National Commission for Museums and Monuments (NCMM) coordiMuhammadu Buhari has “vested custody and management in the Oba of Benin in a Government Notice No. 25 in Federal Republic of Nigeria

clients thrive in the dynamic art market.” ARTSPLIT is an art trading technology company driven by one common goal: enhancing the investment status of African art by allowing users to co-own rare and valuable artworks on a platform that guarantees price discovery and market liquidity. Aside from deepening art appreciation, ARTSPLIT also provides opportunities for owners of investmentgrade African art to list their works and have them evaluated and sold to members advisory and management services for art collectors, which are personalised to the requirements of managing art portfolios Read

This presidential order creates uncertainty for some museums in the process of repatriation,

the stakeholders have with the returning artefacts. The repatriation and restitution that may be discourse is at the moment. The museums are insistent on the gradual delivery of the bronzes. African art historians have criticised this approach return.

Yinka Olatunbosun

L-R: Olaere Sarah Donmu, Chief Financial Officer, ARTSPLIT; Rotimi Awofisibe, Executive Director Finance and Operations, ARTSPLIT; Gbenga Omolokun, Managing Director, VBank; Billy Osemwegie, Chairman, ARTSPLIT; and Esther Ugwu, Senior Wealth Advisor, Anchoria Asset Management at the signing ceremony and launch of new product "VBank's Art Based Loans."

IN THE ARENA

The Ministers Nigerians Expect

As President Bola Ahmed Tinubu shortly constitutes his cabinet, many expect him to transcend petty political patronage and headhunt competent hands both globally and locally to aid in reinventing and healing a damaged, failing state, writes Louis Achi

Today marks President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s fifth week in office. One of his most important tasks as president is to constitute a governance cabinet. And he has about 30 days left to deal with that. The National Assembly made the 60-day ceiling decision within which a new president and governors must constitute their cabinets based on the fact that it took former President Muhammadu Buhari six months to appoint Ministers into his government - which nevertheless regrettably turned out to be an utterly underwhelming cabinet.

Further, today, the stakes are extremely high and Nigerians are mindful that a failure to achieve democratic stability, through a meritorious, transparent, inclusive governance process may imperil the country’s future as a coherent state.

As key cabinet members, ministers appointed by the president and confirmed by the federal legislature form part of the policy and decision making process that effectively drive governance.

It is then a given that the leadership of Ministries, Departments, Agencies and the uniformed Services that manage critical governance responsibilities under the executive must be men and women, not just of integrity, but personalities who will not shy away from directly processing the facts and taking hard decisions on which success often pivots. Their appointment must be shorn of unseemly medieval clannishness. In this light, folks eventually vested with the responsibility of aiding the president to deliver genuine governance must approach their brief according to an understanding - according to a set of principles - that reflects a sense of the permanent destiny of the nation.

It is against this background that reports that President Tinubu is looking both within and outside the country’s shores to headhunt global experts to give meaning to the governance vision he enunciated is indeed heart-warming.

It can easily be recalled that in sharp contrast to ex-President Buhari’s cabinet appointees, several former cabinet members of ex-President Goodluck Jonathan like Dr. Ngozi OkonjoIweala, Dr. Akinwumi Adesina, Arunma Oteh, Dr. Mohammed Pate all got international appointments on merit and are doing well.

A source told THISDAY that Pate, a former Minister of State for Health, appointed in July

14, 2011, trailing his cutting-edge role as the executive director of the National Primary Health Care Development Agency in Abuja, has turned down last week a lucrative offer to become Gavi’s next chief executive officer. Pate had been approved by the Gavi Board back in February to become CEO.

According to Gavi, Dr. Pate told the global health organisation’s Board Chair and Vice Chair that he had taken an incredibly difficult decision to accept a request to return and contribute to his home country, Nigeria. Gavi has moved to appoint David Marlow, currently Gavi’s chief operating officer, to the position of interim chief executive officer, effective August 3, 2023 after Pate declined the offer.

Dr. Pate’s turning down of Gavi’s offer has stoked speculations that he could become the health minister in Tinubu’s cabinet. Significantly this scenario has upscaled feelers that Tinubu may adopt a different trajectory in headhunting his cabinet members.

Based in Geneva, Switzerland, Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, is a public-private partnership that helps vaccinate half the world’s children against some of the world’s deadliest diseases. Gavi also plays a key role in improving global

health security by supporting health systems as well as funding global stockpiles for Ebola, cholera, meningococcal and yellow fever vaccines, among others.

Pate is one out of the many competent hand locally and offshore who are potential ‘recruits’.

Today, about eight crucial sectors could catalyse national transformation or induce further socio-political and economic regression in the country. These include security, power, education, health, agriculture, employment and critical infrastructure development. Potential minders of these pivotal portfolios and more abound.

Leaving out top security appointments, there are 24 ministers to be appointed into Tinubu’s cabinet. Since there are 36 states, each state has to be represented by at least one member, hence Ministers of State.

It is beyond debate that the president enjoys the constitutional right of way to appoint his cabinet. But while everybody cannot be appointed, there certainly are many qualified and competent Nigerians to be considered. Former President Buhari also had a choice to pick from Nigeria’s best and brightest. But clearly, he picked politics over policy.

POLITICAL NOTES

Notwithstanding that President Tinubu has to grapple with the federal character provisions, which require one minister from each of the 36 states, he could also strike a critical balance between technocrats and politicians. The main criterions for his choice of ministers need not be absolute loyalty to self or party. The emerging consensus is that he should pick policy over politics. But will he?

It cannot be swept under the carpet that the ‘spoil system’ is part and parcel of Nigeria’s presidential democracy. It is anchored on the quirky winners-take-all principle with the furtherance of the political leadership’s selfish agenda as its primary motivation. Firmly accommodated in this scheme of political and economic patronage are protégés, cronies and apologists. In the process, underserving nouveaux riches are created through appointments or contract awards. Political leadership in which legitimate authority is vested superintend over its mandate by the force of its character over the system. The first victim of unduly pampering leeches and lackeys is the people’s commonwealth that is subsequently plundered. The second is the reputation of the government in power, typically in democratic governments. It does not matter the influence of cabals running governments within the government, the President is vicariously liable since the bucks stop with him. Successive federal administrations had their peculiar records of deliberate empowerment of loyalists through privileged and sometimes criminal access to public resources. Fingers are often pointed at military regimes but civil administrations cannot claim sainthood either.

Cut to the bone, President Tinubu himself is no stranger to this dodgy reality. But today, as Nigeria teeters on the precipice of state failure measured by all socio-political, security and economic parameters, the Jagaban of Borgu cannot afford to play games with history. Being Africa’s demographic and natural resources centre of gravity, Nigeria has a new opportunity to lead the journey of transformative change on the continent. She ought to provide the leadership to raise Africa to her next level. But then charity must begin at home.

Already, there are rumours that some persons are seriously lobbying and trying to bribe their way to becoming ministers. This has seriously been frowned upon, with many asking the president to personally scrutinise his ministerial nominees, an go for the best.

This is the challenge before President Tinubu.

What Uzodimma is Always Looking for at the Villa

Exactlyaweektoday,June25,2023tobeprecise,I readonthePoliticalNotescolumnoftheCiceroSection of THISDAY, THE SUNDAY NEWSPAPER an article entitled - What’s Uzodimma Always Looking for at the Villa? The piece did not have a face to it, so to say. It was by-lineless.

Today in Imo State, it is no longer in doubt that GovernorHopeUzodimmahasdonethepeopleproud and has earned their trust after spending three and half years in office as the chief executive.

You may not be aware, Governor Uzodimma is, unarguably,themostsought-aftergovernorinNigeria today.Youwon’tbehungifyoutermhimNigeria’smost powerful governor.

Hisstrategicgovernanceprowess,sincereanddispassionate approach to state, national and international matters,easy-goingmienthatoilshumanrelationship and attracts people to him, et al, are as infectious as his looks – a very handsome man specially created by God and called Hope by his parents to bring hope to the hopeless, including the ghost writer(s).

It is important that those who do not understand the nuances of governance ask pertinent questions. IfGovernorUzodimmawastheonlychiefexecutiveof the state who attended the decoration of the Acting Inspector-General of Police, what does that tell you? Again, what constitutes an offence in that?

As the Chairman of Progressive Governors’

Forum, Chairman of South-east Governors’ Forum, the Governor-General of All Progressives Congress (South-east), do you still need a prophet to help you understand that Governor Uzodimma’s hands should be always full?

The Villa is not a place you just visit at will without proper clearance and invitation ab initio.

DuringPresidentBolaTinubu’selectioneering,hetold everyone to ignore Governor Uzodimma at their own peril.Thenagain,hasMr.Presidentcomplainedtoyou, thatheistiredofreceivingGovernorUzodimmaatthe Villa or any other governor or visitor for that matter?

Uzodimma

Tinubu

BRIEFING NOTES

G-5 Seeks Relevance with Minority Leadership Hijack

reports

The ignoble roles allegedly played by former Governors Nyesom Wike of Rivers State, Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi (Enugu State), Samuel Ortom (Benue State), Okezie Ikpeazu (Abia State), and the Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde to frustrate the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the 2023 general election, Atiku Abubakar were believed to have contributed largely to the weakening of the main opposition party and its loss of the February 25 presidential poll to the All Progressives Congress (APC).

But the G-5 also paid dearly for weakening the party as three of its members lost their bids to go to the senate after completing their two terms as governors.

The only member of theWike-led G-5 who could hold his head high after the general election was Makinde who won his reelection bid in a largely transparent manner.

Though Wike’s preferred successor, Siminalayi Fubara, was declared the winner of the Rivers State governorship poll on the platform of the PDP, the elections in the state were among the most controversial in the country.

In Enugu State, Ugwuanyi suffered the most humiliating defeat in the hands of the senatorial candidate of the Labour Party (LP), Senator Okechukwu Ezea, who polled 104,492 votes to defeat the former governor who came a distant second with 46,948 votes.

The agitation by the G-5 governors that the Benueborn National Chairman of the PDP, Dr. Iyorchia Ayu must vacate office also weakened the party in Benue State as Ortom’s senatorial ambition was cut short by the candidate of the APC, Titus Zam, who polled 143,151 votes against his 106,882 votes.

Similarly, Ikpeazu, who was perceived to be the worst performing governor among the G-5, also lost his senatorial bid, having polled 28,422 votes, while Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) got 49,693 votes to emerge victorious.

With the shameful performance of the G-5 in the elections, the political career of their members is under threat.

The efforts of its promoters to arrange a face-saving visit to President Bola Tinubu ended up as a mere photo op.

It was common knowledge that Ugwuanyi, Ikpeazu and Ortom did not support Tinubu during the elections.

Before the elections, the G-5 made it clear that their grouse against Atiku was the emergence of northerners as both the presidential candidate and the national chairman of the party.

They specifically insisted that the only condition for them to support Atiku was for Ayu to relinquish his position to a southerner for the sake of equity and justice.

But when Tinubu emerged victorious, they tried unsuccessfully to ingratiate themselves with him by suddenly claiming that they opposed Atiku’s ambition because of their preference for the emergence of a president of southern extraction.

Today, the influence of the G-5 governors has paled

into insignificance with most of their members heading to political oblivion.

However, their selfish promoters, in their usual desperation, think the best way to seek a new relevance and warm themselves into Tinubu’s heart, is by plunging the main opposition party into a fresh crisis, which they think will weaken its capacity to serve as a formidable opposition to the ruling APC.

These desperados failed to realise the potential risk of a destabilised National Assembly to Tinubu’s administration.

It is not surprising that the promoters of the G-5 are plotting to frustrate the PDP’s plan to produce the minority leaders in the National Assembly.

While the PDP is said to be pushing for the exgovernor of Sokoto State, Senator Aminu Tambuwal (PDP, Sokoto South) for the Senate Minority leadership seat, the promoters of the G-5 were allegedly pushing for Senator Jarigbe Jarigbe (Cross River North).

According to sources within the PDP, the G-5 had initially wanted to sponsor another influential senator from the South-east, who is from another minority party.

But when their promoters realised that the plot was dead on arrival due to the numerical strength of the PDP in the Senate, they opted for a PDP senator to cause crisis within the party.

APC has 59 Senators; PDP, 36; LP, eight; New Nigeria

People’s Party (NNPP), two; Social Democratic Party (SDP); two; APGA, one; and YPP, one.

Wike had visited the Senate President, Senator Godswill Akpabio at his office to draft the former Akwa Ibom State governor into the alleged plot to destabilise the main opposition party.

Many lawmakers however believe that Akpabio will be inviting trouble for himself if he backs the plot to destabilise the Senate.

When the Senate resumes plenary on July 4, Akpabio is expected to read the letter from the political parties announcing their nominations for the various leadership positions, which will be submitted to him by the majority and minority caucuses of the parties.

Following the alleged intrigues, the G-5, Tambuwal and former governors of Kebbi and Bayelsa states, Senators Mohammed Adamu Aliero, and Henry Seriake Dickson, as well as five other senators from the minority political parties had in a statement issued last week, alleged that forces inside and outside the Senate were making attempts to divide the minority parties and foist a pliant and compromised leadership on them.

However, a group that identified itself as the Concerned PDP League (CPDPL) had rejected any attempt by the party to present Tambuwal as Senate Minority Leader, alleging that Tambuwal’s past had caught up with him.

Those opposed to Tambuwal’s ambition recalled

NOTES FOR FILE

how he defied the PDP in June 2011 by contesting the position of the House Speaker with the party’s anointed candidate, Mrs. Mulikat Adeola-Akande, whom he defeated with the support of the members of the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN), led by the then House Minority Leader, Femi Gbajabiamila.

Tambuwal was also accused of always supporting northern candidates against southerners at every opportunity.

His traducers recalled how he supported former Speaker, Yakubu Dogara against Gbajabiamila when it was time for him to pay the latter back for supporting him against Adeola-Akande.

The former Sokoto Governor had also defected to the APC to support former President Muhammadu Buhari in the 2015 elections when President Goodluck Jonathan was seeking reelection on the platform of the PDP.

When he returned to the PDP, he was allegedly sponsored by Wike in the 2018 presidential primary, which he lost to Atiku.

But during the 2022 PDP presidential primary where he was supposed to pay Wike back, he humiliated the former Rivers State governor by stepping down for Atiku at the convention venue.

However, his supporters are optimistic that the G-5’s current attempt to stop him in a bid to seek relevance will fail.

When Seven Police Officers Guard Man and Cow

The recent directive by the Acting Inspector-General of Police (IG), Olukayode Egbetokun, that the personnel of the Police Mobile Force should be withdrawn from escort and guard duties was made mockery of last week when a video surfaced on social media showing seven policemen guarding a very important personality (VIP).

In the viral video, seven armed policemen were seen guardingaman,whoappearedtobeonhiswaytoslaughter a cow for the Eid-el-Kabir celebration.

The shameful scene was not the first of its kind as someVIPs were known to have used policemen guarding them to do domestic chores, which are outside their policing duties.

Cases abound where foreign nationals used Nigerian policemen to carry out domestic jobs, which no Nigerian can try in their own countries.

In one shameful case, a Nigerian police officer was seen shielding an Asian with an umbrella while the officer stood under the rain.

In September last year, an Abuja-based professor was accused of instructing her maid and a male staffer to beat up her female police orderly for allegedly refusing to do domestic chores.

The Nigerian police authorities should take steps to ensure that policemen on guard duties conduct themselves in a respectable manner so that they can be treated with dignity.

All the previous IGs had at one time or the other given directives for police personnel to be withdrawn from VIPs. The directives later became empty threats.

Many Nigerians believed that the directives only forced the VIPs to renegotiate better deals for the top

officers that approved the posting of policemen to private citizens.

Withdrawing police personnel from the VIPs when kidnappers and bandits are holding the country to ransom would only expose the VIPs to dangers on the highways and their homes.

When the security agencies secure the country,VIPs won’t have the need for special protection, which is always provided at the detriment of the ordinary citizens who are left without police protection.

As promised by the Force PRO, Prince Olumuyiwa Adejobi, the police authorities should rather review its deployment of police operatives to protect private citizens.

Adejobi made the promise while responding to the viral video.

After causing three of their five-member governors to lose senatorial seats due to the internal crisis they inflicted on the Peoples Democratic Party ahead of the 2023 general election, the promoters of the already weakened G-5 governors are seeking new relevance with their current attempt to hijack the minority leadership positions in the National Assembly, Ejiofor Alike

Uzodimma

G-5 Group

As Tinubu, APC, INEC Open Defence Tomorrow

After the Peoples Democratic Party, Labour Party and their presidential candidates successfully closed their cases penultimate Friday at the Presidential Election Petition Court, many Nigerians are looking forward to President Bola Tinubu, All Progressives Congress and the Independent National Electoral Commission to open their defence tomorrow, Wale Igbintade writes

President Bola Tinubu of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) will open their defence to advance arguments against the claims made by the presidential candidates of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and Labour Party (LP), Atiku Abubakar and Peter Obi respectively. The petitioners recently closed their cases at the Presidential Election Petition Court in Abuja.

The aggrieved political parties and their candidates had challenged the outcome of the February 25 presidential election, insisting that it was not in compliance with the provisions of the Electoral Act and 1999 Constitution.

Specifically, the PDP and Atiku disputed the outcome of the election on the major grounds that INEC did not conduct the election in line with the Electoral Act (2022). They argued that INEC breached its earlier commitment to transmit the result of the presidential election electronically using the Bimodal Voters Accreditation System (BVAS) and INEC Results Viewing Portal (IReV).

On their part, the LP and Obi also contended that the elections were marred by electoral malpractices. Among others, the petitioners are asking the five-man panel of the court, headed by Justice Haruna Tsammani, to invalidate the declaration of Tinubu as the winner.

In a similar development, the Allied Peoples Movement (APM) asked the court to invalidate the votes of the president on the grounds of the double nomination of his deputy, Senator Kashim Shettima. It argued that at the time Shettima became the vice presidential candidate of the APC, he was also a senatorial candidate in Borno State.

The case of the APM was opened and closed on June 21 after calling one private witness.

Before the commencement of the proceedings, Atiku and Obi had said they had 150 witnesses lined up for their cases. While Atiku and PDP said they would line up 100 witnesses to give evidence in support of their joint petitions challenging the outcome of the election, Obi and LP told the court that they would call 50 witnesses.

But while closing their cases on June 21, they ended up presenting 40 witnesses in total. While Atiku and PDP called 27 witnesses, Obi and LP called 13.

Atiku’s witnesses included expert witnesses such as forensic analysts, star witnesses and subpoenaed witnesses mostly presiding officers of INEC.

In the course of the proceedings, both petitioners tendered a litany of documents, which were admitted by the court and marked as exhibits. The petitioners also subpoenaed

witnesses, including INEC ad hoc staff and officials, to appear before the court.

“Pursuant to the pre-hearing report, may we most humbly apply to close the case for the petitioners,” PDP lead counsel Chris Uche (SAN), added.

The panel led by Justice Haruna Tsammani then said the “ball is now in the court” of the INEC and other respondents to defend Tinubu’s victory in line with its pre-hearing report.

While INEC’s lawyer, Oluwakemi Pinheiro (SAN), pleaded that the PEPC should permit the electoral umpire and other respondents to open their defence after the Sallah celebration break. He said that was the agreement between lawyers and parties.

On his part, Wole Olanipekun (SAN), counsel for Tinubu and Vice President Shettima, assured the panel that he and other respondents would conclude their defence within one week.

However, the PDP and Atiku did not close their case without drama when the 27th witness, Mr. Mike Enahoro Ebah, a lawyer, tendered some documents to prove the allegation that President Tinubu forged his academic career and diplomatic records.

The witness further tendered notarised judgement of the US District Court regarding Tinubu’s alleged forfeiture of funds traced to his bank account suspected to be proceeds of narcotic deals, as well as a printed extract of the Guinean passport of the president, among other particulars.

Led to give evidence by PDP’s lead counsel, Chris Uche (SAN), Enahoro-Ebah, tendered INEC Forms EC13 and EC9 (nomination forms) filed by Tinubu at INEC. He also tendered an affidavit, receipts and a letter submitted to INEC by President Tinubu as part of his nomination documents.

Other documents he included were an INECcertified Chicago State University certificate, an NYSC discharge Certificate bearing the name “Tinubu Bola Adekunle”, and Tinubu’s certificate of service from Mobil Nigeria Plc, as well as particulars submitted to INEC when he ran as Lagos State governor.

Enahoro-Ebah also tendered in evidence, the academic records from Chicago State University belonging to Tinubu, obtained through a subpoena that was served on the university by his lawyer in the US. According to the records, a copy of the actual degree certificate issued by Chicago State University to Tinubu, his undergraduate certificate from the said university in 1977, and a South West College Transcript issued to Tinubu, had female as the gender of the applicant.

Also critical to note in the documents tendered was that at the time of his supposed graduation from the university, there was no NYSC exemp-

tion on the basis of age. This means that he ought to have produced an NYSC Certificate and not an exemption letter. In addition, the documents obtained by the witness from the Chicago State University indicate that in the said transcript, the certificate bearer is a female and not male, as claimed by Tinubu.

As usual, despite INEC’s counsel’s refusal to give consent to the admissibility of the CTCs, the court overruled the counsel and went ahead to accept the above documents from the witness on the grounds of merit.

Before him, a Digital Forensic Analyst, Hitler Nwala, while giving evidence as an expert witness, had told the court that results on all the 110 Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) machines he inspected were deleted.

Nwala, a subpoenaed witness, said this while giving evidence as an expert witness for the petitioners in their petition challenging the outcome of the Feb. 25 presidential election.

Led in evidence by the lead counsel for the PDP, Mr. Chris Uche (SAN), the witness said that the machines inspected were only those from the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).

He also told the court that he didn’t know at what point the results were deleted on the machines. He added that he attached a standard device used for such an exercise to the machine to arrive at the conclusion.

When asked if he had the authority of the commission to attach an external device to the BVAS machine, the witness answered in the affirmative.

Also at the proceedings, PDP lawyer Eyitayo Jegede (SAN) tendered more INEC-certified true copies of Form EC8As for Ogun (20 LGAs), Ondo (17 LGAs), Jigawa (27 LGAs), Rivers (20 LGAs), Delta (25 LGAs), Ebonyi (13 LGAs), Edo (18 LGAs), Enugu (17 LGAs), Imo (27 LGAs) and Kogi states (21 LGAs).

But the legal representatives of INEC, APC and Tinubu opposed the admissibility of the documents but reserved their reasons till their final written address for judgment.

The court, however, admitted the documents in evidence but held that ruling on the objections shall be delivered together with judgment.

On his part, Obi and his party closed their case after calling a total of 13 witnesses and presenting several electoral

documents, including INEC Form EC8As.

The Chief Spokesman of the LP Presidential Campaign Council and National Director, Media, Labour Party, Yunusa Tanko, who testified last, told the PEPC that he also served as the national collation agent at the party’s situation room.

Being led in evidence by Obi’s lead counsel, Levy Uzoukwu (SAN), Tanko tendered receipts issued by INEC to LP for several documents requested from the electoral umpire by the party. The court admitted them in evidence. He had earlier tendered 18,088 blurred polling unit results downloaded from IReV certified by INEC, and the five-man panel of the court led by Justice Tsammani admitted them as evidence.

The petitioners also tendered BVAS machine reports from 28 states of the federation and the FCT, Abuja. They lamented the refusal of the Chairman of INEC, Prof. Yakubu Mahmood, to accept summons to appear and produce documents used for the February 25 presidential election before the PEPC.

Uzoukwu told the court that the INEC chairman has continuously refused to accept subpoenas to produce the election documents despite efforts by the court bailiff to serve him. However, INEC’s counsel, Dr. Kemi Pinhero (SAN), argued that it was untrue that the subpoena could not be served on the INEC chairman, adding that it has become a pattern for the petitioner (Obi) to look for a whipping boy.

He argued that a similar subpoena from Atiku and his party was served on INEC without hitches.

But Uzoukwu insisted that it was very clear that the INEC chairman cannot be served with a copy of the subpoena and that the court bailiff said the service was refused, which he noted can be verified by the court. He, however, said he had contacted INEC’s lead counsel, Abubakar Mahmoud (SAN), who has graciously requested an extra copy of the subpoena, which he promised to send to the INEC boss.

Those following the proceedings at the court believe that, essentially, the petitions threw up new compliance issues that were a substantial departure from the decision in the case of Atiku Abubakar & Anor v INEC & Anor LER [2019] CA/PEPC/002/2019. The compliance issues were around the use of technology. Of note is the use of BVAS and IReV. These innovations in the Electoral Act, it is believed, will be the game changers at the court and other election petition tribunals across the country.

With the assurance from Olanipekun, that he and other respondents, including the APC and INEC, would conclude their defence within one week, many Nigerians are not only looking forward to what they would put up, but also awaiting the decision of the panel of justices hearing the case.

Tinubu Yakubu

Atiku Obi

‘THEM BELLY FULL (BUT WE HUNGRY)’

trillions into petrol subsidy yearly to keep energy prices low or spend the money on education and healthcare so that we too can say our Nigeria is doing “something” for us?

Nigerians who travel to neighbouring countries know that petrol is not sold for N200/litre. So, if our argument is that we want “to protect the poor”, are Ghanaians, Togolose, Ivoriens and Cameroonians poorer than Nigerians? Why were they paying the economic rates for energy and we were not? We also say because we are an oil-rich country, we should enjoy low prices. To be honest, I used to make this argument myself. But the reality today is that we are not oil-rich. A country that was producing 2.3m barrels per day in the 1970s when its population was 60 million is now producing 1.4mbpd with a population of 200 million. And our share of oil production is so pitiable — less than 400,000 bpd!

The sad truth is that our false confidence as an oil-rich country has ruined us for decades and we have refused to make the necessary adjustments. When oil prices nosedive, we continue to spend money and take debts hoping that the market would soon bounce back. We continue expanding government expenditure, creating agencies every week, building ultra-modern governor’s lodges, acquiring the best bullet-proof vehicles in the world for government officials, paying fraudulent commissions on dubious deals and all whatnot. The central bank kept printing money to fund

POLICE BRUTALITY

We were reminded yet again that the Nigeria Police Force (NPF) urgently needs farreaching reforms with the reported conduct of their officers in Ekpoma, Edo state, on Thursday. A man reportedly refused to allow them to go through his phone (we’ve been told several times by police authorities that officers have no right to randomly search our phones). In a viral video, the man was seen in handcuffs with policemen in a car apparently running over him. He sustained injuries but the good thing is that he was not crushed to death. We need to rid the police of bestiality to make them civil and Mr Kayode Egbetokun, the acting inspector-general, would do well to make this a priority. Brutal.

public budgets. We kept digging holes in public finance. Well done, guys: we now owe over N77 trillion.

We are in a black hole. Something has to give. Can we continue to pretend we are oil-rich when we had to use our share of oil and even borrow barrels from the future to import petrol? Under the crude swap regime which we have now decided to ditch, we would exchange $1 billion worth of crude for $1 billion worth of imported petrol and sell for roughly $400 million “to protect the poor”. That was a hit of $600 million at a time we badly needed all the money. But some people even argue that there was no subsidy since it was trade by barter. I wouldn’t blame them. The Nigerian situation is so convoluted it is difficult to make sense of anything. Our economics is close to witchcraft.

Nigerians also feel entitled to cheap dollar. It is very common to hear people reminisce about the “good old days” when it was N1/$ and a return ticket to the UK was N250. In truth, there was a time it was 80 kobo to $1. We were having a ball. It was cheaper to import a bottle of water than to make it at home. Our problem was not money but how to waste it. This mentality comes with oil booms which result in an influx of petrodollars. It is called the Dutch Disease, coined from the experience of the Dutch who hit oil boom in the 1970s and started drowning in dollars. It killed their local industry. Oil windfalls

make the local currency look strong until the wind stops falling and stark reality dawns.

Adjustment has been begging to happen to us since oil prices started falling in the late 1970s. But because oil prices kept rebounding, we got locked into the vicious cycle of boom and bust. We kept spending big and piling up debts when we were broke, believing that the next oil boom was just around the corner. The boom would come and go but our mentality never changed. Our budgets are eternally benchmarked against oil prices. It is bondage. Like the biblical Samson whose supernatural powers waned after Delilah’s betrayal, we have been unable to rise again since the oil power left us in 2014. It has been a sad story of low export and low revenue for us. Yet, we keep behaving rich.

Let me now make my arguments. One, while Tinubu’s steps so far may make economic sense in terms of taking the necessary adjustments to get Nigeria out of this sorry state of being, he has to address the reality that the burden will be borne disproportionately by the poor who spend most of their incomes on food and transportation. There must be real and accessible social safety nets to cushion the impact of these harsh economic realities. Nigerians are used to “audio” safety nets and do not trust the government. The president and the governors must address the trust deficit concretely, sincerely and transparently. Nigerians need to know they

And Four Other Things…

FIRST CUT

The Lekki Deep Seaport received its first trans-shipment vessel at 1pm on Friday — a landmark development in the maritime history of Nigeria. It is the only Nigerian port that can receive the world’s biggest vessels. In trans-shipment, goods are transferred from one vessel to another before being shipped to their final destination. The ship, operated by a French shipping and logistics company, was moving goods from the Far East to Cotonou, Republic of Benin. Lekki is the deepest in sub-Saharan Africa and that means Nigeria is on its way to becoming a trans-shipment hub for the region. It’s been long in the making and I look forward to greater things from the Lekki port. Cheers!

NEED TO RISK-PROOF NIGERIA’S FRAGILE REFORMS

The third complication is that while the pains are likely to linger and possibly compound when other needed reforms are introduced, the gains will take a while to materialise. In the NDU titled “Seizing the Opportunity,” the World Bank captured this aptly: Nigeria has surely avoided a cliff, but it still has a mountain to climb. Petrol subsidy removal should yield improvements in GDP growth, drop in inflation after the short-term spike, and reduction in budget deficit. But challenges with rising debt, high debt service, inadequate revenue and fiscal balance will likely remain. Also, while the forex reform will significantly narrow or even eliminate the premium between official and parallel rates, it also has negative implication for inflation and public debt, estimated to increase to 46% of GDP by the end of 2023.

The World Bank report provides data to show that Nigeria is better off on key macroeconomic parameters with the reforms than without reforms. This is a compelling argument. But there are also additional complications. The World Bank projects that in 2023 Nigeria will save N3.9 trillion from petrol subsidy removal. But this will not necessarily translate to more money for the three tiers of government immediately.

The national oil company claims it is owed arrears of N2.8 trillion. Even the projected balance of N1.1 trillion may not be available to the public purse as the Federation share of oil had reportedly been pledged in advance to oil traders in exchange for petrol. Beyond the alibi of oil theft and shrinking production, how Nigeria’s oil and gas sector rapidly unravelled at a time of high oil prices is worthy of a forensic examination.

Back to the complications. The reforms are underpinned by certain assumptions, which may not hold, at least in the immediate. For example, petrol subsidy removal should result in more money available for public spending. But even when it is further assumed that the additional resources would translate to better spending in areas that will directly impact citizens, the reality is that the savings and additional revenues may remain conceptual at least for now.

Also, it was assumed that forex reforms would improve investment and forex inflows, and that increased supply would lower the exchange rates at the parallel market, which was where most Nigerians were sourcing their forex. Even when the Naira is now adjudged to be overvalued, forex supply has not remarkably improved because investors can get better returns elsewhere. And without increase in forex supply both official and

parallel rates will likely stay above pre-reform levels.

These complications, individually and in concert, put the reforms at serious risk. Social and political pressures are likely to build and can force a reversal. As stated earlier, the present calm should not be taken for granted. Isolated and muted criticisms can quickly multiply. Before long, the ideological and partisan critics will strike a deep chord with the growing army of citizens reeling under personal pains and straining to see the light at the end of the tunnel. The effusive endorsements and puff stories will make little difference when such a convergence is allowed to happen.

This should be avoided, at all costs. Abandoning the reforms or not properly managing them will set Nigeria back by many years. Not seeing the reforms through will not only doom the current reforms but will also narrow the space for other needed reforms. The failure to remove petrol subsidy

AFFIRMATIVE SETBACK

The US Supreme Court on Thursday ruled against the use of Affirmative Action for university admissions, thereby bringing an end to a decades-old policy aimed at encouraging inclusion of ethnic minorities, mostly blacks. Chief Justice John Roberts wrote: “Harvard’s admissions process rests on the pernicious stereotype that ‘a black student can usually bring something that a white person cannot offer.’” Sure, that is not Harvard’s point. But I have since realised that if you have never been a victim of discrimination or exclusion, you cannot really understand Affirmative Action. Interestingly, beneficiaries of Affirmative Action may also want to kick the ladder after getting to the top. Irony.

are not suffering for nothing.

Two, while I have nothing against the message of “let us sacrifice now for a greater tomorrow”, I regret to say it is very painful that our leaders are not doing anything to show us that the sacrifice message applies to everybody. The congregation of government cars that came to welcome Tinubu to Lagos on Tuesday was obscene. His media team tried to put a spin by saying that the cars were not in his convoy but those of the government agencies that came to receive him. Nonsense. Who is paying the N500/litre petrol for those cars? Is that the best way to spend public funds in these dire times? The best way to propagate sacrifice is for our public officers to practise what they preach.

I now conclude. I agree that adjustments come with pains. I agree that you can’t make an omelette without breaking eggs. I agree that economic hardship is not limited to Nigeria — many developed countries are also battling the cost of living crisis. I agree that we must stop underpaying for energy since we cannot afford the subsidies. However, I also insist that the poor must not bear these pains alone. Government officials must sacrifice as well so that Nigerians can be comforted that it is not a case of “them belly full but we hungry” — in the words of Bob Marley, the reggae legend. I have not seen anything in Abuja and the states yet to suggest that this message of sacrifice is for everybody.

AND FINALLY…

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu appears to be a different person from the one that ran in the February 25 election. He was making gaffes before the poll quite all right, but he was portrayed more as someone who was seriously ill and had lost control of his faculties. Some said he could not stand on his feet for five minutes. However, the Tinubu I saw on TV on May 29 making a long speech at the Eagle Square, the Tinubu that has been holding meetings home and abroad, looks like a new person. I won’t be surprised if the Jibril movement soon comes up with another theory — like they did to President Muhammadu Buhari — that somebody from Brazil is impersonating Tinubu. Hilarious.

important to frontload the reliefs. Consultations cannot go on forever. The $800 million loan from the World Bank can be a good starting point if the cash transfers to poor and vulnerable households are transparently and efficiently disbursed. But that can’t be the entire package. At current official exchange rate, $800 million is just about N610 billion. That is not a terribly large amount of money for the number of households targeted. It is also just a little over what we were spending on petrol subsidy per month in the earlier part of 2023. Nigerians need to know what the entire package is, how it will address the channels through which they would be negatively impacted, who will be responsible for delivering what and when. Speed is of the essence here. Someone whose standard of living is being wiped away by rising prices cannot take solace in an elusive better future. Anyway, in the long run, as John Maynard Keynes reminded us, we will all be dead.

In addition, the administration needs to unveil a plan for cutting wastes and leakages in government. It also needs an appropriate and effective communication and marketing strategies for the reforms. There may be some comprehensive and clear strategies somewhere but that is not evident. Government has to take the lead in coherently selling and articulating the reforms, in proactively countering misrepresentations and in building trust and consensus. It is naive to expect that everyone would get it or to think that portfolio and direct investments would just start pouring into the country because of the steps taken so far. Assurances and concessions are needed.

in 2012 became a cautionary tale. It haunted not just the administration in power then but also the one that took over three years later and stayed in office for eight years.

Petrol subsidy remained politically sensitive, even after a law mandated its removal. It took a whole of 11 years to return to it, and by then things had become considerably worse. Petrol subsidy was largely implicated in zero remittance from oil sales by the national oil company at a period of historically high oil prices. Petrol subsidy succeeded in wiping out more than 50% of the gross oil and gas revenues in 2022, and in gulping 26% of the federal budget in the same year. If we miss the opportunity again this time, we may not be able to return to this reform agenda until we hit rock bottom, and by that time it would be too late.

In response to some of the complications and costs identified here, the government and its partners need to move swiftly on many fronts. One, it is

The government also needs to strongly press its partners, especially those that have been actively pushing for reforms for some time now, to open their wallets. They need to show up massively and more concretely for Nigeria not just in terms of fine words and great ideas but also with concrete actions. They need to line up—and quickly too— more investments, better trade terms, enhanced development aids/grants and even more concessional loans to withstand the initial shocks and to ease forex supply and ensure a fair and stable value for the Naira.

It is time for the World Bank, IMF, the UN, the US, the UK and other partners and countries to put their money where their mouth is. There is a lot riding on Nigeria getting the reforms right and putting its economy on a proper footing. It is in the strategic, enlightened interests of Nigeria and its partners that Africa’s largest economy and most populous country rises up to its promise.

Tinubu

WORTHY HONOUR…

L-R: Proprietress of Ebire Nursery and Primary School, Bukola Rosemarie Ogunyemi; Non-Executive Director at Wema Bank and Founder of The Women’s Lifestyle Hub, Bola Matel-Okoh; and Founder, The Peak Performing Woman Summit and Awards, Dr. Abiola Salami, when Matel-Okoh received a leadership award in Lagos…recently

Folarin: I Lost Oyo Governorship Election Due to Political Arrangement

Kemi Olaitan in Ibadan

The governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the March 28 election in Oyo State, Teslim Folarin yesterday revealed that he lost the election to the sitting Governor, Seyi Makinde due to what he termed a “political arrangement” for the party to win the presidential poll for President Bola Tinubu

Makinde of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) had polled 563,756 votes to defeat Folarin, who scored 256,685

votes.

He made this known at Idigbaro, Ologuneru in the Ido Local Government Area of the state, during a reception and victory party held in honour of a member, representing Ibarapa/ Ido Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives, Remi Oseni.

He said: “If we are talking about the strongest party in the state today, it is APC. We won three senatorial seats and nine out of Federal constituency seats. Our people are already in the election tribunal.

Anambra Installs Clock-in Devices for Wealth Workers

David-Chyddy Eleke in Awka

The Anambra State Government has commenced the installation of clock-in devices in public health facilities to curb absenteeism and ensure that health workers take their duties seriously.

The Commissioner for Health, Dr. Afam Obidike, said this in Awka during a meeting with administrators of public hospitals in the state.

Obidike observed that during some of his unannounced visits to hospitals, many health workers were

absent while some health facilities did not open for services.

According to him, such an attitude has contributed to mortalities recorded in the state and hindered progress in the health sector. He said the device would end absenteeism and indolence among health workers.

He said Governor Chukwuma Soludo’s administration takes healthcare seriously and wants residents to have access to quality health services at the primary health centres, general hospitals and tertiary health facilities.

Explore Growth Opportunities in Gospel Music, Adefarasin Counsels

Senior Pastor, House on the Rock, Paul Adefarasin has called for investment and visibility of the Nigerian gospel music sector which he said was yet to be fully tapped. Adefarasin, speaking at the African praise experience, recently maintained that the gospel music sector remained a goldmine capable of projecting the country to the world profitably, only if given necessary attention.

He stressed the need for players to break barriers to be able to enjoy huge opportunities as of their contemporaries in the secular music .

Specifically, the cleric noted that more should be done to enhance music quality by producing studio

sound.

He also pledged maximum support to the growth and promotion of the industry, saying that his ambitious goal was to elevate the music ministry to a global level.

According to him, the concert among many other initiatives were tailored to advance Nigeria’s gospel music.

“We are going to take this gospel music to the best quality that it can get to, and we are happy to be part of that process,” he said.

Tape which held physically and virtually witnessed a stellar performances from a cross section of award-winning gospel artists, treating attendees to an unforgettable experience.

“I can tell you that we would win two more Federal constituency seats. On the governorship election, we were thrown under the bus.

“In politics, if I am asked to choose between governorship and presidency, I will choose the latter. We have taken the presidency and our president, Tinubu, is doing well. Things are hard now, but I want Nigerians to bear and exercise patience because better days are coming

soon.

“Let us stand with this government because it is our government. This is because if there’s a problem in the future regarding governance, they will say we need to call the Yoruba to fix it.

“Two things are constants in my life, which are Islam and politics. My own level has passed the fact that I have to become the governor before thanking God,” Folarin said

during the programme.

While appreciating the organisers and party members, House of Representatives member, Oseni expressed his gratitude for the support and love he received during and after his election.

He, therefore, promised to provide qualitative representation to his constituency in the Green Chamber.

He said: “Nigerians should be patient with Tinubu because he has the capacity to address the nation’s challenges and turn

Nigeria’s situation around for good. I’m pleading with you to give him maximum support for him to succeed.”

Dignitaries at the event were, Folarin, former deputy governors of the state, Iyiola Oladokun and Moses Alake; Chairman of the APC in the South Senatorial District, Honourable Mojeed Olaoya; former chairman of Ibadan North Local Government, Ademola Omotosho; traditional rulers, clerics, and a host of others.

Yarima Asks FG to Dialogue with Bandits to End

John Shiklam in Kaduna

Former Zamfara State Governor, Senator Sani Yarima has emphasised that engaging in dialogue with bandits is the solution to the prevailing insecurity in North-western part of Nigeria. During an interview with BBC Hausa service yesterday, Yarima said if the bandits are treated similarly to how former

militants in the Niger Delta were handled, the banditry issue could be overcome.

Yarima also highlighted that during his tenure as governor, the only security challenge faced by the state was arm robbery, and with the commitment and efforts of the security agencies, the issue was effectively tackled.

Yarima stated he firmly believed that Nigerian security agencies,

with adequate support, possess the capability to handle the security situation in the country, as they have all the necessary resources to do so.

He said: “I am advising the government to, first of all, find time to sit with these bandits, just like they sat with Niger Delta militants in the past. Because a majority of them are Nigerians, even though there are some foreigners among

them. But Nigerians among them can be convinced, as the Niger Delta militants were convinced and empowered to stop. If that fails, then the government can use force on them wherever they are.”

Yarima also highlighted that previous dialogues entered into with the bandits by other state governors were not conducted in good faith.

He said that he personally

Lagos to Constitute Committee over Alaba Market Demolition

Segun James

The Lagos State Government yesterday disclosed that it would be setting up a joint working committee to resolve issues surrounding the recent demolition of some buildings in the Alaba International Market area and some other markets in Lagos.

The state government revealed that the committee would help clear some of the misunderstandings surrounding the demolition exercise, saying members of the joint committee, the state government said, will include market leaders.

Governor Babajide SanwoOlu revealed the plan at a

meeting with his Imo State counterpart, Senator Hope Uzodimma of Imo State, Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Ben Kalu, and some Igbo market leaders in Lagos on Friday.

Some individuals had accused the state government of targeting a certain section of the country in the recent

demolition of some structures at the Alaba international market.

Debunking the accusation, Sanwo-Olu said that some of the misconceptions surrounding the actions of the government have been cleared in the meeting, adding that the committee will go around to verify things.

Runsewe Commends Makinde for Creating Separate Ministry for Tourism, Culture

The Director General of the National Council for Arts and Culture (NCAC), Otunba Segun Runsewe has said time has come for Nigeria to take cultural tourism business seriously and give it political and financial push necessary to derive the expected gains.

He commended Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde for strategically repositioning the state tourism economy, separating it from Information.

According to Runsewe, the development is not only cheerful

and interesting but a strategic effort to promote and market the cultural tourism economy of Oyo State, a destination rich in culture, history, and tradition.

“What the governor did in Oyo State amounts to a deep thought through action plan, and I commend him for that boldness in decision making. If we truly must harness the gains of tourism in Nigeria, we should be bold to have a stand-alone Ministry of Tourism, and I must thank Governor Makinde for setting the ball rolling.”

Runsewe further pleaded with other governors to properly situate the strength of the tourism economy, drive it through an exclusive process and engagements, partnering with the private sector tourism practitioners leadership to fast pace the tourism economy and ensure adequate funding for marketing and promotion.

“Honestly, I am happy at what is coming out from Oyo State and once it takes off and is adequately funded and with the right manpower, a leadership

that can run the distance, Oyo State definitely will be the right place to visit, no doubt with the state being peaceful, united and secured by Governor Seyi Makinde, the state surely will have plenty experiences to share and market.”

Makinde had separated tourism from the state Ministry of Information, Tourism and Culture, saying information will now be run as a separate ministry, devoid of having tourism and culture as mere appendages.

CSOs to IPMAN

‘Them Belly Full (But We Hungry)’

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has been receiving accolades for his initial, somewhat radical policy steps since he was inaugurated on May 29. Many economists, foreign media and, surprisingly, some Nigerian opposition figures are impressed with his speed in announcing the end of petrol subsidy, which he followed up by moving to eliminate the multiple exchange rates. The World Bank and the International Monetary Fund (IMF) are obviously incredulous that a Nigerian leader could do these two things in quick succession. The consensus seems to be that Tinubu is in the right direction and if he sustains the reforms, the Nigerian economy should be on sound footing in a couple of years.

On the other hand, the average Nigerian is not finding it funny. You can say whatever you like about the imperative of deregulating petrol pricing so that the downstream sector can attract investments and create jobs — while the budget for subsidy “to protect the poor” (about N4.5 trillion in 2022 alone) should be spent on areas that will be more beneficial to Nigerians. Very good point. But the biting reality is that petrol price has moved from under N200/litre to over N500. Transportation costs have gone up. Prices of goods and services are up. That is what Nigerians can feel instantly. The economic theories are good for classrooms only — until the people can see and feel the benefits.

You can argue convincingly that the multiple

exchange rates regime was hurting the economy, sending discouraging signals to investors as well as creating corruption and insane arbitrage with the “official” and “black market” rates. You can argue that the “rotten system” discouraged the inflow of forex. Why would anyone bring $1 billion to invest in Nigeria and be forced to get

WAZIRI ADIO POSTSCRIPT

the naira equivalent at the “official” N430/$ rate when the same sum was going for N750/$ on the streets? If you were sent a Western Union transfer, would you exchange for N430/$ or N750/$? Unification is a rational argument. But to Nigerians whose cost of living has gone up, that is no music to their ears.

As if things are not bad enough, electricity tariffs are set to go up again. Of course, you can make a compelling and logical case that the privatisation of the power sector means tariffs have to be commercially viable. Otherwise, the power companies would go bankrupt. Sound reasoning. After all, the multi-year tariff order (MYTO) allows for tariffs to be reviewed regularly to reflect inflation and exchange rate changes (remember gas prices and spare parts are also dependent on FX). We have often delayed or suspended MYTO “to protect the poor”. Between 2015 and 2020, we spent trillions of naira on the Nigeria Electricity Market Stabilisation Facility (NEMSF) “to protect the poor”.

But when you put the effects of Tinubu’s reforms together, what you get is harsher economic climate for the majority of Nigerians. Those that will be disproportionately affected are the lowincome earners who are already struggling with high cost of living and low standard of living. Inflation — whether or not it is one-off — is an enemy of the poor whose disposable incomes are miserable. Even members of the middle class will also be impacted, although they may have overcome the Maslowian physiological needs:

food, shelter and clothing. Still, they have to deal with higher payments for foreign education and medical treatment because of the unification of the FX rates.

Nevertheless, if we take a dispassionate look at the Nigerian situation, the conclusion would be that we have been living a lie for too long under the guise of “protecting the poor”. It is inevitable that the economy would come to this sorry pass with debts mounting, inflation unforgiving, and public finance in total mess. The economy is on its knees. For too long, we deceived ourselves that we were an oil-rich country. We lied to ourselves that we were a special breed of homo sapiens who should be treated differently from the rest of the world. Alas, the poor people we are “protecting” remain poor while those “protecting” them are busy flying private jets and acquiring mansions in Dubai.

Let us discuss energy prices, for a start. Nigerians who live abroad know for a fact that energy is not a cheap thing. Electricity, gas, petrol and other fuels are sold at commercial rates — in addition to energy taxes. That is their reality. When oil and gas prices go up or down, tariffs are adjusted accordingly. Our counter argument in Nigeria is that “but their government is doing something for them”, which is true, very true, but we have to ask ourselves what we want in Nigeria. Should the government go on pumping

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Need to Risk-proof Nigeria’s Fragile Reforms

Reforms, especially the contentious types, can be fragile. They need careful nurturing, protection even, to yield results and in the desired quantum. Reforms are rarely painless and the gains may be late or elusive. When the definite pains of change linger, the promise of a brighter future is hardly strong enough to checkmate pushbacks. Unravelling is likely to follow, at greater cost to the society. This is a probability that should keep reformers and reform advocates constantly awake.

President Bola Tinubu has been drenched in praises, including from unusual quarters, for moving swiftly in removing petrol and foreign exchange subsidies within a fortnight of assuming office. He has been described as audacious and sagacious. He should soak in the adulation, but should not get carried away. As I mentioned in my last piece on this page, public adulation (both domestic and external) can be fickle.

Besides, announcing a removal or suspension is not all there is to reforms. What has happened at best is a good start. But then, reform is not a sprint. It is a marathon. So, after starting out well, President Tinubu needs a robust plan that will see him through the tortuous and sometimes lonely and slippery terrain to podium success. He needs a comprehensive reform strategy.

I don’t have any doubt that the president has

taken the right decisions in removing the ruinous and ineffective petrol subsidy and in attempting to reform the arbitrage-ridden, multiple forex rates regime. My sense is that a sizeable number of Nigerians and most of those who closely monitor Nigeria’s economy agree that these are necessary changes. The unvarnished truth is that Nigeria’s economy was hurtling towards a catastrophic crash, which would have had dire economic and social consequences for most Nigerians, especially the poor.

So, if the two policy decisions are desirable and positive, why will they be at risk? They are at risk because of certain complications.

The first complication arises from the fact that the projected economic crash still remains at the conjectural level for most Nigerians. A crash avoided is not as real as a crash experienced. Most Nigerians simply do not have an idea of how bad continuing on the previous trajectory could be for them and for the country.

Yes, some Nigerians had come to know that our public finance was all over the place, and that we were living on borrowed times with debt spiralling, debt service surpassing government revenue, petrol subsidy becoming unaffordable and unsustainable, and foreign exchange reserves, unrationed, standing the risk of dropping below our import requirements. But such knowledge or conviction was not universal.

Most Nigerians, a month ago and even now, could not wrap their heads around where we were headed. Sri Lanka is a faraway country, and the last time that Nigerians had to queue for hours to buy rationed portions of basic necessities of life was about four decades ago. Even the memories of those who lived through that harrowing episode have become hazy. The argument for and against living dangerously would have been settled if Nigeria had hit the inevitable rock bottom. But we didn’t. To most people, the avoided crash is at best an abstraction, a counterfactual, not part of their recent lived experience.

This factor acquires more salience when combined with the second complication: the concrete and immediate costs of the reforms. Subsidy removal led to the increase in the price of a litre of petrol from N165 to between N488 and N540. This immediately shot up the prices of most goods, especially the costs of transportation and food. While the forex reform succeeded in narrowing or eliminating the gap between the official and parallel market rates, it is likely to lead to even higher petrol prices. The upshot of this twinning is a further spike in inflation, poverty and unemployment rates currently suffocatingly high at 22.4%, 40% and 33.3% respectively.

Unlike the first complication, the pains of reforms are not abstract. They are real and raw. And they are not likely to wear off soon. The poor who

ironically didn’t benefit much from the petrol and forex subsidies will bear the heaviest burden because they have less room for manoeuvre than the middle and upper classes. The latest Nigeria Development Update (NDU) of the World Bank, released on Tuesday, revealed that four million Nigerians were pushed into poverty in the first five months of 2023 due to high inflation. The same report projects that additional 7.1 million Nigerians are at risk of descending into poverty if the current reforms are not well managed.

For the growing number of Nigerians who are feeling the pinch on different fronts, rosy endorsements of the petrol and forex reforms by Western investment bankers, multi-lateral financial institutions and foreign media houses do not count for much. Same as stories about the pains inflicted on petrol smugglers, neighbouring countries that used to benefit from cheap petrol smuggled from Nigeria, and high-heeled beneficiaries of forex subsidies. These endorsements and stories do not lessen the pains in any way or offer any succour to Nigerians who now have a harder battle of paying their bills. This is especially so when most of these Nigerians have hardly felt the impact of government in their lives but cannot the escape the negative impacts of government actions and policies.

Continued on page 38

“If government does not caution IPMAN, we see it as a deliberate collusion to drive Nigerians into unmitigated difficulties. As CSOs, we will not sit and watch that happen. We will mobilise Nigerians into the streets ” – CSOs daring IPMAN to increase price of petrol to N700.

Tinubu