SATURDAY 13TH JULY 2024

FG Set to Meter All 187 Flow Stations to End

Opacity in Nigeria’s Crude Oil Accounting

Lokpobiri says OML 245 issues being resolved, asks Abacha’s

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Tinubu Immortalises Soyinka, Names National Theatre, Lagos After Him

Nobel laureate celebrates 90th birthday Osundare slams Nigerian leaders

After

Insist LCDAs not entitled to benefit from FAAC Declare they are illegal, invalid, unconstitutional Governors, APC, ALGON, IPAC, others hail ruling

Deji Elumoye, Alex Enumah, Chuks Okocha, Sunday Aborisade, Adedayo Akinwale in Abuja, Wale Igbintade, Sunday Ehigiator in Lagos, Igbawase Ukumba in Lafia and Hammed Shittu in Ilorin

Following the judgement of the Supreme Court on Thursday, which declared financial autonomy for the 774 Local Government Area (LGAs) Councils in the country, the survival of Local Council Development Authorities (LCDAs) in some states now depends

on the benevolence of the LGAs from which they were carved out as well as the magnanimity of the state governments that have them, some Senior Advocates of Nigeria (SANs) have said. This was as the Chairman of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF) and Governor of Kwara State, AbdulRazaq AbdulRahman, yesterday, declared that the State governors are comfortable with the Supreme Court

at the Presidential Villa, Abuja… yesterday

Deji Elumoye in Abuja and Funmi Ogundare in Lagos President Bola Tinubu has congratulated Nigeria's literary colossus and global icon,

L-R: Governors Bala Mohammed of Bauchi; AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq of Kwara, and Hope Uzodimma of Imo State addressing State House Correspondents shortly after meeting with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu

Operators Reveal Drop in Summer Travels as Hardship Bites

Chinedu Eze

Travel agencies have confirmed that many Nigerians would not embark on summer travel this year due to the current economic crunch and continuous depreciation of the naira.

The naira exchange rate against the United States dollar has been oscillating between N1,500 and N1, 550 to a dollar.

Compared to last year, travel agents who spoke to THISDAY, said more Nigerians travelled for summer in 2023 than this year and expressed fear that unless the economy improves, international travel for holidays will continue to shrink.

The Founder and Managing Director of Travel Lab Nigeria Limited, Mrs. Shalom Asuquo, told THISDAY that people who did not take advantage of the crash of airfares in March and April this year found

it difficult to pay for tickets because the fares started going up, as the naira continued to depreciate.

That was the period when Air Peace started the Lagos-London route and the International Air Travel Association (IATA) confirmed that the Federal Government had paid most of trapped fund of foreign airlines.

There was drastic drop of fares on international travel but the fares have gone up and have continued to go up.

Mrs. Asuquo said those who did not take advantage of that window have found it difficult to purchase tickets at the current rate and some of them are even asking travel agencies to allow them to “pay small, small.”

“Those who did not make their plan to travel earlier in the year when there was drastic drop of fares when Air Peace started flight service to London, are finding it difficult to buy

ticket now because the fares have gone up. Some are even asking us to allow them pay small, small. I have a group of women who are travelling to Kigali, Rwanda. The bill was about N900, 000 per person but when I wanted to book the flights, I found out that the fares have gone up. This is major disincentive to

Summer travels.

“I did a package for a family at the cost of N14.6 million to Canada but when I wanted to do the booking, the fare went up again and they told me, please do something. This is the situation now. Many people are not travelling,” she said.

The Managing Director of Travel

Lab Limited also disclosed that due to the high fares, travel agents try to get cheaper fares by taking other routes to the desired destination but the challenge there is that with such detour there could be visa problems.

For example, a holiday maker who wants to travel to Canada may want to go through Spain or Morocco to

get cheaper fares but even on transit some countries require visa, some of them transit visa, which would take time to obtain.

“So, when you reroute there will be visa issues. These are the issues playing out. You may have a route that is cheaper, there will be visa restraint,” Asuquo said.

Dangote Refinery Adds Brazilian Crude to Its Feedstock

The Dangote Refinery in Lagos is to import a cargo of Brazilian crude, adding to the large number of overseas barrels that Africa’s biggest oil-producing nation is taking.

Traders with knowledge of the matter said the refinery, which is still ramping up to full capacity, would receive a one-million-barrel cargo of Brazil’s Tupi crude for

delivery in the second half of next month.

The cargo was sold by Petrobras, the traders told Bloomberg.

Officials at the company, and one at Dangote, didn’t immediately respond to requests for comment.

It’s the first time that Brazil has exported oil to Nigeria, according to data from the Latin American

country’s commerce ministry.

Aliko Dangote, the chairman of Dangote Group said the refinery would continue to import crude oil as his refinery scales up production and seeks alternative supply contracts.

AFTER S’COURT RULING, SENIOR LAWYERS SAY LCDAS NOW AT MERCY OF LGAS, GOVERNORS

judgment that granted financial autonomy to the LGAs.

Speaking in separate interviews with THISDAY, the senior lawyers stressed that LCDAs created by some state governments were illegal, unconstitutional and should be abolished by the State assemblies that created them without delay.

The Supreme Court of Nigeria had in a judgement ordered the stoppage of the payment of LGAs allocation through the States. The apex court in the judgement had held that Section 162 (4&5) which stipulated a joint account for States and LGs was being exploited by the various State governments hence, the need for an order directing the payments of funds due to the local governments from the federation account directly to the local governments.

In the suit filed in May by the Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF) and Minister of Justice, Lateef

SET

as to be able to track crude oil to their expected destinations.

Describing the effort to reorganise the oil and gas sector and ensure transparent accounting as a bold step by President Bola Tinubu, Lokpobiri explained that the projects would cost $21 million.

“One of the key approvals by the Federal Executive Council (FEC) on Wednesday, had to do with awarding a contract for the metering of our 187 flow stations across the Niger Delta region of Nigeria by the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC).

“As part of our steps to ensure that we have proper accountability, FEC approved the metering of all our production. And we have 187 flow stations in the country, littered across the Niger Delta area, so that we will be able to properly account for what we produce and what we export.

“It's a major development that never happened in this country. And this project is meant to be completed within six months, within 180 days,” the minister disclosed.

On the second issue of advanced cargo, Lokpobiri pointed out that for Nigeria to account for what it produces, another memo was approved to provide the technology within 180 days to enable the country see the loading of every cargo of crude oil up to the point of destination.

“As part of the steps towards ensuring that we account for what we produce and that Nigerians get the maximum value for what we produce, the second memo that was approved by council has to do with what we call advanced cargo.

“This means we are awarding a contract to a company that will provide the technology within 180 days, the same period, to enable us know from the point of loading of every cargo of crude oil that is loaded in Nigeria up to the point

Fagbemi, the federal government had accused the state governments of running aground the third-tier of government.

Some of the senior lawyers that THISDAY spoke with included Chief Mike Ozekhome, Dr. Joseph Nwobike, Professor of Constitutional Law and Governance, Professor Edoba Omoregie, Mr. Olu Daramola, Mr. Abiodun Olatunji, Mr. John Baiyeshea, Mr Dayo Akinlaja, Mallam Ahmed Raji and a former National Chairman of the Abuja Branch of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Mr. Moses Ebute.

The senior lawyers based their assertion on the facts that the order of the apex court was only the 774 LGAs recognised by the constitution. Since their creation first by former Governor of Lagos State who is now President Bola Tinubu, the status of the LCDAs have been enmeshed in confusion as neither the federal

of destination.

“So if from Forcados terminal crude oil is loaded, I can stay in my office and know when it is taking off from Nigeria up to the final destination. You will agree with me that most of the times you talk about the issue of oil theft, major steps haven't been taken, but this is the time for us to take very major steps.

“So that we know from the beginning, what we produce, to the point of loading from our terminals up to the point of destination. FEC also approved a memo, and awarded a contract to be delivered within 180 days to provide the software also by the NUPRC. To ensure that we in Nigeria can monitor what is loaded from our terminals up to the final point of destination,” he explained.

According to the minister, the main benefit of this was for Nigeria to ramp up production in federation revenue, since according to him, increasing oil output is still the fastest way to raise the funding needed to address Nigeria’s economic and social problems.

Lokpobiri stated that investors’ confidence was gradually returning to Nigeria, explaining that in the next few months, the country will be expecting major announcements, which will be in ‘tens of billions of dollars’.

The minister stated that businessmen could bring in their funds into the country and divest at any time, explaining that President Bola Tinubu was creating an environment that is globally competitive.

He added that when major issues like consent for divestment arise, he will not hesitate to present them to the president who doubles as the minister of petroleum for necessary action.

On the controversial Malabu’s

government nor the courts have accorded them the recognition as a third-tier arm of government.

Ironically, the same Tinubu who established the LCDAs in 2002 as part of efforts to take development to the grassroots is the same person who has taken a move that appears to have put the LCDAs in jeopardy or now threatening their existence, if the order of the Supreme Court on direct payment of funds to LGAs is to be taking seriously.

Former President Olusegun Obasanjo, had denied Lagos of funds belonging to the LGAs in Lagos because of the creation of LCDAs by then Governor Tinubu.

Besides Lagos, most states in the south-west and other states in the federation have over the years created LCDAs to fast track development at the grassroots. While Lagos, apart from the 20 constitutionally recognised LGAs has 37 LCDAs, Oyo State on

OML 245, which he earlier said had been resolved and the reaction of Mohammed Abacha days later that he wasn’t aware the issue had been sorted out, Lokpobiri stated that although he didn’t want to join issues with the Abacha family, if he were from the family, he would simply keep quiet on the matter.

“As far as I know, every oil block belongs to Federal Government of Nigeria, which gives licences to different people to operate. And so at will, the federal government can invoke whatever relevant laws and do whatever that the law allows it to do.

“I have no issues to join with anybody who says that they are tweeting that they are not in support or whatever. But I can assure you that we are resolving all the issues about OML 245, and we will resolve them in the overriding national strategic interests. This matter has been going on for the past 10 years.

“And if I were a member of the Abacha family, I wouldn't even raise my head. I am Heineken Lokpobiri and even if I have authority, I can't give any Lokpobiri an oil licence. That itself is criminal.

“And so if they know what they are doing, they should just keep quiet. I am a lawyer, I have a doctorate degree, not in Nigeria. I had my masters and doctorate degrees in England.

“And I think it's important that Nigeria has laws, just like any other country. If I were them, how can Abacha as the head of state give them a licence.

“But the point is that I am not involved in whatever they are doing, but I have a job to do. These oil blocks are federation assets. And the federal government will do everything that is legal to ensure that Nigerians benefit from the availability of these oil blocks in this country,” the minister stated.

the other hand besides its 33 LGAs has 29 LCDAs.

Although, they had devised means of funding these development area councils, however, Section 162 of the 1999 Constitution as amended had supported them in managing the LGAs alongside the LCDAs.

The said section provided for the establishment of a State Local Government Joint Account wherein funds that are due to both a state and the local governments in that state were paid into. Based on this, the governors cultivated the habit of disbursing funds belonging to the state and LGAs as they deemed fit and what they feel is good for the LGAs notwithstanding what was allocated to them from the Federation Account.

The conduct of the states according to the federal government and which was corroborated by the apex court is threatening the very existence of the LGAs, hence the apex court decided to order for financial autonomy of the LGAs.

According to Ozekhome, going by the judgement of the apex court, all the LCDAs would no longer get money from the federation account, adding that only those LGs recognised by the constitution would benefit from federation account.

recipient of many other reputable awards, such as the Benson Medal from the Royal Society of Literature; Academy of Achievement Golden Plate Award; Anisfield-Wolf Book Award, (Lifetime Achievement); and the Europe Theatre Prize - (Special Prize).

The President, in a statement yesterday, by his Media Adviser, Ajuri Ngelale, described Soyinka as one of the finest minds of his generation; conforming to the highest standards of human enlightenment, but unyielding to injustice, oppression, and base impulses.

Tinubu hailed him as one of Nigeria's living repositories of history, knowledge and courage and commended him for his valiant efforts in the trenches for the nation's future both as a pro-democracy champion and as a trenchant voice against corruption and maladministration over several decades.

According to the President: "Our paths crossed during our just struggle for the enthronement of democracy in Nigeria following the annulment of June 12, 1993 presidential election. When faced with a trial in absentia and death sentence by the military regime at home, he galvanized opposition in exile through NALICON and NADECO. His global stature made him the face of our struggle to validate June 12 and restore democracy in Nigeria.

"Today, I join the world to celebrate his profound influence on generations of writers, scholars, and activists who

The refinery took delivery of 11 WTI cargoes, or 9 million barrels, between February and May, contrasting with around 18 million barrels of Nigerian crude deliveries.

He said: ‘’As far as I am concerned, the judgement by the Supreme Court is very clear. As clear as a clean whistle. It simply says that the method of distribution of the allocation meant for the local government councils by state governors has been a thieving one.

‘’In Sections 162 subsections 4,5, and 6, it says that the money should go directly to the local government councils that are democratically elected in accordance with Section 7 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (As Amended). What the judgement means is that any other form of local government council whether you call them LCDAs is handpicked or appointed by a governor, as many are across the country now. They are unconstitutional, invalid and illegal.

‘’What does this mean? Only those Local Government councils recognised by the Constitution will benefit from the federation account.

In his contribution, Nwobike said ‘’The LCDAs that were created are not recognised local council areas. They were created, at best, for the administrative convenience for the running of the local governments in the states that created them. They are not entitled to allocations from the Federation Account created under

Now, the move to secure a longerterm offtake agreement signals a commitment by the refinery to more permanently diversify its crude sources, coinciding with a period of extreme demand weakness for Nigerian supply.

the constitution.”

“Just recently, the Ondo State High Court declared the ones created in Ondo State as illegal and unconstitutional. In my view, the LCDAs are unconstitutional.”

For his part, Omoregie said ‘’The Supreme Court was asked to decide two broad questions: management of fiscal allocation from the Federation Account to the local government councils, and whether states can legitimately constitute caretaker committees or bodies to administer local government councils. The two sections of the constitution decided upon are sections 7 and 162 as they relate to or affect local government administration.

“The Supreme Court was not asked to determine whether the states can create LCDAs. LCDAs are not entitled to benefit directly from Federation Account allocation. They were therefore not in issue in the suit decided by the Supreme Court.”

In his view, Daramola said, “the judgment is a step in the right direction, but I don't think it has finally resolved the issue of local government autonomy. In most of the states of the federation, the local government is treated as the exclusive estate of the state governor.

TINUBU IMMORTALISES SOYINKA, NAMES NATIONAL THEATRE, LAGOS AFTER HIM

have been inspired by his work. I celebrate him for giving us the spark to fight and confront military dictators in our country.

"I am, accordingly, delighted to have the honour to announce the decision of the Federal Government to rename the National Theatre in Iganmu, Surulere, as The Wole Soyinka Centre for Culture and the Creative Arts".

Meanwhile, Prof. Niyi Osundare, a dramatist, poet, and media columnist, yesterday criticised Nigerian leaders, accusing them of exploiting the country's resources without considering the welfare of the people they are supposed to lead.

He made this known at the International symposium organised by the Wole Soyinka International Cultural Exchange (WSICE) in collaboration with the National Academy of Letters (NAL).

The programme which had the theme, 'Eni Ogun: An Enduring Legacy', was held at the University of Lagos, in honour of the Nobel Laureate.

Osundare criticised corruption in Nigeria, questioning whether governors and senators, shielded by their tinted car windows, ever notice the poverty and suffering of the people. He highlighted the dire situation of families unable to feed their children or afford quality education, blaming the country's leaders for exacerbating these issues. He lamented that theft now involves billions rather than millions.

Recalling an incident where a former Minister of Humanitarian Affairs misappropriated billions of naira, Osundare noted that such funds could have significantly improved sectors like health, education, and infrastructure. He argued that Nigeria has become 'corruption compliant' with no real consequences for wrongdoers, contrasting this with countries like China, where severe punishment would follow such actions.

He remarked on the pervasive apathy among Nigerians, who are no longer shocked by stolen funds, partly because many are weary of complaining, while emphasising the need to mentor the younger generations.

He described Nigeria as a beautiful country beset by ugly leaders and dismissed calls for the nation's breakup as misguided.

Osundare commended Soyinka, saying, "he is a versatile and masterful figure whose writings have consistently championed freedom and dignity."

In his remarks, President of the National Academy of Letters (NAL), Prof. Sola Akinrinade, praised Soyinka as a figure whose values are worth celebrating. He highlighted his dedication to activism, intellectualism, democracy, good governance, and truth to authority. "The symposium aimed to raise awareness and celebrate a man who has significantly contributed to the country and humanity," he said.

TARGETING FOOD SECURITY…

Tinubu Approves N1tn Loan for NDDC to Fast-track Projects in Niger Delta

Jonathan accuses politicians of overstretching NDDC Diri seeks prioritisation of East-West road

Blessing Ibunge in Port Harcourt

President Bola Tinubu has given approval to the management of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) to borrow an additional N1 trillion to the N1.9 billion budget, to enable it establish and complete other projects in order to fastrack development in the Niger Delta region.

This came as former President Goodluck Jonathan accused politicians of meddling with the commission affairs, resulting in the delay of projects' delivery in the years past.

President Tinubu who disclosed this in his address as chief guest of honour at the 2024 Niger Delta Stakeholders Summit held in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, said that he has passion for the development of the oil-rich Niger Delta region.

Represented by the Senate President, Senator Godswill Akpabio, Tinubu stated that the commission has never had the kind of budget that they are having in 2024, commending the management of the NDDC led by the Chairman, Chiedu Ebie and Managing Director, Dr. Samuel

Africa Recommends Okonjo-Iweala for Second Term as WTO DG

The African Group has asked the Director General of the World Trade Organisation (WTO), Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala to run for a second term as the head of the global trade watchdog, a document showed yesterday.

Okonjo-Iweala, a former Nigerian finance minister, made history by becoming the first female and African chief of the 30-year-old trade body in 2021. Her term formally ends in August 2025 and she has not yet commented publicly on her plans.

"The African Group is of the view that it would be in the best interest of the Organization if the process of reappointment were to start early," according to a document sent by Chad, asking Okonjo-Iweala to make herself

available for reappointment, that was seen by Reuters.

It cited the need to make progress on outcomes under her tenure ahead of the next major ministerial meeting due to be hosted by Cameroon.

Under WTO rules, Okonjo-Iweala, 70, has until the end of November to decide whether to apply.

Some WTO delegates have privately speculated that she may want to avoid a second term if the United States presidential candidate, Donald Trump wins in November, since his administration opposed her appointment.

Okonjo-Iweala has also previously voiced concerns that some of Trump's proposals could upend the global trading system.

Tinubu Appoints Abubakar Dantsoho

NPA MD

President Bola Tinubu has approved the appointment of Dr. Abubakar Dantsoho as the Managing Director of the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA). He replaces Mohammed BelloKoko who has been relieved from the role.

The President, in a statement yesterday, by his Media Adviser, Ajuri Ngelale, also approved the appointment of Senator Adedayo Adeyeye as Chairman of the Board of the Nigerian Ports Authority. Tinubu expects the new leadership of the agency to deploy excellence in the discharge of their duties to enable efficient port services and improved industry outcomes.

Dantsoho holds a Doctorate degree in Maritime Technology from Liverpool John Moores University, United Kingdom, and a Master’s degree in International Transport from Cardiff University of Wales, United Kingdom. Before his appointment, he had served in various roles in the Nigerian Ports Authority as Assistant General Manager; Technical Assistant to the Managing Director; Port Manager, Onne Port; and Principal Manager, Tariff & Billing. Adeyeye, the new Board Chairman, is a seasoned lawyer, journalist, and politician, is a former Minister of State for Works and former Senator representing Ekiti South Senatorial District.

Ogbuku, for their exceptional performance in the development of the region.

It would be recalled that during the technical session of the summit on Wednesday, stakeholders from the region pleaded with the President to allow the NDDC's management loan funds to fastrack development in the region.

Speaking on the appeal and request by the Governor of Bayelsa Governor, Douye Diri, at the summit President Tinubu said with the current approval on the soft loan, the NDDC's management will no longer give reason for delay of completion of projects or underdevelopment of the region.

He further assured that the Lagos -Calabar Coastal Road project will now start simultaneously from both in Lagos and Niger Delta region, adding that the East-West Road linking Bayelsa, Rivers and Akwa Ibom states will also have immediate attention.

He said: "Today, Mr. President is very committed to ensuring the development of the Niger Delta. The Bayelsa-Rivers-Akwa Ibom Road called East-West Road will be tackled. The National Assembly standing here will do everything possible to ensure that the project is completed within our time.

CBN Sells $122.671m to 46 Authorised Dealers, Seeks to Stabilise FX Market

Nume Ekeghe

In a bid to promote stability and reduce volatility in the foreign exchange market, the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has executed a significant foreign exchange (FX) transaction, selling a total of $122.671 million to 46 authorised dealers at competitive rates ranging from N1,480 to N1,540.

The apex bank in a statement signed by the Bank’s Director of Financial Markets CBN, Dr. Omolara Duke, detailing the transaction, stated that a total amount of $67.5 million

was sold to 27 authorised dealers, while $2.5 million was purchased from one authorised dealer on July 10, 2024. The bidding range for the transaction was between N1,480/$ and N1,500/$, with a value date for payments set for July 12, 2024, adhering to a two-day settlement cycle (T+2).

Additionally, on July 11, 2024, the CBN sold $55,171,000 to 19 authorised dealers at a rate of N1,540/$, with no FX purchased on this date. The value date for the spot sales payment was July 15, 2024.

The statement urged all authorised dealers to ensure that FX purchases from the CBN are used exclusively for trade-backed transactions and must be reported within 72 hours.

Reiterating its commitment to improving liquidity, the CBN supplies FX to the market through spot sales to authorised dealers using two-way quotes. The Bank assured that it would continue to strive for stability in the FX market.

It stated: “The CBN's directive emphasises that FX acquired from the bank must be exclusively utilised for trade-backed transactions, with

reporting required within 72 hours. This measure is intended to ensure transparency and proper use of allocated resources.

“By maintaining a consistent supply of FX through FX spot sales to authorised dealers, the CBN aims to improve market liquidity and assure market participants of its commitment to sustaining FX market stability.

“This proactive approach is crucial for supporting economic activities and fostering confidence among stakeholders in the Nigerian financial market.”

Makinde Presents Staff of Office to New Olubadan

Kemi Olaitan in Ibadan

Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo State, yesterday, presented the staff of office and instrument of office to the new Olubadan of Ibadanland, Oba Owolabi Olakulehin.

This was just as he described the ascension of the 43rd Olubadan as a testament to the enduring spirit of resilience of Ibadan.

Makinde while speaking at the historic Mapo Hall Grounds, Ibadan,

venue of the event, noted that the coronation of Oba Olakulehin has also put individuals who chose to focus on things that divide Ibadan in their place, stating that Oba Olakulehin has now taken the crown to Ibadan North-East and Ona-Ara.

Dignitaries that witnessed the historic event included President Bola Tinubu who was represented by the Minister of Power, Chief Bayo Adelabu.

Makinde said, "I, Engineer ‘Seyi

Makinde, the Executive Governor of Oyo State, in exercise of the powers conferred upon me by Sections 1 and 2 subsection 20 of the Oyo State Chiefs Law, Cap 28, Volume 1 Laws of Oyo State, Nigeria, hereby present the staff of office, ratifying the appointment of Oba Owolabi Olakulehin as the 43rd Olubadan of Ibadanland.

“This has again demonstrated that Ibadanland and the people of Ibadan can be resilient. Those who have been focusing on the things

that divide us have now been put to shame.

“I want to greet the Kabiyesi and pray that God will grant you long life to reign for a long time on the throne,” he said.

President Tinubu in his remarks read by Adelabu, congratulated Oba Olakulehin, stating that the celebration of the coronation was that of the enduring tradition and resilience of the Ibadan monarchical system.

National Assembly Partners Judiciary on Constitutional Review

Sunday Okobi

The National Assembly Joint Committee on the Review of the 1999 Constitution in partnership with the judiciary has set in motion processes to strengthen the independence of the judiciary, shield it from political pressure, and ensure that decisions made promote the common good of Nigerians.

The National Assembly also expressed the necessity to join hands with the judicial arm of government

to enhance citizens’ access to justice, among many others.

The Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Benjamin Kalu, disclosed this at the on-going two-day retreat by members of the Senate and House of Representatives Committee on the Review of the 1999 Constitution and Speakers of the state Houses of Assembly, as well as members of the judiciary which took place in Lagos yesterday.

In his opening address, Kalu noted that the sectoral engagement was

also intended to improve citizens’ access to justice and enhance public trust in the judiciary; expand the jurisdiction of certain courts to address contemporary challenges; clarify the powers and jurisdictions of judicial authorities as well as address electoral disputes and uphold the principle of free, fair, and credible elections in Nigeria.

He described the Nigerian judiciary as the pillar of justice, tasked with the responsibility to uphold the rule of law, protecting individual rights, and ensuring that the constitution is accurately interpreted and applied. According to him, "As one of the three branches of the government, alongside the executive and the legislature, the judiciary plays a crucial role in maintaining the balance of power and fostering a just society. "It plays a pivotal role in the administration of justice, interpretation of laws, upholding the constitution and ensuring that the rights of citizens are protected, and the freedom of individuals are guaranteed.”

Deji Elumoye in Abuja

L–R: Governors of Niger State, Umar Mohammed Bago; Jigawa State, Umar Namadi, and Borno State, Babagana Umar Zulum; during the inaugural meeting of the Presidential Food System Coordinating Unit held at the State House in Abuja…yesterday

PROMOTING HEALTHY LIVING…

L-R: Mr. Hakeem Ogunniran; Founder and Executive Director, Voice of The Child Law Centre, Prof Iyabo Ogunniran; Trustee, Voice of the Child Law Centre, Mrs Taba Peterside; and Director of Public Prosecutions, Lagos State, Dr Babajide Martins, at the presentation of a report on the study of the Training and Treatment of Children in the Lagos State approved children's institutions... recently

FG Moves to Ramp Up CNG Penetration, Begins Free Conversion for Commercial Vehicles

Says new fuel not only cheaper, but safer

The federal government yesterday intensified its efforts at ensuring the penetration of the much-talked-about Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) nationwide, with the free conversion of commercial vehicles in Abuja.

Officials of the Presidential

Compressed Natural Gas Initiative (PCNGI), who took journalists around major conversion centres, including NIPCO, NASENI/ Portland, among others, stressed that focus on commercial vehicles in the first phase was strategic. PCNGI’s Sales, Business Development and Strategy Manager,

Lara Obileye, stated that e-hailing cabs were also part of the conversion scheme, noting that those ones will only pay a fraction of the required funding.

“The e-hailing cabs are supposed to pay a fraction of the cost of the conversion while the transport associations have 100 per cent

conversion free and cost of the kits 100 per cent free. Today, we have started with e-hailing cabs and the scheme is going to run around the federation.

“We are starting with Abuja today and Lagos and we will keep rolling out. The announcements will be made regularly as we go to each of

Crisis Hits Ondo NLC as Two Chairmen Emerge

Fidelis David in Akure

Leadership crisis has hit the Ondo State chapter of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) as two persons are laying claim to be the chairman.

The two claimants, Comrade Victor Amoko and Comrade Olapade Ademola in their separate announcements on yesterday claimed to be the union’s chairmen.

Comrade Ademola was elected on Thursday at a special meeting of the Ondo NLC State Executive Council (SEC) attended by 22 affiliate unions

and presided over by the NLC Vice Chairperson, Comrade Busola Adewumi.

The election, according to the affiliate unions, was because Comrade Amoko had retired from service.

But, Amoko said he remained the Ondo NLC chairman because he was still in active service.

Amoko explained that the state government approved extension of service for teachers in the state but that some leaders said he would not be NLC chairman while in extended service.

His words: "I am not retired. In Ondo,

the governor granted an elongation of service of which I am a beneficiary. They said they will not allow me use the elongation as NLC chairman.

"I still pay my dues during this time and it is payment of dues that makes me an NLC member. They wrote to NLC national body on my issue but no reply. I am still the chairman. I have not received a letter to tell me I have been replaced. I know the government still recognised me as NLC chairman."

Meanwhile, other affiliates unions such as the Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT) and the National Union of Local

Government Employees (NULGE) which boycotted the meeting where Ademola was elected have declared the election as null and void.

The unions said Amoko remained Ondo NLC chairman as spelt out in the body's constitution.

Ondo NULGE President, Comrade Federick Akinrinola, who spoke on behalf of the unions, said the election of Ademola was an aberration and violation of NLC constitution.

Comrade Akinrinola said the 300 affiliate unions would not recognise Ademola as its Chairman.

UNODC Corruption Index Ranks Police Most Improved Organisation

Ikechukwu Aleke in Abuja

The Executive Director UNODC, Ghada Waly, has expressed excitement over Nigeria Police Force's impressive performance on the recently conducted corruption survey by the global institutions on corruption performance.

Waly, expressed this excitement, when she was hosted by the Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, at the Police Headquarters, Louis

Edet House, Abuja. Represented by UNODC Acting Country Representative, Danilo Campisi, the UN agency, said that Nigeria is the only country to have carried out a third consecutive corruption survey, with the 1st, 2nd and 3rd happening in 2016, 2019 and 2024 respectively.

A statement by Force Spokesperson, ACP Olumuyiwa Adejobi, said the results from the 2024 surveys place Nigeria as the

country with the most improved in the fight against corruption.

According to him, the UNODC further revealed that this survey was carried out strictly based on facts and data and not based on perceptions.

Adejobi said: "This revealed fact indicates the significant growth of the country under its new leadership and consequently, the transformation of the Nigeria Police Force under the administration of the 22nd Indigenous Inspector-General

of Police, IGP Kayode Adeolu Egbetokun."

Expressing his sincere gratitude to the UNODC for their support and commending their efforts and mode of this survey, the IGP emphasised his vision for the Nigeria Police Force and Nigeria as a whole, stating that the results of this survey would serve as motivation for the NPF to intensify its efforts in combating crime and corruption, and setting a greater standard.

Edo Guber: APC, PDP Trade Blame Over

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) yesterday accused the All Progressives Congress (APC) and its candidate in the September 21, 2024 Edo State Governorship election, Senator Monday Okpebholo, of the forging his voter card, claiming that he was not a registered voter as reportedly revealed by checks in the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) portal.

In the same manner, an FCT Chief Magistrates' Court has allegedly given a directive to the Force Criminal Investigation Department to invite for investigation Mr. Asue Ighodalo for the offences of forging a Permanent Voters Card (PVC).

A statement by the National Publicity Secretary of the PDP, Debo Ologunagba, alleged that, "The alarming discovery that the APC candidate allegedly presented

a fake voter card in his Form EC9 submitted to INEC is a self-inflicted blow which clearly and irredeemably signals the end of the road for the APC and its candidate in the 2024 Edo State Governorship election." Ologunagba said that "It is indeed scandalous that the APC sponsored a candidate with alleged questionable documents as a governorship candidate for Edo State that is noted for very credible and highly respectable citizens."

Moreover, the PDP said that "it is now apparent as to why the APC submitted to INEC a blurred and unreadable voter card purporting same to be that of its candidate and had remained silent since the news broke out that the said voter card was allegedly forged.

"This act of impunity by the APC amounts to an assault on the sensibility of the generality of the people of Edo State and our nation’s democratic practice.

the states. Nationwide, we intend to convert over 1 million cars within the first 12 months,” Obileye stated.

THISDAY learnt that under the scheme which is gaining national acceptance, depending on the make or capacity, conversion will range from between N700,000 to N1.8 million.

“For private individuals, the cost of conversion is a range. It depends on the car type. We have four-cylinder, we have six-cylinder and we have eight-cylinder vehicles.

“So, it depends on the size of the cylinder that goes into your vehicle.

It ranges anywhere from N700,000 to N1.8 million. For transport owners across the federation, the cost of conversion is 100 per cent free,” Obileye added.

She urged commercial transport operators to approach their transport associations, key in and register so as to be part of the presidential initiative. Also speaking, the Commercial Operations Manager, PCNGI, Omo Imoukhuede, said the initiative was focused on ensuring that President Bola Tinubu’s mandate concerning CNG penetration was met.

Alex Enumah in Abuja

The Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF) and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi, has commended a United Kingdom (UK) Court of Appeal for directing payment of Nigeria’s claim for the P & ID Post- judgement costs in Pounds Sterling (GBP).

The UK Court of Appeal had refused the request of the judgement debtor that the cost be paid in Naira; which would have reduced the legal cost drastically, the AGF stated while commending the appellate court for the ruling.

The minister in a statement yesterday, by the Special Assistant to the President on Communications and Publicity, Office of the AGF, Mr. Kamarudeen Ogundele, expressed delighted at the report he received from the federal government’s UK solicitors on the latest victory recorded by Nigeria in its fight against corruption and extortion by “litigation hawks”

Onyebuchi Ezigbo in Abuja

The Director General of the National Agency for the Control of AIDS (NACA), Dr. Temitope Ilori, has said that the organisation is adopting a new multi-sectoral approach to fast-track efforts to end HIV and AIDS among children in Nigeria. Nigeria has set the target of ending the scourge of HIV-AIDS disease latest by 2030.

She explained that the strategy included a new business model for the implementation of programmes to end Mother-to-Child Transmission

“Today (being the 12th day of July 2024), the United Kingdom Court of Appeal validated Nigeria’s claim for the post-judgment costs to be paid in Pound Sterling (GBP), the AGF stated. Fagbemi, said the P&ID request was another misconceived and desperate attempt by fraudsters to deprive the Nigerian people of hard-earned public revenue.

“As a government, we are very determined to recover these costs and make P&ID and its US funders pay for their scam so as to serve as a deterrence to others of their ilk.

“We commend the dedication and tenacity of our legal team for this accomplishment", the AGF said.

Fagbemi recalled that consequent upon the country's success in defeating the fraudulent USD11 billion claim by P&ID last year, Nigeria continues its efforts to recover its substantial costs from P&ID and its vulture fund backers.

of HIV (PMTCT) and Paediatric HIV programmes. Ilori, who disclosed this at the Prevention of Mother-to-Child Transmission and Pediatric AIDS Acceleration Plan Committee launch in Abuja, said: "The objective of today’s meeting is to formally inaugurate the acceleration plan committee to provide oversight to the PMTCT and Paediatric HIV programme implementation in line with the three-one principle of one coordinating agency, one strategic framework and one Measurement and Evaluation system."

Emmanuel Addeh in Abuja

Chuks Okocha in Abuja

Tinubu, Obaseki Commiserate with Plateau as Building Collapse Kills Over 20 Students

Seriki Adinoyi in Jos and Deji

President Bola Tinubu and Edo State Governor, Mr. Godwin Obaseki have commiserated with the people and Government of Plateau State over deaths and injuries resulting from a collapsed school building in the State.

At least 20 students and teachers died following the collapse of a two-storey school building belonging to Saints Academy at Busa-Buji community in Jos North Local Government Area of Plateau State. Several others were badly injured and were in critical conditions at Bingham University Teaching Hospital,

Plateau State Specialist Hospital and Our Lady of Apostle Hospital in Jos, while a few other students were still missing and couldn’t be accounted for, at the time of this report.

THISDAY gathered that the building which possibly had structural defects collapsed yesterday morning at about 10a.m. while the students

and their teachers were already in classes.

Parents and guardians were seen wailing haplessly as they scampered to rescue their children and wards trapped under the rubbles, as the news of the incident threw the entire community into chaos.

Security men, emergency workers

Ndume Urges Tinubu to Prioritise Competence in Appointments

Chuks Okocha in Abuja

The Chief Whip of the Senate, Senator Ali Ndume, has slammed the government of President Bola Tinubu, stating that it is being run by people who are not on the same page with the President's Renewed Hope Agenda.

He, therefore, advised the President to always consider competence in his choice of those to work with him.

Ndume stated this in an interview with Arise News Channel,

Thursday night where he said, “The government is also populated by kleptocrats, but unfortunately that is not what the President is up to; he really meant Renewed Hope, but you can only do that when you have people around you that are on the same type of thinking.”

He expressed concern over recent government policies, such as the cybercrime levy, which faced public opposition.

“When the President realised that he had not heard about it, he quickly suspended it,” Ndume said.

He highlighted the significant challenge of hunger and food scarcity, noting that inflation has risen to 40 per cent.

According to Ndume, “In some places, even with your money, you won’t find the food items you want to buy, which is very dangerous,”

The federal lawmaker pointed out that Nigeria has never been included among countries facing severe food crises or food insecurity, but recent United Nations and World Food Programme figures ranked Nigeria as a hotspot.

“For people like me, I have to be scared because I’m 64 years old with 10 children, 20 grandchildren, and I don’t have a passport or visa to anywhere,” he said.

Ndume criticised the limited access to the President, stating that some ministers only meet the President during council meetings and that the President is often the first to leave.

“I’m the Chief Whip, and if the Chief Whip can’t have access to the President, the new senators won’t have access either,” he said.

FG Pledges Commitment to CARE Nigeria, NGO Launches 6-Year Strategy

Kuni Tyessi in Abuja

The federal government has pledged its total support and commitment to CARE Nigeria, a nongovernmental organisation in its humanitarian work, particularly as it affects the lives of women and children.

Special Presidential Envoy on Climate Action to President Bola Tinubu, Ajuri Ngelale, stated this at the launch of CARE’s 2024-2030

strategy, themed 'Leading Local, Connecting Globally for Impact' in Abuja, yesterday.

He said, "Institutions like CARE Nigeria continue to provide hope for our people, catering directly to their specific needs at the grassroots level of our society.

"They can rest assured that they will continue to have the full support and cooperation of the Federal Government of Nigeria.

"The sub-national governments of Nigeria, and certainly we, will do our part to enhance coordination between our multilateral partners and the excellent work your organisation continues to do for our people," he said.

In his welcome address, Country Director of CARE Nigeria, Dr. Hussaini Abdu, said, "The 2024-2030 strategy we are launching today results from two years of dedicated work.

"This strategy has been shaped by an in-depth analysis of our six-year presence in Nigeria and extensive consultations with local and international partners and key stakeholders, many of whom are here with us today.

"These conversations and consultations have helped us understand Nigeria's regional significance, needs, and national goals.

Court Admits Former Power Minister, Mamman to N10bn Bail

Alex Enumah in Abuja

Justice James Omotosho of a Federal High Court in Abuja, yesterday, admitted a former Minister of Power, Saleh Mamman, to bail in the sum of N10 billion.

and youths from the community made frantic efforts to remove victims from the rubbles.

The State government expressed deep sadness over the incident, describing it as an avoidable tragedy, citing the school's weak structure and unsafe location near a riverbank.

In a statement by the State Commissioner for Information, Musa Ashoms, the State commended efforts of National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), Plateau State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA), Red Cross and security agencies for rescuing trapped children and transporting them to hospitals.

“To ensure prompt medical attention, the government has instructed hospitals to prioritise treatment without documentation or payment. The Commissioner for Health has also ordered all major

hospitals in Jos to attend to the victims.

“Approximately 120 people were trapped, with many evacuated. The government emphasises the importance of adhering to safety standards, making Executive Order 003 sacrosanct. Schools with similar issues are urged to close down, enabling the Jos Metropolitan Development Board (JMDB) to prevent future incidents,” Ashoms added.

For his part, Tinubu, in a statement issued by his Media Adviser, Ajuri Ngelale, described the unfortunate incident as a huge loss to the nation, as well as a devastating development - too excruciating to imagine. The President condoled with the bereaved families, families of all the victims, and the people and Government of Plateau State.

UNFPA to Support Nigeria Achieve Inclusive Data

Segun Awofadeji in Bauchi

The United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) in Nigeria has stressed the need for all and sundry at this moment to commit to doing more to ensure that the country captures the full range of human diversity so that everyone is seen, can exercise their human rights and can reach their full potential.

The UNFPA said it stands ready to support Nigeria harnessing the power of inclusive data to build resilient systems and societies, saying inclusive data is not an end in itself; but a means to informed decision-making.

leave no one behind, adding that 30 years on from Cairo, there's much to be celebrated but still much work to be done.

According to her, "People may be hard to reach, but no one is unreachable. To realise the rights and choices of those pushed to the margins of our societies, we have to count them because everyone counts. Our rich human tapestry is only as strong as the weakest thread.”

Mamman, who served as a minister under immediate past President Muhammadu Buhari, was on Thursday arraigned before the court, on a 12-count charge bordering on money laundering to the tune of N33.8 billion.

Justice Omotosho had on Thursday ordered his remand at the Kuje Correctional Center in Abuja, pending the hearing of his bail application fixed for yesterday. At the resumed hearing, his lawyer, Mr. Femi Ate, SAN, urged the court to admit his client to bail to enable

him prepare adequately for his trial, assuring that the former minister will not jump bail, neither interfere with justice nor intimidate witnesses.

However, prosecution lawyer, Mr. A. O. Mohammed, who did not object to the grant of the bail application, urged the court to attach conditions that would warrant the defendant attend trial.

Delivering ruling in the application,

the trial court, which observed that bail is at the discretion of the court and that an accused is presumed innocent until proven otherwise, admitted the defendant to bail in the sum of N10 billion with two sureties in like sum.

The two sureties who must own property within the court’s jurisdiction must present evidence of tax payment of three years.

Seyi Akinlade, Josef Adamu Debut Kimono

highly anticipated

audience at the TIFF Lightbox in Toronto recently.

The film follows the story of a young man, played by Gilchrist Emeremgini, who turns to the

study and practice of martial arts as he struggles with the loss of his father. Through his training, he is able to rediscover his sense of purpose and identity.

Kimono Kid aims to convey the powerful message of persevering even when afraid, capturing the essence of

pushing past fear and self-doubt to achieve greatness. This narrative theme is illustrated through the protagonist's struggle and ultimate triumph over seemingly overwhelming obstacles.

The film underscores how fear need not be a barrier but rather can serve as a catalyst for personal growth and

self-realization.

Akinlade and Adamu, known for their thought-provoking narratives and ability to tell compelling characterdriven stories, bring a unique visual style and strong emphasis on cultural representation to this film. Their backgrounds in visual arts and

UNFPA Nigeria represented by a Gender/Reproductive Health Analyst, Deborah Tabara who spoke at the 2024 celebration of the World Population Day held yesterday at the state secretariat in Bauchi, pointed out that though there is much to be celebrated but still much work to be done.

She noted that it is a moment to ask who is still going uncounted and why and what these may cost individuals, societies, and our global efforts to

photography have allowed them to create scenes of stunning beauty rich in symbolic meaning and cultural references, further enhancing the emotional impact and visual appeal of the story being conveyed.

"We are thrilled to have premiered 'Kimono Kid' at TIFF Lightbox," said

The analyst explained that when data and other systems work for those on the margins, they work for everyone, and thus how progress accelerates for all, stressing that UNFPA looks forward to continuing to strengthen collaboration with the Government of the Federal Republic of Nigeria to leave no one behind, count everyone.

Tabara explained that decisionmakers shape policies, programmes, strategies, plans, and budgets that promote inclusivity and equality, and "Together with you, we can forge a future where every person is counted, every community is acknowledged, and every need is addressed."

Akinlade. "This film is a testament to the power and resilience of the human spirit."

Adamu added, "It was a privilege to showcase our work on such a prestigious platform. 'Kimono Kid' not only entertains but also aims to inspire and provoke thought."

The

film 'Kimono Kid' directed by Seyi Akinlade and Josef Adamu premiered to a captivated

Elumoye in Abuja

PAYING LAST RESPECTS…

Report: Nigeria World’s Topmost Cash Dominant Economy

Says digital wallets are the people’s payment choice

Niigeria has been rated the world’s topmost cash dominant economy with 55 per cent of financial and economic transactions being settled with cash payment in 2023 while Norway is the least cash economy at 4.0 per cent utilisation.

This was revealed in the Worldpay’s 'Global Payments Report 2024: How Consumer Choice is Changing Commerce', which stated that digital wallets are the people’s payment choice around the world in 2023 as cash accounted for 16 per cent ($6 trillion) of global transaction value in 2023, including double-digit share in 30 of 40 markets in this report.

It said: “In 2023, wallets accounted for 50 per cent of global e-com spend of more than $3.1 trillion and 30 per cent of global POS spend of more than $10.8 trillion.”

The report also projected that wallets would remain the fastest growing means of payment and would account for more than $25 trillion in global transaction value, about 49 per cent, in 2027.

Commenting on Nigeria, the report stated that cash remained the undisputed number one choice among Nigerian consumers and “accounted for 55 per cent of 2023 POS transaction value, the highest share in this report.”

It, however, stated that “Nigerians are turning to digital payments,” which would lead to “decline in use of cash at -4 per cent CAGR from 2023 to 2027” even though it forecasted that cash would “retain supremacy through 2027 with 42 per cent share of POS spend.”

It said: “Cash’s importance translates to e-commerce, where cash on delivery represented 15 per cent of 2023 e-com spend (in Nigeria), second only in this

Aero Contractors Upgrades Clinic, Gets Support from Paelon Memorial Hospital

Chinedu Eze

Nigeria’s oldest airline, Aero Contractors, has upgraded its clinic with the support of Paelon Memorial Hospital, which donated medical equipment to the facility.

Speaking at the unveiling of the rehabilitated clinic, the Managing Director and CEO of the airline, Captain Ado Sanusi, said that the upgrade of the clinic is historical and commended the hospital for coming to support the modernisation of the clinic.

“This clinic has been there for a long time. And I think it was

our CFO, Charles who actually told me about it, and suggested we should upgrade the clinic. And we took it up as a project. And then luckily for us, Charles Grant has affiliates who decided to pleasantly surprise us by massively supporting the project by donating the equipment.

“We would like to thank Paelon Memorial Hospital very much. This project would not have been done without you. And you have shown that Paelon Memorial Hospital is an entity that understands corporate social responsibility. We are indeed very grateful,” he said.

Black Pelican Group Celebrates 20th Anniversary

As part of its 20th-anniversary celebration, the Black Pelican Group, Nigeria's total interior solutions provider, recently partnered Cycology, a cycling club promoting healthy lifestyles and social development to organise a 20km ride.

The ride started at The Ebenezer House, Lagos office, and saw participants cycling through the district's vibrant streets, culminating in a celebratory gathering. This event marked a significant milestone in the company's 20-year journey, demonstrating its commitment to wellness and innovation.

Managing Director of Black Pelican Group, Mr. Michael Owolabi, emphasised the importance of maintaining fitness and promoting a healthy lifestyle.

"As we celebrate this milestone, we reaffirm our commitment to wellness and our dedication to providing fitness and wellness solutions.

Our exclusive partnership with Technogym and our collaboration with Cycology reinforce our dedication to providing world-class fitness solutions and promoting a culture of wellness in Nigeria," he added.

report to Vietnam’s 17 per cent. Cash on delivery is projected to gradually cede share, to an estimated 9.0 per cent of e-commerce value by 2027.”

The report also said that “efforts by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to implement digital cash have proved challenging. A May 2023 IMF working paper assessed Nigeria’s Central Bank Digital Currency (CBDC) e-Naira as ‘disappointingly low.’ Launched in October 2021, e-Naira has yet to

reach even 1.0 per cent of Nigeria’s consumers.”

The report also stated that in 2023, cash was the leading payment method at POS transactions in 12 of the 40 markets that it covered in 2023 but projected that cash will be dominant in only five countries in 2027.

These 12 markets are Argentina, Colombia, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, Nigeria, the Philippines, Peru, Poland, Spain, Thailand and Vietnam.

But it projected that “by 2027, we project that cash will remain the leading payment method in just five markets: Colombia, Mexico, Nigeria, Peru and Spain.”

Nevertheless, cash remains a vital payment tool for billions of consumers worldwide as it is used disproportionately by lower income consumers, as well as those that are unbanked and under banked.

“In 2023, cash accounted for less

than 10 per cent of POS transaction value in one quarter of the markets covered in this report, namely Australia, Canada, China, Denmark, Finland, Hong Kong, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway and Sweden. “By 2027, we project five additional countries will fall below the 10 per cent transaction value threshold for cash, especially France, Singapore, South Korea, the United Kingdom and the United State of America.”

NDIC Calls for Improved Collaboration to Curb Banking Fraud

Nume Ekeghe

The Nigeria Deposit Insurance Corporation (NDIC) has called on law enforcement agencies to enhance their collaboration to combat banking fraud across the country.

NDIC Managing Director/Chief Executive, Bello Hassan, who was represented by NDIC Director of Communication and Public Affairs, Bashir Nuhu, made this call during the annual capacity-building workshop for law enforcement agents held in Lagos recently, emphasising the critical role of cooperation in tackling financial crimes.

Hassan said: “We are not unaware

of the challenges of investigating and prosecuting financial malpractices and bank fraud cases but wish to urge you not to relent on your efforts and be rest assured of our unflinching support at all times."

Addressing the evolving nature of the banking system, Hassan said: “The banking system is rapidly evolving with innovations; it is clear that a new phase of the financial technology-driven economy is currently reshaping the global financial services space. With this development, the criminally-minded users of the banking system, including the notorious ‘cyber criminals,’ are

busy perfecting their misplaced skills. This is why workshops like this are necessary to enable law enforcement officers to understand the dynamic operating environment. The law enforcement officers must acquaint themselves with basic knowledge of the types of fraud prevalent in our banks.”

He highlighted the positive impact of measures implemented by regulatory and supervisory agencies, stating, “The authorities are becoming more proactive with policies and examinations/ investigations to ensure that the banks/ financial institutions strengthen their risk management practices to prevent

loss of funds and maintain depositors’ confidence in the banking system.”

On the increased threats posed by advancements in information technology, he added: “The advancements in information technology that open new possibilities and vistas in banking operations have equally exposed the banking subsector to emerging threats. This situation increases the burden on the regulators and supervisors to enhance their operational capacities. It has also heightened the need for more collaboration between agencies involved in the fight against banking malpractice.”

Pharmacists Advocate Speedy Implementation of National Prescription Policy

Pharmacists under the aegis of the Association of Community Pharmacists (ACPN) have advocated for speedy implementation of the National Prescription Policy (NPP) to stem the prevalence of inappropriate and illegal prescribing and dispensing of drugs in the country.

ACPN National President, Wale Oladigbolu, who commended the federal government over its commitment to ensuring that the National Prescription Policy initiative is driven by professionals,

advised it to engage the services of a Pharmaceutical Consultant and a Medical Consultant for effective implementation of the project.

In a letter to the Minister of State for Health, Mr. Tunji Alausa, titled: ‘A National Prescription Policy for Nigeria’, jointly signed by Oladigbolu and the ACPN National Secretary, Ashore Omokhafe, the association stated that the appointees for the assignment “must be a Registered Pharmacist and a Medical Consultant who must be a licenced Medical Practitioner

within the purview of the PCN Act 2022 and the MDCN Act,’’ in order to achieve the objectives of the project.

It also recommended that the appointments for the administration of NPP in the country should be in consultation with the Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria (PSN) and Nigerian Medical Council (NMA) which are the umbrella templates of the prime stakeholders in the initiative.

Highlighting the importance of National Prescription Policy in

healthcare delivery, ACPN noted that,’’ It is globally accepted that drug use constitutes a significant aspect of health care and that the handling of drugs in all its ramifications, particularly the production, distribution, prescription and dispensing of drugs could have a positive or negative impact on the health care delivery system and the health of the population. "This explains why countries are expected to pay due emphasis on drug use in their respective countries," it said.

Gov Eno Inspects New Aircraft, Meets Airbus Executives, Visits Cadets

Agnes Ekebuike

The Governor of Akwa Ibom State, Umo Eno, has visited the Samco Aviation Maintenance Facility in Maastricht, Netherlands, to inspect the new Airbus A220-300 series aircraft acquired by IbomAir. This new acquisition from Carlyle Aviation aims to enhance IbomAir’s operations as they await the delivery of planes previously ordered from

Airbus.

Akwa Ibom State Commissioner for Information, Ini Ememobong, in a statement said Governor Eno on Thursday met with top Airbus executives, including Grainne van den Berg, Vice President, Marketing-Africa and Middle East, and Hadi Akoum, Vice President Sales-Africa.

According to him, they discussed the delivery timelines for the remaining aircraft ordered by IbomAir during

the 2021 Dubai Airshow, noting that Airbus commended the state government for the investment in aviation, especially the construction of the Maintenance Repair and Overhaul (MRO) facility, which they promised to pay an assessment visit for a possible partnership.

Eno also made a surprise visit to 15 cadets from Akwa Ibom State at the Airbus Flight Academy in Angouleme. The governor encouraged them

to remain diligent, stating, “I’m glad to see your dedication. Life is an endurance trek that you must face head-on. We are committed to ensuring you achieve the best and look forward to celebrating your success.” The cadets expressed their gratitude for the state's investment in their future and assured the governor of their commitment to returning to work for IbomAir after their training.

Dike Onwuamaeze

L-R: Son in-law of the deceased/Chairman, Green Energy International Ltd, Prof. Anthony Adegbulugbe; the first daughter of the deceased, Mrs. Folake Adegbulugbe, and first son of the deceased Mr. Oyedapo Abiri, at the funeral service for emeritus Prof. John Omoniyi Abiri held at Cathedral Church of Saint Philip, Aiyetoro, Ile Ife in Osun State…recently

Yet another nightmare...

Cakasa Ebenezer Foundation and Road Safety

Last Thursday, Cakasa Ebenezer Foundation (CEF), under the auspices of Unit 70 Cakasa Special Marshal RS 2.16 Ikeja Command of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), inducted 75 pupils from three primary schools in Lagos State into Cakasa Road Safety Clubs. This initiative aims to instil road safety consciousness in young minds.

Twenty-five pupils each were selected from Alaba Primary School, Estate Primary School, and Papa Ajao Primary School all in Mushin LGA. The induction ceremony highlighted the importance of road safety education and the role of young ambassadors in promoting safety.

Mr. Patrick Davou, the State Sector Commander of FRSC, represented by Chief Route Commander Mr. Paul Abiti, emphasized the significance of this initiative. “As road safety corps members in primary schools,” he said “you are ambassadors for FRSC, and we appreciate Cakasa Ebenezer Foundation for the opportunity to catch them young”. He urged the pupils to avoid playing on the road and to concentrate while commuting to and from school.

Mr. Olusegun Akintan, Lagos State Coordinator of Special Marshals, underscored the importance of the regalia given to the pupils, describing it as a symbol of authority. He encouraged them to embrace their new status and the responsibility it entails. “This is a memorable day. Cakasa has done it again, and we appreciate their efforts. The programme is ‘catch them young’. It is a serious business, and you should take it so,” Akintan remarked.

Mr. Barnabas Olise, Managing Director of Cakasa Nigeria Ltd., represented by Mr. Martins Agbetuyi, Assistant General Manager of Quality Health and Safety Environment Department, Cakasa, highlighted the broader impact of the initiative. “Our gathering today is to ensure a safer future for all road users. The alarming statistics of road accidents involving children is a reminder that we must act now,” Olise stated. He stressed the importance of education and awareness, noting that engaging activities and continuous learning are pivotal in embedding a deep understanding of road safety rules among the children.

Mr. Nsikak Isonguyo, Coordinator of Unit 70, Cakasa Special Marshal, emphasised the long-term benefits of the induction. “As a rule of engagement for the induction of 25 pupils in each of the schools, it is expected and imperative that every child must have road safety consciousness,” he said. Isonguyo encouraged the pupils to be active members of their clubs and to serve as good ambassadors of the special marshal.

This is the second induction programme as the first was held in 2022. The New City Primary School, Palm Avenue Primary School, and Oduduwa Primary School, all located in Mushin LGA participated in that event.

Cakasa Ebenezer Foundation is an indigenous nongovernmental organization founded in October 2014. CEF serves as the Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) arm of CNC, dedicated to transforming societies and saving lives through collective efforts and partnerships. CEF’s motto, “...Thus far the LORD has helped us,” reflects its mission and vision to bring joy and hope to many.

Martins Agbetuyi, for Cakasa Ebenezer Foundation

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It’s obvious!

After watching the British murder mystery TV series “Midsommer Murders” for almost 30 years I am now surprised to be told it may contain ‘violence’ and ‘crime scene images’. Somehow the 388 murders, 250 show hadn’t alerted me to the fact that there was likely to be some violence during the episode.

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Ogochukwu Ekezie:

It’s Interesting Being in Industry Where Women Are Driving Things

As a storyteller and creative, Ogochukwu Ekezie has stayed close to her passion as possible, telling award- winning brand stories prior to delving into human interest stories. Ekezie nurtures a mission to elevate African storytelling through movies that not only entertain but also stir conscience. She takes Ferdinand Ekechukwu through her career path, her journey into filmmaking, her recent movie production which marks her Nollywood debut. She also touched on other facets of her multifaceted career and as CEO Red Sand Studios... Excerpts:

Canyousharewithusyour backgroundwithregardsto storytellingandfilmmaking?

Most people that know me know I have been thinking about this in the last 20 to 25 years. Before I came back to Nigeria this is what I wanted to do. When I was coming back to Nigeria in 2002/2003, I said to my parents that I wanted to open up movie theatres and in typical form they said ‘ah nobody watches movies in Nigeria’. But I had started having conversation with different production companies around the world and I knew that, they had told me they were talking to certain potential partners in Nigeria. And literarily six months after I had moved back to Nigeria, Silverbird opened so that sort of started the journey of movie cinemas and stuff. And prior to that I thought I would end up in LA (Los Angeles) and do some internship. But life sort of took me to the direction it took me, I came back to Nigeria. My major is in journalism but with a specialisation in advertising. So, I have always been in that advertising/marketing space even before I came back to Nigeria. When I came back here my first job was as brand manager ARM Investment Managers and from there I moved to Citibank of Nigeria as Public Affairs Officer for Nigeria and Ghana and then I moved to Union Bank as Head of Corporate Communications during the turnaround after the new investors came in and subsequently became the General Manager/Chief Brand and Marketing Officer. So, if I track my trajectory, what I have done for the last 25 years as a professional in my career is basically tell brand stories. As a brand manager you are the custodian for the brand’s story and the story you tell about the brand, the customers and giving that brand life. So, I would say that I see the link basically from brand stories. I try to stay as close to my passion as possible. I think I have made the jump from brand storytelling to narrative storytelling. And that’s the link I make in terms of when I think about my career and how it links from even though I was mostly in the fine arts industry, I always say to people that I worked in banking, but I was not a banker because I was in one track which was in the brand marketing and communication space. That’s the way I would track my journey basically from brand storytelling to narrative storytelling.

Sofrombrandstorytellingtotellinghuman intereststorieslikeyoujustdidwithyournew movie Wèrè?

Yes, you can say human interest stories absolutely because the stories that you tell basically when you try to tell a story you are basically telling a story about a protagonist and an antagonist. And these are human beings that you are trying to fully explore all the dimensions of them and the situations that they are in and it depends on the theme that you are exploring in that particular film.

So, they are definitely absolutely human stories, diverse stories and narrative stories essentially.

ThemovieWèrè,isitashortorafeaturefilm?

It’s a short film… 23 minutes and 26 seconds.

WhythetileWèrè?

The title character Wèrè, the movie is set in Ojota, Lagos. We shot it at Ojota bridge so you can imagine how Ojota bus stop, on top of that pedestrian bridge which is where the character lives, looks like. That’s what mad people walking on the streets of Lagos are called. That’s where it came from. So that’s what it basically was. The movie is about a woman in Lagos. We don’t even know where the woman is from. People just assumed because they are in Lagos, it’s Wèrè. Because that is how as a people refer to mentally ill people we see on the streets in Lagos especially is what they are called.

Whatplatformwasitreleased?

The movie, because it’s a short film, is currently making the festival rounds right now. This was actually the Lagos premiere that we had here and that’s the African premiere. It actually premiered in New York in May at the New York African Film Festival and we are hoping it would show in a few more festivals before the end of the year before we then put it on any of the major platforms for people to access it. But for now as a short film it’s going through the movie festivals across the world. That’s where we are now.

Whydidyoudecidetotellsuchstoryinsuch time looking at the themes - mental health,

homelessnessandmobjustice-exploredifyou want to talk about one extensively, it could take more time?

When I started this, I did a bit of writing, but I usually say I’m not a much disciplined writer. So, sometime in early 2023, a mutual friend introduced me to Dolapo Marinho, who is the writer and the director of the film to collaborate and basically become writing partners. We shared some writing samples with each other and one of her writing that she shared with me was a short story that she had written called ‘Under Bridge’ which featured this character who was homeless and was dealing with some mental issues and had a whole backstory as to their lives and how they ended up on the street. I had written a few other short stories that I thought would be my first project. But once I read that story, it sort of touched me and I said to her ‘listen I think you can adapt this into a short screenplay.’ She had never written a screenplay before. She always did novel and short stories. I worked her through the process of writing a screenplay. She did the first draft, it came back I gave it some editing and changes. I would say it took us, I think a process of maybe four weeks or so to get a draft of a script that we wanted to shoot. I was very clear that it was going to be a short film for me because it came from a short story anyway. And for us the goal was to tell a story that leaves more questions than answers. And I think that we succeeded in doing that because most people that had seen the movie always end up coming out and asking a lot of questions like why this, and why that. There were specific questions that we wanted people to come out of the film asking. And you know luckily for us people have gotten it and were able to ask those questions. So, because we believe that it’s in asking questions that we really think of how we live in a society and some of the things we are sensitive to and the things that we are insensitive to or just desensitised to. It’s from asking those questions that we think about basically the environment around us and how we exist as people and how we look at this people on the street and make certain assumptions about who they are or how they’ve ended up where they’ve ended up on.

So far, how has it been navigating your pathasacreative/producer?

I think it’s been good. Part of what I wanted to also do with this project and to your question around why did I decide to make a short movie, one of the things I wanted to do was to really test my assumptions about the industry. In my head, some of the thoughts that I had was to get my feet work in terms of actually executing a full production, but make it as compact as possible, almost like a proof of concept. For me, the journey has been interesting. When you are home watching a

Ace Drich: Being with Multiple Women Can’t Affect One’s Star

Ferdinand Ekechukwu

Budding Afrofusion artiste

Ace Drich has opined that having multiple women spiritually. He said although he is a one-woman man, he strongly believes that the school of thought isn’t real.

“Personally, I don’t deal with multiple women, but I don’t believe that being

star or slow you down because I have done that before. Currently, I am in a relationship, and I am loyal to my woman,” Drich said.

Drich also shared his view on farm streaming in the music industry, stating that it doesn’t measure an artiste’s popularity. He also shares the challenges encountered in the industry.

“The streams don’t really measure your popularity; it’s better for people to know you on the streets as well.

I will go for the money, but it has to be balanced as you also need street credibility.”

On challenges faced in the industry, he said, “I had fear that my music wasn’t what the fans wanted. I was doing trap music then, so I started to understand what the market wanted.

“Getting big shows was also part of the challenges back then in Benin before coming to Lagos. There were political parties involved in the music industry there.”

football match, you know everything - you are the player, you are the coach, you see everything that is wrong and right during the match but you are not on the field playing. So, there’s a tendency to armchair quarterback when you are not in it and say ‘oh I think this is what we should do and what people should do.’ You know now being in it and being able to test some of those theories and test some of those assumptions and test some of those things. So, it was important for me to take some time and to understand really how the industry works in reality and how things function in reality when you are on set and trying to deliver a production. So, it’s been interesting so far. I think that the film helped me navigate some of those things and learn in a real life setting. We continue to learn and continue to grow and I think we continue to learn with more productions that we do the more that there are lessons to take from there.

Weretherespecificchallengesyouencountered within this short space as a filmmaker what werethey?

What I would say is that for me I have an idea of what good looks like and I’m an avid film lover. I have watched films for longest all my life essentially and what I’m hoping for and what I’m trying to do is to find people with the same sensibility. One of the things that I did when I was trying to put together the cast and the crew, we looked for the people that were right for the roles. But in terms of putting together the crew, people that worked behind the scenes, people that essentially were responsible for delivering the quality of the production that I wanted to deliver was to find people of like minds. You may disagree on how to get there, but you know what the end product should look like and you agree that there’s a certain standard that you are aspiring to. For me, I think the challenge was to always find the people and finding people with similar sensibilities and strong opinions really.

Agoodnumberofwomenhavefoundtheir wayintofilmmaking,mosttellingAfricanstories. Whatdoyouthinkisresponsibleforthisshift? (Smiling)… It’s interesting, I actually I don’t know. For the longest time the industry was run by a lot of men and it seems in the last 10-15 years the women have sort of come into their own if you think of and talk about Mo Abudu; Chioma Ude who is doing AFRIFF, you talk about Ijeoma Onah who is creating market with her NIFS, it’s interesting. The industry has sort of ceded way for women and it’s interesting for me. It’s exciting for me to be in an industry where women are seen to be at the forefront of driving things. I think this question will not be asked if it was men running the industry so its ok (laughing). We don’t need to question it, it’s what it is and I think its fine. I’m not sure what is responsible for it but I’m excited about it.

Ekezie

Ace Drich

Zenith Bank: As Adaora Umeoji Rallies Capital Market Stakeholders

Donatus Eleko

Zenith Bank Plc, Nigeria’s leading financial institution, gathered capital market operators and investors two days ago to showcase the bank’s inherent values as it embarks on its recapitalisation journey. The event, which brought together key market players, focused on the bank’s growth trajectory, strategic objectives, and market performance over the years. It also provided an opportunity for the bank to inform capital market stakeholders about its robust risk management culture, adherence to regulation, ensuring capital adequacy, and maintaining low non-performing loan levels.

Addressing capital market stakeholders, investors, and analysts at the bank’s capital markets day in Lagos, the Group Managing Director/ Chief Executive Officer, Dame Dr. Adaora Umeoji, highlighted the financial institution’s tier-1 capital of N1.8 trillion, shareholders’ funds of N2.3 trillion, market capitalisation of N1.3 trillion, and a profit after tax of N796 billion for the year ended December 2023. She expressed confidence that, with the quality of the board and management and a strong corporate culture, the bank is well-positioned to deliver superior value to investors and other stakeholders and to navigate the recapitalisation process successfully. She also disclosed some of the bank’s future plans, which include driving financial inclusion, expanding corporate and retail banking through technology and other state-of-the-arts digital platforms, and establishing a Fintech subsidiary, ZenPay, to drive profitability. Additionally, the bank intends to expand to France and other Francophone African countries.

Dr. Umeoji explained, “For us at Zenith, we won’t be left out. We are planning to go to the market to raise capital, and as it is now, Zenith Bank has the least amount of capital to raise. We are looking to raise N230 billion because we are already at N270.7 billion. That is the least capital to raise among our peers. We believe that Zenith Bank has what it takes. We have the capacity, the network, the balance sheet, the human capital, and the track record to achieve that. We are planning for the future, and the technology we have now is the best in the entire industry. It will help us to have a seamless process and integrate.”

Also speaking, the Chief Financial Officer/ General Manager, Dr. Mukhtar Adam, pointed out that in the last five years, the bank’s Compounded Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) in revenue has grown by over 27 per cent. “This continues to grow year-on-year. Within this period, at some point, Nigeria went into recession, but we forged ahead, worked very hard, and continued to deliver growth. Within the last five years, our profit before tax has also grown cumulatively by about 28 per cent. This is a market where, at some point, government instruments – treasury bills –were paying one per cent, two per cent, three per cent. But we forged ahead to grow the numbers and provide stable returns of at least 28 per cent.”

An Executive Director of Zenith Bank, Dr. Henry Oroh, highlighted the digital transformation initiatives of the bank and its technology, as well as the future direction of the financial institution. Dr. Oroh also spoke about financing small and medium scale enterprises, trade, among others. “We are investing in technology to build world-class solutions that would improve the experience of our customers and enhance the penetration of our products in the marketplace. As we build new technology, we also recognise that there are other cyber-issues to address. Therefore, we are building a formidable network of tech products with zero vulnerabilities. We are building firewalls and protection around our technology,” he added.

Zenith Bank recently emerged as the Best Commercial Bank, Nigeria, in the World Finance Banking Awards 2024, retaining the award for the fourth consecutive year. The bank was also named Best Corporate Governance, Nigeria, for the third year running in the World Finance Corporate Governance Awards 2024. The awards, published

in the Summer 2024 issue of World Finance Magazine, recognise the bank’s robust financial performance, superior customer service, sustainability initiatives, and corporate governance practices.

Commenting on the dual honours, Dr. Umeoji said, “These awards highlight our steadfast dedication to excellence, adherence to global best practices, and our persistent effort to deliver superior value to all stakeholders through innovative products and services. Receiving these awards consecutively for multiple years signifies the commitment of our staff, the loyalty of our customers, and the support of our shareholders. We remain devoted to setting industry benchmarks and driving excellence across all aspects of our operations.”

Dr. Umeoji also expressed delight at the recognition and dedicated the awards to the Founder and Chairman, Dr. Jim Ovia, CFR, for his impactful leadership in establishing a robust and flourishing institution. She also expressed gratitude to the board for their vision and insight, the staff for their unwavering dedication, and the bank’s customers for choosing Zenith as their preferred bank. World Finance is a leading international magazine providing comprehensive coverage and analysis of the financial industry, international business, and the global economy.

In its audited results for the year ended December 31, 2023, Zenith Bank achieved a remarkable tripledigit growth of 125 per cent in gross earnings, from N945.6 billion reported in 2022 to N2.132 trillion in 2023. The impressive growth in gross earnings resulted in a year-on-year increase of 180 per cent in profit before tax (PBT), from N284.7 billion in 2022 to N796 billion in 2023, while profit after tax (PAT) also recorded triple-digit growth of 202 per cent, from N223.9 billion to N676.9 billion for the period ended December 31, 2023.

The increase in gross earnings was primarily due

to growth in interest and non-interest income. Specifically, its interest income increased by 112 per cent, from N540 billion in 2022 to N1.1 trillion in 2023, while non-interest income grew by 141 per cent, from N381 billion to N918.9 billion in the same period. The rise in interest income was attributed to the growth in the size of risk assets and their effective repricing, alongside the increase in yield of other interest-bearing instruments over the year. Growth in non-interest income was driven by significant trading gains and an increase in gains from the revaluation of foreign currencies.

Zenith Bank’s cost of funds also grew from 1.9 per cent in 2022 to three per cent in 2023 due to the high interest rate environment, while interest expense increased by 135 per cent, from N173.5 billion in 2022 to N408.5 billion in 2023. Notwithstanding the 32 per cent growth in operating expenses in 2023, the Group’s cost-to-income ratio improved significantly from 54.4 per cent in 2022 to 36.1 per cent in 2023 due to improved top-line performance. Return on Average Equity (ROAE) increased by 118 per cent, from 16.8 per cent in 2022 to 36.6 per cent in 2023, underpinned by improved gross earnings, as the Group sought to deliver better shareholder returns. Return on Average Assets (ROAA) also grew by 95 per cent, from 2.1 per cent to 4.1 per cent in the same period.

Zenith Bank was established in May 1990 and commenced operations in July of the same year as a commercial bank. The bank became a public limited company on June 17, 2004, and was listed on the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE) on October 21, 2004, following a highly successful Initial Public Offering (IPO). In 2013, the bank listed $850 million worth of its shares at $6.80 each on the London Stock Exchange (LSE). Headquartered in Lagos, Nigeria, Zenith Bank Plc has more than 400 branches and business offices in prime commercial centres across all states of the federation and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).

Zenith Bank Plc, founded by Jim Ovia, CFR, in 1990, has since grown to become one of the leading financial institutions in Africa. The underlying philosophy is for the bank to remain a customercentric institution with a clear understanding of its market and environment. Zenith Bank’s track record of excellent performance has continued to earn the brand numerous awards. These latest accolades follow several recognitions, including being recognised as the Number One Bank in Nigeria by Tier-1 Capital for the 14th consecutive year in the 2023 Top 1000 World Banks Ranking, published by The Banker Magazine; Bank of the Year (Nigeria) in The Banker’s Bank of the Year Awards for 2020 and 2022; and Most Sustainable Bank, Nigeria, in the International Banker 2024 Banking Awards, among several others. In March 2007, Zenith Bank was licensed by the Financial Services Authority (FSA) of the United Kingdom to establish Zenith Bank (UK) Limited as the United Kingdom subsidiary of Zenith Bank Plc. Zenith Bank also has subsidiaries in Ghana, Zenith Bank (Ghana) Limited; Sierra Leone, Zenith Bank (Sierra Leone) Limited; Gambia, Zenith Bank (Gambia) Limited. The bank also has a representative office in The People’s Republic of China. The bank plans to expand the Zenith brand to other African countries as well as the European and Asian markets.

Zenith Bank Plc has blazed the trail in digital banking in Nigeria, ach ieving several firsts in the deployment of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) infrastructure to create innovative products that meet the needs of its customers. The bank is a leader in the deployment of various channels of banking technology, and the Zenith brand has become synonymous with state-of-the-art technologies in banking. Driven by a culture of excellence and strict adherence to global best practices, the bank has combined vision, skilful banking expertise, and cutting-edge technology to create products and services that anticipate and meet customers’ expectations, enable businesses to thrive, and grow wealth for customers.

As the bank prepares to unveil its capital raising drive and complete its transition to a holding company structure, these initiatives are expected to position the financial institution to explore emerging opportunities in the market, bolster its digital and retail banking initiatives, and deliver superior value to stakeholders.

Umeoji

Energy expert and administrator, Mr. Dan Kunle and his wife Olubunmi, joined by family members and friends, followed their son, Adedayo to see Rhoda Iyanuoluwa, daughter to Mr. Olayinka Olatunde Eniojukan. The family introduction in Lagos, the first step towards a prospective marriage between Adedayo and Iyanuoluwa, was a moment of joy and celebration PHOTOS: ABAYOMI AKINYELE

L-R: Mr. Yemi Kunle and Mr. Fred Omonoyan

L-R: Mrs. Titilayo Fagbemi and Mr Kayode Ibirogbe

L-R: Mr. Eniola Bello and Mr. Femi Bello

L-R: Mr. Tunde Daniel and Mr. Folarin Raymond

L-R: Mr. Clement Olorunfemi and Mr. Kayode Fagbemi

L-R: Mr. Ola and Mrs. Yemisi Oyelola

L-R: Mr. and Mrs. Olayinka Olatunde Eniojukan

L-R: Mr. D Dan Kunle and wife Olubunmi

L-R: Mr. Adedayo Daniel Kunle and Miss Rhoda Iyanuoluwa Eniojukan

L-R: Chief Bayo Ojo, SAN and his wife, Justice Folasade Ojo

L-R: Mrs. Mary Omonoyan and Mr. Femi Fagbemi

L-R: Dr Dayo and Mrs. Roli Ajayi

L-R: Mrs. Afolake Ope, Mr. Rasak Ope and Mrs. Bosede Daniel

L-R: Pastor (Mrs) Oluwaniyi, Pastor Deji Oluwaniyi and Pastor Adeyinka Ajayi

Pastor Modupe Roy and Mrs. Helen RoyMr. Paul and Mrs Funmi Ajetunmobi

Mrs. Folsade Igwebnike, Pastor Mrs. Oladunni Idowu and Mr Michael Elegberun

L-R: Mrs Omotayo Audu and Mrs. Bola Olagunju

L-R: Mr. John Fagbemi, Mrs. Esther Fagbemi and Professor Bayo Kunle

Pastor Adegboyega Ajibodu Pastor Mrs. Aderonke Ajibodu

L-R: Mr. Lawrence Adepoju and Pastor Felix Olorunda

Kongi at 90

Yes, take a glimpse at this photograph. You would probably imagine, momentarily, a model among the bevy paraded by, say, the popular ritzy GQ magazine. If so, well, you just fell for a disguise. Now, take a closer look. Strip that bucket hat and you will behold, in its luxuriant bloom, that familiar hoary mane complemented by no less immaculate goatee to which folks around the world have long grown accustomed as evocative of no other than Kongi in any gathering, anywhere.

Today, it took more than “yabis” (teasing) to extract a few seconds from Professor Akinwande Oluwole Soyinka and get him to shed his accustomed stern mien and momentarily act a model, one hand fashionably in the pocket, on a North African soil. But without the usual preening or sashaying of the runway.

That fleeting GQ moment was, by the way, captured in Fes (Morocco) in June 2023 by this writer with a camera phone as an emergency “paparazzi”, after sidestepping a bit to get a perfect angle for the lens against blinding lights by the elementary law of photography. Amid sustained volleys of “yabis” by an old disciple, Sir K (Kunle Ajibade) alongside Mrs Rakiya Dhikru-Yagboyaju and Ahmed Garba-Gombe who formed Kongi’s entourage while guests of King Mohammed VI of Morocco as part of activities to mark Morocco’s 28th Book Fair last year.

The location was the vast lounge of Nejjarine Ensemble, ornate with its Oriental mosaic and sculptures, perhaps the most remarkable among the kaleidoscope of historical monuments and buildings long classified by UNESCO as world heritage sites in Fes. Outside this sprawling palace (built in 1711 by Sultan Moulay Ismail), history cast a rather long, sepulchral shadow on the forecourt under the mild pre-summer sun.

Indeed, hours earlier in faraway Rabat, no sooner had Prof materialised in a rare white linen shirt from the elevator into a waiting party of his entourage (from Nigeria) and Moroccan officials at the lobby of the exquisite Sofitel Hotel than Sir K lobbed the first “yabis” by joking if Prof was already considering career switch from literature to modelling.

Of course, an inexhaustible bag of humour himself, Prof absorbed as much as he dispensed withering ripostes that sometimes left us breathless with tearful laughter. Sometimes, his humour was self-deprecatory. Like his recall of once being made to repeat a passage — and again — through the scanner at an international airport abroad, until a further meticulous search by apprehensive security agents revealed that the trigger of the persistently treacherous alarm bell was not more than the phial of granulated native African pepper Prof habitually carries around to spice his meals at Oyinbo restaurants.

Even more extraordinary was Kongi’s undiminished agility and razor-sharp sense of recall at such an advanced age. Eager to show off their abundant tourism treasures, the Moroccan officials had taken us to many high and low locations. Not once did Kongi, barely a month short of his 89th birthday then, appear to have missed a single breath or betray the slightest hint of weariness over an otherwise loaded itinerary.

Indeed, something seemed to have moved a day earlier in Rabat (Morocco’s political capital) when news circulated that the literary eagle had landed in Casablanca (the commercial nerve centre), straight from the U.S. (We had flown from Lagos and arrived in Rabat hours before Kongi).

For the four days we spent in Morocco, there was always a scramble by local folks to see or come near the first black Nobel laureate in Literature who, according to the Swedish Academy, “with poetic overtones, fashioned the drama of existence.” The one who, with the sheer power of the written word, had achieved world celebrity. The one whose voice forever instils mortal fear in the hearts of tyrants and bigots everywhere.

Words also reached our mercurial Emir Sanusi Lamido Sanusi, a bosom friend of the King of Morocco, who was also in Rabat around the same time. The Nigerian ambassador to Morocco, Mansur Nuhu Bamali (now late), brought His Royal Majesty to see Kongi on arrival at Sofitel. Both had a lengthy private chat on the plum couch in the lounge.

As for the occasional bucket hat, those who know will reveal a darker story. In the 90s, it served Kongi abroad as a disguise against Abacha’s paid killers after being publicly charged with treasonable felony in Nigeria on

account of his pivotal role in the pro-democracy struggle after the June 12 annulment at grave personal risk. Indeed, throughout Nigeria’s postcolonial history, only a few — if any — could be said to have been as invested in pursuing the common purpose as Kongi. (A fact now lost on some of our millennials and Gen Z utterly bereft of a sense of history and quickly recruited as online trolls for puerile graffiti).

But in the latter years, that bucket hat has evolved into a civil utility: either as a prop to sneak into a targeted tavern undetected or simply evade a never-ending stream of autograph hunters and hustlers for photo ops.

Two Mercedes limousines were provided for the journey to Fes. But before take-off, Kongi asked I “abandon Kunle and others” in the second car and keep him company in his.

For the about two-hour trip, it felt invigorating to sit next to and converse non-stop with arguably one of the world’s greatest minds in the last century, the monarch of the language himself, famously described as “the conscience of the African continent.”

Indeed, as Prof. enters the nonagenarian club this week, there is no doubt that what obsesses him remains a fierce commitment to the values of tolerance, justice, good governance and compassion for the vulnerable in Nigeria and everywhere. Plus, an advocacy for youth empowerment in the political economy where gerontocrats seem reluctant to let go.

The said linen shirt he “premiered” in Morocco was, in fact, a gift from a young Nigerian fashion designer. He chose to “launch” it before a foreign audience to help promote Nigerian talent.

To the far younger ones like yours sincerely, Prof’s father-figure stature naturally makes him a guardian. But despite the vast age difference, Kongi also relates to you as a friend with uncommon solidarity and loyalty.

That spirit was on display when this writer turned 50 in March 2023. He was not in the country when “OPEC President” (Tunji Bello) hosted a dinner in my honour in Lagos, attended by the likes of Aremo Segun Osoba, Pa Julius Adelusi-Adeluyi, Dr. Yemi Ogunbiyi and several media heavyweights.

On returning to Nigeria two weeks later, Kongi chose to host a lavish luncheon for his younger disciple at one exclusive “hideout” in Ikeja GRA. T.B. was excused because of Muslim Ramadan. But the “gang” (Sam Omatseye, Kayode Komolafe, Azu Ishiekwene and Andrew Odion) had a swell time feasting. Of course, wine flowed freely.

Azu won the additional lottery of a bottle of vintage wine as a “takeaway” from Kongi’s famous cellar for a tribute he wrote earlier on me which Prof found interesting. Eventually, when the waiter brought the invoice, I tried to play smart.

In the hoary years, the mammal, according to African wisecrack, should suckle her brood instead by a reversed law of nature. I thought being hosted by a Nobel laureate alone was already a significant honour and, as a cultured Bini man, I should not allow that to leave a hole in the old man’s pocket.

But on sighting my ATM card and conspiratorial whisper to the waiter on the side, Kongi preempted me. With a vehemence, he insisted on picking up the bill himself and thrust forward his credit card. Overwhelmed, I knelt in gratitude, to which he frowned, jocularly waving me to stand up “And stop embarrassing me in the public.”

That’s the essential Prof.

On his 80th birthday in 2014, I wrote a tribute for Kongi. Ten years later, nothing has changed to persuade me to rethink or regret my words. I crave readers’ indulgence to bring the following extracts from that essay:

“What truly makes Soyinka great is not so much for the monumentality of a talent that spews pithy poetry, gripping prose and transcendental drama. His greatness lies more in the courage and character he brings to bear on creativity. At an age when no territory seems restricted any more, when many of yesterday’s heroes and heroines have been exposed to be counterfeits, and when more and more of the surviving statesmen would instead trade away their honour for temporary gains, Kongi remains an exemplar.

“His fiery pen and caustic tongue notwithstanding, Kongi remains tender at heart, one who may disagree with you in principle but never holds back in the fellowship of humanity or be detained by bitterness over the past. Only that could explain the complicated relationship he has had over the years with his relative, ex-President Olusegun Obasanjo. Feisty OBJ

had decided to veer from the political turf as sitting president in 2005 to engage Soyinka in an epistolary joust. In a signed statement, he took a swipe at Kongi for criticising his policies.

“But discerning observers who read the open letter could not but raise their hands in panic immediately, fearful of the approaching literary wrath on the proverbial errant native doctor who carries his ritual offering past a mosque. While it was readily conceded that OBJ was fussy by nature, many had expected that his fabled native intelligence would have served him well by dissuading him from venturing into a square rope against Kongi in a literary duel.

“Their worst fears were soon proved right. Soyinka’s response was an atomic bomb. OBJ’s presidential garment was torn beyond recognition by the time the smoke cleared. For once, the Ota chicken farmer became tongue-tied. Months later, the hatred that open ‘roforofo’ (dirty fight) had generated would not prevent Kongi from showing up at the funeral of OBJ’s spouse, Stella, who died suddenly following complications arising from a medical procedure in Spain.

“When OBJ finally met with Kongi face to face on the aisle outside the funeral parlour, the story is told of how the president exploded in a playful rage, ‘Wole, iwo! (Wole, you!)’, raising an arm in mock threat. Defiant Kongi fired back, “Segun, Ori e!” thumping his head in a supreme Yoruba gesture of contempt. More embarrassed than amused by such audacity, the guards around the President cleverly looked away.

“Again, when Chief Emeka Ojukwu qualified the victory he achieved in the sham elections arranged by the Abacha junta to select delegates for the 1994 Constitutional Conference as conferring on him a mandate ‘superior to June 12’, vintage Soyinka gave expression to popular thinking in the country then by simply dismissing the ex-Biafran secessionist as ‘an expired warlord’. That critical riposte would not prevent Kongi from attending Ojukwu’s burial (in 2012) to pay last respects to a personal friend.

“The same generosity of spirit is evident in his warm relationship with General Yakubu Gowon today. At the presentation of a memoir by the Oba of Benin early (in 2014), Soyinka continually poked good-natured jokes at Gowon while giving a keynote address to the audience’s admiration. It was hard to believe that it was the same Gowon who had clamped him into the gulag during the Nigerian Civil War. His 28-month solitary confinement birthed the book, ‘The Man Died’.

“When it was his turn to speak, the former head of state threw the crowd into a fresh bout of laughter by cautioning Kongi to watch his tongue: ‘You should remember that it was because of the same sharp tongue of yours that I sent you to prison in the 60s.’

“Being the first black man to win the Nobel Prize in Literature, Soyinka’s life sends an enduring message: the infinite possibilities of the black race.”

Road Less Travelled: Nnamdi Kanu and Journey to Freedom

Sam Hart

In recent weeks, there has been ramped up agitation for the release of Nnamdi Kanu, the detained leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) who has been in incarceration since Agust 2021. The calls have come from various quarters notably from a group of Parliamentarians in the Nigerian House of Representatives to Governors of the South East Region and Senators of South East extraction in the Nigerian National Assembly.

The Igbos say that ‘anyukota mmamiri onu, ogbaa ufufu’ loosely translating to mean that there is greater impact in acting in unison. These calls therefore are most welcome as they are all geared towards achieving the same purpose.

The calls have been gratifying and satisfying. It echoes a journey that has been ongoing for a while now - both clandestinely and in plain view. The release of Nnamdi Kanu is a certified masterstroke that will solve a lot of problems currently bedeviling the South East Region and the Nation at large.

It will be recalled that the Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Benjamin Okezie Kalu, has since his assumption of office, prioritised the resolution of the security impasse in the South East.

There is no gainsaying the fact that the socio-economic and indeed, every facet of existence in the South East region, has taken huge blows due to the lingering insecurity in the region. The sit-at-home phenomenon, which was originally introduced by the IPOB high-command to press home their demand for the release of Kanu, has had deleterious and devastating impacts on socio-economic and political development, livelihoods, well-being and civic freedoms in the South East region.

The weekly sit-at-home, which is being observed every Monday in the region, has ruined the economy of the SouthEast and worsened the plight of the toiling people most of whom depend on daily earnings, thereby increasing rural poverty and misery.

The spate of insecurity in the South-East, has led to the deaths of more than 1,700 people between January 2021 and June 2023 according to Data from the International Centre for Investigative Reporting (ICIR).

It is also important to note that a group of state and non-state actors have taken advantage of the situation to unleash untoward carnage on the region. The result is the rise and reign of roving armed criminal groups described as ‘unknown gunmen’. This group of criminal marauders are majorly behind the killings in the Southeast. Unmasking their true identity, whether state or non-state sponsored, is key to addressing bloodletting in the region.

There is therefore no gainsaying the fact that the release of Kanu and his anticipated public disavowal of all groups hiding under the IPOB agitation to perpetuate violence in the region, will go a long way to curbing the spate of mindless bloodletting in the region.

This is why it is imperative to commend the efforts of the Deputy Speaker Benjamin Kalu who has championed a non-kinetic approach to the cessation of hostilities in the region.

As part of Kalu’s advocacy for peace to return to the South East region, he, alongside other Members of the House of Representatives from the South East region, set up the Peace in the South East Project (PISE-P) with primary objective to promote a non-kinetic approach to peace-building in the region.

The Peace in the South East Project was unveiled formally on the 29th of December, 2023 at a grand event attended by President Ahmed Bola Tinubu who was represented by Vice President Kashim Shettima. Also in attendance were the Speaker of the House of Representatives, the Deputy Senate President, Governors of all the South East States, foremost Traditional Rulers in the country including the Obi of Onitsha, Igwe Alfred Nnaemeka Achebe, the Emir of Kano, Alhaji Aminu Ado Bayero, the Ooni of Ife, Ojaja Enitan Ogunwusi and the Emir of Bichi, Alhaji Nasir Ado Bayero among others.

The President-General of Ohaneze Ndigbo, Chief Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu was also present alongside an array of the leading industrialists, socio-political and cultural icons in the region including religious leaders and the academia.

The import of that Bende event was a repudiation of the lingering state of insecurity in the region and a commitment to embracing an alternative paradigm to resolving the impasse. In the aftermath of the Bende convening, the Deputy Speaker has continued ceaseless open and covert moves to ensure the release of Kanu as a key panacea to the resolution of the situation in the South East region.

The Deputy Speaker has held countless meetings with the leaders of Government and security organisations in the country to arrive at a consensus on the imperative to resolve the lingering crisis. One of the moves made by the Deputy Speaker was a pri-

vate meeting with Kanu during a visit to the Director-General of the Department of State Security, Alhaji Yusuf Magaji Bichi. During the meeting, the Deputy Speaker assured Kanu that efforts were in top gear to secure his release and in return, obtained a commitment from Kanu on the de-escalation of divisive rhetoric and postures which appear recalcitrant and inimical to efforts to release him. Kanu also vehemently condemned the spate of brigandage being carried out by anyone in his name or the name of his group – the IPOB – and expressed his sadness at the wanton loss of lives and livelihood in the region on account of his incarceration.

Kanu, while assuring of his commitment towards cooperating with the current administration for national unity, pledged his support for the activities of the Deputy Speaker and enthused that the current efforts being put in place to channel development to the South East, including the imminent signing of the South East Development Commission Bill, which has been passed into Law by both chambers of the National Assembly, bore hallmarks of his desire for equitable development of the South East region.

It is therefore gladdening and gratifying that major stakeholders in the South East region have ramped up the call for the release of Kanu.

A group of 50 Members of the House of Representatives led by the Member Representing Ikwuano/Umuahia Federal Constituency – Kanu’s Constituency – Hon. Obinna Aguocha, signed a letter to the President pleading for the release of the IPOB leader.

The South East Governors Forum also in the Communique issued at the end of their recent Meeting called for the release of Kanu.

Similarly, the Forum of South East Senators led by Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe also visited the AttorneyGeneral of the Federation, Lateef Fagbemi, SAN where they asked for an out of court resolution of the case against Kanu.

In tandem with the earlier Igbo proverb of collective action leading to greater results, there is no doubt that these renewed agitations will move the needle in the journey to resolving this crisis. The return of peace to the South East is a non-negotiable imperative and all hands must be on deck.

It must also be stated that the body language of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has tilted towards the resolution of the crisis. His delegation of the Vice President to represent him at the Bende Peace Declaration where his official speech was read and other public and private commitments he has made, gives credence to the belief that the resolution of the impasse is imminent.

Hart, a Member of the National Institute, writes from Abuja.

full article online - www.thisdaylive.com

Adams Oshiomole: Special Breed in National Assembly

A red ball is unmistakable amongst a stack of white balls. Such theory is universally accepted because of its validity. It’s inherent characteristics a major tool for distinction. From one generation to the other, humanity is graced with the presence of personalities worthy of citing analogies parallel to a distinct red ball amidst white ones. People who stand out amongst a vast majority in character, knowledge and competence. Step forward Senator Adams Oshiomole, former President of the Nigeria Labour Congress and former Governor of Edo State.

Worthy of induction into the rare breed of Human rights activist, Oshiomole has indeed paid his dues as an important cog in the mechanics of nation building. Having fought for the common man all his life as an activist, unjustly arrested and harassed by governments for standing for the poor and voiceless, Oshiomole has become a competent force in nation building and national impact.

Of course like that distinct red ball, his profile has placed him actively in the mix of governance for over 25 years with timely breaks spent even more noteworthy on the background scene. Having answered the call to play his part in the development of Edo State in critical moments, Oshiomole cemented his place as a renowned man of the people per excellence. Serving as National Chairman of the All Progressive Congress delivering Stability for the party in all fronts.

It is safe to assume that someone with such an impressive profile will at some point entertain that urge that all impact makers have. A desire to make impact on a greater level and at this point, the Senate is that next platform in view and rightly so.

Obviously well equipped with expertise and experience, he is indeed one personality that fits the billing. Like most well-meaning

activist, Oshiomole has taken his time to try and enumerate some of the excellent plans he has for the People of Edo North and Nigeria at every given leverage. Ultimately aiming to transform Nigeria into a national and global developmental beacon through legislation. In a recent interview, Oshiomole highlighted a broad spectrum of his plans and blueprint.

From a neutral stand point, it’s hard not to see the Intelligence, craftsmanship and workability of this blueprint. His offering to Nigerians as summarised in the proceeding paragraph.

“Good governance is essentially the efficient management of resources and accountability for the stewardship over those resources in a people-oriented manner. Development is about the people. So, my essential goal will be to factor the people into every government policy. have done some deep thinking and quite a lot of reading to conceptualise how Nigeria can be developed. I took time to read the development aspirations that drove some of the regions in Nigeria in the 1960s”

A perfect blending of the past with the realities of today is what Nigeria needs moving Forward≥

As a Senator for just a year now, Oshiomole’s passion for members of the Senate to get legislative issues right is well placed and definitely a requisite trait for all members. This has been consistently displayed in his superb opinion on very important issues like when he challenged the trivial voting on an issue as serious as a motion on penning the death penalty for drug trafficking for which the floor had initially echoed the usual “ay” or “nay” chorus for approval or disapproval. He unequivocally made it clear that issues like that should be treated with more personal responsibility, urging a proper vote by the members to ensure everyone is responsible for his or her submissions individually, as the motions moved with potentials to be made laws have a nationwide, albeit futuristic

impact and as such should be given the due level of personal diligence by each and every Senator rather than a trivial chorus of customary approval or disproval as the bang of the gavel signals the victors and movement to other issues.

Courageous is but one of the myriad terms that can aptly characterise the enigmatic Oshiomole. He is a stalwart individual unafraid to champion his beliefs and values, particularly when they align with the interests of the broader populace. Oshiomole cannot be silenced easily. This resoluteness has been evident on numerous occasions within the legislative chambers, such as his stance on the phrasing of the new national anthem. Here, he had advocated for the substitution of certain terms with more fitting alternatives to ensure national harmony and identity. For instance, he suggested replacing words like “tribe” with “ethnic” and “native land” with “father land,” amongst others.

His logic and reasoning behind these proposed changes are clear, a clarity that may have eluded some of his colleagues. Regrettably, the legislative process is rigorous, which is why the Senator remains unwavering in his approach. It is likely that we have not heard the final word from him on many pressing issues.

Oshiomhole’s resolute commitment to fiscal prudence is evident in his meticulous examination of budget proposals, as demonstrated by his critique of the Trade Minister’s budget proposal. He has persistently advocated for transparency and accountability in government expenditures, ensuring the efficient and effective utilization of public funds. His unwavering dedication to combatting corruption and inefficiency in public office is reflected in his efforts to uncover and rectify instances of malfeasance. Evidently, the former governor’s endeavors have significantly contributed to the anti-corruption drive in Nigeria, instilling hope for a more transparent and responsible government.

Some of his notable achievements over the past year in the senate include: Championing

significant legislative proposals - The Petroleum Industry Governance Bill (PIGB); the National Institute for Labour Studies Bill; the Nigerian Labour Force Migration Policy Bill; Exemplary supervisory work - exposed the illicit fuel subsidy scheme of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC); revealed the unauthorised expenditures of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN); Advocacy for labor rights -Advocated for the enactment of the National Minimum Wage Act; supported the approval of the Pension Reform Act etc. Through his philanthropic endeavors, Oshiomhole has positively impacted the lives of numerous Nigerians, particularly commuters on federal roads in Edo State and beyond. His commitment to enhancing the well-being of his constituents and the nation as a whole has garnered widespread admiration and esteem.

Allison Abanum writes from Yenagoa, Bayelsa State.

Kanu

Oshiomole

Allison Abanum

FEATURES

Empowering Women to Reduce Poverty

Kuni Tyessi

Friday, 21st of June, 2024, will remain indelible in the minds of Amina Tijjani and Blessing Akanbi, when help came their way through the Minister of Women Affairs, Uju Kennedy- Ohanenye. In a life changing event, the words, ’my life has been given back to me’ was the heart warming and humbling testimony of Amina who is one of the beneficiaries of the President Bola Ahmed Tinubu administration, particularly when attached to his mantra‘let the poor breath.’

Amina who had openly wept in what would be referred to as tears of joy could not, on the one hand, curtail her tears and excitement when the vehicle containing a kiosk drove into a busy shopping mall at Zone 5 in the Wuse neighbourhood of Abuja, and with a knowledge that the mobile shop belongs to her. On the other hand, looking at her social placement and exposure, she was humbled with the convoy of the Minister and the presence of the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Technical, Vocational and Entrepreneurship Education, Abiola Arogundade.

The mobile shop which was beautifully structured and encased with modern fittings including artificial green grass, work tools ranging from hair hand dryers and stretchers is also solar panel powered with charging point for phones and neatly painted with the Nigerian colours of green and white.

To distinguish it from others and to tell the story that it was freely given by the federal government as part of its empowerment scheme, it has logos telling the Nigerian story as well as the pictures of the President and the SSA. Aside the aforementioned is also a free POS machine.

Amina specialises in making all kinds of hair but unfortunately, due to lack of capital and assistance, she exposed herself daily to the sun in other to eke a living to sustain herself and her two children.

On the other hand, Blessing, who specialises in manicure and pedicure and at the same time a student, could hardly get any means of support for the purchase of equipment that would make her work easier and with the capacity to attract more customers.

Arogundade, it was revealed, had contacted the Minister to inform her that out of the several kiosks she had made through her office in line with technical and vocational training as well as skills acquisition and its sustainability, one of such had been dedicated to the Ministry of Women Affairs in pursuance of employment for women, apart from a N500,000 grant given to each beneficiary for the programme.

In her response to questions, Amina revealed that all through her life, she had never received a gift in that magnitude and quality.

According to her, “throughout my life, I’ve never been given so much and I wasn’t even expecting it. I am very happy. It has saved a lot and has saved me a lot.

“I am very happy and my life has been given back to me. That’s all I can say. I thank Mr. President and my mummy (Minister) here for making this to happen.”

The Minister stressed the need to empower more Nigerians, said all hands must be on the deck to ensure poverty alleviation.

Attesting that she knew Amina from nowhere until she heard her story and plight, the minister said: “She is a young girl in her 20s, but she suffers a lot. She makes hair under the sun and she makes everything concerning hair which she uses to take care of her children.

“Fortunately, when Abiola, the SSA to Mr. President called me, she said she has a kiosk she wants to give to me for the empowerment of women. She has given the sum of N500,000 to a lot of women and with this type of mobile shop.

“So, she dedicated one to the Federal Ministry of Women Affairs. Many get this and they go and sell it, so I thought of how to utilise it and I thought of Amina. The glory remains that of Mr. President and Abiola. “So when I said I’ll give Amina N150,000, she said she would give her same N500,000 she had been giving other women for empowerment. So, I decided to move the N150,000 to Blessing who makes nails.”

However, in giving a twist to the gift of a shop from the Presidency, the Minister said they couldn’t continue to guarantee the stay of Amina at the shopping mall as the property is not that of the federal government.

In addressing this challenge, the minister said: “If they chase her from here, she is free to relocate her shop to another place. We don’t own the mall, and so we can’t assure her of that. The assurance we have for her is that she owns this kiosk.”

Adding her voice to the turn of events in the lives of the two young ladies, the SSA to the President said: “For sustainability also, the people who built this (mobile shop) are sustained as maintenance agents. They will come from time to time to help in the maintenance of the kiosk.

“We have solar battery to make sure that everything is working.”

She went ahead to encourage the youths and business owners at the mall who are in need of training or an upgrade in their various vocations, who also want to be beneficiaries of the federal government programme to register through her office and await free training and starters kits, as well as grants.

It is hoped that many more youths, particularly women would be reached and touched just like Amina and Blessing, to help address the country’s high unemployment rate.

Repositioning Nigeria’s Economy: The Alaro City Example

Charles Ilechukwu

As a developing economy, Nigeria needs the component of Foreign Direct Investments (FDIs) to complement local efforts, in order to achieve the desired objective of economic stability for improvement of the standard of living of the people. Despite concerted efforts that have been made by successive administrations to encourage local production of goods and items that are consumed in the country, there still remains a yawning gap that needs to be filled by FDIs, if the country is to achieve its objective of a developed economy.

The issue of FDIs and their catalytic role in a country’s economic growth came up for discussion at a one-day Trade Summit organised recently by Alaro City Free Zone, in Lagos. The event brought together key stakeholders including policymakers and private sector operators, to discuss ways in which Nigeria could be repositioned to become a production economy, rather than a consumptionbased one, which has so far defined our very existence as a nation.

My takeaway from the one-day event was that now, more than ever, Nigeria must focus on production for export, in addition to meeting the needs of its growing population. This shift is particularly crucial as the world moves away from fossil fuels – the cornerstone of the country’s economy. Free trade zones would play a critical role in driving the production level required to enable Nigeria to make an impact not just in Africa, but on the world stage. This is even more important as the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) – potentially the largest market on the planet with an estimated 1.3 billion people – comes into existence.

As conversations centre around repositioning the Nigerian economy to be production-driven with an eye on export, Alaro City is arguably the country’s best and most attractive investment location today. Rendevour, Africa’s largest private city builder, appear to have realised the

crucial role of free zones in Nigeria’s quest to become a production economy. This is evident by the fact that Alaro City claims to be the most business-friendly Free Trade Zone in the country.

The city is planned to be built on 2,000 hectares of land within the Northwest Quadrant of the Lekki Free Zone and equipped with critical infrastructure like good access roads, 24-hour electricity from a privately-owned 100 megawatts-capacity power plant, water capacity of one million litres per day, Information and Communication Technology (ICT), a central sewage and drainage system, and gas and dark fibre infrastructure. It has all the trappings of a modern free zone.

Alaro City’s readiness to lead Nigeria’s transition from an import-dependent economy to an export-driven one, is evident in its rapid growth; in just five years, it has become home to over 70 private sector organisations of different sizes and capacities. These include globally renowned brands, including Mantrac (Caterpillar) and HMD, along with one of Nigeria’s leading indigenous conglomerates, the BUA Group. This speaks volumes about investors’ faith in the city.

The decision by Ariel Foods, a major therapeutic food supplier for UNICEF, to set up shop in Alaro City is a testament to the integrity and credibility of Rendeavour, which has expanded outside Nigeria with presence in four other African countries: Ghana, Tanzania, Democratic Republic of the Congo, and Kenya.

Managing Director of Ariel Foods, Dhiren Chandaria, spoke of how he took a gamble and ignored advice against coming to Nigeria, based on negative perceptions of the country. Instead, he decided visit the country, and Alaro City in particular, after being convinced by Managing Director of Rendeavour, Yomi Ademola.

It is a gamble that has paid off, handsomely. Ariel Foods is not only reaping the benefits of operating in Alaro City; from its 28,000 square-meter plant, it has turned Nigeria from a net importer to a net exporter

of therapeutic foods, exporting to 26 countries around the world.

Chandaria’s testimony could not offer a better endorsement of Nigeria, and Alaro City in particular, as an investment destination. With more business leader like Chandaria being convinced of the conduciveness of the Nigerian environment, by the day, the achievement of an economic paradigm shift is more likely than ever before.

One of the advantages Alaro City enjoys as an early bird is that it sits within vicinity of landmark projects that will change the business landscape of Nigeria’s economic nerve centre – the new Lekki International Airport, the Fourth Mainland Bridge, the Lekki Deep Sea Port, and the Dangote Refinery and Petrochemical plants.

As AfCFTA comes into operation, Alaro City offers opportunities for Nigerian manufacturers wishing to be part of the effort to reposition the country’s economy and place it on the pedestal of production. For example, companies operating in this area enjoy zero per cent corporate income tax, exemption from the value-added tax, and withholding tax on dividends. With the tax exemptions, there is a guarantee of up to a 43 per cent annual increase in profitability. The opportunities also include duty-free importation of raw materials, machinery, and equipment. Additionally, working with a construction company registered in the free zone saves a production company up to 25 per cent in production costs.

For organisations operating in Alaro City, logistics issues are greatly minimised, if not eliminated entirely. The Lekki Deep Sea Port and proposed international airport provide gateways to the world, while the expansive road network associated with those two projects allows organisations to enjoy the benefits of easy access to local and international markets.

For Nigeria, the journey to becoming a production economy may have just begun.

Ilechukwu, a public affairs analyst, lives in Lagos.

POLITY

Study Advocates Enshrinement of Rights of Children, Improved Correctional Homes

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Professor Iyabode Ogunniran, of the Faculty of Law, University of Lagos, has called for urgent attention towards catering for the needs of the nation’s huge number of children estimated at 110 million.

Ogunniran, an expert in child justice administration, cited former American President, who described children as a nation’s most valuable resource,

She made the call while delivering a report on the study of training and treatment of children in the approved children’s institutions in Lagos State.

Ogunniran, who is Founder and Executive Director, Voice of The Child Law Centre, decried the inadequacy and neglect of approved children’s correctional institutions nationwide, observing that there was paucity of physical resources in children’s correctional facilities for Nigerian children. The study carried under the auspices of the Voice of the Child Law Centre, examined the state of facilities, management of children and human resource proficiency in the six approved children’s correctional institutions in Lagos State.

Children correctional institutions which were studied include: Children Centre, Children Correctional Centre for Girls and the Special Children Correctional for Girls all at Idiaraba. Other centres covered by the study include: Children Correctional Centre for Junior Boys, Birrel, Yaba,

Special Children Correctional Centre for Boys, Oregun and Correctional Centre for Senior Boys in Isheri.

Ogunniran examined, among others, the demography of children at the centres, state of treatment or training to meet the needs of the children and the welfare of children in those centres. She commended Lagos State for being clearly atop in the nation, when it comes to the administration of justice for children. She applauded the State for ensuring that children in the facilities were well fed in relatively good environ. These she attributed to provision by the state government, corporate social responsibility by corporate bodies and contributions from good spirited members of the public.

She also commended interventionists, some of who decide to sponsor some of the children to institutions of higher learning.

She observed and thus called for strategic winning collaboration rather than harmful rivalry among those who lend a helping hand in caring for children in those institutions.

She opined that there would be great gain, should the correctional centres avail the children internet facilities for their education and vocational studies for eventual reintegration to the society.

The launch attracted people from all works of life including the Chairman, Council of Legal Education, Chief Emeka Ngige; representative UNICEF, Mr. Dennis Onoise; Member Board of Trustees, Voice of the Child Law Centre, Mrs. Taba Peterside; the Director of Public Prosecution, Lagos State, Dr. Babajide

Martins; Justice of the Lagos State High Court, Hon Justice Latifat Folami, Justice Serifat Solebo (Rtd), Legal Practitioners as Mrs. Toyin Bashorun, SAN of Churchfields Solicitors, and Dr. Solomon Aigbavboa of the Redeemed Christian church of God.

Addressing participants at the presentation of the study report, Ngige commended the scholarly delivery by the author and promised support and future collaboration. Onoise, was salutary of several scholarly contributions of Ogunniran to the Administration of justice for Children. He indicated the willingness of UNICEF to bridge some of the gaps that the study report had identified.

He advocated discretionary handling of the administration of justice for children noting that some children find themselves in prison or get detained in police stations against the letters of the law. According to him, “some children who stole N100 or N200 to buy bread because of hunger get taken to court and get sentenced.”

At the event, Mr. Viavonu Folorunsho, a representative of the State Commissioner for Youth and Social Development, Mobolaji Ogunlende, revealed that the ministry was committed to the positive upbringing of children at correctional facilities, ensuring that their rights are protected and that they get better on reintegration to the larger society.

Also addressing the event, Lagos State Director of Public Prosecutions, Dr. Babajide Martins, called for a delineation between children who are at conflict with the law and those to be protected because of their vulnerability.

He enthused the efficacy his team had deployed to the administration of justice. He disclosed that the department employs the internet in service delivery and that certainly, enforcement child rights will always be in purview.

FG Commends CCECC on Human Capital Development

in Abuja

The federal government has commended the China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation (CCECC) on its commitment to bridging the skills gap as well aiding the country’s development.

Minister of Transportation, Senator Said Alkali, handed the commendation as the corporation also offered automatic jobs to 190 Nigerians who graduated from its skills acquisition initiative under CCECC Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) programme.

The minister at the welcome ceremony for the graduates, noted that the company’s efforts were in line with the federal government’s National Local Content Policy for Railway development He said, “This policy emphasises the involvement of competent local engineers, technicians, and craftsmen in railway projects, ensuring knowledge transfer and technical participation through training and apprenticeship programmes.

“The graduates, who specialised in railway and other transportation-related fields, are now set to play pivotal roles in Nigeria’s growing transportation sector.

“The CCECC has not only sponsored their education but is also committed to securing job opportunities within the company.

“This commitment reflects CCECC’s broader goal of integrating technical know-how and fostering industrial cooperation in Nigeria.” Alkali further expressed confidence in the graduates’ ability to contribute meaningfully to the development of the country’s transportation industry, and challenged them to leverage their newly acquired skills and knowledge to drive economic growth and modernisation. In his remarks, Chairman, CCECC Nigeria Limited, Mr. Jason Zhang, noted that the students had participated in the cooperation programme between the CCECC, the federal government, and Chang’an University.

He said the graduates had embarked on a remarkable quest for knowledge, growth, and cultural exchange, adding that their commitment to education and the pursuit of excellence had been duly rewarded.

He said, “It is a momentous occasion that fills us with immense

pride and joy as we witness the fruits of their hard work, determination, and the generous support extended to them by CCECC, the government and the university.

Noting that education remained the foundation upon which great nations are built, Zang said CCECC’s efforts to foster the intellectual development of Nigerian students had been a rewarding experience for both the company and the country.

He noted that during the implementation of the programme, the, “company spared no effort in sponsoring these young people, and now the company is working hard to secure job opportunities. “In this process, CCECC has not only empowered these young people but has also contributed to the overall development of this great nation.”

Furthermore, he said CCECC had been actively playing an important role in fulfilling its corporate social responsibility by donating at least 10 school buildings to the local communities and establishing the Federal University of Transportation in Daura, Katsina State, to assist the technical knowhow transfer and capability building in the country.

Osanipin: Lanre Shittu’s Strength in Pickups, Trucks, Ready to Support Vehicles with Sufficient

The Director General of National Automotive Design and Development Council (NADDC), Mr. Joseph Osanipin, has expressed satisfaction with Lanre Shittu Motors (LSM) for choosing to manufacture pickups and trucks where it has comparative advantage.

He also commended LSM for focusing on compressed natural gas (CNG)-powered vehicles.

The NADDC Director General stated this after inspecting the LSM auto assembly plant in Lagos, where he was taken through the process of putting the JAC truck components together, as well as the conversion of LSM pickups to run on CNG.

Osanipin said, “I’m very impressed with what I saw here. Lanre Shittu Motors has picked where its strength is – the pickups and trucks.

“I’m also impressed by their human capital development. We have seen the training facility and capacity. We also saw the spare parts. It means they are ready to support their vehicles

“I have seen capacity and ability to meet the demand of the market. What we have seen here, I’m not too surprised because Lanre Shittu Motors has been there over the years.”

He expressed satisfaction with the state of Lanre Shittu auto assembly plant and the volume of work being carried out there.

About 95 per cent of the workers engaged

at both truck and pickup sections of the plant are Nigerians.

On the preparedness of the auto industry for the CNG-powered vehicles, he said, “From

my assessment of what the LSM is doing, it means the assemblers are ready for the CNG vehicle initiative.”

He urged Nigerians to embrace the initiative,

looking at the safety measures being put in place here at LSM, it shows we are ready for CNG. The next set of conversions to be done here will be the trucks.”

The Managing Director of Lanre Shittu Motors, Mr. Taiwo Shittu said the company placed a premium on after-sale support, with over N2 billion worth of spare parts in its store.

“For any vehicle or auto brand to survive in Nigeria, after-sale support is very important.

“We have been the sole distributor in Nigeria for many brands, including MAN and JAC. Having passed through this stage, we understand that no vehicle brand can make any headway in the country without adequate parts.

“A lot of made-in-Nigeria vehicles failed in the past because the handlers did not realise survive,” he said.

He said they had delivered some CNGpowered mass transit buses for the shuttle at the airport.

He said LSM could do six units daily, adding CNG-powered vehicles shortly after the removal of fuel subsidy by the Federal Government and went straight into it.

He said, “We know from our knowledge industry – that once the fuel subsidy is removed, the next option is the CNG. So we went straight into CNG vehicles.

Cedric Masters Group Committed to Tinubu’s Pi-CNG Initiative, Says Ilekuba

The Chairman and Chief Executive of Cedric Masters Group, Amselm Ilekuba, has reiterated their commitment to convert internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles to run on Compressed Natural Gas (CNG), considered cheaper and cleaner.

Ilekuba stated that CNG is new in Nigeria, and that Cedric Masters Group was lucky to

Ilekuba made this commitment when he received the Director General of the National Automotive Design and Development Council (NADDC), Joseph Osanipin, and his team on a facility tour of the upcoming local automobile assembly plant located along the Lekki-Ajah Expressway, Lagos, recently

The chairman said he would create huge employment for Nigerians with other positive businesses, adding that, in collaboration with his technical team, transfer the CNG Conversion skill he acquired at the CNG Centre in Houston, Texas, to his technical team. “This is one of the core areas that will generate massive jobs for the people,” he said.

The NADDC DG, Joseph Osanipin, accom-

Carloha Nigeria, the sole importer and franchise holder of Chery, on Thursday, unveiled the Chery ultra-modern and smart showroom inside the Ikeja City Mall in Lagos.

The unveiling of the showroom, an exciting new addition to the mall, turned out to be another day of celebration, and a huge success, with the grand attendance of customers, partners, and stakeholders in the automotive business.

According to the Sales and Marketing Director, Mr. Joseph Omokhapue, the major reason why Carloha opened the Chery Showroom in Ikeja City Mall is to maximise the proximity to the Lagos State Government house, as well as harness the business opportunity therein, and more importantly bring automotive solutions

on Monday this week embarked on a tour of some auto assembly plants in the South-west.

Cedric Masters Group is a conglomerate that is also into automobile and component parts. The company manufactures component parts from its facility in the South-east while for proximity and business expansion purposes, it is setting up its assembly plant in Lagos.

Cedric Autos got the assembly license with a clear mandate from the NADDC to start rolling out locally assembled vehicles from the plant within 18 months.

Ilekuba expressed delight over the visit by the auto assembly regulatory government agency, adding that the physical construction of the plant, the cable laying were in progress.

According to him, “I am happy that they have come today to see how far we have gone with the physical construction, the cable laying, the equipment and every other facility has started coming. What we are waiting for now is the installation of all this equipment by our foreign partners.”

The full set of state-of-the-art automobile assembly equipment to be installed are lift with Solenoid unlock, scissor lift, four post automatic tyre changer, wheel balancer, air

conditioning handling system and screw air compressor complete set-split type.

Others are movable manual hydraulic jack, foldable shop crane, transmission jack, hand

cargo

and

and

tives of making vehicle ownership easy and any Chery vehicle in the month of July, and get 5% discount on any Chery vehicle of 2 pro and Arrizo 5 respectively.

According to Omokhapue, “The showroom at Ikeja City Mall is a hub for automobile lovers to explore the advantage of Chery innovative technology.”

sleek and stylish Chery vehicles on display in the showroom. The showroom was buzzed with excitement as attendees mingled and enjoyed refreshments while learning more “We are grateful for the overwhelming support from everyone who attended the launch event, and we look forward to welcoming even more customers to our showroom in the coming days.”

machine, paint spray booth, rear axle distribution rack,

lift, component of rain test (water nozzle

booster pump)

forklift.

L-R: MD, Cedric Masters Group, Ngozi Ilekuba; Director General, NADDC, Joseph Osanipin; Chairman/CEO, Cedric Masters Group, Chief Anselm Ilekuba, during the NADDC’s tour of the Cedric Masters Group’s ongoing auto assembly facility in Lagos… recently

Centre Manager of Ikeja City Mall, Mr. Oladipo Dada; CEO, Carloha Global Office, Mr. Liang Long, Chairman, Nigeria Auto Journalists Association (NAJA), Mike Ochonma; Managing Director of Carloha Nigeria, Mr. Sola Adigun; and Managing Director of HD Motors, Mr. Henry Chimezie George, during the cutting of ribbon at the launch of the Chery ultra-modern and smart Showroom, inside the Ikeja Mall, Lago… recently

L-R: Director General of National Automotive Design and Development Council, Mr. Joseph Osanipin; and Managing Director of Lanre Shittu Motors (LSM), Mr. Taiwo Shittu, during the DG’s inspection of LSM’s auto assembly plant in Lagos… recently

to our target audience in Ikeja community. He further stressed on Carloha’s initia-

Bennett Oghifo

YOU are welcome to our language clinic where diagnosis and therapy are free: “Proposed Labour Bill, affront on (to) our psyche—NLC, TUC” Please do not allow the hard times to affect your grammaticality!

“…spent time to visit the state, assess the projects, interact and felt (feel) the pulse of the people….”

“The three institutions are still in Ijebuland and they are, in fact, few kilometers apart.” (Back Page Guest Columnist) Joining the TASUED debate: there is a distinction between ‘a few’ (which correctly applies here) and ‘few’ (wrongly used in the extract).

Last week’s edition of THE NATION ON SUNDAY goofed in defence of freedom: “The South African government may have apologized for the deportation of 125 Nigerians, but the country’s citizens harbor deep-seated opened (open) animosity towards Nigerians.”

“A delegate of the PDP in Ogun State… slumped and died in the early hours of Thursday in an hotel in Abeokuta, the state capital.” (THE PUNCH, July 10) This is certainly the old school genre. New class: a hotel.

“Police absolves security agencies of electoral fraud” It would be astounding for the Nigeria Police to indict fellow state gangsters! And, of course: police absolve (not absolves).

THE PUNCH OPINION pages of July 4 and 10 circulated some unpardonable mistakes: “…even if it means going extra miles….” I will go the extra mile (note the fixed expression) to ensure that this column appears unfailingly every week.

“And like (as) someone said recently….”

‘Roam About’ Incorrect Remembering A Nation

While rummaging through my old files and folders, I stumbled upon this lamentation written in the Counterpoint column of 26 November, 1996. It was titled ‘A Nation Without Tomorrow ‘. It was published about two years after the criminal pogroms that ravaged the small Central African country, Rwanda. With a population estimated at less than 12 million as at 2016, Rwanda is perhaps the fourth smallest country in mainland Africa, and is also landlocked. It stopped oozing blood and gore in 1994, at the cessation of a vicious civil war between the majority Hutus and the Tutsis.

Twenty eight years ago, the future looked gloomy, and threadbare for Rwanda, and neighbouring countries that felt the shocking spillovers of the bloody affairs. Incredibly, we have seen again and again, the redemptive dynamics of humanity that propel us to resist extinction by digging deep within our ancestral core, and reinventing our lands and resources. Today, Rwanda has bounced back - though not yet Uhuru, nor Eldorado - the signs of recuperation and revitalisation are steady, and encouraging.

Beyond the pale of self-inflicted atrocities, the people of Rwanda are learning to live together in peace, tolerance and mutual understandingshowing their bigger African brothers and sisters the undying essence of the truism: when there is life, surely there is hope…and opportunity for progress and success.

But it didn’t seem likely in 1996 when the following piece was written. Join me to recollect:

“A sob. Uncontrolled and unstoppable. A tear. Lonely and strange. These

“…in the evacuation of dead bodies to mortuary.” On a clinical note: corpses instead of ‘dead bodies’ and a/the mortuary or mortuaries, depending on the fact of the matter. By the way, would it have been ‘living bodies’? A rewrite: in the evacuation of bodies to the mortuary.

“…as well as condoning the place and evacuating the dead and survivors to nearest health facilities.” Bomb blasts and conflicting figures: cordoning off (take note of the spelling and correct entry) the place.

“There seems (seem) to be stiff competitions among the foreign media and local press as well as….”

“…politicians are also culprits in overheating the system with provocative statements in blaming their opponents over (for) every misdeed.”

“…the likely antics of masquerades (masqueraders) behind some of those disasters when one juxtaposes the scenario to the general elections.”

Additionally: more schoolboy infelicities from the mass media: “Baring few skirmishes which regrettably led to the death of four persons….” An anatomy of the season of linguistic violence: there is a world of distinction between ‘a few’ (which correctly applies here) and ‘few’, which connotatively suggests an expectation of more skirmishes—except if the writer has a weird denotative inclination towards potentialities for more skirmishes! Otherwise, the extract is lexically absurd because of his regret.

“Just imagine a young man that rounded up his apprenticeship as a welder.” This is an indication of the

current malaise in scholarship: a situation where a lecturer cannot distinguish between phrasal verbs, ‘round up’ and ‘round off’ (which correctly situates here), portends disaster.

“Will anybody please let us know which country became a super-power by allowing its best brains to roam about the world?”

‘Roam’ encompasses ‘about’.

“News from the universities are no longer about innovation.…” News is news (uncountable).

“The condition, which is said to be due to an abnormality in either the number or structure of the chromosomes, cuts across every races.” Get it right: every race or all races.

“Janet, a twelve-year-old and the third child of her parents’ four offsprings and the only one with the problem….” ‘Offspring’ is non-count.

“Since 1993, funding of oil exploration have (has) been beset by different levels of problems.”

“In answering this question we classify the outcomes into long term and short term implications.” The greatest problem of journalists: unnecessary embellishment (outcome) of words.

“This is clearly a danger signal as the time between discovering an oil field and commercially putting it on stream could be between four to five years.” No analysis: between four and five or from four to five years.

“THISDAY checks reveal that every termination penalties goes from 500,000 US dollars to 2 million US dollars”. Check the discord as already discussed above.

“Lack of funds cripple waste management activities” (Headline) Another error of attraction: Lack of funds cripples.

“Nevertheless, the donor country is also interested in this decision to ensure that the loan is repaid as at when due with its accrued

interest.” Without any periscope: the loan is repaid when due (not ‘as at when due’, which is pleonastic).

“Government should consider the destructive effect that further delay in the sale of the three nationalized banks would mete out on the banking system.” Stock phrase: mete out to (not on) the banking system.

“If the family cannot truely relish at least a decent piece of meat….” Spelling counts and garnishes a sentence: truly.

“A man does not have to be a money bag (sic) before he can dress well and look charming in his own little way.” Brighten up your English language usage: A man does not have to be a moneybags…. ‘Moneybag’ is a sac!

“…in addition to dispensing drugs for immediate relief and giving counsel on the steps necessary to prevent a reoccurrence.” Good grammar: recurrence.

“The arsonists usually escape with their loot as the embattled market lays in ashes, leaving many traders terminally ruined financially.” There should be no dilemma: ‘lays’ for ‘lies’?

“If somebody had told me when I met with late Dr. Ernest Ogunade shortly before his death that it was going to be the last encounter with him.…” The first and only time when I met (not with) the (vital article) late Dr. Ogunade he commended this column as published in the heyday of Daily Times profusely. May his cerebral soul continue to rest in peace (not ‘perfect peace’ as abused in Nigeria)!

“I still remember vividly that when it was my turn to speak at the occasion….” I thought we had gone past this stage: on (never at) the occasion.

twin-mascara of emotions powdered my conscience. I sobbed and a tiny guilty tear dropped - from where, I couldn’t imagine. I was glued to a special CNN coverage of the waste in Central Africa entitled Refugees of Rwanda and Crisis in Central Africa. They were brown-black like me, with deep stentorian features, like me, and I dare say, like you. Full of fear, hunger, pain and destined towards nowhere, the people of Rwanda, thousands of kilometres away from our consciousness, have been trekking to and from their homelands, flooding into violent forests and murderous refugee camps. And this has been going on for three years!

The world knew, the United Nations knew, the so-called vanguards of human rights and maestroes of civilisation knew that the minority Tutsis of Rwanda have been killing the majority Hutus who are unfortunately misplaced in the balance of political power sharing. And that in violent retaliations, the Hutus have also massacred Tutsis - and the ding-dong pendulum of genocide and infanticide has never since ceased to swing.

The world knew and only coughed. Before Rwanda became the world’s worst humanitarian outrage, our world saw the spectacle as a bizarre television soap opera produced and directed by CNN, Sky News and other multi-national news networks for the viewing pleasure of the more privileged. And we nodded our symbolic sympathy. Before Rwandans began to die in an unprecedented orgy of pain and mindless carnage; the world, our world, knew that the keg would explode - and we did nothing. We simply sympathised. The President of the United States of America, Bill Clinton, told a shocked world only recently that

the world’s worst catastrophe is now in Rwanda (especially, within the once scenic plains of Goma, Zaire) where one soul is lost every minute.

And his government is still busy setting up command-structure and negotiations with Uganda. Perhaps, he still does not appreciate the gargantuan dehumanisation playing out in Central Africa. Sir, what you mean is that 1,440 souls are dying every bleak leaderless day.

But the world which ignores the bestiality of Rwanda to cackle with the spurts of communal distractions in Haiti, Bosnia Herzegovina, Somalia, Afghanistan, Nigeria, etc., is a wicked world. Two years ago, Rwandan leadership and its fighters and thugs needed the reprimands and spanking of a God-fearing and visionary world - the world, our world, kept quiet. Two years ago, valiant members of Doctors Without Borders, Care, World Relief, and other aid organisations, cried and warned about the breakdown of life and law; they begged and prodded the world to take a critical look at the devastation wrecking the tiny Central African countries of Burundi and Rwanda. But the world shut her eyes - minding her own business. Suddenly, barely ten days ago, the United Nations dropped its politics of one-eyedness and self-importance; America suddenly became less lyrical and evasive; Europe got besmeared with guilt. And Africa? Of course, the sleeping giant sleeps on.

Dear Nigerians, if you have seen the picture of pain in Rwanda; if you have read the prose of perdition about Rwanda; if you’ve heard the tale of terror in Rwanda, please, pause to pray for the souls of the dead and the dying. Pray for the survival of the living dead: pray, pray, and then DO something. In Nigeria, there are agen-

cies that can identify your concerns, and channel your gifts - cash, materials or medicine to the shattered souls of Rwanda. The UNHCR (United Nations High Commission for Refugees), (late) Ambassador Segun Olusola’s African Refugees Foundation (AREF), the Red Cross, etc., have offices in Lagos, and will be glad to assist your efforts.

Yes, Nigeria and Nigerians have their own problems. We know; and we thank God that many of us still hope for a better tomorrow. In Rwanda the nation and its peoples have no tomorrow. For them today is uncertain. Deaths in several vessels arrest their spirit and quest for peace and home.

In Goma, in Kigali, in Bujumbura - the common sight is not sunlight, it’s not Santa Claus, it’s not Christmas trees; it’s not laughing kids; not stately elders and nubile maidens. No. Not in Kigali, not in Bujumbura; certainly not in Goma. In those red-ribboned towns, only faint remembrances of good neighbourliness, of joyful expectations, of family merriment possess their choleric thoughts.

Not any more the joy of a father receiving the welcoming wails of his children; not any more the nagging fondness of wives taken for granted; not anymore the raucous banters in neighbourhood beer parlours. In Rwanda, in Burundi and the border towns of Zaire, the most common sight is death, cholera, missing fathers, fatherless babies, bloated field of corpses, dying mothers, fatigued doctors and a huge hopeless hole in the shameful face of the world.”

STAFF CLINIC REOPENING…

UN Decorates Mbah as SDG Champion, Says Enugu Laudable Model for Africa

The United Nations Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator in Nigeria, Mohamed Malick Fall, has decorated the Governor of Enugu State, Dr. Peter Mbah, as a Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) champion, describing his leadership as the model that Nigeria, the UN, and Africa need.

Fall said Africa was tired of wars and other depressing stories, hence

the need to celebrate and support leadership models anywhere on the continent that show the vision, drive, discipline, rigorous planning, and improved efficiency to change the narratives and inspire hope.

The UN chief, who was on a working visit to the Government House, Enugu, yesterday, where he met with the state’s Executive Council and had an interactive session with the media, acknowledged the difficulty

faced by the international community in meeting up with their commitments to the people, regretted that with only six years left to attain the SDGs by 2030, many nations, including Nigeria, still struggle with the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).

“We are fed up with having states (nations) that keep having problems in conflicts and fighting. That is why every success recorded here (in Enugu) will come to change the narrative about

Nigeria and Africa, and we will all be proud of it.

“I think in these difficulties and a very gloomy backdrop, there are still leaders, who go out of their ways and try to bring well-being for their people. I think those should be showcased to create a kind of healthy competition, and create a blueprint for other leaders.

“That is why this (Mbah’s) leadership galvanised me. I have found exactly what we need in the

Abia Poised to Sack Workers with Fake

Certificates, Service Record Alterations

Says 6,000 ghost workers removed from payroll

Emmanuel Ugwu-Nwogo in Umuahia

Abia State government has indicated that workers found culpable in the ongoing certificate and service records verification exercise would be sacked.

Commissioner for Finance, Mr. Mike Akpara, dropped the hint while speaking on a radio programme, 'Open Parliament' monitored in Umuahia on Family Love FM.

He said that about 6,000 workers were removed from government

payroll in the previous verification exercise carried out to ascertain the actual number of civil/public servants on government employment.

The commissioner explained that the government embarked on the certificate verification exercise following a discovery that there were cases of people that used fake certificates to secure jobs in the Abia civil service.

He also stated that there were rampant cases of age falsification and alterations of service records by

civil servants in order to prolong their stay on government employment, thereby blocking the chances of creating jobs.

Akpara declared that those found guilty of involvement in malpractices would certainly be offloaded from Abia workforce as the present administration would not tolerate any malfeasance.

He noted that the previous administration had done a verification exercise and discovered the plethora

of malpractices in the workforce but could not sack the culprits.

According to him, the culprits were left off the hook when the then governments discovered that most of those affected were from a particular section of the state.

"But now a Daniel has come to judgement. They have to go," he said, adding that those sacked over malpractices could even be prosecuted and made to refund the salaries they had earned from government.

HerAfCFTA: UNDP Donates $1m Seed Investment to Fund Initiative

The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) has officially unveiled the HerAfCFTA initiative in Nigeria along with an announcement of a donation of a seed investment of $1 million to fund the initiative.

The United Nations Assistant Secretary-General and Director of the UNDP Regional Bureau for Africa, Ms. Ahunna Eziakonwa, at the launch in Lagos, said the initiative underscored the importance of collective effort in securing a prosperous future for women

in the unified African market.

"This is just a seed investment.

We are going to invite many more partners to invest in this initiative, as the plan is to provide support for women-owned SMEs, direct support to 300 women-owned SMEs through comprehensive trade readiness and capacity development programmes.

“This vital component will be implemented in collaboration with the Women's Chamber of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture, and

also our sister agency, UN Women.”

A 2022 report by UN Women, UNDP and the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) Secretariat highlighted significant challenges faced by women small business owners, with 31.9 per cent reporting violence or aggression, particularly in informal cross-border trade, of which 70 per cent is carried out by women. HerAfCFTA is dedicated to enhancing trade and investment with a particular focus on empowering women and youth

owned businesses.

"There will be catalytic funding to Women Chambers of Commerce, industry and Mines and Agriculture to advance a pipeline of investment-ready businesses. We hope to have catalytic funds to UN Women to support growth of women-owned businesses.

“We are also seeking partnership with the Nigeria Postal Services, to repurpose selected post centers into one-stop shops for access to public services.

NEAPS 2024 Awards Based on Empirical Evidence

Bennett Ogifo

President Bola Tinubu has stated that all the 44 award winners at the 2024 Nigerian Excellence Awards in Public Service (NEAPS) held recently were picked based on empirical evidence of performance and not politics.

of Performance, Says Tinubu

The NEAPS 2024 was a collaboration involving a private firm, The Best Strategic PR (TBS), and the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (OSGF), to recognise excellent public service delivery. The President who was speaking during the presentation of the awards, said the winners were recognised for their giant strides towards the transformation of Nigeria and that they had consistently put hard work and dedication at the centre of their

initiatives.

Tinubu, who was represented by Vice President Kashim Shettima, said he was delighted to witness the second edition of NEAPS, and thanked TBS led by Ms. Mariam Mohammed, “for this initiative and for deploying one of the best indices to determine the level of performance of Public Officers.”

Tinubu added: “I know that Public Officers will be challenged

to perform above board now that they know they are being monitored by the people. Public Service is a public trust where officers and even employees must be accountable to the people whom they should always serve with utmost responsibility, integrity, loyalty and efficiency. They are expected to act with patriotism and think out of the box in order to solve the many problems facing the people which they lead.”

African continent and in the United Nations,” he said.

He further expressed happiness that several of the present set of state governors give cause for hope and should be supported.

“We have governors that are younger. You have governors that are extremely committed. You have governors, who have their hands on the deck. You have governors, who have such a good appetite for improving the wellbeing of their people and I think Enugu is one of those examples.”

The UN chief commended in

particular Governor Mbah’s strides in education, healthcare, water and other critical sectors, noting the governor’s ability to block leakages and waste to improve efficiency in a very short time.

“We had a conversation around education, around health, around social protection and how to alleviate poverty, how to support women who spend their day struggling to earn a little to bring back to their families, how to support civil servants, whose salaries cannot cope with the price increase the country is facing.

Nigeria's First 100% Motivational TV Channel Achieves Milestone After 18-year Journey

After a nearly two-decade journey of unwavering vision and tenacity, The Achievement Channel has officially received its broadcast license, marking a historic moment as Nigeria's first and only 100 per cent motivational television channel by the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC).

Founder Ubong Essien, Nigeria's first Certified Speaking Professional, envisioned the channel in 2006.

"This licence is a mandate to inspire and empower every Nigerian," Essien, fondly known as Mister Motivator, said. "The Achievement Channel proves that dreams, no matter how long the pursuit, are worth chasing."

The channel will broadcast

a diverse array of motivational, educational, and empowering content aimed at fostering a 'can-do' spirit across the nation. Viewers can expect transformative stories, expert advice, and a vibrant community of like-minded achievers.

"This is a victory for everyone who believes in the power of dreams," Essien added. "Our programming is designed to turn those dreams into reality, one step at a time, especially during challenging times."

The official launch date will be announced soon. The Achievement Channel invites all Nigerians to join this extraordinary journey of growth and empowerment.

Markson

The University of Warwick, United Kingdom, has awarded Bayelsaborn, Cherish Daniel Markson, a first prize for her exceptional performance in the three-year BA (Hons) Law with Social Sciences degree programme.

Cherish, who graduated as the best law graduate at the University of Warwick, is the daughter of a former Commissioner for Information and Orientation in Bayelsa State, Daniel Iworiso-Markson.

In a congratulatory letter signed by the Director of Undergraduate Studies, School of Law, Dr. Margaret O'Brien, the institution said Cherish scored the highest mark of all students "on this most demanding of all courses" and was awarded the sum of two hundred and fifty pounds prize money.

"You have been awarded First Prize for your performance in threeyear BA (Hons) Law with Social Sciences degree at the University of Warwick. You achieved a Second Class; Higher Division Degree

with an overall average of 67.3 per cent. This was the highest mark of all students on this most demanding courses. A record of your prize-winner status will be added to your HEAR transcript. Your prize of £250 will be paid directly into your bank account," the letter read in part.

Dike Onwuamaeze

L-R: Capt, MD/CEO Aero Contractors,Capt, Ado Sanusi; Staff Nurse, Aero Contractors, Jennifer Emmanuel; CEO, Paelon Memorial Hospital, Dr. Ngozi Onyia, Matron, Erimma Nwanmah; COO, Mrs Unoma Grant, and CFO, Aero Contractors, Charles Grant, at the reopening of Aero Contractors staff clinic which held at the airline's office in Lagos...recently

GLOBAL SOCCER

GLOBAL SOCCER

Enofiong Udo-Obong Blazing the Trail

Nigeria has had several of its renowned athletes exported abroad but exporting her coaches had been somewhat of a jinx,but this is a barrier former Olympic gold medalist,Enefiok UdoObong has broken after he was recently appointed theTechnicalAdvisor to the Kingdom of SaudiArabiaAthletic Development Programme,becoming the firstAfrican to head a foreign country’sAthletics federation.The Calabar-born quarter miler told KunleAdewale how he beat anAmerican,twoAustralians and two Britons to the job.Flowing from Nigeria’s poor preparations to the 2024 Paris Olympic Games, he predicted the country can only win three medals at the Games and voiced his opinion on other salient issues

Saudi Arabia recently appointed Nigerian Olympic gold medalist, Enefiok Udo-Obong as Technical Advisor of Saudi Arabia Athletic Development Programme and the 2000 Sydney Olympics gold medalist takes over at the kingdom this weekend.

Until this appointment Udo-Obong was the Technical Director of the Lagos State Athletics Association.

“I got the Technical Director of Saudi Athletic Development Programme’s job purely on my training. I must confess, when a call was put through to me that I have been shortlisted for the job, at first I thought it was 419 (fraud), but I was head hunted. There were six of us selected for the interview-two Australians, one American, two Britons and myself and when I saw the CVs of the others I never believed I would be chosen ahead of them. The final stage of the interview was between myself and the other Briton and my being an Olypian gave me the edge, because he had never been to the Olympics before.

Asked how his new job could rub off on other Nigerian athletics coaches, he said, “If the coaches developed themselves the sky is the limit for them. We have many coaches that have developed themselves and are doing very well. In Saudi Arabia, coach Lateef Ogungbesan from Lagos is working there as a coach in a club, Taiwo Ariyo is in the United States and have coached in the Middle East before, Shade Olalekan is doing well in Abu Dhabi. There are many coaches that are actually doing well and my advice to Nigerian coaches is to keep on reading and developing themselves and the opportunity will come.”

On how he hopes to develop Saudi Arabian athletes considering the fact that the oil-rich nation does not boast of the kind of talents we have in Nigeria, the Olympic gold medalist reacted thus: “ Saudi Arabia weren’t big in football but brought in people that could elevate their football, the same way they are not big in athletics and they’ve brought someone (Udo-Obong) they feel can elevate their athletics. The country is also preparing to host the Olympics in 1932, so, everything they are doing now is in preparation to building up for that time so that they can have Olympians then. For this year’s Olympics, they are having only two athletes going, and I have told them by the time I spend four years with them they would have had about 20 Olympians,” he said.

He is fondly remembered for his race of a lifetime to earn Nigeria a gold medal in 4x400 meters relay at the 2000 Olympics from a losing position.

He will take over from this weekend and lead the Kingdom team to the Olympic Games in Paris France at a time Nigeria faces the danger of not being at the same Games

He is the only Nigerian to win two Olympic medals, winning a gold medal at the 2000 Summer Olympics, and a bronze medal at the 2004 Summer Olympics. Udo-Obong earned a degree in Human anatomy from the University of Calabar. He also earned an Advanced Master’s degree in Sports Administration and Technology from the École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), in Switzerland.

Ahead of the this year’s summer Olympics in Paris, Udo-Obong is of the

opinion that Nigeria is not prepared for the sports biggest showpiece.

“The truth is that we’re not prepared for the Olympics. Preparation is not about how much are we giving the athletes over time but how long have we put the athletes together. Are we trying to prepare? Yes, we are but its probably a little too late. Our preparation should have been over a four-year circle and getting ready in the last two-years. Even there was a lot of controversies over the team list , which shows that we’re not totally ready for it.

“However, we still have a lot of hope to win medals because of some of our established athletes in Tobi Amusan, Ese Brume and the likes, who a getting closer to winning time. We have hope in javelin and discuss women and also one or two relays. We can have hope. But are we prepared. Is it something that we deserve? I really don’t think so.

“At, best we can win three medals. I don’t know the colour or the shape but not more than three. If we have to be very sincere with ourselves, we have to make our expectations consciously,” he said.

“We have a young team, a good side and anything else we get from the Games is going to be a bonus. We are going to try, we are going to compete, but we should not be putting pressure on them because our preparation and selection process was not very smooth,” Enefiok expressed.

Udo-Obong won the gold medal in 4 x 400 meter relay at the 2000 Olympics and a bronze medal in the same event at the 2004 Olympics.

In 2000, he was voted Sportsman of the Year, and won the Dele Udo prize for sporting excellence. He has also won the

national championships on three occasions, and is a six-time medalist at a national sports festival is Nigeria. Udo-Obong was nominated as one of the 50 most influential young Africans by African Digest in 2002, where he also captained Team Nigeria to the Commonwealth Games in Manchester, UK. Udo-Obong is a recipient of the Akwa Ibom State Honours Roll, and is also a recipient of the Certificate of Award for Outstanding Contribution to Sports Development in Nigeria.

He is a former board member of the Nigerian Olympic Committee, and chairperson of the Athletes’ Commission. He is also a member of the Athletes’ Commission of the Association of National Olympic Committees in Africa (ANOCA), a member of the Nigerian Olympians Association, a member of the advisory board of the Atlanta 1996 training centre in Atlanta, a member of the Institute of Registered Exercise Professionals, a member of the international Fitness Association (IFA), and the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM), as well as other international bodies. He is also the president of the Association of Fitness Practitioners in Nigeria.

Udo-Obong is the author of the motivational book, “The Silver Lining: Turning Major Setbacks into Major Victories”, which has sold over 25,000 copies across the nation.

He was recently appointed a facilitator by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) to train athletes in the Athletes Career Program (ACP), a program designed to “help athletes to transition into a productive life after their sporting career.

Until his last appointment in Saudi Arabia, he was the Technical Advicer of the Lagos State Athletics Association.

Udo-Obong anchored Nigeria’s 4x400 to gold medal at the Sydney Olympic Games

L-R: Dr Mrs Modupe Ogunbanjo, Board Member, Lagos State Athletics Association , Enefiok Udo-Obong, Dr Oluyomi Oluwasanmi, Director of School Sports, Lagos State Sports Commission during the send-forth for the former LSAA Technical Director

Will Football Truly Come Back Home as England Try ‘Perfect’ Spain for Size?

England will tomorrow in the final of the EURO 2024 square up against a Spanish side that had a perfect start from the group stage of the tournament.The slogan of the English fans has

is coming back home’,but against an attacking La Roja,theThree Lions

been‘Football

have to be at their best if they truly hope to bring football back to England

Euro 2024 draws to a close with a battle of the Berlin behemoths this evening, as finalists Spain and England emerge to a raucous Olympiastadion atmosphere for the right to be crowned kings of the continent.

While La Roja - tipped by many as the favourites to prevent football from coming home once again - are already familiar with feel of the Henri Delaunay Trophy, the 1966 World Cup winners are yet to hoist the iconic cup aloft.

Luis de la Fuente’s red-clad superstars and Gareth Southgate’s crop of hopefuls both had to do it the hard way in their semi-final ties, as Spain denied France a shot at Euros supremacy, while the Three Lions roared to a mesmerising victory over the Netherlands to reach back-to-back finals.

By the time Francois Letexier’s final whistle blows tomorrow night, the Spain versus England major tournament final

GLOBAL SOCCER

ASSISTANT EDITOR

KUNLE ADEWALE

THISDAY ON SATURDAY

EDITOR

OBINNA CHIMA

DEPUTY EDITOR

AHAMIEFULA OGBU

THISDAY NEWSPAPERS

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF/CHAIRMAN

NDUKA OBAIGBENA

MANAGING DIRECTOR

ENIOLA BELLO

DEPUTY MANAGING DIRECTOR

ISRAEL IWEGBU

chapter would have come full circle; after all, the two nations crossed paths in two showpiece matches this time last year, just not in the senior men’s game.

Several weeks after Lee Carsley’s England Under-21s sunk their Spanish counterparts to earn their European Championship stars, Spain’s women’s team conquered the globe with an identical 1-0 success in the World Cup final, leaving Sunday’s mouthwatering meeting as delicately poised as they come.

As the likes of hosts Germany, the Kylian Mbappe-led France and - to an extent - England lapped up most of the pre-tournament fanfare, De la Fuente’s Spain may have flown slightly under the radar before commencing their Euros duties, especially in the wake of their recent major tournament failures.

However, La Roja made a complete mockery of the so-called ‘Group of Death’, amassing nine points from a possible nine against 2018 World Cup runners-up Croatia, reigning European champions Italy - who will soon be deposed - and the unfancied Albanians, ending the first phase as the only nation with a 100% record both points-wise and defensive-wise.

Even when tournament debutants Georgia took a shock lead in their last-16 battle, Spain had still not conceded to an opposition player - Robin Le Normand’s own-goal blushes were spared by a terrific quartet of Roja strikes - and De la Fuente’s men subsequently survived their biggest scare yet against ousted hosts Germany in the quarter-finals.

After the heroics of Mikel Merino in Stuttgart, the 16-year-old phenom that is Lamine Yamal lit up the Allianz Arena with the goal that made him the youngest scorer in Euros history - and an outrageous one to boot - before Dani Olmo’s exquisite touch and deflected effort left Les Bleus feeling blue.

Excluding their triumphant Nations League campaign last year, Spain’s senior men’s team punched their ticket to their

sixth major tournament final by fighting back against the French, and only one of their previous five - the Euro 1984 final versus Les Bleus - has seen La Roja come out second best. Champions of the continent in 1964, 2008 and 2012, Spain can not only earn another engraving on the Henri Delaunay Trophy, but also a slice of footballing history; by breaking English hearts on Sunday, they would become the first-ever European men’s team to win four major tournament finals on the spin.

Of course, a fourth Euros success would also see Spain become the most successful team in the history of the competition - leaving Germany and their trident of successes in their wake - and it is just the 16 wins from their last 18 matches for the three-time champions, who have emerged triumphant in their last eight on the bounce.

Had a boy from Torquay not burst onto the Premier League scene with Aston Villa and wrote his name into the annals of English football, Spain may very well have been gearing up for a repeat of their fiery 2010 World Cup final versus the Netherlands. Instead, De la Fuente’s men will face a wall of white fresh from rejoicing in Dortmund delirium.

Prior to pitting their wits against Ronald Koeman’s men at the Signal Iduna Park, only one of England’s five matches at Euro 2024their opening scrap with Serbia - saw Gareth Southgate’s charges get the job done in 90 minutes, leading to the all-too familiar wave of vicious vitriol towards the much-maligned Three Lions boss.

Drab draws with Denmark and Slovenia - where England looked jaded, disjointed and fresh out of offensive ideas - did little to galvanise the nation either, and nor did their extremely unconvincing last-16 success over Slovakia, who were only denied a famous success by the astonishing acrobatics of Jude Bellingham.

Following the Real Madrid man’s heroics, the Three Lions’ quarter-final bacon against Switzerland was saved by another starboy in Bukayo Saka, who also exorcised his own major tournament penalty demons - akin to

Stuart Pearce versus none other than Spain in 1996 - during an unexpectedly perfect shootout from the Euro 2020 silver medallists. Southgate and co were still under no illusions that enormous improvements were required if they were to nullify the Netherlands, whose own protege - Xavi Simons - capitalised on a rare lapse in concentration from Declan Rice, but what followed was arguably the best performance England have produced in the whole of 2024.

While Bart Verbruggen could hardly have done more to deny Harry Kane from the spot after the England captain was controversial awarded a penalty, the Golden Boot chaser’s effort was placed perfectly into the bottom corner, but as Koeman tweaked his team tactically, England’s wave of chance after chance reverted to fruitless pass after fruitless pass.

That was until the clock struck 90, however, when Chelsea talent Cole Palmer delivered a slick pass into the feet of fellow substitute Ollie Watkins, who needed no second invitation to unleash a venomous strike across goal from a tight angle, which rippled the far side of the net and triggered unbridled England elation.

A multitude of collective and individual records were either matched or broken by Southgate’s luminaries at the Signal Iduna Park, as England became the first side to ever reach the Euros final after trailing in both the quarters and the semis, while Kane has now scored more major tournament knockout goals than any other European man in history.

Harry Kane and teammates celebrate England equaliser against Netherlands

Euro trophy

GLOBAL SOCCER

Super Eagles Coach Search: Nigeria Battle USA in Race for Herve Renard

The Nigerian Football Federation, NFF, faces an uphill task in convincing Herve Renard to be the next coach of the Super Eagles.

The Super Eagles have been without a head coach since Finidi George resigned from the role in June following disappointing results against South Africa and the Benin Republic in the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers.

It is believed that the NFF aims to appoint a foreign Technical Adviser for the Super Eagles to work alongside a yet-to-benamed Indigenous coach.

Recent reports suggest that the football body has contacted two-time AFCON-winning coach Herve Renard for the job.

Renard is currently the head coach of France women’s national

team but he has already made clear his intention to vacate the position after the Paris Olympic Games this summer.

Nigeria, however, are not the only team interested in hiring Renard after his French adventure.

According to reports, the United States and a couple of Saudi Arabian clubs are also in negotiations with Renard. Renard is one of those managers who could take charge of the United States men’s national team following the dismissal of Gregg Berhalter. Berhalter led the USMNT to an early exit at the 2024 Copa America.

Other coaches in the line of sight of the United States include former Liverpool boss Jurgen

Klopp and erstwhile El Salvador coach Hugo Perez.

However, according to Sporting News, both of these tacticians have declined the job.

The United States, because of these rejections, could go all in for Renard, which could see them beat Nigeria to the race for the Frenchman’s signature.

Following successful spells handling Saudi Arabia, Zambia, Cote d’Ivoire, and Morocco, Renard has made a name for himself as an international boss.

The 55-year-old manager is the first coach to win two Africa Cup of Nations with different teams. He has been at the last two editions of the World Cup, with Morocco in 2018 and Saudi Arabia in 2022.

Alcaraz Set up Wimbledon Final Rematch with Djokovic

Paaolini,Krejcikovaeyemaidenall-England clubwin

Defending champion, Carlos Alcaraz stormed back to defeat Daniil Medvedev and next faces seven-time winner Novak Djokovic in tomorrow’s final.

Third seed Alcaraz found himself 5-2 down during the first set on Centre Court, which Medvedev eventually claimed on a tie-break.

The Spaniard had struggled with his serve throughout the Championships, but eventually found his radar to level before he produced his best for the key moments in sets three and four to clinch a 6-7 (1-7) 6-3 6-4 6-4 victory in just under three hours.

Djokovic has set up a repeat of the 2023 Wimbledon final after he ended Lorenzo Musetti’s best Grand Slam run at the semi-final stage 6-4 7-6 (7-2) 6-4.

Alcaraz was briefly jokingly booed during his on-court interview after he made reference to Sunday’s Euro 2024 final between England and Spain.

“It will be a good day for

Spanish people as well,” defending champion Alcaraz bravely said when asked to look ahead to his own final.

Boos followed before Alcaraz countered with a smile: “I didn’t say Spain is going to win but I say it will be a fun, fun day.

“Obviously it will be a really difficult match. Let’s see who I am going to play on Sunday.

“I feel like I am not new anymore. Yeah, I know how I am going to feel before the final. I have been in this position before, I will try to not do the things I did wrong last year, I will try to be better and try to keep doing the right things.

“I started really, really nervous. Daniil was dominating the match, playing great tennis. It was difficult for me.

“I tried to pull out all the nerves in the second set and it was helpful to be up 3-1. After that I could start to put out my game. I think in the end

I played a really good match.”

Meanwhile, a first Wimbledon Ladies’ Singles title beckons for either Jasmine Paolini or Barbora Krejcikova in a final to savour.

This is uncharted territory for Paolini, having won her first WTA main-draw match at Eastbourne this year, while Krejcikova carries onto Centre Court the memories of her coach and beloved late Wimbledon champion, Jana Novotna.

Paolini, 28, has been quietly building momentum this year, winning a WTA 1000 level title in Dubai, before making the French Open final last month. She becomes the fifth player since 1999 and the first since Serena Williams (2016) to reach the singles finals at both RolandGarros and Wimbledon.

The Italian was involved in a tense last-four encounter, battling past an emotional Donna Vekic after a final set tie-break that heralded the longest women’s semi-final

Usyk’s Could Lose More Belts with Undisputed

Oleksandr Usyk’s reign as the undisputed world heavyweight champion was brief after he handed back the IBF belt, but will lose more belts be ripped away?

The Ukrainian star produced a spectacular victory over Tyson Fury in May to unify the WBC, WBA, IBF and WBO titles, but just a month later, his reign as the undisputed king was over.

Champions Tag over

Contracted to rematch Fury in December, Usyk was unable to make a mandatory defence of the IBF belt, that meant Daniel Dubois, the organisation’s Interim belt-holder, was upgraded to full champion in June.

Usyk confirmed he was relinquishing his IBF title with a video on social media and Anthony Joshua will challenge

NPFL Youth League Season’s Breakout Players

A major standout achievement in less than one year of the inauguration of the Board of the Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) has been in organising of the NPFL Youth League. Beyond successfully setting up the league in conjunction with the 20 member clubs, some products of the league have gone ahead to join the senior teams of their clubs while four were picked to represent Nigeria in the WAFU U-17 tournament held in Ghana.

The trio of Remo Stars U-17 team, Oreoluwa Agbenia, Muiz Oladimeji and Daniel Arierhi were invited alongside Rangers goalkeeper, Chinedu Chike by Coach Manu Garba to the team that failed to pick one of the zonal tickets for the 2024 AFCON U-17.

At the end of the NPFL U-17 Youth League which held from February 24 to March 3 this year in Benin City after the zonal qualifiers in Port Harcourt, Ado Ekiti, Enugu, Lafia and Kaduna, Rivers United Youth team emerged the champions. Some of the players who participated in the tournament went ahead to star for their senior teams in the 2023/24 NPFL season which ended on June 23. This report by the NPFL Media takes a look at some of those players.

In Akure, teenage sensation, Chinedu Nwosu made waves with Sunshine Stars after Coach

Kennedy Boboye gave him his first runout for the senior team on Matchday 35. The 17 year old pacey forward provided two assists in the defeat of Kano Pillars and Remo Stars would be holding him responsible for blunting their title push when on Matchday 37, he came in again as a substitute to net twice in Sunshine Stars triumph in the Southwest Derby. Nedu is a star on the rise.

The league’s runner-up, Remo Stars had three of their Youth League players moved up to the senior team. Centre back, Ahmed Akinyele made 28 appearances and netted five goals. Stanley Joseph, a right wing back played in 31 of Remo Stars games and had two goals to his name while Olisa Emmanuel sat out all the season as a senior team player.

There was little or no surprises when Rivers United Coach, Evans Ogenyi named the competitions lead scorer, Seiyefa Jackson in the senior team’s matchday squad against Sporting Lagos on May 26 and scoring seven minutes after his introduction as a substitute. Seiyefa would go on to play four more games for the former Nigerian champions.

Ogenyi demonstrated more faith in the youth players

as four others who played alongside Seiyefa in the NPFL U-17 Youth League were also drafted into the senior squad. In Rivers United match against Gombe United, U-17 Youth League Champions who made the cut included Kingdom Confidence, Ochobi Elias, Paul Junior, Oscar Ozornwanfor James and Seiyefa.

Nnamdi Igwillo, the Most Valuable Player (MVP) at the Enugu zonal qualifiers on Monday, July 1 put pen to paper for a professional contract with Rangers International, the NPFL champions. Before him, another graduate of the club’s youth team, Kenneth Igboke not only made it to the squad that clinched Rangers 8th NPFL title, he got called up for the Super Eagles World Cup qualifiers against South Africa and Benin Republic.

At Akwa United, two members of the Youth team, Nsikak Alloysius, a left back and offensive midfielder, Itoro Bassey were promoted to the senior team and made a number of appearances for the club in their successful fight to avoid relegation.

Plans are afoot to organise camping for select members of the Youth League who would take part in some international youth tournaments in Africa and Europe.

BetKing Ensures Prompt Payouts for All Winners During Euro 2024

As Euro 2024 heats up and progresses into the knockout stages, fans are treated to a series of thrilling matches.

The competition’s intensity is palpable, with teams like France, England, Switzerland, Germany, and Spain showcasing their prowess on the field.

As the tournament reaches its climax, the excitement extends beyond the stadiums and into the hands of avid bettors. For these enthusiasts, cashing out their winnings should be as exhilarating and seamless as the matches themselves. Enter BetKing, a leading name in the betting industry, known for its prompt and reliable payment methods.

Round 16 has already delivered some unforgettable moments, while the quarterfinals saw some interesting clashes —Spain

Dubois for the IBF belt at Wembley on September 21, Former champion Joseph Parker earned a WBO Interim heavyweight strap in March when he beat Zhilei Zhang and the New Zealander can push for a mandatory shot at the full world championship.

Parker is “next in line” for a crack at the WBO belt, according to his promoter David

vs. Germany, Portugal vs. France, Netherlands vs. Turkey, and England vs. Switzerland—with stakes higher than ever.

Amid this, BetKing stands out for its commitment to enhancing the betting experience. One of the critical aspects of this experience is ensuring that cashing out winnings is effortless and secure. BetKing achieves this through a series of strategic initiatives and partnerships, designed to provide users with multiple convenient and reliable withdrawal options.

BetKing offers a variety of withdrawal methods, including bank transfers and e-wallets, catering to the diverse preferences of its users. This flexibility ensures that everyone can access their winnings

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A standout feature of BetKing’s withdrawal system during Euro 2024 is its recent partnership with Paga and Palmpay, prominent fintech platforms. These collaborations leverage Paga and Palmpay’s extensive networks and technological expertise to facilitate seamless and secure transactions. BetKing users benefit from rapid transaction speeds, with processing times as short as three seconds. Additionally, customers enjoy cashback on transactions, adding extra value to their betting experience.

Former Sporting Lagos Tactician, Offor Takes Charge of Kano Pillars

Former Sporting Lagos head coach, Paul Offor, has been appointed to coach four-time NPFL Champions, Kano Pillars. The 35-year-old started as an assistant coach with Warri Wolves before joining Sporting Lagos in 2023. He led them to NPFL promotion under one year in charge and won the club’s first-ever trophy in the Naija Super 8.

Following a series of poor results, Coach Paul, alongside his technical team, was fired by Sporting Lagos. As earlier reported by Soccernet.ng, his recruitment policy, tactical gameplan, player preference, and squad nepotism earned him a bad rapport with the club’s board. He got linked with Enyimba International, but after further

discussions, he signed a twoyear deal with former Nigeria Professional League Champions, Kano Pillars.

The former Sporting Lagos boss has signed a two years deal. Paul Offor replaces Abdul Maikaba on the Kano Pillars touchline. The former Kano Pillars coach was in charge of Sai Masu Gida last season but resigned towards the end of the

Carlos Alcaraz (l) and Novak-Djokovic

Seiyefa Jackson of Rivers United

Soyinka mystique, especially having shared his worldview of the Nigerian struggle as one between authoritarianism and democracy, and not purely an ideological fixation between socialism and capitalism” (Fayemi, 2005:210). Throughout his time in exile in the 1990s, I worked closely with him on numerous projects in NALICON and the United Democratic Front of Nigeria(UDFN) along with several other patriots – the most popular of which was the underground opposition radio - Radio Freedom, later Radio Kudirat.

There is no doubt that I have always shared an ecumenical ideology and kindred spirit with Kongi. His natural spur to resist oppression, instinctive spontaneity to defy authoritarianism and his impregnable commitment to civil liberty makes him a natural inspirational mentor. In both the youthful and sagely Soyinka, has been a consistent resurgence against brutality and inordinate absolutism. As he often opines, “justice is the first condition of humanity”. His resentment against state terror and abuse of power burns like the inferno of the mythical Hades. For WS, humanity and its happiness are the tunnels through which he travels his mind in the visualisation of social problems. Anything that denies man his inalienable rights, is for Soyinka, an abhorrent act that must be condemned in the strongest terms. He is predictably obdurate and conscientiously unapologetic for his repetitive fidelity to the triumph of human freedom, primacy of his liberty and elevation of his essence as the sole creed that all gods must serve. His temperament rejects every iota of practices that suborn human happiness. Even in his old age, he continues to prick the conscience of the nation with penetrating homilies that poke a revelatory finger in the nose of public decadence. WS is that bitter remedy that purges a poisoned belly of its troubling constipation. His corrective words are like the surgical knife that cuts out the malignancy of a petulant lesion. He refuses to suffer fools gladly and

Also, in pursuit of his determination to give Africa a global voice, the relentless Prince Obaigbena launched ARISE NEWS Channel in 2012. Few weeks ago, the THISDAY sister broadcast station expanded to South Africa and nine other Southern African countries. The 24-hour news and entertainment channel is now live in 54 African countries, including Kenya, Tanzania, Rwanda, Uganda, Cameroon, Sudan, Ghana, Senegal, and Cote d’Ivoire, Angola, Botswana, Lesotho, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, Swaziland, Zambia, and Zimbabwe, amongst others. Today, ARISE News Channel has broadcast hubs in London, New York and every major cities of the world as it strives to tell the African story and project the immense opportunities in the continent.

The media guru was not born with a silver spoon, as he had to make his way through thick and thin.

Obaigbena started his journalism career at the Nigerian Observer in 1978 as a satirist, writer and cartoonist. He worked briefly with Newsweek Magazine in 1984 as a Special Section Representative before moving over, in the same year, to TIME Magazine, New York and London where he helped develop Special Surveys and Country Sections and later founded the notable weekly, THISWEEK Magazine in 1986 in Lagos with hubs in London, New York, and Johannesburg, and distributed in Africa, Europe, Middle East and the USA.

He was elected to the Nigerian Constitutional Conference in 1995 – a body that wrote the current Nigerian Constitution and was appointed to the Nigeria Political Reform Conference in 2005 and the Nigerian National Conference in 2014. He has also served on several boards, state and presidential committees for privatisation and governance.

Obaigbena is a former President of the Newspaper Proprietors’ Association of Nigeria and the Nigerian Press Organisation – the media umbrella comprising The Nigerian Union Journalist, Nigerian Guild of Editors, and was a member of the Selection Committee of the Young Global Leaders of the World Economic Forum, Davos and founding Chairman of The African Media Leaders Forum, as well as a founding member of the board of the African Media Initiative.

He is one leader that makes it clear that he expects so much from those that work with him and motivates them to meet those expectations. He is an inspirational leader that is always available to lead his team from the front to achieve set objectives.

For him, success, like beauty, is in the eyes of the beholder. And it is like happiness, to be successful

Chinese restaurants in Lagos. I was accompanied by a couple of associates. He, by Bankole. It was a pleasant and not particularly political affair. We discussed Nigeria broadly, but more pointedly the specific solutions I had proffered in BIG to our national problems – the economy, nationhood, security, foreign policy, the brain drain, etc. He was especially impressed, he said, with my proposals for how a constitutional redesign of Nigeria, popularly termed “restructuring” in our polity, could improve Nigeria’s frayed nationhood, stability, and inclusive prosperity. As the electoral cycle progressed, we met another couple of times I think, and more frequently after the elections, and grew to be friends. He would arrive at our lunch and dinner meetings with his own preferred bottle of wine, which would promptly be buried in an ice bucket for him by attentive, awe-struck restaurant waiters. He would then instruct them: “get some water or tea for this boring fellow”, pointing to teetotalling me with mock disgust on his face!. Soyinka cares deeply about Nigeria. He has done some very controversial things in his political-activist career, and paid the price of imprisonment, near-death at the hands of military dictators, and exile. In the 1960s, as the Nigerian political crisis degenerated, he condemned the military coups of 1966, the killings of Prime Minister Tafawa Balewa and the Northern Region Premier, Ahmadu

would rather be misunderstood by people too thick to decode his angst against all governmental decadence.

He is classical in all aspects of his artistry. For some and for his obscurantism, he is the African Homer; some others say he is the ultimate Aristophanes; some even think he is the rebirth of Socrates and not just for the accident of initials, WS is our own William Shakespeare and John Milton rolled into one. He is the agglutination of literary reincarnation of the best that history can recall.

Like his ancestral forebears, WS untiringly rages against the foibles of governmental chieftains and their foreboding delinquencies. He has spoken vehemently against the cowardice of intellectual ambiguity that continues to indulge venal characters in public places. For him, no space must be yielded to the debauchers who gorge the nation’s wealth and fritter its assets in the realisation of their gluttonous hedonism.

Soyinka is impatient with the loud silence that punctuates clear cases that should strike a thunder of a mass anger. For him, until the obscurity of silence gives way to visibility of voices, any unexplained figuration about the existence of Nigeria will remain an empty indoctrination that serves the hypocritical cowardice of the nation’s power barons.

Soyinka is a patriot who has used his innate talent to serve humanity at every opportunity. His radical posture has come handy in dangerous times when only persons of sterner stuff could stand. In 1967, he was imprisoned because of his audacious antagonism to the genocidal assault that the civil-war represented. Before then, he had intruded a radio station in Ibadan in 1965 to frustrate the broadcast of an electoral heist that was meant to entrench an unpopular government. The “Man” lives in Soyinka like the ageless Olumo Rock. His stout courage, broad repository and undeniable conviction radiates his writing in plays, fictions, poetry, essays and public interventions. He uses the power of words to carry out corrective surgery and as a righting atonement for the transgressed. When

in whatever you have chosen to do means you have accomplished your mission.

He strongly believes that hard work is what leads to success and to be successful, you have to be a master of your circumstance.

“It is not what you do at the beginning that determines whether you will succeed, but how you end up. Your end point is at the very end. So, it is how you finish that is more important than how you started. So, it is what you accomplish at the end that matters the most. Like Colin Powell said, it is easy to go to war, but what is your exit strategy?

“If you don’t plan your exit, you cannot start an entry. So, I cannot say I am successful yet until I get to the finish point. You cannot determine it; you take the punches as they come.

“Some people start very well, blaze the trail, but end up very poorly. It is a combination of circumstances –circumstances within your control and some beyond your control. It includes luck, it includes getting to a place at the right time, divine intervention and also many other things. So, to be successful, you have to be

Bello, and the pogrom of tens of thousands of Igbos in Northern Nigeria. After Col. Emeka Odumegwu Ojukwu, then Military Governor of the Eastern Region, announced the region’s seccession as the Republic of Biafra, Soyinka visited the region in an effort to broker peace. For his pains, and for speaking up against the plight of the Igbo, the Nigerian authorities imprisoned Soyinka without charges in solitary confinement for two years. His famous memoir, The Man Died, was written during his time in jail.

A couple of weeks to the 2019 elections, WS and the Citizens Forum, a civic group he convened, announced their formal endorsement of my presidential candidacy in a well reasoned public statement. Soyinka’s endorsement created a loud buzz at home and around the world, and surprised many observers. “Soyinka Stuns Bookmakers, Endorses YPP Candidate, Moghalu, for President ‘’, Thisday’s front-page banner headline screamed. “Wole Soyinka Endorses Moghalu for President’’, reported The Guardian in its headline. The endorsement was not necessarily going to decide the election, given the uniqueness of Nigeria’s political terrain. But, coming from him, it was historically and symbolically powerful, supporting as it did a candidate outside of the two main political parties. One has since turned one’s back on partisan politics and electoral ambitions, whether of the local government councilman or presidential variety – not just because I

he chooses his object for critical scrutiny, he deploys the elegance of humour and the pettiness of satire to disrobe the social psychopaths wherever they might be. Soyinka is spiritual but not religious, ideological but not bigoted; for, he could not submit his intellect to the whimsical machinations of another being. He acknowledges, as he found out through his teacher, Bonany Dombree, that all spirituality sprouts from the relationship between nature and man and that the quest to create a meaning for its inscrutable foundation gave expression to the concept of deity. Thus, Soyinka’s spirituality is in the primacy of humanity and the pursuit of universal egalitarianism; this, I think, is the basis upon which his ideas of the ideal is anchored. No wonder he remains a respectable voice for human advancement in the global arena.

Even though Professor Soyinka has been an “unsuccessful” politician in the narrow manner success in politics is defined in our clime, his contribution to the political development of Nigeria is undeniable and inspiring. Apart from constantly being in the trenches for the enthronement of democracy and rule of law, he has floated a political party in the past to advocate a set of political ideas that he believed could provide an alternative answer to Nigeria’s predicament. More importantly, Professor Soyinka has been one of the moral giants who continue to point the nation to the path of rectitude in politics, constitutionalism, justice, equality and good governance. His life has been a watershed and a blessing in every aspect.

I have been a beneficiary of WS’s generosity in innumerable ways for which I owe him a great deal of gratitude, not just for writing a rare Foreword to my 2005 exile memoirs, Out of the Shadows but also for his unflinching support when I chose the partisan political route. He kept a regular watch on my political journey and was quick to commend my edifying strides in office whilst also upbraiding me whenever he found any untoward development difficult to fathom. He honoured me with

a master of your circumstance,” he said in an interview with Mr. Ayo Arowolo and myself on the eve of his 60th birthday.

Recounting the story of how he started THISWEEK, Prince Obaigbena pointed out that then, there was only one printing press in the whole of Nigeria that could print magazines and it was the Academy Press.

“Academy Press was already printing for THISWEEK’s competitor which was Newswatch and the market day for magazines was Monday, because you define the week ahead.

“So, if we went to Academy Press to say deliver for us on Tuesday or Wednesday, they would print for you, but by then it would have been us getting to the market mid-week. So, it meant that we had to find other ways of printing if we were to be in the magazine business.

“So, we decided to be printing in London. What it meant was that we wrote the magazines, Thursdays was our deadline, we used to fly out to London on same Thursday, landed on Friday, which was the day we used to take the pictures and artworks to the press for it to be printed on Saturday and you take it to Heathrow, parcel it and plan for shipping Saturday night, for it to arrive on Sunday.

“Those days there was something called perishable clearing, so we could clear on the tarmac. So, it was possible to clear the newspapers at the tarmac because magazines have a life span and they were treated like eggs or day old chicks.

“So, we cleared the magazines either on Sunday morning, as it were, and they would be ready to be distributed everywhere in the country. So, by Monday morning the magazines would be everywhere in the country and that was how we were able to challenge Newswatch and that got the late Dele Giwa infuriated and then the competition started. So, those were the circumstances then,” he explained.

Furthermore, he pointed out that the introduction of computers in those days was a game changer in terms of the magazine business.

As someone who is always ahead of the competition, he looked at the scenario then and knew that the future of magazines in Nigeria was going to be numbered. That was why he registered Leaders and Company in 1992, and appointed Dele Momodu as the editor and some other persons to start Leaders and Company, which was how THISDAY, a daily newspaper was founded.

“As at today, all the magazines that existed as at that time are no longer in existence, but we are still here. We

did not win in what was essentially at the time a trial balloon, but rather because my brief foray into Nigerian politics opened my eyes to just how soullessly rigged our system is, especially with an umpire institution that has made a mockery of the word “democracy” and turned “vote” and “count” into an oppositional relationship. But I will always consider the Nobel Laureat’s endorsement, coveted by many without success, a big win. In politics, there are many kinds of victories even beyond the polls. Changing the political narrative in our country was, for me, a source of satisfaction. .

I can also say on the record that, although my candidacy was nationalistic and not anchored on ethnic identity – which meant, in the NIgerian context, that I really wasn’t a politician in the first place because understanding root causes of national problems and how to fix them isn’t exactly the whole point – Soyinka believed that Nigeria needed to have a President of Igbo extraction, with a nation-binding vision, if our country was to truly heal from the wounds of the civil war. But he was clear that such a candidate, for him, had to have other transformational attributes other than simply a particular ethnic identity. To that extent, he was disappointed, but understood my reasons, when I withdrew from the 2023 presidential election and later announced my complete departure from the political terrain and a return to full-time professional life. He had

the commissioning of the iconic Ekiti Government House in 2014.

At 90, WS reminds me of those unforgettable lines in Alfred Tennyson’s Ulysses:

Old age hath yet his honour and his toil;

Death closes all: but something ere the end, Some work of noble note, may yet be done, Not unbecoming men that strove with Gods.

The lights begin to twinkle from the rocks:

The long day wanes: the slow moon climbs: the deep Moans round with many voices. Come, my friends, ‘T is not too late to seek a newer world.

Push off, and sitting well in order smite

The sounding furrows; for my purpose holds To sail beyond the sunset, and the baths

Of all the western stars, until I die. It may be that the gulfs will wash us down: It may be we shall touch the Happy Isles, And see the great Achilles, whom we knew. Tho’ much is taken, much abides; and tho’ We are not now that strength which in old days Moved earth and heaven, that which we are, we are; One equal temper of heroic hearts, Made weak by time and fate, but strong in will To strive, to seek, to find, and not to yield.

On behalf of myself and my wife – Bisi who adores him, here is wishing our timeless Nobel Laureate, an esteemed mentor and a humanist extraordinaire, a happy 90th birthday. Long live, Eniogun!

•Dr. Kayode Fayemi, CON Visiting Professor, School of Global Affairs, King’s College, London July 13, 2024

transited from THISWEEK to THISDAY,” he stressed.

For those who desire to go into media business, he advises them to, “understand the business before going into it.

“Presentation is a key factor in journalism. If you do not present it well it cannot work. We were the only newspaper in the history of Nigeria to start without a printing press.

“The idea of the newspaper was to change the vision about Nigeria. My niche has always been politics, business and back of the book. Business drives everything and Politics leads.”

As someone who is passionate about talent development, he says “Journalism is about people. There is a book I read which made me to understand that to succeed in journalism, you have to grow your own editors. We are growing younger people today across all our platforms.”

As a student of Government College Ughelli, which was during the time of the black consciousness, the young Obaigbena formed a group called the Black Cultural Movement and led campaigns for South Africa’s independence.

The admirer of the likes of Malcom X and other black icons, later started a school magazine called Chindava, which he used to awaken black consciousness in secondary schools.

“I remember in 1976, the Principal then looked at our first publication and said it was not very good, and then we did another publication and he said ‘better, but not good.’

“That was in 1976. So, I left Ughelli College in 1977 and started cartooning for the Nigerian Observer. I had a cartoon column called Lekeleke for the Nigerian Observer, which made me a rich student. “This was because the Nigerian Observer was paying me N10 per cartoon, and I was doing it every day, at this time I was already at the University of Benin.

“I would leave the university, go and draw the cartoon and submit it and by the end of the month, they would pay and that enabled me to buy my first car as a student at UNIBEN,” he added.

For those who are down and had been struggling with failure, the media entrepreneur advises them not to give up, saying “failure is part of life, we fail all the time, but how you react when you fail is very important. THISWEEK failed. But when you fail you get back on your feet and try harder, it is not a big deal. You just keep moving regardless of the challenges.”

Happy birthday to Chairman. I celebrate your ingenuity and diligence.

planned to renew his endorsement of my candidacy had I been on the ballot in the 2023 elections.

Soyinka has, unfortunately in my view, been the subject of sustained attacks from some quarters recently over some of his comments about the 2023 elections. WS has taken responsibility for his comments and needs no help in standing up for or reconsidering them. My only angle of interest in the controversies is that, from what I know, emotional, knee-jerk charges of “Igbophobia” or clannishness attributed to WS by some netizens on social media (which he does not use) are thoroughly misplaced. Now, you don’t have to like the man. His greatness notwithstanding, he is a mere mortal, and not above criticism – which he himself can dish out generously and articulately when he is moved to. Nevertheless, such disagreement and criticism should be civil and not uncivil. Any charge of ethnic prejudice, in particular of an anti-Igbo hew, must necessarily collapse in the face of objective facts. First, and an obvious point – he so dislikes the part of the country that he spent two years of his life in prison standing up for their rights?

That’s a non-sequitur!

Obaigbena

Saturday, July 13,

MISSILE

Edo APC Chairman to Ogie

“Osarodion Ogie is currently earning salary and other official benefits as Secretary to the State Government, even while pursuing a private ambition to become deputy governor. He is using official vehicles and other government logistics to service his electioneering campaign. This is totally unacceptable and a waste of taxpayers’ money.” –Acting Edo State APC Chairman, Jarrett Tenebe, reacting on Ogie’s action to remain in office while contesting as the deputy governor of PDP in Edo State.

KAYODEFAYEMI

GUEST COLUMNIST

TTribute to WS at 90

he name Wole Soyinka aka WS evokes sundry emotions across the spectrum. Regardless of where one stands on the spectrum, we can all agree that Wole Soyinka is one of Nigeria’s most celebrated personalities, certainly Africa’s most iconic literary maestro and one of the world’s most influential citizens. Even though I know him to treat public celebrations of his birthdays with studied indifference and a hunter’s disdain, it is still almost unbelievable that WS is 90, given his frenetic pace of work and travels. And whether he likes it or not, this is one celebration he cannot stop!

For me, WS is not the unfathomable mystery that many perceive from a distance and he is not the mythological pantheon that exists in the realm of the gods in the imagination of many. He is a mentor, a role model, a father figure and a thought-leader with whom I have had the rare privilege of communing and sharing great moments of significant historic importance in my life.

GUEST COLUMNIST

My first physical encounter with Professor Wole Soyinka was in 1994 in the course of the struggle to return Nigeria to democratic order. My familiarity with WS however preceded our opportune encounter. My first interaction with him was in his prison notes, The Man Died which I first struggled to grasp in 1975. While the motif of the book was a seductive topic of interest, the inscrutably elevated language and discursive point of view of the book made it a hard nut for me to crack at such a young age. Since then, I have not only read all his other writings I have come across - particularly the autobiographical series - Ake, Isara, Ibadan: the Penkelemes Years and You Must Set Forth at Dawn, I have gobbled them with obsessive enthusiasm. His writings and public advocacy for good governance, social justice, democracy and freedom had always made him a godfather and mentor whose association I had deeply coveted. Consequently, when the opportunity to meet Prof happily came my way through his son, Olaokun in 1994, it was

a dream come true. Professor Soyinka (who was already familiar with my work as a democracy activist in the UK through the activities of the New Nigeria Forum and its journal, Nigeria Now which I edited and regularly sent to him in Nigeria), seized the opportunity of our meeting to invite me to be part of his newly established National Liberation Council of Nigeria (NALICON) as Director of Communications. Without giving it much thought, I enthusiastically jumped at the rare opportunity to work closely with Africa’s first Nobel Laureate in literature. I had reasoned that his international reputation, connection and clout would greatly enhance our struggle for the return of democratic order in Nigeria. And I reasoned right! As I indicated in my memoir of the exile years, “I came close to being labelled a passionate enthusiast and defender of the

Celebrating Obaigbena, Media Colossus at 65 OBINNACHIMA

Tomorrow, the Chairman/Editor-in-Chief of THISDAY Media Group/ARISE News Channel, Prince Nduka Obaigbena, will mark his 65th birthday. Prince Obaigbena has led a remarkable life that has seen him becoming a media colossus, as he continues to expand the THISDAY/ARISE MEDIA brands to every part of the world, preaching the gospel of Africa’s renaissance.

The one I fondly call ‘my leader’ is on a mission to herald a globally respected African media company that would present Africa to the world, in a manner that will reshape the continent’s narrative and end the era that Africa and Africans depend on what the western world thinks about them or the perspectives they prefer to share

about their achievements and opportunities.

The Creative Artist with combined honours in Fine Art and English Language, from the University of Benin, has always been at the forefront of most of the bold innovations that shaped Nigeria’s media landscape over the past 40 years, making THISDAY the number one newspaper of choice amongst the political, business, diplomatic and culture establishment.

The newspaper, which hit newsstands on January 22, 1995, quickly carved a niche for itself in business and political reporting and for breaking big news stories. It soon became Nigeria’s newspaper of record. In its early years of publication, THISDAY won the Newspaper of the Year Award for three consecutive years.

In line with its avowed commitment to democracy,

“Wole Soyinka would like to have lunch with you”, the book publisher Bankole Olayebi, CEO of Bookcraft Africa Ltd, told me one bright day in Lagos sometime in 2018. I was startled. “Really, why?” I replied. “He read your book, BIG”, Bankole replied. “He liked it, and I think he would like to discuss the ideas you expressed in it and get to know you more”. BIG, for the uninitiated, is the acronym for Build, Innovate and Grow, my fourth book that was published in February 2018 and in which I set out a bold vision for Nigeria and how to actualize it. I had offered that vision to my compatriots as I launched an intrepid, “Third Force” bid for the Office of the President of Nigeria ahead of the 2019 general elections. That seems like such a distant memory now!

I certainly was honored to receive an open invitation from a literary giaint whose work I had first encountered in the poem “Telephone Conversation” as a teenager in secondary school. The Recipient of the 1986 Nobel Prize for Literature and the first African to win the prize, Wole Soyinka CFR is both prodigy and enigma. I remembered how the world watched – millions of us in Nigeria glued to the screens of good old Nigerian Television Authority (NTA) – the grand ceremony in far-away Oslo, Norway as Soyinka received the prize, with our country represented by a high-level delegation from the very military government with which he was so frequently at odds.

Primarily a playwright and dramatist, WS is the versatile author of more than 60 books of prose (the novel), drama, poetry, essays, satire, and memoir. From The Swamp Dwellers

to The Trials of Brother Jero, from Madmen and Specialists and Kongi’s Harvest to Mandela’s Earth and Other Poems, from Ake: The Years of Childhood to his latest major work, Chronicles from the Land of the Happiest People on Earth, the great writer has impacted generations of readers around the world in multiple literary genres. While his works have addressed various subjects, geographies and cultures, his plays in particular have often been an exploration of his native Yoruba culture and mythology, in the same way his great contemporary, Chinua Achebe, depicted the Igbo culture to the world via the novel, most notably in his trilogy Things Fall Apart, Arrow of God, and No Longer at Ease.

The memoir Ibadan: The Penkelemes Years, set between 1946-1965, is my all-time favorite among Soyinka’s literary works, and he was pleasantly surprised when I told him

THISDAY was at the forefront of the battle against dictatorial military rule for which its reporters were invariably detained and harassed. The Chairman and Editor-in-Chief was detained in 1997 at the Department of Military Intelligence (DMI) for seven days under Abacha. The Chairman later went into self-exile. For many Nigerians, if the news is not in THISDAY, then it is not credible.

THISDAY is an agent of change and innovation within the media industry and many of its ‘firsts’ are serially copied by others, such as the back page sports with advertising and back page opinions, an all-gloss Sunday magazine and wraparounds.

so. In the foreword, WS describes the book as “faction, that much abused genre which attempts to fictionalize facts and events, the proportion of fact to fiction being totally at the discretion of the author”. Soyinka is perhaps unique in his combination of a long, distinguished literary career with an equally tumultuous one as a political activist. His literature and his political dissidence cannot, in fact, be separated. The former was his prime vehicle for the latter. The idea that justice is the ultimate value in human existence lies at Soyinka’s core. Back to that lunch – the first of many other lunches and dinners to come. We met at one of his favorite

Continued on page 31 Continued on page 31 Continued on page 31

Soyinka

Obaigbena