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Emefiele: Nigeria Spends 40% of FX on Importation of Petrol, Others Hinges floating the naira on Dangote Refinery, petrochemical plant coming on stream Assures foreign investors of prioritised settlement Obinna Chima Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Governor, Mr. Godwin Emefiele, yesterday lamented

that the country spends almost 40 per cent of its scarce foreign exchange (FX) on the importation of petroleum products as well

as petrochemicals, which continues to put pressure on the naira exchange rate.

Speaking during a media briefing on the sidelines of

the ongoing International Monetary Fund (IMF)/World Bank annual meetings in Washington DC, Emefiele, however, expressed optimism

that once the Dangote Refinery and Petrochemical Plant commence operations around July next year, the country would be in a

position to be able to save 40 per cent of the FX it spends on the importation of Continued on page 8

In Show of Force, IG Deploys Police Armada for Anambra Poll... Page 48 Friday 15 October, 2021 Vol 26. No 9685. Price: N250

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CDS: 250 Bandits ‘Neutralised’ After Telecoms Blackout in N’West, 600 Arrested Says terrorists not amassing around FCT, Niger Explains military operations in Southeast Confirms ISWAP leader, Abu Musab Al-Barnawi, is dead, denies Gumi working for the army

Deji Elumoye in Abuja The military authorities, yesterday, announced the killing of 250 bandits as

well as arrest of 600 others terrorising the North West, as testament to some of the new security measures taken lately, especially, the shutting

down of telecommunications services in that part of the country.

The military high command also refuted claims in some

quarters that terrorist groups had begun to amass around Abuja and Niger State, even as it explained the current military operations in the

South East, saying it has no discriminatory undertone.

Chief of Defense Staff (CDS), General Lucky Irabor, who made these disclosure while

featuring at a ministerial briefing put together by the Presidential Media Team at Continued on page 8

Ayu Emerges Consensus PDP Chairmanship Candidate How Mark, Shema, Nazif stepped aside Nigeria is worse than Somalia under APC, says new helmsman Chuks Okocha in Abuja Northern stakeholders of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) have picked former Senate President, Dr. Iyorchia Ayu, as the consensus national chairmanship candidate of the party.

It was learnt Thursday that two other contenders from the North, where the position has been zoned, former governor of Katsina State, Ibrahim Shema, and the incumbent deputy national chairman (North), Senator Continued on page 8

Presidency: PANDEF Advises North to Wait PRESIDENTIAL CONTENDERS MEET IN EKITI...

L-R: Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sawo-Olu; Edo State Governor, Godwin Obaseki; Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, SAN; Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El Rufai and till 2031...

Ekiti State Governor, Kayode Fayemi, during the Ekiti State 1st Investment and Economic Development Summit held at the Civic Centre, Ado-Ekiti … yesterday Page 48

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Group News Editor: Goddy Egene Email: Goddy.egene@thisdaylive.com, 08033506821, 08097777322

UNDP REGIONAL DIRECTOR VISITS VILLA...

L–R: United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), Resident Representative, Mohamed Yahya; visiting UNDP Regional Director-Africa, Ms. Ahunna Eziakonwa; President Muhammadu Buhari; Chief of Staff to the President, Prof. Ibrahim Gambari, Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development, Hajiya Sadiya Umar Farouq and Minister of GODWINN OMOIGUI State, Environment, Sharon Ikeazor, during the courtesy visit of the Regional Director to the Presidential Villa. Abuja ...yesterday

Osinbajo: Obasanjo’s Seizure of LG Funds Forced Lagos to Think Like Sovereign State Urges governors to be wary of multiple taxation Says focus on areas of economic strength crucial Fayemi, Obaseki, Sanwo-Olu, El-Rufai insist on state police Victor Ogunje in Ado Ekiti Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, yesterday, said the seizure of funds belonging to local governments in Lagos State by former President Olusegun Obasanjo in 2005 provided ample opportunity for Lagos to think like a sovereign state able to overcome its financial challenges. Osinbajo, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), said the capacity of the state to rethink its predicament at the time resulted in huge increase in its Internally Generated Revenue (IGR), which is today in the region of N45 billion.

Osinbajo spoke in Ado Ekiti, the Ekiti State capital, at an Economic and Investment summit the “Fountain Summit 2021,” organised by the Governor Kayode Fayemi administration.

The vice president appealed to governors of the federation to start making huge investments in areas they have comparative advantage to shore up their IGR and stop complete reliance on federal allocations for survival.

He said the governors could grow investments without resorting to multiple taxation.

Osinbajo's suggestion came as Fayemi and Governors Babajide Sanwo-Olu of Lagos State, Godwin Obaseki of Edo State, and Nasir El-Rufai of Kaduna State canvassed robust multi-level policing system in the country, to protect citizens and investments.

They insisted that preventing governors from taking charge of security was affecting investment, development, and wellbeing of the people adversely.

Titled, "Investment attractiveness, and Economic Development: Lesson for the Sub-nationals,” the summit, which was designed to proffer solutions to some socio-economic issues rattling the state, was also attended by the Ondo State Governor, Rotimi Akeredolu, represented by his deputy, Lucky Ayedatiwa.

Osinbajo, who was one of the panellists, stated that time had come for the chief executives of states to start thinking about how to grow their respective economies like a nation, by investing in the most appropriate ways in their

areas of economic strength.

He stated, "The attractiveness of investments to any state should be radical, because that is the revenue hub and determinant of how happy the people of any state will be in terms of economic development in relation to their standard of living.

"But while trying to grow investments, we must be cautious of multiple taxation. It weighs down businesses. Ekiti is a business-friendly environment.

Ekiti has also excelled in the aspect of ease of doing business.

You have vast arable lands for agriculture.

“Also, of recent, the government of Ekiti divested 76 per cent of shares in the Ikun Dairy farm for Promasidor for the production of 80,000 litres of milk daily. Let me say that Ekiti has a bigger economy than many Africa nations. The question we should ask ourselves is that if I were the landlord of this nation, how do we survive?

“During my time as a commissioner in Lagos, we started with N600 million monthly Internally Generated Revenue in 1999. The seizure of Lagos funds

by President Olusegun Obasanjo made us to think like a sovereign state. Today, Lagos is making over N45 billion monthly.

"The surest way forward is to

deepen investments in the areas where Ekiti has comparative advantage. We should also make good investments in technology to grow the knowledge economy, which is education.

"Let me commend the foresightedness of the governor, Fayemi, to know that technology is the best way to go. I am even happy that the low in charges of the broadband airwave has already started attracting investments to Ekiti. What is in vogue now is that, well-trained people in technology are the game changers.

"I urge Ekiti to leverage on the value in education it has acquired to develop its investments. I believe Ekiti has not lost this value. It has to be fountain of the knowledge economy, not just the fountain of knowledge.

"The Afe Babalola University multisystem hospital in Ado Ekiti is now being mentioned internationally. It has made breakthroughs in neurosurgical, surgical, plastic surgery and many other areas of medicine. Many countries don't have such facility."

Speaking on the lingering security crisis that was gradually crippling the economy, Fayemi insisted that a multi-level policing system remained the best way out.

He said, "This request does not mean abrogation of the central

police. If you have problem of security in Kaduna, Governor el-Rufai can easily take charge.

My recent experience and many of our governors were not even palatable, where we wanted to procure drones and Mr President was with us on the issue, but the NSA refused us End User Certificate, though we got it one year after.

"As of now, security is on the Exclusive List. Even if the federal government is ready to allow us procure some arms, we have to sign MoU with the Nigerian Air Force. We have to work together collaboratively, because investors consider security as number one in any state."

Fayemi stated that his government had signed a bill into law establishing Ekiti Economic Council to plan and implement the summit and ensure that the outcome outlives his administration.

On how to cut cost in governance, Fayemi said the COVID-19 pandemic had helped in no small measure, saying the dwindling revenues to states has also taught a lesson that governors must block leakages in revenue collection and leverage on areas, where they could get support from the federal government, especially, the social intervention programmes.

The Ekiti State governor said he had completed many of the projects left behind by former Governor Ayodele Fayose, saying abandonment on the basis of lack of interest and change of party constitutes great impediment to growth and development.

Supporting the call for state police, Obaseki said the police should be removed from the exclusive list for states’ chief executives to be in firm control.

He stated, "If you have a businesses, you have to protect them and you must have the apparatuses. Security is on the exclusive list and we are looking up to the federal government to remove for states to take charge.

"We must provide facilities for the police to be able to train our local vigilantes, because in Edo State, that was what we did. We raised a vigilante group to police our villages from kidnappers and other criminals."

On the role of ICT in driving economy at the subnational level, Obaseki advised that states should use ICT to recast primary education results, by making the children at their tender age to perceive computer as part of their lives.

The Edo State governor commended Fayemi's transformation agenda in Ekiti State, saying the state is

lucky to have a resourceful and innovative chief executive that could turn things around with lean resources.

Doing a holistic appraisal of the projects executed by Fayemi, he said he was stunned by the quantum of projects executed in water and other sectors, despite the COVID-19 challenge and the lean allocation accruing to Ekiti internally and from the federation accounts.

The governor said, "Ekiti is lucky, you don't know how lucky you are to have the kind of governor God has given you.

Ekiti is not a big state. You are not even rich, but you have the greatest resource any nation can have, which is human resource.

"Governor Fayemi is not only leading Ekiti people well, he is leading all the governors well as the chairman of the Nigerian Governors' forum.

Lending his voice to the issue of state police, the Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu said, "When you have investments, you would have to protect them and take responsibility for whatever happens. The investors will rely on the governors for protection and it is sad that we are not in charge. This is the area, where the federal government must look into the issue of state police."

FG May Expand Access to COVID-19 Vaccination Ahead of December Deadline Resolves to enhancing security features of cards US donates over 3.5 million doses of vaccine to Nigeria Onyebuchi Ezigbo and Michael Olugbode in Abuja Following the federal government's December deadline for civil servants to get the COVID-19 vaccination as precondition for accessing their offices, the National Primary Healthcare Development Agency (NPHCDA) has expressed its commitment to ramping up vaccine uptake across the country.

The agency said it had put in place plans for the establishment of mass vaccination sites across

the country. It also said the government had begun to work on the possibility of enhancing the security features of the vaccination cards to limit forgery.

Executive Director of NPHCDA, Dr. Faisal Shuaib, said at a media briefing on Thursday in Abuja that the objective of the strategy was to vaccinate a large number of people through big sites, such as federal institutions (universities, polytechnics), shopping malls, religious centres, sporting events, conference centres, and markets.

Shuaib said the agency had already done a comprehensive analysis and forecast of COVID-19 vaccines’ availability.

He said, "We have enough vaccines to cover more than this population of federal government employees and we are expecting even much more. Based on delivery forecasts from the COVAX facility and the African Union, Nigeria will have adequate vaccines to cover more than 50% of eligible populations by the end of the first quarter of 2022."

Shuaib explained that the agency was currently enhancing the security features of the vaccination cards in order to limit forgery.

According to him, "We are working with relevant security agencies to make examples of these individuals, who may wish to buy or sell the cards by naming and shaming them. We are also enhancing the security features of our vaccination cards in order to limit forgery."

The executive director said the exercise would require

strong collaboration between NPHCDA, state governments, religious bodies, school authorities, and governing bodies of malls and large sporting events.

He said, “As we expand the vaccination sites, we encourage all eligible Nigerians to avail themselves for vaccination. I am also glad to inform you that we have commenced the process of decentralising COVID-19 vaccination in Nigeria, to include private health care providers. This Continued on page 47

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BUHARI AS GRAND PATRON OF THE CHARTERED INSURANCE...

L-R: Commissioner for Insurance Mr. Sunday Thomas ; President Muhammadu Buhari and Chartered Insurance Institute of Nigeria (CIIN) President, Mr Muftau Oyegunle, during the conferment of the highest recognition of the insurance body - Grand Patron of the CIIN on the President by the Governing Council of the institute at the Presidential Villa in Abuja ...yesterday GODWIN OMOIGUI

W'Bank Warns Nigeria against Sustained Under-investment in Human Capital Says 2016 recession, COVID-19 diminishing human capital Ndubuisi Francis in Abuja The World Bank has cautioned that the continued underinvestment in human capital may hinder Nigeria from harnessing the economic potential of its young population.

It also stated that two economic crises in close succession - the 2016 oil price slump and the COVID-19 pandemic - had diminished Nigeria's human capital stock, notably through declines in educational attainment.

In a new report titled: "Good Jobs for a New Generation: Delivering Quality Jobs for Young Nigerians after COVID-19," which was unveiled during a virtual interactive session with journalists yesterday, the World Bank assessed how much the COVID -19 pandemic affected jobs in Nigeria, and how the country could deliver quality jobs for its young population following the devastating effect of the pandemic.

There were a number of key messages contained in the report presented by some officials of the bank's country office in Nigeria, including Jonathan Lain and Tara Vishwanath.

According to the report, the COVID-19 crisis has underscored weaknesses in Nigeria’s labour market, noting however, that the country could leverage the crisis to protect human capital and foster good jobs for its young population.

It observed that before COVID-19, Nigeria’s youth already faced a daunting jobs challenge, adding that even without the pandemic, about 30.8 million Nigerian youth aged 15-29 (about 54.3 per cent of the 56.7 million people in that age group) were projected to have entered the labour market.

It stated: "Widespread informality and precarity in Nigeria’s labor market had not improved in the decade before COVID-19. From 2010 to 2019, the share of working-age Nigerians with jobs in household agriculture increased from 25.6 to 35.9 per cent. Precarious jobs offer less reliable paths out of poverty.

"To inform a new generation of labor-market policies, this brief marshals evidence on how Nigeria’s youth have responded to two recent economic shocks: the 2016 oil-price recession and the ongoing COVID-19 crisis.

"Youth responded to both crises by leaving school earlier to enter the labor market, thus increasing overall labor supply.

Rising labor supply amid chronic job shortages have further widened precarity and informality in Nigeria’s labor market."

The report posited that compared to the 2016 oil-price recession, COVID-19 negative labour-market effects was more concentrated among women and the poor.

It listed three directions for policy action to deliver good jobs and prepare young Nigerians to fill them.

These include investment in human capital; boosting job creation; and helping enterprises grow.

It also noted that reversing education losses from COVID-19, particularly among girls, was a top priority.

Options proffered to address these included adding more hours to the school day, repeating the missed school period, and delivering lessons during school holidays.

The World Bank also stated that monitoring of education results is vital to ensure that losses are recouped.

According to the report, priorities to support job creation included promoting economic diversification away from oil and redirecting public spending towards productivity-enhancing infrastructure and pro-poor social protection.

"Policies that loosen enterprise credit constraints and develop infrastructure can boost enterprise productivity, profits, and job creation.

"For example, cash grants administered through a national business competition have shown large positive effects on enterprise survival, profitability, and hiring.

"Nigeria’s young population embodies the nation’s promise.

Ensuring good jobs for youth

will enable the country to seize its demographic dividend. This is vital to drive future inclusive growth and poverty reduction,' it said.

Meanwhile, World Bank President, David Malpass has

disclosed that the bank now has 250 million doses of COVID-19 vaccines under contract with bank financing.

He revealed that the deliveries would be going on in the coming months, as a very critical move

in saving lives.

Speaking yesterday during a media briefing at the ongoing the 2021 annual meetings of the World Bank/International Monetary Fund in Washington, Malpass also said the bank was

working throughout Africa on the climate agenda alongside the development agenda, recognising that in order to be fully engaged, countries are going to need to see development as part of their outlook.

DPR: PIA Holds Key to Unlocking Nigeria’s Hydrocarbons Stakeholders call for thorough implementation PENGASSAN demands representation in steering committee Emmanuel Addeh in Abuja The Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR) yesterday urged Nigerians to keep faith with the new Petroleum Industry Act (PIA), assuring that it holds the key to fully unlocking the full potential of the country’s oil and gas resources.

Speaking at the sixth triennial branch delegates’ conference and award ceremony of the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN), DPR Branch, in Abuja, the Director of the organisation, Mr. Sarki Auwalu, expressed confidence that the new law would transform the industry.

Specifically, Auwalu noted that he had no doubt that the DPR and its successor agencies, the Nigerian Upstream Regulatory Commission (NURC) and the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Regulatory Authority (NMDRA) would continue to play a pivotal role in creating value and promoting industry growth.

He added that with the creation of the new agencies, they would ensure stability, and sustainability as well as leveraging its greatest assets, including the unions which remain the, “turbo engine” that drives the wheels of the department.

Speaking on the theme: “The Petroleum Industry Act: Prospects for the Nigerian Oil and Gas Industry”, the DPR director said the new legislation marked a notable milestone in the past two decades of legal reforms

of the sector.

“This law holds the key to unlocking value from the nation’s hydrocarbon resources for the benefits of our generation and those of our children and children’s children.

“The law will enable farreaching reforms and sustainable overhaul of the industry, as there is focused and committed implementation framework under the distinguished leadership of Mr. President and the Minister of State, Petroleum Resources, Chief Timipre Sylva.

“I have no doubt in my mind that this industry is set on the path for greatness. I therefore charge all of us, including the great PENGASSAN, to give unalloyed support for the smooth implementation and seamless take-off of the PIA,” he stressed.

Auwalu thanked the DPR branch and national body for demonstrating maturity in engaging management on welfare issues affecting its members, stating that it was on record that for several years now, DPR has continually enjoyed industrial peace and harmony.

The Executive Secretary Petroleum Technology Development Fund (PTDF), Dr. Aliyu Gusau, in his comments, noted that although he was initially disappointed that it took Nigeria almost two decades to pass the law, it was not too late since it now incorporates all the contemporary issues in the energy industry.

“My initial reaction was disappointment. How could our nation spend two decades trying

to do one thing? But then on further reflection, it has turned out to be a blessing in disguise because if it was not done at this time, it would have been different altogether,” he explained.

He stated that the initial focus of the old bill was to make it a revenue generating document, but noted that that has changed, since issues like climate change and energy transition, among others have changed the face of the industry.

Gusau stated that Nigeria now has a window to make use of its resources with the PIA, insisting that the country would not afford to miss the opportunity because it does not have exclusive ownership of oil and gas resources.

He argued that the business model of pumping oil and putting it in the federation account was dying, stating that passage of the legislation was just 20 per cent of the job, while the major challenge would be its implementation.

“There are so many Acts in this country like this that have been put together but are yet to realise their full potential. So, it’s important for stakeholders to pull in one direction to produce the kind of Industry envisaged in the new law,” he said.

Governor of Nasarawa State, Mr. Abdullahi Sule, in his comments, stated that he was part of the process that gave birth to the PIA in the early 2000s, explaining that many people did not really understand the content of the document.

He argued that frontier basins

were not only found in the north, saying that Calabar, Anambra, Benin also have basins.

On his part, the National President, PENGASSAN, Mr. Festus Osifo, stated that while everyone could not agree on the new law, global best practices should be imitated in its execution.

He reiterated that a single regulator would have been preferable to the current dual bodies, citing the need for synergy.

He stated that the view of PENGASSAN was that Nigeria should quickly produce what it has under the ground before fossil fuels become irrelevant in the coming years.

Also, the Chairman of PENGASSAN, DPR branch, Owan Abua, noted that while PENGASSAN does not agree with the entire document, it was better than nothing at all.

“Despite our earnest efforts to push for a single regulatory regime which would act as a one-stop-shop for all regulatory matters across the value-chain of the industry, the legislators passed a dual regulatory regime as proposed by the executive.

“Be that as it may, we applaud the final passage of the bill into an act, as we are of the opinion that a bad law is better than no law. There will always be room for future amendments “The union is advocating to be represented in the PIA implementation committee.

This will ensure that all issues involving personnel placement and welfare will be duly taken care of proactively,” he explained.

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PAGE EIGHT AYU EMERGES CONSENSUS PDP CHAIRMANSHIP CANDIDATE Nazif Suleiman, stepped down qualified but through discussion for Ayu to emerge.

At a press briefing on Thursday in Abuja, Governor of Adamawa State, Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri, confirmed that the Northern Caucus of the party had unanimously picked Ayu as the candidate for national chairman.

Ayu had earlier emerged the consensus national chairmanship candidate for the North-central zone after other contenders from the zone withdrew from the race early this week.

The office of PDP national chairman, currently occupied by the South, has been zoned to the North ahead of the next general election.

The party’s national convention holds in Abuja on October 31.

On Wednesday, the northern PDP stakeholders had met to select a consensus candidate, but the meeting could not hold.

They, then postponed the meeting till 11am yesterday.

Another meeting later held last night, where the Bauchi Governor, Bala Mohammed, and others hinted that all the governors had decided on Ayu. Ayu was also brought in to appeal and plead for support and he assured that he would ensure a level playing field, before eventually emerging consensus candidate.

The scheme began to unravel at the North-east meeting, when Nazif found out that the Bauchi governor had encouraged Senator Abdul Ningi to join the race in order to stop him.

The plan was for them to pick Ningi over Nazif and get Ningi to withdraw for Ayu. But when Nazif threatened he would contest, regardless, and Shema also sent a signal that he would not withdraw, Mohammed and the other governors realised their plot might fail except they begged other stakeholders. It was at this stage that they pleaded and persuaded Shema and Nazif to step down, which they accepted.

However, after over three hours meeting at the Bauchi State Government Lodge, the Northern PDP stakeholders settled for Ayu as their consensus national chairman.

Fintiri, who is the chairman of the PDP national convention committee, said, "There is no vanquished, there no victor in this meeting. We all came out united…

"Distinguished Senator Iyorcha Ayu has emerged consensus candidate of the north. With this, we are fully prepared; we are ready. We will be talking with our colleagues from other parts of the country, especially, the south that they see reasons for this consensus candidate and give us support during the 30 and 31 convention of PDP. "All of them were immensely

and reconciliation, we have emerged with consensus list that was endorsed by the candidates themselves. There was no election and there was no selection."

In his acceptance speech, Ayu said, "It is my singular honour to accept the accept the responsibilities, which has been put on my shoulders from the North. I believe that at the end of the day, it will not only be the North, but it will be all Nigerians. The PDP will be back to its winning ways.

And we will work tirelessly

after the convention to rebuild the party to take over power to rebuild the country.”

Insiders privy to the horse trading said Ayu emerged based on agreement and undertaking that he and the governors gave that his emergence would not preclude anybody from any zone from contesting the Presidency.

It was also agreed that if the emergence of a presidential candidate tilted the scale in favour of any zone, the chairman would have to resign and work for the candidate if such affected the equation.

Also, it was after Ayu and the governors agreed to this that Shema and Nazif agreed to withdraw from the race.

THISDAY further gathered that Alhaji Atiku Abubakar played no role in all these.

In fact, the source said, "It is only last weekend that both men spoke for the first time after many years as they have been feuding for years. The governors made sure Atiku did not play a role.”

Meanwhile, the PDP has approved the extension of sale of nomination forms for national officers for the October

30 to 31 National Convention, from the earlier announced date of Friday, October 15, 2021 to Sunday, October 17, 2021 This was contained in a statement signed by Kola Ologbondiyan, the National Publicity Secretary and Secretary, National Convention Publicity SubCommittee of the party.

Consequently, the last date for the submission of duly completed forms has also been extended from Saturday, October 16 to Tuesday, October 19, 2021.

Accordingly, he said that

INAUGURATION OF MONITORING COMMITTEE...

L-R: Minister of Power, Abubakar Aliyu; Minister of State, Petroleum, Timipre Sylva and the Minister of Works and Housing, Babatunde Fashola at the Inauguration of Presidential Monitoring and Evaluation Committee of full Implementation of the Executive Order No. 5 at Presidential Villa, Abuja …yesterday GODWIN OMOIGUI

CDS: 250 BANDITS 'NEUTRALISED' AFTER TELECOMS BLACKOUT IN N’WEST, 600 ARRESTED the State House, Abuja, said no fewer than 250 bandits had been killed following telecommunication blackout in parts of the Northwest region since September, this year.

He added that over 600 other bandits had been captured in the successful military operations facilitated by the interruption of the telephone and internet services in some states in the zone.

His words: "We are responsible for the security content in that regard, so to that extent, looking at the numbers, from the last report that I got on Monday, we have neutralised over 250 of the bandits, we have equally arrested well over 600 and because it is a continuous thing, the figures might also change."

Military operations against the bandits were intensified with a sudden shutdown of the telecoms

services in the Northwestern state of Zamfara early last month and it was extended to parts of Sokoto, Katsina, and Kaduna States, all in the Northwest zone.

Irabor said the strategy has so far been helpful to the military's operations in that part of the country, including the rescue of kidnapped persons from various camps of the bandits.

According to him, "The shutdown will remain as long as it is necessary. The shutdown is more of a blessing than anything else. Telecommunication in the Northwest was shut down out of necessity. We have achieved successes within this period."

With the ongoing operations, the CDS said government's primary objective was to ensure the peace and wellbeing of every citizen.

"I will like to also indicate that the rescue operations have led

to the rescue of many of those recruited by the bandits, which is also part and parcel of that action and is not limited to Zamfara State but it also extends to Sokoto and Katsina," Irabor explained.

He said the military was ready to scale up operations across the country, in view of the worrisome security situation, adding that a larger number of the bandits had been identified in the Northwest region.

"Of course, a few who are having inroads into the Northcentral, we are taking action, so that they do not spread beyond the known locations. But more seriously, a larger number of the bandits remain in the northwest.

"The Primary objective of government is to ensure the peace and well-being of every citizen so, we undertake our operations and activities to ensure there is peace, development and

the provision of amenities that aggregate to governance," he said.

Explaining why banditry attacks have remained relatively high, since the military launched major onslaught against them, he said, "they are essentially, where they are. That is the reason why we are pursuing them. But more seriously, a larger number of the bandits remain in the North West. Of course, a few who are having in-road into the North Central, we are taking action, so that they do not spread beyond the known locations. But let me tell you also that threat as it were, whether terrorism, banditry, or any form of criminality, are not confined to boundaries.

"This is the reason why when we speak to issues that have to do with national security, it is placed in context with our neighbours, because, if all is well

EMEFIELE: NIGERIA SPENDS 40% OF FX ON IMPORTATION OF PETROL, OTHERS petroleum products as well as petrochemicals.

This, he also pointed out would put the central bank in a better position to float the naira.

“On the Dangote Refinery, by the time it begins production latest July next year, it is going to be a major source to save forex for Nigeria.

Right now, the overall forex we spend on imported items, the importation of petroleum products consumes close to 30 per cent.

“By the time you add diesel, aviation fuel, petrol and the rest of that which makes up the 30 per cent, the Dangote Refinery has the capacity to produce 650,000 barrels per day.

There is a domestic component

the date for the Screening of aspirants for various national offices has also been adjusted to Wednesday, October 20, 2021, while Screening Appeals, to consider appeals arising from the Screening Exercise, is now scheduled for Saturday, October 23, 2021.

Please note that the date for the National Convention still remains Saturday October 30 - Sunday 31, 2021.

All aspirants, leaders, critical stakeholders and teeming members of our great party are by this statement guided accordingly, he stated.

that is about 455,000 barrels.

Even if the 455,000 is what is sold to Dangote in naira alone, it is going to be a major forex savings for Nigeria,” he explained.

Responding to a question, the CBN governor revealed that the total cost of the Dangote Refinery project was about $17.5 billion and the total equity from the Dangote Group in the project was $9 billion.

So, less than $9 billion was contributed by a combination of foreign and local banks and the CBN, he disclosed.

“So, you are looking at a transaction where the leverage is almost one-to-one. We think that is going to be a major FX saver for our country and we would export those refined

products.

“If you look at the cost of freight alone, it is a major saving for Nigeria. That is because if we have to go to Europe or other parts of the world to bring in petroleum products where we pay heavily in freight and in stocking those products in the high sea before we offload them, Nigerians would benefit a lot from the Dangote Refinery,” he added.

Emefiele pointed out that the project was one of Nigeria’s backward integration programmes, saying the country was proud that it was coming to light.

“Indeed, we know that refineries abroad are already scared because they know

the market they would lose because Nigeria will prefer to patronise Dangote Refinery instead of foreign refined petroleum products.

“On the petrochemical, it is also expected to commence about same period next.

That petrochemical plant will be producing 900,000 tonnnes of polyethylene and polypropylene granules.

Nigeria’s annual consumption here is less than 200,000.

“What does that mean? It is going to save five per cent of our imports. If you save five per cent of your imports and another 30 per cent in petroleum products and then in fertliser where we would save about two per cent of our imports, we are moving

close to saving 40 per cent of the country’s imports.

“By that time, you will see what we would be doing when people talk about floating the naira, and then let’s see how the currency will depreciate,” he added.

Speaking further, Emefiele told foreign investors that the federal government ensures that any of its debts that is due was given utmost priority, particularly foreign debts.

“It is like a first line charge.

The Minister talks to me about it and we ensure that wherever we are going to find the dollar, we pay any of our debts, even before we service any obligation. That is the rule if is Nigeria’s authentic sovereign debt,” he said.

in our home and all is not well with our neighbours, then, of course, we can’t have peace. So, this is the reason why kineticism has become an approach in this regard.

“And for many of you who have been very close observers, I want you to know that there are greater interactions that we have with our neighbours and we do not also want to offset the good relations we have with our neighbours, because it is from the enlightened self-interest perspective that we would do that".

Irabor, however, allayed the fears of a possible regrouping of suspected terrorists within the vicinity of Abuja and Niger State, describing the source of the said information as handiwork of mischief makers.

The Yoruba socio-cultural group, Afenifere, had on Wednesday, raised the alarm that it had intelligence from some sources that the terrorists had started setting up camps around the FCT and Niger State, calling for immediate action.

But Irabor described the claim as false and should be discountenanced forthwith, stating that many people pushing out information do so to 'fly agenda kites', adding that if there was anything as being claimed by those raising the alarm, the military would have known.

His words: “Well, that's interesting, but can I please confirm to you that what we saw was social media reports raising some form of apprehension as to the presence of some alien individuals or criminal elements within the precincts of the FCT, to which we have taken measures Continued on page 48

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THE PRESIDENCY

PUBLIC NOTICE

PRESIDENTIAL STANDING COMMITTEE ON PRIVATE JETTIES, OFFICE OF THE HONOURABLE MINISTER, FEDERAL MINISTRY OF TRANSPORTATION Notice is hereby given that in furtherance of the Presidential Standing Committee on Private Jetties Authority, and in accordance with Section 37 (i) of the Nigerian Ports Authority Decree 1999, the operating licenses of defaulting private Jetties will be revoked for non-compliance with statutory regulatory obligations. This is in furtherance to our earlier letters to individual defaulters.

The Presidential Standing Committee on Private Jetties has observed with dismay that some private jetties granted licenses have been operating beyond the stipulated period of their licenses without renewal as stipulated under terms of the License.

The Committee wishes to remind all private jetty operators that any jetty operating without license or valid License, is doing so illegally.

The action of these illegal private jetty operators amounts to colossal loss of revenue to the Federal Government, disregard for due process and an infringement on our national security.

Any jetty whose license has expired, and has not renewed it, has until 2nd November, 2021 to do so or risk being closed down.

Jetties operating with expired License and whose application for renewal has not been received at least three months, to the expiration date, will be heavily penalized.

Be informed that jetties found to be operating without valid document after 2nd November, 2021 will, in addition to closure, be prosecuted as economic saboteurs.

In view of Federal Government’s effort at ensuring safety and security in our ports, jetties and the country at large, all operators are hereby enjoined to adhere strictly to the guidelines and regulations stipulated for their operations in order to achieve uniformity or face severe sanctions.

For the avoidance of doubt, the powers to grant or renew Licenses as well as re-open closed jetties, resides in the Presidential Standing Committee on Private Jetties.

All applications for Permits and Licenses should be addressed to: The Chairman of the Presidential Standing Committee on Private Jetties and Honourable Minister of Transportation, Bukar Dipcharima House, Central Business District, Abuja.

Signed DR. S. N. MADUKA

Secretary to the Committee

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COMMENT

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

PETER OBI’S PANDORA PAPERS

Obi’s non-disclosure of his foreign assets has weaponised his opponents, writes Bolaji Adebiyi

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t is like: Yes, he has been caught finally. That’s what the Premium Times’ story on the Pandora Papers, which reveals that a couple of Nigerian public officials and politicians have been fingered to have starched away parts of their wealth in tax havens, including the British Virgin Islands, sounds like. One of them is Peter Obi, the outspoken former governor of Anambra State. Since he left office in 2014, he has been a vocal critic of the Muhammadu Buhari administration, particularly its management of the economy, which has remained in distress since it took over in 2015.

Obi has been part of the motley crowd of critics that has made heavy weather of the regime’s perceived inability to curb the raging corruption that it had promised to cage. He speaks loudly about accountability and transparency as hallmarks of good governance.

For the online news medium that is noted for its thorough investigative journalism, therefore, such a transparency agitator as Obi, must like Caesar’s wife be above board. This perhaps underlines its story that outlines the former governor’s mention in the leaked papers showing that he used shell companies to hide part of his wealth abroad. To be fair, Obi was never accused of theft of public funds as there was no evidence of such. But its substantive query was the apparent breach of sections of the 1999 Constitution as altered which mandate public officers to declare their assets before and after office, and bar them from participating in any private business, except farming, or operating foreign accounts.

“This newspaper exposed Mr Obi’s secret businesses and how he broke Nigeria’s law in at least three ways,” Premium Times stated. It enumerated the infractions: “One, Mr. Obi continued to hold his position as a director of his UK company, NEXT International (UK) Limited, 14 months after becoming the governor of Anambra State in contravention of Section Six of the Code of Conduct Bureau and Tribunal Act. Two, Mr. Obi set up complicated layers of secrecy to hide his offshore holdings, which he admitted to failing to declare to the Code of Conduct Bureau, apparently hoping the public and the authorities would never get to know, thereby breaching Section 11, Part of the Fifth Schedule of the 1999 Constitution. Three, Mr. Obi as a governor was also operating a foreign account in breach of the constitution and the public service code of conduct rules.” Obi’s initial response was that he did not steal and that the businesses were jointly owned with members of his family, which he felt he was not required to declare by law.

“It was exhilarating that nowhere in the article was he accused of any form of corruption, whether in the form of diversion of public funds or in any other manner during and after his stewardship as the governor of Anambra State,” his spokesperson, Valentine Obienyen, said in a statement. “I don’t declare what is owned with others. If my family owns something I won’t declare it. I didn’t declare anything I jointly owned with anyone,” Obi said in another interview.

Read against the relevant provisions of the constitution, the former governor’s argument is at best that he was ignorant of the law which required him to declare all his assets, not run foreign accounts and any company, except farming while serving as a public officer. Perhaps realising the weakness of his defence, Obi made further efforts on Monday to beef up his arsenal when he appeared on ARISE NEWS Channel. He spoke more of the transparency of his businesses that he said had been built long before he came to office. He explained that the circumstances of his emergence as governor left him with little or no

READ AGAINST THE RELEVANT PROVISIONS OF THE CONSTITUTION, THE FORMER GOVERNOR’S ARGUMENT IS AT BEST THAT HE WAS IGNORANT OF THE LAW WHICH REQUIRED HIM TO DECLARE ALL HIS ASSETS, NOT RUN FOREIGN ACCOUNTS AND ANY COMPANY, EXCEPT FARMING WHILE SERVING AS A PUBLIC OFFICER

chance to formerly resign his directorship, stating that he resigned on phone. Those foreign companies, he said, were put in a trust, a process he said was lawful worldwide.

For those who are familiar with the constitution and the requirements of the code of conduct for public officers, Obi’s arguments are very weak and he would require a very strong legal team to wriggle out if the authorities decide to prosecute him. Clearly, his assets in the trust that are not declared are deemed concealed and are liable to forfeiture to the federal government if convicted. And it would be immaterial that they were legitimately acquired as Obi insists.

However, the former governor’s claim that the report is the handiwork of his political foes is worth examining. Given Obi’s pedigree as a former public officer who is generally perceived to have transparently delivered in office, and his political exposure, he may be forgiven for thinking his opponents may have been behind the report.

Coming into office in 2006 virtually against the run of play, he had to endure a tedious legal battle to regain and retain his mandate. A few months later, he was removed from office and had to return to court to retrieve his seat. He inherited a politically volatile state with a high crime rate. It is to his credit that by the end of his second term in 2014, he had stabilised the state and was highly regarded as one of the most prudent and achieving governors in his class. Under his watch salaries and gratuity of any civil servants were paid as and when due. Reputed to have upscaled the critical infrastructure of the state, Obi left a hefty N75 billion, including $156 million in state’s treasury without any debt, local or foreign.

Without a doubt his records endeared him to many Nigerians who see him as a shining example of what a Nigerian leader should be. Apparently angling to benefit from his nationwide approval, the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, nominated Obi as his running mate. However, the ticket was beset by loud grumblings from politicians from his South-east stock, who felt they should have been the pick. Unable to secure the critical consensus to pull massive votes from the region, the ticket was worsted by the Muhammadu Buhari-Yemi Osinbajo ticket at the 2019 general election.

Now, with the talk of a southern presidency and the strong bid by the South-east, not a few Nigerians think that should the pendulum swing towards the region, Obi clearly stands the best chance to clinch it in the PDP. And his best-selling point is his perceived high integrity in public office. That has now been dotted by the Premium Times report.

But was the online medium used to tar him?

Hardly. From a journalistic point of view, the online newspaper is on a very sound professional footing. Even the former governor did not deny the non-declaration of those assets. His point is that the nondisclosure was in good faith. That, nonetheless would still amount to an infraction of the law. However, if the newspaper had thought beyond journalism and had been politically minded, it would have considered the need to protect him once there was no evidence of theft or even tax evasion. So, as it is, the paper may have done an excellent professional job but it has also reduced the ranks of the very few pools from which the nation could recruit its next leader. It has weaponised otherwise corrupt politicians who may now argue that no one is a saint after all.

Adebiyi, managing editor of THISDAY Newspapers, wrote from bolaji.adebiyi@thisdaylive.com

MEMO TO THE VICE PRESIDENT

Boniface Chizea argues that floating the naira will exacerbate the misery index in the land

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r. Vice President, Professor Yemi Osinbajo. I crave your indulgence to address you through this medium following your now accustomed brilliant presentation during the midterm review of the performance of President Muhammadu Buhari ministerial team. It was by all account an impressive outing. Mr. VP, I listened to your comments and I have since been inundated by friends who know my stand on some of the issues you broached during your presentation with regard to the rate of exchange of the naira and the need for collaboration between the monetary and fiscal authorities and the need for us all to keep hope alive on the ability of this administration to deliver the goods. I have taken the courage to send you this memo in my firm belief that we all have a shared interest in the future prosperity of Nigeria; in deed to capture this sentiment more succinctly, we all have an insurable interest so to do. And also to offer an alternative narrative on discussions on the Nigerian economy.

Here are some basic incontrovertible facts about the naira exchange rate. It is the safest thing to wedge a bet on the progressive fall in the rate of exchange of the naira. This rate since 1986 when this country introduced the Structural Adjustment Program aimed at achieving a diversified productive base of the Nigerian economy to reduce the unwholesome dependence on oil for foreign exchange inflows and to enthrone market forces for the allocation of resources thereby achieve the elimination of all subsidies has maintained steady fall. We recall that the rate was N22 at the official window and N86 at the alternative in 1986! And Mr. VP this trend is not likely going to change very

soon.

You would recall that when your administration came into office that the rate was around N160 to the dollar. Today at the official window the rate is above N400 to the dollar. This is the equivalent of over 150% loss in the value. And the opposition as you must have experienced will use this metric to taunt you as evidence of the extent to which the economy has been mismanaged under your watch.

Yes we must all factor in the pandemic experience but some of the loss in value arose from the attempt by the Central Bank to answer to the criticisms by multilateral financial institutions such as the International Monetary Fund to allow the market to determine the rate of exchange in line with the recommendation you have just made.

Mr. VP there is no market for dollar in Nigeria and that is the unadulterated fact. And regardless of what is being said now, the fact is that on a number of occasions in the past the Central Bank served notice of its intention to withdraw from the market to play the role of swing supplier of foreign exchange.

But there were no alternative sources and the naira continued to progressively lose value only for the Central Bank in response to return to the market to continue with its demand management approach.

Mr. VP believe you me all this talk about devaluing the naira to release dollars held by individuals and to attract investors would only have one predictable consequential result; further loss in value in the rate of exchange which will only exacerbate the misery index in the land. I don’t know to what extent you are in tune with the inflationary pressures today in Nigeria. It is alarming and we might confront unrest if the scenario of worsening rate of exchange becomes an existential reality.

Mr. VP the rate of exchange of the naira today is a clear cut case of gross undervaluation as it were and there are no two ways to that. One sure measure we could adopt to buttress this fact is to do Purchasing Power Parity. The highest cost of having a haircut today in Nigeria is N500 and that is for some highbrow areas. In fact in most places in this country today you could get a haircut for much less.

What is the cost of haircut in America today? There is a video making the rounds of a Nigeria who went to get a haircut somewhere in America and he was asked to pay one hundred dollars! He shouted blue murder as that is the equivalent of N50,000!

Mr. VP the problem of the Nigerian economy has been well advertised and is known by all informed compatriots. It is simply a chronic case of lack of productive base which is as should be expected has been associated with an insatiable appetite to consume what we do not produce. We have over the years made lots of wrong fiscal policy choices such as the continued importation of refined petroleum products with the associated payment of corruption --infested subsidy. In fact it is today argued that we spend more on importation of refined products than we earn from the export of crude petroleum.

We have maintained a bloated workforce which had made it difficult to correct the negative imbalance between the capital and recurrent expenditure. This is despite the Oronsaye report which recommended that we should prune down the agencies and departments but instead we rather watched as they increased. We have endured a worse case of revenue inflow as our tax to GDP ratio of around 8% has been adjudged the lowest in the sub-region. We are also assailed by a case of unconscionable leakage to the treasury by way of

unbridled corruption laced with impunity.

Therefore realistically it is not reasonable to expect a robust and stable rate of exchange of the naira.

The rate we have today is because the Central Bank has gone out of its way to stem a free fall in the value of the naira by all manner of creative manipulations despite a not so robust reserve situation. The bottom line of my message to you today is that there is no experimentation that has not been tried for the attainment of a stable exchange rate. But just as you cannot make omelette without breaking eggs, so it is difficult to expect the rate to appreciate as it is being bandied around by simply allowing the market to determine the exchange rate.

What is even more is that devaluation on its own is a strategy for boosting of exports. But Nigeria has no exports worth its name and therefore devaluation would only lead to imported price increases which will compound the misery index in the land.

And this explains why we roundly commended your administration when at inception it rightly repudiated devaluation as an economic strategy for unassailable reasons.

We agree with you that components sections of the government should operate in a cooperative manner to ensure that they do not work at wasteful cross purposes particularly in the areas of policy articulation. But we must bear in mind that the Central Bank has attached to its mandate responsibility to catalyze the development of the Nigerian economy. Most commentators have accused the CBN that it crossed into the territory of the Ministry of Trade and Investments when it denied official allocation of foreign exchange for the importation of some items.

Dr. Chizea is a management consultant

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EDITORIAL TACKLING DEATHS FROM SNAKE BITES The authorities should pay more attention to the menace

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he recent disclosure by the Minister of State for Health, Olorunnimbe Mamora, that an average of 20,000 cases of snake bites are recorded annually in Nigeria should worry critical stakeholders. “The Carpet Viper is the one responsible for most, about 90 per cent of bites and 60 per cent of snakebite deaths,” said Mamora. “The snake bites cases increased recently because of excessive rainfall, leading to more morbidity and deaths connected with inadequate quantities of anti-snake venom.” States with the most cases of snakebite are Gombe, Plateau, Adamawa, Bauchi, Borno, Nasarawa, Enugu, Kogi, Kebbi, Oyo, Benue, and Taraba.

According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), snakebite is a neglected public health problem in Nigeria with a mortality rate of 12 per cent. Rural populations are frequent victims as they go about their daily food production and animal rearing activities, and sometimes even in the comfort of their homes. Unfortunately, many of these snakebite cases go unreported and thus do not appear in official epidemiological WHILE THE IDEA TO statistics. That explains INCREASE RESEARCH why health workers with little or no formal ACTIVITIES AND PREPARE ROOM FOR THE training in the management of snakebite DEVELOPMENT OF ASV often take it upon IS GOOD, GOVERNMENT ALSO NEEDS TO EMBARK themselves to deal with the challenge.

ON SUSTAINED PUBLIC Regardless, guideENLIGHTENMENT, lines for the prevention PARTICULARLY AMONG and clinical manageDWELLERS OF RURAL ment of snakebite COMMUNITIES in Africa have been developed by WHO/ AFRO with contributions from technical experts.

Prepared at the request of the federal government in 2004, the guidelines are meant to assist health workers to improve medical care for snakebite victims; they also serve as a source of information for the public on issues related to snakes and snakebite which can be deadly if

Letters to the Editor

not treated quickly.

While the right anti-venom can save a snakebite victim’s life, getting to an emergency room as quickly as possible is also important. If properly treated, many snake bites will not have serious effects. But the cost seems prohibitive. According to medical practitioners, the average cost of snake treatment and management of a victim is about N62,000. Since most of the victims are unable to afford this amount because they are mainly subsistence farmers, it is important for the government to subsidise the treatment or provide it for free and make the anti-venom available in primary healthcare facilities.

This is a good reason for the government to strengthen the nation’s clinics and hospitals as well as engage in health education as the main preventive measure.

I T H I S DAY EDITOR SHAKA MOMODU DEPUTY EDITOR WALE OLALEYE, OBINNA CHIMA MANAGING DIRECTOR ENIOLA BELLO DEPUTY MANAGING DIRECTOR ISRAEL IWEGBU CHAIRMAN EDITORIAL BOARD OLUSEGUN ADENIYI EDITOR NATION’S CAPITAL IYOBOSA UWUGIAREN MANAGING EDITOR BOLAJI ADEBIYI THE OMBUDSMAN KAYODE KOMOLAFE

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

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

KINGS REIGN TO WRITE OR REWRITE HISTORY

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he ordinary and implied meaning of the term “A Monarch’s Reign” refers to the period in which a Monarch’s thoughts, words and actions are not just pre-eminent but actually predominate the psyche and landmass of a designated territory and it usually comes to an end with the passing away of the monarch. In other words, to reign over a people or territory is to possess the supreme power of control.

We as Itsekiri subscribe to this truism, hence we refer to our king as “Afomasin” (The Infallible One). At a time in our history our kings were coronated with an ancient beaded crown handed down to the first Olu of Warri by his father the Oba of Benin. The first set of six Olu’s were thus crowned as kings with the ancient beaded crown. During the reign of Atuwatse I the 7th Olu of Warri a sterling silver European designed crown complete with a Christian cross was introduced as the instrument of coronation in 1625. This trend continued for a few centuries until a particular King Ogiame Atogbuwa, the 14tth Olu of Warri who didn’t subscribe to Christianity reverted to the old beaded crown during his reign. The next king after him and subsequent kings who adhered to the Christian faith promptly reverted to the sterling silver crown as the instrument of coronation. The epochal coronation of

n 2011, the federal government said it would make available and affordable Anti-Snake Venom (ASV) which led to the establishment of the Nigeria/UK Echitab Study Group to research and develop ASV, as well as look into ways of providing free treatment for snakebite victims. The inauguration of the structure that houses the Echitab Snakebite Control and Research Centre in Kaltungo in Gombe State was part of the collaborative efforts aimed at finding lasting solutions to the menace of snakebite in the country. It has over the years developed three different brands of ASV, using venom extracted from local snakes purposely to address the Nigerian situation.

While the idea to increase research activities and prepare room for the development of ASV in the country is good, government at all levels also needs to embark on sustained public enlightenment, particularly among dwellers of rural communities. They should be told how to prevent snakebites and what to do as first aid when someone is bitten. Besides, to ensure the availability of the ASV before local production of the drugs begins, government should import large quantities. It is also important to train medical personnel to effectively manage cases of snakebite early since the venom usually worsens the health of victims by the minute and increases their likelihood of succumbing to death because of its potency.

our reigning Olu saw him introducing a 24 -carat gold Christian crown as the instrument of his coronation thus heralding a golden era for Iwere Land. We have embarked on this historical excursion to say one thing: “Our King Ogiame Atuwatse III now reigns over Iwere Land”. His word is law to all well born Itsekiris anywhere they reside on planet earth. It is for this reason that we view the actions and utterances of a certain Ayiri Emami, the de-robed Ologbotsere with utter shock and disgust. We find his vain -jangling boast to dethrone our beloved king nauseating. Mr. Ayiri Emami’s utterances hold the possibility of justifiably infuriating Itsekiri youths, an eventuality that could adversely disturb the peace in Itsekiri communities of the Niger Delta. We are therefore demanding that the relevant security and governmental authorities call the said Mr. Ayiri Emami to order now so as to avert any violence and destruction. Itsekiris are peace loving people but we draw a line when it comes to the desecration of our beloved crown. A word they say is enough for the wise.

Long Live the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Long Live Delta State, Long Live Iwere Land and Long Live Ogiame, Atuwatse III. Lily-White Omasanjuwa Esigbone, Chairman, Itsekiri Historical Front

AFRICA AND ABSURDITIES

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n 2011, I watched in amazement how Libya became a theatre of the absurd.

Rockets were pounding everywhere from Ras Lanuf to Misrata. The argument of the West then was once you take away Gadaffi then Libya would be free again.

That was about them and their wars. They used the Libyan crisis to deal with their enemy, Gadaffi. Now Libya is imperilled. The Central African Republic has also snowballed into a theater of the absurd from politicians stocking religious and tribal tensions. Now the Russians and everyone is there playing Russian roulette at the expense of the people. If I am to start a naming game for wars in Africa I will not stop. The new game has become blood from Mali to Nigeria to Mozambique. The question is: are things going to be better? When are we going to effectively stop all the wars and focus on the development of our continent? There is a lot of blame to go round. As we blame the West, let’s also blame the politicians that do not play by the rules and cause problems because of their personal interest. Let’s not forget most of the conflict in CAR started with two men Ange-Félix Patassé and Francois Bozize.

But the hate they have created has snowballed into Anti-balaka and Seleka and most of the Nigerian and Malian crisis can be linked to politics. In all of this turpitude in the landscape of Africa there is a need to harmonize and create peaceful resolutions to ensure development of the continent. Africa is bleeding while the West is scavenging the carcasses of dead Africans. Who will save the people or when will the people save themselves?

In 1963 Osagyefo Nkrumah said, “We have already reached the stage where we must unite or sink into that condition which has made Latin America the unwilling and distressed prey of imperialism after one-and-a-half centuries of political independence. As a continent, we have emerged into independence in a different age, with imperialism grown stronger, more ruthless and experienced, and more dangerous in its international associations. Our economic advancement demands the end of colonialist and neo-colonialist domination of Africa.” The question is, did we listen?

Rufai Oseni, rufaioseni@gmail.com

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POLITICS

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

Why Akwa Ibom Should Rehabilitate the Legacy of Lady Udy, the First Indigenous First Lady Mikky Attah urges the Akwa Ibom State Government to restore the commendable legacies of Lady Udy Umondak, the First Indigenous First Lady of the state

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ady Udy Umondak, currently of The Udy Factor TV fame; is the reason the late Air Commodore Idongesit Nkanga became military Governor when he did; but sadly, her unparalleled contributions to the development of the state have been completely ignored, constituting a sad legacy to Nkanga’s memory.

The first indigenous military Governor of Akwa Ibom State was the late Air Commodore Idongesit Nkanga who died of COVID-19 last December – so it stands to reason that his former spouse, if an indigene, would also be the First, of First Ladies, and indeed she is the First Indigenous Forst Lady of Akwa Ibom State.

The union of Idongesit Nkanga and Udy Umondak is one that even fate seems to have had a hand in - and the accomplishments of Lady Udy as First Lady must not be relegated to the background of history.

While many have watched the vivacious and engaging Udy presenting her programme The Udy Factor on AIT; a lot of people may not have known the love story of Udy and Idongesit, leading to their emergence as First Indigenous Military Governor and First Indigenous First Lady of Akwa Ibom State.

It happened that the very pretty, intelligent young girl, Udy Umondak was the first and favourite daughter of Chief Umondak.

Late Chief Umondak, a wealthy and influential man was a two-time Commissioner in the old Cross River State. He was also the founder of the first private secondary school in his locale-Nsit PeoplesHigh School. Naturally, he had lofty plans for his sheltered daughter, Udy, and early marriage was not one of them. Worse, the Nkanga family was not a known one; to put it succinctly, theirs was a very modest family.

When the young officer, Idongesit approached Chief Umondak for his daughter’s hand in marriage, Umondak was filled with anger at the request. He called his daughter and thrashed her with a cane; wrongly thinking she had started seeing people of the opposite sex. But the young girl did not even know then, that the officer stranger was interested in her! Her father was further infuriated by the fact that a man with no background had come for his daughter.

However, Udy was adamant, and in the end, her father gave in, and allowed Idongesit Nkanga and Udy to get married.

In the course of their travels on military postings, they had their only daughter, Victoria, who was born in Kano but spent most of her life in America, after primary school in Lagos and also attending the Nigeria Air Force Secondaey School.

Unfortunately, all the while Nkanga was frolicking recklessly with small girls. Udy had started to experience ridicule over his behaviour. She quietly moved out, hoping he would change. Udy decided to settle in Lagos and pursue a career in acting. She played the role of Ngozi in the NTA television series, ‘Mirror In The Sun.’ She later launched her fashion line, ‘Colours’, which was the choice of Nigeria’s celebrities.

All the same, Udy and Idongesit remained quite close until his death.

As it happens, I was also close to the late Idongesit Nkanga, and he told me that Udy was his first love. He also told me that if he had his way, Udy would still be in his house today.

When Nigeria’s military President Ibrahim Babangida decided to appoint indigenous Military Governors, his first choice for Akwa Ibom State, which he, Babangida also created, was his former commander of the Presidential Fleet: Wing Commander Idongesit Nkanga!

However, that appointment came with a tight timeline, and with a very stringent

condition- Nkanga could only assume the appointment along with his legal wife, or else the appointment would quickly be given to another officer.

Mrs Udy Nkanga, now Lady Udy

Umondak was Nkanga’s legal wife.

She willingly accepted to relocate to Akwa Ibom, and move in with him as a couple, into the Government House .

The Nkanga administration lasted just

Why PDP Should Zone its Governorship Candidate to Ekiti South Chief Johnson Adekunle makes a strong case for a governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party from Ekiti South Senatorial District

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oning is not known to the Nigerian constitution but for political exigencies political parties adopt the principle to ensure victory and equitable distribution of elective offices.

Some legal schools of thought have however argued that in the spirit of federal character, zoning of elective offices may be considered constitutional.

Constitutional or not, if the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) is interested in winning the 2022 governorship election in Ekiti, a definite position must be taken about zoning, especially as it affects the southern senatorial district. Truth be told, the agitation of the zone is due for attention.

Generally, and for partisan reasons, the importance of zoning the PDP governorship ticket to Ekiti south has being largely misunderstood or undermined by many opinion writers and political leaders. Without doubt, every Ekiti sons and daughters that is of age is empowered by law to aspire to govern the state irrespective of birth place.

However, a PDP candidate from the southern senatorial district has comparative advantage over others. The PDP in opposition cannot afford to ignore the agitations of southern Ekiti people if the party is interested in victory come June 2022.

The Ekiti South agenda has gathered momentum, the people are resolved to support any political party with a candidate from the district.

Southern agenda has awakened electorates within the district to include on their to do list the desire to produce the next

governor of Ekiti. You may fault the approach adopted by some groups but you cannot deprive a people the right to agitate for what I consider their right historically.

The PDP cannot afford to stand against six out of 16 local government, especially with the possibility of the APC producing a candidate from the south.

Incumbent governor Kayode Fayemi is from the Isan Ekiti in Ekiti North senatorial district while his deputy Chief Bisi Egbeyemi is from Ado Ekiti in Ekiti Central. If in addition to the power of incumbency and strong influence in the north and central the APC produces a candidate from the south against a PDP candidate from another district, the result will be devastating for the PDP. Ekiti south is not asking for too much, based on political history. The southern senatorial district has been conspicuously marginalized in the past. Zoning the governorship to the district will be seen as an attempt by the PDP to right an age long wrong. It may not matter how many times we try correcting the political conspiracy against the district as a party, until the desire for the south to produce a governor is achieved, justice is not done.

Ekiti State was declared on October 1, 1996. From creation, the state has 16 local government areas, three senatorial districts and six Houses of Representatives constituencies.

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

one year and four months before handing over to a democratically elected government ( in Nigeria’s Thirrd Republic).

In that time Nkanga built the state secretariat complex ( named after him).

Lady Udy as First Lady, was also astounding in performance. In 16 months, she achieved what no other First Lady has been able to achieve in eight years. Lady Udy constructed and completed the first and only purpose- built facility for women, the Women Development Centre on IBB Way in Uyo which is still in good use till this moment. From it, several women cooperatives were formed which brought about enhanced economic standing for the women.

The funds to build the Women Developement Centre was raised by The First Indigenous First Lady, Udy and Akwa ibom women.

She commissioned famous Music Producer, Lemmy Otu Jackson to produce an album “Iban Akwa Ibom Ayo Asiere,’ which was launched at the then Akwa Ibom Stadium , in which the Late Ime Umana was chairman and later Lady Udy and all the women embarked on a drive for a donation of N1,000 each by every indigene .

The project was 85 percent complete by the time she left.

Her successor Mrs Bako completed the project and Lady Udy was invited for the commissioning.

Lady Udy danced with a basin accompanied by all the women to raise funds at the stadium during the launch Three months ago, the Akwa Ibom Governor, Udom Emmanuel had an empowerment programme for physically challenged people, irrespective of gender. The venue of that event was the Women Development Centre, built by Lady Udy. Udy also fully implemented the Better Life for Rural Women’s programme in Akwa Ibom State. This further established many viable cooperatives for women who began to be economically empowered. She was able to achieve all these with very little funds at her disposal. Importantly, Lady Udy carried out her task of uplifting the women without reservation or partiality. This is in stark contrast to what obtains now, where one must be a friend/ wife of a friend to a sitting governor in order to have any iota of inclusiveness in government.

With all these achievementsto her credit, her home state, Akwa Ibom has neither acknowledged her contributions nor come through for her at any critical time of her need.

Udy and Idongesit were again joined together in 2017 when tragedy struck and their only child , Victoria Nkanga Herman died of cardiac problems. She was buried in Washington before her distraught parents and son.

Indeed, Nkanga had other children but Victoria was his eldest child.

It actually would appear that those three, Victoria, Udy and Idongesit were joined together even by fate. Victoria was born on December 21, Udy was born on December 23 and Idongesit Nkanga died on December 24!

In fact, that was how Udy even got to know of his passing away. They were always in touch on the phone, and Nkanga never failed to call Udy on her birthday. But last December 23, he did not call! Udy instinctively knew that something was horribly wrong. She decided not to wait, but call him herself. Udy was proven right when his line was picked by someone else who informed her that Nkanga was in critical condition of health. In less than 24 hours , he was gone, dead. It was a total tragedy for Udy. NOTE: Interested readers should continue in the online edition on www.thisdaylive.com

T H I S D AY ˾ FRIDAY OCTOBER 15, 2021

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PERSPECTIVE

Yes, N’Assembly Should Have Permanent Secretaries Unknown Gunmen and Agony of Untimely Deaths in Ajalli Chido Nwangwu laments the unfortunate season of premature deaths in Ajalli community, Anambra State

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n Wednesday October 13, 2021, the progressive and peaceloving communities of Ajalli (Ujari) and their friends came together to extend final rites of passage, and held christian service of songs.

It was the first day of the transition towards burial of one of the two of its indigenes impacted by the violent attacks of Thursday September 30, 2021 at the Nigeria Police Station at Ajalli (Ujari).

The events of that day led to the untimely deaths of two of its sons, Okechukwu Nwafor and Obumneme Chigozie Mbonu Okafor.

Obumneme who was only 38-years old was buried on Thursday.

Okechukwu’s service of songs will hold today Friday, and his burial is set for tomorrow Saturday.

It is important to underline the fact that no one, to this day, has said or presented any evidence that the attackers and attacks came from the blessed town of Ajalli (Ujari).

Besides the two men who were killed by the “unknown gun men”, the communities of Ajalli (Ujari) have also suffered a number of untimely but unrelated deaths, including three of my cousins: Uzochukwu Hubert Iheukwumere (Nwangwu), Obidigbo Otti and Ndubueze Otti.

There’s the sudden death of my dear friend and fellow member of the Beta Sigma Fraternity of the University of Nigeria Nsukka (UNN), Obinna Onuogu.

There’s the personable Amaechi “Chopper” Nwafor; Mrs. Catherine Okoli; Mazi Ebenezer Oji; Mrs. Christiana Ngozi Okoli; Lady Annette Nebechi Onwumere; and a number of others.

A few hours ago, I looked at the USAfrica International News Index for Ajalli (Ujari), from September 30, 2021 to October 12, 2021. It’s a crimson red news index, of blood, of insecurity, of the police, the unknown gun men and deaths!

With agony and angst, it is awash with touching tributes and mournful comments.

I read heart-breaking lamentations and spoke to and heard the cries of some my kith and kin, kinsmen and women — especially the very hard-working youth of “Ujari Koko Obasi.”

Across social media platforms, family meetings, age grades, traditional groups and the civic leadership of Ajalli (Ujari), continue to express the fact that the community is in pain.

Ajalli (Ujari) is well known as the homeland of pioneer educators, religious leaders, political heavyweights, nationally and internationally renowned personalities and writers, civic and business leaders.

They have been picking up the pieces, of the shards of their wounded, mournful hearts and communal spirit. Understandably, they continue to mourn as they have been overcome by grief.

Inclusive of and beyond the devastation of siblings, friends and extended family members from the violent events of September 30, our extraordinarily blessed Ujari seems determined and resilient to move forward.

Yes, I do believe that soon, hopefully soon, our Ujari will climb out of this valley of darkness, seasonal schisms and return to the path of its deserving destiny.

I believe it’s a glorious destiny that can only be achievable, as a community of righteousness, of factualness and truthfulness, of inclusiveness and conciliation, united in purpose.

-Dr. Nwangwu is the Publisher of the first African-owned, U.S-based newspaper on the internet, USAfricaonline.com

Across social media platforms, family meetings, age grades, traditional groups and the civic leadership of Ajalli (Ujari), continue to express the fact that the community is in pain. Ajalli (Ujari) is well known as the homeland of pioneer educators, religious leaders, political heavyweights, nationally and internationally renowned personalities and writers, civic and business leaders

Adesoro Tolu Austen counters claims in some quarters that the National Assembly does not need a crop of permanent secretaries

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ecently, some self-appointed experts on the workings of the Public Service in Nigeria, came out ferociously to attack the clearly stated constitutional provisions, for the appointment of permanent secretaries for the National Assembly.

In what looked like a carefully scripted and well coordinated, but sporadic media campaigns, these so called veteran of the rules of engagement for the public service in Nigeria, fired reckless and spurious missiles against the inherent constitutional independence of the legislature.

Their arguments that the powers vested in the National Assembly Service Commission (NASC), to facilitate the appointment of secretaries for the directorates ( permanent secretaries) is illegal, failed miserably, to take into cognisance what neccesitated the birth of the National Assembly Act of 2014.

Moving forward, it is expedient to ask what warranted the persistent agitations that awashed the polity, before the establishment of the National Assembly Act of 2004, which has given way to the now operational National Assembly Act of 2014.

Before delving into the baseless, selfish and retrogressive arguments adduced so far, by these profound enemies of the independence of the legislature in Nigeria, it is absolutely crucial to see what places it, distinctively from the other arms of government.

First, the legislature is an official body elected by the people in a sovereign set up like Nigeria. It has powers to make, change and repeal laws, as well as powers to control government and represent the constituent bodies.

The legislature is special from the rest critical arms of government, simply because it has inherent cum formal power to pass laws, which are implemented and interpreted by the executive and judicial sections.

The legislature is equally unique, in the sense that it is the electorates that are mandated to elect them into office, periodically for the purpose of representing their constituents in a geographical entity.

Therefore, members of the legislature shoulder unique responsibilities, as they represent the collective will of the society.

Explicitly, the pegislature perform three sacred general duties. One it deliberate over any and all issues of concern to the society; two, it creates legal and budgetary framework that guide how those issues should be addressed; thirdly, the legislature conducts oversight functions on programmes enacted by the executive angle of government.

As an addendum, the legislature responds to informal requests from constituents, that is to say that, law makers perform additional duties of shaping public understanding of the multi- farious cum diverse range of matters.

As trustees of the people, and being constantly accountable to them, the National Assembly Act of 2014, which became operational on the 30th of June, of the same year, became absolutely neccesary, given the way previous military/ civilian governments, even after 1999, had attempted to bastardise, stagnate, and cripple the omnipotent powers and significant of the legislature, in Nigeria’s democratic firmament.

The biggest positive development that has happened to the parliamentary system or pegislature in Nigeria, is candidly the watershed establishment of the National Assembly Service Commission (NASC).

As a body which the National Assembly bureacracy is primarily accountable, the National Assembly Service Commission is empowered by Section 6 (2) as amended to oversee the administrative matters of the National Assembly, in terms of appointments, promotions and disclpline.

Functions of the Commission in (Section VII) of the NASC states that ‘Secretaries to

the Directorates and (VIII) holders of other offices that shall be created by the Commission on the recommendation of the Clerk.”

That is to say that the National Assembly Service Commission has the statutory powers to appoint ‘Secretaries to the Directorates’ which are equivalent to the ‘Permanent Secretaries’, in the main stream public service in Nigeria.

It is very clear that the National Assembly Service Commission, was set up primarily to ‘reorganise the management and administrative structure of the National Assembly’, because previous statutory provisions or arrangement with the main stream public service, failed woefully and miserably, to stabilize and solidify, the legislature in Nigeria, to play its critical cum frontal role, as stipulated in the principles enstrined in the doctrine of seperation of powers.

In setting up the National Assembly Service Commission, the originators/ drafters of the 2014 Act, exhaustively took cognisance of the input of the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, in the appointment of Secretaries for the Directorates for the National Assembly.

This glaring fact is reproduce thus:” The President of the Senate shall, upon consultation with the Speaker of the House of Representatives, submit to the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, a proposed list of which the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, shall nominate for appointment, a Chairman and members of the Commission” By having a hand in the setting up of the National Assembly Service Commission, the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, who cannot be physically everywhere, has made his input, leaving the technocrats and professionals within the National Assembly bureacracy, such as the ‘Clerk to the National Assembly’, to complete the process of appointments of Secretaries to the Directorates.

Section 158 (Il) of the 1999 Constitution says unambiguously that the NASC is sacrosanct in the affairs of the National Assembly; Section 4 (1) of the 1999 Constitution, gives the National Assembly authority, to conduct it own affairs; Section 4 (2) empowers the National Assembly to make laws for the peace and order, and good of the Federation; Section 1 & 4 of the same Constitution places the National Assembly as a symbol of democracy and first arm of government.

The recent call for the derecognision, suspension or repeal of the 2014 Act, setting up of the National Assembly Service Commission, by those public service gurus, is most unfortunate, unpatriotic and retrogressive, given the years of strenuous struggles and debilitating processes that dotted it eventual birth.

-Adesoro is the Special Adviser on media and labour to the Clerk to the National Assembly NOTE: Interested readers should continue in the online edition on www.thisdaylive.com

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T H I S D AY ˾ FRIDAY, OCTOBER 15, 2021

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BUSINESSWORLD R A T E S MONEY MARKET

A S

A T

REPO

Group Business Editor Eromosele Abiodun Email oriarehu.eromosele@thisdaylive.com

08056356325

O C T O B E R

S & P INDEX

1 4 , 2 0 2 1

S & P INDEX

EXCHANGE RATE

OBB

9.00%

CALL

4%

INDEX LEVEL

564.02%

1/4 TO DATE

5.82%

N413.03/ 1 US DOLLAR*

OVERNIGHT

10.75%

1-MONTH

6%

1-DAY

–0.17%

YEAR TO DATE

– 15.85%

*AS AT LAST FRIDAY

3-MONTH

10%

MONTH-TO-DATE

0.19%

BOOST FOR TRADE…

L-R: Vice President, Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI), Mr.. Leye Kupoluyi; Chairperson, Marketing Committee, LCCI Trade Promotion Board, Mrs Bunmi Obadina; Chairman, LCCI Trade Promotion Board, Mr Gabriel Idahosa; Head, Corporate Communications, LCCI, Dr Segun Alabi; and Director, Trade Promotion, LCCI, Mr Taiwo Seriki, at the PHOTO: ETOP UKUTT Press Conference to announce the 2021 edition of the Lagos International Trade Fair in Lagos… recently

African Aviation Ministers Reject ICAO Imposition of Vaccine Passports for Air Travel, Says Proposal against Chicago Convention Kasim Sumaina in Abuja African Ministers of Aviation has described the much-touted proposal by the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) to impose vaccine passports for air travelers as unacceptable.

Also, they said that the move

by ICAO is tantamount to discrimination against certain groups of population, especially on the African continent, which still has considerable number of its citizens who are yet to receive the COVID-19 vaccines.

They further described the proposal as going against the intent of the Chicago Convention on the need to preserve friendship and understanding, reduce threat to general security and establish international air transport based on equal opportunity, operated soundly and economically.

The African Aviation Ministers’ position was made known in a presentation at the ongoing ICAO High Level Conference on Covid-19, hosted by Nigeria’s Minister of Aviation, Senator Hadi Sirika.

Sirika stated that rather than

imposing vaccine passports, States party to the convention on international civil aviation should continue to minimize the risks during travel by ensuring compliance with existing multinational treaties, international frameworks, guidelines, and recommendations.

Sirika recommended that Human rights, regional/continental/global health security, economic growth, social cohesion, good international relations, use of innovation and technology worldwide to harmonise requirements should be promoted, while transmission

of critical information across borders related to public health issues such as COVID-19 and coordination among key players should also be considered.

Sirika also stated that African nations frowned at states imposing unilateral measures of global nature related to public health and asked such states to refrain from such practices and instead take measures that would facilitate the reopening and reconnection of the world.

According to him, “There is a clear onus on both public and private stakeholders, to take full

measure of the dire circumstances now facing the air transport sector, and to ensure sufficient operational sustainability.

“These actions are critical to make sure that the world is adequately reconnected, as aviation plays a critical role in the global economic recovery and achieve the realization of the goals of both AU Agenda 2063 and UN Agenda 2030 for sustainable development.”

On the general strategies for recovery, Sirika said: “the global distribution of emergency and humanitarian supplies including

the vaccines will no doubt depend on an economically viable aviation system. Aviation is also capable of stimulating recovery and growth of global economy by acting as an enabler and multiplier of economic activity.

“Considering that the global aviation industry operates as an interconnected ecosystem, it is therefore imperative that all the States of the world implement the ICAO Council Aviation Recovery Taskforce (CART) recommendations Continued on page 24

How Conflicting Signals from Aviation Labour Unions over Airline Registration is Creating Disaffection Among Workers Chinedu Eze Aviation labour unions have been fighting themselves over the plan by the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) to issue Air Operator Certificate to start-up carrier, NG Eagle.

While some of the unions insisted that the new airline should not be licenced to operate because it is rising from the ashes of Arik Air, and has allegedly taken over its assets but shirking its liabilities; other unions are insisting that the new airline

should be licensed to operate.

The unions that kicked against the issuance of license to NG Eagle are: the Association of Nigerian Aviation Professionals (ANAP) and the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria, (FAAN) branch of the National Union of Pensioners (NUP).

Recently, the unions petitioned the House of Representatives Committee on Aviation, which advised NCAA to hold on with the issuance of the license until after the Director General had met with the committee.

The directive from the National Assembly seemed to have drawn the ire of the National Association of Aircraft Pilots and Engineers (NAAPE), who on Monday issued a stern warning to the National Assembly, especially the House Committee on Aviation to steer clear of activities of NCAA, saying that its recent comment was tantamount to political interference on safety issues.

NAAPE insisted that it was out of the purview of the National Assembly to determine who and

when the regulatory body should issue the Air Operators’ Certificate (AOC) to applicants.

Three days ago, the National Union of Air Transport Employees (NUATE) called on the Presidency to intervene in the crisis brewing from non-issuance of Air Operator’s Certificate to NG Eagle, the airline being planned by the Assets Management Corporation of Nigeria (AMCON), saying only this would avert the crisis that could eventually affect the sector, especially the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority.

The union particularly called on secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF) and the Chief of Staff to the President (CoS) to urgently intervene in these matters and facilitate an immediate cease fire and chart a path to progress on the sensitive issues.

In a chat with newsmen, the general secretary of NUATE, Ocheme Aba said the Association of Nigerian Aviation Professionals (ANAP) and the FAAN Branch of Nigerian Union of Pensioners (NUP) has urged the NCAA not to issue AOC to start-up

airline, NG Eagle over fear that Arik Air is being transformed to NG Eagle and would thereby escape its heavy indebtedness to FAAN and other aviation Agencies.

There are also insinuations that the Assets Management Corporation of Nigeria (AMCON), the Receiver Manager of Arik Air, was using the assets of the Airline to float NG Eagle.

Abba said the only quarter that can put a stop to a chaotic end of Continued on page 24

M A R K E T D ATA A S AT T H U R S D AY, O C T O B E R 1 4 , 2 0 2 1 FGN BONDS DESCRIPTION 12.175 FGNSB 10-OCT-2021 11.244 FGNSB 16-OCT-2021 10.296 FGNSB 13-NOV-2021 13.390 FGNSB 14-NOV-2021 9.091 FGNSB 11-DEC-2021

Price

Yield

BILLS Change (%)

MATURITY

OTC FX F U T U R E S

Discount Yield

Change (%)

100.08

2.85

0.00

NTB 14-Oct-21

2.88

2.88

0.00

100.20

2.92

0.00

NTB 28-Oct-21

3.04

3.04

0.00

100.70

3.25

0.00

NTB 11-Nov-21

3.20

3.21

0.00

101.04

3.26

0.00

NTB 25-Nov-21

3.36

3.37

0.00

NTB 13-Jan-22

3.92

3.96

100.97

3.59

CONTRACT TENOR (MONTH) 1

Contract

Current Rate ($/₦)

NGUS OCT 27 2021 420.93

2

NGUS NOV 24 2021 422.38

3

NGUS DEC 29 2021 423.83

0.00

4

NGUS JAN 26 2022 425.28

0.00

5

NGUS FEB 23 2022 426.73

C Ps MATURITY

Discount Yield

Change (%)

CMBL CP XV 11-OCT-21 UBNP CP VIII 18-OCT-21 CMBL CP XII 31-OCT-21 CMBL CP XVII 15-NOV-21 FSDH CP III 16NOV-21

6.27

6.27

0.00

7.91

7.93

0.00

4.14

4.16

0.00

5.15

5.18

0.00

6.52

6.57

0.00

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FRIDAY, OCTOBER 15, 2021 ˾ T H I S D AY

BUSINESSWORLD

NEWS

NEW PRODUCT…

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FG Reiterates Commitment to Thriving Private Sector, Backs EnterpriseNGR Nume Ekeghe and Ugo Aliogo In line with the commitment of the federal government to continue promoting increased collaboration between the public and private sector, the Vice-President, Prof.

Yemi Osinbajo, expressed the commitment of the administration of the President Muhammadu to support private sector players such as Enterprise NGR, noting that the organisation would become a game-changer in the business environment.

Osinbajo, who disclosed this yesterday during a virtual meeting to mark the official launch of

EnterpriseNGR tagged: “Voices of Enterprise,” said the organisation has the overarching vision to advance Nigeria’s transformation with premium financial services to make the domestic environment competitive and attractive.

He stated that the launch would promote transformation and inclusion of the Nigerian economy while applauding the efforts of PriceWater Coopers, FMDQ operators and other collaborators for strengthening the capacity of the private sector in the country.

He described EnterpriseNGR as a united and powerful voice of Nigeria business community to drive

economic development.

He said: “There is no doubt that it is a game changer when the informed Nigerian professional and business community, speak with one voice on issues of domestic or international business policy.Enterprise NGR, is more ambitious, and has a wider mandate to not only promote the financial and related professional services sector, but also championed the development and transformation of the Nigerian economy.”

Also, in her remarks, the The Minister of Finance, Budget and National Planning, Mrs. Zainab Ahmed said: “I’d like to use this opportunity to reiterate, governments

unwaivering support to the private sector, and to also re-emphasise our readiness to ensure that we create an enabling environment where businesses continue to prosper, and innovation is encouraged in Nigeria.

“I’m confident that the private sector initiatives like enterprise NGR will go a long way to improve the business terrain in Nigeria. government is keen to work closely with Enterprise NGO and its advocacy role, representing the broader financial and professional services sector, as we know your success would significantly impact the broader economy.”

She further added: “The importance of your sector as a driver of growth cannot be overemphasized and I’m sure that your work will aid in accelerating the economic transformation of our country.

Earlier in his remarks, the EnterpriseNGR Board Chairman, Aigboje Aig-Imoukhuede, stated that the private sector and government must work hand in hand to promote Nigeria, both overseas and domestically.

He also affirmed that as a world class center for financial services EnterpriseNGR would lead private sector advocacy and interventions in partnership with government and

regulators.

On her part, the Chief Executive Officer, EnterpriseNGR, Ms. Obi Ibekwe, said the goal of the organisation is to place 5,000 interns annually and scale it up to 1, 00,000 over 10 years.

Continuing, she added: “This effort reinforces our determination to contribute our quota towards resolving the unemployment problem in Nigeria. Working alongside identified partners in the financial and professional services sector, we will engage and recruit graduates for a combination of virtual and in-person internship roles at partner organizations.”

‘NACCIMA Ready to Collaborate with Google to Implement $5bn Investment in Africa Dike Onwuamaeze The Nigerian Association of Chambers of Commerce Industry Mines and Agriculture (NACCIMA) has declared its readiness to collaborate with Google to implement the $5 billion investment the global tech company has earmarked for Africa over the next five years.

In a statement, Director General of NACCIMA, Ambassador Ayo Olukanni said that the objectives of Google were in line with stated goals of the National President of NACCIMA, Mr. John Udeagbala, which included the establishment of geo tech centre across Nigeria

Group Business Editor Eromosele Abiodun Comms/e-Business Editor Emma Okonji Aviation Editor Chinedu Eze Asst. Editor, Money Market Nume Ekeghe Senior Correspondent Raheem Akingbolu (Advertising) Correspondents James Emejo (Finance) Ebere Nwoji (Insurance) Chineme Okafo (Energy) Emmanuel Addeh (Energy) Reporters Nosa Alekhuogie (ICT) Peter Uzoho (Energy) Ugo Aliogo (Development)

to ensure wider applications of technology.

Olukanni said: “The NACCIMA and its network of Chambers across Nigeria are certainly placed in a good position to work in partnerships with Google in its commitment to ensure digital transformation in Nigeria. This is because of its potentials to open opportunities for young

tech entrepreneurs, provide employment through startups and also improve lives of the people through education and access to health services.”

Recently, the Chief Executive Officer of Google, Mr. Sundai Pichai, announced the commitment of Google to invest $1billion in African countries, including Nigeria, for digital

transformation of countries on the continent over the next five years.

The NACCIMA said it is of the firm view that this decision

by Google to support African countries through a range of initiatives such as improved connectivity, support for startups, virtual learning and expansion of opportunities through technology

are the right steps in the right direction.

“We are of the firm view that if properly implemented, the goals of the Google Investment Fund can truly supplement national efforts to expand digital access for Africans, support African tech entrepreneurs and support nonprofit organisations working to improve lives, ”it stated.

The NACCIMA noted that the latest initiative by Google is a follow up to its recent activities in past few years to equip Africans with digital skills and expand digital ecosystem in Africa to promote use of technology in the area of fintech and other sectors of the economy like agriculture, entertainment and services and other sectors.

HOW CONFLICTING SIGNALS FROM AVIATION LABOUR UNIONS OVER AIRLINE REGISTRATION IS CREATING DISAFFECTION AMONG WORKERS Arik Air and stop “the desecration of the NCAA” was the Presidency.

He also explained that the issue of indebtedness of Arik Air to FAAN and the NCAA was only a smokescreen, adding that the real issue is the politics of a new national carrier.

“Indications are that there is the fear on the side of the Minister of Aviation that AMCON has positioned its new airline, NG Eagle, to metamorphose into

a national carrier, whereas the Honourable Minister has been laboring for the past six years to create one which he has named Nigeria Eagle.

“As AMCON and the Ministry are both agencies of the federal government, there is clearly no possibility of the two airlines operating side by side as national carriers. The fear is that if NG Eagle succeeds, then the Nigeria Eagle project would be jettisoned. That

means one of the airlines must withdraw. This, we understand, is the crux of the matter,” he said.

He insisted that this does not in any way downplay the significance of Arik’s indebtedness to FAAN and others, adding that if anything, it suggested that there was pressing need to find a solution to Arik’s “heavy pile of debts.”

“The above situation has pitted FAAN and NCAA on the one hand against AMCON on the other hand.

NCAA and FAAN are parastatals of the Federal Ministry of Aviation, while AMCON is a parastatal of the Federal Ministry of Finance and is also supervised by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN). The two Ministers, the CBN Governor, and the heads of the other agencies are all senior officers of the executive arm of the federal government of Nigeria.

“Therefore, this executive fiasco alludes to failure of the

executive to put its house in order. This unfortunately paints a picture of a government at war with itself. And if this war is not quickly brought to an end, we fear that the aviation sector of the national economy will suffer dire consequences, especially at this time that the sector is going through a burdensome grappling with the serious negative impact of the receding coronavirus pandemic,” he explained.

AFRICAN AVIATION MINISTERS REJECT ICAO IMPOSITION OF VACCINE PASSPORTS FOR AIR TRAVEL, SAYS PROPOSAL AGAINST CHICAGO CONVENTION and guidance, which are based on the latest development of the COVID-19. ICAO, in collaboration with relevant stakeholders, is required to bring to maturity in short term a consensual modality for establishment and deployment of a global health passport as well as the specification of infrastructure (soft/ hard) and training of professionals.”

He further stated, “As well captured by the Preamble of the Convention on International Civil Aviation (Chicago Convention, 1944), there is an important need to develop international civil aviation to preserve friendship and understanding, reduce threat to general security and establish international air transport based

on equal opportunity, operated soundly and economically.

“It is worth noting that the WHO Strategic Advisory Group of Experts on Immunization (SAGE) Roadmap for Prioritizing use of COVID-19 Vaccines in the Context of Limited Supply, acknowledges that there is still a limited supply of vaccines and puts forward seven key assumptions regarding vaccines. This further strengthens the fact that vaccines are still not widely available to all world regions, particularly Africa.”

He added that: “It is also important to note that the African Union-led initiative of Safe Reopening of Borders to Save Lives, Economies and Livelihoods in Africa has conducted detailed

work including a call to action that recognizes that the COVID-19 vaccine rollout will be uneven in all its Member States, while conscious of the progress made in science on the same.”

Sirika disclosed that two continental joint meetings of African ministers responsible for health, ICT and transport have been so far organized, with the second joint meeting rolling out the African campaign Against COVID-19: Saving Lives, Economies and Livelihoods endorsed on 20 August 2020 by the Bureau of the Assembly of the African Union Heads of State and Government with chairpersons of the Regional Economic Communities of the

African Union.

The meetings, according to him, charged African countries to work together towards harmonizing travel entry and exit requirements, and to increase mutual recognition and cross-border information exchange for enhanced surveillance.

“It is worthy to also note that at Regional level Nigeria hosted on the 17th of March 2021 Nigeria hosted a virtual High- Level Ministerial meeting on Enhancing Air Transport Connectivity and Growth in West Africa. The event, which was organized with support from International Partners for Aviation Development, Innovation and Sustainability, (iPADIS) ICAO Dakar Regional Office and the Economic

Community of West African States (ECOWAS) was meant to reimagine, revitalize and retool the aviation system in region to meet present and future challenges, within the contest of the impact of COVID-19 pandemic, “he added.

He however said that the outcome of the high-level Ministerial meeting in Nigeria, which also reassessed the role and contribution of civil aviation to the region’s economic growth, social progress, and integration, as well as the overall sustainable development, was the development of a Plan of Action.

He therefore called on ICAO to support the African region in the implementation of this Plan of Action.

T H I S D AY ˾ FRIDAY, OCTOBER 15, 2021

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AIR WATCH

South African Tourism Summit Excites Trade Partners Chinedu Eze

South African Tourism hosted the first ever Africa’s Travel and Tourism Summit recently.

The inaugural Africa Travel and Tourism Summit centered around the theme, ‘Re-awakening Africa,’ attracted all tourism players throughout the continent and the world to reflect on, revisit and rekindle the sector in a world still impacted by COVID-19. The hybrid event saw delegates from Durban, Johannesburg and Lagos, Nigeria attend this important tourism meet in-person and digitally.

South African Tourism Acting CEO, Sthembiso Dlamini, said Africa’s Travel and Tourism Summit was born from the need to create a property that will demonstrate and highlight the continent’s tenacity and holistic abilities. “It is needed to be a springboard to restart and rebuild the tourism sector amidst the COVID-19 pandemic through knowledge and partnerships.”

During the three-day event, trade partners shared insights and ideas towards collaborative efforts

by African countries that can lead to the recovery and growth of the tourism sector. Some of the key topics discussed at the summit included reestablishing demand in the source markets, aviation, streamlining visas, tourist development, innovation, technology, and the health and

safety obligations currently in the continent’s stand in a post COVID-19 era. A highlight from the summit was the agreement that if Africa was to become a favoured destination, travellers would need to be guaranteed of health and safety protocols in lieu of Covid-19 and that the combined African infrastructure, internet connectivity, basic water and electricity supply and our roads must remain stable.

The event also highlighted best practices for brand Africa, using the 2010 World Cup as a case study of how Africans can see more of their continent, thereby creating an enabling environment for Africans to visit other African countries.

It was widely acknowledged that for Africa’s tourism to thrive, its countries would need to ease border restrictions to each other and allow for freer movement of goods and people, which since the establishment of the African Union in 1963, has been the dream for most political and business leaders on the continent to ease access across borders.

In her keynote address, South African Minister for Tourism, LindiweSisulu, said that greater collaboration among tourism role-players is required and they would need to be flexible enough to adjust to the changing business landscape. “As we embark the new ways of doing business and hosting the peoples of the

world, let’s draw lessons from the experiences of the pandemic and ensure that our business ways are more robust and agile for future sustainability. It is therefore important that we are aligned as a continent whilst reigniting the tourism industry. This is crucial to gain momentum within the sector, as it works towards an inclusive recovery.”

She also added that the summit affords Africa’s tourism leaders a platform to create solutions for Africa and contribute to global solutions for the industry in efforts to awaken a new beginning for Africa At the Lagos leg of the summit, Thekiso Rakolojane, Hub Head, South African Tourism, West Africa, welcomed various representatives to the ground-breaking initiative and expressed his excitement to see trade partners, stakeholders, and media to discuss how to engage and operate in the new normal and developments, adding that South African Tourism strategy talks about opening up regional travel as a key strategy that is going to open up tourism in the continent. According to Rakolojane, “the summit is really befitting, in line with the strategy, as we are now positioned to engage across the continent to look at ways and means of how to synergize, collaborate, whether it is through destination marketing, through airlines or brand activities that positions us as a continent to our various source markets”.

Nigerians in Angola Commend FG, Angolan Govt over Direct Flight to Lagos Nigerians living in Angola have commended the President of Nigeria, Muhammadu Buhari, his Angolan counterpart, President João Manuel Gonçalves Lourenço and the Nigerian Ambassador to Angola, Prof.

Monique Ekpong for the relief brought by the restoration of direct flights from Angola to Nigeria.

The travellers who boarded the first flight on resumption of the route from Luanda, sent their good wishes in separate statements at the arrival wing of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos as the TAAG Angolan inaugural flight made historic landing on

Thursday, October 7, 2021.

Expressing their joy, some of the passengers spoke of the pains and high cost of traveling through Ethiopia to Nigeria before now.

One of them who referred to himself as Ikenna Orji Ofotube (Auto De Zion) narrated how Nigerian businesses have suffered due to inadequate travel funds, He said the cost of flying directly is now four times less than what was being spent before.

Also speaking, another traveller, Samuel Chukwuebuka Ezeife in his statement prophesied of a boom to the Nigerian and Angolan economies, following

the resumption of direct flights.

He said with the affordable fare, many Angolans would now consider investing in Nigeria and vice versa. In his own remark, Obiora Chika Steven expressed excitement about the duration of the flight, as the journey, which initially took two days due to the connecting route is now done in just three hours.

Prof Ekpong considered the restoration of direct flights from Angola to Nigeria as a positive development especially as regards millions of Nigerians/ Angolans who ply the route weekly for both business and tourism.

Eastwing Aviation Annual Seminar to Hold in December Rebecca Ejifoma The Eastwing Aviation Training School, in collaboration with GOGMAR Nigeria, is set to hold the maiden edition of the Eastwing Aviation Annual Seminar (EAAS) in December in Enugu State.

This was disclosed by the Chairman of Eastwing Aviation Training School, Emmanuel Oburu Onwuka, in a media chat held in Enugu recently.

The three days seminar, according to Onwuka, aims to systematically instill aviation culture in the minds of the people of the region to b able to keep abreast of developments in the sector.

“It is to ignite a new thinking towards the establishment and operation of air transport as a veritable engine for economic growth of the region,” he added.

The aviation expert said

air transport had become the engine for economic growth, adding that it creates direct and indirect jobs andtourism and trade in addition to attracting foreign investments.

With this in view, Onwuka emphasised that the seminar would focus on the Southeast and would accordingly draw its participants from the geopolitical zone to stimulate a new consciousness in aviation.

While acknowledging that aviation is a fast-paced technologically driven industry that connects people, cultures and businesses across the globe, the chairman expressed worry over the lack of awareness of the South-easterners.

He said: “It is puzzling that the Southeast region dominated by business oriented men and women have not fully embraced air transport as a business driver so as to connect

to its numerous benefits. This deficiency is attributable to lack of awareness and inadequate facilities, knowledge, and experience.”

For Onwuka, the aviation business is still an untapped sector, hence, it is high time the Igbos were stimulated to see the potential gains accruable to them and the region if they invested in the sector.

According to the organisers, the seminar would hold in two phases - the training of students and award night, which is specially designed to appreciate those who have contributed to national growth.

With the seminartheme, “Pushing the Boundaries of Air Transport Planning, Operations, Management in the Southeast”, Onwuka hinted that both local and foreign speakers would give their expertise at the occasion.

Making Cargo Freighting Profitable Post COVID-19

Chinedu Eze

hile the COVID-19 pandemic forced the suspension of scheduled flight operations, it provided an elixir to cargo freighting, which became a lifeline to many airlines.

In Africa, airlines like Kenya Airways and Ethiopian Airlines leveraged on cargo freighting to keep some of their aircraft in the air and earned revenues that sustained the companies during the lockdown.

Medical supplies and equipment had to be moved and later COVID-19 vaccine had to be distributed. That was why aviation handling companies in Nigeria recalled most of their workers during the lockdown and since then air cargo freighting has maintained steady rise.

But industry pundits fear that as COVID-19 devastation is effectively managed and the world returns to the pre-COVID-19 era, air cargo might begin to witness a slump. To avert this possibility, the International Air Transport Association (IATA) has urged the air cargo industry to continue working together at the same pace, with the same levels of cooperation as during the COVID-19 pandemic to overcome future challenges and build industry resilience.

IATA brought this to the fore during the 14th World Cargo Symposium (WCS) held in Dublin, Ireland on Tuesday this week and stated that sustainability, modernisation are key priorities for the industry post pandemic.

“Air cargo is a critically important industry.

This pandemic reminded us of that. During the crisis, it has been a lifeline for society, delivering critical medical supplies and vaccines across the globe and keeping international supply chains open. And for many airlines, cargo became a vital source of revenue when passenger flights were grounded. In 2020, the air cargo industry generated $129 billion, which represented approximately a third of airlines’ overall revenues, an increase of 10–15% compared to pre-crisis levels. Looking towards the future, the outlook is strong. We need to maintain the momentum established during the crisis and continue building resilience post pandemic,” said IATA’s Global Head of Cargo, Brendan Sullivan.

IATA said the outlook for air cargo in the short and long-term is strong, disclosing that indicators such as inventory levels and manufacturing output are favorable, as the world trade is forecast to grow at 9.5 per cent this year and 5.6 per cent in 2022, e-commerce continues to grow at a double-digit rate, and demand for high-value specialized cargo – such as temperature-sensitive healthcare goods and vaccines - is rising.

“This year cargo demand is expected to exceed pre-crisis (2019) levels by 8 per cent and revenues are expected to rise to a record $175 billion, with yields expected to grow by 15 per cent. In 2022 demand is expected to exceed pre-crisis (2019) levels by 13 per cent with revenues expected to rise to $169 billion although there will be an 8 per cent decline in yields.

“The surge in demand for air cargo and attractive yields are not without complications.

Pandemic restrictions have led to severe global

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supply-chain congestion and created hardships for aircrew crossing international borders. Resourcing and capacity, handling and facility space and logistics will be an issue. This will create further operational challenges for our industry that must be planned for now. But we have demonstrated resilience throughout the crisis and with that same focus we will overcome these challenges,” said Sullivan.

On sustainability, Sullivan said, “Sustainability is our industry’s license to grow. Shippers are becoming more environmentally conscious and are being held accountable for their emissions by their customers. Many are now reporting how much their supply chains produce in emissions, and they are looking for carbonneutral transportation options. We all need to meet customer expectations for the highest standards of sustainability. The path from stabilizing to reducing net emissions will require a collective effort.”

One of the positive effects of the COVID-19 pandemic is the advancement it made in electronics handling of goods and services; that many stakeholders believe that freight business might move online post-COVID-19.

IATA noted that the pandemic accelerated digitalization in some areas as contactless processes were introduced to reduce the risk from COVID-19 transmission.

“We need to build on this momentum not only to drive improvements in operational efficiency but to meet the needs of our customers.

The biggest growth areas are in cross-border e-commerce and special handling items like time and temperature sensitive payloads.

Customers for these products want to know where their items are, and in what condition, at any time during their transport. That requires digitalization and data,” said Sullivan.

Safety was highlighted as a priority for the industry, specifically the transport of lithium batteries.

“Demand for lithium batteries continues to rise as does the risk from lithium battery related fires. Our main concern has been around accidents from rogue shippers who – miss-declare shipments. But the incident on the ramp at Hong Kong International Airport earlier this year reminded us just how big the challenge is. The investigation indicated that loading and handling was as per regulation and the consignment was declared correctly,” said Sullivan.

IATA therefore called for regulatory authorities (European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) and US Federal Aviation administration (FAA) to accelerate development of a test standard that can be used to demonstrate that fire containment pallet covers and fire-resistant containers are capable of withstanding a fire involving lithium batteries.

IATA also urged that government authorities should step up and take responsibility for stopping rogue producers and exporters of lithium batteries.

It also called on the industry to step up and expand the collection of incident data and develop methods for the data to be shared to support the airlines’ safety risk assessment processes.

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AVIATION

Protecting the Nigerian Brand Through Air Transport Besides providing the fastest means of taking people from one place to another, airlines serve as country’s ambassadors because they bear the image of their host country as national or flag carriers. Chinedu Eze writes on the contribution of Air Peace to nation building as it marks seven years of operation.

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hen Nigeria Airways Limited (NAL) was liquidated in 2004 there came a yawning gap in the domestic air travel market, which other airlines, privately own, strove to close. These include Bellview Airline, Chancahngi, IRS Airline and later Virgin Nigeria Airways Limited and Arik Air. Arik Air came into the market with high capacity because within three years of operation it acquired brand new aircraft and started international flight operations to London, New York and Johannesburg with limited foray to Dubai. The airline, according to industry pundits became a replacement to the defunct NAL in terms of capacity, route network and even creation of jobs.

By the time Asset Management Corporation of Nigeria (AMCON) took over the airline and it became a shadow if itself, suspending all its international routes and shrinking its West Coast and local destinations, another airline, Air Peace, which started operation on October 24, 2014 emerged as another carrier with growing capacity. Under AMCON, ArikAir has become moribund, as NG Eagle is primed to rise on its ashes. Nigerians yearned for more capacity in air travel, as connecting different cities by air in Nigeria became critical when insecurity became a threat to road transport.

STRENGTHENING UNITY

Air Peace was a rising Nigerian carrier making inroads into the West Africa and international market.

It became a household name in Africa when it evacuated Nigerians from South Africa during the Xenophobia violence in that African nation. Not a few were aghast when a privately own airline in Nigeria took the responsibility of government and offered to evacuate Nigerians from the violence in Johannesburg and other cities in South Africa, where some citizens from other African nations had lost their lives.

On September 10, 2019, Reuters reported about the evacuation and quoted a South African Minister, ‘“A private citizen who owns an airline has offered to evacuate Nigerians from South Africa who want to leave, and obviously there are immigration rules that go with that, so its a process,” Ayanda Dlodlo, South Africa’s Minister of State Security, told reporters in Cape Town.”

The evacuation put Air Peace on the front burner in the continent that other African countries arranged to also evacuate their citizens from South Africa.

When asked then by journalists why he decided to evacuate Nigerians from South Africa, the Chairman and CEO of Air Peace, Allen Onyemasaid, “I was at the NCAA (the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority) office and we were having a meeting and I was seeing television tapes of the stigmatization in South Africa and I used to take ex-militants to South Africa to train and transform them. So many of Nigerians

in South Africa are trapped, a lot of the people had wanted to come back some four years ago but nobody to bring them back, no flight ticket, nothing. That was when I decided to bring them back.

“So, the motivation there was to save our people, to do something that others will look at and say okay this is going to bond the country.

So I decided to call our Foreign Affairs Minister and told him that I wanted to evacuate Nigerians and that I wanted to do it free of charge,” he said.

But the following year, Air Peace carried out critical assignment for the federal government when it brought medical supplies to Nigeria from China during the COVID-19 lockdown. It also evacuated many Nigerians from different countries to their fatherland.

COVID-19 EVACUATIONS

During the COVID-19 lockdown, Nigeria’s indigenous carrier, Air Peace carried out series of evacuation flights both inbound and outbound and helped to bring back stranded Nigerians. Information from the airline showed that it brought medical supplies for the federal government from Turkey; later went back to the country and brought in evacuees; on April 7, 2020 it flew to China to bring in medical supplies and experts for the federal government.

Air Peace evacuated Indians from Nigeria and brought in Nigerian on May 31, June 4, 13; July 4 and July 8, 2020. The airline evacuated Nigerians from Turkey on July 5, Uganda and Kenya, July 2, South Africa, and June 25, evacuated Nigerians from the UK on June 28 and flew to Thailand and Malaysia where it brought in 310 Nigerians on July 11, 2020.

On April 7, 2020, Air Peace flew to china to bring in 15 Chinese medical experts and medical supplies. It flew back on May 30 to bring in 268 Nigerians, again on May 29 when it brought in 301 Nigerians. So, Air Peace brought back over 4, 302 Nigerians from different parts of the country during the lockdown.

Recently Air Peace signed a partnership agreement with the Nigerian Football Federation (NFF) as the official airline sponsor of the Super Eagles and Nigerian national teams.

NFF president Amaju Pennick speaking during the signing of the partnership said, “Air Peace epitomizes unity, patriotism, humanity and selflessness. We at the NFF have followed not only the meteoric rise of the company but its patriotic fervour and sense of nationalism.

It is an organisation that believes firmly in the Nigeria project, just as we do.”

Air Peace announced its sponsorship of the 12th Gulder Ultimate Search in order to support Nigerian youths.

Besides, Air Peace has connected Nigerian cities more than any airline in recent times, opening up new routes like Benin to Port Harcourt, Asaba to Kano, Owerri to Kano and others.

During the delivery of Air Peace fourth brand new aircraft, Embraer E195-E2 in Abuja recently, Onyema said, ““We have new domestic routes that we want to deploy the aircraft to. We have new routes that we have just opened and more routes will still come in the coming months.

We are opening Gombe very soon and our intention is to open up this country. We will also connect North East with North West and other routes. Owerri-Kaduna and other routes will be connected.”

But beyond Air Peace, the Chairman and CEO of the company had been known for his munificence and sacrifice for the unity of Nigeria. Onyema had been central to the resolution of the issues in the Niger Delta. At a time the country’s oil economy was headed for a nosedive as a result of rising militancy in the Niger Delta, Nigeria’s oil region, using his NGO, Federation For Ethnic Harmony of Nigeria (FEHN). All of these have shown the importance of indigenous companies and imperative of government rallying behind airlines, especially Air Peace, to grow and plough back to the larger development of united Nigeria.

MANPOWER DEVELOPMENT AND JOB CREATION

Currently Air Peace operates 30 aircraft and has fully paid for 13 Embraer E195-E2, which four had been delivered and all the 13 would be delivered before end of 2022.

As the launch customer for the new aircraft type, Air Peace had to train Nigerians on the new aircraft type. He took young Nigerians to Embraer manufacturing facility in Sao Jose dos Campos (San Jose) where they spent months and become the new crop of pilots and engineers trained on the aircraft type in the world.

With over 3000 indigenous workers from different parts of the country, Air Peace has spent huge resources in manpower development.

The Managing Director of Flight Logistics Solutions, Amos Akpan told THISDAY that Air Peace has given Nigerians youths and others special training in the aviation industry that would continue to be relevant throughout their lifetime.

“Allen Onyema is doing a lot of sacrifice for the aviation industry and for the brand, called Nigeria. He has a human heart. He is sacrificing his personal time, business and resources to protect the Nigerian brand. Air

Peace closed the gap provided by the absence of Arik Air as a major industry player and the gap that was left by Nigeria Airways that was filled

by Arik Air when it was a dominant airline in Nigeria. You have to note that the aviation industry is not the best place to invest in because of its low profit margins. It is not a terrain where return on investment is impressive. So in the absence of a national carrier and Arik Air, Air Peace filled a very important gap. Just imagine air travel in Nigeria today without Air Peace. Onyema could have gone to trade on articles that could give him huge returns, but he decided to invest in a sector where it is difficult to grow profit margin. He has taken people out of unemployment. He has given Nigerians skills that are difficult to acquire, which will remain relevant throughout their lives.

“What was impressive is his effort to unite Nigeria so he brought unity brand into what he is doing and that is very important. His goodness has eclipsed whatever baggage he may have. Those unscrupulous assumptions have been diminished by his invaluable contributions to united Nigeria.

The aviation industry is not the best for owners of investment fund, but he chose to invest in the sector. In terms of national spread, Arik Air did well, but Air Peace bridged the gap and linked more cities by air. Air Peace is the largest employer of labour by private investor in the industry and this has helped in the unity brand because he employed from every part of the country and Allen Onyema has done all these without political office or intent for political office for now,” Akpansaid.

UNITED NIGERIA

Former acting Director General of the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority and currently the Rector of International Aviation College, Ilorin, Benedict Adeyileka told THISDAY that employment in Air Peace represents the diversity in Nigeria because every ethnicity and religion is represented from the top to the bottom.

“Air Peace reflects the diversity of Nigeria.

There is no part of Nigeria that does not have somebody working in Air Peace, from the top management to the Board of Directors there are Yorubas, Hausa, Igbos, Kogi, Igala, Niger Delta and he has also helped the country. There was a time the highest number of pilots in the airline came from northern Nigeria.

“I also noticed that when Air Peace open operation in any airport they make sure they employ local people to work there, so the airline creates jobs everywhere. Onyema tries to unite everybody and he looks at issues from the horizon of Nigeria. In fact, I think he needs to be commended because his motive is always to create jobs and provide succour to the people. You have to look at people’s intentions to evaluate them,” Adeyileka said.

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e-Customs: Embrace Technology and Knowledge, Comptroller Mohammed Tells Promoted Officers Customs Area Controller of Area ll Command, Onne Port, Comptroller Auwal Mohammed, has enjoined newly promoted officers of the command to embrace customs related technology and acquire more knowledge to perform better in the face of modernisation.

Speaking in Onne at the decoration ceremony of 115 newly promoted officers of the command, Comptroller Mohammed said every officer should show interest in the ongoing modernisation of the service operations through the e-customs project.

The CAC said using artificial intelligence for customs purposes have been noted to be time saving, helps in achieving accuracy, prevention of mistakes and increasing overall productivity According to him, newly pro-

moted officers of the command should see themselves as shining examples of an evolving modern Customs organisation that will be comparable with their peers across the globe.

He urged them to acquaint themselves with all stages of modern Customs operations as the approved e-customs project will require them to apply knowledge and skills at work.

“While you study the books of instructions, I enjoin you all to refresh yourselves or show interest in training and retraining in critical areas like scanner operation, image analysis, data capture, profiling and others. As you are aware already, modern Customs is knowledge driven and a good way to justify the confidence reposed on you by the Board and Management

is to focus on developing your knowledge in these important areas of our function.

“This promotion will cause some of you to take superior responsibilities. Make it a point of duty to transfer knowledge to junior officers for ease of transition and seamlessness of our operations at all times Always uphold our procedure of hundred percent physical examination and be resolute to make seizures and

arrests anytime offending items are discovered with suspects.

“As I have always said, this Command will remain a no go area for perpetrators of illicit trade or duty evasion. We are here to detect and arrest them anytime they dare us. We have done it before and will keep doing it. Keep up the good work and dedication to service that earned you these elevations and always be worthy examples as leaders wherever you

find yourselves. For those who did not get it this time around, I urge them to brace up with hope. There is always another opportunity for promotion, “he said.

Among the newly promoted officers are 3 Comptrollers who rose from Deputy Comptroller rank; 6 Deputy Comptrollers from Assistant Comptroller; 4 Assistant Comptroller from Chief Superintendent of Customs and 13 Chief Superintendent of Customs

who rose from Superintendent of Customs rank.

Others include 22 Superintendent of Customs who rose from Deputy Superintendent of Customs; 39 Deputy Superintendent of Customs from Assistant Superintendent of Customs 1; 18 Assistant Superintendent of Customs 1 from Assistant Superintendent of Customs ll and 10 Assistant Superintendent of Customs ll from the Inspector of Customs cadre.

Barkindo: Oil, Gas to Provide 53% of Total Energy Needs by 2045 Emmanuel Addeh in Abuja Despite the global push for renewable sources of energy, Secretary General of the Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC), Dr. Sanusi Barkindo, yesterday maintained that oil and gas will still occupy 53 per cent of the total energy need worldwide in the next 25 years.

Barkindo spoke as a member of two key panel discussions during the 2021 edition of Russian Energy Week (REW) in Moscow tagged: ‘’The Future of Traditional Energy: Is the World Ready to Eschew Hydrocarbons?’’ and ‘’International Energy Organisation Dialogue: Predicting the Development of Energy and Global Markets’’.

The secretary general stressed that all forms of energy will be needed in the decades ahead to address the world’s growing economy and expanding population, reiterating that this period to 2045, OPEC sees global energy demand expanding by 28 per cent.

“It’s a no-brainer that we are going to need more energy to meeting growing demand. The projections show that nearly all sources of energy will grow over the next quarter of a century, led by renewables, which will rise from a global fuel share of around 2 per cent in 2020 to over 10 per cent by 2045,” he stated.

According to the OPEC helmsman, oil is expected to continue to take a leading position in addressing the world’s energy needs for the foreseeable future.

“Incremental demand by 2026 will be nearly 14 million bpd higher than in 2020, and total demand is expected to be just over 108 million bpd by 2045.

Oil and gas together will provide nearly 53 per cent of the world’s energy needs in 2045 – a little over 28 per cent for oil and 24 per cent for gas.

“As an African, I know very well that we need to harness all the energy resources at our disposal, from the sun over our heads to the abundant fuels that lie beneath our feet, if we are to ease energy poverty and develop our continent’s economies,” Barkindo posited.

In reference to the upcoming COP26 meeting, the secretary general underscored the importance of the United Nations conference, which will be held in Glasgow between 31

October and 12 November and urged all stakeholders to focus on developing fair, comprehensive and inclusive solutions to address climate change.

He stressed the need to use COP26 as a platform to build global consensus, pointing out that OPEC and its member countries fully subscribe to the Paris Agreement, with all 13 members having signed the accord and working towards achieving its goals.

Barkindo also noted the importance of securing funding as provided for under the 2015 Paris Agreement, to assist developing countries in their efforts to adopt adaption and mitigation efforts towards climate change.

“What the world will look forward to in Glasgow is a comprehensive, all-inclusive agreement that will bring both developed and developing countries parties on the same page, so that we can achieve the objectives of the Paris Agreement,” the secretary general told the panel.

Also on the panel were: Minister of Energy of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Prince Abdulaziz Bin Salman, Minister of Energy and Infrastructure of the United Arab Emirates, Suhail Al Mazrouei, Alexander Novak, Deputy Prime Minister of the Russian Federation and Parviz Shahbazov, Minister of Energy of the Republic of Azerbaijan.

Others who joined Barkindo to dissect the topics included: Alexander Dyukov, Chairman of the Management Board and Chief Executive Officer of Gazprom Neft; Kirill Dmitriev, CEO of the Russian Direct Investment Fund (RDIF); and Robert Dudley, Chairman of the Oil and Gas Climate Initiative, debated the outlook for energy. It was moderated by Ryan Chilcote.

Abdulaziz took the opportunity to praise the efforts of the Declaration of Cooperation (DoC) participants and recalled the outcomes of the recent OPEC and non-OPEC ministerial meetings, including the voluntary upward production adjustment decided on at the 21st meeting held on October 4.

The minister highlighted the importance of cooperation and dialogue in the energy markets and underscored the need to address climate change and energy poverty, noting that diverse energy sources are needed to tackle the later.

SPECIAL MARSHAL…

L-R:Head, Sales & Marketing, Axxela Limited, Mr. Babatunde Baba-Agba; Lagos State Sector Commander, Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC), Mr. Olusegun Ogungbemide; CEO, Axxela Limited, Mr. Bolaji Osunsanya; andi Financial Controller, Axxela Limited, Mr. Kehinde Alab, after the decoration of the CEO of Axxela Limited as a Special Marshal in Lagos... recently

Osun Begins Disbursement of N636m MSMEs Soft Loans to Residents Yinka Kolawole in Osogbo.

The governor of Osun State, Adegboyega Oyetola, has commenced the disbursement of N636.195,000.00 as soft loans to the citizens and residents of the State.

The initiative, which was actualised through collaboration with the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) supported Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises Development, was aimed at expanding the scope of businesses, trades, investments stimulating the economy and reducing the scourge of unemployment in the State.

This is even as the over 2, 000 beneficiaries of the loan facility showered encomiums on the State Government for the kind gesture.

The soft loans were disbursed through Osun Micro Credit Agency as part of efforts to ensure proper coordination.

Speaking at the flag-off ceremony held at Nelson Mandela Freedom Park, Osogbo, Oyetola said the gesture was in furtherance of the administration’s resolve to build a virile and healthy economy.

He said the initiative stemmed from the administration’s development agenda that is focused on revitalising the economy for improved performance, noting that by their enormous productivity and capacity for value and job-creation, MSMEs constitute a critical part of government’s diversification agenda.

Oyetola reiterated his Administration’s commitment to scaling up the ease-of-doing business in the State.

He said the initiative would go a long way to resuscitate moribund businesses and investments in the State.

“To actualise seamless cash flow among citizens, we have intervened

in the issue surrounding business support funds from the Central Bank of Nigeria and facilitated timely release of the sum of Six Hundred and Thirty-Six Million, One Hundred and Ninety-Five Thousand (N636.195,000.00) to the State through Osun Micro Credit Agency in collaboration with Participating Financial Institutions in the State for disbursement to selected beneficiaries as approved by the CBN. “Other citizens who fall within the classification of Small and Medium Enterprise Businesses who are interested in the fund should approach Osun Micro Credit Agency for possible enrolment in the next tranche of MSMEDF. This exercise is another effort by our Administration to strengthen our economy through the provision of supports for our Small and Medium Scale Enterprises,

“he added.

In his remarks, the Commissioner for Commerce, Industry, Cooperative and Empowerment, Dr. Bode Olaonipekun, lauded Governor Oyetola for being supportive of the growth and development of businesses in the State.

“What we are witnessing today is a journey of over two years coming to fruition. Governor Oyetola has made it come to pass and our hope is that this gesture would expand the scope of business in the state as over two thousand beneficiaries will be empowered and this will boost Osun economy,” he added.

Also speaking, the acting General Manager, Osun Micro Credit Agency, Mr. Sanya Olopade appreciated the timely and prompt intervention of the government, which has been helping the agency to soar higher.

Carbon Introduces New Online Service into its Banking App Nosa Alekhuogie Carbon, a digital bank active in Nigeria, Kenya, and Ghana has announced the rollout of its buy now, pay later product dubbed ‘Carbon Zero’ to eligible customers on its mobile application.

Carbon Zero gives Carbon cardholders the option to split purchases into four installments, to be paid back over time at a zero interest rate.

With spending decisions getting harder to make, and with the rise of budgeting apps, which could take days, weeks, or even months to buy desired items, Carbon says it has made it easier for people to get items exactly when they need them. Customers can conveniently split payments into four interest-free installments over six weeks, all at a fair and transparent cost. They also receive value for the items upon

payment of the first installment of 25 per cent of total cost, at the time of purchase.

Buy now, pay later services are not new — but what makes Carbon Zero stand out from credit card companies and digital lenders in the space is that Carbon Zero, as the name suggests, does not charge customers any interest. With Carbon Zero, the Bank is removing exorbitant fees and creating a more financially responsible way to pay.

Another key differentiator for Carbon Zero is its availability across various stores and not just its affiliate store partners.

Customers have access to an unlimited range of products and brands in fashion and beauty categories, gadgets, furniture, electronics, and more servicebased experiences like travel, education, and healthcare.

By adopting a direct-to-customer (D2C) approach, Carbon has become the first BNPL provider in Africa to offer a merchant-agnostic payment experience, as customers can shop anywhere Visa cards are accepted.

Product Manager of Carbon Zero, Ibrahim Ayenajeh, said: “As humans, our most important and expensive asset is time. Zero is a payment option that significantly shortens the time to achieve a better quality of life for individuals.

We are providing consumers the ability to be more flexible with their funds and extend a helping hand for those short periods funds may not necessarily be available.”

Carbon Zero is accessible to all Carbon account holders who have carried out a minimum of three transactions worth N5,000 each with their Carbon Visa Debit Card. Eligible customers are given

a pre-approved limit - up to a maximum of N100,000 - which they can use to make a Zero Payment. It has a minimum purchase value of N5,000 and can be used for both online and in-person (POS) purchases.

“Carbon has also invested in making this process as seamless and efficient as possible; using data and analytics to assess customers and provide them with pre-approval limits that fit their financial profiles, ensuring responsible spending,” Ayenajeh said.

Carbon account holders who want to Pay with Zero would need to make sure they are running the latest version of the Carbon app, then go to ‘Carbon Zero’ from the ‘Home tab’ and select the prompts to fund a purchase. Funds are then made available to the customer via their Carbon Debit Card to make online or in-store purchases.

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BUSINESSWORLD

INTERVIEW

Otike-Odibi: Online Shopping Has Bright Prospects in Nigeria Park ‘N’ Pay is wholesale e-commerce marketplace where retailers, business owners and corporations can buy their desired fast moving consumer goods (FMCGs) and get them delivered to their desired locations, all from their phones or any other electronic device. The company has a mission to be Nigeria’s number one wholesale marketplace. Company’s Head of Ecommerce, Mr. Ifuneye Otike-Odibi speaks on the experience so far, challenges and future prospects in online shopping As an e-Commerce company, what are the available channels through which Pack ‘N’ Pay reaches out to its customers across the country? e reach our customers both online and offline channels. We communicate and engage with a lot of our online customers through social media handles such as Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.

This is supported by a lot of physical engagements in order to understand better the buying pattern and challenges for the customers. The result from the dual approach has been very rewarding.

option, this allows them to verify that the goods they received are exactly what they ordered before payment.

For those who use the payment before delivery option we partner with secure payment gateways like Paystack and Flutterwave to receive their payments.

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Considering the period of lockdown as a result of COVID-19, where movement was restricted, how were you able to service your customers and got them satisfied with your service offerings?

Actually Pack‘N’Pay came about from seeing the effects of that lockdown. A lot of retail stores were closed because they couldn’t be restocked as a result of the lockdown. That led to us asking questions like, how can we make it easier for shop owners and bulk buyers to get the products through more convenient buying experience? The website (www. packnpay.com.ng) is our first answer to that question. This is essentially a digital wholesale market place where the products of a lot of local and foreign products are displayed for sale. We also provide delivery option for the customers.

Who are your major target audience and how have you been able to break even, considering the harsh business environment in the country?

Our target audience are anyone interested in buying bulk quantities and resellers. We have a wide range of customers and leads across different categories e.g. stores, schools, office, hospitals, cooperative societies and medium sized homes. Our largest market segment Pack’N’Pay are resellers. The business is in its infant stage so it will be too ambitious to expect a breakeven position now. However, we believe the business will be profitable in the near future.

How will you describe the mission of Pack ‘N’ Pay and what is your business proposition and projection in the next five years?

Pack’N’Pay’s mission I would say is quite simple. We want to create a digital market place for wholesale goods and give our customers a convenient shopping experience. I have met customers who close their stores and go to nearby states to get products that are available in their location but unknown to them. This costs the traders loss of time and higher transport charge when compared to buying within the location. Pack’N’Pay is a one stop online store to provide varied product options with a choice to deliver at your

Despite the several channels open to Nigerians for financial transactions, coupled with CBN’s awareness campaign drive to deepen financial inclusion, the Nigerian economy is still regarded as cash-based economy, where most people prefer the use of physical cash. What is your take on this, and how can this be changed?

I think that is a problem of numbers.

The amount of cash-only transactions still greatly out-numbers non-cash transactions. However, more people are adopting the e-payment channels, which will eventually cause a shift in the means of settlement to digital options.

The CBN has a lot of campaigns to promote e-payment, which is helping build confidence in the other payment channels.

Otike-Odibi

office/store. In the next five years we aim to make it common knowledge for anyone in Nigeria that wants to buy wholesale goods at the best price and with the certainty of the required quality of the products being ordered, that Pack’N’Pay is the place to look.

We also hope to be the go-to online marketing and distribution company for manufacturers trying to get their products to the wholesale market.

How do you handle delivery to ensure that customers’ goods are delivered safely and on time, considering bad roads in Nigeria?

We have a two-day delivery period after the order is made. This allows us to receive the order, get the required products from our inventory and fulfil the order in good time, sometimes as early as the next morning. We started up in Port-Harcourt, Rivers State and the conditions of the roads here are not bad, so I wouldn’t say that has been a great challenge to delivering to our customers safely.

What is your view about the disposition of Nigerians towards online shopping, where most people still shop physically in the open market space?

I think a new crop of informed buyers are being developed. I see a lot more people interested in doing their shopping online these days,

probably because they tried it and it worked during the lockdown. Don’t get me wrong most people are still sceptical but more people are now seeing it as an option, and with more companies like Pack’N’Pay I can only see that number increasing.

Online fraud is threatening the growth of e-Commerce in Nigeria and the global market. How best can this be addressed?

Every drug has its side effect, at Pack’N’Pay we see ecommerce as a means to make someone’s life a little bit easier. Someone else sees it as a means to make quick money. I think everyone needs to be cautious and thorough, and this goes for both buyer and seller using e-commerce.

We get a lot of first time customers who want to visit our warehouse or our office before purchase, we fully understand this, so we share our locations freely. We also offer payment at the point of delivery to protect both our customers and ourselves from fraud Given the increasing rate of online fraud in the financial sector, what are the security measures that you have put in place to protect customers’ goods during online transactions? ‘ Most of our customers opt to use our pay on delivery payment

How will you describe the success rate of financial inclusion drive of the Central Bank of Nigeria(CBN) and what are the roles of e-Commerce players like Pack ‘N’ Pay in achieving financial inclusion drive in Nigeria?

It depends on what metric you measure it by, I would measure it in terms of adoption rate of the non-cash channels over a specified time like annually. I can’t say for sure because I don’t have access to the actual data but I think that would show you positive results meaning the CBN’s financial inclusion drive has been successful. E-commerce players like Pack’N’Pay should keep doing what they initially set out to do, that is provide excellent service to their customers which can be done by giving them the option to pay for the service through any and all of the several payment channels.

Since your business has to do with delivery of goods, you are automatically into courier service.

Are you a licensed courier operator, and how compliant are you with the courier delivery laws in Nigeria.

What are some of the observed challenges in the logistics and delivery business in Nigeria, and how have you been able to overcome them over time?

We partner with registered courier companies for deliveries. Because Pack’N’Pay is a wholesale company our logistics and deliveries have to be done with bigger vehicles than other e-commerce companies who deal with retail quantities. With that comes new challenges of getting the right courier partner who understands your business and has the right size of vehicles for the deliveries.

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THIS WEEKEND WEEKLY MAGAZINE

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

Dr. Abayomi Ajayi: Pioneering Technologies for Better Lifestyle for Nigerian Women

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COVER

Dr. Abayomi Ajayi: Pioneering Technologies for Better Lifestyle for Nigerian Women Medical Director of Nordica Fertility Centre, Dr Abayomi Ajayi, is saddled with the task to help improve the quality of life of the Nigerian women. In line with that objective, he recently spearheaded the procurement of a lifesaving technology, the High Intensity Focused Ultrasound new machinery which treats women with fibroids without going through the knife. Dr. Ajayi, who has always been a pioneer in Nigeria when it comes to women’s health, has proven once again to be ahead of the game with this novelty, being the first not just in Nigeria but in the West African sub-region. In this exclusive chat with MARY NNAH at his Ikoyi office, he assures that with HIFU in Nigeria, the lifestyle of women would be improved and their lifespan lengthened What is about HIFU that makes it the talk of the town at the moment?

of ultrasound.

Another thing is nerve injury for some people but this is also very preventable and that is why we do not allow patients to sleep, so that if they are having pains in their legs, they let us know.

Usually because of the heat that is being transmitted to the fibroids, they could affect nerves. So, if you are having pain in your legs, you can let us know so that we can stop and change direction which the waves are coming through and then we can prevent nerves injury.

But these are very rare complications and these are just the only things that can possibly go wrong when you have HIFU. So HIFU is a very safe procedure that majority of the people when they do it, they are asking you if we have started when we are telling them to stand up and that we are done with the procedure.

What are the benefits of this technology?

We are able to treat fibroids, adenomyosis, and solid tumours. In some places they are using it for some forms of cancer treatments. You don’t need to cut, you don’t need to transfuse blood and you know that in this environment, when we do fibroid surgery there is usually a lot of blood loss and so on. Most of the accidents that come from fibroid surgery come from two things: either paraesthesia or blood loss. But in HIFU, you don’t need any form of anaesthesia, because you don’t cut and you don’t lose blood. And then your recovery period is so short because by 48 hours later, you are good to do anything you want to do but we would usually say, rest for about 48-96 hours.

But you don’t stay in the clinic more than two hours after the procedure. You are good to go home as soon as you are done. The period that you use to recover is so fast that it looks like you have done nothing. And also because there is this condition called adenomyosis, which looks like a fibroid and sometimes it is what the doctors actually see and they think they are seeing a fibroid. Sometimes it is so difficult to differentiate between the two.

And so this is a treatment that can also take care of adenomyosis at the same time as fibroid. So, it is a very good thing for people who have been suffering from adenomyosis.

You see some women have done two to three surgeries and within the space of two years they have done another one and on and on. Most of the time, it’s probably not the fibroid they are dealing with - in their cases, the fibroids are adenomyosis.

The difference between fibroid and adenomyosis is that in fibroid, there is a capsule, so when the doctor does surgery, he can remove it from the capsule but in adenomyosis, there is no capsule at all, so the doctor can cut and he will not see anything to remove because adenomyosis is Endometriosis into the muscles of the uterus.

So in other words, in adenomyosis it is like the patient is just bleeding into the muscles of the uterus, so the doctor is not going to be able to remove anything. But HIFU is actually able to burn this off. With HIFU, we don’t remove fibroid, we burn it. You lie down on the bed and in about two hours you are told to stand up and that’s it! Nobody actually touches you to say they are cutting you.

Fibroids are sometimes a major cause of infertility in some women and they go to get rid of it because they want to get pregnant.

Can one get pregnant after HIFU? Sure, they can! Unlike surgery where you cut through the muscle, with HIFU, it is the fibroid itself that you target, so the muscles of the uterus are intact. But we would do an assessment before we give them that go ahead because there are a lot of people out there who apart from having Fibroids, are also having infertility. So what we tell them is that the Fibroid alone rarely causes infertility, so the first thing is to do a proper assessment for infertility before we even start treating your Fibroid.

For example, HIFU will take care of the Fibroid but will not take care of low or zero sperm count, which is a major factor that prevents fertility. But for the uterus, it is going to be good after the HIFU procedure and you don’t need to do a Caesarean Section after HIFU is carried out on you. If we cut into your uterus, we tell you that your delivery is by Caesarean Section and it is compulsory but with HIFU, you don’t need C&S.

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he High Intensity Focused Ultrasound (HIFU) is not totally new because it has been around in other parts of the world for about 20 years now but it’s completely new in Nigeria, in fact it is first of its kind in the West African sub-region.

As the name suggests -an ultrasound is sound but it is beyond what you can hear, that is why it is called ultrasound. It’s not within the hearing range of human beings.

Actually, what it does is to converge and convert sounds into heat and thereby burn the fibroids and the blood supply of the fibroids. But because it is focused, it only burns where you direct it. So you focus the beam on a particular point and it burns the fibroids there.

Considering that a lot of Nigerian women have suffered severely from fibroid, why is HIFU just arriving in Nigeria?

The technology itself has gone through so many transformations and it is not particularly a very cheap technology. We had to hold our breath to be able to procure the machine but the advantages right now from all that we can see, is something that we really need in this environment. Fibroids are probably the commonest tumour that happens in women, especially in their reproductive age group, so when we knew that women in our environment stood about 80 percent likelihood of having fibroid by the time they were 50 years

The HIFU machine old, we felt it was something that should be brought here.

Aside from that, so many things are also happening that makes it very important for us to have it now. We read that 4,528 Nigerian doctors left Nigerian shores. So definitely, the number of doctors and qualified hands are reducing, so we need something that is more invasive and of course COVID-19 is around here and so surgical, except for emergencies are going down. So it is just a very good point to bring HIFU to Nigeria.

Can you tell us the cost implications of this technology?

I don’t talk about cost, I only give people an idea… the technologies is not particularly very cheap but what we have done is to try and bring it down to the level of what it will cost you to do surgery for fibroids in a hospital in this area so that cost will not be an issue for you in deciding whether to use HIFU or not. This is like us trying to make people see that this thing works. And right now, we have treated quite a number people as of today and all of them have been very happy with themselves. So we do not think cost is so much of an issue, especially now that Naira is losing value every day. So, we think it is something that is fair, especially compared to when you look at this technology in other parts of the world and how much they are charging for it and how much we are trying to charge. It is very affordable.

How many cycles do one need to go through before one gets a successful result? Most people will do it only once and are successful but then it depends on the number of fibroids you have and where they are located. But the majority of the people have only one section and they are good.

Who can use HIFU? Almost everybody can use it but we cannot use it for women that are very obsessed because

the pathway where the sound needs to pass through might be too deep and therefore, it might not be as effective as we want it to be. What we do is that we take a cut off of about 120kg, we don’t want to do HIFU on women above 120kg. But once you are able to lose weight to 120kg, you can do it. The next set of people we cannot use HIFU for are those that have passed through tummy tuck because the anatomy there might be a little bit distorted. So, we really don’t want to do HIFU for them. Apart from those two sets of people, almost everybody can do HIFU. How safe is this procedure?

It is very safe but then, there is no technology that doesn’t come with side effects. Three main things can go wrong when you do HIFU but we take steps to prevent them.

The first thing that can happen is skin burns.

That is why we don’t like to take people with scars on their abdomens. So, we don’t like taking people who have done tummy tuck because the scars on their tummies may absorb so much energy and then they would have skin burn.

The second aspect, which we don’t like to take but which we can still take but then we just need to be very careful with, are people who have had previous surgery, especially the vertical incision but people who have had the bikini (low transverse) incision can do HIFU. For them but for people who have had vertical incisions, we pick them carefully and do the assessment to ensure that they have a good pathway for the sounds to pass through so that nothing is at risk.

Thirdly, the intestine can be hot when you have this procedure and that is why we take preventive measures to ensure that it is safe for you before we can take you on. We have the rudiments for preparing the intestine when we want to do the procedures. So we empty your stomach of gas before you do the procedure because gas is a very bad transmitter

With High Intensity Focused Ultrasound, we don’t remove fibroid, we burn it. You lie down on the bed and in about two hours you are told to stand up and that’s it! Nobody actually touches you to say they are cutting you

Is there an age limit for the treatment?

Anybody can do HIFU as long as you have Fibroid.

This technology is not cheap like you mentioned earlier, so what informed your decision in bringing it to Nigeria, investing so much to ensure that Nigerian women have access to it?

First, Fibroids are very common and a lot of women are afraid of surgery because they think it puts their lives at risk. Truth be told, when you look at the records of complications coming from Fibroid surgeries all over Nigeria, you see that it is pretty high, it is as much as about 60 to 80 per cent. That is one of the reasons we need a method that does not require blood transfusion.

So, we think this has a lot of advantages for Nigerian women especially as pertaining to quality of life. Those are some of the reasons that made us say, it was better we have this technology in Nigeria.

Now, I must tell you that I have been following this technology for about 10 years now. I have followed it through all the stages of development until we got to a stage where we said this technology is ripe enough to come to Nigeria because it needs very little in terms of manpower and complications, so it is just the right technology for this kind of environment.

That means Nordica is a pioneer for HIFU in Nigeria.

We have only three of this kind of machine in Africa. One is in South Africa, one is in Egypt and here in Nigeria, we are the third.

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

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ANWBN Summit 2021: Expanding Possibilities for Women Stories by Mary Nnah Top on the agenda at the Nigeria Women in Business Network (ANWBN) 2021 National Summit will be to expand business possibilities for women and also to look at how they can scale up their businesses and thrive in the times of post COVID. As a women’s group, ANWBN feels that with regard to the adverse effects of the post-COVID-19, there was an urgent need for women to expand their possibilities in various fields.

“We are looking at ways to beat competition, position ourselves in the proper places and come to the table when decisions are taken on us so that we will be part of those decisions”, Otunba Gbemisola Oduntan, Chairperson ANWBN 2021 Summit, said while addressing journalists on the forthcoming summit.

Rightly themed, “Expanding Possibilities” this year’s

summit, scheduled to hold on October 27 to 28 will look at ways to position women to take advantage of opportunities that exist in businesses and how best to stem the impact of COVID-19 in their businesses.

“During this summit, we will give out incentives to startups. We will be looking at icon women that have done very well in their spaces. We will give women tips on how to succeed in the political space.

We would also give women a lot of tips on how to be a part of the political system”, Oduntan said.

Speaking further on summit’s efforts in stemming the negative effects of COVID-19 on businesses, she said, “During the summit we will be looking at how to remain resilient in the post COVID era. We will take training and have people talk to us on how we overcome and how we can cushion the effects of COVID. “We have issues around security, road network, power, and gender-inequality. It is an

advocacy we are doing and we know this will impact women as a whole and make us get better post COVID-19.”

“For every quarter, we have a conference on different things that pertains to pushing our agenda forward. We are trying to go down to even the informal sector and we want them all to be financially included in business.

“A lot of market women keep their money in their houses because they don’t trust the financial institutions. So, we are trying to see how we can educate them and give them the necessary information and get them into the financial space so they can benefit from what is going on.

“We are pushing because we want the government to do something. Women are special breeds. During the hit of COVID-19, some women spent all they had as capital to feed their homes. A man won’t do that. If a man has N500, he prefers going out in the evening to drink with his

friends but a woman would think of what her children will eat the next moment.

“So we believe that women are not getting enough attention; we not given the attention we deserve and we are not being taken care of enough, despite all what we bring to the table”, Oduntan, who is also the Deputy President, South of Nigeria Association of Small and Medium Enterprise, (NASME), noted further.

ANWBN is a coalition of 52 organisations that exists to enhance the economic status of women so as to ensure peaceful cohabitation, credible job creation.

The coalition’s advocacy tool, the Women’s National Business Agenda (WNBA) addresses the problems faced by female entrepreneurs across the country and identifies five priority issues which include access to credit, gender inequality, insecurity, electricity and poor infrastructure especially poor and dilapidated roads.

Oduntan added that as a coalition, the network will use

its power to make sure that the advocacy it is pushing for

ANWBN 2021 National Summit Chairperson, Otunba Gbemisola Oduntan

ITPC Throws Weight Behind Hybrid Trade Expo The Indonesian Trade Promotion Centre (ITPC) in Lagos is giving support to the 36th Trade Expo Indonesia (TEI) organised by the Ministry of Trade Republic Indonesia and Embassy of Republic Indonesia in Abuja.

Themed “Reviving Global Trade”, the exhibition, which will be hybrid, is scheduled to last for 14 days, starting from October 21 to November 4, 2021 online, while products showcase continues till December 20, 2021.

Director at ITPC, Hendro Jonathan said the Centre is inviting friends and business men / women to attend the event in order to promote business opportunities between Nigeria and Indonesia.

He said interested persons

L-R: President, NICCI Mr Ishmael Balogun; Creative Director, Tiffany Amber, Folake FolarinCoker; Director, ITPC, Jonathan Hendro and Vice President, NICCI, Kemi Ajisebutu at the Indonesian Trade Promotion Center, Lagos are to register and log into the website http://tradeexpoindonesia.com/ from any part of Nigeria as well as Cameroon, Benin, Togo, Ghana.

TEI digital edition, he reminded, aims to create a vehicle for promotion of online trade transactions, which is effective and efficient as well

as strengthen partnerships, maintain business continuity with buyers, expand penetration into new markets, build a positive image, and increase

the competitiveness of various Indonesian products and services in international markets.

According to Hendro Jonathan, TEI 2021 will present the concept of a digital catalogue that provides flexibility for participants and visitors to display and explore information on various superior Indonesian products.

The featured Indonesian products and services that will be displayed are in eight categories, namely manufactured products, digital lifestyle & services, medical & healthcare, renewable energy, food & beverage products, living comfort & amenities, fashion & beauty products, and halal products.

He noted further that the

expo is ready to provide more convenience and comfort for Nigerian business partners through an interactive platform in the e-catalogue format as well as major international trade shows for example in Germany and the United Arab Emirates.

That way, interactive activities between sellers and buyers will run better. This year’s TEI is targeted to reach a trade transaction value of USD 1.5 billion attended by 1,000 companies and 500 thousand visitors.

In addition to the exhibition, this time TEI will present various activities such as trade forums, exploration of trade agreements and purchasing missions, seminars, and business counselling.

Freedom, Fun, Whiskey at Jameson Connects 2021 Jameson Irish Whiskey delighted guests with an array of exciting activities at the 7th Jameson Connects which brought whiskey lovers together on Independence Day for an immersive Jameson experience.

Interestingly, Nigeria’s 61st birthday was celebrated at her first train station - Lagos Terminus. Sitting pretty on the bottom of Carter Bridge, overlooking the Lagoon, the green, cream, and maroon

façade is a reproduction of Jameson’s brand colours.

The station, established in 1909, was a major freight and passenger station, connecting the hinterland with Lagos’ ports and major markets in nearby Lagos Island.

Ranging from an alternative fashion pop-up to electrifying music, gourmet junk food, craft, games, the event offered an experience that spurred people to bond with each other in an unpretentious train-themed

celebration.

With this year’s theme, “Celebrating the Freedom to be You”, Jameson successfully reinforced its passion for celebrating the uniqueness of people. The theme focuses on the bold and free-spirited nature of young Nigerians, who continue to defy the odds in choosing and embracing authentic lifestyles and values.

Attendees enjoyed a host of activities including: one of 3 smooth cocktails – Jameson

Zobo Sour, Palm-wine twist or Jameson, Sprite & Lime.

Complimentary haircuts at the Sip & Cut experience from Kayzplace barbershop treated ladies and bearded brothers to stylish awesomeness. The bond and connect zone had people bonding over Ayò, FIFA, Jenga, foosball, table tennis, and more.

Folks also enjoyed the extremely popular Arts and Craft corner, where they handmade their own clay pots and candles, while getting beautiful henna

and face painting.

Jameson Connects 2021 also featured alternative fashion brands WAF, Shushi, Paradiceparade, Daltimore brand, Sneaker Fest and Push It; selling cool merch, and a screen-printing area where guests could customize Independence themed Jameson shirts designed by Wafflesncream.

The food was sublime!

Guests licked their fingers after deliciousfood from Kuti’s Bistro

Kewa’sKitchenandSizzlingFingaz. People got to rock to music with DJ sets from perennial Jameson Connects performer: Aye, and the magical Camron.

Alternative music flag bearers Buju,Ayra Starr,Ajebutter 22, Boj on the microphone, and Odunsi. the.engine had the crowd moshing, raving and grooving.

Jameson is a triple distilled Irish whiskey; matured and bottled in Ireland and it’s enjoyed responsibly by people over 18.

Paxful Electrifies Platform with Lightning Network Integration Paxful, the leading global peerto-peer fintech platform, has announced its global integration on the Lightning Network.

Over seven million Paxful users will now be able to leverage the power of the Lightning Network, a system built on top of the Bitcoin (BTC) network.

The Lightning Network allows users to transfer Bitcoin in a matter of seconds with much lower fees.

This new feature seamlessly

blends into Paxful’s platform and enables the company to keep user fees lower than traditional Bitcoin transactions.

When users send or receive Bitcoin through the Lightning Network with their Paxful Wallet, their Bitcoin balance is used the same way as if they would transfer it on the Bitcoin network.

All transactions are processed in seconds and Paxful users can utilise the Lightning

Network for both transactions with other individuals and to pay for goods or services.

Paxful is a peer-to-peer finance platform for people to make payments, transactions, and send money by buying and selling cryptocurrencies as a means of exchange.

Founded in 2015 by Ray Youssef and Artur Schaback, Paxful’s mission is to help everyone have equal access to finance no matter who or

where they are.

“Bitcoin is hands down the best financial option for the people who really drive economies forward. But in order for it to succeed and usher in global adoption, we need to overcome the issue of scale.

The industry’s greatest chance of Bitcoin scalability is through Lightning, which makes micropayments exceedingly cheaper and faster. Buying a coffee with Bitcoin will now

be a realistic option.

Consumers, businesses and even banks are looking for a way to connect the world together and we fully anticipate Lightning to deliver. “ We’re honored to be one of the first peer-to-peer platforms to offer this technology to our users. It’s a true service aimed at financial freedom”, Youssef said.

COO and co-founder of Paxful, Artur Schaback, said

the Lightning Network amplifies the work the company is already doing at Paxful, adding “we are thrilled to see how our users utilize Lightning and we expect Bitcoin’s use cases to only grow from here”.

CEO and co-founder of Lightning Labs, Elizabeth Stark, explained that Bitcoin levels the playing field for people around the world, and emerging markets are leading the charge with adoption.

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E-TRENDS

MUSIC SHOWBIZ

…Your weekly entertainment delight

NOLLYWOOD

How We Project Our Culture in Nigerian Films Vanessa Obioha Art and culture play a critical role in how a country is viewed globally. Most of the perceptions about the United States of America, for instance, were gleaned from its film industry, Hollywood. For European countries like Germany, we see that reflected in their visual art.

As a country with diverse cultures, the creative industry which has to a large extent put the global spotlight on Nigeria must thrive to understand the representative nature of art and creativity in storytelling, according to filmmaker Femi Odugbemi.

Odugbemi who spoke at the virtual Lagos Advertising and Ideas Festival 2021 used this premise to tackle the theme “Made in Nigeria: Improving the Art and Craft of Our Storytelling’. Recognising the power of technology in pushing our stories beyond the shores of Nigeria, he argued that the creative industry needs to aptly articulate our cultural diversity as a treasure trove and not as a limitation.

“Our understanding of our diversity needs to grow and it needs to grow because a lot of our young people are telling stories

Odugbemi

that are sort of lacking in any

kind of representation. Stories

that could have been made in America, they could be told by youth in England, but we are not English people, not Americans.

We are all shades and colours that make up Nigeria but there are stories that create those: our languages, fashion, our folklores.

“There are many things from our past that colour how we shape our present and our future and our storytelling is very critical in connecting the dots of all of that. That to me is where our storytelling needs to mature because it seems like the more we look like something from America, the better the chance that we have being called sophisticated or winning an award abroad. But I have been part of many of those award bodies but the truth is those awards are given when there is something like an alternative worldview, an alternative cultural connection that is articulated and espoused concerning a general human condition.”

Odugbemi emphasized that the story must be told from the worldview of our identity. Extolling the works of creatives like Kunle Afolayan, Kemi Adetiba and Steve Gukas, the renowned filmmaker pointed out that culture is about “worldviews, ethnic representations, the nature of our

societies and how we inter-relate; about how we prioritise things like family and spirituality and God.” In his estimation, there are many ways we can make our stories more healing and enriching for the country. A good place to start is prioritising how we represent wealth, success and money in our films or music.

Arguably, lavish and immoral lifestyles in films and music have in a way propagated a warped understanding of wealth and success.

This becomes more entrenched through social media where filtered images alter realities.

Odugbemi believes that most of the stories today either in film, advertising, or music represent success from the perspective that whoever has it, owns it.

“And so you will find a way that young people internalise the end justifying the means. That’s not our cultural worldview.”

Therefore, as much as the Nigerian film industry has advanced in cinematography and other production values, it is equally important that it factors in our cultural representation in storytelling. As he pointed out, the world is looking for an alternative cultural view for better understanding and tolerance of all races.

100 Models to Hit the Runway at Aba Fashion Week 2021 Emmanuel Ugwu-Nwogo in Umuahia No fewer than 100 models are expected to strut the runway at the 2021 edition of the Aba Fashion Week Show during which the creative ingenuity of 50 fashion designers of Enyimba City and beyond would be displayed.

The Aba Creatives Collective, the organisers of the Aba Fashion Week made this known at a press conference held at the Luxury City Entertainment Village Aba with all the partners in the project pledging to make

the forthcoming event spectacular.

Director-General of the Abia State Marketing and Quality Management Agency(ASMQMA), Mr. Sam Hart, who addressed journalists, fashion designers, models and other stakeholders on the preparations for this year’s event, said the Aba Fashion Week 2021 “will be louder and more exciting than the widely acclaimed 2020 edition”.

He announced that the premium fashion extravaganza with the theme ‘Fashion Meets Entrepreneurship’ would roll out from Decem-

Gulder Ultimate Search PremieresTomorrow

ber 6 with series of activities taking the stage each day till December 10 when the curtain would be drawn.

Mr. Hart noted that the Governor of Abia State, Dr. Okezie Victor Ikpeazu was leaving no stone unturned in his coordinated determination to ensure that the fortunes of Creatives in Aba and Abia State improve sustainably using the Aba Fashion Week as one of the means to again the goal.

He assured that all hands were already on deck to make the Fashion Week a huge success, adding that all relevant stakeholders were

working in tandem to ensure a memorable event.

“We are using fashion to promote enterprise,” Hart said, noting that the private sector driven initiative supported by government has made Aba fashion designers more confident and has also expanded their market base.

The Creative Director of Toskyme House of Fashion, a partner in Aba Creatives Collective, Mr. Ugomdi Ogbonna announced that this year’s event would kickoff with #MadeInAbia Exhibition where premium fashion pieces from Aba will sell at half the price.

He stated that the Street Fashion component of the Aba Fashion Week 2021 slated for December 8 would afford fashionistas from everywhere the opportunity to come out in their statement fashion pieces and display at Brass Junction, Aba. Ogbonna also announced that on Thursday, December 9, 2021, there would be a Masterclass event where successful Fashionpreneurs will share their success principles with Aba Fashion creatives and mentor aspiring fashionpreneurs.

Mr. Chinyere Akataobi, one of the organisers of the event,

disclosed that Mr. Noble Igwe, a well known fashionpreneur, was appointed an Ambassador of the Aba Fashion Week with mandate to engage with corporate organisations who wish to partner the organisers to promote their brands.

The grand finale scheduled for Friday, December 10 would feature a Blue Carpet at 6pm and Runway extravaganza at 7pm where 50 Fashion Designers and over 100 Models wold be on parade in front of over 20,000 guests with an A-list guest artiste supplying the music.

Jide Awobona’s ‘Alabede’ Premieres in Grand Style Iyke Bede

Vanessa Obioha The long-awaited survival reality TV show will be premiering on DStv and GOtv channels tomorrow, October 16. 16 contestants were initially selected to participate in the game but through public voting, two other contestants were added, bringing the total number to 18.

The contestants will spend three months in the adventure-format reality show.

For this season, new episodes will be aired twice a week, that is Saturday and Sunday with repeats during the week. The show will air on Africa Magic Showcase (DStv channel 151), Africa Magic Urban (DStv channel 153) and Africa Magic Family (DStv channel 154 & GOtv channel 2).

Also, Toke Makinwa will be hosting the season.

The edition themed ‘The Age of Craftsmanship’ will award the ultimate winner N50 million grand prize.

So far in his career, Nigerian actor Jide Awobona has donned many acting togas. In the latest self-produced ‘Alabede’, which premiered recently at Viva Cinema, Ikeja, Lagos, he takes on the role of a fierce and ruthless character, Alabede.

The film relays the story of Abebunmi (played by Jumoke Odetola and Peju Ogunmola), the village circumciser who was installed after the death of her mother. Following a series of events influenced by her new position, she exerts revenge on Inaalaji (played by Ayobami Olabiyi and Olumide Femi-Isedowo), her love interest.

Subsequently, her son, the untamable Alabede emerges, only to inflict havoc on his community. But soon, his Achilles heel is discovered, stopping him right in his tracks.

The première party for the film was well attended amid observance of strict COVID-19 health guidelines. It also doubled as a cultural showcase with guests dressed in vibrant cultural wear on the red carpet depicting our diverse

Jide Awobona (left) dancing at Alabede premiere

culture. But aside from fashion, the ambience was bathed in thunderous sounds of the talking drum to which energetic indigenous dancers showed off their beautifully choreographed routine.

Co-directed by Razaq Olayiwola and Tunde Ola-Yusuf, ‘Alabede’ parades Nollywood actors like Antar Laniyan, Toyin Adegbola, Adeniyi Johnson, Oyebade Adebimpe, Jamiu Azeez, Peter Fatomilola, Abeni Agbon

among others.

Rendered solely in Yoruba, the film’s principal photography commenced in February at Gudugbu Nla Village, Akinmorin Oyo, Oyo State.

According to Awobona, the location of choice easily provided pristine, decades-old structures to fully depict the cultural timeline before the seepage of western culture.

However, the story was conceptualised and partly scripted 10 years ago.

Speaking on the culture conveyed in the film, Awobona emphasised the need to celebrate our culture.

“Culture and language are part of our identity, so don’t throw it away.

Even the English we are speaking right now is a borrowed language; it is not our language, and we are still struggling with it. We should own our language.”

‘Alabede’ will be heading to cinemas soon.

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ART WEEKEND

…For pure art enthusiasts

With OnDisplay, Gallery at The Landmark Hosts Maiden Art Talk Series

Inside the CYCDIinspired Art Exhibition on Climate Change

Enraptured by the warmth of the auditorium inside Alliance Francaise, Mike Adenuga Centre, Ikoyi, Lagos a moderate gathering of creatives relished the first in the annual Art talk series called OnDisplay which featured TY Bello, Kola Tunbosun and more. Yinka Olatunbosun reports

“U

ntil lions have their own historians, the history of the hunt will always glorify the hunter,’’ was the African proverb that set the tone for the maiden edition of the art talk series christened OnDisplay. Organised by Gallery at The Landmark, the talk series is reminiscent of the famous TED talks. Created by the co-owner of Gallery at The Landmark, Ighiwiyisi Jacobs, OnDisplay is built to be an annual event where topics of global and national impact can be interrogated with the view to inspire people through the arts.

Featuring a collaborative performance by the guitarist Femi Leye and the painter Ini Abasi, the series was anchored on the art of storytelling. In her opening remarks, Jacobs explained why the series was set up.

“I found out that people tend to take in heavy topics when you present them in a light fashion. I believe it is possible to do that and have engaging conversations that is life-changing in a format that it is easy to stomach. And that is what we plan to do every year. Hannah came up with the theme, “Wielding Power’’ which becomes the overarching theme for this year’s edition of OnDisplay.

In reference to the African proverb made popular by Chinua Achebe, Jacobs drew attention to the challenge of documenting the African culture and identity.

“Africa has been handed to us by those who were able to document it. It is time for Africans to tell their own stories. Every OnDisplay is going to be geared towards making sure that Africans start waking up to the fact that stories eventually become history. And we would pass that on to our children. Power is not truly owned. Power will always be seductive. It wants you to believe that you own it. Power uses as much as it is used. Power is not truly owned. As custodians of power, we must be ready to hand it over when the time comes. We want people to understand the nature of power and handle it with respect and be willing to hand it over. Power is transmitted through storytelling,’’ she said.

The four climate change artists at work

Yinka Olatunbosun

TY Bello and Ighiwiyisi Jacobs arriving at the venue of the OnDisplay art talk series

TY Bello, the Nigerian singer, photographer and philanthropist, born Toyin Sokefun-Bello spoke on the theme of ‘Wielding Power’ whilst drawing upon her personal experiences. For her, power is not just to be understood in physical terms. She began writing music at 14 and would later discover her multiple talents in painting, singing and hair making.

“As we grow up, it is unlikely that we are thinking of throwing punches. Yet, we are constantly fighting for our spaces in the world. My major fight has been that ability to fight for my space in the creative world.

When people attribute success to you, you have to spend a big amount of time living up to that name,’’ she said.

She described her creative power as a gift and never considers herself as a master as she forges on with the beginner’s attitude.

“I don’t have a sense of ease that I have mastered something. But I have found my voice as an artist,’’ she said.

Olufemi Akinsanya, a traditional art collector spoke on why it is essential to preserve our cultural heritage through the arts.

“Many of the works of our ancestors reflected the things around them. The quality

of their creativity ought to awaken us to our responsibility to preserve this heritage.

These artworks are going out of fashion.

Some are being destroyed because many are made of wood. Many if these works are leaving our shores. But the problem is that many of these works are not meant to be kept in museums. They would perish and the few we can find, we should collect them,’’ he said.

Nigerian linguist, writer, translator, scholar, and cultural activist, Kola Tunbosun kicked-off his presentation with the picture of the arrival wing of the international airport Lagos with ‘Welcome to Nigeria.’

He addressed the Nigerian obsession with the language of the colonizer- English and the neglect and inferior treatment of our indigenous languages. He called for attitudinal change backed by policies that can encourage the use of indigenous languages and create new markets for exporting the languages or expertise in the languages to the world. Tubosun is credited for his influential role in Google’s recognition and use of Yoruba language.

Tubosun-led team at Google Nigeria was behind the Nigerian English voice/accent on Google platforms.

Nobel Laureate, Prof Abdulrazak Gurnah, Others Set for Ake Festival 2021 Yinka Olatunbosun Prof. Abdulrazak Gurnah, the Tanzanian author who was recently awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature is on the list of headliners for the 2021 edition of the Ake Arts and Books Festival. Gurnah was honoured for his “uncompromising and passionate” portrayals of the effects of colonialism in his works.

He would be featured in the special session tagged ‘The Life and Times Series’ alongside the Booker-Prize shortlisted author, Maaza Mengiste.

The annual three-day programme of cultural and literary events, will, for the second year, hold virtually from October 28 to 30 due to the lingering Covid-19 pandemic.

The Ake Arts and Books Festival is one of the initiatives of the Book Buzz Foundation Nigeria which was founded by the awardwinning author and poet Lola Shoneyin.

Supported by Sterling Bank Plc since 2018, this edition will feature book chats, panel discussions, performances, documentaries centering African and international writers and thinkers.

The theme of this year’s event is ‘Genera-

tional Discordance’. In the words of the festival director, Shoneyin, “the Internet has exposed generational differences in almost every area of our lives on the African continent. From relationships, love and marriage; spirituality and religion; gender and feminism to politics and activism, the differences in perspective are glaring. Where earlier generations of Africans are anchored to their cultural identities, our younger compatriots see themselves as a part of a globalised world. It is easy to assume that our aspirations are poles apart but they are not. Africa cannot afford the luxury of endless culture wars. We must eschew the sensationalism and divisive influence of digital algorithms and find a more harmonious continental rhythm that allows us to talk to, and not past, each other.”

In addition to the lined-up book chats and panel discussions, Ake Festival is curating six intergenerational conversations on themes that are impactful.

Mr. Abubakar Suleiman, the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Sterling Bank Plc explains the bank has continued its partnership with the festival “Education is one of the five major sectors of the Nigerian economy that the bank is

presently focusing investment in under its HEART of Sterling programme. The other sectors are health, agriculture, renewable energy and transportation.”

The festival will also feature film, music, poetry and interviews. Some of the select books for discussions include Bring Back Our Girls by Drew Henshaw and Joe Parkinson; Lionheart Girl by Yaba Badoe; His Only Wife,” by Peace Medie; Formation: The Making of Nigeria from Jihad to Amalgamation by Fola Fagbule and Feyi Fawehinmi;, Prince of Monkeys by Nnamdi Ehirim; An Ordinary Wonder by Buki Papillon, Butter Honey Pig Bread by Francesca Ekwuyasi; Born in Blackness by NYT columnist Howard French, When the Sky is Ready The Stars Will Appear by EC Osondu and The Sex Lives of African Women

by Nana Dorkoa Sekyiamah; and The Teller of Secrets by Bisi Adjapon.

Panel discussions will focus on The African Crime-writing, Conspiracy theories and Healthcare; Disability rights, repatriating Africa’s stolen treasures and a discussion moderated by Harper Collins’s (UK) Nancy Adimora which explores a new collection of essays and reflections by 24 Nigerian writers titled ‘Of This Our Country.’

The residence of the British Deputy High Commissioner in Ikoyi, Lagos was open to a handful of guests last Thursday who witnessed the opening of a touring Art Exhibition on Climate Change. The show was a build up to the 26th UN Climate Change Conference of the Parties (COP26) in Glasgow on from November 1 to 12.

Featuring four climate change artists, on 17 canvas, the project showcased sustainable art aimed at provoking innovative responses on enhancing climate resilience, green economic recovery and low-carbon development for Nigeria and the world at large.

The paintings were arranged in four categories namely limiting global temperature by 1.50c; Climate adaptation, climate finance and collaborations.

In her opening remarks, the Project Director of Solution17 for Climate Action and Naija Climate Now, Foluke Michaels recounted the dangers of complacence in the threat of polluted earth and why art is a viable tool for saving the earth.

“By 2030, there will be reduction in rainforest and of course species will be lost and there will be speed in global warming, just nine years’ time.

By 2040, greenhouse gas will be many times more potent than carbon dioxide, accelerating the speed of climate change. By 2050, the ocean will become very acidic because of heat. By 2080, global food crisis will happen due to soil overuse. Weather will become very.

We are mobilising everyone across Nigeria and beyond to act for climate change through education, creativity, innovation, technology and entrepreneurship and art. Art and music will help us to reach our goal quickly,” she said.

Oba Abdulwasiu Omogbolahan Lawal, Abisogun II, the Oniru of Iru Kingdom expressed his confidence in the project.

“Our actions and inactions are very germane.

I know what Lagos State Government is doing in making Lagos to be climate change resilient,’’ he said.

The Deputy British High Commissioner, in his welcome address, Ben Llewellyn-Jones mirrored the sentiment shared by the project director.

“The 26th UN Climate Change Conference of the Parties or COP26 which the UK is hosting in Glasgow in just under four weeks from today is an invitation for all of us to rethink our way of life. And we will use our platform at COP26 to focus this ambition,’’ he said.

The leading textile artist, Nike Davies-Okundaye who also mentored the four artists offered encouraging words to the artists. One of them, AnjolaoluwaOlanrewajuwhoexploredrenewable energy in her work described the exhibition as a lifetime opportunity.

“The CYCDI organised some art competitions in the past and that was how I got developed since I was 9 or 8. As I was growing, I was always part of the art competition and I participated each year and the years when I was above the age, I was called in as a mentor to other younger ones.

As for Oluchi Nwaokorie, who is a CEO for a waste management organization, collecting waste and converting it to art is serious business.

“Our last clean-up was in Iwaya. We have converted plastic waste to 3D filament. Everyone can make a difference,’’ she said.

Other exhibiting artists are Victory Ashaka and Tobi Titiloye who explored mixed media painting.

Titiloye’s “I can’t Breathe’ appropriates plastic waste to illustrate a gas mask and underscore the need for cleaner earth.

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T H I S D AY ˾ ͯͳ, ͰͮͰͯ

IE Introduces New Platform For Prepaid Meter Management Ayodeji Ake Inline with its ‘customer first; technology now’ mantra, Ikeja Electric Plc (IE), has announced the introduction of Singleview, an interactive platform designed to enable prepaid meter customers access their vending pattern and consumption.

At the launch of Singleview at its headquarters in Alausa, Ikeja, Lagos recently, Ikeja Electric explained that the platform serves as a major touch point where prepaid meter customers can access personal information such as energy vending record, consumption history, month-on-month energy consumption, account number, account status, tariff class and rates.

The Singleview platform also enables customers to make energy payments, check energy consumption and balance, lodge service enquiries, requests or complaints and the Business Unit and Undertaking Office covering their location will respond promptly.

Speaking on Singleview, the Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Folake Soetan, noted that as a customer centric organisation, Ikeja Electric is always forward thinking, innovative and committed to its customers in order to enhance their experience.

This solution offers convenience and prompt service. According to her, “with Singleview, we have further given them power in their hands”.

She noted that the platform will enable customers to access the necessary information with ease. With the ability to track and understand their consumption and vending patterns, they are able to plan their energy need efficiently.

SinglevIew is targeted at only prepaid meter customers within Ikeja Electric network. Customers can use it by logging unto IE official website to learn more about the solution and register with their meter number.

IE further noted that the creation of the SingleView platform is testament that

the Management and Staff of Ikeja Electric continuously

yearn to deliver quality services and ensure direct

access to it through various channels in line with its

mantra ‘Customer first; Technology now’.

L-R: Mrs Olubunmi Olukoju, Chief Finance Officer; Mr Ugochukwu Obi-Chukwu, Chief Marketing and Strategy Officer; Mrs Folake Soetan, Chief Executive Officer; Mrs Ogochukwu Onyelucheya, Chief Commercial Officer; and Mr Waidi Gbadamosi, Chief Risk Officer, all of Ikeja Electric, during the launch of Ikeja Electric’s SingleView Web Application, recently

Burgeoning Developer Launches Wonder Court Estate in Lekki Precious Ugwuzor AS Wonder Properties and Homes, a subsidiary company under AS Wonder Limited, a burgeoning developing firm recently launched its Wonder Court Estate in Lekki, Lagos.

Registered under the Corporate Affairs Commission of Nigeria, AS Wonder Properties is a full spectrum Real Estate & Property Invest-

ment Company that reliably provides a wide range of clientele with properties (lands & housing), and property-related services with the primary objective of constantly meeting housing needs, for a guaranteed and secure lifetime investment.

Speaking during the launch, the MD/CEO of AS Wonder Properties and Homes, Dr. Agbi Steven Omobamidele said growing

up, he faced accommodation challenges, which made him vow to help people like him.

Accordingly, he ventured into the business of real estate and property investment to offer affordable housing to the common man. Recently, the young developer launched one of his estates called ‘The Wonder Court’ located at Oribanwo Awoyaya, Lekki Epe Ex-

pressway, Lagos.

The estate is situated in a very strategic area as their neighbours include Mayfair Gardens, Adiva Plainfield, Lakowe Golf, and Corona Schools, to mention a few.

Upon completion, the Wonder Court Estate would comprise 30 units of detached three-bedroom duplex plus a boy’s quarter; a three bedroom semi-detached bungalow plus a boy’s quarter; and

three-bedroom detached bungalow plus a boy’s quarter.

There would be amenities like perimeter fencing, gatehouse, maximum security, top recreational facilities, road connectivity, and electricity.

According to the CEO, the engineering and building plan is second to none as all inadequacy were put into consideration.

Cost-wise, he said these

properties cost between N18 million and N32 million but payments can be made in installments while the documentation given to a buyer will be the Gazette and properties will be allocated at the exact time communicated.

He further disclosed that for Wonder Court Estate, the bungalows would be ready in four months at semi-finish as they intend to keep to the time frame.

BAT Reaffirms Commitment to the Environment as Adebola Williams Launches Book to Company Unveils Sustainability Show Corner Celebrate International Day of the Girl Child British American Tobacco economy by recycling all impact of the business as it IØ ÍÙ××Ï×ÙÜËÞÓÙØ ÙÐ ØÞÏÜØËÞÓÙØËÖ Ëã ÙÐ ÞÒÏ ÓÜÖ ÒÓÖΘ ËØ ÐÜÓÍËØ ØÞÜÏÚÜÏØÏßܘ ÎÏÌÙÖË ÓÖÖÓË×Ý ÒËÝ ÜÏÖÏËÝÏÎ Ë ÝÏÖÐ̋ÚßÌÖÓÝÒÏÎ ÍÒÓÖÎÜÏØ˪Ý ÌÙÙÕ ÍËÚÞßÜÓØÑ ÞÒÏ ÖÓàÏÝ ÙÐ ØÙÞËÌÖÏ áÙ×ÏØ ÙÐ ÐÜÓÍËØ ÙÜÓÑÓØ˛ Williams, through his book, ‘African Power Girls’ seeks to underscore the notion of positivity, diversity, and inspiration among young girls who are daily faced with inequality, chauvinism, and misogyny.

“I got the inspiration for this book while trying to purchase inspirational publications for my goddaughters,” said Williams. “I realised that I was unable to find a suitable African story book that told the stories of women who had conquered their world so that young people can emulate.”.

“This book is the first in a series of three books highlighting powerful women in Africa,” he added.

Going as far back as the 1900s, each page of the book showcases the strength, freedom, challenges, and victory of spotlighted female legends.

African Power Girls is for kids, especially young girls seeking great exposure and inspiration to follow their purpose, succeed in their chosen careers, and fulfil

Book Cover

their mission. Additionally, it is for parents who want their children to establish a deep connection to their rich heritage.

“As a chief storyteller for several brands, individuals, and corporations across the continent, it is an integral part of my mission to tell stories about, and for Africa. Therefore it has been a delight to tell the stories of our great women, especially as a catalyst to raising many more like them,” he

concluded.

Adebola Williams cofounded and runs RED | For Africa, the continent’s largest portfolio of media and storytelling brands engaging the youth. He uses storytelling strategies to change human behaviour towards ideas, brands, and people.

Adebola and his team at RED | For Africa currently consults for individuals and corporates across the continentII

in West and Central Africa (BAT) has launched a sustainability show corner at the company’s state-of-the-art factory in Ibadan.

The project is an evidence of stellar results from its investments in sustainability and an affirmation of the company’s commitment to the environment.

The sustainability corner exhibits several end products obtained from the recycling of waste generated at the Ibadan factory. Some of these include tissue paper, local farm equipment, organic manure, egg crates, throw pillows, among others. Located within the factory’s reception, the Sustainability Show Corner is quite a beautiful space and serves as a reminder and motivation to employees and factory visitors, of the possibilities and value inherent in sustainability practice.

In her comments at the launch, Odiri Erewa-Meggison the External Affairs Director for BAT West and Central Africa said “the Sustainability Show Corner is an expression of our commitment to a sustainable planet and shows how the company is powering forward and evolving a closed circular

classes of waste generated in Ibadan factory into local usable products.”

Waseem Hayat, Operations Director for BAT West and Central Africa, who was also present at the launch, stated that “the exhibition of these materials helps tell the story of how we at the BAT Ibadan factory are creating a sustainable production ecosystem as part of our contribution to build A Better Tomorrow™ and putting sustainability at front and centre across all our operations.”

The company began partnering with local organisations in 2019 to implement the recycling of waste material such as paper and plastics.

The end products on display at the sustainability corner, show that beyond repurposing waste material, the initiative is also creating new capacities among implementation partners and employment in the local community.

British American Tobacco (BAT) announced its evolved global strategy in March 2020, which revealed the company’s clear purpose to build A Better Tomorrow™ by reducing the health

committed to providing adult consumers with a wide range of enjoyable and less risky products.

A crucial component of the evolved strategy is the expansion of the company’s environmental, social and governance (ESG) priorities.

This involves accelerating previous targets at addressing climate change and maintaining excellence in environmental management, delivering a positive social impact, and ensuring robust corporate governance as the company makes sustainability front and centre in all its activities.

The expanded ESG priorities underlie the company’s determination and urgency in implementing other sustainability initiatives besides the waste recycling programme.

These include initiatives to improve energy efficiency and eliminate environmental pollution, which comprise an independent power plant that runs on gas rather than diesel and the ongoing conversion of fleet vehicles from petrol fuel to Compressed Natural Gas. BAT achieved 100 per cent waste recycling and zero waste to landfill at its Ibadan factory in March 2021.

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Prince Meshack Bebenimibo: An Author’s Plea to Osinbajo over Delayed Promise At a time his peers were delving into militancy, Prince Meshack Bebenimibo, an Ijaw youth from the creeks of the oil-rich Gbaramatu Kingdom, Warri South West Local Government Area, Delta State, was busy writing motivational books. However, he has problem of funding for mass publication of three books so far printed. He had an encounter with Vice President Yemi Osinbajo who promised to help but three years after nothing has been done. He recently spoke to SYLVESTER IDOWU about that experience and his passion to restructure and reorientate the youth, to discover themselves and fulfill their destinies Why motivation? y the grace of God I am the author of three famous motivational books, Self Discovery In Nation Building, Battles Of Life and Disappointment To Appointment.

I went into motivational books writing because I have the burning desire to reorientate and restructure the mindset of people, especially the youths, to discover themselves and utilise their discovery to fulfill their glorious and magnificent destinies.

I have this passion to write because I feel sorry for the society we are in this world. The way many people are feeding and living on negativity. I saw that negative way of life has become a common thing in the society even in the religious sect. So I look, how can I bring these people out of this so called negativity also known as mental rot? That is where I discover that one of the ways is to write about discovering yourself and utilise your discovery because I believe that everybody created by God carries talent, flair and natural endowment.

I believe in an effective leader, pacesetter, trendsetter, nation builder, world changer and world champion but many people fail to discover inherent part of them, this latent ability in them and this gift in them. That is why my first book is titled Self Discovery In Nation Building. Because I want every individuality and personality to discover themselves and utilise their discovery to attract it’s equivalent

B

What are the challenges you are facing in the course of publishing these books?

One of the challenges I am facing is this, you see from where I came from Oporoza Community, Okerenkoko Community, Kunukunuma Community, Benikrukru Community, Kokodiagbene and Kurutie Community in Gbaramatu Kingdom in Warri South West LGA, Delta State paternally and maternally, they don’t empower people who have the gift of writing positive books that will add value to lives and destinies.

I have this glorious gift of writing positive and inspiring books. I have met several persons and individualities who I know in the society that are great persons but failed to show interest in mass production of my books. Sir, I am an author, I write motivational books, showing them some of my books and even gave them free copies. They promise to assist and empower me but fail to fulfill their promise.

Do you know that for me to produce this my latest book titled “Disappointment To Appointment”. I had to borrow money to publish it, because no one was ready to assist me. Sometimes, some persons will act and interview me after telling them my vision but they are not ready to empower or assist in any way. Even the oil companies like Chevron and SPDC in our communities are not ready to empower and assist talented youths from Gbaramatu Kingdom and Niger Delta at large.

There was a time I and Jackson Timiyan were called to Noregha Hotels at Commissioner road Ekpan near Warri, Chevron called us for a brief talk and promised to empower us so we can use our talent to add values to lives and destinies all over the world. We were called through Chevron GMoU Egbema Gbaramatu Communities Development Forum then headed

by Tiemo and Chief God’spower Gbenekama.

In all Chevron failed to empower us. I have also given the Deputy Governor of Delta State, Barr. Kingsley Burutu Otuaro two of my books titled “Self Discovery In Nation Building and Battles Of Life and also appealed to him to empower and assist me to use my talent to add values to lives and destinies, though he promised to empower me but fail to fulfill his promise of empowering me even though he hail from Gbaramatu Kingdom and the number two person in Delta State.

The challenge I am facing is this- to produce a book is a problem because things are so expensive. As I am speaking, I have about twenty unpublished books because nobody is ready to assist me. I want to hold seminars and

Bebenimibo

workshops to address nations to discover themselves and utilise their discovery. In this era of insecurity, we need programs that will make people to become Composmentis in this troubled world. But nobody is ready to assist me, nobody in the society want to identify with you once you have a good idea and vision.

Sometimes, I began to wonder, is it a sin to be a writer of positive and inspiring books? We are trying to educate the public, telling them to discover themselves and apply their discovery to fulfill their unique and magnificent destinies. we are inspiring people that they are created to recreate, add value and meaning to lives and destinies all over the world. Also to be Composmentis.

What is Composmentis?

Composmentis means having total control of the mind.

Did you make any attempt to reach out to government when support from individuals and oil companies failed?

Yes, I did that. There was this glorious day, on the 16th January, 2017. I met His Excellency, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo (SAN) Vice President, Federal Republic of Nigeria. While His Excellency was on a peace resolution and fact finding mission to the Niger Delta region, we met at the temporary site of Nigeria Maritime University, Kurutie Community in Gbaramatu Kingdom, Warri South West LGA, Delta State at the height of militancy in the region.

That faithful day, while he was going, he gave handshake to people at the left, then the Spirit of God ministered to me to tell the Vice Federal, Federal Republic of Nigeria that I write motivational books so that he can assist me. I tried to ignore the voice and speak to some high chiefs from my clans and told them I want to see the Vice President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo.

They said it is impossible and why are you thinking of this impossibility? I told some of my journalist’s friends and they said only the Governor can do this and not me. Just forget about it. So I left them. The

I went into motivational books writing because I have the burning desire to reorientate and restructure the mindset of people, especially the youths, to discover themselves and utilise their discovery to fulfill their glorious and magnificent destinies

Vice President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo went and came back again to have handshake with the same persons, then the Spirit ministered to me to tell the Vice President I write motivational books and the third time he came back again to have handshake with the same people while I was at the right side.

You know the level of high security personnels present there and I was in a far distance. The Spirit of God ministered to me for the third time and I said in a hush tone, I am an author of motivational books. Immediately, the Vice President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, in his humility and fatherly character said please bring me that boy I want to see him. He called me and I came in, the most humble Vice President held me with his right hand, the Governor of Delta State Sen. Ifeanyi Okowa was at the right side of His Excellency, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, while the Deputy Governor of Delta State, Barr. Kingsley Burutu Otuaro who hailed from Gbaramatu Kingdom was at the left hand side of the VP. While I came to meet His Excellency, the Governor of Delta State move to the left hand side of the Vice President while his Deputy Governor Kingsley Otuaro moved to the back side. Immediately I gave his Excellency, Prof.

Yemi Osinbajo two of my books titled “Self Discovery In Nation Building and Battles Of Life. I told him sir, I have the burning desire to add value to lives and destinies all over the world. Sir, I want empowerment, I want you to empower and assist me so I can use my talent to add value to lives and destinies all over the globe.

I further told him I have this passion to rebuild and rebrand this nation. I want to add value to this nation because God has a purpose of giving me this gift. I want to use it to be a blessing to billions of people all over the world.

He applauded my effort and pledged in his meek and humble character to empower and assist me so that I can use my talent to add meaning to lives and destinies. I was heart-lifted because of the promise of His Excellency Prof.

Yemi Osinbajo, SAN, Vice President, Federal Republic of Nigeria of empowering me.

I travelled to Aso-Rock, the VP’s office and submitted four letters on different occasions.

Luckily, on the 3rd of April, 2018, His Excellency, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo sent me a letter through Ade Ipaye, the Deputy Chief of Staff to the President, Office of the Vice President. Though the letter spent 58 days on the road, I got the letter on the first of June, 2021 because it was sent through post office, Area 10, Garki, Abuja.

I followed through and sent all the necessary brief as instructed. I didn’t hear anything again.

On the 21st of December, 2018, I still met His Excellency, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, when he came to Main Market, Warri, Delta State for the disbursement of TraderMoni to market women. I told him, Sir, I am Prince Meshach Bebenimibo, the boy who met you at Kurutie Community Gbaramatu Kingdom on the 16th January, 2017, while you came for the peace resolution and fact finding mission to the Niger Delta region and I showed him the letter. He was shocked that I have not been empowered.

In his humility and fatherly character, he asked Senator. Babafemi Ojudu to give me his number. So Senator Ojudu gave me his complementary card. I still followed through and sent several letters. I waited for one year, two years, three years and the fourth year has passed away.

His Excellency, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo is a father to me, a father to Deltans, Niger Deltans and father to Nigerians. I am using this medium to appeal to His Excellency to fulfill his promise of empowering me and I also passionately appeal for a private audience with him to enable me to lucidly and meticulously inform him of my two pet projects, namely, Operation Eradicate MentalRot (OPEMER) and Leading Lights (LL).

When you help, assist and empower one person, you have empowered twenty persons but when you fail to help one person, you have failed to help twenty persons.

40

T H I S D AY ˾ ͯͳ, ͰͮͰͯ

POLSCOPE Economy and the Gathering Cloud áÓÞÒ ÎÎã ÎÓàáÜÓ ÏÎÎã˛ÙÎÓàáÜÓ̶ÞÒÓÝÎËãÖÓàÏ˛ÍÙט ͸΀͸ͽ ͻ͸; ΁ͻͽ;

President Buhari

M

r President and his cabinet members just ended a midterm assessment retreat. It was a stock-taking gathering.

The aim was to see how the government had fared in the discharge of its responsibilities, including the fulfilment of its electoral promises.

Not unexpectedly, the retreat ended with a verdict of resounding victory and applause for the Buhari administration. The summary of all the submissions was given by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Mr Boss Mustapha.

One newspaper headline captured Mustapha’s summation as “Buhari’s Administration has Been Productive and Remarkable”. Nobody truly expected an appointee to pass a vote of no confidence on his appointor, if he yet wanted to continue in his job.

So, many have seen the clap-for-yourself verdict of Mustapha on his boss as not only self-serving but indeed truth shy.

Beyond the bland and sweeping verdict of “productivity”, was the re-echoing of President Muhammadu Buhari’s promise that not only will he ensure Nigerians will smile, but that the 2nd Niger Bridge as well as the Lagos-Ibadan road will be completed before the end of his tenure in 2023.

By promising that Nigerians will have cause to smile either now or later suggests that Mr President knows that Nigerians are anything but smiling at the moment. Certainly, not the normal and natural smiling. If there are those smiling, it must be the “suffering and smiling” clan, described by late Fela Anikulapo Kuti. We have really been a “suffering and smiling” people over the years.

But Mr President has said Nigerians will smile.

It will not be a faith-induced smile, not the type they tell you in church. That means that Nigerians are either groaning or grumbling right now. Only those going through pleasant experiences have cause to smile.

That means that President Buhari is planning to make life much more pleasant for Nigerians.

But would he? How would he do it? What would he do to make Nigerians happier and less grumpy? Is Buhari going to run the government differently? Would his policies be friendlier and more people-oriented? Just what would he do differently in the next two years to elicit smile and possibly laughter from Nigerians?

Or could it even be that Mr President was simply being ironical? Did he really mean smile or smell (their noses)?

How can Nigerians who do not know where the next meal would come from, smile? How would Nigerians who now go to market with truck load of Naira only to buy pocket-full of goods smile? How can Nigerians exchanging one US dollar for over N570 smile? The Naira is on a free fall. Nothing is sure. \ How can Nigerians who now spend all their life savings to buy hitherto cheap farm produce smile? How can Nigerians who are scared of the farms and the forests for fear of being kidnapped

Boss Mustapha

by bandits and Fulani herdsmen smile? How can Nigerians hearing that very soon, petrol will sell for over N250 per litre smile?

How can Nigerian women harassed by the soaring price of cooking gas smile? Have the marketers not hinted that the price of 12.5Kg cooking gas may hit N10,000 by December?

How can Nigerians who do not know where the next meal would come from, smile?

How can they smile? Just how?

Not even Ali Baba with all his comic allures would make the hungry, scared and terrified Nigerians smile, let alone laugh.

Mr President waxed strong about completing Second Niger bridge and Lagos-Ibadan road before 2023. Great! Those were projects inherited by the Buhari administration. They had practically become drain pipe projects over the years. The Lagos-Ibadan road, for instance, was begun under the Olusegun Obasanjo administration, with the contractor, Bi-Courtney owned by Wale Babalakin who had the notorious penchant of dragging on with the job so he can always put in for upward revaluation. It had become a perennial project in Nigeria. Babalakin was holding the government to ransom until the present Minister of Works, Babatunde Fashola brushed aside his (Babalakin’s) legal shenanigans and resumed the reconstruction of that road. And today, the road is nearly completed to the shame of the likes of Babalakin and co. But it is noteworthy that most recovered loots from outside the country have been claimed to have been channeled to completing the two projects. But they never get finished. But under the Buhari administration, the two projects had been given serious attention resulting in their near completion state. So, it will be a soothing departure from the years of waste and empty promises if the two projects actually get completed and delivered.

But that is where that hope ends.

Needless to say that Nigerians are suffering.

It doesn’t matter how many people serving in government will argue very strongly against this.

More than ever before, even the rich are also crying now. Perhaps profusely. Only people whose bills are picked and serviced by government funds will not understand what Nigerians are going through.

The SGF talked about a “productive and remarkable” administration. Really? Remarkable?

Yes. But in what sense. That something is remarkable does not necessarily mean positive. But to say that the Buhari administration is productive will be a big debate.

What is it that has been produced? Even the things we ordinarily take for granted in past years like food sufficiency, is now such a luxury and a mirage. Does Mustapha know the average cost of a tuber of yam today? Or even a bowl of beans?

Didn’t we think and used to say “it is as cheap as beans?” Can any Nigerian truly say that today?

Yes, the Buhari administration has approved the award of 878 contracts in the last six years and the FIRS, in the first nine months of this year generated N4.2 trillion, the crying question

is: how has this improved the life and living experience of the average Nigerian on the street? I little care about the statistics economists generate to arrive at what they call GDP. The base concern should be: are Nigerians happier and more comfortable today than they were in 2015? Or weren’t we all tearing the Jonathan administration apart for ruining the economy and showing no sign of knowing what to do to rescue it? Six years after, how better has the Buhari administration performed? What are the indices on the streets of Lagos, Kaduna, Port Harcourt, Zamfara, Warri or even in my Orogun community? What are the messages on the faces of people, even in Mustapha’s Adamawa State? Does Mr Mustapha interact with the people? Or are they all so ensconced in the cosy comfort of prized power chambers that their sights have become blurred and their feelings benumbed as to declare the years of scorch and scarcity as years of productivity?

Perhaps, the only sector that has shown bright prospect is the Railway sector which has been radically revitalised. Today, the rail mode of transport traverses many parts of the country. But critics also express worry over the huge borrowings to facilitate the rail way services, even as I agree that borrowing for capital project is not a bad economic move.

Here is a country with five refineries, yet we revel in the importation of refined crude, simply because it pays some persons to continue in that ill order. I have never been able to understand the silly and confused exegesis of why and how our five refineries cannot refine our crude so we can stop this importation binge. Hey, how long did it take the Obasanjo military administration to build some of these refineries?

Why does it now look like such a complex technology which cannot be decoded today?

Who would have thought that given the supposed no-nonsense mode of President Buhari in 2015, that Nigeria would still be importing refined crude, six years after? And today, we are entangled and bed-straggled with all kinds of economic incubus by way of paying trillions of Naira to subsidise petrol and other petroleum products. Little wonder the NNPC has been crying that the subsidy holiday would soon be over. And then Nigerians would bear their own cross as far as the price of petrol is concerned.

Today, instead of Nigeria rejoicing that the price of crude oil is rising in the international oil market, (over $80 per barrel), which should mean that Nigeria would/should earn more money (foreign exchange), all of those gains are wiped off by the silly fuel subsidy regime. Last April, I had written a column titled: Rising Oil Price: When a Blessing Turns to a Problem.

It is even much truer today. One reason the dollar is weighing heavily against the Naira is the unfavourable balance of trade. Apart from the crude oil, what else really is Nigeria exporting to earn foreign exchange? Are we

not importing virtually everything?

The Director General of the World Trade Organisation, Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, who also spoke at the retreat challenged Nigeria to brace up with the task of meeting up with even the West African market window, as most West African countries want to dress like Nigerians, sing Nigerian music, dance Nigerian dances, watch Nigerian movies etc. What have we done to feed this need from our neighbours?

But Mustapha says it is a productive administration!

Right now, Diesel is costing over N320 per litre.

And with the enigmatic power situation in Nigeria, most companies rely on diesel-powered plants to run their organisations. All of that plus other major cost elements, no doubt shoot up production cost.

And Nigerians bear the brunt.

It is either Mr Mustapha is myopic as not to see the gathering cloud in the economy or he is simply playing a game to delude his boss with the all-is-well assessment.

Here is a government that promised the creation of three million jobs per year. That should translate to 18 million jobs in the last six years. But rather than create 18 million jobs, I should think over 18 million persons have lost their jobs. The economy is shrinking. Companies are shutting down and others relocating out of Nigeria. SMEs are hemurrhaging and gasping.

You may blame it partly on the advent of COVID 19 pandemic. But the truth is that ever before COVID-19 came, Nigeria had been on the squeeze. Even then, proactive governments across the world are already rising from the drawbacks of the Corona Virus plague.

I am aware that during the Obasanjo administration there was the FDI (Foreign Direct Investment) office under the presidency. Its main duty was to go on a drive to attract foreign investors to the country, which expanded the economy, created jobs, etc.

Today, I do not know if that agency has not been scrapped, as I no longer get a whiff of its activities. All we hear today are tales of banditry, kidnapping, killings, terrorism, open grazing debate (in the 21st century) fear and poverty all interwoven.

But Mustapha says it is a productive government!

True to the claims of the SGF, the Buhari administration has indeed been productive and remarkable. No other government has produced as much fear, insecurity, blood letting, poverty and public angst as that of the Buhari administration.

Few days from today, we shall be marking the first anniversary of the deadly #EndSARS protest against bad governance and police brutality. Surely, the Buhari administration is remarkably remarkable!

All said, I believe that President Buhari and his team players deserve to be told the truth. They cannot reasonably be the judge in their own courts.

That will surely compromise the ethos of justice.

In the remaining two years or less, the Buhari administration can actually reformat the template of his governance module and introduce deliberate incentives and packages that can make Nigerians truly and broadly smile.

FRIDAY OCTOBER 15, 2021 • T H I S D AY

41

42

T H I S D AY ˾ ͯͳ˜ 2021

BUSINESS/MONEYGUIDE

CBN, Disburses N60bn to Fund Rail Infrastructure in Lagos Nume Ekeghe The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), has announced that it has through three commercial banks financed railway infrastructure in Lagos to the tune of N6 billion.

This, the central bank stated, is in a bid to support infrastructure development and create jobs.

The banks, the CBN said are; Access Bank Plc, Sterling Bank Plc and Fidelity Bank Plc. The CBN said the banks have disbursed N45 billion to fund Lagos Blue line, which is 13.5-kilometer railway situated at the businesses district in Lagos and would be easily connected and assessable to waterways bus stations to critical parts of Lagos which normally are high traffic zones.

Speaking at the site inspection

in Lagos yesterday, Director, Development Finance, CBN, Yusuf Philip Yila said: “The Central Bank of Nigeria, through Some banks, as provided funding on its DCR intervention to ensure that Lagos State has the right funding for this project. So far, I’m quite impressed with what I see on ground Lagos Metropolitan Area Transport Authority (LAMATA)and we can see the solid structure that has been put in place in Marina.

We are confident based on what we’ve been shown that progress has been made. Remember that disbursement of this fund is being done in tranches.”

On the funding, he revealed that the CBN has disbursed N45 billion and would soon disburse the balance N15 billion soon.

He added: “So, another tranche is due, and as a central bank felt it’s important that will come

and see what is on ground, the quality of work is quite impressive. The total amounts that we have made available for this line is N60 billion most disbursed for the N45 billion. There’s another tranche of 15 billion due and we can see the progress I see matches the disbursements that have been made so far.

“This is just one of many projects on that DCR, if you recall, as part of our response to the COVID 19 pandemic, we released N1 trillion intervention under the DCR. So quite a lot not only infrastructure but you see mostly in Agric in mining. So, we do visit we do embark on monitor and evaluation just to ensure that you know the funds are used for the purposes they are meant for, and they contribute to output and ultimately economic development impact economic activities.”

MARKET INDICATORS

Wigwe, Emefiele Honoured with Juris Law Award for Outstanding Contributions in Finance Sector The Chairman, Body of Bank CEOs and Group Managing Director of Access Bank PLC, Herbert Wigwe, has been recognised for his outstanding contributions to Corporate Governance and Rule of Law in Nigeria’s Banking Industry.

Wigwe was presented the Juris Law Award by Chief Justice of Nigeria, Ibrahim Tanko Muhammad at the 2021 Judges Workshop on Banks and Other Financial Institutions Act (BOFIA) 2020 which held on Tuesday, 12 October 2021 in Abuja.

Also honoured with an award was the Governor, Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Godwin Emefiele.

The Juris Law Award is presented

in honour of leaders who are taking significant steps towards promoting economic growth in Nigeria through deepening institutions, corporate governance and Rule of Law. Accepting the award, Wigwe stated that he was honoured to receive the award, adding that, “through innovative banking initiatives and our underlying sustainability drive, Access Bank will continue to create shared value for all our stakeholders, striking a balance between competitive advantage and corporate social responsibility.”

Wigwe and Emefiele have partnered in the creation of several positive socio-economic

initiatives such as the Creative Industries and Financing Initiative; a loan scheme developed to provide access to long-term and low-interest financing for entrepreneurs in Nigeria.

In addition, Wigwe, Emefiele and Aliko Dangote were key parties in the formation of the Coalition Against COVID-19 (CACOVID) - a vehicle created to spearhead corporate Nigeria’s support for the federal government’s fight against the deadly virus. The successful coalition funded the establishment of response centres, acquisition of medical equipment, supplies and food palliatives for vulnerable Nigerians.

FADAMA Microfinance Bank Set to Commence Operations All is now set for commencement of operations at the Ibom FADAMA Microfinance Bank located in Uyo, the Akwa Ibom State capital, the Board Chairman, Umo Eno has said.

The chairman made this known shortly after an on-thespot inspection of the facility to ascertain the state of preparedness for operations.

He noted that the bank was ready to commence operations having fulfilled every operational condition and waiting for the final inspection by the regulatory body, the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).

According to him, the Ibom FADAMA Micro Finance Bank

is basically a financial institution for farmers and other Small and Medium Scale Entrepreneurs adding that it is the desire of the bank to see that every good business idea has access to funds.

Eno urged Akwa Ibom people, especially the youths to embrace farming adding that farming is a goldmine with enormous benefits.

The Board Chairman himself a renowned entrepreneur said the bank is part of the Governor Udom Emmanuel-led administration’s initiative to stimulate the economy, encourage farming and other SMEs in the state. He commended the state governor for his disposition to support farmers and SMEs in the state and to improve the living

condition of every household.

The Board Chairman who was conducted round the facility and with a brief chat with the staff members at every section, expressed satisfaction with the state of affairs and preparedness to commence operations.

On her part, the Managing Director, Mrs. Imaobong Michael Etuk, said the bank would serve as a growth partner to Akwa Ibom farmers and SMEs who will be willing to partner with the bank adding that when flagged off, farmers in the state would witness appreciable growth in their income levels through readily available and affordable facility to fund their business ideas.

Sigma Pensions Emerges Highest Performing PFAs in Q3 Nume Ekeghe áÓÞÒ ËÑÏØÍã ÜÏÚÙÜÞ Sigma Pensions has been recognized as the second highest performing Pension Fund Administrator (PFA) in the third quarter of 2021.

With the open window available to switch from one PFA to another, Sigma Pensions high performance has been sustained over the years with

data constantly indicating they are a top performer in managing pension funds.

According to nairametrics research,the price of the funds as of 30th September 2021 was compared with that recorded as of 30th June 2021, to obtain the best performing funds in the Q3 period According to the report, Oak Pensions, Sigma Pensions, and First Guarantee Pension Limited

were the best performing PFAs in the period under review, growing on the average by 3.45per cent, 3.17per cent, and 3.14per cent respectively.

The report showed that its returns for RSA Fund I was 3.12 per cent, while RSA fund II stood at 3.47 per cent, fund III was 3.06 per cent and RSA fund IV was 3.03 per cent. This performance surpassed the industry average, which is 2.57 per cent.

MONEY AND CREDIT STATISTICS

(MILLION NAIRA)

JANUARY 2021 Money Supply (M3)

38,779,455.43

-- CBN Bills Held by Money Holding Sectors

1,039,129.55

Money Supply (M2)

37,740,325.88

-- Quasi Money

21,779,302.69

-- Narrow Money (M1)

15,961,023.19

---- Currency Outside Banks

2,364,871.13

---- Demand Deposits

13,596,152.06

Net Foreign Assets (NFA)

7,414,275.50

Net Domestic Assets(NDA)

31,365,179.93

-- Net Domestic Credit (NDC)

42,916,586.63

---- Credit to Government (Net)

12,304,773.44

---- Memo: Credit to Govt. (Net) less FMA

0.00

---- Memo: Fed. and Mirror Accounts (FMA)

0.00

---- Credit to Private Sector (CPS)

30,611,813.19

--Other Assets Net

3,892,112.74

Reserve Money (Base Money

13,264,585.14

--Currency in Circulation

2,831,167.19

--Banks Reserves --Special Intervention Reserves

10,433,417.96 317,234.17

˾ ÙßÜÍÏ ̋

Money Market Indicators (in Percentage) Month

March 2018

Inter-Bank Call Rate

15.16

Minimum Rediscount Rate (MRR) Monetary Policy Rate (MPR)

14.00

Treasury Bill Rate

11.84

Savings Deposit Rate

4.07

1 Month Deposit Rate

8.82

3 Months Deposit Rate

9.72

6 Months Deposit Rate

10.93

12 Months Deposit Rate

10.21

Prime Lending rate

17.35

Maximum Lending Rate

31.55

˾ ÙØÏÞËÜã ÙÖÓÍã ËÞÏ ̋ ͯͱϱ

OPEC DAILY BASKET PRICE ˜ ͵

The OPEC Reference Basket of Crudes (ORB) is made up of the following: Saharan Blend (Algeria), Girassol (Angola), Djeno (Congo), Zafiro (Equatorial Guinea), Rabi Light (Gabon), Iran Heavy (Islamic Republic of Iran), Basra Light (Iraq), Kuwait Export (Kuwait), Es Sider (Libya), Bonny Light (Nigeria), Arab Light (Saudi Arabia), Murban (UAE) and Merey (Venezuela).

43

T H I S D AY ˾ ͯͳ˜ ͰͮͰͯ

NGX Group to List 1.96bn Shares Today, NGX Announces Board Member Resignation Darasimi Adebisi The Nigerian Exchange Group Plc (NGX Group) has received approval from Nigerian Exchange Limited (NGX) to list its shares on the main board of NGX today.

NGX Group will undergo a Listing by Introduction with 1,964,115,918 shares admitted to trading under the ticker, NGXGROUP. In light of the foregoing,

the register of members of the Company shall remain closed until Thursday, 14 October 2021 to complete the update of the register of members. It will be opened on Friday, 15 October 2021 when trading is scheduled to commence.

This is just as the Nigerian Exchange Limited (NGX or The Exchange) has announced the resignation of Mr. Oscar Onyema as Non-Executive Director, effective immediately.

P R I C E S MAIN BOARD

F O R

DEALS

Onyema’s resignation comes on the back of the imminent listing of Nigerian Exchange Group Plc (NGX Group or The Group), where he serves as the Group Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer (GMD/CEO), on the main board of NGX. Consequent upon this resignation by Onyema, NGX will uphold Rule 184(2)(a) of the Securities and Exchange Commission Consolidated Rules 2013 which states that

S E C U R I T I E S

MARKET PRICE

QUANTITY TRADED

VALUE TRADED ( N )

“A securities exchange shall have a code of conduct for its council members or board which shall be approved by the Commission, and shall contain amongst others the following provisions, to wit, that the council members or board shall: (a) not be a staff of a quoted company and its subsidiaries.”

Speaking on the development, the Chairman, NGX, Mr. Abubakar Mahmoud,

T R A D E D MAIN BOARD

A S

SAN, stated, “On behalf of the Board and Management of The Exchange, I extend our heartfelt gratitude to Onyema for his selfless service to The Exchange. As he transitions into this new phase as the GMD/CEO of a listed company, we reiterate our commitment to act in the best interest of all Issuers to the benefit of all stakeholders in the capital market.”

The Chief Executive Officer,

O F

NGX, Mr. Temi Popoola, CFA noted that, “NGX owes its solid foundation to the effort of leaders like Mr. Onyema who worked tirelessly to build a capital market infrastructure we can be proud of. During his time as a Non-Executive Director on the Board of NGX, he brought to bear his wealth of experience and the unique institutional knowledge he possesses and we are grateful for that”.

1 4 / 1 0 / 2 0 2 1 DEALS

MARKET PRICE

QUANTITY TRADED

VALUE TRADED ( N)

44

˾ FRIDAY, OCTOBER 15, 2021

Friday, October 15, 2021 Thisday 32bps Thisday Afrinvest Afrinvest40 40Index IndexRose fell by 14bps The dŚŝƐĚĂLJ ĨƌŝŶǀĞƐƚ ϰϬ /ŶĚĞdž ŚŝŶŐĞĚ ŚŝŐŚĞƌ ϯϮďƉƐ ƚŽ ĐůŽƐĞ dŚŝƐĚĂLJ ĨƌŝŶǀĞƐƚ ϰϬ /ŶĚĞdž ĚĞĐůŝŶĞĚ ďLJ ϭϰďƉƐ ƚŽ ƐĞƩůĞ

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Fundamental Performance Metrics for THISDAY AFRINVEST 40 Index

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-10.8%

12.3%

4.4%

65.50

0.0%

9.8%

-15.3%

-15.3%

19.1%

11.2%

31.5x

5.9x

28.50

0.0%

8.4%

-11.9%

-11.9%

24.8%

3.9%

4.3x

1.1x

10.6%

23.0% 30.0%

(+9.8%), E' D ;нϯ͘ϯйͿ͕ ĂŶĚ & E, (+0.7%) bol-

stered ƉŽƐŝƟǀĞ ƉĞƌĨŽƌŵĂŶĐĞ ŽŶ localrose bourse19bps as the Allcordingly, the benchmark the index to Share index rose by ϰϭ͕ϭϮϵ͘ϵϴ points ǁŚŝůĞ ŵĂƌŬĞƚ ĐĂƉŝƚĂůŝƐĂƟŽŶ ŐĂŝŶĞĚ േϰϭ͘ϭďŶ

5 Dangote Cement PLC 6 MTN Nigeria Communications PLC 7 Nestle Nigeria PLC

11bps to േϮϭ͘ϰƚŶ͘ 39,550.36DĞĂŶǁŚŝůĞ͕ points. ŽŶƐĞƋƵĞŶƚůLJ͕ ůŽƐƐ ŝŵͲ ƚŽ ƌĞĂĐŚ YTD return zd improved to

8 Lafarge Africa PLC 9 Access Bank PLC

proved to -1.8% while ŵĂƌŬĞƚ ĐĂƉŝƚĂůŝƐĂƟŽŶ ƌŽƐĞ ďLJ Ϯ͘ϭй͘ dƌĂĚŝŶŐ ĂĐƟǀŝƚLJ ƐƚƌĞŶŐƚŚĞŶĞĚ ĂƐ ǀŽůƵŵĞ ĂŶĚ ǀĂůƵĞ ƚƌĂĚͲ

10 United Bank for Africa PLC 11 FBN Holdings Plc

േϮϯ͘ϰďŶ ƚŽ േϮϬ͘ϲƚŶ͘ dƌĂĚŝŶŐ ĂĐƟǀŝƚLJ ǁĂƐ ŵŝdžĞĚ ĂƐ ǀŽůƵŵĞ ed rose ϭϬϯ͘ϱй ĂŶĚ ϭϰϱ͘ϲй ƌĞƐƉĞĐƟǀĞůLJ ƚŽ ϵϬϴ͘Ϭŵ ƵŶŝƚƐ ĂŶĚ

12 Nigerian Brew eries PLC 13 Stanbic IBTC Holdings PLC

ƚƌĂĚĞĚ ĚĞĐůŝŶĞĚ ďLJ Ϯϭ͘ϲй ƚŽ ϭϭϬ͘ϴŵ ƵŶŝƚƐ ǁŚŝůĞ value േϭϭ͘ϬďŶ͘ dŚĞ ŵŽƐƚ ƚƌĂĚĞĚ ƐƚŽĐŬƐ ďLJ ǀŽůƵŵĞ ǁĞƌĞ FBNH GTCO (63.7m and CHAMPIƚƌĂĚĞĚ ;ϲϬϮ͘ϴŵ ƌŽƐĞ ďLJ ƵŶŝƚƐͿ͕ ϴϴ͘ϱй ƚŽ േϯ͘ϭďŶ͘ Theunits), most traded stocks ON (37.7m units) while FBNH ;േϳ͘ϭďŶͿ͕ GTCO ;േϭ͘ϴďŶͿ͕ ĂŶĚ by volume were dZ E^ KZW ;ϭϭ͘ϵŵ ƵŶŝƚƐͿ͕ & E, (11.1m SEPLAT ;േϲϱϱ͘ϭŵͿ ůĞĚ ďLJ value. ƵŶŝƚƐͿ͕ ĂŶĚ K E K ;ϳ͘ϯŵ ƵŶŝƚƐͿ ǁŚŝůĞ E ^d> ;േϮ͘ϮďŶͿ͕

E' D ;േϭϰϱ͘ϬŵͿ͕ ĂŶĚ 'd K ;േϭϯϰ͘ϴŵͿ ůĞĚ ďLJ ǀĂůƵĞ͘ Mixed Sector Performance WĞƌĨŽƌŵĂŶĐĞ ĂĐƌŽƐƐ ƚŚĞ ƐĞĐƚŽƌƐ ƚŚĂƚ ǁĞ ĐŽǀĞƌ was mixed as 3

Bearish Sector Performance ŝŶĚŝĐĞƐ ůŽƐƚ͕ Ϯ ŝŶĚŝĐĞƐ ŐĂŝŶĞĚ ǁŚŝůĞ ƚŚĞ AFR-ICT index reAcross sectors under our coverage, performance was ŵĂŝŶĞĚ ƵŶĐŚĂŶŐĞĚ͘ >ĞĂĚŝŶŐ ƚŚĞ ůĂŐŐĂƌĚƐ͕ bearish as 4 indices lost, 1 index gained ǁŚŝůĞ ƚŚĞ &Z-/ d the Insurance ŝŶĚĞdž ĨĞůů Ϯ͘Ϭй ĚƵĞ ƚŽ ƉƌŝĐĞ ĚĞĐůŝŶĞ ŝŶ E D ;ŝŶĚĞdž ƌĞŵĂŝŶĞĚ ŇĂƚ͘ dŽƉƉŝŶŐ ƚŚĞ ůĂŐŐĂƌĚƐ ĂƌĞ ƚŚĞ ŽŶƐƵŵͲ 4.5%) and t W/ ;-6.0%). Trailing, the ĂŶŬŝŶŐ and Oil Θ er 'ŽŽĚƐ ĂŶĚ Insurance indices, down 4.6% and Gas indices declined 86bps ĂŶĚ ϱďƉƐ ƌĞƐƉĞĐƟǀĞůLJ ĂƐ ŝŶǀĞƐƚŽƌƐ ϭ͘Ϯй ƌĞƐƉĞĐƟǀĞůLJ ŽŶ ƚŚĞ ďĂĐŬ ŽĨ ƉƌŽĮƚ-ƚĂŬŝŶŐ ŝŶ E ^d> (sold-Žī ƐƚĂŬĞƐ ŝŶ d/ ;-ϴ͘ϮйͿ͕ ^^ ;-Ϯ͘ϬйͿ͕ ĂŶĚ K E K ;9.1%), ůƚĞƌŶĂƟǀĞůLJ͕ hE/> s Z ƚŚĞ(-3.5%), ϯ͘ϭйͿ͘ Industrial>/E< ^^hZ and Consumer(-6.4%), Goods and D E^ Z ƚŚĞ Kŝů Θ 'ĂƐ ĂŶĚ ĂŶŬͲ indices sustained(-Ϯ͘ϮйͿ͘ ^ŝŵŝůĂƌůLJ͕ previous gains, up 3.1% and 0.9% succesing indices fellďĂĐŬ by Ϭ͘Ϯй ĂŶĚ ϮďƉƐ ƌĞƐƉĞĐƟǀĞůLJ ĚƵĞ ƚŽ ƐĞůůƐŝǀĞůLJ ŽŶ ƚŚĞ ŽĨ ƉƌŝĐĞ ĂƉƉƌĞĐŝĂƟŽŶ ŝŶ t W K ;нϮ͘ϰйͿ͕ E/' Z/ E Z t Z/ ^ ;нϭ͘ϭйͿ͕ ĂŶĚ ,KEz&>KhZ ;нϬ͘ϵйͿ͘ ŽīƐ ŝŶ K E K (-0.8%), E/d, (-Ϭ͘ϮйͿ͕ ĂŶĚ 'd K ;-Ϭ͘ϮйͿ͘

by

price

apprecia-

ƟŽŶ in E' D (+3.3%).

Investor ƐĞŶƟŵĞŶƚ͕ ĂƐ ŵĞĂƐƵƌĞĚ ďLJ ŵĂƌŬĞƚ ďƌĞĂĚƚŚ

P/BV

5.6x

0.8x

5.2%

ot Applicable

2.1% 3.2%

6.9%

-0.4%

-0.4%

21.8%

2.9%

3.3x

0.7x

12.1%

7.1%

14.3%

14.3%

44.7%

17.5%

14.1x

6.1x

6.1%

7.1%

174.90

0.0%

5.1%

2.9%

2.9%

143.0%

12.4%

14.1x

17.8x

6.0%

7.1%

1,480.00

0.0%

4.0%

-1.7%

-1.7%

143.5%

17.1%

30.0x

51.4x

4.3%

3.3%

25.30

2.4%

4.1%

20.2%

20.2%

9.9%

7.1%

11.4x

1.1x

4.0%

8.8%

9.60

-2.0%

3.3%

13.6%

13.6%

18.3%

1.5%

2.6x

0.4x

8.6%

38.8%

2.3x

0.4x

6.7%

44.1%

10.6%

1.0%

5.5x

0.6x

3.7%

18.2%

8.25

-0.6%

2.6%

-4.6%

-4.6%

11.75

7.3%

4.1%

64.3%

64.3%

47.00

1.1%

1.8%

-16.1%

-16.1%

5.6%

2.2%

39.4x

2.2x

2.0%

2.5%

39.00

1.8%

2.1%

3.3%

3.3%

17.4%

2.1%

8.4x

1.3x

10.5%

11.9%

-11.4%

-4.5%

4.60

0.0%

1.2%

-22.7%

-22.7%

29.30

0.0%

1.2%

12.7%

12.7%

720.00

1.4%

1.9%

79.0%

21 Dangote Sugar Refinery PLC 22 FCMB Group Plc 23 Sterling Bank PLC 24 NASCON Allied Industries PLC 25 Transnational Corp of Nigeria 26 Presco PLC 27 Unilever Nigeria PLC 28 PZ Cussons Nigeria PLC 29 United Capital PLC 30 Guinness Nigeria PLC 31 Custodian and Allied Insurance 32 AIICO Insurance PLC 33 TotalEnergies Marketing Nigeri 34 Julius Berger Nigeria PLC 35 Wema Bank PLC

5.6%

3.1%

1.7%

19.1x

0.6x

5.7%

5.2%

-100.0%

0.0%

1.1%

37.4%

37.4%

37.4%

23.6%

9.2x

3.2x

5.6%

10.8%

2.79

3.3%

0.8%

10.7%

10.7%

12.7%

1.2%

2.4x

0.3x

7.9%

41.3%

6.75

-8.2%

0.8%

12.5%

12.5%

1.5%

0.1%

22.4x

0.3x

17.60

-1.1%

0.6%

0.0%

0.0%

25.6%

12.1%

6.8x

1.6x

8.5%

14.7%

4.5%

3.00

-2.0%

0.5%

-9.9%

-9.9%

1.57

2.6%

0.3%

-23.0%

-23.0%

8.9%

0.8%

4.0x

0.3x

3.2%

15.50

0.0%

0.4%

6.9%

6.9%

20.7%

5.9%

15.5x

3.1x

2.6%

6.5%

0.98

2.1%

0.4%

8.9%

8.9%

-1.3%

-0.3%

0.6x

1.0%

-2.2%

85.00

0.0%

0.3%

19.8%

19.8%

2.1x

2.4%

13.20

0.0%

0.2%

-5.0%

-5.0%

-4.2%

-2.7%

1.2x

5.40

0.0%

0.2%

1.9%

1.9%

5.0%

-3.6%

9.45

3.3%

0.4%

100.6%

100.6%

35.5%

4.2%

7.2x

2.3x

7.4%

0.0%

0.3%

52.9%

52.9%

1.7%

0.8%

50.3x

0.9x

1.6%

2.0%

6.70

0.0%

0.2%

14.5%

14.5%

24.7%

7.5%

3.3x

0.8x

7.7%

30.3%

21.6%

3.3%

4.0x

0.4x

0.95

2.2%

0.2%

-15.9%

-15.9%

192.00

0.0%

0.2%

47.7%

47.7%

25.50

0.0%

0.2%

44.7%

44.7%

18.3%

2.4%

5.1x

10.1%

4.1%

0.2%

2.0%

0.0%

-3.1%

0.2%

34.9%

2.1%

16.4%

0.8x

1.6%

19.5% 23.2%

10.1%

11.7%

0.7%

4.3x

0.5x

5.3%

-100.0%

7.5%

0.9%

5.6x

0.6x

5.2%

34.9%

14.5%

2.6%

2.1x

0.3x

62.50

0.0%

0.1%

0.0%

0.0%

-38.7%

-9.5%

52.95

0.0%

0.1%

-4.4%

-4.4%

12.8%

8.7%

5.97

0.0%

0.0%

65.8%

65.8%

-21.2%

0.7x

2.0%

T o p 10 T r a d e s b y V o l u m e

T o p 10 G a i n e r s P ric e

P ric e C hg %

T ic k er

Vo lum e

P ric e C hg %

3.05

9.7%

FB NH

602.8

7.3%

7.8%

GT C O

63.7

0.0%

6.90 11.75

7.3%

C H A M P ION

37.7

9.7%

Ϯϭ stocks gained against 14 declining stocks. CHAMPI/ŶǀĞƐƚŽƌ ^ĞŶƟŵĞŶƚ ^ƚƌĞŶŐƚŚĞŶƐ

0.22

4.8%

UN IVIN SUR E

21.9

4.8%

CHA M S

0.24

4.3%

UB A

21.2

-0.6%

WEM A B A N K

0.76

4.1%

F ID ELIT YB K

20.3

3.3%

F ID ELIT YB K

2.79

3.3%

T R A N SC OR P

12.1

2.1%

UA C N

11.00

3.3%

A C C ESS

10.6

-2.0%

UC A P

9.45

3.3%

Z EN IT H B A N K

9.8

-0.4%

NP FM CRFB K

1.80

2.9%

UB N

8.9

2.0%

STOCK (-4.8%) led losers. Yesterday, we expect the market ƐĞŶƟŵĞŶƚ ƚŽ ƌĞŵĂŝŶ ŵŝdžĞĚ͕ ĂƐ earnings season gradually winds up.

T ic k er

Value

P ric e C hg %

P ric e

P ric e C hg %

LEA R N A F R C A

1.26

-10.0%

FB NH

7111.9

7.3%

ET I

6.75

-8.2%

GT C O

1811.0

0.0%

WA P IC

0.47

-6.0%

SEP LA T

655.1

1.4%

LIN KA SSUR E

0.57

-5.0%

Z EN IT H B A N K

242.8

-0.4%

N EM

1.93

-4.5%

UB A

176.7

-0.6%

-4.2%

C H A M P ION

114.8

9.7%

A C C ESS

103.8

-2.0%

LIVEST OC K

Afrinvest West Africa Limited

T o p 10 T r a d e s b y V a l u e

T o p 10 L o s e r s T ic k er

18.4%

1.0x

UN IVIN SUR E

while ABCTRANS (-8.3%), LASACO (-6.7%), and LIVE-

17.7% 46.5%

2.1x 5.4x

13.8%

24.8%

6.1x

FB NH

/ŶǀĞƐƚŽƌƐ ƐĞŶƟŵĞŶƚ͕ ĂƐ ŵĞĂƐƵƌĞĚ ďLJ ŵĂƌŬĞƚ ďƌĞĂĚƚŚ gainers while LEARNAFRCA (-10.0%), ETI (-ϴ͘ϮйͿ͕ ĂŶĚ WAP;ĂĚǀĂŶĐĞͬĚĞĐůŝŶĞ ƌĂƟŽͿ͕ ƐƚƌĞŶŐƚŚĞŶĞĚ͕ ƐĞƩůŝŶŐ Ăƚ 1.6x IC (-ϲ͘ϬйͿ ůĞĚ ƚŚĞ ůŽƐĞƌƐ͘ /Ŷ ƚŚĞ ĮŶĂů ƚƌĂĚŝŶŐ ƐĞƐƐŝŽŶ͕ ǁĞ ĞdžͲ ĨƌŽŵ ϭ͘ϯdž ƌĞĐŽƌĚĞĚ ŝŶ ƚŚĞ ůĂƐƚ ƚƌĂĚŝŶŐ ƐĞƐƐŝŽŶ ĂƐ Ϯϰ stocks pect an extension of Yesterday's ƉŽƐŝƟǀĞ ƉĞƌĨŽƌŵĂŶĐĞ ŝŶ ƚŚĞ advanced while 15 stocks declined. MRS (+9.9%), MAYabsence of a ŶĞŐĂƟǀĞ ƐŚŽĐŬ͘ BAKER (+9.8%), and HONYFLOUR (+9.8%) led gainers

25.3%

29.05

4.99

38 Notore Chemical Industries Ltd 39 Beta Glass PLC 40 Transcorp Hotels Plc

-13.9%

0.7x

125.00

0.76

36 Union Bank of Nigeria PLC 37 Oando PLC

79.0%

0.9x

;ĂĚǀĂŶĐĞͬĚĞĐůŝŶĞ ƌĂƟŽͿ͕ ǁĞĂŬĞŶĞĚ ƚŽ ϭ͘ϱdž ĨƌŽŵ Ϯ͘Ϯdž ĂƐ

ON (+9.7%), AFRIPRUD (+7.8%), and FBNH (+7.3%) led the

14.5%

0.0%

19 Fidelity Bank PLC 20 Ecobank Transnational Inc

A F R IP R UD

P/E

-0.4%

0.0%

C H A M P ION

ROA

24.70

17 11 PLC 18 Okomu Oil Palm PLC

T ic k er

ROE

280.00

14 International Brew eries PLC 15 Flour Mills of Nigeria PLC 16 SEPLAT Energy PLC

ŽŶǀĞƌƐĞůLJ͕ ƚŚĞ /ŶĚƵƐƚƌŝĂů 'ŽŽĚƐ ŝŶĚĞdž ǁĂƐ ƚŚĞ ůŽŶĞ ŐĂŝŶͲ er, up^ĞŶƟŵĞŶƚ tĞĂŬĞŶƐ 1.8% driven Investor

Divindend Earnings Yield Yield

THISDAY AFRINVEST 40 1 Airtel Africa PLC 2 BUA Cement Plc 3 Guaranty Trust Holding Co PLC 4 Zenith Bank PLC

FBNH (+7.3%), WAPCO (+3.4%), and STANBIC (+1.8%). Ac-

Price Change Index to Date

Ticker

ƵLJŝŶŐ /ŶƚĞƌĞƐƚ ^ƵƐƚĂŝŶƐ WŽƐŝƟǀĞ WĞƌĨŽƌŵĂŶĐĞ͘​͘​͘ ^/ ƵƉ Ϭ͘Ϯй zĞƐƚĞƌĚĂLJ͕ ƚŚĞ ĚŽŵĞƐƟĐ ĞƋƵŝƟĞƐ ŵĂƌŬĞƚ ĞdžƚĞŶĚĞĚ ŝƚƐ ƉƌĞǀŝͲ

Price Previous Current Change Price YTD Weighting Change

Current Price

2.27

UN IT YB N K

0.56

-3.4%

J A IZ B A N K

0.58

-3.3%

WA P C O

77.4

2.4%

56.5

3.3%

52.7

-8.2%

OA N D O

4.99

-3.1%

F ID ELIT YB K

A C C ESS

9.60

-2.0%

ET I

Brokerage

Asset Management

Investment Research

Adedoyin Allen | aallen@afrinvest.com

Robert Omotunde | romotunde@afrinvest.com

Abiodun Keripe | AKeripe@afrinvest.com

Taiwo Ogundipe | togundipe@afrinvest.com

Christopher Omoh | comoh@afrinvest.com

Damilare Asimiyu| dasimiyu@afrinvest.com

45

FRIDAY OCTOBER 15, 2021• T H I S DAY

MARKET NEWS A Mutual fund (Unit Trust) is an investment vehicle managed by a SEC (Securities and Exchange Commission) registered Fund Manager.

Investors with similar objectives buy units of the Fund so that the Fund Manager can buy securities that willl generate their desired return.

An ETF (Exchange Traded Fund) is a type of fund which owns the assets (shares of stock, bonds, oil futures, gold bars, foreign currency, etc.) and divides ownership of those assets into shares. Investors can buy these ‘shares’ on the

floor of the Nigerian Stock Exchange.

A REIT (Real Estate Investment Trust) is an investment vehicle that allows both small and large investors to part-own real estate ventures (eg.

Offices, Houses, Hospitals) in proportion to their investments. The assets are divided into shares that are traded on the Nigerian Stock Exchange.

GUIDE TO DATA: Date: All fund prices are quoted in Naira as at 13Oct-2021, unless otherwise stated.

Offer price: The price at which units of a trust or ETF are bought by investors.

Bid Price: The price at which Investors redeem (sell) units of a trust or ETF. Yield/Total Return: Denotes the total return an investor would have earned on his investment. Money Market Funds report Yield while others report Year- to-date Total Return.

NAV: Is value per share of the real estate assets held by a REIT on a specific date.

DAILY PRICE LIST FOR MUTUAL FUNDS, REITS and ETFS

MUTUAL FUNDS / UNIT TRUSTS

AFRINVEST ASSET MANAGEMENT LTD aaml@afrinvest.com Web: www.afrinvest.com; Tel: +234 818 885 6757 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Afrinvest Equity Fund 161.85 163.27 -0.01% Afrinvest Plutus Fund 100.00 100.00 7.74% Nigeria International Debt Fund 316.11 316.11 -15.98% Afrinvest Dollar Fund 105.42 106.47 -4.83% ALTERNATIVE CAPITAL PARTNERS LTD info@acapng.com Web: www.acapng.com, Tel: +234 1 291 2406, +234 1 291 2868 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn ACAP Canary Growth Fund N/A N/A N/A ACAP Income Funds N/A N/A N/A AIICO CAPITAL LTD ammf@aiicocapital.com Web: www.aiicocapital.com, Tel: +234-1-2792974 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn AIICO Money Market Fund 100.00 100.00 10.18% AIICO Balanced Fund 3.40 3.56 -0.06% info@anchoriaam.com ANCHORIA ASSET MANAGEMENT LIMITED info@anchoriaam.com Web:www.anchoriaam.com, Tel: 08166830267; 08036814510; 08028419180 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Anchoria Money Market 100.00 100.00 8.69% Anchoria Equity Fund 139.72 141.49 5.84% Anchoria Fixed Income Fund 1.13 1.13 -14.74% ARM INVESTMENT MANAGERS LTD enquiries@arminvestmentcenter.com Web: www.arm.com.ng; Tel: 0700 CALLARM (0700 225 5276) Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn ARM Aggressive Growth Fund 20.42 21.04 12.62% ARM Discovery Balanced Fund 446.30 459.75 11.47% ARM Ethical Fund N/A N/A N/A ARM Eurobond Fund ($) 1.08 1.09 -1.41% ARM Fixed Income Fund N/A N/A N/A ARM Money Market Fund 1.00 1.00 8.33% AVA GLOBAL ASSET MANAGERS LIMITED info@avacapitalgroup.com Web: www.avacapitalgroup.com Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn AVA GAM Fixed Income Dollar Fund 106.74 106.74 4.95% AVA GAM Fixed Income Naira Fund 1,042.53 1,042.53 4.25% AXA MANSARD INVESTMENTS LIMITED investmentcare@axamansard.com Web: www.axamansard.com; Tel: +2341-4488482 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn AXA Mansard Equity Income Fund N/A N/A N/A AXA Mansard Money Market Fund N/A N/A N/A CAPITAL EXPRESS ASSET AND TRUST LIMITED info@capitalexpressassetandtrust.com Web: www.capitalexpressassetandtrust.com ; Tel: +234 803 307 5048 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn CEAT Fixed Income Fund 2.07 2.07 -5.19% Capital Express Balanced Fund(Formerly: Union Trustees Mixed Fund) 2.19 2.24 1.99% mutualfunds@cardinalstone.com CARDINALSTONE ASSET MANAGEMENT LIMITED Web: www.cardinalstoneassetmanagement.com ; Tel: +234 (1) 710 0433 4 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn CardinalStone Fixed Income Alpha Fund 1.02 1.02 3.83% CHAPELHILL DENHAM MANAGEMENT LTD investmentmanagement@chapelhilldenham.com Web: www.chapelhilldenham.com, Tel: +234 461 0691 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Chapelhill Denham Money Market Fund N/A N/A N/A Paramount Equity Fund N/A N/A N/A Women's Investment Fund N/A N/A N/A CORDROS ASSET MANAGEMENT LIMITED assetmgtteam@cordros.com Web: www.cordros.com, Tel: 019036947 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Cordros Money Market Fund 100.00 100.00 9.45% Cordros Milestone Fund 2023 123.19 124.00 Cordros Milestone Fund 2028 N/A N/A Cordros Dollar Fund ($) 109.23 109.23 CORONATION ASSEST MANAGEMENT investment@coronationam.com Web:www.coronationam.com , Tel: 012366215 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Coronation Money Market Fund N/A N/A N/A Coronation Balanced Fund N/A N/A N/A Coronation Fixed Income Fund N/A N/A N/A EDC FUNDS MANAGEMENT LIMITED mutualfundng@ecobank.com Web: www.ecobank.com Tel: 012265281 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn EDC Nigeria Money Market Fund Class A 100.00 100.00 7.60% EDC Nigeria Money Market Fund Class B 1,000,000.00 1,000,000.00 8.16% EDC Nigeria Fixed Income Fund 1,163.67 1,182.73 1.10% FBNQUEST ASSET MANAGEMENT LTD invest@fbnquest.com Web: www.fbnquest.com/asset-management; Tel: +234-81 0082 0082 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn FBN Bond Fund N/A N/A N/A FBN Balanced Fund 196.23 197.58 4.56% FBN Halal Fund 113.47 113.47 9.28% FBN Money Market Fund 100.00 100.00 9.09% FBN Dollar Fund (Retail) FBN Smart Beta Equity Fund FCMB ASSET MANAGEMENT LIMITED Web: www.fcmbassetmanagement.com; Tel: +234 1 462 2596 Fund Name Legacy Money Market Fund Legacy Debt Fund Legacy Equity Fund Legacy USD Bond Fund FSDH ASSET MANAGEMENT LTD Web: www.fsdhaml.com; Tel: 01-270 4884-5; 01-280 9740-1 Fund Name Coral Balanced Fund Coral Income Fund Coral Money Market Fund

127.24 171.59

127.24 3.99% 173.90 13.50% fcmbamhelpdesk@fcmb.com

Bid Price 1.00 3.98 1.68 1.19

Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn 1.00 6.47% 3.98 2.84% 1.72 10.52% 1.19 4.93% coralfunds@fsdhgroup.com

Bid Price N/A N/A N/A

Offer Price N/A N/A N/A

Yield / T-Rtn N/A N/A N/A

GREENWICH ASSET MANAGEMENT LIMITED assetmanagement@gtlgroup.com Web: www.gtlgroup.com ; Tel: +234 1 4619261-2 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Greenwich Plus Money Market Fund N/A N/A N/A Nigeria Entertainment Fund N/A N/A N/A GROWTH & DEVELOPMENT ASSET MANAGEMENT LIMITED assetmanagement@gdl.com.ng Web: www.gdl.com.ng ; Tel: +234 9055691122 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn GDL Money Market Fund N/A N/A N/A INVESTMENT ONE FUNDS MANAGEMENT LTD enquiries@investment-one.com Web: www.investment-one.com; Tel: +234 812 992 1045,+234 1 448 8888 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Abacus Money Market Fund 100.00 100.00 7.48% Vantage Balanced Fund 2.88 2.95 0.97% Vantage Guaranteed Income Fund 1.00 1.00 4.50% Kedari Investment Fund (KIF) 153.98 154.26 -0.98% Vantage Equity Income Fund (VEIF) - June Year End 1.28 1.32 1.38% Vantage Dollar Fund (VDF) - June Year End N/A N/A N/A LOTUS CAPITAL LTD fincon@lotuscapitallimited.com Web: www.lotuscapitallimited.com; Tel: +234 1-291 4626 / +234 1-291 4624 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Lotus Halal Investment Fund 1.46 1.48 6.94% Lotus Halal Fixed Income Fund 1,161.21 1,161.21 6.86% MERISTEM WEALTH MANAGEMENT LTD info@meristemwealth.com Web: http://www.meristemwealth.com/funds/ ; Tel: +234 1-4488260 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Meristem Equity Market Fund 11.93 12.02 14.11% Meristem Money Market Fund 10.00 10.00 10.35% PAC ASSET MANAGEMENT LTD info@pacassetmanagement.com Web: www.pacassetmanagement.com/mutualfunds; Tel: +234 1 271 8632 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn PACAM Balanced Fund 1.56 1.58 13.38% PACAM Fixed Income Fund 11.21 11.21 -7.82% PACAM Money Market Fund 10.00 10.00 6.46% PACAM Equity Fund 1.46 1.47 -7.91% PACAM EuroBond Fund 111.86 113.89 1.92% SCM CAPITAL LIMITED info@scmcapitalng.com Web: www.scmcapitalng.com; Tel: +234 1-280 2226,+234 1- 280 2227 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn SCM Capital Frontier Fund 133.57 136.04 8.83% SFS CAPITAL NIGERIA LTD investments@sfsnigeria.com Web: www.sfsnigeria.com, Tel: +234 (01) 2801400 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn SFS Fixed Income Fund 1.06 1.06 10.11% STANBIC IBTC ASSET MANAGEMENT LTD assetmanagement@stanbicibtc.com Web: www.stanbicibtcassetmanagement.com; Tel: +234 1 280 1266; 0700 MUTUALFUNDS Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Stanbic IBTC Balanced Fund 3,484.26 3,522.43 8.50% Stanbic IBTC Bond Fund 233.80 233.80 3.98% Stanbic IBTC Ethical Fund 1.27 1.29 8.47% Stanbic IBTC Guaranteed Investment Fund 308.90 308.90 4.83% Stanbic IBTC Iman Fund 235.84 239.39 8.07% Stanbic IBTC Money Market Fund 100.00 100.00 7.34% Stanbic IBTC Nigerian Equity Fund 10,850.22 11,004.87 3.39% Stanbic IBTC Dollar Fund (USD) 1.28 1.28 4.26% Stanbic IBTC Shariah Fixed Income Fund 116.00 116.00 4.43% Stanbic IBTC Enhanced Short-Term Fixed Income Fund 104.47 104.47 UNITED CAPITAL ASSET MANAGEMENT LTD Web: www.unitedcapitalplcgroup.com; Tel: +234 01-6317876 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn United Capital Balanced Fund 1.34 1.36 4.52% United Capital Bond Fund 1.93 1.93 5.27% United Capital Equity Fund 0.92 0.94 14.99% United Capital Money Market Fund 1.00 1.00 8.80% United Capital Eurobond Fund 120.83 120.83 5.55% United Capital Wealth for Women Fund 1.09 1.10 6.59% United capital Sukuk Fund 1.07 1.07 6.53% QUANTUM ZENITH ASSET MANAGEMENT & INVESTMENTS LTD service@quantumzenithasset.com.ng Web: www.quantumzenith.com.ng; Tel: +234 1-2784219 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Zenith Equity Fund N/A N/A N/A Zenith Ethical Fund N/A N/A N/A Zenith Income Fund N/A N/A N/A Zenith Money Market Fund N/A N/A N/A

REITS NAV Per Share

Yield / T-Rtn

124.98 53.78

10.62% 6.44%

Bid Price

Offer Price

Yield / T-Rtn

13.91

14.01

5.22%

130.10 101.34 17.67 20.68

133.34 103.55 17.77 20.78

8.20% 2.14%

Fund Name SFS REIT Union Homes REIT

EXCHANGE TRADED FUNDS Fund Name Lotus Halal Equity Exchange Traded Fund SIAML Pension ETF 40 Stanbic IBTC ETF 30 Fund MERGROWTH ETF MERVALUE ETF

VETIVA FUND MANAGERS LTD Web: www.vetiva.com; Tel: +234 1 453 0697 Fund Name Vetiva Banking Exchange Traded Fund Vetiva Consumer Goods Exchange Traded Fund Vetiva Griffin 30 Exchange Traded Fund Vetiva Money Market Fund Vetiva Industrial Goods Exchange Traded Fund Vetiva S&P Nigeria Sovereign Bond Exchange Traded Fund

funds@vetiva.com Bid Price

Offer Price

Yield / T-Rtn

3.95 5.56 17.47 1.00 20.83 157.02

4.05 5.66 17.67 1.00 21.03 159.02

5.32% -2.11% 7.96% 6.62% 1.52% -15.38%

NAV Per Share

Yield / T-Rtn

107.40

13.11%

INFRASTRUCTURE FUND Fund Name Chapel Hill Denham Nigeria Infrastructure Debt Fund

The value of investments and the income from them may fall as well as rise. Past performance is a guide and not an indication of future returns. Fund prices published in this edition are also available on each fund manager’s website and FMAN’s website at www.fman.com.ng. Fund prices are supplied by the operator of the relevant fund and are published for information purposes only.

46

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 15, 2021 ˾ T H I S D AY

FOREIGN DESK

COMPILED BY BAYO AKINLOYE

Dozens Killed in Taiwan’s 13-Storey Building Fire A building fire that raged out of control for hours overnight in a major city in southern Taiwan left 46 people dead and at least 41 others injured, authorities said Thursday.

Flames and smoke billowed from the lower floors of the 13-story building as firefighters tried to douse the blaze from the street and aerial platforms in the city of Kaohsiung. A fire department statement described the fire, which started about 3 a.m., as “extremely fierce” and said several floors had been destroyed.

The death toll rose steadily during the day as rescue workers searched the combined commercial and residential building. By late afternoon, authorities said 32 bodies had been sent to the morgue, while a further 14 people who showed no signs of life were among 55 taken to the hospital. In Taiwan, official confirmation of a death is made at the hospital.

After daybreak, firefighters could be seen spraying water into the middle floors of the still smouldering building from high aerial platforms.

Microsoft to Shut Down LinkedIn in China Over Censorship Concerns Microsoft will close LinkedIn in China later this year, the company announced Thursday.

The professional networking site, which started operating in China in 2014, faces a “significantly more challenging operating environment and greater compliance requirements” in the country, it said in a blog post.

“We recognised that operating a localised version of LinkedIn in China would mean adherence to requirements of the Chinese government on Internet platforms,” the company said. “While we strongly support freedom of expression, we took this approach in order to create value for our members in China and around the world.”

However, it seems China’s regulatory burdens have become too much.

Chinese regulators told the company it had to better police content earlier this year, The Wall Street Journal reported. The company began blocking some content and profiles Chinese regulators prohibited, including profiles of journalists.

“While we’ve found success in helping Chinese members find jobs and economic opportunity, we have not found that same level of success in the more social aspects of sharing and staying informed,” LinkedIn said.

LinkedIn is not completely leaving the Chinese market. Reuters reported that it will now offer something called InJobs, which will not have a social feed and will not allow

users to share content.

China, India Square off over Leaders’ Visit to Disputed State Days after talks to resolve a 17-month military standoff between India and China stalled, the Asian rivals are involved in a new war of words over a recent visit by the Indian vice president to Arunachal Pradesh, a state in eastern India claimed by China. After Beijing raised objections to Vice President M. Venkaiah Naidu’s visit to the remote Himalayan state over the weekend, India reacted sharply, calling Arunachal Pradesh “an integral and inalienable part of India.”

“Indian leaders routinely travel to the state of Arunachal Pradesh as they do to any other states of India. Objecting to the visit of Indian leaders to a state of India does not stand to reason and understanding of the Indian people, “ Indian foreign ministry spokesperson Arindam Bagchi said.

Earlier on Wednesday, Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Zhao Lijian told a press briefing that China “firmly opposed” the visit of the Indian leader and called on New Delhi “to stop taking actions that would complicate and expand the boundary issue.”

He urged India to respect China’s concerns and take “real actions” to maintain peace and stability in border areas.

Biden to Meet Pope, Attend Climate Talks in Europe U.S. President Joe Biden plans to meet with Pope Francis at the Vatican later this month, the White House said Thursday.

“They will discuss working together on efforts grounded in respect for fundamental human dignity, including ending the COVID-19 pandemic, tackling the climate crisis, and caring for the poor,” the White House said in a statement. The statement said first lady Jill Biden would also take part in the audience with the pope.

The meeting on October 29 comes on the eve of a two-day summit of G20 leaders in Rome. Biden hopes to reach an agreement at the meeting on a global minimum corporate income tax rate of 15% to help ensure businesses don’t continue to avoid taxation, according to the Reuters news agency, which cited a White House official.

Biden will then attend the United Nations climate conference in Glasgow, Scotland, on November 1-2, when the official said the president would announce “key actions.”

Biden, the second Roman Catholic president after John F. Kennedy, meets with the pope as some Catholic bishops in the U.S. have admonished Biden for his support of abortion rights.

Stationery shop owner Hassan Abdullahi is a resilient man who was wounded in the blast. Despite the horror he experienced, he is now back at his renovated shop.

Deadly Shooting Hits Beirut Protest At least four people were killed, and 20 others wounded Thursday as gunfire erupted in Lebanon’s capital amid protests against a judge investigating last year’s deadly port blast.

Prime Minister Najib Mikati called for calm to be restored and urged people “not to be dragged into civil strife.” The army warned it would open fire against anyone shooting live rounds.

It was not immediately clear what triggered Thursday’s violence.

Supporters of the militant group Hezbollah and its allies had gathered near the Palace of Justice in Beirut to rally against Judge Tarek Bitar. The groups have demanded his removal, accusing him of conducting a politicised investigation singling out certain officials.

The August 2020 explosion involving improperly stored ammonium nitrate at a port warehouse killed more than 200 people and injured thousands more while destroying parts of surrounding neighbourhoods.

Women Kidnapped from Congo Sue Belgium Five women who were born in Congo and separated from their mothers by the colonial authorities are suing Belgium for crimes against humanity, BBC reports.

The mixed-race women were taken away from their black mothers at birth 70 years ago solely based on the colour of their skin.

Belgium controlled the central African country from the 19th Century until it won its independence in 1960. Millions of Africans died during colonial rule.

At the time, most mixed-race children were not recognised by their fathers and were not allowed to mix with wider society.

Thousands were placed into orphanages or other religious institutions where conditions were harsh. The Belgian state, however, contests whether their plight was a crime against humanity.

The five women were not brought to Belgium when the Republic of the Congo - as it was then known - gained independence in 1960. All five women were born between 1945 and 1950 and taken away from their mothers between the ages of two and four.

Somalia Marks Anniversary of Deadliest Terror Attack On October 14, 2017, a truck bomb exploded at a busy intersection in Mogadishu, killing 587 people and almost 1,000 more. Four years later, the scars of the attack are still seen and felt in the Somali capital.

Today the intersection is known as the October 14 junction, and a monument marks the spot where the bomb blew apart buildings and ended so many lives.

Most of the buildings at the former Soobe Junction have been rebuilt, but four years later, some lots are still covered in rubble, a reminder of the destruction the blast caused.

The blast also ripped apart hundreds of families who lost relatives and friends.

Fahma Hassan Yusuf says she lost her close friend Ayan Mohamed, an important pillar in her family, adding that Mohamed’s body, together with another friend, was discovered later. She says Ayan informed her about an imminent security threat in the city one week before the attack to stay indoors but unfortunately lost her own life.

Pakistan Suspends Flights to Kabul over ‘Inappropriate’ Taliban Behaviour Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) Thursday suspended flights to Afghanistan’s capital, Kabul, over what the state-run carrier alleged was “heavy-handed” interference by the neighbouring country’s ruling Taliban.

The suspension came on the same day a Taliban Transport Ministry statement warned it would stop PIA flight operations between Islamabad and the Afghan capital unless the airline reduces ticket prices to the levels that existed before mid-August when the Islamist group took control of the country.

The statement also ordered Afghan airlines Kam Air to reduce fares on the Kabul-Islamabad route to previous levels or face a halt to their flight operations.

“We have suspended our flights (between Islamabad and Kabul) indefinitely,” PIA spokesman Abdullah Khan told VOA on Thursday.

“The decision has been taken due to inappropriate behaviour by the local (Taliban) administration and inadequate conditions for flight operations,” Khan said.

FRIDAY, ͹ͽ˜ ͺ͸ͺ͹ ˾ T H I S D AY

47

NEWS

LAUNCH OF ENTERPRISENGR...

L-R: Director, EnterpriseNGR and Group CEO, Nigerian Exchange Group Plc; Oscar Onyema; CEO, EnterpriseNGR, Obi Ibekwe, and Chairman of the Board, Enterprise NGR, Aigboje AIGImoukhuede, during the launch of EnterpriseNGR, the financial and professional services policy and advocacy group...yesterday

New Tax Tribunal Rules Inconsistent with FIRS Act, Say PwC, KPMG Oluchi Chibuzor Leading tax advisory firms, PricewaterCoopers (PwC) and KPMG, have described the Tax Appeal Tribunal (TAT) (Procedure) Rules 2021, recently issued by the Minister of Finance, Budget and National Planning, as inconsistent with the Federal Inland Revenue Establishment Act (FIRSEA).

The new rules were approved on 10 June, by the Minister of Finance, Mrs. Zainab Shamsuna Ahmed, to replace the TAT (Procedure) Rules, 2010.

In separate reports published on their respective websites, the two firms noted that the new rules indicated the federal government's commitment to improving the country’s tax processes and were in line with the trends in global tax administration.

Among other changes, the new rules allow for electronic filing of tax dispute proceedings, virtual hearing and delivery of ruling, which would save tax disputants time and costs.

They, however, noted that a fundamental change in the rules, as contained in Order 3 Rule 6, was at variance with similar provisions of the FIRS Act. Order 3 Rule 6 prescribes that a taxpayer must make a security deposit of 50 per cent

of any disputed amount prior to filing an appeal.

Analysing the order in its Tax Alert published on its website, PwC noted that the provision was open to contention, adding that it was also inconsistent with a statute.

“One area of contention is the requirement for the payment of 50 per cent of the disputed tax as a condition precedent to filing an appeal.

“This provision may be challenged on grounds of inconsistency with the Federal Inland Revenue Service (Establishment) Act 2007 since it is established that rules cannot override the provisions of an Act. “In addition, the provision may also be challenged on constitutional grounds where a taxpayer does not have the cash to deposit, as this would be a bar on access to justice,” stated PwC. The firm also noted that the provision of Order 3 Rule 6 may be open to abuse by tax authorities, which may come up with unreasonable assessments in the expectation that a taxpayer will pay a 50 per cent deposit.

In its own analysis, KPMG also observed that the blanket requirement for taxpayers to make a 50 per cent deposit of disputed

amounts to the tribunal may be an impediment to justice, as it erodes the right to fear hearing, and discourage taxpayers from pursuing recourse before the TAT. “This requirement also deviates from the provisions of the Section 15(7) of Federal Inland Revenue (Establishment) Act that permits such deposits only in certain circumstances.

“Further, there is a risk that the blanket requirement may make the TAT more litigious in its outlook and take it away from the less formal dispute resolution framework it was designed to be.

“It may also increase the risk of tax disputes being resolved based on rules of court or technicality, rather than substantive justice,

a weakness of the formal court system which the TAT is set up to provide,” stated KPMG. The firm equally noted that the role of Tax Commissioners was not the same as those of judges in the constitutional sense.

It cautioned that the changes the new rules are envisaged to bring may revive the challenges to the legality of the tribunal

and its encroachment on the constitutional preserve of the Federal High Court on revenue and taxation issues.

KPMG therefore advised the finance minister to consider making the TAT Rules courtlike, so as to ensure the tribunal continues to provide accelerated tax dispute resolution in a nonlitigious way.

Sparkle Raises Fresh $3.1m Funding Obinna Chima Sparkle, a mobile-first digital bank that provides financial, lifestyle and business support services to Nigerians across the globe, has raised an oversubscribed seed round of $3.1 million (N1.3 billion) from an all-Nigerian group of investors.

The investors included Leadway Assurance, Trium Networks and a number of Nigerian High Networth Investors.

According to a statement, the fund raising followed a previous friends and family pre-seed round totalling $2 million (N857 million).

This took the company’s total funding to $5.1 million (N2.1bn)

“The new investment will be used to scale the platform’s talent teams across engineering, financial risk and marketing departments and investing in its automated back end processes and digital infrastructure.

“Since launching in 2019, Sparkle has developed a digital-first tribe of users who have access to features such as savings, bill payments, airtime/ cable/utility/transport top-ups, the ability to request or send funds, split bills, review spending breakdowns and more, all via the Sparkle app,” the statement explained.

It pointed out that the start-up had seen triple digit growth between 2020-2021, adding that it would now continue its focus

of connecting Nigerians and the global Nigerian Diaspora by building a different type of financial services platform that is more than just banking, but a means of improving the financial lifestyle of its users, allowing for borderless transactions.

“In April 2021, Sparkle launched its business platform, Sparkle Business, targeted at the new generation of digital first MSMEs and SMEs in Nigeria, with features such as Inventory and Invoice Management, a Payment Gateway Service, Tax Advisory/Calculations and Payroll/Employee Management.

“Sparkle Business is the only Nigerian business account where no documentation is required to open an account - to register

individuals require a personal Sparkle account, Tax Identification Number [TIN], and an email address connected to their TIN,” it added.

Speaking on the round, which was made up in its entirety

by Nigerian investors, Sparkle Founder and CEO, Uzoma Dozie said: “I’m delighted to be collaborating with a group of highly respected Nigerian businesses, investment firms and captains of industry - all of whom understand the real need for a digital-first platform such as Sparkle, to bring better access to financial services and, importantly, financial inclusion, to millions more people - for business, for personal means or both.

US Donates over 3.5 million Doses of COVID-19 Vaccine to Nigeria

pandemic. The United States has pledged to purchase and donate 1.1 billion COVID-19 vaccine doses worldwide, and to date has delivered more than 180 million doses to more than 100 countries,” it added.

The US government pointed out that its continued efforts to provide vaccines to African Union (AU) member countries was to fulfill President Biden’s pledge when he said: “The United States is committed to bringing the same urgency to international vaccination efforts that we have demonstrated at home. We are sharing these vaccines to save lives and to lead the world in bringing an end to the pandemic.”

The statement further noted that vaccine donations were part of the US government’s continued partnership with the government of Nigeria in combatting COVID-19.

“To date, the US government has provided $130 million of support to Nigeria’s Ministry of Health and Presidential Steering Committee on COVID-19. The US government is looking forward to continued coordination with Nigeria and its Center for Disease Control to deliver life-saving doses across the country through the COVAX initiative,” it added.

FG MAY EXPAND ACCESS TO COVID-19 VACCINATION AHEAD DECEMBER DEADLINE is to expand access and increase utilisation of the vaccines."

Shuaib assured that decentralisation would not affect the federal government’s free vaccination policy, adding that COVID-19 vaccines would be administered free of charge at both government and private health facilities and the vaccination cards would be given free of charge after vaccination.

He, however, noted that private health facilities might need to charge for their hospital registration cards, which would be different from the COVID-19 vaccination cards.

Shuaib said in order to ensure a seamless decentralisation, the agency had begun the training of health workers in selected private health care facilities and the sensitisation of critical stakeholders to create awareness on the plan and criteria for involving the private sector in COVID-19 vaccination.

He said the process of involving the private sector would be transparently done in line with the agency’s pledge of accountability to Nigerians.

On the supervision of private healthcare providers involved in COVID-19 vaccination, the NPHCDA boss said the agency was putting measures in place

to ensure close and effective monitoring and supervision of participating private health facilities to ensure standards were not compromised.

He said interested private health facilities would be required to meet certain criteria, including having the requisite qualified health care workers, among others. To ensure delivery of the vaccines by private health facilities as expected, he said the agency would engage in regular supervisory visits to the facilities and provide clear rules of engagement to the participating facilities.

Shuaib gave an update on the vaccination efforts, saying as at the morning of October 14, a total of 5,246,523 eligible populations had received at least one dose of COVID-19 vaccine in Nigeria, representing 4.7 per cent of Nigeria's target population.

He further said the number of eligible persons fully vaccinated in Nigeria was now 2,546,094, representing 2.3 per cent of the target population.

Shuaib also gave an update on the outcome of the study on the vaccination exercise conducted in six states of the federation, namely Anambra, Borno, Edo, Katsina, Lagos, and Plateau. He said the overall

aim of the observational study was to monitor the safety of COVID-19 vaccines in enrolled adult individuals of 18 years and above, who had received the authorised COVID-19 vaccine in Nigeria for the purpose of safety signal detection.

Shuaib disclosed that Professor Akin Osibogun, a Professor of Community Medicine at the Lagos University Teaching Hospital, led the study. He said the study sought to estimate the incidence of adverse events following immunisation with different brands of the COVID-19 vaccine in all enrolled immunised subjects.

Shuaib explained, "Findings of this study showed that 52.6 per cent of enrolees (1,284 were enrolled) reported non-serious adverse effects and only one subject or 0.08 per cent reported serious adverse effect in the first week following vaccination.

None of the enrolled subjects, who reported adverse effects, required hospitalisation.

"The commonest reported symptoms among vaccines were tenderness at injection site (20.9 per cent) and fever (20.3 per cent).

Most of the reported symptoms (55.5 per cent) occurred within the first three days of vaccination while 40.2 per cent of the vaccines

with reported symptoms could not recall time of onset of symptoms. " But the adverse effects, he stated, were reported more in the older age groups, with 61.5 per cent of those older than 60 years reporting symptoms compared to 34.9 per cent of those aged 18-24 years.

He said the difference for age was statistically significant (p=0.003).

Shuaib stated, "Those with pre-existing morbidities were also observed to have higher rates of reported symptoms (AEFIs) than those without pre-existing morbidities even though the observed difference was not statistically significant (p=0.551) "The findings suggest that from the perspective of public communication, the vaccine is quite safe and the reported symptoms are mild and to be expected in the first three days following vaccination.

"Older vaccines are to be particularly counselled as to what to expect and not to panic as the symptoms are mild and time limited. During this study, there was no report of Vaccine-induced COVID-19 or deaths related to the vaccines."

Meanwhile, the United States has shipped in over 3.5 million doses of COVID-19 vaccines into Nigeria.

A statement yesterday from the US Embassy noted that the US Mission in Nigeria was pleased, “to announce the arrival of 3,577,860 doses of Pfizer vaccine for the public health and benefit of the Nigerian people through COVAX, the worldwide initiative ensuring equitable access to COVID-19 vaccines.”

The statement further disclosed that the US shipment arrived at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport in Abuja on October 14.

According to the statement, the shipment would bring the total number of US-bilaterally donated doses to Nigeria to over 7.5 million, noting that the US also contributed to the first multilateral donation of AstraZeneca vaccine in March 2021.

That meant that overall, COVAX has provided Nigeria with over 10 million doses to date.

“Safe and effective vaccines are our best tool to ending the

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LAUNCH OF CITADEL VIEWS ESTATE...

L-R: Special Adviser to the Lagos State Governor on Housing , Mrs Toke Benson Awoyinka; Elegushi of Ikate land, Oba Saheed Elegushi; CEO Victoria Crest Homes Mrs Ichechi Okonkwo and Group CEO of Nedcomoaks/ Founder Victoria Crest Homes, Dr Kennedy Okonkwo, during the launch of Citadel Views Estate, Sangotedo, Lekki-Epe Expressway

In Show of Force, IG Deploys Police Armada for Anambra Poll Moves 34,587 personnel, three police helicopters to state Mobilises Interpol, special forces, intelligence bureau, counter terrorism unit, mobile police Warns subversive elements, politicians Kingsley Nwezeh in Abuja The Inspector-General of Police, Mr. Usman Alkali Baba, yesterday, ordered the mobilisation and deployment of a total 34,587 police personnel and three police helicopters to Anambra State ahead of the November 6 governorship election.

The IG said the 34,587 personnel included conventional police officers, Police Mobile Force (PMF), Counter Terrorism Unit (CTU), special forces personnel, Explosives Ordinance Unit (EOD), Force Intelligence Bureau (FIB), Interpol, Special

Protection Unit (SPU) as well as police medical teams expected to be on ground to guarantee a hitch-free election.

He said the three police helicopters would be deployed for aerial surveillance amongst other operational capabilities.

In addition, the police high command also deployed the force marine and the force animal branch and other operational assets for the Anambra State gubernatorial election.

Speaking at 2nd Strategic Police Managers Conference for Senior Police Officers from the rank of Commissioner of Police and above in Abuja, the

CDS: 250 BANDITS 'NEUTRALISED' AFTER TELECOMS BLACKOUT IN N’WEST, 600 ARRESTED to confirm or not and then in our efforts, we have seen that that the report is not true and besides, we have equally taken measures to ensure that should anyone be desiring or having an idea to do that, then that has not happened.

“One thing you must understand is that by virtue of the current environment, climate, okay, technology climate, as it were, fear is being duplicated by various means and so, some individuals that have ideas, the only way they can sell the idea is by pushing it to the public, hoping that there will be an acceptance of that idea.

“So, if the security agencies are oblivious about certain… of course they get hoodwinked and then, of course, lose focus. So, for you as members of the press, you must have also come to terms with that reality, that sometimes you'll find that many of these reports have an intended aim, an intended purpose and so the narrative has to be created to make it fit into that purpose.

“This is why sometimes some people have to have a rebuttal, some have to say actually, this news is fake and so on and so forth. But on this matter, it is not true. Is it true, it’s not a true report”.

On the alleged military brutality in the Southeast, Irabor said the perception of discriminatory military engagement against the people of the region was not correct.

Addressing why the military

chose to scale up operations in the Southeast, while bandits in the Northwest and Northcentral zones were considered for negotiations, and repentant terrorists in the Northeast were being rehabilitated, the Defence Chief emphasised that insecurity varies from region to region.

He explained that, what you find in the Southeast was different from what was obtainable in the North, adding that despite the military engagement in the Southeast, he had led discussions with people of the area.

He said while Nigerians have the right to pass their views to government, they must not do so through the use of violence, saying, “if anyone thinks they can try the armed forces, let him try the shape of the armed forces.”

Also, on the activities of the Muslim cleric, Sheikh Gumi, who had been leading negotiations with bandits, the CDS said Gumi did not work for the military but that the military would equally not prevent anyone from playing his part in the fight against insecurity.

He said what was not acceptable to the military was when such persons work at cross-purposes with security agencies’ objectives.

Asked to confirm the news that the the leader of the Islamic State of West African Province (ISWAP), Abu Musab Al-Barnawi, was dead, the Defence boss said, "I can authoritatively confirm to you that Abu Musab is dead. As simple as that. He is dead and remains dead."

IG stated that force headquarters conducted an election security threat analysis as part of preparations for the elections and also developed a strategic election security operational plan to stabilise the prevailing security situation in the state.

"These actions are aimed at creating a conducive and enabling environment that will guarantee the peaceful conduct of the election. In assuring law abiding citizens and stakeholders of their safety during the election, let me warn subversive elements, who are bent on employing violence to attempt to threaten our democratic values, as well as any political actors, who may want to adopt undemocratic and illegal means to achieve their aspirations to bury such

thoughts now or be prepared to face the consequences, as they will be identified, isolated and made to face the wrath of the law no matter how highly or lowly placed they may be," he said.

The IGP also charged Commissioners of Police in the 36 States of the Federation and the FCT as well as their supervisory Assistant-Inspectors General of Police to return to their commands and strengthen the security architecture as the year gradually winds down and the Yuletide season draws closer.

He directed the strategic commanders to evolve proactive anti-crime approaches to enable the force stay ahead against any anticipated security threats to the lives and property of the citizenry.

Baba called on citizens to continue to support the police in their various localities while noting that a robust police operational asset would be delivered soon, which would re-energise policing operations towards improving public safety and security in the country.

He assured the nation that the various policing reforms being vigorously pursued by the force leadership would avail citizens with a more professional, effective, proactive and accountable police force.

The IG had, Wednesday, ordered police mobile force commanders to deal ruthlessly with violent elements and political thugs, who might work against a transparent and credible outcome of the

Anambra election.

The police chief also read riot act to the squadron commanders, vowing to deal decisively with any commander that lacked capacity and unwilling to key into the police reform agenda.

"Most of your operatives will be deployed to deter subversive elements that are planning to threaten the process, while others will be deployed to secure personnel and materials of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) as well as other critical national infrastructure", he said.

"You must remain apolitical while being ruthless with violent elements and ill-guided political thugs that may wish to test our common will to deliver a transparent and credible electoral outcome," he stated.

Presidency: PANDEF Advises North to Wait till 2031 Says principles of fairness, equity, justice must be upheld for national peace Insists those opposing rotational zoning of political offices are unpatriotic, self-serving Deji Elumoye and Udora Orizu in Abuja Ahead of the 2023 general elections, the Pan Niger Delta Forum (PANDEF) has advised politicians from the Northern part of the country seeking to contest for Nigeria’s presidency to wait till 2031, for the sake of national harmony and peace.

The forum in a statement issued yesterday by its National Publicity Secretary, Mr. Ken Robinson, while agreeing that everyone has the right to take part in the governance of the country, stressed that it was equally fundamental to uphold the indispensable principles of fairness, equity, and justice for overall peace and progress.

It was also of the view that the federal character principle, now allegedly being brazenly infringed upon by the Buhari’s administration, was introduced to address the challenge of disproportionate and ethnicitybased domination of the country, by ensuring that the composition of every government, all over the federation, reflects all its different parts.

PANDEF described those

saying that zoning was unconstitutional as barefaced mischief-makers, insisting that the north would have completed the statutory eight years by 2023.

Therefore, it stressed that it would only be reasonable that power should rotate to the south, as has been the case for 22 years of the third republic.

The group averred that it should therefore be unthinkable that the north should contemplate clutching onto the presidential seat, in 2023, at the end of President Muhammadu Buhari’s two tenures of eight years.

The statement reads: "We consider declarations, by some individuals and groups, now, suddenly opposing the extant practice of rotational zoning of political offices, particularly that of the Presidency, as unpatriotic and self-serving.

“Given the multi-faceted heterogeneity of our country, Nigerians should be critically concerned, not only about the credibility and competence of those aspiring to occupy the highest office, but also, where they come.

“We must conscientiously ensure that zoning, especially

for the office of president and governors is very well maintained. Besides, PANDEF firmly affirms that no zone of the country is in want of men and women of noble character, acumen, competence, and integrity, to lead Nigeria at this crucial time.

"To say, suddenly, only in 2021, that the presidency should be open to all zones in 2023, amounts to moving the goalpost, in the 87th of a 90-minute game, implying that somebody from Daura, Katsina State, can, again, become President of Nigeria in 2023, within the present mood of the country.

“PANDEF says a ‘big no’ to such an attempt to worsen the current bare threads of national cohesion, unity and all-around prosperity. Section 134 (2) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended) provides that: A candidate for an election to the office of president shall be deemed to have been duly elected where, there being more than two candidates for the election; (a) he has the highest number of votes cast at the election; and (b) he has not less than one-quarter of the votes cast at the election in each

of at least two-thirds of all the states in the federation and the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja.

"The framers of the constitution incorporated the cited and related provisions to check sectional preponderancy, and guarantee balanced spread, above all, a secure sense of inclusiveness, in the political governance of the country.

“The need for equitable sharing of political power in Nigeria, cannot be overstated. The basis for success in any viable democracy, especially in a diverse and complex country like Nigeria, is fair and even sharing of critical offices northerners who hunger to become president should wait till 2031.

“Political stakeholders need to demonstrate pristine, honourable, and patriotic etiquette of civility to whittle down the thick tensions, arising from the allaround dissensions and alleviate the pain, suffering and unpleasant conditions that the vast majority of citizens are facing.

“Reckless political machinations, to arrogate power to one part of the country will only worsen the ensuing debilitating state of affairs."

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Obaseki, Igbinedion, Others Pay Last Respect to Late Victor Uwaifo The Edo State Governor, Mr. The daughter of the late Oghomwen Uwaifo described the children, adding that he very hard-working, promising they can to keep his legacy Godwin Obaseki; former musical icon, Deaconess Mrs. her father as an inspiration to had a unique ability and was that the children will do all alive.

Governor, Lucky Igbinedion; Edo State Chief Judge, Hon. Justice Joe Acha, and Chief of Staff to the Governor, Hon. Osaigbovo Iyoha were among dignitaries at the tribute/service of songs held in honour of late music icon, Prof. Sir Victor Uwaifo.

Governor Obaseki described Uwaifo as a legend who carved a niche for himself and portrayed Edo State positively to the global community.

He noted that Uwaifo was dexterous, applying himself to verse as he did to visual arts, building an illustrious and impressive oeuvre of creative output in his wake.

He celebrated his ingenuity and contribution to the creative industry in Nigeria.

On his part, Lucky Igbinedion described late Uwaifo as a cultural ambassador and a great musical icon that brought glory to Edo, Nigeria and Africa.

“As Commissioner for Arts and Culture during my administration, he served the state well, performed well and brought a lot of credit to my administration. I thank the Uwaifo family for allowing him to serve the state. For the children, I urge you to be strong and keep his legacy on, as he has not died but transited to a L-R: Edo State Chief Judge, Justice Joe Acha; Edo State Governor, Mr. Godwin Obaseki and the former governor of Edo State, Chief Lucky Igbinedion, during the service of songs for late Victor Uwaifo at Ogbe Hard-court, Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium, Benin City, Edo State...yesterday better place,” he added.

FAREWELL TO A LEGEND...

No Easy Road Ahead to Recovery from COVID-19, Says Amina Mohammed Michael Olugbode in Abuja United Nations Deputy Secretary-General, Amina Mohammed, has lamented that there seemed to be no easy road ahead to the recovery from COVID-19 pandemic.

Speaking yesterday at the 2021 Humanitarian Action Conference in Abuja, Mohammed said, “After an extremely difficult year, we are now working towards a recovery from the pandemic to put countries back on the path towards the Sustainable Development Goals. But we do not have an easy road ahead.”

Mohammed, whose speech was read by the Country Director Nigeria, Chemonics International, Dr. Mike Egboh, said: “Many parts of the world where we work are still dealing with the impact of the pandemic.

“This year has brought its own challenges, with deepening crises in Afghanistan and Ethiopia, and famine looming in many parts of the world.”

She lamented that in times of such crises, marginalised women and girls bore the consequences the most, noting that: “Women and girls with disabilities, older women, widows and singleheaded households, indigenous women and girls, and adolescent girls are further marginalised.”

That, she said, brought to the fore, extreme suffering, such as hunger, existing gender inequality increases, and risks of gender-based violence are heightened.

“For example, during the pandemic, Somalia experienced a resurgence of female genital mutilation. In the Sahel, the pandemic, coupled with conflict, drought and severe climate events, caused spikes in early marriage, intimate partner violence and sexual violence.

“The pandemic also laid bare the profound inequities that plague indigenous people, especially, women and girls in Latin America and the Caribbean,” Mohammed said.

She noted that the pandemic had taught the world important lessons, better social protection, universal health care, vaccine equity, effective governance and

strong institutions would have saved lives.

She, however, said this called for six important actions.

“First, we must ensure women’s experiences and priorities remain central to humanitarian action. We must listen to and be guided by affected communities, especially, by marginalised women and girls.

“Second, we must ensure women are engaged in humanitarian decision-making.

We must bring women’s organisations and leaders to the table.

“Third, we must fund women’s and local organisations so they can truly empower and support communities in crisis. In many countries, women’s groups are actively engaged in implementing the humanitarian, development and peace nexus, making these efforts more sustainable and equitable in the long term.

“So, the fourth action is to better connect development and humanitarian work towards achieving the ambition of the SDGs. We are already doing that within the UN. “Many countries, such as in the Sahel and the Horn of Africa, are strengthening collaboration by working towards collective outcomes that are specific to the context. The UN Joint Steering Committee is actively supporting this work.

“For example, in Burkina Faso, the collective outcomes of the United Nations Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework, or the UNSDCF, cover access to basic social services, food and nutrition, protection and security. Other countries, such as the Democratic Republic of the Congo, have included a specific collective outcome on gender-based violence.

“As you might know, the framework reflects each country’s priorities and plans in pursuing the SDGs. “The fifth action is for countries dealing with increasing numbers of crises and a climate emergency to take ownership of the pathways to the SDGs.

FG, ASUU Set October Deadline for Payment of Salaries, Allowances’ Arrears Onyebuchi Ezigbo in Abuja The federal government and the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) have resolved that payment of the next tranche of the arrears of earned allowances would be paid on or before the end of October.

The government said it would also ensure that

issues of promotion arrears and inconsistencies in the implementation of the Integrated Personnel and Payroll Information System (IPPIS) as it affects the university lecturers are sorted out and payment made on or before the end of this month.

Speaking on the outcome of discussions with ASUU that ended last night, the Minister

of Labour and Employment, Senator Chris Ngige, said they also agreed to convene a meeting next week between Nigeria Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), the National University Commission and ASUU, so as to finalise the proposed salary payment platform - University Transparency Accountability Systems (UTAS).

Ngige said the meeting further discussed the issue of disbursement of revitalisation fund and agreed to wait for submissions from the Vice Chancellors of various federal universities on the utilisation of previous allocations. Ngige described the meeting as smooth and fruitful, disclosing that ASUU agreed to go back to its organs to deliberate on the outcome.

Osinbajo, Finance Minister, Aig-Imoukhuede Launch EnterpriseNGR Dike Onwuamaeze The Vice President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, yesterday joined hands some eminent Nigerians to launch the EnterpriseNGR, a professional and financial service advocacy group that he described as a game changer in Nigeria’s quest for economic development.

Osinbajo said the launch of the initiative would position Nigeria as the premier financial centre of Africa in the same way The CityUK transformed London to become the nerve centre of global financial service.

He said: “Today (yesterday)

may pass quietly like other days but its significance in the years to come is bound to be huge. The reason is that we are formerly establishing the united and powerful voice of the Nigerian business and professional community the EnterpriseNGR, a professional policy advocacy group with the overarching vision to be a leading voice and champion for the development and transformation of the Nigeria economy and the mission to advance Nigeria’s transformation as Africa’s premier financial service centre.

“There is no doubt that the

Enterprise Nigeria is a game changer when the informed Nigerian professionals and business community speak with one voice to issues of domestic or international business policy.

“On behalf of Mr. President and the federal government I will like to commend the initiators for their farsightedness in establishing the EnterpriseNGR, the first in the African region. It is our hope and prayer that the EnterpriseNGR will achieve its transformative objectives.”

Speaking in the same vein, the Minister of Finance, Budget and National Planning, Mrs.

Zainab Ahmed, described the establishment of the EnterprseNGR as a testimony of coming of age of Nigeria’s financial industry and its realisation of the critical role of the private sector could play in ensuring a thriving economy.

She said: “I congratulate and salute the efforts of the founding members of this nobel organisation.

I am confident that the EnterpriseNGR will go a long way to improve the business terrain in Nigeria. I hope that your work will aid the acceleration of the economic development of our country.”

N'Assembly Will Pass 2022 Appropriation Bill Before Dec.16, Omo-Agege Assures Deji Elumoye in Abuja The Deputy President of the Senate, Senator Ovie Omo-Agege, has declared that the National Assembly would pass the 2022 Appropriation Bill presented to it last Thursday by President Muhammadu Buhari before December 16, this year.

Omo-Agege, who spoke Thursday while playing host to his former classmates at the Nigerian Law School, Class of 1986 (The Centennial Class) in Abuja, assured that the National Assembly was determined to pass the proposed 2022 budget before the year runs out.

According to him: "The budget process is ongoing. In the next 30 days, we will conclude it and pass it before we go on Christmas break, sometime on December 16."

He stressed that early approval and signing of the appropriation bill into law would ensure planning, bring about enhanced productivity and efficiency in the management and application of the nation's resources.

The ranking Senator explained that Nigerians are the ultimate beneficiaries of the return to the January to December budget cycle, stressing that this would guarantee full implementation of the economic, infrastructural,

social investments and other developmental programmes contained in the budget.

Commenting on a bill sponsored by his colleague, Senator Smart Adeyemi that seeks to increase the number of law school campuses in Nigeria, from six to 12, Omo-Agege emphasised the need to reach out to all stakeholders to determine its acceptability or otherwise.

He stressed that the Senate had in the past intervened to assist the judicial arm in the area of funding, especially the FCT courts.

"We have stepped in so many times to assist the Judiciary as much as we are able to by

way of improvement in their welfare, especially with the FCT courts, trying to provide adequate funding to expand the court and provide facilities.

"And for most of us who come from the judicial family, I know what my own Dad went through using long-hand to do most of the work as opposed to what obtains abroad. " I keep telling the judges who come before us here for confirmation that I am sure that if people like my Dad had such benefit, it would have added 10 years to his lifespan. Any assistance you need, you can always count on us," he said.

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Abducted Kaduna Catholic Seminarians Released 22 bandits’ informants nabbed in Niger

John Shiklam in Kaduna and Laleye Dipo in Minna Three seminarians abducted from Christ the King Major Seminary, Fayit, Fadan Kagoma, Jema’a Local Government Area of Kaduna State, have regained their freedom.

The fourth year theology students were abducted on Monday night when bandits invaded the institution.

Six people were injured during the incident and were treated in the hospital.

Confirming their release in a statement on Wednesday, the Chancellor, Catholic Diocese of Kafanchan, Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Okolo, said the victims were released by the bandits.

The statement reads: “With hearts filled with joy, we raise our voices in a symphony of praises as we announce the return of our three major seminarians, who were abducted by armed persons from the Chapel of the Seminary at Christ the King Major Seminary, Fayit Fadan Kagoma in Jema’a Local Government Area, Kaduna State, on Monday 11 October, 2021.”

“Barely 48 hours after their kidnap, our beloved brothers were released by their abductors.

“We want to thank all those that have offered prayers and entreaties for the quick release of our Seminarians and others

who are still in the dens of their kidnappers.

“We pray God to hasten the release of those who are still in the hands of their captors,” the statement added.

Meanwhile, not less than 22 people suspected to be bandits’ informants have been arrested by men of the Joint Security Task

Force deployed to Shiroro local Government Area of Niger State.

The arrest of the suspects followed a raid carried out by the Task Force on the hideouts of the Informants.

It was learnt that some of the suspects were arrested with riffles and other dangerous weapons

and have been taken to security facilities in Zumba town for onward movement to the Police Command headquarters in Minna.

Though the Police could not be reached to confirm the story, it was also gathered that the security task force and members of the local vigilance ambushed

fleeing bandits during which it was reported that many of the bandits were neutralized.

However, according to the source, a community leader at Farindoki two members of the local vigilance died in the operation that lasted about two hours and which took place on Tuesday evening.

“A number of motorcycles and AK47 riffles and machine guns were recovered from the bandits” the source said.

All efforts to get confirmation of the story from the Police Command Public Relations Officer DSP Wasiu Abiodun was unsuccessful as he did not pick calls made to his cell phones.

COMMTTED TO SERVE…

L-R: Former Editor, National Interest on Sunday, Mr. Tony Iyare; Founder, The Journalism Clinic, Mr. Taiwo Obe; Vice President (West), Nigerian Guild of Editors (NGE), Mr. Bolaji Adebiyi; Deputy Director, Voice of Nigeria, Mrs. Funke Atohengbe; and General Secretary, NGE, Mr. Iyobosa Uwugiaren, during the inauguration of the Membership and Accreditation Committee of the NGE in Lagos...yesterday

One Year after EndSARS# , Group Police Arrest Teenagers for Alleged Killing of Motorcylist in Ogun Appeals against Protest James Sowole in Abeokura

Segun James A civil rights group, the Defend Lagos Coalition (DLC), has appealed against any plan to stage violent protests in commemoration of one year anniversary of EndSARS# protest because it would be counterproductive in the end.

The DLC insisted that if any such action to take place, it should to be done within the confines of the law.

Addressing the press at the International Press Centre, Ogba, Ikeja, Lagos State, the leader of the DLC, Mr. Nelson Ekujumi, said the protesters should ensure that the protest did not lead to crisis, because the state could not afford to suffer again the losses it recorded during the protest staged last year.

“Lagos is the commercial nerve centre of Nigeria, and

nobody will allow anything that will destroy the state. We can’t tell them not to protest.

They have right to protest. But you must protest within your right and respect other people’s right,” Ekujumi said.

The group, which went about with the banner “EndSARS never again” said a lot of things have been said about killings during last year’s EndSARS protest, but there is no evidence to substantiate that there was any massacre.

He said: “What happened on that day, (sic) a massacre never occur, we are waiting for the panel set up to tell us what happened.”

Ekujumi said the protest staged last year left a sad note in the history of Lagos State and set the state backward economically and socially because the protest was not well coordinated.

Lagos Supports Youths in Agriculture Segun James The Lagos State Government has reaffirmed its commitment to support youth and student engaged in different stages of agricultural value chains.

The Commissioner for Agriculture, Ms. Abisola Olusanya, stated that this would encourage them to become more productive as adults in the agriculture labour force.

Olusanya said this at the Schools’ Agric Quiz Competition for students of public senior secondary schools in Lagos as part of activities lined up to celebrate

Y2021 World Food Day in the state.

She explained that the youth support initiative would solve the problem of unemployment and vacuums being created by the ageing farmers, just as it would mitigate the possible effects of global food crisis.

The commissioner, who was represented by the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Agriculture, Mr. Hakeem Adeniji, stressed that the vision of the ministry is to sustain food security through youth and women empowerment with significant private sector involvement.

Men of the Ogun State Command of the Nigeria Police, have arrested three teenagers, Sodiq Awokoya,’ Odunayo Samson and Jimoh Rilwan, for allegedly killing a motorcyclist Bashiru Umaru before snatching his motorcycle.

The suspects, who are ages between 17 and 18 years, according to the Police Public

Relations Officer (PPRO), Abimbola Oyeyemi, were arrested on the 8th of October at toll gate area of Ogere where they had gone to sell the deceased motorcycle.

Oyeyemi said the buyer, who demanded for the documents of the motorcycle before he could buy it, became suspicious when the three suspects were giving conflicting accounts of how they came about the motorcycle.

“The buyer there and then secretly informed the police in Ogere divisional headquarters, consequent upon which the DPO Ogere Division, CSP Abiodun Ayinde led his men to the scene and got the three suspects apprehended.

“On interrogation, they informed the police that the motorcycle was stolen from Iperu Remo, and they were subsequently handed over to

police in Iperu division.

“Coincidentally, it was the time the relations of the deceased came to lodge complaint about their missing person that the police brought the suspects from Ogere with the stolen motorcycle.

“On sighting the motorcycle, the relatives of the deceased quickly identified it, and informed the police that the motorcycle brought with the suspects belongs to their missing brother.

Stop Child Labour in Mine Fields, FG Urged Segun Awofadeji in Gombe

The Nigerian Society of Mining Engineers (NSME), has requested the Federal Government of Nigeria to halt child labour in mine-fields across the country.

This was part of a communiqué issued at the end of its 20th annual general

meeting and international conference held in Gombe, yesterday afternoon.

According to the mining engineers, the stoppage could be done through enforcement of international labour organization (ILO) resolution on child labour.

Signed by its National President, Professor Benson S. Jatau and General Secretary, Mr.

Anthony U. Ojile, the theme of this years’ AGM/International Conference was, ‘Repositioning the Nigerian Mining Sector for Accelerated National Development’.

They said the federal government needs to ensure total compliance with environmental monitoring and enforcement provisions with

respect to minerals exploration, mining, value addition and environmental concerns.

The society, however, commended the federal government for identifying the mining and mineral sector’s as the key driver in her quest for national development through her economic diversifications programme.

Ondo Poly Workers Begin Indefinite Strike

Fidelis David in Akure

Workers of the Rufus Giwa Polytechnic, Owo, Ondo State, have resolved to commence an indefinite strike today over an alleged unpaid 11 months’ salary arrears by the management of the institution.

This is coming two months after both union declared a

three-day warning strike.

In a communique signed by the institution Senior Staff Association of Nigeria Polytechnics (SSANIP) Chairman, Chris Olowolade, and the Non-Academic Staff Union (NASU) Chairman, Obayoriade Adebayo, and made available to THISDAY, the union unanimously agreed to commence the strike on October 15, 2021.

Specifically, the aggrieved workers said they were being owed salaries of December 2016, January 2017 and January to October 2021.The workers also alleged that they had not been promoted for the past two years.

Also speaking after the congress, the Chairman of SSANIP of the institution, Olowolade, said the workers

had no other alternative but to embark on the strike following the alleged insensitive gesture of the management of the institution on their plight.

According to him, “The management of this institution owes us backlog of salary; aside the 11 months’ salary arrears, we have three months promotion arrears too.

ASUU Seeks Law Barring Children of Public Officers from Schooling Abroad Onyebuchi Ezigbo in Abuja Against the backdrop of the abysmal global rating of Nigerian universities due to alleged neglect and poor funding, the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has asked the National Assembly to initiate a law that makes it mandatory for

the public office holders to send their children to public schools in Nigeria.

But the union hailed Minister of Labour and Employment Senator Chris Ngige for being one of the few public office holders sending their children to Nigerian public schools.

ASUU President , Professor

Emmanuel Osodeke, made the position known at the reconvened meeting with the federal government, being conciliated by the Minister of Labour and Employment, today in Abuja.

Osodeke lamented the decay in the public universities.

“The National Assembly must formulate a law that if

you take an appointment, your children must study here. If you know that your children cannot be here, don’t take government appointment.

“When you hear those in government who send their children to schools abroad say that ASUU go on strike , they should know that strike is not the problem.”

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How Smuggling Activities Claimed Five Lives in Adamawa Daji Sani in Yola

Smuggling activities yesterday claimed five lives in Mubi town of Adamawa State despite the efforts of the federal government to curtail smuggling of petrol products to neighbouring countries.

Meanwhile, smugglers of petrol products have continued to have a field day around the borders between Nigeria and Republic of Cameroon It was estimated that more than three thousands lives have been lost in five years in Adamawa State as a result of the activities, thereby frustrating the country’s economy.

Experts told THISDAY that the increase of these smuggling activities was caused by the porousness of the Nigerian borders, adding that the development had made it cumbersome for the Customs, Immigration and security agencies to alienate smuggling activities especially petrol products around the borders of Nigeria.

Check revealed that some owners of petrol stations around the borders and even within

the state capital were the ones aiding the illegal activities.

It was also revealed that the cause of the petrol fire incident that claimed five lives

in Mubi town yesterday was as a result of trying to evacuate the products into Jerry cans to ease transportation of the products to Cameroon through the use

of motorcycles.

“These motorcycles aid the smugglers to navigate difficult terrains to escape from the Customs officers or escaped

from being caught by security agencies,: the source said.

However, eyewitness said the fire started at a filling station in the early hours of

last Wednesday when fuel was being transferred from a petrol tanker directly into hundreds of Jerry cans at Kasuwan Gyela in Mubi

UNVEILING GAME OF KINGS…

L-R: Brand Ambassador, Budweiser,Mr. Jimmie Akinsola; Marketing Manager, Budweiser, Ms. Olajumoke Okikiolu; Marketing Director, International Breweries Plc , Mrs. Tolulope Adedeji; and Brand Manager, Budweiser, Ms.Miriam Odabe, at the Budweiser Game of Kings unveiling press conference in Lagos… yesterday : ETOP UKUTT

EndSARS:Benue Panel TheCable Launches Book Division with Waziri Adio’s Memoir Recommends N304m Compensation for Victims George Okoh In Makurdi The EndSARs Panel in Benue State has recommended compensations in the total sum of N304,535,095.85 to be paid to various categories of victims of Police brutality in the state.

The recommendation was contained in a report submitted yesterday by the Chairman of the Panel and a former Chief Judge of the State, Justice Adam Onum to the Deputy Governor Engr.

Benson Abounu.

The panel also recommended various police officers to the Attorney-General of the State for discreet investigations with a view to prosecuting them for respective crimes arising from respective conducts.

Justice Onum disclosed

that during their sitting, they received 72 petitions, maintaining that some were dismissed and withdrawn.

He observed that during the course of investigations, the panel discovered different levels of police brutality, including, an instance where some persons were brutally murdered by the police in cold blood, leaving families without respective heads and breadwinners.

According to him, ‘there were some persons who died in police custody, owing to complications arising from torture and/or other forms of abuse of police powers, including unwarranted denial of rights to bail; some persons suffered grievous bodily hurts, or non grievous bodily hurts, as defined under law, in the hands of the Police.”

Waziri Adio’s memoir as the Executive Secretary of the Nigeria Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (NEITI) will be published by Cable Books, the newly launched imprint of Cable Newspaper Ltd, publishers of TheCable online newspaper.

Entitled, ‘The Arc of the Possible’, the book draws on Adio’s experience in running the watchdog agency for Nigeria’s oil, gas and mining sectors to illuminate the possibilities,

dynamics and challenges of leading for change within government in contemporary Nigeria.

Announcing the deal yesterday, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of TheCable, Simon Kolawole, said: Adio’s memoir is rich in “lessons, values and introspection” on his record-laden, five-year tenure as the chief executive of the government agency.

“Our mandate is to deliver knowledge in the pursuit of

Nigeria’s progress and Cable Books is yet another extension of the frontiers in doing our shift.

There is no better way to kickstart this than with this important book

by Waziri Adio’” Kolawole said.

The book, which will be out in November 2021, starts with an abridged biography of the author’s life and how it set the stage for his eventual foray into public service, first as a special adviser to the senate president in 2003.

Climate Change: Okonjo-Iweala Calls for Adoption of Global Carbon Price Dike Onwuamaeze The Director General of the World Trade Organisation (WTO), Dr. Ngozi OkonjoIweala has identified the adoption of a global carbon price that is aligned with the Paris Agreement as the most straightforward way to reducing carbon emission and abating climate change.

Okonjo-Iweala stated this in

an opinion article she wrote that was published in the Financial Times of London, yesterday.

She argued that the world was still well short of what was needed to limit global warming to 1.5 or even 2.0 degrees Celsius.

The former two-term Nigeria’s minister explained: “The most straightforward solution would be a global carbon price aligned with the

Paris Agreement. This would help achieve our collective climate goals, and bring stability and fairness for cross-border business.

“Unfortunately, we are not yet there,” adding that leaders gathering in Glasgow next month for the United Nations’ climate conference COP26 should make solving this problem a priority.

She also tasked the WTO,

The United States(US) Government has launched a programme that would enable Abia State Government to bridge the treatment gap for 38,000 persons living with HIV/AIDs who are currently not captured within the treatment zone.

The intervention programme marked the re-engagement of U.S with Abia to assist the state through the U.S President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR), and support renewed efforts towards HIV epidemic control.

In implementing the programme the U.S. would work with Abia Stae Government and other stakeholders to close the HIV treatment gap by identifying and initiating treatment for an additional 38,000 people living with HIV (PLHIV) in Abia

State within the next two years.

Speaking at a stakeholders engagement forum in Umuahia, the U.S Embassy Charge d’Affaires (CDA), Kathleen FitzGibbon, said that “nobody needs to die from HIV/AIDS” given the advancement in technology and medical science, assuring that the U.S would assist Abia to build the capacity to bridge the treatment gap.” The U.S. delegation comprised of the PEPFAR Coordinator, Mr. Mark Giambrone; U.S. Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Country Director, Dr. Mary Boyd; U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) HIV/TB Office Director, Rachel Goldstein; and the Walter Reed Army Institute of Research (WRAIR) Country Director, Dr. Laura Chittenden.

the International Monetary Fund, the World Bank, and the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), to work together to find solutions that could mitigate the impact of global warming in the absence of globally accepted agreement by offering governments their, “insights on a common methodological approach to carbon pricing.”

Property Developer Accuses DIG of Mishandling

US Joins Forces with Abia to Murder Investigation, Petitions IG Fight HIV/AIDS to hand off the investigation of the charged to court.

WaleIgbintade

Emmanuel Ugwu-Nwogoin Umuahia

Although a simple narrative, the book is influenced by the theoretical frameworks provided by scholars such as Richard Joseph, who wrote extensively on prebendal politics in Nigeria, Peter Ekeh, whose work on two publics in Africa is regarded as a seminal text in political science and sociology, and Mark H. Moore, a Harvard professor whose Strategic Triangle and work on public value shaped Adio’s approach to public administration.

Aproperty developer, Mr. Nwakaibeya Udoye, has petitioned the InspectorGeneral of Police (IG), Baba Usman, over alleged mishandling of a murder case by the Force Criminal Investigation Department (FCID).

Udoye also pleaded with the IG to direct the Deputy Inspector General of Police (DIG) of FCID, Joseph Egunike,

murder of his security guard, Ifeanyi Olebara.

The developer, who threatened to stage a protest at the Zone 2, Police Command, Onikan, Force CID, Alagbon, and Salem House in Lagos, stated that the office of the Lagos State Director of Public Prosecution (DPP) had earlier recommended that the suspects in the murder case be

He said: “The DPP had given legal advice that the suspects, who gruesomely murdered my 39-year-old security guard, Mr. Ifeanyi Olebara, on February 23, 2021, at Stonewater Royale Estate in Abule Ado area of Lagos, should be tried at the high court, but DIG Egunike and DC Shelleng have been preventing the case from going on.

‘”About two weeks ago, when we got an information that the suspects were about to travel out of the country, we went to Zone 2 to inform the police, and they were only able to arrest one of the suspects who was then taken to Tinubu Magistrate Court for a remand order, but while we were in court, there was an ordered from FCID that the charge against the suspect be dropped.”

Obaseki Deserves Commendation on Open Grazing Bill, Says Don A university don, Dr. Innocent Osagie, has urged Edo State people to commend Governor Godwin Obaseki “for insisting that due process and robust consultations must precede the passage of any anti-open grazing law.”

Speaking in Benin, he said sarcastically that “if that makes Obaseki a bad leader, then

carry on with your good leaders who do not see any reason to carry their people along”.

The University of Benin lecturer, who attended one of the stakeholders’ meetings in Benin organised to discuss the issue, said: “What are the issues, and why the intense negative comments that almost

seem so coordinated to paint as black anything that this man does? I am not and will never be a political apologist.

“On this matter, what is the hoopla about taking time to consult with the people involved in various aspects of the meat production value chain?

“After observing proceedings

from this event, I left with a renewed sense of anger and frustration at some of the comments I had been following, especially on the social media. I have never written to a newspaper before but, once the issues became clearer to me, I decided to speak out once and for all on this matter.

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WORLD OF ISLAM

NEWS XTRA

Mark Zuckerberg’s Facebook Impostor, Jatto, Others Jailed in Kwara The Message of Prophet

Edited by: MJO Mustapha Email deji.mustapha@thisdaylive.com

Hammed Shittu in Ilorin

A Kwara State High Court sitting in Ilorin yesterday jailed a 21-year-old Jatto Sheriff Umar, who claimed to be the founder of Facebook, Mr. Mark Zuckerberg, in order to defraud unsuspecting victims via online relationship for offences that bordered on impersonation and cybercrime fraud.

Also, another court sitting in Ilorin has convicted four other

persons over similar offenses.

They are a fake US Military Officer, Oguntoyinbo Oluwatobi Damilola; Taiwo Akinyemi Kayode from Ekiti West Local Government Area of Ekiti State, Adebayo Adeola Mark from Osi in Ekiti Local Government Area of Kwara State, Adedoyin Olayinka from Ilesha West Local Government Area of Osun State and one Yusuf Alameen Abiodun from Igbo-Owu Area of Kwara State.

The Ilorin Zonal Command of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, (EFCC) has arraigned the affected convicts on offences bordering on impersonation and cybercrime.

While the quartet of Jatto, Damilola, Taiwo, and Mark were prosecuted before Justice Mahmud Abdulgafar, Justice Adenike Akinpelu, both of the Kwara State High Court sitting in Ilorin, heard the case of Olayinka and Abiodun.

Nigeria’s Biosafety System is Safe to Human Health, Says NEMA DG Igbawase Ukumba in Lafia The Director-General of National Biosafety Management Agency (NBMA), Dr. Rufus Edegba, yesterday said that Nigeria’s biosafety system is safe to human health and the environment.

Edegba gave the assurance at the agency’s sensitisation workshop on Genetically

Modified Safety and Regulation in Nigeria, which was held in Lafia, the Nasarawa State capital.

He maintained that so far none of the GMOs approved in Nigeria has any risks associated with the product.

Edegba said: “I want to use this medium to assure Nigerians that the federal government through the

agency is doing everything possible to ensure that we are all safe.

“Nigerians should learn to trust the federal government and allow the agency do what will be in its best interest.

Nigerians need not be afraid as their health and wellbeing are paramount in the mind of the agency as they relate to biosafety.”

Enugu Pledges to Improve Budgetary Allocation for Youth Programmes Gideon Arinze in Enugu Enugu State Government has pledged to improved budgetary allocation on

CHANGE OF NAME I, formerly known and addressed as MISS AKANDE OLABISI ATINUKE, now wish to be known and addressed as MRS ADEBAYO OLABISI ATINUKE. All former documents remain valid. The general public should take note.

I, formerly known and addressed as BESSIE EBIYEMI JOE, now wish to be known and addressed as BESSIE EBIYEMI DUNKWUDIBIA. All former documents remain valid. The general public should take note.

I, formerly known and addressed as MISS ADIGUN BASIRAT BOLANLE, now wish to be known and addressed as MRS ADEBAYO BASIRAT BOLANLE. All former documents remain valid. The general public should take note.

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I, formerly known and addressed as IKECHUKWU WILSON NWADISHI, now wish to be known and addressed as IKECHUKWU WILSON EZEKIEL. All former documents remain valid. The general public should take note.

I, formerly known and addressed as HOLY CHURCH OF CHRIST, now wish to be known and addressed as MRS ADEYINKA OLUWATOSIN SIDIKAT. All former documents remain valid. The general public should take note.

I, formerly known and addressed as SALAMI ONYOZA JOY, now wish to be known and addressed as AGORO ONYOZA JOY. All former documents remain valid. The general public should take note.

programmes that will enhance the growth and development of the youths in the state.

The state Commissioner for Budget and Planning, David Ugwunta, gave the assurance yesterday in Enugu

during a public hearing programme on enhancing youth participation for sustainable development, which was organised by Connected Development (CODE) with support from Actionaid.

Screening for Ogun APC Congress Aspirants Holds Today The State Congress Committee of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has announced a screening exercise of all aspirants seeking

CHANGE OF NAME I formally known and address as OLUSOJI ITUNU DAMILARE now wish to be known and address as OLUSOJI ITUNU ADEOLA. All formal document remain valid. The general public should please take note.

I formally known and address as PRECIOUSADIELE DORA OBIANUJU now wish to be known and address as BEN DORA OBIANUJU. All formal document remain valid. The general public should please take note.

I formally known and address as MISS OROBOSA OBAMWONYI now wish to be known and address as MRS OROBOSA ODIGIE. All formal document remain valid. The general public should please take note.

CONFIRMATION OF NAME This is to notify the general public that I, AHMAD ALAMEEN AMINU also known as AMINU AL AMIN is one and the same person and that my correct DATE OF BIRTH is 30th of December 2001. Henceforth I wish to be known and address as AHMAD ALAMEEN AMINU. The general public please take note.

election into various state party offices at the congress slated for Saturday.

According to the Committee Chairman, Mr. Wale Ohu, the exercise will take place at the State Secretariat of the party, Moshood Abiola Way, Abeokuta on Friday, 15th October, 2021 from 2:30pm.

He urged all aspirants to bring along with them for screening all necessary documents that qualify them for the offices sought.

While counting on the support of the party faithful, Ohu assured all that everything would be done to ensure a credible, free, fair and transparent congress.

Adedire Adesoji Dies at 87 Elder Gabriel Adedire Adesoji is dead. Adesoji is the immediate past General Secretary of the Nigerian Union of Pensioners, Osun State and Baba Ijo CAC, Oke Irunu Alao Zonal headquarter, Osogbo is dead.

He passed on Wednesday October 6, 2021 aged 87 years.

He is survived by children and grandchildren. Burial arrangement to be announced later.

CONFIRMATION OF NAME This is to notify the general public that FREDRICK ODIGIE and OSASOGIE PROMISE OMOREGIE, OSAIVBIE DESTINY OMOREGIE, is the same person, and now wish to be known as AYEVBOSA FESTUS OMOREGIE. All former documents remain valid.

General public should take note.

Elder Gabriel Adedire Adesoji

Muhammad (PBUH) - 1

By: Syed Abul Ala Maududi/IslamCity

All Aspects of the Holy Prophet’s (PBUH) Life Are Open and Fully Known The authenticity of the sources for a reconstruction of this life and character is by no means the only distinction of the Holy Prophet (pbuh). Another factor which distinguishes him from all others is that we have access to far more details about each and every aspect of his life than we have with respect to other historical personages: His family background; the kind of life he led before the announcement of his Apostolic Mission; how he was invested with Prophethood; how the Divine Messages were transmitted to him; how he preached Islam; in what manner he faced opposition and resistance; how he prepared and trained his Companions; his domestic life; his conduct as a husband and father; his dealing with friends and foes; his precepts and practices, commands and warnings; the practices to which he did not object as well as the practices which he curbed- all these in their minute details may be read in the Books of Traditions and in the works on his pious life and character. The Holy Prophet (pbuh) was an ideal military general, and we possess detailed accounts of all the battles fought under his command. The Holy Prophet (pbuh) was the head of state, and a complete history of his reign is available to us. He (pbuh) was a judge, and full proceedings of all the cases tried by him, along with the judgements awarded by him in those cases, are extant. The Holy Prophet (pbuh) visited the markets and watched how the people conducted their business.

He (pbuh) forbade all he found to be unfair and fraudulent, while approving of all that was found to be just and equitable. In short, there is no sphere of life regarding which he did not lay down comprehensive guidelines. It is on this basis that we assert with full knowledge and conviction and without any prejudice that of all the Prophets (pbut) and religious leaders, it is the Prophet Muhammad(pbuh) alone to whom humanity can turn for advice and guidance, because the Book as presented by him has been preserved in its original text in its pristine form and his character, with all such details as are needed for guidance, has been reported to us through the most authentic and reliable sources. We shall now see what message and instruction his pious character bears for us.

The Message of the Holy Prophet (PBUH) is for All Mankind The foremost feature we observe in his apostolic mission is that he (pbuh) addresses man in his capacity as a human being, setting aside all distinctions of color, race, language or country. He (pbuh) propounds tenets for the welfare of all mankind. Whoever has faith in these tenets is a Muslim and enters the fold of the universal brotherhood of Islam. Black or white, belonging to the East or the West, the Arab or the non-Arab, wherever a human being may be living, whatever the country, nation or race in which he is born; irrespective of the tongue he speaks or the color of his skin, the call of the Prophet (pbuh) is addressed to everyone. Taboos, inequality, racial or class distinctions, linguistic, territorial or geographic bias - nothing that divides man from man has any place in the society of Islam.

The Best Remedy for Racial Prejudice or Color Bar On reflection, one comes to appreciate that this is a great blessing vouchsafed to mankind through the Arabian Prophet, Muhammad (pbuh). It has been this differentiation between man and man that has, more than anything else, ruined mankind. In some places, man was declared to be polluted and it was argued that since he was an untouchable, he could not enjoy the same rights as the Brahmans. Then, according to some, man was considered to be good only for destruction, for he had the misfortune to be born in America, Australia, or Palestine in an age when the foreign immigrants badly wanted his eviction from the land. In places, man was hunted, enslaved and forced to work like an animal merely for the offense of being born in Africa and the color of his skin, black. In other words, these distinctions of nationality, country, race, color and language have, from time immemorial, been highly detrimental to mankind. These differentiations have caused wars.

They have served as the basis of aggression by one country against the other. They have provoked a people to plunder another people. Generations of human beings have been subjected to ruthless genocide for the satisfaction of these prejudices. The Holy Prophet (pbuh) treated this malady so effectually that the enemies of Islam now admit that never were the problems of color distinction, racial prejudice and national bias so successfully solved as in the religion of Islam. When the

famous leader of the African-born nationals of America, Malcolm X, who at one time led an extremist Black Nationalist Movement against the Whites, undertook Hajj (pilgrimage to Makkah) after embracing Islam, he saw people of all races, colors and nationalities speaking different languages and converging at one central place from the East and the West and from the North and the South. They all wore the same garment, the Ihram, all chanted Labbaik, in the same language; all mingled to perform circumambulation, and they all formed one compact congregation under the command of one leader to offer worship.

Malcolm X observed this and exclaimed that it was the only correct answer to the questions of race and color and that the measures hitherto adopted by his compatriots were wrong. Malcolm X was murdered, but his autobiography survives to bear witness to the profound impact Hajj had made on him.

Hajj is but one of the articles of worship in the Islamic faith. Whoever surveys the Islamic religion with open eyes will not find even the smallest point to which he can refer and say that here Islam has tilted the balance in favor of a particular nation, tribe, race or class. The entire code of Islam testifies to the fact that it is applicable to the whole of humanity.

It affirms that all human beings who acknowledge the principles of Islam and enter the fold of the universal brotherhood of Islam are equal. Nay, the conduct of Islam towards the non-Muslim presents a happy contrast to the treatment of the Blacks by the Whites, and highlights, by contrast, the conduct of the imperialists toward the slave peoples as well as the behavior of the Communists governments towards their non-Communist subjects or toward their own dissident party members.

Let us now turn to the rules for human welfare which the Holy Prophet (pbuh) propagated through the teachings of Islam and the seizure of power to enable him not only to guarantee human well-being but to unite all human beings in one Ummah.

Widest Conception of the Oneness of God The foremost of these principles is the belief in the Oneness of God, not just in the sense that God exists, nor merely that there is only One God, but in the sense that the Creator, Master, and All-Wise Sovereign of this universe is Allah alone. There is no comparable authority in the whole universe which is sovereign and has the right to command or forbid; or has the power to make certain things lawful and others unlawful by decree. These powers are vested in no one, save Allah. It is the sole prerogative of the Creator and master to allow certain things in this world at Will and to prohibit certain things at Will.

Islam preaches that the belief in Allah signifies the acknowledgement of all these Powers of God. The belief in Allah is tantamount to the affirmation that we owe allegiance to no one except Him and that no power on earth has the right to enact a law that is inimical to His Commandments. The belief in Allah implies that man’s head is made to bow to God alone and is consequently rendered incapable of bending down before anyone else. The belief in God carries the meaning that only Allah has the power to make or unmake our destiny; that He has absolute power in regard to life or death. He can take away our life whenever He pleases, and He can keep us alive as long as it pleases Him. When he chooses to end our life, no power on earth can save us from death; when He chooses to give us life, no power on earth can put us to death. This, then, is the Islamic concept of God. According to this concept, the whole universe which stretches from the earth to the heavens operates under orders from Allah. It, therefore, behooves man, who subsists in this universe, to devote his life to carrying out the Will of God. Should man obtain a license to do what he likes or own obedience to some other power, his pattern of life would run counter to the entire system of the universe. This may be expressed in other words better to grasp the point. That the whole universe functions under orders from God is an established fact which is unalterable by any power.

Hence, if we carry out the behest of some authority other than Allah or follow an independent course of our own choice, our life will move in the direction opposite to the one the entire universe is taking. In this way, we shall be in a state of constant collision with the system of the universe.

Let us view this from another angle as well. The Islamic concept of God Affirms that the only valid way of life for man is to abide by the Will of Allah, for man is the creature and Allah is his Creator. As a creature, it is wrong on the part of the man to be independent of his Creator. It is also betrayal for him to offer worship to any other than the Creator. Either of these acts is opposed to reality. Whoever defies reality comes to grief. The reality stands inviolate. r&YUSBDUT GSPN 4ZFE "CVM "MB .BVEVEJ T BEESFTT BU 1VOKBC 6OJWFSTJUZ 4UVEFOU 6OJPO 0DUPCFS

FRIDAY, ͹ͽ˜ ͺ͸ͺ͹ ˾ THISDAY

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BACK PAGE CONTINUATION SCHOOLS MUST LAY THE FOUNDATIONS TO BRIDGE AFRICA’S SKILLS GAP form the foundation for later learning and are fundamental to a productive, capable workforce and a strong economy.

Gaining digital skills, or more rudimentary technical and vocational qualifications, is harder without basic learning.

Governments and business together need to look to the future and set policies and plans to focus on foundational learning.

Investing in these basic fundamental skills would allow African countries to enhance productivity, promote greater inclusion and build a workforce that can adapt

to the markets of the future and drive prosperity for all.

Policymakers and business should provide retraining and upskilling to the existing workforce, and offer these in areas with vulnerable and disadvantaged populations. They should work together to ensure investments are made in high-quality and effective interventions.

Governments and the private sector must also increase their investments in key infrastructure with an eye on the effects on education, from power to communication,

water supply and housing, research and social amenities, and not discriminate by gender or disability. The private sector must give governments clear indicators of future work needs so schools can adapt. There must be increased focus on and investment in foundational literacy and numeracy so students can acquire the skills fundamental to employability.

Together, the public and private sectors have a strong responsibility to accelerate progress. They must work in partnership, make fixing the education crisis a top

priority and commit to acting fast.

Failure to do so risks perpetuating low productivity, instability in the workforce and poor socio-economic outcomes.

Successful actions will mean greater prosperity for future generations, and are the only path to ensure a vibrant, prosperous, productive Africa.

between the constitution and good/ bad leadership has resulted in the standard refrain amongst Nigerians that the problem of Nigeria is the lack of good leadership simplicita. Which then begs the question of whether it is within our capacity to routinely ensure the emergence of good leadership. If we cannot, then rationality demands that we insure ourselves against bad leadership when it does emerge with containment strategies. This is the logic of Nigerians who today canvass and campaign that constitutional review and what is called restructuring (restoration of federalism) be prioritised over the next election (that may or may not produce the desired leadership). If the founding fathers of Nigeria were not mindless, there must be a reason why they resolved on federalism as the grand strategy for the attainment of the ultimate objective of Nigerian nationhood. The corollary is that the contravention of this grand strategy is bound to result in ruinous consequences of the likes that presently plague Nigeria. Indeed there would have been little or no need for the vexed issue of zoning the presidency were there an adherence to federalism in the first place. Zoning is a consequence of over-centralisation of power at the centre and a derivative of the

elevation of the politics of consumption over the politics of development and self-sustenance. It is a practical stop gap measure pending the return to decentralisation.

(Aliko Dangote is chief executive of Dangote Group) r$VMMFE GSPN 'JOBODJBM 5JNFT PG -POEPO

SANUSI LAMIDO SANUSI ON ZONING that does-regardless of zoning. Without prejudice to the commendable leadership credentials and legacy of the first elected chief executive of Nigeria, Prime Minister Tafawa Balewa, it is no gainsaying that he was not in the league of his co-contestants for the same office namely Chief Obafemi Awolowo and Dr Nnamdi Azikiwe.

Victor Ferkiss (in his scholarly review of the Nigerian classic- Background to Nigerian Nationalism by James Coleman) noted that “The central government will be headed not by Azikiwe or Awolowo, the leaders of its two most modernised and politically adept tribal-regional factions, but by a Moslem from the politically less-developed but more heavily populated North, who will preside over an interparty coalition.

Nigeria presents an almost classic case of the establishment of a state prior to the existence of a real nation”.

The transition to the Second Republic and the 1979 presidential election was presaged by the instructive observation of the then military head of state, General Olusegun Obasanjo, that the best candidate may not win. He was saying nothing if he was not drawing a comparison among the presidential candidates. Again, without prejudice to the tolerant, genial and accommodating leadership quality of Alhaji Shehu Shagari, he was no match for the acknowledged leadership competence and experience of Awolowo and Azikiwe, yet he was elected President. Shagari did not even aspire to become President, all he wanted was to be elected a Senator but was railroaded to seeking the presidency for reasons that had nothing to do with optimal leadership quality.

On the contrary, when the logic of compensation determined the zoning of the Nigerian Presidency to the South-west, the two candidates that emerged, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo and Chief Olu Falae, could not by any stretch of imagination, be cited as ‘two useless candidates’. In the 2007 presidential election when the notion of zoning repeated itself, could anyone have regarded Alhaji Umaru Yar’Adua and General Muhammadu Buhari (not the latter day Buhari) as two useless candidates? Four years later, it was not zoning that resulted in the candidacies of President Goodluck Jonathan, Nuhu Ribadu, Muhammadu Buhari and Abubakar Shekarau. And whatever shortcomings that resulted from the outcome of the election, it cannot be attributed to zoning. The same inference can be made of the 2015 presidential election which essentially pitted Jonathan against Buhari. In the 2019 presidential election cycle and beyond the two dominant presidential candidates, Muhammadu Buhari and Atiku Abubakar, there was a legion of lesser known but superior candidates from both the North and South yet the Nigerian electorate of its own volition restricted its choice to Buhari and Abubakar. From this literature review of presidential elections since the independence of Nigeria there is no basis for the thesis of Sanusi that zoning, by itself, equals two useless candidates or the choice between the rock and the hard place.

At the universal and theoretical level, democracy does not offer the promise of good candidates. What it offers is participation and inclusion and that is why it is called representative democracy.

Were democracy to be a guarantee for

Sanusi

good governance and leadership, Donald Trump would never have emerged the President of the United States with a distinct possibility of being elected again in 2024. In recognition of its dysfunctional propensities, democracy is figuratively cited as the worst form of government to which no better alternative has been found. Scientifically, democracy assumes the worst case scenario in order to be rendered foolproof against the possibility of terrible end products.

Therefore you do not proceed from the premise that good people like Barack Obama would be elected president. You proceed from the contrary assumption that bad people like Trump may be elected hence the need to anticipate and rein in such leaders with structural and institutional constraints like separation of powers and the principle of checks and balances. In the normal run of events the likelihood is that you are going to end up with both good and bad presidents. If you have a good one, all well and good, but if you make a bad call, you would have preempted and limit the capacity of a rogue and incompetent leader to damage society.

This is why the constitution and the rules of the road are prerequisites that are prior to political leadership.

Inability to discern the nexus

A Decadent Nigerian Senate “You have a simple issue of electronic transmission of results which is designed to make the electoral process fairer and you have people saying that they do not want it, shamelessly announcing to the country that they want to rig” - Sanusi Lamido Sanusi.

The Nigerian Senate confirmed its status as belonging in the hall of infamy when it voted against the electronic transmission of election results a while ago. There is no better interpretation of their sordid and profane behaviour than “shamelessly announcing to the world that they want to rig”. Their recent decision to reverse course on this primitive lapse should, in no way, detract from the conclusion it is only a political and social misfit who would contemplate this kind of rogue intervention in the first place. What a shame.

FRIDAY, ͹ͽ˜ ͺ͸ͺ͹ ˾ T H I S D AY

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FRIDAYSPORTS Pedri Agrees New Barca Deal With 1bn Euros Release Clause

Group Sports Editor: Duro Ikhazuagbe Email: duro.ikhazuagbe@thisdaylive.com

0811 181 3083 SMS ONLY

Saudi Era Begins at Newcastle with Spurs Visit

Teenage midfielder Pedri has agreed a contract extension with Barcelona which includes a 1bn euro (£846m) release clause, the club announced yesterday.

The 18-year-old's new deal will run until 30 June 2026 and he is expected to officially sign it today (Friday).

Pedri joined Barcelona from Las Palmas in August 2020 and played 53 times for them last season - the most of any player at the club.

He was also part of the Spain squad that reached the Euro 2020 semi-finals.

Spain boss Luis Enrique started him for each of his side's games at the tournament as he impressed on the international stage.

Pedri's exploits resulted in him being included in UEFA’s team of the tournament.

The teenager also helped Spain win Olympic silver in the summer after they were beaten by Brazil in the final.

Pedri has made four appearances for a struggling Barcelona this season, with the club seventh in the Spanish top flight and bottom of their Champions League group.

THE €1 BILLION PLAYER...

Barcelona’s teenage player, Pedri, yesterday agree a new deal that have a 1billion euro release clause should any club be interested in the youngster before his contract runs out in 2026

D’Tigress Decline Offer of Part Payment of Outstanding Debts Demand Presidential reception for winning AfroBasket three consecutive times

Stories by Olawale Ajimotokan in Abuja

Nigeria’s senior women’s basketball team, D’Tigress have defiantly rejected the offer of part payment truce made by the Federal Ministry of Youth and Sports on Wednesday, preferring instead that all outstanding bonuses and allowances owed the players since the 2018 FIBA Women’s World Cup in Tenerife, Spain be paid in full.

Their position was revealed yesterday by the team captain, Adaora Elonu in a press statement issued in reaction to the directive from the Sports Ministry to the Central Bank of Nigeria to begin the processing of the players entitlements.

The Sports Ministry had initiated moves expected to douse the disputes between the players and the former board of Nigeria Basketball Federal (NBBF), headed by Ahmadu Musa Kida over bonuses and money donated by corporate Nigeria to the team before Tokyo 2020.

The Permanent Secretary of the Federal Ministry of Sports, Ismaila Abubakar, on Wednesday authorised the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to immediately begin processing the payment of the players’ monies from the NBBF account lodged with the apex bank.

But Adaora, who led the team to a historic third consecutive FIBA Afrobasket triumph in Cameroon last month, said the players have rejected the terms of part payment made by the ministry.

She called out the ministry as the supervising sporting authority in Nigeria to either hold the former President of NBBF accountable or take responsibility for the bonus saga.

“It is incredibly sad that we had to take these measures for things we should not fight for, for it to be addressed. We are glad we have the support of our fans, families, pundits and some leadership around the world to bring awareness to what has plagued not only Nigerian sports but Africa in general.

“We thank the Ministry for their swift response but respectfully decline part payment of monies owed every member of D’Tigress since 2018 FIBA World Cup (players, officials, behind the scene staff, vendors etc). We are a team and we leave no one behind. The ministry is the governing body of Nigerian sports and needs to hold NBBF former president accountable or take responsibility,” the statement said.

The players, who threatened to boycott the forthcoming 2022 FIBA Women’s World Cup qualifiers that are billed to hold later this year, insisted all their demands that were circulated on social media must be discussed and resolved before they would shift ground.

Some of the talking points, which they said are not negotiable, included $73,118 allowances per each player, $24,000 grant due to each player and $100,000 being their share of the $230,000 donated by three of the country’s biggest banks on the eve of the Olympic

Games.

The others are improved travel conditions for the team in addition to the hiring of a team General Manager.

They also asked the sporting

authority to impress it on President Muhammadu Buhari to organise a state reception for the team in recognition of their historic consecutive continental feat.

They noted that the state reception is key as it would mark the first time most of them would be visiting Nigeria since the 2017 Women’s Afrobasket flourish in Mali.

Newcastle United begin their new era under Saudi ownership when they face Tottenham Hotspur at St James' Park with Steve Bruce set for his 1000th game as a manager and possibly his last with the North East club.

Last week, to the delight of their fans, Newcastle was sold to a consortium dominated by Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund (PIF) alongside minority partners PCP Capital Partners and RB Sports & Media.

While human rights groups such as Amnesty International have condemned the Saudi takeover, Newcastle supporters are delighted to see former owner Mike Ashley sell his stake in the club and have relished the promises of "heavy" investment in new players.

Many fans would also like to see the back of Bruce, who despite hailing from the region and managing to keep the club in the top flight, has been unpopular with supporters.

Media reports and bookmakers are already speculating on his successor, but after a meeting with the new board, Bruce remains in his position.

Sunday's game is likely to see further celebrations from Newcastle fans, but could be an awkward occasion for Bruce – if he remains in charge of the team which is next to bottom of the Premier League.

Newcastle's goal is to break into the elite of English football, a status Tottenham have enjoyed in recent seasons but are struggling to maintain.

Spurs appeared to be cementing themselves in the top echelon after four straight seasons of top-four finishes, including in 2019 when they reached the Champions League final.

....NBBF Elections: Players Reject Kida, Kick against Benin Venue More crisis jolted the Nigeria Basketball Federation (NBBF) elective congress billed for October 30 as basket players yesterday staged a peaceful protest in Abuja against the choice of Benin and the candidacy of the former President of the federation, Ahmadu Musa Kida.

The protest, which was held at the Old Parade Ground featured prominent former national team players like Ejike Ugboaja, Stanley Gumut, SkamboMorrison and

Igoche Mark.

Gumut spoke on behalf of the players. The newly elected players-representative prevailed on the Presidency, Ministry of Youth and Sports Development and Nigeria Olympic Committee (NOC) to intervene.

He insisted that the players who were the major stakeholders of the game would not have a voice if the elections were allowed to hold in Benin.

The players described the last

four years of basketball under the stewardship of the Kida led board as sheer waste, saying the embattled president should be prevented from contesting the elections for his apparent lack of regard for the same players he is angling to govern.

They fumed that the choice of Benin was orchestrated to impose Kida on Nigerian basketball players, technical officials and other stakeholders, who in the past four years have not played

Nigerian basketball stakeholders protesting against the candidature of Ahmadu Musa Kida in the NBBF elective congress slated for October 30 in Benin City...yesterday in Abuja

competitive basketball in the country.

They also said they were uncomfortable with the calibre of the people aspiring to return to the board at all cost.

“The former president of the NBBF has no regard for the players and called them thugs at the last AGM. We are calling on the Presidency, Ministry of Youth and Sports, Nigeria Olympic Committee and whoever is in authority in the country to see that Nigeria's basketball players are suffering and it was evident in the video on social media that our female team, who have been winning laurels for us have not been paid.

“We are calling on the government to intervene and get us an alternative venue to be able to elect the best leaders for ourselves. We don't want a situation whereby they would force a leader who has in the last four years killed our local leagues and basketball in the country. We are calling on the Minister and NOC to call for an all-inclusive congress that will find a lasting solution to the crisis,” Gumut said.

The position was reinforced by the proprietor of Mark Mentor Basketball Club, Igoche Mark.

55

FRIDAY, ͹ͽ˜ ͺ͸ͺ͹ ˾ T H I S D AY

SPORTS

Tributes Pour in Torrents for Murdered Kenyan Athlete

Agnes Tirop (left) was beaten by her compatriot Hellen Obiri in the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games 5,000m final

Tributes have been pouring in for Kenya's Agnes Tirop, who was found dead on Wednesday, with her former athletics captain Julius Yego among those leading the way.

The 25-year-old was found stabbed to deathat her home, with police naming her husband as a suspect.

When Tirop, who finished fourth in this year's Olympic 5,000m final, won 10,000m bronze at the 2019 World Athletics Championships, Yego was her team captain.

"She was an amazing young girl who was really working hard to be one of the top athletes in the world," Yego told the BBC World Service's Newsday programme.

"She wanted to be the best and it was only a few weeks ago that she broke the world record for the 10km. Her successful career was still being crafted but unfortunately, someone decided the whole story cannot be written.”

During her career, Tirop had success as both a junior - winning 5,000m bronze at world championships in 2012 and 2014 - and as a senior, winning the World Cross Country championships in

2015.

At the World Athletics Championships in 2017 and 2019, Tirop won bronze in the 10,000m before finishing 0.75 seconds outside the medal placesat the Tokyo Games two months ago.

Last month, she set a new world record of 30 minutes and one second, in Germany, for the 10km road race.

On Thursday, Athletics Kenya - the country's governing body - suspended all athletics competition for two weeks as a mark of respect for Tirop's death.

"We just lost a great talent.

She was such a strong woman and committed to what she was doing," said Yego.

Asked how he would remember, the Olympic javelin silver medallist replied: "A young lady who was so peaceful, so humble, always smiling.

"You would never know when she was sad or angry," he said, adding she was incredibly "focussed on her training and her career".

"We had a difficult day yesterday - it is still shocking.

When you check on social media or TV, it is the sad news of Agnes. We are still collecting ourselves."

Adu, Sampson Strike Hungary as Nigeria Even Score in Friendly Chess Femi Solaja The much anticipated Nigeria/ Hungary virtual chess friendly held yesterday with International Master Oladapo Adu and Peace Sampson winning their respective games for both nations to end the tournament on parity.

The One-day event was

the initiative of the present board of the Nigeria Chess Federation (NCF) led by DIG Sani Mohammed (rtd) with the primary aim to foster sports collaboration between the two nations.

“We have been on this project for some and I am delighted that our players played against highly rated

field from the Hungarians who provided the technical assistance and the event is in-line with FIDE online Olympiad regulations,” Mohammed said last night after the match in which Nigeria lined up six players against the strong field from the east European nation.

Aside Adu, others who

played for Nigeria include; International Master Bunmi Olape (a veteran of several World Chess Olympiad), Peace Sampson, Perpetua Ogbiyoyo, Toluwanimi Okemakinde and Azumi Suleiman. International Arbiter Obinna Ogbonnaya was captain of the team.

Hungary’s team was made up of Grand Master Kozak

Polo: Kaduna Profile Make History Winning Rubicon Tourney Kaduna Profile Polo team confirmed their place at the summit of Nigerian polo scene, becoming the first team ever to win the inaugural Rubicon Polo Resort tournament in Abuja.

Profile defeated city rivals Kaduna Barbedos for the crown in a tense final decided before a full house in the capital city.

They went into the inaugural tournament as outsiders, but made their mark with a breathtaking exhibition of skills, horsemanship and broken-field running, showing off everything that was good about not only their own play but Nigerian polo as a whole.

The emergence of this offshoot of EL-Amin polo organization as a force to reckon with couldn’t have come at a more auspicious time than when the country was celebrating her 61st Independence Anniversary.

In their traditional all attacking game, Profile stunned four more experienced oppositions, Lintex, Malcomines, Barbedos and host team Rubicon, to their El dorado. The new polo kings defeated Barbedos in the

opening match and dismissed Jos Malcomines to qualify for final without dropping a point. Lintex, Melamines and Barbedos all ended the round-robin stage with a win and a draw each and had to go into a toss that threw up Barbedos to face Profile in the ultimate final.

Revenge-seeking Barbedos were looking forward to salvaging their bruised ego with revenge, but that was not to be as Profile smashed their way to history with a close victory, emerging the first ever champions of the inaugural Rubicon tournament.

“We are happy we participated in the tournament. We are even happier we emerged the overall champions, a feat that would go down in the annals of Rubicon Resort tournaments,” team patron, Mohammed Babangida declared. “It is a great honour,” he stressed further.

“All our matches were huge games and no easy one. “As well all know, others have a high level of skill but, as a team, we are willing to take that on the chin and show what we are capable

of as well”, he added with a smile. “ Predator in chief of Profile and El-Amin, Bello Buba, added: “The whole experience was amazing and I can’t believe the high level of competition and huge turnout. It was so exciting.”

He admitted that all Profile wanted was to be able to play and experience the tournament. “I think all we wanted was to be able to play, and experience events like this. We are proud of our achievement, Buba added.

With the conquest of Abuja that quickly transforms Profile to becoming one of the hottest tickets in town. With an army of new fans attracted to the sport like their forebears, EL-Amin, pundits convinced that skeptics of Profile future were quickly won over by the action on show and the buzz around the country.

Polo buffs believe that with all the five teams parading two Argentine professionals, the 19-goal tournament that saw Lintex defeat Malcomines to the subsidiary final, has provided the strongest indication yet of what to expect at the 2021 Kaduna

international tournament.

This much was confirmed as the same regulars and others have thrown their hats into the Georgian Cup firestorm with the 15 times winners, EL-Amin as the defending champions.

Adam, Grand master Acs Peter, Woman International Master Terbe Julianna, Mihok-Juhasz Barbara, Matyas Palczert and Toth Lili played against Nigeria in the 15 minutes plus five additional seconds increment per move.

But the star match of the day was IM Adu’s dexterity on board one against Grand Master Adam.

The Nigerian master playing in White-side of King’s Indian Attack showed shade of genius in middle play and on move 16 played Nc4 for his opponent to capture his Knight and the exchange led to loss of pawn but created a strong pressure on D file which led to a Kingside attack.

On move 85, the highly

rated player resigned to the amazement of several Nigerian chess communities following the proceedings of the tournament online.

However, the Hungarian won the reverse fixture after Adu took a sacrifice that backfired and was forced to resign.

Aside Adu, Peace Sampson (Female) also won her game against International Woman Master Julianna but Olape drew against GM Peter, same with Okemade against Matyas.

In all, the Nigeria team was composed of two senior players in Adu and Olape. Ayisa Azuni as junior female player and Toluwanimi Okemakinde as the junior male player.

Players of Kaduna Profile Polo team flanked by Barbedos Patron, Kashim Bukar, shortly after the Kaduna team won the inaugural edition of the Rubicon Polo Tournament in Abuja...recently

Friday October 15, 2021

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MISSILE Ohanaeze to Dokpesi

“I sympathise with our Southern son, Chief Raymond Dokpesi, because he started as personal assistant to Bamaga Tukur at the Nigerian Ports Authority.

He also served under Umaru Dikko and Gen. Garba Wushishi. Records reveal that Tukur paid his fees from secondary school to the post graduate level. To that extent, he owes allegiance to his benefactors” – Ohanaeze National Publicity Secretary, Alex Ogbonnia, berating Dokpesi, for his anti-South power shift in 2023.

ALIKODANGOTE GUEST COLUMNIST

Schools Must Lay the Foundations to Bridge Africa’s Skills Gap

A

s African businesses, including my own, seek to expand and boost prosperity across the continent, we face a hurdle that we and our governments must do more to overcome. The majority of those entering the workforce lack the skills required to meet the changing needs of the global economy. Up to 20m increasingly well-educated young people are set to join Africa’s labour force every year for the coming three decades. As the World Economic Forum has argued, ensuring we have a strong ecosystem to offer quality jobs — and the skills to match — will be imperative if we are to fully leverage this demographic dividend. By 2030, about a quarter of the world’s population under the age of 25 will be in or from Africa. So the economic prospects not only of Africa but of the world depend on the skills, capabilities and productivity of our youth. Employers, including Dangote

Group, need employees with a mix of strong cognitive and problem-solving capabilities, soft skills and 21st-century — often digital — skills. Yet there is a large gap in all three characteristics.

In a 2019 survey by PwC, 97 per cent of African chief executives said the lack of skills was affecting their organisations’ growth and profitability. We believe Africa will drive the future of the global economy, but if our youth do not have the skills, then how can they do so? This is one of the biggest problems facing African companies. For Dangote, bridging the gap requires spending extra time, effort and financing on training and upskilling staff, building recruitment pipelines with investments in colleges and, in some cases, hiring from outside the continent. Such extra costs hinder the ability of the private sector and the economy to grow and diversify. We have been providing vocational training for young Nigerians for a long time. We

started the Dangote Academy in 2009 in our Obajana cement plant, where we train more than 2,000 technicians every year. More recently, in partnership with the German Association for Mechanical and Plant Engineering (VDMA) and its Foundation for Young Talent, we have launched a technical training programme in engineering. Many businesses are taking similar steps, investing millions of dollars a year. But relying on companies and postsecondary training programmes to address the skills gap is not enough. The problems begin earlier in the education system, and investments must go beyond upskilling adults. Government must take a larger role. Quality education relies on an extensive, interlinked, robust infrastructure and ecosystem.

Across Africa, nine out of 10 children do not achieve basic reading and numeracy skills by the age of 10, which creates wide-ranging ripples. A third of students do not complete primary school, more

than half do not finish lower secondary school and almost 90 per cent do not make it to higher education. Local conflicts and wider insecurity in parts of Africa, with the attendant mass displacement, further reduces access.

The pandemic has closed schools and affected families’ abilities to pay for education. This no doubt has led to an increase in the number of children out of school, estimated at about 15m in Nigeria.

Skills acquired early in primary school form the foundation for later learning and are fundamental to a productive, capable workforce and a strong economy A large proportion of job applicants not only lack basic qualifications but also struggle with simple computation and comprehension. This hinders their ability to take up jobs we are desperate to offer and impedes those already in employment.

Skills acquired early in primary school Continued on page 53

AKINOSUNTOKUN DIALOGUE WITH NIGERIA

akin.osuntokun@thisdaylive.com

Sanusi Lamido Sanusi on Zoning

B

y Nigerian standards, Northern Nigerian in particular, they don’t come more credible and enlightened as the 14th Emir of Kano, Sanusi Lamido Sanusi. He exemplifies the elite selfpreservation obligation of enlightened self interest. I admit that this is a problematic endorsement given the controversy he engendered by the less than candid role he played in setting up former President Goodluck Jonathan for failure at the general elections of 2015.

If at all there was any validity to his damaging allegation of the wherewithal of a missing 20billion dollars under Jonathan, it was a grossly exaggerated accusation. Back in the day, we were buddies and he was one of seven friends who penned essays in my honour to commemorate the occasion of my fortieth birthday many years ago. Others were Odia Ofeimum, Kayode Samuel, Sanusi Lamido Sanusi, Adebayo Williams, Sina Odugbemi, Reuben Abati and the late Dotun Oni. The essays supplemented a compilation of selected articles from my Sunday column (which coincided with the heydays of the Sani Abacha dictatorship from 1996-1998) and the combination was published under the title ‘Beyond Abacha: Companion Essays’.

Sanusi

Not long after he took office as Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria the town was agog with speculations that he was on course to become the Emir of Kano whenever the throne became vacant. I told him that I dismissed such speculations on the grounds I couldn’t reconcile his restless

and rebellious personality with such a sedate, sedentary and conservative occupation. To my utmost surprise he cut me short and protested ‘Iam o, I’am o’. If he was indeed interested, I couldn’t see anyone stopping him and so it transpired. He went on to inherit the throne and spent his entire reign proving my point he was not cut out for the restraint and ramparts of the theocratic monarchy. He replicated the reformist and confrontational legacy of his grandfather and as it was with the former so it became with the grandson. It was a jinx foretold.

The qualitative difference between the experience of grandfather and grandson was the difference between the quality of Sir Ahmadu Bello as Premier of the Northern Region and that of Ganduje as Governor of Kano State. By the logic of deduction, to be removed from office by a public servant of Ganduje’s description is akin to a bestowal of a badge of honour.

If anyone qualifies as the conscience of the North today, Sanusi will rank among the top contenders but he got it wrong on the controversy over zoning when he argued that “I have always objected to this idea that we should focus on where the president comes from. We have got southern governors

saying we want the presidency and some northern governors saying that they want it in the north. Have you noticed that nobody has given the name of what they want?

“This whole thing is to corner the presidency to one part of the country and the big masquerade will come out. And that is why at the end of the exercise, you end up as Nigeria… presented with two useless candidates.

Those who want to be president should show their face either from the north or the south.

“Meanwhile, we have before us very serious issues. Why are we not talking about these issues?

“Give me a president from any part of the country who can deliver and we should vote for him. He is not taking the presidency to his home town.”

Well, unless Kingsley Moghalu, Oby Ezekwesili and Pat Utomi (to mention a few) are not worthy of mention. No one can claim there are no names associated with presidential aspiration going forward.

In the illumination of my lights, it is not zoning that tends to “produce two useless candidates” for Nigeria, it is the practice of Nigerian democracy Continued on page 53

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