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10,000 Constables Recruitment: IG Asks Supreme Court to Stay Nullification Files fresh 20 grounds of appeal Alex Enumah in Abuja The Inspector-General (IG) of Police, Mr Mohammed Adamu, has asked the Supreme Court to halt the execution of the judgement

of the Court of Appeal that nullified his recruitment of 10,000 constables into the Nigeria Police. The request was contained in an application for stay of execution filed along with fresh 20 grounds of

appeal against the judgement of the appellate court delivered on September 30.

A three-man panel of the Abuja Division of the Court of Appeal presided by Justice Olabisi Ige had in a

unanimous decision held that the IG and the Nigeria Police lacked the power to recruit the constables. According to the appellate court, the power to recruit the constables is exclusively that of the Police

Service Commission (PSC).

Ige subsequently set aside the earlier judgement of the Federal High Court, Abjua, which had validated the IG's power of recruitment, and nullified the recruitment of

the 10,000 constables made by the IG. Unsatisfied with the decision, Adamu, along with the Nigeria Police and Continued on page 8

FG Re-opens Eko, Marine Bridges Monday… Page 69 Sunday 18 October, 2020 Vol 25. No 9323

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Amid Growing Global Support for Protests, FG Says Police Reform Not Negotiable Protests persist in Lagos, Abuja as govt beefs up security at land borders Oyetola attacked, two protesters feared killed by governor's details Aisha Buhari: It’s time to address insecurity in the North Army to begin operation crocodile smile nationwide Monday Lagos, Enugu, Kaduna, Ogun set up judicial panel on Police brutality Our correspondents With increasing supports by international stars for the #ENDSARS protesters in many parts of the country, the federal government, yesterday, reiterated that a police reform was inevitable and promised to redesign the operational guidelines and monitoring mechanisms that would help avert human rights violation

by men of the Nigeria Police Force (NPF).

One of America’s foremost actors, Tyler Perry, swelled the ranks of the international stars, who had so far enlisted supports for the ongoing protests, when he tweeted yesterday, writing, “I hate that a country with enormous potential to be one of the Continued on page 5

...NUPENG Denies Move to Shut Down Oil Facilities Onyebuchi Ezigbo In Abuja National Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas workers (NUPENG) has said that it has not asked it's members to shut down petrol stations or Nigeria's oil production facilities as part of the ongoing protest against police brutality by the Police. wIn a statement jointly

signed by NUPENG National President, Comrade Williams Eniredonana Akporeha and General Secretary, Comrade Olawale Afolabi, the union said it supports Nigerian youths' protest against Police brutality and call for immediate and far reaching Police reforms.

NUPENG however, said that Continued on page 5

SANWO-OLU'S CONDOLENCE VISIT...

Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu (right), condoles with widow of Okechukwu Iloamuazor, who was hit by a stray bullet in the Surulere EndSARS protest, during the Governor’s visit to the deceased family at their residence in Lagos...yesterday

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PAGE FIVE AMID GROWING GLOBAL SUPPORT FOR PROTESTS, FG SAYS POLICE REFORM NOT NEGOTIABLE greatest in the world, is going through so much horror…I stand with Nigeria.”

This is as the protests have persisted in both Lagos and Abuja, her two major epicentres, forcing the federal government to equally beef up security in its land borders across the nation.

Buhari Has Failed Nigerians on Security, Says Katsina Youths From the home state of President Muhammadu Buhari in Katsina, the youths, under the auspices of Coalition of Northern Groups (CNG), have bemoaned the prevailing spate of killings and kidnappings orchestrated by bandits, saying the president has failed Nigerians and the state on security.

And as though reading the minds of the Katsina youths, the First Lady, Aisha Buhari, has enjoined her husband, President Buhari to seize the momentum and address the growing insecurity, particularly, in the northern part of the country.

In another breath, the Nigerian Army has announced plans to commence its annual nationwide military exercise tagged Crocodile Smile, which imposes ‘operation positive identification’ – a move many feared could precipitate a clash with the protesters.

As at yesterday, four states had announced judicial panel of inquiry to investigate police brutality and killings. Lagos, Ogun, Enugu and Kaduna,while other states are expected to follow suit.

Also, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Saturday, confirmed futile attempts by unknown group to hack into its official website amid allegations that several other government agencies and parastatals, had been hacked, fuelling insinuations that the nation probably runs a rather weak tech security.

In other news, Osun State Governor, Gboyega Oyetola narrowly escaped being lynched yesterday by armed thugs, who allegedly invaded a protest rally, where the governor had gone to address some of the angry youths, protesting against police brutality.

The development reportedly left two people feared dead, allegedly shot by the Gov Oyetola's security details, while many of the vehicles on the convoy of the governor were badly damaged.

This but came at a time his Bauchi State counterpart, Senator Bala Abdulkadri Mohammed, urged the media to use their influence to unite Nigerians in the face of the series of protests against Police brutality in the country, saying although the police have their limitations, the country still needs them to maintain peace and order.

Minister of Police Affairs, Mr. Mohammed Maigari Dingyadi, speaking at the weekend during stakeholders engagement meeting on internal security and conflict resolutions in Katsina, Katsina State, fondled with remedies to the lingering threats of banditry in the state, noting that a police reform would enhance better service delivery devoid of unprofessional behaviour and violation of human rights.

He explained that the federal government was working with critical stakeholders in the

country to reformulate policies and programmes for effective policing and maintenance of law and order for harmonious coexistence amongst her citizenry.

The minister reiterated that the recent disbandment of the Special Anti Robbery Squad (SARS) was to avert conducts that were not in line with the principles of democratic governance and also top deepen relationship between the police and the civil populace.

He said: "This stakeholders engagement is coming at a time when police in this country are being faced with challenges of unprofessional conducts that are not in tune with the principles of democratic governance.

"We will work with stakeholders, especially civil society groups in redesigning our operational guidelines and monitoring mechanism of police to avoid the reoccurring of highly unbecoming conducts of the SARS personnel that led to the disbandment of the unit".

He, however, "urged all Nigerians to see the recent disbandment of SARS as government's commitment to deepening relationship between the police and citizens for better service delivery devoid of unprofessional behaviour and violation of human rights.

"Therefore, I want to assure Nigerians of our commitment to reform our policing framework to meet global best practices and arrangements are on to deal with erring policemen involved in violation of human rights".

In his opening remarks, the Katsina State Governor, Aminu Bello Masari, said the state government would continue to accord security the needed priority to end the perennial challenges afflicting the state.

Masari added that his administration had embarked on revolving security strategies, which he said had greatly stemmed the rate of banditry and kidnapping in the state.

Meanwhile, the number of international stars from different walks of life, who had enlisted support for the ongoing protests across the country, has continued to increase by the minute.

Apart from Tyler Perry, who just joined, other superstars, who are with the Nigerian youths in their drive include Wyclef Jean, Celine Dion, Kanye West, Trey Songz, Drake, Marcus Rashford, Mesut Ozil, Rio Ferdinand, etc., all taking to Twitter to express solidarity with Nigerian protesters, who have been on the streets for days.

Besides, Nigerians in the Diaspora have also joined the protest, from Paris to London, Berlin and New York.

US rapper, Kanye West tweeted, “I stand with my Nigerian brothers and sisters to end police brutality.

The government must answer to the peoples cries #EndPoliceBrutalityinNigeria.”

Celine Dion, in a similar vein, stated, “My heart is melting after reading what is going on in Nigeria…#EndSARS #EndPoliceBrutality.”

Commenting too is a popular American gospel singer, Kirk Franklin, who stated thus: “For over 20 years, Nigeria stood with me, now I stand with you. #endsarsnow.”

Last Sunday, Drake shared an #EndSARS post from Grace Ladoja, a Nigerian-British talent manager and socialist. “Pls check this post from my family for

...NUPENG DENIES MOVE TO SHUT DOWN OIL FACILITIES no organ of the union has ordered shutting down of fuel stations or oil installations.

"NUPENG stands with Nigerian youths against Police brutality and call for immediate and far reaching Police reforms as our members are as well victims

of Police brutality and abuses through extortion, detention, harassment and intimidation nationwide.

Meanwhile, no organ of our Union has ordered shutting down of fuel stations or oil installations," the statement stated.

FROM PAKISTAN WITH LOVE...

Senate President, Mr. Ahmed Lawan (left) and Chairman of the Pakistan Senate Committe on Foreign Affairs, Senator Mushahid Hussainn Sayed, during a courtesy visit to the resident of the Nigerian Senate in Abuja... yesterday julius atoi

STATES THAT HAVE SET UP JUDICIAL PANELS LAGOS STATE headed by Justice Doris Okuwobi OGUN STATE headed by Justice Solomon Olugbemi KADUNA STATE headed by David Wyom ENUGU STATE to be headed by a judge the info @graceladoja,” Drake captioned the post along with a Nigerian flag emoji.

RnB Singer, Trey Songz also tweeted his support for #EndSARs, blasting the Nigerian government for not acting faster in response to allegations of police brutality and violence.

Former British professional footballer, Rio Ferdinand and ‘Star Wars’ British-Nigerian actor, John Boyega, condemned police brutality in the country.

“Horrible to hear what’s been going on in Nigeria. Let's make this a trending topic everywhere #EndSARS. My thoughts go out to everyone, who has been affected. #EndPoliceBrutality," Ozil tweeted.

Rashford, on his part, wrote: "My thoughts and prayers with all of those affected #EndSARS." Tammy Abraham, Antonio Rudiger, and Nigeria’s Wizkid also expressed their concerns.

Nigerian footballer and Leicester star, Wilfred Ndidi, said, “#EndSARS for the safety of Nigerians... We are scared to visit home, because the people who are meant to protect us are killing us. Looking good with dreads is not a crime.”

Against this backdrop, the protests against police brutality, corruption and indiscriminate arrest of citizens, have persisted in both Lagos and Abuja, even when they came under attacks by machete-wielding thugs at Julius Berger Roundabout in Wuse on Thursday.

Civil rights activists and youths have defiantly ignored the ban on public protests by the FCT Administration by marching in the city in the past three days to demand for police reforms.

In Abuja, on Friday, they blocked the International Airport road and paralysed the movement of vehicles along the busy road. The situation made many commuters to be stranded for several hours.

Many people trekked for hours with the attendant security risk and only got home in the mid night, while some motorists, who were trapped in the traffic, slept on the road as a result of the cordon set up at the Abuja City Gate. The disruption in the flow of traffic to the airport also caused many prospective passengers to miss their flight.

But the protesters have continued from where they last

stopped, when they barricaded the Kubwa-Zuba Expressway and the strategic Abuja- Keffi Road.

Traffic was grounded along the 10-lane Kubwa-Zuba expressway by the youths, who blocked the Kubwa section of the road around the NNPC filing station.

Another cordon was also mounted at Gwarimpa leading to a serious traffic bottleneck. Many inbound vehicles from nearby communities and states in the North West were stranded. The protesters carried placards and sang protest songs.

The protesters also set up barricade along the strategic Abuja- Keffi Road, which connects the FCT with the north central, North Eastern and Southeastern states.

There was a mid morning protest by hundreds of youths at Mararaba, New Nyanya, New Karu and Ado communities in the Nasarawa part of the road.

There were also pockets of protests in Masaka in the evening, leading to a disruption of vehicular flow on both sides of the road.

In Lagos, the protests also continued with no signs of letting up, as protesters ramped up both online and offline efforts to press their demands for police reforms.

The protests continued simultaneously at the Lekki Tollgate, Alimosho Local Government, Ago Palace Way, Alausa, Amuwo Odofin, Egbeda, Ikotun, Ipaja and environs.

The protest held in Ikorodu built up with time and grounded the entire suburb, hampering vehicular movement.

Inevitably, this shot up the cost of transportation in the areas as a trip from Oshodi to Ikorodu that ordinarily costs N150 was upped to N1,000.

To ensure a coordinated protest nationwide, devoid of hitches, the protesters however created a helpline on 01 700 1755.

According to FK Abudu, one of the organisers, the call sign one is for medical, two for legal, three for food and supplies, four, five and six for mental health emergencies and seven for security.

Curiously, the Nigeria Youth Organisations (NYO) has appealed to youths to stop the #EndSARS protest as it might have been hijacked by self-centred elements bent on compromising the peace of the country.

The group also urged support for efforts to reform the Nigeria Police to bring about modern policing with human face as promised by President Muhammadu Buhari.

National President of the Organisation, Alhaji Abubakar Wali, made the call at a news conference in Abuja, saying all well meaning Nigerians must not play into the hands of those bent on distabilising the country like Syria and Libya, by creating unrests inspired by civil protests.

“We join all well-meaning Nigerians to condemn bad eggs in the police, who perpetrate brutality against innocent citizens, and welcome necessary reforms that shall bring about modern policing with human face. We commend the Nigerian youth and lovers of social justice for coming up with a patriotic stands to right the wrongs in our society.

“However, we must as a point of necessity crave towards mutual trust of peace, unity, love, stewardship and accountability to the government and people,” Wali said, even as he tasked the National Assembly to ensure the passage of the Youth Rights Bill, which he said would ensure that the rights and privileges of the youths are protected.

Leader of Ohaneaze Ndigbo Youth Council Worldwide, Mr. MaziOkwu Nnabuike, also enjoined the youths to support the federal government to implement laudable reforms in the police.

However, given the fact that the protests have persisted, the Department of State Security (DSS) has raised the alarm over alleged plans by smugglers to mobilise people in Ogun State to protest against the continued closure of the nation’s borders with Benin Republic.

The DSS, therefore, advised all security operatives in Ogun State to be on the alert.

In a memo to the Ogun State Commissioner of Police, the DSS said protest of sundry issues would spring up in the state, building on the success of the ENDSARS protest across the nation, insisting there were plans to protest against even bad roads in the state.

The memo to the police commissioner, which is dated 15th October 2020 read: “Following the #ENDSARS protest across the nation, there are indications that protest on sundry issues will spring up in the state with effect from 16th October, 2020 as foot soldiers and their sponsors, both local and foreign have commenced mobilisation of the people, especially, the youths who are still buoyed by the perceived success of the #ENDSARS

protests.

“Already, youths in border communities, particularly those in Idiroko in Ipokia LGA, OwodeYewa and Oja Odan in Ayewa South LGA, Ilara in Imeko-Afon LGA and Ijoun in Yewa South LGA are being mobilised by smugglers and their foreign collaborators to stage protests simultaneously anytime soon against the continued closure of the nation’s land borders and activities of security agencies, particularly the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) at the border points.

“Likewise, there is mobilisation of residents of the state by agents of the opposition to protest against bad condition of roads across the state. The protest against bad roads will likely hold in Abeokuta, Ifo, Ota, Sagamu and major towns in Ijebu axis as the foot soldiers have made inroads into these towns with an appreciable number of youths sympathetic to their cause.

“In view of the palpable threat and its negative impact on national security, it is imperative that patrol of key and vulnerable points and flash-points/black spots cross the state be intensified amongst other security measures, while security operatives at border points be extra cautious and vigilant against possible attacks by aggrieved youths from the border areas.”

From Katsina State, the youths, who passed a verdict of failure on the president, said the wave of banditry, rape and kidnapping ravaging Batsari and Faskari Local Government Areas of the state, has unforeseen economic, social and political implications that if not tackle would engulf the entire state.

In a communiqué issued on Saturday by the North-west Vice Chairman of CNG, Mr. Jamilu Aliyu, shortly after a roundtable discussion on how to end banditry, kidnapping and rape in the state, held at the Katsina State Motel, stated that government's attempts to reassert public confidence with repeated rhetoric of being on top of the situation, seem to be worsening the uproar as killings and kidnapping for ransom have become a daily occurrence in most parts of the state.

"The administration of President Muhammadu Buhari has failed the nation and in particular, Katsina State in the vital area of improving citizens lives and securing property. Many of our parents and children are still in captivity and many of them are widows and orphans.

"The rise in the spate of Continued on page 8

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NEWS AMID GROWING GLOBAL SUPPORT FOR PROTESTS, FG SAYS POLICE REFORM NOT NEGOTIABLE banditry and kidnapping in places such as Faskari and Batsari, lately, has become a major trying point for everyone but the authorities have remained detached from the reality," he said.

He, however, called on Governor Masari to investigate the alleged misappropriation of security funds meant to stem banditry in the state by some of his kitchen cabinets, while expressing dissatisfaction that the alleged embezzlement of security funds by government officials was coming at time residents of the state were under siege by marauding bandits and kidnappers.

Also, in a push consisted with her disposition, the first lady, Aisha Buhari, has created a new hashtag on Twitter #Achechijamaa (save the people) and shared it with a song, highlighting the insecurity and killings in Northern Nigeria.

In the music video tweeted in her verified handle, the first lady begged President Buhari to address insecurity in the Northern Nigeria.

The music video, which is rendered in Hausa language, showed images of Security Service Chiefs in meetings with President Buhari at the Presidential Villa.

The translation goes thus: “Please, in the name of God, pay attention and intervene on our plight. The North is crying!

Our blood is being shed! Our people are being killed! Our properties and wealth are being destroyed; Baba, please intervene; Baba Please protect us!"

But, apparently not comfortable with the state of the nation with respects to the ongoing protests, the Nigerian Army has concluded plans to commence its nationwide annual military exercise tagged Crocodile Smile, an idea that forces operation positive identification of the citizens.

A press release by the Acting Director, Army Public Relations, Col. Sagir Musa, stated that the exercise, which is traditionally conducted in the last quarter of the year, would hold this year between 20th of October to the 31st of December.

He said this year's exercise, Crocodile Smile VI, is deliberately intended to be all encompassing to include cyber warfare exercises designed to identify, track and counter negative propaganda in the social media and across the cyberspace.

“This is the first ever Cyberwarfare exercise to be conducted in the history of the African Armed Forces.

Accordingly, the exercise will also include positive identification component aimed at identifying Boko Haram terrorists fleeing from the North East and other parts of the country as a result of the ongoing operations in the various theatres of operations especially in the Northeast, North Central and North Western parts of Nigeria.

“The Nigerian Army, once again, reassures all well meaning Nigerians of its commitment to the sustenance of peace and security in Nigeria and urges members of the public for their support and understanding throughout the period of the

exercise.”

But, there are strong indications that the move might clash with the ongoing #EndSARS protests calling for the reformation of the Nigeria Police, security and good governance.

The Army had during the launch of Operation Positive Identification in October 2019, said it was designed to track fleeing terrorists in the Northeast, who had moved to other parts of the country and thereby informed members of the public to always go about with a valid means of identification.

Troops were directed to strictly check "legitimate means of identification such as national identification card, voters registration card, drivers' licence and international passport or other valid official identification before allowing such persons passage."

It later announced that it was extending operation positive identification across the nation to checkmate bandits, kidnappers and armed robbers among others.

But the Archbishop of Lagos, Alfred Adewale Martins, has called on President Buhari not to call out the military to stop the ongoing protest by youths.

In a statement he issued yesterday, Martins said the federal government should engage the youths in dialogue and not use force to chase them away.

"A BBC News report on 15th October insinuated that the Nigerian Army may be deployed to quell the protests by force. This is very disturbing and we hope it does not happen.

"Such a measure, if adopted, can only lead to injuries and possible deaths, and an escalation of the protests. It has the tendency of turning the largely peaceful protests into a violent one," he said.

He therefore appealed to the federal government to toe the line of engagement in dialogue, listening to the demands of the youths and other well-meaning Nigerians. He also commended the government for acceding to the demands of the youth.

Interestingly, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Saturday confirmed futile attempts by unknown group to hack into its official website, saying its official website was still intact.

INEC’s Director of Public Affairs and Voter Education, Nick Dazang, told THISDAY that though some unknown groups attempted several times to hack into the official website of the commission, however, failed each time they tried.

"Yes, I can confirm that today, as early as 3 am, attempts were made to hack into the INEC website, but this was repelled by the staff of the Information Communication Technology (ICT). The good thing is that the official website of the commission is still intact and the INEC ICT has been kept on 24 hours watch out against these groups," he explained.

Asked if he knew the motive of the hackers, the INEC Director said though he has no answer to that, however, "whatever their intentions might be, they have failed, because our ICT unit is equal to the task and will always

ENUGU #ENDSARS PROTEST...

Enugu State Governor, Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi (right) and his deputy, Hon. Mrs. Cecilia Ezeilo, acknowledging cheers from protesters, led by Flavour and Phyno, during the #EnuguEndSARSProtest, at the Government House, Enugu...yesterday repel the action."

He refused to attribute the attempt to hack into the INEC website to any group, but since Thursday, some official websites of government agencies have been hacked into by Anonymous, a hacking syndicate that claims solidarity with protesters demanding an end to Police brutality, even as some groups associated with the protests have also claimed responsibility for the multiple hackings.

But the situation is believed to have exposed the nation’s weak technology security since the coordinated attacks came 72hours after it demanded of the Nigerian government to end police brutality.

Codenamed Operation Nigeria, the hackers drawn from LiteMods, Skeletor, Shadow_xor, Lorian Synaro and Anonymous Central, among several others, attacked different platforms, hacking some and taking others offline.

Also reportedly attacked were websites of the State House, Central Bank of Nigeria, the Nigerian Army, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), the Nigerian Customs Service, and the INEC, which has since been denied.

In the area of security, they also hacked the website of the Nigerian Police, which showed the abysmal attention paid by the force to technology.

In the data generated on Mega. nz, it showed the police only recorded 23 biometric capture in a nation of 200million persons, while its statistics for stolen vehicles was pegged at 201, which is contrary to figures of 1,344 coordinated by legitcar.ng, a website that helps people verify any car sale before it happens.

Facing the state and local governments, they hacked the Lagos, Edo and Kaduna States websites, as well as that of the Amuwo Odofin Local Government in Lagos, not leaving out the website of the Nigerian Centre for Disease Control (NCDC).

Late evening casualties were the Nigerian Institute of Science Laboratory Technology (NISLT), the Nigerian Building and Road Research Institute (NBRRI), Nigerian Industrial Training Fund, Undeterred in their coordinated attacks, they said: “We warn that the attacks on Nigerian government servants will continue if they continue to harm the people.

“The Nigerian #government must pay for what they did and we will expose all their crimes against the country. We Are Anonymous. #EndSARS.” However, with a rather disturbing spectacle, the Osun State Governor, Gboyega Oyetola, was yesterday attacked by armed thugs, who invaded one of the protest rallies, where he had gone to address the youths, leaving two people dead and many of the vehicles on his convoy damaged.

A tweet from the state government @Stateofosun, confirming the development, reads: “There was an attempt Saturday on the life of the Governor Oyetola. Armed with guns, cutlasses, the hoodlums swooped on the governor at Olaiya junction, while he was addressing the #EndSARS protesters at the state capital”.

Similarly, the Bauchi State Governor, Senator Bala Mohammed, while urging the media to use their influence to unite Nigerians in the face of the series of protest against Police brutality in the nation, contended that the country was divided as a result of the various protest across the country, and as such, journalists should not heat up the polity by writing sensational reports.

Speaking at his country home in Yelwan Duguri at Alkeleri local government area of Bauchi, shortly after casting his vote for the local government election, he noted that, "Nigeria is so much divided now in the face of the ongoing protest against the SARS unit of the police. You as

journalists should not aggravate the situation, but should unite Nigerians by disseminating the right information, such that will not heat up the polity.

"This local government election in the state was conducted to give the people of Bauchi the privilege of exercising their own universal suffrage by electing their own leaders. This, we have successfully done today and the people of the state, especially the grassroots are happy that we have kept our campaign promise of conducting a free and fair local government election" he said.

Young APC Stakeholders Divided over #EndSARS Protest

concerns the agitations to put an end to police brutality and particularly the menace of operatives of SARS. The group noted that it acknowledged the genuineness behind these agitations just as it appreciated the unity and resilience that had been shown

by Nigerian youths in the past few days, adding that it was a testament to the true spirit of the desire to enthrone a nation that works for all.

According to the group, the fact that the protests have been sustained despite government agreeing to the demands was as a result of the long years of mistrust between the government and the people.

It, however, added that the present administration was committed and already showing the desire to bridge that gap and right the wrongs of many years, predating this government.

But another member of the group, Mr. Dagogo Fubara, said while he was in agreement with all that was said about the protest, he insisted that the call on the protesters to halt the protest was a wrong call, adding that the protest was not political, but a call on the authority for the right thing to be done.

Fubara, therefore, called on the Minister of Youth and Sports Development, Mr. Sunday Dare, to emulate the Governor of Kwara, Lagos, and Rivers States and address the protesters.

Young Stakeholders of the All Progressives Congress (APC), on Saturday, openly disagreed among themselves over the ongoing protest, which has culminated in the scrapping of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) by President Muhammadu Buhari.

The press conference that was supposed to start by 11:30 am could not start until 1:05pm, when they were able to reach some compromise.

The members of the group had open disagreement in the presence of the press before the press briefing kicked off.

While some members agreed to call on the protesters to stop protesting and give the government the benefit of the doubt to reform the police, others insisted that asking them to put an end to the protest was a wrong call.

However, the young stakeholders, who later addressed journalists at the party secretariat in Abuja on Saturday, said the protest was now doing more arm to the people.

Speaking on behalf of the group, its spokesperson, Mr. Aliyu Sheu, said the Young APC Stakeholders had watched events of the past days as it

See photos of #EndSARS protests around the country and diaspora on pages 10 to 15.

Public Service Rules 2008, which he contended was not applicable to the Nigeria Police.

Izinyon further claimed that the appeal court’s reliance on the definition of “recruitment” contained in the Public Service Rules in determining what constituted “appointment” led to “a grave error of law”.

He submitted that the Court of Appeal caused a miscarriage of justice and a breach of fair hearing to the detriment of his

clients by relying on Sections 14 and 15 of the Police Act without giving parties to the case an opportunity to air their views on them before judgement was delivered. He also contended that the appeal court did not show how the Police Act and the Police Regulations, 1968, made by the President were inconsistent with the provisions of paragraph 30, Part 1 of the Third Schedule to the Nigerian constitution.

Northern Groups Stage Protest in Makurdi over Insecurity The Benue State chapter of the Coalition of Northern groups (CNG), yesterday, staged a peaceful protest amid tight security in the state capital, Makurdi.

10,000 CONSTABLES RECRUITMENT: IG ASKS SUPREME COURT TO STAY NULLIFICATION the Federal Ministry of Police Affairs, approached the Supreme Court on October 2 to set aside the judgement of the Court of Appeal on the grounds that the appellate court erred when it arrived at its decision that they lacked power to recruit the said 10,000 constables.

The appellants, however, in fresh 20 grounds of appeal filed along with their original notice of appeal by their lawyer, Dr. Alex Izinyon (SAN), submitted

that the power of the Nigeria Police and the IG to enlist the constables was distinct from the power of the PSC to appoint them.

Izinyon faulted the Court of Appeal’s decision that the Nigeria Police Regulations 1968 conferring the power of “enlistment of recruit constables” on the Nigeria Police was inconsistent with the Nigerian constitution. He argued further that Section

71 of the Nigeria Police Regulation, 1968, was not synonymous with the power of “appointment” used in the Nigerian constitution or the Police Service Commission (Establishment) Act. He said, "The power to enlist recruit constables conferred on the 1st appellant (Nigeria Police) is distinct and is not the same function conferred on the 1st respondent (PSC)."

The senior lawyer stated that

the procedure for enlistment of recruit constables was specifically provided in Section 76 – 106 of the Nigeria Police Regulations, adding that the PSC “is not conferred with absolute power or any power howsoever described to enlist recruit constables into the 1st appellant (Nigeria Police).”

He also argued that the Court of Appeal erred in law by relying on the definition of “recruitment” contained in

T H I S D AY, T H E S U N D AY N E W S PA P E R ˾ OCTOBER 18, 2020

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EDITORIAL

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

ENDSARS PROTESTS: THE WAY FORWARD Quietly but determinedly, the street protests have made enormous gains. It is time to step back as the needed reforms will take a good deal longer

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ow that the notorious Federal Special Anti-Robbery Squad (FSARS) of the Nigeria Police has been dissolved and several other pro-active measures have since followed, the ENDSARS protesters have achieved their primary objective. In the process, Nigerian youths have registered their presence as the decisive barometer of national feeling. The unity of purpose, common humanity and sense of justice have also been unmistakably registered. Above all, the international resonance of what happens in Nigeria has come across.

On its part, the federal government has shown unusual responsiveness to what is happening on the streets, even if slow in doing so. It has scrapped FSARS. It has promised to reform the entire police force.

A process has also been set in motion to investigate allegations against errant police officers found to have abused their power with a view to ensuring justice is done, villains are punished and victims compensated. Both the public and police as well as the government will benefit from the cathartic effect of such open revelations and testimonies. In apologising to Nigerians last Friday, Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo admitted that “there are far too many people who have been brutalised at the hands of the police and this is unacceptable.”

In the past few days, many women have come out to disclose how they were raped at specific police stations. Several men have also recounted experiences of torture as well as how many others were summarily executed. The list of alleged fatalities is growing while tales of extortion are numerous. These allegations can now be investigated with the directive by the National Economic Council (NEC) for the immediate

establishment of state-based judicial panels of inquiry across the country. The panels are all-embracing as they would include representatives of youths, students, civil society organisations and are expected to be chaired by retired state high court judges.

This is bold statement.

T

These protests must be seen as an important notice to the managers of our public trust that the hour of impunity and insensitivity is over

Letters to the Editor

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S U N DAY N E W S PA P E R EDITOR SHAKA MOMODU DEPUTY EDITORS OLAWALE OLALEYE, TOBI SONIYI MANAGING DIRECTOR ENIOLA BELLO DEPUTY MANAGING DIRECTOR KAYODE KOMOLAFE CHAIRMAN EDITORIAL BOARD OLUSEGUN ADENIYI EDITOR NATION’S CAPITAL IYOBOSA UWUGIAREN MANAGING EDITOR JOSEPH USHIGIALE

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

o demonstrate good faith, Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu of Lagos State has already identified the four police officers involved in the killing of an ENDSARS protester in Surulere. Governor Willie Obiano of Anambra State has sacked a notorious former SARS commander and has pledged to get him prosecuted. It is now incumbent on Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo State to ensure the arrest of the police officer(s) involved in the Ogbomosho killings, especially with video evidence of how one was dragging a shot victim on the floor.

When these errant police officers are brought to justice, then their colleagues would begin to realise that the guns in their hands are meant to protect, and not to molest innocent citizens.

Now that the federal government is dealing with the problem, the protests cannot be allowed to continue indefinitely. Protest is a democratic right which has been respected and given free rein. But the freedom of those not protesting to go about their lives and business is also an equally compelling democratic right. In the past 10 days, social and economic life have been disrupted, especially in Lagos and Abuja. Some lives have been lost and opportunities compromised. The closure of public roads has not only made life difficult, it has resulted in unintended consequences of denying people in emergency access to medical care.

In this regard, there is an urgent need to deliver this message of reciprocal obligations to the protesting youth. The challenge is to show maturity and give government the benefit of the moment. Meanwhile, the federal government should also recognise that youths constitute the majority of our demographics and should be involved in measures aimed at making our nation a better place.

In all of what has happened so far, some enduring lessons ought to have been learnt especially by government at all levels. A new current of sensitivity to the performance of our public institutions is on display.

And it is not only the police that is under the searchlight of an activated youth. These protests must be seen as an important notice to the managers of our public trust that the hour of impunity and insensitivity is over.

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 (950- 1000 words). They should be sent to opinion@thisdaylive.com along with the email address and phone numbers of the writer.

OKONJO-IWEALA ON THE CUSPS OF HISTORY

ho becomes the next DirectorGeneral of the World Trade Organisation (WTO) in a matter of weeks?

It will surely be either Nigeria’s Ngozi OkonjoIweala or South Korea’s Yoo Myung-hee.

Members of WTO, according to reports, have since picked the two celebrated women as the final candidates. Hence Okonjo-Iweala and Myung-hee have both advanced to the final round, in the race to lead the Geneva-based trade body.

It is already a fait accompli that WTO will have the first female DG in its 25-year history, in either of the two finalists. Okonjo-

Iweala, who served two stints as Nigeria’s finance minister and one term as foreign affairs minister, has invaluable experience working at international governance bodies. She was a former managing director of the World Bank, and chairman at the Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunization.

Myung-hee is South Korea’s trade minister. During her 25-year career in government, she has helped to expand her country’s trade network through bilateral accords with the U.S., China, and the U.K. The United Kingdom’s Liam Fox, Kenya’s Amina Chawahir Mohamed Jibril, and Saudi Arabia’s Moham-

mad Maziad Al-Tuwaijri, all did not secure enough support in the second round of consultations. The third and final phase of the consultation process will begin later this month and run until Nov. 6, after which the WTO will endeavor to name a consensus winner of the race. If WTO members are unable to select a leader by consensus, then a vote requiring a qualified majority could be held as a last resort, which would be an unprecedented development for the organization.

Though pundits agreed that Myung-hee is well versed in the rules and processes that govern the multilateral system having specialised in this

area since the mid-1990s, they consider her candidacy unlikely to win the backing of China.

Okonjo-Iweala, on the other hand, is viewed as someone with less in-depth knowledge of trade policy, but as an economist and Nigeria's former finance minister, she sure has immense politically savvy. "She has displayed a knack for slick communications during her candidacy, while Ms Myung-hee has been more tight-lipped throughout the process,” says the Financial Times. "Ms Okonjo-Iweala has the advantage of experience in running a big international organisation, having chaired the board of Gavi, the vaccine alliance. The role requires a dealmaker — a skill that Ms Okonjo-Iweala clearly possesses.

The new DG must also advocate

the benefits of trade in the production and distribution of possible vaccines against Covid-19 and fight critics who argue for reshoring. Given her experience, and the internal politics of the organisation, Nigeria’s candidate seems likely to have the edge."

Yet, the prerogative of electing the next DG of WTO is exclusively for members of WTO. The global community awaits their decision between 'Nigeria and South Korea' with bated breath.

Providence and luck, we fervently hope, and also pray would be on the side of Dr Okonjo-Iweala. The Nigerian amazon is presently on the cusps of making history!

––Abdulsalam Mahmud, PRNigeria, Wuye, Abuja.

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T H I S D AY, T H E S U N D AY N E W S PA P E R ˾ OCTOBER 18, 2020

SIGHTSANDSCENES OF#ENDSARSPROTESTS For more than a week, Nigerians in their thousands have taken to the streets demanding reforms to the country’s governance, justice and security systems, doing so in a kaleidoscope of colours and convictions, signposting a bright future amidst a gloomy present. It’s a moment in time like no other.

Photos compiled by Bayo Akinloye

Protesters gathered for another round of rally

Ends SARS protest in Paris...

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ͯͶ˜ ͰͮͰͮ ˾ THISDAY, THE SUNDAY NEWSPAPER

SIGHTS AND SCENES OF #ENDSARS PROTESTS

Protesters with a banner demanding end of bad governance

After scoring his first goal for Napoli, Victor Osimhen did this

Young boy supporting protesters with snacks A young lady posing with #ENDPOLICEBRUTALITY

A young boy with a poster asking for the resignation of the police IG

Youths lay on the street, protesting police brutality, bad governance

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T H I S D AY, T H E S U N D AY N E W S PA P E R ˾ OCTOBER 18, 2020

SIGHTS AND SCENES OF #ENDSARS PROTESTS

Nigerian youths standing up justice

Aisha Yesufu with clench fist demanding end to police brutality

A lady with a megaphone demanded justice for SARS’ victims

A mammoth crowd in Lagos calling for police reforms

Nigerians in the Diaspora joined #ENDSARS protest

T H I S D AY, T H E S U N D AY N E W S PA P E R ˾ OCTOBER 18, 2020

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SIGHTS AND SCENES OF #ENDSARS PROTESTS

This is Adekunle Adepeju, said to be the first undergraduate victim of Police shooting in Nigeria. He was a second-year Agricultural Science undergraduate of the University of Ibadan, he was shot dead by the Police on Monday February 1, 1971, during, a police student riot at the University of Ibadan. Some others were wounded. Students were said to be protesting the de-humanizing feeding and welfare conditions of Zik’s Hall in particular, and the entire campus in general. February 1, every year is now observed as lecture-free day in some universities nation-wide as Adepeju day in his honour Photos: Dr. Raphael James A little girl flying Nigerian flag during #ENDSARS protest

A protester addressing Nigerian youths

Protesters used their bodies to write ‘END SARS’

An unidentified lady sitting on a lion sculpture, crying during Enugu protest, she refused to fly the Nigerian flag. According to unconfirmed reports her brother was killed by SARS on his return from abroad recently

Protesters stormed Federal Capital Territory, Abuja

Nigerians poured out on the streets to demand justice

Hundreds of protesters walked for justice

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T H I S DAY, T H E S U N DAY N E W S PA P E R ˾ ͯͶ˜ ͰͮͰͮ

#ENDSARS AND FASHION

The Frills, Thrills and Styles of #EndSARS Movement Vanessa Obioha plumbs the fashion and music that have accompanied the #EndSARS campaign against police brutality

S

ince the #EndSARS protest began, social media pages have been flooded with captivating photos and videos of protesters. Whether they are dancing, chanting or taking selfies to convey their messages, the still and motion portraits depict the activism embedded in their attire and the music they play.

Fashion ordinarily is a medium of expression. It conveys the intents and wishes of the wearer, even if they are narcissistic at times. In protests, however, it convenes a stronger meaning.

It shows the uniformity of the protesters irrespective of their diversity. The dress codes act as visual signifiers of their causes.

For instance, at the peak of the Bring Back Our Girls Campaign in 2014, protesters in Abuja donned red polos. The red colour signified the bloodshed that was prevalent in the country at the time. Also, black was the preferred colour for most protesters who campaigned against the spate of rape and sexual violence in the country following the brutal murder and rape of the University of Benin undergraduate, 22-year-old Uwaila Vera Omozuwa in May. While the #EndSARS demonstration — which started as a campaign against brutality but is gradually metamorphosing into a call for revolution — does not have a unifying colour, the outfits donned by campaigners show solidarity. Polos, t-shirts, shorts, combat trousers, kaftans, durags, backpack, face caps, bandannas, joggings, hijabs; each of these pieces of clothing speak volumes of the rugged determination of the youths.

Famed photographer Kelechi Amadi-Obi captured iconic photographs of celebrities protesting which he shared on his Instagram page. From the stern-looking photo of Nollywood actress Omotola Jalade-Ekeinde donning tight pants and a black t-shirt with a placard that reads “The Police is robbing us. #EndSARS now,” to the tall frame of charismatic TV host IK Osakioduwa who wore sky-blue jeans and a white t-shirt.

Perhaps, one of the iconic photos from the protest that went viral was that of Nigerian socio-political activist, and co-convener of the Bring Back Our Girls Movement, Aisha Yesufu.

The activist dressed in a flowing blue ankle-length hijab over an ankara outfit. She accentuated her look with black boots and a brown sling bag. Her poise is reminiscent of the 2019 viral photo of Sudan’s protest icon Alaa Salah.

The young student was captured in Khartoum, dressed in a white thoub and gold disc earrings. Standing on the roof of a car, she struck a pose that has earned her Sudanese Statue of Liberty: one arm raised, finger-pointing upward and the other hand clutching her waist.

In the same vein, Yesufu’s photo fetched her the moniker, Nigerian Statue of Liberty. In the photo, her left arm is raised in a fist to the heavens and her feet wide apart as if she is about to lead a march.

Afro-pop superstar Davido who’s been very vocal chose a black kaftan and a red bandana as his protest attire.

Just like fashion, the music that has inspired the movement has been

Toke MakinwaObi

inspiring and a portrayal of the Coincidentally, the theme week-long celebration held in Felabration, ‘Fight to Finish, Fight to Win’ speaks to the resilience of the protesters. Although the organisers clarified that the theme was specifically conceived to address the challenges caused by the capricious coronavirus.

Albeit, the kind of fashion and music the #EndSARS protesters chose in their demonstration, is a bold statement of who they are and what they stand for. They are collective memories that will remain indelible in the history of Nigeria.

diverse. They include African China’s popular 2006 hit single ‘Mr President’, Eedris Abdulkareem’s 2004 track ‘Jaga Jaga’, 2Baba’s 2006 collaboration with Soul E ‘E Be Like Say’ among others.

Each of the songs is littered with messages of activism but none embodied the spirit of the protests like the songs of the Afrobeat legend Fela Anikulapo-Kuti.

A revered musician and activist, Fela’s music still resonates today because of his bold criticism of the government such that on his birthday, October 15, his images and songs swamped social media pages in celebration of what would have been his 82nd birthday.

Throughout his lifetime, Fela was very vocal and valiant in criticising the government, speaking against the political problems that have plagued the African people. This explains why many call him the first black president.

Protesters found his songs such as ‘Zombie’, ‘Beasts of No Nation’, and ‘Colonial Mentality’ times they live in. of the annual his honour,

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OCTOBER ͯͶ˜ ͰͮͰͮ˾ THISDAY, THE SUNDAY NEWSPAPER

GLITZ ENTERTAINMENT

The Frills, Thrills and Styles of #EndSARS Movement

Omotola Jalade-Ekeinde, captured by Amadi-Obi

Laura Ikeji and actress Lilian Afegbai

Former BBNaija housemates, Frodd and Ozo

Gospel artiste Onos Ariyo

Musician Rudeboy and comedian AY

Some protesters yesterday with their pet dogs at Lekki Toll Gate

Actress Toyin Abraham

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THISDAY, THE SUNDAY NEWSPAPER ˾ ͹΀˜ 2020

BUSINESS

Editor: Kunle Aderinokun 08033204315, 08111813084 Email:kunle.aderinoku@thisdaylive.com

States’ Dwindling Revenue and Urgent Need for Diversification State must walk the talk in diversification of their economies and think out of the box to harness domestic resources to stay afloat the socioeconomic and fiscal turbulence occasioned by the COVID-19 pandemic. James Emejo writes

V

irtually every state of the federation presently has a blueprint for the diversification of its economy.

But as lofty as the documents may appear, these were never brought to fruition.

In most states of the federation, there’s hardly any concrete economic activities besides the political and civil service engagements even though several reports/research interventions had pointed to the fact that all states are endowed with various natural resources that could be converted to economic opportunities.

Decades of over-reliance on crude oil revenues appeared to have dampened the urge for true diversification as governments both at federal and state levels have continued to access monthly funding from the federation account.

According to the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), as at half-year, states including the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) had received a total sum of N1.12 trillion as monthly allocation from the Federation Account Allocation Committee (FAAC), representing 64.66 per cent of their total revenues for the period.

But the total value of Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) by the 36 States of the federation and Federal Capital Territory (FCT) declined N81.04 billion to N612.87 billion as at half year of this year compared to N693.91 billion recorded in half year of 2019. This indicated a decline of 11.7 per cent year-on-year.

According to the ‘IGR at State Level for Half Year 2020’ report, IGR for Q2 2020 also contracted by 26.5 per cent to N259.73 billion compared to N353.14 billion in Q1.

Lagos State had the highest IGR of N204.51 billion or 33.37 per cent of total revenue and closely trailed by Rivers, which recorded N64.59 billion or 10.54 per cent of total revenue while Jigawa posted the least revenue performance of N3.01 billion at half-year.

FCT recorded N35.20 billion or 5.74 per cent of total IGR; Delta, N30.84 billion or 5.03 per cent; Ogun, N23.68 billion or 3.86 per cent; Oyo, N17.77 billion or 2.90 per cent and Kano N17.50 billion or 2.86 per cent.

Others include: Akwa Ibom, N16.21 billion or 2.65 per cent; Kaduna, N14.54 billion or 2.37 per cent; Edo, N14.01 billion or 2.29 per cent; Ondo, N13.58 billion or 2.22 per cent; Enugu, N12.26 billion or two per cent; Anambra, N9.54 billion or 1.56 per cent; Plateau, N9.40 billion or 1.53 per cent; Kwara, N9.36 billion or 1.53 per cent; and Osun, N8.95 billion or 1.46 per cent.

Other states include: Cross River, N8.05 billion or 1.31 per cent; Imo, N7.73 billion or 1.26 per cent; Kogi, N7.43 billion or 1.21 per cent; Zamfara,

Fayemi

N7.08 billion or 1.16 per cent; Ebonyi, N6.33 billion or 1.03 per cent; Abia, N6.18 billion or 1.01 per cent and Nasarawa, N5.90 billion or 0.96 per cent and Bauchi, N5.75 billion or 0.94 per cent.

Others are Katsina, N5.53 billion or 0.90 per cent; Bayelsa, N5.38 billion or 0.88 per cent; Borno, N5.37 billion or 0.88 per cent; Benue, N5.34 billion or 0.87 per cent; Sokoto, N4.59 billion or 0.75 per cent; Kebbi, N4.38 billion or 0.72 per cent; and Taraba, N4.06 billion or 0.66 per cent; and Niger, N4.01 billion or 0.66 per cent.

However, it is no longer news that

with the exception of only a few states, most governments can hardly survive on their domestic revenue sources.

In its “State of States 2019” report, BudgIT had stated that only Lagos, Rivers and Akwa Ibom could fund their expenditure without allocations from the federal government.

No doubt the fiscal balance of states had further been impaired by the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic which had affected virtually every sphere of human endeavour.

If anything, the pandemic helped to expose the decade-long deceit about economic diversification which

governments had continued to harp on without results as agricultural resources remained largely untapped until recent intervention efforts by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) targeting to revive key value chains.

But for alternative financing sources particularly foreign and domestic borrowing, analysts believe government would have collapsed as they’ll be unable to meet basic contractual obligations.

It’s sometimes appalling to have some state governors point to supermarkets as investments which they had attracted into their states, after

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THISDAY, THE SUNDAY NEWSPAPER Ëž ÍşÍ¸Ëœ 2020

BUSINESS 6WDWHV¡ 'ZLQGOLQJ 5HYHQXH DQG 8UJHQW 1HHG IRU 'LYHUVLÀFDWLRQ wasting millions in so-called foreign trips to woo investors.

But in spite of the decline in their IGR, the 36 states and the FCT had their total domestic debt stock at N4.19 trillion as at June 2020 with Lagos accounting for 11.77 per cent of the borrowing.

With monthly debt service obligations, analysts believe the prospects for economic development at state levels had further been jeopardised, as most states still owed workers several months of unpaid salaries.

However, analysts in separate interviews with THISDAY have proffered solutions to help the states recover from their fiscal challenges as well as improve on their revenue positions.

Professor of Finance and Capital Markets at Nasarawa State University, Prof. Uche Uwaleke, advised states to implement public sector transparency, accountability and good governance in order to attract grants from international donor agencies including the World Bank.

He further stressed the need to implement a unique identity for residents of the states with a view to widening the tax base.

According to the former Imo State commissioner of finance, to weather the storm, state governments should plug leakages in the public sector especially using technology to reduce cash contact in respect of government and persons.

Uwaleke said governments must, “explore more opportunities for public private partnerships in financing development projects; explore opportunities in the capital market to finance projects where the state has room for long term borrowing; identify and invest in a resource in which the state has competitive advantage so as to enhance its revenue generating ability and continuously improve the ease of doing Business in the state in order to attract investors.�

Also speaking with THISDAY, Managing Director/Chief Executive, Credent Investment Managers Limited, Mr. Ibrahim Shelling, said the way to increase IGR is to increase economic activity adding that grappling with multiple taxation in an already depressed economy will certainly stifle growth.

According to him, states could also look at moribund institutions and engage private sector to revive them and create employment. “I think it’s necessary for states to harness their natural and human resources. Every state in Nigeria has natural resources that are valuable in the global market but they are often underutilised or not harnessed at all.�

Also commenting on the dwindling revenue, former Director General, Abuja Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Dr. Chijioke Ekechukwu, said addressing the issue of corruption and entrenching good governance could boost states’ fiscal positions in the current scenario.

He said: “What has been done to check the over invoicing of our contracts? Nothing. Absolutely nothing has been done. Why will it continue to be business as usual? “These are questions waiting for answers. Our debt profile continues to rise because of rising deficit budget and no available solutions to address our revenue inadequacies.�

Ekechukwu said: “Every federating state has potential to take care of their total expenditures and even do better than they are doing currently, if only they look around themselves and optimise all the business and revenue generating opportunities. “I really wish oil will seize to exist so that everybody will rediscover

Ahmed

themselves. We cannot continue to run our government as if all is well. We don’t need a prophet to know that all is not well. “So why are we using the same budgeting system that uses only incremental method. At a time like this, we should be deploying value proposition system and combine it with zero budgeting system. “Making sure that funds will be spent only on necessaries. Today, you still see in all budgets of states and MDAs, operational vehicles which is subhead they use to pull through because of ban on official vehicles.

These expenditure heads continue to reoccur in our budgets even when there are no need for them.�

Moreover, in his intervention, an Associate Professor of Agricultural Economics at University of Port Harcourt, Anthony Onoja, said in the face of dwindling revenues from IGR during COVID-19, there is a need to rejig the tax system and revenue generation strategies in the country.

He said the government should improve tax payer compliance, through

audit, automated revenue payment systems linked with tax identification numbers as well as impose penalties, and enforce the recovery of outstanding debts.

According to him, reforms aimed at improving IGR should ensure appropriate system and process; appropriate human resource and environment; tax payer and public education as well as underpinned legal mandate and appropriate finding.

He pointed out that often, many businesses operate underground and are not captured in the tax system leading to many leakages in the revenue generating systems. “Corruption as well as opacity or lack of proper accountability in revenue generating agencies are barriers to effective implementation of IGR systems in Nigeria. “Examples are issues of ghost workers in many state institutions, rising number of illegal tax operators or agents who do not remit any kobo to government authorities as can be seen in the markets, along the roads, parks, Ports, borders, government

I really wish oil will seize to exist so that everybody will rediscover themselves. We cannot continue to run our government as if all is well.

We don’t need a prophet to know that all is not well

institutions etc.�

According to him, to improve revenue, there is a need for government to eliminate all sources of revenue leakages especially through tax payers, revenue officials and banks; creation of online data base in respect of taxpayers whose taxpaying habits can be monitored in real-time as well as generating with a high degree of accuracy projected revenue of future periods from all sources among others.

According to BudgIT, only 19 states can fund their expenditure with IGR and FAAC revenues.

The report said: “The implications of looking at this index is to enable us understand without federal allocation, how many states can sustain themselves,� she said. “And by sustaining themselves, we are looking only at the recurrent expenditure. Are you going to meet your operating obligations? Are you able to pay salaries so that anything coming from federal allocation would go to investments in the key sectors of the economy? “When we look at the index, we can see that those states that can meet their expenditure only with IGR are only three states out of 36 states. “What this means is that, if there were to be oil price fluctuations and production allocation from the centre were to reduce, then many states would be in jeopardy.�

It added: “Our belief is that Nigeria needs to create incentives for states to expand growth and earning potential, thereby activating resources needed to improve the state of health, education and access to opportunity. “We believe that Nigeria possesses the required resources to change the dynamics of its population, but this will require strong leadership in a dynamic and competitive world.�

THISDAY, THE SUNDAY NEWSPAPER ˾ ͹΀˜ 2020

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BUSINESS/ ENERGY

NNPC Towers, Abuja

Removing the Veil from NNPC’s Operations Emmanuel Addeh examines what appears to be a new air of transparency and accountability at the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), with the seamless execution of a rash of actions, including the latest release of the national oil company’s audited finances Not-so Inspiring Past ne thing several generations of Nigerians have come to associate with the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), aside being an easy centre for the movement of slush funds by successive governments, has been the opaqueness of its operations.

For several decades, all efforts, though mostly facetious, to reform the national oil company and make it more accountable to the 200 million Nigerians, who are stakeholders in the corporation, had failed, expectedly. Personnel reshuffles have taken place, divisions have been structured and restructured, efforts have been made to track payments from oil and gas companies, yet only little was achieved.

Though later found to be grossly exaggerated, an allegation by a former Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and ex-Emir of Kano, Muhammadu Sanusi II, that $49 billion was missing from the corporation at a point, further dented the already bartered image of the business organisation. Not surprisingly, the bad public image of the national oil company had continued to scare investors away, with decades of operational losses recorded.

Expecting the NNPC to make public detailed

O

annual reports of its finances, was like waiting for Godot, despite top officials having made a commitment to do so, with little information in the public space on the activities of the corporation.

For 43 years of its existence, the NNPC failed to open up its operations for public scrutiny, further fuelling speculation that the organisation had become a cesspool of corruption. Indeed, although transparency and accountability remain critical in the extractive industry, which is the lifeblood the Nigerian economy because of the need to ensure prudent management of the country’s revenue sources to carry out the needed development, the NNPChadnotreallyachievedmuchinthatregard.

There has been a lot of debate around the lack of accountability and organisational disclosure in the NNPC as a result of inadequate audits or poor financial reporting of the corporation.

Like one report on the corporation appropriately put it a few years before the new NNPC leadership, “scarce or inadequate information, insufficient audits, and poor financial reporting standards for public entities like the NNPC continue to undermine industry processes.”

New Air of Transparency, Accountability However, all that seems to be changing with the new air of transparency and accountability appearing to blow through the national oil company which was established in 1977 and today, has over 20 subsidiaries.

Although it still leaves a lot to be done, the current leadership of the NNPC appears to be taking seriously the need to join other global state-run oil companies in terms of opening up its books to public scrutiny In a move described as historic, four months ago, precisely in June this year, the NNPC under its Group Managing Director, Mallam Mele Kyari, officially released, for the first time, its audited statement of account to members of the public.

Though the corporation, it was learnt, is not statutorily required to do so, apart from sending copies of the annual statements to the presidency and the national assembly, a condition it said it had satisfied in the past, the company said the new initiative followed a resolve by the new management on the transparency of its operations.

The 43-year organisation in its 2018 audited statement made public the accounts of its listed subsidiaries, over 20 in all, including companies floated offshore for the corporation’s international business, apart from its regular Monthly Financial and Operations Report (MFOR).

The NNPC’s decision also received commendation from stakeholders, including BudgIT, a non-governmental organisation (NGO) in the country that applies technology to intersect citizen engagement with institutional improvement, describing the Kyari-led NNPC management as having blazed the trail to reduce opacity in government business.

Asexpected,whilesomeofthesubsidiariesmade losses during the period under review, many of themhoweverbouncedbackafteryearsofnegative figures to the path of profitability. The move did not only shock many Nigerians who had given up on the NNPC, but it also drew accolades from all quarters.

BudgIT said the publishing of the audited accounts of its subsidiaries and business divisions for the first time and launching of the open data segment on its website, was a measure to promote transparency in its financial operations.

The organisation, through its Communications Associate , Iyanu Fatoba , said that there was no doubt that Kyari and the NNPC management had blazed the trail by making the audited report of all NNPC’s subsidiaries available online.

“For the past four years, BudgIT, through the Extractives Consultative Forum and with support from the Natural Resource Governance Institute (NRGI), has been engaging key oil and gas stakeholders annually; including officials from the NNPC, Department of Petroleum Resources, ministry of petroleum resources, civil society organisations and private individuals.

“These engagements have centred on ways by which the NNPC can become more transparent, assume, and maintain the status of a commercially viable entity, as its consecutive losses are not sustainable in the long term.

“Afinancially viable and transparent NNPC is

THISDAY, THE SUNDAY NEWSPAPER ˾ ͹΀˜ 2020

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BUSINESS/ ENERGY Removing the Veil from NNPC’s Operations pivotal to the Nigerian economy as the government still largely depends on revenue from oil to finance its budgets.

“Over the years, BudgIT has consistently requested that the NNPC should make its audited report available to citizens in addition to publishing its monthly financial and operations reports, to further ensure transparency and accountability,” the body said.

In countries where the release of audited financial statements of publicly owned enterprises are routine, these things are taken for granted.

However, it took over four decades and dozens of GMDs at the corporation to get it done.

Nigerians had yet to fully recover from the ‘shock’ of that historic move when on Thursday, the corporation published its second audited financial statement, the one for 2019.

Though not fully out of the woods yet, the new report looked like a major improvement on the one released five months earlier, with the corporation achieving a 99.7 per cent reduction in its loss profile from a whopping N803 billion in 2018 to N1.7 billion in 2019.

Although a number of the corporation’s over 20 subsidiaries recorded losses, the general administrative expenses of the national oil company, witnessed a 22 per cent decrease from N894 billion in 2018 to N696 billion in 2019.

But some of the national oil company’s subsidiaries which posted improved performances included the Nigerian Petroleum Development Company Limited (NPDC) which recorded N479 billion profit in 2019 compared to N179 billion in 2018, representing a 167 per cent increase.

By far, the most lucrative income came from the corporation’s National Petroleum Investment ManagementServices(NAPIMS),whichrosefrom 75 per cent to N2.83 trillion from N1.2 billion the previous year.

In addition, the Integrated Data Sciences Limited (IDSL) recorded a N23 billion profit in 2019 compared to N154 million in 2018 , representing over 14,966 per cent increase while the Petroleum Products Marketing Company (PPMC) recorded N14.2billionprofitin2019comparedtoN9.3billion in 2018, representing 52 per cent increase.

The PPMC accounts were audited by KPMG ProfessionalServicesandPaulAkinadeAdebimpe & Co, and as at December 31, 2019, its revenue stood at N32.5 billion compared to N29.5 billion.

It’s profit before tax was N14.7 billion compared to N9.5 billion in 2018, while the subsidiary paid N163m in taxes in 2019 as against N158m in 2018.

The Nigerian Gas Company Limited (NGC) had its total asset increase from N221 billion to N361 billion , representing about 63 per cent rise in the company’s asset base.

In the same vein, NNPC Retail limited, a subsidiary established in 2002, recorded a profit after tax of N2.6 billion as against N1.9 in 2018.

Among others, the company is engaged in the sale of refined products in the filling stations run by the corporation.

Aside the Wheel Insurance Limited , which recorded a loss, as its total comprehensive income for the year fell from $18.1m in 2018 to $7.3 in 2019, as expected , the Port Harcourt Refining Company (PHRC) also posted a loss before taxation of N46 billion, higher than the 45 billion recorded in 2018, but a total comprehensive loss of N50 billion in the year under review.

The story wasn’t different for the Warri Refining and Petrochemical Company Limited (WRPC) which made a loss before tax of N49.2 billion against N44.4 in 2018.

All the country’s refineries are currently nonfunctional and are either undergoing rehabilitation or negotiations for public private arrangement for their revamp.

The Chief Financial Officer (CFO) of the corporation, Mr. Umar Ajiya, said that the release of the 2019AFS was in keeping with the management’s commitment to transparency and accountability andinconsonancewiththeprinciplesoftheExtractive Industries Transparency Initiative (EITI) of which it is a partner.

The corporation explained that the improved performance in the 2019 financial year was driven mainlybycostoptimisation,contractsrenegotiation and operational efficiency.

“The 2019 AFS goes further to demonstrate our unwavering commitment to the principle of Transparency, Accountability and Performance Excellence (TAPE) while the outlook for 2020 looks promising in view of the management’s strong drive to prune down running cost and grow revenues,” said the organisation.

Aside that, in a further effort to pull off the toga of opacity, the corporation announced in August thatithadofficiallybecomeanExtractiveIndustries

Buhari

Transparency Initiative (EITI) partner company, as part of its push for greater accountability in the corporation’s operations.

Withthemove,thenationaloilcompanyjoineda groupofover65extractivecompanies,state-owned enterprises (SOEs), commodity traders, financial institutions and industry partners who commit to observing the EITI’s supporting company expectations.

The new status now requires the NNPC to publicly declare support for the EITI principles by promoting transparency throughout the extractive industries, help public debate and provide opportunities for sustainable development.

It also means that the corporation will now publicly disclose taxes and payments, ensure comprehensive disclosure of taxes and payments made to all EITI implementing countries and publicly disclose beneficial owners.

The initiative will further see the corporation engage in rigorous procurement processes, including due diligence in respect to partners and vendors, among others.

Era of Opaqueness Gone Kyari has also been talking about why the corporation has now opened up its books, reiterating that the national oil company was no longer scared of being scrutinised by the public.

“I have said it times without number that the NNPC is never afraid of any scrutiny. We will continue to play our strategic role as a key enabler of Nigeria’s economy.

“Our commitment toward entrenching Transparency, Accountability and best-in-class Performance Excellence (TAPE) in all our operations is still unshakeable. Since coming on board, we have been very open in our dealings with all our partners and stakeholders.

“From the unprecedented publication of our Audited Financial Statements and monthly financial and operational reports to crude term contracts and several other bids and contracting processes. We are not relenting until this great corporation attains global excellence,” he stated.

Kyari posited that anything that happens in the oil and gas industry has a very direct impact on the economy and the country as a whole, adding that it is the reason conversation around oil and gas is critical.

According to the NNPC GMD, given the pivotal role the NNPC plays in the Nigeria economy, the new current leadership of the corporation cannot afford to operate in the past.

“When you look at the oil and gas sector, what it didforthiscountryinthelast30,40years,enormous resources have been obtained from the industry leading to the development you see around us.

“Also, the GDP numbers , the oil and gas industry may be contributing less, but in terms of the resources available to the states, it’s of course a rich source.

“The oil and gas industry in resource dependent countries always engineers growth and is an enabler of industry.

“The sector has s huge role to play . It is doing that.And we all know that the only industries that are efficient and cost-efficient especially and abide by some form of transparency and accountability can survive the next 30 to 40 years,” he stated.

The NNPC boss also gave a hint on how he

Kyari

has been able to do things hitherto regarded as impossible in the past, adding that the government at the federal level has also been of assistance with its policy of non-interference.

“I think I have an advantage that posterity has thrown at me which is that we have a political leadership that doesn’t interfere with what we do today.

“We are now responsible for our decisions and our balance sheet. Many of the things that you are aware happened in the past, do not happen today.

“Therefore, we are now more focused, more business oriented. We feel more accountable.

Therefore, the combined result of that is a company that can drive itself and act like any other world-class company.

“What’s different is a leadership that has a consensus that this company must change and must deliver to shareholders, including you.

Because that freedom is there, we have a very active and informed board.

“We have delivered on everything we said we will do. More importantly, this must come into perspective. When a company doesn’t tell what it does to shareholders, there’s a problem.

A company must have its accounts.

“Inthelast43years,nobodycaredaboutaccountability to shareholders. We were always scared of making it available to shareholders, but we have done the books and going forward, this company will transit to one that is a new positive force.

“Wearenotafraidofputtingthatonthetableand we have very good feedback from our shareholders. The combination of that is making us look different” he enthused.

The group and its subsidiaries also note that they are continuing the search towards attaining a $10 unit operating cost per barrel target, with more transparent operational processes.

Beyond the Financials The corporation also appears to be pursuing accountability in some other spheres , seeing that the group has to be driven as a whole.

In one of such events done in the public glare last Thursday, at least 339 crude oil trading companies applied for the sale and purchase of Nigerian crude oil grades contracts spanning 2020 to 2022 by the close of the bidding process.

Last month, the country’s hydrocarbon company, invited interested and credible companies to participate in the open tender.

While declaring the bid process closed during the event which was partly virtual and partly physical, the NNPC team said the transparency and credibility of the process was of paramount importance.

The corporation stated that it would ensure that the best will emerge in the entire process, stating that it would adhere with the public procurement act and other relevant laws in coming up with the final winners.

“We guarantee all applicants that the evaluation process shall meet all due processes and all requirements and we are looking forward to the best emerging to lift Nigerian crude oil amid the current economic realities. We assure you of transparency in this process,” the corporation stated.

In the same vein, in a largely transparent process last month, 78 companies submitted virtual bids

to rehabilitate its downstream pipelines, associated depots and terminal infrastructure through the Finance, Build, Operate and Transfer (BOT) model. To ensure openness, the bidding exercise was witnessed by external observers which included the Bureau of Public Procurement (BPP) the Nigeria Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (NEITI), Civil Liberty Organisation and the Centre for Transparency Watch (CTW).

The Director-General of the Infrastructure Concession Regulatory Commission (ICRC), Mr. Chidi Izuwah, who was apparently delighted, commended the leadership of the corporation for the transparent bid opening processes.

He noted that NNPC had through the bidding exercise shown the world that things could be done correctly such that would yield value for Nigerians.

“You showed to the world that you’re driving a totally transparent Public Private Partnership process in line with the infrastructure revolution of President Muhammadu Buhari.

“Today’spublicbidopeningfortherehabilitation ofNNPCpipelines,depots/terminalinfrastructure is quite commendable. I commend the GMD, Mallam Mele Kyari, his team and the NNPC Group for showing to the world that things can be done properly and in the best interest of the shareholders,” Izuwah said.

Perhaps, as an aside, it’s not only in terms of transparency that the company’s optics had gone a notch higher. The corporation said recently that its legal team saved about $5.4 billion in court cases through the victories it recorded in four cases involving the company.

NNPC listed the successful arbitration cases showcased by the its legal team at the conference as the IPCO (Nigeria) Vs. NNPC’s in respect of the dispute over the Bonny export terminal project in which $367.5 million was saved after 13 years of litigation.

It also named the ESSO E&P Nigeria Limited Vs. NNPC in respect of the dispute over the interpretation of the Production Sharing Contract (PSC) covering Oil Prospecting License (OPL) 209/Oil Mining Lease (OML) 133 in which the enforcement of a $2.7 billion claim was dismissed.

Other recent arbitration cases presented at the conference, the company said, included: ESSO & Others Vs. NNPC in respect of alleged breaches in interpretation and implementation of the PSC covering OPL 222/OML 138 with over $380.141 million saved.

Also mentioned by the corporation was the case between the Atlantic Energy Group vs.

NPDC in respect of allegation of wrongful termination of Strategic Alliance Agreements (STA) over eight OMLs resulting in the award of $1.6 billion in favour of NPDC. No Surprises But those who know Kyari and his antecedents are barely surprised by the new air of transparency blowing through the NNPC as his appointment in June last year had elicited applause from industry players.

NEITI Executive Secretary, Waziri Adio, had described the choice of Kyari as a well-deserved appointment and a move that will enable more openness and reforms in the national oil company.

“Mr Kyari is a well-known transparency champion and one who enthusiastically shares the principles which underline the work of NEITI and the global EITI on good governance of the oil and gas industry,” he noted.

He explained that as a member of the global EITI working group on commodity trading transparency, Kyari’s appointment had placed him in a vantage position to push the frontiers of openness and to work more closely with NEITI andtheglobalEITItoimplementremedialissuesin NEITI’s reports. Earlier this year, that was achieved.

In his years of sojourn at the NNPC, Kyari had won the GMD Prize for the overall best performance for NNPC Management Development Programme and was also awarded the Group Executive Director (GED) award for the best performance in leadership.

Priortohisappointment as the GMD of NNPC, Kyari was Nigeria’s National Representative at the Organisation of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) and also doubled as the Group General Manager, Crude Oil Marketing Division of the NNPC. It’s not clear what will become of the NNPC when the Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB) comes into force after being passed by the national assembly and assented to by the president, but for now, what is obvious is that the corporation seems to be in safe hands and on the path of recovery.

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THISDAY, THE SUNDAY NEWSPAPER ˞ ͚΀˜ 2020

BUSINESS OUTSIDER

Tapping into the Chutzpah of Nigeria’s Generation Z “Youth culture is constantly evolving, and Gen Z in particular is disrupting industries. Gen Z represents an unprecedented group of innovation and entrepreneurship. This group is focused on niche interests and if brands do not recognise this now and get on board, they are going to be left behind. It’s also important for brands to adopt a global mindset, as some of the most significant growth is taking place in countries that are either developing or underdeveloped.� __ Gregg L. Witt, The Gen Z Frequency: How Brands Tune in and Build Credibility

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his week has seen the Nigerian populace become more aware of the attributes of a large section of the society, globally referred to as Generation Z (Gen Z). Gen Z are those born between 1995 and 2010, and their parents mostly fall within the Baby Boomer (1946 to 1964) and Generation X (1964 -1980) age groups.

What about them? This article explores who they are, what they believe in, why, how they behave, and provides insights that businesses and society can adopt to tap into their enormous potential.

Gen Zs were born during the dot com era and were raised on technology. They witnessed the election of Barrack Obama, rise of gender equality, sexual orientation equality, shared family responsibilities, and collective volunteerisms. However, they were born into a deeply troubled system, a time of worldwide terrorism attacks, Arab uprisings, effects of climate change and a great recession. This generation (c.32% of world’s population) have come of age to shape policies and open doors they were locked out of.

For them, diversity, self-expression, and individuality are valued.

They are actively engaged in public discourse, call out injustice, and wrongness around the world using technology to amplify their voices.

They believe it is up to them to take the actions Millennials are too timid to take. They stay informed and are often cynical about religion, politics, relationships, education, capitalism, and security. Since Nigeria’s Gen Zs did not witness the totalitarianism of colonial and military rule, they are largely pro-freedom of speech and not scared of its consequences.

Statistically, Gen Z is the most prevalent in Nigeria. Nigeria’s age structure indicates over 25% of our population belongs to Gen Z, i.e. 1 in every 4 Nigerian – see graph below (Source: CIA World Factbook).

Z

The Business dimension to Gen

This stratum of the population holds a lot of promise for businesses, governments, and society depending on how well these stakeholders recognise their peculiarities.

It will take some level of humility to step back and plan towards leveraging their energy and creativity. So where are the opportunities?

Pricing and E-Commerce At the core of their being is cost minimisation. The average Nigerian Gen Z would consider the cost of any product before considering the quality. Using their smart phones, Gen-Zs are more likely to prefer online and e-Commerce businesses to traditional markets; usually on the lookout for deals, consciously sorting the lists from cheapest to the

most expensive are evidence of their cost-cutting behaviour.

They actively seek alternatives that yield similar quality but at better price and as a result, a vital strategy to hold this consumer segment is undercutting the competition. However, they would not mind paying a premium if the service being delivered is better than cheaper alternatives. A strength they have that businesses need to tap is their ability to refer and drive sales.

Referrals and Discounts Referrals and discounts are another means to getting their attention as they actively seek deals and are more easily influenced by their peers than other generational groups. Business models that incorporate reward-based referrals are likely to become more popular with them. These referrals by a population that is active on the internet with a compounding international reach would likely do more advertisement on behalf of the company. Piggyvest is an example of a platform that has thrived with this approach.

Time-bound discounts also give the fear of missing out, a recipe for impulsive spending decision for a generation that wants to be on top of things.

Brand Identity and Social Media Presence “When the economy crashed,

Chicken Republic considered the youths and started selling meals at N500. Now, they share meals to the #EndSARS protesters at Lekki Toll Gate. My dear if you’re hungry, please go and patronize because Chicken Republic is the best restaurant in Nigeria�. - @Cocoh_mma via Twitter.

Being a generation whose online and personal identity are equally important, this generation holds in high regard the social media presence and corporate social responsibility actions brands. Gen Zs love to lend their voice to everything and ensure they are heard. Likewise, they expect brands that they do business with to do the same.

Short Ads – attention span Usually intrusive, ads do not appeal to Gen Z who have a short attention span as a result of a reduction in dopamine levels when the ads cut the interesting thing they were immersed in, usually on their mobile phones. If Ads are not brief and interesting, it either receives backlash on social media which ironically brings more reach to the brand as sometimes any publicity could be good publicity.

Leverage on technology Another way to engage this large demography of potential customers is to adopt systems that make the user experience seamless. Again, this generation is comfortable

working remotely, having access to services at little cost is important to keep them. The use of digital currency as a medium of exchange is beginning to catch up. Many Gen Zs are now keeping their money in digital assets. Therefore, having outlets that support cryptocurrency transaction may lead to increased patronage.

In conclusion, Nigerian schools, businesses, and societal systems must accommodate the changing ideologies espoused by Gen Zs. A booming young population can induce substantial economic growth.

However, if healthcare, education, and economic needs are not met, there would be chronic youth unemployment, low productivity, and social unrest. Investing in human capital is crucial in the formation of a productive society.

t 5VOKJ "EFHCJUF .#" '$$" MCIPS) has over 13years’ expertise across Strategy, Supply Chain and Finance from PwC and an International Oil $PNQBOZ *0$T *O PSEFS UP expand his passion for facilitating knowledge sharing from an African context, he founded /BTQJSF XXX OBTQJSF DPN

a social research and business strategy platform using contextual knowledge to help entrepreneurs and professionals in Africa succeed. He can be reached via UVOKJ!OBTQJSF DPN

THISDAY, THE SUNDAY NEWSPAPER ˾ ͹΀˜ 2020

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BUSINESS INTERVIEW IORWA APERA

FG is Using Cash Transfer to Lift Nigerians out of Poverty, Grow Economy The National Coordinator of the National Social Safety Nets Coordinating Office (NASSCO), Iorwa Apera, in this interview, tells Bayo Akinloye that the cash transfer programme of the Nigerian government is not a scam amidst national scepticism

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ot a few Nigerians think the cash transfer programme is a scam, a political tool to win elections. Tell us about the scheme.

What we do primarily is setting standards for social protection implementation and social protection implementation is a suite of programmes that address poverty and vulnerability in Nigeria including the cash transfer, youth employment, social support operation scheme. These programmes are also supported by the World Bank through the World Bank facility. That is what we do as an outfit of government under the current administration.

I was part of the SURE-P programme. I was part of other, similar programmes. But this is by far the most ambitious investment.

Apart from the $500 million that we have under this particular programme, the social investment of five hundred billion every year, cumulatively, is the most decisive action plan for poverty alleviation in the country. So, when Mr. President said he would lift 100 million Nigerians (out of poverty) in 10 years, I think we’re on the right track to achieving that.

Do you have a success story to share regarding a household that’s been lifted out of poverty?

We have success stories. In fact, we have a success story in Jigawa State where women collecting cash transfer came together and bought a vehicle to help transport pregnant women to the headquarters of the local government for safe delivery; like an antenatal ambulance. Out of the N5,000, they have been collecting, they were able to save money to buy a vehicle worth at least N400,000. That’s the power of consistency in giving cash to anyone. It is not seasonal. It’s definite that it must come. So you are even able to plan, you are even able to borrow against it. We have people who, in fact, after collecting the N5,000 cash for two years, they wrote to us saying, ‘I want to come out of the programme. I am no longer poor.’

Some people have started poultry that’s expanded. In Osun State, we have a family that wrote to us that they were no longer poor. They wanted to come out of the programme and our team went to validate the information and pulled them out of the programme. This kind of story abounds everywhere in the country as confirmed by our team.

Since its inception, how much has been given to the so-called ‘poorest of the poor’?

Between 2016 and now, we have raised a social register.

First, we raised a social register of 4.6 million poor vulnerable households across all the 36 states of the federation and, the Federal Capital Territory. So far, out of $500 million, we have spent about $261million both in raising the register and paying the cash transfer of N5,000. So far for the cash transfer, we have paid about one million poor vulnerable households that are taken directly from the social register. The condition for the cash transfer is to mine from the social register directly and pay the same poor people that were identified by their communities.

Part of the accountability structure and the work of the CSOs is to make sure that these people that are being paid this N5,000 were the people that were identified by their community and it is in their social register.

The president said he was going to take 10 million people each year out of poverty. So, so far, how many people have been rescued from the grinding grip of poverty?

So, the social register is taken from the point of view of the households. So we have 4.8 million households, made up of about 20 million individuals. So far, we have already identified 20 million individuals.

Twenty million?

Yes; poor and vulnerable individuals from 4.8 million households.

The federal government is paying one million households so far and this one million translates to an average household membership of 4.8 (which) translates to about 4.8 million individuals. They are given N5,000. Now if you do the math, the multiplier effect: when you give N5,000 to a household, 68 per cent of that money is used on food consumption. That means you are stimulating demand and smoothing consumption. Therefore, 5,000 by one million, that is injecting about N50 billion in a month into the economy; into the local economy of our communities. The multiplier effect is, let’s take an example, a community is given the N5,000 and then they are going to buy rice.

Let’s say, before now, in that poor community, the trader there sold one bag of rice for the whole month. But because there is now money in the community, the community demand for rice has increased from one bag to 10 bags in a month. It means it has enhanced the capacity of the trader to move to grow. From one bag to 10 bags. He will come to town, wherein he comes to the wholesaler and buy only one bag, he’s now buying 10 bags. The wholesaler has an opportunity of selling 10 bags to 10 different communities. That’s 100 bags a month.

It’d appear you’re saying that the N5,000 cash transfer holds a key to growing the nation’s economy. Is that correct?

By producing 100 bags in contrast to the previous 10 bags, the manufacturer will likely need to employ more hands and thus reduce the unemployment rate. Because his profit has enhanced his profit after tax, tax after profit will increase the government’s revenue. The wholesaler will sell, will be selling more. The village merchant now can pay local government tax and community tax. He’s no longer going to lock his shop when the tax officials are coming because he risks not selling, he’s going to open it now.

With increased sales of the seller, the government’s revenue is enhanced. So, if evidence abounds that for every N1 you pay as cash transfer, a return of N1:30 is received. Every month, in each state of the federation, this kind of amount of money are being injected into the local economy every day.

The cash transfer has the capacity of paying two million poor and vulnerable households in Nigeria at a time. The enrolment is still ongoing. So we enrolled one million and we’re paying

Apera

one million, and we’re going to continue as we generate the numbers. Eventually, if we pay two million and is a cycle of three years and every three years, the two million will graduate and we move into the other two million. So when Mr. President said he could lift 100 million Nigerians out of poverty, of course, the cash transfer is not the only means. But only the cash transfer alone will be contributing close to 50 percent towards that effort.

Already, 4.5 million people to 4.8 million people -- from the one million households are already on their way (out of poverty) and they have been collecting cash transfer over three years.

Some will ask: ‘Isn’t N5,000 too small?’

You might say N5,000 is little, but consistently, N5,000 every month and we pay N10,000 in every two-month cycle and that’s N60,000 in a year. For a family in a village, a local village, with that amount of money consistently coming in, they are able to save small, start some little business, and continue the sustenance of the family. So it’s a huge investment.

With the COVID-19 pandemic’s negative impact on livelihoods, how helpful is the N5,000?

At the start of the programme, UNICEF did a cost-of-diet study.

The cost-of-diet study did put the average consumption of an average family in poor suburbs or environments to range from N3,500 to N5,000. The federal government took the highest range of N5,000 which became the cash transfer. We are planning another cost-of-diet study now in collaboration with other partners to further check based on the factors that you have raised. But you see, cash transfer is a hugely expensive venture.

That means N10,000 every two months times one million people.

Do the math: we have about N100 billion. Right? That’s N100 billion times six months, six times in a year. You will see the quantum of the money that’ll be needed. It cost us about N1,500 to register a poor and vulnerable household in our communities. The cost of monitoring, the cost of enumeration, the cost of training, the individual that will go and take the data, and all of that, is aggregated to about N1,500 per household that is in the social register. I’ll tell you that the government of President Muhammadu Buhari’s investment in this place is by far the most ambitious that we have had in the history of this country.

You have the social register in 36 states including the Federal CapitalTerritory. Does that mean the cash transfer has begun in all the states?

The cash transfer, so far, is in 32 states. The remaining states will come on board this next payment round that we are. We’re working towards that. Borno, Ebonyi, and Ogun states will likely be part of the scheme next week (this week). We have so far established offices in 36 states of the federation and the FCT. What we do is to reach out to the state government and sign a memorandum of understanding with the state government. Once the state government signs this MoU, they will establish that office in the ministry of planning supervised by the permanent secretary and will competitively recruit civil servants to mind the offices, structured with the state coordinator and accountant drawn from the office of the accountant-general and other operational staff that support them.

Now, having established the offices, we will sit with the state government officials, that is, the state operations coordinating unit officials, and other relevant line ministries like the bureau of statistics of the state, the National Population Commission from that state and other relevant agencies and establish what we call the poverty map of a state. Now, the poverty map will categorise local governments from the poor to the poorest based on statistics from the bureau of statistics.

How does NASSCO engage the community?

First, is a sensitisation involving community leaders; to let them know what the federal government is doing in partnership with the state government and through the state government by raising the list of poor and vulnerable households in the community.

They will then agree with the community leaders when they will mobilise the community members to a central place, a town hall, a market place. Or, wherever is central for the community to engage them. On that appointed day, they will come and they sensitise the community on the exercise and then, agree with the community. They will divide the community into three or four focal group discussions.

They will have the youths in one group, the women one group, the men in another, and so on. If they are not as many, they’re fused into these other three groups of youths, men and women. At this group meeting, they will be asked to define poverty within the context of their community. We know how dynamic Nigeria is: what might constitute poverty in the context of this community will likely be different even across the stream or across the road.

Now, when the community defines what’s poverty within the context of their community. They are then asked to identify those considered poor in those communities, the families, the households. So the youths will make a list along with other identified critical groups in the community.

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SUNDAY OCTOBER 18, 2020 • T H I S D AY

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SUNDAY OCTOBER 18, 2020 •T H I S D AY

A

WEEKLY PULL-OUT

18.10.2020

BADA AKINTUNDE-JOHNSON

STEERING THE WHEEL OF VIACOMCBS IN NIGERIA ASSISTANTEDITOROLUFUNKEOLAODE/funkola2000@gmail.com

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T H I S DAY, T H E S U N DAY N E W S PA P E R ˾ ͯͶ˜ 2020

COVER

BADA AKINTUNDE-JOHNSON

How We’re Changing The Face of Music Videos in Africa Debonair. Dexterous. Dedicated. Dogged. That’s the head honcho of ViacomCBS Networks Africa in Nigeria, Bada Akintunde-Johnson. His athletic sway suggests a swag that’s characteristic of his personality.

Charming and calm, Akintunde-Johnson understands the nuances of the business of entertainment. He’s been there, done that. Without hesitation, AKintunde-Johnson walks Vanessa Obioha through the positioning of African content by ViacomCBS over the years

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t is hard to miss Bada AkintundeJohnson at an event. His towering height and stylish attire make him conspicuous. But being the frontman of the international multimedia and entertainment company, ViacomCBS Networks (VCN) Africa in Nigeria, he seems ubiquitous. Not too long ago, he hosted the Nigeria-South Africa Chamber of Commerce (NSACC) session on the impact of Covid-19 on the entertainment industry y and the way y forward.

Akintunde-Johnson kicked off his career as a presenter and producer on Galaxy TV, Lagos, climbing the corporate ladder with admirable speed, spreading his creativity and talents to other fields such as advertising.

Prior to his appointment as the country manager of VCN Africa in Nigeria, the graduate of Communication and Language Arts from the University of Ibadan was the creative director for the telecommunications company, Globacom. He was also the creative manager at the defunct HiTV, Nigeria’s biggest indigenous pay-TV platform where he led the in-house postproduction and creative agency teams.

Today, he is recognised as a media personality, producer, creative director, copywriter, and of course, a musician. In his new capacity, Akintunde-Johnson’s role is to oversee the company’s entertainment brands such as MTVBase, Nickelodeon, BET and Comedy Central in Nigeria.

The year AkintundeJohnson joined VCN Africa in Nigeria was a significant one for the company.

Then, the company was known as Viacom

International Media Networks (VIMN) Africa. That year, 2017, the company held its first Nickfest in Nigeria, a family-centric festival promoted by one of its children brands Nickelodeon. That same year, the company’s former Managing Director, Alex Okosi was appointed to head the BET International.

Also, afro-pop superstar Wizkid won the BET Best International Act that year.

Nigeria has retained that g

position since then with Burna Boy’s two years’ consecutive win.

It is no news that the company initially known as MTV Networks, serves as a catalyst that propelled Nigerian music to the international market. With its flagship channel MTV Base, Nigerian music gained more airplay and the artistes more fame.

It is a point that Akintunde-Johnson, an enthusiastic vocalist, loves to highlight.

“We recognised that African music, Nigerian music wasn’t getting more attention when we came into Nigeria.

The music channels that existed in Africa, including radio stations, were playing mostly international music content because Nigerian music wasn’t considered developed or good enough to be showcased or celebrated,” he said.

“We looked at the video space and asked ourselves how we can change this game,” he continued. “What we did was to bring the best music video directors from across the world to come in here and teach our young budding directors, directors of photography, how to make music videos.

“It was called ‘Making of the Video’ which we did in partnership with Shell at the time. We exposed these guys to the latest technologies in creating music videos. We would change the face of how music videos were made in Africa, essentially, and as soon as the quality improved, we would change the paradigm in terms of the skew of content. We started to play more Nigeria and African videos, and less international videos and the rest of the industry had to follow suit.”

He added, “Today, you have all music channels across Africa needing to play 90 percent of the Nigerian or African content and very few international songs.

That’s because we have grown.

We were the catalyst for that growth at the very beginning and we will continue to amplify the narrative of Africa reimagined.”

Apart from the music channel, the company has other brands that have equally played pivotal roles such as the MTV Africa Music Awards (MAMA) that pooled international music stars and local stars on one stage. The platform was responsible for quite a number of international collaborations for local talents.

There is also the MTV Shuga TV series that throws light on sexual health issues. The Nigerian series has given birth to a slew of actors in the film industry. By 2015, VCN launched BET Africa.

The channel which is exclusively on the cable network DStv celebrates African and African- American culture. It recently premiered its first African telenovela, a South African drama series ‘Isono.’

For children, the Nickelodeon channel brings all the fun and excitement. Its annual Nickfest couldn’t hold this year because of the global pandemic caused by the strange coronavirus.

VCN Africa narrowly escaped the coronavirus-induced lockdown in March as it marks its 15th anniversary in the country. The week-long celebration held in February in grand style. However, Akintunde-Johnson disclosed that the pandemic caused the company to shut down some productions.

“For a few months, we didn’t do anything fresh on the channel but thankfully, our robust content library meant that we kept meeting the needs of our consumers, viewers and fan base.

In spite of the fact that we weren’t producing fresh content, our viewership kept growing, because that didn’t really impact our ability to meet their needs and satiates their content demands.”

What Akintunde-Johnson and his team did was to translate the existing linear content to virtual as people rely on the internet for entertainment.

“One of the major trends that COVID-19 brought about essentially was in basically empowering more people to produce content within that time. So we focused on individualled or driven content to align with consumer demands.”

Despite the many roles of the company in the entertainment space, the visionary leader reckoned that entertainment is still relegated by the government.

“There’s a lack of knowledge on the part of the government, a lack of awareness of what the music industry or the entertainment industry is about,” he pointed out.

“For the most part, they still think that music and entertainment are the fun interludes that you take in between serious stuff. So, entertainment has always been culturally seen as something not serious, you know, something you just do for fun. But entertainment is business. It’s a great driver of growth, economically,” he explained, noting that in 2019, the entertainment industry in the United States contributed five percent to the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of the economy while in Britain, it contributed seven percent, more than the manufacturing industry.

“The governments of those places do not joke with entertainment. They create an enabling environment and structure for entertainment to thrive. That is something our government has got to do but there is a lack of interest which stems primarily from lack of knowledge. They think it’s a bunch of young people who are just catching fun and should be left alone to do whatever excites them.”

The way Akintunde-Johnson views it, the apathetic approach of the government to the affairs of the entertainment industry is hamstringing the expansion of the industry.

He rolled out the different threats the environment poses to the industry such as insecurity which he said is part of the reason the country’s biggest music superstars cannot have a music tour in the country.

He also mentioned the low number of record labels available in the country and the long-awaited switchover from analogue to digital in the broadcasting space. In his opinion, if activated, will help in scientific audience measurements and management for brands. All of these he said hampers the development of the industry.

“There needs to be an understanding of entertainment and media capacity for employment. Nigeria is a country with low employment rates and you have a predominantly youth population that is talented, that wants to get involved in entertainment.

“How about you get interested as a government, and create the enabling environment for meaningful, sustainable growth of companies, business ventures within that space, such that those companies can now employ a majority of the youth population. I don’t know of any other sector that has attracted a better foreign direct investment than music has done over the last four years.

“We have multinationals come into this economy to partner with local companies.

So, the government must play its role in entertainment to accelerate growth and development,” he advised.

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OC ͹΀˜ ͺ͸ͺ͸ ˾ THISDAY, THE SUNDAY NEWSPAPER

PERSPECTIVE The Confounding Case of Petro Union Oil and Gas Limited - Another P&ID-type Saga?

Ebenezer Johnson

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ince the commencement of the President Muhammadu Buhari-led administration in 2015, the anti-graft war has been a major fixture in the government’s agenda, having been a key component of the administration’s pre-election promises to the Nigerian people, others being insecurity and economic improvement. However, the administration’s performance in these three focus areas has been the subject of much debate in many circles, with several observers decrying the slow rate of progress across board.

Thus far, the success of the anti-graft war has been evident in some sectors where the war against corruption has been particularly felt. Whether the fight against corruption has been entirely free of favouritism is a different matter entirely.

Nevertheless, the fact that the Executive arm of Government has thrown its weight behind the nation’s anti-graft agency, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commissioner (EFCC) has gone a long way to boost the efforts of the agency. The EFCC in turn has continued to secure convictions in its bid to win the war against corruption. Between January and October 2019 alone, the agency successfully secured 890 convictions and recovered billions of naira in looted funds.

However, five years after the start of the administration, a question that begs to be answered is whether all arms of Government are aligned with this war.

The judiciary, largely regarded as the standard for justice and equity in the land, and tasked with the role of delivering justice without fear or favour, has in recent times come under fire from many Nigerians for its role in passively or actively supporting corruption through seemingly questionable judgements.

One of the biggest and most controversial landmarks on the Nigerian political scene in recent years was the Supreme Court’s unanimous judgement in favour of Hope Uzodinma over Emeka Ihedioha in the Imo State Gubernatorial elections.

Despite indications that neither Uzodinma nor Ihedioha met the constitutional requirements to be declared winner in the election, the NigerianApex Court, in a highly controversial move, unanimously awarded judgement to Uzodinma theAll Progressives Congress (APC) candidate, instead of ordering a re-run of the election.

In a similar instance, the famous case between Nigeria and the British Virgin Islands-registered engineering company, Process and Industrial Development Limited (P&ID) was one which caused ruckus across the country and beyond, as it exposed the propensity of highly-placed Nigerians to collude with suspicious parties to

Buhari defraud the nation.

PI&D had allegedly entered into a 20-year gas contract in 2010 with Nigeria for the establishment and operation of a gas processing plant in Calabar, Cross River State. However, when the Nigerian government reneged on the said agreement, P&ID took the government to arbitration and was awarded $6.6 billion which having accrued interest since 2013, amounted to $9.6 billion in 2019. Questions raised include the authenticity of the contract and the extent of due diligence carried out before it was awarded to the British Virgin Islands Company.

ABloomberg article described P&ID Chairman Michael “Mick” Quinn as “a 68-year-old Irishman with a rakish mustache and decades of experience in Nigeria, mostly as a military contractor.”

The article also stated, “The company and its founders remain elusive.ANigerian newspaper recently published a list of unanswered questions about the firm: Where are its offices? How many

people does it employ? How did such a tiny company win such a large concession?”

It is worthy of note, that despite the seeming absurdity of certain elements of the case, P&ID had obtained an award and received High Court andAppeal Court endorsement of the award here in Nigeria, and it had been thought impossible to get any relief.

However, a recent turn in events around the case has seen Ross Cranston, a judge of the Business and Property Courts of England and Wales, grant Nigeria’s application for an extension of time and relief from sanctions. While delivering the judgement, the judge expressed that Nigeria has established a strong prima facie case that the contract was secured by bribes paid to insiders as part of a larger scheme to defraud the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

Another similar case is the one involving Petro Union Oil and Gas Company Limited, an oil and gas company on the one hand and the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and Union Bank of Nigeria Plc. (Union Bank) on the other, in what appears to be another brazen attempt to defraud Nigeria, this time to the tune of GBP2.56bn together with interest at 15% per annum from 1995.

The oil company is laying claim to the said sum, which it claims was imported into the country via a Barclays Bank UK cheque deposited at a Union Bank branch sometime in 1994.

Following the deposit of the cheque, Barclays Bank in the UK was contacted and it confirmed that the account on which the cheque was drawn was closed on 21st September 1989 whereas the cheque was issued on 29th December 1994 - five years after the account was closed!

This discovery was reported to the EFCC which absolved Union Bank of any wrongdoing after carrying out its own investigations.

Even more shocking is the fact that despite these revelations, Petro Union has been successful in pursuing the so-called fraud up to the Court ofAppeal where the oil company obtained judgement to support the notion that the £2.159bn was in the custody of the Central Bank of Nigeria.

In response, both the CBN and Union Bank have appealed to the Supreme Court of Nigeria, requesting it to set the case aside and execute justice, especially considering the fact that Petro Union officers were recently arrested, detained and are currently undergoing criminal prosecution at the Federal High Court, Lagos.

Quite obviously, the war against corruption in Nigeria is far from won. It is, however, more imperative than ever before for all hands to be on deck, in full support of the fight against the decay. In the words of President Muhammadu Buhari, “If we don’t kill corruption, corruption will kill us.”

––Johnson, a public analyst, writes from Abuja

Reflecting on Swift Growth of Ake Arts and Book Festival Adeola Adejokun

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any personalities and institutions are showing strength amid Covid-19 disruptions and the Ake Arts and Book Festival is not left out.

Like many other projects journeying into the air since the pandemic has polluted the land, the festival will hold online between October 22 and 26. It will be a pragmatic way of asserting its ‘African Time’ theme, as writers, publishers, scholars, artists and corporate players from different parts of the world will converge on the virtual arena for the ever-rich and incisive feast it offers.

Nigeria is a peculiarly tough environment for art and culture festivals to germinate and endure but the Ake Festival is proving that when there is will and resourcefulness, trees will flourish even in a desert. It may be too early to put the festival in the iconic perspective but the waves it has made in the eight years of its existence is symbolic enough to not only acknowledge its impacts but also highlight the factors that have accorded it sound footing.

Among such is its often-thematic assertiveness and diversity.

This is in line with the festival’s manifesto of, according to its founder Lola Shoneyin, creating “a place where intellectuals and thinkers can come together and talk about African issues on African soil.” Year after year, the festival discusses fundamental issues that cut across disciplines, ethnic boundaries, and races. Although its primary focus is cultural, artistic educational development, it is never shy of interrogating issues in governance, business, gender, and all. Last year, for instance, it explored various aspects of humanity under the theme, ‘Black Body, Grey Matters’.

Another key factor in the swift evolution of the Ake Festival is the expansive voice it gives to women and other segments of society who are often marginalised. The festival accommodates all genders, but it seems to appreciate the fact that society tend to suppress some. It has thus been able to promote such while also engaging the voices and passion of others, whom other similar festivals might have isolated. In this sense, it has positioned itself as a festival of all cultures, sub-cultures, philosophies, and ideas.

Youths are the jokers of the future. Any idea that they buy into has a date with history and the future. The disposition of

the festival organisers exemplifies this thought. It commands the attention of many young writers, poets, artists, and enthusiasts, who exude a sense of belonging when they attend each season. This is one trait that is a big plus for its essence, compared to some other book projects in Nigeria, which appear to subsist on the participation of what some would describe as the ‘core’, conservative veteran stakeholders.

The Ake Arts and Book Festival is also ‘blessed’ in terms of the dynamism of its sponsorship. Unlike some other similar outfits that depend on lone funders, it boasts several, though some are more major than others. It has enjoyed support from governments, especially the government of Ogun State. But equally pragmatically backing the festival are corporate groups and international organisations, which lend it credibility and depth apart from other forms of concrete support they might be giving. Compared to the now suspended Garden City Literary Festival, which flourished for about seven years when a government favourable to it sponsored it, but has been suffering lull since the coming of a new government, Ake is balanced in the diversified sponsorship equation, a feature that should be instructive to similar future initiatives.

Shoneyin and her team will particularly find precious the commitment of its principal partner, Sterling Bank, which is prepared to continue to be with her. During the 2019 edition held at the Goethe Institute, Ikoyi, Lagos, the bank’s Chief Executive Officer, Suleiman Abubakar, recalled how it (Sterling) bought into the dream, saying the journey had been mutually fulfilling as arts were significant and encompassing.

He said, “People treat art as if it is what we do when we have done everything else or in some way what we do when everything else has failed. But I disagree with them. I think and I am truly convinced that everything we know about ourselves and our history is the work of the creative specialists. Everything we understand is understood in context sand that context is the work of our creative people.

“Take away the context and the story changes completely. Last year, I spoke a little bit about how the greatest storytellers in the world were able to give us the Bible and the Quran because those who told the stories told such compelling stories that, centuries later, our everyday life is being determined by the stories they presented.

Stories are still a reason for people to go to war today, the reason for

people to give up their wealth. They are still the reason for people to do other important things. So, truly, storytelling is much more than what we do when we have done anything else.

“As we sit here tonight, let us understand this: we are not writing stories just to entertain people. We are writing stories that will lead to peace or war, lead to poverty or prosperity. The stories we write today will form the foundation for everything that the rest of us will do. So, I beg you all, even as we hold ourselves accountable, let us create stories that will inspire Africa to the highest height that it can be.”

While the festival, on its website, identifies Google also as a partner, it lists Annoying Logo, Goethe, and Nikon as sponsors, just as it describes Kryolan as a supporter.

It is against this background that many are eagerly awaiting the commencement of this year’s edition. It will be another time to savour vibrant debates and gauge challenges and opportunities in the sector, with the organisers promising a great deal even as the programmes will unfold online. They noted in a statement: “Now in its 8th year, the Ake Arts & Book Festival has brought over 700 artists, writers, poets, musicians, dancers, actors, filmmakers and thinkers together to dialogue and celebrate creativity on the African continent through panel discussions, art exhibitions, workshops, storytelling, book chats, poetry performances, a concert, stage play and unforgettable films.

“Our world has changed forever. And when the world turns, we turn with it. The magnitude of recent world events cannot be ignored so we have changed the theme for the 8th edition of Ake Arts & Book Festival.

In 1918, African nations were in the clutches of imperial forces that denigrated our stories, culture, history, language, and belief systems. Acentury later, a new pandemic finds Africa struggling with the colonial hangover of poor leadership and a predatory global order.

“Africa must reject the old normal and seize the opportunity of the moment to recalibrate and break the cycle of betrayal by those elected to lead. This may be our last chance to shape Africa and define the continent of our dreams.

It may have come later than expected but, for the children of Africa everywhere, this is African Time.”

––Adeola Adejokun writes from Lagos.

–

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OCTOBER 18, 2020 ˾ THISDAY, THE SUNDAY NEWSPAPER

High Life Senator Gbenga Ashafa: The Game Changer

Ashafa

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

Femi Otedola Offers to Save Another Life

T

he year 2020 has been, for lack of truer words, nothing like we expected. This was supposed to be a crest period of the 21st Century, with age-old policies and reforms finally coming together to birth a proverbial confluence of milk and honey. Only the most radical optimists still hold on to this temporal utopia, and it appears that one of them— Senator Gbenga Ashafa—is positively building momentum.

Ever since his appointment as the MD/CEO of the Federal Housing Authority (FHA), Senator Gbenga has been a cynosure of hearsay, a root of bated breath, and a figure of quiet hope.

While past administrations and administrators have not been terribly bad at pulling off the objectives of the FHA, it hasn’t been a slice of heaven. Because Ashafa is an unapologetic reformer and change agent, his stepping in to handle matters at FHA has been very well received. With recent developments, it doesn’t look like Ashafa intends to disappoint.

The opening move of Ashafa was the reshuffling and restructuring of key management staff under the Business Development and Finance directorates. This was accompanied by the reexamination of several housing schemes and construction sites, with particular emphasis on those under development within the Federal Capital Territory and the South-West.

Next, the management team under the supervision and instruction of Senator Ashafa went to great lengths to team up with allied bureaus within the Federal and State government levels, as well as several financial institutions, such as Federal Mortgage Bank, and the Family Homes Fund. One of the more visible results of these endeavours is the government’s proposal to avail 300,000 affordable housing units, using direct and indigenous labour, across the country—on an annual basis. In other words, Nigerians will get to build these houses and get paid for their work.

Since its establishment in 1973, with the driving objective of providing affordable public housing for Nigerians, the boat of the FHA has never been rocked in this fashion. Within 60 days of his appointment, Senator Gbenga Ashafa has facilitated commendable liaison between his charge and the Ministry of Finance, Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), the Budget Office, the leadership of the National Assembly, and privately-owned organisations.

At the moment, Ashafa’s FHA will reportedly close the year 2020 with the completion of over 700 housing units in Lugbe, Abuja, with several others —in Benue, Cross River, Ibadan, Owerri, Kaduna, Bayelsa States, etc., —in view.

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

Otedola

Fortune favours whomever it favours and is kind to whomever it is kind to.

Not long ago, news of a dying Nigerian academic was the buzz on papers and

blogs. The reports revealed that the said academic, a former lecturer, was in urgent need of medical care—a predicament that was reportedly not unrelated to the injustice enacted by his superiors. But all things have an end, and thanks to the kindness and compassion of Femi Otedola, the shadow of death over Inih Ebong has been thrown off.

The hearts of several Nigerians were stirred when the case of Inih Ebong, an associate professor that was fired working as a lecturer at the University of Uyo, Department of Theatre Arts hit the newsstands. Because he had reportedly spoken up against the criminal practices of his university’s management, he was unjustly laid off. Even after different courts have instructed the university to reinstate and compensate him, Ebong has remained unemployed. Consequently, he fell gravely sick.

Recently, Ebong was reported to be in very poor condition, suffering from critical heart problems, and with 20 percent chances of survival. Folks rushed to save the life of Ebong, among whom was Nigerian billionaire, Femi Otedola.

Under the aegis of his Femi Otedola

Foundation, the renowned businessman and philanthropist has offered to foot the bills for the medical operations needed to save the life of the distressed lecturer.

Because Ebong has been out of work for 18 years, his sessions of treatment in Uyo Teaching Hospital, St. Athanasius Hospital, and Prime Clinic resulted in debts of about 500,000. Were it not for the goodness of members of the management of these hospitals, the tale of Ebong might have ended on a sadder note long ago.

With Otedola’s involvement, the chances of treatment—and Ebong’s survival—have been greatly improved.

Otedola is the foremost paragon of humanity in Ebong’s case, with several other Nigerians bringing up the rear.

Nobody knows the truth of this better than Ebong’s wife, Uduak Ebong. She has been the one nursing her husband with the meager proceeds from her own employment as an entertainer at the Ibom Hotels & Golf Resort—until she was laid off on account of the Covid-19 pandemic.

There are angels amongst us indeed, and Ebong has just benefited from the goodness of one.

Stamp of His Honour: Another Beautiful Cap for Otunba Yemi Lawal For how they treat themselves and others, an individual must be known for something. For many people, the distinguishing feature is their propensity to gather to themselves, not allowing even a pinch to leak out. For others, it is almost the opposite—how they share the harvest, only taking for themselves the pleasure of touching the lives of others. Otunba Yemi Lawal is distinguished as belonging to this latter group, as Egba monarch has reiterated with his recent gesture.

Otunba Yemi Lawal has been honoured with a traditional chieftaincy title for his compassion on and generosity to the Egba people, especially during the throes Covid-19 pandemic. Conferring the title of Ekerin Bobagunwa of Egba on Lawal, the Alake of Egbaland, Oba Adedotun Gbadebo, called attention to Lawal’s commitment to Egbaland, its people, and Nigeria in general. According to the monarch, it all came to a head during the now-abated Covid-19 pandemic.

The actual installation of Otunba Lawal as Ekerin Bobagunwa of Egba has been scheduled for November 21, at Alake’s palace. The airwaves have already been bombarded with news of coloured preparations, with Egba people intent on demonstrating their love for Otunba Lawal.

Why or why not?

According to reports detailing the philanthropic endeavours of Otunba Lawal, over 5000 Egba people benefitted from Lawal’s largesse in the form of palliative. For Otunba Lawal, this is only the latest—possibly the most welcome— an acknowledgment of his generosity.

He has always used his gravitas as the boss of Seagle Property Development Company Limited to affect lives.

It is obvious that the prayers and gratitude of the beneficiaries of Otunba Lawal continue to fuel his successes and accomplishments in property development and management. At present, he is reputed as being the biggest

In the years that have followed Nigeria’s amalgamation and independence, quite a number of historic individuals have surfaced as indigenes and paragons of the beloved nation. The selling points of the nation at present are on account of these individuals.

At 58, Abike Dabiri-Erewa is no different from preservative salt, keeping safe Nigerians who are abroad, and lending voice to those who cannot speak. That’s an Amazon and Nigeria’s own Wonder Woman.

Hon. Abike Dabiri-Erewa clocked 58 on October 10, 2020. For a woman affable in disposition, grand in aspiration, and gracious in conversation, that day should have been celebrated with blaring trumps and gonggong drums. Alas, the times do not allow it.

Regardless, for all her work and ways, DabiriErewa is cause for gratitude to the creator and a noble example for patriotic men and women everywhere.

Under the aegis of the Nigerian in Diaspora Commission (NiDCOM), Abike Dabiri-Erewa has laboured long and hard, and borne fruits deserving of commendation and praise. In her capacity as the CEO (since November of 2018), the very outspoken Amazon has rocked many a political/ diplomatic boat, never tiring of being a frontline advocate for socioeconomic, cultural and political development in Nigeria.

Mostly because of Dabiri-Erewa,

Abike Dabiri-Erewa: The Political Amazon Struts at 58

Medayese

Dabiri-Erewa

Lawal

property owner in Oniru Estate, Victoria Island.

Regardless, goodness is justified by its fruits. Thus, the train of trophies and accolades tailing Otunba Yemi Lawal.

‘nobodies’ like Zainab Habibu Aliyu, Mallam Ibrahim Ibrahim, and several others obtained their freedom from wrongful imprisonment in foreign countries. Mostly because of Dabiri-Erewa, the awful cliché of outsourced prostitution—where young Nigerian ladies are sandpapered and parcelled overseas—has lost its teeth. Mostly because of Dabiri-Erewa, Nigerians in the diaspora are regarded with caution and care, their detractors aware that there is a Mama Bear—Dabiri-Erewa and her team—just waiting to tear them apart.

Great things are spoken of Nigeria and Nigerians in the diaspora, mostly because of Dabiri-Erewa. Little surprise she served as the chair of the House Committee on Diaspora Affairs for 12 years, and then was immediately appointed as Senior Special Assistant on Foreign Affairs and Diaspora to President Muhammadu Buhari.

So, at 58, only two years younger than her nation, Hon. Abike Dabiri-Erewa has accomplished much for herself and her fellow citizens. There is much more to do, but nary a wisp of uncertainty or fear—partly because of Dabiri-Erewa.

OCTOBER 18, 2020 ˾ THISDAY, THE SUNDAY NEWSPAPER

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Adebayo Adeoye bayoolunla@gmail.com; 08054680651

SOCIETY WATCH

Sir Kessington Adebutu Warms Up For 85th Birthday Bash

Elegushi

Oba Saheed Elegushi’s Wife Glows with ‘The Monarch’ Queen Sekinat Aramide Elegushi, the wife of His Royal Majesty, Oba Saheed Ademola Elegushi Kusenla III, the Elegushi of Ikateland, is currently being talked about by many in glowing terms for giving the bubbly Lagos city an enduring monument that they can be proud of.

The beautiful queen, last week, opened an imposing event centre, The Monarch, along the Lekki-Epe Expressway, amidst jubilations by indigenes and visitors.

The event centre, which sits on over a 10,000sqm of land overlooking the palace, is a onestop-shop for those seeking to hold a memorable event.

The masterpiece architectural design, with a top-of-the-range interior décor, shopped from the biggest designers around the globe has over a 500-capacity car park.

No doubt, The Monarch is set to change the face of event centres along the fast-growing Eti-Osa and Lekki areas in Lagos, a city of aquatic splendour.

Speaking on the centre, Queen Elegushi disclosed that when she mooted the idea some time ago, her husband, Oba Saheed Elegushi, keyed into the vision and supported it wholeheartedly.

The popular Olori with an uncommon heart of gold is also a firm believer in the popular saying that “no one has ever become poor by giving and that the happiest people are not those getting more, but those giving more because it is every man’s obligation to put back into the world at least the equivalent of what he takes out of it.”

No wonder, it is in line with this that her foundation, Queen Sekinat Elegunshi Foundation, QSE, is at the forefront of humanitarian gestures across the state.

If you describe Nigerian billionaire businessman, Sir Kessington Adebukunola Adebutu, Chairman, Premier Lotto, as a compelling study in grace, you will only be stating the obvious.

Indeed, with him, there is no more concrete evidence of a man born under the proverbial lucky star, as his paths in life, since childhood, have been laced with more roses than thorns.

His inspiring journeys so far would ordinarily make good material for any creative biographer, particularly as there seems to be no evidence that he is penning his memoirs yet. Certainly, he has had so many serio-comic events that can make the yet-to-be-documented book a compelling read.

Interestingly, one of the things that the Ogun State-born businessman, whom Providence has granted the grace to get the best out of life, cherishes is celebrating life. He loves to celebrate with achievers in life, and he himself is celebrated for his great feats in life.

Therefore, as he is set to turn 85 this week, October 24, not a few are looking forward to seeing the octogenarian organize a birthday shindig that will be the talk of the town for a long time.

But if information reaching Society Watch is anything to go by, Baba Ijebu plans to organize a low-key celebration, owing largely to the prevailing circumstances forced on humanity by the dreaded global pandemic, COVID 19.

In fact, a reliable source revealed that the Premier Lotto boss and the Odoole of Yorubaland plans to mark the day with his wives and 12 children, who are making him proud.

The source revealed that, apart from his

Adebutu

great investments in business, he has also invested very much in his children; hence, he also wants to use the occasion of his coming birthday to thank God profusely for all He has been doing in the lives of his children, Hon. Oladipupo Adebutu, a former member of the House of Representatives representing Remo Federal Constituency in Ogun State in the

Eighth Assembly and PDP governorship candidate in Ogun State in the 2019 general election; Engr. Ajibola Bankole Adebutu, Managing Director, JB Farms Limited and CEO, Tosett Agro Industries Limited; Adebisi Adebutu; Adesegun Adebutu, CEO, Petrolex; Babatunde Adebutu; Dr. Abiola Adebutu-Olorode; Abolanle Adebutu-Matel-Okoh, a lawyer and nonexecutive Director on the Board of Wema Bank Plc since 2015 as well as a former Legal Officer at United Commercial Bank in San Francisco, California, United States; Adeyemi Adebutu-Olusoji; Adetokunbo Adebutu; Temitope Adebutu-Obasanjo, a Chief Magistrate with Ogun State Judiciary and a set of twins named Folarin & Folami Adebutu.

Today, the Iperu-Remo-born billionaire also juggles other profitable investments, some of which include Arbico Plc, one of the oldest construction companies in Nigeria with a presence across different parts of Nigeria, and Park Inn by Radisson (formerly Gateway Hotels), a 5-Star 400-room hospitality outfit standing in Abeokuta, Ogun State.

A few years ago when the good news filtered that Adebutu has decided to acquire the derelict hotel, owing to his intimidating profile, so many people were eager to see the end result. As usual, he didn’t disappoint.

But Society Watch gathered that the smartest investment of the lotto magnate is in banking through Wema Bank Plc, as he emerged, last year, as a new majority shareholder.

The Day Omoyele Sowore was Humiliated “Come dey go. Come dey go. We don’t want you here. We don’t want you here...”

Those were the angry words that #EndSARS protesters, last Thursday in Abuja, poured on Omoyele Sowore, an activist and a former presidential candidate of the African Action Congress, AAC , party in the 2019 general elections in Abuja. If he thought he was going to be received with open arms he was terribly mistaken. He was pushed and shoved from the entrance of the National Assembly. .

On that day, the protesters, with a steely resolve were demanding a comprehensive police reforms at the entrance to the National Assembly when Sowore stormed the venue in his usual braggadocio manner, attempting to hijack the protest.

But while Sowore, also the publishers of SaharaReporters, was hailing the protesters on arrival at the entrance to the National Assembly, the stream of expletives intensified until he was forced to leave the venue.

Perhaps, if he knew that he was no

more in the reckoning of youths, he would have stayed back in the comfort of his bedroom and followed the protest on the social media.

But as an African proverb says, “A dog determined to get lost would not listen to the whistle of the hunter.”

Obviously goaded by his over-bloated ago, he failed to realize that he is no more than a paper tiger who has completely lost his place among the youth.

Though some argued that Sowore’s relentless approach to the #RevolutionNow movement had helped prepare the ground for the #EndSARS protest, others maintained that he was booed by the protesters as a way of ensuring that the protest was not hijacked by politicians or those who might want to use the platform to project their personal political ambitions or sentiments.

It will be recalled that, in late 2019, Sowore was arrested and illegally detained for months by the President Muhammadu Buhari-led administration for his role in his #RevolutionNow, a movement calling for good governance in Nigeria, but accused of plotting to overthrow the government.

Sowore

Eyimofe Atake’s Uncommon Brilliance

Atake

When he chose to pursue a career in Law, one of his dreams was to become a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, SAN, before the age of 50.

It wasn’t wishful thinking. He knew it would require a lot of efforts academically - and of course, the grace of God. He had returned to Nigeria, after completing his education in ivy institutions in London, to launch his career as a lawyer about three decades ago.

Luckily, his efforts paid off when he became a SAN at 41, a proof of his professionalism and brilliance. By this feat, Dr. Eyimofe Doyle Atake, SAN, had achieved what many in his noble profession are yet to attain.

He holds a doctoral degree in law, with specialization in ligation, arbitration, maritime, admiralty, international trade, oil, and gas laws.

Over the years, this former president of the Oxford and Cambridge Club of Nigeria has been growing from strength to strength, with his agitation in challenging Nigeria’s judicial system, the Niger Delta matters, and sundry issues that relate to humanity.

An activist of sorts, Atake is acknowledged to have persuaded the Supreme Court of Nigeria, in a constitutional case, with a full bench of seven justices for the first time in the Nigerian legal jurisprudence, to hold that a judicial officer, who has seized to be one could appear for himself in person in a court of law rather than being represented by counsel and that the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria does not place such a bar on a judicial officer who has seized to be one.

Consequently, the Supreme Court of Nigeria had to reverse the decision of the lower court that held that the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria bars a person who has held judicial office from acting for himself in a court of law.

A chip off the old block, being the son of a foremost jurist, Atake is adding more verve to the legal profession with a new dimension that can never be called to question. At 62, he has no doubt, established himself as a worthy legal luminary.

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OCTOBER 18, 2020 ˾ THISDAY, THE SUNDAY NEWSPAPER

LOUD WHISPERS

with JOSEPH EDGAR (09095325791)

#EndSARS – Unloading Pent-Up Resentments This thing that started like play is now turning into something else. As I write the whole country has been engulfed by the wave of discontent and the need for real change.

Everybody is supporting these young children and endorsing them. Even me in my Shomolu enclave, I am standing on my pot of afang and declaring full and unconditional support for the movement. This is what in literature we call the fire within. The fire that has been brewing forever waiting for that opportunity to exhale and consume all that is wrong in its pathway. The government or should I say our political class has messed up enough with this generation. They are not like my own yeye generation who listened to our parents and went to ‘stupid’ schools, came out with useless paper

qualifications and got very terrible jobs i.e. the lucky few and lived miserable lives allowing our leaders to continue to rape us without as much as a whimper.

These ones are different o. These ones are ‘mad’ people o! Abi you no see the kind of clothes they wear and the kind of ‘dada’ hair they carry around? They have rebelled o! They went to our useless schools but came out with a different ethos. They have built multi-trillionnaira industries leveraging technology, created stupendous wealth, and have decentralized resource control. You think these ones are interested in oil bloc when with their phones they are building empires and thumbing our noses?

From the moment they were called lazy, I just knew we have put a finger into their eyes. Me, I started

begging them o. But what do our leaders know? The ones that have been petroleum minister since 1978 and are still running around in the corridors of power today, how will they understand the language of the youth, the technology of now and the outlook of the future?

Mbok, let’s just beg these children o before they take us out o. Haven’t you heard they have created alternative Internet in case we try to shut down the Internet? They are raising millions by the minute to cater for legal, medical and other issues. They are mobilizing and taking over the world. Let’s beg o. Let’s give them the reforms but much more important, let’s leave the system and allow a breath of fresh air, abeg. The rapture is here.

DAVIDO FILLS THE VOID You see, this young man has emerged as the true face of this revolt. Don’t get me wrong. This movement is headless and that is why it will be very difficult to engage it. It is hydra-headed and as such cannot be decapitated with the traditional means. Before, IBB go don go NTA go say, ‘Don’t provoke an institution that has the monopoly of force’. Today he will just be looking helplessly because these ones don’t need a monopoly of any useless force, these ones are using monopoly of justice, fair play and total good for the common man.

Na the monopoly that is giving the movement the legitimacy it currently enjoys. Mbok, don’t distract me abeg. So I had said this during the Osun elections where his uncle was contesting. As a student of politics – yes I have a master’s degree in Political Science o. So don’t be looking at me with one kind eye o and na 2:2 I get. Influence is very pervasive.

Much more potent than constituted authority if deliberately parlayed. That is what Davido is carrying around. The mass voluntary corralling of a huge swath of a restive population is massive.

We should be looking at this boy with one eye o. His privileged birth, his boldness, his confidence and the knowledge that ‘nothing can happen’ is making him a potent political force if well-managed.

I watched him purportedly with the Inspector General of Police sans the youthful exuberance and the messianic disposition; the boy is showing that he could be a very powerful leader. I like him and can see his massive followership and his willingness to lead. I am watching very closely. Some mumu people will now say that Duke is saying Davido will be president now o. That is not what I am saying o. Why am I even bothered, nobody pay my school fees, what was I even trying to say again o? kai, I don confuse. You see life?

occasion and that is quite impressive. The man no like calmness because na that time he will just be moving around like someone that take Andrew’s liver salt and be pointing at buildings everywhere.

But when there is a crisis, the champion in him will just wake, he will just be moving around, assume the ‘Presidency’ and lead the nation in ways that are uncharacteristically ‘unNigerian’. The bobo is impressing us o. When COVID-19 came, it didn’t know what it would meet in Lagos. If it knew, it would have gone to drop in Fernando Po but it came to Lagos and Sanwo-Olu jumped in and showed it that amala and gbegiri can be a potent energy source for a governor.

Today, as the #EndSars thing is consuming our political elite, he has emerged as the much-needed bridge between the vanguard of the movement and our hard-pressed leadership who really do not understand what is happening. He was first resisted by the movement but has gradually won their trust, setting up N200m fund, engaging on social media and joining the parades and speaking.

Kai, I am loving this chap. He is truly a leader if only his handlers at Bourdilon will free him up. He just might be that midpoint leader that we need to gradually shift the ethos of power. Well done bro, please keep up the crisis leadership. God will bless you for me. I will soon invite you for lunch over a plate of well-made afang and fufu with periwinkle, but please don’t come with that your deputy that will be following you up and down before he come and finish the food o. Just one man dose that will be served. Let me know when you are ready. Well done, sir.

and see that he was chatting with me o. The Duke cannot be arrested or kept anywhere for a second without afang and sex.

I am no Mandela, not even in the least interested. This is a warning I am sending out there o. Well anyways, I have been trying to reach Sowore to ask him if he dey see how dem dey mobilize in the 21st-century. See how people use a strong ideology, leverage technology and push resources strategically and show love without calling people names and achieve better results. My brother has been going around painting bridges and shouting revolution with only four people joining the parade. Even of the four, two run away. That na old school campus revolution. Now we are facing the real REVOLUTION NOW. Let’s carry laptop and learn. Bro no vex o, couldn’t just avoid the yabis.

SANWO-OLU – WHAT MANNER OF MAN? This paddy has a way of rising to the

Davido

REVOLUTION TUTORIALS FOR OMOYELE SOWORE I can say Sowore is my friend at least he used to be part of us at the Duke’s Summit.

I was even chatting with him some minutes before he was snatched away and this threw me into a state of fear. I went into hiding inside Shomolu in case some overzealous DSS persons come go through his phone

Sanwo-Olu

Adamu

we dey talk. When Wike see say they will not listen he begin to change mind. But when Buhari appoint that ‘fat’ woman INEC something Wike join movement o.

Come and see him speaking the one that concern him. How can Buhari appoint his aide to INEC, he kept shouting. The people say SARS is killing them, baba is shouting Buhari, INEC. You see the disconnect? I pity am, he does not know what is happening. Let him continue.

WIKE’S COMEDIC U-TURN Please, this daddy should not just let me laugh abeg. I am really in no mood to laugh. Duchess has been ordered to go into a 45-day fast by one prophet o.

Please, can’t this movement to end SARS be pushed towards some of these pastors?

How can someone siddon for him shrine or altar come dey affect my time in the other room? As we speak, Duchess has moved to the boys’ quarter with Bible and candle and has been shouting ‘holy, holy. Me I dey room alone dey ask myself which kind life is this. I have asked for the man number and she has refused to give me. Once I have his picture, I will publish it so that you people can help me beg him to reduce the days of the fast before ‘conji’ kill me.

Am I Buhari, am I the one that increase fuel, light and garri prices? Mbok, na Wike I want yab o before my own frustration enter the matter. The man first say he don ban all movements, those Port Harcourt boys na another level of ‘madness’ o. They came out naked. Come and see stark naked – but them thing small oh! I thought PH boys ‘carry’. Shame catch me for them sha.

Anyways this na #EndSars no be that one

DOLA IS GONE My brother Dola Bamgboye passed on last week. This year has been crazy, very good people have gone and Dola has sadly made the list. He was a gentle giant. They said he slept and did not wake up. He was my man at MTN. Na him dey advise me, support me and play with me. I was not very close to him but the few times we met up he was genial; a friend of the people. He mixed with the high, mighty and the lowly. He was everything to everybody. Our last discussion was on my play, Aremu. He worked with me in designing it, giving very good advice and positioning it in such a way that it will be attractive to sponsors. He told me matter-of-factly that ‘MTN no go do am’ but make I help you so that others go do am. He was sweet, he was sweet o and this one pain me o; really pain me o. His cousin and my brother, Femi Omotosho, sent me a video of Dola dancing in church a few hours before he passed and that just wounded me. I cried o. I have been crying this year o. People have gone o. From Erelu to Aramide to Dola, people have gone o.

Who remain o? This is why in my new play – Our Duke Has Gone Mad Again - I will be celebrating all those who have passed this year through a sweet video montage with beautiful actress Bikiya GrahamDouglas calling out their names and the audience in all white standing and bowing their heads, paying total respects and honour. God keep their souls but much more importantly, God protect the rest of us left behind. Dola!

Wike’s

Dola

ARTS & REVIEW A

PUBLICATION

18.10.2020

O

ne by one, we shall all go! This title, which was for a tribute that he co-wrote with the Nobel laureate Wole Soyinka on March 23, 2013, proclaims John Pepper Clark-Bekederemo's acute consciousness of his imminent mortality. Not that any extraordinary prescience was needed for that. Nor could it have been prompted by a premonition.

Physical death, as a natural end of an earth-life, has after all been generally accepted as an incontrovertible fact of life and, indeed, as an inexorable answer to nature's call.

Talking about Achebe's passage, it had further depleted the number of the original contemporary Nigerian literature's big four – called the "pioneer quartet" in the tribute – to two. Achebe, whom Clark and Soyinka had alluded to in the tribute as "a brother, a colleague, a trailblazer and a doughty fighter”, had moved ahead of them to join the poet Christopher Okigbo, who departed this earth-life in 1967 during the Nigerian civil war, in the great beyond.

For Clark, the summon to the beyond came in the early morning of Tuesday, October 13, about seven years after. In a statement, signed by Professor C. C. Clark for the family, the Clark-Fuludu Bekederemo family of the Delta State town, Kiagbodo, disclosed that the revered literary icon “has finally dropped his pen" and "has paddled on to the great beyond in comfort of his wife, children and sibling, around him.”

Until the announcement of his death, the emeritus professor of literature and the renowned writer seemed – albeit not by choice – to have gradually receded from the national consciousness. In a manner of speaking, news about him had been swept aside by the surging tidal-wave of the country’s current challenges, bordering mainly on insecurity, the coronavirus pandemic and, recently, the nationwide protest against police brutality, extortion and extra-judicial killings, hashtagged #EndSARS. Yet, President Muhammadu Buhari alongside other eminent personalities like the Edo State Governor Godwin Obaseki rose to the occasion to pay tribute to the literary icon.

In a statement, issued by his spokesperson Femi Adesina, the president acknowledged the late Clark, a recipient of the Nigerian National Order of Merit Award and “a serial award-winner in poetry”, as one of Nigeria’s finest poets and dramatist, adding that the repertoire of his published works attests to the hard work of a great man devoted to a lifetime of writing, knowledge and promotion of the indigenous Ijaw culture.

The deceased, who was the younger brother of the wellknown Ijaw nationalist and polemicist Chief Edwin Clark, was best known for his poetic offerings. Indeed, he is easily remembered for his 1965 poem “Abiku”, which explores the Yoruba concept of serial reincarnations after early physical deaths. To his credit are a 1961 collection of 40 lyrics that treat heterogeneous, titled Poems, as well as A Reed in the Tide (published

by Longmans in 1965), which is a collection of episodic poems that encompass his indigenous African background and travel experiences in the US and other places; Casualties: Poems 1966–68, which was published in 1970 in the USA by Africana Publishing Corporation and chronicle the horrendous events of the Nigerian civil-war and A Decade of Tongues (published under the Longmans Drumbeat series in 1981) as a collection of 74 poems, all of which except for “Epilogue to Casualties” (dedicated to Michael Echeruo) were previously published in earlier volumes. There were also State of the Union, a 1981 collection which expresses the poet’s fears over Nigeria’s existential struggles as a developing nation and Mandela and Other

Cover continued on Page 56

TO KIAGBODO RIVER, JOHN PEPPER CLARK RETURNS...

Pepper Clark

EDITOR OKECHUKWU UWAEZUOKE/ okechukwu.uwaezuoke@thisdaylive.com

T H I S D AY, T H E S U N D AY N E W S PA P E R ˾ OCTOBER 18, 2020

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ARTS & REVIEW\\TRIBUTE

TO KIAGBODO RIVER, JOHN PEPPER CLARK RETURNS...

Besides being one of the surviving members of the initial contemporary Nigeria literature’s pioneer quartet, Professor John Pepper Clark-Bekederemo remained one of the most memorable literary icons of recent memory until his death on Tuesday. Okechukwu Uwaezuoke reports Poems, a 1988 collection which revisits the continually recurring phenomenon of ageing and death.

Also renowned for his dramatic works, Clark wrote Song of a Goat, a tragedy cast in the mould of the Greek classical model, which premiered at the Mbari Club in 1961. In the drama, the protagonist Zifa because of his impotence causes his wife Ebiere to indulge in an illicit love relationship with his brother Tonye and this ends in suicide. A sequel of the play published in 1964, was titled The Masquerade.

There is also The Raft, also published in 1964, in which four men drift helplessly down the Niger aboard a long raft, Ozidi (published in 1966), which is a transcription of a performance of an Ijaw epic drama and the 1981 prose drama The Boat, which documents the Delta State community of Ngbilebiri’s history.

Clark’s forays into other literary genres included his 1977 translation of the Ozidi Saga, the articulation of his aesthetic perspectives on poetry and drama, titled The Example of Shakespeare (published in 1970 by the Northwestern University Press, in Evanston, Illinois, USA) as well as his essays in such Nigerian newspapers Daily Express and Daily Times, among others. In his well-known controversial travelogue, America, Their America (first published by Deutsch, 1964 and in the Heinemann’s African Writers Series in 1969) he criticises the American society and its values.

He sustained his name in the literary community’s consciousness through his many active roles in the industry. After his being conferred within 1991 with a Nigerian National Order of Merit Award for literary excellence, the US-based Howard University published his two works Ozidi Saga and Collected Plays and Poems 1958-1988. Two decades later – on December 6, 2011 – he was celebrated with the launch of the publication, titled J. P. Clark: A Voyage, The Definitive Biography of the Main Animating Force of African Poetry and written by the renowned playwright Femi Osofisan. The event, which was held at the Lagos Motor Boat Club along Awolowo Road in Ikoyi, Lagos, was graced by the local crème de la crème of the literary community. In 2015, the Wole Adedoyin-led Society of Young Nigerian Writers founded the JP Clark Literary Society to promote the readership of his works.

Recently, in February, he symbolically handed over the literary baton to the new generation of Nigerian writers, who was represented by the award-winning Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, at a ceremony in the ARISE News Channel offices.

Clark, who was born on April 6, 1935, in Kiagbodo to an Urhobo mother and an Ijaw father, had his early education at the Native Authority School, Okrika (Ofinibenya-Ama), in Burutu Local Government Area (then Western Ijaw) of Delta State and later at the Government College in Ughelli. After his BA degree in English in 1960 from the University of Ibadan, where he edited various magazines, including the Beacon and The Horn, he had worked as an information officer with the old Western Region's Ministry of Information, then as features editor of the Daily Express and later as a research fellow at the Institute of African Studies, University of Ibadan.

JP Clark with Soyinka It was during his years as a professor of English at the University of Lagos that he co-edited the literary magazine The Black Orpheus. Later, in 1982 (two years after he retired from the university), he founded the PEC Repertory Theatre in Lagos with his wife Ebun Odutola (a professor and former director of the Centre for Cultural Studies at the University of Lagos). He had, besides, held several professorial appointments at several tertiary institutions, including the US-based Yale and Wesleyan universities.

Clark's earthly remains were interred on Thursday night at exactly 11.30 pm in his island country home in Kiagbodo.

This was in adherence to his last wishes, which he had penned down in a poem, titled “My Last Testament”. In that poem, he wrote: “Take me home to my own, and/To lines and tunes, tested on the waves/Of time, let me lie in my place/ On the Kiagbodo River.”

Youths from his community had first brought the casket bearing his corpse to Kiagbodo town at about 8:48 pm from Asaba International Airport before it was conveyed in a boat to his home on JP Clark Creek Island, where it briefly lay in state for a handful of family members. Just before it was interred, a few words of prayers by Trinty House's Pastor Ituah Ighodalo, who was represented by pastors Jolomi Guoti and Ken Okochu, in the presence of the deceased's close family members, who included his wife and his children.

POEM

My Last Testament J P Clark This is to my family Do not take me to a mortuary, Do not take me to a church, Whether I die in or out of town, But take me home to my own, and To lines and tunes, tested on the waves Of time, let me lie in my place On the Kiagbodo River.

If Moslems do it in a day, You certainly can do it in three, Avoiding blood and waste, And whatever you do after, My three daughters and my son By the only wife I have, Do not fight over anything I may be pleased to leave behind ––Full Tide(Collected Poems), Page 385.

LITERARY PRIZE

Nigeria Prize for Literature Parties with Past Winners Yinka Olatunbosun

T

he most prestigious literary prize in Africa, Nigeria Prize for Literature endowed by Nigeria Liquefied Natural Gas Limited (NLNG) to honour the author of the best book by a Nigerian held an “All Laureates Feast” last weekend to celebrate its past winners. Called a “book party,” the virtual event celebrated winners across the four literary genres namely, poetry, drama, prose and children’s literature. These include Professor Ahmed Yerima, Professor Akachi Adimora-Ezeigbo, Mabel Segun, Kaine Agary, Jude Idada, Tade Ipadeola, Sam Ukala, Abubakar Adamu, Soji Cole, Gabriel Okara Chika Unigwe and Mai Nasara.

Moderated by Opeyemi Adeyemi, the past winners of the prize had the rare opportunity to share the stories behind their writing career and how they had fared since they received

the coveted prize. Professor Yerima, who won the prize in 2006 with the play Hard Ground, is a lecturer at the Redeemers’ University in Ede, Osun State. His most recent work is a virtual play for Nigeria at 60, which highlights the role and impact of the military government in Nigeria.

The oldest of the winners and renowned poet, Mabel Segun was unable to join the virtual party.

Still, her profile was shared with the audience, among whom was her co-winner Professor Adimora-Ezeigbo in 2007. With the Children’s Literature piece, titled My Cousin Sammy, Ezeigbo won the prize and other recognition came along.

“I have won other prizes after the NLNG Nigeria Prize for Literature. My family has grown. I have grand-children now and they are all reading my books,” she said.

For Adeleke Adeyemi who wrote under the pen name Mai Nasara, he shared similar sentiments as Ezeigbo in the years after his 2011 win with the Children’s book The Missing Clock.

“I have been blessed with children of my own since I won the prize and one of my children is also writing and illustrating,” he said. He also decried the gross abuse and dehumanisation of children

that had been widely reported in the news.

The actor, poet, screenwriter and playwright, Jude Idada, who had applied several times before winning the prize in 2019 with his book Boom Boom, has since written two collections of short stories, produced a movie and started a Facebook series on social realities after winning the coveted prize.

“I started a Children Literature prize for children between the ages of 9 and 13 as well as 14 and 18. I have been working with the Sickle Cell Foundation in Nigeria and other organisations in the United States of America and Canada,’’ he revealed.

Although his works are often centred around social realities, Idada argued that an African writer should be able to write about nature to change the status quo of narratives from Africa.

The session was punctuated with a dance performance of Kole Ade-Odutola’s poem titled, “Nigeria”. It was neatly executed by a group of young dancers called Gifted Steppers.

(See concluding part on www.thisdaylive.com) Yerima

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T H I S D AY, T H E S U N D AY N E W S PA P E R ˾ OCTOBER 18, 2020

CICERO

Editor:Olawale Olaleye Email:wale.olaleye@thisdaylive.com, SMS: 08116759819

IN THE ARENA

#ENDSARS: A Protest Like No Other With a social contract in tatters, incipient economic recession, spiraling insecurity, dithering ruling elite and suspect Labour, angry Nigerian youths demand change that goes beyond the usual tokenisms and rhetoric, writes Louis Achi

Y

ouths coming together in joint action have served as a major engine of social transformation throughout human history.

At key moments, younger generations have repeatedly acted to challenge and influence the dismantling of systems of oppression, subordination and injustice.

Today, youth-led collective action is proving decisive in combating global challenges. From fighting for the environment, to protecting and expanding human rights to demanding economic justice, young folks are at the forefront of change.

During the 2010 Arab Spring, the social media helped the youth to organise an unprecedented protest that started in Tunisia and spread to Egypt, Libya, Yemen, Syria, Bahrain, and other Middle Eastern countries.

Frustrated by police corruption, economic woes, human rights violations, and oppressive regimes, youths took part in a wave of pro-democracy protests that turned public plazas like Cairo’s Tahrir Square into sites of struggle. The demonstrations were sparked by the death of a young Tunisian street vendor, who set himself on fire after a police officer confiscated his cart.

The assumption has been that Nigerian youths lack the will or focus to sustain any meaningful protests. But that assumption is flawed. The massive, youth-centric #ENDSARS protests in much of the country, keys into these timeless impulses of rejection of oppression and injustice.

The emerging consensus is that the Federal Special AntiRobbery Squad, FSARS, established in 1992, has over the years become synonymous with impunity, brutality and extra-judicial massacre.

The blooming remonstration marches by youths across major Nigerian cities, especially in the South and Abuja – with the North keying in the course of the action – centers around the alleged extreme brutality and murderous inclinations of the FSARS operatives with the core demand of scrapping the force. The target bracket of the police malfeasances is the youth.

In his reaction to the gathering cloud, the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Mohammed Adamu, last week announced the scrapping of the offending FSARS and its replacement with the Special Weapons and Tactics Team (SWAT). But this move cut little ice with the protesting youths, who are leery of failed promises.

Though at press-time, the protests are morphing into enlarged street demonstrations targeting broad, fundamental governance issues, despite overt and covert warnings from the central and some state governments. Surreptitious efforts to use thugs to break-up the protest failed. The passion and obvious sincerity the youths are displaying have drawn measured support from elder and other critical stakeholders.

Mid last week, an increasingly ‘revolutionary’ Pastor Enoch Adejare Adeboye of the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG) waded into the fray with his unquestionable moral authority, when he backed the scaled up protests against police brutality.

“Our daughters will not be able to prophesy and young men will not see visions if we don’t keep them alive. I support the youths in this peaceful protest as they speak up to EndPoliceBrutality,” the venerable spiritual leader quaintly wrote via his official Facebook page and Twitter handle.

According to a former deputy Senate president, Ike Ekeremadu, “The ongoing street protests over the excesses of elements in the Nigeria Police did not come to me as a surprise. As a matter of fact, I had always known, and warned severally that a day would come, when Nigerians would no longer tolerate the worsening insecurity in the land and the excesses of those charged with

Protesters being addressed by the Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu protecting lives and property.”

A jittery presidency also reacted. Rising from its monthly meeting, the National Economic Council presided over by Vice President Yemi Osinbajo and attended by state governors, NEC directed the immediate establishment of State-based Judicial Panels of Inquiry across the country to receive and investigate complaints of Police brutality or related extra judicial killings with a view to delivering justice for all victims of the dissolved SARS and other police units.

The Council specifically resolved that governors and the FCT Minister should take charge of interface and contact with the protesters in their respective domains.

The Judicial Panels, which would be set up in all the states would include representatives of Youths, Students, Civil Society Organisations and would be chaired by a respected retired State High Court Judge.

The Council also directed that governors should immediately establish a State-based Special Security and Human Rights Committee to be chaired by the governors in their states, to supervise the newly formed police tactical units and all other security agencies located in the state.

In a noticeably measured tone, which sharply contrasted with the Nigerian Army bare-knuckle warning to the protesting youths, the Defence Headquarters, Abuja, expressed a position on the unfolding angered youth demonstrations, in a statement signed by Major General John Enenche, Coordinator Defence Media Operations. “The Armed Forces of Nigeria and other security agencies have observed with dismay some violencerelated protests across the country particularly, the increasing number of attacks on peaceful protesters by thugs and miscreants.

This unfolding event against peace loving Nigerians will not be condoned. Hence, thugs and miscreants are hereby warned

to desist from engaging in violent activities against peaceful Nigerians henceforth, or face appropriate measures.

“The Military High Command wishes to reassure law abiding citizens that it is highly committed to the sustenance of peace, security, and the defence of democracy in Nigeria. The Armed Forces of Nigeria and other security agencies hereby commends all citizens particularly those who genuinely express their concerns in an organised, patriotic and civil manner.”

More, following a teleconference meeting with the IGP, on Wednesday, the Nigerian Governors Forum (NGF) called for increased regularity in the meetings of the Nigeria Police Council in order for it to effectively carry out its regulatory and supervisory roles as contained in the Nigerian Constitution.

According to Governor Fayemi, NGF Chair, the timing of the switch from FSARS to SWAT was inauspicious. “On the IGP’s plans on SWAT, the governors held that though the effort might be necessary and in good faith, they argued that the timing was inauspicious as the mood of the nation negates it and may understandably be misinterpreted as a surreptitious move to dress FSARS in another garb.”

The NGF further noted that the protests went beyond asking for an end to SARS to include an improvement in governance across board and charged the police to fish out members of the disbanded police unit involved in acts of gross human rights violations and ensure that they answered for their crimes.

Lives have been lost in cities in various parts of the country and many limbs bruised. But the youths remain undeterred in seeking fundamental change. Significantly, global attention has shifted to Nigeria. Global leaders, international human rights bodies, Nigerians in diaspora have condemned the development in Nigeria, closely tracking the unfolding protests and backing the youths.

P O L I T I CA L N OT E S

Sanwo-Olu: When Leadership Is Innate!

P Sanwo-Olu

erhaps, time and chance also speak directly to this. But more importantly is the fact that the Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu has leadership imbued inside of him. Although his takeoff as governor was initially slow, he has never failed in delivering leadership, much as he has also kept a good pace with fixing Lagos.

When the first index case of the Covid-19 pandemic was discovered in late February, not only did the whole country wait with baited breath, it soon marked a defining point in the life of the country. However, for the people of Lagos,

Sanwo-Olu kept hope alive and soon, the rest of the country took a cue from him.

It was not surprising, therefore, that since the start of the #ENDSARS protests, which are fast assuming a life of their own in many parts of the country, the governor has since risen to the challenge, communicating effectively with the youths and holding forth as much as he could.

Suffice it to say this is far from being over, but Sanwo-Olu’s approach to the situation has again relived hope and indeed, a proof of the fact that Lagos is lucky with its choice of governor, who beyond the brick and mortar often identified with governance, is delivering sound leadership.

Kudos, Governor Sanwo-Olu!

THISDAY, THE SUNDAY NEWSPAPER Ëž OCTOBER 18, 2020

58

BRIEFINGNOTES Aisha Yesufu a ProďŹ le in Courage In the ongoing protests to end police brutality across the country, one female rights activist, Aisha Yesufu, remains a constant reminder that genuine change is possible. Her courage is unpredecent.

Tobi Soniyi writes

I

n a country, where many are too fearful to speak out against palpable injustice and call out the perpetrators; in a country, where people hide under religion to shy away from their civic responsibility, Aisha Yesufu is a rare breed.

Her photograph wearing hijab, raising her clenched fist in the air, daring armed policemen while calling for an end to impunity by men of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS), should make it to the national archive. It takes someone who is ready to pay the ultimate price to exhibit such courage.

Many see her as an enigma. They could not understand who she really is and why she does what she does. Others don’t know what inspires or drives her. But to understand Aisha, you only need to listen to her.

She understands people are curious and she has always done her best to explain her motivation sometimes using her Twitter handle @ AishaYesufu. She might be writing her autobiography through her tweets. The message beneath the handle says it all: “I do not do labels. My mum says in my court, nobody wins. You would either love me or hate me and either one is perfectly okay!�

Unlike those who allowed their religious and ethnic sentiments get the best of them, Aisha understands the landmines. She is able to focus on issues. For instance, when some youths showed up in Abuja to confront those calling for SARS to be scrapped, Aisha would not allow Aisha Yesufu them to be described by their tribe or religion.

She understands that in Nigeria, patriotic issues worth dying for easily get toxic when coloured by ethnicity “Please don’t get distracted. Eyes on the ball. Forget the and religion. distraction. There is nothing for you to fight over.� “We should never assign tribe or religion to thugs. What She therefore told the protesters to “focus on the result we should assign to them is thuggery. The thugs that attacked that you want. That is what is more important. Yes, we have protesters at Berger, Abuja, today must simply be known as seen the headline from the government but have you seen the thugs they are,� she said. the execution? What is the basis for a committee? Can the She was also quick to advise the protesting youths not government bring an execution plan?� to be distracted but have their eyes on the ball, even as they When allegation came up that the protests had been continued with the protests. monetized, she again saw through the plan as an attempt to When the authority announced that SARS had been derail the protests. She noted that most of the people discreditreplaced with SWAT (Special Weapons and Tactics), Aisha ing the rally were those who had not been part of it, asking the saw through the scheme as a plot to get the protesting youths protesters not to be carried away by the rumours. out of the streets. She called on the youths to remain focused. “I see that there a lot of people, who have been part of these In a video message through her Twitter handle on Wednesprotests as you would expect and they are trying to discredit day, she commended the success of the protests, which she it by talking about the protest being monetized. If anybody said had yielded some positive results, insisting that they collects money for protest, drive the person out. Let those who should not get distracted. didn’t collect do their thing,� she said. “Dear Nigerian youths, you have the government, where Why is Aisha, a Muslim, who should be in the ‘other room’ you want them to be. You are doing amazing. You are doing (apology to President Muhammadu Buhari) so courageous in something that you haven’t done before,� she said, adding: taking up issues that even men are scared of? She, however,

gave a clue in an interview granted recently. “When I was 10 years old, I came to the realisation that the worst thing any human being can do to me is to kill me. I don’t even know how I came about this thought. I am someone, who always thinks that anything can happen. “But then, I realise that no matter what, I am going to die anyway. So, basically, dying is not really the worst thing.

Death is inevitable, and as a Muslim, I believe that my life is in God’s hands. Whatever is destined to happen will occur. “While growing up, I didn’t fear human beings. I have respect for people, but not fear because I know at the end of the day, there is one Supreme Being and it is only Him I fear.

So, as long as I have the right conscience with my God, I am good.�

For those who still believe that women should not be heard and for those women, who have accepted this as their fate, Aisha has some words for them. “First of all, I am not from the North. A lot of people always make the mistake of thinking I am from the North, though I was born and brought up in Kano. I am from Agbede in Edo State. I am an Edo woman and married to an Auchi man. Some people say a woman should not be heard, especially a Muslim woman. “But over time in history, there have been exceptional women, who stood out in the Muslim world and did a lot of things. We have people like Aisha, one of the prophet’s wives (peace be upon him), who would stand for justice and would not tolerate any form of injustice. “She was very outspoken, very intelligent and very knowledgeable. There was a time she went to war against a particular caliphate that was involved in some issues she felt wasn’t right. Relegating women to the background is not about Islam. It’s about the culture of those involved. “The woman has many places in Islam. Yes, there are some things she cannot do, but overall, her right has been given to her and she has a lot she can do. She has a right to property.

She can inherit, she can be inherited from and there is child support in case of divorce. But these are things people don’t do again. They forgot and tie things to Islam. Being a Muslim woman doesn’t mean one cannot have one’s voice out there,� she said.

Before the #ENDSARS protest, Aisha alongside other women of courage took it upon themselves to campaign for the release of the kidnapped Chibok Secondary Schools girls.

They successfully internationalised the campaign. Their efforts paved the way for the release of some of the girls.

One of those who understand Aisha is Dr. Chidi Odinkalu.

Hear him: “Aisha is straightforward. She cares deeply about people. But don’t mess with her. She doesn’t have reverse gear!

She doesn’t have a crooked bone or a bone of fear in her body.�

Through her actions, Aisha is challenging Nigerians to be brave and take their destiny into their own hands. The interesting thing is that many are heeding the call. Those who had lost their voice have suddenly found it. Aisha is simply great!

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Buhari’s Fatherly Restraint

of communications and their results, shifting grounds is the way to go, even though the president doesn’t seem like he would change his current approach of civility. But the youth must embrace this compromise window and fast too.

Buhari Buhari’s Noteworthy Restraint It can hardly be taken away from President Muhammadu Buhari, that in the face of deliberate provocation and in spite of his military background, he has maintained profound restraint from unleashing a fraction of his might and powers on the protesting youths, in addition to offering very good listening ears.

It is also instructive to note that that theArmy had tried to convince him to be deployed in the streets and send the youth back to their homes, but with a fatherly demeanor, more so convinced that their grounds for protesting were genuine, he’s been conceding more than anyone could ever imagine to the youth, just to get the country back to work.

Where the youth are reasonable and could see through the channels

Sanwo-Olu, Fem! During one of the times he tried to identify with the youths, the Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, visited the protesters at their headquarters – the Lekki Toll Gate – to share moments with them and assured them that he was with them all the way.

But as he continued to speak, one of the protesters just said from the crowd – adopting one of Davido’s hit singles titled: Fem: “Mr. Governor, you don dey talk too much� and the other protesters responded in unison: “Fem!� Well, it’s probably one of the prices for leadership at a time like this.Aluta continua!

Soro S’oke,Werey!

This is the fad now: Soro s’oke werey, meaning, “speak up, idiot� in a cheeky and dismissive manner. It is a default response that the youths now have ready-made to practically all admonitions they find undeserving of their time and attention.

Again, the Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu had a whiff of that experience on Twitter recently, when in attempt to update the youths of his interventions as well as appeal to them to stay calm, a follower replied him: “E soro s’oke, sir�, and for a governor now adept at their dynamics, he fired back: “mo ti soro s’oke�, meaning I just spoke up.

The Sam Adeyemi,Adekunle Gold Banter One of the tweet exchanges that enjoyed huge likes and views was the one between a popular pastor, SamAdeyemi and a popular hip-hop act,Adekunle Gold.

The pastor had just shown support to the cause of the youth in a subtle and appealing sense, such that forced Mr. Gold to say if it were on a different situation, he would have ordered a bottle of beer for the pastor.

Responding,Adeyemi, who with a sense of joke initially rebuked the temptation, would jocularly ask: “How chilled is the beer?� Thereafter, he added, “never mind�. With such a witty and comic reply from a man of God, the exchange added its beauty to the ongoing protests, which had shut down many parts of Nigeria.

Some Fascinating‘Recruitment Drive’ Apart from the foods, drinks and other enthralling side attractions that have sustained the protests for over a week now aplenty, there’s perhaps, an unintended but fascinating recruitment drive that’s also helped to swell the ranks of the protesters and that’s what could be categorised as the ‘sex appeal’.

Girls and boys now bear placards, which do not read #endsars but that only those who joined the protest would be given free passes to their bodies – male and female. Well, that sounds inviting to many who had been hitherto indifferent and as it is, the protests are not shutting down anytime soon. Importantly, however, that doesn’t sound like an invitation to molestation. So, watch and pray, guys!

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THISDAY, THE SUNDAY NEWSPAPER ˾ OCTOBER 18, 2020

CICERO/REPORT

The Message from Ondo WiththevictoryoftheOndoStateGovernor,OluwarotimiAkeredolu,comesitsinherentmessage,writesJames Sowole

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he Ondo State governorship election has come and gone, but the dusts raised in the wake of it are yet to settle. While the winner and incumbent, Governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu and his party, the All Progressives Congress (APC), are celebrating and thanking the electorate, the losers and their parties are already counting their loses and reviewing how things happened.

One fact that has been established by both local and international observers, was that the three major political parties: the APC, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the Zenith Labour Party (ZLP), induced voters with different amount of money ranging between N2,000 and N7,000 at polling units.

It was gathered that money as much as N1.5 million, was allocated to a polling unit, depending on how desperate a particular political party was to win the unit.

Commentators have described it as probably the most expensive governorship election to be conducted in the history of the state.

Apart from the vote-buying factor, which is common to the three political parties, the power of incumbency and the heavy presence Akeredolu celebrating his victory of structure of the ruling APC at the grassroots, many local governments, was replaced with the contributed immensely, to the success of the party. use of money apart from some isolated cases in Akure South and The state, in August, conducted its local government election Idanre Local governments. and in which APC candidates, were returned in 203 wards and Considering the factors so enumerated, the APC candidate chairmen in the entire 18 councils. It was the usual practice that at the end of the collation of results, won in 15 out of 18 local all the elective officers at this third tier of government, would governments while the PDP candidate won in three local be dissolved, should opposition party, win the gubernatorial election. Therefore, it was expected that all the councillors and the governments.

The PDP candidate, won in three out of six local governments chairmen, must defend their offices. that constituted the Ondo Central while the APC candidate, won Apart from the elective officers at the local government levels, in all the six local governments in the North, six in the South and the APC, has the overwhelming majority in the State House of three in the Central.

Assembly just as all appointees of Akeredolu, the commissioners That the PDP candidate is popular in the Central and most in charge of ministries and statutory commissions and parastatals, were also expected to defend their constituencies, though some of loved by the people cannot be over-emphasised. Akure, the state capital witnessed an unusual silence from the Saturday evening them lost, even in their units. when the collation of results started till Monday morning.

The spread of the candidates and their running mates for the On the other hand, Owo town, where the governor, hails from, election, also contributed to the outcome of the election. While witnessed Jubilation as residents of the ancient town trooped to Akeredolu, who is from the Northern senatorial district chose his the streets cheering the re-elected governor, who moved round running mate from the South, both the PDP and the ZLP left the the town in a motorcade. entire Northern Senatorial field for Akeredolu.

There was not much celebration in other parts of the state Specifically, Akeredolu has the entire North to himself, he has except in some few places, where leaders and chieftains provided his running mate from the South Senatorial District, where the fund for the purpose, two days after the declaration of the results ZLP candidate, hails from. On the other hand both the ZLP and and the winner of the election by the returning officer. the PDP, shared the votes at the Central as the PDP candidate, The loss of Jegede, was seen as the loss for the entire Akure Eyitayo Jegede, is from Akure, in the Central while ZLP Kingdom and the old Akure Division, because the just concluded candidate running mate, Gboye Adegbenro is from Ilara, also in the Central, whereas both APC and PDP running mates are from election, was seen as an avenue to liberate the state capital as the highest elective office, occupied by an indigene, was the deputy Southern senatorial district. governor. Thus, the last election was seen as the project of the In addition to the spread of the candidates and their running entire area, unlike in 2016, when the people, were not that united mates, while all the aspirants that contested the APC primary for the project. against Akeredolu from both the North and South, openly The remarks of Akeredolu about his score in the three Akure declared their support for Akeredolu, Jegede, did not enjoy the dominated local governments, added salt to the injuries of the support of most PDP aspirants. people, when he expressed disappointment that Jegede won in The ZLP candidate, Agboola Ajayi, came second in the those local governments, despite all his administration did in the primary that produced Jegede just as another aspirant, Banji areas.

Okunomo, dumped PDP for ZLP. The people were not happy that the governor could expect The unwritten zoning arrangement, which was a subject of Jegede to lose in Akure Kingdom, despite their high hope, that an reconciliation between Akeredolu and other APC aspirants from indigene of the town would become the governor. the South, contributed immensely, to the success of the APC As Akeredolu was declared the winner, the PDP that issued a candidate. It was gathered that an agreement had been reached statement, only said it was studying the results and would make that politicians from the Southern Senatorial District, would the position of the party known at the appropriate time. automatically, get preference in 2024, when the zone, is expected For the ZLP and its candidate, nothing had been heard, apart to produce the governor of the Sunshine State. from the thank you message in a statement issued by the Director However, violence, which was noticed during campaigns in

General of the Campaign Organisation, Dr. Kola Ademujimi.

Of all the candidates, Ajayi, who ran against his boss, was seen as the one that would be most affected. Ajayi, who many people believed had deployed personal resources into the race, is also expected to face a fresh process by the House of Assembly to remove him from the office as the deputy governor.

Akeredolu, had during his visit to President Muhammadu Buhari after receiving his Certificate of Return, said he expected Ajayi, to resign from his position as the deputy governor, if he had honour. Also, the expulsion of the only female member of the Ondo State House of Assembly, Hon Tomomewo Favour representing Ilaje II Constituency, was part of the aftermath of the governorship election.

Tomomewo was expelled by APC in Mahin Ward II for allegedly mobilising, supporting and financing those, who worked for Ajayi during the election.

The immediate past governor, Dr. Olusegun Mimiko ass also being mocked by both APC and PDP leaders, for supporting Ajayi’s ambition, which was seen as betrayal, as a friend of Akeredolu. However, some loyalists of Mimiko said he had not done anything wrong, since they were not in the same political party. Mimiko’s supporters, also noted that if supporting candidate of his ZLP, was wrong, it was Akeredolu, that first betrayed Mimiko, by contesting against him (Mimiko) in 2012, when he was seeking re-election.

Meanwhile, a new twist was introduced to the mix on Thursday, when one Samuel Omotosho, who claimed that he was the authentic candidate of the African Action Congress (AAC), alleged that his name was missing on the ballot.

Omotosho said Akeredolu, should not celebrate yet, as he was not listed as one of the candidates for the election despite winning his party’s ticket. Describing the October 10 poll as a mere rehearsal, the AAC candidate urged other gubernatorial candidates of other 16 political parties that participated in the election to get prepared for the real poll, when his name would have been inputted on the ballot by INEC. Omotoso, in a statement made available to newsmen in Akure, said he was the one that won the party primary conducted in the state, but his name was substituted, when INEC released the final list of candidates for the election.

According to him, he approached the court to rectify the error, when all efforts to make INEC do the needful, did not work.

He said: “INEC omitted my name on the ballot. I have all it takes to win the governorship race, but INEC didn’t do the right thing. The election will definitely be conducted again for I am certain that I will win the governorship race.”

Speaking on his chance in the court, the AAC candidate affirmed that “justice will surely prevail and the mandate of the people will be restored and the re-election will be done faster than the opposition thinks.”

He had dragged Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), his party’s national chairman, Dr. Leonard Nzenwa, and the state chairman of the party, Comrade Israel Oluwatosin Ayeni and Mr. Adeleye Adekunle Peter, his running-mate who was listed as the governorship candidate of the party to court for swapping his name as the standard bearer of the party with that of his running-mate. Omotoso wanted his name as the gubernatorial candidate of the party and Adeleye Adekunle Peter removed.

At the last hearing of the case of error in listing at the Federal High Court sitting in Akure, the Ondo State capital, on October 5, 2020, the presiding judge, Justice A. Onabanjo adjourned the hearing to October 26, 2020, because attorneys to the respondents filed their responses to the matter before the court on the same day.

NOTES FOR FILE

Concerns Mount over Onochie’s Appointment It was not surprising that the news of the appointment of a presidential aide, Lauretta Onochie as a commissioner in the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) was received with spontaneous outrage across the board. Even some pro-President Muhammadu Buhari elements were astonished at the news too.

Truth is, every rational and liberal mind would react in the manner a majority of Nigerians did to the development. Onochie is not just an appointee of the president; she is also a member of the ruling party, the APC by extension, no matter the definition given to her standing in the equation. Therefore, her appointment into INEC belies every iota of logic and rational

thinking. What on earth was Mr. President thinking?

How a rabidly partisan Onochie be a fair umpire in an electoral context.

Good thing is that the Senate has also rejected her nomination as resentful, more so at a time the country is challenged, particularly, her leadership. Even more disturbing are two other considerations.

The first is the mindset of the people that recommended Onochie and second, the thought process of the president, who accepted it without considering the larger implications. Whatever the president was thinking when he approved of her name should be a major source of worry for everyone, who wishes Nigeria well.

Onochie

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T H I S D AY, T H E S U N D AY N E W S PA P E R ˾ OCTOBER 18, 2020

CICERO/ONTHEWATCH

Pondering Wike’s Presidential Bid How feasible is the rumoured presidential bid of the Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike?

Ernest Chinwo asks

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any political pundits are gradually explaining away the need for the next president of the country to come from the Southsouth part of the country to complete the tenure of the region, which was truncated, when President Goodluck Jonathan lost re-election in 2015. Indeed, some have posited that Jonathan should be given the chance to run again to complete his tenure. This view is surely based on the dissatisfaction of many with the current political situation and the realisation that he actually did better than he was credited for during his reign. Many have also realised that the much-trumpeted change that was sold to Nigerians was actually a hoax.

But while Jonathan is yet to make any statement with regards to the 2023 presidency, one name that has received prominent mention, should the former president refuse to join the fray, is his ally and current Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike.

The attention on Wike is not surprising considering his rising profile nationally, especially, after the last Edo State governorship election.

As Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) National Campaign Council for Edo Election, he dared the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) and federal agencies controlled by the party.

Very few believed that the PDP could win the Edo governorship poll. Not with the array of federal might and the bragging of former National Chairman of the APC, Adams Oshiomhole, and the current national leadership of the party that they would retain the governorship of the state through Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu.

Events leading to the emergence of Obaseki as candidate of the PDP in the first place were dramatic. When the APC, on the insistence and machination of Oshiomhole, insisted that Obaseki would not run for a second tenure, the embattled governor dumped the party and made a switch to the PDP. But some entrenched interests in the PDP would also not accommodate him and give him the ticket to fight his former party.

One of the first persons he however consulted was Wike. The meeting raised so much dust but in his characteristic controversial manner, Wike warned his party men not to use Obaseki’s defection and ambition for personal aggrandizement.

Obaseki finally got the ticket but with the controversy generated by the Edo governor’s initial visit to Wike, it was a surprise to many that the Rivers State governor was appointed chairman of the PDP National Campaign Council for Edo Governorship Election, with a mandate to coordinate the campaigns to ensure victory for the party and Obaseki.

That was perhaps the first time Wike would take his political prowess outside the state, and it came in a big stakes’ game where ego was chief.

Wike went to work and in one of his first outings accused the APC of planning to use the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and federal security agencies to rig the election. He vowed to scuttle APC’s plan to use security agencies or any other institution to rig the Edo election, insisting that the APC was only confident to win, because of its plan to rig.

By a series of political manoeuvre, he successfully delivered Governor Godwin Obaseki as re-elected despite federal might, and by that feat, showed that he is, in fact, the de facto “Generalissimo” of Nigerian politics.

Obaseki, indeed, acknowledged Wike’s contributions and described him as the second pivot, after God, for his electoral victory.

But if Edo governorship elections brought Wike’s political mastery to the limelight, his antecedents were no less remarkable. He was the face of the PDP especially when the leader of the party, President Goodluck Jonathan, lost re-election in 2015. The Rivers State governor was obviously the face and the binding force in the then rudderless party.

The events of the National Convention of the party hosted in Port Harcourt, the Rivers State capital, on Saturday, May 21, 2016 and the final resolution of the leadership crisis in the party also placed Wike in a strong position in the party.

The ouster of Senator Ali Modu Sheriff as chairman of the National Caretaker Committee of the party and the emergence of former Governor of Kaduna State, Senator Ahmad Makarfi, as chairman of the new caretaker committee, created both friends and enemies for the Rivers Strong man. Even though he was one of those blamed for the emergence in the first place of Ali Modu Sheriff who almost destroyed the party, Wike was the force behind his eventual ouster.

Despite that obvious mistake, Wike was unfazed and remained at the driver’s seat in the party and was instrumental to the eventual emergence of his kinsman and friend, Uche Secondus, as substantive national chairman of the party.

He was also instrumental to the state hosting the national primaries of the party in October 2018 in preparation for the 2019 general election, an exercise adjudged very transparent.

While Wike’s preferred candidate and Governor of Sokoto State, Aminu Tambuwal, lost to former Vice President, Atiku

Wike Abubakar, Wike pledged his loyalty to the party and ensured that Atiku Abubakar won convincingly in Rivers State.

But before this, Wike was appointed Minister of State for Education on July 14, 2011. He was later appointed the Acting Minister of Education, after his boss, Mrs. Ruqqayatu, was sacked but resigned before finishing his term to run for the office of governor of Rivers State. As minister of state for education, Wike was noted for popularising education for nomadic almajirai.

Another thing that may count for Wike for the presidency is his success in making the APC almost extinct in Rivers State.

Wike survived two tumultuous battles to win the governorship election in 2015 and 2019.

Indeed, in 2019, the APC could not field any candidate, because of faulty congresses as declared by the courts. Even efforts by the APC to adopt and back the governorship candidate of the African Action Congress (AAC), Biokpomabo Awara, to ensure that Wike did not come back did not yield any fruits.

Wike even insisted that some APC bigwigs in the state enlisted the support of the army, police and other security agencies in the state to take steps that would make the election unfavourable for him and also ensure that Buhari wins in the state.

At the end, Wike did not only win his re-election, APC’s Buhari did not get up to 25 per cent of the votes even though the Minister of Transportation and former Governor of the State, Chibuike Amaechi, was still the campaign chairman, having held the same position when Buhari won his election in 2015.

This re-enforced the “High Tension or naked wire” fame of the governor.

The spate of development projects in the state is another thing that speaks for Wike, who is now dubbed “Mr. Projects”. In 2015, when he was assuming office as governor, the opposition boasted that he would not even be able to pay salaries, much more carry out projects. But to the chagrin of his traducers, the state, especially the state capital, is dotted with landmark projects.

The Pleasure Park, the zero pothole scheme, urban renewal projects in GRA Phases One and Two, and signature flyover bridges at Rumuogba, Rebisi, Rumuogba, Okoro-nu-Odo and Rumuola along the Popular Aba Road obviously have changed the landscape of Port Harcourt. The state is also littered with several other projects, opening up the state to investments and development.

But in addition to the projects, Wike is seen as fearless and courageous, two qualities that have also pitted him against federal authorities. His approach to the containment of the spread of coronavirus in the state earned him accolades from

his supporters while at the same time, condemnation from the federal government and opponents.

Using steps that were seen at the time by many as drastic and confrontational, Wike ensured total compliance of COVID-19 protocols in the state. He was seen regularly on the streets, ordering the arrest and detention of violators of restriction of movements during the lockdown declared in the state.

Again, his actions also pitted him against authorities and agencies of the federal government. While some heads of stations of federal agencies either lost their jobs or were redeployed for cooperating with the governor, THISDAY gathered that there were even moves to declare a state of emergency in the state to pave the way for his ouster as the show of power raged between him and the federal government.

It is still believed that with the state as the oil and gas hub of the nation, Rivers State would have recorded much higher infection and death rates if not for the drastic steps taken by the governor to ensure adherence of residents to COVID-19 protocols.

As the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) corruption saga raged, Wike was once again called “John Wike” (like popular actor, John Wick), after his heroic rescue of Rivers State-born former Acting Managing Director of Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), Dr. Joi Nunieh, from some operatives of the Nigeria Police Force, who allegedly wanted to abduct and whisk her away to Abuja to answer to some questions.

To avoid being taken by the police, Nunieh locked herself in her Old GRA Port Harcourt residence while the police attempted to break the doors to force her out. It took the intervention of Wike, who stormed the place with his own security to rescue Nunieh and take her to Government House, where she took refuge for a few days.

Many residents of the state still believe that the governor rescued Nunieh just like John Wick would do in a classic action movie. But there are factors that could work against the governor. He is generally perceived as brash and undiplomatic, and prone to actions that could impinge on the rights of people in a democratic setting. While these have earned him the sobriquet “lord of the manor”, most times he has been proven right and to have acted in the general interest.

He has also been criticised for not making the budget of the state public, and for not giving the state legislature free hand to carry out its constitutional duties. While these criticisms persist, the governor enjoys the cooperation of the legislators and has provided them an environment that is largely seen as conducive to operate.

T H I S D AY, T H E S U N D AY N E W S PA P E R ˾ OCTOBER 18, 2020

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When Buni’s committee paid a courtesy call on Asiwaju Bola Tinubu. With them is Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu of Lagos

APC and Its Cocktail of Challenges While interrogating the alleged plot to extend the tenure of the Mai Bala Buni-led APC Caretaker Committee, Chuks Okocha writes that the current state of the party is a struggle for the soul of the APC by the Action Congress of Nigeria and the Congress for Progressives Change owners

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he directives handed the All Progressives Congress (APC) Caretaker Committee headed by Governor Maibala Buni was two-pronged. The virtual National Executive Committee (NEC) of the party that took place at the presidential villa clearly directed the committee to reconcile aggrieved members of the party and conduct a national convention in December this year.

By implication, it is expected that the CTC should be seen to be making progress for the convention in October and preparations in top gear on how to conduct the national convention. For the records, the Maibala Buni committee was set up on June 25, 2020 after the emergency NEC. The committee had a six-month mandate to fulfill the task given it. But midway into the time frame, after about four months, it has put nothing in place towards conducting a national convention. This has elicited agitations from certain quarters in the party.

One of such agitations came from a group that issued a 14-day ultimatum that the committee should commence moves towards a national convention.

The group said the resort to conduct a registration of members and congresses from the wards to the states was not part of the mandate given to the CTC. Under the auspices of ‘Concerned All Progressives Congress APC Members’ the group issued a 14-day ultimatum to the Buni-led Caretaker to roll out its plans for convening a national convention by December.

Further to the above, the group kicked against any planned extension of tenure of the committee, saying it would be counterproductive.

At a news conference last Monday in Abuja, the group said it has “watched with amazement and disillusionment for several months the inability of the APC Caretaker Committee to provide direction for the party and set up a timetable for the December elective convention”.

Its spokesman, Abdullahi Dauda said the group was not out to discredit the conscientious efforts of President Muhammadu Buhari and the National Executive Committee NEC, which birthed the current leadership but to bring to their notice that there are certain areas that the Buni-led committee has outright failed, especially, as it concerns the non-compliance with the scheduled December convention.

According to the group, “Information reaching us reveals that they are already scheming to extend their tenure for another one year. The Buni led Committee has shown in its actions that tenure elongation is its priority and being stakeholders in the Party, we see the urgent need to speak out loudly on time to save our party from another round of self-inflicted crisis.

“It is as our responsibility to speak up for posterity’s

sake. We are aware that the composition of the committee is illegal and alien to our party’s constitution ab initio and we are aware some members are in court already as regards that anomaly but due to our respect for Mr. President, we allowed the process as a child of necessity and supported it. But the present action and body language of the committee necessitated our press conference today.

“Furthermore, we are aware that the committee is planning registration of members, which is not part of the resolution of the last NEC. We call on the committee to let legally elected and constituted NWC to come and conduct the new membership registration for the party and jettison this idea. Does the question remain?

“Why is the Caretaker Committee planning to extend its tenure? To what end? Governor Buni is elected to govern the good people of Yobe State, not to jettison his constitutional responsibility and be arranging a sit-tight regime in the party. A word is enough for the wise!”

The implications of this for the APC is that the decision to register new members might bring forward the need to change party leadership at various levels from the wards to the local governments and even the states leadership. This is sharply dividing the party as what is about to happen is to enthrone an entirely new leadership, that is, sweeping away what could be described as the last vestiges of the Oshiomhole dissolved NWC. But, again, some members of the APC are in support of the registration of new members, which in turn would result in the extension, probably by one year. These members arguing for extension argue that the damage done to APC by the Oshiomhole and his dissolved NWC was much and therefore need more time for reconciliations.

What it means is that since some members are already buying into the idea of fresh registrations, extension of the tenure of the Committee may gradually become real.

They argue that those calling for a December date for the national convention are those, who want to take over the party without proper reconciliation.

The Director General of the Voice of Nigeria (VON) Osita Okechukwu belongs to this group. He was among those that moved from the defunct All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP) to the Congress for Progressives Change.

He said, “I personally can’t factor the true reason behind Alhaji Abdullahi Dauda’s concerned APC members preference for a December, 2020 National Convention election to genuine reconciliation of gravely fractured party before convention?

Truly, methinks we should all support the M.M.Buni (MMB) led Caretaker Extraordinary Convention Planning Committee to diligently fix and reposition our great party before any convention.”

Continuing, he added, “A cursory glance at the damage done to the soul of our great party, beginning from our victory in 2015 to regrettably, the culture of impunity,

which bedeviled our 2018 primaries to say the least, is deep and unprecedented.

“Accordingly, the MMB’s Committee requires deep introspection to gather the pieces, reconcile the various warlords and tendencies. If it takes six or twelve months, one may not mind so as to achieve substantial cohesion before the crucial 2023 general election. The Committee represents most tendencies.”

But when reminded that extending the CTC tenure would be counterproductive, Okechukwu said, “Please help me ask them, what’s the main item in the terms of reference of the MMB’s Committee? For me the main one is reconciliation! Reconciliation! Reconciliation!

“Reconciliation is the main ingredient in forging a united front in line with our symbol, the broom, without which the second item of the terms of reference is the national convention, and if hurriedly carried out will definitely produce a factional national chairman, who in turn will produce a keg-leg presidential candidate. Lets avoid such sordid scenario, as much as possible. United we stand.”

Another member of the APC, who does not want to be quoted said, to allow for the national convention to hold as planned is to merely white wash the crisis in the party as the reconciliations are far from over, because many members of the party are still aggrieved.

THISDAY gathered that it is already a consensus among the leadership and members for an extension of the Committee, because the situation on the ground does not suggest that a national convention is forthcoming or nearer the corner.

The idea of fresh registrations would also give room for a new leadership that would be devoid of the old camps.

At this moment, therefore, APC is just living on old glory as it is still internally factionalised along side the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) and the Buhari camp represented by the Congress for Progressives Change (CPC).

The clamour for a December convention, to some, is perceived as agitations by the ACN to take over the affairs of the party, while the CPC faction, it was gathered is asking for more time for reconciliation to give more room for fresh members who would later demand a change of leadership at various levels to accommodate their interest.

Also, for others, the call for an earlier national convention to elect new members of the NWC is to help decide their presidential ambitions. This is because a national chairman of the APC from the south might not augur well for their presidential ambitions. It will also show whether in actual sense that the presidency would move or not from the north to the south.

There are indeed many permutations to this. What is happening now in the APC is an indication that the struggle for the soul of the party is about to begin real time.

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Bola Ige: Our Last ‘Supper’ Tony Afejuku and Olu Obafemi

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ot long ago, we were admitted into the knowledge that Chief JamesAjibola Ige, SAN, ( Best known as Bola Ige), formerAttorney-General and Justice Minister, in President Olusegun Obasanjo’s presidency, brutally murdered in his Ibadan residence in 2001, was posthumously remembered and celebrated during his 90th birthday. He was born on September 13, 1930.

Precisely, Bola Ige, a man of several parts, was killed on 23 December, 2001; an eminent patriot who would have impacted this troubled country immensely had he been alive today. The naked truth, however, as we already know, is that our wish that he lived beyond age ninety has become a mutilated desire and an impossibility.

As just said, Bola Ige was a man and personage of several parts, who clearly was positively myriad-minded. He was an orator, a lawyer, a politician, a newspaper columnist, an author who wrote People, Politics and Politicians of Nigeria; an autobiographer who wrote Kaduna Boy and Detainee’s Diary respectively as well as a scholar of classics. He prepared himself adequately for his chosen profession and vocations.

Why are we now thinking of this great man who will always be numbered among the most important individuals and heroes of our country? Since 2001, and since 23 December of that year after the untimely death of this notably charming character of a highly qualitative mind, we have been likening our minds to a lachrymatory.

We were among the few people, outsiders and strangers outside his immediate family and close associates and his late wife who, we believe, probably had intimate and prolonged discussions with him before his murder.

Maybe memory is failing us, or, maybe we are failing our memory.

Shortly we will explain what we mean. For now, suffice it to state that our respective poetic hearts and minds have been tearfully trying to fathom why what happened to Bola Ige had to happen that December, that cruel December that remains ever cruel and ever evil in our lacrimatory sensibilities - since then any time we remember the enjoyable night we had with him as his academic as well as social guests in that December of 2001, Bola Ige’s last December and time on this earth plane.

How come we were his night guests? How come we were his December 2001 night guests? We now cannot fruitfully remember the actual date we were in his residence, a conveniently warm duplex or something akin to it in a serene place of noiseless noise as we friendlily thought and quipped to beautify our happy presence in Bola Ige’s company. Throughout the duration of our stay three of us – Tony Afejuku, Olu Obafemi and Bola Ige – tried to remain true to ourselves and loyal to the other in our conversation – although both Tony and

Ige our host initially were disconcerted by their studied laconicism.

(Both of them were seeing and meeting each other at a close range for the first time ever, which turned out to be their last). Olu had had a fairly intimate relationship with him prior to this day - a relationship which climaxed with the event of the presentation of a book in honour of Olu in which Bola Ige was the chairman. The book was edited by Duro Oni and Sunday Ododo in commemoration of Olu’s 50th Birthday onApril 4, 2000. (incidentally, Olu and Bola Ige’s wifeAtinuke, who has since departed for the great far beyond, shared the same birthday).

Now, earlier in the afternoon of our visit we, including our host, were at the Presidential Hotel for a book event. He played a leading role as the chairperson. We were representing the national body of theAssociation of NigerianAuthors at the event. Of course, Dr. Wale Okediran and Dr. Remi Raji (as the latter then was) were among other Ibadan-based members of the association

who were Oyo State’s branch’s magnificent hosts of the event.

As hosts, they were comely and very useful to us as we were clearly useful to them as representatives of the national body. Dr. ReubenAbati of the Guardian Newspapers who was equally at the big event from his Lagos base, who shared a space with us at coffee-time, immensely found the event thrilling, pleasurable and beautiful as we all really were by the profound remarks of the big masquerade Chief Bola Ige, whose mystical impulse and oratory captivatedANA’s representatives, and definitely all of those who were present.As we are writing this, we remember vividly that Bola Ige swept the audience off their feet with his lively nuances, candour, serious-mindedness and clear-sightedness about our moral (or immoral) states as writers and as compatriots of our country.At the brief coffee-time we had, as already mentioned, we on our table, as well as ReubenAbati aforesaid, who joined us for a chat as we sipped coffee, agreed that Bola Ige was manifestly an idealist or, some kind of idealist, who clearly was a fish out of the water of the central government he was serving in as a justice minister.

When the event was over at the Premier Hotel, these two writers writing this recollection headed for Wale Okediran’s abode where we were to spend the night. In fact, we should rightly state that Wale the medical doctor-writer and two of us headed for Wale’s home as his overnight guests. (He and his family were ready to give us a special reception befitting our writerly status). But we deviated on the way. We were now on the road to the abode of a permanent hero of our era. We arrived at Bola Ige’s place at about 7.30pm. Wale left us behind after a brief animated greeting with our hosts: Bola Ige and his dear wifeAtinuke, who was wonderfully receptive to us.

We intended it to be a briefer than brief visit, but didn’t leave our chief host until well late into the silent night. Of course, we were worried that Wale who had since arrived at his residence to prepare his hospitality for us would be agitatedly or tiredly waiting for us. But we were really enjoying Bola Ige’s parlour that effused warmth and hospitality which enhanced our conversation with its owner.

What did we converse about?Almost everything about our country under Chief Obasanjo’s civilian presidency, and literature, local, national and universal. Bola Ige was warmly at home when we dwelt on different aspects of literature and philosophy and historical figures, including Marcus Tullius Cicero, a Roman lawyer, politician, statesman, scholar and a man of great principles who was assassinated on 7 December 43 BC (Bola Ige in our political and academic or scholarly circle was seen in his image and fondly called ‘the Cicero of Esa Oke’, his country-home in Ijeshaland). We also dwelt on the Ijaw-Itsekiri war.

Read the full article online - www.thisdaylive.com

Ă™Ă˜Ă Ă?ĂœĂ?Ă‹ĂžĂ“Ă™Ă˜ Ă™Ă˜ Ă’Ă? ĂĄĂ‹ĂœĂ‹ Ă“Ă˜Ă“Ă—Ă&#x;Ă— Ă‹Ă‘Ă?

Salihu Ajibola Ajia

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his is the moment for hard truth and sober reflection. On Tuesday morning, October 6, 2020, a local blog published a screenshot of a story it had published on May 20, 2019, accompanied with a video footage of protesting pensioners and players at the Kwara United FC. In that footage, the protesters said their backlogs of salaries had not been paid since 2013. The same blog then captured how the new administration has commenced the payment of these salary arrears and sign-on fees of the players and officials of the club.

These backlogs of salary, pensions and gratuities are not limited to the football club. It is a rule, not an exception, across several MDAs in the state. In the local government system alone, no less than N21bn is owed to pensioners. The arrears in the LG system for active workers is in excess of N6bn. Across the state MDAs, thousands of workers are owed outstanding of promotion arrears. Thousands got promoted and are on grade levels without commensurate pay. It is a debt on the state. Some have been on the same grade level for years without promotion, partly because promotion normally comes with the burden of backing it with pay rise. Promotion is a legitimate aspiration for workers.

At the level of the local government, the wage bill and other statutory payments, which stands at N2.5bn as at September ending, is 91% percentage of their total receipts from the Federal Government. This does not include other expenses. When added, those expenses bring the wage bill to between 100% or 108% of their federal allocation. This (N2.5bn) wage bill, to be sure, is pegged to the N18,000 minimum wage. It will rise to roughly N2.9bn when the new minimum wage is implemented (depending on what the labour and the government eventually agree to).

The question has always been where to get the difference between what is earned as allocation (an average of N2.6bn, including their 10% share of the IGR) and the balance with which to pay the minimum wage. If we assume that allocation may indeed rise to N2.9bn to allow for payment of the minimum wage, does it mean that all that is done at the LGAs is payment of salary? What happens to infrastructural development?

You may ask, what about their IGR? Between 2019 and date, the total IGR collected by KWIRS (Citizenships, Radio license, tenement rate and signage) on behalf of all the 16 local govern-

One of the protesters with poster display ments stands at N78.9m as of June 2020.

Reality check: this calculation does not provide for promotion. What that means is that no worker can substantially move up the ladder as they ought to. Every worker dreams to rise through the ladder to the highest echelon of their profession.

But the Kwara workforce is too bloated to allow for free, legitimate movement. It is a double tragedy for the state and the workforce, really. But it is the reality.

Bloated civil service is a lose-lose for all: the employees and the employers. The employers would have to spend almost everything on the workforce while the employees would often time not get what is due to them. Often, three employees may

earn what one employee ought to earn because the employers simply cannot afford more, except they want to borrow for consumption. No serious government does that. Ultimately, the employees are the greater losers because they are unable to meet up with basic challenges of life. For no fault of theirs, the hard working type may forever have unfulfilled working life.

This takes us to the next phase of the conversation: how did we get here? What were the yardsticks for recruiting people into the public sector? Were there any needs assessment that warranted the numbers we have now? There are very brilliant and hard working civil servants across the MDAs in Kwara. But are these eggheads in the majority today? How did we employ senior civil servants who cannot write good memos or design proposals? What yardsticks did we employ to recruit a teacher who cannot write a simple sentence or communicate in the language of instruction? The truth, as any sincere mind could tell, is that the Kwara civil service was designed in the recent years as a reward system for loyalists of the ousted dynasty.

People got appointment often without writing any examination or attending any interview that tested their suitability for the job. The education sector was not spared. Some chaps once told me in Twitter DM how they got employed as sunset workers (teachers). Their parents got the slots from their friends in government. While headhunting may not always be a crime, it is not a licence to load the workforce with persons that cannot do the job. It is not a licence to give free meal ticket to friends and cronies without commensurate benefits to the system that pays the bill.

Now the situation is dire. Labour wants the minimum wage implemented. It is their right. Workers need decent wage. But can the system afford it as it is? If it does, what suffers for it?

Most likely infrastructural development that serve 99 percent of the public. If that happens, what is the future of the state including the civil servants who have children who would call Kwara their state? For Kwara to pay minimum wage at the local government level, especially the consequential increment, they would spend 107 percent of their total monthly receipts from the federal government for just workers’ salary . As noted above, this does not include other expenses. ––Dr Ajia, a former university teacher and publishing executive, is a public policy analyst based in Ilorin.

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SUNDAY OCTOBER 18, 2020 • T H I S D AY

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T H I S D AY, T H E S U N D AY N E W S PA P E R ˾ ͹΀˜ ͺ͸ͺ͸

Akeredolu: Mission Accomplished, Destiny Fulfilled Idowu Ajanaku

“Leadership is not about the next election, it’s about the next generation.”

––Simon Sinek

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e has made history and redefined the political paradigm in Nigeria’s ‘Sunshine State’. He has admitted his shortcomings, mended the broken fences and risen above primordial sentiments to win the hearts of the good people of the state. And of course, the long-elusive Second Term back into Alagbaka House, for another four years.

This is all because he knows, like Warren Dennis rightly noted that“ leadership is the capacity to translate vision into reality’’.

What more, he has broken the state electoral jinx by becoming the first governor from Ondo North Senatorial District to be re-elected into office for a Second Term! Before him, Chief Adekunle Ajasin (of blessed memory) could not go beyond four years and three months. It was a similar scenario for Chief Adebayo Adefarati who governed the state between 1999 and 2003. Interestingly, he has also become the second governor, after Olusegun Mimiko to clinch his Second Term in office.

Profound too is the interesting fact that his electoral feat came without the backing of any political godfather.

As he would gladly reiterate to his teeming supporters, in and outside of his political party, the All Progressives Congress(APC), God the father, the Son and the Holy Spirit remains his unfailing and ever faithful godfather. His allegiance therefore, naturally swings in the direction of the good people of Ondo state, rather than any power-poaching politician, no matter how influential the person may claim to be. From his wealth of experience he is fully aware that: “People buy into the leader before they buy into the vision”, as John Maxwell aptly nailed it.

We are talking of course, about none other than the incumbent governor of Ondo state, Arakurin Oluwarotimi Akeredolu (SAN), the former Attorney General of the state(1997-1999) who was once the President of the Nigeria Bar Association(NBA) (2008-2010). Only recently, after the heated battle of the barristers, in a three-horse race Akeredolu of the APC coasted to the finishing line with 292,830 votes, way ahead of Eyitayo Jegede of the PDP who got 195,791 votes and Agboola Ajayi the flag bearer of the Zenith Labour Party(ZLP) who polled 69,127 votes.

The results have therefore, largely reflected the good wishes of the voters, reposing great confidence in the ability of the Akeredolu-led government to pilot their affairs for another four years. The reasons are predicated on the purposeful and people-driven vision Akeredolu has for Ondo state. It would be recalled that before he assumed office in February, 2017, the state was largely known as a civil service state. But over the past three-and a half years, his determined efforts have turned it into an emerging, vibrant industrial hub, not only in Nigeria but also in the vibrant West African Sub-Region.

For instance, Ondo state currently boasts of 15 new factories churning out different products tailored towards the

Akeredolu priority needs of the state in particular and Nigeria in general.

These are buoyed by pragmatic Public Private Partnerships (PPP), thereby empowering the people economically in addition to boosting food security. It would be recalled that on February 25, 2020 President Muhammadu Buhari commissioned the industrial park in Ore, Ondo State. Speaking at the occasion, he congratulated Governor Rotimi Akeredolu and the people of the state for what he called a remarkable project.

The reasons were fact-based.

Amongst these is the ethanol-production plant from cassava processing which happens to be the first of its kind in Africa located at the ever busy commercial nerve centre of Ore town. According to the Governor, the Cassava-to-Ethanol Plant when completed, would require up to 300-400 tonnes of cassava daily, with about one million tonnes of cassava annually.

In a similar vein, there is the Agro Forest Nigeria Limited, a sawmill of Wan-Wood Nigeria that provides them with the supplies of logs and production of wood planks, boards, strips and more for construction and flooring materials.

On its part, the cotton wool factory which began production on March 18, 2019 was as a result of the signing of over six Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Linyi

Municipal Republic of China, also located within Ore Park.

At the textile section over 360 workers are engaged, with the number of workers expected to increase to 2,000 when it is completed.

Another one is the chocolate-making factory which, though initiated by his predecessor in partnership with a United States based firm, Spagnvola Chocolatiers has been completed by the Akeredolu- led administration. The factory, estimated to be worth N9billion will produce 2.8million tons of chocolate per annum.

In addition to these is the poultry factory located at Emure-Ile that produces 3,000 eggs per day and the Trucks and Tricycles Assemblage Plant with an investor company called Dongfeng Trucks. According to Chief Alex Ajipe, the manager of the industrial hub, the company is one of the leading truck manufacturers in China. It has begun assembling trucks at the recently launched Ondo-Linyi industrial hub in Ore, Ondo State. There is also the Paper Mill situated at the Ore Industrial Park.

The governor said that his government entered into strategic partnerships with Chinese companies when he travelled to China in 2018 in furtherance of his vision to industrialize the state. In his words: “We believe that soon, all of us in Ondo state will laugh. So many people will be employed here. The textile industry is yet to start to its full capacity but a lot of ladies are already employed. The Paper Mill is coming up and uses sawdust, so it cannot be wasted.

We have another factory coming up here, an agro-chemical factory. The industries we have here, Ondo State has never had it before anywhere. We thank God for everything,” he added. What could be his driving force?

All these are traceable to Akeredolu’s vision which falls in tandem with Michelle Obama’s view that: “People who are truly strong lift others up. People who are truly powerful bring others together.” As fate would have it, Ondo state is blessed with the longest coastline in the West Africa Subregion. The Nigeria Ports Authority (NPA) is working in partnership with the Ministry of Transportation for a new sea port in Ondo state. Good enough, the port has natural self- dredging features. So, after the expected approval by the Federal Executive Council (FEC) the ground-breaking take-off is expected in February, 2021. Once the port comes on stream it has the potential to create 500,000 jobs in the state with an additional three million jobs in the informal sector, serving as a boom for hotels, resorts and several housing estates that will spring up. In fact, with adequate infrastructure, in partnership with the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) it will take one only 30 minutes to move from Igbokoda in Ondo state to Lekki in Lagos state!

By the time one adds the upgrading of the existing airport into an international cargo port by the Federal Ministry of Aviation and given the aforementioned vast and vibrant economic potentials of Ondo state, Akeredolu would have written his name in gold, leaving worthy legacies of economic viability, food security and a progressive and prosperous state. By that he would passed on the profound message that: “Leadership is about making others better as a result of your presence and making sure that impact lasts even in your absence” as Sheryl Sandberg, the founder of LearnIn. Org rightly enunciated. For Governor Akeredolu therefore, that is mission accomplished and a destiny fulfilled!

––Ajanaku , journalist was Akeredolu campaign spokesman.

PERSPECTIVE

Open letter to DSTV/Mnet/SuperSport: BBN Success and a Different Take on Domestic Sports Kenneth Ezaga

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ear CEO, Let me begin by congratulating you on the continued success of your Big Brother Naija show, and especially how much it has grown in content and popularity over the years. Few can doubt that your network’s relentless investment in local content has positively impacted our country in a variety of ways.

I was motivated to write this letter following recent media reports that quoted a representative of your network as saying that you spent a whopping N3.5b to fund the latest instalment of the show - BBN5! That is quite some investment, and one that we can only imagine was possible because the show delivers a healthy ROI. At our organization, the Tennis Management Company Ltd, we immediately connected this development with our mission to revive our ailing, but once vibrant and competitive, domestic sports industry. The failure of our sports, an industry that commands 70% of all sponsorship spend worldwide, has been bad for everyone, including you.

That may be why your network tried without success to invest in, and grow, the industry in the past before apparently resigning to other entertainment options, including a seeming dependence on very expensive foreign sports properties.

Domestic sporting successes can help Nigeria in infinite ways. Beyond having the unmatched ability to drive economic activity across virtually all sectors of our economy, sports is at the heart of contemporary culture because of how it positively engages much of society with its never-ending tales of epic triumphs, dramatic comebacks, revenges, record making and breaking, as well as, revelations of greatness and the curtains coming down on legendary careers.

You would know that every progressive economy in the world today prioritises sports. Nigeria has to be the last major untapped sports market in the world, and this is costing us a potential multi-trillion-naira annual industry. This is why we implore you to explore our offering, because our long-term goal will be great for your network.

Over the last three years we have been looking for support for a tennis project that we believe will revolutionise sports in Nigeria, and even Africa. Working with the Nigerian Tennis Federation, we have created a new calendar of four annual tennis tournaments in this country called the Nigerian Tennis Majors.

It involves a three-stage development plan that starts with all tournaments being national in the first four years; two opening up to African players from the fifth year; and one of these two becoming a full international tournament in seven years.

It is our thinking that you cannot build enduring sporting success in this country if we Nigerians cannot see our

own athletes as having a fair chance against the best in the world. That is why to build the right foundation for long-term success, we are focusing first on home-grown talent.

We want to build a platform that every young Nigerian would dream of being a part of. One that would give birth to a string of well-paid stars around whom the popularity of the Majors will be built.

When we found that you had spent N3.5b on BBN5, we calculated based on our own budget for the Majors, that with the sum we could deliver at least 20 major tennis tournaments to your network over a five-year period.

Please, do not read this as a denunciation of your investment in BBN, far from it, instead see it as our realisation that your network, with the right partners, most probably holds the key to the much-needed success in our domestic sports.

With a growing population of over 205 million people, two-thirds of whom are youth, Nigeria can either drown in a sea of millions of its unemployed young, or prosper by creating exciting new economic and socio-cultural opportunities for them. Sports can help in a big way, and there is no better time than now!

It would be great to hear from you.

Regards, Kenneth Ezaga, CEO, Tennis Management Company Limited, Kennethezaga@tmclng.com, Kennethezaga@gmail.com www.tmclng.com

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THISDAY, THE SUNDAY NEWSPAPER ˾ C ͹΀˜ ͺ͸ͺ͸

INTERNATIONAL Police Brutality in International Life and the Case of #EndSARS: The Foreign Policy Implications

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n polemology, one major defining element of terrorism is ‘brutality’ or ‘cruelty.’Any brutal act is considered as terroristic, hence the derivation of terrorism from it. The origin of terrorism has been traced to the time of French Revolution in 1789. International Life is a component of International Relations. While International Relations is used, stricto sensu, to refer to the relationships between and among nation-states, in other words, about government-to-government activities, international life is generally used lato sensu, to refer to activities of government officials in their private life, as well as to the involvement of non-state actors in international relations. For instance, a diplomat can go to a dance party both in official and private capacity. When the attendance is in private capacity, it falls under international life and we can talk about ‘officious’ relationships as distinct from official and unofficial relationships. Thus, brutality in the context of government-to-government ties should be differentiated from brutality at the level of international life.And perhaps more importantly, it should be noted that international life, like in international relations, is not devoid of brutality and terrorism. #EndSARS is a spontaneous protest movement, given birth to on Thursday, 8th October, 2020. It is largely made up of Nigerian youths. From its name, the main purpose is to protest against police brutality in Nigeria and eventually calling for an end to it.Again, polemologically, it is not structured, it does not have any known leader and has been engaged in peaceful protest, but the police force has been responding to the peaceful protests brutally, killing innocent protesters and brutalising media men covering the protests.

In fact, Mr. Francis Ogbonna. of theArise Television, got his head broken and his camera completely damaged. This brutality directly offends the 1999 Constitution of Nigeria as amended.

For instance, Section 22 of the Constitution has it that ‘the press, radio, television and other agencies of the mass media shall, at all times, be free to uphold the fundamental objectives contained in this Chapter and uphold the responsibility and accountability of the Government to the people.’ Put differently, the media practitioners have not only the freedom to uphold the fundamental objectives, but also in doing so, are required to make the Government accountable to the people of Nigeria. In this regard, what are the fundamental objectives to be upheld by the media professionals?

Chapter II of the 1999 Constitution articulated the fundamental objectives and the directive principles of State policy: government’s responsibility to the people, politico-economic objectives, social and foreign policy objectives, etc. It is made clear that Nigeria is ‘a State based on the principles of democracy and social justice’ (vide Section 14(1). More important, Section 14(2)(b) says ‘the security and welfare of the people shall be the primary purpose of government.’

The reactive brutalisation of Francis Ogbonna and unnecessary repression of peaceful #EndSARS protesters clearly suggest that the President Muhammadu Buhari (PMB)’s administration is quite far from making security and welfare of the people the primary purpose of his government. This point is buttressed by the mistreatment of, and issues in, the #EndSARS protesters contrary to the organic law of the land.

Issues in #EndSARS

There are many critical issues in this matter of #EndSARS saga. The first is the spontaneity of the protest. The spontaneity is brutality-driven. It isa protest against police brutality, which is not simply about corporal mistreatment of people, but also includes complaints about poor and bad governance. The protesters are asking for good governance, strong institutions, comprehensive police reform, and even for better police service delivery, in terms of better salary, better equipment and better training.As noted earlier, the first source of grievance is police brutality, but with the increasing acquisition of new knowledge day-after-day of protests, fresh demands are added to the need to end police brutality.As at today, the conception of ending police brutality has become all-encompassing within the framework of good governance. The main components of the #EndSARS are now wholistic reform of the police, restructuring of the polity, good governance with particular emphasis on respect for democratic values and human rights, and review of the emoluments of the legislators. The emphasis is increasingly being placed on equity and social justice for all.

Asecond issue is the mistrust of Government as a result of the handling of the protest by the Government of Nigeria. In times past,

VIE INTERNATIONALE

Bola A. Akinterinwa Telephone : 0807-688-2846

e-mail: bolyttag@yahoo.com

One of the victims of SARS brutality the protesters have alleged that Government had done nothing to address their past legitimate complaints on police brutality. They also argued that Government had always dissolved the Special Anti-Robbery Squad, but re-constituting it into new formations, and without actually investigating and sanctioning culprits.And most disturbingly, even with the disbandment of the SARS, police brutality is still meted out to protesters, thus adding salt to injury and making trust quite difficult in whatever the Government promises to do in resolving the problem. In the eyes of the general public, and particularly, the protesters, the PMB administration is that of a regime of impunity.

In the ongoing protests, Government not only accepted to comply with the five main demands of the protesters, and also announced on October 11, 2020 the dissolution of all the formations of the SARS as a first step in the police reform effort, but protesters have disregarded the effort and continued with their peaceful demonstration. The protesters insisted on the immediate release of all arrested protesters, justice for all the deceased victims of police brutality, appropriate compensation for the families of the deceased victims, establishment of an independent body to oversee the investigation and prosecution of all reports of police misconduct within ten days, psychological evaluation and re-training of all disbanded SARS officers before they can be re-deployed in line with the new PoliceAct, and upward review of police salary in order to compensate for protecting lives and property of citizens.

As regards the dissolution of the #EndSARS, Government replaced it with the Special Weapons and Tactics Team (SWAT). The SWAT is not to include any member of the dissolved SARS. It is to operate strictly on the basis of intelligence drive. Under no circumstance will the SWAT engage in any routine patrols.And more significantly, the members of the SWAT are not only prohibited from indiscriminate and unlawful search of phones, laptops, and other smart devices, but must also have integrity of character by not having any pending disciplinary action, especially concerning misuse of firearms and abuse of human rights. What the SWAT is simply saddled with is to respond to robbery attacks, engage in rescue missions, respond to high profile criminal operations and

In this regard, greater attention should focus on the spontaneity of the emergence of the #EndSARS movement and its sustainability for more than ten days. Even if there is an end to their protest today, the capacity to renew the protest with greater capacity cannot be easily ruled out. #EndSARS has the potential to raise the international responsibility of the PMB administration in various ways. By virtue of articles 39 and 40 of Nigeria’s 1999 Constitution as amended, which as noted above, provide for freedoms of speech, association, protest and to be legally protected during peaceful protests. By virtue of the use of brutality in stopping and preventing free association of people to protest peacefully, especially that the era of law of wandering and loitering was thrown into the garbage of history in 1989, PMB may one day be charged for crimes against humanity, if not for crimes of genocide.The threats issued by the Nigerian military to the peaceful protesters only strengthens the case for allegations of crimes against humanity. PMB must quickly begin to re-learn how to thread softly in the handling of the #EndSARS, in particular, and generally, in the political governance of Nigeria

scenes of weapon-related crimes.

These measures pledged by Government are not convincing enough for the protesters, not only because similar measures had been taken in the past, but all to no avail, but particularly because the government has also been silent over the perpetrators of crimes.

Perpetrators are rightly or wrongly believed to have always been covered up in the context of esprit de corps. The protesters admit that criminal suspects can be redeployed to other police units, but raise questions on their anti-human rights mentality still moving along with them. This simply implies that the idea of a SWAT is not really a big deal for the protesters. One point is noteworthy at this juncture: the more Government makes efforts to satisfy the demands of the protesters, the more the fresh requests. From the initial request for an end to police brutality, there are now demands for whatever constitutes negativities in the political governance of Nigeria. Put differently, the presenters, numerically increasing day after day, are asking for an end to brutality in all ramifications in political governance. They want to see Government action in this direction before the protests can be brought to an end.

Athird critical issue is the recidivist character of the brutality in political governance, which appears to be more omnipresent under the PMB administration. Could the origin of the recidivist character be traced to official remissness or outright neglect? The Vice President, Professor Yemi Osinbajo, SAN, admitted that the Federal Government should have acted faster.As he explicated it in an apparent tender mood in a twit, ‘I know that many of you are angry and understandably so. We could’ve moved faster and for this, we are sorry.’

The expression of sorry, genuinely intended or not, appears to be coming too late because the new demands being made directly threaten the continued legitimacy of the elected government of PMB. In fact, the restructuring of Nigeria that has been made a-no-go-area for serious public discussion is now part of the conditionality for the #EndSARS to be brought to an end. Will the PMB administration now accept to negotiate or not? Will he use the military to force his way through if he does not feel comfortable with the demand of restructuring? This brings us to the issue of the fourth issue, the military question.

The military made it clear last week that it would ‘maintain law and order’ and that ‘all subversive elements and trouble makers’ should be warned in advance. The military said that it ‘remains highly committed to defend the country and her democracy at all cost.’ This statement is quite interesting because of its ambiguity.

What is the meaning of defending the country? Who is the country: is it the people or PMB? to whom does the military owe allegiance: the people or to the Commander-in-Chief?

Under normal circumstance, because the 1999 Constitution clearly states that sovereignty belongs to the people of Nigeria, by implication, whatever the authority the Commander-in-Chief may want to lay claim to, is necessarily derived from the people. This also means that military allegiance can only be to the people. However, the way the military put it gives the impression that it would defend whatever interest the civil authority (PMB personified) decides to be pursuing. There is the need for greater caution in this regard.

Additionally, the military said it would defend Nigeria’s democracy. This is good and noteworthy. Democratic values require the protection of democratic freedoms, prevention of human rights violations, right of association and protests. It involves transparency, which Professor Osinbajo admits is a key tenet in political governance. The implication of seeking to defend democracy simply requires supporting the calls for ending brutality by the police, as well as by the military. The brutality of the military is only different from that of the police in the sense that the military are not visibly engaged in financial extortions of the public unlike the police for which it is an honourable tradition.

Above all is the issue of vested interests of invisible stakeholders at home and abroad. Who really is sustaining the mass movement?

How does government manage the protests that have become a southern versus northern protest? From ending police brutality, we now have ending insecurity protests. Quo vadis? The foreign policy implications can now be addressed at this juncture.

The Foreign Policy Implications

#EndSARS has a definite beginning but its end cannot be definite, especially in terms of its likely global ramifications and implications. #EndSARS is currently at the level of a crisis, but gradually deepening into a conflict situation, with the possibility of becoming a ‘Nigerian Spring’ not to say ‘Northern Nigerian Spring’ versus ‘Southern Nigerian Spring’. The factionalisation of this ‘Nigerian Spring’ into Northern and Southern, can precipitate a forceful, but unwanted, resignation of PMB in the manner ofArab Spring.

It can also prompt the type of Malian saga. It is useful to remind here that there was a people’s coup that began with the June 5 Movement, which organised a sustained protest that insisted on the departure of PresidentAboubacar Ibrahim Keita, an elected president of Mali. The people were angered by many challenges: maladministration, galloping corruption, election result manipulation, insecurity, closure of schools for two years, etc. President Keita made frantic efforts to remain in power but to no avail. In fact, the military had to give a military expression to the people’s wish by removing President Keita to the chagrin of the ECOWAS leaders who not only insisted on non-acceptability of the forceful change of government, but also imposed sanctions.

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NEWS

Acting News Editor ÌÙãÏÑË ÕÓØÝËØ×Ó E-mail: ÑÌÙãÏÑ˲ËÕÓØÝËØ×Ó̶ÞÒÓÝÎËãÖÓàÏ˛ÍÙט͸΀͹ͽͺͻͽ΁ͺͽͻ ̙Ý×Ý ÙØÖã̚

Lagos Identifies Police Officers Who Shot at #ENDSARS Protesters Sanwo-olu visits widow of slain driver Increases youth representation to two Gboyega Akinsanmi Amid sustained protest against police brutality nationwide, the Lagos State Government yesterday disclosed that with the support of the state police command, it had identified four police officers, who last Monday fired gunshots at #ENDSARS campaigners in Surulere, Lagos.

The state government, also,

disclosed that the officers involved in the shooting “are undergoing orderly room trial,” and promised “to bring the full wrath of the law on the officers who perpetrated this irresponsible act.”

The state governor, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu made this disclosure yesterday when he visited the widow of Mr. Okechukwu Iloamuazor, the driver hit by a stray bullet during the last Monday demonstration by youths

in Surulere.

During the visit, Sanwo-Olu revealed that four police officers, who opened fire on the protesters in Surulere, had been identified by the state government and the police authorities.

According to him, the police officers are currently undergoing orderly room trial at the Lagos State Police Command.

He said the state government would take the officers’ punishment

beyond the established disciplinary guidelines of the police.

He explained that the state government “will allow the police to complete their investigation. We will certainly take the case out of the police and bring the full wrath of the law on the officers who perpetrated this irresponsible act. This will be a clear signal for other trigger-happy officers.”

He commiserated with the family over the incident, which

HAPPY 2ND ANNIVERSARY. . .

L-R: Ekiti State Deputy Governor, Chief Bisi Egbeyemi; Ekiti State Governor, Dr. Kayode Fayemi; his wife, Mrs. Bisi Fayemi and Head of Service, Mrs. Peju Babafemi during Fayemi’s state of the state address at the House of Assembly, as part of activities marking his second anniversary in AdoEkiti... Friday

he described as unfortunate. He said the deceased should not have died under the circumstance, but assured the family members that the perpetrators would be brought to justice.

He said: “On behalf of the State Government, and the people of Lagos, I commiserate with the family over this mindless brutality that led to the death of your son. We condemn endless killing of innocent citizens to the highest level.

“It is highly disheartening to learn that the victim, Mr. Iloamuazor, was performing his legitimate duty when the unfortunate incident happened.

He hurt no one to have been subjected to such painful death.

“Iloamuazor’s death is a sad loss not only for the family but to the entire citizenry that has clamoured for an end to police brutality. I assure you that his death will not be in vain.

“The case will not be swept under the carpet. This is going to be the beginning of real change that people want to see in law enforcement,” he said.

Also yesterday, Sanwo-Olu held a meeting with Justice Doris Okuwobi, the Chairman of the Judicial Panel of Inquiry and Restitution set up to investigate cases of brutality and human rights violations committed by operatives of the dissolved Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) in the State.

The meeting, held behind closed doors, was attended by the Attorney General of the State, Mr. Moyosore Onigbanjo, SAN,

Head of Service, Mr. Hakeem Muri-Okunola, and Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Mr. Gbenga Omotoso Sanwo-Olu said the meeting was necessary to intimate the panel chairman on new developments and expectations of the state government.

He said the membership slot reserved for the youth had been increased to two, saying the move was to ensure young people, who are mostly the victims of SARS brutality, had strong voices and contributions in the panel’s activities.

Sanwo-Olu said the panel “will commence its sitting next Monday after the official swearing in of its members in Alausa. We expect members of the public, who have complaints against SARS operatives, to approach the panel and bring forward their claims.

“It is also important to mention that we have increased the expected nomination from the youth. At the announcement of the panel two days ago, we asked the youth to bring forward one representative. We have increased the youth representation to two.

“I understand there is a process which the youth are using to nominate their representatives, which is very good. We will be expecting them to forward the names of their nominees to us before Monday.

“We believe that the increment in youth representation will further enrich the composition of the panel and diversity of the panel’s recommendations.”

How Keystone Bank, Officials Defrauded Oil Magnate N885m Tobi Soniyi More details emerged at the weekend on how BankPHB (Now Keystone Bank) in cohort with two of its top staff, Mr. Anayo Nwosu and Mr. Olajide Oshodi defrauded the Chairman of Dozzy Oil and Gas, Sir Daniel Chukwudozie N855 million.

Nwosu leveraging on the relationship between his wife and the wife of the Dozzy Group chairman brought in Nulec Industries Limited owned by Indian Businessman, Asok Israni that is indebted to the bank and several

other banks and sold a phantom share purchase scheme to him.

Even without the initial consent of Chukwudozie, Nwosu got his wife to transfer N855 million to Istani’s account for the share purchase. The transfers were, however, later ratified by Chukwudozie.

After several appeals for his money to be refunded to him failed, Chukwudozie wrote a petition to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission.

The commission found the petition meritorious and consequently mandated it’s operatives to investigate the scam.

After investigation was concluded, charges were filed against Anayo Nwosu, Ashok Israni, Olajide Oshodi, Sunny Obazee, Bank PHB Plc/Keystone Bank Ltd and NULEC Industries Limited.

One of the counts reads: “That you, Anayo Nwosu, Ashok Israni, Olajide Oshodi, Sunny Obazee, Bank PHB Plc/Keystone Bank Ltd and NULEC Industries Limited, Anayo Nwosu, Ashok Israni, Olajide Oshodi, Sunny Obazee, Bank PHB Plc/Keystone Bank Ltd and NULEC Industries Limited, between July 14 and

Buhari Directs Further Support to 12 States Affected by Flood Adedayo Akinwale in Abuja President Muhammadu Buhari has dispatched special teams to deliver urgently needed assistance to 12 states most ravaged by seasonal rains, after taking stock of the flood situation in the country.

The directive was contained in a statement the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Mr. Garba Shehu issued yesterday.

The statement said the states to receive the teams conveying reinforcement of reliefs and other equipment through the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), “are Kebbi, Niger, Kwara, Kogi, Edo, Anambra, Delta, Kano, Jigawa, Rivers, Bayelsa and Adamawa.

“Some of the states that have been reached with the first wave of support from the Presidency are: Kebbi, Niger, Kwara, Sokoto, Jigawa and Kaduna.”

The President again expressed the nation’s sympathy to the victims of the floods, many of whom had lost family members, homes and valued investments in agricultural crops and livestock.

He also underscored the need for additional coordination between the federal and state government agencies dealing with the issues, and for improved forecast and warning systems to avert similar calamities.

In May, the Nigeria Hydrological Services Agency (NIHSA) released the 2020 Annual Flood Outlook (AFO). Based on the forecast,

102 LGAs in 28 states fall within highly probable flood risk areas with 275 LGAs in the 36 states of the federation, including the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).

The states include Rivers, Cross River, Delta, Lagos, Ondo, Bayelsa, Sokoto, Kogi, Niger, Kaduna, Gombe, Adamawa, Benue, FCT, Nasarawa, Delta, Oyo, Ogun, Osun, Ekiti, Ebonyi, Edo, Abia, Anambra, Imo, Borno, Kano, and Kebbi.

In Kwara State where flooding was not expected, a bridge embankment recently collapsed, killing three when a vehicle conveying five passengers was washed away by flood. In Akwa Ibom, also not listed, hundreds of houses were destroyed in Eket following heavy downpours that have rendered thousands homeless.

July 31, 2008, in Lagos within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, did fraudulently convert to your use the sum of N285, 000, 000 being the property of Dozzy Oil and Gas Ltd, when you credited the account of NULEC with the said sum to defray its debt owed to Bank PHB Plc as against paying the sum into the Private Placement Account of NULEC, which sum was to be used as payment for the purchase of shares of NULEC Industries Limited under a Private Placement.”

Another count reads: “That

you, Anayo Nwosu, Ashok Israni, Olajide Oshodi, Sunny Obazee, Bank PHB Plc/Keystone Bank Ltd and NULEC Industries Limited, sometime in 2008 within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, with intent to defraud, obtained the sum of N855, 000, 000 from Dozzy Oil and Gas Ltd, on the false pretence that NULEC Industries Limited was inactive profit-making manufacturing and trading activities, thereby purporting same to be payment for the purchase of shares of the said NULEC Industries Limited under a Private Placement.”

The defendants, however, pleaded not guilty to the charges, thereby leading to their full trial.

During the course of the trial, the prosecution counsel, Rotimi Jacobs, SAN, presented witnesses and tendered several documents that were admitted in evidence by the court. The complainant also testified for the prosecution during the trial.

Delivering her judgment, Justice Kudirat Jose discharged and acquitted the fourth defendant, Obazee.

Fish out Killer Cops, NDN Tells Police Tobi Soniyi Nigeria Diaspora Network has asked the Inspector General of Police, Mr Mohammed Adamu to ensure that members of the defunct Special Anti Robbery Squad accused of committing extrajudicial killings are fished out and prosecuted.

NDN International Coordinator, Mr Samuel Atolaiye spoke with THISDAY from the United States, saying nothing short of ensuring justice for the families of those who had lost loved ones to SARS would pacify the protesting youths.

He said: “While it is a welcome development that the InspectorGeneral of Police (IGP), Mohammed Adamu, recently, dissolved the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS), the police authorities must be willing to holistically reform the operations of officers nationwide.

“The IGP’s total commitment to ensuring accountability for human rights violations is essential to restoring public confidence,” Atolaiye noted.

He appealed to the protesting youths not to allow the protest to result in unlawful actions, such as lootings or destruction of properties or create an ungovernable atmosphere, knowing fully well that some politicians or corrupt individuals might want to take advantage of such situations to make Nigeria ungovernable.

“This should never be allowed. Nigeria belongs to all of us and civil and reasonable actions should be pursued to resolve issues. I appeal to every Nigerian to listen to President Muhammadu Buhari who has promised to ensure that all those responsible for misconduct are

brought to justice. This should at least be the beginning of the needed healing.”

Atolaiye argued that the creation of the Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) unit to replace SARS was premature. He urged the police authority to put measures in place that would restore people’s confidence in the police.

According to him, Nigerians want a police that can be trusted to perform their duties with respect and care for the people.

He said: “The banning of SARS is a step in the right direction.

The next step should be comprehensive police reform. The committee for this reform should cut across every group including the youths, representatives of the government, private citizens who are well respected and have vast security experience to help with the reform.

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NEWSXTRA IG Asks S’Court to Stay Judgment Nullifying 10,000 Constables’ Recruitment Alex Enumah in Abuja The Inspector-General (IG) of Police, Mr Mohammed Adamu, has asked the Supreme Court to halt the execution of the judgment of a Court of Appeal that nullified his recruitment of 10,000 constables for the Nigeria Police Force.

The request was contained in an application for a stay of execution filed along 20 grounds of appeal against the judgment of the appellate court delivered on September 30, 2020.

A three-man panel of the Abuja Division of the Court of Appeal presided by Justice Olabisi Ige in a unanimous decision had held that the IG and the NPF lacked the power to recruit the constables.

According to the appellate

court, the power to recruit the constables was exclusively that of the Police Service Commission.

Justice Ige subsequently set aside the earlier judgment of the Federal High Court, Abuja, which had validated the IG’s power of recruitment and nullified the actual recruitment of the 10,000 constables.

Miffed by the decision, the IG along with the NPF and the Federal Ministry of Police Affairs had approached the Supreme Court to set aside the judgement on the grounds that the appellate court erred when it arrived at its decision that they lacked the power to recruit the said 10,000 constables.

The appellants however in the 20 grounds of appeal filed along with their original notice of appeal by their lawyer, Dr. Alex

Izinyon (SAN), submitted that the power of the NPF and the IGP to enlist the recruit constables was distinct from the power of the PSC to appoint them.

Izinyon faulted the Court of Appeal’s decision that the Nigeria Police Regulations 1968 conferring the power of “enlistment of recruit constables” conferred on the NPF was inconsistent with the Nigerian Constitution.

He argued further that section 71 of the Police Regulation, 1968 was not synonymous with the power of “appointment” used in the Nigerian Constitution or the Police Service Commission (Establishment) Act. He said, “The power to enlist recruit constables conferred on the 1st appellant (NPF) is distinct and is not the same function conferred on the 1st respondent (PSC)”.

The senior lawyer stated that the procedure for enlistment of recruit constables was specifically provided in section 76 – 106 of the Nigeria Police Regulations, adding that the PSC “is not conferred with absolute power or any power howsoever described to enlist recruit constables into the 1st appellant (NPF)”.

He also argued that the Court of Appeal erred in law

by relying on the definition of “recruitment” contained in Public Service Rules 2008, which he contended was not applicable to the Nigeria Police Force.

Izinyon further claimed that the appeal court’s reliance on the definition of “recruitment” contained in the Public Service Rules in determining what constituted “appointment” led to “a grave error of law”.

FG Re-opens Eko, Marine Bridges Monday Emmanuel Addeh in Abuja The federal government yesterday announced that the Eko and Marine bridges in Lagos would be open to the public from Monday following the conclusion of urgent repair works on the facilities.

A statement by the Director, Press and Publicity, Federal Ministry of Works and Housing, Mrs Boade Akinola, quoted the Minister of Works and Housing, Mr. Babatunde Fashola, as giving the directive for the opening of the bridges, having been satisfied with their fitness for use by commuters.

The approval for the reopening of the completed first phase of repairs on the bridges by midnight on Sunday, October 18, the statement said, was sequel to the report by the contractor handling the projects, Messrs Buildwell Plant & Equipment Industries Limited, that the repair works had been completed.

Fashola thanked the people of Lagos State for their patience, understanding and cooperation while the affected sections of the bridges were closed.

He directed that members of the public should be informed of any restrictions to traffic during work on the second phase of the project.

The minister added that

while the completed section of the Eko Bridge (Lagos Island bound) should be reopened to traffic, work should commence immediately on the Alaka bound side of the project.

Explaining the next phase of repair works on the bridges, the Director, Highways (Bridges and Designs) in the ministry, Mr. Emmanuel Adeoye, said work was taking off without the need for either partial or complete closure of the bridges.

He added, however, that the public would be informed should any form of blockade become necessary.

The 1,350-metre Eko Bridge, built in phases between 1965 and 1975, links Lagos Island to the Mainland. It was closed to traffic in March this year in order to replace faulty joints and bearings.

The ministry stressed that as a result of the COVID-19 lockdown, actual repair works commenced in the first week of June.

The statement said, “Work commenced in May on the first of the three phases in which repair works on the Marine Bridge was divided. The repairs on the bridge is part of a network of complex bridges with several loops taking traffic in and out of the Apapa area of Lagos.

After Prolonged Crisis, FUOYE Appoints New Registrar, Librarian Victor Ogunje in Ado Ekiti The Federal University, Oye Ekiti (FUOYE), has appointed a former Director of Administration and Special Duties in the Vice Chancellor’s office, Mr. Olatunbosun Odusanya, as the new registrar of the university.

The university also appointed Dr. Isaac Busayo as the new Librarian and Dr. Musibau Olawale as Medical Director.

The appointments were announced in a statement FUOYE’s Deputy Director, Corporate Services, Mr. Adeyinka Ademuyiwa issued yesterday.

Busayo and Olawale had served as Deputy Librarian and Deputy Medical Director of their various departments before their elevation.

The appointments were effected after a prolonged crisis surrounding the removal of the immediate past registrar, Mr. Daniel Adeyemo, a

case that had assumed judicial dimension and now pending in court.

But the statement said the governing council arrived at the decisions during its meeting of October 15 and presided over by its Chairman, Dr. Lawan Yahuza.

“The governing council of the university rose from a fourday meeting on October 15, announcing the appointment of Mr. Olatunbosun Odusanya, as the second substantive registrar of the institution.

“Odusanya was until his appointment, the Director Administration and Special Duties at the Vice Chancellor’s Office.

“He replaced Adeyemo, who had been relieved of his assignment some years ago.

The council session presided over by the Chairman, Dr. Lawan Yahuza has all members

SUPPORT FROM SPECIAL PEOPLE The candidate of All Progressives Congress (APC) for senatorial bye-election in Lagos East, Mr. Tokunbo Abiru (middle) at a meeting with persons with special needs on the bye-election scheduled to hold on October 31 in Somali, Lagos… recently

Abiru Demands Probe of PDP Candidate’s Murder Allegation The candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) for senatorial bye-election in Lagos East, Mr. Tokunbo Abiru has asked the Inspector-General of Police, Mr. Mohammed Adamu to investigate the attempted murder allegation levelled against him by his counterpart in the Peoples Democratic party (PDP), Mr. Babatunde Gbadamosi.

Abiru, the immediate past Group Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of Polaris Bank Limited, added that the need to investigate the allegation became imperative in order to expose and apprehend those who attempted to murder the PDP candidate and members of his campaign team.

He made this demand in

a letter his counsel, Mr. Kemi Pinheiro (SAN) addressed to the inspector-general on October 12, requesting the police authority to duly investigate the allegation.

On two different occasions, Gbadamosi had on his Twitter handle, @Gbadamosi asked the APC candidate “to warn members of his campaign team against murder and assassination. This is the second attempt against us.”

Also, the PDP candidate had alleged that one of his activists “was almost assassinated by four gunmen, who admitted that they had been trailing him for some time.

He barely escaped with his life.”

In the two-page letter yesterday, Abiru described the allegations as grave, thereby appealing to the IGP

“to institute a detailed investigation that would basically ascertain the veracity of the allegations made publicly by the PDP candidate against him.”

The letter asked the IGP to use his office to expedite action and arrest the perpetrator if there was any as alleged by the PDP candidate.

It said: “If the allegations turned out to be false, the police boss should not hesitate to institute legal actions as contained in cybercrime law, Criminal Code Act and Criminal Law of Lagos State.”

The APC candidate denied any form of connection “to the allegations and any insinuation

whatsoever in that regard considering his antecedent as a law abiding citizen of Nigeria.”

The letter added that Abiru had never been involved in any criminal cases during his years in public service and in the financial sector of the country.

After his attention was drawn to Gbadamosi’s allegation against him, Abiru said he found it weighty and worrisome that he was been linked to a heinous crime of murder.

The letter said Abiru “is a person of high moral standard and rectitude who has never been involved in any form of criminality or criminal conduct. Our client denies any form of connection to the allegations and any insinuation whatsoever in that regard.

Nigeria Requires N942bn to Connect 80m to Power Grid Emmanuel Addeh in Abuja The federal government yesterday disclosed that it would require at least $4.915 billion, an equivalent of 942 billion, to connect over 80 million Nigerians to power sources nationwide.

With this figure, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila noted that the federal government was deeply concerned about the lack of access to electricity by a large number of Nigerians.

The Managing Director, Rural Electrification Agency (REA), Mr Salihijo Ahmad gave the figure at a workshop the agency organised for lawmakers in Abuja at the weekend.

At the workshop are the Minister of State for Power, Mr. Goddy Jedy-Agba the Chairman, House Committee on Power,

Magaji Aliyu, among others.

REA’s managing director disclosed that connecting over 80 million Nigerians to power sources “will require $2.2 billion, $235 million and $2.48 billion (about N942 billion) respectively.”

Ahmad, therefore, called for better funding for the agency to enable it reach some of the over 80 million Nigerians without power supply.

He explained that there “is a need for better funding of the agency as well as the strengthening of financing and business models. There’s also a need to strengthen internal capacity and build foundational and advanced skills to drive the REA mandate better.

“Although the grid system is important, there is a need for beneficial policies targeted at the off-grid market to acceler-

ate electrification and improve service quality,” the managing director said.

He reiterated that the target of the agency was to reach 23,457 clusters of approximately 41 million people via grid extension by 2030, serve 26.2 million through mini grids and reach 5.5 million persons through solar home systems.

Gbajabiamila, who was represented at the workshop by the chairman of the house committee on power, explained that the situation was even more worrying for those who live in rural areas and are completely cut off from all sources of power supply.

He said that the lawmakers would continue to advocate the right policies and their effective implementation to get reliable power to rural areas across the

country using the most efficient and cost-effective methods.

He observed at the workshop that the federal government “is concerned about the lack of access to electricity in the country, especially in our rural areas.

“This brought about the enactment of the Electricity Power Reform Act (ESPRA), 2005.

The Act gave birth to the Rural Electrification Agency, mandated to provide reliable electricity to unserved and underserved areas across the country.

“The legislature’s doors are always open to programmes that are in the best interest of the people we serve. We will work with the executive, the ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs) in this industry to achieve this common electrification goal through the REA,” he said.

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NEWSXTRA Protesting Youths: We Want Accountability, Says Feyikemi Abudu Tobi Soniyi One of the people mobilising resources for the protesting youths, Ms Feyikemi Abudu yesterday said youths are still out there protesting because the government has not done enough to meet their demands.

Speaking on Arise News Television Channel Abudu said the protest is the most decentralized organization.

According to her, everybody is contributing and doing one thing or the other to make the protest a success. It is a joint effort and no single person can take credit for this.

On the federal government’s directive to states to establish a judicial panel of inquiry, she said it was a good step but said that there were immediate actions that the government could take before setting up these committees.

She said: “It is a good step in the long run and it is important to have the right people on the panel. But what everybody is asking for is accountability for offences already committed.”

She also raised the issue of inclusivity in the committee being

set up by states to look at the issues raised by the protesting youths.

She observed that in the judicial committee set up by the Lagos State government there was only one slot for the youths. She wondered if other members of the panel would represent the interest of the youths.

According to her, it is the job of the government to communicate to the youths what it is doing to address the issues. She said the government was not doing well.

The problem, she observed, is that the government has communicated to the youths, but the youths are not satisfied with what they have been offered so far.

She said that there was no need for the government to reach out to a single person because the issues raised by them affected everybody.

She said: “So whatever decision the government is taking should be tabled before the public. This issue of needing a representative is just not cutting it.

“They are the ones who can make the changes that everyone is asking for. Everyone is asking for the same thing so there is no

need to have a representative to come and reinforce what everybody is asking for.

“We are saying that we want accountability. We want people to be prosecuted for the crimes they have committed. Not that they will just be redeployed to another place under a different name.”

Abudu said the youths wanted structural changes and real actions.

She said “There is no need for a leader because the demands are there. In the past when they took actions they didn’t sit with any leader. We want them to take

decisions that meet the demands of everybody.”

On the use of Bitcoin to raise money, Abudu said that everyone had just become resourceful.

According to her, blockchain and other technology solutions are some of the things that people are doing because they need to do this for themselves.

She said that the government had not shown enough faith to persuade the youths to abandon the struggle.

She said: “In the vast majority of the states nobody has been

held accountable. Nobody has resigned. Those who were in charge of SARS are still walking the streets free. Families that have been affected, how has the government handled their situations.

“We know that the government is capable of making these decisions. Everyday, we are out; we have seen the government take decisions. We don’t know how long the protests will last.

“They will end when they will end. But there are still actions the government can take. Some

of them could have been taken long ago.

“So far there is so much distrust that everyone is saying that the government is just announcing these things for the future. But right now there are things the government can do that it is not doing.”

She argued that the protests had fired up “a group of people who before now did not know the power that they have. After this is resolved, and in the future, people are not going to take things lying down.

Group Wants EFCC to Investigate Award of Contract for Edo Specialist Hospital Adibe Emenyonu in Benin City A group, Concerned Edo Citizens, has called on the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), to begin investigation into alleged impunity and corruption perpetrated by the Adams Oshiomhole’s administration in the construction and procurement of equipment for Edo Specialist Hospital Armed with placards bearing inscriptions like “End Corruption now”, the group in a peaceful protest to the Benin zonal office of the EFCC on Friday, said they decided to remind the anti graft agency to probe the circumstances that led to the alleged misappropriation of funds running into billions of naira.

Teddy Osagunywenwan who spoke on behalf of the group, said the protest was in line with the recent call to end police brutality, corruption amongst others.

“We were here three months ago, and we are here again in the form of a protest to ask the EFCC to investigate the circumstances that led to the loss of billions of naira in the hospital project. They were unable to equip the hospital and through that process, we have lost several persons in Edo state.

“Before now, we were asked to submit a petition and we did through our lawyer, but over three months now we have not been informed about the petition. That is why we decided to come here to remind them to probe Oshiomhole so that he can tell us how he spent the money on the project,” he said.

The Head of Public Affairs of EFCC in Benin, Williams Oseghale, who received the protesters, assured them that the commission will look into the petition.

The state governor, Mr. Godwin Obaseki, had inaugurated a commission of inquiry, led by Justice James Oyomire, to look into the construction of the Edo Specialist Hospital and supply of equipment for the hospital.

Commission’s findings indicted the immediate-past governor of Edo State, Adams Oshiomhole, for breach of the state’s procurement laws in the award of 75 percent of the contract sum upfront for the project instead of 25 percent upfront payment upon contract award for the construction of the hospital.

The multi-billion-naira Edo Specialist Hospital is a 200-bed emergency ward that was constructed in 2016 but started operation in 2019.

NCAC DG, Runsewe Loses Mum Nigeria’s cultural icon and Director-General of the National Council for Arts and Culture (NCAC), Otunba Segun Runsewe, has announced the transition of his mother, Mrs. Felicia Adesola Runsewe (Nee Adesmosun), aged 94 years.

Late Felicia Runsewe fondly called Mama Kaduna, lived and worked in Kaduna State as a prosperous business woman for about 60 years, before retiring to live in Lagos where she passed on in the early hours of Saturday, October 17, 2020.

Mama Kaduna started her career with Kingsway Stores, Kaduna, before going into private business

Runsewe

which endeared her to clients and neighbours, hence the name Mama Kaduna.

She is survived by three children, Ojafolarin Runsewe (deceased), Otunba Segun Runsewe and Mrs. Mopelola Ayanfalu, grandchildren and a great grand child. Date for the interment will be announced soon.

WALK FOR LIFE . .

L-R:First Lady of Ogun State, Mrs. Bamidele Abiodun; Convener/ CEO, Arise Women, Dr Siju Iluyomade and wife of former Cross Rivers State Governor, Mrs. Onari Duke at the Arise Walk for Life in Lagos... yesterday PHOTO: ETOP UKUTT

Lagos Links Incessant Tanker Explosions on Otedola Bridge to Road Design Defect Gboyega Akinsanmi and Emmanuel Addeh in Abuja A tanker laden with premium motor spirit (PMS) yesterday exploded on Otedola Bridge in Lagos State, making it the fourth time such disaster would occur on the same spot in recent times.

Unlike previous incidents, the explosion, which occurred at about 3:00 a.m. on Saturday, did not claim any human life, though goods and property worth millions of Naira were lost to the incident.

However, the Lagos State Emergency Management Author-

ity (LASEMA) has ascribed the incessant tanker explosions on the bridge to road design defects, which should be corrected to avoid unnecessary loss of life.

Findings yesterday revealed that the explosion occurred after a truck conveying fabrics from Lagos developed brake failure and collided with the tanker laden with petrol motor spirit on the bridge.

During a visit to the scene of the accident, an eyewitness account disclosed that the explosion “gutted a stationary tanker with Number Plate KBG91XA. The tanker was conveying PMS

Umahi: I Haven’t Defected to APC Benjamin Nworie in Abakaliki Ebonyi State Governor, Mr. David Umahi yesterday said he had not defected from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC).

Umahi, also Chairman of South-east Governors Forum, noted that he “is still a member of the PDP contrary to media reports insinuating his defection to the ruling party.”

A member of the House of Representatives from Ebonyi State, Hon. Chinedu Ogah had earlier claimed that the governor had defected to the APC. Ogah noted that as the leader of the APC in Ebonyi State he commended the governor for defecting to the Party.

According to him, Umahi

defected to the APC after meeting several leaders of the party including President Muhammadu Buhari.

He described it as a bold step and a move in the right direction, even as he asked the governors of Abia, Enugu and Anambra to join the APC for stability in the polity and Southeast.

“Yes, Umahi’s defection to our great party, APC is a step in the right direction. We cannot afford to remain in opposition.

We must join the ruling party to continue to reap the dividends of democracy.

“I am calling on other governors in the Southeast to toe the line of Governor Umahi and join APC. We have to be at the centre, we have to join mainstream politics for overall development of our zone and the country in general.

to a neighbouring state.”

He recounted that officials of the Lagos State Fire Service were seen at the scene battling to put out the fire emanating from the explosion.

He added that the prompt response of the state fire service officials saved the entire Omole phase II and Magodo estate from the explosion that was said to have left residents in panic.

With the incessant road crashes and traffic incidents, LASEMA’s Director-General, Dr. Olufemi Oke-Osanyintolu disclosed that the state govern-

ment had conducted empirical analysis of concerned roads and traffic incidents.

In the analysis, Osanyintolu said: “Otedola is a result of road design defects. The road deeply descends and curves at the same time hence not suitable for overladen tankers etc.

“Ojuelegba is a traffic regulation error or tanker driver disobedience, as they have no business using that bridge. The bridge is narrow and curved without adequate barriers, hence not suitable for over laden trucks manoeuvering.”

Champion of Igbo Business Leaders Emerges Dec 5 Ten Igbo entrepreneurs, screened from a long list of 70 by a panel of economists, business analysts, researchers, and journalists, are in contention for the maiden Igbo Business Leaders’ Hall of Fame and Award to be celebrated at an exclusive gala in Enugu on December 5.

The contest will be chaired by former President Goodluck Jonathan, who will visit the Southeast publicly for the first time since he relinquished power in 2015.

In a statement by the President of Champions Court, Mr Ifeanyi Mbanefo, the award was created for Igbo entrepreneurs because despite the region’s colourful political history and numerous outstanding achievements in literature, arts, music, sports, science

and technology, the Igbo is defined mainly by business, industry and resilience.

He said: “We are celebrating individuals who have refused to limit themselves to a narrow range of entrepreneurial problems.

Their versatility and skill in solving societal problems approach the level of gallantry.

“The lifetime achievement prize will be awarded yearly to entrepreneurial icons who have left enduring legacies of success in the South East and other parts of Nigeria and beyond. It is to recognise and celebrate business champions who have demonstrated leadership, business acumen and success, entrepreneurial spirit, integrity and commitment to the society.”

SUNDAY OCTOBER 18, 2020 • T H I S D AY

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MISSILE

Archbishop of Lagos to FG “The youths, and indeed most well-meaning Nigerians, are calling for justice for the individuals and families affected by the brutality of the policemenattached to the disbanded SARS unit” – Archbishop of Lagos, Alfred Adewale Martins in a statement on the ongoing #ENDSARS protest by the youths.

SIMONKOLAWOLE SIMONKOLAWOLELIVE!

simon.kolawole@thisdaylive.com, sms: 0805 500 1961

Is #EndSARS Nigeria’s Tipping Point?

T

he youth uprising against police brutality in Nigeria has taken many by surprise. Conventional wisdom is that the youth are more likely to dance at a concert than sing a protest song. Events of the last couple of weeks have altered this narrative as youthful Nigerians have taken to the streets in a vigorous campaign to shoot down police brutality, with the notoriety of the special anti-robbery squad (SARS) serving as the trigger — no pun intended. With the help of the hash tag, #EndSARS, the agitations have gained international attention. And the government has seen that this is not business as usual. Are we finally at the tipping point in the battle for the soul of Nigeria?

While the protests have, in the main, been about police brutality, interpreting them purely as such would be a massive mistake. We would be making a mistake if we focus on the fact that other interests, especially political, have seized the opportunity to fuel the fire. We would be erring by looking only at the disruptions being created all over by protesters who have refused to yield an inch despite their demands being met by the government. We would be missing the point if we focus too much on the fact that even the yahoo boys are eager to see the end of SARS, which itself grooms and harbours a legion of police officers that are yahoo boys and robbers by nature.

For sure, every struggle has its own opportunists. All kinds of characters will jump on the bandwagon to pursue their own agenda.

That’s the way life goes. We have to look beyond that. My reading of the real situation is that there is something deeper going on out there.

Deeper than SARS. Deeper than SWAT. Deeper than police brutality. What we have in our hands is the unloading of pent-up anger, frustration and resentment by Nigerians — with the youth leading the line. The SARS situation is what Yoruba would describe as “ara ran bombu l’owo” — that is… now I don’t know how to interpret that. Let me just say: “A thunder strike has helped detonate a bomb.”

In 1988, when I was a student of Kwara State Polytechnic where I studied for my A’Levels, we hardly had water at our residential halls.

We queued up with our buckets every morning and every evening for water supply by tankers.

Then one evening, guys played football. The tankers did not show up. How would they go to bed sweaty and smelly? A few of them started beating their buckets, singing “aluta” songs over water scarcity and poor welfare. Before we knew it, it had progressed to a protest march across the campus. And then a full-blown riot.

Overnight, some of us trekked 10 kilometres to Ilorin town, afraid that soldiers would soon invade the campus and start shooting.

You would find it hard thinking a simple football game would lead to a bloody riot in a matter of minutes. In fact, if you were the cynical type, you would argue that the students were unserious, that they were in school to study and not to play football, and that it was the unserious students that caused the riot in order to be sent home. But you would be missing the point. Students were already frustrated. Nobody was paying attention. The anger was building up. The authorities did not see it. The resentment had reached a peak.

They ignored it. It took a meaningless football match to fan the flame into an inferno. That is what happens when you fail to read the writing on the wall.

Let’s now return to #EndSARS. For decades, Nigerians have been complaining about police

Buhari brutality. For decades, the Nigerian state has turned a blind eye, despite panels upon panels set up and recommendations upon recommendations made. As Professor Jibrin Ibrahim, respected political scientist and newspaper columnist, pointed out, all presidents since 1999 have set up one panel or the other on police reform.

The reports are gathering dust on Aso Rock shelves. Meanwhile, the police have been gleefully stockpiling dead bodies, cocksure that there would be no consequences. SARS went on robbing and killing with impunity. Is the day of reckoning finally here?

But SARS apart, youth frustration has been building up. We asked them to go to school. They did. Write WASSCE. They did. Write UMTE. They did. Go to university. They did. Do national youth service. They did. Yet years later, they are still begging to apply for vacancies that do not exist, vacancies reserved for the children of the high and mighty. There are those that keep writing entrance exams but are unable to proceed because of lack of space or funds. There are those that never went to school, and those that dropped out in primary or secondary school.

Millions are underemployed, unemployed or unemployable. What a huge army of frustrated youth.

But in the same country, if you manage to get elected into a state house of assembly, you will get a brand new SUV, currently sold at N50 million per machine. In some states, there are 40 lawmakers. That is N2 billion. Judges will wake up one day to realise the governor has just bought “tear-rubber” SUVs for them.

Governors ride long convoys with the most modern bullet-proof technology. In the same society, hospitals are rejecting patients because “there is no bed space”. People are struggling to pay rising bus fares but their leaders can afford to charter jets to attend weddings and rallies. The youth see all these things. This is a society built on injustice and inequality. And we want peace?

Poverty, unemployment and inequality are the biggest triggers for uprising in any society. Some young persons taking to yahoo, drug dealing and armed robbery are products of a system that does not reckon with the implications of unemployment and poverty. An idle hand, it is said, is tempting the devil. No human being will sit at home and die of hunger. Self-preservation is a basic human instinct. If it is to steal, beg or borrow, the human being will strive to survive.

Let me be clear: I am NOT justifying crime.

However, a wise society will make a connection between unemployment, poverty and crime, and act decisively to address the problems at the root.

For decades, we have been asking the government to make the economic environment less hostile to businesses, especially small and medium scale enterprises, so that they will be able to create jobs for the millions of skilled and unskilled Nigerians. For decades, we have been putting up with the dissonance — government, on one hand, claiming they are trying to improve the ease of doing business; and government agencies, on the other hand, continuously terrorising SMEs with extortionate levies and taxes in a mad revenue drive, using task forces loaded with thugs and police officers to make the business environment unbearable for the engine room of the economy.

For inexplicable reasons, the government —whether federal, state or local — cannot understand the link between policy and prosperity. They think by making life difficult for businesses and their owners, the economy will grow and create the jobs needed to address the unemployment, poverty and inequality ravaging the nation. Does that make sense? For instance, if you run a business in Abuja, right under the nose of the federal government, the ministries, departments and agencies will violently come after you in such a way that you would think you are a Boko Haram member. Serious countries are encouraging SMEs. We are killing them. And we want to tackle unemployment.

In FCT, at least three units of the Abuja Municipal Council Area (AMAC) do “health inspection” on an eatery every year. You pay a levy for each visit. NAFDAC, NSTIF and SON will also do the same “health inspection” for a fee. There is an annual licence for “operating in FCT”. There is a levy for “using a car to distribute food”. You will be forced to pay Federal Housing Authority (FHA) and AMAC again for “fumigation”. There is also the AMAC “sanitary inspection” fee. AMAC’s department of environment charges for yearly inspection.

There is yet another AMAC fee for “food and water-related handling”. That is how we want to encourage economic growth and create jobs in Nigeria!

In all, the #EndSARS protesters need to have an articulated game plan. They must have an end game in mind. At what stage do they sheathe the sword and seize this golden opportunity to begin to hold leaders at all levels accountable as a movement? No government official, whether elected or appointed, should sleep at ease again. What are the lawmakers doing with the constituency projects? Why are the roads so bad? Why are the hospitals and schools in such horrible state? Why are government officials chartering jets to attend political rallies? How are the budgets spent? These questions should shape the next stage of agitation, which should be peaceful and orderly.

If #EndSARS is going to be Nigeria’s tipping point — the point at which pockets of protests and agitations will trigger a major, sustained clamour for good governance — there is a need for strategic articulation, with an end game in mind. This is a lifetime opportunity for the youth to channel their anger, frustration and resentment into positive energy to bring about a fundamental change in Nigeria. The biggest gain should not be just to enforce an end to police brutality and impunity. Those are just symptoms of the chronic mismanagement of Nigeria. After #EndSARS, we need to end the biggest obstacle to our progress: appalling leadership at all tiers of government.

And Four Other Things…

NOT SARS ALONE I don’t want to be an alarmist, but SARS is not the most deadly unit of the Nigeria Police Force. In fact, those who are very familiar with NPF operations have told me that SARS can be regarded as a gang of nice guys compared to two others. “When you are talking about impunity and savagery, SARS is still learning the job compared to the special anti-kidnapping squad (SAKS) and the special anti-cultism squad (SACS),” a police source told me. “It was SACS operatives that killed Kolade Johnson at the viewing centre in Lagos in March 2019 but people thought it was SARS.” The source said members of the disbanded SARS could even be reposted to the two deadlier units.

Chilling.

LAUREL FOR LAURETTA One thing Nigerians have had to put up with is the uncouth communication coming from presidential spokespersons. They have been talking down on Nigerians, insulting them at every turn and calling them “wailers”.

But they have been uncharacteristically quiet since the #EndSARS protests broke out, although Madam Lauretta Onochie, the Queen of the Pack, tried to run her mouth initially. I find it weird that presidential spokespersons can be this gentle. That must count as a gain from these protests.

Now that the eternally savage Onochie has been nominated as an INEC commissioner, she has even become gentler. If I’m in a dream, please don’t wake me up. Surreal.

THE NORTH AND SARS Different strokes for different folks. While SARS is known in most of southern Nigeria for robbing and killing innocent Nigerians — especially young persons with tattoos, dreadlocks and ATM cards — northern governors said they are a blessing in the region as they have been combating armed robbery. This is interesting. However, in my books, security agencies have murdered thousands of innocent citizens in the north, particularly in Borno state, since the Boko Haram militancy started. There have been rapes and massacres, while fish traders are regularly robbed at gunpoint by security agents. What have the northern governors ever done about this? Hypocrisy.

SARS AND SWAT Commonsense is not common, as they say.

Nigerians have been complaining about SARS for ages, and on different occasions the police authorities always said they would reform the unit. In 2018,they changed the name to F-SARS as proof of reform.

I’m not joking! So when Nigerians launched #EndSARS protests, the police authorities said SARS had been disbanded and immediately announced that the setting-up of the special weapons and tactics team (SWAT). Dear God, why are our leaders so clueless? If you are going to set up SWAT at all, this is the most inappropriate time to announce it. Deescalate tension first before anything else. Is it so hard to understand?

Incredible.

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