SUNDAY 6TH NOVEMBER 2022

Kyari: FG Scaling up Deepwater Projects, LNG Plans Targets 1.8m bpd by year end Emmanuel Addeh in Abuja The Group Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC), Mallam Mele Kyari, has said the firm expects the country's oil production to

rebound to 1.8 million barrels per day (bpd) by the end of the year and to increase further in 2023.

“Output could reach 1.8 million bpd by the end of December, but hopefully by the end of November, up from 1.45 million bpd now, with

a further increase to 2.2 million bpd any time from the middle of next year," he added.

Kyari spoke on the sidelines of the just concluded oil summit, tagged Adipec 2022 in Abu Dhabi, the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

Infrastructure issues, pipeline leaks and oil theft have squeezed Nigeria’s output this year, leaving the country consistently below its Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) output targets.

Nigeria's submission to the OPEC

Secretariat put September crude oil output at just 938,000 bpd, just over half its quota for the month, while total liquids production was only 1.14 million bpd.

Argus estimates that Nigeria produced 1.17 million bpd of crude

in September, 40,000 bpd higher than in August. The discrepancy is partly down to differences in the classification of the Agbami grade as crude or condensate.

Continued on page 5

$11bn Case: P&ID Officials Received Privileged Documents, FG Tells Court… Page 12 Sunday 6 November, 2022 Vol 27. No 10071

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Bayelsa Govt, IYC, Others Express Outrage over Minister’s Comments on Flood UN laments loss of assets, lives Blessing Ibunge in Port Harcourt and Olusegun Samuel in Yenagoa The Bayelsa State Government and the people of the state

yesterday reacted angrily to the statement credited to the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development, Sadiya Farouq, that

Tinubu, Shettima’s wives visit IDP camps, donate N50m

the state is not among the 10th most impacted states by the 2022 flood.

They said the data used by the minister to arrive at the conclusion was erroneous.

This is as the United Nations described the flood disaster in Bayelsa State as a crisis of major proportions that deserves attention.

Meanwhile, Senator Oluremi

Tinubu, wife of the All Progressives Congress (APC) Presidential candidate, Senator Bola Ahmed Tinubu, and Hajiya Fatima Shettima, wife of the vice presidential

candidate of the APC, Kashim Shettima, yesterday visited some Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) Continued on page 5

PDP: Tinubu Not Strong or Fit for Presidency, Obi’s Popularity Wanes Seeks medical tests for Atiku, Tinubu Wike, Ortom, Makinde, others at crossroads Tambuwal, Lamido, Ayu in closed-door meeting with Bauchi governor Chuks Okocha in Abuja The Presidential Campaign Management Council of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has knocked the presidential candidates of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Bola Tinubu and his Labour Party (LP) counterpart, Peter Obi, saying that the former Lagos State governor is unfit for the presidency while the popularity of the former Anambra State governor is waning.

PDP’s campaign council has also argued that a vote for the LP presidential candidate is an indirect vote for the ruling party, insisting that the LP cannot win the next year’s presidential election.

THISDAY gathered that following a statement by the presidential candidate of the PDP, Atiku Abubakar that he has moved on, Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers State and his camp are said to be at crossroads ahead of the 2023 presidential election.

But despite Atiku’s position that he had moved on, efforts to resolve the internal crisis rocking the Continued on page 5

REACHING OUT TO FLOOD VICTIMS… L-R: Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Mr. Timipre Sylva; his wife, Alanyingi; wife of the presidential candidate of All Progressives Congress, Senator Oluremi Tinubu; and wife of the vice presidential candidate, Mrs. Nana Kashim Shettima, during the free medical outreach by APC for flood victims at the Internally Displaced Persons’ camps in Bayelsa State…yesterday

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NOVEMBER 6, 2022 • T H I S DAY, T H E S U N DAY N E W S PA P E R

PAGE FIVE PDP: TINUBU NOT STRONG OR FIT FOR PRESIDENCY, OBI’S POPULARITY WANES PDP continued yesterday with its National Chairman, Senator Iyorchia Ayu; Director General of the Atiku Abubakar Presidential Campaign Council and Governor of Sokoto State, Hon, Aminu Tambuwal, and a former Governor of Jigawa State, Mr. Sule Lamido meeting behind closed door with Bauchi State Governor, Senator Bala Mohammed. The PDP Presidential Campaign Management Council, which insisted that Tinubu is not fit and strong to rule Nigeria, called for medical tests for the APC presidential candidate and his counterpart in the PDP, Atiku Abubakar.

It wondered how the LP intends to win the presidential election when it cannot even field more than 30 of the senatorial seats in the country and 40 per cent of the seats for the House of Representatives.

The council also berated a former Minister of Aviation, Mr. Femi Fani-Kayode, for defending the APC vice presidential candidate, Ibrahim Shettima, describing him as a puerile defender of the ungodly.

Fielding questions from journalists yesterday in Abuja, the spokesperson of the PDP Presidential Management Council, Senator Dino Melaye, argued that any vote for Obi is an indirect vote for Tinubu.

"Nigerians must know that any vote for Peter Obi is a vote for APC because Peter Obi cannot make it. So, anybody that is voting for Labour Party is voting for Tinubu. Anybody that is campaigning for Peter Obi is praying and working for Tinubu to become the President of the Republic of Nigeria because if you are voting for Peter, you are depleting the votes of the PDP because Peter cannot make it. The truth of the matter is that LP is only fielded 30 out of 109 candidates for the Senate.

“They only fielded in 30 constituencies. Even the House of Representatives, they couldn't field in every constituency. For the House of Assembly, they couldn't field up to 50 per cent of the seats across the country.

"Everybody who is a politician knows that this criteria or indices (fielding of candidates) are a yardstick for measuring your national spread.

And there is no regional champion that has ever been president in this country. Peter Obi must know that," Melaye explained.

He continued: "Awolowo was a fantastic leader, intellectually mobile and cerebral, very sagacious. But because he was running original grounds, both as Action Group and UPN, he never became the president of this country. Azikiwe, another fantastic nationalist, but because of his regional base, he was a regional champion; his enclave only produced governors within the eastern part of his country. Aminu Kano, the

friend of the talakawas, very pious man, with all sincerity and integrity.

“PRP could only win the elections in Kano and Kaduna. Buhari himself, ran on the regional ground three times and lost woefully because he was the regional champion, both in ANPP, in APP, and Congress for Progressives Change; he couldn't until he eventually now ran on a national platform; when people like Atiku, Tinubu, Saraki, myself, collapsed to form a national party was when Buhari could become president. So historically, Peter ought to know that no regional champion can be president in Nigeria,” Melaye explained.

When asked whether PDP does not consider Peter Obi a threat, he responded thus: "As I speak with you, with Peter or no Peter, Atiku is going to win the next election because we have looked at it, we have looked at the spread, we have looked at the acceptability, we have looked at the programmes. We know that APC cannot make it.

Only people who suffer arthritis of the brain will go out and vote for APC with the outrageous calamitous situation we are in in this country,” he added.

"So, Peter is a creation of Atiku and his movement is a euphoria that is gradually dying. By January, it will go down more, because people will realise that it is going to be a wasted vote; people will realise that he cannot become president, and people will realise that voting for Peter is voting for Tinubu.

"So, that is why I'm having a clarion call on Peter Obi, gentleman, progressive-minded, sound, to in the interest of this country for his tomorrow, he should give up today and come back home to support his elder brother and mentor,” Melaye said.

“How do we pray that Tinubu should come and continue with insecurity; Tinubu should come and continue with kidnapping; Tinubu should come and continue with banditry; Tinubu should come and continue with the rise in the price of goods and commodities in this country; Tinubu should come and continue with poverty, hunger and starvation; Tinubu should come and continue with bad roads, decaying infrastructure?” he queried.

Melaye argued that Obi cannot unite this country.

“The Igbo will be comfortable in Atiku's presidency. The Yorubas will be comfortable in an Atiku presidency. The Hausa, Fulani, the Ijaws, the Ibibios, the Tivs, the Kanuris will be happy with an Atiku presidency because they know that Atiku is not a religious bigot; he's not an ethnic champion,” Melaye said.

Speaking on the issue of physical fitness required to become the

president, Melaye said, "Tinubu is not physically and mentally fit. I challenge him to a medical examination between him and Atiku because this is a constitutional requirement to be president and he should fulfill it.

"We challenge both of them; they should go for a medical examination because the constitution says that you must be physically and mentally fit to be president,” he said.

"So, I challenge the presidential candidates to submit themselves to medical fitness examination, including narcotic examination.

“I call on Buba Marwa to carry Atiku and Tinubu and collect their blood samples for drug tests because anyone who must be our president must be free of drugs, because we are fighting as a nation seriously, to battle drug abuse," he added.

Melaye also berated Fani-Kayode over his defence of the APC vice presidential candidate, Shettima, describing him as the puerile defender of the ungodly.

"It is ridiculous to Femi Fani-Kayode to say, for want of substance, that Shettima is a refined, decent and godly man who wants to help his country. The country in context must be a reference to the bandits' empire, otherwise, how could a godly man harbour Kabiru Sokoto who bombed worshippers on Christmas Day at St. Theresa's Catholic Church at Madala on the fringe of Abuja in December 2013?

It means then that with godly people like Shettima hell is their paradise.

"What a sardonic humour to also award Shettima the undeserved award of a helper of Nigeria? Where is the record of that service? Where was Shettima when the Chibok girls were hauled into Sambisa Forest?

Attempting to compare the unlike to the like in such a manner is a reprehensible pretence by the indecent,” Melaye explained.

Wike, Ortom, Makinde, Others Weigh Options on Tinubu, Obi Meanwhile, following a statement by the presidential candidate of the PDP, Atiku that he had moved on, Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers State and his camp are said to be weighing other options ahead of the 2023 presidential election.

Others in his camp are Governors Okezie Ikpeazu (Abia), Seyi Makinde (Oyo), Samuel Ortom (Benue), and Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi (Enugu).

THISDAY gathered that the PDP and its presidential candidate have concluded that the five governors would not be backing the party’s candidate in the presidential election.

It was learnt that Atiku is still pushing forward to have his way in

KYARI: FG SCALING UP DEEPWATER PROJECTS, LNG PLANS Improved security conditions and contract terms are helping to restore interest in Nigeria's upstream sector from international oil firms, Kyari said, adding that the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA) of 2021 — which laid the groundwork for fiscal, regulatory and legal reform — has been supporting investment.

In June, President Muhammadu Buhari gave the oil ministry a mandate to ensure energy security by the end of August, and Kyari revealed recently that NNPC will deploy a protection model similar to Saudi oil giant Aramco's to curb oil theft.

If Nigeria is successful in increasing its oil production, it may again broach the subject of adjusting the baseline production figure that determines its quotas within the OPEC+ group."

Engagement is based on the capacity to produce," Kyari said.

OPEC+ is "not going to stop you from production, as long as that capacity is there. That's not the issue.

The issue is the baseline, and that baseline will change, immediately, as we bring back more production," he said.

Five OPEC+ members — Saudi Arabia, Russia, Iraq, Kuwait and the UAE — were granted baseline increases in 2021, effective as of May

this year.

“Everyone is coming back to the table now,” Kyari said, about potential investments from International Oil Companies (IOCs). Companies are reassured by “improved security and also improved fiscal terms, it’s a perfect opportunity for businesses so the companies are coming back, particularly in the deepwater,” he added.

Should investments move ahead, Kyari said Nigeria would reach 3 million bpd within two to three years, and then 4 million bpd in five years.

Although Nigeria’s production fell below 1 million bpd in recent times, there have been some promising signs, with Forcados now back online.

“Force majeure will be lifted from Bonny,” the NNPC boss further assured.

The NNPC head was bullish about the possibility of new investments.

However, he declined to shed any light on his company’s efforts to halt the sale of ExxonMobil’s local onshore unit to Seplat Energy. NNPC is targeting Exxon assets for itself.

Nigeria LNG declared force majeure in mid-October, but Kyari said that the floods were now receding and that operations were resuming.

“The world is looking for energy”, Kyari said, striking an upbeat

tone on future LNG production from additional projects. NLNG is progressing with Train 7, he said, with a target startup date of 2025.

The NNPC head noted that NLNG shareholders were keen to add more capacity, with Train 8. “There’s so much gas, the possibilities are endless,” Kyari said.

The NNPC had declined to comment on the possibilities of Brass LNG or OK LNG but said there were plans for various floating LNG (FLNG) projects.

The Nigerian government, with NNPC, has set out plans to build an offshore pipeline round to Morocco, in addition to an onshore link through the Sahara to Algeria.

Nigeria has the resources, Kyari said, but there is an issue with how to access financing for such projects, he pointed out.

With the Dangote refinery expected to come on stream after some delays, and the expected restoration of production from Nigeria’s dysfunctional four refineries, this development could transform the country into a net exporter.

According to him, this would take the country from “calamity to opportunity.” “We see the potential for robust flow (of products) from Nigeria,” he added.

the five states despite the opposition by the governors.

Wike had on Friday doubled the number of his special assistants to monitor the political units to 200,000, to maintain a substantial presence of ground troops in the war ahead.

The special assistants according to Wike, are to guide him and the state on how they would vote in the presidential election.

THISDAY learnt that there are suspicions that Wike appeared to have made a deal with Tinubu, but there are indications that it would be difficult for him to pull off the deal in Rivers given the popularity of Atiku and Obi in the state.

Also given that the Rivers governor has lost most of his foot soldiers in the persons of Lt. General Kenneth Minimah (rtd), Austin Opara, Lee Maeba, Celestine Omehia, the Sekibos and several others to the Atiku, it will be difficult for him to defeat Atiku in the state.

Makinde also appears to have

already made up his mind to back Tinubu given his presence by proxy at the residence of Pa Fasoranti when Afenifere endorsed Tinubu.

THISDAY also gathered that the other governors in the group may reluctantly back Obi. Ortom said recently that Obi is the best presidential candidate of the lot but diplomatically pulled back a full endorsement, saying that he belongs to the PDP.

Tambuwal, Lamido, Ayu in Closed-door Meeting with Bauchi Gov

Meanwhile, despite Atiku’s position that he had moved on, efforts to resolve the internal crisis rocking the PDP continued yesterday with its National Chairman, Senator Ayu; Director General of the Atiku Abubakar Presidential Campaign Council and Governor of Sokoto State, Tambuwal, and a former Governor of Jigawa State, Lamido, meeting behind closed door with

Bauchi State Governor, Mohammed.

The delegation met with Governor Mohammed yesterday evening.

Speaking, Ayu described Mohammed as one of the major national stakeholders, who have contributed immensely to the development of the party.

He said the meeting was also to rally support for Atiku.

According to him: “We are here to brief you on some of the developments that are going on in the party, nationally and to seek your wise counsel because you’re not just the Governor of Bauchi, you are a leader in this country –very experienced. In all the places you have served, you gathered the experience. And we thought people like you in this campaign from time to time we need to come around and consult, brief you on some things.”

After the closed-door meeting, which lasted for about one hour and 30 minutes, Ayu declined to brief journalists on its outcome.

BAYELSA GOVT, IYC, OTHERS EXPRESS OUTRAGE OVER MINISTER’S COMMENTS ON FLOOD camps in the state and donated N50 million.

The Bayelsa State Commissioner for Information, Orientation and Strategy, Hon. Ayiba Duba, lambasted the minister, saying her claim was disheartening.

Duba however noted that it was not surprising especially given the slow response from her ministry to the humanitarian crisis that arose from the rampaging flood in the state.

On his part, a former governor of the state and Senator representing Bayelsa West in the National Assembly, Henry Seriake Dickson, condemned in strong terms the unscientific assessment of the devastating effect of the 2022 flood in the state.

Also, a former Deputy National Publicity Secretary of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), Mr. Yekini Nabena, faulted Farouq over her comments.

Duba in the statement said the way the minister treated Bayelsa State was so unfortunate that the people were beginning to doubt if they were part of Nigeria.

He added that if the humanitarian minister is sincere, she should tell Nigerians about the relief materials brought to the state and who received them.

He said: "Is it not curious that since the devastation occasioned by the flood occurred a month ago, no representative of the federal government has visited our state to assess the situation?

“The federal government has not shown the minutest of empathy since this monumental devastation hit our state. And we are asking, is Bayelsa State still part of Nigeria? Are we only important when it is time to exploit the resources in our land?

"The slow response to the humanitarian crisis arising from the flood despite the President Muhammadu Buhari’s directive for her to come to the aid of the state is indeed a confirmation of our belief that the federal ministry and its agencies have abandoned their responsibility and are not interested in managing the disaster."

"How can a state up North, Jigawa, be worst impacted when indeed Bayelsa State has the unfortunate responsibility of receiving the flood water that ran through more than 15 states?

"The data used by the ministry to arrive at the conclusion is suspect and erroneous. How was it arrived at?

By sitting in an office and conjuring figures? By the reality on the ground, over 300 communities were impacted by the flood and almost a million people were displaced from their homes, many of them losing their livelihood, in Bayelsa State. And no other state in the federation is so impacted,” he explained.

On his part, Dickson, a twoterm governor of the state, while also reacting to recent comments attributed to the Minister of Water Resources, Suleiman Adamu and

Farouq, described the assessment reports attributed to the ministers as insensitive, disrespectful and offensive not only to Bayelsa or the Ijaw nation but the people of all states affected by the flood.

The Water Resources Minister had said that the federal government would not declare a state of emergency in parts of the country ravaged by flooding because it was not overwhelmed by the incident.

The minister had said that the flood had not wreaked enough devastation to warrant a declaration of emergency.

Dickson noted that while communities and indeed the entire state in the case of Bayelsa are submerged with critical infrastructure and people’s sources of livelihood destroyed, the federal government has not organised any meaningful relief exercise for the people.

He condemned the attempts to downplay the crushing effect of the flood on the people and urged the ministers to withdraw the statements and take the necessary steps to support the various state governments and individuals to bring succour to the embattled people Also, faulting the minister through a statement Friday in Abuja, Nabena said the federal government should be interested in how to quickly prevent the reoccurrence of the phenomenon, adding that the flooding is preventable.

On its part, the Ijaw Youths Council (IYC) Worldwide has accused Farouq of bias over her comments.

The IYC President, Peter Timothy Igbifa, who spoke yesterday, described the minister's statement as unbelievable, irresponsible, insensitive and provocative and called on President Muhammadu Buhari to probe her handling of the disaster across the country.

Igbifa observed that the minister may have relied on armchair statistics she generated from the comfort of her home and not on any field investigations, insisting that Farouq neither visited Bayelsa nor sent a team to assess the reality of flood situations in the state.

He said the minister by her comment had shown that she was more of a disaster than the flood and that she was either playing ethnic bias or dancing on the graves of those, who perished in Bayelsa during the flood.

Meanwhile, the United Nations has described the flood disaster in Bayelsa State as a crisis of major proportions that deserves attention.

The UN Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator in Nigeria and Representative of the SecretaryGeneral, Mr. Matthias Schmale, stated this yesterday when he led a delegation comprising officials of the global body, the World Health Organisation (WHO) and the Federal Ministry of Water Resources on a courtesy visit on Governor Douye Diri in Government House, Yenagoa.

A statement by the governor’s

Chief Press Secretary, Mr. Daniel Alabrah, quoted Schmale as likening the Bayelsa situation to the Pakistani floods that attracted global attention.

The UN Coordinator, who had on Friday accompanied Governor Diri on his tour to some flood-impacted communities in Southern Ijaw Local Government Area, said his visit was a response to the letter from the governor and called for attention to address the devastating effect of the flooding.

Schmale commended Governor Diri for his commitment to visiting flooded communities in the state, noting that what he witnessed required both material and moral support.

He also stated that the UN will advocate and mobilize resources for the recovery phase to enable victims to return to their normal lives.

Schmale stressed that it was disheartening that lives, livelihoods and assets had been lost to the flood and called on the federal government and the international community to join hands to support what was left of the immediate response and recovery phases.

His words: “Thanks for allowing the team and I to join you and your team on the visits you are conducting around flood-affected communities. The first thing I will share publicly is that this is a crisis of major proportions.

“What I saw yesterday reminded me of the images I saw of Pakistan a few months ago and the world took note of that. A third of Pakistan, the size of the United Kingdom, was underwater. The images reminded me of that.

“We need to be very clear. This is a crisis of major proportions that deserves everyone’s attention.

“Secondly, my respect to you and your team and, of course, your deputy governor. I think it takes considerable commitment to now be in your third week of visiting flooded communities, which I have not seen anywhere else.

“What I saw yesterday was that you were not only providing material aid to communities but also moral support. I could see the way you and your team were received.

There were signs and glimmers of hope around people’s faces and we should not underestimate that. This is still the immediate response phase and outlined some of the immediate needs.

“I think the next would be recovery and we will think through with the United Nations team what we can do to advocate and mobilize resources for the recovery phase as people can get back to their normal lives.”

Schmale noted that the cause of the present disaster was climate change and that it would be the responsibility of the UN SecretaryGeneral, Antonio Guterres, to speak emphatically during this year’s Climate Conference in Egypt about the need to invest in mitigation and adaptation measures.

T H I S DAY, T H E S U N DAY N E W S PA P E R • NOVEMBER 6, 2022

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NEWS

INVESTMENT OPPORTUNITIES IN FOCUS… L-R: Minister of Finance, Budget and National Planning, Mrs. Zainab Ahmed; President, African Development Bank, Dr. Akinwumi Adesina; and Nigeria’s Country Director, AfDB, Mr. Lamin Barrow, at the Africa Investment Forum in Abidjan, Cote d ‘Ivoire…weekend

FG: No Bias in Salary Payment to ASUU Members Ngige denies issuing directive on half pay UNIJOS lecturers embark on stay-at-home protest Onyebuchi Ezigbo in Abuja and Seriki Adinoyi in Jos The federal government has dismissed media reports alleging bias in the payment of salaries of members of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU).

It also debunked claims by ASUU that their members were paid half salary for October.

The denial is coming as the University of Jos branch of ASUU has decried the payment of prorated salaries to its members, describing it as an insult, and a violation of the agreement reached by the union and the leadership of the House of Representatives.

In a statement issued yesterday, the Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment described the reports as “grossly inaccurate, misleading and barefaced distortion of facts,” pointing out that members of ASUU were paid their October salary pro-rata, and not half salary as the media widely reported.

According to the ministry, pro-rata was done because they cannot be paid for work not done.

The statement signed by Head of Press and Public Relations, Olajide Oshundun, further clarified that the Minister of Labour and Employment, Senator Chris Ngige, never directed the Accountant General of the Federation to pay the university lecturers half salary.

The statement read in part, “following the ruling of the Court of Appeal, which upheld the order of the National Industrial Court of Nigeria (NICN) asking ASUU to go back to work, the leadership of the union wrote to the minister, informing him that they have suspended the strike.

The Federal Ministry of Education wrote to him in a similar vein and our labour inspectors in various states also confirmed that they have resumed work.

"So, the minister wrote to the Federal Ministry of Finance, Budget and National Planning, directing that their salaries should be restored.

They were paid in pro rata to the number of days that they worked in October, counting from the day that they suspended their industrial action. Pro-rata was done because you cannot pay them for work not done. Everybody's hands are tied.”

The ministry equally faulted a statement by the Chairperson of ASUU, Usman Danfodiyo University Sokoto (UDUS) branch, Muhammad

N. Al-Mustapha, accusing the labour minister of biased payment of salaries to selected professional members of the union.

“Those obviously being referred to by the UDUS ASUU chairperson were members of the Medical and Dental Consultants Association (MDCAN) who abstained from the eight-month strike of ASUU because they abhorred the incessant strikes by the union and its grave effects on medical education in Nigeria and production of more medical doctors.

“Accusing the minister of biased payment of salaries to selected professional members of ASUU is a barefaced distortion of facts. Mustapha said he received information that a segment of the staff in the College of Health Sciences (CHS) has been paid seven months of their withheld salaries from March to September, due to a letter written to the Minister of Finance, instructing the exemption of the under-listed staff on the application of ‘No Work, No Pay’ rule “To set the records straight, the medical lecturers who are being referred to by the Chairperson of the ASUU UDUS branch, abstained from the eight-month strike of ASUU. This has been corroborated in a press statement by the Chairman, MDCAN UDUS, Dr B. Jubrin and Secretary, Dr. I. G Ango, on Friday, November 4, 2022.

“Realising the emergency situation in the sub-region worsened by emerging public health threats, the medical and dental lecturers in UDUS decided to continue the academic activities during the ASUU strike to save our healthcare from total collapse. To this end, the UDUS medical lecturers agreed to conduct lectures and examinations during the period of the strike.

“In line with the provisions of the Labour Act, we wrote and sought the intervention of the Minister of Labour and Employment, to ensure payment of our salaries. The Minister, having carefully reviewed our submission and that of the university management, obliged.

This is not an act of favouritism as alleged by ASUU, UDUS branch leadership in their statement.

“ASUU, UDUS branch, as an association, is expected to protect the interest of all her members and appreciate the differences or peculiarities of medical education.

The ASUU can legitimately fight for

its lawful rights without tramping on the rights of others who are also university staff. We hope that this response will put issues in their proper perspective.”

Consequently, the ministry dismissed the accusation of selective treatment in the payment of salaries to ASUU members, urging the media to cross-check their facts to avoid feeding the public with the wrong information.

Meanwhile, the University of Jos branch of ASUU has decried the payment of prorated salaries to its members, describing it as an insult.

The branch Chairman of the union, Dr. Lazarus Maigoro, in a statement, said ASUU has resolved to stay back at home until the salary issues are resolved.

In the statement, the union said, “In view of the bottleneck placed

by Chris Ngige towards paying our members the backlog of our salaries, the congress of ASUU, University of Jos met today, November 4, 2022, and resolved to stay at home, though not on strike, until the backlog of the withheld salaries are paid.

“For the avoidance of doubt, our members are back to work,

willing and ready to work, but are unable to work. Based on the revised academic calendar for the 2020/2021 session approved by the Senate of the University, lectures should have started already, but the challenge of lack of payment of salaries has constrained our members from going to the classroom to teach.

What this implies is that the students who have resumed already will have to wait indefinitely while we wait for our withheld salaries to be paid to us, unfortunately.”

ASUU recalled that one of the issues agreed upon at the meeting with the leadership of the House

of Representatives was that 50 per cent of the backlog of eight months arrears of members’ withheld salaries would be paid immediately, but wondered that only 17 days prorated October salary was paid to members by the office of the Accountant General of the Federation.

The union said: “Having stayed for about nine months running now, our members in the University of Jos considered this an insult to them by the Accountant General of the Federation. Is the Accountant General of the Federation answerable to the Minister of Labour?"

Return Home to Tackle Insecurity or Empower Osinbajo, US-Nigeria Law Group Tells Buhari Insists terror alert not meant to embarrass Nigeria Alex Enumah in Abuja A Washington-based United States of America and Nigeria Law Group has called on President Muhammadu Buhari to cut short his trip to the United Kingdom, and tackle the ravaging insecurity facing the country, insisting that the terror alert was not meant to embarrass Nigeria.

In the alternative, the group urged Buhari to properly hand over the instrumentality of power to Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, to act as President pending his return to the country.

President Buhari is currently on a short vacation in the UK to attend to his health.

The group predicated its call on the recent terror alert by the US and other Western countries in Nigeria and the subsequent evacuation of some foreign nationals from Nigeria’s capital city, Abuja, recently.

The group, which noted that its recent mission to Nigeria was prematurely truncated following the elevated terror alert, warned that the Nigerian government and Nigerians, in general, should not take the alert with levity but should begin to do something about their safety and security.

In a publication on its Facebook page on Thursday, the US Nigeria Law Group described the “mass evacuation of US Diplomats

and family members by all available commercial flights and chartered flights” as “precipitous and unprecedented in Nigeria’s history”, adding that the US did not even make the such magnitude of evacuation during the Biafra civil war in the 1960s.

The publication titled: ‘Factfinding Report On US Terror Threat and Mass Evacuation from Abuja – The Afghanistization of Nigeria,” which was signed by the US-Nigeria Law Group Coordinator, Mr. Emmanuel Ogebe, noted that the two occasions that the US came close to evacuation both involved Buhari, hence the need for him to be decisive in the handling of the current insecurity situation facing the country.

“In 2015, American diplomats were on standby for evacuation over concerns of a repeat of the 2011 Post-Election Violence orchestrated

by Buhari’s supporters if he lost the election. The concession by President Jonathan defused the tension.

“This time, rather than remain in the country to give a vote of confidence in his security apparatchik, Buhari absconded from Nigeria ostensibly to attend a vaccine conference in Korea, returned and then promptly departed on a two-week holiday to England”.

While calling on President Buhari to return home and

cancel all further overseas trips to frontally face the insecurity at home, the group described as “unconscionable” the fact that he departed without empowering Vice President Osinbajo as acting president.

“We urge the US government to take seriously our repeated concerns about religious extremism and persecution in Nigeria that has metastasized to the point that American diplomats have now become Internationally Displaced Persons and to reinstate Nigeria’s CPC status.

“This evacuation is the unfortunate destination point of years of deceptive policy positioning. It is not too late to reverse the course. We commend humanitarians such as the ransomed American missionary who declined our offer of evacuation to the US due to her lifelong commitment to Nigeria.

“We urge the Nigerian public to be vigilant and defend themselves as those for peace significantly outnumber those for terror,” the group said.

The group also stated that contrary to claims in some quarters, the recent evacuation of some US diplomats and their families from Abuja was not meant to embarrass Nigeria.

The group claimed that the move was aimed at avoiding the loss of lives of Americans

who unfortunately have been victims of various terror groups such as Boko Haram, ISWAP and ISIS within Nigeria and the West Africa region.

According to Ogebe, “the US gave Nigeria adequate notice to remedy the situation before embarking on the costly option of extracting American personnel and families out of Abuja. He said that, “to underscore how serious, the situation was, even pets of American personnel were evacuated. These included dogs and cats”.

Ogebe, who stated that the purpose of the group’s report on the evacuation which affected them also was to provide sufficiently informing to enable the general public to take appropriate care, disclosed that intelligence reports made available to them revealed that but for share luck some Americans residing in Abuja would have lost their lives in a failed bomb attack.

“There were at least two immediate incidents that triggered the post-haste departure of Americans from the largest US embassy in Africa”, he said, “the first incident was the detection of an IED (Incendiary Explosive Device) which had been successfully deployed at a US diplomatic compound. Fortunately for the occupants, the bomb failed to detonate and so there was no casualty”.

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CORPORATE GOVERNANCE EXPERTS… L-R: Fellow, Society for Corporate Governance of Nigeria, Mr. Tijjani Borodo; President, SCGN, Mr. Muhammad K Ahmad; Board Chairman, Securities and Exchange Commission, Mr. Olufemi Lijadu; Chief Executive Officer, SCGN, Mrs. Chioma Mordi; Founder, SCGN, Prof. Fabian Ajogwu (SAN); Fellow, SCGN, Mr. Tunji Oyebanji; and Member, SCGN, Mr. Sam Cookey Jr, at the 2022 Annual Corporate Governance Conference in Lagos…recently

How Military Operations Reduced Activities of Bandits in Sokoto, Zamfara Attacks spiked in October, says Southern Kaduna Afenifere laments escalating insecurity, insists on state police Deji Elumoye, Udora Orizu in Abuja, John Shiklam in Kaduna and Onuminya Innocent in Sokoto The effective joint military operations by the Nigerian Army and the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) to flush out bandits within Sokoto and Zamfara states have yielded the desired results as relative peace has returned to some local government areas, which were the flash points in the two states, THISDAY’s investigation has revealed.

But despite the claim by the Kaduna State Government that insurgent groups have not executed a successful attack in the state since they attacked Abuja-Kaduna attack on March 28, 2022, the Southern Kaduna Peoples Union (SOKAPU) has stated that attacks spiked from October, after killings and abductions had reduced for about two months.

Concerned about the rise in insecurity resulting in multiple loss of lives across the country, the panYoruba socio-cultural organisation, Afenifere, has again called on the federal government to change its style and confront the challenges headlong, insisting on the creation of state police.

THISDAY however gathered that in Sokoto State, some LGAs such as Illela, Sabon Birni, Isa, Tangaza, Goronyo, Rabah, Gudu, Tureta and Dange/Shuni, which used to be the flash points, are now enjoying relative peace with the residents going about their normal businesses.

When THISDAY visited Illela, the border town between Nigeria and Niger Republic, business activities picked up without the residents entertaining any fear of being attacked or kidnapped by bandits.

Also in Zamfara State relative peace has returned to Shinkafi, Maru, Bukkuyu and Zurmi LGAs. Investigation revealed that the successes recorded by the military are a result of collaboration between the Nigerian Army and the NAF, which drastically reduced the activities of bandits in the areas.

Before now the General Officer Commanding (GOC) 8 Division, Sokoto and Commander of Operation Hadarin Daji in the North-west, Maj. Gen. Uwem Bassey had complained that the poor terrain hampered effective military operations in the areas.

THISDAY however gathered that with the end of the seasonal rainfall, most areas are now accessible by

the military.

A military source told THISDAY that bandits have been dropping their weapons and surrendering in droves following “the superior firepower of the military while others have abandoned the forests as they face a new normal of nonkinetic assaults, which their AK-47 rifles cannot counter.”

“These turnaround events are as a result of the big strategic transformation in operational strategies of our defence and security forces,” he said.

One of the residents of Sabon Birni LGA of Sokoto State, the epicentre of bandits, Adamu Shehu, told THISDAY that they were happy with tactics used by the military which turned the table against the bandits as the battle has been brought to their dens and hideout.

"We are happy with the new tactics employed by the military; they now take the fight to the bandits instead of being on the defensive or waiting for us to call them that they are attacking a particular village,” he added.

“Riding a motorbike in convoys under the cover of thick forests to launch heartless attacks on sleeping villagers, rustling our livestock and barns and the kidnapping of our people for ransom have been stopped by the joint military operations,” he explained When the National Security Adviser (NSA), Maj. Gen. Babagana Monguno (rtd), visited Sokoto State to commiserate with the people over the killing of scores of villagers by the bandits in Sabon Birni LGA, Governor Aminu Tambuwal had told the NSA and his team that defective military operation was responsible for incessant attacks on the state.

He then advised the military to synergise among themselves and also rejig its security architecture

Attacks Spiked in October, Says Southern Kaduna Meanwhile, reacting to the security report released by the Kaduna State Government on Friday, which suggested that killings and abductions by bandits have reduced in the state, the President of the SOKAPU, Dio Masamari, maintained that there had not been a significant reduction in the activities of bandits.

Speaking to THISDAY in a

telephone interview, Masamari said many communities were being attacked by bandits and people were being killed or abducted.

He acknowledged that there had been a reduction in killings and abductions, for about two months, adding that there had been a resurgent from October to date.

"I agree that there had been a drop in the activities of bandits in about two months, but as of October to November, attacks and kidnappings have been on the increase.

"The bandits have their peak period and low period. That is how they have been operating.

"I am not saying that security agencies have not helped; we appreciate them.

I will admit that whenever we have any respite, it is because they have done what they ought to do.

"But the truth of the matter is that the attacks are going on in our communities; it is just that the people are tired of reporting the attacks. Of what use is it when you report and the perpetrators are not fished out? So, the attacks have become a normal thing among our people," he explained.

According to the security report for the second and third quarters, which was presented by the state

Commissioner for Internal Security and Home Affairs, Mr. Samuel Aruwan to Governor Nasir el-Rufai at Government House, a total of 446 people were killed while 1,789 others were abducted by bandits in Kaduna State between June and September 2022.

Aruwan also said a total of 159 bandits were neutralised by security forces while a total of 99 AK-47 rifles and other weapons were recovered from the bandits within the period.

According to him, 654 suspects were arrested but he did not say how many of them had been prosecuted and convicted.

He said the report covers banditry and terrorism, kidnapping, rape perpetrated by armed bandits, cattle rustling, communal and inter-ethnic clashes, violent attacks, and reprisal attacks within the past six months.

The report showed that in the second quarter (April to June 2022), 285 people were killed while 985 others were abducted by the criminals.

It also indicated that in the third quarter (July to September), 161 people were killed while 804 people were kidnapped.

The security report for the first quarter (January to March 2022) which was presented sometimes in April showed that 360 people

were killed while 1,083 people were abducted.

The statistics showed a slight reduction in the killings and abductions by bandits across the state.

The least affected, according to the statistics, is Kaduna North Senatorial District which includes Ikara, Kubau, Kudan, Lere, Makarfi, Sabon Gari, Soba and Zaria LGAs with the lowest casualty figures.

Aruwan attributed the reduction in the activities of bandits to intensive military operations in the state.

He said: “With the intensified military action in frontline areas over the last few months, there has been a significant reduction in attacks by bandits and insurgents, as the figures indicated.

“Besides ground operations, many sorties have been flown by the Nigerian Air Force to further degrade the capacity of insurgents and bandits in the third quarter of 2022.

“Consequently, insurgent groups have not executed a successful attack in the state since the train attack of March 28, 2022.”

Afenifere Insists on Creation of State Police Concerned about the rise in

insecurity across the country, Afenifere has called on the federal government to change its style and confront the challenges headlong.

In a statement issued yesterday by the organisation’s Publicity Secretary, Comrade Jare Ajayi, Afenifere expressed regret that the federal government is not doing enough to stop terrorism and kidnapping incidents festering daily.

The group recalled the kidnapping of about 30 children working on a farm in Mairuwa village in Katsina State, the abduction of travellers on LagosIbadan Expressway including former Deputy Vice-Chancellor, University of Ibadan, Prof Adigun Agbaje; the killing of dozens of people in Benue State, the killing of a NECO staff by armed robbers on the campus of the University of Ibadan mid-week and the abduction of four travellers in Ekiti.

It recalled that President Buhari while presenting this year's budget before the National Assembly in early October, gave the assurance that insecurity would be substantially curtailed before his tenure comes to an end next year.

The group, therefore, expressed confidence that the government can tackle the problem by allowing States that are so desired to have their Police Services.

Put Obasanjo on Redesigned Naira Note to Inspire Future Generations, Atiku Tells FG Chuks Okocha in Abuja The presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Atiku Abubakar, has stated that his former boss and ex-President Olusegun Obasanjo, ought to be in the proposed redesigned naira note to inspire the future generation of Nigerians.

Atiku, in a series of tweets also saluted the 85-year-old elder statesman and African Union’s mediator for leading peace talks between the Ethiopian Government and Tigrayan rebels after two years of devastating conflict that have claimed thousands of lives and left millions needing aid in Africa’s second-most populous country.

For two years, Ethiopia’s

government and the Tigray Peoples Liberation Front had been in a civil war that devastated much of northern Ethiopia.

The two parties agreed to a cease-fire a few days ago, after a week of peace talks mediated by Obasanjo, led by the African Union.

Reacting to the development, Atiku wrote via his Twitter handle that he was not surprised, saying Obasanjo had done the same in Liberia and São Tomé while in office.

“I am not surprised. I know my boss. He did the same thing in Liberia and São Tomé and Príncipe during our time in office,” the PDP candidate said. Atiku was Nigeria’s Vice-President between May 1999 and May 2007 when Obasanjo was a democratically elected President.

Obasanjo and Atiku’s second term in office was not smooth but the two would later resolve their differences.

He wrote, “I celebrate the extraordinary prowess of His Excellency, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, in bringing peace to Ethiopia. I am not surprised. I know my boss. He did the same thing in Liberia and São Tomé and Príncipe during our time in office. If for nothing else, he is most deserving of a Nobel Peace Prize, and I will nominate him when entries are open for nominations.

“Africa is blessed to have a statesman of such impeccable democratic credentials as Chief Obasanjo - a man whose image ought to be in the redesigned Naira

note to inspire future generations of Nigerians to sacrifice for their nation and continent.

“On behalf of my family, I congratulate you, President Olusegun Obasanjo, GCFR, for successfully ending the EthiopiaTigray conflict. And I thank God for the gift of wisdom and foresight He gave you, which you have used creditably to steer Nigeria and Africa on the right path.”

On October 26, the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Godwin Emefiele said the apex bank will issue redesigned N200, N500, and N1,000 notes, effective December 15, 2022, while the new and existing currencies will remain legal tender and circulate together until January 31, 2023.

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PROUD PARENTS… L-R: Wife of the Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaja Kudirat Adeoti Mohammed; the Minister, Alhaji Lai Mohammed; and the Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Information and Culture, Mrs. Lydia Shehu Jafiya; at the wedding of the minister’s grand daughter, Dr. Toyosi Mohammed and her husband Mr. Gbolahan Sambo in Ilorin, Kwara State…weekend

$11bn Case: P&ID Officials Received Privileged Documents, FG Tells Court Emmanuel Addeh in Abuja The federal government has said that British and Irish businessmen it accuses of fraudulently winning an $11 billion arbitration award previously used the same playbook to net a cash settlement from Nigeria.

President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration is preparing for a trial in London early next year where it aims to prove that Process & Industrial Developments Limited (P&ID), secured a gas-supply contract and the subsequent arbitration victory through bribery.

Bloomberg reported that the government is expanding its offensive against the firm to include claims about its shareholders’ role in another dispute with the state that was also marred by corruption allegations.

In August, Nigeria levelled

fresh claims of fraud against the little-known offshore firm, P&ID which earlier won the $11 billion arbitration award against the country, ramping up the pressure ahead of one of the biggest London trials to take place next year.

The federal government had sought to convince a United Kingdom (UK) High Court that the contract which has now generated additional interest with P&ID for a 20-year contract to turn Nigeria's gas reserves into electricity, was a scam ab initio.

The lawyers representing the Nigerian government told Sir Ross Cranston, head of the court that P&ID knew from the beginning that there was no deal, noting that it was only a facade to fleece the Nigerian people.

P&ID, founded by the late Michael Quinn and Brendan Cahill, the lawyers told the court,

Autopsy by Police Confirms Davido’s Son, Ifeanyi, Drowned Raphael Ehigiator The Lagos State Police Command yesterday said the autopsy conducted on the corpse of Ifeanyi Adeleke, son of Davido and his fiancée, Chioma Rowland, revealed that he died as a result of drowning.

The state Police Public Relations Officer, Benjamin Hundeyin, confirmed the development, saying the results from an autopsy on Ifeanyi came out on Friday.

“The autopsy has been concluded and it’s confirmed that the boy drowned. It was concluded yesterday but the investigation is still ongoing. The two detainees are still with us,” the police spokesperson stated over the phone.

The police conducted the autopsy to determine whether Ifeanyi died as a result of drowning in a swimming pool at his father’s residence in the Banana Island area of Lagos State or through any other means.

A source who confirmed the development said it was standard practice for the police to conduct an autopsy in such a case, adding, however, that the police would desist from the move if the deceased family members were against it.

“Though the family members are not saying anything yet because they are still in shock but until

anybody says stop, the standard procedure is to conduct an autopsy and we are going to follow that procedure just like in any case of death,” the source said.

Explaining further, the source said out of the eight domestic workers interrogated by the police in connection with Ifeanyi’s death, the cook and nanny, whose job was to cater for the wellbeing of the three-year-old boy, had been detained for some reasons, including the failure to uphold the duty of care of the minor.

Ifeanyi was said to have drowned in a pool on October 31. It was gathered that the incident happened within Davido’s residence on the Banana Island of Lagos.

The three-year-old was said to have been rushed to a hospital in Lekki where he was confirmed dead on arrival.

It was also said that Davido had left for the US and Chioma for Ibadan, leaving Ifeanyi with a domestic assistant.

Following Ifeanyi’s death, the police interrogated eight of the singer’s domestic workers, including his nanny.

Two, the nanny and his cook, were subsequently detained for a further probe while the others were set free.

had no intention to perform any obligation concerning the purported contract, the reason the company went about bribing Nigerian government officials at the time.

The company has denied all allegations of wrongdoing and accused the government of evading its legal obligation to compensate the British Virgin Islands-registered company, according to the report.

With interest, the award has grown from an initial $6.6 billion to the equivalent of nearly a third of Nigeria’s foreign reserves. If the government’s case fails, Buhari’s successor – who will be elected in February during the eight-week trial – may be forced back to the negotiating table with P&ID. Nigeria alleged in its amended case filed in July that during arbitration proceedings, which ran for five years until 2017, two men who owned and worked for P&ID “obtained privileged and/or confidential documents” about the

government’s entry into the 2010 gas deal, its strategy for defence and discussions about striking a settlement.

Seamus Andrew and Brendan Cahill were also receiving similar documents relating to the state’s battle with another company -IPCO (Nigeria) Limited -- that was then trying to enforce a separate arbitration decision, according to a previously unreported reply that Nigeria submitted to the court in March.

Although neither of them was a director or shareholder of IPCO, Nigeria alleges their companies financed IPCO’s dispute. Cahill founded P&ID while Andrew was the company’s lawyer during the arbitration phase and acquired 75 per cent of the firm’s shares in 2017, through a Cayman Islandsregistered firm Lismore Capital Ltd. There is “a track record on the part of P&ID and the companies and individuals associated with

it of obtaining such documents unlawfully for their tactical advantage,” the Nigerian government told the court.

P&ID didn’t “pay bribes or corruptly collude with anyone” to obtain its opponent’s confidential information, the company responded in September. By email, Andrew denied having “ever unlawfully obtained documents from the Nigerian government” and rejected what he said were “unfounded allegations” against him.

IPCO’s dispute with the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC), arose from a disagreement over a 1994 contract for the construction of an export terminal, which resulted in a decade later in an arbitration award of about $150 million.

Nigeria alleged that companies belonging to Cahill helped fund IPCO’s arbitration.

Cahill denied that claim in a

witness statement, saying IPCO committed to paying one of his firms an outstanding invoice once it settled with the NNPC. Cahill said he introduced IPCO to a “funder” for the enforcement proceedings.

That financier, says Nigeria, was Lismore Capital. Cahill didn’t respond to Bloomberg’s requests for comment.

While UK judges concluded the NNPC had a “good” case that IPCO fraudulently obtained part of the award, the state-owned oil company resolved the matter by paying IPCO a settlement of tens of millions of dollars shortly before a trial was due to start in 2018, according to Cahill’s witness statement. The NNPC wouldn’t confirm the payout.

Nigeria’s claims about the alleged involvement of Andrew and Cahill in the IPCO proceedings are “wholly irrelevant,” P&ID said in September and may ask the court to strike them out.

Court Declares NBA Membership Compulsory for Nigerian Lawyers Ejiofor Alike Justice RO Odugu of the Enugu State High Court sitting in ObolloAfor has declared that membership of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) is mandatory for all lawyers and therefore automatic upon their call to Bar and practising in Nigeria.

The judgment, which was delivered three months ago, came about four days after a splinter group of lawyers announced the formation of a body to rival the NBA. THISDAY had on October 31, 2022, reported the formation of a new association for lawyers known Law Society of Nigeria (LSN) reportedly led by a leading insolvency practitioner, Mr. Kunle Ogunba (SAN).

The formation of the rival group seeking to erode the decades-long domination of the NBA as the only recognised body of Nigerian lawyers is a defiance of the recent judgment delivered by the Enugu State High Court.

Justice Odugu, who delivered the verdict on a suit filed about two years earlier by an aggrieved lawyer, Ben Oloko, held: “It is compulsory for every lawyer called

to the Nigerian Bar to become a member of the NBA.” The judge, according to The Premium Times, cited judicial precedents which he said were binding on him to follow in blocking attempts by lawyers to defect from the NBA. He cited the judgments of the Court of Appeal in other related cases such as Kehinde Vs NBA; Fawehinmi Vs NBA; and Chinwo Vs NBA, as precedents, which he upheld, saying “this court is not allowed to swim against the tide.”

“The summary of the current position of the law as decided by superior courts is that membership of the Nigerian Bar Association is automatic upon being called to the Bar,” the judge said.

The judge noted that before one is called to the bar, one must have paid the bar practising fees for the year of call and choose a branch of NBA to belong.

The new lawyer is expected to indicate the NBA branch he or she has chosen on the Supreme Court teller for payment of the practising fee.

“Membership of the Nigerian Bar Association is a condition precedent to one being called to the Nigerian bar,” the judge said.

But Justice Odugu held that the NBA lacked the power to collect practising fees directly from lawyers.

The judge, citing sections 8(2), 8(3) (a), (b), and (c) of the Legal Practitioners’ Act, ruled that the duty of collection of practising fees from lawyers was that of the Chief Registrar of the Supreme Court.

Under the provisions cited by the judge, the Supreme Court’s Chief Registrar would pay to the NBA “a sum equal to ninth-tenth of the aggregate amount of the practising fee” received at the end of the year.

“The NBA has the power to increase or decrease tax/practising fees. However, it cannot continue to engage in the direct collection of the practising fees of lawyers in Nigeria, that being the duty of the Chief Registrar of the Supreme Court, and has been restrained from doing so,” the judge ruled.

The judge also awarded a cost of N50,000 against the NBA in favour of the plaintiff.

Oloko filed his suit on August 10, 2020, urging the court to declare that the NBA “is not a compulsory association to which every legal practitioner becomes a member automatically upon a call to the

bar.”

He argued that membership of the association is “a completely private and voluntary organisation of legal practitioners, who are interested in the set objectives of the association and have exercised their free volition to join and or/ participate in the activities of the association per time.”

Similarly, the plaintiff argued that the NBA “lacks the power to increase the Annual Practising Fee for legal practitioners in Nigeria,” adding that “same being a function reserved for the office of the Attorney-general of the Federation.”

The annual practising fees for lawyers range between N2,000 and N20,000, depending on the year of being called to the bar.

Despite the judgment of the court declaring membership of the NBA as compulsory for lawyers called to bar in Nigeria, some lawyers, on October 30, announced the formation of the Law Society of Nigeria (LSN).

The formation of the LSN is the latest attempt by lawyers to break the monopoly of the NBA as the sole umbrella body of Nigerian lawyers recognised by statutory bodies.

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News Editor: Gboyega Akinsanmi E-mail: gboyega.akinsanmi@thisdaylive.com,08152359253

Reject Muslim-Muslim Ticket or Be Rendered Politically Irrelevant, Northern Christian Elders Tell Members John Shiklam in Kaduna The Northern States Christian Elders Forum (NOSCEF) has asked Christians to reject the Muslim-Muslim ticket of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in 2023 or be rendered irrelevant in the political equation of Nigeria.

Chairman of the forum, Ejoga Inalegwu, stated this in his address at the congress meeting of the forum, which was held yesterday in Kaduna.

Inalegwu called on lovers of Nigeria to reject politics of exclusion that are mindful of regional balance but insensitive to faith inclusion.

He said: “Unpatriotic politicians will use any formula they can apply to win the election, whether it hurts or not and promise to placate as APC is doing after all the pleas.

“They will discard any formula that makes them the loose election in the future.

“Make the single faith ticket unattractive for the future, by killing it now or render yourselves forever an irrelevant commodity in the election equation for the future”.

According to him, “people easily persuaded by personal and selfish gains to the destruction of the body will be a Judas to the Christendom.

Let us be men and women of principles and loyalty to God. “We enjoin all lovers of Nigeria across faith to reject the single faith ticket to frustrate politics of exclusion that is mindful of regional balance but insensitive to faith inclusion”.

He lamented the security challenges in the North, which had taken a toll on the activities of the forum.

Also speaking, the guest speaker at the occasion, Prof.

Josiah Onaolapo, said the 2023 general election is a threat to the political viability of northern Christians.

CJN to Inaugurate Election Petitions Tribunals Monday Alex Enumah in Abuja The Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Justice Olukayode Ariwoola, will on Monday, November 7 set in motion the legal fireworks for the 2023 election with the inauguration of over 300 members of the election petitions tribunal.

The Director of Information and Press of the Supreme Court, Dr Festus Akande, disclosed this to journalists in Abuja yesterday.

According to Akande, the event is slated for Andrews Obaseki Auditorium at the National Judicial Institute (NJI) in Abuja.

He explained that Andrews Otutu Obaseki Auditorium of NJI was considered in view of the large number of the tribunal members being expected to grace the inauguration ceremony scheduled for 9:00 a.m.

He also explained why the inauguration would be coming so early.

Akande said: “What do you want me to say again? If there is

a delay in swearing them in. You will ask why the delay. But it is done early now. You are asking questions again. What will one do to please the world?

“I believe you have not forgotten that they will undergo induction for some time before they commence sitting. Elections are taking place in February 2023, we are in November already.

“Do you want them to be inaugurated in February next year, the same month as the election? We have always been swearing them in a few months to elections and this one is not an exception.”

Over 400 Judges from States and Federal High Courts have been carefully nominated by the President of the Court of Appeal, Justice Monica Dongbam to serve on the panel.

President of the Court of Appeal, Justice Monica Dongban-Mensem had bewailed the unavailability of funds to prosecute the 2023 General Election Petition Tribunals.

Amaechi’s Ex-commissioner Defects to PDP A former Rivers State Commissioner for Information and Communications, Ibim Semenitari, has defected to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

Semenitari, an ally to the former Minister OF Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, had resigned from the All Progressives Congress (APC) in July this year, but was hitherto quiet about her next political destination.

Semenitari was received back to the ruling party in the Okrika Local Government Area of the state by the executive chairman of the council, Akuro Tobin, a former Rivers State Commissioner for Health, Dr. Sampson Parker, and other chieftains of the party on Saturday.

The erstwhile acting Managing

Director of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) had on July 10, 2022, dumped the APC after transmitting a formal letter to the APC Chairman in Ward 5, Okrika Local Government Area of Rivers State.

Although she did not state her reason for leaving the party, many believed that it was connected to the leadership crisis rocking the party, culminating in a gale of resignations and defections from the APC in the state led

by Amaechi.

Semenitari, an ace journalist and CNN award winner, was in the kitchen cabinet in the administration of Amaechi as Governor of the crude oil and gas-rich state.

He called on the Northern Christians to take their destiny into their hands or be wiped out politically.

“We must mobilise our people to vote in 2023 as if our lives depend on it.

“If you allow the door to close against northern Christians, the door will be closed forever.

“There is no state in the north that does not have about 30 per cent of its population as Christians, including Sokoto and Zamfara states.

“What are we doing with our population? It is time to use our number to bring about political change”, Onaolapo said.

Speaking further, he said, “It

is a known fact that Muslims in the north will always vote for their brothers.

“Unfortunately, I have seen that when it is the turn of the North to get the Presidential slot, Christians will gravitate around northern Muslims.

“When it is time for the South, we gravitate around Southern

Christians. Is it not a shame?

“Does it mean we don’t have Christians in the North that can be president?

“A party said that Northern Christians are politically worthless in Nigeria; that was why they choose another Muslim as Vice Presidential candidate.

STRENGTHENING LAW ENFORCEMENT… L-R: General Manager, Lagos State Traffic Management Authority, Mr. Bolaji Oreagba; Special Adviser on Central Business District, Mr. Gbenga Oyerinde; Deputy Governor, Lagos State, Dr. Obafemi Hamzat; and Chief Executive Officer, Law Enforcement Training Institute, Mrs. Abiola Adeyinka, at the 2022 in-service mandatory training for law enforcement officers in Lagos . . . yesterday ETOP UKUTT

Police Confirm Release of 21 Abducted Katsina Children Francis Sardauna in Katsina The Katsina State Police Command last night announced the release of 21 children abducted by bandits.

The children were working in farmland at Kamfani Mailafiya village in Faskari Local Government Area of the state.

The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) had on Friday urged authorities to swing into

action and rescue the children.

In a statement signed by UNICEF Representative in Nigeria, Ms Cristian Munduate, the UN agency described the abductions as “reprehensible.”

The state Police Public Relations Officer, Gambo Isah, who announced the release of the victims in a message he sent on the command’s WhatsApp platform, said the victims comprising 17

girls and four boys have since been reunited with their respective families as investigations continue.

The abducted children, according to Isah, are aged between 15 and 18 years.

Bandits had last Sunday kidnapped the victims who were working on the farm in the community and demanded for the sum of N30 million as ransom.

But Isah, a Superintendent of Police, in the message, said: “Good evening gentlemen of the Press. It is with great joy that I announce the release of all the 21 abducted workers that were kidnapped while working in farmland at Kamfanin Mai Lafiya village, Faskari LGA of Katsina State. They have been reunited with their families. Investigation is ongoing.”

Ohanaeze Faults Judgment on Ekweremadu’s Interim Asset Forfeiture Gideon Arinze in Enugu The apex Igbo socio-cultural organisation, Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide, has faulted what it called “the hasty order” by a Federal High Court for the interim forfeiture of 40 landed properties belonging to the embattled former Deputy Senate President, Senator Ike Ekweremadu.

Ohanaeze in a statement issued yesterday through its

National Publicity Secretary, Dr. Alex Ogbonnia, said it stands on moral probity to state that a hasty ex-parte motion filed by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on a man who is undergoing some travails in the United Kingdom falls short of ethical standards and natural justice.

A Federal High Court in Abuja had on Friday ordered an interim forfeiture of 40

landed properties belonging to Ekweremadu, who is currently in custody in the United Kingdom.

Justice Inyang Ekwo made the order following an ex-parte motion filed and moved by Ibrahim Buba on behalf of the EFCC. While granting the order, the judge ordered the EFCC to publish the interim forfeiture order of the properties in a

national daily within seven days.

He specifically directed that anybody who had an interest in the forfeited properties should indicate within 14 days of the publication of the interim forfeiture order from the court.

The judge adjourned the matter till December 5, 2022, for a report in the case if there is any objection from members of the public regarding the said properties.

NiMet Warns Airlines on Increased Chance of Bird Strike Kasim Sumaina in Abuja The Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet) has alerted the public of the possible commencement of the dry season otherwise called the harmattan season in most parts of the north.

Consequently, NiMet warned the airline operators that the dry season would witness the influx of birds to the affected states, which according to it, might

cause bird strike in the airspace.

In a statement by its spokesman at the weekend, Mr. Muntari Ibrahim, the agency issued warnings about potential bird strike occurrences, flight delays, and cancellations as harmattan begins in most parts of the country.

The statement said: “It is following weather report of observed movement of dust plumes from the source region

(Niger and Chad ) where dust-haze and haziness, in relatively low visibility values, are expected into the county within the next 24 hours, “In the next 24 hours, there are good prospects of dust haze (in moderate horizontal visibility, 2000m 5000m) over Maiduguri, Yobe, Katsina, Kano, Kaduna, Gombe, Bauchi and Jigawa States, while other northern states (including

North-central) could report sunny and hazy (visibility of 5–7km).

“It is expected that this weather condition will persist for the next 3 days. Worthy of note is the observed gradual increase of the Day-Time Temperature,” the statement explained.

According to the statement, the dry season is usually a period of no rainfall in the North and a period of little or no rainfall in the South.

15

THISDAY, THE SUNDAY NEWSPAPER NOVEMBER 6 , 2022

BUSINESS

Editor: Festus Akanbi 08038588469 Email:festus.akanbi@thisdaylive.com

As EFCC Ambushes Currency Hoarders, Cyber Criminals With last week’s crackdown on the activities of some erring bureau de change operators and the smashing of a cybercrime syndicate, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission may have commenced steps to actualise its pledge to bring economic saboteurs into its dragnet as Nigeria awaits the issuance of new naira notes by the Central Bank of Nigeria, writes Festus Akanbi

I

n furtherance of its resolve to take advantage of the planned currency redesign, recently announced by the Central Bank of Nigeria to ambush hoarders of money with questionable sources, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) resumed its raiding of some bureau de change outlets inAbuja and Kano last week with a promise to spread the dragnet to other cities.

Sources told THISDAY that the black market forex dealers were carrying on their business activity as usual when the EFCC operatives backed by armed policemen stormed their makeshift stalls located opposite the Sheraton Hotel in Zone 4, Wuse, Abuja and took many of them into custody.

Similarly, operatives of the Kano command of the anti-graft agency stormed the forex market Tuesday evening with about eight vehicles and heavily armed personnel, a situation which threw the market into pandemonium.

The clampdown on illegal forex dealers coincided with the arrest of a Kogi State House of Assembly candidate of the New Nigeria Peoples Party, (NNPP), Ismaila Atumeyi with N326million and $140,500 cash.

A statement by the EFCC disclosed that Atumeyi, who is seeking to represent Ankpa II Constituency in the state House of Assembly, was arrested on Sunday, October 30, 2022, alongside one Joshua Dominic, an alleged serial fraudster, in a sting operation at Macedonia Street, Queens Estate, Karsana, Gwarinpa, Abuja.

Also arrested in connection with the fraud is Abdumalik Salau Femi, a former bank employee, who allegedly supplied the inside information that facilitated the attack on the bank by the syndicate.

Supporting Naira Redesign The EFCC Chairman, Abdulrasheed Bawa had endorsed the planned redesign of the naira and cautioned BDC operators against working with currency hoarders who would attempt to VHL]H WKH RSSRUWXQLW\ WR R΁RDG WKH FXUUHQFLHV they had illegally stashed away.

He also disclosed further that the raids would be extended to Lagos, Port Harcourt, Maiduguri, Ibadan and other cities across the country to stop BDC operators from ‘destroying the naira. $Q R΀FLDO RI WKH FRPPLVVLRQ ZKR GHVFULEHG the raid as successful explained that such an exercise was intelligence-led.

While announcing the new policy to redesign WKH QDLUD (PHÀHOH VDLG WKH SROLF\ ZRXOG EH HͿHFWLYH IURP PLG 'HFHPEHU H[SODLQLQJ that the new notes include N200, N500 and N1000.

He advised Nigerians to take old notes to banks to enable them to withdraw the new banknotes once circulation begins.

Speaking on the motivation for the change, the CBN governor explained that the decision was reached due to persisting concerns with the management of the current series of banknotes, and currency in circulation — particularly those outside the banking system in Nigeria. $FFRUGLQJ WR (PHÀHOH RQH RI WKHVH FKDOOHQJHV SULPDULO\ LQFOXGHV VLJQLÀFDQW KRDUGLQJ of banknotes by members of the public, with statistics showing that over 80 per cent of the currency in circulation is outside the vaults of commercial banks.

Banking sector analysts believe the intervention of the EFCC would be invaluable at this FUXFLDO WLPH VLQFH LW ZRXOG EH GL΀FXOW IRU WKH CBN to monitor banks at the various points of exchanging old currencies for new ones.

Already social media is awash with photographs of old wads of naira allegedly brought

Some EFCC operatives

out from storerooms as a result of the plan to redesign the naira, a development that watchers of the banking sector described as a direct fallout of the new CBN policy.

ABCON: Raids on Members in Order Responding to the EFCC raids, the Chairman of the Association of Bureau de Change of Nigeria, Mr. Aminu Gwadabe, threw his full support for the crackdown on bureau de change operators.

He warned in a circular that BDC operators caught in any infraction would risk prosecution by the EFCC. He said: “This is to inform all licensed BDC operators that they are the gatekeepers of the economy and should not be involved as cash couriers as infractions can lead to prosecution. We advise members to conduct their activities on an account-to-account basis in case of any.”

He described the action of the EFCC as one of the crimes commission’s mandates to check the menace of money laundering DQG WHUURULVP ÀQDQFLQJ LQ WKH HFRQRP\ and the hawking of currency in the street LV RQH RI WKH RͿHQFHV XQGHU $0/ &)7 “ThereforeABCON, as a self-regulatory organisation cannot fault the EFCC’s mandate but to collaborate with our regulators and security agencies in dealing with the challenges.

“On our part as an association, we constantly remind our members of the need to ensure they perform their obligations and responsibilities under the anti-money laundering and terrorism ÀQDQFLQJ UHJLPH “We, therefore, call on all our members to operate within the regulatory framework and conduct their business RSHUDWLRQV ZLWKLQ WKHLU R΀FHV µ *ZDGDEH said.

He reiterated his call for the apex bank to consider forex users at the retail end of the market for sanity to return to the market and to reconsider the suspension of liquidity injection into the BDCs.

“While we can not completely divorce the nexus between the Nara redesigning and the exchange volatility due to leakages and ungoverned space operators, the challenge of severe liquidity in the critical retail end of the market is a major concern that requires urgent attention.

“As usual, we call on the regulators to consider revisiting our suspension of operations to inject liquidity to enshrine sanity.”

Campaign Spending As commendations roll in for EFCC, some analysts believe the ongoing political campaign ZLOO VORZ GRZQ WKH ÀJKW DJDLQVW KRDUGLQJ DQG forex speculation.

Analysts warned that the aftermath of the possible excess liquidity in the system by politicians, occasioned by electioneering, might IXUWKHU LQFUHDVH WKH LQÁDWLRQ UDWH DQG OHDG WR a further devaluation of the naira.

The fear is that although the Electoral Act 2022 has a cap on political donations and expenditures by parties and candidates, it is very unlikely that the politicians will abide by the dictates of the electoral act.

Meanwhile, the commission has expressed its concern about the rising spate of cyber-attacks on banks and the reluctance of the institutions to report such breaches to law enforcement.

While warning that such reticence would only embolden the criminals, the EFCC appeals WR ÀQDQFLDO LQVWLWXWLRQV WR FROODERUDWH ZLWK LW WR VHFXUH WKH ÀQDQFLDO VHFWRU IURP WKUHDWV RI cyber-attacks.

It will also be recalled that the EFCC had in the wake of the recent announcement by the CBN of plans to redesign and re-issue higher denominations of the Naira, warned Bureau de Change operators to be wary of currency hoarders who would attempt to seize the opSRUWXQLW\ WR R΁RDG WKH FXUUHQFLHV WKH\ KDG illegally stashed away.

A Professor of Economics at the Olabisi Onabanjo University, Ago Iwoye, Ogun State, Sherrifdeen Tella, warned that should politicians release too much cash into the system, there might be dire consequences for the country.

Tella said: “If it is foreign currency, the economy will be awash with a lot of foreign currencies which on the one hand is good. But on the other hand, it is bad because it will cause D ORW RI LQÁDWLRQ ,W ZLOO IXUWKHU GHSUHFLDWH WKH naira because people will start changing the foreign currencies to naira that they can spend, and that will cause a further depreciation of the naira. That will result in a higher level of LQÁDWLRQ EHFDXVH LW ZLOO OHDG WR D KLJKHU FRVW of production.”

The professor, however, decried that Nigerian politicians were not likely to obey the provisions of the Electoral Act 2022. Another issue giving the crime commission sleepless nights is the rise in cybercrimes.

A 2020 report by Kaspersky Security SoluWLRQV VWDWHV WKDW 1LJHULDQV VXͿHUHG PLOOLRQ cyber-attacks between January and August.

Experts explained that cyber attacks are being under-reported by organisations to protect their reputations.

The Nigerian Cybercrime Act was signed into law in May 2015. This piece of legislation covers all issues about cybersecurity in the country.

However, Section 21 of the Cybercrime Act mandates individuals and organisations to report cyberattacks when they happen to the National Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT) to manage such incidents.

“We live in a world dominated by digital infrastructure. If there is a cyberattack on a bank, for instance, people go into panic mode because money is involved, which makes them keep quiet to save face or their reputation.

“They don’t care if it is employees’ information that was revealed or something not related to customers’ accounts, they want to preserve their money which may cause losses to the bank,” a legal cybersecurity expert Enyioma Madubaite was quoted as saying. +RZHYHU ZLWK WKH FXUUHQW UHQHZHG HͿRUWV RI WKH ()&& FKDQFHV DUH WKDW ÀQDQFLDO LQVWLWXWLRQV will not hesitate to blow the whistle whenever their systems are being compromised in the overall interest of the Nigerian business and economy.

THISDAY, THE SUNDAY NEWSPAPER NOVEMBER 6 , 2022

16

CAPITAL MARKET

Missed Expectations from Capital Market As the current administration begins a gradual winding down in preparation for the 2023 general election, THISDAY begins a sectoral analysis of the economy in a way to call the attention of political R΀FH VHHNHUV WR WKH PLVVHG RSSRUWXQLWLHV DQG WKH H[LVWLQJ ORZ KDQJLQJ IUXLWV Kayode Tokede, in this SLHFH FDSWXUHV WKH EXUQLQJ LVVXHV LQ WKH 1LJHULDQ FDSLWDO PDUNHW

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SUNDAY NOVEMBER 6, 2022 • T H I S D AY

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T H I S DAY, T H E S U N DAY N E W S PA P E R • NOVEMBER 6, 2022

SOFT FINANCE with AYO AROWOLO The only column you may need to read on everything personal finance, money, investing -and other life matters

EMAIL: AYO.AROWOLO@THISDAYLIVE.COM PHONE: 08086447494( SMS ONLY)

United By Vision to Create Commonwealth The story of Cutix Plc is a very fascinating one for many reasons. In 1991 when I started covering the stock market, Cutix was one of the over 10 indigenous companies listed in the second-tier section of the Nigerian Stock Exchange to showcase what was possible. Several years down the line, while many of its classmates have exited the market for various reasons, Cutix has not only stayed on, it has since graduated into the first-tier segment where it has continued to create a banquet of prosperity for its stakeholders. Consider these stats for instance. For a new baby who had invested N1,040 in the company 35 years ago, his investment would have grown to N1.93million today. For a Youth Corps member who had invested N5,200 the same 35 years ago, his investment would have appreciated to the value of N9.63milliom today; and a businessman who had invested N520,000 in Cutix 35 years ago who has had the investment appreciated to the tune of N962.5million today.

In this piece, Vanessa Obioha captures how the indigenous cable manufacturing company Cutix overcame different economic downturns to retain its enviable spot on the Nigerian Stock Exchange.

F

orty years ago, when Engr. Ajulu Uzodike left his paid job to set up an indigenous electrical cables manufacturing company which became Cutix Plc, part of his shared vision was to create a commonwealth for Nigerians. While he is still striving to make that a reality, Uzodike has a lot to thump his chest for. Given the economic downturns that have riddled the country from the military regime, when Cutix was established, to the present democratic dispensation, what the elderly Uzodike has done is exceptional. With an infectious sense of humour, he has successfully kept his company running and recorded fantastic figures in the Nigerian Stock Exchange.

The company — which manufactures and supplies house wiring cables, aluminium conductors (AAC), copper conductors, aluminium service cables, automotive cables, appliance cables, low voltage power cables, and solar cables — is proud to be the first indigenous company to migrate to the main tier securities market from the second-tier securities market.

Although Cutix’s start-up capital after private placement by 18 shareholders in mid-1983 was N400,000, the company was valued at N8.595 billion as of April 30, 2022. More so, its annual profit before tax has increased consistently over the years such that an N10,000 investment in Cutix in 1983 is worth N89.1million as of October 31, 2022.

Curtix has received many awards and certifications over the years, such as the International Standards of Excellence award for best world-class cable manufacturing company by the World Quality Alliance. It is indeed a distinguished exemplar of a Nigerian success story, considering that most of its competitors at the time of establishment have sailed into oblivion.

If you ask the elderly Uzodike or the Chairman, Okwudili Nwosu, who joined the company from inception as a project manager what the winning formula is, you will get a uniform answer: the charter.

“We have remained committed to the charter, and we try as much as possible to keep to the tenets,” said Nwosu.

By tenets, he meant the company’s mission to be a very profitable, fast-growing, high-quality, ethical, and socially responsive company. It also set out to rapidly exploit emerging technologies and capabilities in product improvement and diversification, use mainly Nigerian manpower and local resources, and use chiefly internally-generated funds to grow and provide returns fairly to all stakeholders.

By adhering to these values, Cutix’s reputation continues to grow beyond expectation, recording not only increasing revenues but retaining an enviable reputation in the capital market space.

Therefore, as it neared 40 years of existence, the company rolled out a two-year plan to mark this milestone at a private dinner recently.

To be sure, the company was incorporated on November 4, 1982, but as Nwosu explained, the company originally started operations in 1984.

“From incorporation to the beginning of commercial production was approximately two years. So we want to remember when the company was born, which was on November 4, 1982, and then link it to the commercial production, which was in May 1984. So, we are going to go through the period from the birth of the company, which is the incorporation to the actual viability and commercial nature of the company. Because by the time the company was incorporated in 1982, we had not fully started operations. We were just getting approvals, bringing in the machine and training staff.”

The company started production with one

Chairman/Co-Founder, Cutix, Amb. Okwudili Nwosu and Founder,Cutix, Engr. Obiajulu Uzodike extrusion line in 1984 and has been in continuous production with the capacity to produce various cable and wire products. A second line was added in 1985, and by 1986, it added several wire-processing lines to achieve integration that was at par with other local and international leading cable makers.

A recurring statement made by all at the dinner was the Nigerianness of the company. As Nwosu noted during his welcome address, the company believes in “local value addition” and only looks outside the company when there is no other option.

Cutix has 100 per cent Nigerian workforce and engineers from inception and has achieved laudable quality standards.

If you ask the elderly Uzodike or the Chairman, Okwudili Nwosu, who joined the company from inception as a project manager what the winning formula is, you will get a uniform answer: the charter.

“The company uses her technical team for the design of tools, installation of imported machines, training and troubleshooting of technical problems and all other functions performed by the company. We have designed and assembled some of our manufacturing equipment lines to complement the earlier imported version to increase the local technology content.”

Apart from its utilisation of local talent and resources, the company has positioned itself as an inclusive organisation, having a female Mrs Ijeoma Oduonye as the Chief Executive Director.

A beaming Uzodike disclosed that from the company’s calculation, it sits proudly at the top position on NSE. “Some of my vision has been achieved,” he continued. “At least, I have proven that Nigerians can get together and do something successfully in terms of returns to investors. We are the only ones doing what we are doing. A fully Nigerian company that has been able to survive all the problems in Nigeria, and even can celebrate it.”

As much as Cutix is a towering iroko tree in its field, it gives the founder Uzodike no pleasure to see other indigenous companies in the history books. He passionately talked about the need for a national commonwealth in Nigeria which is tied

to the theme of the 40th celebration: ‘40 Years of Striving for a Commonwealth’.

“A tree does not make a forest. If we were so many in Nigeria, we wouldn’t be talking about insecurity and so many things. That’s what makes me sad that after 40 years of labouring to make this country better, we haven’t been able to do it because we’re alone. All the other companies that started with us are no longer in existence.”

For Nwosu, it is a matter of selfishness.

“A lot of people are selfish. If you have a company, why do you want to keep all the powers to yourself? The more you decentralise, the greater the efficiency and the greater the survivability of the company.”

He continued: “When we started this company, we were looking at a time when none of the people who started it may still be alive but the company will continue like many multinationals. Those who started the company are on their way out. Many of the private placement shareholders are dead.

“So, we need to have the heirs of these shareholders remain committed to the ideals and the only way they will remain committed to the ideals is if somebody is constantly enunciating those ideals so that they are not forgotten.”

Despite the increasing revenues of the company, Nwosu pointed out that the continual depreciation of the Naira has affected the business.

“It has affected us very badly because you can’t buy anything. You buy something today and tomorrow it has increased by 10 per cent.

How do you bargain? So, you cannot plan and once you are unable to plan, that uncertainty is very bad for business.”

The 40th celebration of the company comes with a new logo that reflects the company’s resilience and commitment over the years. On November 4, the company was at the NSE to ring the bell and explain the facts behind their outstanding figures in the past few years. Nwosu hinted that there will be new product rollouts as well as the vision of the company in the next decade.

While rounding off her presentation last Friday at the company’s facts behind the figure event, the managing director made a very bold assertion: “Cutix has proven to be the best-kept secret stock of the market-A must-have in every investment portfolio”. Interestingly, all the stockbrokers at the event who spoke believed that the managing director was stating the obvious.

ME AND MY MONEY

Yemisi Shyllon: Invest in Educating Yourself

W

hen you spend money to invest in educating yourself, you move ahead of the pack who do not believe in this because the more you know, the deeper you see. Spend time reading and educating yourself. Aspire to know more about what you are getting involved in. I decided to become a chartered stockbroker because I was investing in shares. I knew it was going to be a large part of my investment portfolio in the future and my stockbroking

knowledge has helped me a lot.

Also, I decided to study law because I was thinking about old age and the fact that I was going to be involved in a lot of properties, I don’t want to be paying lawyers. Today, when I sign agreements, I take advantage of being a lawyer. I don’t go to court, but I am servicing myself and my family. You must develop yourself personally.

For instance, I am not an artist, but I have learnt a lot about artistry. I spend time learning what I do.

Shyllon

OPI NION

119

T H I S D AY MONDAYSunday MARCH 14, 2022 2022 6 November, Vol 27. No 10071

opinion@thisdaylive.com

www.thisdaylive.com

AT THE PEAK OF SECURITY CONSCIOUSNESS Nigerians should elect people who will be able to protect them, writes AISHA SHUAIBU

To subvert the will of the APC by denying support to its presidential candidate on the basis of regional and ethnic considerations is unjust and inequitable, contends FEMI FANI-KAYODE

QUESTIONS FOR AFENIFERE

G See Page 20

WHY ATTACK PETER OBI’S SUPPORTERS?

SONNIE EKWOWUSI canvasses political campaigns without violence

See Page 20

EDITORIAL

STEMMING INSECURITY IN THE SOUTHEAST

See Page 45

iven what is unfolding in the South-west today certain questions have to be asked and certain truths need to be spoken.

Permit me to begin with the following.

Would the Afenifere of old ever have supported a non-Yoruba candidate in a presidential election?

Why do we have to cut our nose to spite our face? Simply because you hate or envy Bola Ahmed Tinubu does not mean we must deny the entire Yoruba race a crack at the Presidency.

And even if Tinubu offended you in the past can we not forgive? You know very well that Peter Obi cannot win the presidential election and by supporting him in the West you are splitting our base and opening the door for an Atiku Presidency.

Is that what you want? Do Nigeria and the Yoruba, whose interest you are supposed to further and protect, not deserve better than that?

Can you fathom or appreciate the implications of an Atiku Abubakar Presidency for our people and for the nation generally? Have you thought it through?

Do you understand what that would mean for us all? I am a great supporter of the handshake across the Niger but the following question must be asked: Would Ohanaeze ever support and back a Yoruba presidential candidate over and above an Igbo one?

You attempt to justify your position by saying that you base it on fairness, justice and equity but do they not say he who comes to equity must come with clean hands?

Are Obi’s hands clean? Does he even like the Yoruba? Has he, throughout his distinctly uninspiring period in public office as Governor of Anambra State, shown any respect to any tribe or ethnic nationality, including his own?

If we were talking about an Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi, an Orji Uzor Kalu, a Chimaroke Nnamani or a David Umahi, all of whom have proved themselves to be true nationalists, who have always put the national interest before the tribal one and who have shown immense sensitivity and respect to people from other parts of the South and the North, you may have a point but Obi does not fit that bill and is far below that level.

He is essentially provincial and insular and he has little understanding of the history and complexities of a wider Nigeria.

With him everything begins and ends in Anambra State and of course his containers.

Apart from that you know what his real agenda is and those he takes orders from.

You also know that the divisive and sinister agenda that they have is not in our interest as a people or a nation.

To tread such a path will have grievous consequences for the unity and stability of Nigeria and we can barely afford a second civil war in an attempt to “keep Nigeria one”.

In any case to attempt to subvert the will of the APC, the largest political party on the African continent, by denying support to its legitimate and only presidential candidate on the basis of microzoning or regional and ethnic considerations is unjust and inequitable.

This is especially so given the fact that the South West is one of the two pillars which the party rests on and which has provided a solid foundation for its success.

Are we to throw all that away and jettison the

aspirations of our people on the alter of microzoning and wanting to right what many have described (including yours truly) as a historical wrong? When the courageous Southern Governors met ACROSS PARTY LINES in Asaba last year and demanded a power shift they did not say it must go to the South West, South South or South East. They did not microzone it and they did not say that only South Eastern candidates should be considered.

They opened it up to every son and daughter of the South including the Yoruba.

And neither did they say the candidate must be a Christian or a Muslim: they opened it up to both. Again when the selfless and gallant Northern Governors of the APC insisted on a power shift to the South, they never said it must go to any particular one of the three Southern zones: they opened it up to the entire South and Bola Tinubu won the nomination in a free and fair election at the party Convention.

Are we, as APC members and leaders, meant to turn our backs on that and betray our party simply because Afenifere says so?

Are we meant to act as if we have no party and that we have no loyalty to our collective and common cause as a political association?

Are we to behave as if we have no loyalty or decency and are we expected to attempt to subvert the will of our party members as enunciated, reflected and established at our National Convention?

Surely not.

And anyone that is waiting for that to happen will wait forever. I sincerely hope that our beloved leaders in Afenifere will think again.

They know how much we love, revere and respect them and they must nurture and sustain that disposition and affection E\ GLVSOD\LQJ D OLWWOH PRUH ÁH[LELOLW\ DQG respect for the views of others.

The cost of supporting Obi is very high and may end up destroying the unity, efficacy, utility and credibility of the entire organisation itself.

This is especially so when the old leader, Pa Reuben Fasoranti, has staged a comeback and has said he does not accept the decision of Pa Ayo Adebanjo, the new.

If there was ever a time for the Yoruba to ‘Ronu’ this is it. There is nothing that is decent, noble, inspiring or elegant in seeing and hearing elder statesman who are all over the age of 90 and all of whom we hold in high esteem, disagreeing and fighting publicly over issues that they ought to have been able to establish a broad and amicable consensus.

Do we really want yet another vitriolic, vicious, unending, fratricidal and gargantuan feud and division in our ranks as a people and ethnic nationality as we have had on so many occasions in our beleaguered and chequered past? Has this insufferable and accursed infighting not been too costly for us over the last 62 years and has such division not ultimately affected the fortunes of not just the Yoruba but also the entire nation?

Anyone that knows the history of our nation can attest to that.

We paid a terrible price for such a feud and division in the First, Second and Third Republics and many lives were lost: now we are preparing to do it all over again in the Fourth.

We cannot afford to continue to tread this ugly, blood-lusting, blood-stained and acrimonious past which is more often than not fuelled by nothing but petty rivalry, envy, bitterness, unforgiveness, ego, bad-belle and vaulting personal ambitions. We cannot and must not abandon our son Bola Tinubu at a time like this and this is especially so after he has done so much for our people and race over the years.

A defeat and disgrace for Tinubu is a defeat and a disgrace for every Yoruba man in the country and in the wider world.

Is that what Afenifere wants? To disgrace its own? Does it give them pleasure to remove the trousers of their own child before the world and humiliate him?

Is a father not meant to protect and nurture the fortunes of his son? Did the father not forgive and take back even the prodigal son?

Throwing away your own is not a virtue: it is a Vice. And doing so with pride and arrogance whilst attempting to justify it before the world with some kind of false and fake righteous indignation is unacceptable. It is not just, it is not right, it is not fair, it is not reasonable, it is not justifiable, it is not defensible and it looks very awkward and ugly.

It is also embarrassing. We must present a united front and stand in support of our own and we must present him to Nigeria as one and in one accord in order to ensure that they vote for and support him.

We must secure his base and we must build on it by reaching out to every other part of Nigeria.

That is the cause that a revered and noble institution like Afenifere ought to be pursuing and not any other.

Yet if the truth be told, with or without Afenifere Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu shall prevail and by God’s grace, will win the presidential election.

Chief Fani-Kayode is the former Minister of Aviation and the Director of Public Engagements, Special Media Operations and New Media of the Tinubu/Shettima Presidential Campaign Organisation

2 20

T H I S D AY SUNDAY NOVEMBER 6, 2022

Nigerians should elect people who will be able to protect them, writes AISHA SHUAIBU

AT THE PEAK OF SECURITY CONSCIOUSNESS

When a leader makes the choice to put the safety and lives of the people ÀUVW WR VDFULÀFH WKHLU FRPIRUWV DQG VDFULÀFH WKH WDQJLEOH UHVXOWV VR WKDW WKH SHRSOH UHPDLQ DQG IHHO VDIH UHPDUNDEOH WKLQJV KDSSHQ 6LPRQ 6LQHN :KHQ VRPH IRUHLJQ HPEDVVLHV LVVXHG VHFXULW\ DOHUWV LQ $EXMD ODVW PRQWK LW OHIW people feeling uneasy and the tension in the air rose causing widespread panic for ZKDW ZDV FRPLQJ QH[W ,W LV WKH VSHFLDO ability of Nigerians, however to return back to business as usual when after some time things seem back to normal and the initial bark appeared to have been much ORXGHU WKDQ WKH ELWH %XW ZH FDQQRW ignore that at the core of these concerns is a very serious threat to the near future and a clear plan of action is needed from RXU SURVSHFWLYH SUHVLGHQWLDO FDQGLGDWHV $PLGVW WKH GUDPD RI WKH HOHFWLRQ VHDVRQ are a worsening economic situation, the prevalent environmental disruptions, and the unpredictability of the nation’s VHFXULW\ ,W VHHPV 1LJHULD·V ZKHHO KDV been completely abandoned with no navigator in sight to steer us towards the ULJKW GLUHFWLRQ :KLOH WKH FRXQWU\ UXQV RQ auto-pilot and the people with political differences turn on themselves, focus must be brought back to the mindset we need to adopt as we prepare to FKRRVH RXU QH[W SUHVLGHQW There have been many conversations about overhauling the security infrastructure of the country LQ UHFHQW \HDUV 7KH GHFHQWUDOLVDWLRQ of our police force is one of many suggested amendments to the Nigerian 3ROLFH )RUFH $FW RI WKDW ZLOO SDVV the baton of responsibility to the state governments who must then properly UHJXODWH DQG PDQDJH WKHLU VWDWH SROLFH $ ORZ PRUDOH DQG WHUULEO\ XQGHUVWDIIHG agency, the Nigerian Police force must EH RQH RI WKH PRVW XQDWWUDFWLYH MREV to anyone with ambition and selfUHVSHFW 7KLV RI FRXUVH LV QR UHDO fault of the brave men and women ZKR MRLQ WR VHUYH DQG SURWHFW EXW WR the system that has failed to honour their duty and empower them beyond ZKHUH WKH\ FXUUHQWO\ DUH 3ROLFH SRVWV and checkpoints have become utterly useless as crime sometimes occurs on WKH VDPH VWUHHW DV WKRVH SRVWV *UDVVURRW communities have been forced into a vigilante culture for the protection of

WKHLU OLYHV DQG SURSHUW\ 0DQ\ KDYH KDG WR learn that to rely solely on security forces LV WR JDPEOH ZLWK \RXU OLIH 7KH TXDOLW\ of the lives of city folk has also drifted from normalcy as daily safety concerns when attending social gatherings, when driving, or when simply walking has UHDFKHG LWV SHDN There are many contributing factors to the already rotten security infrastructure, one of which is the failure of the government to power roads and neighbourhoods, causing them to be EUHHGLQJ JURXQGV IRU FULPLQDO DFWLYLW\ The government does not do enough to acknowledge the role that small and medium businesses play in promoting safety around their establishments as most business premises have private security of their own, steady power supply and is under the watchful eye of staff and FXVWRPHUV 1LJHULDQ 3ULYDWH 6HFXULW\ &RPSDQLHV 36&V DUH DW DQ DGYDQWDJH as they invest in the recruitment and training of capable bodies in the provision of tailored security services across the FRXQWU\ 7KH JRYHUQPHQW KDV RI FRXUVH SOD\HG D UROH LQ HQVXULQJ WKDW WKHVH 36&V DUH GLUHFWO\ DIÀOLDWHG ZLWK DQG VXSSRUWHG E\ WKH 1LJHULD 6HFXULW\ DQG &LYLO 'HIHQFH &RUSV 16&'& WR ZDUUDQW HIIHFWLYH protection of their safeguarding locations, but given the population and geography of the nation, people and properties GHPDQG PRUH :KLOH WKHVH FRPSDQLHV cater to civil society, our security agencies simply need more bodies to balance the VHFXULW\ GHPDQG RI WKH FRXQWU\ :LWK the 2023 general elections in view and the entire country debating which of the presidential aspirants will emerge victorious, the best from the bunch will GHÀQLWHO\ VWDQG RXW IURP WKHLU SODQV IRU QDWLRQDO VHFXULW\ DORQH 7KH EHVW WKLQJ any incoming leader can be is to be transparent and honest in their lack of ability to solve all the problems they are FRPLQJ WR PHHW )ROORZLQJ WKDW VKRXOG be a clear and concise strategy as well as their willingness to employ capable, nonFRUUXSW SHRSOH DURXQG WKHP Lip service should not be tolerated in the presidential campaign as security has become our most pressing and LPPHGLDWH LVVXH 7KH HOHFWRUDWH VKRXOG challenge these candidates to address Nigeria’s security issues through their SODQV RQFH WKH\ UHVXPH RIÀFH (YHU\ dialogue session, press engagement and presidential debate should present realistic strategies that will give clarity, and assure voters that although to completely eradicate the country of these challenges may be unattainable, it is not impossible to lead us towards some stability through the commitment of a strong, fearless and GHGLFDWHG OHDGHU 7KH WK 3UHVLGHQW RI WKH United States, Ronald Reagan once said ´JRYHUQPHQW·V ÀUVW GXW\ LV WR SURWHFW WKH SHRSOH QRW UXLQ WKHLU OLYHV µ ,Q DORQH Nigeria has experienced record numbers of lives lost and property destroyed, yet accountability seems to have evaporated LQWR WKH QRLVH RI WKH HOHFWLRQV 7KH KRSH of the Nigerian people needs to be rekindled and it begins with our choice IRU WKH PRVW SRZHUIXO RIÀFH RQ WKH $IULFDQ &RQWLQHQW ·

6KXDLEX is a member of THISDAY Editorial Board

SONNIE EKWOWUSI canvasses political campaigns without violence

WHY ATTACK PETER OBI’S SUPPORTERS? Unable to match Peter Obi’s’ eloquence, competence, rising political stature and wisdom, his main competitors in the Presidential race are now resorting to recruiting political thugs and street urchins and using them to attack the supporters of Peter Obi ostensibly to dampen Obi’s spirit DQG PRUDOH :KLOH VRPH RI WKH KLUHG WKXJV DUH GLUHFWO\ LQÁLFWLQJ VHYHUH LQMXULHV RQ some of Obi’s supporters, others are content ZLWK MXVW KDUDVVLQJ DQG LQWLPLGDWLQJ WKH supporters in order to make them back out of WKHLU FRPPLWPHQW DQG VXSSRUW IRU 2EL :KDW LV WKH ´RIIHQFHµ RI 2EL·V VXSSRUWHUV" 7KH KRSH and dream they have found in the person of 3HWHU 2EL , ÀQG LW ORDWKVRPH WKDW D SROLWLFLDQ LQ RXU VW &HQWXU\ GHPRFUDF\ FRXOG WKURZ GHFHQF\ overboard and resort to recruiting political thugs to brutally attack and intimidate his political opponent simply because his opponent is gathering more momentum and JDLQLQJ PRUH SROLWLFDO VXSSRUW WKDQ KLP 7KH chilling video clips and recorded interviews LQ IURQW RI PH DV , VFULEEOH DUH WKH HYLGHQFH in support of the sponsored brutal attacks, violence and thuggery and intimidation DJDLQVW 2EL·V VXSSRUWHUV ODWHO\ )RU H[DPSOH John Solam is a young man who happened WR EH D FULSSOH +H KDLOV IURP $GDPDZD 6WDWH +H LV D VXSSRUWHU RI 3HWHU 2EL +H OLYHV LQ /DJRV 3ULRU WR UHORFDWLQJ WR KLV FXUUHQW VTXDORU DW (JEHGD /DJRV KH ZDV D EHJJDU OLYLQJ XQGHU ,NHMD /DJRV 2QH GD\ VRPH KLUHG political thugs mercilessly beat him up and GHVWUR\HG KLV ZKHHOFKDLU :K\" %HFDXVH KH SXEOLFO\ VXSSRUWV 3HWHU 2EL +HDU KLP ´, ZDV DWWDFNHG DW WKH ÀUVW XQGHU EULGJH DGMDFHQW WR WKH *HQHUDO +RVSLWDO ,NHMD , ZDV FRPLQJ IURP WKH * 5 $ VLGH DQG KHDGLQJ WR WKH &RPSXWHU 9LOODJH ZKHUH , ZRXOG QRUPDOO\ VWD\ WR FDPSDLJQ IRU 3HWHU 2EL , KDG KLV EDQQHU LQ IURQW RI P\ WUXFN 6RPH PHQ QXPEHULQJ XS WR ÀYH DOLJKWHG IURP D EXV DQG DSSURDFKHG PH 7KH\ DVNHG PH ZK\ , ZDV PRYLQJ ZLWK 3HWHU 2EL·V EDQQHU LQ 7LQXEX·V ODQG %HIRUH , FRXOG respond, they landed a huge blow on my IDFH DQG VWDUWHG EHDWLQJ PH 7KH\ EURNH P\ ZKHHOFKDLU 7KH\ EHDW PH IRU VRPH PLQXWHV EHIRUH SDVVHUV E\ FRXOG FRPH WR P\ UHVFXH 7KH\ ZDUQHG , VKRXOG QHYHU SXW XS 3HWHU Obi’s banner or preach his message again and OHIW PH ZLWK EUXLVHVµ 0U 2ODL\LWDQ 2/D\LZROD LV <RUXED RI WKH 6RXWK :HVW H[WUDFWLRQ 6RPHWLPH LQ 0D\ this year he made a video clip wherein he FRPSDUHG 3HWHU 2EL ZLWK %ROD $KPHG 7LQXEX and thereafter urged his audience to vote for 3HWHU 2EL LQ WKH 3UHVLGHQWLDO HOHFWLRQ 7KDW ZDV KLV RQO\ ´FULPHµ :KDW GLG WKH KLUHG WKXJV GR WR KLP" )LUVW WKH\ WKUHDWHQHG KLP to desist from supporting Peter Obi failure ZKLFK KH ZRXOG UHJUHW FRPLQJ WR /DJRV ,QLWLDOO\ KH WKRXJKW LW ZDV DQ HPSW\ WKUHDW DQG FRQWLQXHG KLV VXSSRUW IRU 2EL %XW RQH faithful morning, he was walking down his street when suddenly a hit-and-run driver in full speed came from behind and rammed his YHKLFOH RQWR KLP EUHDNLQJ KLV ULJKW OHJ EDFN 7KDQN *RG KH GLG QRW GLH 6LQFH WKHQ OLIH KDV EHFRPH D QLJKWPDUH IRU 2ODLWDQ +H KDUGO\ walks the street unaccompanied by someone let alone for fear that he would be a victim of DQRWKHU EUXWDO DWWDFN -RKQ (]H DQG $JEHQH David are two die-hard supporters of Peter 2EL 7KH GXR HDJHUO\ ORRN IRUZDUG WR ZKHQ Peter Obi would win the 2023 Presidential election and restore economic prosperity to WKH ZDVWHODQG 7KH\ H[XGH FRQÀGHQFH WKDW the Peter Obi Presidency would make a new 1LJHULD RI RXU GUHDP %XW RQH GD\ WKH\ ZHUH EUXWDOO\ DWWDFNHG DQG VHULRXVO\ LQMXUHG E\

hired political thugs as they walked the VWUHHW EUDQGLVKLQJ WKH /DERXU 3DUW\ ÁDJ Two days before the Lagos Four-MillionObedient March in Lagos, one of the key organizers of the March called Joseph Onuorah was arrested and harassed on KLV DUULYDO IURP 3DULV IRU WKH 0DUFK $OVR prior the March, a social media crusader, Obi Flag Boy, was brutally attacked in Oshodi Lagos while other Obi supporters ZHUH DUUHVWHG 7KH WULF\FOH NHNH ULGHUV and market women in support of Peter Obi were not left out in the brutal attack DQG LQWLPLGDWLRQ <RX PD\ EH DZDUH WKDW the tricycle commercial riders in Lagos are not only being forced to pay N500 for the purchase of the Tinubu/Shettima car sticker but they are equally forced to gum WKH VWLFNHU DW WKH UHDU RI WKHLU WULF\FOHV ,Q fact the political thugs of Tinubu/Shettima have warned them that if they dare gum or place the campaign posters or stickers of Peter Obi or any other presidential candidate on any part of their tricycles they ZRXOG EH FKDVHG RXW RI /DJRV , KDYH MXVW ÀQLVKHG ZDWFKLQJ WKH YLGHR VKRZLQJ RQH of the tricycle riders narrating his ordeal in WKH KDQGV RI WKH 7LQXEX 6KHWWLPD WKXJV <RX ZLOO UHFDOO WKDW SULRU WR WKH 3UR 7LQXEX Shettima Rally in Lagos, some Lagos market women were forced not only to contribute N500 in support of the rally but to ensure that they were physically present at the rally failure which they would lose their VKRSV LQ /DJRV 6R WKH $3& KLUHG WKXJV are shutting down the political campaigns RI RWKHU SROLWLFDO SDUWLHV LQ /DJRV 7KLV probably explains why there are no Peter Obi stickers or campaign billboards or stickers and billboards of other presidential FDQGLGDWHV LQ /DJRV $SDUW IURP /DJRV WKH VXSSRUWHUV RI 3HWHU Obi are also being threatened and attacked LQ RWKHU SDUWV RI WKH FRXQWU\ )RU H[DPSOH D \HW WR EH LGHQWLÀHG JXQPHQ QXPEHULQJ about four recently attacked some members of the Labour Party who were holding a PHHWLQJ LQ $ZJX &RPPXQLW\ RI $ZJX /RFDO *RYHUQPHQW $UHD RI (QXJX 6WDWH ,Q 1DVDUDZD 6WDWH WKH VXSSRUWHUV RI 3HWHU 2EL ZHUH VHYHUHO\ DWWDFNHG 7KH DWWDFN OHG WR D VHULRXV ERGLO\ KDUP RQ -RVKXD $ODPX RQH RI 3HWHU 2EL·V VXSSRUWHUV $QRWKHU 2EL VXSSRUWHU FDOOHG -DPLOX 6XÀ KDG SRVWHG D SKRWR RI D VHULRXVO\ LQMXUHG -RVKXD DV he was receiving treatment and wrote: “Dear @PoliceNG, Our attention has been GUDZQ RQ WKH DWWDFN WR 0U -RVKXD $ODPX at Nasarawa State during @NgLabour sensitization yesterday, we call on you to protect the life of our citizen and bring SHUSHWUDWRUV WR ERRN µ

Ekwowusi writes from Lagos

45

T H I S D AY SUNDAY NOVEMBER 6, 2022

EDITORIAL

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

STEMMING INSECURITY IN THE SOUTHEAST All the critical stakeholders must work together to curb the security excesses

W

orried by the widespread insecurity systematically being laid to waste. An ill-conceived in the region, the Southeast series of disruptions to social life, work, and business Governors’ Forum last week under the guise of ‘sit at home’ order is frequently hurriedly convened a meeting LPSRVHG E\ ,32% DQG LWV EUXWDO HQIRUFHUV WKURXJKRXW in Enugu and agreed to set up a the zone. Fear of rough vigilante enforcement of these 24-hour joint patrol in all major orders has led to ruinous impact on the domestic highways within the zone. Forum chairman and economy. At his inauguration earlier in the year, Ebonyi State Governor, David Umahi who read the Anambra State Governor, Chukwuma Soludo put the communique after the meeting decried the incessant situation in proper context when he lamented that “a kidnappings and ‘wanton killings’ in the zone. Given VLJQLÀFDQW SDUW RI RXU VWDWH HFRQRP\ LV SRZHUHG E\ the threat to disrupt the 2023 general election in the zone, DUWLVDQV .HNH GULYHUV YXOFDQLVHUV KDLUGUHVVHUV FDUW we can understand why the governors are suddenly pushers, petty traders, bricklayers, women frying concerned about the problem. But only few people take Akara, and all those who depend upon daily toil and their commitment seriously. sweat to feed their families.” Yet, every day there is a In the past three years, sit-at-home, according to the security picture in the Soludo, “these poor Southeast has been very masses lose an estimated troubling.

Hoodlums N19.6 billion in Anambra masquerading as alone.” Besides, due to the ‘unknown gunmen’ have protracted breakdown of The resolution to mount patrols in the zone without a unified enforcement outfit killed hundreds of people, law and order, businesses may end up placing freelance state authorised criminal including personnel of are relocating outside the the army, police civil region while the queue enforcers on the highways defence and civilians. of unemployment is Dozens of these innocent lengthening. victims were summarily Meanwhile, as bad as the executed on the street. Facilities belonging to the situation is, there are still apparent divisions among the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), critical stakeholders. In fact, the mutual suspicion among security agencies, in addition to private property, have the governors has in itself become a source of insecurity. also been attacked and destroyed. In the wake of the They have also failed to place the economic future XSVXUJH LQ FULVLV WKH ÀYH JRYHUQRUV KXUULHGO\ PHW DQG of the region and general peace and order above announced the formation of ‘Ebubeagu’, a regional their personal political interests. Two governors VHFXULW\ RXWÀW %XW WKH FKDLUPDQ %ULJDGLHU *HQHUDO 2EL whose states feature prominently as centres of Umahi (rtd) was soon to resign for lack of attention to lawlessness and human carnage were absent at the organisation. His committee was not only starved of the Enugu meeting. That does not demonstrate IXQGV LW RSHUDWHG IRU WZR \HDUV ZLWKRXW DQ RIÀFH seriousness in tackling a major problem.

In the absence of any serious containment measures, To stem the insecurity crisis in the zone, criminals seized the zone by the jugular while others all critical stakeholders must work together. like the so-called Eastern Security Network (ESN) But the ultimate responsibility lies with the spread their campaign of terror under the pretext of federal government that should come out working for the release of the leader of the proscribed with a winning strategy to deal with this ,QGLJHQRXV 3HRSOH RI %LDIUD ,32% 1QDPGL .DQX lingering security crisis. While a combined ,Q WKH SURFHVV WKH HQWLUH ÀYH VWDWHV LQ WKH ]RQH ZHUH technique of intelligence and law enforcement may converted into a human abattoir. And in one of the most help in containing the resurgence of criminality, it is also callous murder incidents last May, a pregnant woman perhaps appropriate, like the governors suggested, to was killed in cold blood together with her four children look beyond the legal to the political in resolving the DW ,VXOR LQ 2UXPED 1RUWK ORFDO JRYHUQPHQW DUHD RI 1QDPGL .DQX FRQXQGUXP %XW WKH UHVROXWLRQ WR PRXQW Anambra State. That bestial killing nearly exposed our SDWUROV LQ WKH ]RQH ZLWKRXW D XQLÀHG HQIRUFHPHQW RXWÀW national delicate fault lines. may end up placing freelance state authorised criminal Today, socio-economic activities in the Southeast are enforcers on the highways.

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LETTERS

JUST DESSERTS FOR OIL THIEVES

In 1956, four years before the shackles of colonialism snapped off the wrists of Africa`s biggest democracy, a fortuitous discovery in the unassuming soil of the sleepy town of 2ORLELUL %D\HOVD 6WDWH DOPRVW ZHQW XQQRWLFHG Many years later, the black gold, discovered in VWDJJHULQJ TXDQWLWLHV LQ 2ORLELUL DQG PXFK RI WKH Niger Delta has come to define the economy and economic destiny of Nigeria. In many ways, it has also come to line its wounds, giving visible signs to the tension that have run its fragile diversity.

As the years have gone by, while oil has brought dollars-soaked prosperity to Nigeria, other vital sectors of the economy have been criminally neglected just as the table on which corruption has fed fat on the misery of Nigeria and Nigerians has been polished with oil.

At the center of the canvass so horribly cast in the heartbreaking struggles of the Giant of Africa to get its act together are oil thieves and those who enable them. In this wise,

recent statistics indeed make the blood run cold. Nigeria is said to be losing as much as $40 million daily to oil thieves.

The thieves as shameless as they are in the barefaced banditry perpetrated against Nigeria`s oil wealth are said to include government officials, security personnel, expatriates and others who play prominent roles in the Nigerian society.

Maybe, it is because many powerful fingers in Nigeria are stained with stolen oil that the government of President Muhammadu Buhari is finding it so difficult to curb the menace.

Recently, a forum of former foreign affairs ministers and diplomats under the aegis of the Academy of International Affairs challenged President Buhari to set up a judicial board of inquiry to address the root cause of crude oil theft and fuel subsidy scandal.

In what was a prescription to what

remains a heinous headache for Nigeria, the forum also berated the award of the multibillion dollar pipeline surveillance contract recently made to Tantilla Security Services Limited which is a private security company owned by former leader of the Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta, Government Ekpemupolo(a.k.a. Tompolo).

6SHFLÀFDOO\ WKH IRUXP QRWHG WKDW LW ZDV D vain exercise to ask some of the chief suspects in the oil theft business to go in search of illegal pipelines and oil criminals.

The menace which continues to defy many solutions clearly calls for the constitution of a judicial panel of inquiry which would unravel the root causes of oil theft, the major suspects, as well as make far-reaching recommendations that must be implemented if this costly business is to be conclusively curbed in the interest of the most vulnerable Nigerians.

But, is the government ready to go in all hard? This is highly doubtful because for the government to do that may mean exposing some powerful figures who serve within it. The reluctance is not difficult to understand.

Indeed, it has been long rumoured that the government knows many of those who have their hands in Nigeria`s oil. Yet, it has done next to nothing to expose them to the pains of prosecution and public opprobrium.

Who is to tell that some of the proceeds of oil theft are not being used to sponsor terrorism which is tearing many rural communities in Nigeria to shreds, and driving many innocent families over the edge?

Therearemanyquestionsandonlyveryanswers.

A judicial panel of inquiry will no doubt help Nigeria plumb the depths of those questions and ferret out answers.

Kene Obiezu, @kenobiezu

A

WEEKLY PULL-OUT

6.11.2022

MARK OSA IGIEHON

COMMITTED TO NATION-BUILDING From his foray into the oil and gas sector, to his remarkable feat on the pulpit and now his movement towards nation-building and good governance, Dr. Mark Osa Igiehon, founder, Success of Nation and Governments and consultant to oil industry under Aberdeen Commercial Strategist Solution is constantly on the move. He told Funke Olaode his vision and mission to ensure that Nigeria becomes a prosperous nation.

ASSISTANT EDITOR OLUFUNKE OLAODE/victoria.olaode@thisdaylive.com.

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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 6, 2022

COVER My Vision and Mission is to See Nigeria Embrace Good Governance, Become a Prosperous Nation

Igiehon

“T

he non-challant attitude of the youth worries me. The non-participation of religious leaders in governance gives me sleeplessness at night with the popular mantra that ‘politics is a dirty game’. But if the righteous don’t get involved, who will?” he asked rhetorically.

From all indications, he is burdened.

The last seven years have seen him stepping out of his comfort zone with a clear mission.

His initial desire is to get the youths across the continent minds’ retrained on integrity, uprightness and accountability, and above all to seek leadership roles. He is already achieving that through his Success in Nations and Governments (SONG), a non-governmental organisation. And his second mission is how to get religious leaders involved and governance by denouncing the notion that ‘politics is a dirty game’.

For close to two decades, he reigned supreme in the oil industry, Shell Petroleum to be precise and even served in both the Nigeria and Scotland office before he left to pursue

another calling on the pulpit as Pastor in the RCCG City of God, Aberdeen, Scotland. Fastforward to 2022, he is on a nation-building through his movement tagged Disciplining People for Good Governance. Dr. Mark OSA Igiehon, Founder, Success of Nation and Governments (SONG) and Consultant to oil industry under Aberdeen Commercial Strategist Solution said his vision and mission to ensure that Nigeria becomes a prosperous nation.

No doubt, there is a connection between his past, present and the projected future. “My childhood in the city of Benin in Edo State was fantastic,” he recalled. “I did my primary and secondary school there and university in the same state. It was called Bendel State University and we were the second set then before the school was renamed Ambrose Alli. This was between 1982 to1986. From there I went to law school in Lagos, did my mandatory one year service in Ibadan before heading to Kano where I practiced for many years with a friend called Mustafa Wali. We did a lot of litigation and corporate work. It was very fascinating living in Kano, I made a lot of friends and I was also seeing how the

culture was. And Kano then was very lovely.

I don’t know how it is now because I have not been there for many years. It was a very interesting place for me.”

For Igiehon, Nigeria was promising and they couldn’t have wished for a better place.

“I had a promising future in Nigeria and my going abroad was for self-development academic wise. I went to London to do my Masters. At that time I just wanted to do my master’s and come back. Part of what I did in my masters was oil commissioning, and oil and gas installation. When all these oil and gas installations are finished, what do you do with it? I asked myself. It becomes a big problem for many of the countries because of a lot of waste and destruction. This was what took me to Southampton Solent University where I did a PhD in oil and gas. After my doctorate degree, I returned to Nigeria and practiced law for sometime before Shell invited me to come and work because I didn’t apply. So, I went to work with Shell in Warri. I was in Warri from 1996 to 1999. Warri was then very peaceful until the crisis erupted.”

He was later posted to Port Harcourt, and in 2003, redeployed to its Aberdeen office in Scotland.

“I was raised Baptist as a young man in Benin. But my way to the pulpit began in Port Harcourt where I was made a Minister in the Redeemed Christian Church of God. I was ordained in 1999 and later became a Pastor of a church in one of the Redeemed churches. I continued the mission work in Aberdeen and I am currently a pastor RCCG City of God.” In 2013, Igiehon was invited as a presiding Pastor of RCCG, City of God, Aberdeen to offer prayers at the opening of Edinburgh Parliament Session. A successful technocrat, an accomplished disciple of God, he had experienced a better Nigeria and his desire to see a better future constantly draws him or rather reminds him of Nigeria of ‘old’.

“I will always take you back to my early years when Nigeria was everything we had. Benin City was so beautiful then. We didn’t have light problems, water and all of these things. We had light, we had water.

I remember the tap used to come from the Water Corporation. So, sometimes when it is blocked, we go to a pipe near the road to unblock it and sometimes you call the plumber. I remember we had a phone in our house and they were working. And life was so sweet. And remember during holidays at the Benin Library, every Saturday was a children’s day. They would show free movies, all the Tom and Jerry’s, and for most of the children, they would go there on Saturdays, and everybody would come together. Even when we went to university, everything was still okay for the first one year or so. We used to pay 50 kobo for three course meals, on Sunday they give you three courses, chicken, and other meals. So, it is a mystery how things are now.”

With the success of SONG, why is the latest movement tagged ‘Disciplining for Good Governance?’

He explained: “I was travelling from Port Harcourt to Benin in those days and when we got to Yenagoa junction, I switched on the radio. And that was when the law for 13% derivation for oil states was just passed under Obasanjo’s regime, which gave 13% to oil producing states. So, they asked one of the governors of South-south what he is going to do with the money. The man laughed a long laugh and said if they give me all the money in Abuja, it is not enough to do what I want to do.

He couldn’t mention one thing.

“That’s my story, that the problem we have in Africa is not just corruption. In fact most people who are in leadership have no clue.

They have no idea. They have no vision. He said, if you give me all the money in Abuja, it is not enough for me but he couldn’t mention one thing. That is when it just dropped in my spirit. They have not prepared for what they are going to do there. So, that has been the motivation over the years.”

The next motivation was to explore the kingdom and inspire Christians to embrace politics manifested while he was invited to preach at a Special Programme in Lagos.

“But I don’t have the people to use. I am not going to come down to become governor. I am not going to become a senator.”

A Pan-African movement began in 2016 and was launched in Aberdeen attracting people from all over Europe and Africa.

“What we do is that we want to see how collectively those who are outside and inside government can help our nation to be more successful because the problem concerns all Africa is not just here. Our Zimbabwean brother

and sisters they are complaining. It is all the same pattern everywhere. As far as they are concerned, Nigeria is the first born of the black race. If Nigeria is not getting it right, what hope is there for the others? Some countries are doing very well. Rwanda, Ghana, but largely speaking, the rest is bad.

“What the movement is doing is to create the platform for all of us who are not in government and those in diaspora. How can you move from complaining? So one of the mottos we have is, stop complaining, stop agonizing, and start organising because no matter how you and I murmur, we talk, we debate, and it doesn’t change anything. So we have to start organising, so we are giving the platform for those who are interested in governance in Africa. There are lot of nonAfricans who have passion about Nigerian, or to ask Nigerian and African, how can they contribute without being physically in government?

“So, we are creasing that platform for them, the collaboration platform. That is what one of the things SONG is doing. With the latest movement of ‘Disciplining People for Governance’ we are focusing on churches and faith organizations. One of the biggest advantages we have is that Africa is largely whether you are Christian or non-Christian, people are people of faith, generally. People always talk about prayer and prayer. Yes, it is true. But it is not just enough to pray. We need to organize leaders on how to organize and impact government to be more successful.

There is a principle called, disciplining people for governance so that when people move into government, they can do well.”

Igiehon’s impact is already being felt across Africa. “We have done it in Nairobi, by the grace of God and in that election, it was so successful. What we are now trying to do is to knock on the churches to say, we are not asking for money, we just want to train you, so that you will know how to train others. So there will be training on leadership, the pastors, and the clergy to know how to disciple people for governance. Then how to hold them accountable. And not only that to also orientate people that you can be a pastor or Christian and still be a successful politician.

And above all, they must have vision.”

In the next five months, Nigeria will be going to the polls. But Igiehon is not interested in politics so as to contest. His role is to influence those who are going to contest for various offices through various enlightenment programmes of accountability and good governance.

“If half of them have a clue of what they want to do, then we are in a better place. So, that is the interest. I have to see how we can influence them. The other thing we are doing as well, which we are about to launch this October is called the blueprint programme in Nigeria and Africa. When I was growing up in the days of Gowon, we used to have what they call ‘Rolling Plan.’

“So what we are doing with the Blueprint is to encourage Nigerians, Africans, both here and in diaspora. Instead of complaining and grumbling, why don’t we take responsibility, call the experts and say, you go ahead, just develop the blueprints for each of the sectors they are interested in. Nigeria, for example, develop a blueprint for the country. So that way, we have those blueprints ready. Then those who want to go into government, even if they don’t have a clue, we call them and say ‘Bros, even if you don’t have the idea, this is an idea.’ So, everybody will see the idea. So you force them to make a change. Those are part of what we are working on. that is what we want to do this time, we want to help to train the people, we want to help to bring visionary and we want to force those who are going there, that this time they won’t just go there and it will be the same as usual. These are the things that they will have no choice but to do.

And on the type of President Nigeria should get come 2023? “I pray for good leadership.

If we don’t get it right next year that is the end of Nigeria. Nigeria is nearly knocking its engine because you can’t survive three bad governments and another one. So, we have to get the right person and the right people.”

Igiehon is a pastor at one of the biggest churches in the United Kingdom yet he remains humble.

“My faith in God has been my guiding principle. I believe every achievement that God gives to us is a platform. So, everything about me is about the kingdom of God. You focus more on not what you have achieved, but what is still ahead. When you realize how much there is still to be done, then there is no need to be proud.”

T H I S D AY, T H E S U N D AY N E W S PA P E R NOVEMBER 6, 2022

48

HighLife Rotimi Amaechi in Silent Mode

Amaechi

War may be exciting for outsiders but only those that took part in it can tell the horror of their experience and the easy attitude of irritability that accompanies it.

Such is the case for the category of individuals that suffered defeat during the presidential primaries conducted by the different political parties in Nigeria. Such individuals from the camp of the All Progressives Congress (APC) are a case in point, and Rotimi Amaechi’s case is particularly instructive.

One has to give kudos to Amaechi for his wonderful performance during the APC primary. Even though Bola Tinubu eventually emerged as the winner of the show, Amaechi came second.

That in itself came as a surprise considering that there were even more popular aspirants in the ring with Tinubu and Amaechi.

However, since coming second, things have seemingly stood still for the former Transport Minister. One would think that Amaechi has packed his bags and relocated elsewhere if not for the occasional song of ridicule from his opponents, especially a particularly prominent individual in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) who shares the same state of origin as Amaechi.

To be sure, Amaechi is not one to take losses lightly. Almost immediately after the primary, Amaechi was among those that hinted at several political misconducts during the electoral exercise. He is one of the strongest voices assenting to the claim that many of the party delegates had been bribed with large wads of dollars so they could betray their conscience and their original intentions.

However, ever since hinting at this regretful affair, Amaechi has gone quiet. From an outsider’s perspective, Amaechi has taken a much-deserved break and may not say a word until the 2023 presidential election is upon us. And whatever he says would likely blow up stuff because that is just who Amaechi has shown himself to be, a strong and tenacious person. In the meantime, it is a silent mode for him.

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

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

Iluyomade, Sanwo-Olu, Others Dazzle at 14th Arise Women Conference Guests who attended the 14th Arise Women Conference in Lagos which was held recently are still savouring the experience.

This time, the convener of the conference, Siju Iluyomade, as well as her good friend, Lagos First Lady. Ibijoke Sanwo-Olu, went all out to get the best people to attend. Apart from the most distinguished guests, there were more than 20,000 people in attendance, so the conference had to be spread across different venues: the New Trinity Towers, City of David Sanctuary, Havilah, and The Incubator.

During the event, Iluyomade made sure to hammer in the facts of women’s role in national development. She explained that a society that discriminated against women’s leadership was a society that stayed at the bottom of modern civilization. She also noted that every kind of inequality, but especially gender inequality, was a sign that things are bad and getting worse. As such, she advised the women in attendance to stop folding their hands and rise to the challenge, contributing to the growth and development of Nigeria and securing the future of their children.

Among the distinguished guests at the event, the Deputy Governor of Lagos State, Obafemi Hamzat, was the most distinguished.

During his address, he commended the awesome exploits of the women on stage and asked that they keep up the good work. He

Mr and Mrs Osahon Okunbo

Iluyomade

Sanwo-Olu

also enjoined them to help strengthen the pillars of the nation, that is, children and the elderly, so that the past is not lost and the future remains secure.

Several other distinguished individuals raised the cry for more women’s participation in politics. These include the former First Lady of Nasarawa State, Mairo Al-Makura; the Vice

Chancellor-designate of the University of Lagos, Professor Folashade Ogunsola; Director General of Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NiDCOM), Abike Dabiri-Erewa; Pastor Abimbola Ekwueme; and the National Director/CEO of Sickle Cell Foundation, Annette Akinsete; to name a few.

Strong life will almost certainly give birth to strong life, and greatness is bound to come from greatness. This is just as true for the son of the late Captain Hosa Wells Okunbo, Osahon Okunbo. Since the passing away of his father, Osahon has had to adjust to the new realities of life. But sunshine is known to accompany even the harshest rain clouds. In the same way, the passing of Osahon’s father came with a boon that greatly assisted the celebration of his 35th birthday a few days ago.

There is no doubting the fact that Osahon has come into new life and new money.

According to reports, he inherited a large fraction of the wealth of his father. Although very few individuals are aware of the exact magnitude of this fortune, it is a known fact that Osahon is a magnanimous person, so it did not take much to understand that his affluence had become a tiger with wings. Thus, the celebration of his 35th birthday and the sheer display of opulence left very little to the imagination.

Osahon’s 35th birthday was well-attended by some of the pillars and porters of influence and affluence in Lagos. Tagged #5years to 40, the birthday celebration brought Osahon to the limelight once more, reminding onlookers that he was no longer a greenhorn to the high society of Lagos but a strapping young man, money-wise, and someone on his way to the top.

Osahon is an experienced business analyst with top project management credentials. He rose to prominence at Ocean Marine Solutions and became Lead Project Manager after just two years. Due to his incredible talents which marked him as the son of the late Captain Okunbo, he was able to further distinguish himself, and now has Integrated Energy Distribution and Marketing Limited and Ibadan Electricity Distribution Company as clients.

It is only a matter of time before the apex of Nigeria’s corporate world becomes his new playground.

Folusho Ogunwale: Cashing out with Chain of Gyms in Nigeria Regardless of the time and place, there will always be individuals who shake things up.

According to legendary entrepreneur Steve Jobs, these people are square pegs in round holes. Without a question and considering his many recent business adventures, Folusho Ogunwale, the CEO and founder of iFitness, is one such peg. His trade and doings are so distinctive in Nigeria that his methods have reached textbooks and are inspiring loads of gyms and wellness centres across the country.

To understand someone like Ogunwale, one must see beyond the for-immediate-profit business model that traditional entrepreneurs are using in Nigeria. When Ogunwale climbed the stage of business investments and operations in Nigeria, he did it to address issues and was thus successful at every turn.

Unsurprisingly, his success at iFitness has remained a high bar for those following after him.

Ogunwale started iFitness in 2015 to help Nigerians improve their health via deliberate

Ogunwale

and coordinated exercise. According to reports, Ogunwale took this matter upon himself after losing a brother to diabetes and heart disease.

The first iFitness gym was only 150 square meters in size with as little funding as one can imagine. But things are different now with an anticipated 40 locations in Nigeria and across Africa.

According to recent reports, Ogunwale has his eyes on breaking a record and that is why he has decided to initiate the first cross-border venture in the form of a gym to be situated in Accra, Ghana. And Ogunwale dares to do this because he has dominated the Nigerian market with gyms all over the place.

Ogunwale will undoubtedly climb up in the ranking of young Nigerian wealthy businesspeople in the coming months. Once he fleshes his plans to have iFitness centres in Lagos, Abuja, Port Harcourt, and other major Nigerian cities, he will cash out duly and legally.

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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 NOVEMBER 6, 2022

HIGHLIFE

Sanwo-Olu’s Massive Support for Tinubu The 2023 presidential election is almost upon us and most of the preparations from as far back as three years ago are starting to see the light of day. Many individuals are showing their true colours as they gather around their preferred candidates. For Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu of Lagos state, there is no better candidate for the mantle of President Muhammadu Buhari than his godfather, Bola Tinubu. And Sanwo-Olu is going out of his way to demonstrate this.

Although there are many candidates in the ring for the Nigerian presidential robe, there are only three that count as having a grand momentum. Among these, Tinubu can be considered the one with the most robust and loyal connections. It is no secret that many people in high positions today were only able to reach such heights because Tinubu spoke a word in their favour. Therefore, they owe him and are grateful to him. This is a good time to wash their consciences clean of that favour.

Sanwo-Olu is no different, although his situation is a bit special. Without question, Tinubu contributed a great deal to Sanwo-Olu’s procurement of the gubernatorial seat he occupies today, having appropriated it from Akinwunmi Ambode. Thus, SanwoOlu has always stood by Tinubu and continues to.

Therefore, in preparation for the 2023 presidential election, very few individuals are running around with as much zeal as Sanwo-Olu. From every indication, he is prepared to gather as many votes for Tinubu as humanly possible. And this is not overly difficult in Lagos where Sanwo-Olu is doing a very good job of ensuring that the demands of the people are met.

So, unless some unforeseen circumstance rattles the stage, Sanwo-Olu’s continued efforts in support of Tinubu’s campaign will likely win the latter the heart of Lagosians. In that case, Tinubu would have obtained the votes of the people of the most populated business city in the country.

Tinubu

Adebiyi Adesina’s Unique Motors Top the List of World Cup Tour Campaign Sponsors

Adebiyi.

Bravery and courage are undoubtedly two marbles that a true expert requires to conquer the world. Adebiyi Adesina and his team of focused business operatives are currently doing their best not to be swept away by the deluge of cheers and felicitations from Nigerians at home and those abroad.

Adesina and his Unique Motors are gradually moving into high ranks with world-tier companies. The most recent evidence of this is the preparation for the Inside Qatar World Cup Tour campaign.

This campaign was organized by Peel Aston Global and is meant to help Nigerians experience the World Cup of tournaments to be held in Qatar, the East Arabian country that is hosting the event.

According to reports of the preparations for the flag-off of the different tournaments, different sponsors are being unveiled.

Adesina’s Unique Motors is one such sponsor and the glory of this sponsorship is such that it will allow Adesina to take his company to see a bigger world and a better

arena for conducting business.

From the reports of Adesina’s conquest, the Inside Qatar World Cup Tour campaign will start at Good Beach, Lagos, with a beach football tournament.

To spice things up a bit, Infinix Nigeria has handed out cash prizes and many other gift items to be won during the tournament. And afterwards, there will be a party to celebrate the Inside Qatar World Cup Tour Campaign kickoff.

Adesina’s Unique Motors is among the handful of companies that have been afforded the opportunity to be sponsors of the event. Others include Heritage Bank, Hyundai Motors, EcoFrost Security, and many others. Based on the prestige of this crowd, one can automatically tell that Unique Motors has started to play with the big boys.

Truly, amazing things are set for Adesina and his team, as well as Unique Motors. One can only imagine what great plans the man has for his beloved company.

Tobi Adegboyega Cancels Birthday Concert over Death of Davido’s Son No matter how big a person gets, there will always be weak points that can easily deflate them. This is the case for the well-known pastor and founder of London-based Salvation Proclaimers Anointed Church (SPAC Nation), Tobi Adegboyega.

Recently, he posted a video where he explained that he has cancelled the concert that was to be held in honour of his birthday. According to him, the decision was to honour Ifeanyi, the recently deceased son of popular Afrobeats singer, Davido.

The hearts of many onlookers were recently warmed when Adegboyega announced to the public that he will not be holding his 2022 birthday concert anymore. The event which was originally set for November 11 has now been cancelled. While a bit surprising, Adegboyega’s decision was not unexpected due to his close ties with Davido. Thus, because the latter’s son recently passed away after a drowning incident, the cancellation

Adegboyega

of Adegboyega’s birthday concert has proved once again that the Londonbased pastor is a compassionate person.

Stories of Adegboyega’s adventures abound on the internet. Despite being the pastor of a Pentecostal church, no

one can accuse Adegboyega of being modest in his affairs. From his bearing to his associations, one might think that Adegboyega is a public figure rather than someone called by God to shepherd the souls of His people.

As a result of all the flashiness and his accommodation of all kinds of people, Adegboyega has been slammed time and again for being an impostor.

There are few individuals as close to Adegboyega as Davido. Even the singer’s fiancé has gotten gifts from the pastor before. Thus, one can accuse Adegboyega of not being able to stick to the traditions of his office, but there is nothing negative to say about his recent concession and decision to cancel his birthday concert over the tragedy that befell his friend. As he said, it is a sad time for everybody involved, so going ahead with his concert at this time would be inconsistent with his friendship with Davido.

The Lion of Niger Delta Who Bounced Back History will always be a jumble of diaries, some of which can be traced back to winners and others to losers. However, the diaries of the winners will always be at the top of the stack, mandating dedicated historians to dive a bit deeper to find the truth. Popular activist and former militant commander of the Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND), Government Oweizide Ekpemupolo (Tompolo for short) is back. So, it is time for history keepers to use their erasers and start writing once again.

These are happy times for Tompolo, the Lion of the Niger Delta. Not long ago, President Muhammadu Buhari had Tompolo involved in a profitable contract to help supervise pipelines in the Delta region. Seeing it as evidence of the president’s trust in him, Tompolo has done the needful and has begun reaping the praises of his peers and superiors.

The best and most recent evidence of Tompolo’s dedication to the duty placed on him by the government relates to his discovery of more than illegal points in Delta and Bayelsa states where crude oil is being stolen. Through the efforts of Tompolo and his people, lots and lots of crude oil that had been secured in a tanker and were being transported out of Delta was seized and taken in. Thanks to the effort of Tompolo, the intended harm that would have been caused to the dreams and aspirations of Nigerians through the oil theft has been averted.

There is no doubt that Tompolo’s days of charisma and charm are slowly coming back.

Gone are the days when arrest warrants were prepared even before he made an entrance anywhere. Yes, there are a thousand and one ways of doing something. However, one must admit that Tompolo is more than capable of using these ways, whether they are hard or soft. No wonder he is referred to as the Lion of the Niger Delta.

Tompolo

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LOUD WHISPERS

with JOSEPH EDGAR (09095325791)

Kashim Shettima is as Lethal as They Come Last week, I unveiled four terrorists on these pages: Nyesom Wike, Femi Fani-Kayode, Fetus Keyamo and Dino Malaye. It seems I missed the most dangerous, Mr. Kashim Shettima. I do not know why I missed him out because he is as acerbic as they come.

Did you read how he took out the great Atiku Abubakar during the week? Mbok, the yabis was just too much o. Kai! He said that APC will send Atiku to retirement in Dubai and also said his qualifications were of the ‘wole wole’ variant.

For those of you who were not brought up in Shomolu, ‘wole wole’

na another term for ‘agbe kpo’ – night soil man o. Kai! Night soil men were very mysterious because their jobs entailed carrying ‘shit’.

They used to dress like Marvel super heroes, covering their face and using the shit clad broom to scare away people who laughed at them.

Now Shettima left his principal’s own dubious qualifications which, from what we have heard, may not even qualify him for this noble work, to come and tear Atiku’s own into pieces.

Of course, the PDP replied by saying that the man is deranged. Mbok, this yabis sha enter. I really could

not help but laugh at Atiku. That one sef, I really do not know why he is leaving Dubai to come and be distracting us here with a long winding presidential ambition.

Truth to be told, what exactly does Atiku have to offer? Shebi wicked Shettima has told us that the man is not an Abraham Lincoln and as such he should just let us be.

This Shettima should be watched very closely o. His mouth is like that of Wike even though he still has some levels to go before he reaches them Fani-Kayode level, he is still as lethal as they come though. Kai!

TINUBU’S MASTERSTROKE ‘TECH’ PRESENTATION Love him or loathe him, what you cannot deny is his strategic approach to politics. See, the man get sense too much.

He once said that the Presidency is not a 100 meters race but that of brains and the man gets a better brain for that him bald head.

See, it is not who can ‘nack’ or who can run a marathon, it is the man that has the brains to bring together a credible team that would take us out of the doldrums. This is why I think during his last presentation to the Lagos business community, he sat there and allowed better people to speak.

Bringing the founder of Flutterwave, the first and biggest unicorn in the fintech space with trillions of Naira in revenues to make a presentation was simply a masterstroke. You see why some people will die for BAT. Instead of him going to talk his usual crap, he brought in the tech genius to talk about his proposed tech policy.

Mbok, even me siddon here dey hail am for that. The Flutterwave guy gave a very good presentation and threw in a lot of confidence into the system.

If BAT had made the presentation himself, apart from his usual – from worse to bad- gaffes, we would all be distracted with his k-legs, his lean frame and all the ‘ibon’ he will be blowing that the whole thing will be meaningless.

If there is anything you can say about

him, it is his ability to not only build a team but make the team work. He is the greatest when it comes to that and this Flutterwave thingy, shows that an Asiwaju Presidency would see the bringing together of Nigeria’s brightest and most intelligent. Brilliant move.

In any case, the surgeon general of Shomolu has warned that the above comment by the Duke of Shomolu is not an endorsement of the Asiwaju presidential project but mere musings from an idle and hungry Duke.

WHEN AN ELDER LIKE TY DANJUMA KEEPS TALKING I am so sorry for not saying anything about this when it happened. Please make una no vex, distraction is everywhere. It was Duchess’ 50th and you will agree with me that running around and looking for money to deliver a stress-free ‘owambe’ party complete with no side chicks for a Yoruba woman is enough to make you forget about very important things.

Lt-General T.Y. Danjuma (rtd) has a coloured history in this country as he oscillates from hero to villain to hero and back to villain. In all of these transfigurations, me just dey look am with one eye. The man has respect no doubt- hero or villain. You will disrespect him at your own peril.

Following the daily decimation of Nigerians by terrorists, the retired general had said we should all go arm

ourselves and fight back. That advice is funny, because the landlord will move against the tenant, the wife will move against the side chick and anybody wey near Wike will hear word.

But the enormity of the whole thing, the wickedness of it all and the seeming lack of care that the authorities continue to show has made Baba come back again with his advice and warning.

He was reported to have said that we should all go and seek the source of these weapons and arm ourselves.

If we follow this prescription, it will herald the kind of carnage that was ever foretold but then again when we are living in an era in which more Nigerians have lost their lives since the civil war, it leads to this kind of frustration.

People are dying daily and needlessly.

People are losing friends and families, dead bodies litter everywhere and I dare say, there is no Nigerian family that has not witnessed or felt the gruesomeness of these killings, maiming and kidnapping.

All these making the advice of the kind General to be looking very imperative.

Na wa. We are now in a very tight situation – a catch-22 situation.

If we don’t do anything, we continue to die and if we arm ourselves, we die more. Oh Lord!!!.

Tinubu

Danjuma

WE WANT SUBSIDY ON CONDOMS Inflation is on a gallop and the

Gumi

Shettima

president is also on a global gallop.

As the Naira fell to an all-time low hitting the N800 mark, it was announced that our dearly beloved president was on his way for another medical checkup.

A bag of rice is now N45,000. As if that one is not enough, a pack of condoms is now above N2,000. We can understand the rice going up and all other items going up but condoms? This one touch me o. I cannot even pretend again. When people have been shouting at how prices have been going up, me I have just been looking at them.

At the start of our career, we used to buy condoms for N20 and when it got to N500 we didn’t mind because income was jumping at a higher pace.

Today we are seeing condoms at N2,000 a pack and still going up. Can you even see a correlation between the prices of condoms and the increasing rate of HIV in the country especially in Lagos?

This our National Assembly who are not looking focused will now be summoning jobless people to come and be defending budgets.

Abeg, what would you expect Lai Mohammed to come and talk when valuable time could be spent in seeing how they can assist Nigerians in holding down the price of condoms?

In the light of this situation, I want

Oshiomhole

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LOUD WHISPERS to humbly request that a state of emergency be declared on the price of condoms, while a subsidy be placed so that condoms will be easily affordable and within the reach of all Nigerians.

This should be our focus. Thank you.

AKINTOYE AKINDELE: A UNITING ECONOMIC AGENT

SHEIKH AHMAD GUMI, IS SOMETHING THE MATTER? In all of this, no agency of government has ever called in the respected Sheikh to ask him one or two questions.

The highly revered cleric seems to understand the ecosystem better than both sides. Be like say, he understands the economics of terrorism even more than the terrorists and even the authorities.

His reported position that the kidnappers will now be asking for dollars with the redesigning of the naira shows an uncanny brilliance when it comes to the economic rudiments of kidnapping and terrorism.

So why the authorities have not sought his services as a consultant in this fight is really very confusing. The understanding is there, the network is there, the confidence is there and the readiness on his part to work for a solution is there. So why we are not even seeing a push towards getting him involved in this fight is really confusing me o.

One would have thought that any serious push towards solving this problem would be to get him in and use him as an arrowhead in whatever strategy the government would like to deploy in solving this debilitating problem.

But in a country where, if they steal your car and you rush to police, na you dem will first catch, what else can you expect.

If I were the Inspector General of Police or the defence chief, General Lucky Irabor, Sheikh Gumi would be the first person I am pulling in but then again, who am I but a very humble Duke of Shomolu who is being seriously disturbed by the price of condoms. Na wa for our country. It’s a long drive to uhuru, I tell you.

ADAMS OSHIOMHOLE’S FUNNY TURNAROUND Did any of you see the recent report ascribed to this bald-headed relic? He is now shouting that fuel subsidy is a fraud and that some people are just using it to steal. See this man o. It is just that someone cannot start to be calling him ‘mumu’ on the pages of a national newspaper, otherwise I for call am ‘mumu’. I will not do that.

Is this not the same Oshiomhole that used to lead protests and be shouting, ‘We no go gree’ and he will hold the country to ransom simply because he didn’t want the government to remove the subsidy? This same subsidy o.

Everybody will call him and try to explain the futility in the subsidy. The long-term effect on the economy and all that, but then he will wear khaki trousers and singlet and be singing protest songs and be running from Maryland to Oyingbo to scatter the whole thing.

Today he is now crying wolf. He was reported to have said that when he was fighting Obasanjo that the subsidy was N20 billion, now it is running into trillions and that it is not possible for us to spend that kind of money on subsidy.

One cannot knock an old man, otherwise when next I see him, I will take permission from his very beautiful young wife and give him a very good knock. I tell you.

Our main problem in this country is throwing up leaders with no long term view to governance. Oshiomhole, a tailor with limited education thrown into a position of complex economics and allowed to have a driver’s seat on issues with massive long term impact. Issues that he knows nothing about. Even if you find yourself in such a position, you will not better yourself or even look and listen for better advice but you will be running around with pig head taking and holding positions very proudly and arrogantly over things you really know nothing about.

Akindele

He is always so passionate, his energy resonating all over the room making you giddy with excitement. During the week, I went to see one of my favourite Nigerians. I swear Dr is much more passionate.

“Edgar, the Energy Park we just launched in Edo is amazing and do you know what excites me the most about it,” he said. “It is the fact that I am a south westerner doing this massive project in Edo state and the state government comes for inspection and offers massive support including infrastructural support and he is in the opposing party- PDP and the federal government which is APC is also working together. You see how we can achieve a lot if we put our differences apart and work together.”

“Edgar,” he screamed, “the government at both levels have been very powerful on this project. We would have not succeeded if the federal government agencies like the content board which is an investor did not give massive technical support. The then DPR and its new This fuel subsidy is the biggest scam in the history of the world. It is the greatest robbery orchestrated by the same people we have continually put in place to protect us. They have stolen us dry and nothing to steal again, they are now stealing the crude from source.

Oshiomhole should be flogged on his bare buttocks and made to walk with a bag of rotten tomatoes on his head for this his latter day revelation. He is the main reason why we are where we are

baby were also magnificent and today we have a park that has a refinery, a condensed gas capacity and many others. With direct employment of about 100 Nigerians and another 1,000 indirectly, the Energy Park is a testimony of Nigeria’s resilience and energy.”

As he spoke, I was just looking at his jeans, asking myself how I will beat him now and collect the jeans. I never see that kind jeans before o. The thing came with graffiti and looked quite expensive.

Then he finished and I shook my head with full comprehension and praying that he did not ask me any question because the jeans no let me hear the last of the treatise.

Dr Akindele remains in my book.

He is one of the most precise Nigerians. He has fearfully engaged the economy in his bid to create jobs and redefine wealth and this is why I really do admire him. Mbok, how will I collect that pair of jeans now? Na my own be that o. today on this matter. Simple.

ADIGUN AGBAJE AND KIDNAPPER’S FOLLY ASUU has just called-off a-ninemonth-old strike and the President of the association has come out to shout that they don’t have transport fare to go to work and then some people now go and kidnap the lecturer and are asking for N50 million as ransom.

Some things are kind of funny. I am

so sorry because the situation does not allow for laughter. Prof Agbaje is one of Nigeria’s experts in Political Science. He taught me at the University of Ibadan. Well respected and prudish in comportment. I remember him in his simple Ankara. Very frugal in disposition and not in the least interested in the ostentatiousness that is life for some of us.

That is the person that you are kidnapping and asking for N50 million.

The only thing that could be done was for a crowdfunding thing to be set up.

His students both old and new and colleagues started contributing money o.

From the kinds of monies, I was hearing that were being contributed it was looking like Prof would most likely be in that place till Jesus comes back o.

Thankfully, he was surprisingly released the next day and issued a statement thanking all his community but asked us to pray for the victims he left behind.

Kidnapping is now very rampant and fearful. Nobody is safe. The country is just a whole land of insecurity. Scary.

I thank God for Prof’s safe return and like he has asked, my prayers are for all victims of kidnap all over the country and still in captivity. May the Lord protect them and ensure their safe return to their loved ones. Fearful.

AFENIFERE: ENTER THE DRAGON Maybe I am wrong o, but do we see any electoral value with this prehistoric grouping? These ones have passed their sell by date so long ago that one could be excused if I had to rush to the history books to really find out who exactly they are.

Now instead of them to relax and enjoy this their momentary shine under the sun, they are now fighting. They have brought out their brownish teeth to be fighting and causing the same confusion that pushed them to the point of seeming irrelevance. The only vibrant leader -Pa Adebanjo is now being disparaged by one side of the team.

Adebanjo had endorsed Mr. Peter Obi initially and now for whatever reason, the Pa Fasoranti side is saying no that it is Asiwaju that they are endorsing. The truth is that no matter who they endorse, I do not see a correlation with electoral results hence my lack of understanding of this fight of the walking sticks and dentures.

Pa Fasoranti was said to have stepped aside and appointed Adebanjo the acting leader. Now someone has gone to the old people’s home where he was relaxing with a game of ‘ayo’ to bring him out to endorse his ‘childhood friend’ who is running on the APC platform.

Afenifere in my estimation is a relic of our recent past. They did so well for us during the June 12 matter and will continue to receive our gratitude and thanks, but things are different now.

They should continue to rest and relax and enjoy the fruits of their labour past and leave this matter alone. Thanks!

BOLAJI ADEWUMI: A RATING TO BEHOLD Bolaji is my brother. He is also the Managing Director at Abbey Mortgage Bank Plc, a-30-year-old mortgage institution. Bolaji is not that old o, na young man with a very beautiful wife. I will give you guys Toyin’s gist soon.

Today, I want to hail Bolaji and his team. Agusto has just rated them triple B. You see, in our markets a rating is very critical because it allows the market to take investing and betting decisions on you. A triple B rating for an institution which just a few years ago was struggling in the swamp of illiquidity and despondency is quite remarkable.

As the year draws to a close, Abbey is looking at reporting about N442.6m PBT in the second quarter and a whopping N7771.5m in Q3.

These are the kinds of things that excites me, especially coming from a very young team who instead of ‘japaing’, are sitting back and doing things. Well done guys at Abbey. Well done.

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Adebayo Adeoye bayoolunla@gmail.com; 08054680651

SOCIETY WATCH

Another Milestone for Femi Otedola

Onyema

Finally! Air Peace Boss, Allen Onyema, Exonerated There is a general notion that most billionaires often come in for a lot of criticism.

Whether justified or not, there are some out there who are doing their best to break the mould. From being socially responsible to giving generously or mentoring startup entrepreneurs, some members of this wealthy class do not see being rich to mean being bad. Thus they open their wings for others to fly. One of these few is billionaire Allen Onyema, Chairman of Air Peace, one of Nigeria’s leading airlines.

While Onyema, a lawyer, understands that some persons could have been in a situation in their lives when they did something good but had a horrible experience in return, he has, however, continued to be a boon to so many struggling entrepreneurs and start-ups who have enjoyed his mentorship and support.

However, for some inexplicable reasons, there have been negative stories in the media about him. Even as these negative reports have gone viral, many who know him for being straightforward and honest argued that there must be a kind of mistake somewhere. His supporters seemed to have been proved right, as he has finally been exonerated.

After three years of investigation involving about five agencies of the American government and subsequent legal fireworks, the District Court in Atlanta, Georgia has finally exonerated Onyema of any business fraud. The court, which discovered that there was no loss against any bank in the indictment suit filed by the Attorney for the Northern District of Georgia ordered a probation and $4000 fine against a former staff of Springfield Aviation Company Inc., Ebony Mayfield on Friday.

A statement by the law firm of Augustine Alegeh & Co., counsel to the airline, explained that Mayfield was an administrative staff of Springfield with limited knowledge in Letter of Credit Transactions, who pleaded guilty to one count in the indictment, presumably as she realised the futility of attempting to explain several Letters of Credit utilised for purchase of aircraft for Air Peace Limited in a jury trial.

Probation, the firm explained, is the lowest possible sentence available under American Federal Law. The firm noted that there have been false and unsubstantiated press stories in Nigeria about the indictment.

“Our clients never took loans or credit from any American Bank and Mayfield was never paid the sum of $20,000 at any time to commit any fraud, as it is being peddled by a section of the Nigerian Press.

“There was no loss of money or any damage whatsoever to any third party. The American government admitted in court that no bank suffered any financial loss in the matter. Mayfield, like other Springfield Aviation Company Inc. staff, was only paid her bi-weekly salary and/or allowances,” it clarified.

How does one describe a man whose life epitomises grace? Better still, how does one celebrate a man who has been a great inspiration and blessing to humanity?

On Friday, November 4, billionaire businessman and Executive Chairman of Geregu Power Plant, Femi Otedola, was again celebrated to high heavens when he turned 60.

For a man who is not a king, but lives a kingly life, commendations and eulogies were literally poured on him by those who had encountered him in life during the birthday celebration.

His life is a challenge to those who were born with the proverbial silver spoon but, out of sheer indiscipline and lack of focus, abused the privilege; and his life is also an inspiration for people from humble backgrounds that they should never entomb their dreams, even in the face of adversity.

While he was growing up, he displayed the traits of a child destined to be great in life. He was precocious to the admiration of all; he had also nursed a beautiful dream to be one of the greatest businessmen in the world. As a son of a former Lagos State governor, the late Sir Michael Otedola, providence has been magnanimous enough to him.

Given this, many would argue that his paths were already laced with roses because of his background. But what many do not know is that he had sowed with sweats.

Of course, you cannot rule out the divine grace in his life, a situation that further attests to his first name: Femi (it literally means God loves me).

Many years after he floated his business, he resolved to pursue his dream on the global stage.

Certain memorable events can only be experienced once in a lifetime. Turning 60 is surely one of such because it is a milestone age that confers dignity on the celebrator.

It was, therefore, not surprising when Titilola Mike-Adenuga, the wife of Globacom Chairman, celebrated her 60th birthday on Saturday, October 29, 2022. She pulled all the stops to host a classy party to mark her grand entry into the diamond club.

Surrounded by her wonderful family, close-knit friends and well-wishers, Adenuga celebrated the landmark age with much glitter, grandeur and glamour. An array of A-list artistes led by Teni The Entertainer and Omawunmi entertained the guests.

Titilola is one of Nigeria’s most celebrated society matriarchs. Over the years, she has come to win the love and adulation of most society ladies. Beyond her great sense of

Though it looked like an impossible task, he was determined to pursue his ambition of ruling the world with unwavering doggedness.

Many would not forget in a hurry his contribution to the nation’s oil and gas with Zenon when he was the dominant force in the diesel business among oil marketing concerns.

Then, he was supplying the fuel used to power generating sets of most Nigerian industries and manufacturing firms.

The world-renowned businessman has always showcased his shrewdness and brilliance. This was evident in the acquisition and turnaround he gave the moribund African Petroleum (AP), which he rechristened Forte Oil. Blessed with a proven magic wand, he successfully re-jigged the company from its former declining state to a flourishing one that became a brand to beat in the sector.

This, as he has reiterated on several occasions, did not come without a sweat. He actually toiled and sweated to put the oil company on a competitive edge today.

Although many expressed grave concern when it was announced that he was quitting the oil sector three years ago. However, those who know him too well insisted that Otedola must have thought it out as many revealed that he is, indeed, a guru in the field. He knows when to invest and when not to. He is an encyclopedia and a cognoscente in the business world. Today, his Geregu is among the leading power plants in the nation’s power sector.

Otedola, also a philanthropist, shattered all

When Globacom Boss’ Wife, Titilola MikeAdenuga, Celebrated 60th Birthday

Adenuga

Otedola

records in charity in Nigeria with a humongous donation of N5 billion to the Save the Children Foundation, in November, 2019.

At the time, this gesture sounded so “unbelievable” to some; and to others, it was just a publicity stunt. One could hardly fault those critics, especially because it was the first time in the history of Nigeria that one person would donate such a humongous amount of money.

Otedola, in giving to the cause of humanity, believes it is far better and more gratifying to make a difference in the lives of the poor.And the simple explanation finds meaning in his abiding philosophy that “God has been so kind to me in life. I feel highly privileged. The only way I can show my gratitude to Him is to use my resources to support those who are underprivileged. This I intend to do for the rest of my life.’’

elevated style, (which is evidently observed in her choice of jewellery and lace fabrics), she is also an embodiment of humility, grace and warmth.

At 60, age has not made her earn a single wrinkle, and neither has it taken away her winsome beauty and cheery outlook on life.

She appreciates this priceless fact, hence her predilection for unabashed modesty and moderation. The style maven lives by the mantra that worrying wastes the body, and it does not empty tomorrow of its sorrow; rather, it empties today of its strength.

A graduate of the Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, she met her billionaire husband, Dr. Mike Adenuga, at the defunct Devcom Merchant Bank over 27 years ago.

Their union is blessed with children.

Kebbi First Lady, Zainab Shinkafi-Bagudu’s Love for Humanity It seems that Dr. Zainab Shinkafi-Bagudu, wife of the Kebbi State Governor, has entered a covenant of sorts with her Creator to dedicate the rest of her life to the service of humanity. If you are in doubt, you will have a rethink when you consider her passion for her foundation, a philosophy buoyed by Anatole France’s words: “Without genuine love towards humanity, there is no love for the motherland.”

The woman of substance has won the hearts of many for her brilliance, intelligence, humility and rare sense of fellow feeling.

Besides, the Kebbi State First Lady has shown evidence of a privileged woman blessed with a heart of gold. It was gathered that her foundation, Medicaid Cancer Foundation, last week, donated a whopping sum of N50 million in support of a cancer health fund for indigent cancer patients and cancer research.

As disclosed, this fund will help to increase access to clinical cancer care services, following diagnosis in Nigeria and advance the quality of cancer care through indigenous scientific research.

It was also hinted that the Medicaid Cancer Foundation, as part of ongoing activities to ‘Close the Cancer Care Gap’, is committing funds to ease the catastrophic effect of cancer on patients and their loved ones in partnership with the Nigerian Cancer Society.

The funds will support the treatment of indigent patients across the country through partner comprehensive cancer treatment facilities. The funds will also support scientific research led by Nigerian scientists to advance the quality of cancer care management in Nigeria and on the African continent.

She disclosed that the growing number of cancer cases across Nigeria and barriers to treatment services gave birth to this partnership.

The treatment of cancer, which includes surgery, radiotherapy, and chemotherapy, is vital to the curative management of most cancers.

However, cancer therapies are grossly inaccessible, limited, or non-existent to most cancer patients in Nigeria due to their high cost.

MCF and NCS are committed to collaboratively

Shinkafi-Bagudu

changing this narrative, prioritising Nigerians with no means of affording the care they desperately need, while also supporting scientific research that will optimize cancer management for sub-Saharan Africans.

One Year After, Family, Friends Remember Late Estate Mogul, Femi Osibona In one of her enduring quotes, American poet, Maya Angelou, said: “A great soul serves everyone all the time. A great soul never dies. It brings us together again and again.”

These words come to mind when you remember the late real estate mogul, Femi Osibona, who died last year.

For a good reason, the late Osibona has continued to live in the hearts of his wife, families as well as business associates.

Today, his family and friends have accepted their fate in good faith and moved on.

Our source revealed that though no special event was held in his honour, many of his friends and associates remembered him in their prayers.

Some, it was gathered, posted some sweet words on social media in his remembrance.

Until he passed on, Osibona scored many firsts in the nation’s real estate sector. His firm,

Late Osibona

Fourscore Homes, is said to be a member of the NHBRC (National Home Builders Registration Council) in South Africa and the Zurich

Building Guarantee in Europe.

Fourscore Homes specialises in the building of choice properties in different parts of the world.

Osibona also exhibited his expertise in property development in the United Kingdom, South Africa, US and Nigeria.

360 Degrees Towers, the ill-fated structure, was designed to be the first of its kind in Nigeria. The concept was to have serviced flats in the three towers and for residents to experience a stressfree life, complete with a hotel flair. The vision was to have people live in their homes as if they were living in a five-star hotel.

However, he could not achieve all of this, as his body was found in the rubble of a collapsed building.

THISDAY, THE SUNDAY NEWSPAPER ˾ JUNE 24 2012

ARTS & REVIEW A

PUBLICATION

6. 11.2022

In Festive Ambience of Art X Lagos, Yinka Shonibare Anchors His Legacy At 60, the British-Nigerian artist Yinka Shonibare's future direction points towards leaving legacies, which is exemplified by his G. A. S. Foundation initiative, whose official launch coincides with the West Africa’s leading commercial art fair Art X Lagos. Okechukwu Uwaezuoke reports

F

rom its glitzy VIP opening to its weekend-long visual feast, Art X Lagos keeps art enthusiasts' sights riveted to this throbbing metropolis that is home to an estimated 21 million people. This, therefore, is one reason why Yinka Shonibare’s GuestArtists’ Space Foundation's launch, which has been in the works for years, slots in nicely into this period. This, after all, is where one of the winners of the Access Art X Prize 2022/3—a winner from Africa or its Diaspora—will complete a residency programme. The residency programme for the prize's other recipient, a Nigerian, will be held at Gasworks London in the United Kingdom.

Talking about the Prize, which was hitherto awarded only to emerging Nigerian artists, it has expanded to include an additional award that is open to emerging artists from all of Africa and its diaspora, and the cash value has been upped to $10,000.

As the icing on the cake of this festive season, a group exhibition, titled An Unfolding Prelude, presents works developed during and adjacent to WKH ÀUVW VL[ PRQWKV RI UHVLGHQFLHV 7KLV H[KLELWLRQ which celebrates the rich variety of practices that have been facilitated at the Foundation thus far ZKLOH RͿHULQJ D JOLPSVH LQWR WKH SRVVLELOLWLHV WKDW WKH programme could foster as it evolves, features the ZRUNV RI LWV UHVLGHQWV IURP ÀYH GLͿHUHQW FRXQWULHV on three continents and spans a range of disciplines LQFOXGLQJ SDLQWLQJ SKRWRJUDSK\ ÀOP DQG FULWLFDO research.

The exhibition shows works from the Foundation's inaugural cohort members, including Mariam HavaAslam, Femi Johnson, Emma Prempeh, Ofem Ubi, and Uzor Ugoala. A series by Accra-based photographer Francis Kokoroko and pieces by Yadichinma Ukoha-Kalu are also included. %DFN WR WKH QRQ SURÀW FXOWXUDO FHQWUH RIWHQ abbreviated for brevity’s sake as G.A.S., it is an ambitious project originally conceived in 2019 by the British-Nigerian artist, who lives and works in the UK. This creative hub—spanning two sites, one in Oniru, Lagos, and another in Ijebu, Ogun State—provides opportunities for those working in WKH ÀHOGV RI FRQWHPSRUDU\ DUW GHVLJQ DUFKLWHFWXUH agriculture, and ecology by giving them space and resources to research, experiment, share, educate, DQG GHYHORS ZRUN DQG RͿHUV D QHZ FRQFHSW IRU residencies around the world.

While the Lagos building houses an exhaustive library, including over 1,500 volumes donated by the University of London, UK’s Emeritus Professor John Picton from his lifelong private collection on $IULFDQ DUW DQG FXOWXUH WKH ,MHEX ORFDWLRQ RͿHUV a 54-acre ecology green farm, which is part of the World Weather Network, a constellation of weather stations with 28 art organisations around the world, formed in response to the climate crisis. “We want WR RͿHU ORQJ WHUP VXSSRUW IRU LQGLYLGXDO DUWLVWV equipping them to thrive, not just survive,” enthuses the renowned artist, who turned 60 on August 9.

“International exchange has a very strong value, especially in a world where there’s a great deal RI FRQÁLFW DQG , EHOLHYH WKDW JRLQJ WR VHH RWKHU cultures and being creative with other cultures is really a very positive way forward. It can be a true vehicle for social change.”

Indeed, the opening of the Foundation's doors to the international art community with a series of exclusive and celebratory events featuring

GAS Foundation building in Lagos

GAS ecological farm house in Ijebu

Yinka Shonibare

OHDGLQJ ÀJXUHV IURP WKH LQWHUQDWLRQDO DUW ZRUOG not only bolsters Nigeria's image as a cultural powerhouse but also allows the art public to see WKH VSDFHV DFWLYDWHG DQG WKH RXWFRPHV RI WKH ÀUVW residencies. “The artists that we're inviting and the researchers will be able to have residences on both sides and they stay from between one month to three months,” Shonibare continues.

“We have also been able to create a platform for many international artists and researchers and local DUWLVWV DQG UHVHDUFKHUV LQ YDULRXV ÀHOGV WR PHHW DQG DFWXDOO\ GHYHORS GLͿHUHQW SURMHFWV WRJHWKHU and it's going very well and there is a huge interest both locally and internationally.”

These two trailblazing Nigerian creative hubs, which Shonibare and a distinguished board of directors conceptualised, have been completed for sometime early this year. Already, the Lagos building, which was designed by Ghanaian-British architect Elsie Owusu in collaboration with Lagosbased Nigerian architect Nihinlola Shonibare, has hosted its inaugural G.A.S. Fellows and residents, including Lynhan Balatbat Helbock, Femi Johnson, Emma Prempeh, Portia Zvavahera, and Gideon *RPR 7KLV HGLÀFH IXVHV HOHPHQWV RI %UXWDOLVP with the traditional Yoruba architectural principles, which accounts for the building wrapping around a central courtyard.

Hitherto, the Foundation’s residency col-

laborations have been with Tiwani Contemporary, Goodman Gallery, Stephen Friedman Gallery, and James Cohan Gallery.

Meanwhile, the ecological farm in Ijebu, which grows a variety of crops including cassava and cashew as well as pawpaw, peppers, and maize, presents a fresh and sustainable paradigm for artist residencies around the world. Its building, designed

by Papa Omotayo of MOE+ with interior design by Temitayo Shonibare, was built with local materials, which included 40,000 bricks made from soil dug up for the foundations and by local artisans.

Perhaps nothing points more clearly to Shonibare's future direction than the G. A. S. Foundation initiaWLYH &RXOG WKLV EH ZK\ WKH 7XUQHU 3UL]H ÀQDOLVW who aims to continue to develop his work and that RI RWKHU ORFDO DQG LQWHUQDWLRQDO DUWLVWV VSHFLÀFDOO\ alludes to his G. A. S. Foundation's project?

7KH DUWLVW ZKR H[HPSOLÀHV H[FHSWLRQDO VWRLFLVP doesn't appear to be fazed by the fact that he has clocked 60, a crucial milestone age. “Oh, you know, I think age is just a number,” he quips. “I think if you remain active and you remain creative, then it should not actually be a barrier, and I think actually you do get better as you get older because you know you can use your acquired knowledge to actually create even more challenging things. So no, I don't think that it should necessarily be a barrier. I think I'm actually possibly at my most creative now at 60.”

As a British artist of Nigerian heritage, his work invariably references race and class issues. He jusWLÀHV WKLV E\ DOOXGLQJ WR WKH ´RQH VLGHGµ SRZHU relations that exist between Africa and Europe.

“Artists have always dealt with issues that they're concerned about in their work,” he explains. “As somebody of African origin, I want to actually understand that history, and I want to understand the history of colonialism, and so I do engage with those issues in my work, and, of course, you can't really engage with those issues without thinking about issues around race and class.”

Then there's his famed hopscotch through many mediums, including painting, sculpture, photography, and video, which accounts for his H[SUHVVLRQ V ÁH[LELOLW\ ´, WKLQN WKDW UHDOO\ WKHVH days, it's not really about the medium that one is actually using; In a way, it's about what you're trying WR VD\ DQG \RX FRXOG WKLQN DERXW GLͿHUHQW ZD\V of expressing yourself as an artist now, so I don't necessarily see that there should be boundaries between the various mediums that an artist can actually use, and so that's why I do that, just to give myself the freedom.”

Anoteworthy hallmark of his work is his unique appropriation of the vibrantly coloured Dutch wax batik fabric, which was mass-produced by the Dutch and then sold to West African colonies despite being inspired by Indonesian design. He usedthistechniqueinhishomagetothesame-named painting by French painter and printmaker JeanHonoré Fragonard, “The Swing.” Talking about WKH ZRUN KH FRQÀUPV WKDW LW ´GRHV DGGUHVV WKH issue of decadence and the gap between the rich and poor in France at the time. I don't necessarily think that Ankara [fabric] represents decadence passé, but I think in that particular piece, it has been used in that way to show the contrast between the rich and the poor.”

In Shonibare's opinion, the increased popularity of African textiles, which he has been known to use DV D PHGLXP IRU H[SUHVVLRQ ZLOO QHLWKHU LQÁXHQFH the perception of his works nor the manner in which they are collected. Among the works featuring elements of this medium are "Gallantry and Criminal Conversation" (a work commissioned by the late Okwui Enwezor in 2002 for Documenta 11 in Kassel, Germany, which launched him onto an international stage) and "Nelson’s Ship in a Bottle" (which, as the Fourth Plinth Commission, was displayed in London’s Trafalgar Square until January 2012).

There are also his 2019 work, “Refugee Astronaut,” and his 2020 work, "The American Library," which was exhibited at the ICA Boston, US, as part of a JURXS H[KLELWLRQ DV ZHOO DV KLV WZR ÀOPV ´2GLOH and Odette” and “Addio del Passato,” which were both exhibited in M. Woods' Temple Galleries in Beijing, China.

As for his advice to the young artists looking to broaden their horizons, the eighth recipient of the prestigious Whitechapel Gallery Art Icon Award says: “[They] should be open-minded and also understand that you know they're not the only artists in the world. They should be curious and they should look at art magazines, they should read relevant historical books on art as well as engage with actual exhibitions and just try and make sure that they see as many things as possible.

And for those who are able to actually go to museums internationally, as well as locally, they should do that too and all that should help them develop their work.”

EDITOR OKECHUKWU UWAEZUOKE/ okechukwu.uwaezuoke@thisdaylive.com

54

THISDAY, THE SUNDAY NEWSPAPER NOVEMBER 6, 2022

ARTS & REVIEW\\POTPOURRI

GoetheNigeria@60: Commemorating Six Decades of Cultural Resilience Yinka Olatunbosun

T

he hallway was beautifully decorated with colourful balloons as arriving guests trudged through, exchanging greetings and, in some cases, hugs. At the /DJRV R΀FH RI WKH *RHWKH ,QVWLWXW 1LJHULD LQ 9LFWRULD ,VODQG history was rehashed through audio-visuals, podcasts, talk sessions, performance poetry, dramatic performances, and a children's project. )RU WKH WK DQQLYHUVDU\ RI *RHWKH 1LJHULD LW was an open day.

7KH GLUHFWRU *RHWKH ,QVWLWXW 1LJHULD 'U 1DGLQH Siegert, was still sporting her yellow t-shirt whilst making some last-minute preparations for the GD\ ORQJ HYHQW LQ KHU R΀FH 6KH ZRXOG ODWHU express her thoughts on the iconic celebrations.

"Yes, we are 60 and we are not just old but aged," she began. "We are an aged institution with a very young heart, soul and brain so to say. At the moment, we are younger than a year ago EHFDXVH ZH KDYH GRQH VR PDQ\ GLͿHUHQW WKLQJV in the last year of which some of them are a bit H[KDXVWLQJ EXW ZH IHHO UHMXYHQDWHG , FDQ VD\ We realised that a lot of the things we did were successful and we have new ideas, new projects and something that we are looking forward to.

"At 60, the celebration is recognizing our history and all the things that we have done in the past.

We look a bit more into the past where we are looking into the history of the institute. We are very much also looking into the future; thinking about what the next years will bring us and what we can contribute to culture in Nigeria.This is why we feel young and old at the same time."

Looking back to the past six decades, many GLUHFWRUV KDYH ÁRZQ WKH FXOWXUDO ÁDJ EXW XQfortunately, the cultural institution has lost the UHFRUGV GXH WR D ÀUH LQFLGHQW DW WKH &LW\ +DOO /DJRV ,VODQG LQ WKH DIWHUPDWK RI WKH (QG6$56 protest. But Siegert does her own calculation based on procedure.

"We do not really have a lot of paper documents," she continued. "What we are currently trying to JHW LV RUDO KLVWRU\ ,W LV VRPHWKLQJ WKDW \RX FDQ ÀQG LQ 1LJHULD ,W·V D SODFH ZKHUH \RX FDQ ÀQG oral history so we have had a lot of conversations with people, so we have created a podcast series.

"So, every month, you will be able to listen WR QHZ HSLVRGHV RI WKH VHULHV 2QH RI RXU VWDͿ members who has been here for 25 years and others feature partners and practitioners in the cultural sector that we have worked with. There VKRXOG EH DURXQG GLUHFWRUV EHFDXVH *RHWKH ,QVWLWXW GLUHFWRUV URWDWH DIWHU ÀYH \HDUV ,W PLJKW have been more than 12 because some directors GLGQ·W VWD\ ORQJ "We have four longest serving members and we are able to celebrate the 25 years of their service this year. They will be receiving awards for their long-term engagement. When you listen to the ÀUVW SRGFDVW \RX FDQ KHDU WKHP VSHDNLQJ DERXW

Siegert

ANNIVERSARY KRZ WKH\ FDPH WR WKH *RHWKH ,QVWLWXW WKH XSV and downs." +DYLQJ VSHQW RYHU RQH \HDU LQ 1LJHULD 6LHJHUW LV DZDUH RI WKH WUD΀F VLWXDWLRQ WKDW WKH VWDͿHUV go through on a daily basis and for her, that's a major concern. Still, she appreciates the diligence RI WKH VWDͿ VRPH RI ZKRP KDYH WR ZRUN DGditional hours on weekends and late hours on nights of events. +DYLQJ ORVW PRVW RI WKHLU DUWLFOHV RI KLVWRU\ in Nigeria, the institution now relies on oral history from credible sources. One of these is the cultural archivist and veteran journalist, Jahman Anikulapo. :H KDYH ZRUNHG ZLWK -DKPDQ $QLNXODSR +H had been our partner for many years and told us a lot about past exhibitions. We have had a lot of art exhibitions in the past and featured PDQ\ 1LJHULDQ DUWLVWV VXFK DV 1GLGL 'LNH ,W was mainly in the 1990s. But in the 1960s, we were very much involved in the theatre. The 'XUR /DGLSR 7KHDWUH FRPLQJ IURP 2VRJER DQG *RHWKH ,QVWLWXW ZDV SDUWQHULQJ ZLWK WKHP WKDW is, the whole Osogbo movement of that time. We have a great pleasure to have one of our special JXHVWV &KLHI 0XUDLQD 2\HODPL *RHWKH ,QVWLWXW 1LJHULD KDV HPEUDFHG GLYHUVLW\ long before it became a buzzword. This has become a cherished attribute in many of the curated programmes as well as the research materials that are available for public use.

"First and foremost, within our own programme, we have a library that we recently opened and restocking books again," she continued. "We have our cultural programmes that we intend to be as diverse as possible, and we have our language GHSDUWPHQW RI FRXUVH ,W LV LPSRUWDQW WR XV EHFDXVH ZH MXVW GRQ·W RͿHU *HUPDQ FODVVHV EXW ZH DOVR try to have diversity for the candidates who want to migrate to meet their loved ones or to study.

When we look at our cultural programme, we

WU\ QRW WR RQO\ ZRUN ZLWK GLͿHUHQW VHFWRUV GDQFH ÀOP YLVXDO DUWV WKHDWUH DQG RWKHUV ZH DOVR WU\ to diversity in the age range that we work with within the Nigerian population.

"The young people are a very strong focus for us.

We also try to support more established artists on bigger projects and collaborate with them.

We also try to look at more vulnerable groups like the young people on the mainland who do not have a big career yet. We also try to create a safe place for the queer community in Nigeria to have their projects and space where they can speak. We try to diversify in that sense as much as possible."

6KH UHDVVXUHGO\ VWDWHG WKDW *RHWKH 1LJHULD is committed to being truthful to its mission, working together in a sense of exchange peace, producing something good for the common good.

"We live together on this planet. That is why we called one of our projects planetary thinking. ,W LV DOO DERXW OLYLQJ DQG ZRUNLQJ WRJHWKHU DQG ensuring that we create a peaceful world together.

And give space to everyone."

6RPH RI WKH VKRZFDVHG ÀOPV DUH SURMHFWV WKDW *RHWKH 1LJHULD KDG VXSSRUWHG LQ WKH SDVW 7KH institution relies on resources and media archives in Nigeria to help document the history better. ,Q KHU DVVHVVPHQW RI 1LJHULD V FXOWXUDO OLIH DQG the current security situation that is forcing some expatriates to leave Nigeria, she expressed optimism in the future of arts. , IHHO VDIH , IHHO YHU\ ZHOFRPHG DQG , DP JUDWHful for this hospitality and most of the people DUH UHDOO\ RSHQ DQG IULHQGO\ WR PH , ZRXOG VD\ , IHHO YHU\ JRRG IRU WKH IDFW WKDW *RHWKH ,QVWLWXW FDQ PDNH D FRQWULEXWLRQ PDNHV PH YHU\ KDSS\ , KHDU DERXW WKH ÁRRGV DQG WKH VHFXULW\ VLWXDWLRQ , WKLQN WKLV LV D JOREDO WKLQJ ,W LV QRW 1LJHULD·V UHVSRQVLELOLW\ WKDW ZH KDYH VR PXFK UDLQ RU WHUURULVP ,W LV D JOREDO WKLQJ DQG ZH DOO have to work on it together. There are lots of UHVSRQVLELOLWLHV IRU WKHVH WKLQJV O\LQJ LQ (XURSH :H KDYH WR ÀQG JOREDO VROXWLRQV WRJHWKHU 7KLV is our generational responsibility. And when we can do all that through language and culture, that will be better."

Still, she is not immune to the pressure to quit.

Often, it could be a recurring thought or extreme fatigue that triggers such feeling but she doesn't seem to be the type to shrink back in fear. Surely, she is ready for the tough but hopeful days ahead.

7KHUH DUH PRPHQWV ZKHQ , DP D ELW WLUHG DQG WKHUH DUH PRPHQWV ZKHQ , DVN P\VHOI LI LW LV really worth it to get up every morning and do this work. But it is worth it because it makes people believe in something. Those beautiful moments we share when we listen to music together, watch movies together help to create a sense of community. Only arts and culture FDQ FUHDWH WKDW $QG , ZLVK WKDW PD\EH LQ WKH QH[W \HDU·V HOHFWLRQV WKHUH ZLOO EH VRPH QHZ hope coming to the people who believe in their FRXQWU\ DQG LWV JUHDWQHVV DQG EHDXW\ , ZLVK Nigeria all the best."

FESTIVAL

A scene from the play

Dance, Improvisations Enliven Drama at MUSON Festival 2022

Yinka Olatunbosun

2QH RI WKH PRVW GL΀FXOW WDVNV IRU DQ\ WKHDWUH GLUHFWRU is to recreate a frequently performed play with a tinge of freshness. Julius Obende took on the challenge KHDGORQJ ZLWK WKLV \HDU·V HGLWLRQ RI WKH &KHYURQ )HVWLYDO 'UDPD IHDWXULQJ :ROH 6R\LQND·V FRPHG\ &KLOGH ,QWHUQDWLRQDOH 3HUIRUPHG DW WKH $JLS +DOO 08621 &HQWUH 2QLNDQ /DJRV WKH SOD\ UHYLYHV the theme of culture clash through a family-united E\ EORRG GLYLGHG E\ YDOXHV 7KH FRQÁLFW EHWZHHQ western andAfrican values had been a major preoccupation of several of Soyinka's works including WKH WUDJLF SOD\ ¶'HDWK DQG WKH .LQJ·V +RUVHPDQ · )LUVW VWDJHG LQ WKH SORW RI &KLOGH ,QWHUQDWLRQDOH revolves around a politician who receives the shock of his life when his daughter returns from London with EDJJDJH D GLͿHUHQW FXOWXUDO PLQGVHW 3HSSHUHG E\ her mother, she proclaims an elevated point of view DV DJDLQVW KHU IDWKHU·V $IULFDQ ZRUOG YLHZ )XUWKHU heightenedbyherromancewithawesternisedfellow, WKH FRQÁLFW RI WKH GUDPD ZDV SXQFWXDWHG ZLWK GDQFH embellishments and improvised music.

To deepen the context of the play, the director introduced a few lines from contemporary culture, GDQFH DQG D SRSXODU VWUHHW DQWKHP ¶=D]RR =HK· to an audience largely drawn from well-heeled neighbourhoods. Starring Tunji Sotimirin in the lead role, the use of language to delineate characters was prominent throughout the play as its overarching element of humour. ,QIXVLQJ GDQFH LQWR WKH SOD\ ZDV ÁXLG DV LW KHOSHG WR introduce a character with a hint at his background.

The scene changes were fast-paced and the set was the only understated element of the production. For a ZHDOWK\ IDPLO\ OLNH WKH SROLWLFLDQ·V WKH VHW FRXOG XVH more details in luxury with the unframed pictures on WKH ZDOO WKH LQH[SHQVLYH XSKROVWHU\ DQG WKH EDUH ÁRRU Still, the play holds more relevance today as it serves asasocialcommentaryonthelong-termconsequences of western education on African values in this era of mass student migration from Nigeria to higher LQVWLWXWLRQV LQ 8. (XURSH $PHULFD 1RUWK $PHULFD Asia and Australia.

7KH SOD\ GLUHFWRU DQG IRXQGHU $, 3URGXFWLRQV -XOLXV 2EHQGH EODPHG WKH WUHQG RQ JRYHUQPHQW·V QHJOLJHQFH RI WKH HGXFDWLRQDO VHFWRU ZKLOH ÀHOGLQJ questions from the media about the play production.

“To think that even in the play and in real life, their children never attend universities here but rather go abroad, all these are what they still use as campaign PDQLIHVWRV 7KH\ PDNH FKHDS SURPLVHV DQG WKDW·V ZKHUH LW HQGV ,Q WKH SOD\ ZH JHW WR VHH WKH FRQVHTXHQFHV RI WKHVH JURVV LUUHVSRQVLELOLW\ ·· KH DGGHG

James Irabor: Quintessential Artist and Art Administrator Uche Nnadozie

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KH 1DWLRQDO *DOOHU\ RI $UW 1*$ WKH apex gallery in the country for the past 30 years has produced a sizable number RI VHDVRQHG DUW DGPLQLVWUDWRUV 'XH WR bureaucracy and the syndrome of “seen but not heard,” some of these art administrators among who are professional artists, may not be well-known to the visual arts community. But over the years, they have worked assiduously behind the scene diligently carrying out the mandate and YLVLRQ RI 1*$ They are the unsung heroes and heroines that are HQJDJHG E\ 1*$ LQ ODXQFKLQJ WKH FDPSDLJQ RI recognition and relevance of art and artists in the QDWLRQDO SROLW\ 7KH\ DUH WKH ¶H[KLELWLRQ DYDWDUV· DQG WKH ¶ORUGV· RI H[KLELWLRQ KDOOV 7KH\ DUH WKH XQVHHQ KDQGV EHKLQG 1*$·V QXPHURXV PHJD H[KLELWLRQ ÀHVWDV VXFK DV $5(689$ $IULFDQ 5HJLRQDO 6XPPLW DQG ([KLELWLRQ RQ 9LVXDO $UWV $UW([SR /DJRV $UW )DLUV 1DWLRQDO 9LVXDO $UWV &RPSHWLWLRQV DQG RWKHU ODQGPDUN H[KLELWLRQV 7KHLU LQSXWV DOVR UHVRQDWH ,Q 1*$·V LQVSLULQJ DQG VFKRODUO\ FRQIHUHQFHV V\PSRVLD and stampedes such as National Symposium on 0RGHUQ $UW DQG 6WDNHKROGHUV· )RUXP DPRQJ RWK-

Irabor

TRIBUTE ers. One of such numerous art administrators, who interestingly is equally a sculptor of note, is James 8ZDJEDOH ,UDERU +H ZDV ERUQ LQWR D ZRUNLQJ FODVV IDPLO\ RQ 6HSWHPEHU LQ ,EDGDQ WKH SUHVHQW FDSLWDO

RI 2\R 6WDWH EXW KDLOV IURP ,UUXD LQ (VDQ &HQWUDO /RFDO *RYHUQPHQW $UHD RI (GR 6WDWH +H VWDUWHG KLV IRUPDO HGXFDWLRQ DW WKH 6DFUHG +HDUW 3ULYDWH &DWKROLF 6FKRRO 2QLUHNH ,EDGDQ EHWZHHQ WR ZKHUH KH REWDLQHG KLV )LUVW 6FKRRO /HDYLQJ &HUWLÀFDWH +H WKHQ SURFHHGHG WR *RYHUQPHQW &ROOHJH $SDWD ,EDGDQ IRU KLV VHFRQGDU\ HGXFDWLRQ ZKHUH KH JRW KLV 6FKRRO &HUWLÀFDWH LQ +DYLQJ discovered his creative/artistic talent at an early stage, young James decided to receive formal training in DUW KH WKXV HQUROOHG ZLWK WKH 3RO\WHFKQLF ,EDGDQ EHWZHHQ DQG DQG FDPH RXW ZLWK 2UGLQDU\ 1DWLRQDO 'LSORPD ,Q VHDUFK RI SURIHVVLRQDO DQG DFDGHPLF IXOÀOOPHQW KH PRYHG WR WKH UHQRZQHG $XFKL 3RO\WHFKQLF ZKHUH KH EDJJHG WKH +LJKHU 1DWLRQDO 'LSORPD +1' +H FURZQHG KLV TXHVW for professional and academic excellence in visual arts by obtaining a BA and MFA in Fine Art from WKH SUHVWLJLRXV $KPDGX %HOOR 8QLYHUVLW\ =DULD LQ DQG UHVSHFWLYHO\ +H ZDV DOVR DZDUGHG WKH &\SULDQ +HMLDQL 3UL]H IRU WKH EHVW ÀQDO \HDU VWXGHQW LQ VFXOSWXUH 'HSDUWPHQW RI )LQH $UW IURP $%8 =DULD After over 10 years of professional studio practice, impacting public and private engagements in the visual arts sub-sector, he decided to settle into the

)HGHUDO &LYLO 6HUYLFH DV DQ $UW $GPLQLVWUDWRU $UW &XUDWRU DQG 'RFXPHQWDWLRQ R΀FHU EULQJLQJ WR EHDU his cognate experience to improve on service delivery DQG SURIHVVLRQDO RSHUDWLRQV LQ WKH *DOOHU\ VHWWLQJ -DPHV ,UDERU D 'HSXW\ 'LUHFWRU ZLWK WKH 1DWLRQDO *DOOHU\ RI $UW +HDGTXDUWHUV $EXMD ZKR UHFHQWO\ retired from public service on attaining the mandatory DJH RI LQ 6HSWHPEHU WKLV \HDU VHUYHG DV WKH +HDG RI 'LYLVLRQ LQ YDULRXV SURIHVVLRQDO 'HSDUWPHQWV VXFK DV ([KLELWLRQ 'LYLVLRQ LQ &XUDWRULDO 6HUYLFHV 'HSDUWPHQW DQG 0RQLWRULQJ 'LYLVLRQ LQ 'HSDUWPHQW RI 'RFXPHQWDWLRQ DQG 0RQLWRULQJ 3ULRU WR WKDW KH ZDV WKH SLRQHHU &XUDWRU DQG +HDG RI 6WDWLRQ DW WKH 1DWLRQDO *DOOHU\ RI $UW (QXJX D ]RQDO R΀FH IRU WKH 6RXWK (DVW +H DOVR KHDGHG DV &XUDWRU 1*$ )&7 Abuja. At the point of his stepping out, he served DV WKH 7HFKQLFDO $VVLVWDQW WR WKH 'LUHFWRU *HQHUDO RI 1*$ ,Q WKH FRXUVH RI KLV SURIHVVLRQDO VRMRXUQ DW WKH 1*$ ,UDERU KDV EHHQ LQYROYHG LQ VHYHUDO FXUDWRULDO DVVLJQPHQWV +H KDV FKDLUHG FRRUGLQDWHG DQG VXSHUYLVHG some landmark exhibitions both in Nigeria and abroad such as the maiden edition of Nigerian

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55

THISDAY, THE SUNDAY NEWSPAPER NOVEMBER 6 , 2022

CICERO

Editor: Ejiofor Alike SMS: 08066066268 email:ejiofor.alike@thisdaylive.com

IN THE ARENA

2023: Who’s Afraid of INEC’s BVAS? The alleged subtle manoeuvres by shadowy political crisis entrepreneurs to enforce the dropping of the cutting-edge Bimodal Voter Accreditation System by the Independent National Electoral Commission in the 2023 general election must be stoutly resisted by well-meaning Nigerians, as well as the electoral umpire, writes Louis Achi

N

igeria’s elections, particularly the presidential poll scheduled for February 2023, by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) represents Africa’s biggest. The fact that the majority of poll results since Nigeria returned to civil rule 23 years ago cannot be said to have reflected the wishes of the majority makes getting the impending general election right and a non-negotiable imperative.

It is worth noting that unfettered political participation is one of the most important indicators of the democratic quality of elections and a prime criterion for defining democratic citizenship. This reality cannot be overstressed. Unimpeded voter turnout in a transparent, free and fair election is the most important form of political involvement and crucially also an important indicator of the state of health of any democracy.

Given its fundamental importance, both to the integrity of Nigeria’s constitutional democracy and sustenance of political stability, persistent discourse on the nation’s electoral transparency can never become hackneyed.

What are the key issues here and what really is at stake? The Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) and INEC Election Result Viewing Portal (IReV) represent two crucial technological advances for enhancing the transparency of election results and upscaling public belief in electoral outcomes.

According to INEC, these technologies are addressing the 10 most prevalent flaws in the nation’s election result management process. These include alteration of votes at polling units, distortion of number of accredited voters, collation of false results, mutilation of results and computational errors, swapping of results sheets, forging of results sheets, snatching and destruction of results sheets, obtaining declaration and return involuntarily, making declaration and return while result collation is still in progress and poor recordkeeping.

The dual innovations perform mutually reinforcing and critical functions in elections. The BVAS is a technological device used to identify and accredit voters’ fingerprints and facial recognition before voting and also used for capturing images of the polling unit result sheet (Form EC8A) and uploading the image of the result sheet online.

On the other hand, IReV is an online portal where polling unit level results are uploaded directly from the polling unit, transmitted, and published for the public. At the front end of the online portal, citizens can create personal accounts with which they can access all uploaded results stored as PDF files. This accessibility of polling unit level results increases transparency and public trust in the process.

Diverse stakeholders have also described BVAS as an upgrade of the smartcard reader, which was used in the 2019 elections, and a game changer in the country’s electoral progression. In other words, the past debacle of politicians buying voters’ cards from voters and using them to vote en masse for a particular candidate would be eliminated. According to different civil groups and political parties, this will make the 2023 general election to be different.

Yakubu But beyond enhancing public confidence in electoral outcomes, the introduction of BVAS and IReV apparently represented a potent threat to political actors bent on sabotaging the electorate’s will at all costs. Flowing from this scenario, the alleged attempts to derail INEC’s plans to safeguard the integrity of the election using the BVAS and IReV was not surprising.

An example is the recent alleged litigation instituted in the Imo State High Court seeking a restraining order against INEC to suspend the deployment of the BVAS for the general election. Who are the hawks seeking to undermine Nigeria’s electoral system in Imo State, a state that is always in the news for the wrong reasons?

The 2023 elections represent the seventh successive general election in the nation’s 23 years of uninterrupted democratic trajectory.

With 10 million new voters added to the voters’ roll, an estimated 95 million registered voters will vote in 176,846 polling units distributed across 774 local government areas.

According to INEC’s data, a total of 12,163 candidates sponsored by 18 political parties are on the ballot for election into 109 senatorial districts, 360 federal constituencies, 993 state constituencies, 28 governorship positions, and the coveted Office of the President. The election is conducted against the backdrop of a new electoral law and innovations introduced by INEC to improve electoral integrity and inspire public confidence in the electoral process.

Cut to the bone, the accurate implementation, or otherwise, of these cutting-edge electoral innovations will undoubtedly play an

important role in evaluating the integrity of the 2023 general election.

Against the backdrop of some of these surreptitious moves in Imo State, the Presidency has promised Nigerians that President Muhammadu Buhari has no plans to remove INEC Chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, over the use of BVAS, in the 2023 general election.

Buhari’s Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Mr. Femi Adesina also dismissed claims that INEC would be stopped from using BVAS in the next general election, recalling that the president had emphasised the need for technology in prosecuting a successful election and supports the course.

Hear him: “Recently, there was one group that said the Chairman of INEC was going to be removed because maybe they didn’t want BVAS. How many times has the President spoken about the role of technology in getting him into office?

“So, how and why can the same person have issues with BVAS? I saw that group on television, alleging that there was plan to remove the INEC Chairman and the media gave them that opportunity.”

Reacting to reports on social media claiming that a lawsuit was instituted before the Federal High Court in Owerri, Imo State, seeking to stop INEC from using BVAS for the 2023 elections, INEC Commissioner, Mr. Festus Okoye said the use of BVAS for elections in the country is stipulated in the Electoral Act of 2022.

Reassuringly, the INEC spokesperson said the commission is not scared of any legal action which may seek to challenge the legality of the use of BVAS adding that Nigerians have accepted its use and the commission will not relent on its commitment to improve the electoral process via technology.

His words: “The BVAS is domiciled within the confines of the Electoral Act of 2022 and we do not have any fear whatsoever in relations to the validity and legality of the BVAS and other technological and electronic devices we are using for elections.

“The constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria has given INEC the exclusive right, power and mandate to organise, undertake and supervise elections that are captured within the confines of the constitution. We are accountable to the people of this country and the people have accepted the BVAS as a game changer in our electoral process.”

Significantly, the ruling APC and main opposition PDP have both denied applying pressure on INEC to drop BVAS. Last week, a spokesperson of the PDP Presidential Campaign team, Daniel Bwala, pointed his finger at the ruling party.

His words: “Those who are going against BVAS, I must say, are members of the APC. No members of the PDP would be campaigning for that. The whole gambit of an election is that whatever that is decided at the polling unit should be final….It is a primitive and medieval age thing to kick against BVAS” But the APC spokesperson, Felix Morka, would have none of that, stating that the party has confidence in the electoral process. “The All Progressives Congress (APC) has confidence in INEC’s capacity to conduct next year’s general election in compliance with the Electoral Act and its own guidelines,” he reportedly said.

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

Isn’t It Time for Ayu to Be Silent?

Wike Ayu

The National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party(PDP),SenatorIyorchiaAyulastweekagainstirred the hornet’s nest when he threatened that he has the powertostopBenueStateGovernor,Dr.SamuelOrtom, from realising his senatorial ambition on the platform of the party.

ButAyuwhospoketoPDPsupportersthatwelcomed himhomeinGboko,saidasafatherofall,hehasdecided to remain silent to avoid a crack in the party.

Ofcourse,GovernorNyesomWikeofRiversStatehas sincerespondedtohim,daringhimtostopanycandidate of the party from contesting an election if he thinks he has the powers to do so.

The relationship between the PDP national chairman and Ortom who both hail from Benue North West

senatorialdistrictwentsouraftertheparty’spresidential primary that produced Atiku Abubakar as the party’s standard bearer.

Atiku defeated Wike, who was the choice of some governors, including Ortom.The former vice president alsofailedtopicktheRiversgovernorashisrunningmate.

Since then, the Benue State governor and his counterparts in Oyo (Seyi Makinde), Abia (Okezie Ikpeazu) andEnugu(IfeanyiUgwuanyi),whoareallinWike’scamp have been calling for Ayu’s resignation as the party’s chairman.

Sincethecrisisinthepartybroke,anytimeAyuspeaks, he has never for once displayed sensitivity or decorum expected of a leader seeking to reconcile all aggrieved members. Even though he said he was misquoted, Ayu

was recently quoted as describing the five governors and other party chieftains calling for his resignation as “children”.

It is hard to phantom how he thinks the PDP would winthe2023presidentialwithhisdivisiveutterances and arrogant posturing.

From his many utterances, Ayu values his position more than the victory of the party in 2023 general election.What mannerof apartyleaderwoulddisplay such leadership deficiency at a time when he should seriously be busy seeking to bring all PDP members together to unseat the All Progressives Congress (APC)? Doesn’theknowthatsilenceisalwaysgolden?

AtikuandotherPDPleadersshouldcallAyutoorder beforeegoandarrogancerobthemofvictoryin2023.

56

THISDAY, THE SUNDAY NEWSPAPER NOVEMBER 6 , 2022

BRIEFINGNOTES Atiku, Benue People and Herdsmen Attacks A recent statement by the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, Atiku Abubakar, which apparently suggested that peace would only return to Benue State when herdsmen are well integrated into communities where they live, work, pay taxes and raise their children, has further provoked the ire of Governor Samuel Ortom and the people of the state, who viewed the statement as a subtle support for the recent killing of 39 people by the foreign herdsmen in a community in the state, Ejiofor Alike reports

W

hat was meant to be a sympathy message by the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Atiku Abubakar, to the people of Gbeji community in Ukum Local Government Area of Benue State has turned out to be another source of conflict between the former vice president on one hand, and the state governor, Dr. Samuel Ortom and the people of the state, on the other hand.

Atiku had sent a message of sympathy to the community after the recent attacks on the community by herdsmen, which left 39 people, including two policemen, dead and many hospitalised.

In the message, the former vice president said: “I’m saddened by the sustained clashes between farmers and herders that led to the loss of lives, including those of police officers in Gbeji community, Ukum LGA of Benue State.

“When our people are well integrated into communities where they live, work, pay taxes and raise their children, they’d be obligated to reciprocate the love and acceptance. My deepest condolences to the families that may have lost a loved one and to the people and government of Benue State,” Atiku wrote.

Also during a recent political parley organised by the leading northern groups at Arewa House in Kaduna State, Atiku was quoted as saying: “I had a big quarrel with Governor Ortom on his accusation of Fulani people. I am a Fulani man; why should you categorise all Fulani; we have to improve ways and manner we look after our livestock. I am angry with Samuel Ortom for profiling Fulani as bandits and terrorists.”

The people of Benue State believe that the statement by Atiku was callous, insensitive and a strong indication that the former vice president will pursue the failed attempts by the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari to resettle the foreign herdsmen in southern and Middle Belt states and make Nigeria their permanent home. In what were described as attempts to seize the ancestral lands of indigenous Nigerians for the resettlement of herdsmen from other countries, President Buhari’s administration had made failed attempts to create cattle colonies, enact the obnoxious Water Resources Bill, and implement the Ruga policy.

But the people of Benue State believe that by his comments, Atiku has demonstrated that if elected president, he would pursue the agenda

Atiku of integrating the foreign herdsmen in Nigerian communities. They cited the endless attacks by these herders on communities in southern Kaduna and some parts of Benue and Plateau states as the price these states are paying for integrating these foreign herders into their communities.

In his reaction to Atiku’s statement, Ortom urged the former vice president to apologise, reminding him that Fulani alone cannot make him the president.

He said: “I condemn the statement against me

by Atiku. When it got to me, I chatted with him through a WhatsApp message; he apologised but declined to make a public apology.

“We cannot vote for a president who will continue the carnage against our people. He wants to use me as a scapegoat. Atiku is unfair to the people. Do you think Fulani will make you president? You lie. You have committed sacrilege against the Benue people,” Ortom said.

He said: “What Atiku said about us in Gbeji in respect of the recent massacre by the marauding herdsmen was not correct. Look

at the sympathy message coming from the presidency calling on security personnel to apprehend the perpetrators of the dastardly act and the one sent by our presidential candidate, calling for integration so that there will be no more killings. How can such statements come from someone seeking to rule the people?”

Also in their swift reaction, the leaders of the three main tribes of Benue State, under the aegis of Mzough U Tiv (MUT), Ochetoha K’Idoma (OKI), and Omi Ny’ Igede (ONI), have also condemned Atiku’s sympathy message and asked the people of Gbeji community to reject it.

Addressing the media in Makurdi, the Benue State capital, the leaders, through their Chairman and President General of MUT worldwide, Chief Iorbee Ihagh, noted: “The former vice president had talked about ‘integrating’ the herdsmen into communities in Benue, whereas the Fulani have clearly shown via their actions and utterances that they do not desire to live peaceably with the famers in Benue communities.

“We also join the people of Gbeji to reject

the condolence offered by Atiku, which we also view as a mockery, for how does the PDP presidential candidate expect farmers in Benue State to have brotherly ties with their murderers?” they queried.

The people of Gbeji community have since rejected Atiku’s message, describing it as a mockery.

In a statement signed by the eldest child of Gbeji and Market Overseer, Jonathan Gbeji, which he mandated one of his brothers and former chairman of the PDP in Ukum LGA, Daniel Gbeji, to read before journalists, the community rejected the condolence message, describing it as a mockery.

“What happened in Gbeji last Wednesday, October 19, 2022, was an unprovoked attack by armed Fulani militia, on the people around 6am,” the statement said.

The community rejected Atiku’s call for integration of the attackers, stressing that the attackers do not live in the community.

The community described the comments by Atiku who is supposed to be the big shelter of the Tiv people, the Zege Mule u Tiv, as the height of insensitivity.

“As at today the death toll has risen to 39 with many still missing while others are in various hospitals. If anyone cannot help us in our time of distress he should not mock us. We therefore, reject Alhaji Atiku’s statement which we regard as mockery,” the community added.

President General of Tiv Youth Organisation worldwide (TYO), Timothy Hembaor, has also described Atiku’s statement as not only an attack on Ortom who the Tiv people looked up to for protection from killer herdsmen but also an attack on the entire Tiv people.

On his part, the National Secretary of Forum of Concerned Nigerians (FCN), Samson Ochono, asked Atiku to tender unreserved apology to Ortom and the Benue people.

A socio-political organisation under the aegis of Benue Republicans (BR) has also described Atiku’s comments as “ethnocentric and inciting.”

The Convener of BR, Mr. Peter Shande, in a statement issued in Abuja, expressed shock that Atiku who bears the revered title of Zege Mule u Tiv, dished out “such inane, ethnocentric and venomous mockery statement.”

The crisis has added to the lingering disagreement the PDP presidential candidate has with Ortom and other four governors led by Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers State.

How the former vice president would wave these aside and achieve victory in 2023 is left to be imagined.

NOTES FOR FILE

Adamu Adamu’s Sincere Self-appraisal, But...

Adamu

Nigeria’slongestservingMinisterofEducation,Mallam AdamuAdamu,lastweekconfessedthathefailedinhis roles and responsibility in office.

Speaking at the 66th National Council on Education inAbuja,Adamusaidthatitwasregrettablethatdespite being the longest-serving Minister of Education in the nation’s history that he was unable to solve several of the challenges of the sector.

Heobservedthatamongtheseveralchallengesthat markedhisfailedtenureasMinisterofEducationwere the out-of-school children which under his seven-year stewardship increased.

However, many Nigerians would identify the major problems of the minister to also include the strike embarkeduponbytheAcademicStaffUnionofUniversities

(ASUU),whichlastedforeightmonthswiththeminister unabletoprovideapanaceauntiltheinterventionofthe National Assembly.

AdamualsoblamedthestateMinistriesofEducationas factorsthatcausedhimtohavefailedasaministerthough he did not explain the role of the states in contributing to his failures in office when indeed he was supposed to be driving policies on good education.

Thefailureoftheministerinhiseducationportfoliois despitethefactthatheisabouttheclosesttoPresident MuhammaduBuhariwithaleveragetomakedemandson thepresidentthatmanyothersmaynotbeabletomake.

If he could confess that he failed despite his closeness and access to the president, imagine many others who do not have access to the president.

Whilemanyfeelthattheministerdeservescommendationsforobjectivelypassingavote-of-noconfidenceon himself, they wonder why he did not follow it up with a resignation letter.

In a decent society, such a confession should have been followed up with a resignation letter. Where is the dignity and integrity to remain in office after such a confession? What is he going to do differently in the remainingsixmonthsofthecurrentadministrationafter seven whopping years in office wasted?

BesidesAdamu,therearemanyotherministersinthe Buhari’scabinetthatareunknownorhaven’tbeenheard ofevenbythemediasincetheywereswornin,indicating thattheyhavenotbeenperforming.Theyneedtoequally pass the same verdict on themselves.

57

THISDAY, THE SUNDAY NEWSPAPER NOVEMBER 6 , 2022

CICERO/ISSUES

Fasoranti

Adebanjo

Afenifere’s Politics of Endorsement If the disagreement in Afenifere over the decision of its emeritus leader, Chief Rueben Fasoranti to bless the presidential candidacy of Senator BolaTinubu against the group’s earlier declaration of support for the presidential candidate of Labour Party, Mr. Peter Obi, is not well handled, it could lead to a repeat of what happened in 1998, writes Gboyega Akinsanmi

A

fenifere, the apex socio-cultural organisation of the Yoruba, is avoidably embroiled in crisis again. Unlike in 1998 when it split over the presidential aspiration of its two sons - Chief Olusegun Obasanjo and Chief Olu Falae, it is crisis-ridden this time on whether to support its own son, Senator Bola Tinubu or its South-east compatriot, Mr. Peter Obi for the next presidential election.

The crisis did not precisely start with the resolve of its foremost leader, Chief Rueben Fasoranti to bless the presidential candidate of All Progressives Congress (APC), Senator Bola Tinubu last Sunday. The seed of discord was first sowed when its acting leader, Chief Ayo Adebanjo proclaimed Afenifere’s decision to support Obi, without allegedly securing unanimous approval of the critical stakeholders.

Since the first announcement, a good number of Yoruba leaders, not just Afenifere, have been on edge. While some wondered why such a sensitive consensus could be made without wider regional consultation, others felt it could be Adebanjo’s unilateral decision. But the fissure disturbingly went deeper last Sunday when Tinubu presented his 80-page manifesto, “Renewed Hope 2023: Action Plan for a Better Nigeria,” to Fasoranti in his country home, Akure, Ondo State.

Surprisingly, the presentation was witnessed by the prominent leaders of the Yoruba across all strata.

Apart from the leaders of the socio-cultural groups that attended the meeting, all the governors of the South-west states were either present or represented by their deputies or top government functionaries. Also, the Yoruba leaders from Kogi and Kwara states were not left out from the meeting. The roll call obviously suggested nothing, but an express approval of Tinubu’s candidacy contrary to Adebanjo’s public declaration for Obi in the name of Afenifere.

After receiving the action plan that promises a new society founded on shared prosperity and unwavering commitment to treat all citizens with equal respect, Fasoranti placed his hands on Tinubu’s head and emotionally blessed him in the presence of other leaders that were in attendance. Almost endlessly, the patriarch prayed: “Tinubu will win the election” while others repeatedly chorused: “It is done.”

However, Fasoranti’s proclamation of blessings upon the APC candidate immediately stoked stern consternation in the camp of Adebanjo. As

a result, Adebanjo went on air in defence of Afenifere’s earlier support for Obi, which some disputed, did not truly represent the aspiration of the Yoruba people.

Since last Sunday, Adebanjo has been on the defensive, explaining how and why Afenifere arrived at its decision to support Obi. First, he claimed that Fasoranti only received Tinubu as an elder statesman and never endorsed his presidential candidacy.

In further clarification last Tuesday, however, Fasoranti disputed Adebanjo’s claims in a viral video. As far as the 2023 presidential poll is concerned, he said Obi “has no standing in the mind of the Yoruba people at all as shown in the acceptability and approval of Tinubu across Yorubaland.”

Second, Adebajo alleged an attempt by some regressive forces to divide Afenifere.

This claim has elicited diverse questions among the South-west leaders. Is the claim of division by some forces true? Could Pa Fasoranti have separately pronounced blessings upon the APC candidate if Afenifere under Adebanjo widely consulted before endorsing Obi? But responses of the governors of the South-west suggested otherwise. In the first instance, the governors claimed that Adebanjo did not consult them before declaring the support of the Yoruba people for Obi. Also, Adebanjo himself confirmed that he did not consult widely before approving Obi’s candidacy. As an acting leader of the socio-cultural organisation, he observed that he did not need “to consult Fasoranti before declaring Afenifere’s support for Obi.” The National Treasurer of Afenifere, Chief Olasupo Shonibare further clarified that the Afenifere Cabinet ratified its support for Obi. Third, Adebanjo justified the approval of Obi’s candidacy based on Afenifere’s commitment to equity, fairness and justice, a tradition that distinguishes Yoruba from other ethnic nationalities across the federation. As a result, he claimed that Afenifere “is not only opposed to Tinubu’s aspiration, it is also opposed to the candidacy of Alhaji Atiku Abubakar. At this time, we are supporting a presidential candidate from the South-east in the interest of national unity.

This is more important to us as a people than supporting a presidential candidate

from the Yoruba nation” He specifically questioned Atiku’s candidacy, which according to him, was not in the national interest. He asked: “How can a Fulani man rule for eight years and another Fulani man is seeking to be the president going back there?”

This claim is obviously valid, but most leaders across Yorubaland believe the decision to support Obi should have been subjected to wider regional consultation before Adebanjo went public about it.

Irrespective of what influenced Adebanjo to declare Afenifere’s support for Obi’s candidacy, Fasoranti still stands on his approval of Tinubu, which he said, was consistent with the resolve of other leaders. Beyond pronouncing blessing upon Tinubu, Fasoranti noted that Adebanjo’s decision “can never stand because it does not truly reflect the thinking of the Yoruba people across the board.”

Another question also arises on whether Afenifere under Adebanjo could make such a sensitive decision without wider regional consensus or consultation. On the one hand, anti-Tinubu members argued that Fasoranti had resigned as the leader of Afenifere and appointed Adebanjo as an acting leader. On this ground, they claimed, Adebanjo could make such a decision if he secured the approval of the Afenifere cabinet and possibly its General Assembly.

On the other hand, pro-Tinubu members disagreed that Adebanjo could grant such an approval of regional consequence in acting capacity. Rather, as an acting leader, they argued that Adebanjo was only exercising delegated power, which they claimed, always required him to consult with Fasoranti and other critical stakeholders in the South-west and beyond before taking any decision for or on behalf of the Yoruba people.

To buttress their claims, they cited how the leader of the Unity Party of Nigeria (UPN) in the Senate, Senator Jonathan Odebiyi acted when Pa Adekunle Ajasin could no longer hold forth as the leader of Afenifere in the 1990s.

During this period, they explained: “All meetings were held at Ajasin’s residence in Owo, Ondo State. No decision was made without proper consultation with Ajasin before making a public announcement.

“But Odebiyi died before Ajasin. After Odebiyi’s death, Senator Abraham Adesanya stepped in as the acting leader of Afenifere. The first three

meetings were held in Owo. But Ajasin advised them to change the location of the meetings to Lagos on the grounds that most members of the socio-cultural organisation were then coming largely from Lagos State to Ondo State to attend Afenifere meetings.”

However, Fasoranti has debunked news reports making the rounds which claimed that he said Adebanjo is no longer the acting leader of Afenifere.

Fasoranti, in a statement dated November 3, 2022 and signed by his personal assistant, Mr. A. Abiola, also declared that he never said future meetings of the group would be held in his Akure home. He described the false report as designed to cause confusion and polarise Afenifere.

The statement reads: “It has come to Papa R.F. Fasoranti’s knowledge that some sections of the media, especially the social media, have been ascribing to him false statements designed to cause confusion and polarise Afenifere.

“I have Papa’s permission to say that he has not said that Chief Ayo Adebanjo is no longer the acting leader of Afenifere or that all future Afenifere meetings should henceforth be held at his residence in Akure.

“Papa’s main concern is the interest of the Yoruba in the complex political situation in Nigeria. It is also his concern that Afenifere should survive in dignity and remain a purveyor of the interest of the Yoruba race. It is hoped that this information will be adequately circulated.

Thank you.”

Many believe that if the present crisis is not carefully handled it would result in what happened in 1998 when a faction of Afenifere leaders endorsed Falae’s presidential aspiration, which edged former Attorney-General of the Federation, Chief Bola Ige out of the 1999 presidential contest.

This singular decision also triggered deeper crises within Afenifere or rebellion in its hierarchy.

As a result, pro-Ige members pulled out of the socio-cultural group. Till date, pro-Adebanjo members claimed, Afenifere has not fully overcome its 1998 crisis. This antecedent reinforces why a Yoruba leader said what happened in Akure last Sunday could have been handled differently in the interest of peace.

With the new crisis, however, Afenifere may finally return to the dark hole of oblivion if the leaders at both ends fail to rise above their differences.

58

T H I S D AY, T H E S U N D AY N E W S PA P E R NOVEMBER 6, 2022

GLITZ ENTERTAINMENT Stories by Vanessa Obioha The 18th edition of the Africa Movie Academy Awards which was held on Sunday, October 30, will remain memorable to attendees and winners as Nigerian films led with eight awards. The night was lit up by the sterling performances of King Sunny Ade who is no stranger to the AMAA stage. With his calm vocals and dexterous fingers on the guitar, he brought the audience to their feet. Not to be outdone, the energetic twins P-Square raised the roof with their exhilarating moves on stage. They reminded the audience why they are still the best in the music business.

Tanzania’s ‘Tug of War’ and South Africa’s ‘Surviving Gaza’ came after Nigeria with four awards each while ‘Borga,’ a film shot by a German director in Ghana came next with three awards.

Other films that won different categories include Somalia and Kenya’s ‘Ayaanle,’ Senegal’s ‘Astel,’ Uganda’s ‘No way out’ and ‘Tembele,’ USA’s ‘Contraband’ and ‘Remember Me: The Mahalia Jackson Story’ and Peru’s ‘The Rumba King.’

The Nigerian films that won the eight awards are Bolanle Austen Peters’ ‘Man of God’ with two awards, Kunle Afolayan’s ‘Swallow’ with two awards, Tope Oshin’s ‘Here love lies’ with one award, Tunde Aina’s ‘Underbelly’ with one award, Ogo Okpue’s ‘A Song from the Dark’ with one award and Walter Banger’s ‘Jolly Roger.’

With several nominees from different parts of Africa and the diaspora in attendance, the 2022 AMAA also had thrilling performances from Choc City’s Young Jon and Candy Bleakz, Zadok, and Yinka Davies.

Speaking at the event, Peace Anyiam-Osigwe, the founder of AMAA and Chief Executive Officer of the African Film Academy chided African filmmakers for shunning ego and embracing more collaborations to enhance the growth of the African film industry. She

AMAA 2022: King Sunny Ade, P-Square Lit up the Night with Sterling Performances stressed the need for film practitioners in Africa to unite and chart a pathway for African leaders in supporting the creative sector.

The event had in attendance Commissioner for Tourism, Arts, and Culture, Uzamat Akinbile-Yussuf with her husband, Special Adviser to Lagos State Governor on Education, Tokunbo Wahab, the Jury led

by Keith Shiri, Shaibu Husseini, Steve Ayorinde, and several film practitioners that include Richard MofeDamijo, Keppy Ekpeyong Bassey, Idowu Phillips, Bimbo Manuel, among several others.

P-Square on AMAA stage

Jude Idada Set to Premiere ‘Kofa’ at AFRIFF 2022

Design Indaba Partners with Google in Colours of Africa

Nike Okundaye’s work on Colours of Africa

Design Indaba in partnership with Google Arts and Culture launched an online project called ‘Colours of Africa’. The project showcases 60 specially-curated artworks produced by over 60 unique African creatives who used the ‘colour’ that captures the character of their home country.

“Africa is known for its bold, unapologetic use of colour, ” said Design Indaba’s founder Ravi Naidoo. “Each country, city and community is identifiable by its unique palette. As Africans, we can tell powerful stories through colour. This project tells a story of a continent through the universally accessible lens.”

The first artistic undertaking of this scale, the project will allow viewers to discover stories of Africa as told by the African creative community. The artworks will be showcased online where users are invited to spin the kaleidoscope to explore the works in an effort to take users on a journey through Africa, inviting them to view each country through the eyes of a local artist.

“By empowering and amplifying African voices to tell the unique stories of their cultures through their work and creativity, we hope to provide much-needed exposure, cultivate a newfound curiosity, and window into the vast beauty that exists on the continent,” says Nitin Gajria, Managing Director at Google.

The project involves creatives from almost every discipline imaginable: from architecture, illustration, painting and ceramics to writing, engineering, the performing arts and visual communications. Their creations have been converted into images, videos, texts and illustrations. The multidisciplinary mix of 60 artists includes Algerian photographer Ramzy Bensaadi, fashion designer Bisrat Negassi from Eritrea, filmmaker Archange Kiyindou “Yamakasi” from the Republic of Congo and visual artist Ngadi Smart from Sierra Leone.

As part of the project launch, Design Indaba commissioned Nigerian multi-talented creative and accomplished professional artist, Chief Nike Okundaye to capture the unique spirit of her country in a colour which represents home to her. She created an original painting titled ‘The Female Drummer/Àyánbìnrin’ using royal blue colour.

In addition to the Colours of Africa platform, the initiative will also see the launch of over 4,000 images, videos and 20 carefully curated exhibits from Design Indaba’s extensive archive.

Bisola Aiyeola, Ini Dima-Okojie, Star in ‘Flawsome’

Reality TV star and actress Bisola Aiyeola will be joining other TV and film stars in the new Showmax Nigerian Original drama series, ‘Flawsome’.

‘Flawsome’ revolves around the lives of four friends, portrayed by Aiyeola, Ini Dima-Okojie, Sharon Ooja and Enado Odigie, as they navigate their personal and professional lives while bound by the flawed yet unbreakable ties they share.

Aiyeola takes on the role of Ifeyinwa, a hard-working heiress who has spent all her life preparing to become the CEO of her father’s company after his demise only to find out she isn’t her father’s chosen candidate. Dima-Okojie is Ramat, who has a seemingly perfect marriage, a perfect middle-class life and a great career, but her reality isn’t as rosy as it seems. Ooja plays Ivie, a wide-eyed young woman who abandoned medicine and surgery for a career in fashion design with hopes of living the big city girl life while Odigie plays Dolapo, a career-driven woman who continues to beat the odds as she moves steadily up the corporate ladder with the biggest clients in her portfolio.

The 13-part drama series, created and directed by Tola Odunsi, also stars Gabriel Afolayan, John Dumelo, Baaj Adebule, Iretiola Doyle, Toyin Abraham, Chris Attoh, Ali Nuhu, Joselyn Dumas and Shine Rosman.

Shot in the metropolitan city of Lagos, ‘Flawsome’ comes hot on the heels of ‘Diiche’, Showmax’s first Nigerian Original limited series and joins the growing line-up of local content on the streaming platform.

‘Flawsome’ premieres November 10, 2022.

A still of Kofa

Nigeria Prize for Literature winner and multi-awardwinning filmmaker Jude Idada is set to premiere his feature film ‘Kofa’ at the 11th edition of the Africa International Film Festival (AFRIFF), holding at the Landmark Events Centre, Oniru, Lagos from November 6 to 11, 2022.

‘Kofa’ is a psychological thriller about eight people who wake up in their underwear, to find themselves locked in a room. All they remember are their names. As an armed man comes in to pick them out, one after the other, they struggle to remember who they are, where they are and why they are there to marshal out an escape plan.

In speaking about the film, Idada explains, “‘Kofa’ is a cinematic tour de force. The word Kofa means door in Hausa, thus the film is a metaphor of the closed doors we repeatedly encounter in our lives and the length we go to open them even when the odds are stacked against us. It uses semi-nudity, gun violence, amnesia, entrapment, suspicion, scheming, death, and a racing clock that races to a shocking twist and an explosive climax.”

It features the star-studded cast of Daniel Etim Effiong, Kate Henshaw, Ijeoma Grace Agu, Beverly Naya, Zainab Balogun, and Enyinna Nwigwe among others.

AThinkingMan Media production in association with Creoternity Films and C-Blunt Films, it was written, directed, and produced by Idada alongside a producing team of Chibuzo Okoye and Femi Ogunsanwo.

Aiyeola, Dima-Okojie, Ooja and Odigie in ‘Flawsome

25 Young Creatives Emerge at MTN, LIMCAF Grand Finale The 15th edition of the Life in My City Arts Festival (LIMCAF), in partnership with the MTN Foundation, officially ended on Saturday, 29 October 2022, with a gala and award night at the International Conference Centre, Enugu.

Following the successful regional exhibitions across eight states in the country, where the top 100 artworks were selected, the artworks of 25 artists made it to the winning spot. Fourteen artists received consolation prizes, five artists received cash gifts from individual sponsors, the five best artists in different categories including textile design, photography, graphics design, ceramics and painting, all received N250,000 each, and the overall winner received a cash prize of N500,000.

Representing the Governor of Enugu State, Ifeanyi

Ugwuanyi at the award ceremony, Commissioner for Lands, Enugu state, Hon. Chidi Aroh commended the efforts of the LIMCAF organisation.

“In Enugu state, we firmly believe that in all our difficulties as a nation, the greatest message we must give to the youths is the message of hope, strengthened by our determination to continue to create a platform for hope, and an enabling environment for the youths to thrive,” he said.

Also giving his remarks at the ceremony, Director, MTN Foundation, Dennis Okoro, commended the LIMCAF committee and stated that the Foundation does not regret sponsoring the festival, especially as the objective aligns with the Foundation’s mandate focused on youth empowerment.

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THISDAY, THE SUNDAY NEWSPAPER NOVEMBER 6 , 2022

INTERNATIONAL

Sovereignty and Travel Advisory in Diplomatic Practice: UK-US Pattern and Nigeria’s Policy of Self-deceit

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heconductandmanagementofinternationalrelations, and particularly of international questions, is largely definedbythedejureprincipleofnationalsovereignty, and by the de facto rule of protection of the national interest,whichalltheMemberStatesoftheinternational community consider as a desideratum. Even when agreements are negotiated and done, defence of the national sovereignty and national interest is always given the priority of priorities during the processes of negotiation and in its final outcome.

True, sovereignty is synonymous with self-governing authority.The authority is referred to as supreme power to act independently of other sovereign States. Sovereignty became popular in international relations since 1800 and its meaning varies according to its source. For instance, in the context of a federal government, sovereign power is a resultant from the people because power belongs to the people who only delegates the power during elections or otherwise. Unlike a Federal Government, a state government necessarily derives its own sovereign power from the Federal Government, while tribal or local governments derive its own sovereignty from the State Government.This is what obtains in the US. So, local and state sovereignties are operational within the framework of a Federal Government, while federal or national sovereignty is applicable beyond the international frontiers of a country. It is within this international domain that the issuance of a travel advisory should be discussed and understood. In this regard, every sovereign State has the supreme power to issue a travel advisory to its citizens, even to other sovereign States, especially if they have cooperation agreements.

Collective security compels such travel advisory at times.

The problem, however, is always the mania of issuance of a travel advisory. Should a sovereign State make public a travel advisory? Should the advisory be channelled through another sovereign state? Should the consent of a receiving state, like Nigeria, be sought before an accredited diplomatic mission in Nigeria, like that of the United States or the United Kingdom, can issue a travel advisory? Should Nigerians be told publicly or otherwise about the issuance of a travel advisory meant stricto sensu for American citizens?

In discussing the mania of US-UK travel advisories what is the situation with travel advisories in international relations? In which way is the situation different in their application from that in Nigeria?Why the issuance of any travel advisory, and particularly by the United States and the United Kingdom? How should the recipients of an advisory respond?

Is Nigeria not engaging in a policy of recklessness and self-deceit in handling the US-UK travel advisory?

VIE INTERNATIONALE with

Bola A. Akinterinwa Telephone : 0807-688-2846

e-mail: bolyttag@yahoo.com

TravelAdvisoryinDiplomaticPractice

In international diplomatic practice, the issuance of a travel advisory Onyeama is always a very welcome development for three main reasons. First, it of running is told that a war is forthcoming, the expectation for the compels the people to stop slumbering and sleeping by making them lame person is to begin to seek an immediate escape route.This is to quickly prepare to face the threats of insecurity, and particularly in the precise situation of every travel advisory issued by the United ensuring safety of lives and property. For instance, when the United States and the United Kingdom which is always aimed at ensuring States and the United Kingdom issued their travel advisories, it took legitimate self-defence. Both countries have been victims of various very little time for the various special security agents to flood Abuja in terrorist attacks which have compelled them to adopt policies preparation to respond to whatever challenges. The response of the of non-sleep, and monitoring actively every terrorist movement, security agents was apparently devoid of politicisation.That, in itself is from which other sovereign States do also benefit. quite commendable because the advisory was not taken with kid gloves.

It is useful to briefly recall some of the terrorist attacks against the Secondly, a travel advisory enables self-reassessment. For instance, United States in order to underscore the rationales for its issuance of how do we explain the fact that the United States and the United travel advisories.The US Ambassador, Adolph Dubs was kidnapped Kingdom saw threats that are forthcoming and the Nigerian government’s security agents did not see them? In other words, has Nigeria

by Islamist terrorists in Afghanistan. In an attempt by the Afghan the same intelligence and military capability as the United States and government to rescue the ambassador during a military assault on the United Kingdom? More importantly, did the United States and the terrorists, Ambassador Adolph Dubs was inadvertently killed the United Kingdom have ulterior motives with the issuance of their on 14th February, 1979. This was not terroristic. travel advisories? Can the advisories be aimed at fomenting trouble in However,on4thNovember,1979,morethansixtypeople,including diplomatic agents, were held hostage for 444 days at the US Nigeria or making life and political governance more difficult for the Embassy in Iran.The experience was very harrowing as a diplomatic APC government with the ultimate objective of influencing the 2023 mission is internationally considered a sovereign institution. An general elections in Nigeria?

Embassy enjoys the principle of ex-territoriality, implying that the US Thirdly, the issuance of a travel advisory is a potent tool of controlling Embassy, like any other one, is another State in another sovereign extremist terror in the management of criminal violence in international host country. Consequently, terrorists not only to violate the 1961 relations. Issuance of a travel advisory is a manifestation of the belief that Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations which unconditionally prevention is always better than cure. It is about forewarning and this is protect all diplomatic missions, and for that matter, but also prevent consistent with theYoruba proverbial saying that‘ogun a gbo tele kin pa aro tio ba gbon.’This simply means that‘a war that is foretold does not the embassy from operating for 444 days. This situation cannot kill any lame person.’When a lame person who cannot trek not to talk but continue to compel any reasonable government to sleep with

“

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Most unfortunately, the understanding of US-UK concerns about the implications of terrorism in Nigeria for Europe and America is limited. On 13 December 2011, Boko haramism was identified as an emerging major threat to the US Homeland. Lai Mohammed who is defending Nigeria’s sovereignty easily forgets that on 29 August, 2018 Nigeria and the UK stepped up their cooperation to end Boko haram insurgency, meaning that the UK is still needed in combatting insecurity. A former UK Prime Minister publicly told the whole world at a UN General Assembly that there was a terrorist training school in Abuja. What has happened to the observation and the school? Foreigners cannot believe in the capacity of the PMB government to suppress terror because terrorists are in all facets of the polity. Former President Goodluck Jonathan already admitted that there were Boko Haramists in his Government. General Theophilus not only told Nigerians that the Nigerian military are aiding and abetting terror but also to prepare to take arms and defend themselves against terrorists. Thus, why should any reasonable government not first alert its citizens? Why should a foreign government first inform its host government when the perception of insecurity handling is, at best, very controversial? Comparing insecurity in Nigeria with school shootings in the US is self-deceit, because insecurity in Nigeria can precipitate national disintegration, while it cannot happen in the US. Purporting to have parity with US-UK warning alert mechanisms is unnecessary self-glorification that is more terroristic than the threats of the insurgents. PMB should sustain his more mature diplomatic approach and stop the uncouth pronouncements of his representatives, in light of the insecurity in Northwest and IPOB that are currently threatening the 2023 elections.

one eye closed and one eye open.

It was the case of a bomb explosion on 18th April, 1983 in Lebanon. A bomb, placed under a US diplomatic vehicle and detonated from outside the embassy, almost destroyed the entire embassy in Beirut. Sixty-three people, including seventeen Americans, were killed. This was cruelty and a Cold War between Islamist terrorists and the United States. On July 8, 1998 in Kenya andTanzania, the United States was again victim of brutal terrorist attacks. Not less than 224 people died. More than 5,000 people were wounded.Twelve Americans were seriously wounded in Nairobi, Kenya. If people complain about difficulties in accessing any US embassy, the reasons are not far-fetched: the foregoing brutalities partly explain the US self-precautionary measures.

Iraq was the next place of terrorist attack on the US embassy on 29th January,2005.TerroriststhrewrocketbombstotheUSembassyinBagdad and killed two Americans.The following year, on 2nd March, 2006, it was another suicide terrorist attack, with the use of car bombs in Karachi, Pakistan near the US Consulate. The suicide bomb attack, which took place two days before the official visit of President George W. Bush, left five people dead, including one American diplomat. One American life was also lost during the terrorist attack in Yemen on US Embassy in Sanaa on 17th September, 2008. Fifteen others also lost their lives.

On 3rd September, 2012 in Pakistan, there was again another terrorist attack on US diplomatic vehicle which is supposed to be internationally protected. It was a suicide bombing in Peshawar because of the showing of a film considered to be anti-Islam or insulting to Islam.

And perhaps more recently, on 3rd May , 2022, the African Union base in Somalia was not only attacked with threats of expelling its Special Representative, but also on 30th October, 2022 the French Ministry of European and Foreign Affairs said there was an attack in Mogadishu, Somalia, in which several people were killed and wounded.With travel advisories and announcements on terrorist activities in other countries, should one learn from them or simply seek to engage in politics of selfdeceit?

The foregoing is just the recalling of some of the attacks on US diplomatic missions.We have explicated assaults against US diplomatic and other missions in greater detail elsewhere (vide Bola A. Akinterinwa,“Les attaques contre les missions diplomatiques et consulaires et le droit international, Paris: Institute of Advanced International Studies of the University of Paris 2, 1979). The famous and most wicked 9/11 terrorist attacks speak volumes. They not only go beyond ordinary attacks on diplomatic missions but compel a determination to always want to carry the war on terror to the door steps of the Islamist terrorists wherever they may be found. The United States cannot be consistently targeted for terrorist attacks and the US government will be expected not to know its onions in alerting its citizens of potential threats to their lives. The policy stand of the United States is to prevent the importation of terror to the home land by fighting it outside of the United States.

The experience of the United Kingdom is not in any way different except in the frequency of attacks.The British Embassy was burnt on 31 October 1946 in Porta Pia in Rome. Two timed explosives were put in a suitcase and planted at the frontage of the British Embassy by the Irgun (Zionist paramilitary organisation) in protest against British prevention of illegal Jewish immigration into the Mandatory Palestine. Ambassador Noel Charles was the direct target.

On 29 November, 2011, the British Embassy in Iran was attacked in a mob action in Iran. There were protests in the British chancery and diplomatic residences in Jomhouri,Tehran.The mob ransacked offices and burnt one diplomatic building. 20 Iranian protesters were arrested and three British officials suffered injuries. On 2nd February, 1972, the British embassy in Dublin was burnt by a large and angry crowd:‘three coffins draped in black were placed on the embassy steps, two Union Jacks were burned, and an effigy of a British Soldier was set on fire.’ In 2003, the British Embassy was also victim of several attacks. Even though terrorist attacks had been more on diplomatic missions than on the killing of diplomatic agents, the United Kingdom has also been compelled in the mania of the United States to alert all its citizens wherever they may be. It is against this background that the UK’s reduction of services and travel advisory on 24 October 2022 should be understood.

US-UKTravelAdvisoryandNigerianReaction Terrorism became more critical following the end of World War II to the extent that the Soviet Union took note of the US support for the Soviet Union’s suggestion that a conference of experts be convened in Geneva to interrogate how to avoid being cut unawares as a result of‘surprise attacks.’In this regard, General Charles de Gaulle had on 24 September, 1958 written to UK’s Macmillan and US Eisenhower on the need for the institution of a political consultation mechanism among the United States, the United Kingdom and France.

The consultation was to take place within the framework of the NATO or outside of it (vide Lazar Focsaneanu et al,“Chronologie des faits internationaux d’ordre juridique,”Annuaire Français de Droit International, 1959, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, 1959, p. 903). In spite of the consultations that ensued thereafter, surprise attacks have remained a major challenge without solution in international relations, and hence the need to always issue travel alerts when necessary.

On 25 October 2022, the US Department of State authorised the departure of non-emergency US government employees and family members from Abuja due to perceived heightened risk of terrorist attacks. In the eyes of the United States, Nigeria has become a country of very violent crimes, ranging from armed robbery, assault, carjacking, kidnapping on interstate roads to hostage taking, banditry, low-level armed militancy in southern Nigeria, and rape.

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T H I S DAY, T H E S U N DAY N E W S PA P E R • NOVEMBER 6, 2022

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B AC K PAG E C O N T I N UAT I O N THE VALUE OF A NIGERIAN’S LIFE treatment. Everything possible will be done ab initio to save human life.

In Nigeria, if you take an accident victim to a public hospital, you are likely to live to regret it — at least nine out of 10 times. If they will accept the victim at all, you will go through hell because of the formalities.

Saving the dying soul is not the priority. A medical student told me of how an accident victim was bleeding to death at the teaching hospital and the first thing the hospital staff were interested in was asking the relatives, or whoever brought him, to pay for registration.

After they had filled the documents, the next item on the agenda was if the spellings were correct. The victim was fighting for his life but who cared? By the time they were done with the formalities, the patient was dead.

It is so simple to understand why: we have no value for human life in Nigeria.

God save you if it is a bullet-wound victim.

While someone’s life is on the line, you will be asked to produce a police report before treatment can be administered. This started under military rule in the 1980s. Police issued an order that before any hospital could treat a bullet-wound victim, there must be a police report to certify that he was not an armed robber hit in an exchange of fire. Even if he were a robber or murderer, the fact is that in a sane society, his life will be saved first so that he could undergo a proper trial. After many had died pointlessly, police withdrew the directive but till today, hospitals still turn back bullet-wound victims.

If the dead man at Charly Boy bus stop were a victim of ritual killing or murder, we would never know. If it was a country that valued human life, it would have been investigated. It wouldn’t matter if he was

famous or not. In September 2001, the torso of a five-year-old black boy, named “Boy Adam” by the police, was found in River Thames, London. He was suspected to be a victim of ritual killing. British police spent millions of pounds trying to establish his identity and why he was murdered. His origins were eventually traced to Nigeria and his identity unmasked after many years, although a controversy meant some of the findings were discarded. But you could see the attempt to solve the murder of an unknown entity. That is what it means to value human life.

I will now move to more specifics about how value for human life can impact on the quality of governance. Leaders who appreciate the value of human life would do everything possible to make sure public hospitals are in good shape in all aspects — infrastructure, staffing, medication and care. You know and appreciate what it means for citizens to be healthy, to be productive and to contribute their quota to the economy and the society.

You know that health is wealth. You will go to any extent to equip the hospitals, to pay health workers and medical personnel well, and to make sure there is treatment and surgery coverage for the citizens. You will just do it as common sense if you truly have value for human life.

If you really appreciate the value of human life, you will do everything to provide safe water for the citizens. Nigerians are still suffering from water-borne diseases such as diarrhoea, dysentery and meningitis. Every year, we record outbreaks of water-borne diseases that are killing thousands of poor Nigerians. In 2018, the Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) sector report revealed that

60 million Nigerians were without access to basic drinking water. That was slightly below the population of the UK and more than South Africa’s. People drink from unhealthy sources such as streams, ponds and wells and are inevitably prone to sickness. How can sick people be economically productive?

If you really care for human life, you will not joke with providing them with water.

It is just natural. In 2022, many governors forked out between N40 million and N100 million to buy presidential nomination forms even when they knew they did not stand any chance. If we estimate the cost of sinking a borehole at N500,000 (it could be cheaper in some places, more expensive in others), N100 million will sink 200 boreholes and banish cholera and several other diseases from many communities. Even if we inflate the cost to N1 million per one, that is 100 boreholes that will save lives. But if you do not value human life, you cannot get my point.

If Nigerian leaders put value on human life, our security agencies will deliver better services. Armed robbery, kidnapping, insurgency and terrorism would have been contained ages ago. But when you steal budgets meant to equip the security agencies or look the other way when the funds are stolen, when you care not about their efficiency and professionalism, when you do not take strict actions on those found wanting, when you downplay competence and do recruitments based on narrow interests, there is no phrase more descriptive of your mentality than “lack of value for human life”. If you prioritise human lives, nobody will need to beg you to do the right thing to improve the security ecosystem.

I could produce a long list of things our leaders do, or fail to do, that point in the direction of a patent lack of value for human life. It is, nonetheless, glaring that they value their own lives. That is why they head straight to foreign hospitals when they need medical treatment, even for common cold. They would never attend public hospitals in Nigeria if they had to receive initial treatment here.

They would go to the most expensive private hospitals before being flown abroad. They value their own lives. They will never drink unclean water — they cannot even drink from public tap, much less streams. They feel safe as they are surrounded by legions of security operatives. They manifestly value their own lives.

I am not trying to criticise them for valuing their own lives dearly. I am criticising them for not placing similar value on the lives of the ordinary Nigerians. We need leaders with a different mentality — a mentality that flows from a conscience, a conscience that is built on the value of human life. Why should Nigerians continue to drink from ponds and streams? Why should public hospitals be so inhospitable? Why should emergency services not work? Why should security agencies be so inefficient, leaving ordinary Nigerians highly vulnerable to all forms of insecurity? The day our leaders begin to value the life of a Nigerian, something will change significantly for us and we will rejoice and be glad for it. *This is a chapter from my debut book, ‘Fellow Nigerians, It’s All Politics’, distributed in Nigeria by Roving Heights and available at leading bookstores nationwide. Also available on Amazon.

And Four Other Things…

FLOODING POLITICS Is there anything that cannot be politicised in Nigeria? The answer is no. A devastating flooding has just killed hundreds of Nigerians and left millions homeless, but it would appear we have managed to turn this whole tragedy into a political game of North vs South yet again. Leader of the Pan Niger Delta Forum (PANDEF), Chief Edwin Clark, has accused the minister of humanitarian affairs, disaster management and social development, Ms Sadiya Umar Farouk, of neglecting affected areas in the south. The minister says Jigawa, which recorded 100 deaths, is the most affected of the lot. Pray, when are we going to start seeing ourselves as human beings first before anything else? Damning.

OBASANJO THE HERO Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), and Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, his counterpart in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), are falling over each other to eulogise former President Olusegun Obasanjo for his role in resolving the civil war in Ethiopia. Atiku even wants Obasanjo’s face on the proposed new-look naira notes. Of course, Obasanjo deserves every credit for his international statesmanship and you have to wonder how many African leaders still have this level of goodwill. However, I smell a rat in the outpour of accolades by Tinubu and Atiku. Obasanjo holds both in low esteem and the feeling is mutual. Politics.

TERROR ALERTS The UK on Friday warned its citizens in the US about possible terror attacks. In the travel advisory, the UK said the planned attacks were very likely to be random across the US. A day earlier, the US Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) had warned of “credible” threats to synagogues in New Jersey. On the heels of similar warnings issued by the US about possible terror attacks in South Africa and Nigeria, it is safe to conclude that nowhere is really safe in this world. Someone already suggested that World War III will not be territorial as we used to know it but terror attacks not limited to typical boundaries. In that case, vigilance will now be the ultimate weapon for everybody. Terrifying.

RIP IFEANYI My heart goes out to Davido, the Afrobeats star, and Chioma over the death of their son, Ifeanyi, in a domestic swimming pool accident.

How do you begin to comfort anyone who has lost a three-old child? A lot of unkind things are being said on social media about the tragic incident but that is what happens when people have more data on their phones than brains in their heads. We still don’t know the circumstances of Ifeanyi’s death but the police said an autopsy has established drowning.

I implore the authorities to thoroughly investigate the circumstances. I hope this tragic accident will ginger the authorities to improve safety regulations on private swimming pools. Condolences.

NIGERIA AND THE UN CLIMATE TALKS likely to negatively impact government revenue and Nigeria’s developmental aspirations. The transition away from fossil fuel will, down the line, reduce the income that the Nigerian government can draw from taxes on and sale of oil and gas. It will also impact the inflow of foreign exchange, as the oil and gas sector still accounts for more than 70% of Nigeria’s exports. But more insidious is the ban on investment in gas, which though is cleaner than coal and oil, is still classified as dirty energy. Reduced investment in gas will not only rob Nigeria of vital revenue, but will also hurt its capacity to use its abundant gas to generate electricity for industrial, technology and domestic needs.

For these and other reasons, Nigeria should be one of the strongest voices in the climate change space not just in Africa but globally. For us, climate change is not an academic exercise, a theoretical concept or a potential challenge. It is the here and now, it is existential, and it is likely to get worse.

Yes, we have an energy transition plan, coordinated by Vice President Yemi Osinbajo.

In the plan, we made a commitment to achieve net-zero by 2060, and estimated that the plan would cost $1.9 trillion. At a time when most or all of revenue goes

UN Secretary-General, António Guterres

to debt service, it is important to think of how to mobilise such. VP Osinbajo has been outspoken on the need for a just energy transition, advocating for different paths for developing countries and for support from the rich to the vulnerable. He has written two informed think-pieces in Foreign Affairs and The Economist.

But we need to do much more to leverage

our size and the risk we face to get the needed support. That we are not doing, or not doing enough of. Climate change is a classic collective action problem. No country, no matter how well resourced, can go it alone. Nigeria and others definitely need support from the rest of the world, especially the developed countries and the development partners.

South Africa got an $8.5 billion package from COP26 in Scotland. Will Nigeria get any support or even make a strong case for one in COP27? It will be a pleasant surprise if this happens. We are going through a devastating flood which has put a sizeable portion of our country practically under water.

But the world barely took notice. And why should the outside world cry more than the bereaved when the devastation has not received more than tokenist gestures from within? Given the failure of leading candidates for the 2023 elections to articulate a lucid climate change position even with the opportunity offered by the floods, the official and societal response to climate change is not likely to change soon.

But it needs to, and quickly too. Some recent talking-points provide openings for us to step up. The first is that the world is not on track to meeting the target of keeping

global warming at 1.5 degree Celsius. This portends great dangers for all, especially for the vulnerable. There is space for leadership, a role that Nigeria has both the locus and purchase on. The second issue is the way American and European governments and companies have walked back to fossil fuel (not just oil and gas but also coal) following the energy crisis that came in the wake of the war in Ukraine. Of course, the power equation is asymmetrical: those who make the rule can bend it to their needs. But this also shows there is room for flexibility. Nigeria and others can appeal to this need for flexibility on at least the use of and investment in gas even after the war in Ukraine is resolved.

The last issue is the increasing talk about climate reparation. A vigorous case is being made that the developed countries which have historically been the worst emitters of greenhouse gas should compensate the least emitters and the most vulnerable countries for the loss and damage from global warming.

This will be one of the hot topics in Egypt and beyond. It is a reincarnation of the polluter-must-pay concept and strikes at the need for climate justice. This is another space crying for a Nigeria, to raise its and others’ voice and agency. But Nigeria can only do all these when it gets over its climate apathy.

THISDAY, THE SUNDAY NEWSPAPER NOVEMBER 6 , 2022

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with ChidiAmuta e-mail:chidi.amuta@gmail.com

ENGAGEMENTS

2023: What If Machiavelli Votes?

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rdinarily,thehiddenhandsofan ancient Italian devious thinker should have no relevance to Nigeria’s 2023 election. But Machiavelli lived in a bad time and in a treacherous political terrain pretty much like the Nigeriaof2022.LikeintheFlorentinecitystate,our politics has been reduced to seasonal undeclared civil wars moderated by the hidden hands of dark knights of vested interests and primordial loyalties. Somehow, the often trivialized and battered dictum that the end of a power exploit justifies the means has come to rule our political history in spite of fancy pretensions to democratic fidelity.

Machiavelli was himself variously a victim and traducer of a system wracked by perennial turmoil and serial instability. He was even tried and convicted for treasonous subversion of the state and sacked from his public service career.

It was in his period of internal exile and isolation that he found time to write The Prince which later becametheclassictextonstatecraftespeciallyfor ambitiouspowerseekersandpowermongersinbad places. Machiavelli meant well in his philosophical enquiry. But his legacy has become one of an evil genius of political thinking.

Several centuries after his demise, he and his handbook have become the universal primers of dark power schemes and manipulative statecraft. Therefore, anywhere the contest for power becomes subject to unwritten rules, unstated assumptions and murky computations, Machiavelliiscitedasaninspiration.Wheneverthe normal political process is derailed in the service of devious ends, Machiavelli is said to have cast a vote. Wherever unintended detours occur on the roadtoapowerdestination,Machiavelliisinvoked.

Whenever rough seekers of power succeed in decapitating the state or usurping its power pinnacles,theiruntidymethodsfindaccommodation in Machiavelli’ scheme. Coups and counter coups, all shades of revolutions, political assassinations, bogus elections and political gangsterism and other nasty power games all find philosophical legitimation in the license of political language as ‘Machiavellian’.

Nigeria is not new to devious detours and nasty disruptions at the verge of power transitions.

In 1983, President Shehu Shagari was on the way to a two-term presidential tenure. A lanky Machiavelli donned a battle fatigue and struck, sending democracy on a reverse trip. The end of a militarypowergrabwasjustifiedbythemeanness ofthesubsequentlegitimacyexcuses.Afrowning autocracyreplacedanimperfectdemocracy.Amore sophisticatedsmilingMachiavelliandisciplecame calling. The rest is just one chapter from a past of many tragic power usurpations and disruptions.

Today,weareliterallyatthedoorstepofthe2023 elections. This is like no other normal democratic transition moments. Nearly all the variables that define our nationhood have come unhinged. Such moments try even the most settled of nations and call for the emergence of more than power occupants.

All the parties have activated into a campaign mode, having fulfilled all INEC requirements. The public is in an expectant mood as wagers and opinion polls pass the mantle of victorious odds from Obi to Atiku and Tinubu and back again in no particularrankingorder.Onitspart,INEChasbeen busyperfectingallitsprocessesandmechanicsto ensureatolerablycredibleelection.Fromwhatwe are reading, INEC’s increased confidence stems mostly from its near perfection of the use of the BVACS technology and logistical clean-up. These have worked fairly well in producing fairly credible recent governorship elections in Edo, Anambra, Ondo, Ekiti and Osun respectively.

ThereisanemergentconsensusthatINECunder the present leadership has come to a point where the integrity of electoral outcomes has become relatively axiomatic. Confidence in the electoral process and hope in the promise of democracy havegrown.Agreatdealofthisimprovedelectoral ecosystemanddemocraticlandscape istheresult ofthereliabilityofthetechnologymixthatINEChas adopted. The fears of a Machiavellian disruption beginhere.Machiavellianpoliticalphilosophyisessentiallydisruptive,notconformistorpreservative.

Asitturnsout,Machiavelliandotherdarkpower forces now also have a technology wing. In the age of information technology wizardry, nearly every perfect system is vulnerable. Hacking and unauthorised cyber access have become an industry.

Atiku ThereisnothingintheBVACStechnologythat completely insulates it from compromise by a determined and desperate political interest intentoninfluencingthe outcome ofthe 2023 elections.Hackersandvendorsofallmannerof virusesandmalwareareoutthereontheprowl for hire for a couple of thousands of dollars.

From a basement or garage somewhere in Shanghai, Wuse or Lekki, a group of internet freaksandcybercriminalscouldactuallyclone INEC’s BVACS machines and their footprints.

The cloned BVACS machines could overwrite thegenuinemachinesandtransmitfakeresults wellaheadofthegenuineterminals.Bythetime INEC realises it, the damage would have been done. This is only one way in which the technological advantage of INEC’s success could be turned into a gruesome liability. The ingenuity of technological evil hands and minds has no limits in today’s world.

Onawiderscale,thefearofpoliticalinstability hovers over Nigeria even as we speak. It has nothingtodowithpreparationsfortheelections themselves. But instead, fundamental issues ofnationalsecurityandstabilityhaveemerged anew. In the last fortnight, all major Western diplomaticmissionsinAbujahavesentouttravel advisories and feverish alerts pointing to an imminent string of terrorist events in Abuja.

The United States and Canada have issued guidelinestotheirnationalsfortheevacuation of non- essential personnel from Nigeria. The UnitedKingdom,Germany,Australia,Denmark and others have followed suit. All Nigerian security agencies have fanned out all over Abuja insearchofthetroublemakers.Allthisistaking placeunderaveneerofnormalcyandtranquility in and around the city. So far, security people have reported some significant arrests and found items of interest in residential estates in Abuja. But there has not been anything of a magnitudetojustifythescopeofthediplomatic stampede.

Predictably,allmannerofMachiavelliannarratives and conspiracy theories have gone to town.Themostconsequentialisthepostulation thatthosewhothreatenAbujamayhavelarger political scripts hidden in their tunics. A series of synchronised terror events in and around Abuja could send the message that the 2023 electionswouldbeuntenableinanatmosphere of anarchy and insecurity in the capital city. In place of the election, this devious logic would wanttoemplaceagovernmentofnationalunity asastabilizationmechanismuntilsecurityand stability return. This satanic script is said to be the handiwork of the famous conservative cliqueinandaroundtheVilla.Beyondconspiracy schemes, there is a sense in which each of the frontline presidential candidates is open to schemes outside their control.

Mr. Atiku Abubakar of the Peoples DemocraticParty(PDP)iseasilythemostadeptpower player in the present mix. Mr. Atiku has torpedoedhisparty’spowerrotationunderstanding thereby stifling the hope of the South-east to furnish a presidential candidate for the PDP

in 2023. He garnered the support of the northern eliteofthepartytoupstageothercontendersatthe Maypresidentialprimariesconvention.Adingdong intra party series of skirmishes is raging between him and Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers State.

Mr. Atiku may be holding the mainframe of the party with the support and collaboration of Dr. Iyiorcha Ayu, the party’s savvy chairman. Both men can rely on the longer institutional memory of the party to advance their cause. But Mr. Wike is a threat to the Rivers State bloc vote which is only next to Lagos in the south. The party has to find its way around Mr. Wike to gain access to that demographics of voters.

Mr.AtikuremainsvulnerabletotheMachiavellian manoeuvres of three human political forces: he needs to reach some accommodation with Mr. Wike and his fellow travellers. More importantly, Atiku is politically indebted to two political deities: ex-presidentOlusegunObasanjoandformermilitary president Ibrahim Babangida. Both men bear him deep grudges and possess considerable political clout. They could both keep Atiku awake for a few nights in the months ahead.

But Mr. Atiku is a Fulani Muslim. But he remains somethingofasuspiciousfigureamongthecommon northern street folk who see him as too much of a Westernised capitalist apologist and mogul. To approximate the cultic followership of a Buhari in thenorth,Mr.Atikuwillneedtomovefromhisknown centre right position towards a more conservative posture.Thatcouldcosthimthesupportofcorporate Nigeria and influential friends in the south. Of the three frontline presidential candidates, therefore, Mr. Atiku has the advantage of being the most pro establishment and pro northern hegemony.

The ghosts of Machiavelli that will haunt Mr. Atiku reside in three zones of the country: the South-west, the South-east and the South-south.

In the South-west, he has to wrestle with the potly ghostofMr.Obasanjo.Thereisofcoursethelooming presence of Mr. Bola Tinubu. In the South East, the wounded collective consciousness of a people lies in wait. For the South-south, an Atiku presidency is inconsequential.

Mr.BolaTinubuoftheAllProgressivesCongress (APC)canbeanexcitingoldwarhorse.AllthemajorindicesofNigerianpowerareondisplayinhisarmoury.

He can rely on the troubled Buhari incumbency and the myth of an incumbent party. Hanging on to the Buhari coat tail could earn him the cultic followership of the departing Daura musketeer. However, Buhari’s cultic followership in the major Muslim states of Kano, Katsina and Kaduna, like all political followership, is not automatically transferable. If Tinubucould lay hands onthatinheritance,hecould get a decisive edge when added to his Lagos trove.

His hands have extended to Rivers where he has effectively undermined the PDP by entering into an electoral understanding with Governor Wike.

His Muslim-Muslim ticket could be an insurance policytoenhancehisaccesstoBuhari’scoreMuslim base. But northern voters who have to choose between the Islam of Atiku and that of Atiku will have in interesting choice.

Mr.Tinuburemainsthecandidatewiththedeepest pocket. He seems ready to deploy that war chest

into the service of his political goals. His financial blitzkriegduringtheAPCpresidentialprimariessays it all. He literally drowned his opponents in a sea of dollarbillstotakehometheprizepresidentialticket.

Inherent in Mr. Tinubu’s advantages are grave vulnerabilities as well. Some close watchers of President Buhari believe that his nativist instincts maynotinfactfavouraTinubusuccession.Aschool ofthoughtbelievesthattheAsoRockpowercartel around him may not be so excited about a Tinubu presidency either. There is an even more sinister Machiavellianconspiracytheoryafloat.Whatifthe assumed support of northern APC governors is designed to obtain Tinubu’s money and use it to fundanAtikusuccession,therebyconsolidatingthe northern hegemony? Tinubu may have the transactional support of ordinary northerners through cash and lorry loads of branded bags of rice. While Buhari gave the northern masses empty promises of a better life, Mr. Tinubu has instant goodness in cash and supplies in generous quantities!

WithMr.ObioftheLabourParty,wecomefaceto face with a real threat to Nigeria’s power nexus. Mr. Obi is challenging the political establishment, the traditional architecture of parties and the ethos of old politicians. He is challenging the bastions of vested interest, the organized crime syndicates of fuel subsidies and inflated state contracts. He has openly indicated a desire to run a people oriented administrationthatisaccountable,frugalandopen.

All these grate on the nerves of the deep state and the warlords of enshrined corruption. He wants to reorganisenationalsecurityandthuscurbthecrime dividends enjoyed by the security high command.

PeterObiandhisOBIdientsmovementcouldhave beendismissedwithawaveofthehandiftheywere not so consequential, menacing and expanding. In a relatively short space of time, Mr. Obi has had a movement grow around him and his counter narrative.Hehasbecometheemblematicposter“manin black” of this season with a targeted appeal mostly to the youth. He is the convergence of moment, message and messenger. His message is simple: ‘It is time to take back our country’. That message hasresonatedwiththeyouthandthedisenchanted majorityofurbanpoorandunemployed. Thedesire tocreateanewNigeriatranscendsthebarriersthat haveheldNigeriahostage.ThereliesObi’srealthreat to the power establishment.

The system is not going to sit idly by while Mr. Obi and his followers sweep vested interest out of power. Therefore, he will be the meeting ground of all the dark forces intent on maintaining the status quo. In quick rehearsals, financial blackmail of Mr. Obihasbeentriedanddidnotwork.Ethnicprofiling hasnotstuck.Asthecampaignseasonprogresses, moresophisticatedanticsmayberolledoutifMr.Obi and the OBIdients sustain their appeal and gather momentum.

ThepossiblereleaseofIPOBchieftain,Mr.Nnamdi Kanu, could be weaponized against Mr. Obi in the event thathebecomes anelectoral threat. Nnamdi Kanu’sconsiderablefolkpopularityintheSouthEast could be deployed to erode Mr. Obi’s anticipated South-easthomebase.Thedeviouscalculationwould be to use Nnamdi Kanu’s release as an effective antidote against an Obi presidential emergence.

On the other hand, an unlikely mass embrace of Obi by Kanu and his IPOB mob will still spell the death of the OBIdients as a national movement and credible political alternative. It will be quickly consignedtotheconvenientcategoryofseparatist troublemakers. If Kanu and his followers decide to oppose Obi, it could convert the South-east into a political battle field in every sense and distract from the national contest for apex power.

Beyondsuchovertlymischievousandpresumably far-fetchedschemes, themajorindicesandconstant unknowns of power and politics in Nigeria remain active.Theywilldeterminewhoassumesapexpower in2023.Theseconstantdeterminantsincludeissues of faith, ethnicity, region and big money interests and the deep state. Even in spite of the present veneerofdemocraticorderlinesstowardsthe2023 elections, the prospects of democratic succession remainfractiousandsomewhatuncertain.Thepossibility of all manner of last minute Machiavellian antics remains potent. But the ultimate triumph of our democracy will remain a function of the state of health of our democratic institutions: a truly independentandcredibleINEC,ajudiciaryofhonest judges, a media of fair and truthful journalists and a non- partisan state structure.

Inasense,thespeculativepossibilityofaMachiavellivotein2023isanotherwayofposingthegreat universal question of history: What if?

T H I S D AY, T H E S U N D AY N E W S PA P E R NOVEMBER 6, 2022

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NEWSXTRA Nweke: Blocking Leakages, Cutting Governance Cost Antidotes to Fiscal Crisis Unveils seven-point agenda to guide his govt if elected Gboyega Akinsanmi Amid intractable fiscal crises that have crippled governance in most states of the federation, the governorship candidate of All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) in Enugu State, Mr. Frank Nweke yesterday identified blocking leakages and cutting the cost of governance as antidotes the governments could adopt to end the crises.

Nweke, who served as the Minister of Information and National Orientation under former President Olusegun Obasanjo, highlighted a sevenpoint agenda that would guide his administration if emerged as the winner of the March 11, 2023 governorship election.

He revealed these measures during a chat with THISDAY yesterday, pointing out that the country’s current fiscal realities portrayed an uncertain future for the governments at all levels if workable strategies were not adopted in response.

He mentioned the concern of a serving state governor, who confided in him recently that no fewer than 60 per cent of his state’s internally generated revenues (IGRs) always ended up in private pockets.

Nweke, who also served as Director General, of the Nigerian Economic Summit Group (NESG) between 2009 and 2014, recommended the

urgent need to deliberately and consciously reduce the cost of governance as the first measure to address the fiscal headwinds.

He explained that governments should consciously reduce the kinds of things they spend public resources on and some of these things included in their expenditures, especially within the executive office expenses and the kinds of overheads that people had to apply public funds.

He, also, identified the exigency of blocking revenue leakages, especially in all strategic ministries, departments and agencies, was fundamental to managing the fiscal challenges that had been confronting the governments at all levels.

Nweke observed: “There are significant leakages in governments across the federation. I had a conversation with a sitting governor not too long ago.

In our estimate, we estimated that about 60 per cent of all internally generated revenues ended in private pockets.

However, the APGA governorship candidate further revealed that more updated research recently had suggested that far above 60 per cent of everything generated in the state did not get to the government coffers.

He said: “I am constrained to name the state involved. There was proof shown to us that this

was the case. That made our team go back to the drawing board to work out what can be done to salvage the state’s fiscal situation.

“We, on our own, have identified beneficiaries of some of these things going on. Some of them confessed to us about arrangements that they have with the state government based on which revenues that I should remain for to form the

public governance have gone to their pockets,” he observed.

He, therefore, said plugging leakages “is very critical to ending the fiscal crisis in the country.

Aside from these measures, if elected, we intend to get revenue through engagement and partnerships with bilateral agencies around the world.”

Asked what he would do differently if elected the governor of Enugu State, Nweke outlined

a seven-point action plan, on which according to him, his administration would be anchored.

The governorship candidate listed the programmes of action to include leadership, governance, security, human capital, investment in basic education, water resources and environmental sanitation.

Speaking on how to address security challenges in his state,

Nweke said: “We have on our own installed security cameras and put in place some security measures that barricades.

There is a controller command centre where we also provide support to the police.

I believe communities can be encouraged to make these investments in partnership with the state government on an ongoing basis,” Nweke explained.

EMPOWERING CONSTITUENTS… L-R: One of the beneficiaries, Francis Erube; Coordinator, All Progressives Congress Professionals, Lagos State, Bola Badmus-Olujobi; Chairman, Senate Committee on Finance, Senator Solomon Adeola; Chairman, Odiolowo-Ojuwoye LCDA, Mr. Razak Ajala, and Oba of Ojokoro, Oba Riliwan Oluwalambe, during Adeola’s empowerment in Lagos West held at Haven Event Centre, Ikeja... weekend

Lagos Taxpayers Now Three Million, LIRS Reveals

Flood to Displace 700m in Nigeria, Benin, Chad by 2030, Experts Reveal

Sunday Ehigiator

Sunday Ehigiator

The Lagos State Internal Revenue Service (LIRS) has revealed that there are only three million Lagos residents within the state’s tax net.

The service also revealed that its new established platformhad improved the state’s ease of doing business and brought about transparency and accountability within the service.

The Assistant Director for IT, LIRS, Rasheed Olu-Ajayi made the remarks at a session with THISDAY at the weekend while explaining the benefit of the e-Tax platform.

At the session, the assistant director said: “With the e-Tax system now in place, a taxpayer can see the trends and analysis of the payment that has been made on their behalf or that has been

paid by their employer.

“In terms of the agency, the e-Tax has blocked some of the leakages within the tax net, reduced instances of tax evasion and avoidance, reduced the cost of collection, and also promoted transparency and accountability.

“Compliance has been good since we launched. We can do better in terms of bringing more people into the tax net. In terms of the population census, it says we have about 20 million people in Lagos.

“If we only have about 3 million on our Tax Net, it means even if we say that 50 per cent of the 20 million in Lagos are taxable, then we should have about 10 million within our tax net, which is not yet the case.”

Chisco Commends NDLEA for Arresting Suspected Drug Pushers The Chisco Transport Nigeria Limited has commended National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), for arresting and detaining one of its drivers and a receiver who were said to be in possession of substances suspected to be illicit drugs.

The substances were found in one of the company’s buses travelling from Lagos to Abuja on October 26.

A statement issued by the management of the company in Lagos read in part: “We hereby state emphatically that Chisco Transport Nigeria Limited, as

a law-abiding organisation, worked with the Nigeria Police to apprehend the other suspect and has handed them over to the NDLEA for thorough investigation and diligent prosecution.”

The statement further explained that Chisco Transport Nigeria Limited is proactive in the enforcement of compliance by its staff and crew members by ensuring that they sign the Customs Attestation Form which guides against carrying of any form of contraband goods before departure.

Experts in environmental rights have revealed thatclimateinduced floods in Nigeria, Chad, Benin-republic, Cameroon, South Africa and others will continue and is likely to displace half of Africa’s 1.4 billion population by the year 2030 The experts emphasised the need to make provision for $1.3 billion annually to fund climate-related projects

and schemes from 2025 as the Africa Group of Negotiators had suggested in its report.

They made the call at the official unveiling of a report, “Assessing Climate Change, COP26 Commitments in Africa – Nigeria, South Africa and Uganda” recently.

The report was put together by Nigerian-based Corporate Accountability and Public Participation Africa (CAPPA), Uganda-based African Institute for Energy Governance

(AFIEGO) and South African Climate Action Network (SACAN) with support from Climate Emergency Collaboration Group (CECG).

At the inauguration, the experts challenged President Muhammadu Buhari and other African leaders “to cut gas flaring or greenhouse gas emissions in their countries from its source to achieve a zero carbon emission target by the United Nations by 2050.”

The Executive Director of CAPPA, Akinbode Oluwafemi said Nigeria and African countries “carry the greatest burdens of climate change even though it contributes less than three per cent of global emissions.

Citing the recent report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), Oluwafemi noted that the IPCC predicted that climate-induced floods in Nigeria, Chad, Benin-republic, Cameroon, South Africa and other countries would continue.

Nigeria Recorded Only Three Fatalities from Air Crashes in Six Years Kasim Sumaina in Abuja

The Accidents Investigation Bureau (AIB-Nigeria) yesterday said Nigeria had one of the best safety record in the whole world, disclosing that in the last six years, Nigeria had only recorded only three fatalities from Opebi Helicopter crashed.

The Bureau, charged to investigate any civil aircraft accident and serious incident

arising from air navigation in or over Nigeria, also revealed that the cost of insuring Boeing 737 had crashed from about $800,000 to $150,000 due to what it ascribed to few accidents within the airspace of Nigeria, The Chief Executive Officer of the Bureau, Mr. Akin Olateru, revealed this during an oversight visit by the National Assembly Joint Committee on Aviation in Abuja yesterday.

During the visit, the chief executive noted that the implementation of some of their safety recommendations by airline operators “is instrumental to the improvement of the nation’s safety records.”

According to him, before now to insure Boeing 737 cost about $800,000, but today you can insure the same aircraft with between $150,000 - $200,000, this is because there are few

accidents and more money is being put in the hands of the operators.

Olateru said Nigeria had one of the best safety record in the whole world, adding that in the last six years, Nigeria has only recorded only three fatalities from Opebi Helicopter crashed.

According to AIB’s chief executive, I do not think there is any country in the world that can boast of such safety records.

Court Sacks Al-Mustapha as AA Presidential Candidate A Federal High Court sitting in Abuja has ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to remove names of all Action Alliance (AA) candidates, including the presidential candidate, Major Hamza Al-Mustapha (rtd), submitted to it by the Kenneth Udeze-led faction of the party.

The order, which was made

available to journalists in Kaduna on Saturday, however ruled that the electoral body should display the list of candidates submitted to it by the party’s leadership under the chairmanship of Adekunle Rufai Omoaje.

The court presided over

by Justice Z.B Abubakar also held that the electoral body erred by failing to

give recognition to the list of candidates submitted to it

by Omoaje-led faction.

Omoaje had on behalf of himself and the Action Alliance approached the court to seek redress on the non recognition of the candidates submitted to INEC by him on behalf of the party.

By the judgment of

the court, the candidates already announced by INEC including the presidential candidate, Major Hamza Al-Mustapha (rtd) are expected to be substituted by the list of candidates submitted

by Omoaje.

Al-Mustapha was announced as the presidential candidate of the AA

by INEC and his name already published on the website of the electoral body.

THISDAY, THE SUNDAY NEWSPAPER NOVEMBER 6 , 2022

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SUNDAYSPORTS

Edited by: Duro Ikhazuagbe email:Duro.Ikhazuagbe@thisdaylive.com

No Date Fixed for NPFL Kickoff Yet, Says Owumi Head of Operations of the Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL), Prince Davidson Owumi, has said the Interim Management Committee (IMC) has not announced any date for the start of the 2022/23 league season.

He said the clarification became necessary as a result of trending stories in a section of the local media that the NPFL was set to kick off on December 1.

“Our attention has been drawn to stories which are mere media speculations suggesting the league will commence on December 1.

“This cannot be true as NPFL matches are traditionally not played on Thursdays and December 1 is a Thursday“, Owumi stated.

He said the IMC will consult with the clubs in the days ahead to decide an appropriate kick off date that is agreeable with the stakeholders.

“We have some dates in mind and will announce it after concluding consultations with the critical stakeholders”, Owumi concluded.

Victor Osimhen atoned for his handball Atalanta goal by scoring and providing an assist as Napoli went eight points clear at the top of Italian Serie A.. last night

Osimhen Atones for Slip as Napoli Go Eight Points Clear Duro Ikhazuagbe with agency report

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igerian international striker Victor Osimhen proved to be the higher flying Super Eagle ahead of Ademola Lookman as Napoli won 2-1 at Atalanta to go eight points clear at the top of Italian Serie A. Osimhen scored a goal and provided an assist

to atone for a handball from which compatriot Lookman made hay to put Atalanta ahead in the battle between first and second in the Italian top league.

Lookman held his nerves to tuck away a penalty in the 19th minute after Osimhen handled the ball inside his own box.

It was his sixth goal in Serie A this season.

He was unlucky not to score again in the second half when his effort came off the crossbar.

However, the Napoli striker made up for this when he headed home the equaliser for his eighth goal in the league.

He then showed true grit and tenacity to deliver the assist for Napoli to go in front in the 35th minute.

Napoli now sit pretty on top of Serie A with 35 points from 13 matches, while Atalanta remain second on 27 points with two rounds of matches before the World Cup break

Sports Policy: FG Expresses Commitment to Reposition Sports as Business Ugo Aliogo in Abidjan

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resident Muhammadu Buhari has expressed the commitment of his administration to reposition sports as one of the major revenue earners for the Nigerian economy.

He believes that the sports industry has an expansive value chain that is capable of creating employment opportunities, transforming the economy and accelerating the economic prosperity of the country.

Speaking at the ongoing African Investment Forum, with the theme: ‘Economic Resilience Through Sustainable Investments’ in Abidjan, Cote d’Ivoire at the weekend, Buhari noted that his administration was committed to taking sports from being a recreational activity to a business driven-industry, while assuring investors that the government was putting in place necessary measures to fix the infrastructural challenges that the economy was experiencing.

He further disclosed that by 2050 is his government’s long term plan, and part of the goals is turning sports into a business.

The president noted that the targets that the administration has set for the sports ministry is within the medium term plan 2021 to 2025,“so within up to 2025, we must have been able to push sports into the business arena.”

Buhari, who was represented at the event by the Minister of Finance, Budget and National Planning Mrs. Zainab Ahmed, commended Itana, a technology startup for embarking on the noble initiative to build a digital city in Lagos, stating that the effort would unlock a lot of opportunities for young people that are technology savvy.

The president expressed confidence that the Nigeria startup industry was doing very well, noting that there are five unicorns already in the country, therefore the digital city would give opportunity for growth and development to investors and entrepreneurs in that value chain.

According to him, “This morning there was a plenary session on sports business. The Nigerian government in its agenda 2050 plan had defined and planned for sports to become a business and the Minister of Sports, Mr. Sunday Dare had last week launched as sports business policy.

“So we have to run that path. Gradually, we have to make it attractive for investors to invest in the sports as a business. There is a huge opportunity to create large number of jobs and

all kinds of value chain activities where youths and small businesses can flourish.

“Nigeria is doing a lot to improve the business climate. If you look at the ratings of Nigeria and the World Bank ease of doing business, we have been consistently progressing. Nigeria was rated in the last assessment as one of the top 10 reforming economies in the world. And also we are doing a lot in terms of building our infrastructural projects such as roads, railways, airports, and power, those are things that government has a responsibility to do.

So the businesses don’t have to make those investments. So it will reduce the cost of doing business in Nigeria where you don’t have to generate your own power.

Erling Haaland scored Manchester City second goal from the penalty spot to take the Cityzens to top of the Premier League... Last night

Haaland Penalty Earns 10-man Man City Dramatic Win over Fulham Manchester City substitute Erling Haaland converted a 95th-minute penalty to earn the 10-man hosts a dramatic 2-1 win over Fulham on Saturday, a victory that sent the champions back to the top of the Premier League.

Haaland was only deemed fit enough to start on the bench after missing City’s two previous matches through injury, but there was no stopping the Norwegian scoring phenomenon who came on just past the hour to drag his depleted side to victory.

He had one goal ruled offside before netting the last-gasp penalty, his 23rd goal of the season in all competitions sending City a point clear of Arsenal at the top, albeit having played a game more, just as his side seemed to have run out of ideas.

“I was nervous (for the penalty),” Haaland told Sky Sports. “It was one of the most nervous moments of my life, but fantastic,” he said after City battled for over an hour with 10 men having had Joao Cancelo sent off in the 26th minute “A penalty in the last minute, of course I would be nervous. But amazing feeling.

I love it. I have been injured for a week and it is really important to win,” added Haaland.

Things started well for a City side who had beaten the two other promoted teams, Bournemouth and Nottingham Forest, by an aggregate of 10-0 at home before Fulham’s visit, with Argentine forward Julian Alvarez firing the hosts into a 17th-minute lead.

The champions thought they had quickly doubled their lead through John Stones but Rodri was offside in the build-up and Fulham capitalised on that reprieve, going straight down the other end and winning a 28th-minute penalty.

City defender Joao Cancelo was given a straight red card for bundling Harry Wilson to the ground, with former Manchester United midfielder Andreas Pereira making no mistake from the spot as Fulham went into the interval level.

Haaland was brought on in the 63rd minute and quickly thought he had restored his side’s lead after glancing a header home from a pinpoint Kevin De Bruyne cross, but the VAR stepped in to rule that the Norwegian had been offside.

Even with their numerical disadvantage, it was City who kept coming, with Fulham looking like the team with 10 men as the visitors hung on with some last-ditch blocks and put every player behind the ball.

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“We are aware that there are several allegations of corruption cases pending in the EFCC but the urgency and selective judgment in the case of Ekweremadu are not only curious but indeed true to type” – The apex Igbo socio-cultural organisation, Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide, faulting an order of the Federal High Court for the interim forfeiture of 40 landed properties belonging to Senator Ike Ekweremadu.

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The Value of A Nigerian’s Life

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n 1996, my cousin, born and raised in Kaduna, came visiting us in Lagos. In fact, she came to start her tertiary education. We were driving one Sunday evening when she saw a dead body on the expressway near Charly Boy bus stop. The body had apparently been mutilated by a number of speeding vehicles. Sherifat screamed, held my arm tightly and burst into tears. She was in utter shock. Initially, I was surprised at her reaction. After all, dead bodies on Lagos roads were a regular sight in those days. I myself did not like seeing them but my reaction was different from hers. It was clear that it was a strange sight to her. But after seeing more bodies on the roads over a number of months, she adapted, so to say.

You hardly see dead bodies on Lagos roads again — quick removal of corpses was one of the major steps Governor Bola Tinubu took when he came to office in 1999 — but anytime I remember this incident, a thousand questions still race through my mind. Who was that guy? Did the family ever get to know what happened to him? I was not sure if it was a

Buhari

man or a woman. I just assumed. What killed him? Was it a case of hit-and-run? Why was he not taken to the hospital? Or who killed him? Was he murdered and dumped? Was it a case of ritual killing? Did police try to

find out? Was the body simply picked up and buried without the authorities getting to know the story behind the death?

You see, a single dead body on the road says a lot about mangled governance in Nigeria.

Any society that we call “developed” in the modern world is one that attaches value to the human life. Some have even gone a step further by taking animal rights seriously, such that an air ambulance can be deployed to rescue a dog in distress. The owner of a cat can go to jail for maltreating the animal. But is it a society where human bodies litter the road and no attempt is made to investigate the circumstances that will suddenly care about the life of a cat? How can I go as far as suggesting that we should care about animal rights when we don’t give a damn about humans? This says a lot about us.

For ages, I have been making the point about poor leadership in different ways. I have argued that it is because our leaders devote more attention to politics and politicking that Nigeria is not making progress. I have posited that if they devote a fraction of their energies to governance, Nigeria would be far

better than this. I have also contended time and again that our leaders need to have a development-centred “vision of society” and play “politics of purpose” in order to deliver the goods and take Nigeria from the pit of underdevelopment. I have theorised times without number on how “competent” and “patriotic” leadership is the ultimate solution if we want to dismantle the road blocks on our path to greatness.

I now want to drive home my point by approaching the leadership argument from another angle: the “value of human life” proposition. If the leaders place value on the life of every Nigerian, it will always reflect in their policies and actions. I will break this down in simple sentences. First of all, the emergency services will work. The ambulances and A&E wards will be top-notch. If someone is hit by a vehicle, they will not be allowed to bleed to death. Emergency services will be contacted and they will rush to the scene, apply life-saving first aid and then transport the victim to the A&E of a hospital for further Continued on page 61

WAZIRIADIO POSTSCRIPT

Nigeria and the UN Climate Talks

T

he 2022 United Nations’ conference on climate change starts today in Egypt. This conference marks the 30th anniversary of the adoption of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, UNFCCC, which effectively secured the place of climate change on the global agenda. The meeting in Egypt is popularly known as COP27, a shorthand for the 27th annual meeting of the Conference of Parties (COP), which in turn is the highest governing body of the UN climate change convention.

These annual meetings are designed to track progress on climate commitments, set new agendas, and build further consensus on how to slow global warming and minimise its devastating impact on people and the planet. It is usually attended by accredited observers and by high-level representatives, including presidents and prime ministers, of the 197 countries that ratified the convention in 1992. Even when it can be a bit raucous and

success can be tricky to measure, the yearly COP is the most consequential meeting on the most consequential issue of the moment.

COP27 has also been tagged the African COP. This is not because it is the first time the conference is holding in Africa but because this meeting is expected to put a deserved spotlight on Africa’s special climate vulnerability and needs. Sub-Saharan Africa is responsible for only 3.8% of global greenhouse emissions (compared to 23% by China and 19% by the United States of America), but Africa bears a disproportionate brunt of the consequences of climate change and lacks the spare resources to undertake needed mitigation and adaptation.

Also, Africa’s low development outcomes are likely to be further compromised by commitments of developed western countries, their companies and activists on energy transition. Africa needs a big voice and coordinated action to negotiate fair and just energy transition and for support to cope better with the challenges of climate

change. Ordinarily, Nigeria should be able to make a compelling case for the continent and for itself in Egypt. But this is unlikely to happen, if the preparation for—and the quality of representation at—the meeting are good indications.

Interestingly, Nigeria’s participation at COP27 is framed by certain developments that should force it not only to take climate change more seriously but also to become one of the most vocal climate advocates.

One, we are in the midst of a terrible flood which has impacted 33 of the 36 states of the federation, led to the death of at least 600 people, and affected more than 2.5 million people. The full economic costs are still being computed but they may be at par with or be higher than the N2.6 trillion incurred by the nationwide flooding of 2012. There is also the potential after-effect in terms of possible water-borne diseases, crop failure and higher food prices. Changing weather patterns are deeply implicated in perennial flooding in the country. It is projected that

the floods and their impact will get worse with time.

The second noteworthy development is that Nigeria is increasingly afflicted with some seemingly intractable conflicts a few of which are climate-related. The conflicts between farmers and herders and the resultant insecurity in the North Central and the North West have their roots in the struggle over land and water, which are becoming prized but vanishing resources partly due to desert encroachment. The shrinking of the Lake Chad by about 90% in 50 years created a livelihood crisis that contributed to the appeal of radical Islam and the hold of terrorism in Borno State and some other parts of the North East. As the next report of Agora Policy makes clear, climate change is one of the underlying factors behind growing insecurity in Nigeria.

The third development is how the dominant narrative on energy transition is Continued on page 61

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