TUESDAY 14TH DECEMBER 2021

FG Rakes in Fresh $547m as MTN, Mafab Win 3.5GHz Spectrum Auction Airtel withdrew after $270m bid

Emma Okonji

The federal government yesterday

earned a total of $547.2 million as MTN Nigeria and Mafab Communications Ltd emerged

winners of the keenly contested 3.5 GHz spectrum auction for 5G deployment in the country

by paying $273.6 million each.

In addition, MTN had paid $15,900,000 to get lot one of the

spectrum, while Mafab paid additional $11, 120, 000 million to get lot two.

Three eligible bidders participated Continued on page 12

Court: All Marriages Conducted at Ikoyi Registry Illegal, Invalid... Page 5 Tuesday 14 December, 2021 Vol 26. No 9745. Price: N250

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Report: UK May Scrap Travel Restriction on Non-citizens Mulls COVID test for vaccinated travellers

Chinedu Eze with agency report In line with its promise to review its decision to put Nigeria and

some other countries on its red list which barred non-citizens and non-residents from entering the country, the United Kingdom

(UK) may have concluded plans to introduce testing for fully vaccinated travellers entering the European nation.

Mailonline reported that this was disclosed by the UK Transport Secretary, Grant Shapps, who confirmed the campaign to replace

10-day quarantine for citizens and residents on arrival in UK with COVID-19 test for the fully vaccinated.

According to the newspaper, return of the red list met with fury Continued on page 12

After Destroying LG System, Leading to Insecurity, Govs Working to Scuttle Electoral Reform Still lobbying president not to sign bill into law INEC warns delay may affect off-season polls More CSOs urge Buhari’s assent

Obinna Chima in Lagos, Chuks Okocha and Onyebuchi Ezigbo in Abuja After crippling the local government system across the country, a situation believed to have laid the foundation for the current widespread insecurity, some governors have continued to do all within their reach to prevent President Muhammadu Buhari from signing into law, the Electoral Amendment Bill, adjudged to be in the best interest of the nation's democracy.

The main reason the governors have been putting pressure on President Buhari not to sign the bill into law, as the December 19 deadline for the president’s assent draws near, is because it would whittle down their powers as ‘godfathers’ in their respective states as well as break their selfish control and financial manipulation of the local government system, THISDAY can reliably report.

Continued on page 12

PLANNING FOR THE FUTURE...

L-R: Commissioner for Finance, Kwara State, Olasumbo Oyeyemi; Representative of DG, Small and Medium Enterprises Development Agency of Nigeria (SMEDAN) Charity Abah; Special Adviser to the President on Finance and Economy Sarah Alade; Minister of State for Finance, Budget and National Planning, Clem Agba; Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq; Senior Special Assistant to the President on Sustainable Development Goals(SDGs) Mrs. Adejoke Orelope-Adefulire; Special Adviser to the President on Ease of Doing Business Dr. Jumoke Oduwole; Speaker Kwara State House of Assembly, Yakubu Salihu-Danlandi; and Mrs. Clare Henshaw; during the launch of the Kwara State Sustainable Development Plan 2021-2030, in Ilorin... yesterday

Tambuwal Meets Buhari, Seeks Declaration of State of Emergency in Terrorists’ Enclaves... Page 17

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Group News Editor: Goddy Egene Email: Goddy.egene@thisdaylive.com, 0803 350 6821, 0809 7777 322, 0807 401 0580

KEEPING THE FLAMES OF ANTI-CORRUPTION AGLOW...

L-R : Chairman, ICPC, Prof Bolaji Owasanoye; Executive Secretary, NEITI, Dr. Orji Ogbonnaya Orji; Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, SAN; EFCC Chairman, Mr. Abdulrasheed Bawa and Nigeria's Ambassador to Egypt, Amb. Nura Abba Rimi at the 9th Conference of the State Parties to the United Nations Convention Against Corruption, in Sharm El-Sheikh, Egypt... yesterday

RMAFC, FIRS Disagree over Finance Bill Commission urges National Assembly to step down areas of conflict in proposed legislation Ahmed hints at introduction of new taxes Adedayo Akinwale, Udora Orizu and Adedayo Adejobi in Abuja There are indications that the Revenue Mobilisation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC) and the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) are at loggerheads over certain areas in the Finance Bill 2021.

THISDAY learnt that the RMAFC believes the proposed legislation was skewed in favour of the FIRS, a development which may adversely affect the commission’s constitutional mandate.

Also, yesterday, the Minister of Finance, Budget and National Planning, Mrs. Zainab Ahmed, hinted that new taxes might be introduced in 2022, in line with the Finance Bill.

In a related development, Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila said the 2021 Finance Bill was aimed at repositioning the financial system and to plug wastage.

The RMAFC, an agency of the federal government constitutionally empowered by paragraph 32(a-e) Part 1 to the Third Schedule of the 1999 constitution (as amended) among others, is empowered to monitor all revenue accruals to and disbursement of revenue into the federation account.

The Commission works for the three tiers of government, whilst it has 37 Commissioners, each representing a state and the Federal Capital Territory.

In a press statement signed by the Chairman, Public Affairs and Communications Committee of the Commission, Dr. Rilwan Hussein Abarshi, RMAFC said the proposed Finance Bill set for public hearing, if passed in its current state without proper amendments to some of the clauses would not bode well for the economy.

He said: “The proposed amendment to S.68(1-6) of the FIRS establishment Act and Section 4(1-3) of the Finance (Control and Management Act if passed; will infringe on the constitutional mandate of monitoring accrual into the Federation Account as well as revenue payable into the Consolidated Revenue Fund of the Federation from the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation ( NNPC), Nigerian Customs Service (NCS), the Board of Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS), Central Bank

of Nigeria (CBN), Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA),Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency, (NIMASA), the Federal Ministry of Finance (FMF and other revenue generating agencies.

“The Finance Bill will foreclose any form of checks and balances as envisaged by the 1999 constitution, whilst exposing government revenues to leakages as all under remittances or unremitted funds will not be checked by government agencies.

“It will cause inter-agency conflicts, unnecessary litigation and disservice to the nation just as the Commission will not be able to pay the engaged consultants after recovery and the engaged consultants may drag the Commission to courts,” Abarshi said.

He said the Finance Bill if passed in its current form, may lead to job cut as its employees as well as over 500 consultants would be thrown into the labour market.

“With so many employees and over 500 Consultants on the wage bill of the Commission for the third phase of the project which covers MDA’s and private companies; the monitoring duties of Commission’s staff, livelihoods of these Nigerians

hang on the balance if this ludicrous bill sees the light of day,” he said.

Calling on National Assembly to address certain clauses and areas of conflict in the Finance Bill, Abarshi, urged the top hierarchy of National Assembly, including Senate President Ahmed Lawan, Gbajabiamila, Chairman of the Senate Committee on Finance, Senator Solomon Olamilekan Adeola and other members in both the upper and lower chambers to step down areas of conflict in the proposed legislation.

In the same vein, the Commission urged the intervention of the Presidency including the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of the Federation, Mallam Abubakar Malami (SAN), Minister of Finance, Hajia Zainab Ahmed on the matter in the interest of justice and equity.

Ahmed, hinted of plan to introduce new taxes during her presentation at a one-day public hearing on the 2021 Finance Bill organised by the House Committee on Finance.

She noted that the Finance Act 2020 marked a significant milestone, while also taking the country's legislation in line with global best practices and increasing revenue

for the government.

She explained that the Finance Bill 2021 which aims at supporting the 2022 fiscal year, had extensive consultation done in February and April on the bill.

She said the bill proposed to amend the Capital Gains Tax Act, Company Income Tax, FIRS Establishment Act, Personal Income Tax, Stamp Duties Act and Tertiary Education Act, Value Added Tax, Insurance Police Trust Fund and the Fiscal Responsibility Act. In addition, according to her, it was also to amend the Police Trust Fund Act and the Nigerian Trust Fund Acts, to empower the FIRS to collect the Nigerian trust fund levies on companies on behalf of the fund itself.

She said Nigeria must diversify its revenues from oil to fund critical expenditures, stressing that as of September 2021, the federal government's retained revenue was N4.56 trillion, achieving 75 per cent of the budget.

The minister said the federal share of oil revenue was N845 billion, representing 56.3 per cent pro-rated performance.

She also said the federal share of non-oil revenue was N1.31 trillion,

which was 117.3 per cent above its budget.

She pointed out that Companies Income Tax (CIT) and Value Added Tax (VAT) collections were N616 billion and N274.4 billion representing 121 per cent and 153 per cent, respectively, of the pro-rata targets.

Ahmed further said Customs’ collections were N418.97 billion.

While noting that these issues may require modest increases in taxes and tariffs on certain businesses, sectors, industries and individuals over the medium term, she assured that the current administration remained committed to continuous dialogue and engagement with all stakeholders and interest groups particularly, the National Assembly.

According to her, "Clearly, our ongoing fiscal reforms of the last six years are yielding tangible results.

However, the Federal Ministry of Finance Budget and National Planning is closely studying the following issues, developments and policies: Legal developments and pronouncement of the Courts on VAT vs. States Sales Taxes Cases.

“Current fiscal policy stance to let tax incentives with sunset

provisions to naturally expire and not to automatically renew such incentives without a detailed Tax Expenditure Cost / Benefit Evaluation of the relative success of the Incentives before extending Incentives further Acceleration of Projected Increase Tariff and Excise Duties (so called “sin classes") on tobacco, alcohol & carbonated drinks to fund vital expenditure on Health, Education and Security.

“Wholesale reform of antiquated stamp duties and Capital Gains Tax Regime. Possibility of introduction of new taxes, tariffs and levies, as the economy recovers.

"We prepared this draft bill along five reform areas, the first domestic revenue mobilisation, the second is tax administration and legislative drafting, third is International taxation, fourth is financial sector reforms and tax equity and fifth is improving public financial management reform.

The provision in the draft bill is proposing to amend the Capital Gains Tax Act, Company Income Tax, FIRS Establishment Act, Personal Income Tax, Stamp Duties Act and Tertiary Education Act, Value Added Tax, Insurance Police Trust Fund and the Fiscal Responsibility Act.

Court: All Marriages Conducted at Ikoyi Registry Illegal, Invalid Says only LGs have statutory power to solemnise unions Wale Igbintade A Federal High Court sitting in Lagos, has declared that it was unconstitutional for the federal government to conduct marriages, declaring as illegal and invalid, for example, all solemnisation of unions at the Ikoyi marriage registry, Lagos.

The court, presided over by Justice D. E. Osiagor, held that only the local government marriage registries were empowered to do such by the provisions of the 1999 Constitution (as amended).

He submitted that the conduct of marriages and issuance of certificates were statutorily the job of the local governments as provided by the law.

The judge added that the acts of the federal government through the Ministry of Interior,operating marriage registries was beyond their powers and held that all marriages conducted by federal

marriage registries or through their agents were illegal and invalid.

He consequently ordered the closure of all federal marriage registries opened by the ministry, including that of Ikoyi marriage registry with immediate effect.

There has been a legal brawl between some local government areas in Nigeria against the federal government simply for the determination of who has the power to operate marriage registries, conduct marriages and issue marriage certificates.

For this reason, the LGAs had insisted that their powers to register marriages, which were statutorily provided were being usurped by the federal government through the Ministry of Interior.

This prompted the Eti-Osa Local Government Area of Lagos State to go to court, where itsought an order to take over the popular Ikoyi Marriage Registry being

Orders closure of all federal marriage registries

operated by the Ministry of Interior, on the grounds that the federal government, through the ministry, had no business operating a marriage registry.

The suit marked FHC/ LS/ CS/816/18, which had the Ministry of Interior and Attorney General of the Federation as defendants, accused the ministry of usurping the local government power to conduct marriages and issue marriage certificates.

It also prayed the court to declare that the federal government has no business in the conduction of marriages and issuing marriage certificates and therefore order the closure of all marriage registries opened and operated by the Federal Ministry of Interior or through their agents, including that of the Ikoyi registry.

At the end, the court granted their prayers, saying only the local governments have the power to

conduct marriages in Nigeria.

THISDAY investigation revealed that the latest judgment was not the first to emanate from the court.

On May 17, 2018, Justice Chuka Austine Obiozor of the same, while delivering judgment on Suit No: FHC/L/CS/1760/16, had issued a restraining order against Ikoyi registry from conducting marriages, saying it was unconstitutional for the federal government to perform the duties of the state and local governments.

He said the marriage registries in the local government of Lagos State were the authentic and legallybinding government divisions established to carry out such functions.

Addressing a press conference afterwards, Lagos State Commissioner for Local Government and Community Affairs, Muslim Folami, said the judgment would be communicated

to all stakeholders, including the embassies.

Folami said the decision of the court was supreme and legally binding on all and that all marriages conducted and registered in any of the 20 local governments were valid and in accordance with the marriage act.

Particularly, he said the judgment would put a stop to the perception of superiority of Ikoyi Marriage Registry over the local government registries.

“We are going to use every available platform in the five divisions across the state to sensitise our people and inform them about this latest development – from Epe to Ikorodu, Badagry, Ikeja and Lagos Island,” he said.

But instead of complying with the decision of the court, the Federal Ministry of Interior went ahead to establish more marriage registries across the country.

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DELIVERING ON FEDERAL ROADS...

L-R : Emir of Dutse, Alhaji Nuhu Muhammadu Sanusi; Jigawa State Governor, Alhaji Muhammad Badaru Abubakar; Representative of President Muhammadu Buhari and Minister of Water Resources, Engr. Suleiman Adamu, and representative of Minister of Works & Housing/Permanent Secretary in the Ministry, Mr Babangida Hussaini, during the commissioning and Handover of the Kano Maiduguri Road, Section II (Shuwarin - Azare) with Spur from Dutse to Kwanar Huguma in Jigawa/Bauchi States at Shuwarin ... yesterday

UAE Reverses Self, Agrees to Admit Nigerian Passengers Chinedu Eze The United Arab Emirates (UAE) which earlier yesterday issued a directive to airlines that operate to Dubai from Nigeria not to fly passengers from the West African countries to the Middle

East country has reversed itself.

The UAE attributed the reason for the initial ban to 36 travellers from Nigeria that tested positive to COVID-19 virus.

Hundreds of passengers were stranded at the Nigerian international airports when they

were told by airlines billed to airlift them that they would not travel to Dubai due to a directive from UAE. Although this was attributed to the diplomatic impasse between Nigeria and UAE, the Arab nation had said it took the decision

because more Nigerians were testing positive to COVID-19.

Due to the directive, THISDAY learnt that airlines which included Ethiopian Airlines, Turkish Air among others, which airlift Nigerian via their operational hubs to Dubai, started rejecting

passengers from Nigeria.

An official of one of the airlines had earlier told THISDAY that the airline would not airlift Nigerians whose final destination was the UAE. The airlines, it was gathered, insisted that they had been directed

WHO: Tackling Non-communicable Diseases Can Save Seven Million Lives Onyebuchi Ezigbo in Abuja

The World Health Organisation (WHO) has said close to seven million deaths could be prevented by 2030, if low and lower-middle income countries invest more funds to address health challenge posed by non-communicable diseases (NCDs).

It also advised Nigeria and other lower-middle income countries to make an additional investment of less than a dollar per person every year towards the prevention and treatment of NCDs. According to WHO, investing $1 per person per year could save seven million lives and probably generate a return of up to $230 billion by 2030 in low and lowermiddle income countries In a statement released in Geneva on Monday, WHO said it's report, "shows that close to seven million deaths could be prevented by 2030, if low and lower-middle income countries were to make an additional investment of less than a dollar per person per year in the prevention and treatment of non-communicable diseases."

The report stated that NCDs such as heart disease, diabetes, cancer, and respiratory disease were currently cause of seven out of every 10 deaths around the world.

The global health body lamented that the impact NCDs on lower income countries was often underestimated, despite the fact that 85 per cent of premature deaths (between ages 30-69) from NCDs occur in these countries, making them a huge health and

socioeconomic burden.

The statement noted that the vast majority of these deaths could be prevented using WHO’s tried and tested NCD ‘Best Buy’ interventions.

"These include cost effective measures to reduce tobacco use and harmful use of alcohol, improve diets, increase physical activity, reduce risks from cardiovascular diseases and diabetes, and prevent cervical cancer,” it explained.

According to WHO, keeping people healthy reduces health costs, increases productivity and leads to longer and healthier lives.

The WHO report explained the best solutions to NCDs and showed how every dollar invested in scaling up ‘Best Buy’ actions in these countries could generate potentially $230 billion by 2030.

Director General of WHO, Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus

said: “With the right strategic investments, countries that bear a significant amount of the NCD burden can change their disease trajectory and deliver significant health and economic gains for their citizens.

“In a world filled with uncertainty, one thing we can be certain of is that without action, NCDs will continue to be a significant threat to global health. Investing in these evidence-based policies is an investment in a healthy future.”

The report further emphasised the urgency of investing in NCD prevention and management given that the COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted how many of these diseases can worsen outcomes for COVID-19.

On his part, WHO Global Ambassador for NCDs and Injuries Michael R. Bloomberg said: "By investing in the 16

recommended ‘Best Buy’ policies, countries will not only protect people from NCDs, but also reduce the impact of infectious diseases like COVID-19 in the future.

“NCDs take a terrible health and economic toll, especially on countries that can least afford it. We know the prevention measures that work best, and hopefully this new report leads more governments to take the smart, cost-effective actions that can help save millions of lives around the world.”

Among the best-buy actions include increasing health taxes, restrictions on marketing and sales of harmful products, information and education, and vaccination.

They also include actions connected to managing metabolic risk factors, such as hypertension and diabetes, in order to prevent more severe disease or complications.

WHO added that the interventions are all relatively inexpensive and require little capital investment, but could help avoid much of the high cost of treatment in future.

The report also indicated that while each of the interventions can be implemented individually, the effects are stronger and produce a greater return on investment when introduced together.

"With marginalized groups often at greater risk from the physical and financial impact of NCDs, the interventions may also help to reduce health and economic inequalities.

"International donors have also begun to use the arguments to catalyse investment in this area: in 2019 the Norwegian Government launched the first ever international development strategy on NCDs.”

not to airlift Nigerian passport holders to Dubai.

“UAE says no entry for Nigerian passengers from any airline. Ethiopian just offloaded all passengers heading to Dubai. We are voiding Dubai bound tickets,” a source at Abuja airport confirmed to THISDAY earlier yesterday.

A directive from one of the airlines had stated, “Due to an increasing number of COVID-19 positive passengers at destination, it is decided to suspend accepting passengers to UAE from Nigeria, Congo DRC (FIH) only. This is effective today, 13th December, 2021.”

A source close to Ethiopian Airlines had also confirmed to THISDAY, “Today they have to offload Dubai passengers. So no airline wants to carry Nigerian passengers to Dubai. They said Nigerians are testing positive to COVID-19; that is why some airlines are not carrying them.

It is just like they did the last time.”

But by rescinding its earlier directive, there are indications that Nigeria and UAE might be on the way to resolving their issues relating to air travel between the two countries.

The federal government had last Thursday stopped Emirates’ 20 frequencies a week and left the airline with only one flight to Abuja in response to UAE allocating only one flight a week to Air Peace, a Nigerian carrier.

Nigeria’s Oil Production Stages Recovery, Overtakes Libya OPEC raises oil demand forecast in Q1, 2022

Emmanuel Addeh in Abuja Nigeria has regained its top position among crude oil producing countries in Africa with crude oil production averaging 1.27 million barrels per day in November, according to the latest monthly report from the Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC).

The latest OPEC report indicated that Nigeria pumped an additional

47,000 barrels per day; compared to the 1.228 mb/d produced averagely in the month of October 2021.

Last month, Nigeria lost its top oil producer status in Africa to the North African country, as its crude oil production continued to fall mainly due to ageing upstream infrastructure.

In same month, Nigeria’s oil output fell to about 1.23 million barrels per day from about 1.25 million bpd the previous month,

with Libya, which overtook Angola as the second-biggest producer on the continent in December last year, seeing its oil production rise to 1.24 million bpd.

According to the latest OPEC report, whereas Nigeria’s figure rose, Libya, which clinched the top spot in Africa in October with 1.24 mb/d declined to 1.211 mb/d in November.

“According to secondary sources, total OPEC-13 crude oil

production averaged 27.72 mb/d in November 2021, higher by 0.29 mb/d month-on-month. Crude oil output increased mainly in Saudi Arabia, Iraq and Nigeria, while production in Angola, Libya and Congo declined,” the report stated.

But despite the rise, several countries, such as Angola and Nigeria, pumped well below their quotas, increasingly concentrating the group’s spare production capacity in Saudi Arabia, the UAE and

Kuwait.

This was expected to create a supply squeeze towards the latter half of 2022, if demand returns to or surpasses pre-pandemic levels, as expected.

In addition, OPEC stated that the near term outlook of Nigeria economy was hindered by the elevated inflationary and labour market pressures, but noted that the improvement in oil prices still supported the economic recovery.

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RECONSTRUCTED ROADS IN VICTORIA ISLAND...

L-R: Chairman, Iru-Victoria Island LCDA, Abiodun Adu; Oniru of Iru Kingdom, Oba Abdul-Wasiu Gbolahan Lawal; Women Leader, APC Lagos, Mrs. Jumoke Okoya-Thomas; Special Adviser to Lagos Governor on Works & Infrastructure, Mrs. Aramide Adeyoye; Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu; Deputy Governor, Dr. Obafemi Hamzat; Deputy Speaker, Lagos State House of Assembly, Wasiu Sanni Eshinlokun; Member, House of Representatives, Eti Osa Federal constituency, Ibrahim Obanikoro and Opeluwa Onido of Lagos, Lateef Aderibigbe Ajose, during the inauguration of newly reconstructed network of roads at Adeola Hopewell, Idowu Taylor and Afribank/Churchgate Streets - in Iru–Victoria Island, Lagos ... yesterday

Oba of Benin Appoints Soyinka, Obaigbena, Others, Trustees of Proposed Benin Royal Museum Adibe Emenyonu in Benin City The Oba of Benin, Omo N'Oba N'Edo Uku Akpolokpolo, Oba Ewuare II, has appointed the Chairman, THISDAY Group and ARISE News Channel, Prince Nduka Obaigbena; Nobel Laureate, Prof. Wole Soyinka; and Prof.

Peju Layiwola as Trustees of the proposed Royal Museum in Benin.

Other trustee members included Aigboje Aig-Imoukhuede; former Chairman of Federal Inland Revenue Services (FIRS), Mrs. Ifueko Omoigui-Okauru; Chief Greg Ero, Mr. Daniel Inneh, Chief Charles Edosomwan, SAN, Mr. Sylvester Ebhodaghe, Prince Aghatise Erediauwa, and himself, Oba Ewuare II. Oba Ewuare II said while he is the Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the royal museum, Prof. Layiwola would serve as Adviser to the board.

The Benin monarch disclosed this shortly after signing the deed of transfer of two Benin artefacts, a cockerel or Okpa and an ancestral head or Uhunwum from Cambridge and Aberdeen in his palace, with the Nigeria High Commissioner to United Kingdom (UK), Ambassador Tunji Isola who also represented President Muhammadu Buhari, yesterday.

The highly elated Oba, disclosed that the palace in conjunction with the federal government, through the National Commission for Museums and Monument (NCMM) was making comprehensive plan for the custody of the artefacts, adding that the plan to develop Benin Royal Museum dates back

to 2017.

He said Benin art and culture reflect the past and present glory as well as the splendour of the kingdom, noting that as the treasures are returned, "our youths will be able to establish a new relationship with the heritage bequeathed by their forefathers.”

“The return of all the treasures taken away will begin a new Benin history and civilisation," the Oba said.

The Benin monarch who expressed joy that the return of the artefacts coincided with the fifth anniversary of his coronation of his and ascendancy to the thrown of his forefathers, declared: "Today is an auspicious and historic moment in the history of Benin kingdom.

Today marks a watershed in our efforts to retrieve the bronzes, ivories and other works of art which were removed from this palace in 1897.

"Today is not a day to open old wounds. We all know our history very well and the unfortunate events of 1897. Numerous scholars of Benin history and Benin arts have written extensively about the very advanced administrative, technological, and artistic prowess of the Benin people from as far back as we can remember."

Although he reiterated there was no intention to dwell on the past, Oba Ewuare II however, noted that he and his subjects were looking forward to discuss the subject of restitution and compensation for the act that happened in the past.

"According to him, international best practice and rule of law dictates and testify that compensation

is the new discourse." He urged friendly countries seeking to return Benin artefacts do so directly to him or to the federal government who would hold them in trust and return same to the palace as recently done by Cambridge and Aberdeen.

He further said, "I am here with the support of my ancestors to sign the relevant deed of transfer on behalf of my people. I will like to thank President Muhammadu Buhari, GCFR, for graciously directing the return of these recently retrieved artefacts to their rightful place."

The Oba of Benin, who recalled the return of two bronze works, a bird and a traditional bell by the grandson of a member of the 1897 expedition, stressed that the Benin royal family through the federal government had been asking for

Beneficiaries of the Presidential Amnesty Programme (PAP), who were part of two separate entrepreneurship training in Yenagoa, Bayelsa state, under the Seven Oaks Auction and Trading Ltd, have commended President Muhammadu Buhari for his dedication in ensuring the amnesty programme was sustained.

The Seven Oaks Auction and Trading Limited, an accredited vendor under the Amnesty Office in 2019, undertook two separate training on entrepreneurship for amnesty beneficiaries and in 2021, empowered the beneficiaries.

The empowerment programme

was in two phase. The first batch of beneficiaries were empowered with Keke Napeps, which was distributed in the premises of the Bayelsa Chapter of the National Union of Journalists, (NUJ) in Yenagoa early this year, while the second batch were empowered with Thermocool Chest Freezers, Firman Generating Sets, various food items and funds for renting of shops in July 2021.

The beneficiaries particularly extolled the virtues of the Amnesty interim Administrator, Col Millan Dikio (rtd) who they said had proven to be a round peg in a round hole and has shown remarkable dedication to duty.

According to the beneficiaries,

artefacts are still being referred to as Benin bronzes up till the present day. Sovereignty is however currently vested in the federal government of Nigeria by the 1999 constitution as amended.

“Hence the legal and physical possession of the artefacts by the federal Republic of Nigeria under the leadership of Muhammadu Buhari President of Nigeria, my presence in Benin Kingdom today is in fulfillment of the desire and the express directive of President Muhammadu Buhari to return the repossessed artefacts to where they originally belong.

"The present administration places much emphasis on the return of Nigerian artefacts to their original home hence the painstaking efforts of the Federal Ministry of Information and Culture, along with the tireless commitment of

the National Commission for Museums and Monuments to attain this presidential directive and mandate.”

The event attracted personalities from all walks of life including the Emir of Kano, Alhaji Aminu Ado Bayero; representative of the Ooni of Ife and representative of the Minister of Health, Dr. Osagie Ehanire who is from Benin Kingdom.

Others were the Minister of the Niger Delta, Godswill Akpabio; former governor of Edo state and immediate past National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Adams Oshiomhole; Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu; Ken Imansuagbon, former Deputy Governor of the state, Lucky Imasuen, palace chiefs, traditional rulers from other parts of the state.

ASUU: Blame FG if Planned Strike Paralyses Academic Activities in Varsities Says FG owing some lecturers 10 months salaries over IPPIS Victor Ogunje in Ado Ekiti and David-Chyddy Eleke in Awka The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has said the federal government can only stop the nationwide strike being planned by the union if all their demands are met, stressing that the federal government should be blamed if academic activities are paralysed in the nation's universities.

ASUU lambasted the state

Amnesty Beneficiaries Laud President Buhari, Dikio on Empowerment Olusegun Samuel in Yenagoa

the return of the artefacts to Benin because many of them transcends mere arts.

"They are in many cases objects of religion significance to us", he stated.

In his speech, Isola said the ceremony was in line with President Buhari’s administration’s commitment that all stolen artefacts should be returned to Nigeria and sent to their original owners.

He said, “In 1897, when the Benin artefacts were taken away from Benin Kingdom, sovereignty was vested in Benin Kingdom under the leadership of the then Oba of Benin, Ovonranmwen Nogbaisi, the same sovereignty was then vested in respective kingdoms and its respective traditional rulers in the present day Nigeria.

“This explains why these

it was commendable how the vendor's strict adherence to laid down procedures of the Amnesty Programme ensured that all those who were part of the training were provided with the necessary empowerment items and funding.

A beneficiary, Ebi Sinclair, who spoke with THISDAY, said she benefited immensely from the programme, even as She lauded the training firm.

Another beneficiary, Eddy Michael submitted that he was trained on how to manage trading stores, and was given all items, as well as all other necessities listed with which he opened his shops, and that the shop is still in operation.

universities across the country for owing several months’ salary arrears of academic workers, accusing the chief executives of diverting monies released by the Tertiary Education Trust Funds for facilities and researches to frivolous ventures, thereby leaving the lecturers and students to suffer.

Addressing journalists at the Ekiti State University, Ado-Ekiti, yesterday, the Akure Zonal Coordinator, ASUU, Prof. Olufayo Olu-Olu, said the proposed strike became imperative following federal government's failure to implement the agreement reached with the union in 2009.

In a related development, ASUU, Owerri zone also warned the federal government of a looming industrial action, over the nonfulfilment of its 2009 agreement with the union.

The Akure zonal coordinator, who presides over OAU, FUTA and EKSU, said the federal government had been insincere and deceptive by reneging on the Memorandum of Action (MoA) signed with ASUU on December 23, 2020.

Calling for swift interventions of the students' body, parents, traditional rulers, and other stakeholders in education sector, Olu-Olu added that the proposed industrial action would be long and total until all issues raised are addressed.

"We are here again today to

inform and sensitive the Nigerian populace and the stakeholders especially our student on the looming dangers of present attitude of the government toward our union as it bother on various Memoranda signed but unimplemented by the government since 2009.

"It is rather unfortunate that government has to stretch ASUU beyond its elastic limit on this. To accept negotiation on every issue and for the agreement to be reached, strike must be embarked upon. The implementation of such agreement be it MoA or MoU would only see light of the day after series of action," he added.

While lamenting the deplorable state of public universities in the country, Olu-Olu, said the release of revitalisation fund to the ivory towers would address the sorry state of infrastructures in the campuses.

"Perhaps the most worrisome aspect of the agreement is the issue of state Universities. The way both the Federal and state government are glossing over the issue of state universities call for attention.

"The fight for the revitalisation of public universities has made state government to fall into a deep sleep while relying on our union as miracle worker to probably die on the battlefield as they divert funds meant for revamping respective states' universities into other less profitable ventures.

"Contrary to believe in some

quarters, this money is not meant to be shared by members of the union. Rather it is meant to save our public universities from an imminent collapse," he added.

On its part, the Owerri zone of ASUU during a press conference held at Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka and addressed by its zonal coordinator, Mr. Uzo Onyebinama said it was shameful that the federal government deliberately decided to jettison the more acceptable means of payment, Universities Transparency and Accountability Solution (UTAS).

Onyebinama in the press conference attended by leaders of the union in Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, Federal University of Technology, Owerri, Imo State University, Owerri, Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu University, Igbariam and Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, Umudike, said the use of the Integrated Personnel and Payroll Information System (IPPIS) by the federal government shut out some lecturers from receiving their salaries for as long as 10 month.

"Today, while we were holding our zonal meeting, a lecturer came to us to complain that for 10 months now he has not received his salaries. It is still a wonder to us that federal government decided against using UTAS, despite having been subjected to manner of tests and has scaled through.

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Twelve After Destroying LG System, Leading to Insecurity, Govs Working to Scuttle Electoral Reform

This, nonetheless, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), has warned that a prolonged delay in assenting to the new Electoral Bill might hinder preparations and smooth conduct of upcoming elections, including the governorship elections in Ekiti and Osun States, scheduled for June and July, 2022.

INEC has further expressed concerns over the proposed area election for the Federal Capital Territory in February next year, which it claimed could be affected too if the issues around the bill were not resolved and signed quickly.

INEC's worry, however, came at the same time that the Convener of the Civil Society Situation Room, Mrs. Ene Obi and the Executive Director of the Policy and Legislative Advocacy Centre (PLAC), Mr. Clement Nwankwo made a case for the president to urgently sign the Electoral Bill into law.

Similarly, the Centre for Democracy and Development (CDD) on Monday, said proposals in the Electoral Bill 2021 would improve Nigeria’s elections and the political party’s candidate selection process and therefore urged President Muhammadu Buhari to sign it.

Unfortunately, since the two chambers of the National Assembly harmonised their positions on the mode of election to be adopted for primary election and forwarded same to President Buhari for his assent, some governors had been uncomfortable and had been visiting the president to convince him on why the idea was not ideal not, especially, given its cost implications.

Although the INEC too had once posited that direct primary was a far more expensive mode of primary election, however, noted quickly that it was not any of its business but that of the political parties to address, adding also that if the parties had been funding indirect primaries, then, it is their business to find a way to fund indirect primaries.

Interestingly, last week, there were speculations that the president, after a lot of pressure, had rejected the amended electoral act bill as forwarded to him by the lawmakers, forcing the presidency and the legislature to issue rebuttals on the reports, saying, “We are not aware”.

Yet, the governors were said not to have relented from stalking the president on why he should not sign the bill, even when this was believed to be stalling the INEC from preparing for other off-season elections, starting from January, when Ekiti State governorship primary election has been slated to hold and February, when the FCT area poll was billed to hold.

According to THISDAY findings, “The 36 governors want to ensure that they continue to collect local government allocations, which they mismanage. And as we all know most of them are always in Abuja every month, they wait, collect fund from the Federation Account Allocation Committee (FAAC) and they disappear.

“Their over 20 years of disinvestment in the local government system is what has led to the rise in insecurity, banditry, kidnapping and increase in social vices across the country.

“Now, these governors are moving to scuttle the electoral process for their own selfish gains. They control their election, they control the local government election, now they want to control the National Assembly and that of the president as well and they are putting pressure on Buhari not to sign and if Buhari does not sign the bill into law, it would have dire consequences for electoral reform,” the source, who wanted to remain anonymous, claimed.

However, corroborating THISDAY’s findings, National President, Nigeria Union of Local Government Employees (NULGE), Ambali Olatunji, recently alleged that the illegality perpetrated by governors was responsible for the destruction of the local government system in the country.

Ambali argued that the root of insecurity as well as socio-economic challenges bedeviling the country was traceable to the mismanagement of the local government system by state governors.

According to him, “As at today, you can no longer move from one state to another without initially asking if you will get home safely.

Insecurity in the south, east, west and north. This is not the Nigeria of our dream. We are bedeviled by abject poverty, joblessness, hopeless-

ness, threat to the nationhood.

“Everybody now resorts to ethnic agitation. We have come this far, because Nigeria is no longer working. The nation has failed the masses. At 61, Nigeria has abandoned her constitutional role in guaranteeing security and peace in the country.

“This can be traced to the systematic decay and destruction at the local government level.

Local government system is the most strategic, most relevant, most popular and most acceptable tier of government in the country.”

He also called for direct funding of the local governments, saying allowing state governments to be in charge of local government fund was synonymous to giving same food to a lion and a dog and you ask them to go and share them.

Also, an expert in Electoral Law and Justice, Dr. Akin Oluwadayisi and member of the Center for Socio-Legal Studies (CSLS), at the weekend, urged Buhari to sign the bill into law before the deadline expires.

According to him, Section 14(2) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended) declares that sovereignty belongs to the people of Nigeria from whom government itself derives all its powers and authority, adding that it would be through direct participation in political parties’ primaries which the proposed legislation promotes, that the participation by the people in their governments shall be ensured.

“Indirect primaries deny them this right of grassroot participation,” he added.

The law expert noted that political parties over the years had failed to allow direct election of delegates, when primaries are conducted, and argued that if INEC was given the powers to supervise the process, it would not only ensure credibility but also build confidence of the people in the future general elections that would be conducted.

“The governors in Nigeria have been tested with the required true democratic involvement of local governments but failed through selfish interest, dominating control and financial manipulation of the local government authority,” he said.

According to him, allowing indirect primaries into the legislative

bodies was to further empower the governors to play the role of gods in determining the future of Nigeria’s democracy, good governance and sacrifice direct participation of the electorate’ desires.

Oluwadayisi, therefore, stressed that the bill would benefit the political parties, especially, the ruling party more in that when the party members were given the freedom to choose active and responsive legislators, their performances and delivery would go a long way to promote the party’s image and collective interest of the people, who have chosen them.

On the dangers of delaying the bill, INEC’s National Commissioner in charge of Voter Education and Publicity, Mr. Festus Okoye, while speaking as one of the panelists at a Situation Room Stakeholders Forum in Abuja, said the Commission would find it difficult to adjust its plans if the Electoral Bill was suddenly signed midway to the series of off-season elections scheduled within the first half of 2022.

He said: "We as the electoral management body need to be prepared early enough. As a today, we have a number of elections that we are going to conduct. We have the the FCT Area council elections that we are going to conduct in February and then we have the Osun and Ekiti governorship elections that are going to take place in June and July.

“So we need to have a hold-on-to new electoral legal framework so we can begin to prepare, do procurement and also begin to design our guidelines and regulations before we get close to the 2023 general election," he said.

He said the implications of a new Electoral Act would be that INEC would have to draw new guidelines and regulations in readiness for the 2023 general election in the country.

According to him, INEC would reach conclusions on how to carry out monitoring of party primaries and the cost implications after the political parties would have decided on nature of primaries and submitted same to the commission.

He added that one of the landmark issues as far as the amended Act was concerned, was the deepening of the democratic

FG Ra k e s i n F r e sh $ 5 4 7 m as M T N , Ma fa b W i n 3 . 5 G H z S p e c t r u m A u c ti o n in the mock auction exercise which held last Friday, before the main auction that took place yesterday at Abuja.

The three eligible bidders that participated at the mock and main auctions, were MTN Nigeria, Mafab Communications and Airtel Networks Limited.

The bidding which was keenly contested commenced at 11 am and closed at exactly 7.22pm.

All three bidders reached the 11th round of the bidding process, before Airtel Networks withdrew after the eleventh round at $270 million.

Announcing the main auction result, Executive Vice Chairman of NCC, Prof. Umar Garba Danbatta, said the provisional licence would be given to Mafab Communications Limited and MTN Nigeria.

According to Danbatta, the two winners entered into another stage of auction called the Assignment Stage to determine which operator takes a particular lot of the two lots that were auctioned.

Danbatta said the winners would pay fully for the licence

by February 24, 2022, and must be paid in naira.

While MTN was represented by its Chief Executive Officer, Mr. Karl Toriola; Airtel Networks was represented by its Chief Financial Officer, Mr. Sreeddhar Krishna Menon, and Mafab Communications Limited was represented by its Chairman, Alhaji Musibau Bashir.

Each of the bidders had initially paid N7. 5 billion to qualify for the bidding, which was a 10 per cent non-refundable deposit of the N750 bilion ($197.4 million).

The three bidders were in contest for two slots of 100MHz each in the 3.5GHz spectrum licence, and

each bidder contested for one lot.

Before the process commenced, the Auction Manager, who is the Director of Spectrum Administration at NCC, Oluwatoyin Asaju, assigned each of the three bidders their bidding rooms and accredited one representative from each of the bidding operators as monitoring agent.

While MTN was assigned bidding room two and monitoring room three; Airtel was assigned bidding room three and monitoring room one and Mafab Communications Limited was assigned to bidding room one and monitoring room two.

For transparency, the bidding process was transmitted real time to two broad screens located at a general location inside Transcorp Hotel, where observers, including journalists, were seated.

According to Asaju, the first round of bidding was mandatory for all the three bidders and each bidder was at liberty to exit bidding at any of the bidding rounds.

Although NCC had placed the reserve bidding price for the 3.5 GHz Spectrum at $197.4 million, the Auction Manager however commenced round one bidding process at a reserve price of $199,374,000 million and all three contenders agreed with the new reserve price.

At the end of round one, the Auction Manager increased the reserve price to $201,367,740 million for the commencement of round two. At the end of round two, the Auction Manager, again, increased the bid price to $204, 288,256.1 million for the commencement of round three.

At the end of round three, the bid price for one lot of the 3.5GHz Spectrum was increased

to $215,782,901.38 at the beginning of round five.

Round six of the auction began with $224, 414,217.43 bid price per lot, and all the three eligible bidders were still in competition.

From round seven, the bidding time was reduced to from 20 minutes to 10 minutes. The round seven commenced with $231,146,643.96 bid price per lot, while round eight commenced with $240,392,509.71 million bid price per lot, with all the three eligible bidders still in in the competition.

Round nine commenced with all three eligible bidders with a bid price of $251,210,172.65 million.

Round 10 commenced with all three bidders with a bid price of $263,017,050.77 million, while round eleven also commenced with all three bidders with a bid price of $275,904,886.25 million. The main stage auction eventually ended at about 7.22pm with round eleven, with a winning bid price of $273,600,000 million.

The Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Dr. Isa Ibrahim Pantami, who declared the auction open, said the Federal Executive Council (FEC) had on September 8, 2021, approved a National 5G policy for Nigerian Digital Economy. He said the national policy contained all the necessary information guiding the processes and procedures for the development of 5G in Nigeria.

According to Pantami, "The National Policy noted the key role of the National Frequency Management Council in the allocation of spectrum for the deployment of 5G networks in Nigeria. The NFMC is also to ensure that the required spectrum for 5G standard is made available

in the most appropriate and timely manner to enable investments, innovation, and competition in the deployment of 5G services for the benefit of consumers and businesses."

Pantami added that the main spectrum auction followed the successful mock spectrum auctioning process, which held on December 10.

Danbatta, in his opening speech, said the NCC would continue to deepen broadband penetration, protect the consumers and the smart deployment of infrastructure across the country.

"We are committed to strategically play our unique role in driving the digital economy to support the government's economic diversification agenda. Consequently, we ensured the implementation of policies tor effective communications resource management, strategic collaboration and partnership, facilitating broadband penetration and improvement of Quality of Service (QoS)/Quality of Experience," Danbatta said.

According to Danbatta," The 3.5GHz spectrum auction represents a culmination of all the efforts at the international and national levels that have prepared Nigeria tor this momentous leap toward. Therefore, in line with the 5G Deployment Policy and global best practices, the Commission has set in motion the process for the auction and will be offering two lots in the 3.5GHz band with three companies competing to acquire a licence for the available lots.

“The auction is based on the powers bestowed on the commission by Section 121 of the Nigerian Communications Act 2003 as well as the Licensing Regulations 2019."

process through the introduction of technology in the electoral process, adding that with a new electoral legal framework coming into effect, political parties would adjust their guidelines and processes to align with the law.

"If the new electoral legal framework comes to force, political parties are going to conduct their primaries early in 2022 and presupposes that they will also have a guideline for the conduct of party primaries," he said.

In her remarks, Obi said though it might not be possible to have a perfect law for the nation's elections, but the new electoral legal framework was definitely something that could move the country forward in the right direction.

Also, Nwankwo said Buhari would be doing colossal damage to whatever legacy he might leave behind if he failed to heed the yearnings of Nigerians and sign the Electoral Bill into law.

"We know that the President has spoken to everyone that he needed to and consulted with everyone that he wants to consult with, so if he doesn't sign the Bill, it is his decision and not that of anyone else," he said.

Another panelist and gender rights campaigner, Mrs. Ebere Ifendu, said women were excited about the newly amended Electoral Act, because some of innovative ideas brought in to further the cause of women participation in governance in Nigeria.

Ifendu, however, flayed the recently concluded national convention of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), which she alleged failed to uphold the party's constitution that provided 35 per cent affirmative action for women inclusion in party offices.

The CDD Director, Idayat Hassan, in a statement in Abuja, also called on President Buhari to sign into law the Electoral Bill 2021, saying this was necessary to represent the most significant legacy of his presidency.

“With the successful integration of technology into the electoral process, a legal backing for electronic voting

and transmission of election results will further President Buhari’s commitment to improving Nigeria’s election.

“This will surely be President Buhari’s legacy for Nigerian people.

CDD believes that the next critical step that must be taken is for the assenting into law, the Electoral Bill 2021. This is particularly as we head to two off-cycle elections in Ekiti and Osun States in 2022 and the 2023 general election,” she said.

Hassan, who noted that the Senate had, on October 13, re-amended certain aspects of the Electoral (Amendment) Bill contained in Clauses 43, 52, 63, and 87, respectively, said, “Interestingly, the legislative document represents another beautiful outcome from the collaborative efforts of the Senate and House of Representatives,” she said.

According to her, with the direct primary election, every registered member of the parties will directly determine their candidates, adding that the CDD believed this would reduce the floodgates of litigation that usually trailed the idea of consensus or imposition of candidates by political godfathers and party owners.

Meanwhile, the Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) by INEC, has entered its 10th week in the second quarter, recording 4,681,206 as fresh registration while Completed Online and Physical Registration stood at 2,228,993.

INEC in a weekly update, announced that the new update was as at 7:00 am yesterday December 13, 2021.

A breakdown of the type of registration that made up the completed online and physical registrations of 2,228,993 showed that 922,188 were Online, while 1,306,805 were Physical.

The update also revealed that Male (Completed Registration) was 1,124,294 while Female (Completed Registration) was 1,104,699.

For Persons Living With Disability (Completed Registration) was 21,910 and for the Youth (18- 34 years) it stood at 1,586,018.

COVID-19: Buhari Wishes Ramaphosa Quick Recovery Deji Elumoye in Abuja President Muhammadu Buhari has wished his South African counterpart, Mr. Cyril Ramaphosa, who tested positive for COVID-19, quick recovery.

In a statement by his spokesman, Garba Shehu, yesterday, Buhari said: "My heart and prayers are with Mr Ramaphosa of South Africa at this difficult moment of health challenge, and I pray for his speedy and full recovery.

"Mr Ramaphosa is a friend of Nigeria and an important partner in our joint continental efforts to tackle Africa's social, economic and

political difficulties.

"The coronavirus pandemic is a reality and no respecter of persons."

The President particularly reminded Nigerians "to disregard the allegation that the pandemic is a foreign creation to depopulate Africa and boost the financial interests of western pharmaceutical companies through vaccine production."

He warned that "lack of attention to medical advice and apathy are damaging to the government's efforts to contain the spread of this deadly viral disease."

President Buhari, therefore, advised Nigerians to come out fully and get vaccinated.

Report: UK May Scrap Travel Restriction on Non-citizens from officials in affected African countries as travellers in quarantine complained of six-hour journeys to hotel and 'grim' food.

“The travel red list is set to be scrapped as soon as this week.

The emergence of Omicron forced thousands of travellers into hotel quarantine at a cost of £2,285 per person for ten days,” Mailonline reported, adding that the plan might be approved this week, as data suggested that with Omicron spreading rapidly worldwide, there would be limited differences in countries' infection rates.

“At Wednesday's Covid briefing, Boris Johnson promised to re-examine the policy amid claims it was unfair and ineffective,” the paper reported.

But feelers from the UK embassy in Nigeria indicated that it is still

sticking to its promise that the COVID-19 protocol introduced on December 6, 2021 would be reviewed on December 20.

A source from the High Commission told THISDAY, “We will know on December 20th, what the way forward is and if there’s a new development before then, we will issue and official statement.”

Before Nigeria was added to the red list on December 6, 2021, the UK statement from the British High Commission issued on December 4, had stated: “These are temporary measures that have been introduced to prevent further Omicron cases from entering the UK, and will be examined at a review point on 20 December.”

The Nigerian government severely criticised UK”s decision to put Nigeria in the red list.

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COMMENT

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

AISHA BABANGIDA: IN HER MUM’S SHOES

Aisha Babangida is sustaining the gains of the Better Life programme initiated by her mother, writes Suleiman Abubakar

W

e lost her on the 27th December, 2009 to the cold hands of death; Maryam Babangida, the idyllic, suave and elegant wife of Ibrahim Babangida, former military president. She cut a niche for herself with uncommon panache. Her poise was uniquely vintage. Her aura permeates her humanity, leading men and women to achieve results with her pet project, the Better life for rural women. Maryam Babangida was in a world of her own; simple, delectable, with an attractive gait that spoke volume about her ebony looks and well cultured fashionable composure. Her smile was enough to heal wounds and nurture souls. She was a woman who had her heart for the ordinary folks out there. With a rich presence of mind, Maryam Babangida took the Better life programme from nothingness to global recognition, created a name and a brand, and encouraged women to own their passage in any field of human endeavours.

At death, a huge vacuum seemed to have emerged. Who can sustain all the initiatives of romancing with rural women to improve their lot? Who can sustain the herculean task of mentoring them, nurturing their vocation and ensuring that they are exposed to the rubrics of what can define their humanity? Typical of the Babangidas, they have answer to every knotty scenario. Aisha Babangida, the eldest daughter in the family of four, took the centre-stage, by bracing all odds, in attempting to step into her mother’s big shoes; elegant shoes that are made up of ideas and vigour, by sheer intellect and commitment. At first, she didn’t know where to put her feet down. She spent many hours days after days, to collate her ideas, dug into archives to get the fundamental underpinning of her mum’s initiative, and launched out in a bigger way to reposition a pet project that has touched millions of lives. She rechristened the name to Better Life for the African Rural Woman. For an idea that has become a household name, it needed a little more pluck to sustain the gains.

Recently, in October, Aisha Babangida took rural women down memory lane when she invited some of them to the Women Centre built by her mum, to build synergy and share existential ideas.

The stories that were calibrated were as telling as the plights of the African Rural Woman. Speaker after speaker, the challenges of the ordinary woman out there were put into proper perspective to elicit robust appreciation by those who have the capacity to make an impact. Aisha took her turn to interrogate scenarios and unleashed the details of a journey that has lasted 10 years after her mother’s exit. It was a story of breakthroughs in different aspects of human lives. Aside from setting up a micro finance bank that gives soft

ASIDE FROM SETTING UP A MICRO FINANCE BANK THAT GIVES SOFT LOANS TO THE WOMEN, SHE HAS ALSO ENGAGED IN BUILDING FACILITIES SUCH AS SCHOOLS AND HOSPITALS AND HEALTH CENTRES IN SEVERAL REMOTE VILLAGES ACROSS NIGERIA

loans to these women, she has also engaged in building facilities such as schools and hospitals and health centres in several remote villages across Nigeria. Her program encompasses training and teaching women on adult literacy and also vocational training in specialized fields. After completion, she gives them take off grant in order for them to be able to sustain a life of independence.

Two years ago, Aisha Babangida broke the ice by organizing a first-of-its-kind gathering of all former First Ladies including the present one, in a programme she tagged “Mothers of the Nation”.

For a long time, it was the first deliberate attempt to appreciate and interrogate activities of First Ladies while their husbands presided over the country. The success of that event underscores the respect and recognition the First Ladies accorded her as the inimitable daughter of the doyenne of First Ladyship, Maryam Babangida.

The event, aside from being an eye-opener, brought to the fore, the often difficult situations the First Ladies found themselves especially during Military rule. Soundbites from Mrs. Victoria Gowon, Hajia Ajoke Murtala Mohammed and Professor Mrs. Azikiwe, were as revealing as they were testing times in Nigeria’s political trajectories. The ceremony, which promises to be an annual event, is geared towards ensuring that the roles of First Ladies are taken cognisance of, each time the administration of their husbands come to the fore. Aside ensuring that their husbands enjoy some level of psychological balance, they also manage guests, keep the homefront stable, assist in decision making process and also offering advice where and when necessary.

Aisha Babangida has a profound sense of organisation as a go-getter. She wields together uncommon experiences she had garnered over the years especially mentorship she got from her mum, who opened the floodgate for a better appreciation of women in the affairs of the nation. Her recent intervention to debut the IBB DIALOGUE to mark her father’s birthday and recalibrate all the fond memories of Babangida’s achievements was another landmark event, that captured in lucid details the historical antecedents of the former Military President. Aisha Babangida may not be living in her mother’s era, but she surely understands the enormity of her present responsibility and appears so determined to entrench a culture of documenting events for their historical relevance. Sustaining the ideals of the Better Life Programme will further help to consolidating the gains of yesteryears and driving a new narrative of ensuring better place for the African rural woman, especially at a time when government appears helpless to impact meaningfully into the aspirations of women.

Abubakar wrote from Kaduna, Sulayabu@yahoo.com

GOJE, YAHAYA AND BATTLE OF SUPREMACY Abubakar Adam Zayyan writes that the political fight between the men of power in Gombe is needless

“

Be aware when distractions come your way. You’ll know it’s a distraction when you stop doing what you’re supposed to be doing and find yourself pondering things that have no value.” - Beverly R. Imes Gombe State is one state that has been making the headlines for good reasons since the coming on board of the Governor Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya administration on May 29, 2019. These are all thanks to the ingenuity, people-oriented and purposeful leadership of the governor, who is deeply engrossed in making the state occupy its rightful place.

In laying the foundation for a new Gombe State, Governor Inuwa Yahaya has instituted and executed many laudable projects that are not only beneficial to the Gombe people, but will also stand the test of time. These laudable projects have been mentioned variously and are there for the people to see.

However, there are now calculated attempts by some elements bent on distracting the governor. Sadly Senator Muhammad Danjuma Goje, who represents Gombe Central Senatorial District is one of them.

It all started clandestinely, but there is no more pretence about how Goje is trying by all means to bring down the APC and Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya administration or better still, distract the governor from facing the work he has sworn to do in Gombe State, which is providing good governance for the betterment of the people.

One begins to wonder what Goje wants to achieve with his unnecessary political battle of supremacy with Governor Yahaya. It is on record that the governor accorded Goje all the respect and courtesies that their relationship demands as political friends for years. At different public events, Governor Yahaya

referred to Goje as ‘my leader’ or ‘our leader,’ even when the latter did not deserve to be called so.

This is a clear departure from what we see in Borno State, where the immediate past governor, Senator Kashim Shettima, publicly refers to Governor Babagana Umara Zulum as ‘my leader’ or ‘our leader,’ despite the fact that the latter was more or less handpicked by the former as a successor. Unlike Goje that left office eight years before the coming of Yahaya, Shettima handed over to Zulum, yet he calls his successor his leader, and he is not ashamed to say so publicly.

During the governorship primary election that saw the emergence of Inuwa Yahaya as the candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Gombe State, Goje had another candidate, meaning he did not support Yahaya’s candidature ab initio.

But after Yahaya’s victory at the primary, seeing that there was nothing he could do about it, Goje called on the other aspirants that lost to the governor, including his own preferred choice, to join hands and ensure APC’s victory. He did not do that out of love for Yahaya but out of his resolve to ensure that whoever Ibrahim Dankwambo brought from the PDP to succeed him as governor did not emerge victorious. That’s the simple fact.

His political fight with Dankwambo at the time was in the public domain.

Despite that, Yahaya, after his victory at the governorship poll, ensured that he carried Goje along. The governor did not stop there as he also appointed key loyalists to Goje into the state cabinet. First was Goje’s daughter, Hussaina, who was appointed as a commissioner sitting in the State Executive Council with the governor. He also appointed Goje’s son-in-law, Dasuki Jalo Waziri, as a commissioner. Other Goje loyalists were appointed as

special advisers, special assistants and even heads of some government agencies in the state. It is only a man with a large heart that could do this.

Governor Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya even extended his magnanimity to the PDP family in the state by appointing some chieftains of the opposition party, who defected to the APC at the twilight of the Dankwambo administration, as commissioners.

It would be recalled that for appointing Goje’s loyalists into his cabinet, a rights group, Campaign for Democracy (CD), took a swipe at Governor Yahaya in October, 2019, describing the appointments as “the promotion of aristocracy and demotion of democracy.”

In a communique after its national convention held in Owo, Ondo State, the group said: “Such appointments fall short of the basic principles of fair play, natural justice and tenets and norms of democracy.

“It is extreme display of greed and a ploy to ambush dividends of democracy from getting to the grassroots. It makes the wealth of the state to be concentrated in the hands of a few members of the family of the former state governor and it can best be described as myopic and senseless appointments….´ As a matter of fact, the group incited the Gombe people against the governor by saying “We, therefore, urge the people of Gombe State to protest the appointment without further delay.

“We must stop impunity in our political system if we must move on as a nation. A situation where the wealth of the state will be in the hands of a few will be vehemently stood against,” the group had said. I copied copiously from the CD statement to show what Governor Yahaya went through just because he appointed Goje’s daughter and his

son-in-law into the state cabinet. But as it is in his character, the governor was unshaken by the vitriol, believing that he did the right thing for the people of Gombe State.

Goje knows all this, yet he has chosen to fight a man that has respected him so much.

Politically speaking, both Yahaya and Goje cannot contest for each other’s seat either now or in future, because Goje had served his constitutionally allowed two terms as governor, and Yahaya is not from the same Senatorial district with him. So why Goje’s resolve to fight the governor?

Well, I believe it is all part of Goje’s antics to distract Governor Yahaya and make him achieve little during his first term in office.

Goje has since deployed all his political arsenal into a fight that he knows too well is needless. He has no serious work to face, so he has all the time to engage in a political fight that will take him nowhere.

Let Goje know that his media trial and campaign against the people’s governor will not work as the Gombe people have since unraveled the antics and are solidly behind their governor.

Those that followed Goje’s administration when he served as governor would agree with me that he wouldn’t have condoned a quarter of what he is now doing to Governor Yahaya. But because of Yahaya’s humility and magnanimity, he appears not to care about Goje’s moves against him.

I am so much in love with something that the founder of Facebook Mark Zuckerberg once said: “I’m here to build something for the long-term. Anything else is a distraction.”

I believe Governor Muhammad Inuwa Yahaya is governing Gombe to build something for the long-term, and anything else is a distraction and should be treated as such.

Zayyan wrote from Abuja

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T H I S D AY • TUESDAY, DECEMBER 14, 2021

EDITORIAL THE GROWING MENACE OF CULTISM The authorities could do more to contain the scourge

C

of learning does not project an atmosphere that bodes well for transfer of knowledge and security of students. This can be curtailed through sensitisation and drumming to the students the evil nature of cultism through workshop, symposium, and other forms of awareness campaigns.

ult wars and gang violence have exacerbated the climate of lawlessness and fear in the polity. But more worrying is that the menace has become so widespread that armed robbers, drug peddlers and other sundry miscreants are now being recruited into the fold.

In many states of the federation today, cultists of various stripes act with impunity, killing, raping, and maiming victims while causing widespread destruction. Yet the authorities seem helpless in dealing with this crime.

This anti-social behaviour is thriving because these young men and women have patrons and enablers who engage their services for dubious gains. We cannot continue to feign ignorance that many politicians use cultists as private armies to deal with their opponents and manipulate results during local and national elections. It is therefore obvious that there is a lot of dirty money PROLIFERATION OF to be made from CULT GROUPS IN OUR the membership HIGHER INSTITUTIONS of such gangs. But OF LEARNING DOES NOT particularly worryPROJECT AN ATMOSPHERE ing is that cultism is THAT BODES WELL a pervasive activity among students on FOR TRANSFER OF our campuses, who KNOWLEDGE AND the groups in SECURITY OF STUDENTS join their bid to exercise authority in addition to exacting revenge over rival groups.

The authorities must put an end to cult activities which adversely result in destruction of property, killings, raping of fellow students and even lecturers, and disrupting the peace on our campuses. Law enforcement agencies should rise to the occasion and contain these criminal elements across the country.

Proliferation of cult groups in our higher institutions

Letters to the Editor

F

our years ago, some prominent personalities were among 67 suspected cultists arrested and quizzed in Benin City by men of the special squad deployed in the Edo State capital to curb the growing killings and cult activities. In the days preceding the deployment of the police team, some criminals said to be members of ‘Eiye’, ‘Black Axe’, ‘Buccaneers’, ‘Aiye’ and ‘Jurist’ confraternities had unleashed hell on the streets of Benin. The body count was 22 dead. Among those arrested for their alleged involvement in the mayhem were 14 Junior Secondary School students between the ages of 12 and 15.

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

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

There is hardly a day when some young men and women would not fall victims to this goring spectre of criminal violence because of mostly battles for turf between rival cult groups. In many of the states, gang wars are now almost a daily fair with several innocent bystanders becoming victims. What is even more worrisome is that members of many of these gangs are also involved in kidnappings and other heinous crimes.

In August this year, Governor Babajide SanwoOlu signed the bill for the Prohibition of Unlawful Societies and Cultism of 2021 which repeals the Cultism (Prohibition) Law of 2007. The law provides for more stringent punitive measures, as well as makes its application all-encompassing and applicable to the public, as against the restriction of the previous law to students of tertiary institutions.

The law stipulates a 21-year jail term for convicted cultists in the state and a 15-year jail term for anyone found guilty of abetting cultism as well as residents who willfully allow their property to be used for such meetings.

But while laws are good, enforcement is key.

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

WHERE ARE THE WHISTLES NOW?

A

t the dawn of Mr. Muhammadu Buhari`s administration as president of the country in 2015, Nigerians were whipped into a frenzy by the concept of whistleblowing.

As part of the administration`s anti-corruption agenda, people who knew about the corrupt and their proceeds were encouraged to come forward with vital information.

Handsome rewards as well as watertight protection were promised them.

Then EFCC Chairman, Mr. Ibrahim Magu, who has since become a victim of the crocodile he once fattened with the flesh of others, was particularly enthusiastic about the prospects of the policy.

On their own part, the professional propagandists of the administration were feverish with excitement as they inundated Nigerians with the mammoth sums the strategy was able to rake in and the spectacular manner in which it had corruption on the run, all as part of the broader goal of letting Nigerians know that their clean-as-a-whistle president was keeping a key election promise.

But Nigerians, ever discerning, always had one question on their lips: where were all the sums the servants of the administration were bandying?

Nigerians also knew to ask if Peter was not being robbed to pay Paul?

Now, in his second term in office, both the whistleblowing policy and the flagship anti-corruption agenda of Mr. Buhari`s administration appear to have petered out.

In its place is the familiar skepticism and cynicism that dogged previous anti-corruption efforts in Nigeria.

What then is the fate of the anti-corruption war in Nigeria?

From the beginning, there was always the nagging feeling that the tall tale about fighting corruption was a premeditated scheme to hunt down the opponents of the new government.

It always felt like it as many of those hounded were predominantly members of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party who refused to jump their sinking ship.

Those who jumped ship to the All Progressives Congress have remained relatively untouched. Today, fastened to the backs of their broom-wielding baby-sitters by the rags of nepotism, Nigeria`s point-and-kill prosecutors conveniently choose not to see them.

Just when will fighting corruption in Nigeria transcend the puerile politics of decimating the opposition?

When will fighting corruption in Nigeria be about recovering from Nigeria`s Barabbas what should go to vulnerable Nigerians?

But how about the whistleblowers? How safe are they in Nigeria?

With the descent Nigeria makes every day into the doldrums of insecurity, can the safety of those who expose corruption be guaranteed?

There is every reason for reticence and reluctance because these days, once hapless Nigerians are cut down by bullets of indeterminate origins, bushels of blame are ladled out between the government and the many terror groups terrorizing the country.

At the end of the day, even the dead cannot rest in peace as their names are etched into the buck passed between government and terrorists.

It appears the framework is feeble. As per Wikipedia, whistleblowing policy in Nigeria is an anti-corruption programme that encourages people to voluntarily disclose information about fraud, bribery, looted

government funds, financial misconduct, government assets and any other form of corruption or theft to Nigeria`s Federal Ministry of Finance.

A whistle-blower who provides information about any financial management or tip about any stolen funds to the ministry`s portal is rewarded or entitled to 2.5% - 5% percentage from the recovered funds by the Nigeria government. The policy was launched on December 21, 2016 by Nigeria`s federal government and facilitated through the Federal Ministry of Finance.

Millions of naira have been recovered as a result of the policy even if Nigerians have openly questioned their whereabouts. However, with each passing day, the zeal with which Nigerians embraced the policy flags, replaced by apathy.

There is also the question of the protection available to those who expose corruption in Nigeria, and it is a very valid question indeed.

It is no secret that corruption permeates many aspects of life in Nigeria. The hydra-headed monster runs loose in many Nigerian institutions. So many people are involved in one way or the other.

This makes every attempt to weed out corruption and whittle down its effects a very dangerous endeavor because as Nigeria`s different prosecutorial agencies have testified, corruption always fights back.

In this wise, every day Nigerians who have seen their opportunities at a better life evaporate under the searing heat of corruption must themselves take responsibility to say something and do something when they see something.

Of course, the risk is manifold but to do nothing is an even greater risk.

Kene Obiezu, keneobiezu@gmail.com

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NEWS

MR PRESIDENT, SECURITY SITUATION IN SOKOTO IS DIRE...

Sokoto State Governor, Aminu Tambuwal (L) with President Muhammadu Buhari, when the governor paid him a working visit at the State House, Abuja ... yesterday

N800bn Judgment Debt: Court to Hear Shell’s Application for Stay Jan. 25 Alex Enumah in Abuja The Court of Appeal, Owerri Division will on January 25, 2022, hear the application of Shell Petroleum Development Company (SPDC), seeking to stay the execution of an N800 billion judgment entered against it by a Federal High Court in Owerri, Imo State.

The appellate court would also on that date hear all other pending applications including that of the plaintiffs/respondents seeking an order of court directing Shell to deposit the said judgment sum with the court as condition for hearing the application for stay as well as another seeking to set aside the

Notice of Appeal filed by Shell on the grounds it is incompetent and an abuse of court process.

Justice T. G. Ringim of the Federal High Court, Owerri, Imo State, had in a judgment delivered on November 27, last year, held SPDC, Shell International Exploration and Production BV (SIE&P) and the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) liable for oil spillage from their facility in Ejalawa community in Oken-Ogosu swamp farmlands in Egbalor of Ebubu/ Eleme Local Government Area of Rivers State.

One Chief Isaac Torchi and 87 members of the Ejalawa community had dragged SPDC, SIE&P BV,

NNPC to court over oil spillage which they claimed damaged their environment as well as source of livelihood.

Other defendants are Shell International Company Limited and the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF).

The plaintiffs had in the suit dated January 16, 2020 asked the court to determine whether by the combined provisions of the 1999 Constitution, Oil Pipeline Act, African charter on humans and peoples Rights, Oil and Gas Pipeline Regulations, they “are entitled to compensation from the defendants for a continuous injury of hydrocarbon oil spillage,

rain acid pollution, non-cleansing, non-maintenance of ruptured pipes of 1-3 defendants pipes across plaintiffs farmland and causing a lot of killings of plaintiffs’ amateur children, economic tree, contamination of drinking water causing irreparable damage to the plaintiffs and relations farm products, fish bond, fish net, machines worth several billions of naira that occurred on September 18, 2019 till date which they remain continuously uncompensated”.

Part of the reliefs sought include a declaration that plaintiffs are entitled to compensation to the sum of N800 billion for damages done by spillage caused by the

$418m Paris Club Refund: Court Refuses to Grant Injunctive Order against FG Alex Enumah in Abuja Justice Inyang Ekwo of the Federal High Court yesterday refused to grant an injunctive order seeking to stop the federal government from deducting the sum of $418 million from state governments' account in payment of judgment debt owed contractors of the Paris club refund.

Just Ekwo rather granted accelerated hearing in the substantive suits filed by the 36 states government challenging the decision of the federal government to pay alleged debt to six contractors it claimed were engaged by the 36 states government to help them recover excessive deductions from their accounts in payment of the Paris Club loans.

Justice Ekwo had last week adjourned to December 13, to hear the interlocutory application of the 36 states government, praying for a temporary order restraining the federal government from going ahead with its planned payment to the Paris Club consultants.

However, after hearing the Motion on Notice for Interlocutory Injunctions, Justice Ekwo held that he cannot proceed to determine the Motion on Notice following objections by some defendants challenging the court's jurisdiction to entertain the motion.

In a short ruling, Justice Ekwo, held that since jurisdiction was a paramount issue in litigation, it was best to resolve it before proceeding further in the matter.

According to him it would amount to wasted efforts by a court to proceed on a matter to only find out that he lacked jurisdiction.

"The application for interlocutory injunction is not granted", the judge held. He subsequently adjourned till December 21, to hear the preliminary objection raised by the defendants as well as the main suit.

The governors of the 36 states had rushed to court following President Muhammadu Buhari's approval of the payment of the controversial $418million to six creditors as judgment debts in their favour.

The beneficiaries include: Ned Nwoko – $142,028,941; Ted Iseghoghi Edwards -$159 million; Riok Nigeria Limited, Orji Nwafor Orizu, and Olaitan Bello – $142,028,941.95 and Panic Alert System Limited and George Uboh – $47,831,920.

Based on Buhari’s approval, the Federal Ministry of Finance was also said to have directed the Debt Management Office (DMO) to commence issuance of promissory notes to the creditors.

The governors accused the president of approving the payment without considering their call for a forensic audit into the claims of the creditors.

But the defendants faulted the suit on the grounds that a Federal High Court had earlier issued order that federal government should deduct the money.

They argued that based on the earlier judgment of court, the former Chairman of Nigerian governors forum Abdulazeez Yari issued a promissory note on behalf of the governor's to the effect that the $418 million be deducted from their money from the federation account.

The defendants who were represented by various lawyers

also challenged the jurisdiction of the court in the instant case, adding that since the earlier judgment was delivered by the same court, more than four years ago, the governors did not deem it fit to file appeal against the judgment.

They, therefore, prayed Justice Ekwo not to sit as an Appeal Court in a matter that had earlier been decided by his court.

defendants.

They also sought for another order directing shell to depollute and rehabilitate the destroyed farmland, ponds and agricultural products, as well as a 10 percent post judgment interest from the date of the judgment and litigation cost of N1 billion.

Delivering judgment, Justice Ringim held that there were evidence rupture at the defendants Akuka/Ebubu flow line named AKA-EBU-ONU-BAN 55 situated in the plaintiffs land.

According to the judge there were convincing evidence that the narrow diameter 4 inch pipes laid by the defendants in 1970 and which had a lifespan of 15 years and which was suspended above the earth was abandoned by the defendants, adding that the abandoned 4 inch pipes ruptured and spilt large volume of crude oil into the Oken-Ogosu swamps/ farmlands.

“I am convinced that there were oil spills in the Eken-Ogun farmland swamp of the plaintiffs since September 18, 2019 and still continue without remediation as could be gleaned from the uncontroverted facts”, the judge held, adding that the defendants themselves attested to have visited the area to see for themselves.

“Having held that there are

spillages in the land of the plaintiffs occasioned by the negligence of the defendants, the judge accordingly ordered: that the plaintiffs are entitled to compensation of N800 billion for their farm products, fish ponds, several fish farms, fish net, machines, non-cleansing and non-maintenance of ruptured pipes of the first and third defendants that caused irreparable damages to the plaintiffs several farmland hydrocarbon oil spillage or oil spillage that occurred on September 18, 2019 and affected several farmlands of the plaintiffs’ 2390 hectares of farmlands at Ejalawa community in Oken-Ogosu swamp farmlands in Egbalor of Ebubu/ Eleme Local Government Area of Rivers State.

“That the defendants shall promptly and expeditiously remediate the land of the plaintiffs to its International Agricultural Soil (IAS).

“The first and third defendant shall depollute and rehabilitate the farms and more particularly the fish ponds, of the plaintiffs”.

The judge held that two per cent of the judgment interest from the date of judgment be paid the plaintiffs in addition to another N1 billion being cost of litigation against the first, third and fifth defendants.

Displeased by the decision the defendants then approached the Court of Appeal to set it aside.

Lawan: Buhari Has Assented to More Bills than His Predecessors Deji Elumoye and Udora Orizu in Abuja

President of the Senate, Dr. Ahmad Lawan, has declared that President Muhammadu Buhari has been the most proficient in granting assent to bills.

According to him, available data on gazetted Acts showed that between 2015 and 2021, Buhari had assented to more than 84 bills, the highest since the commencement of the Fourth Republic in 1999.

Lawan who made the remark as a guest lecturer at the first Distinguished Parliamentarians' Lecture Series which was facilitated by the National Institute for Legislative and Democratic Studies, said the projection was that the figure would be significantly higher before the end of Buhari's tenure in 2023.

According to him, from available data, President Olusegun Obasanjo signed a total of 82 billed into law between 1999 and 2006; President Umaru Yar'Adua signed 38 bills into law between 2007 and 2009;

while President Goodluck Jonathan signed 40 bills into law between 2010 and 2915.

He also asserted that the current National Assembly is the most successful in law making since the return to civil rule in 1999.

The Senate President said as of November 2021, about 2,500 Bills had been introduced in the National Assembly 769 in the Senate and 1,634 in the House of Representatives.

He said the focus of the ninth National Assembly had been on legislations that are most likely to impact either on the democratic Institutions, economy, security or the livelihood of Nigerians.

Speaking on the Electoral Bill which has been transmitted to the President for possible assent, Lawan said once operational, the law would strengthen the electoral process and further reinforce public confidence in democratic institutions, especially the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

He opined that the controversy generated by the Bill points to the ever-increasing maturity of democracy and demonstrated that the National Assembly is the people's Assembly and will always listen to the voice of Nigerians.

"I dare say that the ninth Assembly has been the most successful in the area of lawmaking since 1999.

We have broken many 'jinxes' and done many 'firsts,' overcoming traditional obstacles through consensus building and clever political brinkmanship. However, as I have repeatedly maintained, for us in the 9th Assembly it is not so much the number of bills as it is quality. We have focused our energy working on legislations that have a realistic chance of being assented to as well as those that have the potential to impact most on the lives of Nigerians. For twenty years, the National Assembly had attempted reforming the petroleum industry without much success.

It was first introduced in the 6th Assembly (2007-2011) but failed

to scale through. Similar efforts by the 7th Assembly failed to secure concurrence by the Senate while in the 8th Assembly, the Bill was passed but failed to secure presidential assent.

"In the Ninth Assembly, we prioritised the Bill in our legislative agenda and worked closely with the Executive to secure passage and assent. This historic achievement of the National Assembly means that Nigeria now has legal, governance, regulatory and fiscal frameworks for the petroleum industry that would promote optimal utilisation of the country's abundant oil and gas resources. It will also enhance social and economic development and promote a conducive investment climate in the industry and foster the development of host communities.

Without sounding immodest, we have equally concluded work on several other important pieces of legislations that have been signed into law, all of which have the potential to significantly enhance various aspects of our national life.

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NEWS

FG Explores Diplomatic Channels with UK, Saudi Arabia, Canada over Travel Restrictions Says efforts will yield results in one week

Olawale Ajimotokan in Abuja The federal government has said it was considering diplomatic options to compel the United Kingdom, Saudi Arabia and Canada to reverse their travel restrictions placed on Nigerians in the wake of concern over the presence of the Omicron strain of the COVID-19 in the country.

Chairman, Presidential Steering Committee on COVID-19 and Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Mr. Boss Mustapha, disclosed this yesterday at an emergency media briefing of the PSC in Abuja.

He said the federal government was expecting the diplomatic option to yield positive outcome in the interest of all parties concerned within the next one week.

His speech, however, appeared to be a calculated softening of stance from the retaliatory ban declared by the Minister of Aviation, Senator Hadi Sirika, in a leaked audio on Saturday,after a virtual meeting of the PSC members on the same day.

"The PSC is working with mandate ministries to address the issues surrounding the restriction imposed by some countries on travellers from Nigeria on account of the Omicron variant. While each country is entitled to put in place measures to protect its citizens, Nigeria has similar responsibilities.

"However, based on existing relationships, Nigeria has initiated diplomatic steps to make these countries reverse their course. This is on-going in the interest of all parties concerned and we expect that positive results would emerge within the next one week," Mustapha said.

Sirika, who on Saturday said PSC would yesterday announce the retaliatory ban on UK travellers, merely rehashed Mustapha's speech.

He said: "The PSC is working with mandate ministries to address the issues surrounding the restriction imposed by some countries on travelers from Nigeria on account of the Omicron variant. While each country is entitled to put in place measures to protect its citizens.

Nigeria has similar responsibilities.

“However, based on existing relationships, Nigeria has initiated diplomatic steps to make these countries reverse their course.

This is on-going in the interest of all parties concerned and we expect that positive results would emerge within the next one week".

In response to a question by a reporter, he insisted that if the UK authorities refused to delist Nigeria from the red list, the PSC "would come together as one house and decide the next step to take in the interest of our country".

The UK had put Nigeria on the Red List after tracing 21 of the Omicron cases in the country to passengers, who had travelled from Nigeria.

Mustapha also said the PSC has in addition evaluated the developments on the relationship between Nigeria and the UAE. He insisted that the decision to reduce other number of frequencies of Emirates Airlines to Lagos and Abuja was in line with established ICAO Protocols and the spirit of the BASA signed with the UAE. He said the country's sovereignty remained sacrosanct, adding that mutual respects shall be its guiding principle, as much as it should be in the best interest of the country.

He said the PSC has escalated all surveillance and control measures around the country and has also ramped up vaccination of eligible citizens and residents while making provisions for booster shots for those fully vaccinated.

I another breath, the Executive Director/CEO National Primary Healthcare Development Agency (NPHCDA), Dr Faisal Shuiab, has disclosed at the emergency media parley that over a million of the expired Astra Zeneca vaccines already withdrawn will be destroyed publicly by the National Agency for Food Drugs and Administration Control (NAFDAC), in line with environmental protocol at a date yet to be decided.

He said the decision to destroy the vaccine publicly would assure Nigerians that there was no intention to use them.

YOUR ROYAL HIGHNESS, YOU ARE WELCOME...

Vice President Yemi Osinbajo (R) with the Olu of Warri, Ogiame Atuwatse III at the 2021 Aso Villa Christmas Carol Service at the State House Banquet Centre in Abuja … yesterday

Judiciary Needs N200bn Intervention Fund to Perform, Says House C’ttee Wale Igbintade The Chairman of the House of Representatives Committee on Judiciary, Hon Onofiok Luke, yesterday, lamented that Nigeria’s Justice Sector as presently constituted was bedevilled by poor funding and needed N200 billion special intervention fund to meet its competing demands and challenges.

Tambuwal Meets Buhari, Seeks Declaration of State of Emergency inTerrorists’Enclaves Governor Aminu Waziri Tambuwal of Sokoto State, yesterday called on President Buhari to declare a full scale state of emergency in all areas where criminals are domiciled.

This is in pursuant to the provisions of the 1999 Constitution as well as to further give effect to the process of proclaiming bandits as terrorists by the President.

This, according to Tambuwal who met with President Buhari at the Presidential villa yesterday for about 30 minutes, would enable the Armed Forces to carry out their operations without let or hindrance in all enclaves affected by the declaration.

A statement from the Special Adviser, Media and Publicity to the Governor, Muhammad Bello, the operations, once conceived and ready for execution, “should be carried out simultaneously in the states where the terrorists have strongholds, such as , Sokoto, Zamfara, Katsina, Kaduna, Niger and Kebbi; as well as elsewhere, where the criminals have hideouts."

Tambuwal also called on the President to give premium to the deployment of more manpower to all beleaguered areas just as he advocated for the procurement of sophisticated equipment, particularly, modern technologywhich use is now centered around

the deployment of drones globally.

He also appealed to the president to consider popular opinions suggesting the recall of retired personnel for engagement in the war against terrorists and the recruitment of more personnel in all the security services.

In view of the security situation

in the Sahel, which had escalated tension in the sub-region, the need to ask the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) to seek extensive cooperation with the United Kingdom, France and the United States of America on security issues was also suggested by the governor.

Luke made the call while on oversight visit, with some of his Committee members, to federal judicial establishments in Lagos.

The team, who visited the Court of Appeal, Federal High Court and the National Industrial Court in the Ikoyi area of the state, stated that the government must provide better living and working conditions for judicial officers in the court.

While addressing Journalists at the end of the visit, Luke said the 2021 budget proposal from the National Judicial Council (NJC) for the judiciary was about N180 billion but what they only got was about N120 billion, which was a far cry from the needed funding.

He, therefore, insisted that the judiciary needed an intervention fund if the country wanted to properly fund the third arm of government.

"If we can have an intervention fund for the entertainment industry or if the Central Bank of Nigeria

(CBN) can have an intervention fund for the Agric sector, there is need for a special intervention fund for the judiciary in the sum of N100 billion or N200 billion. This would take care of infrastructure, the welfare, emoluments and salaries of judicial workers.

"The last time there was a review of the salaries of the judicial workers in Nigeria was about 13 years ago.

If we are asking them not to be corrupt, though I am not saying poverty is an excuse to be corrupt, they must be well taken care of because we are all buying from the same market.

"With what we have seen on the ground in Lagos, we are committed to improving the administration of justice in Nigeria, the House under the Honorable Speak, Femi Gbajabiamila, is also committed to judicial reforms.

"So, it is our goal to create an enabling environment for the judiciary to operate. At the Court

of Appeal, we saw what was done there. The new retrofitted courtroom did by the NJC and we are going to recommend that this should be done across the country. We are going to look at the budget and recommended that more retrofitted courtrooms should be done," Luke said.

Speaking, the Chief Registrar of the Federal High Court, Emmanuel Gakko, revealed that the new court complex under construction would be completed by March 2022.

According to him, the building which started in 2011 was about 81 per cent completed and that the contractors had promised to deliver the project unfailingly by the first quarter of next year.

Gakko, however, thank the federal government, the National Assembly and the NJC for the support they gave to the project, which he maintained would improve the productivity of the judges and other support staff.

Expand Your Focus Beyond Personal Income Tax, Sanwo-Olu Urges JTB Segun James and Dike Onwuamaeze Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu, has called on the Joint Tax Board (JTB), the apex body for all tax authorities in Nigeria, to expand its focus beyond Personal Income Tax by exploring other tax areas.

Sanwo-Olu, has tasked the JTB to reform Nigeria’s tax system and align it to true fiscal federalism on the principles of fairness and equity.

Speaking at the opening ceremony of the 149th meeting of the JTB held in Lagos yesterday, Sanwo-Olu said members of the board should look towards harmonising the interpretations of the various tax laws to achieve true federalism.

The governor who was represented by the State Commissioner for Finance, Dr. Rabiu Olowo, also stressed the

need for the yearly enactment of the Finance Act to align it with current economic realities, adding that the critical role that members of JTB play individually and collectively in the fulfillment of the social contract that underpins democratic governance was as important as the existence of the country itself.

He said: “I implore the JTB to expand its focus beyond Personal Income Tax, to other tax types.

While I acknowledge that some of the extant legal or constitutional provisions are not within the purview of the JTB to review or amend, let me say that it is very crucial that your (JTB) unwavering voice is heard in championing the process for change.

“You are one of the most important stakeholders on this journey towards a truly fair, equitable and efficient national revenue collection system.

“As part of this retreat, therefore,

I urge you to deliberate and come up with practical solutions on critical revenue issues and fiscal federalism, especially as they relate to Stamp Duties, the regulation of lotteries, Federal/State tax jurisdiction, and the matter of Value Added Tax, which I am aware, is currently subjudice.

“One step in the right direction for the country, which must be highlighted, is the yearly enactment of the Finance Act. It is aimed at reviewing and updating all existing financial/fiscal legislations of the federal government and aligning them with current economic realities and global best practices.

“It is my hope and expectation that the Finance Act has come to stay and that it will progressively make a considerable positive impact on the state of our national and sub-national finances, and the fiscal relations between the various tiers of government.”

Sanwo-Olu also disclosed that Lagos Inland Revenue Service (LIRS) since 1999 has undergone the most extensive tax administration reforms of any sub-national government in Nigeria, noted that, “Lagos State has grown its Internal General Revenue (IGR) from N600 million monthly in 1999 to over N45 billion monthly as of today, an astounding increase of 7,400 percent.”

He added: “Lagos is by far the largest contributor to national nonoil revenues, by way of corporate income taxes, VAT (almost half of the vatable transactions take place in Lagos State), customs duties, port charges, and so on. This is to be expected from three of the sub-national entity that is the most populous in the country and is also the biggest commercial hub.

“However, in the subsequent re-distribution of resources, we do not see any reflection of the contribution of Lagos State. Our

share in this redistribution fails to take into account the demographic and infrastructural burdens and pressures that accompany being the economic nerve center of the nation.

“This state of affairs is what compelled the State, under the visionary leadership of Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, to commence a transformational reform of its internal revenue process, within the ambit of the law.”

In his remarks, the Chairman of the JTB, Mr. Muhammed Nami Mamman, who was represented by the Coordinating Director of the Federal Inland Revenue Service, Mr. Mohammed Abubakar, said the theme of the meeting, "Leveraging Technology for Effective Administration of Stamp Duties and Road Taxes in Nigeria," was carefully chosen to explore innovative ways of administering the two critical tax types in the country.

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EMADEB ENERGY AND GAS COMES ON STREAM...

L-R: Editorial Board Chairman, THISDAY Newspaper, Olusegun Adeniyi; Group Managing Director, Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), Mele Kyari and Chief Executive Officer, Emadeb PHOTO: ENOCK REUBENGAS Energy and Gas Services Limited (EEGSL), Mr. Adebowale Olujimi, during the commissioning ceremony of EEGSL at Lokogoma in Abuja... yesterday

Ayu Boasts Akume’ll Be Back in PDP, Reiterates Commitment to Regaining Power Chuks Okocha in Abuja and George Okoh In Makurdi The National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Senator Iyorchia Ayu, has disclosed that the Minister of Special Duties and Intergovernmental Affairs, Senator George Akume, would soon return to the party, even as he reiterated PDP’s commitment to regaining

power in 2023.

Ayu stated this in Gboko during the defection ceremony of the House of Representatives member for Gboko/Tarka constituency, John Dyegh from the APC to the PDP on Monday.

He said Akume, the leader of the APC in Benue was a lost son of Benue in APC but wouldsoon be back to the PDP. "Your lost son, George Akume,

is coming back to the PDP. I am saying this based on what I know," Ayu said, promising to personally oversee his return to the party.

"I earlier prophesied that Akume would hold broom and he did. Now I am prophesying that he will come back to the PDP. When he comes back, do not reject him but make sure you rehabilitate him, because where he is now, he is not thinking straight.

He was a lost son, a prodigal son. Only rehabilitate him and make sure he thinks properly."

Ayu, who noted that Dyegh was a prodigal son, who had seen the light and returned home, urged the PDP to heartily receive and accord him all the necessary support.

Governor Samuel Ortom of the state, who maintained that the APC had failed in all respects,

Lawan: Senators, House Members Earn N1.5m, N1.3m Monthly Salary Deji Elumoye in Abuja President of the Senate, Dr Ahmad Lawan, has made public, the salaries and emoluments scale of members of the legislature, saying a Senator earned N1.5 million monthly while his counterpart in the House of

Representatives took home N1.3 million as salary.

Lawan, who made this disclosure in Abuja yesterday at the First Distinguished Parliamentarians Lecture Series organised by the National Institute for Legislative and Democratic Studies, said the N13

Condemnation as Bandits Kill 10 in Plateau Community Seriki Adinoyi in Jos About ten people were reportedly killed, and scores injured late Sunday evening, when suspected bandits attacked Pinau community of Wase Local Government Area of Plateau State.

The incident occurred after the villagers had rounded off from their weekly community market and retired to their homes.

A member of the community, Hamman Sale, who confirmed the development to THISDAY, alleged that the suspected bandits were from Zamfara State.

Spokesperson of the state Police Command, Mr. Gabriel Ubah, an Assistant Superintendent of Police, who also confirmed the incident, said the Command was yet to get full details on the attack.

Meanwhile, Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Ahmed Idris Wase,has condemned the attack, describing it as ‘inhuman, senseless and unwarranted’, adding that, “The attackers must be brought to book."

In a statement yesterday by his Chief Press Secretary, Umar

Muhammad Puma, the deputy speaker described the killings as “painful and highly regrettable, especially, at a time the people are striving hard to earn their means of livelihood."

While urging them to remain calm, peaceful and law-abiding, Wase said, "My sympathies are with the families that lost their loved ones in this callous act. These senseless killings are painful and highly condemnable. I pray that the Almighty God accepts the souls of all those that lost their lives in this unfortunate incident."

Also condemning the attack, the Senator representing Plateau South zone in the National Assembly, Professor Nora Dadu'ut, called on security operatives to ensure that the perpetrators were brought to book.

Describing the incident as unfortunate, Dadu'ut said, the attackers should be made to pay for their heinous crimes.

“I call on security operatives to go after those attacking innocent villagers and they should be made to pay for their heinous actions,” She said.

million thrown into the public space a few years back as the monthly salary of a Senator was actually their quarterly office running allowance.

His words: “The total salary of a member of the Senate is about N1.5m while that of the House of Representatives is about N1.3m.

The quarterly office allowance for legislators is what is erroneously conflicted with a monthly income to create confusion and mislead the Nigerians. The average office running cost for a senator is about N13m while that of a member of the House

of Representatives is N8m.”

Lawan emphasised that the N13m and the N8m quarterly office running cost for a member of the Senate and House of Representatives respectively, were the lowest of any Presidential democracy in the world.

According to him, the allowances cover costs of local/international travel, consulting of professional services, medical services, office stationeries/computers, consumables, books, newspapers, magazines, maintenance of motor vehicles and office equipment, among others.

welcomed Dyegh and all other defectors into the party and assured them that they would all be fairly treated.

Earlier in his speech, Hon. Dyegeh said he took the decision to defect to the PDP, because the National Chairman was his uncle and the fact that Governor Ortom has been doing massive projects in the state.

Senators Gabriel Suswam, Abba Moro and Oker Jev, in their separate remarks, noted that the PDP umbrella was large enough to accommodate everyone, while also harping on the need for all to be united to attract democracy dividends to the country and the state.

Meanwhile, Ayu, while speaking at the Inter-Denominational Thanksgiving Service organised in his honour by Benue PDP, raised the bar of his party's expectations, come 2023, saying it was targeting a landslide win.

He declared that the major opposition party would record a clean sweep at the presidency, the two chambers of the National Assembly as well as a minimum of 25 governorships.

He also advised Nigerians not to lose hope, saying although the

current APC leadership had failed woefully, PDP was coming on a rescue mission.

He, however, dismissed fears that Nigeria was headed for a collapse, assuring both Nigerians and the international community that a PDP administration post2023 would pull Nigeria from the brink.

"We want Nigeria to take note, that we started this battle with 21 state governors. And we built it to 28 state governors. Those mistakes that were made, that made us to lose elections in 2015, will be corrected.

"And we target a democratic landslide, come 2023, with a clean sweep of the presidency, both chambers of the National Assembly and at least 25 state governorships with their Houses of Assembly. Do not lose hope because of a small collection of people, who have come to divide Nigeria and to destroy our country. "keep hope alive. PDP is back.

And PDP will be back with good governance and good policies. The economy will expand. Nigerians will come back to work. Nigerians will produce and export. Nigeria will be a great country, once more," he said.

NIRSAL MFB's Loans to SMEs, Households Hit N503bn Ndubuisi Francis in Abuja

NIRSAL Micro Finance Bank (NIRSAL MFB) has so far doled out loans totalling over N503 billion to about one million small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs) and households.

Most of the loans are from the COVID-19 intervention fund released by the federal government to cushion the impact of the pandemic on households and small businesses.

This was disclosed by figures obtained from NIRSAL MFB. The breakdown of the disbursement was made up of 612,321 households which received loans ranging from N250, 000 to N1 million, totalling N240, 083,000,000.

Others were103, 185 SMEs which got loans valued at N104, 023,000,000 between

2020 and December 2021 Households that are NonInterest Beneficiaries (NIB) of the NIRSAL MFB loans numbering 21,027 have also so far secured facilities amounting to N9,091,000,000 while SMEs under the Non-Interest scheme (NIB SME) numbering 2,710 have accessed N1,057,000,000.

Similarly, a total of 31,067 Agric Small Medium Enterprises Scheme (AGSMEIS) beneficiaries have accessed N116,001,000,000 from NIRSAL MFB in one year.

A total of 105,244 Anchor Borrowers’ Programme (ABP) successful applicants have received loans amounting to N31,001,000,000 while 5,527 Nigeria Youth Investment Fund (NYIF) have also drawn down N1,009,000,000 loans.

Many groups and agencies, 23 of them have in the course

of 2021 awarded NIRSAL MFB awards for making these loans available to Nigerians.

They included Public Service Bank of the Year 2021 Award to NIRSAL MFB from the National Public Service Awards and Summits; The Most Innovative Fintech Brands from African Award 2020 from African Brand.

Awards of Excellence were also given to NIRSAL MFB

by Rotary International and Nigerian Army Officers Wives Association of Nigeria (NAOWA), while the Outstanding Performance toward Economic Development award was delivered by the Sokoto Chamber of Commerce Industry and Mine.

Ohanaeze Ndigbo Youth Wing Association gave NIRSAL MFB, the Award of Excellence and Youth Empowerment, just as the National Youth Service

Corps (NYSC) and Ahmadu Bello University Zaria gave the bank awards of excellence.

At the last Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) Meeting in Abuja, the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Godwin Emefiele said the Committee was impressed with Targeted Credit Facility (TCF) “for its contribution to alleviating poverty at the grassroot.”

He said the Committee, “thus urged the CBN to continue its support through the TCF to ensure that more people benefit from this programme."

Speaking on the awards, Managing Director/ Chief Executive Officer of NIRSAL MFB, Mr. Abubakar Abdullahi Kure said "NMFB makes sure that all the six- geopolitical zones are beneficiaries to promote financial inclusion."

TUESDAY DECEMBER 14, 2021 • T H I S D AY

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T H I S D AY ˾ TUESDAY DECEMBER 14, 2021

POLITICS

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

The Ekiti ‘Osuaite’ Who will be Governor Biodun Oyebanji, the former Secretary to Ekiti State Government, finally picked his All Progressives Congress governorship nomination form last week and if he can make the cut, he will be the first product of any state university in the South-west to become the governor of his home state; Samuel Ajayi writes. Additional reports by Raheem Akingbolu.

Fayemi

B

iodun Oyebanji, the former Secretary to the Ekiti State government, formalised his intention to run for the for the governorship of the state next June when he picked his nomination form at the national secretariat of the ruling All Progressives Congress, (APC). It was a carnivallike affair but the import of the occasion was not lost on watchers of political events inntye state going by the calibre of hose who followed him to pick the form.

These included the Speaker of the state House of Assembly, Hon. Funminiyi Afuye, the Deputy Speaker, Hon. Mojeed Jamiu, Aare Muyiwa Olumilua, Commissioner for Trade and Investment son of former governor of old Ondo State, late Ambassador Bamidele Olumilua, Deputy Leader of the State House of Assembly, Hon. Tajudeen Akingbolu, a construction magnate, Engr Ayodeji Abe, and host of others.

The Coming of the Homeboy If Oyebanji is able to brace all the odds and become the governor of the state after the June 2022 election he would make history as the first product of the state university, Ondo State University, (now Ekiti State University) to emerge as the governor of the state. Not only that, he would also be the first governor of the state to have had his elementary, secondary and university education in the state.

Speaking to THISDAY after the collection of the form, Hon. Akingbolu, who is also the Convener of Ekiti West for Oyebanji, said it would be a thing of joy if Oyebanji is able to cross the tape and become the governor of the state. He explained that the coming of Oyebanji would put to rest the notion that an ‘homeboy’ has never emerged as the governor of the state since its creation in 1996.

“The coming of Oyebanji to the foray is an indication that a homeboy who lived all his life in Ekiti State and his schooling will become a governor in the state unlike what we used to have in the past. With this, Ekiti people will be happy and have confidence in the system and that one of them would become the governor of the state,” Akingbolu stated.

However, he said it was beyond this. He explained that Oyebanji has distinguished himself in public service and has served in many capacities in the state since 1996.

“If you can recollect, between 1999 and 2003, he featured prominently in former Governor Niyi Adebayo’s government. He was first Legislative Liaison Officer to the Governor and later Chief of Staff to the governor. He went back to his banking job when Adebayo lost the 2003 election.

Between 2010 and 2014, he was Special Adviser to Governor Fayemi and later became Commissioner for Budget and Economic Planning during Fayemi’s first term. He was to later become the Secretary to the State governor. From all these, it is clear that Oyebanji has what it takes to step

Oyebanji further and become the governor of the state,” Akingbolu said.

Reaping the Rewards of Loyalty If there is one thing going for Oyebanji and which would play a major role in the battle for the ticket of the party for the governorship contest, it is loyalty. He has been unrelenting loyalist to his political leaders. Asource told THISDAY that in 2006, former governor Adebayo, who is now the Minister of Trade and Commerce, had assembled some of his key loyalists loosely referred to as Adebayo Boys. The aim of the assembly was to look for someone that would slug it out with Fayose in the 2007 governorship election in the state. Adebayo was said to have told them to work for Fayemi (current governor) but many of those who attended the meeting were said to have staged a walk-out; complaining that it was unfair of Adebayo to have bypassed them for a ‘total stranger’ to Ekiti politics.

They claimed that he should have picked one of them.

“When they walked out, the only person at the meeting who stayed back was Oyebanji,” the source told THISDAY. “He told them that Adebayo is his boss and whatever he said would be acceptable to him. He added that since he had picked Fayemi, so be it. So if Fayemi is endorsing him today, then it shows that truly, loyalty in politics will always have its rewards.”

Does He Have the Requisite Qualities?

Beyond loyalty is the fact that his loyalists and supporters believe that Oyebanji has the required leadership qualities to serve as the governor of the state. It is good to be loyal and also have the support of the powers that be within the political structure of the state, but since these forces would not be the ones to help run the state if he emerges the governor, there is need for the man in the saddle to have what it takes to be governor.

Engr. Ayodeji Abe, a friend of Oyebanji

and chief executive of Patmag Engineering Limited, told THISDAY that the aspirant has what it takes to make a good leader.

“He is listening leader which is key in leadership and and as a homeboy he understand the state inside out. He knows the needs of the people of the state. He interfaces with people in the state and he has met severally with Labour leaders in the state to resolve labour issues. He was the Secretary for the Creation of Ekiti State.

He is a former banker with Omega Bank, now Heritage Bank and he has served as Commissioner for Budget and Economic Planning and as such, he knows of the Economic Blueprint of the state from the time of former Governor Niyi Adebayo till date and key areas he has always advocated are infrastructure and rejuvenation of agriculture in the state. Interestingly, he is a farmer and runs a poultry farm in Ibadan which is one the largest in the city. He is ensuring that people take up farm settlements and turn them to food hubs and he is arguably behind the rice revolution in the state,” Abe explained.

Taming the APC Internal Wranglings While Oyebanji might be cruising home to picking the APC ticket in the state, there are issues he will have to face and also tackle if the party is to present a united front to be able to face the rising Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) challenge in the state. One of these are those who would be naturally angered by his endorsement by Governor Fayemi. These include people like Wole Fapohunda, the current Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice in the state, Senator Opeyemi Bamidele, serving Senator for Ekiti Central, and Dayo Adeyeye, the state Coordinator of the South-west Agenda (SWAGA). In fact, sources told THISDAY that Fapohunda had always seen himself as the anointed candidate until Governor Fayemi dropped the masterstroke and endorsed Oyebanji.

A close confidant of Oyebanji said this won’t be an issue adding that, it would be

One of these are those who would be naturally angered by his endorsement by Governor Fayemi. These include people like Wole Fapohunda, the current Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice in the state, Senator Opeyemi Bamidele, serving Senator for Ekiti Central, and Dayo Adeyeye, the state Coordinator of the South-west Agenda (SWAGA). In fact, sources told THISDAY that Fapohunda had always seen himself as the anointed candidate until Governor Fayemi dropped the masterstroke and endorsed Oyebanji

out of place not expect that many party stalwarts would have their eyes on the governorship seat.

“Oyebanji is a humble person,” the source explained. “In fact, humble to a fault. He knows what is at stake. He won’t expect these very eminently qualified not to be aggrieved that they didn’t get the ticket. Therefore, he knows what to do to reconcile them and let know that it is in the interest of the party to forget personal ambitions and work together. And I also believe these men are loyal party men. So there should be no cause for alarm.”

The Man, Biodun Oyebanji Born on December 21, 1967, in lkogosi-Ekiti, Oyebanji began his academic journey at Baptist Primary School, Ikogosi-Ekiti. He attended Awo Community High school before transferring to CAC Grammar School, Efon-Alaaye, Ekiti State in 1979 and later attended the Federal School of Art and Science, Ondo State, and the District Commercial Secondary School,Aramoko-Ekiti from 1983 to 1985.

He acquired a Bachelor of Science (BSc.) degree in Political Science from the Ondo State University (now Ekiti State University, Ado-Ekiti) in 1989 and proceeded to the University of Ibadan, Oyo State in 1992 where he bagged his Master Degree (M.Sc) in Political Science majoring in International Relations and Strategic Studies.

Oyebanji started his professional career as a Lecturer at the Department of Political Science, University of Ado Ekiti, where he worked for four years between 1993 and 1997 and later proceeded to work as Manager, Treasury, and Financial Service at the defunct Omega Bank Plc (now Heritage Bank) till May 1999.

Oyebanji is engaged in the agro-business and is the chairman of Con Dois Farms Limited. As a successful businessman and a devoted public servant, Abiodun Oyebanji has earned many awards including the Distinguished Alumnus Award by Alumni Association of the then Ondo State University, Ado-Ekiti.

Upon joining politics, he was Special Assistant (Parliamentary Affairs) to the Governor of Ekiti State (June 8, 1999 to 2000 and later Special Adviser (Parliamentary Affairs) to the Governor of Ekiti State before becoming the Chief of Staff to the Governor of Ekiti State between September 2021 and May 29, 2003.

Chairman, Governing Board, Citizenship and Leadership Training Centre, Federal Ministry of Youth and Sports Development June 2009 to December 2010; Commissioner, Ministry of Integration and Inter-Governmental Affairs, Ekiti State, December 23, 2010 to December 2011; Head, Office of Transformation Strategy and Delivery (OTSD), Ekiti State, December 2011 to January 9, 2013; Commissioner, Ministry of Budget, Economic Planning and Service Delivery, Ekiti State January 10, 2013 to October 16, 2014 and Secretary, Ekiti State Government October 16, 2018 to December 2021.

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T H I S D AY ˾ TUESDAY DECEMBER 14, 2021

POLITICS

As Bill to End Open Defecation Hits Brick Wall Udora Orizu writes that the recent move by the Senate to aide the Federal Government meet its 2025 Open Defecation Free target was rejected by stakeholders

Lawan

L

ast week, the ministry of finance and major stakeholders from the water sector opposed a Bill seeking to establish a Clean Nigeria Agency to help the federal government in its effort to end open defecation in the country by 2025.

Open defecation is the human practice of defecating outside rather than into a toilet. People may choose fields, bushes, forests, ditches, streets, canals or other open space for defecation. They do so probably because they do not have a toilet readily accessible or it’s behavioral. According to statistics from the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) couple of years ago, about 892 million are still practicing open defecation, with 90 percent of them residing in rural areas.

This menace, is the major reason water-borne ailments are on the rise. It also makes women and girls vulnerable to sexual violence and other forms of risks. In some places where there may be no bushes, people have to bear the inconvenience of waiting until nightfall to defecate in the open, exposing to different forms of danger on their way to or from the bush.

In Nigeria, about 46 million people lack access to toilets and still practice open defecation, while India with a population of billions has freed itself from the practice.

In 2014, the worsening sanitation situation in the country prompted the National Council on Water Resources to develop a roadmap towards eliminating open defecation in the country, in line with the United Nations global campaign for ending open defecation.

This initiative tagged “Making Nigeria Open Defecation Free by 2025: A National Roadmap” was developed by the Federal Ministry of Water Resources with invaluable support from United Nation Children Education Fund (UNICEF) and other key sector players across Nigeria.

Also, in 2019, President Muhammadu Buhari signed Executive Order 009 to end open defecation in the country by 2025.

Titled, “The Open Defecation-Free Nigeria by 2025 and Other Related Matters Order 2019,” the Presidency said Buhari’s action became necessary because Nigeria had been ranked the second country with the highest number of people practicing open defecation.

While concerted efforts are being made by the Federal Government and other stakeholders to end open defecation by 2025, the parliament also has waded in to help achieve this target.

Amember of the Senate, representing Edo Central, Senator Clifford Ordia recently sponsored a Bill in that regard. The proposed legislation is titled, “A Bill for an Act to Establish Clean Nigeria Agency (Establishment) Bill, 2021.”

In March 2021, the Bill was passed for second reading by the lawmakers. Senator Ordia had while leading the debate on its general principles recalled that on November 20, , 2019, the President issued a Presidential Executive Order 009 on “The Open Defecation Free Nigeria by 2025 and Other Related Matters.”

He added that pursuant to this Order, a Secretariat in the Ministry of Water Resources called “Clean Nigeria Campaign Secretariat” was created to coordinate and drive the implementation of the said Presidential Executive Order.

The Public Hearing Months after the Bill scaled through second reading, on December 6, the Senate Committee on Water Resources, chaired by Senator Bello Mandiya held a public hearing on the Bill with

Ordia

major stakeholders in attendance to make their input. At the hearing, Ordia in his remarks, again made reference to the Executive Order 009 on Open Defecation Free Nigeria by 2025, issued

by President Muhammadu Buhari on November 20, 2019 as the motivation for the conceptualization of the Bill.

He specifically pointed out paragraph Five of the Executive Order which gives the National Assembly and State Houses of Assembly the mandate to enact legislation on the practice of open defecation with appropriate sanctions and penalties provided.

He also said further motivation for the conceptualization of the Bill, was derived from extant reports on the menace of the practice of open defecation in Nigeria.

According to him, “It was reported for instance that Nigeria is the leading nation in the world with the highest number of people practicing open urination and defecation, estimated at over 46 million people and which has made it practically impossible for the country to meet the SDG Goal 6 by 2030. Also, apart from the stench that emanates from open urination and defecation sites, it also provides a breeding ground for disease causing organisms that has resulted in huge economic losses to the country. More so, when one considers the negative impacts and the socioeconomic opportunities available in ending the shameful practice of urinating and defecating in the open, there is no gain saying, however, that providing a legal frame work, and creating an agency by an act of the National Assembly to prohibit open urination and defecation in the country is not only eminent but long overdue.

“This Bill when passed into law will establish and empower the Clean Nigeria Agency, to enforce the penalties and sanctions prescribed by this bill.

One may argue, will the function of this agency not be a duplication of any other agency of government? The answer is no! Because, after careful observation of existing laws, I discovered that the there is no agency created by the National Assembly with explicit function to control the practice of open urination and defecation in the country. The jobs that will be generated and the moneys that will be raised from the issuance of licenses to private corporation for the operation of commercially owned

Mandiya

public toilets, will help in sustaining the running of the agency and also add to the revenue pool of the country, especially in the light of dwindling revenue accruing to the country. I therefore, urge you all to give your support to this Bill, taking into consideration the socio-economic and health benefits it will bring to the country and its citizenry.”

But in her presentation, the Minister of Finance, Budget and National Planning, Zainab Ahmed said there are existing agencies of government whose functions and mandate the Bill will infringe upon.

Represented by the Ministry’s Assistant Director Legal Services, Ati Amali, the Minister while noting that the Bill is laudable, however, said that there are other tiers of government that are dealing with the issues or functions that this Bill is proposing.

She said, “The Water Resources Act, Water Use and License Regulation, Federal Environmental Protection Agency Act and some other Acts of the National Assembly that the functions of this Bill will infringe upon. The ministry of water resources is backed to regulate how water resources are utilized. It is of the ministry opinion that the mandate of this Bill should be domiciled in the Ministry of Water Resources and the department it will be domiciled should ensure that it liaises with states and local governments agencies under the ministry that will ensure that this particular issue is tackled.”

Corroborating the Finance Ministry position, the representative of Ministry of Environment, Helen Obayagbo in her presentation said the Clean Nigeria Campaign is a campaign programme based on the content of the Executive Order 009, a campaign programme, she said, cannot be converted into an agency of the Federal Government.

Obayagbo who’s the Ministry’s Director Legal Services also said the Bill is trying to convert a fragment of waste management component of sanitation into an agency.

She therefore warned that creating an agency for a fragment of one component of sanitation would mean creating more than 15 agencies for sanitation issues alone, in Nigeria.

In his presentation, the National Coordinator Society for Water and Sanitation, Mr. Attah Benson said that the agency will clash with already existing agencies.

He suggested that rather than have duplication of agencies, state governors should strengthen their commitment to WASH sector in their states and release funding for local governments to function better.

On his part, the National Coordinator, Organized Private Sector on Water Sanitation and Hygiene (OPS-WASH), Dr. Nicholas Igwe opined that with or without any agency, financial gap, technological gap, efficiency gap are still the reasons why sanitation goals haven’t been met.

In Nigeria, about 46 million people lack access to toilets and still practice open defecation, while India with a population of billions has freed itself from the practice. In 2014, the worsening sanitation situation in the country prompted the National Council on Water Resources to develop a roadmap towards eliminating open defecation in the country, in line with the United Nations global campaign for ending open defecation

While describing the Bill as retrogressive and not progressive, he said what is needed is more collaboration not a new agency.

In their reactions, the lawmakers while disagreeing with the views of the stakeholders, wondered why the country is still a mess and is yet to achieve it’s open defecation free target.

Senator Ordia in his reaction said one of the nation’s problem is that people don’t want to be regulated.

He said, “The problem we have as a nation is that we don’t want to be regulated. There’s nothing a committee can do that will bring about the efforts of government to put in place a system where every human being in this country can be regulated. This is where the problem of this country is centered on right now. How can a nation survive on committees, it’s disheartening.

If you’re not regulated and you think you are going to get the best out of what government is putting in place. Go outside and see people defecating in public, where’s the organizations?”

Also reacting, Senator Kola Balogun asked, “In spite of all the functions of the agencies you mentioned, why is the country still where it is in terms of open defecation. When you look at a particular direction, we have agencies that are functioning yet we are not getting the desired results. Why do we still have environmental issues in our country?”

On his part, Chairman of the Committee, Senator Bello Mandiya asked, “You mentioned that there are so many agencies yet Nigeria has the highest number of people practicing open defecation. Where are all these agencies, why are they not performing their functions. We have 774 local governments but only 72 has been declared open defecation free. So why are the agencies not doing what they are supposed to do?”

Thereafter, Mandiya expressing dissatisfaction with the responses from the stakeholders, ruled that the hearing be adjourned sine die.

Will Nigeria be Open Defecation Free by 2025?

Of the 774 LGAs in the country, only 72 are currently Open Defecation Free (ODF), meaning every resident has toilet facilities at home and in public places. Without willingness to embrace efforts and ideologies aimed at hastening the process to achieve the target, meeting the 2025 target may not be possible given that it’s barely four years away.

Speaking on the issue in a recent interview with THISDAY, the Minister of Water Resources, Engr Suleiman Adamu expressed optimism that the target will be met.

His words, “We are very optimistic that it will happen. Even today we had our steering committee meeting, where we reported. We are supposed to be meeting twice a year to report. His Excellency the Vice President is the Chair of that steering committee and recall we started with one local government that was open defecation free in 2017, today as I am talking to you we have 71. In the last three months we’ve had 33 local governments that have become open defecation free. Before the end of this year, I expect we are going to get close to 100. Yes we have 774 local government, we had a set back because of COVID-19 lockdown we could have done better. But the rates at which the local governments are becoming open defecation free is quite amazing and encouraging but there’s a lot of work to be done. So we remain optimistic.”

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T H I S D AY ˾ ͯͲ, ͰͮͰͯ

FEATURES

Group Features Editor: Chiemelie Ezeobi Email chiemelie.ezeobi@thisdaylive.com, 07010510430

When Igbo Arts and Music Meet…

A recent collaboration between a Visual Artist and designer, Chuma Anagbado and a musician, Gerald Eze, who also doubles as a university music lecturer, is likely to bring about a revolution in the Igbo culture, writes Mary Nnah

“O

ja is classical music.

It is high art. It is not a bagger's tool. It is the tool of a master performer. It does not communicate to just anybody, it is played for men of substance. Its appeal cut across cultures, and talks about connected cultures. It is spontaneous, yet it is of high essence. It is a force. It evolves and uplifts us”, these are the words of Gerald Eze, a skilled musical artist and university don, describing the Oja, a vital instrument of the Igbo music and culture.

Eze, who plays over 14 Igbo musical instruments, including the Oja, is collaborating with Chuma Anagbado, a multi-talented artist and designer, whose work cuts across traditional, digital, and emerging creative mediums.

They are both embarking on collaborative missions driving on the indigenous musical instruments of the Igbo and how they both seek to reinterpret the essence and utility of these instruments for a global audience, thereby connecting cultures.

Their arts, they say, “Reimagines Igbo culture and identity.”

The collaboration is in the sense that while Eze plays the Oja (flute), at the same time, Anagbado’s laptop synchronises the songs with the digital image of the flute.

The intention, for these two Igbo creative artists, is to preserve the culture for posterity and they are willing to extend the frontiers of the culture and take it to another height with the use of digital arts while also exploring the NFT (Non-Fungible Token) Technology.

This collaboration, according to them, essentially seeks to document and promote Igbo oral musical tradition, particularly through the Oja and Ogene, among other local and contemporary musical instruments in an exhibition to be held before the end of the year.

Speaking on the reason behind the collaboration during a recent press conference, Anagbado said, “In essence both of us are reimagining our culture, which is the Igbo culture. We are actually creating this culture but we are putting it out as NFTs so as to take our culture and put it where it is supposed to be. We imagine what we have and then make it more relevant. So, I am creating the art and he is scoring the music and that becomes a video - an animated piece that is then put out as NFT.” Speaking further on the essence of the collaboration, Anagbado posited that, “Within the Igbo culture is an embedding consciousness that you have to travel.

We are all raised like that. As you grow up, there are reminders, placements and statements that will always remind you that at some point you will need to leave the geographical space of the Igbo. That essentially makes the culture a diaspora culture. ”If you look at all major events and innovation leaps, key players and influencers in Igbo land are mostly diaspora influenced and when I say diaspora, even the Igbos living in Lagos are diaspora. So, there is that consciousness that culture connects diaspora and the homeland.

Within the construct of the culture, you must at some point, travel out of the Igbo geographical area to go and learn.

"Now what comes with all of that is that you then have a culture that people experience all over the world. It is likened to the Chinese and the Jews. And because the Igbos travel out a lot, everybody knows about the Igbos. So, the Igbos are like a clue connecting every other person in the world. Igbo culture is one that you would want to preserve but within all of its offering – music, arts and all of that, you have infusions of diaspora

The artists, Anagbado and Eze

influences, like elements that have been picked up from other cultures around the world and that make the culture very robust.

"I will say it’s a universal culture and in preserving it, that culture needs to also travel into all the possibilities and places that it can be. So, it is just natural that we would go into this because we have experienced other cultures. We are doing this, as they would say, for the culture”, Anagbado explained further the essence of this uncommon marriage that brings together the brushstrokes and music.

Anagbado, whose art is driving conversations on cultural heritage, particularly the Igbo oral traditions, believes he is naturally cut out for the Igbo culture and so cannot but always be at the vanguard of stimulating the culture through his various artistic expressions.

With his experience across the world, Anagbado constantly evalu-

ates practical ways of using both material and non-material aspects of Igbo existence in designing new structures and narratives to build a sense of identity.

For him, it is more than just an art project. “We intend to showcase the traditional art which is painting alongside playing the music instrument to show the emotions of art. We enjoin every creator out there to look for deeper meaning in whatever they do and carry an identity. We are really putting it out there that it is very important for people with like-minds to try working together: we can’t grow the culture when we are apart, we need to create a community which is what the collaboration entails.”

Beyond the fusion of music and arts and being creative, Anagbado is of the belief that they both are embarking on a divine assignment to bring the various segments of

I will say it’s a universal culture and in preserving it, that culture needs to also travel into all the possibilities and places that it can be. So, it is just natural that we would go into this because we have experienced other cultures. We are doing this, as they would say, for the culture

Igbos together.

“It is well known that Igbos are deeply fragmented, even though you may see a community on the surface – the Igbos are deeply fragmented and highly competitive, so what we are just trying to do is to move from competition to collaboration and from fragmenting to synergy.”

In like manner, Eze, the musician and a lecturer of music at the Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, also promotes and researches indigenous cultures through his music.

Using the Igbo’s traditional musical instrument, particularly the Oja, Obuaka and other 14 instruments, including Ogene, he is out to take the indigenous sound flair of Igbo to a new height.

“Igbo music has always been integrative.

Even the shapes of the Oja and Obuaka are pieces of art. Philosophy, literature, music, arts and psychology are all the elements that come together in each festival that we have in the Igbo culture. So it is not out of place to collaborate with Anagbado”, the university don explained.

He noted further that one interesting thing that they both are doing in this collaboration is to explore new opportunities while reimaging the culture and connecting it.

“We explore new opportunities and that is why we are looking at the NFT space. Our ancestors explored the Oja and Igba in the village square but I try to explore the Oja in Highlife, Hip-hop, and Afro beat and these have been very successful. If you check out my videos you will see how the Oja is interacting with the violin effortlessly like it has always been there but this took years of effort.

"Anagbado has been developing his own ideas in the arts and it has taken him years, so the time eventually came for us to meet and since both of us are like minds, we felt we should come together and put out something that is collaborative- Music and Arts- in the NFT space. So, like he said, it is for the culture – to engage people and to keep the narrative going.”

For his message for people from this synergy - for the Igbo culture and other cultures, just like his partner, he said, “A sense of community is very important for the Igbos at this very moment. And the artist is always taking a lead in creating the conscience of his race in making people think critically. The artist takes it upon himself to create and to think.

"When I say artists here, I mean serious musicians, creative fine artists, those in architecture who are really breaking bounds and not just the fine artist. So for both of us to collaborate on this project, we are really putting it out there that it is very important that those of us with like minds should keep coming together because we cannot grow independently.

We can develop independently but to sustain the growth, we have to come together. And we also can`t grow the culture when we are apart.”

On this note, Eze is focusing on the message of community – building a sense of community, which is what this collaboration entails.

He noted: “These are the sounds and symbols of the Igbo. They are not just coming to you from one person but from two creative persons who have travelled far and wide collecting ideas, connecting to people, integrating different forms and then we are now together to push it on.

So, when these works get to people, I believe it will communicate that essence and feeling of community because whatever we have embedded in the work is also that which truly belongs to the Igbos but that which has truly evolved.”

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FEATURES

Oyerinmade's Quest for a Better Society Precious Ugwuzor reports that Mathew Oye Oyerinmade, a renowned entrepreneur and philanthropist, who has consistently contributed to the empowerment of his Ondo community and beyond, has now embarked on a collective quest for a better society

Oyerinmade (second right) arriving at a Bootcamp for girls in Ondo State

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nown in many circles as MATO, Mathew Oye Oyerinmade is burdened by the need to make society a better place. A successful businessman in his own right, he also doubles as an entrepreneur. But those achievements are not what necessarily appeals to people around him, rather his uncommon path of destiny and remarkable character.

Born in Oke-Igbo, an ancient town in Ileoluji/ Oke-Igbo Local Government Area of Ondo State, on May 27, 1967, he is known in most circles as a quiet philanthropist who has contributed consistently and immensely to poverty alleviation, empowerment and community development in different parts of Ondo State.

He is also known as one who loves his people and does not wait until he gets into elective or appointive office before showing his love practically. However, that stance about limiting his incursion into the political space is about to change as he is one person that believes in walking the talk instead of just complaining about situation of things. He plans to be a Senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria representing Ondo South Senatorial District.

He said: "I have been under immense pressure to run for a political post and actively participate in the political operations in the country. I’ve now bulged to pressure and I am prepared to get involved actively in the politics of the country.

"I have worked so hard to build my business empire over the years but somehow my attention has been shifted from becoming wealthier to impacting positively in the lives of the people.

It is high time I joined other well-meaning Nigeria to change the narrative. We need to take our destiny into our own hands for the sake of Nigeria, for the sake of our children, and the less privileged in our society. ”My focus in politics will be to ensure that institutions work and people can benefit from government services irrespective of class or social status. I want to help create policies that will help diversify our economy with a renewed focus on agriculture, tourism, manufacturing and youth empowerment.”

But the trajectory of his life didn't start today. He had his primary education at St. John's Primary School, Okeigbo and moved to Oloroke Grammar School Okeigbo where he graduated with O'Level Certificate. He was admitted into Ondo State University between 1990 and 1995 where he graduated with B. Ed Hons in Social Studies.

His quest for knowledge propelled him to further his education at Rivers State University of Science and Technology, Port-Harcourt Nigeria, where he acquired his PGD as well as his Master's in Business Studies and Business Administration respectively.

An associate member, Nigeria Institute of Management, Institute of Development Association of Nigeria and a full member, Institute of Strategic Management, Oyerinmade was opportune to undertake his NYSC programme in Rivers State with the Shell Petroleum Development

Company (SPDC) where he was exposed to the occupational demands of the oil and gas business as well as the communities' relation responsibilities.

Between 1996 and 1998, he was in the service of Shell Development Company in Port-Harcourt where he served as the Land's Officer.

As tasking as his official duties were, he discharged them with utmost dexterity which gave him an added advantage.

Some of his responsibilities included participating in crude oil spill investigation/ assessment of impacted properties, accessing document and process compensation payment and monitoring remediation project on oil spill impacted sites.

Complex as these responsibilities were in the oil producing areas, he excelled which culminated into a higher position of responsibilities.

Between 1998 and 2004, still in the service of SPDC, he became the Community Liaison Officer.

Under his watch, he managed and maintained excellent SPDC external stakeholders' engagement/ relationship with the host communities, pro-actively providing key insight and support into potential community related red-flag issues on a weekly basis.

He also supported SDPC production team in ensuring zero destruction to oil and gas operation, while facilitating the Inclusion of all community development project as well as resolving all outstanding contractors/ community problems, and participating in pollution investigation/assessment and compensation activities as well as monitoring remediation project on oil spill impacted sites.

The perfect understanding of these responsibilities in the communities, further equipped him with the capacity to effectively manage human and material resources as well as having deeper understanding of the theory of needs' assessment.

Married to Angela Nkem, a corrosion expert, Oyerinmade also undertook training in Business and Human Resource Management. He also went on to establish/register his private business where he became the Chairman, Chief Executive Officer of Anchor Maric Nigeria Limited, an oil and gas servicing company.

As the Chairman/CEO, his managerial ability and his experience so far was required to translate his vision into reality of which the buck rest on his table. His responsibilities

Oyerinmade's induction into Oil Africa Hall Of Fame include, effective and efficient delivery of the corporate vision and business plan, maintaining a robust business control frame-work and ensuring values and risk are properly understood, reflected and managed the decision making.

He also owns and operates a performance management frame-work that efficiently and objectively accesses performance, makes value transparent and set the right target, provide business opportunities, challenges, business model as strategic development and to represent the company in high level engagements and community representative in NAPIMS, DPR and Government Agencies,as a Senior Executive in the Oil and Gas Industry.

Beyond the financial gains, his company has undertaken so many noteworthy projects of immense benefits to humanity. Meanwhile, although he has not really dived into the political sphere in the past, he has provided financial and material support for most of his friends and comrades who had undergone different political adventures at one time or the other, as he has also mobilised resources for the candidate in several elections.

Deeply imbued in the Awoist tradition, having been exposed to its principles and leading actors from the young age, as his name signifies Oyerinmade could claim the royal Okeigbo lineage as his father was High Chief Agoro of Okeigbo Kingdom and his mother, a business mogul in Kolanut trading within the Western region and beyond.

Like his parents, he was delighted by Awolowo's vision of a United Nigeria, and so promoted the The family home was the headquarter of a progressive government and community development and through this organisational structure, many leading lights in the community came to be regular visitors in their home during his formative years.

Since he ventured into business, he has done remarkably well by a standards and through hard work and tenacity of purpose, he has built a vast business empire that spans oil and gas, manufacturing, construction, and real estate. Oyerinde’s businesses and investments have become major conglomerates in the country today, providing employment for thousands of Nigerians.

On his mission, Oyerinmade said it is to

I have worked so hard to build my business empire over the years but somehow my attention has been shifted from becoming wealthier to impacting positively in the lives of the people

" live up to the highest standard of patriotism, knowledge, generosity of spirit, loyalty and maturity that is expected to characterise a senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. I will be a voice for the voiceless and a defender of the cause of the less privileged through legislative advocacy. I assure you of my commitment to ensuring that constituency projects and Intervention programs nominated across my senatorial district are duly executed and delivered according to specifications and within the specified period.

He pledged to drive Implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) SDG1-No Poverty; SDG2-Zero Hunger; SDG3Good Health and Well-Being; SDG4-Quality Education; SDG5-Gender Equality; SDG6- Clean Water and Sanitation; SDG7-Affordable and Clean Energy; SDG8-Decent Work and Economic Growth; SDG9-Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure; SDG10-Reduced Inequalities; SDG11-Sustainable Cities and Communities.

On ensuring fiscal federalism, he said his focus lies on derivation in relation to VAT proceeds; revenues from natural resources deposited in the states; preservation of states’ rights and privileges ; and devolution of substantial powers in the exclusive legislative list to the states; as well as adjusting the revenue allocation formula in favour of states and local governments.

More importantly, he keyed into youth empowerment. He said: "I will invest in initiative which provide the youth, as the largest and most impacted population group with skills, tools, access, knowledge, and opportunities to become economically active citizens.

"Projects under this portfolio are MATO Scholarships, Arts and Cultures Initiatives, Youth Entrepreneurship Development Program and ICT and Business Skills Training. I will intensify efforts to ensure our youth are engaged meaningfully and constructively; and passionately subscribed to our National Developmental Plan."

For women on the other hand he said: "My women empowerment initiative is aimed at training women in the sphere of agriculture and animal care. It also includes such traditional female skills as knitting, poultry farming, petty trading, and running small business. The initiative will focus on agricultural business because this is one of several spheres with good prospect."

For the senior citizens and elderly he said: "The elderly and seniors will receive help from my Senior Citizen and Elderly Assistance Scheme that specialise in meeting their needs. The intervention scheme is designed to support low income senior citizens and the elderly through Medicare, financial help, home care and grants for paying other bills. The assistance programs will help the elderly, retirees, and older people.

For one that is big on stewardship, he pledged to hold deliberate town hall meeting a model across board while engaging and interacting with his constituents periodically.

He also pledged his priorities and commitment to his constituents and party by showing high quality representation, trust and character, and welfare for all.

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TUESDAY, ͹ͼ˜ ͺ͸ͺ͹ ˾ T H I S D AY

THE ALTERNATIVE

with RenoOmokri

EFCC As Tool of Northern Domination Under Buhari

President Buhari

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he Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) was founded by former President Olusegun Obasanjo in 2003, as an agency to fight financial crimes and work with the international Financial Action Task Force on Money Laundering to ensure that Nigeria was not blacklisted by the international community, due to the weakness of previous efforts to fight money laundering and other financial crimes in Nigeria.

This is because Nigeria had developed an evil reputation during the Abacha administration as an international haven for money launderers, most of whom were Northern military officers directly connected to the Abacha military junta.

That was the main reason for setting up the EFCC. With this historical background to help you put things into perspective, try to answer this question: How many times have you read of mass EFCC arrests in Northern Nigeria? Never.

It had never happened. Such mass arrests only occur down South.

Under Buhari, the EFCC is reduced to a body for indiscriminately harassing Southerners, including legitimate people in business. You go to the EFCC offices, and you overwhelmingly encounter mostly Northerners.

All the EFCC Chairmen have come from the North, which is understandable under a Southern President, for balance, but not under a Northern President. The currency Black market in almost every Nigerian town is run by Northerners or citizens of the Niger Republic. But the EFCC turns a blind eye. But they stereotype every successful, young Southerner as a fraudster. The North will not take this from a Southerner. For example, see how Buhari is protecting DCP Abba Kyari from the FBI. Would that be the case if it were DCP Okonkwo or Balogun?

Every young Southerner in a decent car, well dressed and well-groomed, is automatically an EFCC suspect. This is psychologically affecting the mentality of young Southerners. It is making them feel inferior to Northerners on the one hand and dampening the zeal to succeed on the other hand because of the default criminalisation of success by the EFCC. If he happens to have dreadlocks and tattoos, then he moves from being a suspect to being guilty until proven innocent.

Let us face it. There is a vast cultural difference between the North and the South. Southerners

EFCC Chairman, Abdulrasheed Bawa

are more materialistic than Northerners, who tend to be fatalistic. Southerners tend to be more aggressive in pursuing Western education and upward mobility than the average Northerner, whose approach is more conservative.

We cannot say that one approach to life is better than the other or that one is more prone to criminality.

Our law enforcement and criminal justice must be evidence-led, not sentiment-driven.

And under Buhari, it has been driven by sentiments.

For example, Sani Abacha is provably the world’s biggest thief. This is a fact that I acquired while studying for my Masters in Law in the UK. He and his sons have been convicted and at least $5 billion seized from them.

Yet, despite the multiplicity of evidence proving that Abacha was a blood-thirsty buffoon of a rogue (if that offends you, go and hug a transformer on behalf of the many Nigerians he killed), Buhari declared Abacha a saint, saying ‘Abacha never stole’. Why? Because Abacha was his benefactor and a Northerner.

Yet, this same Buhari has called former leaders of Southern origin, who have not been convicted by a court “thieves”.

And when the Abacha loot was repatriated back to Nigeria under Buhari’s tribal and corrupt government, the Attorney General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami refused to refer to them as loot, instead he called them the Abacha “assets”.

And on April 17, 2016, when Switzerland repatriated another batch of Abacha loot totalling $320 million, the hypocritical Buhari refused to describe the money as stolen and described the funds thus: “Nigeria is awaiting receipt from the Swiss Govt. of $320 million, identified as illegally taken from Nigeria under Abacha”.

This will give my readers a background into the bias against the South that exists under Buhari’s administration.

And with EVERY law enforcement body in Nigeria being led by Northerners, the bias is too obvious not to be seen.

The heads of all three arms of government in Nigeria are Northern Muslim males, as are the heads of the Army, Air force, Ministry of Defence, Police, Department of State Services, Directorate of Military Intelligence, Defence Intelligence Agency, Nigerian Intelligence Agency, Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Nigerian Customs Service, Nigerian Prison

Service, and the Nigerian Immigration Service.

And if nothing is done to address this imbalance, the psyche of the average Southern youth will be so damaged for at least a generation.

That is why we must speak out.

To show you how biased the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission under Buhari is, consider that they have not arrested Nasir Danu, a member of Buhari’s kitchen cabinet, who was arrested with a fake passport and huge sums of money at London’s Heathrow Airport, and sent back to Nigeria. They have not tried Babachir Lawal, who was caught with his hands in the cookie jar, in the grass-cutting scandal.

They have not arrested Aisha Buhari’s ADC, who was implicated in an alleged multibillion naira scam. They have not prosecuted Usman Yusuf, previously Executive Secretary of the National Health Insurance Scheme, NHIS, until he was suspended by Vice President Osinbajo for alleged financial impropriety (the man even has the guts to appear on TV passing himself off as an activist nowadays). They have not arrested and exposed those behind the Ikoyi Apartment billions.

The biggest smuggling hub in Nigeria is Katsina state. Snuggling is by far the biggest economic crime against the Nigerian state. Yet, the EFCC has a minimal presence there, with little or no arrest.

The EFCC has not also investigated the then Minister of State for Petroleum, Ibe Kachukwu’s memo, which alleged that the then Group Managing Director of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, Maikanti Baru, a prominent Northern member of Buhari’s cabal, had awarded $25 billion worth of contracts without due process.

I wonder why? Perhaps that $25 billion was also “illegally taken from Nigeria”?

I am a Nigerian because I come from one of the two regions that were forcefully amalgamated

by Lord Frederick Lugard to come up with the country now known as Nigeria. I will not deny my Southern heritage, nor would I want the people of Southern Nigeria to lord it over Northern Nigeria. And I definitely will not sit idly by why the reverse is the case.

I have my own business. I do not have any political ambitions. My future is not tied to bootlicking the North. I will speak if no one else has the guts to speak. This nonsense has gone on for too long, and an end must be put to it.

The imbalance in the leadership and operation of the EFCC in favour of the North and

against the South is one of the issues that have led to the popularity and rise of secessionist movements in Southern Nigeria.

For instance, why is the EFCC after Obi Cubana and not Bola Tinubu? We provided evidence of Tinubu’s corruption to the EFCC, including photos of bullion vans going into his house on Election Day, contrary to The Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act 2011. Why Obi and not Tinubu? Is it because Obi is Igbo and Tinubu is linked to prominent Northern politicians?

And what is true for the EFCC is also true for the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency.

While the North is being ravaged by drug addiction, From hard drugs, to cough mixture, to even something as base as sniffing human excrement, Buba Marwa and his NDLEA agents have focused almost all of their activity in the South. How many mass NDLEA arrests have you read about in the North?

Meanwhile, Tramadol is more easily available than Panadol in Northern Nigeria.

It is precisely these types of injustices that make organisations like Mazi Nnamdi Kanu’s Indigenous People of Biafra and other secessionist groups popular in certain parts of Nigeria.

And as long as this imbalance continues, then those agitations will continue. Not only that, they will grow in tempo and intensity.

Because, “injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.”-Martin Luther King, Jr.

Reno’s Darts Remember Wakili, the alleged bandit that was terrorising parts of Oyo? Nothing has happened to him. Meanwhile, Sunday Igboho, who apprehended him, is now in prison, fighting for his life. The local vigilantes in Southern Kaduna suffered a similar fate.

They were arrested and are languishing in prison. Meanwhile, killings by itinerant Fulani continue unabated in Southern Kaduna.

Ikonso was killed and Nnamdi Kanu is in a DSS cell. But the herdsmen who have been killing, robbing and pillaging the Southeast have not been apprehended. Shouldn’t that tell you something about who is behind the insecurity in Nigeria? #TableShaker

LAWYER TUESDAY, DECEMBER 14, 2021

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Babalakin JSC, the Quintessential Jurist Raps his Last Gavel

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TUESDAY, DECEMBER 14, 2021 • T H I S D AY

IN THIS EDITION

When Plea of Res Judicata Will Arise in a Subsequent Case Page IV

SPA Ajibade Annual Lecture: Embrace AI Technology Now, Lawyers Told QUOTABLES

Page V

‘Many are losing faith in the system of administration of justice that we run.’ Professor Yemi Osinbajo GCON, SAN, Professor of Law, Vice President, Federal Republic of Nigeria

‘Pardon is a function of conviction in the Nigerian context……Nnamdi Kanu has not been convicted yet, so the idea of pardoning him is premature…….I am not ruling out any possibility (of political out-of-court solution), but that is not immediately on the table.’ Abubakar Malami, SAN, Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Federal Republic of Nigeria

SAN Application Process Goes Digital, as LPPC Partners with LawPavilion Page V

Evans to Know Fate on Feb 25, 2022 Page V

LAWYER

ONIKEPO BRAITHWAITE: EDITOR, JUDE IGBANOI: DEPUTY EDITOR, PETER TAIWO, STEVE AYA: REPORTERS

III THE ADVOCATE

T H I S D AY • TUESDAY, DECEMBER 14, 2021

Of Magistrates, Corruption and Incompetence

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bout six weeks ago, we were all shocked when we heard of the invasion of the residence of Honourable Justice Mary Peter-Odili, JSC by some 'unlawful' law enforcement agents', including Police and Military personnel, using a spurious search warrant as the authority for their illegal act.

Recently, the Chief Justice of Nigeria, Hon. Justice Ibrahim Tanko Muhammad, had cause to call out Judges on the issue of courts of concurrent/coordinate jurisdiction giving conflicting orders on the same cases, with the same parties and same subjectmatter. The next set of judicial officers that the searchlight should be shone upon, are the Magistrates who seem to be forming the bad habit of issuing unlawful search warrants, which are not issued in accordance with the provisions of the law.

Sections 143-157 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act 2015 (ACJA) (which is applicable in Abuja and domesticated in Lagos and other States), provides for Search Warrants generally. I will use two scenarios, that of Hon. Justice Mary Peter-Odili, JSC (the JSC) and that of an incident that occurred recently at a Hotel (X Hotel) to illustrate my points, vis-à-vis the issuance of unlawful search warrants. In both scenarios, the search warrants should not have been issued.

X Hotel Last week, someone called me in a panic, to say that a team of people from the Audio Visual Rights Society of Nigeria (AVRS) (a collective management organisation for audio-visual works), including armed Police, had come to execute a search warrant on their business premises, which happens to be a hotel. The first thought that crossed my mind when I heard AVRS, was the WIPO Beijing Treaty of Audio Visual Performances of 2012, ratified by Nigeria in 2017, but which I believe is yet to be domesticated, and therefore, inapplicable in Nigeria. There is a copyright levy that the AVRS seeks to collect on copyright materials, which has not yet been implemented by the Federal Government. However, I wondered what the connection of copyright levy would be with a hotel that simply has cable tv purchased from a company, for the private use of its guests in its hotel rooms. X Hotel did not reproduce the creative works of anyone. I asked what the offence was, and they sent me a copy of a demand notice for a copyright fee from the AVRS; Section 15 (1)(f) &(g) of the Copyright Act (CA), was cited therein. They said the hotel has decoders, and that without a licence from AVRS for any performance, communications to the public, or broadcast of cinematograph films or audio-visual works, it was an infringement of copyright.

This country has become so lawless, more so because any agency or organisation can just walk into your house or place of business, and disturb or arrest you for nothing. When did having decoders in hotel rooms for the private viewing of guests, become a public broadcast or copyright infringement? Surely, if it was even a genuine infringement, this would be a matter between the cable tv company and the AVRS, and not the purchasers of decoders who do not even make the choices of the programmes which are featured on the various cable tv channels.

Anyway, Section 16 of the CA provides for action for infringement of copyright, and nowhere does it mention criminal proceedings to recover unpaid copyright fees, even if the demand is legitimate. It is a civil matter; the reliefs available are damages and injunctions, to be obtained from the Federal High Court. So, where does the need for a warrant of search, used in criminal investigations, arise? Section 28

ONIKEPO BRAITHWAITE onikepo.braithwaite@thisdaylive.com onikepob@yahoo.com Twitter: @TheAdvocate

The

Advocate “The demand by….Form 9, that the offence must be named and facts stated concisely on the search warrant was not fulfilled, because the affidavits of Aliyu/Danjuma Ibrahim and CSP Ajodo offered no such information;…. on the fact that there was actually no offence alleged to have been committed, since there is no offence known as ‘illegal activities’, the Chief Magistrate had no business issuing a warrant of search ab initio” of the CA provides for the infringement of a performer’s right, while Section 30 thereof provides for criminal liability in that regard. The said Section 28 is however, inapplicable to X Hotel, as they did not record or broadcast anything to the public, nor did they perform anything for public viewing; furthermore, Section 28 of the CA was not mentioned in AVRS’s demand notice.

The JSC In the case of the JSC, the deponent of the General Form of Affidavit reporting ‘Illegal Activities’ in some houses in Abuja and its environs to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) - one of the documents that formed the basis of the complaint that resulted in the issuance of the search warrant levied on the JSC, firstly, had two different names listed on it - Aliyu Umar Ibrahim and Danjuma Ibrahim! So, who was the Deponent?

Aliyu or Danjuma? Possibly the person whose photo appeared on the face of the document? Though the Deponent, Aliyu Umar Ibrahim resides in Niger State, in Paragraph 2 of the Affidavit, Danjuma Ibrahim (who may be Aliyu Umar Ibrahim) claimed to be convinced that Illegal Activities were going on in some houses in Abuja. There is no offence known to law called ‘Illegal Activities’. Section 36(8) of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended in 2018)(the Con-

stitution) clearly provides that a person shall not be charged for an offence unknown to law. It therefore follows, that a person cannot be investigated or arrested for an offence unknown to law.

And, though an affidavit and a search warrant are not criminal charges, they should have been more specific about the illegal activities being carried on, where and by whom.

Secondly, the first port of call for criminal suspects is the Police, and not the EFCC. The EFCC is for financial crimes. If the Deponent could use a vague meaningless term like ‘illegal activities’, how then did he conclude that it was financial crimes that he was convinced were being committed, and should be channeled to the EFCC/ Joint Panel Recovery of the Ministry of Justice?! Thirdly, even if the name of the specific suspects were unknown, the occupants of a particular residence(s) should have been used. I therefore, submit that that affidavit was too vague to hold up in any court of law. It fell short of the standards and information that should be included in such an affidavit, to support an application for a search warrant.

Again, one CSP Lawrence Ajodo attached to the Joint Panel Recovery (see Section 143 of ACJA), then used this vague affidavit as the basis for his application to the Magistrate Court to obtain a search warrant for his investigation. The General Form of Affidavit he

subsequently deposed to, included as the perpetrator of illegal activities, an address, not a person(s).

The Form 9 Warrant to Search clearly states thus: “WHEREAS as complaint has been made before me of the commission (or suspected commission) of the offence of ………..(State the offence concisely with the place)……”.

This makes it quite plain, that the offence for which the search warrant is being issued, must be stated concisely; and “Illegal Activities suspected to be prone to crime at No. 9 Imo Street, Maitama, Abuja", is an offence unknown to law, and therefore, does not constitute an offence under our laws, and to make matters worse, the address was not that of the JSC who resides at No. 7, Imo Rivers Street, Maitama, Abuja.

Section 144 of ACJA permits a court or Justice of the Peace, if satisfied that there are reasonable grounds based on the conditions set out in Section 144(a)-(c), to issue a search warrant. I submit that, no such grounds existed; and that though Section 146(2) of the CA permits the court that issued a search warrant to cancel it, the Chief Magistrate’s subsequent order revoking the search warrant, was simply an afterthought, possibly backdated to the day the JSC’s house was invaded, to try to escape blame after the incident blew up. Claiming that there was misrepresentation to the court leading to the issuance of the search warrant, is a very weak excuse that cannot avail the Magistrate of a defence. The demand by the aforementioned Form 9, that the offence must be named and facts stated concisely on the search warrant was not fulfilled, because the affidavits of Aliyu/Danjuma Ibrahim and CSP Ajodo offered no such information; and therefore, on that basis alone, on the fact that there was actually no offence alleged to have been committed, since there is no offence known as ‘illegal activities’, the Chief Magistrate had no business issuing a warrant of search ab initio.

Ditto for the Magistrate who issued a warrant of search on X Hotel, in what if it was even a legitimate case, was nothing more than a civil matter. When I asked that the search warrant be photographed and forwarded to me, I was informed that the Executors of the warrant had only allowed them to look at it fleetingly, instead of availing them with the document. This again sounded extremely fishy to me, and made it obvious that the Executors were aware that their mission was unlawful. Again, the Magistrate who issued the warrant of search on X Hotel, even if the letter of demand written by AVRS was provided, should have seen that demand for copyright fee for infringement is a civil matter, and should not have issued the search warrant.

Are these Magistrates even familiar with the law?

Conclusion The 30th Anniversary celebration of my Law School Class of 1991, which took place in Abuja on Friday, started off with a lecture delivered by the Vice President of Nigeria, Professor Yemi Osinbajo, SAN, who said: “Corruption within the judicial system is becoming a major embarrassment..... A few dishonest Lawyers and Judges, are enough to discredit the system. We need to call out members of our profession”. I concur; these two incidents with the Magistrates and the unlawful search warrants they issued, is yet another embarrassment within our judicial system.

Is it that some of our judicial officers are compromised, and simply do the bidding of their benefactors, no matter how wrong? Or is that some of our judicial officers, who are supposed to be Ministers in the Temple of Justice, charged with the mandate of meting out justice, are not even well acquainted with the law? Either scenario is unacceptable.

IV LAW REPORT

TUESDAY, DECEMBER 14, 2021 • T H I S D AY

When Plea of Res Judicata Will Arise in a Subsequent Case

Facts By a Writ of Summons issued at the High Court of Imo State, Orlu (then Okigwe Judicial Division of the former East Central State of Nigeria), the 1st and 2nd Respondents/Cross-Appellants (as Plaintiffs), instituted an action against the Appellants and the Respondents to the cross-appeal (Defendants at the High Court). By their claim, they sought a Declaration of title to the piece of land at Isieke Village, Akpulu; N400.00 general damages for trespass; and an Order of Perpetual Injunction restraining the Appellants, their servants, and agents from further acts of trespass on the land. Specifically, paragraph 7 of the Statement of Claim, and the subject of the appeal, was to the effect that about the year 1928, the 1st Defendant’s father – Ukaegbu, in collusion with a certain Nwaizunwa, instituted an action against the present Respondents/Cross-Appellants (as Defendants therein), at the Mbanasa Native Court in Suit No. 172/28, claiming possession of and alleging that the Ala Odinude Ngwo land in dispute, was pledged to him by the Nwaizunwa, a close relation of the present 2nd to 5th Appellant.

The court, in that suit, dismissed the claim, and upon a review by the District Officers on appeal, the present Respondents/Cross Appellants were ordered to refund the pledged money to Ukaegbu, while they retain possession and ownership of the land. They went ahead to plead that the judgement in the referenced suit would be founded upon at the trial. The Appellants joined issues with the Respondents/Cross-Appellants on the claims. At trial, the said judgement of the Native Court was admitted as Exhibit C. The trial court, in the present suit, granted the claims against the Appellants, but dismissed the claims against the Respondents to the Cross-appeal.

The Appellants appealed to the Court of Appeal, Enugu, while the Respondents/Cross-Appellants filed a Cross-appeal against the decision of the trial court dismissing their case against the Respondents to the Cross-appeal (7th and 8th Defendants at the trial court). After a consideration of the appeals, the Court of Appeal dismissed both appeals. Hence, the further appeal and Cross-appeal to the Supreme Court.

Issues for Determination Main appeal: 1 Whether in an action for declaration of title to land, damages for trespass and injunction, a previous judgement pleaded by the Plaintiff in his Statement of Claim could sustain a plea of res judicata in favour of such Plaintiff.

2(a) Whether the Court of Appeal was right in its view that, it is a mere irregularity to raise a plea of res judicata in the Statement of Claim.

If the answer to 2(a) above is in the affirmative (which is not conceded); 2(b) Whether, on the peculiar facts and circumstances of the case, the Appellants herein could be said to have waived their right to complain about the said irregularity.

Cross-appeal: Whether the Court of Appeal failed or neglected to consider the case submitted for its consideration by the Cross-Appellants, and if so, whether the said failure by the court occasioned a miscarriage of justice, such that the judgement cannot be allowed to stand.

Arguments The Appellants contended that the trial court and the Court of Appeal were wrong to have held that the Respondents/Cross-Appellants (as Plaintiffs) could plead the judgement of the Mbanasa Native Court in their Statement of Claim, and rely on it as res judicata in determination of the declaration of title and ownership of the land in dispute. Counsel submitted for the Appellants that a plea of res judicata, cannot be raised in the Statement of Claim. He relied on the decision in SALAWU YOYE v OLUBODE

by dismissing the Respondents/Cross-Appellants’ appeal. He argued that this occasioned a miscarriage of justice to them. Reacting to the submission, Counsel for the Respondents to the Cross-appeal argued that it was a misconception on the part of the Cross-Appellants to contend that the Court of Appeal failed to consider their grounds of appeal.

He argued that the appellate court did consider them, and found that the grounds of appeal were directed at findings of facts by the trial court. And that the Cross-Appellants failed to adduce sufficient reasons, to make the Court of Appeal interfere with the findings of the trial court.

Honourable Bolarinwa Oyegoke Babalakin, JSC In the Supreme Court of Nigeria Holden at Lagos On Thursday, the 18th day of July, 1991 Before Their Lordships

Muhammadu Lawal Uwais Adolphus Godwin Karibi-Whyte Philip Nnaemeka-Agu Ephraim Omorose Ibukun Akpata Bolarinwa Oyegoke Babalakin Justices, Supreme Court SC.226/1988 Between 1.

Sylvester Ezekpelechi Ukaegbu 2.

Udogbe Ediogu 3.

Michael Onwuka 4.

Ezeamuzie Egbumba 5.

Gabriel Ezegbucha 6.

James Okale 7.

Umuaeluekwe Ezeakune (For themselves and on behalf of the Okpokpo Akpulu and Ubaha Akpulu People)

Appellants/ Cross Respondents

And 1 Duru Ononanwa Ugoji 2. Nduechekwa Ogbukara (For themselves and Mbaeru Isieke Village, Akpulu) 3. Raphael Offor 4. Michael Anyeke

Respondents/Cross-Appellants Respondents to the Cross-Appeal

(Lead Judgement delivered by Honourable Bolarinwa Oyegoke Babalakin, JSC)

(1974) 1 All NLR (Pt. 2) 118. Counsel argued further that the Court of Appeal was in grave error to have regarded the plea of res judicata raised in the Statement of Claim as a mere irregularity, which the Appellants (as Defendants at the trial court) had waived by their continued participation in the case after issues had been settled. He posited that default by the Respondents/Cross Appellants in pleading res judicata in their Statement of Claim, strikes at the very essence and nature of that plea, as a successful plea of res judicata robs the court of jurisdiction to determine a suit.

Responding to the submissions above,

“….. a plea of res judicata will arise where the Plaintiff, who is pleading the previous judgement was the Plaintiff in the said previous judgement, or his privy in title were Plaintiffs in the previous judgement relied upon”

Counsel for the Respondents/Cross-Appellants argued that Sections 53 and 54 of the Evidence Act, permit parties to plead previous judgements obtained in their favour in a subsequent action.

Relying on the decision in CHINWENDU v MBAMALI & ANOR. (1980) 3-4 SC 31 at 47-48, he submitted that the position of law has since been settled that,r although a plea of estoppel is a shield for the protection of a Defendant, it can also validly be employed as a sword by a Plaintiff. As Exhibit C (judgement of the Native Court) pleaded raised estoppel per rem judicatam against the Appellants, the lower courts were bound to give effect to the said proceeding and judgement. Commenting on the authority relied on by the Appellants, counsel contented that a Plaintiff who has a previous judgement in his favour, cannot be barred from pleading such judgement in subsequent action. He argued that it was not too late for the Appellants, to raise the issue of pleading res judicata in the Statement of Claim.

Regarding the Cross-appeal, counsel submitted that the Court of Appeal was wrong to have neglected the consideration of the grounds of appeal in the Cross-appeal distinct from the grounds of appeal in the main appeal, and that the appellate court only relied on its conclusions in the main appeal, in coming to the decision in the Cross-appeal

Court’s Judgement and Rationale Deciding the main appeal, their Lordships stated that the germane issue for consideration in the appeal, is that in any action for declaration of title, damages for trespass and injunction, a Plaintiff cannot plead a previous judgement as res judicata in a Statement of Claim. In this respect, the court referenced the provisions of Section 54(1) and (2) of the Evidence Act, which enables a party to a proceeding to plead a previous judgement as res judicata in a Statement of Claim. Elucidating on the principle of Res judicata and estoppel, the learned Justice of the Apex Court held that a plea of res judicata will arise where the Plaintiff, who is pleading the previous judgement was the Plaintiff in the said previous judgement, or his privy in title were Plaintiffs in the previous judgement relied upon. On the other hand, the pleading would be estoppel, where the Plaintiff or his privy in title was Defendant in the case pleaded as estoppel as in CHINWENDU v MBAMALI & ANOR. (supra) and in the present case.

By paragraph 7 of the Statement of Claim and Exhibit C, what the Respondents/Cross-Appellants pleaded was estoppel and not res judicata. The trial court however, in framing the issues for its determination, mistook the pleading in the said paragraph as a plea of res judicata. The Court of Appeal fell into similar error, contrary to the lucid explanation of the Apex Court above, that as Defendants in Exhibit C, the pleading of the Respondents/Appellants as Plaintiffs in the present suit, can only be an estoppel. One cannot hold on to the erroneous formulation of issues, which puts what counsel for the Respondents/Cross-Appellants pleaded in the Statement of Claim as res judicata. Having found that the Respondents/Cross-Appellants pleaded estoppel and the trial judge made use of the judgement as such, the summing up of issues which stated same to be res judicata becomes a mere wrong use of words which is a technicality, and that should not be allowed to becloud the justice of this case so ably x-rayed by the trial court and the Court of Appeal.

The court held further that a plea of res judicata is a shield for the protection of the Defendant, and generally pleaded by the Defendant as a bar to subsequent proceedings by the Plaintiff on the same issue, and between the same parties or their privies.

The modern trend however, as exemplified in recent judicial decisions is that “… although the plea of estoppel is a shield for the protection of the Defendant, it can also validly be employed as a sword by a Plaintiff.” An estoppel, which includes per rem judicatam, can be raised to show the awareness of the Plaintiff of a previous litigation between the parties which he intends to rely upon, thus, preparing his ground for a reply in the event of the Statement of Defence seeking to rely on the same estoppel – LADEGA & ORS. v DUROSINMI & ORS. (1978) 3 SC. 91.

Regarding the Cross-appeal, their Lordships held that the allegation that the Court of Appeal did not consider the grounds of appeal in the Cross-appeal, distinct from the main appeal, is not supported by any discernible evidence on record to warrant an interference by the Apex Court. There was evidence before the trial court, which it believed, that the portions of land belonging to the Respondents to the Cross-appeal has never been the subject of any dispute.

Appeal and Cross-Appeal Dismissed.

Representation Chief Chimezie Ikeazor, SAN, with Chief Ume Ezeoke, Mr. Obi Akpudo and Mrs. Uju Ikeazor for the Appellants/Respondents to the Cross-Appeal.

G.R.I. Egonu, SAN with Mr. B.E.E. Nnamdi for the Respondents/Cross-Appellants.

Reported by Optimum Publishers Limited, Publishers of the Nigerian Monthly Law Reports (NMLR)(An affiliate of Babalakin & Co.)

V NEWS

T H I S D AY • TUESDAY, DECEMBER 14, 2021

L-R: Peter Olalere, Partner, SPA Ajibade & Co.; O.M. Atoyebi, SAN, Managing Partner, OMAPLEX Law Practice; Dr. Babatunde Ajibade, SAN, Managing Partner, Chief Justice of Nigeria, Hon. Justice Ibrahim Tanko SPA Ajibade & Co.; Bolaji Gabari, Associate Partner, SPA Ajibade & Co.; Ope Olugasa, Muhammad Chukwudimeme Onwuamadike alias Evans Managing Director, LawPavilion

Evans to Know Fate on Feb 25, 2022

Stories by Steve Aya

Justice Hakeem Oshodi of an Ikeja High Court on Friday, fixed February 25, 2022, for judgement in the trial of alleged kidnap kingpin, Chukwudimeme Onwuamadike alias Evans and five Defendants accused of conspiracy and kidnapping.

The trial Judge fixed the judgement date, after listening to the final oral submissions of the final written addresses of both the Prosecution and Defence Counsel.

Evans and his coDefendants Uche Amadi, Okwuchukwu Nwachukwu, Ogechi Uchechukwu, Chilaka Ifeanyi and Victor Aduba, are accused of kidnaping of Mr Donatus Dunu, the Managing Director of Maydon Pharmaceuticals Ltd on February 14, 2017.

In a Final Written Address dated November 1, 2021, Evan’s defence Counsel, Mr Victor Opara, SAN, said there was no direct evidence linking Evans to the alleged crimes. He told the court that Dunu the

alleged kidnap victim who was blindfolded throughout his 88-day ordeal, did not state to the court in his testimony that he could physically identify Evans.

“There is also the fatality of the Prosecution’s case, that there was no identification parade to identify the 1st Defendant (Evans).

“There was no evidence before your Lordship, to show that PW2 (Dunu) had the clear opportunity of identifying the 1st Defendant”, he said.

Mr Opara, SAN, while giving his oral submission, also asked the court to discharge and acquit Evans of the two-count charge.

The lead State Prosecutor, Mr. Adebayo Haroun, in his Final Written Address dated November 30, 2021, asked the court to convict the Defendants as charged.

He further added that: “When a man has confessed to the crime, you do not need an identification parade.

“There is direct evidence of PW2 (Dunu), testifying to how he was kidnapped, how he escaped, and the

roles the Defendants each played.

“We have circumstantial evidence linking the 1st Defendant (Evans) to the crime, and we also have confessional statements

and video recordings of him.

“We urge your Lordship to convict the Defendants as charged”, Haroun said.

Evans is facing multiple trials alongside different

and diverse co-Defendants, before Justices Hakeem Oshodi of the Ikeja Division of the High Court, Oluwatoyin Taiwo, of the Ikeja Special Offences Court, and Adedayo Akin-

toye of the Lagos Division of the High Court.

Contrary to false viral online reports, this is the first judgement to be fixed in all the five kidnapping trials.

SPA Ajibade Annual Lecture: Embrace AI Technology Now, Lawyers Told Stories by Steve Aya Lawyers and law firm administrators have been told to embrace Artificial Intelligence and IT technology now, as the world, and indeed, law practice, is moving toward digital technology at a very fast pace.

These were the general views of the panel of discussants as well as the Guest Speaker, at the 2021 annual SPA Ajibade annual lecture which held on Thursday at the Westwood hotel at Ikoyi.

Speaking at the lecture, the Chief Judge of Borno State, Justice Kazeem Zanna, said that the nation’s judiciary is moving on the right track, by embracing information technology.

He said that the current

judicial information policy is aimed at bringing all the State Judiciaries into the It world, because of the huge benefit therein. He also acknowledged the huge demand of data and cost of investment, but said that the advantage to be derived is plentiful.

The Guest Speaker, Prof.

Victor Rodriguez Doncel, who is an Associate Professor at AI Universidad Politechica de Madrid Spain, said that AI has come to stay in the world. He traced the advent of AI, and how it is gradually taking its place in the world system today. He also stated its impact in both the law courts and to the law profession in general, emphasising that there is nothing to fear, but rather AI will lead to a better, quicker service delivery justice and

legal services generally.

Mr Oyetola Atoyebi, SAN, in his submission, said that technology and IT have not really taken anything away from Lawyers or law practice, rather it has improved it, making it more accessible. He however, spoke of the need to regulate the type of information to make public. He maintained that with information technology, some of the challenges faced in administration of criminal justice in Nigeria will be solved.

In his own contribution Mr. Ope Olugasa, said that the current speed of digital transformation within the Judiciary is mind blowing, noting that at the current rate, it would not be long before everything goes digital. He said from the current experience a lot of clients prefer online

services, so there is need for Lawyers to up their game.

While Mrs. Funkola Odeleye, a practicing Lawyer, spoke on how AI and IT impacted her work positively as a Lawyer, as well as her business life.

In his welcoming address, the Managing Partner of SPA Ajibade, Dr Babatunde Ajibade, SAN, said that recent events have shown that IT and digital technology are taking over the legal space, and only Lawyers who are conversant with its ways will become relevant in the long run. He further pointed to the recent move to have digital transmission of trials, particularly criminal matters which are mostly affected by our system, as where there are no vehicles to bring suspects to court or other reasons that are legitimate.

SAN Application Process Goes Digital, as LPPC Partners with LawPavilion The Chief Justice of Nigeria, Hon. Justice Ibrahim Tanko Muhammad CFR, last Wednesday, swore in 72 legal practitioners elevated to the rank of Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) at the Supreme Court in Abuja.

During the swearing in of the new SANs, the CJN disclosed that the LPPC has partnered with LawPavilion, to automate the application process for the conferment of the rank. In his speech, the Honourable CJN said: “Most of us here are aware of how tedious the process of conferring the coveted rank of SAN on aspiring applicants has been for the applicants, the LPPC and the Secretariat.

Thankfully, a new era has come now, as the LPPC has taken a giant step in pioneering the digital transformation of the legal industry, starting with the SANship conferment pro-

cess, by partnering with the foremost LegalTech Solution Company - LawPavilion to automate the application process, end-to-end.

Consequently, from next year, application for the conferment of the rank of SAN will no longer be done manually, but digitally. The automation of the application process will ensure that the application and conferment process is seamless, faster - as it requires lesser paperwork, and easier for the Secretariat and the LPPC. Also, the automation will make it easier for returning applicants, as they will not have to re-submit documents that they may have submitted in their earlier application. I am confident that this move will put the Nigerian legal industry in the same pedestal as the legal industries of other climes, where technology

has been embraced to make processes faster and more efficient”.

In a chat with Pressmen after the swearing-in, the CEO of LawPavilion, Mr Ope Olugasa expressed his gratitude to the LPPC for giving LawPavilion an opportunity to be part of the giant stride. He said ‘Now that subsequent applications to the rank of Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) will be done electronically, What should applicants expect?

Olugasa said “The essence of digitalisation is mainly to ensure efficiency by reducing time, effort and cost, as each task is performed seamlessly online, at any time and from anywhere, whilst eliminating human error. With the digitalisation and automation of the application process, applicants will have access to the portal anytime of

the day throughout the application window- whether during the day, or at night.

Because it is an end-to-end digitalisation, applicants can obtain their forms, fill the forms and upload the usually humongous relevant supporting documents online, without having to print tons of documents, thereby saving cost and time. Also, with this automation, returning applicants will not have to re-submit documents that they may have submitted in their earlier application, as they will have their own account where their documents will be archived. Surely, Training sessions and videos will be organised to handhold applicants in going through the process”.

On how the automation will help the Secretariat and members of the LPPC, he said: “This automation will

help the Secretariat and members of the LPPC to carry out their functions more effectively and more efficiently. Before now, the Secretariat and members of the LPPC have to manually sift through every application and their accompanying documents for verification and compliance. This is by all standards, cumbersome. For instance, there were about one hundred and fifty-nine applicants (159) this year alone; you can imagine the volume of documents that the Secretariat and members of the LPPC had to deal with manually, given the number of supporting documents expected of each applicant. But, with this automation, they will be able to do so much in such a little time, as certain checklists have been put in place to ensure compli-

ance. As a result, they will have more time to focus on the more cerebral part of the application process.

And, what is more, this automation will reduce human contact to the barest minimum; helping everyone to stay safe in compliance with the requirements of the Covid-19 precautions in the new normal.

“The implication is that, legal practitioners must begin to embrace digital transformation in their legal service delivery.

They should begin to optimise their internal processes through the efficient use of technology, for to refuse or ignore to do so, may be to lose touch with the expected topnotch legal service delivery that their clients will now begin to require of, and demand from them”, Olugasa said.

VI

TUESDAY, DECEMBER 14, 2021 • T H I S D AY

TALKING CONSTITUTIONAL DEMOCRACY DR. MIKE OZEKHOME, SAN

0809 889 8888 SMS ONLY

Insecurity: A Great Retardation to Peace and Progress (Part 2) Introduction n any civilised society, one of the primary responsibilities of government, if not the most important, is the safeguarding of the welfare and security of its people.

However, this ‘security monopoly’ trend is fast changing. On this note, we shall continue our discourse on this vexed issue, having commenced with armed conflicts and the role of the civil society.

Armed Conflicts and the Role of the Civil Society (Continues) More interestingly is that, armed conflicts in Africa can be traced back to the postindependence era as far back as 1967, the Igbo section of the Nigerian community, led by the unbreakable Biafra Warlord, Lt. Col Emeka Odumegwu Ojukwu, raised arms to secede from the Nigerian State. All over Africa, from Lagos to Luanda, Mali to Maputo, conflicts were the order of the day. African countries experienced decades of devastating wars including the Congo war, Somali War, Rwandan Genocide, Northern Mali Conflict, Angolan Civil War, Sudanese War, East African Campaign, to mention but a few, and these wars crippled governance and development in several African States.

With the proliferation of armed conflicts which reached their peak in the 1990s, and together with the burden of peace building on the shoulders of the international community, the attention of donors and peace building practitioners turned to the potential role to be played by civil society.

Meanwhile, Nigeria, the most populated country in Africa and arguably its most economically advanced country, has been a theatre of various conflicts recently, and one of the most unstable environments in terms of insecurity to human lives and properties.

Another sad truth is that, the federating units making up the country are yet to truly recognise each unit as constituents of one nation, and owing to other factors such as religious, economic, political, social, among others; therefore, the Nigerian environment is unnecessarily prone to conflict. Even government interventions and international support, is proving inadequate in addressing this malaise.

I

Conflicts Everywhere Again, the Boko Haram sect which started in the early 21st century Nigeria with the rejection of western education, later metamorphosed into a deadly group that declared war on Nigeria and socalled infidels, killing thousands of Nigerians in the process. The peak of their gruesome attacks, was the abduction of around 276 school girls from their school in the hitherto unknown ancient town of Chibok. Women and children were regularly molested, tortured and killed. Though the present government of Muhammadu Buhari was able to free some of their captives, including some of the Chibok girls, the activities of the sect have been on the upsurge. The people living in the North-East region of Nigeria are still in danger of frequent attacks from members of the sect.

The deadly clash between indigenous farmers and herdsmen in many parts of Nigeria, is another security challenge in Nigeria. In Benue State, Plateau, Nasarawa, Kaduna, Ekiti, Katsina, etc. Many people have been killed, maimed, raped and suffered untold destruction of their properties to what has been generally termed cattle rustling. Violence has become a pastime between attacking herders and host farmers leading to loss of lives, priorities and displacement of farmers and cattle thefts.

Piracy on the Nigeria waters, especially in the Gulf of Guinea coast off Nigeria,

Soldiers on security patrol in Northern Nigeria militancy in the Niger Delta for resource control; violent secessionist agitation for the sovereign State of Biafra in the SouthEast, kidnapping and high level robbery in South-East, South-South and South-West Nigeria; the call for restructuring by some segments of the Nigerian society, as well as pockets of ethnic conflicts in several parts of Nigeria, all certified Nigeria as one of the most volatile places to live.

Rule of Law and Corruption According to the International Labour Organisation, 2012, Unemployment is among the biggest threats to social stability in many countries, using Nigeria as a case study. It is germane to know that rule of law is a key principle in good governance, which fosters equality and respect for fundamental human rights which are the motor towards development. It is well known that, development cannot flourish where people cannot make their voices heard, human rights are not respected, information does not flow, and civil society and the Judiciary are weak. There is no excuse for any country, no matter how poor, to abuse its citizens, deny them equal protection of the law, or leave them victims of corruption, mismanagement or economic irrationality. It is dizzying that what we have in opposite in our darling Nigeria is mayhem, bloodshed, lack of trust in government, unemployment, abject poverty, mismanagement of public funds and grand corruption. Corruption has denied millions of Nigerians access to education, housing, health, food and infrastructure. Despite our human resources, material resources and natural endowments, geographical location and population, we are nowhere to be found on the march towards sustainable development.

Some Known Causes of Insecurity 1.Unemployment The overwhelming unemployment rate in the country, has become a sorry affair.

The issue becomes more despondent, as it affects most the Nigerian youths. According to available statistics, every tenth young citizen of the country, is officially unemployed. The resultant effect of this is that, youths look at illegal ways of making money. Such ways are what have directly/ indirectly caused a spike in the kidnapping rate in Nigeria.

Statistics provided by the Nigerian

“Those familiar with the program suggest that it has a very narrow scope, as the military is cautious in classifying any suspected Boko Haram affiliates as low-risk”

National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) as of the later part of 2020, show that the unemployment rate in the country has risen to 27.1%. With the devastation on the economy due to Covid-19 pandemic and the Government’s ban regulations on the Fin Tech industry, the economy has gone through an unprecedented decline.

The combined effect of this is that the youths have had to struggle with loss of jobs, and also struggled with making ends meet.

2.Imbalance in Security Decisions/ Solutions Recently the Southern Governors, in a bid to reduce or eliminate the reign of insecurity in Southern Nigeria, saw it fit to effect an Anti-Grazing Ban policy in States in the Southern parts of the country. What this would achieve is that, it would put an end not only to farmers/herders conflicts (an euphemism for unprovoked herders attack on unarmed indigenes), but also to the influx of arms and ammunition by unknown Fulanis in the name of grazing. It is no news that this development has been fought back to date, with leaders of the North viewing this more as a move to separate than a need for security.

Section 176(2) of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria provides that: “The Governor of a State shall be the Chief Executive of that State”.

What this means is that, each Governor as the Chief Executive of a State, has the priority to secure, protect and work for the progress of their States, and for its citizens.

3.Border Control and Poor Security Infrastructure in Nigeria Smugglers use porous coastal borders of the country to sell arms, they provide all sorts of guns and explosives used against the people and military forces, and have become easy for the average individual to acquire in Nigeria.

This is one of the reasons why a huge part of the Nigerian Government’s budget, is diverted to Security in Nigeria. In the 2021 budget, N840.56 billion was set aside as security votes, in the hopes of combating national insecurity in Nigeria.

This has left other parts of Nigeria’s infrastructure to be under- budgeted, and have little funding from the Government.

With an increase in checkpoints, border patrols and recent schemes to increase the pay of security personnel and get more people to join the agencies, the crime situation in Nigeria is still to see any astronomical decline. With help sought out internationally and from private security agencies in a bid to stop this poor border crises and heighten or countries security, one would be hopeful for change, but the situation so far gets worse.

A Problematic Status Quo Under the current system, suspected Boko Haram members captured during military operations are subjected to an internal military screening process, and those deemed to pose a security risk are placed in military detention.

Yet, the screening criteria and evidence used to detain these suspects, are opaque. Human rights groups have criticised the Nigerian military’s approach for being too indiscriminate, particularly before 2015. Nigerian security forces often arbitrarily arrested villagers, in areas suspected of harbouring Boko Haram fighters. Individuals caught in areas not secured by the military are automatically considered suspects, partly because of the operational difficulties of verifying information about their backgrounds. Mass trials of suspects began in late 2017, but the large caseload and insufficient or unreliable evidence against many detainees, has slowed the court process considerably.

Since 2016, the Nigerian Government has also operated “Operation Safe Corridor”, a small intergovernmental program aimed at rehabilitating low-risk, “repentant” Boko Haram fighters. This program is currently the only sanctioned mechanism, for combatants to exit the group. Men who are deemed eligible undergo several weeks of religious reeducation, psychosocial support, and vocational training at a military-run facility in Gombe State. In Maiduguri, the Government has also set up a rehabilitation centre for low-risk women, children, and elderly individuals associated with Boko Haram—a group that in practice, includes both former Boko Haram members as well as those who had been abducted by the group, or were arrested for living in an area controlled by the group.

From the onset, Operation Safe Corridor generated controversy. For example, it is unclear what criteria the military uses to categorise individuals as “low-risk” versus “high-risk”- a distinction that determines who is cleared for rehabilitation, who is kept in detention, or who is informally released.

As a result, Boko Haram affiliates have no way of knowing whether they will be deemed eligible after surrendering. Those familiar with the program suggest that it has a very narrow scope, as the military is cautious in classifying any suspected Boko Haram affiliates as low-risk. Moreover, to date only those deemed to be “defectors” have been cleared for entry, although it is possible that those released for rehabilitation by the courts may also be transferred to the Gombe Facility in the future. Many others who were arrested in the earlier years of the insurgency remain in detention, even though large numbers likely had little or no connection to Boko Haram.

Operation Safe Corridor currently also lacks a clear reintegration strategy in part, because Politicians fear being seen as lenient towards extremist groups, the government has done little to build popular support for the scheme, or clarify the misconceptions surrounding it. As a result, many people view Operation Safe Corridor with frustration. They are sceptical that those who surrender are truly repentant, and resent that the government provides assistance to former insurgents, while neglecting the victims of the conflict. Fears of community retribution have repeatedly delayed plans to release the class of ninety-six individuals who have completed the program. Women and children who have returned to their communities from the rehabilitation centre, have faced ostracism and rejection. (To be continued).

Serious and Trivial There are two sides to every coin. Life itself contains not only the good, but also the bad and the ugly. Let us now explore these.

“The test of integrity isn’t how often you shift your stance. It’s why you change your mind. Revising your words to gain approval is flip-flopping. Rethinking your views based on new facts is learning. Integrity isn’t fidelity to seeking the truth”.- Adam Grant.

THOUGHT FOR THE WEEK “Insecurity, commonly regarded as a weakness in normal people, is the basic tool of the actor's trade”. (Miranda Richardson)

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ast Wednesday, December 8, 2021, 72 Lawyers were admitted into the Inner Bar as Senior Advocates of Nigeria at the Supreme Court, Abuja.

Here are some of the New Silks

NBA President, Olumide Akpata (left) and New Silk, Hon. Attorney-General of Ekiti State, Olawale Fapohunda, SAN

New Silk and Immediate Past A-G, Edo State, Prof Oluyinka Omorogbe, SAN (left) and former A-G, Edo State, Chief Charles Edosomwan, SAN New Silks, Olawale Fapohunda, SAN (left) and Executive Secretary, National Human Rights Commission, Anthony Ojukwu, SAN

New Silk, Professor Abiola Sanni, SAN and his wife, Princess Olusola Sanni L-R: Bishop Paulinus Eze Okafor, New Silk, Rev. Fr Dr Obiorah, SAN and Bishop Jonas Benson Okoye

New Silks, Muritala Oladimeji, SAN (left) and Abdul-Rasheed, SAN

New Silks, Chief Emeka Obegolu, SAN, (left) and Mr Sammie Somiari, SAN with Olumide Akpata

Former Governor of Anambra State, Peter Obi with New Silk, Emeka Chijioke, SAN

New Silk, Professor Bankole Sodipo, SAN and his wife, Mrs Noma Sodipo

New Silk, Ikeazor ‘Kizor’ Akaraiwe, SAN and his wife, Dr Nkiru Kizor-Akaraiwe

New Silk, Folabi Kuti, SAN

New Silk, Emeka Obegolu with his Mother, Chief Mary Ifeyinwa Obegolu PhD

Dr Alex Aigbe Izinyon, SAN (left) and New Silk, Ibrahim Agbomere Idris, SAN

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Hon. Justice Bola Babalakin, JSC (left) and former Chief Justice of Nigeria, Hon. Justice Mohammed Lawal Uwais CON, GCON

Babalakin JSC, the Quintessential Jurist Raps his Last Gavel It is an understatement that late Honourable Justice Bolarinwa Oyegoke Babalakin, JSC (Rtd), CON, CFR, who died on Saturday, December 4, 2021 at the ripe old age of 94, left his distinct footprints in the sands of time. His plethora of erudite judgements, have enriched Nigeria’s jurisprudence. Even in retirement, his Lordship played a crucial role in the affairs of the nation, including his intervention in the face-off between the Federal and Lagos State Governments, over the withheld Local Government funds by the Obasanjo administration. His son, Dr Bolanle Olawale Babalakin, SAN and Mutiu Ganiyu, here pay tribute to the Judicial Icon, whose recent passage is a huge loss to the Nigerian Judiciary.

May Allah admit Justice Babalakin into Aljannah Firdaus. Amin

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onourable Justice Shehu Tijani Bolarinwa Oyegoke Babalakin JSC (Rtd), CON, CFR, was born into the family of Yesufu Adeoye Babalakin and Rekia Ajoke Oke, Princess of the Ogunsua family of Modakeke. His paternal grandfather, descended from the Ogunmokun family of Owu. The Owu’s were brave warriors, skillful hunters, prosperous farmers, traders and travellers.

Justice Bola Babalakin attended St Paul’s Primary School in Gbongan. Being from a relatively affluent family, his uncle was a very successful farmer and trader. In 1936, his family had a booming business with six lorries conveying the produce of the family, to all parts of Nigeria. His father was so comfortable, that he bought him a bicycle in primary school. Unfortunately, in 1939 tragedy struck the family business, and they lost all the lorries. Justice Babalakin

“Justice Bola Babalakin sat in Court 3 in Ibadan. Even though his court was Court 3, the Lawyers nicknamed his court, Court 9 because throughout his service as a High Court Judge between 1975 and 1983, he sat at 9:00am prompt”

went from a wealthy man’s child, to a member of a family seeking to survive. The experience affected Justice Babalakin’s disposition to life, till his death. He had very little respect for wealth. He was more concerned about integrity, goodness, humanity and faith in the almighty Allah.

Secondary School Education Going to secondary school became a challenge, and his father then made him a clerk in his produce store. The produce examiner for Gbongan and the environs in those days, was a Mr G. E. Ojutalayo. On one of his inspections, he found Justice Bola Babalakin to be outstanding, and he insisted that his parents must send him to school. He advised Justice Babalakin’s father to look for money by all means to send young Babalakin to secondary school, “even if it means selling one of your houses”.

According to Justice Bola Babalakin, he said to his father, “train this boy, and you will not regret it”.

Based on the persuasion of G. E. Ojutalayo, Justice Bola Babalakin was

sent to Oduduwa College in 1942. The school authority found him so outstanding, that he commenced secondary school in Form 3 and not Form 1. He coped in Form 3, because he had personally trained himself while he was working as a clerk for his father. He left Oduduwa College in flying colours.

Justice Bola Babalakin’s love for his alma mater, was everlasting. He contributed immeasurably to the College, and ensured that his children also made some contributions to the College. He was President of Oduduwa College Old Student Association, for as long as we can remember. His son Dr Wale Babalakin, SAN, recalls attending a meeting with him at Oduduwa College where some prominent old students also attended, including His Royal Highness, late Oba Okunade Sijuade (the Oni of Ife) and late Chief Richard Akinjide, SAN. They called each other various nicknames, that made it clear they all had an adventurous youth as we did.

Initial Civil Service Career After leaving secondary school in 1945, Justice Bola Babalakin commenced work in the public service of Northern Nigeria. By 1955,

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Babalakin JSC, the Quintessential Jurist Raps his Last Gavel he had been promoted to Senior Service.

His decision to proceed to England for his legal studies was a disappointment to his boss, who believed that all he required was in-house training in administration which would have positioned him for the top of the civil service, as soon as independence came. His testimonial read as follows: “Resigned in order to pursue further studies in UK. Efficiency of the highest order. He was promoted first class clerk only six and a half years in service. Conduct exemplary”.

Justice Bola Babalakin’s contemporaries became Permanent Secretaries, soon after independence. He never lost touch with them, and that almost every other year, he travelled to Northern Nigeria visiting his old friends. It was always a pleasure commencing from Ibadan through Jebba to Sokoto, returning to Kano, spending a lot of time at my mother’s birthplace, Zaria, and then heading to Maiduguri to see some of his old colleagues in the forestry Department.

Stint in Politics While in the Kaduna/Zaria axis, Justice Bola Babalakin had a stint in politics. In 1946, he was the Secretary of the Egbe Omo Oduduwa in Northern Nigeria. He was even a delegate to the Owo Conference, where Action Group was born. It does not appear that he enjoyed the experience, as he never countenanced further participation in politics throughout his career as a legal practitioner, before becoming a Judge of the various levels of courts.

Marriage Justice Bola Babalakin met his wife, Ramat Ibironke Babalakin, while working in Zaria.

Her family had settled in Zaria, a long time ago. Her father, Mallam Badamosi, was a very strict Moslem and a faithful loyalist of the then Emir of Zaria, Alhaji Jaffaru. One of Mallam Badamosi’s treasured photographs, was the one he took with Emir Jaffaru.

They got married in the Islamic way, and remained married from 1949 for fifty-five years until the passing away of his wife on March 7, 2004. He loved his wife so intimately, that on her passing away, he moved from his residence in Ibadan to Gbongan, on the ground that the house in Ibadan had little meaning to him in the absence of his darling wife.

On his wife’s death, her surviving sons approached him to remarry and find company for himself. He outrightly rejected the suggestion, stating that it was really not possible for him to have any marital relationship with any other woman. In his view, since it pleased Allah to deprive him of his wife, he was going to abide by Allah’s judgement.

Barrister-at-Law Returning to Nigeria as a Barrister-at-law, Bola Babalakin had a stint in Ibadan with his mentor, Justice Ade Ogunkeye, before establishing his own legal practice. His practice soared significantly, and he was a very prominent and successful legal practitioner. He was also a very prominent member of the Bar Association. At

Late Hon. Justice Adolphus Karibi-Whyte, JSC (left) and late Chief Richard Akinjide, SAN exchanging warm greetings, while Hon. Justice Bola Babalakin, Hon. Justice Bola Babalakin, JSC (left) and late Alhaji A.O.G. Otiti JSC looks on

the time he was was elevated to the Bench of Western State in 1975, he was the Vice-Chairman of the Nigerian Bar Association. In those days in Ibadan, many outstanding and very successful Lawyers, found the Bench extremely attractive. Examples abound like Justice Olufemi Ayoola, Justice Abdul Ganiyu Agbaje, Justice Olayinka Ayoola and Justice Bola Babalakin. It is a sad commentary on the legal profession today, that a lot of prominent and successful Lawyers no longer aspire to the Bench.

The causative factors for this attitude must be addressed, so that we can rebuild our profession.

Justice Bola Babalakin, was a sight to behold in court. He was always extremely well prepared, quick on his facts, a very agile mind and possessed an unbelievable sense of humour.

The Legal Profession in their era, was a profession for the very gifted.

Every Lawyer had a fair idea where he belonged, in the hierarchy of Lawyers.

Judicial appointment was predictable.

The members of the profession knew those who were qualified, to aspire to the higher echelon. There were hardly any surprises. You were either an outstanding legal practitioner, or a very noticeable public officer.

Cases were decided in a relatively short time, because the Judges were a repertoire of knowledge and could decide a lot of issues on the Bench, without having to adjourn the proceedings to seek clarification. Cases were commenced and completed within time. Lawyers could not afford to play pranks with the courts. Once Justice Babalakin was presiding over the Assizes (a special court for criminal cases), he was able to dispose of about 10 cases in one month.

“Honourable Justice Shehu Tijani Bolarinwa Oyegoke Babalakin was indeed, a phenomenon.

He was a representation of a rare combination of brilliance, good character, fantastic humour……an effortless communicator, a consummate family man, a committed Moslem, a great community leader, and a national icon”

It was possible, because the Prosecutor was prepared. The Defence counsel was well informed and ready. The Judge hardly rose to give an interlocutory ruling, as he was experienced enough to deal with the issues while sitting.

His Chambers was also a training ground for several Lawyers at that time, and some of whom were subsequently appointed Judges.

Active Member of the Nigerian Bar Association From the day he qualified as a Barrister, until the day he became a Judge of Western State, Justice Bola Babalakin was an active member of the Bar. Every summer, he carved out a week to attend the Bar Conference. The Bar was an association to belong to. The gathering was very cordial, yet frank. Integrity was the watchword, and Lawyers took themselves very seriously and avoided any misbehaviour. He was appointed Vice-Chairman of the Bar in Jos, at the Bar Conference. The election was between Chief Solomon Lar, a popular man in Jos, and Justice Bola Babalakin from the Ibadan Bar. Even though Chief Solomon Lar had serious local advantage, Justice Bola Babalakin achieved a landslide victory.

Justice Bola Babalakin held the following offices at the Bar: 1) Vice-Chairman of the Nigeria Bar Association, 1974-1975 2) Chairman, Nigerian Bar Association Ibadan Branch, 1973-1974 3) Treasurer, Nigerian Bar Association Ibadan Branch, 1968-1971 4) Member of the General Council of the Bar, 1972-1975 5) Member, Council of Legal Education, 1974-1975 6) Member, Legal Practitioners Disciplinary Committee, 1972-1975 7)Member, Executive Committee of the Nigeria Bar Association, 1962-1975 He was very committed to his profession, and played a very active part in all spheres.

Career in the Judiciary As a Judge of the High Court of Western State and former Oyo State, Justice Bola Babalakin sat in Court 3 in Ibadan. Even though his court was Court 3, the Lawyers nicknamed his court, Court 9 because throughout his service as a High Court Judge between

1975 and 1983, he sat at 9:00am prompt.

He never sat one minute late. The late Justice P. O. Aderemi, retired Justice of the Supreme Court, said that as counsel, once he heard the knock on Justice Bola Babalakin’s door preceding his entrance to Court, he knew it was nine o’clock and he adjusted his wristwatch appropriately.

Justice Bola Babalakin was never late for any function in life.

He was elevated to the Court of Appeal, in December 1983. He served in Enugu, Kaduna and Lagos. On his posting to Lagos, Justice Mamman Nasir, President of the Court of Appeal informed him that he was sending Justice Ephraim Omorose Ibukun Akpata and himself to the Court of Appeal to sharpen the court, as he knows they were exceptional Judges of the highest integrity. Interestingly Justice Nasir repeated the same statement to Justice Akpata, which he remarked in his autobiography. Writing about Justice Bola Babalakin, Justice Akpata stated that: “I soon found that we operated on the same moral wave length in decision making, and that he was also a stickler for punctuality and discipline. He was however, more communicative and made friends with ease. I am reserved, by nature.

On the whole, he brought a breath of fresh air to the Division. His sense of humour which was infectious, relieved the tedium of court proceedings. He made jokes with ease, and with good effect. No embarrassment was caused to anyone. We were both transferred to Lagos with effect from 31st August, 1987”.

His stay in these divisions of the Court, was simply exemplary. Every Lawyer who practised in Lagos at the time knew that a Panel of Justices Akpata, Babalakin and Awogu was such an efficient panel that decided cases very promptly. In his entire career, no Lawyer or litigant ever accused him of bias. Justice Bola Babalakin believed in justice according to the law, and was also very humane.

He was appointed to the Supreme Court, from where he retired in 1992 at the age of 65.

Chairman of Eso Panel Review The Federal Government set up a Panel under Honourable Justice Kayode Eso, to review several issues in the Judiciary.

The Panel made its recommendations.

The Federal Government later set up a Panel to review the recommendations cont'd on page X

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Babalakin JSC, the Quintessential Jurist Raps his Last Gavel cont'd from page IX

of the Eso Panel, and this was chaired by Justice Bola Babalakin. Most Lawyers were very happy, about the conclusions of the Justice Babalakin-led Panel.

National Judicial Council Justice Bola Babalakin was appointed to the National Judicial Council (NJC) along with his bosom friend, Honourable Justice Mustapha Akanbi, by the then Chief Justice of Nigeria, Honourable Justice Muhamadu Lawal Uwais GCON in the year 2000, eight years after he had retired as a Supreme Court Justice.

His performance as a member of the NJC was legendary. All Judges and Lawyers were overjoyed with the performance of the NJC from the year 2000 to 2011, when Justice Bola Babalakin and Justice Mustapha Akanbi served on the Council. This era could be described as the golden years of the NJC. The NJC was so respected that, at a stage, Lawyers started clamouring for additional responsibilities for the Council. In 2003, Justice Bola Babalakin became the Chairman of the NJC Committee on Performance Evaluation of Judicial Officers of Courts of Record in Nigeria. He diligently served in this position with efficiency, fairness, and humanness.

Other Services as a Judicial Officer Chairman Robbery & Firearms Tribunal He was appointed Chairman of the Robbery and Firearms Tribunal, old Oyo State, in 1976.

Chairman of the FEDECO Panel Justice Bola Babalakin served the nation selflessly. His dedication to duty was exemplary.

In 1983, after the Government of President Shehu Shagari was toppled, the Government set up a Judicial Commission of Inquiry to look at the affairs of the Federal Electoral Commission (FEDECO). For over two years, Justice Babalakin went to all the States in Nigeria and produced a report then, to resolve the electoral issues of Nigeria. The report was submitted in 1987.

Chairman of the Inquiry on Bauchi Communal Crisis In 1991, Justice Bola Babalakin was appointed Chairman of the Judicial Panel to resolve the Tafawa Balewa, Ningi crises. Once again, his committee delivered a report to the President of Nigeria, the implementation of which was bound to resolve the Tafawa Balewa, Ningi crises.

Chairman of the June 12 Panel In 1993, Justice Bola Babalakin was also appointed Chairman of the Judicial Panel over the Presidential Elections of 1993. The Panel did not take off, because the elections were annulled.

In all these appointments he discharged his duties with the highest level of integrity, efficiency truthfulness, courage and humaneness.

Other Appointments In 2005, Osun State Government appointed Justice Babalakin as member and leader of Osun State delegates, to the National Political Reform Conference. He was especially proud to serve in this Conference along with his son, Dr Wale Babalakin, SAN, who was a delegate appointed by the Federal Government.

A Family Man Justice Bola Babalakin was the epitome of responsibility and good behaviour. He was extremely strict and disciplined, yet very fair and generous at heart and with his wallet.

He is survived by his children Dr Wale

Late Chief Omowale Kuye, OFR (left) and Hon. Justice Bola Babalakin, JSC

Babalakin, SAN, a Legal Practitioner, Muftau Babalakin a practising Architect, Dr Abiola Adewunmi, a Consultant Psychiatrist and Mrs Bodunde Are, a Legal Practitioner and Chartered Accountant.

He was conferred with many honours including, Commander of the Order of the Niger (CON), and Commander of the Federal Republic (CFR). He was also conferred with a honorary Doctor of Letters (LLD) from he Obafemi Awolowo University, and several other honours.

Life After Retirement On retirement, Justice Bola Babalakin decided that he was going to spend the rest of his life doing charity and practising his faith, Islam. He took a determined position, that he was no longer going to do anything for money. He kept his word, and refused entreaties from anybody who wanted him to serve in a commercial capacity.

A major quality of Justice Bola Babalakin was that he was a peace maker, always busy reconciling warring factions. He was trusted by all, to tell the truth. In this role, he sorted out major chieftaincy and family issues and disputes. In retirement, he was appointed as the Chairman to review the Chieftaincy Laws of Osun State, an assignment he discharged diligently and with all sense of responsibility.

Justice Bola Babalakin continued his role in all the Islamic societies, till his death. He was a founding member of the Muslim Association of Nigeria, and at one time, the Chairman. He was also the Chairman of the Muslim Association of Southwest Nigeria, until a few years ago when he retired on the grounds of age.

Honourable Justice Shehu Tijani Bolarinwa Oyegoke Babalakin was

“Hon. Justice Babalakin had an acute, and a very subtle mind. This, and his vast knowledge of the general principles and rules, were better demonstrated on the Bench”

Hon. Justice Bola Babalakin, JSC (left) and late Alhaji Lateef Adegbite

indeed, a phenomenon. He was a representation of a rare combination of brilliance, good character, fantastic humour, gifted writer in English and Yoruba, an effortless communicator, a consummate family man, a committed Moslem, a great community leader, and a national icon.

He was a lover of his Yoruba culture, and was known to weave apt and rich proverbs into his statements. He was also known to make very profound and philosophical statements. One of his happiest moments, was when his seminal book “Selected Yoruba Proverbs and Wise Sayings” was published by West African Book Publishers in 2002.

In his active days as a Lawyer his office was a Mediation Centre of sorts, as he resolved so many domestic and family disputes and saved so many marriages, free of charge. He was Chairman at so many wedding ceremonies because of the exemplary life he led, and was appointed Executor of countless Wills, because of his trustworthy character.

He died peacefully at the age of 95, and he has already been buried according to Moslem rights.

Dr Bolanle Olawale Babalakin PhD (Cantab), SAN

A Tribute to Honourable Justice Bolarinwa Babalakin JSC (Rtd) M.B. Ganiyu Paying this short tribute to a personality like the late Justice Babalakin, can only be in a manner of language, a tip of the iceberg or as they say in Mandarin “one hair on nine oxen”.

Justice Bolarinwa Babalakin (retired) no doubt owed (as it was in those days ) his appointment to the Bench, to his then growing fame at the Bar. The nature and quality of his practice can be gleaned from the cases which he handled as a Lawyer, and the calibre of the .opposing counsel in those cases. To cite only two examples: In Prince Busari Owoade & Anor v Oba Lamidi Adeyemi III, (Unreported; CAW/49/74; which was

decided on the 31st of January, 1975), he had appeared for the Respondents with Mr (later Chief, SAN) R.O.A. Akinjide appearing for the Appellant before the Western States Court of Appeal. The appeal was dismissed.

In Ebegbuna v Ebegbuna (Unreported; CAW/M6/74 decided on the 14th of June, 1974), he had also appeared for the Respondent before the Western State Court of Appeal, while the late Mr (later Chief, SAN) Olisa Chukwura had appeared for the Appellant. In that case, that court (per Kayode Eso Justice of the Court of Appeal, as he then was), restated refreshingly the applicable principles for the grant of a stay of the execution of an order for the payment of a lump sum to the other party in a matrimonial cause, as enunciated in Balogun v Balogun by the Supreme Court.

Hon. Justice Babalakin had an acute, and a very subtle mind. This, and his vast knowledge of the general principles and rules, were better demonstrated on the Bench. While admittedly one swallow does not make a summer, however, due to constraints of space, I can only demonstrate these propositions about the late Justice of the Supreme Court by reference to Sanusi Brothers v Cotia Commercion Exportacao Impstacao SA (Unreported; CA/L/314/88 decided by the Lagos Division of the Court of Appeal on the 26th of March, 1991), where appropriately enough, he has left as a legacy to the legal profession as a leading case on summary judgement. In this case, he was able to see his way clear through the seemingly unanswerable defences of “illegality, frustration and equitable defences”, which were raised by the Defendant. His Lordship not only affirmed the judgement of the lower court which was delivered in favour of the Respondent in that case, His Lordship was able to shed very bright lights on when such defences cannot be raised like an “Occam’s razor” by a Defendant to defeat an application for summary judgement. And this, in spite of the sound advocacy of Mr. Babajide Ogundipe (the Appellant’s counsel ) whose capacity to adapt his argument to any new turn taken in the hearing of his case, is legendary. The version of the decision as affirmed by the Supreme Court is reported in [2000] 11 NWLR Part 679 at page 566.

M.B. Ganiyu

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PROPERTY & ENVIRONMENT Sanwo-Olu Promises to Deepen Collaboration on Real Estate Bennett Oghifo

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agos State Governor, Mr Babajide SanwoOlu, has promised to further deepen collaboration in the state’s real estate sector, promising to give 50 hectares of land to the Real Estate Developers Association of Nigeria (REDAN).

Gov. Sanwo-Olu stated this at the second edition of the Lagos Real Estate Market Place Conference and Exhibition, with the theme: Lagos: 21st Century Real Estate Investment Hub. The Governor said the conference, which held at the Expo Hall, Eko Hotel and Suites, Victoria Island, was initiated to provide a platform for all players in the real estate sector to discuss issues of common interest and proffer solutions to the challenges slowing down the pace of progress in the sector.

According to him, “The outcome of the maiden edition of this conference, held last year, attests to the desirability of this initiative as it brought to the centre stage the need for a deeper

collaboration and partnership between the government and private sector stakeholders to sanitize the sector by adopting a regulatory framework that conforms with global standard and best practice.

He said the conference was in line with the administration’s THEMES development agenda of making Lagos a 21st Century Economy, noting that his administration was committed to harness the huge opportunities in the Lagos real estate sector to drive prosperity and sustainable economic development through public private partnership.

“Achieving a 21st century real estate sector in a private sector led economy would require creating a conducive environment through a reliable and an effective regulatory system that ensures all players conform with established standards and code of conduct,” the governor said.

Sanwo-Olu said the conference gives credence to the administration’s commitment to sanitise the built sector and reinstate investors/investees confidence in Lagos real estate market, add-

ing that it also underscores the government’s belief in public private sector collaboration as an effective strategy to build a real sector economy that gives no room for fraudulent and unprofessional practices.

“For Lagos State to maintain its reputation of Real Estate Investment Hub of Nigeria, this Sector needs to regain and sustain investors. We will achieve this objective by strengthening the capacity of LASRERA to enforce existing regulations and respond swiftly and decisively to reported cases and incidences of fraudulent practices by illegal practitioners in the Property Market in the State.

“The ultimate goal of my administration is to make the real estate sector attractive to investors and provide decent and affordable shelter on a sustainable basis for all Lagosians. The reason for this annual Conference and Exhibition is to facilitate the process of attaining this objective by identifying and removing all the obstacles through pragmatic actions and innovative ideas.

“This edition of the conference

provides yet another opportunity for us to continue the conversation and come up with new ideas and innovation which can be implemented to make the Lagos real estate sector more attractive for investment,” he said.

The Special Adviser to Lagos

State Governor on Housing, Mrs. Toke Benson-Awoyinka, said the conference was designed to unearth the various opportunities that abound in the Lagos State Real Estate Market.

According to her, Real Estate remains a very strong and

powerful investment all over the World.

“Apart from the role it plays in employment generation and creation of sustainable jobs, the Real Estate Market has the highest potential of growing the economy of any State/ Nation.

L-R:Chairman, Lagos State House of Assembly Committee on Housing, Hon.Rasheed Makinde; Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu; Special Adviser to Lagos State Governor on Housing, Mrs Toke BensonAwoyinka; and Lagos State Commissioner for Finance, Dr Rabiu Olowo, during the opening ceremony of the 2nd Lagos Real Estate Market Place Conference and Exhibitions, held at Eko Hotel and Suites, Victoria Island… recently

Design Union Wraps Up 20th AWAMN Lays Foundation for N1bn Secretariat Anniversary in Style Design Union Limited, a reputed name in the real estate industry, has rounded off its 20th Anniversary Celebrations with a cocktail party at Eden Heights Towers in Victoria Island.

The impressive ceremony was attended by several professionals in the industry and former staff of the company.

The company is known for its out-of-the-box innovative designs and luxury real estate developments and has earned a good reputation for quality.

In a statement issued by the company, the Managing Director/ Chief Executive Officer, Architect Anthony Aihie said, “The last 20

years have gone by so quickly.

Considering our achievements, amidst four local recessions and two major global economic crises, one must be grateful to God for our survival as a business.

“It is true we have huge talents as reflected in the designs that we produce from our stable, we also work very hard but it is the grace of God that has sustained us through periods of thin and thick, the year 2020 in particular.

On an occasion like this, we appreciate the patronage of our clients who have reposed implicit trust and confidence in us. We acknowledge and commend the contributions of our past

and present staff, consultants, contractors and other stakeholders who helped to make our brand the exceptional one that it is.”

Design Union, in keeping to its Mission Statement of solving living conditions in Africa, has consistently churned out design solutions in the built environment, some of which have been internationally acknowledged through several awards. The company has not only been able to deliver and operate projects in its stable at acceptable international standards, but has also been able to abide with high ethical standards at all times, he said.

The Association of Waste Managers of Nigeria (AWAMN) recently laid the foundation stone of its permanent secretariat in Lagos.

Themed: “Built to Last”, the ceremony, which held at No. 25, Oyetayo Street, opposite Oshodi/Isolo Local Government Secretariat, Oshodi, was followed with a reception and fundraising at the Haven Event Centre, Arch Bishop Vining Memorial Church, Oba Akinjobi Way, opposite Police College, Ikeja GRA, Ikeja, Lagos.

Performed by the Permanent Secretary, Lagos State Ministry of Environment & Water Resources, Mrs. Belinda Odeneye, who

represented the State Commissioner for Environment & Water Resources, Barrister Tunji Bello, in company of the LAWMA MD/CEO, Mr Ibrahim Adejuwon Odumboni and the President of AWAMN, Mr. David Oluwasegun Oriyomi, the permanent secretary congratulated the waste managers, describing them as most resourceful.

“You make me most happy as I hear you talk always of cleaner Lagos, waste is a resource, as you park waste, you make money from it, health and environment are integrated and that’s why what you are doing is most wholesome, AWAMN, you are key, what you are doing makes

you look key, if we take the job seriously, Lagos will continue to be cleaner and better.

“It’s time we began to ask ourselves what should be done with the waste. We need to clean, we need to recycle. We will research and put action into it, researches are currently ongoing, you need to know what we can use waste for, with this kind of building you are putting up now, we will have a place we can go to for our brainstorming, technology will strongly help us,” Mrs. Odeneye said, asking for increased support for AWAMN and prompt payment of waste bills.

CBA Foundation Empowers 165 Women

Executive Director, Corporate Services, Design Union Limited, Ms Kemi Alakija (right) receiving Meritorious Long Service Award from the Chairman of the company, Mr Ademola Adeyemi-Bero at the 20th Anniversary Cocktail Party held in Victoria Island… recently

In furtherance of its mission to continually protect the well-being of underprivileged widows in Nigeria, CBA Foundation has launched a Social Enterprise Initiative which is aimed at ensuring the long-term sustenance of the widows’ welfare as well as their children.

The initiative which kicked off on Saturday 4th December 2021, catered to the financial, mental, and physical health needs of 165 widows across 6 communities in Ibeju-Lekki area of Lagos. The communities include: Badore, Iberekodo, Museyo, Magbon Alade, Okunola Ilado, and

Magbon Iga. The Social Enterprise Initiative provides comprehensive support including health interventions, skill acquisitions, business set-up, food and drinks, clothes and shoes, and support for the affected widows.

Commenting on the Social Enterprise Initiative, CEO CBA Foundation, Mrs. Chinwe Bode Akinwande said: “We have been doing outreaches and it has been non-stop delight for us, but the essence of this social enterprise initiative is for them to have something that will sustain them even

for a longer period of time.

Something that will give them hope, knowing that they have a sustainable source of livelihood and activity that reminds them that they need to keep going.

The CEO continued: “From the database and judging by the individuals and corporate supports we had, we looked at critical issues starting our interventions from those whose needs are critical. We looked at the widows we needed to set up in businesses and do it for them. We also had quite a number of children we have reinstated back in school.

Consultant Estate Surveyors Appeal to SEC to Trade in Capital Market Consultant estate surveyors and valuers, registered by the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) have approached the commission for consideration of their services in the practical application of all capital market businesses.

The valuers, under the aegis of Association of Capital Market

Valuers (ACMV), made this appeal recently in Abuja during a courtesy visit to the commission, where they emphasised the importance of their services in capital market operations.

The significance of determining the values of the assets of organisations in the Capital Market cannot be over

emphasised, the group noted, explaining that valuation is not only the bedrock for decision making, but also a helpful tool in a range of work situations.

They added that “valuation is useful to price an organisation and to estimate and value synergies during mergers, acquisitions and divestment just as value

is useful to assess potentials of different strategic options in case of strategy development.

“When a business wants to raise money; when they need to determine how much should be raised as well as when they approach the negotiating table, valuations are needed in all instances,” Chudi Ubosi, the

association’s president, said in his speech at the commission.

Ubosi, a Fellow of the Nigerian Institution of Estate Surveyors and Valuers (NIESV) and Principal Partner at Ubosi Eleh + Co, stressed that it is imperative that accurate assessment of company assets should be done for accountability,

transparency, etc. which help to engender investors’ confidence in the market.

He noted that when there are valuations that have integrity, it will boost investors’ confidence in the market and that is because the investor is certain that what is being valued is actual, and nothing is hidden,” he posited.

XIV

14.12.2021

14.12.2021

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XVI

14.12.2021 ADVERTORIAL

T H I S D AY ˾ TUESDAY, DECEMBER 14, 2021

25

BUSINESSWORLD R A T E S MONEY MARKET

A S

A T

REPO

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

08056356325

D E C E M B E R

S & P INDEX

1 3 , 2 0 2 1

S & P INDEX

EXCHANGE RATE

OBB

9.00%

CALL

4%

INDEX LEVEL

564.02%

1/4 TO DATE

5.82%

N413.03/ 1 US DOLLAR*

OVERNIGHT

10.75%

1-MONTH

6%

1-DAY

–0.17%

YEAR TO DATE

– 15.85%

*AS AT LAST FRIDAY

3-MONTH

10%

MONTH-TO-DATE

0.19%

NNPC Expends N83.33bn on Dormant Refineries in 10 Months, Exceeds Pipeline Security Costs by N18bn

Emmanuel Addeh in Abuja The Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) Limited, spent N83.33 billion on the country’s nonfunctional petroleum refineries in the first 10 months of 2021, according to latest data from the national oil company.

Documents from the NNPC on its November operations further revealed that the company had so far exceeded its budget for the security and maintenance of its

pipelines by N18.025 billion as of October this year.

The data on the company’s performance from January to October indicated that beside petrol subsidy, the expense on the dormant refineries is one of the few cost centres that will be almost fully funded by the end of the year from the NNPC’s budgetary projections for the year.

Coming under the subheading “refinery rehabilitation”, the figures showed that while a total of N100 billion was budgeted by the company

for the entire 2021, as of October it had released N83.33 billion for the purpose.

A breakdown revealed that N8.333 billion was forecast as monthly spending for the purpose, which the company had faithfully executed for the year. Going by the trend, the NNPC spending on “refinery rehabilitation” will hit N99.996 billion by the end of this year.

Although they have not produced a drop of fuel in the last couple of years, Nigeria’s four refineries

located in Kaduna, Delta and Rivers states, have been major cost centres for the national oil firm.

The Port Harcourt Refining Company (PHRC) is made up of two refineries located at Alesa-Eleme, Rivers State and commissioned in 1965 and 1989 respectively.

While the older refinery has a refining nameplate capacity of 60,000 barrels per day, the other has refining capacity of 150, 000 barrels per day, that’s about 210,000 barrels total refining capability or day.

On the other hand, the Kaduna Refinery and Petrochemical Company (KRPC) is located in Kaduna state, with a nameplate refining capacity of 110, 000 bpd, while the Warri Refinery and Petrochemical Company (WRPC) is located in Warri, with a capacity to refine 125,000 barrels a day.

In trying to defend the monthly spending, despite the non-functional state of the refineries, Minister of State, Petroleum Resources, recently insisted that the NNPC had con-

tinued to pay salaries despite not producing any fuel from the facilities.

He noted that while the government shares part of the blame, the unions which have maintained that nobody should be sacked in the dormant refineries, also contributed in running down the assets.

“We have a situation now of a refinery that has not functioned for three years, yet it’s paying salaries.

Every staff is being paid. The refinerContinued on page 27

Report: Investment in Oil Industry Must Hit $525bn Yearly to Avoid Supply Crisis Emmanuel Addeh in Abuja With waning investment in the oil and gas industry, the International Energy Forum (IEF) and IHS Markit, global market research experts have in a joint report said that global annual upstream spending needs

to increase by as much as 54 per cent to $525 billion if the oil market is to avert the next supply shortage shock.

The report stated that this year, upstream investment is still depressed, for a second year in a row, and is estimated at around $341

billion, almost 25 per cent below the investment levels of the last “normal” year in 2019.

In the report titled: “Investment Crisis Threatens Energy Security,” the organisations said that while investments in oil and gas exploration and production continue to be

FOOD NAME OF COMMODITY

MAIZE

COMMODITIES

LOCATION

PRICE

NAME OF COMMODITY

100KG JIGAWA

N9000

SORGHUM

100KG ENUGU

N24000

100KG DELTA

N15000

SIZE

100KG

ABIA

N14000

50KG

LAGOS

N13500

depressed, global demand is now near pre-pandemic highs and will continue to rise for the next several years, particularly in developing countries.

The report described the next two years as critical for the commencement of new projects to make sure

SIZE

PRICE

STATE

100KG JIGAWA

that there is enough supply coming online within five to six years.

“Insufficient upstream investment would result in more price volatility and spur adverse economic consequences,” the report noted.

The Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) and

T O D AY

PRICE

N9,000

100KG

BENUE

N8,500

100KG

KADUNA

N8,500

50KG

ENUGU

N23,000

50KG

LAGOS

N17,000

100KG

DELTA

N23,000

several industry stakeholders, including Nigeria, had in recent months echoed that underinvestment in oil and gas threatens future energy supply as the commodity will continue be consumed for decades Continued on page 27

26

TUESDAY, DECEMBER 14, 2021 ˾ T H I S D AY

BUSINESSWORLD

NEWS

FITC 40TH ANNIVERSARY…

L-R: Chief Executive Officer, Stanbic IBTC Bank, Mr. Wole Adeniyi; Deputy Governor, Operations Directorate, Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN),Mr. Folashodun Adebisi Shonubi; Deputy Governor, Financial Systems Stability Directorate, CBN and Chairman, Board of Directors, FITC, Mrs Aishah Ahmad; Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer, FITC, Ms. Chizor Malize and Chief Executive Officer, Rand Merchant Bank, Mr. Michael Larbie at the FITC 40th Anniversary Dinner/Awards and the Unveiling of its New Brand Logo Event held in Lagos… recently

Nigeria’s Anti-corruption Task Team Plans Fresh Strategy to Fight Graft Secret ownership of assets threat to national security, says NEITI Emmanuel Addeh in Abuja The Inter-Agency Task Team (IATT), comprising 22 agencies, has said that that a new action plan would be developed to guide the implementation of its national anti-corruption strategy, including that of th extractive industry.

Head, Technical Unit on Governance and Anticorruption Reforms (TUGAR), the secretariat of the IATT, Lilian Ekeanyanwu, who spoke at the commemoration of International Anti-corruption Day 2021, tagged: ”Your Right, Your Role: Say No to Corruption,” stressed that the new strategy would be all-inclusive with sector specific strategies for necessary buy-in.

The IATT comprises the Nigeria Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (NEITI) Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Independent Corrupt Practices Commission (ICPC) Code of Conduct Bureau (CCB) Fiscal Responsibility Commission (FRC), among others.

Ekeanyanwu noted that the first circle of the strategy, which was approved by the Federal Executive Council (FEC) ended in July 2021 and would be re-presented to FEC for extension, based on consensus and recommendations by stakeholders.

She recalled that organisation at an inter-agency retreat in May 2009 adopted a statement of commitment to jointly address pressing issues within the national anti-corruption agenda and commemorate international anti-corruption day to combat corruption.

She urged Nigerians to take responsibility and play their respective roles in combating corruption in different sectors of the economy.

“This has been successfully carried out in the past 12 years when the anti-corruption agencies commenced the practice of jointly commemorating the day with series of activities.

“In order to build on this synergy and momentum, the IATT has organised this highlevel seminar to mark the International Anti-Corruption Day 2021.

“A key component of the high-level seminar is a panel discussion where the heads of the key anti-corruption and accountability agencies will speak at panel sessions

giving an account of their stewardship in the past one year, and take questions from the audience,” she said.

In his remarks, the Executive Secretary, NEITI, Dr Ogbonnaya Orji, noted that secret ownership of companies was responsible for major problems that Nigeria and other developing countries face today.

Speaking on: “Beneficial Ownership Disclosure: A Tool for Fighting Corruption, Recovery of Assets, Preventing Illicit Financial Flows and Terrorism Financing,” Orji said that secret owner-

PALM OIL

SIZE

STATE

Emmanuel Addeh with agency report The United States government plans to end purchases of gas-powered vehicles by 2035 in a move to lower emissions and promote electric cars under an executive order signed

by President Joe Biden.

The government owns more than 650,000 vehicles and purchases about 50,000 annually, according to a Reuters report. Biden’s executive order said that light-duty vehicles acquired by the government will

PH

Emmanuel Addeh in Abuja The Niger Delta Power Holding Company (NDPHC) has said that it has completed and energised the multi-billion naira National Integrated Power Project (NIPP) Lafia transmission substation.

The contract for the 330/132/33kV substation aimed at strengthening electricity infrastructure and improve supply nationwide was awarded

PRICE

N21,000-24,000

be emission-free by 2027.

Total federal government operations will reduce emissions by 65 per cent by 2030 under the plan, while the government will seek to consume electricity only from carbon-free and non-polluting sources on a net annual basis by 2030 and have net-zero emissions by 2050.

Nigeria has recently maintained that it is moving towards deploying gas as its “transition fuel” as the world continues to move away from high emission commodities.

by the NDPHC in November 2016 while work commenced at the Akurba site in 2017.

Both the 2x150MVA 330/33kV transformers as well as the 75MVA reactor for voltage regulation/control and the 2 x 60MVA 132/33kV transformers, the company said, were successfully energised recently, Executive Director, Networks, NDPHC, Mr. Ife Oluwa Oyedele said the substation is currently

NAME OF COMMODITY

IMO

RICE

SIZE

N21,000–N24,500

STATE

PRICE

100KG ABUJA N23,000–N25,000 50KG

OYO

N22,000-N25,000

PLATEAU N23,500-N25,000 (JOS)

50KG KWARA N24,000–N27,000 50KG

LAGOS N23,000–N26,500

50KG RIVERS N23,000–N26,500

25CL

EDO

25CL ABUJA

The order noted that the US government is: “The single largest land owner, energy consumer and employer in the nation” and can transform “how we build, buy and manage electricity, vehicles, buildings and other operations to be clean and sustainable.”

In January, Biden vowed to replace the US government’s fleet with electric models. Only 0.5 per cent of the government’s 657,000 vehicles were electric as of 2020. In 2020, the government spent $4.2 billion on vehicle costs,

N17,000–N20,000 N19500- N25000

the newest of its kind in the grid and equipped with world class digital control and protection facilities.

He said that the project also has fully functional human-machineinterface that enhances real-time operational flexibility, monitoring and control of all the substation’s electrical variables.

The Transmission Substation has the capacity to deliver and meet 240MW of load demand,

COMMODITIES

50KG

25CL IBADAN N18,000-N22,000 25CL

resources undermines national security and poses an existential threat to the country,” he said.

Orji noted that in December 2019, Nigeria became the first African country to establish a publicly accessible register of beneficial owners, and the first globally to establish a register in extractive sector.

Executive Director, United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), Ghada Waly, in his remarks said corruption undermined rights to justice and opportunity to public services and sustainable future.

including $730 million for fuel.

However, the report stated that the new policy allows some exceptions for military and space vehicles.

The Alliance for Automotive Innovation, a trade group representing General Motors Co., Toyota Motor Corp, Volkswagen AG and others, praised the effort.

Director of the Safe Climate Transport Campaign at the Centre for Biological Diversity, Dan Becker, said Biden should move faster.

“Waiting 14 years to do it is an

awfully long time when we have some electric vehicles already and companies are trying to decide now whether to make just promises or actually make electric vehicles,” Becker said.

United Auto Workers President Ray Curry said Biden was right to address carbon emissions but creating high-quality jobs should be a priority. Google Chief, Sundar Pichai, said Biden’s executive order “is an important step toward making a carbon-free grid a reality.”

NDPHC Completes Lafia Substation as TCN Upgrades Kaduna-Jos Line

25CL LAGOS N20,000-N25000 25CL

that Nigeria alone accounts for about one-third of this amount.

“This report also shows that more than 90 per cent of illicit financial flows in Nigeria occurs in the extractive industry. Recently, a special report by NEITI found that about $4.2 billion worth of crude oil is either lost or stolen every year.

“Taken together, these losses pose serious challenges to government’s ability to deliver public goods and services to citizens. Particularly, secret ownership or exploitation of mineral

US to End Gas-powered Vehicle Purchases by 2035

FOOD NAME OF COMMODITY

ship could fuel corruption, facilitate illicit financial flows and generally undermine the capacity of government to function effectively.

He said that some reports estimated that Africa and other developing countries lost about $1 trillion every year due to corruption, illicit financial flows and related illegal activities.

“Similarly, we are all aware of the recent report by the African Union Panel led by Thabo Mbeki, that Africa loses more than $50 billion every year due to illicit financial flows and

PRICE

NAME OF COMMODITY

COCOA

EDO

N17,000–N20,000

stringing of the three 330kV lines.

“With this, the line will be upgraded from 500 megawatts (MW) energy wheeling capacity to 1,500MW, which is 200 percent capacity increase.

Consequently, TCN stated that there will be power outage on the 132kV Zaria- Kaduna transmission line, 33kV Turunku, and part of the 33kV Jaji feeder, from 8 am to 5 pm daily for the eight days indicated.

T O D AY SIZE

STATE

PRICE

N740,000

1 TON ONDO – N760,000 1 TON OSUN 1 TON

EDO

N730,000 – N750,000 N720,000 – N740,000

N700,000 1 TON CROSS – N720,000 RIVER

50KG SOKOTO N11,500–N13,000 50KG

the company noted.

Meanwhile, the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) will commence the final stage of the construction of its new Kaduna–Jos 330kV double circuit transmission line.

It said that this has started with the erection of eight triple-circuit towers at the intersection point of the new double circuit and existing single circuit 330kV transmission lines, to enable the

1 TON

AKURE SOUTH, ONDO

N730,000 — N755,000

NAME OF COMMODITY

SIZE

STATE

PRICE

ONIONS

100KG

IBADAN

N25,000

100KG

KANO

N10,000

100KG

BENUE

N27,000

100KG GOMBE

N12,000

100KG DELTA

N21,000

100KG LAGOS

N25,000

100KG ENUGU

N15,000

100KG

N29,000

ABIA

27

TUESDAY, DECEMBER 14, 2021 ˾ T H I S D AY

BUSINESSWORLD

AGRICULTURE

How to Revive Nigeria’s Agricultural Sector Gilbert Ekugbe The agricultural sector was mainstay of Nigeria’s economy before the advent of oil. Since the discovery of oil, the sector has been neglected by successive governments in search of “quick caand causing its contribution to the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) to deteriorate over the years.

The Former Executive Director, Lake Chad Research Institute (LCRI), Mr. Oluwasina Olabanji, in a chat with THISDAY highlighted steps the economic managers should follow to revive Nigeria’s agricultural sector to achieve inclusive growth and national development.

According to Olabanji, Nigeria must grow crops it consumes on a commercial basis for domestic consumption and export to African countries and the rest of the world.

He stressed that Nigeria is blessed with abundant natural and human

resources, pointing out that the country has no business in importing food products to feed its citizens.

“The country is blessed with human and natural resources, but these resources are undermined and underutilised. Nigeria lost focus in agriculture when we identified oil as our main source of revenue generation. For us to redeem and reverse the trend of our shattered economy, we have to promote mechanised farming.

“Mechanisation is critical for self-sufficiency in food production worldwide. We also need to invest in agriculture. The present administration is trying but they can do more.”

He commended the present administration’s effort to boost food security, saying that the importation of rice, wheat and maize products have drastically reduced as a result of increase in local production of

BUA Restructures to Boost Food Production in Nigeria Gilbert Ekugbe The BUA Group has stated that it has restructured its business model to boost food production in line with the federal government’s plan to diversify the nation’s economy away from hydrocarbon resources.

Indeed, the company stated that the move is apt considering the country’s rising food import bill that has been put at N1.41 billion.

The Chairman of BUA Group, Mr. Abdul Samad Rabiu, during the launch of BUA Foods Plc in Lagos, said there are opportunities for growth and development in the nation’s agriculture and food processing value chains.

He said that to tap into the economic diversification agenda of the federal government, BUA Group recently restructured its business model to enable it take advantage of existing business opportunities while contributing to the food security drive of the nation.

“BUA Group is one of the largest conglomerates in Africa and has continued to invest in the nation’s food industry. We are also working on a rice plantation that would change the face of rice production in Nigeria. From a business stand point, our resolve remains to produce high quality products for the widest customer base at reasonable prices and as a group we have already set the ball rolling as underscored in the business restructuring that birth the consolidation of our food operations aimed at strengthening our market position. This will no doubt help our group to maintain its leadership position in our food business and other aspects of our

operations,” he said.

He added that “the way forward is to look for areas where we can grow whatever we need because with a population of about 200 million people, it is so important that we are able to feed ourselves.

We have everything in Nigeria here that will make it work. We need to come together to be able to do more. We cannot meet the demand of the nation because of the size of the population.”

Rabiu, however, commended the federal government’s effort in developing the agricultural sector to make Nigeria self-sufficient in rice production, saying that the country is currently producing almost all the rice it needed.

He said the overall objectives and task before the country as it grapples with the pandemic and economic challenges would be to develop a plan to put the nation on accelerated growth within well specified and realistic attainable timelines.

He said the challenges the country presently faces provided enough ground to do things differently.

Earlier, the Chief Executive Officer, BUA Foods Plc, Mr. Ayodele Abioye, said the company has reached a milestone that it started over three decades ago, saying that BUA brands are fully entrenched in all sectors of the Nigerian economy and promoting national development.

“We are proudly Nigerian business with international footprints.

We are building our solid brand process around our customers and consumers. BUA Foods as a brand comes with many promises that reflect its promises to its customers and consumers.

the commodities.

He also called on the federal government to fund research for national development, adding that research institutes must be properly funded to develop and improve innovations to boost agronomical practices.

“The government must rehabilitate Nigeria’s irrigation infrastructure.

Irrigation facilities are available particularly in the northern part of the country, but needs rehabilitation to be effective.

“Subsidy of inputs to farmers is very critical at this period. We know it is not sustainable, but there will be a time when farmers will no longer demand for support, but for now it is very critical to empower

Nigerian farmers to be independent of government interventions.

“If we revive agricultural settlements in different local governments across the country, our youths could be deployed to use agricultural settlements for farming and this would increase food production to achieve food security,” he added.

Commenting on the performance of the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Mr. Mohammed Abubakar, so far, Olabanji said the minister has the political will to continue from where the country stopped in 2015-2016 during the Agricultural Transformation Agenda (ATA) when Nigeria was forging ahead in the agricultural sector as the GDP recorded was higher than

what is obtainable presently.

“He has the political will to perform and has started very well and I believe he will continue with this effort in the sector. The minister’s perception and political will be to move the agricultural sector forward. I believe he would restore the Growth Enhancement Scheme (GES), which the former minister advocated for, because it is very critical in the crop commodity value chain,” he said.

He stated the uniqueness of the scheme has enabled farmers to have direct access to input, which he described as very critical to boost food production.

“Farmers are getting fertilizers because there was a platform

whereby the data of all farmers were captured. We also have to make inputs to farmers available at subsidised rates because it is very important for now,” he averred.

He also called for the need to improve the synergy between the federal Ministry of Agriculture and the Ministry of Water Resources to enhance Nigeria’s quest to boost crop production.

“The synergy is not there and if it is there, it is not strong but weak. You cannot grow a crop without adequate water and now that emphasis is on irrigated crops, if water resources do not provide water how do we maximise productivity and production,” he asked.

New Board, Interim Management for AEDC Unveiled A new board and interim management of Abuja Electricity Distribution Company (AEDC) has assumed office, source close to the company has revealed.

It was learnt that the board is made up of Victor Osadolor as Chairman. Osadolor is currently Chairman of UBA Pensions, a Non-Executive Director of African Finance Corporation (AFC), and former Deputy Managing Director of the United Bank for Africa (UBA).

He is a seasoned finance and business turnaround expert with over three decades of corporate experience.

He is a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria (ICAN), and an honorary life member of the Chartered Institute of Bankers of Nigeria (CIBN).

Alex Okoh is also a Member of the Board, and is currently the

Osadolor Director General of the Bureau of Public Enterprises (BPE). He is currently a member of the Presidential Economic Advisory Council, and has over three decades of corporate experience in general management, leadership, banking and organisational development.

During his career in the banking sector, he served in a variety of leadership roles, including corporate banking, operations, treasury, as well as initiating and designing transformative projects and processes.

Other members of the board include Atiku Abubakar Tambuwal, Sam Adikamkwu; a legal practitioner and former Chief Legal Adviser at the United Bank for Africa (UBA); and Muyiwa Akinyemi, seasoned accountant and a current Group Executive at the United Bank for Africa (UBA).

The Interim Management is led by Bada Akinwumi, who will serve as the Interim Managing Director. Other members of the interim management are: Sani Usman, Interim Chief Business Officer; Babajide Ibironke, Interim Chief Finance Officer; Donald Etim, Interim Chief Marketing Officer; and Femi Zacheus Interim Chief

Technical Officer.

Addressing the staff earlier in the day, the Chairman, Victor Osadolor reiterated: “I want to assure you that the new Board of Directors is committed to the well-being of our employees. May I please request that all employees and stakeholders remain steadfast and support the interim management as they embark on the transformation of the business for our collective benefit. I thank you all for the sacrifices and commitment thus far as we begin this refreshing chapter of our corporate journey.”

We gather that these appointments follows approval by the Nigeria Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) and the Bureau of Public Enterprises (BPE) conveyed on 9 Dec 2021, confirming the interim management as fit and proper to provide leadership to Abuja DISCO.

Firm Harps on Agricultural Knowledge to Boost Farmers’ Productivity Gilbert Ekugbe The Bellefu Digital Agro Connect, owners of Bellefu.com, has emphasised the need to equip Nigerian farmers with the requisite agricultural knowledge that would boost their productivity in making decisions that were related to agricultural activities.

Speaking on the importance of knowledge sharing in food security, the Spokesperson of the company, Mr. Oluwaseun Olukumoro, said the agricultural sector needed adequate access to agricultural knowledge.

Olukomoro said the establishment of the Bellefu online radio, known as the Farmers Radio, is to bridge the knowledge gap among farmers, stressing that research has revealed that radio remains the best medium of disseminating information to farmers.

“Radio is an important tool for agricultural communication. It has

proved to be the most effective media in promoting agriculture and development in rural areas, particularly as a tool for the delivery of quick information. It is cheap and as such many people can own it. It is able to pass messages to the non-literate audience as it can present its message in the local language.

“Radio communication is useful in agricultural messages to a large number of people at relatively low cost and at faster rates,” he added.

He said that radio could link researchers and extension workers by offering information on where research information could be obtained and used; how to pass it on to users; as well as help get feedback from farmers regarding research.

Olukumoro added that radio could also be used to announce processes of research and extension work.

“To increase the effectiveness of

radio in technology adoption, it should be supplemented by other training methods. However, a look at the Nigeria media shows a disproportionate concentration on urban areas to the partial or total neglect of the rural population, and the media content is usually determined by the urban-based, urban-oriented media practitioners who may be ignorant about or indifferent to the realities of the situation in the rural areas,” he averred.

He said considering the numerous roles played by radio and its effectiveness in promoting agricultural production, Bellefu Digital Agro Connect, (owners of Bellefu.com) have established Bellefu online radio - the farmers radio.

He said it was established for the purposes of providing innovative information and ideas to farmers through news broadcast, live coverage of agricultural conferences, shows, exhibitions and farmer/ expert interviews among others

“thereby bridging the knowledge gap for farmers and helping them to adopt new agricultural innovations.”

He said being an online radio, bellefu radio has the potential to link farmers from around the globe to share ideas and innovations about agriculture, interact, share opinions and help solve problems.

Olukumoro said the online radio would also help stakeholders to discover avenues to market/export their produce through round – table discussions.

“It also affords farmers the opportunity to listen to documentaries highlighting agricultural research around the world and offers modern and practical livestock and crop solutions.”

He disclosed that the Bellefu Radio could be accessed through https://radio.bellefu.com and the Bellefu Radio app, which could be downloaded from the Google play store for android users and app store for iOS users.

investment decisions.

“Additional layers of complexity and the uncertainty that it brings is fostering an environment of ‘pre-emptive underinvestment’ for oil and gas supply, where capital expenditure lags demand,” the joint report indicated.

It added that increased price volatility would weaken the prospects for the inclusive and sustainable economic recovery that producers, consumers and governments all want, saying

it would also complicate policy choices during the energy transition.

“Reduced investment will also make it more difficult to increase affordable access to modern energy services and improve healthy living conditions in rapidly urbanising regions as well as remote rural areas of developing economies. While the obstacles are high for achieving adequate investment, the consequences of underinvestment are greater,” Mcmonigle added.

REPORT: INVESTMENT IN OIL INDUSTRY MUST HIT $525BN YEARLY TO AVOID SUPPLY CRISIS to come, regardless of the pace of the energy transition.

According to the document, oil and gas investment will need to return to pre-Covid levels and stay there through 2030 to restore market balance and meet future demand.

It argued that underinvestment in oil and gas development extended into a second year in 2021 even as global energy demand rebounded, raising the prospect of price shocks, scarcity and growing energy poverty.

The report underlines widespread concerns about the stability of global energy markets in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic and follows a decision by several countries including the United States, Japan and India to release strategic petroleum reserves to cool prices.

“The energy crisis in Europe and Asia this winter is a preview of what we can expect in the years ahead. Two years in a row of large and abrupt underinvestment in oil

and gas development is a recipe for higher prices and volatility later this decade,” said Secretary General, IEF, Joseph McMonigle.

According to the report, investment slumped by 30 per cent in 2020, but noted that several factors are currently making it more challenging to meet adequate investment levels this decade compared to last decades.

“These include record price volatility, changing government regulations, divergent long-term

demand scenarios and nonstandardised criteria that are driving up investment hurdles and hiking the cost of capital for long-cycle projects, the report says.

“Pressure on governments and industry for a green recovery is further constraining availability of capital. As a result, investment decisions are becoming increasingly complex. The unprecedented level of uncertainty increases the risk profile of hydrocarbon investments and the cost of capital, reshaping

NNPC EXPENDS N83.33BN ON DORMANT REFINERIES IN 10 MONTHS, EXCEEDS PIPELINE SECURITY COSTS BY N18BN ies haven’t worked for three years.

We have carried on paying salaries.

Nobody can sack anybody.

“People are getting promoted, but the refineries are not functioning. Unions will not let you. Those are the real issues. A few days ago, the GMD (Mele Kyari) just threatened to lay off some contract

staff in Kaduna refinery, which has not functioned for three years and the unions wrote to me that they heard that their members were to be sacked and gave threats.

“The unions and their members were the ones managing the refineries. Yes, I know government is to blame. I am not absolving

government completely, but they themselves are part of the blame game. They were managing it,” he contended.

Furthermore, in the latest report the NNPC data showed that in the first 10 months of the year, its projected budget for pipeline security and main-

tenance cost of 29.68 billion had been exceeded.

Whereas of the N29.68 billion, N24.724 billion was supposed to have been spent from January to October, the NNPC had spent N42.760 billion within the period under review.

With a hitherto monthly provision of N2.474 billion, the data further

revealed that the budget had been consistently surpassed, although other major projects continue to suffer underfunding.

In February, the NNPC spent N5.813 billion for the purpose; in March it was N5.320 billion; in April, N2.641 billion was expended while in May, the national oil

company financed security of the pipelines to the tune of N5.258 billion.

In addition, the company spent N6.174 billion for maintaining its pipelines in June; a whopping N7.352 billion in July; N2.301 billion in September and N7.901 billion in October.

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BUSINESSWORLD

INDUSTRY

Low Industrialisation as Price for Nigeria’s Policy Inconsistencies Experts and operators of the Nigerian industrial sector went done memory lane to recall how policy inconsistencies and poor industrial strategy combined to consign the country on the list of lowly industrialised and poverty ridden nations, writes Dike Onwuamaeze

T

he immediate past President of the Lagos Chamber of Commerce (LCCI), Mrs. Toki Mabogunje, on December 2 made a scathing remark on the waning confidence of international and local investors on the Nigerian economy. Mabogunje stated that the country recorded an aggregate of $2.78 billion capital importation in the first half of 2021. A breakdown of this figure showed that only $232.74 million, representing 8.4 per cent of the total capital importation during the period under review, came via foreign direct investments (FDIs) while $1.53 billion, representing 54.8 per cent, came via portfolio investments and $1.03 billion came through other investments channels.

She laid the blame for the declining FDI on the doorsteps of government. “The low FDI component of aggregate capital inflows reflects weak investors’ confidence in the Nigerian economy, particularly the real sector on the back of policy inconsistencies, harsh operating environment, FX uncertainties, and inadequate public infrastructures among others,” Mabogunje said.

Policy inconsistency has remained the bane of industrial development in the country and was recently the subject matter that was discussed by some veterans of the Nigerian industrial sector and economic policy gurus in an event that was orgnised by the Founder of the Centre for Value in Leadership (CVL), Professor Pat Utomi.

Utomi stated that inconsistent industrial policies and strategies, especially import substitution, have retarded Nigeria’s industrial growth and ensured that Asian economies that were at par with the country in the 1960s have today grown to become industrialised exported oriented economies while Nigeria has remained import dependent. For instance, the country’s import bill grew from $36 billion to $47 billion between 2018 and 2019. Today, Nigeria has one of world’s highest unemployment and poverty rates.

The veterans were a Former Managing Director of Nigeria Breweries Plc, Mr. Felix Ohiwerei; The President of the Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria and founding Managing Director of Neimeth International Pharmaceuticals Plc, Mr. Sam Ohuabunwa; former Minister of National Planning and a Professor of Economics at the University of Nigeria, Professor Osita M. Ogbu, and former Executive Director of Raw Materials Research and Development Council (RMRDC), Dr. Remi Aribisala.

Ohiwerei recalled how government’s ban on the importation of malted barley jolted the brewery industry. Following the ban, breweries were given two years to comply by using locally sourced maize and sorghum to make their drinks.

He added rolled out a backward integration policy that ordered breweries to grow the maize and sorghum by themselves.

Ohiwerei said that he took the policy as a challenge to reformate and brew Gulder, Star and Maltina with maize and sorghum that had the same taste as the ones brewed with malted barley without the consumers noticing the difference.

He said: “We succeeded in using local raw materials to produce our brands and everything was going well. Then, suddenly somebody rushed into my office one afternoon and said ‘have you heard?’ I said: ‘heard what?’ That the government has unbanned malted bailey without any discussion with us in the industry.

We just heard that announcement that came with a bang.

“At the same time the government said that we will go into backward integration, which meant we had to produce the basic raw materials. We were forced into having a big maize farm in Makurdi. We told government that we are not farmers but will like to help farmers to produce the right quantity in the correct quality. But the government said no, insisting on its backward integration policy. What happened? We were producing maize at a price much higher than the local people were doing.

“We were forced into a situation that we didn’t understand, which we didn’t have any expertise and the experiment did not work.

Then we went to encourage the out growers and that scheme worked very well.

“We got to the stage where we had reformulated with the sorghum and maize at a great cost as we have to retool our brewery. But the government, without any consultation, changed the policy and unbanned the importation of barley.

“That was not a good experience. It did not even give us the chance to reap the benefits of the changes we brought in the industry. But rather than capitilise on that and made it something for the world to copy the government changed the policy. The change did not only affect us, it also affected local farmers and everybody else.

“I do not understand how after encouraging local people to go into farming, there was a policy summersault.”

Ohuabunwa also recounted similar experience that took place in 1990 when he was the managing director of Pfizer Nigeria Plc. Those were the days when General Ibrahim Babangida was the country’s military Head of State and his Minister of Health was Professor Olikoye Ransome Kuti.

He said that Kuti, out of his own personal fancies and without proper consultations, decided that any pharmaceutical product that was not on the ‘essential drug list’ was fake and, therefore,

illegitimate. The essential drugs as designated by the World Health Organisation contained specific number of medicines that were commonly used and affect the generality of the people, which the public sector health institutions must always have for the good of the people.

“But one man working with uninformed principal caused a decree to be issued to the effect that ‘if you did not have products on essential drug list your drugs were fake.’ I was running a multi-national company then, Pfizer, and most of our products were branded. We had moved from making essential products to making innovative products that treat illness at different levels.

“So all of a sudden we didn’t have business anymore. Our business was gone, likewise those of many multinationals that have invested in research and products for treating present and emergent diseases. Pharmaceutical industry lives on innovation.

“We tried to bring a change but Kuti wouldn’t budge until Mr. Julius Adelusi-Adeluyi replaced him at the ministry and changed that policy within six months.

“But before this many multinationals has made decisions to pull out from Nigeria, reduce their investments and stop employment. This was the genesis of the decline of the pharmaceutical industry that reduced Nigeria to importing finished goods from China and India,” Ohuabunwa said.

He stated that Nigeria needed people who understand the interaction between investment and wealth creation.

“We do not have the political leadership that understands the relationship between input and output; between supply and distribution; relationship between production and wealth creation and; relationship between providing and attracting investment and enthroning a regime of law and order.

“We needed a well thought stable policy environment and all those kind of things that will attract people to make investments in our environment. It is investment that brings resources; resources bring businesses; businesses create jobs; jobs create wealth and wealth drives away poverty.

The truth is that we are going round in a circle, sometimes one step forward and at another time many steps backward,” he said.

Utomi used one act by Babangida on the day he commissioned the Bendel Feed and Flour Mill Limited in 1986 to illustrate how damning a shallow government policy could be on businesses.

He said: “In 1986, President Babangida was traveling to commission the Bendel Feed and Flour Mills and on his way he used his own pencil to add a line to speech he was given to read. That

line said that from January 1987 the importation of wheat into the country would be banned.

“The original import substitution policy said that instead of importing flour, we can import wheat and mill it to produce flour. But suddenly in August 1986 there was an announcement that banned importation of wheat by January 1987. This, in a sense, was a death sentence on the factory he was commissioning.”

Sadly, successive governments in the country have been going round the circle banning and unbanning the import of wheat. The last ban was placed few years ago by the current administration of President Muhammed Buhari, which it later lifted but still threatening to end its importation by 2023. That is.

Ugwu has identified the absence of a sense of nationhood as the root cause of policy inconsistencies that have stymied the Nigeria’s industrial and economic growth.

The professor of Economics posited that the tragedy of Nigeria was that it relapsed from knowledge independence to knowledge dependence; from planning to lack of planning and from an industrial policy to no industrial policy.

Ugwu said: “Let us be honest. We don’t know of any nation that has industrialised without certain degrees of protection for their emerging industrial sector with consistent industrial policy that is lead from the top (government).

“So, we moved from strategy to no strategy, which came because we drank the idea that the free market can allocate and direct resources to the most efficient sector. But that is not correct. In every nation that has developed the state has directed in a very strong way the investment pattern, the FDIs flow and the policies that guided them.

But not only did we weaken the state, we abandoned planning as a whole. The point is that there is no way a nation as backward as we are can have a strategy of complete open market.

“Even when we have a strategy, we keep moving up and down. Recently we wanted to encourage the manufacture of locally made cars. But within a few years we reduced import tariffs from 35 per cent to 10 per cent. We keep moving up down because we cannot take the pains. There has to be plan that is followed to the letter. Malaysia is now in its 13th plan or so.

“But what we have here is a political leadership that does not know that industrialisation does not just happen but is caused to happen. We can only diversify by doing and not by saying. You take steps to diversify and stay the course when it appears to be painful because you know where you are going and that the outcome is real.

“Policies must be based on knowledge and facts and must be in the interest of the nation. Government must insist on national interest. We have a country but barely a nation. Building requires effort. Nigeria must create a cohesive nation to make progress.”

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BUSINESSWORLD

NEWS

AfDB to Mobilise to Feed 200m Africans by 2025 Gilbert Ekugbe The African Development Bank (AfDB) has announced that it is scaling up its Technologies for African Agricultural Transformation (TAAT) initiative meant to feed over 200 million Africans by 2025.

The Vice President, Agriculture, Human and Social Development, Mrs. Beth Dunford, said the move is critical to address the high level of food insecurity in the continent.

Dunford said at the 18th Annual International Business Awards to recognise outstanding organisations and highlight their positive contributions globally that the bank broadcsted the TAAT video series in April during the 2021 High-level Dialogue on Feeding Africa, HighLevel Virtual Dialogue on Feeding Africa: Leadership to scale up su...

African Development Bank Group.

African countries were committed to doubling their agricultural productivity as the development bank pledge $17 billion, which hosted more than a dozen heads of state, global leaders, as well as thousands of online participants.

She said the 2021 International Business Awards, the world’s only all-encompassing business awards competition, drew more than 3,700 nominations from 65 nations coinciding with the close of the Tokyo Nutrition for Growth Summit, which explored the global challenge of malnutrition.

“As world leaders returned from the Tokyo Nutrition for Growth Summit energised to accelerate progress on defeating malnutrition, we share this honor with our TAAT implementing and regional member country government partners working to produce more

and more nutritious foods,” said the AfDB’s Director for Agriculture and Agro-Industry, Mr. Martin Fregene.

The bank received the first place “Gold Stevie” at the 18th Annual International Business Awards virtual event, in recognition of the institution’s digital campaign showcasing its TAAT initiative.

The International Business Awards honored the bank in the Best Video – Documentary category during an online ceremony on Wednesday. TAAT’s wheat compact video led a series of clips demonstrating how TAAT is delivering agricultural technologies to help 11 million smallholder

farmers across 30 African countries increase productivity and adapt to climate change.

Stevie Award winners were determined by the average scores of more than 260 executives worldwide who participated in the judging process from June through early August.

Last year, the bank earned a Gold Stevie for its 2019 Annual Report in the publication category and bronze for the report’s companion video.

This year’s other award winners include Google, IBM, Yapi Kredi, DHL Express Worldwide, Dubai Municipality and Tata Consultancy Services.

Nigeria Slumps to 20th Position in Natural Gas Production Peter Uzoho The Nigerian Gas Association (NGA) has said that Nigeria has now dropped from the eighth position to 20th in terms of natural gas production in the last few years.

It added that at just 1.2 billion cubit feet per day (bcf/d), the country, one of the world’s gas-rich nations has also slumped in the consumption of natural gas.

President of NGA and Managing Director of Shell Nigeria Gas, Mr. Ed Ubong, who stated this at the Ghana Gas Forum (NGF), stated that the West African sub-region has enough gas to power its 350 million people from the electricity and industrial perspective.

He, however lamented that the sub-region had not been able to utilise enough of its natural gas to power its industries as the percentage of gas used by industries was still very low.

He cited Nigeria as a typical example of a country with huge gas resources but with low production and utilisation.

Nigeria has 206 trillion cubic feet of proven natural gas reserves and over 600tcf unproven reserves but produces about 7.8bcf daily while domestic consumption -as in power generation and industrialisation, is just about 1.2bcf/d.

To change the narrative and move the country on the path of economic growth and development,

using gas as the enabler, he advised that there must be a paradigm shift.

Ubong said: “But when you ask how much of that gas we are actually bringing to the surface, we begin to move backwards from eighth to 20th. When we ask a more pertinent question of how much of the gas we actually consume in our power and industrial sector to create jobs that will translate into economic growth, we further move backwards to top 50.

“In a day, we can produce about 7.8 bcf of gas but in terms of what is actually consumed in the domestic market, it is about 1.2 bcf a day. To get to where we need to in terms of economic growth, things have to change.”

He said it was important to support industrialisation across various clusters using natural gas, citing the ‘One-District-One-Factory’ initiative as one of the policies that natural gas could help to realise by providing cheaper source of power to the industries.

“We need policies like the onedistrict-one-factory across Africa.

We need industries close to where we have rural and urban centres that are actually manufacturing goods and services and are also employing people,” he noted.

Ubong pointed out that globally, over a billion people lack access to energy and that out of that number, 50 per cent was in Africa.

Firm Wins Mortgage Bank of the Year at Africa Housing Awards Emmanuel Addeh in Abuja Citycode Mortgage Bank Limited, has been adjudged the number one mortgage bank at the Africa Housing Awards ceremony, 2021, held at the International Conference Centre in Abuja.

While receiving the award on behalf of the bank, Managing Director, Mr. Ebilate Mac-Yoroki, acknowledged the contributions of other members of the board, management and staff of the bank, which he said culminated in the honour bestowed on the bank.

According to him, the mission and vision of the bank had been set ahead by the team of management and staff of the bank, allowing the two very important goals and driving forces to guide the running of the institution.

He stressed that the bank has seasoned professionals with several years of practical experience in banking, mortgage creations and

underwriting, financial management as well as in the capital market.

He explained that the provision of excellent mortgage financial services by nurturing savings culture and supporting affordable houses by leveraging on cutting edge technology, have been the bank’s primary driving forces.

Mac-Yoroki listed some products available to the bank as the National Housing Fund (NHF), Commercial Mortgage Loan, Family Home Funds (FHF) and Federal Mortgage Bank of Nigeria (FMBN) cooperative loan.

“Citycode Mortgage Bank is poised to grant the NHF loans through the FMBN. It is meant for Nigerians who are at least above 18 years of age, have regular sources of income and are contributors to the scheme.

“The scheme requires that you remit 2.5 per cent of your basic salary to FMBN for six months to be eligible to apply for the loan,” he explained.

L-R: GMD/CEO, Access Bank Plc, Herbert Wigwe; group head, W Initiative, Access Bank, Abiodun Olubitan; winner, Womenpreneur Pitch-A-Ton Africa season 3, Margaret Obasi; chairman, Access Bank Plc, Ajoritsedere Awosika, and principal investment officer, International Finance Corporation (IFC), Musonda Chipalo, , at the Womenpreneur PitchA-Ton Africa 2021 season 3 grand finale organised by Access Bank in partnership with IFC in Lagos… recently

Industry Experts, Thought Leaders Celebrates FITC at 40 Ugo Aliogo FITC, the world-class, innovation-led, and technology-driven knowledge institution which provides learning, advisory services and policy advocacy to the Nigerian financial service sector held its 40th anniversary celebratory event recently at the prestigious Lagos Continental Hotel. The two-prong event started with an anniversary summit themed: ‘Towards a Shared Prosperity in Africa; The Role of the Financial System’.

The hybrid summit was a gathering of international financial experts, policy makers, development economists, thought leaders and other key private and public sector stakeholders within the financial system. It was broadly inclusive with over one thousand participants from various African countries of diverse background in attendance.

In her welcome address, The Managing Director/CEO, FITC, Ms. Chizor Malize, noted, “ the FITC 40th Anniversary theme, ‘Towards a Shared Prosperity in Africa; The Role of the Financial System’ is imperative at this time considering the disproportionate impact the Covid-19 pandemic

has had on several vulnerable groups, coupled with the economic inequalities that have exacerbated across the African continent.

“The situation has triggered an urgency, requiring the financial services sector to play the critical role of supporting not just speedy economic recovery, but also ensuring an inclusive and shared opportunities towards wealth creation and prosperity for African countries and its citizens leveraging financial services innovation within the banking and payment systems.”

In her opening remarks, the Deputy Governor, Financial System Stability, Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), and Chairman Board of Directors, FITC, Mrs. Aishah Ahmad, applauded the Management of FITC for providing knowledge and capacity building solutions for the Nigerian banking and financial industry in the last 40 years. Ahmad said FITC has continued to be prominent and relevant in the Nigerian financial system.

“FITC has transformed in response, from a small fledgling institution in 1981, and has today, repositioned itself as a strong contender for knowledge solutions in a markedly evolved financial

system - leveraging its institutional memory, significant brand equity, technology and exceptional people to remain resilient and relevant,” she said.

She lauded the innovativeness and commitment of the Managing Director/CEO, FITC, Ms. Chizor Malize, in making the centre a reference point in global learning solution, capacity building and advisory services.

In his Keynote address, Deputy Governor & CEO, Prudential Authority, Kuben Naidoo congratulated FITC on a major milestone of 40 years.

He noted that prosperity is longterm accumulation of assets that support the meeting of individual, business, or country’s goals.

Naidoo also noted that Nigeria has done well on financial inclusion, but in addition, requires to make ethics rank high as core principles.

He encouraged FITC to put ethics at the top of the agenda of its knowledge solution and curriculum for the financial services, as it drives the transformation of people and organization thereby keeping the financial system more stable.

Speaking at the anniversary dinner and award event, the excited

Malize stated, “For forty years, FITC has powered the Nigerian Financial service system. I am very honored for the privilege of leading our great institution into this new transformational phase.

And I am delighted about what FITC has become. Our 40th anniversary reiterates the milestone we have achieved as we celebrate our organization’s rich heritage. It is indeed a privilege to lead FITC through today’s digital transformation journey, bringing innovation into all we do. Through visionary leadership we have recorded great success these two years. Our success is hinged upon our innovative learning and advisory programmes, our cutting-edge learning platforms, smart processes, dynamic and high performing people and most importantly, our repositioned and reinvigorated brand.”

Speaking on the refreshed logo and the new FITC brand, “Our new brand logo speaks to our renewed energy, our dynamism, our agility, and our highly collaborative brand.

With our reengineered organization, clearly established capabilities for leading change and innovation in a technologically driven world, FITC is creating the future!”

BEDC Offers Scholarship, Braille to RUGIPO Visually Impaired Student Moves electricity safety campaign to schools in Owo BEDC Electricity Plc (BEDC) as part of its philanthropic gesture demonstrated her commitment to continually empower and impact lives within its franchise areas has awarded scholarship covering full tuition fees, monthly upkeep allowance as well as presenting a Braille keyboard, laptop and a recording device to Mr. Israel Ojo Temitope, a visually impaired Higher National Diploma 1 Mass Communication student of the Rufus Giwa Polytechnic, Owo, Ondo state.

The presentation which had in attendance the BEDC CSR team led by the Chief State Head (BEDC), Ondo and Ekiti states, Mrs. Kunbi Labiyi, Deputy Rector, Academic, Mr. Adegun Olorunwa, Dean of Student Affairs, staff and students of the institution is part of the company’s Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR)

initiatives aimed at supporting the visually impaired student develop skills, improve his educational status and gain independence especially in reading and writing, with a view to assisting him get sound education.

Speaking at the presentation ceremony in Owo, Mrs. Kunbi Labiyi said, aside the primary responsibility of distributing electricity services to its customers across its coverage areas, BEDC sees the CSR initiative as a veritable tool through which the society can be impacted positively and made a better place for everyone to live in.

According to Mrs. Labiyi, the donation is aimed at restoring hope, providing adequate learning tools that are suited for the student’s special needs, preparing him for easy integration into the society and the company is doing everything

possible to help him achieve his educational goals in order for him become a better person in life rather than a burden to himself and the society. ‘’The donation we are witnessing today is a culmination of several behind the scene actions that have taken place since when we made formal contact with Israel Ojo Temitope and confirmed that he is indeed a genuine student of this institution of learning. As of today, BEDC has already paid his tuition fees for this current academic session and also credited his account with monetary support that would be enough to cover his feeding and pressing needs in school”. labiyi said The Chief State Head, further reaffirmed the company’s position to be responsible for the recipient’s

tuition fees and monthly upkeep allowance till he graduates from his course of study in the school.

A visibly elated Temitope Israel could not hide his joy at the hand of fellowship, support and love shown to him, thanked the management of BEDC for coming to his aid.

In his response, Deputy Rector, Academic of the institution, Mr. Adegun Olorunwa expressed profound gratitude to BEDC for the act of generosity and kindness shown to their student which he said came as a big surprise to everyone of them at the school. “what BEDC has done is one that all corporate bodies in the state and Nigeria as a whole should emulate by touching the lives of people and the society positively which would go a long way in reducing the rising level of insecurity in the country”, he added.

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T H I S D AY ˾ TUESDAY, DECEMBER 14, 2021

BUSINESSWORLD

OIL & GAS

Tackling Local Content Challenge With PIA For decades, Nigerians were onlookers when it came to operations in the oil and gas industry. They either occupied the lowest rung of the management cadre or were mid-level engineers. Although reaching eldorado is still a long way ahead, Emmanuel Addeh writes that with renewed focus on domiciliation under the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA), Nigeria is on track to achieving the 70 per cent local content target by 2027

O

n the 22nd of April 2010, the Nigerian Oil and Gas Industry Content Development (NOGICD) Act was enacted to give bite to the implementation and enforcement of local content in the Nigerian oil and gas industry.

This Act introduced an enforceable legal regime to underpin the promotion of local content practice in the industry to reverse over 50 years of total foreign dependency which had resulted in huge capital flight of about $380 billion, about 2 million job losses, and less than 5 percent in-country value addition.

Between 2013 and 2017 the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB) started implementation of capacity development interventions.

With overall 42 per cent total Nigeria content in the oil and gas industry today, the federal government projects that by 2027, this would have been taken to at least 70 per cent.

IN THE BEGINNING

In 1990, the then Minister of Petroleum Resources, Prof. Jibril Aminu, for the first time in the country’s history, facilitated the award of oil blocks to 11 Nigerian entrepreneurs, although on a discretionary basis.

Convinced that Nigerians had garnered the requisite experience and skills, having worked for several decades under oil multinationals, Aminu thought it was time to give the Nigerian businessman the opportunity to try out what they had learnt over the years.

That decision of giving Nigerians the chance to participate in the discretionary bid round gave birth to some indigenous companies, including Queens Petroleum, which operated OPL 135, Cavendish Petroleum (OPL 453); Summit Oil International (OPLs 205 & 206); Atlas Petroleum (OPL 75), among others.

The relative success of the 1990 exercise prompted the President Olusegun Obasanjo administration to in 1999 award more marginal fields to industry players of Nigerian origin.

With Nigerians now effectively taking part in the oil and gas sector, it was only a matter of time before a deliberate policy to consolidate the little gains that had been achieved would be introduced, especially in the oil services sector which was largely dominated by the Schlumbergers, Haliburtons and Baker Hughes of this world.

In 2003, the Coastal and Inland Shipping (Cabotage) Act, was signed into law, which was essentially an Act to restrict the use of foreign vessels in domestic coastal trade to promote the development of indigenous tonnage and to establish a cabotage vessel financing fund and other related matters.

But despite these efforts , the country was literally still bleeding as foreigners still remained in charge of critical segments of the oil and gas industry until the enactment of the NOGICD Act, popularly called the local content law in 2010.

Passed in April of that year, Part 1 of the law categorically states that: “All regulatory authorities, operators, contractors, subcontractors, alliance partners and other entities involved in any project, operation, activity or transaction in the Nigerian oil and gas industry shall consider Nigerian content as an important element of their overall project development and management philosophy for project execution.

Furthermore, the NOGICD Act states that Nigerian independent operators shall be given first consideration in the award of oil blocks, oil field licences, oil-lifting

licences and in all projects for which contract is to be awarded in the Nigerian oil and gas industry subject to the fulfilment of such conditions as may be specified.

COUNTING THE COST

In essence, it is estimated that before attention shifted to the need to encourage in-country participation, the glaring lack of technical know-how led to importation of expats who dominated the oil and gas landscape.

And as expected, these foreigners were usually remunerated in hard currency and it has been estimated that this could have led to the loss of as much as $380 capital in flight, with a paltry 5 per cent Nigerian participation and loss of at least 2 million jobs.

This manifestly led to less revenue accruing to the government; job losses; lack of skills/ technological know-how transfer; high cost of products; long project cycle and over-dependency on foreign countries, which also translated to national security challenges.

However, it is said that this conscious effort to grow Nigerians’ participation in the last 11 years has saved the country from unwarranted embarrassment on several occasions when there were emergencies.

For instance, there was no noticeable disruptions in the operations of the oil and gas industry during the coronavirus-induced lockdown last year, which could have raised national security issues, even with a large percentage of expatriates having left Nigeria for their home countries.

PROJECTIONS

By 2027, the NCDMB intends to increase local content to 70 per cent, which will see the retention of as much as $14 billion within the country, annually.

In 2017, the NCDMB launched the $200 million NCI Fund, which is funded from the Nigerian Content Development Fund established by the local content act, helping to fund asset acquisition and assisting in loan re-financing.

With NCDMB’s intervention, the first onshore Floating Production Storage Offloading vessel (“FPSO”) integration facility in Africa, SHI MCI yard, was completed in 2016 at the Lagos Deep Offshore Logistics Base (LADOL), Lagos, Nigeria.

In 2018, a portion of the topside fabrication and integration of the largest FPSO in the world, producing two hundred thousand (200,000) barrels per day, the EGINA FPSO, was successfully completed in Nigeria at the facility.

There’s also the Nigeria LNG Train 7 Project where some of the local content opportunities available to the Nigerian shipping and oil services sectors include procurement, logistics, equipment leasing, catering, insurance, hotels, office supplies and haulage.

LEVERAGING THE PIA

Although things were already on track, the recent passage of the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA) has further revved up the hopes that the country is getting it right in the areas of domiciliation of its oil and gas processes.

To this end, the just-concluded 10th Practical Nigerian Content (PNC) Conference which held at the Nigerian Content Tower in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State,

afforded stakeholders the opportunity to deliberate on how the new Act will transform the sector.

Already, many of the players noted that they were already positioning to take full advantage of the new law which was recently signed by President Muhammadu Buhari.

Chief Executive Officer, Upstream, Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) Mr Adokiye Tombomieye, in his comments during one of the sessions, stressed that the new legislation was opening doors for new investment as International Oil Companies (IOCs) are set to take Final Investment Decision (FID) on five major projects.

He listed the Owowo project, the Bonga South West project , Bonga North-Shell, Kowe and Aparo as some of the upstream sector deals due to come on stream in Nigeria’s oil and gas industry in 2022.

Group General Manager (GGM) National Petroleum Investment Management Services (NAPIMS), Mr. Bala Wunti, who represented Tombomieye on one of the panels, stated that the five exploration projects were suspended following uncertainty over the passage of then bill, which had lingered for close to two decades.

“The PIA has terminated sustained decline in activities from 1999 till date,” he explained.

While the Bonga South-west and Aparo 2250, 000bpd are operated by Shell Nigeria Exploration and Production Company, SNEPCo; Shell’s Bonga North is a 100,000bpd offshore deepwater project.

“Life is back in Nigeria’s oil and industry with more activities and jobs to be created by PIA,” an excited Wunti stated.

RELATIVE GAINS

Executive Secretary, NCDMB, Mr Simbi Wabote, in his intervention, said the Nigerian oil and gas industry spent approximately $20.4 billion between 2016 and 2020, particularly in key areas such as engineering, procurement, fabrication, project management, and services.

Themed: “Driving Nigerian Content in the New Dawn of the Petroleum Industry Act (PAI)”, during the programme, he hinted that the aggregate industry spend was captured from the projects covered by the Board’s Monitoring and Evaluation Directorate.

The computation, he said was part of a checkpoint review of the implementation of the Nigerian Content 10-Years Strategic Roadmap, to analyse the journey to 70 percent Nigerian content and determine the level of the various initiatives introduced by the board.

According to him, the top industry spend are $8.07 billion on fabrication representing 39 per cent of spend; $4.74 billion on engineering services, representing 23 per cent of spend, and $5.67 billion on procurement of manufactured materials, representing 28 per cent of spend.

He listed the low spend areas to include $1.18 billion on services representing 6 per cent of spend and $746 million on project management representing 4 percent of spend, confirming that the aggregated level of Nigerian content across the five categories is 42 per cent.

Noting that the Nigerian Content performance in engineering remains above the 70 percent target, Wabote said areas of focus included fabrication and procurement of materials if the industry is to realise the 70 percent target by 2027.

He added: “That is why we are keen to ensure that the established in-country fabrication yards are utilised for sanctioned projects such as NLNG Train-7 as well as drive local manufacturing of goods such as chemicals, hardware, spares, accessories, and other consumables via our commercial venture partnerships and our oil and gas industrial parks.

“Overall, we believe we are on track towards the 70 per cent Nigerian content target but we will need the support of all industry stakeholders to make it happen.”

He listed other plans of the board for 2022 to include the completion of the engineering design of Brass Island Shipyard and commencement of roadshows to secure investment partners.

Other scheduled programmes, according to him, include the commissioning of the 2,000 barrels per day Atlantic Modular Refinery in Brass and commissioning of the 400,000 per year Rungas LPG composite cylinder manufacturing plant in Polaku, Bayelsa State.

Wabote stated that the board also plans to commission the 48,000 litres per day base oil production plant located in Omagwa Rivers State and commission the 30MMscf Nedo gas processing plant and the 300MMscfd gas hub tied to the OB-3 pipeline in Kwale, Delta state.

SYLVA’S TAKE

Also speaking on how the PIA is a game-changer for the industry, Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Timipre Sylva, noted that the signing of the that Act would enable rapid development of projects in the Nigerian oil and gas industry.

He stressed that new projects were needed in the industry to increase the nation’s production volume, grow national revenues, engage the local supply chain, create more employment for Nigerians and promote national security.

He also hinted that the recent conclusion of bid rounds for marginal fields was part of federal government’s determination to reinvigorate the local content in the production side of the business and open a basket of opportunities for local capacities across the industry value chain.

The minister who was represented by the Director Human Resources, Dr. Famous Eseduwo charged NCDMB to continue on its upward trajectory, focused on the implementation of the Nigerian Content 10-Year Strategic Roadmap to grow Nigerian content to the targeted level of 70 per cent by 2027.

FUTURE OF LOCAL CONTENT

Industry players believe that the local content Act is a vital instrument that empowers Nigerian companies to contribute tremendously towards the development of the Nigerian economy by encouraging value addition and job opportunities.

With the Act making it mandatory for any foreignowned company seeking to carry out operations in the upstream sector of the economy to do so by involving Nigerians in the composition of the company, many indigenous companies are now major players in that sector The Act has been fundamental to the promotion of the development of indigenous capacity in the Nigeria oil and gas sector. Now in combination with the PIA, which will complement it, it is expected that the 2027 target for 70 per cent Nigerian content will remain on course. By 2027, Nigeria expects to achieve 70% local content.

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BUSINESSWORLD

Pernod Ricard Sensitises Drivers on Dangers of Alcohol Misuse Gilbert Ekugbe Pernod Ricard Nigeria has embarked on a nationwide sensitisation programme to educate drivers especially commercial drivers on the dangers of drinking and driving in the country.

The Managing Director, Pernod Ricard Western Africa, Sola Oke, explained that the campaign tagged ‘Safe Roads’ is part of the organisation’s sustainability and responsibility roadmap under its responsible hosting pillar, which aims at fighting alcohol misuse in the society by acting on harmful drinking.

Speaking at the campaign launch held at the Ojota New Garage bus park in Lagos, which he said is targeted at commercial drivers, Oke stated that as an organisation, it is committed to ensuring that customers understand the need for responsible drinking and the dangers associated with alcohol misuse specifically for drivers.

“As we are all aware, road traffic injuries and deaths have become one of the growing public health problems in Nigeria. Among the causes of road accidents is driving under the influence of alcohol, also called drink-driving. It is basically the misuse of alcohol and is a major risk factor for road accidents. It is against this background that we at Pernod Ricard Nigeria have decided to kickstart this initiative,” he said.

He added: “The campaign is being implemented in partnership with the Federal Road Service Corps (FRSC), with the aim of helping drivers understand the negative effects of alcohol misuse, and to

promote responsible and positive choices especially in this festive season where a lot of commuters would be traveling out of Lagos to various places and putting our lives in the hands of our drivers.”

In admonishing the commercial drivers at the event, Assistant State Commander, Nigeria Drug Law and Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) Lagos Command, Mrs Titilope Ogunluyi stated, “Our drivers are very important, because the lives of passengers are in their hands while they drive. As we know, alcohol is meant to be for pleasure and socializing, not when we’re at work. Even then, it is supposed to be taken in moderation, which varies from individual to individual. We are therefore appealing to our drivers, to abstain totally from alcohol while driving.”

The Zonal Commanding officer FRSC, Anthony E. Daudu commented on the necessity of responsible driving and road safety for all.

“Driving is a very serious business, which is why the FRSC has made it mandatory that if you must start driving, then you must be trained for it; so that you do not cause colossal damage to yourself and to others.

I think this is a very timely and laudable campaign, and the FRSC is in total support of this program,” he said.

Also speaking, Akin-George Fashola representing the Honourable Commissioner for Transportation, expressed his gratitude to Pernod Ricard, and urged other corporate bodies to emulate the actions of Pernod Ricard.

NEWS

FAAN Collaborates withPEBEC onCapacity Building for Stakeholders The Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), in collaboration with the Enabling Business Environment Secretariat of the Presidential Enabling Business Environment Council (PEBEC) has organised a training program for leaders and frontline officers of major stakeholders at the airports.

The training program is aimed at continuous sensitization of the stakeholders and building capacity for airport personnel on the need to

always give the best quality services possible to passengers and other airport users.

Delivering the welcome address, the MD/CE of FAAN, Captain Rabiu Yadudu enjoined participants to always display the highest level of discipline and professionalism in the line of duty.

He added that airport officials are ambassadors of the nation, and should see and conduct

themselves in like manner.

Furthermore, Captain Yadudu reminded participants that as heads of their various agencies, they are expected to take the message back to their personnel in the interest of the nation.

He noted that the Federal Government is taking seriously issues of extortion and corruption at the nation’s airports, and any official caught perpetuating any untoward act will henceforth be

apprehended and sanctioned accordingly.

In her remarks, the Special Adviser to the President on Ease of Doing Business, Dr (Mrs.) Jumoke Oduwole noted that inefficiency and corruption are the banes of socio-economic development in the nation.

She charged participants to shun indiscipline, corruption and extortion, as such acts are capable of tarnishing the image of the nation.

FMEIL,GARB Signs Strategic Investment Partnership to BoostAudience Management in Nigeria Oluchi Chibuzor First Media and Entertainment Integrated Nigeria Limited (FMEIL) and GARB, a Bulgaria’s Audience Measurement Service provider, has entered into a strategic partnership for the establishment of Africa’s 2nd Audience measured media market.

This according to the company is in line with the Federal Government’s commitment to deepen advertising

and improve on the ecosystem in Nigeria.

Speaking on the latest investment, the Chairman of First Media and Entertainment Integrated Nigeria Limited (FMEIL), Rotimi Pedro stated that the firm was seeking to be an enabler of media investment in Nigeria. He hinted that the Advertising Practitioners Council of Nigeria (APCON) and the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC)

had earlier in the year appointed FMEIL as Nigeria’s sole Audience Measurement service provider. According to him, in order to achieve a First-Class service delivery on all media platforms, FMEIL has engaged the services of GARB Audience Measurement, a Television Audience Measurement (TAM) company based in Bulgaria as her technical partner.

Pedro noted that owing to

GARB’s past success stories of audience measurement projects and its technical ‘know-how’ “and considering that this national project will require the best and most practical technical solution.

“In addition to this technical partnership, GARB Audience Measurement JSC, will be taking a majority stake in, and will also be directly investing as one of the stakeholders in FMEIL.

‘Unbanked Nigerians Can be Captured Through Fintech’ Oluchi Chibuzor The Chief Operating Officer of Microvest, Mr Rob Okiyi, has said millions of unbanked Nigerians can be captured through fintech companies in the country.

This is as he urged the government to support fintech companies through tax holidays, considering their economic importance in reducing unemployment.

Speaking as part of Microvest’s

launch activities held recently, he said: “A tax holiday is something the government can consider for start-up Fintech companies. And who says the government cannot invest in Fintech? I think regulation should not stifle the industry and the government should avoid levying them heavy taxes initially.

“Besides, the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has been preaching financial inclusion, but there is still a large unbanked population.

They can leverage Fintech to get to these people. There are facets of fintech that can be used to access the unbanked.”

Okiyi said Microvest is offering an alternative saving and investment platform that is credible.

“Most people have savings with traditional banks, but we’re providing a platform where you can save and earn interest towards a particular goal. Instead of having money deducted from

your account, you are rewarded for saving with us; We are encouraging financial discipline while giving people an opportunity to grow with us,” he said.

Microvest’s products, he said, include MiSafe, which avails users the opportunity to make untenured contributions, accessible at any time for withdrawals; and MiTarget, a contribution variant designed for saving towards a project.

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TUESDAY DECEMBER 14, 2021 •T H I S D AY

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TUESDAY DECEMBER 14, 2021 •T H I S D AY

T H I S D AY ˾ TUESDAY DECEMBER 14, 2021

IMAGES

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Photo Editor Abiodun Ajala Email abiodun.ajala@thisdaylive.com

L-R: Commissioner for Insurance, Sunday Thomas; Managing Director, Mutual Benefits Assurance Plc, Femi Asenuga; and Consultant to Mutual Benefits Assurance, Pastor Gbenga Ogunko, during the visit of the commissioner to Mutual Benefits Retail Plaza in Mushin, Lagos... recently

L-R: Supply Chain Director, Guinness Nigeria Plc, Isaac Tosu; Corporate Relations Director, Guinness Nigeria Plc, Rotimi Odusola; British Deputy High Commissioner to Nigeria, Mr. Ben Llewellyn-Jones; President, Diageo Africa, John O’Keeffe; and Managing Director, Guinness Nigeria Plc, Baker Magunda, during the inauguration of the Guinness Nigeria’s new production line for spirits at the Ogba Brewery in Lagos...recently

L-R: Member, Coalition of Progressive Youth Groups in Nigeria and Diaspora (COPY-ND), Jonathan Lokopobiri; Director-General, COPY-ND, Aminu Isyaku; and member, COPY-ND, Mr. Solomon Faseun, at a press briefing by COPY-ND groups on APC leadership matter in Abuja...recently PHOTO: ENOCK REUBEN

L-R: Parade Commander, Mr. Lawal Olalekun; Chief Executive Officer, Lagos State Law Enforcement Training Institute (LETI), Dr. Adegboyega Bajulaiye; Permanent Secretary, Office of the Chief of Staff to the Governor, Mr. Lawal Musa; and the law enforcement officers at the passing out parade for the year 2021 in-service mandatory training for law enforcement officers in Magodo, Lagos...recently PHOTO: ETOP UKUTT

L-R: Chairman, Niger State Council of Traditional Rulers, Etsu Nupe, Alhaji Yahaya Abubakar; Vice President Yemi Osinbajo; Governor of Niger State, Dr. Abubakar Bello; and state Deputy Governor, Ahmed Mohammed, during the turbaning of a member of House of Representative, Saidu Musa Abdullahi, as the Gwarzon Nupe, at the emir’s palace in Bida, Niger State...recently

L-R: Chairman, GHI Assets Limited, Olufemi Adefope; Lagos State Commissioner for Tourism, Arts and Culture, Mrs. Uzamat Akinbile-Yusuf; organisers, Akwaaba Africa Travel Market 2021, Ikechi Uko and Princess Adenike Adedoyin, during the Lagos State Day at the Akwaaba African Travel Market held in Victoria Island, Lagos...recently

L-R: Dairy Development Director, Royal FrieslandCampina, Mrs. Yvonne vanderVorst; General Counsel and Global Director, Legal and Business Conduct, Royal FrieslandCampina, Mrs. Marieke Spenkelink; Director, Veterinary Services, Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, Dr. Peter Umanah; Executive Director, Corporate Affairs, FrieslandCampina WAMCO, Mrs. Ore Famurewa; and Dairy Development Director, FrieslandCampina WAMCO, Mr. Joel Ariori, at the FrieslandCampina FDOV Technical Conference with the theme: ‘Dairy4Growth Nigeria’, held in Ibadan, Oyo State…recently

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TUESDAY, DECEMBER 14, 2021 ˾ T H I S D AY

FOREIGN DESK

COMPILED BY BAYO AKINLOYE

Residents: Tigray Rebels Recaptured Lalibela, UNESCO Heritage Site Residents of the Ethiopian town of Lalibela, a UN World Heritage site, say Tigray rebels have captured the area from federal forces for a second time.

Town residents who spoke to Reuters said the rebel forces captured Lalibela on Sunday, following the exit of Ethiopian troops.

The eyewitnesses say that for reasons that are unknown, government soldiers began to leave Lalibela Saturday night, and they heard an exchange of fire from a distance.

Neither the Ethiopian government nor the Tigray forces have commented on the situation in Lalibela.

However, AFP has reported that the TPLF has launched attacks on many towns around Lalibela. TPLF affiliated media also report an engagement with Ethiopian forces around the Gashena area, 59 kilometres from Lalibela.

Several People Killed in Sicily Explosion Rescuers were pulling out bodies on Monday from the rubble of houses destroyed by a suspected gas explosion on Saturday in the Sicilian town of Ravanusa, with the national fire service confirming at least seven people had died in the incident.

According to Reuters, sniffer dogs found four bodies in the early morning hours, including a nurse who was nine months pregnant, and firefighters and men from the Civil Protection Department were extracting them from the wreckage.

Three bodies were found in the night between Saturday and Sunday, and two people are still missing, a spokesman for the national fire service said on RAI NEW24 television.

In the explosion late on Saturday, four houses collapsed, and another three were damaged, authorities said, adding the blast was likely triggered by a gas leak from the town’s pipes, although an investigation was underway to ascertain the cause.

Ravanusa is a town of about 11,000 people near the southwestern Sicilian city of Agrigento, which is famous for its Greek temples.

UN: Afghanistan Needs Financial Support Before 2021 Ends UN humanitarian chief Martin Griffiths says Afghanistan needs flexible and sustained international funding before the end of this year to prevent the further collapse of the economy, and he will press the United States to help during meetings in Washington next week.

“What we have become very painfully aware of in recent weeks is that the freefall of the economy is much more violent, severe and urgent than we feared,” Griffiths told VOA recently. “We thought we would manage to survive the winter with pure humanitarian assistance. We now know it’s not enough. We need more.”

Over the past two decades, Afghanistan’s economy has heavily depended on foreign aid to survive. Some 75% of the former government’s budget was donor-funded, as was 40 per cent of its GDP. Since the Taliban took over on August 15, the suspension of most international aid has contributed to the breakdown in most basic services, including electricity, health services and education.

Austria Ends Three-week COVID-19 Lockdown A wide range of businesses reopened to the public in Austria Monday, one day after

authorities ended recent national lockdown restrictions to battle the latest surge of COVID-19 infections. The lockdown had been imposed last month.

Under the revised rules, however, unvaccinated people will still be restricted from leaving their homes except for work or essential business, such as grocery shopping or doctors’ visits.

As of Sunday, theatres, museums and holiday markets were allowed to reopen, although some regions chose to stagger their reopening. Vienna, for example, will let cafes and restaurants fully reopen next week.

In all cases, there will be an 11 p.m. curfew for restaurants, and masks will still be required on public transportation and inside stores and public spaces.

Austria’s Health Ministry says the lockdown appears to have worked. As of Monday, officials cited 332 cases per 100,000 residents, down significantly from 1,102 per 100,000 people when the lockdown began. Officials said that hospitalisations remain high, having dropped only slightly in recent weeks.

UK Records First Omicron Death Britain has recorded its first death from the omicron variant of the coronavirus.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced the death Monday, the day after he warned during a nationally televised speech that Britain was facing a “tidal wave” of new infections from omicron.

Johnson announced his government was launching a campaign to get everyone in the country a third shot of the COVID-19 vaccine by New Year’s Eve, accelerating his previous deadline by a full month.

The prime minister said that more than 40 military planning teams would be deployed across the country to establish vaccination centres and ordered primary doctors, known in Britain as general practitioners, or GPs, to postpone appointments for routine medical procedures to help meet the goal of vaccinating 1 million people a day.

The government raised the COVID-19 alert level Sunday before Johnson’s speech from level three to level four – its second-highest — warning that omicron is spreading much faster than the delta variant, which would overwhelm the National Health Service with the new

case. Recent studies suggest a third dose is more effective in preventing infections from omicron than the standard two-dose regimen.

Hong Kong Jails Media Tycoon for Participating in Candlelight Vigil Media tycoon and prominent prodemocracy activist Jimmy Lai was sentenced Monday to 13 months in jail for participating in an unauthorised candlelight vigil commemorating the 1989 Tiananmen Square massacre.

Lai and two other activists, lawyer Chow Hang Tung and former reporter Gwyneth Ho, were convicted last Thursday of “incitement to knowingly take part in an unauthorised assembly” by participating in the event last year. On Monday, Tung received a 12-month sentence, while Ho was sentenced to six months.

The three were among eight people who were tried for either organising, participating in or inciting others to attend the June 4, 2020 event. The five other activists also received jail sentences Monday ranging from four to 14 months, including Lee Cheuk-yan, leader of the now-defunct Hong Kong Alliance in Support of Patriotic Democratic Movements of China, which organised the assembly.

South Korea to Join Regional Free Trade Pact South Korea says it will formally apply to join a regional free trade agreement to boost trade and expand its presence in the global economy.

Finance Minister Hong Nam-ki said Monday that Seoul had begun the process to join the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP). It was formed in 2018 as a successor to the Trans-Pacific Partnership negotiated during the administration of former US President Barack Obama to blunt China’s growing economic clout in the region. His successor, Donald Trump, withdrew the US from the TPP shortly after taking office in 2017.

Signatories to the CPTPP include Canada, Australia, Brunei, Chile, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, Peru and Singapore.

Blinken in Indonesia to Discuss US Approach to Region US Secretary of State Antony Blinken is

in Jakarta on a 48-hour visit that includes talks with leaders about US-Indonesia collaboration and a speech about the Biden administration’s wider policy aims for the region.

Blinken met Monday with Indonesian President Joko Widodo as the top US diplomat made the first of three stops in southeast Asia this week.

State Department spokesman Ned Price said Blinken and Widodo discussed ways to boost the U.S.-Indonesia relationship, as well as “address challenges to democracy and human rights, as well as the climate crisis and the COVID-19 pandemic.”

“The secretary congratulated the president on Indonesia’s G-20 presidency and expressed support for Indonesia’s leadership in the Indo-Pacific as the world’s third-largest democracy and a strong proponent of the rules-based international order,” Price said in a statement, adding that Blinken also “reiterated the US commitment to ASEAN centrality.”

Blinken also plans to go to Malaysia and Thailand in the coming days to reinforce ties with allies and promote freedom of navigation in the South China Sea. Court Jails Danish Ex-minister for Separating Couples Seeking Asylum In a landmark impeachment trial, a former Danish immigration minister has been found guilty of illegally separating young asylum-seeking couples, reports BBC. Judges ruled Inger Stoejberg’s decision in 2016 to separate couples was unlawful and jailed her for 60 days.

Ms Stoejberg said she was very surprised by the verdict as the policy was designed to combat child marriage.

The case was Denmark’s first impeachment trial in three decades and only the sixth in its history.

“It’s not just me who has lost but Danish values have lost too,” she told reporters outside the court, adding that she would accept her punishment but had no regrets.

Between 2015 to 2019, Ms Stoejberg served as Denmark’s immigration minister in a centre-right government propped up by the right-wing populist Danish People’s Party.

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T H I S D AY ˾ ˜ DECEMBER 14, 2021

BUSINESS/MONEYGUIDE

CBN Solicits Organised Labour, CSOs Support for Policy Thrust to Grow Nation’s Economy Hammed Shittu ÓØ ÖÙÜÓØ Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Mr. Godwin Emefiele has solicited the support of organised labour and civil society organisations in the country for its ongoing enlightenment campaign on its five-year policy trust aimed at growing the nation’s economy.

Speaking in Ilorin, Kwara state capital during a one-day interactive enlightenment session with organised Labour and civil societies in the North central zone and FCT, Abuja, Mr. Emefiele said the CBN has embarked on various policies and interventions that had helped to stimulate the economic growth of the country.

The development, he added,

has also increase the economic activities among the people of the country, which hitherto has lifted up many businesses.

Emefiele who was represented at the event by the Director, Corporate Communications of the CBN, Mr. Osita Nwanisobi added that, “the CBN’s current effort to improve the economy prosperity has necessitated its 5-year policy thrust that need urgent enlightenment of all and sundry in the country so as to join hands with the programme” According to him, “Today, we are engaging organised Labour Labour civil society across the North central zone of the country including Federal Capital Territory (Abuja) on the 5-year policy thrust of the CBN and also to

educate them on what the CBN is doing in terms of polices and interventions.

“The engagement is also to enlist from the participants from their questions and any areas they want clarifications as a basis for us to rejig up our policies and programmes for economic prosperity of the nation.”

Emefiele noted that, “Our expectations from this gathering is for all the organised Labour, civil society and other stakeholders in Nigeria to support the CBN’s programmes and interventions and that is the main reason we are here.But much more than that, we are also saying that, there are other institutions that have to play a significant role in the economic stability of the nation.”

Commissioner for Insurance, Sunday Thomas(middle) flanked by Managing Director, Mutual Benefits Life, Demola Ifagbayi (left) and MD Mutual Benefits Assurance Plc, Femi Asenuga during the visit of the commissioner to Mutual Benefits Retail Plaza in Lagos...recently

BoI Wins SERAS Awards for Impact in Financial Inclusion The Bank of Industry (BOI) has received top honours at the just concluded Sustainability, Enterprise and Responsibility Awards also known as the SERAS CSR Awards 2021.

BOIwon the award for the ‘Best Company in Financial Inclusion’in recognition of its development impact in providing solutions to ensure that financial services are more accessible to unbanked and underbanked groups.

The Bank also received the award for ‘Best New Entry.’

Speaking on the awards, Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer, Bank of Industry, Mr. Olukayode Pitan, said; “We are honoured to be recognized for our continuous efforts and strategic investments aimed at improving financial health and inclusion within Nigeria’s business landscape and economy. We remain committed to galvanizing

more resources to scale up impact for economic, environmental and social responsibility, in line with our business strategy for sustainable development.”

He added, “These awards align with our mission of transforming Nigeria’s industrial sector through sustainable business practices as Africa’s leading Development Finance Institution operating under global best practices.”

The SERAS is Africa’s first and foremost recognition for Corporate Social Responsibility and Sustainability. Over the last 15 years, it has grown to become the gold-standard award and the most credible industry ceremony in Africa with representation from 19 African countries.

“The ‘Best Company in Financial Inclusion’ award highlights the Bank of Industry’s significant efforts in deepening financial inclusion for micro enterprises

through the development and execution of innovative financial and non-financial products that promote the use of technology and intermediaries to provide low-interest financing solutions to businesses in the informal, semi-formal and formal sectors.

He added, “The Bank remains committed to promoting sustainable development by creating long-term value through an integrated approach to social, environmental and economic development across our business operations and practices.

In October 2021, BOI became an official signatory of the UN Principles for Responsible Banking – a single framework for a sustainable banking industry developed by the United Nations Environment Programme Finance Initiative (UNEP FI), becoming the first Nigerian Development Finance Institution to do so.

Wentors Appoints Ekpo Board Member Wentors has announced Mfon Ekpo as a new member in its board.

Wentors in a statement said Ekpo is expected to bring an additional layer of expertise and insight to our work in the personal development industry.

The statement explained: “In the past year, we have worked non-stop to make sure that even more women in technology participate and are retained in the technology industry and we have done this by providing these wentees with access to expert guidance from women

in top tier organisations across the world.

“We are not in a hurry to fill up board member roles, but one thing we are intentional about doing is that as we find the people we are looking for and as the opportunity presents itself, we take it,” it added.

Ekpo, it added, had championed the cause and had received national and international recognition for helping women in Africa, Europe and the United States translate their ideas into strategic income-generating and

sustainable businesses in diverse industries including tech. It is this wealth of knowledge and expertise she brings to Wentors.

“We know as we intensify our drive to nurture women in technology everywhere, Mfon Ekpo is the right addition to the board. Mfon Ekpo, who is currently the CEO of The Discovery Centre, a training organization that specializes in developing effective and technological advanced systems, strategy and structure for organizational and individual development,” it added.

Cooperative Mortgage Bank Appoints Yusuf as New MD/CEO Kemi Olaitan ÓØ ÌËÎËØ The management of Cooperative Mortgage Bank (CMB), has announced Mr. Musa Abubakar Yusuf, as the new Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of the bank.

This is just as the bank appointed Mr Samuel Akinsete, as its Board Chairman.

Yusuf, the current Deputy Managing Director of the bank, is taking over from Mallam Kabir Ayinde-Tukur, who is retiring at the end of the year alongside the Chairman of the bank’s board, Air Vice Marshal Walter Ogujiofor

(rtd), and the board’s Audit Committee Chairman, Chief Oluwole Okunnuga, after leading the bank for a decade.

At the event to honour the retiring officials, members of staff and guests poured encomiums on the trio, especially the outgoing MD/CEO for his outstanding achievements by positioning CMB as the leading mortgage bank in the country. Business associates, family members and well-wishers, also lauded Kabir-Tukur’s dexterity in breaking barriers within the mortgage market. The outgoing MD/CEO expressed gratitude for the opportunity to lead the

bank years after training at the old Savannah Bank, noting that the resilience and dedication displayed by his administration were through divine providence and efforts of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), business associates, board members and members of staff.

The incoming MD/CEO, Yusuf, in his remarks, said his predecessor has created a solid foundation for progress and continuity, stating that the time has come to move from the most vibrant mortgage bank in Nigeria to the most vibrant financial institution in Africa while leveraging on technology and innovation.

MARKET INDICATORS MONEY AND CREDIT STATISTICS

(MILLION NAIRA)

JANUARY 2021 Money Supply (M3)

38,779,455.43

-- CBN Bills Held by Money Holding Sectors

1,039,129.55

Money Supply (M2)

37,740,325.88

-- Quasi Money

21,779,302.69

-- Narrow Money (M1)

15,961,023.19

---- Currency Outside Banks

2,364,871.13

---- Demand Deposits

13,596,152.06

Net Foreign Assets (NFA)

7,414,275.50

Net Domestic Assets(NDA)

31,365,179.93

-- Net Domestic Credit (NDC)

42,916,586.63

---- Credit to Government (Net)

12,304,773.44

---- Memo: Credit to Govt. (Net) less FMA

0.00

---- Memo: Fed. and Mirror Accounts (FMA)

0.00

---- Credit to Private Sector (CPS)

30,611,813.19

--Other Assets Net

3,892,112.74

Reserve Money (Base Money

13,264,585.14

--Currency in Circulation

2,831,167.19

--Banks Reserves --Special Intervention Reserves

10,433,417.96 317,234.17

˾ ÙßÜÍÏ ̋

Money Market Indicators (in Percentage) Month

March 2018

Inter-Bank Call Rate

15.16

Minimum Rediscount Rate (MRR) Monetary Policy Rate (MPR)

14.00

Treasury Bill Rate

11.84

Savings Deposit Rate

4.07

1 Month Deposit Rate

8.82

3 Months Deposit Rate

9.72

6 Months Deposit Rate

10.93

12 Months Deposit Rate

10.21

Prime Lending rate

17.35

Maximum Lending Rate

31.55

˾ ÙØÏÞËÜã ÙÖÓÍã ËÞÏ ̋ ͯͱϱ

OPEC DAILY BASKET PRICE ˜ ͵

The OPEC Reference Basket of Crudes (ORB) is made up of the following: Saharan Blend (Algeria), Girassol (Angola), Djeno (Congo), Zafiro (Equatorial Guinea), Rabi Light (Gabon), Iran Heavy (Islamic Republic of Iran), Basra Light (Iraq), Kuwait Export (Kuwait), Es Sider (Libya), Bonny Light (Nigeria), Arab Light (Saudi Arabia), Murban (UAE) and Merey (Venezuela).

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Nigeria’s Green Bond Market Exceeds N55Bn Mark as NGX Targets More Issuances Kayode Tokede Nigerian Exchange Limited (NGX) yesterday announced that the value of Nigeria’s green bonds market has grown to N55.52 billion within 2017 and 2021.

The Chief Executive Officer, NGX, Temi Popoola CFA, disclosed this during the Sustainable Finance Training 2021 hosted by NGX in collaboration with the International Finance Corporation (IFC).

He added that The Exchange is committed to fostering the growth of sustainable financial products, which integrate the financial risks and opportunities associated with climate change and other environmental challenges.

Popoola in his opening remarks said Sub-Saharan Africa is the least responsible for global climate change but remains one of the most vulnerable to the risk posed by climate change.

Citing the World Meteorological

P R I C E S MAIN BOARD

F O R

DEALS

Organization State of the Climate in Africa Report 2020, he stated that the investment in climate adaptation for Sub-Saharan Africa would cost between $30 to $50 billion each year over the next decade, or roughly two to three per cent of GDP. He revealed that the limited flow of climate finance remains a major issue for the implementation of mitigation and adaptation actions in Africa particularly Nigeria. He further stated, “In

S E C U R I T I E S

MARKET PRICE

QUANTITY TRADED

VALUE TRADED ( N )

recognition of the climate finance needs particularly in Nigeria and the urgent action required to combat climate change as well as its impact as enshrined in the Paris Agreement on Climate Change, NGX in 2016 conceptualized and developed the Green Bond Product Paper which was embraced and championed by the Debt Management Office and the Federal Ministry of Environment.

“This effort led to the issuance of the maiden N10.69

T R A D E D MAIN BOARD

A S

billion ($25.8 million) 13.48 per cent 5-year green bond in 2017 to fund projects to develop renewable energy. This was sequel to the ratification of the Paris Climate Agreement by the Federal Government of Nigeria which necessitated the need for long term capital to fulfill Nigeria’s Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) in reducing greenhouse gas emissions and ending gas flaring by 2030.”

“The second tranche, N15

O F

billion ($36.1 million) 14.5 per cent 7-year Green Bond was issued in June 2019and was over-subscribed. The sovereign issuance paved way for corporate green bond market to emerge with N15 billion ($36.1 million) 15.5 per cent 5-year Fixed Rate Senior Unsecured Green Bond

by Access Bank and N8.5 billion ($20.5 million) 15.6 per cent 15-year Guaranteed Fixed Rate Senior Green Infrastructure Bond

by North South Power Company.

1 1 / 1 2 / 2 0 2 1 DEALS

MARKET PRICE

QUANTITY TRADED

VALUE TRADED ( N)

40

TUESDAY, ͹ͼ˜ ͺ͸ͺ͹ ˾ T H I S D AY

Tuesday, December 14, 2021

dŚŝƐĚĂLJ ĨƌŝŶǀĞƐƚ ϰϬ /ŶĚĞdž ĨĞůů ďLJ ϭϰďƉƐ dŚŝƐĚĂLJ ĨƌŝŶǀĞƐƚ ϰϬ /ŶĚĞdž ƌŽƐĞ ϭϰďƉƐ dŚĞ dŚŝƐĚĂLJ ĨƌŝŶǀĞƐƚ ϰϬ /ŶĚĞdž ĚĞĐůŝŶĞĚ ďLJ ϭϰďƉƐ ƚŽ ƐĞƩůĞ dŚĞ dŚŝƐĚĂLJ ĨƌŝŶǀĞƐƚ ϰϬ /ŶĚĞdž ƌĞĐŽƌĚĞĚ ϴďƉƐ ŐĂŝŶ ƚŽ

THISDAY AFRINVEST 40 INDEX

Ăƚ ϭ͕ϲϳϰ͘ϴϵ ƉŽŝŶƚƐ ĚƵĞ ƚŽ ƐĞůůͲƉƌĞƐƐƵƌĞ ŽŶ E/d, ;ͲϬ͘ϲйͿ͕ ĐůŽƐĞ Ăƚ ϭ͕ϴϲϮ͘ϭϰ ƉŽŝŶƚƐ ŽŶ ƚŚĞ ďĂĐŬ ŽĨ ďƵLJŝŶŐ ŝŶƚĞƌĞƐƚ t W K ;Ͳϭ͘ϯйͿ͕ ;нϭ͘ϮйͿ͕ ĂŶĚ h DdEE ;ͲϬ͘ϳйͿ͘ dŚĞƐĞ ƐƚŽĐŬƐ ĐƵŵƵůĂͲ ŝŶ E' D ;нϳ͘ϬйͿ͕ ĂŶĚ t W K

Fundamental Performance Metrics for THISDAY AFRINVEST 40 Index

ƟǀĞůLJ ĂĐĐŽƵŶƚ ĨŽƌ ϭϯ͘Ϯй͘ ;нϬ͘ϲйͿ͘ dŚĞƐĞ ƐƚŽĐŬƐ ĐƵŵƵůĂƟǀĞůLJ ĂĐĐŽƵŶƚ ĨŽƌ ϭϰ͘ϵй ŽĨ ƚŚĞ ŝŶĚĞdž͘ ^/ ƵƉ ϭϭďƉƐ ĂƐ E' D 'ĂŝŶƐ ϯ͘ϯй

zĞƐƚĞƌĚĂLJ͕ ƉƌŝĐĞ ƵƉƟĐŬ ŝŶ ,KEz&>KhZ ĞůůǁĞƚŚĞƌƐ ŽŽƐƚ WĞƌĨŽƌŵĂŶĐĞ ŽŶ >ŽĐĂů ŽƵƌƐĞ͘​͘​͘ ^/ ;нϵ͘ϴйͿ͕ ƵƉ ϭ͘ϯй E' D ;нϯ͘ϯйͿ͕ ĂŶĚ & E, ;нϬ͘ϳйͿ ďŽůͲ ƐƚĞƌĞĚ ƉŽƐŝƟǀĞ ƉĞƌĨŽƌŵĂŶĐĞ ŽŶ ƚŚĞ ůŽĐĂů ďŽƵƌƐĞ ĂƐ ƚŚĞ ůůͲ

dŚĞ ůŽĐĂů ďŽƵƌƐĞ ĐŽŵŵĞŶĐĞĚ ƚŚĞ ǁĞĞŬ ŽŶ Ă ƉŽƐŝƟǀĞ ^ŚĂƌĞ

ŝŶĚĞdž

ƌŽƐĞ

ďLJ

ŶŽƚĞ͕ ĨƵĞůĞĚ ďLJ ŐĂŝŶƐ ŝŶ DdEE ;нϳ͘ϭйͿ͕ E' D ϭϭďƉƐ ƚŽ ϯϵ͕ϱϱϬ͘ϯϲ ƉŽŝŶƚƐ͘ ŽŶƐĞƋƵĞŶƚůLJ͕ zd ůŽƐƐ ŝŵͲ

;нϭ͘ϮйͿ͕ ĂŶĚ E/d, ;нϭ͘ϴйͿ͘ dŚƵƐ͕ ƚŚĞ E'y ůůͲ^ŚĂƌĞ ƉƌŽǀĞĚ ƚŽ Ͳϭ͘ϴй ǁŚŝůĞ ŵĂƌŬĞƚ ĐĂƉŝƚĂůŝƐĂƟŽŶ ƌŽƐĞ ďLJ

/ŶĚĞdž ƌŽƐĞ ϭ͘ϯй ƚŽ ϰϮ͕ϰϭϭ͘ϭϮ ƉŽŝŶƚƐ͘ ĐĐŽƌĚŝŶŐůLJ͕ zd േϮϯ͘ϰďŶ ƚŽ േϮϬ͘ϲƚŶ͘ dƌĂĚŝŶŐ ĂĐƟǀŝƚLJ ǁĂƐ ŵŝdžĞĚ ĂƐ ǀŽůƵŵĞ

ƌĞƚƵƌŶ ŝŵƉƌŽǀĞĚ ƚŽ ϱ͘ϯй ǁŚŝůĞ ŵĂƌŬĞƚ ĐĂƉŝƚĂůŝƐĂƟŽŶ ƚƌĂĚĞĚ ĚĞĐůŝŶĞĚ ďLJ Ϯϭ͘ϲй ƚŽ ϭϭϬ͘ϴŵ ƵŶŝƚƐ ǁŚŝůĞ ǀĂůƵĞ

ŐĂŝŶĞĚ േϮϳϱ͘ϲďŶ ƚŽ േϮϮ͘ϭƚŶ͘ dƌĂĚŝŶŐ ĂĐƟǀŝƚLJ ǁĞĂŬĞŶĞĚ ƚƌĂĚĞĚ ƌŽƐĞ ďLJ ϴϴ͘ϱй ƚŽ േϯ͘ϭďŶ͘ dŚĞ ŵŽƐƚ ƚƌĂĚĞĚ ƐƚŽĐŬƐ ĂƐ ǀŽůƵŵĞ ĂŶĚ ǀĂůƵĞ ƚƌĂĚĞĚ ĨĞůů ϰϴ͘ϰй ĂŶĚ ϯ͘ϵй ƌĞƐƉĞĐͲ ďLJ ǀŽůƵŵĞ ǁĞƌĞ dZ E^ KZW ;ϭϭ͘ϵŵ ƵŶŝƚƐͿ͕ & E, ;ϭϭ͘ϭŵ ƟǀĞůLJ ƚŽ ϮϮϵ͘ϲŵ ƵŶŝƚƐ ĂŶĚ േϯ͘ϯďŶ͘ hE/dz E< ;ϰϴ͘ϯŵ ƵŶŝƚƐͿ͕ ĂŶĚ K E K ;ϳ͘ϯŵ ƵŶŝƚƐͿ ǁŚŝůĞ E ^d> ;േϮ͘ϮďŶͿ͕ ƵŶŝƚƐͿ͕ hE/s/E^hZ ;Ϯϭ͘ϭŵ ƵŶŝƚƐͿ͕ ĂŶĚ & E, ;ϭϵ͘ϵŵ E' D ;േϭϰϱ͘ϬŵͿ͕ ĂŶĚ 'd K ;േϭϯϰ͘ϴŵͿ ůĞĚ ďLJ ǀĂůƵĞ͘ ƵŶŝƚƐͿ ůĞĚ ďLJ ǀŽůƵŵĞ ǁŚŝůĞ E ^d> ;േϴϰϲ͘ϴŵͿ͕

E' D ;േϳϰϲ͘ϬŵͿ͕ ĂŶĚ 'd K ;േϯϯϲ͘ϴŵͿ ůĞĚ ďLJ ĞĂƌŝƐŚ ^ĞĐƚŽƌ WĞƌĨŽƌŵĂŶĐĞ

ǀĂůƵĞ͘ ĐƌŽƐƐ ƐĞĐƚŽƌƐ ƵŶĚĞƌ ŽƵƌ ĐŽǀĞƌĂŐĞ͕ ƉĞƌĨŽƌŵĂŶĐĞ ǁĂƐ

ďĞĂƌŝƐŚ ĂƐ ϰ ŝŶĚŝĐĞƐ ůŽƐƚ͕ ϭ ŝŶĚĞdž ŐĂŝŶĞĚ ǁŚŝůĞ ƚŚĞ &ZͲ/ d

ĞĂƌŝƐŚ ^ĞĐƚŽƌ WĞƌĨŽƌŵĂŶĐĞ

ŝŶĚĞdž ƌĞŵĂŝŶĞĚ ŇĂƚ͘ dŽƉƉŝŶŐ ƚŚĞ ůĂŐŐĂƌĚƐ ĂƌĞ ƚŚĞ ŽŶƐƵŵͲ

ĐƌŽƐƐ ŽƵƌ ĂŶĚ ƐĞĐƚŽƌ ĐŽǀĞƌĂŐĞ͕ ƉĞƌĨŽƌŵĂŶĐĞ Ğƌ 'ŽŽĚƐ /ŶƐƵƌĂŶĐĞ ŝŶĚŝĐĞƐ͕ ĚŽǁŶ ǁĂƐ ϰ͘ϲй ďĞĂƌͲ ĂŶĚ ϭ͘Ϯй ƌĞƐƉĞĐƟǀĞůLJ ŽŶ ƚŚĞ ďĂĐŬ ŽĨ ƉƌŽĮƚͲƚĂŬŝŶŐ ŝŶ E ^d> ;Ͳ ŝƐŚ ĂƐ ϰ ŝŶĚŝĐĞƐ ůŽƐƚ ǁŚŝůĞ Ϯ ĂĚǀĂŶĐĞĚ͘ dŚĞ &ZͲ ϵ͘ϭйͿ͕ ;Ͳϯ͘ϱйͿ͕ ŝŶĚŝĐĞƐ >/E< ^^hZ ;Ͳϲ͘ϰйͿ͕ / d ĂŶĚ hE/> s Z /ŶĚƵƐƚƌŝĂů 'ŽŽĚƐ ŐĂŝŶĞĚ ϯ͘ϱй ĂŶĚ ĂŶĚ D E^ Z ;ͲϮ͘ϮйͿ͘ ^ŝŵŝůĂƌůLJ͕ ƚŚĞ Kŝů Θ 'ĂƐ ĂŶĚ ĂŶŬͲ Ϭ͘ϳй ƌĞƐƉĞĐƟǀĞůLJ ŽŶ ƚŚĞ ďĂĐŬ ŽĨ ƉƌŝĐĞ ĂƉƉƌĞĐŝĂƟŽŶ ŝŶ ŝŶŐ ŝŶĚŝĐĞƐ ĨĞůů ďLJ Ϭ͘Ϯй ĂŶĚ ϮďƉƐ ƌĞƐƉĞĐƟǀĞůLJ ĚƵĞ ƚŽ ƐĞůůͲ DdEE ;нϳ͘ϭйͿ͕ E' D ;нϭ͘ϮйͿ͕ ĂŶĚ t W K ŽīƐ ŝŶ K E K ;ͲϬ͘ϴйͿ͕ E/d, ;ͲϬ͘ϮйͿ͕ ĂŶĚ 'd K ;ͲϬ͘ϮйͿ͘ ;нϬ͘ϲйͿ͘ >ĞĂĚŝŶŐ ƚŚĞ ůĂŐŐĂƌĚƐ͕ ƚŚĞ Kŝů Θ 'ĂƐ ŝŶĚĞdž

Ticker

THISDAY AFRINVEST 40

1,862.14

0.14%

955.00

0.0%

33.5%

74.50

0.0%

10.3%

-3.7%

26.00

-1.9%

7.1%

-19.6%

1 Airtel Africa PLC 2 BUA Cement Plc 3 Guaranty Trust Holding Co PLC 4 Zenith Bank PLC 5 Dangote Cement PLC 6 MTN Nigeria Communications PLC 7 Nestle Nigeria PLC

ƵƉ

ϭ͘ϴй

ĚƌŝǀĞŶ

ďLJ

ƉƌŝĐĞ

ĂƉƉƌĞĐŝĂͲ

Price Change Index to Date

ROE

ROA

P/E

5.0x

P/BV

Divindend Earnings Yield Yield

26.9%

86.2%

15.0%

3.5%

12.1%

12.1%

14.7%

5.2%

0.8x

5.3%

-3.7%

19.1%

11.2%

35.8x

6.7x

-19.6%

24.8%

3.9%

3.9x

1.0x

11.3%

25.4% 29.4%

2.8%

25.05

-1.8%

6.5%

1.0%

1.0%

20.9%

2.8%

3.4x

0.7x

12.0%

1.2%

6.0%

4.1%

4.1%

40.4%

16.7%

12.7x

4.9x

6.3%

7.9%

186.80

7.0%

5.1%

9.9%

9.9%

179.2%

14.1%

13.5x

20.4x

5.6%

7.4%

1,395.00

0.0%

3.5%

-7.3%

-7.3%

106.8%

15.6%

27.1x

31.8x

4.3%

3.7%

25.00

0.6%

3.8%

18.8%

18.8%

11.6%

8.4%

9.3x

1.0x

4.0%

10.7%

9.10

-0.5%

2.9%

7.7%

7.7%

17.0%

1.4%

2.6x

0.4x

9.3%

39.2%

8.00

-0.6%

2.4%

-7.5%

-7.5%

2.0x

0.4x

6.9%

49.7%

11.90

0.0%

3.9%

66.4%

66.4%

3.8%

14.2%

47.00

0.0%

1.6%

-16.1%

36.50

0.0%

1.8%

-3.3%

10 United Bank for Africa PLC 11 FBN Holdings Plc 12 Nigerian Brew eries PLC 13 Stanbic IBTC Holdings PLC 14 International Brew eries PLC 15 Flour Mills of Nigeria PLC 16 SEPLAT Energy PLC 17 11 PLC 18 Okomu Oil Palm PLC

8.4%

0.8%

7.0x

0.6x

-16.1%

5.3%

1.9%

43.3x

2.3x

2.3%

2.3%

-3.3%

15.4%

2.0%

8.4x

1.3x

11.2%

11.9%

-10.3%

-3.9% 4.4x

0.7x

5.8%

22.8%

4.95

0.0%

1.2%

-16.8%

-16.8%

28.50

0.7%

1.1%

9.6%

9.6%

650.10

0.0%

1.6%

61.6%

61.6%

3.4%

1.9%

15.0x

0.5x

6.3%

6.7%

0.9x

-11.5%

0.0%

19 Fidelity Bank PLC 20 Ecobank Transnational Inc 21 Dangote Sugar Refinery PLC 22 FCMB Group Plc

142.00

0.0%

1.2%

56.0%

56.0%

38.8%

25.2%

9.7x

3.4x

4.9%

10.3%

2.53

-0.4%

0.7%

0.4%

0.4%

12.0%

1.1%

2.2x

0.3x

8.7%

44.7%

9.30

2.8%

1.0%

55.0%

55.0%

14.8%

0.9%

2.6x

0.4x

15.95

0.0%

0.5%

-9.4%

-9.4%

39.1%

1.6x

9.0%

2.90

-3.3%

0.4%

-12.9%

-12.9%

23 Sterling Bank PLC 24 NASCON Allied Industries PLC 25 Transnational Corp of Nigeria

1.52

3.4%

0.3%

-25.5%

-25.5%

10.1%

0.9%

3.3x

0.3x

3.3%

13.05

-6.8%

0.3%

-10.0%

-10.0%

21.3%

6.9%

12.3x

2.5x

3.1%

8.1%

0.97

-1.0%

0.4%

7.8%

7.8%

11.1%

2.3%

5.1x

0.5x

1.0%

19.4%

26 Presco PLC 27 Unilever Nigeria PLC 28 PZ Cussons Nigeria PLC

87.80

0.0%

0.3%

23.7%

23.7%

2.1x

1.2%

13.20

0.0%

0.2%

-5.0%

-5.0%

-1.3%

-0.8%

6.00

0.0%

0.2%

13.2%

13.2%

29 United Capital PLC 30 Guinness Nigeria PLC 31 Custodian and Allied Insurance

9.90

0.0%

0.4%

110.2%

110.2%

2.2x

7.1%

39.00

0.0%

0.4%

105.3%

105.3%

8.1%

3.8%

13.9x

1.1x

1.2%

7.2%

7.10

0.0%

0.2%

21.4%

21.4%

24.7%

7.5%

3.5x

0.8x

7.7%

28.6%

32 AIICO Insurance PLC 33 TotalEnergies Marketing Nigeri 34 Julius Berger Nigeria PLC

0.70

2.9%

0.3%

44.5%

45.8%

7.2%

1.1%

388.9x

0.7x

216.80

0.0%

0.3%

66.8%

66.8%

1.8%

20.3%

5.2%

1.2x

-1.1%

0.3%

4.9x

24.80

0.0%

0.2%

40.7%

40.7%

20.7%

2.5%

4.3x

0.8x

1.7%

23.1%

35 Wema Bank PLC 36 Union Bank of Nigeria PLC

0.80

0.0%

0.1%

15.9%

15.9%

13.7%

0.8%

3.8x

0.5x

5.2%

26.5%

2.1%

0.0%

7.1%

0.8%

5.6x

0.6x

5.1%

37 Oando PLC 38 Notore Chemical Industries Ltd 39 Beta Glass PLC

4.72

-4.3%

0.1%

27.6%

14.5%

2.6%

2.0x

0.3x

4.7x

0.6x

40 Transcorp Hotels Plc

27.6%

62.50

0.0%

0.1%

0.0%

0.0%

-41.3%

-9.2%

52.95

0.0%

0.1%

-4.4%

-4.4%

14.8%

10.1%

5.38

0.0%

0.0%

49.4%

49.4%

2.3x

-20.3% 2.0%

ƟŽŶ ŝŶ E' D ;нϯ͘ϯйͿ͘

M EYER

0.36

9.1%

UN IT YB N K

A C A D EM Y

0.51

8.5%

UN IVIN SUR E

F T N C OC OA

0.40

8.1%

FB NH

19.9

0.0%

GLA XOSM IT H

6.05

7.1%

UP D C R EIT

16.9

2.3%

186.80

7.0%

GT C O

12.8

-1.9%

1.10

5.8%

Z EN IT H B A N K

9.7

-1.8%

C H IP LC

0.58

5.5%

T R A N SC OR P

8.5

-1.0%

/ŶǀĞƐƚŽƌ ^ĞŶƟŵĞŶƚ tĞĂŬĞŶƐ

CHA M S

0.21

5.0%

ST ER LN B A N K

7.8

3.4%

ĨƌŽŵ ϭ͘ϯdž ƌĞĐŽƌĚĞĚ ŝŶ ƚŚĞ ůĂƐƚ ƚƌĂĚŝŶŐ ƐĞƐƐŝŽŶ ĂƐ Ϯϰ ƐƚŽĐŬƐ

ST ER LN B A N K

1.52

3.4%

UB A

6.9

-0.6%

/ŶǀĞƐƚŽƌ ƐĞŶƟŵĞŶƚ͕ ĂƐ ŵĞĂƐƵƌĞĚ ďLJ ŵĂƌŬĞƚ ďƌĞĂĚƚŚ

A IIC O

0.70

2.9%

C OR N ER ST

6.1

-6.0%

/ŶǀĞƐƚŽƌ ^ĞŶƟŵĞŶƚ ^ƚƌĞŶŐƚŚĞŶƐ ĂŶĚ , DW/KE ;Ͳϰ͘ϭйͿ͘ /ŶǀĞƐƚŽƌƐ ƐĞŶƟŵĞŶƚ͕ ĂƐ ŵĞĂƐƵƌĞĚ ďLJ ŵĂƌŬĞƚ ďƌĞĂĚƚŚ

;ĂĚǀĂŶĐĞͬĚĞĐůŝŶĞ ƌĂƟŽͿ͕ ƐƚƌĞŶŐƚŚĞŶĞĚ͕ ƐĞƩůŝŶŐ Ăƚ ϭ͘ϲdž

M TNN LA SA C O

21.4%

0.9x T o p 10 T r a d e s b y V o l u m e

T o p 10 G a i n e r s P ric e

17.9% 49.2%

T ic k er

ůLJ ĨŽůůŽǁŝŶŐ ƚŚĞ ĚĞĐůŝŶĞ ŝŶ 'd K ;Ͳϭ͘ϵйͿ͕ t W/ ;Ͳϱ͘ϵйͿ͕

30.3%

4.2%

ůĂƌůLJ͕ ƚŚĞ ĂŶŬŝŶŐ͕ /ŶƐƵƌĂŶĐĞ ĂŶĚ ŽŶƐƵŵĞƌ

'ŽŽĚƐ ŝŶĚŝĐĞƐ ĚŝƉƉĞĚ Ϭ͘ϱй͕ Ϭ͘Ϯй ĂŶĚ Ϭ͘ϭй ƌĞƐƉĞĐƟǀĞͲ

17.1%

1.9%

255.00

8 Lafarge Africa PLC 9 Access Bank PLC

ŽŶǀĞƌƐĞůLJ͕ ƚŚĞ /ŶĚƵƐƚƌŝĂů 'ŽŽĚƐ ŝŶĚĞdž ǁĂƐ ƚŚĞ ůŽŶĞ ŐĂŝŶͲ ƐŚĞĚ Ϭ͘ϵй ĚƵĞ ƚŽ ƐĞůů ƉƌĞƐƐƵƌĞ ŽŶ K E K ;Ͳϰ͘ϯйͿ͘ ^ŝŵŝͲ Ğƌ͕

Price Previous Current Change Price YTD Weighting Change

Current Price

P ric e C hg %

T ic k er

Vo lum e

P ric e C hg %

48.3

2.3%

21.1

0.0%

ĂĚǀĂŶĐĞĚ ǁŚŝůĞ ϭϱ ƐƚŽĐŬƐ ĚĞĐůŝŶĞĚ͘ DZ^ ;нϵ͘ϵйͿ͕ D zͲ

T o p 10 T r a d e s b y V a l u e

T o p 10 L o s e r s

;ĂĚǀĂŶĐĞͬĚĞĐůŝŶĞ ƌĂƟŽͿ͕ ƐŽŌĞŶĞĚ ƚŽ ϭ͘ϰdž ĨƌŽŵ ϭ͘ϴdž ĂƐ < Z ;нϵ͘ϴйͿ͕ ĂŶĚ ,KEz&>KhZ ;нϵ͘ϴйͿ ůĞĚ ŐĂŝŶĞƌƐ

P ric e

P ric e C hg %

T ic k er

Value

P ric e C hg %

N A SC ON

13.05

-6.8%

N EST LE

846.8

0.0%

C OR N ER ST

0.47

-6.0%

D A N GC EM

746.0

1.2%

WA P IC

0.48

-5.9%

GT C O

336.8

-1.9%

OA N D O

4.72

-4.3%

Z EN IT H B A N K

244.0

-1.8%

235.2

0.0%

Ϯϯ ƐƚŽĐŬƐ ĂĚǀĂŶĐĞĚ ǁŚŝůĞ ϭϲ ƐƚŽĐŬƐ ĚĞͲ ǁŚŝůĞ dZ E^ ;Ͳϴ͘ϯйͿ͕ > ^ K ;Ͳϲ͘ϳйͿ͕ ĂŶĚ >/s Ͳ ĐůŝŶĞĚ͘ D z Z ;нϵ͘ϭйͿ͕ Dz ;нϴ͘ϱйͿ͕ ĂŶĚ &dE KͲ ^dK < ;Ͳϰ͘ϴйͿ ůĞĚ ůŽƐĞƌƐ͘ zĞƐƚĞƌĚĂLJ͕ ǁĞ ĞdžƉĞĐƚ ƚŚĞ ŵĂƌŬĞƚ

T ic k er

K ;нϴ͘ϭйͿ ůĞĚ ŐĂŝŶĞƌƐ ǁŚŝůĞ E ^ KE ;Ͳϲ͘ϴйͿ͕ KZͲ ƐĞŶƟŵĞŶƚ ƚŽ ƌĞŵĂŝŶ ŵŝdžĞĚ͕ ĂƐ ĞĂƌŶŝŶŐƐ ƐĞĂƐŽŶ ŐƌĂĚƵĂůůLJ E Z^d ;Ͳϲ͘ϬйͿ͕ ĂŶĚ t W/ ;Ͳϱ͘ϵйͿ ůĞĚ ĚĞĐůŝŶĞƌƐ͘ /Ŷ ƚŚĞ ǁŝŶĚƐ ƵƉ͘

C H A M P ION

2.60

-4.1%

FB NH

ƐƵďƐĞƋƵĞŶƚ ƚƌĂĚŝŶŐ ƐĞƐƐŝŽŶ͕ ǁĞ ĞdžƉĞĐƚ ƚŚĞ ƉŽƐŝƟǀĞ ƐĞŶͲ

M B EN EF IT

0.25

-3.8%

M TNN

125.9

7.0%

FCM B

2.90

-3.3%

SEP LA T

99.0

0.0%

ƟŵĞŶƚ ƚŽ ůŝŶŐĞƌ͘

R OYA LEX

0.58

-3.3%

UP D C R EIT

75.8

2.3%

-1.9%

N GXGR OUP

70.9

2.1%

-1.8%

NB

55.9

0.0%

GT C O Z EN IT H B A N K

Afrinvest West Africa Limited

26.00 25.05

Brokerage

Asset Management

Investment Research

Adedoyin Allen | aallen@afrinvest.com Robert Omotunde | romotunde@afrinvest.com Abiodun Keripe | AKeripe@afrinvest.com Taiwo Ogundipe | togundipe@afrinvest.com

Christopher Omoh | comoh@afrinvest.com

Damilare Asimiyu| dasimiyu@afrinvest.com

41

TUESDAY DECEMBER 14, 2021• T H I S DAY

MARKET NEWS A Mutual fund (Unit Trust) is an investment vehicle managed by a SEC (Securities and Exchange Commission) registered Fund Manager.

Investors with similar objectives buy units of the Fund so that the Fund Manager can buy securities that willl generate their desired return.

An ETF (Exchange Traded Fund) is a type of fund which owns the assets (shares of stock, bonds, oil futures, gold bars, foreign currency, etc.) and divides ownership of those assets into shares. Investors can buy these 'shares' on the

floor of the Nigerian Stock Exchange.

A REIT (Real Estate Investment Trust): is an investment vehicle that allows both small and large investors to part-own real estate ventures (eg.

Offices, Houses, Hospitals) in proportion to their investments. The assets are divided into shares that are traded on the Nigerian Stock Exchange.

GUIDE TO DATA: Date: A ll fund prices are quoted in Naira as at 10Dec-2021, unless otherwise stated.

Offer price: The price at which units of a trust or ETF are bought by investors.

Bid Price: The price at which Investors redeem (sell) units of a trust or ETF. Yield/Total Return: Denotes the total return an investor would have earned on his investment. Money Market Funds report Yield while others report Year- to-date Total Return.

NAV: Is value per share of the real estate assets held by a REIT on a specific date.

DAILY PRICE LIST FOR MUTUAL FUNDS, REITS and ETFS

MUTUAL FUNDS / UNIT TRUSTS

AFRINVEST ASSET MANAGEMENT LTD aaml@afrinvest.com Web: www.afrinvest.com; Tel: +234 818 885 6757 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Afrinvest Equity Fund 162.69 164.12 -0.51% Afrinvest Plutus Fund 100.00 100.00 9.12% Nigeria International Debt Fund 319.04 319.04 -17.19% Afrinvest Dollar Fund 102.93 103.98 -6.92% AIICO CAPITAL LTD ammf@aiicocapital.com Web: www.aiicocapital.com, Tel: +234-1-2792974 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn AIICO Money Market Fund 100.00 100.00 10.15% AIICO Balanced Fund 3.31 3.37 -4.17% info@anchoriaam.com ANCHORIA ASSET MANAGEMENT LIMITED Web:www.anchoriaam.com, Tel: 08166830267; 08036814510; 08028419180 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Anchoria Money Market 100.00 100.00 8.69% info@anchoriaam.com Anchoria Equity Fund 137.23 139.00 3.18% Anchoria Fixed Income Fund 1.15 1.15 -13.61% ARM INVESTMENT MANAGERS LTD enquiries@arminvestmentcenter.com Web: www.arm.com.ng; Tel: 0700 CALLARM (0700 225 5276) Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn ARM Aggressive Growth Fund 20.11 20.72 10.90% ARM Discovery Balanced Fund 449.68 463.23 12.32% ARM Ethical Fund 39.27 40.46 16.50% ARM Eurobond Fund ($) 1.08 1.08 -1.72% ARM Fixed Income Fund 0.99 1.00 -5.38% ARM Money Market Fund 1.00 1.00 9.43% AVA GLOBAL ASSET MANAGERS LIMITED info@avacapitalgroup.com Web: www.avacapitalgroup.com Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn AVA GAM Fixed Income Dollar Fund 107.77 107.77 5.96% AVA GAM Fixed Income Naira Fund 1,061.05 1,061.05 6.11% AXA MANSARD INVESTMENTS LIMITED investmentcare@axamansard.com Web: www.axamansard.com; Tel: +2341-4488482 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn AXA Mansard Equity Income Fund N/A N/A N/A AXA Mansard Money Market Fund N/A N/A N/A CAPITAL EXPRESS ASSET AND TRUST LIMITED info@capitalexpressassetandtrust.com Web: www.capitalexpressassetandtrust.com ; Tel: +234 803 307 5048 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn CEAT Fixed Income Fund 2.04 2.04 -3.28% Capital Express Balanced Fund(Formerly: Union Trustees Mixed Fund) 2.18 2.22 0.93% mutualfunds@cardinalstone.com CARDINALSTONE ASSET MANAGEMENT LIMITED Web: www.cardinalstoneassetmanagement.com ; Tel: +234 (1) 710 0433 4 Fund Name CardinalStone Fixed Income Alpha Fund CHAPELHILL DENHAM MANAGEMENT LTD Web: www.chapelhilldenham.com, Tel: +234 461 0691 Fund Name Chapelhill Denham Money Market Fund Paramount Equity Fund Women's Investment Fund CORDROS ASSET MANAGEMENT LIMITED Web: www.cordros.com, Tel: 019036947 Fund Name Cordros Money Market Fund Cordros Milestone Fund Cordros Dollar Fund ($) CORONATION ASSEST MANAGEMENT Web:www.coronationam.com , Tel: 012366215 Fund Name Coronation Money Market Fund Coronation Balanced Fund Coronation Fixed Income Fund EDC FUNDS MANAGEMENT LIMITED Web: www.ecobank.com Tel: 012265281 Fund Name EDC Nigeria Money Market Fund Class A EDC Nigeria Money Market Fund Class B EDC Nigeria Fixed Income Fund EMERGING AFRICA ASSET MANAGEMENT LIMITED Web:www.emergingafricagroup.com/emerging-africa-assetmanagement-limited/, Tel: 08039492594 Fund Name Emerging Africa Money Market Fund Emerging Africa Bond Fund

Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn 1.04 1.04 5.32% investmentmanagement@chapelhilldenham.com Bid Price 100.00 17.05 139.71

Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn 100.00 9.79% 17.36 6.60% 141.31 4.98% assetmgtteam@cordros.com

Bid Price 100.00 131.20 110.22

Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn 100.00 8.83% 132.03 11.93% 110.22 5.70% investment@coronationam.com

Bid Price N/A N/A N/A

Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A mutualfundng@ecobank.com

Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A assetmanagement@emergingafricafroup.com

Bid Price 1.00 1.04

Emerging Africa Balanced Diversity Fund 1.11 Emerging Africa Eurobond Fund 104.37 FBNQUEST ASSET MANAGEMENT LTD Web: www.fbnquest.com/asset-management; Tel: +234-81 0082 0082 Fund Name Bid Price FBN Bond Fund 1,383.89 FBN Balanced Fund 172.31 FBN Halal Fund 115.12 FBN Money Market Fund 100.00 FBN Dollar Fund (Retail) FBN Smart Beta Equity Fund FCMB ASSET MANAGEMENT LIMITED Web: www.fcmbassetmanagement.com; Tel: +234 1 462 2596 Fund Name Legacy Money Market Fund Legacy Debt Fund Legacy Equity Fund Legacy USD Bond Fund

122.08 147.62 Bid Price 1.00 4.00 1.71 1.20

Offer Price 1.00 1.04

Yield / T-Rtn 7.93% 3.66%

1.11 10.06% 104.37 4.33% invest@fbnquest.com Offer Price 1,383.89 173.61 115.12 100.00

Yield / T-Rtn 11.33% 3.47% 9.27% 9.16%

122.08 3.98% 149.62 11.83% fcmbamhelpdesk@fcmb.com Offer Price 1.00 4.00 1.74 1.20

Yield / T-Rtn 7.41% 3.32% 12.28% 5.93%

FSDH ASSET MANAGEMENT LTD coralfunds@fsdhgroup.com Web: www.fsdhaml.com; Tel: 01-270 4884-5; 01-280 9740-1 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Coral Balanced Fund N/A N/A N/A Coral Income Fund N/A N/A N/A Coral Money Market Fund N/A N/A N/A INVESTMENT ONE FUNDS MANAGEMENT LTD enquiries@investment-one.com Web: www.investment-one.com; Tel: +234 812 992 1045,+234 1 448 8888 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Abacus Money Market Fund 100.00 100.00 7.92% Vantage Balanced Fund 2.81 2.87 -1.52% Vantage Guaranteed Income Fund 1.00 1.00 4.50% Kedari Investment Fund (KIF) 155.66 155.94 0.10% Vantage Equity Income Fund (VEIF) - June Year End 1.26 1.30 0.18% Vantage Dollar Fund (VDF) - June Year End 1.07 1.07 3.98% LOTUS CAPITAL LTD fincon@lotuscapitallimited.com Web: www.lotuscapitallimited.com; Tel: +234 1-291 4626 / +234 1-291 4624 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Lotus Halal Investment Fund 1.47 1.49 7.64% Lotus Halal Fixed Income Fund 1,154.86 1,154.86 8.21% MERISTEM WEALTH MANAGEMENT LTD info@meristemwealth.com Web: http://www.meristemwealth.com/funds/ ; Tel: +234 1-4488260 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Meristem Equity Market Fund 11.55 11.63 10.45% Meristem Money Market Fund 10.00 10.00 10.18% NORRENBERGER INVESTMENT AND CAPITAL MANAGEMENT LIMITED enquiries@norrenberger.com Web: www.norrenberger.com, Tel: +234 (0) 908 781 2026 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Norrenberger Islamic Fund (NIF) 101.45 101.46 7.56% Norrenberger Money Market Fund (NMMF) 100.00 100.00 8.99% PAC ASSET MANAGEMENT LTD info@pacassetmanagement.com Web: www.pacassetmanagement.com/mutualfunds; Tel: +234 1 271 8632 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn PACAM Balanced Fund 1.58 1.61 13.16% PACAM Fixed Income Fund 11.11 11.14 -8.51% PACAM Money Market Fund 10.00 10.00 7.74% PACAM Equity Fund 1.44 1.46 -8.59% PACAM EuroBond Fund 112.37 114.65 2.49% SCM CAPITAL LIMITED info@scmcapitalng.com Web: www.scmcapitalng.com; Tel: +234 1-280 2226,+234 1- 280 2227 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn SCM Capital Frontier Fund 129.35 131.88 5.50% SFS CAPITAL NIGERIA LTD investments@sfsnigeria.com Web: www.sfsnigeria.com, Tel: +234 (01) 2801400 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn SFS Fixed Income Fund 1.08 1.08 10.04% STANBIC IBTC ASSET MANAGEMENT LTD assetmanagement@stanbicibtc.com Web: www.stanbicibtcassetmanagement.com; Tel: +234 1 280 1266; 0700 MUTUALFUNDS Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Stanbic IBTC Balanced Fund 3,368.40 3,400.65 4.82% Stanbic IBTC Bond Fund 235.20 235.20 4.60% Stanbic IBTC Ethical Fund 1.25 1.27 6.78% Stanbic IBTC Guaranteed Investment Fund 312.13 312.13 5.93% Stanbic IBTC Iman Fund 231.40 234.82 6.02% Stanbic IBTC Money Market Fund 100.00 100.00 7.66% Stanbic IBTC Nigerian Equity Fund 10,864.68 11,021.42 3.54% Stanbic IBTC Dollar Fund (USD) 1.29 1.29 5.11% Stanbic IBTC Shariah Fixed Income Fund 116.71 116.71 5.07% Stanbic IBTC Enhanced Short-Term Fixed Income Fund 105.95 105.95 UNITED CAPITAL ASSET MANAGEMENT LTD Web: www.unitedcapitalplcgroup.com; Tel: +234 01-6317876 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn United Capital Balanced Fund 1.33 1.36 4.85% United Capital Bond Fund 1.95 1.95 6.40% United Capital Equity Fund 0.91 0.93 14.42% United Capital Money Market Fund 1.00 1.00 9.20% United Capital Eurobond Fund 121.97 121.97 6.52% United Capital Wealth for Women Fund 1.07 1.08 4.44% United capital Sukuk Fund 1.07 1.07 7.11% QUANTUM ZENITH ASSET MANAGEMENT & INVESTMENTS LTD service@quantumzenithasset.com.ng Web: www.quantumzenith.com.ng; Tel: +234 1-2784219 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Zenith Balanced Strategy Fund 12.98 13.10 9.41% Zenith ESG Impact Fund 14.45 14.60 18.38% Zenith Income Fund 24.81 24.81 3.37% Zenith Money Market Fund 1.00 1.00 6.91%

REITS NAV Per Share

Yield / T-Rtn

124.98 54.46

10.62% 7.74%

Bid Price

Offer Price

Yield / T-Rtn

13.31 127.54 100.28 17.45 20.95

13.41 130.71 102.49 17.55 21.05

3.46% 6.07% 1.08% -2.51% 16.74%

Fund Name SFS REIT Union Homes REIT

EXCHANGE TRADED FUNDS Fund Name Lotus Halal Equity Exchange Traded Fund SIAML Pension ETF 40 Stanbic IBTC ETF 30 Fund MERGROWTH ETF MERVALUE ETF

VETIVA FUND MANAGERS LTD Web: www.vetiva.com; Tel: +234 1 453 0697 Fund Name Vetiva Banking Exchange Traded Fund Vetiva Consumer Goods Exchange Traded Fund Vetiva Griffin 30 Exchange Traded Fund Vetiva Money Market Fund Vetiva Industrial Goods Exchange Traded Fund Vetiva S&P Nigeria Sovereign Bond Exchange Traded Fund

funds@vetiva.com Bid Price

Offer Price

Yield / T-Rtn

3.98 5.42 17.28 1.00 20.63 157.60

4.08 5.52 17.48 1.00 20.83 159.60

6.02% -4.54% 6.83% 7.72% 0.55% -15.10%

NAV Per Share

Yield / T-Rtn

107.28

13.11%

INFRASTRUCTURE FUND Fund Name Chapel Hill Denham Nigeria Infrastructure Debt Fund

The value of investments and the income from them may fall as well as rise. Past performance is a guide and not an indication of future returns. Fund prices published in this edition are also available on each fund manager’s website and FMAN’s website at www.fman.com.ng. Fund prices are supplied by the operator of the relevant fund and are published for information purposes only.

42

TUESDAY, DECEMBER 14, 2021 ˾ T H I S D AY

FOCUS

Taking Bets on the Future

Feyi Fawehinmi

W

hen Adam Smith was asked whether Britain’s loss of its colonies in America in the 18th century marked the end of Britain as a power, he replied with his now famous quote - ‘There is a great deal of ruin in a nation’. What he meant was that it takes a lot certainly more than a single event - to destroy a nation. Human ingenuity, cultural dynamism, accumulated knowledge and the mere presence of humans means that countries can always give themselves a second chance even after seemingly catastrophic events. And Smith was right whatever one might think of the propriety of the enterprise, Britain did go on to build an even bigger empire spanning the globe after the loss of its American colonies.

This is not an unusual story.

That countries can pick themselves off the floor after a terrible disaster is not as uncommon as one might think. I can never stop thinking about the fact that Japan had two mighty atomic CEO MTN Nigeria, Karl Toriola bombs dropped on two of its that loses every fight it gets into largest cities within 3 days of with the dollar. Add leadership each other in August 1945 and that cannot inspire even cheap yet, less than 20 years later, it hope in anyone and it will take was hosting the Olympics in 1964. the most starry eyed optimist In the depths of despair, humans to make the case for believing are often forced to dream up in Nigeria at this point in time. new ideas that help to seed a Nevertheless, allow me to be new future. Consider some of that guy for a brief moment. From the companies that came out a personal point of view, I have of America’s Great Depression never made more investments in - 7-Eleven, Revlon, Publix and Nigeria than I have in the last of course Disney. All still going couple of years. Some of it is pure strong today. Some companies coincidence while some of it is just which were born well before the fear of missing out on what I the depression came up with see a number of my friends and ideas that helped them weather acquaintances doing. But a lot of the storm of the crisis. It was it is also because I believe that during the depression that Marvin something is happening, right now, Bower met James McKinsey and in-spite of the conditions of the persuaded him to start what country and its leadership, that we now know as ‘management might be described as the seeds consulting’ as exemplified by of the future being sown. It is McKinsey. In search of new ways difficult to see (maybe because it to reach hard pressed consumers doesn’t exist and the light at the and convince them to buy its end of the tunnel is an oncoming products, Procter & Gamble started sponsoring so many radio programmes that a whole new genre - soap operas - was born. “God knows Nigeria can do Nigeria has gone through with more people taking a economic despair in the last six years. There is a certain level long term view of the country of economic suffering that is and its prospects. The present permanent in Nigeria, certainly in is depressing enough and if my more than four decades alive.

But the last few years have been we cannot dare to dream that particularly bad with frightening tomorrow might be better, levels of unemployment, back then we might as well pack it to back to economic recessions, crushing inflation and a currency in as our job here is done.”

train?) but I imagine it felt the same in the depths of despair in the countries described earlier.

A phrase I increasingly hear from a number of my friends who are very invested in Nigeria is ‘people dey build’. That is, they are daily seeing new companies and ideas being launched to solve various problems in the Nigerian economy. I am seeing them too. There is for sure an enthusiasm, and the accompanying possibilities, for people to turn their ideas into real businesses. Nigeria is a poor country so by definition capital will always be scarce. But you only need to speak someone who has been around for 10 years or more to know that, while raising money remains difficult, it is undoubtedly a lot easier in today’s Nigeria than the one of a few years ago. People, Nigerians and non-Nigerians, are taking bets on the future by putting their money where their mouth is. You only need to scan the tech news for a couple of days to see the evidence of this.

And it’s not just tech startups.

The last time I put money in Nigerian stocks, I got burnt so badly I swore never to touch them again. Over a decade ago, there were a number of primary offers and private placements that Nigerians rushed into. Many turned out to be scams or just bad investments and such offers

simply dried up over the years. I did not even think it was possible for an investment to go down to zero but that is exactly what happened to my ‘investments’ in Nigerian stocks and primary offers.

There are however many things I have sworn never to do only to end up eating my words. I vowed never to wear Crocs but I now find myself a witness bearer of their comfort.

Recently I put my money into the new MTN offer and convinced my wife to do the same. MTN is no startup. Given how Nigeria’s demographics skew very young, it might not be an exaggeration to say that it is older than the majority of Nigerians alive in the country today. But after several near death experiences at the hands of Nigerian regulators, the company is alive and dominant as Nigeria’s number one telecommunications outfit. It has found a second wind with a new mobile money license that will surely turn many more millions of Nigerians into active participants in the country’s economy and connect them with the dozens of startups building things for them.

Because I find myself cautiously optimistic about Nigeria’s economic future - that the seeds for a better tomorrow are being planted today, I am also cautiously optimistic on MTN’s future and the role it will play in the economy once the current despair is some way behind us. People dey build. And the shovels they will need to do all that building will come from companies like MTN. I also like how the offer has been structured to reward holding the shares for the long term.

God knows Nigeria can do with more people taking a long term view of the country and its prospects. The present is depressing enough and if we cannot dare to dream that tomorrow might be better, then we might as well pack it in as our job here is done.

If like me you have you been burnt in the past and swore never again, I urge you to take a bet on the future of the country - beyond the troubles and bleakness of today - in whatever way you can. It is hard to make the case for a country with half of it practically at war, with inflation running its own race and poverty untrammelled and leadership that cannot bring itself to inspire the country with new ideas. But if you can look away from all that for a moment to see what is happening today that might be useful tomorrow, then you might be confident enough to take that bet on the country.

After all, there is indeed a great deal of ruin in a nation. t 'FZJ 'BXFIJONJ JT B /JHFSJBO BDDPVOUBOU BOE *OWFTUNFOU #BOLFS CBTFE JO UIF 6OJUFE ,JOHEPN BOE XSJUFT QVCMJDMZ PO UIF /JHFSJBO FDPOPNZ

TUESDAY DECEMBER 14, 2021 T H I S DAY

43

NEWS

10 Dead as Bandits Attack Plateau Community Seriki Adinoyi in Jos No fewer than 10 persons have been reportedly killed and scores of others injured late Sunday evening when suspected bandits attacked Pinau Community of Wase Local Government Area of Plateau State.

The incident occurred after the villagers had rounded oͿ from their weekly community market and retired to their homes.

A member of the community, Hamman Sale, who conÀrmed the development to THISDAY, alleged that the suspected bandits were from Zamfara State.

Spokesperson of the state Police Command, Mr. Gabriel Ubah, an Assistant Superintendent of Police, who also conÀrmed the incident, however said that the Command was yet to get full details on the attack.

Meanwhile, Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Ahmed Idris Wase, has condemned the attack, describing it as ‘inhuman,

senseless and unwarranted’, saying “the attackers must be brought to book.”

In a statement issued yesterday, the Deputy Speaker described the

killings as “painful and highly regrettable, especially at a time the people are striving hard to earn their means of livelihood.”

He urged them to remain

calm, peaceful and lawabiding.

Wase said: “My sympathies are with the families that lost their loved ones in this callous act. These

senseless killings are painful and highly condemnable. I pray that the Almighty God accepts the souls of all those that lost their lives in this unfortunate incident.”

The lawmaker also urged the citizens to continue to support measures put in place by the federal and state governments to end the incessant attacks.

30 YEARS OF SUCCESSFUL OPERATIONS… L-R: Group Managing Director, Saroafrica Limited, Mr. Rasheed Sarumi;Chairman, Saro Agro-Allied Limited, Mr. Oluwole Adeyegbe;Chairman, Saroafrica International Limited, Mr. Fola Sarumi; Chairman, Saro Agrosciences Limited, Mr.Monday Awulul, and Chairman, Saro Lifecare Limited, Mr.Abdul Bello, at the Saro 30th anniversary celebration in Lagos….yesterday ` ETOP UKUTT

Wike Faults FG on Stimulation Christmas: Lagos CP Deploys Detectives to Garages, Bus Stops, Others of Nation’s Economy Sacks health commissioner

Blessing Ibunge in Port Harcourt

Rivers State Governor, Mr. Nyesom Wike, has faulted the federal government policy on stimulation of nation’s economy.

The governor said federal government is not interested in revitalising the nation’s economy, noting that the programmes on stimulation of the economy have failed on all fronts.

The governor made the assertion yesterday, at the inauguration of the Ezimgbu Road, in Port Harcourt. This is just as the governor also sacked the Rivers State Commissioner for Health, Prof. Princewill Chike.

Governor Wike stated that if the development of infrastructure is one way to stimulate the economy, then the federal government’s approach to the development of such critical infrastructure should be apolitical.

He pointed to the deplorable

condition of the Lagos- Ibadan road, said that the road is so important to the nation’s economy and growth of interstate and regional business activities.

“Let me say something very clearly. When government say they want to stimulate economy and you wonder how are they going to stimulate and make the economy to grow. This morning, something came to my mind, and I said what a country is this? “Look at a road like Lagos -Ibadan road, which is an important road in this country, cannot be completed by the federal government. They bring politics and ethnicity in everything we are doing.

“So, how do you stimulate the economy when a road like that cannot be completed until now. Look at the road leading to the (Port Harcourt) refinery, the seaport, up until now, the federal government cannot complete it. How do you stimulate the economy?,” he said.

Goddy Egene

In order to eͿectively curb criminality that is usually on the increase at Christmas and New Year festivals The Lagos State Commissioner of Police (CP) Hakeem Odumosu, has deployed plain-clothe armed detectives to garages, bus stops and at some popular social places In order to eͿectively curb the increased criminality that is usually associated with Christmas

and New Year festivals.

THISDAY checks showed that Odumosu directed all Divisional Police O΀cers(DPOs) and Area Commanders(ACs) to deploy armed detectives to garages and bus stops close to their jurisdictions.

It was gathered that the directive was said to have been handed down through the Deputy Commissioner of Police(DCP),Operations, Ahmed Magaji Kontagora and DCP Administration, Bassey Ewa

from Abuja, where Odumosu attended the last Inspector General of Police (IGP) monthly conference yesterday.

It was further learnt that the CP has directed heads of Tactical Squad and X-Squad to also deploy their personnel to popular garages, bus stops and public places.

For instance, Area G Police comnand Ogba, is said to have deployed detectives at Ogba busy bus stop. They are expected to be moving round the garages and

bus stops from 6am every day.

Also, at popular Berger and Ojota garages, where most travellers from other parts of the country disembark, several armed detectives are believed to have been stationed on both sides of the garages and bus stops Similarly, at the popular Ojuelegba bus stop, which is always busy throughout the night, detectives from Area C are said to have been deployed there.

FG Collaborating with Other Countries on Asset Recovery, Says Malami Alexander Enumah The Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Mr. Abubakar Malami, has said Nigeria collaborates with various jurisdictions in its efforts to recover stolen assets stashed abroad.

Malami made this known at the ninth session of the Conference of States Parties to the United Nations Convention Against Corruption

(UNCAC) holding in Sharm El Sheik, Egypt.

The minister according to a statement by has media aide, Dr. Umar Gwandu, disclosed that Nigeria with Pakistan, State of Palestine, Peru, Saudi Arabia and Kenya, submitted a draft resolution entitled “Enhancing access to and the use of Beneficial Ownership Information to facilitate the identification, recovery and return

of assets, “ to further highlight the importance of beneficial ownership transparency.

Malami said significant progress had been recorded in the efforts to combat corruption in Nigeria.

“We have continued to make significant progress in our efforts to prevent and combat corruption, block leakages and recover our stolen assets” Malami said.

Malami recalled that new laws

and Acts had been enacted by Nigeria to better combat corruption in the country.

“In realisation that an effective Criminal Justice System is necessary for investigation and sanctioning corruption, Nigeria implementing the Justice Sector Reform Strategy covering issues such as International Cooperation Mechanisms, Mutual Legal Assistance and reform of the Criminal Justice System.

Man Docked for Allegedly Head of Service Threatens to Sanction Perm Secretaries ,mpersonating Police OͿcer for Poor Handling of Litigation against FG

A 53-year-old man, Wilfred Omoike, was yesterday arraigned before an Ikeja Magistrates’ Court for alleged impersonation and being in possession of a suspected stolen item.

Omoike, whose address was not given, is facing a two-count charge of impersonation and being in possession of a stolen item.

The Police prosecutor, DSP Kehinde Ajayi, told the court that the defendant committed the oͿence on November 16 in the Oshodi area of Lagos.

She alleged that the defendant impersonated a police o΀cer.

“The defendant with intent to defraud one Femi Adesuyi, falsely presented himself as a policeman,” the prosecutor said.

Ajayi further said that the

defendant also had in his possession, a small walkie-talkie which he could not account for.

According to her, the oͿences contravene Sections 329(a)(c) and 380 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015.

She urged the court to adjourn the case to enable her to study the case Àle and assemble her witnesses.

The defendant pleaded not guilty to the charges against him.

The Magistrate, Mrs O.A. Ajibade, granted the defendant bail in the sum N50, 000 with two sureties in like sum.

Ajibade said that one of the sureties must be a blood relation of the defendant who must be gainfully employed with evidence of tax payment. She adjourned the case until Jan. 19, 2022 for hearing.

Olawale Ajimotokan in Abuja

The Head of Service (HoS)of the Federation, Dr Folasade YemiEsan, has threatened to sanction Permanent Secretaries over the increase court cases stemming from dismissal and termination of appointment of staͿ without proper administrative procedures

by some Ministry, departments and agencies(MDAs).

The threat was contained in a memo dated December 6 with reference no: HCSF 3065/Vol.1/12 and copied to the Chief of StaͿ to the President, the ministers, the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), permanent secretaries and all the heads of the government agencies.

She said the poor handling of disciplinary matters was leading to avoidable court cases, conseTuential Ànancial implications and embarrassment to government.

The memo was titled, “Need To Prevent Avoidable Litigations Arising From Poor Handling Of Disciplinary Cases In MDAs”.

She vowed that henceforth

permanent secretaries and chief e[ecutive o΀cers in the MDAs shall be held liable for the matter.

The memo reads: “It has been observed with great concern that there is an increase in court cases arising from dismissal and termination of appointment of staͿ without proper administrative procedures by some MDAs.”

Ikpeazu Releases N3.2bn to Clear Salary Arrears in Parastatals Emmanuel Ugwu-Nwogo in Umuahia

Abia State Governor, Dr. Okezie Ikpeazu, has finally taken steps to clear the mounting salary arrears in government parastatals as well as pension arrears.

Ikpeazu has, therefore, released over N3.2 billion to commence

the process of clearing the salary arrears.

The state Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Mr. Eze Chikamnayo, broke the news yesterday during the monthly briefing by the government media team.

The Ikpeazu administration had hitherto denied responsibility for

the non-payment of salaries in the parastatals, arguing that the boards of the affected parastatals should be held responsible.

But Chikamnayo announced that the governor “has authorised” the payments, adding that it took effect last Thursday.

Some of the agencies and parastatals affected by the unpaid

salary included the Abia State University Teaching Hospital, Aba (ABSUTH), which was shut down by workers over 22 months’ salary arrears; Abia State Polytechnic Aba, 31 months; Abia State College of Education Technical Arochukwu (ASCETA), 33 months; Health Management Board, 33 months, among others.

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TUESDAY DECEMBER 14, 2021 T H I S DAY

NEWSEXTRA

Ekiti 2022: I Stand a Better Chance of Winning, Says Bamidele Bamisile dismisses Fayemi’s Endorsement of ex-SSG as no threat

Deji Elumoye in Abuja and Victor Ogunje in Ado Ekiti

A member of the National Assembly and All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship aspirant in Ekiti State, Senator Opeyemi Bamidele, has said he stood a better chance of winning the 2022 governorship election in Ekiti State.

In the same vein, another member of the House of Representatives and governorship hopeful from the state, Hon. Femi Bamisile, has said he was not rattled by the alleged endorsement of the immediate past Secretary to the State Government, Hon. Abiodun Oyebanji, for the 2022 governorship race by Governor Kayode Fayemi.

Bamidele, who is the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Judiciary and Legal matters, stressed that direct or indirect primary would not stop him from becoming the governorship candidate of the APC in the state.

Bamidele, who spoke yesterday at his Senate o΀ce in Abuja while playing host to the Ekiti Concerned Professionals,

who presented expression of interest nomination cheque to him, said he was coming on board with something usual.

“As to my own aspirations

in Ekiti, I have no doubt that whether it is direct primary or it is indirect primary, you know, I stand a good chance by the grace of God, to win

the primary. I know that I am loved by the people of Ekiti State and I know that my own aspiration goes beyond pasting posters on the walls in Ekiti,

because I am a poster that is already posted on the minds of the people of Ekiti state.

“And I’m looking forward to a very decent governorship

race, a race that is popular, a race that is decent, a race that is driven by ideas and on issues and a race that is violence free.

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Court Remands 31-year-old Akeredolu Swears in New Commissioners, Special Advisers, DG Man over Alleged Kidnap of Minor in Benue Fidelis David in Akure

A Chief Magistrates’ Court in Makurdi, Benue, has ordered the remand of one Jibrin Abubakar, 31, over the alleged kidnapping of a 13-year-old child, Miss Blessing Agwa.

Abubakar, whose residential address was not provided, is facing a two-count charge of conspiracy and kidnapping.

However, when the case came up for mention, the Magistrate, Mrs Kadoom Gbasha, did not take the plea of the defendant for lack of jurisdiction.

Gbasha subsequently remanded the accused at the Federal Maximum Correctional Center Makurdi and adjourned the case to Jan. 21, 2022, for further mention Earlier, the Police Prosecutor, Insp. Rachael Mchiave, had told the court that the case was

transferred from the Divisional Police Headquarters Okpoga to State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID) Makurdi on Nov. 19.

Mchiave said that one Mr Athanasius Idoko of Ugwu Okpoga Centre, Okpokwu LGA of Benue State, reported that on the Nov. 7, at 6.30a.m, some unknown persons abducted Agwa from her home.

“The kidnappers used the phone numbers 0902711032 and 0902744428 to communicate with the complainant and demanded for N300,000 to be paid into First Bank account number 20334777032, into which N200, 000 was paid.

“While the sum of N100,000 was paid into an Ecobank “account number 5630034194 as ransom,’’ she said.

Ayodeji Ake

responsibilities to meet.

“We do receive our salary late.

The management pays our salary on the 15th and 17th of a new month for years. It has been happening for years. We decided to meet with the management and tendered our demand to the Deputy managing director (DMD) and we were able to reach an agreement. The meeting was fruitful because they paid our salary that very day. We also pleaded with the management that we want to get our salary on the last day of the month but they insisted. Which led to a disagreement.

“When it was November ending, we reminded them of our salaries but they sent a message to the workers that we will be receiving our salaries on the 15th, I mean the November salary but we all disagreed.

Ondo State Governor, Mr. Oluwarotimi Akeredolu, yesterday swore in all the 14 newly appointed commissioners, who were recently conÀrmed by the state House of Assembly.

The governor also inaugurated his biological son, Mr. Babajide Akeredolu, as the

director-general, Performance and Project Implementation Monitoring Unit (PPIMU), as well as seven Special Advisers, at an event that was held at the International Culture and Events Centre (The Dome) in Akure.

The commissioners are: Mrs. Bamidele Ademola Olateju, Akoko South East; Otunba Adefarati Adegboyega, Akoko

South West; Rt. Hon. Fatai Olotu, Akoko North East; Dr. Julianah Oshadahun, Akoko North West; Otunba Dele Ologun, Akure North; Mr. Sunday Adekunle, Idanre and Razak Obe, Ifedore.

Others are: Dr. Banji Awolowo Ajaka, Ilaje; Pastor Emmanuel Igbasan, Irele; Mrs. Yetunde Adeyanju, Odigbo; Mr. Femi Agagu, Okitipupa; Hon.

Akinlosotu Adewale, Ondo East; Deaconess Lola Fagbemi, Ondo West; and Chief Olayato Aribo, Ose. The Special Advisers are Chief Victor Ategbole, Mrs. Wunmi Ilawole, Tobi Ogunleye, Dr. Jibayo Adeyeye, Mrs. Olamide Falana, Dr. Francis Adedayo Faduyile, and Mr. Niyi Oseni, while the DG of PPIMU is Mr. Babajide Akeredolu.

FG Inaugurates Road Connecting Jigawa, Bauchi, Yobe Emmanuel Addeh in Abuja

President Muhammadu Buhari yesterday inaugurated the Shuwarin-Azare portion of the Kano-Miduiguri Road, Section II, connecting several communities in Jigawa, Bauchi and Yobe States.

Represented by the Minister

of Water Resources, Suleiman Adamu, who hails from Jigawa state, the president said the Sukkuk-funded project would enhance economic e΀ciency as well as the ease of doing business.

He reiterated the need for road users to be responsible in the use of the infrastructure, following the

commissioning and handover so that it would last for the duration it was designed to last.

He listed some of the abuses as overloading of vehicles and trucks as well as indiscriminate parking of vehicles, especially heavy duty ones and enjoined Nigerians to avoid practices

that could aggravate wear and tear on the roads.

“We must all do our best to avoid these practices, report them when they occur and act in a lawful manner to stop them,” he stated, reminding road users that the maximum driving speed on all federal highways in the country remain 100km/hr.

10,000 Farmers Get N5.7bn Loans for Dry Season DrugÀeld Sacks Angry Wheat Farming in Bauchi Protesters Segun Awofadeji in scheme. also said each farmer would so that only those targeted

Mixed reactions have trailed Drugfield Pharmaceutical’ decision to sack 19 workers who have allegedly rubbed the name of the organisation into mud during a protest.

The protest as observed by THISDAY has been going on for about a week as workers demanded bonuses and timely payment of salaries.

One of the members of the internal workers Union, who pleaded anonymity, lamented that the company has not been consistently paying salaries on time, and pays salaries in the middle of every new month.

He said the Union has met with the company’s executives to plead with them to endeavor to pay salaries on the last day of the month as the workers have

Bauchi

As part of its eͿorts to boost wheat production in the dry season farming, the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) is ready to disburse over N5.7 billion as soft loans to 10,000 farmers in Bauchi State under its ongoing anchor borrowers’

The disclosure was made by the Bauchi branch Comptroller of CBN, Saladu Idris, at the Áagging-oͿ of the programme held at the NUJ Secretariat in Bauchi yesterday, saying so far, 4,500 farmers have beneÀtted from the scheme in the state.

The CBN branch controller

be given the sum of N370,000, six bags of urea, four bags of NPK fertilizers, and a pumping and spraying machine for the scheme for one hectare of farmland.

He further explained that the CBN has taken proactive steps by reaching out to the farmers through associations

would beneÀt from it, warning that diversion will not be treated with kid gloves.

According to him, “This dry season farming is a very easy thing that people can do.

The CBN has observed that all the Áour mills in Nigeria have become moribund, and everything is at a standstill.

Tech Community Delighted as Pantami Says Startup Bill is Before FEC Sunday Okobi Prominent members of the technology community have expressed delight that the Startup Bill will soon be considered at the Federal Executive Council (FEC).

This was disclosed by the Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Dr. Isa Pantami, while delivering an address at

the Art of Technology event held in Lagos yesterday.

Pantami said: “The Startup Bill, which is now before the FEC, would accelerate the growth of small and new technology firms in Nigeria when enacted into law.”

Since the presidency and the tech ecosystem began work on the Startup Bill earlier in the

year, it has generated interest in both the public and the private sector. Several policymakers have described the potential of the bill as “transformational,” for not only the tech ecosystem but for the entire economy.

Hence, the news that the bill will be making it to the FEC has delighted many in the private sector, particularly those in the

tech ecosystem.

Also speaking at the Art of Technology summit in Lagos, the lead of the Nigeria Startup Bill project, Mr. Oswald Osaretin Guobadia, spoke on the importance of innovation and the need for Nigerian youths to focus on creating innovative and globally competitive products and services.

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NEWSEXTRA

20 ConÀrmed Dead, Seven InMured in Bauchi Multiple Accidents

Segun Awofadeji in Bauchi

The Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) has conÀrmed that 20 people have died in multiple crashes that occurred in Bauchi on Sunday while seven others sustained various degrees of injuries.

The Sector Commander, FRSC Bauchi State, Mr. Yusuf Abdullahi, who conÀrmed this to newsmen yesterday, said that the two separate crashes occurred 30 minutes apart at two diͿerent locations in the state.

Abdullahi said that the Àrst crash that involved an 18-seater Toyota Hummer bus and a trailer occurred at about 7.00 p.m. at Bambal Village along Kano-Jama’are Highway.

According to him, the 18-seater bus collided with a trailer with registration number plate: MAD710XA and went up in Áames, burning its passengers beyond recognition.

“The crash was caused by speed violation. The hummer bus rammed into a moving trailer and it went into Áames, killing all the occupants on board. The corpses were taken to General Hospital

Kiyawa where a medical doctor conÀrmed them dead,” he said.

Abdullahi said the second

crash happened at 6.30 p.m. at Duhuwar Kura village, along Azare-Zaki Road, killing four passengers and injuring seven

others. He stated that the crash involved a Volkswagen Golf car driven by one Mr. Abubakar Haruna and a

Bajaj Boxer motorcycle. He attributed the crash to speed violation and overloading.

He said: “There were 11

people involved in the crash comprising of nine male adults, one female adult and one female child.

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Treepz, CMS T M Deploy ¶Nigeria Must Strengthen its Airlines for Technology to Serve 1. m Global Competitiveness’ Passengers Annually Funmi Ogundare

Peter Uzoho

Transport solutions provide, Treepz Inc., has partnered with licensed bus company, CMS Taxi and Motor Nigeria Limited (CMS T M) to deploy digital technology to provide commuters with convenient and aͿordable means of transportation within cities in Nigeria and across Africa.

Treepz announced the newest partnership in a statement issued yesterday in Lagos, saying its mission to provide convenient and aͿordable Transport services to passengers had been accomplished with the deal with CMS T M. It said the partnership would see CMS T M passengers have access to a more convenient payment option and predictable travel times with 1.6 million passengers targeted to be served

annually.

According to the statement, the technology provided by Treepz would allow the CMS T M management to manage their operations e΀ciently and digitalise their ticketing systems to provide transparency for the bus operator.

Commenting on the partnership, Co-founder and Chief Executive O΀cer of Treepz, Mr. Onyeka Akumah, said: “At Treepz, our goal is to improve the public transportation system in Africa using technology and we are constantly looking out for opportunities to make this happen.

“By combining the expertise and technologies of Treepz, with CMS T M’s 42 years of experience in public transportation and Áeet management, we are on the right path to achieving this goal.

Enugu Moves against 8nauthorised Location of Gas Plants The administration of Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi of Enugu State through the State Fire Service has frowned at the spate of unauthorised and indiscriminate location of Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG)/cooking gas plants in the state, stressing that the associated risks are grievous because of the high inflammability of the substance.

Speaking during the ongoing state-wide fire safety training workshop held separately at Nsukka and Igbo-Etiti Local Government Areas, the State Chief Fire Officer, Mr. Okwudiri Ohaa, disclosed that “these small LPG refill outlets have geometrically increased the fire risk situation

in our society today”.

Ohaa who pointed that “it is the mandate of the fire service to fight fire, prevent fire and perform rescue functions during emergencies”, adding that part of the agency’s regulatory function is to “inspect, recommend appropriate fire safety measures and issue fire permit/fire safety reports where these LPG (Cooking Gas) outlets and plants should be located”.

The Enugu State Fire chief revealed that the State Fire Service has in its usual proactive nature embarked on enforcement to close and prosecute those behind all illegal LPG retail outlets and plants across the state.

President, Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association of Nigeria , Alex Nwuba, yesterday, called for the strengthening of Nigerian airlines through access to sovereign credit to support their growth.

He also said the Nigerian airlines in their structure should be modiÀed to trade more as

public utility/ public companies so that the issue of governance as to how airlines are run as entities, can be solved.

Nwuba, who was a guest on The Morning Show on ARISE News Channel, spoke on the backdrop of travel ban and restriction of airlines from the UK, Canada and Saudi Arabia, which will take eͿect today December 14. He said if the

issues of capital and governance are addressed, Nigerian airlines will be strengthened and become competitive globally.

He expressed concern that the biggest challenge facing Nigerian airlines is capital, saying that if the airlines borrow money from banks to support their operations, they will be able to take on the likes of Ethiopia airlines, Kenya airlines and

Egypt Air. According to him, “ we are borrowing at double digits, 18 to 20 per cent, whereas Nigerian airlines are borrowing at one or two per cent. On a competitive basis, if you look at the airlines , they are running a proÀt level of three to Àve per cent. So if you are borrowing at 22 per cent, it will be a disadvantage for us.

Fire Guts Two Petrol Stations in Onitsha David-Chyddy Eleke in Awka

Two petrol stations were on Sunday night gutted by Àre in the commercial city of Onitsha in Anambra State.

THISDAY gathered that the Àre, which started at Silver Oil Petrol Station, later extended to Chris Tee oil, razing down

the stations. No life was lost in the inferno, which started at about 8p.m., sources said.

The State Police Command’s Spokesperson, DSP. Toochukwu Ikenga, conÀrmed the incident in a press release he signed and issued to journalists.

Ikenga said: “At about 8p.m., information was

received at Inland Police Station Onitsha, that there was a Àre outbreak at Silver Àlling station, along the Onitsha/ Enugu expressway by Awka Road, Onitsha “An unconÀrmed source had it that a truck laden with petroleum product caught Àre inside the Àlling station while

awaiting discharge.

“The DPO Inland Town Police Station quickly contacted the Fire Service, and equally went to the scene with police operatives, who cordoned it oͿ in order to mitigate casualty and prevent hoodlums taking advantage of the scenario to loot.”

Sanwo-Olu Inaugurates Three Roads in 9ictoria Island

Segun James

Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu, yesterday inaugurated three roads in Victoria Island, saying that the reconstruction would help ease tra΀c to the Central Business District (CBD) of Eti-Osa axis of Lagos State.

Sanwo-Olu, who inaugurated

and handed over the reconstructed Adeola Hopewell Street, Idowu Taylor Street and Afribank-Churchgate Road, all within the commercial vicinity of Iru-Victoria Island Local Council Development Area (LCDA), said that the road projects were delivered under the urban infrastructure renewal programme of the

Sanwo-Olu administration, which sought to improve vehicular mobility within and around commercial districts in the state.

Prior to their upgrade, commuters groaned in pain while traversing the axis, as the three roads were impassable due to perennial Áooding occasioned by low

line drainage. This resulted in heavy tra΀c and reduced commercial activities.

Sanwo-Olu said the completion of the roads validated his faith in his campaign pledge to improve the quality of life of the residents and engender socio-economic growth through delivery of requisite infrastructure.

BEDC Offers Scholarship to 9isually Impaired Student BEDC Electricity Plc. (BEDC) has awarded scholarship covering full tuition fees, monthly upkeep allowance as well as presenting a Braille keyboard, laptop and a recording device to Mr. Israel Ojo Temitope, a visually impaired Higher National Diploma 1 Mass Communication student of the Rufus Giwa Polytechnic, Owo, Ondo state.

The donation, according to the company, is part of its philanthropic gesture demonstrated its commitment to continually empower and impact lives within its franchise areas.

The presentation, which had in attendance the BEDC Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) team led by the Chief State Head (BEDC), Ondo and Ekiti states,

Mrs. Kunbi Labiyi, Deputy Rector, Academic, Mr. Adegun Olorunwa, Dean of Student AͿairs, staͿ and students of the institution is part of the company’s CSR) initiatives aimed at supporting the visually impaired student develop skills, improve his educational status and gain independence especially in reading and writing, with a view to assisting him get

sound education.

Speaking at the presentation ceremony in Owo, Mrs Labiyi said, aside the primary responsibility of distributing electricity services to its customers across its coverage areas, BEDC sees the CSR initiative as a veritable tool through which the society can be impacted positively and made a better place for everyone to live in.

TUESDAY, ͹ͼ˜ ͺ͸ͺ͹ ˾ T H I S D AY

38

TUESDAYSPORTS

Group Sports Editor: Duro Ikhazuagbe Email: duro.ikhazuagbe@thisdaylive.com

0811 181 3083 SMS ONLY

Pinnick: Super Eagles Were Heading for Disaster with Rohr Femi Solaja

Chiefs of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) yesterday threw more lights on why Super Eagles Head Coach, Gernot Rohr was sacked after 64 months on the job.

Speaking on Channels Television yesterday, President of the NFF, Amaju Melvin Pinnick insisted that his board took the decision to ease out the German gaffer because the Super Eagles were heading to a disaster at the next AFCON starting in Cameroon on January 9.

“We sacked Rohr to avert disaster waiting to happen,” began Pinnick who is both CAF and FIFA executive committee member.

The German Coach was hired five years ago when the country’s football was in crisis and similarly left in the middle of another when the three-time African champions started to struggle with minnows in African football like Central African Republic, Cape Verde and Liberia. ”It wasn’t an individual decision. It was a collective decision from the executive committee and we didn’t want a disaster to happen before taking that decision,” stressed the NFF President.

Nigeria’s Super Eagles next competitive games will be against Egypt, Sudan and Guinea Bissau at the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations in Cameroon.

“He (Rohr) happens to be the longest serving manager of the team and we gave him all the support but the last two games played were very tough for us as we were at the brink of elimination from the World

Cup,” recalled Pinnick of the clashes with Liberia and Cape Verde.

“We were winning games but there were lots of things we took into cognisance so after pathing ways, there is no point to start ascribing blames for what happened or did not happen. You just let it go and face the future with renewed hope and zeal,” he spoke philosophically.

Pinnick admitted that the NFF was still owing the sacked coach some months of unpaid wages but lack of discipline among the players was one of the major setbacks for Eagles.

“We did everything that we could, but one major factor was that discipline in the team was practically lost in the dressing room.”

He also revealed that discipline in the team was at its lowest ebb. “So the moment you remove discipline, it is a clear sign that the foundation on which the team was built has cracked,” the NFF board further noted.

“A situation in which players now talk back at you because they believe that they are indispensable is clear sign of danger. “ Pinnick restated that the NFF was owing the players and coach but not the exaggerated figures in the social media space.

“We are only owing about two matches of all the games they played in both AFCON and World Cup qualifiers.

“For Gernot Rohr, I know we paid him for about five months. We were owing him for a couple of months, then we cleared about five months,” he concluded.

Like Nigeria, Another AFCON Group DTeam, Sudan, Sack Coach Another Group D team of the Africa Cup of Nations, Sudan, have parted ways with their coach just hours after Nigeria sacked Gernot Rohr.

Both Nigeria and Sudan are scheduled to meet in the northern city of Garoua 15 January at the Africa Cup of Nations.

The coach Sudan sacked is Hubert Velud. His sack is connected with the poor showing of Sudan at the FIFA Arab Cup in Qatar. Sudan lost 0-5 to Egypt, a team they are facing again in the Group Stage at the Africa Cup of Nations next month.

Sudan did not just lose all their three group matches, they conceded 10 goals and scored none.

Sudan qualified to the continent’s flagship competition for the first time since 2013, and with Ethiopia they are the only two teams from the CECAFA Zone in the impending AFCON 2021.

The SFA executive committee meeting decided on Sunday to terminate Velud’s contract and appoint local caretaker coach Burhan Tia to handle the team during the upcoming AFCON. The timing of the sack almost

coincided with that of Nigeria where Rohr was sacked and home boy, Augustine Eguavoen was put on the saddle.

Although Velud, who was appointed coach in January 2020, guided Sudan to qualify for the 2021 AFCON, the team has lately not registered good results.

In the FIFA World Cup qualifiers alongside Morocco, Guinea-Bissau and Guinea, Velud’s team finished bottom of the group with three points from six matches.

At the FIFA Arab Cup 2021 they lost 4-0 in the opening match to Algeria, before suffering 5-0 defeat to Egypt and a 1-0 loss to Lebanon.

The new interim coach Burhan Tia has worked in the Sudan Premier League for 26 years.

He was also Sudan assistant coach during the 2018 Africa Nations Championship (CHAN) where the Falcons of Jediane finished third.

The new technical team includes Mubarak Soliman and Mohsen Sayed as assistant coaches. They will have a tough mission of making it to AFCON knockout stage.

Minnows in African football like the Central African Republic (in blue jerseys) came to Lagos to earn maximum points with Gernot Rohr incharge of Super Eagles

Okoye, Ezenwa Eulogise Rohr for Giving their Careers Wings Coach Rohr turned my young football career around, says Okoye Super Eagles Number One goalkeeper, Maduka Okoye took to the social media yesterday to pour plaudits on sacked Coach Gernot Rohr.

Rohr was dismissed by the Nigeria Football Federation after over five years in charge on Sunday following the Super Eagles poor performance in recent outings.

Okoye made his international debut under Rohr in a friendly against the Selecao of Brazil in November 2019.

The Sparta Rotterdam safe hands took to Twitter to express his gratitude to the former Gabon and Niger Republic gaffer for giving his career a major lift.

“You turned my young football career around, helped me and gave this career a big boost!

“You let me do what I always dreamed of, Playing for my fatherland Nigeria.

Thank you for almost three amazing years, your support and your trust.

I’m wishing you all the best Coach Rohr,”he tweeted.

Similarly, another Nigerian goalkeeper, Ikechukwu Ezenwa praised Rohr for giving him the chance in the Nigerian senior national team.

“Today, I can tell my children that it was Gernot Rohr who took me to the World Cup, to the Africa Cup of Nations and to the World Cup qualifiers where I played the game that changed my story against Cameroon. He made the decision that I was going to keep and he said he believed in me. I will never forget him,” the Enyimba goalkeeper wrote on social media yesterday.

Maduka Okoye

Ikechukwu Ezenwa

Heartland FC Set for New NPFL Season Thank Gov Uzodimma for support

Heartland Football Club of Owerri have assured their numerous fans across the globe that the club is revamped, rejigged and repositioned to focus on delivering the goods this new NPFL season scheduled to kick of this weekend.

Acting General Manager of Heartland FC, Promise Nwachukwu, confirmed yesterday in Owerri that the state’s Governor, Senator Hope Uzodimma has thrown his weight behind the team with adequate support.

“I wish to thank the government and the good people of Imo State for their unflinching support over the years. We are therefore assuring our numerous fans across the globe that the club is revamped, rejigged and repositioned to focus on delivering the goods this new season.”

The club’s acting general manager was however sad over activities of naysayers and detractors who have decided to “use the social media to de-market and denigrate our prestigious club.”

“Consequently, the management of Heartland FC is hereby notifying the general public that the club is a professional and responsible organization who do not conduct her businesses on social media.”

He recalled that at the end of last season, the club painstakingly reviewed her activities and took proactive as well as pragmatic steps to ensure better productivity.

“Players who under-performed last season were sent to the youth team until such a time when they will improve and be in sync with the rest of the team.

“Players who went against the code of conduct of the club through gross indiscipline, and un-ethical practices were sanctioned, accordingly.

“We therefore advice those affected to please reach out to the club for clarification and not to resort to cheap blackmail on social media.”

He stressed that Heartland FC appreciate “the love, care and support of his Excellency, Senator Hope Uzodimma, the Governor of Imo State towards the club, while promising to reciprocate his kind gesture with commensurate performance and victory on the field of play.

“We therefore charge supporters of the Naze Millionaires not to relent in their support going into the new NPFL season.”

39

TUESDAY, ͹ͼ˜ ͺ͸ͺ͹ ˾ T H I S D AY

SPORTS

PSG vs Madrid Headlines UCL Last 16 ‘Redraw’ PSG against Real Madrid is the standout tie of the second attempt at the Champions League last 16 after the draw was redone by UEFA in Nyon, Switzerland yesterday afternoon.

The first draw, which had seen Manchester United paired with Paris Saint-Germain and Bayern Munich matched with Atletico Madrid, was earlier voided by UEFA because of a 'technical problem' involving United's accidental exclusion from a potential tie against Atletico.

This time, United and Atletico were indeed paired against each other, while Chelsea and Lille was the only tie that was repeated from the botched first draw.

Real Madrid had been matched with Benfica first time round and so will undoubtedly be unhappy to have now been drawn against PSG. Liverpool have been handed a tie against Inter, with Manchester

City to face Sporting CP. It was a random draw so each seeded group winner was paired against an unseeded group runner-up, while country protection also remained in place. Clubs who qualified from the same group were also kept apart for this round.

EUROPA KO PLAYOFFS FIXTURES Sevilla v Di’ Zagreb Atalanta v Olympiakos RB Leipzig v Sociedad Barcelona v Napoli Zenit v Real Betis Dortmund v Rangers Sheriff v Braga Porto v Lazio

Barca to Begin Europa League Quest against Napoli

THE DRAW FOR ROUND OF 16

Aguero to Quit Football Tomorrow Sergio Aguero is set to announce his retirement from football in a 'special ceremony on Wednesday' after struggling with heart problems.

Aguero was diagnosed with cardiac arrhythmia after experiencing chest pains 41 minutes into his first start for Barcelona last month.

The striker was initially told to rest for three months, but is now planning to step away from football permanently at just 33 years old, according to Spanish media giant, Marca.

Aguero joined Barcelona on a free transfer last summer from Manchester City and was making his first start for his new club against Alaves when he experienced chest pains.

The striker required on-pitch medical attention shortly before half-time having complained of dizziness.

There was growing distress in the stadium as Aguero lay flat on pitch, having gone down moments after he had his hand placed on his chest.

Barca's medical staff rushed on the pitch to assist Aguero and looked to place him on a stretcher, before the striker eventually got up and slowly walked off the pitch unaided.

The Argentinian spent then next two days in hospital and was diagnosed with cardiac arrhythmia after undergoing several tests.

He was subsequently told to rest for three months while 'the effectiveness of treatment is evaluated'.

However, it has now been

revealed that the severity of his condition was greater than first thought.

As a result, Aguero will reportedly announce his retirement from football at a special ceremony at the club on Wednesday.

Speaking after the incident took place, Aguero thanked the Barcelona supporters for the messages of support he had received.

Aguero said: “Hey Culers!

Sending you all a big hug!

Thank you for all the messages of support. Now it's time to recover and wait for more news. Sending you all a big hug.”

The incident also prompted an outpouring of support at his former club Manchester City.

Among those to send their well wishes was manager Pep Guardiola. He said: “I spoke with his agent.

“It's difficult news for him and his family. We wish him well from all our people. Our chairman, we wish him a safe recovery. Health and life more important than anything else.

“He is in good hands, he takes care of himself, we wish him a safe recovery and come back if he can – otherwise enjoy his life and what he has done. Be careful and be safe for the rest of his life.”

Sergio Aguero (on the turf) shortly after he was discovered to have heart issues. Now the PHOTO: REUTERS Argentine is Set to call time on his illustrious career.

Barcelona will face Napoli in the Europa League knockout round play-off stage after the Catalan giants crashed out in the Champions League group stage for the first time since the 2000-01 season.

Xavi Hernandez's Barca will continue their European campaign in the second-tier competition, with the winner of their tie with Napoli advancing to the last 16.

The draw for the play-off round, introduced this season as part of a slimmed-down Europa League format, includes the eight runners-up from the group stage and the eight third-placed teams from the Champions League.

Borussia Dortmund were paired against Rangers in Monday's draw, while record six-time winners Sevilla will take on Dinamo Zagreb.

Porto will play Lazio and RB Leipzig were drawn alongside

Real Sociedad. The first legs will take place on February 17 and the return matches on February 24.

The eight Europa League group winners qualified directly for the round of 16. West Ham United, Monaco, Lyon and Bayer Leverkusen are among those teams.

"I'd say that our glass is completely full: Barcelona v Napoli and then Napoli v Barcelona will be two great matches at Champions League level!" tweeted Napoli President Aurelio De Laurentiis.

Napoli and Barca met in the last 16 of the 2019-20 Champions League, with Barca advancing 4-2 on aggregate.

The away goals rule has been removed from this season's European competitions, so ties level after 180 minutes will go to extra time, and then penalties if needed.

Betway Launches First Ever Gaming Experience Centre in Nigeria Premium entertainment and gaming brand, Betway Nigeria, last Saturday launched the first ever gaming experience centre in Nigeria.

Located in Ikorodu Lagos, the Betway Customer Experience Centre was designed to meet customer needs, showcase Betway’s state-of-the-art products, and educate customers on new offerings and promotions.

The Experience Centre will also give the public the opportunity to register and place bets by logging into their accounts on the tablets provided in-store.

Mr Bashir Are, Chief Executive Officer of the Lagos State Lottery and Gaming Authority; Wasiu Adeshina, Chairman of Ikorodu Local Government, and other dignitaries joined the Betway Nigeria Team at the launch of the Arena.

According to Kunle Olamuyiwa, Chief Operating Officer, Betway Nigeria, “The launch of this Experience Centre

shows Betway’s commitment, and focus, on delivering premium products and an ultimate gaming experience to customers in Nigeria.

The new Betway Customer Experience Centre will help our team interact directly with customers, so we can receive useful feedback that will help us serve them better.”

Speaking at the launch of the Experience Centre, Dotun Adepegba, Betway Nigeria’s Marketing Manager, said “The fundamental engine of business growth is customers, and with the launch of this Experience Centre, we are giving our customers an opportunity to interact with Betway in a comfortable environment, and well-designed facility, that showcases what our brand truly stands for.”

Since the start of the year, Betway Nigeria, through its community support programme, has donated nearly N10 million worth of fitness and sports equipment to beneficiaries across the country.

Tuesday, December 14, 2021

TR

UT H

& RE A S O

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Price: N250

MISSILE Northern Groups to Igbo ‘’The bitter truth is that no matter how low the Igbo are willing to go or how long they are willing to keep their knees on the ground, it will be unreasonable to expect other Nigerian tribes, not least the North to risk entrusting the Presidency in them’’.---Coalition of Northern Groups, dismissing the reported plea by some Igbo leaders, that the South East is ‘prepared to kneel before other tribes for the 2023 presidency’.

TUESDAY WITH REUBENABATI abati1990@gmail.com

Akin Osuntokun At 60 M

y good friend, Akin Osuntokun is 60. He was actually 60 on November 24, but it is this week that friends and family are rolling out the drums to celebrate one of the finest persons that I know. On November 24, we had gathered at his residence, at the invitation of Ronke, his wife, and the Osuntokun family but that was just a family event. This week, Akintola Osuntokun gets the public celebration that he truly deserves. Sometimes I forget how and when he and I met and I must have given varying accounts over the years. But the main recollection imprinted in my brain is that I got to know him when I was a graduate student at the University of Ibadan. I was Secretary-General of Obafemi Awolowo Hall.

Ronke Ajibade, now Mrs. Osuntokun, was a graduate student. She lived in Awo Hall. Akin used to come around to “disturb” her. As Secretary-General of the Hall, I was something of a village gossip. I knew a lot more about every little affair.

I had completed my Ph.D. thesis, but my teachers would not let me go. They wanted me to teach and give back to the Department, having completed my studies with the University’s Scholarship. I eventually got drawn into students’ politics. I already knew Akin Osuntokun by reputation before I met him.

He was one of those young men in those days who wrote prolifically on the pages of Nigerian newspapers. In the 80s and early 90s, young men of our generation were more interested in ideas.

We were brought up by good teachers. In ABU, Ife, UNILAG, UNN, and the University of Ibadan, we had a set of academics who promoted nothing else but ideas and who became role models for younger persons. The big debate then was about Marxism and Capitalism, and some of the leading polemicists included Wole Soyinka, Biodun Jeyifo, Ropo Sekoni, Yemi Ogunbiyi, Dipo Fashina, Edwin and Bene Madunagu, Eskor Toyo, Tunde Fatunde, Chidi Amuta, Bala Usman, Bade Onimode, Femi Osofisan, Bode Sowande, Segun Osoba, Festus Iyayi.

Many of us wanted to be like them. We wore jeans and batik. We mouthed revolutionary slogans. We looked down on anybody that looked like a coxcomb as a potential idiot.

We could quote major texts in epistemology and 20th Century ideas. The newspapers provided a watering hole for our teachers and the students who learnt at their feet. Akin and I belonged to this generation of students learning to be like the masters. We too wrote essays and whenever we met, we engaged each other.

We were not very popular with all the girls. Very few girls wanted to date anyone sounding like a textbook or parroting the thoughts of poor people as gospel truth. But Akin won Ronke’s attention. When I eventually left university teaching and relocated to Lagos, it turned out that Ronke’s family, the Ajibades lived within the Oke Ira axis and I was also not far away. I used to follow Akin on his many trips to the neighbourhood. I don’t know how they do it these days, but in our time, you couldn’t just go to a man’s house to visit his daughter. You would ask a friend to accompany you, make it look like you were just a harmless, innocent, classmate just passing by. I hear these days, some suitors are invited by prospective mothers-in-law, served food and they share drinks with the would-be father-in-law and given a VIP reception. Many of such boys come in and out until the family loses count. No responsible family would allow that kind of behaviour from suitors or male friends of their daughters in our time. The Ajibades and the Osuntokuns are both from Oke-Imesi, in the present Ekit State, so that also meant a long history and the need to respect spaces. I was happy to tag along to occasionally support my friend.

I ended up proposing the toast at their wedding many years later at the University of Lagos where the event was held. I remember that wedding because it

Osuntokun

fell on a day I was to write an examination paper at the Faculty of Law, Lagos State University (LASU).

I missed the exam. Now this week, many years later, I have chosen to miss another commitment, to deliver the special public lecture in honour of Akin Osuntokun holding at the Nigerian Institute of International Affairs (NIIIA) as he celebrates his 60th birthday.

But there is nothing that is ever too much to do for Akin Osuntokun. He would do more if the shoes were on the other side. He is generous, kindhearted and dependable. He is one of those friends you have, you just simply can’t do without. He is ever so considerate, extremely adept at managing relationships and networks. I don’t know how he does it. You would think the cell phone was invented for him. He likes to organize, mobilize and pursue results. And he thinks and writes. For more than 30 years, he has written extensively on issues of national interest. I met him through his many writings, and we later had the opportunity of working together on the Editorial Board of The Guardian Newspapers. Before The Guardian, he had written for Vanguard and other newspapers and had chalked up a reputation as a very analytical mind with a capacity to deliver thoughtful, well-researched essays on key national issues. Mr. Alex Ibru, our publisher took an instant liking to him. Nigeria was going through a tumultuous moment: the dust over the annulment of the June 12, 1993 election had not yet settled, there was crisis in the Niger Delta, the military establishment was dangerously overstretching its luck, locally and internationally, with its abuse of human rights and processes. In addition to his work as an editorial writer and columnist, Akin Osuntokun was given the additional responsibility of doing a regular summary and analysis of key political issues for Mr. Alex Ibru: publisher of The Guardian, the man who gave people like me and many others the opportunity to grow. Mr. Ibru had one talent: he could spot talent from a thousand miles away. And he would pick you up and groom you and challenge you to excel. Akin has always had a passion for politics. He believes that it is politics and the art of leadership that can save society. His best moments are when he discusses politics or you allow him to organize or midwife a political process.

It didn’t take long for me to realize that there is a genetic side to this. Osuntokun used to talk

about a certain progenitor, his grandfather or great grandfather who led his family from Ajase Ipo in the present Kwara State, to Okemesi where the family settled. The said Osuntokun pater familia fought in the Ekiti Parapo, Jalumi and Kiriji wars and was one of the chief lieutenants of Isola Fabunmi of Oke Imesi. Professor A. I. Akinjogbin has given an excellent and authoritative account of War in Yorubaland in the 19th Century, in a book of the same title but Akin Osuntokun’s progenitor’s role in that phase of Yoruba history is something that gives him feelings of pride and authenticity. He sees himself as a reincarnation, a man with a biological mandate to pursue public causes in the people’s interest. His father was also a major influence. By the time Akin Osuntokun was born in 1961, intraethnic wars in Yorubaland had ended, at least for a while- Ife-Modakeke was still many years in the distance, but his father, Oduola Osuntokun and his siblings had given the family name a contemporary edge. Oduola Osuntokun was one of the first stars in the then Western Region to graduate from the famous Fourah Bay College in Sierra Leone. He was also a superstar educationist, an outstanding school Principal. He ended up in politics and became a Minister in the Western Region under the Obafemi Awolowo Government. He was a Chieftain of the Action Group.

But when the fight between the Premier of the Western Region, Obafemi Awolowo and his Deputy, Chief Samuel Ladoke Akintola (SLA) occurred, the late Oduola Osuntokun pitched his tent with the latter. This has since turned out to be a big event in the history of the Osuntokun family. It was in the midst of that politics that Akin was born. His father named him after SLA. Akin is in full: Akintola Osuntokun. His father named his son after Akintola just in case anyone was in doubt about where he stood. Akin Osuntokun has had cause to publish a book on Oduola Osuntokun’s side of the politics of the era titled Oduola Osuntokun: My View of the Coin, written by the man himself. But it would not be appropriate for us to take sides. The other weight on Akintola Osuntokun’s shoulder is that he comes from a family of major figures in Nigerian history. One of his father’s brothers is on record as being one of the most brilliant Nigerian scientists ever produced. Professor Benjamin Oluwakayode Osuntokun, MD, Ph.D, DSc. (1935 -1995) was one of the best and the brightest of his time. He was a researcher on tropical neurology, atxic neuropathy to be specific, the man who was known for Osuntokun’s sign, and a Gold Medallist in Medicine.

But he was not the only man of prodigious talent in the family. Akin Osuntokun used to tell me that his father used to challenge his brothers to do more and excel. Another uncle has been no less distinguished.

The historian: Professor Akinjide Osuntokun, Emeritus Professor, former University Vice-Chancellor, former Ambassador of Nigeria to Germany, author of many seminal books including Nigeria in the First World War, Chief S. Ladoke Akintola: his Life and Times, Power Broker: A Biography of Sir Kashim Ibrahim, History of the Peoples of Lagos State and others.

Akin Osuntokun practically follows in the footsteps of his fathers, and of all the members of the younger generation of Osuntokuns that I know, he has been the most dedicated in that regard, combining every strand of every family heritage into an impressive persona: the warrior, the intellectual, the political man of action.

He used to look very lithe. He has managed over the years to maintain a good frame. I attribute that to his obsession with physical exercise. He likes to jog in the morning; for many years he maintained a strict schedule. But no one should be fooled by his appearance. Osuntokun sees himself as a warrior.

He was once Basorun of OkeMesi. He is now the Balogun of Okemesi, the war commander of Oke Mesi, the title once held by the legendary and inimitable

Fabunmi. On his birthday, on November 24, Osuntokun danced, most of the time to the Balogun beat: the traditional, drum sequence that calls out the Balogun of Okemesi, to remind him that it was time to go to war. As the beats rolled out of the spherical-shaped drums in responsorial, antiphonal rhythm, supplied by a team that looked like they came all the way from the village to serenade their Balogun, Osuntokun the son stepped out. His uncle, Professor Akinjide Osuntokun also stepped forward. I laughed. No level of education can displace genetics, or stop these people my Egba progenitors refer to as Ara Oke from being who they are. A family of warriors. But the nature of the war has since changed.

Akin Osuntokun, the celebrant, fights his wars today, in the public arena, using his pen and mouth to express ideas and to pursue political causes. He introduced me to politics. I used to think politics was a special calling for people looking for a quick way to be relevant. But sometime in the 90s, Osuntokun came up with the idea that we, the young people of Nigeria, must not leave leadership and politics to the older generation who had failed everyone. He set up what became known as the Progressive Action Movement (PAM), a platform for young people who wanted to take over Nigeria and make a difference.

Akin used to argue that nobody would ever come to your house to invite you to join politics. You must show interest. I did. We met regularly and we formed a strong network that attracted support and attention. Opeyemi Agbaje, Toyin and Debola Fagbayi (we held many meetings in their house in Apapa, and they provided good refreshments), Segun Awolowo, Sanusi Lamido Sanusi (as he then was), Dotun Oni, Ado Sanusi, Femi Fani-Kayode.

Osuntokun used to live then in Wemabod Estate, off Adeniyi Jones in Ikeja. We met in his compound.

Ado Sanusi lived next door, and sometimes we held events in Ado’s house. Their wives were always ever so accommodating. We grew into a big family of young Nigerians who wanted to change the country.

Some of us ended up in government. Quite a number became big men and women in politics. Akin Osuntokun has been active since then in the public arena and has acquired significant experience as a party man, strategist, political mobilizer, and more importantly as a public intellectual. He has served as Chairman of Oodua Printing Corporation, and Managing Director of the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN). He was a Political Adviser to President Olusegun Obasanjo. A loyal party man and a die-hard PDP politician, Osuntokun was the Director of the PDP 2007 Presidential Campaign, the campaign that brought President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua to power.

He has remained one of the most consistent voices of reason in the public arena. He is a member of the Editorial Board of ThisDay newspaper and a regular columnist with the same newspaper.

I am very proud of him and what he has been able to achieve since those early days when we all had no ideas about tomorrow. Osuntokun can argue though. When he is upset, you don’t want to be around him. The other day, at a meeting of the Ooni Caucus, which he coordinates, even the Ooni had to struggle to get him to calm down. But he is an all-round jolly good fellow. And he has learnt, over the years, not to give Ronke any undue stress. I will not speak further on that, please… Okunrin Meta!

Remarkably, he is a good citizen. The vastness of his contribution to politics and leadership is guided by a commitment to a narrative of optimism and possibilities. He is a stout promoter of the firm belief that the pen is indeed mightier than the sword.

He is above all a gentleman and one of the finest ambassadors of Okemesi and the Yoruba race. Where are these Okemesi drummers? Beat the drums and let the Balogun dance… A man whom you can’t eulogize without speaking about a part of your own life is not a friend but a brother… Enjoy your birthday, Balogun. Congratulations.

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