SUNDAY 22TH DECEMBER 2024

Competition Begins as NNPCL Reduces Ex-depot Price of Petrol after Dangote's Rate Reduction

Emmanuel Addeh in Abuja and Peter Uzoho in Lagos

The long-awaited competition in the downstream segment of the Nigerian oil and gas sector may have finally started, with petrol retailers confirming yesterday that the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC) has reduced the ex-depot price of

Dangote Refinery is also partnering

Tinubu Orders Strict Enforcement of Crowd Control Measures as 39 Die in Anambra, FCT Stampedes

Cancels scheduled Lagos events in honour of victims Oyo, Abuja, Anambra stampedes signs of Nigeria’s systemic failures, says Obi Catholic Church, Kaigama, Obi Jackson Foundation mourn victims IG orders probe, police may prosecute organisers Sanwo-Olu, Wike direct distributors of palliatives to seek approval See story on page 5

Michael Olugbode in Abuja

Ogun State Governor, Prince Dapo Abiodun; Zamfara

Governor, Mr. Dauda Lawal; Wife of Sokoto State Governor, Fatima Aliyu; Groom’s father and Delta State Governor, Hon. Sheriff Oborevwori; the Groom, Mr. Clinton Oborevwori; his wife, Knowledge; Groom’s mother, Mrs. Tobore Oborevwori; representative of President Bola Tinubu and Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Mr. Festus Keyamo (SAN); Adamawa State Governor, Ahmadu Fintiri; Plateau State Governor, Caleb Mutfwang; Taraba State Governor, Agbu Kefas; Wife of Abia State Governor, Mrs. Cecilia Otti; and Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, with the newlyweds at the Living Faith Church, Asaba…yesterday

At Oborevwori’s Son’s Wedding, Tinubu Describes Delta Gov as Bridge Builder, Model Political Leader

President Bola Tinubu has described Governor Sheriff Oborevwori of Delta State as a bridge builder and model political leader, following the calibre of persons across political divides that graced his son's wedding in Asaba, the Delta State capital.

Awka

President Bola Tinubu yesterday charged the state governments and other relevant authorities to enforce strict crowd control measures following the death of 39 people in stampedes in Anambra State and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).

Tinubu also cancelled all his official events in Lagos, including attendance at the 2024 Lagos Boat Regatta in honour of the victims of the stampedes.

Reacting to the unfortunate incidents that occurred in Anambra State and the FCT, the presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP) in the 2023 general election, Mr Peter Obi, in a series of tweets on X, described the stampedes as systemic failures plaguing Nigeria.

The Catholic Church in Nigeria and the Catholic Archbishop of Abuja, Most Rev. Ignatius Kaigama have also expressed shock and sadness at yesterday’s tragedy at the Holy Trinity Church Maitama in Abuja.

Obijackson Foundation has also expressed deep sorrow over the tragic incident that led to the loss of lives during a stampede in Okija, Anambra State, during its annual distribution of rice.

This is just as the Inspector General of Police (IG), Kayode Egbetokun yesterday ordered the Commissioners of Police (CPs) of FCT as well as Anambra, and Oyo states to investigate the immediate and remote causes of the tragic stampede that led to the loss of lives in their respective commands.

In response to the frequent stampedes during philanthropic

President Tinubu, who was represented at the occasion by the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Mr Festus Keyamo (SAN), said Governor Oborevwori, since he came into office, is a governor for all the people of the state.

He lauded the governor for being a

The wedding between Mr. Clinton Oborevwori and his heartthrob, Knowledge Davidson, took place yesterday at the Living Faith Church, Asaba.

activities in parts of the country, the Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu has directed that individuals and organisations planning to distribute items to large gatherings during the festive season must obtain approval from the Lagos State Safety Commission.

The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has directed individuals or organisations planning the public distribution of palliatives to obtain police permission.

In a statement by his Senior Special Assistant on Public Communications and New Media, Lere Olayinka, the minister also issued a directive to government hospitals to treat those who were injured in the stampede free of charge.

While 29 people, mostly women, died yesterday during the distribution of bags of rice by the Obijackson Foundation owned by a multibillionaire businessman and philanthropist, Chief Ernest Azudialu-Obiejesi in Okija, Ihiala Local Government Area (LGA) of Anambra State, 10 others were confirmed dead yesterday in a stampede during the distribution of food items at the Holy Trinity Catholic Church in Maitama, Abuja.

Before yesterday’s incidents, 35 children had died last Wednesday in a stampede at a funfair in Ibadan, Oyo State.

Wings Foundation, in collaboration with Agidigbo FM, organised the funfair, with a plan to give N5,000 each and food to 5,000 kids.

Reacting to the two incidents of yesterday, President Tinubu, according to a statement by his Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga has cancelled his

DESTABILISE NIGERIEN GOVERNMENT

Mali and Burkina Faso denouncing, alongside Niger, their membership of ECOWAS and forming the Alliance of Sahel States.

However, in August this year, Abuja and Niamey resumed security cooperation.

But this relationship seems to have broken down with a new twist as the military junta has accused Nigeria of planning to destabilise her country.

The Nigerien Minister of Foreign Affairs, Bakary Yaou Sangare, had summoned the Nigerian charge d’affaires on Wednesday.

Sangare expressed disappointment in Nigeria’s alleged actions.

He said in a statement aired on national television on Thursday, that: “Despite efforts to normalise relations, we regret that Nigeria has not given up on serving as a rear base for the destabilisation of Niger, with the complicity of some foreign powers and officials of the former regime, to whom it offers a refuge.”

But in denying the allegation, the Nigerian government said it remained committed to the fight against terrorism, adding that it had not condoned the activities of a terrorism group.

A statement yesterday signed by the Acting Spokesperson, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Kimiebi Ebienfa, read: “The Federal Government of Nigeria refutes in very strong terms, allegations by the Nigerien authorities

pan-Deltan and detribalised governor, saying if all leaders shun political and religious inclinations, Nigeria would be a better place for all citizens to fulfill their God-given destinies.

While wishing the couple success in their matrimony, President Tinubu charged them to allow Christ be the driver of their marriage.

In an interview at the ceremony,

scheduled plan to watch the boat parade and other activities of the Boat Regatta from the waterfront of his Queen's Drive residence in Ikoyi.

According to the statement, dignitaries, including top officials of the Lagos State government and white cap chiefs from the state, were already seated when the president cancelled his appearance following briefings on the tragedies.

Commiserating with the victims of the unfortunate incidents, President Tinubu urged state governments and relevant authorities to enforce strict crowd control measures immediately.

He noted that it was very disturbing that the events at the Holy Trinity Catholic Church in Maitama, Abuja, and a community Centre in Okija, Anambra State, bore a distressing resemblance to the recent incident in Ibadan, Oyo State.

The president said local and state authorities should no longer tolerate operational lapses by organisations and corporate bodies involved in charitable and humanitarian activities.

He reiterated that these mishaps are avoidable if event planners adhere to necessary safeguards and protocols to ensure pre- and post-event safety.

''In a season of joy and celebration, we grieve with fellow citizens mourning the painful losses of their loved ones. Our prayers of divine comfort and healing are with them,'' the president said.

Oyo, Abuja, Anambra Stampedes Signs of Nigeria’s Systemic Failures, Says Obi

Also reacting, the presidential candidate of the LP in the 2023 general election, expressed sadness over the tragic loss of lives in stampedes during the collection

that the Lakurawa terrorist group, with the help of foreign security forces, including Nigerian security forces, were responsible for the attack on the Niger-Benin oil pipeline on December 13, 2024, in Gaya, Dosso Region of Niger Republic.

“The Government of Nigeria condoles with the Government of Niger over the unfortunate attack on the oil pipeline but informs that the perpetrators were neither backed nor assisted by Nigerian authorities. The Government of Nigeria is strongly committed to the fight against terrorism and will not condone or support the activities of such groups.

“The Federal Government of Nigeria also expresses very serious concern and states categorically that there are no French military troops in the northern part of the country preparing to destabilise the Government of Niger. These allegations are unfounded and should be discarded in their entirety.”

The statement added: “It is important to state that the relationship between Nigeria and France has always been cordial, and it is guided by mutual respect, dignity, and non-interference in each other’s internal affairs. Nigeria will continue to explore all peaceful means to maintain its cordial relationship with the Republic of Niger for the benefit of the people of both countries.”

father of the groom, Governor Oborevwori, expressed appreciation to President Tinubu, his brother governors and all guests at the ceremony for honouring him and his family.

He described Tinubu as a good man who does not look at issues of political parties in his dealings.

"Mr President has sent the Minster of Aviation and Aerospace

of food palliatives in Oyo, Anambra, and Abuja.

In a series of tweets on X, Obi described the stampedes as systemic failures plaguing Nigeria.

He expressed concerns that despite abundant resources and fertile land in Nigeria, people were dying of hunger in the country.

“While I will not cast blame, but instead appreciate the organisers of these respective events for their kind gestures in providing palliatives and support to society, especially the poor, these tragedies reflect the systemic failures that plague our society.

“The desperate quest for survival in these harsh economic times has driven our people to extremes in their search for food, often at the cost of their lives.

“How do we explain that in a nation blessed with abundant resources, our people are dying of hunger in such numbers? How is it possible that we cannot feed our citizens despite the vast, fertile lands our nation is endowed with? My heart bleeds.”

Obi, however, commiserated with the families of the victims.

Catholic Church, Kaigama Mourn Victims

Meanwhile, the Catholic Church in Nigeria and the Catholic Archbishop of Abuja, Kaigama have expressed shock and sadness at yesterday’s tragedy at the Holy Trinity Church Maitama in Abuja. Reacting to the tragedy, the Catholic Church said the ensuing stampede that caused deaths and injured some people was unexpected.

Speaking with journalists, the National Director of Social Communications at the Catholic Secretariat of Nigeria (CSN), Padre Mike Nsikak Umoh, said it was very unfortunate that such a good

stopped loading its gantries at the Port Harcourt refinery, describing it as a figment of the imagination of some persons who want to induce artificial scarcity of petrol.

NNPCL’s recently rehabilitated Port Harcourt refinery first began selling at N1,045 per litre (ex-depot), before it reduced to N1,030, and then N1,020 per litre before the latest reduction to N899 per litre.

The Petroleum Products Retail Outlets Owners Association of Nigeria (PETROAN), which confirmed the new development, described it as a ‘significant step’, pointing out that it was in response to the competitive impact of deregulation in the downstream sector.

PETROAN, in a statement signed by its national spokesman, Dr Joseph Obele, stated that under the new pricing, the NNPC’s ex-depot price is N899 per litre in Lagos and N970 in Warri, Oghara, Port Harcourt, and Calabar.

According to the group of petrol retailers, the move is expected to spark a ‘price war’ among oil marketers, ultimately benefiting consumers of petroleum products.

“The company (NNPC) recently reduced the ex-depot price of petrol from N1,020 to N899 per litre, a move that has been commended by PETROAN. PETROAN hails the NNPC for responding to the

Development, Mr Festus Keyamo, who is also one of our own to represent him here and he spoke very well and Deltans are very happy.

"We are not surprised because he is our in-law, the wife is partly from here so we are very happy," Oborevwori said.

Continuing, the Governor said:

call for affordable Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) prices.

“A document released by NNPC’s commercial department indicates a reduction based on regional pricing scheme as: Lagos: 899.0; Warri: 970.0; Oghara: 970.0; PH: 970.0 and Calabar 970.0,” it added.

Describing the price reduction as a welcome development that will bring relief to motorists and Nigerians during the holiday season, the Chairman of PETROAN, Dr Billy Gillis-Harry said it was a demonstration of the NNPCL’s commitment to making petroleum products more affordable for Nigerians.

With the price reduction, he said there will be a cut in transportation costs, motorists will spend less on fuel, and there will be increased disposable income as well as a rise in economic activities.

“Lower fuel prices will stimulate economic growth by reducing production costs and increasing demand for goods and services. The price reduction will lead to a decrease in the cost of living, enabling Nigerians to afford necessities and enjoy a better quality of life,” Gillis-Harry argued.

"It is the joy of every parent seeing their children getting married after raising them to that particular age of getting married. I am very happy today and may God continue to bless their marriage."

deed turned tragic. He said the food distribution was designed by the church to bring succour to Nigerians during this Yuletide season.

Umoh urged all parishes across the country to put in place adequate crowd control measures to prevent any further incidents.

"It is very unfortunate this is happening in our country Nigeria, a land of plenty. We keep hearing every day about millions and billions being stolen with no accountability. It is sad because a similar incident occurred a few days ago in Ibadan. In our history in Nigeria, just within one week, we have recorded two incidents,” CSN added.

"So, it’s an indication that hunger is real in the land; there is desperation in the land. People gravitate toward wherever there is food,” CSN said.

In his condolence message to the entire Archdiocesan family and the general public, Kaigama expressed shock and sadness at the incident.

He said: "I, on behalf of the Catholic Archdiocese of Abuja, mourn the tragic loss of lives and those injured at the St. Vincent de Paul Society's food-sharing event at Holy Trinity Parish, Maitama, Abuja.”

In its reaction, the Obijackson Foundation has also expressed deep sorrow over yesterday’s tragic incident that led to the loss of lives in Okija, Anambra State.

According to a statement it issued, the foundation pledged to investigate the cause of the tragedy, to forestall future occurrences, stressing that it won't be deterred from engaging in philanthropy.

“We humbly seek the understanding of our community as we reflect on this painful moment. This setback will not deter us from our mission to serve the vulnerable and uplift those in need. We will

While highlighting the pros and cons of competitive pricing, PETROAN called on the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) to ensure compliance with quality assurance standards.

Also yesterday, the NNPC denied a report that it had stopped loading its gantries at the Port Harcourt refinery, describing it as a figment of the imagination of some persons who want to induce artificial scarcity.

“The attention of the NNPC has been drawn to reports in a section of the media alleging that the old Port Harcourt refinery which was re-streamed two months ago has been shut down. We wish to clarify that such reports are totally false as the refinery is fully operational as verified a few days ago by former Group Managing Directors of NNPC.

“Preparation for the day’s loading operation is currently ongoing. Members of the public are advised to discountenance such reports as they are the figments of the imagination of those who want to create artificial scarcity and rip-off Nigerians,” the Chief Corporate Communications Officer of the oil firm, Olufemi Soneye, stated.

Meanwhile, the President of Dangote Industries Limited, Aliko Dangote, has commended Tinubu for the overall positive impact the crude-for-naira deal is having on the Nigerian economy.

Dangote recalled that the refinery recently reduced the price of petrol from N970 to N899.50 and provided generous credit terms to marketers.

He advised the couple to remain united, saying; "there is no perfect marriage and they need to persevere because marriage is an institution you don't graduate from.”

learn from this experience and strive to do better,” the statement added.

IG Orders Probe, Police May Prosecute Organisers

On his part, the IG of Police, Egbetokun, has expressed concerns over the unorganised distribution of palliatives and relief items across Nigeria during the festive period.

Addressing journalists in Abuja yesterday, the Force Spokesperson, Muyiwa Adejobi, said the IG has ordered the Commissioners of Police in the affected states to investigate the matter for possible legal actions. He stated that the organisers of this charity are liable for criminal offences, citing relevant provisions in Nigeria’s Penal and Criminal Codes. Adejobi said, “The IG has hereby warned groups and organisers of similar events to ensure the involvement of security agencies as negligence on their part is criminal and would not be overlooked, as provided for in Sec. 196 of the Penal Code and Section 344 of the Criminal Code, Laws of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.”

To Avert Stampedes, Lagos Tasks Distributors of Palliatives to Seek Approval

Meanwhile, the Lagos State Governor, Sanwo-Olu has directed individuals and organisations planning to distribute items to large gatherings during the festive season to register their events and obtain approval from the Lagos State Safety Commission to ensure proper crowd management and safety.

The Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Gbenga Omotoso, in a statement, emphasised the governor’s concerns over the recent tragic occurrences. He also warned of strict legal consequences for non-compliance with the directive.

“To ensure that this price reduction gets to the end consumer, we have signed a partnership with MRS to sell petrol from its retail outlets nationwide at N935 per litre” he added, adding that the new price has already commenced in Lagos, and will be offered nationwide from Monday.

Dangote called on other oil marketers such as the NNPC Retail and all other marketers to work with the private refinery to ensure that Nigerians enjoy high-quality petrol at discounted prices.

“The Dangote refinery is for the benefit of Nigeria and Nigerians. We will therefore continue to work with various value chain players to deliver high-quality petrol at cheaper prices. Our aim is for all Nigerians to have ready access to high-quality petroleum products that are good for their vehicles, good for their health, and good for their pockets,” Dangote explained.

In September, the Federal Executive Council (FEC) approved the sale of crude to local refineries in naira and the corresponding purchase of petroleum products in the local currency. The implementation, which commenced on October 1, the statement said, led to reduced pressure on the naira and ensured the stability of the local currency.

Deji Elumoye, Chuks Okocha, Olawale Ajimotokan, Onyebuchi Ezigbo, Linus Aleke in Abuja and David-Chyddy Eleke in

A NEW BASHORUN IN TOWN...

L-R: Senator Akin Odunsi; Ogun State Deputy Governor, Mrs. Noimot Salako-Oyedele; Bashorun of Ota Awori Kingdom, Muftau Salako; his wife, Titi; member of the House of Representatives representing Ado-Odo/Ota Federal Constituency, Mr Tunji Akinosi; Olota of Ota Kingdom, Oba AbdulKabir Obalanlege; and Ogun State Commissioner for Culture and Tourism, Mr. Sesan Fagbayi, during the installation of Salako as the

of Ota Awori Kingdom in Ogun State...yesterday

Real Reasons Why FG Projected Ambitious

15% Inflation in 2025 Budget Revealed

Ndubuisi

As analysts continue to fault the 15 per cent projected inflation rate in the proposed 2025 budget, describing it as overly ambitious, indications emerged at the weekend that the federal government may have predicated its decision on many factors, including the belief that security has improved, leading to higher oil and food production.

Although latest data from the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) put the inflation figure at 34.6 per cent, the federal government, in the N49.7 trillion proposed 2025 budget currently before the National Assembly, based on an inflation rate of 15 per cent.

Giving a hint on why the government may have decided to predicate the inflation rate at less than half of the current rate in 2025, the Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Mr. Wale Edun disclosed at the weekend that the recently improved national security had led to increased output by farmers as well as a boost in oil production, some of the critical factors that drive inflation.

Edun spoke during the Citizens and Stakeholders' Engagement on the Implementation of Presidential Priorities and

Ministerial Deliverables for the Fourth Quarter of 2024, in Abuja.

A top presidency official who also spoke with THISDAY on the sideline of the event, underscored government's optimism that with improvement in security, leading to a boost in farm output next year as well as increased oil production significantly impacting government revenues positively, inflation will reduce drastically.

The official who preferred anonymity stated that enhanced security measures in 2024 were expected to lead to a bumper harvest in 2025, driving down food prices and reducing reliance on food imports.

This, he argued, would ease inflationary pressures, particularly in the food segment, which significantly influences the overall inflation rate.

He also alluded to increased local refining capacity as one of the optimistic considerations behind predicating the 2025 budget on an inflation rate of 15 per cent.

"The commencement of domestic production of refined petroleum products will reduce the demand for foreign exchange (forex) to import these products.

"Additionally, increased exports of refined products will boost foreign exchange earnings, further

Yemen’s Houthi Strikes Injure More Than a Dozen in Israel

A Houthi missile strike has injured more than a dozen people in Tel Aviv, Israel.

The Israeli military said attempts to shoot down a projectile launched from Yemen had been unsuccessful and it landed in a public park early on Saturday.

A Houthi military spokesman said the group hit a military target using a hypersonic ballistic missile.

The Houthis, an Iran-backed rebel group that controls northwestern Yemen, began attacking Israel and international shipping shortly after the start of the Gaza war in October 2023, saying they were acting in solidarity with Palestinians.

Israel's military says about 400 missiles and drones have been launched at the country from Yemen since then, most of which have been shot down.

After the missile strike early on Saturday, Magen David Adom (MDA), Israel's emergency medical service, said it treated 16 people who were "mildly injured" by glass shards from shattered windows in nearby buildings.

Another 14 people suffered minor injuries on their way to protected areas were also treated, it said.

Earlier this week, Israel conducted a series of strikes against what it said were Houthi military targets, hitting ports as well as energy infrastructure in the Yemeni capital Sanaa.

Houthi-run Al Masirah TV reported that nine people were killed in the port of Salif and the Ras Issa oil terminal.

The Houthis have vowed to continue their attacks until the war in Gaza ends.

stabilising the currency, he said.

According to him, higher oil production and cost efficiencies will also play a critical role in driving inflation.

A projected increase in oil output, coupled with substantial reductions in upstream production costs, will enhance revenue generation and improve Nigeria’s forex reserves, he noted.

He explained that increased

foreign portfolio inflows arising from improved macroeconomic stability and favourable policies were expected to attract greater foreign portfolio investments, leading to a higher supply of forex.

"This will ease pressure on the exchange rate, contributing to lower imported inflation," he added.

While presenting the 2025

Appropriation Bill to the National Assembly, President Bola Tinubu had stated that fiscal parameters and revenue projections in the 2025 proposed budget were based on: Reduced importation of petroleum products alongside increased export of finished petroleum products; bumper harvests, driven by enhanced security, reducing reliance on food imports; increased foreign

exchange inflows through Foreign Portfolio Investments; higher crude oil output and exports, coupled with a substantial reduction in upstream oil and gas production costs. However, while the government is upbeat about the 15 per cent inflation rate projection, some analysts and private sector players consider the figure too ambitious and unrealistic.

House Gives 19 MDAs Seven Days to Appear or Face Sanctions

Adedayo Akinwale in Abuja

The House of Representatives

Committee on Legislative Compliance has given a seven-day ultimatum to 19 Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs) of the federal government to honour invitations to appear before various relevant committees of the House or face sanctions.

Chairman of the committee, Yusuf Ahmed Badau, stated this while speaking to journalists over the weekend on the refusal of MDAs to honour the invitations of the various committees of the 10th House on a wide range of issues based on the House resolutions.

“Its resolutions are key instruments through which it exercises its oversight functions as enshrined in sections 88 and 89 of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended).

“These resolutions are derived from extensive deliberations, investigations, and consultations aimed at addressing the challenges facing the nation and ensuring good governance for all

citizens.

“However, it has come to our attention, with increasing concern, that several MDAs have demonstrated a pattern of disrespect, disregard, and non-compliance with these parliamentary resolutions.

“Such actions undermine the authority of the legislature, weaken the principles of separation of powers, and erode public confidence in government institutions”.

According to him, the National Assembly, as the legislative arm of government, plays a critical role in Nigeria’s democratic process.

The MDAs given the seven days’ ultimatum by the committee include: the Federal Inland Revenue Services (FlRS), Office of the Accountant General of the Federation, Bank of Industry (Bol), Federal Ministry of Transport, Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA), Federal Ministry of Education, Federal Housing Authority (FHA) Federal Ministry of Housing and Urban Development, National Environmental Standards and Regulations Enforcement (NESREA),

Federal Ministry of Women Affairs, Nigeria Communication Satellite (NIGCOMSAT) Limited.

Others are: the Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC), Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corp (NSCDC), Police Service Commission, Nigerian Immigration Service, National University Commission, National Inland Waterways Authority, Tertiary Education Trust fund (TETfund), Federal Mortgage Bank (FCMB).

Badau added, “Some MDAs failed to provide updates or reports on the status of implementation of resolutions passed by the National Assembly, creating a disconnect in governance.

“These acts of non-compliance are not only unacceptable but also a challenge to the principles of accountability and transparency that guide our democratic governance”.

The lawmaker warned that the committee would invoke the powers vested in the National Assembly to ensure compliance with its resolutions and summons in line with sections 88 and 89 of the Constitution.

“The committee will engage with the leadership of the National Assembly to explore legislative and administrative measures to address non-compliance.

“Where non-compliance is linked to issues of corruption, waste, or abuse of office, relevant anti-corruption agencies will be notified to take appropriate action,” he said.

Recall that the House’s Public Accounts Committee (PAC) had earlier recommended the exclusion of the National Examination Council (NECO), University of Ibadan (UI), Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment, and 21 other Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs) and institutions from the 2025 budget submitted by the President over their refusal to appear before the Committee.

Chairman of the Committee, Bamidele Salam, gave the recommendation based on the resolution of the committee at its extraordinary meeting held on Wednesday, December 18, to review its activities for the legislative year.

Tinubu Directs Defence Headquarters to Eliminate Bandits by 2025

Linus Aleke in Abuja

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has directed the Defence Headquarters (DHQ) to ensure total elimination of banditry activities in the North-west zone by the end of 2025.

The Minister of State Defence, Bello Muhammad Matawalle, stated this while addressing supporters of All Progressives Congress (APC) in his residence in Gusau, the Zamfara State capital yesterday.

Matawalle said President Tinubu was so concerned with what is going on in the North-west zone, particularly Zamfara State.

According to him, President Tinubu gave orders for effecting procurement of military equipment, such as Armoured Personnel Carriers (APCs), war planes and other sophisticated weapons in the zone for successful fight against the terrorists.

Matawalle further told the party

supporters that some of the war vehicles and planes have started arriving in the country.

“The federal government under the leadership of President Tinubu, is seriously committed to ensure that the banditry in the North-west comes to an end.

“The issue of insecurity needs to be faced with all seriousness by all concerned citizens devoid of political affiliation as bandits have no concern whether you are APC, PDP, APGA

or whatever political party you came from,” he said.

“Let me assure you that President Tinubu has good intention to turn around the country for the betterment of everything Nigerian, contrary to some myopic thinking of the opposition.”

Matawalle appealed to the people of Zamfara to extend their necessary support and prayers to President Tinubu’s administration for the success of the reform agenda.

Francis in Abuja

Bashorun

TAMUNO HONOURED...

To Bridge Budget Deficit, FG Borrows

Kayode Tokede

The federal government has borrowed an estimated N5.84 trillion from the FGN bond market in 2024 amid a move to bridge its 2024 budget deficit.

However, the figures represent a 0.17 per cent decline when compared to the N5.85 trillion the federal government borrowed in 2023 through the Debt Management Office (DMO).

The DMO, in its auction results, had raised N3.06 trillion from the FGN Bond market in 2022.

The monthly FGN bond auction tracked by THISDAY revealed that investors' total subscription to FGN bonds was N7.09 trillion in 2024, down from N7.43trillion in 2023 as

from Bond Market in 2024

investors tend to invest in risk-free instruments, of which bond is an example.

As gathered by THISDAY, the DMO, in the 12 months of 2024, sought to raise N5.72 trillion as its demand on the risk-free instrument increased to N7.09 trillion.

Investors' keen interest in FGN bonds in 2024 was on the backdrop of double-digit inflation that has played a significant role in domestic and foreign investors' investment decisions.

THISDAY also gathered that the DMO, since the beginning of the year, has continually re-opened some FGN Bonds and steadily hiked its interest rate to attract investors amid the double-digit inflation rate and lucrative returns in the stock market.

The FG’s 2024 budget includes a significant budget deficit, reflecting the gap between the government's projected revenues and expenditures for the year.

According to the proposed budget for 2024, a total budget size of N27.5 trillion, and a budget deficit of N9.18 trillion, as presented by President Bola Tinubu in November 2023.

The budget deficit is projected at N9.18 trillion in 2024 or 3.88 per cent of GDP. This is lower than the N13.78 trillion deficit recorded in 2023 which represents 6.11 percent of GDP.

“The deficit will be financed by new borrowings totalling N7.83 trillion, N298.49 billion from Privatisation Proceeds and N1.05 trillion drawdown on multilateral

and bilateral loans secured for specific development projects,” Tinubu had stated while presenting the 2024 budget of renewed hope at the joint session of the National Assembly.

The government 2025 budget pointed to more borrowing and the FGN bond market will play a major role.

The federal government had declared that the N13 trillion deficit in the N48 trillion 2025 budget proposal would be financed through borrowing.

As gathered by THISDAY, pension funds Administrators (PFAs) have played a critical role in partaking in the FGN bond market.

The pension funds industry portfolio in the FGN Bonds (HTM) increased to N13.57 trillion as of

APC Vows to Challenge Nullification of Congresses by Court

Blessing Ibunge in Port Harcourt

A faction of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Rivers State has vowed to appeal the recent ruling by a state High Court, nullifying its congresses in the state.

It would be recalled that Justice Godswill Obomanu of the State High Court in Port Harcourt, had on Friday, nullified the congress, which produced Tony Okocha as the substantive state chairman of the party, following the contempt of court proceedings filed by the camp of another factional chairman of

the party in the state, Emeka Beke.

The court had earlier issued an order stopping the conduct of the congresses in the state, but the APC defied the order and held the process.

However, the embattled members of the party, who had secured the order, returned to the court to notify it that the party had conducted the congresses despite the valid order of the court.

Justice Obomanu, after listening to the arguments and submissions of the counsel nullified the congresses of the party.

Reacting to the nullification, Okocha's faction of the party in the state has vowed to challenge the order of Justice Obomanu in a higher court.

In a statement by the party’s Publicity Secretary, Chibike Ikenga, alleged that the order made by Justice Obomanu was part of a coordinated plot to use the court to undermine the APC and President Bola Tinubu.

Ikenga also accused the state governor, Siminalayi Fubara, of working to ensure that the APC is not stable in the state.

He recalled that “sometimes in July 2024, after the APC announced its congresses in Rivers State for October 2024, some persons on the payroll of the governor, who claimed to be members of State Executive Committee of the APC ran to the Rivers State High Court to obtain an ex-parte injunction on August 22, 2024 in suit No PHC/3699/CS/2024: Peter Ohochukwu vs Abdulahi Ganduje & Ors., restraining APC from conducting congresses. He added that after they secured the orders, they went to sleep and took no further steps in that case.

Yuletide: FG Launches Free Train Rides Across Six Corridors, 340,000 Passengers to Benefit from December to January

In a move to alleviate the burden of rising transportation costs following the removal of the petrol subsidy, the federal government has directed the Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC) to offer free train rides across all its passenger routes.

The federal government noted that the initiative, which began Friday, was part of a broader effort to provide relief to Nigerians struggling with economic challenges.

Speaking during a press briefing at Kubwa Station, the acting Managing Director of the (NRC), Mr. Ben Iloanusi, lauded the federal government for the thoughtful initiative. According to him, "Today marks the first day of this free train ride programme. We are deeply grateful to the federal government for this

grand idea, and we at the NRC are committed to ensuring its success."

Illoanusi maintained that the initiative aims to provide free rides for an estimated 340,000 passengers between now and early January 2025, with about 20,000 passengers expected to benefit daily.

"The free train rides will operate on six major routes, including Abuja-Kaduna, Lagos-Ibadan, Port Harcourt-Aba, Lagos Mass Transit, and Warri-Itakpe."

Highlighting the importance of orderliness, Iloanusi emphasised that passengers with valid tickets and identification would be prioritised during boarding.

"For those unable to secure tickets online, NRC staff will profile passengers at stations to ensure fair access.

“We appeal to Nigerians to enjoy this initiative in an orderly manner.

Arrive at the station at least 45 minutes before departure, have a valid means of identification, and please obey the rules,” he said.

To address potential security and crowd control issues, he explained that the NRC has deployed additional security personnel and introduced measures to limit ticket purchases to two per person.

"Anything free in Nigeria often comes with challenges, but we are prepared. Our staff and security teams are working diligently to maintain orderliness," he assured.

Acknowledging past issues with network glitches during e-ticketing, the NRC boss stated that the corporation has upgraded its systems and enhanced customer support. He noted that passengers encountering difficulties can now access help via a dedicated contact centre.

"This is a heartfelt gesture, not just a monetary project and I cannot disclose the exact cost of the initiative, but it is in millions. It’s humanitarian essence.

"This is about goodwill and ensuring Nigerians enjoy a good Christmas and New Year. It's not just about money; it's about the heart and spirit of the federal government," he said.

Continuing, he added that the free train rides would run until January 5, 2025, providing significant relief to commuters across the country.

According to him, the ride is free, adding that nobody should pay a dime to enjoy this service.

"This initiative underscores the federal government’s commitment to easing the economic pressures faced by Nigerians, particularly during the festive season," he added.

October 2024, a report by the National Pension Commission (NAICOM) revealed.

Finance analysts attributed the strong demand for FGN bonds to attractive yields, which offer investors high returns on their investments, stressing that the over-subscription also revealed that investors have confidence in the federal government's ability to meet its debt obligations.

The appetite for FGN bonds indicates that PFAs, and Nigerian investors prefer investment instruments with less volatility that assures them of their capital returns albeit with low yield on investment.

However, some analysts attributed the under subscription to some issuances to fear of interest rate risk, “as investors are fully well informed that the economy is still very much challenged and that inflationary pressure remains unabated.”

“So, investors expect higher yield for this particular issuance, while the government does not wish to borrow at a higher interest rate,” said an investment banker & stockbroker,

Mr. Tajudeen Olayinka. In recent years, Nigeria’s rising debt profile has been a topic of concern, as Vice President, Highcap Securities Limited, Mr. David Adnori, warned that the country’s debt levels are unsustainable.

Financing this huge infrastructure gap presents a formidable challenge to the government given Nigeria’s low revenue-to-GDP ratio of less than 10 per cent making inevitable the capital market route.

The Chief Executive Officer of the Centre for the Promotion of Private Enterprise, Dr Muda Yusuf stated that the federal government had notified the general public of more borrowings.

He said, “With all the volatility and foreign exchange issues, it makes sense to borrow at the domestic market rather than borrowing from the international market. It is all a reflection of our macro economy environment challenges and weak fiscal policy of the government. All this borrowing also is a reflection of the weak financial position of the government and it will continue like that.”

Air Peace Explains Crowded Airstairs Video on Its Abuja-Lagos Flight

Chinedu Eze

Nigeria's major carrier, Air Peace, has explained the video making the rounds, where passengers were rushing to board one of its flights from Abuja to Lagos on Friday, saying that the passengers did not wait for boarding call but rushed into the aircraft.

The airline explained that bad weather occasioned by harmattan haze forced it to delay its flights from Abuja.

It however stated that it later deployed three aircraft to airlift the passengers.

The statement added that when one of the aircraft arrived, the passengers who had been waiting for about two hours could not wait for due process and boarding.

The statement, the airline said, overwhelmed the security officials who tried to retrain them and rushed to board the flight, thus crowding the aircraft boarding stairs, as captured by the video.

A statement from the airline, signed by its Head of Communications, Dr Ejike Ndiulo, said on the day in question, there were flight delays because of poor weather conditions, specifically harmattan-induced haze, and fog, "which is common at this time of the

year, and to ensure that passengers continued their journeys with minimum disruptions, Air Peace deployed three aircraft to Abuja to evacuate all the passengers. While processing them for their flights at the boarding gate, passengers overwhelmed both the FAAN and boarding officers and rushed to the airside.

"Duty managers and ramp officials then had to mount barricades in front of the motorised step to differentiate passengers on flights,” the statement said.

“While we empathise with you, our loyal customer, we condemn in very strong terms the misinformation, insults, and deliberate falsehood disseminated in the video post," the statement added.

Air Peace said such representations (in the video) are not reflective of its values or operations.

"We appreciate your understanding and patience during this period and sincerely regret any inconvenience these delays may have caused you. The safety of our passengers and crew is our utmost priority.

"At Air Peace, safety is not just a priority but a fundamental precondition for all our activities. We remain committed to maintaining safe and timely operations," the statement added.

Kasim Sumaina in Abuja

Group Managing Director, Abuja Investments Company Limited, Ambassador Maureen Tamuno (left), and the Olowo of Owoland, Oba Ajibade Gbadegesin Ogunoye III, during the conferment of chieftaincy title on Tamuno as the Yeye Folagboyero of Owoland in Owo…yesterday

LAUNCHING WAR AGAINST HUNGER...

L-R: Bayelsa State Commissioner for Agriculture and Natural Resources, Prof. Beke Sese; Governor Douye Diri; and the Director of Engineering Services, Ministry of Agriculture and Natural Resources,

Paul, during the flag-off of the 2024/25 dry season farming at the ministry’s rice farms in Otuasega, Ogbia Local Government Area…weekend

Abbas Seeks CBN’s Clarification on Disengagement of 1,000 Workers,

Juliet Akoje in Abuja

The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Tajudeen Abbas, has asked the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to provide clarification on the dismissal of about 1,000 staff members of the apex bank and the subsequent payment of a N50billion compensation to the disengaged persons.

Abbas made the demand while declaring open an investigative hearing of the Ad-hoc Committee of the House, investigating the CBN’s termination/ dismissal of members of staff on Friday in Abuja.

Recall that the CBN had earlier explained that its Early Exit Package for staff is entirely voluntary and that participation is not mandatory.

The Acting Director of Corporate Communications, Mrs Hakama SidiAli, in a statement, claimed that no employee would be forced into early retirement under the scheme.

“The Central Bank of Nigeria has dismissed claims of forced mass

retirements, clarifying that its Early Exit Package is entirely voluntary and without any negative repercussions for eligible staff”, the statement partly read.

However, the Speaker tasked the panel chaired by the Chief Whip of the House, Bello Kumo to probe the rationale behind the decision, particularly in light of the current economic challenges facing the country.

Represented at the event by the Deputy Speaker, Benjamin Kalu, the speaker emphasised the need for transparency in the matter, insisting that the welfare and rights of the affected employees must be protected.

Abbas also charged the committee to examine the process used to determine the N50 billion severance package.

A statement issued yesterday by the Chief Press Secretary to the Deputy Speaker, Livinus Nwabughiogu, quoted Abbas as saying, “The committee has been tasked with examining several critical aspects of this issue. First, we aim to understand the rationale behind the decision to lay off over 1,000 staff

PDP Crisis: Sacked National Secretary, Anyanwu, Heads to Supreme Court

Chuks Okocha in Abuja

The embattled National Secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Senator Samuel Anyanwu, has asked the Supreme Court to review his sack from office by the Court of Appeal, insisting that the appellate court disregarded the party's constitutional provision indicating that there was no vacancy in the office of National Secretary.

He also said that there was no evidence that the plaintiff was a member who paid his membership dues.

The Court of Appeal sitting in Enugu on Friday upheld a High Court ruling that sacked Anyanwu as the National Secretary of the PDP and equally upheld Ude Okoye as the substantive National Secretary of the main opposition party.

In a lead judgment delivered by Justice Ridwan Abdullahi, the Court described Anyanwu‘s claim to the PDP’s secretary position after he contested and emerged as PDP governorship candidate as a violation of the party’s constitution, adding that his appeal lacked merit.

The Appeal Court based its judgment because he did not resign from office when he contested for the Imo State governorship election in 2023.

But in his appeal to the Supreme Court, Anyanwu said that Emmanuel Aniagu who went to court had no locus standi as he did not follow all internal mechanisms as contained in the party's constitution to resolve the dispute, insisting that the dispute was internal to the party.

He also urged the apex court to stay execution of the Appeal Court decision.

In a notice of appeal to the Supreme Court, Anyanwu's lawyer, Azeez Taiwo Hassan, said the national secretary is dissatisfied with the decision of the Court of Appeal, Enugu Division in Appeal NO: CA/E/23/2024 between Senator Samuel Anyanwu V. Aniagu Emmanuel & Ors delivered by Justice Ridwan Maiwada Abdullahi JCA and Hon. Justice Zainab Bage Abubakar, on December 20, 2024. He said that the lower court erred in law when their lordships affirmed the decision of the trial court and held that the trial court had jurisdiction over, which subject matter deals with the intra-party and/or internal affairs of the 2nd respondent as a political party. He also said that the plaintiff/ respondent's suit is a challenge to the rights, duties, functions, and powers of the third defendant/appellant as the National Secretary of the 2nd respondent.

Payment of N50bn Compensation

members, particularly during these challenging economic times. The impact of such a significant workforce reduction on individuals, their families, and the broader economy cannot be overlooked.

“Furthermore, the committee will scrutinise the process through which the N50 billion severance package was determined. We must

ascertain whether the principles of due diligence, fairness, and due process were strictly adhered to in arriving at this figure. Transparency in such matters is key to maintaining public trust and ensuring the integrity of our institutions.

“As a legislative body, we recognise the widely accepted principle of running a leaner and

Adibe Emenyonu in Benin City

The 2024 Edo Governorship Election Petitions Tribunal has adjourned to January 13, 2025, for the commencement of the hearing of the petition filed by the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Dr. Asue Ighodalo against the victory of Governor Monday Okpebholo of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the September 21 election.

The petitioners, Ighodalo and the PDP are challenging the declaration of Okpebholo as the winner of the poll by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

According to INEC, Okpebholo

polled 291,667 votes to defeat PDP's Ighodalo, who recorded 247,274 votes.

Reading the adopted pre-hearing report yesterday, the Chairman of the tribunal, Justice Wilfred Kpochi, in the petition marked: EPT/ED/ GOV/02/2024 Ighodalo Asuerinme & Anor Vs INEC & 2Ors, said the parties agreed to call a total of 290 witnesses.

He said the report outlined the timeframe for the examination of witnesses, with 40 minutes allocated for examination-in-chief for each star witness, 30 minutes for crossexamination by the petitioners, and 20 minutes for cross-examination by each respondent.

more efficient government. We also understand the CBN’s prerogative in determining policies that align with its operational efficiency. However, such decisions must be balanced against the welfare and rights of employees, as well as the long-term implications for institutional stability.”

The Ogun State government has declared that the Gateway International Agro-cargo Airport is the best in Nigeria and the West African corridor, with its runway, which is the longest.

The state government made the claims during a meeting with the League of Airport and Aviation Correspondents (LAAC) at the facility, which was jointly hosted by the Commissioner for Works and Infrastructure, Mr. Ade Akinsanya; Commissioner for Transportation, Mr. Gbenga Dairo; the Airport Manager, Captain Dapo Olumide; and the Special Adviser to the Ogun State Governor on Media and Strategy, Hon. Kayode Akinmade.

At the meeting, Akinsanya

declared that the airport has the best facilities in Nigeria and the West African corridor, capable of accommodating wide-bodied aircraft.

According to Akinsanya, the airport, which is 95-98 per cent complete, has a runway that is 4 kilometres long and 60 million wide, which equals 17 lanes of road infrastructure, making it the longest and largest in Nigeria and the West African sub-region.

He added that the size of the airport, especially with its long runway, was consciously planned to accommodate international flights coming in with wide-body aircraft like a Boeing 777 or A350.

He said: "While the total size of the airport is 5,000 hectares, we started this first phase on 900 hectares; so, what you see as an open space is

The speaker further noted that the green chamber is saddled with the responsibility of ensuring all parties are given a fair hearing in issues of this nature.

Other agreements reached by the parties include the allocation of 10 minutes for re-examination of each star witness and 25 minutes for examination-in-chief for other ordinary witnesses.

The petitioners are expected to call their witnesses within 21 days or less, while respondents will have 10 days each to call their witnesses.

According to the report, the tribunal would sit daily from 10 am, except on Sundays and other public holidays gazetted by law.

Justice Kpochi said there shall be no consolidation of the petition with any other as there was no application in respect thereof and

“The House of Representatives cannot and will not remain silent when Nigerians feel aggrieved or when there are allegations of coercion or injustice against those who have been lawfully employed.

no amendment of such shall be entertained.

The chairman said parties agreed to call only witnesses whose statements on oath had been frontloaded and may call subpoenaed witnesses where necessary.

According to him, there shall be interpreters for some witnesses from English to any native language like Benin, Esan, and Auchi dialects and vice versa.

The tribunal which delivered its pre-hearing report substantially in line with the harmonised proposal of counsel, therefore, fixed January 13, 2025, for the commencement of the hearing of the petition.

part of a master plan because this is also an aerotropolis. There are going to be hotels, amusement parks, and cinemas in the future; that is all part of the master plan. You can't put everything together in one day.

"Overall, where we are today, I am pretty certain that we are ready to go commercial. Once we get the approval from the NCAA for commercial operations, we will commence. Right now, we have the approval for chartered flights.

"The runway has been completed for a long time, the fire station is done, and you see the two fire tenders outside, with a new addition making it three. Right now, we are class six, and with that additional fire tender, we are moving to class seven," he said.

Meanwhile, the Airport Manager,

Captain Olumide, disclosed that the airport, when fully operational, would be the first in Nigeria to operate with an operating permit, while the Commissioner for Transportation stated that the airport is situated within a special agricultural processing zone and is one of the eight zones across Nigeria, describing the airport as a legacy project of Governor Dapo Abiodun. Captain Olumide linked the slight delay in the completion of the project to the government's desire to attain a new status of operation, as opposed to what is common in the industry. According to him, the operating permit would enable the airport to attain the ENCAS 2023 permit, which is more stringent than the Aerodrome Certification.

Jame Sowole in Abeokuta

Mr. Ayibakumokiengha

2024: Nigeria’s Year of Many Tales

With over one week to the end of 2024, attention is being shifted to issues and developments that shaped the outgoing year. The year was marked by significant political and economic turbulence, as well as some breakthroughs, underscoring the nation's resilience and adaptability. Politically, the nation grappled with heightened tensions as governance challenges intensified following contentious elections in Edo and Ondo states and the unending crises in Rivers State. Other issues include the Kano Emirship tussle, the dramatic return to the old National Anthem, the financial autonomy for local governments, the appointment of a new Chief Justice of Nigeria, Donald Trump's historic presidential victory in the US, among others.

Financial Autonomy for Local Governments

One of the major issues that challenged the judiciary in 2024, was the landmark judgment of the Supreme Court, which on July 11, ordered the direct payment of federal monthly allocations due to Local Government Areas (LGAs).

This was because the state governments had over two decades disbursed the funds paid into a joint account at their whims and caprices, contrary to the constitutional provisions.

This development has marked a turning point in council administration, even though not all the governments had complied. This certainly is one of the issues that will be carried over into the new year.

Rivers Political Crisis

For the better part of the outgoing year, the battle of supremacy between the Minister of FCT, Nyesom Wike, and his estranged political mentee, Governor Siminalayi Fubara of Rivers State, dominated the political scene, beyond the creeks of the Niger Delta.

Following the disagreement, 27 pro-Wike lawmakers who had initiated impeachment proceedings against the governor, later announced their defection from the PDP to APC.

President Bola Tinubu intervened when the matter got to a head and a peace pact was drafted for both parties to sign. But Tinubu's intervention failed to bring permanent peace as both Fubara and Wike later returned to the trenches. Today both parties are in court with the state and the nation divided in camps. Here is another issue that is definitely crossing over to the new year..

Kano Emirate Crisis

The crisis rocking the Kano Emirate started after the death of the former Emir of Kano, Ado Bayero, 15 years ago. After his demise, Rabiu Kwankwaso, who was the governor of the state at that time enthroned Mohammed Sanusi II as the Emir of Kano.

But Sanusi was removed from the throne in 2020 by a former governor of the state, Dr. Abdullahi Ganduje, now National Chairman of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC). It was not going to end there.

Thus, after Governor Abba Yusuf’s governorship victory was declared in the 2023 elections, it was evident Sanusi was coming back and indeed, his return to the highly respected throne, was perfected by the state House of Assembly.

Yusuf also signed another bill, the Kano State Emirate Council Establishment Bill 2024 into law. The law re-established three of the previously dissolved emirates of Rano, Gaya, and Karaye while excluding the Bichi Emirate.

But Emir Aminu Ado Bayero, who was installed after the removal of Sanusi, refused to vacate the throne based on court order, creating serious scenes that almost denigrated the throne, allegedly on the backing of some federal security agencies. But as far as this matter is concerned, it has yet to come to a final close..

Return to Old National Anthem

In 2024, a bill to restore the old national anthem was introduced at the federal parliament and passed within one week — exceptionally fast-paced in Nigeria, where most bills take several months to be considered. Nigeria replaced its national anthem, "Arise, O Compatriots" with "Nigeria, We Hail Thee".

President Bola Tinubu said the old anthem represented the beauty of Nigeria's diversity. He also teased critics, who objected to the old anthem being written by a British expatriate, saying it was Britain, who named the country, Nigeria, yet the country’s identity remains.

Between the Governors and the EFCC

On November 15, the Supreme Court delivered a remarkable judgment, where it declared that the anti-corruption agencies such as EFCC, ICPC, and NFIU, had legal powers to investigate and prosecute alleged corruption cases of states and local governments. This followed attempts by some governors to stop the anti-graft body from trying them. For the umpteenth time, however, the court has spoken. This matter is concluded.

Emergence of Justice Kekere-Ekun as CJN

The outgoing year witnessed the swearing-in of Justice Kudirat Kekere-Ekun as the second female Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN) on August 23. Born May 7, 1958, Kekere-Ekun, barring any unforeseen circumstances will also be one of the longest-serving CJN, as her tenure is expected to end by May 7, 2028, when she attains the compulsory

retirement age of 70 years.

Aside from Justice Uwais, who spent 11 years as CJN from 1995 to 2006, all others had since spent between one, two, and three years, with some not even completing their tenure because of resignation or sicknesses.

The Edo and Ondo Elections

The gubernatorial elections in Edo and Ondo states attracted considerable attention as political parties fiercely contested for state control. It was also an exercise that may have reckoned would cue in on 2027, revealing the level of preparedness of the electoral body, INEC.

The outcome of the exercise in Edo saw the All Progressives Congress (APC)’s Monday Okpebholo pull the highest votes to defeat his closest challenger and candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Asue Ighodalo. Labour Party (LP)’s Olumude Akpata, came a distant third.

In Ondo, the incumbent, Lucky Aiyedatiwa clinched the victory with a wide margin. Aiyedatiwa polled 366,781 to defeat his closest rival, Hon Agboola Ajayi of the PDP, who got 117,845. Political analysts said it was the biggest electoral defeat since the state was created in 1976. The PDP in both states is in court challenging the results declared by INEC.

Above all, reports from observers have shown that INEC has learnt nothing as much as the security agencies, a majority of whom were lampooned for their role in both exercises. How these events would shape the coming staggered elections is yet to be seen.

EFCC and the Yahaya Bello Debacle

After former Governor Yahaya Bello of Kogi State handed over power to his successor, Usman Ododo, in April 2024, the EFCC made futile efforts to prosecute him as the former governor went into hiding.

The ensuing drama had led the commission to declare the former governor wanted. Nevertheless, the EFCC went ahead to file theft and money laundering charges against the Bello at the Federal High Court and Federal Capital Territory High Court both in Abuja over N110 billion fraud.

On November 29, Bello eventually surrendered to the anti-graft commission after eight failed appearances at the court. He is currently on bail, and his case is expected to continue in the new year.

The National Grid Nightmare

The Nigerian power sector suffered frequent grid collapses this year, which plunged the entire nation into darkness at every incident. Since January 2024 till date, the power grid solely in the hands of the federal government recorded 12 collapses.

Stakeholders in the sector have always blamed the frequent grid collapses on a multiplicity of factors, including aged and ageing infrastructure, lack of the required investment, gas supply constraints, huge government indebtedness to generation companies (Gencos), gas suppliers, and distribution companies.

Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN), which is the sole grid manager has also attributed the rampant grid breakdowns to a lack of SCADA as well as sabotage by vandals.

Dangote Refinery to the Rescue

In the oil and gas sector, the coming onstream of the 650,000 barrels per day Dangote Petroleum Refinery located at the Lekki Free Trade Zone, Ibeju-Lekki, Lagos, greatly shaped the downstream sector.

The refinery built by Africa's richest man, Alhaji Aliko Dangote, started production of petroleum products in January this year, producing high-quality products, starting with Naphtha and jet fuel. The

$20 billion facility later progressed into the production of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) commonly known as petrol in September.

The refinery has significantly helped Nigeria in that it has reduced the volume of products imported into the country with associated benefits in foreign exchange earnings and availability of products as well as employment generation.

…The Port Harcourt Refinery, Too!

During the year, the 60,000 bpd old Port Harcourt refinery eventually roared back into life after many years of shutting down and after several delays and timeline missed. The refinery, together with the new 150,000 bpd facility, both owned and run by the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC), had been under rehabilitation since 2021 following the approval of a $1.5 billion contract by the federal government.

Bank Recapitalisation

On March 28, 2024, the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) issued a circular announcing a new recapitalisation policy for commercial, merchant, and non-interest banks in Nigeria, effective from April 1, 2026.

Regional commercial banks are to increase their regulatory capital to a minimum of N50 billion; national banks, N200 billion; and banks with international authorisation, N500 billion. The minimum capital requirement for merchant banks has been reviewed upward to N50 billion, regional non-interest banks are to have N10 billion or more, and national non-interest banks are to raise their capital to N20 billion at the minimum.

As of October 22, 2024, five Nigerian banks had raised a combined sum of N1.27 trillion in capital as part of the recapitalisation drive. These are Guaranty Trust Holding Company, which raised N400.5 billion; Access Holdings, N350.1 billion; Zenith Bank, N289.1 billion; Fidelity Bank, N127.1 billion; and FCMB Group, which raised N110.9 billion.

The Controversial Tax Reform Bills

President Bola Tinubu, on October 3, 2024, transmitted some tax reform bills to the National Assembly for their consideration. The bills were the Nigeria Tax Bill, Nigeria Revenue Service (Establishment) Bill, Nigeria Tax Administration Bill, and Joint Revenue Board (Establishment) Bill.

The fiscal legislation has passed a second reading on the floor of the Senate amid tension while deliberations on them had been put on hold in the House of Representatives.

The Senate Committee on Finance, which was given a six-month mandate to work on the bills by organising a public hearing has not been able to achieve meaningful progress, three weeks after the panel started work.

The development is currently generating tension in the upper legislative chamber as the Northern and the South-east senators had demanded more time to enable their members to carry out wider consultations with their constituents.

At the moment, senators from the South-west and South-south geopolitical zones have said there was no need for further consultations since the Finance Committee would provide a forum for interested stakeholders to air their views during the public hearing.

#Endbadgovernance Protests

Rising costs of living, insecurity, dissatisfaction with government policies, and pervasive poverty engulfed the nation in 2024 and also stoked nationwide protests.

The protest that was held countrywide in August was dubbed #EndBadGovernance. The widespread demonstrations, especially among youth, were driven by concerns over economic mismanagement and the removal of the fuel subsidy, alongside calls for greater accountability and social justice.

New Minimum Wage

The federal government formally approved the implementation of the N70,000 new minimum wage for federal public servants during the year under review. However, its implementation has been gradual across the states, and some states still have not adopted it. The legislation increased the country’s minimum wage from N30,000 to N70,000. The law also provided for a review of the minimum wage every three years. The last minimum wage of N30,000 was signed by former President Muhammadu Buhari in 2019. Before the enactment of the new minimum wage act, the federal government and organised labour held a series of meetings.

Labour’s National Strike

After many warnings, the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) launched an indefinite strike in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), including Abuja, and several other states from Dec. 1, 2024, demanding the implementation of a new minimum wage.

Other affected states were Abia, Cross River, Ebonyi, Enugu, Nasarawa, Kaduna, Yobe, and Zamfara. Some states withdrew from the strike, including Akwa Ibom, Ekiti, Imo, Katsina, Oyo, and Sokoto. The strike was initially planned to start on December 2. But the threat of strike might have yielded as many states had started implementing it while others had been pleading for more time to work out the details. The new year should witness some bits of this, too.

Avoidable Deaths from Stampedes

Since the removal of petrol subsidy and the floating of the naira by President Bola Tinubu upon his assumption of office on May 29, 2023, poverty has become a scourge threatening the survival of many Nigerians.

As the economic hardship continues to linger, many Nigerians who have been pushed to the wall by the skyrocketing prices of commodities, are left with no option but to throng the palliative distribution centres put in place by government officials or other stakeholders. In Sokoto, Lagos, Nasarawa, Bauchi, Anambra and FCT many have died while trying to scramble for food items.

In Ibadan last week, 35 children lost their lives in a stampede that occurred during a private children’s funfair at Basorun Islamic High School on December 18, 2024, while six others were critically injured and on various medical interventions.

Israel-Hamas War

After Hamas, a Palestinian armed group and political movement in the Gaza Strip, on October 7, 2023, attacked Israel, killing about 1,200 people and taking more than 250 hostages, Israel launched a massive military offensive against the militant group. It started with air strikes and was followed by a ground invasion. Since then, the two sides have been at war. The sympathy extended to Hamas by Hezbollah has also extended the war to Lebanon, which is under attack by Israel.

More than 43,600 people in Gaza – mostly civilians, the majority of whom were women and children – had been killed in the fighting, according to the Hamas-run health ministry. The UN said most of the 2.3 million population had been forced from their homes and that there were "catastrophic" levels of food insecurity.

On November 21, 2024, the UN-backed International Criminal Court (ICC) issued arrest warrants on the Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, and former defence minister Yoav Gallant, together with a former Hamas commander, citing allegations of war crimes and crimes against humanity.

Trump’s Historic Comeback

Despite assassination attempts, criminal convictions, and a change in political opponent, Republican Donald Trump, was unstoppable as he went on to win the 2024 presidential election.

Trump swept to a decisive victory after winning several crucial battleground states, to defeat his Democratic rival, Kamala Harris, even in the popular votes. In less than a month from now, the 45th president of the US will become the 47th at his inauguration at the US Capitol, on January 20.

Russia-Ukraine War

All through 2024, the Russia-Ukraine War never left the pages of the newspapers and other media outlets. The war, which started on February 22, 2022, has led to massive loss of lives and destruction of property. With no end in sight, the war is still raging with both sides massively getting assistance from other countries to prosecute the battle.

Tinubu

Kekere-Ekun Trump

Soaring Food Costs, Shrinking Income Redefining Christmas Traditions

Rising food prices are casting a shadow over the festive season in Nigeria, leaving many families unable to afford traditional holiday meals. Festus Akanbi, in this report, say that this inflation threatens to strip the season of its warmth, unity and cherished traditions

Christians will join their counterparts from other parts of the world to celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ on Wednesday, December 25. However, unlike some of what will happen in other jurisdictions, the current economic realities in Nigeria are pointing to a subdued celebration as the rising inflation and the attendant food crisis have put the fate of many Nigerians in jeopardy.

A THISDAY random market survey last week showed that as the festive season approaches, the streets of Nigeria, usually vibrant with the anticipation of Christmas now resonate with a poignant sense of unease.

For the first time, preparations for the seasons in major markets and public places in Lagos, Portharcourt and other major cities in the southern part of the country are devoid of the melodious Christmas carols which used to usher in Christmas.

This is because the relentless rise in inflation has driven the cost of food and services to staggering heights, casting a shadow over what traditionally has been a time of joy and togetherness. Families that once gathered around tables laden with delicious meals now confront empty plates and tightened budgets, their dreams of shared feasts replaced by the harsh reality of scarcity.

Markets, once bustling with shoppers eager to embrace the spirit of giving, now echo with the sobering realisation that many will have to forgo cherished traditions, struggling to afford the essentials. As the glittering lights begin to adorn homes, the true message of Christmas—hope, love, and celebration—feels increasingly distant, leaving Nigerians to navigate a bittersweet holiday marked more by hardship than by harmony.

Rising Inflation

The truth is that the Nigerian food crisis is worsening and this was confirmed by the latest Consumer Price Index (CPI) report (inflation report) released by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) last week, which showed a significant year-on-year rise in the inflation rate, with the November 2024 rate 6.40 percentage points higher than the 28.20 per cent in November 2023.

“In November 2024, the headline inflation rate was 34.60 per cent relative to the October 2024 headline inflation rate of 33.88 per cent. Looking at the movement, the November 2024 headline inflation rate showed an increase of 0.72 percentage points compared to the October 2024 headline inflation rate,” the report said.

“On a year-on-year basis, the headline inflation rate was 6.40 percentage points higher than the rate recorded in November 2023 (28.20 per cent). This shows that the headline inflation rate (year-on-year basis) increased in November 2024 compared to the same month in the preceding year (i.e., November 2023).”

Rising Food Prices

Food inflation has also seen a sharp rise, reaching 39.93 per cent in November 2024, up from 32.84 per cent in the same period last year. Prices for staple foods such as yam, rice, maize, and palm oil have surged, contributing to the increase in food inflation. Other items such as guinea corn, millet, and meat have also seen notable price hikes.

The 12-month average food inflation rate for

the period ending November 2024 stands at 38.67 per cent, marking an 11.58 percentage point rise from the previous year’s 27.09 per cent.

The significant increase in food prices is a key driver of the overall inflationary pressures facing the country, highlighting the difficulties in managing food supply chains and meeting domestic demand.

This increase reflects rising costs in other sectors, particularly in transportation, housing, and personal services. The highest increases were recorded in the prices of taxi journeys, bus fares, rents, and personal grooming services.

However, rather than bemoaning the dire situation in the country, experts said the development should rather be a wake-up call to the Central Bank of Nigeria that its current interest rate tightening is not working.

LCCI Raises Alarm

The current management of the apex bank had embarked on rate cutting to reduce excess liquidity from the system, but the Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI), said such an effort is counterproductive as far as the Nigerian inflationary rate is concerned.

With the spike in food prices and people’s falling purchasing power which is threatening commercial activities in the Yuletide period, the LCCI said Nigerian businesses may likely face greater challenges in the new year, asking them to prepare for “more stress.”

In a statement on Monday, LCCI’s DirectorGeneral, Chinyere Almona, said businesses are likely to face higher interest rates when the next Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) meeting is held.

“The persistent rise in the inflation rate, reaching a 28-year record high of 34.60 in November, continues to fuel a tense business environment as elevated prices constrain

various business operations,” Almona said.

“The Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI) is particularly concerned because, with the persistent and unabated rise in inflation, businesses should prepare for more stress from the burden of higher interest rates as we enter the new year.

Beyond the LCCI’s alarm is the crisis being face by income earners in the country. The fact is the current inflationary trend has made nonsense of people’s income because salaries being earned by many people can no longer take care of their needs. This is worsened by the economic strains which negatively affect performance the capacity to increase workers’ income.

As Christmas and New Year festivities approach, prices of food and related items seem to remain beyond the reach of many Nigerians even with various efforts by the government to ameliorate the situation.

Reports from across the country show that the prices of rice, beans, chicken, fish, vegetable oil, clothes and footwear are on the high side. Market surveys in many parts of the country showed similar trends with families at crossroads over how to handle the surge in food prices at Christmas while some traders fear that the prices of some items may even rise before Christmas. For instance, the price of rice, which is much relished particularly at this time of the year in many homes, keeps fluctuating.

Last week, a 50kg bag of imported rice was sold for between N85,000 and N100,000 at the Kaiyero Market, Otta, Ogun State, which is fast turning into a major market for smuggled rice and vegetable oil. The price notwithstanding, traders do brisk business as retailers and consumers flock to the market from time to time to make purchases.

Reports say that local food items are not cheap either, be it pepper, tomatoes, palm oil,

garri, yam, cassava flour or meat. A vegetable oil trader at the Kuto Market, Abeokuta said the price of the item had risen within the last week. “It is not our fault. We sell according to what we buy from distributors,” she was quoted as saying.

A 25kg bag of foreign parboiled rice goes for N45,000 in the open markets and N48,000 in shops, while 100kg of foreign parboiled rice was sold for N105,000 on Saturday. Also, 150kg of local rice remains between N150,000 to N170,000 in local markets.

A 100kg bag of white beans is now sold for between N170,000 and N185,000, depending on the quality. The brown beans are however sold for between N200,000 and N215,000 per bag.

The reality of budgeting for meals that cost over N1,255 per plate is pushing families to rethink traditional methods of cooking, shopping, and sharing meals.

Some parents are now embracing bulkbuying groups, pooling resources with neighbours, and co-workers or returning to backyard farming to offset the high cost of market produce.

Meanwhile, social media has become a hub for meal-planning tips, where Nigerian influencers share affordable recipe hacks for feeding a family on a shoestring budget. It’s not just about surviving, though. Many young Nigerians are finding ways to use food as a form of community-building, with food-sharing groups sprouting up in cities like Lagos and Abuja. These networks are bringing neighbours together to help one another navigate tough times, exchanging everything from plantains to tomatoes.

It is imperative for the government at all levels to urgently implement measures to announce palliatives and give hope to Nigerians in order to help ease the burden on families and restore the joy of Christmas celebrations.

A foodstuff market in Lagos

Anambra’s Infrastructure Devt Fuels Economic Growth

Governor Chukwuma Soludo of Anambra in his quest to raise the level of productivity in the state is among others, turning the state into a construction centre with a special focus on roads, hospitals, schools, innovation centres, amusement parks, facilities, power generation, and supply, among others, reports Festus Akanbi

Globally, infrastructural development is pivotal for the growth and modernisation of any country, the transition from a traditional civilisation into a modern one, which requires a change process.

Governments worldwide are directly involved in modernisation and infrastructural growth, which act as catalysts for developing a nation, state, or community.

Sometimes, this is in cooperation with the private sector, involving the urgent creation of adequate and efficient infrastructure, particularly of energy, roads, telecommunications, water supply, railways, health, education, and financial services, to bring about a developed economy.

In light of this, and as articulated in 2020, the world spends more than $2.5 trillion a year on infrastructure, but $3.7 trillion a year will be needed through 2035 just to keep pace with projected gross domestic product (GDP) growth.

Infrastructure development plays a critical role in driving economic growth by enhancing productivity, creating jobs, and improving the competitiveness of a nation. In the context of the United States economy, infrastructure investments have historically been a key factor in sustaining long-term growth, particularly within vital industries such as oil and gas.

In the United Kingdom, total market sector investment in infrastructure in 2023 was £13.8 billion in constant prices, up 3.9% from 2022; market sector net stocks of infrastructure were estimated at £350.2 billion in 2023 in constant prices, up 0.3% from 2022, and as observed, since 2020, annual total market sector net stocks of infrastructure have increased by 0.2% on average, in constant prices; while total general government investment in infrastructure rose by 9.6% to £26.0 billion in current prices in 2022, relative to 2021.

Pointedly, the China infrastructure market size is forecast to increase by $269.24 billion at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 4.65% between 2023 and 2028. It is experiencing significant growth driven by the adoption of smart city technologies and extensive government-led initiatives. This is in sectors such as smart transportation, energy, and water supply, which is creating new opportunities for market expansion.

Back to Africa, there are plans to bridge the infrastructural gaps in the continent, with projects such as the Programme for Infrastructure Development in Africa (PIDA), a continental initiative adopted by all African countries to mobilise resources to transform Africa with modern infrastructure for developmental purposes.

Despite the difficulties in attaining the right growth architecture in Africa, and in Nigeria, there are drastic changes in the country with infrastructural expansion by governments at the state level. This has been demonstrated by Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, who is taking pragmatic steps to transform Lagos into a mega city.

Soludo’s Economic Re-engineering in Anambra

Remarkably, Governor Charles Chukwuma Soludo of Anambra State, a former Central Bank Governor, who, through the banks’ recapitalisation process transformed the financial institutions into what they are today, as strong and dependable, has left an indelible footprint for posterity, by making the state a destination and not a departure lounge.

Professor Soludo who is the fifth governor

of Anambra State has performed excellently to the admiration of the indigenes of the place, with various projects being constructed and others ongoing, and in the area of roads, hospitals, schools, innovation centres, amusement parks, facilities, technology advancements, power supply, and empowerment, among others.

Soludo, who is a labor-friendly governor not only paid the minimum wage to workers, he adjusted pensions upward to give pensioners in Anambra State higher take-home.

At the recent Anambra Innovation week, for startups, entrepreneurs, and innovators to showcase their ideas, connect with investors, and access valuable resources and mentorship, Soludo in his move at growing the state’s economy, partnered with Meta, a technology company, to foster a culture of innovation and entrepreneurship for the people. With this, Anambra State aims to leverage Meta’s cutting-edge technology and expertise to drive economic growth, create jobs, and improve the overall quality of life for its citizens.

The Solution Fun City, primed to be the biggest in West Africa, is quickly becoming a dream come true, while ongoing projects to make Anambra a destination include the 10-storey Marriott Hotel in Awka, the 20-hectare Awka City Leisure and Entertainment Park which is being designed with up-tothe-minute technology, the workaround

Agulu Lake, the master plans for the four of Anambra’s historic tourist sites which are being undertaken by an international consultant, the quality road network around the state capital Awka, and other developmental projects of global standards.

On road infrastructure, existing projects are being completed while new ones are initiated, with approximately 310 kilometres already asphalted in 30 months, and with unparalleled quality. The Ekwulobia flyover and bus terminal are nearing completion.

The dualisation of the 34-kilometre federal highway from Amawbia through Agulu, Ekwulobia, and Uga to the Imo State border, as well as the dualisation of 36 kilometres from Nwagu Agulu-Nnobi- Nnewi, Ozubulu to Okija, linking to the Onitsha-Owerri highway, is a game changer.

Anambra State Executive Council (ANSEC) has approved the N2.1 billion road construction of the Trans-Nkisi Boulevard 1 road, GRA Onitsha, in favour of Paul-B Nig Ltd, as part of Governor Chukwuma Charles Soludo’s ongoing infrastructure revolution.

He has released funds to construct the Nanka-Aguluzigbo-Umuona road, the Mbaukwu-Awgbu-Amaetiti-Okpaeze road, measuring about 16.37 km with a 22-meter, 1-span bridge, the 4.56 km Azigbo-Awka Etiti-Amichi-Onuselogu road, the 3.57 km Igboukwu-Amichi-Ekwulummili road, covering two local governments of Aguata and Nnewi South, as well as Nteje-Otuocha road. Recently, Soludo commissioned the 11.9km Mmiata-Anam-Nzam road, which links to the headquarters of Anambra West Local Government Area (LGA).

Others for rehabilitation are the 19.1 km Awkuzu-Igbariam-Anaku rink road, strategic Seven roads in Omagba, Onitsha, the reconstruction of the 1.6 km New Market Road, Onitsha; and the Aguleri Uno to Aguleri Otu road.

Governor Soludo has also completed the 12.5km Ezira-Umuomaku-Enugu UmuonyiaAchina road, linking several communities. Also, the building of a new government house located on 28.8 hectares of land, is touted as one of the largest in Nigeria.

In the area of education, twenty-two (22) secondary schools will be transformed into smart schools (with many more to follow in the new year), setting a standard for what an ideal school should be. Free education policy has been extended up to Senior Secondary School Year 3 (SS3) and the state has recruited an additional 3,115 teachers, increasing the number to 8,115.

It has equipped 60 secondary school laboratories with the required Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) equipment, and increased the operational budgets for primary and secondary schools to ensure they deliver the quality education promised.

The Soludo administration has restored electricity to the Uli campus of the Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu University, in Ihiala Local Government Area, after 21 years of blackout, and access to the internet and WiFi in public places within the institution.

Interestingly, a reliable source from the state revealed that in spite of the governor’s numerous projects, he has not borrowed any money, which signposts his uniqueness of governance.

With Soludo at the helm of affairs of Anambra, the state, through its innovation and entrepreneurship drive, has initiated the ‘One-Youth-Two-Skill programme, Code Anambra, a training scheme for skills acquisition, and the ‘One Million Digital Tribe’ for digital training through the Solution Innovation District (SID), where graduates of the various schemes were rewarded with cash prizes and equipment worth millions of naira for business enhancement.

Under Soludo, Anambra State’s cultural troupe attained recognition as the most creative at the National Festival of Arts and Culture (NAFEST), held in Abuja recently. He is believed to have facilitated the appointment of Mr. Mark Okoye, the Managing Director of the Anambra State Investment Promotion and Protection Agency (ANSIPPA), as the new Managing Director/CEO of the Southeast Development Commission (SEDC) by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

In the health sector, contracts were awarded for the supply and installation of equipment at the Anambra State College of Health Technology, Obosi, while primary healthcare centres have been upgraded, and five new general hospitals of world-class built with skilled personnel.

In addition, Anambra state has employed 1,000 health workers, including doctors, nurses, consultants, pharmacists, and medical laboratory technicians, and introduced telemedicine for efficient healthcare solutions. Due to his unwavering commitment to improving the healthcare sector, Soludo emerged as the best-performing governor in primary healthcare delivery in Nigeria. Anambra received a total of $1,200,000, for the awards, $500,000 for the feat in the Southeast, and $700,000 for overall excellence in the Primary Healthcare Leadership Challenge. Given this, the people of Anambra see him as a solution provider.

Soludo

AMERICAN MEDIA HIGHLIGHTs NIGERIAN DEsIGN FIRM

By staying true to its core values of artistry, elegance, and quality, Vickyheldan has carved a niche in a highly competitive i ndustry, writes FIDELIs ONU

In recent years, the American media landscape has increasingly embraced stories of Nigerian creativity and innovation, particularly in motion picture, music, fashion and the interior design sector. Among the most compelling narratives is the rise of Vickyheldan, an award-winning interior design and architectural firm that has captured global attention. Featured prominently in two prestigious American publications, New York Weekly and the Wall Street Times, Vickyheldan is a testament to the burgeoning influence of Nigerian creative enterprises on the global stage. The recognition underscores a broader acknowledgement of Nigeria’s capacity to produce world-class talent and brands that transcend borders.

Vickyheldan’s journey is an inspiring story of vision, resilience, and creativity. What began as a humble fashion label has become a multi-dimensional enterprise encompassing interior design, architectural design and luxury home collections. This evolution reflects the unyielding determination of its founder, Dr Victory Ifeoma Njoku whose artistic vision has propelled the brand to remarkable heights.

In its November 6 edition, New York Weekly aptly described the brand’s trajectory: “Vickyheldan, an avant-garde luxury lifestyle brand, has grown from a humble fashion label to a multi-dimensional enterprise encompassing interior design and home collections. The brand’s journey mirrors the founder’s relentless pursuit of artistry and elegance, and it has evolved into one of the leading luxury lifestyle brands in Nigeria and across Africa.”

Vickyheldan’s unique ability to seamlessly blend African heritage with modern aesthetics has struck a chord with clients and collaborators worldwide. This fusion of traditional and contemporary design elements has become the brand’s signature, setting it apart in a competitive industry.

The Wall Street Times’ feature on Vickyheldan further solidified the firm’s reputation as a global leader in interior design. The publication commended the firm’s capacity to execute projects with precision and creativity. The article noted: “Vickyheldan Interior Design has established itself as a global leader in the industry. With a focus on full-service design, the company excels in remodelling, architectural design, custom-made furniture, sourcing exquisite pieces, interior and exterior planning, styling, and flawless execution.”

This endorsement speaks volumes about the firm’s versatility and excellence. Vickyheldan’s portfolio showcases a remarkable diversity of projects, from private luxury villas to commercial establishments and hotels. Each project bears the hallmark of meticulous attention to detail, innovative design, and a commitment to creating functional and aesthetically pleasing spaces.

Vickyheldan’s influence extends well beyond Nigeria’s borders. The firm’s projects span continents, with successful ventures in Africa, the Middle East, and other parts of the world. This global reach has not only established the brand as a powerhouse in the interior design industry but has also made Nigerians and Africans worldwide proud of their creative heritage.

Collaboration has been a cornerstone of Vickyheldan’s success. The firm has worked with renowned architects, designers, and artisans to deliver exceptional results. These partnerships have not only enhanced the firm’s reputation but has also elevated the profile of African designers on the global stage.

Vickyheldan’s numerous awards and

accolades are a testament to its unwavering dedication to excellence. These honours reflect the brand’s ability to consistently exceed client expectations and push the boundaries of design innovation. By staying true to its core values of artistry, elegance, and quality, Vickyheldan has carved a niche in a highly competitive industry.

The firm’s success also indicates a more significant trend: the growing recognition of African talent and creativity on the global stage. As more Nigerian brands like Vickyheldan gain international acclaim, they pave the way for others to follow, creating a ripple effect that benefits the entire continent.

The spotlight from the American media has played a crucial role in amplifying Vickyheldan’s achievements. Publications like New York Weekly and the Wall Street Times have provided a platform for the brand to reach a wider audience, showcasing its work to potential clients, collaborators, and admirers worldwide. This coverage not only boosts the firm’s visibility but also reinforces the narrative of Africa as a hub of creativity and innovation, keeping the audience informed and engaged in the story of Nigerian creativity.

American media’s interest in Nigerian success stories is part of a broader trend of celebrating diverse voices and perspectives. By highlighting brands like Vickyheldan, these platforms contribute to a more inclusive and representative global narrative. This shift is significant, challenging stereotypes and broadening perceptions of African creativity.

Despite its success, Vickyheldan’s journey has not been without challenges. Building a globally recognized brand requires navigating a complex landscape of cultural, economic, and logistical hurdles. For Nigerian businesses, these challenges are often compounded by infrastructural and systemic limitations. However, Vickyheldan’s story demonstrates that overcoming these obstacles and achieving extraordinary success is possible with vision, resilience, and hard work.

The firm’s triumphs inspire aspiring entrepreneurs and designers in Nigeria and beyond. By sharing its story, Vickyheldan celebrates its achievements and motivates others to pursue their dreams, regardless of their obstacles.

As Vickyheldan continues to expand its reach and influence, the firm’s future looks incredibly bright. With a growing portfolio of international projects and a reputation for excellence, the brand is well-positioned to remain at the forefront of the global interior design industry.

Innovation will undoubtedly play a central role in the firm’s future endeavours. By staying ahead of industry trends and continually refining its craft, Vickyheldan is poised to set new standards of excellence in design. Additionally, the firm’s commitment to sustainability and social responsibility will likely become an even more prominent aspect of its work, reflecting a growing global emphasis on these values and inspiring hope for a more responsible design industry.

IOCs DIVEsTMENT: UNLOCKING GROWTH OPPORTUNITIEs FOR INDIGENOUs OIL COMPANIEs

AKPANDEM JAMEs contends that while IOCs divestment from Nigeria presents some challenges, it also offers an opportunity for indigenous companies to emerge as key players in the sector

In recent years, international oil companies (IOCs) operating in Africa have been moving to sell off some of their assets and relocate to more profitable, environmentally and socially friendly operational landscapes. While some considered moving from one jurisdiction to another within the continent, others contemplated a complete exit. About 26 oil blocks were to change hands in the process, amid regulatory scrutiny. However, there appears to be a change in direction, as some companies that were considering large-scale divestment are now looking to refocus on deep offshore terrains and cleaner hydrocarbon resources.

No doubt, the divestment of IOCs from Africa’s hydrocarbon sector has significant implications for the industry, economy and energy security in the continent. It is driven by various factors, including environmental concerns, security issues and a global shift toward renewable energy, precipitating a complex phenomenon that throws up both challenges and opportunities.

The immediate implication is that the exits might lead to a decrease in foreign direct investments, which can adversely affect production levels and revenue generation. It could, as a consequence, impact employment opportunities within the sector and hinder local content development. There is also the concern that a shift in asset ownership may alter the competitive landscape and affect government revenues derived from the sector because IOCs, traditionally, contribute significantly to national income through taxes and royalties. Their departure, therefore, could put a strain on public finances.

The flip side is that such divestments could provide indigenous firms an opportunity to expand their operations and tap into valuable resources previously controlled by IOCs. This transition could unlock substantial reserves and release more than 500 million barrels of oil and three trillion cubic feet of gas if managed effectively. Optimistic as it were, the capacity of local companies to manage these assets generated concerns in some quarters because of the historical lack of investment and expertise by indigenous companies compared to IOCs. This also raised concerns about economic stability, energy security, and environmental stewardship in the region, particularly during the transition period.

These were genuine concerns, but they were not lost on the regulatory authorities in some jurisdictions like Nigeria, as there were moves toward establishing robust regulatory frameworks to effectively navigate the changes and challenges and address the critical concerns, particularly streamlining divestment processes and investing in local capabilities and competencies that will empower domestic companies to not just fill the gap but thrive.

The promptings behind the divestment of IOCs from Africa’s oil and gas sector are multifaceted. A significant trigger is the global trend towards sustainability, which has compelled many companies to reassess their investments in fossil fuels, a thinking that has remained suspicious within the African and the Gulf hydrocarbon universe.

This was given added impetus by local operational challenges, including security issues and environmental concerns that have plagued the sector for decades. Financial liabilities associated with ongoing operations further compounded the situation, leading to a strategic repositioning by IOCs toward greener alternatives.

The interconnected issues of global trends toward sustainability, local operational challenges and increasing financial liabilities reflect both external and internal challenges. The global energy transition, pressures related to environmental and social governance (ESGG), security concerns, regulatory challenges in certain jurisdictions, financial considerations and legal liabilities are often cited as significant factors. As these companies exit certain

operational jurisdictions, initial concerns have arisen regarding the capacity of local firms to effectively manage the acquired assets while adhering to environmental standards and addressing community needs.

In Nigeria, Shell was at the forefront of prominent IOCs divesting their assets, selling off substantial portions of its onshore assets due to escalating security risks and environmental accountability pressures. But last week, it announced a final investment decision (FID) on the Bonga North Deep Offshore Field, a project it is in partnership with NNPC Limited, ExxonMobil, Total Energies and Eni. ExxonMobil is finalising the process of divesting its subsidiary in Nigeria. TotalEnergies recently announced the sale of its stake in multiple oil mining licenses (OMLs) to focus on more sustainable operations. This shift, expectedly, reflects a broader movement within the industry as companies respond to both market dynamics and societal expectations.

Though it is normal for concerns to be raised about the capacity of local firms to effectively manage acquired assets, such concerns are being allayed as some of the indigenous companies on the block, who have demonstrated the capacity to fill the void left by IOCs, are already navigating significant areas of potential challenges related to expertise, technology transfer and adherence to environmental standards. Some, like Seplat Energy and Oando, were already key players in the field and are only expanding their scope of investment in the divestment regime.

As of December 19, 2024, the Federal Government had approved the TotalEnergies/Chappal deal ($860 million), ExxonMobil’s sale of Mobil Producing Nigeria Unlimited (MPNU) to Seplat Energy ($1.28 billion), Eni’s divestment of Nigerian Agip Oil Company (NAOC) to Oando Plc ($783 million) and Equinor Nigeria Energy’s divestment to Project Odinmin Investments ($700 million). The latest is Shell’s $2.4 billion onshore asset sale to Renaissance Africa Energy. In all these, the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC), the foremost industry regulator, emphasised the importance of a transparent divestment process to ensure that local companies are adequately prepared to take over these operations.

While maintaining that divestment is a business decision within the rights of oil companies, NUPRC Chief Executive, Gbenga Komolafe, emphasised that for the process to be successful, due process must be followed to ensure that both the buyer and seller, government and host communities are all on the same page. He explained that what the industry is experiencing in the form of divestment is portfolio rationalisation, which is common also in other jurisdictions. It gives opportunity for more investment as well as increases local participation in the upstream sector of the petroleum industry.

James, a communication strategist, is a Fellow

Editor, Editorial Page PETER ISHAKA

Email peter.ishaka@thisdaylive.com

STATES AND FISCAL LAXITY

The states must cut down on public expenditures

No matter the spin from government officials, emerging facts suggest that the nation’s finances and the economy are already in dire straits. While there is nothing wrong for a country to face temporary economic setback so long as the managers are capable and indeed able to fix it, what remains tragic is that public officials continue to live in denial while wallowing in profligacy. A recent newspaper report revealed that 29 state governors collectively spent 1.994 trillion on various recurrent expenditures in the first nine months of 2024. Travel expenses for government officials, jumbo allowances for meetings and refreshments, etc., consume substantial portions of these budgetary expenses.

As a result of the removal of fuel subsidy and the floating of the naira, virtually all the 36 states have got at least 40 per cent boost in federal allocations in the past one year. Unfortunately, many of these states still struggle to pick up their routine bills. Yet, they expend huge sums of money on frivolities. In most of the states, there are no significant allocations to capital and impactful projects, triggering concerns over fiscal discipline amid calls to reduce the cost of governance. The situation is worsened by the high rate of debt servicing by the states in the face of poor internally generated revenue.

without teachers. Perhaps even more depressing, despite the stagflation that pushed the cost of food, goods and services beyond the reach of majority of Nigerians, some few states are not only owing backlog of workers’ salaries and pensions, but they are also yet to implement the National Minimum Wage of N70,000 signed into law in May this year.

The lack of accountability at the state level contributes to wasteful spending. State assemblies, tasked with oversight responsibilities, are compromised, and have over the years failed to hold governors accountable. Regrettably, many of the governors are yet to adjust to the prevailing realities as they continue to indulge in ostentatious lifestyles while investing scarce public funds on frivolities. They still funnel public funds to political activities while the burial and wedding ceremonies of family members of top public officers are turned into state carnivals.

The states need to develop cost-effective strategies to increase internal revenue, cut down on overhead costs, and enthrone fiscal discipline and transparency

What is most disturbing is that increased statutory allocations from the centre, and increased borrowing have not translated into better living conditions for the people. Everywhere, there is misery at the doorstep.

The cost of governance, as it has been over the years, is high and alarming. Most of the debts being incurred for future generations of Nigerians are expended on projects that bring little or no returns on investment. While some of the states are spending fortunes on facilities like new airports that have little relevance to the people, many roads infrastructure are crying for attention.

Pipe borne water is a scarce commodity, and hundreds of thousands die every year because of poor sanitation, and ill-equipped health centres. Many educational institutions are decrepit and

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Ironically, while humongous debts hang precariously on the neck of these states, some of them are still borrowing more. We believe that the current challenge does not call for more borrowing, but rather creative resource management and potent revenue generation drive. Indeed, what the situation calls for is a serious rethink of the fundamental assumption of our fiscal arrangements.

The states need to develop cost-effective strategies to increase internal revenue, cut down on overhead costs, and enthrone fiscal discipline and transparency. The desired economic growth in the states, and indeed in the country, can only be achieved if the recurrent expenditure component is optimised while the spending component on capital infrastructure is prioritised.

The indices of poverty across the country make it difficult for us to understand the recklessness in many of the states. We are worried that while government revenue continues to dwindle, there is no conscious effort to cut down expenditure on the recurrent side. A state that spends more than it generates to sustain public officials is surely on a journey to perdition.

Letters in response to specific publications in THiSDAY should be brief(150-200 words) and straight to the point. interested readers may send such letters along with their contact details to opinion@thisdaylive.com. we also welcome comments and opinions on topical local, national and international issues provided they are well-written and should also not be longer than (950- 1000 words). They should be sent to opinion@thisdaylive. com along with the email address and phone numbers of the writer

TINUBU’S 49.7

President Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu has presented a budget of 49.7 trillion Naira (approximately $28 billion). This figure underscores a stark paradox: Nigeria is a country both “rich” and “poor”—abundant in crude oil and natural resources, yet struggling to translate this wealth into meaningful development .

With an estimated population of 234 million—making it the sixth most populous country in the world—a $28 billion budget is insufficient to address critical needs like food security, healthcare, education, and infrastructure. Notably, N4.91 trillion is allocated to defense and security, while N4.06 trillion, N2.48 trillion, and N3.52 trillion are earmarked for infrastructure, healthcare, and education, respectively.

Despite its large and predominantly youthful population, coupled with vast untapped natural resources, Nigeria must urgently

LETTERS

TRILLION NAIRA BUDGET

improve its earnings to remain competitive in today’s challenging global economy. The Tinubu administration has made strides by removing petroleum subsidies and floating the Naira. While these measures have increased revenue for both the federal government and subnational entities, they have also had severe repercussions: reduced purchasing power for citizens, continued depreciation of the Naira, rising commodity prices due to the country’s import dependency, and spiraling inflation.

The key question remains: How can Nigeria build the resources needed to cater to its large population and effectively compete with major African economies?

On paper, Nigeria holds the title of Africa’s largest economy, yet in practice, it faces serious challenges. For instance, South Africa, Africa’s most industrialized economy, boasts a GDP of approximately $373 billion, followed closely by Egypt with $347 billion. In contrast, Nigeria’s

GDP has fallen to $199.7 billion, ranking it fourth among African economies.

To reverse this trend, Nigeria cannot rely solely on taxing its citizens or removing subsidies—short-term fixes that are ultimately unsustainable. Instead, policymakers must prioritize agriculture and human capital development. These two sectors alone hold the potential to generate billions of dollars and provide long-term, sustainable growth. While subsidy removal and currency floating may produce immediate gains, agriculture and human capital can continually fuel economic prosperity.

A collaborative and benchmarking approach is essential. Nigeria should study and adopt the models of successful agricultural economies such as China, Brazil, Argentina, Indonesia, the United States, Russia, Australia, Denmark, India, Canada, and France—all of which generate billions

annually from agriculture. Take Indonesia, for example: it is one of the world’s leading producers of palm oil, rice, rubber, cocoa, and coffee. Agriculture plays a central role in Indonesia’s economy, and Nigeria has the potential to elevate its own agricultural sector to even greater heights.

Moreover, Nigeria’s human capital is one of the fastest-growing in the world. By harnessing its dynamic workforce both domestically and internationally, Nigeria can unlock significant economic value. For instance, in 2022 alone, Nigeria accounted for $21.9 billion in diaspora remittances, representing 64% of all remittances in West Africa.

The truth is, a budget of 49.7 trillion Naira is merely a drop in the ocean for a nation of nearly 250 million people, spanning a landmass of approximately 923,768 square kilometers.

Zayyad I . Muhammad, Abuja

Achievers University’s 2024 Convocation and Foreign Policy Aspects:

The Achievers University, Owo (AUO) held its 14th Convocation and the 17th FoundationAnniversary on Saturday, 14th December, 2024 at the Professor Abubakar Adamu Rasheed Auditorium of the University. The Convocation was specially organised to reflect the Vision and Mission of the AUO. The AUO wants ‘to be the best university in Africa and indeed one of the best in the world,’ not to say the best. For this purpose, the AUO has as Mission the provision of ‘an enabling environment - physical and academic - for the production of competent and quality graduates who would be self-reliant, highly productive and globally relevant in every sphere of human endeavour.’

The aspect of producing globally relevant graduates largely explains the importance and impact of the AUO 2024 Convocation, as well as one of the foreign policy dimensions. The politics of University rating the world over is such that greater emphasis has to be placed on many factors in order to qualify for high level rating. As required by the Times Higher Education (THE), there are 18 performance indicators which are categorised into five categories. The first is the extent of conduciveness of the teaching and learning environment. The second is the research environment with emphasis on the volume, income and reputation of research. The third factor, which is related to the second, is the extent of quality of research, in terms of impact, strength, excellence and influence. Fourthly, there is the requirement of international outlook in terms of international students and staff, as well as international collaboration. Fifthly, there is the requirement of industry in terms of how much income is a university earning from its patents. These factors are precisely what the AUO tried to underscore and that were partly manifested during the AUO 2024 Convocation activities.

Convocation and Foreign Policy Aspects

The Convocation was noteworthy for various reasons, especially the foreign policy dimensions. First, it was a week-long of convocation activities that began with the press conference of the Vice Chancellor, Professor Omolola Oladunni Irinoye, the first female Professor of Nursing to be Vice Chancellor in Nigeria, on Monday, 9th December. It was concluded on Sunday, 15th December with a Convocation Thanksgiving Service at the University Chapel of Grace and Glory with praise worship and announcement of special promotions for some members of staff.

Secondly, the dates of the convocation activities, when related to promotion of education and maintenance of global peace and security and protection of fundamental human rights, were quite significant in international relations. For instance, on Tuesday, 10th December, the 5th Induction Ceremony of Graduate Nurses, 2024 Set was held. It was on December 14, 1948 that the Universal Declaration on Human Rights was made. Article 26(1) of the Declaration stipulates that ‘everyone has the right to education. Education shall be free, at least, in the elementary and fundamental stages. Elementary education shall be compulsory. Technical and professional education shall be made equally accessible to all on the basis of merit.’

Consistent with making technical and professional education accessible on the basis of merit was manifested, on Wednesday December 11 when the 1st Induction Ceremony for Public Health graduates and the 3rd NSE Induction Ceremony, with the theme “The Contribution of the Next Generation (of) Engineers to Sustainable National Development: A Case Study of Nigeria,” took place. In this regard, paragraph 3 of the Preamble of the Declaration says ‘if a man is not to be compelled to have recourse as a last resort, to resort to rebellion against tyranny and oppression… human rights should be protected by the rule of law.’ This is one definiendum of the vision and mission of the AUO which emphasises self-discipline and dint of hard work at various levels.

The visionary of the AUO, Honourable (Dr) Bode Ayorinde, an Associate Professor, Pro-Chancellor and Chairman of the AUO Governing Council, and lawyer by training, promotes, not simply the spirit and protection of fundamental human rights as provided for in the 1948 Declaration, but also the right to fear God almighty in the training of Achiever AUO students, especially in understanding the essence of law and democracy in the conduct and management

The Case of YaDILDS

the first time and for the first set of graduates of Public Health, 17 graduates were inducted by the Registrar of the African Institute of Public Health Professionals, Dr Ayodele Bankole James, FAIPHP. On Thursday, 12th December 65 Medical Laboratory Scientists were also inducted by the Registrar of the Medical Laboratory Council of Nigeria, Professor Tosan Erhabor, at the 13th induction ceremony for the graduates.’

of governance affairs. It is against this background that, on Friday, December 13, the foundation stone of the YaDILDS was laid by the Chancellor of the AUO, Rt. Hon. (Dr) Yakubu Dogara, CFR.

Thirdly, the Convocation was characterised by much happiness by everyone because the AUO has grown from the first batch of 126 students on the 8th ofApril 2008 to a current number of 3,571 students. From 2 colleges in the beginning to 5 colleges to day cannot but be a source of sweet inspirations. Perhaps more interestingly, Professor Omolola Irinoye has it that ‘in this 14th Convocation, Achievers University award degrees to 699 graduates, 653 from undergraduate programmes, and 46 graduates from postgraduate programmes… Out of the 653 graduates, 71 are graduating with First Class Honours, 303 with Second Class Honours Upper Division, 243 with Second Class Honours Lower Division and 36 Third Class Honours.’

And more interestingly, Professor Irinoye also revealed that ‘for

The honours did not stop with the conferment of honorary degrees on the three worthy sons of Nigeria on 14 December. The Convocation Thanksgiving Service held the following day also witnessed the special announcement of the elevation of three members of staff for their academic activities and contributions to the development of the AUO and the larger community. Mr Kunle Oladimeji and Miss Feyisayo Adetula, both Assistant Lecturers, were promoted to the grade of Lecturer II while Professor Bola A. Akinterinwa was elevated to the grade of Professor Emeritus. By so doing, Professor Akinterinwa became the first AUO Professor Emeritus. In addition, the approval of Professor Adenegan Taiwo to go on sabbatical in 2025 was also announced. With the approval, he becomes the first AUO professor to go on sabbatical leave. It was an event of songs of praise galore. The announcements truly reflected the AUO as a ‘God’s glorious habitation… wellspring of integrity and height of leadership’ as contained in the AUO Anthem. The University always began every New Year and academic activities with prayers to God and thanksgiving. This is the ‘Starting with God’ Programme.’ The year is also ended with a Convocation Thanksgiving Service during which landmark announcements are always made. Meanwhile I say Joyeux Nöel to all my readers

In the spirit of recidivist envisioning, the Pro-Chancellor opted to speak on ‘the imperative of Industrializing Nigeria for Sustainable Development’ for reasons that are not far-fetched: there are ‘275 universities in Nigeria and over 500 other higher institutions, including the Polytechnics, Monotechnics and Colleges of Education… Yet there are no jobs to provide the necessary tutelage for these teeming and vibrant youths.’ Additionally, in spite of Nigeria’s natural resources, Nigeria is still unnecessarily faced with development challenges. Quo vadis, asked Hon. Dr Ayorinde. In his eyes, ‘the answer lies in industrialisation’ because ‘industrialisation is the engine of development, and it has the potential to transform our economy, create jobs, drive innovation, and generate wealth. Industrialisation is the engine of development.’ Consequently, he called on everyone to ‘renew our commitment to the development of our nations.’

The best graduating student, who represented the graduating class of 2024, Mr. Abiodun Precious Aboluwarin, shared, in his valedictorian speech, the same view as Honourable Ayorinde that ‘character maketh the man’ and that his fellow graduates should ‘strive to make positive contributions to make our family, community and this country a better space in the global community.’ More importantly, Mr. Aboluwarin noted that ‘the purpose and goals in life should not be handled with levity but make them priority and let’s be revolutionist of economic development in this nation with our profound professional knowledge and God-fearing heart.’

Thirdly, and perhaps most significant was the Convocation Lecture delivered by His Royal Highness, Kabiyesi ObaAdedokunAbolarin, the Orangun of Oke-Ila, Osun State, on Friday, 13 December. He underscored the significance of quality education, its tools and challenges. As he put it, ‘education serves as a cornerstone for individual and societal development, fostering economic growth, reducing inequalities, and empowering individuals to achieve their full potential… Education is essential for ending poverty. Actually… [Q] uality education is essential for ending poverty… Education is more than the act of attending school; it must serve as a transformative force that equips individuals to thrive in life. While increasing access to education is crucial, the ultimate goal must be to ensure that this education adds value by enabling learners to master essential skills and acquire relevant knowledge.’

Most significantly, the Convocation Lecturer recalled the four key pillars of quality education as defined by the UNESCO: equity in the sense that no one should be left behind, relevance in the sense of applicability to societal need, effectiveness in terms of enablement of measurable learning outcomes, and sustainability in terms of quality education being resilient and adaptable to challenges, pandemics or natural disasters, socio-economic questions, etc.

When considered in the context of Nigeria, quality education has not been achievable again for various reasons: Nigeria has over 20m out-of-school children which is the highest number in the world based on the 2022 UNICEF figures, infrastructural deficiency in many schools, teacher shortages and poor quality of teachers in many schools, boko haram and other terrorismdriven attacks on schools, systemic corruption, especially the mismanagement of education budgets, etc.Against this background, Kabiyesi Abolarin expects universities to play transformative roles in advancing quality education, which by design and coincidence, is the major dynamic of the quest to establish the YaDILDS and the conferment of special honoris causa on three well-acknowledged promoters of quality-driven education, quality-driven entrepreneurship and quality-driven political governance that is completely free of chicanery.

TheYaDILDS and AUO Honours

The YaDILDS means Yakubu Dogara Institute of Legal and Democratic Studies. It is named in honour of Rt. Hon. Yakubu Dogara, a notable Nigerian politician and lawyer who served as the 13th Speaker of the House of Representatives from 9 June 2015 to 9 June 2019. He was born on 26 December 1967 and received his university education from the University of Jos. His contribution to societal development prompted his recognition as the Leadership Newspaper’s ‘Politician of the year 2015.’ The Royal Commonwealth Society of Nigeria honoured him in March 2016 for passing 130 bills in one single day.

Again, three months after, on 10 June 2016, he also received the Zik Prize in Leadership Award for Public Service. His active engagement in political governance within the first one year of his tenure as Speaker prompted his recognition as the ‘Political Icon of the Year 2016’ by the Editorial Board of The Sun Newspaper, as well as ‘The Politician of the Year’ by the City People Magazine at the 2017 Award Programme. In fact, he was decorated in October 2022 by President Muhammadu Buhari as a Commander of the Order of the Federal Republic (CFR). It is against this background that AUO similarly looked at his very positive contributions as Chancellor of the AUO in the past five years to the development of the university and decided to also honour him more befittingly with an institute named after him.

Yakubu Dogara

Bode Ayorinde

Emma Okah

Living a Life of Purpose

An accomplished lawyer, media man and politician, Emmanuel Ihuoma Okah brims with goodwill marked by a successful career captured in this moving tale of his journey to 60. Vanessa Obioha writes

At 60, I Wish I Could Close My Eyes and Open Them to See Smiles Return to the Faces of Nigerians

For many Christians worldwide, December 25 marks Christmas, the celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ. In the Okah household, however, this season holds extra significance, as the birthday of the family patriarch, Emma Okah, coincides with the global celebration- a further attestation to the relevance of his native name Ihuoma which means the lucky one. This year, the celebration will resonate across the town as Okah, a renowned lawyer and politician, steps into his diamond jubilee. Despite the excitement, Okah has his reservations as he welcomes this new chapter in his life.

“The reality of turning 60 is not a myth. Beyond personal attainments for which we constantly give God glory, I am not a happy man. All around us are numerous Nigerians who are hungry and cannot afford the basic needs of life. We are living in a country with abundance of resources and yet citizens live in squalor. I doubted that the Buhari government was not going to do much because he fell into the same inglorious entrapment of a few persons subverting the rules to create ethnic and religious advantage for his kinsmen. I saw President Tinubu rule Lagos State well as Governor but I am afraid his outing as president is not showing signs of good things. The economic dislocation in the land is making a bad Buhari administration look like a golden era. At 60, I wish I could close my eyes and open them to see smiles return to the faces of millions of Nigerians.”

An indigene of Rivers State, Okah is well-known in the media as well as legal and political circles for his influential reputation. Born in Elele Town, Ikwerre Local Government Area of Rivers State, Okah’s journey to greatness began with a solid foundation in education. He attended County Grammar School, Ikwerre/Etche, earned his LL.B (Second Class Upper) from the University of Calabar in 1988, BL ((Second Class Upper), Nigerian Law School in 1989 and his LL.M from the University of Lagos in 1991. His commitment to personal and professional growth continued as he trained at the London-based Blandonmore agency in 2003, where he obtained a certificate in media and communications and later earned his PhD in Law from Imo State University in 2022.

A Notary Public and member of both the Nigerian and African Bar Associations, Okah’s legal career kicked off in Newbreed Magazine where he served as a legal officer during his mandatory NYSC days. While in Newbreed, Okah began to sharpen his writing skills, even without a formal training as a journalist. He would later be retained and appointed as the company’s secretary and set up the Chris Okolie Chambers.

He worked with the late Chief Gani Fawehinmi Chambers as a student attachee where he gained invaluable experience before joining the law office of Rickey Tarfa, SAN, where he formed a deep camaraderie with his mentor during their LL.M programme at the University of Lagos. After he left Tarfa in 1995, he established his own legal chambers.

“Looking back to our early years as young lawyers in Lagos and learning from legal giants to fuel our appetites to meet challenges at that time would remain evergreen in my memory,” he continued. “Today, I

Okah and his children

Okah

feel for many young lawyers who are perforated by low earnings and harsh economic climate that one wonders if it is the same law we all read. It sends a chill up my spine, sometimes.”

One of the defining moments of his legal practice in Lagos before he joined politics was when he defended Newbreed Magazine and his former boss, the late Chief Chris Okolie, in a landmark libel case. The case, filed by Chief Olusegun Obasanjo against Beko Ramsome-Kuti, Campaign for Democracy (CD), Chief Chris Okolie, and Newbreed Magazine, revolved around alleged offensive materials written by CD to all foreign missions in Nigeria and published by Newbreed magazine about stopping Obasanjo’s bid for the UN Secretary-General position. While Chief Gani Fawehinmi and Femi Falana defended CD, Okah represented the others before Justice Adeniji of Lagos State High Court. Ultimately, Obasanjo lost the position.

As a lawyer, Okah earned the respect of his peers for his intelligence, collaborative spirit, and broad international experience, which have established him as a distinguished figure in both the legal and political spheres.

“What I learnt from these great men, I cannot quantify them. They thought me a lot that shaped my life and practice

enormous power of a Governor of Rivers State in driving national politics. For the eight years and three months I spent in public office combined, I was exposed further to the potential of our great country and why we are still backward. Most public office holders have two faces. One is when they are not in office and the other is when they are in office and exposed to money, free wealth in a country with scant regard for rules.

“We can rise again. From President Tinubu down the ladder, we can cut down on luxury living, tighten the belt, produce much of what we need, educate our children especially in the North and bail ourselves out of squalor. That is why I believe that Nigeria is in need of more patriots and role models to build a nation where no one is oppressed. I am afraid some of our leaders are handing over banners with stains and if we don’t narrow the gap between the rich and the numerous poor, it may be difficult one day for the rich to contain the explosion that may follow.”

Before he joined Wike’s cabinet, Okah attempted to represent Ikwerre/Emohua LGAs in the House of Representatives under the defunct Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) in 2011. His ambition was fired up by a desire to see a positive change in the nation.

“If the centre gets it right, the states will fall in line. The people of Ikwerre/Emohua LGAs need a new voice, a new hand and a new face with a purposeful agenda that will drive their aspirations locally and nationally. My people need positive vibration,” said.

But Okah’s influence was not limited to the courtroom or politics. His service in the media, particularly with Newbreed Magazine during his NYSC, led him to become a respected commentator on sociopolitical issues. Without formal journalistic training, he became a voice of reason, offering insights into Nigeria’s political and economic landscape. His columns in Sunday Sun and National Interest newspaper shaped public discourse and established him as a force in Nigerian media.

as a lawyer,” he said.

In politics, Okah’s rise was swift and undeniable. After the fall of the Third Republic, he was set to contest the Ikwerre Local Government chairmanship under the SDP, but he soon pivoted, making a name for himself as a dependable party man and media personality. His efforts caught the attention of Dr. Peter Odili, who appointed him Chief Press Secretary in 2003, a role in which Okah’s brilliance, organisational skills, and commitment to public service shone brightly. Under his guidance, Odili’s administration became one of the most publicised in Nigeria. He later served as Commissioner for Information during Celestine Omehia’s brief administration. He also served as the Commissioner for Housing and Commissioner for Information and Communications during Nyesom Wike’s first-term as governor.

“Since leaving legal practice in 2003 to take up a political job with then Governor Peter Odili, I have been privileged to work under two other governors - Sir Celestine Omehia and Chief Nyesom Wike. Dr. Odili became like an institution and visionary of sorts. He combined kindness, fear of God, experience and a supporting family to send a message that a better Nigeria is possible beyond rhetoric. I knew the

“I commend the Nigerian media for holding forth in good and bad times. Across the board, the mass media has been in the forefront of good governance in Nigeria. I don’t know how much they would still stay on but I doff my hat for the electronic media houses that stay on generators 24 hours, the print media that must show up in the news stand everyday and still pay salaries despite the harsh economy under which Nigerians live.”

Although he no longer writes columns for these publications, his words still resonate with many who see him as a tireless advocate for Nigeria’s betterment. Okah is still active in the political front and trying to be a good citizen.

Back home, Okah advocates and practices support for purposeful education. It is for that reason that he quietly grants scholarships to the needy and encourages more people to pursue education.

“Any nation that toys with the education of its citizens is destined for doom. Sadly, we have so damaged our public education system that Nigerian parents slave for foreign universities where they send their children for better education. Nothing can be more shameful than this. Therefore, our quest for national rebirth must begin with reorientation by creating a sense of pride in the things we have.”

As he approaches his diamond jubilee, one can reflect on his selflessness, vision, and commitment to service— qualities that have defined a life welllived. A life that continues to inspire and uplift all who have been fortunate enough to witness it.

with KAYoDe ALFreD 08116759807, E-mail: kayflex2@yahoo.com

Lagos 2027: Who is Afraid of Femi Gbajabiamila?

As Lagosians begin to speculate about the 2027 governorship race, Femi Gbajabiamila’s name creates ripples, even in whispers. The man, once Speaker of the House and now Chief of Staff to the President, looms large despite not openly declaring his intentions. It seems that those dismissing him are reacting to something more than his political profile.

Gbajabiamila’s career has been a masterclass in strategy, rising from a constituency politician to a national force. His influence reaches beyond Lagos politics, blending grassroots connections with elite access. Such a mix clearly makes opponents wary, as it’s rare to challenge someone who knows both the game’s rules and its enforcers.

For others, perhaps his proximity to President Bola Tinubu is unsettling. Few can claim Gbajabiamila’s closeness to the president, which could tilt the balance of power in Lagos. His detractors, therefore, may feel they are shadowboxing a man who has already won half the battle by being privy to the inner workings of the APC.

However, there is no shortage of contenders, each with its own base of support. Mudashiru Obasa’s grassroots hold and Obafemi Hamzat’s legacy make them formidable opponents. Yet, even the more ardent supporters of these figures might find Gbajabiamila’s quiet confidence unnerving, as he operates like a chess player waiting for the right moment to strike.

Akinwunmi Ambode’s potential re-entry into Lagos politics adds another twist. The former governor retains deep grassroots loyalty, making him a potential spoiler. Still, Gbajabiamila’s extensive networks may render Ambode’s challenge insufficient, leaving his supporters to question whether nostalgia alone can power a comeback.

As they say, “The lion does not turn around when small dogs bark.” Gbajabiamila’s apparent calmness could be his greatest weapon. By avoiding premature announcements, he keeps his competitors on edge, forcing them to spend energy speculating rather than planning.

Senate President Godswill Akpabio’s recent performance during the presentation of the 2025 budget by President Bola Tinubu left little to the imagination about the legislature’s independence. His awkward delivery and miscalculated attempts at humour were less about levity and more about a lamentable show of misplaced priorities.

Akpabio’s overly effusive welcome speech bordered on sycophancy, making it painfully clear that the legislature has chosen alignment over autonomy. The refrain of “On your mandate, we shall stand” during the session was a disheartening chant in a setting meant to symbolise democracy.

The Senate President’s tone and content suggest a complete surrender of the legislature’s oversight function in a system where the separation of powers should thrive. Even when admonishing ministers who disregard the National Assembly, his words lacked the weight of conviction and were reduced instead to hollow platitudes.

Akpabio’s feeble attempt to mask

Akpabio’s Gaffe

Mele Kyari at 60: Still Solid at the Helm of NNPCL

As Mele Kyari approaches his 60th birthday, the rumour mills continue to spin stories of an imminent exit. But close sources are similarly passionate in affirming he will remain at the helm of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL). Many agree that Kyari’s leadership has been marked by resilience and transformation.

Under Kyari’s stewardship, NNPCL shifted from deep losses to remarkable profitability. From a deficit of N803 billion in 2018 to a record-breaking profit of N3.3 trillion in 2023, his leadership turned adversity into triumph. The numbers speak, but the impact reverberates far beyond balance sheets.

A steady hand is needed to tackle the challenges of oil theft and pipeline vandalism, and Kyari has proven to be that hand. By strengthening collaborations with security agencies and contractors, he restored stability in the Niger Delta and revitalised crude oil production to over 1.78 million barrels per day.

The TAPE agenda—Transparency,

Accountability, and Performance Excellence— embodies Kyari’s vision for NNPCL. Through it, he introduced reforms that brought efficiency and openness to a sector often shrouded in opacity. These changes set a new benchmark, earning him recognition at home and abroad.

Kyari’s initiatives have not been limited to crude oil. His push for the Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) initiative signals a pivot towards sustainable energy solutions. This program is believed to have sufficient potential to make transportation more affordable, creating opportunities for the economy to thrive while addressing climate concerns.

Critics may whisper, but Kyari’s accolades, including awards from two presidents, reflect the trust placed in him. Friends and allies dismiss the detractors as envious voices in the shadows, unable to dim the shine of his achievements.

Like a steady captain steering through

his alignment with the executive is akin to a masquerader dancing in broad daylight—it only entertains those who’ve chosen to ignore the loss of democratic dignity. Proverbs remind us that he who pays the piper calls the tune, and Akpabio seems all too eager to comply.

Even if the legislature is destined to play second fiddle, it should not be this obvious. The Senate, entrusted with being the watchdog of democracy, appears to have rolled over willingly. This embarrassing display sends a message that accountability will remain on holiday for the foreseeable future.

Nigerians deserve lawmakers who act in their interests, not cheerleaders for the executive. By turning the budget presentation into a platform for praise-singing, Akpabio has reminded citizens that even symbolic resistance to executive control has been abandoned.

Independence is not an ornamental concept to be discarded when convenient. Akpabio’s performance reinforces the grim reality that some legislators prefer comfort to courage, betraying their constituents in the process. A captured legislature benefits no one but those who wield the chains.

turbulent waters, Kyari continues to pilot NNPCL with unwavering focus. As whispers of his departure fade, his resolve to build a legacy of growth and innovation remains firm. Age, it seems, is but a number when vision drives the wheel.

Malta is the New Destination for African Business …as Access Bank Moves to Malta

As the sirens of Christmas tradition prepare us for the landing of the New Year, Access Bank, led by the visionary Aigboje Aig-Imoukhuede, has made yet another bold move, establishing a

fully owned subsidiary in Malta. Experts say that this expansion isn’t just a geographical leap—it’s a strategic bridge between Africa and Europe, creating seamless trade and financial services opportunities.

Malta, perched in the Mediterranean, offers unmatched access to Europe, North Africa, and the Middle East. With English as a lingua franca and favourable tax laws, it’s a business paradise. By setting up shop here, Access Bank is positioning itself to tap into a trifecta of markets with unparalleled ease.

This move reflects a growing recognition of Malta’s importance in global trade. As Europe continues to be Africa’s top trading partner, initiatives like the EUAfrica Economic Partnership and AfCFTA have become critical. So, Access Bank’s presence in Malta is timely, enhancing crossborder trade with precision.

Egba, Not Yewa, Will Produce Ogun Governor in 2027 …Ogun Elites Insist

The 2027 governorship debate in Ogun State has reignited old arguments about fairness and power rotation. Historically, power has alternated between the state’s prominent blocs— Egba, Ijebu, and Yewa—raising the question of whether the next governor will emerge based on competence or regional sentiment.

Awujaale, the respected monarch of Ijebuland, has long advocated for fairness in Ogun politics, as noted in his autobiography. His stance in 1999 was clear: Yewa deserved a turn for the governorship. However, decades later, it seems that this particular region has not been able to gather itself firmly enough to secure the governorship seat. This, some say, points to fractures in political consensus.

Some Egba elites argue that it is time for their region to reclaim leadership, fueling debates steeped in tribal considerations. Yet, the fixation on geography over capability seems like “digging a well with a needle,” a futile approach that ignores the qualities needed for progress.

The political chessboard of Ogun is further complicated by internal rivalries. For example, Senator Solomon Olamilekan Adeola’s growing influence in Ogun West has rattled many. Yayi, as he is widely known, has undeniable contributions for sure, but it is just as undoubtedly that divisions within his Ogun West bloc have historically hindered their governorship bids.

Past elections reveal a pattern: disunity and external interference derail Ogun

From its humble beginnings in 1988 to its current standing as Africa’s largest bank, Access Bank’s journey is nothing short of meteoric. Aig-Imoukhuede and his team have turned ambition into action, with recent acquisitions like Kenya’s National Bank, cementing their pan-African dominance. Malta’s stability, modern infrastructure, and skilled labour force make it an ideal base for Access Bank’s international trade finance operations. With an initial team of 30 professionals, the subsidiary is clearly ready to boost economic growth across continents while offering top-notch banking services. Roosevelt Ogbonna, Access Bank’s CEO, aptly remarked that this move reinforces their role as Africa’s gateway to the world. With Malta as a launchpad, the bank is not only facilitating trade but also redefining how African businesses connect with global markets.

West’s aspirations. Leaders from Egba and Ijebu have often manipulated these divisions to maintain dominance. The proverb, “When two brothers fight, a stranger inherits their father’s land,” aptly describes this dynamic.

Beyond rhetoric, Ogun elites have been advised to prioritise policies that boost equity and competence. Governor Dapo Abiodun’s infrastructural achievements in Ogun West, for example, could serve as a blueprint for future leaders. Building bridges—not barriers—between regions would benefit the state.

But it is what it is. Deciding to accept the recommendation is ultimately the business of these elites.

As the clock ticks towards 2027, Ogun voters must ask hard questions. Will the next governor champion development for all, or merely serve sectional interests? In a rational society, the answer would lie in rejecting tribalism and embracing leaders who can truly unite the Gateway State.

Akpabio

Gbajabiamila

Kyari

Amosu and Buhari

In politics, allegiances shift as often as tides change on the seas. In this landscape, Senator Ibikunle Amosun stands out as a rare figure of steadfastness. Recently, he led well-wishers to celebrate former President Muhammadu Buhari’s 82nd birthday in Daura, Katsina State, demonstrating a deep connection beyond

How Ibikunle Amosun Remains Close to Buhari Even

political convenience.

After Leaving Presidency

While many have moved their loyalties to President Bola Tinubu, Buhari’s successor, Amosun’s continued admiration for Buhari is noteworthy. In a room filled with birthday cheer, Amosun’s presence reminded onlookers that a good leader is never forgotten.

Amosun’s relationship with Buhari has not always been devoid of challenges. In past political crises, he openly defended the former president against accusations, choosing principles over party dynamics. Such actions underline the enduring nature of his loyalty, which is rooted in mutual respect rather than opportunism.

This loyalty is not without its critics. Some view Amosun’s closeness to Buhari as an unwillingness to adapt to Nigeria’s shifting political dynamics. But it may actually

Femi Soneye: A Media Tactician Perfecting the Image of NNPCL at the Top

In today’s Nigeria, the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) is almost always at the centre of many public grievances due to rising economic challenges. Yet, Femi Soneye, the company’s Chief Corporate Communication Officer, is proving that a steady hand and innovative strategies can make a difference in how the organisation is perceived.

Appointed in October 2023, Soneye stepped into his role with a clear vision to reshape NNPCL’s public image. Through a combination of bold media strategies and meaningful stakeholder engagement, he has revitalised the company’s communication landscape, blending modern technology with traditional relationship-building.

One remarkable aspect of Soneye’s leadership is his ability to humanize NNPCL’s operations. By focusing on relatable narratives and ensuring transparency, he has softened the

elumelu

Tony Elumelu’s just-concluded UBA end-of-year party was no ordinary corporate gathering—it was an extravaganza that blurred the line between a concert and a celebration of work culture. The theme, Futurist Glam, set the stage for an unforgettable evening filled

perception of a monolithic institution. Indeed, social media, under his direction, has become a tool for real-time engagement, strengthening the public’s connection to the company.

A proverb says, “When the roots are deep, there is no reason to fear the wind.” Soneye embodies this resilience for no other reason than that he has expertly fostered goodwill among the media and government. His deft handling of the Port Harcourt Refinery narrative, for example, transformed what could have been a public relations disaster into a victory for NNPCL, proving his value as a tactician.

In an era where reputation can make or break a brand, Soneye has shown that humility and creativity are his strongest tools. Known for his calm demeanour and a knack for building trust, he has cultivated relationships that have bolstered NNPCL’s standing. His ability to collaborate with both colleagues and external partners has been instrumental in achieving

signal a larger virtue—remaining true to one’s values in a world where expediency often trumps principle.

Amosun’s actions also raise questions about leadership and friendship in Nigerian politics. Unlike those who abandon allies for perceived gains, Amosun shows that genuine relationships are worth preserving. This stands as an antidote to the transactional politics that dominates today.

In public service, such unwavering fidelity is rare and valuable. Amosun’s respect for Buhari’s legacy might inspire younger politicians to view leadership as a calling that transcends personal gain. Amosun reminds us all that true loyalty is more about character than convenience.

success.

As NNPCL wades through the turbulent waters of public scrutiny, Soneye’s leadership offers a lesson in the power of effective communication. His journey from external media advocate to a key player within the organization demonstrates that talent and dedication can bridge the gap between perception and reality.

Tony Elumelu’s UBA Stages Jaw-dropping End-of-Year

Party for Its Staff

with glitz, glamour, and a splash of Elumelu’s characteristic charisma.

The venue itself was a showstopper, transformed into a futuristic wonderland that transported attendees to a realm of innovation and style. Guests arrived in outfits that could have graced the runway, each one upping the ante in creativity and elegance, as though the fashion stakes had never been higher.

The entertainment was a spectacle worthy of its billing. A robotic dance display kicked off the night, stunning everyone into applause. From there, the energy soared with performances from Nigeria’s biggest music stars, leaving no moment dull. Phyno, Shallipopi, and Poco Lee ensured the crowd was both entertained and electrified.

Amidst the revelry, Elumelu and his family were at the heart of the celebration. Making a grand entrance, Elumelu, his wife Awele, and their daughter Oge embodied the evening’s glamour. Awele’s shimmering monochrome ensemble turned heads, while Elumelu himself kept his charm understated

yet impactful.

Elumelu’s presence wasn’t just about appearances. Taking the mic, he reflected on UBA’s stellar year, marked by the bank’s 75th anniversary and unprecedented milestones, including the growth of three of its companies into trillion-naira ventures. His pride was infectious, his words a reminder of what had been accomplished.

The event was as much about music as it was about camaraderie. Performances by Kizz Daniel, Odumodu Black, and Young Jonn kept spirits high. Even the DJs, Spinall and Wanni X Handi didn’t let the tempo dip for a second, ensuring the dance floor stayed alive.

For Elumelu, the party wasn’t just a celebration—it was a chance to share joy with his staff and the people he admires. As a proverb says, “Joy shared is joy multiplied,” and this party proved it. Elumelu, the laid-back genius, left everyone asking how one man could juggle so much and still dazzle.

Roadmaster: Olalekan Adebiyi’s Laralek Construction Making Loud Impact in Nigeria

Olalekan Adebiyi’s approach to road construction really is the best example of the extraordinary blend of practicality with ingenuity. As the founder of Laralek Ultimate Construction, time and again, Adebiyi has redefined what it means to build infrastructure in Nigeria. With 2025 around the corner, expectations are high for the roadmaster known for delivering projects that endure both the test of time and the expectations of quality.

Laralek’s work speaks for itself across Nigeria, particularly in the South-west, where its projects have transformed highways into vital arteries for development. These roads, constructed with precision and foresight, showcase Adebiyi’s ability to meet regional demands while exceeding global standards in craftsmanship.

Adebiyi’s leadership is the cornerstone of Laralek’s success. Unlike some corporate leaders who revel in flamboyance, his humility sets him apart. He is known to execute monumental projects without undue selfpromotion, letting the quality of his work leave

a lasting impression instead.

The renovation of Nigeria’s National Assembly complex is a testament to Laralek’s versatility and Adebiyi’s knack for handling prestigious projects. This effort, which involved meticulous planning and execution, is the best receipt of his reputation as a leader capable of tackling the most complex construction challenges.

In Lagos, Laralek’s projects have reshaped urban mobility. Notable examples like the Oshodi-Murtala Muhammed International Airport Road demonstrate how infrastructure can spur economic growth. With every kilometre of road laid, Adebiyi cements his role as a catalyst for progress in Nigeria’s busiest cities.

The recognition some years ago from the Nigerian Society of Engineers (NSE), alongside other accolades, affirms the trust Adebiyi has earned over the years. No wonder his work ethic and unwavering commitment to excellence have made Laralek synonymous with reliability in Nigeria’s construction industry.

With 2025 set to unfold, expectations for Adebiyi remain high. His enduring legacy, built on quality, humility, and innovation, positions him as a leader not just for today but for future generations. By every measure in the book and outside, Adebiyi truly embodies the spirit of a roadmaster.

Dr. Stella Okoli’s Emzor Pharmaceutical marked its 40th anniversary with a grand event that blended gratitude, celebration and reflection. The Harbour Point in Lagos transformed into a vibrant hub of culture, elegance and festivity as dignitaries, industry leaders, and guests gathered to honour a remarkable journey.

Dr. Okoli’s life is a story of resilience and purpose. Starting as a small pharmacy in Lagos, Emzor grew into a pharmaceutical powerhouse with over 50 products. To think that this transformation happened over the brief space of four decades. This just goes to show the fair lady’s enduring commitment to excellence, even in the face of challenges.

During the event, Dr. Okoli reflected on Emzor’s journey, attributing its success to God’s grace and her team’s unwavering dedication. Her words carried the wisdom of someone who has weathered storms, reminiscent of the proverb: “Smooth seas do not make skillful sailors.”

Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, represented by Professor Akin Abayomi, applauded Emzor’s impact on Nigeria’s healthcare sector. Other notable guests praised Dr. Okoli’s ability to ford Nigeria’s waters of economic hurdles with grace and resolve. These included Oba Babatunde Adewale Ajayi and Pastor Matthew Ashimolowo, Senior Pastor of Kingsway International Christian Centre (KICC) in London, who delivered an inspiring message during the event.

The evening wasn’t just about speeches. Cultural performances, gospel music, and awards brought an infectious energy to the celebration. The launch of the N1 billion Emzor Wellness Fund and the unveiling of the Dr. Stella Okoli Prize demonstrated her forwardthinking vision for community development.

Dr. Okoli’s philanthropic spirit also shone brightly. The Chike Okoli Foundation, named after her late son, continues to raise awareness about cardiovascular diseases and poverty alleviation. Through her work, she lives out the belief that success is sweeter when shared with others.

40 years on, Dr. Okoli remains an emblem of perseverance and innovation. Her journey with Emzor is a reminder that with vision, hard work, and faith, a single step can lead to milestones that inspire generations to come.

Okoli

Soneye

Adebiyi

president b ola Tinubu: An Influential Skit Maker

It was just this last weekend that my brother Demola Oshodi called. Demola is a special adviser or is it assistant to the President on something? You know in that cadre, dem reach 1,000 and as such, I cannot remember his actual portfolio.

But his message was simple and straightforward: “Duke, Baba is doing well. He is taking decisions no other Nigerian leader would have and they are beginning to bear fruit.”

I was very reluctant in agreeing with him even though truly, we have started seeing some small progress. The naira is gaining strength, subsidy is gone and the attendant competition is bringing down the

MUHAMMADU bUHArI: reflecTIoNS of

A lUckY MAN

This is the luckiest of us all. I really don’t know why God chose to bless him so. Governor, GOC, Minister of Petroleum, member, Supreme Military Council, Head of State and two-term president. God just chose a “wanchoro” – if you want to know the meaning of the word, call me midnight December 31st and I will tell you - and bestowed him with all of these blessings and it’s in the Bible othe race is not for the swiftest. This definitely was not the swiftest or the brainiest. Fate chose him to travel a road even the best of this world would not ever dare and what did he do with it?

The jury is out there, but his handlers – Femi Adesina and Garba Shehu will not let us rest. They have continued to pump air into the man’s achievements the way Viagra pumps blood into a flaccid penis, but unlike Viagra, this penis has refused to go up. No matter their efforts, Buhari will never stand erect in our eyes. He will always be in the cornerstone of our “wobbly and dumbly” leadership. A forgettable eight years that did no good whatsoever to the nation while forming a benchmark for flatulence in leadership.

As I watched him stagger out of his

price although in trickles. It sha is coming down. GDP has beaten expectations and insecurity is also going down as figures recently released show a marginal decrease. These must have given Demola the confidence to come into my den,

to attempt a conversion. Well, my brother, I agree with you to a small extent that things are beginning to look up, but more work still has to be done. National debt is in the trillions and growing. I hear the budget deficit will be funded by over N15 trillion debt, inflation has crossed the

36% mark, food inflation running mad and cost of living astronomical. So, as you can see, we just start. More work has to be done before we can relax and say ok, Baba has tried. Meanwhile, in the event of a failure to come back in 2027, Baba has shown tremendous talent in another area of human endeavour – skit making.

Did you see his budget presentation where he erroneously called the 10th Assembly, the 11th, and when he was corrected, he simply responded: “you have all been re-elected.” Mad talent right? This would really come handy in case 2027 no work, he can join Nollywood. For now, fingers crossed, not yet uhuru. Thank you.

inner room to a croaky rendition of ‘Happy birthday’ by a motley crew of pathetic sycophants who have all shifted loyalty to the latest emperor, I ask myself – how is it possible to have done so little despite all the goodluck fate bestowed on one person. Mbok, let me keep quiet before someone comes to beat me. Happy birthday Daddy. Na wa.

kINg SUNNY ADe: A legeND of oUr TIMe

Have you ever stopped to wonder at the two things that have made this man a legend – crossover appeal and longevity.

He sings majorly in his native Yoruba but has fans globally. He even has notched a Grammy nomination amongst other such global recognitions. His music remains evergreen, capturing the attention of different generations. You should see the “crazy” Gen Zs who see nothing good in our generation waltz to the scintillating songs of King Sunny Ade. The man is more than a legend, humble and continually engaging. As

me as it used to sexually arouse me. I will be thinking of the waist lines of those stupendously sexy Yoruba women as they waltz to the beats and the waist beads that touch on it.

Mennnnnn, thus KSA as he is fondly called, is an institution. A pillar of our socio-cultural milieu.

We will not worship him now ooo. Now that he is still alive and doing well, we will not hail him o, for he is truly quite remarkable. A god.

AMbroSe AworU: SNAke IN A MoNkeY SHADow

This baba in frustration, just rushed to the Supreme Court to lay the most atrocious ever case in Nigerian history. The baba must have stood up from one of his debilitating attempts of getting it up with his young side chick.

The inevitable failure to rise to the occasion must have triggered this hairbrained move at President Tinubu at the Supreme Court. Thankfully and rightfully so, the Supreme Court threw out his prayers and even fined him. Now the money he would have spent on Viagra and other blood pressure drugs, he will

The frivolousness of the suit was not only laughable but appeared idiotic. Tinubu truly deserves a

credible opposition seeing that he lacks national cohesive followership going by the way he emerged, but not this type of “guguru and epa” suit from a man who seems not only to have lost his dentures but also may have misplaced his reading glasses in between the legs of the whore who gave him the idea.

Mbok, second base, as Fela Kuti would say it. Na wa.

TobI ADegboYegA: porTAble IN gUccI

Portable is the stinkingly annoying musician who paints his hair in different colours and looks like he has not taken a bath in years and with broken teeth everywhere.

This pastor is another Portable but this time in Gucci clothes. The thinking, the roguish approach to issues, norms and controversies just throws up extreme positions of the Nigerian society.

Both barely literate, both extremely wealthy, both loud, both with huge followerships and influence but both with seemingly no real claim to common sense.

We have seen reports of a tribunal indicting the pastor for fraud and a possible deportation order and what do we get in response, continued partying with afrobeats musicians,

buhari Adegboyega

Tinubu

Aworu

showing off of clothes, cars and gibberish in carefully curated press releases.

In response to the report, pastor is quoted to have said – there is nothing to worry about, that Nigerians should be proud of him and all sorts. Another report also quoted him to have said that he must have “lost track of time” in response to a query of how come he had not regularised his papers all of these years since entering the UK on a six-month tourist visa.

My people, on the other spectrum is the Portable screaming on social media how he had a “twosome” with the former wife of the Alaafin. Such stupidity has never been recorded in Yoruba history, making a wellrespected scholar to come out to remind us that the Yoruba kings are deities and as such you can’t sleep with their wives, no matter the status – still married or not.

But this nuthead not only desecrated that rule and has come out in graphic detail to tell us what he did and how he did it, not worried about its implications to the culture and traditions of the people.

These two are Yoruba contributions to popular culture that we do not accept. Kindly withdraw them from our faces and throw better models at us. You still have Asa, Fathia Balogun, Anthony Joshua and many more, not these ones. And while we are still at it, can you guys remind that Kemi to change her name. Na wa.

Gov ADemolA ADeleke: THe robber AND HIS CHICkeN

The headlines were sensational. Ohhh he was sentenced to death for stealing a fowl. Some media outlets in mischief shared the pictures of the person side by side that of the former Governor Yahaya Bello who is accused of taking about N80billion from his state coffers and was recently granted bail.

Before you could spell the word ‘viral,’ the thing was everywhere and an under pressure Gov. Adeleke had to come out to ask his people to look into the matter with a view to offering the man clemency.

But just as the hoopla was dying down, another top lawyer came out to say that the man did not just rob a fowl but was a hardened criminal with a strong pedigree in the space. He went on to tell us that the man was duly convicted by a properly constituted authority which was very responsible in its approach to the matter reaching its verdict from confessions, eyewitness accounts and also through hard evidence.

So now the governor is in a dilemma because from the lawyers’ submission and facts that we have seen, the man was not a chicken robber, he was much more than that.

But then again, he has been in an awaiting execution cell for over 10 years and that is the most traumatic anybody can go through, even a hardened criminal. Not knowing if the next day will be the last and for all of those years is even worse than death in itself.

For these, I will support clemency. Governor you may go ahead and give him reprieve for he has died a thousand and more times than the death from hanging that was his punishment.

Do I support capital punishment? I am now really confused on this matter and as such, let me pass on this one. Thank you.

AlIko DANGoTe: wAY To Go

Have you heard? The Dangote people have reduced fuel to N899. I want to believe this is the second time this is happening in a month. But let me

state this very quickly, all grace and glory should go to Baba Tinubu, because when he said subsidy was gone that hot afternoon, all of you abused him o.

Me, I did not abuse him o. I was just keeping quiet and looking at all of you. Even when he fell from the jeep during the parade and almost broke the remaining three teeth he has, you people laughed and said: Our head don catch am, shebi he remove subsidy see price of fuel now.

My people, Dangote has thrown up the gauntlet, he is refining, exporting and distributing, he is even offering credit – where on earth in Nigeria can you buy fuel on credit? It’s like going to a prostitute in the famous hotel at Onipanu to ask for credit, but that is what Dangote has done.

So, we have moved from long queues to exporting to credit all in our lifetime, the way we did it in cement. Well done Alhaji, shebi when they were fighting you and you threatened to run away, didn’t I tell you to calm down? All I asked that you do was to run around stark naked in your backyard with six candles in each hand shouting ‘Kyari’ 42 times and pouring the wax on his picture, and everything will be ok.

Now that you are comfortable, you will not remember me, your emergency woli. Mbok, while we are still on it, can we try to push the price to like N600 by February next year?

That one, we will give you 36 virgins from each state with an offer of support from me in case you have no stamina from your side. Well done sir.

bUrNA boY vS SpeeD DArlIGNToN: A bAbY oIl CoNTroverSY

Mbok, can the Chief Justice of the Federation answer this question once and for all – is defamation criminal or not? I am asking the question because the ambiguity is leading to wahala o.

As I write, Dele, my brother is about to celebrate his 20th day in prison and another Nigerian, Speed, has done three weeks complete with — I am sure — many more less high profiled going through the same mess. I also only escaped with the skin of my teeth.

Speed is being held under the same criminal defamatory matter after making some very cringe worthy allegations against superstar Burna Boy. He was first arrested, released on bail and charged to court but he came out again and repeated the same statements and went ahead to release a song on the matter.

Today we have two Nigerians in the slammer on the matter – one wrote a book, the other sang a song. So, my lordship, I don’t know what they call female justices before I go and defame my own now. Please ma, is defamation criminal or not because it’s looking like lawyers are also confused. Thank you as you help with the clarifications. Thank you.

SeYI mAkINDe: mY CoNDoleNCeS

As I was about to close down this column, the news of the Oyo State stampede hit me. Someone had organised a give away for Christmas for kids and in this present economic situation, freebie is not what you joke with.

Thousands rushed the venue and before you know it, a stampede and death. Reports show that a lot of

Dele FAroTImI AS THe mADD mAN oF THe YeAr

Every year-end, all sorts of people and organisations name their person of the year. Me too, I have been doing my own in my small corner. Last year, Wike, the garrulous and “I no gree” politician was Madd Man of the Year. This year na my former dreadlock-wearing brother, Dele

anything.

It is not today that everybody has been shouting judiciary is corrupt, judiciary is this, judiciary is that without mentioning names or pointing real fingers.

We are a country of hypocrites and pretentious people who

children lost their lives, prompting the state government to move in to secure the place and take the organisers into custody.

This brings the issue of safety into these things. Large events are being organised without safety procedures or even first aid capacity in place, let alone security. What we see are usually bouncers who only know how to eat amala and grow muscles and who stand there and beg for money.

This is a very sad occurrence and I do extend my condolences to the families and to the State as a whole. Oyo have suffered sha; from the explosions to these ones. So sorry my brothers.

ADeNIrAN ADeYemI: STATISTICIAN GeNerAl, I DISAGree

Normally these people are dour and boring. They will be wearing funny suits with open soles but this one na dramatist.

He recently caused to submit a report that has scattered everywhere. They said in that report that Nigerians have paid kidnappers and bandits over a whopping N2.23trillion as ransom in 12 months between May 2023 and April 2024. He even went further to break it down to an average of N2million ransom per household victim.

The report went on to say that there were about 51million crime incidences and that the North-west with 14million incidences came tops followed by North-central at 8million. Now see my issue and I am sure the issue with every right thinking person This kind of report if authentic should be as confidential as the security reports the President receives. This kind of money being generated in the industry can trigger more people into the ‘business. It can also throw up the economy as a very unstable one driving away genuine investors both local and foreign. Lastly, it can destabilise the government. This Statistician General did not behave very well by releasing such a sensitive report to the public just like that. My main issue again is how they arrived at the figures because we don’t think that kidnappers or their victims make monthly reports to the NBS on cash flows.

Abi is the NBS regulator of the space, receiving monthly reports the way the CBN receives reports from banks they regulate? If the NBS does not receive adequate reports from the field, then how come they are talking in absolutes I can understand the crime reports because that could be gotten from police reports but cash flows?

If the NBS cannot show us a concise methodology of how they arrived at these alarming figures, the place should be ransacked and this person sacked and more serious people be put in place. Imagine, sitting down in your office and drinking pure water and conjuring figures from the sky like say we are mumu.

Show us the receipt kidnappers issued to the family of Major-General Richard Duru (rtd) who almost two years now, we still haven’t found or heard from him.

For ANCHor INSUrANCe, IT wAS A omb

My God, that was a befitting end of the year party. After such a wonderful financial year where they beat all projections, it was no wonder that the Managing Director, the handsome Austin Ebose led the team to a wondrous end of year thank you party. Patoranking was on the stand, Gordons provided comedy and the DJ was mad. I did not know when I took to the floor to show my stuff. Well done guys.

Farotimi

Ex-Osun Governor, Gboyega Oyetola’s Castle in the Air

At first, it was discussed in hushed tones and whispers. But it has now become a major discussion among political elites in Osun State that the former governor, Gboyega Oyetola would be staging a comeback for his former job.

As gathered by Society Watch, the man who is currently the Minister of Marine and Blue Economy has been seeking blessings of top political gladiators in the state for return as the number one citizen of Osun.

Many would recall that in 2022, the minister, who was the incumbent governor and the candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), lost his reelection to the current governor, Ademola Adeleke of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). Although he sought legal means in the court and fought tooth and nail to retain his lost mandate, it was an effort in futility as the Apex court maintained Adeleke as the authentic winner of the election.

Nevertheless, since 2022 when he left the coveted office, he has not rested and never hid from anyone that he would seek a comeback to finish his constitutional second term. Who wouldn’t anyway? In this part of the world, many covet political office for the fact that it confers on the holder power, influence and even riches.

But critics have declared that it would be tough for Oyetola to get his way back into the Bisi Akande House, as the Osun State governor’s office is called. He surely has a mountainous situation to surmount if he must get back to his former job.

It was disclosed that Adeleke has gradually wormed himself into the hearts of the people of Osun with his wonderful work, especially the recent minimum wages for civil servants, among several others. Also, the source revealed that one of the problems that cost Oyetola’s second term bid was his unresolved acrimony with Rauf Aregbesola, his former boss and former governor. This is yet to be resolved. He was also reportedly perceived as too elitist.

With these, several have vowed that it would be easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for him to return as the governor of the state. Others believe that he is only building castles in the air.

The Travails of Oak Homes’ Boss, Olukayode Olusanya

Olukayode Olusanya, Chairman of Oak Homes Limited, entered the nation’s real estate sector with a bang! His coming at the time caused a stir in the sector, as he delighted stakeholders with beautiful promises.

He started on a good note, as his firm smiled to the bank after successfully delivering housing units across Lagos State and beyond. But it appears there is a twist of fortune for the man once considered one of the top property developers in the country.

He is reportedly involved in a scandal that could cast a shadow over his credibility, and raise concerns about trust and transparency he was hitherto known for. A source revealed that the scandal is bad enough that it has almost become a blot on his profile.

As gathered by Society Watch, Olusanya has been dragged to the Federal High Court in Ikoyi, Lagos over a N152 million fraud by a USbased Nigerian engineer, Anthony Ehiedu Ugbebor. According to court documents, Olusanya and Lynda Umeh, Oak Homes’ former head of sales and marketing, allegedly conspired to deceive Ugbebor into purchasing two luxury flats at Oak Residence, located at 14A Musa

Yar’Adua Street, Victoria Island. The transaction, which took place between 2017 and 2020, reportedly saw Ugbebor part with N152 million under the false promise that the flats would be delivered by February 28, 2019.

The police, represented by Superintendent of Police M.A. OmoOsagie, claimed that Olusanya and Umeh connived to collect N85 million and N49 million through a Zenith Bank account in Ikoyi but failed to deliver the property as agreed. Instead, Olusanya allegedly converted the funds to his personal use, leaving Ugbebor in a helpless situation.

When the case resumed on November 26, 2024, a mild drama unfolded as the prosecution, led by Omo-Osagie, replaced the initial three-count charge with a fourcount amended charge. Olusanya, appearing for both himself and Oak Homes Limited, pleaded not guilty to all allegations.

His counsel, Agboola Adeleke, SAN, successfully appealed for Olusanya to remain on his existing bail. Justice Musa Kakaki granted the request and adjourned the case, setting the new trial date for February 10, 2025.

when real estate Merchant, Abidakun was Honoured

Akinwale Abidakun is far from being a newcomer in the highly competitive real estate market in Nigeria. His expertise primarily revolves around the sale of distressed assets, which include properties classified as non-performing by banks, as well as remedial assets that require strategic intervention.

His company, Bluemart Realty, gained a stellar reputation for efficiently managing distressed sales and operates under a joint venture model for property development.

With a career spanning over a decade as the Executive Personal Assistant to Dr. Wale Babalakin, the esteemed Group Chairman of Resort International and Bi-Courtney Aviation Services, this role marked the onset of his corporate career, where he significantly contributed to various subsidiaries within the group before making the bold decision to embark on his entrepreneurial path in 2014. It was duri ng his tenure with Dr. Babalakin that Abidakun honed his entrepreneurial mindset, an experience that would prove invaluable for his future ventures.

When he founded Bluemart in 2014, his vision was clear: to transform a previously underperforming property outfit into a leading

player in the real estate market. Within five years, he achieved remarkable success, transforming his firm into a dynamic brand that is now synonymous with excellence in distressed property sales.

An alumnus of both Lagos Business School and Strathmore Business School in Kenya, he has participated in elite executive education programmes, specifically the Owner Managers Programme, which has further sharpened his leadership skills and strategic thinking. As a member of the Rotary Club, Abidakun has also positioned himself as a passionate advocate for youth development in Nigeria. He is actively involved with the Southwest Youth Advancement Group based in Abuja, where he works tirelessly to empower young individuals across the southwestern region of the country.

Recently, Abidakun’s dedication and astute business acumen was celebrated for his contributions to the real estate sector at various prestigious award ceremonies. He received accolades such as the Eko Outstanding Realtor of the Year 2024 at the Eko Heritage Awards, the Real Estate CEO of the Year at the SCREAMS All Youths Awards 2024, and was honoured as the Entrepreneur of the Year 2024 at the Men of Honour Awards, held at the luxurious Oriental Hotel in Lagos. Each of these awards reflects his commitment to excellence and innovation in his field.

Thanks to her passion for creativity and the guidance of a trusted mentor, Omotayo Jemila ‘OJ’ Awa-Ibraheem, eight years ago, started her journey into the world of spa and perfumery with the formal launch of her House of Jemila on June 4, 2016. Since then, this elegant beauty entrepreneur has not looked back in her quest to dominate her sphere of business.

From opening her first and second stores in Lagos Mainland, the style icon has embarked on an exciting new chapter in her beauty entrepreneurship. Elegant OJ recently celebrated a significant milestone with the unveiling of her flagship store and a new luxury perfumery store in the heart of Lekki, Lagos.

It was a grand event by all standards when the new perfumery outlet named ‘PerfectScents Niche Emporium’ opened its doors to the public on Saturday, December 7, in Lekki, Lagos.

OJ’s new store, the third in Lagos, is a one-stop shop for niche fragrances exclusively sourced from around the world for all perfume lovers all over Lagos and beyond.

According to OJ, the new shop will enhance the experience of perfume buffs as she introduces a dedicated pure fragrance corner where customers can explore pure fragrance oils, undiluted and authentic. This interactive space will let customers identify the notes that appeal to them, helping us suggest perfumes that align perfectly with their preferences.

As revealed, OJ is expanding her fragrance business as she is starting her own niche perfume line, partnering with a worldclass perfume manufacturer in Europe whom she said understood her vision. This is expected to be launched in the first quarter of 2025.

Olusanya

Indimi

Abidakun

ARTS & REVIEW ARTS & REVIEW

A publicAtion

Reliving a Year of Creative Humanism

as Nigeria’s leading platform for artistic expression, the Life in My city art Festival (LIMcaF) has been igniting creativity, fostering young talent, and redefining the country’s visual arts landscape for over two decades. okechukwu Uwaezuoke writes

Amidst the year’s flurry of local art events, the Life in My City Art Festival—more often known by its acronym, LIMCAF— stands out as a paragon of uniqueness. With its, albeit unofficial, tonguein-cheek reputation as the ultimate matchmaker, LIMCAF has been pairing creativity with opportunity and young artists with their dreams since its inception. This year’s edition, themed “Humanism,” was no exception, as 105 talented young artists, cherry-picked from an impressive 750 entries nationwide, were given the chance to unlock their full creative potential.

The annual youth-focused fiesta, conceived and positioned to inspire, educate, and make art accessible to a wider audience, has also hosted interactive workshops and outreach programmes for school children. Additionally, it has provided platforms to female artists and artists with disabilities, underscoring its commitment to inclusivity.

So, it’s in the light of its impressive track record that its recent call for Christmas donations to support struggling artists does not seem out of place. This endeavour aligns seamlessly with its future plans, which aim to expand its initiatives, reach more communities, and spread the joy of art far and wide.

Perhaps the crowning jewel of LIMCAF’s recent annual endeavours is when it pulls out all the stops, courtesy of the legendary artist El Anatsui’s generosity, to sponsor 12 of its top-winning artists to Africa’s most prestigious art event—the Dakar Art Biennale, fondly known as Dak’Art. As the 12 artists descended upon Enugu on Saturday, November 2, the air was electric with anticipation, their creative energies simmering like a witch’s brew. This talented troupe was comprised of the best adjudged talents of the recent Life in My City Art Festival competitions—the top six winners from both the 2022 and 2023 editions.

In the coal city, they eagerly anticipated the adventure of a lifetime: a sponsored trip to Dakar, Senegal, where they would exhibit their award-winning artworks at the 15th edition of the Biennale of Contemporary African Art in Dakar, titled “The Wake: L’Éveil, Le Sillage, Xàll wi,”—an event that, though initially would have been held in May, was postponed for six months due to political turmoil. As a warm sendoff, they were treated to a glamorous reception, courtesy of Enugu State Commissioner for Culture and Tourism, Dame (Barrister) Ugochi Madueke, at the upscale Nike Lake Resort Hotel on the evening of Tuesday, November 5. For the artists, it was a night of bonding and camaraderie—a truly unforgettable experience! Dakar’s airport’s arrivals gate welcomed the 12 artists in the early hours

of November 7, their eyes bleary from the long-haul flight from Enugu, but their spirits soaring. Mor Faye, their Senegalese host, received them like a guardian angel, warm smiles and firm handshakes dispelling the remnants of fatigue. With only 24 hours to set up their exhibition space, the team embarked on a heart-stopping, passion-driven mission. Brushes danced on the walls of an open-air venue at the Dakar Artists’ Village as they worked tirelessly to spruce up the exhibition space. The result? An exhibition that became the cynosure of all eyes. But this was merely the opening salvo.

Over the next few days, the team explored Dakar’s vibrant art scene with unbridled enthusiasm, marvelling at the Dak’Art’s main exhibition, their minds blown by the sheer creativity on display. A visit to the poignant “Door of No Return” at Gorée Island brought a sombre moment of reflection, the weight of history settling heavy on their shoulders. Next, they were at the Trans Atlantique 1 Conference and later visited the Soleil Gallery in Yoff, where they beamed with pride as they saw works by Nigerian artists, including two LIMCAF alumni, showcased on the international stage. It was a resounding endorsement of the LIMCAF Dakar exposure, a moment that would stay etched in their memories for a long time. For these 12 artists, there was no turning back. They had caught the Dak’Art bug, and their lives would never be the same again.

About a week earlier, the zonal winners of LIMCAF had gathered at the Institute of Management and Technology, Enugu’s International Conference Centre, for the event’s highly anticipated annual awards and gala night. The theme of the 2024 edition, “Humanism,” had inspired a plethora of thought-provoking artworks, but only a select few could take home the coveted prizes. Hence, that Saturday, October 26, evening, the now-famous venue played host to the glamorous event, where the winners were announced amidst great fanfare. Paul Chibuike Emenike, the Jos zone’s finest, stole the show with his breathtaking masterpiece, “The Eighth Wonder,” earning him a cool N1,000,000 as the overall winner. The evening’s other big winners—Olayemi Sunday Opeyemi, Victor Olaoluwa Ogundeji, Teniola Oyefoso Ayomide, and Emmanuel Eweje—each took home a handsome N500,000, beaming with pride and clutching their well-deserved cheques.

Therefore, wrapping up the year on a high note, the art festival’s organisers have good reasons to look forward to a promising 2025. After all, this annual youth-focused art extravaganza has been on a dizzying

upward trajectory, defying gravity and silencing sceptics.

As Nigeria’s longest-running visual arts competition, LIMCAF has consistently pushed the boundaries, refusing to be

daunted by the inconsistent corporate support. Like a phoenix rising from the ashes, it has ever again adapted, evolved, and thrived, cementing its reputation as a beacon of artistic excellence.

LIMCAF's 12 top winners for 2022 and 2023 at their exhibition space in Dakar, Senegal during the Biennale

Setting up the LIMCAF exhibition space at the Dakar Artists' Village

Relishing the sense of camaraderie in Dakar

As Karimi, Abejide Synergise for Kogi West

Tunde Olusunle

Perceptive political followers must have been enthralled by the rainbow coloration of representation for the people of Kogi West on one hand, and Okunland, in the ninth session of the National Assembly. Between 2019 and 2023, the Senator representing Kogi West at the time was Smart Adeyemi of the All Progressives Congress (APC). The Lokoja/Kotonkarfe federal constituency had Shaba Ibrahim of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP); the Kabba-Bunu/Ijumu constituency represented by Tajudeen Yusuf also of the PDP, while the Yagba federal constituency had Leke Joseph Abejide of the Africa Democratic Congress (ADC). Kogi State politics hitherto was practically “mono-political,” the PDP being the party to beat.

The emergence of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), which contested the governorship of Anambra State in 2023, accentuated popular belief that political parties beyond the big ones could contest and win popular votes. Indeed, the multiparty coalition which berthed the APC in 2015 and enabled the party clinch the presidency, reinforced the possibility that aspirants for political office could indeed realise their ambitions outside the bigger, “mainstream” parties.

The 2023 general election threw up new dynamics in the politics of Kogi West and Okunland. Sunday Karimi who earlier had two stints as representative of the Yagba federal constituency from 2011 to 2015, and from 2015 to 2019, won the senatorial election on the platform of the APC. Abejide got rewarded by his kinsmen for representing them well in his first term and was reelected in 2023. That he remained in the ADC and triumphed even many assumed he would defect to the ruling APC reaffirmed the depth of affection his people have for him. Salman Idris, Fellow of the Nigerian Institute of Architects, (FNIA), the incumbent representative of Kabba-Bunu/Ijumu in the House of Representatives. He adopted the same ADC platform like Abejide for the actualization of his ambition. He has but since followed the APC gravy train.

Legislators, traditionally, have been known to restrict their services, to their specific constitutional catchments. A federal parliamentarian representing Lokoja/ Kotonkarfe for instance, concentrates his efforts and advocacy on his specific geopolitical boundaries. TJ Yusuf in his three terms as legislator representing Kabba-Bunu/Ijumu federal constituency from 2011 to 2023, experimented with a panOkun approach which aimed at engaging with the five core Okun local government areas, as one bloc. He introduced a regular interactive forum where federal bureaucrats of directorial cadre, Assistant Directors, Deputy Directors and substantive Directors from Okunland converged from time to time to rub minds in the collective interest of the Okun country. Yusuf also cultivated and sustained his affiliations with the entire span of Okunland, regularly identifying with causes beyond his specific area of service.

Okunland has serially received the short end of the stick, regularly overlooked by federal and state authorities in the developmental scheme. From critical infrastructures like roads, to power supply, and more recently insecurity, Okunland has been the butt of deceit and multifaceted afflictions through successive regimes. Beyond their primary responsibilities in law-making therefore, federal congressmen have been compelled to get very involved in providing very basic needs for their constituents. This has often tasked their creativity and private resources, in a milieu of shrinking fiscal wherewithal.

Abejide endeared himself to his folks in the three Yagba local government areas, among other reasons by underwriting the bills for all students in public schools in

Yagbaland desiring to write the Senior Secondary School Certificate Examination, (SSSCE), back in 2018. While prioritising his alleged humongous thievery from the common patrimony of the people for which he is standing trial, former governor of Kogi State, Yahaya Bello, wilfully asphyxiated civil servants and other workers of their remunerations and entitlements. He deliberately weaponised poverty among the citizenry and the workforce, exposing the people to tangible gloom and despair. The opacity which characterised the primaries of the bigger political parties also culminated in the hemorrhaging which produced breakouts like Abejide.

Abejide, cognisant of the place of education in the lives of his people read the situation rightly and intervened decisively. He has since expanded the scope of his magnanimity to cover all secondary schools, public and private, across the five primary Okun local government areas. Simply put, education is the major industry in Okunland, an area which has turned out world class intellectuals, professionals and technocrats, in their thousands and Abejide knows this. More contemporaneously, Abejide began a process of mass procurement of resource materials for public and private secondary and tertiary institutions in Okunland. Further to the recent public presentation of two major books by this writer, Abejide procured 150 pairs of the books for distribution to schools across Okunland. The accounting colossus, Otunba Funso Davies Owoyemi it was who pioneered such good naturedness, procuring and distributing Olusunles books across schools in Okunland. With the decrepit road infrastructure in Okunland earlier alluded to, Abejide has regularly joined forces with like minds to ensure the motorability of roads within Okunland, especially every yuletide season. From the north of Nigeria and Abuja, Okunland is accessible through the KabbaEkinrin Adde- Omuo Ekiti, and the Kabba- Aiyetoro-Gbedde- IsanluEjiba roads respectively. Sadly, both accesses are barely motorable at the best of times. Commuters have been known to pass some nights on these roads at the height of rainy seasons which heighten the

brokenness of the roads. Abejide is also leading the charge for the development of a dedicated Okun House which will serve as one-stop secretariat for Okun people. As a first timer in the House of Representatives between 2019 and 2023, fate thrust the chairmanship of the House Committee on Customs and Excise, on Abejide. In the 10th Assembly which is in session, Abejide has been retained in the same position, a placement which has enabled him to support his people in instances.

Sunday Karimi came into office as Senator representing Kogi West District, armed with requisite experience as a “ranking parliamentarian.” While he previously covered just the three local government areas in Yagbaland, his present responsibility spans seven expansive local governments, traversing three federal constituencies. That Karimi was promptly assigned to chair the Senate Committee on Services by the President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio, is evidence that he can be trusted to deliver. He has been proactive since he was inaugurated alongside his colleagues in June 2023.

Karimi commanded attention earlier this year when he initiated and singlehandedly undertook to build a military Foreward Operating Base (FOB) in Egbe, Kogi State, at the intersection of Kogi and Kwara states. Karimi had been personally traumatised by the sudden desecration of the pristine calm and quiet of Okunland, by a motley of undesirable elements. Thoughtless Fulani herdsmen; brazen armed robbers and daring kidnappers, have suddenly upset the acclaimed serenity of Okunland. Karimi’s all encompassing “mini barracks” is complete with accommodation facilities; administrative offices; an observatory; recreation installations; water supply and so on. He equally provided trucks for the mobility of the occupants. The facility was taken over last October by the Nigerian Army which has since deployed personnel. Leke Abejide attended the event to support Karimi, as evidence of the rapprochement between both legislators.

Karimi who inaugurated a N100m bursary scheme for students of tertiary institutions from Kogi West last July, has committed another N100million to the empowerment of women in Kogi West, through cooperative societies. He moved swiftly last October to personally fund the restoration of the dismembered Pakuta bridge connecting communities in Ijumu, Bunu district and Lokoja local government areas, at about N20m. Setraco Construction Ltd was originally awarded their contract to build the whole stretch of the road and related infrastructures.

Inadequate funding has, however, impacted the realisation of the project. Karimi is also building a 1000 capacity multipurpose hall at the National Open University of Nigeria, (NOUN) Study Centre in Isanlu. Karimi is anchoring the holistic upgrading of the Government Secondary School, Kotonkarfe, into an ultramodern institution, in collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Education, which will cost over one billion naira. Karimi has also launched an ambitious N1.24 Billion project, to rehabilitate and build 140 solar-powered boreholes across Kogi West, across the 85 electoral wards in KogiWest. Back in September, Sokoto State Governor, Ahmad AliyuSokoto, announced his administration had committed N1.2Billion on building 25 new boreholes! Karimi’s constituents must feel immensely proud about the frugal effectiveness of their representative. The first two boreholes under the “140 boreholes initiative,” have been drilled in Aherin community in Lokoja local government area. Karimi, in addition to these laudable strides, has been financially supportive of the Anglican Church School of Nursing Project being developed in Iyara. The initiative is being pursued in collaboration with Scotland-based organisation. Ever conscious of the thirst of his people for educational and professional literacy, Karimi maintains close oversight on this initiative. Smart Adeyemi and Dino Melaye, Karimi’s predecessors in the Senate, broached the advocacy for the upgrade of the Federal College of Agriculture in Kabba, which is affiliated to the Ahmadu Bello University, (ABU), Zaria, into a fullfledged university, while in office. The aim is to provide additional opportunities for university education for restless questers from Kogi West and beyond. Karimi has continued on the same path, ever drawing the attention of the Senate to the imperative of this popular desire by his people. Karimi and Abejide are amongst the most experienced parliamentarians from Kogi State in the federal congress, on current form. The hitherto discontinued meetings of the Kogi West Caucus in the national assembly, has been reactivated. This engenders interface between congressmen with the overall aim of providing better representation for the people. They have also opened up themselves to regular interactions with their constituents as may be requested for, and scheduled. Karimi and Abejide hosted representatives of the Yagba Action Group in their Abuja homes, within one week of each other, in August and September this year for instance. Both men are also on the same page on ensuring the rehabilitation of the Kabba-AiyetoroGbedde-Mopamuro-Isanlu-Egbe road, a critical artery connecting almost all the local government areas in the zone.

Confronting the reality that governmental budgetary provisions may never scratch the surface of the road, Karimi and Abejide continue to collectively engage the Federal Ministry of Works, and the leadership of Mangal Cement Industries which recently became operational in Iluhagba Gbedde, in Ijumu area. Sections of the Kabba to Egbe road are being patched up for motorability as we speak, arising from the persistence of both gentlemen. It is the same unanimity of purpose which informs the concern of both public servants about the need for the operationalisation of Omi Dam, a facility in Yagba West, built decades ago, yet un-utilised. The dam can be developed for hydro- electricity and for irrigation purposes to ensure all-year farming in Kogi West. The journal towards tangibly impacting their constituencies and homelands may still be long. It seems evident, however, that Karimi and Abejide have their bootstraps firmly fastened, eyes trained on the tracks of the marathon.

•Olusunle,PhD,FellowoftheAssociation of Nigerian Authors, (FANA), is an AdjunctProfessorofCreativeWritingat theUniversityofAbuja

Karimi

Abejide

IN THE ARENA

Govs Rekindle Hope for State Police

Therecentstatementbythegovernorsofthe36statesofthefederationindicatingtheirpreparednessfortheestablishment of state police has rekindled the hope for a possible end to the state of insecurity in the country, Davidson Iriekpen writes

To curb the security challenges in their states, the governors of the 36 states of the federation recently declared their readiness to establish state police. The revelation was made by Kaduna State Governor, Uba Sani during an interaction with journalists after the National Executive Council (NEC) meeting presided over by Vice President Kashim Shettima at the Presidential Villa in Abuja.

Governor Sani, however, disclosed that NEC later postponed the final decision on the establishment of state police in the country until January 2025.

According to him, the 36 states had already submitted proposals supporting the move to address Nigeria’s growing security challenges, adding that only the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) was yet to submit its proposal.

“Virtually every state has its own peculiar security challenges, and many agree that state police is the way forward,” he said.

According to him, establishing state police will help address these gaps, particularly in states grappling with unique security issues.

For over a decade, Nigeria has struggled with terrorism, banditry, kidnapping, and other forms of criminality.

As a result, both the citizens and foreigners resident in Nigeria live in constant fear, sleeping with one eye open, wary of the unknown. Road travellers often recount harrowing tales of fear, with many being killed, robbed, or kidnapped for ransom.

Each day brings fresh reports of deadly attacks, forcing residents to abandon their communities. Even worship centres have not been spared from marauding terrorists, whose senseless violence aims only to kill and destroy.

The hunger and starvation that ravaged Nigeria in 2023 and 2024 were due to the inability of farmers to go to farm in the previous years as a result of attacks by bandits.

According to Beacon Consulting in its security incident tracker, no fewer than 29,828 people were killed, while 15,404 others were kidnapped across the country between 2021 and 2023. While over 20,000 persons are believed to have been killed, 13,000 others were kidnapped for ransom this year.

Chairman of NGF, AbdulRasaq

Attacks in states like Katsina, Kebbi, Kaduna, Zamfara, Sokoto Plateau, Benue, Niger and parts of the South-east are a daily occurrence.

The country has continued to record incidents of kidnapping, armed robbery, and killings, despite the special operations in many parts of the country by the military, the Nigeria Police Force, the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, and other federal security agencies.

The unending state of insecurity has eroded public confidence in the nation’s current federal security structure, prompting stakeholders to call for the establishment of state police.

The primary responsibility of the government is the protection of lives and property. However, successive governments in Nigeria have failed in this regard as killings and kidnappings by terrorists have become the order of the day in some parts of the country, leading to the clamour for the establishment of state police. However, the federal government had sustained its resistance to any legislation to that effect.

In August 2020, President Muhammadu Buhari approved N13.3 billion for the commencement of community policing as part of measures to consolidate efforts aimed at enhancing security nationwide.

However, with the recent rise in insecurity in all parts of the country and the assumption of office by President Bola Tinubu, an apostle of

true federalism and devolution of power, agitations for the decentralisation of the Nigeria Police Force have remained persistent.

The proponents of state police have argued that the present centralised policing system cannot and will not address the mounting insecurity in the Nigerian federation.

Those who spoke to THISDAY argued that it has become practically impossible for the current policing structure to effectively police the country.

They further argued that for effective policing, police officers and men must be familiar with their environment, and understand the language and culture of the people.

The current policy of moving police personnel to unfamiliar environment across ethnic, linguistic, and religious boundaries has become counterproductive.

However, many who are averse to the idea of state police, have raised concerns on the likelihood of abuse by overbearing governors who act like emperors in the states.

The likes of the current Inspector General of Police, Mr. Kayode Egbetokun who are also against state police, have argued that Nigeria Police Force should be strengthened and properly funded.

But what is obvious is the seeming failure of a centralised policing system.

But worried by the rising insecurity across

p OLITICAL NOT e S

the country, the governors of the 19 northern states under the aegis of the Northern Governors Forum, and the Northern Traditional Rulers Council have called for the establishment of state police.

There has also been a consistent clamour for state police by governors and other stakeholders in the southern part of the country.

One of the major recommendations of the 2014 National Conference was the creation of state police.

Since every crime is localised, it is generally believed that a state policing system will curb insecurity, if well managed and adequately equipped.

Being closer to the grassroots, personnel of state police have the advantage of knowing the terrain and the people as well.

Globally, the state police system is the standard in advanced democracies. Nigeria’s democracy is modelled after that of the United States, yet in practice, the country’s system lacks the fine points of that bastion of democracy.

The cause of this anomaly is Section 214 of the Nigerian Constitution, which stipulates that there can only be one Nigeria Police Force at the federal level.

Under the current system, the Inspector General of Police is accountable only to the President and Commander-in-Chief.

Proponents of state police argue that the current structure provided in the 1999 Constitution, is faulty and against the tenets of a federal system of government.

With the recent happenings, a centralised police force for a country with a population of over 200 million spread over 36 states, a federal capital territory, and 774 local government areas, cannot effectively tackle crimes and other forms of insecurity.

Security experts and other stakeholders believe that if the governors who are the chief security officers of their states have direct control over the state police, the several attacks would be avoidable.

Under the current structure, the governors have little or no power over the police as they can be overruled by the higher police authorities in Abuja.

This is why the recent decision of the governors is a right step in a right direction and many are calling on President Tinubu and the National Assembly to write their names on the good side of history by responding positively to the rising clamour for state police.

Okpebholo’s Illegal Suspension of LG Chairmen

Apparently based on the directive of Governor Monday Okpebholo, the Edo State House of Assembly last week made mockery of the Supreme Court’s judgment on local government autonomy whenitsuspendedthechairmenandvicechairmen ofthe18localgovernmentcouncilsfortwomonths overallegedinsubordinationandgrossmisconduct.

Okpebholo had earlier written a petition to the assemblyaccusingthechairmenofrefusaltosubmit financialrecordsoftheirlocalgovernmentcouncils tothestategovernment,describingtheiractionas an act of insubordination and gross misconduct.

The suspension is a blatant disregard of the recentrulingoftheChiefJudgeofEdoState,Justice DanielOkungbowa,andtheSupremeCourt’sdecision in a suit filed by the Attorney General of the FederationandMinisterofJustice,LaterFagbemi

(SAN),whichaffirmedtheautonomyandindependence of local governments as guaranteed under the 1999 Constitution.

ReactingtothesuspensiononWednesday,Fagbemi declaredthatgovernorslacktheconstitutionalauthority to suspend or remove local government chairmen from office.

“Governorsdonothavetherighttosuspendorremove dulyelectedlocalgovernmentchairmen,”Fagbemitold journalists.

Similarly,thechairmenofall18LGAsinthestatehave also rejected the two-month suspension, describing it as a “nullity” and a violation of court orders.

The Executive Chairman of Orhionmwon LGA and Chairman of the Edo State chapter of the Association of Local Governments of Nigeria (ALGON), Newman Ugiagbe,dismissedthesuspensionasunconstitutional.

“Thissuspensionisabrazendisobediencetotheconstitution,” Ugiagbe said.

When a chairman of a local government is accused of misconduct, it is the councilors that are empowered by law to remove them from office by way of impeachment and not the state assembly or governor.

Unfortunately, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP)dominated state assembly that was supposed to resist the actionoftheEdoStategovernor,rubber-stampedtheillegality. In order to ensure that the chairmen do not return to their seats, they have been invited by the Economic and Financial CrimesCommission(EFCC)forpossiblecorruptionallegations and charges.

Will Fagbemi ignore this assault on the Supreme Court’s judgment and the Constitution because the governor is a member of APC? Nigerians and the people of Edo State are watching.

Okpebholo

BRIEFING NOTES

The Booming N2.2tn Kidnapping Business

Despite the rescue of the kidnapped medical students in Benue State by the office of the National Security Adviser without any payment of ransom, which marked a new beginning in the war against insecurity, kidnapfor-ransom has remained a thriving business in Nigeria, with a recent report by the National Bureau of Statistics indicating that an outrageous N2.23 trillion was paid as ransom in 12 months, ejiofor Alike reports

With the recent frightening report by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), which indicated that Nigerians paid a whopping N2.23trillion to kidnappers and bandits as ransom in 12 months between May 2023 and April 2024, it is evident that the lack of effective commitment by the security agencies to tackle kidnapping has made this embarrassing scourge a new normal that Nigerians have come to live with.

President Bola Tinubu’s administration had in August raised the bar in the fight against insecurity when the federal government successfully rescued the 20 medical students and seven other hostages, who were abducted by a criminal gang in Benue State.

In an operation coordinated by the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA) led by Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, the operatives of the Nigerian Army, Nigeria Police Force, and the Department of State Services (DSS) rescued the victims on August 22, 2024, without paying the N50 million ransom demanded by the terrorists.

The hostages, who were abducted on August 15 while travelling to Enugu, included 20 medical students from the University of Jos and the University of Maiduguri.

In addition to the students, five other passengers and two victims previously taken by the gang were also freed.

Security analysts have argued that kidnapping thrives in Nigeria due to the ransom paid by the victims and their families.

According to experts, ransom payment is the greatest incentive that encourages kidnappers in their evil trade.

Nigeria has become the only country where kidnappers keep their hostages within the territory and negotiate for ransom with the families of their victims for years without being tracked with modern technology by the security agencies.

Throughout the period of negotiation, the victims and their families are abandoned to their fate by the government.

That was why Nigerians were elated by the feat achieved by Ribadu in the successful rescue of the medical students whose families were already running around to raise the N50 million demanded by the kidnappers.

The hostages were not only rescued unhurt and without payment of ransom, some of the kidnappers were also arrested.

Nigerians had hoped that the security agencies would collaborate to sustain this new standard of operation they had set to stop ransom payment and rid the country of kidnappers and other terrorists.

But as Nigerians were looking forward to seeing the deployment of the same strategy to rescue other

victims who were being abducted daily, the practice of ransom payment continued after the August 22 rescue of the medical students.

Kidnapping has lingered for too long in Nigeria, not only because of the lack of synergy among security agencies, but also because the government encourages payment of ransom.

The crime has also become a thriving business because security agents aid kidnappers and collect their own share of ransom thereby frustrating the efforts to stamp out this crime.

The business recorded its boom during the administration of former President Muhammadu Buhari, which politicised insecurity and accorded the status of the untouchables to criminals from certain privileged parts of the country.

While criminals invaded schools, homes and farms in the North-west and abducted school children and farmers in their numbers for multi-billion-naira ransoms, they also occupied the highways and farmlands in the southern

parts of the country where they abducted travellers for ransom, killed farmers and forcefully occupied their ancestral lands.

President Tinubu assumed office at the peak of this nationwide insecurity.

It is therefore not surprising that the latest NBS report indicates that kidnap victims paid a whopping N2.23trillion to their abductors and bandits as ransom in 12 months between May 2023 and April 2024.

Unfortunately, the payment of ransom does not guarantee the safe return of victims to their families as many kidnappers and terrorists kill their hostages after collecting ransom.

According to the NBS latest ‘Crime Experience and Security Perception Survey’ report, an estimated 51.89 million crime incidents were recorded across Nigerian households in the reference period.

NBS’s report noted that 70 per cent of the incidents of kidnapping occurred at homes while 24.2 per cent incidents were recorded on the roads and streets.

The survey showed that the North-west region had the highest incidence of crime, with 14.4 million cases reported.

Notes for file

More than 1.42 million cases of kidnapping were recorded in the North-west with N1.2 trillion paid as ransom.

The North-central region, which includes the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) ranked second-highest with 8.8 million crime incidents.

A total of N469.7 billion was paid as ransom in North-central, followed by the North-east, the hotbed of Boko Haram, where kidnappers collected N166 billion.

In the South-west, N248.7 billion was paid as ransom during the period under review, though the region recorded fewer incidents of kidnapping than North-east.

South-west was followed by the South-south where N90 billion was paid as ransom during the period.

In contrast, the South-east region reported the least crime, with 6.18 million crime incidents.

South-east also recorded the least cases of kidnapping with 110,432 incidents, and N85.4 billion paid as ransom to kidnappers.

According to the report, rural areas were more affected by crime than urban areas, with 26.53 million crime incidents in rural households compared to 25.36 million in urban areas.

The report indicates that the average ransom paid was N2.67million, amounting to the total of N2.23trillion paid by Nigerians to criminals during the 12 months.

“Nationally, an estimated 51,887,032 crime incidences were experienced by households. The North-west (14,402,254) reported the highest incidences of crime at the household level, followed by the North-central (8,771,400), while the South-east (6,176,031) reported the least. The result also shows that the crime incidence in the rural area (26,526,069) was higher than that of the urban area (25,360,963).

“Among households that experienced kidnapping incidents, 65.0 per cent paid a ransom.

“The average amount paid as ransom was N2,670,693, with an estimated total ransom of N2,231,772,563,507 paid within the reference period.”

An interesting aspect of the report is that many victims cited a lack of confidence in law enforcement and a belief that police intervention would not lead to meaningful action as the main reasons for not reporting crime to the police.

While questioning the effectiveness of Nigeria’s security agencies, particularly the police, in responding to emergencies, the report stated that satisfaction with police responses were notably low.

According to the report, local vigilante groups were seen as a more reliable source of security in many rural areas.

With the startling revelations in this report, it is evident that the police and other security agencies have deliberately failed to stop kidnapping in Nigeria despite the huge budgetary allocations they enjoy.

Death of Okuama Leader in Military Detention

Last week’s directive by the Chief of Defence Staff, Gen. Christopher Musa, for a thorough investigation into the death of Okuama community leader, which reportedly occurred while in army’s custody, can clearly be seen as medicine after death.

Oghoroko, the President-General of Okuama community, died after being detained since August by the military in Port Harcourt, Rivers State.

The community leader, along with five others – 81-year-old Dennis Okungbaye, Prof. Arthur Ekpekpo, Chief Belvis Adogbo, Mrs. Mabel Owhemu, and Mr. Dennis Malaka - were arrested during a military

operation conducted between August 18 and 20, 2024.

The arrests followed the killing of 17 soldiers on March 14, 2024, during a peace mission aimed at resolving a dispute between Okuama and the neighbouring Okoloba community.

THISDAY gathered that but for the intervention of the Senator representing Delta Central Senatorial District of Delta State at the Senate, 81-year-old Okungbaye who took critical ill in detention and had completely emaciated, would have equally died in detention.

Owing to the sympathy of many Nigerians to the Army due to the killing of 17 of its personnel and mood of the country at the time, many Nigerians

had thought an arrest within the constitutional limit was useful to secure information from them about the perpetrators of the heinous crime.

But the logical questions are: How come the Okuama leaders were kept for five months without trial? Couldn’t the military have released the leaders after 48 hours when they found out that the leaders did not commit an offence? Why were they not handed over to the police thereafter for further investigation knowing that the military does have prosecutorial powers of civilians?

Finally, what would the directive by the CDS for investigation of the death of the community leader achieve? Is it proper for the military to investigate itself? What did previous investigations achieve?

General Musa

egbetokun

Victims of Ibadan Stampede Crying for Justice

wale Igbintade writes that the Oyo State Government must thoroughly investigate the tragic death of 35 children in a recent stampede at a children’s carnival in Ibadan, and ensure those responsible are brought to justice

Just when many Nigerians thought that past tragedies during palliative distributions had taught Nigerians valuable lessons, a stampede at a children’s carnival in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital, claimed the lives of at least 35 children last Wednesday. Six others remain critically injured and are receiving various medical interventions.

The children, who set out for a day of fun, tragically met their untimely end. Such a high number of deaths in a single stampede has never been recorded in any part of the country before. The tragedy plunged not only the entire city of Ibadan into mourning but the nation as well, with sympathy and condolence messages pouring in from across Nigeria.

A statement released by the state Commissioner for Information and Orientation, Dotun Oyelade explained that the stampede occurred at a private children’s funfair at Bashorun Islamic High School. He stated that the government swiftly mobilised a rapid response team.

The former wife of Ooni of Ife, Naomi Silekunola’s foundation, Women in Need of Guidance and Support (WINGS), was confirmed as organisers of the event. The organisers, including the principal of the school, Mr. Fasasi Abdulahi, have been arrested

Others arrested include Genesis Christopher, 24; Tanimowo Moruf, 52; Anisolaja Olabode, 42; Idowu Ibrahim, 35; and Abiola Oluwatimilehin, 25.

THISDAY gathered that the event was meant for 5,000 children but the number that turned up was reportedly over 7,500.

Unlike in previous stampedes that claimed lives, the Ibadan event was not to distribute palliatives.

For instance, a number of individuals tragically lost their lives in a stampede at the residence of Senator Aliyu Wamakko, representing Sokoto North, during the distribution of Sallah palliatives in April 2024.

Sources said as soon as news went around the city that Sallah palliatives would be distributed to people at Wamakko’s residence in the Gawon Nama area, a huge crowd surged, resulting in a stampede that killed some people and left several others injured.

Since the removal of the petrol subsidy and the floating of the naira by President Bola Tinubu’s administration upon his assumption of office on May 29, 2023, poverty has become a scourge threatening the survival of many Nigerians.

The effects of these include sporadic protests and looting of food items in many states of the federation.

As the economic hardship continues to linger, many Nigerians who have been pushed to the wall by the skyrocketing prices of commodities, are left with no option but to throng palliative distribution centres put in place by government officials or other stakeholders.

For instance, on February 23, 2024, the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) embarked on the distribution of 25kg bags of foreign parboiled rice to indigent Nigerians at its zonal headquarters at Harvey Road, Yaba, Lagos. The bags of rice seized from smugglers were initially sold for N10,000, a sharp discount from its market price of N35,000.

But when the service observed that even at the discounted rate, people could not afford the bags of rice, it decided to distribute them free. This made people troop out en masse and force their way into the customs facility and those who fell in the process were trampled, while others fainted.

On March 20 in Nasarawa State, two

undergraduates of the state university in Keffi died, and 17 others, mostly females, were injured while scrambling to collect 7.5-kilogramme bags of rice during food distribution by the state government.

Accompanying the 7.5-kilogramme bags of rice was the sum of N5,000 for each student. The rush to secure these food items showed the level of poverty and hardship inflicted on Nigerians by the country’s ruling political class. In a similar tragedy, many people also died in a stampede at the annual Zakat distribution organised by the AYM Shafa Foundation in Bauchi on Friday, March 24.

The victims were mostly women and children who came out en masse to the Shafa Holdings head

office located along Bauchi-Jos Road to collect N10,000 as Zakat from the foundation.

The exercise turned tragic after the crowd became uncontrollable as the scramble to get the token before it ran out became fierce. Amid the confusion, the police operatives who were stationed at the venue to provide security and control the crowd, fired tear gas canisters, causing pandemonium at the venue. In the end, some females, with ages ranging from eight to 53, were trampled to death, while others sustained injuries.

Dr. Ibrahim Disina, one of the leaders of the AYM Shafa Foundation, said the incident was an act ordained by the Almighty, not a deliberate attempt to endanger the lives of the poor. He, however, admitted that the exercise would be reviewed to forestall future similar occurrences.

In May 2022, at about 30 persons died

in Port Harcourt, the Rivers State capital, following a stampede at the venue of ‘Shop for Free,’ a programme organised by a church, The King’s Assembly. There was a large crowd at the venue of the event, which was expected to offer free food items to attendees. The crowd pushed through the barricade in defiance of the organisers, which resulted in a stampede.

Whether it is for recreation or to distribute palliatives, many Nigerians are appalled that people are dying repeatedly from avoidable incidents like these.

While Nigerians must embrace the values of patience and orderliness, no one should lose his life during recreation or while receiving palliatives. Future organisers of such events must learn from past tragedies and implement proper safety measures to prevent further heartbreak when distributing goodies.

Observers have advocated that organisations that wish to engage in such should collaborate with other agencies trained specifically in such things, like the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) and their state arms. Even private security guards, security operatives trained in crowd management and local authorities should be incorporated into the process. It is improper to attribute organisational ineptitude to the will of God. Those whose negligence leads to avoidable deaths should be made to face the law. What is really gratifying in the Ibadan case is that the organisers have been arrested by the police.

A resident of Bashorun who spoke to THISDAY stated that lack of logistics and poor planning caused the incident. He noted that the venue of the event was not spacious enough for the number of children that attended the carnival.

According to him, the hard economy contributed largely to the tragic incident, stressing that it was in the course of jostling for gifts and plates of food that a melee ensued which eventually claimed some children’s lives. He also called on parents and guardians to prioritise the safety of their children and wards at all times.

“Poverty contributed largely to the whole thing. That’s apart from poor planning. Thousands of children were struggling to get their share of hundreds of gifts and plates of food. The push and pull led to the commotion which caused the deaths and serious injuries reported. I don’t know the actual number of children that died,” he added.

While many including the Olu of Ibadan, Oba Owolabi Olakulehin, have condemned the tragic and untimely deaths of the children, as well as the injuries sustained in the stampede, they have also called for a thorough investigation.

President Bola Tinubu, on his part, called for an investigation into the circustances that led to the death of the children.

There is a strong demand for the organisers, regardless of their status, to be prosecuted and, if found guilty, convicted accordingly to serve as a deterrent.

“I implore the state government to conduct a thorough investigation into the unfortunate incident and bring those responsible, no matter how highly placed, to justice. The state should establish protocols for organising and managing such events, especially when they involve the younger generation,” said one of the sympathisers who did not want her name in print.

The tragic incident in Oyo State should be a lesson to other state governments to set necessary conditions to be met before organizing events that would attract large crowd. Failure to do this will always lead to calamities.

Makinde

Naomi

ENGAGEMENTS

Merry WhatsApp Christmas

Thesameold“Jinglebells!Jinglebells!!Jingle all the way!!!” is again uniting Christians and non-Christians in the ancient ritual of Christmas. Ordinarily, Christmas has become synonymous with happiness and family reunion. Kith and kin come together. Food and drinks flow in households and the grueling grind of the passing year give way, temporarily, to a short period of rest and leisure. Yet some years in the history of nations have been hard and harsh.

NowonderCharlesDickens,wroteBleakChristmas in early industrial England, a period of hard economic lifeandunrelievedbleakness.Industrialsoothfilledthe atmosphereandthe classicindictmentoftheagewas capturedintheimagesofunderagedchildrenworking in factories covered in sooth in industrial chimneys. Thesewereliterallythearchetypalimagesofthedevil oftheindustrialage.Darkdevilssenttoearthtocurse industry captains and the rulers of the day!

Many Nigerians will swear that 2024 would easily passasNigeria’sannoHorribilis,ourworstyearinrecent memory.Lifehasbeenhardformany.Livingcostshave escalated,makingbasicfoodaluxuryfortherich.Even those who would have loved to get away from their usual abodes to the relative peace of the rural areas and countryside can either not afford to go there or are too afraid of the dangers on most routes.

But Christmas has since deviated from its ritual spiritualessence.Itisnowpartofthecommercialheart of the industrial and post industrial age. The current commercial and mercantile essence of Christmas is ironically an aberration, an act of disobedience and defianceofanearlyinjunctionfromtheMessiahhimself. Thosefamiliarwiththebiblicalchronicleswillrecallthe image of a young swash buckling Christ on horseback who rode in anger to the HolyTemple in Jerusalem to disperse traders and gamblers who had made the Temple their shop floor. Ostensibly with horse whip in hand, he scattered their wares, upset their trading tablesandinangerwhippedthemastheyscampered in different directions.

He charged them with defilement of a holy place by converting the temple into a ‘den of thieves’ and a havenofiniquity.Heleftthemwithapermanentsense of guilt and an eternal injunction that the temple was never intended as a place of commerce. It was an act of defilement to convert the place of worship into a place of trade. In other words, the work of God and its holy places was never to be degraded through commercialism and the drive for profit.That was perhaps a rather simplistic interpretation of the relationship between Christianity and capitalism.

Byanironyofhistory,afterseveralcenturiesofthat mass flogging and original injunction, humanity has becomecuriouslyunitedintheglobalretailfrenzyand annualritualofconsumerismoftheseasonofChristmas. Capitalistmultiplicationofprofitisinfactaglorification of Christian doctrine. He who has, more will be added unto him. From those who have little, even that which they have will be taken from them and added to the rich man’s trove.The rich get richer and the poor even poorer! It is written.

ThefamiliartunesofChristmas–‘JingleBells!’,‘Rudolf theRedNosedReindeer!!’,“NoelNoel!!!”,“SilentNights, HolyNights!”nowopenlyclashwiththeclangingoftills and cash registers in mega retail shops as millions of shoppers get immersed in orgies of Christmas shopping all over the world.Walmart and Shoprite play the familiar tunes of Christmas to drown out the harsh metallic ringing of cash tills that must take in returns from your purchases!

Soon after Christmas day, it has become customary for retail business managers, accountants and executives to tally their sales figures and sum up their books as the best way to terminate the monotony of the ‘’jingle bells” season. They grin and dance ‘all the way’ to the banks.

The profit creed of retail consumer executives the worldoverhasnowoverwhelmedthesobercelebration of the birth of a sectarian messiah. Gold versus God has become the summation of the phenomenon of Christmas. Body over spirit.

Largely stripped of its original religious essence, Christmashassincedegeneratedintomoreofafixture in the revenue calendar of retail giants worldwide. It is estimated that retail vendors of apparel, grocery, decorations,costumesandalliedseasonalwaresand accessoriesexpectover65%oftheirannualturnoverto happenovertheChristmasseasonalone.Christmashas becomeaholybirthdayseizedbythefrenzyofaglobal market place. In the developed industrial world, retail sales figures over Christmas have become a credible source of statistics for economic well being. In good climes, Christmas retail figures climb high to indicate healthy purchasing power.

There is above all else, a certain cultural frenzy and carnivalesque effusion about the entire Christmas enterprise. It has become a season of global frenzy. City landmarks are decorated in glittering and dazzlingillumination.Shops,entertainment and amusement centres and sundry retail outlets wear similar dazzle. An effusion of neon lights at night hide the depressing reality of a world that is nasty in the day.The global culture of aggressive merchandizing has since overthrown theVatican and other highplacesofChristendomintheownership ofChristmas.Thebattleforthesoulsofmen hasnearlybeenoverwhelmedbythescramble for the dollar in every consumer’s pocket. Christmas is not a lone victim of this invasion by the demons of the market place. It is like that for most important religious and cultural festivities on the global calendar. It does not matter if it the Chinese Lunar New Year, the various Muslim holy observances. These special occasions have also become importantmarkersonthecalendarofprofit hungry barons and mega retailers. Take St. Valentine’sdayforinstance.Itisnolongeraday merely dedicated to the celebration of love inthetraditionofCupid.Ithasbecomemore a field day for the explosion of retail trade. An array of restaurants, fast food vendors, ‘mama put’ kiosks and merchandizers of assorted inconsequential wares apparel, gifts, flowers etc. Red -themed costumes andaccessoriesarethefavouritesbecause Cupid’s arrow of love pierced the hearts of the lovers and sprinkled the world with the blood of lovers thenceforth! Profit hungry merchandizers of Valentine’s goods nicely disguisetheirgreedasanelaborateceremony

of love.

Christmasisnotallaboutshoppingandmerchandize trafficking. It has become a time for the global end of yeartravelandvacation.Itisliterallyaperiodoftravel frenzy.Theglobaltravelandhospitalityindustrieshave becomepartoftheChristmasindustry.Airlines,cruise companies, hotels etc witness their largest annual traffic during summer and over Christmas. It is time tocatchupwithfamilyandfriends.Thisyearalone,the airline industry in the United States estimates that anestimated10millionpassengerswilltake97,715 flightsthroughUSdomesticairportsthisholidayseason while an estimated 113 million Americans will drive to various destinations by road in the same period. In Nigeria, Christmas is a season of home going for many Nigerians especially in the southern parts. Air fares skyrocket just as transport fares by land transportation also head for the skies. In the Southeasternpartsofthecountry,endofyearhomecoming isaculturalconstant.Itisatimeofgreatreunionamong familiesand communities.Itistimetoembarkoncommunitydevelopmentprojectsandtorenewthebonds of fraternity that hold communities together.

Inrecentyears,however,thedisrepairoftheNigerian state has adversely affected this cultural practice. The places that we used to call home have become strangeanddangerous.Dangerandviolencenowliein waitatnearlyeveryturnonthewayhome.Kidnappers and bad people lie in wait. A good number of people cannolongergohome.Christmasusedtobeanother name for this ritual of home going.These days, when people from those parts are asked: “Will you go for Christmas?”, the spontaneous answer is now: ”There is no more Christmas!”

Among the things that once used to mark out Christmas as memorable, the Christmas card used to be iconic and ever present. But the Christmas card is dead! Long live the spirit of Christmas fellowship and seasonal greetings. Christmas greeting cards

used to be a sizeable chunk of the wares of book sellers, stationers, grocery shops and roadside kiosks all overtheworldatthistimeoftheyear.Itusedtobepart of the ritual of Christmas observance in homes and offices to stage an elaborate display of all manner of Christmascardsfromyearspast.Itwaspartofdomestic and office decor if only to display the expanse of one’s social network and sphere of good will. All manner of adaptations of designs became part oftheChristmascardworld.Themosttraditionalwere theonesforegroundedinthesnowywhitelandscapes ofthearctic.RudolftheRedNosedReindeers,thedog sleighs and reindeer drawn wagons of the frigid arctic were the readiest design motifs on most traditional Christmas cards.Asculturaldiversitycame,sodidthe diversityofdesignsonChristmascardscometoreflect themultitudeoflandscapes.Turkeysandramsontheir waytotheguillotine,cookingpotsandfryingpansand ovens of Christmas luncheons joined the parade of artisticmotifs.Individualswerejoinedbycorporations and institutions as dispensers of Christmas cards. Suddenly, technology crept in to erode aspects of this Christmas tradition. The once thriving industry of Christmas cards and associated printed wares has suddenly been supplanted by a digital revolution. The Christmas card made the good wishes of friends andlovedonestangiblepieceswithadiversityofmessages.You had something to hold and keep even after the season.

The information age and its enabling gadgets of computers, tablets, and assorted cellphones has come to snatch away the good old Christmas card. Digital instant messaging by SMS, emails,Whatsapp, Tweets etc have since become the most widespread formats of sending and receiving messages on nearly everysubjectunderthesun.Christmaswishesarenow exchangedmostlythroughthesefreewaysofthenew technologies. Through a litany of applications and formats, individuals can now design and customize their messages on nearly every subject and every occasion. People can even print beautiful greeting cards if they so choose.

Thosewhohavenotimeforsuchcreativeindulgence justsendthelazy“MerryChristmas”andcopyandpaste ittoamultitudeofrecipientsincluding totalstrangers on your contact list. In a few seconds and at the touch of a button on the keyboard of a two penny cellphone, yourgoodwishestoeverymanforChristmasareshared andforwardedtomyriadsofpeopleallovertheworld. Distance has been erased. In nearly every country, thepostalserviceshavelostmostoftheirrevenueand almostdied.Postboxesarebecomingmoribund.Courier companies have similarly been bled and compelled to find work in ferrying gifts and presents on behalf of Amazonandothermassmerchandizingmultinational companies.ThankGodsomepeoplestillsendandreceive gifts at Christmas.

InNigeria,somesmartcompaniesnolongerencourage the elaborate spending on Christmas gifts.They now say there is something called Corporate Social Responsibility.Itisbettertoaggregatethegiftsofthe company and instead of giving them to individuals or evenstaff,leteveryonejointhecompanybysurrendering their Christmas gifts in support of a ‘good cause’. No one has audited how many of these companies really supportanygoodorevenbadordoubtfulcauses.Smart executiveshavefoundawayofsavingmoneyforthese companiesthroughsupportforphantomcharitiesand ‘good’ or bad causes.

Byfarthemostselfishoutgrowthofthisdigitalinvasionoftheworldofgoodwishesandcamaraderieisthe coming of fantasy digital Christmas food and drinks ferried around the social media. Welcome to the era of digital celebrations. Countless Emojis, templates andminutedesignsofcocktails,clickingglasses,fancy cakes, eye popping turkeys and mouth watering set dinners and other celebratory fares are sent across great distances to friends and well wishers on their specialoccasions.Christmas,birthdays,anniversaries, weddings etc. If you ask too many old questions, you get a microwave answer: ‘the important thing is the thought!!’ ‘ At least someone remembered you even from afar!!!’

Nigeria’spoliticaleconomisthadbettertakeacloser look at the sales volumes in markets, shots and malls this Christmas to determine if Mr.Tinubu’s economic policies are working.

We can sum up the present realities of our nation in thisChristmasseasonintheidiomofthegreatnovelist Chinua Achebe. As he lamented, “things have fallen apart”. There is no longer a center let alone one that can hold a nation or a people together.The “arrows” of abadgodhavefelledmanygoodpeopleandthenation is “no longer at ease”. Our presidential elections have now come down to a frantic and desperate search for “a man of the people”!

PersPectIve

NNPC’s Maiduguri Power Project: A Testament to Kyari’s Vision, Resilience, Impact

In a world where power supply remains a critical driver of economic and social development, the success of energy projects stands as a beacon of hope for the future. One such shining example is the Maiduguri Emergency Power Project (MEPP), which not only reflects the visionary leadership of Nigeria’s President but also highlights the determination and efficiency of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Ltd in delivering transformative energy solutions.

On December 14, 2024, the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources (Gas), Ekperikpe Ekpo, visited the MEPP site, offering his commendations to NNPC Limited. for its exceptional work.

Accompanied by the Group Chief Executive Officer of NNPC Ltd., Mele Kolo Kyari, and the Executive Vice President of Gas, Power & New Energy, Olalekan Ogunleye, the Minister underscored the importance of this project in contributing to national energy security and economic progress.

The Maiduguri Emergency Power Project is not just an energy initiative—it is a symbol of resilience, ambition, and hope for the residents of Maiduguri and, indeed, for all of Nigeria.

Commissioned on March 2, 2023, the MEPP is designed to address the long-standing power supply challenges faced by Maiduguri, Borno State, and the northeastern region of Nigeria. The power crisis in this region has been exacerbated by years of insurgency, infrastructure damage, and inadequate energy supply.

The MEPP, with a 50MW Integrated Power capacity, is set to change the energy landscape in the region, ensuring that the people of Maiduguri have access to reliable electricity.

The project was necessitated by the extended power outages experienced in the region in the last nine years. These outages, caused by vandalism and insurgency attacks on power supply infrastructure, had resulted in a decline in economic activities in the region.

The power generation project, aside from providing reliable and sustainable electricity to the city of Maiduguri, and its environs will also be a significant addition to the many initiatives aimed at ensuring domestic gas utilisation.

The project is a two-phase development, with the first phase—comprising a 32MW Simple Cycle power plant—already completed and operational. The second phase, which involves an 18MW Combined Cycle plant, is expected to come online in 2025, bringing the project to its full operational capacity.

The completion of this project marks a significant milestone not only for the energy sector but also for the political leadership that has recognized the importance of addressing the energy needs of the northeastern region.

What makes the MEPP stand out is its strategic alignment with the broader vision of the Nigerian government, as articulated by the President. This project speaks volumes about the leadership’s commitment to improving the welfare of the Nigerian people, particularly in underserved regions. By prioritizing energy access in Maiduguri, the NNPC Ltd is investing in the growth of local industries, the creation of job opportunities, and the improvement of the overall quality of life for its citizens.

The MEPP is a perfect example of how targeted investments in infrastructure

can create ripple effects that benefit entire communities.

Moreover, the project is an embodiment of the transformative role that NNPC Ltd is playing in Nigeria’s energy transition. Under the leadership of Kyari, NNPC Ltd has positioned itself as more than just an oil and gas company. It is evolving into a multifaceted energy giant that is contributing to the diversification of Nigeria’s energy mix. With a focus on gas, power, and new energy sources, the company is pioneering projects that will help meet Nigeria’s energy needs while fostering sustainable development.

The successful implementation of the MEPP is not an isolated achievement but part of a broader effort to modernize Nigeria’s power sector. The project has demonstrated that with the right vision, strong leadership, and effective collaboration between government and private sector players, Nigeria can overcome its energy challenges. The MEPP is a critical step by the visionary leadership of Kyari toward bridging the energy gap in the northeastern region, which will, in turn, boost economic activities and improve the living standards of the people.

But beyond its immediate impact on energy access, the MEPP is also a powerful symbol of what is possible when a nation’s leadership remains committed to its goals. The fact

that a project of such magnitude could be completed amid the challenges faced by the region speaks to the tenacity of the NNPC management led by Kyari and the resilience of the people of Maiduguri. The vision behind the MEPP aligns with the broader goals of economic development and national unity. It brings hope to a region that has suffered from conflict and neglect, while providing a foundation for future growth and prosperity.

The ongoing success of the Maiduguri Emergency Power Project is also a testament to the professionalism and commitment of the teams at NNPC Ltd. who have worked tirelessly to bring this vision to life. From the project’s conception to its ongoing implementation, every stage has been marked by technical expertise, innovation, and strategic thinking. The project serves as a model for future energy initiatives in Nigeria, particularly in regions where access to electricity has been limited.

As Nigeria continues to explore ways to diversify its energy portfolio and meet the growing demands of its population, projects like the MEPP serve as an essential reminder that sustainable development is achievable through collaboration, commitment, and a clear vision.

The success of the Maiduguri Emergency Power Project sets the stage for even greater achievements in the future and reaffirms Nigeria’s potential to overcome its energy challenges.

In conclusion, the Maiduguri Emergency Power Project is a milestone in Nigeria’s energy journey, and it is a fitting tribute to the visionary leadership of the Presi-

dent, NNPC Ltd and all those who have contributed to its success.

As Nigeria strives to build a more inclusive, prosperous, and sustainable future, the NNPC Ltd would implement initiatives like the MEPP to light the way, not only in terms of energy access but also in inspiring hope, resilience, and the belief that a better future is within reach for all Nigerians.

The NNPC’s story under the leadership of Kyari is one of vision, innovation, and hope. It is not just an oil company; it is a cornerstone of Nigeria’s prosperity and a beacon of energy security for millions. With its eyes firmly set on a future of energy independence and sustainability, the NNPC is writing a narrative of success that resonates far beyond Nigeria’s borders.

The NNPC’s role in Nigeria’s energy security cannot be overstated. It has been a steadfast guardian of the nation’s resources and a catalyst for progress. As it navigates the complexities of a changing energy landscape, its commitment to ensuring energy availability for all Nigerians positions it as a true national asset.

As the NNPC continues to evolve, its commitment to lighting up homes, powering industries, and fueling dreams ensures that Nigeria’s energy future is not just secure but extraordinarily bright. Through its various interventions in Nigeria’s energy sector, the national oil company is proving that with vision and determination, anything is possible.

• Onuba, a Chartered Accountant, wrote from Abuja

Ifeanyi Onuba

Kyari

FIDAU PRAYER FOR A VIRTUOUS WOMAN…

Insecurity: Anambra Community Invites Soldiers to Protect Citizens at Yuletide

Nimo community in Njikoka Local Government Area of Anambra State has invited military men to help secure the community during the yuletide.

There have been cases of insecurity in most communities in Anambra State, leading to killings, abduction, and armed robbery in most cases.

A member of the cabinet of the traditional ruler of the community, who is also the security coordinator of the town, Mr Stephen Gbulie, who briefed journalists yesterday, said the decision by the cabinet was because of the infiltration of the community by persons suspected to be criminals.

He said: “These unknown

people have been camping in Owa land, a large expanse of land on the outskirts of the community, and we suspect that they are criminals.

“It is already Christmas, and most of our people who live in the US, UK, and other places will be coming home, so the cabinet of the traditional ruler of our community, Owelle Ike Maxi Oliobi, decided that it would be good to protect our people during this period.”

Gbulie said the community has also equipped the local vigilantes to be able to combat any external forces that may pose a challenge to the community while adding that there was no truth in the information flying on social media that the soldiers were invited to extort or molest the people.

He explained that the commu-

Traders Jubilate as Kano Gov, Others Invest N628m to Standardise Dawanau International Grains Market

Traders in Kano State are jubilating over the decision of the Kano State Government to invest a whopping sum of N628 million in the Dawanau International Grains Market, as part of an effort to standardise the market and boost the economic wellbeing of the traders.

The Executive Secretary Kano State Agro-postoral project, Muhammad Garba, said the investment is expected to enhance the market’s infrastructure and facilities, which would ultimately boost trade and commercial activities not only in West Africa but in the entire African region.

He said the project at the market comprises roads, toilets, an outpost, drainage, an office complex, safety equipment, and other essential infrastructure funded by the Kano State Government, the Islamic Development Bank, and the Lives and Livelihood Fund (LLF).

According to him, “the Dawa-

nau International Grains Market is a critical hub for grain trade in Nigeria, and all the projects in the vicinity would likely have a positive impact on the economy.”

“The market is known for its vibrant atmosphere, with traders buying and selling various types of grains, including millet, sorghum, and maize,” he said.

During the joint inspection team, the Vice President of the Dawanau Traders’ Association, Alhaji Baba Wawu, commended all the infrastructure projects being undertaken in Africa’s largest grains market in Kano State.

He said the standardisation of the market undoubtedly improved the market’s physical infrastructure, including the construction of new storage facilities, roads, and drainage systems.

Another trader, Muhammadu Yusuf, described the execution of the projects as a welcome development for the market which has created new job opportunities, increased trade volumes, and contributed to the growth of their incomes.

nity had previously reported the invasion of their land by unknown persons to the police and DSS, but no action had been taken.

He emphasised that the traditional ruler, Igwe Maxi

Ike Oliobi, did not invite the soldiers to intimidate the citizens, as alleged by an indigene of the community, Chibuike Okwaji on the town’s WhatsApp platform.

The security coordinator

revealed that three prominent indigenes of the community had been attacked at various parts of the community, including their market square, and had also made a list of prominent Nimo people

who they planned to attack. He begged the Prof. Chukwuma Soludo-led government to come to their aid, to ensure that the hoodlums are dislodged from their land.

Lekki Residents Protest Epileptic Power Supply

Residents of Lekki Conservation Estate, Lagos State, protested yesterday against what they described as an epileptic power supply in the area, stating that the development has continued to affect families and businesses negatively.

This is even as the Eko Electricity Distribution Company (EKEDC) assured that there would be improved power in Lekki following the unveiling of

a transformer by the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN).

The residents, under the umbrella of Lekki Conservation Estates Development Association spanning Orchid Road and Environs, lamented that despite numerous engagements with the EKEDC for over three years, there has been unreliable power supply in some areas. Addressing newsmen shortly after a demonstration in the area on

Saturday, the residents condemned being kept in darkness by their utility company.

The President of LCEDA, Osas Aire, explained that despite having about 200 estates, and over 5,000 homes and businesses within and around the Orchid Road axis, they were being neglected.

He appealed to the Nigerian Electricity Management Services Agency, the Lagos State Government, the Transmission Company

of Nigeria, and EKEDC to find a permanent solution to the problem. Airen said, “We have been having conversations with EKEDC bordering on poor power supply since 2020, yet it has been a topsy turvy. At a point, the Federal Government came in with a willing-buyer-willingseller programme into which we keyed. After a while, it was dismantled; and after that, the electricity situation worsened.

Stakeholders Urge Collaborative Action for Safe, Sustainable Food Supply in Nigeria

As global food security and sustainability challenges intensify, stakeholders who gathered at the Annual National Conference of the Nigerian Institute of Food Science and Technology (NIFST) held in Kano, have stressed the urgency of prioritising food safety and quality.

Nigeria faces a critical juncture in ensuring a safe and sustainable food supply.

With the nation’s population projected to reach 440 million by 2050, stakeholders in the

food sector are urging swift and collaborative action.

At the forefront of this call is the NIFST, which in a recent communiqué after its annual conference in Kano called for a collaborative action to guarantee safe and sustainable food supply.

The stakeholders at the conference noted that food-borne illnesses pose a significant public health threat worldwide, with an estimated 600 million cases annually.

They added that in Nigeria, diseases like cholera, typhoid, and diarrhea account for

significant morbidity and mortality rates.

According to the communique, the World Health Organisation (WHO) estimates that 10 million Nigerians suffer from foodborne illnesses each year, imposing an economic burden of over N500 billion.

Beyond public health, these illnesses stifle agricultural output and economic growth, making food safety a key factor in Nigeria’s development.

Experts have suggested that improving food safety standards could increase

the nation’s GDP by up to 10 per cent.

The stakeholders at the NIFST conference noted that addressing these challenges requires a multi-faceted approach.

“A robust and enforceable food safety framework is essential. The government must urgently pass the Food Safety Bill into law and establish functional systems at federal, state, and local levels. Policies must emphasise risk assessment, regular inspections, and stringent penalties for non-compliance.”

Bayelsa Targets One Million Metric Tonnes of Rice

Annually, Rolls out Dry Season Farming Programme

Bayelsa State Government is targeting one million metric tonnes of rice annually to boost agricultural productivity and ensure food security, Governor Douye Diri has said.

According to the governor, the programme entails supporting farmers with the necessary inputs, offering technical assistance to ensure a successful farming season and harvest as well as organising

training for farmers to enhance their skills and knowledge in areas such as soil preparation, irrigation, and post-harvest management.

Flagging off the 2024/2025 Dry Farming Season at the weekend at the Ministry of Agriculture rice farm in Otuasega, Ogbia Local Government Area, Governor Diri urged the people of the state to key into his administration’s agricultural revolution to promote food security

in the state.

He particularly charged government officials to engage in farming to complement the government’s effort towards ensuring that Bayelsa became a productive rather than a consuming economy.

The governor stated that in his first term, more than 400 youths were trained at the CSS Integrated Farms in Nasarawa State and another 200 were recently trained at the same centre.

He equally stated that his administration recently completed the training of another 77 youths in soilless and greenhouse farming in Ogun State and assured that an additional 100 would be sent for training in January next year. Diri, however, expressed displeasure that despite the funds disbursed to each trainee after their CSS training, the state had yet to see any positive results.

David-Chyddy Eleke in Awka

Ahmad Sorondinki in Kano

L-R: Senior lawyer, Mr. Wahab Kunle Shittu (SAN); Mr. Sule Olanrewaju Bakare; Alhaji Bisiriyu Afolabi; former Chairman, Nigerian Union of Journalists, Lagos State chapter, Mr. Lanre Arogundade; Mr. Bayo Alabidun; widower, Mr. Niyi Yusuf; at the Fidau prayer for Dr. Abibat Abiola Alabidun at the Unilag Estate Mosque, Magodo, Lagos…weekend

Agnes Ekebuike

MISSILE

Peter Obi to FG

“The desperate quest for survival in these harsh economic times has driven our people to extremes in their search for food, often at the cost of their lives. How do we explain that in a nation blessed with abundant resources, our people are dying of hunger in such numbers?” – Presidential candidate of LP in the 2023 general election, Mr. Peter Obi, describing stampedes across the country as systemic failures plaguing Nigeria

SIMO N KOLAWOLE

The Kemi Badenoch Complex

“But she spoke the truth.” That is the most common retort among the diehard fans and devotees of Mrs Kemi Badenoch — leader of the UK Conservative Party — who has been obsessed with saying nasty things about Nigeria since she made her way into the front row of British politics and started glowing under the klieg lights. She has said so many “truths” at a dizzying speed that I am slightly confused over what she intends to achieve. She said she left Nigeria in 1996 after “leftist policies” impoverished the middle class and caused “hyperinflation”. She said Yoruba “have nothing in common with northern Nigeria”. She said lizards, rather than water, flow from Nigerian taps.

I intend to, hereunder, challenge some of her egregious claims. To be clear, she has every right to say anything with her mouth. If she experienced trauma in Nigeria, she is free to tell the whole world. Nobody has the right to silence her. But there is one right she doesn’t have: to tell lies, misrepresent the facts or fan ethnic hate in a delicately poised country like Nigeria. Nigerians have every right to tackle her mischief. Her defenders say those who disagree with her utterances are only defending bad governance in the land. Thankfully, Mrs Badenoch did not invent criticism of bad governance in Nigeria. Nigerians do that every day in the media and on the streets. I do it regularly on this page.

Of all the awful things she said, the most disturbing is her promotion of ethnic bigotry. This woman is dangerous. Listen to her: “I find it interesting that everybody defines me as being Nigerian. I identify less with the country than with the specific ethnicity [Yoruba]. That’s what I really am. I have nothing in common with the people from the north of the country, the Boko Haram where the Islamism is. Those were our ethnic enemies and yet you end up being lumped in with those people.” This really excited her Nigerian fan base. Her father, the late Prof Olufemi Adegoke, a Yoruba nationalist, held similar views and even campaigned for the utopian “confederalism” which no country practises.

“But she spoke the truth.” But what manner of “truth” is her claim that Yoruba and northern Nigeria “had nothing in common”? Yoruba started interacting with northerners through commerce as far back as the 1500s. Fact. For centuries, they traded in cattle, kola nuts, horses, yams, cowries, firearms and glass beads. According to historians, the ethnonym ‘Yoruba’ — which Mrs Badenoch says defines her — was coined by northerners. I know some people are trying to re-write this fact but they have to travel back in time to erase history. They can argue that Yoruba and northerners should never have been in the same country, but they are not allowed to cannibalise the facts of history.

I have a sense that Mrs Badenoch is only repeating what she was told at home or what she read on social media. I will encourage her to go beyond hearsay and read good books. I recommend ‘A History of the Yoruba People’, authored by Prof Adebanji Akintoye, a supporter of Sunday Igboho, the Yoruba Nation separatist. Her father once described Igboho as “brave” for his secessionist rhetoric. She can also read ‘The Yoruba: A New History’, authored by Dr Akinwumi Ogundiran, a history professor at the Northwestern University, the US. Mrs Badenoch will be sad to discover the history of Yoruba intercourse with northerners and how this influenced culture and the Yoruba language.

It is obvious that Mrs Badenoch does not even know that the ethnonym ‘Yoruba’ did not refer to her own ancestors before colonial rule. ‘Yoruba’ was the identity of the Oyo-speaking people in today’s Oyo state and parts of Osun and Kwara states. Not all the people who call themselves

‘Yoruba’ today were called ‘Yoruba’ before colonial rule. The example I always cite — because it is easily on record — is Nigeria’s first newspaper which was established in 1859. It was named ‘Iwe Irohin fun Awon Egba ati Yoruba’ (‘Newspaper for Egba and Yoruba’). As of 1859, Egba people were not identified as Yoruba. Today’s pan-Yoruba identity, like most ethnic identities around the world, evolved with time.

Lest I forget, Mrs Badenoch said northerners “were our ethnic enemies”. My recommended reading for her in this regard would be ‘War and Peace in Yorubaland 1793-1893’, written by the late Prof Adeagbo Akinjogbin. She will be shocked to read about the intra-Yoruba wars: the Owo War (1820-1827), the Ijaye War (1860-1865) and the Kiriji War (1877-1893). Indeed, we can argue that the advent of colonialism and the “Lord Lugard lumping” of 1914 helped bring peace to what later became known as Yorubaland. Mrs Badenoch obviously thinks there was a loveydovey Republic of Oduduwa before the colonial masters came and “lumped in” her people with Boko Haram. Fantasy.

“But she spoke the truth.” She classified a region of 19 states as “Boko Haram”. She does not know that the north has nearly 200 ethnic groups (and millions of non-terrorists). In Borno state, the heartland of Boko Haram, most of the terror victims are Muslims. Fact. In this age and with all her education, exposure and experience in a multi-racial and multi-cultural society like the UK, I wonder how she plans to preside over a country where the Scottish, Welsh, Irish, and English people are “lumped in” — to say nothing about the millions from ethnic and religious minorities. She acquired British citizenship by birth; maybe she needs a crash course on the complex history of the UK.

Born to Nigerian parents in a British hospital in 1980, she was named “Oluwakemi” (incidentally, one of my younger sisters answers that lovely name, which, roughly translated, means “the Lord pampers me” or “the Lord blesses me”). Baby Oluwakemi was thereafter brought to Lagos, Nigeria, where she lived the first sixteen years of her life and received her basic education. A couple of years after her birth, the Nigerian economy ran into a serious storm amid a global recession.

Dwindling oil revenues and the inevitable forex crunch forced many Nigerian factories to close down or retrench workers. The Shehu Shagari administration rolled out a mini reform package nicknamed “austerity measures”.

As prices of goods and services soared and economic pains intensified, the military overthrew Shagari on December 31, 1983. Major Gen Muhammadu Buhari became the head of state. The economy still did not improve much, even though oil prices recovered — and Buhari was overthrown by Gen Ibrahim Babangida on August 27, 1985. Babangida went on to implement the structural adjustment programme (SAP) — a reform package backed by the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and World Bank. The objectives were to transit to market economy through privatisation, grow agriculture, promote local industry, ramp up exports and cut subsidies to reduce government debts.

“But she spoke the truth.” What truth? When Mrs Badenoch left Nigeria in 1996, Nigeria was neck-deep in its market transition. The second-tier foreign exchange market (SFEM) was introduced in 1986 to liberalise the forex market. The naira crashed from roughly N1/$ in 1986 to N22/$ in 1996 (N88/$ in the parallel market). With an economy tied to imports, inflation was inevitable. Was SAP a leftist policy? Is forex liberalisation a leftist policy? Is privatisation leftist? Are IMF and World Bank leftist institutions? What truth, exactly? Meanwhile, when she relocated, Nigeria was still reeling from the June 12 annulment crisis which had paralysed the country politically and economically.

Her brother’s experience with the Nigerian police (“they stole his shoes and wristwatch”) is something Nigerians can relate with. After all, our youths held the #EndSARS protests against police atrocities in 2020. Definitely, the British police, which she praised, are better trained, better resourced and far more professional than ours. No argument. But in the year up to March 31, 2024, nearly 600 police officers were sacked in England and Wales for sexual offences, possession of child exploitation material, dishonesty and discriminatory behaviour. There is the famous case of David Carrick, a police officer who raped 48 women while on duty. Yes, she spoke the truth. Selective truth.

She talks exactly like those clout-chasers who think belittling Nigeria abroad is a ticket to glory. Responding to Vice-President Kashim Shettima’s caution over her unprovoked attacks, her aide said it is not her job to do PR for Nigeria. Fair enough. Her job is to urinate on Nigeria everywhere she goes. But think about it. President Barack Obama’s father was from Kenya. Rishi Sunak, ex-UK prime minister, has Indian roots. Humza Yousaf, ex-Scotland first minister, and Sadiq Khan, mayor of London, have Pakistani origin. Despite similar “truths” about their ancestral countries, they never open their mouths, like our dear Mrs Badenoch, to savage their roots. Emotional intelligence.

Now, my final words to Mrs Badenoch: grow up. You have already made history as the first black to lead the Tories. That is monumental. Work hard to become the next prime minister. Make history again. That is all you care about. But by outing yourself as an ethnic bigot, you are hurting yourself, not Nigeria. Denigrating us will not win your party more parliamentary seats. You behave like someone with a complex — like those slaves who felt privileged to supervise fellow slaves and often treated them with more disdain than the slave masters themselves. By the way, Mrs Badenoch, there is a Yoruba noun for those who point to their family house with the left hand. Go and find out.

And Four Other Things…

STAMPEDE SEASON

As many as 35 children were crushed to death in Ibadan, Oyo state, on Wednesday at a carnival. Three days later, several people died in stampedes in Anambra and Abuja induced by distribution of foodstuffs. These things happen all the time. In February 2024, seven people died while scrambling for subsidised rice being sold by Customs in Lagos. People blame it on economic hardship but how good are we when it comes to crowd management — hunger or no hunger? What are the protocols? Who enforces them? Who gets punished when things go south? Most importantly, what lessons do we learn from these recurring tragedies? We wail, probe, threaten, move on, rinse, repeat. Painful.

LAWLESS LAWMAKERS

You think the obstacle to Nigeria’s progress is the 1999 constitution? How do you explain the recent decision of the Edo state house of assembly to suspend all the 18 council chairpersons and their deputies? The house said it was acting on a petition by Governor Monday Okpebholo alleging misappropriation of funds. However, the Supreme Court — the highest court in the land — determined not so long ago that the local governments have financial and administrative autonomy. There is no constitutional provision for the dissolution or suspension of councils by the executive or legislature. And just five months after the landmark pronouncement, this happened. Dangerous.

BEST MAN LOOKMAN

The story of Ademola Lookman, the Nigerian international who has just been crowned CAF Men’s Player of the Year, is straight from the book of grass to grace. I started following his career in 2017 when he was at Everton in the English Premier League. Several years of being loaned out or shipped from one midtable club to the other made it look like he was not destined for the top. He finally found his mojo when he moved to Atalanta of Italy in 2022 and also got called up to the Super Eagles, despite having been born in England and having played for their youth teams. He has now turned mediocrity to excellence. At 27, his best may just be coming. Better late than never. Inspiring.

NO COMMENT

One person will steal public funds running into billions of naira and get a slap on the wrist. Another will steal groundnuts and people will shout “catch am catch am, thief thief thief” and stone him to death. One Segun Olowookere is on death row for stealing a chicken and eggs in 2010 when he was a teenager. The problem here is the archaic law. If you rob with a pen (not even with a gun), it is classified as armed robbery and punishable by death. If you steal billions without being armed, it is punishable by imprisonment. Aren’t these laws archaic? They need to be reviewed to reflect proportionality. How can someone get the death penalty for stealing chicken and eggs? Wonderful.

Badenoch