SATURDAY 30TH DECEMBER 2023 by THISDAY Newspapers Ltd

FG Receives $2.25 Billion of $3.3 Billion Afreximbank's Loan to Boost FX Liquidity Balance of $1.05bn to be paid next week James Emejo in Abuja The federal government yesterday finally received $2.25 billion out of

the $3.3 billion foreign exchange (FX) facility from the African Export–Import Bank (Afreximbank). THISDAY learnt that the FX inflow

has been received by the federal government. The long-awaited credit support seeks to ameliorate the acute FX

shortage in the country which had constrained economic activities and doused investors' confidence. Earlier in December, President Bola

Tinubu had assured Nigerians of the commitment by his administration to resolve the FX backlogs through injection of funds into the market.

Speaking at the opening of the recent 2023 Bank Directors' Summit Continued on page 5

Stock Market Closes 2023 Positive as Investors Gain N13tn...

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Saturday, December 30, 2023 Vol 28. No 10489

www.thisdaylive.com TR

UT H

& RE A S O

N250

…IN POLITICS, MUSIC, TECH, ARTS, BUSINESS, SPORTS

24 Women to Watch in 2024 ȱ ¢ȱ ȱ ȱť

Oluremi Tinubu

Edu

Usoro

Musawa

Bala-Usman

Uzoka-Anite

Olusanya

Edun

Onyeali-Ikpe

Sanni

Omogiafo

Jadesinmi

Joe-Ezigbo

Opeke

Adefeeko

Omorogbe

Tiwa Savage

Ayra Starr

Tems

Mo Abudu

Austen-Peters

Toyin Abraham

Funke Akindele

Oshoala

FG Approves 100% VAT Waiver on CNG, LPG ...

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SATURDAY DECEMBER 30, 2023 • T H I S D AY

SATURDAY, DECEMBER 30, 2023 • T H I S D AY, T H E S AT U R D AY N E W S PA P E R

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24 WOMEN TO WATCH IN 2024 Bennett Oghifo, Ferdinand Ekechukwu, Dike Onwuamaeze, Omolabake Fasogbon in Lagos and James Emejo in Abuja In less than 48 hours, the year 2023 will come to an end with all its challenges, controversies and successes. No doubt, women played prominent roles in the nation’s activities in the outgoing year. As 2024 rolls in, a fresh page is being opened for them to take on bigger roles in politics, business, technology, and entertainment, among others. Naturally, most women work silently behind the scenes, particularly those in politics and business. Regardless, it is important to watch out for these women in the new year which comes with a lot of promises and expectations. There are many women in different sectors across the nation to keep tabs on but these are the 24 women to watch in 2024:

1) Oluremi Tinubu She is the First Lady and wife of President Bola Tinubu. Besides her present position, Senator Oluremi is an experienced politician who served as Senator representing Lagos Central for 12 years. Through her Renewed Hope Initiative, the First Lady has continued to touch lives, especially the elderly, those affected by disaster and victims of insecurity. For instance, she recently launched a N950 million Renewed Hope Initiative Elderly Support Scheme, (RHIESS), aimed to support vulnerable elderly citizens from age 65 and above in all 36 states of the federation during this festive period. Over 250 beneficiaries selected from the 20 Local Government Areas, LGAs, and 37 Local Council Development Areas, LCDAs, in Lagos, were given a sum of N100,000 each. The First Lady had through the pet project awarded scholarships to 43 Nigerian students in tertiary institutions, ICT training and empowerment to women within the FCT, among others. The initiative had also graduated the first set of beneficiaries of its Women in ICT Training and Empowerment Programme. Senator Oluremi is a valuable asset to her husband’s government. She is an advocate for good governance and it is expected that in 2024, she would continue to support her husband’s administration so as to improve the lives of women, children and the less privileged across the country. Nigerians look forward to more humanitarian and social projects that will spread out to the right target, with long-standing effects.

2) Betta Edu The Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, Betta Edu, is a health professional whose expertise and opinions have counted in the design of public health policy at the national and state levels. The 37 year-old medicine and surgery graduate once served as the Commissioner for Health in Cross River State, which under her watch improved the State's health care system to enviable status. Notably among her feats was the state’s ranking as the best child survival rate in Nigeria. Edu is also a humanitarian actor, popular for sponsoring free health outreach in rural communities. She was recently appointed as the new chairman of the ECOWAS Inter-Ministerial Committee on Social Protection in the West African sub-region. As the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Edu has spearheaded the resuscitation and set-up of initiatives targeted at improving the living conditions of Nigerians, especially in the poorest community. These include the Conditional Cash Transfer (CCT) programme, the N-Power programme, and the National Home-Grown School Feeding Programme.

Beyond her present efforts, Edu would need to take on empowerment programmes for vulnerable and less privileged citizens. All eyes are on her to change the poverty narrative of Nigeria in the global community and particularly drive workable initiatives that would improve the condition of over 133 million Nigerians living in poverty.

3) Emem Usoro Emem Usoro is the Deputy Governor in charge of Operations at the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN). She oversees banking operations, branch operations, currency operations, information technology, and reserve management. An alumna of Harvard Business School and Lagos Business School, Usoro’s banking experience spans over 20 years with experience in Operations, Credit and Marketing, Branch Management, Relationship Management, Corporate and Commercial Banking. Prior to her appointment in CBN, she was an executive director of North Bank at the United Bank for Africa (UBA). Usoro's exploits at UBA earned her a top spot in the bank's 'Superwoman 101', an initiative dedicated to highlighting accomplished leaders and employees of the bank. Being the only woman among the CBN deputy governors, it is an opportunity for her to demonstrate her women's leadership prowess. More so, her intervention on decisions related to price and exchange rate stability would go a long way to promote sustainable economic growth, safeguard the livelihoods of Nigerians, especially the vulnerable members of the society.

4) Hannatu Musawa Hannatu Musawa is the Minister of Art, Culture and the Creative Economy. A lawyer by profession, Musawa has practised within and outside the country, both in the public and private sectors. In 2023, she contested for the Federal House of Representatives seat in her home state of Katsina. She is also a human and women rights activist. She recently unveiled an 8-point agenda for her ministry tagged, 'Destination 2030' geared towards growth in Nigeria’s creative economy. In fulfilling this agenda, Musawa would need to productively collaborate with the private sector to boost the sector's growth beyond its present contributions to the country’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP). Forging alliance with the media, cultural organisations and advocacy groups is vital to preservation of Nigeria's historical and tourism sites and attraction for immediate and future gains.

5) Hadiza BalaUsman Hadiza Bala-Usman is the Special Adviser on Policy Coordination to President Bola Tinubu. The cofounder of 'Bring Back Our Girls' campaign was also the first female Managing Director of the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), a position she held between 2016 and 2021. At the NPA, Bala-Usman's zero tolerance for corruption was brought to bear, given her proactive actions that led to the uncovering and recovery of hidden huge sums of monies, within a short time after she assumed office. She also served as the Chief of Staff to the Governor of Kaduna State between 2015 and 2016. Bala-Usman's new office as Special Adviser to the President on Policy Coordination places on her a responsibility to oversee the performance expectations of cabinet members. With policy coordination being one of the challenges in Nigeria, the Katsina-born politician would need to see to bridging gaps

within institutions that visibly played out in the last administration. She would also need to be more active and versatile enough to block policies contradictions and conflict. More importantly, her close interaction with the Coordinating Minister for the Economy is critical for the achievement of governance objectives.

6) Doris Uzoka-Anite Doris Uzoka-Anite is the Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, charged with the role of enabling businesses across sectors so as to grow and diversify the economy. A medical doctor by training, Uzoka-Anite is a risk and portfolio management specialist. The Oguta Local Government Area, Imo Stateborn woman was a former General Manager at Zenith Bank Plc, before she got an appointment to serve as the Commissioner for Finance in Imo State, under Governor, Hope Uzodinma. In her first week of resuming office as minister, she received the first-ever Nigeria Investment Policy document, which primarily focuses on investment promotion, and facilitation. Expectations are high for the minister to help diversify the country’s revenue base, attract foreign direct investment, improve forex inflows, as well as international trade.

7) Miriam Olusanya Miriam Olusanya is an astute Nigerian banker and business executive, as well as current Managing Director/Chief Executive, Guaranty Trust Bank (GTBank) Plc. She is a graduate of Pharmacy from the University of Ibadan and has a Master of Business Administration from the University of Liverpool. She joined GTBank as an executive trainee in 1998. Until her appointment as managing director, she was an executive director at the bank. GTBank is presently one of the fast-growing banks in the country. The recently released third quarter 2023 financial results of the bank reaffirmed its strong capabilities to successfully navigate the challenges in the operating environment, under the leadership of Olusanya.

8. Yemisi Edun Yemisi Edun is the Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer, First City Monument Bank (FCMB). She is the first woman to ever hold the position in the bank. She assumed the position in July 2021, following the suspension of Adam Nuhu. Edun graduated with a bachelor's degree in chemistry from the University of Ife, and proceeded to the University of Liverpool, where she graduated with a master's degree in international accounting and finance. Until her appointment as managing director, she was the chief financial officer of the bank and the acting chief executive officer. She is a fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria and a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA). She is also an associate member of the Chartered Institute of Stock Brokers, an Associate Member of the Chartered Institute of Taxation of Nigeria, and a member of the Information Systems Audit and Control.

9) Nneka OnyealiIkpe Born on July 28, 1964, Nneka Onyeali-Ikpe is the Managing Director/Chief Executive, Fidelity Bank Plc since December 2020. She is the first female to ascend to the position since the establishment of the institution. Onyeali-Ikpe has a law degree from the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, and a master's degree in Law from King's College London. She started her career in the banking industry as a legal officer for the now-defunct African Continental Bank in 1990.

She subsequently worked as a treasury officer for the First African Trust Bank, and later joined Zenith Bank and Standard Chartered Bank, respectively. In 2011, she joined Enterprise Bank as an executive director of the bank's operations in Lagos and other locations in the South-western region in Nigeria. Onyeali-Ikpe joined Fidelity Bank as an executive director in January, 2015.

10) Toyin Sanni Toyin Sanni is the Chief Executive Officer of Emerging Africa Group, one of the leading African investment groups facilitating inward investments for African and global investors, as well as outward investments by Africans. A multiple award-winning investment banker/ stockbroker, Sanni is an African investment banker, lawyer, chartered secretary, stockbroker, and author. In June 2018, she resigned from United Capital where she was Group CEO for over four years and became the Chief Executive of Emerging Africa Capital in July 2018. She attended Queen's School, Ibadan, and received a law degree from the University of Ife in 1984 at the age of 18 after which she bagged a BL from the Nigerian Law School, Lagos. She later attended the University of Lagos where she got her master's degree. Sanni attended Harvard Business School Executive Education, Lagos Business School, Pan-Atlantic University CEO Programme and IESE Business School Chief Executive Programme. She was the founder in 2016 and chairperson of Women in Financeng (WIFng), a not-for-profit organisation focused on advocacy for Nigerian women in the finance sector.

11) Owen Omogiafo Owen Omogiafo is a Nigerian business executive and strategist. She is the President/Group Chief Executive, Transnational Corporation of Nigeria (Transcorp), a diversified conglomerate with strategic investments in the power, hospitality and oil and gas sectors. She attended the University of Benin, where she earned a Bachelor's degree (double honours) in Sociology and Anthropology, and holds a Master of Science degree in Human Resource Management from the London School of Economics and Political Science and is an alumna of the Lagos Business School and IESE Business School, Spain. She is a member of the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development, UK and a Certified Change Manager with the Prosci Institute, USA. She is a member of the Institute of Directors (IoD) Nigeria. Owen started her career in stockbroking and later moved to banking where she held various roles, spanning operations, service quality management and relationship management. Prior to joining UBA, she worked with Accenture where she covered various projects and clients in the private and public sectors and diverse industries. As a staff of Heirs Holdings, Owen served in various capacities, including as the Director of Resources, responsible for establishing structures for optimal man and machine engagement and deployment within Heirs Holdings Group. She equally served as the Chief Operating Officer at the Tony Elumelu Foundation (TEF), where, working with the CEO and the board, she oversaw the $100 million Programme aimed at identifying, mentoring, and funding 10,000 entrepreneurs over 10 years.

12) Amy Jadesinmi Amy Jadesinmi is a Nigerian businesswoman and Chief Executive Officer, Lagos Deep Offshore Logistics Base (LADOL), a privatelyowned logistics and engineering facility in the Port of Lagos. She was educated at Benenden School

in the United Kingdom, then at the University of Oxford, where she graduated BA in Physiological Sciences and BMBCh in medicine in 1999. Later, she gained an MBA from the Stanford Graduate School of Business. After medical school, she was recruited by Goldman Sachs. Jadesimi started work in the Investment Banking division of the firm, based in their offices in London, focusing on mergers, acquisitions and corporate finance. She worked there for three years. Even though Jadesimi is better known as a businesswoman, she never intended to leave the medical field and pursue another career. Beyond LADOL, she is on the Prince's Trust International global advisory board, a founding commissioner of the Business and Sustainable Development and Commission and a Forbes contributor.

13) Audrey Joe-Ezigbo Mrs. Audrey Joe-Ezigbo, cofounder and Deputy Managing Director of Falcon Corporation Limited (FCL) knew early in her teenage years that her future lay in entrepreneurship. She was 13 years old when she watched the movie “A Woman of Substance” based on a novel by Barbara Taylor-Bradford. The movie made such an impression on her that from that age she made “a decision that I would not work for anyone but would rather build a business that would one day grow into a multinational conglomerate.” This impression became a reality in 1994 when she co-founded the FCL with her husband, Prof. Joseph Chukwurah Ezigbo. Today, she sits on the advisory board of the Lagos Business School, Pan Atlantic University (PAU). She is also a member of the advisory board of the Enterprise Development Center (EDC), also of PAU. She also sits on the executive council of Women in Management, Business & Public Service (WIMBIZ). She is a member of the Institute of Directors (IoD). She holds several Masters’ degrees in Finance, Marketing and Business Administration from the Lagos Business School, University of Nigeria, and Nnamdi Azikiwe University. She also holds several executive certifications in Management, Leadership and Governance from Harvard Business School, IE Business School, IESE Business School and the WIMBOARD Institute. She is the immediate past President (2018-2021) of the Nigerian Gas Association, the umbrella association and voice for businesses and professionals involved in the Nigerian gas industry. She is the first woman to have occupied the position of NGA President in the Association’s 22-year history.

14) Funke Opeke Funke Opeke is a Nigerian electrical engineer and founder of Main Street Technologies and Chief Executive Officer of Main One Cable Company, a communications services company based in Lagos State. Opeke obtained a bachelor's and a master's degree in Electrical Engineering from Obafemi Awolowo University and Columbia University, USA, respectively. Her career in ICT started in the United States as an executive director with the wholesale division of Verizon Communications in New York City until she joined MTN Nigeria in 2005 as Chief Technical Officer (CTO). The vision to launch MainOne Cable in 2008 was inspired by the poor internet connectivity in Nigeria. MainOne is West Africa's leading communication services and network solutions provider. The company has built West Africa's first privately owned open access 7,000-kilometer undersea high capacity cable submarine that stretched from Portugal to West Africa with landings along the route in Accra (Ghana), Dakar (Senegal)

in 2019, Abidjan (Côte d'Ivoire) in 2019 and Lagos (Nigeria). In 2015, her company started operations of what is reputed to be Nigeria's largest Tier III Data Center, also extending a submarine cable from Lagos into Cameroon. MainOne strong CSR is focused on education and is aimed at improving the learning environment by refurbishing the classrooms, providing new desks and chairs for the students, repainting the school’s external and internal façade, roofing and restructuring the entire blocks of classrooms.

15) Tosin Adefeeko Tosin Adefeeko is the founder and Chief Executive Officer of AT3 Resources Limited, a specialised communications and events consultancy outfit that is focused on providing public relations, events and media services to corporates, individuals and brands. Before the AT3 Resources, Tosin has had a stint in banking, oil industry, journalism and public relations. Although her parents were bankers, Tosin did not find fulfillment in the banking industry. “I hopped from bank to bank in the hope of finding ‘Uhuru’ and it just never happened. But I like to tell people that I learnt a lot from banking, my resilience and staying power, the ability to negotiate dispassionately, to serve, to initiate, build and sustain relationships; my business acumen, most of it I learnt from banking,” she said during a recent interview. Tosin followed her passion and wanted to become a journalist with the AIT having studied English and Literary Studies and wrote her university project on Advertising. She later earned a Master’s Degree in Marketing Communications and returned to the banking hall “just to stay afloat financially.” It was there that she met the Publisher of THISDAY, Prince Nduka Obaigbena, one of her major clients at the GTB branch where she headed commercial banking. Obaigbena talked her into journalism to work for Arise Magazine as business manager after she left banking. She later moved to NN24, a television channel. Tosin in her professional career has led brand building initiatives for Coca-Cola, P & G, Etisalat, Google, Microsoft, Sanofi, GSK, Skye bank, British Airways, Ford, Facebook, influential personalities and many brands too numerous to mention.

16) Yanmo Omorogbe Yanmo Omorogbe is the Cofounder of Bamboo, a fintech company. Omorogbe believes that wealth creation, through investing in stock markets, is possible to people anywhere in the world. This informed the launch of the Bamboo, an app that was introduced in 2019, to enable Nigerian investors buy shares of publicly traded companies in America. A graduate of the Imperial College of London where she studied Chemical Engineering, Omorogbe’s mission is focused on giving Nigerians an opportunity to grow and earn returns on their investments. She co-founded Bamboo, with Richmond Bassey, a digital investment platform that has given Nigerians real-time access to buy, hold, or sell stocks of about 3,000 companies listed on the United States stock market right from their mobile phones and computers.

17) Tiwa Savage Her name is Tiwatope Omolara Savage, but she is professionally known as Tiwa Savage. She is a Nigerian singer, songwriter, and actress dubbed the Queen of Afrobeats. Born in Isale Eko on Continued on page 27

ͻ͸˜ ͺ͸ͺͻ ˾ THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER

NEWS

News Editor: Charles Ajunwa 09157401421 (sms only) Email charles.ajunwa@thisdaylive.com

COURTESY VISIT TO THE PRESIDENT... L-R: Ogun State Governor, Dapo Abiodun and President, Bola Tinubu, during Abiodun's courtesy call on the President at his Bourdillon, Ikoyi, Lagos residence... recently

FG Approves 100% VAT Waiver on CNG, LPG Orders withdrawal of debit notes issued since August 26, 2019 Ndubuisi Francis in Abuja The federal government has approved a zero per cent Value Added Tax (VAT) waiver on feed gas for all processed, Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) and imported liquified petroleum gas, with immediate effect. The VAT-free waiver also

extends to CNG equipment components, conversion and installation services, Liquified Petroleum Gas (LPG) equipment components, conversion and installation services, and all equipment and infrastructure related to the expansion of CNG, LPG and the Presidential CNG Initiative, including conversion

kits. In a circular seen yesterday, the Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Mr. Wale Edun, directed the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) and the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) to immediately apply a zero per cent VAT rate on the items.

The circular titled, 'Fiscal Incentives for the Presidential Gas for Growth Initiative' read: "In line with His Excellency, Mr. President's commitment to improve the investment climate in Nigeria, and to increase the utilisation and supply of gas in the domestic market: "Pursuant to Part 1, Section 5

of the Customs and Excise Tariff Act, which grants an Import Duty Waiver on machinery, equipment and spare parts imported into Nigeria for the utilisation of Nigerian gas, the importation of all equipment related to CNG and LPG into the Nigerian market shall attract zero percent import duty rate.

Suspected Terrorists Bomb Three TCN Facilities in Maiduguri One NSCDC personnel killed Emmanuel Addeh in Abuja Suspected terrorists have again attacked power facilities belonging to the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) along the Maiduguri–Damaturu transmission lines axes in the North-east. It is coming about a week after vandals also believed to be insurgents, similarly attacked power lines belonging to the company, throwing Borno and Yobe into darkness just before Christmas. The incident also occurred roughly two years after electricity was restored to Borno, after Boko Haram destroyed the transmission lines, throwing the whole state into total blackout. In 2021, after the government

attempted to restore power in Borno following the destruction of power assets, terrorists planted explosive devices along the path, killing some staff of the TCN who were working to restore electricity and injured others, including some soldiers who were on guard duty. Confirming the latest incident, the TCN stated that an official of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), was killed after the attack. The company did not elaborate on how the security personnel died, however, it was learnt that the security operative stepped on an explosive at the scene of the incident. “The TCN hereby confirms the destruction of three of its towers

Anambra Can Eliminate Hunger if Wealthy Individuals Help the Poor, Says Nonye Soludo David-Chyddy Eleke in Awka Wife of the governor of Anambra State, Mrs. Nonye Soludo, has said that the state can overcome hunger if every rich person decides to look out for the poor in the state. Mrs. Soludo stated this yesterday while flagging off the distribution of bags of rice, beans, garri; estimated to be over 9,000 in number from a Lagos-based businessman and philanthropist, Dr. Ebuka Okafor. She called on well to do members of the society to extend helping hands to the less-privileged in the society as a way to bridge the poverty gap and also conquer hunger. "What Dr. Ebuka Okafor is doing today is what the government of Soludo preaches. Government cannot do all the work there is to be done. Government is doing a lot, including free education, free childbirth, and employment. "If every well to do individual in Anambra rises to do what you

(Ebuka Okafor) is doing today, hunger can be terminated in the state. "We are calling on others to join what Ebuka Okafor is doing. When we all put our hands on the deck, we will make Anambra great again. We have a development model which is public private community partnership. "This model is making community an integral part of what is being done in Anambra State. What this means is that beyond what government can do, the community also has a part to play for the success of Anambra." The philanthropist and founder of Ebuka Okafor Foundation, Ebuka Okafor, who spoke with journalists, said the group has been committed not only to istributing food items to widows across Anambra, but also clothing materials and health checks. "I see this as my own contribution to society. Most of these women do not have the opportunity of going for health checks, but we have brought it to them.

along Maiduguri-Damaturu Transmission Line with explosives yesterday (Thursday) 28, December, 2023. “In addition to the destruction of the three towers, the very sad incident also cost the life of an NSCDC officer. “It's truly another very sad day for us at TCN, with this incident, especially with the loss of life of the NSCDC official. “TCN commiserates with the family of the deceased and the

NSCDC for this very sad and shocking incident,” a statement signed by the General Manager, Public Affairs of the company, Ndidi Mbah, stated. In March this year, ex-President Muhammadu Buhari, inaugurated a 50mw power plant in Maiduguri to ameliorate the impact of the incessant attacks by the insurgents. ”Over the past few years, insurgents had attacked power supply lines along Maiduguri-Damaturu

and Maiduguri-Damboa-Biu roads leading to acute power supply shortages to the city of Maiduguri and its environs and crippling the economic activities in the region. ”For this purposeful response, I want to commend the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC) for following my directive to ensure the immediate restoration of reliable power supply to Maiduguri within the shortest possible time,” he said.

""Consequently, the FIRS and the NCS are hereby directed to apply a zero percent VAT rate on the following items: Feed Gas for all processed gas; CNG; Imported LPG; CNG equipment components, conversion and installation services; LPG equipment components, conversion and installation services. "All equipment and infrastructure related to the expansion of CNG, LPG and the Presidential CNG Initiative, including conversion kits." The minister further directed that all applications for Import and Customs Duty exemption in relation to CNG equipment shall require a letter of support from the Office of the Special Adviser to the President on Energy. He also directed that the importation of LPG under HS Codes 2711.12.OO.OO, 2711.13.OO.OO and 2711.19. OO.OO are exempted from Import Duty and ValueAdded Tax.

South-west States to Set Up Committee for Akeredolu's Burial James Sowole in Abeokuta and Kemi Olaitan in Ibadan

Governors of the South Western states under the aegis of the South West Governors' Forum, have resolved to set up a joint committee to collaborate with the family of the former governor of Ondo State, Rotimi Akeredolu, SAN to give him a befitting burial. This was disclosed yesterday by the Ogun State Governor, Prince Dapo Abiodun, during a condolence visit to the home of the Akeredolus in Ibadan, Oyo State, alongside his counterparts from Osun State, Ademola

Adeleke, Ekiti State, Biodun Oyebanji while Governor Seyi Makinde was represented by his Deputy, Bayo Lawal. Speaking on behalf of his colleagues, Abiodun described the deceased as a very dependable, reliable, predictable, consistent person, who never hesitated at any point in time to say exactly how he feels on any issue no matter how controversial. Abiodun said the late Akeredolu was a fearless and courageous man who advocated and championed the course of a Southern presidency and worked towards its success. Abiodun said, "He will call a spade a spade. He played a key

role in the birth or rebirth of the Southern Governors' Forum, of which he was the chairman until he passed away. "The Southern Governors' Forum took that position (on Southern presidency), led by him. He was a leader to all of us who gathered here today. He will be sorely missed. "We commiserate with you. We humbly request that you consider this as a joint responsibility of all of us. We will want to be a part of whatever plans the family will be implementing towards sending him forth. "We will like to put a committee together that will have

representatives from each of our states to work alongside the Ondo State Government and the family in ensuring that we give our leader a befitting burial," Abiodun said. In an interview later, Abiodun said that the visit by the governors was to identify with the Akeredolus in this trying moment. "We are here on behalf of our families, the entire government and people of our various south western states to commiserate with the family and people of Ondo State. Our prayer is that the Almighty God will forgive all his sins and grant the repose of his soul.

NGX Group Announces Popoola GMD, CEO Designate, Onyema Retires Kayode Tokede Nigerian Exchange Group Plc (NGX Group), yesterday announced the appointment of Mr. Temi Popoola as the GMD/ CEO designate effective January 1, 2024, further to the receipt of the Securities and Exchange Commission's (SEC’s) No-Objection to the announcement of the appointment. This announcement marks the succession of Mr. Oscar Onyema, whose tenure as GMD/CEO will conclude on March 31, 2024, following the commencement of his

terminal leave on January 1, 2024. Popoola is currently the CEO, Nigerian Exchange Limited (NGX) and a member of the NGX Group Executive Committee chaired by Onyema. He is a successful C-suite leader whose unique blend of business acumen, financial expertise, global market growth and operational insight has earned him a reputation built on verifiable career achievements. He began his career in London as a portfolio manager focused on African energy markets and worked for several years as a senior equity

derivatives trader with Bank of America Securities in New York, where he drove firm profitability by providing derivative solutions to US corporations and family offices. A Wall Street-trained investment banker, Popoola joined NGX in 2021 as CEO from Renaissance Capital (Rencap) where he was Managing Director and CEO for West Africa. At NGX, he oversaw and supported its continuous growth, profitability and success by providing strategic market insight and leadership.

Popoola graduated with a first-class degree in Chemical Engineering from University of Lagos and holds a Masters’ degree from Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). He is a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) and a Chartered Stockbroker (CIS). Consequently, Mr. Jude Chiemeka, Executive Director and Head of the Capital Markets Division, responsible for Trading, Products Development and Listings at NGX, has been appointed acting CEO of NGX effective January 1, 2024.

SATURDAY DECEMBER 30, 2023 • T H I S D AY

ͺͻ˜ ͺ͸ͺͻ ˾ THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER

NEWS

SPECIAL RECOGNITIONS… L-R: Ecobite of the Year Award recipient, Mike Ikhifa; recipient of Distinguished Old Boy of the Year Award, Engr. Sam Egube; Lifetime Achievement Award recipient, Chief Tom Halim; Distinguished Old Boy of the Year Award recipient, Engr. Osikhena Ojior and Ecobite of the Year Award recipient, Victor Uwas, at the 2023 ECOBA Lagos annual dinner held in Lagos…recently

Killings: IGP Orders Deployment of Tactical Team, AIG to Plateau State PDP slams president for failing to visit Plateau communities Chuks Okocha,Sunday Aborisade and Kuni Tyessi in Abuja and Seriki Adinoyi in Jos Inspector General of Police (IGP), Kayode Egbetokun, has ordered the immediate deployment of a tactical team to Plateau State to tackle the current security challenges facing the state. This is as the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) yesterday slammed President Bola Ahmed Tinubu over his inexplicable failure to visit the

scene of the Christmas eve genocidal massacre of Nigerians by terrorists in Bokkos and Barkin Ladi communities of Plateau State. Also, a prominent lawyer and human rights advocate, Dr. Olukayode Ajulo (SAN), has called on the President to take decisive action to address the recent killings Plateau State. Although the Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) in the state have called for the creation of North-central Development Commission to address

the devastations caused by decades of internecine communal conflict in the geopolitical zone, President and CEO of the Para-Mallam Peace Foundation, a nongovernmental organisation, Dr. Gideon Para-Mallam, who was alarmed by the killings in Plateau State, said the use of sophisticated weapons by the assailants should be a thing of worry for the government and the military. Egbetokun who gave the order during his visit to Jos yesterday in the aftermath of the attacks on

some communities in the state that claimed over 100 lives, also ordered the immediate relocation of the Assistant Inspector General of police (AIG) in zone 4 to the state. During the visit, Egbetokun met with Governor Caleb Mutfwang and other stakeholders where he reassured them of government's resolve to ensure that the victims get justice. In a statement by the National Publicity Secretary, Debo Ologunagba, the PDP said, "Our party

asserts that President Tinubu’s failure to show personal empathy and leadership by visiting the troubled people of Plateau State tends to validate disturbing insinuations in the public space of complicity in high places with regard to the attacks." The PDP said that it is concerned as Nigerians raise puzzling questions as to what was responsible for the failure of intelligence before and during the coordinated massacre which went on for over 48 hours.

Gunmen Attack Chris Uba in Anambra, Kill Four Police Operatives, Civilians Police: We've launched manhunt for them David-Chyddy Eleke in Awka Gunmen on Thursday night attacked the convoy of self-styled godfather of Anambra politics, Chief Chris Uba. THISDAY learnt that vehicles in the convoy were riddled with bullets, just as two police operatives attached to the politician were killed, including two other civilians who were said to have been hit by stray bullets. It was also gathered that another politi-

cian, and a chieftain of Labour Party, Mr. Val Ozigbo narrowly escaped the attack. The source said: "We witnessed what happened. Chris Uba's convoy ran into the men who were stationed at Uga Junction, who opened fire on them. "Uba was able to escape because he was riding in a bullet proof vehicle, but the policemen were not so lucky as they were killed. "Val Ozigbo was coming back from Owerri with members of his

family when he suddenly saw a convoy driving ferociously toward his own convoy, and attempting to edge him off the road. His convoy quickly cleared off the road to let the other convoy pass by. "Shortly after they overtook Ozigbo, they ran into the gunmen at Uga Junction who started shooting, and killed two police men and two civilians. Ozigbo who parked while the incident was happening, later learnt that the convoy that was attacked was

Unubiko Foundation Unveils N300m Scholarship Grant for Abia Students Ibori lauds Ume

The Unubiko Foundation has officially unveiled a N300m scholarship grant for Abia State students. The unveiling ceremony took place during a thanksgiving service held at the Presbyterian Church of Nigeria in Atan Abam, Arochukwu Local Government Area, recently. The Founder of Unubiko Foundation, Chief James Ume, had announced the N300 million scholarship fund earlier this month after receiving the 2023 Gani Fawehinmi Impact and Integrity Awards (GFIIA) for his philanthropic works. Speaking during the thanksgiving service, Ume, said the scholarship scheme targets the less-privileged in the individuals. “We will use every resource God has given us to worship him. As the Chairman of the Unubiko Foundation, my wife has approved and we have set

aside a N300 million scholarship fund for Abia State students. “The money is already intact and I have the honour to announce that the technical committee will be headed by Dr. Agbai Eke,” Ume explained. He said the selection process would be computerised to ensure transparency. Other members of the technical committee for the management and disbursement of the N300 million Unubiko Foundation scholarship grant include the Secretary, Engineer Okoro Kalu Christopher who is an associate professor of control system engineering and the Abia Commissioner for Education, Prof. Mrs. Eme Uche, who will serve as an adviser to the committee. Meanwhile, former Delta State Governor, Chief James Ibori, has commended Ume for rebuilding the Onyerubi Comprehensive

Secondary School in Ndi Oji Abam, Arochukwu Local Government Area of Abia State. The school, originally built in 1996 but left in a state of complete disrepair, was rebuilt with a N250 million intervention by the Unubiko Foundation.

that of Uba, who had earlier overtaken him." Though there were insinuations that the men had the motive of kidnapping the politician, but it was not clear if anyone was kidnapped, though in the ensuing pandemonium, many people were said to have sustained varying degrees of injuries. Meanwhile, police authorities in a press release by the state police command's spokesperson, DSP Tochukwu Ikenga, said it has launched a manhunt for the attackers. The release read: "Anambra State Police Command has launched an intensive manhunt for armed insurgents who infiltrated from a neighbouring state and killed two police personnel on 28th December 2023 at about 18.30 hours (6.30 p.m.) "The gang which disguised in military fatigue and seemed to be on a kidnap mission were jolted on seeing two armed police officers approaching their direction. They opened fire on the officers who had moved ahead of the convoy they were escorting to

decongest traffic gridlock. Other personnel returned fire, careful not to hit many motorists who were in traffic, forcing the bandits to flee. "Police-led mobile Forward Operating Base which had been on intensive patrol of the entire area throughout Christmas celebrations promptly responded to the scene. "It recovered a Lexus SUV the gang operated with and defused an improvised explosive device found in the vehicle. It also recovered an AK-47 RIFLE belonging to one of the slain personnel. "The Commissioner of Police, CP Aderemi Adeoye who had declared the weekend and Christmas holidays as special working days for all officers and men in the Command commended all personnel for their tireless and courageous effort in securing the people of Anambra State. "He urged them not to be demoralized by the supreme price paid by their colleagues from Enugu State Command but to draw inspiration from their bravery in confronting the criminal gang.

According to the party, "Of further concern is the fact that Nigerians are also raising issues on these apprehensions by making reference to the statement attributed to former military Head of State, Gen. Sani Abacha on the possibility of complicity by officials of a government in unrestrained insurgency or crisis situation such as witnessed in the Plateau State massacre. "President Tinubu must therefore allay fears and concerns on the above by immediately visiting the affected communities and personally addressing the nation on concrete steps to track down the perpetrators and their sponsors. "It smacks of grave insensitivity and dereliction of duty for Mr. President as the Commanderin-Chief to remain silent in the face of targeted massacre of his citizens without defence and assistance. The President even failed to play his expected role as “Consoler-in-Chief” by not immediately visiting the troubled areas to demonstrate leadership, empathy and connection with the citizens. "Instead of sending his aides to issue lame statements and detailing surrogates to visit after much prodding, President Tinubu should have as a matter of duty personally visited the scene of the genocide to give succor to the families of the dead and the wounded as well as reassure that his government is with the people of the affected communities in particular and Plateau State in general. "Of course, the whole world witnessed the video of President Joe Biden kneeling down before the daughter of George Floyd to offer his condolences on behalf of the United States for the brutal murder of her father. President Tinubu ought to have drawn a lesson from that," the party stressed.

6-month-old Baby Needs N9 Million for Severe Heart Surgery Sunday Ehigiator The family of Yahaya Abubakar is calling on all well-meaning individuals to come to their aid as they battle to save their 6-month-old son's life, Sa'ad Abubakar, who needs N9 million to undergo severe heart surgery in India over the next few days, as he battles against time to stay alive. Abubakar's only child is battling with ‘Pentalogy of Fallot’, a severe heart condition requiring immediate surgery in India.

The parents' plea for donations by well-meaning Nigerians comes as every other option has been exhausted, including emptying their savings, selling off personal property, and seeking help from family and friends. Little Sa'ad was born with a rare form of cyanotic congenital heart disease. Although the condition wasn't discovered at birth, he became ill two days after delivery. He has been through a series of evaluations and treatments in the hands of specialists when he was

only 13 days old. The long-drawn battle has continued since then, culminating in the resolution that surgery is required. The pentalogy of Fallot is characterised by an overriding aorta, stenosis of the pulmonary artery, and ventricular septal defect, among others. Little Sa'ad has a very short window within which the surgery can be performed without the presence of severe complications, such as hypercyanotic spells. According to the parents, N1.95 million has been donated as of 21

December 2023, leaving a balance of N7.05 million. Donations can be sent to the mother's UBA account number, 2121610560 with the name Zile Muhammed. You can also contact the parents on 07062414795 or 08033012054. Further details and clarity on Baby Sa'ad's condition can also be obtained from Dr. Cyprian Umeogwaju (08162763258) of the Ahmadu Bello University Teaching Hospital Zaria or Dr. Boniface Ogbuh (08030786067) of Harmony Hospital.

SATURDAY DECEMBER 30, 2023 • T H I S D AY

THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER DECEMBER 30, 2023

NEWS

ACCEPT OUR CONDOLENCES ... L-R: Widow of former Ondo State governor, Mrs. Betty Akeredolu and former Governor of Ekiti State, Dr. Kayode Fayemi, when the latter paid a condolence visit to the Akeredolu family in Ibadan, Oyo State... recently

MRA: Poor Funding for FOI Act in 2024 Budget Signals Lack of Commitment to Effective Implementation The Media Rights Agenda (MRA) has expressed concern over the poor level of funding in the federal government’s 2024 budget for the implementation of the Freedom of Information (FOI) Act and FOI-related activities by public institutions, saying the situation signals government’s lack of commitment to

make the law effective. In a statement announcing the release of its 18-page report titled: 'A Vote Against Transparency: A Report on Allocations for Freedom of Information Implementation in 2024 Federal Budget', made available to THISDAY yesterday, the MRA called on the federal

government to demonstrate an absolute commitment to the full and effective implementation of the FOI Act by allocating the appropriate resources required for this purpose. According to MRA, its analysis of the 2024 federal government budget proposal showed that out of at least 1,316

federal public institutions, only 10 made specific allocations for FOI implementation or other FOI-related activities in their proposals, describing the situation as an indication that the FOI Act is likely to experience another year of extremely poor performance in its implementation by government institutions

Labour Party Releases Timetable for February 3 Bye-elections, Warns against Patronising Fraudsters Chuks Okocha in Abuja and Adibe Emenyonu in Benin City The National Working Committee of the Labour Party (LP) has released the timetable and schedule

of activities for the February 3, 2024 bye-elections as announced by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC). Apart from approving the fees for the purchase of Nomination

ICAN Mourns Ijewere Dike Onwuamaeze The Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria (ICAN) has announced the passing away of its former revered president, Mr. Emmanuel Itoya Ijewere. Ijewere, who was the 32nd President of ICAN, passed on yesterday at 78 years. The 59th President of ICAN, Dr. Innocent Iweka Okwuosa, who announced Ijewere’s death to members of the institute, said: “It is with a heavy heart but submission to the will of God that we notify you of the death of one of our revered past presidents, Mr. Emmanuel Itoya Ijewere, FCA, (MB000916) who left us this morning of Friday, December 29, 2023 at the age of 78 years. “Mr. Ijewere, the 32nd president of our esteemed institute, was a stalwart in the accounting profession and made indelible contributions to our profession. “While we mourn his departure, we find solace in the knowledge that he devoted his life to the service of humanity. His unwavering commitment to the profession and the institute was evident in his exceptional dedication to ICAN's

activities, providing invaluable counsel and support whenever and wherever needed.” Okwuosa said Ijewere spearheaded numerous initiatives that included the establishment of an employment bureau for unemployed members, the launch of Mandatory Continuing Professional Education (MCPE) in the second half of 1996, and the renovation of the EbuteMetta property, among other commendable projects during his impactful tenure as the 32nd ICAN’s president. Okwuosa said: “All these are in addition to his numerous national services, including serving as a member of the Technical Committee on privatisation of federal government’s companies and parastatals, a member of the Agricultural Transformation Implementation Council (ATIC) under ex-President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan’s chairmanship, among others. “I wish to place on record that Mr. Ijewere actively participated in the 53rd Annual Accountants' Conference and various associated events at the programme, including a meeting with the institute's members in government.

and Expression of Interest forms, the party also warned against patronising people seeking to defraud unsuspecting members of the public of their hard earned money through sale of fake forms. This is as the Edo State chapter of Labour Party has disclaimed purported guidelines and timetable for the Edo governorship primaries of the party issued by one Dr. Abayomi Arabambi, which is being circulated by a section of the media.

One Eragbe Anselm, a selfproclaimed youth leader in Edo State and some persons said to be loyal to the Lamidi Apapa-led faction of the Labour Party, yesterday, were given beatings of their lives and rushed to the hospital for medical treatment. Anslem and his group were accused of defrauding the youth body in the state by organising fake LP governorship primary election and congress on behalf of his principal.

and authorities. It noted that the situation in the 2024 budget was only slightly better than what was recorded in the 2023 budget in which only nine federal ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs) made specific allocations for FOI-related activities and implementation in their budget proposals. The 10 public institutions with allocations for FOIrelated expenditure in their 2024 budgets are: the National Directorate of Employment, Federal Ministry of Works, Federal Ministry of Budget and Economic Planning, Federal Ministry of Housing and Urban Development, Federal Ministry of Environment, Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment, Nigerian Law Reform Commission, National Library of Nigeria, and the National Commission for Colleges of Education Secretariat. The Federal Ministry

of Works has the highest budgetary allocation for FOI implementation with a total of N39,280,000.00, while the Nigerian Law Reform Commission had the second highest allocation with a proposal to spend N15,634,545 on FOIrelated activities. MRA’s Communications Officer, Mr. Idowu Adewale, observed in the organisation’s statement that a crucial consideration in ensuring the effectiveness of an FOI Law is making provisions in the budget for its implementation as this helps to ensure that the resources required to successfully implement the Law are made available. He said: “Without adequate investment in the implementation of the Law in order to ensure that the government is transparent and accountable, all other allocations and expenditures for infrastructure, facilities or other development projects would be at risk and could easily be misappropriated.”

I’m Most Competent, Qualiﬁed to Lead Edo, Ighodalo Tells PDP Leaders Vows to place state on path of devt if elected Adibe Emenyonu in Benin City Frontline governorship aspirant of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and former Chairman of Sterling Bank Plc, Dr. Asue Ighodalo, has said he is the most competent, credible and qualified contender poised to lead Edo State and place the state on the path of accelerated development and growth. Ighodalo said this when he visited PDP leaders of Edo South Senatorial District to inform them of his intention to run for the governorship election in Edo State come 2024. Noting that poor leadership is the bane of Nigeria’s development, Ighodalo said the monies released from crude oil over the last 60 years alone is enough to turn Nigeria to a first world country if it had leaders who loved the

country. He said, “In the last 60 years, the amount of remuneration Nigeria earned from crude oil alone is enough to turn Nigeria to a first world country if we have leaders that love Nigeria. “I offer myself to serve the State as I know what I want for Edo people. I love my people and am concerned about their welfare. “If we know the leakages in the Nigerian economy most of us will be angry and fight to correct it because it’s painful.” On plans to leverage the State’s comparative advantage to drive development, Ighodalo noted: “Edo State has the highest Diaspora remittances in Nigeria. We would encourage our people abroad to invest in Diaspora bonds in certain infrastructural areas and earn returns safely and some of the soft infrastructural problems

facing us will disappear.” He continued: “The leakages in the Nigerian economy is terrible. We have leakages that leave the Nigerian economy and flow to other economies to develop them. A chunk of our money is used to develop Dubai, Switzerland, among others, and yet we are suffering as a people. “We need to have leadership that the people trust to correct the narrative and set the nation on the path of growth and development. “Edo is blessed with good soil and can grow any crop and our citizens should not go to bed hungry. Agriculture remains a viable platform to reposition the State. I offer myself to serve Edo people and urge the people to give me a chance. “I resigned as chairman of eight boards to serve Edo people with genuineness of mind and service

with the purpose to transform Edo State and make life better for citizens. “The state is blessed with human resources, capacity and capabilities that will help Edo State to grow strong. If Edo State starts growing at 10 or 11 per cent , we can pull other states in Nigeria to grow at a rate faster than we are growing today. “I am strong on integrity and I am lucky and blessed because I have placed value on integrity. I am concerned about the values in our system and if we all are still strong in values to bring up children with great values, Nigeria will have been a changed country. “Parents should pay attention to values and our problems as a nation will diminish. I have offered myself to the state to bring all my experience and capacity to develop the state.”

DECEMBER 30, 2023 • THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER

INSIGHT

Merry Christmas...

Blessing Same-Sex Couples

Yuletide Transport Allowance

for transport, people from these states he Vatican approval of blessing for same-sex couples has elicited opposition from episcopal conferences ȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ Ĵ ȱ ȱ ought to have been accorded some Nigerians that Mr President, Bola across Africa. And it has become pertinent to ask: Why do these bishops detest homosexuals? What Tinubu, is unfair to Edo and Delta States respect, priority and dignity. ȱ ȱ ¢ ȱ Ĵ ǵȱ ¢ȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ¡ǵȱ From the way people from the Niger by sidelining them from the recent 50% ȱ ȱ £ ȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ¡ ȱ ǰȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ě ȱ Delta have been sidelined, we come off palliatives on transport costs during the ȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ę ȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ǯȱ with the impression that we are being yuletide. We say this in spite of his recent From Cameroon, the bishops declared: “Faithful to the constant teaching of Ecclesial Tradition which punished for exercising our election protestations that he was going to be fair declares acts of homosexuality intrinsically disordered and contrary to the natural law (Catechism of the responsibilities. There is time to reverse, and just to all Nigerians irrespective of Catholic Church n. 2357), we, the Bishops of Cameroon, reiterate our disapproval of homosexuality and and or amend the route that will benefit ¢ȱ Ĝ ȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ homosexual unions. Consequently, we formally forbid all blessings of homosexual couples in the Church of from the yuletide transport allowance. him in the presidential elections. Cameroon”. If I may ask: What do bishops in Cameroon know about the “Ecclesial Tradition” that the Vatican Bob MajiriOghene Etemiku, Abuja does not know? Why can’t these clerics abandon their ‘disordered’ and ‘mistaken’ idea of the natural law? Recall that most of the monies that In the same vein, the bishops in Malawi stated: “We direct that for pastoral reasons, blessings of any kind he is going to spend to defray the and for same-sex unions of any kind, are not permitted in Malawi”. From Zambia, the bishops said: “To avoid palliatives is from the crude oil in any pastoral confusion and ambiguity as well as not to break the law of our country which forbids same-sex the Niger Delta States. They are not unions and activities, and while listening to our cultural heritage which does not accept same-sex relationmonies that come from the pockets of a Mr President, to be put to use for the ships. The guidelines in Fiducia Supplicans are for further reflection and not for implementation in Zambia”. comfort of just a section of Nigeria. We Now, why should bishops in Malawi issue a counter directive? Was that necessary? The statement from the also want to say that people from these bishops in Zambia is a piece of pastoral confusion because of the conflicting signals. While the Vatican declaraecently, a national daily conducted an states in Nigeria are some of the most appraisal and selected the Chairman of the tion sanctions love, the statement from the bishops signals hate and hostility. The bishops have demonstrated widely travelled people nationally and ȱ ȱ ǰȱ ȱ ȱ a lack of ‘listening to our cultural heritage’ because the African culture is dynamic and accommodative. More internationally. This is a statement of Ningi, as the Senator of the Week. This importantly, unlike the pope, these clerics have shown their inability to listen to the “signs of the times”. fact, to be attested to from the many recognition, unsurprising given his contributions to Furthermore, bishops from other African countries have issued similar statements. From Nigeria, the private transport companies in these socio-economic growth, extends beyond Nigeria to bishops said: “There is no possibility in the Church of blessing same-sex unions and activities, permitting states. To that end, if there was going the neighboring Niger Republic. such blessings would go against God’s law, the teachings of the Church, the laws of our nation, and the to be an emphasis or priority given at This marks a promising beginning for the cultural sensibilities of our people”. And from Burkina Faso & Niger, the bishops stated: “Catholic doctrine on the planning stages of this allowance lawmaker, earning such recognition within the marriage does not change, and the Church does not approve of irregular or same-sex unions”. The statement second quarter of his first year—a sign of brighter from the Kenya Conference of Catholic Bishop partly says days ahead. “The document does not in any way approve of ‘Same-sex Addressing concerns about Ningi’s future Marriages’ nor try to give a back-door recognition of such political ambitions in the 2027 Bauchi polity, there’s a union. It does not seek an alternative ‘union blessing’ to a notion that his second-term victory in the upper substitute a Sacramental marriage...This Document does T H E SAT U R DAY N E W S PA P E R EDITOR OBINNA CHIMA chamber provides an added advantage. This stems not change in any way the understanding of Marriage as a DEPUTY EDITOR AHAMEFULA OGBU from the quality of leadership that inspires trust Sacrament in the Church, an indissoluble union between a MANAGING DIRECTOR ENIOLA BELLO among Bauchi constituents. I confidently assert that man and a woman, for life”. The Catholic Bishops of South DEPUTY MANAGING DIRECTOR ISRAEL IWEGBU Bauchi, and indeed the entire state, has not seen an Africa, Botswana, and Eswatini said: “The suggestions CHAIRMAN EDITORIAL BOARD OLUSEGUN ADENIYI EDITOR NATION’S CAPITAL IYOBOSA UWUGIAREN icon like Ningi. Known for his oratory and fearless offered by the declaration may be taken as a guide with THE OMBUDSMAN KAYODE KOMOLAFE truth-speaking, Walin Ningi has been following in prudence, we will guide further on how such a blessing the footsteps of political giants such as Balewas and may be requested and granted to avoid the confusion the Zungurs. document warns against. The Ghana Catholic Bishops The anticipation surrounding his political Conference noted: “This Declaration does not give Catholic T H I S DAY N E W S PA P E R S L I M I T E D trajectory may be influenced by the appointment priests the permission to bless same-sex marriages... EDITOR-IN-CHIEF/CHAIRMAN NDUKA OBAIGBENA of three former LG Chairmen as his legislative The document defines marriage as an “exclusive, stable, GROUP EXECUTIVE DIRECTORS ENIOLA BELLO, KAYODE KOMOLAFE, aides. The power tussle in Niger sparked reactions and indissoluble union between a man and a woman, ISRAEL IWEGBU, EMMANUEL EFENI from ECOWAS, chaired by President Bola Tinubu, naturally open to the generation of children”. The bishops DIVISIONAL DIRECTORS SHAKA MOMODU, PETER IWEGBU, ANTHONY OGEDENGBE threatening intervention. In a press conference, from Zimbabwe said: “In respect of the law of the land, DEPUTY DIVISIONAL DIRECTOR OJOGUN VICTOR DANBOYI SNR. ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR ERIC OJEH under the auspices of the Northern Senators Forum, our culture and for moral reasons, we instruct pastors to ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR PATRICK EIMIUHI Sen. Ningi stressed the urgent need for intervention desist from actions that may be deemed as the blessing of CONTROLLERS ABIMBOLA TAIWO, UCHENNA DIBIAGWU, NDUKA MOSERI to lift sanctions, release the ousted President, and same-sex unions bringing confusion and even scandal to DIRECTOR, PRINTING PRODUCTION CHUKS ONWUDINJO hasten the return to democratic governance. our people”. TO SEND EMAIL: ﬁrst name.surname@thisdaylive.com Ningi is a voice of the voiceless. Leo Igwe is a humanist from Nigeria Adamu Gabi, Bauchi

Ningi: A Voice for the Voiceless

SATURDAY DECEMBER 30, 2023 • T H I S D AY

THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER DECEMBER 30, 2023

NEWS

APPRECIATING GOD'S MERCIES ... L-R: Ngozi Emenike, Chioma Emenike, immediate past Nigeria's Ambassador to United States of America, Dr. Uzoma Emenike, 2023 Abia APC Governorship candidate, High Chief Ikechi Emenike, Oluchi Emenike and Ikechi Emenike Jnr., during the family's annual thanksgiving service at St. John Methodist Church, Umukabia Okpuala, Umuahia North LGA, Abia State...recently

$110m Fine: BATN Restates Commitment to Comply with Nigeria's Laws, Makes Payments Dike Onwuamaeze The British American Tobacco Nigeria (BATN) has clarified that it has paid

the fine imposed on it and its affiliates by the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) and declared that it

“remains committed to operating in compliance with the laws of Nigeria.” BATN made this clarification yesterday in a public

statement titled: 'BATN's Response to the FCCPC Fine'. The statement reads: “In response to recent reports regarding the FCCPC decision,

British American Tobacco Nigeria (BATN) wishes to clarify its position as follows: “BATN previously disclosed the investigation

who later led them to the house of their target. "When they got there, they kidnapped the entire family, but while leaving the house, they shot the man (their target), who is a pastor at the Redeemed Christian Church of God in the presence of his wife and their three children," she said. The pastor's wife, who is a teacher in one of the government secondary schools in Bwari, however, managed to escape from the attack with her

five-month old baby. The members of the vigilant group, who went after the bandits, rescued the pastor's five-year-old son by the river side. Another eyewitness said the bandits made their way to the house of a military personnel and demanded for his rifle and uniform from the wife. "The wife told them that her husband was on duty. They, however, kidnapped two of his children," she said.

mentioned by the FCCPC in its year-end 2022 Annual Report and most recently in our Half-Year Report for the six months to 30 June 2023. “In December 2022, the FCCPC entered into a consent order, terminating the mentioned investigation and associated proceedings. British American Tobacco (Nigeria) Limited and British American Tobacco Marketing (Nigeria) Limited have made payments to settle the penalty. “BAT Nigeria acknowledges the mentioned monitorship and awareness campaigns and has cooperated fully with the FCCPC’s appointed service providers. BAT remains committed to operating in compliance with the laws of Nigeria.”

did not come easy as it was met with stiff opposition from several quarters. The intrigues that followed the historic appointment was revealed Wednesday, by the husband of the immediate past Nigeria's Ambassador to U.S, High

Chief Ikechi Emenike, during the annual thanksgiving of his family at St. John's Methodist Church, Umukabia Okpuala in Umuahia North Local Government Area of Abia State. Emenike, who was the 2023 governorship candidate of the All

Progressives Congress (APC) in Abia State, said that several people and interest groups did everything possible to dissuade then President Muhammadu Buhari to drop his wife, Dr. Uzoma, as Nigeria's Ambassador to the U.S. "mainly because of her gender".

Bandits Go on Rampage During Yuletide in FCT, Niger Communities Olawale Ajimotokan in Abuja Bandits struck in some communities in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) and Niger State during the festive holidays, killing four persons and kidnapping 39 others. The FCT communities affected by the raid were Bwari and Kuduru, while Garam and Azu came under attack in Niger State.

Kill 4, kidnap 39 Two days to Christmas, a pastor with the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG) was killed while 13 persons were abducted by the bandits during an attack on Garam community near Bwari while on Thursday, 18 persons were kidnapped at Kuduru, a

community bordering Garam. The bandits yesterday killed three persons during a raid on Azu and kidnapped eight others. A resident of Garam, identified as Mrs. Juliana, confirmed the attack. She said the men armed with guns and other dangerous weapons, ransacked many houses looking for their targets in the dead of the night. "The bandits presumably entered a wrong house, kidnapped two boys

Otti, Nwifuru, Others Expected as Item People Celebrate Today Emenike: Buhari Rejected Calls to Drop My Wife as Nigeria's Ambassador to U.S. The Governor of Abia State, Dr.Alex Otti, his Ebonyi State counterpart, Hon.Ogbonna Francis Nwifuru,senator representing Abia North and Chairman, Senate Committee on Privatisation, Senator Orji Uzor Kalu, House of Representatives Deputy Speaker, Rt. Hon. Benjamin Kalu and other prominent dignitaries are expected today as all nine villages that make up Item Okpi Ancient Kingdom in Bende Local Government Area of Abia State celebrate the Item Day 2023 holding at the Jane Egbichi Oteh Mini Stadium, Amaokwe Item. According to a statement by the Chairman, Planning Committee, Chief Emeka Davies Eke and Secretary, Planning Committee, Udeagha Aja, the event with theme: 'Celebrating Excellence in Service' will feature, among others, thanksgiving service; grand reception for the Deputy Speaker, House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Kalu, formal investiture of a new IDA grandpatron, awards and cultural carnival. The event has Prince Ndukauba

Chukwu, Group Chairman/MD, Golden Rule Group of Companies, as Chairman, while Abia State Governor, Dr. Otti will be Special Host. The Chief Guest of Honour is the Deputy Speaker, House of Representatives, Rt. Hon.Kalu, with Senator Orji Uzor Kalu, as Special Guest of Honour. The Diamond Guest of Honour for the event is Governor of Ebonyi State, Nwifuru,while Father of the Day is Chief Sir Akwari Ukpabi (Omekaozuoha 1 of Item). HRM Eze Jerry Akpala Igwe, Chairman, Item Traditional Royal Council, is Rayal Father of the Day, with Bishop Dr. Sunday Onuoha, Chairman, IDA Board of Trustees, as Spiritual Father of the Day. The thanksgiving service moderator will be Rev. (Dr.) Godswill Ndukwe, President, Latter Rain Pentecostal Assembly and Sir Onwuka Orji, President General of Item Development Association (IDA), is Chief Host. The organising committee said that the grand reception for Hon. Kalu was being organised for his execution of rural infrastructure

Emmanuel Ugwu-Nwogo in Umuahia It has emerged that the appointment of Dr. Uzoma Ikechi Emenike as the first woman to become Nigeria's Ambassador to the United States of America

Cross River, Oando Clean Energy to Build In Nigeria, Others, Catholic Same-sex 100MW Wind Power Generating Plant, Others Couples See No Blessings Soon Cross River State Government said it has taken the first concrete step towards the industralisation and economic growth of the state. This is as it has signed a Memoranda of Understanding (MoU) with Oando Clean Energy Limited (OCEL) for the setting up of wind power generating plant, electric vehicle assembly plant and buses. The State Governor, Senator Bassey Edet Otu, disclosed this in Calabar, the state capital, when he addressed the media on the

gains of the state government’s attendance at the COP28 event and its determination to pursue vigorously some of the outcomes of the global climate event. Otu revealed that one of the gains, ‘is the signing of a MoU between the Cross River State Government and Oando Clean Energy Limited (OCEL). This MoU was signed towards the development of a 100MW Wind Power Generating Plant in Akamkpa Local Government Area which will significantly increase access to electric power in the state.

Oluchi Chibuzor with agency report

Nigerian Catholic couple Jane and Lucy have little hope their local parish church will bless their same-sex union anytime soon, as conservative priests across Africa choose to ignore a landmark Vatican ruling allowing such blessings. Reuters reported that conservative Catholics have condemned the Vatican's declaration two weeks ago, which was approved by Pope Francis, that will allow blessings for same-sex couples, as long as

they are not part of the regular church rituals or liturgies. The Pope has hit back against the criticism and what he called inflexible ideological positions that hinder the church from moving forward.

SATURDAY DECEMBER 30, 2023 • T H I S D AY

THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER DECEMBER 30, 2023

Ferdinand Ekechukwu - 08035011394 Email: ferdi_adthisday@yahoo.com

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Barrack Obama’s 2023 Favourite Music Features Burna Boy, Davido, Asake, Tems Ferdinand Ekechukwu

arack Obama has shared the annual list of his favorite songs for the 2023, with Nigerian superstar artistes Davido, Asake, and Tems among the picks. Asake’s ‘Amapiano’ featuring Olamide, Davido’’s ‘Unavailable’, and Tems ‘Me & U’ were among the songs featured on the list. Also featured on the former president’s 28-song selection were Burna Boy and 21 Savage (Sittin’ on Top of The World). Other international artistes on the list included Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit,

Zach Bryan and Kacey Musgraves, Dave and Central Cee, 6lack, Brent Faiyaz, Karol G and Shakira, and Stormzy and Fredo. Songs by Nigerian superstars like Burna Boy, Davido, Tems and Wizkid made the 44th president of the United States of America 2020 Summer Playlist. The annual musical compilation is a routine which has become part of Obama’s culture and social fun time memories since his time in the White House. “Here are some of my favorite songs from this year,” Obama wrote on social media. “Let me know if there are any artists or songs I

should check out.” The annual list comes on the heels of Obama’s yearly book and movie favorites, which the ex-POTUS shared earlier this week. In the 2023 songs, highlights of the playlist included “TQG” by Karol G and Shakira, “I Remember Everything” by Zach Bryan feat. Kacey Musgraves, “Sprinter” by Dave and Central Cee and “America Has a Problem” by Beyoncé featuring Kendrick Lamar. African acts who have previously made Obama’s favourite songs include Rema, all-female supergroup Les Amazones d’Afrique with their song ‘La Dame et Ses Valises’ Nigerian Jidenna with ‘Classic Man’ in 2018.

Flytime Fest 2023 Wraps-up with Electrifying Performances Ferdinand Ekechukwu

he four-day musical extravaganza witnessed at the Flytime Fest 2023 reached its crescendo as the pulsating rhythms of Afrobeats reverberated through the hearts of Lagos on Christmas Day, showcasing phenomenal performance by Asake. ‘Mr. Money with the Vibe’ as he’s fondly called sure did display his infectious artistry and genre-bending music, captivating the audience with a night of unforgettable music and energetic dance moves. The Grammy-nominated artist performed top charting songs from “Amapiano” to “Lonely at the Top” getting the crowd to lose themselves in the music’s intoxicating groove. Prior to Asake, Flytime Fest 2023 witnessed a spectacle of phenomenal performance from superstar Davido, igniting the night with an array of hits and special appearances by BMW, Peruzzi, and Morravey. The crowd was taken on a musical journey from Davido classics like Aye and Dami Duro to recent hits from the Grammy nominated

Davido and Asake

Timeless album. Asake and Davido reunited on stage to perform their hit song, “No Competition”. The energy in the room was explosive, a testament to the undeniable chemistry between the two giants of Afrobeats. The energy was palpable as the venue wit-

nessed a sold-out show, ÀOOHG ZLWK DQ HFOHFWLF PL[ of fans, including notable personalities and top celebrities from across the country. The festival ended with a grand XQYHLOLQJ RI JUD΀WL artist, the Osa Seven’s mural of the late singer, Mohbad which got the attention of many festival attendees. Flytime Fest is one of Africa’s biggest indoor music and live entertainment festivals, featuring a diverse lineup of genres and talents from the continent and beyond. This edition concluded a year marked by success for Afrobeats as it brought together music enthusiasts from Nigeria and around the globe. The event showcased a lineup of 20 music artists, headlined by Rhythm Unplugged, featuring international rapper Roddy Ricch.

EWL Discusses Music Industry, Surviving as Independent Artiste Ferdinand Ekechukwu

ersonal branding, distribution, promotion, engagement with fans; patience and consistency KDYH EHHQ LGHQWLÀHG DV WRROV independent artistes require to navigate the music industry. This was part of the discussion by stakeholders in the Nigerian music industry who gathered at the Livespot Entertainment, Lekki, Lagos for this year’s Entertainment Week Lagos (EWL). Entertainment Week Lagos, the groundbreaking platform that unites global entertainment industry in the heart of Lagos, gathered the brightest stars and industry leaders from across Africa’s booming $62.67 million entertainment industry, according to PwC’s Media and Entertainment Outlook. With its second edition held from December 13 to 20, 2023, organisers attracted 15,000

Panelists during the Entertainment Week Lagos

attendees, reaching over 100 million people, and training more than 1,000 individuals with over 3000 workforce for the event. The African entertainment industry is on

a rapid growth trajectory, with projections indicating over 100 per cent increase in total revenue by 2026, as per PwC’s Entertainment and Media Outlook. While the industry future is bright, independent artistes despite their talent continue to falter, with many droppings after years of struggling without making it to the limelight. Discussing how independent artistes could breakthrough, Deji Awokoya, Dare Art Alade, Steve Stout and others advocated independent artistes must persevere and stick to their crafts in order to grow. The panel query why young artistes are in pursuit to capture the world stage instead of perfecting their craft and conquering their HQYLURQPHQW ÀUVW

Obama

Spotify’s Afrobeats Streaming Site Gets Fresh Updates Ferdinand Ekechukwu

arly this year, Spotify dedicated a site to Afrobeats, celebrating its global impact and African roots. The site that quickly became an online hub dedicated to everything Afrobeats just got fresh updates. Afrobeats enthusiasts are now able to feed their passion with details about the most streamed Afrobeats tracks, albums and artists in 2023. This new content was an addition to the available information already on the site about the genre’s beginnings, evolution, and fusion of styles, cultural impact, and highlights of QRWDEOH ZRPHQ ZKR KDYH SOD\HG LQÁXHQWLDO roles within the genre. Afrobeats exponential growth and global acceptance are evident LQ LWV VLJQLÀFDQW PLOHVWRQHV From Rema’s groundbreaking achievement of surpassing a billion streams on Spotify with his track “Calm Down” featuring Selena Gomez, Afrobeats artists being nominated for and winning the prestigious Grammys, to other Afrobeats artists headlining shows at iconic venues both home and abroad, the genre is taking its position as a leading and globally celebrated cultural export from Africa. Jocelyne Muhutu-Remy, Spotify’s Managing Director for Sub-Saharan Africa says, “The tenacity, musical prowess and accomplishments of Afrobeats artists brings pride to the African continent and is worthy of celebration. Spotify is delighted to spotlight Afrobeats artists who are breaking boundaries as catalysts of growth for the Afrobeats genre”.

Rema

Unveiling Michael Iveoghene Ofomukoro

Ofomikoro

ichael Ofomukoro, popularly known as Micali is a talented Nigerian singer, performer and songwriter. He kicked RͿ KLV VLQJLQJ FDUHHU in his home church, First Baptist Church, Ughelli North Delta State, Nigeria where he sang in the choir for over ten years and later recorded an album RI ÀYH VRQJV LQ In 2007, Micali joined a reputable music group, ‘mascot’ in Benin City, Edo State, where he served as the lead singer. His third album was recorded with a known label where he signed

up with ‘Street Beat’ owned by Mr. Rodney Egbenoma but it never got to limelight due to unforeseen circumstances. Born into a core Christian home to late Chief khalil Aregbe Ofomukoro and Mrs. Toristeju Eustachia Ofomukoro, Micali hails from Agbarha-otor in Ughelli, headquarters of Ughelli North Local Government Area of Delta State. Due to pressure from family, Micali at some point abandoned his music career and focused solely on his academics where he bagged a Higher National Diploma (HND) in Mass Communication from Our Saviour Polytechnic, Osisa Tech Enugu State.

He served as a class room teacher at Adudu Primary School in Obi Local Government Area, Nassarawa State during his one year compulsory National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) 2015-2016. 6XEVHTXHQWO\ KH PDGH SRVLWLYH HͿRUWV WR work with ‘Mr. Free’ but it proved abortive as money was a major constraint. His latest singles are a success today because of God’s mercy and favour upon his life. Thankfully, his songs are now on all streaming platforms including YouTube, SoundCloud, iTunes, Amazon Prime, Audomack and Spotify as ‘Mr. Micali’ and on tiktok, Facebook and Instagram.

THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER DECEMBER 30, 2023

SHOWBIZFLAIR

Tosin Clegg

H PDLO WRVLQFOHJJ#KRWPDLO FRP

Allyson-Obaniyi:

I’m Grateful How Far I Have Come, I’m Fulﬁlled Sola Allyson-Obaniyi, popularly known as Sola Allyson is a Nigerian singer and songwriter who came into limelight with the hit record, Eji Owuro, which was the soundtrack for a film with same title. After Eji Owuro, she has released several albums such as Gbeje F’ori, Ire, Im’oore amongst others. Apart from being a singer, she is also a voice coach, counsellor and a consultant. In this interview she talks about 20 years after her hit record, her unique sound, her defined style of musical delivery and more. Tosin Clegg brings the excerpts

his is 20 years after Eji Owuro, what has been the experience? Eji Owuro was released on November 20, 2003. It was originally a sound track of a ÀOP RI WKH VDPH WLWOH %HIRUH WKHQ , ZDV DOUHDG\ LQ WKH PXVLF LQGXVWU\ IRU DERXW \HDUV , KDYH EHHQ D EDFNXS VLQJHU EHIRUH WKH\ FRQWUDFWHG PH WR GR WKH VRXQG WUDFN IRU (ML 2ZXUR , GLGQ·W NQRZ ZKDW ZDV JRLQJ WR KDSSHQ EXW , PDGH VXUH , SXW LQ P\ EHVW LQWR HYHU\WKLQJ WKDW , GR , DP D WKRURXJK ZRUNHU ,I , ZDQW WR GR VRPHWKLQJ QR PDWWHU KRZ VPDOO RU KRZ PXFK WKH\ SD\ PH , ZDQW WR GR LW YHU\ ZHOO , GLGQ·W NQRZ LW ZDV JRLQJ WR EHFRPH OLNH WKDW Usually, sound tracks are not always very long, WKH\ DUH QRW DV ORQJ DV DOEXPV $IWHU WKH ÀOP ZDV UHOHDVHG WKH H[HFXWLYH SURGXFHU 0U 2OD ,ELURQNH VDLG LW ZRXOG EH JRRG IRU WKH VRQJV WR VWDQG RQ WKHLU RZQ WKDW WKH VRQJV ZHUH WRR ELJ WR EH OHIW LQ D ÀOP 6R WKDW ZDV KRZ , KDG WR DGG WR WKH VRQJV WR PDNH WKHP ORQJHU DQG ZH DUH KHUH WRGD\ \HDUV DIWHU , DP JHWWLQJ UHDG\ P\ QHZ ZRUN DQG LW PLJKW QRW EH DQ DOEXP EXW FDQ EH DQ (3 H[WHQGHG SOD\ %XW ,·P VXUH LW ZLOO VWLOO FRPH RXW DV WKH RULJLQDO me and be a blessing to souls. What is next for Sola Allyson? I don’t put myself under pressure. I just take HYHU\ GD\ DV WKH\ FRPH EXW \RX FDQ EH VXUH WKDW WKH ZD\ \RX GR DQ\WKLQJ LV WKH ZD\ \RX GR HYHU\WKLQJ , KDYH IRXQG P\ VRXO·V SDWK QRZ , DP YHU\ VXUH RI ZKDW ,·P VXSSRVHG WR GR <RX FDQ EH VXUH WKDW HYHU\WKLQJ WKDW , DP JRLQJ WR GR LV JRLQJ WR EH EDVHG RQ WKH VDPH IRXQGDWLRQ WKDW , ODLG EDVHG RQ WKH VDPH YDOXHV WKH G\QDPLFV PLJKW EH D ELW GLͿHUHQW EXW ,·P VWLOO JRLQJ WR EH WKLV VDPH 6ROD $OO\VRQ WKDW you know. I sing in Yoruba predominantly. I DP YHU\ $IULFDQ ,·P YHU\ 1LJHULDQ ,·P YHU\ <RUXED , DP D ZRPDQ ,·P D ZLIH ,·P D PRWKHU $Q\WKLQJ FDQ FKDQJH LQ VRPH WKLQJV EXW P\ YDOXH WKDW , SXW ZLOO QHYHU FKDQJH

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What big project are you working on? 7KHUH LV QR SURMHFW WKDW , KDYH ZRUNHG RQ WKDW LV QRW ELJ ,W ZDV MXVW EHFDXVH (ML 2ZXUR ZDV ZKDW LQWURGXFHG PH WR SHRSOH EHFDXVH WKH PXVLF DQG WKH VRXQG ZHUH GLͿHUHQW ,W ZDV IUHVK :LWK DOO VHQVH DOO KXPLOLW\ WKHUH wasn’t any sound, any melodic structure like (ML 2ZXUR EHIRUH LW FDPH 7KHUH LV QRWKLQJ , KDYH GRQH WKDW LV QRW ELJ 7KH UHDVRQ LV WKDW (ML 2ZXUR LV WKH VRQJ WKDW UHJLVWHUHG PH LQ SHRSOH·V KHDGV DQG WKH WLPH (ML 2ZXUR FDPH ZDVQ·W WKH WLPH RI VRFLDO PHGLD LW ZDVQ·W D WLPH ZKHQ WKH\ ZHUH D ORW RI DUWLVWHV RQ WKH VFHQH OLNH WKDW %XW , NQRZ WKDW P\ SODFH KDV DOZD\V EHHQ P\ SODFH 0\ SRVLWLRQ KDV DOZD\V EHHQ P\ SRVLWLRQ , GLG $GXUD 2OROXIH DQG LW·V TXLWH SRSXODU WRR , GLG ,IH $GDOH ,UL $\DQPR , Do you have plans to diversify into acting? VLQJ DV ,·P LQVSLUHG QRW WKDW VKH VLQJV ORYH 2YHU WKH \HDUV , KDYH JRW VRPH VFULSWV WR DFW 7KLV songs. I sing as it comes to me. LV ZKDW , VWDQG IRU ,I , NQRZ ZKDW ,·P VXSSRVHG WR GR LQ WKH ÀOP LV FRPSDFWLEOH WR ZKDW , DP VHQW There is this ongoing debate of whether to do, I would do it. Of course, I will not open you are a secular or gospel artiste, how do my breast and bum bum because I believe in we categorise you? WKH VSLULW RI ZRPDQKRRG D ORW %XW , FDQ GR ÀOP , KDYH DOZD\V EHHQ DGGUHVVLQJ LW , NQRZ , will address it forever and I will address it today Are we going to see a collaboration or song DJDLQ 6SLULWXDOLW\ LV QRW OLPLWHG WR UHOLJLRQ , in English? am not a gospel singer; I am a singer. If you , ZDV D PHPEHU RI WKH FHQWUDO FKRLU RI WKH

Allyson-Obaniyi

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THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER DECEMBER 30, 2023

FAIRGROUND with

AZUKA OGUJIUBA

azuka.ogujiuba@thisdaylive.com

Toyin Abraham Ajeyemi's ‘Malaika’ Movie Premieres

he much-anticipated premiere of Malaika by Toyin Abraham Ajeyemi was held under the theme “Owanbe Style”at the IMAX Filmhouse Cinemas, Lekki recently. The movie was unfolded DV D GD]]OLQJ VWDU VWXGGHG DͿDLU FDSWLYDWLQJ DFFODLPHG LQGXVWU\ ÀJXUHV DQG HVWHHPHG JXHVWV The glamorous atmosphere seamlessly blended ZLWK JXHVWV VKRZFDVLQJ WKHLU $VR HEL LQ GLͿHUHQW VW\OH VHWWLQJ the stage for an unforgettable cinematic journey. Those that graced the star-studded red carpet of the premiere ZHUH DFWRUV FHOHEULWLHV DQG LQÁXHQFHUV OLNH (UHOX $ELROD 'RVXQPX Bolanle Austen Peters, Joke Silva, Tola Odunsi, Kunle Remi, 6KDURQ 2RMD (EXEH 1ZDJER /DVLVL (OHQX 6KDͿ\ %HOOR ,QL 'LPD 2NRMLH +HUR 'DQLHOV DQG PRUH 7KH PRYLH VWDUV 7R\LQ $EUDKDP $QQH .DQVLLPH (PHND Ike, Odunlade Adekola, Adebayo Ademola Muyiwa, Uzor $UXNZH 2GHUKRKZR -RVHSK ´&DUWHUµ (IH ,EUDKLP &KDWWD Pelumi Olawuni (Abike Shugaa), and veteran actress Taiwo Ajayi Lycette amongst others. Malaika focuses on the challenges of childlessness, love and WKH MR\V RI PRWKHUKRRG ,WV SURGXFWLRQ WHDP GHOLYHUHG HͿHFWLYHO\ and ensures that viewers are captivated. ,QGHHG 0DODLND UHYROYHV DURXQG WKH OLYHV RI 'U DQG 0UV (EXND ZKRVH UROHV ZHUH SOD\HG E\ 7R\LQ $EUDKDP $MH\HPL DQG (PHND ,NH ZKR ZHUH IDFHG ZLWK WKH FKDOOHQJH RI LQIHUWLOLW\ despite their successful careers. The movie emphasises the spiritual aspect of the African society and showcases the importance of love. It also reveals the danger in anger and the need for it to be controlled.

L-R: Yeye Odua Erelu Dosunmu and her daughter Ademide with Toyin Abraham Ajeyemi and Abike Shuga

Moet Abebe

Nini Singh

Taiwo Adeyemi and Nkechi Blessing

Emeka Ike, Abike Shuga and Toyin Abraham

Mabel Makun

MC Oluoma, Dolapo and Idris Aregbe

Inidima Okojie

Biodun Okeowo

Debola Williams

Lasisi Elenu

Kunle Remi, Tola Odunsi and Sharon Ooja

Muyiwa Ademola

Portable

Ilebaye

NasBoi

THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER DECEMBER 30, 2023

INTERVIEW ‘With Expansion, Irawo Will Unleash Creativity, Oﬀer Value to Customers’ The Irawo Studio which was incorporated in 2021, as an Afro-Fusion women wear brand founded by a family of women for women, recently opened a new chapter in its history with its expansion to Osborne, Ikoyi, Lagos. In this interview, the Creative Director of Irawo Studio, Abby Ikomi and the Chief Operating Oﬃcer, Dola Ikomi, spoke about the journey so far for the organisation that has consistently delivered beautiful African pieces all around the world as well as on other issues in the fashion industry. Oluchi Chibuzor brings the excerpts: Abby Ikomi:

ow did Irawo start and what is the idea behind Irawo? From time immemorial I have alwaysbeenaveryfashionable person. I love fashion and I try to take it to diﬀerent heights. Ultimately,itwasanaturalthing for me to fall into having my own fashion brand. As for how it started, when my daughters were graduating, two of them graduated same year in the United States and they said they wanted some African wears. They said they didn’t want to buy anything international, but something from home like ankara. I went around searching everywhere and before I could ﬁnd someone to buy from, it was almost a nightmare. This was also like 10 years ago. So, a friend of mine took me to a lady at Opebi, Ikeja, and the lady literally shaved my hair with prices. When I took the dresses to the United States, I realised that despite giving her the styles that I wanted, she didn’t get it right and it wasn’t their sizes. So, I went to look for a Chinese woman, sat with her and we altered the design and styles. That was what gave birth to Irawo. I decided that when I go back home, I would start this business because I have all it takes. I come from a family of fashionable women. My late mum was very fashionable and my grandmother was a tailor. This is what my family has always done. So, it was so natural for me. I sat down and started coordinating. Luckily we have a shopping mall at Victoria Island, so I didn’t have to look for space. I created a space, gave myself about two months and looked around for tailors who could help me work on it and then I started. Prior to that, I was into interiors. Now, we are approaching our sixth year as an organisation.

women. It was what they wore for the ﬁrst Saturday night party at this year’s Big Brother. So, we didn’t sleep. It was a nice experience and the mileage was good. Dola Ikomi What has been the experience as the Chief Operating Oﬃcer? Ithasreallybeenanamazingexperience.Asmy mum already explained, it all started when we wanted to wear African brands and the person basicallymessedupandwhenIsawtheamazing job my mum did with the attire, I advised her to go into fashion. I had just graduated as well and it was like a perfect timing. I graduated in 2017, and I was thinking of while doing my corporate job, I could also be an entrepreneur. So, I felt I could establish something with my mum and grow a family business and it has been a great experience since we started.

Dola

Abby

What is your take about Nigeria’s fashion industry? Nigeria’s fashion industry is growing and is impressive. It is also very competitive. There arepeoplethathavebeenherefor10to20years andtherearesomanybrandsthatstartandthey are gone the next year. This is our sixth year and we are here to stay. I think we have been learning fromourcompetitorsandwehavebeeninvolved in fashion shows all over the world, just trying to push the business. What you are seeing today is sweat and hard work for six years and it will continue.

This new store you just opened at Osborne is more like an expansion, how do you feel today? You know how it is when you have a vision, where you want to be, how you see yourself, the comfort, ambiance and the things you want to see. I have always had the vision that at some point I was going to have my own space, strictly for the Irawo brand and our high-end clienteles. That was why we set up this place. What are the unique selling points for the Irawo brand? You see the word ‘unique,’ that is what we are. Weareunique,wearedifferentandwedon’tcopy anyone. Naturally I am also very creative, so I don’t need to borrow from anyone or anybody’s design.IamnotsayingIamthesmartestperson, for me, creativity comes naturally and everything I do is all about creativity, even this entire building, I redesigned it. Every little corner you see, I worked on it with the contractors. When it comes to attention to details, I am always on it. How affordable are your wears? Youknowthewordaffordabilityisrelative.Ican say it is affordable and the next person says it is not and another person says the prices are too low. At Irawo, you will get value for your money. The price you pay when you wear an Irawo piece is always worth it. I always tell my customers that when you wear an Irawo and step into an occasionorevent,ifpeopledon’tstopyouasyou are walking to ask you who made the wear, then I will refund your money. That is our selling point.

WheredoyouseeIrawointhenextﬁveyears? I really see us expanding and becoming a major player in the industry. I think this new building is the manifestation of so many prayers and so many talking points of where the business is headed. The vision has always been for Irawo to be number one taste for weddings, birthdays and whatever worth celebrating. Irawo means stars and we want all our customers to fee they are stars and to radiate with joy and happiness.

Irawo Studio

Entrance to the new store

We would make you any outﬁt, be it bespoke, customised or ready-to-wear, people would always ask you what are you wearing. But right now, I thank God that it has moved from what are you wearing to ‘you are wearing Irawo.’ Can you see the diﬀerence? It is a transition from ‘whatareyouwearing?’to‘youarewearingIrawo.’

add that to creativity and the fact that we are smart, what do you have? You have geniuses and that is what we have on Nigeria.

So, what is your take on Nigeria’s fashion industry? Iamproudoftheindustry,IamproudlyNigerian, IamproudtobepartofitineverywayandIactually know that we are scratching the surface. In fewmoreyearsordecades,wewouldberubbing shoulders with the bigger fashion brands that we know. We are actually creating a dynasty and making history. Fashion in Nigeria is going to be historical because as Nigerians naturally we are very colorful, we are very fashionable andwebelieveinmakingstatements.Whenyou

Howareyoumanagingcompetitionconsidering the talents in the industry which you just alluded to? Idon’tallowmyselftodwellsomuchoncompetition and that may be because I am too much in my own world. I respect people that have been in the business before me, I learn from them in ways that I can, but I don’t see them as competitors. I see them as masters in the game that I can learn from. Irawowasinvolvedinclothinghousematesin the last BBN, can you share your experience? ItwasverytediousbecauseIwasgivenabriefto dresstheentirehousematesandIwastodeliver in just four days. I had to dress both the men and

What form of support or incentives will you like to see for the sector, especially from governments at all levels? Ithinktherecanbemoresupport,especiallyfor small businesses. I see a lot of banks talk about supportforbrandsandallofthat,butIthinkthere is need for more. The fashion industry is worth more than a $1 billion or even more and needs all the support. They can build fashion houses so that more people who want to be employed can be engaged. I will also see more support in terms of education in the sector. Withthisexpansion,whatshouldcustomers expect from Irawo? We used to be at Victoria Island, which is the centreofbusinessinLagos.Butnowthatweareat Osborne,thereasonforthatisforourcustomers to have more premium experience. We want a situation whereby when our customers come to our new oﬃce, they would feel like they are at Paris and away from Lagos stress. We have developedanice,luxuryfashionhousethatwould makeourcustomerscomfortable.Mymumspoke aboutthisvisionearlyintheyearandIamexcited we are here. I left my job at New York in 2019, so as to help rebrand the business and also to understand every aspect of the business.

THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER DECEMBER 30, 2023

AUTO WORLD

Bennett Oghifo 07052343083 Email:bennett.oghifo@thisdaylive.com

TIPS OF THE WEEK What Does Toyota’s RAV4 Abbreviation Mean (And Are They All 4WD)?

General Manager, Suzuki By CFAO, Aissatou Diouf (m), ﬂanked by dignitaries and panelists. Backrow are the female graduates of the SEH second edition, at the certiﬁcate presentation ceremony inside the Suzuki showroom, Victoria lsland, Lagos… recently

Suzuki by CFAO Celebrates Women Exploits in Auto Sector

uzuki by CFAO ended the 2023 automotive business year in Nigeria with the graduation ceremony of its Suzuki Empower Her 2.0 (SEH) programme on December 20, 2023. The event, a celebration of female empowerment and achievement, was held at the Suzuki by CFAO showroom in Victoria Island, marking the culmination of a two-month intensive training programme for 20 female technicians. It emphasizes Suzuki by CFAO’s commitment to fostering diversity and inclusivity within the automotive industry. The SEH programme, initiated through a collaborative effort between Suzuki by CFAO and Automedics Limited, is a groundbreaking industry initiative aimed at providing free training opportunities for women aspiring to thrive in the automotive sector. The partnership, sealed with a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on August 1, 2022, set the stage for a transformative journey towards gender inclusivity in the traditionally maledominated field.

Aissatou Diouf, general manager of Suzuki by CFAO, reflecting on the journey so far, expressed her gratitude to Automedics Limited, acknowledging their dedication to supporting the girl child. This partnership paved the way for the establishment of SEH, reflecting Suzuki by CFAO’s commitment to empowering women with the skills and knowledge necessary to excel in the automotive industry. The graduation ceremony, which commenced featured a panel session with five speakers, including industry experts, Suzuki by CFAO representatives, and partners. Guests, comprising individuals from banking institutions and other categories of customers, witnessed the emotional highlight of the event as the female technicians received their well-deserved certificates of training completion. One of the highpoint of the graduation and certificates presentation ceremony was the retention of a total of seven outstanding graduates for internships within Suzuki by CFAO, underscoring the program’s success in nurturing talent within its own ranks.

Skill Up with Kahdsole (SUWK), a social-tech enterprise and Suzuki by CFAO’s collaborator in the SEH program, played a crucial role in ensuring that the remaining graduates were seamlessly absorbed into their platform for additional opportunities. The ceremony highlighted the success stories of past SEH graduates, exemplified by Calista Nganyadi and Adebimpe Okunlola Rukayat, who were retained by Suzuki by CFAO after completing the program last year. Their achievements stand as a testament to the long-term impact envisioned by Aissatou Diouf, who emphasized the importance of consistency in empowering women beyond training. “We don’t want to just train them and let them go. t has to be something consistent, not just to show that we are doing something, but to know that Suzuki by CFAO has empowered women”, said Aissatou Diouf. Suzuki by CFAO’s dedication to fostering a diverse workforce is evident in the SEH program, which strives to create a level playing field for women in the automotive industry.

Egoras Launches Gas-powered Tricycle

goras Technology, a sustainable transportation solutions firm, has launched a gas-powered tricycle, Egoras Dual-Fuel Tricycle. The Chief Executive Officer of Egoras Technology, Ugoji Harry, said in a statement that the tricycle was designed to address the challenges posed by the recent subsidy removal. He noted that the tricycle offered a cost-effective solution for both urban and rural areas, while also contributing to a greener environment. According to Harry, the dual-fuel tricycle runs seamlessly on both petrol and liquid purified gas, presenting a versatile and eco-friendly alternative for commuters. He added that in addition to its dual-fuel capabilities, the Egoras Dual-Fuel Tricycle boasts a user-friendly design, facilitating easy maintenance for operators. According to the CEO of Egoras Technology, the tricycle, which is currently used in some states in the North, South, and South stands out as a reliable and powerful vehicle, boasting impressive technical specifications. “Constructed with high-quality materials such as aluminium, steel, and carbon fibre, the tricycle ensures durability and reliability in various terrains. “With a robust 10 horsepower engine, it delivers a combination of strength and efficiency. The tricycle’s top speed of 60kmph further underscores

Egoras Dual-Fuel Tricycle its capability, offering users a swift and dependable mode of transportation,” he stated. He noted that tricycles had undergone rigourous testing to ensure safety and compliance with industry standards, assuring riders and pedestrians of a secure

and efficient mode of transportation. Harry reiterated that the firm remained dedicated to driving positive change in Nigeria’s transportation landscape, and the launch of the dual-fuel tricycle marked a significant step towards achieving this goal.

In any area of life, abbreviations can be extremely important. Car owners, of course, need to know their ICEs from their EVs, their AMTs from their CVTs and their MDVs from their SUVs, because these things all mean something important in the auto world. While the likes of “electric vehicle” and “sports utility vehicle” are industry-wide terms, certain manufacturers have ways of devising their own abbreviations, and this is where particular confusion can arise. Toyota itself can’t seem to decide what some of its own abbreviations mean. In a 2019 press release, the company stated that the RAV4 idea was centered around “creating a ‘Robust Accurate Vehicle with 4 Wheel Drive.’” However, Toyota would also release a handy glossary for those unsure what RAV4, among many other Toyota model names and abbreviations, means. This defined the term instead as a “Recreational Active Vehicle with 4WD.” Both terms, however, are perfectly in keeping with the nature of an SUV typically designed for those with active lifestyles, large families, and so on. The final aspect of the RAV4 abbreviation, though, makes things a little more complicated. Are they all four-wheel drive, as the title suggests? Let’s take a closer look at the popular RAV4 range to find out. Four-wheel drive, generally speaking, is a system that handles difficult terrain rather well. This, too, is quite the boon for SUVs, which often don’t shy away from venturing off road. Four-wheel drive systems are common among these vehicles, but pure 4WD can be impractical. All-wheel drive, which powers all four wheels only when needed to traverse challenging terrain, can be a more practical option. Some vehicles offer systems that can switch between the two modes automatically. As a result, 4WD is not a prerequisite for an SUV, especially not pure 4WD. After all, many drivers will want the size and power of an SUV but have little need for the off-road utility that four-wheel drive excels in. Toyota’s versatile RAV4 range, accordingly, offers a variety of configuration options. The RAV4 Adventure and RAV4 Hybrid are indeed AWD as standard, but the majority of other RAV4s are front-wheel drive by default. The Adventure trim offers Dynamic Torque Vectoring All-Wheel Drive, and Electronic On-Demand All-Wheel Drive is available to the Hybrid model of the RAV4. These systems differ slightly in application, but the principle is the same: the vehicle is able to focus its output where it’s needed most. (Source: SlashGear)

SATURDAY DECEMBER 30, 2023 • T H I S D AY

THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER ˾DECEMBER 30, 2023

POLITY

Industrial Champion in Africa Award: Another Feather to Lagos Free Zone’s Cap Dike Onwuamaeze

ntil a decade ago, attracting foreign direct investments into Nigeria using Free Trade Zones as the investment gateway seemed a distant dream rather than a feasible reality. However, the success of the Lagos Free Zone has since revolutionised the manufacturing FDI space, with a cumulative deployed investment of $2.5 billion to date by many multinational corporations (MNCs). While many free zones have proliferated in Nigeria, only a select few have become operational after obtaining a license from NEPZA, the regulatory authority. In the case of Lagos Free Zone, remarkable progress has been recorded in recent years, fueled by a surge in foreign direct investment. This trend has earned the Zone consistent recognition for its pivotal role in boosting the Nigerian economy. The most recent accolade is the Industrial Champion Award in the Africa region at the fDi Global Free Zones of the Year 2023 awards. The fDi Intelligence, a service from the Financial Times, monitors global greenfield foreign direct investments across sectors and celebrates the best free zones across geographies and specialisations through The Global Free Zones of the Year awards. A special report published by the industry-leading research firm identified the integration of the Zone with a deep-sea port that receives container vessels from around the world, creating new opportunities for manufacturers looking to export their goods, as the significant reason for honoring it as the inaugural winner of Africa’s Industrial Champions category. The report further declared the Zone as “the region’s leading SEZ for manufacturing.”

Promoted by Singapore-based Tolaram, the Lagos Free Zone is centrally located in Lagos State, the commercial center of West Africa’s largest economy. LFZ, regarded as the ‘new frontier,’ boasts worldclass infrastructure and a single clearance window for enhanced ease of doing business. The integration of the 90-hectare Lekki deep seaport presents an opportunity for the Zone to become a link to regional and international markets. The award has been a long time coming going by the level of infrastructure at the zone, which has continued to attract some of the world’s most renowned international brands such as BASF, TATA International, Insignia Print Technologies, Colgate, Kellogg’s, Aria Foods (Dano Milk), Raffles Oil (Power Oil), CHEC, Sana Building Systems, and others. The commencement of operations at Lekki Port since April 2023 has also added to the thriving business at the zone. The zone, developed and planned with a clusterbased approach in line with international best practices of Work-Live-Play, allocates 70 per cent of the area towards industrial developments, 20 percent, and 10 percent, respectively, to logistics and support services and real estate. The zone is fast becoming home to players in the industrial and services sector who are taking advantage of the availability of world-class facilities, the offer of the single-clearance window, and unrestricted access to regional and international markets, which all together promote the ease of doing business. Since the Zone won the award, there has been a series of appreciation from relevant stakeholders, who believed the award was truly deserving. Speaking on the recognition, Managing Director Nigeria Export Processing Zones Authority, Dr. Olufemi Ogunyemi, expressed profound appreciation for the award, stating the team is gladdened by the feat. “We are deeply excited about this development

and congratulate the Lagos Free Zone team for their efforts. This recognition further strengthens NEPZA’s commitment to driving the Renewed Hope agenda with free zones as the cornerstone of our approach to driving investments into the country. We will continue to provide a conducive environment for businesses to thrive and contribute to our nation’s prosperity. We are excited about the opportunities that lie ahead,” he said. Similarly, the recently appointed Nigerian Investment Promotion Commission CEO, Aisha Rimi, lauded LFZ on the feat, noting that this is an excellent motivation needed to promote investment. In a congratulatory message, Rimi noted, “We are glad to see investment hubs like the Lagos Free Zone get global recognition and congratulate the team at Lagos Free Zone for being announced the Industrial Champions for the African continent at the Global Free Zones awards this year. We are committed to working constructively with public and private sector players towards the common goal of driving inward investments and contributing to the country’s economic growth. “ On his part, the Chief Executive Officer of Lagos Free Zone, Dinesh Rathi, maintained that the award was a testament to the commitment of the promoters to attract global manufacturers by providing a world-class industrial ecosystem and thereby creating employment opportunities for Nigerians. Dedicating the award to Nigerians and making a call to attract global investments to the zone, which offers tax exemption to businesses, Rathi was quoted as saying, “At Lagos Free Zone, we make it possible for businesses to make “Make in Nigeria for Africa” by providing a world-class industrial ecosystem integrated with Lekki Port, Nigeria’s most modern and deepest seaport. We invite global and local manufacturers to unlock hassle-free growth in West Africa and beyond through this ecosystem. We humbly dedicate this prominent recognition to all Nigerians”.

L-R: Managing Director, Nigerian Breweries Plc, Hans Essaadi; Non-Executive Director, NB Plc, Yinka Aroyewun; Chairman, NB Plc, Asue Ighodalo; Non-Executive Director, NB Plc, Ndidi Nwuneli; Company Secretary/Legal Director, NB Plc, Uaboi Agbebaku and Non-Executive Director, NB Plc, Ibrahim Puri during the Extraordinary General Meeting of the company, held in Lagos ….. SUNDAY ADIGUN Senator Jimoh Ibrahim signing the register while on a condolence visit to the family of the late Ondo State Governor Rotimi Akeredolu at their Ibadan residence... yesterday.

L-R; Honourable Commissioner of Education (Tertiary Education), Mr. Tolani Akibu; (representing the Deputy Governor of Lagos State), President, LASU PIONEER CLASS OF 88, Duke Olabode Garbadeen; the Oloto of Oloto, HRM Oba Bashir Abisoye Odesanya-Oloto; Vice President, Aminat Imoitsemeh Yusuf; best LASU law and best overall graduating student 2022-2023 set, Vice-President LASU PIONEER CLASS OF 88, Lateefat Agboola Saaka, at the 35th Anniversary event of the LASU pioneer class of 88, held at Radisson Blue Hotel, Victoria Island in Lagos …. recently

L-R: Associate Business Director; Noah’s Ark Communications Limited; Jumoke Akinyele; Portfolio Manager; Non-Alcoholic Drinks; Nigerian Breweries Plc; Elohor Olumide-Awe; Senior Brand Manager; Maltina; Daniella Ogunsanya; Brand Manager; Maltina; Clementina Otabor and Chief Operating Oﬃcer; Noah’s Ark Communications Limited; Ekeno Eyo during the presentation of LAIF Awards won by Noah’s Ark to Nigerian Breweries Plc in Lagos on recently

THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER DECEMBER 30, 2023

PEOPLE Yan Yuqing, China’s Consul General: I Have Fallen in Love with Nigeria’s Culture, Food The Consul General of the People’s Republic of China in Lagos, Ms. Yan Yuqing, who has been in the country for about six months, in this interview, speaks about her love for Nigeria’s culture, food and the Super Eagles. THISDAY presents the excerpts

ou have been in Nigeria for few months now, how will you describe your experience so far about the country, its people, culture and food? Yes, it has been six months since I arrived in Nigeria at the end of May this year to take up the post of Consul General of the People’s Republic of China in Lagos, during which I think I’ve fallen in love with Nigeria. I found that Nigerian people are so enthusiastic and hard-working, their faces are always full of joyful smiles, and many of them have become good friends or even families with the Chinese people here. I found that Nigeria has such a colorful and devise cultures. I visited the National Museum in July, and knew that Nigeria has as long a history as China. I watched the three major Nigerian Folk Dances of Igbo, Hausa and Yoruba, which were impressive. Now I’ve got three Nigerian names, here the Yoruba friends call me Ayo, when I go to Cross River State, my Igbo friends there call me Uche, and when I go to Abuja on business, my Hausa friends there call me Fatima. I found that Nigerian foods are unique, among them my favorites are moi-moi and jellof rice. Moi-moi is a bit like the zongzi you eat at the Dragon Boat Festival in China, except that moi-moi is made of beans, while zongzi is usually made of rice. I also found that Nigeria is strong in sports and I have become a fan of the Nigerian National Football Team, the Super Eagle. There is so much more I want to share but all in all, I have fallen in love with Nigeria. How will you describe the bilateral relationship between Nigeria and China? Just as Chinese President Xi Jinping noted when he sent congratulatory message to Nigeria’s President Bola Tinubu, Nigeria is an important strategic partner of China in Africa, and the development of bilateral relations has enjoyed a sound momentum in recent years, with practical cooperation in various fields yielding fruitful results. Vice President of Nigeria Kashim Shettima also pointed out that, Nigeria and China are good friends who have shared weal and woe and supported each other in times of difficulties. Since the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Nigeria in 1971, more than half a century ago, the two countries have always adhered to the principle of mutual respect and mutual benefit. Facing a world fraught with changes and turbulence, China and Nigeria need to strengthen solidarity and cooperation more than ever. China supports Nigeria in pursuing a path to modernisation suited to its national conditions, and stands ready to enhance personnel exchanges at all levels with Nigeria to advance high-quality practical cooperation. China supports Nigeria in playing a greater role in international and regional affairs, and would like to strengthen strategic coordination with Nigeria to promote democracy in international relations and safeguard the common interests of developing countries. In recent years, bilateral practical cooperation in various fields has been fruitful. Under the Belt and Road Initiative, there have been many highlights in the cooperation between China and Nigeria. Many cooperation projects including railways, ports, power stations and communications backbone networks have been completed in succession, and remarkable achievements have been made in the development of free trade areas. China is ready to continue working with Nigeria to push for more tangible outcomes of China-Nigeria and China-Africa

Despite this, we keep improving our visa work based on the actual situation and make it easier for applicants to obtain visas for China. This year, we facilitated visas for many Nigerian businessmen to attend the two Canton Fairs, the Import and Export Fair and other important trade fairs in China. We open the Chinese visa service center in Lekki Phase 1. We have also posted on our oﬃcial website details of the Chinese visa application process, as well as the documents needed and contact numbers. These are our eﬀorts to facilitate Nigerians in obtaining Chinese visas. At the same time, I would like to use the platform of THISDAY to remind Nigerian applicants who intend to go to China to fully comply with the relevant application requirements, and to ensure the authenticity of all documents submitted. Upon arrival in China, they need to carry out their activities strictly in accordance with the type of visa they hold, and arrange their return trips wisely to avoid illegal stay in China.

Yuqing

Belt and Road cooperation and help Nigeria and Africa realize industrialisation and agricultural modernisation. African countries are increasingly looking at China for partnership, how can Nigeria take the lead in the drive for investments from China? Nigeria has actually taken the lead in the drive for investments from China. Nigeria is one of the African countries attracting the most investment from China. By 2021, cumulative investment has exceeded 20 billion USD, mainly in construction of freetrade and export-processing zones, oil extraction, home appliances and vehicle assembly, agricultural production, etc. Lekki FTZ and Ogun Guangdong FTZ have attracted investment of more than 1.51 billion USD and created more than 7,000 job opportunities. Even though there are lots of Chinese investment in Nigeria now, I think it is true that there are still a lot of things that can be done to facilitate more investment, and the main thing is that Nigeria needs to keep optimizing the market and business environment. We hope to use the construction of the above-mentioned two FTZs as a model for building more FTZs in Nigeria, to reduce the administrative costs for Chinese investors entering Nigeria. Maintaining currency stability is another important issue, especially in the context of the continued devaluation of Naira, and it’s hoped the Nigerian Government will take effective measures to prevent the loss of investor confidence due to currency devaluation. In addition, as the Chinese saying goes, “to get rich, you must first build roads”, and the continued upgrading of transportation infrastructure will help Nigeria attract more investment. At the same time, it’s also hoped that Nigerian authorities concerned take practical measures to provide more facilitation and security guarantees for Chinese enterprises to invest in the country. There are concerns about China plunging Nigeria and other African countries into a debt trap, what is your take on that?

These concerns have no factual basis. China is not the source of African countries’ “debt trap,” but a partner to help them and other developing countries to escape the “poverty trap.” China attaches great importance to Africa’s debt issue and helps African countries to cope with it. China has contributed more to the Debt Service Suspension Initiative (DSSI) than any other Group of 20 (G20) members. And according to the latest research by the China-Africa Research Initiative at Johns Hopkins University, China has contributed 63 percent of the debt service suspensions under the DSSI. The research found that China has been active in communicating with other participating parties, and has performed its duties in effectively implementing the DSSI. And let’s take a look at the concept of the “debt trap” itself, and you will find that it seems to be “tailor-made” for China by those with ulterior motives. China is the world’s largest Developing Country, and despite having the world’s second largest economy, its per capita GDP is still low. We are well aware of the feelings of poverty and backwardness. The only solution is to accelerate development. So cooperation between China and African countries, Nigeria included, must not be disturbed by these unfounded manipulations of “debt trap”. When China and Africa join hands to develop and realize prosperity, these so-called “debt trap” fallacy is bound to fall apart. There are many Nigerians who want to travel to China to do business but they complain that the visa process is cumbersome, what can you do to make it easier for people to get visa? China has long adhered to its opening-up policy and China’s gate to the world will remain open. Regarding the visa question you mentioned, before I answer, allow me to clarify that visa policy is a sovereign act of a country, and visa officers are usually very careful when issuing visas to ensure that everyone applies for the right visas in accordance with the visa policy. This is a common practice in all countries, just as Chinese citizens to apply for Nigerian visas.

What area of economic cooperation can Nigeria focus on to boost China-Nigeria trade which is currently below that of South Africa? According to the latest statistics from Chinese Customs, Angola has replaced Nigeria as China’s second largest trading partner in Africa after South Africa. But China and Nigeria are the largest economies in Asia and Africa respectively, and the two sides have broad prospects for fruitful cooperation in the economic and trade fields. In recent years, China’s exports to Nigeria mainly consist of electromechanical products and fabrics and garments, while China imports crude oil and liquefied natural gas from Nigeria. In addition, Nigeria is a major agricultural country and produces many high quality agricultural products such as cassava, sesame, peanuts etc. We hope that more Nigerian agricultural products will be exported to China in the future. In addition, the two sides have great potential for cooperation in new energy, digital economy, textile industry, manufacturing and other fields. There are reports of abuses by Chinese companies in Nigeria, what measures are you taking to resolve some of the issues? The Chinese Consulate General has long attached great importance to the legitimate operation of Chinese enterprises in Nigeria and have constantly reminded them to respect the legal rights of local workers and interests of local communities. Many Chinese enterprises have done the same. Not only that, but many Chinese companies also carry out charity activities in the communities where they are located, giving away food to poor families. In Lagos, one Chinese enterprises association are running a charity program called “Renewed Hope, Rebirth from the light”, which finance surgery for three Nigerian cataract patients every quarter. Many Chinese companies in Nigeria have become friends and even families with local residents. On the other hand, I don’t think it’s horrible for disputes to arise, but to partially report them and even to use them deliberately spread rumors. In some cases, few Nigerian workers in Chinese factories being injured on the job, was widely reported in the media, but then the Chinese companies provided reasonable compensation and aftercare arrangements, which have not been followed up by the media. This is not conducive to the full dissemination of facts. Read full Interview online - www.thisdaylive.com

THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER DECEMBER 30, 2023

EXPRESSION

MEDIAGAFFES

‘Happy New Year in Advance’?

EBERE WABARA

UST say Happy New Year! It cannot be in arrears or in the past because of its inherent concurrent currency from now till the end of January. It is absurd to say Happy New Year in February or still have Christmas decorations anywhere after January 31! Best wishes in 2024! “We aim at making Nigeria’s upstream sector investors (investors’) destination—NUPRC boss” “Commissioning of Amal Technology Production Facility for Gas Leak (Gas-leak) Detection Device and Printed Circuit Board” Wrong: Philosopical Reﬂection; Right: Philosophical Reﬂection “NNPCL, TotalEnergies sign MoU on adoption of methane detection (methane-detection) technology” Daily Trust of December 16 circulated a few mistakes: “Delta State sets (set) to pioneer medical tourism” “He, in addition, assured that the NHIS would be improved to make it more productive.” Who did he assure? “…as we use (used) to do every year.” “FG projects N1.4trn yearly from crop processing (crop-processing) zones” Let us welcome THISDAY, THE SUNDAY NEWSPAPER, of December 24 for the last time this year starting with this school-boy faux pas: “The PPRO died in a ghastly (fatal) motor accident….” There is even no point for ‘fatality’ inclusion in the circumstance because of the fact that he died! That is one of the hallmarks of tight news reportage—for other illustrative, prose writings we can be explicitly demonstrative. “Nigerian banks’ cost to income (cost-toincome) ratio still the highest in emerging, frontier markets” “We got a marching order (We got marching orders) on N11.5bn Dutse Airport” “When jokes goes (what!) sour”

“A new purpose-built gallery in (on) Victoria Island….” The last contribution from THE SUNDAY NEWSPAPER under review: “The expectation of the people was that the deputy governor would have be (been) the first person to follow his boss to APC….” THE NATION ON SUNDAY of December 24 goofed right from one of its major pages: “We have restored hope in (to) Lagos” From The Nation online come the next four infractions: “How 75 per cent of Nigeria (Nigerian) workers are stressed—study” “…for continents like Africa (for a continent like Africa) to attain a higher economic growth, the continent need (needs) to mix-up” For the umpteenth time, phrasal verbs abhor hyphenation! “…revealed that economic volatility has increased pressure on Nigerian workers with 75 per cent reportedly seeing more stressed-related illness (illnesses) since the downturn.” “2003 was a beehive of activities (a hive of activity) for the small and medium scale (medium-scale) enterprises….” Lastly from THE NATION ON SUNDAY under review: “Former CAR president en route Benin Republic (en route to Benin Republic)” DAILY Independent Online of December 13 comes next with two improprieties: “ALGON passes confidence of vote in president” Fixed expression: vote of confidence/ confidence vote The next three contributions are by Mr. Charles Okogene: “Terrorists bury arms in Abuja cemetary (cemetery)”

(Sunday Vanguard, December 24) “…he said the vehicles destroyed were the ones used during the attack and was (were) sited (sighted) through air surveillance….” (Source: as above) “A few weeks ago, there was some news report (a news report) about the involvement of….” “...all the major roads in the Eastern part of the country have become pure death traps and for challenging his (President’s) non-challant attitude and doing anything positive in Igboland (Igbo land).” Get it right: nonchalant. “...there have been series of polemical attacks of (on) the commission and its activities by an obscure and often fictitious section of the public.” This way: a (take note) series of polemical attacks. “The president and commander-in-chief of the armed forces also addressed the nation same evening.” Get it right: the same evening. “The almost impassible (impassable) roads accentuate the usual hectic traffic of motorists, making business transactions in Lagos a herculean task.” “…robbers who held residents and commuters to ransome for hours….” Spell-check: ransom. “I doff my hat for.…” The right mix: I doff/ take off (preferably) my hat to (not for). “Out of lawyers’ population estimated at about 40,000, only 10 females have been opportuned (opportune) to adorn the silk.” “This is another scintillating edition for the matured (mature) mind.” “Preponderant of the views aired by the people centre (sic) around (upon, on) issues like corruption, unemployment.…” Running a true federation: preponderance...centres. “Benue assures on abandoned project” Just tell readers who the state assured. Enough of nightmarish banners…. “A recent report on food related (a hyphen) ailments show (shows) that in many parts of the world….”

Reminiscences: Rescued by Loyalty

s the year 2024 cranes its neck to peep into our lives, we remember the days of the long knives in our journey in journalism - from the prism of a reportereditor-publisher, over 25 years ago. We dubbed this chapter as “Saved by Loyalty” in our 2001 book, ‘Lifelines: A Slice of my Life’. We may learn a couple of lessons about the vagaries of life. “In early 1997, the traces of boardroom crisis that would subsequently engulf all the young battlers in Fame magazine had started rearing their heads. The several issues arising from the palaver led us to pitch diﬀerent and bitter camps, as we battled each other with all sorts of legal arsenal we could muster. While the other party raised a formidable legal team led by the erudite grand luminary, Prof. A. B. Kasunmu, SAN; in our corner with all the pungency of his hydra-headed all-action attack-team was the indefatigable Chief Gani Fawehinmi, SAN. We went underground for a few weeks to avoid being hounded into detention in the power-play enveloping us, while our initial lawyer (Mr. Soji Adegbesan) prepared legal documents to articulate our defence in such a manner that the obvious injustice would be clear to all. My house was besieged, as policemen and detectives combed the whole neighbourhood looking for me. You would think I was a bank MD being sought for non-performing loans. In spite of the protestations of my wife and little children, my oﬃcial car, a Jetta Champion, was towed away, when they could not get the keys. My neighbours must surely think it was a stolen car; or that the car was not paid for, and the owners had forcibly

repossessed it. I didn’t bother to explain to any of them though: who would believe my report? When eventually we came out of hiding, we began a relentless struggle to make our case; clear our names and demand just remuneration for investing good six years of our lives building the publication as a successful brand and a prosperous business. Soon, my partner and I went on several trips to detention centres in many parts of Lagos State: Milverton Road, Panti Police Station, Alagbon Detention Centre, etc. We spent days in detention answering questions upon questions on allegations that were patently stretching the reality. We also spent days in Kirikri Maximum Prison on remand from the Ikeja High Court. We were before a tough judge, Justice Inumidun Akande (later the Chief Judge of Lagos State). She insisted that we spend about six days at the notorious prison. Our stay in Alagbon, Panti (that is a dungeon no one should inhabit) and Kirikiri was a different kind of education and revelation which occupies several chapters of another book, ‘It’s A Dog’s Life’. In spite, and in the midst of all these unflinching torment and unending upheavals in our professional and matrimonial lives, we started, produced, edited and supervised the launching of a new magazine called ‘National Encomium’. It was surreal, really. By divine orchestration, all the staff with us in Fame then, minus three or so, elected of their own accord, to swim or sink with us (my partner and I), and they practically worked their socks off to shake up the general interest magazine market; dislodge the reigning publications; and within five weeks, we became the leading magazine in its category. This last day of 2023

is another good opportunity to salute the loyalty, doggedness and unbridled steadfastness of our younger colleagues who chose to send in their resignation letters (over 30), when the board of Fame would not rescind its decision to kick us out of relevance. The “boys” were led by Dayo Asaju (now publisher of First Weekly magazine), Tony Akhigbe and Michael Eﬃong (now Editor of Ovation International, and lately Special Adviser to Akwa Ibom State governor). Others in the famous gang are: Bunmi Beckley, Tai Santos-Akinloye, Tosan Aduayi, Arinze Azuh (now publisher of Yes International magazine), Segun Banjo, Yemi Oladeinde, Remi Adelowo, Dare Muyiwa, Biodun Shasanya, Niyi Adebayo, Tolani Abati, Dare Daramola, Kanmi Onayiga, David Iyiofor, Kanbi Owolabi, Ajayi Oyebo (Ovation’s photo-guru), and Segun Sobiye (now publisher of Posh magazine). The list also include all members of the following departments; marketing (Doyin Omotosho and Sanmi Awe), adverts (Ngozi Okobi and Seki Momoh - now late), production (Tiki Myvynn-Chukwurah, Olubukola Ojo, Gbadebo Olalemi and Joshua Sobiye); even our circulation driver, Taju Lawal (now late) was not excluded. Frankly, it is these young men and women (including Elder Tiki), we must hold as the real backbone and sinews that held the dream of National Encomium together, such that it became an institution of sort in general interest newspapering…

ewabara@yahoo.com, 08055001948

“Besides, these storage facilities should be provided together with necessary agric inputs.” Taming hunger: ‘input’ is uncountable in British Standard English, but takes an inflexion in corruptive American English! Unnecessary input? “Unfortunately, however, I, and many other Nigerians, have been infuriated by our servants….” In pursuit of linguistic orderliness: many other Nigerians and I. The concept of the cart and the horse applies to language usage, too. “One can only hope that these peoples’ representatives would realise that the electorate is (are) patiently waiting for another chance.” “But all our future blessings would be achieved through waiting in the Lord.” If you are after God’s heart you wait on, not in, Him. “Before embarking on the strike action….” You can as well embark on ‘strike inaction’! Just ‘strike’ please. “It was as though both informants were mischievous people who had an affinity in (for) discrediting the preachers.” “The vigilante group visited instant judgment on the thief and sent him to the great beyond.” In the name of excellence: The vigilance group. “Sixteen people were killed and two others seriously injured in a ghastly (fatal) accident which occurred along (on) the Bauchi-Auchi road on Saturday. The mishap did not drag along the road, but occurred at a spot on the road. “Some of the despotic regimes thrown up in (on) the continent did worse things than was (were) experienced under colonialism.” “A weekly magazine took a professional risk and charged the speaker for (with) forgery.” “By 1998, the figure has (had) increased positively.” Wrong: pomp and pageantry; right: pomp and ceremony or pomp and circumstance or just pomp.

COUNTERPOINT

FEMI

AKINTUNDE-JOHNSON fajalive1@gmail.com 08033622806- (SMS Only)

While we battled to save our lives and reputations at the courts, we realized the anger at the other side was stoked by the fact that Fame magazine could not reopen, as it was laid comatose by the near total absence of its editorial spine… Our efforts to resuscitate our professional grip on the business would have been near impossible without some strategic assistance. We had no money; all the millions were stuck in the banks; our accounts were frozen, so we were on a budget worse than shoestrings. It was so challenging that if we had sat down to carefully factor in all the necessary costs of sustaining a magazine for only three months, we would have fled. But God raised business-angels like Mr. Muyiwa Adetiba (the foremost pioneering spirit behind what they now call softsell journalism) who gave us a tworoom office to operate from - for free! Help also came in trickles from very few notable admirers and supporters who dismissed the allegations against us, and did what they could to help us. We practically shut down my wife’s fledgling PR company, Footprints, as we had to clear out all the cash in its accounts to ‘fight’ this new battle. Without such people; without the uncommonly loyal staff; without the grit and gusto to succeed that only crazed youthfulness can instigate; and surely without the grace and protection of God Almighty, there never would have been an “Encomium”. Simplicita!”

SATURDAY, DECEMBER 30, 2023 • T H I S D AY, T H E S AT U R D AY N E W S PA P E R

NEWS

ILA NIGERIA 2023 DINNER… L-R: MD/CEO Heritage Bank, Akin George-Taylor; Partner Perchstone & Graeys/Chairman International Law Association (ILA) Arbitration Committee,Tolu Aderemi, and GM/Group Head Business Development, BUA Group, Tajudeen Ahmed, during ILA Nigeria's 2023 Dinner and Awards, held in Lagos…recently

Stock Market Closes 2023 Positive as Investors Gain N13tn External reserves drop to six-year low as naira falls

Kayode Tokede Following the successful transition this year and some reforms initiated by President Bola Tinubu, investors' return on the Nigerian stock market appreciated by N13 trillion in 2023. On the day of his inauguration, Tinubu had announced fuel subsidy removal and also went ahead to unify the foreign exchange rates. Both policies trigged investors’ confidence in some fundamental stocks. Amid double-digit inflation rate, the market capitalisation closed 2023

trading yesterday, at N40.918 trillion, representing an increase of N13 trillion or 46.6 per cent, from the N27.91 trillion it closed for trading in 2022. Consequently, the Nigerian Exchange Limited All-Share Index (NGX ASI) hits an all-time high of 74,773.77 basis points, representing an increase of 45.90 per cent Year-to-Date (YtD) gain from 51,251.06basis points it opened for trading. The new listing on the Exchange played a significant role on the NGX ASI all-time high record as the stock market continued on a positive

trajectory. The likes of MeCure Industries Plc, VFD Group, Nigeria Infrastructure Debt Fund (NIDF) and Africa Plus Partners added to the stock market positive trajectory in the period under review. Major stock market indices reacted to the stock market trend in 2023, as the reforms impacted across key sectors on the Exchange Specifically, the NGX Banking Index gained 114.90 per cent to 897.20basis points, NGX Oil & Gas Index rose by 125.54 per cent to 1,043.06 basis points as the NGX Industrial Goods

Index added 12.86 per cent to 2,712.27 basis points. Speaking on the 2023 stock market performance, the Chief Executive Officer, Wyoming Capital and Partners, Mr. Tajudeen Olayinka, said, “Market in 2023 was quite eventful and bullish.” According to him, “We saw a market that picked its 2023 position way back in November 2022, when it was obvious that the three leading presidential candidates, namely: Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, Peter Obi and Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, that could succeed former President Muhammadu Buhari, were

pro-market. “And so, the build-up to the bullish run in 2023, that started in November 2022, was a demonstration of market confidence in a private sector-centric president. “The inaugural speech of President Tinubu, with respect to fuel subsidy removal and exchange rate unification, eventually activated the market-wide pent-up confidence that had always been there but eluded the market ever since. This market-wide confidence remained throughout the year.” On the expectations from the

market in 2024, he predicted positive momentum for the Nigerian stock market. Olayinka added, “And we can draw that from 2024 budget proposal of President Tinubu, where total reliance has been placed on the use of private capital in funding some important developmental projects across the country. In a way, we are going to see more public companies get listed on the stock exchange for the purpose of raising new capital, while the existing listed companies will not be left behind in this development.

Festival. This endeavor marked a profound personal and professional milestone in her multifaceted career. She solidified her place among the global elite as Forbes announced her among the esteemed ‘World’s 100 Most Powerful’ list in the outgoing year. Her remarkable work in the media space has earned her widespread recognition. She has constantly challenged norms and pushed boundaries in the entertainment industry, creating and producing films that resonate both locally and internationally. As she continues to redefine the narrative of African storytelling, it is expected that her impact would be felt in 2024.

to the arts. Since her award-winning movie ‘Bling Lagosian’ was launched at the box office in 2019, observers have kept watch on her. Her biopic title, Funmilayo Ramsome Kuti was at the cinema for just one week in September of 2023, as part of the requirements to be fulfilled for being shortlisted for Oscars. In an exclusive chat, Austen-Peters admits that she would love to come back to the box office when she gets the muscle to push such an adventure. With a couple of projects at hand (both stage and screen), her latest being ‘Wire Wire’, which is projected for a 2024 release, marks her comeback to the box office four years after hiatus from the big screen.

There’s a perception in the movie industry that Toyin Abraham and her colleague, Funke Akindele are competing with each other, releasing films almost at the same time. Though the filmmaker has denied it, there appears to be some truth in it with her latest movie released shortly before Akindele’s ‘A Tribe Called Judah’ a couple of weeks ago. Without regard to the critical acclaim awarded her last movie ‘Ijakumo’, her latest film project, ‘Malaika’, premiered this December, has drawn rave reviews from fans and critics which would extend in the coming year, determining its success at the cinemas.

movie titled ‘A Tribe Called Judah’ premiered amid fanfare in Lagos on Sunday, December 10, 2023. This latest movie has recorded another round of favourable results and amassed a whopping N400 million within its initial 12 days of screening. This achievement has propelled the new movie to claim the top spot on the highest-grossing movie of 2023, and most likely would dominate the box office in 2024 going by her pedigree of making blockbuster films.

21) Bolanle Austen-Peters

22) Toyin Abraham

As a lawyer, multiple awardwinning movie director/producer, theatre director/producer and cultural entrepreneur, Bolanle Austen-Peters (BAP) has remarkably etched her name in the arts and culture landscape. She is the founder and artistic director of BAP Productions and the arts and culture centre Terra Kulture. Described by CNN as the woman pioneering theatre in Nigeria, named as one of the most influential women in Africa by Forbes Afrique, she has also been recognised with several awards for her contribution

Actress and filmmaker, Toyin Abraham is among the top Nollywood players, with the positive results she has recorded in the last couple of years, filming and featuring in blockbuster movies like ‘Gang of Lagos’, which is one of the outstanding films of the year. Toyin Abraham started 2023 on a bright and busy note. Her movie ‘Ijakumo’ which arrived in cinemas late last year (2022) achieved success on popular streaming platform, Netflix. Adored by her numerous fans, the actress has had a busy year.

24 WOMEN TO WATCH IN 2024 February 5, 1980, she relocated to London at the age of 11 for her secondary education. Savage graduated with a degree in accounting from the University of Kent, and started working at The Royal Bank of Scotland. She later graduated from Berklee College of Music and signed a publishing deal with Sony/ATV Music Publishing in 2009. But her passion for the growth of her native country’s music industry brought her back to Nigeria where she signed with Mavin Records in 2012. Savage won Best African Act at the 2018 MTV Europe Music Awards, becoming the first woman to win the category. In May 2019, she announced her record deal with Universal Music Group and exit from Mavin Records. Her second extended play, titled ‘Water & Garri,’ was released on August 20, 2021. In July 2022, she received an honorary degree from the University of Kent during a graduation ceremony at Canterbury Cathedral. In celebration of the 52nd anniversary of Nigeria's independence, Savage performed her rendition of "Arise, O Compatriots" for Ndani Sessions. Savage named one of her albums “Once Upon a Time” to motivate other upcoming artists by telling them that once upon a time, she was a little girl in Isale Eko who dreamt of being a star. Savage has been involved in many youth empowerment and breast cancer screening projects across Nigeria. She helped raise money for an organisation that builds schools in her hometown.

hugely successful year with her hit singles 'Rush' and 'Sability' obtaining commercial success. Remarkably, on March 4, 2023, Starr took to social media to announce that her music was used as soundtrack for blockbuster American action movie, Creed III. Her music has made her a household name around the world, winning her listeners and several awards. With her recent Grammys nomination in the category for Best African Song Performance, 2024 promises the Sabi Girl something worthy as she continues to climb the rung of success.

18) Ayra Starr

20) Mo Abudu

She began a fashion career at the age of 16 with Quovo Model Management before deciding to pursue a career in music. Little wonder her signature style, shorts, crop tops define her and screams 'skimpy' at every outing. Since breaking into the mainstream in 2019, Ayra Starr, born Sarah Aderibigbe, has become one of the female stars whose music is adding excitement and promoting Afrobeats to a global audience. The singer has enjoyed a

The CEO of Ebony Life Group, Mo Abudu, embarked on a new phase of her career in the film industry as one of her cherished dreams came true with two short films – Her Perfect Life and Iyawo Mi (My Wife) which she directed. These two films have already graced prestigious Oscarthemed film festivals, including the Martha’s Vineyard African American Film Festival, the Rhode Island Film Festival, and HollyShorts Film

19) Tems In the past year, singer/songwriter Temilade Opeyemi, better known as Tems, entered a fashion era like no other. After her collaboration with Wizkid on Essence, Tems style evolved as she gained international fame, performing at various shows. Her viral Oscar moment is still talked about at any given instance. Scoring features in Dazed, Elle, amongst others, Tems has had quite an impact as a fashion girl in music entertainment. The ‘Crazy Things’ crooner recently hosted a successful wardrobe sale, where she offered fans and fashion enthusiasts a chance to pick from her closet, the second time, making it an annual feature in the fashion calendar. The Grammy award winning artiste was named as one of the people “who have achieved peak influence in their fields” in the 2023 TIMES’s Next 100 list. Tems is one of the most exciting artistes to come out of Nigeria in recent years, and she predictably will continue to rise in the years to come, with a Grammy nod already for her in 2024.

23) Funke Akindele Nollywood luminary, Funke Akindele has over time proven her craft behind and before the camera. She has some of the highest grossing movies produced in the last three years. Though her movie ‘Battle on Buka Street’ was released in December 2022, the multiple award-winning actress/producer has reaped the success and accolades this year. The mother of two also made the news a couple of weeks back by releasing her mini-series ‘She Must Be Obeyed’ on Amazon Prime Video. Following months of anticipation, Funke Akindele’s latest

24) Asisat Oshoala Agba Baller, as she is fondly nicknamed by her teeming fans and admirers, Asisat Oshoala has become a force to reckon with in the world of female football. The Super Falcons Striker has continued to reign as the Queen of African football with her recent award as the best female player in the continent at the CAF event a few weeks ago in Morocco. The triumph is Oshoala’s sixth time winning the award, pulling clear as the footballer with the most wins. Adjudged as the best African female player in 2014, 2016, 2017, 2019 and 2022, it wouldn’t be a surprise she clinches the illustrious African Women’s Best Player in 2024 going by her performance this year and current form. That will mark a record-extending seventh time for the Barcelona star.

FG RECEIVES $2.25 BILLION OF $3.3 BILLION AFREXIMBANK'S LOAN TO BOOST FX LIQUIDITY in Abuja, Tinubu had said funding of liquidity in the FX market, even though a short-term solution, remained critical for the economy at the moment. There were concerns by investors and stakeholders that the government appeared to have reneged on its earlier commitment to inject between $7 billion to $10 billion into the FX market to clear the existing backlogs that impaired investors' confidence in the economy. However, Tinubu, who was represented at the summit by Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Mr. Wale Edun, had insisted there was ''no reason to feel that the indications that were made earlier had changed'', adding, ''It just takes time.''

He had said the government was doing everything in its power to try to attract funds that would shore up liquidity in the FX segment. However, yesterday's receipt of the first tranche of the funding intervention came as a huge relief to the federal government on the one hand and investors on the other hand. The initial tranche was reportedly paid into the federal government’s account while the balance of $1.05 billion was due next week. Speaking to ARISE News, the minister said it was in the position of Afreximbank to announce the disbursement at the appropriate time. He said he was looking at a range of support mechanisms capable of bringing about all-round

improvement in government finances and FX liquidity and was optimistic that Nigeria was on the right path. While Afreximbank is the lead arranger of the $3.3 billion loan, some other sub-lenders included VITOL, Guvnor, one of the world’s largest energy trading houses by turnover, Sahara Energy Group, Oando and the United Bank for Africa which chipped in $100 million. Earlier in August, the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC) had announced that it had secured a $3 billion emergency loan from the African Export-Import Bank to stabilise the country’s volatile foreign exchange market. The new deal came over a year after NNPC said it similarly

secured a $5 billion corporate finance commitment from the Afreximbank to fund major investments in Nigeria’s upstream sector. Although the NNPC’s statement was silent on specifics in terms of the volume of each instalment of the FX expected and the quantity of crude oil to be repaid, the deal was expected to boost foreign exchange liquidity into the country and prop up the value of the naira against the dollar. Analysts and business leaders have commended effort of Afreximbank bank to fund the country out of its FX liquidity challenges. They said the funds would help curtail the exchange rate volatility and ease rising inflation.

THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER ˾ APRIL 24, 2011

GLOBAL SOCCER A

WEEKLY PULL-OUT

30.12.2023

NEWS

FOURTH TITLE DREAM PAGE. 28

Karim Adeyemi Detests Playing Against Nigeria

THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER ˾DECEMBER 30, 2023

GLOBAL SOCCER

Karim Adeyemi

Detests Playing Against Nigeria Though Karim Adeyemi opted to play for his country of birth, Germany, in spite of approaches from fatherland, the Borussia Dortmund forward was recently on holidays in Nigeria and took time to visit the Maracana Stadium, Ajegunle, Lagos. In a chat with journalists, he gave the reason why he opted to star for Germany instead of Nigeria, his impression about the country, his love for Nigerian delicacies-‘fufu’ and ‘amala’, amongst many other things. However, if there is one thing the 21-year-old never wished for, it’s coming up against the Super Eagles someday, Kunle Adewale writes

or the children who were at the Maracana Stadium, Ajegunle, last Friday, it was more than coming to have a training session at the newly renovated stadium, as the Chairman of Nathaniel Idowu Foundation, Yemi Idowu, was organizing a Christmas party for the kids. Even beyond the party, these future stars were also looking forward to meeting the Borussia Dortmund star, Karim Adeyemi, who was in Nigeria on holidays and decided to visit the new wonder in Ajegunle. On arrival at the Maracana Stadium, Adeyemi said he feels very proud to see that something like this is happening here. “I am very happy that the kids have this kind of facility -pitches to play and hostels to accommodate them.” The Borussia Dortmund star however admitted that not everybody has a chance to come to a better league- maybe to Europe and make his way to everything. “So, we try to let children from a young age play

L-R: Borussia Dortmund forward, Karim Adeyemi, Chairman Nathaniel Idowu Foundation, Chief Yemi Idowu and Head of BVB football academy, Christian Derek’s during the visit of the Adeyemi’s visit to the Maracana Stadium, Ajegunle, Lagos

Karim Adeyemi having fun with the kids at the Maracana Stadium, Ajegunle, Christmas party recently

football and let them see if they are really good and anything can happen.” For Christian Diercks, head of Borussia Dortmund football academy, “It is a pleasure for me to be here as a club representative from Borussia Dortmund. This is my first time in Nigeria. This is actually good for kids to have facilities and all- AstroTurf and it doesn’t matter the weather condition the kids can simply play. I feel that if more kids have a chance to play in such a kind of sports infrastructure, more will actually do sports in general and also practice football.” At age 19, the left-winger made his debut for the German national team in 2021 under the management of Hansi Flick, making four appearances and scoring a goal on his debut, subsequently closing off his chances to join the Super Eagles of Nigeria. Despite his affiliations, Adeyemi, born to a Nigerian father, Abbey Adeyemi, and Romanian mother, Alexandra Adeyemi,

conveyed his deep connection to Nigeria and his willingness to represent the nation if circumstances had been different. Having featured in Germany’s U-16, U-17, and U-21 teams before the senior national team call-up, Adeyemi, recognised as a talented prospect by the German FA, secured his place in the German setup after his impressive performances at Red Bull Salzburg. Though his attributes could have potentially benefited the Super Eagles, Adeyemi’s commitment to the German national team came first, resulting in his exclusion from Nigeria. When asked if he would consider playing for the Super Eagles if given the opportunity, Adeyemi emphatically responded with a yes, praising Nigeria’s football legacy and recognising the quality of its players. “If I had the chance, of course. For me, I think it’s a great national team, and in the future, they will be great, they have good players, and in the past, they were also great.”

On his choice of best African player, “I think the best player is Victor Osimhen, he plays well in the Italian Serie A and in the Champion League. I think he is the best Nigerian guy.” However, if there was one thing in football that Adeyemi would not want to happen, it’s a situation where Germany will be pitched against Nigeria at the senior level. So, when the question was put up to him on if playing against Nigeria is something he’s looking forward to, he reacted thus: “To be honest no, because somebody has to lose. I will hope not to play against them because I want the multitude to have a good journey.” Adeyemi indeed said he has been enjoying the environment, food and the people since his arrival in Nigeria. “On the way here, I ate Amala. Everything is good. I enjoy everything. Any time I come; I feel at home. My friends who are not from Nigeria, come here because I tell them it is a nice thing to see, so, I always enjoy it,” he said.

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GLOBAL SOCCER

Man City Fourth Title Dream Comes Alive with Sheffield Utd Visit

Manchester City have another favourable chance to get their Premier League title challenge back up and running when they host Shefﬁeld United today. Pep Guardiola’s side round off the most remarkable year in their history needing to build on their midweek win over Everton. While the champions have proven themselves capable of making up the ground on title challengers in years gone by, there are surely few more margins for error dust ourselves down and go again. “We’ve shown we can produce a type of performance that frustrates. Of course, it’s not ideal but isn’t ideal, the situation that we’re in and who we’re playing against. But I’ve got to say I’ve not really thought about Manchester City, when you’ve just been beaten in a game and we should be talking about us and a positive second half performance and a big three points. And obviously we’re not.”

Premier League Table

Erling Haaland shot Manchester City into the lead when both sides met at Bramall Lane in August

eigning English, European and world champions Manchester City will endeavour to end a memorable 2023 on a high when they welcome Sheffield United to the Etihad Stadium for a Premier League clash today. The two teams meet for the first time since the end of August when an 88th-minute strike from Rodri sealed a 2-1 victory for the Citizens at Bramall Lane. Five days on from becoming Club World Cup champions for the first time in their history, Manchester City returned to winning ways in the Premier League when they came from behind to beat Everton 3-1 at Goodison Park on Wednesday night. For the seventh time this season, the Citizens were trailing 1-0 courtesy of a first-half strike from former employee Jack Harrison, but second-half goals from Phil Foden, Julian Alvarez and Bernardo Silva helped Pep Guardiola’s side claim maximum points against the Toffees and climb back into the top four, at the time of writing, as well as move to within five points of leaders Liverpool. Following a dip in form between the end of November and beginning of December, Man City have since won five and drawn one of their last six games in all competitions, but defensive frailties remain as they have conceded in each of their last eight Premier League matches, an unwanted record run since the arrival of Guardiola back in 2016. Man City enter today’s contest having drawn each of their last three top-flight

matches at the Etihad, throwing away a total of six points from winning positions during this period, but Guardiola and co will be confident of success in front of their own fans against Sheffield United. Indeed, the Citizens have not lost any of their previous 11 Premier League meetings with the Blades, winning each of their last six in the process, while they have only lost their final league fixture in just one of the last 22 calendar years. Sheffield United were on course to claim their second successive home win under Chris Wilder in last weekend’s clash with fellow strugglers Luton Town as goals from Oli McBurnie and Anel Ahmedhodzic cancelled out an earlier opener from Alfie Doughty. However, four days after letting a winning position slip late on in a 1-1 draw at Aston Villa, the Blades “chucked away” their advantage once again versus the Hatters, according to Wilder, as two own goals from Jack Robinson and Anis Ben Slimane turned the game on its head in the final 13 minutes to condemn the hosts to a 3-2 defeat – their 14th of the season. Boasting just nine points from 19 top-flight matches, Sheffield United remain rooted to the foot of the table and now sit seven points adrift of safety at the halfway stage following Nottingham Forest’s win at Newcastle United. Sheffield United have conceded the most goals (47) in the Premier League so far this season, conceding at least twice on 14 occasions, and they remain at the top of the pile even if you exclude September’s 8-0 hammer-

ing by Newcastle; they are also yet to keep a clean sheet away from home this term. The Blades have struggled to come out on top in previous meetings with Man City, but they have shown their resilient side to some degree in recent years as they have only been beaten by a one-goal margin in five of their last six league encounters against the Citizens, which will provide Wilder with a glimmer of hope that his side can at least deliver a competitive display at the Etihad today. Meanwhile, Sheffield United Manager, Chris Wilder has dropped a hint that suggests his side will attempt to replicate their approach that earned a point at Aston Villa just before Christmas when they travel to Manchester City this weekend. The Blades were close to pulling off the perfect away performance at Villa Park after frustrating the home side and going ahead, only to concede a 97th-minute equaliser. United then dropped three more points after capitulating on Boxing Day against their relegation rivals Luton Town, when two own goals saw them surrender a 2-1 lead and lose 3-2. Wilder’s side could have been travelling to City on the back of two wins in a row and five points better off, but instead go over the Pennines still bottom of the table and with their belief and confidence. Wilder was unapologetic about his side’s approach at Villa, and rightly so, despite accusations of “parking the bus”. United do not have the capability to go toe-to-toe with Villa and certainly do not against City. Speaking after the Luton game, Wilder said: “No, it doesn’t get any easier but we have to

TEAM

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PREMIER LEAGUE TODAY

Luton Town v Chelsea 12:30 Aston Villa v Burnley 15:00 Crystal Palace v Brentford 15:00 Man City v Sheffield 15:00 Wolves15:00 Everton 15:00 Nott’m Forest v Man Utd 17:30 SUNDAY

Fulham14:00 Arsenal 14:00 Tottenham 14:00 Bournemouth 14:00

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THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER ˾DECEMBER 30, 2023

GLOBAL SOCCER

Victor Osimhem and Ademola Lookman

Super-Eagles-in-training

Osimhen Responds to Come-Save-Chelsea Call from Fan

Peseiro Names Osimhen, Ndidi, Musa, 22 Napoli striker, Victor Osimhen Chelsea kit, read. it can be triggered. fuelled speculation of a future In response, the Napoli striker Chelsea remain interested in Others, as Super Eagles Seek Fourth AFCON Title transfer to Chelsea with a cryptic response to a fan urging him to move to Stamford Bridge. Osimhen celebrated his 25th birthday on December 29 and received plenty of well-wishes from fans, as well as from both Napoli and former employers Lille, but one supporter’s post came with a clear plea for the Nigeria international to join Chelsea. “Happy birthday Victor Osimhen, please come and rescue Chelsea soon,” the post, accompanied by an image of a young Osimhen wearing a

posted just three emojis - two hearts and the ‘folded hands’ emoji which is often used to represent praying. Chelsea are long-time admirers of Osimhen and had been prepared to test Napoli’s resolve over the striker with a January bid before he put pen to paper on a new three-year contract. Importantly, Osimhen’s new contract includes a release clause which 90min understands sits at a base figure of €120m (£104m), but with conditions which could see that sum raise by the time

Osimhen but may have to be patient if they are to land the Nigeria international’s signature. The Blues have continued to struggle in front of goal this season and had hoped to secure a prolific forward in January to aid their quest to climb back up the Premier League table. Brentford’s Ivan Toney and Feyenoord’s Santiago Gimenez are expensive alternative targets for Chelsea, whose firepower was recently bolstered by the return of £52m summer signing Christopher Nkunku from injury.

Atalanta Boss Rues Lookman’s Exit for 2023 AFCON Atalanta coach Gian Piero Gasperini has expressed distress over Ademola Lookman’s potential departure for the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations with Nigeria in January. Lookman has been phenomenal for Atalanta this season, leading their goalscoring charts with six goals and three assists in the Serie A. The 26-year-old attacker has played in all of Atalanta’s 17 games in the Italian top-flight. Consequently, his brilliance has earned him a place in coach Peseiro’s 40-man provisional list

for the 2023 AFCON in Ivory Coast in January. Nigeria’s camp opens on January 1, and Peseiro will release his final 27-man list for the AFCON afterwards. Lookman is one of the top candidates for the final list, barring any last-minute injury or shenanigans. Lookman has been Atalanta’s best player, and Atalanta boss Gasperini is not particularly excited about his potential departure. Nonetheless, he is positive that the club will cope without him. “It worries me that Lookman is

leaving for the AFCON, yes, both for the numbers and the quality of the matches played,” Gasperini said per Tutto Fantacalcio. “It is clear that we are losing an important element in attack, but we have a certain number of players to be able to make up for it.” Because of the AFCON, Lookman could miss Atalanta’s games against Sassuolo, Roma, Frosinone, and Udinese. But Gasperini will hope that Gianluca stays fit and gets into his groove in the coming weeks.

Anthony Joshua Urged to Take on Serious Opponents Anthony Joshua has been urged to ‘fight somebody who wants to win’ following a domination of Otto Wallin this month. Joshua quickly got to Wallin in his third and final fight of 2023 on the Day of Reckoning card. Across the first five rounds he inflicted sufficient damage – without taking any real shots himself – that the Swede’s corner pulled him out. Former opponent Andy Ruiz Jr was not impressed. The one time unified champion fought Joshua twice, first winning with a huge upset knockout at Madison Square Garden in June 2019 before losing

the belts in December the same year across 12 rounds. Speaking to Fight Hub TV, Ruiz Jr was asked what he made of ‘AJ’s latest fight and claimed the opponent didn’t really come to win. “Well, there’s nothing to make of it. He did what he had to do. The opponent didn’t really have a lot of skills. I feel he didn’t have a gameplay to fight Anthony Joshua and when you fight Anthony Joshua you gotta have a game plan. “I wish it would have been

somebody with more skills, somebody who wants to win the fight, wants to throw punches, like me, I wish it would have been me fighting him. Hopefully we do the trilogy but if not he’ll probably go another route.” He was asked to confirm that he would like to fight Joshua for a third time. “Of course, if not there’s always Joseph Parker.” Of all the men Parker could fight next, Ruiz seems high on the list in what would be a rematch of their 2016 world title fight which saw Parker come out victorious.

Grealish’s Home Burgled during Man City’s Win at Everton Jack Grealish’s home was targeted by thieves while the Manchester City footballer was playing in his side’s 3-1 win against Everton in Liverpool. Officers were called to reports of a burglary at the house in Cheshire at about 21:50 GMT on Wednesday, police said.

Jewellery and watches worth £1m were stolen, according to The Sun newspaper. A search was carried out, supported by police dogs and a helicopter, but officers did not find any suspects. A spokeswoman for Cheshire Police added: “No arrests have

been made at this time and inquiries are ongoing.” City’s manager Pep Guardiola told a pre-match press conference earlier Grealish’s family had been at home at the time. “It was a bad moment for him and his family,” he said, adding nobody was hurt.

Ancelotti Signs New Madrid Contract Real Madrid manager Carlo Ancelotti has signed a new deal with the club which will run until June 2026. The Italian, 64, was appointed at the Bernabeu for a second time in 2021 on an initial three-year deal. He was linked to take over as Brazil’s manager earlier this year but said

he wanted to remain at the club. Ancelotti has won 10 titles as Real boss, including two Champions Leagues - most recently in his first season back at the club in 2021-22. He has also lifted one La Liga title, two Copas del Rey, two Club World

Cups, two European Super Cups and the Spanish Super Cup once. Ancelotti previously managed Real between 2013 and 2015, with his departure coming a year after he had won the Champions League. He returned for a second spell in charge, replacing Zinedine Zidane, after leaving Premier League club Everton in June 2021.

Three-time champions Nigeria have picked a team of 25 players for their onslaught for a fourth Africa Cup of Nations title, with Head Coach Jose Peseiro settling for usual suspects in a roster that has three goalkeepers, nine defenders, five midfielders and eight forwards. Captain Ahmed Musa returns to the squad after he was left out of the starting games to the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualification series, while South Africa-based goalkeeper Stanley Nwabili is picked alongside Francis Uzoho and Olorunleke Ojo. 2009 U17 World Cup star Kenneth Omeruo (the only other candidate in the team apart from Musa who was in Nigeria’s 2013 squad that triumphed in South Africa) leads the defenceline alongside William Ekong, as well as Olaoluwa Aina, Oluwasemilogo Ajayi, Calvin Bassey, Zaidu Sanusi, Chidozie Awaziem, Bright Osayi-Samuel and Bruno Onyemaechi. Wilfred Ndidi is also back in the rooster after missing the World Cup qualifying matches against Lesotho and Zimbabwe, and will be expected to adequately feed

the strike-force alongside Alex Iwobi, Raphael Onyedika, Joe Ayodele-Aribo and Frank Onyeka. Musa, Nigeria’s record goalscorer at the FIFA World Cup finals with a brace each in Brazil 2014 and Russia 2018, is in the forward-line alongside Africa Player of the Year Victor Osimhen, Kelechi Iheanacho, Moses Simon, Samuel Chukwueze, Victor Boniface, Sadiq Umar and Ademola Lookman. All the 25 players will depart from their different bases on Tuesday, January 2, to fly into Abu Dhabi, capital city of the United Arab Emirates, for a one-week training camp that will last until Tuesday, 9th January. The team will fly back to Lagos on Tuesday 9th January, and then fly into the Ivorian capital, Abidjan on Wednesday, 10th January. The Super Eagles, in their quest for a fourth continental title, will take on Equatorial Guinea on Sunday, 14th January in their first match of Group A, before further clashes with host nation Cote d’Ivoire (18th January) and Guinea Bissau (22nd January). Nigeria, who will be participating in the Africa Cup

of Nations for the 20th time, were champions as hosts in 1980, triumphant in Tunisia in 1994 and crowned winners in South Africa in 2013. When Cote d’Ivoire hosted the finals in 1984, a young Nigerian squad, led by the inimitable Stephen Keshi, went all the way to the final, before losing to much-experienced Indomitable Lions of Cameroon in a memorable final at the Stade Felix Houphouet-Boigny in Abidjan.

Super Eagles Roll Call

Goalkeepers: Stanley Nwabili (Chippa United, South Africa); Francis Uzoho (Omonia FC, Cyprus); Olorunleke Ojo (Enyimba FC) Defenders: Olaoluwa Aina (Nottingham Forest, England); Chidozie Awaziem (Boavista FC, Portugal); Bright Osayi-Samuel (Fenerbahce FC, Turkey); William Troost-Ekong (PAOK Salonika, Greece); Bruno Onyemaechi (Boavista FC, Portugal); Kenneth Omeruo (Kasimpasa FC, Turkey); Oluwasemilogo Ajayi (West Bromwich Albion, England); Calvin Bassey (Fulham FC, England); Zaidu Sanusi (FC Porto, Portugal)

NFF Denies Viral Super Eagles Jersey Rumours Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) has refuted claims about a circulating Super Eagles jersey design, Soccernet.ng reports. Initial excitement among Nigerian football fans over a potential new jersey was short-lived as the NFF swiftly released a statement debunking the creation of a new kit. The purported home jersey displayed Nigeria’s signature green and white colour scheme, garnering attention after it was shared by a Ghanaian-based designer known for creating kits for various countries. However, the buzz among fans anticipating the Super Eagles’

new look for the upcoming Africa Cup of Nations was quashed. Super Eagles media officer, Femi Raji, clarified to Soccernet. ng that any official news regarding a new jersey launch would be announced by the NFF. He explained that jersey updates are part of a regular, annual process. “If there’s news about a new jersey, the NFF will make the announcement. The process of designing new jerseys is a yearly thing,” Raji stated. The NFF has publicly declared that the viral jersey making the rounds is inauthentic, releasing a statement to dismiss the rumours. The statement asserts,

“Rumours about a new jersey launch between NIKE and the senior Men’s National team circulating round social media has been brought to our notice. We want to inform the general public that this claim is not true. At the moment, we have no jersey being launched for the Super Eagles for the upcoming Africa Cup of Nations scheduled to hold in Côte d’Ivoire next month.” Ahead of the AFCON tournament, the Super Eagles are set to hold a preparatory camp in Saudi Arabia before heading to Côte d’Ivoire

Nigeria Eagles Supporters Club Vows to Drum S’Eagles to Victory in Cote D’Ivoire As soccer loving Nigerians will be hoping that the Super Eagles of Nigeria would have a good outing at next year’s African Cup of Nations in Cote D’Ivoire, on its part the Nigeria Eagles Supporters Club has promised to give its all in the country’s quest for a fourth AFCON title. In a chat with THISDAY, the chairman of the Nigeria Eagles Supporters Club, Lagos State chapter, Shola Agoro, said the club would be storming Cote D’Ivoire in their numbers to drum for the Super Eagles to ensure they return home with the trophy.

According to Agoro, “We would be storming Cote D’Ivoire with more than 100 members from Nigeria and also sensitise Nigerians in Cote D’Ivoire on how best to support the Super Eagles. Our members will be visibly present at every centre Nigeria will be playing. “Our vision and mission is to give the team our total support to the team come rain, come shine and at every center. With our support and the quality of players in the national team, the Super Eagles shall return with the trophy at the end of the tournament,” an optimistic Agoro said.

Agoro...Chairman NESC Lagos chapter

The Nigeria Eagles Supporters Club was registered with the corporate affairs commission on December 12, 2017, and also enjoy the support of the Nigeria Football Federation, NFF.

Saturday, December 30, 2023

UT H

& RE A S O

Price: N250

MISSILE

Falana to FG, States “As a matter of urgency, we call on the federal government, state governments, and the 774 local governments to adopt remedial measures to ensure the immediate registration of the 20.2 million out-of-school children in schools. If the said sum of N68 billion unmatched grant is not accessed by the 36 state governments and the FCT before January 15, 2024, we shall seek an order of mandamus to compel them to do so forthwith” –Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Femi Falana

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Tinubu is Man-of-the-Year

hat, and who, has had greater influence and impact on our lives and times as Nigerians this year than the candidacy, emergence, decisions and actions of president Bola Ahme Tinubu? Who, and in connection with whom, will most Nigerians say today that they have been affected very significantly, one way or another, in their personal lives, in their businesses and other endeavours? Like him or hate him, Tinubu stands out today as the single entity in Nigeria’s political space whose overbearing influence has conditioned almost everything else, and who is now the most conspicuous variable shaping our lives. A Person of the Year (called Man of the Year or Woman of the Year until 1999) is an annual issue of the American news magazine and website Time featuring a person, a group, idea, or object that “for better or for worse... has done the most to influence the events of the year”. The epithet simply signifies an acknowledgement of impact, an indication that here was a phenomenon, idea or person, whose effect on everyone in a given space could not be ignored within the period under review. And it is against this background that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu stands out as man-of-the-year to me. Before the APC Primaries: He was almost written off. The news out there was that Aso Rock was out to do him in. his acolytes rose in their numbers to contest against him. It was shocking, it was almost benumbing. The air was tense with a feeling of oh the man is finished. Osinbajo and Fayemi, among others, were lined up against him. I had no doubt that the man was history politically. I said so on this page, late January, 2023. Take a read: “An Igbo prover says that a man who has a house full of “friends” whose loyalty rests on the largeness of his purse and the venison on his dining table has no friends at all. Such a man will find out, sooner or later, that he is alone on the day of sacrifice when people are asked to make all manner of personal denials for him. No one will stake his life for him, because all his friends would like to live and enjoy their plunder. A look at most of the campaign video clips of Asiwaju raises a fundamental question of propriety, patriotism, and dignity in adulthood for most of his backers. “How and why would anyone bring out this man, have the courage to stand behind him as a supporter in public, and then boldly assert that this is the best that the ruling APC can find for Nigeria, after eight years of unmitigated leadership incompetence? From the party’s performance on all fronts, it ought to simply apologize to Nigerians, withdraw from the elections and announce that it would go on a 24 months retreat; to learn about leadership. The man’s political machinery seems to be densely supported by individuals and groups who are largely driven by the “cash value’” of their loyalty to their pockets and their inverted

Tinubu

patriotism as Nigerians. And that brings us back to the personal, aspirational and existential crisis facing a Bola Tinubu in Nigeria today. He was the architect of the convoluted processes that birthed the ruling party and the Buhari Presidency. So, he brought out the masquerade that has been dealing with him for eight years now. Do you recall “the article “Tinubu and His Egungun”, Which appeared on this page on August 30, 2016? Perhaps not. Part of the article in question said: “Most of those who birthed the current Presidency are now confounded. The once most enthusiastic among them are quivering in the limited space allowed him by the very talisman they procured and celebrated. Their circumstance is proof that a politician may get into trouble more because of his own errors of judgment than from the evil machinations of his enemies and competitors. The lessons of the hour for the Lion of Bourdilon, Chief Bola Ahmed Tinubu and the APC`s hastily contrived coalition, are legion. These loyalists are all standing in public with bruises inflicted on them by their own, or their family`s, Egungun or masquerade”. Look at Tinubu today. “Even the rainmakers shall fall victim to the elements; because they did not know the full implications of the incantations they were mumbling. They cannot even take full flight! They locked the gates before the incantations began. They arranged a funeral, while dressed for a banquette, such that. Baffled, besmirched, excoriated and roundly diminished by their masquerade`s aberrant and atavistic totality, they crouch; hobbled, as they huddle””. And, finally, “Aquiver in little corners, they are now muttering “Olori buruku, ma ba temi je o! Enough said, as the dénouement of this drama is unfolding precipitously. After the Primaries: Then, to the consternation of many of us, Tinubu emerged the APC presential candidate! And this emergence also brought forth new allegations about plots to stop the man. Kaduna

State Governor, Nasir Elrufai said so. Quoting Elrufai, The Punch newspaper of February 1, 2023, had this blazing headline: “Aso Rock Elements Working Against Tinubu Victory”. The paper quotes the governor as having “revealed that some people in Aso Rock Villa are working to frustrate the victory of All Progressives Congress presidential candidate, Bola Tinubu, during this month’s election”. His comments on Channels Television programme on the matter were reported by the Punch thus: “I believe there are elements in the Villa that want us to lose the election because they didn’t get their way; they had their candidate. Their candidate did not win the primaries.” The governor explained that those working against Tinubu’s victory were those who’s APC presidential flagbearer defeated their candidates during the party’s presidential primary election. Tinubu himself echoed the same sentiments. The Naira redesign was said to have been targeted at him, to deny him the cash that could be used to influence the election outcome. The mobilization by his co-contestants and their parties gave strong intimations of a grand loss by Tinubu. The Obidients, in particular, were practically dressed for a post-election swearing in of their candidate. Victory was sure, they enthused everywhere. And there was also a video clip of President Buhari making the rounds at the time. The clip was indeed the subject of more than passing attention. The clip was unusually clear and well produced. It had this image of the president that was as lucid as his facial expressions were unmistakably serious. His voice, too, was clearer than usual. The man was, somewhat unlike him in his less coherent moments, articulate, forthright and determined not to be misunderstood. His simple message in that video clip was that he would superintend and ensure free, fair and transparent elections. He also pledged to make this the legacy he would like to leave for

Nigeria and Nigerians, as he prepared to head for Daura, Katsina State, after the elections. And this column observed then, regarding unfolding events: “Add the foregoing to the growing suspicion, and perhaps realization, that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) is being touted to have “tied its hands”, such that it cannot influence election outcomes because of the BVAS it procured, and is determined to use. Add, also, the general impression that there is a direct linkage between the drama surrounding the new Naira notes and the elections. This would lead us to the conclusion that individuals and groups planning, and hoping, to deploy unvarnished cash to influence the elections may find themselves upstaged. What then will Asiwaju BolaTinubu, whom many believe is planning to “pay all payables” in order to emerge president? Well, we have all seen what the man could do! And Now that Tinubu is president? We are seeing it all, are we not? “What, and who, has had greater influence and impact on our lives and times as Nigerians this year than the candidacy, emergence, decisions and actions of president Bola Ahme Tinubu? Who, and in connection with whom, will most Nigerians say today that they have been affected very significantly, one way or another, in their personal lives, in their businesses and other endeavours? Like him or hate him, Tinubu stands out today as the single entity in Nigeria’s political space whose overbearing influence has conditioned almost everything else, and who is now the most conspicuous variable shaping our lives”. Neither certificate debates, questions about his antecedents concerns about his means of livelihood while in the US, his real name, age, gender and even his business practices while he was governor of Lagos state could stop the man. Not the concert of elder statesmen and former heads of state. Not the narratives of those who were sure they ha fool proof strategies and evidence. An, again, the impact of some of his policy decisions has been more of a leveler, hardly to be ignored by anyone. Yes, it is all very real. And, going back to the roots of the original concept of Man of the Year, Person of the Year or Man of the Year is an award given to an individual, most especially and very often, by a newspaper or other news medium, as an annual recognition a public person. Such awards have typically been awarded to one person, thing, idea or phenomenon of great impact at the end of a calendar year. Franklin D. Roosevelt is the only person to have been named Person of the Year three times. The December 31, 1999 issue of Time named Albert Einstein the “Person of the Century”. Time Magazine’s Person of the Year is chosen by the magazine’s editors, who select the individual or group of individuals who they believe have had the most influence on the world, for better or for worse, during the previous year. Curiously, Hurricane Katrina was also once named Man of the year out there. So, why not Hurricane Tinubu? the man who has, so far, wrestled all comers to the ground this year.

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