BPE Set to List Privatised Enterprises on Capital Market

Finance Ministry, CBN okay NIPOST Microfinance Bank

Ndubuisi Francis in Abuja
Pending the return of a bullish
run in the capital market, the
Bureau of Public Enterprises
(BPE) is set to list no fewer
than four privatised firms on
the market. Director-General of
BPE, Mr. Alex Okoh, disclosed
this in an interview with
THISDAY to mark his 60th
birthday, which coincided
with Nigeria's diamond
independence anniversary.
Okoh said the listing was a
way of encouraging wider
public participation in the
acquisition of government
assets.
The head of the privatisation
agency also disclosed that
it had secured the approval
of the Federal Ministry
of Finance, Budget and
National Planning as well as
the Central Bank of Nigeria
(CBN) to float the proposed
NIPOST Microfinance Bank, a
subsidiary of the unbundled
Nigerian Postal Service
(NIPOST).
Although Okoh did not
divulge the identities of the
entities slated for the capital
market through public listing,
THISDAY gathered that some
of them were in the petro-
chemical sector.
The BPE director-general
said regarding the planned
Continued on page 5

PENCOM Board: South-east Senate Caucus Rejects Buhari’s DG Nominee… Page 5

Sunday 4 October, 2020
Vol 25. No 9309

www.thisdaylive.com
TR N
N400
UT H
& RE A S O

Adeboye: We Must Restructure Nigeria Now or Risk Break-up

Tobi Soniyi
In what is certain to put more
pressure on the President
Muhammadu Buhari
government, the highly
respected General Overseer
of the Redeemed Christian
Church of God (RCCG), Pastor
Enoch Adeboye, yesterday,
said there was an urgent
need to restructure Nigeria,
warning of a heightened
danger of breakup if the
country’s leaders fail to reform.
Adeboye, who added
his voice to the growing
clamour for restructuring of
the country, spoke at the 60th
Independence Day Celebration
Symposium organised by
RCCG and the Nehemiah
Leadership Institute. The
General Overseer spoke on
the theme, “Where will Nigeria
be in 2060.” He, however,
suggested a merger of the
British and American systems
of government for Nigeria,
stressing that the country
should develop a system
peculiar and unique to it.
The cleric, who had always
been reluctant to criticise the
president, said the Buhari
administration must carry out
the restructuring of the country
“as soon as possible” to avoid
a breakup of the various social
and ethnic components.
The 78-year-old stated,
“Why can’t we have a
system of government that
will create what I will call
the United States of Nigeria?
Let me explain. We all know
Continued on page 8

Buhari’s Supporters Considering

Jonathan for 2023 Presidential Run
Secondus: We won’t discriminate against anyone in PDP, says Atiku is free to contest again
Tobi Soniyi, Gboyega
Akinsanmi in Lagos and
Segun Awofadeji in Bauchi
In a major political
development fuelled by power
intrigues and permutations,
Buhari supporters are
considering backing former
President Goodluck Jonathan
for 2023 presidential run.
The thinking is that it will
satisfy the increasing clamour
for power shift to the South.
Buhari’s close loyalists believed
that Jonathan would be
harmless to their group interest
and as such the right person
to take over if power were to
shift to the South, "he handed
over power peacefully and
nursed no bitterness against
anyone and therefore will not
be a threat to the interest of
the north," according to a top
source in Buhari's camp who
didn't want to be identified.
The attraction to Jonathan's
possible candidacy is that he
will serve just one term of
four years.
In a related development
yesterday, the main opposition
Peoples Democratic Party
(PDP), disclosed that it would
not discriminate against any
person in the build-up to the
next presidential election on its
platform, including a former
Vice President, Alhaji Atiku
Abubakar, who the party said
was free to take another shot
in 2023.
According to multiple
sources within the northern
establishment spoken to by
THISDAY, the idea of having
Jonathan succeed Buhari is a
very attractive preposition, "the
former president is a good
man, he did well in his first
term and we believe he has
learnt his lessons and where he
failed and is unlikely to repeat
Continued on page 5

RIBADU’S DAUGHTER WEDS ATIKU’S SON...

Atiku, Saraki Condemn SARS' L-R: National Leader of All Progressives Congress (APC), Bola Ahmed Tinubu; the bride, Fatima Ribadu and the groom,
Attrocities against Nigerians... Page 11 Aliyu Atiku Abubakar; groom’s father and former vice president, Atiku Abubakar, at the wedding ceremony of his son at
Ribadu’s residence in Asokoro, Abuja... yesterday
2 SUNDAY OCTOBER 4, 2020 •T H I S D AY
SUNDAY OCTOBER 4, 2020 • T H I S D AY 3
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T H I S DAY, T H E S U N DAY N E W S PA P E R
PAGE FIVE
PENCOM Board: South-east Senate
Caucus Rejects Buhari’s DG Nominee
Deji Elumoye in Abuja
The South East Senate
Caucus has rejected President
Muhammadu Buhari's
nomination of Aishat Umar
as the Director General of the
National Pensions Commission
(PENCOM).
The caucus at a meeting
held at the weekend at the
instance of Senate Minority
Leader , Senator Enyinnaya
Abaribe, faulted the nomination
of Umar for confirmation as
substantive DG of PENCOM.
A ranking Senator who
attended the meeting told
THISDAY that Senators from
the five South East states
agreed that replacement for
the former Director-General
(DG) of PENCOM, Mrs.
Chinelo Anohu-Amazu, from
Anambra state must come
from any of the states from
the geo-political zone.
According to him, the South
East Senators based their
argument on provisions of
the 2014 Pension Act which
states that "in the event of a
vacancy, the President shall
appoint replacement from
the geo-political zone of the
immediate past member that
vacated office to complete the
remaining tenure."
They maintained that
BUHARI’S SUPPORTERS CONSIDERING JONATHAN FOR 2023 PRESIDENTIAL RUN
those mistakes that cost him
the presidency in 2015. He did
alot for the North, so why
not?" Another source privy
to the development also told
THISDAY last night "yes we
are looking at the Jonathan
option, he is a safe bet and
of course a very amiable
gentleman, who is not likely
to rock the boat."
Thus, within the northern
establishment, the consensus is
beginning to gain momentum,
with Buhari’s loyalists pushing
the button to have Jonathan
succeed their boss.
THISDAY checks also
showed a growing number
of influential northern leaders
of thought are favourably
disposed to the idea of
Jonathan’s second coming.
BPE SET TO LIST PRIVATISED ENTERPRISES ON CAPITAL MARKET
public listing, “I think that is
the ideal situation. As far as
I am concerned, ultimately,
we have to be encouraging
wider public participation in
the acquisition of government
assets – what you call the
national patrimony.
“That is one of the best ways
in which every citizen will feel
that privatisation has been fair
to them. If you're able to buy,
may be 1,000 units, as your
resources can afford you in a
national asset that has been
privatised, then you feel a
sense of common ownership
of the privatised entity.
“I think public offers are
the most democratic way
to go about divestment in
government assets. However,
recently, we have seen how the
stock market and the capital
market have performed. It has
been extremely challenging for
the capital market, and values
have been compromised even
for existing businesses in the
stock market.”
According to him, “Share
by virtue of provisions of
Section 20(1) and section
21(1) and (2) of the National
Pension Commission Act 2014,
replacement for Anohu-Amazu,
must come from the South East.
The Caucus has, therefore,
resolved to present their
position before the Senate
committee on Public Service
and Establishment to which
the PENCOM Board nominees
had been referred to last week
week by the upper legislative
chamber for further legislative
work.
Anohu-Amazu who had
since been appointed as
Executive Director of African
Development Bank (AfDB) was
removed as DG in 2017, two
clear years to the end of her
tenure.
Attempts by President Buhari
to get one Aliyu Abdulrahman
Dikko to fill the vacancy
created by Anohu -Amazu's
exit was check mated by the
leadership of the Eighth Senate
led by former Kwara state
governor, Dr Bukola Saraki
President of the Senate,
Dr Ahmad Lawan at last
Wednesday plenary mandated
the Senate Committee on
Establishment and Public
Service Matters to screen
President Muhammadu
Buhari's nominees for
This is particularly because
a majority of those, who have
bought into this idea, were
of the view that the former
president represented the
shortest route for the north
to regain power.
By virtue of the provisions
of the 1999 Constitution as
amended, one can only be
sworn in as president for two
terms of four years, although
Jonathan too had also taken
the oath of office twice.
Those supporting Jonathan
reason that if another
southerner emerges, more
so a young candidate, he is
likely to spend eight years in
office before power returns to
the north.
The north, and Buhari
in particular are said to be
prices have fallen significantly.
So, it's a matter of timing. Some
of those privatised entities we
will take to the capital market,
but we are being watchful of
the appropriate time to take
those assets to the market so
that they can get good value
and not the depressed value
that the market currently has.
“We tried a test case with
SAHCO (Skypower Aviation
Handing Company) about
18 months ago. The response
wasn’t too encouraging, and
for us, it was a reflection of the
kind of appetite that investors
have for the capital market right
now. Although, we have listed
some entities that we should
be taking to the capital market,
we want the market itself to
recover before we bring those
enterprises to the market.”
Noting that it might be
premature to name the
companies slated for public
listing, Okoh stated, “But we
have at least four of those
companies that are ready to
come to the capital market. So,
appointment as Chairman,
Director General and
Commissioners of the National
Pension Commission despite
sustained opposition from his
ON WORKING TOUR OF PROJECTS...
Ogun State Governor, Prince Dapo Abiodun (2nd right), flanked by his Commissioner for Works, Engr Ade Akinsanya (right)
and the Special Adviser, Works, Engr. Akeem Adesina (in traditional attire), and others during an inspection of on-going
reconstruction of the 7.5km Fajol-American- Gbonagun road in Abeokuta... yesterday
impressed with the way
Jonathan conceded defeat
and proceeded to hand over
power, when he lost the 2015
election and the way he has
since conducted himself out
of power.
Multiple sources told
THISDAY that Buhari and
his loyalists have over the
years come to see Jonathan
as someone, who is trustworthy
and dependable, and to whom
he could hand over power in
2023.
For instance, they also point
at the growing friendship and
bond between both men, as
Buhari on many occasions, had
expressed his astonishment at
the way Jonathan conceded
defeat and praised him as a
statesman.
we don't want to pre-empt the
market.”
He explained that the BPE
was already in consultation with
the relevant stakeholders and
agencies, including the Securities
and Exchange Commission
(SEC), the Nigerian Stock
Exchange (NSE), and the
stockbrokers’ association, “For
them to understand that we will
bring these enterprises to the
market once the market shows
signs that it could adequately
provide value for the stocks."
On the proposed NIPOST
Microfinance Bank, he disclosed
that it was one of the later
companies that would go into
operation among the unbundled
entities.
Okoh said, “For the
microfinance bank, we have
just gotten the approval
of the Federal Ministry of
Finance, Budget and National
Planning to go ahead with the
incorporation of the bank, and
we have also just gotten what
you can call a sort of indicative
approval from the Central Bank
colleagues.
Apart from Dr Oyindasola
Oluremi Oni and Aishat Umar
nominated for the Chairman
and DG of the Pension Board
One of such occasions was
in January 2018, Buhari at
a dinner for top members of
the ruling All Progressives
Congress (APC) at the
presidential villa in Abuja had
said he went temporarily into
a coma when former President
Goodluck Jonathan called him
to concede defeat in the 2015
presidential election.
He had said then he felt
Jonathan had stayed long
enough in office to have
caused problems when he lost
the election. He described the
former President’s decision to
accept defeat as a “great” one.
“When the former president
rang me, I went temporarily
into a coma,” the president
said.
“I will never forget the time.
of Nigeria with regard to what
it will require for the central
bank to grant a licence – the
National Microfinance Banking
Licence – to NIPOST.
“So, we are putting all of
those things in place to be able
to comply with the requirements
of the CBN and for the bank
to go operational. We believe
that will come on later in the
year, perhaps, ending, early or
mid next year.
“We envisage that maybe
before the end of the year,
NIPOST Property Development
Company, the first subsidiary
company, should be able to go
into operation. Also, NIPOST
Transport and Logistics
Company should also be able
to go into operation.”
Okoh further disclosed that
BPE was collaborating with the
Federal Ministry of Health
for health sector reforms that
would usher in universal health
coverage for all Nigerians in the
formal and informal segments
of the economy.
The coverage, which is likely
respectively, other PENCOM
Board members whose names
were sent to the Senate
by President Buhari for
confirmation as Commissioners
It was quarter past 5 p.m. and
he said he called to congratulate
me and that he had conceded.
“He asked if I heard him,
and I said yes. I thanked him
for his statesmanship,” he said.
“The truth is after being a
deputy governor, a governor,
vice president and president
for six years, and he took that
decision is great. He could have
caused some problems. He had
stayed long enough to cause
problems.”
In 2015 after losing the
election, in an unprecedented
step, Jonathan had called Buhari
to concede defeat and issued
a statement the following
after conceding, urging his
supporters to accept the result.
He urged his supporters to
follow “due process” in
to subsume the National Health
Insurance Scheme (NHIS), he
stated, would bring an end to
out-of-pocket medical expenses.
The director-general
explained, “That is going to be
a major reform. You know we
have carried out several sectorial
reforms before. We reformed
the pension sector such that
you now have a contributory
scheme through which workers
can look forward to a decent
retirement arrangement post-
service. We've done several
sectorial reforms in the past.
For me, the health sector reform
is essentially important, because,
like they say, a healthy nation
is a wealthy nation.
“Now, you don't want a
situation, where people fall
sick; your citizens fall sick and
the question of who survives
depends on how wealthy or
how that particular individual
can afford the medical aid or
treatment that they need. Most
advanced countries have moved
beyond that. The decision to fall
sick is not made by you, so it
were Hannatu Musa (North-
West); Clement Akintola
(South-West); Ayim Nyerere
(South-East) and Charles
Emukowhale (South-South).
channeling their frustrations
at losing the election amid fear
of violence. He re-echoed his
now famous statement during
the 2015 campaign that his his
ambition was not worth the
blood of any Nigerian.
“Nobody's ambition is worth
the blood of any Nigerian,”
Jonathan said in a statement
issued after his election
defeat. “The unity, stability
and progress of our dear
country is more important
than anything else.”
These loyalists of the
president have further cited
the fact that Jonathan was
the only former head of state
with Buhari during the 60th
independence anniversary
celebration of the country at
the Eagle Square, Abuja.
should not be left to your own
capacity or affordability to be
able to determine whether you
survive that sickness or not.
“That is what the health
sector reform programme that is
being anchored by the BPE and
the Federal Ministry of Health
is geared towards. We want to
be able to provide universal
health coverage and access
to every citizen of this nation
in such a way that they don't
have to bother about paying
for the care.
“It will be based on single
payer system, which means
that the federal government,
through a particular agency,
will be responsible for paying
for the health care of every
citizen, who needs it. So, access
to medical and health treatment
and intervention will no longer
be dependent on whether you
are rich or whether you are
poor. We are going to, more or
less, aggregate the services and
aggregate the payment system
or the process for that particular
service.”
6 SUNDAY OCTOBER 4, 2020 •T H I S D AY
SUNDAY OCTOBER 4, 2020 • T H I S D AY 7
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T H I S DAY, T H E S U N DAY N E W S PA P E R

NEWS

CELEBRATING SILVER JUBILEE OF ORDINATION...

Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi of Enugu State (2nd left); Bishop Callistus Onaga of the Catholic Diocese of Enugu (left); his counterpart from the Catholic Diocese of Nsukka, Prof. Godfrey
Igwebuike Onah (3rd left); and other Bishops from different parts of the country, when the 1995 set of the Daughters of Divine Love (DDL) celebrated the Silver Jubilee of their first
religious profession, at the DDL Sacred Heart Chapel, Abakpa Nike, Enugu... yesterday

Atiku Free to Contest Presidential Election in 2023, Says Secondus

Asks FG to recruit unemployed youths into security agencies
Segun Awofadeji in Bauchi
The Peoples Democratic Party
(PDP) yesterday disclosed that
it would not discriminate
against any person that may
want to contest presidential
election on its platform in 2023
including former Vice President
Atiku Abubakar.
The main opposition
party also asked President
Muhammadu Buhari to recruit
unemployed youths across the
federation into security agencies
as a strategy to address
criminality and insecurity.
accommodating.
He said: “There is no room
for discrimination. Everyone
is qualified, both young, old,
governors, non-governors are
qualified to contest and we
have the space for everyone;
if you win, you become our
candidate. The door is open
to everybody.”
Speaking on the performance
of Bauchi State Governor,
Senator Bala Mohammed,
Secondus described him as
an invaluable asset to the
main opposition party, citing
his enviable achievement in a
competent and qualified and
can be enlisted in the security
apparatus that we have in
Nigeria like the Nigerian
Army, Nigerian Air Force,
Nigeria Police, Department
of State Services (DSS) and
all other agencies.
"We need Army, police, civil
defence in the fight against
banditry, kidnapping and
insurgency facing Nigeria
today,” the Sokoto governor
explained.
He urged the government to
seriously consider employing
those who are competent and
qualified because we know
that Nigeria is under-policed
and there is the need for more
hands. I know that we are
doing more on community
policing, but that is not
enough.”
He appealed to the
President to ensure that
security operatives on the
front line of fight insurgents
and bandits, among others, get
their entitlements and other
welfare packages with a view
to boosting their morale.
He, also, challenged the
president to deploy ICT
equipment to be made available
to the men in the forefront of
the fight against insurgency,
banditry, kidnapping and other
crimes.”
Also, the governor called
on the President to deploy
information communications
technology (ICT) in the fight
against insecurity in the
country.
Also speaking, the Deputy
National Chairman North
of PDP, Senator Sulaiman
Nazif Gamawa, used the
medium to acknowledge
the commitment of Governor
Bala Mohammed towards
the overall development of
the state.
Although they did not
disclose the reason for the
recent visits and consultations
around the country, it might
not be unconnected with the
2023 politics on how the party
can get back to winning ways
particularly at the presidency
having lost out of power for
eight years.

NAF Partners Nollywood to Immortalise Arotile

The PDP National Chairman,
Mr. Uche Secondus, and
Chairman of PDP Governors
Forum, Alhaji Aminu
Tambuwal, made these remarks
after a two-hour meeting held
at Ramat House, Bauchi,
yesterday.
Apart from Secondus and
Tambuwal, PDP Deputy
National Chairman (North),
Senator Nazif Gamawa and
a former President of the
Senate, Senator David Mark,
among others, also attended
the meeting.
After the meeting, while
responding to a question on
whether the party would re-
present Abubakar who lost the
2019 presidential election to
President Muhammadu Buhari,
Secondus noted that the party’s
floor would be open for any
aspirant willing to contest for
the presidential election in 2023.
Secondus promised to
provide level-playing ground
for all the party members,
describing PDP as very
democratic party that is all
short period of time.
Also after the meeting
yesterday, Tambuwal lamented
the high level of insecurity,
including banditry in the
North-west, emphasising
the need “to employ more
personnel in the army, police,
civil defence and other security
agencies.”
He, therefore, asked the
president to, as a matter of
urgency, consider employing
productive youth into the
security organisations to meet
with the security needs of the
country.
“Nigeria is under policed.
In view of this, the federal
government should employ
competent and qualified
unemployed youths into the
security agencies in the country.
“We know that Nigeria is
under policed and there is the
need for more hands. I know
that we are doing more on
community policing but that
is not enough.”
"We have many unemployed
youths, who are patriotic,
Kuni Tyessi in Abuja
The Nigerian Air Force (NAF)
says in honour of the late
first female combat pilot in
Nigeria, Tolulope Arotile,
it has concluded plans, in
partnership with the Nigerian
film industry, to immortalise
the fallen hero. The Force also
presented to members of the
public an animated storybook
to encourage young people
to take up careers in military
aviation, with the book series
titled, “Mom I Can Fly.” Chief
of Air Staff, Air Marshal Sadique
Abubakar, disclosed this at the
weekend in Abuja, during an
event, "My Nigerian Dream",
organised to commemorate the
country's 60th Independence
anniversary. It was organised
by I Choose Life Foundation.
NAF said the film titled,
“Eagles Wings”, which would
be made available in cinemas,
would encourage Nigerian
youths to appreciate their
heroes. It noted that many
youths had the tendency to
celebrate the heroes of other
countries, while ignoring their
own.
Abubakar said after the death
of the 24 years old Arotile, many
young girls had indicated
interest to join the force.
Represented by Air Vice
Marshal Oladayo Amao, the Air
Force chief added that Arotile’s
dexterity had encouraged not
less than 12 female officers to
accept to undergo trainings
locally and internationally to
be flying officers.
According to him, “This
is a very special day for the
Nigerian Air Force as one of
our finest will be honoured and
immortalised. Sadly, this is also
celebrating men and women,
who have lost their lives in the
line of duty.
“Since ironically, most
Nigerian youths know about
the fallen heroes of other
countries, as against those of
their own, we are committed to
change this perspective and, in
partnership with Nollywood,
we have put together a film
titled: ‘Eagles Wings’ and this
will be available in cinemas.
“Under my leadership, the
Air Force men and women
have displayed exceptional
gallantry, despite the challenges
going by insurgency, armed
banditry and, more recently, the
COVID-19 pandemic. We have
been devastated by the tragic
passing of our gallant officer,
Tolulope Arotile. As a result
of her death, many Nigerian
girls have shown interest to
be recruited into the Nigerian
air force.”
In his speech at the occasion,
the Minister of Youths and
Sports Development, Mr.
Sunday Dare, said opportunities
abounded for the youth,
but what they lacked was
exceptional skills, especially in
the field of technology. Dare
said the COVID-19 pandemic
had not only unravelled the
deficiencies in the technological
knowhow of Nigerian youths,
but also those of the entire
continent. He said the youths
needed to rediscover themselves
and upgrade in digital skills,
reiterating that there is no such
thing as overnight success.
The minister said, “Youths
must go online and find
opportunities, as they are
always there. You need to
seek grants to develop your
skills. The COVID-19 pandemic
proved that digital skills gap is
not just a Nigerian thing but
affects the whole of Africa.
Youths must be trained to
develop digital skills in order
to be employable.”

ADEBOYE: WE MUST RESTRUCTURE NIGERIA NOW OR RISK BREAK-UP

that we must restructure. It’s
either we restructure or we
break, you don’t have to be
a prophet to know that one.
That is certain – restructure
or we break up.
“Now, we don’t want to
break up, God forbid. In
restructuring, why don’t
we have a Nigerian kind of
democracy? At the federal
level, why don’t we have
a President and a Prime
Minister?
“If we have a President
and a Prime Minister and we
share responsibilities between
these two so that one is not
an appendage to the other.
For example, if the President
controls the Army and the
Prime Minister controls
the Police. If the President
controls resources like oil
and mining and the Prime
Minister controls finance
and inland revenue, taxes,
customs etc. You just divide
responsibilities between the
two.
“At the state level, you
have the governor and the
premier, and the same way,
you distribute responsibilities
to these people in such a
manner that one cannot really
go without the other. Maybe
we might begin to tackle the
problems.
“If we are going to adopt
the model, then we need to
urgently restore the House of
Chiefs. I have a feeling that
one of our major problems
is that we have pushed
the traditional rulers to the
background and I believe that
is a grave error.
“Without any doubt, we
must restructure and do it as
soon as possible. A United
States of Nigeria is more
likely to survive than our
present structure.”
The GO, as Adeboye is
fondly called, seemed to echo
the sentiment expressed by
Vice President Yemi Osinbajo
recently. Osinbajo had at a
recent church service to
commemorate Nigeria’s
independence anniversary,
said, “Fortunately for us, our
walls are not yet broken. But
there are obvious cracks that
could lead to a break if not
properly addressed.”
Before the vice president
gave this submission, former
President Olusegun Obasanjo
had last month declared,
“Nigeria is fast drifting to a
failed and badly divided state;
economically our country is
becoming a basket case and
poverty capital of the world,
and socially, we are firming
up as an unwholesome and
insecure country.”
Adding his voice to
the raging clamour for
restructuring, Adeboye
insisted that the place of
traditional rulers should
not be expunged from the
leadership of the country.
He said, “Go to any town
in Nigeria, everybody in the
town knows the paramount
ruler in the town and they
respect him (but) many of
them don’t even know the
name of the chairman of their
local government.
“The traditional rulers are
the actual landlords. They
command the respect of
their people. Their people
will listen to them much
more, I am sorry to say,
than they will listen to some
politicians.”
SUNDAY OCTOBER 4, 2020 • T H I S D AY 9
10 OCTOBER 4, 2020 ˾
T H I S D AY, T H E S U N D AY N E W S PA P E R

EDITORIAL Editor, Editorial Page PETER ISHAKA

Email peter.ishaka@thisdaylive.com

IN ONDO, ALL EYES ON INEC

After the Edo extraordinary progress, there is a new focus on the electoral body. Can it again deliver?

T
he governorship election in Ondo visa ban on any politician found to have
State coming up this Saturday is yet instigated violence and electoral malprac-
tices. Besides, the revelation by President
another opportunity for the Indepen- Muhammadu Buhari that he specifically
dent National Electoral Commission directed the Inspector-General of Police to
(INEC) to showcase its preparedness ensure that the election was free and fair
for the onerous responsibility it also reaffirmed that it would take more
shoulders. With all the accolades the than INEC to deliver on credible polls.

H
commission received on the conduct owever, we expect the INEC
of the recent Edo State gubernatorial poll, it would to raise their standard by
be a shame for the Ondo election to end up in passing the test on logistics
acrimony or marred by malpractices. If INEC is able ahead of the conduct of the
poll. In virtually all elections
to conduct the poll in such a manner that voters are in Nigeria, the commission
able to exercise their franchise, all legitimate votes always falters on this issue. This was
are counted and a winner eventually declared in also the case during the Edo election as
a transparent manner, then the commission will voting materials and electoral officers
begin to earn the trust of Nigerians. arrived late to some polling units while
card readers malfunctioned in several
Although the build-up to the Ondo election has places. We urge INEC to deploy the best
not been as nasty as that of Edo State, the stakes of smart card readers and other devices
are equally high. to be used for the election while electoral
There is the Like the Edo poll, officers demonstrate a strict sense of
need for all this election also professionalism by arriving early at their
duty posts along with all the requisite
stakeholders reflects the tragedy
of political parties in
materials.
INEC should build on the template it
to recognise Nigeria. The sitting used for the conduct of Edo election two
the importance deputy governor weeks ago. The commission's decision
to open a portal which enabled electoral
of holding a is contesting against
his principal under a S U N DAY N E W S PA P E R
officers to transmit results of elections from polling
peaceful and political party different EDITOR SHAKA MOMODU
units directly to the portal went a long way in
frustrating forces who usually manipulate results at
credible election from the one that gave DEPUTY EDITORS OLAWALE OLALEYE, TOBI SONIYI
night. With results from polling station transmitted
to the portal that was accessible to the general
and above all, him the office he still
occupies. Invariably,
MANAGING DIRECTOR ENIOLA BELLO public, there was little or no room for election rig-
respect the while there are several
DEPUTY MANAGING DIRECTOR KAYODE KOMOLAFE
CHAIRMAN EDITORIAL BOARD OLUSEGUN ADENIYI
gers. We therefore commend INEC for the initiative
and urge the commission not only to sustain it on
choice of the candidates in the race, EDITOR NATION’S CAPITAL IYOBOSA UWUGIAREN
MANAGING EDITOR JOSEPH USHIGIALE
Saturday but also to improve on it until all avenues
electorate after it is basically a three-
horse race between
for malpractices are completely blocked in our
electoral process.
the ballots are the incumbent Rotimi
Meanwhile, notwithstanding the posturing by
the principal actors, one fact about the Ondo State
counted Akeredolu of the T H I S DAY N E W S PA P E R S L I M I T E D gubernatorial election which also is true with all
ruling All Progressives EDITOR-IN-CHIEF/CHAIRMAN NDUKA OBAIGBENA Nigerian elections is that it will not be fought on
Congress (APC), his deputy, Agboola Ajayi flying GROUP EXECUTIVE DIRECTORS ENIOLA BELLO, KAYODE KOMOLAFE, ideological platforms. But the tragic example of the
the flag of Zenith Labour Party (ZLP) and Eyitayo ISRAEL IWEGBU, IJEOMA NWOGWUGWU, EMMANUEL EFENI Second Republic is also a reminder that Ondo State
DIVISIONAL DIRECTORS BOLAJI ADEBIYI , PETER IWEGBU, has the potential to explode from a mere spark
Jegede of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). over a simple political argument. Then, as now, the
ANTHONY OGEDENGBE
The outcome of the Edo poll, generally adjudged DEPUTY DIVISIONAL DIRECTOR OJOGUN VICTOR DANBOYI governor and his deputy were central characters
to be free and fair, has rekindled hope that democ- SNR. ASSOCIATE DIRECTORS ERIC OJEH, PATRICK EIMIUHI in the election that pitched the duo as combatants
racy is not too frail a plant to survive the Nigerian ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR SAHEED ADEYEMO against each other. What that suggests is the need
environment if the stakeholders resolve to doing CONTROLLERS ABIMBOLA TAIWO, UCHENNA DIBIAGWU, NDUKA MOSERI for all stakeholders to recognise the importance of
DIRECTOR, PRINTING PRODUCTION CHUKS ONWUDINJO holding a peaceful and credible election and above
the right thing. But there are those who believe the all, respect the choice of the electorate after the
HEAD, COMPUTER DEPARTMENT PATRICIA UBAKA-ADEKOYA
outcome may have resulted from the threat by both ballots are counted.
TO SEND EMAIL: first name.surname@thisdaylive.com
the United States and United Kingdom to impose May the best candidate win.

TO OUR READERS

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

NIGERIA AND EDUCATION TECHNOLOGY

A
ll crises come with
opportunity, no
matter how bad you
might feel for taking
it. In Nigerian
education, that op-
portunity came well-disguised,
with the sudden closure of
schools across the country.
That add urgency to a
long-standing situation where
gender discrimination, conflict,
language challenges, poverty,
child labour, and child mar-
riage have already contributed
to depriving many Nigerian
children of their right to access
quality education.
Since the onset of COVID-19,
millions of Nigerian children
in Nigeria have been stuck at
home not learning, and there’s
a risk of millions of children
forced out-of-school by the
pandemic won’t ever return.
Globally, according to Save the
Children, education cuts and
rising poverty as a result of
COVID-19 could force almost
10 million children out of
school forever by the end of
this year alone.
After shutdown, there have
been pockets of innovation.
Lagos State, for example,
launched a radio learning
programme and distributed
radios to low-income families.
Startups like uLesson have
also launched e-learning
solutions - but the fact remains
that millions of children are
priced out of that sector.
The long-term answer to
the challenges presented by
Covid, conflict and other social
ills will lie in innovation, and
digital innovation at that.
Clearly, there are connectiv-
ity and accessibility issues
to overcome, but I remain
stubbornly optimistic that
the combined minds of the
global education sector can
bring forward the innovative
changes to help address educa-
tion poverty in Nigeria.
That’s one reason why I
launched World Education
Week, which begins on
Sunday and which pulls
together the expertise of 100
schools from around the world
(and nearly a quarter of them
from Africa) to share their
skills and solutions to com-
mon problems.
There are three schools
from the Ogun state alone,
for example, taking part and
sharing their knowledge
globally in what will be the
world’s biggest education confer-
ence. Each school has been chosen
for its expertise and commitment to
key areas (centred on the Sustain-
able Development Goals of the UN).
Access to education technology is
the core offering from the Baptist
Primary School, Ogbogbo, but it’s
not just EdTech: the Local Govern-
ment School III in Sango Ota
has been chosen for its focus on
wellbeing, while the Ikangba Erinlu
United Anglican Primary School
is noted for its work in deepening
family and community engagement.
There are others too: the
Christ Anglican Primary School
in Ijebu-Ife is to show its vital
role in enhancing employability,
entrepreneurship and life skills,
while the LGEA Kurmin Mashi
school in Kaduna will talk about
its creation of a platform where
students are utilized as student
group leaders and are accountable
for peer performance and learning
outcomes.
It’s this use of technology in
the wider context of community
and the outcomes for students
that shows the way forward.
In the conference we will be
using technology to enhance the
knowledge of Nigeria’s schools,
while also showing how they have
used it to improve the life chances
of their pupils.
That is the way forward - we
have the tools and we’re building
the connectivity to use them.
Nigerian schools can show the
rest of the continent, and the rest
of the world how to free ourselves
from the issues that hold us back
and how education can set the
next generation free.
––Toby Burnham, toby@
tbcomms.com.
T H I S D AY, T H E S U N D AY N E W S PA P E R ˾


Ͳ˜
2020


NEWS
Ondo 2020: Tambuwal’s Support for ZLP
Candidate Splits PDP Governors Forum
‡ Denies working against PDP guber candidate
Gboyega Akinsanmi and
Innocent Onuminya
The candidate of the Peoples
Democratic Party (PDP) in the
October 10 governorship election,
Mr. Eyitayo Jegede is facing an
ABIRU AT MARKET SQUARE
LL-R: Executive Chairman of Mile 12 International Market, Alhaji Shehu Usman; candidate of All Progressives Congress (APC) for Kosofe II Constituency,
Mr. Obafemi Saheed; APC candidate for senatorial bye-election in Lagos East, Mr. Tokunbo Abiru; a federal lawmaker representing Kosofe Federal
Constituency, Hon. Rotimi Agunsoye and Chairman, APC Lagos East Campaign Council, Chief Kaoli Olusanya at during Abiru’s visit to Mile Market
ahead of the October 31 bye-election … Saturday
FG Increases Number of Passengers Per Flight for International Carriers
Chinedu Eze
The federal government has
approved an increase of passengers
per flight for international airlines
from 116 passengers to 200 with a
total of 25, 200 seats per week for
both Lagos and Abuja airports.
Currently, international flights
operate at only Abuja and Lagos
airports and every day Lagos
records 11 to 12 flights while
Abuja records seven flights.
In a statement yesterday,
however, the Director-General
of the Nigerian Civil Aviation
Authority (NCAA), Capt. Musa
Atiku, Saraki Condemn SARS Atrocities NBA to Lead Gender Reform in Judicial Sector
Chuks Okocha in Abuja
Former Vice President Atiku
Abubakar and a former President
of the Senate, Dr. Bukola Saraki
yesterday condemned the actions
of members of the Special Anti
Robbery Square (SARS).
They expressed concern about
the atrocities of SARS officers in
separate statements yesterday,
calling for a reform of the unit
of the police to get rid of corrupt
officials.
In his statement, Abubakar
lamented that the arm of the
Nigeria Police “has turned out
to become an instrument of
oppression to the people meant
to protect.”
Abubakar, the presidential can-
didate of the Peoples Democratic
Party in the 2019 general election,
explained that the SARS was set
up to confront violent crimes such
uphill task in his campaign,
THISDAY has learnt.
Jegede’s challenge, according
to findings, has been traced to
the split commitment of the PDP
governors towards his ongoing
campaign.
Nuhu disclosed the approval.
The statement said the federal
government approved capacity
increase to ‘All Foreign Airline
Operators Flying Into Nigeria’
through the Air Operators Letter
(AOL) dated October 2 effective
date of the updated flight schedule.
The statement said: “Follow-
ing the partial resumption of
international flights approved
by the Presidential Task Force
(PTF) and subsequent request
for additional flight frequencies
by airlines updated flight schedule
is given.”
“The Murtala Muhammed
as armed robbery, kidnapping and
other related crimes.
However, the former vice
president added that the unit “has
today morphed into an oppressor
of the Nigerian masses who strive
every day for a better life.
“Reports of intimidation, harass-
ment and outright extortion by
officers of the Special Anti-Robbery
Squad (SARS) have continued
unabated.
“I strongly condemn their cruel
actions against our people, and I
urge the government to rise to the
occasion and nip this monstrosity
in the bud with the seriousness
it deserves.
“It is expedient that the activities
of SARS are reviewed to ensure
that the rogue elements are excised
from the unit and sanity returned
to its operations” the former vice
president stated.
Commenting on SARS
E-mail: ÑÌÙãÏÑ˲ËÕÓØÝËØ×Ó̶ÞÒÓÝÎËãÖÓàÏ˛ÍÙט͸΀͹ͽͺͻͽ΁ͺͽͻ
̙Ý×Ý
ÙØÖã̚
According to the findings,
Sokoto State Governor, Alhaji
Aminu Tambuwal is said to be
lukewarm to Jegede’s governorship
campaign unlike his Oyo State
counterpart, Mr. Seyi Makinde,
who has been supportive in every
International Airport, Lagos
with the new update to see on
the average, 2,200 passengers
daily while the Nnamdi Azikiwe
International Airport, Abuja, to
witness averagely, 1,400 passengers
on daily basis. 25, 200 seats per
week are now available to foreign
carrier to sell.”
Nuhu encouraged the operators
“to follow guided health protocols.
You shall ensure that all flights
operations are conducted in
compliance with Covid-19 Health
protocols as issued by Aeronautical
and Public Health Authorities.”
British Airways, Middle East
atrocities on his Twitter handle,
@bukolasaraki, the former Senate
President lamented the reports
of the continued harassment,
illegal arrest, detention and high
handedness by rogue cells of the
unit of the police against innocent
Nigerians - most of them young
people - in spite of efforts to reform
the police & raise standards of
policing, are disheartening.
He explained that a situation,
where the officers of the Nigeria
Police become a threat to the
lives and property of the very
citizens they swore to protect is
condemnable and unacceptable.
He, therefore, called on the
federal government “to im-
mediately put a stop to these
reprehensible activities and
restructure the unit to better
perform its lawful duties of
safeguarding the lives and property
of the Nigerian people.”
Acting News Editor ÌÙãÏÑË
ÕÓØÝËØ×Ó
ramification.
The findings, also, alleged that
Tambuwal, the Chairman of PDP
Governors Forum, had subtly been
supporting the governorship
candidate of Zenith Labour Party
(ZLP) and Ondo State Deputy
Airlines, Turkish Airlines, Kenya
Airways, Ethiopian Airlines, Virgin
Atlantic, Qatar Airways, RwandAir,
Africa World Airlines, Asky, Air
Cote d’Ivoire, Delta Airlines
and Egypt Air are the currently
approved carriers to operate into
the country.
With this new development,
airlines are bound to make more
sales.
Meanwhile, the first scheduled
international flight landed at the
Murtala Muhammed International
Airport (MMIA), Lagos September
6 after the over five-month
shutdown due to the COVID-19
Tobi Soniyi
The General Secretary of the
Nigerian Bar Association (NBA),
Joyce Oduah has pledged to ensure
a sexual harassment and gender
policy is put in place in the NBA
as a step to begin concrete reform
in Nigeria’s judicial sector, entrench
dignity for and end discrimina-
tion against women in the legal
profession.
She made the commitment as a
guest on a special Independence
Day Program on House of Justice
Radio/TV, Kaduna, which had
the theme “Independence & Its
Meaning to the Nigerian Female”.
Other guests that featured
on the program hosted by the
Chief Executive Officer, House
of Justice, Gloria Mabeiam Bal-
lason include a former Dean of
Law at the University of Nigeria,
Nsukka and former UN Special
Governor, Mr. Agboola Ajayi.
In a swift reaction yesterday,
however, Tambuwal faulted this
allegation, noting that he was fully
in support of Jegede’s governorship
aspiration.
A PDP source told THISDAY
that Tambuwal would have pre-
ferred the state’s deputy governor
to bear the party’s flag, citing their
long-time friendship, which started
when they were both serving in
the House of Representatives.
The source said: “When Tambuwal
was Speaker of the House of Reps,
Ajayi was very close to him. He
always ensured that any form of
opposition to the speaker’s leadership
was quickly exposed and aborted.
“Therefore, Tambuwal now
sees Ajayi’s aspiration to become
the governor of Ondo State as a
practical opportunity to appreciate
him as a dependable supporter and
project his presidential aspiration
in 2023,” he said.
However, another source
claimed, Tambuwal’s alleged
stance on the Jegede candida-
ture has reportedly polarised the
PDP Governors Forum, which
the Sokoto governor chairs.
The source claimed that the
Sokoto governor was able to
get an ally in Bauchi State
Governor, Senator Bala Mu-
hammed while Makinde has been
projecting Jegede’s aspiration, citing
pandemic.
The federal government had
fixed September 5 for the reopening
of airports for international flights
starting with the MMIA and the
Nnamdi Azikiwe International
Airport (NAIA), Abuja.
Strict COVID-19 protocols were
put in place by the Federal Airports
Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) in
preparation for the reopening.
The federal government, through
the Presidential Task Force on
COVID-19, released protocols for
departing and arriving passengers,
part of which was the negative
PCR test.
Rapporteur on Human Trafficking,
Prof. Joy Ngozi Ezeilo; a former
Chairman of the National Human
Rights Commission, Prof. Chidi
Anselm Odinkalu and Sidikat
Bello-Adegboye of the International
Federation of Women Lawyers
(FIDA).
The guests decried the work-
place discrimination, sexual harass-
ment and degrading treatments
female lawyers and judges face stating
that freedom from discrimination
could not be a reality if the legal
profession was just as plagued as
the rest of society.
The guests also condemned as
ugly, a practice in which female
judges who deserved to be heads
of courts or appointed to superior
courts of records were often shoved
aside for their male colleagues of lower
ranks or who were less qualified.
Speaking during the program,
Odinkalu said independence
11
his popularity at the grassroots.
The source said Makinde,
who has allies in the governors
of Bayelsa, Edo, Enugu and Delta,
had viewed Tambuwal’s subtle
campaigns for Ajayi as devastative,
though claimed that it would not
affect Jegede’s victory in the poll
next Saturday.
The source said the pro-Jegede
governors “have been working
underneath to deepen grassroots
support Jegede is currently enjoying
in the state.”
This disagreement among the
governors, THISDAY gathered,
may have also been responsible
for what sources described as the
poor funding Jegede is getting in
his campaign efforts.
Truly, the source said Jegede “is
loved by the people and he looks
good to win, but it is apparent
he is having financial challenges
because of the pro-Ajayi focus
of Tambuwal.”
Faulting the allegation
yesterday, Tambuwal denied
supporting the ZLP governor-
ship candidate against the
governorship candidate of
his party.
Speaking through his Special
Adviser on Media and Pub-
licity, Mr. Bello Muhammed,
Tambuwal said those behind
the false rumors were enemies
of democracy and PDP.
As the airport reopened, the first
flight operated by Middle East
Airlines, ME 571 from Beirut,
Lebanon, landed at the airport at
about 2:18 pm with 222 passengers
and 17 crew members.
The Regional Manager, South-
West FAAN, Mrs. Victoria Shina-
Aba, who spoke to journalists at
the MMIA, said the airport was
reopened exactly after five months
and 13 days when it was closed
to international flights.
Shina-Aba disclosed that during
the flight ban, the airport processed
192 evacuation and special flights
and 1,404 cargo flights.
of the judiciary and the legal
profession was nothing except
it meant respect for the agency
of women and equality of dignity
and opportunity for all women.
He noted that this was far from
being the reality of females in
Nigeria due to degrading and
discriminatory acts against them.
Ezeilo observed that Nigeria
was ‘running a relay on one foot’
due to its neglect of its female
population noting that Rwanda’s
rebuilding effort after the genocide
was a sterling example of what
was possible when women were
allowed to exercise their potentials.
Contributing, Sidikat Bello-
Adegboye highlighted how culture,
religion and patriarchy usurp the
agency of females, stating that in-
dependence was a high threshold
and could only be attained with
a lot of deconstruction of myths
and perceptions.
12
NEWSXTRA
ROYAL BLESSINGS
L-R: The governorship candidate of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Ondo State, Mr. Eyitayo Jegede (SAN) with Olowa of Igbara-Oke Kingdom, Oba
Adefarakanmi Agbede, Ilufemiloye Ogidi III during Jegede’s visit to Igbara Oke, the headquarters of Ifedore Local Government Area… Friday
Edo Lecturer Commits Suicide
Amid Agony of Unpaid Salaries
‡ Rector of Auchi Polytechnic passes away
Adibe Emenyonu in Benin
City
Tragedy struck at the weekend
at the Tayo Akpata University
(formerly Edo State College
of Education) when one of its
principal lecturers, Mr Friday
Orobator allegedly committed
suicide by hanging himself.
He reportedly took his life last
Friday, allegedly due to the failure
of his employers to pay his 13
months of unpaid salaries
Also in Edo State yesterday,
the management of the Auchi
Polytechnic, Edo State announced
the passage of its Rector Dr.
Momodu Jimah, disclosing that
Jimah passed away Friday night
at exactly 7:00 p.m.
Ondo PDP Denies Alliance with ZLP Ahead of Guber Poll
James Sowole in Akure
The Peoples Democratic Party
(PDP), Ondo State, yesterday
denied that it planned to merge
with the Zenith Labour Party
(ZLP) and compromise the can-
didature of its governorship flag
bearer, Mr. Eyitayo Jegede SAN.
However, the All Progressives
Congress (APC) accused opposi-
tion parties of causing tension in
the state ahead of the forthcoming
gubernatorial election.
In a statement by its Publicity
Secretary, Mr Kennedy Peretei, the
PDP described the speculation as
RMFAC Scores Osun High in Fiscal Transparency, Accountability
Yinka Kolawole in Osogbo
The Revenue Mobilisation Al-
location and Fiscal Commission
(RMFAC) has scored Osun high
in the area of fiscal transparency
and accountability, which it said
was the pathway to the huge
successes recorded in the area
of infrastructure development.
The Commission, which was
on a two-day sensitisation tour
to the state for the purpose of
gathering data and management
evaluation, stated this while meet-
ing stakeholders in the Finance,
Health and Education sectors of
the state.
Orobator’s lifeless body was
discovered behind his apartment
at about 1:30 p.m. dangling with
the rope he used to hang himself
after weeks of lamenting lack of
funds to take care of his family
needs and health challenges.
The tragic incident attracted a
crowd of neighbours, sympathisers
and passers-by, who wondered
what could compel the deceased
to take such an extreme decision.
Until his passage, THISDAY
learnt, Orobator was a member
of the College of Education
Academic Staff Union (COEASU)
and a principal lecturer at the
department of Adult Education.
Before he committed suicide,
THISDAY learnt that the deceased
complained bitterly to close
“a typical tale by the moonlight,
often told during election period.”
The statement said: “For the
avoidance of doubt, we will like
to declare to the whole world that
the PDP has never sat down
anywhere with anybody in the
ZLP to discuss any merger plan,
much less perceive any move or
begging to make its governorship
candidate step down.
“This is another typical tale
by the moonlight, often told
during the election period,”
the party said.
Dismissing the claim that
The tour, which will take the
Commission to 30 States and FCT,
is also being done, because of
the need to review from time to
time, the allocation formula and
principles so as to conform with
changing economic realities.
Speaking through one of its
federal commissioners, Alhaji
Abdulahi Yaman, the Commission
said, Osun was better placed for
great things, because the governor,
Gboyega Oyetola, was doing well
in the area fiscal transparency and
accountability, which it claimed
was the reason for the excellent
performances of the governor.
“As we were entering the state,
associates over his inability to
raise funds to attend to his failing
health due to months of unpaid
salaries.
On Wednesday, according to
sources, the late lecturer had told
a colleague that he was tired of
begging for money from friends
to cater for his family needs and
his health challenges.
Attempts to get his family
members at his Obakhavbaye
residence to comment on the
incident were unsuccessful as
they continued to mourn the
demise of their breadwinner.
Reacting to the incident
yesterday, the Chairman of
COEASU, Mr. Fred Omonuwa
said their colleague died as a
result of lack and inability to
Jegede was being asked to step
down for the ZLP governorship
candidate under the rumoured
merger plan, the PDP said it
was laughable in its entirety
and remained a concocted lie.
“How on earth can the duly
elected governorship candidate
of the PDP, the biggest political
party in Africa, step down for
the candidate of a bedroom
political party, formed in the
heat of political harlotry? God
forbid.
“While the PDP welcomes
other political parties to join the
we could see that the governor here
is doing really well. Apart from
roads that are being constructed,
we saw good-looking hospitals and
schools, which are critical areas
any responsible government must
not take for granted.
“Osun is better placed and
ready for great things, because
you have a governor, who has
done well in the area of fiscal
transparency and accountability,
attributes that every governor must
imbibe simply, because the country
doesn’t have any money to throw
around.
“We will ensure that what is
due to Osun comes to you. The
T H I S D AY, T H E S U N D AY N E W S PA P E R ˾


Ͳ˜
2020


access medical and appealed
to the state government to pay
the workers their 13 months
unpaid salary.
Omonuwa said: “It is clear the
death came as a result of lack
and inability to access medical
facilities. Some months ago he
became very sick and depended
on friends for assistance but very
recently he started complaining of
getting tired of constantly begging
to survive.
“Of course, everybody knows
that the Edo State Government
owes us 13 months of salaries,
which we have continued to
agitate for even before the elec-
tion. But it was tagged political
agitation. The man couldn’t
provide for himself.
winning team in dislodging the
present locust regime under the
APC and install a government
of the people, the PDP has never
changed its identity and name
and will never commit the
sacrilege at the Ondo State
level.
“Besides, the ZLP candidate,
who is the current deputy
governor of Ondo State, left
the APC for the PDP, where
he was magnanimously given
a waiver to test his popular-
ity by contesting for the PDP
governorship ticket.
Governor has earned it through
his sterling performances,” Alhaji
Yaman stated.
Earlier, in a welcome address,
the Commissioner for Finance,
Osun State, Bola Oyebamiji,
appealed to the Commission
to assist the state in the most
positive ways, because Osun
desires more from the federa-
tion, because it is deserved.
“Osun desires more from
the federation account, because
we deserve it. As you can see,
we have done well with what
we have gotten and we are in
a hurry to do more,” Oyebamiji
maintained.
Japan Now Nigeria’s 5th Largest
Foreign Investor, Says Embassy
Adedayo Akinwale in Abuja
The Embassy of Nigeria in Japan
has disclosed that Japan is the fifth
foreign investor in Nigeria, saying
there are steady improvements
in trade and economic relations
between the two countries before
the outbreak of COVID-19.
In a statement by the Charge
de’ Affairs, Dr. Tope Elias-Fatile on
Friday, the embassy disclosed that
the number of Japanese companies
in Nigeria had increased from 32
in 2017 to 43 in 2020.
Citing the figure of Nigerian
Investment Promotion Commission
(NIPC), the embassy said Japan “is
fifth foreign investor in Nigeria;
also among the top 10 investors
in services in Nigeria; among the
top 10 investors in solid minerals,
fifth investor in oil refining and
fifth investor in real estate.”
The statement said that Japan
“is among Nigeria’s top 20 import
partners and Nigeria’s top 20 export
partners.”
The statement said both countries
had commenced preparations for
Police Give Reasons Robbers
Raided Ekiti Bank Unchallenged
Victor Ogunje in Ado Ekiti
The Ekiti Police Command
yesterday explained that the
robbers that invaded a branch of
Wema Bank in Iyin Ekiti on Friday
were able to break into the bank
because they outnumbered the
police officers on guard.
The Commissioner of Police,
Mr Babatunde Mobayo made
the disclosure in a statement
saying the robbers numbering
10 overpowered his police officers
stationed at the branch during
the operation.
The robber besieged the bank
around 3.50 p.m., raided the bank
for over half an hour and carted
away an undisclosed amount of
money during the operation.
Although the robbers shot repeat-
edly to scare the people, nobody
was killed during the operation.
But in a statement by the spokes-
man of the command, Mr. Sunday
Abutu the police chief said the
robbers overpowered the police
Ohaeri Installed Canaan
City Lions Club President
A manager with Zenith Bank
in Calabar, Mr. Victor Ohaeri has
been installed as the new President
of Lions club, Canaan City region 5
zone 5b, District 404-A2 in Nigeria.
He was elected recently by the
Board of Directors of Lions clubs
international.
The election, which took place at
the Pearl Ball Room of Transcorp
Hotel, Calabar saw Ohaeri taking
over the mantle of leadership of the
club from Ubon Utuk following
the expiration of his tenure.
Speaking at the occasion, the new
president pledged to consolidate on
the achievements of his predecessor.
Ohaeri also promised speedy
completion of the club’s projects.
He said: “As President of Calabar
Canaan City Lions Club, I pledge
to continue and improve on the
steps of her past Leaders. I would
like to commend my immediate
past President, Lion Ubon Etuk
for his leadership.
“My Board of Directors and
fellow Lions have continued to
the ninth Session of the Nigeria-
Japan Special Partnership Forum
(NJSPF) scheduled for June in
Tokyo; but it was postponed.
It said the NJSPF “is a framework
for regular consultations on matters
of mutual interest between the
two countries. The forum was
upgraded to the level of bi-national
cooperation at the 6th Session held
on August 22 and 23, 2013 in Abuja.
“Despite current challenges, we
still have good news and reasons to
celebrate. After the successes of the
events in 2019, we were recording
steady improvements in trade and
economic relations between both
countries prior to the outbreak of
Covid-19.
“The indicators include the
increase in the number of Japanese
companies in Nigeria from 32 in
2017 to 43 today,” the embassy
disclosed,
“As soon as the situation begins
to normalise, we shall take steps to
pursue Nigerian-Japan relations with
vigour and resolute determination,
through robust engagements in
economic and trade activities.
officers due to their number, which
he said, accounted for the success
of the operation.
The statement read in part: “On
October 2 at about 03:55 p.m., armed
robbers numbering 10 with one
Volks Wagen Golf with Registration
Number: GED906AA, Acura MDX
Jeep with Registration Number:
LSR327CD and Toyota Camry
Car with Registration Number:
GED106 ER stormed the branch
of a second generation bank in Iyin
Ekiti, Ekiti State, overpowered the
mobile policemen posted to the
bank due to their large number
and robbed the bank.”
However, the statement said
there “was no casualty. A swift
reinforcement from the police to
the scene made the robbers retreat
with the three vehicles.
“The police operatives gave
the armed robbers a hot pursuit;
exchanged fire with them during
which they abandoned the three
vehicles and took to their heels
into the forest.
show support and understanding.
As I formally assume the office of
President, the task ahead is a huge
one, but I am assured of success
by the resources at my disposal,
my fellow Lions, the Lions brand
and the goodwill of everyone.”
The new president of Lions club
listed the tasks before him, saying
he was committed to accomplishing
them.
Ohaeri said: “As President,
I am more than committed to
ensuring the speedy completion
and handover of the E- Library
project at the State Library Complex.
“Work at the site has since
commenced, and it is my belief
that with your support we shall
be raising the required funds to
enable us meet our target.”
According to him, the continued
support to the Eye Theatre Complex
at the General Hospital, Calabar is
also high in his administration’s
agenda, saying the eye theatre
was expected to handle at least
24 surgeries daily.
SUNDAY OCTOBER 4, 2020 • T H I S D AY 13
14
OPINION
FIGHTING COVID-19 IN VILLAGES
Rajendra Aneja lists 10 techniques to defeat COVID-19 in rural areas in developing countries
C
OVID-19 continues to march ravenously
in small towns and villages in developing
countries in Asia, Africa and Latin America. The
infections are spreading in the rural areas.
About 65.5 percent of India’s total population
of 1.35 billion, live in 6,64,369 villages, where
medical facilities are scarce. Fifty percent of
Nigerians and sixty-nine percent of Kenyans
live in villages. The fight against Covid-19 in the villages has to be
fought on a war-footing, since rural health infrastructure is weak
and collecting information is tedious. It is difficult to manage the
disease in the villages.
Involve Village Governing Council: In fighting Covid-19 in
the villages, health authorities should seek the cooperation of the
village headman and the local council. In India, the “Panchayat”
is a five-man elected committee, which administers the village.
The village headman and the committee carry authority in the
village. Their cooperation is critical. Villagers have to be briefed
sensitively about the dangers of Covid-19 and how to manage
it. They should be coached on maintaining records about the
infections and recoveries in the village.
Rural Covid-19 Warriors: The local governing bodies should
form an auxiliary volunteer force, “Covid-19 Warriors”, compris-
ing of young village volunteers, who will brief people home-to-
home about the precautions to be taken.
The markets in the villages, attract hundreds of villagers to
buy food grains, apparel, animals like goats, cows, etc. The rural
“Covid-19 Warriors”, should ensure that social distancing is
practised at these markets.
Rural Opinion Leaders: Opinion leaders in the villages, like
the school teachers, priests, doctors, should be deployed to
spread awareness in the villages. These opinion leaders have
credibility. Their words are respected. Hence, governments
should brief them to educate the villagers. This awareness is vital,
for many afflicted persons may not even know that they have
Covid-19. They may mistake it for an ordinary cold.
The key message should be that the disease is curable and
patients should report any symptoms at the earliest. There
should be no stigma attached to any person who gets infected.
The facilities in the primary health centres in the villages need to
be augmented, to conduct Covid-19 tests.
Free Masks: Doctors and scientists have under-scored that use
of face masks helps to fight Covid-19. Yet, many villagers do not
‘The Strong Breed’
As Nigeria celebrates 60th Independence, J.K. Randle writes on the need to move away from the
model that has not served us well
I
t rained heavily in Lagos on 1st October 1960 (and most
other parts of Nigeria) and it was interpreted as a good omen. I
was a believer then and I remain “endlessly” optimistic provided
we older generation know when to quit the stage and hand over
power, authority and responsibility of the next generation – in an
environment and circumstances that would ensure the enduring
prosperity of our nation in peace, harmony and stability. That
is the crux of the matter. It is no small task – especially while the
COVID-19 pandemic has gone on the rampage while our economy as
well as the social tapestry of our great country are in tatters.
From my assessment of the audience, it is safe to conclude
without double-checking with the Bureau of Statistics or the Lagos
Business School that none of you witnessed the lowering of the
British flag (“The Union Jack”) and the hoisting of the Nigerian
flag (Green-White and Green) at the stroke of midnight on that
epochal occasion. Thankfully, films, television, radio, books and
archival records have preserved the infectious joy and boundless
optimism that unleashed the spontaneous exchange of hugs, kisses
and handshakes (before the COVID-19 virus!!) as confirmation
of our commitment to a common destiny anchored on mutual
trust, profound respect and genuine tolerance without rancorous
reference to tribe, creed or gender.
You have requested me to share with you my experience
between then and now. That would have to wait. What is far more
pressing is to address a most critical issue namely; we have been
referring to you as future leaders but when will the future mesh
with the present in the pre-determined course of nature as the
young replace or are forced to supplant the old and expired?
Rather than dump my own prejudices and pre-conceptions
on you, I prefer to listen to what you have to say. The trenchant
complaint by your generation is that we have taken you for granted
and that nobody listens to you. On the contrary, your legitimate
aspirations and indeed your anxieties regarding the current state of
affairs are being waved off with levity bordering on contempt.
For this and other transgressions, I offer profound apologies. Of
course, you are entitled to what you demand are concrete action
and irrevocable commitment.
The avalanche of evidence in support of your petition/indictment
is not limited to the parlous state of our economy and the invasion
by marauders whose real intent and ultimate goal are anarchy and
T H I S D AY, T H E S U N D AY N E W S PA P E R
˾ OCTOBER 4, 2020
use masks. Some just wear it around the chin. Many people find it
inconvenient to wear a mask, because it reduces the oxygen intake.
Research is needed to improve the mask, so that it protects and
also ensures adequate oxygen. Free distribution of masks by the
governments, can help to fight Covid-19.
Role of Corporations: The corporate sector can produce masks
and distribute them free in villages, as part of their Corporate Social
Responsibility initiatives. They can even print the name of some of
their brands on the masks, to derive advertising mileage.
Deploy Digital Weapons: One out of every three 4G subscribers
lives in the villages, in India, according to a study by CyberMedia
Research. Across the world smart phones and internet are leapfrog-
ging in the villages. Advertising agencies should prepare special
Covid-19 rural campaigns for mobile phones.
Rural propaganda/Cinema Vans: To create rapid awareness
about Covid-19, health authorities should use propaganda and
cinema vans. These are four-wheel vans or three-wheel autos,
equipped with videos and screens, accompanied by a driver and
two propagandists.
The propagandist distributes masks free to the assembled villag-
ers. He makes announcements on the measures to avoid infections,
i.e. masks, social distancing, etc. Videos show how to use the mask,
maintain social distancing, importance and method of washing
hands, etc. Showing, is more effective than telling.
Cinema and propaganda vans have been used effectively in
countries like India, Tanzania, Kenya and Brazil, etc., to propagate
the consumption of soaps, tooth paste, detergents, etc., in the
villages by companies. The propaganda unit can cover six villages
The fight against COVID-19
in the villages has to be fought
on a war-footing, since rural
health infrastructure is weak
and collecting information is
tedious
chaos. Their evil mission is being fuelled by bandits; terrorists
(especially Boko Haram); kidnappers; ritual murderers; extortion-
ists; coup-plotters, “419” fraudsters; treasury looters; human
traffickers; election riggers and dictators. All these in addition to
hunger, famine, rape and hordes of IDPs (Internally Displaced
Persons).
You have attached as Appendix 1 what is currently going
on in Mali where a military mutiny plunged the country into
political uncertainty as the military forced Ibrahim Boubacar
Keita out of the presidency. The Malian President announced
around midnight on Tuesday 18thAugust 2020 that he was
resigning from his post saying that he did not wish blood to be
shed following a military mutiny that plunged the country into a
political crisis.
The development came hours after soldiers took up arms and
staged a mutiny at a key base in Kati, a town close to Bamako,
detaining President Keita and Prime Minister Boubou Cisse. The
events came amid a week-long political crisis that has seen op-
position protesters taking to the streets to demand the departure
of Keita, accusing him of allowing the country’s economy to
collapse and mishandling a worsening security situation.
-As Appendix II, you have attached the current state of affairs
in Cote D’Ivoire; appendix III is all about what is going on in the
Sudan and as appendix IV, you have beamed your searchlight
on Rwanda. The summary of the other appendixes revolves
around those African countries where the rulers have been in
power for ever plus one day!!
Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo, Equatorial Guinea; 40
years; Paul Biya, Cameroon; 37 years; Denis Sassou Nguesso;
Republic of Congo; 36 years; Yoweri Museveni, Uganda; 34 years;
Idriss Deby, Chad; 29 years; Isaias Afwerki, Eritrea; 29 years.
I cannot thank you enough for taking me into confidence by
sharing with me your strategy for taking over power through
perfectly legitimate means within the extant laws and the
Constitution of our beloved country. Please correct me If I am
wrong but you appear to be determined to register your own
political party. Fortunately, you are endowed with sufficient
vigour and adequate zeal to launch your campaign in all the
nooks and corners of Nigeria – in all the 774 Local Government
Areas, including those parts of the country that had hitherto
per day. If one hundred villagers congregate at every meeting,
then a van can educate 600 villagers daily.
Vaccine Distribution: A challenge confronting countries
with large rural populations, is the transportation of the vaccines
after they have been finalised, in frozen or semi-frozen state,
to small villages, with a population of 500 or even less. Of the
total 664,369 villages in India, 35.5 percent, which is 2,36,004
villages, have a population less than 500. It will be an enormous
undertaking, to transport the vaccine to tiny villages. Govern-
ments should network with companies like Nestle, Unilever,
Colgate, etc., for distributing the vaccine, since these companies
have a distribution reach in villages with a population of 2,500
or less. Companies which engaged in products like frozen foods
and ice-creams, can study the logistics of vaccine distribution in
villages. Health authorities can also deploy vans with freezers, to
transport the vaccines to villages.
Deploy Boats in Rivers: Some developing countries in
Asia, Latin America, etc., do not have all-weather roads to
reach villages. Many villages along the Amazona river, in Peru,
Colombia and Venezuela are inaccessible by road.
In such areas, health authorities should launch “Covid-19
Boats”. They will visit six villages daily, distribute masks to
the villagers, organise demonstrations on social distancing
and washing hands. The boat-team should distribute pictorial
pamphlets to educate the villagers.
In a previous assignment with Unilever, we piloted the
deployment of boats, to propagate the use of bathing soaps in
Brazil and Peru. I travelled to many villages on the banks of the
Amazona river in Brazil and Peru, briefing villagers. The mass
marketing techniques used by FMCG companies to educate
villagers, can be deployed by health authorities.
Folk songs for Awareness: It will also be useful to create
songs, based on the local folk music, incorporating the fight
Covid-19 messages. The song can be played, during the mask
distribution and demonstrations on social distancing. These
songs should be sung by lead singers in every country. Perhaps
music may impact people’s behaviour, more than just fear.
The battle against Covid-19 in villages should commence
right now. We should not be caught unaware, as happened
when Covid-19 spread voraciously and stopped the world.
––Aneja, former Managing Director of Unilever
Tanzania, is an alumnus of the Harvard Business School
and the author of“Rural Marketing Across Countries”.
been entirely neglected or have remained defiantly inaccessible.
I am particularly enamoured with your taxation policy
– namely, the only commodity to be taxed heavily and
punitively is IGNORANCE.
The dynamic emphasis and central thrust of your fiscal
policy is the commitment of 50 per cent of the budget – at
every level (Federal; State; and Local Government) to Education
and Health.
Without divulging too much, permit me to commend your
vision and the crystallisation of your radical intervention in the
pursuit of well-articulated programmes to rescue our nation
and salvage our divinely ordained destiny.
I very much hope that your ideas on the restructuring of
our nation’s political landscape gain traction. I cannot fault
the logic of power sharing arrangement whereby you seek to
build concensus rather than resort to ruthless opportunism
and self-serving exploitation of the masses. To my mind, the
novelty of installing a President from one part of the country
regardless of his or her religion/ethnicity; and Vice-President
from another region/ethnic group for a single term of four
years after which they would swap positions is not a matter
to be dismissed with a wave of the hand only to be consigned
to the dustbin of youthful exuberance. Such an arrangement
carries with it the attraction of a former president serving his
erstwhile vice-president in a reversal of roles. I hope you would
concede some measure of flexibility regarding the selection/
restriction of candidates to only those between the age of 40
and 60 in addition to being of impeccable character. What
cannot be controverted is your insistence that they must have
sound education and should have held leadership position
in academics, professions (engineering; law; architecture;
medicine; banking; journalism, etc.,) and/or business/industry.
Farmers are especially welcome; American President Jimmy
Carter was a farmer. So also, is the new Prime Minister of
Japan, Mr. Yoshihide Suga. Neither can we exclude trade union
leaders.
––Bashorun Randle is a former President of the
Institute of the Chartered Accountants of Nigeria
(ICAN) and former Chairman of KPMG Nigeria and
Africa Region.
(See concluding part of the article on www.thisdaylive.com)
T H I S D AY, T H E S U N D AY N E W S PA P E R
˾ OCTOBER 4, 2020
A COUNTRY IN SEARCH OF NATIONHOOD
“This storm will pass.
But choices we make
now could change our
lives for years to come”
– Yuvel Noah Harari
N
igeria marked her
60th flag indepen-
dence anniversary
on October 1, 2020.
Nigeria is one of
the very few countries in the
British Commonwealth still in
search of genuine nationhood.
It has become a subject of
endless ridicule at national and
international discourses on
corruption, terrorism, kidnap-
ping, banditry, nepotism,
inept leadership, religious and
political intolerance, unscru-
pulous governance, and failed
state quagmire!
This article explores
the failure of contemporary po-
litical thinking and examines
some of the most innovative
citizens-to-governance models
and sustained approaches to
nation-building and an action
plan for a more inclusive,
regenerative and just nation.
It concludes with a call for
a Truth and Reconciliation
mechanism that would drive
national reawakening.
Nigeria’s 60th independence
anniversary provides an
opportunity to celebrate some
key milestones, particularly
flag independence. The period
after independence witnessed
some institutional and
economic transformation by
the regional governments, but
the dream of improving the
lives of Nigerians soon dis-
solved into a nightmare. The
treacherous military regimes,
far from fulfilling the positive
aspirations and expectations
of a new nation, paradoxically
became a source of agony,
despair, poverty, nepotism and
internal conflict.
DIAMOND ANNIVERSARY AMID COVID-19
B
efore Nigeria finally
got her independence
from Great Britain on
October 1st, 1960, sev-
eral unsuccessful at-
tempts were made to lower the
Union Jack on our soil. From
the formation of the first political
party - the Nigerian National
Democratic Party (NNDP) in
1923 to the incorporation of the
Daily Times Newspaper in
1925 before publishing its first
title in 1926, our nationalists had
always wanted to live in a free
nation where their rights, liberty
and pursuit of happiness are
guaranteed.
I want to point out that
the first newspaper was Iwe
Irohin and it was established
by Reverend Henry Townsend
in 1859 in Abeokuta for
missionary purposes. The
point I want to make is the
fact that Iwe Irohin was
established before the historic
amalgamation of the northern
and southern protectorates of
January 1st, 1914. That's why I
used Daily Times because of
the role it played during our
independence struggles.
Recall that our founders
who were part of the Pan-
African Movement which
spearheaded the struggle
Buhari
It is against the background
of the January 15, 1966 Revolu-
tion that the country began
to disseminate tendentious
and distorted interpretations
of the Nigerian state, with the
constitution proving unwork-
able in the hand of politicians
whose sole ambition was to
cling to power irrespective of
the wishes and aspirations of
the people. Regrettably, the
challenges of separatism and
secession became dominant
issues, resulting in the
Unification Decree Number 34
of 1966, which sought the cen-
tralisation of the government.
The creation of more states did
not stem the attendant civil
war; rather, it posed the most
severe challenge to the territo-
rial integrity of the emergent
nation. Meanwhile, mutual
suspicions from the civil war
and political aberrations are
still haunting us as a nation.
For the most part, a
legacy of failure is what the
treacherous military regimes
for the emancipation of the
African Continent from
colonialism envisioned an
independent nation where no
one will have to pay a bribe
before starting a business,
where their inalienable rights
are respected and where lives
and livelihoods matters and
are protected.
However, in the cause of our
journey to nationhood, many
have had cause to ask if the
dreams of our founders are
still alive in our time. Certainly,
we will be disappointed if we
think or believe that the task
of nation-building is the sole
responsibility of one man or
one political party as the case
may be. This is because no
man or single party has the
answer to the challenge of
nation-building in a developing
country like ours. Instead, it is
the collective responsibility of
all citizens to make the country
great and move it to enviable
height.
It is a constant work in
progress; leveraging on
the foundation laid by our
founders. It is the challenge of
doing things right in the little
corner of our rooms where
no one is watching or camera
recording.
and politicians have given us
after 60 years of independence.
Despite the hopes pinned on
administration after adminis-
tration by the people, Nigerians
have lived the reality of a
failed state. We have become
a people adrift in the depths
of injustice and trapped in the
scrapyard of corruption. Rather
than a nation of accomplish-
ments, today we are a nation
uncertain of itself. What a
paradox for a nation born out
of hope and promise!
Expectedly, there is a
growing consensus that the
current leadership and nation
-building strategies, instead of
addressing the critical mass
for national development,
are rather exacerbating them.
Nigerians are disillusioned
with the divisive and
ineffectual political and socio-
economic landscape dotted
with self-serving leaders. One
of the main obstacles to our
nation-building efforts is the
prevailing reality of a govern-
Such deeds may not hit
the front page of our national
newspapers or grace pages
in our history books, but it's a
matter of deriving satisfaction
from our positive actions,
believing that we have done
something right in our own
little way to make the nation
better and greater.
This is the concept of
patriotism. A concept that
made our founders to sacrifice
their time and energy to
be at the forefront of our
independence struggles before
the Green-White-Green flag
was finally mounted on our
soil on October 1st, 1960.
Nonetheless, I'm quite sure
that in all the expectations,
dreams and visions our
founders had for the new
nation 60 years ago, they never
anticipated that there would
be a time when a plague like
Coronavirus will distract their
vision and the developmental
foundation they laid for the
nation.
They never envisioned a
situation where handshake
among their children would be
a thing of the past; giving way
for the new normal.
However, in spite of the cries,
pains, sorrows, loneliness and
ment for the few - led by self-
centred, corrupt, do-nothing
politicians and their cronies
and praise singers. The current
leadership template does not
show an open corridor of
genuine consultations with the
legislature, political parties, civil
society groups and the people.
This year’s anniversary
sloganeering of “Together” is
timely. At 60, “Together” is a
call to all disillusioned voters
unimpressed with the options
presented in every election
cycle to launch an intensive
participatory push for authentic
leadership. Indeed, there are
fundamental shifts in nation-
building thinking that should
deepen our outstanding of
ourselves as a people and
the interconnectedness of all
within the nation-state. A new
generative, empathetic and
adaptive leadership capability,
built on a collective awareness
and cohesive facilitation, is
required across sectors to
drive our togetherness. Our
collective resolve is the will
to fight poverty by creating
wealth and building a more
inclusive society. This kind
of new nationalism will hold
the key to stability and the
emergence of a nation at peace
with itself. We, the people,
must be ready to take our
Role of Music Reality Shows
O
ver the years,
Nigerian music
reality TV shows
have become a
popular way for
unknown talents to go from
ordinary, everyday people to
household stars. I remember
shows like "Idols West Africa",
“Nigerian Idols” and MTN’s
“Project Fame” dominating
the TV screens in the early
‘00s, creating many opportu-
challenges brought about by
Covid-19, we should embrace
the challenge thrown at us by
the dreaded pandemic with
the resilient spirit of a nation
that survived the Civil War,
Ebola Virus Disease and other
challenges we have passed
through in the past by keeping
safe and maintaining personal
hygiene at all times.
Accordingly, we must
continue to follow the
guidelines and protocols laid
out by the Presidential Task
Force on Covid-19 and the
Nigeria Centre for Disease
Control (NCDC) because these
non-pharmaceutical measures
remain the surest and easiest
ways of disrupting, disman-
tling, dislodging and defeating
the scourge of Coronavirus in
the country.
Therefore, celebrating our
diamond anniversary in the
year of Covid-19 has offered
us the opportunity to once
again lay our hands on the ark
of history by taking personal
responsibility in the ongoing
fight against the virus.
Happy independence
anniversary to all Nigerians!
––Comrade Edwin
Uhara, UN-trained Nego-
tiator, Abuja.
LETTERS
destiny into our own hands.
We must approach the future
with confidence because it is
the belief in freedom that will
give us courage to advance
our national interests and
development.
Nigerians must begin with a
change in mindset to establish
greater ownership of not only
where we should be headed as
a nation but how to get there.
Indeed, the culture of democ-
racy does not arrive without
effort. One means of nurturing
our democracy is to respect
people for their principles,
even if we disagree with those
principles. We must believe in
the freedom that our forebears
stood for during the inde-
pendence struggles if we are
to be owners of our destiny.
Undeniably, no nation can
develop where its citizens sit
on the periphery of its pathway
to progress. Nation-building
is not just about growth and
infrastructure statistics; rather, it
is about improving the lives of
the people, putting them at the
front and centre of policies and
programmes. The government
must avoid paying lip service
to the issue of unemployment.
It is critical to expand the
private sector and help to cre-
ate jobs beyond the tokenism
of palliatives amongst others.
nities for young musicians to
follow their dreams.
Perks of these shows
include showcasing talent
to millions of viewers as
well as the mouth-watering
prizes given to the winner.
This not only motivates the
contestants, but also ensures
that they are well equipped
to achieve icon status. Artists
such as Darey Art Alade,
Timi Dakolo, Omawunmi,
Chidinma, Niniola, Praiz,
Iyanya, and Johnny Drille
are products of some of
my favourite music reality
shows.
With the steady increase
in the global appreciation
for Nigerian music, local
artistes such as Burnaboy,
Davido, Wizkid have
achieved international
acclaim, collaborating with
their foreign counterparts.
Beyonce’s the Lion King
album featured six Nigerian
artistes, Davido scored an
exciting collaboration with
pop star Chris Brown
whom some have likened to
Michael Jackson. Yemi Alade
scored an international col-
laboration of her own with
RickRoss, Tems and Davido
with Khalid. Last year, Burna
Boy also got nominated for
the Grammys which was a
major win for the industry
Trump Is Positive
T
his is the first
time that I have
seen "Trump"
and "Positive"
in the same
sentence.
Hopefully after he
and Melania do their
time in isolation,
they will come out
15
Domestic resource mobilisation
is a necessary precondition for
increased domestic investment.
It is a general notion in the
global north that public service
is a privilege and an opportu-
nity to make a difference in the
lives of people. Unfortunately,
the reverse has been the case
in Nigeria since independence.
Lastly, the country must be
led by coalition of like minds,
a coalition of the majority to
retire the status quo whose
interest is the interest of the
few. We must be prepared to
make the difficult decisions
necessary to put our country
on the path of transformation
through the ballot box.
A new wave of nationalism
will have to make it happen.
We must think big as a nation
if we want to accomplish
big things. The thinking
of the past is predomi-
nantly parochial and driven
by ethnic sentiments and
mutual suspicions. We need
new leadership,new thinking,
to accomplish a new vision for
Nigeria, where truth, reconcili-
ation, authentic leadership and
sustainable peace are second
nature.
––Samuel Akpobome
Orovwuje, Founder,
Humanitarian Care for
Displaced Persons, Lagos.
at large!.
Nigerian artistes are
taking over and the world
is patiently watching and
listening. With this spotlight
on the industry, it has
become a matter of urgency
for talent discovery shows
to produce even more
well-rounded artists who
can survive on a global scale.
Cash prizes, fancy cars and
a record deal are often not
enough to guarantee success.
I believe that if reality music
talent shows incorporate
capacity building into the
show structure, these artists
will be better equipped to
thrive in the music industry.
With even more shows
such as The Voice Nigeria
and MTN Y’ello Star coming
back to the screens soon,
I took timeout to analyze
the grand prizes from each
show and what stood out for
me was the enrollment in
the Berklee College of Music
in Boston, Massachusetts;
and the Henley Business
School for the winner of
Y’ello Star. Leveraging these
opportunities will go a
long way in increasing the
winner’s chances of attaining
and maintaining stardorm in
the global music industry.
––Adebimpe Sanusi,
Lagos.
healthy with a greater
understanding of this
pandemic and the
value of masks and
social distancing.
Mask up and keep
your distance, please.
– –Dennis Fitzger-
ald, Melbourne,
Australia.
16 SUNDAY OCTOBER 4, 2020 •T H I S D AY
THISDAY, THE SUNDAY NEWSPAPER ˾
ͼ˜
2020 17

BUSINESS Editor: Kunle Aderinokun

08033204315, 08111813084 Email:kunle.aderinoku@thisdaylive.com

Nigerian Founders vs. PE Investors:

A Threat to FDI Inflows?
The tensed relationship, which has existed for a while between some Nigerian local business founders
and their foreign investors took a new twist recently with the tussle at HealthPlus Limited. While
the factions make claims and counterclaims, the Business Founders’ Coalition at a press conference
called on the Nigeria government to help salvage the situation. Raheem Akingbolu writes on the
implications of this development on foreign direct investment in Nigeria

T
he Nigerian economy is
stunted by low Foreign
Direct Investment (FDI)
inflows. In the second
quarter of 2020, total FDI
inflows into Nigeria, in-
cluding portfolio, direct
and equity investments,
plunged to $1.29 billion from $5.85 billion, ac-
cording to the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS)’s
capital importation report. This represented a
77.88 per cent decline from the position reported
in the preceding quarter and a 78.80 per cent
drop from what was seen in the corresponding
period of last year.
The FDI inflows into Nigeria were estimated at
$24 billion in 2019 and $16.8 billion in 2018. When
compared with emerging market peers, Nigeria’s
FDI inflows pale into insignificance. Vietnam with
half Nigeria’s population attracted $38.2 billion
inflows in 2019, representing an increase of 7.2
per cent from the 2018 numbers. In 2019, India
attracted FDI inflows valued at $51 billion. In
2019, Brazil received FDI inflows of $75 billion as
against $60 billion received in the previous year,
according to the United Conference on Trade and
Development (UNCTAD). This placed Brazil
as the world’s fourth-largest FDI destination.
The first three positions were occupied by the
United States with $251 billion; China, with $140
billion, and Singapore with $110 billion inflows.
Recent reports have depicted Nigeria as a
high-risk environment for investments. Areport
released by Fitch Solutions in 2019 said Ghana,
SouthAfrica and other smaller countries inAfrica
were better favourable destinations for FDI than
Nigeria. The report titled, ‘43 NEWAfrica Country
Risk Reports’ explained that the countries had
more stable environments for investment than
Nigeria with heightened insecurity, an uncertain
regulatory environment, and uncompetitive
import conditions, among others.
The report was never surprising to market
watchers because most investors see Nigeria as a
high-risk environment. Apart from uncertainty
in the doing business environment, the country’s
cost of doing business is high. There is also a risk
created by the cost of getting justice and dispute
Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Niyi-Adebayo
resolutions.
However, investors are aware of the age-old
and emerging challenges inAfrica’s biggest mar- prompted the company to effect her suspension the firm’s strategic objectives, stressing that its private equity investors (PEs) and venture
ket, but they still put their money in the country to save the company from plunging into a deep growth journey had been fraught with serious capitalists (VCs) in the future as the investors
because of its peculiar characteristics. With 200 crisis. Mr. Chidi Okoro was appointed, however, challenges, unmet expectations, and erosion of may tighten the noose on Nigerian small and
million potential population and demography as the Chief Transformation Officer in her stead. market share and brand equity. medium businesses which make up over 95 per
with 70 per cent youthful population, Nigeria “This difficult decision was made in full Ordinarily, this should be seen as a conflict of cent of enterprises in the country.
remains an attractive market for investors. Despite compliance with Nigerian law and following interest between a local founder and an investor. Without doubt, private equity investors
a slowing economy, the population requires a a long and drawn-out process of engagement, It happens in many climes and should not be and venture capitalists have supported many
good and affordable healthcare system, a smart through which the board sought to address generalised as it is done in today’s media. The Nigerian businesses that are successful today.
food and technology systems, and infrastructure. multiple issues with the way the company was matter has been so dragged that it is already Paga’s success is down to a PE investor and the
This explains why many foreign investors have being managed. Despite a series of significant sending a negative signal to foreign investors. relationship between the Nigerian founder and
chosen to invest in some of these emerging sectors breachesofthetermsofMrs.George’sengagement The press conference organised on 29 September the PE is still intact. This is just one out of several
which create opportunities for high returns on as CEO, the Board explored a range of options byBusinessFounders’Coalitionwheretheaffected successful cases that are textbook examples of
investment. that would enable her to continue to play an companies stated their cases further reflects an success fuelled by foreign investments.
But the recent noise made by some local found- alternate leadership role. It, unfortunately, became unhealthy relationship. Moreover, VCs and PEs contribute to the
ers in Nigeria is threatening to increase the risk clear that an amicable resolution was not going Important to know that foreign investors are Nigerian economy, providing jobs for millions
inherent in the Nigerian market. A case in point to be possible and that, as the multiple issues not charity or spendthrifts who want to develop and growing several sectors. Antagonising for-
is the HealthPlus saga. persisted, urgent action was required to avoid economies. They are interested in Returns on eign investments because of the failure of very
On September 25, the board of HealthPlus in adverse impact on the entire business, including Investment.Theytaketheirmoneywheretheycan few firms, therefore, leaves much to be desired
a letter suspended Mrs. Bukky George as CEO customers, employees, suppliers, and other key get high returns and pull out when the objective regarding the approaches employed by the local
due to the inability to reach an agreement with stakeholders,” the board said in a 27 September is defeated. business founders.
her. George had founded HealthPlus in 1999 but statement signed by directors Afsane Jetha and Analysts say the issue is generating so much Finally, all parties to an agreement must stick
got an equity investment of $18 million fromAlta Zachary Fond. attention and is putting foreign investors in a to terms and agreements and nobody must jeop-
Semper Capital LLC UK (AS) in 2018, which gave In a series of media statements attributed to Mrs. bad light. It is believed that this development ardise partnerships by stepping out of agreed
the private equity investor controlling shares. George, she was quoted to have said the pledged can hurt future investments. It is also believed boundaries, not the PEs and definitely not the
But issues around mismanagement of funds funds were never fully disbursed to implement that it’s capable of increasing the cost of getting Nigerian business owners.
18
BUSINESS /ECONOMY
Galvanising Liquidity to
Boost Economic Growth
All things being equal, the latest injection of funds into the economy
following the reduction in monetary policy rate by the Central Bank
of Nigeria should spur economic activities and ameliorate the impact
of the COVID-19 pandemic in the country, reports James Emejo
I
n yet another surprise move, the
Monetary Policy Committee of
the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN)
recently took the bull by the horn
and reduced the monetary policy
rate (MPR) by 100 basis points to 11.5
per cent from 12.5 per cent.
It further adjusted the asymmetric
corridor to +100/-700 basis points around the
MPR from +200/-500 basis points.
The MPR is the rate at which the central bank
lends to commercial banks and often determines
the cost of funds in the economy.
However, no one had envisaged the cut given
that the conditions that favour monetary easing
were lacking especially inflation rate, which had
climbed to 13.22 per cent in August.
Analysts had variously expressed concerns
over a situation whereby inflation rate goes higher
than MPR, highlighting its attendant implications
for the economy including monetary tightening.
AnalystshadbeforetheMPCmeetingpredicted
that the CBN was most likely to hold all monetary
policy tools at their existing levels.
The last time the apex bank had tweaked the
MPR was in May when it reduced the benchmark
rate by 100 basis points, from 13.5 per cent to
12.5 per cent.
But addressing journalists at the two-day meet-
ing of the MPC in Abuja, the CBN Governor,
Mr. Godwin Emefiele, particularly attested to
the fact that the resolve to slash interest rate was
arrived at after tough considerations.
According to him, the MPC was confronted
with a difficult set of policy choices, requiring
trade-offs and sequencing amidst declining
economic growth and rising inflation and
bearing in mind its primary mandate of price
stability and the need to support the recovery
of output growth.
He said the committee was of the view easing
policy stance would provide cheaper credit to
improve aggregate demand, stimulate produc-
tion, reduce unemployment and support the
recovery of output growth.
It, however, observed that with inflation
trending upwards, easing of the policy stance
may exacerbate the current inflationary pressure
through an increase in money supply.
In addition, the MPC noted the tendency of
an asymmetric response to downward price
adjustments by ‘Other Depository Corporations’,
thus undermining the overall beneficial impact
of a reduction to the cost of capital.
On the other hand, the committee noted that
the likely action aimed to addressing the rise in
domestic prices would have been to tighten the
stance of policy, as this will not only moderate the
upward pressure on prices, but will also attract
fresh capital into the economy and improve the
level of the external reserves.
The MPC also noted that a hold position will
allow the economy to adjust to the ongoing stimu-
lus measures put in place by the monetary and
fiscal authorities to curb the downturn and allow
more time for the MPC to assess their impact
on the economy.
Emefiele, however, said: “After the consid-
eration of the three policy options, Members
were of the opinion that the option to loose will
complement the bank’s commitment to sustain
the trajectory of the economic recovery and reduce
the negative impact of COVID-19.
“In addition, the liquidity injections are
expected to stimulate credit expansion to the
critically impacted sectors of the economy and
offer impetus for output growth and economic
recovery.”
According to the apex bank boss, the MPC
had expressed deep concern on the continued
Godwin Emefiele
uptick in inflation for the 12th consecutive month
as headline inflation (year-on-year) rose to 13.22
per cent in August from 12.82 per cent in July.
The CBN noted that the increase in headline
inflation was largely driven by the persistent
increase in the food component, which rose to
16.00 per cent in August 2020 from 15.48 per
cent in July 2020.
It noted that the upticks were driven primarily
by legacy structural factors such as the inadequate
state of critical infrastructure and broad-based
security challenges across the country, which
dampened production activities.
Other factors include the disruptions to sup-
ply chains following restrictions to movement
to curb the spread of the pandemic, adverse
weather conditions, which resulted in flooding
of farmlands as well as the inflation pass-through
to domestic prices following the depreciation
in the exchange rate.
However, analysts have continued to react to
the interest rate cut, highlighting its implications
for the economy.
In an interview with THISDAY, Managing
Director/Chief Executive, Credent Investment
Managers Limited, Mr. Ibrahim Shelling, said
the MPR cut will among other things allow the
banks to lend at cheaper rate to customers.
He said: “The CBN contractionary policies
have been unable to curb that inflation. Monetary
policy is more effective in curbing demand pull
inflation – that is- too much money chasing few
goods.
THISDAY, THE SUNDAY NEWSPAPER ˾
ͼ˜
2020
“By reducing interest rates it allows more
liquidity in the system. Banks are able to lend
at cheaper rates and this in turn will stimulate
production and growth. Certainly, the reduction
in the MPR came as a surprise as many expected
the CBN to maintain its stance.”
Shelling further argued that a high interest
regime was inimical to the country’s growth
aspiration.
He said: “However, it has been rather obvi-
ous for some time that monetary policy alone
cannot be used to tackle the inflationary figures.
This is because inflation in Nigeria is caused
by structural issues and as such is cost-push
in nature. Increase in electricity, fuel, increased
tax and devaluation have been the main drivers
increasing inflation.
“In my opinion the MPR rate needs to be further
reduced to single digits. We no longer need to be
attracting hot foreign portfolio investors with
our attractive rates. We need growth and a high
interest environment is detrimental to growth.
“However, without the structural issues being
addressed, the effects of this reduction in MPR
may still not be far reaching. MSMEs will still face
a myriad of structural challenges that hamper
their growth.”
Also, an economist, who spoke under condi-
tions of anonymity, urged the fiscal authorities to
complementtheCBNratecutbyarticulatingmore
strategies towards ease of doing business in the
areas of improved infrastructure and avoidance
of multiple taxation.
He said: “The decision came notwithstand-
ing the continuous rise in headline inflation.
The committee believes the current uptrend
in consumer prices is not a result of monetary
factors, but cost push factors. This has shown
that going forward, CBN will be focused more
on growth than fighting inflation.
The committee’s rate cut decision surprised
most analysts as earlier rate cut is yet to transmit
to significant improvements in growth. There is
therefore the need for fiscal authorities to comple-
ment that effort by articulating more strategies
towards ease of doing business like improved
infrastructure and avoidance of multiple taxation.
With the rate cut, savings rate will come down
and Deposit money banks will be discouraged
from investing in CBN’s standing deposit facility,
thereby encouraging them to lend to more to real
sector and support growth and employment. Rate
cut will also support cheap borrowing/ growth,
but at same time disincentivise investment in
fixed income market due to negative interest
rate. This may impact negatively on foreign
exchange market stability especially given the
huge demand/ supply gap.
Further commenting on the development,
Professor of Finance and Capital Markets at
Nasarawa State University, Prof. Uche Uwaleke,
however expressed concern that from empirical
studies, the reduction in MPR “hardly translates
to a reduction in lending rates.”
He said: “I had expected the status quo to
be maintained against the backdrop of rising
inflation and pressure in the forex market. By
lowering the MPR by 100 basis points, the real
rate of return has been dragged further into the
negative territory which is likely to affect capital
inflows adversely.
“InreducingtheMPR,theMPCmusthavebeen
emboldened by the recent marginal accretion
to reserves as well as the approaching harvest
season which is expected to rein-in food inflation.”
He said: “But the reality is that with foreign
investorsexitingthecountryfollowingCOVID-19,
except crude oil price recovers substantially, I
see further pressure in the forex market. If you
notice, the gap between the AFEX rate and the
parallel market has begun to widen following
increasing demand on the back of resumption
in International flights.
“Also, given that a lot of cost-push factors are
responsible for inflationary pressure including the
increase in VAT, hike in electricity tariffs and pump
price of fuel, I see headline inflation worsening
given all the downside risks. From experience,
a reduction in MPR has little or no impact on
economic growth due to poor transmission
mechanism.”
According to the former Imo State commis-
sioner of finance, “Deposit Money Banks hardly
reciprocate this gesture through a commensurate
reduction in interest rate due to several other
costs borne by financial institutions arising
from infrastructure deficit especially power and
insecurity. So, empirical studies in Nigeria have
shown that a cut in MPR hardly translates to a
reduction in lending rates.
“I recognise that a number of Central Banks
have cut rates in response to the pandemic. But
most of them have done so because inflation
rate was within the target range. In the case of
Nigeria, where inflation rate of 13.2per cent is
well above the CBN’s upper band of 9per cent,
cutting the MPR in a season of rising inflation
and forex market pressure may not be a wise
decision.
“The CBN has been supporting economic
growth in the last few years using more of
unconventional measures in line with its de-
velopmental function. The MPC could have
advised the CBN to strengthen and possibly
scale up its interventions in the various sectors of
the economy which in my view would have been
a more effective way to stimulate the economy.”
Uwaleke said: “While I support a reduction
in both the Standing Deposit and Standing
Lending rates following the adjustment in the
asymmetric corridor, it is my submission that
any support to economic growth at this critical
time from the CBN is better achieved through
heterodox measures.
“Even in the US noted for dual monetary
policy objectives of price stability and full em-
ployment, the Federal Reserve can only lend a
supporting hand to the government. All said,
the fiscal authorities (government at all levels)
should be on the driving seat with respect to
economic growth and development. The reality
is that there is a limit to what the CBN can do
in this regard.”
 THISDAY, THE SUNDAY NEWSPAPER ˾
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2020
BUSINESS/DEVELOPMENT
Are Govt’s Social Intervention
Programmes Yielding Dividends?
In 2016, the Buhari administration announced a series of social interventions aimed at
shoring up the debilitating economic situation of Nigerians. The National Social Investment
Programme sought to, among other things, provide soft credit to ‘millions of Nigerians’, but
the beneficiaries aren’t paying back. Nosa James-Igbinadolor examines the salient issues
around the reluctance of beneficiaries to make good on their ‘promissory notes’
R
ecently,theKwaraStateFocal
Person for the National So-
cial Investment Programme
(NSIP), Hajia Bashirah
Abdulrazaq-Sanusi, la-
mented that beneficiaries
of ‘Trader Moni’ had refused
to pay back the loans given
to them by the federal government.
The beneficiaries, she said, were insisting that
the loans were their own share of ‘national cake’,
adding that about 10,000 people benefitted from
“Trader Moni” programme in the state with
over N1.3billion disbursed to them.
Established in 2016, the National Social In-
vestment Programme, according to the federal
government was designed to tackle poverty
and hunger across the country. At the same
time, the government asserts that the “suite of
programmes under the NSIPfocuses on ensuring
a more equitable distribution of resources to
vulnerable populations, including children,
youth and women.
Since 2016, the FG, posits, “these programmes
combined have supported more than 4 million
beneficiaries’ country-wide through a fair and
transparent process supported by the Ministry
of Budget and National Planning (MBNP) and
other notable MDAs with aligned goals.”
To most Nigerians, however, the federal
government’s broad claims stink of falsehoods.
The programme, they avow, has neither aided
vulnerable populations in any significant way, nor
tackled poverty and hunger across the country.
On the contrary, data from the National Bureau
of Statistics (NBS), and other international bodies
show that despite four years of implementing
the NSIP, the poverty level in the country has
significantly increased, leading to widespread
hunger and under-five deaths.
In its poverty and inequality report from
September 2018 to October 2019 released in May
this year, NBS said 40 per cent of Nigerians live
below its poverty line of N137,430 ($381.75) per
year. This represents 82.9 million people out of
a population of about 200 million.
“In Nigeria, 40.1 per cent of the total popula-
tion was classified as poor,” NBS said. “In other
words, on average four out of 10 individuals in
Nigeria has real per capita expenditures below
N137,430 ($352) per year.”
In 2018, two years after the programme was
inaugurated with fanfare and some N1.7trillion
thrown at it, Nigeria overtook India to become
the country with the largest number of people
living in extreme poverty, with an estimated 87
million Nigerians, or around half of the country’s
population, thought to be living on less than
$1.90 a day.
Krishna Panchal, writing on poverty in Nigeria,
noted that, “while the Nigerian government
has launched a variety of programmes to help
those in poverty, its attempts have clearly not
been strong enough. Due to the high presence of
corruption, unemployment and inequalities, the
nation’s programmes are failing to adequately
lower the rates of poverty. Being the poverty
capital of the world is not only impacting the
country of Nigeria but it is also impacting the
whole world. Nigeria is not living up to the U.N.’s
goals of freeing the world from poverty by the
year 2050. By reducing corruption and improving
employment and educational opportunities,
Nigeria can help its citizens get out of poverty.
These steps will not only reduce the poverty
rates, but they will also help the nation prosper
in other levels as well. Hopefully, Nigeria can
lose its status of the poverty capital of the world.”
Chimere Iheonu and Nathaniel Urama
in their 2019 essay on ‘Addressing Poverty
Challenges in Nigeria’ in AfriHeritage Policy
Brief, asserted rightly that, “despite the various
Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development, Sadiya-Umar-Farouq
poverty alleviation programmes adopted by
various governments in Nigeria, over 93 million
Nigerians still live in poverty, with at least three
million sliding into extreme poverty between
November 2018 and February 2019. This is a
clear indication of the ineffectiveness of these
policies and programmes, which is attributable
to corruption, high level of inequality in income
distribution, low literacy rate and poor skill set,
political instability, and poor leadership. It is
therefore clear that for there to be an effective
poverty alleviation programme in the country,
there is a need for corruption to be adequately
tackled on all facades...”
The latest mortality estimate report released this
month by the United Nations Children’s Fund
(UNICEF) showed that despite the N1.7trillion
spent on the National social investment pro-
gramme so far, Nigeria again overtook India as
the world capital for under-five deaths. UNICEF,
in the report titled: ‘Levels and Trends in Child
Mortality’, said Nigeria recorded an estimated
average of 858,000 under-five deaths in 2019
as against India, which ranked second with
824,000 deaths out of 5.2 million under-five
deaths globally.
Right from its inception, the programme has
been characterised by allegations of politicisation
and corruption. The NSIP was at the centre of the
2019 presidential election and the subsequent
judicial litigation process.
The presidential candidate of the Peoples’
Democratic Party (PDP), Atiku Abubakar and
his party, petition filed before the Presidential
Election Petitions Tribunal to challenge the
outcome of the February 23 election, insisted
that the Trader Moni initiative embarked upon
by theAll Progressives Congress (APC) is a vote-
buying scheme that lacked budgetary backing.
They declared that in a bid to “improperly
influence voters,” Buhari, “using his position
as President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria,
commenced a programme or a scheme called
Trader Moni, through which the Nigerian
electorate, most especially traders across the
36 states of the federation and the FCT, Abuja,
were, a few weeks to the presidential election,
given N10,000 each.”
They added: “In spite of the fact that there
was no budgetary provision for this scheme;
and in spite of public outcry against it, the 2nd
respondent (Buhari), through the Vice-President
of Nigeria, Professor Yemi Osinbajo, SAN, went
round all the states of Nigeria and the FCT,Abuja,
and shared the said sum of N10,000 to traders,
thus using state resources to buy votes.”
Transparency International Nigeria, in 2019
labelled the ‘Trader Moni’ scheme a form of voter
inducement. Awwal Rafsanjani, the Chair and
National Contact of the organisation noted that
the initiative was an “official use of public funds
in the name of Trader Moni to actually induce
voters.” He further added that, “it was not done
three years ago. It was only started close to election
time. So, the allegation by many Nigerians that
this is clearly a case of vote buying using public
funds goes contrary to our constitution and to
having a free and fair election.
19
Aformer Vice-President of the World Bank and
co-convener of the Bring Back Our Girls (BBOG),
Dr. Oby Ezekwesili, had also roundly condemned
the subterranean use of the scheme as a vote
buying tool when she accused the government
of deliberately corrupting the elections in Osun
with the launch of the programme three weeks
before its scheduled governorship elections in
the state in September 2018.
“The federal government either failed to be ethi-
cally circumspect or in fact deliberately decided
to corrupt the elections in Osun by handing out
cash to traders on the heels of the state elections,”
Ezekwesili tweeted on her Twitter page. “Such
behaviour after the grand corrupting of voters
in Ekiti is reprehensible,” she added.
Even the National Assembly, widely derided
as a weak minion and grovelling appendage
of the Presidency had cause to dismiss the
National Social Investment Scheme in 2018 as
very unimpactful. Danjuma Goje, Chairman,
Senate Committee on Appropriation, warned
that, “Many people are complaining that they
have not seen the impact of the programme
considering the magnitude of the fund involved.
I am from Gombe State, I represent Gombe Cen-
tral. I am yet to see one single boy who came to
tell me that he has benefited from your N500
billion. Many other Nigerians are saying the
same thing. N500 billion for 36 states is about
N13 billion. If you spend NGN13 billion in one
year in Gombe State, there is no way I would
not have known, other people will also know. If
you spend N500 billion in one year in Nigeria,
Nigerians will know. No single All Progressives
Congress person Gombe State has benefitted
from your school feeding programme. No single
person from Gombe State has benefitted from
your N-Power. We don’t know about your
N-Power. As far as many of us are concerned,
we are completely dissatisfied with what you
are doing.”
That a vast majority of ‘beneficiaries’ of the
Trader Moni scheme are unwilling to pay
back their loans isn’t too surprising after all.
Allegations of fraud through underpayment of
beneficiaries have long been trumpeted against
the scheme by beneficiaries. An investigation
report by a Lagos-based national newspaper
in its December 15, 2018 edition, showed that
many beneficiaries, all petty traders, who were
supposed to receive N10,000 each as loans had
N2,000 deducted from the ‘loan’ extended to
them by the federal government.
The investigations showed that that the agents,
who came to the market to disburse the loan to
beneficiaries, initially collected N2,000 cash from
each beneficiary before transferring N10,000
to their bank accounts. But later, they stopped
collecting N2,000 cash from beneficiaries and
transferred just the sum of N8,000 to them.
According to one of the beneficiaries a trader,
“we had also heard in the news that that was the
amount the government was giving out as loan
to petty traders, so we were expecting N10,000.
“Initially, when the agents want to pay people,
before they transferN10,000 to anybody, they
will first collect N2,000 cash before transferring
N10,000, which means what they were giving
out to beneficiaries in the market was N8,000.
“But after doing that for the first two days,
they came to disburse the loans, they stopped
collecting N2,000 cash and instead, just trans-
ferred N8,000 to the beneficiaries.”
As noted by the paper, “another beneficiary,
a petty trader who simply identified himself as
Jude, said he also received N8,000. Jude also
showed the alert, which indicated a payment of
N8,000 to his bank account through the Eyowo
app. Like Daramola, Jude was hoping to grow
his general goods business through the Trader
Moni loan.
20
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2020

BUSINESS INTERVIEW
ELVIS OKONJI
Touting Frustrating Haulage
Business in Nigeria
The Chief Executive Officer of GPC Energy & Logistics Limited, Mr. Elvis Okonji in this
interview with Peter Uzoho, speaks on a wide range of issues including his voyage into full
time haulage business and his personal principle and philosophy that are driving the success
and growth of the multi-billion naira business. Okonji also delves into his eternal passion for
logistics business, the ambition of the company to become a publicly quoted company as
part of his goal to build a large business empire; and end touting in the haulage industry

Y
ou have been in
operation since
2010, what has been
your experience in
the haulage busi-
ness so far?
It is something I
have to smile about because it has not
been easy. It has been a rough road
in the last 10 years as the CEO of this
company. I will not say it has been
interesting, neither will I say it has
been bad, but in all, God has been able
to see us through till date.
What is your major area of ser-
vice provision?
As GPC, we are basically into dry
cargo. We work with the FMCGs in
the country. We work with PZ, we
work with Nestle, Nigerian Breweries,
Lafarge, Guinness, International Brew-
eries, and then, we are currently doing
hauling of fertiliser in the country from
Indorama in Port Harcourt to all the
blending plants in the county.
Looking at where you are coming
from as a company and where you
are today, do you think you have
been able to close that gap that you
saw then that made you to venture
into the business?
We can’t close the gap because the
gap in the country is so wide when it
comes to logistics or when it comes to
transportation business or the haulage
business. The haulage business is very
wide. You have the wet cargo, you
have the dry cargo. The dry cargo is
for the FMCGs in the country, and then
you talk about the guys carrying the
granite from the quarry; you talk about
the guys carrying the diesel haulage.
So they are so wide that GPC can’t
finish. Even if you have 100 haulage
or logistics companies that have over
50,000 trailers you can’t close the gap.
The business is so wide and then the
capital to start the business is so much.
So it is not easy. Imagine, when we
started this business, getting a Chinese
trailer would cost you about N10mil- Okonji
lion or N12million. Today, getting one
30 tonnes Chinese trailer on the road
will cost an average of about N36mil- Currently, I may say we have over 600 However, our biggest headache in this
lion. So how can you close that type of workers working in this company. So What are the challenges haulage business is touting and excessive ex-
gap? The gap is huge. If you say you you know what it means when some- operators face in the course of the tortion. Every state government wants
want to buy European truck, putting body says he has over 600 workers. But business? to collect money from a truck owner.
one on the road will cost you around we know that we have done a lot in There are so much challenges in the When you pass some states, they
N65million or N70million. If you want removing people from the unemploy- business. We run business on the road. will want to collect money, they have
to put it on the road on today’s FX rate, ment market. I remember vividly this I will tell you that the current govern- their own agents. So, you see multiple
it is not easy at all. So we can’t cover year, we bought 150 European trucks ment has tried when it comes to road taxation in the business. That is a very
the gap because it is huge for Nigerian Breweries. When you maintenance in the country. Some serious challenge to us. The touting
have 150 trucks that means you have years ago, you cannot go from here activity is so much on the business.
How many trucks do you have employed over 200 people on that (Lagos) to the north easily, you can’t You are going from here to Ogun State,
running now? alone. And then when we are assem- even go from here to Benin easily. But people will take stick and block the
We have a lot of trucks because it’s bling the truck, we employed people today, the infrastructure the govern- road and tell you to pay this amount
not something you want to say openly that helped us in assembling them. ment is putting in place is helping us of money. Every state you go to it is
to the world. We try to be very quiet in So that alone, you have also removed now. So it is better now compared to the same thing. Imagine, there is this
our business model. But I will say we about 100 people from the unemploy- what it was some years ago. So I will sticker we buy from each state, if you
have tried when it comes to the num- ment market. So we are trying, we are tell you that I embrace the govern- buy it in Ogun State now, when you
ber of trucks we have in the country. creating jobs for Nigerians. ment efforts in road infrastructure. get to Gboko in Benue State, they will
THISDAY, THE SUNDAY NEWSPAPER ˾
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2020





We Haven’t Tapped the Enormous Opportunities in Nigeria
tell you that is not their own paper,
and I begin to imagine, are we not in
the same country? They come up with
different policies. When you are load-
ing a state government will tell you
that every load you carry you have
to pay me extra amount of money. So
it is challenging. It is killing. When I
mean it is killing, it is killing indeed.
When I started this business 10 years
ago, I had colleagues whom I started it
together with, I think all of them have
gone down the drain. They have no
money so they have closed shops, they
are liquidated and had to shut down.
Most of them are heavily indebted to
banks, they can’t even pay. So right
now because of the challenges in this
business, we now have fewer players.
Some of the policies of the government
are not helping us. The frustration is
so much. Local government will come
and tell you to pay it so so amount of
money. So, the multiple taxation is so
much on us. Imagine, before you leave,
a state will come and say they have
given somebody the job of collecting
money from truck owners. Every state
will have that and before you know it
they harass your truck, cause accident
for your truck. There is a lot of touting
in the business. That doesn’t happen in
advanced world. So I think the govern-
ment should come in and see how they
can help in stopping the touting issues
we are facing in the haulage business
in the country. We are passing through
hell.
When did you develop interest in
haulage business?
I have been a workshop boy from my
childhood. My father was a mechanic,
I used to go to workshop with him and
also when I was in the university it
was tough for me to get money to go
to school. So where my father worked,
I will go there to do odd jobs. So I
followed truck drivers to travel, when
they carry loads, I act as conductor for
them. So from there, I left university,
I started working in the bank. And I
was having a project while I was in the
bank that involved us bringing goods
into the country. So by the time the
ship berths, I begin to see middlemen,
they would start looking for trucks
and making money even more than
the owners of those trucks. So I said it
means there is something big in this
business. So with my background and
my understanding of trucking, I now
said, after all my banking experience,
from the university I’ve gone to, my
finance knowledge, everything, I think
I can do better in this sector, and also
as a street man, who came out from
the street. You know when you come
out from the grass -you don’t have any
hope, nothing in life, and then you see
an opportunity to tap into something
that you think will change your life
-you will put all your efforts. And then
it was from that project that I saw that
there is a lot of opportunities here.
Most of the people that went to school
and are graduates don’t want to do
that type of business. And you see the
illiterates now making money from it.
So I now I began to think that if I come
into this type of business and put in
my banking experience and then my
street sense and everything, I think I
will be able to do better. That was how
I resigned from the bank early 2010
to set up GPC Energy & Logistics.
We had wanted to go into full time
energy business -trucking of wet cargo
-petroleum business, but we saw a lot
of dishonesty in the market and then
said no. We came back to the drawing
board and said no, we won’t go to that
aspect, let’s stay with dry cargo where
we will focus more on the multination-
als in the country. And that’s where
we are today, where you will not go
and beg somebody or bribe somebody
to pay you what you worked for. We
have a system here, we don’t joke with
our integrity, we can’t give you bribe
and you cannot give us bribe. And
so that’s why we focus mainly on the
multinationals -the Nestle, the PZ, you
Okonji
can’t bribe them. You work, you earn
your money. If they tell you they are
going to pay you today, you will see
your money as they said, you don’t
have to go and beg. So that’s how we
were able to get to where we are today.
It was tough, it was a very tough
decision to take. All the friends I had
were telling me not to go into haulage
business, saying ‘it’s risky, you will
risk your life and all kinds of things,
just to discourage me from going into
the business. But my mind is strong.
Today I don’t have blood pressure
issues, I don’t have any terminal ill-
ness, I’m strong and healthy. I take the
business as part of me, part of my life,
it’s fun to me. We borrowed so much
from the bank to do the business, we
keep paying the banks back. We don’t
have any issues with the banks we
are working with, we don’t have any
issues with our clients, they are good,
everybody is happy.
What particular personal prin-
ciple do you think is helping to
drive your business?
I’m a very principled person. I keep
telling people that my word is my
bond. If I tell you that if you supply
me XY, I will pay you on XY date, that
date, you will get your money. So it
has helped me a lot. It has made my
suppliers believe in me, it has made
my bankers believe in me, it has made
my suppliers abroad believe in me,
everybody believes in me. They will
tell you, if it is Elvis, don’t worry, GPC
will pay you. So what has pushed this
business to where it is today is our
integrity. And it is extremely key to us
in the company. Everybody, from the
beginning to the end of this company,
we keep telling them about integrity,
respect for individuals, that’s what we
keep telling them. We don’t joke with
that. So we call it acid here. We ask
ourselves, are you an acid? Because
when acid goes into anything it
spreads round.
So we keep putting all the acid in
the system and that’s why we are here
today. If you go to my bank and tell
them you gave GPC load, they will
tell you ‘go and sleep, your money
will be paid back to you’. Everything
is all about integrity, life is all about
integrity. Let people not doubt your
person. Imagine, I’m not a son of
a rich man but today I run a multi-
billion naira business. We started
this business in 2010 with five trucks,
today we have over 600 staff. That’s
to tell you where we are going to. By
end of the year we should be hitting
more than 1,000 trucks. So there is no
issues with all the banks we borrowed
money from, we have paid 100 per
cent of what we owed them from day
one. So we don’t joke here, we mean
business, because we want to take
the business to the next level. If you
watch, you see, people set up UPS and
others, worldwide. We have a dream
of where we are going to. We want to
run a business that will outlive us, not
a business that after Elvis, it is gone.
My dream, the dream of GPC is for us
to run a business that will live after
our generation. So how do you do it?
You have to create integrity, principles,
what has to be done, everything has to
be done right from day one. You have
a good template. The corporate gover-
nance has to be there. When a business
does not have corporate governance,
it’s gone. There has to be systems and
processes and in the last 10 years, we
have been building systems and pro-
cesses and that’s what has helped us to
where we are today. So currently I’m
not on any stress. People say haulage
business is bad, I don’t believe it. Let
me tell you, in my next world, I will
be a logistician. It’s something I have
joy doing. You see, a lot of people fail
in this business because they don’t get
their goals right. How can you set up a
logistics or haulage company and you
go and put the office in Victoria Island?
How do you want to succeed in it? You
will set up a haulage company but you
don’t have a yard where you maintain
the trucks, you don’t have systems and
processes in place. How will you cope
after spending all the millions? You go
and pack them along the roads, tomor-
row LASTMA will impound them,
then it’s a failure. Let me tell you, I will
have greater joy when GPC becomes
a PLC. It therefore means the pioneer
21
CEO has not achieved the dream of
his life. I want to run a business that
investors will benefit from. If you put
money in GPC, you are sure of getting
your money back, you are sure of
getting your dividend back, you are
sure of building an institution that will
outlive me. I want to be happy the day
I resign as the CEO of this company,
that I am the pioneer CEO, that I took it
from one level to where it is. We work
as a team here, I don’t take decisions
alone. So that has taken us to where we
are today.
How were you able to carve
a niche for yourself when you
entered the sector that already had
big players at the time?
It is continuous push, never believe
you are a failure. From day one, we
had a plan and keep working with the
plan and we said we will never fail.
There is no No for an answer in this
company, GPC; that’s the team for you.
We built a team and the slogan of that
team is, ‘no No for an answer’. And
we keep pushing. And what we said to
ourselves is that none of our soldiers,
none of our clients will doubt our
person and we have kept to it. We can
sit down here and say we need truck
from China, we don’t need to pay, we
just communicate with them, they
will give us bill and send trucks to us.
Same thing with Europe, because we
have delivered that our integrity here,
we have built a solid company that
has come to stay. They keep saying
that a son of a poor man will want
to work hard and make sure that he
survives, he removes the poverty out
of his lineage. My father is almost 90
years of age, he is in the village today.
So we came from zero to where we are
today. Let me tell you, GPC story is a
story that is God’s doing. Even when
I look at the company today I begin to
imagine how did we build a business
in the last 10 years that will live to the
test of time? But when I look back I
say we worked so hard. I stayed in
my yard for five years. I was learning
every trick about trucking: how do I
interact with my drivers, how do my
drivers behave. I almost became a
mechanic.
Have you been on the road with
your drivers before?
Yes, I go on the road with them. My
four, five, six years, when accident
or anything happens I go on the road
to see it. I run round and understand
what the drivers are passing through,
so I put a face to them and that is why
in GPC, my numbers are open as the
CEO of this company. Everybody
talks to me, even my drivers call me
anytime and I pick their calls and hear
what their problem is. We run an open
system here.
Do you share the view that there
is no opportunities, no hope in this
country?
No, I don’t. Let me tell you some-
thing, when I left university and I got
a job in a bank, I was telling my God
that the day I make the first million in
my life I would leave the country. That
was then. But as time goes on, I started
seeing opportunities. This country
has a lot of opportunities. What you
are looking for abroad is here. What
you are looking for in America is in
this country. Don’t you ask yourself
why did the Chinese, the Indians, the
Lebanese, the Europeans, most of the
Americans come here to work and
they don’t want to go back? When you
ask them to go back to their country
they start crying.
In a country that you have a popula-
tion of over 200 million people, how
can you be poor? If you are focused
and you know what you want and
you have your integrity in place, if you
start up with one million naira or even
with N500, 000, you can’t be hungry
in this country, I’m very sure of it. We
have not tapped the enormous oppor-
tunities we have in this country.
22 THISDAY, THE SUNDAY NEWSPAPER ˾
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2020

THE EXECUTIVE
ALEX OKOH
BPE Transactions Devoid
of Political Interferences
Thirty six years of his working life, Mr. Alex Ayoola Okoh straddled the private sector for over 32
years, rising to the top as chief executive officer of one of the foremost commercial banks in the
country. However, in the last three and half years, national service beckoned, where he currently
savours the taste of public service as the Director General of the Bureau of Public Enterprises
(BPE). But on October 1, 2020, Okoh had the rare coincidence of marking his 60th birthday same
day Nigeria celebrated its 60th independence annivesary. In this interview, the DG relives his
experience so far with the privatisation agency. Ndubuisi Francis provides the excerpts:

Y
our 60th birthday
which coincides with
Nigeria’s 60th inde-
pendence anniver-
sary makes you a very
special person. What
message do you have
for both Nigerians and
your staff?
I just feel like using the opportunity of this
interview to reflect on the fact that I celebrate
a milestone birthday, which they refer to
as diamond jubilee, with Nigeria. I have
always considered it a special privilege to
be born on the same day that Nigeria gained
independence, and I think that it’s not just a
coincidence, it is some sort of divine ordina-
tion for one to be able to realise that there is
a purpose for God making you a Nigerian
and a Nigerian that shares the same birthday
with the nation. It’s always giving me an
opportunity on such days to reflect on what
my contributions to the general well-being
of Nigeria should be. A 60-year-old man,
especially is not really a young man anymore
and I think that a 60-year-old country should
also, at least, be exhibiting certain attributes
of maturity of having come into an age of
wisdom. So, there are certain things that
should accompany a state, an individual,
an enterprise at such an age. I reflect on my
country and I am thankful for what God
has done so far, but I am also thinking that
perhaps, it could have been a lot better than
where we are now. There are certain things
that ought to be happening in the life of a
nation at 60 that you don’t see now, and it is
also an opportunity for us not just to criticise
what has not happened, but to begin to look
for how there can be solutions in creating that
desire, and what we expect our country to
look like. For me, it’s a personal reflection. I
have had that opportunity for the past three
years in public office to be able to contribute
my own quota, but I think that it should be an
opportunity for all of us, whether you were
born on October 1 or not to look at the day
and say, hey! Is this where the country should
really be at 60 or perhaps there are things
that we could have done differently that we
should start considering now to do at least
so that the future looks much brighter than Okoh
the past, That’s my reflection and message
to my country at 60 even as I turn 60 myself. banking at a very young age; I was about to how things are done in the private sector. of Afam and Yola Discos, for example; they
It is good that we stay together as a na- 24 in 1984 and I rose through the ranks, of In the private sector you need to build a coali- will have their own specific challenges. On
tion. Certainly, we could have achieved a lot course, to become the managing director of tion of stakeholders who support whatever the general side, the major challenge is that
more than we have done, but it gives us an NNB (New Nigeria Bank) in 2001. So, all programme you are prosecuting. The public you are going against the grain or norm of
opportunity to begin to rejuvenate Nigeria. my career life, I have worked in the private sector by nature is a very bureaucratic set the very sector that created those institutions,
sector. In April 2017, I was appointed by His up. Public sector by nature is not very warm in the first place.
We have followed your progress as a Excellency, President Muhammadu Buhari, towards embracing change, and because of
banker up to this period. Having come as the DG, Bureau of Public Enterprises. That the fact that our core mandate in the Bureau Earlier this year, the BPE projected
this far in running the affairs of the BPE, gave me a completely different opportunity to involves change (reforms); transformation, to remit to the coffers of the federal
what has been the experience? experience life and work in the public sector whether it is the reform of government-owned government the sum of N267 billion.
I have been here for three and half years and I must tell you that for me, it has been a enterprises or the reform of sectors in terms With the impact of COVID-19, does this
and during this period, we have renewed the very rewarding experience. You really don’t of how sectors are structured to deliver on the look feasible? What are you expecting?
mandate of the Bureau not just in terms of know how much the nation (the government) social services of values that they are supposed I am happy that you asked that question
reforming the economic sector of the Nigerian works fully from the private sector, but I to deliver. Reforming those enterprises and because the health pandemic has not only
economy, but also some of the enterprises. have balanced my perspective having the sectors involves change and the civil service, disrupted the global economic environment,
We have done some of the concessioning of opportunity to work with the BPE. So, for me, the way it is structured is designed to con- but our specific local or national economy.
the old Warri port while I have been here. to answer your question directly, these three form to rules and procedures not to embrace When we made those projections, of course,
Some of the quarry companies have also and half years have been a very rewarding change. So, for me that has been the major we did not envisage the disruption that would
been privatised. and illuminating experience for me. challenge, at least at the macro-level; looking come from COVID. We projected to add to
It has been a very interesting experience, at it conceptually. Of course transaction by the fiscal purse this year about N260 billion.
very rewarding and for me, quite illuminating What have been the challenges? transaction, reform by reform, programme It is looking highly unlikely that the entire
and I will explain what I meant by that. Just The challenges essentially stem from how by programme, you have specific challenges projection can be realised this fiscal year. But
as you said earlier, all my career life, I have things get done in the public sector as opposed driving those programmes. Reprivatisation we are still pursuing the programme. It means
been in the private sector. I actually started
THISDAY, THE SUNDAY NEWSPAPER ˾
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2020 23

 


At least Four Govt Assets Ready for Sale via Capital Market
that more of the financial proceeds and the
revenue expectations may be coming in later
as envisaged, perhaps by the end of the first
quarter next year. Two of the transactions
that should be contributing more than 50
per cent of the N260 billion, we have almost
already concluded. In the next few weeks
we should be able to conclude on these two
transactions.
Which transactions, sir?
The reprivatisation of Afam Power Plant
and Yola Disco. We should be able to conclude
on those two, in the next two to three weeks
we should be able to conclude those two
transactions. So, I am hopeful that before the
end of this particular fiscal year, we should
be able to realise at least 60 per cent of our
initial estimate or target.
You were quoted at a time to have stated
that only 10 per cent of all the privatised
government enterprises are doing well.
Is that a true representation?
No, that was a wrong quote. What I said
was that about 67 to 68 per cent of the 234
privatised or commercialised or concessioned
enterprises are performing and the balance
of those enterprises, may be another 20 per
cent, are not performing due to various rea-
sons. That was my comment then and the
non-performing enterprises of course have
various challenges and reasons why they are
not performing. So, even if they were not
privatised, what I have always maintained
is that they would have still faced those chal-
lenges, whether they were privatised or not.
Once the macroeconomic conditions changed
against the operations of those enterprises,
they were always going to have problems.
But the important thing is that we have not
left those enterprises to their own fate. So,
we are consciously and continuously engag-
ing with various agencies of government
in terms of reliefs--tax reliefs, duty waivers
and all of those other fiscal measures that
can create a better operating environment Okoh
for those enterprises. So, these are some of
the inconsistencies that make some of the
privatised enterprises non-performing--not paying premium? of integrity and transparency himself--the We revoked the concession, and we are in
just because you privatised them but because Vice President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, has the process of recovering the outstanding
the macroeconomic situation shifted. Let’s talk about the unbundling of NI- never given us any reason for us to even fee from the previous concessionaire, and
POST. When are we having the NIPOST think that he is interested in any manner we are about to re-concession the facility
You are looking at the health sector for Microfinance Bank coming on stream? on the outcome of any of our transactions. now. We did the same thing with Tarawa
reforms. What’s your projection? Are the The NIPOST Microfinance Bank is perhaps Not at all! So, I think that the signal from Balewa Square; we revoked that concession.
reforms coming up this year or next year? one of the latest companies that will go into the top always matters and conditions how In any case where we see a concessionaire
That is going to be a major reform. You know operations out of the unbundled entities. things get done down the line. So, we have or core investor going against the covenant
we have carried out several sectorial reforms We envisage that may be before the end of always been extremely fortunate that the of the agreement, we move in to invoke the
before. We reformed the pension sector such the year, NIPOST Property Development political leadership that we have now has just necessary sanctions.
that you now have a contributory scheme Company, the first subsidiary company decided that they are not going to interfere
through, which workers can look forward should be able to go into operations. Also, in our activities and they want to be able to You were quoted to have said that some
to a decent retirement arrangement post- NIPOST Transport and Logistics Company signal the issue of transparency and integrity of the privatised entities would be quoted
service. We’ve done several sectorial reforms should also be able to go into operations. because we are dealing with very sensitive on the capital market. How far have you
in the past. For me, the health sector reform For the microfinance bank, we have just got- issues here. We are in charge of what you gone in realising this?
is essentially important because like they say, ten the approval of the Federal Ministry of call family jewels, the national patrimony. I think that is the ideal situation. As far as
a healthy nation is a wealthy nation. Now, Finance, Budget and National Planning to The enterprises that are being privatised are I am concerned, ultimately, we have to be
you don’t want a situation where people fall go ahead with the incorporation of the bank, regarded as national jewels and patrimny . encouraging wider public participation in
sick, your citizens fall sick and the question and we have also just gotten what you can the acquisition of government assets--what
of who survives depends on how wealthy call a sort of an indicative approval from What safeguards have you put in place you call the national patrimony. That is one
or how much that particular individual can the Central Bank of Nigeria with regards to to ensure that government assets that are of the best ways in which every citizen will
afford the medical aid or treatment that they what it will require for the Bank to grant a being sold do not go into wrong hands? feel that privatisation has been fair to them,
need. Most advanced countries have moved licence- the National Microfinance Banking First, pre-sale or our bidding process is so If you’re able to buy, may be 1,000 units as
beyond that. The decision to fall sick is not licence to NIPOST. So, we are putting all of rigorous that even in selecting those who bid your resources can afford you in a national
made by you, so it should not be left to your those things in place to be able to comply for those assets you ensure that they are the asset that has been privatised, then you feel a
own capacity or affordability to be able to with the requirements of the CBN and for the people who have the capacity, the integrity, sense of common ownership of the privatised
determine whether you survive that sickness bank to go operational. So we believe that and the intention to run those assets as they entity. I think that public offers are the most
or not. So, that is what the health sector reform that will come on later in the year, perhaps were originally procured or installed to do. democratic way to go about divestment in
programme that is being anchored by the ending, early or mid-next year. So, there is a very rigorous pre-acquisition government assets. However, recently we
BPE and the Federal Ministry of Health is process. We evaluate your expression of have seen how the stock market and the
geared towards. We want to be able to provide Before your emergence as the DG of interest in those assets; request for your capital market have performed. It has been
universal health coverage and access to every the BPE, there were allegations of politi- expression of interest, both technical and extremely challenging for the capital market,
citizen of this nation in such a way that they cal interference, which tended to mar financial which are so comprehensive and so and values have been compromised even
don’t have to bother about paying for the care. the process. Since you’re coming, what detailed and so rigorous that before you go for existing businesses in the stock market.
It will be based on single payer system which have you done differently to insulate through the selection process, you are coming Share prices have fallen significantly. So, it’s
means that the federal government, through the privatisation exercise against any out with the best. Now, post-acquisition, we a matter of timing.
a particular agency will be responsible for form of interference? also have covenants (agreements) that are Some of those privatised entities we will take
paying for the health care of every citizen I think that the outcome of any engagement signed to ensure that those assets are managed to the capital market, but are being watchful
who needs it. So, access to medical and health that any one goes into depends on, first, the in line with our own expectations and the of the appropriate time to take those assets to
treatment and intervention will no longer character of the leader, what his value system country’s expectations for the utilisation or the market so that they can get good value
be dependent on whether you are rich or is and how he sets the rules of engagement in the management of those key infrastructure and not the depressed value that the market
whether you are poor. We are going to more that particular venture. For us in the Bureau of and utilities, and we monitor your compliance currently has. We tried a test case with SAHCO
or less aggregate the services and aggregate Public Enterprises, I think in the past three and with those agreements in such a way that (Skypower Aviation Handing Company)
the payment system or the process for that half years, we have been very clear in terms any deviation attracts the requisite sanctions, about 18 months ago. The response wasn’t
particular service. of what the value system of this organisation including the recovery of the assets from too encouraging, and for us it was a reflection
is, and that value system is acronymed in you. We are very particular about how you of the kind of appetite that investors have for
In what way does this differ from the what we call the IPART (Integrity, Profes- emerge as the preferred buyer or the acquirer the capital market right now. Although, we
National Health Insurance Scheme sionalism, Accountability, Result-orientation of that asset, and then, how you manage those have listed some entities that we should be
(NHIS)? and Transparency). That is what has defined assets and infrastructure, post-acquisition. taking to the capital market, but we want the
The National Health Insurance Scheme, first the Bureau of Public Enterprises for the past This is to ensure that you continue to deliver market itself to recover before we bring those
and foremost, depends on your subscribing three and half years. So, once that culture the services for which the government put enterprises to the market.
to the health insurance. So, for those who are becomes embedded in the very fabric of the those assets and infrastructure in place in
not formally engaged (those who are in the institution, it begins to guide behaviours and the first place, and that you do not deviate in Could you tell us some of those enter-
informal sector), and that constitutes over how you approach your transactions and whatever manner, in line with the agreement prises?
80 per cent of the population, what’s their your activities. That is one point. The second or covenant that we go into. It may be premature to mention the compa-
assurance of getting health care when they fall one, and perhaps more critical reason why nies, but we have at least four of those companies
sick? It is different in that this coverage is for we have been able to maintain that level of Are there specific examples of such that are ready to come to the capital market.
the entire population. The health insurance integrity and transparency is because we deviations and sanctions? So, we don’t want to pre-empt the market and
system itself as it currently exists, we are have a political leadership that also signals Yes, we have such examples. Let me use we are in consultation with the stakeholders;
looking at how to accommodate it within that that for the Bureau and for our activities. So, the example of the Lagos International Trade revelant agencies, including the Securities
larger framework to provide funding for the I have never gotten a call from the president Fair Complex as a case. The concessionaire and Exchange Commission, the Nigerian
single payer who will then be responsible either to say I am interested in this or that went serially against the covenant of the Stock Exchange, even the stockbrokers as-
for paying for the health insurance because or that any enterprise should be handled concession agreement, and in 2017 when sociation, for them to understand that we
for every health insurance scheme if you are this way or that way. Not at all! And the I came, we reviewed the matter, took it to will bring these enterprises to the market
not paying for the premium then you are not Chairman of the NCP (National Council on the National Council on Privatisation and once the market shows signs that it could
entitled to treatment. How many people are Privatisation), who is also an embodiment Council decided to revoke the concession. adequately provide value for the stocks.
 24
BUSINESS/PERSPECTIVE
Leveraging Special Economic Zones for
African Industrialisation and Integration
Adesoji Adesugba
F
ree Trade Areas are
special creation that
propel the growth and
advancement of many
economies worldwide.
The FTZ has been
successfully deployed
from North America
to Europe to Asia. Africa’s embrace of
the model is now more than critical
in view of the advent of the Africa
Continental Free Trade Zone. Agres-
sive adoption of free zone model and
its best practices are compulsory for
Africa to realize the contient’s desire
to advance industrially.
Free Zones are forms of economic
integration wherein all barriers of

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trade are eliminated; however, each
country is allowed to retain its own
barriers with non-members otherwise
known as third countries. Generally
speaking, there are various kinds of
economic integration ranging from
free trade areas to customs union,
common markets and economic
unions. The practice is for countries
to start with the lowest form and
graduate to higher stages over time.
There are expected benefits to a
Free Trade Area formation. Nations
are likely to receive benefits through
increased competition, economies
of scale, stimulus to investment and
better utilization of resources.
In Nigeria, the Free Zone Program
was introduced in 1992 through
the enactment of Act No. 63 of 1992
which provided for the establishment
of Special Economic Zones in Nigeria.
The Act empowered the Nigeria Ex-
port Processing Zone Authority as the
sole government agency responsible
for establishing, licensing, regulating
and monitoring of Free Zones/Export
Processing Zones in Nigeria.
The main goal for establishing the
Special Economic Zone scheme in
Nigeria is to improve the investment
climate by providing a competitive
incentive regime, streamline admin-
istrative procedures and offer world
class infrastructure aimed at attract-
ing capital investment for industrial
development.
Other Objectives include;
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the immediate host community.
The Federal Government of Nigeria
identified the Special Economic Zone
scheme as a key policy instrument in
the realization of the industrialization
agenda following a visit by President
Muhammadu Buhari, GCFR to the
Peoples Republic of China in 2016.
This is in the context of the experience
in China where the deployment of
SEZs in 1980 propelled her GDP from
$191 billion at the time to $11 trillion
in 2016, a staggering increase of
5,764%.
SEZ’s and the Industrialization
Agenda
Regarding industrialization in
Nigeria, the SEZ model is being
sought to accelerate implementation
of the Nigerian Industrial Revolution
Plan (NIRP), a four (4) year road
map on industrialization in order
to create jobs and promote exports,
which in turn will facilitate economic
growth. The aim is to build Nigeria’s
competitive advantage, to broaden
Adesugba
the scope of industry, and to acceler-
ate expansion of the manufacturing
sector. Specifically, the plan sets
out to increase the contribution of
manufacturing from current 4% of
GDP to over 10% in the next 5 years
which translates to about N5 trillion
annually.
In 2017, the Federal Government
initiated Project Made in Nigeria for
Export (MINE) in 2017 to develop
and upgrade existing Free Trade
Zones to Special Economic Zones
aimed at contributing to meaningful
industrial and export development in
Nigeria.
The Role of NEPZA
As the agency with the mandate to
establish and oversee the operations
of all zones in Nigeria, NEPZA has a
total of 42 zones under its purview.
Whilst a few have recorded relative
success in operations, most have not
operated at their full potential due to
several challenges such as a lack of
adequate funding, poor infrastruc-
ture, accessibility, inconsistent power
supply and management.
In continuation of the President’s
agenda of industrialization using
the SEZ model, NEPZA has recently
revised its strategic plan to include
“to increase the number of functional
and optimal SEZ’s” as one of its key
goals targeted at developing the SEZ
sphere in Nigeria. In this regard,
NEPZA seeks to establish world class
“plug and play” technically driven
zones that will attract foreign direct
investments
Stakeholder discussions are cur-
rently underway for the creation of
SEZ’s in the following thematic areas;
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Implications of AFCTA on SEZ’s
Across Africa
The Rules of Origin (ROO) debate
remains a key discussion point
regarding the implications of the
AfCTFA on SEZ operations in Africa.
There must be ways to accommodate
the SEZ’s within the Rules of Origin
(ROO) to support the objectives of the
AfCFTA. Consideration should be
given to regional and specific country
objectives during the negotiation
process to ensure industrialization
agendas of each country is achieved.
Market access and the ROO value
criteria are some of the issues that
have implications on the operations
of SEZ’s.
In relation to market access, the
law on free zones allow up to 100%
importation of inputs and raw mate-
rials which negates the principle of
origin. Most African countries have
a low-level industrial base making
accessing inputs from African nations
difficult, resulting in the need to
import from third countries hence the
case for a flexible ROO.
Cross Border SEZ as Vehicles for
Regional Integration
Experimentation with cross border
free zones for regional Integration is
a smart route for Africa. For Nigeria,
various scenario are reviewed below:
Nigeria-Benin Regional Coop-
eration
At the moment, Nigeria does not
have any SEZ cooperation with the
Republic of Benin. However, there
are efforts from the FGN to formalize
border trade. Focus discussions are
on infrastructure development and
the setting up of relevant government
border agencies.
Three borders have been identified
for this purpose which are:
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Market – Niger State
However, it is important to note
that the Ogun-Guangdon Free Trade
zone one of the eight (8) China- Af-
rica co-operation zones, focused on
manufacturing, lies in close proximity
of Idiroko and could potentially
service the Benin Republic market.
Nigeria-Niger Regional Coop-
eration
The Maigatari Border Free Zone,
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/ Niger. The zone covers 220 hectares.
To date, there are three (3) Free Zone
Enterprises (FZE) operational.
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Nigerian - Cameroon Regional
Cooperation
Sharing so long a border, Cameroon
and Nigeria potentially have a lot
to gain by extending cooperation
through free trade zone. While such
bilateral creation has not occurred,
the Calabar Free Trade Zone in Cross
River state can serve that purpose.
Regional Cooperation as Key
Response to the COVID-19 Impli-
cations
The coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19)
pandemic has taken a toll on the econ-
omies and healthcare systems of even
the most developed countries. De-
spite the low level of cases and death
in Africa, the pandemic showcased
the lack of infrastructure, expertise
and manpower required to deal with
the fallout of a major surge should
it occur. The closure of international
borders also highlighted the need for
Nigeria and Africa as a whole to look
inwards and become self-sufficient in
the provision of services to its citizens
especially as it relates to healthcare.
Nigerian Response
The recently released NIGERIA
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to address the health and economic
emergencies caused by the COVID-19
pandemic through the granting of
many incentives including support
to the development of the healthcare
sector in Nigeria. The private sec-
tor, with these incentives are being
mobilized to support infrastructure
development.
NEPZA seeks to play its role in the
development of the healthcare sector
by establishing a fully equipped and
functional Medical SEZ in Nigeria
that will provide world class, in-
country healthcare comparable to the
standards that Nigerians seek abroad.
The zone will help to reduce medical
tourism from Nigeria and also service
the African market.
rProf. Adesugba, Managing
Director of NEPZA, delivered this
paper at the 3rd AU Symposium
on Special Economic Zones and
Green Industrialisation held on
September 28th. His presenta-
tion was under session 2 with the
theme: “SEZ’s and Regional Coop-
eration in Africa: State of Play and
Major Guidelines.”
A WEEKLY PULL-OUT 04.10.2020

AYO MAKUN
THE SHOW
BUSINESS OF AY
He’s got the swag. He’s got the skills. He’s got the story. He’s a stunner.
Yet, from a humble beginning, Ayo Makun, aka AY, grew to become
one of the leading figures in showbiz. Vanessa Obioha writes
about the different togas that define who he is today
ASSISTANTEDITOROLUFUNKEOLAODE/funkola2000@gmail.com
50
COVER
Maku
A
yo Makun likes smiling
to the bank and he is
unapologetic about it.
Every decision made, naira
invested is driven by that
sole desire to repeat that
happy trip to the bank.
After all, the essence of people getting
involved in a business is to have a sort of
fulfilment and that includes financial fulfilment,
he thinks, sporting a red jersey and black shorts
against the backdrop of his tastefully decorated
living room.
The winning formula for AY as he is fondly
called is to keep moving.
“The new normal is not the normal we
want to accustom ourselves with. It’s been
pretty difficult but we thank God for grace. We
have to keep moving. We can’t be stagnant,” he
acknowledges.
He adds, “If I have something to show, let
the business part reflect it by me smiling to the
bank.”
AY’s knack for showbiz can be traced to his
university days where he gained prominence
by organising shows on campus. His growing
personality at Delta State University where he
studied Theatre Arts led to a chance encounter
with Atunyota Akpobome popularly known as
Ali Baba. He was lucky to hone his skills under
the tutelage of the veteran comedian. To date, he
attributes his business acumen to Ali Baba.
By 2006, fame knocked on his door when
he was featured in Opa Williams’ ‘Nite of a
Thousand Laughs’. The subsequent years saw
him organising and hosting his live show AY
Live — a platform that parades both upcoming
and established humour merchants. He also
took his craft to the sound and sight medium
with his comedy show ‘AY Show’, as well
as ‘AY’s Crib’, a comedy sitcom that he stars
alongside Alexx Ekubo, Buchi Franklin among
other acts.
His enduring relevance in the entertainment
industry is a testament to his hard work and a
keen eye for business. He’s carefully scripted his
career in such a way that his brand equity keeps
opening doors of opportunities for him.
POSTERBOY OF NIGERIA’S SHOWMANSHIP
Today, he wears different togas: comedian,
showbiz entrepreneur, filmmaker, and actor.
In comedy, AY belongs to the realm of
comedians who have built an empire from
comedy. Think of Yibo Koko, Ali Baba, Okey
Bakassi, and Gbenga Adeyinka. These humour
merchants are notable icons in the industry who
have excelled in their profession and delved
into other sectors where they equally displayed
dexterity.
“A lot of people believe that stand-up
comedy is a business designed for dropouts,
vagabonds, or people who don’t have anything
else to do than to tell jokes. But it’s beyond
that. Proper research on the comedy industry
today shows that people who are made and
are still making it big in the industry are those
with a seasoned level of awareness, education,
knowing what to do and what not to do. When
you look at comedians who handle corporate
events, you will notice that they have to
understand the audience they are dealing with
because that’s what they are paid for.
“Not all kinds of jokes will work in such a
setting. It goes beyond telling jokes. Comedy is
a serious business. The fact that comedians tell
jokes doesn’t mean they look like the jokes they
tell. They have a serious mindset,” he explains.
AY hopes to impart this knowledge on the
contestants who will participate in his new
comedy reality show, Next Naija Comedy
Star. Ten contestants would be selected from
a pool of online applicants. They will be kept
in a mansion where they will be given tasks.
Each week will see a contestant voted out of the
game.
In the movie world, he is an accomplished
filmmaker. His first film ‘30 Days in Atlanta’
was a roaring success, earning the status as
the highest-grossing film in Nigeria cinema in
2015 despite the mixed reviews it got. Since that
breakout film, his subsequent films are boxed
into the comedy genre.
It is a business strategy for him.
“The concept of cinema in Nigeria, for now,
is a jolly place. A place where couples, lovers can
visit and have exciting moments. The kind of
T H I S DAY, T H E S U N DAY N E W S PA P E R ˾
Ͳ˜
2020
We have to invest
our money on trends
that can yield returns.
So if someone says
all AY movies are
blockbusters, yes
they are because I
researched them. I
have to be sure that it
will be a success
passion that they can go home with and relish.
Now if I take you to the cinema and make you
sad or sober, then I haven’t fulfilled my part as
an investor. The cinema in Nigeria is a place
where people want to laugh and be happy.
“That’s why comedies sell in cinemas. But
people don’t know this. They say we don’t tell
our stories. Of course, we need to tell our stories
but find a way to make it funny, balanced that
will showcase our culture and lifestyle. But if we
really, really, want to tell our stories, then a Mo
Abudu will be waiting for AY to do it first and I
will be waiting for Ramsey Nouah to do it first.
If it works, then it will be the winning formula.
“We have to invest our money on trends
that can yield returns. So if someone says all AY
movies are blockbusters, yes they are because I
researched them. I have to be sure that it will be
a success.”
The Ondo State indigene is not immune to
the criticisms that have greeted his films but he
is agitated by comments that posit Nollywood
and Hollywood are cut from the same cloth.
“It’s wrong to compare Nollywood to
Hollywood. You cannot give what you don’t
have. It beats my imagination when people
compare Nollywood films to Hollywood
flicks knowing fully well that a Hollywood
film can take the entire budget of Lagos
state, so comparing it to an individual effort
is unfair,” he points out.
“I always fight against people who
don’t have that sense of belonging,”
he adds. “I still salute the courage of
Nollywood to date. We will keep striving
but sadly the people here don’t believe in
us. You can imagine a bank supporting the
premiere of a Hollywood film but won’t
support local films. So how are we going to
grow?
“The Americans supported their product
and showcased it to the world to accept it and
become what it is today. But we are raising them
by supporting what they are doing. We relegate
our films and elevate theirs.”
To be sure, AY clarifies that he loves
criticisms when it comes from an intellectual
mind. A major obstacle in the movie industry
according to him is location. Getting the right
structure to depict the fictional setting, he
says, is very challenging. The infrastructural
deficiency in Nollywood makes it difficult for
filmmakers to meet the raised standards of
Hollywood.
“Someone responded to a tweet I made
regarding this issue that what is worth doing
is worth doing well but when we are not in
a position to achieving that, we will have to
make do with the little we have until people are
willing to invest in the industry and elevate our
standards.”
Due to the pandemic, he’s putting some
productions on hold while featuring in other
movies. However, he hinted that he will make
a movie around COVID-19. The movie he said
will be an equipoise of soberness and joviality.
“It will give us hope,” he adds.
For now, he is concentrating on his
online live shows which still attract an
impressive number of viewers.
“The interesting thing is that 80%
of our viewers are from Nigerians in
the diaspora. This tells me that the
brand is appreciated beyond the shores
of Nigeria. I have been doing shows
outside the country but the online
audience confirms that the brand is
international. Many of them are not
Nigerians. We have audience members
from Kenya, Uganda, South Africa.
Some are Nigerians in China and the
US. So it gives me fun. It brings added
value to the AY brand.”
Whenever the 49-year-old looks
back at his journey, all he sees is grace.
“It’s been very rewarding,” he
acknowledges.
Notwithstanding, there was a time
he wished people could understand
him more, but his wife reminded him that not
everyone would like him. Since that realisation
dawned on him, he found a way to enjoy the
little gifts of life, and that includes smiling to the
bank as often as possible.
OCTOBER 4, 2020

˾

THISDAY, THE SUNDAY NEWSPAPER
High Life
Love in the Air as Julius
And Yutee Rone Dazzle
at Lucky Igbinedion
Daughter’s Wedding
N
igerian weddings are
remarkable events for a
variety of reasons.
For one, ‘rice and stew’
are always ‘very plenty’.
What’s more, the wedding
experience encourages a carnival
of sorts, folks from far and wide—
subtle pageantry to see who best
portrays the harmony and beauty
expected from matrimony. At the
wedding of Chief Lucky Igbinedion’s
daughter, Julius and Yutee Rone took
first place and engaged the eyes of
fellow attendees.
As a former Governor of Edo
State and son of the Esama of
the Kingdom of Benin, any event
organised by—or in honour of—
Lucky Igbinedion is sure to attract
the panthers and swans of the
Nigerian society. This was the case
at the high-octane wedding of Dr.
Oghomwen Oyinkan Igbinedion—
one of the daughters of Lucky
Igbinedion—to Dr. Oluwafemi Issac
Fakayode of Illale, Kwara State.
The ceremony was attended by
several luminaries, public figures,
celebrities, and bigwigs. Among
these were Niger Delta-born
philanthropist and boss of the UTM
Group, Julius Rone, and his beautiful
wife, Utibe ‘Yutee’ Rone.
For many attendees, the Rones
were a welcome side attraction, with
Julius taking the lead as a doting
hubby and Yutee playing the role of
a gracious and tantalizing wife. Any
uninformed onlooker might have
assumed that the Rones were on a
honeymoon, as their every subtle
stroke and smile strummed the
atmosphere and added extra colours
to the whole gig.
To those who know the Rones,
their public displays of love and
affection are nothing out of the
ordinary. Julius Rone would sprint
to the moon and back if that is
what it would take to get Yutee to
smile. Blogs and newspaper pages
are bursting with tales of Julius’
celebratory gestures in honour of
Yutee. What a pairing!
For all his work in brightening the
prospects of Niger Deltans, Julius
Rone has been dubbed ’Jewel of the
Delta’. Evidently, for all her work
in brightening the heart and life of
Julius Rone, Yutee Rone is ’Jewel of
the Jewel of the Delta’.
One has an unparalleled knack
for business and enterprise, the
other for fashion design and style
and industry—and both of them for
dazzling onlookers with the depth
of their affection and devotion. Even
the commanding and mustached
presence of Chief Lucky Igbinedion
could do nothing to dull the Rone
glow.
Rone
Who is After Modupe Oguntade?
To any rational individual, a good
reputation and a healthy dose of credibility
are akin to undergarments. To sully these
undergarments is tantamount to stripping and
exposing one to the elements of deprecation
and condemnation.
But, it is a thing with the world that
the tallest trees always face the strongest
winds. Thus, it is little surprise that Modupe
Oguntade is the focus of vilifying schemes.
At the start of the second half of the year
2020, Nigeria’s High Commissioner to the
United Kingdom, Justice George Adesola
Oguntade, reportedly lost his ambassadorial
position. This was the conclusion reached by
many after President Muhammadu Buhari
renewed the appointments of 12 non-career
ambassadors, excluding Justice Oguntade
and Justice Sylvanus Nsofor—who was the
ambassador to the United States.
Although no justification was offered
by the Presidency, there was a great deal of
accusatory fingering going around the media,
the majority of which singled out alleged
transgressions of Justice Oguntade’s wife,
Modupeola Adewemimo Oguntade.
According to these sources, Modupe
Oguntade was the chief culprit of her
husband’s misfortune—the loss of an
honorary position he has held since 2017.
Another ’Hope’ to Serve
Well for Hope Uzodinma
Uzodinma
In line with his track record of excellence
and visionary leadership, the energetic and
indefatigable governor of Lagos state has
spearheaded the launch of the state’s inaugural
Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) Week.
Since he assumed office in May 2019,
Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu has left
no one in doubt of his commitment to the
sustainable development of the state. Among
many notable actions, he initially took was the
laudable institution of the Office of Sustainable
Development Goals & Investments (SDGs&I).
And he didn’t stop at that. He also ensured
that the office was manned by capable hands with
the appointment of Mrs. Solape Hammond as
Special Adviser to the Governor on SDGs&I and
Veteran Journalist, Public Relations juggernaut
and Development Expert, Lekan Fatodu, as
Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on
SDGs&I.
In a further demonstration of his commitment
to the course of sustainable development in
the state, the governor led a team of dignitaries
and SDGs actors in the state to the launch of the
United Nations One Basket Fund for Vulnerable
Communities in Lagos State.
The Fund, wholeheartedly supported by the
Lagos State Government, is part of efforts aimed
at empowering people and communities to stem
the negative tide of the COVID-19 pandemic.
At the event held in Marina, Lagos, the
governor led the activation of the Lagos SDGs
08116759807, E-mail: kayflex2@yahoo.com
...Amazing lifestyles of Nigeria’s rich and famous
Dupe Oguntade and husband, justice Oguntade
If the accusations levelled against Modupe
Oguntade haven’t endeared her to the same
level of scorn and contempt enjoyed by the
Devil, they come really close.
Modupe’s detractors would have
Nigerians believe that she turned over a new
leaf when she accompanied her husband to the
UK in 2017; that she took to pinching Nigeria’s
purse and several other unmentionable tales
were ascribed to Modupe Oguntade.
Recently, however, Nigerians resident in
the UK opposed these allegations. These folks
held that Modupe Oguntade was probably
the biggest believer in Justice Oguntade’s
Another ’Hope’ to Serve Well for Hope
Governor Hope Uzodinma of Imo State
appears to be on a roll with every victory over
his political adversaries. In this latest evidence
of Uzodinma’s triumphant momentum, he not
only got the go-ahead to continue in his capacity
as Imo State Governor, but also an award of
N500,000. Awesome times indeed for Governor
Hope Uzodinma.
Since he was officially declared winner of
the 2019 governorship poll in Imo State by the
Supreme Court, Governor Hope Uzodinma
has faced one form of censure or another.
Although this is nothing out of the ordinary for
a Nigerian State Governor, especially within
the first two years in office, the opposition
against Uzodinma has been particularly fierce.
Curiously, the most recent of this came from an
unanticipated political party.
A gubernatorial candidate of Reform and
Advancement Party (RAP), Kingdom Okere,
reportedly spearheaded the suit filed against
Uzodinma and the Independent National
Electoral Commission (INEC). To amplify the
wonder even further, Okere’s complaint was
Governor Sanwo-Olu Scores Another
First with Inauguration of SDGs Week
Medayese
Sanwo-Olu
51
with KAYODE ALFRED
appointment, and conducted herself by the
same token. Furthermore, it was reported that
Modupe Oguntade did employ the station of
her husband, but for good work, charity, and
looking after others; that she wasn’t—and
isn’t—anything like the debauched, decadent
and immoral lady as her detractors would
have the Nigerians believe.
That there are particular individuals out
to get Modupe Oguntade by tarnishing her
image is obvious from the submission of
Nigerians resident in the UK. But who are
these antagonists and why are they after
Modupe Oguntade?
that Uche Uwosu—and not Uzodinma—was
the actual gubernatorial candidate of the All
Progressives Congress (APC) in the 2019
elections.
(The curiosity and wonder comes from
the fact that Uche Uwosu, who is son-in-law
to the immediate-past Imo State Governor,
Rochas Okorocha, was reportedly never
present for any of the Court proceedings.)
In any case, Governor Uzodinma and
INEC were not the only defendants in
the case. There were 5 others: Imo State
Governor, Imo State Attorney-General,
APC, Action Alliance (AA), and Peoples
Democratic Party (PDP).
At the height of the judicial hearing
before the Abuja Federal High Court,
the plaintiff party of Kingdom Okere
unexpectedly withdrew the suit and asked
Justice Okon Abang—who was presiding over
the case—to dismiss the case.
Seeing that Okere’s group had no legs to
stand on, the defendant parties of Uzodinma
and INEC agreed to dismiss the suit and
respectively asked for an award of N8 million
and N5 million against Kingdom Okere. Justice
Abang agreed to some degree, cutting down
the million-naira sums to N500,000.
At the end, both Governor Hope Uzodinma
and INEC get to take home N500,000.
Moreover, Governor Uzodinma gets to add an
extra stripe to his victory coat and remain the
majordomo of Imo State.
Week, which was designed to amplify the
global goals and create opportunities for cross-
sectoral collaborations towards achieving the
said goals as the deadline for achieving those
goals draws near.
By appearing in the global goals
photograph frame, Governor Sanwo-Olu
not only set the pace for identifying with,
adopting and amplifying the goals, but he also
underscored the weight of the goals and the
urgency needed in pursuing them.
“The attainment of the SDGs would be the
greatest achievement of my tenure. Therefore,
I will deploy all resources available to the state
government in pursuit of the attainment of
those goals.
“Our development agenda for the state,
which we codenamed THEMES (Traffic
Management and Transportation, Health and
Environment, Education and Technology,
Making Lagos a 21st Century Economy,
Entertainment and Tourism as well as Security
and Governance), aligns perfectly with the
global goals and we will pursue it with
everything we’ve got,” he said.
52 OCTOBER 4, 2020
˾

THISDAY, THE SUNDAY NEWSPAPER

Adebayo Adeoye
SOCIETY WATCH bayoolunla@gmail.com; 08054680651

Top Socialite Folasade

Abiodun Omotade Remarries
When she lost her husband, Olaseni
Omotade, who was a Federal Permanent
Secretary, Ministry of Industries and
Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, in the ill-
fated Belview Airlines flight on October
22, 2005, her world came crashing. For
years, the Abuja businesswoman was
almost inconsolable.
But about 15 years after the death of
her late husband, Omotade once again
gave marriage a second shot when she
walked down the aisle with the Lagos
State Commissioner of Police, Hakeem
Odumosu.
At the colourful occasion, which
was graced by family members, friends
and well-wishers at her Banana Island,
Lagos home on Saturday, Shina Peters, a
Bello legendary juju musician, entertained the
guests to the admiration of all.
The highly connected

Jumrash’s Boss, businesswoman and socialite, who

clocked 57 last July, has been in the
corridors of power in Abuja since the late

Hajia Fatima Gen. Sani Abacha days as Head of State.

The Ogun State-born socialite has
investments in oil and gas as well as

Bello’s Rising
banking and manufacturing. She is also
a regular face at Aso Rock Presidential
Villa.
It will be recalled that shortly after the

Profile death of her former husband, the mother

For Hajia Fatima Bello Azeez, the
brains behind the thriving Jumrash
in Lagos, making other women head-
turners, particularly at social gatherings,
is a passion. Call her the queen of aso oke
and you won’t be wrong, especially as
her brand is synonymous with class and
elegance.
This may not be surprising
considering the fact that the business
was launched by her grandmother, who
passed it on to her mother and now the
savvy Fatima and her sister.
Since she took over the business, she
has injected a lot of creativity and exciting
concepts into it, such as designing lace,
voile lace, sequins, crystals, Ankara
motifs, silk ankara, men and women
Senegalese, men’s outfits, bling on also
oke, ankara, T-shirts, laces, glasses, silk
and chiffon and bridal accessories.
Fashionable Hajia, owing to the boom,
has had to open two outlets around
Lagos, including a store in Lekki Phase
1 to satisfy the yearning of her growing
clientele.
of three ( Oyinkansola, Taiwo and
Kehinde Ayooluwa Omotade) began to
have a running battle with her husband’s
other wife, Grace Omotade, who also
had three children for their late husband
namely, Oluwafumilayo, Oluwaseun
and Onikepo.
Grace claimed she was the only wife
of the deceased, but packed out of her
matrimonial home in annoyance when
her late husband, in his prime, brought
in Folasade whom she viewed as his
mistress.
However, Society Watch gathered
that as of the time Olaseni died,
Folasade, who was the only woman
then in the house, allegedly cornered all
the properties and embarked on asset
stripping, disposing all the properties
and assets of the late Olaseni without the
knowledge of Grace.
The bubble, however, burst when
she attempted to dispose of the family
George
property at 5A and 5B, Kayode Alli Street,
Omole Phase I, Ikeja, Lagos.
Grace got a hint of the development
and approached the court via a Suit
No: ID/183M/2006 seeking an order
restraining and preventing Folasade and
her agents from selling, disposing of and
or leasing the property at Omole Phase I
and an order directing and or mandating
the registrar of the court and or the
Deputy Sheriff to put the property under
lock and key and deposit same with the
court pending the determination of the
case.
The order was granted by Justice
Williams Dawodu on July 10, 2006,
wherein the judge ordered that parties
would maintain the status quo pending
the determination of the interlocutory
application.
But Folashade allegedly went ahead
to sell the said property in defiance of
the court order for N55 million to Mr.
Raphael Adeyemi and Mrs. Abimbola
Aina, prompting the claimant to
institute contempt of court proceedings
against her.
In a swift reaction, the
multimillionaire oil and gas magnate
argued that the house belonged to her
and that she purchased it at the sum of
N60m. She said Grace was a concubine
and faulted her claim that she was
Omotade’s only wife, challenging her
to produce legal proof of the marriage.

Ex Oyo Governor, Alao Akala,

In doing the business, she takes
into consideration the social status of
her varied customers, a situation that
ensures that her designers do not come at
cutthroat prices.
Jumrash, a derivative from the names
of her two children, Jumoke and Rasheed
who died in an auto crash, is known
for styling many celebrity women and
socialites. She also consults for some first
ladies across the country.
From the sidelines of an event in
Lagos recently, she told Society Watch,
“Since taking over the brand 12 years ago,
we have tried to stand out by customizing
our designs, which come out well on both
the soft and the hard aso oke.
“Secondly, our ideas are usually very
different and creative and our clients buy
into it once we share it with them. We note
that each client has a different concept, so
our concepts are not replicated.”
When asked what has changed from
the time of her grandmother and now, she
explained, “Nothing much has changed
in the aso oke trend as the hard and soft
aso oke, which is available now, have
always been what is available. But only
those preferences differ. A case study is the
Yoruba who like the hard aso oke, while
the northerners prefer the soft one.”
Steps into the Big Shoes
threatened the unity in the party.
But it appears the warring factions
have sheathed their swords and peace is
gradually returning to the party, as more
members of the All Progressives Congress
(APC) in Oyo State have embraced the
reconciliation efforts of the committee
led by Adebayo Alao-Akala, a former
governor of the state.
Until now, many analysts had
predicted that Alao-Akala would not be
allowed to step into the Ajimobi’s shoes
because of his antecedents.
But a reconciliation meeting called
by Alao-Akala recently in his Bodija,
Ibadan home was attended by leaders
and members across the blocs.
Akala By this, it is believed that his return
to the APC has now conferred on
When the former Governor of Oyo him,ipso facto, leader of the party in the
State, Isiaka Ajimobi, died recently, it was
state.
indeed a great loss to his entire political He now superintends all internal
family, All Progressives Congress, APC.
wrangling, squabbles and other activities of
His passing, quite expectedly, the party in the state, thus he is regarded as
brought about intrigues and face-off, that
the Chairman of the party in the state.
It will be recalled that he first
defected from the Peoples Democratic
Party, PDP, to the Labour Party in 2015.
He had left the PDP after he lost the
governorship ticket to Senator Folarin.
Following the 2015 election in which he
contested on the platform of the Labour
Party ticket, he again shifted base to
the APC ,where he stayed until his
defection to the ADP.
It will also be recalled Alao-Akala
was one of the aspirants who cried
out against alleged moves by the the
governor, Ajimobi to foist Joseph Tegbe
as APC candidate- but it was a failed
attempt.
Also, his defection to APC prior to
2019 election had made tongues to wag
about his political ideology.
In the wake of this development,
it is said that the move has further
confirmed his desperation for power
and political relevance.
OCTOBER 4, 2020
˾

THISDAY, THE SUNDAY NEWSPAPER 53

LOUD WHISPERS with JOSEPH EDGAR (09095325791)

HealthPlus Saga - Bukky George’s Naivety

As an investment banker, I
understand the role of a private
equity infusion into a business. So
all these stories that have emerged
from this wahala are not novel.
I have heard that the foreign
equity firm had infused about
$18m into the business and had
taken a controlling stake. You see
the problem with our people is just
stupidity and ego-driven madness.
How for the life of me will
you take money in forex, expose
yourself to currency volatility, earn
naira and then buy back forex at
a funny price to pay back on an
equity-based transaction? Wait o,
you have not factored in double-
digit inflation, the inelasticity of
your pricing and all other Nigerian
factors plus leakages and high
cost of running a business that the
government will be chasing you
George with multiple and triple-layered
taxation. If it is not an ego-driven
gambit, I don’t know what else is.
So today, the people who I hear
have 95% of the company want to
appoint their managing director
and we are crying crocodile tears.
The statements that I have seen
allegedly issued by madam are
at best funny. They are like the
things your wife will use to abuse
you when you refuse to pay for
her latest aso ebi – ‘are you a man,
shebi you slept with the maid 40
years ago and I forgave you’. So the
woman is shouting that the newly
appointed MD begged her to carry
his anti-malaria drugs. Mbok, how
that one concern wetin dey for
ground beats my imagination o.
I think mummy should just go
back home and retain her position
on the board and allow the people
to manage the thing and collect
back their money according to
the terms of the agreement that
was signed. This is where I have a
problem with the Nigerian Stock
Exchange. They are not doing
enough, oga Oscar. Nigerians
should be able to raise these funds
on your platform very easily. It
is not to be wearing suit and tie
and be gallivanting all over the
place giving highfalutin speeches.
Practically engage the markets, we
can raise all these equity funds by
involving Nigerians. After all, the
Big Brother fans raise millions in
minutes for their favourites who
were kicked out. That is on the side.
But seriously, our promoters should
look towards the stock exchange
and forget about the ego - na me get
am - and issue shares and raise the
funds. Mbok what is $18m that is
making mummy want to run naked
into the Lagos lagoon? Bitter lessons
learnt.

THEO PHILLIP – NIGERIA IS A
WOBBLING EDIFICE
I wrote this on October 1 and I am
wondering if I should at least wait
for the President’s address to see if
I can get some content for the write-
up. But my people, I no dey in the
mood for we are fighting corruption
talk, make I no depress myself that
morning. I really try my best not to
join the ‘Nigeria is a terrible place’
gang. I will always want to look at
the positives and push for progress.
It is easy for all of us to be jumping
on the rooftops and be shouting
Nigeria is bad, the government
is terrible and we are dead like
my friend Theo will be doing at
the Duke Summit. Don’t get me
wrong o. Theo is a true patriot but
just pained that the country due
to terrible leadership has not been
able to fulfil its destiny. He rides
his power bike all over the slums
especially Ijora where he runs a
huge signage business. Theo is a
big man, can pass for a US marine
but can’t count the number of
times he has parked his bike by
the bridge to rescue the hapless
girl from being raped by urchins
that have been left behind by the
system. Theo is torn between a
promise made to him at birth and
the larceny he sees daily.
He is moved to tears for his
country while still struggling
to maintain optimism. Theo is a
Nigerian through and through; a
proud one at that; a Nigerian who
with his bike has traversed the
ends of the country, enjoying all the
beautiful plains of the Sahel and the
rain forest of the creeks. But in the
beauty, Theo meets despondence,
a failure to assert true nationality
by a defeated people. So you can
see why there is really no need to
listen to the president’s broadcast,
a routine and a waste of time. The
speaker will rather not indulge
but reluctantly will engage in a
ceremony of shallow sense of duty.
Will Theo listen to the broadcast?
Please don’t ask me. If you are so
curious, I will give you his phone
number to call and ask. For me, I
dey go Onigbongbo go eat afang.
Life is short.
SENATOR ELISHA ABBO – MY
ADVICE NEXT TIME
It was reported last week that a
court awarded N50m damages
against the distinguished Senator
who was said to have assaulted a
lady while trying to get sex toys.
So they said. Well, I understand the
feeling very well. That is what they
call ‘conji’ in Shomolu. When the
thing catch you, you cannot think
straight again o. The erection will
just be controlling you until you
release, you are not the same again
o, senator or no senator. Let me
give you guys one gist. There used
to be a small brothel in Shomolu
with just three rooms. So you will
collect tally. Those of us that had
sense would settle and jump the
queue and do our thing and go.
So this day, an old man had come
in and took his tally and waited
patiently. That is how boys were
coming and going after settling.
After waiting for hours, the conji
took over. He jumped up and
started smashing things, screaming:
“Do you want to kill somebody.
I have been here since morning
and people have been coming and
going, when will it be my turn?”
After smashing everything in sight,
he started crying and holding his
erection. Later on, they took pity
on him and asked him to enter. He
thanked them profusely. You see
what conji can do to a man. Conji
has no respect for status, senator
or president, once conji hold you,
you must deal with it o. My advice
to the senator na next time instead
wey he go slap person and receive
disgrace wey don cost am N50m, he
for just enter the next HealthPlus
shop and buy Vaseline. Those who
know, know. I don talk, beat me.
EX-GOV DICKSON’S POOR DECISION
Be like say them no advise
His Excellency well. How for
heaven’s sake would you go
and be engaging the ‘help’ of a
former commissioner when he is
not under your control anymore?
Going to call a commissioner that
had resigned in frustration when
you are no longer a governor is a
no-no! Be like make I go call my
driver after I have sacked him,
he will tell me the colour of my
mother’s pant na. I listened to that
conversation, that commissioner
is just a bitter character who used
the opportunity of the call to be
insulting His Excellency albeit
sarcastically with oga just shouting
oh! and argh! The commissioner
kept on complaining about how
others were ‘chopping’ and he as
commissioner could not pay his
children’s fees. Please, those kinds
of people should be left alone in
their bitterness. Engaging them
is an exercise in futility I tell you.
Oga next time, you for ask Tam
Alazigha, he is my man and close
to you, he for give you better
advice. Kai.
OLAITAN JACKSON – BEARING WIFE’S
DEATH WITH FORTITUDE
Ola lost his wife on Wednesday.
He has joined me in mourning and
I tell you, it is not a good place to
be. I went to visit him and he was
trying to be a man. How can you be
a man when the only woman that
made sense to you just left you that
morning? That was what happened
to Ola; she left that morning just
like that. Ola is weak. Ola must
cry. He cried small and I cried
with him. We grew up together in
Shomolu playing in the gutters of
that beautiful slum and we went to
Unilag together and then, he just
lost his wife. Hold body, my brother,
as we talk in Shomolu, only God
knows why.

Dickson Abb
Phillip
T H I S DAY, T H E S U N DAY N E W S PA P E R ˾


Ͳ˜
2020 21

ENTERTAINMENT

BBNaija Winner Laycon:

The Portrait of a Winner
here is a sharp contrast between the From being the underdog that entered the Big Brother Naija

T
young man who walked into the Big
Brother Naija House on July 19 and the
young man who stood on the stage on
Wednesday, September 30, to receive
his prizes as the winner of the fifth
season of the reality show.
The latter is a man of confidence. A
man who is no longer intimidated by the good
looks or physique of his fellow housemates. The
70 days spent in the isolated Big Brother Naija
House with 19 strangers have transformed him
from an unknown artiste to the most talked
about star of the reality show.
Before joining the game, Laycon was known
to a small circle of artistes. To the rest of us,
he was another young chap, looking for an
opportunity to fame and wealth.
After feasting eyes on the chiselled bodies of
some of the male contestants of the show at the
launch, not a few expressed dismay and pity
when Laycon, dressed in an illuminated jacket
was introduced.
He was immediately cast as an oddball in the
mix. However, those blessed with foresight, saw
in him a rising star, a young man whose fate was
about to change.
His demeanour in the first few hours of
the show betrayed his self-confidence. He
was mostly on his own but he overcame it
the moment he began to rap for his fellow
housemates. Music, it turned out, was his magic
pill. It boosted his buoyancy.
That boost transcended to the social media
world where the denizens lauded his rap skills.
Music artistes who had worked with him
used the opportunity to celebrate him, sharing
the music videos that went viral and fetched
admiration for him.
Like every other contestant who participated
in the Lockdown edition of the reality show,
Laycon has a mission. He wanted to promote his
music through the platform. This explained why
he sang and rapped most times in the house. It
was no wonder that he often won music-related
tasks.
While his focus was on music, he wasn’t
House to becoming the iconic winner of the fifth edition,
Olamilekan Agbeleshe, fondly known as Laycon, exemplifies
the typical grass-to-grace story. Vanessa Obioha
profiles the latest Big Brother Naija star
blinded to the beauties surrounding him. Thus,
when the disqualified female housemate Erica,
paid him little attention, Laycon was amused.
The amusement turned to affection such that
when Kiddwaya, the rich kid in the house came
into the picture, he wasn’t chuffed.
His vexation was badly masked and Vee, his
closest friend in the house, advised him to move
on.
The love triangle would dissolve whatever
friendship they had, leading to an altercation
that led to the disqualification of Erica.
But men being men, Laycon and Kiddwaya
would later resolve their differences and remain
friends.
That episode, he said at the show’s finale,
taught him a lesson.
Throughout his stay in the house, Laycon was
in the good books of his housemates. Probably
because of his frolicsome mien and creativity.
Though he never won the Head of House title,
he enjoyed the exclusive bedroom and lounge
during his reign as deputy to TrikyTee.
His popularity became glaring after his
hardcore fans who labelled themselves the
Icons saved him each time he was placed on the
eviction block. He ranked the housemate with
the highest number of votes each time the voting
results were released.
Thus, it was no surprise that in the final
voting round, he gave the first runner-up a wide
margin, scoring 60 per cent votes to Dorathy’s
21.85 per cent.
Hearing his name being announced as the
winner of the show last Sunday nearly sent the
graduate of Philosophy from the University of
Lagos to the heavens. He screamed and even
hopped on the back of the host Ebuka Obi-
Uchendu like a little boy in euphoria.
Forty-eight hours after his emergence as
winner of the show, Laycon is still dazed. At the
televised prize presentation event, he groped for
words to express his disposition.
“I love you guys very much. You are the best.
Thank you very much,” he said.
By the standards of many, Laycon does not
fit the title of a winner. The coveted title
and the N85 million grand prize should
have gone to any of the good-looking
housemates.
Not a few have pondered on what made
Laycon tick. If you have, there is no better
explanation than the gift of uncommon
grace. Arguably, sympathy also worked in
his favour, particularly after Erica body-
shamed him. The internet exploded with
calls for his win after that ugly incident.
It was a good thing that Laycon
suppressed his emotions and embraced the
golden warmth of silence. That singular
action drew more fans to him.
Now that he is crowned the winner of the fifth
season of the popular reality TV show, Laycon
should endeavour to make his fans proud
by becoming an iconic role model. His fans
would love to see him excel in his passion
and not fade into oblivion. He should carry
that torch of sanguinity in everything he
does. It’s a good thing that he is not spilling
his future endeavours. At least, that way, he
can still wield an element of surprise.
ARTS &
REVIEW
A PUBLICATION 04.10.2020

COLOURFUL GLIMPSES OF
NIGERIA’S SARTORIAL HISTORY Cover continued on Page 56
A work at the exhibition EDITOR OKECHUKWU UWAEZUOKE/ okechukwu.uwaezuoke@thisdaylive.com
56 T H I S D AY, T H E S U N D AY N E W S PA P E R
˾ OCTOBER 4, 2020

ARTS & REVIEW\\ARTICLES

COLOURFUL GLIMPSES OF
NIGERIA’S SARTORIAL HISTORY
A commemorative exhibition, organised by the Lagos-based Terra Kulture in collaboration with the
Federal Ministry of Information and Culture, seeks to reconstruct the Nigerian identity through the dress
codes of its diverse cultural groups in the pre-independence years. Okechukwu Uwaezuoke reports

W
ith its
lustrous
cultural
creden-
tials,
Terra
Kulture
seems
best positioned – as the most
appropriate Lagos-based
venue – for the hosting of a
commemorative exhibition
on Nigeria's diamond jubilee.
And the idea of partnering
with the Federal Ministry of In-
formation and Culture for this
landmark event distinguishes
it from other independence-
themed art events. As for
the local aficionados and the
cultural centre’s habitués, the
exhibition – whose yesterday’s
(Saturday, October 3) grand
opening was strictly by
invitation – remains open until
Saturday, October 31. This is, of
course, in addition to the fact
that it already has regaled the A work portraying an Igbo costume A Yoruba female traditional dress One of the works at the exhibition
megacity’s Independence Day
revellers with a public preview on Thursday, October 1. country rich in culture, and we are showcasing differing Nigeria are primarily located in lowland forest regions
Titled Nigeria's Journey: Cycles of Fashion, this is only expressions of our culture through the evolution of our of Nigeria, where lions are virtually non-existent. That is
the first among a series of multimedia visual offerings, fashion. In this way, we invite you to don new lenses especially since these felines are known to hunt in grass-
which have been packaged by the cultural centre for this that allow us to see the metamorphosis of Nigerian lands and woodlands and not in rainforests.
jubilee. These curated shows are supposedly meant to fashion from the nation-state’s coming into being till Besides, the so-called “Isi agu”, whose popularity
examine the sociocultural influences that have influenced independence. You will be immersed in an audio-visual was only as recent as the 1970s, could not have been that
– and still influence – the shaping of a national identity experience that stimulates multiple senses, as we explore widely-used among the Igbo people during the pre-
from the mosaic of cultural groups that make up Africa’s yet another facet of the Nigerian story, our Cycles of independence years.
most populous country. Fashion!” It is, of course, expected that the curators – Oludamola
Its appropriation of fashion – defined by the free online Yet, such reenactments of Nigeria's pre-independence Adebowale and Yakubu Yahaya – could have factored
encyclopaedia Wikipedia as “the social and temporal history from 1900 to 1960 through its diverse cultural in these concerns, among others, while putting together
system that ‘activates’ dress as a social signifier in a communities’ dress codes are usually fraught with the month-long show. Yet, unearthing the diversity of the
certain time and context” – can easily be explained by nebulous glossing over of historical inaccuracies. An country’s cultural heritage through such a presentation
its intrinsic association with culture. Hence, the sartorial obvious reason for this is the fact that so much has been has definitely been no cakewalk. Adebowale – described
tastes of Nigeria’s diverse cultural groups have become lost in the dark recesses of an undocumented past. as “quite knowledgeable on Nigerian history and cultural
synonymous with their identities. Take, for instance, the popular Igbo cultural costume, heritage” – seems to be the more familiar name of the
“Terra Kulture is committed to telling Nigerian stories called “Isi Agu” (which translates as “leopard’s head”). curatorial duo. As the show’s leading curator, he has been
and this exhibition affords another opportunity to do so,” It representation – or substitution? – with a garment commissioned by the Ogun State Government to curate
says Mrs Bolanle Austen-Peters, the Terra Kulture CEO adorned with the motif of roaring lion heads raises a its 2019 African Drum Festival as well as by Chief Ebene-
as well as the project’s executive producer. “Ours is a question of authenticity. For the Igbo-speaking areas of zer Obey and the British Council. He also curated Time-

VISUAL ARTS less Memories: The Humanity of WS, an

exhibition whose opening coincided with

In Atunbi, Kunle Adewale Tells it All
Yinka Olatunbosun
Professor Wole Soyinka’s 86th birthday. As
his co-curator, Yahaya reminds the viewers
that this exhibition is a part of a series,
which coalesce into one pictorial cultural
global artist whom John Cranley, the Mayor story of Nigeria.
of Cincinnati, USA honoured in August
The exhibition, which will be open

A
s a build-up to his 40th
birthday ceremony in 2021,
the visual artist and an
international advocate for
Arts in Medicine, Kunle
Adewale launched his
new memoir, Atunbi: The
Grit, The Gut, The Glory
on October 1. The memoir gives a deeply
emotional account of the artist's journey to
international limelight from very humble
beginnings. Born on May 13, 1981 to a
military father and a petty trading mother,
Adewale is the ninth of 14 children, who
were raised in Mushin in a single-room
tenement building. But, he refused to be
confined by the setbacks in his childhood
and struggled against harsh socio-economic
realities that made him stronger.
In his introduction to the book, the
artist-author revealed the reason behind
documenting his childhood in a most
unapologetic narrative.
“Though I have largely evolved from
these past versions of me, they remain sor-
did and solid parts of the man I am today,”
he says. “And for you to truly connect with
and be inspired by and learn from this
2019 and officially proclaimed August 2 as
an annual Kunle Adewale Day, you need to daily between 10 am and 7 pm until its
be aware of my past, see the connecting dots conclusion at the end of the month, is
to your own life and find the courage to being supported by the Federal Ministry
defy every odd that is stacked against you.” of Information and Culture, ECOBANK,
From being homeless to living the hard The History Studios, Guardian Life, Abiola
life as a street hawkers, Adewale has been Philips and ASIRI Magazine, The BEAT 99.9
the leading light in Arts in Medicine. Atunbi FM, Classic 97.3 FM. In his endorsement of
is indeed a story of resilience and focus. the exhibition, The History Studio’s Timi
He has founded three different organisa- Onibon says: “As we define ourselves as a
tions namely Tender Hearts Nigeria,
Arts in Medicine project as well as Arts in people and continue to introduce ourselves
Medicine Fellowship. The latter helps to to the world, understanding who we were
groom a wide range of professionals in Arts and are gives us the tools to tell our own
and healthcare to develop requisite skills true and authentic stories. Cycles of Fashion
required to provide services beyond clinical is the first in a series of exhibitions by Terra
treatments. Kulture and we at The History Studios are
In Atunbi, Adewale bears it all on being excited to be supporting this effort.”
raised in a polygamous home and surviv- Somehow, this endeavour chimes in
ing an abusive father. The writer claimed well with the Terra Kulture’s profile as an
in the account that he had contemplated educational and recreational organisation
suicide several times as a child because of
the traumatic impact of seeing his father set up to promote the richness and diversity
beat up his mother. His journey into art of Nigerian languages, arts and culture.
was also almost thwarted by his father and The venue – which though was established
grandfather who detested his use of the left in 2003, but started operations in 2004 – is
hand. undisputedly the city’s main cultural hub.
Atunbi is an inspirational story rendered
For it has not only hosted several art exhibi-
in an easy language to widen the age- tions but also stage productions and book
bracket of readers, who will enjoy this readings, among other events.
monumental rise to glory story.
T H I S D AY, T H E S U N D AY N E W S PA P E R
˾ OCTOBER 4, 2020 57

CICERO Editor:Olawale Olaleye

Email:wale.olaleye@thisdaylive.com, SMS: 08116759819

IN THE ARENA

Nigeria: Surviving the Next 60 Years

Sustained by extraordinary human resilience and inexplicable hope over the past six decades, will the
Nigerian state survive the crude, cavalier notes being played on its delicate keyboards for another 60
years? Louis Achi asks

L
ooking back at the dark history that seared his era
and peering into the future of mankind, the former
French president, Giscard D’Estaing, counseled
statesmen and world leaders that, “There can be
no response to history without effort.”
D’Estaing’s sage counsel was clearly inspired by
the tableau of human crises that defined his epoch.
He was born during the First World War and
fought in the second bloody global conflagration.
As Nigeria marked the 60th anniversary of its independence
from Britain last Thursday, the quality and scope of response of
the nation’s leaders to her peculiar history over the decades come
to the fore.
Tracking back, 60 years ago, on October 1, 1960, through
the instrumentality of an Act of the British Parliament, Nigeria
became a sovereign, independent state within the British Com-
monwealth. But before this, some 46 years earlier in 1914, an
important prelude to the October 1st 1960 event took place – the
amalgamation of the Northern and Southern Protectorates of
Nigeria.
This Act by British colonialist, Sir Fredrick Lord Lugard,
enabled the coming into existence of a federating state called
Nigeria. Nigeria’s sovereign independence proper came into
force, as it were, on October 1st 1960 and in 1963, she became a
republic.
It is worth noting that between 1914 and 1960, several signifi-
cant events also helped in shaping the African, nay the Nigerian
growth. These include the World War 2 and the Cold War.
One of Africa’s greatest nationalists, Nnamdi Azikiwe was
appointed Nigeria’s governor-general while Tafawa Balewa
continued as head of democratically elected sovereign govern-
ment. Zik represented the British monarch as head of state and
was appointed by the crown on the advice of the Nigerian prime Buhari at Independence Day parade
minister in consultation with the regional premiers.
Zik, in turn, was responsible for picking a candidate from Eight military regimes succeeded, beginning from 1966, democracy – beyond just going through the process of cycles of
among contending leaders, when there was no parliamentary interspersed between the fourth and fifth military regime by a election. This president (Buhari) in my view in the last few years
majority. Beyond this, the governor general’s office was essentially return to civilian rule with the Second Republic between October has made it very difficult for us to celebrate diversity.
ceremonial. But Nigeria, both as an idea whose time had come 1979 and December 1983. “And Nigerians will concede that a reward system that is so
and a fragile dream, was off the starting block. The final military regime left power on May 29, 1999, when skewed, whether in favour of men, women, Christians or Mus-
The founding visioners of modern Nigeria are easily allocated the current fourth Republic was incepted and the president lims, is unacceptable. We need to very quickly reset the template
the space reserved for national saints in evaluating the nation’s was democratically elected.” This riveting history continues as if we are to take our place after 60 years of independence… I am
history. This is not without good reason. the nation marked its diamond anniversary, after 21 years of not a happy Nigerian but I remain a hopeful Nigerian.”
Some of these folks include Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe, Sardauna uninterrupted civil rule last week. President Buhari has promised transformative governance and
of Sokoto, Ahmadu Bello, Sir Abubakar Tafawa Balewa, Chief Given its geo-strategic heft and being Africa’s demographic a pan-Nigerian vision but the regime’s challenges are high – rang-
Obafemi Awolowo, Mallam Aminu Kano, Chief Anthony and natural resources centre of gravity, much of the world rightly ing from galloping insecurity, nose-diving economy (negatively
Enahoro, Chief Mokwugo Okoye and a host of other venerable believed Nigeria ought to lead the journey of transformative impacted by global oil volatility and the COVID-19 pandemic) to
personalities. Every human enterprise must have its dreamers change on the continent. They also strongly believed that she the new nationalism sweeping Europe and North America) and
and visioners. ought to provide the leadership to raise Africa to her next level. more. His historic mission to build a modern, stable democratic
The folks that rose to the occasion and did the spadework for But then charity must begin at home. state founded on justice, equity and fair play remains a work in
the start-off and consummation of the Nigeria project, measured Today, the stakes are extremely high. Nigerians are mindful debatable progress.
by these parameters, form the heart of the brilliant firmament that a failure to achieve democratic stability, through a meritori- It may be asked: what natural forces compel diverse social
of the nation’s heroes. As soon as the new nation was born, its ous, transparent, inclusive governance process may imperil the groups to unify in pursuit of common goals? Around what
citizens were set to embark on the journey. But shortly, the forces country’s future as a coherent state. particular formats or templates do nation-states evolve? What
of separatism and regression kicked in to alter the colour and Given the current debatably unprecedented, divisive milieu, forces aid the breakup of nation states? The story of Nigeria as a
tenor of the national journey. can Nigeria really survive the next six decades of its national seemingly evolving multi-ethnic nation-state that just turned 60,
The complex political crises that ensued, willy-nilly, led to the journey or will it break up as many countries have done on the looking to the next sixty years, keys into these timeless posers.
first military coup and then on to a bloody secession attempt by seven continents. Will the nation’s grasping political elite and its divisive leader-
Biafra. This was eventually put down but then the military had Matthew Kukah, bishop of the Catholic diocese in Sokoto, ship be able to look beyond the compelling challenges and take
tasted power and would again and again intervene to ‘steady’ the cuts to the heart of the current dilemma, when he spoke at The focused action? Can they rise to the occasion, learn from their
ship of state. Platform, an annual conference organised by Covenant Christian failures and make the imperative efforts to respond to history?
Beyond the ‘metaphysics’ of nation building, to the credit of its Centre in Lagos, on Thursday. Can Nigeria survive the next six decades?
peoples and leaders, it remains one entity despite powerful forces “I think even the most optimistic Nigerian must conceive The Dutch philosopher, Spinoza answers: “Man has the ability
that have challenged its growth and severely tested its spirit. that we are nowhere near coming to define the real sense of to shape his own destiny.” So do nations!

P O L I T I CA L N OT E S
How Not to Justify Subsidy Removal

T
here is a shared conviction amongst a
majority of the right-thinking Nigerians
that the subsidy regime is no longer sus-
tainable and as such, must be ended for
two critical reasons. One, to stop the drain
it has created on the nation’s resources and
two, obliterate the scam it has enabled as
a result.
Thus, top government functionaries especially those
whose sectors of the economy are directly related to
the ‘hard choice’ of removing subsidy on petrol have
since taken to town to speak to the decision, albeit with
familiar narratives that address common sense and
Buhari patriotism.
But President Muhammadu Buhari literally made a
mess of these efforts, when in his 60thindependence
anniversary speech he committed a needless and avoid-
able gaffe. In trying to cap the justification for subsidy
removal, the president, who compared prices of petrol
in some of the oil producing countries concluded by
saying, “It makes no sense for oil to be cheaper in Saudi
Arabia than in Nigeria.”
The statement not only belies logic, it is also innate
and not smart. There’s no basis for comparison between
the two countries. From their minimum wages to pur-
chasing powers and other economic indices, it is simply
comparing apples and oranges. Sticking to a simple
narrative or argument that is commonplace would have
saved everyone the Independence Day embarrassment.
58 THISDAY, THE SUNDAY NEWSPAPER ˾
OCTOBER 4, 2020

BRIEFINGNOTES
Remembering the Labours of Nigeria’s Past Heroes
With citizens’ general apathy towards the nation’s 60th independence anniversary, the question has
become relevant: have the labours of Nigeria’s heroes past not gone in vain? Shola Oyeyipo writes

T
he fifth line of the nation’s
national anthem is very
instructive as it recognises
the contributions of the
country’s founding fathers
and also the “fear” that
their efforts might actually
be wasted by those who
were to come after them.
The line says: “The labour of our
heroes past shall never be in vain.”
However, as the nation marks its Dia-
mond Jubilee, it was one of the most
muted landmark celebrations in the
history of the country. And the reasons
for this are not really far-fetched.
In fact, those who are conversant with
the social media, especially Facebook,
would notice a trending message,
though different as per individual’s
writing style, to the effect that fellow
Nigerians should not wish them happy
independence anniversary.
The feeling of emotional loyalty to
one’s country is at its lowest as many
do not feel their country actually has
anything to offer them in terms of hope
and aspirations.
In the same vein and for the first
time, during the build-up to a major
milestone in the history of the country,
ethnic nationalism gained some very
disturbing currency. There were fears
that ethnic nationalists would use the
opportunity of the 60th independence
anniversary to realise their ambition
of pulling out of Nigeria and forming a
country of their own. R-L: Chief Obafemi Awolowo, Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe, Alhaji Tafawa Balewa and Sir Ahmadu Bello
For instance, those rooting for
Oduduwa Republic (mainly from the Yoruba- been destroyed. The new and recent leaders never nation get through a looming economic disaster.
speaking part of the country) had threatened to built on what our founding fathers laid down. Thirty-four years later, the Naira has not only
declare the new republic on October 1, the day the The commitment is not there. Take Lagos State, become one of the weakest currencies among
nation was marking such an important milestone. for instance, how many of the legacies of former Africa’s elite nations, it has always faced a free day
As a result, instead of government getting citizens Lateef Jakande, have been built upon by these new against the dollar. What this means is that there is a
to be involved in the celebrations, it was more leaders? It is sad to do this but the labours of these massive drop in citizens’ purchasing power.
concerned with ensuring there was no breakdown founding fathers have been wasted.” How do you get a people not sure of their next
of law and order on that day. He added that people didn’t see any reason to meal to have a sense of nationhood and be part of
For instance, as early as 6:30am at the popular celebrate the 60th independence anniversary with an epochal independence anniversary?
Fajuyi Park in Ado-Ekiti, the Ekiti State capital, government. He said it was government’s show The Bureau of Statistics has stopped issues
a combined team of regular police, mobile police alone. of economic indices, especially as it relates to
and the Department of State Security, DSS, had “Ordinarily, people were supposed to print unemployment, due to the fact that releasing such
taken positions around the park and also along banners, t-shirts, caps and so on and even go to figures is considered embarrassing to the govern-
major roads that lead to the park. the stadium and be part of the celebrations. But ment.
Mission: to forestall any form of protest from that was not the case on this last October 1. And And in the build-up to the 60th independence
ethnic nationalism agitators. According to the reason was that people didn’t see any reason to anniversary celebration, the government practi-
THISDAY findings, this was replicated in many celebrate. cally removed fuel subsidy and the cheapest any
state capitals in the Southwest as well as in the “To them, the nation has not offered them any- Nigeria can buy fuel is N159 per litre. Not that
Southeast. thing and even there is nothing positive to look alone, the tariff on electricity went up by about 40
The implication was that many citizens never forward to. So, what did we see? A citizenry that per cent. In fact, the government spent the greater
saw themselves as being part of the epochal event was so disconnected from those governing them,” part of the week leading to the October 1 celebra-
of a Diamond Jubilee in nationhood. Oluwaferanmi lamented. tion, negotiating with organised Labour not to go
Sola Oluwaferanmi, a civil servant, who works Years of bad governance have not also helped on strike. Agreement was not reached until a few
with one of the nation’s paramilitary agencies, said matters, as there is this inexplicable notion among hours to the date.
it is shame to admit but to him, the labours of these Nigerians that the last government was always It was not the best way to prepare for such an
founding fathers have been wasted. He told THIS- better than the current one. epochal event.
DAY that none of the modern leaders has seen any When the Babangida military regime first deval- Government officials will always paint a rosy
need to keep the banner of nation building aloft. ued the naira in 1986 and set up the Second Tier picture of a nation on the right track. But to many
“The labour of our heroes past has been in vain. Foreign Exchange Market, SFEM, the thinking was Nigerians, they won’t like reciting the fifth line of
What those men and women laboured for has that it would be short term measure to help the the national anthem. It does not minister again.

NOTES FOR FILE

ICPC Boss, Prof. Bolaji Owasanoye
In the Throes of Scams
It appears the government of the day has just secured a
new status for itself, which though is not a fabrication of
anyone’s imagination, however, a reflection of the reality
that currently typifies its disposition to governance and
leadership.
For a government that rose to power on the strength of
the fight against corruption or any form of sleaze, the rate
at which allegations of corruption have been flying around
lately is not only disturbing but calls for serious introspec-
tion.
First, since the airports reopened to international flights,
the management of the Civid-19 tests for passengers has
been fraught with allegations of scams. Not only are passen-
gers compelled to pay the charges for service not rendered,
they now pay in multiple places without clarity as to who is
in charge. And this has gone on for too long, complicated by
government’s criminal silence.
Second, the government has been everywhere lately
boasting about its invincible feeding of school pupils
during the lockdown period, an assertion that has raised
concerns amongst the people as to who was being fed and
where. But the matter embraced a semblance of clarity lately,
when the ICPC, a sister anti-graft body reportedly traced
N2.6billion of the school feeding fund to a private account.
Yet, the Muhammadu Buhari government has since kept
mute as usual, pretending not to be aware of the goings-on
in his government. Curiously, the minister in charge of
humanitarian services has dissociated herself from the scam.
Perhaps, this is one of the surprises of the government to the
people on the nation’s 60th independence anniversary.
THISDAY, THE SUNDAY NEWSPAPER ˾
OCTOBER 4, 2020
Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, Senate President Ahmed Lawan and Speaker Femi Gbajabiamila
Challenges of Nation Building
At 60 years, many of Nigeria’s challenges at nation building are still very much present, writes Tobi Soniyi
O
n Thursday, October 1st, 2020
Nigeria celebrated 60 years of
independence from Britain. While
some believed there wasn’t much
to celebrate, others were upbeat,
believing that the country has not
done too badly.
But there’s a common denomina-
tor: all seemed to agree that the same challenges
abound even though they disagreed on how to
tackle them. One of such challenges is the reality
that at 60, the Nigerian people are still debating
whether to continue as a country or that the county
should break into different nations.
This much was recently admitted by the Vice
President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, (SAN), while speak-
ing at a church service to commemorate the nation’s
independence anniversary. He said: “Fortunately,
for us, our walls are not yet broken. But there are
obvious cracks that could lead to a break if not
properly addressed.”
Before the vice president spoke, former president
Olusegun Obasanjo, had last month declared
that, “Nigeria is fast drifting to a failed and badly
divided state. Economically, our country is becoming
a basket case and poverty capital of the world, and
socially, we are firming up as an unwholesome and
insecure country.”
At 60, therefore, Nigeria faces an existential threat.
Many factors are responsible for this, but a few of
them are brought into focus to commemorate the
nation’s 60th independence anniversary celebration.
Challenges in Diversity
Right from the beginning, it was obvious that the
geographical area now known as Nigeria was not going
to be easy to manage. Nigeria is home to over 250
ethnic groups, with over 500 languages, and a variety of
customs, and traditions. Thus, bringing people of differ-
ent cultures, religions and beliefs together was a great
challenge.
This much was realised by the colonialists. They
had to adopt different styles in administering the areas.
This is because Nigeria’s diversity comes with its own
challenges. Building a nation out of these heterogeneous
communities would prove to be a tough job. Even
though the British understood this dichotomy, they
still thought it wise to bring people of different cultural
backgrounds together.
A Leadership Deficit
During the struggles for independence, it became obvi-
ous that managing the nation’s diversity would not be
easy. It wasn’t that the challenge posed by this diversity
could not be managed. The problem, as it turned out, was
getting leaders, who could manage it well.
It might be wrong therefore to blame a particular leader
for the nation’s failures to get it right as some had at-
tempted to do. Till date, every tribe continues to justify the
roles played or not played by its leaders. Most countries
that got it right at the early stage of their development
have their leaders to thank. Nigeria’s leaders failed to
agree among themselves on a developmental agenda. The
result is what the people still contend with today.
This leadership deficit remains and will continue to be
a factor in Nigeria’s developmental trajectory. When other
countries speak glowingly of how their leaders made the
required sacrifices so that their countries could develop,
Nigerians continue to bemoan the absence of leadership
in their country.
Several Military Interregnums
Perhaps, if the civilians were left alone, they might have
been able to resolve their differences. But greedy men in
uniforms masquerading as saviours took over power and
used it to further their own interest, entrench corruption
and widen the fault lines among the people, who were
still struggling to understand themselves.
Beginning from the first military coup d’état of January
15, 1966, to the November 17, 1993, when the Armed
Forces, headed by Defence Minister, General Sani Abacha,
forced Interim President, Chief Ernest Shonekan to resign,
Nigeria had suffered irreparable damages from the
aftermath.
Between 1966 and 1999, the army held power in
Nigeria without interruption apart from a short-lived
return to democracy between 1979 and 1983. Out of the
four presidents the country has had since 1999, two were
former military rulers. Since military rule is antithetical
to the rule of law, building a nation, where citizens can
realise their dreams has been very difficult.
Unending Scourge of Corruption
For many, this is one singular factor that has dealt the
most devastating blow to the efforts to build Nigeria as
a nation. While it is difficult to blame corruption alone
for Nigeria’s failure, there is no denying the destructive
impact of sleaze in building the Nigerian nation.
In 2012, Nigeria was estimated to have lost over
59
CICERO/REPORT
$400 billion to corruption since independence. In 2018,
the country ranked 144th in the 180 countries listed in
Transparency International’s Corruption Index.
Oil Discovery and the Fate of Nigeria
Transparency International (TI) once claimed that the
political consequences of oil-driven wealth in Nigeria,
“has been an excessive centralisation of power, authoritari-
anism, a disregard for agriculture and manufacturing, the
non-pursuit of internal taxation, and the development of
pervasive patronage and rent-seeking cultures.” The sum-
mary says it all. In 2019, Corruption in Nigeria: patterns
and trends a survey on corruption as experienced by
the population jointly carried out by the United Nations
Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) and the National
Bureau of Statistics (NBS), estimated that some 117 million
bribes are paid in Nigeria on a yearly basis, the equivalent
of 1.1 bribes per adult. There are many statistics out there
showing how much havoc that corruption has since
wreaked on Nigeria.
Followers as a Problem
Every four years, politicians go round to ask for votes
and the voters continue to elect those, who lack the
capacity to make the difference only to turn around and
blame the same leaders they elected. Many people above
the voting age would not bother registering to vote.
Those who registered would not come out to vote during
elections. They will, however, take to the social media to
deride the country.
Professor of political economy and management expert,
Patrick Utomi, was right when he said: “The intellectu-
als have retreated and the middle class are becoming
complicit.”
The Nigerian people will have to take their country
back by performing their civic duty of voting and electing
those who have the capacity to govern, into offices. They
have to do more than grumbling on the social media.
Conclusion…
Addressing some of these challenges is not going to be
easy. It will take a leadership with vision and a willing
followership working together to tackle corruption to turn
Nigeria around.
Fortunately, the military appeared to have settled for the
barracks, though occasional intervention in some countries
in the West Africa sub region gives cause for concern that
nothing says democracy here is not reversible.
For now, enough of the blame game; let every Nigerian
roll up his or her sleeve. There is work to be done.
60
CICERO/REPORT
Osinbajo with NLC leaders
How Labour Succumbed to FG’s Superior Argument
The decision by labour leaders to shelve its planned strike was a function of a superior negotiating
power of the federal government side, writes Onyebuchi Ezigbo
I
t is no longer news that the federal government and
organised labour has reached an agreement to suspend
their planned national protest/strike over increase in fuel
price and electricity tariff. But what seems to be trending
now is the reaction of Nigerians, especially civil society
allies, some of whom felt disappointed and betrayed by
the sudden change of gear by the labour leadership. While
some Nigerians have welcomed the government-labour
deal as good for the country’s precarious economic situation, others
criticised labour leaders for chickening out from the scheduled
national protest without achieving their target.
Organised labour had demanded a reversal of the rise in the
pump price of fuel from N148 per litre to N161 and an almost 120
percent hike in electricity tariff granted to the Electricity Distribu-
tion Companies (DISCOs) by federal government or they would
shut down economic activities in the country beginning from
September 28.
In a communiqué issued at the end of its meeting in Abuja,
NLC had said it rejected the increase in fuel price and electricity
tariff as approved by the federal government.
While addressing journalists on the outcome of the NEC meeting,
NLC president, ComradeAyuba Wabba, said: “NEC decision was
premised on the fact that the government’s two decisions along
with others, including the increase in Value Added Tax (VAT) by
7.5 percent, including numerous charges charged by banks will
further impoverish Nigerian citizens.”
He said the increase in the midst of COVID-19 pandemic was
not only ill-timed, it is also counter-productive.
“NEC also observed that the privatisation of the electricity sub-
sector, five years down the line has not yielded any positive result.
“Whereas the entire privatised electricity assets were sold for
N400 billion, the congress is surprised that federal government
within the last three years has injected N1.5 trillion over and above
the amount that was used to sell this very important assets. Thus
NEC came to a conclusion that the entire privatisation process
has failed and the hike tariff was only a process of continuous
exploitation of Nigerians”.
On the issue of privatisation of refineries and increase in the
pump price of fuel, Wabba said NLC believed that government’s
argument had not changed from what it used to be.
According to him, NLC believed that whether it is about partial
deregulation or full deregulation or subsidy removal, the matter
has always been about increase in the price of petroleum products.
Wabba said that NLC demanded that deregulation should not
be import-driven and that the nation’s three refineries be made
to work optimally.
He said the congress believed the federal government had busi-
ness in doing business in the downstream sector, just like other
oil-producing countries which has government-owned refineries.
In the communiqué, NLC said the NEC meeting endorsed the
two-week ultimatum given to federal government “to reverse
those obnoxious decisions and also endorse the action proposed
by the Central Working Committee that September 28 will be the
date that those actions will be challenged by Nigerian workers,
civil society allies and other labour unions.”
On its part, TUC said after an exhaustive meeting held to review
its mobilisation strategies on the forthcoming strike to protest fuel
hike and electricity tariff, resolved that the Congress is going to
work in collaboration with its sister Labour Centre, NLC and the
Civil Society allies to execute the strike. In a statement signed by
TUC president, Comrade Quadri Olaleye, and Secretary General,
T H I S D AY, T H E S U N D AY N E W S PA P E R
˾ OCTOBER 4, 2020
Musa-Lawal Ozigi, the union said its ultimatum which expired
by midnight of the Tuesday, September 22, 2020 has been shifted
to Monday, September 28, 2020 for effective and maximum effect.
TUC statement said: “Consequent upon this, the ultimatum which
should expire by midnight of today 22nd September, 2020 has been
shifted to 28th September, 2020 for effective and maximum effect.
We want to use this opportunity to call on Nigerians, especially
those in the informal sector to bear with us while the industrial
action lasts.”
The union said there is no need for the current pains and hardship
that the federal government is subjecting Nigerians to by the hike
in prices of fuel and electricity tariff.
“It is a needless one. They ask us to tighten our belts while they
loosen theirs. Services are not rendered yet we are compelled to
pay estimated bills. You will recall that this government during its
electioneering campaigns in 2014 told the world there is nothing like
subsidy. We were told that they will build refineries, all that is history
now. We run a mono-economy and any hike in fuel automatically
will have adverse effect on us yet successive government tow that
path because they are not creative.
“As at today, about eight states are yet to commence the payment
of new minimum wage and its consequential adjustment even
though the president signed it into law on April 18, 2019. We have
written letters to the governors and also engaged them in dialogue
but all to no avail. Sometimes we wonder if these people have
conscience at all.”
ThecongressurgedallNigerianstogetreadyfortheunprecedented
mass action against “corruption, obnoxious policies, rape and other
violent offences, breach of Collective Agreement, unemployment,
etc. We also call on the USA, UK, Germany, Spain, etc. to support
our struggle by placing indefinite visa ban on our political leaders
whose stock in trade is to loot and impoverish the masses and
the country.”
Before issuing the strike threat, organised labour had come under
pressure from groups who felt that the labour centres are slacking
on their role to lead a protest against the price increases that are
likely worsen the sufferings of Nigerians.
Some persons who reacted to the suspension of the strike by
labour following its agreement with federal government, blame
the labour leaders for falling cheap and betraying the confidence
Nigerians had in them. While some accused the present crop of
labour leaders of lack of genuine determination to execute the
national protest, others said they lacked the strength and capac-
ity thereby succumbing to the superior pressure by the federal
government’s side during the negotiations.
However, the labour movement on their part, felt that they did
their best under the circumstance to extract some kind of com-
mitment from to address public concerns over the contentious
issues at hand.
In reality, labour leaders were being conscious of the implications
of going ahead with a national strike and protest that may not
be fully supported and patronised by the masses and other civil
society allies. The experience of their last two outings where they
failed to muster enough public support for their action and was
literally at the mercy of government to secure a resolution. One
of the labour leaders had told THISDAY of the predicament they
often find themselves confronting government with strike. He said
that many Nigerians have become docile and are only armchair
critics, who will prefer to sit in the comfort of their homes and expect
Wothers to risk their lives on the streets and in the sun protesting.
Also unlike the pre-2015 national protest against deregulation
and increase in fuel price, the opposition elements were aggres-
sively supporting organised labour to carry out the protest. In the
pre-2015 protests, some inside labour sources confessed that they
got strong support morally and even materially opposition forces
carry out their protest against fuel price increase.
What people did not realise was that whereas in those days,
the opposition were a bit more organised and desperate in their
push for power than what obtains now. Labour leaders at the time
probably got well researched information and operational statistics
in critical sectors of the economy from their friends in the opposition
with which they challenged the government of the day and was
able to hold sway. The weak position was evident during the
negotiations with the federal government side, when the team led
by the Minister of Labour and Employment, Senator Chris Ngige,
and Secretary to the Government of the Federation, (SGF), Mr.
Boss Mustapha, capitalised on it to inundate the discussion with
presentations various agencies in petroleum and power sectors.
Mustapha continuously brought up the issue of impact of COVID-19
disruptions on the economy during the debate, urging labour to
show understanding of the situation.
The government side further tried to arm-twist and possibly
blackmail the labour leaders by saying that labour representatives
on the board of the Petroleum Products Price Regulatory Agency
(PPPRA) were part of the decision on the new pump price of fuel.
But the NLC president, Comrade Ayuba Wabba, stoutly rejected
the insinuation, stating the PPPRA board never discussed nor
approved hike in fuel price.
Again, another factor that apparently contributed to the weaken-
ing of labour movement’s resolve to proceed with the September
28 strike, was the strategy employed by the federal government
to work with some groups against organised labour in counter
protests. This apparent tactics of government infuriated labour
leaders, and it resulted in altercation between Ngige and Olaleye
during the negotiations. TUC president, Comrade Quadri Olaleye
accused federal government of sponsoring groups to institute legal
action and anti labour protest against the organised labour.
He said: “We are already negotiating with the government, it was
totally wrong for government to head to court to get an injunction.
As at now, we have not been served with that injunction so I am
not aware.
“And also it was wrong for government to have sponsored people
to protest at the Unity Fountain that the labour movement should
not go on strike. It was very wrong for government, if another
person had sponsored that it would have been right than the
government because we actually got the information that it was
sponsored by government.” Ngige replied him by demanding for
a proof of alleged government’s involvement in the anti-labour
demonstration and the court injunction obtained against NLC,
TUC planned industrial action.
Thefirstmeetingaimedatavertingthreatsofacripplingnationwide
strike by NLC and TUC to protest the removal of the subsidy on
petrol and the consequential hike in the price of the commodity
ended in a deadlock, as both sides remained unyielding. However
the second meeting summoned on the eve of the proposed strike
saw a more determined federal government side, who was out
to ensure that the labour protest did not hold. The government
side first met among themselves behind closed doors to map out
strategies before joining labour leaders for meeting. One thing
that evident after the first meeting was that both government and
labour were almost finding a common ground on some of the
issues. For instance, both sides
T H I S D AY, T H E S U N D AY N E W S PA P E R
˾ OCTOBER 4, 2020 61

CICERO/ISSUE

Who Wants Zulum Dead?

Three deadly attacks in two months on the Borno State Governor, Professor Babagana Zulum,
should elicit concerns, writes Michael Olugbode

B
orno highways are,
perhaps, the riskiest in the
world going by exposure
to terrorist attacks. This
fact is supported by no
other person than the
Shehu of Borno, Alhaji
Garbai El-Kanemi, who
told President Muhammadu Buhari
about two years ago that, “It is unfortu-
nate that despite all efforts put in place to
restore peace in our land and the North
East, we the people of Borno State are still
under Boko Haram siege.
“Nobody can dare move out of
Maiduguri by 10 kilometres without be-
ing confronted, attacked by Boko Haram.
Quite a number of farmers are being
killed and kidnapped on a daily basis
around Molai General Area, which is just
10 kilometres away from the metropolis,
along Maiduguri-Damboa-Biu road.
Most of the surrounding villages and
communities in Konduga, Damboa, Mafa
and other local government areas have
been razed down in the last two weeks.”
That statement was when the governor
was not attacked, but when his convoy
faced a second attack early this year while
he was returning from Konduga, 40 ki-
lometres east of Maiduguri, to distribute
food to returning displaced persons and
inspect a 500-unit housing project for the
returnees. The Shehu was loud enough to
shout: “Borno State is no longer safe.”
The attack was in the very risky Baga
area, and the ruler just has to say, “Your
Excellency, we are not happy about
what happened in Baga the other time.
It is very unfortunate and a great pity to
expose people’s lives to Boko Haram ter-
rorists. If the convoy of the chief security
officer of the state would be attacked,
then, I swear that nobody is safe, because
he is the number one citizen of the state.”
The fact is there for all to see that there
is no highway within the Borno territory
that is safe to traverse. Many people have
been killed on these highways or per-
haps, now cooling off in bushes having
been kidnapped by Boko Haram.
The case is so bad that the United Na-
tions agencies do not allow their workers
to take the road into Maiduguri. For any
staff to travel in and out of Maiduguri,
it has to be by flight. The insurgents are
always on the prowl on Borno highways.
The former governor of the state, Ali
Sheriff escaped death by the whiskers
on Maiduguri-Damaturu road earlier
this year, when he traveled from Abuja
into Maiduguri to bury his father. Some
of those on his convoy were not so lucky
as they were killed few kilometers into
Maiduguri.
The Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Tukur
Buratai, with the retinue of soldiers
and gun trucks, had been sized-up by
the fearless Boko Haram on the Borno
highways.
One of the Theatre Commanders of Zulum..a rare love for his people
the Operation Lafiya Dole only escaped
death by luck, when comforted by Boko Haram. anything meaningful forward and that might have been their wishes into reality. It is better to think that the attacks
So numerous were military escorts attacked by Boko responsible for their shunning the roundtable after so many on Zulum were just not predetermined and solely targeted
Haram on Borno highways. To them, the bigger your public invitations. at him.
status, the higher the stake and the name you make from It is often said that there is no one without an enemy, The fact is that Borno highways are dangerous and the
the attack. They fear no adversary for the reward. In their should this ring true, it means Zulum should have enemies, more you travel it, the more you are open to attacks. Apart
philosophy is a great heaven. and for daily taking decisions that affect the lives of many, from the attack on Zulum’s convoy that took many lives
As long as Zulum would want to achieve his agenda, he should definitely have enemies aplenty. He has, often, with it, the other attacks were skirmishes. And should the
which includes security, education, job creation, and because of his passion to give his people the best and many attacks be with the motive to kill him, the one he was in the
good governance and to return displaced persons to their times, because of the frustration of his position spoken convoy should have been with major casualties, which they
homelands, his life shall always be at risk and might need against the powers that be and perhaps, powerful individu- did not. Or perhaps, God was at work.
to continue to tackle insurgents. als and groups. It is also pertinent to mention that should it be about kill-
For he cannot retrieve Borno back from Boko Haram He has been involved in shouting marches with soldiers. ing Zulum, who would have given the task to Boko Haram
without getting into the trenches, for the terrorist group He has spoken against profiteers. He has changed some and not use any other method?
has come to show to all that they do not have any clear cut hitherto status quo in the Borno system. He has shouted and But whether Zulum is wanted dead or not, the frequency
target and mission. They are just the enemy of the system stood by his people both in boardrooms and on the streets. of the attacks on him gives a bad narrative of the security of
and friends to no one. He has been both diplomatic and undiplomatic to get the governors in the country and is bad publicity for the country.
And if everyone or thing has to be with a mission, then, best for his people. Definitely, he has ruffled some feathers. President Buhari needs to speak much louder against the
theirs is destabilising and terrorising the entire society. But one question is, has he done enough to make some development and act accordingly. It is a call that much more
Ask them what they want they may not be able to put up people wish him dead? And how far can they go to bring needs to be done to tame menacing Boko Haram.
62
CICERO/REPORT
Wike, an Emerging Political Generalissimo
With the success of Governor Godwin Obaseki in the just-concluded Edo State governorship
election, Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, may well be on his way to emerging the new Po-
litical Generalissimo, writes Ernest Chinwo
R
ivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike is gener-
ally being hailed now by his supporters and
admirers as: “High Tension” or “Naked
Wire” especially, after his political victories
in the state.
These titles came mostly after he survived
the fireworks generated by his election to
office of governor for his first tenure. Then, it
was a contest between him and then outgoing Governor of
the state, Chibuike Amaechi, who had chosen Dr. Dakuku
Peterside as successor.
It was a two-pronged battle. While Wike was fighting to
win the governorship election, he was also bent on ensuring
victory too for then President Goodluck Jonathan.
Amaechi, on the other hand, was fighting for victory for
his anointed successor, Peterside, and wining the state for
then major presidential contender, Muhammadu Buhari.
Amaechi was incidentally the arrowhead of Buhari’s
campaign Organisation and wanted to win the state for him
at all cost.
The gubernatorial election was declared inconclusive
and rerun elections were fixed in some local government
areas, mostly in Rivers South East Senatorial district. Wike
eventually won his election and Jonathan won the state. But
while Amaechi and his candidate lost the state, Buhari won
the Presidency.
The All Progressives Congress (APC) challenged the
declaration of Wike as winner of the gubernatorial election
and vowed that he will never be governor of the state.
The APC also tried to use every means, including seeking
injunctions, to stop him from being sworn in as governor of
the state. Wike survived it and was eventually sworn in on
May 29, 2015 as Governor of Rivers State.
But the APC could not stomach that and challenged the
election at the governorship elections tribunal. Wike lost at
the tribunal and Court of Appeal, but the Supreme Court
upheld his election.
While Wike was congratulated for winning the state and
successfully winning the challenge at the Supreme Court
despite “federal might”, Amaechi was vilified for losing
his home state and for causing the failure of his kinsman,
Jonathan in the presidential election.
Wike had since been addressed as ‘high tension’ by his
supporters, while Amaechi became the “Lion of the Niger
Delta” to his supporters especially, those outside the Niger
Delta, for ensuring that Jonathan lost and Buhari won the
election.
The same scenario played out in 2019, when the governor
was seeking re-election. The APC in the state vowed to use
the opportunity to remove him from office. Even when
the courts barred the APC from fielding a candidate for
any position in the state, because of faulty congresses, the
party adopted Biokpomabo Awara of the African Action
Congress (AAC) to ensure that Wike did not come back.
In addition, as Wike insisted, some APC bigwigs in the
state enlisted the support of the army, police and other
security agencies in the state to take steps that would make
the election unfavourable for him and also ensure that
Buhari wins in the state.
At the end, Wike did not only win his re-election, but
APC’s Buhari did not get up to 25 per cent of the votes even
though Amaechi was still the campaign chairman. This
re-enforced the “High Tension” fame of the Rivers governor.
On May 9, 2018, Wike added another feather to his cap,
when the continental section of the 94-year old International
Sports Press Association (AIPS) announced him as the Pillar
of Sports (PoS) in Africa for his passionate support of sports
in his home state, Rivers, and Nigeria.
Indeed, his nicknames come after major accomplish-
ments. He was called “Ogbu Corona 1” (killer of corona)
after his drastic steps to check the spread of the coronavirus
in the state.
Using steps that were seen at the time by many as drastic
and confrontational, Wike ensured total compliance with
COVID-19 protocols in the state. He was seen regularly on
the streets, ordering the arrest and detention of violators of
restriction of movements during the lockdown declared in
the state.
Indeed, many of his actions pitted him against the
authorities and agencies of the federal government. While
some heads of stations of federal agencies either lost their
jobs or redeployed for cooperating with the governor,
THISDAY gathered that there were even moves to declare
a state of emergency in the state to pave the way for Wike’s
ouster as the show of power raged between Wike and the
federal government.
It is still believed that with the state as the oil and gas
hub of the nation, Rivers State would have recorded much
higher infection and death rates if not for the drastic steps
taken by Wike to ensure the adherence of residents to
COVID-19 protocols.
T H I S D AY, T H E S U N D AY N E W S PA P E R
˾ OCTOBER 4, 2020
Wike
Again, as the Niger Delta Development Commission
(NDDC) corruption saga raged, Wike was once again called
“John Wike” (adopting the name of an actor in a popular
American movie, John Wick), after his heroic rescue of Rivers
State-born former Acting Managing Director of Niger Delta
Development Commission (NDDC), Dr. Joi Nunieh, from
some operatives of the Nigeria Police Force, who allegedly
wanted to ‘abduct’ and whisk her away to Abuja to answer
questions about complaints against her.
To avoid being taken by the police, Nunieh locked herself
in her Old GRA Port Harcourt residence while the police
attempted to break in and force her out. It took the interven-
tion of Wike, who stormed the place with his own security
to rescue Nunieh and took her to the Government House,
where she took refuge for a few days.
Many residents of the state still believed that Wike rescued
Nunieh, just like John Wick did in his classic action movie.
Fast forward to present political dispensation, very few
believed that the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) could
win the Edo governorship poll. Not with the array of federal
might and the bragging of former National Chairman of the
APC, Adams Oshiomhole, and current national leadership
of the party that they would retain the governorship of the
state through Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu.
Events leading to the emergence of Obaseki as candidate
of the PDP in the first place were dramatic. When the
APC, on the insistence and machination of Oshiomhole,
declared that Obaseki would not run for a second tenure, the
embattled governor ditched the party and switched to the
PDP. But some entrenched interests in the PDP would also
not accommodate him and give him ticket to fight his former
party.
One of the first persons he consulted was Wike. The
meeting raised so much dust but in his characteristic
controversial manner, Wike warned his party men not to use
Obaseki’s defection and ambition for personal aggrandize-
ment, that’s after he too eventually bought into the Obaseki
project, given the bigger picture.
Omoregie Ogbeide-Ihama went to court to restrain
Obaseki from contesting the party primaries. But Ogbeide-
Ihama later withdrew his suit and the Federal High Court
sitting in Port Harcourt, presided over by Justice Emmanuel
Obile struck out the suit, paving the way for Obaseki’s
emergence as PDP’s candidate for the election.
With the controversy generated by Obaseki’s initial visit to
Wike, it was a surprise to many that the Rivers State gover-
nor was appointed chairman of the PDP National Campaign
Council for the Edo governorship election, with a mandate
to coordinate the campaigns to ensure victory for the party
and Obaseki.
That was perhaps the first time Wike would take his
political prowess outside the state, and it came in a big stake
game, where ego was at stake.
Accepting the responsibility, Wike went to work and in
one of his first outings accused the APC of planning to use
the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC)
and federal security agencies to rig the election. He vowed
to scuttle APC’s plan to use security agencies or any other
institution to rig the Edo election, insisting that the APC was
only confident to win because of its plan to rig.
According to him, “Governor Godwin Obaseki is not an
ingrate like Adams Oshiomhole and Osagie Ize-Iyamu, who
can do anything including betraying people to grab power.
Obaseki is morally qualified and stands out as the best
candidate for the September 19th 2020 election.
“Edo people cannot support and desire the handover of
power to the APC candidate, Osagie Ize-Iyamu, who is a
nomadic politician and ingrate, who lacks character. It is Os-
hiomhole who is an ingrate, because he told us that Obaseki
served as the brain box of his administration that lasted eight
years. How can such a person become an ingrate?
“Look at Ize-Iyamu, he is an ingrate too. He served as
Secretary to the State Government in Chief Lucky Igbin-
edion’s administration. When he didn’t get what he wanted,
he dumped the Party and moved to another Party. In 2015,
people supported him for governorship, when he failed, he
did not consult them but abandoned them for another Party.
“That is the life of a nomadic politician. Like his master,
they are dangerously desperate, insatiable and can do
anything for power.”
Wike reiterated that Obaseki was not a violent man like
Ize-Iyamu, who has instructed the thugs he called “lions
and tigers” to cause crisis. He challenged the Police and
INEC to use the Edo election to correct previous mistakes by
conducting free and fair polls.
“We consider the comment by INEC to cancel or suspend
the election, because of violence as succumbing to the antics
of the APC. All they want is violence because they cannot
win the election. If the election is suspended, the implication
is that Obaseki will serve out his tenure without election in
November,” he said.
The PDP also effectively used videos of Oshiomhole’s
campaign against Ize-Iyamu four years ago, when he
(Ize-Iyamu) was PDP’s candidate. That presented the APC,
Oshiomhole and Ize-Iyamu as liars. They also played up
the issue of godfatherism, saying while the APC National
Leader, Senator Bola Tinubu, may have succeeded in Lagos
in installing his favourites as governor, “Edo no be Lagos”.
These were the sentiments that Wike and the PDP raised
all through the campaigns and they were very successful
and difficult for the APC to effectively respond to. Indeed,
the APC was not only put on the defensive but also had to
seek other ways to counter but unsuccessfully.
The last straw was definitely on the eve of the election,
when Wike raised the alarm that he and other members of
the PDP campaign council were under siege by the police
and not allowed to leave their hotel rooms while their APC
counterparts were allowed and even escorted by the police
to go anywhere they wanted to in the state.
The police quickly withdrew, to avoid the wrath of the
international community and civil society organisations
that have been fully mobilised for the election. On Election
Day, when the PDP suspected a delay in the announcement
of results from some local government areas, it raised the
alarm, forcing the electoral umpire to quickly absolve itself
of any blames and announced the results.
Again, Wike, as chairman of the campaign council dared
the APC and federal agencies, controlled the party and
successfully delivered Obaseki as re-elected despite federal
might.
Undoubtedly, Wike has shown that he is, in fact, the de
facto, “Generalissimo” of Nigerian politics, currently. In
his thank you visit to the Rivers State Governor, Obaseki
said Wike was the second pivot, after God, for his electoral
victory.
Obaseki noted the commitment of Wike in ensuring
electoral victory for him by relocating to Edo State despite
the needless attacks from the opposition.
His words: “After I was pushed out of my former Party,
this house was the first place I sought solace. You took me in
as a brother, out of the storm, changed my clothes and gave
me food to eat. It was in this house, the Campaign Council
met to work out the key strategies that led us to victory.
“You mobilised people across the country. You moved
to Benin, went through the humiliation and attacks. You
supported us and we won. It will be a sin against God if
we do not come to say thank you. Even if the victory we
are celebrating is from God. He has used people like you to
make it happen.”
In his response, Wike said his support was informed by
the fact that Obaseki was courageous and fearless in his fight
against forces of godfatherism against him in attempt to
protect the interest of Edo State.
“Our work would have been difficult if he did not make
himself available. I cannot support a lily-hearted person.
Governor Obaseki was firm.”
However, as Wike savours his unofficial emergence as
Nigeria’s new political Generalissimo, it will be interesting
to watch and see how he manages this new recognition
especially, in the lead up to 2023, when he would have ended
his second tenure as the governor of Rivers State.
THISDAY, THE SUNDAY NEWSPAPER ˾
OCTOBER 4, 2020 63

CICERO/TRIBUTE

Prof Afolabi Ojo: ALegacy

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Demola Ojo

S
ince the passing of Professor Afolabi Ojo
about a month ago (August 30, 2020) at the
age of 90, the accolades have poured in from
all corners, in celebration of the accomplished
academician and administrator.
From President Muhammadu Buhari, who
said the Professor of Geography “showed
the world the reward of discipline, focus and
dedication by climbing the academic ladder over many years
and becoming a renowned author and administrator,” to
Ekiti State Governor Kayode Fayemi, who said, “Prof Ojo’s
exemplary life of service and distinction has inspired many
to tow the path of excellence and honour,” it has been one
glowing tribute after another.
A cursory glance at the Ado-Ekiti indigene’s milestones
explains why he is being extolled by individuals from differ- r
ent walks of life, as well as organisations in the communities
he touched, locally and nationally.
As an academic, Prof Ojo reached the zenith of his profes- s
sion. In every step, He was precocious and exhibited excel- l
lence from an early age. At 13, he was already a pupil tutor.
When he proceeded to the National University of Ireland, he
finished with a First Class in Geography and Economics, the
first African to do so.
Prof Ojo later obtained another First Class with his Master
of Arts degree in 1957 and later a Ph.D in 1963, both from the
same institution.
According to Professor of History, Amos Makinde, Prof Ojo
was the one who produced the policy paper which advised
the first military governor of the former Western Region,
Francis Adekunle Fajuyi (a fellow Ado-Ekiti indigene), to
move the University of Ife from its Ibadan Campus to its
present permanent site without delay.
By this time, Prof Ojo had already published two interna- a
tionally acclaimed books: Yoruba Culture and Yoruba Palaces,
were among the 140 books and academic articles he authored
or co-authored.
As a foundation member of the University of Ife, he was
Acting Head of Geography Department (1962). On October 1,
1970, he became a Professor of Geography. He was appointed
Dean, Faculty of Social Sciences in 1972 and later, Dean,
Faculty of Administration from 1976-77.
Prof Ojo was a product of open and distance education. In
1948, he passed the Senior Cambridge Examination and later
obtained the Teacher’s Grade Two Certification in 1950, then
the London Matriculation Examination in 1951, all as a private
candidate. This spurred him to champion distance learning in
Nigeria at tertiary level.
He was Chairman, Presidential Planning Committee on the Prof. Ojo
Open University System in Nigeria (1980-81) and was then
appointed as pioneer Vice Chancellor of the National Open decades. There were books, files and pieces of paper - both ranging conversations that revolved around varied topics,
University. hand and typewritten - on the reading table, the dressing from geo-politics to the solar system.
Much later, he was Chairman of the Provisional Governing table and the lounge chairs. My granddad is responsible for me being a journalist. One
Council of the Catholic University of Nigeria, Abuja (CUNA), As a child, I learnt to be extra careful walking around the of the ways he made sure I focused in church was for me
from 2005 to 2008. room so I didn’t knock over files and magazines lying on the to write an essay on the priest’s sermon. It served a dual
Prof Ojo didn’t only reach the zenith in his academic career. floor. I also became acquainted with the sounds made by him purpose: making sure I concentrate, and also honing my
As a devout Christian, he got to the highest position a layman furiously tapping a typewriter. writing skills.
could in the Catholic Church. Granddad always slept in grandma’s room, even for an On my 10th birthday, I remember getting an autographed
He was the foundation National Secretary of the Catholic afternoon nap. Regardless of any other reason, it was the copy of Richard Wright’s ‘Black Boy’ as my present. Along
Laity Council of Nigeria (CLCN) from 1973 to 1981 and later practical option. He couldn’t use his room because more with it came the challenge that I was old enough to start
became the National President from 1986-1994 and after, books, journals and files were arranged on his bed. reading “real books”, rather than Enid Blyton’s Famous Five
National Life Patron from 1995. As a school-age child, granddad’s room was the study and Secret Seven.
Prof Ojo was also a foundation member of the Pontifical where I was sometimes confined to get my homework Fast-forward to about two decades later, and the exchange
Council for the Laity in the Vatican from 1983, a post he done, or to revise for exams. Sometimes I got distracted, as I of reading materials continued. Granddad kept old editions
occupied for seven years. In recognition of his active participa- a marvelled at how magnets could move office pins, paper clips of TIME for me, while I took current and past copies of
tion in the Catholic Church, he was conferred with a Papal and coins without contact. Or just sit staring at the large map THISDAY to him.
Knighthood of St. Gregory the Great in 1975. hung on a wall, memorizing country names and capitals, the Granddad was a writer till his latter years. He wrote his
Prof Ojo also actively imparted on the local communities in genesis of my dreams of travelling the world. autobiography, A Life of Surprises, in his eighties.
Ado-Ekiti where he’s from and Ife, which became his adopted Despite the age difference of more than 50 years, Granddad He didn’t just impart knowledge through his writing and
home, as a result of spending decades at the university. and I always had engaging discussions. The magazines lecturing, he also taught by example.
He held the traditional chieftaincy titles of Asiwaju of he subscribed to – and which I eagerly awaited my turn to Apart from books, the other thing granddad was known for
Ado-Ekiti, Balogun of Imesi-Ekiti and Otun Maye of Ile-Ife, in read – were the subject of many discussions. TIME magazine, was his devotion to his faith. He was fervent and committed,
recognition of his impact on development in these environs. National Geographic and Reader’s Digest meant wide- and rose to the highest position a lay person could in the
For many years, he was President of the Ado- Ekiti Progres- s Catholic Church.
sive Union of which he later became a Life Patron.
On a national level, he was honoured as a Commander of Prof. Ojo at a Glance I marvelled at the fact that he used to give Holy Com-
munion in church. I didn’t enjoy waking up early to drive
m

the Order of the Niger (CON) in 2004.
Grandad and I
Prof Ojo also excelled as a family man. Apart from his six
children (split equally between male and female), he was
father to a multitude; grandchildren, cousins, nephews, nieces
and even many not directly related to him.
I was one of those to benefit from his accommodating
nature, one of many who passed through the expansive
compound in Ife, known as Otun Maye Square.
My granddad formed a large part of my earliest memories
in life. These images always include a wide grin and a hearty
laugh.
Living with him from when I was four till I went to
university, most of my education was influenced by him.
What I associate granddad with the most is the written
word; books of all shapes and sizes, journals, magazines, files...
They were everywhere, but especially in his room.
The bookshelf that divided the room into a bed space and
his study had a backlog of the diary he religiously kept for
Professor of Geography (Obafemi Awolowo University, him to morning Mass though. But I learnt lessons: discipline,
Ile-Ife) dedication, sacrifice.
Granddad went for all the church services he could. This
Chairman, Presidential Implementation
p Committee and included both Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, Easter
Founding g Vice-Chancellor, National Open University of crossover service and Easter Sunday...
Nigeria, Abuja As a Papal Knight of St Gregory the Great, he proudly
donned his costume and stood throughout Mass on the feast
Commander, Order of the Niger, Federal Republic of day of Christ the King, after a long Corpus Christi procession.
Nigeria (CON)
An enduring lesson Granddad made sure to impart was
Papal Knight of St Gregory the Great (KSG) that of self-sufficiency and self-actualisation, without looking to
anybody else. He made you feel you could achieve anything
Life Patron, National Laity Council of Nigeria if you put your mind to it.
He was great at inspiring others and wanted them to
Life Patron, Ado-Ekiti Progressive Union achieve even more than he did. He was selfless and was
never inclined to amassing wealth. He gave out his houses in
Otun Maye of Ife Ife and Ado-Ekiti to the church. His exhortation was never to
be a rich man, but a great man in future.
Asiwaju of Ado-Ekiti In all these, he never sought or encouraged short cuts. One
Balogun of Imesi Ekiti of his favourite phrases was “As you make your bed, so you
must lie on it.”
64 T H I S D AY, T H E S U N D AY N E W S PA P E R
˾ OCTOBER 4, 2020

CICERO/INTERVIEW

‘PDP’s Victory in Edo

Will Reverberate in Ondo’
Dr. Benson Enikuomehin is the Chairman, Media and Publicity Committee of the Peoples Democratic Par-
ty (PDP) governorship campaign for Eyitayo Jegede, candidate of the party in the October 10 election in
Ondo State. In this interview with Tobi Soniyi, he says his party’s success in the just concluded Edo State
governorship election is a plus for the PDP. Excerpts:

H
ow prepared is the Peoples
Democratic Party for the October 10
governorship election in Ondo State?
Our party, the PDP, is clear-minded
that with the help of God and the sup-
port of the people, minus the shenani-
gans and the thuggery being perpetrated
by the All Progressives Congress, (APC),
victory is assured. We are combing all the nooks and
crannies of the state in the form of campaign for the
purpose of winning the election.
Eyitayo Jegede, SAN, is not in doubt as to his winning
the election and has said it clearly that no distraction
will be allowed. We are prepared and that was shown
in the flag-off of our campaign, when Ondo State stood
still, such that if you threw up sand it would land on
somebody’s head.
So we are ready. The people are ready and we also
hope that INEC and the security agencies too are ready.
If these things are in place and the election is free, fair
and credible like it happened in Edo State, which we just
witnessed, APC is not a party that can come close to us
in the polls. The APC government is a goner in Ondo
State.

What campaign promises are emboldening you

that your candidate will win the election?
Our candidate has come up with a seven-point agenda
he called “My Offer,” meaning that he is the offeror, and
the people of Ondo State are the offeree. He is saying,
‘please accept my offer on education, health etc.’ On
education, he promised to make education affordable
and these skyrocketing school fees that Governor Rotimi
Akeredolu introduced would be reduced to the barest
minimum.
On health, he is looking at such programmes as the
Mother and Child and others, which we used to enjoy in
Ondo State but have been arbitrarily abandoned by this
government. It will be brought back. We are also saying
that the security architecture of the state will be rejigged,
such that people will sleep with their eyes closed.
This is besides agricultural development to ensure
food security by encouraging the younger ones to take
agriculture as a vocation. He is also talking about how to
empower women and the young ones, and he is saying
this is my deal with you, and that all that the people of
Ondo State need to do about this offer is accept it by
voting for me, because once you accept an offer, the deal
is struck.
One fear is that your candidate has not unified
former aspirants in the party after its rancorous
primaries.
You will recall that I worked for Dr. Eddy Olafeso in
the primaries and for our candidate to walk up to me
that I should lead the Media and Publicity Committee of
the campaign means that he has pacified a good number
of us. Now, other aspirants like Senator Kunlere, Chief
Sola Ebiseni, Dr. Olafeso and Godday Erewa are all with
us on this particular project. In fact, Erewa heads two
committees in this campaign.
For now, I’m aware that Banji Okuomo has left to
work for the other fellow, but if out of six aspirants, you
have five remaining in the party, that is a very good
score. We would have loved if he had remained, but as
he has gone, others are coming in. Look, this election is
not going to be based on one big name, no, rather it is
about the electorate in the villages, the fishermen, the
business men and women, and the artisan.
My single vote is not more than that of one tailor in
Igbokoda or Akoko. It is the same vote. Therefore, we
are targeting the people. For the artisans, he said he is
going to raise a soft loan for them to be able to finance
their businesses. These sectors are very important to him
and he is addressing them.
We wish those who have left well and we will
definitely work together with those who are behind and
are supporting the party. You will recall that in Edo State,
hundreds of the Governor Godwin Obaseki’s commis-
sioners, special advisers resigned even shortly before the
Enikuomehin
elections, but did Obaseki not win?
Having lost to the PDP in Edo State, don’t you
think APC will fight tooth and nail to retain Ondo
State?
We are desirous that the kind of broadcast they made
in Lagos State before the Edo election will also be made
about Ondo election. We expect that leaders of APC will
make scratchy remarks so that we can catch in on that.
That aside, Ondo State is for the people of Ondo State
and it is to be ruled by the people of Ondo State. The
best that APC can do to help the tenure of this expiring
governor is to open the vault of the federal government
and bring all the money. If they can bring the governor
again from the North to bring in dollars to come and
share, we have told our people, if they give you even
$40,000 just for one vote, take the money but go and
exercise your right according to your conscience.
Therefore, they have suffered not technical defeat but a
serious blow by reason of what transpired in Edo State,
and that is an added advantage to us, than to say they
are a wounded lion. If a lion is wounded all you need to
do is fire him more gunshots and he will be dead.
What we are doing is that we are talking to the people
and engaging them. We are not arrogant about it; we are
not saying it is our right; rather we are speaking with
them to give us the mandate. That is why Jegede has
said ‘I have an offer. This is the offer I am putting on the
table, on health, education, infrastructure, agriculture,
security and the rest.’ And when people see a tantalising
offer, they will accept it.
For instance, which woman will see a well-educated
man, godly, nice, well-behaved seeking her hand in mar-
riage and will not accept him? Jegede represents that. He
is an offer that is acceptable, trustworthy and has dignity,
not the one that abuses the kings, or talks flippantly.
Our people in Ondo State value culture, the way we
talk and behave. That is why they call us Omoluwabi.
That is what our people are looking for and Jegede
possesses this and more. None of the contestants can
rival Jegede on that. Is it this one that gets angry on the
phone or talks anyhow on television? We are prepared
for them; we are ready. We are not going to cause a crisis,
but if anybody wants to test our will, we will defend our
votes.
Are you threatened by the defection of the Deputy
Governor Agboola Ajayi from the party?
Ajayi is a rolling stone. He was in APC for about three
and a half years, rolled into PDP for about a month, and
rolled into Zenith Labour Party. A rolling stone gathers
some dust and it moves but it will not remain there
forever. He has gone to ZLP and we wish him well,
but we are going to win, so we are not threatened by
anybody. In fact, the more the better.
When you defeat a man in a game by taking one or
two points off him that is when victory is sweet. We
don’t intend to defeat a person by a margin of 400,000,
no. If we win by a margin of 50,000 or 100,000 it is okay.
A critical factor in the victory of Governor
Obaseki is the support he enjoyed from other state
governors. Would you say Jegede enjoys the same
thing?
As at the last count, when we had our rally, the
Chairman of the PDP Governors Forum, Rt. Hon. Aminu
Tambuwal came and delivered the message of all the
PDP governors. You will recall that at that time, the Edo
State election was very close and the likes of Governor
Ifeanyi Okowa and Nyesom Wike were busy strategising
for the election.
Now there is no other election in sight, but Ondo State
and you will see them en mass and the support is going
to be gargantuan. It is like beckoning to the people in
Macedonia, ‘Come over to Ondo and help us.’ They are
not coming to Ondo and vote o, but definitely to give
moral and logistics support.
The APC can go and gather all the people they have to
the state, but I can tell you that Akeredolu is a hard sell,
because there is nothing to show for the three and a half
years that he has been in government. The only thing
he has done is to empower his family. If there is any
development, it is limited to Owo, not even in Ose Local
Government, or in the northern senatorial district.
So if Akeredolu has not done well, he should be
voted out. There are allegations here and there. Who are
they fooling? He jacked up school fees from N30,000 to
N200,000 and reduced it by N10,000 few weeks before
election, what is going on? If he is re-elected, he will
show the people pepper, hence we are saying no.
T H I S D AY, T H E S U N D AY N E W S PA P E R
˾ OCTOBER 4, 2020 65

CICERO/INTERVIEW

Rochas Okorocha
State of APC Under Buhari Unfortunate
Last Tuesday, a former governor of Imo State, Senator Rochas Okorocha, marked his 58th birthday. In
this interview with select journalists in Abuja, Okorocha talks about his philanthropy and why President
Muhammadu Buhari remains the only tiny thread still holding his party, the All Progressives Congress
(APC) together. Emmanuel Addeh brings the excerpts.

A
t 58, you are still heavily involved
in philanthropy. What’s the
motivation for this?
I will simply say that being a
philanthropist or being a charitable
person or someone, who cares for
the poor, I think it is something
much more spiritual than physical.
I think it is something that is innate with one’s spirit. I
love giving, I hate injustice and I hate poverty and I try
to fight these two evils of mankind.
Again given the fact that my background is not that
of buoyancy, I came from the same class of people you
consider very poor and so because of that, I took it
upon myself. It is like a spiritual oath that any time I’m
blessed by God, I will bless others, giving back to my
world and making the society a better place.
Like I said, I hate poverty, I hate injustice. Poverty
once dealt with me, and members of my family. So, I
am easily connected to understand the pains of poverty,
when it comes. I think this summarises my charitable
life, my life of giving.
Rochas Foundation has been in the business of giving
free education to the poorest of the poor, the less privi-
leged, the vulnerable and we have over 22,000 children
now on our records that have gone through Rochas
foundation, some still inside the school and every year
we take about 2,000 children into our schools.
Right now, we see young men with three stars in the
police, in the army, air force, customs, immigrations,
civil service and the banks. These are children, who
would have ordinarily not had the hope of going to
school but now becoming something. So the joy alone
is worth more than what food and champagne will
give you.

Will you say you are a fulfilled man at 58? Okorocha

I feel very fulfilled in all aspects of life. First, if I
don’t feel fulfilled, then I am not grateful to God. I feel over
fulfilled I must say at 58. I have a very wonderful family at 58.
I am proud to say I have a very beautiful family. My wife and
children are just peace and joy, so I feel fulfilled.
In my business life, I feel fulfilled; in my political life I feel
fulfilled; in my spiritual life I feel fulfilled as well though striving
to do more in worshiping God and knowing my creator. So the
answer to your question is that I feel fulfilled.
If you recall, three years ago, I turned 55years and at 55 I
launched project 5-5-5-5-5. Fifty five representing my age, 5
represents 5 indigent children from all African countries, then 55
represents 55 African countries and today we have all these kids
coming in every year, five of them from Africa.
You grew up in the north. Do you see any close connec-
tion between the north and east where you were born?
At a point, people thought my father was a northerner and
my mother a southerner, all kinds of stories, I have heard all
that. My identity is easily mistaken, most people don’t even
understand me or know me.
But the truth is that the same story of poverty, the same story
of the challenges of life took my parents to Jos. So, going to Jos
wasn’t a fun thing, it was out of desperate situation for survival,
many years ago.
That was in the 40s or 50s, I think, and that was where we
were brought up, all of us in the northern part of Nigeria. So,
that is the reason I can communicate in Hausa effectively and all
that. I think on the other part, it must be the handwork of God.
My growing up in the north made me understand that the
unity of Nigeria is key. We have no other option than to make
this nation a united, indissoluble nation.
I see myself a northerner, I see myself a southerner, I see
myself a Nigerian and that is why when people argue, I tell
them that Nigeria is my constituency.
Both my parents were Igbo, so it is not true that my parents
are not Igbo, I can trace it back to where I come from but it was
the north that gave me education, they gave me my childhood,
they gave me my livelihood, all that I have.
But where I got my financial empowerment that made me
Rochas was from the West. So, all my best business connections
were with the West.
You see, now the Hausa have me my childhood, Igbo gave
me my parentage and the West empowered me financially. So,
tell me where do I really belong, I have to belong to the word
Nigeria and that is the truth.
You seem to have anchored your philanthropy on
education. Is there any special reason for that?
To me, education itself is life. I don’t know what we can do
today without education in this modern world. This is why
education is very key and that is why I have chosen the path to
place emphasis on education. Yes, we run other foundations in
my family.
All my children own their own charity organisation. All of
them have one charity organisation, but for me I chose educa-
tion, because once you give a child education, you have given
him everything.
At 58, I have decided I want to give first free education to 58
Nigerians of different field of studies for university education
and I would see these children grow to become something.
We are doing this in partnership with JAMB. This is the one
coming from me to give to intelligent children, not poor children
this time.
Coming to your question on whether government can
undertake this free education, it is not something difficult
actually. As a governor, I introduced free education from
primarily to secondary to university and I built six universities,
four polytechnics and two colleges of education and I made all
of them free. It is doable.
In the north the issue of almajiri and out-of-school
children remains a major sore point. What can be done to
solve this problem?
I must say that first and foremost, I am not happy; it disturbs
me that in this our time and generation that we will be talking
of about over 14 million children out of school in a country
called Nigeria. I think that is not good news at all and if there is
any one problem I have, one challenge I have, it is this particular
issue and it has given me sleepless nights.
Talking about this 14 million children not going to school,
people forget that some countries in Europe are just 2million
people, while some are even less than two million, so we are
talking about over 7 countries not going to school and we can’t
fold out hands and watch this happen.
I always tell Nigerians that Nigeria cannot get better until
these issues are resolved, because these are time bombs of
tomorrow. We are talking about ending boko haram, ending
kidnapping and yet children are not going to school, we are
rather creating more problems for the future generation than
solving it.
Take for instance now, if these 14 million children do not go
to school and have nothing to do, in the next 10 years, when
most of us in government will not be in government anymore,
those 14 million will be giving us 10 million boko haram and 10
million kidnappers.
What that then means is that we need about 100
million police to check these 10 million people. So you
can see that we are creating more problems for our future
generation rather than solving it.
When the governors spoke that they should be returned to
their various states, I was against it because it is not right and
it is not proper, because these are Nigerian children and they
should not be made to go back to villages where the situation is
also hopeless.
But what I suggested was that, these children where you have
the Quranic schools, we can also put side by side a school there
for them, so that they can at least learn how to speak and write
English. It will help the society.
Can we also say that their parents failed in their
responsibilities?
If their parents were educated and understood the importance
of education, probably they would have done something
differently. So, there is no time to push any of these to parents.
Government must take responsibility. Why do you elect leaders,
it is because we know we don’t know, they should come and
lead us and tell us what to do.
The Igbo have always complained of marginalisation. Is
the Southeast ripe for the presidency in 2023?
Well, I really don’t understand whether people run for
presidency of the federal republic of Nigeria because of where
they come from or because of what they can do for the nation. I
think these are two different things.
Sometimes, it looks like when you talk about presidency, the
only qualification is where you come from, the religion that
you belong to and not what you can give to the people. This
is where I differ. If I am running for president, I am running
for president, because of what I can do for my people and not
necessarily where I come from and this is the mistake we have
made in this country in choosing leaders at all levels, these
sentiments have all been there.
So first and foremost, we must begin to allow leaders that
have track records and their vision for the people to come and
lead the people and not necessarily, because you come from A,
B, C, D.
But in a competitive life, the only credit I give to the quest for
Nigerian president of Igbo extraction, for me, would be more of
a competition thing. If you like, you say listen, the Yoruba have
governed this nation and we saw how the economy did.
66 OCTOBER 4, 20Ͱͮ




˾
THISDAY, THE SUNDAY NEWSPAPER

THEALTERNATIVE with RenoOmokri

Fact-Checking Buhari’s Independence Day Broadcast

I
woke up on Thursday to a barrage
of emails and social media messages
wishing me a happy Independence
Day and frankly, I was ticked off.
Happy Independence? For what? For
what? On October 1, 1960, Nigeria
was debt free. Five years later in 1965,
Nigeria was a lender nation. In 2006,
Obasanjo paid our entire foreign debt. Today,
we are a Heavily Indebted nation courtesy of
President Buhari. Are we independent?
And then I did a great injustice to myself
by reading Buhari’s so-called Independence
Day broadcast. That dribble should be called
a broad-trash, not a broadcast. I find it hard
to believe that a human being can tell so
many Goebbelsian lies in so short a time!
You doubt me? Okay, let me now
perform a post-mortem on his speech
and highlight either the brazen lies or the
gobsmacking hypocrisy.
President Buhari‘s Independence Day
broadcast said, “It makes no sense for oil
to be cheaper in Nigeria than in S Arabia.”
Does Saudi Arabia have 10 Presidential jets,
like him? Do they budget $500 million to
renovate NTA? Or give their NASS N140
billion a year?
Buhari said, “It is important we reflect
on how we got here to enable us work
TOGETHER.” How can North and South
walk together when under Buhari, the
3 arms of government are all headed by
Northern Muslim males? When did Nigeria
become a Muslim Brotherhood?
Buhari talked about “structuring a
National identity”. What rubbish? The
Minister of Defence, and the heads of the
Army, Airforce, Police, DMI, DSS, EFCC,
NIA, NCS, NPS, and 90% of the headship of
Nigeria’s security agencies are all Northern
Muslim males.
Buhari warned of “unbridled craving for
political control.” This is hypocrisy, coming
from a man who said, “If what happened in
2011 should happen in 2015, by the grace of
God, the dog and the baboon would all be
soaked in blood.” Preach to yourself.
Buhari called for “a sincere process of
national healing.” This from a man who told
the World Bank President “to shift your focus
to the northern region of Nigeria.” Buhari is
not a Nigerian leader. He is a religious bigot.
A Northern irredentist!
Buhari said, “I chose the path of self-
Buhari
reflection because this is what I do on a daily
basis.” Is this a joke? This coming from a
man whose own spokesman, Garba Shehu,
revealed that he spends his time reading
“cartoons”? Self-reflecting on Mickey Mouse?
Hypocrite Buhari preached about
“Supporting the enthronement of the rule
of law.” Does Buhari obey court judgments?
SERAP Nigeria listed at least 12 court
judgments he flouted. A man who arrested
Southern judges he suspected of opposition
loyalties?
On Independence Day, I am proud of a
people who are the most educated people
in America and one of the most educated
in Europe. There is nothing to be proud of
about a disaster that can’t produce his WAEC
certificate, and has Northernised Nigeria’s
government and the military!
Buhari said he is “demanding
accountability of elected representatives.”
This is a man who went to Kano on January
31, 2019, to lift the hand of a common thief.
A kleptomaniac governor caught on camera
collecting bribes. Buhari, you have no
honour!
Buhari boasts of “Increasing our
commitment to peaceful co-existence in a
peaceful, secure, united Nigeria.” This is from
a man who sent 300 policemen to Southern
Kaduna to stop the genocide against
Christians, and sent 30,000 policemen to Edo
for election.
Buhari claims he is “harnessing and
optimizing our tremendous human and
natural resources”. The only thing Buhari
has harnessed is DEBT. He has increased our
foreign debt from $7.5 billion in 2015, to $32
billion today and he is still borrowing!
The worst part of the lies Buhari told on
Independence Day is the lie of “lifting 100
million Nigerians out of poverty”. Can you
imagine? Under him, Nigeria became the
world headquarters for extreme poverty on
July 25, 2018!
Buhari claimed, “I am a firm believer in
credible elections.” What rubbish! This was
a man that confessed that he used “remote
control” to win the Osun election. Edo was
only free because the threat of travel ban
meant he couldn’t go to his UK doctors.
Buhari said, “No government in the
past did what we are doing with scarce
resources.” Lies. Obasanjo paid off our total
foreign debt when the price of crude oil was
one quarter what it was under Buhari. Buhari
is not just a liar, he lied unintelligently.
As I have said before, Buhari and his
cronies are the biggest threats to the existence
of Nigeria as a corporate entity. Nobody, most
especially Buhari, should preach Nigerian
unity, if they do not first preach Nigerian
justice. How can we have unity when the
heads of the 3 arms of government are
Northern Muslim males, and Northerners
head defence, army, police, and 90% of the
military and security services?
And thank God for my friend, retired
Colonel Abubakar Dangiwa Umar,
who has courageously and patriotically
spoken against Buhari’s hypocrisy. If a few
Northerners keep behaving like Munafiqun
and justify the president’s nepotism, mark
my words, Nigeria will divide. They cannot
expect others to accept what they will not
accept.
Finally, if I am asked to summarise
Buhari’s 5 years in office in one word, that
word would be:
BLAME!
He takes responsibility for other men’s
achievements and blames them for his
failure. Physically, Buhari may be an adult,
but mentally, he is a child!

THE PUBLIC SPHERE with Chido Nwakanma @ChidoNigeria

https://www.facebook.com/chido.nwakanma

Success from the Jaws of Disease with PTF-Covid19

Reno Omokri nonchalance that citizens display. It is almost hubristic as Nigerians and medical research to address all emerging infectious diseases.
outside the Lagos-Abuja-Port Harcourt triangle go about their businesses A Mid Term Report surveyed over 120 respondents. They scored

W
ith 96 per cent tracing success while
activating 71 laboratories to conduct tests
nationwide, the scorecard of Nigeria’s
six-month intervention in the fight against
the coronavirus pandemic is outstanding.
It is one of the many that make up the
African success story that has baffled
Western experts and analysts. The results
and backing data do not surprise the team at the Presidential Task
Force on Covid19 admirably led by Mr Boss Mustapha, Secretary
to the Government of the Federation.
Data from PTFCovid19 was a soothing balm listerning to the dirge
that was the presidential address on October 1 and the general gloom
around the day. The data is mostly positive. The PTF Covid19 framework
revolves around four pillars of Trace, Test, Isolate and Treat.
The Nigerian incident numbers climbed to 59, 001 on 1 October
2020 almost getting to 60, 000 to mark our 60th birthday. There were
50, 452 recoveries and 1, 112 deaths. The global picture shows there
were 34.2m cases worldwide, 23.7m recoveries and 1.02m deaths.
PTFCovid19 reported 7, 437 “current cases”.
Our country’s figures disappointed the doomsayers that predicted
blood on our streets while speaking of Africa. They based their prognosis
on the fragile state of Africa’s health systems. What an expectation!
The country has confirmed cases in 37 locations, that is the 36 states
and the Federal Capital Territory. Confirmed fatalities represent 1.9
per cent of the total.
Twenty-seven (27%) per cent of cases are persons in the 31-40 years
age bracket. Males constitute the bulk of persons with the disease, with
37, 001 patients or 64% while females at 21, 177 represent 36 per cent.
Nigeria has quickly scaled up its medical response and facilities.
PTFCovid19 has deployed 43 State Rapid Response teams. There are 71
activated laboratories for covid19 testing, and they collectively should
ensure 12-24 hours testing time frame on the average.
Success has many fathers and multiple consequences. One of the
effects of Nigeria’s success with managing Covid19 is the growing
as if Mr Covid19 never visited these parts. Where they show concern,
they are also confident that Nigeria can now tackle the disease.
The attitude is an uplifting departure from the pall of fear that
enveloped the country following the first case of an Italian identified
as positive for Covid19 in February 2020. The nation joined the rest
of the world to go into high gear concerning the pandemic. Enter the
Presidential Task Force on Covid19.
PTF Covid19 took off on 17 March 20120 with a formal inauguration
by President Muhammadu Buhari. In conjunction with the National
Centre for Disease Control, NCDC, it enabled the Federal Government
to approach the disease in a “guided, systematic and professional”
manner.
NCDC is the primary driver of Nigeria’s response to the viral infection.
Boss Mustapha chairs the PTF-Covid19 that has 14 high ranking
officials. Nine ministers, two Director Generals as well as the country
representative of the World Health Organisation in Nigeria, make
up the membership. Dr Sani Aliyu is the National Coordinator and
member of the PTF Covid19.
Health, Foreign Affairs, Interior, Aviation and Humanitarian Affairs
ministers are members of PTF-Covid19. Other ministers are those of
Education, Information and Culture, as well as the Ministers of State
for Health and Environment. The DGs are those of the Department
of State Services and the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control.
The principal remit of PTF Covid19 is “to develop a workable
National Response Strategy” that takes “international best practices but
adopts them to suit our unique local circumstances”. Boss Mustapha,
chairman of the PTFCovid19, stated at the inauguration on 17 March
that the task force would work on five key deliverables. It would do
so within an initial six-month timeline.
The deliverables of the task force are to strengthen the national
response strategy in testing, containment and management of COVID-19,
strengthen the collaboration among all tiers of Government, the private
sector, faith-based organisations, civil society, donors and partners, and
build awareness about the disease. Others are to direct the deployment
of relevant national assets, as necessary, and lay a foundation for scientific
the PTF above average and very good. The areas of strength were
that PTF
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phases of the response to the pandemic (e.g. ban on interstate travel,
wearing of face masks, limited gatherings etc) across the country
Coordination is the robust suite of the PTFCovid19. It has managed
successfully the efforts to bring all stakeholders to a standard table to
tackle the national emergency. They include States and Local Govern-
ments, health sector stakeholders, as well as players in the private
sector as well as development organisations. Effective coordination
has earned the confidence and trust of all partners..
What has Mustapha’s Task Force done in real terms? They can
claim success in many broad areas, key of which include providing
and leading the policy focus for the management of the pandemic. It
developed a multi-sectoral Response Action Plan to guide Nigerian
response through high-level engagement with the Organised Private
Sector for better coordination of their core competencies and expertise,
mobilisation of State and Local Government resources in preparation
for the possible spread of the disease into communities and needs
assessments and preparedness of the states. They also engagd local
manufacturers for the stimulation of local production of essential
commodities to reduce the dependence on imported commodities
as well as Local production of face masks, hand sanitisers, protective
gear etc.
A key failing remains the fact that with all the funds available to
it, PTFCovid19 did not deliver to Nigeria one world class hospital.
However, its many successes speak well of the intervention.
THISDAY, THE SUNDAY NEWSPAPER
˾




C
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67

INTERNATIONAL
Nigeria and China at 60: A Comparative Exegesis
of the Dynamics of Growth and Development

T
he Federal Republic of Nigeria (FRN) and the the one to attend on the basis of how close and which interest is at
People’s Republic of China (PRC) are two different
countries with shared values that have impacted VIE stake.
Athird factor is corruption. Corruption is a critical dynamic of
on the growth and development of both countries
in different ways. The PRC was founded on
INTERNATIONALE national development in China and non-development in Nigeria.
In Nigeria, there is no disputing the fact that anti-corruption
October 1, 1949 while Nigeria acceded to national legislations and mechanisms abound. There is the Economic and
sovereignty on October 1, 1960. The PRC celebrat- 
Financial Crime Commission (EFCC) Act, which not only sanc-
ed its 60th National Day on October 1, 2009 while tions economic crimes, especially financial crimes and corruption,
Nigeria attained its own 60 years of sovereign existence on October
1, 2020. At 60 years of sovereign existence, 2009 and 2020 or 11 years Bola A. Akinterinwa but also mandates the EFCC to investigate and prosecute all cases
of financial crimes and corruption. There is also the Independent
of Chinese seniority to Nigeria, how do we explain the consider- Telephone : 0807-688-2846 Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission
able progress made by the PRC and Nigeria’s inability to make e-mail: bolyttag@yahoo.com (ICPC) Act. It specifically seeks to prohibit bribery and other sharp
similar progress in spite of the shared values of both countries? practices, as well as punish offenders.
In China, the retirement age from the public service is 60 years Apart from the EFCC and the ICPC, there is also the Money
for men, 55 years for female civil servants and 50 years for female Laundering (Prohibition) Act, which seeks to sanction the conceal-
workers. In Nigeria, there is no differentiation between men and ment of the origin of converts or transfers of money, or intentions to
women at the level of retirement. They both retire at the age of legitimise any proceeds from criminal activities. Money laundering
60 years or 35 years of service. How does the difference in age of is essentially about the removal of public funds directly or indirectly
retirement impact on growth and development, and particularly from the jurisdiction, taking possession or control of such funds
in nation-building? and property, knowing well that such funds or property originate
There is also the factor of population. China, with a population from unlawful act.
of 1.393 billion in 2018 according to the World Bank, is the most Additionally, there is also the Fifth Schedule to the 1999 Constitu-
populous in the world. The population was estimated to be 1.4 tion as amended, which prescribes a Code of Conduct for public
billion people in 2019. Nigeria, with an estimated population of officers. The Schedule seeks to prevent gratifications of whatever
206 million people in 2020, is the 7th most populous country in kind in the course of discharge of official duties. Errors of omission
the world, coming after China, India, United States, Indonesia, or commission as excuses for engagement in any act of corruption
Pakistan and Brazil. In Africa, Nigeria is the most populous with are sanctioned.
the same estimate. Put differently, China is the most populous However, what is important to note here is not the existence of
worldwide, while Nigeria is the giant in Africa demographically. the many anti-corruption mechanisms put in place or the measures
Additionally, while the population growth rate of the PRC in the legally provided for, but the fact that the different legislations have
period from 2000 to 2020 was 13.4%, compared to 37.1% for India not in any way deterred the engagement in very corrupt practices
and 17.3% for the United States, that of Nigeria was 66.3%. in the at various levels of political governance in Nigeria. The particular
same period. case of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) is
In this regard, if the population growth rate of Nigeria was quite disturbing. The Acting Managing Director of the NDDC,
high, is the infrastructural development required to sustain the Professor Kemebradikumo Daniel Pondei, was quoted as follows:
growth commensurate? Nigeria’s population was 45.14 million ‘we have faced so much pressure from some members of NASS
in 1960, compared to China’s 541.67 million in 1949 and 667.1 Buhari (National Assembly) to pay for jobs which have no proof of execu-
million people in 1960. This means that, in between 1960 and 2020 tion. We have refused to pay N6.4 billion for those jobs.’
(with 45.14 million in 1960 and 206 million in 2020) for Nigeria and or experience-acquiring process or the other in China. In fact, During the forensic audit of the alleged corruption in the NDDC,
541.67 million in 1949 and 1.331 billion in 2009 people for China, Chinese leadership recruitment process is very rigorous. In many it was revealed by the Interim Management Committee (IMC)
the population growth rates are 21.9 % and 0.04% respectively for countries of the world, there are specific institutions for leadership that the ‘Chairman House Committee brought out emergency
Nigeria and China. Is the difference in population rate responsible training, where attributes of leadership, especially patriotism, are training programme for N6.4 billion, claiming the job belongs to
for the difference in levels of development? underscored. In France, there is the Ecole Nationale d’Administration the Speaker, and said the Commission should pay him N3.7 billion,
The PRC is both a regional (Asia) and world power with the where leaders are groomed. but we (IMC) refused.’ And perhaps more disturbingly, the report
capacity to project its influence worldwide. The FRN is a regional But, most unfortunately, in Nigeria, a politician can wake up has it that the vehicles recovered from corruption suspects by
power (West Africa and also Africa to a great extent) and therefore in the morning and join a political party, seek election to an office Ibrahim Magu were auctioned to the Presidency and Ministries.
qualifies to be categorised as a medium power in international rela- in the afternoon, loot the public treasury in the evening, join the The Management of the NDDC is on record to be spending
tions from the perspective of Professor Bolaji Akinyemi’s Concert political party in power for protection at midnight, and then in more than its budget. For instance, how do we explain the fact
of Medium Powers. Even though the PRC is far more developed the morning time again qualifies for the award of traditional that the NDDC awarded a water hyacinth emergency contract for
than Nigeria, it never considers itself as belonging to the developed and national honours. Thereafter, Nigerians are left to debate the which N800 million is budgeted but N10.3 billion was eventually
world. China considers itself as a Third World country. China is one situation and complain about economic and political setbacks of expended? How do we also explain the fact that N2 billion was
of the Five Permanent Members of the United Nations Security the country, but all to no avail. budgeted for the desilting project to be executed in the period
Council to which Nigeria is currently seeking permanent member- Asecond important dynamic of development in both the PRC 2017-2019 like the water hyacinth project, but N37 billion was
ship and possibly with the right of veto. and Nigeria is mutual respect and consideration for one another in again reportedly spent? And most unfortunately too, how do we
With the many shared values, the PRC is on record to have the development of their bilateral relationships. This consideration also explain the revelation by the IMC that ‘in 2019 the NDDC in
considerably impacted on its immediate region, Asia, and on the for one another can be explained differently. China has a general just seven months awarded a total of 1,921 emergency contracts
world in its first 60 years of sovereign communist existence. The policy of win-win in the conduct and management of her foreign valued at N1.07 trillion, against its annual budget of N400 billion
same was true of Nigeria in her first two decades of independence, relations. This policy is meant to show honesty and non-selfishness of same year’? The foregoing revelations from the forensic audit
but not true thereafter. Nigeria is currently struggling for national of purpose. of the NDDC clearly show the extent of official recklessness and
unity and survival at 60. As Lai Mohammed, Information and For instance, in Nigeria, the Embassy of China holds the celebra- deep-seated corruption in Nigeria. And yet, Government is said
Culture Minister has it, Nigeria has every reason to celebrate tion of October 1, her own National Day, in Nigeria before that to be fighting corruption tooth and nail. With this situation, how
Nigeria at 60 because she has survived all challenges threatening day in deference to that of Nigeria, the host State. In fact, because can Nigeria witness growth and development? In the face of
her survival. This reason is most unfortunate. Let us espy the of the decision of the Government of Nigeria to have a low-keyed deepening corruption, especially when a contracted project is
dynamics of growth and development in China and Nigeria to celebration, the Embassy of China did not organise any reception re-awarded 55 times, why should anyone be comparing Nigeria
appreciate what makes the PRC strong and Nigeria, weak. in 2020. with Singapore, Malaysia or China that they were all together at the
In the same vein, the Embassy of Nigeria has the same policy same economic parity level?
Dynamics of Sino-Nigerian Development of not celebrating October 1 on that same day in Beijing and this In China, the handling of corruption is done differently: a distinc-
There are four main dynamics which explain development and cannot but be expected: both countries cannot, for logical and tion is first made between commercial and official bribery, as well
non-development in China and Nigeria. Apurposeful leadership logistical purposes, celebrate their national days at the same time as between anti-bribery and anti-corruption. Official bribery is one
in China and lack of it in Nigeria is the first. The Chinese know because members of the diplomatic corps expected to attend such in which government officials and state functionaries are involved
what they want to have and be. In Nigeria, there is nothing like celebrations can only be divided in deciding which event to attend. while commercial bribery is one in which private enterprises
national ideology to guide political leaders. Governance is much Besides, holding celebrations at the same time cannot but give the or their staff are involved. Other anti-corruption measures and
characterised by chicanery and irrationalities in Nigeria. In China, impression of an unnecessary competing sovereignty, not to say mechanisms also exist: Interim Regulations on Prohibiting
discipline is underscored. It is very difficult to qualify to be a rivalry, in the host State. When more than one country have events Commercial Bribery; the 2008 Commercial Bribery Opinion issued
national leader without having gone through one development to mark and celebrate on the same day, plenipotentiaries decide on by the Supreme Court; the internal disciplinary regulations of
the Communist Party of China; the 2016 Judicial Interpretation,
which gave an Interpretation of Several Issues Concerning the
And true enough, Nigeria is no longer what she used to be in the 1960s and 1970s.The Application of Law in Handling Criminal Cases Related to Graft
Nigeria of today can be likened to what Henry Peter Brougham, the 1st Baron Brougham and Bribery, etc.
andVaux, said:‘education makes a people easy to lead, but difficult to drive; easy to govern, The seriousness of the anti-corruption fight in China can be
gleaned from the definition of a bribe and how it constitutes a crimi-
but impossible to enslave’. Without doubt, this saying may not reflect the situational nal offence. First, on the giver and receiver, it is a statutory offence
reality of the day in Nigeria. Nigerians of today have a digitised mentality, which prevents to offer a bribe to a state functionary, to a state non-functionary, to
education from making it easy to lead but also making it more difficult to drive. There a foreign official or an official of a public international organisation
is also no ease in governance as a result of provided education. The truth now is that or to any entity. An entity also is prohibited from offering any bribe
enslavement of anyone, severally or collectively, is best imagined. Expectedly, the likelihood to a close relative of, or any person close to, a current or former state
functionary. Acceptance of a bribe by a state functionary, by a close
of China emerging a manifest superpower is more of a truism than speculation. Nigeria relative or any person close to a current or former state functionary
has the same potential to be a continental superpower in Africa. Most unfortunately, the is criminally. In fact, the Ninth Amendment to the Criminal Law
way President Buhari is currently handling ethnic grievances and national insecurity, as on 29th August 2015, which came into force on November 1, 2015,
well as keeping quiet on complaints of nepotism, does not enable anyone to say that there necessarily empowered the judicial organs to combat corruption
more effectively.
will be a United Nigeria in the next sixty years. This is why efforts to prevent national
disintegration have become a desideratum (See concluding part on www.thisdaylive.com)
68
PERSPECTIVE
Nigeria at 60: Reforming the Civil Service Reform
Tunji Olaopa
T
his is the week of Nigeria’s 60th Independence
celebration. There are four fundamental events
and issues in Nigeria’s post-independence journey
that have shaped the growth dynamic of the civil
service in Nigeria. The first was the bloody civil
war that inflicted a terrible blow on the national
integration project. The second and third national
events were the many years of military interven-
tion in politics, and the oil boom and it’s the consequences for a
resource-cursed nation. Significantly, these led to a debilitation of
Nigeria’s institutional base in a way that affected her development
capacity and drive. The final event took place in 1999, and it was
the inauguration of democratic governance in Nigeria. After many
years of military rule, democracy was breath of fresh governance
air for Nigerians.
But then, through all these major events in Nigeria’s historical
evolution, the civil service has played a huge and defining role.
Through the dedicated and focused commitment of the bu-
reaucratic leadership, the public service was significant in seeing
Nigeria through the civil war, and in laying the framework for
the rehabilitation of the Nigerian society after the war. There was
therefore a recognition by succeeding Nigerian leadership and
administrations that the civil service system is fundamental to the
success of energizing the social contract that would enable the gov-
ernment to transform the lives and well-being of Nigerians for the
better. And so, since independence, each administration had been
concerned with significant reform exercises targeted at eliminating
the bureaucratic bottlenecks in the public service, and instituting a
managerial and entrepreneurial culture that will make the public
service system functionally and efficiently optimal in delivering
democratic goods and services.
The reform breakthroughs from independence till date
revolved around the following: Management by Objectives
(MBO)/Project Management/Programme and Performance
Budgeting System (PPBS) by the Udoji Commission; professional-
ized and specialized civil service, by the Philips Commission;
permanent secretary as a career appointment/reinstatement of
the Civil Service Commission/Organization, Operations and
Management Research (OOMR) Unit (Ayida Review Panel);
MDArestructuring/SERVICOM/ IPPIS/ standard chart of
accounts cum GIFMIS/pension reform/monetization of fringe
benefits/anticorruption initiative/creation of the Bureau of Public
Service Reform (BPSR); development of the National Strategy for
Public Service Reform (NSPSR) and successor strategy docu-
ments. The Tenure Policy, a precursor to performance manage-
ment that, perhaps, came ahead of it’s time. We therefore need to
acknowledge that the Nigerian public service system has made
some tremendous progress (that have unfortunately not added
Dear Nigeria, Don’t Break Up!
Sule Lamido
S
ixty years ago, Nigeria got its Independence as
a Federal Republic of Nigeria and a sovereign
nation born with fanfare and celebration by
our founding fathers. Anew nation blessed by
God with everything any nation could wish
for; proud, hardworking, industrious people,
rich history, strong and rich traditions and
cultures, large population, natural endow-
ments in everything under the soil and on the soil. Drop any seed
anywhere in Nigeria, it will germinate and grow! We have the
best of the two spans from the semi Sahara to the Sea. We could
not wish for more!
And to prepare us for the task ahead, our founding fathers
coined in our National Anthem a stanza ‘though tribe and
tongue may differ in Brotherhood (Sisterhood) we stand’
which means uniting around our humanity. It was an effort to
capture more succinctly the complexities and intricacies they
envisaged in our dual role as a nation and a leader of the Black
race.
Barely six years into our journey of nation building, the
dream of our founding fathers was shattered through a violent
military coup culminating in a civil war where a brother was
killing a brother! Only the resolve of leaders like late Awolowo,
late Azikiwe, late Ukpabi Asika many and other nationalists
to rally around Yakubu Gowon’s Federal Government saved
the nation. Our soldiers on both side as brothers went through
the agony of pointing guns on the head of each other, ironically
Buhari too was there in the war to unite Nigeria!
Here we are today at 60, regional leaders in their late eighties
and nineties like Edwin Clark a minister under Gowon, Ayo
Adebanjo – Awolowos’ disciple – my brother Nwodo a Zikist,
Gen Danjuma who fought for unity and Prof Ango northern
elder, are now entertaining dividing the country which has
been there for them to be what they are today. Even those born
after independence like Mustapha champion of Northern
group, Kanu of IPOB, Asari of Niger delta, Yinka of Afenifere
are also nibbling the bait of division!
T H I S D AY, T H E S U N D AY N E W S PA P E R ˾


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Olaopa
up) due to the assiduous commitment of succeeding Nigerian
governments since independence.
This is another independence celebration, and a landmark one
at that. And so, it calls for a huge reflection on how far Nigeria’s
democratic governance has been able to jumpstart development
objectives through an efficient public service system. In other
words, is the Nigerian public service delivering efficient services
translating into infrastructural development? Has it been able
to adequately and effectively raise the productivity profile of the
Nigerian state to a qualitative high? Is the service itself getting more
professional, knowledge-driven, transparent and accountable?
These are very fundamental questions that speak to the cumula-
tive achievements of the reforms of the public service in Nigeria.
One way to critically interrogate the success of the administrative
reforms in Nigeria, since independence therefore, is to determine
the extent to which they have accumulated into a body of quality
transformation of the system and into an efficient machinery for
managing complex policies with significant welfare dividends.
This is where our assessment breaks down. Life is still very difficult
for Nigerians. And we have very little to celebrate, for once, since
the first independence celebration in 1960. This means we are still
To compound the problem even leaders freely elected in gov-
ernment are confessing their failure. Is it not frightening to hear
Osinbajo the number two in command talking about cracks
and division under their watch? Or, Governor Zulum advising
that we invite Chadians to defend and protect our sovereignty?
And Buhari who fought as a soldier to unite Nigeria, now as
president is to be our undertaker? What really is wrong with us
or rather what went wrong?
Those of us in the penthouse (former or serving presidents,
governors, captains of industry, Imams, clerics, university dons,
technocrats and the entire elite family) should note that a united
Nigeria has been there for us. What can we give Nigeria back
so that others coming behind and even generations unborn can
also actualize their dreams?
I grew in a village 72 years ago. My parents, my community,
my leaders, formal and informal institutions and my country
Nigeria were all there for me. In my adult life through my work
places in Nigerian Railways in Zaria as pupil engineer, Nige-
rian Tobacco Co Ltd as quality controller and later salesman
in the then North West and North East and AC Christlieb as
marketing manager in Lagos, Nigeria was there for me. I have
travelled from Lagos through Ijebu Ode to Ore Benin, Asaba,
Uli, Ihiala, Owerri, Port Harcourt, Aba, Uyo, Calabar, Itigidi up
to Awka! I’ve been everywhere in the East, West and North.
Wherever I travelled, I met fellow human beings, not Ibos,
Yoruba, Kanuri, Munchi, Ijaws, Chakiri or Fulani nor Muslims,
Christians or free thinkers. And in any community I was, there
existed love and friendship such that I felt as safe and secure as
in my village Bamaina.
Later in 1979 as a parliamentarian and member of the Federal
House of Representatives in Lagos, it was the same spirit of
comradeship. As parliamentarian tour work took me around
the world, it made me appreciate Nigeria better. When I became
minister of Foreign Affairs, my outlook was fully broadened,
my instincts sharpened and I came to understand the role God
destined Nigeria to play as leader of the Black race.
Nigeria commanded huge authority within the comity of
Nations, Nigeria was respected world wide. In our sub-region
and Africa, Nigeria was (is?) respected as ‘Senior Brother’ and
in the middle of nowhere. We still have the same set of administra-
tive and institutional challenges confronting us year in and year
out.
To hit the nail on the head: the Nigeria reform efforts have been
considerable and well-intentioned. But it is enormously lacking in
its focus on the root-cause analysis of what is truly wrong with the
public service system since independence. Why has all the reform
effort not led to an efficient public service? In essence, there is a
need to reform the reform through root-cause analyses that aim at
hitting at the origin or source of the problem. And in this case, the
question is why is the public service system still inefficient.
One fundamental response to this question is that since
independence, and for sixty years, we have failed to get the basics
of reforming the public service right. The truth is that most of the
public sector reforms have not been successful in creating a new
public service that Adebo in 1971 and Udoji in 1974 envisioned,
for a range of reasons. One, most of the reforms to date have
focused more on symptoms, such that recommendations place
too much emphasis on the initial evidence of something that has
gone wrong. Consequently, the issue of why, over time, the same
problems come up again and again suggests that the root causes
of the problems have not been adequately investigated, analyzed
and addressed. These are invariably a mix of the systemic and
the Nigeria factors demanding deep-rooted reengineering and
culture change. Besides, due to poor policy and research function
and culture of seminal interrogation of deep issues in the public
service, in turn a reflection of a chronic culture of anti-intellectu-
alism that treats rigorous solutions as theoretical, most reform
programmes merely implement developed countries’ reform
models as advised by the World Bank, IMF of this world, and
private consulting firms. Most of these invariably fail conception-
reality tests. Besides, unreflective importation of best practices
fails to recognize that there is really no ideal benchmark to use in
changing the performance of public institutions that invariably
requires creative reinvention based on their internal logic.
Other challenges are legion. There are recurring incidences of
appointing ineffective leaders for the civil service, and absence of
metrics to hold them accountable, with the top leadership in the
Nigerian public service remaining one of the very few left in the
world today, that are not held against performance agreements
and scorecards. There is of course the whole issues of expenditure
management issues and resource optimization in the public
sector, a symptom of poor and compromised internal control and
general lack of capacity and skills within Finance and Human
Resource management departments.
–––Prof. Tunji Olaopa, retired Federal Permanent
Secretary & Professor of Public Administration, National
Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies (NIPSS), Kuru, Jos.
(See concluding part of the article on www.thisdaylive.com)
Lamido
to the Black race, Nigeria was inspirational and a reference
point.
Please Nigeria do no break up!
Thank you Nigeria for being there for me, I cannot thank
you enough!
HAPPY BIRTHDAY!*
––Mr Lamido is a former governor of Jigawa State.
THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER
˾
OCTOBER 4, 2020
ENGAGEMENTS
A Fearsome Urgency in Borno
I
n less than 36 hours in the past fortnight,
Borno State governor, Babagana Zulum,
was the target of two gruesome assas-
sination attempts. In a frightening video
that has been circulating on the social
media, the firefight between the vicious
armed attackers in ambush and the gov-
ernor’s security personnel was so intense
and obviously came as lightning surprise that
the vehicles in the convoy became shields of
armour for security guards and the VIPs in the
entourage. A figure of a helpless man crawling
for safety underneath one of the vehicles is
rumored to be the governor himself in a
desperate crawl for dear life. In this age of
truthful lies and alternate facts, I have no way
of ascertaining the veracity of this.
A concerted military operation targeted
at the convoy of a sitting governor with the
obvious objective of taking him out or down
is a poster indicator of abysmal insecurity. If a
governor with all the visible indicators of state
security and maximal coercion can be so inse-
cure, why would ordinary folk not be mortally
afraid. That these attacks took place in a state
that is practically a theatre of active military
operation provides an obvious suspect: Boko
Haram. The specific location is Borno state
but the target is clearly the entire country now
caught in the throes of spiraling insecurity.
The attacks on governor Zulum are first and
foremost assassination attempts. Mr. Zulum
is primarily the political leader of Borno
State, a sub sovereign territory that is being
actively contested by a rival armed force.
In that context, the location makes Zulum a
legitimate military target. But because the man
is primarily a politician, the field of suspicion
in these attacks must sweep beyond the purely
military context of Boko Haram. The urge to
explore conspiracy scenarios is heightened
by the fact that Zulum alone has probably
experienced the highest number of ambush
assassination attempts in the over a decade of
Boko Haram during which governors have been Zulum
coming and going. Mr. Zulum is on record as
having excoriated both the military and the federal
authorities for the inefficiencies in the anti insurgen-
cy operations in his state. The questions, therefore,
remain: Who wants Zulum dead and why?
Since his election, Governor Zulum has functioned
more or less like a war time governor. In this regard,
he has shown exemplary leadership in terms of his
commitment to the relief and resettlement of the
many citizens of the state displaced by the Boko Ha-
ram insurgency. Remarkably, he has not allowed the
obvious dangers of governing a state that is largely a
war zone to deter him. On repeated occasions, he has
shown open reservations about the conduct of sol-
diers on security duties in civilian centres of the state.
On one occasion, he took open exception to soldiers
extorting motorists at a major highway checkpoint.
Such encounters may not have earned him too many
friends in sensitive places. But the governor seems
self assured in his moral posture. It is significant that
the recent ambushes on his convoys took place on his
way from an IDP resettlement event.
From the perspective of the Boko Haram insurgen-
cy, the governor of Borno state, the key operational
theatre, would be a prize target for political and
strategic reasons. It will register the terrorists as ef-
fective and active contestants for political control of a
big slice of Nigeria’s sovereign space. If they can take
the governor out, it will convince their followership
that their dream of a caliphate around the Lake Chad
basin is indeed feasible.
Secondly, a successful strike on Zulum will put a
lie to the bogus and consistent bluff of the Nigerian
state and its security apparatus that the anti-Boko
Haram war is practically over. An insurgent force
that has been defeated does not launch such daring
operations in rapid succession even as a roving
guerilla movement. Nor would a dying terror group
be so bold as to choose a high value target that could
expose them to great harm.
There has been enough recent activity in that
theatre to reaffirm that Boko Haram is still very much
alive and well. In the last one month, Boko Haram
ambushes have claimed the lives of many soldiers
including the brilliant force commander, Colonel
Dahiru Bako. Obviously, between the propaganda
of the authorities and the actual situation on the
ground, there would seem to be a disconnect which
could endanger the lives of the unsuspecting.
At the level of basic security and VIP protection,
the movement of a state governor is not exactly a
e-mail:chidi.amuta@gmail.com
silent or sudden affair. Even at short notice, it would
be planned and in such a hostile environment, the
security detailing and route scoping would be known
by the experts. Such planning would be conducted in
close collaboration with relevant military authorities
in charge of the theatre. The fact that on both occa-
sions, the ambushes precisely targeted the governor’s
convoy at weak points on those routes should help
investigators determine where the intelligence leak-
age in the governor’s security cover lies. In this age of
cell phones and all manner of electronic positioning
devices and tools for surveillance, detection and
exchange of information among devious collabora-
tors should be predictable.
We live in a country that has fast degenerated into
a free laboratory for all forms of violent excursions.
Systemic instability has fed casual violent escapades
by non -state actors. These days, there is no shortage
of freelance gunmen, militants, bandits and assorted
transactional trouble makers for rent on the cheap.
In such a Hobbesian terrain, laying ambushes
for the convoys of governors and other VIPS could
graduate into a macabre fad, a veritable paradigm for
imitation among the diverse armed factions roaming
our national space. In the countdown to another “do-
or-die’’ general election in 2023, military style am-
bushes for top political contestants could become an
attractive business proposition for contract bandits.
The more frightening dimension of the Borno crisis
is the reality that the insurgency may have become
part of the partisan fray in Borno state. Boko Haram
has been around for quite a while.
It could not possibly be insulated from the politics
of the state. People are mindful of the fact that it was
a disagreement between the late Mohammed Yusuf,
founder of Boko Haram, and the then state governor
Ali Modu Sheriff that sparked off the insurgency.
There seemed to be an understanding then that Mr.
Yusuf was free to propagate his sect and canvass his
theology without disturbing the peace or challenging
the state. Trouble apparently started when the cleric
trespassed into political territory by weaponizing his
followership against the governor and his politics.
He was beginning to steer his movement in the
direction of Hamas and Hezbollah, competing with
government for the hearts and minds of the people
by providing copeting social services. The governor
ordered Yusuf’s arrest and detention. He later died
in police custody under questionable circumstances,
a development that sparked off anger among his fol-
69
with ChidiAmuta
lowers. They later took to Sambisa
and other forests never to return in
peace. From there they launched
Boko Haram, as a jihadist move-
ment with clear anti-Western and
anti government agenda. The rest is
history.
The possibility that the Nigerian
tradition of armed politics could
now find Boko Haram a ready
source of armed thugs and a ready
fighting force is clear and present.
Any political faction supported
by Boko Haram in Borno politics
can be assured of a ready supply of
armed thugs.
Given this background, we
cannot discountenance the political
implications and connectedness
of the military security situation
and the contest for political pre-
eminence in Borno state. It becomes
impossible also to disconnect the
Boko Haram insurgency from a
nasty political tradition in the state
which has pitted fundamentalist
sectarians against the secular state.
Across the rest of Nigeria, there is
now an abiding fear that the Boko
Haram insurgency and the war
against it have become a veritable
source of small arms and unofficial
weapons training for criminals
disturbing the peace around the
country. No one knows how much
of this information has been scien-
tifically verified and documented
by our security establishment.
What is undeniable however is that
the Boko Haram war has lasted this
long because it has since become
a major revenue and expenditure
sub -head in our national budget.
Naturally, wherever there is con-
sistent government revenue and
expenditure, business opportuni-
ties emerge, an industry germinates, vested interests
organize and sooner than later, an industry is in place.
In other words, there is presently an active conspiracy
theory that some vested interests are in no hurry for
Nigeria to exit the war. People point to the fact that
while it took the Nigerian military a mere two and
half years to end the Nigerian civil war, the Boko Ha-
ram war has lingered for over a decade. Yet, we have
more advancements in training and weaponry plus,
overwhelming international support based on the
acknowledgment that Boko Haram is an active part of
the global terror network. Most intelligence estimates
have projected that the Boko Haram insurgency
ought to have ended in less than five years. But it has
lingered as both political foot ball and an ‘industry’ in
its own right.
Nigeria’s Defence Headquarters has in the course of
this campaign acquired formidable PR and political
communication savvy and clout. It insists that this
is no symmetric waefare. It is an unconventional
war, being fought against an unconventional enemy
with training and support from hardened terrorist
movements outside across international borders in a
globalised information age.
It is of course in the interest of our defence and
security establishment to continue assuring the
political leadership in Abuja that Boko Haram has
been ‘liquidated’, ‘practically defeated’, ‘neutralized’
or ‘substantially degraded’. Just words and empty
phrases. But of course Mr. Shekau, the leader of the
terrorists movement, has in the process acquired
more than the proverbial nine lives. He has been vari-
ously ‘killed’ over and over and has become the only
Nigerian villain known to have died and resurrected
so many times! Perhaps Mr. Shekau’s ‘immortality’ is
the boldest indication of the altered face of Nigeria’s
military prowess.
Here then lies the ultimate significance of the
travails of Governor Zulum. These harrowing experi-
ences are perhaps the next level in the descent of
our nation into hopeless insecurity and foreseeable
anarchy. The Zulum attacks are in some ways a
metaphor for the current state of internal security in
the nation. Today it is Borno state and its governor.
No one knows for whom next the bleak bell will
toll. This is the reality of vicious insurgency. It is the
face of a direct affront on authority, officialdom and
sovereignty. Above all, it is a stark daily reminder
that Nigerians are now in a place where the safety of
citizens can no longer be taken for granted.
70
NEWSXTRA
Boko Haram: Military Approaches Cameroon for Support
Michael Olugbode in Maidu-
guri
The Multinational Joint Task
Force (MNJTF), a combined
military formation of West and
Central African countries, at
the weekend, approached the
Cameroonian forces for assistance,
especially in terms of reinforce-
ment, to enable them turn the tide
against the Boko Haram terrorist
group in the troubled Chad Basin.
The request followed a spate of
attacks by the insurgents lately,
which involved several military
fatalities.
The terrorist group has contin-
ued to pose a serious threat along
the Chad Basin, launching three
attacks on the convoy of the Borno
State Governor, Professor Babagana
Zulum. The second attack claimed
the lives of about 30 persons,
Persons With Disabilities
Seek End to Gas Flaring
Omon-Julius Onabu in Asaba
Persons living with disabilities
have appealed to the government,
corporate organisations, good
spirited individuals and groups
to come to their aid to save them
the harsh effects of gas flaring in
oil producing communities.
The group said that gas flar-
ing not only destroyed the local
environment but also worsened
the impact of COVID-19 pandemic.
They made the appeal, weekend,
during a media dialogue with the
theme, “Amplifying the Voice of
Persons Living with Disabilities
in the Climate Change Discuss”,
held at Las Hogar Hotels and
Suites, Kwale, the administrative
headquarters of Ndokwa West
Local Government Area of Delta
State.
The event was organised
by Persons with Disabilities
Action Network (PEDANET)
Nigeria with support from the
Global Greengrants Fund, with
the PEDANET Executive Director,
Ubaka Emeka Betram, harping
on the need for persons living
with disabilities to take more active
interest in issues that impacted
them directly or indirectly, like
climate change.
The citizens, made up of
men, women and youths with
disabilities, lamented that though
Sahara Group Inaugurates
Impact Fund to Promote SDGs
Sahara Foundation, the corporate
citizenship vehicle of energy
conglomerate, Sahara Group,
has launched the Sahara Impact
Fund (SIF) and the ‘Governance
Unusual Programme’ to facilitate
the generation of ideas and solutions
towards increasing access to clean
energy, mobilising partnerships to
promote the Sustainable Develop-
ment Goals (SDGs) and inspiring
a good governance paradigm shift.
Director, Governance and
Sustainability, Sahara Group,
Pearl Uzokwe, said the Sahara
Impact Fund and Governance
Unusual programme “will reinforce
ongoing conversations on boosting
entrepreneurial capacity and how
individual responsibility can inspire
a paradigm shift that will culminate
in the “whole” gravitating towards
“doing the right thing” – without
equivocation.
mostly security personnel on the
convoy. A third attack followed just
days after. Just before the attacks
on the governor’s convoy, the
insurgents had killed a Nigerian
army commander and some of
his soldiers in an ambush also in
Borno State.
It was against this backdrop that
MNJTF, which comprises units
from Nigeria, Benin, Cameroon,
Chad, and Niger, contacted the
Cameroonian military for support.
A press release yesterday by the
Chief of Military Public Information
of the N’Djamena-headquartered
formation, Colonel Muhammad
Dole, revealed that the MNJTF
Force Commander (FC), Major
General Ibrahim Manu Yusuf,
made the appeal during a three-day
operational visit to Cameroonian
formations/units in Maroua, in the
Far North Region of the Republic
their various challenges had always
meant daily hardships for them,
the continued flaring of gas by
the oil companies in Ndokwaland
has made the effects of the new
Coronavirus far more severe,
practically making their lives
nightmarsh.
They lamented that they were
also victims of various health and
environmental effects of gas flaring
with most of them being unable
to move around and go to farms
and other places where they earned
their daily bread due to flooding
and pollution.
One of the resource persons
and Founder, Initiative for Cul-
tural Heritage, Chief Osaemenjor
Chukwuemeka, noted that most
of the people concerned found it
very difficult to access hospitals
and public places including
churches, government offices and
even various hotels and centres
of learning because persons with
disabilities were not taken into
consideration in structuring of
these public places.
Chukwuemeka, who appealed
to “hospitals to assist these special
citizens to cover the distressing
distance they have to cover to
access doctors in hospital clin-
ics”, urged hospitals, hotels and
public places to be more sensitive
to special needs of persons on
wheelchair.
“Sahara Group is delighted to
promote a robust movement for
self-governance – one that chal-
lenges everyone to be the measure
for “doing the right thing” against
all odds,” he said.
Uzokwe noted that Sahara Foun-
dation “will drive the programme
using the Sahara entrepreneurship
model with an underlying ethos of
creating an enabling environment
for entrepreneurs.”
“The fund’s capacity is set at
over $100,000 with opportunity for
incremental access by beneficiaries
based on impact, reach and sustain-
ability matrices targeted at support-
ing young social entrepreneurs in
Africa with seed funding as well as
providing access to mentoring from
Sahara Group and other private
sector partners, to scale up clean
energy and sustainable environment
innovations.
of Cameroon.
Dole stated, “It is pertinent to
note that the operations of Sector
1 MNJTF (Cameroon) are closely
linked with the operations of other
formations of the Cameroonian
Defence Forces. These include
Operation EMERGENCE by the
4th Joint Military Region and the
4th Gendarmerie Region as well as
Operation ALPHA by the Rapid
Intervention Battalion (BIR), all
located in Maroua.”
He explained that the purpose
of the visit was to enhance the
synergy between the MNJTF and
the adjoining national operations of
the Cameroonian Defence Forces.
The statement said, “On ar-
rival, Major General Yusuf paid
a courtesy visit to the Governor
EMPOWERING WOMEN . . .
Alapomu of Apomu, Oba Adenekan Afolabi; Olori Janet Afolabi and Osun State First Lady , Alhaja Khafayat Oyetola at the unveiling of Apomu
Women Cooperative Society in Apomu Osun state... Friday
Atiku Lauds Fintiri
Transformation Agenda
Daji Sani in Yola
A former Vice President, Alhaji
Atiku Abubakar has commended
Adamawa State Governor, Alhaji
Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri for intro-
ducing policies that will promote
prosperity and growth in the state.
Abubakar stated this in a letter
of congratulation he addressed to
the governor at the weekend to
felicitate with him on Nigeria’s
60th independence anniversary.
He observed that despite the
fact that Fintiri inherited N115
Billion debt from the previous
administration, he was still able
to champion a world-class trans-
formation of the macroeconomic
structure of the state.
Abubakar, the presidential
candidate of the Peoples
Democratic Party in the 2019
general election, commended the
governor’s efforts at eradicating
corruption in the state.
“It is not for nothing that you
are popularly referred to as ‘ATM’
and ‘fresh air’ as the first amongst
first term governors to success-
fully conduct local government
elections and expunge a culture
of unpaid salary arrears of local
government workers, primary
school teachers and the primary
healthcare sector.
T H I S D AY, T H E S U N D AY N E W S PA P E R ˾


Ͳ˜
2020

of the Far North Region, His
Excellency, Midjiyawa Bakari,”
who commended the MNJTF for
stabilising and restoring relative
peace to the Lake Chad Basin.
Dole stated that Bakari ap-
preciated the sacrifices of the
soldiers from the MNJTF Troops
Contributing Countries and assured
them that the on-going military
operations would ultimately bring
peace and security for sustainable
development of the region.
According to the statement,
Yusuf, in his response, appreciated
the political support and public
goodwill extended to Sector 1 of
MNJTF. He added that the support
had facilitated the smooth execution
of non-kinetic operations, leading to
the surrender of several insurgents
“Your recent infrastructure
development strides will for-
ever change the landscape and
economic fortunes of Adamawa.
You have exhibited the highest
qualities of leadership for the
diverse ethnicities of our state.
“Indeed, I am a proud citizen
of Adamawa state under your
stewardship. There is a global
call and looming fundamental
shift and diversification of the
economy.
“As we celebrate our dia-
mond jubilee, this is a time
for us to reflect and appreciate
that Northern Nigeria was
developed without oil, and
in order to achieve continued
development, it is our obligation
to ensure that the North is the
nerve of economic diversification
in Nigeria.
“Aware of our strength and
potential to grow without oil, I
would like to seize this medium
to call for a strategic diversification
for the prosperity of our people.
“This will support security,
innovation, eradication of poverty,
economic transformation, regional
integration, and most importantly,
a significant development of our
region. Please accept my best
wishes as we celebrate our
unrelenting strength as a nation,”
in Sector 1 Area of Operation.
Dole stated that the FC was
emphatic on the unalloyed
commitment of the MNJTF to
creating conducive environment for
the return of Internally Displaced
Persons (IDPs) and refugees to their
homes to pursue their legitimate
economic activities.
Yusuf also visited the Head-
quarters of Fourth Joint Military
Region, where the Commander,
Major General Saly Mohamadou,
extolled the existing synergy among
Operations EMERGENCE, ALFA
and troops of Sector 1 of MN-
JTF. Mohamadou, however,
urged the Force Commander
to explore additional areas
in which the two operations
could further consolidate on the
Military Destroys Militant
Camps on Ilaje Waterways
James Sowole in Akure
To pave way for a violence-free
governorship election in Ondo
State, military and paramilitary
security agencies have destroyed
militant camps in riverine Ilaje and
Ese Odo Local Government Areas
(LGAs) of the state.
The operatives were drawn
from the Nigerian Army,
Nigerian Navy, Nigerian
Immigration Service, Nigeria
Police Force as well as the
Nigeria Security and Civil
Defence Corps (NSCDC).
The exercise started at
Igbokoda, the headquarters
of Ilaje LGA and later
extended to Atijere, Aber-
eke, Agadagba, Obolowo,
Aserebobo, Arogbo and
Idiogba, among others all
in coastal area of the state.
Speaking after the exercise,
the Brigade Commander of
the 32 Artillery Brigade,
Brig.-Gen. Zakari Abubakar
said the operation was to warn
hoodlums on the waterways
that the security agencies were
combat-ready to ensure that the
coming election was violence-free.
He said: “Our men have gone
for Show of Force. It means telling
hoodlums and militants that are on
operational successes recorded.
He expressed the willingness to
continue with joint operations
between the national and MNJTF
forces in the region.
Yusuf acknowledged the need
for sensitisation of national forces
on the imperative of non-kinetic
measures as complementary efforts
to kinetic operation to ensure
continuous insurgents defection,
the statement said. He added that
winning public support was
a tested veritable strategy for
successful counter-insurgency
operations in the region. The
FC urged commanders of both
the national and MNJTF forces
to sustain regular operational
visits for better understanding
and mutual benefits.
the creek and want to take undue
advantage to cause trouble that
we are ready.
“The purpose of today’s exercise
was to get prepared for the October
10 gubernatorial election. We want
to ensure that the election is free
and peaceful and make sure that
hoodlums do not interfere.
“The places visited lead to Delta
and Ogun States and they will be
coming. But I want to assure you
that whenever they come from, we
will give them a blocking force.”
He, therefore, urged the
hoodlums on the waterways to
shun all forms of violence and
intimidation before, during and
after the October 10 election.
According to him, the military
is aware of several camps that
are springing up on the waterways.
He said: “With the exercise, we
have been able to destroy one hideout
of hoodlums at Asere.”
The commander, also, disclosed
that the armed forces “will carry
out another operation next
week Tuesday if logistics are
provided.”
He, therefore, enjoined prospec-
tive voters not to be afraid but
to come out and vote, even as
he assured them that the security
agencies would protect and provide
a conducive environment for them.
SUNDAY OCTOBER 4, 2020 • T H I S D AY 71

SIMONKOLAWOLE
SIMONKOLAWOLELIVE!
The Crave for a New Nigeria
I
n my previous article, ahead of Nigeria’s
60th Independence Day celebrations, I
tried to examine the root of Nigeria’s
divisive politicking. In what many
saw as a sacrilegious criticism of our
venerated “founding fathers”, I argued
that their politics was founded on ethnic
and regional sentiments and quite destructive.
Most colonial-era political parties were formed
along sectionalist lines. I argued that most of the
politicians did not genuinely work to create a
united country, even though they were excellent
administrators. We inherited a Nigeria built on
mutual suspicion and bitter political rivalry
and it is this divided Nigeria that we have
operated and are operating till today.
There are basically two choices before us
today, I proposed. One is to continue to fan
the embers of the disunity and unhealthy
battle for supremacy bequeathed to us by our
“founding fathers”. Some of the most dominant
voices in national debate today are products or
by-products of that era. They see themselves
as the anointed custodians of this mindset
and are working very hard, day and night,
to perpetuate it — romanticising a return to
the past that was steeped in ethnic chauvinism
and cronyism which they tend to advocate as
the ultimate solution to Nigeria’s multifarious
challenges. They are still stuck with 1914 while
progress-minded societies are already planning
for 2114.
The second option for us, as I also proposed,
is to chart a new course: to face the future by
pursuing the right politics that will build a
nation where justice, peace and equity shall
reign. Nigeria desperately needs new “founding
fathers” and “founding mothers” who will
promote nation-building and progress, not
those who will keep reviving and propagating
the destructive colonial-era rivalries. We need
new thought leaders and new activists who
will turn the heat on the mismanagement and
incompetence ruining every nook and cranny
of Nigeria. We badly need solution providers,
problem solvers and nation builders. We need
a “New Nigeria” movement.
Unfortunately, we cannot build a “new” Nigeria
with “old” Nigerians — particularly those who
have made up their minds to see nothing but
gloom and doom for the country. To them,
Nigeria is finished and beyond redemption.
To build a “new” Nigeria, therefore, we need
“new” Nigerians — those whose passion is
fuelled by a desire for the development of the
country, those who look around and see massive
opportunities for greatness, those who expend
their energies on promoting what unites us rather
than magnifying what divides us, and those
who believe every part of Nigeria deserves to be
treated with equity, no matter their population,
tongue, beliefs or political leaning.
So who do we turn to in this “New Nigeria”
project? The youth, of course. To build the kind
of Nigeria I am talking about is not a day’s
job. We are not going to go to bed tonight
and wake up tomorrow to see a new Nigeria.
We are not discussing magic here. Nigeria did
not get here overnight and Nigeria will not
be salvaged overnight. It took decades upon
decades to ruin Nigeria, to create the mindset
that shapes the leadership and controls national
discourse. It will take decades to develop a new
mindset that is focused, first and foremost, on
Nigeria rather than “tribe and tongue”. But
can we start this rebuilding today, hoping to
reap the reward in the future?
When I said our hope is in the “youth” —
defined in the National Youth Policy as those
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TR
UT H
Sunday October 4, 2020
MISSILE
Adeboye on Reatestructuring
“Without any doubt, we must restructure and do it as soon as possible. A
United States of Nigeria is likely to survive than our present structure.”
– General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG),
Pastor Enoch Adeboye speaking at an event to.mark the nation 60 years
independence anniversary.
simon.kolawole@thisdaylive.com, sms: 0805 500 1961
President Muhammadu Buhari
between 18-29 years of age, although the African
Youth Charter prefers 15-35 — I’m sure you
sniggered. Youth? The same chaps that are on
social media hurling all kinds of obscenity at each
other based on ethnic and religious prejudice? The
same chaps that are implicated in yahoo-yahoo
(internet scam) all over the world? The same
chaps that are dosing heavily on hard drugs?
The same chaps that would rather vote in Big
Brother Naija (BBN) poll than on election days?
The same chaps that are being churned out by
our rickety educational system? Dear Simon,
are you out of your mind?
No, I am not beside myself. Occasionally, I
do come across the ill-mannered conversations
on Twitter, mostly coated in bad grammar. I
come across vile ethnic and religious hate being
spewed in the crudest language possible. I come
across twisted facts and outright falsehood being
sprayed around in the name of politics. I read
news of young people enrolling in special schools
to learn yahoo-yahoo after swearing to oaths
of secrecy in shrines. I read comments from
the entitled youth, the disrespectful youth,
and the badly behaved youth, on social media
platforms. I see intimidating statistics of youth
unemployment and underemployment. No, I
don’t live on the moon!
But this does not tell the entire story of the
Nigerian youth. For one, it is unfair to use
BBN to judge them. Globally, entertainment
draws more young persons compared to polling
booths. There is nothing peculiar to Nigeria in
this. More so, you can vote in BBN poll and
still vote in elections. They are not mutually
exclusive. More critically, we need to find out
why there is political apathy among the youth.
Is there something that discourages them? How
can we get them to develop more interest? Off
my head, I would say more young Nigerians
are registering to vote, and more are turning
out to cast their ballots compared to the earlier
years of this democratic dispensation.
We need to acknowledge that there is a large
army of young Nigerians who are thinkers
and builders, who are doing things better
than we ever did in our own youth, who are
going to places we never went, and who are
reaching heights we only dreamt of. And I
mean in every walk of life: academics, science,
technology, media, arts and entertainment. Under
the same climate, temperature and humidity,
we are producing resourceful youth, but we
tend to see only the bad and forget the good.
The major task before us is how to retain, refine
N
& RE A S O Price: N400
and reproduce the good, and quite essentially,
how to salvage the bad. We give up too easily,
perhaps just to justify our cynicism.
Could it also be that we are under-appreciating
our youth and, thus, using the deviants to define
the entire demography? When I set up TheCable,
the online newspaper, in 2014, I was initially
frustrated by the quality of applications. I almost
despaired. We still managed to recruit a very
youthful team, average age 23 — and most
of them for their first jobs. It soon became an
unofficial company policy to “catch them young”.
I can testify that from the same vilified army
of youthful Nigerians, we have been recruiting
talents, some of whom have gone on to win
awards or get international jobs. I am proud
of them every minute of the day, even if the
process of mentoring can be quite challenging.
We also have to admit that we have failed our
youth. We cannot complain about the output
without appraising the input. The school system,
both traditional and vocational, is a shambles.
That is not their fault. More so, as a teenage
boy, even in my pre-teen, I had several avenues
for my mind to be properly built, for me to
express my masculinity positively, to escape
idleness. We had the Boys Brigade, Man O’War,
Boys Scout, Royal Ambassadors, etc. Today,
youth groups are collapsing and pre-teen boys
are joining cults. How much blame can we
apportion to them for this? There used to be
several local and national sports competitions
to harvest their talents. Where are they now?
Whether we like it or not, the youth are
the leaders of tomorrow. This is not subject
to argument. It is a natural fact. They are
the building blocks of the society. They will
end up in different fields — business, sports,
media, politics, civil society and civil service.
They will end up calling the shots. If we lose
them today, we lose the future of Nigeria. If
we mismanage their today, we mismanage our
tomorrow. What we owe them is the duty to
encourage the positive use of their energies, to
correct their mistakes, to celebrate their successes
and to show them the light so that they can
find the way, if I may adapt the motto of the
West African Pilot. To make Nigeria great is
a long-distance journey.
Nigerian youth, home and abroad, have
to form the core of the rebuilding the nation.
Mentoring and re-orientating the youth should
form the key strategy, not just for the government
but also for corporate bodies and individuals.
I am putting in my shift as an employer and
as a newspaper columnist. We all have a part
to play to bring out the best in our youth. We
should remember that the youth played a key
role in combating colonialism. There was the
Lagos Youth Movement, which metamorphosed
into a political party called Nigerian Youth
Movement. It was a melting pot for Nigerians
from different ethnic and religious backgrounds,
although mainly southern.
We need a new Nigerian youth movement,
not in name but in mentality — a movement
of informed and interested youth who want a
great Nigeria. I read a joke about the Diamond
Jubilee. Someone said since retirement age in
Nigeria is 60, is it time to retire the old Nigeria
for a new one? It was meant to be a joke but it
really serves my purpose: we need new Nigerians
who want to “side with Nigeria” in this troubled
journey to nationhood. We need youth who
would turn on the heat on leadership at all
levels — federal, state and local — to “force”
them to start doing the right thing today for
the sake of tomorrow. These new Nigerians
must hijack and dominate public discourse.
And Four
Other Things…
PENCOM PALAVER
The nomination of Mrs Aisha Dahir-Umar
(from the north-east) as the DG of the
Nigerian Pension Commission by President
Buhari has been opposed by Senator
Eyinnaya Abaribe, who argued that the
previous DG, Ms Chinelo Anohu-Amazu
(south-east), did not complete her tenure
and the PenCom law says under such
circumstance, someone from the same
zone must replace her. Anohu-Amazu barely
served three years before her removal and
the dissolution of the board. But there is now
a new board. The previous board, dissolved
three years ago, is history. Technically,
therefore, Dahir-Umar has been nominated
as a successor to, not as a replacement for,
Anohu-Amazu. Right?
SAUDI SERMON
President Buhari, in his Independence Day
address, said something to the effect that
it makes no sense for petrol to be cheaper
in Nigeria than in Saudi Arabia. However, if
we are going to make a good argument for
the removal of fuel subsidy, we should not
be referring to Saudi Arabia. In a country
with so many idle presidential jets, where
public officers are taking chartered flights
to attend weddings, where governors are
buying brand new SUVs for judges and
traditional rulers, where hospitals routinely
reject patients saying “no bed space”, where
potable water is a luxury, and where public
schools are an apology, we need more than
Saudi comparisons. Dissonance.
TRUMPING COVID-19
Now that US President Donald Trump has
caught the coronavirus, perhaps the world,
particularly conspiracy theorists, will take
the pandemic more seriously. I believe that
the world can overcome the coronavirus if
we all behave responsibly. It is so disturbing
that like Trump, people are showing little or
no regard for face mask — despite evidence
that droplets from the mouth and the
nose easily transmit the disease. Physical
distancing is too much to ask of some
people. The good news is that the infection
rate is slowing down, so also the death rate.
But I can’t stop imagining how much safer the
world would be if only people would conduct
themselves with responsibility. Upsetting.
STRAY BULLET
Who has the power to conduct recruitment
into the police force? This was never
anything to worry about until the Nigeria
Police Force (NPF) and the Police Service
Commission (PSC) went to war last year.
NPF believed it had the powers while PSC
said it was its function. It ended up in court.
The high court ruled in favour of NPF, and
the force went ahead to recruit 10,000
men and women. Now, the court of appeal
has ruled in favour of PSC. I honestly don’t
think two government bodies should be
fighting in court, but that is by the way. NPF
has expended enormous resources on this
recruitment and it would be too absurd
for this to go down the drain just like that.
Waste.