13112020 - RESTRUCTURING: Southern leaders, M-Belt tackle northern elders

15 

Buhari, OBJ 

condole with 

Ghana, as 

ex-President 

Rawlings 

dies of 

37 

COVID-19 

REPS TO NIGERIANS: 

Ask Executive 

to reduce 

cost of 

governance 7 

Nigeria on 

path of 

growth, 

despite 

challenges, 

Senate tells 

IMF 35 

Veteran 

journalist, elder 

statesman, 

Bisi Lawrence, 

30 

dies at 87 

COVID-1 

VID-19 9 pushes households further below w pover 

erty ty line 

31 

19 

VOL. 27: NO. 64205 FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 13, 2020 

RESTRUCTURING: 

Southern leaders, M-Belt 

tackle northern elders 

•Afenifere, Ohanaeze, M-Belt Forum, PANDEF chide NEF 

5 

•NEF’s allegation is unfortunate—Afenifere 

•Statement, an admission of north enjoying imbalance structure - Ohanaeze 

•Restructuring: Nigeria doesn’t depend on North, anybody – PANDEF 

•Your position on restructuring is a show of weakness, Middle Belt Forum tells NEF 

FG 

expresses 

concern 

over mental 

health of 

Covid-19 

7 

survivors 

Mr & Mrs 

UNENDING TEARS ON MILE 2-APAPA ROAD—Trucks and tankers continued their siege on Mile 2 axis of 

Apapa-Oshodi Expressway, yesterday as motorists groan. Photo: Kehinde Gbadamosi. See story on page 11. 

We owe 3,504 contractors 

N69.9bn for housing 

projects, FG tells NASS 

7 

DONU..... 16..... AZU.....17 

MDAs to return unspent 

funds to treasury after 

Dec 31 —Budget t Office 

DG, Akabueze 

8 

•SEE 

INSIDE

2—Vanguard, FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 13, 2020

Vanguard, FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 13, 2020—3


vanguardnews @vanguardnews @vanguardnews 

Vanguard, FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 13, 2020 — 5 

POCKET CARTOON 

LETTER OF CREDENCE —President Muhammadu Buhari receives Letter 

of Credence from Ambassador of Norway, H.E. Knut Eiliv Lein in State House, 

Abuja, yesterday. State House photo. 

RESTRUCTURING: 



By Anayo Okoli, 

Dapo Akinrefon, 

Peter Duru & 

Chioma Onuegbu 

Yoruba socio-political 

organisation, Afenifere, 

its counterpart in the 

South East, Ohanaeze 

Ndigbo, and the Pan- 

Niger Delta Forum, 

PANDEF, yesterday 

flayed Northern Elders 

Forum, NEF, over its 

position on restructuring 

and recent #EndSARS 

protests across the 

country. 

The Northern Elders 

had in a statement issued 

by the Director of 

Publicity and Advocacy, 

Dr. Hakeem Baba- 

Ahmed, said they were 

aware of attempts by 

some politicians 

interested in contesting 

the 2023 presidential 

election to weaken the 

north on many fronts in 

the aftermath of the 

#EndSARS protests. 

NEF also stated that it 

had credible information 

about a plan to force 

restructuring on the 

north, under the guise of 

ending the agitation 

against bad governance 

in the country. 

‘’The Forum is aware of 

attempts to weaken the 

north by interests that 

believe that this is their 

only path to success in 

2023 elections. These 

interests should know 

that the north will 

neither be blackmailed 

nor intimidated, and we 

are quite capable of 

identifying and 

protecting our own 

interests. 

‘’Some of these 

interests seek to exploit 

our plural nature and 

deepen what they see as 

divisions. They will fail 

because northerners 

know that what unites us 

is a lot stronger than 

what divides us. 

‘’Others create the 

impression that the north 

is opposed to the country 

being restructured along 

lines that will improve 

the quality of our union, 

ensure higher higher 

standards of justice, 

better security and 

progress for all 

Nigerians. 

‘’The north is ready to 

discuss all elements of 

our co-existence, but will 

not be stampeded into 

submitting to others who 

feel uncomfortable with a 

strong and united north, 

or blackmail us to adopt 

their visions of our 

future,’’ the northern 

elders had said. 

But reacting yesterday, 

Afenifere in a statement 

signed by the National 

Publicity Secretary, 

Yinka Odumakin, said 

nobody was stampeding 

the North into anything. 

He said: “It is 

unfortunate that such a 

major development that 

we should interrogate as 

a country is being given 

such narrow 

interpretation about 

weakening of the North 

and this shows we cannot 

reason solutions to our 

problem when our 

compatriots cannot step 

out of the box. 

“Nobody is 

stampeding the North 

into anything and they 

are the one doing our 

way or the highway and 

that it is what they allow 

that should happen but 

we have had enough of 

that.” 

In its reaction, 

Ohanaeze Ndigbo said 

the northern elders 

statement only goes to 

show that the North had 

been enjoying the 

imbalance in the 

structure of the nation 

which gave them 

undeserved advantage. 

Speaking through his 

Media Adviser, Emeka 

Attamah, the President 

General of Ohanaeze 

Ndigbo, Chief Nnia 

Nwodo said: “The 

statement by the 

Northern Elders is a tacit 

admission that the North 

has been enjoying an 

undeserved advantage 

viz a viz the South. 

“However, the North, if 

they understand the 

import of restructuring, 

will realize that no part 

of the country will be 

adversely affected if it is 

carried out. 

“It just means bringing 

out the best in all 

sections of the country. It 

will also remove 

i m b a l a n c e , 

marginalization and 

incessant uprisings and 

agitations from some 

parts of the country. 

“It is unnecessary fear 

of the unknown that is 

bogging them. A clearer 

understanding of 

restructuring will appeal 

to all”. 

PANDEF 

Also reacting to the 

Northern elders’ 

position, the apex sociocultural 

organization of 

the South-South geopolitical 

zone, the Pan- 

Niger Delta Forum, 

PANDEF, said the 

restructuring of Nigeria 

was not for the north or 

anybody to decide. 

National Chairman of 

the Forum, Air 

Commodore Idongesit 

Nkanga, retd, said there 

was no plan to force 

restructuring on the 

north under the guise of 

ending the agitations 

against bad governance 


Nkanga, who pointed 

out that restructuring of 

Nigeria was a sealed 

matter, reiterated that 

even if the country was 

not restructured, it 

would eventually 

restructure itself. 

He said there was the 

need to still continuously 

educate the north on 

what restructuring was 

actually all about, since 

the northern elders were 

misinformed on the 

issue. 

Nkanga said: “How 

should they (NEF) 

come out to say people 

plan to force 

restructuring on them 

under the guise of 

agitation against bad 

governance?. 

‘’By that statement, 

they have admitted that 

there is bad governance 

in the country. And 

must they be forced to 

do the right thing? 

“Well that is their 

opinion, but the truth is 

that everybody is 

looking for a way to have 

good governance and if 

there is bad governance 

and restructuring is what 

will end it, a sensible 

person will not do 

otherwise. 

“However, it is not for 

them to say whether 

there will be 

restructuring or not. It 

doesn’t depend on 

anybody; it doesn’t 

depend on the north. 

Continues on Page 35 

By Olayinka Latona 

Clampdown on EndSARS protesters by FG (3) 

This just shows how 

the government likes 

to take a step forward and 

a million steps backwards. 

The guilty ones are not the 

protesters who are raising 

their voices to demand for 

good governance. Do we 

not have a right to protest? 

What crime have they 

committed in asking for 

change? This action by 

the FG is very wrong. 

—Obe Comfort, 

Content hub-creator 

The freezing of 

EndSARS protesters’ 

bank accounts by the FG is 

condemnable, shameful and 

illegal. Nigeria is presently 

practising military rule in the 

name of democracy. The 

action of the FG shows that 

those at the helm of affairs 

are chasing shadows. I 

advise them to channel their 

energy into something 

productive such as ending 

insecurity, banditry, poverty. 

—Familugba Victor, 

Comedian 

The 

decision 

reveals that the 

FG could track 

anybody or anything 

within the country. It 

also reveals that 

Nigeria’s democracy is 

questionable. However, 

we expect the FG to 

channel such power 

into correcting all the 

decay in the different 

sectors. 

—Adejumo Olalekan, 

Journalist 

I was shocked 

hearing of such move 

by the FG and I wonder 

what these people’s 

accounts have to do with 

the protest. Are they the 

ones that sponsored the 

hoodlums that hijacked 

the protest? The FG as a 

matter of urgency should 

reverse this action in 

order not to cause another 

problem in the country. 

—Samuel Iniyezur, 

Pastor 

All these moves against 

peaceful protesters don’t 

speak well of our democracy. 

Is it now a crime to give 

financial assistance to fight 

injustice? Why freeze their 

accounts? Did they steal any 

money? Did they fund 

terrorists? I feel the FG should 

redirect that energy towards the 

corrupt minded citizens who 

are busy milking the nation dry 

and not innocent citizens 

demanding for a better 

society. 

—Adegbile Victor, 

Realtor 

This action by the FG 

against the 

EndSARS protesters is 

very shameful. Does this 

show we are practising 

democracy? Why can’t 

the government go after 

those who hijacked the 

protests, looted and 

destroyed properties 

during the EndSARS 

protests? 

— Olabamide 

Omotayo, 

Cleric

6 — Vanguard, FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 13, 2020 

Court orders 

Toke Makinwa to 

pay ex-husband 

N1m for 

defamation 

•Orders defamatory 

words be removed from 

book within 30 days 

By Onozure Dania 

L AGOS—JUSTICE 

Olukayode Ogunjobi, 

of a Lagos High Court 

sitting at the Tafawa Balewa 

Square yesterday ordered 

On Air Personality, OAP 

Omotoke ‘Toke’ Makinwa, to 

pay her ex-husband and 

fitness entrepreneur, Maje 

Ayida N1 million for 

defamation. 

Justice Ogunjobi said that 

Makinwa made the 

defamatory statements in her 

2016 book “On Becoming” 

published by Kachifo Ltd. 

The Judge held that “after 

a careful consideration of the 

evidence before the court,” it 

found only the contents of 

page 54 line 11-16 and page 

83, Line 1 of the 1st 

defendants book as 

defamatory. 

The court found that Toke’s 

claim in those portions of the 

book that she gave Ayida N2, 

000 to give to a woman and 

that she got an infection 

through him, unproven. 

Page 54, line 11-16 reads: 

“He dropped me off but asked 

if I had N2000, he wanted to 

leave it at the gate for his 

cousin who was visiting. I 

gave him the money. I 

stupidly paid for Anita’s 

transport and I could not 

speak up. I was in shock.” 

Page 83, line 1 reads: “He 

had given me an STI 

(sexually transmitted 

infection) in the past.” 

The Court awarded N500, 

000 as damages against each 

of the first and second 

defendants to any charity 

organisation of the Ayida’s 

choice. 

The court also granted an 

injunction preventing 

Makinwa and Kachifo from 

producing copies of its book 

with the defamatory words on 

pages 54 and 83. 

Justice Ogunjobi equally 

gave the defendant 30 days 

from its judgment to delete 

and remove the said 

defamatory words from 

unsold copies of the book in 

the defendants’ custody. 

Recall that Ayida filed the 

suit marked ID/ADR/820/ 

2017 through his counsel 

Kemi Pinheiro SAN leading 

Adetokunbo Davies. 

Adeyinka Olumide-Fusika 

SAN represented first and 

second defendant Makinwa 

and Kachifo Ltd. 

In his February 15, 2109 

amended statement of claim 

the claimant contended 

through Pinheiro that his 

estranged ex-wife was 

obsessed with social media 

and fame and had made 

several defamatory 

statements on several pages 

of the book, including but not 

limited to pages 44, 48, 52, 54, 

63, 64, 82, 83, 92 and 128. 

2 dead as robbers attack bullion van in Lagos 

LAGOS—TWO 

persons, 

including a motorcyclist, were 

yesterday killed after gunmen attacked 

a bank’s bullion van in Ajah area of 

Lagos. 

This came on a day a former Inspector- 

General of Police, Mr. Tafa Balogun, urged 

officers and men of the Nigeria Police 

Force, NPF, to return to their duties after 

being displaced during the EndSARS 

protests. 

The Ajah attack, it was gathered 

occurred along Addo Road, by Blenco 

Supermarket in Ajah, Eti-Osa East Local 

Council Development Area (LCDA). 

It was gathered that the gunmen in 

Sienna car, opened fire on the bullion 

van around 3pm. 

Video footages of the incident 

showed the van riddled with bullets 

with its tires completed deflated. 

AUTOCRASH: An accident scene at Zuba in Abuja yesterday. Photo: NAN. 

How SARS officers murdered my son in cold 

blood, stole N4m from him — AYINLA 

By Shina Abubakar 

OSOGBO—AS the Osun State 

panel of inquiry set up to 

investigate Police brutality and extrajudicial 

killings in the state commenced 

its sitting yesterday, a petitioner, 

Rasheed Ayinla, has given a gory 

detail how his son, Ismaila, was killed 

in cold blood by the disbanded Special 

Anti-Robbery Squad, SARS, 

personnel to steal his money. 

Ayinla in his petition before the 

panel claimed his son was killed by 

two personnel of the disbanded SARS 

unit, identified as ‘Odua’ and ‘Are’ at 

Ile-Labo Sinmi Oko guest house in 

Iwo, on July 18, 2020 after lodging at 

the guest house the previous day. 

According to Ayinla, Ismail, a father 

of five was shot dead in the early hours 

of the morning by SARS personnel 

who claimed he was an armed robber 

that invaded the hotel at night. 

Ayinla said only N997, 730.00 was 

found on deceased son out of the N5 

million on him. 

The victim’s father said: “The 

deceased, Ismaila Rasheed, left Ore, 

Ondo State, on 17th day of July, 2020, 

on a mission to buy rams for Eid Fitri 

Celebrations. He got Iwo same day at 

about 9:30 p.m. He decided to pass 

the night in a hotel till the following 

day when he would proceed on the 

journey to the northern part of Nigeria 

to buy rams in large quantity for his 

customers. 

“He headed straight to Ile Labo 

Sinmi Oko Guest House at about 9:30 

pm where he lodged until the 

•As ex-IG urges Police officers to return to duty posts 

The remains of one of the victims 

identified as a motorcyclist and his bike 

were seen nearby while the other 

victim’s blood was alleged to have stained 

the ground. 

Witnesses, who recorded videos as the 

robbery was ongoing, said the gunmen 

shot the carriage open and carted away 

the cash inside. 

It was learned that the armed robbers 

started firing the van from a distance but 

the driver refused to stop until he got to 

Blenco Supermarket with his tires 

completely damaged. 

While some alleged that the gunmen 

fled through the lagoon after taking the 

cash, others claimed they entered a 

nearby structure. 

Meanwhile, the former IGP, in a 

unfortunate incident took place at 

about 2a.m. in wee hours of the next 

day. At the Guest House were the 

Manager, Afeez Tella Adio and other 

attendants - Afeez, Ayisat and Yinka. 

“To beef up security along Iwo/ 

Ibadan Expressway, two Police 

Officers, from Special Anti-Robbery 

Squad (SARS) had been 

accommodated in the Guest House 

by the owner, Alhaji Ayo Dauda 

Adigun, on the consent of the 

Divisional Police Officer, DPO. The two 

officers, “Odua” and “Are” had stayed 

in the guest house for about seven 

months for free of charge. 

“Late Ismaila Rasheed was given room 

in the guest house by the Manager, 

Afeez Adio. The deceased watched 

alongside other guests, particularly the 

football fans the match between Arsenal 

and Liverpool on that day. 

At about 3:30 am, one of the officers of 

the SARS in the guest house, called the 

Manager, Afeez Tella Adio, that they had 

shot dead one of the thieves that 

invaded the Guest house. 

The Manager rushed to the guest 

house and found Ismaila Rasheed in 

his pool of blood. The Manager said, 

the last word from the deceased was 

Omo Ole, o ti pa mi (Thieves, you have 

killed me) 

“At about 6:20am on 18/7/2020, the 

Manager ran to the house of the owner 

of the Guest House, at Iwo, to inform 

him of the development. The owner of 

the Guest House ran there and found 

the D.P.O and other officers of the 

Nigeria Police were there before him. 

“The duo of the SARS officers in the 

statement, said: “I urge all members of 

the Nigeria Police in our country to 

return to their duty posts and continue 

to provide the much needed security to 

our dear country, Nigeria; not minding 

the recent brutal attacks, arson, and acts 

of intimidation against the Police. 

“The Nigeria Police remain the first 

line of Internal Security as guaranteed 

by the Nigerian Constitution. Therefore, 

it behooves all and sundry not to betray 

the spirit of the Constitution. 

“I sincerely appeal and urge all my 

brothers and sisters in the Police Force 

to put the past behind us as the Federal 

and State Governments, as well as the 

police authorities, are positively and 

aggressively addressing the 

unprecedented provocative attacks on 

guest house, shot dead the deceased, 

Ismaila Rasheed, in his cold blood on 

18/7/2020 and stole the N4, 

000,000.00 meant for the purchase of 

rams. One Isiaka, the deceased friend, 

who the deceased called last about 

2:30am on 18/7/2020, made bold to say 

that his deceased friend, had on him 

N5 million for the purchase of the rams. 

The deceased body was taken to the 

mortuary at the General Hospital, 

Iwo, by the Police and he was 

eventually buried on 20/7/2020 at 

Obatedo Cemetery, Iwo, amid tears 

from the sympathizers”, reads the 

petition 

Similarly, a joint signatory to the 

petition, Adio Dauda, the owner of the 

hotel, also said his business had 

suffered great loss due to the action of 

the SARS personnel, adding that since 

the incident, customers have 

abandoned the guest house. 

He sought the relief of the 

committee to make available for his 

business, which has suffered, the sum 

of N6 million while the deceased father 

sought the return of the stolen N4 

million from the deceased and 

additional N100 million as damages 

to take care of his two wives and five 

children. 

However, the Chairman of the 

Panel, retired Justice Akin Oladimeji, 

urged the petitioners to make a proper 

breakdown of the damages sought 

from goverment to justify their losses. 

He also urged victims to come out 

and tell their stories, saying the panel 

would not compromise its integrity and 

would ensure they get justice. 

the police institution. We all love you. 

“Please, once again, I appeal to 

all of you to return to duty without 

further delay.” 

Police arrest 

man, 28 for 

killing, burying 

lover in Lagos 

By Esther Onyegbula 

OPERATIVES of the Lagos 

State Police Command 

have arrested a 28-year-old 

Segun Titilayo of Otolu town, 

Lekki, for allegedly killing and 

burying the remains of his lover, 

Oritoke Mannix in a shallow 

grave. 

Before the incident, 26-year-old 

Oritoke Mannix, who was an 

attendant at K.C Hotel, Apakin 

Town, Lekki, had already been 

declared missing by the police. 

It was learned that on October 

13, 2020, at about 11am, it was 

reported that Segun Titilayo, put 

a call to the deceased and she 

went to Segun’s house but 

Oritoke could not be traced or 

seen afterward. 

However the police recorded a 

case of missing person for the 

deceased. 

Through the police wireless 

message, the case was widely 

circulated to all police formations 

across the state for search and 

necessary police as a practice. 

Meanwhile, on November 7, 

2020, Adegbago David, of Adron 

Homes and Properties, reported 

to the Police Station at Akodo 

Area, Lagos State, that while the 

company was excavating its site 

at Otolu Town, their Caterpillar 

exhumed a decomposing corpse. 

Police detectives swung into 

action and the corpse was 

identified by the staff of the hotel 

to be Oritoke.. 

Confirming the arrest, the 

spokesperson Lagos State Police 

Command, Olumuyiwa Adejobi, 

said the suspect is at present 

detained at the SCID Panti where 

he had given useful information 

to help the police in its 

investigation. 

Adejobi said the state 

Commissioner of Police, Hakeem 

Odumosu, had condemned the 

crime and directed the Deputy 

Commissioner of Police in charge 

of the State CID, Yetunde Longe, 

to carry out thorough 

investigation into the matter. 

Odumosu cautions the 

youths, especially ladies, 

against keeping unscrupulous 

and destructive friends. 

The suspect.


:Vanguard News 

:@vanguardnews :@vanguardnews NEWS HOTLINES: 08052867023, 08052867058 

MEETING—From left: Acting Chairman, INEC, Air Vice Marshal Ahmed Mu’azu, (retd); National 

Commissioner, Festus Okoye, and Muhammad Haruna, during a meeting with resident electoral 

commissioners, in Abuja, yesterday. Photo: Gbemiga Olamikan. 

We owe 3,504 contractors N69.9bn for 

housing projects, FG tells NASS 

• Housing Ministry prioritises projects with N76bn allocation for 2021 

By Henry Umoru 

ABUJA—THE Federal 

Government yesterday 

told the National Assembly 

that it was owing 3,504 contractors 

handling housing 

projects across the country to 

the tune of N69.9 billion. 

Speaking when he appeared 

before the Joint National 

Committee on Housing 

to defence the 2021 budget 

proposals of his Ministry 

in Abuja yesterday, Minister 

of Works and Housing, 

Babatunde Fashola, also said 

the N76.4billion allocated to 

the ministry in 2021 would 

be grossly inadequate to execute 

186 projects across Nigeria. 

The joint committee is led 

by Senator Sam Egwu, Peoples 

Democratic Party, PDP, 

Ebonyi North 

Fashola equally outlined 

budget implementation plan 

for the 2021 fiscal year that 

will see to completion of series 

of its ongoing projects 

nationwide, explaining that 

the prioritization of projects 

by the Ministry for the 2021 

fiscal year was necessitated 

by the difficult situation at 

hand. 

According to him, 

N76billion was approved for 

capital projects in the coming 

fiscal year, a little above 

the N69.9billion outstanding 

liabilities . 

The Minister, who noted 

that the liabilities were monies 

owed the various constructors 

handling capital 

projects for the Ministry, 

said: "The N76billion projected 

for the Ministry as 

capital expenditure for the 

2021 fiscal year is based on 

envelope prescription from 

the Ministry of Finance, 

Budget and National Planning 

. 

" Nonetheless , the basis 

of implementation of the 

2021 budget will be anchored 

on priority areas 

geared towards projects completion 

. 

"Completion of construction 

of the remaining 2,140 

units of houses under the 

National Housing Programme 

in 34 states and the 

Federal Capital Territory is 

one of the priority areas to 

be focused on." 

According to Fashola, other 

projects targeted for completion 

by the Ministry in the 

2021 fiscal year include the 

ongoing Federal Secretariats 

in Anambra , Bayelsa , 

Ekiti , Nasarawa , Osun and 

Zamfara states; upgrading, 

completion and running of 

Building Craft Training 

Schools in Yaba and Onikan 

in Lagos State. 

He also identified other 

projects to include the design 

and installation of Solar Power 

PV Microgrid System and 

Energy Retrofitting of the 

Federal Ministry of Works 

and Housing Headquarters, 

Mabushi, Abuja, among others. 

Fashola told the committee 

that the major factor militating 

against timely completion 

of projects had to do with 

insufficient budgetary provisions 

which required affected 

agencies to go the extra 

mile in getting the required 

funds for project implementation. 

He stressed that besides 

poor budgetary provisions, 

another challenge the ministry 

was grappling with was 

that maintenance and operation 

of public buildings. 

Fashola, who suggested 

that all MDAs should provide 

a sum representing 2- 

10% of capital budget annually 

as maintenance provision, 

said: "Maintenance 

and operation have the potential 

to employ as much as 

10% of the country's working 

population and contribute up 

to 8% to GDP , as adjudged 

in the United Kingdom by 

British Institute of Facilities 

Management and other 

climes in varying ratios, such 

as South Africa, Namibia and 

Australia etc.'' 

In his remarks, Chairman 

of the committee , Senator 

Sam Egwu, assured the minister 

that the 2021 budgetary 

estimates for the housing 

sector would be critically 

looked into by all the members, 

with a view to making 

the desired Appropriation for 

the Ministry. 

Reps to Nigerians: Ask Executive arm 

to reduce cost of governance 

By Levinus 

Nwabughiogu 

ABUJA—In apparent 

reaction to the backlash 

that has continued to 

trail the humongous 

amount of money paid to 

political office holders 

and clamour to reduce 

cost of governance, the 

House of Representatives 

has asked Nigerians to 

pressure the Executive 

arm of government to 

slash their salaries and 

allowances. 

The House contended 

that the Executive arm 

gulps the largest chunk 

of the national annual 

budget of 99.902%, leaving 

the entire legislature 

with a paltry 0.8 per cent. 

At present, Nigeria 

runs a bicameral legislature 

where the National 

Assembly is made up of 

the Senate and the House 

of Representatives. 

The two Chambers 

have a total of 469 elected 

members, comprising 

109 members in the Senate 

and 360 in the House. 

The Executive, consid- 

ered as the second arm 

of government, next to 

the Judiciary, is made up 

of the Presidency and the 

Ministries, Departments 

and Agencies, MDAs, 

with all their appurtenances 

and paraphernalia 

of office which feed on 

the national budget. 

Briefing journalists at 

the National Assembly 

complex yesterday, 

spokesman of the House 

of Representatives, Benjamin 

Kalu, said the 

clamour by Nigerians for 

lawmakers to reduce 

their salaries was rather 

misplaced. 

Agreeing that the cost 

of governance should be 

whittled down and salaries 

of political office 

holders reduced, Kalu 

said the agitation should 

be directed to the Executive 

arm as they get the 

major percentage of the 

annual income. 

The charge was a response 

that emanated 

from a question of whether 

it was not yet time for 

political office holders to 

slash their salaries, following 

the harsh economic 

realities of the moment. 

Kalu would not also respond 

to a direct question 

of exactly how much the 

lawmakers earned as salaries 

when asked. 

He would rather asked 

journalists to activate the 

Freedom of Information 

Act, FoA, to get their answers. 

Lamenting that Nigerians 

were being sold the wrong 

narrative that the National 

Assembly earned higher, 

the House spokesman said: 

''The 0.8% of the National 

budget for the National Assembly 

is not enough to run 

the institution. 

''If you want to cut salaries, 

expenses, cost of governance, 

start it from the 

executive. That’s the truth, 

because the 0.8 percent 

you’re talking about takes 

care of the Senate, people 

think that the money that 

comes to the National Assembly 

is divided by members 

of the House of Representatives, 

that’s a wrong 

narrative being sold there 

and that’s what Nigerians 

believe. 

FG expresses concern over mental 

health of COVID-19 survivors 

By Omeiza Ajayi 

ABUJA: The Federal 

Government has expressed 

concerns about 

the mental health of 

COVID-19 survivors in 

the country, saying it was 

keenly following researches 

around the world 

regarding the issue. 

Government also announced 

its decision to 

prove the circumstances 

surrounding some mysterious 

deaths in Enugu and 

Delta states, even as it cautioned 

religious houses 

against flouting the COV- 

ID-19 safety guidelines. 

Chairman of the Presidential 

Taskforce PTF on 

COVID-19 and Secretary 

to the Government of the 

Federation, SGF, Mr Boss 

Mustapha, disclosed these 

while speaking at the PTF 

briefing in Abuja yesterday. 

"Thee PTF is still very 

much concerned about the 

mental health of survivors 

of the COVID 19 virus. In 

this regard the PTF is following 

reports from researches 

around the world 

regarding the state of psychiatric 

health of survivors 

and has intensified plans 

for in-country response 

under the treatment and 

post-treatment regimes", he 

said. 

Mustapha said the PTF 

is still monitoring situations 

around the world and will 

continue to raise the flag so 

that Nigerians pay adequate 

attention to the rising 

number of COVID-19 

cases especially in high 

burden countries. 

"It will particularly help in 

planning to or not to, embark 

on trips. The candid 

advise of the PTF still remains 

that non-essential 

trips should be totally 

avoided", he stated. 

Mustapha added that the 

number of cases has been 

fluctuating lately and that 

it is an indication that Nigeria 

was not yet out of the 

woods. 

According to him, the cases 

in Lagos where multiple 

infections were recorded in 

two schools are typical examples 

of the danger of reopening 

institutions without 

the required measures. 

"The PTF urges Nigerians 

to take responsibility to 

keep our nation safe by adhering 

to all COVID-19 

preventive measures. It is 

our collective responsibility. 

We must all rally round 

each other to stop this pandemic 

from destroying our 

lives and economy. The 

PTF believes strongly that 

now is the time to raise the 

tempo of not just our national 

response but also our 

preparedness for a new 

wave of the pandemic or 

any other epidemic for that 

matter. For example, it has 

been strongly observed that 

places of worship, gatherings 

and other events have 

dumped the use of face 

masks and adherence to 

Boko Haram: 700 ex-military 

personnel's limbs amputated, 

dismissed —Commission tells 

Senate 

By Henry Umoru 

ABUJA- THE Senate was 

told yesterday that the 

maiming of military personnel 

by members of Boko 

Haram has resulted in no 

less than 700 losing their 

limbs to amputation and 

resultant dismissal from 

service. 

The National Commission 

for Persons with Disabilities, 

NCPD, which disclosed 

this while defending 

its 2021 budget before the 

Senate yesterday, also told 

senators it has integrated 

the 700 military personnel. 

Consequently, Executive 

Secretary of the commission, 

James Lalu, asked for 

an upward review of it's 

budget to meet the increasing 

demand of it's capital 

budget, stressing that there 

were about 31.5 million 

Nigerians living with disability. 

According to him, the 

number keeps increasing 

on a daily basis, especially 

with the recent challenges 

facing the nation. 

He said: "Recently, we 

had to integrate about seven 

hundred ex-military 

personnel who had their 

limbs amputated and eventually 

dismissed from the 

service due to the Boko 

Haram insurgency. 

''We have to provide artificial 

limbs for them to ensure 

they are reintegrated 

back to the society and live 

normal lives." 

He said disability which 

was no longer a charity issue, 

had become a developmental 

issue that needed 

to be properly tackled. 

Lalu, however, warned 

that failure to address the 

issue would place serious 

burden on the government, 

as it would grapple with 

the challenge of giving out 

stipends that would never 

achieve any lasting solution. 

According to him, the increase 

in budget will take 

care of education, healthcare 

needs and livelihood 

of people with disabilities, 

adding that a lot of disabled 

persons take to begging on 

the street when they cannot 

meet their basic needs. 

He said the commission 

had plans, from its 2021 

budget, to open up zonal, 

state and local government 

offices to reach out to all its 

members living in the rural 

areas.




MDAs to return unspent funds to 

treasury after Dec 31 — Akabueze 

By Emma Ujah 

A BUJA—FEDERAL 

Government Ministries, 

Departments and Agencies, 

MDAs, are to return all unspent 

funds to the treasury after 

December 31, 2020. 

The Director-General of the 

Budget Office of the Federation, 

Mr. Ben Akabueze stated this 

while speaking on Channels 

Television breakfast programme, 

Sunrise Daily, yesterday. 

According to him, both 

executive and legislative arms of 

government are committed to 

passing the 2021 budget before 

the end of this year. 

He said: “There is commitment 

on both sides. We are on course 

to have the budget passed before 

the end of the year. Come 

December 31, 2020, budget for 

2020 will lapse and all unspent 

funds will be returned to treasury 

because government cannot run 

two budgets.” 

On the inadequacy of personnel 

votes of many MDAs to pay staff 

salaries in the last two months, 

the DG explained that the gap 

was created by the fact that salary 

increase negotiation was still ongoing 

at the time the 2020 budget 

was passed, adding that the 

personnel projections were based 

on the 2019 figures. 

He assured, however, that 

funds would be pulled from the 

service-wide vote to enable the 

affected MDAs pay their salaries 

till the end of the 2020 fiscal year. 

“When we were preparing the 

2020 budget, the salary increase 

negotiation was still on-going. 

Buhari urges int’l community 

to seek opportunities for 

youth devt in Nigeria 

A 

B 

By Johnbosco 

Agbakwuru 

U J A — 

PRESIDENT 

Muhammadu Buhari yesterday 

urged international community 

and investors to take advantage 

of the country’s diversity in 

human and natural resources for 

investment. 

President Buhari said youth 

development, integration and 

employment remained priority of 

his administration. 

Speaking at a ceremony to 

receive the Letters of Credence 

of the Ambassadors of Belgium, 

Mauritania, Austria and 

Norway at the Presidential 

Villa, Abuja, the President said: 

“Nigeria is ready to pursue 

broader dialogue, as well as 

enhance cooperation and 

collaboration on the basis of 

constructive mutual respect and 

a shared vision for our future. 

“As you may know, Nigeria is 

an ethnic and culturally diverse 

society with various opportunities 

which we seek to creatively utilise 

for the benefit of our people. We 

are also a country with a huge 

population which is 

predominantly youthful. 

“These pose peculiar new 

challenges of their own. As 

Nigeria relates with your 

countries, it is our expectation 

that we should leverage on the 

advantages that can yield positive 

results in youth development in 

our country.” 

The ambassadors, who 

So the personnel vote (for 2020) 

was based on 2019 budget. 

‘’We have control of the 

situation and are working to 

make sure that those agencies 

that were affected have what 

they need for November and 

December from the service-wide 

vote,” he said. 

Akabueze said personnel vote 

for 2020 was based on the new 

salary structure and that a similar 

issue would arise in 2021. 

He, however, disclosed that 

personnel cost would take as 

high as 50 percent of the total 

projected revenue of the federal 

government, if the revenue 

target was met 100 per cent. 

The DG added that the 

personnel vote could be much 

higher than 50 percent of 

revenue, if the target for revenue 

was not met. 

According to him, spending the 

larger proportion of federal 

government’s revenue on 

personnel cost “is not 

sustainable because the 

government is then left with 

very little to fund capital 

projects and other development 

programmes.” 

He said: “But the solution is 

not to cut public sector wages but 

to increase revenue. To support 

people and provide infrastructure, 

we need to increase our revenue. 

We are still dependent greatly on 

natural resources. 

‘’Taxation is the way to go but 

taxes are paid on profit, so people 

are not to worry about 

government’s drive for revenue 

through taxation if things are not 

going on well for them.” 

presented their Letters of 

Credence to the President, 

include Mr Daniel Bertrand, 

Ambassador of Belgium; Mr 

Amedi Camara, Ambassador of 

Mauritania; Mr Thomas 

Schlesinger, Ambassador of 

Austria; and Mr Knut Eiliv Lein, 

Ambassador of Norway. 

President Buhari said Nigeria 

enjoyed very good bilateral 

relations with the respective 

countries and had collaborated 

at the multilateral level to 

achieve targets set by several 

international conventions and 

treaties. 

“Allow me to offer you my 

sincere congratulations as you 

commence your diplomatic duties 

as defined by the Vienna 

Convention on Diplomatic 

Relations. 

‘’As we celebrate its 60th 

anniversary, next year, it is my 

hope that you will carry out your 

respective mandates to improve 

existing cordial relations among 

our countries, consistent with the 

provisions of this time-honoured 

convention,” he said. 

President Buhari in a 

statement issued by his Special 

Adviser on Media and Publicity, 

Chief Femi Adesina, told the 

ambassadors that there was a 

need to enhance the existing 

cordial relations in the interest of 

citizens and countries. 

He said: “Nigeria shares 

common problems of insecurity, 

impact of climate change and 

socio-economic challenges 

common among nations. 

WORKSHOP: From left; The Emir of Machina, Alhaji Bashir Albishir Bukar, the Chairman of the occasion, 

the Emir of Argungu, Alhaji Samaila Moh'd Mera and the Emir of Bade, Alhaji Abubakar Suleiman at the 

Keeping Girls In School workshop for women & youths in Kaduna yesterday. Photo: Olu Ajayi. 

CONVENTION: APC leaders opposing 

membership registration behaving 

like bandits — PGF DG 

By Omeiza Ajayi 

A 

B U J A — 

FOLLOWING 

pockets of agitations for the 

convocation of a national 

convention of the ruling All 

Progressives Congress, APC, 

Director General of the 

Progressive Governors’ Forum 

PGF, Salihu Mohammed Lukman 

has said those asking that the 

party’s membership registration 

be suspended to have the 

convention were behaving like 

criminal bandits. 

In a statement issued yesterday 

in Abuja, Lukman said the 

campaign against membership 

registration in APC was only a 

smokescreen for surrogate 

leadership by those who would 

rather bypass the process and 

install their stooges in the party’s 

leadership hierarchy. 

He said since the reported 

decision to commence the process 

of membership registration/ 

verification by APC National 

Caretaker Committee, there 

have been reports of threats of 

legal actions to block the 

caretaker committee from 

organising the process. 

“Some of the threats even go 

as far as claiming that the only 

mandate given to the Caretaker 

Committee, led by Governor Mai 

Mala Buni, is to organise a 

national convention in 

December 2020. 

‘’In other words, the mandate 

does not cover membership 

registration, and should the 

caretaker committee go ahead 

with the planned membership 

registration, notice of court action 

is being presented. 

‘’According to them, the 

caretaker committee has up to 

December 2020 to do the needful 

or be chased out,’’ he recalled. 

According to Lukman, one 

would expect any leader of the 

party with any claim of being a 

progressive or even democratic 

politician to welcome the need to 

have membership registration/ 

verification, ahead of the party’s 

national convention. 

“In fact, even after membership 

registration/verification, before 

we can satisfy that there are legal 

delegates for any national 

convention, APC would 

require ward, local government 

and state congresses. 

‘’These congresses need to 

hold ahead of the national 

convention to affirm that the 

delegates to attend the national 

convention have the authority 

of party members. With such 

reality, the debate should be 

about how to conduct both the 

membership registration and 

congresses in ways that assist in 

resolving the lingering 

leadership crisis in the party. 

“Sadly, however, it would 

appear that it is the old challenge 

of ensuring that the party 

remained with crisis-prone 

approaches based on some tightfisted 

control of party structures 

by some leaders. 

‘’This means the design is not 

about laying strong foundation 

for the party, based on which the 

rules of the party are the 

reference point but instead 

ensuring that the party is 

controlled by some designated 

leaders whose only objective is 

to manipulate the process of 

candidate selection for elections. 

‘’These so-called leaders 

advocating a national convention 

without going through the 

process of membership 

registration/verification simply 

want to plant their surrogates as 

the new leaders of the party. 

‘’To achieve that, false 

arguments are being presented 

that the national convention of 

the party doesn’t require 

membership registration,” 

Lukman stated. 

Noting that there was no need 

to worry about any litigation on 

this matter, Lukman urged all 

committed APC members to be 

ready for this stage of the 

struggle. 

He said: “As committed party 

members, we should be able to 

combine the political battle for the 

democratic development of our 

party based on ensuring the 

institution of best practice 

standards as the operative 

framework for our party with 

skillful legal engagement. 

Nobody should be allowed to use 

any bullying tactics to force us 

back to the old undemocratic 

ways of manipulating critical 

processes of leadership selection 

in our party by undermining or 

corrupting our membership 

records. Without credible and 

verifiable membership, there is 

practically no party organ, there 

can only be illegitimate leaders 

and therefore illegal delegates to 

any National Convention. As 

party members, we should be able 

to summon the confidence to 

prove this in any court of law. 

“While it is important to 

appreciate the need to ensure 

that the provisions of our party’s 

constitution are respected by 

everyone, especially the 

caretaker committee, which has 

the difficult responsibility of 

resolving our leadership 

challenges, it is important that the 

right thing is done to lay solid 

democratic foundation for our 

party. 

‘’How can any organ of the 

party claim any legitimacy when 

the membership of the party is 

suspect? If the membership of 

the party is suspect, the 

legitimacy of delegates who 

will attend the national 

convention will be also suspect. 

Criminal bandits 

“When was the last time 

anybody was registered as APC 

member in any part of the 

country? When was the last time 

any ward in the country 

transmitted to any local 

government secretariat and/or 

local government transmitted 

any copy to national secretariat? 

‘’Yet, our party’s constitution 

provides that membership records 

should be updated every six 

months. How can any leader 

even attempt to raise questions 

about why we should have 

membership registration/ 

verification? 

‘’In this age of banditry, it will 

appear that some of our so-called 

leaders are as skillful in politics as 

the criminal bandits ravaging our 

communities – towns and 

villages. We must appeal to 

these so-called leaders to 

come back to their senses.'' 

#EndSARS: We’re reviewing 

all evidence, UK speaks on 

petition to sanction FG 

The United Kingdom 

government has said it was 

reviewing all evidence 

concerning the petition seeking 

sanction against the federal 

government over the #EndSARS 

protests. 

The UK Foreign, 

Commonwealth & Development 

Office, however, said it does not 

“publicly speculate on future 

sanctions designations.” 

The petition on the UK 

government and parliament 

website had accused the 

government and the police of 

violating the rights of agitators 

demonstrating against police 

brutality. 

It urged the UK to implement 

sanctions that allow “individuals 

and entities that violate human 

rights around the world to be 

targeted,” saying such would 

“provide accountability for and be 

a deterrent to anyone involved 

in violations of human rights.” 

In its response on Wednesday, 

the UK said while it was 

concerned by violence during the 

protests, it awaits the outcome of 

Nigerian investigations into reports 

of police brutality. 

It, however, added: “The UK 

Government will keep all 

evidence and potential listings 

under close review.” 

The UK said it will continue to 

work with the Nigerian 

government and international 

and civil society partners “to 

support justice, accountability 

and a more responsive policing 

model in Nigeria”. 

“On 6 July, the Government 

established the Global Human 

Rights sanctions regime by 

laying regulations in Parliament 

under the Sanctions and Anti- 

Money Laundering Act 2018,” 

the response read. 

“The sanctions regime is not 

intended to target individual 

countries. It will allow for sanctions 

to be imposed on individuals and 

entities involved in serious 

human rights violations or 

abuses around the world. 

“We will continue to 

consider potential designations 

under the Global Human 

Rights sanctions regime.''

Nollywood 

actresses, 

including Genevieve Nnaji, 

Omotola Jalade-Ekeinde and 

busty Cossy Ojiakor are definitely 

no strangers to dogs. 

Like ordinary people, they have 

always been fond of dogs and have 

had plenty of them in their care over 

the years. Indeed, they absolutely 

love their dogs and will risk getting 

caught by paparazzi to ensure their 

pooches get a bit of celebrity 

attention. 

Recall that last week, Genevieve 

sent social media agog after she 

flaunted her two expensive and 

super-adorable puppies in a photo 

she shared on her Instagram page. 

This blonde looking puppy, which 

she had on her laps interestingly 

shared same hair colour with 

Genevieve. The cute dog stole the 

attention of a follower who replied, 

“I love your dog.” From all 

indications, it showed that the 

'Lionheart' director is a certified dog 

lover. 

By Benjamin Njoku 

njokujamin@yahoo.com 

08111813022 

Genevieve Nnaji, Omotola and Cossy: 

All for the love of dogs 

N 

nenna 

•Omotola and 

her pet 

Nwabueze-Okonta popularly known as 

Merit in that pioneer movie, 'Living in Bondage', who 

has been plying her trade in Asaba, has finally moved back 

to Lagos. 

The mother of four kids started her acting career back in 

the days of “Living in Bondage” in Lagos. After she got 

married to her late husband, Chief Okonta, the couple 

relocated to Asaba, where she has been plying her trade 

until recently, when she moved back to the centre of 

excellence, to reunite with her old colleagues. 

Whispers gathered that the fair-skinned actress has 

hired an apartment somewhere around Lekki phase 

II, on Lagos island, where she's currently staying 

with her kids. 

While confirming this development to 

Whispers, an insider said that the Abia 

State-born actress decided to relocate to 

Lagos, because of her desire to throw 

herself back into her acting career with 

renewed vigour. 

She's also back in Lagos to reunite 

with her old colleagues and friends 

in addition to exposing her kids to the 

opportunities that abound in the 

Africa's most populous city. Revealing 

further, the source, said the veteran 

actress is loving her new serene 

environment. 

•Cossy 

and her 

pet 

Merit of 'Living in Bondage' 

begins a new life in Lagos 

•Merit 

Just like Genevieve, Omotola 

also has crazy love for doggies. 

Sometime ago, the beautiful 

actress lost her sweet pomenerian 

which she chronicled on 

Instagram. 

“ Help Please my darling 

pomenerian is missing!She left the 

house Sunday morning probably 

looking for a church to attend and 

I'm hopeful an unholy person hasn't 

stolen her! No jokes sure some of 

FRIDAY Vanguard, NOVEMBER 13, 2020 — 9 

Burna Boy defends DJ Switch as 

she jets out of the country 

S elf-acclaimed 

‘African Giant’, 

Burna Boy has defended 

•Genevieve and 

her pet 

you'll remember #anyasexy ... Her 

coat is a mix of those two up here 

, who are missing her badly. Please 

if you suspect you've seen her, 

someone suddenly brings a 

pomenerian home, to you a vet, 

or you sight her... call her name 

Anya ( my character name from 

Ije) she'll respond. Pls pls pls... 

There 'll be a reward for her 

return,” Omosexy as she's fondly 

called by her fans wrote on IG. 

The actress also shared a photo 

of herself cuddling her pet on 

Instagram to show the world how 

much she's in love with her pet. 

Perhaps, it's safe to say that the 

actress is a true lover of dogs. 

Busty actress, Cossy Orjiakor 

once announced the demise of one 

of her dogs, Bully in 2017. 

The actress took to her 

Instagram page to reflect on the 

life of her beloved dog. 

“I adopted you March 15th and 

you died of food poisoning Dec 1st. 

The 10 month we spent together was 

quite eventful. Wish I recorded all 

the crazy moments with you. The 

threats I got because of you. The way 

you bark and bite chains with swag. 

I had to hide u in the loo in Abuja 

when animal control was called…” 

“How you removed your mouth 

guard and killed chickens while 

in cargo en route Lagos. Hahaha 

I have been paying gbese for 

you sweets. I have never seen 

a dog that eats like you 

Bully… I remember the day 

you took and ate four wraps 

of fufu without soup after 

carefully removing the 

nylon …you ate whole raw 

eggs with shells. You ate full 

chicken with feathers. You 

even drank Garri ..hahaha 

still gat the funny picture 

you took with Ceaser. He 

misses you a lot… It is well. 

I won’t get a breed like you 

so they won’t take your 

memories away. Love 

you loads. God 

gives… God takes. 

Rip Bully,” Cossy 

wrote, while grieving over the loss of 

a pet. 

DJ Switch following the 

controversy trailing the 

Lekki Toll Gate shooting 

last month. 

In a tweet that he 

shared on the 

microblogging site, 

Twitter, the singer 

defended DJ Switch, 

saying she did not make 

any allegation. Rather 

she streamed the 

shooting on Instagram 

live. 

Reacting to the report 

that the shooting was a 

fake news; Burna Boy 

insisted that the rumour 

was being peddled by 

politicians who have 

been making false 

promises; and telling 

more lies than Satan 

since the beginning of 

democracy. 

“They say Fake news, 

Fake news but you are 

the ones who have made 

fake promises. 

In fact, you Told more 

Lies than SATAN since 

the beginning of 

“Democracy”. 

You see say This life no 

Balance,” Burna Boy 

tweeted. 

Meanwhile, those in 

the know have confirmed 

that embattled DJ 

Switch has snce jetted 

out of the country. 

DJ Switch reportedly 

travelled out of the 

country shortly after she 

narrated her ordeal 

before the Subcommittee 

on 

International Human 

Rights of the Standing 

Committee on Foreign 

Affairs and International 

Development of the 

Canadian parliament. 

•Burna Boy 

C 

M 

Y 

K

C 

M 

Y 

K 




Lagos APC clears air on 

Sanwo-Olu’s pension law repeal 

By Olasunkanmi 

Akoni 

LAGOS—THE 

All 

Progressives Congress, 

APC, in Lagos State, yesterday, 

described as falsehood, the 

proposed repeal of the pension 

laws in Lagos State, as they affect 

past governors and their 

deputies. 

In a statement by the party’s 

Publicity Secretary, Mr. Seye 

Oladejo, said Governor Babajide 

Sanwo-Olu made it clear that it 

was a move to cut the cost of 

governance and a sincere 

indication of political will to reorder 

the priorities of the 

government in the face of current 

realities. 

Oladejo said: “Our attention 

has been drawn to the widely 

FMDQ unveils winners of 3rd 

Annual GOLD Awards 

L AGOS—FMDQ 

Holdings Plc., 

yesterday, unveiled the 

winners of its 2020 GOLD 

Awards that recognises the 

resilience and agility of the 

Nigerian financial market 

participants. 

The 2020 GOLD Awards 

saw 31 award categories 

and 34 award winners, with 

joint winners in two 

categories. 

Some of the winners 

include Stanbic IBTC 

Capital Limited, which 

bagged the award for the 

Primary Markets 

Champion, winning the 

Capital Markets Securities 

Origination Award for the 

third time in a row. 

Stanbic IBTC Bank Plc. 

emerged the Second 

Markets Champion for the 

third time, winning the 

FMDQ Dealing Member 

Award, amongst six other 

awards by companies the 

Stanbic IBTC operates. 

Dangote Group won four 

awards, with three of these 

bagged by Dangote 

Cement Plc., including the 

Largest Corporate Bond 

and the Largest 

Commercial Paper Awards. 

Chapel Hill Denham won 

three awards, including the 

FMDQ Registration 

Member (Listings) and the 

Most Active Securities 

Lodgement Sponsor 

By Dayo Johnson & 

Ola Ajayi 

#ENDSARS protests: Only true 

federalism’ll solve Nigeria’s woes 

—Opadokun 

By Olayinka Ajayi 

L AGOS—GENERAL 

Secretary of the 

National Democratic 

Coalition, NDC, Chief Ayo 

Opadokun, yesterday, 

lamented the sorry state of 

the country, saying true 

federalism remains the only 

panacea that can solve the 

country’s state of 

decadence. 

Speaking during the 70th 

Birthday Lecture of 

NADECO chieftain, 

Comrade Linus Okoroji, in 

Lagos, Opadokun tackled 

the Federal Government’s 

handling of the #EndSARS 

protests. 

He said: “You can deceive 

yourselves to imagine that 

you have seen the end of 

#ENDSARS, you are just 

chasing shadows, asking 

ministers to meet with 

traditional rulers. How does 

that solve the problems of 

a graduate of over 20 years 

who has no job? 

“When you contested in 

2011, you didn’t win, you 

called for revolution, 

nobody arrested you. 

Young people are doing so 

now, and they are being 

molested; their act is now 

treasonable. Sadly, Nigeria 

is in a sorry state and it will 

demand a collective effort 

to be mindful of whom we are. 

Anyone who is not willing to die 

will not inherit the throne of his 

forefathers. Let us stop grumbling 

silently. I know how many times I 

was locked-up under the late 

Gen. Sani Abacha. Nobody, 

willing to rewrite the wrong, 

should be afraid to die. We must 

be mindful that true federalism is 

the solution to all the problems 

we are faced with as a nation. 

“Nigeria is a lying nation calling 

itself a federation when we are 

being run as a unitary system of 

government. We are living on 

....How my police husband was macheted 

to death, woman tells Ekiti panel 

By Rotimi 

Ojomoyela 

ADO-EKITI—WIFE of 

a police officer in Ekiti 

State, Mrs. Yetunde 

Ogunleye-Ajayi, 

yesterday, narrated before 

the state's Judicial Panel 

of Inquiry, how her 

husband, Sergeant 

Musiliu Ajayi, was killed 

by unknown hoodlums in 

Ado-Ekiti. 

The widow and mother 

of four, who spoke during 

yesterday’s sitting of the 

panel, said her husband, 

who was a member of the 

disbanded Special Anti- 

Robbery Squad, SARS, 

left home around 6:30am 

on January 2, 2019, but 

was attacked and 

macheted to death by 

hoodlums around 

Atikankan area of the 

state capital. 

She noted that when she 

was called to the police 

cottage hospital in the state 

capital at about 8:30 am, 

she met her husband in a 

pool of blood. 

Ajayi submitted the death 

certificate of her late 

husband from the hospital 

as evidence in the matter. 

She said: “On January 2, 

2019, at about 6:30 am, my 

husband left the house 

with his Suzuki motorcycle 

to his place of work at SARS 

office in Ado Ekiti. 

“On getting to Atikankan 

area, he was attacked and 

killed by some hoodlums 

having identified him as a 

Resolve ASUU crisis or face aggressive protests, S-West students tell FG 

I B A D A N — 

UNIVERSITY 

students in the South West, 

yesterday, issued the 

President Muhammadu 

Buhari-led government 

seven days ultimatum to 

resolve its lingering crisis 

with the Academic Staff 

Union of Universities, 

ASUU, or face nationwide 

protests. 

The ultimatum was given 

at a conference held in 

Ibadan, Oyo State, by 

students’ leaders from the 

zone. 

Those at the meeting 

include Wisdom 

circulated falsehood about the 

purported truth behind the 

proposed repeal of the pension 

laws in the state, as they affect 

past governors and their 

deputies. 

“The after-thought response 

would not have been dignified 

with a rejoinder, if not for the 

deliberate misinformation and 

falsehood tainted with bitter 

politics. 

“The state government 

acknowledges and appreciates 

the tremendous goodwill and 

efforts to immediately kick-start 

the rebuilding process, 

necessitated by the mayhem." 

The governor, typical of his 

administration, consulted far and 

wide before deciding to repeal the 

public officers’ pension law for our 

collective good. 

Awards. 

The Securities and 

Exchange Commission, 

SEC, bagged the Financial 

Market Regulator Market 

Transformation Initiative 

Award for the provision of 

enabling regulatory 

environment for Central 

Counter-party (CCP) in 

Nigeria through the 

release of CCP rules. 

Commending the 

winners in a virtual event, 

Chairman of the FMDQ 

Group, Dr. Kingsley 

Obiora, noted that the year 

2020 has been a 

challenging, but yet a 

rewarding year; "one which 

has stretched the resilience 

of the market and at the 

same time availed 

opportunities to deepen our 

markets." 

Also commending the 

winners, Director-General 

of SEC, Mr. Lamido 

Yuguda, who was 

represented by the 

Executive Commissioner, 

Operations, SEC, Mr. 

Temidayo Obisan, 

reiterated the commitment 

of the commission towards 

collaborating with the 

financial market 

stakeholders to define 

appropriate market 

structures, create an 

enabling environment, 

build a transparent and 

efficient market. 

•Issue 7 days ultimatum 

•ASUU blasts Akeredolu’s aide 

Oluwaseun Okoko 

(University of Ilorin), 

Olamide Olabiyi 

(LAUTECH), Michael 

Awoyemi (OOU), Abiodun 

Oloyede (FUAAB), 

Olusegun Akeju (UI), 

Lekan Abdul-Azeez 

Soneye (TAUSED), 

Mayowa Opakunle (JAC), 

the National Association of 

Nigerian Students 

(NANS), Oyo State among 

others. 

Spokesperson of the 

students, Abiodun 

Oloyede, said: “We request 

an end to the ongoing strike 

by the Academic Staff 

MEETING—From left: PDP chieftain, Chief Olabode George; Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo State; 

former governor of Osun State, Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola, and former governor of Ekiti, Segun 

Oni, during the PDP South West zonal meeting, in Ibadan, yesterday Photo: NAN. 

Union of Universities, 

ASUU. The struggle of 

ASUU should never be 

undermined. As we all 

truly know, a revitalization 

and improvement in the 

quality of infrastructure and 

regulation of payment of 

salaries are needed. 

“Ending the ASUU strike 

by giving utmost 

consideration to our 

demands is key and a way 

to kick-start. Do this and 

secure the future of our 

beloved nation”. 

“In the lieu of above, we 

hereby give the Federal 

Government ultimatum of seven 

days to resolve the crisis and get 

us back to school; else, there 

would be aggressive nationwide 

agitations thereafter. 

“We are going to use legal 

means for our agitation and 

others that are within the legal 

framework of the nation. All 

means of agitations will be used. 

The protest is one of the means.” 

Also speaking, Okoko said: 

“The ASUU strike is killing us. 

We won’t fold our hands and allow 

them to ruin our lives and future. 

The Federal Government and 

ASUU are putting their interests 

forward. Nobody is putting the 

interest of the students as a 

priority. We have come to put the 

interest of our students as a 

priority.” 

“We can’t continue to keep 

quiet.” 

ASUSS blasts 

Akeredolu’s aide 

over allegations 

against Ondo 

teachers 

Meanwhile, the Academic Staff 

Union of Secondary Schools’ of 

Nigeria, ASUSS, yesterday, 

lambasted the Senior Special 

Assistant to Ondo State 

Governor on Special duties, 

Doyin Odebowale, for making an 

unfounded allegation against 

teachers in the state. 

Odebowale had accused 

teachers in the state of using 

pupils for domestic chores in their 

private homes and farms. 

But in his response, the State 

borrowed times unless we 

restructure this skewed onesided 

structure. It is the attitude 

of every human being to want to 

be liberated.” 

On his part, the guest lecturer, 

Dr. Dele Ashiru of the Political 

Science Department, University 

of Lagos, traced the country’s 

problem to its structural 

foundation. 

Policeman. The hoodlums 

hit an object on his head 

and there were matchet 

cuts all over his body. 

“I, hereby, forward my 

petition to this honourable 

Judicial Panel of Enquiry 

for intervention and 

appropriate compensation. 

It has not been easy for me 

to take care/provide for the 

four children as a petty 

trader.” 

In his remarks, chairman 

of the panel, Justice 

Cornelius Akintayo (retd) 

who adjourned sitting to 

November 24, 2020, for 

further hearing in the 

matter, said all witnesses 

must be present, including 

the Investigative Police 

Officer, IPO, who handled 

the incident. 

Chairman of ASUSS, Comrade 

Tajudeen Balogun said: “Rather 

than generalising such allegation 

against teachers in the state, 

Odebowale should have been 

specific and mention names and 

schools of such teachers using 

students for home chores. 

“Let him (Odebowale) go to any 

school in the state, all teachers 

are busy now with their official 

duties because many things had 

been lost to long holiday caused 

by COVID-19 pandemic. 

“Nobody should drag our 

names in the mud. We advise Dr. 

Odebowale to stop making wrong 

allegations against us. 

Odebowale should be 

courageous enough to name who 

sent students on private farms or 

works.”

Vanguard, , FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 13, 2020 — 11 

:Vanguard :@vanguardnews :@vanguardnewsNEWS HOTLINES: 

GRIDLOCK—Trucks and tankers blocking Mile 2-Apapa-Oshodi expressway, yesterday. 

Photo: Kehinde Gbadamosi. 

GRIDLOCK: Chaos as Presidential Task 

Team withdraws from Apapa expressway 

L AGOS—MOTORISTS 

plying the Apapa-Oshodi 

expressway, in Lagos, yesterday, 

went through a harrowing 

experience, as they were trapped 

in traffic for the better part of the 

day. 

The Presidential Task Team, 

charged with ensuring free flow 

of traffic, was not in sight. 

Also, mobile policemen, officials 

of the Lagos State Traffic 

Lekki shootings probe: Lawyers sue Lagos 

Govt, Judicial panel 

By Onozure Dania 

LAGOS—TWO 

lawyers, 

yesterday, dragged the Lagos 

State government before a Federal 

High Court, sitting in Lagos, 

asking it to dissolve the Judicial 

Panel of Inquiry and Restitution 

for Victims of SARS Related 

Abuses in Lagos State and Lekki 

Toll Gate incident. 

The plaintiffs in the case, 

Adekunle Augustine and Semion 

Akogwu, urged the court to 

disband the panel, because the 

state governor, being a party in 

the matter, did not exercise his 

power in the public interest by 

setting up the panel. 

The plaintiffs are urging the 

court to make a declaration that 

the Lagos State Governor, being 

a party, cannot set up a panel to 

investigate itself and the outcome 

of the panel will be in favour of 

the state. 

Other defendants in the suit are, 

the Lagos State Governor, 

Chairman of the panel and the 

Attorney-General of the state, who 

are 1st, 3rd and 4th defendants 

respectively. 

Chairman of the panel is listed 

as the 2nd respondent in the case 

dated November 11, 2020 and 

filed at a Lagos Federal High 

Court with suit number FHC/L/ 

CS/1572/20. 

UNILAG VC resumes: I have no list of 

workers to sack or punish —Ogundipe 

....Thanks Buhari, Adamu, others 

By Adesina Wahab 

LAGOS—THE reinstated 

Vice-Chancellor of the 

University of Lagos, UNILAG, 

Prof. Oluwatoyin Ogundipe, 

yesterday, resumed office, 

thanking President Muhammadu 

Buhari for insisting on the due 

process, being followed in the 

administration of the institution. 

He also had kind words for Vice 

President Yemi Osinbajo, SAN, 

the Minister of Education, 

Malam Adamu Adamu, the 

Executive Secretary of the 

National Universities 

Commission, NUC, Prof. 

Abubakar Rasheed, the Acting 

Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Folasade 

Ogunsola, all the staff unions in 

the school among others. 

The VC, who addressed the 

workers from the foyer of the 

Senate Building of the institution, 

said his being returned to the 

Management Authority, 

LATSMA, Federal Road Safety 

Corps, FRSC, and other security 

officials saddled with the 

responsibility of ensuring the free 

flow of traffic, abandoned their 

duty posts. 

Their absence made the everbusy 

expressway to be overtaken 

by trucks, as touts have a free 

reign, moving about extorting 

truck drivers and motorists plying 

office was not by power, but by 

divine intervention. 

Ogundipe, who resumed to a 

rousing welcome by workers of 

the university, said he saw his 

recuse from office for about three 

months as a kind of sabbatical. 

He also used the occasion to 

debunk the rumour that he had 

compiled a list of workers, to 

punish or sack, for not supporting 

him during his travails. 

LASG to reopen 20 LASRRA 

registration stations 

By Prince Osuagwu 

LAGOS—THE Lagos State 

Government, yesterday, 

promised to reopen 20 of the 

Lagos State Residents 

Registration Agency, LASRRA, 

stations to the public to enable it 

to register more residents. 

The stations were closed to the 

the road. 

The development also created 

major gridlock, giving room to 

hoodlums to attack motorists 

unchallenged. 

The chaotic traffic started from 

Sanya to Second Rainbow bus stop down 

to Mile2 under bridge. 

Also, from Mile 2 oke, down to Berger 

Cement bus stop, there was a shutdown 

of the route, as this prevented workers 

around the axis to sleep in the office. 

Augustine and Akogwu, in the 

suit, filed through their counsel, 

Samuel Adama are seeking the 

determination of the following 

questions: 

Whether having regards to 

section 36(1) of the Constitution 

of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 

1999 (as amended), Exhibit A and 

Exhibit B, the 2nd Defendant 

being an Agent/Appointee of the 

1st Defendant can ensure a fair 

hearing for the Plaintiffs under 

the auspices of the 3rd Defendant 

in a mater in which the 1st 

Defendant is a party? 


section 5(2) of the Constitution of 

the Federal Republic of Nigeria 

1999 (as amended), Exhibit A and 

Exhibit B, the 1st Defendant 

validly exercised his powers in 

the public interest by setting up 

the 3rd Defendant to investigate 

a matter in which the 1st 

Defendant himself is a party? 


Exhibit A and Exhibit B, the 1st 

Defendant is a party to be 

investigated under the terms of 

reference for the 3rd Defendant 

in the discharge of its mandate? 

Whether the 4th Defendant 

being the Chief law officer of the 

State ought to act in the public 

interest by advising the 1st 

Defendant against the setting up 

of the 3rd Defendant and ought 

to do all things legally possible to ensure 

fair hearing in the matter?” 

public at some point when the 

COVID-19 pandemic was 

spreading fast, as a measure to 

curb its menace. 

General Manager of the 

agency, Mrs. Ibilola Kasunmu, 

who disclosed at the agency’s 

Headquarters, Agidingbi, Ikeja, 

said all the stations, closed to the 

public to curb the spread of the 

COVID-19 pandemic, would now 

be reopened in phases. 

'Chai! Your own market different ooo?!' 

Hm! My bro, ask those ahead to show 

you the 'road'...pitfalls abound ooo! 

Yes ooo...and some 'Lagosians' 

thrive off the chaos! 

C 

M 

Y




PRESENTATION: 

Chief of the Naval 

Staff, Vice Admiral 

Ibok- Ete Ibas (right), 

while presenting a 

souvenir to the 

Executive Secretary, 

Tetfund, Professor 

Elias Suleman 

Bogoro, to mark the 

official visit of the 

Tetfund delegation to 

the Naval 

Headquarters, in 

Abuja. 

My re-election, redefinition of democracy 

• Pledges more devt • Okowa, Diri, Tambuwal, 

—Obaseki 

By Gabriel 

Enogholase & 

Ozioruva Aliu 

BENIN CITY—Gover 

nor of Edo State, Godwin 

Obaseki has said that 

his re-election for a second 

term in office is a 'redefinition 

of democracy' in the 

country. 

The governor stated this 

yesterday during his swearing 

in ceremony along with 

deputy, Philip Shaibu. 

The oath of office was administered 

on them by the 

Chief Judge of the State, Justice 

(Mrs) Esther of Governor 

at the colorful event 

graced by several dignitaries. 

In his speech after the 

swearing in, Governor 

Obaseki appreciated the 

PDP which he said came to 

his rescue when he was disqualified 

by the All Progressives 

Congress (APC) in the 

build-up to the September 19, 

2020 governorship election. 

He said: “We will forever 

be grateful to the Peoples 

Democratic Party (PDP) for 

covering us with umbrella 

when we were abandoned 

in the political wilderness.” 

Obaseki stated that part of 

his second term agenda is to 

develop a 30 years development 

plan for the state which 

he said will make governance 

and administration of 

the state easier for successive 

governments in the state. 

The governor noted that 

the outcome of his election 

was the dawn of a new democratic 

process in Nigeria 

which he said Edo is leading. 

“It is therefore gratifying 

that Edo is taking the lead in 

this onerous task of restoring 

faith in democracy in 

Nigeria and the entire globe. 

“What you, my dear people 

of Edo State, achieved 

with the September 19 governorship 

election is the restoration 

of confidence in democracy 

and its institutions, 

and we have become a point 

of reference on how the will 

of the people can triumph in 

a democracy that functions 

properly. 

"My re-election represents 

a new hope and I see myself 

others grace event 

as a vessel in the redefinition 

of democracy in Nigeria 

and I am not unaware 

that this places enormous 

responsibility on me. 

"However, this is the time 

to heal. We are kith and kin 

with a common destiny. Let 

us now stop dwelling on the 

past. It is now time to take 

our collective destinies in our 

own hands as Edo people 

and commence the arduous 

task of 'Making Edo Great 

Again (MEGA)'. 

"What we need is what I 

East-West highway to gulp N1trn 

—Akpabio 

By Chris Ochayi 

ABUJA—THE Federal 

Government yesterday 

revealed that the dualisation 

of the East-West highway 

project will gulp about N1 

trillion on completion and 

insisted that it would not 

compromise quality in the 

course of executing the artery 

road project. 

Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, 

Senator Godswill Akpabio, 

who stated this at the 

inaugural virtual meeting of 

counterparts on the complementary 

programme for the 

East-West project, said the 

highway will be given adequate 

consideration to ensure 

safety, efficiency and 

economic viability of the 

road is achieved. 

Akpabio noted that the 

huge cost of the construction 

of the road was due to the 

nature of the terrain and 

magnitude of the project. 

He noted that it was also 

logical that an investment of 

this magnitude should elicit 

further attention for its management 

beyond just construction. 

According to him, “The 

Ministry has put together 

this initiative to rally all 

counterparts to combine all 

efforts to providing befitting 

management structure for 

the road corridor. 

“It is based on the clear 

comprehension that all the 

states along this corridor 

have a germane role to play 

in the planning, development 

and management of 

their respective domains 

and that the actions and in- 

call a unity template, with 

which to overcome our challenges.“ 

"The unity template has 

the ability to help us respond 

to the economic consequences 

of the pandemic, to 

deal with our challenges of 

insecurity and underdevelopment. 

"In the last four years, we 

have shown that there are 

superior ways of running 

government. We have utilized 

core values such as 

transparency, accountability, 

inclusiveness, prudence and 

co-governance. "Today, we 

are acclaimed to be a success 

story in good governance 

in Nigeria.” 

Among the dignitaries 

that graced the occasion 

were Governors Aminu 

Tambuwal of Sokoto State, 

Ifeanyi Okowa of Delta 

State, Duoye Diri of 

Bayelsa State, Nyesome 

Wike of Rivers State who 

was represented by his 

Deputy Dr Ipalibo Danigo 

and Rotimi Akeredolu 

of Ondo state represented 

by Lucky Orimisan. 

•Insists on Dec 2021 completion date 

actions of any will ultimately 

affect the corridor.” 

Akpabio further explained 

that owing to the experience 

on the Lagos- 

Ibadan expressway and other 

major highways in the 

country, the collective task 

of the counterpart team is 

to ensure that the highway 

corridor is efficient, safe and 

economical in the short, 

medium and long term. 

“Therefore, it is critical 

and compelling that the 

Ministry urgently and proactively 

take steps to guarantee 

the road corridor to 

deal with the envisaged 

challenges of settlement, 

growth and human activities 

along the route,” he said. 

In his remarks, the Minister 

of State, Ministry of Niger 

Delta Affairs, Senator 

Omotayo Alasoadura said 

that the East West road corridor 

will attract development 

of human settlement 

and economic activities towards 

it when completed 

and the Ministry under its 

current leadership is desirous 

of turning around the 

fortunes of the Niger Delta 

region for the better. 

He said that complementary 

programme for the 

East-West road is one of the 

many initiatives of this current 

resolve to elicit partnership 

for better result. 

According to him, ” the 

East West road is our prime 

asset and our duty is to ensure 

that we all play our 

parts creditably in its upkeep 

and management.” 

Earlier, in his welcome remarks, 

the Permanent Secretary, 

MNDA, Dr. Babayo 

Ardo reiterated that the inaugural 

meeting aimed at 

evolving an enduring management 

approach for the 

East-West Road Corridor 

being constructed by the 

Ministry. 

The road project which is 

dual carriage, four lane way, 

spanning about 361km 

across five States of Delta, 

Bayelsa, Rivers, Akwa-Ibom 

and Cross Rivers is designed 

to function as the regional 

spine on the East– 

West axis to provide unimpeded 

movement of goods, 

services and passengers. 

“The purpose of the programme 

is to ensure that the 

right of way is protected and 

insulated as much as possible 

from adjoining development 

and thus provide safety,” 

he said. 

The Director Housing and 

Urban Development, 

MNDA, Patrick Okereafor, 

in his vote of gratitude said 

the inauguration of the 

team is the beginning of a 

long process. 

Members of the counterpart 

team are Mr. Olalekan 

Lana, Mr. I. Y. Danlele, Mrs. 

Ehigie Agalasi and Mr 

Arthur Akpowowo. 

Others include Benson Diriyai 

, representative of 

Bayelsa State Govt., Erastus 

Awortu ,representative of 

River State Government,, 

Ime Akpan, representative 

of Govt. of Akwa Ibom 

State, Mr. Patrick Agbe, consultant 

to Cross River State 

Govt. Patrick Okereafor, 

Olufemi Oloruntola and 

Engr. Osahon Idemudia. 

Bayelsa Assembly approves 

Diri’s N17bn loan request 

By Samuel 

Oyadongha 

YState ENAGOA—BAYELSA 

House of Assembly 

has approved a N17billion 

loan request by Governor 

Douye Diri from multiple 

sources to fund his administration’s 

policies and programme. 

The House which returned 

from its long vacation on 

Wednesday expeditiously 

granted the approval at its 

plenary to boost the state 

economy. 

Diri in three separate letters 

dated October 26 and 

November 9, 2020 addressed 

to the Speaker of the 

House and read at plenary 

by the Clerk of the House, 

Mr Edward K Owudogu, 

had solicited the House approval 

to access a N4 billion 

Sustainable Development 

Goals (SDGs) Counterpart 

Fund and a N10 billion facility 

from the Central Bank 

of Nigeria (CBN) to develop 

oil palm potentials. 

Diri stated in his letter: “As 

part of this administration’s 

efforts to cushion the effects 

of the global economic 

downturn occasioned by the 

Covid -19 Pandemic and the 

dwindling oil revenue, we 

seek to take advantage of intervention 

funds from the 

Federal Government 

through the Central Bank of 

Nigeria and Sustainable Development 

Goals (SDGs) 

programme. 

“The facility from CBN will 

aid the state government to 

develop our oil palm potentials, 

while the SDGs Counterpart 

Fund is a pre-requisite 

for the state to attract a 

matching grant under the 

SDGs.” 

He explained further that 

the N4 billion SDGs Counterpart 

Fund would be obtained 

from a commercial 

bank, while the N10 billion 

facility from the CBN when 

acquired would be used to 

finance the development 

and expansion of existing oil 

palm potentials in the state. 

Skill acquisition, key in fight 

against poverty —Okowa 

By Festus Ahon 

ASABA—GOVERNOR If 

eanyi Okowa of Delta 

State, has restated the resolve 

of his administration to fight 

against poverty through skill 

acquisition. 

Speaking when he played 

host to Police Officers Wives 

Association, POWA in the state, 

led by Aisha Hafiz-Inuwa, 

wife of the Commissioner of 

Police in Asaba, Okowa said 

skill acquisition was the way 

out of unemployment and 

acute poverty which was ravaging 

the country. 

Commending members of 

the association for their contributions 

to development of 

the society through their philanthropic 

gestures, he held 

that his administration had 

continued to empower youths 

in the state in order to make 

them self-reliant. 

Okowa said: "We have continued 

to make skill acquisition 

a state policy because we 

realised that it is the only way 

to get out of the unemployment 

conundrum that we have 

found ourselves as a nation. 

"In the last five years, we have 

ensured that we redirect the 

minds of our youths towards 

skill acquisition and we give 

them starter-packs to enable 

them to stand on their 

own.“"We have also revitalised 

technical education in the state 

to give our youths more veritable 

platforms to acquire 

skills." 

Thanking POWA for its role 

in curbing the spread of COV- 

ID-19 pandemic in police barracks 

in the state, the governor 

said: "I know it is not easy attending 

to most families these 

days because the economy is 

getting more challenging at 

the moment.“"But, I am glad 

that in spite of these challenges 

you have continued to reach 

out to people through this association. 

The best way to help 

those bereaved families is to 

help them acquire skills and I 

am glad that you are going in 

that direction.“ 

Loyibo commends Timiyan’s 

peace initiatives in N’Delta 

By Perez Brisibe 

UGHELLI—THE tradi 

tional Prime Minister of 

Tuomo kingdom in Delta and 

Bayelsa states, Chief Mike 

Loyibo, yesterday paid glowing 

tribute on the Ebenanaowei 

of Ogulagha kingdom, 

HRM Joseph Timiyan as he 

celebrates his 15th coronation 

anniversary. 

Loyibo in a statement, noted 

that the monarch was one 

of those who worked tirelessly 

towards enthroning peace 

in the Niger Delta during the 

height of attacks on oil facilities 

in the region adding that 

Ogulagha kingdom has remained 

peaceful and investor-friendly 

since he ascended 

the ancient throne. 

He said that the monarch's 

reign has immensely benefited 

the people of Ogulagha 

Kingdom of Delta State and 

by extension the Ijaw nation 

adding that, “Of remarkable 

note is your royal carriage 

which is visible in the exemplary 

manner you have discharged 

your duties and have 

remained a source of pride 

and splendour to the traditional 

institution. 

He further said, "Since your 

ascension to the throne, you 

have demonstrated exemplary 

leadership by living above 

board, while remaining as the 

rallying point and inspiration 

for your subjects. 

"Your reign has brought 

enormous blessings to all our 

people and a new sense of direction 

that is propelling the 

Ijaw nation to greater heights." 

Loyibo stressed that as a 

custodian of culture and tradition, 

the monarch has 

played significant roles in the 

promotion of peace, harmony, 

socio-cultural cooperation, 

communal living and 

peaceful co-existence within 

the Ijaw nation and its neighbours.




INSPECTION: Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi of Enugu State (right) with his Commissioner for Science and 

Technology, Hon. Sir. Obi Carl karma (middle) and the Chairman of Awgu Local Government Area, Hon. Pedro 

Nwankwo, inspecting the ongoing upgrade of facilities at the School of Basic Midwifrey and General Hospital, 

Awgu, Enugu State. 

Abia Panel of Inquiry: Police tore my clothes, 

accused me of recording interview with my 

client —Lawyer 

• I lost my pregnancy to Police cruelty —Lady 

By Ugochukwu 

Alaribe 

UMUAHIA— A legal prac 

titioner, Alagbe Kalu 

Uche, yesterday, told the Abia 

State panel on police brutality 

and extrajudicial killings how 

he was assaulted by the Divisional 

Police Officer, DPO, of 

Isuikwuato Police Division, 

Abia State, Mr. Asuquo Inyang 

Inyang. 

This is even as a lady; Dr. 

Kalunta, also narrated how she 

lost her pregnancy to police 

brutality in the state. 

The lawyer told the panel that 

he had gone to secure the release 

of his client, one Mr. Chidi 

Ugorji who was detained on 

July 26, 2020 over a family dispute. 

He explained that he was 

accused of recording the interview 

the DPO was having with 

his client and his kinsmen and 

based on this, he was assaulted 

by one Inspector Chukwudi 

Ihediwa, Grace Akpan, and the 

DPO himself, while his phone’s 

memory card was seized. 

Uche stated that Inspector 

Akpan who he accused of having 

artificial finger nails used 

them to injure him on his face 

and tore his clothes as they 

struggled for his phone. 

In her own allegation, Dr. 

FG utilizing renewable energy resources 

to energize communities, businesses 

—Power Minister 

By Peter Okutu 

ABAKALIKI—THE Fed 

eral Government, yesterday 

stated that it's committed 

towards ensuring that the 

nation's massive renewable 

energy resources are efficiently 

utilized to energize 

Hoodlums set council secretariat ablaze in Abia 

By Ugochukwu 

Alaribe 

U MUAHIA—UNIDENTI 

FIED hoodlums have 

burnt a segment of the secretariat 

of Isiala Ngwa South 

Local Government Area of 

Abia State. 

Vanguard gathered that the 

inferno affected the political 

block housing the office of the 

chairman and deputy chairman 

at the secretariat. 

It was further gathered that 

the fire may not be unconnected 

with the ongoing councillorship 

and chairmanship primaries 

of the Peoples Democratic 

Party, PDP, in the area. 

Elections are set to hold 

across the 17 council areas in 

the state on December 18, 

2020. 

“We resumed work and saw 

a part of the local government 

secretariat on fire. The fire 

may have been ignited at the 

early hours of the morning. It 

affected the political block at 

the secretariat. We suspect that 

the fire may not be unconnected 

with the ongoing PDP primaries 

.Some persons were 

not happy over the nomination 

of candidates. Maybe, the 

aggrieved aspirants may 

have carried it out,” a staff of 

the council said. 

As at the time Vanguard visited 

the secretariat, security 

agents were seen protecting 

the area. 

However, the Abia State 

Kalunta, who lives at Aguiyi 

Ironsi Layout, Umuahia, said 

that on Monday, October 5, 

2020, she was inside her kitchen 

cooking in preparation for 

the burial of her late father 

which was taking place on the 

same day when armed policemen 

forcefully gained access 

into her apartment.She said the 

policemen numbering about 

10 requested to see her husband 

who was away. On informing 

them that her husband was 

away, the police seized her, insisting 

that she must be taken 

to the station for questioning. 

According to her, she said she 

requested to know why they 

were looking for her husband 

but they declined any information 

and asked her to follow 

them. 

“On their insistence, I asked 

to be allowed to go in and 

change, but one of the officers 

insisted on going into my bedroom 

with me, a move my sister 

and I resisted. At the end, I 

was driven to the CPS in Umuahia 

where I was told that someone 

had written a petition 

against my husband.” 

She said she was locked up 

in the cell and after two hours, 

despite the fact that she told 

them she was pregnant, she was 

taken to Alagbon Close on Lagos 

Island where she lost her 

pregnancy. 

The woman disclosed that 

Government, in a statement 

signed by the Secretary to the 

State Government, Mr.Chris 

Ezem, has condemned the act 

and directed law enforcement 

agents to investigate and arrest 

those behind the dastardly 

act. 

According to the statement, 

“Government also strongly 

condemns in its entirety such 

act of wanton destruction of 

public property and will leave 

no stone unturned in bringing 

those behind such act to book. 

‘It is pertinent to state that 

government does not wish to 

expend public fund in rebuilding 

the burnt facility so as to 

serve as a stark reminder to 

those behind the arson of their 

folly." 

hours later, the petitioner who 

happened to be her husband’s 

half brother arrived at the station 

and told the police that he 

paid them huge amounts of 

money to bring the man to Lagos; 

either dead or alive and 

not his wife. 

“My husband’s half brother 

maintained that the police 

should hold me until my husband 

was arrested.” 

She disclosed that she only 

regained her freedom after paying 

N250,000 in cash to the 

police. Kalunta urged the panel 

to bring the police to justice 

and mandate them to pay her 

a compensation of N2m. 

However, the state police 

command in their defence said 

they were not responsible for 

her arrest. Chairman of the 

panel, Justice Sunday Imo, 

adjourned the matter to November 

13. 

communities, schools and 

businesses across the country 

Ṫhe Minister of State, Federal 

Ministry of Power, Goddy 

Jedy-Agba stated this at 

the commissioning of the 

100-kilowatts peak Solar Hybrid 

Mini Grid at Eka 

Awoke, Ikwo Local Government 

Area, Ebonyi State. 

According to him, renewable 

energy solution is what 

we need to quickly bridge 

the electricity gap in the nation. 

The Minister who described 

the project as a momentous 

achievement of the 

Rural Electrification Agency 

under the power sector added 

that the benefiting community 

will begin to witness 

economic growth and development 

through the ripple 

effects that electricity access 

comes with. 

"This is in line President 

Muhammadu Buhari's vision 

and plans for a Nigeria 

where electricity is taken for 

granted irrespective of where 

you live. 

"The Ministry of Power is 

providing and will continue 

to provide all necessary support 

for seamless implementation 

of all federal government 

policies in the decentralization 

of the power sector. 

I am, therefore, thrilled 

that our drive has led us to 

this great event. This is truly 

the beginning of greater accomplishments 

to come." 

Enugu govt warns against 

interference with road traffic 

barriers on Ugwogo Nike-Opi road 

By Chinedu Adonu 

ENUGU—THE Enugu 

State government has 

warned motorists who unlawfully 

interfere with the 

road traffic barriers restricting 

classified vehicles from plying 

the road “to forthwith desist 

from such action” as it will 

not hesitate to bring the full 

weight of the law on violators. 

The warning was contained 

in a statement signed by the 

State Commissioner for Information, 

Nnanyelugo Chidi 

Aroh, which expressed the 

state government’s grave concern 

over the continuous illegal 

interference with the road 

traffic barriers. 

Aide to Ebonyi Deputy Speaker 

shot dead 

By Peter Okutu 

ABAKALIKI—THE leg 

islative Aide to the Deputy 

Speaker of Ebonyi State 

House of Assembly, Kingsley 

Obasi, was yesterday shot 

dead by armed robbers. 

Before the ugly incident, it 

was gathered that the deceased 

was trailed while on 

his way home by his attackers 

on Wednesday night. 

One of his colleagues, Thomas 

Eluu, who is the legislative 

Aide to Deputy Leader 

of the House, Kingsley 

Ikoro, confirmed the incident 

on his Facebook wall on 

Wednesday night. 

He wrote: “My colleague 

at Ebonyi State House of 

Assembly, Kingsley Obasi, 

who happens to be a Legislative 

Aide to The Deputy 

Speaker was shot dead today 

by unknown men." 

The deceased, according to 

UNN launches ‘Drive-in Theatre' 

to sustain performances during 

disease outbreak 

By Ikechukwu Odu 

NSUKKA—In a bid to re 

main relevant during infectious 

disease outbreaks, the 

Department of Theatre and 

Film Studies of the University 

of Nigeria, Nsukka, UNN, yesterday, 

launched the 'Drive-in 

Theatre' to sustain all time theatre 

performances. 

The novel theatre which is 

the first of its kind in South 

East Nigeria enables the audience 

to drive into an open space 

with an elevated threatre to enjoy 

live performances. 

The theatre which approximates 

the traditional African 

performance space, also enables 

the audience to view performances 

from any position 

or direction of their choice. 

Speaking at the Freedom 

Square, UNN, where the innovation 

was launched, the Head 

of the Department, Dr. Ngozi 

Udengwu, said the idea was 

birthed following the outbreak 

of coronavirus pandemic 

which debarred the audience 

from visiting theatres. 

The don while stating that this 

approach to theatre-viewing 

Aroh stated that such interference 

“negatively impacts 

on the traffic management 

plan along that road and creates 

serious safety and security 

concerns”. 

The Information Commissioner 

maintained that the 

barriers restricting classified 

articulated vehicles were in 

line with the government’s 

road traffic safety management 

plan along the Ugwuogo 

Nike - Opi road. 

“The full weight of the law 

will be brought to bear on any 

person or group of people 

found to be involved in this 

unwholesome act”, Aroh 

said. 

sources, was said to be planning 

his wedding before the 

cold hands of death caught 

up with him. Also, his killers 

made away with his bag containing 

an undisclosed sum, 

his wedding invitation cards 

and other valuables. 

A member of the deceased’s 

family, who didn't 

want his name in 

print,yesterday described 

the incident "as robbery gone 

bad". 

"Yes, he was the one. I don’t 

think it was politically motivated. 

I think it was a case 

of robbery gone bad. 

“As the robbers were about 

to move, he was said to be 

shouting ‘it is armed robbers 

oo, it is armed robbers ooo’, 

then they shot him” 

Contacted, Police Spokesman 

in the state, DSP Loveth 

Odah, confirmed the incident. 

According to him, investigation 

is on to ensure the arrest 

of the suspects. 

guarantees all the safety protocols 

to check the spread of infectious 

diseases during performances, 

equally added that 

"It is the only way to ensure social 

distancing as the audience 

members would arrive 

in their cars, sit in their cars and 

watch the performances from 

the elevated threatre." 

In his reaction, the former 

Head of Department, Dr. Uche- 

Chinemere Nwaozuzu, said 

theatre practitioners are finding 

new means and platforms 

to exhibit their works in the face 

of the new normal occasioned 

by coronavirus and any other 

infectious disease which may 

breakout in the future. 

While saying that the initiative 

which according to him has 

been in practice in the western 

world and some parts of Nigeria, 

offers something more exciting, 

he added that it replicates 

the African 'village 

square' which enabled the audience 

the luxury of viewing 

art performances from any 

angle and position of their 

choice without the movement 

restrictions which conventional 

theatres subject the audience 

to..




IHAVE always known that 

Donald Trump is, 

underneath all that wealth, 

razzmatazz and glamour, a 

crass, boorish bushman. Just as 

some African villagers exude 

nobility despite being illiterates, 

some whites exude crudity 

despite being educated 

beneficiaries of every 

advantage the Western World 

can offer. 

I have never regarded 

ownership of big bucks 

(especially if ill-gotten!), flashy 

cars, designer clothes or goldplated 

home furnishings as 

evidence of sophistication or 

merit; and I have long despised 

Trump’s uncouth behaviour 

and unpardonable utterances. 

A man who has trashed disabled 

people, praised racists and 

openly boasted about grabbing 

womens’ private parts is no 

gentleman. And I once thought 

that nothing he did or said could 

surprise me. 

But even I am shocked to the 

marrow by his shameless and 

deranged refusal to 

acknowledge defeat since it 

became obvious last weekend 

that Joe Biden had beaten him 

in the American presidential 

election. 

While Americans whose heads 

are screwed on correctly 

celebrate, and congratulations 

for Biden pour in from leaders 

of other countries - United 

Kingdom, Germany, Canada, etc 

- Trump is digging his heels in 

and carrying on like the badly 

brought up clown he is. 

There are two different levels 

on which American presidential 

candidates can be victorious: 

Either in terms of the 

straightforward popular vote or 

in terms of the complicated 

electoral college system. 

In 2016, Trump only 

triumphed on the electoral 

college front because Hillary 

Clinton got 3 million more 

popular votes than he did. But 

Clinton still conceded and 

attended Trump’s inauguration. 

In 2020, Trump was 

conclusively trounced on both 

counts. But he is still insisting 

that he is the real winner and 

directing ridiculous fraud 

allegations at his political 

opponents…even though Biden 

is being immensely 

magnanimous and has 

•American President, Donald Trump...alleges rigging of election 

Sit-tight insanity 

studiously sidestepped the 

temptation to deliver the 

stinging insults Trump richly 

deserves. 

Biden has been laudably 

restrained and well-mannered 

so far. Instead of threatening to 

sue Trump for libel and slander, 

he is talking seriously 

statesmanlike talk about the 

Events of the past 

few days have 

completely 

demystified 

Americans and 

proved that 

Americans can 

easily succumb to 

tyranny 

need for unity. Biden’s 

acceptance speech was a 

humble, classy, inspirational 

masterpiece in which he told his 

global audience that he knew 

what it was like to lose an 

election because he himself had 

lost in the past. 

Biden also highlighted the need 

to heal bitter rifts in his deeply 

divided nation, his passionate 

desire to fulfil the dreams of 

every American including 

Trump supporters and his 

determination to hit the ground 

running and tackle problems 

like the COVID-19 crisis. 

But Biden’s conciliatory 

oratory is falling on deaf ears 

because he is dealing with a 

savage who doesn’t appreciate 

civilised conduct and is going 

out of his way to be obstructive 

and downright obnoxious. 

Traditionally, the minute a 

President-Elect is announced, 

the incumbent is supposed to 

activate a transition process; but 

Trump has banned government 

officials from cooperating with 

Biden, Vice-President-Elect, 

Kamala Harris, and their 

transition team. 

Trump’s petulant legal 

challenges will undoubtedly fail 

because there is no evidence 

whatsoever that Biden rigged. 

And even if Trump never gets 

around to accepting the result 

and fails to graciously attend 

Biden’s swearing-in ceremony, 

America is a mature and robust 

democracy that cannot be 

malignly manipulated or totally 

derailed by a deluded 

megalomaniac; and Trump will 

still be firmly ejected from the 

White House - and replaced by 

Biden - on January 20. 

In other words, Trump’s staff 

need to start searching for new 

jobs now to avoid becoming 

unemployment statistics on 

January 20. But, chronically 

selfish as ever, Trump the arch 

narcissist is threatening aides 

who are caught job-hunting with 

instant dismissal. 

Financial 

security 

These people have loyally 

served Trump and his 

family…and tolerated endless 

taunts on his behalf. But he 

doesn’t give a damn about their 

financial security, as in 

mortgages, childrens’ school 

fees, etc. All Trump cares about 

is himself; and he is poised to 

viciously punish aides who dare 

to try to protect their futures 

before January 20th. 

And guess what? Almost 

every aide is cowering and 

complying! 

Meanwhile, many senior 

stalwarts of Trump’s Republican 

Party are privately expressing 

despair about this exceedingly 

embarrassing status quo. Some 

have even privately 

congratulated Biden and 

apologised for Trump’s 

nonsensical posturings. 

But few have had the guts to 

publicly disassociate 

themselves from Trump’s 

appalling, anarchical antics. 

And I don’t understand why 

these folks who surround Trump 

are too scared to stand up to 

him. 

In addition to wondering why 

Trump thinks that he is pursuing 

his own best interests when he 

is actually making a big fat fool 

of himself and further 

undermining his legacy (which 

is toxic but could have been 

partly salvaged if he’d behaved 

better at this eleventh hour), I 

am amazed that anyone is 

obeying his unhinged 

instructions! 

If I was stuck in a leaking ship 

with my boss and he told me that 

I’d be fired if I had the audacity 

to look for a lifeboat, I’d tell him 

to go to hell, leave him to sink 

alone and continue my quest for 

survival! 

If I were an influential member 

of a political party that was 

headed by a dictator who 

possesses a warped Messiah 

complex, 

I 

wouldn’t 

allow him 

to inflict 

humiliation 

on my 

party, 

unchalenged. 

I ’ d 

organise 

a 

rebellion. 

I would 

certainly not go on TV to 

pretend to agree with 

Trump…or sheepishly and 

silently hide in the shadows. 

Who knew that Americans – 

who are famed for their selfconfidence 

and penchant for 

policing the rest of humanity - 

could become such quivering, 

lily-livered cowards at the 

precise moment when they 

desperately need to rescue 

themselves from a dangerous 

bully?! 

As a Nigerian friend of mine 

recently pointed out, the events 

of the past few days have 

completely demystified 

Americans…… and proved a) 

that Americans can easily 

succumb to tyranny…and b) 

that we are all, at the end of the 

day, mere mortals who will not 

necessarily react heroically 

when heroism is called for. 

Responses To 

Donzol2002@Yahoo.co.uk 

Or To 0802 747 6458 Or 0811 

675 9752. Please kindly note 

that unless you specifically 

request anonymity, your email 

or text message may be 

published with your name and 

contact details attached. 

C 

M 

Y 

K

Letter to US President-elect, Joe R. Biden Jr. 

IF Nigerians had a vote, 

you’ll probably not be the 

46th President of the United 

States of America. A Pew Research 

Centre poll in January showed that 

two countries - Kenya and Nigeria 

- were still madly in love with lame 

duck President Donald J. 

Trump. You might wonder why in 

spite of your long list of 

transgressions against Trump - 

from his malicious negligence in 

the fight against coronavirus to his 

congenital lying, and from racebaiting 

to his crooked politics - we 

still love him. 

It’s not about Trump, Mr. 

President-elect. It’s largely for two 

reasons: the first is the irony of 

those who, though they benefited 

from liberal US immigration 

policy, vigorously support Trump’s 

harsh U-turn. A vote for him would 

be a matter of economic selfinterest. 

The second reason is more deeply 

ingrained. Nigerians share a lot of 

the conservative values of Trump’s 

Republican Party. Pretty much the 

same can be said for a number of 

African countries. We take family 

and faith very seriously. 

Reprobate 

relationship 

We are vigorously opposed to 

what may be judged reprobate 

relationship, especially one that 

tends to redefine the traditional 

marriage institution. Nigerians 

tend to recoil when people speak 

about such unusual social 

relationships - about gay and such 

things. They are often outraged 

when liberals proselytise them at 

gun-point. 

We love community, of course. 

Through the years, however, we 

have learnt from institutional 

failures and disappointments to 

fend for ourselves. Our memory of 

government in our lives, if it exists 

at all, is remote, bitter and 

ruthlessly predatory. The 

Republican line about limited 

government is an inspiring story, 

because our experience is not 

about limited government, but the 

near absence of it. 

We’re cousins of the Republicans. 

Not just in words, but in deeds, too. 

Minus President Ronald Reagan 

whose shameless support of 

apartheid in South Africa we will 

never forget, the jury is out on 

which Republican or Democratic 

president in the last four decades 

or so has been the best friend of 

What we ask for, Mr. 

President-elect, is a 

fair shot for thousands 

of our citizens in the 

US who are either 

legally studying, 

working or visiting, 

and dignity for those 

trying to find a legal 

pathway to citizenship 

Nigeria and the continent. Bill 

Clinton was loved for his charisma 

and applauded for the African 

Growth and Opportunity Act, 

AGOA, which sought to promote 

agricultural trade with Africa, 

though his hand-wringing during 

the Rwandan genocide that cost 

nearly one million lives will 

continue to hunt his African 

legacy. 

However, no other US president 

in the last three or four decades 

has equalled the contribution of 

Republican President George W. 

Bush. He will be remembered for 

making the most consequential 

intervention through the provision 

of antiretroviral drugs at a cost of 

about $80billion, which saved 

about 13million lives, mostly in 

Africa. 

Business has also been good 

between US and Nigeria under 

Republican leadership. As despised 

as Trump is around the world, he 

recently supplied Nigeria attack 

jets valued at nearly $600million 

for the war on Boko Haram, 

something that President Barack 

Obama flinched at following 

allegations of human rights abuses 

in the military high command. 

Of course, we love Obama under 

whom the President-elect served as 

deputy and remember your tireless 

efforts in the Senate to repair 

bridges that angry Republicans 

blew up time and time again. But 

as you know, his bullishness on gay 

rights didn’t rub off well in a 

largely traditional society such as 

ours, never mind his stonethrowing 

at us from across the 

fence in neighbouring Ghana 

during a trip to that country eight 

years ago, still widely regarded in 

Nigeria as spite tourism. 

Let me come to the point. Why, 

in spite of all the nice things I have 

said about Republicans, were a 

significant number of Nigerians 

happy to help push Trump over the 

edge in days just before and after 

November 3? What changed after 

Pew? 

Trump’s vileness, which has 

always been there, took on a new 

malignancy. His public rejection 

of orderly transfer of power and 

his determination to live up to this 

threat; his race-baiting which 

needlessly raised tensions and put 

at risk public safety including the 

wellbeing of over 400,000 

Nigerians in the US, were too 

much to bear. Before our eyes, 

Trump became not just a bad 

example, but a danger, likely to be 

copied by our copycat 

politicians. 

His Republican Party, too, has 

also shown that its own brand of 

Vanguard, FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 13, 2020—17 

conservatism habours hypocrisy. 

The party doubled down 

shamelessly on everything over 

which it criticised Obama - from 

the brazen packing of the Supreme 

Court with solicitous justices to the 

passage of an Olympian-size 

stimulus package and countless 

other minor crimes in-between. 

But there’s something even more 

personal. Trump has a hobby, a 

nasty hobby, of blocking Nigerian 

candidates for international 

positions, just for the heck of it. 

In May, he incited the Board of 

the African Development Bank, 

AfDB, against its president 

Akinwunmi Adesina’s second term 

bid. He insisted on dragging 

Adesina through the same mud the 

man had been cleared off. It was 

not about scrutiny, a word that 

Trump couldn’t spell to save his 

own life. It was a disgraceful witchhunt 

orchestrated by Trump’s White 

House, period. 

The same scenario is playing out 

with Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, 

Nigeria/Africa’s candidate for the 

position of director general of the 

World Trade Organisation, WTO, 

also backed by the European 

Union. The US has, so far, blocked 

Okonjo-Iweala’s candidacy 

conveniently citing her 

inexperience in trade, when any 

yam head can see that the real 

reason is because Washington 

thinks she has the support of China 

or even worse - that she could have 

a mind of her own. 

In the circumstance, supporting 

Trump or the remnant of his 

hijacked Republican Party was 

untenable. In a fate worse than 

Humpty Dumpty’s, not even 

African angels or aliens from Mars 

summoned to save Trump by his 

Spiritual Adviser, Paula White 

Cain, in a pathetic video which you 

may have seen, were disposed to 

help. 

What do we want? You have a full 

plate, if not a poisoned chalice. The 

bitter and deeply divisive elections 

with the legal challenges ahead; a 

hostile Senate and an even more 

hostile judiciary; and what to do 

about ongoing ravages of 

coronavirus and job losses, are 

enough to keep you awake at 

night. 

We also understand that in the 

midst of the current Trump 

wreckage there is a sense in which 

“America First” makes sense, no 

matter how obnoxious or obtuse it 

echoes. 

If our own leaders had not 

cheapened themselves, like former 

President Olusegun Obasanjo 

crawling to Bush to support his 

illegal third term bid; if former 

President Goodluck Jonathan had 

not been overcome by 

incompetence in the handling of 

the Boko Haram inviting insults 

from Obama; and if President 

Muhammadu Buhari is not 

behaving as if he is overwhelmed 

by the job, attracting scorn from 

Trump of all people, we would not 

be where we are today. 

Our leaders have let us down 

and we have played no small part 

in enabling them. 

In a way, Trump has earned his 

arrogance. Once the US saved 

itself from drowning in imported 

crude oil of which Nigeria was one 

of the major suppliers, Trump felt 

liberated and entitled to bully his 

way or treat others with contempt. 

And we have had more than our 

fair share of both in these past four 

years. 

Trump-inspired 

race-baiting 

What we ask for, Mr. Presidentelect, 

is a fair shot for thousands of 

our citizens in the US who are 

either legally studying, working or 

visiting, and dignity for those 

trying to find a legal pathway to 

citizenship. 

The current situation where 

Trump-inspired race-baiting 

presumes every black person a 

criminal until they prove 

themselves innocent must stop and 

the significant black vote in this 

election is a demand for change. 

We also hope that once you’re 

done with your housekeeping - a 

daunting task if ever there was one 

– you’ll begin to rebuild confidence 

in the American system badly 

damaged by your predecessor’s 

rascality. The same way Mitch 

McConnell promised to make 

Obama a “one-term president” 

from day one, Trump’s 

sympathisers in the different 

branches of government will do 

everything to defend his rotten 

legacy. 

From the role of America’s Peace 

Corps after Nigeria’s civil war, to 

its support for the pro-democracy 

movement and civil society in the 

1990s, and from its support for 

institution-building through 

cultural exchanges to stabilisation 

and security in the sub-region 

under a rules-based system, the US 

has mostly been a force for good 

and a role model. 

That reputation is in tatters. It is 

difficult to rebuild it without, at 

some point, getting Trump to pay 

for the damage he has caused, 

while not making him a cause 

celebre in the process. 

Yet, holding him to account will 

not only send a signal that ruinous 

habits have consequences, it would 

also discourage copycats 

elsewhere, and send the message 

that the US is finally, open for 

business. 

Party chairmanship re-zoning, journey to anarchy 

By AHMAD ABIODUN 

SPECULATION emerging 

from the All Progressives 

Congress, APC, points in the 

direction of a likely re-zoning, but 

we feel this is inappropriate and 

may lead to further crisis in the 

party. For the sake of equity, the 

party should not re-zone the 

chairmanship position until the 

tenure of the South South geopolitical 

zone is completed. 

In 2014 the chaimanship 

position was zoned to the South 

South geo-political zone of the 

country and micro-zoned to Edo 

State because Cross River State 

had the zonal chaiman's position. 

Chief Odigie Oyegun was 

chairman from 2014-2018 and 

Comrade Adams Oshiomhole 

continued till 2020. So what 

happens to 2020-2022? 

This is a sensitive matter that the 

party must ponder over to avoid 

distrust within the party. It could 

lead to chaos that may snowball 

into 2023 which is the election year. 

This status quo should be allowed 

to thrive as it will further foster 

cohesion and equity within the 

party structure. 

It will give the party the national 

outlook it has for now, but if it's rezoned 

to the north it may lead to 

further crisis which is the last thing 

the party wants for now. Now that 

the leader of the party, President 

Muhamnadu Buhari, has given the 

caretaker committee the nod to 

carry out fresh registration, the 

new exco after the party's 

convention in December can 

continue from where it stopped. 

To restore confidence in the 

present members, the convention 

should hold in December for a 

smooth take-off of the new exco in 

2021. The year 2023 is just around 

the corner, and if the party does 

not right the wrongs via the 

convention in December then the 

party is heading towards further 

crisis. 

Re-zoning the position to the 

north while the sitting president is 

from the north may fuel distrust 

which the party can cleverly avoid 

and retain the south south zone. 

But the discordant voices 

emanating from the ruling party 

is quite disturbing, if it is true that 

the caretaker committee is 

embarking on tenure elongation 

instead of midwiving it towards a 

convention next month. 

This development in the party 

needs to be checkmated before it 

snowballs into a full blown crisis 

that may rubbish all the good 

intentions of setting up the 

caretaker committee. 

The caretaker committee should 

immediately begin the process of 

convening the national convention 

in December to rekindle hope and 

trust in the party. The party needs 

to redefine and if need be reengineer 

its political processes to 

accommodate internal democracy 

for a better tomorrow. In-fighting 

in the party will continue if the 

caretaker committee decides to 

buy time into 2021. 

The caretaker committee should 

immediately begin the process of 

convening the National 

Convention in December to 

rekindle hope and trust in the party. 

The emergence of a group under 

the auspices of concerned 

members should not be swept 

under the carpet. 

If a man wakes up in the morning 

and sees the kennery bird dancing 

in the midst of lions and tigers, he 

needs no soothsayer to know that 

there must be a powerful drummer 

somewhere that could deal with 

other animals. Their demands 

maybe outrageous, but there 

maybe an urgent need to address 

the reasonable ones. 

One of their demands is that the 

convention must hold in 2020 and 

that the new exco should be in a 

better position to conveniently 

midwife the registration exercise 

for the party. They may appear as 

a small group shouting new cabal, 

new sweet nonesense but if they 

carry out the threat of going to 

court this could slow down the 

party. The party needs to open its 

ears to all forms of protests now!A 

stitch in time they say saves nine. 

•Abiodun, a public affairs 

analyst, wrote from Abuja.


THE call by the Attorney General 

and Minister of Justice, Abubakar 

Malami, for the decentralisation of 

our correctional administration is a 

very welcome idea. It is long overdue 

in view of our overstuffed prisons 

populated mainly by those awaiting 

trial. 

Malami, at the recent National 

Summit on Correctional Centres beyond mere name change from the 

Reform in Nigeria in Abuja said he Nigerian Prisons Service, NPS, to the 

had canvassed the idea at a meeting Nigerian Correctional Service, NCS. 

with state Chief Justices and This reminds us of the recent change 

Attorneys-General. 

of the name of the disbanded Federal 

In order to reduce the congestion Special Anti-Robbery Squad, FSARS, 

of our colonial-era prison facilities, to Special Weapons and Tactics, SWAT, 

Malami said that state offenders as a result of the recent #EndSARS 

should be kept in state prisons while protests. 

federal offenders will continue to be Cosmetic attitudes to demands for 

held in federal centres under such an change bespeak of our obstinate 

arrangement. 

inability or unwillingness to move with 

It is sad that over the years, our the demands of the times for the 

leaders have not thought it wise to greater good of the country. 

invest in the upgrade of our In an ideal situation, correctional 

correctional administration which we administration should not be in the 

inherited from the British colonialists Exclusive List as it is in Nigeria. This 

Need to decentralise correctional centres 

was a colonial creation which, for 

obvious reasons, the colonialists 

refused to decentralise when Nigeria 

became a federation even before 

independence. 

Despite the series of constitutional 

changes, no thought has been given 

for the creation of regional or state 

and local council prisons even though 

states have constitutional powers to 

run their court systems up to the State 

High Court. 

Most crimes, policing and 

correctional activities are generally 

local. Governments at the lowest level 

of local administration should be able 

to hold and reform certain classes of 

convicted or awaiting trial offenders. 

We believe that the 240 federal 

correctional centres are obviously 

inadequate to cope with the number 

and sophistication of legal offenders 

in our society. 

Just as the states have proved 

capable of operating their own courts, 

the constitution should be amended 

to allow them (and even local councils) 

to establish and administer 

correctional centres. Decongestion 

will help the states to achieve the noble 

objective of making correctional 

inmates better citizens (rather than 

hardened criminals) when they return 

to free society. 

It is a sad irony that, despite the fact 

that many of our past and present 

leaders have been to our prisons for 

one reason or the other, yet they 

continue to neglect our correctional 

administration, forgetting that they 

may find themselves back there after 

their tenures of office. 

OPINION 

Nigerian youth, social media and the gathering storm 

By JEROME-MARIO UTOMI 

The easy accessibility individuals have to 

publish ideas on the Internet has led to the 

emergence of a new meritocracy of ideas that is 

similar in some ways to the public forum that 

existed during the time of America’s founding. 

It has several structural characteristics that 

make it particularly useful and powerful as a 

tool for reinvigorating representative democracy 

—Al-Gore, former VicePresident in the United 

States. 

IF there is a single factor/occurrence that 

has redefined information management 

and promoted citizen journalism across the 

globe, it is the dawn of internet/social media. 

As citizens participate more in the news 

process, ‘the flow of news and information is 

controlled less by editors, who are accustomed 

to choosing the stories to be covered from 

among the many possible events and issues 

that occur in a community. Some editors now 

rely on citizens’ participation (called “crowd 

sourcing” or “user-generated”) to augment the 

work of their limited numbers of reporters and 

photographers. With more participation and 

coverage, journalists and citizens feel more 

connected to the community and each other’. 

At present, the presence of social media 

means different things to different people. To 

the Nigerian youth for example, social media 

with the recent success of the Endsars 

campaign which started on Twitter has become 

a positive force that can enhance, among other 

things, communication, stakeholder 

engagement, knowledge acquisition, 

awareness building, volunteer management, 

accountability, advocacy, relationship 

building activities and promotes community 

foundations, whose main goal is to address 

community problems. Increasingly, they foster 

a “community” that is built less on 

geographic boundaries than on a sense of 

belonging, social media provide a diverse and 

transcendent public dialogue. 

Yet, even with this recognition of the critical/ 

far reaching role social media plays, 

particularly its ability to engage minds on 

tasks such as learning, reasoning, 

understanding and other activities that creates 

positive impact, and crowd of ‘exiting 

progress’, recorded by users across the world, 

the instincts of the present administration says 

something new and chiefly different. While the 

The solution to fake news and 

hate speech, urgent as they are, 

cannot be found in social media 

censorship but in a constructive 

and rational approach 

present administration admits, like every other 

nation, that social media constitute a principal 

component of, and aids political, 

socioeconomic discussions across the globe, 

the Federal Government has, however, 

through its actions and inactions argued 

persistently that just as an unchained torrent 

of water submerges whole countrysides and 

devastates crops, even so, uncontrolled use of 

the social media serves but to destroy. 

Hence the need to have the space regulated. 

Supporting the above claim is the Nigerian 

Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji 

Lai Mohammed, recently disclosure of 

government’s intention to regulate the social 

media in Nigeria. To copiously quote him, he 

in part said: “Since we inaugurated our reform 

of the broadcast industry, many Nigerians have 

reached out to us, demanding that we also 

look into how to sanitise the social media 

space. I can assure you that we are also 

working on how to inject sanity into the social 

media space which, today, is totally out of 

control. No responsible government will sit by 

and allow fake news and hate speech to 

dominate its media space, because of the 

capacity of this menace to exploit our national 

fault lines to set us against each other and 

trigger a national conflagration.” 

Similar to the minister’s position were two 

feeble attempts in the past to regulate the 

information space via the introduction of 

the Internet Falsehood and Manipulations 

Bill, 2019 and the hate speech bill. At the most 

basic level, the Internet Falsehood and 

Manipulations Bill, 2019, sponsored by 

Senator Mohammed Sani Musa, (APC Niger 

East), among other provisions, seeks to curtail 

the spread of fake information. It seeks a threeyear 

jail term for anyone involved in what it 

calls the abuse of social media or an option of 

fine of N150, 000 or both. It also proposes a 

fine of N10 million for media houses involved 

in peddling falsehood or misleading the public. 

The hate speech bill on its part, proposes 

that any person found guilty of any form of 

hate speech that results in the death of another 

person shall die by hanging upon conviction. 

This is in addition to its call for the 

establishment of an ‘Independent National 

Commission for Hate Speeches’, which shall 

enforce hate speech laws across the country. 

As alluring as this proposition/explanation 

by the government appears, there exist in the 

opinion of this piece some obvious omissions. 

First, it is of considerable importance to state 

that the solution to fake news and hate speech, 

Send Opinions & Letters to: 

opinions1234@yahoo.com 

urgent as they are, cannot be found in social 

media censorship but in a constructive and 

rational approach. Secondly, for the wheel of 

understanding to come full circle, we all need 

to admit as a nation that ‘without wood, the 

fire goes out, charcoal keeps the ember 

glowing as wood keeps the fire burning’. Same 

is applicable to the factors propelling fake 

News/hate speeches in the country. 

What the nation’s information space 

currently witnesses is but a clash of 

misinformation between the fifth columnists 

in the fourth estate pretending to be journalists 

and the poor masses who are the real victims 

of broken promises. Citizens have recently 

come to the understanding that; ‘a free press is 

not a privilege but an organic necessity in a 

society. For without criticism, reliable, and 

intelligent reporting, the government cannot 

govern.’ 

It is of great value, therefore, that the 

government draws a lesson from other nations 

where social media are not censored, to 

understand that the marketplace of ideas 

naturally sorts the irresponsible from the 

responsible and rewards the later. Nigerians 

are not interested in this fender-bender 

information atmosphere and proliferation of 

falsehood, propaganda, and fake news on the 

nation’s political wavelength. 

They are genuinely willing to say exciting 

things about how their government created 

employment for teeming youths, raised her 

citizens out of poverty and funded the 

education sector in line with the United 

Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural 

Organisation (UNESCO) which pegged 

funding of education at 26 per cent of the 

national budget or six per cent of the gross 

domestic products, GDP. 

•Utomi, is Programme Cordinator of the Social 

and Economic Justice Advocacy (SEJA) 

C 

M 

Y

Vanguard,FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 13, 2020 — 19 

AfCFTA: OPS lauds 

ratification, cautions 

more action needed 

*Domestic firms must 

strengthen competitiveness 

– LCCI, NACCIMA 

By Yinka Kolawole 

Buying pressure triggers market-wide circuit 

breaker in stock exchange 

*As index rise beyond set threshold 

By Peter Egwuatu 

THE Nigerian Stock Exchange, 

NSE, yesterday disclosed that 

a market-wide circuit breaker kicked 

in at exactly 12:55 PM, when the 

NSE’s All-Share Index (ASI) rose 

beyond the set threshold of five percent, 

thus making it largest daily 

gain in more than five years. 

NSE disclosed this on its website, 

stating that the circuit breaker protocol 

was triggered by the excessive 

gains in stocks yesterday, with the 

NSE ASI rising to 34,959.39 from 

33,268.36 due to massive buying 

pressures on the bourse, which triggered 

a 30-minute trading halt on 

all stocks. 

The market reopened at exactly 

1:25 PM with a 10-minute intraday 

auction session, before resuming 

continuous trading till the close of 

activities at 2:30pm. 

This protocol provided a necessary 

break for market participants to incorporate 

and analyze the latest 

events in a bid to ward-off marketwide 

speculative trading and ensure 

rational trading decisions. 

However, this was the first time 

that the circuit breaker had kicked 

in since its introduction in 2016. 

During the halt of trading, no order 

could be placed until trading resumed. 

NSE stated: “During the halt of 

trading, no order could be placed 

until trading resumed. However, 

existing orders could be withdrawn 

or cancelled but could not be modified. 

Trading halts did not affect the 

clearing, settlement, and depository 

operations for matched trades, as 

these functioned as normal. Furthermore, 

all existing orders keyed in 

prior to the trading halt were re-activated 

and were matched upon resumption 

of trading.” 

CURRENCY BUYING SELLING 

US DOLLAR 

POUNDS 

EURO 

FRANC 

YEN 

CFA 

WAUA 

RENMINBI 

RIYAL 

RAND 

CAPITAL MARKET 

109.25 +1.95 

2,384.00 +51.00 

14.48 -0.20 

44.47 +0.85 

42.71 +0.62 

379 379.5 380 

502.7435 503.4068 504.07 

446.083 446.6715 447.26 

412.8091 413.3537 413.8983 

3.5934 3.5982 3.6029 

0.6631 0.6731 0.6831 

537.4794 538.1885 538.8976 

57.2222 57.2981 57.3741 

101.0505 101.1838 101.3171 

24.2064 24.2384 24.2703 

CBN Exchange rate as at 12/11/2020 

BUDGET DEFENCE: From left-- Head, Finance and Accounts Securities and Exchange Commission, 

SEC, Mr Frank Aul, Director General, SEC, Mr Lamido Yuguda and Executive Commissioner 

Corporate Services, SEC, Mr Ibrahim Boyi during the SEC’s budget defence before 

the House of Representatives Committee on Capital Market at the National Assembly in Abuja. 

COVID-19 pushes households further below 

poverty line — NBS 

By Elizabeth Adegbesan 

ECONOMY 

THERE are indications 

that the Coronavirus 

(COVID-19) pandemic has 

pushed households further 

below the poverty line, due to 

the increase in unemployment 

rate resulting from the 

impact of the pandemic. 

In its COVID-19 Impact 

Monitoring round 5, 

September 2020 report, 

released yesterday, 

the National Bureau 

of Statistics 

(NBS) said: “Individuals 

from across 

the consumption distribution 

have been 

affected by the crisis 

but the reduction in 

the share of people 

working was largest 

for the poorest consumption 

quintile. 

Among working-age 

individuals in households 

in the lowest 

consumption quintile, 

the share working 

dropped from 79 percent 

prior to the 

COVID-19 crisis to 70 

percent in September 

2020. This relatively 

large drop has potentially 

serious implications 

for the depth of 

poverty in Nigeria, as 

households that were 

already poor before 

COVID-19 may be 

pushed further below 

the poverty line.” 

According to NBS, conditions 

observed in the labour 

market in round 5 of the survey 

showed that the economic 

precariousness in incomes 

and consumptions observed 

in previous rounds of the survey 

continued during the review 

period. 

It stated: “In August 2020, 

67 percent of households reported 

that their incomes were 

lower than a year before, while 

in July 2020 around 69 percent 

of those households that 

experienced shocks since the 

outbreak of COVID-19 reported 

reducing their food 

consumption (alongside other 

negative coping strategies). 

“Since Round 5 suggests 

that the share of people who 

are working is lower than before 

the crisis especially for 

women and for the lowest 

quintile and that workers have 

been switching between different 

sectors, it appears that 

Nigerian households’ incomes 

and consumption remain precarious.” 

On gender inequality, the 

bureau said: “The share of 

women who were working 

dropped more than the share 

of men who were working between 

the pre-crisis period 

and September 2020, suggesting 

that the COVID-19 crisis 

may be entrenching gender 

inequality in the labour market. 

“In July/August 2018, 82 

percent of working-age men 

and 72 percent of workingage 

women were working, but 

these shares dropped to 78 

percent and 65 percent respectively 

by September 

2020.” 

Meanwhile, C & I Leasing 

Plc led the gainers chart rising 

by N0.41 per share to 

close at N5.51 per share, followed 

by Cadbury Nigeria Plc 

gaining N1.00 per share to 

close at N11.00. Cutix Plc garnered 

19 kobo per share to 

close at N2.09. Julius Berger 

followed as it rose by N1.75 

per share to close at N19. 25 

per share. 

ECONOMY 

MEMBERS of the organised pri 

vate sector (OPS) have applauded 

the Federal Government on 

the ratification of the African Continental 

Free Trade area (AfCFTA) agreement 

but warned that more steps have 

to be taken by both government and 

private sector for Nigeria to fully benefit 

from the continental trade deal. 

Recall that the federal executive council 

(FEC) on Wednesday ratified 

Nigeria’s membership of AfCFTA, 

ahead of the take-off in January 2021. 

In his reaction, Director General, 

Lagos Chamber of commerce and Industry 

(LCCI), Dr Muda Yusuf, told 

Vanguard that the decision to ratify the 

agreement has cleared the uncertainty 

over Nigeria’s stance on the continental 

trade deal. 

Yusuf stated: “The ratification of 

AfCFTA is good news. This decision has 

cleared the uncertainty and anxiety over 

Nigeria’s stance on AfCFTA. The truth 

is that we have seen a great deal of 

equivocation and prevarication over 

AfCFTA in the last two years. 

“The next step is to support the Nigerian 

private sector to take advantage of 

the $4 trillion market which AfCFTA 

presents. To benefit optimally from this, 

we need to strengthen the competitiveness 

of our domestic firms, especially 

those in the real sector. We need to liberate 

them from the shackles of constraints 

putting pressure on their costs 

and inhibiting their competitiveness. 

“The quality of our infrastructure 

needs to improve, our policies need to 

facilitate competitiveness, our regulations 

need to support business growth 

and our institutions need to demonstrate 

better appreciation of the value 

of investment and investors in an 

economy. 

“AfCFTA will produce winners and 

losers across sectors. The vulnerability 

risks vary from sector to sector. It 

calls for a review of business models of 

many firms and industries in the light 

of new competition forces that will 

emerge.” 

Also commenting, Director General, 

Nigerian Association of Chambers of 

Commerce Industry, Mines and Agriculture 

(NACCIMA), Amb. Ayo 

Olukanni, said the AfCFTA ratification 

by government was a welcome development. 

COVID-19, EndSARS: Insurance operators 

demand extension of recapitalisation deadline 

By Rosemary Onuoha 

INSURANCE 

FOLLOWING the economic 

challenges brought about by 

the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic 

and the EndSARS protests, 

insurance companies have appealed 

to the National Insurance Commission, 

NAICOM, to amend some of 

the requirements in the 

recapitalisation exercise in the sector. 

The companies urged NAICOM 

to extend the recapitalisation deadline 

to December 2021 from September 

2021 as well as waive the first 

phase of its segmented 

recapitalisation for the insurance 

and reinsurance companies scheduled 

to end by December 31, 2020. 

Speaking during a meeting of insurance 

companies’ chief executive 

officers with NAICOM, at the 

industry’s professional forum in 

Abeokuta, Ogun State, the operators 

said the support of the regulator 

would assist to build strong underwriting 

companies and boost investors’ 

confidence in the sector. 

Some of the executives who attended 

the meeting disclosed that 

they made a request for the 

recapitalisation exercise process 

to be concluded in December 

2021, while the interim milestone 

assessment scheduled for December 

2020 be stepped down. 

A chief executive who spoke on 

the condition of anonymity said: 

“The waiver will give the insurance 

and reinsurance companies 

more time to settle back to business 

and pursue their full 

recapitalisation programme in 

order to meet the Commission’s 

set objectives by 31 December, 

2021.” 

According to him, the aspect relating 

to attainment of certain 

thresholds by 31 December 2020, 

failing which the Commission 

may restrict the scope of business 

insurance and reinsurance companies 

will transact, should be 

waved. 

He said: “Operators observed 

the huge impact of COVID-19 on 

the financial services sector and 

the national economy at large, 

coupled with the situation that 

was worsened by losses from the 

nationwide #EndSARS protests. 

“We are convinced that it will 

take businesses, especially insurance 

companies some time to ascertain 

the full extent of losses and 

recover from the shock of the devastating 

developments.”


Life in Abagena IDP camp 

unbearable, traumatic —Inmates 

By Peter Duru, Makurdi 

THEIR stories are heartrending. 

Stories laden with 

frustration, hopelessness, fear and 

disappointment are all one would 

hear any time one sets foot on 

Abagena Internally Displaced 

Persons, IDPs, Camp in the 

outskirts of Makurdi town, Benue 

State. As one walks along the 

beautiful, well paved entrance of 

the camp, which has become home 

to over 8210 humans - women, 

children and the physically 

challenged, deep emotions that 

grips the heart begin to take over. 

The inmates were forced to move 

to the camp following the terror 

unleashed on them by vicious 

armed herdsmen. The inmates' 

homes were burnt by the herdsmen 

who also destroyed their means of 

livelihood. The camp has, 

therefore, become a temporary 

home for the inmates from Guma 

LGA in the past three years and 

there is no hope of their early 

return to their native abodes. 

According to new figures 

obtained from the camp manager, 

Mr. James Iorkyaa, Abagena IDP 

camp is home to 8,210 IDPs. Of 

this number 504 are nursing 

mothers, pregnant women number 

310, while children of between the 

ages of 0-5 years are 2,257. Those 

aged six to 17 years are 2,152 while 

inmates from ages 18 and above 

are 3,801. 

Abagena is a smaller camp 

compared to the other 23 official 

and unofficial camps located in 

other parts of the state. For most 

of them who fled their 

communities in 2018 and took 

refuge in the camp, the journey 

thus far has been tortuous and 

traumatic. Life in the camp is 

almost unbearable and unfit for 

human existence but that is all they 

have to live with for now. The 

inmates receive some form of 

assistance from Doctors Without 

Borders, International Committee 

of the Red Cross, public spirited 

individuals, corporate 

organisations and the Benue State 

Government, which coordinates 

the camps. The absence of basic 

By Umar Yusuf, Yola following the large-scale 

I 

destruction of public and private 

T was a show of shock and 

property in the state in the outbreak 

shame as three chairmen of 

of Endsars protests, began to 

local government areas in 

exchange blows in his presence. 

Adamawa State engaged in 

Despite entreaties for the 

fisticuffs over the sharing of 

combatant chairmen to restrain 

undisclosed cash donated by 

themselves, the three chairman 

Governor Ahmadu Fintiri to the 21 

drawn from two senatorial zones 

LGAs in the state. 

in the state, threw caution to the 

An embarrassed Governor 

wind and threw more jabs at one 

Fintiri could not believe what he 

another. 

saw when the three LGA chiefs, 

Trouble started when the 

who were part of the delegation of 

governor announced the donation 

the Association of Local 

of an undisclosed sum of money to 

Governments of Nigeria, ALGON, 

the local government officials who 

to the Government House, Yola, to 

had come to the Government 

pay solidarity with the governor 

House to sympathise with him with 

facilities for human lives has forced 

them to resort to dehumanising 

jobs to eke a living keep their heads 

above the water. Indeed, survival 

is the name of the game as far as 

the inmates of Abagena are 

concerned. 

Arewa Voice correspondent, who 

visited the camp, captured the 


•Camp harbours 8,210 IDPs 

•Inmates accuse Federal Government of neglect 

•Laud Benue govt for donating 50 bags of rice 

•Doctors Without Borders, Red Cross, organisations rally support 

•Inmates embark on menial jobs to survive Continues on Page 22 

•Women and children cooking at the fire place in the camp 

•Mama Mbe Hemba •Dennis Baaki •Alex Nor 

sordid tales of the inmates on how 

they were struggling to survive 

given the fact that many of them 

have large families despite the 

absence of any form of financial 

and material support in the camp. 

Many have now resorted to daily 

paid jobs with their children in tow 

just to earn a little more for their 

Shock as 3 Adamawa LG chairmen in free for all over governor’s cash gift 

a pledge of unflinching support. 

According to a council chairman 

who was at the scene, two of the 

chairmen who were privy to the 

governor’s donation, wanted to 

keep the money to themselves while 

the third official opposed them 

and announced the donation to all 

their colleagues. 

The decision of the third 

chairman to make the donation 

known to the 21 LGA chairmen, 

however, did not go down well with 

two others, who immediately 

descended on their colleague for 

‘betraying’ them. 

The two chairmen joined forces 

to fight the third chairman with 

Dangote Refinery to employ 

over 250,000 Nigerians 

•Fertilizer plant to come on stream this month 

By Victor Ahiuma-Young 

THE management of Dangote 

Refinery and Petrochemicals 

has disclosed that the 650,000 

barrels per day project will create 

jobs for not less than 250,000 

security agents desperately trying 

to separate them. This led to 

commotion and confusion in the 

Government House as the face-off 

lingered. 

Arewa Voice learned that in the 

ensuing confrontation, every 

available object - chairs, tables, 

was freely deployed in the 

onslaught. 

It took security men and other 

officers some time to separate the 

fight and restore calm in the 

hallowed chambers of the 

Government House as the two 

chairmen reportedly threatened to 

kill the chairman that leaked the 

Continues on Page 22 

Nigerians when completed and fully 

operational next year. 

Group Executive Director, Strategy 

and Capital Projects, Dangote 

Industries Limited, Mr. Devakumar 

Edwin, told reporters at the site that 

the company’s refinery has 

potential to turn around Nigeria’s 

economy with the employment of 

thousands of Nigerians for direct 

and indirect jobs. 

He said the huge unemployment 

rate of Nigerian youths and the need 

to make the country self-reliant in 

fuel consumption and attract much 

needed foreign exchange through 

export of the products were reasons 

that motivated the President of 

Dangote Group, Aliko Dangote, to 

venture into manufacturing. 

The Dangote Group boss said he 

was very optimistic that the refinery 

•Virtually impaired 

Christopher Nom 

survival. 

A 60-year-old visually-impaired 

Christopher Nom with three wives 

and 18 children from Umenge in 

Guma LGA told Arewa Voice that 

he had to resort to menial work to 

make ends meet for his large 

family. Nom, who moved into the 

camp with his large family in 

2018, said: “If we don’t do menial 

jobs how do we take care of our 

children and wives? The state 

government gives us relief 

material but it can never be 

enough. We cannot always depend 

on that for survival since the 

Federal Government does not care 

about our wellbeing. 

“We have decided to seek menial 

jobs in farms in the community and 

nearby places to augment 

whatever we can garner from the 

state government, organisations 

and individuals.” 

On his part, Alex Nor, 64, and a 

husband of two wives and 10 

children, lamented their neglect by 

the Federal Government noting 

that the only option open to them 

Continues on Page 23


l-r: The Emir of Machina, Alhaji Bashir Albishir Bukar; Lead Advocate KGIS, Dr. Mairo Mandara, 

and the Emir of Argungu, Alhaji Samaila Moh'd Mera at the keeping girls in school workshop 

for women and youths, in Kaduna, yesterday. 

Photo:Olu Ajayi. 

Gov Bello presents N151.2bn budget to Niger Assembly 

By Wole Mosadomi proposed budget, 

GOVERNOR 

Abubakar N71,955,049,902.00 or 47.58 per 

Sani Bello of Niger State, cent is expected to accrue from the 

yesterday, presented N151.2 Federation Account, N17, 

billion budget for the 2021 fiscal 999,524,715.00 representing 

year to the State House of 11.91 per cent from value-added 

Assembly. 

tax, while N14,744,770,399.00 or 

Tagged “Budget of Priotise 9.74 per cent is to be generated 

Reality” it is internally. 

N151,240,621,776.00 is 2.71 per “The sum of N42, 

cent lower than the original 2020 201,250,249.00 representing 

Budget of N155,459,814,701.00. 27.90 per cent of the budget is 

The governor who was expected as capital receipt from 

represented by his deputy, Alhaji development partners, grants, 

Ahmed Mohammed Ketso said loans among others. Other 

“the 2021 proposed budget expected revenue sources include: 

estimate is made up of Dividends from North-South 

N72,503,201,830.88 representing Power N500,000,000.00, Refund 

47.94 per cent as recurrent from National Electricity Liability 

estimate and n78,737,419,945.12 Company, 

NELCO, 

representing 52.06 per cent of the N3,510,026,517.00 and Refund 

budget size as capital estimates. from Federal Roads 

He said the budget is to be N330,000,000.00 which account 

financed through the usual for 0.33 per cent, 2.32 per cent and 

traditional sources of statutory 0.22 per cent respectively.” 

allocation from federation A breakdown of the budget 

account, value added tax, shows that the economic sector 

internally generated revenue, igr, has the highest allocation of 

and capital receipts. 

N54.257billion or 68.90 per cent, 

Furthermore, he said: “Out of followed by the social sector with 

the N151,240,621,776.00 N16.084billion or 20.42 per cent 

Shock as 3 Adamawa LG chairmen fight 

over governor’s cash gift 

Continues from page 21 

amount donated by the governor 

to the ALGON delegation. 

As the ugly incident lasted, the 

ALGON Chairman, Jingi Rufai 

was busy trying to restore calm 

among the fighting chairmen. 

Director General, Media and 

Communications to Governor 

AREWA VOICE TEAM 

Editor: Soni Daniel 

Correspondents: 

Wole Mosadomi, Minna 

Demola Akinyemi, Ilorin 

Bashir Bello, Kano 

Aliyu Dangida, Dutse 

Umar Yusuf, Yola 

Ibrahim HassnWuyo, Kaduna 

Peter Duru, Makurdi 

Marie-Therese Nanlong, Jos 

Abdul Murtala, Kano 

Femi Bolaji, Jalingo 

David Odama, Lafia 

Charly Agwam, Bauchi 

Boluwaji Obahopo, Lokoja 

Andy Asemota, Katsina 

Ahmadu Fintiri, Mr. Solomon 

Kumanga, who confirmed the 

incident, however, described it as 

an ALGON affair, which had since 

been settled amicably. 

The governor’s spokesman said 

that the three chairmen and others 

have been warned to desist 

forthwith from such embarrassing 

behaviour any time they come to 

the governor’s office. 

Attempts by Arewa Voice to 

speak with the State Chairman of 

ALGON, Mr. Jingi Rufai, proved 

abortive as he refused to pick all 

calls to his line. 

Meanwhile, the Adamawa State 

House of Assembly has vowed to 

take disciplinary action against 

the erring council chairmen who 

fought in the Government House. 

The Chairman, Assembly 

House Committee on 

information, Mr. Kefas Japhet, 

told Arewa Voice that the House 

was awaiting formal complaint 

on the disgraceful act by the three 

chairmen. 

Dangote Refinery to employ over 250,000 Nigerians 


will be a game changer for Nigeria 

and the rest of Africa. 

He said: “The Dangote Industries 

Limited has succeeded in 

substantially reducing the high rate 

and administrative sector with 

9.02 per cent or N7.095billion. 

The law and justice sector has a 

proposed estimate of n1.3billion. 

Governor Bello, however, 

lamented that the year 2020 has 

been tough on almost all fronts 

saying, the outbreak of COVID- 

19 to the most recent protest that 

engulfed the nation with its 

attendant catastrophe has 

affected almost all governments 

in all the nations of the world 

including Niger State. 

In his remarks, Speaker of the 

state House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. 

Abdullahi Bawa Wuse, assured 

that the lawmakers will ensure 

that the Budget is scrutinised and 

given speedy passage and that it 

will also partner with the 

Executive arm and security 

agencies in ensuring that the 

insecurity challenges faced is 

tackled. 

TSA: We have uncovered N1.48bn, 265 hidden 

accounts — Gov Yahaya 

Kwara Poly rector saves N48m illegal payments 

By Demola Akinyemi 

RECTOR, Kwara state 

Polytechnic (Kwarapoly), 

Ilorin, Engineer Abdul Jimoh 

Mohammed, has saved the 

institution N48M accruing from 

illegal salary payments,school 

fees collection and payments for 

certificate by unscrupulous staff 

of the polytechnic in the last one 

year. 

Mohammed said his efforts at 

blocking leakages of corruption 

have paid off as it has provided 

more revenue for the polytechnic 

which has stopped receiving 

subvention from the state 

government since 2015. 

He spoke during media 

interaction on first year of his 

administration in Ilorin on 

Thursday. 

His words: "On assumption of 

office, one year ago,I realised 

there were so many leakages 

which I blocked. Today, I have 

saved the polytechnic over 

N4mon monthly basis from illegal 

salary payments, school fees 

payments and certificate 

payments. It's a racket whereby 

one genuine payment for school 

fees and certificate would be used 

for about four students. 

of unemployment in the country, 

with the conglomerate already 

recruiting youths its various 

agricultural scheme and also into 

its other subsidiaries. Dangote 

Industries Limited is the highest 

employer of labour outside the 

federal government.” 

In the same vein, Edwin also 

assured that, other things being 

equal, “Dangote Fertilizer plant’s 

products will hit the market this 

month. The Dangote Fertilizer 

Limited has a well-equipped 

fertiliser soil testing laboratory to 

ensure efficiency of the product for 

farmers. 

"The laboratory will enable us 

analyse and identify a particular soil 

deficiency. Applying the right 

fertiliser to soil will enable it yield 

maximum result. The goal of our 

soil testing is to provide an accurate 

assessment of the soil’s fertility to 

make fertiliser recommendations. 

GOVERNOR Inuwa Yahaya 

of Gombe State, yesterday, 

said his administration uncovered 

N1.48 billion from 586 undisclosed 

accounts, while 265 hidden 

accounts linked to the previous 

administration were also uncovered. 

Yahaya disclosed this in Gombe 

while declaring open a one-day 

workshop on Treasury Single 

Account, TSA, tagged: “Cash 

Management Strategy”. The 

workshop was organised for chief 

accounting and paying officers, 

heads of Ministries, Departments 

and Agencies, MDAs, as well as 

higher institutions. 

He said since he signed 

implementation of the TSA, a lot of 

successes had been recorded as a 

total of 2, 292 accounts linked to 

the state government were captured 

in addition to the discovery of 265 

hidden accounts. 

Yahaya who said his 

administration had closed 586 

dormant accounts after generating 

their annual account statements for 

proper reconciliation and 

documentations, added: “This 

shows the enormity of the financial 

indiscipline and capacity inherited 

by his administration. 

“You can imagine 2, 292 accounts 

being operated in one government 

“We also detected different 

fraudulent payments of salaries. 

The work is ongoing, and the 

affected staff have been 

summoned. The matter is 

currently before the council for 

final determination of the matter.” 

The rector who said that his one 

year in office has witnessed 

various developments in the 

institution, added that the school 

had also responded to societal 

challenges and improved its 

internally generated revenue, 

IGR. 

“As part of commitment to 

improve the IGR, we introduced a 

scheme tagged, #one departmentone 

patentable and 

commercialisable product. This 

scheme gave birth to hand 

sanitiser and germicide hand 

wipe from Department of Science 

Laboratory Technology. The pedal 

operated hand washing machine, 

a product of Department of 

Mechanical Engineering. Another 

product (fumigation chamber) 

will soon be launched by the 

Department of Electrical 

Engineering”, he said. 

The rector also identified factors 

militating against contribution of 

polytechnic education to national 

development, suggesting more 

“A proper soil test will help ensure 

the application of enough fertiliser 

to meet the requirements of the crop 

while taking advantage of the 

nutrients already present in the soil. 

“Right now, farmers are forced to 

utilize whatever fertilizer that is 

available as they have no choice, but 

we need to know that the fertiliser 

that will work in one state may not 

be suitable in another state, as they 

may not have the same soil type and 

composition. The same fertilizer 

you use for sorghum may not be the 

fertiliser you will use for sugar cane.” 

Speaking on Dangote Refinery’s 

employment generation capacity, 

Director- General of Nigeria 

Employers’ Consultative 

Association, NECA, Dr. Olawale 

Timothy, lauded the promotion of 

the refinery, saying the potential to 

create 250,000 direct and indirect 

jobs on completion would greatly 

reduce crime and poverty in 

Nigeria. 

and you expect proper 

accountability and records, we must 

do something to safeguard 

ourselves.” 

According to him, if the state must 

make progress, reforms will be 

inevitable and for us, it is either we 

reform or we perish. There is no 

option. He added that in order to 

further foster efficient management 

of cash resources, he approved the 

cash management strategy for the 

state, stressing that such would help 

enhance budget performance by 

preventing costly budget overruns. 

While noting that his 

administration does not see budget 

as mere figures, but as a tool of 

governance where expenditure must 

be carefully planned and backed by 

revenue in order to meet budget 

expectations, he stressed that in view 

of the scarce resources and the need 

to implement projects that would 

improve the living standard of the 

people, the implementation of the 

TSA was being leveraged to achieve 

results. “There is no doubt that the 

COVID-19 pandemic has led to 

devastating economic 

consequences globally. To navigate 

this, states must develop innovative 

ways of saving cost, improving 

efficiencies and eliminating 

wastage. 

commitment from stakeholders. 

He said that poor funding, 

inadequate monitoring of 

research projects, irregular 

staffing and poor commitment are 

among the identifiable factors. 

Engr. Mohammed also listed 

unfavourable public perception of 

polytechnic education and 

inadequate reward system for 

lecturers as some other factors 

militating against polytechnic 

education in the country, saying 

that, “if there’s punishment for 

erring staff, why not reward for 

productive staff? 

“As part of the challenges, there’s 

the issue of inadequate funding 

and lack of proper project 

monitoring in polytechnics. Also, 

there’s issue of staffing, where you 

have round pegs in square holes, 

coupled with poor staff 

commitment, as the case may be. 

We are working towards having 

reward for productive staff here 

starting next year and we plan to 

make it an elaborate event, 

because if there’s punishment for 

erring staff, there should be a 

reward system for hardworking 

and productive staff. 

“Public perception of 

polytechnic education is another 

Continues on page 23

Life in Abagena IDP camp is 

unbearable, traumatic —Inmates 


is to engage in menial jobs to 

survive. 

Nor said: “The Federal 

Government has failed to ensure 

that armed herdsmen do not gain 

access into our villages. They 

failed to keep to their promise to 

reconstruct our homes that were 

destroyed by the herdsmen and 

they have failed to cater for our 

wellbeing. Sometimes we feed 

once a day in the camp, it is that 

bad. 

“The Vice President came here 

and made promises but till date 

nothing has been done. They 

abandoned us to the state 

government but we all know that 

there is a limit the state 

government can go in providing 

relief material to the huge number 

of IDPs in the state. 

“We now go about in search of 

where we can do any legitimate 

work to earn a living in order to 

take care of our children who also 

accompany us to the job sites so 

that we can earn enough on a 

daily basis." 

For 57-year-old Dennis Baaki, 

who fled from Tor Kula Village in 

By Charly Agwam - Bauchi 

BARELY one year after 

yellow fever was reported to 

have killed several people in 

Bauchi State, have six more 

victims been confirmed dead by 

the state government following 

the outbreak of the disease in 

Ganjuwa Local Government 

Area. No fewer than eight others 

have also tested positive for the 

disease. 

Last year, Governor Bala 

Mohammed had launched aerial 

spray in selected local 

government areas and ordered 

mass vaccination of 500,000 

people in the state to fight the 

spread of yellow fever in the 

state. 

However, it appears that the 

fight against the virus is far from 

over after it resurfaced again with 

the death of six farmers who lived 

in small settlements in Ganjuwa. 

Reacting to the resurgence of 

the disease, the Bauchi State 

Primary Healthcare 

Development Agency 

(BSPHCDA) has vowed to begin 

another round vaccination 

exercise against the deadly 

disease in Ganjuwa. 

The Chairman of the agency, Dr 

Rilwanu Mohammed, urged 

people not to panic but to make 

use of mosquito nets as a 

preventive measure against 

contracting the virus and other 

types of ailments. 

He said: "Our polio team were 

in communities in Ganjuwa for 

routine exercise and they found 

out that eight people died of 

unknown disease and they 

reported back. Of the eight 

samples that were brought for 

Lassa fever and yellow fever tests, 

all the samples tested positive for 

yellow fever. Last year, by this 

time, we had cases of yellow fever 

in six local government areas of 

Bauchi, Alkaleri, Warji, Ningi, 

2018, survival in the camp has 

been very difficult. He said: “We 

don’t get enough to eat probably 

because the burden is too much 

for the state government and they 

have been doing their best I must 

confess. So we resorted to 

labouring in the host community 

and surrounding villages to get 

money to support our families. 

“It may interest you to know 

that just few days back this camp 

received 50 bags of rice from the 

state government but the last time 

we got anything from the Federal 

Government either through 

NEMA or any of its agencies was 

early last year. 

“It is disheartening because we 

are like a forgotten people. What 

we get from the state government, 

which is providing for other IDPs 

camps and Cameroonian 

refugees, will certainly not meet 

the requirements of all. So we 

must find a way of helping 

ourselves in the situation we have 

found ourselves or we will perish 

with our families in the camp. 

“So, if you come here in the 

afternoon you will not find most 

of us, our children and wives 

6 die as yellow fever resurfaces in Bauchi 

Kirfi and Darazo,” he said. 

A virologist, Ibrahim Kudu, 

told Arewa Voice that yellow fever 

is caused by a virus that is spread 

by the Aedes aegypti mosquito 

between humans and monkeys. 

He said: "Yellow fever is a viral 

disease that has been with us for 

a long time. It is sad that we have 

not been able to defeat the 

disease to this day. There's a breed 

of mosquito that transmits the 

disease between humans and 

monkeys; they are called Aedes 

By David Odama 

LAFIA: Twenty four years after 

Nasarawa State was created, 

the problem of water scarcity has 

persisted due to the absence of any 

concrete measure to provide 

water either by the state or the 

Federal Government. 

The failure of the government 

at any level to provide long term 

solution to water problem in the 

state, has forced the citizens to 

resort to any available means of 

water for consumption, the health 

risks notwithstanding. 

As a result of the failure by the 

government to provide 

commercial water for the state, 

Nasarawa State, has neither a 

clean source of potable water nor 

a commercial means of sourcing 

water for its residents in all the 

major cities, including the state 

capital, Lafia. 

In spite of the increase in the 

population and diversity, the state 

has continued to depend on the 

outdated and unreliable water 

facilities that served the then Lafia 

Local Government council, which 

is now the headquarters of 

Nasarawa State. 

The water facilities were mostly 

boreholes fitted with hand pumps 

to extract water for use and the 

same have continued to serve the 

•Women in the camp 

•Men in the camp 

because we will be in farms 

working for people who at the end 

of the day pay for our labour or 

give us food for labour.” 

Same was the account of 80- 

year-old mother of five, “Mama 

Mbe Hemba” from Tor Kula 

village and 37-year-old Joy 

Adamu from Tse Okar village all 

in Guma LGA. 

Interestingly, all the IDPs who 

aegypti mosquitoes. 

“When the mosquito bites a 

human or a monkey infected with 

yellow fever, the virus enters the 

mosquito's bloodstream and 

circulates and eventually settles 

in the salivary glands. The 

disease is transmitted when the 

infected mosquito bites another 

monkey or human which 

transmits the virus into the host's 

bloodstream where it may cause 

illness." 


spoke to Arewa Voice expressed 

their willingness to return to their 

ancestral homes but only if steps 

are taken by the Federal 

Government to stabilise security 

in their communities. 

Most of the IDPs stated 

emphatically that they faced the 

prospect of being attacked by 

armed herdsmen if they returned 

home stressing that those who 

made attempts to return were 

either killed or fatally injured by 

marauding herdsmen who would 

not want them back to their 

homes. 

“We are tired of living in the 

camps. We want to return home. 

All we ask of the government is 

adequate security and the 

reconstruction of our homes as 

promised. We know that the 

soldiers were sent in to safeguard 

our communities; they are doing 

their best but they cannot be 

everywhere at the same time,” 

Nom said. 

Water scarcity bites harder in Nasarawa 24 years after creation 

millions of Nigerians who now 

live and work in the state. 

Arewa Voice understands that the 

closest attempt by the Federal 

Government to address the water 

needs of the state came in August 

2016 when the government 

awarded contract and advanced 

the sum of N59 million as takeoff 

grant for the construction of an 

Earth Dam in the state. 

However, almost four years after 

the initial cash disbursement to 

the contractor, no serious political 

will has been put into action to 

ensure the completion of the water 

project with a view to alleviating 

the suffering of the residents of the 

state. 

As a result, most residents of the 

state have resorted to the purchase 

of water from every available 

source for their domestic and 

commercial use. As a result of the 

precarious water situation in the 

state, most residents buy water 

from local vendors popularly 

known as Mai ruwa. 

Residents of Giza community in 

Keana Local government area of 

the state recently raised the alarm 

over possible out of water borne 

diseases following lack of 

drinking water in the community. 

The residents claimed that water 

problem in the community has 

become an age-long challenge to 

the people hence the few hand 

pumps provided before the state 

was carved out of Plateau State. 

According to the community, the 

only source of natural water in the 

area has been taken over by 

crocodiles and other wild water 

animals, thus making it 

impossible for the residents to get 

to the stream. 

The same situation plays out 

itself in Karu, which shares 

boundary with the Federal Capital 

Territory, Abuja, and the 13 other 

LGAs in the state. 

Prominent natives of the state, 

such as the Alhaji Usman Abu, 

Permanent Secretary Ministry of 

Education, Maman Alakayi, 

Commissioner Federal Character 

Commission representing 

Nasarawa State, and the 

Chairman Civil Service 

Commission, Musa Dangana, 

have appealed to both the federal 

and the state governments to 

come to the aid of the state by 

making concrete effort to 

complete the abandoned dam 

project so as to reduce the water 

crisis in the state. 

When contacted on why the state 

is yet to have water for the 

residents 24 years of the state 

creation, the state Commissioner 

Death of my health 

commissioner a 

devastating blow 

— Ortom 

By Peter Duru, Makurdi 

BENUE State Governor, 

Samuel Ortom has 

described the death of his 

Commissioner for Health and 

Human Services, Dr. Emmanuel 

Ikwulono as a devastating blow 

to his administration. The 

commissioner died, Wednesday, of 

undisclosed ailment at a Jos 

hospital after a surgery. 

The Governor in a statement by 

his Chief Press Secretary, Terver 

Akase described the late Dr. 

Ikwulono as a true professional 

who built a wonderful working 

relationship with other members 

of the State Executive Council 

within a period of only four 

months in which he served as 

commissioner. 

He said: “The death of Dr. 

Ikwulono is not only shocking and 

painful but has also created a 

vacuum very difficult to fill. He 

will be deeply missed by the 

government and people of the state 

for his proactive efforts in tackling 

health challenges confronting 

Benue people, particularly the 

fight against COVID-19.” 

The governor prayed God to rest 

the soul of the deceased and also 

grant his family the strength to 

bear the irreparable loss. 

Also, Comrade Abba Moro, the 

senator representing Benue South 

Senatorial District, in a statement 

by his Special Assistant, Azikiwe 

Ameh, said he received with shock 

the news of the sudden death of 

the commissioner who was his 

constituent. 

Senator Moro in the statement 

said he was saddened by “this 

painful and untimely death, which 

occurred at a time that the service 

of the late Commissioner is mostly 

needed for the development of the 

health sector in Benue State and 

Benue South in particular.” 

He sympathised with Governor 

Ortom, the State Executive 

Council, Agatu Local Government 

and the immediate family of Dr. 

Ikwoluno and prayed God to rest 

his soul. 

for Agriculture and Water 

Resources, Prof. Otaki Alabama, 

said he would respond to the 

development later. 

Kwara Poly rector 

saves N48m illegal 

payments in one year 


challenge militating against 

polytechnic education in the 

country. An average Nigerian will 

prefer to pay N250,000 as 

university education fees per 

semester than N60,000 for 

polytechnic education fees of 

same period. 

“And this is not because what we 

do here is not good or our staff 

are inferior. Most of our staff have 

the highest education 

qualification in the world, which 

is doctorate degrees from 

reputable institutions, but the 

public perception of the 

polytechnic education is part of 

the problem. 

Calling you a professor is just 

by the way of practice. And until 

public perception of the lecturers 

and students is changed, by you 

and I, including operators of 

polytechnic education, the 

situation will continue”, he said.

C 

M 

Y 

K 

24 —Vanguard 

Vanguard, FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 13, , 2020 

Rabiul Awwal 27, 1442 A.H. 

Prophet Muhammad (PBUH): 

The greatest est leader of all times 

By Imam Murtadha Gusau 

ABRAHAM Lincoln famous 

ly said: “Nearly all men can 

stand adversity, but if you want to 

test a man’s character, give him 

power.” 

There is something about power 

that affects the human condition 

unlike anything else. It has an 

uncanny ability to change people, 

their behaviour and their actions, 

which in turn says something 

about their character. Power 

placed upon a weak character corrupts 

absolutely. And there seems 

to be no shortage of weak characters 

seeking and acquiring leadership 

and power. 

Power can take many forms and 

can come about through many 

means. Power is not just political 

or organisational, but can also be 

economic/financial, social and 

even religious. Each can test our 

character (if you think religious 

power doesn’t test one’s character 

you are mistaken!) 

A person once described a leader 

as an honest man, only for his 

friend to ask, ‘honest up to how 

much?’ One is hence left to wonder 

whether everyone’s character 

has a price tag. 

We clearly live in a time when 

the world is demanding better 

leadership, whether one looks in 

the ‘East’ or the ‘West.’ Widespread 

dissatisfaction with corrupt and 

unjust leadership and the breakdown 

of trust in many leaders and 

institutions is clearly visible 

through the media, and in society 

generally. 

One of the world’s most widely 

referenced measures in this regard 

is the German based Transparency 

International (TI), and their 

‘Corruption Perception Index’ 

(CPI). At the end of each year, 

some 180 nations are ranked in 

order of how low and high their 

corruption levels are. This matters, 

not only because of extensive Islamic 

exhortations about general 

and financial honesty, honouring 

contracts and so on. Indeed the 

longest verse in the Qur’an (see 

Baqarah 2:282) is concerned with 

this subject. 

It matters because, corruption 

is linked to injustice, oppression, 

poor wealth distribution, loss of life 

among other tragedies. Indeed all 

of the essentials of the ‘Maqasid ashshariah’ 

(higher objectives of Islamic 

law) which must be preserved 

(from preservation of life 

and intellect, to the preservation 

of freedom, dignity and justice) are 

compromised in a corrupt environment. 

A look at the results in the world, 

show some nations making 

progress but the over-arching picture 

is incredibly worrying and depressing. 

How can this be 

changed? The answer is good leadership. 

The need for good leadership is 

not unique to Nigerians but is a global 

problem. The words of Martin 

Luther King Jr ring true, when he 

famously lamented at how our scientific 

(and technological) advancements 

have outstripped our 

human and spiritual advancement, 

hence: 

“We have guided missiles and 

misguided men.” 

However this anathema faced 

by people the world over, is not 

due to the non-existence of 

knowledge about what makes a 

good leader. When the world’s 

first leadership Professor—John 

Adair asked former British 

Prime Minister Jim Callaghan if 

he had studied leadership, the 

response was ‘I haven’t, and perhaps 

if I had, I might have been 

a better leader.’ 

I didn’t leave with 

you anything 

which will bring 

you closer to Allah 

without 

instructing you to 

do it. That is the 

bottom line. If it is 

going to bring you 

closer to Allah, 

Prophet 

Muhammad, 

(s.a.w) would have 

told us to do. If he 

didn’t tell us to do, 

it will not bring us 

closer to Allah 

There is hence an urgent need 

for education, cultivation and 

coaching of current and emerging 

leaders at all levels, from socio-political 

to organisational 

leaders, on how to be a good 

leader, if we are to build better 

organisations, societies, nations 

and a better world. And of the 

many leadership qualities one 

might be educated on, of foremost 

importance is integrity, 

which involves the imbedding 

of ethics into one’s character. 

Our opening quote revealed 

how notable leaders like Lincoln 

understood the importance of 

character and integrity when 

one steps into the arena of leadership. 

There are too few leaders 

today who have managed to 

embody this. But among those 

who were marked by greatness 

due to their integrity in recent 

history include the likes of Mandela, 

Gandhi, Mother Theresa, 

Luther King Jr and Malcolm X. 

But when considering the 

greatest leader of all times, the 

name of the Prophet Muhammad 

(Peace be upon him) must 

come to the fore, not just in the 

eyes of Muslims worldwide, but 

even to noted and respected 

non-Muslims researchers and 

historians such as Michael Hart, 

who named Prophet Muhammad 

(Peace be upon him) as 

number one in his compilation 

of the hundred greatest leaders 

in history. 

We know that the idea of leadership 

was important to the 

Prophet Muhammad (Peace be 

upon him). He (Peace be upon 

him) famously said: 

“Each of you is a shepherd, 

and each responsible for his 

flock.” [Bukhari and Muslim] 

The great Prophets of Allah 

were known to have been shepherds 

at some stage in their lives. 

A simile is drawn from this fact, 

where the shepherding was a 

training process to enable the 

Prophets of Allah to lead people. 

This Hadith teaches us that 

beyond the great Prophets of 

Allah, we are all shepherds, one 

way or the other. In another well 

known Hadith narration concerning 

leadership, the Prophet 

Muhammad (Peace be upon 

him) said: 

“When three are on a journey, 

they should appoint one as a 

leader.” [Abu Dawud] 

This is fascinating as it shows 

that even in a small group, 

where one may otherwise have 

thought that leadership is not 

required, the Prophetic and 

hence Islamic exhortation is to 

still appoint a lead person. 

However, what kind of leader 

should one seek to be? What are 

the qualities of leadership that 

was exemplified by the Prophet 

Muhammad (Peace be upon 

him)? 

• His Leadership Qualities 

Drawing on my analysis of the 

Sirah (Prophet’s Biography), 

and integrating the work of multiple 

researchers worldwide, 

most notably that of John 

Adair—the world’s first Professor 

of leadership, who wrote on 

the Leadership of Prophet Muhammad 

in 2011, I identified a 

comprehensive list of over fifty 

Prophetic leadership qualities. 

To be continued 

BARKA JUMAH 

Freedom from om senseless turmoil 

“The final decision of all matters rests with 

Almighty Allah”. 

Luqman 3:22 

Seems America who wrote the book on 

democracy is finding difficulty on how to 

determine the actual winner of her latest 

elections. 

Nerds, seers and myriad experts have 

ceaselessly counted for 4 long days, all to no 

avail. 

What kind of opaque and extraordinary 

spectacle is this? 

Has America lacked confidence in her own 

worthiness? 

How can this nation of mighty minds and 

muscular technology fumble so woefully? 

There must be much more to these torments 

that’s offering lessons to the rest of 

the human family. 

When life is tough but leisurely, praise Allah. 

But when what we routinely do yield perplexity 

and crass calamity, fear Allah and 

sink your knees into the soil of the earth, 

and fervently pray. 

May Allah sort out America by making 

the rest of us awake to her bullied submission 

to the obscenities of power that’s now 

smouldering with fury. 

O Allah, please remove the barbarous 

leader of America, Mr Trump, whose ways 

are greedy, oppressively tragic and dangerously 

ridiculous. 

We know nothing except that for which 

Allah has lent to us understanding. Lend to 

us planetary management by the powers of 

your love that brace d earth with the supple 

control of our love of one another. 

We beseech Allah, without a moment of 

holding back, that you permit it that each 

of us would prevail to the highest level of 

life’s fulfilment, in sha Allah. 

— Dr. Adewale Adeeyo, OON 

Umrah pilgrims during one of the daily prayers at the Kaaba recently.

C 

M 

Y 

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THE University of Lagos 

Muslim Alumni (UMA) 

has returned Chief of Staff to 

the Ogun State Governor, Alhaji 

Shuaib Salisu, as its President 

for the next two years. 

Salisu, also called SAS, was 

re-elected at the 31st Annual 

General Meeting (AGM) of the 

association held recently at 

the UNILAG Islamic Centre 

Hall, Akoka, Lagos. 

Also re-elected were an Associate 

Professor and Acting 

Head of Cell Biology and Genetics 

Department, Khalid 

Adekoya as well as Alhaji AbdulMajeed 

Raji of the Central 

Bank of Nigeria (CBN), as Deputy 

Presidents. 

Head of Family Medicine 

Department at the Lagos University 

Teaching Hospital 

(LUTH), Dr. Abdulmajeed Babatunde 

Akodu, joined the 

duo as the Deputy President. 

Alhaja Mujidat Isiaka of the 

Nigeria Deposit Insurance 

Corporation (NDIC) and Dr. 

Azeezat Shopeyin-Dosunmu 

at the LUTH’s Community 

Medicine Department were 

elected Vice-Presidents for 

Akoka and LUTH. 

An Associate Professor in 

the Geography Department of 

UNILAG, Dr. Shakirudeen 

Odunuga, was announced as 

the General Secretary while 

Superheads Nigeria Limited 

Recruitment Specialist Mustapha 

Kelani, named as his 

Assistant. 

The Nation’s Head of Motoring 

Desk and National Secretary 

of the Muslim Media Practitioners 

of Nigeria (MMPN), 

Alhaji Tajudeen Adebanjo, 

and Lagos State government’s 

Physiotherapist employee, 

Azeezat Quadri, were 

elected as the Public Relations 

Officers (PROs) for 

Rabiul Awwal 27, 1442 A.H. 

NAHCON charges stakeholders on growth of HSS 

•Receives committee’s progress report 

THE Chairman/CEO, 

National Hajj Commission, 

NAHCON, Alhaji 

Zikrullah Hassan has urged 

all stakeholders in the recently 

launched Hajj Savings 

Scheme, HSS to make positive 

contributions to the 

growth of Hajj system, calling 

on participants to play 

vital roles to advance Hajj administration 

in Nigeria. 

Receiving the progress report 

of the committee on 

Hajj Savings Scheme, HSS in 

his office yesterday, Alhaji 

Hassan reminded the stakeholders 

that “Hajj has existed 

before everyone present 

and will continue even after 

our exit” 

The Chairman Forum of 

State Pilgrims’ Welfare 

Boards commended the 

NAHCON Chairman for his 

democratic leadership 

style and called on members 

to ensure firm establishment 

of the scheme in 

each state immediately. 

The Committee led by Alhaji 

Usman Shamaki comprised 

representatives of 

chief executives of states’ 

pilgrims’ welfare boards 

and representatives of 

NAHCON management. 

After presentation of the 

report by the committee 

chairman, Alhaji Usman 

Shamaki, the state chief executives 

under the leadership 

of its forum chairman 

as well as chairman Zamfara 

State Hajj Commission, 

Alhaji Abubakar S. Pawa 

Dembo, and NAHCON management 

deliberated on the 

outcome and took positions 

on the resolutions. 

Ogun Chief of Staf 

taff f returns as UMA President 

...As UNILAG Muslim Alumni elects exco 

Akoka and CMUL. 

Other members of the exco 

are: Yusuff Jamiu (Financial 

Secretary); First Bank of Nigeria 

(FBN) Principal Manager, 

Alhaja Muhidat Bello 

(Treasurer); KPMG Nigeria 

Risk Consultant, AbdulKabir 

Kuye (Internal Auditor); Lagos 

State University (LASU) 

School of Communication 

lecturer, Dr. Ganiyat Tijani- 

Adenle and LUTH’s Senior 

Registrar, Dr. Aisha AbdulKareem-Yasir 

(Welfare 

Officers for Akoka and 

CMUL) and Mutiat 

Adeyemo of Stanbic IBTC 

Legal Unit (Legal Officer). 

Former UMA’s President 

Lere Alimi, who chaired the 

Shurah Committee, said welfare 

for members reechoed 

among members of the UMA 

during the assignment. 

Alimi enjoined the Exco to 

focus on economic empowerment, 

job placement and 

other forms of welfare support 

for the members. 

“The new Executive Council 

should endeavour to utilise 

the available expertise, 

strengths and networks 

among our membership to 

obtain more mileage for the 

association. All members 

should make themselves 

available for service when 

called upon by the Executive 

Council of UMA,” he 

said. 

Ogun State Deputy Governor 

Mrs. Noimot Salako- 

Oyedele, and UMA’s Board of 

Trustee (BoT) Chairman Rasak 

Oladejo, congratulated 

the exco members. 

Mrs. Salako-Oyedele 

prayed to Allah to guide the 

team towards a successful 

tenure. 

Oladejo described the exco 

as a square peg in a square 

Some of the issues resolved 

included registration 

modalities, setting up of Hajj 

Savings Scheme Departments 

by the state boards, 

revenue sharing formula, 

general enlightenment on 

the scheme, state boards’ 

collaboration with Ja’iz 

Bank on the HSS portal and 

investment deadline as relates 

to Arafat Day. 

NAHCON’s permanent 

commissioners, Alhaji Nura 

Hassan Yakasai, Alhaji Abdullahi 

Magaji Hardawa and 

Sheikh Suleiman Momoh 

who were at the meeting 

also commended the states 

boards, NAHCON management 

while also lauding 

their firm commitment to 

unity of purpose. 

hole. 

According to him, the calibre 

of the new team has what 

it takes to take the UMA to 

the next level. 

Salisu thanked everyone 

that participated physically 

and online in the AGM. 

The UMA president solicited 

members’ support to 

strengthen the association. 

He apologised for the shortcomings 

of the last exco, 

promising to build on the 

achievements recorded. 

Vanguard, FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 13, , 2020 — 25 

Borno begins registration for 

2021 Hajj 

The Borno State Pilgrims Welfare Board has commenced 

collection of deposit payments from intending pilgrims 

for 2021 Hajj. 

The Board said initial deposit of N1million will be paid by 

any intending pilgrim pending final approved registration fare 

for 2021Hajj to be announced by the National Hajj Commission 

of Nigeria (NAHCON). 

The statement issued by the Executive Secretary of the 

Board, Alhaji Ali Mallam Bukar said, any intending pilgrim 

who wishes to deposit less than N1million should pay in installments 

to the coffers of newly introduced Hajj Savings 

Scheme at Ja’iz Bank immediately. 

The Executive Secretary further said, the management 

would take into consideration the principle of first come first 

serve and give priority to those intending pilgrims who paid 

for the year 2020 Hajj and decided to roll-over to 2021 Hajj 

over those who are paying for 2021 now. 

The statement signed by the Executive Secretary urged all 

intending pilgrims who have made deposit for 2020 Hajj and 

could not complete payment or the mentioned amount to 

hurry and top up the balance immediately. 

“The management further appealed to all intending depositors 

to make their payments through certified Bank draft bearing 

their names, telephone and passport numbers at the back 

of the draft to the Board Headquarters along Kano road Maiduguri. 

“Itending pilgrims are also advised to be careful in transacting 

with third party in the name of the Board pointing out 

that Board will not be held responsible if deposit were made 

to any unauthorized person not recognized by the Board. 

Saudi Arabia set 3 conditions for 

foreign pilgrims to repeat Umrah 

Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Hajj and Umrah has set three 

conditions for foreign pilgrims to repeat Umrah. These 

include the confirmed reservation for a group of pilgrims who 

wish to perform the pilgrimage for a second time, and this 

should be in coordination with the arrangements made by the 

licensed Umrah service providing companies and 

establishments, Makkah newspaper reported quoting the 

ministry sources. 

The ministry said that every foreign pilgrim who arrives in 

the Kingdom would have at least one confirmed Umrah permit. 

In case they wish to repeat Umrah for a second time, 

they must do it in a group and not as individuals. There is no 

objection on the part of the ministry for repeating the Umrah 

as long as it is done after making the necessary coordination 

with the licensed Umrah companies. However, the pilgrims 

cannot proceed with the booking procedures individually. 

On the other hand, it shall be carried out by the company that 

is providing field services through the Eatmarna app, the 

sources added. 

The ministry expected that there could be a drop in the 

number of Umrah permit applicants from the domestic pilgrims 

in the next phases of the gradual resumption of the 

Umrah service. The ministry attributed this to the fact that a 

large number of domestic pilgrims have already performed 

Umrah during the first and second phases. 

From left: Zawiyat Sofwat Er-Rahmat-El-Islamyyat, ZASRAM's Interpreter, 

Ustath Sharafudeen Abodunrin, ZASRAM's Chief Imam/Missioner, Sheikh 

Abdur Razaq AbdulHameed Onaolapo Kasolayo, and Chief Imam, Oko-Bale, Ota, 

Sheikh Hussein Yusuf (Allahu Jallah), during ZASRAM's annual Mouludi Nabiyyi 

held recently in Ota, Ogun State.


C 

M 

Y 

K 

Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 13, 2020 — 27 

SWEARING-IN OF OBASEKI, SHAIBU FOR 2ND TERM 

Mr. Godwin Obaseki was sworn in as Edo State governor for a second term, alongside his deputy, Philip Shaibu yesterday. 

Governor Godwin Obaseki signing the oath of office after his swearing-in before Edo 

State Chief Judge, Justice Esther Edigin. Photos: BARNABAS UZOSIKE. 

Bayelsa State Governor, Mr. Duoye Diri (left) and his Sokoto State 

counterpart, Alhaji Aminu Tambuwal. 

Deputy Governor, Philip Shaibu and his wife after 

being inaugurated. 

Delta State Governor, Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa and his 

wife during the inauguration. 

Governor Obaseki and his wife, Betsy. 

Gionee boosts Nigeria’s mobile device market, unveils M12 

By Etop Ekanem 

ONE of the most exciting 

phone makers, Gionee 

Mobile, has affirmed its leading 

role in Nigeria’s 

highly competitive mobile 

telephone industry, with the 

unveiling of its latest mobile 

device, Gionee M12. 

Speaking at the official 

launch of the phone in Lagos 

recently, Mr. Benneth 

Ekechukwu, Managing 

Director of the company in 

Nigeria stated that the 

company has always been 

known globally for its 

innovations and unflinching 

commitment in the design and 

manufacture of high quality 

smartphones and related 

devices. 

According to him, “Once 

again, we bring to you a world 

class device with cutting edge 

features, designed to wow you.” 

He explained that the radiant 

slim design is comfortable to hold, 

even as he assured her 

consumers that the innovative 

mobile device would be the 

cynosure of all eyes as it hits the 

nation’s market like a thunder 

bolt. 

Ihe added that: “Gionee M12 

is built with 48MP AI Quad 

camera supported by 108MP 

super pixel. This combines 

multiple images into a single 

photo, allowing you to create a 

whole new high quality photo 

without camera noise when you 

zoom out images. Simply put, the 

device has Real power, highly 

efficient, full speed and extreme 

performance.” 

While eulogizing the device for 

its perfection and unique 

functions, he stated that the new 

experience in Gionee M12 comes 

in two variants optimized with lots 

of amazing features. 

He disclosed that Gionee 

M12’s screen size has 6.55" 

HD+ Punch-Hole display, 

and powered with 5100mAH 

large battery. 

Honda, The Providence by 

Mantis Hotel, Enyo launch 

automated car-fuelling service 

IN a bid to offer the 

best services to their 

customers, automobile giant, 

Honda Automobile West Africa, 

The Providence by Mantis and 

Enyo Retail & Supply have 

launched Honda Pilot with 

automated car-fuelling service in 

Lagos. 

According to Remi Adams, 

Manager, Sales Marketing & 

Logistics, Honda, the launch held 

at The Providence by Mantis, 

which cost N27 million against 

the initial cost of N30 million, 

alongside other exciting benefits, 

was aimed at aiding affordability 

amidst the coronavirus pandemic. 

He said: “Once a Honda Pilot 

is bought, our customer gets a gift 

from Honda, which is a voucher 

for two years of free car servicing, 

which can be used to service your 

car anywhere in Nigeria, Velox 

card for Enyo filling station in 

addition to the luxury life provided 

by The Providence Hotel by 

Mantis.” 

“Pilot is the highest of our 

products in terms of ranking and 

we are offering free vehicle service, 

such that you can get your Honda 

Pilot serviced at no cost at any of 

our designated points in the 

country.” 

Also speaking, Acting GM, 

Providence Hotel by Mantis, 

Banji Oyeleye, who gave an 

insight into the core value of 

The Mantis said: “We intend to 

ensure that this goal, M-Man; 

A-and; N-Nature; T-Together; I- 

is and S-Sustainable, are met at 

all times. 

“We have been in partnership 

with Honda since 1994, which has 

grown and now has nine 

companies nationwide. We aim to 

ensur e that Nigeria has the best 

cars to drive” 

On his own, Territory Lead 

for South West, Enyo Supply 

& Retail, Tolu Ashiru said, 

“Enyo Velox is a wallet-based 

payment solution accessible 

to corporate brands and 

individuals through a dedicated 

card.'' 

Ashiru added that anybody 

buying the Honda Pilot will get 

to have a preloaded Velox card 

which can be used to buy fuel in 

any of their 90 filling stations 

spread across 15 states of the 

country. 

Adams added that it’s more 

than the purchase for Honda, 

saying, “For us you don’t just buy 

a car, you become a family.”

28—Vanguard, FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 13, 2020 

KONOBE 

I, formerly known as Miss 

Pwaveno Jabeth Konobe, now 

wish to be known as Mrs. 

Pwaveno Pwableno Edmond. 

All former documents remain 

valid. General public please 

take note. 

SHOBODE 

I, formerly known as Shobode 

Yusuf .O., now wish to be 

known as Shobode Yusuf Dare. 



take note. 

UMUKORO 

I, formerly known as 

Umukoro Blessing 

Ogheneogba, now wish to be 

known as Johnson Blessing 

Ogheneogba. All former 

documents remain valid. 

General public take note. 

OSSAI 

I, formerly known as Ossai 

Ebere Irene, now wish to be 

known as Kwentoa Ebere 

Irene. All former documents 

remain valid. General public 

please take note. 

LUKE DIMNWAKA SILOKO 

ORAKWUE OD 

I, formerly known as Miss I, formerly known as Miss Dimnwaka I, formerly known as Miss I, formerly known as Orakwue 

Mbazu Blessing Luke, now Ozioma Blessing, now wish to be Siloko Bodonmeyifa Chizoba Ifeyinwa, now wish to 

wish to be known as Mrs. known as Mrs. Agu Ozioma Josephine, now wish to be 

be known as Umeugo Chizoba 

known as Mrs Iloegbunam 

Nnadozie Blessing Mbazu. All Blessing henceforth. All former 

Ifeyinwa. All former 

Bodonmeyifa Josephine. All 

former documents remain documents remain valid. General 

former documents remain documents remain valid. The 

valid. General public please Public, to whom it may concern valid. General public please general public should please 

take note. 

should please take note. 

take note. 

take note. 

IYABO 

ADEYEMO 

ORJIAKO 

AZEEZ 

My name was written as I, formerly known as Adeyemo I, formerly known as Orjiako My name was mistakenly written as 

Jimoh-Francis Kudirat Iyabo, Adebola Damilola, now wish to Rita, now wish to be known as Azeez Abrahamu Adesanya, instead 

instead of my correct name as be known as Davies Adebola 

Orjiako Rita Ugochi. All of my correct name as Azeez Abraham 

Jimoh Kudirat. All former Damilola. All former 

documents remain valid. The 

former documents remain 


Adesanya. All former documents 

general public should please General public please take valid. General public please remain valid. General public please 

take note. 

note. 

take note. 

take note. 

OGUNDERO 

NWACHUKWU ADENIYI ISOLA 

I, formerly known and addressed as 

Miss Ogundero Anuoluwapo 

Funmilayo, now wish to be known 

and addressed as Mrs. Taiwo 

Anuoluwapo Funmilayo. All former 

documents remain valid. The general 

public should please take note. 

OKOLO 


Nkechi Ngozi Okolo, now wish 

to be known as Mrs. Nkechi 

Ngozi Aderibigbe. All former 


General public please take 

note. 

AWHIN 

I, Awhin Emuejevoke hereby 

confirm that my name was wrongly 

captured as Awhim Emuejevoke 

Elizabe in my Voters Card instead 

of Awhin Emuejevoke. I now wish 

to be known as Awhin Emuejevoke. 

All former documents remain valid. 

General public please take note. 

ASEDERE 

I, formerly known as Miss Joy 

Oghogho Asedere, now wish to 

be known as Mrs. Joy 

Oghogho Ebi Kununa. All 



take note. 

UDO 


Ekomobong Dennis Udo, now 


Ekomobong Ifeenyin 

Udoema. All former 



note. 

ONYIA EJIOFOR UNACHUKWU 

I hereby confirm that the name, 

Deseruvwe Tessy Britney and Onyia 

Tessy Britney Deseruvwe refer to me. 

I now wish to be known as Onyia 

Tessy Britney Deseruvwe. All former 

documents remain valid. General 

public please take note. 

IFEANYI 


Matilda Adaku Ifeanyi, now 


Matilda Adaku Okolie. All 



take note. 

OSUAGWU 

I, formerly known as Osuagwu 

Anita Onyeamechi, now wish 

to be known as Osikorobia 

Anita Onyeamechi. All former 




Miss Nwachukwu Ifeoma 

Domentina, now wish to be known 

and addressed as Mrs. Onyia Ifeoma 

Domentina. All former documents 

remain valid. The general public 


EJOHWOMU 


Ejohwomu Oghenetega Anita, 

now wish to be and addressed 

as Mrs Ohre Anita 

Oghenetega. All former 



note. 

OLA 

This is to confirm that the name, 

Thompson Ola Yemitope and Laide 

Thompson Lawal refer to me. I now 

wish to be known as Thompson Ola 

Yemitope. All former documents 

remain valid. General public please 

take note. 

JOHN 

I, formerly known as Miss John 

Mary Testimony now wish to 

be known as Mrs. Festus Mary 

Testimony. All former 



note. 

OMARUAYE 


Charity Omaruaye, now wish 

to be known as Mrs Charity 

Edwin Akpoveme. All former 



note. 

This is to confirm that the names, 

Ejiofor Peter, Ejiofor Peter .O., 

Ejiofor Peter Christopher, Ejiofor 

Peter Okwudili Chuks is one and 

same person, henceforth wishes to be 

known as Ejiofor Peter Okwudili. All 

former documents remain valid. 


AMODU 


Amodu Bilikisu Folake, now 


Hammed Bilikisu Folake. All 



take note. 


Miss Adeniyi Blessing OOreoluwa, 

now wish to be known and 

addressed as Mrs. Okunola Blessing 

OOreoluwa. All former documents 



AKINDELE 

I, formerly known as Akindele 

Adewale, now wish to be 

known as Akindele Oluwaseun 

Moses. All former documents 



DAWODU 

I, formerly known as Dawodu 

Olaide Sofiat, now wish to be 

known as Dawodu Olaide 

Folashade. All former 

documents remain valid. The 

general public should please 

take note. 

DENMAIN 

I, formerly known as Denmain 

Sunday Berebofigha, now wish 

to be known as Demain 

Berebofigha Sunday. All former 



note. 

KOLLINS 

I, formerly known as Kollins 

Endurance, now wish to be 

known as Monday Endurance. 



take note. 


Unachukwu Celestina Ndudih, now 

wish to be known as Mrs. Oluwuihe 

Celestina Nnedi. All former 

documents remain valid. Topfield 

College, Resonance International 

School, Sancta Maria Secondary 

Scool, Umuaka Imo State and general 


MONDAY 

This is to confirm that Igbinogun 

Monday and Ojei Monday belong to 

one and same person. I now wish to 

be known as Ojei Monday. All former 

documents remain valid. Bank and 

general public and all relevant 

authorities please take note. 

ADEKUNLE 


Adekunke Deborah Esther, 

now wish to be known as 

Anthony Deborah Esther. All 



take note. 


Miss Temitope Christianah Isola, 


addressed as Mrs. Temitope 

Christianah Levi. All former 



UBAH 


Ubah Dorothy Nneka, now 


Chukwuekwu Nneka 

Dorothy. All former 



note. 

ONUOHA 

EBO 

I, formerly known as William 

Ebo, now wish to be known as 

Akpolo William. All former 



note. 

EMEKA 

I, formerly known as Emeka 

Azodo Livinus, now wish to 

be known as Azodo 

Maduabuchi Livinus. All 



take note. 

ALIYU 

I, formerly known as Jamilu 

Garba Aliyu, now wish to be 

known as Abubakar Jamilu 

Garba. All former documents 


take note. 

ANIASHI 


Aniashi Alice Ugbem, now wish 

to be known as Mrs. Akin Alice 

Ugbem. All former documents 

remain valid. The general 


OLOGWA 

I, formerly known as Miss Ologwa 

Rachael Ijeoma, now wish to be 

called and address as Mrs Umeri 

Rachael Ijeoma as a result of my 

marriage to Mr Umeri Ambrose. All 

former documents remain valid. The 

general public should please take 

note. 

SOLOMON 


Obonganwan Joseph Solomon, 

now wish to be known as Mrs. 

Queen Oyo Oyo-Ita. All 



take note. 

OLANNYE 

I, formerly known as Olannye 

Fumnaya Chukwudumebi, now 

wish to be known as Okonofua- 

Olannye 

Fumnaya 

Chukwudumebi. All former 



note. 

ADEJEFIRE 

I, was formerly known as Adejefire 

Favor Abigail, but now wish to be 

known as Adjefire Abigail 

Nwabuakwu. The change is as a 

result of error made during BVN 

registration. All documents bearing 

former names remain valid. Access 

bank and general public please take 

note. 

ANYIKA 

UWUMAGBE 

EZEDOM 


Uwumagbe Kate Ehis, now 

wish to be known as Jaboro 

Kate Ehis. All former 

documents remain valid. First 

Bank, concerned authorities 

and general public please take 

note. 

BELLO 

I, formerly known as Bello 

Oluwaleke Olasoji Samuel, now 

wish to be known as Bello 

Oluwaleke Olasoji Samuel. All 



take note. 

ADEKUNLE 

I, formerly known as Adekunle 

Oluwaseun Abimbola, now 

wish to be known as Olukanmi 

Oluwaseun Abimbola. All 


valid. General public, please 

take note. 

JOHNSON 

I, formerly known as Johnson 

Gloria Chinyere, now wish to 

be known as Johnson Glory 

Chinyere. All former 



note. 

MUHAMMED 

My name was wrongly written 

as Huseni Yussuf Muhammed, 

instead of my correct name as 

Oseni Yusuf Muhammed. All 


valid. The general public should 


OKEREAFOR 


Okereafor Ugochi Rosemary, 

now wish to be known as 

Omenogor Ugochi 

Rosemary. All former 



note. 

AGBUDE 


Agbude Elohor, now wish to 

be known as Mrs. Omoyibo 

Elohor. All former documents 



ELEM 


Kelechukwu Elem, now wish to 

be known as Mrs. Joy 

Kelechukwu Ngei. All former 



note. 

ASUQUO 

This is to confirm that Asuquo 

Orok Asuquo Etim and Etim 

Orok Asuquo refer to me. I now 

wish to be known as Asuquo 

Orok Asuquo Etim. All former 



note. 


Onuoha Rosemary Chioma, 

now wish to be known as Mrs. 

Iwunze Rosemary Chioma. All 


Anyika Chinonso Queen, now 

wish to be known as Mrs. Edim 

Chinonso Queen. All former 




take note. 


note. 

NZE-EFUECHI AGBELE NZEI 


Nze-Efuechi Ijeoma Chioma 

Chibuzor, now wish to be 

known as Mrs. Lazarus- 

Okoloegbo Ijeoma Chioma. 



take note. 

My correct name is Agbele Benedicta 

Uche, but it was wrongly written as 

Kagbele Benedicta Uche in my 

Pension Fund Administrators 

Limited (NLPC) form. Agbele 

Benedicta Uche remains my correct 

name. All former documents remain 

valid. General public please take 

note. 

I, formerly known as Barr. 

(Miss) Nzei Fergie Ifelunwa, 

now wish to be known as Barr. 

(Mrs.) Fergie Ifelunwa 

Innocent-Amadi. All former 



EZEDOM UZOMA 

I, formerly known as Uzoma Chibuzo 

Peace, now wish to be known as 

Ekelem Chibuzo Peace. All former 

documents bearing my former name 

remains valid, general public, banks 

and concerns authorities should 

please take note.

NWANKWO 


Nwankwo Adamma Georgina, 

now wish to be known as Mrs 

Ezeh Adamma Georgina. All 



take note. 

OKORODUDU 

I, formerly known and 

addressed as Miss Ikechukwu 

Ngozika Okorodudu, now wish 

to be known and addressed as 

Mrs. Elikwu Ngozika. All 



take note. 

DAVID 


addressed as Miss David 

Priscilla Ifeoma, now wish to 

be known and addressed as Mrs. 

Emmanuel-Anukwu Priscilla 

Ifeoma. All former documents 



DICKSON 

YAKUBU 

I, formerly known as Yakubu 

Musa Isebemeh, now wish to 

be known as Musa Yakubu 

Isebemeh. All former 



note. 

POKUBO 

I, formerly known as Pokubo 

Elizabeth Iyowuna, now wish 

to be known as Ajibode 

Elizabeth Iyowuna. All former 



note. 

OPADAYO 


Opadayo Ebunoluwa Mercy, 

now wish to be known as Mrs 

Toluwade Ebunoluwa Mercy. 



take note. 

JOB 


addressed as Job Mayomi 

Blessing, now wish to be known 

and addressed as Mrs. Chiejine 

Mayomi Blessing. All former 



note. 

IKUNIBE 


addressed as Ikunibe Prince 

Arinze, now wish to be known 

and addressed as Edeh Arinze. 



take note. 

OJIEH 

IDOWU 

I, formerly known as Idowu 

Abdulquadri Bayonle, now wish 

to be known as Adebayo 

Abdulquadri Bayonle. All 

documents bearing my former 

name remain valid. General 

public and Authorities 

concerned should please take 

note. 

ASUQUO 

SOKOYA AIGBOKAIHOLO SANNI 

I, formerly known as Sokoya My surname was wrongly spelt This is to confirm that my names were 

Omotayo Emmanuel now wish as Egbokhabho, Instead of wrongly written as Sanni Abdul 

to be known as Olasunkanmi 

Aigbokaiholo in my BVN. My Azeez And Sanni Abdulazeez 

correct and full name is Adekunle in BVN. My correct and 

Omotayo Emmanuel. all 

Aigbokaiholo Odion Franca. full name is Sanni Abdulazeez 

former documents remain All former documents remain Okanlawon. All former document 

valid. General public please valid. General public please remain valid. General public please 

take note. 

take note. 

take note 

ANIEKWE 

ADUN 

QASSIM 

I, formerly known as Miss I, formerly known as Eniye Joy I, formerly known as Qassim 

Maria Chinasa Aniekwe, now Adun, now wish to be known 

Mariam Adenike, now wish 

wish to be known as Mrs. Maria 

to be known as Kassim 

as Eniye Joy Adun-Ologitere. 

Chinasa Nnoli. All documents 

Moriam Omorilewa. All 

All documents bearing my 

bearing my former name 

documents bearing my former 

remain valid. General public former name remain valid. name remain valid. General 

take note. 

General public take note. public take note. 

IHEME 

OZEGBE 

ISOKEN 

I, formerly known, called and I, formerly known and addressed 

I,formerly known and ad- 

addressed as Miss Iheme Hope 

as Ozegbe Rosemary dressed as Ireyefoju Tina 

Chiamaka , now wish to be known, Ifenuwah, now wish to be 

Isoken, wish to be known and 

called and addressed as Mrs. Dogo known and addressed as Ani 

addressed as Ogbeide Tina. All 

Hope Chiamaka. All documents Rosemary Ifenuwah. All other 

bearing my former name remain valid. documents remain valid. General 

other documents remain valid. 


public take note. 

General public take 

note. 

CHANGE OF NAME 

EZEMENYIBA IKHENEMUE 

NWAGU NWUCHE OKOH ONYEJIAKA 

I, formerly known as Eucharia I, formerly known as Miss Omoayena I, formerly known as Miss I, formerly known as Nwuche I, formerly known as Miss I, formerly known as Miss 

Amuche Ezemenyiba, now Ikhenemue, now wish to be known as, Peace Nwagu, now wish to be 

Okoh katherine omotejohwo, Onyejiaka Alexis Erinma, now 

wish to be known as Eucharia 

Izeuma, now wish to be known 

Mrs, Omoayena Kpologen. All former 

now wish to be known as Mrs. wish to be known as Onyejiaka 

known as Mrs Clive-Anthony 

Amuche Menyiba Okigbo. All documents remain valid, Federal 

as Nwose Izeuma. All former Aruoture Katherine Alexus-Daryl Erimma. All 

Peace Pearl. All former 

former documents remain University Of Petroleum Resources, 

Omotejohwo. All former former documents remain 

valid, general public please 

documents remain valid, documents remain valid, 

Effurun. And the general public please 

documents remain valid valid. General public please 

take note. 

general public please take note. general public please take note. general public please take note. take note. 

IFEAKANDU 

I, formerly known as Miss Ifeakandu 

Ngozi Cynthia, now wish to be 

known as Mrs. Ugochukwu- 

Chiagozie Ngozi Cynthia. All former 



This is to confirm that the names 

Dickson Azubuike Uzor and 

Dickson Moore Uzor refer to one and 

same person. I now wish to be known 

and addressed as Dickson Azubuike 

Uzor. All former documents remain 


note. 

ONYEKACHUKWU 


Engr Akpenyi Onyekachukwu 

Nicklette, now wish to be known and 

addressed as Engr Mrs Akpenyi- 

Aboh Onyekachukwu Nicklette. All 



take note. 

This is to confirm that the names 

Ojieh Sonia, Obiaku Soni and 

Obiaku Sonia refer to one and same 

person. I now wish to be known and 

addressed as Obiaku Sonia. All 



This is to confirm that the name 

Patience Asuquo and Patience 

Omoru is one and the same person, 

now Mrs Patience Omoru Asukwo. 

All documents bearing my former 

name remain valid. General public 

and Authorities concerned should 


OBAGA 

I, formerly known as Obaga 

Blessing, now wish to be known 

as Osezele Simon Blessing. All 



take note. 

SEGUN-MANUEL 

I, formerly known as Roli 

Menetse Segun-Manuel, now 

wish to be known as Roli Jane 

Segun-Manuel. All former 



FEJOKU 

I, formerly known and addressed 

as Miss Henrietta Fejoku, now 

wish to be known and addressed 

as Mrs. Henrietta Onwordi. All 



note. 

EHIGHELUA 


addressed as Esther Ikhide 

Ehighelua, now wish to be 

known and addressed as Esther 

Ehighelua. All former 



AGBONROFO 

I, formerly known as Agbonrofo 

Cynthia, now wish to be known 

as Agbonrofo Cynthia Ayodeji. 



note. 

AGHAJI 

I, formerly known as Miss Aghaji 

Chinyere Constance, now wish to be 

known as Mrs Okeke Chinyere 

Constance. All documents bearing 

my former name remain valid. General 

public and Authorities concerned 


NWOKEOCHA 


Nwokeocha Ngozi Joy, now 

wish to be known as Mrs 

Nwachukwu Ngozi Joy. All 



take note. 

AJODO 

I, formerly known as Ajodo 

Emmanuel Lucky, now wish to 

be known as Ojochegbe 

Emmanuel. All former 



note. 

OKOROAFOR 


addressed as Miss Okoroafor 

Ijeoma Chinenye, now wish to 

be known and addressed as Mrs. 

Muoneme Ijeoma Chinenye. 



take note. 

ONWUKA 


addressed as Miss Onwuka 

Nkiru James, now wish to be 

known and addressed as Mrs. 

Osanebi-Maluabuchukwu Nkiru 

James. All former documents 



EHIGHELUA 


addressed as David Abuchi 

Ikhide Ehighelua, now wish to 

be known and addressed as 

David Abuchi Ehighelua. All 



take note. 

REMI 

My name was mistakenly 

written as Remi Anisat, instead 

of my correct name as Sarafa 

Oluremi Amusat. All former 



EYITUOYO 

Recounciliation of name: I wish 

to state that Wilkie Eyituoyo 

and Wilkie Eyituoyo Prince is 

the person, but wish to be 

called Wilkie Eyituoyo Prince. 

Former documents remain 

valid. General public take note. 

TOJU 


Ogiefo Tessy Toju, now wish 

to be known as Mrs Toju 

Ogiefo Yalaju. All former 



note. 

PROGRESS 

This is to confirm that the names, 

Ebidesemi Ebipamone Progress, 

Epamone Progress Ebidese, Epamone 

Ebidese Wealth and Ebipamone Progress 

Ebidesemi Wealth is one and same person, 

now wish to be known as Ebipamone 

Progress Ebidesemi Wealth. All former 

documents remain valid. General public 


AKPODIETE 

I, Formerly known and 

addressed as Charity Alexender 

Akpodiete now wish to be 

known and addressed as Charity 

Okwezuzu. All former 

documents remain vaild. 

PPEB. General public take 

note. 

EZEOGU 

I,formerly known as Ifeyinwa 

Ezeogu Monica, wish to be 

known as Ifeyinwa 

Chukwukere Monica .V. All 

other documents remain valid. 



AJODO 

I, formerly known as Ajodo 

Kelly, now wish to be known 

as Ajodo Emmanuel Sunday. 



take note. 

JOSEPH 


addressed as Miss Joseph Toyin 

Esther, now wish to be known 

and addressed as Mrs. 

Oluwaseyi Toyin Esther. All 



take note. 

IMOBHIO 


addressed as Miss Imobhio 

Claret Oseiga, now wish to be 

known and addressed as Mrs. 

Alexander Claret Oseiga. All 



take note. 

EHIGHELUA 


addressed as Favour Ikhide 

Ehighelua, now wish to be 

known and addressed as 

Favour Ehighelua. All former 



note. 

IKECHUKWU 


Ikechukwu Blessing, now wish 

to be known as Ikechukwu 

Blessing Chimezie. All former 



note. 

AGARE 


Agare Sarah, now wish to be 

known as Ogiribi Sarah. All 



take note. 

ANIEKWE 


Anulika Aniekwe, now wish to 

be known as Mrs Joy Anulika 

Onuoha. All former documents 



GODWIN 

These names, Godwin Ogheneyero 

and Godwin Ogheneyerovwo 

which appears on my documents 

belongs to the same person, but now 

wish to be known as Godwin 

Ogheneyerovwo. All former 



MAJEMITE 


addressed as Miss Majemite 

Eseoghene Monalisa, now 


as Mrs Akpojotor. M. 

Eseoghene Monalisa. All 


vaild. General public take note. 

OLISANUIFE 

I, formerly known as Mr 

Ogechi Joshua Olisanuife, now 


as Mr Ogechi Joshua 

Kanyidene. All former 



note. 

EHUJOBI 

I, formerly known as Miss Happiness 

Chibuzor Ehujobi, now wish to be 

known as Mrs. Happiness Chibuzor 

Amaechi. All former documents 



EZEOBI 


Miss Ezeobi Goodness Chiamaka, 


addressed as Mrs. Ezekwem 

Goodness Chiamaka. All former 



IGBUKWU 


addressed as Miss Igbukwu 

Elizabeth Isioma, now wish to 


Mrs. Osakwe Christabel 

Isioma. All former documents 



EHIGHELUA 


addressed as Keziah Ofure 

Ikhide Ehighelua, now wish to 


Keziah Ofure Ehighelua. All 



take note. 

ASUMAH 

I hereby confirm that the 

name, Jude Asumah and Dennis 

Asumah refer to me. I now 

wish to be known as Jude 

Asumah. All former 



note. 

MARCUS 


Prayer Chinyere Marcus, now 

wish to be known as Mrs 

Prayer Chinyere Kanemeh. 



take note. 

SHOKOTI 

I,formerly known as Shokoti 

Omowunmi Abike, now wish 

to be known as Olasunkanmi 

Omowunmi Abike. All former 



note. 

ASIWE 


Asiwe Ruth Dumebi, now wish 

to be known as Mrs. 

Omojevwe Ruth Dumebi. All 



take note. 

EJOKPA 


addressed as Ejokpa Agnes 

Omoveigho, now wish to be 

known and addressed as 

Ogbotor Agnes Omoveigho. 


vaild. General public take note. 

AFOR 

I, formerly known as Afor 

Ernest Ejovwokoghene, now 


as Afor Ernest. All former 



note.




Veteran 

journalist, elder 

statesman,Bisi 

Lawrence, dies 

at 87 

• How he died —Daughter, Barbara 

• His regrets; Many of us are 

wondering what lies ahead now 

• He was a true connoisseur of the 

art of expression —Adetiba 

• We’ve lost the best raconteur 

—Isiguzo 

By Kayode Matthew, 

Tony Ubani, Clifford 

Ndujihe & Simeon Ndaji 

ELDER Statesman, 

versatile journalist, 

and Sports Administrator, 

Mr. Bisi Lawrence, fondly 

and professionally known 

as Uncle Biz Law, is dead. 

The renowned sports 

administrator died on 

Wednesday, more than two 

weeks after his 87 th 

birthday. 

He was born in Lagos on 

October 23, 1933. He spent 

two years at CMS 

Grammar School, Lagos 

before going to Christ 

School, Ado-Ekiti where he 

also spent two years. 

Recounting how the 

erudite pen-pusher joined 

his ancestors, his daughter, 

Barbara, said: ‘’He had 

been feeling unwell for 

some days. When his 

condition didn’t improve, 

they sent for me and I 

rushed down immediately. 

I met daddy, he could not 

lift his hands, he could not 

talk, he could not eat 

anything and had to be fed 

with liquid. We 

immediately took him to 

the hospital. An MRA 

(Magnetic Resonance 

Angiography) scan was 

then carried out where it 

was discovered that he 

suffered from stroke, 

which affected his speech 

(MRA takes clear, detailed 

pictures of the blood 

vessles, including arteries 

and veins using magnetic 

resonanace imaging, MRI, 

machine). I was with him 

throughout as the hospital 

commenced treatment on 

him. The doctors found 

that fluid had accumulated 

in his chest and they had 

to drain it. 

“After about three days of 

treatment, his condition 

improved, although he still 

couldn’t talk or lift his 

hands. I kept assuring him, 

‘daddy, you’ll be all right, 

daddy you’ll be all right’. 

Before I left him on 

Saturday, I even held 

fellowship with him and 

prayed with him for a 

couple of hours. But on 

Sunday, his condition 

became worse again and 

deteriorated. On 

Wednesday evening, he 

lost the battle to stay alive. 

Daddy has gone to rest.” 

His giant footprints 

in sports 

The death of the eminent 

sports guru, administrator, 

columnist, broadcaster, 

sent shock waves 

throughout the sports 

community, yesterday. 

Bizlaw, a former Vice 

Chairman of Nigeria 

Football Association, NFA, 

died on Wednesday 

leaving a very sour taste 

for Nigerian fans, who 

depended on his lucid 

writing to follow many 

Nigerian sporting events 

he covered. 

Bizlaw was an enigma, 

one man who had eyes for 

details and supervised the 

hiring of former Dutchborn 

Super Eagles Coach, 

Clemens Westerhof. The 

Dutch was later to become 

the most successful coach 

for Nigeria winning the 

Africa Cup of Nations and 

qualifying the country for 

its first World Cup in USA 

’94. 

Biz Law also served in 

many sporting committees 

and shone brilliantly when 

he served as Media 

Committee Chairman for 

Nigeria ’99 FIFA U-20 

World Cup. 

Before then, there were 

so much apprehension by 

the world on the suitability 

•Late Bisi Lawrence 

and capability of Nigeria 

hosting the world. The 

Media Committee was 

loaded with so much 

responsibility to ensure 

not just good coverage for 

the games but to ensure 

that Nigeria did not go 

down with bad publicity 

by the Western world. 

The enigma went to work 

with another workaholic 

Danladi Bako and it 

turned out to be one of the 

most memorable Junior 

world cup competitions. 

Foreign journalists, who 

had thronged the National 

Stadium office of Bisi 

Many of us are 

wondering what 

lies ahead now. 

The citizens are 

mostly confused; 

Declarations of 

progress are 

pronounced and 

promoted glibly 

on the strength of 

statistics; And we 

are offered no 

test of certainty, 

or even 

reliability. And as 

you know, there 

are lies, 

damnable lies, 

and statistics 

Lawrence could not believ 

the knowledge and expertise 

of Biz Law. 

He was a loyal soldier of 

Nigeria Football and was a 

leading member of our 

intellectual wing. He had 

facts and figures at his 

finger tips. He was an allround 

organiser who 

knew how to deploy 

people to get the best out 

of them. 

He was one man you can 

always rely on to give 

candid advice. We bounced 

ideas off him regularly and 

picked his brain on many 

issues because of his wide 

knowledge and decades of 

experience in football 

administration. 

At the France ’98 World 

Cup where Bizlaw led 

Onochie Anibeze and 

Tony Ubani to cover the 

World Cup for Vanguard, 

he brought the light to 

shine on the Newspaper. 

Biz Law has touched so 

many lives with his 

compassion and his 

philanthropy. 

His legacy is etched on 

the minds of many. Words 

can do little to comfort the 

pain and anguish his 

death has brought us. 

As a lover of sports and 

an outstanding sports 

writer, he was head of 

Outside Broadcasting, 

Radio Nigeria. He was to 

work abroad where his 

employers tried to 

nationalise him but he 

declined because of his 

love for Lagos. He grew up 

in Campos area of Lagos 

and attended CMS 

Gramar School, Lagos. 

Upon his return to 

Nigeria, Second Republic 

Governor of Lagos, Alhaji 

Lateef Jakande, engaged 

him to run the Lagos 

Broadcasting Corporation 

as general manager. 

Indeed, Biz Law’s 

expertise cut across 

politics and current 

affairs, where he shaped 

events in his Passing 

Scene column in 

Vanguard among others. 

He was a wonderful 

historian. His consuming 

flair for writing reflected 

in his writings and 

columns. He wrote 

compelling political 

analyses as a fellow who 

was abreast of the history 

of Nigeria and governance. 

Many of us are 

wondering what lies 

ahead now 

He retired from active 

journalism in style. He did 

a lovely piece in his 

column, Passing Scene, 

titled: ‘’Happy Valentine 

2015'’ where he dwelt on the 

history of Saint Valentine. 

He used the piece to task 

the government on 

provision of basic amenities, 

saying: ‘’The whole country 

yearns today for electricity 

supply to grant us a 

satisfactory life.’’ 

On politics, he wrote: 

‘’Many of us are 

wondering what lies ahead 

now. The citizens are 

mostly confused. 

Declarations of progress 

are pronounced and 

promoted glibly on the 

strength of statistics. And 

we are offered no test of 

certainty, or even 

reliability. And as you 

know, there are lies, 

damnable lies, and 

statistics.’’ 

His views on sittight 

leaders 

In 2017, Uncle Biz Law 

harped on the need for 

leaders to know when to 

leave a position for 

successors. 

Writing on the change of 

guards at the 

Confederation of African 

Football, CAF, where 57- 

year old Ahmad emerged 

the new president, in a 

manner that disgraced Issa 

Hayatou out of office, Bisi 

Lawrence said, “life is 

transient.” 

Lawrence said the ousted 

CAF President did not 

prepare to leave even 

when it became clear that 

the continental body 

required change. 

‘’He should have taken a 

walk,” Lawrence said, 

regretting that Hayatou 

who rode on the crest of 

“tremendous goodwill” 

before he was crowned 

CAF President would allow 

himself to be shoved out of 

office. 

‘’He never planned to 

leave. He should have 

known that his time was 

up. After seven terms in an 

office, what was there to 

prove again?” 

Lawrence, himself a 

retired man then said he 

had walked out of many 

offices each time he felt it 

was time to leave. 

‘’I have ran into problems 

with a number of my past 

employers because they 

would not want me to 

leave even when I felt 

there was nothing new to 

add. I have trained young 

men and women who 

have demonstrated 

competence and a lot of 

capacity to work and take 

over in my absence. So 

what was there to do 

again?” he asked. 

‘’Hayatou could have 

been given honorary life 

president of CAF if he 

had vacated the seat on 

• Continues on Page 31




• Continues from 

Page 30 

his own. But he 

missed that 

opportunity and 

rubbished himself 

through an 

election,”he said. 

‘’In his early days, 

Hayatou came to 

Nigeria to learn 

f o o t b a l l 

administration under 

the late Pat Okpomo. 

No Nigerian, not 

even Okpomo nursed 

any ambition in CAF. 

Only the late Oyo 

Orok 

Oyo 

demonstrated a 

serious interest in 

CAF. He got there 

and suddenly, he 

went blind. His 

blindness shocked 

all of us. 

Indeed, one of 

those mentored by 

Uncle Biz Law is Mr 

Ikeddy Isiguzo, 

immediate past 

Editorial Board 

Chairman of 

Vanguard. 

We’ve lost the 

best raconteur 

—Isiguzo 

In a short tribute, 

yesterday, Isiguzo 

described the late 

• From left: Vanguard's Saturday Editor, Onochie Anibeze, and the late Biz Law, with Vanguard's Sports Editor, 

Tonr Ubani, during the coverage of France '98 World Cup. 

veteran journalist as 

one of the best 

racounters Nigeria 

has ever produced. 

He said: ‘’Uncle Biz 

Law had impactful 

presence at Vanguard 

and beyond, in words, 

indeed and in deeds. 

His wordsmithery was 

inimitable. His 

columns milked 

moments without 

being momentary. We 

have lost one of the 

best raconteurs, with 

delivery doused in 

sobering timbres. May 

the Almighty rest 

him.’’ 

He was a true 

connoisseur of 

the art of 

expression 

—Adetiba 

Writing on November 

5, 2016 when Biz Law 

was 83 years old, 

former Editor of 

Vanguard, M r. Muyiwa 

Adetiba, described him 

as ‘’a true connoisseur 

of the art of 

expression.’’ 

Adetiba wrote: ‘’I first 

heard of Bisi Lawrence 

through my senior 

brother who had worked 

with him in the old NBC 

(Nigerian Broadcasting 

Corporation) days and 

who often eulogised his 

writing skills. I 

eventually had the 

opportunity to witness 

those skills—and 

more—when he was 

introduced to me in 

Punch some 35 years 

ago by the late Ayo 

Ositelu after his 

retirement as the GM of 

Radio Lagos. He was to 

express himself more at 

the Vanguard where he 

added other repertoires 

to sports writing which 

he was already well 

known for. He is a true 

connoisseur of the art of 

expression.’’ 

Misdiagnosis: Embrace AI, experts tell 

Nigerian radiographers 

By Chioma Obinna 

EXPERTS have called on 

radiographers to embrace 

Artificial Intelligence, 

AI, explaining that the technology 

was capable of eliminating 

human errors and 

maxinmise patient care. 

Artificial Intelligence is an 

arm of Computer Science 

specialised in the development 

of machines that have 

cognitive, learning, reasoning 

discernment and problem 

solving ability. 

Making the call in Lagos 

during an event to mark 

World's Radiography Day organised 

by the Lagos State 

Chapter of the Association of 

Radiographers of Nigeria, 

ARN, the experts said it 

would make their work easier 

and more interesting. 

In his views, a Senior Lecturer 

at the Department of Radiography, 

University of Lagos, 

Dr. Livinus Abonyi who 

was also the guest lecturer at 

the event, Dr. Livinus Abonyi 

explained that AI was 

highly applicable in most radiological 

procedures, such 

as neuro-radiology, magnetic 

resonance imaging (MRI), 

computed tomography, mammography, 

ultrasonography 

and conventional radiography. 

Abonyi maintained that 

AI would eliminate human 

errors in radiology procedure 

and capable of ensuring maximal 

patient care. 

He added that the cognitive 

solution presents the pos- 

•A female Radiogrpaher working in a laboratory. 

sibility of diagnosis of cancerous 

lesions based on texture 

analysis and other parameters 

of patients, adding that 

the software will affect radiography 

practice positively to 

maximise the outcome of every 

radiographic procedure 

on patients. 

The guest lecturer therefore 

urged radiographers to embrace 

AI in their everyday 

work, or find themselves being 

left out in the scheme of 

things. "Artificial intelligence 

is not a threat to the role of a 

radiographer in medical imaging. 

It is a very welcome 

partner which implementation 

rests on the radiographer. 

The radiographer is the ultimate 

care giver in medical imaging 

due to his direct interaction 

with the patient from 

onset to the finish," Abonyi 

said. Corrborating his views, 

the Lagos State Chairman of 

ARN, Ope Oduwole said the 

relevance of radiography to 

quality health care could not 

be overemphasised, as today's 

healthcare system is 

incomplete without the presence 

of radiographers and radiological 

services. 

She said the World Radiography 

Day is celebrated 

globally to mark the period 

when X-ray was discovered 

by the famous German Physicist, 

Prof. Wilham Conrad 

Rontgen in 1895. 

"X-ray is therefore the 'mother' 

of all radiant energies currently 

applied in radiography 

practice in. It is worthy to note 

that radiography has grown 

from conventional generation 

of x-rays for imaging and application 

of radioactive elements 

in the treatment of malignant 

diseases to the evolution 

of different specialties 

of medical imaging and radiation 

treatment, such as 

computed tomography (CT), 

magnetic resonance, nuclear 

medicine, ultrasonography, 

radio-nuclide imaging 

and mammography among 

other specialties." 

FG committed to tackling 

neglected disease nationwide 

-— Coordinator, NTDs 

By Chioma Obinna 

The Director and 

National 

Coordinator, Neglected 

Tropical Diseases 

Elimination Programme, 

Federal Ministry of 

Health, Dr. Chukwuma 

Anyaike has restated 

Federal Government’s 

resolve towards tackling 

the prevalence of 

Neglected Tropical 

Diseases nationwide. 

Anyaike who spoke 

during a media dialogue 

organised by the Child 

Rights Information Bureau 

of the Federal Ministry of 

Information and Culture in 

collaboration with the 

UNICEF disclosed that the 

government had made 

some achievement 

including the donation of 

medicines used annually 

in production, shipping 

and other logistics. 

He said more than 200 

million cumulative 

treatments was achieved 

in 2019 while the United 

State Centre for Disease 

Control set up a 

multifunctional 

laboratory in-country at 

the centre for the analysis 

of NTD-specific samples. 

Noting that estimated 

122 million persons were 

at risk of NTDs, he said: 

“The government had 

also strengthened the 

NTD Supply Chain 

Management and 

development of Logistics 

Management and 

Information System tools. 

“It is estimated that are 

at risk of one of these 

NTDs. Of the 122 million 

persons, which is 2 out of 

every 3 Nigerians, 20 per 

cent are pre-school age 

children, 28 per cent 

school-age children and 

52 per cent are adults”. 

He added that Nigeria 

now contributes 40 per 

cent of the NTDs burden 

globally and 25 per cent 

of Africa’s burden. 

He explained that 

NTDs are a diverse group 

of communicable 

diseases that prevail in 

tropical and subtropical 

conditions in 149 

countries – affect more 

than one billion people 

and cost developing 

economies billions of 

dollars every year. 

“Populations living in 

poverty, without adequate 

sanitation and in close 

contact with infectious 

vectors and domestic 

animals and livestock are 

those worst affected.” 

Anyaike explained that 

the diseases are called 

‘neglected’ because they 

tend to affect the world’s 

poorest and received less 

attention than other 

diseases.

C 

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By Theodore Opara 

Meeting auto needs, expectations of customers, 

our goal — Cars45 boss 

CARS45 one of Nigeria's 

leading tech-enabled 

automotive trading 

platform, has reiterated its 

commitment to enable trade 

within Nigeria’s automotive 

industry and to define the 

future of automotive trade 

across the country by 

providing consumers with a 

brand experience that helps 

them with smarter buying 

and selling choices. 

Chief executive officer, 

Cars45, Soumobroto 

Ganguly stated during an 

interactive session in Lagos 

that, meeting the needs and 

expectations of its customers 

and stakeholders will remain 

a major imperative even as 

they company intensifies 

efforts at solving the 

challenges across the 

automotive value chain from 

new, to used, logistics, 

aftermarket and repair 

services and scrap vehicles 

while the business continues 

to grow on the back of 

innovation and technology. 

Cars45 boss stated that, the 

auto trading platform moved 

into over twelve cities across 

Nigeria and two others in 

Africa, bolstered by a growing 

franchise dealer network 

coupled with a novel 

Autopreneur support system 

that has empowered so many 

From Left: Head, Marketing and Communications, Shola Adekoya; Head, Lead Management 

& Marketplace; Patricia Duru; Chief Executive Officer, Soumobroto Ganguly; Head, Finance, 

Elizabeth Iyi-Eweka; Head, Technical Operations, Pankaj Bohra and Head, People 

Operations and Central Support Services, Olajumoke Obembe at the Cars45 engagement 

session held in Lagos. 

young people financially. 

The online marketplace has 

exceeded expectations in 

facilitating consumer-toconsumer 

vehicle trades and 

making the car ownership 

dreams of lots of people come 

true. He was optimistic and 

confident in the company’s 

ability to deliver, given the 

strength of its mission to 

enable automotive trade 

across the continent. On the 

recent management 

changes, the CEO noted that 

Frontier Car Group, FCG, 

which had invested in Cars45 

Series A fund raise in May 

2017 was acquired by OLX 

Group in November 2019 to 

demonstrate their ambition 

to lead the online market for 

used cars. Cars45 has now 

been fully integrated as a 

proud member of the OLX 

Autos family. 

Founded in 2016 Car45 

provides an end-to-end 

digitized customer journey for 

buying and selling cars for 

individuals and corporate 

organizations with a desire to 

help them get the most value 

from any automotive 

transaction. 

Some of the products offered 

include GoMechanic45, an 

aftermarket service aimed at 

providing quality and 

affordable car repair services 

for consumers and corporates, 

deepening the culture of 

preventive maintenance and 

scheduled servicing in a 

manner that helps them to 

maximize the lifetime value 

of their vehicles. 

Institutional and corporate 

sales will cater to corporate 

and government institutions 

by solving issues around fleet 

liquidation and valuation as 

well as supply while adding 

value to their automotive 

needs and unlocking new 

levers of growth and 

productivity. 

Bajaj RE250 Superkeke 

settles in Nigeria 

BAJAJ Auto, the 

world's largest 

manufacturer of 3-wheels, 

has launched the most 

superior Keke ever seen in 

Nigeria, the RE250 along 

with the exclusive 3-wheeler 

distributor Stallion Group. 

The RE 25-was unveiled by 

Nigeria's ex-international 

footballer, Jay Jay Okocha in 

the presence of over 100 Keke 

dealers at an event held at 

Federal Palace Hotel, Lagos. 

The launch of the SuperKeke, 

themed “Bigger Heart, 

Stronger Body” marked the 

brand's association with the 

fabled football star and the 

company's desire to provide 

a better, stronger and more 

reliable Keke for the Nigerian 

people. 

According to the 

management of Stallion 

Group, the Bajaj RE 250 

distinctly stands out because 

of a host of class leading 

features. The vehicle is 

powered by a 236cc DTSi 

engine, the biggest engine to 

ever come in a Keke. 

Company officialssaid the 

engine has been running 

successfully in more than 20 

countries across the globe. 

The vehicle boasts of many 

first-in-class features like 

front fork, CV shaft, bigger 

10” tyres, clear headlamps, 

remote controlled MP3 

players, to name a few. 

Bajaj Auto has also upped 

the style quotient of the 

vehicle through a rear spoiler 

and a transparent passenger 

hood. The Bajaj brand 

ambassador, Jay Jay 

Okocha, who spoke about 

this new brand association 

explained that “brand's 

strong legacy and continuous 

efforts to offer best in class 

products to Nigerians has 

inspired me to associate 

myself with the brand.” 

Commenting on the 

occasion, Mr. Shaleen 

Nayak, Vice President, West 

Africa, Bajaj Auto said: 

“Nigeria is one of the most 

important 3W markets in the 

world and we have specially 

designed this vehicle for 

Nigeria. For instance, we 

have always felt that a Keke 

rider in Nigeria requires a 

bigger, more powerful engine 

because of the tough road 

conditions. The addition of 

front fork can greatly ease 

shoulder pain for the rider 

after a long hard day of 

work.”


C 

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K 




BIRTHDAY: From left; Apostle John Adeyemi; Apostle Adekayode Salako (celebrant); his wife, Blessing; Pastor A. Dipo 

and Pst Obafemi Adeyinka during the 43rd birthday celebration of Apostle Salako and launching of his books in Lagos. 

#EndSARS: Panel to invite Peter Obi, 

ex-SARS boss over hotelier’s allegation 

By Vincent Ujumadu 

AWKA—THE Judicial 

Panel of Inquiry set up by 

the Anambra State government 

on the alleged police brutality, 

extrajudicial killings and other 

related matters has said yesterday 

that it would invite the immediate 

past governor of the state, Mr. 

Peter Obi and the former 

commander of Awkuzu SARS, 

Mr. James Nwafor to testify 

before it following allegations 

against them by a petitioner, Mr. 

Bonaventure Mokwe. 

Mokwe’s Upper Class Hotel, 

Onitsha was demolished in 

August 2013 over allegation of 

using the premises for 

kidnapping activities as security 

operatives were said to have 

discovered human skulls in one 

of the rooms in the hotel. 

The chairman of the panel, 

Justice Vivian Umeh stated this 

yesterday when a petitioner, 

Bourventure Mokwe, whose 

hotel was demolished by the 

Anambra State Government in 

2013 during Obi’s administration 

appeared before it. 

Mokwe, who appeared before 

the panel sitting in Awka claimed 

Archibong 

Akpan is dead 

Late Archibong Akpan. 

SIR (Obong) Archibong 

Sunday Akpan is dead, 

aged 80 years. 

Until his death, he was the 

political leader of Etimekpo Local 

Government Area of Akwa Ibom 

state. 

Commendation service holds 

on Wednesday, November 18, 

2020 at Groved Methodist 

Cathedral Ikot Ekpene at 4:00pm. 

Funeral service hold on Friday 

20 November 2020 at Primary 

School, Utu Nto Obio Ekop, Etim 

Ekpo Local Government Area, to 

be followed by interment. 

He is survived by children, 

grand children and relations. 

that the demolition of his hotel 

was influenced by ‘big toes’ in 

Onitsha. 

Led in evidence by his 

counsel, Prof Umeh Nweke, 

Mokwe had alleged brutality, 

torture and high-handedness in 

his petition, adding that he was 

detained for two months at the 

Awkuzu SARS. 

In his five-page petition and 

seven annexed exhibits, Mokwe 

said: “The police that came to my 

hotel that fateful day were not 

interested to see our manifest. 

Their main objective was to 

demolish the hotel, so they went 

straight to demolish my hotel. 

“The crux of the matter was 

that during the time of Governor 

Peter Obi, he conceded Ose 

Motor Park to Onitsha indigenes 

and there is Mokwe’s Motor Park 

belonging to me. 

“So, when the fees being 

collected in Ose Park became too 

high, the drivers and transporters 

moved to Mokwe Park. When 

they moved to Mokwe Park, 

Onitsha youths attacked our 

park, but I defended my property 

proportionately. 

“The drivers went to court 

stopping Onitsha indigenes from 

disturbing them at Mokwe Park 

but Onitsha people considered it 

as an affront and that I stepped 

on a big toe. I didn’t understand 

the meaning of that statement. 

“Two weeks after, they set up 

my hotel with trumped- up 

allegations. That 'big toe' 

influenced the government to 

demolish my hotel and I was 

arrested and detained at Awkuzu 

SARS for two months. I was 

arrested around 8am and in a few 

minutes, my hotel was 

demolished”. 

Reacting on Mokwe’s 

allegations, the Commissioner 

for Information during Governor 

Obi’s administration, Chief Joe 

Martins Uzodike said the 

allegation that SARS derived its 

powers from governors was a 

complete betrayal of one with a 

mission. 

He said: “It confirms the 

information that some people 

have been heavily suborned to 

use the platform to play the game 

of vendetta. We knew when they 

were invited to Abuja and we 

have information of what 

transpired. 

“Who in Nigeria does not know 

that the clamour for a state police 

is because governors have 

absolutely no control over the 

police as presently constituted? 

“All attempts to smear Obi had 

always failed and this present “last 

dance” will equally come to 

naught.” 

Besides, Uzodike said that the 

point to note was that the said 

Nwafor was a very junior officer 

when Obi was governor to have 

any form of relationship with him, 

adding that Nwafor did whatever 

he did as a police officer posted to 

Anambra State and that Obi did 

not hire him as an aide nor even 

know him personally. 

The chairman of the panel, 

Justice Umeh granted the 

petitioner the permission to file 

an addendum by way of 

information to the panel. 

According to her, the 

addendum, supported by an 

affidavit, would enable it to act 

on the information averred by the 

petitioner, which would include 

inviting the people mentioned in 

the petition. The matter was 

adjourned to 26th of November 

for further hearing. 

Allegation against Bishop Onah baseless 

— Catholic Diocese of Nsukka 

By Ikechukwu Odu 

N Catholic SUKKA—THE 

Diocese of 

Nsukka, yesterday, said the 

allegation of incitement to 

violence against Bishop Godfrey 

Igwebuike Onah of the diocese 

by the Nigerian Supreme 

Council for Islamic Affairs, 

NSCIA, is baseless and 

unfounded. 

The diocese said Bishop Onah 

was referring to the unjustified 

killing of unarmed members of 

Indigeneous People of Biafra, 

IPOB at Emene in Enugu State 

by security agencies and not 

making hateful and inciting 

comments against other religions 


The Vicar-General of the 

Diocese, Rev. Fr. Amuluche Greg 

Nnamani, made the statement 

at St. Theresa’s Catholic 

Cathedral, Nsukka, during a 

press briefing on the 5,500 

capacity cathedral of the 

diocese to be dedicated on 19th 

of November, 2020. 

While thanking the Catholic 

community for their financial and 

moral support in the building of 

the cathedral which took 29 years 

to complete, he said: “The 

Catholic Diocese of Nsukka is 

aware of this accusation on our 

Bishop. It is unfair on him because 

the allegation is baseless and 

unfounded. We wish that the 

people making this accusation 

would come to understand that 

even the quotations they are 

using as a basis for their allegation 

were made out of context. 

“He was pointing at the fact 

that unarmed IPOB members 

having their meeting at Emene 

Enugu were killed and molested 

by security agencies. 

“Government cannot claim to 

be ignorant of the number of 

people in the bushes in South 

East going around with AK-47 

riffles, causing havoc here and 

there and nobody has been 

brought to book. 

Swearing-in: Edo Indigenous 

Contractors Forum hails Obaseki 

By Simon Adewale 

THE Edo State 

Indigenous Contractors 

Forum has hailed Governor 

Godwin Obaseki and his 

deputy, Mr Philip Shaibu on 

their inauguration for second 

term after their victory in the 

last Edo State election. 

In a statement by the 

deputy state chairman and 

secretary of the forum, Hon 

Henry Okpamen and Rev 

Friday Emuze respectively, 

the forum said: ''The victory 

is a well deserved one that 

has brought a dynamic 

political turn into Nigerian's 

political space and a new 

vista to leadership which 

ought not to attract any form 

of opposition or controversy. 

''The victory of Governor 

Obaseki and his deputy and 

their inauguration confirmed 

their uncommon leadership 

style that has endeared them to 

the good people of Edo State and 

opened up a new dynamic 

political revolution in the state 

and the country and it is still 

being widely celebrated by all true 

lovers of democracy.'' 

Ikpeazu sacks council 

chairman, recalls two 

By Ugochukwu 

Alaribe 

U State MUAHIA—ABIA 

Governor, Dr.Okezie 

Ikpeazu, has sacked the 

Transition Committee Chairman 

of Arochukwu council area, Mazi 

Emmanuel Kanu. 

The governor also recalled the 

Transition Chairmen of Aba North 

and Aba South Council Areas, 

Chief Victor Ubani and Hon. 

Cherechi Nwaogu, who were 

suspended from office few months 

ago. 

In a statement signed by the 

Secretary to the State 

Government, Mr. Chris Ezem, the 

sacked council boss was asked to 

hand over to the deputy transition 

Nwobodo mourns Balarabe Musa 

By Dennis Agbo 

ELDER Statesman and 

former governor of old 

Anambra State, Senator Jim 

Nwobodo has mourned the 

passing away of his fellow 

progressive governor in the 

second republic, Alhaji Balarabe 

Musa of Kaduna State, who died 

on Wednesday. 

Nwobodo said Musa’s death 

was painful to him, describing him 

as a fearless governor who was 

the first to be impeached in 

Nigeria because of his strong 

belief in egalitarianism. 

He appealed to the Governor 

CHINA’S 

Consul- 

General in Lagos, Chu 

Maoming, yesterday, said that 

with China’s 14th five-year plan, 

it will forge greater synergy with 

African countries’ national 

development strategies. 

He said African friends are 

welcomed to seize opportunities 

together with China from the new 

round of technological revolution 

and industrial transformation to 

step up cooperation in 

infrastructure construction, 

industrial, trade investment 

cooperation, digital economy, e- 

commerce and artificial 

intelligence. 

According to him, China will do 

its best to enhance connectivity 

and further integrate its 

industrial supply and value 

chains for unimpeded economic 

chairman of the council. 

However, no explanation was 

given for the sack of Kanu who 

was appointed after the the 

death of the former TC chairman, 

Engr. Onyekachi Okoro. 

“The Executive Governor of 

Abia State, Dr. Okezie Ikpeazu, 

has approved the immediate 

removal of Mazi Emmanuel 

Kanu, Transition Committee 

Chairman, Arochukwu Local 

Government Area. 

“On the other hand, the 

governor has approved the recall 

of the suspended Transition 

Committee Chairmen of Aba 

North and South LGAs, Chief 

Victor Ubani and Hon. Cherechi 

Nwogu respectively,” the 

statement read. 

of Kaduna State, Malam Nasir 

El-Rufai, to take care of Musa’s 

family, knowing fully well that he 

was not a rich man but one who 

strived for equity and fair play 

both in politics and in the society. 

Nwobodo said: “I mourn his 

death and since the second 

republic, he has been my very 

close friend and in spite of his 

travails, we have remained very 

close. He was the first governor 

to be impeached. Even when 

they had the majority, he won 

the election but because he 

didn’t have the majority in the 

house, the NPN impeached him. 

Since then and in spite of all that, 

he had stood his ground." 

What Africa stands to gain from 

China’s 14th five-year plan 

— Consulate circulation through its Belt and 

MOMO Agent, the 

Y’ello Digital Financial 

Services (YDFS) arm of MTN has 

begun expanding its MoMo 

products and services in a bid to 

deepen financial inclusion in 

Nigeria, 

As part of the expansion, 

MoMo Agent has been upgraded 

with bill payment, cash deposit 

and withdrawal, as well as data 

and airtime purchase 

components. 

The upgrades also include 

bulk disbursement services 

enabling public and private 

companies to make payments 

enmasse anywhere in 

Nigeria without a bank 

account, ATM availability or 

bank branch. 

Speaking on the expansion, 

the Chief Executive Officer of 

Road Initiative, BRI. 

“China will foster an open, fair 

and non-discriminatory business 

environment and expand 

mutual investment. China will 

continue to implement more joint 

projects that deliver real benefits 

to the people. The BRI is by far 

the most comprehensive and 

inclusive project of the 21st 

century. Through policy 

coordination, cultural exchanges 

and targeted investments in 

infrastructure and other fields, 

China has implemented a lot of 

projects in Africa. 

“By carrying out all-round 

opening-up in more fields, 

with broader range and 

greater depth and actively 

participating in the reform of 

global economic governance 

system, China has sent a clear 

signal to the world.'' 

MTN's digital financial services 

expand MoMo products 

YDFS, Usoro Usoro said: “I am 

excited to announce the 

expansion to our MoMo Agent 

service. Our goal is to reach 

every underbanked and 

unbanked person in Nigeria, 

and we are focused on 

achieving that. Anyone, 

anywhere in Nigeria can 

handle financial transactions 

within their neighbourhood. 

This is our goal to reach 

Nigerians everywhere, 

enriching lives and supporting 

the Federal Government’s 

financial inclusion drive.” 

According to him, a 2018 Access 

to Financial Services Survey by 

Enhancing Financial Innovation 

and Access (EFInA), 36.6 million 

adults, representing 36.8 percent 

of Nigeria’s adult population, are 

financially excluded.



Continues from Page 5 

Restructuring will take 

place if Nigeria has to 

remain as a country. That 

one is a sealed matter. 

“We have said it many 

times that whether we 

like it or not, if we don’t 

restructure Nigeria, 

Nigeria will one day 

restructure itself. 

Apparently, they don’t 

understand what 

restructuring is all about. 

I think we should try to 

continuously educate 

them because it is either 

they are misinformed, or 

maybe they are afraid of 

the truth. 

“But if they know that 

restructuring is what will 

bring good governance 

and they refused to do it, 

then I am sorry for them, 

I am also sorry for this 

country. That is 

mischief.’’ 

On the allegation of 

using #EndSARS to 

weaken the north ahead 

of the 2023 presidential 

election, Nkanga 

expressed sadness that 

the northern elders were 

more concerned about 

power than the future of 

Nigerian youths. 

“It breaks my heart to 

hear people carry the 

#EndSARS thing into 

the political arena. So 

power to them is more 

important than what the 

youths are asking for. 

The youths are asking for 

good future. Nobody has 

come out to say that what 

they (Nigerian youths) 

are asking for is not 

genuine. 

“But it cannot stand. 

The wheel of justice 

might grind very slowly, 

but justice will always 

prevail. We are not 

saying they should not 

pursue their interest but 

how that affects the other 

people’s interest is what 

is important. You cannot 

pursue your interest at 

the detriment of other 

people. 

“I just pray they will 

Naira depreciates to N471/$ in 

parallel market 

By Elizabeth Adegbesan 

The naira yesterday depreciated to N471 per dollar 

in the parallel market. 

This is coming after three months of hitting the 

N470 per dollar threshold in the third week of 

September 2020. 

According to naijabdcs.com, the live exchange rate 

platform of the Association of Bureaux De Change 

Operators of Nigeria (ABCON), the parallel market 

exchange rate rose to N471 per dollar from N467.5 

per dollar on Wednesday, indicating N3.50 kobo 

depreciation of the naira. 

However, the naira yesterday appreciated by 16 

kobo in the Investors and Exporters (I&E) window. 

Data from FMDQ showed that the indicative 

exchange rate for the window rose to N385.67 kobo 

per dollar from N385.83 per dollar on Wednesday, 

translating to 16 kobo appreciation of the naira. 

The volume of dollars (turnover) traded in the 

window dropped by seven percent to $189.91 million 

from $205.05 million on Wednesday. 

vanguardnews @vanguardnews @vanguardnews 

sit down and forget all 

about power mongering. 

The life of our children is 

more important than the 

power they are looking 

for.” 

M-Belt Forum 

Similarly, the Middle 

Belt Forum, MBF, faulted 

the position of the 

Northern Elders Forum, 

describing it as 

unfortunate and a show 

of weakness. 

The Forum also insisted 

that the recent 

#ENDSARS protest 

would in the near future 

positively impact the 

entire country. 

President of the 

National President of the 

MBF, Dr. Pogu Bitrus, 

said: “That is a statement 

that indicates weakness 

on the part of the North, 

because if any person 

views any effort to have 

Nigeria restructured as 

being against them 

(North), it is then an 

unfortunate development 

which shows weakness. 

“That is, they feel that 

they cannot survive if 

Nigeria is restructured. 

It is an unfortunate 

viewpoint by the North. 

The North needs to have 

a wholistic look at 

Nigeria. Nigerians are 

not made up of colonizers 

and colonies. 

“We are all partners in 

this commonwealth and 

it is high time the North 

realized it. And any effort 

to stop the whole of 

Nigeria from moving 

forward is going to be 

met with resistance 

because Nigerians will 

not accept such. 

“We cannot continue to 

stay in a skewed system 

that serves only part of 

this country where things 

are not working and yet 

people want it to remain 

the way it is. 

“What we are saying is 

that we don’t accept that 

position, the Middle Belt 

is not going to support 

them in that. And as far 

as we are concerned, 

restructuring is the way 

forward because Nigeria 

needs to progress rather 

than remain stagnant or 

even retrogress as they 

want it to. 

“On the issue of 

#ENDSARS protest, I 

must say that it was a 

corrective measure 

which the youths 

embarked on in favour of 

all. 

“We, their leaders and 

fathers, have not been 

able to do what they did 

for us. We must thank the 

youths for doing what 

they did. At least, 

Nigeria will be better for 

it for the far reaching 

changes that will come 

after the protest. 

“Even our police will be 

better for it because 

today, the salary of our 

police personnel is being 

improved and the police 

will be better equipped to 

do their jobs. Policing in 

the country will be more 

of the international 

standard than what we 

Vanguard, FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 13, 2020 —35 

had before the protests. 

“So the #ENDSARS 

thing has achieved a lot. 

And anybody who saw it 

as aimed at regime 

change is not sincere 

with himself and that is 

unfortunate. 

“It is also unfortunate 

and retrogressive to 

think that the President 

is a northern President. 

The President is a 

Nigerian President. 

When a President wins 

election, he is a 

Nigerian President. He 

is not an APC or PDP 

NEWS HOTLINES 

018773962, 

08052867058 

OBASEKI SWORN-IN FOR 2ND TERM—Edo State Governor, Godwin Obaseki (right) after being 

sworn-in for second term as Governor, with his and his deputy, Philip Shaibu before State Chief Judge, 

Justice Esther Edigin, yesterday in Benin. Photo: Barnabas Uzosike. 

President. It is 

unfortunate that they see 

the President as a 

Northern President. 

“It is unfortunate that 

they are not with us in 

this federalism we are 

practicing, they are still 

practicing sectionalism 

and we are not going to 

buy into that. We are 

going with mainstream 

Nigeria. The northerners 

must realize that 

Nigeria is a united 

entity and not a North, 

East or West kind of 

entity.” 

. 

Nigeria on path of growth, despite 

challenges — Senate tells IMF 

By Henry Umoru of the COVID-19 

pandemic. 

Aof BUJA—President 

the Senate, 

Ahmad Lawan, has 

expressed optimism that 

Nigeria’s economy was 

being steered on the path 

of growth, despite the 

prevailing challenges. 

Lawan, who spoke at 

the Nigeria/International 

Monetary Fund(IMF) 

Article lV Consultation 

virtual exercise 

yesterday, said the 

exercise was a “veritable 

platform to share our 

experiences on steering 

our economy on the path 

of growth, despite 

challenges.” 

Itemising efforts being 

made by the federal 

government at promoting 

economic growth and 

reducing poverty in the 

country, the Senate 

president told the 

participants at the virtual 

exercise that Nigeria had 

to confront the challenge 

of limited resources, not 

just because of 

unpredictable revenue 

from oil, but also because 

“The problems have 

made us improve our 

efforts in the prudent 

management of resources, 

and in transparency and 

accountability. 

“Our focus has been on 

sustaining investments in 

infrastructure and utilities, 

trusting in their capacities 

to stimulate economic 

activities, enhance 

growth, and thereafter 

improve the people’s 

standard of living. 

“Government has 

continued with its anticorruption 

crusade, aside 

a pledge to ensure 

discipline in the public 

expenditure process. 

“Our recent experiences 

call for further caution in 

the management of 

resources, just as it has 

been another reminder of 

the need to increase the 

drive for diversification. 

“Beyond Oil, greater 

regard is now being paid 

to the steel, the mining 

and the agriculture 

sectors. The potentials in 

these sectors are 

significant for revenue 

generation, and for job 

creation. They are 

additionally valuable in 

the bid to engage critical 

sections of the population, 

especially the youth,” 

Lawan said. 

The Senate President 

said the youth question 

had lately been at the 

centre of national 

conversation, flowing 

from the #EndSARS 

protests. 

“We believe that the 

recent crisis we had in the 

form of youth protest has 

also given us an 

additional idea of how 

much we need to pay 

attention to the needs of 

the youths in the country. 

“Government has ended 

SARS, and now taking 

steps towards improving 

social and economic 

needs of youth. 

“One of such is the relaunch/flag 

off of the 

National Young Farmers 

Scheme (NYFS), by the 

President on 9th 

November 2020. 

“Our youth have 

become much more 

involved, and require 

greater recognition, in 

terms of social and 

economic engagement. 

“The government has 

been additionally 

charged to continue with 

policies that seek to 

integrate them into the 

scheme of things. 

“In addition to NYFS is 

the National Youth 

Innovation Programme an 

initiative of the Federal 

Ministry of Youth and 

Sports Development 

which has capacity to 

generate 25 Billion 

annually over the next 

three years; among 

others. 

“We prioritize 

implementation, to show 

a sustained commitment 

to policies and 

programmes,” Lawan 

said. 

The Senate President 

said the National 

Assembly had been as 

responsive as possible in 

the provision of legislative 

support to peopleoriented 

proposals.

C 

M 

Y 

K 


Musa 

I’m fit to play, 

says Musa 

uper Eagles captain Ahmed 

SMusa said he was fit and ready 

to play against Sierra Leone, despite 

concern about his fitness. 

Musa is clubless after he parted 

ways with Saudi club Al Naser last 

month. 

“I was with the team for the last 

game, I left my club just two weeks 

ago. I have been with my club 

training for two weeks before I came 

into Nigeria. 

“I don’t think there’s anything 

important about that, so I am just 

here with the boys, everything is 

going on good.” 

Musa added that players have 

gotten used to playing without a 

crowd due to the covid 19 

restrictions, but it would have been 

good to have the fans. 

“From the beginning of the 

pandemic, right now most of us have 

been used to playing games without 

fans so we are going to get used to 

it. 

“There’s nothing we can do, it’s not 

our fault, it’s not the Federation, it is 

just because of the pandemic that we 

are facing. 

“We are getting used to that but 

we hope very soon the fans will 

come back to the pitch to support us, 

it’s not that easy but we have to get 

used to it,” Musa added. 

•Amuneke 

Amuneke steps 

up job hunt in 

Europe 

ormer Super Eagles winger and 

FGolden Eaglets coach, 

Emmanuel Amuneke said he hasn’t 

given up on his quest to land a job 

in Europe despite being unable to 

get employment there. 

The 49-year-old, who last year led 

Tanzania to their first Africa Cup of 

Nations since 1980, is seeking a 

return to management after leaving 

his role at Egyptian side Misr El- 

Makkasa. 

“It’s frustrating and disappointing 

that despite playing here and 

undergoing your coaching training 

in Spain, Africans are never 

considered for a job in the country,” 

the former Barcelona player told 

BBC Sport Africa. 

“I returned to Spain after winning 

the Under-17 World Cup and 

applied for jobs in the Spanish 

Leagues, but I was overlooked and 

not even shortlisted for interviews. 

“A second division side in Spain 

showed strong interest through an 

agent, but despite my experience of 

playing in Spain, undertaking my 

coaching trainings here and winning 

the World Cup, it was not enough 

for them to put their trust in me. 

•Mustapha •Osimhen •Yobo 

BEWARE! Sierra Leone once 

beat Eagles, ‘sacked’ Bonfrere 

By Jacob Ajom 

Nigeria and Sierra Leone have 

met fourteen times. The 

Super Eagles have the 

upper hand with 9 wins, drawn 3 

and lost 2, with the most recent 

being in 2001. 

On April 21, 2001 Sierra Leone 

defied all predictions and defeated 

Nigeria 1-0 to record their second 

and most famous victory over their 

more illustrious west African 

neighbours in a FIFA World Cup 

qualifier. The match took place in 

front of 35 000 spectators at the 

National Stadium, Freetown.. It 

was an afternoon the Nigerians 

would hate to remember. 

With a burgeoning profile 

buoyed by the country’s 

antecedents and particularly, its 

exploits at the 1994 World Cup,1996 

Olympics and the 1998 World Cup 

in France, it was unthinkable that 

such a football giant could fall to 

lowly rated Leone Stars of Sierra 

Leone. 

Nigeria paraded her best legs at 

the time, including mercurial 

captain Jay Jay Okocha, Sunday 

Oliseh, Taribo West, Finidi George, 

among others from their 

generation. 

'I’ll run down Leone 

Stars with my energy' 

lasgow Rangers central 

Gmidfielder Joe Aribo is full of 

confidence after scoring two of his 

team’s eight goals in their 8-0 

demolition of Hamilton Academical 

in the Scottish Premiership last 

weekend. 

The former Charlton Athletic man 

started his Super Eagles career on 

a bright note, scoring in back-toback 

friendly matches against 

Ukraine and Brazil with both games 

played on quality pitches. 

Having failed to find the net in his 

last two competitive appearances 

for the national team in Africa, Aribo 

is targeting his third international 

goal in today’s meeting against 

Sierra Leone. 

“I’m enjoying it here in Benin. It’s 

very overwhelming and I’m happy 

to see that the fans are here with us 

and they’re supporting us so it’s a 

good feeling,” Aribo said. 

On what Nigerians should expect 

from him if he’s named in the 

starting line-up, the left-footed 

midfielder said : “Just my normal 

game, I bring energy, I want to play 

fast and just make it hard for my 

opponent and win the game of 

course”. 

•Aribo 

Taribo West led the defence line 

which also paraded Yobo Joseph 

(now Eagles assistant coach), Ifeanyi 

Udeze and Emeka Ifejiagwa. In goal 

was Peterside Idah, now a TV pundit 

and pastor based in South Africa. 

The match started on an even note 

with the Nigerians attempting to 

boss it over their hosts who were, to 

say the least, cautious in their 

approach. With Mohammed Kallon, 

one of the best players to have come 

out of that country, John Keister who, 

incidentally, is the Leone Stars 

coach, directing affairs in the attack 

and midfield, Sidique Mansaray 

struck in the 25th minute of play to 

upset Nigeria. 

Although the result of that match 

did not stop Nigeria from qualifying 

for the Korea/Japan World Cup, it 

resulted in the sacking of head coach 

of the national team then, Bonfrere 

Jo by the Nigeria Football 

Association. Late Amodu Shaibu 

stepped in, qualified the country for 

the World Cup but was not allowed 

to lead the team to the Mundial. 

Maradona leaves hospital in an 

ambulance 

iego Maradona has left hospital 

Din an ambulance just eight days 

after being admitted for emergency 

brain surgery. 

The iconic former Argentinian 

footballer was driven away from the 

private Olivos Clinic, as hundreds 

of fans of photographers tried to get 

a glimpse of him. 

Maradona was hospitalised last 

week and had to have an 

emergency operation to remove a 

blood clot from his brain. 

Argentinian TV reporters 

travelling on motorbikes filmed the 

ambulance carrying him leaving 

before following the vehicle to 

transmit every inch of his journey. 

His lawyer, Matias Morla, has 

said that the 60-year-old will 

continue to receive treatment for 

For Sierra Leone football fans, it 

did not matter whether their team 

failed to secure the World Cup ticket, 

more fulfilling was that their national 

team brought down to earth the 

much-fancied Super Eagles. 

Celebrations lasted for weeks and till 

date, that victory forms a major part 

of their national football folklore. 

Already coach John Keister who 

was part of that encounter has been 

talking tough. On arrival in Nigeria 

he said they were here to shock their 

hosts. His boast should not be taken 

lightly as the team have a lot of 

professionals who are plying their 

trades abroad. 

Nigeria is currently ranked 32 by 

FIFA while Sierra Leone occupies 

the 102 nd position in the world. In 

Africa Nigeria is fourth while the 

Leone Stars are 31 st . 

With the likes of Victor Osimhen, 

Samuel Chukwueze, Joe Aribo 

among others, Nigerians won’t 

expect anything less than victory 

from the Eagles. 

Nigeria v Sierra Leone 

Osimhen: I‘ll shoot 

down Sierra Leone 

ictor Osimhen has assured fans of victory 

Vagainst Sierra Leone but cautioned that 

today’s Africa Cup of Nations qualifier will 

be far from a walk in the park for the Super 

Eagles. 

Nigeria will seal a place at the AFCON in 

Cameroon with victory over the Leone Stars 

at the Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium, Benin 

City and again four days later in Free Town. 

“Nigerians should expect nothing but 

victory but to be realistic the game will never 

be easy,” Osimhen said. 

“So we have to prepare well, which we have 

been doing and its good for me to be back in 

the squad and I think we are all ready and 

we will give our all for this win.” 

Napoli record buy Osimhen said while it 

would be strange to not have fans in the 

stadium, the gravity of the coronavirus 

pandemic calls for understanding and called 

for fans to support the team nonetheless. 

“For me its kind of disappointing but we 

understand the Covid situation, it’s important 

for them to support us from home and 

anywhere they are. 

“But for their presence, not being with us 

in the stadium it’s kind of disappointing but 

we can understand the situation. It’s fine. 

alcohol dependency. 

Maradona is expected to stay in a 

house near his older daughters. 

Maradona, who won the World 

Cup with Argentina in 1986 and is 

now the coach of Gimnasia y 

Esgrima in his home country, has 

been admitted to hospital on several 

occasions since his retirement. 

•Ronaldo 

Juve open to 

Ronaldo, Neymar 

swap deal with PSG 

uventus are planning to offer Paris 

JSaint-Germain a blockbuster 

swap deal which would see 

Cristiano Ronaldo join the Ligue 1 

giants and Neymar move in the 

opposite direction. 

Juve are understood to be keen to 

offload Ronaldo next summer in 

order to recoup a transfer fee for the 

35-year-old before his contract 

expires in 2022. 

PSG chief Leonardo recently 

refused to rule out a move for the 

five-time Ballon d’Or winner, 

although Financial Fair Play rules 

would likely prevent the French 

champions from having Ronaldo, 

Neymar and Kylian Mbappe on 

their books at the same time. 

PSG are nonetheless looking to tie 

both Neymar and Mbappe down to 

new contracts, but Italian outlet 

Tuttomercatoweb reports that 

Juventus are keen to push through 

a swap deal between Neymar and 

Ronaldo. 

The report claims that such a deal 

would be possible as the two players 

are on similarly lucrative contracts 

which few other clubs in world 

football would be able to afford. 

Troost-Ekong to 

consider Watford 

future 

•Ekong 

uper Eagles assistant captain 

SWilliam Troost-Ekong has 

revealed that he will consider his 

future at Championship side 

Watford after the end of the 2020- 

2021 season. 

The Tottenham Hotspur Academy 

product surprisingly swapped a 

European Top Five League club, 

Udinese for a second-tier team in the 

summer transfer window, penning 

a five-year deal that will keep him 

at Vicarage Road until June 2025 if 

the two parties honour the 

agreement. 

Troost-Ekong is standing by his 

decision to join Watford but will 

assess the progress made by the 

club before making a final decision 

on his future. 

In Thursday’s press conference in 

Benin,Troost-Ekong said : “It was a 

decision in my career, I stand by it. 

“New challenge, I enjoyed myself 

in Udinese, I think everybody saw 

what I can do there and I believe in 

the project for Watford to go back to 

the Premier League so we are 

working on that this season.

VANGUARD, FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 13, 2020 — 37 

Leaders condole with Ghana as 

ex-President Rawlings dies of COVID-19 

By James Ogunnaike, 

Dirisu Yakubu 

Biden denied key US intel briefings, as 

Trump delays transition 

AS 

President 

Donald Trump 

continues challenging 

the election results and 

delaying President-elect 

Joe Biden’s transition 

planning, a key part of 

US intelligence is being 

kept from the incoming 

president. 

The Presidential Daily 

Brief (PDB), the ultra-secret 

daily briefing of the 

*Jerry Rawlings 

nation’s most sensitive 

intelligence, is a key 

part of keeping the president 

fully informed and, 

in recent years, the president-elect 

fully prepared. 

In 2000, when the presidential 

election was 

still in legal limbo due 

to a recount in Florida, 

outgoing President Bill 

Clinton decided to let 

FORMER President Jerry 

Rawlings of Ghana has 

died from complications of 

COVID-19. 

The ex-president died at Korle-Bu 

Teaching Hospital in Accra, 

capital of Ghana, in the 

early hours of yesterday. 

According to report, he had 

recently buried his mother, Victoria 

Agbotui, at Dzelukope in 

the Volta Region on October 

24, 2020. 

She died at 101 on September 

24, 2020. Shortly after the 

burial, Rawlings fell seriously 

ill and was hopitalised after 

showing symptoms of COVID- 

19 

Ȧ military ruler, who later 

joined politics, Rawlings ruled 

Ghana from 1981 to 2001. 

He led a military junta until 

1992, and then served two terms 

as the democratically elected 

president of Ghana. 

A flight lieutenant of the Ghanaian 

Air Force, Rawlings first 

staged military coup as a young 

revolutionary on May 15, 1979, 

five weeks before scheduled elections 

to return the country to civilian 

rule. 

When it failed, he was imprisoned, 

publicly court-martialed 

and sentenced to death. 

After initially handing power 

over to a civilian government, 

he took back control of the 

country on December 31, 1981 

as the chairman of the Provisional 

National Defence Council, 

PNDC, 

He then resigned from the 

military, founded the National 

Democratic Congress, NDC, 

and became the first president 

of the Fourth Republic. 

He was re-elected in 1996 for 

four more years. After two terms 

in office, the limit according to 

the Ghanaian constitution, 

Rawlings endorsed his vice-president 

John Atta Mills as presidential 

candidate in 2000. He 

was born on June 22,1947. 

Meanwhile, reactions have 

continued to trail the death of 

Ghana’s ex-President, Jerry 

Rawlings. 

Nigeria’s President, Muhammadu 

Buhari yesterday expressed 

his heartfelt condolences 

to the government and people 

of Ghana over passing of 

the country’s former President, 

Jerry Rawlings. 

Buhari said African continent 

will sorely miss the sterling qualities 

of the former leader who 

passed on at the age of 73. 

President Buhari believes the 

passion, discipline and moral 

strength that the former Ghanaian 

leader employed to reposition 

his country over many 

years will continue to reverberate 

across the continent and beyond. 

The President noted with 

commendation, the unique role 

the former President played in 

strengthening political institutions 

in his country and Africa, 

stimulating the economy for 

sustainable growth, and vociferously 

championing the African 

cause by urging many leaders 

to work towards interdependence 

on the global stage, especially 

in areas of competitive 

advantage. 

President Buhari while joining 

family, friends and associates 

of the former Ghanaian 

leader in mourning his departure, 

assured that the ideas that 

Rawlings postulated, particularly 

for development in Africa, 

and his sacrifices in working in 

various countries as an envoy 

for peace and democracy, will 

always be remembered. 

The President also prayed 

that the Almighty God will grant 

the Ghanaian leader eternal rest, 

and comfort all his loved ones. 

Also former President, Chief 

Olusegun Obasanjo in his condolence 

message said: “President 

Rawlings will be missed for 

his exemplary leadership across 

Africa but particularly for his 

contribution to nation-building 

in the Republic of Ghana where 

he served, first as the Military 

Head of State of the country 

from 1981 to 1992 and later as 

a democratically-elected President 

from 1992-2000. 

“Like many of his contemporaries 

too, Rawlings provided the 

much-needed leadership and direction 

which impacted positively 

on the social stability and democratic 

progress recorded thus far in 

Ghana. A quintessential patriot 

and courageous leader, he will be 

remembered for his critical role in 

the evolvement of modern democratic 

Ghana. 

“I worked very closely with our 

departed brother within the remaining 

two years of his completing 

his second term in office, 

i.e.1999-2000 and during which 

time I had become a democratically-elected 

President of Nigeria. I 

found in him a reliable friend, ally 

and confidant. We worked together 

under the auspices of AU with 

constructive contributions at the 

various fora in our joint efforts at 

charting a new future for Africa. 

particularly in tackling the 

scourge of malaria in our continent 

using the platform of the 

African Summit on Roll Back 

Malaria where his participation 

was quite active and the quality 

of his contributions enriched our 

deliberations and pointed the 

way forward in dealing with the 

disease. He was passionate 

about peace, security and leadership 

issues in Africa. 

“President Rawlings played 

a key role in furthering the actualization 

of the objectives of 

the Africa Leadership Forum, 

ALF, a non-governmental organization 

which I founded in 

1988 to develop leadership capacities 

in Africa in order to increase 

productivity of major 

actors in government, parliament, 

business and civil society”. 

“I join the Government and 

the good people of Ghana as 

well as millions of others 

around the world in mourning 

a man, who dedicated his life to 

the growth and development of 

Ghana, his country, in particular, 

and Africa as a whole. 

“While earnestly praying for 

the repose of the soul of President 

Rawlings, I add that God 

Almighty should give his family, 

your Government and people 

of Ghana the fortitude to 

bear the irreparable loss of this 

committed nationalist,” 

In the same vein, Liberia’s 

President, George Weah on his 

tweeter page stated: “On behalf 

of the government and the people 

of the republic of Liberia and 

in my own name, I wish to convey 

deepest and profound sympathy 

to the government, the 

good people of Ghana, the Rawlings 

family and the entire Africa 

for the death of great statesman, 

Former President.” 

Also Nigeria’s former President 

Goodluck Ebele Jonathan 

sympathised with the people 

Ghana over the death of their 

former president. 

In his condolence message on 

his official Twitter yesterday he 

said:”I extend my deepest condolences 

to the Government 

and people of the Republic of 

Ghana over the passing on of 

former President Jerry John 

Rawlings. 

“As Ghana’s leader under different 

dispensations, he acquitted 

himself as a soldier of the 

masses and crusader for social 

justice. 

“President Rawlings was a 

statesman & Pan-Africanist 

with strong views & drive for 

Africa’s renaissance & growth. 

He died at a time the continent 

needed his wisdom and experience 

to deal with challenging 

socio-political issues." 

then-Governor George 

W Bush read the daily 

brief of the nation’s most 

sensitive intelligence. 

Clinton was a Democrat 

and his vice president, 

Al Gore, was running 

against Republican 

Bush. Gore had been 

reading the so-called 

PDB for eight years; 

Clinton decided to bring 

Bush into the fold in case 

he won — and he did.



C 

M 

Y 

K 

Vanguard, FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 13, 2020 

QUICK CROSSWORD 

TODAY’S CROSSWORD 

YESTERDAY’S SOLUTION 

TODAY’S PUZZLE 

Sudoku 

YESTERDAY’S ANSWER 

ACROSS 

1 Find by searching or examining (6) 

4 Refuge (6) 

8 Hooded snake (5) 

9 Without assistance (7) 

10 Extend (7) 

11 Squeeze (5) 

12 Heavy waterproof cover (9) 

17 Early birds (5) 

19 Showing no expression (7) 

21 Discard (4,3) 

22 Early part of life (5) 

23 Cloth used with polish (6) 

24 Go up (6) 

DOWN 

1 Destructive migratory insect (6) 

2 Floor-show (7) 

3 Distinguishing feature (5) 

5 Surgical knife (7) 

6 Gatehouse (5) 

7 Unostentatious (6) 

9 Previously unknown (7-2) 

13 Give back (7) 

14 Roman sea god (7) 

15 Serene, unruffled (6) 

16 Without shoes (6) 

18 Takes a break (5) 

20 Bottomless gulf (5) 

How to Play Sudoku 

Place a number (1-9) in each blank cell. (No line can have 

two of the same number). 

Each row (nine lines from left to right), column, (also nine 

lines from top to bottom) and 3 X 3 block within a bold block 

(nine blocks) contains number from 1 through 9. This means 

that no number can appear twice in any block, column or row. 

No mathematics is involved – no adding, subtraction, division or 

multiplication, just plain logic and your imagination. 

Printed and Published by VANGUARD MEDIA LIMITED, Vanguard Avenue, Kirikiri-Canal, P.M.B.1007, Apapa. Phone: Newsroom: 018773962. Deputy Editor: 01-4548355. Advert Hotline: 

08027767834; 01-4544821. Abuja office: 7, Dambata Close, Area 7, Garki, 09-2921024. Ikeja office: 73, Awolowo Way. V.I. Office: Murplus Plaza, 27, Sanusi Fafunwa Street. Asaba: 21, Anwai 

Road. Benin City: 4E, Arusa Street. Port Harcourt: 50, Ikwerre Road; Warri: 102, Efurun-Sapele Road. Advert: advertproduction@yahoo.com; E-mail: editor@vanguardngr.com, 

news@vanguardngr.com, letters@vanguardngr.com. Website: www.vanguardngr.com (ISSN 0794-652X) Editor: EZE ANABA. Phone: 01-4548355. All correspondence to P.M.B. 1007, Apapa Lagos.

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