07022021 - Herdsmen from Oyo Enugu Niger others heading to Kano

PAGE 2— SUNDAY VANGUARD, FEBRUARY 7, 2021 

Alhaji Muizdeen Salmon Alawiye, Mudeer Moricz Ulluoom, Ejigbo (middle), 

leading prayers with his Sheikh Imuran Abdulmojeed-Eleha (5th right), Mr. 

Abiodun Ibraheem, son of the deceased (2nd left), Mr. Amir Ibraheem, son of 

the deceased (left) and others, during the burial and special prayers for the late 

Alhaji Sheikh Sharafdeen Olorunnisola Ibraheem Aroworatira, Chief Imam of 

Idimuland, in Alimosho Local Government Area of Lagos on Friday. 

From left: Senirat Ibraheem, daughter of the deceased; Lutfy, son of the 

deceased; Alhaja Shikrat, widow; Salmat, daughter; Murziq, son; Alhaja 

Sherifat, widow; and Amir, son, during the burial. Photos: Bunmi Azeez 

Insurgency, banditry, other serious crimes worry Archbishop Onuoha 

By Chidi Nkwopara, 

OWERRI 

The increasing of insur 

gency, banditry and 

other forms of criminality, 

which appear to 

have overwhelmed the nation’s 

security agencies, is 

now a source of worry to 

the Anglican Archbishop 

of Owerri Ecclesiastical 

Province, His Grace, Dr. 

David O. C. Onuoha. 

Onuoha expressed his 

feelings yesterday, in an 

18-page address he delivered 

to the Provincial 

Council Meeting, held at 

St. Paul’s Cathedral, 

Ezeoke Nsu, Ehime 

Mbano local government 

area of Imo State. 

His words: “There is no 

doubt that this nation is in 

an undeclared war with insurgency, 

banditry and 

other forms of criminality 

that appear to have overwhelmed 

our security 

agencies. This is a source 

of serious worry for all 

patriots. 

“South East governors 

and Ohanaeze Ndigbo, 

should stand up now to 

give leadership and direction 

on the peace and safety 

of the people. 

“Taking the lead in security 

matters in the manner 

of the South West governors, 

will forestall the catastrophe 

that may ensue, 

should this all important 

matter be left in the hands 

of militant groups.” 

Taking a hard look at the 

nefarious activities of 

armed herdsmen and the 

apparent reluctance to 

embrace modern method 

of cattle rearing, as well as 

the move to acquire waterways 

across the nation, the 

cleric said: “It may be a 

subtle attempt at encouraging 

a rampaging marauding 

force that is bent 

on conquest and subjugation 

to succeed. This development 

calls for vigilance, 

especially in Igboland. 

“A situation where our 

forests and bushes have 

been taken over by foreigners, 

is simply a disaster 

waiting to happen. Governments 

in the South 

Eastern States of this country, 

should as a matter of 

urgency, outlaw this incipient 

way of penetrating our 

communities, as this will 

only lead to complete annihilation 

of our people in 

no too distant time.” 

Canada-based 

Nigerian wins 

most inspiring 

immigrants award 

A 

Nigerian Canada-based 

entrepreneur 

and Founder, Africa Canada 

Trade and Investment 

Venture, Mr Kenneth Oguzie, 

has been awarded the most 

inspiring immigrants in 

Eastern Canada, for his 

contributions and active 

support towards immigrants, 

in the just concluded gala 

night award ceremony in 

Canada. 

The regions in Eastern 

Canada where his 

contributions were actively 

recognised included Nova 

Scotia, Prince Edward Island, 

New Brunswick and Prince 

Edward Island provinces. 

Kenneth has been 

recognised in the past by 

different groups in Nova 

Scotia as a dynamic and 

supportive individual. 

In his acceptance speech, 

Oguzie noted that his 

international experience had 

helped shaped his crosscultural 

understanding with 

the international business 

space for sustainable growth 

and expansion. 

He said, “As a global citizen 

having lived in Asia, Europe, 

North America, and Africa, 

my international experience 

has helped shape my crossculture 

understanding and 

diverse stakeholder 

management.”

SUNDAY VANGUARD, FEBRUARY 7, 2021, PAGE 3 

From left: Director, Lagos State Agric Training Institute, Dr. Adewale Omirin; Senior 

Special Assistant to Lagos State Governor on Agriculture, Mr. Gbolabo Olaniwun, 

Lagos State Commissioner for Agriculture, Ms. Abisola Olusanya and Permanent 

Secretary, Ministry of Agriculture, Dr. Olayiwole Onasanya, during Commissioner 

Inspection to ongoing projects at the Agric Training Institute, in Songhai 

Badagry Lagos at the weekend. Photo: Akeem Salau 

Tension as bandits attack Imo police 

station, kill officers, cart away arms 

By Chinonso Alozie, 

Owerri 

TENSION mounted in 

Umulowo, IMO 

State, yesterday, after gunmen 

suspected to be bandits 

attacked the police station 

in the town, killing 

some police officers and 

carting away arms. No 

fewer than two police officers 

were said to have 

lost their lives during the 

attack. 

The attack, which happened 

in the early hours 

caused the villagers scampered 

for safety. Narrating 

the incident to Sunday 

Vanguard, a source in the 

community said: “The 

policemen who died resisted 

the armed robbers who 

were trying to force themselves 

into the police station 

in order to cart away 

ammunition. Apart from 

that about four other police 

officers were injured. 

“We also discovered that 

the armed robbers had an 

assignment somewhere 

around Umuahia, and all 

they needed were enough 

weapons to carry out their 

operation and that was 

while they targeted the 

Umulowo police division 

to get ammunition. 

“The armed robbers 

picked up some guns belonging 

to the officers and 

hurriedly left out of fear 

that there could be reinforcement 

both from the 

police and community vigilantes.” 

Prayers capable of restoring peace to 

Nigeria — ODOGBO, PFN leader 

By Odeya Ogbetuo 

THE Presiding Bishop of 

Shelter of Christ Mission 

Ugboroke, Effurun, Warri, Delta 

State, Pere-Egbe Odogbo, 

says prayers of Christians 

would restore peace to Nigeria, 

urging Christians to continue 

in prayer to dislodge all 

satanic manipulations. 

Odogbo, who is the Chairman 

of the Pentecostal Fellowship 

of Nigeria, PFN, Airport 

Road Branch, gave this assurance 

during the ‘Prayer Conference’ 

organized by the PFN, 

said that they (Christians) 

would continue to pray to enthrone 

enduring peace and 

harmony in Nigeria so that our 

leaders could focus on development 

of this country. 

The PFN Chairman further 

said that they came together to 

pray and intercede for Nigeria 

so that God could have mercy 

on Nigerians and forgive us our 

sins. 

He urged Nigerians to humble 

themselves before God and 

learn to tolerate one another, 

adding that this would make 

Nigeria work and develop as 

a country. 

According to him, the 

Church of God must be united 

to achieve tangible result for 

peace and development of Nigeria, 

stressing that the church 

is the light of the world and 

should be ready at all times to 

WTO: Buhari excited over U.S acceptance of 

Okonjo-Iweala 

By Chris Onuoha 

Founder of a nongovernmental 

organisation 

(NGO), ‘ED. SayNo2Slavery,’ 

Damilola Falodun, has 

decried an attempt by some 

online media organisations to 

malign her name in a criminal 

case, involving two young girls 

who sought to kill their parents. 

In a recent publication by 

some of these online platforms, 

titled, ‘See the Two Girls That 

Sent Assassins to Kill Their 

Rich Parents’. Falodun 

lamented how the bloggers 

placed her photograph 

alongside the criminals, as an 

accomplice in the matter 

By Johnbosco 

Agbakwuru 

PRESIDENT Muham 

madu Buhari has expressed 

excitement over 

the pronouncement of the 

Office of the United States 

Trade Representative, signifying 

withdrawal of the 

country’s objection to the 

emergence of Dr. Ngozi 

Okonjo-Iweala as Director 

General of World Trade 

Organization, WTO. 

Buhari, in a statement by 

his Senior Special Assistant 

on Media and Publicity, 

Mallam Garba Shehu, 

in Abuja, yesterday, said, 

“We certainly welcome the 

decision of the new U.S 

administration to remove 

the last obstacle in the path 

of Dr. Okonjo-Iweala to 

becoming the first female 

and the first person of African 

descent to lead the 

organization. 

“Nigeria and the entire 

African continent are happy 

about this new U.S position, 

which signifies a 

shift and an important 

turnaround in the relations 

between our continent and 

the United States under the 

Biden administration. 

“Today, we see that the 

United States stands with 

Nigeria and Africa with 

the acceptance of our widely 

respected citizen, Okonjo-Iweala 

to lead the WTO. 

We look forward to working 

very closely with the 

new U.S administration 

on this and all issues of 

common interests, especially 

in such areas as accelerated 

economic 

growth, fight against terrorism 

and deepening 

progress on development 

issues.” 

From left: Prince Olatunji Olusoji, Senior Special Assistant on Special Duties to the 

Governor Of Delta State and Delta State Commissioner of Police Ari Muhammed Ali 

during courtesy visit to him over the weekend. 

Ithihikpede mobilises for APC membership registration 

By Gab Ejuwa 

THE constiuents of Delta 

South have been advised 

to ensure they elect political 

office holders who would 

Imo State Police Public 

Relations Officer, PPRO, 

Orlando Ikeokwu, who 

confirmed the incident 

said the police had commenced 

investigation to 

get full details of what 

happened. 

carry out crusades to revive and 

rescue Nigeria from satanic 

plan to afflict Nigeria with all 

sorts of vices such as bandits, 

kidnaping, Boko Haram insurgency, 

hatred, corruption 

and cultism. 

He stated that some churches 

have moved from the 

Church of Christ to become 

entertainment centres, stressing 

that there are hopes that 

the prayers of the righteous 

could salvage and restore 

peace to Nigeria. 

Odogbo, who is also the 

National Coordinator of Niger 

Delta Intercessors Prayer 

Group tagged the programme 

“Prayer Changes Things” said 

that Abraham, David, Elijah 

and other great prophets in the 

Bible prayed and God answered 

their prayers, assuring 

that the prayers of the righteous 

would remove Coronavirus 

from our county. 

“Christians should not relent 

in prayers against COVID-19 

that is currently ravaging the 

world. Prayer can put an end 

to the spread of Coronavirus. 

It is a satanic device to attack 

the Children of God. We pray 

and decree an end to the spread 

of COVID-19. We prayed in the 

past and there were good results”, 

the PFN leader said. 

They want to drag me into attempted murder case —Falodun 

without her knowledge, thereby 

connecting her to the crime. 

Speaking in Lagos, Falodun 

questioned how her 

photograph, which was totally 

different and separately taken 

as a single picture, was attached 

to that of the two girls who 

committed the crime, also 

noting that the insertion of her 

photograph contradicts the 

story headline that reads “Two 

girls that sent assassins to kill 

their rich parents.’ 

“The picture in circulation 

was the picture I used several 

years ago when I granted an 

interview to the press about my 

ordeal in a foreign land,” 

Falodun stated. 

“The post is fraught with 

malicious intent to damage my 

personality. It is also a goose 

chase to find my bold picture to 

be used as incriminating matter 

against my strong belief and 

passion towards eradication of 

slavery and foreign trafficking 

which I have committed myself 

into, after being a victim myself, 

thereby, rendered me a marked 

person. 

“I have instructed my lawyers 

to cause a demand letter to the 

bloggers from further peddling 

the defamatory story, and take 

other necessary actions to 

correct the anomaly”. 

genuinely be true representatives 

of the people who 

elected them into office. 

As a first step in this direction, 

the Ithihikpede Campaign 

Organisation (ICO) has 

urged the people of Isoko 

North and Isoko South local 

government areas, in particular, 

to come out enmasse and 

register in the ongoing nationwide 

membership registration 

of the ruling All Progressives 

Congress (APC), 

and enjoy the dividends of 

democracy. 

In a statement, the Director- 

General of Ithihikpede Campaign 

Organisation (ICO), 

Deacon (Arc) Ambrose Odezi 

Okuhor, urged all old party 

faithful to revalidate their 

membership while also 

asking prospective members 

to seize the opportunity 

of the exercise to join the 

party. 

According to Okuhor, 

‘’We appeal to the good 

people of Isoko, Itsekiri and 

Ijaw extractions to come out 

enmasse and partake in the 

membership registration 

currently going on in all the 

polling units in the Isoko 

North and Isoko South local 

government areas.’’ The 

group said it was intensifying 

its efforts to mobilise the 

majority of the people across 

the grassroot to be members 

of APC in order for them to 

get a good representation 

during the general 

elections. 

NIN registration takes off at 

Globacom’s Service Centers 

TELECOMMUNICATIONS giant, Globacom, has an 

nounced the commencement of National Identification 

Number (NIN) registration in its retail outlets across the country. 

According to the announcement, Globacom commenced 

the enrolment exercise following the license it secured from 

Nigerian Identity Management Commission (NIMC) to cover 

NIN enrolment for all eligible Nigerians. 

The company also stated its support for government’s efforts 

to create a secure and sustainable industry and reiterated 

its commitment to ensuring customers have uninterrupted 

experience on its network. 

Kano partners British Council, flags 

off KaLMA learning aid project 


THE Kano Literacy and Mathematics Accelerator (KaL 

MA) has kick started the distribution of teaching and 

learning aid materials in the state. KaLMA is the UK Foreign, 

Commonwealth and Development Office’s (FCDO’s) funded 

project, being implemented from October 2019 to December 

2021 by the British Council in partnership with Teaching at 

the Right Level (TaRL) Africa. 

Prior to the outbreak of COVID-19, Kano state took measures 

to address the challenge of equipping children with basic 

literacy and numeracy skills. As part of their efforts to 

address this challenge, the Kano State Universal Basic Education 

Board (SUBEB), Kano State Ministry of Education, 

and Sa’adatu Rimi College of Education together with the 

British Council and TaRL Africa launched KaLMA in two local 

government areas of Kano state. 

Charkin academy commended on 

maritime training 

By Egufe Yafugborhi 

MARITIME stakeholders have applauded the Charkin 

Maritime Academy, Port Harcourt, Rivers State, for 

closing the gaps in local training of cadets/seafarers and relieve 

Nigerians the burden of travelling abroad for training 

and certification. 

Capt Tajudeen Alao, President, Nigeria Association of Master 

Mariners, NAMM, hailed the role of the school in advancing 

the nation’s maritime sector. 

Alao stated this when he led other members of the group on 

a visit to the academy in Port Harcourt. 

This commendation by NAMM leadership, came as the 

institute earned its latest accreditation by the National Board 

For Technical Education, NABTEC, ahead of its take off with 

new students by March, 2021. 

The NAMM boss stated: “Charkin as a child of necessity 

came at a time there was strong need for an indigenous maritime 

training centre that can train and accredit Cadet/Seafarers, 

without travelling outside the country.”

PAGE 4— SUNDAY VANGUARD, FEBRUARY 7, 2021 

#ENDSARS: Drama as Lagos judicial panel 

splits over Lekki Tollgate reopening 

By Kennedy Mbele 

There was drama at La 

gos State Judicial 

Panel on Restitution 

for Victims of SARS Related 

Abuses and Other Matters sitting 

yesterday, as panel members 

split in five for and four 

against on the panel order 

directing LCC to take possession 

of the Lekki Tollgate Plaza 

Ẇhile five members of the 

panel sat over the application 

of LCC to repossess the Lekki 

Tollgate Plaza and listened to 

submissions from the LCC, 

Lagos State government and 

EndSARS protesters counsel, 

By Sola Ogundipe, 

Chioma Obinna & 

Joseph Erunke 

HE World Health 

TOrganisation, WHO, 

has confirmed that Nigeria 

will receive 16 million 

doses of the AstraZeneca/ 

Oxford COVID-19 vaccines 

out of the 88 million doses 

allocated to Africa by 

COVAX, even as it 

explained the rationale 

behind the exemption of 

Nigeria from the initial 

COVAX’s Pfizer vaccines 

allocation to African nonself-financing 

countries. 

The World Health 

Agency also dismissed 

media reports that it has 

disqualified Nigeria from 

accessing COVID-19 

vaccines through the 

COVAX facility. 

The WHO Country 

Representative in Nigeria, 

Dr Walter Kazadi 

Mulomboo, who spoke at a 

joint press conference with 

the Executive Director, 

National Primary Health 

Care Development Agency, 

NPHCDA, Dr Faisal 

Shuaib, said WHO was 

supporting all countries to 

access vaccines as quickly 

as possible. 

Reacting to the purported 

disqualification of Nigeria 

from accessing COVID-19 

vaccines through COVAX, 

the WHO Representative 

stated: “WHO has not 

disqualified any country in 

Africa from accessing 

COVID-19 vaccines 

through the COVAX facility, 

but rather is supporting all 

countries to access vaccines 

as quickly as possible. 

“Of the 88 million 

AstraZeneca doses 

allocated to African 

countries for the first phase, 

Nigeria has received by far 

the largest allocation, with 

16 million doses. 

“Currently, all countries 

on the continent are 

expected to start accessing 

the AstraZeneca/Oxford 

vaccines by the end of 

February. The vaccine is 

under review by WHO for 

Emergency Use Listing and 

the outcome is expected 

soon.” 

According to him, the 

AstraZeneca/Oxford 

vaccine is still under review 

for Emergency Use Listing 

and the outcome is expected 

soon probably within a few 

days. 

Throwing light into why 

Nigeria was exempted from 

the Pfizer vaccines through 

COVAX, he said it was 

largely due to supply. 

According to Kazadi 

Mulomboo, there was an 

initial limited volume of 

Pfizer vaccine available 

through COVAX and the 

demand for the initial 

the other four members of 

the panel abstained from sitting, 

only to emerge from the 

inner chamber to read their 

dissenting judgement on the 

matter. 

The four dissenting panel 

members were Ebun Olu- 

Adegboruwa, Olorunrinu 

Oduala, Temitope Majekodunmi 

and Patience Patrick 

Udoh, while those with the 

majority judgement of five 

were led by the panel chairman 

Justice Doris Okuwobi 

(rtd), Taiwo Lakanu DIG 

(rtd.), Lucas Koyejo, Segun 

Awosanya and Mrs. Oluwatoyin 

Odusanya. 

The action of the four dissenting 

panel members were 

From left: Barrister Tunji Olusinde, Director, SIFAX Group; Auwal Suleiman, 

Director, Maritime Services, Federal Ministry of Transportation; Dr. Ajani 

Magdalene Nwanwuche, Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of 

Transportation; John Jenkins, Managing Director, Ports & Cargo Handling 

Services Limited and Bode Ojeniyi, Group Executive Director, SIFAX Group 

during the assessment and compliance tour of Ports & Cargo Handling Services 

Limited, Tin Can Island Port, Lagos by the Federal Government delegation. 

COVID-19: Why Nigeria is not getting Pfizer vaccines — WHO 

•Says latest 16m doses allocation of AstraZeneca type cancels initial promise of 100,000 doses 

allocation of 1.2 million 

Pfizer doses was 

exceptionally high. 

“COVAX received interest 

from 72 countries around 

the world, of which 51 

countries were considered 

by the review committee as 

‘ready’. Nigeria was among 

these countries and 18 

countries in total were finally 

chosen to receive initial Pfizer 

doses. 

“On the Africa continent, as 

of the 18 January deadline, 

COVAX received 13 

submissions and a multiagency 

committee evaluated 

the proposals of which nine 

were recommended as ready 

to deploy the Pfizer vaccine 

including Nigeria. 

“Unfortunately, it was not 

feasible to provide each of 

these 51 countries with Pfizer 

doses, due to a number of 

factors including the limited 

capacity for Pfizer to handle 

many countries at once. 

Therefore, spreading the 

limited doses across all the 

By Adesina Wahab 

ormer President Olu 

Fsegun Obasanjo has 

said developments and 

happenings in the country 

at the moment do not show 

that the people are preparing 

for the Kingdom of 

God. 

Obasanjo also revealed 

how his intervention helped 

to preserve the tomb of 

the Founder of the Eternal 

Sacred Order of the 

Cherubim and Seraphim 

Church, St. Moses Orimolade, 

in Ojokoro area of 

Lagos during the construction 

of Lagos-Abeokuta Expressway. 

Obasanjo, who was the 

Guest of Honour during 

the dedication of the St. 

Moses Orimolade Holy 

Land, the Cenotaph of 

C&S Founder, yesterday, 

noted that most people 

were acting as if everything 

starts and ends on Earth. 

“The situation we have in 

the country today does not 

show we are preparing for 

the Kingdom of God but 

we have to be prepared”, 

he said. 

“There is always a day of 

reckoning. Christianity 

was brought to us and 

many of our people made 

great contributions and 

they are unsung heroes 

now. Missionaries came 

but we have our own missionaries 

and leaders and 

Moses Orimolade was one 

of them. 

“It is because of the 

church that you and I have 

the assurance of salvation. 

disputed by Mr. Rotimi Seriki 

(SAN), counsel for LCC, 

and Mr. Olukayode Enitan 

(SAN), counsel for Lagos 

State Government, who prevented 

Olu-Adegboruwa 

from reading his dissenting 

judgement as they accused 

him of being an interested 

party in the matter, having 

sued Lagos State government 

over the Lekki Tollgate Plaza 

in the past. Their argument 

made Olu-Adegboruwa to 

step down from reading his 

dissenting opinion. 

The action of the dissenting 

panel members made the 

panel to adjourn all other 

cases slated for mention yesterday. 

51 countries deemed ‘ready’ 

could have not achieve the 

intended public health 

benefit. 

“After epidemiological 

data was taken into account, 

the decision was taken to 

proportionally balance the 

number of self financing and 

AMC Participants, as well as 

Participants across all six 

WHO regions. 

“The COVAX vaccines were 

never to cover only one 

country or Nigeria alone. We 

will continue to get evidence 

for more candidate vaccines 

and there will be more 

available for countries to 

access. 

Speaking, the Executive 

Director of National Primary 

Health Care Development 

Agency, Dr Faisal Shuaib 

said: “As clearly stated by the 

WHO Regional Director, 

there are a number of factors 

that were considered in 

allocating the small quantity 

of the 320,000 doses of Pfizer 

vaccine to Covax countries. 

“These include the 

mortality rates from COVID- 

19, the number of new cases, 

the trend in the number of 

cases, the population of 

countries and the availability 

of the appropriate Cold 

Chain equipment. 

“It is clear that countries 

such as South Africa which 

received the Pfizer allocation 

have the new strain of the 

COVID-19 virus, has the 

highest mortality rates and is 

struggling to contain 

transmission. 

“Furthermore, giving 

smaller countries such as 

Cape Verde and Rwanda few 

doses of the Pfizer vaccine 

would have a larger public 

health impact considering 

their population size. 

100,000 doses to Nigeria, we 

have all agreed would have 

been a drop in the ocean. 

“So, it is a welcome 

development that we are 

receiving 16m doses of the 

Astrazeneca vaccine to 

replace the Pfizer vaccine in 

It appears Nigerians are not preparing 

for God’s Kingdom —Obasanjo 

Our own church leaders 

who paid their own prize 

also helped in spreading 

the gospel and we pray 

their efforts are not in 

vain,” 

Commenting on the 

statement by the Master of 

Ceremonies earlier that it 

was his intervention that 

prevented the tomb of Orimolade 

from being removed 

and the church 

there not pulled down as 

military Head of State, 

Obasanjo said there was 

no reason the nation’s heroes 

should not be celebrated 

or acknowledged. 

“When I was told the 

road work would affect the 

tomb of Baba Orimolade 

and even the church set up 

there in his memory, I 

agreed that the road be 

bent to accommodate the 

preservation of the tomb 

and the church”. 

In his sermon, Rev Ademuyiwa 

Ajayi, whose sermon 

was titled, “Come and 

See”, urged Christians to 

use every opportunity to 

evangelise for the Lord. 

The building was donated 

to the church by Rev. 

Mother Esther Ajayi. 

the same month of February. 

The 16m doses will 

invariably help us reach more 

of our population and is suited 

to our existing cold chain 

system.” 

Continuing, he added that 

the country has procured 

Ultra Cold Chain equipment 

that would be able to store 

over 400,000 doses of the 

Pfizer vaccine if they were 

brought to Nigeria. “So we 

are ready for any type of 

vaccine that is allocated to 

us.” 

He assured Nigerians that 

the Federal Government was 

determined and committed to 

acquiring the COVID-19 

vaccines that are safe, 

effective and available for 

deployment. 

“The PTF on COVID-19 

will continue to provide 

credible and up to date 

information on our journey 

towards controlling the 

spread of COVID19 using the 

non-pharmaceutical 

interventions and the vaccines 

when they become 

available.” 

With over 137,000 cases of 

COVID-19, Nigeria has the 

sixth highest cases in African. 

Only South Africa, Morocco, 

Tunisia, Egypt and Ethiopia 

have higher cases than 

Nigeria. 

While South Africa, which 

has the highest rates in the 

continent has already 

received one million doses 

of the Oxford- AstraZeneca 

vaccines, Nigeria is yet to 

receive any of the approved 

vaccines. 

Association of defunct PHCN staff pushes 

for payment of outstanding entitlements 

Oyo gets Centre of Excellence in Energy Innovation 

…to be sited in LAUTECH 

he government of Oyo its location at LAUTECH at 

TState has approved the its meeting on February 2, 

establishment of a Centre of 2021. 

Excellence in Energy Innovation, 

which will be situated in the MOU covers the estab- 

According to the statement, 

the Ladoke Akintola University 

of Technology (LAUT- tute that will develop the calishment 

of a training insti- 

ECH), Ogbomoso. 

pacity of the teeming population 

in Oyo State in the En- 

The Centre, a product of a 

Memorandum of Understanding 

(MOU) between the tor. 

ergy and Solid Minerals sec- 

state government and Soprano 

PLC, a Finnish company, said, will also benefit from 

The Centre, the statement 

will provide training with diploma, 

certificates and vaca- 

Public Sector Investment Fa- 

possible funding from the 

tioning qualifications in the cility (PIF) of the government 

area of energy generation and of Finland as well as other 

capacity building in solid sources of funding. 

minerals development. The statement read: “The 

A statement by the Chief Executive Council of Oyo 

Press Secretary to the governor, 

Mr. Taiwo Adisa, con- 

year 2021 held on February 

State at its 3rd meeting of 

firmed that the State Executive 

Council approved the eslishment 

of a Centre of Ex- 

2, 2021 approved the estabtablishment 

of the Centre and cellence in Energy Innovation, 

following a memo from 

the Ministry of Education, 

Science and Technology. 

“The Centre is to be cited 

By Sam Eyoboka and 

Olayinka Latona 

HE General Overseer of 

Tthe Redeemed Christian 

Church of God, RCCG, Pastor 

Enoch Adejare Adeboye, 

who is celebrating 40 years 

of his leadership òf RCCG, 

yesterday, averred that God 

has the capacity to erase insurgency 

in the country because 

insurgency has a terminal 

period. 

In a virtual message, he told 

worshippers during the February 

Holy Ghost Service that 

anything that has a beginning 

must have an end, adding 

that only God has no ending. 

he Association of Staff 

Tof the defunct Power 

Holding Company of Nigeria 

( PHCN) has asked 

members across the nation 

who are yet to register with 

the body to do so without 

delay. 

The call was made by the 

General Secretary of the 

association, Mr. ‘Yinka 

Adeyemo, on behalf of the 

President Mr Stanley Ilumah, 

during a familiarization 

visit of the leadership 

of the association to the 

states in the South-West. 

The General Secretary, 

who led the delegation, 

stressed the commitment of 

the leadership towards ensuring 

that the aims and 

objectives of the association, 

part of which include good 

representation to the Federal 

Government of Nigeria 

– their former employer – to 

ensure that payment of their 

outstanding entitlements 

among others are realized. 

He emphasized the need for 

members to get registered 

with the Association, saying 

registration is at no cost. 

Adeyemo assured that all 

members will be issued an 

identification card upon confirmation 

that they have satisfied 

all the requirements to 

become bona fide members. 

Members of the entourage 

include Mr Bola Adeyemi, 

member of the BoT of the Association 

and Akeem Ajibade, 

Coordinator of Oyo 

State. Others include: 

Rasaq Sonde, Adeniyi Siyanbola, 

Micheal Borokini, 

M. O Balogun and Mrs Philo 

Banjo. 

inside the Ladoke Akintola 

University of Technology 

(LAUTECH), Ogbomoso. 

Adeboye prays for end to insecurity 

“Any crisis including insurgency 

that has òverwhelmed 

countries of the 

world has a begining and 

must surely come to an end 

and that gives me hope for 

my nation Nigeria because 

terrorisim has a begining and 

if anything has a beginning, 

it must have an ending. For 

example in 1 Samuel 17:1- 

51. The Bible tells us that 

Goliath terrorised the nation 

of Israel for 40 days. But one 

day the terror that started 

with one man ended when the 

man lost his head”. 

With all confidence I can 

say that sooner than later terrorisim 

would be forgoten in 

Nigeria”.


Chairman, APC South- West Zonal Monitoring Team, Membership Revalidation, 

and Registration Exercise, Senator Lawal Shuaibu; APC National Leader, Asiwaju 

Bola Ahmed Tinubu; Governor of Lagos State, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu; and 

Osun State Governor, Alhaji Isiaka Adegboyega Oyetola, when Tinubu 

revalidated his membership in Lagos.yesterday. 

APC determined to be in power for 16 years – Lawan 

*Says party targetting 100 million members 

By Henry Umoru 

RESIDENT of the 

PSenate, Senator Ahmad 

Lawan, said, yesterday, 

that at the end of the ongoing 

registration and revalidation 

exercise of the All 

Progressives Congress 

(APC), the party would have 

N100million members. 

Lawan also said the APC 

was determined to dominate 

Nigeria’s political 

space , even as it is asking 

By Chioma Onuegbu, Uyo 

eneral Ibrahim Ba 

Gbangida, (retd), Governor 

Udom Emmanuel, his 

Bayelsa State counterpart, 

Douye Diri, and the Pan Niger 

Delta Forum, PANDEF, 

yesterday, paid glowing tributes 

to the first indigenous 

military governor of Akwa 

Ibom, the late Air Commodore 

Idongesit Nkanga, 

(retd). 

The body of Nkanga, who 

died on December 24, 2020, 

was interred at his hometown, 

Ikot Nya in Nsit Ibom 

local government after full 

military honours by officers 

and men of the Nigerian Air 

Force (NAF). 

In his condolence message, 

Babangida, who was 

represented by Brigadier- 

General Anthony Etukudoh 

(retd) described Nkanga as 

one of the best military officers 

the country had ever 

produced and who fought 

for the unity of Nigeria. 

Babangida said, ‘’He was 

my former student. One of 

the best military officers 

Nigeria has ever produced. 

Commander Presidential 

Fleet during my 

time, a very good administrator, 

endowed with passion 

for hard work. 

‘’As a military governor of 

Akwa Ibom State, which I 

created in 1987. Late 

Idongesit Nkanga came to 

the world as a uniform soldier, 

fought for the unity of 

Nigeria and its develop- 

From left: Actor, Dele Odule; Chief Executive 

Officer of Total Grace Group, Dr Henry 

Akinduro; actress, Peju Ogunmola and comedian, 

Gbenga Adeyinka, during the company’s raffle draw. 

to control the Presidency for 

16 years. 

Speaking yesterday immediately 

after revalidating 

his membership of the 

party at Katuzu ward in 

Bade local government Area 

of Yobe North, the President 

of the Senate said that the 

exercise was conceived to 

further democratize the 

party ahead of the 2023 

general elections and also 

reposition the APC to dominate 

the country’s political 

space by winning more elective 

seats at the state and 

federal levels of government. 

“When it is time for 

them to decide who should 

run for any political office, 

it should be their decision. 

So, this is further democratizing 

the APC. 

“And, I believe that this 

exercise is one that the APC 

should approach very positively. 

We should not register 

nothing less than a hundred 

million Nigerians. And 

we have every chance and 

every reason to register 

more than one hundred 

The Acting Principal & Chief Executive, Dr. Henry A. Adimula (5th right), Mr. 

OnobrorhieSiakpere, Registrar (4th right); Mr. Richard T. Obashe, Director 

Information Technology (3rd right); Dr. (Mrs.) OririOmorodion, Chief 

Coordinator, Consult Services (6th left); Dr. BamideleOyetunde, Director R&D 

(5th left); Engr. John Evwodere, Head PNGPD (3rd left), flanked by other PTI 

Top Management and Union members during a retreat. 

million Nigerians in this 

exercise”, Lawan said. 

“ The exercise will see the 

party at the National and 

state zonal and local government 

levels moving forward 

to ensure that APC 

continues to dominate the 

political space of Nigeria.” 

Lawan while appealing to 

party faithful across the country 

to shun infighting, called 

on leaders of the party at the 

state level to embrace reconciliation 

and desist from attempts 

to thwart the efforts of 

intending members. 

Babangida, Emmanuel, Diri, PANDEF pay glowing tributes as Nkanga is buried 

ment. He retired from the 

military but still remained 

as a fighting soldier in mufti”. 

In his remarks, Emmanuel 

described Nkanga as a great 

patriot, confidante, friend and 

visionary leader who was not 

only an asset to Akwa Ibom 

By Vincent Ujumadu, 

Awka 

MO State Governor 

IHope Uzodinma at the 

weekend led ministers from 

the South East and the leadership 

of Ohaneze Ndigbo to 

inspect the Onitsha end of the 

2ndNiger Bridge under construction 

as part of moves to 

woo Anambra voters for the 

November 6, 2021 governorship 

election. 

They described the project 

as a promise made and fulfilled 

by President Muhammadu 

Buhari to show his love 

for the people of the South 

East. 

Others who accompanied 

Uzodinma to Onitsha include 

Minister of Science and 

Technology, Dr. Ogbonnaya 

Onu, Minister of State for 

Power and Steel, Mr. Uche 

Ogar, Minister of State for 

Education, Chief Emeka 

Nwajiuba, South East chairman 

of All Progressives Congress 

APC, Chief Emma 

Eneukwu, President-General 

of Ohaneze, Professor 

but to the Niger Delta region 

and Nigeria as a whole. 

Diri, in his condolence message, 

described the late Nkanga 

as one of the fathers of the 

Niger Delta, an activist and 

intelligentsia from the region 

whose strong voice would be 

missed forever. 

On his part, Senator Bassey 

Ewa-Henshaw, who 

spoke for PANDEF, expressed 

grief over the death of its 

chairman, saying Nkanga 

was a trustworthy leader, 

compatriot and statesman. 

ANAMBRA POLL: Uzodinma, S/East ministers woo 

voters with 2nd Niger Bridge 

George Obiozor, former governor 

of Imo State, Chief Ikedi 

Ohakim, lawmakers from 

Imo State, as well as some 

governorship aspirants for 

the November 6 Anambra 

State governorship election. 

The Federal Controller of 

Works in Anambra State, Mr. 

Adeyemo Ajani, who conducted 

the visitors round the 

project, informed them that 

contract for the bridge was 

awarded in July, 2018 and 

would be completed in February, 

2022. 

According to Ajani, the 

N206.15 billion project being 

executed by Julius Berger, is 

already 53.82 per cent completed, 

with more that 20000 

workers working at various 

levels. 

Uzodinma, who was excited 

at the gigantic nature of 

the project, said it was a special 

day to him in the sense 

that the visit afforded him the 

opportunity to inspect and by 

extension, take ownership of 

the project. 

Man excretes 86 wraps of 

cocaine at Abuja airport 

By Kingsley Omonobi - 

Abuja 

suspected drug traffick 

A er intercepted by the 

National Drug Law Enforcement 

Agency, NDLEA, Nnamdi 

Azikiwe International Airport, 

Abuja has excreted 86 

wraps of cocaine. 

The suspect, Oluchukwu 

Onu Friday, 39, was arrested 

during the outward clearance 

of India bound Ethiopian 

Airline ET910 en route 

Abuja-Addis Ababa-New 

Delhi. 

A native of Umuaku-Isiochi 

village in Abia State, Onu 

was intercepted at the boarding 

gate screening and referred 

for scanning where he 

proved positive for ingestion. 

He excreted 86 wraps 

of substances which proved 

positive for cocaine after the 

drug test and weighed 1.527 

kilograms. 

A statement by Jonah Achema, 

Deputy Commander of 

Narcotics, said, “Onu, a Lagos 

based dealer in building 

materials, was allegedly 

promised N1.5m upon successful 

delivery to a recipient 

in New Delhi, India”.. 

Onu, a primary school leaver, 

got married last year and 

the wife is expectant. 

Father leads son, 

thugs to beat 

school Principal 

to stupor in Osun 

By Shina Abubakar, 

Osogbo 

student of Oduduwa 

A Secondary School, 

Ile-Ife, Osun State joined 

thugs to beat his Principal, 

Sanusi Ademola, in the 

school premises to stupor. 

It was gathered that the 

student, simply identified as 

Adeyeni, 19, was scolded for 

not dressing properly in the 

morning only to return to 

the school with his father 

and thugs and unleash attack 

on the Principal. 

Osun State Police Command 

spokesperson, Yemisi 

Opalola, while confirming 

the incident, yesterday, 

said the student stormed the 

school with his father and a 

gang of thugs to beat the 

teacher for scolding him. 

Ugwuanyi, deputy, Speaker, 

lawmakers pay condolence 

visit to Ekweremadu’s family 

G 

overnor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi of Enugu State, on Friday, led 

a state government delegation to the family of the late 

Commissioner for Transport, Rt. Hon. Mathias Ekweremadu 

Jnr, on a condolence visit, at his Enugu residence. 

Ugwuanyi, who was accompanied by his Deputy, Hon. Mrs. 

Cecilia Ezeilo, the Speaker of the State House of Assembly, Rt. 

Hon. Edward Ubosi, other members of the House and State 

Executive Council (EXCO), condoled with the wife of the late 

Commissioner, Mrs. Stella Ekweremadu, his children and other 

family members. 

The governor and his entourage were also received by the 

Archbishop of Enugu Ecclesiastical Province (Anglican Communion), 

Most Rev. Dr. Emmanuel Chukwuma, who offered 

prayers for the repose of the soul of the late Ekweremadu, and 

for God to grant his family and the state government the fortitude 

to bear the loss. The late Ekweremadu was ex-Chairman 

of Aninri Local Government Area and former Chief Whip of 

the State House of Assembly who represented Aninri Constituency, 

between 2013 and 2019. 

Gov. Abiodun orders investigation into 

farmers/herdsmen clash in Ogun 

... sets up Special Security Task Force 

overnor Dapo Abiodun has ordered security agen 

Gcies in Ogun State to investigate the recent clash between 

herdsmen and farmers in Yewa area of the state that 

led to the loss of a life and destruction of properties. 

According to his Chief Press Secretary, Kunle Somorin, 

Abiodun also set up a Special Task Force that will maintain 

presence in all areas of the state prone to herders/ 

farmers conflict to maintain peace and quickly respond to 

any form of violence or crimes. 

“The government is immediately setting up a joint security 

patrol team / task force involving all security agencies 

in the state to not only deal with the situation, but to also 

nip in the bud any threat to violence or criminality”, the 

governor was quoted as saying, adding that “our first priority 

in Ogun State is the safety of lives and properties of 

everyone, and we will not compromise on that” 

Abiodun, who gave the order in Abeokuta at the end of 

the state Security Council meeting, also directed that those 

behind the recent violence in Eggua in Yewa North area 

local government area of the State should be brought to 

justice. 

Marafa moves to end Zamfara APC crisis 

*Meets with critical stakeholders in Kaduna 

By Ibrahim Hassan Wuyo 

he end may be in sight for the crisis in Zamfara State 

Tchapter of All Progressives Congress (APC) as the Senator 

Kabiru Marafa faction would meet in Kaduna to finalize 

moves of reconciling with the Abdulaziz Yari faction. 

This development followed the meeting convened by the 

Caretaker/Extraordinary Convention Planning Committee of 

the APC in Abuja, which virtually all the APC stakeholders in 

Zamfara attended. 

Marafa,who addressed hundreds of his supporters, yesterday 

on Saturday in Kaduna, said their resolve to reconcile was 

in the general interest of Zamfara. 

He said: “We are meeting with critical stakeholders of our 

faction (APC Mai Jama’a, which literally means APC of the 

grassroots) today in Kaduna.” 

“You will recall that the Chairman of the caretaker committee 

of our party, His Excellency, Governor Mai Mala Buni of 

Yobe State, had on Monday in Abuja, met with me and other 

stakeholders of our party from Zamfara State to address the 

lingering crisis in our state chapter. 

“At the meeting, we all agreed and reasoned to come together 

and work for the benefit of our people. The party is ours and 

we have worked and laboured for its growth. “ 

“In fulfillment of that pledge, we have convened this meeting 

with all the critical stakeholders of our faction, from all the 

14 local government areas of Zamfara State to actualise the 

reconciliation move initiated by the party in Abuja.”

PAGE 6—SUNDAY VANGUARD, FEBRUARY 7, 2021 

‘NDDC gulped $47bn 

in 15 years…with 

nothing to show’ 

By Chancel Sunday 

M 

r. Kemeabogha Efegi is the President of Rural Peoples 

Assembly, RPA, a Non-Governmental Organization (NGO) 

with the mandate of ensuring good governance, project monitoring 

and evaluation in Nigeria, especially in the South-South. In this interview, 

Efegi speaks on his group’s findings on the Niger Delta Development 

Commission, NDDC, among other issues. Excerpts: 

What is the RPA mandate all about? 

As an NGO, RPA has the mandate of ensuring 

good governance, project monitoring and 

evaluation in Nigeria, especially in the South- 

South geopolitical zone where shabby 

projects are executed with impunity by the 

Federal Government and its agencies, state 

and local governments as well as 

multinational oil companies. For the fact that 

oil producing communities are still 

underdeveloped, the people living in slums in 

acrobatic structures despite the huge funds 

allocated to the Niger Delta within the last 

two decades, it is clearly an evidence of the 

cruelty of leadership, a determination to 

impoverish and enslave the people in order to 

promote their egocentric preferences. The 

people of oil producing communities can no 

longer hold anyone accountable for our 

misfortune, but our own brothers, the trustees 

of our commonwealth. 

Controversy is rocking the NDDC 

over the appointment of Mr. Effiong 

Okon Akwa as Sole Administrator 

with stakeholders issuing different 

statements. What is the position of your 

group? 

The controversy rocking the polity over Mr. 

Akwa’s appointment as Sole Administrator 

of the Niger Delta Development Commission 

(NDDC) following the sack of the Interim 

Management Committee (IMC) is expected, 

because the agency has become a conduit pipe 

By Tony Nwankwo 

Comrade Joseph Evah, Coordinator of 

Ijaw Monitoring Group (IMG), is a 

former National Publicity Secretary, 

Ijaw National Congress (INC). In this 

interview, Evah says the Niger Delta 

Development Commission (NDDC) has 

become a gambling project. 

As one of the leaders of the Niger 

Delta, can you let us into the position 

of the area on restructuring? 

Our position through PANDEF is very clear. 

We speak with one voice. 

Unfortunately, we lost our 

National President, Air 

Commodore Idongesit 

Nkanga (retd). We are in 

serious pain over the death of 

this great son of our region 

but the struggle is on Chief 

E.K. Clark, Chairman of the 

Board of PANDEF. 

Recently, you said 

South-South governors 

are cowards. Have you 

now changed your mind? 

In fact, I am looking for 

worse words to describe these 

governors. They are the ones 

that put us in this mess in the 

country. Our governors are 

the problem of the region. 

Can you imagine the Vice- 

President when he was Acting 

President directed that all oil 

companies move their operational 

headquarters from Lagos to the Niger Delta? 

Unfortunately, no oil company obeyed and 

our governors refused to challenge these 

arrogant oil companies. So, how do you want 

me to describe them? See how easy it was for 

South-West governors to institutionalize 

Amotekun to protect their region from 

for the elite in the region and Nigeria at large 

to amass wealth. It’s an interventionist body 

created to address underdevelopment in the 

oil-rich region since year 2000. NDDC 

received and spent over USD47 billion 

between 2005 and 2020 without tangible 

developmental projects in the oil and gas 

producing communities. Oil producing 

communities still lack basic social amenities 

such as electric power, health facilities, roads, 

potable water; in fact virtually all basic 

necessities of human existence. In spite of this 

continuous criminal neglect by the managers 

of NDDC, the vocal interest groups in the oil 

producing states never thought of protesting 

even when the indigenes are crying of neglect. 

Mr. Akwa as Sole Administrator is a product 

of a competent court of law and is saddled 

and entrusted with the powers and 

responsibilities of the entire NDDC Board, 

though the appointment of a Sole 

Administrator is not a provision of the NDDC 

Act. Consequently, RPA cannot challenge the 

legality or illegality of his appointment. The 

only good thing about Akwa’s appointment is 

that he hails from riverine oil producing 

Okobo local government area of Akwa Ibom 

State which contributes about 75% of Akwa 

Ibom’s oil production. However, by this 

appointment, he oversees the activities of the 

commission including the forensic audit 

exercise. Interestingly, he was recruited by the 

political class whose activities are under 

probe and he also worked within the system 

•Efegi 

and grew to becoming the most senior public 

servant to secure this appointment. 

How do you mean by Akwa working 

within the system and growing up to 

becoming most senior public servant? 

Mr Akwa as a beneficiary and technocrat of 

the system is emphatically stated by RPA in 

her last publication in the Niger Delta Voice 

(NDV) of August 9, 2020 where we said that 

NDDC employment, empowerment and 

programmes are the exclusive prerogative of 

the few managers, Board members, National 

Assembly Committee members on the NDDC, 

ministers, governors and the Presidency. 

What is your organization’s position 

on the ongoing forensic audit of the 

NDDC? 

Naturally, dogs don’t eat dogs but it’s RPA’s 

opinion that the outcome of the forensic audit 

is open to external manipulations. The rot in 

NDDC is endemic and RPA, being aware of 

the situation through its findings, challenged 

the operations of the commission in court since 

2018, but due to the Nigerian factor, the case 

has been delayed. Our position is that the 

outcome of the case could have addressed most 

of the problems afflicting the NDDC. When 

Senator Godswill Akpabio became the 

Minister of Niger Delta Affairs (MNDA), he 

convinced Mr. President to start the forensic 

audit and we commended this effort to sanitize 

and remodel such an extensively abused 

agency as the NDDC. However, with the 

discourse on the commission, we wonder if 

Akpabio and many other stakeholders 

understand the endemic sufferings and the 

deplorable conditions of the oil and gas 

producing communities. This is more so as 

no leader, including Sen. Akpabio, has ever 

talked about the most important policy that 

guides the allocation of resources, projects and 

programmes by the NDDC to any community 

in the oil and gas producing states known as 

the Sharing Formula. This formula derived 

its power from the NDDC Act and clearly 

states how each community in the oil and gas 

producing states ought to benefit from the 

distribution of the resources. If the resources 

were proportionally allocated, the cry of 

neglect and underdevelopment by the oil and 

gas producing communities would have 

abated as the NDDC managers continue to 

negate provisions of extant laws. This paradox 

can only be driven by the following facts: (1) 

inadequate information by policymakers 

about the differences between oil producing 

communities, oil bearing communities, 

wellhead/pipeline communities and 

exploration zone communities in the oil 

producing states, 2) unwillingness of the 

management of NDDC, the National 

Assembly Committees on NDDC and the 

coordinating minister of the agency to do 

the right thing, 3) the appointment of the 

NDDC Board members mainly from 

pipeline and wellhead communities and not 

from actual oil producing communities within 

the nine states and, 4) the ignorance of 

indigenes of oil and gas producing 

communities who ought to demand for their 

legitimate entitlements. Consequently, while 

the resources of NDDC are being 

misappropriated, projects and programmes 

are being diverted to places of their choice to 

the detriment of oil producing communities. 

Experts’ opinion states that 3.2 percent of 

producing oil field and 1.7 percent of 

producing gas fields deplete annually, yet the 

managers of NDDC, the minister of the MNDA 

and indigenes of oil producing communities 

seem not to understand the consequences 

ahead. It is unfortunate that indigenes of oil 

and gas producing communities are not 

aware of the huge amounts of money provided 

annually for environmental and ecological 

challenges in their areas by the NDDC. 

What is the next step of your 

organization in your pursuit for a 

better Niger Delta? 

RPA has decided to take sensitization tour 

to core oil producing rural communities 

aimed at educating the peple on their oil and 

gas production capacities, including onshore/ 

offshore fields, level of depletion of oil fields/ 

wells, current trend of oil companies shifting 

their operations to the deep offshore, status of 

licences and leases to oil fields, NDDC’s 

Sharing Formula and amount of money spent 

in the name of oil producing communities 

since 2001 among other issues. 

NDDC won’t be in a mess if it was an agency for S/West – Evah 

If NDDC was for 

the South-West, 

the governors of 

that region would 

never allow the 

Federal 

Government to be 

rubbishing it 

invading herdsmen and provide internal 

security in their region. Meanwhile, our 

governors are afraid to make any moves. What 

are they afraid of, when South-East has 

displayed their own master plan for internal 

security outfit like Amotekun. Are we going to 

flog them like dead horses to wake up from 

their slumber? Unfortunately, it is not just the 

current governors that have been the problem. 

Right from the inception of this democracy, 

the governors of the South-South have refused 

to speak with one voice and take effective 

collective action. 

The Niger Delta 

D e v e l o p m e n t 

Commission (NNDC) is 

in the news every day. 

What can you say about 

the Commission? 

Those of us who are 

masterminds of this 

Commission weep for 

NDDC because our 

governors are not like 

South-West governors. If 

NDDC was for the South- 

West, the governors of that 

region would never allow 

the Federal Government to 

be rubbishing it. The 

situation is worse currently 

because Buhari feels if the 

governors of the region are 

not interested in the welfare 

of NDDC, why should he cry 

more than the 

bereaved? So, 

NDDC is slowly dying under 

Buhari’s watch. 

Are you losing faith in the 

Commission? 

The governors are afraid to mobilise 

themselves to the Presidency to insist that the 

madness in NDDC must stop. As we speak, 

there is a strange name given to the head of 

the Commission, he is called the Sole 

Administrator. At a stage, the leadership was 

called Interim Management Committee 

(IMC). It will not surprise me if tomorrow the 

Head of the Commission is referred to as 

General Officer Commanding (GOC) or 

General Overseer (GO). I will suggest that Mr. 

President crowns the madness in NDDC by 

changing the name from NDDC to NDGC 

(Niger Delta Gambling Centre) to reflect the 

true position of things there. If our governors 

are not weak, no President can mutilate NDDC 

Act, an agency that was established by law 

must not be bastardized every day. NDDC 

situation gets worse every day. 

But Minister Godswill Akpabio says 

it was through his efforts on Forensic 

Audit that contractors are moving back 

to site? 

That seems to be Akpabio’s swan song. The 

contractors who returned to site like NNPC, 

NPA, NIMASA, FAAN, Federal 

Capital Development 

Authority, among 

other 

agencies, when 

they 

were summoned by 

EFCC and ICPC, 

w a s 

it Akpabio’s 

Forensic Audit that 

forced 

them to return to site? 

T h e 

man has abandoned 

the Ministry of Niger- 

Delta and forced 

himself o n 

•Evah 

NDDC. It is, however, not only Akpabio that 

sees NDDC as a cash cow, many politicians of 

the South-South see the Commission as a 

project to further their political future. And 

they have continually destroyed the NDDC 

Act that a legally constituted Board passed by 

law through the National Assembly was 

ignored, using Forensic Audit blackmail. The 

truth is that every Niger Deltan supports 

Forensic Audit but it must be managed by 

EFCC or ICPC, not by a politician like Akpabio 

who was part of NDDC problem as a governor 

and as a senator. So, the Forensic Audit is fake 

and dead on arrival because of vested interest. 

What do you suggest should be done 

about NDDC? 

The Board of the NDDC that has been 

approved by the National Assembly should 

be approved to return sanity to the 

Commission while the Forensic Audit 

continues. I was the spokesman for the Ijaw 

National Congress, an Ijaw nation apex body, 

when NDDC was established and I know the 

efforts we made to bring the body to life. I also 

know the effort we made to transform 

OMPADEC to NDDC and those who don’t 

know the genesis are turning the place into a 

jungle. It is painful. 

The Presidency says the new team 

under the Sole Administrator came 

from court ruling? 

There have been more than ten court 

rulings on NDDC since Buhari came to 

power. So, why did they decide to obey this 

one single ruling? It is part of Akpabio 

agenda on NDDC. His testimony on 

television during his NDDC crisis with 

Mrs. Joy Nunieh, that the lady failed to 

produce some of her so-called paper 

qualifications and while the President was 

not aware, he (Akpabio) said he 

overlooked such vital reference. 

Read more on 

www.vanguardngr.com


AMID BACKLASH AGAINST HERDSMEN: 

Horrors of kidnapping, 

tough ransom negotiation, 

by survivors 

• Herders kidnapped me, butchered my guard, destroyed my farm – Falae 

• Abductors nearly raped my wife with her three months pregnancy – Ex-captive 

• All my business money gone into ransom payment, market women leader laments 

• Kidnapped student: How I escaped from human parts dealers 

•We were told never to return to our farms — -Delta women 

By Dayo Johnson, Akure, James 

Ogunnaike, Abeokuta, Rotimi 

Ojomoyela, Ado-Ekiti, Shina 

Abubakar, Osogbo, Ozioruva Aliu, 

Benin-City & Nnamdi Ojiego 

STATES, especially those in the 

southern part of the country, have 

been under siege by bandits, 

herdsmen, kidnappers, rustlers, all manners 

of criminal elements. 

Residents raised concerns over the 

murderous activities of kidnappers who not 

only destroy farmlands but also maim, rape 

female daughters and wives of farmers. 

In Ondo State for instance, a regent was 

abducted, a first class traditional ruler 

killed and wives of monarchs kidnapped in 

different attacks. 

The activities of herdsmen suspected of 

involvement in killings in Oyo State came 

to a head after activist Sunday Adeyemo 

(also known as Sunday Igboho) led a group 

to give Fulani resident in Ibarapa area of 

the state a seven-day ultimatum to quit the 

area. 

The ultimatum is still generating ripples 

across the country. 

Reports from Ogun State said residents 

of many communities are on edge over 

killer herdsmen. 

Women in Edo and Delta states trooped 

to the streets last week in protest against 

kidnapping in the two states. 

Herdsmen, according to Ondo State 

government, have turned forest reserves to 

hideouts from where they kidnap and 

negotiate ransom with families of captives. 

Most attacks take place on highways but 

the assailants also lay siege to towns and 

farms indicating that nowhere is safe. 

Governor Rotimi Akeredolu was accused 

of treating the rampaging herdsmen with 

kid gloves. 

But all that changed when he issued a 

seven-day quit notice to herdsmen forest 

reserves. 

This led to a meeting brokered by the 

Nigeria Governors Forum (NGF) between 

Akeredolu and Miyetti Allah Cattle 

Breeders Association of 

Nigeria (MACBAN). 

Six governors, four from 

the South-West and two from 

the North, attended the 

parley. 

They are Seyi Makinde 

(Oyo), Gboyega Oyetola 

(Osun) Kayode Fayemi (Ekiti 

and NGF Chairman), Alhaji 

Badru Abubakar (Jigawa) 

and Alhaji Abubakar Bagudu 

(Kebbi). 

Lagos and Ogun governors 

were not present at the 

meeting. 

The meeting banned night 

grazing and underage 

herders in the South-West 

while the NGF supported Akeredolu order 

that herders operating in forest reserves 

should register. 

Meanwhile, whereas several states, 

They treat 

my farm as if 

it is their 

colony. 

They do this 

every year 

especially those in South-West, are on red 

alert over violent crimes, some of the 

survivors of kidnapping say they are still 

shaken by their experiences. 

One of them, a former Secretary to the 

Government of the Federation SGF, Chief 

Olu Falae, who was abducted in his farm 

on his birthday, spent four days in 

kidnappers’ den. 

Herdsmen butchered my 

guard —Falae 

“The herdsmen butchered my 

farm guard and took away his 

heart and rifle”, Falae started 

as he recounted his story to 

Sunday Vanguard. 

“It is over 35 years since I 

started operating my farm here 

in Akure (Ondo State capital). 

And the cattle and their owners 

have become a threat or tool 

for harassment for many years. 

“At first, they would come in 

the night to drink water. We 

were tolerant and they did not 

stay here. 

“We told them, ‘just drink 

water and go’. Later, they would 

come in the night, eat our maize 

and go. I complained to their 

people more than 10 times. Later, the same 

people kidnapped me. 

“When people say they were Fulani 

kidnappers, they ask you, ‘how do you know 

they are (Fulani)?’ “Everybody knows a 

Fulani man. Fulani himself knows himself. 

They are not children. When they were 

brought to court, they said they were Fulani 

themselves and most of them were jailed by 

court. 

“I have been at the receiving end a lot of 

times. After I was kidnapped, they went and 

killed one of my guards – Ayo. They killed 

him, opened his chest and took away his 

heart. 

“His gun, they took it from him and killed 

him. It is still an unresolved murder case 

with the police. 

“Is it (reason for kidnapping) economic? 

I am an economist myself. “They burnt the 

non-crop area because the grass was 

already dry. Cows don’t eat dry grass. They 

burnt it so that fresh grass will grow. They 

were already growing grass on my farm as 

if it was their land. 

“They burnt my oil palm farm. I did a 

video of it for the Commissioner of Police 

to watch. I played it also at the Afenifere 

meeting.”. 

Falae, speaking on another attack on his 

farm late last year, narrated, “They attacked 

my citrus farm and stole harvested oranges 

and destroyed what they could not carry 

away. 

“The police on duty on the farm were sent 

to drive them away. 

“But they have been coming back to 

attack my workers in our camp, breaking 

their doors and carting away their 

belongings! 

“Let Amotekun save us and our livelihood. 

They first kidnapped me on the 21st of 

September 2015. 

“My farm has been attacked five times 

and it is a deliberate act to probably kill 

me, run me out of business or make me run 

away from the farmland which is not 

possible.” 

Rape 

A couple, Mr. and Mrs. Gbenga lbikunle, 

who were kidnapped by gunmen along 

Owo/Akure road around Uso community 

in Owo council area of Ondo State, also 

related their horrors to Sunday Vanguard. 

Gbenga lbikunle said they were released 

Continues on page 8


Continued from page 7 

after spending three days in captivity and 

paying N2m ransom. 

“It was around 5pm on the fateful day and 

we are approaching Ogbese town when a 

motorcyclist riding in front of me swerved 

to my side and I hit him”, he recalled. 

“I stopped the vehicle to sympathise with 

him and check the condition of my car when 

about six gunmen emerged from the bush, 

shooting sporadically and we had to lie 

down. 

“I had never been so beaten the way they 

did to me all my life. 

“They beat me and my wife, dragged us 

on the floor and ransacked our car before 

dragging us into the forest, leaving our three 

children in the car after collecting their 

phones. 

“The children cried but they took us away. 

“They ransacked my car and made away 

with N700, 000. They tied my wife and I 

together and we walked for hours into the 

bush. 

“In the course of walking, we crossed a 

river. The water was so deep it reached my 

chest. 

“Before we got to the place where they keep 

their victims, it was around 10 pm. 

“They were Fulani and they knew the 

terrain very well. The way they operated 

inside the bush, it was as if they were brought 

up in that domain. “Even the guns they 

carried were intimidating. 

Camp 

“Where we were kept was not a camp. It 

was just under a big tree and we could hear 

farmers working on farms nearby. We could 

hear them clearly. 

“When we got to their hideout, they 

removed our wristwatches as well as 

jewelries we had on us. They tied our legs 

and hands. 

“They also covered our mouth with clothes 

and blindfolded us. After doing that, they 

began to beat us heavily. They really 

descended on us with heavy beating. 

“Later in the night, our phones began to 

ring because our relations expected that we 

should have arrived Akure. But they were 

just beating us. 

“It was the following day that they asked 

us to look N20 million before we could be 

released. 

“We met a young man also taken captive 

at the hideout, they tied him and blindfolded 

him and they beat us together before they 

opened negotiation with my people. 

“They even wanted to rape my wife but 

she told them she was three months 

pregnant. 

“They told my people to bring N20m to 

secure our freedom but, at the end of the 

day, they agreed to take N2million. They 

collected N10million ransom from the 

family of the other captive. 

“They collected the N2m ransom from my 

brother on the road very close to Ogbese. 

The money was not dropped in the bush; 

they physically went to collect the cash on 

the road between Uso and Ogbese town. 

“I understand the police claimed to have 

rescued us. You can ask the other guy, we left 

the forest together; there was no police or 

Amotekun anywhere. 

“I can confirm to you that some people 

within these communities who speak Yoruba 

are working with these kidnappers. 

“I want to advise that those who love their 

lives should stay away from that axis for 

now. 

Kidnappers 

Gbenga Ibikunle’s younger brother Lanre, 

confirmed to Sunday Vanguard that he 

personally handed over the N2million 

ransom to the kidnappers on the highway 

and the couple were handed over to him. 

According to him, the family agreed to 

pay the ransom when it was clear that 

security operatives could not do anything to 

rescue the couple. 

“The kidnappers warned me against 

informing police, and threatened to kill the 

couple if I tried to involve security agents”, 

he said. 

“The ransom was contributed by family 

and church members. 

“The kidnappers initially demanded N20 

million. Then they brought it down to N15 

million, then N10 million, and then N7 

million and eventually N2 million and it 

was paid in cash. 

“They released my brother and wife to me 

after they got the ransom, escorted us to 

safety, waved us goodbye and told us to take 

the woman to hospital because of the 

trauma she passed through and her 

pregnancy”. 

Sand quarry 

Another victim kidnapped same day the 

couple were abducted, Olatunbosun 

They tortured us as if we were 

animals --- Ondo market women leader 

•Falae 

Johnson, 35, narrated his sad story: “I went 

to a sand quarry with my brother who is a 

medical doctor and three others. 

“We spent about 45 minutes inside the 

place and, when we were leaving, I noticed 

these men with guns, they were about five 

and, because I was the one driving, I tried to 

reverse the car to avoid them but another 

group of armed men were shooting from 

the back. 

“They took me and one of the workers with 

us who was Hausa but who they released 

about an hour later. We kept trekking for 

over six hours in the bush. 

“I was seriously beaten, they tied and 

blindfolded me and I was with them for four 

days. 

“There was no food or water for the first 

three days but when they went to town, they 

brought food for me on the fourth day and it 

was garri (cassava) and water. 

“The third day when one of them went to 

town to buy food, he came back to tell them 

about certain information about my family. 

“I want to believe that there was someone 

very close to my family who was feeding 

them with information. 

“The abductors had information about 

what was happening in my family because 

they kept asking me why some people were 

with my father at a 

particular period. 

“When they opened 

negotiation with my 

father, he told them to 

speak Yoruba 

language but they 

never spoke Yoruba 

whenever they were 

with me. 

Delayed 

“My freedom was 

delayed because the 

kidnappers made a u- 

turn after my family 

paid the initial 

N5million they 

demanded asking for 

extra N5million. 

“We paid N10m. 

Initially they 

They even 

wanted to rape 

my wife but she 

told them she 

was three 

months 

pregnant 

demanded for 

N5million but when my family brought 

N5million, they increased the ransom to 

N10m. They threatened to kill me if my 

failed to bring the money. 

“When they brought the N5million around 

11pm that Wednesday, they asked me to 

count the money and I counted the 

N5million but they gave the phone to me to 

talk with my father that they won’t accept 

the N5million. 

“They threatened to kill me if my family 

failed to add N5million, they threatened to 

shoot me and my father was forced to look 

for the extra N5million which was paid on 

Thursday around 10:30pm and I was 

released. 

“I was surprised to learn that the police 

claimed I was rescued by them and two 

people were arrested. .” 

They tortured us as if we 

were animals 

—Market women leader 

Mrs. Helen Edward, the Iyaloja (market 

women leader) of Isua in Akoko South-East 

Local Government Area of Ondo State, 

whose kidnapping occurred along Akure- 

Owo Road, also shared her experience. 

She was released after five days 

in kidnappers’ den. 

“I was coming from Akure where 

we attended a meeting. I and some 

other people had represented our 

local government at the meeting”, 

she said. 

“Those in the team were local 

government staff members including HOD 

Community Development, Alhaji Mumuni. 

“When the bus that conveyed us got to 

Ogbese town, some of us bought snacks and, 

after leaving Ogbese, it was not up to five 

minutes between Ogbese and Uso when 

some men carrying guns stopped us. 

“There were about 10 of them, five in the 

front and five at our back. They stopped three 

other vehicles. They robbed the occupants 

of those vehicles. 

“They asked us to get down from the bus 

and they took us into the bush. The 

occupants of the other buses were also 

abducted. 

“The abductors carried rifles and began 

to shoot sporadically into the air. Our phones 

and money were taken from us by our 

captors. 

“We met a man and his child in the forest 

who they asked to show them the road after 

which they also kidnapped him. "' 

Informants 

“Our maltreatment increased when we got 

to their hideout and one of us escaped in the 

night. 

“l discovered that the kidnappers had 

informants around the towns where we were 

kidnapped because they usually had 

telephone conversation with the informants 

who supplied them information about what 

was going on in the area“, she added. 

Abductors made me trek for 

15 hours in the forest 

—Edo North man who paid over 

N4m ransom 

In the case of Dr. Howiks Iraoya of the 

Primary Health Care Department in one of 

the local government areas in Edo North, 

almost seven months after he spent five days 

with kidnappers before being 

released, he is still being haunted 

by the horrible experience he had 

with his abductors. 

Iraoya was kidnapped on his 

way to Benin-City to collect 

Covid-19 training materials for 

his staff. 

He told Sunday Vanguard he 

was still suffering from Post 

Traumatic Stress Disorder 

(PTSD). 

“For instance, I have not come 

to Benin since then because of that 

experience”, the victim said. 

“There was a seminar I was 

supposed to attend in Benin 

organised by the state 

government. 

“I had to prepare the slid e and 

send it to a colleague. It was the 

colleague who went to help me 

deliver the lecture. 

“Even going to work now is by 

the grace of God. If I see 

somebody, maybe a farmer just 

emerging from the bush as I am 

driving, I get scared and begin to feel he 

might be a kidnapper. 

“I feel a sense of insecurity everywhere I 

go and these people are still doing the same 

thing to people every day. 

“Even after my experience and I was 

advised to incident the case at the SCID 

which I did, nothing has come out of it. 

“These people use phones and it is still 

difficult to track them?” 

Iraoya said his kidnappers told him that 

they hired the guns they were using from 

security officers and, if their victim’s family 

was unable to pay ransom, they will take 

the victim to the owners of the gun and shoot 

him to death in their presence to convince 

them that they did not collect ransom. 

His words: “That torture was always there 

and, in the night, they will torture me and 

threaten that I won’t wake up the next day. 

“They will blindfold me, tell me to face the 

bush and cock their guns. I was always 

waiting to be shot because there was no hope 

that anybody was going to rescue me. 

“By the third day, they said their time had 

expired as their rifles were rented and that it 

was time to return the rifles by killing me so 

that the owners of the rifles will know that 

there was no ransom collected and 

negotiate a new contract. 

“By the time my people raised N3million, 

they said the amount was just for rifles and 

Mrs Helen Edward on her sick bed 

•Anthony Adebiyi 

•Gbenga Ibikunle 

that my family had to get their own money. 

“So they moved me from that location into 

the forest. We started trekking from 6 pm on 

Monday till 9 the next morning (15 hours) 

in the rain until we got to one thick forest 

which I later found out to be Sobe, a border 

town between Edo and Ondo states. 

“There they called somebody to give them 

food. I didn’t see the person because I was 

blindfolded but I later saw them eating rice 

packaged in nylon. 

“They had stopped giving me food because 

my people were not coming with the money 

they were expecting. 

“Before we got to Sobe, I told them my 

blood sugar was low and that I couldn’t trek 

anymore, for saying that they beat me 

mercilessly. In fact, I regretted asking them 

to allow me to rest. 

Negotiating 

“At Sobe, they tied me again and started 

negotiating with my family members. I had 

to make friends with one of the kidnappers, 

the youngest of them who should be around 

19 years. 

“He said he would help talk to other 

members of the gang to forfeit their own 

share if my people could raise N4 million 

out of which he said N3million will be for 

the rent on rifles, the head of the team will 

take one million and they will forfeit their 

own share so that I could go home. 

“He went to meet the gang leader but the 

gang leader became aggressive. After a 

while, the gang leader now called my 

younger brother to ask how much he had 

and my brother said he had been able to 

raise N4, 256, 000. 

“He asked my brother to package the 

money according to denomination and 

come to Sobe at 3 o clock that evening to 

drop it. 

“Around 3pm, they told me to get up, 

loosened me and we waded through four 

rivers that were so deep they reached my 

neck and, in about one hour and thirty 

minutes, we were at Sobe bridge because I 

could hear the sound of vehicles and bikes. 

” 

I was hypnotized by 

human parts’ dealers 

— Student 

After her escape from kidnappers’ den, 

a student of the Adeyemi College of 

Continues on page 9


By Femi Bolaji, Jalingo 

Governor Darius Dickson Ishaku of 

Taraba State has been a proponent 

of ranching as a means to stop 

killings arising from the lingering conflict 

between farmers and herders across the 

country. In this interview, Ishaku 

speaks on how Nigeria can 

permanently stop herders’ 

crisis among other issues 

bordering on security and 

politics. 

Modern ranching is 

what you have always 

advocated for. What is 

your administration 

doing to ensure that 

this is realized in 

Taraba? 

Between 2016 and 

2017, we had 

problems between 

farmers and herders. 

We passed the antiopen 

grazing law in 

2017 but before we 

passed this law, I flew 

all the state 

lawmakers to 

Nairobi, Kenya to see what the Maasai tribe 

is doing with their cattle. They are ranching 

their cattle and not moving about with 

them. Several of the lawmakers, having 

seen what obtains over there, came back 

baptized with ranching. When I knew they 

were all saturated with that feeling of 

ranching, I took the law to them. The next 

step was how to educate the illiterates that 

are here. It is only an illiterate that doesn’t 

know what to do, that would start going 

about with cattle. By the time you move 

cattle from Mambilla to Lagos by foot 

covering so many kilometers, the beef 

itself would have been hardened and 

become muscle. Whereas if I stay on the 

Mambilla, which has a good weather 

condition devoid of tsetse flies and has 

good pasture, the beef, when ferried to 

Lagos, would be more valued and more 

money would be made. When the cattle 

are ranched, beef consumers would be 

happy with the meat quality. Also, during 

that time when we were having this 

problem, a friend who is a veterinary doctor 

educated me on how we could be making 

N1.5million to N2 million from the cow 

milk every month from 10 cows. Normally, 

our cows give two liters of milk per day, but 

then he told us to get a breed called ‘Sokoto 

Gudale’ which produces 12-15 liters of milk 

per day. I started the experiment at my DDI 

office and it worked. So, I don’t know why 

some ignorant people are telling these cattle 

owners that ranching was coming to deny 

them their traditional right of going about 

with the cattle. We, however, got a lot of 

people that helped in propagating the 

importance of ranching but because we 

didn’t have police in our hands, we were 

•Gov Ishaku 

being frustrated. They sent the military 

here to close down our Marshalls. And 

these Marshalls were to supervise and 

ensure that the anti-open grazing law was 

enforced. It was just recently that our 

license was approved but then the damage 

is already done. Happily, I am now 

seeing some individuals who have 

acquired their private ranches. As a 

responsive government, we hope to 

establish a ranching and agric school. 

This would have been done three years 

ago since 2017, but the loan I applied for 

was frustrated and I didn’t get it until 

recently. Over there in Nairobi, a jumbo 

jet leaves for Europe every night with 

beef. By the grace of God, before I leave 

in 2023, we will have a runway that would 

be carrying beef to Lagos and other 

places in Taraba. 

You inherited a lot of communal crises 

when you first came in as governor, and 

at a time you instituted many 

commissions of inquiry into these 

conflicts. Are you satisfied with the level 

of compliance by residents of affected 

communities to the resolutions reached? 

I am happy with what we have achieved 

so far because when I came on board, a 

lot of people had been displaced and 

chased from their farms. We went to work 

and talked to several groups, including 

traditional rulers, religious leaders, and 

community leaders. But the greatest 

challenge came in 2017 on the Mambilla 

plateau. The problem there was like a 

recurrent decimal. Every 8-10 years there 

would be a crisis. This time around, it 

HERDSMEN HORRORS: 

They used military to frustrate our 

anti-grazing law —Gov Ishaku 

•Says solution to crisis found in Kenya 

came with force and fury. When a panel 

was set up initially, one group refused to 

come in to testify and there was so much 

wrangling but we persevered. I thank God 

that the committee that was set up did a 

very good job. I also took time to read all 

their submissions and started looking for 

what was constant and discovered it from 

other variables on what was igniting the 

crisis. When you have a repeated thing 

happening, there must be some constant 

things that have not changed. I finally 

decided to create six 

chiefdoms after dropping 

the idea of districts and, to 

my utmost surprise last 

year, the Fulani from 

Mambilla came to 

appreciate my effort for 

restoring peace on the 

plateau. But we should 

know that as long as 

security agencies have not 

been broken down, 

particularly the police, it 

would be difficult to tackle 

insecurity effectively. To nip 

security problems in the 

bud, there has to be federal, 

state, and local 

governments and even 

community police. The 

community police know the 

community. The state 

police know the state and 

the federal police can assist 

the state police if the case 

requires their help. With that system, 

people can be kept in check. But here we 

are in the country, you are not free to own 

arms. When somebody comes with an AK- 

47 rifle, what will you do? You are at his 

mercy. He murders you; he walks away 

and he is not arrested. I want to assure 

you that before we leave, all these 

potential problems would be sorted out. 

However, most of these security problems 

are related to economic frustrations and 

desperation on the part of some leaders. 

When people have something they are 

doing, and economic benefits are coming, 

tension would be reduced. This is an 

They sent the 

military here to 

close down our 

Marshalls. And 

these Marshalls 

were to supervise 

and ensure that the 

anti-open grazing 

law was enforced 

agricultural state and, as a government, we 

give more emphasis to agriculture. Taraba 

is so rich but our people are not seeing this. 

I am saying this because there is nothing 

you engage in here that you can’t make 

money from. We are, however, doing our 

best to expose our people to this. We need 

the security apparatus in our hands to 

help us in enhancing it. 

On your rumoured ambition to contest 

the 2023 Taraba South Senate seat 

Darius Dickson Ishaku 

always waits on the Lord. 

I will never hassle you 

about something. In 2003 

I was looking for a 

senatorial position but I 

could not get it. And then 

I swore never to go back 

to politics until God 

dragged me out from my 

closet where I was. I was 

1, 000 kilometers away 

from Abuja when I 

received a phone call that 

I was needed at the DSS 

headquarters in Abuja. I 

thought it was the land 

issue I had with one big 

man then, so I used the 

whole day searching for 

relevant documents to go 

with. When I arrived there, 

I was held from 8 am to 9 

pm without any 

explanation on why I was there. 

Meanwhile, my wife was outside waiting. 

Around 10 pm, someone entered and told 

me “congratulations”. I was in awe 

because how will I be kept here from 

morning without an explanation on why 

I was invited only to see someone coming 

to congratulate me after taking my hand 

print and so on? Then somebody else 

sneaked in and whispered that I was being 

screened for ministerial appointment. I 

was surprised and that was how I found 

myself as a Minister. The experiences I 

got from the various ministries I was in 

charge of are what I am using today as 

governor. 

Delta women: Herders took over our farms, told us never to return 


Education, Ondo, Miss Mary Olaniyan, 

said she was hypnotised by her abductors 

who kidnapped her in front of the school 

gate. 

Before the abduction of Olaniyan, two 

students of the college, who were identified 

as Blessing Oladepo and Mary 

Oluwasemilore, had reportedly been 

victims of kidnapping as two of them were 

declared missing by the institution. 

Narrating her ordeal, Olaniyan said she 

and other victims experienced hell in 

captivity which, according to her, is located 

in a thick forest between Osun and Ondo 

states. 

The student, who lives outside the campus, 

said after finishing her academic activities 

on the campus on the fateful day, she was 

heading home when she was picked up by 

the kidnappers at about 6.30p.m outside 

the main gate of the college on Ondo-Ore 

highway. 

“I boarded a taxi cab in front of the school 

main gate, alongside a lady at the same 

location and two men. The two men said 

they were going to Yaba in Ondo town. 

“As soon as I boarded the vehicle I became 

unconscious and by the time I regained 

consciousness, I found myself in a building 

located inside a thick forest. 

“I don’t know the exact town where the 

forest is located but it was a very thick forest. 

“I discovered that there were two guys and 

three ladies that had been already 

kidnapped and kept inside the building in 

the forest. The three men that kidnapped us 

were with us there too.” 

On how she escaped, Olaniyan said:” 

“As they were fighting, they left us alone 

and we used the opportunity to run out of 

the building into the forest.” 

I wept like a baby when 

cattle destroyed my farm 

—Adebiyi, farmer 

In Ogun, kidnapping may not be as 

rampant as it is in Ondo but farmers say 

herdsmen’s cattle are destroying their crops, 

leaving them with huge losses. 

One of the farmers, Mr. Anthony Adebiyi, 

operating in Osoro village in Abeokuta 

North Local Government Area, cannot 

forget in a hurry the havoc done to his three 

hectares of farmland in November 2020. 

Adebiyi told SundayVanguard that his 

heart was broken when he got to his farm 

on the fateful day and discovered that cattle 

had destroyed all the crops planted on the 

large expanse of farmland. 

According to him, he had cultivated the 

three hectares of land and planted maize, 

plantain and pineapple on the farm. 

“When I got to my farm on this fateful 

day, November 23, 2020, I met the farm 

destroyed by the cattle. 

“I spent over N2.7 million to get hybrid 

seed of maize, plantain shoots and 

pineapple sucks that I planted, but the cattle 

ate up all I cultivated on the land." 

‘Herdsmen wreaking 

havoc in Ekiti’ 

In Ekiti, the founder of the House of Faith 

Christian Church, Revd Tunde Afe, raised 

the alarm over the invasion and destruction 

of farms by suspected herdsmen in the state. 

Earlier, there were reports of the 

destruction of multi-million naira maize 

farm belonging to members of the Maize 

Grower Processing Marketers 

Association of Nigeria (MAGPAMAN) in 

Aduloju farmstead located along Ado-Ijan 

road in Ado-Ekiti, the state capital, by 

herdsmen. 

But the state Commissioner for 

Agriculture, Dr Olabode Olatoyi, was 

quoted to have said that there was no farm 

destroyed by herdsmen in Ekiti. 

The cleric faulted the Commissioner, 

noting that his cassava farm was destroyed 

by herdsmen in Itapaji, Ikole local 

government area of the state. 

Herdsmen are our 

nemesis —Osun farmer 

On his part, a farmer in Osun State, 

Reuben Timothy, said herdsmen repeatedly 

grazed their cattle on his farm at Asi in Odo- 

Otin Local Government Area of the state, 

destroying his crop. 

He added that he was attacked when he 

challenged them on a particular occasion 

and took the intervention of neighbours to 

curb what could have led to bloodshed. 

“The herdsmen nemesis is suffocating; 

they just move their cattle anyhow 

destroying our farms and everything on it. 

“In 2018, a particular herder was in the 

habit of bringing his cattle to my farm, he 

did it like four times and, when I challenged 

him, he drew a sword while his colleagues 

threatened to attack me with their clubs." 

Herders took over our 

farms, told us never 

return—-Delta women 

In Delta, two victims of attacks by 

suspected herdsmen, Mrs. Angelina 

Osenyelim and Victory Osakwe narrated 

their ordeal to Sunday Vanguard. They are 

indigenes of Obiaruku, Ukwuani Local 

Government Area. 

Osenyelim, a widow, said: “Two days 

ago was our market day, but we were told 

not to go to our farms because of 

herdsmen. We couldn’t go to the farms to 

uproot cassava that we would sell on 

market day. Cassava is the major cash 

crop we sell in the market. We buy the 

cassava stems that we plant. I lost my 

husband four years ago. I am the only one 

taking care of my children and my aged 

mother. My sister, who supports me 

sometimes, also suffered the same fate at 

the hands of herdsmen. Her farm was 

destroyed by herdsmen. " 

We protested at the police station but the 

police didn’t listen to us. We protested at 

Obinoba, but they didn’t listen to us. Our people 

told us not to go to our farms because of 

herdsmen. Those who ignored the warning 

and went to their farms were driven back by 

herdsmen who have occupied our farms. They 

even set some farms ablaze. Some men who 

went to their farms were driven away by the 

herders who were shooting guns. 

Similarly, Osakwe lamented thus: 

“Whenever we complain about herdsmen, 

our chiefs would convene a meeting at 

Oparauku’s place, but nothing comes out of 

the meeting. The herdsmen always say that 

they have given our chiefs money. In a 

neighbouring community, Ogume, the 

people didn’t rely on their chiefs because 

the leaders connived with herdsmen. They 

chased the herdsmen away after they 

killed about eight natives who had gone 

to their farms. Whenever we take the 

matter to the police, the police seem to 

support the herdsmen.”


Behold undisguised 

hatred for Igbo 

“We thought some lessons 

would have been learnt by the 

Presidency by now that Igbo are 

also Nigerians and deserve to 

be fairly treated. How can there 

be appointment of two sets of 

service chiefs without an Igbo 

person among them? Is this 

fair? What exactly have the 

Igbo people done to deserve this 

kind of unfair treatment?” - 

Zani Goni, National 

Coordinator, Coalition of 

Northern Elders for Peace and 

Development. 

The honest answer to the 

last question asked by 

Goni is: “The Igbo people 

have done nothing to deserve 

this openly demonstrated 

hatred.” It is not a coincidence 

in current world history that 

two old Presidents – Donald 

Trump and Muhammadu 

Buhari – are now exhibiting 

one of the enduring 

characteristics of old age. 

They cling firmly to one 

attribute for which they have 

been known from their youth 

– hatred. It is fairly wellestablished 

that a cowardly, 

generous, brilliant and 

vindictive person will most 

likely retain those attributes 

for the rest of their lives with 

very little change. And, any 

change is often towards 

deepening the mind-set. 

Those who love become more 

loving and those consumed by 

hatred get deeper into the rot. 

They act instinctively and 

generally don’t care about 

consequences. 

Three weeks ago, I had 

come out in defence of two 

service chiefs – Navy and Air 

Force – against those asking 

Email:biolasobowale@yahoo.com 

Phone Number: 07081372829 

Twitter:@DrDeleSobowale 

Instagram:delesobowalefranklyspeaking 

Website: www.delesobowale.com 

for the termination of their 

appointments. Buhari, 

hitherto, had also defended 

them. I gave the President the 

benefit of doubt. It was 

shocking when Buhari turned 

around and sacked them. 

What could be responsible? 

Were they as bad as critics 

alleged and Buhari knew it? 

If so, why wait until thousands 

of Nigerian lives were wasted? 

If not, why listen to the noise 

of “ignorant” commentators, 

as Buhari’s spokesmen had 

called critics? 

“In times of victory, 

prophets are unnecessary 

distractions” - Trevor Roper, 

1914-2003, VANGUARD 

BOOK OF QUOTATIONS, 

VBQ, p 204 

Most Fulani and Northern 

leaders known to me are fairminded 

individuals. They 

realise that Nigeria is a multiethnic 

nation like no other on 

earth. Their appointments, 

when at the peak of power, 

speak volumes of their broadmindedness. 

Sir Ahmadu 

Bello, Premier of Northern 

Region, and a Fulani, had 

Chief Sunday Awoniyi, a 

Christian, Okun/Yoruba man 

as his Private Secretary 

(equivalent of Chief of Staff). 

President Shehu Shagari, 

Fulani, Muslim, had Mr 

Oniyangi, Yoruba, as his 

Minister of Defence. President 

Ibrahim Babangida had 

double Chief Duro Onabule 

as his Chief Press Secretary – 

to name a few. Their other 

appointments reflected the 

need to keep Nigeria united. 

Buhari had, from his first 20 

appointments in 2015, 

The Lord’s mercy is crucial 

Let’s give thanks to the 

Almighty God that has 

made us to see the end of 

January 2021 and given us 

the grace witness the month 

of February. 

The living must make it a 

habit to give praises to God 

for many with whom we 

started the year are no more. 

Our being alive is not because 

we are more righteous than 

those who have gone but His 

mercy has kept us alive. 

In our two previous editions 

we discussed fasting and its 

implications for a Christian. 

A key feature of fasting is 

repentance. Either it is lent 

period or not, just as it is 

important to give thanks to 

God, it is equally important 

to ask the Lord for forgiveness 

of sins. 

Why? The answer is found 

in Romans 3 vs. 23 (KJV): “ 

For all have sinned, and come 

short of the glory of God”. 

Brethren, if you believe in 

the word of God, then you 

need ask for mercy in your 

prayer. You might say, “ I have 

not offended anyone and no 

Joyfulhomes 

one has offended me’. That is 

as far as you human 

reasoning can take you. 

However, there are some 

sins that your parents or even 

great grand parents have 

committed that have 

continued to hunt you. 

Last week, a friend told me 

of a family where none of the 

daughters are fulfilled. 

She said, the daughters in a 

particular family are of 

marriageable age but not 

married. The only one that 

got married died during 

childbirth. 

Now, when issues like this, 

come up in a family, may God 

give us the grace to be sensitive 

enough to realize that a 

negative force is behind it. 

Equally, when couples 

remain married without 

biological children and 

medical science examination 

presents a result of no issues, 

then, we must also know that 

there is a negative force 

behind the challenge. 

When a couple visit 

gynecologists severally, taking 

medications and no 

Most Fulani and 

Northern leaders 

known to me are 

fair-minded 

individuals 

behaved as if his victory at the 

polls was a Fulani military 

conquest of the nation. His 

government was going to be 

a government of the Fulani, 

by the Fulani man and for his 

selected Fulani associates. 

Non-Fulani in the All 

Progressives Congress, APC, 

who thought he will redress 

the imbalance later, were 

disappointed. But, it was too 

late for them. Among those 

now feeling the lashes of 

Buhari’s government are the 

people of the South West who 

were persuaded by their 

political leaders and 

adventurers to follow Buhari 

in 2015 and 2019. The result 

is Ibarapa war. Those of them 

planning to run for President 

in 2023 have several 

mountains to climb. 

One thing was predictable 

about the President’s reaction 

to the conflict in Oyo State. 

He was going to take sides 

with herdsmen just as he did 

when, as a retired Head of 

State, he had gone to Ibadan 

to lecture the late Governor 

Lam Adesina about how to 

treat herdsmen in Oyo State. 

He did not go there to find out 

what happened. He was 

already convinced the Fulani 

herdsmen were right and the 

Yoruba farmers wrong. 

Buhari today has not changed 

from the Buhari of 2002. To 

him, facts don’t matter. Fulani 

involved in conflict anywhere 

in Nigeria are always right. 

Now as President, he has the 

power to try and force that 

travesty of justice down our 

throats. He will fail. 

Hitler led the Nazis to 

believe that they could 

conquer the whole world 

because they were the first to 

be fully armed. On account of 

victories in the early years of 

war, Hitler’s people ignored 

conception takes place, then 

we must realize that the 

problem is beyond any human 

being. 

What exactly do I mean? 

For a couple that is healthy 

but unable to conceive, it 

simply means that there is a 

spiritual force that is working 

against the physical. Even in 

cases where health challenges 

are identified, often times the 

force behind that challenge is 

spiritual. 

I’ll give an example. A 

woman goes for a fibroid 

operation that doctors 

declare successful but she still 

fails to conceive. Or a woman, 

whose tubes were declared 

blocked, undergoes an 

operation and the tubes are 

opened; yet she is unable to 

conceive. Or a man 

undergoes a similar 

treatment for low sperm 

count but still no baby comes 

forth. For as long as the 

couples fail to realize that a 

negative spiritual force is at 

work, for so long will the 

challenge remain. 

May the Lord open our 

spiritual eyes in Jesus name. 

Brethren, often times, the 

source of the negative 

the warnings of those pointing 

out that it is impossible for a 

small minority to overcome 

the vast majority in the long 

run. The last battle is always 

the one that counts; not the 

first, second or third. Buhari 

might not realise it, the Fulani, 

constituting less than five 

percent of Nigeria’s 

population, are the most 

endangered ethnic group now. 

The others are only waiting 

for Buhari to leave in 

2023… 

THE 

IGBO 

CONNECTION 

“Every man has a stream 

of tendency…” - Oliver 

Wendell Holmes, Jr, 1841- 

1935. 

The US Supreme Court 

Justice must have had 

people like Buhari 

particularly in mind. You 

can predict what they would 

do -- even before an event 

occurs. With Buhari, the 

selection of new service 

chiefs was a foregone 

conclusion. There would be 

no Igbo person. Just as it is 

certain that no Igbo officer 

will emerge as Inspector 

General of Police. All of these 

follow Buhari’s tendencies 

such as we have experienced 

on the economic scene, 

The loan of $29.6bn was 

shared by allocating about 

63 per cent to the three 

Northern zones – North- 

Central, North-East and 

North-West. The South- 

South and South-West 

shared the balance; the 

South-East was excluded. 

Now, if that is not “loving” 

Igbo people, I want to know 

what does. The man is so 

consistent that whenever he 

appears to be doing the 

South-East a favour, then 

one must be suspicious. One 

example is the Second Niger 

Bridge. 

“O! what a tangled web we 

weave/When first we 

practice to deceive” - Sir 

Walter Scott, 1771-1832, 

VBQ p 35. 

Surely, you have heard of 

the Federal Government 

embarking on the 

construction of the Second 

Niger Bridge as proof of 

Buhari’s regard for Igbo 

people – never mind that 

people from Akwa Ibom 

and Cross River will also 

benefit, directly and those 

going towards Enugu and 

North-East indirectly. Even, 

With the mercy of 

God upon one’s 

life, no force of 

darkness can stop 

a miracle 

spiritual force could be 

generational. The couple may 

be paying for the sins of their 

ancestors. 

Does it sound like nonsense 

to you? Let’s have a check on 

John 9 vs. 1-3: “And Jesus 

passed by, he saw a man which 

was blind from his birth. And 

his disciples asked him, 

saying Master, who did sin, 

this man or his parents, that 

he was born blind? 

Jesus answered, Neither 

hath this man sinned, nor his 

parents: but that the works of 

God should be made manifest 

in him”. 

The key word for us here is 

“ nor his parents’. The 

disciples also know that the 

sins of the man or that of his 

parents could be responsible 

for his blindness. It does not 

matter what is responsible for 

a delay in one’s childbearing 

life, the mercy of God can turn 

things around in your favour. 

Proverbs 28 vs. 13 tells us: “ 

He that covereth his sins shall 

not prosper: but whoso 

confesseth and forsaketh them 

shall have mercy”. 

At all times, we need to ask 

for the mercy of God. The one 

who must ask for mercy must 

some Igbo Ministers and 

Senators have been 

spreading that colossal lie. 

Take it from me; it was a 

scam. Buhari never intended 

to build the bridge. He was 

forced to do it. Here is the 

evidence. 

Former President 

Obasanjo engaged someone 

to trace all Abacha’s loot 

wherever they might be all 

over the world and to help 

Nigeria retrieve them. It 

took years and about $300 

million was traced to 

Switzerland. Because the 

FG did not have a strong 

case for claiming the money, 

and the Swiss government 

was afraid the loot might be 

re-looted, they insisted that 

the release must be based on 

agreement by the Nigerian 

government to spend it on 

specific projects benefiting 

the people. Second Niger 

Bridge was the first project 

specified. In short, that 

bridge, whenever it is 

completed, is a gift from a 

foreign country – not Buhari. 

SERVICE CHIEFS, IGP 

APPOINTMENTS 

“History does not repeat 

itself; man does” - Barbara 

Tuchmann US historian. 

In 1984, when Buhari first 

became Head of State, the 

only important post for an 

Igbo man was that of 

Minister for Justice and 

Attorney-General. Chief 

Chuks Ofodile, SAN, would 

later enter history as the 

drafter of Decree 4 of 1984. 

This law was the first in 

history anywhere which 

made it a crime punishable 

by imprisonment to publish 

a true report about official 

corruption if it embarrassed 

a government official. At the 

same time, it was a crime to 

publish falsehood. It is left 

to imagination how a leader 

who cares for justice could 

have signed that horrible 

decree. Buhari was already 43 

when he introduced Decree 4. 

Now, the man is getting 

close to 80; has he changed? 

Certainly not. The 

appointment of service chiefs 

and the exclusion of Igbo 

officers proves conclusively 

that contrary to Gowon’s 

declaration – ‘No victor; no 

vanquished’ – one of his 

subordinates is still fighting 

the civil war. And, he is using 

the office of President to do 

it. 

admit that he has sinned. 

Some sins we have committed 

unconsciously but they are still 

sins. He must confess, repent 

and ask for mercy. 

Only a person who is true to 

himself or herself can admit 

that he has sinned, repent and 

ask for mercy. 

Ist John 1 vs. 8& 9: “If we 

say that we have no sin, we 

deceive ourselves, and the 

truth is not in us. If we confess 

our sins, he is faithful and just 

to forgive us our sins, and to 

cleanse us from all 

unrighteousness.” 

Brethren, are you asking, 

what has sin got to do with 

inability to bear children? 

Two examples suffice. The 

first is Micah, David’s 

beautiful wife and daughter 

of King Saul. You are 

familiar with the story but let’s 

look at 2nd Samuel 6 vs. 20: “ 

Then David returned to bless 

his household and Michal the 

daughter of Saul came out to 

meet David, and said, How 

glorious was the king of Israel 

today, who uncovered himself 

today in the eyes of the 

handmaids of his servants, as 

one of the vain fellows 

shamelessly uncovereth 

himself!” 

It didn’t matter to Micah 

that David was dancing to 

praise the LORD. Micah 

didn’t realize that with her 

words, she sinned against God. 

The consequence of her 

utterance is found in verse 23 

of the same chapter: “ 

Therefore Michal the 

daughter of Saul had no child 

unto the day of her death”. 

From the noise coming out 

of Aso Rock, it is almost 

certain that no Igbo officer 

is in consideration for 

Inspector General of Police. 

That office, under Buhari, is 

reserved for an Abubakar or 

a Mohammed. No Christian 

can ever merit the post once 

you run an exclusive 

government as Buhari has 

been doing. 

LAST LINE. Hitler started 

his war in 1936; and was 

triumphant until 1944 when 

the tide of war changed. 

Buhari is leading Fulani 

herdsmen and some 

misguided Fulani against 

the rest of us – especially 

Igbo people. In the long run, 

they can’t win. I shudder to 

think of what Nigeria will 

become if or when revenge 

starts – before or after 2023. 

GOODBYE GLO 

08055069026; WELCOME 

AIRTEL 07081372829 

“Call me, darling that’s my 

number…” - King Sunny 

Ade 

Regretfully, I have 

dropped my Glo line. I can 

now be reached on Airtel. I 

think Glo has become too 

complacent. What 

happened to me and others 

at the Victoria Island 

Customer Service Centre 

should not be visited on even 

people queuing for 

palliatives. But, we were 

customers paying for Glo 

services. 

I lost my phone and 

requested for SIM 

replacement. I met all the 

conditions for new SIM and 

was told to expect service in 

24 hours. That was before 

the NIN became an issue. I 

waited three days; still no 

service. My Personal 

Assistant went and was told 

I should wait a few more 

days. He went back and I 

was told to submit my NIN 

or no connection. At 76+, 

nursing an underlying 

condition for COVID-19, I 

was forced to plunge into the 

crowd of NIN seekers. I got 

it three weeks after and sent 

it through my phone. Still no 

service. My PA went back 

again and then the 

unbelievable happened. I 

was asked to start the entire 

process all over again 

because of a hitch at Glo. I 

was not alone. But, for me, 

that is not how to run a 

company. 

The second person is King 

David who committed 

adultery and murder with his 

unholy marriage to Uriah’s 

wife, Bathsheba. 

2nd Samuel 11 vs. 26 &27: 

“ And when the wife of Uriah 

heard that Uriah her husband 

was dead, she mourned for 

her husband. And when the 

mourning was past, David 

sent and fetched her to his 

house, and she became his 

wife, and bare him a son. But 

the thing that David had done 

displeased the LORD”. 

As a Christian, I know you 

are familiar with the story. 

Prophet Nathan confronted 

King David with his sin. The 

king repented but the Lord 

punished him with the death 

of the first child of Bathsheba. 

However, the Lord showed 

mercy and Bathsheba gave 

birth to Solomon. 

The mercy of God is so 

crucial to our breakthrough. 

When we pray, we must 

always ask for God’s mercy. 

With the mercy of God upon 

one’s life, no force of darkness 

can stop a miracle. 

When we pray, we should 

also ask for His mercy. The 

mercy of the Lord turns sorrow 

to joy, it turns tears to laughter. 

The mercy of God makes 

the LORD single us out for 

favour. Brethren, be strong in 

the Lord ask for his mercy and 

you will experience of break 

through. 

The Lord will have mercy 

on someone reading this 

article and God will fill your 

home with children in Jesus 

name. Shalom!


ABUJA SHOW-OF-SHAME 

‘Civil war’ over PIB rages 

…as oil communities’ factions blow hot 

•How row blew open 

•We are the authentic leadership of host communities - Emuh, HOSCON leader 

•They have been dismissed – Tamaranebi, HOSTCOM boss 

•Groups disagree on 2.5% production quantum, 10% equity 

By Emma Amaize, Regional 

Editor, South-South, Sam 

Oyadongha, Jimitota Onoyume, 

Egufe Yafugborhi and Chioma 

Onuegbu 

OBSERVING two Niger Delta leaders, 

National Chairman, Host 

Communities of Nigeria (Producing 

Oil and Gas), HOSCON, Bishop Mike Emuh, 

and his Host Communities of Nigeria 

(Producing Oil and Gas), HOSTCOM, 

counterpart, Chief Benjamin Style 

Tamaranebi, exchange blows at the hallowed 

chamber of the House of Representatives, 

penultimate Thursday, was unexpected to 

many people of Niger Delta, but insiders knew 

it was a disaster waiting to happen. 

Over the years, both groups have been at 

each other’s throats, but what was imprecise 

was the time and place the inflaming crisis 

would explode. 

The public hearing of the House of 

Representatives on the Petroleum Industry Bill, 

PIB, 2020 provided a textbook opening. 

Bystanders saw two men fighting with 

standing Tamaranebi manifestly having an 

upper hand, pounding Emuh sitting on the 

chair. 

Emuh managed to return some of the blows 

in defense. 

But beyond the spectacle is a no love lost 

relationship between HOSCON and 

HOSTCOM who are supposed to represent 

the interests of oil communities in Niger- 

Delta. HOSCON was founded in 2002 by 

Niger Delta leader and traditional Prime 

Minister (Bolowei) of Gbaramatu Kingdom, 

Delta State, Chief Wellington Okrika. 

He led the group until 2007 when he was 

appointed the pioneer Chairman of Delta 

State Oil Producing Development 

Commission, DESOPADEC. 

HOSCON leadership fell on Chief Alfred 

Bubor, now late, who led the group for eight 

years, that is until 2015, but certain things 

ensued during his leadership when the group 

was seriously polarized in terms of conceptual 

bent, changed from HOSCON to 

HOSTCOM without the say-so of Okrika and 

others, and the battle of who succeeds (Bubor) 

between Emuh and Tamaranebi finally 

widened the gulf. 

With the division, the groups have taken 

dissimilar positions on the PIB 2020 impelling 

the Special Assistant to the President on Niger 

Delta, Senator Ita Ewang, to hold a truce 

meeting. 

Okrika, the two combatants, Tamaranebi 

and Emuh, and a host of others spoke to 

Sunday Vanguard on the host communities’ 

saga. 

I was sitting down when 

Tamarenbi came to fight me 

– Emuh 

Talking on what happened in Abuja and 

related issues, Emuh said: “What happened 

at the National Assembly is an act that is 

lamentable, it is extremely crude. 

“The fact is that if HOSCON and 

HOSTCOM have division or faction, it is not 

a dirty linen that should be washed outside. 

“It is not something one will rise up and 

start beating the second person, not fighting 

but beating me. 

“We did not exchange greeting or words. 

HOSCON was called upon to make 

presentation. Maybe he thought I was the one 

going to speak. I was sitting 

down. Udurhie I, Ovie of 

Idjerhe Kingdom, Delta 

state, HRM King 

Obukowho Monday 

Whiskey was by me. A 

bishop was also sitting by 

right-hand side. I was in the 

centre when he came and 

did all he did to me. I never 

knew he was coming to 

attack me. That is what 

happened.” 

Faction emerged 

in 2019 

Narrating how factions 

emerged in oil communities, 

he said, “We, the host 

communities, as founded by 

Chief Wellington Okirika 

and since 2018 when we 

upgraded the Board of 

Trustees, we did not have 

faction. 

“This faction came out of 

us in 2019 and has caused a lot of damage to 

host communities, Niger Delta and the Federal 

Government. 

Allegations 

“Look at what happened recently. The same 

Benjamin Style went to remove Diete Spiff, 

claiming he is no longer the Chairman of 

HOSCON Board of Trustees (BOT) and also 

removed those of us that have been there as 

BOT members. 

“And he came forth with people who we do 

not know, who have never been executive 

members as BOT members and came out with 

What 2.5 per 

cent equity are 

they talking 

about, equity 

on what, is it 

equity on 

modular 

refinery, gas 

plant or what? 

a certificate bearing the same old number, 

which is to say that the old one we are having 

is what he is also having. 

“Now, look at what he did the other Thursday 

at the National Assembly. The same Benjamin 

Style has taken me to DSS Asaba, DSS Port 

Harcourt, DSS Yenagoa, DSS headquarters 

in Abuja. What is he looking for? 

“As you speak to me today (last Monday), he 

has taken me and Chief Wellington Okirika, 

the founder, to High Court 2 in Warri. So, I do 

not know, yes, there is division but that does 

not call for do-or-die or the assault on me”. 

Registration 

Sunday Vanguard asked Emuh if 

HOSCON is registered with the Corporate 

Affairs Commission, CAC, as it was alleged 

that HOSTCOM is the properly registered 

body of host communities. 

He responded: “The truth 

is that we were officially 

invited by the House of 

Representatives Committee 

on PIB to come and make 

presentation. 

“We were told that only two 

gate passes will be given to 

each association and so I was 

given two, one for myself and 

one for Engineer Okoro, our 

presenter. 

“After calling other groups, 

they now called host 

communities, each group is 

allotted 10 minutes, host 

communities was 40 minutes 

and so the National 

Assembly had done their best 

knowing that host 

communities would not just 

be one or two or three and 

those who made presentation 

for host communities were 

up to four, apart from my 

group. 

“The Itsekiri, Ogulagha people, other groups 

made their presentations; host communities 

cover all the groups from oil communities.” 

Emuh started fight 

– Tamaranebi 

In his own narration, Tamaranebi said the 

altercation in Abuja was orchestrated by those 

who want to ensure that the voice of the host 

communities was shut out of the processes 

leading to the passage of the PIB. 

His words: “It was a planned attack on my 

person and host communities’ views at the 

Green Chamber. 

“I was called to make my presentation and, 

on my way out, he (Emuh) held my royal 

wrapper to strip me naked and, when I turned, 

he held unto my beads to strangle me to the 

point that the beads cut loose to release me. I 

was left with no other option than to defend 

myself. 

“I am not just a chief. I am a regent in my 

kingdom in Bayelsa State. I cannot start a 

fight. I was called upon to make a presentation 

and, on my way going, he (Emuh) held by my 

wrapper, it is a taboo, you cannot hold a high 

chief in that manner. “He tried to pull it off 

and I almost fell but regained my balance 

and he held my beads, I cannot watch and 

wait for him to disgrace me. I have to do what 

I have to do to save myself, he started the fight”. 

On the claim that HOSCON has been 

disbanded, Tamarenebi said: “The issue of 

authentic host communities had long been 

resolved by the Traditional Rulers of Oil 

Minerals Producing Communities of Nigeria, 

TROMPCON. 

“HOSCON has been disbanded since 

December 3, 2018 and, on January 31, 2019, 

the revered Oba of Benin refused the offer of 

grand patron which Bishop Emuh offered him 

until there was unity among host 

communities.” 

Asked if Okrika, the founder of host 

communities’ body, was in the BOT 

reconstituted by his group, he said: “If Okrika 

formed host communities, why was he not a 

member of the Board in 2010. 

“They said HOSTCOM forged certificate. 

I was the National Vice Chairman and Mike 

Emuh parading himself today was our Public 

Relations Officer in 2010. 

“We were at the Corporate Affairs 

Commission, CAC, today (Thursday) and I 

asked them if they said that somebody changed 

the name of HOSCON to HOSTCOM, and 

if so who changed it. 

“I repeat Mike Emuh has been dismissed 

from host communities because of his 

activities. He was suspended and later 

dismissed. “The Constitution stipulates who 

has the power to remove the BoT, that authority 

was exercised because the former BoT was 

taking sides with Emuh. 

“We removed them. Diete-Spiff is still a 

member of HOSCOM even though he was 

removed as BOT Chairman; a former Minister 

of Petroleum Affairs, HM Edmund Dakoru, is 

now the Chairman, HOSTCOM BOT”. 

Conflicting positions on 2.5% 

production quantum, 10% 

equity 

Emuh disagreed that HOSCON and 

HOSTCOM are on the same page on PIB 

2020. 

His words: “No, no, no, no, no, Benjamin 

Style and other HOSTCOM officials had 

made a presentation at the Senate agitating 

for 10 per cent equity. 

“That suggestion is nonsense, rubbish. The 

word 10 per cent equity supposes that whatever 

is to be done, if it is worth 100 billion dollars, 

what host communities will contribute is 10 

per cent. On equity, you are a contributor; we 

do not have the money. 

“And the National Assembly, together with 

the Deputy Senate President and Minister of 

State for Petroleum, we have all agreed on 

what should be done. We agreed on 2.5 per 

cent of production quantum, not on equity, 2.5 

per cent of production quantum, that is, 

whatever an oil company produces in a 

community, 2.5 per cent goes to that community, 

which means that oil community decides what 

happens to its 2.5 per cent. 

“What 2.5 per cent equity are they talking about, 

equity on what, is it equity on modular refinery, 

gas plant or what? Are they saying that are going 

to ask us to bring our contribution for them to 

operate?” 

But Tamaranebi, in a counter position, fired 

back, “They (Emuh and associates) never stand 

for the host communities, rather they are 

looking for their gain. 

“The pain of the over 60 years 

marginalization, deprivation, neglect and 10 

per cent equity shareholding to benefit our 

communities matters to us and not the Federal 

Government’s ‘Greek gift’ which we know 

will not work. 

“Just think of three per cent to NDDC, are 

they faithful in their remittance? So we must 

be wise. 

“The Minister of State Petroleum is speaking 

the mind of the Federal Government and oil 

companies though he is from the region and I 

will not blame him because he is acting for the 

government. “It is our duty and right to defend 

our communities’ benefit even when l know that 

where he (Minister) comes from (Nembe 

Kingdom) has oil and gas, and over 80,000 

barrels of crude daily leaving the kingdom and if 

10 per cent equity shareholding is granted to the 

kingdom, it is far better than 2.5 per cent OPEX 

which is a Greek gift. 

“We have submitted our memorandum and 

we have been doing this advocacy for host 

communities at public hearings from the time of 

our former Chairman, High Chief A. M. Bubor, 

of blessed memory". 

Read next Sunday the genesis of crisis 

and more on the situation in the Niger 

Delta oil communities


REVEALED: 

How Yemi Alade almost missed 

lifetime opportunity with Beyonce 

Every singer on the planet wants a 

collaboration with American 

superstar, Beyonce, and Nigerian 

Afropop female singer, Yemi Alade, 

almost passed up the chance recently. 

Alade, who is compiling for her fifth 

studio album, revealed in a recent 

interview how she almost ignored the 

American who appeared to have shown 

a favourable disposition towards a 

possible collaboration with the “Mama 

Africa” crooner. 

Alade said, “We thought it was a scam 

email. I wasn’t the one receiving the 

emails, my management was and the 

thing is that, you have to be a crazy 

beyond fan like me to know her 

company’s name is “Parkwood”. So 

you’re getting emails from “Parkwood” 

about a collaboration with Beyonceì? 

My manager was telling me that he 

keeps getting these messages from 

Parkwood. He sounded very 

irritated and he was thinking of 

maybe blocking the email… and 

I asked him what did you say? 

Did you say “Parkwood?” I said 

(screams) that is Beyonceì” 

The Afropop singer didn’t 

exactly reveal what the mail 

was all about but it was sure 

as day there was something 

on the horizon between the 

two delectable ladies. 

Yemi Alade currently has 

four studio albums to her •Yemi Alade 

credit, namely; Black 

Magic; King of Queens; 

Mama Africa and Woman of 

Steel. 

Tiwa Savage’s estranged husband, 

Teebillz, finds love again 

Since their ludicrously 

celebrated separation 

and the drama that ensued, 

Nigerian superstar singer 

Tiwa Savage and her 

estranged husband, Tunji 

Balogun, famously known 

as Teebillz have kept 

things pretty much on the 

level, possibly for the sake 

of the child between them. 

But if recent posts by 

Teeebillz is anything 

worth its salt it appears he 

has found love again - in 

the arms of an undisclosed 

woman. 

In one of the posts 

(picture used here) Teebillz 

writes: “Without her my 

life won’t be perfect! 

Without her, you won’t 

have your little 15min of 

fame either........ don’t get it 

twisted! #TheOnlyOne .” In 

another post he only posted the 

picture of the woman with a 

caption that reads “My Healer”. 

Of course there was a whale of 

reactions with many wishing him 

well while others decided to stick 

their necks out too far, dragging 

Tiwa Savage and their son into the 

fray. 

Teebillz wouldn’t have any of 

such as he defended the 

honour of the singer. 

Hear him: “I respectfully 

have $1M on Mama 

Jamjam on a verzuz 

from 1900 to 2021........ 

who ever the fuck 

can challenge her! 

Just waiting? Just in 

case you don’t understand 

I have a million dollar on 

Mama Jamjam for who ever 

Music duo, Roze holds listening party 

ahead debut EP 

US-based music duo of two brothers, Row 

and Zuwa Agbonayinma known as Roze 

who have been swimming close to the apex 

of the Nigerian musical reef took over “The 

Signature” at the IMAX, Lekki, Lagos last 

Sunday for private listening party ahead of 

their debut EP set for release in April of 2021. 

The event pulled the presence of diverse 

people from all walks of life with strict 

adherence to Covid-19 protocols. Notable 

amongst them were Sexy Steel, Yomi Casual, 

Lasisi Elenu, Fari, Juwon, Ashly, Nasty Blaq, 

Ushbebe, Nonso, Pencil, Kim, Seyi Awolowo, 

Panki, Naya and many more. 

The duo who has many songs to their credit 

threw all open to the audience to pick the best 

“five” that would best suit the EP. It was a hard 

one for the audience as they found themselves 

wriggly and dancing to all their songs. 

Row and Zuwa have made their mark in 

music, both in Nigeria and the United States 

as the group, Roze, and have affirmed their 

place on the landscape with a number of hits 

to their credit. 

They first appeared in 2014 while working 

on a test project, titled ‘Time to Party,’ which 

was never released. However, they later 

appeared again in 2016, being introduced to 

producer, Mekoyo. 

•Teebillz 

and lover 

the fuck wanna battle! I’ve 

been watching y’all lil 

fuckers!” 

Out of the several songs recorded by Roze, the hit 

song titled “The Whole Night,” shot them into limelight 

seeing them perform at many events in Nigeria, notably 

AY Live Show and signature concerts by the likes of 

Burna Boy, Kizz Daniel, Zlatan and a host of others. 

Some of their other songs are Patience, Stranded, 

Ileke, E Too Much and many more. 

•Roze 

•Tiwa 

Savage 

inger, Tare Okiri, also known as 

SHarrysong has taken to social 

media to announce his forthcoming 

wedding. 

Announcing the news via his 

Instagram handle, Harrysong who 

also shared a photo of himself and 

his fiancée, Alexer Peres Gopa wrote 

“all shades of beauty, I got it right this 

time”. 

Harrysong was once married to 

former beauty queen, Hariet Edide 

also known as Finiee in 2016 and both 

parties agreed to keep it under wraps 

to avoid a distraction in the former’s 

rising career at the time. 

The low key bride price payment 

ceremony took place at the prime of 

Harrysong’s career (shortly after he 

released Reggae Blues in 2015), in Odi 

village, Kolokuma/Opokuma Local 

Government Area of Bayelsa State 

where only three family members of 

the crooner and his closest friend, 

Dezign were present. 

During the ceremony, Harrysong 

•Harrysong 

and bride 

Singer Harrysong set to marry, 

for the second time 

instructed his childhood friend, 

Dezign to make sure no photographs 

were taken to avoid appearing on 

social media for fear of losing his 

female fans at a crucial moment in his 

career. 

Both Harrysong and Finnie’s dream 

of holding a society wedding much 

later in the future was cut short after 

they both discovered they were sickle 

cell carriers (they were both AS). 

The marriage was called off and the 

bride prize was returned to the Okiri 

family quietly in 2017. 

This clearly explains Harrysong’s 

excitement when he wrote in his 

caption, “I got it right this time”. 

The event is billed for March 27 in 

Warri, Delta State with a Church 

ceremony to be presided over by 

Harrysong’s spiritual father, Reverend 

OK Martins at Church of God 

Mission – Praise Center at Jakpa 

Junction, Warri, Delta State. Reception 

follows at KFT Event Center, Ekpan 

Link Road, Warri. 

Actress, Iwalola Adekugbe shows 

acting prowess as a double character 

On-the-rise Yoruba actress, Iwalola 

Adekugbe has displayed she belongs 

in the upper echelon of the acting 

rank and file with her role in the new 

bilingual film titled “Ejiworo” where 

she plays the character of Biola and 

Bolade, twins joined by the same 

destiny. 

The way Iwalola Adekugbe weaved 

the two characters together to produce 

an exciting blend of disparaging 

characters is nothing short of 

amazing. She was simply fantastic 

The movie, Ejiworo is an intriguing 

thriller with a lot of suspense. Once 

•Iwalola 

Adekugbe 

upon a time, the Oracle had divined 

that the Twins (Biola & Bolade) must 

not be separated, they must grow 

together to achieve their destiny, and 

death will not stop following them 

everywhere they turn to, but the 

destiny of the Twins rest on the 

shoulder of one married man who 

must fall in love with Taiwo and get 

married to Kehinde. 

The film stars notable names like 

Damola Olatunji, Femi Adebayo, 

Muyiwa Ademola. Aanu Omoloro, 

Motilola Adekunle, Jibola Dabo and 

a host of others.

SUNDAY VANGUARD, FEBRUARY 7, 2021, PAGE13 

Fame without money 

is life of noise 

—Imade Osawaru 

Imade Osawaru, the Chief Executive Officer of 

Mademonic Entertainment Production is a woman 

of many parts on a mission. She’s an actress, a 

film producer and a professional chef as well as a TV 

personality. She hails from Ugha Okhuoihe in 

Uhunmwonde Local Government Area of Edo State. 

She has a Bachelor of Arts degree from 

University of Benin and a diploma in cooking 

from Istituto di Istruzione Superiore Einstein 

Nebbia, in the Province of Ancona in Italy. 

In this interview with AYO ONIKOYI, she 

talks about her multiple personalities, film 

making, the film industry and her plans 

for Edo State 

Can we meet you? 

As you already know, I am 

an actor, a film producer, 

some people say, I am a TV 

personality, I think they are right. 

I am also a chef. I love cooking. 

And at the moment, I make money 

from cooking. So you can call me 

a professional chef. I actually cook 

because I can, I cook 

professionally, because I had a 

professional training at the 

respected Istituto di Istruzione 

Superiore Einstein Nebbia. The 

institute is in the Province of 

Ancona in Italy. Knowledge and 

experience I gained from the 

institute comes handy at Imade’s 

Kitchen. Imade’s Kitchen is a 

cooking show I host on TV. On the 

Show I present food preparation 

and I prepare one or more dishes 

in an episode. It’s a show you’d 

love to watch. 

Can you share some of the 

memorable moments of your life 

while growing up? 

It was an interesting mix 

between absolutely fun and 

utterly challenging. I grew up 

living with my mother. Just the 

two of us. Growing with mum, 

alone, is ever memorable. I told 

you I love cooking, right? I 

inherited the passion and love for 

cooking from my mum. She was 

a caterer. She owned a restaurant 

back then when I was in 

secondary school. I would wake 

up early and help her with cooking 

before going to school. It was 

something I enjoyed doing for my 

mother, who I saw then as my best 

friend. 

How many films have you 

featured and produced so far? 

Quite a number of them. Some 

have been released, some haven’t. 

Some, we are currently shooting. 

Just to mention a few, I have 

featured in the series “King of 

Kings”, 

“The Gate 

Man”. And 

m y 

company’s first feature 

movie “Fatal 

Attraction”. Aside 

movies and series 

from other producers, 

we are currently 

working on three 

feature films, and two 

TV series from my 

production 

company. 

Are you a fashion 

freak? 

I wouldn’t say I’m 

a freak but I like to 

dress up to look 

good. Looking good 

is a confidence 

booster for me. 

Fame or money; 

which one will you 

prefer? 

I read an article about this 

recently, and I just copied and 

saved this long quote on my 

phone. Let me read it out: “Fame 

can be a cool experience but would 

it really be worth it without the 

money? But fame without money 

is just a life of noise, one without 

meaning. All your Instagram, 

Snapchat or whatever other social 

media’s followers wouldn’t mean 

much if you can’t make money off 

the fame.” Therefore if given a 

choice, I will choose fame that I 

can make a lot of money from. 

Are you single or Married? 

I’m single. I’m very single. I’m 

a goal-oriented single. I’m a 

hardworking single. I’m an 

independent single. I’m single 

and blessed. Single and 

prosperous. Like other happy 

singles all over the world, we look 

forward to a happy-ever-after, and 

until that time comes, I am 

gratefully single. 

We heard that you want to 

embark on a project in Edo State, 

what should we expect? 

I can’t reveal much about that 

at the moment, but yes I have a 

breathtaking project for Edo State 

that I’m working on. It’s very dear 

to my heart because it’s going to 

change lives and project Edo 

State in a very bright light. Once 

everything is set, we will go 

public with our plans, and you 

will be the first to know. I 

promise. 

What does it take to be a good 

actress? 

Learning dialogues is 

fundamental for actors. A good 

actor must have a strong memory. 

It will help you maximize your 

efficiency. Good actors are wellinformed 

and knowledgeable. So, 

it is important to read up and get 

information on all aspects of life 

and the issues happening around 

you and around the world. Acting 

is a professional career that 

requires lots of patience and hard 

work. Good actors are dedicated 

and diligent workers. Good 

actors are highly imaginative, 

they are intelligent. They have 

confidence on and off set, and 

they know how to manage and 

market themselves. 

If you have a moment with Mr 

President, what would be your 

advice to him? 

I’d advise him to build or 

support the building of a Film 

Village in the six geo-political 

zones in Nigeria. Each village 

will have structures that speak 

of the culture of the zone. So, if 

I’m in Lagos, for instance, and I 

have a script that needs Hausa 

culture to be interpreted, I can 

easily go to a Film Village in any 

geopolitical zone in the North 

and get my film shot. I know it’s 

a lot of money to build six Film 

Villages, so I’d advise that he 

builds one, and have a Vision 

2026 for Nigeria to have 6 Film 

Villages. Incoming 

administration could run with 

the vision. Hopefully. 

My songs preach gospel of freedom — Paris based singer, Jerry Pay 

His kind of music differentiates 

him from many singers and 

songwriters in Nigeria’s entertainment 

space. Despite living in far away Paris, 

France with his family, Pay continues 

using his music and deep lyrics to 

promote the heritage and culture 

of this great nation. 

The Ekiti State-born talented 

and deadlocked singer, Austin- 

Jerry Adebiyi Akingbolu but 

artistically known as Jerry Pay 

recently hosted crème de le 

crème personalities in the 

•Jerry Pay entertainment industry to 

witness and take part at the 

listing party of his new six tracks EP 

project “Sun Beneath The Sea” which 

also debuted on all social media 

platforms. 

The new EP has other songs like; 

9490; Celebrity; Evidence; No One Is 

Dying and How Do You Know. All 

these beautiful tracks comprise 

dancehall, soul, reggae and highlife. 

According to Jerry Pay, one of the 

songs, “Celebrity” is about him, his 

prophecy and his story. ‘What is the 

purpose of a celebrity that can’t use 

his status to fight for the masses? I am 

a singer, a prophet and a celebrity, my 

voice, my status as a role model is to 

fight for the underprivileged. My 

songs preach the gospel of 

freedom and fight for freedom.’ 

This new EP Sun Beneath The 

Sea was released under his 

management platform; Half Evil 

Music Monks, Jerry Pay came 

into the industry years back with 

his first single “Unfinished”, 

which has gained a lot of airplay 

on several radio stations in 

Nigeria and with no doubt, Jerry 

Pay has positioned himself as the 

next big thing in the Nigeria 

music industry. 

`I Am Laycon’ 

series to air 

in Africa, 26 

other 

countries 

Showmax subscribers in the 

United Kingdom, Italy, 

France, Australia and 23 other 

countries will be able to stream 

Showmax’s first Nigerian 

Original series, I Am LAYCON, 

which launches on 11 February on 

the platform. This is in addition 

to the series being available 

across Africa. 

Speaking on the move to make 

I Am LAYCON available to an 

international audience, Yolisa 

Phahle, MultiChoice Group CEO 

of General Entertainment and 

Connected Video, says, “Big 

Brother Naija has a huge diaspora 

audience who followed Laycon’s 

journey while he was in the 

house. With the launch of his own 

reality show, it was important to 

us to make this content available 

to fans in as many countries as 

possible.” 

Speaking of his experience 

starring in his very own reality 

show, Laycon says, “Music, 

family, and friendship are 

extremely important to me and 

I’m excited that my fans around 

the world can join me as I explore 

these different sides of me on I 

Am LAYCON.” 

•Laycon


Delectable Nollywood actress, Angela Eguavoen, who is a graduate of University of Ibadan 

started acting in 2013. She’s one of many entertainers who have social media to thank for quick 

transition in the movie industry. She is an actress and a producer. She is the producer of the 

popular film “Stillborn” and has featured in many films. In this interview with Potpourri she 

lays her world bare for all to see. 

Beginning 

When I started acting I was 

still in the university, 

combining my academics 

with my career was a major 

problem but I had to halt my 

career, faced my academics 

squarely and I came back 

when I was done with school 

and NYSC. I am so glad I 

didn’t sideline my education 

because the course I 

studied(English/Literature) 

has really helped in this 

career path I’ve chosen. 

Opinion on sex 

Sex is a beautiful thing, 

when you get to have it with 

someone who is into you as 

much as you’re into them, it 

is a blessing. Anytime this 

is the case I am never a good 

girl when it is time for action 

On relationship 

I love relationships, I love 

love. But I’d rather remain 

single than being in a 

relationship with someone 

who doesn’t respect me, 

have my back, or support me 

and most importantly, my 

career. 

By Juliet Ebirim 

Guinness Nigeria has 

unveiled ex- Big Brother 

Naija housemate Nengi 

Hampson as brand 

ambassador. She becomes 

a member of an enviable 

class of new brand 

managers which 

includes Prince 

Enwerem, Beverly 

Naya, Fireboy DML, 

Oli Ekun, and 

Yagazie Emezi. 

The 23-year-old 

model and 

reality TV star 

exudes the 

b o l d , 

distinct 

On marriage 

I am going to get married 

to the love of my life some 

day. But for now, I am single 

as they come. 

On being sexy 

Being sexy to me means 

being confident, in charge 

and comfortable in one’s own 

body. That being said, 

there’s a trait in everybody 

that makes them look so 

sexy to others. Sexiness 

comes with an effortless 

gorgeousness. Hey girl, 

Nengi becomes Guinness Nigeria’s brand 

ambassador 

Sexiness 

comes with 

effortless 

gorgeousness 

—Angela Eguavoen 

and premium character which 

the brand represents. 

Speaking about the new 

development, Adenike Adebola, 

Marketing & Innovation Director, 

Guinness Nigeria, explained: 

“We are excited to unveil Nengi 

as brand ambassador. For us, she 

is an emblem of our rich history - 

bold, captivating and uninhibited. 

This association is a toast to 

unapologetic women owning 

their crafts every day. A 

Guinness woman is self-assured 

and audacious, leaving a mark 

wherever she shows up. Nengi 

is a Guinness woman!” 

On her part, Nengi said, “For me, 

Guinness represents confidence 

and beauty and I’m excited to 

drive what it means to be a 

Guinness woman with a new 

generation of empowered 

women. Every bold and 

extraordinary woman is a queen 

and every queen deserves a 

premium brew.” 

please flaunt your body if you 

are very comfortable doing 

it, the body belongs to you, 

do whatever pleases you. 

Social media 

Social media is a blessing 

to every actor. It is the new 

acting CV and audition 

because a lot of filmmakers 

get to see your work even 

without you knowing. So, it 

has really helped my 

career. 

By Juliet Ebirim 

It was an evening of fun, music 

and games last Friday, as 

Nigerian singer Adekunle Gold 

thrilled fans at the Unity Bank 

Live concert. The bank made 

history by being the first 

commercial bank in Nigeria to 

host a virtual music concert. 

The event which was held on 

the bank’s official Instagram 

page, was hosted by Comedian 

Mr. Hyenana and featured several 

entertainment acts including 

Khell Magic, TFS dance crew, the 

Embarrassing moment 

It was when I fell into a 

gutter on my way to a film 

set. It was raining heavily 

that day and the driver 

couldn’t continue the 

journey, so he stopped at a 

bus stop. I quickly ran 

towards the shade so as not 

to get drenched by the rain. 

Unknowingly to me, there was 

a very deep gutter covered by 

the flood ahead. I fell inside 

with my bag soaked from head 

to toe. It was a really big 

struggle as I couldn’t get out 

myself, but thank God for the 

good Samaritans around who 

pulled me out. I probably 

would’ve been swept away by 

the flood. To crown it all up 

the producer refused to pay 

my artist fee. It’s been years 

now and I am grateful for how 

far I have come. 

Turn-on in opposite sex 

Funny, dark/light skinned, 

tall, generous and romantic 

guys, clean and smells good 

are a huge turn on for me. 

Once he is dirty, smells 

awkward, nonchalant or not 

lively in any way, I just get 

turned off. 

Special talent 

I am a versatile actor. I 

always bring my A game to 

every project; I strip myself 

of Angela and become the 

character I am playing and I 

do anything feasible to 

portray my character 

greatly. 

Ultimate goal 

To become not just a 

household name but a global 

entity. One whose success 

inspires people. I intend to 

build other brands outside 

entertainment. To touch and 

transform as many lives as 

possible. I am really keen on 

helping people, I intend to 

become better at doing that. 

Fanfare as Adekunle Gold 

headlines UB Live concert 

79th Element among others. 

“At Unity Bank, our resolve is to 

continue to create initiatives that 

will enable us to always reinforce 

Nigeria’s unity. This virtual 

concert, therefore, reaffirms that 

resolve and commitment. Also, at 

a time the global pandemic has 

disrupted normal life, we feel that 

an activity like this can help uplift 

spirits and spread joy in the midst 

of uncertainty” DeVoe Okorie, 

Head, 

Corporate 

Communications, Unity Bank Plc 

said. 

The bank rewarded loyal 

customers, giving them a chance 

to win their share of 1 million 

naira worth of cash prizes by 

participating in a trivia. 

Winners from the 

UnityBankJinglechallenge who 

created their own unique covers 

to the original tune sang by 

Adekunle Gold, also performed at 

the show. The challenge produced 

five winners including the duo of 

Oyatoki Omolola and Olaoluwa 

Bayonle Emmanuel who 

delivered the jingle in a sign 

language. The other four winners 

were all upcoming artistes who 

used the opportunity to promote 

their talents and interact with the 

brand ambassador -Adekunle 

Gold.

Covid 19 protocols: 

Prosecute NSITF, etc. now 

When the Covid 19 

pandemic broke a 

little over a year 

ago, many had feared the 

spread would be hard to 

contain especially in 

developing societies such as 

Nigeria with weak public 

enlightenment 

arrangements. Activities 

which followed the outbreak 

confirmed such fears as 

many citizens behaved as 

though they neither heard 

nor understood various 

admonitions for people to 

avoid the risk of being 

infected. There are still 

many households and 

individuals in Nigeria today 

who have remained cynical 

of the declarations of 

scientists and relevant 

organizations about the 

pandemic. The posture of 

disbelief in Nigeria and 

perhaps elsewhere in Africa 

was greatly increased by the 

fact that infections and 

deaths in the continent were 

relatively low compared to 

the devastating effects the 

pandemic has had on 

Europe and America. 

Perhaps it was indeed, a 

white-man’s disease, some 

analysts imagined. In 

addition, reports of many 

casualties that were reported 

showed that it was at best a 

disease of the elderly. 

Nothing till date has in 

PhD,Department of 

Philosophy, 

University of Lagos 

08116759758 

opuruiche2000@gmail.com 

As usual, in Nigeria the 

official response to 

covid-19pandemic is 

hampered seriouslyby 

shambolic health care 

system, inadequate number 

and quality of health 

professionals in the relevant 

fields, non-existent testing and 

contact-tracing 

infrastructure, and conspiracy 

theories coupled with 

scepticism in some segments 

of the population about covid- 

19. That said, the effort to deal 

with the disease must not be 

restricted to therapies or 

vaccines developed outside 

Africa. Oftentimes one 

wonders why Africans, 

especially black Africans, 

seem to be suffering 

perpetually from dependency 

syndrome, that is, the irrational 

disposition of relying on 

others to solve their problems, 

including the ones they can 

handle themselves. The 

answer lies in a combination 

of complex historical external 

and internal factors, but 

persistent poor quality 

leadership in most sub- 

Saharan African countries 

after independence has 

crippled their capacity for 

self-reliance that engenders 

sustainable development. 

Accordingly, Africans must 

wake up from slumber and 

face the covid-19 challenge 

squarely. The relevant health 

authorities in Nigeria should 

investigate without delay the 

encouraging claims of 

essence properly countered 

theseerroneous beliefs 

thereby creating a fertile 

ground for many to flout 

directives and rules made by 

government to contain the 

spread of the pandemic. Yet, 

Covid 19 infections have 

continued to be on the 

increase even in urban 

centres where our so-called 

educated elites live. 

In Nigeria, where Lagos 

has become the unbeaten 

epic centre, people are 

prepared to give it to her 

numerical strength but the 

same argument does not 

easily hold for Abuja which 

has quite often behaved like 

a location in competition 

with Lagos as far as covid 

infections are concerned. 

Last Thursday for instance, 

the Nigerian Centre for 

Disease Control (NCDC) 

reported an infection figure 

of 275 for Lagos while Abuja 

secured 45infection more 

than Lagos making hers 320 

for that day. Instructively, 

these figures are recorded at 

a time when clearly 

stipulated sanctions have 

been put in place to check 

infections arising from 

breaches to the rules. It has 

thus become clear that the 

old argument of poor public 

enlightenment is no longer 

persuasive especially for 

Abuja which has a plethora 

Last year, this year, and 

beyond (3) 

Profs.Iwu and Ezeibe about 

developing an effective cure 

for covid-19, and promote 

other home-grown 

prophylactic and therapeutic 

medicines that are efficacious 

against the deadly disease. 

There is no doubt that home 

remedies that can prevent 

coronavirus from invading 

the body or cure the resulting 

illness already exist: the 

challenge is to identify and 

improve them,which reduces 

reliance on foreign 

medications. 

Enough has been said about 

covid-19 such that it is time to 

shift gears and discuss other 

things. As consistent readers 

of this column might have 

noticed, in the last couple of 

years I usually celebrate in the 

first or second month of a new 

year individuals that made 

positive impact on my life in 

the preceding year. That 

practice is even more justified 

at this time because of the 

current pandemic that has 

tested most people to the 

limits of their endurance. 

Therefore, I want to place on 

record that without several 

people life for me last year 

would have been like a car 

without engine oil or as the 

British novelist, Thomas 

Hardy, aptly puts it, a fraction 

without its integer. Let me 

begin with Ijeoma (Ij baby), 

my beautiful but sometimes 

temperamental spouse, and 

our two lovely rascally 

daughters, Nwanyioma and 

Nwadiuto. Like all 

marriages, mine faced 

of media platforms that 

daily inform and educate the 

people. In fact,some weeks 

back, FCT Minister, 

Muhammad Musa Bello 

had appealed to Abuja 

Market Management 

Limited and other market 

associations to assist 

government in carrying out 

sensitisation campaigns. 

This he had hoped would 

ensure compliance to health 

protocols and regulations, 

as conditions for the full reopening 

of worship centres 

and other places. Certainly, 

we are now in the era of 

deliberate refusal by people 

to obey lawful orders which 

ought to be swiftly penalized. 

In doing so, government 

must change its old strategy 

of breathing heavily on 

onlythe poor and minor 

offenders. It is surely time to 

deal decisively with 

government officials and 

corporate organizations 

which cannot lay claim to the 

excuse of lack of awareness of 

the rules. Here, we refer to the 

reported offensive behaviour 

of the Nigeria Social 

Insurance Trust Fund 

(NSITF)which assembled in 

Abuja, a large number of its 

staff to undertake promotion 

examinations. In attendance 

at the single venue organized 

for the event, were no less than 

one thousand two hundred 

(1200) members of staff of the 

organization drawn from its 

offices in the North Central 

Zone including Kogi state 

whose covid 19 status has 

remained a mystery since the 

inception of the pandemic. 

Apart from the large 

assembly in which many 

were said to be without face 

masks, NSITF did not also 

in line with extant rules seek 

authorization for the 

gathering. But for the timely 

Are we so immersed in 

the rat race for primitive 

accumulation, 

promotion, power, 

instant gratification and 

so on that we forget the 

fundamental 

insubstantiality of our 

being? 

challenges exacerbated by 

staying in the house for 

prolonged periods due to 

covid-19. It would be 

uncharitable to blame solely 

either my wife or myself for our 

quarrels since both of us are 

culpable in one way or another. 

Still, I use this opportunity to 

thank Ij baby very sincerely for 

her resilience and 

commitment to the union -and 

for her great meals too 

because I really savour the 

delicious nutritious food she 

prepares for the family. My 

wife is a good woman, a 

prudent manager of limited 

resources; but she needs to 

calm down anytime we are 

quarrelling because raising 

her voice harshly when talking 

to me pushes the anger button 

in my brain. To be candid, my 

unorthodox beliefs and 

behaviour sometimes can test 

the patience of most women 

to the limit; that is why I have 

decided to try really hard to 

minimise occasions for 

friction in the family. My two 

daughters are growing into 

beautiful women. The fatherly 

love I have for them must be 

blended with discipline to 

ensure that they become 

responsible members of the 

society. Overall they are good 

children, but lately their 

academic performance is 

drooping. I have challenged 

them to improve or run the risk 

intervention of the (FCTA) 

Taskforce on Enforcement 

of COVID-19 Protocols, the 

officers would have been left 

endangered for the duration 

of the examination - an 

Except such bodies 

are penalized it 

would be difficult to 

convince ordinary 

folks that the rules 

governing conduct 

during the pandemic 

are meant to be 

obeyed and not 

experimented upon 

exercise which we hear had 

been due for over two years. 

While commending the 

task force for stopping the 

event from holding, we are 

not convinced that such an 

action was the only option 

available to the task force 

as a commensurate reaction. 

Why was the NSITF not 

prosecuted? The Fund is a 

corporate body established 

by law to maintain a solvent 

compensation fund 

managed in the interest of 

employees and employers 

in Nigeria. Apart from 

pension, the NSITF is 

mandated to manage all 

social security insurance 

schemes. It is therefore a 

body which has an 

obligation to lead by 

example. Its ill-fated 

promotion examination 

scheduled for Abuja last 

week was organized in bad 

of losing some of the 

privileges they currently enjoy. 

I am very grateful to my big 

sister, Ihuoma, who was 

elevated to the position of a 

high court judge in 2019, and 

her husband, Dee Sam. They 

have been really good to me 

and I wish them peace 

profound, excellent health, 

and lasting happiness this 

year and beyond. At the 

University of Lagos, Akoka, 

where I earn my stomach 

infrastructure, there are 

individuals that contributed 

meaningfully to my life also. 

To begin with, 

Prof.OluwatoyinOgundipe 

has been like a kind-hearted 

friend to me even before he 

became Vice-Chancellor and 

I hereby express my undiluted 

gratitude to him. Profs. Ben 

O g h o j a f o r , 

FolasadeOgunsola, and 

Oluwole Familoni – thank 

you for your amiable 

disposition towards me. My 

sincere appreciation goes to 

colleagues and staff in the 

Department of Philosophy 

including Drs. Chris 

Osegenwune, Kazeem 

Fayemi, Tony Okeregbe, 

Modestus Onyeaghalaji, 

Debo Gbadebo, Peter Oni, 

Fatai Asodun, Peter Osimiri; 

Mr.Dan Ekere, Philo Egbe, 

Steve Oriaku, Bukky, 

Mrs.Tytler, Abe,Cordelia, and 

Abigail. I wish to 

acknowledge Profs.Ngozi 

Osarenren, David Aworawo, 

Ademola Adeleke, Olufunke 

Adeboye (Dean of Arts), 

Muyiwa Falaiye, Chiedozie 

Okoro, Joe Abugu,Iyaoola 

Oni, Victor Ariole, Austin 

Nwagbara, Chimdi 

Maduagwu, Tunde Okpeibi- 

Davies, A. Akinyeye, R.T. 

Akinyele, Alabi Soneye, P.K. 

Fogam, T.O. Nubi, J. 

Mojekwu, Uche Udeani, 

Samuel Owualah, Ndubuisi 

Nwokoma, Friday Ndubuisi, 

and Iwu Ikwubuzo, Chris 

Agulanna, Isaac Ukpokolo, 


fate by reckless officials who 

are liable to be penalized in 

addition to vicarious 

liability of the Fund’s 

management. Indeed, the 

Fund ought to have been 

immediately prosecuted. In 

addition, the management 

of the venue –the New M & 

M Event Centre located in 

Garki, Abuja can also not be 

left off the hook because she 

is also liable to the sanctions 

clearly stipulated as 

punishment for breaching 

the relevant guidelines. 

Except such bodies are 

penalized it would be 

difficult to convince 

ordinary folks that the rules 

governing conduct during 

the pandemic are meant to 

be obeyed and not 

experimented upon. Such 

well placed bodies should be 

prosecuted forthwith. 

This is particularly 

important for a location 

such as Abuja where the FCT 

Administration (FCTA) has 

been super active in 

apprehending and punishing 

low income and poor 

individuals who in the search 

for livelihood breach any of 

the rules on Covid 19. The 

week before,the FCTA had 

disclosed that its task force 

had arrested, arraigned, 

prosecuted and convicted no 

fewer than 100 persons over 

violation of the COVID-19 

protocols. Last Monday,the 

taskforce went around 

strategic places in the city to 

arrest violators. Following the 

arrests, an Abuja Mobile 

Court, was reported to have 

ordered the immediate 

closure of Wuse and UTC 

markets over flagrant 

disregard to the COVID-19 

rules made pursuant to the 

Health Protection 

Regulations Act, 2021 by 

President Muhammadu 

Francis Offor, and O. 

Oyeshile. Warm greetings to 

my co-residents at C block, 

highrise, University of Lagos, 

especially Profs.Ezeike, 

Nwabueze, Macaulay, 

Nwadinigwe, and Badru; 

Mrs.Solanke, Drs.Bayo 

Ogunkanmi, Gbenga 

Akinmoladun, and YemiOke. 

My acknowledgements will 

be grossly incomplete without 

the names of my friends: 

Lugardo, Simon, Dele, Bede, 

Bishop, Dee Tony, Bashorun, 

Ralph, Victoria, Hajiyah 

Ajoke, Pompoli, Ikemba 

Henry Achonwa, Pastor Jake 

Epelle, Drs.Ayeni,Isaac 

Nwogwugwu, Henry 

Ogunjewo, Chris Anyaokwu, 

M.M. Fadakinte, Gbenga 

Fasiku and Robert Obioha; 

Uba and Fredo. I remember 

with smiles the pleasant 

attitude of staff of UBA 

University of Lagos branch 

which makes banking a 

pleasurable experience. My 

sincere gratitude goes to 

ageless Uncle Sam Amuka 

and to the hardworking staff 

of Vanguard newspapers, 

particularly Gbenga Adefaye, 

Eze Anaba, Wale Akinola, 

Madam Titilayo, and Moses. 

Lekan, Eko-for-Show, 

Babatee, and Segunrewire – 

thank you most sincerely for 

taking good care of my 

vehicles. I genuinely 

appreciate avid readers of this 

column such as Profs. Fidelis 

Ogah and Obasi Igwe; Dr. Isu, 

Chief Agbalaya and the man 

from Agulu who lives in Idah. 

My cobbler, Tunde, and tailor, 

Blackman; I hereby put on 

record that both of you are 

good at what you do. A ship 

load of gratitude goes to the 

eye doctors at the 68 Nigerian 

Army Reference Hospital, 

Yaba, who took care of my 

extremely painful cornea 

ulcer last year.Now, if you 

were good to me last year and 

your name was not 

mentioned, it simply points to 

Buhari. According to the 

media, most of the people 

prosecuted were fined N2000 

each because they were firsttime 

offenders while those 

who couldn’t afford to pay the 

fine were sentenced to two 

weeks of community service. 

So, when is NSITF’s 

prosecution? The Abuja task 

force needs to provide an 

answer to this poser because 

we are in a democracy which 

presupposes equality of all 

before the law. With no 

prosecutions recorded for the 

Nigerian Identity 

Management Commission 

NIMC and her massive 

crowds seeking to obtain 

national identity numbers, it 

would be hard to convince 

ordinary citizens that they are 

not the only targets of 

Nigerian law. 

Although there had been 

several speeches by the 

Presidential Task Force on the 

readiness of government to 

sanction many prominent 

citizens who had flouted covid 

19 protocols, none of such 

VIPs has been so penalized. 

Last year, the task force at its 

51 st briefing did name one 

governor, one immediate 

past governor and a 

prominent publisher among 

those who disregarded 

Aviation protocols to ensure 

safe air travel, and about 

which the Federal Airports 

Authority of Nigeria FAAN 

tweeted that it would “do the 

needful” - a threat that seemed 

to have evaporated thereafter. 

Government must find the 

courage to name our opinion 

moulders who appear 

unaware that examples are 

better than precepts by 

publishing names of big 

offenders to convince all of us 

that Covid 19 is not a big 

man’s disease for which only 

the small manis punished. 

the imperfection of human 

memory – special thanks to 

you all the same. 

The death of my friend, 

Jifeson(CEO of Publishers 

Express) on December 25 was 

my saddest experience last 

year. Jifeson was a good man, 

a generous personality whose 

untimely demise is another 

painful reminder of the 

transitoriness and fragility of 

human existence. Indeed, 

every death is a solemn 

indicator that we all are 

moving inexorably to our 

graves, which ought to make 

us take the Socratic dictum 

“Man know thyself” seriously 

in solitude. The same ancient 

Greek philosopher, 

Socrates, also reminds us 

that the unexamined life is 

not worth living.So, how 

many of us engage in 

periodic self-audit of our 

lives in order to pay more 

attention to things that 

really matter and minimise 

frivolities? Or are we so 

immersed in the rat race for 

primitive accumulation, 

promotion, power, instant 

gratification and so on that 

we forget the fundamental 

insubstantiality of our 

being? It appears that most 

people live mostly in blissful 

forgetfulness of death to the 

extent that they suffer from 

the illusion of grandeur and 

exaggerated selfimportance. 

I made this 

point some years ago and it 

bears repeating again: every 

adult should visit the 

mortuary once in a while to 

have a deeper understanding 

of the meaningful 

meaninglessness of human 

existence. Surely, life is a 

hard learning process, 

which implies that it is our 

business to help one 

another. And even if you are 

unwilling or cannot help the 

person next to you, at least 

do not compound his or her 

problems. In 2021, our 

philosophy of life should be 

“help when you can with 

what you have wherever you 

are.”Concluded

PAGE 16 —SUNDAY VANGUARD, FEBRUARY 7, 2021 

NIGERIA: The shape of 

things to come from US 

under Biden — Ambassador Sani 

A 

By Nnamdi Ojiego 

former Nigerian Ambassador to 

Mauritania, Ambassador Bala Sani, 

in this interview, speaks on how Nigeria/ 

US relations may fare under President Joe 

Biden, saying the prospects of a fruitful 

relationship are bright. 

The new US President, Joe Biden, 

started with some immigration 

policies that favoured Nigeria. Does 

that mean Nigeria will benefit more 

from the Biden administration? 

I think we will benefit far more than what 

we have seen. Nigeria didn’t benefit much 

from the Obama administration because 

of the claim that we are not protecting 

human rights in the fight against Boko 

Haram in the North East. That was why 

President Obama stopped us from buying 

weapons from the United States, especially 

warships, but during the presidency of 

former President Trump, he did not take 

these things for granted. But he sold 

weapons of warfare to us. These are planes 

that we need in the fight against Boko 

Haram. They have not yet been delivered, 

the cost has been paid but it was said that 

they will be delivered in a year. 

What Biden has started doing is good for 

us. That does not mean that he will not 

review the relationship with many countries. 

Having a good relationship with other 

countries promotes trade and economic 

development. But I don’t think we should 

expect gains for Nigeria in 100 days. It 

should take like a year. 

President Biden is a politician, and he has 

been in the senate for a long time. In my 

opinion, he is a very patient person, and 

he is a very good public relations man. 

Biden will start to correct what people in 

the United States think of President Trump. 

Biden has signed off on more than a dozen 

executive orders including Trump’s visa ban 

on some countries including Nigeria. He 

also returned America to the Paris Treaty 

on global warming. 

Surprises and changes 

American politics at this time has come 

with some surprises and changes. I want to 

look at the success of President Biden. He 

won by a landslide. The defeat of former 

President Trump was not a bad thing. It 

showed that he tried and has the support 

of the people. But I don’t think the American 

people were satisfied with his style of 

governance. That was the reason for this 

change. We must remember that he is not a 

politician at the same time. 

He is very successful in business, but his 

style and manners are also different. His 

tenure was different from previous 

presidents, which means he is not smart. 

He is calm at times but he is usually very 

quick to get angry, especially at journalists, 

and even at his employees. That was why 

he changed staff frequently. What people 

saw as xenophobia and racism in the United 

States during the time of Trump happened 

in previous administrations. 

Do you think the ongoing 

impeachment of Trump is really 

necessary? 

He has been impeached for the second 

time. One happened last year and another 

is being done this year for supporting 

protesters over the results of the last election. 

•Sani 

They just want to prevent him from running 

for office in the future. 

What are the likely implications if 

Trump is eventually impeached? 

It is not a crime to be disciplined. It is 

disgraceful for a president to invite people 

to revolt against the law. What they did 

could jeopardize national security because 

it was clear that Trump was supporting the 

rebellion. That wasn’t a small crime. 

I think impeachment is enough they don’t 

have to add other penalties like stopping 

his benefits as a former president. 

Do you see Biden turning against 

the Chinese in the area of trade the 

way Trump did? 

Even if he does, he will not do it the way 

Trump did. Former President Trump sees 

China as the cause of COVID-19 virus. 

There are World Trade Organisation ,WTO, 

rules under the United Nations,UN, on how 

to trade between countries but competition 

between major countries is still going on. 

For example, Kano State is happy to have 

two of its sons, Dangote and Rabiu among 

the richest in Nigeria but there must be 

competition between them. Therefore, 

diplomacy is very important for 

reconciliation between countries. China is 

always improving and also knows that the 

United States does not want it to have quick 

development, no matter who rules the 

United States. The United States is hoping 

to continue maintaining its capacity as the 

world’s largest economy. China has 

dominated African countries in terms of 

social development, infrastructure, and 

styles that are different from the United 

States, and African countries have already 

accepted China 

Recently, China imposed sanctions on 

28 former aides of Trump. Do you think 

this could lead to a new rift between China 

and the United States? 

China was right because President Trump 

is responsible for the strained relationship. 

He pushed China hard and has clearly shown 

his dislike for the country. In my opinion, 

China is right and there is no reason for the 

United States to be upset about this problem 

between former President Trump and China. 

On nuclear issue 

President Biden will look into the matter 

because the nuclear issue is a big issue 

that should be addressed. No one 

wants the nuclear issue to 

escalate. The risk of escalation 

is very high. It is not just in the 

interest of the United States 

but also the entire world. 

For example, the United 

States and Russia have more 

nuclear weapons than any 

other countries in the world, 

but everyone wants to be safe 

because of the dangers of nuclear weapons. 

How best can Nigeria handle its 

relationship with China and US to 

attract investments to the country? 

This is a very sensible and positive question 

because the United States was buying oil from 

Nigeria before China and India started buying 

from us. The United States is the largest buyer 

and also an oil-rich country, but it does not 

sell its oil. It buys and stores it for future use. 

Trade between Nigeria and the United States 

is more in the area of arms, agriculture, and 

healthcare equipment. There is no way the 

US can provide Nigeria with its science and 

technology. That tells you that we will 

continue to depend on them for military 

services. 

Do you think Nigeria’s population 

will help it grow economically like 

China? 

Nigeria does not have the technology to 

produce the same products as China. Nigeria 

has a large population without technology 

while China has a large population and has 

technology. That is why every government 

should give priority to science and 

technology for the benefit of the nation. 

2023 ELECTORAL CYCLE BEGINS 

INEC's plan to improve voter 

access to Polling Units, 

by Mahmood Yakubu 


As the Independent National 

Electoral Commission (INEC) 

enters a new electoral cycle (2019- 

2023), with some major upcoming 

activities such as the Continuous Voter 

Registration (CVR) and several off-cycle 

elections which will culminate in the 2023 

general elections, it has decided to 

embark early enough on a major 

programme of engagement with 

stakeholders on expanding voter access 

to Polling Units ahead of 

the activities in the 

electoral calendar. 

Consequently, it has 

prepared a Discussion 

Paper which the 

Commission’s Chairman, 

Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, 

described as the 

framework for the planned 

engagement. 

“Among other things, it 

presents the Commission’s 

concerns about the 

worsening challenge of 

voter access to Polling 

Units, provides a historical 

background to this 

challenge, outlines some 

indicative issues to be 

addressed by the 

Over the 

years, 

voter 

access to 

Polling 

Units in 

Nigeria has 

been 

declining 

engagements and provides the 

Commission’s thinking on how to solve 

the challenge of declining voter access to 

Polling Units in Nigeria”, Yakubu said. 

Describing Polling Units as central to 

the electoral process and therefore 

democracy at large, he said voter access 

to Polling Units is at the very heart of 

electoral democracy because Polling 

Units are the basis on which citizens 

exercise their fundamental rights to vote 

and to make electoral choices freely. 

“Consequently, Polling Units largely 

shape citizens’ confidence in the electoral 

process, the levels of either participation 

or apathy, as well as security 

and safety during elections. 

“Voter access goes beyond the 

number of Polling Units 

available to voters. It also 

entails siting Polling 

Units in places that are 

conducive to voting as 

well as the extent to 

which 

the 

environment of each 

Polling Unit provides 

a good voter experience and 

implementation of the 

regulations and guidelines of 

the Commission on Election 

Day. 

‘Over the years, voter access 

to Polling Units in Nigeria has 

been declining. For the 2019 

General Elections, the 

average number of voters per Polling Unit 

was about 700 nationally, rising to over 

•Yakubu 

2,000 in the Federal Capital Territory 

while a specific Polling Unit in Nasarawa 

State had over 15,000 voters. 

“Furthermore, some Polling Units are 

located in very difficult places that do not 

encourage voters to participate in 

elections, particularly persons living with 

disability. Others are located in places 

experiencing conflicts or in places under 

the control of partisan actors. 

“Moreover, because of inadequate 

Polling Units, many voters have to travel 

long distances to their Polling Units 

on Election Day. 

“All these have contributed to low 

voter turnout at elections, egregious 

violation of election regulations and 

guidelines, violence and insecurity. 

“Crowding at Polling Units also 

constitutes health and safety issues in 

this period of the global COVID-19 

pandemic. 

“Repeated attempts by the 

Commission to expand voter access 

to Polling Units by establishing 

new ones and relocating some to 

better sites have not been successful. 

“Consequently, the Commission 

resorted to stopgap measures such 

as the creation of ‘Baby Polling 

Units’, Voting Points and Voting Point 

Settlements. 

“All these have not adequately 

solved the problem and, in fact, 

in some cases have created 

new challenges of their 

own. 

“The inability of the 

Commission to 

routinely expand voter 

access to Polling Units 

when necessary has 

been principally due to 

politicization of the 

process by sundry 

interests in the country, 

especially by 

propagating 

unfounded claims and 

conspiracy theories 

about 

the 

Commission’s 

intentions. 

“Delays arising from 

opposition to the establishment of Polling 

Units have meant that the process comes 

too close to elections and therefore is 

impossible to complete. 

“Also, the level of consultation with 

stakeholders by the Commission may not 

have been adequate”. 

• Next week, Sunday Vanguard starts 

the serialization of the Discussion Paper 

on Polling Units as prepared by INEC

SUNDAY VANGUARD, FEBRUARY 7, 2021,PAGE 17 

One woman’s reject is another woman’s prayer point! 

“LAGOS life has never 

held that much 

excitement for me”, 

said Kike, a 38-year-old 

mother of three.” When I was 

admitted into a nursing school 

in Lagos after my secondary 

school, I was ecstatic. But I 

soon saw Lagos for what it was 

- a city with a frenzied lifestyle 

that I could never catch 

up with. I’d been born and 

bred in a fairly big town but 

to a protective parents. When 

I came to Lagos, I stayed with 

an uncle, my mum’s elder 

brother, and was amazed at 

the freedom he gave his children, 

including me. My parents 

thought I would be safe 

staying with my uncle instead 

of the den of vice they 

thought the nurses’ hostel 

would be. But in six months, 

I’d lost my virginity to a man 

who said he loved me. The 

depth of his love became 

shallow as soon as he found 

another conquest. After a few 

more sweet-mouthed tickle 

men, I was thoroughly disillusioned 

and cynical about 

love. 

“When I finished at the 

nursing school, I worked for 

close to a year in one of the 

teaching hospitals before I 

snapped up the offer of work 

with another uncle who just 

opened an ultra-modern 

practice in our town. I was 

glad to be back with my parents 

even though the hospital 

offered accommodation. 

The salary was good and I 

soon got together with lost 

friends. I was working nights 

some few months later, when 

a man was brought in with a 

nasty gash on his leg. He’d 

accidentally fallen into a ditch 

during the rainy season. I 

tended his wounds and he 

wanted to know if I could 

come to his house the next 

day to dress his wounds. He 

said he would make it worth 

my while if I came. So I went. 

He was much older of course, 

and a bit on the stocky side, 

but distinguished. 

“When I looked at the card 

he gave me, I discovered that 

Gbade was his first name and 

the address was the impressive 

factory that had just been 

opened on the outskirts of 

town. The house address was 

one of the fancy houses that 

were recently sold by the state 

government at the town’s 

GRA. When I arrived, I was 

shown into a very posh living 

room, with leather sofas, 

glass-top dining table, impressive 

bar and other nickknacks. 

As I dressed his 

wounds, we chatted, but you 

could see he was trying to find 

out all about me. I told him of 

the nasty experiences I’d had 

with men and that I was bidding 

my time in looking for a 

boyfriend. He asked me to 

stay for lunch and the meal 

the cook prepared was like a 

feast. When I was ready to 

leave, he gave me an envelope 

for my ‘trouble’ and 

asked the driver to drop me 

at the hospital in one of his 

posh cars. My eyes nearly 

popped when I checked the 

envelope and saw how generous 

he was. I went to dress 

his wounds a few more times 

and got to know him better. 

Air Peace takes delivery of 

new Embraer E195-E2 aircraft 

He taught me how to have 

wine with my meals and it 

was during one of my tipsy 

moments that we kissed and 

made love. Of course he’d 

told me that he was married 

and that he used this beautiful 

house as his ‘base’ four 

days a week. The rest of the 

week he spent with his wife 

and two daughters. 

“Six months after I met him, 

I discovered I was pregnant. 

It wasn’t planned. He refused 

to use the condom because 

he said he couldn’t be 

bothered fiddling with the 

stuff at his age. My contraceptive 

must have failed and 

when I told him, he asked me 

to move into the house 

straight away. I was aghast. 

What would my parents say? 

“I’ll deal with them”, he assured. 

I was at work when 

he went to visit my parents. 

My mum found time to call 

my mobile to tell me what to 

expect from my dad but she 

said he would come round in 

the end. When I got home, 

dad really tore into me. What 

example did I think I was setting 

for my siblings getting 

hitched to a married man? 

Was a second wife the best I 

could be? I wish I had the 

nerve to tell him the rotten 

treatment I’d been subjected 

to by former boyfriends, but 

my mum had warned me not 

to contradict him. 

Herbert & Hana launches unisex fashion line 

“He took his time in giving 

his consent for me to move 

into Gbade’s house and he 

didn’t visit until Gbade had 

done the traditional wine-carrying. 

When he eventually 

visited, he admitted I’d really 

struck gold. Gbade’s wife 

never came to the premises - 

I doubt if she knew of its existence 

as he had another flat 

at the factory. Every weekday, 

his wife would call around 

7.00p.m. and that was it. Within 

eight years, I’d had three 

lovely boys. I have since left 

my nursing job to be a fulltime 

housewife. My husband 

sees to it that I want for nothing. 

The kids are well taken 

care of and he’s rebuilt my 

parent’s house and given 

them a car. Just last year, on 

his 60th birthday, he transferred 

the ownership of the 

house to me and has been 

buying shares in the boys’ 

names. He’d told me he 

didn’t want any embarrassment 

with his wife when he 

eventually dies, that I 

wouldn’t need to fight his 

family over any inheritance 

and he is true to his words. 

Just last year, he opened an 

ultra-modern supermarket, 

the first of its kind in our town 

so I could have my own income 

for life. 

“Now that the children are 

not so young, I’m thinking of 

starting a business of my own 

to supplement the super market 

and he’s encouraged me 

to do that. I pinch myself at 

times to believe my good luck. 

Some of my friends are still 

struggling with their not-soyoung 

husbands and a few are 

divorced. The other woman? 

If this is what it’s all about, 

then I feel privileged and 

grateful to be one!” 

A Bit Over The Top? (Humour) 

A man goes to the doctor 

complaining that since he has 

been taking Viagra, he always 

feels so tired. After examining 

him, the doctor remarks: 

“Well, I can’t find anything 

wrong with you, perhaps 

you’d better tell me how 

you spend your days.” 

“Okay”, replied the man. “I 

usually wake up about 6.30, 

make love to the wife, doze 

off for a while, make love 

again and get up about 8 

o’clock. Then after breakfast 

I usually make love to her 

again in the kitchen before 

going off to work. 

“At one o’clock, I drive the 

four miles home, made love 

to the wife, have lunch then 

go back to work. I get home 

at six make love to the wife a 

couple of times, have supper, 

make love again, pop down 

the club for an hour then come 

back and make love on the 

sofa. We go to bed about 

11.30, have lots more love and 

then go to sleep. Quite often, 

we wake up a couple of times 

in the night and have more.” 

The doctor was dumbfounded. 

“Well, I think I can tell you 

what’s wrong,” he said. “It’s 

too much shagging. It’s wearing 

you out.” “Oh really”, replied 

the man. “For a while, I 

thought it might be all the 

wanking I do in the office.” 

NDLEA: Marwa’s appointment among Buhari’s best — Narcotics Council 

By Johnbosco 

Agbakwuru 

frican Council on 

ANarcotics, ACON, has 

lauded the appointment of 

Air Peace airline made history 

recently as the first airline to 

take delivery of one of the 13 

brand new E195-E2 aircraft 

ordered for in Africa. 

The aircraft flew from 

Embraer’s facility in São José 

dos Campos, Brazil and 

arrived the Nnamdi Azikiwe 

International Airport, Abuja. 

Describing the aircraft on its 

arrival, The Chairman and 

CEO of Air Peace, Mr Allen 

Onyema, said: “The E195-E2 

is the perfect aircraft to 

expand our domestic and 

regional operations. We are 

aware of the aircraft’s 

impressive economic 

performance as well as its 

unique configuration, the 

major reasons we placed an 

order for this aircraft. It is also 

a historic feat as Air Peace will 

be the first to operate this 

aircraft model in the whole of 

Africa. The E195-E2 aircraft 

One of Air Peace’s brand 

new E195-E2 aircraft 

former 

military 

administrator of Lagos State, 

Brigadier General (retd) Buba 

Marwa as the Chairman/ 

Chief Executive, National 

Drug Law Enforcement 

Agency, NDLEA, describing it 

will further help us actualise 

our ambition of connecting 

not just the whole of Nigeria, 

but the entire African 

continent, while feeding longhaul 

flights from our Lagos 

hub. The acquisition will 

enable us to deliver on our 

‘no-city-left-behind’ initiative, 

which is underpinned by our 

goal to reduce the air 

transportation burden of 

Africans”. 

An excited Cesar Pereira, vice 

president of Europe, Middle 

East and Africa, Embraer 

Commercial Aviation said, 

“Handing over beautiful new 

jets to our customers is a 

favourite activity for everyone 

at Embraer. Doing so in the 

current circumstances is a 

boost for us all as we adapt to 

the changing environment. 

This is a fabulous start to the 

year for everybody at Air Peace 

and Embraer.” 

Okpe Youth Council commiserates with 

Okowa, Owhefere families 

By Simon Adewale 

he Okpe Youth Council has 

Tcondoled with the the 

family of Governor Ifeanyi 

Okowa following the recent 

demise of his father, Chief 

Arthur Okowa, describing the 

deceased as “a great man in 

the state who has contributed 

in no small measure to the 

socio economic development 

of the state.” 

In the same vein, the youths 

also condoled with the family 

of the late Majority Leader of 

Delta State House of 

Assembly, Hon. Tim 

Owhefere, following the 

demise of the law maker, who, 

theysaid, “until his death was 

one of the most vibrant 

personalities in the House.” 

as among the best 

appointment made by 


Buhari’s administration. 

ACON, in a congratulatory 

letter to Marwa, which was 

signed by its President, 

Rekpene Bassey, said the 

appointment was well 

deserved. 

Herbert & Hana, a 

premium fashion 

brand, has been unveiled in 

Lagos with an underlying 

objective to provide 

elegant fashion needs for 

classy ladies and men. 

“There is no question about 

the fact that this is one of the 

best national appointments 

that has been made by the 

present administration”, the 

body said. 

“To say your appointment is 

more than well-deserved is an 

understatement given your 

known track record of 

Address the press during 

the unveiling ceremonies, 

the Public Relations 

Manager of the company, 

Didi Malachy, highlighted 

that Herbert & Hana is all 

about excellent fashion 

and styling. 

excellent performance in all 

your previous national 

appointments. 

“While we feel certain that 

your present position will not 

be exception, we note here the 

assurances of your prayers, 

trusting God will help you 

succeed in the massive task 

ahead considering the 

He noted that the brand 

would be propagating a 

lifestyle of high and 

elegant fashion through its 

distinct collections. 

“Herbert & Hana is a hybrid 

- a deliberate amalgam of 

I’m happy I found passion in acting, says Idia Aisen 

By Ephraim Oseji 

opular Nigerian model 

Pand TV presenter, Idia 

Aisen, says she feels excited 

making her acting debut in 

the remake of popular 

Nollywood movie, ‘Nneka 

the Pretty Serpent’. 

Aisen has traversed the 

broadcast, model and 

fashion industries, before 

venturing into movie 

acting. 

Speaking on how she 

feels adding acting to her 

already successful career, 

she exclaimed; “The only 

word that comes to mind is 

grateful. I’m grateful to 

have found another passion 

worth pursuing, and I’m 

even more humbled to have 

discovered it with such a 

big opportunity.” 

According to her, playing 

out the lead role was quite 

challenging. “The most 

challenging part of the 

movie was embodying 

Nneka’s character—from 

the grief she witnessed as a 

child, the anger that came 

from that grief, to the 

confidence she embodied 

when possessed''. 

''I loved learning to speak 

Igbo for the movie, and 

training for the fight 

scenes was also quite the 

experience, filming with 

•Aisen 

parents were 

already aware of 

the positive impacts 

of acting in our 

culture and the 

society at large. 

He added, “I am 

very passionate 

about acting so 

there was never a 

time I thought of 

leaving my passion 

solely for another 

career.” On the 

f i n a n c i a l 

downsides of his •Lawal, 

chosen career, he 

said, “Every career 

has its own struggles and 

frightening increase in the 

illicit drug problem in our 

country. 

“Needless to say, we will be 

more than delighted to work 

with your goodself on this 

onerous task in the hope that 

you will leave the NDLEA 

better than you met it.” 

I don’t feature in substandard productions —Ibraheem Lawal 

S-based actor and skit- 

Ibraheem Bolaji Umaker, 

Lawal, has stated that he is not 

a fan of substandard 

productions, hence his reason 

for being picky with the 

movies and roles he appears 

in 

Ṫhe role interpreter, who 

came into limelight in 2018, 

further revealed that as an 

actor, he believes it is 

extremely important to be 

proud of every work and 

content one puts out. 

Speaking on his journey 

into acting, he said: “At the 

time I started acting, my 

Nollywood heavyweights 

including Kenneth Okolie, 

Chioma Apotha, Zack Orji, 

Keppy Ekpeyong Bassey, 

Beverly Osu, Beverly Naya 

among other actors worthy 

of note, she said; “It was an 

amazing experience 

working with all the 

castsome I spent more time 

filming with than others 

but the most important 

thing I did was learn as 

much as I could from 

everyone around me. Ada, 

who was played by Bimbo 

Ademoye; The Queen 

mother, played by Hon. 

urban couture and styles with 

classic motifs. And to cater for 

both sexes, the brand has a 

division: ‘Just Herbert’ for 

men and ‘Just Hana’ for 

women.” 

Ndidi Obi, Tega played by 

Keppy Ekpeyong and 

Inspector Daniel, played by 

Bovi; were some of my 

favorite characters.” 

Surprisingly, far from 

expectation, considering 

the fact that it was her first 

experience acting, Idia 

dazzled in interpreting/ 

acting out her role in the 

movie as Nneka. Unlike 

some who would exude 

elements of an amateur, 

she brought her A’ game to 

the fore as she effortlessly 

interpreted the lead role 

like a veteran actor would. 

Rome was not built 

in a day. 

Understanding this 

and more made 

me get a side hustle 

to keep body and 

soul together. 

Also weighing in 

on controversies, he 

stated that while it 

was not something 

he could 

comfortably do, 

actors and 

celebrities are 

adults who have the 

right to do 

whatever suits 

them or works for them.

PAGE 18 — SUNDAY Vanguard, FEBRUARY 7, 2021 

Amid rising tension over herders/farmers 

clashes in Nigeria, Governor Abdullahi 

Ganduje of Kano State recently proposed the 

stoppage of the movement of cattle from North 

to South, leading to an ongoing debate on 

whether the proposal is capable of ending the 

crisis. 

The message resonated so much as if the 

governor was making such a call for the first 

time. 

Long before the latest tension in the country 

over the matter, Ganduje had made a similar 

proposal. 

He even went ahead to suggest that foreign 

herders be banned from entering Nigeria. 

In his recent call, the governor, a Fulani, 

restated his earlier position that the North/ 

South movement of cows is responsible for 

the rising tension associated with the activities 

of herdsmen. 

The Kano State helmsman revealed that he 

has built a Rural Grazing Area, RUGA, 

settlement in Kano where herders are being 

resettled. 

Meanwhile, the leader of Fulani herdsmen 

and Secretary of Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders 

Association of Nigeria, MACBAN, in Kano 

State Zubairu Ibrahim, told Sunday 

Vanguard, at the weekend, that herdsmen 

from many parts of the country have indicated 

interest to relocate to the Kano RUGA 

settlement. 

Ibrahim said some of them are from states 

such as Nasarawa, Niger, Enugu and Oyo 

states, among others. 

He said herdsmen willing to relocate to its 

RUGA settlement provided by the state 

government are welcome so long as they would 

abide by the law. 

Ibrahim added that herdsmen from five 

states have already relocated to the state. 

According to him, "we have some Fulani 

herdsmen from Kebbi, Zamfara, Kaduna, 

Sokoto, and Jigawa who are now in Kano. 

The governor has invited anyone willing to 

stay in the RUGA settlement to come. If they 

come and they are good people, nothing will 

stop us from receiving them. 

"All they need to do is to follow the rules and 

regulations of government. They should go 

for grazing in the afternoon and not at night. 

Nothing can stop them from coming if they 

are interested. 

"Since the governor of Ondo State has gone 

to the media to say that they (herdsmen) should 

vacate the area, instead of staying there they 

should leave. they should leave so that 

something bad does not happen to them and 

their property. They should just vacate the area 

for their safety." 

He commended Ganduje for fulfilling his 

promises and making history by resettling 

them in the RUGA settlement. 

Fulani herdsmen have, for some time now, 

been in the eye of the storm over killing of 

residents, especially in the southern part of 

the country, after allegedly causing their cattle 

to graze recklessly in farms of farmers and, in 

the process, destroying valuable crops. 

Mid last month, Ondo State government 

ordered herdsmen operating from the state’s 

forest reserves out of the place following 

kidnappings and ransom taking linked to 

them. 

In Oyo, Yoruba activist Sunday Adeyemo, 

aka Sunday Igboho, led a group to give herders 

operating in Ibarapa area of the state one 

week ultimate to vacate the area. 

An attack was subsequently launched on the 

Sarkin Fulani in the Ibarapa area, leading to 

the burning of some of his property and forcing 

him to relocate to Kwara State. 

For several days last week, there were 

protests against herders in parts of Edo and 

Delta states by women against alleged 

criminal activities of herders. 

The report below gives a full view of the 

Ganduje Ruga settlement in Danshoyia and 

Falgore forests where herders from several 

states of the South are allegedly relocating to. 

By Bashir Bello 

Kano State government is not leaving any 

stone unturned on the implementation 

of Rural Grazing Areas, RUGA, 

settlement project to resettle Fulani herdsmen. 

The aim is to end incessant farmers/herders 

clashes and as well boost socio-economic 

activities in the state. 

To this end, he seems to have matched his 

words with action by setting in motion works 

on the project which are in various stages of 

completion. 

Sunday Vanguard learned that government 

selected Danshoyia Forest, Kiru Local 

Government Area of the state, which currently 

houses about 25 housing units of the first 

phase of 200 housing units to be constructed 

in the forest. 

Other facilities on the masterplan of the 

RUGA project include industrial boreholes, 

veterinary clinic, dispensary, earth dam, milk 

collection centre, primary school, Islamiyyah 

school, Mosque, market and security outpost. 

A lot of factors were said to have been 

considered before the location of the project 

was chosen. 

The issues considered include the size of the 

area, closeness to market and the areas’ 

notoriety for habouring criminals. 

Embattled herdsmen 

from Oyo, Enugu, Niger, 

others heading to Kano 

—Miyetti Allah 

•Inside Danguje’s N2.5bn RUGA settlements in 

Danshoyia, Falgore forests 

Model houses 

In fact, some forests where criminal 

activities take place were chosen and converted 

into RUGA settlements. 

The project has two components being 

handled by the RUGA Committee and the 

Kano State Agro Pastoral Development 

Project, KSADP, with aid from the Islamic 

Development Bank. 

The Committee oversees the construction 

of houses while KSADP supervises the 

provision of other infrastructures in the 

facilities. 

Chairman of the RUGA Committee, Jibrilla 

Mohammed, had said the Committee settled 

for the Danshoyia Forest for the fact that it is 

very large with a sizable number of Fulani 

settlements and arable land for grass 

cultivation. 

He explained that model houses of two 

bedrooms were being built in the form of 

clusters of six houses. 

N2.5billion 

On his part, KSADP Coordinator, 

Muhammad Garba, said N2.5billion was 

earmarked for the provision of facilities in 

the Danshoyia forest. 

Garba who spoke through his Project 

Communication Specialist, Ameen Yassar, 

said N88 million contract has been awarded 

for seed modifications for growing grass. 

He explained: “KASDP is 

handling another 

component of the project 

which is aided by the Islamic 

Development Bank. We are 

working in Danshoyia Forest 

where we intend to settle the 

herdsmen. We intend to grow 

grass and have even 

awarded a contract for seed 

modifications worth 88 

million. 

“We intend to spend at least 

N2.5billion in the forest to 

provide facilities such as 

milk collection centre, 

school for the nomads, 

mosque and market and so 

on. So while we are doing 

some of these things the 

committee is also carrying 

out its mandate. But our 

project is the main entity that 

is working in the forest. 

Milk collection 

“The state government through the 

committee is building a number of houses for 

the Fulani while KASDP is building the milk 

collection centre, markets, veterinary clinic, 

and other facilities. 

“We are even looking at the possibility of 

constructing a bridge to link up the area. There 

is a stream that transverse the Danshoyia 

Forest and terminates at the Challawa Gauge 

Dam. 

“KSADP will provide the much-needed 

solution to farmers/ herders conflicts, 

unfettered nomadism as well as enhance the 

development of pastoral communities. 

“I want to believe that only a project such as 

I would like to 

invite all 

herdsmen in the 

country who 

will like to settle 

in one place 

this that can curb famers/herders clashes and 

security risks, improve farm yields, accelerate 

livestock production through adoption of 

modern best practices to generally improve 

the economic potentials of our small holder 

farmers. 

“The project will improve the capacity of 

our herdsmen to produce and process more 

milk and pave the way for quality beef 

production. We believe that because of the 

security implication of nomadic lifestyle such 

as farmer/herders clashes and the fact that the 

old system of cattle rearing is more cultural 

than economical, things must change. 

“We decided to create Ruga settlements in 

our forests such as Dansoshiya and with the 

help of this Islamic Development Bank, IsDB 

supported Project. We are going to make them 

full-fledged grazing reserves.” 

Why we initiated project 

—Ganduje 

Already, 25 units of the first phase of 200 

housing units at Danshoyia Forest, have been 

commissioned. 

At the commissioning ceremony, Ganduje 

provided more insight into the project, saying 

it was mainly conceived to address insecurity 

in not just Kano but also the entire country. 

He said: “ The first reason is the problem of 

insecurity all over the country as a result of 

the conflict between the farmers and 

herdsmen. This is an old conflict that 

must be resolved in a very 

organized and scientific system. 

“Also, the herdsmen who 

travelled from one state to 

another have to be resettled, 

from the northern part of the 

country to Middle Belt, 

southern and western part of the 

country, the journey results in 

conflict as a result of farmers/ 

herders clash, religious, tribal, 

economic conflicts and a lot of 

lives are lost to these conflicts. 

“Similarly, there is the 

problem of cattle rustling 

because cattle rustlers find it 

very easy when herdsmen are 

traveling from one state to 

another. These must stop. And 

the only way to stop it is to 

domesticate and resettle the 

herdsmen in one place so that 

they don’t cross the borders from 

one place to another. 

Children of herdsmen 

“Another reason we developed the RUGA 

settlement is to modernize the herdsmanship 

by modernizing the system of breeding our 

cows. We all know that the traditional 

herdsmanship, the cattle do not grow fat 

therefore meat and milk production is very 

limited. To modernize the system, that is why 

Kano State government sponsored 72 children 

of herdsmen to the Republic of Turkey to learn 

insemination and are now back to Kano and 

practicing attrition insemination. An 

insemination center will be established in the 

RUGA facility. We will provide veterinary 

doctors and veterinary technicians who will 

assist with the modern system of breeding 

Gov. Ganduje 

animals. It is necessary to improve and 

modernise the breeding system for Fulani 

cattle. As it is clear that a gallon of milk is 

more expensive than one gallon of petrol, it is, 

therefore, necessary for us to utilize this great 

opportunity. We are also thinking of 

establishing a modern abattoir so that haulage 

of cattle from North to South would be 

replaced with transportation of processed 

meat. 

RUGA 

“Another reason we develop the settlement 

is for human development of the herdsmen. 

We have to consider their education and health. 

We are providing primary and later secondary 

schools. This is because education is the pillar 

of development. I am also a Fulani man. When 

I was growing up I was involved in cattle 

rearing or herdsmanship. I took the cattle to 

the river and forest where they fed and later 

took them back home. The following day, the 

process continues. I was enrolled in a Primary 

school, sat for an examination and I passed it 

which qualified me for secondary school. I 

proceeded to the university. I did my Masters 

and PhD. I worked in the government and 

later joined politics and today, I am the 

Governor of Kano State. This is only possible 

because I was enrolled in a school. So my 

brothers and sisters from the Fulani tribe, you 

must enroll your children in school and the 

adults must join adult education. In this RUGA 

settlement, we are providing you with primary 

school and later on with secondary school and 

all facilities that will encourage and promote 

your education. 

“Equally, we are providing you with health 

facilities and markets and all those facilities 

that will make you develop as a human being. 

Falgore Forest 

“Our intention in the first phase is to construct 

200 housing units, now we have 25 and 

construction is going on. And we assure you 

that we will continue this project until we 

develop a huge RUGA settlement in Kiru Local 

Government Area. 

“This is not the only site, in Falgore Forest, 

we are doing the same construction of houses 

and other facilities to ensure that the 

herdsmen are settled in one place. In Falgore 

Forest, we are also providing a training 

ground for the military so that cattle rustlers 

will not come after their cattle. 

“I would like to invite all herdsmen in the 

country who will like to settle in one place. We 

have started providing infrastructure at the 

Danshoyia and Falgore forests. We invite all 

herdsmen to come to Kano so we provide them 

with such services. We know the 

socioeconomic advantage of these and we 

know how we can reduce conflict in Nigeria 

by such gigantic programmes.’’

ADETUTU AUDU 

08023849036, 08112662587 

SUNDAY Vanguard, FEBRUARY 7, 2021, PAGE 19 

•Alakija 

Still on Folorunsho 

Alakija and Forbes 

list 

The richest woman in Nigeria, Folorunsho 

Alakija, did not make the list of the richest 

people in Africa this year. 

The Vice Chairman of Famfa Oil is the only 

Nigerian in last year’s compilation that did 

not make the list this year. 

Checks revealed that the global crash in 

oil price forced Alakija, who owns an oil 

exploration company, out of the list. 

According to Forbes, Alakija, whose 

business interests span digital printing, 

fashion and real estate, did not make the 

new list of the richest persons in Africa 

because she dropped below $1billion (net 

worth) as a result of “low oil prices.” 

Tinubu opens up on Oando 

10 years ago, Oando PLC, 

70% average consistently; 

one of Africa’s leading 

others have represented their 

energy solution providers, 

states and local governments 

decided to invest in 

at different academic 

education with Oando 

Foundation with a mission 

to improve the environment 

and learning outcomes in 

Nigerian public schools. 

Today, the Foundation has 

competitions. 

Because the Foundation 

believes that education is 

constantly evolving and so 

should the teaching methods, 

it has successfully supported 

not only lived to its 

the 

professional 

expectation, it has also 

development of 2,832 

bridged the gap and 

teachers and 210 head 

transformed lives of the 

teachers in school 

Nigerian children through 

management, modern 

education. 

Since its establishment in 

2011, the Inspired Hands 

pedagogical practices and 

subject content knowledge. 

Tinubu, who is very proud of 

have dedicated their time, 

talent and resources in 

putting smiles on the faces 

of school pupils, teachers 

and indeed the larger 

community. 

The Foundation, over the 

years, has conducted four 

career talks, three book 

the Foundation’s 

drives, four schools 

rehabilitation across 

Nigeria while it has also donated 1, 500 educational 

aids and sponsored 221 scholarships across the 

nation. 

Through the scholarship programme, it has impacted 

1, 153 students from poor homes while beneficiaries 

have recorded remarkable strides, performing above 

Kola Karim steps into 

Harry Akande's shoes 

For multi millionaire, Kola Karim, the 

news making the rounds is that the 

helmsman of Shoreline Energy 

Group is to be honoured with the title of 

Agba Oye of Ibadan land. 

Sources revealed that the Olubadan-In- 

Council led by Oba Salisu Adetunji is 

making arrangements for Karim to take 

over the title after the demise of Chief 

Harry Akande who held the title until his 

death some months ago. 

An ardent polo lover, the Oyo State born 

•David Wej 

David Wej’s foreign 

flagship store 

achievements in the past 10 

years, has vowed that they 

• Wale 

will not relent in their efforts 

Tinubu's 

to achieved their mission in 

improving the environment 

and learning outcomes in 

Nigerian public schools. 

“To say that I am proud of 

our achievements in 

bridging the gap and 

transforming lives of Nigerian children through 

education is an understatement”, he said. 

“I look forward to more feats and the role the 

Foundation will continue to play in placing 

education and livelong learning at the centre 

of COVID-19 recovery’’ 

businessman does not embrace the 

limelight as much as he deserves to. 

Rather, he prefers to operate from the 

background, proudly surveying the vast 

works of his hands. 

For those who don’t know him, Karim 

is a big player in the oil and gas 

industry and is no stranger to fame. 

Apart from being the Group Managing 

Director of Shore Energy International, 

he is CEO of many other multimillion 

dollar businesses. 

ne of Nigeria’s rising fashion brands, 

ODavid Wej, has concluded plans to 

expand beyond our borders by opening its 

first foreign flagship store in London, United 

Kingdom. 

Named David Wej UK, the store, which is 

aimed at taking Nigerian fashion and 

culture to the rest of the world starting from 

London, one of the global fashion capitals, 

will be located near the famous Oxford 

Street. 

According to Adedayo Eweje, Creative 

Director of the company, David Wej UK’s 

unique appeal is that it will offer affordable 

ready-to-wear Kaftans, Agbada and other 

traditional outfits online and in-store in 

addition to the bespoke suits, shirts and 

other accessories that the company has 

been known for since it began business 13 

years ago. 

“From this location, we will be serving 

our customers in the United Kingdom, 

Europe, United States and Canada pending 

our presence at these locations. Our store 

will be on 38 Great Portland Street off 

Oxford Street W1W 8QY London”, Eweje 

said. 

•Efe 

fe Omorogbe certainly needs no 

Eintroduction. He is the hugely 

respected and accomplished 

founder and CEO of Now Muzik, 

one of Nigeria’s most successful 

music management and record 

label companies. 

The likes of Timi Dakolo, Sunny 

Nneji, Tunde & Wunmi Obe (T.W.O) 

and Africa’s music legend, Tuface 

Idibia, are a few of the stars whose 

remarkable careers Now Muzik has 

handled. 

But, perhaps, the biggest job that 

shot Omorogbe and his Now Muzik 

team to greater prominence is their 

management of Tubaba’s illustrious 

career. 

The talent manager who has 

worked in a wide variety of 

capacities for more than two 

decades is inching closer to his 

• Karim 

“We deliberately chose a location 

around Oxford Street to make a bold 

statement about our focus and ambition. 

Oxford Street and environs are the prime 

destination for shoppers all over the world 

and we believe it is the best place that 

we can effectively tell the Lagos and 

Nigerian fashion story”. 

On why the company is opening a store 

in the midst of the pandemic, he noted 

that the business plan had been in motion 

long before COVID-19. 

“Though we are aware that COVID-19 

will soon be a thing of the past, we are 

strategically positioning the brand in the 

present by offering online sales from the 

same location. The ground floor will be 

the walk-in store while the basement will 

handle our online operations”, he added. 

Efe Omorogbe 

plans big for 

50th birthday 

golden jubilee and friends and 

associates are planning to make the 

milestone memorable. 

As part of the celebration of the 

golden jubilee, the creative 

entrepreneur will launch a new 

project, Connaisseur Cruise, and a 

documentary, ‘A walk with the king’; 

a chronicle of his work behind the 

scenes with 2Baba will also be 

released. 

No doubt the graduate of 

University of Lagos, BA, English (Ed), 

has etched his name in the sands of 

time. 

Omorogbe is co-founder, 

Hypertek Digital/960 Music Group 

and founder, Buckwyld Media 

Network, a creative and production 

solutions company (Producers of 

“Buckwyld ‘n’ Breathless”, “Power 

of 1”). He is also associate coproducer, 

All Africa Music Awards 

(AFRIMA), and the building of a 

world class support structure for 

effective rights protection and 

sustainable growth in the 

entertainment industry remains a 

passion. 

His work in partnership with key 

industry leaders birthed Copyright 

Society of Nigeria (COSON) in 

2010 and Omorogbe has served on 

the board as director for many years. 

He also served on the Nigerian 

Covid-19 Creative Industry 

Committee. 

Omorogbe’s name has featured a 

good number of times on the ‘most 

influential entertainment 

personalities in Nigeria’ list over the 

last 15 years.


OSUN EDUCATION: 

‘We are seeing the gains of 

the ‘killing’ of Aregbesola’s 

policy in billions’ 

By Demola Akinyemi, Ilorin 

Alhaji Jamiu Babatunde Olawunmi 

is Special Adviser on Education to 

Governor Gboyega Oyetola of 

Osun State. In this interview, Olawunmi 

speaks on the state of education in Osun 

among other issues. Excerpts: 

Since the education policy in Osun was 

reversed, what has been the situation? 

Osun State government has fared 

excellently in the area of education. One 

of the indices that qualified my governor 

to be nominated as Governor of the Year 

2020 by a newspaper was because 

education was very prominent among the 

three issues they considered where he 

excelled among his peers. That award was 

instructive because this was the same 

newspaper that earlier published that 

Osun spent over N90bn out N100bn to 

pay debt; if the governor of a state that 

was almost insolvent and no longer 

sustainable now emerged the Best 

Governor of the Year from the perspective 

of that newspaper, it is very good for us 

because it means the governor knows 

what he has set out to achieve and he is 

achieving that. If we look at the reviewed 

policy, the new uniform, name change, the 

6-3-3-4 issue, the pre-school issue and 

early childhood education development, 

these are what the education policy was 

all about. In terms of uniform, you cannot 

imagine the economic consequence as 

every school has its own uniform restored. 

That has generated close to N3bn 

businesses for tailors and cloth sellers. The 

uniforms have actually turned the 

economy of Osun for better. That is why 

the National Bureau of Statistics said we 

have a lot of wealth generated to the 

economy in Osun; actually we have a lot 

of wealth that is going round because of 

the dynamism introduced by Governor 

Oyetola. Tailors association and other 

stakeholders have been coming to pay 

thank you visit and I know that, very soon, 

they will hold a rally for the governor to 

show their support for him. The second 

one, when you look at the name of the 

schools…let me give you an instance of 

Ilesa Grammar School which was 

founded in 1934; if we now say Ilesa 

Government High School established in 

1934, are they the same? No. That’s one 

of the reasons one of the old students 

associations went to court and the number 

of vice chancellors Ilesa Grammar 

School has produced is more than any 

other secondary school in Osun. The 

importance of this is that we have high 

net worth people coming to endorse the 

performance of the governor. We have 

constituted boards of governors of those 

schools and old students are chairmen. 

So, where you have boards of governors 

like that, those petty things that take 

money out of government pocket are 

being taken over by the boards. They now 

have influence to look at what the teacher 

teaches and judge whether that teacher is 

fit or not. They also have 

influence to look into the 

school governance, look at 

the competence of the 

principal. And if you look 

at it by and large, the issue 

of cultism has gone down. 

When last did you find 

students throwing stones or 

carrying out any violent 

act? So our review has 

brought a lot of dividends 

such that you only imagine 

that the taste of the 

pudding is in its eating. We 

running the schools, we 

know how relieved we have 

become as compared to 

when we got to office. 

So what is the agenda of 

the era for education for 

2021? 

Reviewing the policy is a 

very big achievement for 

Governor Oyetola because 

something that cuts across every home is 

education whether you attend private or 

public school. The private schools are 

service providers, they are doing it under 

our supervision, they obtain license from 

us. They are also helping government 

educate the people; that is why they are 

very critical stakeholders. If you are doing 

well in public school and you are not 

doing well in private school, you are not 

doing well. In terms of governance, 

supervision, cooperation with service 

Students are the 

beneficiaries and 

they are happy, 

it’s no longer that 

a boy like Victor 

Moses will attend 

Baptist Girls High 

School 

•Babatunde 

providers, things are going 

on well and that is a very 

huge achievement for the 

Oyetola administration. 

Nonetheless, we are not 

resting, we want to 

actually leave a mark that 

will be peculiar to this 

government. Let me share 

this with you. There was a 

committee from the Vice 

President’s Office in 

December. They came to 

check critical areas of 

social service in the state. 

They looked at our 

education, agriculture, 

infrastructure and health. 

When they got to this 

place, I said we have 

something that other 

states in Nigeria do not 

have, they couldn’t believe 

it and I was just coming from the annual 

National Education Conference in Abuja 

where I also showed what we are doing in 

Osun that stood us out there. I said they 

could get to my class now on their phones 

and watch mathematics, English, 

agriculture, they couldn’t believe it. And 

the website there is www.osun.csm.ng. I 

was trying to open it but the network was 

bad on my phone. One of those who came 

from Abuja opened it and he got into 

mathematics class. If I had done it, it 

could amount to maybe I preloaded it on 

my phone but it was on his phone. I told 

him to go to English class and it was audio 

visual and you can also do assessment and 

obtain mark, that’s what we have done in 

Osun. And we are going to face digital 

literacy squarely this year. It is part of the 

new normal occasioned by Covid-19. If 

the global economy had envisaged that 

we would have coronavirus, everybody 

would have moved to the so-called new 

normal. But as we speak today, anybody 

coming into the new normal now will 

meet Osun at the forefront. And that is 

what we are going to focus on. Osun 

education will become a tourist 

attraction this year and I know a lot of 

states will come here to learn what we 

have been able to do. It is based on cloud 

system and we are doing excellently well. 

Very soon, my governor will be 

inaugurating this aspect of education and 

what he will do is going to be legendary. I 

won’t let the cat out of the bag now, but I 

know that in no distant time when we 

launch it, everybody will start to come 

here to learn what we have been able to 

do. 

In the area of infrastructure, what are 

the efforts of the government in New 

Year so that your desire to improve the 

standard of education in the state can 

be fully achieved? 

This year we are going to embark on 

renovation of schools. We have quite a 

number of schools that are begging for 

attention because of the state of disrepair 

they are. Despite those gigantic buildings 

we have around, we still have a lot of 

deficit. Even though no government can 

easily complete every school, we will put 

everything in better shape. But we are 

going to start and we have close to one 

hundred schools to renovate because 

there are some that are roofless, so we 

are starting with renovation and then 

invest heavily in digital literacy. We are 

also going to invest in training, that is 

human capacity development, we are 

going to train principals, teachers, and 

sponsors from Canada are also joining 

us for the training. Also this year, the 

governor is looking to remodel certain 

aspects, especially the pre-school age, we 

want to make sure that we key into the 

UNICEF agenda which we earlier 

jettisoned. 

How have these developments 

impacted on students? 

Students are the beneficiaries and they 

are happy, it’s no longer that a boy like 

Victor Moses will attend Baptist Girls 

High School. If it is a girls’ grammar 

school, we only have girls there. Students 

themselves are seen in their uniform, now 

it just like when you go out of Nigeria 

and you see your flag, meaning the 

patriotism and heroism will be renewed 

and that is what we have among the 

schools, areas where we are working 

harder is to make sure that those schools 

progress. For instance, schools that were 

running senior secondary schools alone 

before we reviewed the policy, all of a 

sudden, are you going to manufacture 

JSS 1, 2 and 3 to join them? We have the 

SSS class, we now have JSS 1. The school 

that was running junior school alone, that 

had only JSS 1, 2, 3, has now SSS1. 

•Continues on www.vanguardngr.com 

Pastor Bakare: My encounter with Sunday Igboho 

•Says Yoruba activist is a freedom fighter, but… 

• ‘I knew we were face to face with a major crisis’ 


Pastor Tunde Bakare, Serving Overseer of 

Citadel Global Community Church, speaks 

on his telephone conversation with Yoruba 

activist Sunday Adeyemo (aka Sunday Igboho) 

who gave Fulani herdsmen operating in Ibarapa 

local government area of Oyo State seven days 

ultimatum to quit the area following killings 

allegedly linked to the herdsmen, describing 

the activist as a freedom fighter. Bakare spoke 

during a television programme in Lagos. 

The moment Sunday Adeyemo gave 7 –day 

ultimatum to Fulani herdsmen and to the chief 

of the Fulani in Oyo, I knew we were face to 

face with a major crisis. I heard him say over 

and over again that former Governor Rashidi 

Ladoja “is my father, is my mentor, he is the 

one that blessed me”. So I knew that if anyone 

had a mentor and he has to be approached, 

that mentor should be able to put a stop to 

what we consider as excess. But as God would 

have it, while I was trying to reach out to 

former Governor Ladoja who I have met 

personally in times past and whose number I 

have, an avenue occurred through an AIG who 

happened to know someone that knows 

Sunday Igboho. So I placed a call to him, he 

didn’t pick the call but I left a message that I 

would like to speak with him. He graciously 

called me back and we were able to speak 

and we agreed that he will be coming to Lagos 

to meet with me alongside his team and I also 

got our own people ready so that about five 

people here and five at that end, we could sit 

and resolve this crisis. And he agreed totally. 

But the day he was to come, his father took ill 

and he had to rush him to hospital in Iseyin or 

thereabouts. And he called and said 

he would not be able to come. And I 

said “family first and health first”. 

And I did not only pray with him, I 

also prayed with his father who also 

graciously thanked me and said “e 

jowo e ba wa da si oro yi o” 

(help to resolve this 

matter). And I found that 

the tension was already 

being detonated by the 

involvement of men of 

goodwill who were able 

to reach out to Sunday •Igboho 

Igboho. There may be 

other ways of resolving 

this crisis other than 

issuing death threats and beating drums 

of war. Thank God that the situation has a bit 

calmed down but it is not yet completely 

resolved. We will by God’s grace do all God 

has given us the power to do as well as other 

men of goodwill. My intervention and that of 

•Bakare 

other well meaning Nigerians is to 

de-escalate the tension by the 

challenge or the 7-day ultimatum 

he gave and to try as much as 

possible to reset the narrative 

before it gets out of hand. 

Please let’s be careful not 

to tear this country apart. 

And I am appealing to all 

men of goodwill to rise to 

the occasion. There are 

four issues involved in this matter and, by the 

grace of God, as soon as I have the opportunity 

I will bring them to the attention of Mr. 

President. And I believe his ministers and those 

in government are doing the same thing. One 

of the issues is open grazing. I think it is 

obsolete and it should end because the nations 

of the world have gone beyond this. I was in 

Glasgow, I was in Israel, there are so many 

things that we can do about agricultural 

pastoralism that will stop all the trouble in 

our land. We have lived with the Fulani and 

the Fulani have lived with us across this land. 

We must separate agricultural pastoralism 

from the second thing, terrorist issues in the 

forest. We have to be careful about 

indiscriminate violence. We must separate 

terrorists in the forest from agricultural 

pastoralists or those who are invading other 

peoples’ farms, they must be stopped. If our 

laws would not stop them and property rights 

not respected, then the government is not 

doing what it should do. What government 

should do is to pass laws, property laws must 

be respected. And all these pastoralists need 

to be registered so that we can know who they 

are and where they are going. It is a private 

business, it must not generate the kind of heat 

it is generating right now. Igboho looks like a 

man who wants to fight for his people because 

they were murdered, they were raped but he 

must operate within the ambit of the law. 

Indiscriminate violence is an ill wind that will 

blow no one any good. And remember before 

you unleash, there are Fulani in the South- 

West and there are Yoruba and other ethnic 

nationalities in their own (Fulani) 

communities too. And if they would open fire 

on them, it will be so indiscriminate and it is 

an ill wind. We must avert it before it gets out 

of hand.


Is God invisible? 

My niece says she wants to see God, 

but not in this life. So, I asked her: 

“Who do you think you will see in 

heaven? Will you see God with a face, eyes, a 

nose, and a mouth? Those physical attributes 

belong to God as a man.” 

However, God is a Spirit. Jesus says: “Those 

who worship Him must worship in spirit and 

truth.” (John 4:24). 

Since God is a Spirit, would He not also be 

invisible in heaven? I believe since God is invisible 

on earth, He would probably also be 

invisible in heaven. He is the Lord; He does 

not change. The challenge then is for us to be 

able to see the invisible; even while we are still 

here on earth. 

God’s blessing 

When the Lord called me, He required me to 

read Matthew 13:13-16. That scripture says: 

“Therefore, I speak to them in parables, because 

seeing they do not see, and hearing they 

do not hear, nor do they understand. And in 

them the prophecy of Isaiah is fulfilled, which 

says: ‘Hearing you will hear and shall not understand, 

and seeing you will see and not perceive. 

For the hearts of this people have grown dull. 

Their ears are hard of hearing, and their eyes 

they have closed, lest they should see with their 

eyes and hear with their ears, lest they should 

understand with their hearts and turn, so that I 

should heal them.’ 

But blessed are your eyes for they see, and 

your ears for they hear.” 

Creating the blind 

God says to Moses: “Who gave man his 

Natural blindness is 

counterfeit. The real 

blindness is the inability 

to see God 

mouth? Who makes him deaf or mute? Who 

gives him sight or makes him blind? Is it 

not I, the Lord?” (Exodus 4:11-12). 

In effect, it is God who makes some people 

blind. He does this because if He does 

not set blindness in nature, we would never 

know that there is blindness. Natural blindness 

is counterfeit. The real blindness is the 

inability to see God. 

The same goes for deafness. Natural deafness 

is counterfeit. The real deafness is the 

inability to hear God. Jesus’ statement 

above means there are people who have 

eyes, but they cannot see. There are people 

who have ears, but they cannot hear. 

But then Jesus says my eyes are blessed 

and my ears are blessed. 

If my eyes are blessed because they see, 

then I should be able to see God. If my ears 

are blessed because they hear, then I should 

be able to hear God. 

I realised the hearing of God by His grace 

during an attack by armed robbers on airport 

road in Lagos in 1996. The first thing 

He said to me was: “Femi, nothing is going 

to happen to you here.” But after He said 

this, I was shot in the leg by the robbers. 

Then, after I became concerned about 

the bullet in my leg, He said to me: “Femi, 

there is nothing wrong with your leg.” 

Presence of peace 

On that occasion, I knew for certain that the 

Lord was there. I not only heard His voice; I 

knew He was there. I felt His manifest presence. 

That presence was peace. He spread peace 

all over me and all around me, and I was not 

afraid of the robbers. 

When they left, the peace was lifted, and I became 

afraid. I thought: “I am going to bleed to 

death on this road.” But then He came back 

and said: “Femi, there is nothing wrong with 

your leg.” 

And His peace was restored yet again. 

I understood much later that: “(God) will keep 

him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on 

(God).” (Isaiah 26:3). 

On that fateful day, I could hear the Lord, but 

could not see Him. Nevertheless, He was there. 

He was right there, but I could not see Him. 

Then He came back several days later and told 

to me: “Blessed are your eyes for they see.” 

In effect, on that “Damascus road,” I also saw 

the Lord but did not know it. Over 25 years later, 

I now realise that I could have seen the Lord 

then because I see Him now. 

Seeing God 

However, the bible tells us no man can see 

God. Jesus says: “No one has seen God at any 

time.” (John 1:18). God told Moses: “You cannot 

see My face; for no man shall see Me, and 

live.” (Exodus 33:20). 

Well, we may not be able to see God’s face in 

this dispensation, but that does not mean we 

cannot see God. We can see a man without 

seeing His face. When we see a man, we see 

God because man is made in the “similitude of 

God.” (James 3:9). Man is made in the image 

and glory of God. 

But even more fundamentally, we can see the 

invisible God without seeing His face: “For 

since the creation of the world His invisible attributes 

are clearly seen, being understood by 

the things that are made.” (Romans 1:20). 

Indeed, according to the scriptures, many people 

have seen God. He appeared to Abraham 

by the terebinth trees of Mamre. (Genesis 18:1- 

5). He appeared to Jacob in Peniel. (Genesis 

32:30). He also appeared to Moses: 

“By faith (Moses) left Egypt, not fearing the 

king's anger; he persevered because he saw 

him who is invisible.” (Hebrews 11:27). “The 

Lord spoke to Moses face to face, as a man 

speaks to his friend.” (Exodus 33:11). 

God was also seen by the 70 elders of Israel 

(Exodus 24:10); by 

Gideon (Judges 6:22); by Manoah and his 

wife (Judges 13:21-22); by Isaiah (Isaiah 6:1- 

2); and by the disciples of Jesus. 

Paul says: “He was seen by Cephas, then by 

the twelve. After that He was seen by over five 

hundred brethren at once, of whom the greater 

part remain to the present, but some have 

fallen asleep. After that He was seen by James, 

then by all the apostles. Then last of all He 

was seen by me also, as by one born out of due 

time.” (1 Corinthians 15:5-8). 

Theophanies of God 

The Lord has also appeared to me many 

times. Once, He took me to heaven and set 

me before the throne of God. But I could not 

see the person seated on the throne. 

He once appeared to me as the Lion of the 

tribe of Judah. The Lion played with me and 

then used its claw to stroke my eyeball. Another 

time, He appeared to me as Olusegun 

Obasanjo when Obasanjo was still the president 

of Nigeria. 

In 2006, He appeared to me as T.S.B. Aribisala. 

He said to me: “I will send you some 

money next month from Canada.” Within 

eight days afterwards, I received N11 million 

as unexpected gifts which I used to clear my 

debt to First Bank in buying the building we 

now use for our fellowships. 

In 2012, He appeared to me on a mountain 

as Barrack Obama, president of the United 

States. He shook hands with me and took 

photographs with me. 

But these were all in dreams. Now I know 

that we should be able to see God when we are 

wide awake and not only in visions while 

asleep. TO BE CONTINUED 

J.K. Akinola. (Senior Pastor) 

The Gospel Faith Mission International 

(GOFAMINT), Ibadan, Nigeria. 

Email: flprofenassociate@gmail.com 

Pastor (Dr). E.O. Abina – General Overseer 

success in life and ministry: Just one more word 

about virtue…. 

INTRODUCTION 

We have already treated virtue (or 

moral excellence) in the previous se 

rials, as part of our elements of success. 

We were already treating the element, 

knowledge, in the last serial. However, we just 

Salvation is free (6) 

By William Kumuyi 

Ican see someone get 

ting saved today, and 

that person is none 

other than you! Yes, I mean 

you. 

Decide against playing the 

game and activities that surrounds 

religion and decide against becoming 

Pastor Kumuyi 

a spectator to the plan programme of God for 

the salvation of your soul, and become a partaker 

of His divine provision. 

want to take us a bit back to the element, 

virtue, or moral excellence and consider 

something important about it on our road 

to success. This moral excellence also incorporates 

a life of integrity. Integrity comes 

from the Latin word “integrare”, which 

means to make whole, for example, integers 

are whole numbers. To integrate is to 

Catholic Bishops decrie insecurity in the land... 

By Sam Eyoboka 

CATHOLIC Bishops of Lagos held their 

first meeting for the year 2021 at St. Agnes 

Catholic Church, Maryland, Lagos on Thursday, 

28th January 2021 and issued the following 

communiqué to express gratitude to the 

Almighty God for seeing us through the turbulent 

year 2020 which was majorly characterized 

by the onslaught of the COVID-19 pandemic 

which raged across the world, almost 

grounding every religious, socio-economic and 

political activity in the country to a standstill. 

"In a communique signed by the Lord Bishop, 

Alfred Adewale Martin, the president and 

the Bishop of Ijebu Ode, the secretary commended 

the Clergy, Religious and the lay faithful 

for remaining steadfast in the faith in spite 

of the long period of lockdown and other chal- 

Make up your mind to obtain your salvation 

and your life together with that of 

your family will never be the same again 

for ever. 

Psalms 145:9 "The LORD is good to all: 

and his tender mercies are over all his 

works." 

How many people is the LORD good to 

today? Okay. Since the LORD is good to 

everybody, including you, then erase those 

thoughts and feelings, which makes you to 

confess in the negative and begin to confess 

things in the positive because you are no 

lenges they had to contend with last year. 

We urge them not to relent in practicing 

their faith and in total commitment to the 

life and growth of the Church. We pray that 

Year 2021 will usher in new a vista of hope 

for humanity as she grapples with ways of 

containing the pandemic and its effects," 

the Bishops said. 

The Coronavirus (COVID-19) Pandemic 

"Our country Nigeria and indeed the entire 

world have continued to experience an 

unrelenting rise in the number of people 

dying or being hospitalized with serious 

sickness as a result of the coronavirus pandemic. 

More than one year after the first 

cases were reported, the virus shows no sign 

of going away to allow people return to 

their normal ways of life. 

"We applaud the discovery and produc- 

more miserable. You are no more unlucky, but 

lucky. No, you are no longer unfortunate, but 

fortunate. This is because you have come to a 

kind and generous God and you will no longer 

be the same. You will begin to experience songs 

and testimonies of joy, because He will do you 

good. 

Acts 10:38 "How God anointed Jesus of 

Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with power: 

who went about doing good, and healing all 

that were oppressed of the devil; for God was 

with him." 

Jesus went about doing good. Has he changed? 

Because His power and promise has not changed 

He will locate you with His goodness right there 

where you are in Jesus name. When He locates 

you be rest assured to experience a relocation 

tion of vaccines to protect people from getting 

infected by the virus and getting seriously sick. 

We however urge that the distribution of the vaccines 

be done in a fair and equitable manner 

that ensures that they get to all those who need 

them when they need them, regardless of their 

social or economic status. 

combine parts into a whole. So, integrity has to 

do with wholeness. Hence, a person of integrity 

is one who is whole, (a) in what he says and what 

he does, and (b) in what he is in public and what 

he is in private. Pastor E.A. Adeboye once defined 

integrity as follows. “Integrity is saying 

what you mean, meaning what you say, and 

going about doing what you said that you 

mean”. 

THE IMPORTANCE OF INTEGRITY 

Firstly, God requires it for anyone to walk with 

God, as well as being acceptable before God in 

worship of Him (Psalm 15). Since true success 

comes from God, it therefore follows that for 

you to amount to anything in life and be accepted 

by God, you need this virtue. 

Secondly, integrity is needed for self-respect 

and dignity. (Prov. 10:9). Success begins from 

within. A man who have lost his personal respect 

and dignity has failed ab-initio. It therefore 

enables you to have a clear conscience before 

God and man. (Acts 24:16). 

Thirdly, successful leaders in the Bible were 

men of integrity. Take the case of David for 

example. Two things kept him going, viz, his 

integrity and his always trusting the Lord. 

(Psalm 26). He knew God personally, had no 

hypocrisy, wickedness or pretense, and regularly 

asks God to audit him, and see if there is 

any wickedness found in him to be purged off! 

What a successful leader indeed. It is no wonder 

that among all the kings that have ever 

ruled Israel, only David is still being celebrated. 

His 3000 years of reign was recently celebrated 

in Israel. What a power of integrity! 

AREAS WHERE INTEGRITY IS NEEDED 

FOR YOUR SUCCESS 

There are three key areas where we need to 

watch our integrity. These are, “Money”, 

“Sex” and “Power”, or “Gold”, “Girls” and 

“Glory”, or better still, what some people call, 

Continues on www.vanguardngr.com 

because His wonders will come upon you. His 

grace and salvation will rest upon your life 

and His forgiveness will come to your life. 

But you must apply for relocation from sin, 

if you would want the allocation of God for 

your life in heaven to get to you. That is why 

you would need to apply for the forgiveness of 

your sins by accepting that you are a sinner 

and require pardon for sins you have committed. 

The all important moment for your salvation 

has come. Close your eyes and begin to 

confess your sins as you ask for forgiveness 

and accept Jesus into your life as your personal 

Lord and Saviour. Promise Him that 

you would never go back to sin again. 

"We urge the populace to take the pandemic 

seriously, and not scoff at it as a hoax. Consequently, 

they should abide strictly by all the 

safety measures put in place by the authorities 

to prevent themselves and those around 

them from getting infected with COVID-19 

and getting seriously sick from it. 

IT firm launches encrypted mobile app, iGospel for churches 

By Cynthia Alo 

As a move to aid the spread of Gospel to 

religious faithful across Nigeria, Sawtrax 

incorporation, an information technology firm 

has introduced and deployed a highly encrypted 

mobile app known as IGOSPEL. 

This is geared towards mitigating the spread 

of the covid-19 pandemic. 

According to the developer, the Church of God, 

its superintendents and congregation, need to 

take advantage of technology to ensure that the 

successful spread of the Gospel is never derailed 

or cut short. 

Speaking on the importance of the app 

Head of Partnerships at Sawtrax, Susanne 

Gongul , said “iGospel provides a way to 

digitally deliver and promote sermons among 

other gospel contents to a wider audience 

worldwide.'' 

She stated that it is a free next-generation 

secured video, voice and messaging platform 

Continues on page 22

PAGE 22—SUNDAY Vanguard, FEBRUARY 7, 2021 

Today our sorrow 

shall be turned to joy 

The General Overseer of the Lord's Chosen Charismatic Revival Ministry, Pastor Lazarus 

Muoka (2nd right), being excorted by officers of 195 Battalion of the Nigeria Army during 

his courtesy prayer visit to their headquarters. 

dence that we have in 

him, that, if we ask any 

thing according to his 

will, he heareth us: 15 

And if we know that he 

hear us, whatsoever we 

ask, we know that we 

have the petitions that 

we desired of him”. 

There is no doubt that 

today being the grand 

finale of our crusade; 

answers will be poured 

from heaven to wet the 

desire of the participants, 

and your sorrow 

shall be turned to joy. 

God is waiting for our petition 

so that He can give 

us answer in accordance 

with our desire. Do not 

ask for little for my God 

is the Almighty, ask for a 

big thing and see that 

God of Chosen is the 

Lord. He has set aside 

yesterday and today to 

turn your sorrow to joy. 

You should not pray for 

yourselves alone, but 

also for others; for sinners, 

that they may be 

saved; for the afflicted 

that they may be healed, 

for those in bondage that 

they may be liberated, for 

the experience of Covid- 

19 pandemic, kidnapping, 

ethnic crises, and 

political turmoil to cease, 

for our brethren in Christendom 

that they may be 

delivered from persecution 

and above all for Nigeria 

to have peace. 

There is no doubt that 

persecution and oppression 

of Christians persists 

because we do not 

pray as we are expected 

to but as we pray today 

God is determined to 

wipe away our tears in 

Jesus name. 

Acts 16:25-26 says, 

“And at midnight Paul 

and Silas prayed, and 

sang praises unto God: 

and the prisoners heard 

them. And suddenly 

there was a great earthquake, 

so that the foundations 

of the prison 

were shaken: and immediately 

all the doors 

were opened, and every 

one’s bands were 

loosed”. 

No matter your situation 

the same God that 

answered Moses and 

the apostles of old is still 

alive to answer your 

prayers in Jesus name. 

Prayer is all about getting 

answers and you 

know that there are places 

where many have 

gone to pray and went 

home without answers 

but I assure you that at 

the end of this crusade 

my God will answer you 

in Jesus name. I want to 

let you understand that 

there is no barrier in 

prayer. If you can confess 

and renounce your 

sins, and accept Jesus 

Christ as your Lord and 

Saviour, God will hear 

your prayers and answer 

shall be given to 

your request. 

Jn 9: 31 says, “Now we 

know that God heareth 

not sinners: but if any 

man be a worshipper of 

God, and doeth his will, 

him he heareth” If you 

regard iniquity in your 

heart, or wish to be 

saved, and yet abide in 

your sins, or refuse to 

separate yourself from 

the workers and works of 

iniquity, your prayers 

will not be answered and 

by extension your sorrow 

shall not be turned 

to joy. 

But if we can do as directed, 

I am very sure 

that as we conclude today’s 

program our God 

will give answer to our 

entire request as a proof 

that He answers prayers 

and our sorrow shall be 

turned to joy in Jesus 

name. 

Jn 16: 20- 24 says, 

“Verily, verily, I say 

unto you, That ye 

shall weep and lament, 

but the world shall rejoice: 

and ye shall be 

sorrowful, but your sorrow 

shall be turned into 

joy. A woman when she 

is in travail hath sorrow, 

because her hour is 

come: but as soon as she 

is delivered of the child, 

she remembereth no 

more the anguish, for 

joy that a man is born 

into the world. And ye 

now therefore have sorrow: 

but I will see you 

again, and your heart 

shall rejoice, and your 

joy no man taketh from 

you. And in that day ye 

shall ask me nothing. 

Verily, verily, I say unto 

you, Whatsoever ye shall 

ask the Father in my 

name, he will give it you. 

Hitherto have ye asked 

nothing in my name: 

ask, and ye shall receive, 

that your joy may 

be full” 

I thank God that your 

prayers will receive answers 

today in Jesus 

name. The object of so 

much grief will be to you 

a source of unspeakable 

joy. You may be wallowing 

in pain a a result of 

povety, disese, affliction, 

barrenness, lack of 

promotion, under one 

yoke or another, but today 

God will positively 

change your situation. 

No matter what your 

problem may be, if you 

pray today that is the 

grand finale of the Holy 

Ghost inspired crusade, 

entitled, FROM SOR- 

ROW TO JOY regardless 

of where you may 

be, as long as you align 

your faith with ours, my 

God will answer you. He 

never rejects any prayer 

from a diligent heart for 

He is a re-warder of 

them that diligently seek 

him. After the Lord visited 

you today, your 

heart shall rejoice and 

your joy no man takes 

away from you. 

I don’t know what 

your sorrow maybe neither 

do I know how 

many years you have 

been in that sorrow nor 

who is the brain behind 

it but what I can assure 

you is that no matter who 

the person maybe or how 

powerful he/ she is assumed 

to be, our God is 

mightier than all and 

with Him all things are 

possible. He is the Creator 

and Supplier of all 

good things and these 

things have been purchased 

for us by our 

Lord Jesus Christ, not 

that we are qualified to 

have them but the death 

and resurrection of 

Christ has qualified us 

to access all good things 

from God. Therefore, all 

you are to do is to ask 

the Father to give you 

everything that will constitute 

your joy which 

Christ has made available 

for you- that is asking 

in the name of Jesus 

Christ. 

1 Jn 5:14- 15 says, 

“And this is the confi- 

You should not 

pray for 

yourselves 

alone, but also 

for others; for 

sinners, that 

they may be 

saved 

Pastor Lazarus Muoka praying for officers of 195 Battalion Brigade, Maiduguri, during 

his courtesy prayer visit to their headquarters. 

The General Overseer of the Lord's Chosen Charismatic Revival Ministry, Pastor Lazarus Muoka (sitting centre),with 

officers of 195 Battalion Brigade, Maiduguri, during his courtesy prayer visit to their headquarters.


RCCG Region 19 lifts Ikoyi registry with 

shelter, promises more support 

Follow me as I follow Christ 

Text: 1 Corinthians 11:1 

Today we want to look at 

the life of one character in the 

scriptures, one major spiritual 

heavyweight worthy of emulation, 

whose impact transcends 

time. He is no other 

person than Paul the Apostle. 

One of the spiritual figures 

whom the Lord used to turn 

the then world upside down. 

Through him the separation 

of Judaism and Christianity 

into two different religions 

became very clear and distinct. 

He was a man who 

chose to jeopardize his life for 

the purpose of the gospel. One 

By Pastor G.C. Osuigbo 

CAC Madaiyese Regional Headquaters 

Plot 701/702 Durumi District 

P.O. BOX 2577 

Garki, Abuja. 

Contact us on: 08155555048, like us on 

facebook @cacdurumi 

man who though he did not 

see Christ in the flesh, yet the 

impact of his ministry is seen 

by all and sundry. And by human 

judgment we can rightly 

say that he exceeded the 

impact of those who lived and 

walked physically with Jesus. 

Today the life of the Apostle 

Paul can be used as a template 

for faithfulness with regards 

to the life, ministry and 

calling of any true believers. 

The life of Paul is indeed a 

beacon for Christians relating 

to the faithfulness of a 

man who is connected to 

Christ Jesus. Before a product 

is introduced to the market, 

such a product must be 

Rev. Emmanuel Awazie 

*Assemblies of God Church 

Nigeria, 111 Clegg Street, 

Surulere, Lagos. 

Friendship with Jesus (1) 

Friendship is a rare oc 

currence but when it 

does happen, and by the design 

of God, that is the best 

thing that can ever happen to 

one. It is rare because a vast 

majority of us only want relationship 

that is cut and patterned 

after our personal, selfish 

and warped ways of thinking 

and being. The very essence 

of the natural man is 

myopic, selfish and exploitative. 

We are quick to manipulate 

and take advantage 

wherever and whenever we 

have the opportunity. What 

many had assumed to be 

friendship, have ended up in 

disappointment and greater 

damage to the individual and 

we all are guilty because at 

most times we have displayed 

our lack of friendly dispositions 

“There are “friends” 

who destroy each other, but a 

real friend sticks closer than 

a brother.” – Prov. 18:24 

(NLT). 

A friend is one who selflessly 

makes me seek and do my 

very best in life. That is exactly 

what we stand to achieve 

through friendship with Jesus. 

Friendship with Jesus means 

that there is now something 

of the nature of Jesus in a man 

which has been imparted 

through a life of communion, 

on which God can base this 

friendship. It is this new disposition 

which is imparted 

and coming, not from within 

the individual, but akin to the 

benefactor Jesus Christ Himself 

and coming from Him 

By Sam Eyoboka Enoch Adejare Adeboye who 

asked churches to impact positively 

on communities where 

THE Federal Marriage 

Registry Ikoyi can they operate. 

now boast of shelter He said he was particular- 

and adequate chairs for its 

numerous customers courtesy 

of the Redeemed Christian 

Church of God, Dominion 

Sanctuary, ACME, Region 

19, Lagos. Leadership of the 

Church led by Pastor Brown 

Oyitso had on Monday donated 

four modern canopies 

and 200 chairs to the foremost 

marriage registry in the 

country. 

This came on the heels of 

similar projects executed by 

the Church aimed at improving 

the quality of lives of people 

in their vicinity. Such 

projects include water boreholes 

for Agidingbi and Idiagbon 

communities in Lagos, 

annual provision of bursary 

scholarships for needy students, 

provision of 500 brand 

new school uniforms for 

Darocha School, Agege, support 

for Pacelli School for the 

Blind, End of Year Federal 

Road Safety Campaigns as 

well as skills acquisition and Continued from page 21 

empowerment training programme. 

with innovative e-commerce 

possibilities, messages are 

Addressing the elated management 

and staff of the old- 

available for members to 

purchase seamlessly. 

est marriage registry in the 

Explaining the features, 

country, Pastor Oyitso who 

Gongul said, it comes with a 

also doubles as Intercontinental 

Missions Coordinator, 

high-definition frequency 

which makes free secured 

noted that the gesture was informed 

by the directive of the 

and uninterrupted clear audio 

and video calls among 

General Overseer, Pastor 

members. 

ly moved by the unconducive 

environment which members 

of the public from all over the 

world have to endure whenever 

they come to the Registry. 

L-R: Minister-In-Charge, Christian Social Responsibility, 

The Redeemed Christian Church of God, Region 19-HQ, Prof 

Olugbenga Ogunmoyela; Pastor in Charge of Region19/Intercontinental 

Missions Coordinator, Pastor Brown Oyitso; 

Registrar, Federal Marriage Registry, Ikoyi, Mr. Adebayo 

Adeyemi; former Kogi State Deputy Governor, Mr. Yomi 

Awoniyi and wife, Tokunbo, during the donation of chairs 

and canopies to the Ministry of Interior, Federal Marriage 

Registry in Ikoyi, Lagos. 

IT firm launches app for churches 

''The two-way communication 

channel is enabled for 

both public and private usage; 

the public channels are 

for everyone while the private 

channel is for only paid subscribers. 

Multi department 

segmentation is possible with 

the app, it has the ability to 

create multiple channels for 

the different departments and 

channels". 

proved, it must pass what we 

call 

the factory test. This is mandatory 

so as not to malign the 

name of the company. In 

fact, every product that is 

used in the market has guidelines 

as to its usage, and a 

range of what we can call 

permissive pressure before it 

buckles. This means that that 

product was designed specifically 

to withstand a particular 

range of pressure attesting 

to its durability and usability. 

Upon which if exceeded 

it fails. The life of Paul the 

Apostle is such as deserves 

both commendation and 

emulation. Paul was a man 

who was bold to ask people 

to copy his life style. How 

many preachers today can 

beat their chest and say such? 

Before Apostle Paul could 

make this boast in the Lord, 

God had to work upon his life. 

God is in the business of sitting 

upon the lives of individuals 

to effect proper pruning 

and moulding for spiritual 

development. 

alone, that forms the basis for, 

nurtures this friendship and 

produces the gains of this relationship. 

This disposition 

must be present and in place 

for the true realization of 

friendship because friendship 

places enormous demands 

on the people in the relationship 

and you could not place 

a demand on what was not 

present just as the exponentiation 

of zero would only give 

you an absolute zero. 

You will remember the story 

in the Gospel of Luke, chapter 

eleven on our Lord’s pattern 

for prayer and the story 

of the friend at midnight. The 

importunate request was 

predicated on a key factor in 

their relationship, as “...a 

friend loveth at all times....” 

Prov. 17:17. The story of the 

life of Abraham is very apt; 

he was called the friend of 

God, and God was obligated 

to the “ ... descendants of my 

good friend Abraham.” Isa. 

41:8 (Msg.). 

Borno APC urges old, new members to 

fully participate in registration exercise 

By Ndahi Marama, 

Maiduguri 

The Chairman of the All 

Progressives Congress 

(APC) in Borno State, Hon Ali 

Bukar Dakori, yesterday 

urged all members of the party, 

including those who newly 

joined, to avail themselves for 

the ongoing registration, revalidation 

and update to guarantee 

the future and position 

across the state come 2023 

general elections. 

Nestlé for Healthier Kids provides water, sanitation 

facilities for Ogun schools 

By Chioma Obinna 

To ensure that school chil 

dren have access to 

clean and safe water as the 

country battle the COVID-19 

pandemic, Nestlé for Healthier 

Kids, N4HKs, has provided 

water and sanitation facilities 

for two schools in Ogun 

State through its N4HKs programme. 

The facilities provided are 

part of the ways to prevent the 

spread of the virus and other 

infections. 

Globally, billions of people 

still lack access to clean Water 

Sanitation and Hygiene 

(WASH), thereby increasing 

the risk of infections and diseases. 

Through the Nestlé for 

Healthier Kids, a schoolbased 

nutrition education 

programme promoting 

healthy nutrition, healthy hydration, 

good hygiene as well 

as active lifestyles, Nestlé Nigeria 

reaches over 17,000 

children annually. 

With the addition of these 

two new facilities, over 16,000 

people living in the communities 

around Nestlé’s factories 

in Ogun State and Abaji 

in the FCT, now have access 

to clean and safe water. 

Also, the company’s commitment 

to providing access 

to clean water, sanitation and 

hygiene supports the Sustainable 

Development Goal 6 - 

ensuring availability and sustainable 

management of water 

and sanitation for all. 

Statistics available have 

Dalori spoke in Maiduguri 

on the preparations for 

hitch free exercise in all the 

27 local government areas 

across the state. 

He said anybody who 

wants to contest on the platform 

of the APC must obtain 

the membership card, and no 

one will be allowed to vote or 

be voted for in any forthcoming 

primaries without being 

registered. 

“The ruling All Progressives 

Congress (APC) and the 

L – R: Representative of the Commissioner for 

Health Dr. Elijah Ogunsola, the Honorable Commissioner 

for Education Professor Abayomi Arigbabu, 

the Head of Human Resources at Nestle Nigeria 

PLC Mr. Shakiru Lawal and the representative of 

the Executive Chairman Ogun State SUBEB Hon. 

Olufemi-Ilori Oduntan during the commissioning 

of water and sanitation facilities provided by Nestle 

for two schools in Ogun State. 

Worried by growing con 

cerns over who succeeds 


Buhari in 2023, the 

National Secretary, Association 

of South East Past Presidents-General, 

ASEPP, Mr 

Nnamdi Nnorom, has appealed 

to Ndigbo to come together 

for the next presidential 

election. 

He frowned at the purported 

endorsement of Chief Peter 

Umeadi , a former Chief 

Judge of Anambra State, as 

a presidential aspirant for the 

2023 general elections by the 

ASEPP, describing the move 

as null and void. 

membership registration, revalidation 

and update exercise 

remains on course and 

commences as scheduled on 

Monday, January 25, 2021”, 

the Chairman said. 

“ Here in Borno State, we 

are expecting the National 

Committee on Sunday 31st 

January 2021, we have already 

set up our State and 

Local Governments Committee 

who are to work closely 

with National Team to ensure 

smooth and fair exercise”. 

Akintayo hosts Hybrid Upgrade summit 

By Tunde Oso 

badan, the Oyo State 

Icapital was agog on 

Saturday as leading artistes, 

including popular Fuji 

maestro, Abass Obese a.k.a 

Omorapala, grazed the grand 

finale of the raffle draw 

powered by Total Grace Oil 

and Gas. 

Also on hand at the event which 

drew winners from across the 

city was the multi-talented 

comedian, Gbenga Adeyinka. 

While addressing newsmen on 

the occasion, the Chief 

Executive Officer of Total 

•Akintayo 

By Ephraim Oseji 

Real Estate guru, Dr. 

Stephen Akintayo recently 

hosted the 2021 edition 

of the Upgrade Summit. 

The annual summit, previously 

known as the Upgrade 

Conference, was a hybrid format 

event, that was held both 

virtually and physically at the 

Oriental Hotel, Lekki, Lagos 

and Marriot Hotel, Dubai, 

UAE on January 30. 

Upgrade Summit, the 

brainchild of Akintayo, Gtext 

Homes boss, was an opportunity 

for young African professionals 

to reiterate the need 

for financial freedom among 

youths in today’s world. 

Speaking, the Convener, 

Stephen Akintayo, said: “One 

of the biggest enemies of 

wealth is the urge for perfection 

at the beginning of business 

journey. When you are 

starting the journey of wealth, 

you have to start anyhow. For 

you to make money, you need 

to take risks. If you don’t take 

a journey with a step you 

Grace Group, Dr Henry 

Akinduro, stated that the draw 

was a way of empowering the 

people in line with the 

company’s corporate social 

responsibility policy. 

He urged other organisations 

to emulate the gesture of the 

company in consideration of 

the effects of the biting 

economy on the masses. 

Noting that the outbreak of the 

COVID-19 pandemic across 

the globe since last year had 

taken a negative toll on the 

masses, he said government’s 

efforts alone could not bring 

the required succour to the 

citizens. 

Abiodun disclosed that the 

won’t go anywhere.” 

He added that everybody in 

the world is thinking of how 

to change and evolve. For you 

to get to where you are, you 

must take risks. “If you want 

to make it clean or perfect 

then you won’t make a move,” 

he said. 

Dipo Adeshina, a US-based 

entrepreneur with business 

concerns in America, 

Uganda and Nigeria who 

shared that his passion is to 

help people succeed 

financially because of the 

huge mass of poverty 

affecting this generation 

tackled the concept of digital 

assets, cryptocurrency. He 

explained that while a lot of 

people don’t know what it is 

all about, it is something that 

is creating millionaires at a 

rocket pace. 

2023: Umeadi’s endorsement null 

and void — ASEPP Nnorom noted that the endorsement 

of Umeadi was 

not accepted by all the members 

of the association, and 

urged its National President, 

Mazi Omife I Omife, to kindly 

denounce the purported 

endorsement within seven 

days or face the rot of the 

National Working Committee 

of the organisation. 

He appealed to the members 

of ASEPP and the general 

public to disregard the endorsement, 

adding that whoever 

would be selected must 

be by unanimous decision of 

the entire house. 

He maintained that the 

Igbo have all it takes to produce 

the next president of Nigeria. 

Obesere, Odule, Ogunmola, Adeyinka storm Ibadan 

for lottery draw 

winners, who went home with 

different prizes, were drawn 

from the four branches of the 

firm in Ibadan. 

The draw was conducted by 

leading actors such as Dele 

Odule Peju Ogunmola, and 

Adeyinka, ace comedian. 

The prize winners, who 

expressed joy over the gift 

items, urged other companies 

to emulate the gesture of the 

oil firm in a bid to better the lot 

of the people. 

One of the lucky winners, 

Adelekan Adedapo, said as a 

professional driver, the tricycle, 

which he won is big succour, to 

support his family at this trying 

time.


Viewpoint 

By Collins Adaka 

WHEN in 2015, the wife of Delta State 

Governor Ifeanyi Okowa, Dame Edith 

Okowa, rolled out her 05 INITIATIVE, many 

people thought it would be one of those empty 

programmes without substance from erstwhile 

first ladies. But surprisingly, six years later, the 

pet project of the first lady of Delta State has 

gained currency and traction, lifting the very poor 

of the poorest out of the shackles of abject poverty 

and deprivation in all the senatorial districts 

of the state. It couldn’t have come easy. It must 

have involved some visionary thinking and diligent 

workings round the clock. 

Dame Edith Okowa has a strong belief that all 

people can shape and guide their lives according 

to the highest ideals, no matter how insignificant 

and powerless they might feel themselves 

to be. 

Perhaps, one of the strongest points that propels 

and guides her is the consciousness of God’s 

presence in her life. She is a devout Christian 

with ruthless honesty and the deepest form of 

humility. Dame Okowa has maintained these 

attributes ever since she came into the body of 

By Egedegbe Edewor 

THERE’s no gainsaying the fact that the 

oil-rich Delta State has had its fair share 

of constitutionally-required representation 

since democracy birthed in the world’s most 

populous black nation - Nigeria. Tucked in the 

serene mangrove and fauna of the Niger Delta 

region, the big heart state has however since 

creation in 1991 by the Ibrahim Babangida 

military junta suffered ill fate in the hands of the 

operators of the political system owing to poverty 

of quality and selfless leadership, a situation 

which has reduced the state that boasts of 

over 4m population of people, a figure more 

than some countries in Europe yet, has suffered 

immeasurable set backs in the hands of usurpers 

of political power. 

Comparatively, the oil-rich state is supposedly 

one of the richest and most infrastructurally 

developed in Nigeria amongst the 36 states of 

the federation in terms of derivations from the 

national treasury nay: monthly allocation from 

the federation account, 13% oil derivation, security 

votes, Internally Generated Revenue, IGR, 

By Seyi Bakare 

OF all the Yoruba textile creations, adire, 

literally that-which-is tied-and-dyed, is the 

most decorative. The Yoruba produce ofi, sanyan, 

kijipa and many others, but none accommodates 

the descriptive and expressive fibre of 

Yoruba thought and practices like adire, a fabric 

associated with the ancient city under the rocks, 

Abeokuta, one of the most notable of Yoruba 

cities, as well as Ibadan and Ogbomoso. Although 

in the beginning the adire knowledge 

probably came from Ibadan, the city of forest 

paths and renowned warriors arresting the murderous 

ambitions of powers up North, Abeokuta 

remains the smithy in which adire is forged, the 

site of its evocativeness and expression. This is no 

sweet-talking: in expressing the vitality, versatility 

and essence of the Yoruba world—its norms, 

ethos, its flora and fauna—adire simply has no 

equal, although ofi/aso oke remains at the pinnacle 

of traditional Yoruba wear. Adire is an indigo-dyed 

cloth made by Yoruba women using a 

variety of resist-dyeing techniques. In its earliest 

forms it used to be tied designs on cotton cloth 

By Ken Eluma Asogwa 

Dame Edith Okowa’s philanthropic strides 

*Dame EdithOkowa 

Christ in the early nineties. She lives and move 

and have her being in the pursuit of this goal the 

05 initiative. No wonder, it has become a huge 

success. 

So far, she has donated over 20 sickle cell clinics 

established by the 05 Initiative located at Agbor, 

Oleh, Sapale, Asaba, Ughelli, Patani, Eku, 

Koko, Orerokpe and many other towns in Delta 

State. 

She has touched the lives of many prisoners by 

feeding them and securing release through option 

of fine of those with minor offences. Also, 

ENGINEERING A NEW DELTA: The Ovie Omo-Agege model 

and host of others yet, the people wallow in abject 

poverty, despondency and mass illiteracy 

due to the non performance of those trusted 

with power who ought to be representatives. 

The trajectory of political representation in 

our state is replete with mass failure, self centredness, 

arrogance, thievery, dishonesty, insincerity, 

dearth of good conscience, profiteering, 

racketeering and all sorts of anti - human vices 

that destroys any nation reducing the youth population 

to mere hangers-on who are left idle 

and dangerously vulnerable - the reason for insecurity 

of lives and property. 

Until the political pendulum swung thrusting 

up the Deputy Senate President, DSP, Ovie Omo- 

Agege, the people of the Delta Central Senatorial 

District nay: Delta State have never known 

representation at its best not even the so called 

leaders who turned our women to cheer leaders 

and street danger in the most sychophatic manner 

year in, year out. The spend the money meant 

for constituency projects as if its their personal 

Enugu on political tenterhooks over zoning 

ON Saturday, September 19, 2020, 

Ebeano family, a political movement 

birthed by Dr. Chimaroke Nnamani, former 

governor of Enugu State, paid what they termed 

a “solidarity visit” to his successor, Rt. Hon. 

Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi. Nnamani, who spoke on 

behalf of the hordes of loyalists that accompanied 

him, pledged to support the choice of the 

incumbent governor on the issues of succession 

at the Lion Building. 

Also, in January 2021, Sen. Ike Ekweremadu 

led another delegation of Enugu West people to 

a political pilgrimage in Enugu Government 

House. In taking a cue from Ebeano visit, he, 

on behalf of his group, also pledged support for 

the governor. Though discussed in hush sounds, 

an average Joe in the state is aware that the 

former deputy president of the Senate is gearing 

up to fight for the coveted seat in 2023. 

In December 2020, just some few weeks back, 

Ekweremadu’s ambition led him all the way to 

Ovoko, Igbo-Eze South LGA, where he attended 

the grand finale of a Christmas football tournament 

he sponsored. Being the hometown of a 

politician who in turn desires the same beautiful 

ornament the former deputy Senate president 

covets, report has it that he escaped by 

whiskers from some irate village mob allegedly 

sympathetic to the cause of their kinsman 

politician. 

Prior to the above Ekweremadu visit to the 

governor, a group christened Odinma Nsukka 

had, back in November 2020, organized a mega 

rally at Nsukka wherein Ugwuanyi was hosted. 

Speakers after speakers used the platform 

to eulogize and reassure the governor of the 

unwavering support of their kinsmen. 

Central to the above moves is the pledge of 

loyalty by the above groupings. But beyond the 

loyalty pledge is the desperate scramble and 

shove for power. Ideally, there is nothing wrong 

in all of that. Politicians are wont to play politics 

and politic for power. However, when some of 

such agitations get laced in schism, with zero 

altruism, then there is a need for it to be censured. 

I sympathize with the present governor 

Dame Okowa has empowered vulnerable women 

with financial might, set up orphanages and 

the provision of skills acquisition for the unemployed 

youths and the less privileged in the society 

Ṡhe set out to walk the talk. And in so doing, 

she effortlessly crossed over the religious and ethnic 

divides that segregate the people by bringing 

succour to them painlessly. 

Dame Edith Okowa can be described as a successful 

woman. Not because she is married to Dr. 

Okowa, the governor of Delta State or being the 

first lady of the state. But because success has 

nothing to do with what you gain in life or accomplish 

yourself. Its what you do for others. You 

feel uplifted when you do something good for 

someone else. Maybe the simple joy of having to 

help another in a moment of need. Through her 

05 initiative, she has touched many lives and given 

meaning to their earthly existence. She has 

maximised her position as the first lady of Delta 

State to the greater good of the downtrodden 

and the admiration of all and sundry. The Holy 

Bible in Esther 4:14 says “For if you remain completely 

silent at this time, relief and deliverance 

will arise for the Jews from another place, but 

you and your father’s house will perish. Yet who 

knows whether you have come to the kingdom 

for such a time as this.” 

Indeed, the Lord placed her in this position to 

bring smiles to the vulnerables in Delta State 

through her pet project — the 05 INITIATIVE. 

Despite her position as the first lady, she accepts 

the authority of elders and humbles herself under 

the mighty power God hence they say no life 

grows great until it is focused, dedicated and 

disciplined. 

Those who know her from her youthful days 

attest to her virtures of honesty and integrity, discipline, 

self-restraint and moderation. Perhaps, 

it is these attributes and many more that attracted 

Governor Okowa to her in yonder years. Yours 

sincerely can only wish Dame Okowa well in all 

ramifications because she is not an accident but 

created for a purpose. God’s providence is overseeing 

her on this journey of touching the lives of 

the less privileged in Delta State. 

Continues on www.vanguard.ngr.com 

• Adaka is resident in Lagos 

money yet, no project on ground to show that 

the people of Urhobo land have ever been represented 

before now. 

It wasn’t a coincidence however, that our today’s 

Ovie Omo-Agege, the proud son of Urhobo 

land was given to us by providence to remove 

the Urhobo nation and the entire citizens 

of the state across socio-ethnic divides from the 

shame and pains of underepresentation, gross 

misrepresentation and criminal arrogance that 

we used to know as the only achievements of 

our representatives in the annals of democratic 

representations in past when elections were 

based on the obnoxious and subversive process 

of name writing by self acclaimed godfathers 

of Delta politics. 

Today, the DSP, the illustrious son of the late 

Rtd. Chief Justice James Omo-Agege, who hailed 

from Ozuaka-Ugono Orogun, Ughelli North 

LGA, Delta State, South- South Nigeria has ignited 

a life changing revolution in a new normal 

raising the bars and standard of representative 

democracy above the level of our political 

merchants who had feasted on our past ignorance 

over the years. His father Justice Omo- 

Agege made his mark in judiciary where he 

held sway on the bench and his name till date 

remains indelible in that arm of government. 

Little wonder the excellent disposition to work 

being exuded by the Senator representing the 

good people of Delta Central Senatorial District 

in the Nigerian Senate who is turning the 

table against the poverty of ideas that once ruled 

our past in terms of underrepresentation. 

DSP Omo-Agege, a two-term senator has 

been able to prove to us that good representation 

of the people is not impossible as he justifies 

every moment of his mandate freely given 

to him by his constituents as he makes giant 

stride to re-write the ugly narratives abi initio. 


*Edewor of New Era Forum, lives in Warri, 

Delta State 

Governor Abiodun markets adire to the world 

*Governor Abiodun 

handspun and woven locally, but the activities of 

colonialists who imported shirting material, the 

introduction of free education by the Action Group 

government and the pragmatics of trade and war 

were all soon to impact the production, reach 

and use of adire as a traditional wear. 

As historians inform us, the adire world expanded 

rapidly with the introduction of a broader 

color palette of imported synthetic dyes in the 

second half of the twentieth century, accommodating 

a rich variety of hand-dyed textiles using 

wax resist batik methods to produce patterned 

cloth in a dazzling array of dye tints and hues. 

The creation of two great women, alaro (dyer) 

and aladire (decorator), adire has various forms 

such as oniko, eleko, alabere and batani, with 

creative subdivisions. It is a tribute to the creative 

genius of generations of Yoruba, particularly 

Abeokuta, women that adire has resisted the forces 

of banishment and remained an essential part 

of Yoruba accoutrement, right along the thorny 

paths of Yoruba nationhood and into 2021 where, 

aided by the visionary schemes of the Dapo Abiodun-led 

administration in Ogun State, it is now 

at the pinnacle of state recognition, deployment 

and promotion. Fully apprised of the intricacies 

of the power of culture even in troublous times, 

Governor Abiodun found ample time to reinvent 

and revive the fortunes of adire amid the ravages 

of the Covid-19 pandemic. In November last year, 

he flagged off the Adire Digital Market at the 

June 12 Cultural Centre, Kuto, Abeokuta, advocating 

the promotion of Nigeria’s indigenous 

fabrics to the world and affirming that adire 

fabrics could be adopted as national wear for 

athletes during sporting engagements. Ogun, 

he reiterated, was ready and willing to partner 

with all Federal Government agencies in sports 

and culture to promote the fabric’s economy 

and help grow adire entrepreneurs, empower 

women and youths, and expose the limitless cultural 

endowments in the state. 

The audience was still applauding that visionary 

pronouncement when the governor unfolded 

the next agenda in the adire resurgence, to 

roaring applause. Adire, he declared, would become 

the official school uniform in all public 

schools in the state. His words: “For us in Ogun 

State and starting from next term, plans are on 

to make adire an integral part of school uniform 

fabric for our public primary and secondary 

schools. 


*Bakare sent this piece from 

seyibakare@aol.com 

of Enugu. I can imagine the quantum of high 

wire politics going on around him by now. All 

manner of opinions must be flying into the ears 

of the governor. In any case, the governor, I reckon, 

is equipped with enough political nimbleness 

to untwine this logjam. 

Having highlighted the above, I will fast-track 

to the gist of the day. Beyond the facade of open 

declarations of support for Ugwuanyi, it is disconcerting 

to see some of the politicians who 

were recalled from sabbatical by him trumpeting 

support for his choice of successor as if they 

had much options available in the matter. When 

one of such politicians was in power, no one 

born of a woman dared make suggestions to 

him on his choice of successor. In short, it was 

said that a particular appointee was on a certain 

occasion smacked by that very governor 

for daring to fight his gods. What was his offence? 

He dared to ask questions on the choice 

of the governor’s successor, we were told. 

Except I am overreading the situation, it is 

asinine for some yesterday’s men who were emperors 

of sort in their era to think that they can 

goad or railroad the incumbent governor into 

hand-picking a successor for him. All those pilgrimages 

to Ugwuanyi are mere veneers. Their 

real intentions, when unmasked, are more odoriferous 

than the rosy smells we are being treated 

to. It is credulous (and I know they know 

better) to think that the governor, who is the 

political leader of his party in Enugu, would be 

aloof in the choice of his successor or would 

allow himself to be dictated to by some political 

demigods. It is taken for granted that the 

governor would naturally root for a successor 

whom he thinks would continue his legacies or 

whom he thinks has the best credentials for the 

job. I don’t know if that can be termed godfatherism 

but it is an acceptable political practice. 


*Asogwa, a lawyer,lives in Abuja 

(elumaasogwa@gmail.com). 

(Twitter: @kenelumaasogwa)

DCP Ibrahim Tarfa: Exit 

of Mr. Pension 

By Ikechukwu Amaechi 

The last time we met, he 

was hale and 

hearty.That was at the 

official inauguration of the 

NPF Pensions House, Abuja 

by PresidentMuhammadu 

Buhari on October 20, 2020. 

We exchanged pleasantries. 

DCP IbrahimTarfa was 

happy, as always, to see me. 

Subsequently, as the year 

graduallyended, we 

exchanged Christmas and 

New Year greetings and I was 

looking forwardto seeing him 

again anytime I travel to 

Abuja in the New Year. 

Then, on January 16, I got a 

text from Mr.Chukwuma 

Ohaka, the Business 

Development Manager of 

NPF Pensions Limited. Itwas 

an obituary. Guess whose 

death was being announced? 

DCP Ibrahim Tarfa. I gotthe 

text at 4.07 pm, six hours after 

he had been buried. He was 

only 57 years. 

Nobody has been able to 

explain what reallyhappened. 

The grief is overwhelming. 

You needed to make Tarfa’s 

By John Oluyomi 

t has become more apparent 

Ithat we need to preserve our 

communities through a 

culture of sustainable 

development. 

Countries worldwide are 

planning and developing new 

cities to solve urbanisation’s 

environmental challenges. 

These cities are designed to 

adopt the green city concept 

by reducing green-house 

emissions while minimising 

water and energy 

consumption. 

The World Cities Report 

2020 by the United Nations 

(UN) says that well-planned, 

well-managed, and wellfinanced 

cities create more 

values beyond economic and 

commercial gratification. 

These cities afford residents 

more job opportunities and 

create more wealth while 

combating climate change 

acquaintance toappreciate 

why. 

I didn’t quite understand 

what it meant whenuniformed 

men use the phrase, an officer 

and a gentleman, to describe 

one oftheir own until I met 

Tarfa, a Deputy 

Commissioner of Police 

(DCP) at a publicfunction in 

Lagos. 

The management of 

Nigeria Police Force 

PensionsLimited was in Lagos 

on its annual pre-retirement 

seminar to sensitise, 

educateand adequately 

prepare officers on the verge 

of retirement on what life is 

onthe other side of the divide. 

DCP Tarfa, a director of NPF 

Pensions Limited andthe 

liaison between the police and 

their pension fund 

administrator (PFA) inhis 

capacity as CP Pensions was 

part of the team that came 

from Abuja and the firstto talk. 

That was on Monday 

February 3, 2020. 

His message was pointed 

and firm, even as hespoke 

softly. He told the retirees to 

shed their lethargic garment 

and take theissue of pension 

•Late DCP Tarfa 

serious because that makes 

the difference in life 

afterretirement. 

“A time will come when we 

will leave the comfortof our 

uniforms and offices for 

retirement, yet a lot of us don’t 

takeretirement very serious,” 

he said. 

“Many policemen tend not 

to give a thought tolife after 

retirement when they are still 

in service. There is no 

preparationfor the day which 

will surely come after either 

35 years in service or 

onattainment of 60 years of 

age. The consequence is that 

life after retirementbecomes 

a drudgery at best, or at worst 

a death sentence.” 

But he insisted that 

retirement does not mean 


In DCP Tarfa’s 

death, police lost a 

treasure and 

thecountry lost 

one of its best 

anend to active life. “Some 

people have found more 

meaning in life 

afterretirement than when 

they were in active service,” 

he said, taking them on 

aguided tour of their rights, 

entitlements and obligations 

before and afterretirement. 

By the time he finished, 

gloomy faces apprehensiveof 

life after retirement 

brightened up. Armed with 

information and power, 

theywere ready, better 

equipped to face tomorrow. 

When he sat down, I 

enquired who he was and 

amember of the NPF Pensions 

team simply replied: He is Mr. 

Pension of theNigerian Police. 

We instantly became 

friends.Meeting DCP Tarfafor 

the first time, you will go away 

with the feeling that you have 

known himall your life. 

Humble, self-effacing and 

unassuming, he will be the 

first togreet even those 

unworthy to untie the strap of 

his sandal. 

DCP Tarfa was as an officer, 

a leader of men, wholed by 

showing in himself such 

qualities as he desired to 

bring out in thoseunder him. 

He was a gentleman par 

excellence, an epitome of 

virtue, honour,patriotism and 

subordination. 

His selflessness was beyond 

compare. As theDeputy 

Commissioner of Police 

appointed director on 

October 27, 2017, torepresent 

the Police Pension Office on 

the Board of NPF Pensions, 

Tarfadedicated the last three 

years of his life to police 

welfare. 

Staff of NPF Pensions 

unanimously acclaim that 

headded value to the PFA. 

Always eager to serve and help 

those in difficultsituations, 

Tarfa had the uncanny ability 

to relate well with both the low 

andmighty. 

As a management staff put 

it, “DCP Tarfa was 

verypassionate for police 

welfare and was always ready 

to serve.” 

He was reputed to have 

helped significantly inuntying 

the accrued rights knot and 

was at the forefront in the 

resolution ofthe nominal rolls 

saga. He not only made sure 

that senior police officers 

didnot have any pension 

issues, being, as it were, at their 

Will development of Smart Cities preserve our local communities? 

By Tuedor Akpevwe 

Jackson 

he news of the Central 

TBank of Nigeria (CBN) 

directive on the prohibition of 

banks/individuals from 

buying, selling and using 

cryptocurrency came as a 

shock to young Nigerians and 

the world at large. Construe it 

as you may, be it an order to 

the banks only, or to the 

individuals alike was indeed a 

destructive policy in every 

sense of the word. 

In a world currently ravaged 

by the Corona virus with 

trillions of dollars lost in the 

world economy, and a mother 

of all recession looming after 

we get the vaccines right, such 

a policy is draconian and 

could cause a total collapse of 

the banking industry as well 

as the little faith we have in the 

banking system and its mother 

institution; the CBN itself. 

On the 8th of February 2017, I 

wrote an article in the 

Vanguard newspaper in 

similar circumstance as this, 

by an order given by the SEC 

warning Nigerians to steer 

clear of cryptocurrencies in 

which we looked into the 

legality of such an action and 

the powers arrogated to the 

SEC by its enacted law. 

Yet again at this time when the 

world is struggling, and smart 

individuals are looking deeply 

into the forex market and 

cryptocurrency as recessionproof 

financial institutions and 

banks are starting to make 

and pollution in the process. 

The report’s findings prove 

that we have to make better 

choices that will make or mar 

the future of real estate 

development, not just in 

Nigeria but globally. Real 

estate developers, the 

government, and investors will 

have to put in more effort to 

implement eco-friendly 

initiatives through the 

development of smart cities. 

Consider notable smart cities 

across the continent like 

Kenya’s Tatu City and 

Rwanda’s Vision City, and you 

will see the impact that right 

choices have on sustainable 

practices. Tatu City is a 5,000- 

acre, mixed-use development 

that affords Kenyans a new way 

of living by adopting the green 

city concept of tree planting, 

waste management and the 

development of sustainable 

buildings. Rwanda’s Vision 

City was conceived as part of 

the solution to the country’s 

rising housing demand. Vision 

City’s well-planned 

infrastructural design includes 

asphalted and solar-lighted 

streets; pedestrian walkways; 

fibre connectivity; open public 

and recreational spaces and a 

town centre providing access 

to basic amenities. 

These cities attempt to strike a 

balance between 

environmental, economic and 

social benefits while ensuring 

resilience in the face of future 

challenges. 

In Nigeria, there are on-going 

projects that address the rapid 

urbanisation and urban 

migration across the globe. 

An example of this is Eko 

Atlantic City, a project 

developed and managed by 

South Energyx Nigeria Ltd. In 

2019, Alpha1, Eko Atlantic 

City’s first office tower was 

EDGE certified by the 

International Finance 

Corporation (IFC). EDGE, 

which stands for ‘Excellence in 

Design for Greater 

Efficiencies’, cuts down 

building energy and water 

consumption by at least 20 

percent while lowering 

greenhouse-gas emissions. 

The EDGE certification 

demonstrates Eko Atlantic’s 

commitment to becoming the 

first green city in Lagos. 

Through South Energyx’s 

commitment to creating an 

environmentally friendly city 

for the 21st century, developers 

in Eko Atlantic are encouraged 

to construct resource-efficient 

buildings such as Alpha1. They 

are also advised to use energyefficient 

materials where 

possible. Already, Eko Atlantic 

has over 200,000 trees 

planted, with many more to 

come as the city progresses. 

The city’s development efforts 

are also geared towards 

solving the prime real estate 

challenge in Nigeria by 

applying the ‘Smart City 

Concept’. Smart cities 

address most of the 

impediments created by 

urbanisation and are 

environmentally friendly and 

sustainable. 

As a community, Victoria 

Island was preserved through 

the Eko Atlantic City project 

by reclaiming valuable lands 

and businesses from the 

Atlantic Ocean through 

sustainable infrastructural 

development. 

Nevertheless, Eko Atlantic City 

serves as more than just a 

commercial city. It also offers 

employment opportunities for 

residents of Lagos and 

Nigerians. With an estimated 

number of 250,000 residents 

and about 150,000 

commuters, the city affords 

businesses a thriving 

environment to network and 

build lasting corporations. 

CRYPTOCURRENCY BAN: A destructive financial policy 

moneys off cryptocurrency 

charges by wallet and 

exchange companies, the 

CBN now deems it fit to place 

a directive or prohibit banks 

and individuals from this 

massive wealth creation 

business opportunity 

education? 

Cryptocurrencies have gained 

popularity since bitcoin, the 

most valuable crypto, rose 

significantly four years ago 

and has continued to beat all 

forecasts for its increase. The 

coin went from $900 in 

January 2017 to almost 

$20,000 by the end of that year. 

Today a Bitcoin is trading at 

almost $38,000 -$39850 and 

its expected to beat its all time 

high very soon. 

While cryptocurrencies are 

known for people making (or 

losing) money from trading, 

they have many use cases, 

including making crossborder 

payments, remittances 

or storing wealth (protected 

from inflation or exchange rate 

depreciation). 

In countries where the official 

fiat currency is less reliable, 

cryptocurrencies have gained 

significant popularity as we 

can see in the case of Nigeria 

and its ever-weakening Naira, 

so is that a reason for such an 

inhibitive order? 

For millions of Nigerians and 

the world at large, 

cryptocurrencies were a 

breakthrough, and in 2017, we 

started to see a rise in bitcoin 

volumes. According to one 

estimate, local bitcoin trades 

•Jackson 

now hit $3 million in a single 

week. 

At the same time, start-ups 

started to emerge—providing 

different financial solutions 

using cryptocurrencies and 

their technology. Today we are 

starting to see powerful 

exchange and wallet 

companies 

like 

Blockchain.com, Luno, 

LocalBitcoins, and many 

more emerging with financial 

solutions to payments. 

For the Central banks though, 

the rise of cryptocurrencies 

was a potentially scary 

movement and it was said to 

be a vehicle for fraud, ransom 

payments and cyber theft 

because of its anonymity and 

that no legal recourse can be 

had if an individual or 

Nigerians lose their money (as 

if anyone ever recovered from 

the losses in the Stock Market) 

Since then, the CBN has been 

relatively quiet on the matter. 

In fact, the global 

cryptocurrency scene hit a 

rough patch in 2019 as prices 

crashed. 

That all changed in 2020 when 

prices started to pick up due to 

the Corona virus pandemic. 

The world looked at crypto 

again, but this time, there was 

a more formal acceptance. 

Large corporations began to 

buy bitcoin and also invest in 

crypto-related start-ups even 

those that used to call it 

worthless or scam. The IMF 

even went as far as quoting 

bitcoin as a type of 

cryptocurrency on its website, 

and even called 

cryptocurrency the current 

stage in the evolution of money. 

Countries are accepting 

bitcoins and even starting to 

create regulations of KYC on 

the wallet companies and 

capital gains taxes are now 

being paid e.g USA nationals 

using Coinbase and Binance 

etc. 

In Nigeria, businesses and 

individuals found that 

cryptocurrencies could solve 

their woes with the Naira and 

help them transfer money in 

and out of the country. Bitcoin 

volumes started to rise 

significantly. 

Last year, estimates from 

BuyCoins showed that total 

volumes of bitcoin traded in 

Nigeria stood at $200 million 

per month. That’s more than 

what was traded on the 

Nigerian Stock Exchange 

($131 million) in Q2’2020. 

This activity boosted the space, 

and the gatekeepers of these 

volumes were the 

cryptocurrency exchanges. 

Nigerians moved from 

exchanging bitcoin on 

WhatsApp groups to more 

formal exchanges like Bundle 

and Binance, Luno, local 

bitcoins, Quiddax etc. 

The increase in trading 

activity caught the eye of 

financial regulators, the 

Securities and Exchange 

Commission (SEC), who 

announced that all crypto 

assets fall under its remit. It 

formalised cryptocurrencies as 

“securities” in a statement 

released in September 2020. 

Fast forward to today, four 

months later, and the CBN is 

doing something almost 

contradictory to the SEC’s 

move. While one regulator was 

working on laws to formalise 

crypto assets, the other (CBN) 

is going in the other direction. 

According to the circular, 

which was sent to banks, the 

apex bank said that dealing in 

cryptocurrencies is 

“prohibited”. They then asked 

commercial banks and 

financial institutions to 

identify and close the accounts 

of anyone involved in 

cryptocurrency exchange. 

It’s not clear if this order 

includes individuals who use 

these exchanges or if it’s 

restricted to the owner of the 

exchanges. Nonetheless, the 

move is a blow to Nigeria’s 

booming crypto market. 

This will also harm the startups 

across Nigeria’s crypto 

landscape (not just the 

exchanges). What we have here 

is another policy that is trying 

beck and call, widowsand next 

of kin of fallen officers had his 

back. 

In DCP Tarfa’s death, police 

lost a treasure and thecountry 

lost one of its best. He was an 

intellectual in uniform. 

As at the time he died, he 

was a PhD researchfellow at 

the Nigeria Defence Academy 

(NDA), Kaduna, where he 

also holds aMaster of Science 

degree in Defence and 

Strategy. He also had a 

Masters degreein Law 

Enforcement and Criminal 

Justice from Ahmadu Bello 

University, Zaria. 

Before he enlisted into the 

Nigerian Police Forcein 

1990, he had a Bachelor of 

Science degree in Sociology 

and Anthropology fromthe 

University of Maiduguri. 

Commissioned Cadet ASP 

in 1990, Tarfa became aDCP 

in 2017 having attended the 

junior command, 

intermediate and CSP- 

ACPpromotion courses at the 

Police Staff College, Jos; high 

level managementcourse at 

the United Nations Centre for 

Excellence at Vicenza, Italy 

and thecorporate governance 

course (Kellogg), U.S. 

His knowledge of the North 

was encyclopedic.Though a 

Bura by tribe – one of the little 

known minority ethnic 

nationalities inHawul LGA of 

Borno State – Tarfa lived, died 

and was buried in Kaduna 

State. 

Situated on 10 million 

square metres of land 

reclaimed from the ocean and 

protected by an 8.5-kilometrelong 

sea wall, Eko Atlantic City 

is a haven for prime real estate 

seekers. Its eco-friendly 

design also makes it a tourist 

attraction, with its emphatic 

green spaces and pedestrianfriendly 

open-air landmarks. 

There are also substantial 

opportunities for economic 

investment for small, medium 

and large-scale businesses. 

Now we know that smart cities 

help preserve local 

communities, protect the 

environment, and improve life 

quality. The rise of smart cities 

like Eko Atlantic will help 

Nigeria thrive as one of Africa’s 

business hubs while preserving 

local communities like VI and 

Lekki. 

*Oluyomi, a property 

expert, writes from Lekki 

to strangle a sector that has just 

started to find its feet and grow. 

We therefore call on the CBN 

to retrace its steps and even ( 

like other developed countries 

are doing) be creative enough 

to promulgate regulations on 

cryptocurrency usage rather 

than stifling its growth. It will 

only help in the final lose of 

faith of Nigerians on this 

government banking policies 

and may even cause the total 

hyper inflation of the Naira as 

fervent crytocurrency users will 

seek, find and make massive 

usage of other means of 

spending and using money. 

You cannot use a centralized 

solution to solve a 

decentralized problem. The 

Peer to Peer system of 

cryptocurrency made 

possible by the Blockchain 

technology will eventually 

lead to the democratization 

of wealth to the people and 

give power of control back to 

us the people; perhaps a power 

which was taken away by the 

Banks in conjunction with the 

government in the precious 

metals era. Hence we cryptoenthusiasts 

call this 

cryptocurrency era, Barter 2.0 

where we wont be needing 3rd 

parties to aid us in carrying 

out transactions or its 

draconian 

whatsoever. 

control 

*Barr Jackson, a 

cryptocurrency analyst 

and a blockchain expert, 

lives in Lagos


Must you confess to an affair? 

Most people want 

to keep their 

affair secret 

because they want to have 

both the marriage and the 

affair. According to Zelda 

West-Meads in her book: 

The Trouble With You: 

“Many people claim that an 

affair helps sustain their 

marriage, or provides a part 

of their needs that are not 

being met in the marriage. 

They are unhappily 

married, and they may 

recognize that the person 

with whom they are having 

the affair is not offering 

what they want on a fulltime 

basis, but just 

providing something 

which is important at the 

time. There are some 

people who want their 

affair to be discovered, as 

a way of signalling to their 

partner that for them, the 

marriage is over. Or there 

are some people who want 

the affair to be discovered 

because of their guilt. They 

believe, foolishly, that if 

they tell their partner – and 

this is usually at the time 

when the affair is moving 

to an end or has just ended 

– they will be forgiven. 

But life is not like that 

and their partner is not into 

forgiveness at this stage – 

it’s too soon. So, the person 

who confessed, far from 

being forgiven, suddenly 

finds they are on the 

receiving end of outrage, 

anger, hurt, or even the 

desire to murder or destroy 

their partner or the other 

person involved. The 

desire to confess can be a 

selfish act if all you are 

trying to do is relieve your 

guilt. But if your partner 

suspects that you are 

having an affair, and 

insists they want to know 

the truth, it is fairer to 

admit it. 

If, on the other hand, an 

affair is over, and 

particularly if it is in the 

past, there is little point in 

suddenly telling your 

partner all about it, 

because for them, it will not 

feel over at all. Not only 

will this hurt them deeply, 

but they will want to know 

all about it. Equally, a onenight 

stand or a brief but 

regrettable encounter, 

would be deeply upsetting. 

Whichever way you look 

at it, discovery of an affair 

really does shake most 

marriages to their 

foundations. Some fall 

apart, others grind on 

unhappily, or continue and 

then break up several years 

later. Others, however, can 

recover and can end up 

being stronger and more 

loving than before the 

affair – although for most 

couples, this is a long, 

painful journey. 

Can the marriage be rebuilt 

after an affair? “If 

you really want to rebuild 

the marriage, and you’re 

both committed to this, it 

is possible, although not 

easy”, says the author. “It 

takes time and a great deal 

of talking. The person who 

has not had the affair 

usually needs to talk much 

more than the unfaithful 

partner tends not to want 

to be questioned about the 

details of the affair. They 

see a fresh start as a way to 

put the affair behind them 

and get on with repairing 

the ‘marriage’. But their 

partner has to be given 

time and the opportunity to 

express negative feelings 

of hurt, disbelief, anger, 

grief, rejection and loss of 

confidence and self-esteem. 

As well as this, some 

questions have to be 

answered honestly. Who 

the affair was with, how 

long it had been going on, 

who else knows, when they 

met, and what the affair 

meant to them. This is 

painful to hear, but if it 

remains unsaid, it gives 

their partner no chance to 

deal with what has been 

going on. 

What is usually not a 

good idea, however, is to 

talk about intimate sexual 

details, because these can 

really stay in the mind of 

your partner and haunt 

them for years. So, when 

they ask, as most do, it is 

kinder not to be explicit. If 

you say too much, it can get 

in the way in the future, 

particularly when making 

love. It takes time for these 

memories to fade. 

The next state in the 

recovery process is moving 

from the recriminations to 

starting to look at what 

went wrong and what led 

to the affair. This is often 

particularly difficult for 

the partner who has not 

had the affair. For them, it 

is often easier to stick with 

the thought that it’s all 

their partner’s fault and to 

go on blaming them, rather 

than looking at what they 

might have contributed. It 

is only by discussing what 

was going on before the 

affair that you can begin to 

understand each other and 

then painfully and slowly 

start to rebuild your 

relationship. 

What about making love 

again? West-Meads 

believes it is usually better 

not to rush into making 

love too quickly after the 

discovery of an affair. 

Some couples do so 

because the person who has 

not been unfaithful and 

want their partner to stay, 

feels it is a way of keeping 

them or repairing the 

relationship. It’s more 

often a woman who thinks 

this. She sees it as a way of 

showing she still loves her 

partner, or as a way to 

compete with the mistress. 

It usually does not work. 

This is because the man is 

missing his mistress, 

feeling guilty, or both, 

which can result in loss of 

interest in sex or the loss of 

an erection, which then 

feels like further rejection 

to the woman. Or the 

woman is too plagued by 

thoughts of the mistress, or 

the relationship is still too 

tentative. Either way, both 

of you can end up getting 

hurt. 

So for both sexes, if you 

do make love fairly soon 

after the discovery of an 

affair, it may be all right 

but you are more likely to 

think of what your partner 

might have been doing with 

their mistress or lover. 

These flash-backs are 

always possible, but they 

do fade and die. However, 

in the early days, the 

memory or the 

imagination are likely to 

be very vivid and do not 

help the recovery process. 

It is better for most people 

to allow time for trust to be 

rebuilt before love again. 

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EAD:Odibo warns Delta communities against 

manipulation 

The 

Federal 

Commissioner 

representing Delta State on the 

board of National Population 

Commission ((NPC), Mr 

Richard Odibo has warned 

communities against any 

form of manipulation in the 

on going Enumeration Area 

Demarcation (EAD)in the 

state . 

Odibo warning was 

contained in a keynote 

address during the flag off of 

phase 12 of the exercise in 

Ogbe- Ijoh , headquarters of 

Warri South West Local 

Government Area of Delta 

State. 

He informed that the 

commission was deploying 

sophisticated technology in 

carrying out the Enumeration 

Area Demarcation ( EAD). 

"The methodology being 

adopted will not allow for 

creation of imaginary 

Enumeration Areas ( EAs) and 

any attempt to include non 

existing households and 

buildings in the EAs could be 

detected through satellite 

imagery and quality 

assurance unit of the 

commission." 

He further warned that " 

Personal Digital Assistant 

(PDA) would be used in 

capturing spatial data and 

estimated EAs during 

demarcation. 

This scientific approach to 

demarcation will eliminate 

human elements as the 

process is capable of detecting 

human errors and preventing 

manipulations " 

Odibo emphasized that the 

EAD was not the enumeration 

of persons living in the country, 

adding that its outcome will 

not determine the population 

of a locality,ward, local 

government or state. 

Sir Richard Odibo reading his address during the flag off 

of phase 12 Enumeration Area Demarcation ( EAD) at Civic 

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Wrongly weighed products toxic to 

society — Weighing specialist 

By Victor Arjiromanus 

Chief Executive Officer, 

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ordinarily should help 

humanity, end up being toxic 

to the human system. 

He lamented that many 

companies just mix 

ingredients and produce 

without taking into 

consideration the right 

kilograms of ingredients in 

their products before selling 

to the public. 

Delta monarchs condole with Okowa over father’s death 

By Nnamdi Ojiego 

s tributes continue to 

Apour in for the late Sir 

Arthur Okorie Okowa, the 

father of Delta State 

Governor, Ifeanyi Okowa, 

the Ovie of Oghara 

Kingdom and the Pere of 

Akugbene Mein, His Royal 

Majesties, Oyibo 

Eshemitan, and Pere 

Kalanama, respectively, 

have joined others sympathizers 

in mourning the 

demise of the elder 

statesman. 

Pa Okowa died in the 

early morning of January 28, 

2021, after a brief illness at 

the age of 89. 

The monarchs, in their 

separate condolence 

messages, described the 

death of Pa Okowa as a 

great loss to the traditional 

institution in particular, 

and Delta State in general. 

The Ovie of Oghara 

lamented that Delta has 

lost a father whose wise 

counsel would be missed. 

“We should be grateful to 

God for the life of Pa 

Okowa. I ask our dear 

governor, to take heart as 

we are all in the pain of losing 

the elder statesman.” 

In his condolence message, 

Pere Kalanama described the 

death as unquantifiable loss. 

“The passage of Pa 

Okowa is quite 

devastating, shocking and 

difficult to comprehend 

against the background 

that he was very healthy 

during my last meeting 

with him, precisely on the 

8th of January, 2021. 

“He was a great man, an 

achiever, a bridge builder, 

a mentor and an epitome 

of humility who was never 

carried away by the heights 

attained by his son, the 

governor. His legacies will 

stand the test of time.”

SUNDAY Vanguard, FEBRUARY 7, 2020, PAGE 27 


Professor Khalifa Dikwa is the Dean of the Borno Elders Forum. In this 

interview, Dikwa pointedly says moles in the military are working for Boko 

Haram terrorist group that has been fighting to take territories in the North-East. 

There have of recent been renewed attacks by the Islamist group which lays ambush 

for travelers on major roads in the embattled region and even troops while 

unleashing terror on soft targets at will after being ‘technically defeated’ by the 

armed forces. Dikwa says he stumbled on secret document on potential terrorism in 

Africa as far back as 1984, saying the problem could have been stopped from blowing 

into the monster it has become. Excerpts: 

Most people who talk about Borno and insecurity do 

not reside there. As someone who resides in the region, 

what is it like to live in the shadow of the North-East 

insurgency? 

Maiduguri is safer than most cities in the North. I don’t want to 

mention names. But like you said, I am in a very unique position 

to talk about the security situation. Prior to the crisis, I warned 

the authorities that something like this was coming to 

our shores but they did not heed my warning. That was 

in 1984 when I was a student and also a visiting 

lecturer in 2002 (at Universities of Besancon and 

Grenoble, France). I stumbled on a secret 

document. I had this teacher who liked 

me because of my outspokenness. She 

asked where I came from and I told her 

Borno. Incidentally she knew about 

Borno and North-East. One day she 

invited me for coffee. She told me that 

when I returned home, whether as a 

teacher or a journalist, I should tell 

my people that what her country 

was doing was not known to them. 

She spoke about her country’s 

foreign policy. She mentioned 

that certain countries 

(Britain, France and the 

big one United States), 

one of them in particular, 

were making about 500 

billion dollars every year 

from countries they 

colonized. This was in 80s and 

90s but in 2002 when I came 

back to Nigeria, I reiterated it. She 

said it was something already in the 

pipeline and the colonialists were 

waiting for the right time to implement. 

She said one billion dollars was enough 

to destabilize a country rich in mineral 

resources. 

Having traced what led to the current 

situation, once in a while, we hear that 

most areas in the North-East are not safe. 

The military disputes this. What is the 

situation? 

You are right, because even if Boko 

Haram terrorists are not physically there, 

they are psychologically there. From time 

to time, they ride motorcycle into the cities 

and harass the locals to pay levy. This is 

outside Maiduguri. They strike at any 

time. The reason is that this government 

did not heed the advice of the Private 

Military Contractors (PMC, also known 

as mercenaries) that was brought in by 

the Jonathan administration that 

neutralized Boko Haram at that time. The 

PMC said, “We have done our bit, the rest 

of the solution is dialogue which 

government has to do from the position 

of strength”. And the other one was that 

we should allow paramilitary agencies 

and the police to take over the areas 

recaptured (from Boko Haram) so as to 

allow the PMC to move to the borders. 

Unfortunately, the military has usurped 

the role of the police till date. The area in 

question (Borno) is vast; second only to 

Niger in terms of territorial measure. It 

is a very big and difficult terrain, that 

even if you put all our soldiers in Nigeria 

in Borno, there will still be space left. 

Therefore, not allowing other security 

agencies to take over was a minus. What 

was advised by the military contractor 

from South Africa then also played out 

when Chadian President was attacked 

because he is a product of revolutionary 

tendencies right from the days of Sani 

Abacha (former Nigerian Head of State) 

and has been fighting France since 

independence. France doesn’t let her excolonies 

go because it continues to keep 

85 percent of their resources in France 

and gives them only 15 percent to do 

contract and other things. So when they 

exhaust their 15 percent, they borrow 

their own money domiciled in France and 

pay high interest rate. This was a problem 

in French colonised Africa until Italy 

began to discuss the issue of migration 

into Europe, accusing France as the cause 

because it did not allow its colonies to 

develop. You can also observe that in all 

How moles in 

military work 

for 

•Dikwa 

ENEMIES WITHIN: 

—Prof Dikwa, Borno Elder 

• Says he stumbled on secret document 

outside Nigeria 

• On mercenaries: 2014 private 

military contractors’ advice to end 

insecurity not implemented 

• ‘2 trillion arms industry creates 

wars to sell weapons’ 

French colonies, there is no security even 

when the French army is there. 

You said Maiduguri is safer than many 

other northern cities, but Borno is the 

one in the news because of Boko Haram. 

The governor has been attacked 

twice. How do you think we can 

B/Haram 

tackle the security challenge there? 

If I were to have the ears of the President, 

I would insist that the command system 

of the military be decentralized so that 

junior commanders can also give 

command in case of emergency. Even the 

police have their own way of acting rather 

than waiting for orders. The military 

system is still colonial in nature in the 

sense that the British did it without 

allowing us to review the laws. The 

command, as long as it is top - down, will 

not work because this is an emergency 

situation that needs emergency solution. 

Second, let us see the technology the 

military is using. When there is an attack 

by the air force, there are no soldiers on 

the ground to attack simultaneously. The 

synergy has not been there. I will advise 

that the command structure be reviewed 

and brought up to the level of field 

commanders. Also there is a need to see 

results from field operations every one or 

two weeks forwarded to the President, so 

that he can crosscheck the reports. It looks 

like there is no synergy between security 

agencies as if there is rivalry. And the 

President should be able to say “Do the 

work within two months; if you are not 

able to do the work, submit your 

resignation letter because there are many 

Nigerians who are willing to serve the 

country well.” 

Another thing is that it is only in 

Nigeria that military personnel are 

retired without effective use or in touch 

with government. These generals, who 

are retired but yet active and energetic, 

with all their training and expertise, 

should be able to come into agreement 

with the Commander-in-Chief for result 

oriented achievements in the fight of 

insurgency. 

With the attacks on the Borno governor; 

the military has been good in denial that 

they did not happen. When such thing 

happens, I suggest that the military 

should be upfront in action. But none of 

us should denigrate our military because 

it has always been the best in Africa, 

including the peace missions embarked 

on a global level. The army has received 

commendations both here in Nigeria and 

abroad, but the military has been riddled 

with excuses fighting terrorists. It is a war 

economy. It has to do with hands from 

outside and then those who are making 

money within, possibly those who are 

close to the corridors of power and maybe 

thinking along political lines. But in 

actual sense, when you have insecurity 

issue in a country, everybody should 

forget his background and join the 

leadership in the fight, which is the right 

thing to do. And then, the army should 

be able to show the media that ‘this is 

what we do’ rather than telling the media 

to report what they did; furnishing us 

with films and video of air strikes without 

seeing the weapons, the dead bodies and 

so on. For the army and air force, they 

didn’t follow up or continue with what the 

military contractors did in 2014. In 2015 

when Buhari came to power, Nigerians 

forgot their ethnic biases, partisanship 

and joined hands in order to dislodge the 

government of President Goodluck 

Jonathan. Much later, things apparently 

went bad; people are killed, and the 

killing is much higher than it was under 

the previous administration. The 

President of Chad, when he was to defend 

his country, had to lead the fight. And 

within two weeks, he was able to 

annihilate Boko Haram up to the borders. 

It is no secret that they were able to 

dismantle their (Boko Haram) base and 

even free some Nigerian military men in 

captivity. These are people who are very 

far from us and even listen when we talk. 

Whenever I speak, the people in Niger 

listen to me and act on advice, but 

Nigerians would not, it is as if we are 

disconnected from the leadership at the 

center. We expected the air force and 

army to come together and synergize 

with communication gadgets to take over 

and complete the job that was started. 

This year 2021, the President has said 

insecurity issue will be tackled. But some 

people say what they heard is the military 

solution while some talk about 

negotiations? 

When the military annihilated Boko 

Haram in 2015, we expected at that time 

that the military was in the position of 

strength to talk to these boys, even if it is 

meeting in another country to have a 

dialogue. This is an ideology that cannot 

be wiped out with force. Therefore, it is 

better to talk to them. If there is 

something they are getting, economically, 

Nigeria can afford it if they drop the guns. 

That was not done. The government of 

Jonathan, at that time, formed many 

committees to do certain works including 

Continues on page 28


Why we still have 

laboratory misdiagnosis 

despite competent 

professionals – Adibo 

• Lists gains of ISN Award 

Mr. Elochukwu Adibo, National President of the 

Guild of Private Laboratory Directors of Nigeria, was 

the Chairman of the Panel of Judges for the justconcluded 

ISN Medical Laboratory Scientist of the 

Year Award. In this interview, Adibo shares his 

perspectives on the project and gives his 

recommendations for subsequent editions among 

other issues. 

How do you assess the inaugural 

edition of the ISN Medical 

Laboratory Scientist of the Year 

Award? 

I think the entire project was quite 

excellent. I say this because it was a novel 

project that required completely new 

concepts, ideas, implementation and 

coordination. The host organization, ISN 

Products Nigeria Limited, as well as the 

consultants, was very committed and 

extremely positive in the delivery despite 

the odds arising from COVID-19. Even 

when the pandemic was at its peak, they 

were not deterred. This alone gave a very 

key foundation for the eventual success 

recorded in the project. 

Do you think this award has impacted 

positively on the laboratory practice and 

services in the country? 

I think, by and large, there has been a 

positive impact on laboratory practice 

and standard based on what I have seen 

since. This is because it has reawakened 

the consciousness of medical laboratory 

'Private military contractors' advice on B/Haram ignored' 


the committee of ambassadors. Those 

reports are still gathering dust. Their 

reports were not implemented as if there 

were no will to do it. Therefore, ‘stick and 

carrot’ is the best. Our own military with 

a reputation should not be denigrated. 

Somebody, in the name of protest, 

infiltrated Lagos to destroy things and kill 

people, and then, government stepped in 

to completely pull it down rather than 

using the internal mechanism to punish 

the culprits. It is possible to do things 

rather than pull down a well trained force 

because of the excesses of few individuals. 

I do not like the way the police were 

humiliated the other time (during 

#ENDSARS), and they also started 

denigrating the military. We have the best 

police in Africa. The media should be able 

to tackle those who look down on our own 

military. And at the same time, the 

President and his Vice should arrange 

surprise visits to the commands to 

encourage our troops at the warfront and 

know what is happening. President 

Buhari has released enough money to the 

military to implement whatever they want 

to do. So why is the situation still down? 

But I could still see some military 

personnel carrying AK-47 rifles which 

cannot fire beyond 800 meters. What 

about modern weapons that should be 

higher than what the insurgents use, with 

night visual equipment? 

Looking at the relationship between 

the military, the police and the people, 

the military often times says they are 

not provided with real time intelligence 

by civilians. From your point of view, is 

there trust between the people and the 

scientists all over the country on total 

adherence to standards, as this is the only 

way one can be outstanding, recognized 

and become a potential winner of such a 

prestigious award. 

All the stakeholders in the medical 

laboratory space including regulators 

made very positive statements. And for 

me as a leader of a key group in private 

practice, my participation further 

impacted positively on our message of 

quality management system principles 

and practice which is the only way to 

measure up to international standards as 

expected in all countries all over the 

world. The award itself passed a clear 

message that nothing less than the best is 

acceptable and of course this would 

translate to more quality results to 

Nigerians and better health indices 

considering the very key role medical 

laboratory services play in patient care 

and safety. 

What are the flaws and pluses you 

may have identified in the process? 

military? 

To be candid, the trust has been 

exhausted because our people used to 

send information to the military. And 

essentially, that information, no matter 

how confidential it is, there will be a 

phone call back to the person, telling him 

“we are aware of what you did.” That 

shows there are moles within the 

military. With technology, 

those moles are bound to 

be fished out. The trust has 

been eroded and that is 

why there are so many 

leakages and the people 

stopped cooperating. 

Secondly, what do you do 

with cooperation when 

insurgents will come at 

night and the military will 

not come to their rescue? 

It is not true that the 

people were not 

cooperating. They have 

done their best, and yet 

they are not protected. 

When their confidential 

information to the military 

is eventually leaked to 

insurgents, who does it? Is 

it not the mole within the 

military? 

There are two things in the North; one 

is the Almajiri phenomenon, two is the 

number of young minds that have 

opportunity to make friends with the 

devil because of being out of school. 

How can these two things be tackled? 

It has to do with negligence in 

developing the rural areas. Basic 

infrastructure should be there for them to 

get busy. Imagine, when a governor has 

Confidential 

information to 

the military is 

eventually 

leaked to 

insurgents 

•Adibo 

I think the areas of flaws were quite 

minimal for a maiden edition but to 

mention a few, one of the flaws was 

limited publicity to very relevant 

professional platforms and direct 

information to associations and 

regulators from the onset. A lot needs to 

be done in that regard to improving 

going forward. Secondly, the convener of 

the initiative must ensure that the entry 

criteria are clear enough to avoid 

unnecessary applications and save 

screening time for the assessors and 

organizers. Take, for instance, the issue of 

minimal years of practice post-internship 

training. Thirdly, assessors should be 

given the opportunity to participate in the 

setting of the questions for participants so 

that they will not just be assessing and 

setting marking schemes for other 

people’s examination questions. We must 

not exclude participating professionals’ 

institutions whose workers happen to be 

among the finalists from receiving the 

reward. On the good side, I think the 

organisation did well in setting a very 

to visit a rural area said to be free from 

insurgents and yet came under attack, 

what does it tell? If you go to the 

headquarters of the military, they have 

gadgets that can see the entire Borno 

territory and even Boko Haram fighters 

moving on motorcycles through many 

kilometers unchallenged. When you say 

reintegration, it is nonsensical in the sense 

that it doesn’t take place 

when there is no ceasefire. 

It is only in a situation of 

complete ceasefire as it 

happened in Colombia 

after 50 years of insurgency 

that reintegration can 

work. These boys are 

running their guns and 

killing people, you profile 

those who surrender and 

retrain them and send them 

back to the society without 

taking care of those who are 

traumatized by insurgents, 

how can it work? Rather, it 

is better to keep them far 

away from people who are 

traumatized, and who have 

not gone back to their 

ancestral homes, than 

making them comfortable. 

Indirectly, you are 

encouraging the young ones 

who are peaceful at home, and not cared 

for at all, to join forces with insurgents. 

To stop this trend, you must not integrate 

them into society. Take them somewhere 

else, far away from Nigeria or away from 

the areas they have terrorized. Remember 

that these boys were initiated by force. 

You never can tell what they have taken 

as oath. This formation is a cult. It has 

nothing to do with religion. Some were 

high standard for the award which makes 

it respectable and attractive for 

participation. Not only that, participants 

especially the finalists were highly 

dignified and treated very well as 

deserving medical professionals. The 

same thing applies to the entire process as 

it was found to be transparent and devoid 

of any form of influence by ISN or the 

consultant organization – Indigo. On the 

whole, all the pluses earned the award the 

high rating. As far as I am concerned and 

surely, I speak the minds of all the 

credible and well-selected five judges in 

my team who were drawn from the best in 

the profession. No doubt, the standard 

and quality of the award will increase 

interest and participation in subsequent 

editions. 

Judging from the scripts you 

evaluated, would you say Nigerians are 

safe in the hands of young medical 

laboratory practitioners, particularly, 

now that there has been advancement in 

laboratory practices globally? 

Judging from the scripts, I think it is a 

mixed feeling in terms of the knowledge 

base, exhibition of professional mastery 

and excellence in practical skills. This is 

because some very young medical lab 

scientists who were eventually 

disqualified for having less than five years 

post-internship qualification were very 

impressive in their answers to questions 

even though they did not make the cut. 

A number of the assessed MLS were 

very impressive, whereas other candidates 

to a fair extent had knowledge of Quality 

Management System and standard 

laboratory practice, which can be traced 

to what is available at their various 

institutions. This did not apply to only the 

young but even the very experienced and 

long standing medical laboratory 

scientists. Nigerians will benefit more if 

many organizations, both private and 

public, will improve on their standards 

and strict regulatory control must be 

encouraged in all medical laboratories in 

the country including the in-hospital 

based laboratories at the private and 

public facilities. 

What are the missing links or things 

you may recommend which should be 

included in next year’s edition? 

For next year’s edition, I would repeat 

and re-emphasize the summary 

recommendations we had made as a 

team of judges as follows. They include 

request for a cumulative of three months 

Internal Quality Control (IQC), current 

External Quality Assurance (EQA), 

evidence of instrument calibration and 

traceability, attachment of academic 

publications to other documents required, 

years of experience must be clearly stated 

and increased level of publicity for the 

initiative. 

Continues on www.vanguardngr.com 

given ethnic task while some were given 

religious task but it has nothing to do with 

religion. It is the same thing with Al- 

Shabab, Taliban and Al Qaeda. When you 

see a child soldier involved in killing in 

Africa, you see resources involved. It is 

the way the arms industry makes their 

money. They create wars to sell their arms. 

That industry alone is worth over 2 trillion 

dollars. Without war, they will not make 

money. Secondly, it is by pitching one 

country against another that they will be 

invited in the name of peace keeping. 

Nigeria is the only country that is envied 

for not inviting foreign troops. I am not 

against foreign troops within Africa but 

troops from Europe, UK or America sent 

under the name of United Nations do not 

bring peace. In Central Africa, Congo and 

other African countries, they are there 

without peace in hand. 

In some other parts of the North, we 

have had cattle rustling, banditry, 

religious crisis, illegal mining and 

others. What do you make of this? 

It is part of the template created from 

outside. The template has been there for 

long waiting for the leadership to start 

doing it. It is always easier in a 

democracy to mess up the system, because 

it was in democracy that a President 

decided to take weapons from the joint 

multinational task force in northern 

Borno around Lake Chad to the South. 

Some of them were transported to Lagos 

barracks, exploded and killed many 

people. Nobody asked questions about 

what happened? 

• Interview first aired on 

Channels TV Newsnight

Onuachu: I don’t score 

goals because of my size 

Super Eagles forward, 

Paul Onuachu currently 

leads the Belgian 

league goal chart and has 

vowed to score more goals 

not because of his height, 

but his talent. 

Onuachu has so far 

scored 22 goals for Genk 

and has attracted interests 

from top European clubs. 

The giant striker (he is 2.01 

metres tall) himself has insisted 

he is not just a big 

striker, but one who is also 

talented and with a style 

good for the top leagues. 

“With my playing style I 

can play anywhere,” Onuachu 

told La Deniere Heure. 

“I am not a footballer because 

of my size but because 

of my talent. 

“I want to score as many 

goals as possible (in) every 

match. I am calm inside the 

pitch, which is also a plus, I 

don’t get rushed. 

“The fact that clubs are 

showing interest now is due 

to the fact that I score a lot 

and show my worth. We’ll 

see when I’m ready to take 

on a new challenge that is 

offered me.” 

Iwobi yearns for more 

goals, assists for Everton 

Super Eagles attacking 

midfielder, Alex Iwobi 

has hinted that he 

wants to continue his impressive 

season by scoring 

and making more assists 

for Everton. 

Iwobi has been converted 

to a right back by 

coach Carlo Ancellotti 

and, according to him, he 

was comfortable with the 

role and ready to play 

anywhere. 

“I want to get more 

goals and assists, but my 

main goal is to help the 

team. If I’m able to get a 

goal or an assist, then 

that’s a bonus. But it’s always 

100% for the team. 

*Ahmad 

“Anywhere I’m told to 

play, whether it’s in goal, 

left-wing-back, striker – 

I’ll try my best to do a 

job.” 

Bruce breaths again as 

Newcastle win at Everton 

Ndidi, Maddison in contest for 

Leicester’s goal of the month 

Wilfred Ndidi’s 

goal against 

Chelsea has been nominated 

for Leicester 

City’s Goal of the Month 

award for January 2021. 

Ndidi ended his year 

and half goal drought 

CAF Election: FIFA has final say 

on Ahmad’s eligibility — EXCO 

The Executive Commit 

tee of the Confederation 

of African Football 

(CAF) has chosen to set aside 

the recommendation by its 

own Governance Committee 

to restore Ahmad as a 

presidential candidate, saying 

FIFA should have the final 

say. 

Last Friday, CAF’s Governance 

Committee determined 

that the 61-year-old 

was now eligible to stand in 

next month’s elections after 

the Court of Arbitration for 

Sport (CAS) temporarily lifted 

his five-year FIFA ban last 

week. 

“The candidate Ahmad is 

declared eligible for the post 

of CAF presidency,” the Governance 

Committee stated on 

February 5. 

At a heated meeting of the 

Executive Committee (ExCo) 

in Cameroon yesterday, 

CAF’s board effectively decided 

to ignore the independent 

Governance Committee’s 

advice and rely on football’s 

governing body itself. 

At one point, CAF president 

Ahmad - attending his first 

official event since being 

banned in November - left 

the room while his candidacy 

was discussed. 

During the meeting, he also 

rejected the possibility of 

postponing the elections, to 

be held in Morocco, because 

of the ongoing uncertainty. 

Whoever becomes CAF 

president on 12 March will 

automatically assume a role 

as the vice-president of FIFA, 

whose Review Committee 

vets candidates. 

with a spectacular strike 

against Chelsea on January 

9 with a thumping 

strike from a short-corner. 

Strikes from James 

Maddison (2), Youri 

Tielemans, James Justin, 

Harvey Barnes, Natasha 

Flint (2), Charlie Devlin 

and Thanawat Suengchitthawon 

are also up 

for Leicester City’s Goal 

of the Month prize. 

Meanwhile Leicester’s 

boss Brendan Rodgers 

hinted that Ndidi will be 

available by midweek. 

Ndidi picked up a hamstring 

injury against 

SUNDAY Vanguard, FEBRUARY 7, 2021 — PAGE 29 

Aussie Open: Stephens 

vows to fight on despite 

Covid-19 losses 

Everton at Goodison 

Park last week and was 

replaced before the end 

of the first half. 

“We’ll see with him 

over the next hours, just 

whether it’s worth the 

risk or not,” Rodgers continued. 

“He’s coming along 

very, very well. We’ll assess 

that. If not for the 

weekend, he’ll definitely 

be available for midweek 

(vs. Brighton & 

Hove Albion in the Emirates 

FA Cup Fifth 

Round.” Rogers said. 

Don’t sack Mourinho, Poyet 

warns Tottenham chairman 

Former Tottenham midfielder 

Gus Poyet has warned 

Daniel Levy not to consider 

sacking Jose Mourinho before 

he’s had a chance at ending 

the club’s long trophy 

drought. 

Mourinho is a man under 

pressure in the wake of recent 

poor form. Defeat to 

Chelsea last Thursday night 

was their third Premier 

League loss in succession. 

That was the first time since 

November 2012 they have 

lost three league games in 

succession – the days of Andre 

Villas-Boas. 

It’s also the first time in 

Mourinho’s career he has lost 

successive league games at 

home. 

However, despite question 

marks over their style, Spurs 

have a solid shout at ending 

their trophy wait. They are 

in the knockout stages of the 

Europa League and are in the 

FA Cup fifth round. Furthermore, 

they will also face 

Manchester City in the Carabao 

Cup final on April 25. 

“I think it’s a slightly different 

situation with Frank 

Lampard, the amount of 

money that Chelsea spent in 

the summer. 

“But you don’t know what 

is going on internally, so to 

comment on that would be 

unfair to Jose.” 

Totteham will play against 

relegation bound West Brom. 

NPFL: Warri Wolves won’t surrender to 

Rangers — Etu 

*Onuachu 

Warri Wolves are 

hoping to maintain 

their momentum and 

increase their points haul 

as they tackle Enugu 

Rangers in today’s Nigeria 

Professional Football 

League at the Nnamdi 

Azikwe Stadium in Enugu. 

Encouraged by their 1- 

0 win over visiting Plateau 

United in midweek, 

Warri Wolves chairman, 

Moses Etu said the team 

will do everything to 

grind out good results 

that will keep them back 

in the hunt for the title. 

“We are not going to 

lay down and be beaten 

by Rangers. The boys are 

here to play football and 

win, It is 11 against 11. 

“Though we don’t 

have the services of our 

top striker who was 

injured in our last game, 

we have a good back up 

for the game,” he sid. 

Rangers won 3-0 

against Dakkada FC 

midweek and are looking 

to consolidate. 

“All we pray for is fair 

officiating and no intimidation 

from any quarter,” 

Etu added. 

Sloane Stephens is not giving up hopes of add 

ing a second Grand Slam title to her 2017 U.S. 

Open when she begins her campaign at the Australian 

Open next week, despite the American losing 

three members of her family recently. 

The 27-year-old revealed last month on Twitter that 

she had lost her grandmother and aunt within weeks 

of each other to the novel coronavirus, leading to an 

outpouring of condolence messages from her fans. A 

week later, the Florida resident said her grandfather 

had also passed away. 

“I’m blessed with the most supportive family. They 

cheer for me in everything that I do, and my successes 

are their successes,” Stephens told Reuters in an 

email interview from Melbourne. 

“My grandparents were my biggest fans and absolutely 

obsessed with tennis. I carry their love with 

me every day.” 

Former world number three Stephens was also one 

of the 72 players confined to their hotel rooms for 

two weeks after passengers on three charter flights 

taking them to Australia tested positive for COVID- 

19. 

The rest of the athletes were allowed five hours 

each day outside to train for the year’s first Grand 

Slam. 

“I try to focus on what I can control,” said 

Stephens. 

“As a member of the WTA Players’ Council, I’ve 

been involved in the conversations about what the 

return to play looks like and how to manage all the 

different scenarios, so I respect what needs to be done 

to keep people safe.” 

*Stephens 

Chukwu floats U-20 Athletics 

Championships for South 

East 

Nigeria’s 

Olympic 

4x400m gold medalist, 

Clement Chukwu, worried 

by the almost non-existent 

athletics development 

programme for youths in the 

country, has concluded plans 

to run an Under-20 Championships 

billed for April 16- 

17 in Enugu. 

Over 500 athletes drawn 

from mostly Enugu, Imo, 

Abia, Ebonyi and Anambra 

States have registered to participate 

in the championships 

under the aegis of 

CLIMM Track and Field 

Foundation. Chukwu believes 

that this initiative is 

just a start for the foundation’s 

quest to revive athletics 

in the country. 

“It’s basically for the 

South East states just for a 

start. Charity, they say, begins 

at home. If things take 

a good turn at the first edition, 

we can give it a national 

outlook in subsequent editions. 

“Since govt has somewhat 

been unable to give impetus 

to athletics development, we 

have to step in to see what 

we can do,” Chukwu said. 

Apart from the main 

events, schools invitational 

relays will be a major attraction, 

and according to Chukwu 

who was a member of the 

Nigerian 4x400m quartet at 

the Sydney 2000 Olympics, 

the aim is to encourage more 

participation from the 

schools. 

“Hopefully we could have 

an Inter-State Invitational 

relays from the schools from 

around the country. 

“There are talents just waiting 

to be discovered and we 

have to jump right in to do 

the little that we can.” 

Other trustees of the 

CLIMM Athletics Foundation 

include Lee Okoroafo, 

Innocent Iheme, Michael 

Ukaha and Mba Uduma. 

*Chukwu

PAGE 30—SUNDAY VANGUARD, FEBRUARY 7, 2021

SUNDAY VANGUARD, FEBRUARY 7, 2021 — PAGE 31

SUNDAY Vanguard, FEBRUARY 7, 2021 

SEE SOLUTION PAGE 5 

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