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How <strong>Buhari</strong>’s 10<br />
Economic<br />
Sustainability plan<br />
helped Nigeria tackle<br />
COVID-19 — OSINBAJO<br />
Senate moves to recover<br />
N16trn AMCON loans 9<br />
AstraZeneca may have used<br />
outdated information in trials,<br />
US health officials allege<br />
Forex: CBN <strong>threatens</strong> banks, to create complaint desk<br />
10<br />
Obaseki's bulldozer<br />
pulls down ex-Edo<br />
deputy gov, Odubu,<br />
Ihonvbere,<br />
34<br />
Itemuagbo's houses<br />
19<br />
VOL. 27: NO. 64298 WEDNESDAY, MARCH 24, 2021<br />
<strong>Insecurity</strong> <strong>threatens</strong> <strong>2023</strong><br />
<strong>elections</strong>, <strong>Ortom</strong> <strong>tells</strong> <strong>Buhari</strong><br />
•Adds Nigeria sitting on keg of gunpowder•Reps condemn attack on <strong>Ortom</strong>, say offenders must face<br />
justice•Afenifere blasts FG to failing to restore security, punish perpetrators of Agatu massacre•Attack on<br />
<strong>Ortom</strong>: Military deploys troops to Tyo-Mu forests in Benue<br />
OIL SPILLS: Reps ask FG<br />
to sanction Shell, AGIP<br />
•For violating environmental laws<br />
13<br />
Anti-graft<br />
war: Why<br />
we need<br />
guidelines<br />
on plea 9<br />
bargaining<br />
—MALAMI<br />
Zenith Bank<br />
retains<br />
position as<br />
‘Best Bank<br />
in Nigeria’<br />
8<br />
ORTOM IN ASO ROCK...<br />
5<br />
S-West:<br />
Calls for<br />
secession<br />
out of<br />
frustration<br />
—FAYEMI<br />
$1.5bn:<br />
PH<br />
Refinery<br />
will run for<br />
another<br />
15yrs<br />
—NNPC GMD<br />
Mr & Mrs<br />
15<br />
34<br />
Gov Samuel <strong>Ortom</strong> of<br />
Benue State arriving<br />
Presidential Villa Abuja,<br />
yesterday, for a meeting<br />
with President<br />
Muhammadu <strong>Buhari</strong><br />
following the recent<br />
assassination attempt on<br />
his life.<br />
COLUMNISTS<br />
OCHEREOME 16 AFE 34 DEAR BUNMI 36
2 — Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, MARCH 24, 2021
Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, MARCH 24, 2021 — 3<br />
C<br />
M<br />
Y<br />
K
4 — Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, MARCH 24, 2021
vanguardnews<br />
@vanguardnews<br />
@vanguardnews<br />
NEWS HOTLINES<br />
018773962,<br />
08052867058<br />
Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, MARCH 24,2021 — 5<br />
POCKET CARTOON<br />
SPECIAL CONSULTATION —President Muhammadu <strong>Buhari</strong> with Chief of<br />
Defence Staff, General Lucky Irabor, during a special consultation at the<br />
State House, Abuja, yesterday. Photo: NAN.<br />
<strong>Insecurity</strong> <strong>threatens</strong> <strong>2023</strong><br />
<strong>elections</strong>, <strong>Ortom</strong> <strong>tells</strong> <strong>Buhari</strong><br />
•Adds Nigeria sitting on keg of gunpowder•Reps condemn<br />
attack on <strong>Ortom</strong>, say offenders must face justice•Afenifere<br />
blasts FG to failing to restore security, punish perpetrators<br />
of Agatu massacre•Attack on <strong>Ortom</strong>: Military deploys<br />
troops to Tyo-Mu forests in Benue<br />
By Peter Duru,<br />
Johnbosco<br />
Agbakwuru &<br />
Tordue Salem<br />
ABUJA —<br />
Governor<br />
Samuel <strong>Ortom</strong> of<br />
Benue State, yesterday,<br />
met President<br />
Muhammadu <strong>Buhari</strong> at<br />
the Presidential Villa,<br />
Abuja, and told newsmen<br />
after the meeting that the<br />
<strong>2023</strong> <strong>elections</strong> may not<br />
hold, if insecurity in the<br />
country persists.<br />
Meanwhile, the<br />
military, yesterday,<br />
deployed troops to Tyo-<br />
Mu, the community<br />
Governor Samuel <strong>Ortom</strong><br />
of Benue State, was<br />
attacked in his farm last<br />
Saturday.<br />
Commander of the joint<br />
military security outfit in<br />
Benue State, Operation<br />
Whirl Stroke, OPWS,<br />
Major-General Adeyinka<br />
Yekini, disclosed this<br />
while conducting<br />
newsmen round the<br />
scene of the attack where<br />
five bullet shells were<br />
recovered.<br />
This is even as the<br />
House of Representatives,<br />
yesterday, condemned in<br />
very strong terms the<br />
attack on the governor,<br />
saying the perpetrators<br />
must be fished out and<br />
dealt with.<br />
Similarly, the Pan-<br />
Yoruba socio-cultural and<br />
political organisation,<br />
Afenifere, berated the<br />
Federal Government for<br />
its inability to resolve the<br />
insecurity in the country<br />
and for failing to fish out<br />
perpetrators of Agatu<br />
massacre in Benue State<br />
which claimed scores of<br />
lives.<br />
Military deploys<br />
troops in Tyo-Mu<br />
On military deployment<br />
in Tyo-Mu, Major-<br />
General Yekini said the<br />
troops were deployed to<br />
the community to intensify<br />
patrol and surveillance of<br />
the general area.<br />
General Yekini,<br />
accompanied by Security<br />
Adviser to the Governor,<br />
retired Col. Paul Hemba,<br />
noted that his troops had<br />
immediately moved in to<br />
patrol, comb and clear the<br />
area.<br />
He noted that the patrol<br />
will help check activities<br />
of the militia herdsmen<br />
and other criminal<br />
elements emerging from<br />
the forest across River<br />
Benue to unleash<br />
mayhem on people.<br />
His words: “We are here<br />
to show you that the<br />
general area is clear of<br />
any bandits. The incident<br />
was quite unfortunate.<br />
When we were alerted,<br />
we immediately combed<br />
the area. We should not<br />
be judged by this<br />
singular assignment; we<br />
have accepted it was a<br />
security breach and we<br />
will take action.”<br />
He disclosed that in the<br />
course of patrol, the<br />
troops discovered a<br />
makeshift camp of the<br />
armed herders which it<br />
destroyed and set ablaze.<br />
On his part, the<br />
governor’s security<br />
adviser, Col Paul Hembe,<br />
retd, who disclosed that<br />
five empty shells of<br />
bullets were recovered<br />
from the scene of the<br />
attack, said no arrests had<br />
been made but noted that<br />
three persons who reside<br />
in the area were only<br />
invited for questioning<br />
after which they were<br />
allowed to go home.<br />
Hemba, who<br />
commended the swift<br />
response of troops of<br />
OPWS to the area, said as<br />
soon as they were<br />
alerted, they moved in to<br />
comb the area but noted<br />
that the bandits had fled<br />
by the time the troops<br />
arrived.<br />
“We are at the scene of<br />
the unfortunate incident<br />
of the attack on Governor<br />
Samuel <strong>Ortom</strong>. He came<br />
into his farm and while<br />
touring the farm, he went<br />
to a small market and on<br />
his way back, the gunmen<br />
who were hiding in the<br />
bushes opened fire on<br />
him.<br />
“We quickly alerted the<br />
OPWS and they<br />
immediately responded<br />
and gave them a hot chase<br />
and they have been<br />
combing the bushes since<br />
then. We commend OPWS<br />
for their prompt response.<br />
“The troops combed the<br />
bushes and found some<br />
makeshift hideouts and<br />
burnt them. We could not<br />
make any arrest because<br />
the bandits ran away as<br />
soon as the troops<br />
arrived,” Hemba said.<br />
<strong>2023</strong> <strong>elections</strong><br />
may not hold<br />
over insecurity<br />
— <strong>Ortom</strong><br />
Also yesterday, Benue<br />
State governor, Samuel<br />
<strong>Ortom</strong>, said if the<br />
insecurity challenges in<br />
the country persisted,<br />
<strong>2023</strong> <strong>elections</strong> would not<br />
hold.<br />
Governor <strong>Ortom</strong> stated<br />
this when he visited<br />
President Muhammadu<br />
<strong>Buhari</strong> at the Presidential<br />
Villa in Abuja.<br />
The governor, who<br />
arrived at the Villa<br />
unaccompanied, met with<br />
the President over issues<br />
of insecurity in the<br />
country.<br />
He thanked the<br />
President for condemning<br />
the attack on his farm but<br />
said “that there will be no<br />
<strong>2023</strong> <strong>elections</strong> in Nigeria<br />
if insecurity persists.”<br />
Briefing journalists after<br />
meeting with the<br />
President, Governor<br />
<strong>Ortom</strong> disclosed that the<br />
nation was sitting on a keg<br />
of gun powder without<br />
meaningful progress<br />
being made on the issue<br />
of security.<br />
He said: “It’s not just<br />
enough to say that one<br />
criticises the policies of the<br />
President, but when he<br />
does a good thing, it is our<br />
responsibility to team up<br />
with him to ensure that it’s<br />
done because it is when<br />
we are peaceful, when we<br />
have security that we can<br />
talk about tomorrow.<br />
“I want to also appeal to<br />
Nigerians, <strong>2023</strong>, yes to a<br />
politician is not far, but it’s<br />
still a long way. If we<br />
secure our country and<br />
everything is working<br />
fine, then we can talk<br />
about <strong>2023</strong>, but with the<br />
way things are going, if<br />
we don’t secure the<br />
country, there is no way<br />
we can talk about <strong>2023</strong>,<br />
that is why I always<br />
dismiss people who come<br />
to me to say we will<br />
Continues on Page 35<br />
By Cynthia Alo<br />
On FG's approval of $1.5bn for rehabilitation of PH refinery (4)<br />
Shell sold a 149,000bpd<br />
capacity refinery in the<br />
US for $1.2m. We can’t expect<br />
to make economic progress if<br />
we continue to fund<br />
inefficiency. We’re fast moving<br />
into a debt trap, from ¦ 12<br />
trillion in 2015 to over ¦ 32<br />
trillion today because some<br />
people are enriching<br />
themselves with every policy.<br />
Let this refinery be sold to coreinvestors<br />
with proven capacity<br />
to repair it with their own funds.<br />
—Anyanwu Celestine,<br />
Asst. brand manager<br />
That amount is<br />
enough to build two<br />
new refineries with<br />
optimum performance.<br />
$1.5b is too high, the<br />
contractors and FG should<br />
be probed per dollar spent<br />
if they go ahead with the<br />
project. This is a wrong<br />
advice to the FG with the<br />
present state of the<br />
economy. Every spending<br />
should be focused on<br />
improving our standard of<br />
living.<br />
—Maximums Ohio,<br />
Businessman<br />
As for me, the FG<br />
cannot be trusted.<br />
The money will not be<br />
utilised in rehabilitating<br />
the refinery, it will be<br />
looted! All we need is<br />
accountability and<br />
transparency to grow this<br />
nation. It is not a question<br />
of bringing out this money<br />
but can we say it has been<br />
used and how it was used?<br />
—Maryjane Raphael,<br />
Entrepreneur<br />
I<br />
see this as a way to<br />
appease the South-<br />
East. Why is this coming at<br />
this point in time? It’s a total<br />
waste. We should think of<br />
diverting the money into<br />
something that will generate<br />
income for the South-East<br />
and South-South. I will<br />
advise they invest the money<br />
in Agriculture. With the rate<br />
at which corruption is<br />
disturbing us, some officials<br />
may even mismanage the<br />
money.<br />
—Richards Ayobami,<br />
Teacher<br />
Being a nation that<br />
consumes what she<br />
does not produce has<br />
always been an<br />
economical landmine for<br />
us.<br />
So, spending $1.5b to<br />
rehabilitate the Port<br />
Harcourt this is a step in<br />
the right economical<br />
direction to consume<br />
what we produce which<br />
would reduce inflation.<br />
—Jesse Ugwunwa,<br />
Debt Manager<br />
In my opinion, the<br />
approval of $1.5bn by<br />
the FG for rehabilitation<br />
of Port Harcourt refinery<br />
is goodnews to Nigeria<br />
as it will not only reduce<br />
the prices of petroleum<br />
products, but also create<br />
jobs for both graduates<br />
and non-graduates.<br />
—Uchechi Wonderful,<br />
Digital Marketer
6— Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, MARCH 24, 2021<br />
Bandits kill<br />
4 in Kaduna<br />
villages<br />
By Ibrahim<br />
HassanWuyo<br />
BANDITS reportedly killed<br />
three people in Ungwan Lalle<br />
village, Igabi Local Government<br />
Area, while another person was<br />
killed at Niima Clinic in Golgofa<br />
village, Jema’a Local Government<br />
Area of Kaduna State, Monday.<br />
Confirming the killings,<br />
yesterday, Kaduna State<br />
Commissioner for Internal<br />
Security and Home Affairs,<br />
Samuel Aruwan, said the bandits<br />
initially attempted to barricade the<br />
Kwanar Tsintsiya road, along<br />
Kaduna-Zaria highway but were<br />
repelled by troops and vigilante<br />
patrols.<br />
He said: “As the bandits<br />
retreated to their camp, they<br />
attacked the village and killed the<br />
following locals: Dayyabu Yarima,<br />
Dalhatu Ashiru and Suleiman<br />
Samatu."<br />
In another incident, troops of<br />
Operation Safe Haven reported<br />
that gunmen attacked Niima<br />
Clinic in Golgofa village, Jema’a<br />
Local Government Area, late<br />
Monday night. A staff of the clinic<br />
was killed, and three others<br />
sustained gunshot injuries.<br />
One dead as<br />
C-River youths<br />
attack A-Ibom<br />
community<br />
shops<br />
By Chioma Onuegbu<br />
UYO— ONE person was<br />
reportedly killed in a clash<br />
between residents of Oku Iboku<br />
community in Itu Local<br />
Government Area of Akwa Ibom<br />
State and armed youths of Ikot<br />
Offiong community in Odukpani<br />
Local Government Area of Cross<br />
River State over a boundary<br />
dispute.<br />
It was gathered that the Ikot<br />
Offiong warriors invaded Oku lboku<br />
community, overpowered the<br />
military at the beach area popularly<br />
known as Esuk Oku, entered some<br />
villages, torched some houses and<br />
shops including the clan head's<br />
House.<br />
It was also gathered that scores at<br />
the beach area were injured while<br />
fleeing from the armed youths.<br />
Many families, according to<br />
sources from the area, are currently<br />
taking refuge in neighbouring<br />
communities in the local<br />
government area and Uyo, the state<br />
capital for fear of the unknown.<br />
It was gathered that the Ikot<br />
Offiong youths stormed the Oku<br />
Iboku community in two speedboats<br />
and engaged the military men<br />
positioned at the beach in a gun<br />
battle for about 25 minutes.<br />
A source, who spoke to<br />
newsmen yesterday said the<br />
military officers fled because the<br />
Ikot Offiong youths came with<br />
sophisticated weapons, stressing,<br />
“Since the military could not stop<br />
them it means we are not safe,<br />
please pray for our community.”<br />
When contacted, the Police<br />
Public Relations Officer, Akwa<br />
Ibom State, Mr Odiko MacDon,<br />
confirmed the incident, adding<br />
that the police have not received<br />
any report of loss of life.<br />
Bandits kill 3 policemen, cart away rifles in<br />
Abia<br />
By Ugochukwu<br />
Alaribe<br />
THREE policemen were,<br />
yesterday, killed by suspected<br />
bandits and two of their rifles carted<br />
away in Abiriba community, Ohafia<br />
council area of Abia State.<br />
It was gathered that the three<br />
policemen, Inspector Austin Ugwu,<br />
Inspector Longinus Ugochukwu<br />
and Constable Ama Ifeanyi, serving<br />
By Dayo Johnson<br />
AKURE—A<br />
five-year-old<br />
primary school pupil (name<br />
withheld) has narrated how her<br />
father (name withheld) strangled<br />
her mother, Wayesola, in her sleep<br />
in Ondo town, Ondo State over a<br />
minor disagreement.<br />
She told police detectives that<br />
when she woke up around 5 am to<br />
answer the call of nature, she saw<br />
her father on the bed turning her<br />
mother’s neck.<br />
She said: “My mother was<br />
struggling to free herself from the<br />
grip of my father but she was<br />
overpowered."<br />
Police detectives told Vanguard<br />
that the daughter of the deceased,<br />
who witnessed how her mother was<br />
murdered, gave evidence against<br />
her father, hence his arrest by police<br />
for further interrogation.<br />
The ugly incident occurred at<br />
at the Abiriba Police Division, were<br />
ambushed by the bandits when they<br />
arrived at Agu Eze Amaogudu area,<br />
Abiriba, at 8.30 am.<br />
The killing of the policemen<br />
caused panic in the community as<br />
some of the residents stayed indoors<br />
for the fear of mass arrest by the<br />
police.<br />
Abia State Deputy Governor, Sir<br />
Ude Chukwu, who visited the crime<br />
scene, sympathised with the families<br />
and friends of the officers, who lost<br />
their lives.<br />
He promised that the state<br />
The late Wayesola.<br />
Salvation Army Street, OdojÍmu,<br />
Ondo town.<br />
Reports had it that the couple had<br />
a disagreement, which resulted in<br />
a shouting match the night<br />
preceding her murder.<br />
According to the police source, the<br />
daughter of the deceased said her<br />
father threatened to kill her when<br />
government would deploy<br />
necessary resources available to<br />
ensure the protection of the people<br />
and all law-abiding citizens.<br />
Oko Chukwu, who was<br />
accompanied on the visit by the state<br />
Commissioner for Information, John<br />
Okiyi-Kalu, called for support for<br />
security agents to ensure that the<br />
perpetrators were quickly identified<br />
and brought to justice.<br />
He also visited traditional rulers<br />
of the community and assured them<br />
of government’s support to ensure<br />
that the perpetrators were brought<br />
How man allegedly killed wife in Ondo<br />
— Police<br />
she made an attempt to raise alarm<br />
and wanted to run out of the room<br />
to seek the help of their neighbours.<br />
The source said: “The little girl<br />
said she later saw her mother’s<br />
lifelessly body beside her father on<br />
the bed and their neighbours came<br />
into the room and covered her with<br />
clothing."<br />
The police source said it was the<br />
neighbours that alerted the<br />
deceased brother on phone.<br />
It said: “The neighbours locked<br />
up the man and the lifeless body of<br />
his wife inside the room so that he<br />
won’t escape. lt was the deceased<br />
brother, who went to Enuowa police<br />
station in Ondo town to report the<br />
incident."<br />
Contacted, the image-maker of the<br />
state Police command, Tee- Leo<br />
Ikoro confirmed the murder, saying<br />
the matter had been transferred to<br />
the state CID for further<br />
investigation.<br />
According to him, the suspect<br />
would be charged for murder after<br />
the completion of the investigation.<br />
2 killed, 2 injured in Anambra, Delta communities'<br />
cult clashes •Suspected robbers shoot one in Lagos<br />
By Bose Adelaja,<br />
Vincent Ujumadu &<br />
Ochuko Akuopha<br />
RENEWED<br />
cult<br />
activities at Okija in Ihiala Local<br />
Government Area of Anambra State<br />
have reportedly claimed one life<br />
while another is in a critical condition<br />
in the hospital.<br />
No fewer than five persons had<br />
lost their lives in the community<br />
under similar circumstances since<br />
November last year.<br />
Only last week, the head of a<br />
young man was cut off in the<br />
presence of his aged mother and<br />
taken away by suspected cultists.<br />
Vanguard gathered that the latest<br />
victim, who hailed from<br />
Umuatuegwu village, was hit by a<br />
stray bullet while the rival cult<br />
groups were firing at each other.<br />
A source at Okija said the groups<br />
had created tension in the area as<br />
they have continued to harass each<br />
other at the busy Nkwo Okija<br />
market.<br />
The source said: “As I am<br />
speaking, there is a commotion at<br />
Nkwo market and the disturbing<br />
thing is that these boys are using<br />
the opportunity to extort money from<br />
people.<br />
“Those who refuse to give them<br />
money usually have their cars<br />
torched. The development has<br />
forced many people to hurriedly<br />
leave the market for their houses.”<br />
According to him, the new<br />
Divisional Police Officer, DPO, and<br />
Divisional Crime Officer, DCO,<br />
have been deployed to the area,<br />
adding that the expectation was that<br />
they would return normalcy to the<br />
town.<br />
Police Public Relations Officer in<br />
the state, Mr Tochukwu Ikenga, said<br />
he was yet to get the report of the<br />
incident.<br />
One killed as cultists<br />
go on rampage in<br />
Delta community<br />
Another violent clash between<br />
rival cults claimed one life and<br />
another inflicted with bullet wounds<br />
at Ekakpamre community, Ughelli<br />
South Local Government Area,<br />
Delta State.<br />
The clash, which began Monday<br />
night, continued yesterday, as the<br />
deceased was killed at about 4 am.<br />
A source said: “Presently, there is<br />
tension in the community. Shops<br />
have been closed down and people<br />
can barely move around.”<br />
Contacted, the state Police Public<br />
Relations Officer, Bright Edafe,<br />
confirmed the incident, saying the<br />
Divisional Police Officer of the Otu-<br />
Jeremi divisional headquarters had<br />
led his men to restore normalcy to<br />
the community.<br />
He disclosed that the police were<br />
on the trail of those behind the<br />
killing. He, however, could not<br />
confirm if the incident was cultrelated.<br />
Suspected robbers<br />
shoot one in Lagos<br />
Also, scores of commuters,<br />
yesterday, scampered for safety at<br />
Carwash bus-stop, Lagos State, as<br />
some suspected robbers opened fire<br />
on a commuter around 6.10 am<br />
outward Third Mainland Bridge.<br />
An eye witness said the victim was<br />
with some of his colleagues<br />
awaiting a staff bus when the<br />
unfortunate incident occurred.<br />
It could not be ascertained if the<br />
gunshot led to his death.<br />
A commercial driver, Adeyinka<br />
Abdulkareem, said he was about<br />
dropping passengers at the busstop<br />
when he witnessed the<br />
incident.<br />
He told our correspondent that the<br />
suspected robbers were four in<br />
number and all were dressed in<br />
blue/black T-shirts when they<br />
arrived at the bus-stop.<br />
At press time, the spokesperson,<br />
Nigeria Police Force, Lagos State<br />
Command, CSP Muyiwa Adejobi<br />
could not be reached.<br />
to book.<br />
Responding, the Enachioken in<br />
Council, which spoke through Eze<br />
Eme Uguru Ikpoka, assured that the<br />
community would fully cooperate<br />
with security agencies to protect the<br />
people and prevent the perpetrators<br />
from escaping justice.<br />
Ikpoka urged the government to<br />
prevail on security agents not to<br />
engage in mass arrests, assuring<br />
that the community has dispatched<br />
hunters and youths into the<br />
surrounding forests to track down<br />
the bandits.<br />
3 die,<br />
4 hospitalised<br />
in Osun in<br />
suspected<br />
cholera<br />
outbreak<br />
By Shina Abubakar<br />
OSOGBO—There is palpable<br />
fear in Ede, Osun State as<br />
three persons reportedly died in the<br />
Hausa community in the town due<br />
to alleged outbreak of cholera.<br />
Vanguard gathered that the<br />
victims, beggars, reportedly died<br />
between Monday evening and<br />
yesterday morning at the Oke-Gada<br />
area of the town, while four others<br />
were taken to the hospital.<br />
Sources in the town said the<br />
incident was a result of food<br />
poisoning, claiming that about 15<br />
beggars died after eating food given<br />
to them by unknown persons.<br />
However, Serikin Hausa in Ede,<br />
Alhaji Gambo Ibrahim, said the<br />
incident was due to an outbreak of<br />
cholera within the community and only<br />
three persons died.<br />
He said: “There is nothing like food<br />
poisoning in the community, it is the<br />
outbreak of cholera. Three persons died<br />
before they were taken to hospital, while<br />
four other persons were hospitalised.<br />
“We have informed the state<br />
government about the development<br />
and health officials have visited the area<br />
and collected samples from both the<br />
dead and the sick victims. Only three<br />
persons died and I led their burial rites.”<br />
Also, the state Police Command<br />
spokesperson, Yemisi Opalola,<br />
confirmed that three persons died from<br />
the incident, adding that investigation<br />
is ongoing to ascertain the cause of their<br />
death.<br />
Efforts to get a reaction from the state<br />
government proved abortive.<br />
Police arrest alleged serial rapist,<br />
others in Delta<br />
By Festus Ahon<br />
ASABA—A 35-year-old alleged<br />
serial rapist, Michael Ovie, was<br />
yesterday, arrested by the Delta<br />
State Police Command at Oghara,<br />
Ethiope West Local Government<br />
Area of the State.<br />
It was gathered that the suspect,<br />
who is also a motorcycle rider,<br />
specialised in picking young girls<br />
at night as passengers, divert them<br />
to the bush, rob them of their<br />
belongings and forcefully have<br />
carnal knowledge of them after<br />
threatening them with a dagger.<br />
The command in a statement by<br />
its acting Police Public Relations<br />
Officer, Bright Edafe, said it also<br />
arrested one suspected cultists and<br />
one illicit drug dealer, adding that<br />
it rescued a kidnap victim.<br />
Edafe in the statement said:<br />
“When arrested, nine mobile<br />
phones, including that of his last<br />
victim, were recovered from him.<br />
Also, an iPhone valued at N400,000,<br />
nine female handbags, two pairs of<br />
eyeglasses, five phone chargers,<br />
two ATM cards and 13 SIM cards<br />
were recovered.<br />
“On 19/3/2021 at about 0846hrs,<br />
some vigilante members led by one<br />
Kess Opia reported that one of their<br />
members, Monday Mila, was<br />
kidnapped by suspected herdsmen<br />
along his farm road in Umutu.<br />
"The DPO Umutu Division, CSP<br />
Patience Ugbe, immediately<br />
mobilised a combined team of<br />
Policemen, vigilantes and some<br />
youths to the bush in search of the<br />
victim. Due to the pressure, the<br />
suspected kidnappers abandoned<br />
the victim and fled. The victim was<br />
rescued and reunited with his<br />
family. An effort is ongoing to arrest<br />
the feeling suspects.
Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, MARCH 24 , 2021—7<br />
How cultist shot, beheaded, used<br />
body parts of rival for rituals in Aba<br />
By Ifeanyi Okolie<br />
FOR allegedly beheading<br />
and videotaping the<br />
killing of Ugochukwu Igwilo,<br />
operatives of the Force<br />
Intelligence Response Team,<br />
IRT, have arrested a 27-yearold<br />
Okonkwo<br />
Nzubechukwu<br />
It was gathered that<br />
Nzubechukwu, after killing<br />
Igwilo, who was a member<br />
of the Supreme Vikings<br />
Confraternity, circulated the<br />
video on social media, in Aba,<br />
Abia State.<br />
Vanguard gathered that the<br />
suspect, who was arrested<br />
alongside one Prince Kalu,<br />
who is also a member of his<br />
confraternity, was<br />
apprehended after operatives<br />
of the IRT, headed by Deputy<br />
Commissioner of Police, Abba<br />
Kyari, raided a seven mangang<br />
of armed robbers who<br />
robbed and killed some POS<br />
agents within Aba town, Abia<br />
State.<br />
Sources disclosed that the<br />
robbers were all members of<br />
the Supreme Vikings<br />
Confraternity and during<br />
interrogations, they confessed<br />
that a member of their<br />
confraternity, Nzubechukwu,<br />
was the person who killed<br />
and beheaded the person<br />
who was seen on the viral<br />
videotape on circulation.<br />
It was gathered that after<br />
the victim was beheaded,<br />
Nnzubechukwu and three of<br />
his gang members also cut off<br />
the victim’s legs, arms and his<br />
private part and took them to<br />
a native doctor at a village<br />
called Ahia Afor, in Abia State,<br />
where the body parts were<br />
used for charms that will give<br />
them protection from the<br />
police and their rival gangs.<br />
Why I beheaded<br />
Igwilo<br />
—Nzubechukwu<br />
Narrating why he killed<br />
and beheaded Igwilo,<br />
Nzubechukwu, who is a<br />
student of Nigeria Maritime<br />
Academy, Oron said: “I am<br />
from Idiator North Local<br />
Government Area of Imo<br />
State and I joined the Vikings<br />
confraternity in 2013 and I live<br />
in Aba with my parents. One<br />
Mr Virus took me to join the<br />
Vikings Confraternity.<br />
“I was the former head of<br />
the confraternity in Aba in<br />
2015 and I ruled for six<br />
months before I was removed<br />
and we have three guns<br />
during my time. I was<br />
arrested because I killed one<br />
Ugochukwu Igwilo, who is a<br />
member of the Black Axe<br />
confraternity.<br />
“We had a cult war in Aba<br />
in 2020 and Ugochukwu<br />
killed one of our members<br />
known as Lampard and the<br />
message was reported in our<br />
Whatsapp group chat.<br />
Ugochukwu attacked<br />
Lampard in his compound in<br />
Umuchichi around Osisioma<br />
area of Aba and butchered<br />
him and before then,<br />
Ugochukwu had also<br />
attempted to kill me, but I<br />
escaped. Ugochukwu was<br />
also the head of the Black Axe<br />
group in Aba.<br />
“So, on March 6, 2021,<br />
Ugochukwu came to where<br />
we were playing football with<br />
one Segior and a member of<br />
our group and there was a<br />
member of our group known<br />
as More-Light who had a<br />
gun with him then, we<br />
ordered Ugochukwu to<br />
follow us into the bush with<br />
the gun and he obeyed.<br />
"But while we were moving<br />
into the bush, he attempted<br />
to escape and Otiko, a<br />
member of our group went<br />
after him and broke his head<br />
with a big stick. Then I shot<br />
him with the locally made gun<br />
and he died on the spot.<br />
"We dragged his dead body<br />
to our island, which is not far<br />
from the bush and I cut off<br />
his head and I videotaped it.<br />
I then sent the video to our<br />
Whatsapp group chat, where<br />
it went viral. I also presented<br />
the head to our members, who<br />
were not on the ground when<br />
we killed the victim.<br />
The rituals<br />
"Two other members of our<br />
group, Spiritual and Otiko,<br />
went to the corpse and<br />
removed more body parts,<br />
which they took to a native<br />
doctor at Ogbor Hill in Ahia<br />
Afor village. The herbalist<br />
grinded the head then asked<br />
us to pound the bones and<br />
the head while the herbalist<br />
was making incantation. The<br />
charm was to prevent the<br />
police from arresting us.<br />
"But the charm failed us.<br />
The video I shared went viral<br />
and when More-Light was<br />
arrested over the POS<br />
robbery, he also confessed that<br />
he was part of the group that<br />
killed and beheaded Igwilo.<br />
“Prince was just a witness<br />
to the crime. I was planning<br />
to become an engineer but<br />
now that dream has been cut<br />
short. My biggest regret is<br />
that someone else will be<br />
sleeping with my girlfriend.”<br />
7 arrested over death of LASTMA official in<br />
Lagos<br />
By Esther<br />
Onyegbula &<br />
Nimat Otori<br />
SEVEN persons have<br />
been arrested in<br />
connection with the attack that<br />
led to the death of an official<br />
of the Lagos State Traffic<br />
Management Authority,<br />
LASTMA, along Ikorodu<br />
Road.<br />
Vanguard gathered that a<br />
commercial bus driver plied<br />
the BRT lane, last Tuesday,<br />
at the Bariga area of Lagos,<br />
consequent upon which the<br />
vehicle was impounded.<br />
Some social miscreants<br />
were said to have besieged<br />
the scene, in an attempt to<br />
forcefully take the vehicle<br />
from the official. But they did<br />
not succeed as the vehicle was<br />
driven to the agency’s office.<br />
In anger, the miscreants<br />
were said to have taken over<br />
the area, attacking any<br />
LASTMA official insight. One<br />
of them, Olusegun Obasu,<br />
who was at his duty post at<br />
Anthony was not spared.<br />
While his colleagues<br />
managed to escape, he could<br />
not.<br />
While parading the<br />
suspects before journalists at<br />
the Lagos State Police<br />
Command headquarters, the<br />
Commissioner of Police,<br />
The suspects<br />
Hakeem Odumosu,<br />
described the attack on the<br />
LASTMA official as barbaric.<br />
Odumosu said: “The case<br />
is under investigation at the<br />
State Criminal Investigation<br />
and Intelligence Department,<br />
Yaba. The suspects will be<br />
charged to court soon.”<br />
We're not involved<br />
—Suspects<br />
However, when<br />
approached, the suspects:<br />
Alaba Adepoju, 44; Ayodele<br />
Yusuf, 25; Yusuf Waris, 21;<br />
Oladele Adejobi, 32; Rilwan<br />
Ramanu, 25; Babalola Femi,<br />
23 and Ayomide Oyeyeni, 28,<br />
denied culpability in the<br />
attack that led to Obasu’s<br />
demise.<br />
One of them, Ayodele, said:<br />
“On that particular day, I was<br />
doing my normal job as a<br />
conductor when the whole<br />
place was in disarray. I<br />
crossed to the other side of<br />
the road to check what was<br />
happening, only to be<br />
arrested as a suspect. I didn’t<br />
kill any LASTMA official, my<br />
hands are clean.”<br />
On his part, Ayomide, a<br />
commercial bus driver, said:<br />
“I was doing my normal job<br />
when the incident happened.<br />
I stopped my bus and joined<br />
other drivers at the spot where<br />
we were discussing what<br />
happened, only to be<br />
rounded up by the police.”<br />
Like Ayodele, Kwari said he<br />
had gone to see what<br />
happened, only to be<br />
apprehended.
8 — Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, MARCH 24, 2021<br />
:Vanguard News<br />
:@vanguardnews :@vanguardnews NEWS HOTLINES: 08052867023, 08052867058<br />
POETRY DAY— From left: Renowned Poet, Odia Ofeimun; art enthusiast, Chief Kayode Aderinokun; MD/CEO,<br />
ProvidusBank, Walter Akpani; Veteran actor, Mrs. Taiwo Ajai-Lycett; Nobel Laureate, Professor Wole Soyinka;<br />
MD/CEO, Northwest Petroleum, Dame Winnie Akpani; Consul General, U.S. Consulate, Ms. Claire Pierangelo,<br />
and Nigerian explorer, Chief Newton Jibunoh, during ProvidusBank's 'Poetry Café' event, to mark the World<br />
Poetry Day, with the theme: ‘Voices in the Cause of Earth’, at Eko Hotel & Suites, VI, Lagos, weekend.<br />
Drama as Dickson confronts Dahiru over<br />
comment on Bayelsa's population<br />
•Mubi’s population much higher than Bayelsa’s 8 LGAs<br />
Senator Dahiru; •Who conducted the census, how justifiable<br />
is Mubi’s population? Senator Dickson fires back<br />
By Henry Umoru<br />
ABUJA — THERE was<br />
drama in the Senate<br />
yesterday, following altercation<br />
between Senators Aishatu<br />
Dahiru, APC, Adamawa Central<br />
and Seriake Dickson, PDP,<br />
Bayelsa West, over comments<br />
on Bayelsa’s small population.<br />
Trouble started during plenary<br />
when Senator Dahiru<br />
took a swipe at Bayelsa State,<br />
saying Mubi North’s population<br />
of 2,089,540 was much<br />
higher than the entire population<br />
of Bayelsa State which is<br />
currently 1,704,515.<br />
Dahiru attacked the South<br />
South state when she led a debate<br />
on the general principles<br />
of the Bill for an Act to provide<br />
the legal framework to establish<br />
the Federal Medical Centre,<br />
Mubi, Adamawa State,<br />
and for related matters, 2021(<br />
SB.668), sponsored by her.<br />
Presenting the bill, the Adamawa<br />
senator immediately<br />
veered off her presentation,<br />
alleging that the population in<br />
need of the facility in Mubi was<br />
more than that of some states<br />
like Bayelsa.<br />
According to her, the town,<br />
Mubi, with a total land mass<br />
of 506.4km2 and a population<br />
of 759,045, is bound by neighbouring<br />
nine local government<br />
areas. “This together with<br />
the population of Mubi North<br />
makes it 2,089,540 people<br />
(very much higher than Bayelsa<br />
State’s eight local government<br />
areas, with a population<br />
of 1,704,515). “Nonetheless,<br />
this historic town has suffered<br />
from government neglect in<br />
terms of federal presence, especially<br />
in the area of tertiary<br />
healthcare delivery. “<br />
Senator Dahiru’s argument<br />
did not go down well with Seriake<br />
Dickson, the immediate<br />
past governor of Bayelsa State,<br />
who was infuriated. Angered<br />
by the submissions, Senator<br />
Dickson quickly raised up his<br />
hand which the President of<br />
the Senate mistook for an intention<br />
to contribute to the debate<br />
and obliged him. Dickson,<br />
who lampooned the Adamawa<br />
senator, faulted her<br />
claim on Bayelsa population.<br />
He declared that figures<br />
presented by Senator Dahiru<br />
were not verifiable, arguing in<br />
an angry tone that the size of<br />
Bayelsa, the physical land<br />
mass and the water bodies<br />
were thrice bigger than some<br />
states in the country. He said:<br />
“In my senatorial district, it<br />
will take me four days to go<br />
round. In my local government,<br />
Sagbama, it will take<br />
me three days to go round.<br />
“I just felt I should rise to<br />
enlighten the sponsor of this<br />
bill and by so doing, the rest of<br />
the country.<br />
“When people talk about<br />
population, they should be<br />
careful because if you go deep<br />
and ask who conducted the<br />
census, who verified what and<br />
what are counted, who are the<br />
residents and how justifiable?<br />
Noting the dangerous trend<br />
the argument was taking, the<br />
Senate President, Ahmad Lawan,<br />
interjected and cautioned<br />
Dickson against imputing<br />
improper motives to<br />
the debate.<br />
He said: “Apparently, I have<br />
to guide this contribution because<br />
you have made your<br />
point and, giving our standing<br />
orders, we shouldn’t impute<br />
improper motives to the<br />
submission by our colleagues.<br />
“The discussion is not on the<br />
population of Bayelsa or population<br />
censors conducted<br />
before now. We should rather<br />
concentrate on the main focus,<br />
which is on the establishment<br />
of federal medical centre.<br />
“I agree that there are<br />
many questions people will<br />
like to raise, but I think the<br />
essence of this debate is to focus<br />
on the general principles<br />
and merits of the bill.”<br />
Dickson, however, continued<br />
his presentation: “Debates<br />
and submissions in this<br />
hallowed chamber must be<br />
based on justifiable fact.<br />
“I was only rising to enlighten,<br />
without prejudice to the<br />
merits or demerits of the bill,<br />
that the premise that she has<br />
put forward as a reason or one<br />
of the reasons this bill should<br />
be considered is faulty. That<br />
should be expunged, it should<br />
not form part of it. That is not<br />
factual, it is incorrect.’’<br />
Zenith Bank retains position as ‘Best Bank in Nigeria’<br />
ZENITH Bank Plc has<br />
emerged as the Best<br />
Bank in Nigeria in the Global<br />
Finance Magazine’s Best<br />
Banks Awards 2021, retaining<br />
the award for the second successive<br />
year.<br />
The bank was among other<br />
banks from 35 countries in<br />
Africa recognised as the prestigious<br />
US magazine, Global<br />
Finance announced its 28th<br />
Annual Best Bank Awards<br />
Winners in Africa. The editors<br />
of Global Finance made all<br />
s<strong>elections</strong> after extensive consultations<br />
with corporate financial<br />
executives, bankers<br />
and banking consultants, and<br />
analysts worldwide.<br />
Global Finance considered<br />
factors that ranged from the<br />
quantitative objective to the<br />
informed subjective in selecting<br />
these top banks. Objective<br />
criteria considered included:<br />
growth in assets, profitability,<br />
geographic reach, strategic<br />
relationships, new business<br />
development and innovation<br />
in products. Subjective criteria<br />
included the opinions of<br />
equity analysts, credit rating<br />
analysts, banking consultants<br />
and others involved in the industry.<br />
Global Finance’s “Best<br />
Banks Awards” are recognised<br />
amongst the world’s most influential<br />
banking/finance and<br />
corporate professionals as the<br />
most coveted and credible<br />
awards in the banking industry,<br />
with winners chosen in 150<br />
countries and territories<br />
across Africa, AsiaPacific, the<br />
Caribbean, Central America,<br />
Central & Eastern Europe,<br />
Latin America, the Middle<br />
East, North America and Western<br />
Europe.<br />
Founded in 1987, Global<br />
Finance regularly selects the<br />
top performers among banks<br />
and other financial services<br />
NHRC: <strong>Buhari</strong> seeks<br />
Senate's confirmation of<br />
Suleiman as chairman,<br />
Vanguard’s Soni Daniel,<br />
others, members<br />
By Henry Umoru<br />
ABUJA — PRESIDENT<br />
Muhammadu <strong>Buhari</strong><br />
has written the Senate, seeking<br />
the screening and subsequent<br />
confirmation of<br />
Salamatu Hussaini Suleiman<br />
as chairman of the National<br />
Human Rights Commission,<br />
NHRC.<br />
Also to be confirmed are fourteen<br />
others as members of the<br />
commission. In a letter to the<br />
Senate, read by the President,<br />
Senator Ahmad Lawan, at<br />
plenary yesterday, <strong>Buhari</strong> is<br />
asking the Senate to confirm<br />
the chairman and 14 others.<br />
The request was contained in<br />
a letter, dated March 17, 2021.<br />
According to President <strong>Buhari</strong>,<br />
the confirmation request<br />
was made pursuant to Section<br />
By Udeme Akpan<br />
LAGOS — THE Federal<br />
Government said yesterday<br />
it would realize $500 million<br />
(N189.5 billion) from the<br />
sale of the nation’s 57 marginal<br />
oil fields.<br />
The Minister of State for<br />
Petroleum Resources, Chief<br />
Timipre Sylva, who expressed<br />
the optimism, said 50 per cent<br />
of the target had been realized.<br />
Speaking at the end of the<br />
just concluded 2021 First<br />
Quarter Ministerial Meeting,<br />
held in Lagos, Sylva, who also<br />
spoke on the rehabilitation of<br />
refineries and petrol pricing,<br />
said: “The process has been<br />
concluded. Letters have gone<br />
BUA Group Chairman launches $100m Africa<br />
Endowment Fund<br />
By Babajide Komolafe<br />
LAGOS — Chairman,<br />
The BUA Group, Isyaku<br />
Rabiu has announced the establishment<br />
of a $100 million<br />
Africa Endowment Fund for<br />
social development and renewal.<br />
In a statement announcing<br />
the fund, Rabiu said that the<br />
Abdul Samad Rabiu Initiative<br />
Africa Fund Endowment will<br />
focus on education, health and<br />
social development sectors,<br />
starting with infrastructure<br />
and capacity development.<br />
He added that on an annual<br />
basis the Abdul Samad Rabiu<br />
Initiative will commit $50<br />
million to Nigeria and $50<br />
million to the rest of Africa.<br />
providers, and the awards<br />
have become a trusted standard<br />
of excellence for the global<br />
financial community.<br />
According to Joseph D. Giarraputo,<br />
publisher and editorial<br />
director of Global Finance,<br />
“this year’s evaluations<br />
are more important and valuable<br />
than at any point in their<br />
28-year history, given the unprecedented<br />
economic conditions<br />
wrought by the global<br />
pandemic.” In his words,<br />
“Banks are playing a key role<br />
in economic recovery around<br />
the world, and as such, our<br />
Best Bank awards highlight<br />
the leaders in restoring growth<br />
and mapping a way forward.”<br />
Commenting on the recognition,<br />
the Group Managing<br />
Director/Chief Executive of<br />
Zenith Bank, Mr, Ebenezer<br />
Onyeagwu said: “This award<br />
is a strong indication of our<br />
resilience despite a very excruciating<br />
macroeconomic environment<br />
exacerbated by the<br />
COVID 19 pandemic”.<br />
He added that the award<br />
was made possible by the joint<br />
contributions of the bank’s key<br />
stakeholders – the Group<br />
Chairman, Jim Ovia, for his<br />
pioneering and foundational<br />
role in building the structures<br />
and laying the foundation for<br />
an enduring and very successful<br />
institution, the Board for<br />
the deep insights and outstanding<br />
leadership they provide,<br />
the staff for their commitment,<br />
doggedness, creativity<br />
and very outstanding talents<br />
as well as the Bank’s teeming<br />
customers for their continued<br />
support and loyalty.<br />
Zenith Bank has remained<br />
a clear leader in the Nigerian<br />
financial services industry,<br />
distinguishing itself through<br />
unique customer experience<br />
and sound financial indices.<br />
2(3) of the National Human<br />
Rights Commission Act (as<br />
amended). The names of<br />
nominees to be confirmed as<br />
members of the National<br />
Human Rights Commission<br />
include the Regional Editor,<br />
North, Vanguard Media Limited,<br />
Mr. Soni Daniel ; Mrs.<br />
Beatrice Jedy-Agba; Amb.<br />
Umar Zainab Salisu; Mrs.<br />
Dafe T. Adesida; Joseph Onyemaechi<br />
Mmamel; Ahmad<br />
Abubakar Fingilla; Kemi Asiwaju-Okeyonda;<br />
Abubakar<br />
Muhammed; and Femi<br />
Okoeowo.<br />
Others are Barrister Agabaidu<br />
Chukwuemeka Jideani;<br />
Mrs. Nella Andem-Rabana,<br />
SAN; Azubuike Nwakwenta;<br />
Jamila Isah; Mrs. Idayat<br />
Omolara Hassan; and<br />
Prof. Anthony Ojukwu.<br />
Marginal fields: FG sets $500m<br />
target as buyers pay 50% of<br />
Signature bonus — Minister<br />
He said: “Over the years as<br />
a corporate, and through the<br />
BUA Foundation, we have<br />
been actively involved in corporate<br />
philanthropy in various<br />
sectors – from health, education,<br />
community development,<br />
water & sanitation,<br />
sports, and even more recently,<br />
our work on COVID-<br />
19.<br />
“However, with the Abdul<br />
Samad Rabiu Initiative and<br />
its annual $100million Africa<br />
Fund for Social Development,<br />
we are specifically extending<br />
this work to the Education,<br />
Health and Social Development<br />
sectors, starting with infrastructure<br />
and capacity development<br />
in these areas and<br />
supporting the efforts of various<br />
governments in Nigeria<br />
and Sub-Saharan Africa.<br />
“Our broad focus is equipping<br />
facilities, our researchers,<br />
healthcare practitioners and<br />
community-level service providers,<br />
with the aim of providing<br />
sustainable solutions for<br />
generations to come.<br />
“They say life begins at 50;<br />
what they never tell you is that<br />
a pandemic can change your<br />
life at 60. In that year 2020,<br />
when I turned 60, at least two<br />
million others turned into<br />
memories, taken by this<br />
deadly virus. I watched millions<br />
become numbers in a<br />
global death toll and ancestors<br />
in the world beyond."<br />
out and people have started<br />
paying their signature bonuses.<br />
We have received almost 50<br />
per cent of signature bonuses<br />
already. “161 companies were<br />
allocated marginal fields and<br />
I will not give you the details<br />
of how many have paid. I’ve<br />
told you that up to 50 per cent<br />
of those winners have paid.”<br />
On the transparency of the<br />
exercise, he said: “I think this<br />
is the best we could have gotten<br />
clearly. If you followed the<br />
processes, we published, people<br />
applied, companies were<br />
pre-qualified, companies went<br />
to the data room and of course,<br />
assessment of their bids was<br />
done by competent people.<br />
’There were consultants involved<br />
in the whole process<br />
and bidders emerged, and<br />
that’s all I can say."<br />
It was a very transparent<br />
process and I think a lot of people<br />
are also hailing the process.”<br />
On the rehabilitation of<br />
the nation’s refineries, he said:<br />
“I have already spoken about<br />
the refineries in a detailed interview.<br />
Last week Wednesday,<br />
the Federal Executive Council,<br />
FEC, approved comprehensive<br />
rehabilitation of Port Harcourt<br />
Refinery and that is going<br />
to start forthwith.<br />
‘’It was approved for the sum<br />
of $1.5 billion and we are going<br />
to also start the rehabilitation<br />
of Warri and Kaduna Refineries<br />
shortly.”<br />
Also commenting on petrol<br />
pricing, the minister who<br />
pointed that the government<br />
was not aware of any increase<br />
in the price of petrol, said: “Definitely,<br />
there is no fuel increment.<br />
The price remains N162<br />
per litre. We, are in discussion<br />
with labour and with other<br />
stakeholders, and until all<br />
those discussions are concluded,<br />
we are not going to fully<br />
deregulate. ‘’But we understand<br />
that some people, and that is<br />
criminal, are beginning to sell<br />
product for more than the approved<br />
price and the relevant<br />
agencies should ensure that<br />
those marketers are sanctioned.<br />
“You will recall that on<br />
my inauguration, the Ministry<br />
of Petroleum Resources was<br />
given mandate areas to<br />
achieve and we are very well<br />
on course."
Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, MARCH 24, 2021 — 9<br />
:Vanguard News<br />
:@vanguardnews :@vanguardnews NEWS HOTLINES: 08052867023, 08052867058<br />
MEETING: Governor Nasir el-Rufai of Kaduna State (right) greeting the Right Revd.<br />
Timothy Yahaya, Anglican Bishop of Kaduna and his team at a briefing meeting on the<br />
initiatives of the Diocese in education, health and agriculture, in Kaduna yesterday.<br />
Senate moves to recover N16trn AMCON<br />
loans<br />
By Henry Umoru<br />
A BUJA—THE<br />
Senate, yesterday,<br />
began consideration of a Bill<br />
that will empower the Asset<br />
Management Corporation of<br />
Nigeria, AMCON, to recover<br />
about N16 trillion bad loans.<br />
The AMCON Amendment<br />
Bill 2021, which scaled second<br />
reading on the floor, is<br />
sponsored by Senator<br />
Opeyemi Bamidele of APC,<br />
Ekiti Central.<br />
Leading debate on the Bill,<br />
yesterday, Bamidele said: “The<br />
main aim of this amendment is<br />
to update a few clauses in the<br />
Act that have been hampering<br />
the operations of the Asset<br />
Management Corporation of<br />
Nigeria.<br />
“Under the current Act, the<br />
continued smooth operation of<br />
AMCON is threatened by the<br />
tenor put on a key funding<br />
provision for AMCON.<br />
“Therefore, the proposed<br />
amendment is designed to allow<br />
for more flexibility in the tenor of<br />
this key funding provision.’’<br />
Bamidele further emphasized<br />
that the amendment would<br />
strengthen AMCON in<br />
stabilizing Nigeria’s banking<br />
sector and empower the agency<br />
in carrying out its functions of<br />
assets and debt recovery agency.<br />
Speaking further, he said:<br />
“AMCON is a very important and<br />
strategic national institution that<br />
must be strengthened to<br />
effectively contribute to the<br />
stabilization of the banking sector<br />
in Nigeria.<br />
“It proved its mettle in the<br />
banking crisis of 2009. Our<br />
economy still grapples with huge<br />
challenges; the banking sector is<br />
not immune from the difficulties<br />
we face. We must, therefore,<br />
review and amend the AMCON<br />
Act (2014) in order to reinvent<br />
and reposition AMCON to<br />
optimally perform its functions.<br />
“In particular, this amendment<br />
will strengthe AMCON in assets<br />
recovery. AMCON must be reenergized<br />
to tackle the problem<br />
of toxic loans. Highly placed<br />
debtors have been employing<br />
different strategies and tactics<br />
to stall the repayment of loans.<br />
Cases drag on in courts for<br />
many years. AMCON has<br />
remained at the receiving end of<br />
this well laid and orchestrated<br />
acts of economic sabotage.<br />
“As patriots, we have an<br />
obligation to empower AMCON<br />
and make its assets recovery<br />
efforts less cumbersome. We must<br />
remove all obstacles to its smooth<br />
operations. We must safeguard<br />
our banking sector and the<br />
economy in these trying times.”<br />
Contributing, Senator Uba<br />
Sani (APC, Kaduna Central)<br />
emphasized that, “AMCON<br />
largely depends on the resources<br />
from the resolution fund, and<br />
failure to extend this amendment<br />
Bill will certainly affect the<br />
operation of AMCON and it may<br />
force the government to bear the<br />
entire cost of debt management<br />
of AMCON.”<br />
On his part, Senator Adamu<br />
Aliero (APC, Kebbi Central), said<br />
the amendment “Will give teeth<br />
to AMCON to recover all debts<br />
that were given to private<br />
individuals and also companies.<br />
“Mr. President, I don’t know<br />
whether my colleagues are aware<br />
of the information circulating in<br />
social media and even in the<br />
conventional media, where only<br />
twenty individuals have taken<br />
about N7.5 trillion.<br />
Court orders extension of NIN registration by 2 months<br />
By Henry Ojelu<br />
A<br />
Federal High<br />
Court sitting in Lagos has<br />
ordered the extension of the<br />
deadline for National Identity<br />
Number, NIN by two months.<br />
Justice M.A. Onyetenu<br />
granted the extension while<br />
delivering ruling in a suit filed by<br />
human rights lawyer, Monday<br />
Ubani against the Federal<br />
Government, Attorney General<br />
of the Federation, Nigerian<br />
Communications Commission,<br />
NCC and the Minister of<br />
Communication and Digital<br />
Economy.<br />
In the suit, Ubani had<br />
contended that the initial two<br />
weeks ultimatum (now extended<br />
to April 6, 2021) given to<br />
telecommunication operators to<br />
block SIM cards of Nigerians who<br />
have not registered their SIM<br />
card with NIN if allowed, will<br />
infringe on his constitutionally<br />
guaranteed freedom of<br />
expression, right to own moveable<br />
property and right to life.<br />
He therefore prayed the court<br />
for an order halting the said<br />
ultimatum and extending the<br />
deadline.<br />
Other prayers made by Ubani<br />
includes; a declaration that the<br />
ultimatum given to<br />
telecommunications operators by<br />
the 1st, 3rd and 4th Respondents<br />
to block all Subscriber<br />
Identification Modules (SIM)<br />
cards that are not registered with<br />
NIN, is grossly inadequate and<br />
will not only work severe<br />
hardship, but will likely infringe<br />
on the fundamental rights of the<br />
Applicant (and millions of other<br />
Nigerians) to freedom of<br />
expression as guaranteed by<br />
section 39(1)(2) of the 1999<br />
constitution as well as violate<br />
section 44(1) of the 1999<br />
constitution which prohibits the<br />
compulsory acquisition of right or<br />
interest over moveable property.<br />
“A declaration that in view of<br />
the COVID-19 pandemic and<br />
the rising cases in Nigeria<br />
presently, the deadline given by<br />
the 1st, 3rd and 4th Respondents<br />
to the Applicant and over 200<br />
million Nigerians to register their<br />
SIM Cards with NIN, will lead to<br />
a rush, thereby resulting to<br />
clustering of the Applicant and<br />
other Nigerian citizens in a NIN<br />
registration centre, subjecting<br />
him to the possibility of easily<br />
contracting the COVID-19 virus,<br />
and such will amount to a<br />
violation of his fundamental right<br />
to life as protected by section 33(1)<br />
of the 1999 Constitution.''<br />
“Mr. President, this is more than<br />
what we spend as capital budget<br />
of this country, and these individuals<br />
are well to do and they are<br />
walking on our streets.<br />
“They have huge sums of<br />
money, some of them have even<br />
transferred these monies abroad.<br />
There’s nothing toxic about it.<br />
The money is with them; they<br />
have used it and they don’t want<br />
to pay.<br />
“They are using all tactics to<br />
ensure that they block the<br />
investigation agencies like the<br />
Economic and Financial Crimes<br />
Commission, EFCC, from<br />
recovering the loan. They have<br />
even gone to court to get all kinds<br />
of injunctions stopping AMCON<br />
from recovering the loan.<br />
“We should all support this<br />
amendment. It will make Nigeria<br />
to be sanitized financially, and<br />
banks would even be in a better<br />
position to give loans to people<br />
bearing in mind that there must<br />
be collateral for giving such loans.<br />
“They were a little bit careless<br />
in the past, but with this, if this<br />
amendment passes through, it<br />
will be a wake-up call for all<br />
financial institutions in the<br />
country to do what is right and<br />
proper,” Aliero said.<br />
Yusuf Abubakar Yusuf (APC,<br />
Taraba Central) underscored the<br />
need for extending the tenure<br />
of AMCON, adding that doing<br />
so would rescue Nigeria’s<br />
financial and banking systems<br />
from the burden of loans<br />
obtained by individuals.<br />
His words: “We have no<br />
option but to extend the tenure<br />
of AMCON because AMCON<br />
is carrying a contingent<br />
liability of nearly N6 trillion.<br />
“Loans that were private in<br />
the past have now been made<br />
a sovereign loan. So, we are<br />
all carrying this as a result of<br />
past errors committed in the<br />
banking system.<br />
“Mr. president, this Bill to<br />
extend the tenure has come<br />
at the right time, otherwise,<br />
we may not be able to recover<br />
the N6 trillion debt, and I<br />
don’t know what would have<br />
happened to this financial<br />
system or the banking system.<br />
“Finally, while we are<br />
extending this tenure, we hope<br />
and pray that the judiciary will<br />
work in tandem with the<br />
aspiration of the Bill to assist<br />
and make sure that individuals<br />
that are carrying these<br />
liabilities are brought to book<br />
and are made to pay so that<br />
our sovereign will be relived of<br />
this burden.”<br />
ANTI-GRAFT WAR: Why we<br />
need guidelines on plea<br />
bargaining — MALAMI<br />
By Ikechukwu<br />
Nnochiri<br />
ABUJA—THE Attorney-<br />
General of the Federation<br />
and Minister of Justice, Mr.<br />
Abubakar Malami, SAN, said<br />
yesterday that the effective<br />
deployment of plea bargain<br />
provisions would reduce the<br />
financial cost of prosecutions and<br />
hasten the trial of corruption<br />
cases.<br />
However, the AGF said there<br />
was need for harmonized<br />
guidelines on plea bargaining<br />
that would be adopted by all<br />
federal prosecutors.<br />
He maintained that the<br />
concept of plea bargaining, when<br />
properly applied, would eliminate<br />
uncertainty of trials, enhance the<br />
quick return of stolen assets, and<br />
generally enhance the efficiency<br />
of the criminal justice system.<br />
In his opening remarks at the<br />
virtual stakeholders roundtable<br />
to review the draft guidelines on<br />
plea bargaining for federal<br />
prosecutors, which held<br />
yesterday, Malami, who was<br />
represented by the Solicitor-<br />
General of the Federation, Mr.<br />
Dayo Apata, SAN, noted that<br />
there are lacunas in existing<br />
statues that okayed the use of<br />
plea bargain in criminal trials.<br />
He said: “You will recall that<br />
the purpose of the<br />
Administration of Criminal Justice<br />
Act (ACJA), 2015, as detailed in<br />
section 1(1) is to guarantee that<br />
the system of administration of<br />
criminal justice in Nigeria:<br />
promotes the efficient<br />
management of criminal justice<br />
institutions; ensures speedy<br />
dispensation of justice, protects<br />
the society from crime; and<br />
protects the rights and interests<br />
NDLEA intercepts parcels of<br />
cocaine, heroin bound for UK,<br />
Ireland, Australia<br />
By Kingsley Omonobi<br />
THE National Drug<br />
Law Enforcement Agency,<br />
NDLEA, has intercepted various<br />
types of hard drugs wellconcealed<br />
and unaccompanied<br />
parcels of cocaine, heroin,<br />
methamphetamine and cannabis<br />
sativa being shipped to the<br />
United Kingdom, Northern<br />
Ireland, Australia, Maldives and<br />
New Zealand.<br />
Consequent upon the<br />
interception, a notorious<br />
trafficker, Sikiru Owolabi, who is<br />
behind at least two of the parcels,<br />
has been traced and arrested<br />
after days of thorough and<br />
systematic surveillance by<br />
NDLEA operatives.<br />
The Director, Media and<br />
Advocacy, of the NDLEA, Femi<br />
Babafemi, disclosed that<br />
“undercover narcotic agents<br />
attached to two international<br />
courier companies in Lagos made<br />
the seizures.’’<br />
Sikiru Owolabi, who has made<br />
useful confessions during<br />
interrogations, was tracked after<br />
1 kilogramme of cocaine<br />
concealed in cream containers<br />
and meant for Dublin in<br />
Northern Ireland was intercepted<br />
at one of the courier firms in<br />
Lagos.<br />
This was also followed by the<br />
discovery of another 200<br />
grammes of cocaine meant for<br />
of the suspect, the defendant and<br />
the victim.<br />
“One of major innovations of<br />
ACJA aimed at achieving these<br />
objectives is the introduction of<br />
plea bargain which is defined in<br />
section 494(1) as: ‘the process in<br />
criminal proceedings whereby the<br />
defendant and the prosecution<br />
work out a mutually acceptable<br />
disposition of the case, including<br />
the plea of the defendant to a<br />
lesser offence than that charged<br />
in the complaint or information<br />
and in conformity with other<br />
conditions imposed by the<br />
prosecution, in return for a lighter<br />
sentence than that of the higher<br />
charge subject to the court’s<br />
approval’.<br />
“Section 270 of ACJA (2015)<br />
provides the general legal<br />
framework for the application of<br />
Plea Bargain.<br />
“I believe that this provision can<br />
also be effectively deployed to<br />
address the compounding of<br />
offences which features in some<br />
statutes but without any<br />
procedural detail to aid its<br />
application.<br />
“This lacuna is responsible for<br />
abuses in compounding of<br />
offences which had strengthened<br />
the current public skepticism<br />
about plea bargaining in general.’’<br />
Malami stressed that inspite of<br />
the laudable provisions of section<br />
270 of the ACJA, the provisions<br />
are still inadequate to guide the<br />
prosecutor and the defendant in<br />
reaching a plea bargain that<br />
ensures the protection of public<br />
interest, the interest of justice<br />
and prevents abuse of legal<br />
process.<br />
He said it was due to lacunas<br />
in the existing laws that informed<br />
the development of the Draft<br />
Guidelines.<br />
London, United Kingdom in the<br />
same courier company.<br />
In another undercover<br />
operation, Babafemi said 320<br />
grammes of heroin concealed in<br />
earrings coming in from Congo<br />
and going to Australia was seized<br />
at a different courier firm in Lagos,<br />
adding that another 390<br />
grammes of cocaine hidden in<br />
men’s clothing meant for<br />
Northern Ireland was intercepted<br />
in the same company.<br />
According to him, while 500<br />
grammes of cannabis sativa<br />
concealed in automobile parts<br />
going to New Zealand was seized<br />
at one of the courier companies,<br />
200 grammes of<br />
methamphetamine hidden<br />
inside an award plaque and en<br />
route New Zealand, with<br />
another 200 grammes of<br />
methamphetamine concealed in<br />
a book for Maldives, were equally<br />
intercepted in another firm.<br />
Beside the arrest of Owolabi,<br />
the NDLEA spokesman said<br />
efforts were on to track and arrest<br />
other traffickers behind the other<br />
unaccompanied illicit drugs<br />
packaged as parcels for shipment<br />
to Europe.<br />
Chairman/Chief Executive of<br />
the NDLEA, Brig. General Buba<br />
Marwa, retd, also commended the<br />
men and officers involved in the<br />
operations to frustrate attempts<br />
by drug barons and traffickers to<br />
ship illicit drugs overseas through<br />
unaccompanied parcels.
10 — Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, MARCH 24, 2021<br />
AstraZeneca may have used outdated<br />
information in trial, US health officials allege<br />
.As Nigeria vaccinates 215,277 eligible persons<br />
By Sola Ogundipe &<br />
Chioma Obinna<br />
RESULTS from a US trial<br />
of AstraZeneca's Covid-<br />
19 vaccine may have<br />
included "outdated<br />
information" and that could<br />
mean the company<br />
provided an incomplete<br />
view of efficacy data,<br />
American federal health<br />
officials have stated.<br />
This development came<br />
as 215,277 eligible<br />
Nigerians were vaccinated<br />
with with the 1st dose of the<br />
vaccine.<br />
AstraZeneca reported<br />
Monday that its Covid-19<br />
vaccine provided strong<br />
protection among adults of<br />
all ages in a longanticipated<br />
US study.<br />
In the study of more than<br />
30,000 people, the company<br />
reported that the vaccine<br />
was found to be 79 percent<br />
effective at preventing<br />
symptomatic cases of<br />
Covid-19 — including in<br />
older adults.<br />
There were no severe<br />
illnesses or hospitalisations<br />
among vaccinated<br />
volunteers, compared with<br />
five such cases in<br />
participants who received<br />
dummy shots — a small<br />
number, but consistent with<br />
findings from Britain and<br />
other countries that the<br />
vaccine protects against the<br />
worst of the disease.<br />
AstraZeneca also said the<br />
study's independent safety<br />
monitors found no serious<br />
side effects, including no<br />
increased risk of rare blood<br />
clots like those identified in<br />
Europe, a scare that led<br />
Nigeria records worst TB burden in Africa<br />
— EL-Lab boosts case detection with 16-module GeneXpert machine<br />
By Chioma Obinna<br />
ONE hundred years<br />
after the launch of the<br />
Tuberculosis (TB) vaccine,<br />
Nigeria ranks worst in<br />
Africa and 6th among 20<br />
countries with the highest<br />
burden of TB in the world.<br />
To this end, the country<br />
yesterday launched the<br />
first 16 Module GeneXpert<br />
machine for the detection<br />
of TB in a private laboratory<br />
in Lagos even as the<br />
Federal government has<br />
been urged to step up<br />
private sector contribution<br />
to improve the poor global<br />
ranking in TB burden.<br />
Speaking during the<br />
official launch at the El -<br />
Lab Medical Laboratory<br />
Diagnostic Ltd, Festac<br />
Lagos as part of the USAID<br />
funded SHOPS Plus<br />
project, the Lagos State<br />
Commissioner for Health,<br />
Prof Akin Abayomi said<br />
Nigeria contributes 8 per<br />
cent of the million missing<br />
numerous countries to<br />
briefly suspend<br />
vaccinations last week.<br />
But just hours after those<br />
encouraging results were<br />
reported, the US National<br />
Institute of Allergy and<br />
Infectious Diseases issued<br />
an unusual statement.<br />
The agency said the Data<br />
and Safety Monitoring<br />
Board "expressed concern<br />
that AstraZeneca may have<br />
included outdated<br />
information from that trial,<br />
which may have provided<br />
an incomplete view of the<br />
efficacy data."<br />
"We urge the company to<br />
work with the DSMB to<br />
review the efficacy data and<br />
ensure the most accurate,<br />
up-to-date efficacy data be<br />
made public as quickly as<br />
possible," the statement<br />
added.<br />
Nigeria vaccinates<br />
215,277 persons<br />
The National Primary<br />
Healthcare Development<br />
Agency, NPHCDA,<br />
Tuesday said it has<br />
vaccinated a total of 215,277<br />
eligible Nigerians with the<br />
first dose of the<br />
AstraZeneca COVID-19<br />
vaccine as of 23rd of March<br />
2021.<br />
In an Electronic<br />
Management of<br />
Immunisation Data<br />
(EMID) System made<br />
available to Vanguard,<br />
Lagos is still topping the list<br />
with a total of 58,461<br />
persons, (11.5%).<br />
However, seven states are<br />
yet to commence COVID-<br />
19 vaccination. These<br />
TB cases in the world while<br />
Lagos contributes 11 per<br />
cent in the country’s TB<br />
burden.<br />
Abayomi, represented by<br />
a Director at the State<br />
Ministry of Health, Dr<br />
Agbo Lagoritie said it is<br />
important to recognize the<br />
contribution of private<br />
sector facilities such as EL-<br />
Lab.<br />
The occasion marked this<br />
year’s World Tuberculosis<br />
Day with the theme: “The<br />
clock is Ticking”, and the<br />
slogan adapted by Nigeria<br />
is “That cough, e fit be TB,<br />
not COVID, check am ooo!”<br />
It was organised in<br />
collaboration with the<br />
National Tuberculosis and<br />
Leprosy Control<br />
Programme, NTBLCP,<br />
Lagos State TB<br />
Programme, and the<br />
USAID SHOPS Plus<br />
project.<br />
The Chief Executive<br />
Director of EL-Lab, Dr<br />
Elochukwu Adibo said<br />
data made available by<br />
states are Abia, Kebbi, Oyo,<br />
Zamfara, Niger, Kogi and<br />
Taraba. Other states that<br />
have made significant<br />
NTBLCP, has shown that<br />
private sector engagement<br />
has increased TB case<br />
detection by 68 per cent in<br />
the first quarter of 2020<br />
compared to 2019.<br />
Further, Adibo said<br />
private sector participation<br />
increased case detection<br />
from 104,904 cases in 2017,<br />
to 106,533 in 2018 and<br />
120,266 in 2019<br />
respectively.<br />
”TB is still a major public<br />
health problem in Nigeria<br />
and a leading cause of<br />
death among infectious<br />
diseases. The adoption of<br />
the GeneXpert MTB/RIF<br />
test as the entry point<br />
diagnostic tool for TB case<br />
detection was done in 2016<br />
and the Federal<br />
Government in its wisdom,<br />
through the FMOH<br />
NTBLCP, engaged private<br />
health sector including<br />
Guild of Medical Directors,<br />
GMLD, of Lab Private<br />
Sector, Association of<br />
General Private Medical<br />
Practitioners, AGPMPN,<br />
progress includes; Bauchi,<br />
23,827, Jigawa, 20,800,<br />
Kaduna, 14572, Kwara<br />
state, 12, 016 among others.<br />
community pharmacists<br />
and Association of General<br />
Private Nurses<br />
Practitioners of Nigeria,<br />
AGPNPN and others to<br />
help increase case detection<br />
and treatment.<br />
Adibo said with the<br />
donation, EL-Lab, applied<br />
private-sector efficiencyoptimised<br />
testing with the<br />
machine and brought<br />
about significant<br />
improvement in TB case<br />
detection and testing with<br />
tremendous support and<br />
partnership from the<br />
USAID SHOPS PLUS<br />
programme network and<br />
their technical and logistic<br />
excellence.<br />
Citing what EL-Lab has<br />
done with other private<br />
labs, he said In Lagos state,<br />
private sector contribution<br />
was less than 3 per cent in<br />
2018 to TB detection but<br />
has now risen to 21 per cent<br />
in 2021, bringing the<br />
Nigerian case detection rate<br />
to 31 per cent up from 24<br />
per cent in 2017<br />
How <strong>Buhari</strong> administration’s<br />
ESP helped Nigeria tackle<br />
COVID-19 challenges<br />
— OSINBAJO<br />
NIGERIA’S priorities in<br />
a post-COVID-19<br />
world include restoring<br />
economic growth in the<br />
immediate term, building<br />
resilience in the health<br />
sector, and repositioning<br />
the economy on a<br />
sustainable footing in the<br />
medium term while saving<br />
jobs and building domestic<br />
capacity and local<br />
production in critical areas.<br />
The Vice President, Yemi<br />
Osinbajo, who disclosed<br />
this during a virtual<br />
Chatham House interactive<br />
session on Tuesday<br />
highlighted the significant<br />
impact of the <strong>Buhari</strong><br />
administration’s Economic<br />
Sustainability Plan (ESP) as<br />
a crucial pivot in helping<br />
the country respond to the<br />
fallouts of the pandemic.<br />
In the chat themed:<br />
“Priorities for Nigeria’s<br />
Post-COVID Recovery”,<br />
Osinbajo discussed the<br />
challenges posed to<br />
Nigeria by the global<br />
COVID-19 pandemic and<br />
the Nigerian government’s<br />
response aimed at ensuring<br />
lasting socio-economic<br />
recovery and development.<br />
In his viewsm he<br />
emphasised that the <strong>Buhari</strong><br />
administration’s first<br />
priority was to protect<br />
people and their<br />
livelihoods in response to<br />
the fallout of the pandemic.<br />
One of the ways was to<br />
support the critical<br />
MSMEs sector through the<br />
Survival Fund scheme, a<br />
component under the ESP.”<br />
“One of the specific<br />
interventions under the ESP<br />
was what we describe as the<br />
Survival Fund, which<br />
essentially was a fund to<br />
protect jobs and to ensure<br />
that during the course of the<br />
pandemic and immediately<br />
thereafter, informal workers<br />
in particular or private<br />
sector workers especially<br />
those in the informal sector,<br />
were at least able to<br />
continue to earn some<br />
wages," the Vice President<br />
stated.<br />
He added that through<br />
the Survival Fund scheme,<br />
over 300,000 beneficiaries,<br />
as well as businesses have<br />
been supported during the<br />
pandemic “by providing<br />
salaries for three months for<br />
beneficiaries, which<br />
include private school<br />
teachers, artisans, road<br />
transporters, taxi cab<br />
operators, and commercial<br />
tricycle operators in the<br />
urban areas.<br />
“We also sought to protect<br />
the most vulnerable, in<br />
particular, the urban poor<br />
who were also hard hit. What<br />
we did was to provide direct<br />
cash transfers to the urban<br />
poor, many of them who are<br />
captured in a social register.<br />
“We also have a mass<br />
housing programme which<br />
is designed to deliver<br />
affordable homes through<br />
direct intervention in the<br />
housing construction sector<br />
aimed at creating 1.8<br />
million jobs together with<br />
the construction of 300,000<br />
homes in the first phase. At<br />
the moment, the<br />
programme is ongoing in<br />
12 states which will be<br />
expanded to all of the states<br />
in the federation.”<br />
“Since February 2020<br />
(when Nigeria confirmed its<br />
first COVID-19 case), we<br />
have significantly ramped<br />
up our testing and case<br />
management capacity. We<br />
have activated from about<br />
five molecular laboratories<br />
to about 120, most of them<br />
public laboratories.<br />
“We have expanded the<br />
footprint of our sovereign<br />
public health response<br />
capacity, especially at the<br />
sub-national level, and in<br />
areas where such<br />
capabilities didn’t exist<br />
before.<br />
“Going forward," he said<br />
"we are committed to<br />
building on the exemplary<br />
dedication of our health<br />
workers and strengthening<br />
the capacity of our health<br />
systems to withstand<br />
shocks created by infectious<br />
diseases and pandemics<br />
such as we are<br />
experiencing.<br />
“One reason why we've<br />
been able to manage this<br />
pandemic better than<br />
expected is that we did have<br />
some existing public sector<br />
infrastructure to work with,<br />
the Ebola outbreak in 2014,<br />
our ongoing battles with<br />
Lassa fever, our successes<br />
with polio eradication all<br />
helped us to tighten our<br />
pandemic contingency<br />
plans, strengthen our<br />
emergency coordination<br />
and surveillance capacity<br />
and also enhance<br />
investments in public<br />
health laboratories.”<br />
He highlighted the<br />
government’s efforts<br />
through the Nigeria Centre<br />
for Disease Control,<br />
NCDC, in tackling the<br />
pandemic, adding that it<br />
also prioritized the<br />
strengthening of the<br />
country’s public health<br />
infrastructure.<br />
“While it is true that in<br />
many respects, our hospital<br />
infrastructure still lags<br />
behind in standards,<br />
especially when compared<br />
with richer countries of the<br />
world, we've been able to<br />
draw on the resilience and<br />
adaptability of our tried and<br />
tested community health<br />
system,” he noted.
Vanguard, , WEDNESDAY, MARCH 24, 2021 — 11<br />
:Vanguard :@vanguardnews :@vanguardnewsNEWS HOTLINES:<br />
Social Media Conversation<br />
VISIT—Country HR Director, Nigerian Bottling Company, NBC, Olumide Sholanke;<br />
Director, Public Affairs & Communications, NBC, Ekuma Eze; MD, NBC, Matthieu<br />
Seguin; President, Trade Union Congress of Nigeria, TUCN, and Food, Beverages &<br />
Tobacco Senior Staff Association, FOBTOB, Comrade Quadri Olaleye; Deputy National<br />
President, FOBTOB, Comrade Jimoh Oyibo, and National Treasurer, FOBTOB, Comrade<br />
Adebayo Aderogba, during a courtesy visit by the union team, to the NBC Head Office,<br />
in Lagos.<br />
INSECURITY: Police mount 24hr<br />
surveillance on Lagos schools, farms<br />
By Evelyn Usman<br />
LAGOS—THE Commissioner<br />
of Police, Lagos Command,<br />
Mr. Hakeem Odumosu,<br />
yesterday, disclosed that<br />
policemen have been deployed<br />
to carry out 24 hours surveillance<br />
on schools and farms, to avert<br />
kidnappings and banditry in<br />
Lagos State.<br />
The Police boss, however,<br />
lamented that some of the terrains,<br />
especially those of the farms, were<br />
not accessible by vehicles.<br />
He said the command would<br />
liaise with the Ministry of<br />
Agriculture and the state<br />
government in purchasing<br />
motorcycles for that patrol of the<br />
farmlands.<br />
Fielding questions from<br />
journalists on the Command’s<br />
Our community no longer safe over herdsmen's<br />
influx —Iwo youths<br />
By Shina Abubakar<br />
OSOGBO—SOME angry<br />
youths in Iwo, Osun State,<br />
yesterday, expressed worry over<br />
the invitation to herdsmen by the<br />
town’s monarch, Oba<br />
Abdulrosheed Akanbi, saying<br />
that the town is no longer safe.<br />
The youths also stated that the<br />
rate of influx of herdsmen into the<br />
community is worrisome, hence<br />
the decision to alert the public.<br />
Addressing newsmen, under<br />
the aegis of Iwoland Concerned<br />
Youths, its President, Taiwo<br />
Ewonda expressed worry over<br />
the influx of unknown herdsmen<br />
into the community since the<br />
blanket invitation by the monarch,<br />
urging the state government to<br />
take urgent steps to halt the trend.<br />
Oba Akanbi had last Friday,<br />
February 19 stated that Iwo is<br />
ready to host more Fulani<br />
herdsmen and urged repentant<br />
herdsmen to relocate to the town.<br />
But Ewonda said the invitation<br />
has led to an unexpected influx<br />
of unknown herdsmen into the<br />
community, making Iwo a<br />
security threat.<br />
He said: “While it is expressly<br />
agreed that the operational<br />
Constitution of the Federal<br />
Republic of Nigeria is<br />
magnanimous enough to have<br />
allowed the freedom of<br />
movement and domiciliary in any<br />
part of the country by the<br />
preparedness to prevent kidnap<br />
attacks on schools and farmlands,<br />
Odumosu said: “The Command<br />
has designed an Operation Order<br />
to cater for the deployment of<br />
personnel, surveillance, patrol<br />
and strict monitoring of schools<br />
and students’ activities across the<br />
state, in its bid to provide<br />
adequate security for both public<br />
and private schools in Lagos<br />
State.”<br />
Besides, the Police boss said:<br />
“The command has also<br />
established synergy between<br />
schools, parents, communities<br />
and other security agencies in the<br />
state on the need to improve on<br />
the existing security architecture<br />
in various schools to forestall any<br />
attack or ugly incidents.<br />
“The surveillance will be<br />
extended to farmlands.<br />
indigenes of this nation, such<br />
constitutional liberty should,<br />
however, not be a license for<br />
visitors to be burdensome in<br />
another land.<br />
“We are genuinely worried by<br />
the unexpected and injurious<br />
recent pronouncements of some<br />
leaders and traditional rulers of<br />
our community which are tilting<br />
towards threatening of the<br />
subsisting peace in our<br />
community<br />
Anti-Open Grazing Law: Again,<br />
Ondo Amotekun seizes over 100<br />
cattle<br />
By Dayo Johnson<br />
AKURE—THE Ondo State<br />
Security outfit, codenamed<br />
Amotekun, yesterday, seized<br />
another 100 heads of cattle, for<br />
violating the state government’s<br />
open grazing law.<br />
Vanguard gathered that the<br />
cattle were seized, after they<br />
allegedly destroyed farmlands in<br />
Ipinsa, in the Ifedore local<br />
government area of the state.<br />
It was gathered that some<br />
farmers in Ipinsa sent a distress<br />
call to the chairman of the security<br />
outfit, Chief Adetunji Adeleye<br />
following the invasion and<br />
destruction of their farms.<br />
Consequently, Amotekun<br />
Unfortunately, some of them are<br />
located in rural areas that are not<br />
motorable. So, we have discussed<br />
with the Ministry of Agriculture<br />
that all farms must have<br />
government permits, as most of<br />
them are just farming without<br />
letting the government know<br />
what they are doing. It makes it<br />
difficult to provide security for<br />
them.<br />
“We are going to incorporate the<br />
Ministry of agriculture and<br />
traditional rulers for data of<br />
farmlands. By the time this is put in<br />
place, we will begin to map out security<br />
strategies for them. At the moment, we<br />
are patrolling areas that are motorable.<br />
When we get the data and with the<br />
assistance of the Ministry of Agriculture<br />
and state government, we hope to use<br />
motorcycles to access the difficult<br />
terrains.”<br />
“Equally worrisome was the<br />
recent open invitation needlessly<br />
extended to the Fulanis by a<br />
revered traditional ruler in our<br />
community which has formed the<br />
pedestal for an influx of Fulani<br />
herdsmen into our constituency<br />
of recent like never before.<br />
“It is our observation that this<br />
intended royal tact of extension<br />
of a blanket invitation to Fulani<br />
herdsmen is less thoughtful<br />
which is capable of rocking the<br />
subsisting peace of Iwoland.<br />
operatives were deployed to the<br />
community.<br />
The herders, according to<br />
findings, fled the scene while the<br />
cattle were arrested by the<br />
security personnel.<br />
Meanwhile, there was heavy<br />
vehicular traffic for over an hour<br />
along the Oyemekun-Oba<br />
Adesida road when Amotekun<br />
operatives conveyed the seized<br />
cows to their headquarters located<br />
at Alagbaka Government Reserve<br />
Area in Akure.<br />
The Amotekun chairman said<br />
that the cows were arrested at<br />
Ipinsa and have been moved to<br />
the Amotekun office.<br />
This came on a day after nine<br />
herders and 100 cattle were<br />
arrested along the Akure/Ilesha<br />
road in the state capital.<br />
Report him to the gods!<br />
Go ahead!<br />
Things women do!
12 — Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, MARCH 24, 2021<br />
EMPOWERMENT:<br />
From left—Dr. Chioma<br />
Nwachuku, Director,<br />
External Affairs and<br />
Communications,<br />
Seplat; Prof. Pat<br />
Utomi, Moderator of<br />
Seplat Education<br />
Roundtable and Prof.<br />
Ngozi Osarenren,<br />
Keynote Speaker,<br />
during the Seplat<br />
Teachers<br />
Empowerment<br />
Programme, STEP,<br />
Awards ceremony<br />
2021, at the STEP<br />
Certificate Award<br />
Ceremony/Seplat<br />
Education Roundtable<br />
in Benin City.<br />
:Vanguard News<br />
:@vanguardnews :@vanguardnews NEWS HOTLINES: 08052867023, 08052867058<br />
Oil spill: Reps ask FG to sanction Shell,<br />
AGIP for violating environmental laws<br />
•Delta communities cry out<br />
By Emma Amaize,<br />
Regional Editor,<br />
South-South &<br />
Levinus<br />
Nwabughiogu<br />
ABUJA—THE House of<br />
Representatives, yesterday,<br />
urged the Federal Government<br />
to sanction Shell Petroleum<br />
Development Company<br />
of Nigeria Limited,<br />
SPDC and the Nigeria Agip<br />
Oil Company, NAOC, for<br />
gross violation of the country's<br />
environmental laws.<br />
The House also asked the<br />
Department of Petroleum Resources,<br />
DPR, the SPDC and<br />
NAOC to comply strictly with<br />
the act establishing the National<br />
Oil Spill Detection and<br />
Response Agency, NOSDRA.<br />
The call to apply punitive<br />
measures followed the incessant<br />
incidences of oil spills in<br />
the Niger Delta by the oil<br />
companies.<br />
Meanwhile, one week after<br />
another oil spillage that killed<br />
a villager and left many others<br />
hospitalized at Polobubo<br />
(Tsekelewu), Opuama and<br />
other riverside communities<br />
in Warri North Local Government<br />
Area, Delta State, the<br />
communities cried out, yesterday,<br />
that both government<br />
and affected oil company had<br />
abandoned them to their fate.<br />
Considering a motion, sponsored<br />
by Henry Nwawuba<br />
and 14 others at yesterday's<br />
plenary, the House noted the<br />
high level of environmental<br />
pollution caused by oil and<br />
gas exploration and production<br />
activities in the Niger<br />
Delta region as well as environmental<br />
degradation due<br />
to poor production practices,<br />
and inadequate maintenance<br />
of pipelines and oil infrastructure.<br />
It noted two separate oil<br />
spills from Okordia Rumuekpe<br />
pipeline and the flow<br />
station at John Krana 4<br />
known as Adibawa flow station<br />
in Eharama community<br />
of Bayelsa State owing to long<br />
usage of oil pipeline since<br />
1969, operated by Shell<br />
(SPDC), and the Ogada-Brass<br />
pipeline operated by Agip<br />
(NAOC) both of which occurred<br />
in 2020.<br />
The lawmakers said that<br />
there was tension in the region<br />
due to lack of employment,<br />
scarcity of natural resources,<br />
pollution of land, rivers and<br />
forests as well as poverty<br />
caused by the activities of<br />
SPDC, in B-Dere, Ogada-<br />
Brass, Okordia Rumuekpe<br />
and other communities in<br />
Ogoni land of Rivers and<br />
Bayelsa states.<br />
It expressed concern that<br />
both "SPDC and Agip have<br />
failed to clean up affected areas<br />
and compensate the affected<br />
families, and neither<br />
have they repaired damages<br />
caused by fire outbreaks arising<br />
from the spills dispersed<br />
by flood which destroyed other<br />
sources of livelihood in the<br />
region."<br />
Adopting the motion, the<br />
House mandated the Committees<br />
on Host Communities<br />
and Environment to liaise<br />
with NOSDRA, DPR, SPDC<br />
and Agip and carry out effective<br />
inspection and Comprehensive<br />
assessment at Muuabooh,<br />
Kinaben, Vuruvulu and<br />
Ke-eegio creeks in B-Dere and<br />
other impacted areas in Gokana<br />
Local Government Area<br />
of Ogoni land, including other<br />
host communities in the<br />
Niger Delta region with a<br />
view to ensuring strict compliance<br />
with NOSDRA Act as<br />
well as the environmental<br />
guidelines and standards for<br />
the petroleum industry in Nigeria.<br />
1 week after oil spill,<br />
Delta communities<br />
By Levinus<br />
Nwabughiogu<br />
ABUJA—HOUSE of Rep<br />
resentatives Commitee<br />
on Public Accounts, yesterday,<br />
said that the Presidential Amnesty<br />
has been grossly mismanaged.<br />
The committee made the<br />
allegation following the inability<br />
of the new interim administration<br />
led by Col. M . Dixon<br />
Dikio (rtd) to account for monies<br />
paid to ex-agitators and<br />
contractors.<br />
In a session with the officials<br />
of the programme, yesterday,<br />
arising from the Audit query<br />
from the Auditor General of<br />
the Federation, the chairman<br />
of the committee, Wole Oke<br />
expressed disclosure that the<br />
office could not account for the<br />
monies expended.<br />
Taking three out of the 21<br />
audit queries, Oke said that<br />
over N3.9 billion was reportedly<br />
expended by the Agency<br />
with proper documents to back<br />
cry out<br />
President of Polobubo bloc<br />
of communities, Mr Paul<br />
Toruwei, who addressed newsmen,<br />
said: "Some persons are<br />
still sick while the majority of<br />
the people are without a<br />
source of livelihood.<br />
"One week after the spillage,<br />
there is no relief in any<br />
form, be it food, drugs and<br />
clean-up of the environment<br />
or whatsoever. Thousands of<br />
fishermen whose means of<br />
livelihood had been destroyed<br />
are lamenting their woes with<br />
no help in sight.<br />
"The people are left to their<br />
fate as the oil company and<br />
government do not care about<br />
them and are only interested<br />
in how they would start oil<br />
exploration from the facility<br />
without concern for the immediate<br />
needs of the community."<br />
Toruwei, who decried the<br />
alleged nonchalant attitude of<br />
the management of the<br />
NPDC/ELCREST, owners of<br />
the OML 40 facility where the<br />
spillage occurred, Delta and<br />
Federal governments, added:<br />
"Already, the NPDC/<br />
ELCREST has been sending<br />
their officials to the site of the<br />
spillage like divers to work<br />
without consulting or approval<br />
of the affected communities.<br />
"Even the Joint Investigation<br />
Visit (JIV) that was done<br />
was controversial as parties<br />
are yet to agree on the cause<br />
of the spillage.<br />
"We call on NPDC/<br />
ELCREST joint venture to<br />
consider the plight of the people<br />
of their host communities,<br />
who are facing the adverse<br />
effect of the spillage from their<br />
facility rather than the desperation<br />
to start operations<br />
"We further call on President<br />
Muhammadu <strong>Buhari</strong> and<br />
the Minister of Petroleum,<br />
State, Chief Timipre Slyva, to<br />
prevail on NPDC to do the<br />
needful by providing relief<br />
materials to the affected communities<br />
to reduce the adverse<br />
effects of the spillage," he added<br />
Ṁeanwhile, Governor Ifeanyi<br />
Okowa, last week, sent a<br />
high-powered delegation led<br />
by his Commissioner for Oil<br />
and Gas, Chief Emmanuel<br />
Agbadugba to some of the affected<br />
communities for an on<br />
the spot assessment.<br />
In the team, which visited<br />
Opuama community were<br />
the member representing<br />
Warri North constituency Delta<br />
State House Assembly, Fred<br />
Martins, newly elected Warri<br />
North council chairman,<br />
Smart Asekutu and his deputy,<br />
Solomon Mikie.<br />
Presidential Amnesty grossly mismanaged<br />
—Reps •Quiz Interim Administrator, Dikio over N3.7bn<br />
paid to ex-agitators<br />
up the expenditures.<br />
The committee said that the<br />
programme paid over N3.7bn<br />
to ex-agitators and that the<br />
payments violated e-payment<br />
policy of the Federal Government<br />
as they were made into a<br />
single account instead of the<br />
individual beneficiaries accounts.<br />
The Audit query had also<br />
accused the office of paying<br />
N136 million to two different<br />
contractors without proper<br />
rendition of accounts of the<br />
beneficiaries.<br />
The committee further accused<br />
the programme of approving<br />
the sum of N79m for<br />
11 individuals as cash advancement<br />
without retirement<br />
of the same.<br />
In his response, Dikio pleaded<br />
for more time to organize<br />
himself for the answers, saying<br />
he was new in the office.<br />
But the Commitee frowned<br />
at the response, saying that<br />
government was a continuum,<br />
urging him to take responsibility.<br />
The table later turned to the<br />
Director, Finance and Accounts,<br />
DFA, Mr Ityohume<br />
Isaac who said that the N3.7<br />
billion was paid to Camp<br />
Leaders of the former agitators<br />
who in turn paid to those under<br />
them.<br />
He added that not all the<br />
former agitators were on the<br />
Bank Verification Number,<br />
BVN of the Central Bank of<br />
Nigeria, CBN.<br />
However, the Committee<br />
Chairman ruled that the Agency<br />
should provide the Committee<br />
with relevant documents on<br />
the expenditures detailing the<br />
number of the beneficiaries,<br />
amount involved, their addresses<br />
and the names of the<br />
hotels used which they claimed<br />
issued them receipts<br />
The Committee also ruled<br />
that the details of the beneficiaries<br />
of the programme<br />
should be published in three<br />
different national dailies, adding<br />
that the relevant documents<br />
should also be subjected<br />
to forensic investigation.<br />
Belgium pledges to partner Rivers<br />
govt, NDDC on devt<br />
By Egufe Yafugborhi<br />
PORT<br />
HARCOURT—<br />
THE Government of Belgium<br />
has pledged to offer strategic<br />
partnership for mutual<br />
development with the Rivers<br />
State Government and Niger<br />
Delta Development Commission,<br />
NDDC, in diverse sectors<br />
in the state and Niger Delta<br />
region.<br />
In separate meetings in Port<br />
Harcourt, yesterday, Belgian<br />
Ambassador to Nigeria,<br />
Daniel Bertrand acknowledged<br />
NDDC's request for<br />
Belgium's support in the development<br />
of critical infrastructure<br />
in the Niger Delta<br />
and presented the Rivers State<br />
government's intent to expand<br />
Belgian investments in various<br />
sectors of the state.<br />
Following a closed-door<br />
meeting with Governor Nyesom<br />
Wike at Government<br />
House, Port Harcourt, the diplomat,<br />
said, "I am here to visit<br />
the state and visit Belgium<br />
companies existing in this<br />
area.<br />
"There are already some<br />
Belgium companies in Nigeria<br />
with facilities in Rivers<br />
SSG warns Wike to steer clear of<br />
C-River's politics<br />
By Jimoh<br />
Babatunde<br />
A<br />
POLITICAL organisa<br />
tion in Cross River State,<br />
Southern Senatorial Group,<br />
SSG, has come hard on Governor<br />
Nyesome Wike of Rivers<br />
State, warning him to steer<br />
clear of Cross River State affairs<br />
as his meddlesomeness<br />
was a distraction that is not<br />
welcomed by the people of the<br />
state.<br />
This followed the recent<br />
statement by Wike casting<br />
aspersion on Cross River State<br />
governor, Ben Ayade. In a<br />
statement by its Coordinator,<br />
Chief Okon Edet, the group<br />
said "For us here in Cross River,<br />
Wike didn't insult Ayade but<br />
our dear state. Ayade symbolises<br />
Cross River and so any<br />
dart thrown at him is invariably<br />
thrown at Cross River.<br />
"Wike's infantile comparison<br />
of his state with Cross River<br />
in terms of availability of<br />
funds smacks of shallow<br />
thinking.<br />
"Under Wike, how exactly<br />
State. We have some opportunities<br />
to have our facilities<br />
in gas and agriculture."<br />
On the visit to NDDC headoffice<br />
in the Rivers capital city,<br />
Sole Administrator of the<br />
commission, Efiong Akwa,<br />
had told Bertrand, "We want<br />
collaboration in health, environment,<br />
training, agriculture<br />
and developing a new master<br />
plan.<br />
"Health is a major challenge<br />
in the Niger Delta and Belgium<br />
has what it takes to assist<br />
us, considering the way it<br />
was able to successfully tackle<br />
the COVID-19 pandemic.<br />
"Our environment has been<br />
put in jeopardy because of oil<br />
and gas exploration and exploitation<br />
by multinational<br />
companies in the region. Our<br />
people are predominantly fishermen<br />
and farmers and agriculture<br />
is the strength of the<br />
region."<br />
The Belgian envoy responded<br />
"I am looking forward to<br />
working with the NDDC to<br />
deepen our excellent relationship.<br />
I wanted to see what you<br />
are doing, your priorities and<br />
see what we can do together."<br />
has River's financial wealth<br />
directly impacted on the common<br />
people? Under Wike,<br />
Rivers was recently listed by<br />
the National Bureau of Statistics,<br />
NBS, as one of the<br />
states with the highest unemployment<br />
rate.<br />
"Building flyovers all over<br />
Port Harcourt and commissioning<br />
two kilometre roads<br />
amid TV cameras create no<br />
jobs for Rivers youths, while<br />
Julius Berger carts offshore<br />
the collective wealth of Rivers<br />
for the contract awarded.<br />
"Wike perhaps needs urgent<br />
tutorials from Ayade on how<br />
to utilise limited resource for<br />
the establishment of projects<br />
that impact directly on the<br />
people. With Cross River's<br />
meagre income, Ayade has<br />
built a plethora of industries<br />
that create jobs and wealth for<br />
the people.<br />
"Wike absolutely has no<br />
right to impose a governor on<br />
Cross River in <strong>2023</strong>. Essentially,<br />
the whole gamut of reason<br />
for his insult on Ayade, nay<br />
Cross River, is our governor's<br />
rock-solid determination to<br />
resist his sinister design for<br />
Cross River.‘‘<br />
Rivers lawyers condemn attempt<br />
to impose junior judge as CJ<br />
PORT<br />
HARCOURT—<br />
SOME lawyer groups in<br />
Rivers State have condemned<br />
the move by Governor Nyesom<br />
Wike to impose a new<br />
Chief Judge on the state while<br />
overlooking the proper candidate<br />
in the process.<br />
The groups, International<br />
Federation of Women Lawyers,<br />
FIDA, represented by Pastor<br />
Ngozi Ighosevebe and the<br />
Concerned Lawyers in Rivers<br />
State led by John Owubokiri<br />
and 11 others in different statements<br />
in Port Harcourt, yesterday,<br />
expressed displeasure at<br />
the move by the governor to<br />
approve the recommendation<br />
and appointment of Justice<br />
Simeon Amadi, as Chief<br />
Judge purely on clannish considerations.<br />
The groups noted that the incumbent<br />
Chief Judge, Justice<br />
Adama Laminkanra, an indigene<br />
of Edo State, who would<br />
retire in May 2021, was so appointed<br />
by the same Wike<br />
based on seniority and hierarchy.<br />
It would be recalled that<br />
Wike had sworn at the time of<br />
Justice Laminkanra's appointment,<br />
that he would sustain the<br />
policy of seniority and precedence<br />
in judicial appointments.<br />
The groups said Wike had<br />
shifted grounds unethically on<br />
ethnic considerations.<br />
They said, "We are at a loss<br />
on why Governor Wike would<br />
abandon seniority and precedence<br />
so soon after it had suited<br />
him to overlook Justice Joy<br />
Akpughunum in the list sent<br />
by his Judicial Service Commission<br />
to the National Judicial<br />
Council, NJC, for consideration<br />
for appointment into<br />
the office of Chief Judge even<br />
when she is erudite, calm,<br />
learned and filled with probity.<br />
"Justice Akpughunum is the<br />
most senior judge in a list in<br />
which Justice Simeon Amadi<br />
comes a distant second with<br />
Justice E Teetito coming third.‘‘
Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, MARCH 24, 2021 — 13<br />
By Ikechukwu<br />
Nnochiri<br />
ABUJA—FOLLOWING a<br />
petition the national leadership<br />
of the All Progressives<br />
Party, APC, lodged against<br />
three Justices, the Supreme<br />
Court, yesterday, suspended<br />
hearing on the legal dispute<br />
surrounding the Senatorial<br />
bye-election that held in Imo<br />
North on December 5, 2020.<br />
It will be recalled that the<br />
Independent National Electoral<br />
Commission, INEC had<br />
at the end of the Senatorial<br />
bye-election, returned the APC<br />
as the winner.<br />
The electoral body based its<br />
decision not to return any candidate<br />
for the party on the fact<br />
that there were many conflicting<br />
court decisions, for and<br />
against the two main contenders<br />
from the APC ticket-Senator<br />
Ifeanyi Ararume and Mr.<br />
Chukwuemeka Francis Ibezim.<br />
Both Ararume and Ibezim<br />
have been laying claim and<br />
counter claim to the candidacy<br />
of APC in Imo North Senatorial<br />
district.<br />
However, the Federal High<br />
Court in Abuja, in a judgement<br />
by Justice Taiwo Taiwo delivered<br />
on March 18, ordered<br />
INEC to issue Certificate of<br />
Return to Ararume.<br />
The order came on a day<br />
another High Court sitting at<br />
Owerri, gave a counter order<br />
that barred the electoral body<br />
from issuing Certificate of<br />
Return to Ararume.<br />
The Supreme Court had<br />
earlier adjourned to hear an<br />
appeal Ibezim lodged against<br />
the concurrent verdicts of<br />
both the Federal High Court<br />
and the Court of Appeal in<br />
Abuja, which nullified his candidacy<br />
on the ground that he<br />
made false declaration in documents<br />
he submitted to<br />
INEC.<br />
However, at the resumed<br />
proceedings in the matter yesterday,<br />
the apex court, suspended<br />
further hearing on the<br />
appeal, sine-die (indefinitely),<br />
owing to the petition by the<br />
APC.<br />
The party, in the petition<br />
that was signed by its Acting<br />
National Chairman and Governor<br />
of Yobe State, Mai Mala<br />
Buni, alleged that three Justices<br />
of the Supreme Court,<br />
held nocturnal meetings with<br />
the Peoples Democratic Party,<br />
PDP, so as to scheme it out from<br />
the Senate seat.<br />
In the petition, the APC, specifically<br />
fingered Justices<br />
Mohammed Musa Dattijo,<br />
Abdu Aboki and Helen Ogun-<br />
:Vanguard News<br />
:@vanguardnews :@vanguardnews NEWS HOTLINES: 08052867023, 08052867058<br />
INSPECTION: Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi of Enugu State (middle); Commissioner for Works and Infrastructure,<br />
Greg Nnaji (left) and the Project Manager, IDC Construction Ltd, Mr. Youssef Zghaib, when the governor inspected<br />
progress of work at the ongoing construction of flyover bridge at T-Junction, Abakpa Nike, Enugu, yesterday.<br />
Ibezim vs Ararume: S'Court suspends hearing<br />
over APC's petition against 3 Justices<br />
wumiju, as those that participated<br />
in the said meeting.<br />
Acting National Chairman<br />
of the APC, Buni, claimed that<br />
information at the disposal of<br />
the party, indicated that the<br />
three apex Justices, held meeting<br />
with PDP leadership and<br />
allegedly perfected the means<br />
of giving the senatorial seat<br />
to the PDP candidate in the<br />
bye election.<br />
Consequently, when the<br />
matter came up yesterday,<br />
Justice Dattijo who led a fiveman<br />
panel of Justices of the<br />
apex court that are presiding<br />
over the appeal, announced<br />
the suspension of further proceedings<br />
in the matter, pending<br />
the resolution of the damaging<br />
petition.<br />
Justice Dattijo bemoaned<br />
that the APC had by the petition,<br />
called the integrity, reputation<br />
and honour of the<br />
three Justices to question,<br />
stressing that the issue must<br />
be resolved first.<br />
He said: "Let me confirm to<br />
all counsel in this matter that<br />
the Interim National Chairman<br />
of the All Progressives<br />
Congress (APC) had written a<br />
petition against me and two<br />
other Justices of this court,<br />
namely Helen Ogunwumiju<br />
and Abdu Aboki accusing us<br />
of having a meeting with<br />
By Victor Ahiuma-<br />
Young<br />
OWERRI—THE Federal<br />
Government yesterday in<br />
Imo State, pleaded with organized<br />
labour not to disrupt<br />
the nation's industrial peace<br />
because of the bill before the<br />
National Assembly that seeks<br />
to remove the minimum<br />
wage from exclusive legislative<br />
list to concurrent list, saying<br />
Nigeria is a signatory to<br />
International Labour organization,<br />
ILO, conventions on<br />
minimum wage and wage<br />
fixing.<br />
Speaking through the Minister<br />
of Labour and Employment,<br />
Senator Chris Ngige,<br />
the government which made<br />
the appeal at the meeting of<br />
the National Labour Advisory<br />
Council (NLAC) in Owerri,<br />
Imo State, said the Nigerian<br />
government adopted and ratified<br />
the ILO Convention 28,<br />
the Minimum Wage Fixing<br />
Machinery Convention of<br />
1928 (No.26) and the Minimum<br />
Wage Fixing Conven-<br />
members of the People’s Democratic<br />
Party (PDP) to subvert<br />
justice in the case".<br />
He said the APC alleged,<br />
that "my humble self had led<br />
my two brothers to attend a<br />
meeting with members of the<br />
PDP to strategize on how to<br />
subvert the outcome of this<br />
case.<br />
"I must say that this is most<br />
unfortunate and my heart<br />
bleeds for this country.<br />
"If people as highly placed<br />
as the interim Chairman of<br />
the APC would open his<br />
mouth and make this weighty<br />
statement against innocent<br />
Justices of this court, then I<br />
say my heart bleeds.<br />
"We are not interested in any<br />
matter and I challenge him<br />
and the party to substantiate<br />
his allegation that my humble<br />
self attended a meeting<br />
with members of the PDP with<br />
a view to subverting the interest<br />
of their party.<br />
"This is a reckless and irresponsible<br />
statement. That is<br />
how these useless statements<br />
were made in the past and<br />
that is why we are not taking<br />
it lightly.<br />
"If they have honour, let<br />
them substantiate their allegations<br />
and I will not leave a<br />
day longer in this court.<br />
"So, this matter is adjourned<br />
sine die, and parties should<br />
approach the Chief Justice of<br />
Nigeria "<br />
Responding, counsel to<br />
Senator Ararume, Ahmed<br />
Raji, SAN, distanced himself<br />
from the petition.<br />
Raji said he was shocked to<br />
hear about the allegations<br />
made against the Justices.<br />
He said: "This is very very<br />
shocking. I swear with my last<br />
day in this court that I, Ahmed<br />
Raji knows nothing about this<br />
issue and I condemn it with<br />
all the strength in me.<br />
“I sympathise with your<br />
lordships and whatever measure<br />
your lordship deems appropriate,<br />
we are fully in support",<br />
he added.<br />
On his part, counsel to the<br />
APC, Mr. Umeh Kalu, denied<br />
knowledge of the petition,<br />
saying he was only hearing<br />
about it for the first time.<br />
“I am taken aback by this. I<br />
have never in my life met with<br />
the interim chairman of the<br />
APC.<br />
"In matters of this nature, we<br />
normally deal with the legal<br />
adviser.<br />
"In the first place, PDP is not<br />
a party in this matter".<br />
Though all the parties distanced<br />
themselves from the<br />
petition, the panel went ahead<br />
and adjourned the appeal indefinitely.<br />
Don't go on strike because of minimum wage<br />
bill, FG begs labour •Says Nigeria, signatory to ILO<br />
conventions on wage fixing<br />
tion of 1970 (No131).<br />
According to him, from<br />
these conventions, the Minimum<br />
wage Act was signed in<br />
1981.<br />
Delivering his inaugural<br />
address, Ngige said much as<br />
he supported the Organised<br />
Labour 100 percent on the bill<br />
pending before the National<br />
Assembly, organised labour<br />
should not embark on strike<br />
because of the issue, saying ,<br />
"Although the council has<br />
been inactive, the Ministry in<br />
the spirit of Tripartism has<br />
ensured and maintained a<br />
sound tripartite relationship<br />
with Social Partners.<br />
"For example, during the<br />
negotiation for the national<br />
minimum wage from 2017<br />
to 2018, we used the tripartite<br />
plus composition of government,<br />
employers, employees<br />
and other interests and for<br />
other interests. We made sure<br />
that it reflected the members<br />
of this council.<br />
"That was why we got the<br />
Nigerian Governors Forum<br />
(NGF) involved in that negotiation<br />
and we called it tripartite<br />
plus. The chairman of that<br />
minimum wage committee,<br />
Ama Pepple came from outside<br />
as an experienced technocrat<br />
who had been the<br />
Head of Service of the Federation,<br />
Minister and Clerk of<br />
the National Assembly. We<br />
invited her to give that plus<br />
the effective ingredient that is<br />
needed, so also the state governments.<br />
"Mr. President of NLC, you<br />
didn't need to thank me for<br />
what I said about the minimum<br />
wage bill because I was<br />
re-echoing what the Nigerian<br />
government stood for by<br />
adopting the ILO Convention<br />
28, the Minimum Wage Fixing<br />
Machinery Convention of<br />
1928 (No.26) and the Minimum<br />
Wage Fixing Convention<br />
of 1970 (No131). From<br />
these conventions, the Minimum<br />
wage Act was signed in<br />
1981. So, I am with you 100<br />
percent but I don't want you<br />
to go on strike on that."<br />
I picked Abaribe from gutters<br />
—Kalu<br />
ABA—CHIEF Whip of the<br />
Senate and former Governor<br />
of Abia State, Senator<br />
Orji Uzor Kalu, has taken the<br />
Senator representing Abia<br />
South Senatorial zone, Enyinnaya<br />
Abaribe, to the cleaners.<br />
Abaribe was Kalu’s deputy<br />
during his first term as Abia<br />
governor. The deputy governor<br />
was later impeached.“<br />
Kalu, on Monday, also said<br />
he was thankful to God to<br />
have been imprisoned for six<br />
months, declaring that God<br />
allowed the conspiracy of his<br />
enemies because “it is part of<br />
my life script.<br />
“The billionaire businessman<br />
and politician made the<br />
revelations in Aba North<br />
Ward 1 during his ward to<br />
ward campaign for All Pro-<br />
gressives Congress,APC, candidate,<br />
Chief Mascot Uzor<br />
Kalu, for the Aba North/South<br />
Federal Constituency byeelection<br />
scheduled to hold on<br />
Saturday.<br />
The former governor was<br />
responding to statements from<br />
Abia State Governor, Okezie<br />
Ikpeazu and Abaribe, accusing<br />
him of unrecovery from<br />
Kuje Prison experience.<br />
Ikpeazu and Abaribe, in<br />
their reactions had stated that<br />
Kalu’s suggestion that road<br />
projects in Aba are funded by<br />
the Niger Delta Development<br />
Commission (NDDC) and the<br />
Federal Government “is a<br />
clear pointer that something<br />
is wrong with him.<br />
‘‘It is either he is yet to fully<br />
recover from the effects of his<br />
several months of incarceration<br />
at the Kuje prisons or he<br />
is just plain ignorant.” the governor’s<br />
statement read.<br />
Lawyers, judiciary workers in<br />
Imo suspend court sittings over<br />
alleged abduction of colleague<br />
OWERRI—Lawyers and<br />
judiciary workers in Imo<br />
suspended court sitting yesterday<br />
to protest against the kidnap<br />
of a lawyer Barr. Chima<br />
Awurum.<br />
Awurum was kidnapped by<br />
gunmen last Friday in<br />
Mbano/Etiti, Imo.<br />
Secretary of the Imo branch<br />
of the Nigerian Bar Association,<br />
NBA, Chinedu Agu, said<br />
in a memorandum yesterday<br />
that there must be strict compliance<br />
with the directive to<br />
down tools.<br />
Agu said that the request to<br />
suspend court sitting was approved<br />
by the Acting Chief<br />
Judge on the state, Ijeoma<br />
Oguguo and signed by the<br />
Chief Registrar, C.N Okereke.<br />
The memorandum read:<br />
Obi congratulates Nwabueze at 90<br />
Arewa youths laud Ugwuanyi on<br />
peace, economic prosperity<br />
THE NATIONAL Execu<br />
tive Council and members<br />
of Arewa Youth Forum (AYF),<br />
both in the country and the Diaspora,<br />
have lauded Governor<br />
Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi of Enugu<br />
State for his untiring efforts<br />
in ensuring peace, economic<br />
prosperity and a unified Nigeria.<br />
In a congratulatory message<br />
to Gov. Ugwuanyi on his<br />
57th birthday, the National<br />
President of Arewa Youth Forum,<br />
Gambo Ibrahim Gujungu,<br />
on behalf of the forum, described<br />
the governor as “a<br />
worthy son of Nigeria, a humane,<br />
simple, humble, focused<br />
and accessible leader”.<br />
The Northern forum told<br />
"The Office of the Chief Registrar,<br />
High Court of Imo<br />
State, has declared that in<br />
solidarity with the Mbano/<br />
Etiti Branch of the NBA, the<br />
High Courts and Magistrates<br />
Courts will not sit on Tuesday.’’<br />
Meanwhile, some litigants<br />
were seen at court premises<br />
looking frustrated over the<br />
sudden development.<br />
A litigant, Mr Kingsley Anyawu,<br />
told the News Agency<br />
of Nigeria (NAN) that his case<br />
had lingered due to long adjournments<br />
and courts boycott.<br />
Anyawu condemned the<br />
kidnap of the lawyer and appealed<br />
to security agencies to<br />
find lasting solution to insecurity<br />
in the state.<br />
THE IMMEDIATE past<br />
Vice Presidential candidate<br />
of the PDP, Mr. Peter Obi<br />
has joined other Nigerians of<br />
goodwill in congratulating<br />
Prof. Ben Nwabueze who<br />
turned 90 yesterday.<br />
In a message made available<br />
to the press by his Media<br />
Office signed by Mr. Valentine<br />
Obienyem, Obi said that<br />
people like Prof. Nwabueze<br />
deserved to be celebrated for<br />
their contributions to their<br />
communities, the country and<br />
humanity at large. “<br />
He exemplifies the beauty<br />
of using one’s gift to serve humanity”,<br />
Obi said.<br />
The former governor recalls<br />
that Prof. Nwabueze has<br />
served the nation in various<br />
capacities, including being<br />
the Federal Minister of Education.<br />
He however said that<br />
what stood him out of the park<br />
was his contributions to scholarship<br />
as a lecturer and author<br />
of many books that have<br />
continued to address aspects<br />
of constitutionalism, politics,<br />
rule of law and jurisprudence.<br />
He however, notes that<br />
when “nonagenarians that<br />
were evidently committed to<br />
better Nigeria as Nwabueze<br />
reflect on the Nigerian condition,<br />
that the feeling will certainly<br />
be that of regret at what<br />
the country has turned into.”<br />
Obi therefore concludes:<br />
“beyond panegyrics, the debt<br />
the younger generations owe<br />
the older ones is to become<br />
the instrument for the actualisation<br />
of the country they<br />
dreamt of during independence.<br />
Gov. Ugwuanyi that “your<br />
untiring efforts aimed at ensuring<br />
a unified Nigeria is established,<br />
well appreciated<br />
and documented, given by<br />
your good virtues and all-inclusive<br />
leadership style”.<br />
According to them, “you<br />
(Ugwuanyi) have within the<br />
shortest period of your political<br />
career made yourself to be<br />
an astute and exemplary leader<br />
who has committed the<br />
greatest part of his cherished<br />
days on earth to Nigeria’s<br />
quest for economic prosperity,<br />
peace and national unity.<br />
“We at Arewa Youth Forum<br />
are happy to be associated<br />
with you in upholding this<br />
spirit of nationhood.‘‘
14 — Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, MARCH 24, 2021<br />
:Vanguard News<br />
:@vanguardnews :@vanguardnews NEWS HOTLINES: 08052867023, 08052867058<br />
Katsina reopens 5 boarding<br />
schools, 3 months after<br />
Kankara abductions<br />
K Katsina<br />
ATSINA—THE<br />
State<br />
government has directed the<br />
reopening of five boarding schools<br />
in the state for the continuation<br />
of the 2020/2021 academic session<br />
from Sunday, March 28.<br />
The state government also<br />
directed the reopening of all<br />
female boarding secondary<br />
schools.<br />
Female pupils are to resume at<br />
nearby day schools within their<br />
locations today, March 24.<br />
The schools were shut in<br />
December following the abduction<br />
of more than 300 students of the<br />
Government Science Secondary<br />
School, GSSS, Kankara.<br />
The students regained freedom<br />
five days after their abduction.<br />
According to a statement by<br />
Public Relations Officer, PRO, in<br />
the state Ministry of Education,<br />
Sani Suleiman, COVID-19<br />
protocol must be strictly adhered<br />
Tarfa gives DSS 48 hours to<br />
release 26 BDC operators<br />
ABUJA—A<br />
human<br />
rights lawyer, Mr. Rickey<br />
Tarfa (SAN), has given the<br />
Department of State Services,<br />
DSS, a 48 hour ultimatum to<br />
either release the 26 Bureau de<br />
Change, BDC, operators in its<br />
custody or take them to court.<br />
In a letter to the Director-<br />
General of DSS, Yusuf Magaji,<br />
in Abuja, Tarfa insisted that if<br />
DSS failed to act, he would<br />
approach a court and demand for<br />
the enforcement of their<br />
fundamental human rights.<br />
He said: “The Apex Court of<br />
Nigeria has, in a plethora of<br />
decided cases, frowned at the<br />
continued detention of citizens<br />
of this country unlawfully by<br />
security agents and their<br />
agencies without due recourse<br />
to the court and in violation of<br />
to by staff, students and visitors.<br />
According to the statement “In<br />
line with the Katsina State policy<br />
on school’s resumption,<br />
Governor Aminu Masari, has<br />
directed the reopening of all<br />
Female Boarding Secondary<br />
Schools on Day System Basis to<br />
nearby Schools of their locations/<br />
residence on Wednesday 24th<br />
March, 2021.”<br />
“Similarly, the Government<br />
directed the re-opening of the<br />
following boarding Schools:<br />
Government Unity Secondary<br />
School Malumfashi; SUNCAIS<br />
Katsina; Government Girls<br />
Secondary School Dutsin Safe<br />
Katsina; Government Girls<br />
Arabic Secondary School<br />
Dutsinma; Government School<br />
for the Deaf Malumfashi and<br />
Government School for the Blind<br />
Katsina on Sunday 28th Match,<br />
2021 for the continuation of 2020/<br />
2021 academic session. ''<br />
S-Court rules June 11 on<br />
N24.4bn NOSPETCO Oil & Gas<br />
investors’ suit<br />
By Onozure Dania<br />
THE Supreme Court<br />
has fixed June 11, 2021<br />
to deliver judgment in the case<br />
of 14,296 nvestors in<br />
NOSPETCO Oil and Gas<br />
Limited whose money are in<br />
the apex bank.<br />
The five-man Justices of the<br />
apex court, Presided by Justice<br />
Aminat Augie, fixed the date<br />
for judgment after lawyers of<br />
all the parties adopted their<br />
various briefs before the court.<br />
extent provisions of the<br />
Constitution. We, therefore,<br />
demand the immediate release<br />
of all our clients in your custody.<br />
This is without prejudice to the<br />
investigation that is being<br />
conducted by your establishment<br />
with respect to whatever reason<br />
they were arrested for.”<br />
Tarfa noted that the 26<br />
detainees who are all members<br />
of the Association of Bureau De<br />
Change Operators of Nigeria,<br />
ABCON, Northwest chapter,<br />
were invited from Kano, Sokoto,<br />
Yola, Minna and Lagos for<br />
questioning by DSS in Abuja on<br />
March 9, 12 and 14, 2021; adding<br />
that they have been held<br />
incommunicado since then.<br />
Tarfa described their arrest by<br />
DSS, without any arraignment<br />
before a court, as illegal.<br />
The 14,296 investors’ N24.4<br />
billion was deposited with CBN<br />
by the Security and Exchange<br />
Commission, SEC, following an<br />
embargo it placed on<br />
NOSPETCO’s operations.<br />
The investors through Mr<br />
Debo Adeleke, prayed the<br />
Supreme Court to compel CBN<br />
to release the money trapped in<br />
its coffer.<br />
Most of the investors who were<br />
aged and pensioners, subscribed<br />
to the fraudulent investment<br />
scheme put up by Nospetco Oil<br />
& Gas Ltd, each with N450, 000<br />
slots between 2004 and 2005.<br />
Panel on sexual, gender-based<br />
violence receives 14 petitions<br />
in Adamawa<br />
By Umar Yusuf<br />
YOLA—NO<br />
fewer<br />
than 14 complaints have<br />
been lodged before the special<br />
investigation panel on sexual<br />
and gender-based violence<br />
(SGBV) sitting in Yola, Adamawa<br />
State.<br />
The Executive Secretary,<br />
National Human Rights<br />
Commission, (NHRC), Tony<br />
Ojukwu disclosed this in Yola at<br />
the commencement of a two-day<br />
sitting of the panel .<br />
Ojukwu noted that with the<br />
high turnout of people, at the<br />
commencement of the sitting of<br />
the panel, he expected more<br />
petitions.<br />
He observed that based on the<br />
preponderance of SGBV during<br />
the lockdown, NHRC decided to<br />
constitute the panel to attend to<br />
the various complaints by<br />
survivors of the crime.<br />
He said: “The commission<br />
is the first institution that has<br />
the temerity to embark in this<br />
exercise.''<br />
SIGNING: From left, the Dean, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Abuja, Prof. Park Idisi;<br />
Corporate Director, Dairy Development and Milkstreams, Royal FrieslandCampina, Mr. Jeroen<br />
Elfers; Vice Chancellor, University of Abuja, Prof. Abdul-Rasheed Na'Allah; MD,<br />
FrieslandCampina WAMCO and Chairman CNDDD, Mr. Ben Langat; and Executive Director<br />
Corporate Affairs, FrieslandCampina WAMCO, Mrs. Ore Famurewa at the signing of a partnership<br />
agreement under the aegis of the Centre for Nigerian Dutch Dairy Development in Abuja.<br />
Don’t set Nigeria on fire over hijab, PFN<br />
<strong>tells</strong> Kwara gov<br />
By Demola Akinyemi,<br />
with Agency report<br />
I<br />
BADAN— THE<br />
Pentecostal Fellowship of<br />
Nigeria, PFN, has warned<br />
Governor Abdul-Raman<br />
Abdulrasaq of Kwara State,<br />
against engaging in actions that<br />
could set the country on fire,<br />
saying that the hijab crisis may<br />
degenerate if not handled with<br />
caution.<br />
This came as students and<br />
teachers of the 10 mission schools<br />
yesterday returned to classroom<br />
amidst tight security.<br />
PFN’s President, Bishop Wale<br />
Oke, who spoke at the<br />
Cornerstone City, Ibadan, during<br />
the visit of the Ekiti and Ondo<br />
states chapters of the Fellowship,<br />
led by the duo of Bishop Clement<br />
Abifade and Bishop Joshua<br />
Opayinka, also decried the<br />
tenure extension approved for<br />
the Inspector General of<br />
Police,IGP, Muhammed Adamu,<br />
arguing that he should instead<br />
tender his letter resignation in<br />
view of his abysmal performance<br />
as the IGP.<br />
‘I am appealing to Your<br />
Excellency, Mr Governor, to let<br />
the sleeping dog lie. Respect the<br />
tradition and feelings of others.<br />
Avoid divisive politics that can set<br />
this nation on fire. Bring<br />
everybody together; don’t force<br />
hijab on our people, they won’t<br />
back down. Your Excellency, stoop<br />
to conquer; stoop for peace, stoop<br />
for harmony,” Oke said.<br />
Meanwhile, the students and<br />
teachers of the 10 mission schools<br />
run by the state government<br />
grant yesterday returned to<br />
classroom amidst tight security.<br />
The schools earlier closed by<br />
the government are C&S College<br />
Sabo Oke, St Anthony College,<br />
Offa Road, ECWA School, Oja Iya,<br />
Surulere Baptist Secondary<br />
School and Bishop Smith<br />
Secondary School, Agba Dam.<br />
Others are CAC Secondary<br />
School Asa Dam, St. Barnabas<br />
Secondary School Sabo Oke,<br />
St. John School Maraba, and St.<br />
Williams Secondary School Taiwo<br />
Isale, St. James Secondary<br />
School Maraba, all in Ilorin, the<br />
state capital.<br />
Governor AbdulRahman<br />
AbdulRazaq, however in a<br />
statement ordered security<br />
agents to deal decisively with<br />
anyone fomenting trouble<br />
irrespective of his or status, even<br />
as he lauded leaders of various<br />
religious bodies for their<br />
understanding and leadership<br />
over the last few days.<br />
When Vanguard visited the<br />
nine schools, some Muslim<br />
students were seen wearing<br />
hijab, while others did not use.<br />
But the situation was<br />
different at Cherubim and<br />
Seraphim College at Sabo Oke,<br />
Ilorin as the gates remained<br />
By Peter Duru<br />
M<br />
A K U R D I —<br />
COMMANDER of the<br />
Joint military operation in Benue<br />
State, Major- General, Adeyemi<br />
Yekini, has said over 700 different<br />
calibre of weapons have been<br />
recovered from bandits operating<br />
in Benue, Nasarawa and Taraba<br />
states.<br />
General Yekini, who spoke in<br />
Makurdi, said the operation had<br />
succeeded in restoring peace to<br />
the troubled communities in its<br />
areas of operation stating that,<br />
“when we look back to where<br />
Benue was when Operation<br />
Whirl Stroke, OPWS, came into<br />
the state you will realize that we<br />
have made a lot of progress. We<br />
recall that in 2018 the cry all over<br />
the country was #Pray for Benue.<br />
It was killing galore. But since the<br />
coming of OPWS, working in<br />
tandem with other security<br />
agencies on ground, we have<br />
been able to substantially<br />
improve security in Benue state.<br />
“So far we have recovered up<br />
to 700 different weapons, not just<br />
in Benue but including Nasarawa<br />
and Taraba states. And a good<br />
number of them were recovered<br />
in Benue State.<br />
''Only this year alone we have<br />
recovered over 50 weapons in<br />
Benue alone between January<br />
and now. In terms of armed<br />
bandits being neutralized, I can<br />
tell you clearly that they are<br />
probably in their thousands.<br />
These were armed bandits who<br />
exchanged fire with the troops.<br />
And when you do that you are<br />
neutralized.<br />
“So, this is an ongoing<br />
operation and we have been able<br />
to ensure peace in Benue but we<br />
know that occasionally there<br />
could be a challenge here and<br />
there but we are on top of it all.''<br />
•As students, teachers resume classes<br />
amidst tight security<br />
locked by 1.25 noon when the<br />
youths opened the gates from the<br />
inside for the teachers to enter.<br />
Vanguard gathered that<br />
despite the initial agreement by<br />
the church leaders, the youths<br />
disagreed and locked out the<br />
teachers, officers from<br />
ministry education and<br />
security officials, on the main<br />
road since morning.<br />
No student was seen around<br />
probably due to the<br />
pandemonium that broke out in<br />
the school on Monday.<br />
Vanguard also gathered that<br />
the church leaders have agreed<br />
with the state government to<br />
open the gates to enable the<br />
students and teachers resume<br />
academic activities, but some<br />
youths disagreed, allegedly<br />
holding everyone hostage.<br />
Over 700 weapons recovered from<br />
bandits in Benue, Taraba, Nasarawa<br />
We know that Benue state is the<br />
food basket of the nation and I<br />
can say with confidence that the<br />
food basket triangle comprising<br />
Benue, Nasarawa and Taraba<br />
states still remains the key areas<br />
in getting food supply in the<br />
country and that is possible<br />
because troops of OPWS and<br />
other security agencies are all<br />
working hard to ensure that we<br />
do not have such challenges that<br />
will deter our farmers from going<br />
to the farms.<br />
“As we speak if you go to Zaki<br />
Biam yam market there are<br />
hundreds of trailers loaded with<br />
yam being moved out of Benue<br />
to other parts of the country and<br />
all these wouldn’t have been<br />
possible if there are no security<br />
people on ground to ensure that<br />
things go on well. All we are<br />
saying is that the attack on<br />
Governor <strong>Ortom</strong> was an<br />
unfortunate situation.''<br />
NGO, firm partner to drive women<br />
economic empowerment<br />
By Providence<br />
Adeyinka<br />
A<br />
Non-Governmental<br />
Organisation, Future<br />
Females Invest, FFI, is<br />
partnering with a firm, Old<br />
Mutual Insurance Company, to<br />
empower women with education<br />
to take charge of their situations<br />
in uncertain times.<br />
The partnership, one of the<br />
developments that marked this<br />
year’s International Women Day<br />
celebration, saw the two parties<br />
launching an initiative, known<br />
as “Ready to Inspire” a year<br />
round campaign that will enable<br />
women achieve their potentials,<br />
using knowledge, role models,<br />
webinars and coaching, among<br />
others.<br />
By the partnership, N1 million<br />
is expected to be made available<br />
in capital seed fund or COVID-<br />
19 fund for businesses owned by<br />
women in Nigeria, while<br />
N500,000 is set aside for career<br />
development training, free<br />
coaching and mentoring for<br />
selected women.<br />
The campaign will reach 50,000<br />
women through an innovative<br />
and compelling campaign across<br />
Nigeria over a 12-month period.<br />
Speaking at a media briefing in<br />
Lagos, Co-founder/CEO, FFI,<br />
Ms. Aysha Tegally, said over the<br />
past decade, the Nigerian<br />
insurance industry had grown<br />
steadily, even when women do<br />
not understand the importance<br />
of insurance as a means of<br />
investment.<br />
Tegally said: “COVID-19 has<br />
turned the world upside-down,<br />
which is why we are living in<br />
extraordinary times. The way we<br />
work is changing and the<br />
economy and outlook is<br />
uncertain. Women have been<br />
disproportionately impacted and<br />
it is of paramount importance that<br />
women plan for their futures<br />
against this backdrop.’’<br />
In her remarks, Executive<br />
Head, Marketing and Customer<br />
Experience, Old Mutual Nigeria,<br />
Mrs. Alero Ladipo, said the new<br />
innovative partnership leverages<br />
the respective strengths of Old<br />
Mutual and FFI to create<br />
compelling value for both<br />
companies and women.
Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, MARCH 24, 2021 — 15<br />
:Vanguard<br />
News<br />
Amotekun a forerunner to<br />
state police —Afenifere<br />
By Dayo Johnson<br />
AKURE—THE Pan-<br />
Yoruba Sociopolitical<br />
organisation,<br />
Afenifere, said,<br />
yesterday, that the<br />
creation of the South-<br />
West security outfit,<br />
codenamed Amotekun, is a<br />
forerunner to state police.<br />
A delegation of the group<br />
led by its General-Secretary,<br />
Basorun Sehinde<br />
Arogbofa, said this during<br />
a visit to Governor Rotimi<br />
Akeredolu of Ondo State,<br />
in Akure.<br />
Arogbofa commended the<br />
chairman of the South-West<br />
Governors’ Forum for his<br />
tenacity and bravery on the<br />
creation of Amotekun in the<br />
region.<br />
The Afenifere scribe said:<br />
“We salute your courage.<br />
We saw the Amotekun<br />
thing as a forerunner to the<br />
state police.<br />
“The creation of<br />
Amotekun is a forerunner<br />
to the state Police which<br />
Afenifere has always<br />
advocated.<br />
“What can any<br />
government do without<br />
security? The security of<br />
lives and property should<br />
be a priority. We commend<br />
you.<br />
“We acknowledge the<br />
leadership of Governor<br />
Akeredolu in bringing<br />
together the Southwest<br />
governors to tackle<br />
insecurity and making the<br />
security of lives and<br />
properties of the people a<br />
priority.<br />
Restructuring is<br />
not secession<br />
Final burial for<br />
Pa Iyaogeh<br />
April 2<br />
THE Iyaogeh family of Apana-<br />
Uzairue in Etsako West local<br />
government area of Edo State has<br />
announced the transition to glory<br />
of Pa Thomas Iyaogeh, on<br />
November 20, 2020, and has since<br />
been buried.<br />
Final burial ceremony begins<br />
with traditional rites at Iyaogeh<br />
family compound, Apana-<br />
Uzairue, on April 2, 2021 at 9 am.<br />
Social outing will take place on<br />
April 3, 2021, at St. Philip’s<br />
Catholic Church, beside Azama<br />
Primary School, Jattu-Uzairue, at<br />
12 noon, while thanksgiving<br />
service will take place at the same<br />
venue, at 8 am.<br />
• Late Pa Iyaogeh<br />
• Restructuring is<br />
not secession<br />
—Akeredolu<br />
Responding, Governor<br />
Akeredolu hailed Afenifere<br />
for acknowledging his<br />
efforts on security, while<br />
stressing that the security of<br />
lives and property is<br />
crucial.<br />
The governor said:<br />
“Thank you for noting our<br />
efforts on the security of the<br />
state. You have captured it<br />
succinctly in a way that you<br />
can’t put it better. We met<br />
with a lot of forces and it was<br />
not easy and it is still not<br />
easy.<br />
“When you are forced into<br />
a corner where you have a<br />
security outfit without the<br />
right to carry the right arms,<br />
but we thank God that in<br />
all of Amotekun’s efforts, we<br />
have not suffered any<br />
casualty.<br />
“Amotekun is going to be<br />
a forerunner for state<br />
police. We believe that our<br />
security architecture needs<br />
total restructuring. There<br />
must be a multi-level<br />
system of policing.<br />
“This is where I believe<br />
part of the issue of<br />
restructuring lies. People,<br />
who thought restructuring<br />
is about secession, are<br />
wrong. We must restructure<br />
fiscal policy. We must restructure<br />
to show true federalism.<br />
“President Muhammadu<br />
<strong>Buhari</strong> has done a few things on<br />
restructuring more than any<br />
President. But we are still<br />
clamoring for more.<br />
On ranching, he said: “We are<br />
not going to give our land to<br />
foreigners. But ranches are<br />
important.”<br />
Igwe Ogbobe<br />
loses wife<br />
THE traditional ruler of<br />
Uvuru, Uzo-Uwani<br />
LGA in Enugu State, Igwe<br />
Daniel Ogbobe, has lost his<br />
wife, Lolo Josephine Uzo-<br />
Onisha Ogbobe, after a<br />
brief illness, at the age of<br />
75. Burial cceremonies will<br />
commence from May 14,<br />
2021, with service of<br />
songs\requiem mass in the<br />
Igwe’s palace, Ugbene<br />
Uvuru, at 6pm. Lying in<br />
state will be on May 15,<br />
followed by funeral service<br />
at St. Patrick’s Catholic<br />
Church, Uvuru. Interment<br />
and reception follow at the<br />
Igwe's palace and village<br />
square, respectively. She is<br />
survived by her husband,<br />
children<br />
grandchildren.<br />
and<br />
• Late Lolo Ogbobe<br />
:@vanguardnews :@vanguardnews NEWS HOTLINES: 08052867023, 08052867058<br />
UNVEILING—From left: Risqat Kamson, Lagos State Quality Assurance Officer, TB Programme;<br />
Prince Elochukwu Adibo, Laboratory Director, EL-LAB Diagnostics and National President, Guild<br />
of Private Medical Laboratory Directors; Dr. Agbolagorite Olurotimi, Director of Disease Control,<br />
Lagos State, representing the state's Commission for Health, Dr. Sokoya, Lagos State TB Programme<br />
Manager; Dr. Ndidi Nwosu, Team Lead, IO. USAID ShopsPlus; Mrs. Ayodele Iroko, Senior Private<br />
Sector Advisor, USAID ShopsPlus, during the unveiling of 16 modular GeneExpert Tuberculosis<br />
testing machine, donated by USAID, in Lagos.<br />
South-West: Calls for secession out of<br />
frustration —Fayemi<br />
• As Yoruba group dares Akeredolu, plans 1m march in Akure<br />
• Yoruba in Diaspora hold dialogue on restructuring<br />
By Dapo Akinrefon,<br />
with agency report<br />
L AGOS—GOVERNOR<br />
Kayode Fayemi of Ekiti<br />
State said yesterday that<br />
those calling for secession<br />
were doing so out of<br />
frustration.<br />
Fayemi spoke a day after<br />
his Ondo State counterpart,<br />
Rotimi Akeredolu,<br />
dissociated his state from<br />
the calls for the secession<br />
of the South-West from<br />
Nigeria.<br />
But the Ilana Omo<br />
Oodua, led by a renowned<br />
Professor of History, Banji<br />
Akintoye, yesterday, tackled<br />
Governor Akeredolu,<br />
saying he spoke only for<br />
himself, and not the people<br />
of Ondo State.<br />
Fayemi on<br />
secession<br />
Speaking on Arise<br />
Television yesterday,<br />
Fayemi said such agitation<br />
was expected, considering<br />
the stress and laxity in the<br />
society.<br />
The governor said:<br />
“Frankly, when you have<br />
stress and laxity in the<br />
society, you’re bound to find<br />
a whole range of responses.<br />
Some rational, some<br />
irrational, some that speak<br />
to the fears of the people,<br />
some opportunistic and<br />
harebrained.<br />
‘’There’s no question that<br />
some of the reactions we’ve<br />
seen will fall into all of those<br />
categories.”<br />
While expressing<br />
optimism that the country<br />
would triumph and survive<br />
the challenges currently<br />
facing it, Fayemi said the<br />
time had come for the<br />
devolution of power, adding<br />
that the country needed to<br />
adopt other measures at<br />
managing its diversity.<br />
“I have gone on record to<br />
say that I have unfailing<br />
optimism that despite all our<br />
challenges, this country will<br />
triumph and we’ll survive<br />
current challenges.<br />
‘’We, as leaders, must<br />
focus on the goal of<br />
protecting lives and<br />
property, and focus on<br />
safety and security as the<br />
primary responsibility that<br />
we have.<br />
“The people who are<br />
talking about secession,<br />
frankly, are doing it out of<br />
frustration. I don’t think<br />
that’s the solution to the<br />
Nigerian predicament right<br />
now.<br />
“In matters of economic<br />
development, we may need<br />
to begin to look at other<br />
ways of managing diversity<br />
and differences in our<br />
country and that devolution<br />
of power is an idea whlch<br />
time has come.”<br />
Yoruba group<br />
dares Akeredolu,<br />
plans 1m man<br />
march in Akure<br />
Reacting to Akeredolu’s<br />
declaration Monday that<br />
Ondo State would not be a<br />
party to the secessionist<br />
plan of such persons as<br />
Igboho, the Ilana Omo<br />
Oodua said the agitation for<br />
self-determination “shall be<br />
bloodless, intellectually<br />
rooted, legally grounded.”<br />
The group is the umbrella<br />
body of Yoruba Self-<br />
Determination Groups<br />
within and beyond the<br />
shores of Nigeria.<br />
In a statement by Messrs<br />
Kunle Adesokan and<br />
Folashade Olukoya, Ilana<br />
Omo Oodua challenged<br />
Governor Akeredolu to<br />
allow it hold its planned one<br />
million man march in<br />
Ondo State “without<br />
unleashing the<br />
instrumentalities of terror<br />
and state-sponsored<br />
commercial thugs on the<br />
masses of the state that<br />
desire an autonomous<br />
Yoruba Nation.”<br />
The statement read: “We<br />
wish to say very clearly that<br />
Akeredolu is entitled to his<br />
opinion. He has only<br />
spoken for himself. If he is<br />
sure he speaks for the<br />
classical masses of Ondo<br />
State, he should allow us<br />
to stage our one million<br />
march peacefully in Akure,<br />
Ondo State capital, to prove<br />
whether he spoke for Ondo<br />
State people or himself.<br />
“We are saying for the<br />
sake of clarity that what we<br />
declared is the sovereignty<br />
of Yoruba Nation from<br />
Nigeria and not secession<br />
from Nigeria. We want an<br />
autonomous Yoruba<br />
Nation.<br />
“We want to determine<br />
how we want to govern our<br />
people. We want to control<br />
and manage our resources.<br />
We want to police and<br />
secure the lives and<br />
property of our people.<br />
“We have made our<br />
position known. Our<br />
agitation for autonomous<br />
Yoruba Nation is legally<br />
grounded, intellectually<br />
rooted and it shall be executed<br />
By Olasunkanmi Akoni<br />
LAGOS—AMID the<br />
threat of secession in<br />
Nigeria, Governor Babajide<br />
Sanwo-Olu of Lagos State,<br />
yesterday, urged religious<br />
leaders to support<br />
government in propagating<br />
peace, in the quest to build<br />
a better and thriving society.<br />
Sanwo-Olu gave the<br />
charge at the 40 days final<br />
burial ceremony of late<br />
Alhaji Lateef Jakande, the<br />
first civilian governor of<br />
Lagos State, held at the<br />
Police College Pavilion, in<br />
Ikeja.<br />
The governor,<br />
represented by his Deputy,<br />
Obafemi Hamzat, said:<br />
“Religion is the strongest<br />
pillar in Nigeria, people<br />
respect their religious<br />
leaders and they listen to<br />
without shedding of blood."<br />
Yoruba in<br />
Diaspora hold<br />
dialogue on<br />
restructuring<br />
Also, a Diaspora Yoruba<br />
coalition, Yoruba One Voice, YOV,<br />
is set to hold a webinar lecture on<br />
the current state of Nigerian<br />
federalism and what may become<br />
of it.<br />
In a statement by the Secretary-<br />
General of the Diaspora Group,<br />
Dr. Sina Okanlomo, the coalition<br />
said the webinar dialogue will hold<br />
on Saturday, March 27 at 5 pm<br />
Nigerian time.<br />
Okanlomo stated that the lead<br />
speaker for the dialogue is the<br />
renowned scholar of Legal<br />
History at the Obafemi Awolowo<br />
University, Ile-Ife, Prof. Akin Alao.<br />
The theme of the dialogue,<br />
which will be live on Webinar, is:<br />
‘Dealing With The Critical Fault-<br />
Lines Of A Federation: Is It To<br />
Unbundle Or Restructure The<br />
Leviathan?’<br />
Secession: Lagos tasks<br />
religious leaders on peaceful<br />
coexistence<br />
them. So, please don’t<br />
leave the preaching of<br />
moral values to the<br />
government alone.<br />
“Nigeria must not<br />
disintegrate; men of honour<br />
must strive to hold the<br />
country together.”<br />
Also speaking, Governor<br />
Aminu Tambuwal of Sokoto<br />
State urged the Lagos State<br />
government to complete the<br />
Blue Rail, to ease<br />
transportation for the<br />
masses, saying: “It is a<br />
testament to the late Alhaji<br />
Jakande’s memory.”<br />
Tambuwal stated that the<br />
late Jakande had a huge<br />
impact on Lagos and the<br />
nation, having served the<br />
state with so much<br />
“compassion and<br />
humility.”.<br />
He urged all to learn from<br />
the late Jakande in terms<br />
of vision and commitment<br />
to building a viable state.
16 — Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, MARCH 24, 2021<br />
You’ll regret losing your land to invaders (1)<br />
IF your education has left you<br />
incapable of defending the land that<br />
your ancestors acquired and preserved for<br />
you and your future generations, then you<br />
are beyond pathetic; you are worthless! In<br />
Igbo, a fool is often described as efulefu or<br />
ofekhe (Abiriba); a person who has lost the<br />
sense of what makes him “the son of his<br />
father”.<br />
Before the White man came, we had our<br />
own templates for raising young men and<br />
women into strong adults well-equipped<br />
to sustain their inheritances. In Abiriba,<br />
we had the ikpu uzu and ije uzu, which was<br />
eventually copied by other Igbo groups and<br />
became what we all know as the Igbo<br />
entrepreneurship mentorship system. You<br />
served your master, learnt his trade,<br />
leveraged on his experience and contacts<br />
and (expectedly) benefited from his reward<br />
when you were ready to set up your own<br />
shop.<br />
You also moved systematically from the<br />
lowest level of cultural initiation and strove<br />
to attain the highest. Through all this, you<br />
acquired the ability to understand the<br />
culture, defend the land and preserve it for<br />
the future generations. This was what<br />
defined your social stature.<br />
The coming of Western education was<br />
meant to confer an “additional brain” to<br />
the African. It was not meant to displace<br />
his traditional sense of belonging or rob<br />
him of his manhood. But unfortunately,<br />
that is exactly what it has done to many of<br />
us, especially those from the southern parts<br />
of Nigeria.<br />
Education gave us certificates and we<br />
headed off to the nearest urban area<br />
developed by the British colonialists<br />
because of the jobs that used to be<br />
abundant. There were also limitless<br />
opportunities for commerce. Urban<br />
dwellers enjoyed power and water supply<br />
and modern amenities which were not<br />
available in the rural areas. With the<br />
massive embrace of education, the urban<br />
areas filled up.<br />
The jobs dried up, the amenities which<br />
government could not expand became<br />
dilapidated, and millions of unemployed,<br />
poverty-stricken people became trapped in<br />
urban slums. Even today, people are still<br />
drifting to big towns like Lagos, Abuja and<br />
Port Harcourt.<br />
Virile young people abandoned the<br />
villages to the weak and elderly who survive<br />
on subsistence agriculture. The fertile lands<br />
with almost year-round rainfall were no<br />
longer cultivated. The richly-endowed<br />
southern people rendered themselves<br />
vulnerable to a punitive “food blockade”<br />
by the North!<br />
Climate change and self-imposed<br />
instability has been steadily driving the<br />
northern population southwards in the past<br />
20 years. Ordinarily, there is nothing wrong<br />
or strange about this. It is a natural human<br />
instinct to move towards the greener<br />
pasture. Once upon a time (between the<br />
1950s and 1980s) the North was once<br />
considered by many people in the South as<br />
a greener pasture. Many people migrated<br />
northwards to earn their livelihood. That<br />
is why many people from the South had<br />
their birthplaces in the North.<br />
The problem, therefore, is not that<br />
Nigerians of northern extraction are<br />
drifting southward. When this migration<br />
started, nobody complained. Northerners<br />
came into the towns and villages as lawabiding<br />
citizens and took up honest,<br />
menial jobs. They mended shoes, hawked<br />
water, operated commercial motorcycles,<br />
worked on the farms and construction sites<br />
and generally performed the grunt tasks<br />
that southern youth now believe they have<br />
become “too big” to do. Minor ethnic<br />
skirmishes apart, we have cohabited quite<br />
What we now have is<br />
no longer mere<br />
migration; it is an<br />
armed invasion of our<br />
ancestral lands!<br />
well.<br />
But right now, the situation has changed<br />
to land grabbing by means of war or<br />
conquest! What we now have is no longer<br />
mere migration; it is an armed invasion of<br />
our ancestral lands! In the past five years,<br />
there has been a steady influx of strange<br />
people masquerading as “herdsmen” into<br />
the South with assault weapons. Many of<br />
them are not Nigerians. For six weeks,<br />
around this time last year, most parts of<br />
the country were forced into a lock-down<br />
to minimise the spread of the coronavirus.<br />
The lock-down was so fierce that some<br />
governors closed state boundaries to<br />
prevent the influx of people.<br />
While the rest us were forced to stay<br />
indoors, thousands of food, cattle and<br />
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cement trailers and trucks were used by<br />
some faceless powerful individuals to bring<br />
hundreds of thousands of youth into the<br />
South. As soon as they were disembarked<br />
from the trucks they were herded into the<br />
nearest forests! We saw them live on several<br />
viral videos. There were also rumours that<br />
some of the trucks contained assault rifles<br />
and ammunition.<br />
The security agencies who were<br />
mobilised to implement the lock-downs<br />
betrayed their assignment by allowing<br />
these unknown elements through their<br />
control posts. Some governors found<br />
themselves having to struggle with superior<br />
officials up the hierarchy of our political,<br />
military, police and security agencies who<br />
were bent on forcing through the armada<br />
of strange arrivals. State task forces on the<br />
implementation of the lock-downs were<br />
now clashing with the “authorities” who<br />
were obviously playing the double game<br />
of imposing a lock-down and facilitating<br />
the drafting of these strangers down South.<br />
Within a little time, we began to see the<br />
morphing of the number of “camps’ in the<br />
southern forests. These strangers had set<br />
up settlements made of the typical thatched<br />
round huts usually associated with the<br />
people of the Sahel. In the South West,<br />
reports had it that about 150 such camps<br />
had been identified. Another report also<br />
had it that no less than 350 such settlements<br />
were isolated in the South East with its tiny<br />
tranche of landmass! The situation is not<br />
different in the South-South where<br />
“helicopter drops” have been reported.<br />
The Federal Government, whose Ruga,<br />
Water Resources and Cattle Colony<br />
policies had been firmly rejected<br />
throughout the Middle Belt and South, is<br />
now preaching that Nigerians have the<br />
constitutional right to “settle anywhere”,<br />
which is a pathetic lie. Miyetti Allah and<br />
other interest groups even claim that the<br />
whole of Nigeria is a property of their<br />
ethnic group!<br />
We continue this next week.<br />
Soyinka 'blunders' again!<br />
By EKANPOU<br />
ENEWARIDIDEKE<br />
THERE is a towering aromatic<br />
blunder in the air. As before, ever<br />
and always - like ‘Abiku’ the<br />
perpetually irrepressible troubler of<br />
the Nobel Laureate’s creation -<br />
Soyinka, ‘the perpetual<br />
dramatist who tends to dramatise<br />
on every grammar of his own<br />
manufacture’, has blundered again.<br />
This is the first time Akinwande<br />
Oluwole Babatunde Soyinka, born<br />
July 13, 1934 at Abeokuta, has<br />
blundered and unashamedly<br />
admitted he has actually<br />
blundered. General Sani Abacha<br />
and his cohorts must be in a derisory<br />
jubilant mood over the fact that the<br />
literary legend hitherto thought<br />
flawless has at last openly admitted<br />
his blunders. So even Soyinka<br />
blunders too!<br />
Wole Soyinka is my father - my<br />
literary father. This literary<br />
fatherhood is a fortified formation<br />
created of my own volition, seduced<br />
by the voluptuous features/physique<br />
unveiled or shed in his writings:<br />
drama, poetry, prose, essays,<br />
lectures, his oratorical prowess,<br />
fluidity and seductive phonological<br />
proficiency. And again, of my own<br />
volition, I have just dismantled this<br />
formation hitherto built on filial<br />
literary allegiance and love - a<br />
sudden dismantlement occasioned<br />
by Soyinka’s recent blunders!<br />
For a mind-bogglingly morbid<br />
portrait of a nation as one of<br />
paedophiles, assassins,<br />
anthropophagi, marketers of human<br />
parts, crisis-profiteers, ritual<br />
murderers, religious hypocrites,<br />
tainted government functionaries,<br />
promoters of development stasis ,<br />
hunters of visionaries, pathological<br />
promoters of infanticide, homicide,<br />
terrorism, pathological promoters of<br />
arsonists, pathological haters of<br />
intellectuals and reformers and<br />
pathological scapegoaters of<br />
religious crisis as a camouflage for<br />
gold-mining in Zamfara State - a<br />
great nation like Nigeria for that<br />
matter! Soyinka merits<br />
dismantlement and expulsion from<br />
my republic as my literary father.<br />
This I have already done as the only<br />
distinguishable patriot in a great<br />
country called Nigeria where the<br />
welfare of the citizens is always<br />
speedily given a royal priority<br />
The Niger Delta is still<br />
an abandoned child full<br />
of scalding tears of<br />
underdevelopment<br />
attention - a radiant reality which<br />
Soyinka does not bother to know in<br />
his boundless, unremitting<br />
vituperations in his recent artistic<br />
creation called Chronicles Of The<br />
Happiest People On Earth. From<br />
1960 and beyond when Soyinka<br />
patriotically offers as rituals for<br />
societal reordering, re-orientation,<br />
re-direction and transformation his<br />
own babies of imaginative<br />
procreation - undaunted by the<br />
glaring risk of accusatory jabs and<br />
poisoned arrows of infanticide and<br />
homicide disparagingly deposited at<br />
his doorstep - A Dance of the Forests,<br />
The Swamp Dwellers, The Strong<br />
Breed, The Road, The Lion and the<br />
Jewel, The Interpreters, The Man Died,<br />
etc.etc. - his consistent critical dance<br />
is always anti-establishment whose<br />
murderous institutions are always<br />
poised to silence his stentorian voice<br />
of vision with every opportunity<br />
corralled or commandeered.<br />
Imaginatively procreative<br />
continuum of the anti-establishment<br />
critical dance of the Nobel Laureate<br />
is a normal expectation of his<br />
believers, but the Soyinka we know<br />
seems to have gone AWOL on this<br />
noble and commendable path -<br />
only sadly shaping ominous path<br />
out of his hitherto glorious noble<br />
path. Could this be that lionised<br />
Soyinka we know whose words and<br />
oral renditions could seduce Holy<br />
Mary and Helen of Troy into noble<br />
relationship?<br />
The Niger Delta is still an<br />
abandoned child full of scalding<br />
tears of underdevelopment. From<br />
the 1950s till now, Chief Harold<br />
Dappa Biriye, Major Isaac Boro,<br />
Ken Saro-Wiwa and High Chief<br />
Tompolo had megaphoned the<br />
developmental backwardness of the<br />
Niger Delta to the Federal<br />
Government of Nigeria whose<br />
present response - after series of<br />
failed interventionist developmental<br />
organs created - revolves around<br />
NDDC and the Presidential<br />
Amnesty Programme.<br />
NDDC is in the grip of a ‘mafiad’<br />
systematic suffocation. Contractors<br />
with proofs of job-completion are<br />
denied payment. This deliberate<br />
non-payment of contrctors can be<br />
located in the deliberate nonpayment<br />
of the canalisation project<br />
professionally carried out in<br />
Akparemogbene River in Burutu<br />
Local Government Area of Delta<br />
State - a commendable canalisation<br />
project taken on by a competent<br />
contractor in 2019 but the contractor<br />
is yet to be paid a kobo by NDDC.<br />
What about the Amnesty Programme<br />
now administratively captained<br />
some nautical miles away from the<br />
ideal course where only competent<br />
administrators very much at home<br />
with the agitation nitty-gritty of the<br />
region were usually appointed when<br />
it began in 2009. It is today the<br />
capital of discordant songs as<br />
regards the course it is being piloted<br />
by the privileged hands. Is Soyinka<br />
not aware of these weird happenings<br />
in NDDC and PAP? Why the silence,<br />
Soyinka?<br />
I thought Soyinka’s vocal cords<br />
would assume stridency and<br />
deafening decibel over the visible<br />
storm threatening NDDC and PAP<br />
but suprisingly, he has chosen<br />
professional silence over and above<br />
weird occurrences that keep the<br />
interventionist development bodies<br />
convulsed. Soyinka appears not to<br />
be bothered that NDDC and PAP are<br />
dancing fractionally away from the<br />
known rhythm of development of the<br />
people for whom they are created. Is<br />
Soyinka afraid of NDDC and PAP?<br />
Strikingly, in Delta State the<br />
mantra that dwells on the lips of the<br />
people is that of Governor<br />
Ifeanyi Okowa as the road master -<br />
referentially echoed as a responsive<br />
critical appraisal of his development<br />
projects - and the Deputy Governor,<br />
Kingsley Otuaro, around whom<br />
development theories revolve in their<br />
variety - ‘Otuaroism,’ ‘Otuaro-<br />
Singaporeanism,’ ‘Otuaro-<br />
Intellectualism’, ‘Otuaro-Ruralism’,<br />
‘Otuaro-Philanthropism’ and many<br />
other allied development theories<br />
society can lean on for<br />
transformational progression.<br />
Governor Okowa’s mantra as the<br />
road master activated by a vision<br />
to finish strong, and Otuarosim and<br />
its allied development theories<br />
formulated can be given<br />
investigative thrusts for extraction of<br />
the truths in these phenomena<br />
distilled as materials to inspire and<br />
trigger off a chain of devleopment<br />
thrusts because Okowa’s<br />
developmemnt mantra, and<br />
Otuaroism and its allied<br />
development theories constitute a<br />
magical developmental compass<br />
when constructively mangled.<br />
As regards imaginative and<br />
constructive mangling of Okowa’s<br />
mantra and Otuaro’s ‘Otuaroism’<br />
and its allied development theories,<br />
no writer on earth can do this better<br />
than Soyinka but in Soyinka I only<br />
see infectious disinterest and<br />
dismissive glares. Is anything<br />
the matter O Soyinka, the giant of<br />
Literature and activism? Is anything<br />
the matter with Soyinka the<br />
untainted voice of vision in the<br />
society? That Governor Okowa and<br />
Deputy Governor Otuaro are<br />
politicians may constitute the<br />
mitigating basis for Soyinka’s<br />
disinterest and analytical<br />
dissociation from the activities of the<br />
two personalities. What about the<br />
activities of King Alfred Izonebi?<br />
King Izonebi is of the world of<br />
Soyinka. King Izonebi is a<br />
philosopher, gifted musician who<br />
anchors the music revivalism<br />
movement through which he hopes<br />
to revive the ancient traditional<br />
Ijaw songs produced by old<br />
musicians of the dead years.These<br />
ancient but great songs - timeless<br />
in their didactive value and appeal<br />
- are faced daily with extinction. This<br />
king Izonebi has laboured to revive<br />
most of these dead songs for mankind<br />
and he is still at it. The music<br />
revivalist movement of King Izonebi<br />
ought to have rung a bell of high<br />
decibel loud enough to attract the<br />
creative sensitivity and sensibility of<br />
Soyinka. Even on this music<br />
revivalism matter alone, which is the<br />
domain of the Nobel laureate, he<br />
gives off professional distance and<br />
silence like bats upon BIA branches<br />
in Oyangbene town whose clanging<br />
voices are never heard when it<br />
is dawn. Is Soyinka at war with the<br />
talented Ijaw music revivalist called<br />
King Alfred Izonebi of Bayelsa and<br />
Delta states of Nigeria?<br />
Continues<br />
online:www.vanguardngr.com<br />
•Enewaridideke, a poet, wrote<br />
from Akparemogbene, Delta State.<br />
C<br />
M<br />
Y<br />
K
Nigerian leaders not Nigeria (2)<br />
THE third ‘error’ I now address is not so<br />
much an ‘unforced error’ as it is<br />
something of a Freudian slip- it reveals the<br />
actual or inner thought of the person<br />
concerned even if inadvertently. This time<br />
around it concerns the statement made by<br />
the National Security Adviser, NSA, retired<br />
Army Major-General, Babagana Munguno,<br />
who in an interview with the British<br />
Broadcasting Corporation, BBC, Hausa<br />
Service made the jaw-dropping claim that<br />
arms meant for the anti-insurgency war for<br />
which billions of naira and at least $1 billion<br />
were released and which arms were<br />
supposedly procured under the watch of the<br />
immediate past service chiefs, were nowhere<br />
to be found.<br />
The only reason this revelation could be<br />
considered jaw-dropping at all is simply<br />
because it came from a member of the All<br />
Progressives Congress, APC-led<br />
administration and not one of the so-called<br />
wailers or the supposedly hate speech-filled<br />
Opposition.<br />
According to Monguno, the new Service<br />
Chiefs, who were appointed by President<br />
Muhammadu <strong>Buhari</strong>, with the clear<br />
mandate to defeat the insurgents that have<br />
made most parts of the North-East (and now<br />
the North-West and North-Central)<br />
ungovernable in the last ten years, assumed<br />
duty only to find that their predecessors<br />
neither bought nor left them any weapons<br />
with which to fight the insurgents. Hear<br />
Mungono in his own words: “The President<br />
has done his best by approving huge sums<br />
of money for the purchase of weapons, but<br />
the weapons were not bought, they are not<br />
here.<br />
“Now, he has appointed new service chiefs,<br />
hopefully, they will devise some ways. I’m<br />
not saying the former service chiefs diverted<br />
the money, but the money is missing. We<br />
don’t know how, and nobody knows for now.<br />
I believe Mr. President will investigate<br />
where the money went. I can assure you the<br />
President takes issues of this nature seriously.<br />
The fact is that preliminary investigation<br />
showed the funds are missing and the<br />
equipment is nowhere to be found. When<br />
the new service chiefs assumed office, they<br />
also said they didn’t see anything on the<br />
ground.”<br />
I have quoted the NSA, Munguno, at<br />
considerable length in order to clear any<br />
doubt as to whether he meant to say what he<br />
was quoted to have said and that his<br />
meaning lacked any contextual ambiguityit<br />
was clear as daylight. In what manner<br />
could this remark made by the NSA have<br />
led to a misconstrual based on context? But<br />
Mungono now wants to walk back his own<br />
comment by retailing that old, worn lie of<br />
the typical Nigerian politician caught in the<br />
act of telling lies: that he was quoted out of<br />
context. No, Mr. NSA, you have spoken your<br />
truth! It may neither be the official line<br />
sanctioned by party apparatchiks, but it is<br />
the truth as seen from an insider who should<br />
know.<br />
Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, MARCH 24, 2021—17<br />
had done his best by releasing money for the<br />
purchase of arms. But as we have said often<br />
here, the best of this government is many<br />
times not good enough. Mungono’s charge<br />
is not just an indictment of the President as<br />
an individual, it indicts the entire machinery<br />
of the APC-led administration, including<br />
Mungono himself, and the opacity that<br />
appears to characterise their activities.<br />
When did Mungono come to the<br />
realisation that the funds meant for arms<br />
were missing- before or after the former<br />
service chiefs left office? Although he might<br />
himself have been frustrated into silence but<br />
the question still remains: why didn’t he<br />
speak before now, and why is he walking<br />
back his claim? When Nigerians see things<br />
like this, they are frustrated not just with the<br />
individuals and groups responsible for it.<br />
They write off the perpetrators of these acts<br />
and in the process Nigeria itself. No, Nigeria<br />
deserves better and should be so treated. This<br />
country is the accommodating mother or<br />
spouse that is roundly abused and misused<br />
by her evil children.<br />
A House of Representatives investigative<br />
committee has more or less confirmed<br />
Mungono’s claim by its own admission that<br />
60% of the $1 billion meant for arms<br />
purchase was expended on building a base/<br />
hanger for the Super Sukano fighter jets<br />
Nigeria ordered from America. The<br />
unnamed member, according to Sunday<br />
Punch of March 21, 2021, made clear they<br />
are yet to trace the whereabouts of the<br />
outstanding 40% of the arms funds. Is it any<br />
surprise that just a day or two after<br />
Mungono’s interview Abuja announced it<br />
would be taking delivery of some of the 12<br />
Super Tukano jets in July? What’s the point<br />
in making this announcement just after the<br />
BBC interview ruckus even when delivery of<br />
the jets is still three full months away? Why<br />
is the House of Representatives recalling the<br />
former service chiefs for grilling? There’s fire<br />
on the mountain and everyone is panicky<br />
fighting the fire.<br />
No, Nigerian politicians are not Nigeria.<br />
They do not equate this much abused country<br />
that will survive her bastard children that<br />
strayed into governance.<br />
Concluded<br />
It also would not make a difference that<br />
Munguno now seeks a walk-back. He may,<br />
indeed, have deliberately made this remark<br />
knowing full well that Nigerians would read<br />
between the line even when he now<br />
disclaims it, washing his hand off of it<br />
Pontius Pilate-style. He said enough to<br />
absolve himself of future culpability. He has<br />
taken enough risk and said more than<br />
enough as a prominent member of the<br />
present government. It is left for Nigerians<br />
to work out what is true or not for themselves<br />
from his bold statement.<br />
To be clear also, Mungono has said<br />
nothing that Nigerians, including others<br />
directly involved in the anti-insurgency war,<br />
have not said. Was it not General Olusegun<br />
Adeniyi’s criticism of the management of<br />
the anti-insurgency war, his complaint<br />
about the non-availability of weaponry to<br />
prosecute the so-called war that led to his<br />
being court-martialled and demoted?<br />
How many other officers and men have<br />
been so treated in the last five years? How<br />
often before now have we as Nigerians heard<br />
of soldiers deserting or going AWOL all out<br />
of frustration about how corruption among<br />
their commanders and service chiefs has<br />
Why is the so-called antiinsurgency<br />
campaign<br />
unending, why have the<br />
insurgents been so<br />
impregnable?<br />
wrong-footed their effort and placed their<br />
lives at risk? Why is the so-called antiinsurgency<br />
campaign unending; why have<br />
the insurgents been so impregnable?<br />
Mungono’s BBC interview needs no special<br />
pleading or interpretation, let seekers of<br />
truth make of it what they will. And mind<br />
you, the BBC is none of the other mistreated<br />
Nigerians media outlets that could be so<br />
easily and mischievously discredited with a<br />
charge of unprofessionalism.<br />
It is Abuja that must of its own accord come<br />
clean about the monkey business<br />
surrounding its management of the war<br />
operations in the North-East and the rest of<br />
the North. Although Mungono tried to<br />
absolve the President, telling the world he<br />
08055069060 (SMS Only)<br />
Finally, timeline comes for Digital<br />
Switchover, DSO<br />
THERE is the street language<br />
of “money talks”. Translated<br />
in street value, it means that<br />
money has so much power that it<br />
can virtually do anything for the<br />
owner, command authority and<br />
bend people into oxymoronic<br />
genuflection or sustained<br />
obsequiousness. Money talks.<br />
Perhaps, this is why in 1969, the<br />
British author, James Hadley<br />
Chase, real name, Rene Lodge<br />
Brabazon Raymond, wrote the<br />
thriller, The Whiff of Money. Only<br />
a few can resist the scent or the<br />
temptation of money. Some pursue<br />
it inordinately and find out at the<br />
very end even with loads of it that<br />
life is nothing but vapour.<br />
In Nigeria, the pursuit of money<br />
is more aggressive and more<br />
grotesque. Governments make<br />
budgets and steal half of the<br />
money. National Assembly<br />
members earn so much of it and<br />
are yet unable to visit their villages<br />
for fear of being killed or<br />
kidnapped. Young men and women<br />
go into yahoo yahoo business and<br />
engage in voodoo to make cash.<br />
That was before kidnappers<br />
realised that you can make a<br />
booming trade out of the business,<br />
especially when government is<br />
insipid and far away from reality.<br />
Money talks.<br />
As a country, we throw cash at<br />
problems and earn vacuity as<br />
rewards. Is that not the reason we<br />
throw billions of naira every year<br />
at fixing our refineries and yet tax<br />
the ordinary fellow on the streets<br />
for our failure to earn even a little<br />
result? We fail to align cash with<br />
planning and reality, and what<br />
confronts us is that the country lives<br />
from day-to-day and hand-tomouth,<br />
while only those who<br />
preside over the looting of the<br />
commonwealth sing hosanna<br />
about the biggest economy in the<br />
continent that cannot feed nearly<br />
half of its people. Money talks.<br />
I can announce with excitement<br />
this morning that since the Federal<br />
Executive Council, FEC, on<br />
February 10, 2021, made a<br />
payment approval for the Digital<br />
Switchover, DSO, both the<br />
regulator, National Broadcasting<br />
Commission, NBC, and the<br />
Ministry of Information and<br />
Culture, have gone on maximum<br />
overdrive to achieve projected<br />
results. For once, I will try to<br />
overlook the subterranean<br />
maneouvres and contradictions<br />
within the implementing<br />
organisations, to focus on what<br />
can be taken for real tangible<br />
roadmap that was recently<br />
released. They don’t seem to be<br />
throwing money this time; there<br />
seems to be a conscious effort to<br />
align money with planning. Even<br />
then, there are too many open<br />
questions that can hardly be<br />
ignored.<br />
Money talks. Now empowered<br />
to meet residual debts, Acting<br />
Director General of the NBC, Prof.<br />
Armstrong Idachaba, with the<br />
support of the Minister, Alhaji Lai<br />
Mohameed, penultimate week,<br />
released a switchover timeline<br />
which, we hope, will weather<br />
intervening situations going<br />
forward. The reason being that in<br />
the November/December issue of<br />
2015, ITU News had warned that<br />
in countries like Nigeria, where<br />
demand for terrestrial television is<br />
strong, Digital Switchover would<br />
be a long and complex process and<br />
called for the involvement of<br />
No matter how grandiose<br />
our plans are, some TV<br />
viewers will still suffer,<br />
shut out of their only<br />
means of information and<br />
entertainment with<br />
Analogue Switch off<br />
stakeholders and an information<br />
campaign promoting the<br />
availability of free-to-air digital<br />
terrestrial television.<br />
With all the warning, this writer<br />
cannot be sure whether anybody<br />
thought the process was going to<br />
be this convoluted and tortuous.<br />
Nigeria has missed the Digital<br />
Switchover window twice: 2015<br />
and 2020. Government has thus<br />
acted to save a failing process<br />
from becoming an international<br />
embarrassment, you know, as a<br />
country that cannot manage any<br />
process to conclusion.<br />
Like a man challenging the<br />
nation to hold him to his words,<br />
Idachaba said of the timeline:<br />
“Phase 2 of the Nigeria DSO will<br />
commence with roll out in the<br />
most populous and commercially<br />
viable locations of Lagos, Kano<br />
and Rivers states as well as Yobe<br />
and Gombe states. This departure<br />
from the initial roll out plan of six<br />
locations from each geopolitical<br />
zone was necessitated by the need<br />
to evolve a self-sustaining strategy<br />
for the DSO.<br />
“The new timetable will,<br />
therefore, be kick-started with roll<br />
out in Lagos State, April 29, 2021;<br />
Kano State on June 3, 2021 and<br />
Rivers State on July 8, 2021; on<br />
the heels of these states will be<br />
switch on of Yobe State on July 15,<br />
2021 and Gombe State on August<br />
12, 2021.” Anticipating the success<br />
that will be recorded in the process,<br />
Idachaba informed that the first<br />
Analogue Switch off, ASO, is,<br />
therefore, slated to take place on<br />
May 28, 2021 in Abuja, the<br />
Federal Capital Territory. The<br />
remaining phase one states of<br />
Plateau, Kaduna, Kwara, Enugu<br />
and Osun will follow in June,<br />
August and September 2021. What<br />
this means is that effective from<br />
the date of Analogue Switch off,<br />
television broadcast can only be<br />
received with the DSO approved<br />
Set Top Boxes.<br />
Money talks. Everything seems<br />
to be falling in place. The minister<br />
has promised that nobody will be<br />
excluded from the process.<br />
Meaning that no matter the<br />
situation, a TV user should be able<br />
to receive signals.<br />
“Before we embark on the<br />
analogue switch off in any state,<br />
we will ensure that the Digital<br />
Terrestrial Television, DTT, signal<br />
has covered at least 70 per cent of<br />
the population in that state, while<br />
the remaining 30 per cent will be<br />
covered by Direct-To-Home, DTH,<br />
satellite signal. Please note that<br />
once the analogue signal is<br />
switched off, no one on the system<br />
will receive television signals<br />
anymore,” the Minister said.<br />
The minister also addressed the<br />
issue of Set Top Boxes, promising<br />
that availability and cost are being<br />
addressed with the manufacturers<br />
and through the Ministry of<br />
Industry, Trade and Investment. In<br />
some other countries of the world,<br />
their governments subsidised the<br />
acquisition of Set Top Boxes in<br />
order to make them available to<br />
those at the base of the economy.<br />
Nigeria with over 40 million TV<br />
homes may not be ready for direct<br />
subsidy (hey! that is only easily<br />
possible in the importation of<br />
premium motor spirits - PMS –<br />
where woolly deals are made), but<br />
the Minister is looking at other<br />
factors that can knock down<br />
prices.<br />
However, I have my little hold<br />
back. No matter how grandiose<br />
our plans are, some TV viewers<br />
will still suffer, shut out of their only<br />
means of information and<br />
entertainment with Analogue<br />
Switch off. I have visited some<br />
places recently, even in the FCT;<br />
the people who live there will not<br />
understand the meaning of Digital<br />
Switchover or Analogue Switch off<br />
in the next few years. Even if they<br />
do, they cannot afford the cost<br />
which may hover at about $60,<br />
which is only a fraction short of<br />
the minimum wage, my friend. And<br />
the little information available<br />
about the DSO has been<br />
adulterated by the poor<br />
performance of this government.<br />
There is the crying need to pump it<br />
up and keep it pure.
18 — Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, MARCH 24, 2021<br />
IT has gone down history that<br />
Nigeria’s popular musician, Damini<br />
Ebunoluwa Ogulu, best known as<br />
Burna Boy, became the first Nigerian<br />
to win the Grammy, the world’s<br />
biggest music award though some<br />
Nigerians had earlier been mentioned<br />
in connection with minor Grammy<br />
achievements.<br />
endeavours.<br />
He was crowned under the World Burna Boy’s victory is one of the<br />
Music Album category for his high points in the build-up of our<br />
album, Twice as Tall, at the 63rd rhythmic renaissance; a turning point<br />
edition of the prestigious music event in Nigeria popular music which began<br />
held virtually in Los Angeles on in 2009 when two Nigerian Afro-pop<br />
March 14, 2021. It was the second year artistes, Obumneme Ali and<br />
in a row Burna Boy was nominated in Nwachukwu Ozioko known as<br />
that category.<br />
Bracket, in their Yori Yori, brought the<br />
He beat other nominees like ‘owewelele’ or what the Yoruba call<br />
Antibalas, Bebel Gilberto, Anoushka ‘konkolo’ rhythm, into Hip-hop.<br />
Shankar and Tianariwen. Last year he Apart from the brief era of the early<br />
was beaten by the veteran Beninois Nigerian high-life musicians and the<br />
singer, Angelique Kidjo. Burna dominance of Fela Kuti, Sonny<br />
Boy’s Grammy award is significant in Okosun and their ilk, the Nigerian<br />
one respect.<br />
music arena had been dominated by<br />
It is another proof of the excellence Western popular music both on radio<br />
that Nigerians can attain in all human and in social life – a state of affairs<br />
Burna Boy: We can be twice as tall<br />
that music communication scholars<br />
described as “cultural imperialism”.<br />
Even in recent years, the Nigerian<br />
airwaves and social events had been<br />
dominated musically by foreign<br />
artistes like 50-Cent, R-Kelly,<br />
Notorious BIG, etc. Nigerian popular<br />
musicians simply lost out to their<br />
Western counterparts because they<br />
played Western rhythms, competing<br />
outside their own cultural milieu.<br />
Things, however, began to turn<br />
around for Nigerian popular music<br />
when the Nigerian high-life music,<br />
constructed in the 1960s, was<br />
deconstructed, reconstructed and<br />
imported into the new sound we know<br />
today as Nigerian popular music,<br />
confirming the writings of Benson<br />
Idonije (Burna Boy’s grandfather)<br />
that “modern pop music in Nigeria is<br />
derived from high-life.”<br />
Three major forerunners of that<br />
reconstruction processes were Sunny<br />
Nneji with his song, Mr. Fantastic,<br />
released in 1998; Tu Face Idibia’s<br />
African Queen (2004) and Bracket’s<br />
Yori Yori (2009). From there, the<br />
buildup continued, manifesting in the<br />
works of P-Square, D’banj, Flavour,<br />
Phyno, Timaya, Davido, Olamide,<br />
Wizkid, onto Burna Boy.<br />
The lesson here can be drawn from<br />
Mahatma Ghandi’s words, quoted in<br />
UNDP Human Development Report,<br />
1999: “I do not want my house to be<br />
walled on all sides and my windows<br />
stuffed. I want the cultures of all the<br />
lands to be blown about my house as<br />
freely as possible. But I refuse to be<br />
blown off my feet by any.”<br />
We congratulate Burna Boy and<br />
Wizkid.<br />
Who is sabotaging Nigeria?<br />
By SUNNY IKHIOYA<br />
YOU claimed during the 2015 election<br />
campaign that you do not understand<br />
why we are talking about fuel subsidy;<br />
today you have been in government for<br />
over six years and subsidy cost has<br />
escalated under your regime. Who is<br />
sabotaging Nigeria?<br />
We are an oil producing nation and<br />
attend meetings regularly and even got<br />
allocated executive seats at the OPEC<br />
sessions; yet we import all of our<br />
petroleum products from abroad. Who is<br />
sabotaging who?<br />
We are an oil producing nation with four<br />
standard refineries, three in the South and<br />
one in the North, all of them not working<br />
presently and millions of dollars spent<br />
annually on their maintenance. Who is<br />
sabotaging Nigeria? The technology of<br />
refining crude oil into petrol and diesel is<br />
no longer rocket science.<br />
The locals in the Niger Delta have<br />
mastered the art of cooking oil to produce<br />
petrol, kerosene and diesel. But instead of<br />
streamlining these local productions and<br />
bringing them up to acceptable standards,<br />
we are busy sending military personnel to<br />
destroy the production centres and wasting<br />
whatever they have produced. Who is<br />
sabotaging Nigeria?<br />
You send troops into the creeks of the<br />
Niger Delta to ensure that local<br />
production is stopped or totally<br />
eliminated. These men see the viability of<br />
this project and decide to have a cut in the<br />
deal. They collect their cut and the locally<br />
produced petrol and diesel are allowed<br />
into the mainstream. Who is sabotaging<br />
who? You know that the importation of<br />
petroleum products into the country is<br />
depleting our foreign exchange earnings<br />
and you are stopping local productions of<br />
same products. Now prices of almost<br />
everything have escalated because of<br />
wrong policy implementations. Who is<br />
sabotaging who?<br />
State governors are given huge<br />
allocations as security vote; meanwhile,<br />
the entire country is sinking under the<br />
weight of criminal activities. Who is<br />
sabotaging Nigeria? Everyday die-hard<br />
fundamentalists and insurgents, run riot<br />
maiming, killing, kidnapping Nigerians<br />
and destroying their properties. But<br />
instead dealing decisively with them when<br />
arrested, they are granted amnesty under<br />
the guise of reforming them. In other<br />
words, you end up compensating the<br />
It is imperative for us to look<br />
deeply into the mirror and see<br />
facing us the main cause of our<br />
problems; to be honest, the<br />
fault is ours<br />
criminals and abandon the victims. Who<br />
is sabotaging Nigeria?<br />
We all claim that we are in a secular<br />
nation, where everyone is free to practise<br />
his religion in any part of the country. Now<br />
you go to people's shops to destroy goods<br />
and properties on the excuse that your<br />
religion does not permit such. Meanwhile,<br />
you are collecting large chunks of money<br />
as taxes derived from the goods you are<br />
destroying. Who is sabotaging Nigeria?<br />
We claim that Nigeria is a multi-ethnic<br />
nation, on which account every section of<br />
the country must have representations in<br />
federal appointments.<br />
You have deliberately miscued this<br />
policy that is meant to unite this country<br />
by ensuring that only only people of<br />
certain ethnicity and religion are placed<br />
OPINION<br />
at the echelon of strategic positions at<br />
Federal Government institutions. Who is<br />
sabotaging Nigeria? All over the world,<br />
people are looking beyond petroleum<br />
products-driven engines. In fact, other<br />
countries are now using solar and wind to<br />
generate electricity and power their motor<br />
engines.<br />
But we spend a huge chunk of our hard<br />
earned money digging to find oil in the<br />
desert part of the country, something<br />
previous administrations tried without<br />
success. Meantime, our refineries are lying<br />
idle. Who is sabotaging Nigeria?<br />
Almost all of our major federal roads<br />
are in very bad shape, especially in the<br />
Southern part of the country; they are in<br />
this state because of depleting funds and<br />
you chose to, at this period, to build a<br />
railway line from Nigeria to Niger<br />
Republic, when such a project is crying<br />
for implementation in the commercially<br />
viable part of the country. Who is<br />
sabotaging Nigeria?<br />
Agreed that we are in a secular state, a<br />
country badly in need of scarce foreign<br />
exchange; meanwhile, you dole out<br />
millions in foreign currencies to<br />
encourage religious pilgrimages abroad,<br />
money that can be used in addressing<br />
critical infrastructure needs of the<br />
country.<br />
You forget also that there are certain<br />
percentage of your population that do not<br />
benefit from this religious largesse. You<br />
are in charge of government and certain<br />
officials have been found incompetent in<br />
the performance of their duties, instead of<br />
relieving them of their duties, you granted<br />
them extended stay in office and when you<br />
finally removed them, you recommended<br />
them for higher diplomatic assignments.<br />
Who is sabotaging Nigeria?<br />
That is the question we must all ask<br />
ourselves. The solutions are not far fetched,<br />
it is imperative for us to look deeply into<br />
the mirror and see facing us the main<br />
Send Opinions & Letters to:<br />
opinions1234@yahoo.com<br />
cause of our problems; to be honest, the<br />
fault is ours. We have to take management<br />
to another level, especially as it affects<br />
public service. This country is suffering<br />
from maladministration in all of its<br />
ramifications and the resultant<br />
consequence is a drifting nation.<br />
Suddenly, from every corner, groups are<br />
springing up, asking to be released from<br />
this union that is not working. It is very<br />
important that government officials take<br />
very positive action to halt this drift. The<br />
answer is not in bullying or suppression<br />
of dissenting voices; the answer is in sitting<br />
down with everyone and talking it over to<br />
find a way forward.<br />
There is no other way; an idea whose<br />
time has come can never be stymied;<br />
power is ephemeral; Generals have come<br />
and gone; suppressing dissenting voices<br />
did not start today and is still continuing;<br />
but, ultimately, it is the people who will<br />
come out victorious. The situation in the<br />
country today is not a matter for<br />
grandstanding by those in power. Those<br />
sabotaging this country are the people<br />
ruling us and their business accomplices.<br />
Let no body say that this country is poor;<br />
this country has potentials to be great, it<br />
can be seen by all. You calculate wealth<br />
potentials through tangible and intangible<br />
assets; the intangible assets in Nigeria are<br />
in our resources and potentials that are<br />
yet to be tapped. Let us review our<br />
management of these assets and begin to<br />
do the right things.<br />
The insurgency and banditry we are<br />
facing presently is also as a result of the<br />
mismanagement of our resources;<br />
people's minds have been reprogrammed<br />
to finding ways of making easy money;<br />
people who were once gentle, loving,<br />
passive with neighbours and strangers<br />
have been transformed into dangerous<br />
criminals. We are our own problem.<br />
•Ikhioya wrote via www.southsouthecho.com
Forex: CBN <strong>threatens</strong> banks, to create<br />
complaint desk<br />
By Emma Ujah, Abuja<br />
Bureau Chief<br />
MONEY MARKET<br />
THE Central Bank of Nigeria<br />
(CBN) has assured members<br />
of the public that there was<br />
enough foreign exchange for<br />
them to meet their obligations.<br />
This comes against recent complaints<br />
from a cross section of the<br />
private sector, especially manufacturers,<br />
over difficulty in obtaining<br />
forex for importation of<br />
production inputs as well as repatriation<br />
of dividend by foreign<br />
investors and payment of school<br />
fees of Nigerians schooling<br />
abroad.<br />
Giving the assurance in Abuja<br />
at the end of the Monetary Policy<br />
Committee, MPC, meeting yesterday,<br />
the CBN Governor, Mr.<br />
Godwin Emefiele, disclosed that<br />
the nation’s foreign reserve rose<br />
to $36. 5billion as at the end of<br />
last month, from $34.5billion in<br />
the preceding month.<br />
He stated: “There is enough foreign<br />
exchange for people to meet<br />
their obligations. If you have<br />
forex obligations, they will be<br />
met. There is no need to panic<br />
or for everyone to rush to the<br />
bank at the same time and create<br />
an atmosphere of panic and<br />
give some people the opportunity<br />
to rip-off innocent people.<br />
“CBN disburses not less than<br />
•From left: Independent Non-Executive Director, Hajiya Sutura Aisha Bello; Group CEO, Peter<br />
Ashade; Non-Executive Director, Emmanuel Nnorom; General Counsel, Leo Okafor; and Sunny<br />
Anene, Group Executive Director, all of United Capital Plc at the company's Annual General Meeting<br />
(AGM) in Lagos.<br />
FG steps up action to implement AfCFTA protocols<br />
By Nkiruka Nnorom<br />
THE Federal Government<br />
has stepped up activities<br />
towards mobilizing Nigerians to<br />
take advantage of the African<br />
Continental Free Trade Area<br />
(AfCFTA) agreement which the<br />
implementation measures are<br />
already in top gear.<br />
Disclosing this to the media in<br />
Lagos, Mr. Francis Anatogu, Senior<br />
Special Adviser to the President<br />
on Public Sector Matters,<br />
said that while over 5000 eligible<br />
CURRENCY BUYING SELLING<br />
US DOLLAR<br />
POUNDS<br />
EURO<br />
FRANC<br />
YEN<br />
CFA<br />
WAUA<br />
RENMINBI<br />
RIYAL<br />
RAND<br />
127.50 -2.60<br />
2448.00 -57.00<br />
15.43 -0.10<br />
58.76 -2.80<br />
61.95 -2.67<br />
379 379.5 380<br />
525.5972 526.2906 526.984<br />
452.1849 452.7815 453.378<br />
409.5969 410.1373 410.6776<br />
3.4851 3.4897 3.4943<br />
0.6679 0.6779 0.6879<br />
540.428 541.1409 541.8539<br />
58.2396 58.3169 58.3942<br />
101.0505 101.1838 101.3171<br />
25.7813 25.8153 25.8493<br />
CBN Exchange rate as at 23/03/2021<br />
$80 million to banks weekly. In<br />
fact we will create a help-desk<br />
where people can call the CBN<br />
directly to complain if they need<br />
forex to pay school fees or BTA<br />
and say, ‘I went to such and such<br />
a bank and was told there is no<br />
forex.’”<br />
Emefiele also explained that the<br />
nation has not changed its foreign<br />
exchange management policy, as<br />
the apex bank has continued to<br />
adopt the managed-floating strategy.<br />
His words, “Nigeria has not<br />
changed its foreign exchange<br />
policy. CBN has continued to<br />
watch the market and intervenes<br />
depending on its readings.<br />
ECONOMY<br />
products for the scheme has been<br />
agreed amongst the countries,<br />
the Nigerian Customs Service,<br />
NCS, is now working on the administrative<br />
protocols for the<br />
implementation.<br />
While admitting that Nigeria<br />
was behind some countries in<br />
terms of stage of preparedness<br />
for the implementation,<br />
Anatogu who is also the Secretary<br />
of the National Action Committee,<br />
NAC, for Nigeria’s<br />
•Says it has enough forex<br />
•As MPC retains rate at 11.5 %<br />
“It might interest you to know<br />
that CBN has not intervened in<br />
the E&I (Export and Import) Window<br />
since January. The exchange<br />
rate has moved at a point<br />
to N409 /$1, N412/$1 and even<br />
N413/$1. That is how it should<br />
be.”<br />
Retains policy rates<br />
Meanwhile, the MPC held the<br />
Monetary Policy Rate, MPR, at<br />
11.5 per cent and retained all<br />
other parameters by maintaining<br />
the Asymmetric Corridor of +100/<br />
-700 basis points around the<br />
MPR; Cash Reserve Ratio (CRR)<br />
at 27.5 per cent; and the Liquidity<br />
Ratio at 30 per cent.<br />
With an inflation rate of 17. 33<br />
AfCFTA implementation, also<br />
said that efforts are ongoing in<br />
most of the 36 states of the country<br />
for the take off of Nigeria’s participation.<br />
The NAC, according to him,<br />
has already embarked on states<br />
mobilization programme, which<br />
has covered four states, in a bid<br />
to ensure that all Nigerian businesses<br />
are sensitized and prepared<br />
to take advantage of the<br />
scheme.<br />
He added that the states were<br />
being encouraged to concentrate<br />
and develop three or four<br />
products they could command<br />
Experts advocate framework to<br />
institutionalise social interventions<br />
ECONOMY<br />
By Babajide Komolafe<br />
FINANCE and social advocacy<br />
experts have called for a framework<br />
to institutionalise the social interventions<br />
of the Federal Government<br />
for sustainability and effective<br />
implementation.<br />
The experts include Founder,<br />
LAPO Microfinance, Godwin<br />
Ehigiamusoe, Executive Director,<br />
Microenterprises, Bank of Industry,<br />
Toyin Adeniji, Co-Founder/Chief<br />
Executive Officer, Bankly, Tomi<br />
Adejana and Chief Impact Officer,<br />
Rendra Foundation, Onyeka<br />
Akpaida and Prof Olawale Ajai,<br />
Policy Lead, Sustainable and Inclusive<br />
Digital Financial Services initiative<br />
(SIDFS). They spoke at virtual<br />
media parley on the impacts of<br />
COVID-19 on the informal sector<br />
and on people at the bottom of the<br />
pyramid.<br />
Speaking against the backdrop of<br />
the economic challenges being experienced<br />
by Nigeria’s informal sector,<br />
Toyin Adeniji emphasised the<br />
need for continuous concerted efforts<br />
and partnerships between the<br />
government and private sector<br />
players to deepen solutions to reach<br />
a wider number of vulnerable<br />
groups in our informal sector.<br />
In his presentation, Godwin<br />
Ehugiamusoe, spoke on the need<br />
to not just use data for quick fixes<br />
or interventions, but to institutionalize<br />
programmes that have<br />
worked so that the informal sector<br />
can actually start to build wealth<br />
and grow, rather than look to it as<br />
a fall back for hard times.<br />
He added that institutionalizing<br />
these interventions means going<br />
beyond business credits and looking<br />
into other areas like micro-insurance<br />
for healthcare, educational<br />
support, both of which require<br />
huge expenditure from lean<br />
financial resources by households<br />
at the bottom of the pyramid.<br />
Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, MARCH 24, 2021 —19<br />
per cent and a desire to stimulate<br />
growth in an economy that has<br />
just exited recession, Emefiele<br />
admitted that the MPC faced a<br />
dilemma at yesterday’s meeting.<br />
He, however, disclosed that after<br />
exhaustive deliberations on<br />
whether to cut, hold or raise the<br />
MPR, the majority of the members<br />
chose to hold the rate with<br />
all its parameters.<br />
He stated: “We were faced with<br />
contradictions. Tight monetary<br />
policy makes credit difficult and<br />
so people will not be able to easily<br />
access capital to stimulate output<br />
growth. As rising inflation<br />
confronts you, you want to take<br />
competitive advantage over any<br />
other African country in terms of<br />
quality and cost.<br />
He stated that the government’s<br />
national AfCFTA aspirations are<br />
to create economically viable<br />
states through the establishment<br />
of dominant industry/service cluster<br />
at every state, establish an<br />
emerging cluster(s) of products<br />
or service industries to provide<br />
stability during downturn as well<br />
as build strong linkages with<br />
other communities across states,<br />
geographical zones and countries.<br />
steps to reduce the rate of inflation.<br />
But if you do, then growth<br />
is affected.<br />
“The country just managed to<br />
crawl out of recession. Should<br />
monetary policy be tightened in<br />
a way that will be a disincentive<br />
to activities that will stimulate<br />
output growth and therefore reverse<br />
us back into recession or<br />
should we continue to stimulate<br />
the economic growth?<br />
“MPC deliberated on these and<br />
decided that we should continue<br />
to do those things that we did and<br />
more intesenly those things that<br />
took us out of recession: intervene<br />
in agriculture; ICT, services,<br />
the creative industry and<br />
health.”<br />
COVID-19:<br />
Entrepreneurs<br />
urged to innovate,<br />
digitise operations<br />
By Nkiruka Nnorom<br />
ECONOMY<br />
IN view of the disruptions<br />
in supply chains and other<br />
challenges to businesses occasioned<br />
by the outbreak of Covid-<br />
19 pandemic, Mr. Adesola<br />
Adeduntan, CEO, First Bank of<br />
Nigeria, has called on entrepreneurs<br />
to innovate and leverage<br />
technology to scale their operation<br />
post-pandemic.<br />
He stated this while speaking<br />
at a webinar organised by Surrey<br />
Business School, University<br />
of Surrey, England, with the<br />
theme: “Digital Disruption: How<br />
Can Companies Thrive in Africa<br />
Post COVID-19”.<br />
He said though the pandemic<br />
brought a lot of barriers with it,<br />
in addition to pre-existing barriers<br />
to businesses in Nigeria and<br />
other African countries, it also<br />
brought a lot of opportunities,<br />
saying that serious minded institutions<br />
are now tapping the opportunities<br />
to change the ecosystem<br />
within which they operate<br />
by using technology to accelerate<br />
growth.<br />
“We have also seen a number<br />
of businesses on the back of reduced<br />
demand due to disruption<br />
to supply chain have constrained<br />
or very low cash flow/<br />
liquidity and a number of them<br />
are about going to a kind of restructuring<br />
of their exposure to<br />
banks and suppliers to give them<br />
more breathing space to align<br />
their repayment with their cash<br />
flow. “We have also discovered<br />
that Covid-19 for some industries<br />
has been quite positive.”
20 — Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, MARCH 24, 2021<br />
By Obas Esiedesa<br />
Last week’s approval of<br />
$1.5 billion (about N600<br />
billion) for the rehabilitation of<br />
Port Harcourt Refinery by the<br />
Federal Executive Council, FEC,<br />
has sparked off some<br />
controversies as independent<br />
reports show that the federal<br />
government has spent over<br />
N10 trillion so far on the<br />
refineries in the country without<br />
any result.<br />
First, the approval was the<br />
culmination of two years effort<br />
by the Nigerian National<br />
Petroleum Corporation, NNPC,<br />
to bring the refinery back on<br />
stream amidst rising import<br />
bills for refined petroleum<br />
products.<br />
Nigeria, one of the world’s<br />
largest crude oil exporting<br />
countries, has, over the years<br />
become a net importer of<br />
refined petroleum products<br />
with trillions of Naira spent<br />
annually in the importation of<br />
premium motor spirit, PMS,<br />
(popularly known as petrol)<br />
alone.<br />
But it was not always this way.<br />
Armed with four refineries<br />
located in Kaduna, Warri and<br />
Port Harcourt which has two<br />
refining plants, Nigeria has in the<br />
past refined all its domestic<br />
needs with the allocation of<br />
445,000 barrels of crude oil per<br />
day for domestic use.<br />
However, years of negligence<br />
and failed turn around<br />
maintenance, TAM, have left<br />
the refineries in state of<br />
comatose with the country<br />
relying 100 percent on imports<br />
to meet domestic demand for<br />
PMS and other petroleum<br />
products.<br />
State of the refineries<br />
The old refinery in the Port<br />
Harcourt Refinery complex was<br />
built in 1965 with a capacity of<br />
60,000 barrel per stream day,<br />
BPSD. The new refinery was<br />
commissioned in 1989 with a<br />
capacity of 150,000bpsd, giving<br />
a combined Port Harcourt total<br />
capacity to 210,000bpsd.<br />
During the administration of<br />
former President Goodluck<br />
Jonathan, the government<br />
contacted Chiyoda Group of<br />
Japan, which built the refinery<br />
to carry out a TAM, but the<br />
company declined due to the<br />
prevailing insecurity in the Niger<br />
Delta.<br />
The Japanese conglomerate,<br />
instead, recommended Maire<br />
Tecnimont of Italy for the job.<br />
In 2012, top management of<br />
Maire Tecnimont Group had<br />
visited Port Harcourt for an onthe-spot<br />
assessment, but the<br />
TAM never took place.<br />
Latest data from the Nigerian<br />
National Petroleum Corporation,<br />
NNPC, shows that the refinery<br />
has not refined any crude in the<br />
past two years.<br />
The story is not quite<br />
different for the 110, 000bpsd<br />
Kaduna<br />
Refinery.<br />
Commissioned in 1980, it has<br />
been in state of disrepair and<br />
has also not refined any crude<br />
since 2017.<br />
The Warri Refinery<br />
commissioned in 1978 is the<br />
first wholly owned Nigerian<br />
refinery. At commissioning, it<br />
had a capacity to process<br />
100,000 barrels of crude per<br />
day. In 1987 it was debottlenecked<br />
to process<br />
125,000bpsd.<br />
*Chief Sylva Timipre, Minister of State for Petroleum<br />
*Malam Mele Kyari, GMD, NNPC<br />
Endless road to refineries’<br />
maintenance<br />
*Experts see drain pipe investments, corruption<br />
In May, 2020, a $7.6 million<br />
contract was awarded to Italian<br />
firm, Comerint SPA for the<br />
repair of the plant which had<br />
been comatose due to an<br />
explosion in its crude<br />
distillation unit that damaged<br />
the main crude oil heater.<br />
Nothing came out of this, and<br />
the refinery has been dormant<br />
for years before the failed<br />
attempt.<br />
Expectedly, the refineries are<br />
in poor financial state following<br />
years of huge accumulated<br />
losses.<br />
Latest data from NNPC<br />
showed that the refineries<br />
remain the highest loss making<br />
centres in the NNPC Group.<br />
According to NNPC data, the<br />
refineries, combined, made a<br />
total of N118.048 billion loses<br />
in a year from October 2019 to<br />
September 2020.<br />
A breakdown of the loses<br />
showed that Kaduna Refinery<br />
incurred N44.124 billion loss<br />
during the period while Warri<br />
Refinery and Port Harcourt<br />
Refinery recorded loses of<br />
N35.083 billion and N38.841<br />
billion, respectively.<br />
In addition to these losses,<br />
huge amount, mostly<br />
unbudgeted, is said to have<br />
been spent in maintaining the<br />
refineries over the years.<br />
Between 2013 and 2015,<br />
$396.33 million was said to<br />
have gone into financing TAM<br />
for the refineries with another<br />
N276.87 billion spent between<br />
2015 and 2018 for the same<br />
purpose.<br />
Botched privatization<br />
At the twilight of the former<br />
President Olusegun Obasanjo<br />
administration, the Port<br />
Harcourt Refinery and the<br />
Kaduna Refinery were sold to<br />
Bluestar Oil Services Company,<br />
owned by a consortium of<br />
Nigerian companies, for a<br />
combined sum of $721 million,<br />
$561 million for Port Harcourt<br />
Refinery and $160 million for<br />
Kaduna Refinery. The amount<br />
gave the company a 51 percent<br />
stake in the refineries.<br />
The Bluestar consortium was<br />
made up of Dangote Group,<br />
Transcorp Plc, Zenon Petrol &<br />
Gas, Rivgas Petroleum and Jovis<br />
Nigeria Ltd. China Petroleum &<br />
Chemical Corporation<br />
(SINOPEC) was engaged as<br />
technical partner.<br />
The deal which was signed a day<br />
before Obasanjo’s exit on May,<br />
29th 2007, generated huge public<br />
furor and led to a strike action by<br />
labour unions the following<br />
month.<br />
Sensing that the new<br />
government of former<br />
President Umaru Musa<br />
Yar’Adua was considering the<br />
revocation of the deal, Bluestar<br />
wrote to the Bureau of Public<br />
Enterprises on 17th of July 2007<br />
to withdraw from the<br />
agreement.<br />
The Federal Government<br />
subsequently refunded the<br />
company and the refineries<br />
reverted to NNPC ownership.<br />
Focus on Port Harcourt<br />
Last December, NNPC in a<br />
detailed explanation on the plan<br />
to rehabilitate the refinery, set<br />
a January 7, 2021 deadline for<br />
the re-tender of the project to<br />
all the prequalified seven<br />
Engineering Procurement and<br />
Construction (EPC) companies.<br />
It explained then that the<br />
shift in deadline for the<br />
submission was to enable it<br />
have a competitive commercial<br />
offer.<br />
The bid process which ought<br />
to have concluded last year<br />
was delayed following the<br />
decline of selected EPC<br />
companies to continue with the<br />
Continues on page 21
Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, MARCH 24, 2021 — 21<br />
Endless road to refineries’ maintenance<br />
Continued from page 20<br />
tender process.<br />
NNPC explained: “A total of<br />
four EPC companies declined<br />
further participation arising<br />
from their inability to submit<br />
competitive tenders due to a<br />
variety of reasons including<br />
challenges with their subcontractors,<br />
the Covid-19 and<br />
the tight bid submission period.<br />
“Following clarification<br />
meetings held with the bidders,<br />
the bid closing deadline was<br />
extended to 30th November<br />
2020. Along the tendering<br />
process, 12 clarification<br />
requests were received from<br />
the bidders and responded to<br />
accordingly.<br />
“However, due to requests<br />
from the bidders for<br />
submission of alternative bids,<br />
the ITT document was<br />
amended to accommodate<br />
alternative bids and<br />
communicated to the bidders.<br />
Furthermore, the refinery’s<br />
Technical Audit Report was<br />
shared to all the seven EPC<br />
Companies as well.<br />
“At the bid submission<br />
deadline of 30th November<br />
2020, only one company,<br />
Messrs Technimont, submitted<br />
a proposal for the Refinery<br />
Rehabilitation. The submission<br />
of a proposal by just one<br />
company was considered not<br />
satisfactory”, the Corporation<br />
added.<br />
Early January, 2021, it emerged<br />
that the NNPC was seeking a<br />
facility of $1 billion from the<br />
Afrieximbank for the<br />
rehabilitation of the refinery.<br />
The facility, a prepayment with<br />
trading firms, would be repaid<br />
over seven years through<br />
deliveries of Nigerian crude and<br />
products from the refinery<br />
once the refurbishment is<br />
complete.<br />
A spokesman at the bank said<br />
“Afreximbank is looking into a<br />
facility for the refurbishment of<br />
the Port Harcourt Refinery.<br />
However, the borrower is yet to<br />
be determined”.<br />
That move has now been<br />
*Refinery<br />
*Minister of Finance, Budget and National Planning,<br />
Zainab Ahmed<br />
confirmed by the approval of<br />
$1.5bn for the rehabilitation of<br />
Port Harcourt Refinery.<br />
The Minister of State for<br />
Petroleum Resources, Timipre<br />
Sylva, told journalists that the<br />
rehabilitation which would be in<br />
three phases will commence<br />
immediately and to be handled<br />
by an Italian firm, Tecnimont<br />
SPA.<br />
He explained that the first<br />
phase would be completed in18<br />
months, the second phase in 24<br />
months and the final phase would<br />
be within 44 months.<br />
He said the funding has three<br />
components from Nigerian<br />
National Petroleum<br />
Corporation, NNPC, Internally<br />
Generated Revenue, IGR, the<br />
budgetary allocations provisions<br />
and the Afreximbank loan.<br />
The Minister, who assured that<br />
the other three refineries will be<br />
put in place before the end of the<br />
<strong>Buhari</strong>-led administration,<br />
further said that the local content<br />
was fully involved in the job.<br />
He said: “The Ministry of<br />
Petroleum Resources presented<br />
a memo on the rehabilitation of<br />
Port Harcourt refinery for the<br />
sum of 1.5 billion, and that<br />
memo was $1.5 billion and it was<br />
approved by council today.<br />
“So we are happy to announce<br />
that the rehabilitation of<br />
productivity refinery will<br />
commence in three phases. The<br />
first phase is to be completed in<br />
18 months, which will take the<br />
refinery to a production of 90<br />
percent of its nameplate<br />
capacity.<br />
“The second phase is to be<br />
completed in 24 months and all<br />
the final stage will be completed<br />
in 44 months and consultations<br />
are approved.”<br />
On the contractor handling the<br />
rehabilitation, he said: “The<br />
contractor that was approved by<br />
Council today is Messrs.<br />
Tecnimont SPA, of Italy, it’s an<br />
Italian EPC company that won<br />
the bid and that was approved<br />
by Council.”<br />
Fielding question on the<br />
operations and maintenance,<br />
Sylva said: “That has been a big<br />
problem for our refineries, as<br />
we all know, that was also<br />
exhaustively discussed in<br />
Council and the agreement is<br />
that we are going to put a<br />
professional Operations and<br />
Maintenance company to<br />
manage the refinery when it has<br />
been rehabilitated.<br />
“In any case, it is actually one<br />
of the conditions presented by<br />
the lenders, because the lenders<br />
say they can only give us the<br />
money if we have a<br />
professional operations and<br />
maintenance company, and<br />
that already is embedded in our<br />
discussions with the lenders<br />
and we cannot go back on<br />
that.”<br />
Controversy as experts,<br />
stakeholders react<br />
In an interview with Vanguard<br />
Business Magazine, energy<br />
expert, Henry Adigun described<br />
the move by the government as<br />
a waste of money, noting that<br />
government has no business in<br />
managing the refineries.<br />
“I think it is a waste of money<br />
and I think it is money not well<br />
utilized because I do not see<br />
how this will add value to the<br />
economy”.<br />
Mr. Adigun explained that the<br />
problem is not with the<br />
refineries and that is why the<br />
private sector is not doing it.<br />
“Why is government spending<br />
money to do what the private<br />
sector can do if it is viable”.<br />
He said government needs to<br />
deregulate the sector,<br />
concession the refineries to the<br />
private sector or sell them off<br />
to people that will buy them,<br />
even at scrap value.<br />
“But government must get out<br />
of the business because it is not<br />
a business that the government<br />
should be involved in”, he<br />
insisted.He stressed that<br />
refining is not a profitable<br />
business for the government,<br />
pointing out that “government<br />
has spent over $25 billion on<br />
repairs of refineries in the last<br />
15 years. Government has lost<br />
over N775 billion on the<br />
refineries. So, why are they<br />
putting another $1.5 billion<br />
(about N600 billion)?<br />
“This same government told<br />
us a few months ago that they<br />
were going to concession the<br />
refineries; what changed their<br />
minds? There is a lot of<br />
corruption and inefficiencies in<br />
the system”, he added.<br />
Also speaking in a telephone<br />
interview on the $1.5 billion<br />
contract award, the Executive<br />
Director of Women in<br />
Extractives, Faith Nwadishi,<br />
urged the government to make<br />
the terms of the contract<br />
available to the Nigerian<br />
public.<br />
Nwadishi explained that this<br />
would allow Nigerians<br />
examine the deal to establish if<br />
it was worth the money it was<br />
signed for.<br />
She noted that the<br />
government has, in the past,<br />
spent so much money on the<br />
TAM of the refinery with<br />
minimal or no returns for the<br />
investments.<br />
According to her, “We are<br />
concerned about the details of<br />
the contract. It is good that<br />
Nigeria has signed on to the<br />
EITI (Extractive Industry<br />
Transparency Initiative) and<br />
they are supposed to be<br />
implementing the contract<br />
transparency requirement 2.4.<br />
That contract was just signed<br />
in 2021, so we expect that the<br />
Federal Government and<br />
NNPC will make this contract<br />
available to us.<br />
“But my concern is that in<br />
2017, the same Federal<br />
Government approved about<br />
$300 million for the repair of<br />
the Port Harcourt Refinery and<br />
between 2018 and 2019, they<br />
approved about N1.2 trillion<br />
for Port Harcourt refinery<br />
TAM. Now in 2021, we are<br />
having another $1.5 billion for<br />
the same Port Harcourt<br />
refinery maintenance.<br />
“Meanwhile there is a report<br />
that came out showing that<br />
people have been receiving<br />
salaries without producing<br />
anything. Now, if you put all of<br />
these monies together, what is<br />
the return on investment in all<br />
of these? Why do we keep<br />
putting monies into a place that<br />
is not yielding any result?”, she<br />
queried.<br />
Nwadishi argued that rather<br />
than pump such huge sum into<br />
the refinery, government should<br />
think of privatizing them to<br />
allow competent people<br />
manage them.<br />
“How can we have four<br />
refineries in the country and we<br />
are not able to process crude?<br />
The reason for having these<br />
four refineries was for them to<br />
process 445,000 barrels per<br />
day and we are not even getting<br />
5,000 barrels from them.<br />
“A private refinery would soon<br />
come on stream and we are still<br />
pumping money into<br />
government owned refineries.<br />
Why not give them out to people<br />
who can manage or better still<br />
we can have private people run<br />
the refineries on behalf of<br />
government”.<br />
C<br />
M<br />
Y<br />
K
22 — Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, MARCH 24, 2021<br />
Why Nigeria needs 2% of GDP for research, innovation<br />
By Emmanuel Elebeke<br />
Minister of External Affairs,<br />
Geofrey Onyeama has said<br />
that the country needs to set aside<br />
two per cent of its Gross Domestic<br />
Product, GDP for research and<br />
innovation, if it must continue to<br />
get recognition in the global<br />
market.<br />
He said setting such amount<br />
aside would position the country<br />
for real development and<br />
guarantee production of<br />
problem-solving solutions such as<br />
COVID-19 vaccines which<br />
Nigeria clearly relies on other<br />
countries for supply.<br />
Onyeama spoke at the justconcluded<br />
2021 Technology and<br />
Innovation Expo in Abuja.<br />
He, however, commended the<br />
Minister of Science and<br />
Technology, Dr. Ogbonnaya Onu,<br />
for the passion and commitment<br />
he is showing on science and<br />
technology.<br />
Onyeama said: “If you look at<br />
all the developed and<br />
industrialised countries of the<br />
world, there is one common<br />
factor;- emphasis on investments<br />
on science and technology and<br />
innovation.<br />
“Today, no society can prosper<br />
and grow without science and<br />
innovation; we have to put in<br />
more into our research,<br />
innovation and an enabling<br />
environment for our research and<br />
innovation. It is important that the<br />
country should set aside at least<br />
two per cent of its GDP for<br />
research and innovation.<br />
“We have a global pandemic and<br />
we need vaccines and vaccination<br />
and one of these things is that<br />
countries that have invested on<br />
research and development and<br />
innovation are the ones producing<br />
the vaccines and we that have not<br />
invested resources on science,<br />
technology and innovation are<br />
now sitting down waiting for those<br />
countries to provide us with<br />
vaccines to keep our people alive.<br />
“If there is anything that<br />
suggests that we know the<br />
importance of research and<br />
development, it is this challenge<br />
of COVID-19 that we are in<br />
now.”<br />
Responding to the challenge,<br />
Minister of Science and<br />
Technology, Dr Onu charged<br />
investors to take advantage of<br />
research findings displayed at the<br />
Expo to create jobs, wealth for<br />
citizens and for the entire nation.<br />
DIGITAL SWITCH OVER:<br />
Lagos ready to go<br />
digital —NBC<br />
•Hails StarTimes’ roles towards feat<br />
By Prince Osuagwu,<br />
Hi-Tech Editor<br />
Lagos State is exiting the<br />
analogue broadcasting April<br />
29. From that day, broadcast<br />
signals will switch to digital and the<br />
nation will have successfully put the<br />
right steps to the second phase of<br />
the national digital switch over<br />
project. It is expected to terminate<br />
sometime in 2022.<br />
The journey practically began in<br />
2016 with the pilot rollout in Jos.<br />
And a few years after, the country<br />
announced a phase two to the<br />
project. Although financial and<br />
technical issues have not allowed<br />
the phase to take shape until now,<br />
the Director-General of the<br />
National Broadcasting<br />
Commission, NBC, Prof Armstrong<br />
Idachaba says everything is now in<br />
place to hit the ground running. In<br />
addition to other supports, Idachaba<br />
said the Federal Government has<br />
released about N9.4billion to drive<br />
the project.<br />
Under phase two, Lagos, Port<br />
Harcourt and other cities will be<br />
switched on to digital TV and in<br />
preparation to that, the NBC came<br />
on an inspection tour of facilities<br />
necessary to give Lagos a drive to<br />
the digital broadcasting.<br />
Interestingly, Idachaba who led<br />
the NBC team confessed that Lagos<br />
was ready to go digital based on<br />
what is on ground.<br />
The inspection which began with<br />
a tour of digital transmitters at NTA<br />
Station, Channel 10, Tejuosho, left<br />
the NBC team in awe. After the tour,<br />
Idachaba said: “Nigeria has taken<br />
a decision to continue with the<br />
transition from analogue to digital<br />
broadcasting. This visit is in<br />
furtherance of this objective. We are<br />
glad that ITS Ltd has already<br />
installed DVB2 technology. We have<br />
seen that the installed capacity for<br />
DTT transmission is very high. I<br />
acknowledge the role of their<br />
partners, StarTimes, and I think,<br />
between NTA and StarTimes, there<br />
is a great combined effort to ensure<br />
that the rollout happens in Lagos<br />
and other cities in Nigeria quickly.<br />
“This inspection is reassuring. It<br />
means that we have the technical<br />
and infrastructural capabilities, and<br />
are ready to kick off in Lagos on<br />
April 29,” he added.<br />
He described the project as a<br />
capital intensive revolution which<br />
gulps a lot of money but expressed<br />
happiness that the government is<br />
assisting greatly. Meanwhile,<br />
seeing how viable the project is, the<br />
federal government has also<br />
decided it is self-sustained.<br />
Idachaba said the commission is<br />
hoping that some of the component<br />
players will be able to to generate<br />
their own funds to sustain the rollout<br />
even as the federal government<br />
recently approved N9.4billion for<br />
NBC to facilitate the DSO drive.<br />
Also speaking, Acting CEO, NTA-<br />
Star TV Network, Alex Jian, said<br />
the company’s technical team is<br />
ready to support the nation in<br />
transiting fully to digital TV.<br />
He said: “The NBC DG has a big<br />
strategy for DSO and NTA-<br />
StarTimes will cooperate very well<br />
with ITS Ltd to support this project.<br />
Our technical team is ready. We<br />
have already prepared ourselves for<br />
this switch over all over the country.<br />
“So we are providing affordable<br />
decoders and our bouquets are<br />
much more affordable. On our<br />
coverage, we have more than 60<br />
base stations nationwide. In some<br />
base stations, we are losing money<br />
because there are a small<br />
population and few customers but<br />
we are still holding our position<br />
there. Our goal is to make<br />
everyone enjoy digital life. We have<br />
also created a pay-per-day module<br />
and we have implemented this for<br />
more than three years,” Alex said.<br />
‘Why data protection must be<br />
taken seriously’<br />
Stories by Juliet Umeh<br />
EO of Data Services Protection<br />
CLimited, DSPL, Mr. Tunde<br />
Balogun has advised Nigerians to<br />
protect their personal data from<br />
falling into wrong hands else they<br />
could be used to commit crimes and<br />
other online atrocities.<br />
Balogun, who is also the convener<br />
of the Association of Licensed Data<br />
Protection Compliance<br />
Organisations of Nigeria,<br />
ALDPCON, harped on the need for<br />
the public and private sectors to<br />
ensure that data in their possessions<br />
are secured. He stated that the<br />
Federal Government of Nigeria is<br />
aware of the need to protect the data<br />
of Nigerians and so put facilities in<br />
place to ensure compliance with this<br />
directive.<br />
According to him, the FG through<br />
the National Information<br />
Technology Agency, NITDA, has<br />
been going about sensitising<br />
ministries, departments and<br />
agencies, MDAs, state governments<br />
and the private sector on the need to<br />
comply with data protection.<br />
Conscious of the concerns around<br />
privacy and protection of personal<br />
data and the grave consequences of<br />
leaving personal data processing<br />
unregulated, the NITDA in 2019<br />
issued the Nigeria Data Protection<br />
Regulation (NDPR). Nigeria’s<br />
principal data protection<br />
legislation is the NDPR issued by the<br />
NITDA on 25 January 2019<br />
pursuant to Section 32 of the NITDA<br />
Act 2007 as subsidiary legislation<br />
to the NITDA Act 2007.<br />
B us-hailing<br />
company, Plentywaka, application<br />
has<br />
announced a new investment from<br />
an American global platform for<br />
investment and innovation,<br />
Techstars, to gain funding,<br />
mentorship and access to experts.<br />
This is as the startup currently sets<br />
its sights on global expansion after<br />
one year of moving over 300,000<br />
riders in Nigeria. It will also join<br />
nine other startups in the Techstars<br />
Toronto accelerator programme,<br />
Class of 2021.<br />
In another development, the<br />
company has launched its city-tocity<br />
service for Nigerians, where<br />
commuters travelling from one<br />
state to another within the country<br />
can now purchase discounted bus<br />
tickets from its mobile app.<br />
With this added feature,<br />
commuters have the luxury of<br />
According to Balogun, “the good<br />
thing is that some of our people are<br />
beginning to understand why data<br />
must be protected in all<br />
ramifications. A good example is<br />
the government of Oyo State where<br />
we are currently implementing data<br />
protection services for about eight<br />
ministries, departments and<br />
agencies as part of the first phase of<br />
the scheme.<br />
“It is still going to all other<br />
ministries but we started with these<br />
eight MDAs because they handle<br />
more data than most other MDAs<br />
and it even goes beyond mere<br />
putting facilities in place to enforce<br />
compliance with data protection.<br />
“This is where we are shoulder high<br />
than other DCOs. Many people<br />
think data protection is only about<br />
data auditing but it goes beyond that<br />
because we provide other<br />
deliverables. In our case, we do<br />
auditing, we train staff, organise<br />
lectures, we ensure full privacy and<br />
arrange workshops to drive home<br />
the point,” he explained.<br />
He stated that data collection is<br />
the most resourceful enterprise in<br />
the world and that most successful<br />
companies in the world are not in<br />
the oil & gas, banking or insurance<br />
but in the collection of data.<br />
He said this was why government<br />
is insisting on protection of data of<br />
Nigerians in both public and private<br />
sectors of the country.<br />
Balogun said data protection is<br />
part of the larger layers of strategies<br />
being in place by governments all<br />
over the world to checkmate<br />
cybercrimes, which he said had<br />
attracted the concern of wellmeaning<br />
human beings.<br />
Plentywaka set for global expansion<br />
with Techstars new investment<br />
… Launches city-to-city service for Nigerians<br />
choosing their preferred bus<br />
transportation company from the<br />
list of partners listed on the<br />
company’s app from the comfort<br />
of their homes.<br />
To kick-start the service, it would<br />
be partnering with some major<br />
bus travel companies in Nigeria<br />
including Libra Motors with over<br />
300 buses in their fleet along with<br />
four other players with a capacity<br />
of more than 2000 buses plying<br />
over 100 routes across Nigeria.<br />
Co-Founder and CEO of<br />
Plentywaka, Onyeka Akumah,<br />
said: “We are very excited about<br />
this new investment to partner with<br />
Techstars. This is the second time<br />
a startup I founded will go<br />
through a Techstars accelerator<br />
program and we are truly happy<br />
they have believed in our ability<br />
again to execute.<br />
Samsung approves sales discount for Tech Experience Centre customers<br />
By Juliet Umeh<br />
amsung Nigeria says it is<br />
Simpressed with the opportunity<br />
sales outlet, Tech Experience Centre<br />
has afforded customers to<br />
experience the latest technological<br />
transformational devices on display<br />
in the Tech Experience Centre, which<br />
was opened by TD Africa last<br />
October. The commendation<br />
coincides with the company’s<br />
decision to give its customers<br />
discounts on some of its products.<br />
The Tech Experience Centre,<br />
Victoria Island, Lagos, is home to<br />
latest global technological devices<br />
manufactured by Original<br />
Equipment Manufacturers, OEMs,<br />
like Samsung Nigeria. The centre<br />
offers visitors a first-hand experience<br />
of new devices, gadgets, solutions<br />
and infrastructure that were<br />
previously alien to the industry and<br />
customers in Nigeria.<br />
Head, Marketing, Samsung<br />
Nigeria, Iretiogo Oke, said: “The<br />
Tech Centre provides customers an<br />
array of our latest premium<br />
technological devices and gadgets<br />
on a consistent basis. It is like a daily<br />
technological exhibition of some<br />
sort and it is open to customers for a<br />
long period of time daily. We are<br />
glad to be part of this remarkable<br />
arrangement which enables us to<br />
reach our customers in a whole new<br />
level and avail consumers with<br />
ultramodern home and office<br />
appliances,” she added.<br />
On the discounts, Head,<br />
Consumer Electronics, Samsung<br />
Nigeria, Oluwaremilekun<br />
Ogunsan, said “We are very happy<br />
to announce that Consumers can<br />
enjoy up to 20 percent discount on a<br />
range of home appliances such as<br />
Refrigerators and Washing<br />
Machines. This offer is our own way<br />
of assisting our customers who<br />
would love to celebrate their<br />
mothers with a special gift and we<br />
thought it wise to help them achieve<br />
it.” Mother’s Day celebration has<br />
become a huge part of us in Nigeria<br />
and it is an opportunity for Mothers<br />
to receive pleasant gifts of<br />
appreciation from their Children,<br />
she added.<br />
Head of the Tech Experience<br />
Centre, Chidalu Ekeh, says that<br />
aside from reducing the decisionmaking<br />
cycle for Chief Executive<br />
Officers, CEOs, Chief Information<br />
Officers CIOs, Chief Technology<br />
Officers, CTOs, as well as other<br />
technology consumers, the Centre<br />
serves as a training centre for young<br />
Nigerians on the latest technology.
Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, MARCH 24, 2021 — 23<br />
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24 — Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, MARCH 24, 2021
Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, MARCH 24, 2021 — 25<br />
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26 — Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, MARCH 24, 2021<br />
VOL. 2 NO. 75<br />
•Members of an Isusu group<br />
•Traders use contributions to start businesses<br />
Isusu, a traditional savings and loans scheme<br />
boosting petty businesses in Igboland<br />
• Isusu helps raise money for business, investment<br />
• It is fastest means of raising capital for low income earners —Dim<br />
• It is nice but the sincerity of other members must be guaranteed —Ude<br />
• It has helped me develop a culture of savings —Ebonyi mechanic<br />
• Isusu helps the apprentice, trader to mass business capital —Ihesinulo<br />
• Isusu also helps to promote fiscal discipline among the traders<br />
• I bought my welding equipment with Isusu loan —Ifeanyi Oyiga<br />
By Anayo Okoli, Vincent<br />
Ujumadu, Chidi<br />
Nkwopara, Chimaobi<br />
Nwaiwu, Ugochukwu<br />
Alaribe, Peter Okutu,<br />
Chinedu Adonu,<br />
Ikechukwu Odu &<br />
Steve Oko<br />
ENUGU—”ISUSU” (meaning<br />
small, small), a savings and<br />
loans scheme in Igboland, has been<br />
of immense benefit to petty and<br />
medium size business operators. It<br />
has transformed some of these petty<br />
traders to big time business operators.<br />
It helps them build up capital in their<br />
businesses. It is popular in Igboland<br />
for capital formation. It is a good<br />
alternative for borrowing from<br />
financial institutions. The modalities<br />
are not too rigid. What an interested<br />
person needs to do is to make up his<br />
mind to obey the conditions<br />
stipulated in the scheme and before<br />
long, he saves enough capital to<br />
embark on any business he desires.<br />
Traders who want to grow their<br />
business can, instead of borrowing<br />
from financial institutions with their<br />
attendant strict conditions,start<br />
saving to raise adequate capital<br />
through isusu. Even people who<br />
want to build houses but do not have<br />
enough money to start with, can<br />
join isusu club to enable them<br />
achieve target savings to enable<br />
them accomplish their desire.<br />
However, Isusu scheme is<br />
principally based on trust. Those<br />
engaged in it understand the high<br />
risk involved.<br />
Mrs. Emilia Nwosu, a petty trader in<br />
Awka said she has consistently been<br />
involved in isusu for the past 20<br />
years. She explained that one must<br />
know the background of the operator<br />
before committing his or her money<br />
with the person.<br />
“When I started my petty trading<br />
business, it was very difficult for me to<br />
save as most of my profit went into<br />
housekeeping. I knew that sooner than<br />
later when my children would start<br />
school, my husband and I might find it<br />
difficult to cope with payment of school<br />
fees.<br />
“So I joined one isusu club in the<br />
market and was contributing N500<br />
daily although it was affecting us in<br />
the house as we had to reduce some of<br />
the items we were consuming. I<br />
persevered and was making the<br />
contribution religiously and at the end<br />
of every year, I would have saved<br />
enough money to pay for the children’s<br />
school fees”, Mrs. Nwosu said.<br />
Another type of isusu is the one<br />
where a number of contributors decide<br />
to raise money for their members. They<br />
contribute an agreed amount monthly<br />
which is given to a member on<br />
rotational basis to enable the<br />
beneficiary to embark on whatever<br />
project he has targeted for himself. It is<br />
even on record that many wealthy<br />
individuals engage in this type of<br />
isusu.<br />
Mr. Obiadi Dike, a businessman<br />
narrated how he used the money he<br />
saved from isusu to build a house<br />
for his mother. “We were ten trusted<br />
friends making the contribution and<br />
the minimum each person<br />
contributed every month was N100,<br />
000. I took two slots and luckily for<br />
me, I picked the first number during<br />
the ballot, which gave me N2 million.<br />
The amount went far in the house<br />
project and at the end of the cycle, I got<br />
another N2 million and completed the<br />
house for my mother in the village.<br />
“If not for the isusu, the house project<br />
would have affected my business or I<br />
might not even have contemplated<br />
building the house in the first place.”<br />
However, isusu business is not<br />
always a palatable story to tell. A civil<br />
servant, Mrs. Gloria Okonkwo<br />
narrated a story of how she lost N60,<br />
000 to an isusu operator. She said:<br />
“This lady was always coming to the<br />
office on the payday for my monthly<br />
contribution of N5000 which was to<br />
mature by December of the year. Before<br />
the closure of the office for the<br />
Christmas when she was supposed to<br />
pay all the contributors, she was<br />
nowhere to be found. Up till now, she<br />
has not showed up and her telephone<br />
line had since gone off.<br />
“We traced her home only to be told<br />
that she had since relocated from Awka.<br />
It was indeed a bleak Christmas for<br />
my family and I will never get involved<br />
in isusu again in my life.”<br />
For Fidelis Dim, a curtain and<br />
footman dealer based in Umuahia<br />
Abia State, isusu has tremendously<br />
impacted the Igbo economy as it serves<br />
as one of the fastest ways to raise quick<br />
capital for low income earners.<br />
According to Dim, many middle class<br />
Igbo traders and entrepreneurs today<br />
at one time or the other, raised their<br />
initial capital through isusu<br />
contributions.<br />
The Uga, Anambra State-born<br />
trader, said isusu helps like-minds<br />
raise soft capital which members of<br />
the group access easily either to help<br />
boost their trade or for other purposes.<br />
He said that he was actively involved<br />
in the practice but currently his wife is<br />
much deep into it.<br />
“I can tell you that isusu is nice<br />
provided you are able to identify sincere<br />
and honest people that make up<br />
members of the thrift society.It helps<br />
people especially those without godfathers<br />
to raise quick capital. You<br />
contribute small money depending on<br />
your capacity, and when it gets to your<br />
turn to collect, you receive something<br />
bulky.<br />
“I did it before and my wife is still in<br />
it. It helps us to solve a lot of financial<br />
needs especially during Christmas<br />
Isusu is a<br />
nice thing, but<br />
one has to be<br />
careful about<br />
the sincerity of<br />
other members.<br />
That’s why I<br />
choose the<br />
groups I<br />
belong, not just<br />
every group, to<br />
avoid<br />
disappointment.<br />
period”.<br />
He however advised people willing<br />
to be involved in the practice to ensure<br />
they ascertain the financial strength of<br />
other members of the group to avoid a<br />
member defaulting. According to him,<br />
defaulting members negatively affect<br />
other members of the group who are<br />
yet to receive their contribution before<br />
any break in chain occurs.<br />
“That is why members provide<br />
guarantors before receiving loans from<br />
the group so that in the event of any<br />
default the surety will be held<br />
responsible”.<br />
Dim explained that one person may<br />
be involved in many isusu groups<br />
and may take loan he collects in one<br />
group to service the loan he gets in<br />
other groups, thus, defaulting in<br />
repayment.<br />
Besides such cases of defaulting<br />
members, isusu generally, “is a very<br />
wonderful idea.<br />
Corroborating Dim’s account, a<br />
tailor, Mr. Mba Ude from Afikpo in<br />
Ebonyi State but based in Umuahia,<br />
said he raised the capital to buy sewing<br />
machines and rent his shop through<br />
isusu contributions.<br />
The Alvan Ikokwu graduate of<br />
Education/Political Science said that<br />
he trained himself in school through<br />
isusu contributions. He strongly<br />
recommended the scheme but<br />
cautioned that one has to be sure of the<br />
integrity and financial capacity of<br />
other members of the group to avoid<br />
some members defaulting.<br />
“Isusu is very good. It helps<br />
members to set goals and targets for<br />
themselves. You can target a particular<br />
project you want to execute for the year<br />
and make you contributions towards<br />
it. Once it is your turn to collect your<br />
contributions, you go and deploy it to<br />
the project immediately.<br />
“It has helped me a lot. I started<br />
isusu many years ago and I credit my<br />
success story to it. I trained myself in<br />
school with isusu contributions. I<br />
also used it to buy machines and rent<br />
this shop. I currently belong to three<br />
different isusu groups. Each year I<br />
target one major project I want to<br />
execute with the contributions, and<br />
once it is my turn to collect, I execute it<br />
immediately.<br />
“Sometimes I swap turns with other<br />
members if I have a pressing need but<br />
I usually like collecting last so I can<br />
use it for projects. So, isusu is a nice<br />
thing but one has to be careful about<br />
the sincerity of other members. That’s<br />
why I choose the groups I belong, not<br />
just every group to avoid<br />
disappointment.”<br />
A Mechanic who operates at the<br />
Abakaliki Mechanic Village, Mr.<br />
ThankGod Njoku said that the isusu<br />
scheme has helped him develop the<br />
culture of savings and prudent<br />
management of every available<br />
financial resource at his disposal.<br />
“The contribution we do is very<br />
helpful. If there is nothing like isusu<br />
existing, I am not sure I can establish<br />
or expand my business. With the<br />
isusu, I have begun early this year, I<br />
believe that at the end of the year, I will<br />
be able to start selling some motor parts<br />
in my shop instead of depending on<br />
other people.<br />
“The scheme helps in the expansion<br />
of businesses and helps one develop<br />
the culture of savings. With the way<br />
and manner money comes to us, if you<br />
don’t save, it will be difficult to carry<br />
out any other forms of business”, Njoku<br />
said.<br />
For a Civil servant, Mrs. Chinwe<br />
Chukwudi, who complained about the<br />
merger salary she gets monthly, the<br />
scheme has given her the courage and<br />
financial stability to invest in other<br />
areas of business, instead of relying on<br />
her poor monthly pay.<br />
“The salary we are paid is very<br />
merger and so isusu has helped us<br />
to carryout projects that ordinarily we<br />
wouldn’t have been able to do. What<br />
we do is on a monthly basis, until the<br />
end of the year.<br />
“No matter how small you<br />
contribute, make sure it is steady and<br />
definitely you will reap from it if you<br />
are disciplined, determined and<br />
dedicated to the terms and conditions<br />
of the scheme.<br />
“I am planning to buy a car before<br />
the end of this year and I believe that<br />
with this scheme which has helped<br />
Igbo in their businesses, my project will<br />
surely be achieved. The reason persons<br />
don’t go into it is because, one’s<br />
earnings come gradually. Also, if those<br />
involved are not committed and<br />
faithful to the agreement governing the<br />
scheme, it could lead to the disruption<br />
of the entire process, monetary loss and<br />
sometimes chaos”.<br />
In his contribution, a barman in<br />
Nsukka Local Government Area of<br />
Enugu State, Cajetan Agbo, said the<br />
culture of saving bit by bit has helped<br />
to start and sustain many businesses<br />
flourishing in Igboland today.<br />
Agbo explained that many Igbo<br />
businessmen who are today, owners of<br />
big businesses started through such<br />
saving scheme. He said that it helps in<br />
controlling extravagant spending<br />
because those involved in the saving<br />
culture usually save something on a<br />
daily basis, leaving them with the cash<br />
to solve only basic needs.<br />
“Some people spend unnecessarily<br />
because they have money at their<br />
disposal. Different saving schemes<br />
have helped Ndigbo to build their<br />
businesses. For instance, a foodstuffs<br />
retailer who wants to go into wholesale<br />
may start saving when a particular<br />
foodstuff he is interested in is scarce.<br />
He can then use what he has saved to<br />
buy reasonable quantity of the<br />
foodstuff when it is abundant in the<br />
market. That way, he can become a<br />
wholesaler of the foodstuff.<br />
“Many people have used the method<br />
to grow their businesses and even start<br />
businesses for their younger ones,” he<br />
explained.<br />
But for an Onitsah based industrialist,<br />
Chief Johnson Okolo, isusu savings<br />
and loan scheme, is necessitated by<br />
ignorance by the operators and the<br />
people that patronize them.<br />
“Banks are there for the people to<br />
save money but people out of ignorance<br />
patronize them and they are creating<br />
more trouble for them than solving<br />
their financial problems because 80%<br />
of the people who transact the business<br />
with them end up getting negative<br />
stories about what happened to their<br />
money.<br />
“It is poor people that manage the<br />
thing, and when they collect the money<br />
and have one problem or the other,<br />
they use the money to solve their<br />
problems leaving the depositors to cry<br />
and complain for mismanagement of<br />
their money."
Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, MARCH 24, 2021 — 27<br />
Uproar over alleged<br />
ostracization in<br />
Ishi-Ozalla, Enugu<br />
community<br />
• Archbishop<br />
Chukwuma, Jim<br />
Nwobodo & barth Nnaji<br />
during the Ozalla<br />
abolition of Ohu system<br />
in 2018<br />
By Dennis Agbo<br />
A<br />
RESURGENCE of Ohu-caste<br />
system, an ancient social<br />
discrimination stigma that makes<br />
one less inferior, has once more<br />
thrown into turmoil the Ishi-Ozalla<br />
community in Nkanu west local<br />
government area of Enugu State.<br />
The abolition of ‘Ohu’ practice in<br />
the entire Ozalla federated town was<br />
celebrated on September 1, 2018<br />
with prominent Nkanu indigenes<br />
such as Senator Jim Nwobodo, Prof<br />
Bath Nnaji, Mr. Frank Nweke jnr<br />
and Bishop Emmanuel Chukwuma<br />
in attendance.<br />
But last week, the Edeaniagu<br />
kindred, a part of Ishi-Ozalla<br />
autonomous community marched<br />
in protest to both the Enugu State<br />
Government House and the state<br />
House of Assembly, alleging<br />
ostracization from the community.<br />
The President General of Ishi-<br />
Ozalla Town union, Chief Obinna<br />
Nveneh, however said that the<br />
allegation was not true; stating that<br />
issues started with self-crowning as<br />
king by one of the members of the<br />
Edeanigu kindred, Don Sylvester<br />
Nweke, which he said was<br />
repugnant to community as due<br />
process was not followed.<br />
The Edeaniagu people however<br />
insisted that they have been<br />
excluded, ex-communicated,<br />
banished and out rightly ostracized<br />
from their community.<br />
One of their leaders, Mrs.<br />
Munachi Okoye said that some<br />
leaders of Ishi-Ozalla have sworn<br />
not to allow peace reign in the<br />
community, despite Governor<br />
Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi’s intervention on<br />
the matter.<br />
She said: “The latest that made us<br />
see the governor was the<br />
ostracization of a group of people<br />
in my community. We have not had<br />
a king in the community for nine<br />
years and anybody that comes out<br />
to indicate interest in the kingship<br />
will be blackmailed, frustrated and<br />
use government apparatus, police,<br />
EFCC, thugs to intimidate the<br />
person.<br />
“Recently, the community decided<br />
that they will have the kingship and<br />
• Edeaniagu kindred<br />
protesting at Govt House<br />
last week<br />
the community has a son called Don<br />
Sylvester who has been doing<br />
philanthropic jobs for the<br />
community and unanimously<br />
people chose him to be king and his<br />
family members decided to give him<br />
a chieftaincy title in their compound<br />
to acknowledge him as their own<br />
candidate that will go out and<br />
contest with other people during the<br />
election and that was turned into a<br />
different story. They set him up and<br />
said he had crowned himself a King<br />
of Ishi-Ozalla, whatever Don<br />
Sylvester did was done inside their<br />
family house but it was twisted and<br />
that started causing ripples in the<br />
community.<br />
“Thereafter, a cartel in the<br />
community held a meeting and<br />
instructed people to go and ostracise<br />
the entire village, including people<br />
that are not part of the village. Some<br />
people that are in Amaechi were<br />
dragged into Edeaniagu, people in<br />
Ndiagbor village were dragged into<br />
Edeaniagu and the pronouncement<br />
was made in the village square that<br />
they have ostracized the<br />
Edeaniagus; nobody should buy<br />
from them, nobody should sell to<br />
them, they will not have anything to<br />
do with them, that everybody should<br />
be on their own, that they are now<br />
outcasts and shouldn’t have<br />
anything to do with anybody.<br />
“As if that was not enough, they<br />
started the execution. Some people<br />
went for a traditional marriage and<br />
they were beaten up and sent out of<br />
the traditional marriage, saying<br />
that they do not associate with them.<br />
Our children that go to school are<br />
being mocked, called names that<br />
nobody should hear of, our young<br />
ladies that are to get married, people<br />
will come for their hands in<br />
marriage and they will say a lot of<br />
bad stories about them. They have<br />
refused peace to reign. We had to<br />
cry to the government house,”<br />
Okoye lamented.<br />
The President General of the<br />
community, Obinna Nveneh<br />
however said that he had instructed<br />
that nobody should discriminate<br />
against anybody in the community,<br />
warning that anybody found guilty<br />
of discrimination will be punished<br />
by the community.<br />
With the weighty allegation<br />
gaining attention, the community<br />
was pressed to issue a statement,<br />
stating that Ishi-Ozalla remains<br />
committed to the abolition of<br />
segregation in Ozalla, noting that<br />
the community in a progressive and<br />
peace loving, together with the other<br />
four autonomous communities in<br />
Ozalla town, on Saturday<br />
September 1 2018, accomplished<br />
the widely applauded and historic<br />
project for the Abolition of<br />
Segregation in Ozalla, PASO, which<br />
ended all forms of social<br />
discrimination in the entire<br />
community.
28 — Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, MARCH 24, 2021
Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, MARCH 24, 2021 — 29
30 — Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, MARCH 24, 2021<br />
Remembering CKC Izuwah (1965 – 2021)<br />
By ZERRY IHEKWABA<br />
IT was at the University of Nigeria,<br />
Nsukka, UNN, that we first met over 40<br />
years ago. We were part of the 1980<br />
matriculating class of the Department of Civil<br />
Engineering of the Agbebi College of<br />
Engineering. He was young, conspicuous, and<br />
everywhere striking acquaintances. The<br />
round-faced, ebony black, chubby fellow<br />
would walk up to anyone, male and female<br />
alike, with confidence and good cheer to<br />
introduce himself as “Big Fish”. It was a special<br />
case of youthful novelty and genuine<br />
merriment.<br />
In art and in life, persons often tend to assume<br />
a moniker for sundry reasons or to emphasize<br />
mission. I never got to find out why a medium<br />
sized lad and one not particularly gifted with<br />
the height of a basketballer would choose such<br />
an unforgettable and debonaire nickname.<br />
Not many in the freshman class, assembled<br />
from all parts of the country and elsewhere,<br />
would ever forget our friend. His boldness was<br />
memorable and stylish, with a voluptuous<br />
taste of urbane feel and charming disposition.<br />
Ever since that momentous beginning, his<br />
unique indefinability has remained his social<br />
vita and a subtle canvass to remember.<br />
It took several months after that memorable<br />
introduction before many realized his natal<br />
name was Chidi Kennedy Chikezie Izuwah, or<br />
as he would prefer to write it simply as CKC<br />
Izuwah. He came from royalty and was the<br />
oldest scion of the now late Eze A.E.N. Izuwah,<br />
Eze Udo I of Amaitolu Ovungwu Autonomous<br />
Community in Isiala Ngwa South Local<br />
Government Area of Abia State, and the late<br />
Ugoeze (Professor) Lucy Izuwah. Eze A.E.N<br />
Izuwah was a doyen of the civil service in the<br />
erstwhile East Central State and successfully<br />
retired as a Permanent Secretary in the old<br />
Imo State. While the family patriarch reigned<br />
as the traditional ruler of his community till<br />
death, our friend and classmate, Chidi Izuwah,<br />
kept to the rule book of his ecclesiastical suasion.<br />
This he did by mixing it with the unique social<br />
mores and cultural confines of his ancestry<br />
whilst maintaining the fraternity of his<br />
youth, just as he went on to achieve a glorious<br />
professional career in Nigeria’s public service<br />
sector.<br />
Chidi Izuwah meant many things to many<br />
•The late Chidi Izuwah<br />
of his contemporaries and admirers. He<br />
effortlessly charted himself well into success<br />
in academia, his engineering career, and his<br />
subsequent foray into the national<br />
establishment. He was focused and<br />
determined to excel by challenging<br />
conventions through a determined effort to<br />
promote a homily of humanistic ideals. CKC<br />
Izuwah believed in sustaining lifelong<br />
friendships without abandoning the cultural<br />
demands of filial bonds. Comradeship and<br />
chivalry were key aspects of his social<br />
engagement even as he built harmony with<br />
folks. He stubbornly refused to stray from those<br />
paths, and without remiss, insisted that icons<br />
of negative tribal accoutrements must be<br />
scrupulously redirected as he maintained his<br />
thought cues. Those were testimonial<br />
reminisces of a past era while we cavorted and<br />
perused the campus and throughout the over<br />
40 years of association.<br />
CKC Izuwah served his NYSC year from<br />
1985 through 1986 in Port Harcourt with<br />
Shell Petroleum Development Company.<br />
Serendipity meant that we must meet again<br />
at a recruitment session with University of<br />
Port Harcourt where three classmates<br />
competed for a position. He secured the offer<br />
and proceeded to the University of New Castle<br />
Upon Tyne in the United Kingdom for a<br />
TRIBUTE<br />
Master’s degree in hydraulic engineering<br />
whilst Dr. Emeka Agbasi went on to Imperial<br />
College in London for a Master’s and Doctoral<br />
programme in materials engineering, and<br />
myself to Queen’s University in Kingston<br />
Ontario, Canada for a similar Master’s and<br />
Doctoral programme. He was a recurring<br />
presence in kindling the bond of friendship<br />
amongst us and the other Agbebites, as we<br />
fondly call engineering graduates of UNN.<br />
Several years after, during a visit from the<br />
United States, we met again and this time he<br />
had become a staff of Shell Petroleum<br />
Development Company after his brief stint<br />
with University of Port Harcourt. He<br />
promptly invited me over for lunch at his<br />
home on Faith Avenue, Woji, in Port Harcourt<br />
where I met his wife, Doris, for the first time. I<br />
realised then that Chidi’s in-laws were from<br />
my old local government area in Imo State. It<br />
was a time of great nostalgia recounting our<br />
journey and the exuberances of youth and<br />
maturity as married men! Chidi was such a<br />
good fare to socialise with.<br />
He was later to pay me a visit in my ancestral<br />
village of Nkwerre in Imo State in 2007 when<br />
I returned to pay my last respects to my<br />
He was persistent<br />
in seeking novel,<br />
tried and tested<br />
models for<br />
delivering excellent<br />
and fiscally prudent<br />
infrastructure assets<br />
departed dear mother. He was joined by Prof<br />
Okey Onyemelukwe during the Sunday<br />
outing service in the local church. They were<br />
preceded in the visit by several fellow<br />
Agbebites in the previous days, notably Paul<br />
Nwafor, Ike Egbogah, Ovoks Anyaegbunam,<br />
Chibuzor Njoku, Dozie Eze, Hazel Anele, as<br />
well as others who either visited or reached<br />
out through other means. Again, the bond of<br />
friendship was strongly aglow in that<br />
moment of loss and mourning. This much<br />
we owe Chidi’s family now.<br />
Sometime in early 2009, he expressed his<br />
desire to join the Infrastructure Concession<br />
and Regulatory Commission, ICRC, in Abuja.<br />
We talked and shared ideas of mutual<br />
interest. He successfully joined the ICRC as its<br />
pioneer executive director for Public Private<br />
Partnership Resource department. He quickly<br />
settled into bringing international best<br />
practices to his ICRC work and went about it<br />
by engaging the right professionals in the right<br />
places. He reached out extensively and<br />
participated in several international forums<br />
and conferences on infrastructure finance and<br />
Public-Private Partnership, PPP, contracting<br />
process.<br />
In 2013, he visited the United States and we<br />
met at a local manufacturer’s facility in<br />
Broward County, Florida while he inspected<br />
the process for fabricating and assembling<br />
modular buildings and tilt-up construction.<br />
Over lunch at a boutique restaurant along<br />
Las Olas Boulevard in the dainty part of<br />
downtown Fort Lauderdale, we reviewed and<br />
he requested for a copy of a paper I had<br />
delivered at the National Infrastructure<br />
Renewal Summit in Fort Lauderdale in 2012.<br />
He was persistent in seeking novel, tried and<br />
tested models for delivering excellent and<br />
fiscally prudent infrastructure assets.<br />
Chidi Izuwah was a leader extraordinaire<br />
and he rolled out reliability-based regulatory<br />
framework and guidelines for many of the<br />
ICRC initiatives. No wonder in 2016, he<br />
became its Executive Director for the crossdisciplinary<br />
Support Services department. His<br />
trajectory included breaking grounds and<br />
charting new courses so much as to be<br />
recognised as a leader amongst peers when<br />
the ICRC under his purview was named by<br />
Africa Investor Magazine as the African<br />
Infrastructure Regulator of the Year in 2018.<br />
In 2019, he easily earned his promotion as<br />
the Director-General of the ICRC when<br />
Nigeria’s government under President<br />
Mohammadu <strong>Buhari</strong> announced his<br />
appointment and the Senate, Nigeria’s upper<br />
legislative body, easily concurred, to<br />
everyone’s admiration. In all his assignments,<br />
he was hugely successful as he garnered laurels<br />
and recognition in the industry, and through<br />
his tireless work, ICRC was named as an<br />
African PPP Champion in 2020. Together<br />
with his wife, Dr. Doris Izuwah, they promoted<br />
civic causes and community efforts, especially<br />
by committing personal resources.<br />
•Dr. Ihekwaba wrote from Florida,<br />
USA<br />
C o n t i n u e s<br />
online:www.vanguardngr.com
Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, MARCH 24, 2021 — 31<br />
C<br />
M<br />
Y<br />
K
32 — Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, MARCH 24, 2021
MARYAMU<br />
I, formerly known as Gula<br />
Maryamu, now wish to be<br />
known as Gula Kathleen<br />
Mary. All former documents<br />
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FESTUS AMEH<br />
I, FORMERLY KNOWN AS<br />
RABI SANI AMEH NOW<br />
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SANI. ALL FORMER<br />
DOCUMENTS REMAIN<br />
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TAKE NOTE.<br />
EZEMMA<br />
I, formerly known as Christopher<br />
Chukw Ezemma, now wish to be<br />
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OFORKANSI<br />
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EMMANUEL<br />
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NYIOBAYA<br />
I Formerly known as GLORIA<br />
ELISHA NYIOBAYA with DOB<br />
20/09/1988 Now wish to be called<br />
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ELISHA with DOB 20/09/1987<br />
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SAMUEL<br />
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ELEKWA, SAMUEL KENNEDY<br />
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OGBONNA. That my correct name is<br />
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CHANGE OF NAME<br />
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ETTI Now wish to be<br />
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I, formerly called TERKENDE<br />
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NGWOBIA<br />
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I formerly known as Victor Imeh<br />
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AJURUCHI<br />
I formerly known and addressed as<br />
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ONYEKACHI AJURUCHI now<br />
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IWUOHA<br />
That the name KERLY-IKPI JENNIFER<br />
CHIAMAKA, IWUOHA JENNIFER<br />
CHIAMAKA and NJOMAGU-JONES<br />
JENNIFER CHIAMAKA that appears on<br />
my various documents refer to one and the<br />
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CLETUS<br />
I, formerly known as<br />
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SALIFU<br />
I WAS FORMERLY KNOWN<br />
AS SALIFU YUNUSA NOW<br />
WISH TO BE KNOWN AND<br />
ADDRESSED AS SHITTU<br />
SALIFU GENERAL PUBLIC<br />
TO TAKE NOTE.<br />
Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, MARCH 24, 2021—33<br />
:@vanguardnews<br />
1.2 billion people lack access<br />
to drinking water worldwide<br />
—Minister<br />
By Festus Ahon<br />
BENIN<br />
CITY—THE<br />
Minister of Water<br />
Resources, Suleiman<br />
Hussein Adamu has said<br />
that over 1.2 billion people<br />
globally lack access to safe<br />
drinking water and this he<br />
said has affected the health,<br />
education and general<br />
livelihood of the people.<br />
The minister spoke at the<br />
commissioning of some water<br />
projects executed by the<br />
Benin Owena River Basin<br />
Development Authority,<br />
BORBDA, at the Ogbe<br />
Secondary School Benin<br />
City, and Igo, in the Ovia<br />
North East LGA of Edo.<br />
Represented by the<br />
Assistant Director,<br />
Procurement of BORDA,<br />
Augustine Chukwuyem,<br />
Adamu said the problem of<br />
access to safe drinking water<br />
could only be solved when the<br />
vital role water plays in<br />
human life is recognised by<br />
all<br />
Ḣe said “we must<br />
contribute our quota to<br />
mitigate the global water<br />
crises and reflect on how<br />
important it is, that we<br />
continue to ensure that<br />
someday soon, everyone is<br />
able to have access to clean<br />
water while conserving the<br />
natural resource”.<br />
In his welcome address, the<br />
Managing Director, BORBDA<br />
Engr Saliu Ahmed who was<br />
represented by the Executive<br />
Director, Engineering<br />
Services, Mrs Veronica<br />
Olalemi said besides<br />
emphasizing the importance<br />
of water to daily living,<br />
assured of the federal<br />
agency’s preparedness to<br />
deliver on its core mandate of<br />
meeting the water needs of<br />
the people for food,<br />
agriculture-irrigation,<br />
recreation and industrial uses.<br />
Delta lawmaker distributes<br />
computers, projectors to<br />
schools in riverine communities<br />
By Chancel Sunday<br />
Bschool OMADI—PRIMARY<br />
teachers and<br />
pupils in riverine<br />
communities have lauded<br />
the lawmaker<br />
representing Patani/<br />
Bomadi Constituency in<br />
the House of<br />
Representatives, Mr<br />
Nicholas Mutu, over his<br />
distribution of hardwares<br />
to primary schools in the<br />
constituency.<br />
Commending the<br />
lawmaker, yesterday,<br />
headteachers and pupils<br />
of the receiving schools<br />
noted that the gesture was<br />
unprecedented, stressing<br />
it would enable them<br />
inculcate the requisite<br />
knowledge on pupils.<br />
However, five schools in<br />
Bomadi council area<br />
received the items which<br />
are Olou Primary School<br />
Bomadi, Epekiri Primary<br />
School Ogboin-ama,<br />
Onoru Primary School<br />
Ogriagbene, Awobu<br />
Primary School Akugbene<br />
and Ogideze Primary<br />
School Ogo-Eze.<br />
Mrs Comfort Umana,<br />
headteacher of Ogideze<br />
Primary School, Ogo-Eze,<br />
said: “I’m dumbfounded<br />
and happy to receive such<br />
wonderful gifts to our<br />
school.<br />
“Just few days ago<br />
textbooks and notebooks<br />
were brought by Mutu,<br />
today he has brought<br />
equipment to enable us<br />
teach the pupils properly."<br />
Ekio-Atonye Anita, a<br />
primary six pupil in<br />
Ogideze Primary School,<br />
said: “I’m so happy and I<br />
thank Mutu for bringing<br />
these things to us, may<br />
God bless him”.<br />
Coordinating the<br />
distribution, liaison officer<br />
to Mutu in the<br />
Constituency, Mr Kenneth<br />
Ebitonmo, said the<br />
materials were facilitated<br />
by Mutu through the<br />
Universal Basic Education<br />
Commission.<br />
PDP chieftain seeks continued<br />
support for Nwaoboshi<br />
IBUSA—IN recognition<br />
of a true representation<br />
of the people of the Delta<br />
North Senatorial District,<br />
a chieftain of the Peoples<br />
Democratic Party, PDP,<br />
and political aide to the<br />
member representing<br />
Delta North Constituency<br />
in the National Assembly,<br />
Mr. Philip Elueme, has<br />
stressed the need for continued<br />
support for Senator<br />
Peter Nwaoboshi in his<br />
quest to attract more development<br />
to the district.<br />
Elueme, in a chat with<br />
newsmen, stated that the<br />
call for the support became<br />
necessary, so as to enable<br />
Nwaoboshi continue to<br />
ventilate outstanding overall<br />
developmental sagacity<br />
in governance for the development<br />
of Anioma communities.<br />
The PDP chieftain stated<br />
that with prayers, passion<br />
and enthusiasm, as one<br />
time President-General of<br />
Ibusa Community Development<br />
Union, ICDU,<br />
worldwide, in 2008, he had<br />
called for similar support<br />
for Nwaoboshi.<br />
Elueme stated further<br />
that Nwaoboshi can best be<br />
described as an accepted<br />
man of many good parts,<br />
as well as a visionary<br />
leader, whose exemplary<br />
leadership and representation<br />
is worthy of emulation.
34 — Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, MARCH 24, 2021<br />
Kidnapping and closure of schools: Surest<br />
bomb for the destruction of Nigeria (1)<br />
IN recent times, news media<br />
across the country have been<br />
replete with stories of incessant<br />
kidnappings and closure of schools.<br />
From these reports, it is clear that<br />
students and teachers at all levels<br />
of education – primary, secondary<br />
and tertiary – are not immune from<br />
the danger posed by armed<br />
invaders. Right from the widelyreported<br />
kidnapping of female<br />
students in Chibok community by<br />
members of the Boko Haram terrorist<br />
group on April 15, 2014, it does not<br />
seem that the incidents of<br />
kidnappings are waning in the<br />
country. Due to this, many state<br />
governments have resorted to the<br />
closure of schools as the first and<br />
immediate response to<br />
kidnappings. Therefore, I will<br />
consider some of the reported<br />
incidents of kidnapping and<br />
schools’ closure, and the effect on<br />
education and the country.<br />
Some reported incidents of<br />
kidnapping & school closure: PM<br />
News issue of March 11, 2021 gave<br />
a caption as follows – Kidnapping:<br />
Niger Government Closes All<br />
Public Secondary Schools. It<br />
reported thus: The Niger State<br />
Ministry of Education has directed<br />
closure of all public secondary<br />
schools for two weeks to enable the<br />
state government asses security<br />
threats and and its impact on<br />
schools. The schools would be<br />
closed between Friday, March 12<br />
and Friday, March 27, according<br />
to the state Commissioner of<br />
Education, Hajiya Hannatu<br />
Salihu. The commissioner noted<br />
that the closure will give relevant<br />
security agencies the time and<br />
opportunity to conduct a<br />
comprehensive risk assessment of<br />
all public secondary schools in the<br />
state. The decision to close schools<br />
in the state came after an<br />
emergency consultative meeting<br />
with the leadership of the<br />
Association of the Proprietors of<br />
Private Schools, NAPPS,<br />
Association of Model Islamic<br />
Schools, AMIS, Executive<br />
Chairman, Niger State Universal<br />
Basic Education Board, NSUBEB,<br />
Heads of Education Agencies,<br />
Directors of the Ministry and other<br />
stakeholders of the sector. The<br />
closure of schools came in the light<br />
of recent abduction of students at<br />
the Government Science College,<br />
in Kagara community of the state<br />
few weeks ago.<br />
On March 17, 2021,<br />
Withinnigeria News under the<br />
headline, "Kidnapping: Kaduna<br />
Closes All Schools in Kajuru LGA"<br />
reported thus: Kaduna has ordered<br />
the closure of all public and private<br />
schools in Kajuru Local<br />
Government Area of the state<br />
following continuous attacks on<br />
schools by bandits… Last Thursday,<br />
39 students were abducted when<br />
gunmen invaded the Federal<br />
College of Forestry Mechanisation<br />
in Afaka, Igabi LGA of the state.<br />
The students were later seen in a<br />
video clip receiving heavy beatings<br />
from their abductors, calling on<br />
government to pay the ransom to<br />
secure their release. Another<br />
report, Newdawnngr, gave the<br />
following headline, February 27,<br />
2021, "Kidnapping/Abduction:<br />
Zamfara Govt Orders Closure of<br />
Boarding Schools". It reported<br />
that: The Governor of Zamfara<br />
State, Bello Matawalle, on Friday,<br />
ordered the immediate closure of<br />
all boarding secondary schools in<br />
the state following the abduction<br />
of 317 female students in Talata<br />
Mafara Local Government Area.<br />
The governor gave the directive in<br />
a special state broadcast on the<br />
abduction of the students at<br />
Government Girls Secondary<br />
School, Jangebe, saying it is a<br />
trying moment for the state. “I wish<br />
to assure everyone that we are<br />
wholly committed to ensuring a<br />
speedy rescue of our dear schoolgirls<br />
and reuniting them with their<br />
families" .<br />
He said police helicopters and<br />
other search and rescue operatives<br />
have been deployed to the area<br />
where the abducted girls are<br />
believed to be, adding that<br />
members of the public, and most<br />
especially the parents and<br />
guardians of the students, would be<br />
kept informed of developments in<br />
the efforts to rescue them. “As we<br />
are making efforts to strengthen<br />
security around our schools, I have<br />
directed the immediate closure of<br />
all boarding secondary schools<br />
across the state," the governor said.<br />
The effect of kidnappings and<br />
school closure on education: As I<br />
earlier observed, there seems to be<br />
no reduction in the reports of<br />
kidnappings, so much that experts<br />
have predicted a rise in the number<br />
of out-of-school children due to<br />
More proactive steps<br />
have to be taken to<br />
secure schools from<br />
bandit or terrorist<br />
attacks and to stop the<br />
kidnapping of students<br />
incessant attacks on schools<br />
particularly in the North Central<br />
and Northwestern Nigeria.<br />
According to a report by Blueprint,<br />
an expert noted thus: Never in<br />
history has the education industry<br />
in Nigeria been so threatened by<br />
insecurity like its current state. The<br />
attacks on schools often have<br />
adverse effects not only on students,<br />
educators, parents and educational<br />
institutions, but also on the<br />
government and the society at<br />
large. The rising cases of<br />
kidnapping incidents at schools in<br />
Nigeria show how vulnerable<br />
schools in northern Nigeria have<br />
become for bandits and kidnappers.<br />
It means that kidnappers, bandits,<br />
terrorists or whatever name they are<br />
called, have declared war on the<br />
education sector in the North and<br />
in extension on the future of our<br />
students and country.<br />
When a teacher goes to school and<br />
is not guaranteed of his safety, it<br />
will affect his performance. Schools<br />
being shut down completely will<br />
impact negatively on the education<br />
sector, the system. The number of<br />
out-of-school children will continue<br />
to rise because<br />
parents whose<br />
children are back<br />
from bandits will<br />
begin to think<br />
otherwise and will<br />
not want them to<br />
go to school. The<br />
children will then<br />
begin roaming<br />
the streets and in<br />
the future, these<br />
children will be<br />
recruited into<br />
c r i m i n a l<br />
activities. More<br />
proactive steps<br />
have to be taken to<br />
secure schools<br />
from bandit or terrorist attacks and<br />
to stop the kidnapping of students.<br />
This is because if the emerging trend<br />
of kidnappings, especially<br />
students’ abductions are allowed to<br />
continue, it will not only consume<br />
our education sector, but also the<br />
future of our country. Our children<br />
and teachers deserve to learn and<br />
teach under a peaceful atmosphere<br />
devoid of any form of fear or<br />
intimidation either by kidnappers,<br />
bandits or terrorists.<br />
In another interview, Blueprint<br />
also reported thus: Everyone has<br />
the right to education. It is<br />
unfortunate that the fragility in the<br />
North is derailing education which<br />
is fundamental to the socioeconomic<br />
growth and development<br />
of the region and its ability to<br />
compete in the global<br />
economy. Following the incessant<br />
attacks on schools in the northern<br />
part of the country, certainly, the<br />
gains of the past in term of<br />
enrolment, retention and<br />
completion or graduation are being<br />
eroded. It will balloon the<br />
outrageous figure of out-of-school<br />
children in Nigeria. This is<br />
because no one wants to suffer the<br />
trauma of having his/her children<br />
abducted in the name of getting<br />
education. The number of street<br />
children/Almajirai will also<br />
increase. Child marriage will<br />
automatically rise with its nasty<br />
attendant implications like VVF<br />
and maternal mortality and<br />
morbidity among other issues.<br />
Unfortunately, with this trend,<br />
Nigeria cannot actualize the SDGs<br />
2030 target.<br />
Another expert noted thus: Given<br />
the pace at which bandits attack<br />
schools, government and private<br />
proprietors will be forced to shut<br />
down schools, intermittently, and<br />
then for much longer. Parents on the<br />
other hand will also be reluctant to<br />
send their wards and children to<br />
school; while teachers and other<br />
caregivers will be reluctant to report<br />
for work. The overall consequence<br />
will be empty schools, and gap in<br />
the education of children. Children<br />
will be left idle, and restless, since<br />
they cannot even be engaged with<br />
the livelihood practices of their<br />
parents due to insecurity. Poverty<br />
will increase, social cohesion within<br />
the homes and the communities<br />
will be stretched, and there will be<br />
increase in anti-social behaviour<br />
among children, with both children<br />
and their parents developing<br />
mental health issues. All of these<br />
will make recovery more tedious,<br />
and take longer even when security<br />
and safety are restored.<br />
Unfortunately, the impact will not<br />
just be on the North-west, or Northcentral;<br />
the impact will eventually<br />
be national and nationwide. People<br />
will tend to leave insecure places<br />
for relatively more secure places,<br />
and the inequality with respect to<br />
the conditions of living and<br />
existence of residents and the new<br />
influx of those seeking refuge from<br />
insecurity will potentially be<br />
destabilising for their new place of<br />
refuge as well.<br />
To be concluded…<br />
:Vanguard<br />
News<br />
:@vanguardnews<br />
$1.5bn: PH refinery'll run for<br />
another 15 years —NNPC GMD<br />
•Says new refinery may cost $12bn<br />
By Obas Esiedesa<br />
ABUJA—THE Group Managing<br />
Director of the Nigerian National<br />
Petroleum Corporation (NNPC),<br />
Mallam Mele Kyari, has explained<br />
that the Port Harcourt Refinery would<br />
operate for the next 15 years after its<br />
rehabilitation at the cost of $1.5 billion.<br />
Kyari who defended the cost involved<br />
in the rehabilitation of the<br />
refinery, pointed out that building a<br />
new one may cost up to $12 billion.<br />
The Federal Executive Council<br />
had last Wednesday approved $1.5<br />
billion for the rehabilitation of the<br />
moribund refinery, a decision that<br />
has been criticized in several quarters.<br />
But the NNPC in a statement on<br />
Tuesday explained that the scope of<br />
the contract goes beyond just turn<br />
around maintenance of the refinery<br />
to entail replacement of key components<br />
of the plant.<br />
Kyari described the approved rehabilitation<br />
contract of the 210,000<br />
barrels per day capacity refinery as<br />
a worthy undertaking embarked<br />
upon after diligent consideration and<br />
in strict adherence to industry best<br />
standards.<br />
He explained that in arriving at<br />
the decision to award the Engineering,<br />
Procurement, and Construction<br />
(EPC) contract to Tecnimont spA of<br />
Milan, Italy, after a competitive bidding<br />
process, the Corporation observed<br />
an unprecedented level of<br />
transparency and due diligence<br />
By Ozioruva Aliu<br />
BENIN CITY—EDO State govern<br />
ment, yesterday, evening destroyed<br />
the residence of former deputy<br />
governor, Dr Pius Odubu situated<br />
at Dennis Osadebey Avenue GRA<br />
in Benin City.<br />
The property was occupied by the<br />
younger brother to Odubu as at the<br />
time of the demolition.<br />
Also destroyed were properties belonging<br />
to a former Secretary to<br />
State Government, SSG and present<br />
member representing Owan Federal<br />
Constituency, Professor Julius Ihonvbere<br />
and that of a sports marketer,<br />
Mike Etemuagbo.<br />
Odubu described the incident as<br />
unfortunate, adding the matter was<br />
already before the court of law after<br />
the government announced the revocation<br />
of the Certificate of Occupancy,<br />
which he said he read in the news.<br />
"The information came to me this<br />
afternoon (yesterday), March 23, that<br />
my property situated at Dennis Osadebe<br />
Avenue had been brought<br />
down by agents of the government on<br />
the directive of the governor.<br />
"Before now, my attention was<br />
which consists of a governance<br />
structure and tender process that included<br />
key independent external<br />
stakeholders.<br />
He said: "We have people saying<br />
why not build a new one; why will<br />
you repair an old refinery with 1.5<br />
billion dollars?<br />
"The fact is available even by Google<br />
search, what it takes to build a<br />
refinery of this status today. It will be<br />
difficult for the country to build a<br />
new refinery as it will take four years<br />
for it to commence production.<br />
"It is around $7 billion and $12<br />
billion to construct a refinery of this<br />
nature (Port Harcourt refinery). This<br />
is the estimate you see in public space<br />
and there are things you do outside<br />
the construction battle-limits like the<br />
utilities that are never accounted for<br />
when estimates of this nature are<br />
done.<br />
"Typically, there is an additional 25<br />
per cent cost for construction battlelimits,<br />
so, when you say a refinery<br />
can be built at $7 billion or even $10<br />
billion, also think of that 25 per cent",<br />
he added.<br />
He continued: "With today's estimate,<br />
you cannot build a refinery at<br />
any cost below these amounts, that<br />
means that the option you have is to<br />
scrap this and build a new one, and<br />
we all know that we don't have that<br />
resource.<br />
"If we start a new refinery of this<br />
nature today, it can't work in less than<br />
four years; therefore, it means we will<br />
continue to import petroleum products<br />
in the next four years or more".<br />
Obaseki's bulldozer pulls down ex-Edo<br />
dep gov, Odubu, Ihonvbere, Etemuagbo<br />
brought to a publication in the media<br />
in January that the C of O of my<br />
property had been revoked without<br />
prior notice given to me.<br />
"I went to court in the matter and I<br />
am surprised that after they were<br />
served, the government still went<br />
ahead to bring down my house with a<br />
bulldozer.<br />
"My younger one was in the house<br />
when it was brought down and they<br />
did not give them notice nor allow<br />
him to remove any of their properties<br />
before destroying the place," he said.<br />
Wife of his younger brother, Mrs<br />
Precious Odubu, who narrated the incident<br />
to newsmen, said, "The way<br />
they came in, not through the main<br />
gate, I was afraid and asked about<br />
their mission and they told me that<br />
they want to demolish the house and<br />
if there are children in the building,<br />
they should be brought out.<br />
"Without even waiting for my response,<br />
they just brought in their buldozers<br />
and started destroying the<br />
house without allowing us to remove<br />
our properties," she stated.<br />
At press time, there was no official<br />
response from the state government.<br />
Leading Ladies Africa pushes for<br />
gender parity, gets Appzone support<br />
By Prince Osuagwu,<br />
Hi-Tech Editor<br />
WOMEN-FOCUSED Non-Prof<br />
it Organisation Leading Ladies<br />
Africa has said that the panacea for<br />
Africa's economic growth is to give<br />
women a fair share in the leadership<br />
of the economies.<br />
The group which condemned what<br />
it described as gender imbalance in<br />
the scheme of things in Africa said<br />
African leaders must let women take<br />
adequate share in leadership of the<br />
continent.<br />
The group in a statement said it<br />
must continue on its goal of strengthening<br />
the continued push for gender<br />
equality, parity and inclusion for African<br />
women.<br />
Amplifying the group's internal diversity<br />
and inclusion drive, it initiated<br />
a Leadership By Design Summit,<br />
which seeks to address and proffer<br />
solutions to the most pressing challenges<br />
women face in business, workplace,<br />
and leadership fields. The event<br />
is billed to hold March 27, at the Four<br />
Points by Sheraton Hotel, Oniru, Lagos.<br />
Meanwhile, a leading FinTech Software<br />
Company, Appzone Group has<br />
thrown its weight behind the summit,<br />
saying it understands the importance<br />
of fostering a society where women<br />
and men are treated as equals.<br />
Group Chief Marketing Officer<br />
Appzone, Efosa Aiyevbomwan said:<br />
"As a Pan-African brand with a global<br />
outlook, we're excited to partner<br />
with Leading Ladies Africa because<br />
we understand the importance of cultivating<br />
a workforce and society that<br />
is truly diverse and inclusive, fostering<br />
a continued sense of equity for<br />
women and other minority groups.
Continues from Page 5<br />
contest this, we will<br />
contest that.<br />
“For me, I want us, as<br />
leaders of this country,<br />
who have taken oath of<br />
office, let us abide by<br />
those things we have<br />
said, work together as a<br />
team, leave politics aside,<br />
leave ethnicity aside,<br />
then secure the country,<br />
Nigeria. We have no other<br />
country than Nigeria.<br />
“Today, we cannot go to<br />
Cameroon or Senegal or<br />
any other country and<br />
claim responsibility, so my<br />
appeal to everyone is to<br />
ensure that we work<br />
together. Security matters<br />
are not just for the<br />
security agencies alone.<br />
We as people who are<br />
being led, have a<br />
responsibility, we who are<br />
leaders, have a<br />
responsibility.<br />
“It is only when we team<br />
up that we’ll be able to<br />
surmount this challenge.<br />
But I think there<br />
shouldn’t be room for<br />
people who are creating<br />
problems for us. We have<br />
a constitution, we have<br />
laws of the land. If people<br />
are found wanting, they<br />
should be cautioned, they<br />
should be arrested,<br />
prosecuted and let the<br />
right thing be done.”<br />
‘Let’s protect the<br />
constitution’<br />
Speaking on the<br />
protection of the<br />
constitution, <strong>Ortom</strong><br />
appealed for the<br />
provisions of the<br />
constitution to be<br />
protected to enable<br />
equity, fairness, and<br />
justice in the country.<br />
He criticized the issue of<br />
impunity in the country<br />
which he said had been<br />
allowed to fester, and<br />
urged the Federal<br />
Government to<br />
immediately prosecute<br />
anyone found culpable of<br />
breaching the law.<br />
On the question of<br />
reports alleging that<br />
attack on his convoy was<br />
a pseudo-claim, the<br />
governor appealed to<br />
Nigerians not to politicize<br />
the issue of attempted<br />
assassination on his<br />
person.<br />
Naira appreciates N409.80/$<br />
in I&E window<br />
By Elizabeth Adegbesan<br />
The naira yesterday appreciated to N409.80 kobo<br />
per dollar in the Investors and Exporters (I&E)<br />
window.<br />
Data from FMDQ showed that the indicative<br />
exchange rate for the window dropped by 33 kobo<br />
to N409.80 kobo per dollar from N410.13 per dollar<br />
on Monday, translating to 33 kobo appreciation of<br />
the naira.<br />
The volume of dollars (turnover) traded in the<br />
window yesterday rose by 28 percent to $33.11<br />
million from $25.88 million on Monday.<br />
vanguardnews @vanguardnews @vanguardnews<br />
<strong>Insecurity</strong> <strong>threatens</strong> <strong>2023</strong><br />
<strong>elections</strong>, <strong>Ortom</strong> <strong>tells</strong> <strong>Buhari</strong><br />
He reiterated that the<br />
attack on his convoy by<br />
about 15 gunmen<br />
suspected to be herdsmen<br />
while on a visit to his farm,<br />
was not stage-managed.<br />
While asserting that he<br />
had done nothing wrong<br />
to enact an anti-open<br />
grazing law beneficial to<br />
the state, he said the<br />
demand by the cattle<br />
breeders association,<br />
Miyetti Allah, to repeal<br />
the law would be<br />
impossible to fulfill,<br />
having passed through<br />
due process.<br />
<strong>Ortom</strong>, who prayed that<br />
what happened to him<br />
should not be experienced<br />
by anyone else,<br />
commended other<br />
governors, colleagues for<br />
standing by him during<br />
the attack.<br />
Gunmen suspected to<br />
be herdsmen last<br />
Saturday attacked<br />
Governor <strong>Ortom</strong> at Tyo<br />
Mu along Makurdi/<br />
Gboko road in Makurdi<br />
Local Government Area of<br />
the state. <strong>Ortom</strong>, who<br />
described the gunmen as<br />
‘herdsmen’, said about 15<br />
of the attackers trailed<br />
him to the river bank<br />
where he was on foot.<br />
Attack on<br />
<strong>Ortom</strong>,<br />
indication of<br />
anarchy — Reps<br />
Similarly, the House of<br />
Representatives<br />
yesterday condemned the<br />
attack on the governor<br />
and asked security<br />
agencies to go after the<br />
perpetrators.<br />
The lower chamber<br />
condemned the incident<br />
when the matter came up<br />
during yesterday’s<br />
plenary presided over by<br />
the speaker, Femi<br />
Gbajabiamila.<br />
It described the attack<br />
on the governor as an<br />
indication of anarchy and<br />
full-scale lawlessness in<br />
the country.<br />
The House, however,<br />
commended President<br />
Muhammadu <strong>Buhari</strong> for<br />
promptly ordering an<br />
investigation into the<br />
incident. It also called on<br />
the security agencies to<br />
ensure that those<br />
involved were brought to<br />
justice, to serve as a<br />
deterrent to others.<br />
The resolution of the<br />
House followed a motion<br />
of urgent public<br />
importance sponsored by<br />
Kpam Jimin Sokpo, who<br />
represents Buruku<br />
Federal Constituency of<br />
Benue State and 11<br />
others.<br />
Presenting the motion,<br />
Sokpo raised concerns<br />
about the worsening spate<br />
of violent crimes and<br />
insecurity across the<br />
country, ranging from<br />
cultism, armed robbery,<br />
armed herdsmen attacks,<br />
bandit attacks, armed<br />
militia attacks, to Boko<br />
Haram insurgency and<br />
terrorism.<br />
He expressed worries<br />
that “on Saturday, March<br />
20, 2021, some gunmen<br />
suspected to be killer<br />
herders, ambushed and<br />
opened gunfire on the<br />
convoy of the governor of<br />
Benue State, Samuel<br />
<strong>Ortom</strong> at Tyo-Mu, a<br />
distance of less than 20<br />
kilometers from Makurdi,<br />
the state capital.’’<br />
He explained further<br />
that the attackers,<br />
numbering over 15,<br />
wielding sophisticated<br />
weapons and dressed in<br />
black, had trailed the<br />
governor from the farm<br />
but were repelled by the<br />
security details attached to<br />
the governor who had to<br />
run for over one kilometer<br />
to safety.<br />
In his contribution to<br />
debate on the motion,<br />
Minority Leader, Ndudi<br />
Elumelu (PDP, Delta),<br />
warned that if the violent<br />
herdsmen were not<br />
stopped as fast possible,<br />
Nigeria might soon begin<br />
to import basic foods as<br />
cassava.<br />
“If care is not taken, we<br />
will soon be importing<br />
yams, cassava and garri<br />
into the country, to feed our<br />
people, because our people<br />
in the grassroots, are no<br />
longer going to their farms,<br />
because of attacks from<br />
herdsmen,” he warned.<br />
Adopting all the<br />
arguments, the House<br />
collectively condemned<br />
“the armed attack and<br />
assassination attempt on<br />
Governor Samuel <strong>Ortom</strong> of<br />
Benue State by<br />
unidentified gunmen on<br />
the 20th March, 2021”.<br />
Though the House<br />
commended President<br />
Muhammadu <strong>Buhari</strong> for<br />
his prompt response and for<br />
immediately ordering an<br />
investigation into the attack<br />
on the governor, it also<br />
resolved to call on the<br />
Department of State<br />
Services, DSS, and Nigeria<br />
Police to investigate claims<br />
of responsibility of the<br />
attack on the governor by a<br />
Fulani group.<br />
The House, also urged all<br />
Nigerians of good<br />
conscience and lawabiding<br />
citizens to keep<br />
Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, MARCH 24, 2021 — 35<br />
NEWS HOTLINES<br />
018773962,<br />
08052867058<br />
PUBLIC HEARING ON MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS —From left:<br />
Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Amb. Zubairu Dada; Minister of Foreign<br />
Affairs, Mr Geoffrey Onyeama; and Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Foreign<br />
Affairs, Amb. Gabriel Aduda, during the House of Representatives Committee<br />
on Foreign Affairs’ public hearing on incessant malpractices associated with<br />
diplomatic postings and deliberate draining of resources in the Ministry of<br />
Foreign Affairs, at the National Assembly Complex in Abuja, yesterday. Photo:<br />
NAN.<br />
faith with the indivisibility,<br />
unity and sovereignty of the<br />
nation.<br />
Afenifere blasts<br />
<strong>Buhari</strong> over<br />
insecurity<br />
Meanwhile, the Pan-<br />
Yoruba socio-cultural and<br />
political organisation,<br />
Afenifere, yesterday<br />
berated President,<br />
Muhammadu <strong>Buhari</strong> over<br />
the failure of his<br />
government to resolve the<br />
nation’s insecurity<br />
problems and prosecute<br />
perpetraors of Agatu<br />
massacre in Benin State in<br />
2018.<br />
Afenifere’s new leader, Pa<br />
Ayo Adebanjo, who stated<br />
this in a statement, titled<br />
“Afenifere synpathises with<br />
<strong>Ortom</strong> over attack,” said<br />
“President <strong>Buhari</strong>’s<br />
reaction to the development<br />
amounted to shedding<br />
crocodile tears.<br />
He asked the President to<br />
“desist from pretending<br />
that he was not aware that<br />
herdsmen were the<br />
perpetrators of most of the<br />
killings the country has<br />
witnessed in recent time.”<br />
Adebanjo expressed<br />
displeasure that <strong>Buhari</strong>’s<br />
government could neither<br />
apprehend perpetrators of<br />
the 2018 Agatu massacre in<br />
Benue State nor do<br />
anything to stem attack by<br />
herdsmen in the state.<br />
“Rather than help the<br />
people of Benue, the<br />
President told an embattled<br />
<strong>Ortom</strong> when he<br />
approached the Presidency<br />
for help in 2018 to go make<br />
peace with his<br />
neighbours,” Adebanjo<br />
added.<br />
The Afenifere leader said<br />
the myriad of intractable<br />
crises bedevilling the<br />
nation appeared to have<br />
overwhelmed the<br />
President.<br />
He said now is the time<br />
to give governors full<br />
powers to be in charge of<br />
security in the states, if<br />
insecurity was to be nipped<br />
in the bud.<br />
“Restructuring still<br />
remains the only way out<br />
of the doldrums for the<br />
nation, if disintegration is<br />
to be avoided,” the<br />
Afenifere leader said.<br />
APC registers 36 million members, vows<br />
to remain in power for next 26 years<br />
By Omeiza Ajayi<br />
ABUJA — The Caretaker<br />
Extraordinary<br />
Convention Planning<br />
Committee, CECPC, of ruling<br />
All Progressives Congress,<br />
APC, has said it was putting<br />
in place mechanisms to assist<br />
the party retain power at the<br />
centre for at least the next 26<br />
years.<br />
National Chairman of the<br />
CECPC and governor of Yobe<br />
state, Mai Mala Buni,<br />
disclosed this in Abuja<br />
yesterday while inaugurating<br />
a 61-member Strategy and<br />
Contact Committee, ahead of<br />
the <strong>2023</strong> general election.<br />
This is even as Jigawa State<br />
governor and chairman of the<br />
committee, Alhaji Badaru<br />
Abubakar, said the party has<br />
now registered over 36<br />
members in its nationwide<br />
membership registration and<br />
revalidation drive.<br />
He also expressed optimism<br />
about the ability of the Buniled<br />
CECPC to conduct the<br />
national convention of the<br />
party latest June.<br />
The ruling party is nearly<br />
half way into its second term<br />
of four years, but Buni said the<br />
party was looking at being in<br />
power beyond its eight-year<br />
tenure.<br />
He said: “The constitution<br />
of the Strategy and Contact<br />
Committee, therefore, is to<br />
consolidate the achievements<br />
we are making in building a<br />
strong party with a solid<br />
structure that would<br />
accomplish APC to stand the<br />
test of time.<br />
“Our vision is to provide a<br />
wheel that will drive the party<br />
to go beyond 6th, 7th and even<br />
8th term of office to effectively<br />
implement the party<br />
manifesto, improve the lives<br />
of Nigerians and remain<br />
Nigeria’s leading political<br />
party.<br />
“This committee is,<br />
therefore, very key to our<br />
process of transition towards<br />
successful congresses and<br />
national convention and, to<br />
establish a very solid,<br />
reputable and reliable future<br />
for the party.”<br />
“As l said earlier, if you don’t<br />
manage your crisis, your crisis<br />
will manage you. I am happy<br />
to say that the committee is<br />
running an all inclusive<br />
administration, giving all<br />
stakeholders and indeed our<br />
members the opportunity to<br />
contribute in the onerous task<br />
of rebuilding the party."<br />
In his remarks, chairman of<br />
the committee and governor<br />
of Jigawa State, Alhaji<br />
Badaru Abubakar, urged<br />
members of the committee to<br />
make the necessary sacrifice<br />
and complement the efforts of<br />
President Muhammadu<br />
<strong>Buhari</strong> and the CECPC in<br />
ensuring that the party<br />
continues to be the party of<br />
choice for Nigerians.<br />
“I note with commendation<br />
that many Nigerians have<br />
continued to join the party<br />
daily and the ongoing<br />
registration has further<br />
demonstrated the popularity<br />
of the party in the country. We<br />
are mindful of the time table<br />
publicized by the party and<br />
our committee shall work<br />
assiduously to support the<br />
party in delivering on the time<br />
table.<br />
36 million members<br />
“Initially, we printed forms<br />
for only 10,000 members but<br />
we got up to 10 million<br />
members and now, we have<br />
gone to 36 million and that is<br />
not even enough. Now, we are<br />
printing more because people<br />
have seen what President<br />
Muhammadu <strong>Buhari</strong> has<br />
done with one slice of the<br />
resources the previous<br />
administration got. And the<br />
support is really tremendous.<br />
“It is very feasible. I know<br />
the national caretaker<br />
committee is committed to<br />
delivering in June. And we will<br />
support them and do<br />
whatever it takes to make sure<br />
we deliver by June,” the<br />
Jigawa governor added.
36 — VANGUARD, WEDNESDAY, MARCH 24, 2021<br />
She refuses to have my family<br />
at our wedding<br />
Dear Bunmi,<br />
MY FIANCÉE doesn't<br />
get on with my family<br />
and things have turned really<br />
nasty. She wasn't their<br />
favourite candidate when we<br />
first started dating as she used<br />
to date a relation. With time,<br />
I was able to work on my<br />
family to respect the love I<br />
had for her. Now that we're<br />
talking marriage, she's issued<br />
an ultimatum that if I<br />
involved my family the<br />
wedding wouldn't take place.<br />
I think this is absurd<br />
and I've told her she's<br />
overreacting but she refuses<br />
to budge. What should I do?<br />
Walter, By e-mail.<br />
Dear Walter,<br />
What an outrageous and<br />
ridiculous ultimatum! You<br />
should tell her to stop<br />
behaving like a spoilt brat.<br />
She supposedly loves you, yet<br />
wants you to promise not to<br />
see your family who you love<br />
dearly. Her behaviour should<br />
make you question the whole<br />
relationship but if you still<br />
want her, then let her know<br />
what she's asking for is<br />
impossible. That your family<br />
is as important to you as she<br />
is and you need to have an<br />
honest and practical chat<br />
about how to make things<br />
work so everyone can be<br />
happy.<br />
She doesn't have to love your<br />
family - or they her, but they<br />
both need to be respectful of<br />
your situation. Whatever you<br />
do, don't tell your family she<br />
asked you to make this choice<br />
because she certainly will<br />
forever remain in their bad<br />
books!<br />
Your friends who knew of your husband's affair and<br />
kept quiet didn't do so out of nastiness but fear of<br />
what might happen if the truth came out. They were<br />
afraid to be honest with you in case you turned on<br />
them and they might also be wary of interfering in<br />
your relationship, hoping that marriage might change<br />
your husband for the better.<br />
I don't feel passionate about him<br />
Dear Bunmi,<br />
I<br />
have had good and<br />
intense relationships in<br />
the past and had hoped this<br />
would continue with my<br />
current boyfriend, but life<br />
with him is quieter and though<br />
the lovemaking is okay, I<br />
wouldn't call it earth<br />
shattering.<br />
I just turned 30 and would<br />
love to have children, and my<br />
new man could be a sensible<br />
choice as he's financially solid.<br />
Only I'm not that excited<br />
about spending the rest of my<br />
life with him. My married<br />
friends have told me that<br />
passion fades with time,<br />
anyway, and I should stay<br />
with him because he's a good<br />
catch.<br />
Am I wrong for wanting to<br />
hang on for someone I feel<br />
passionate about?<br />
Constance, by e-mail.<br />
Dear Constance,<br />
We're not talking about a<br />
business partnership here, but<br />
a love match. Like your<br />
friends, some people would<br />
argue differently, saying<br />
If you're after a<br />
more powerful,<br />
emotional and<br />
sexual experience,<br />
then hang on for<br />
the person you<br />
want to instantly<br />
fall all over you!<br />
Passion won't<br />
guarantee you a<br />
lifetime lover but<br />
it's a good start<br />
and is likely to<br />
make you stick<br />
around for the<br />
finish.<br />
marriage plus children is a<br />
type of business arrangement,<br />
and the qualities you search<br />
for in a husband are different<br />
from those in a lover. The<br />
danger here is that if you<br />
settle for Mr. Sensible,<br />
chances of having affairs with<br />
men who turn you on are<br />
high.<br />
Who you choose to spend<br />
the rest of your life with and<br />
why, has a lot to do with your<br />
personality. If you want a<br />
passionate, intense<br />
relationship, chemistry is<br />
crucial.<br />
But if you would rather settle<br />
for 'content', then chemistry's<br />
not important. With real<br />
passion, the more involved<br />
you are, the more you have to<br />
lose and some people are wary<br />
of this.<br />
If you're after a more<br />
powerful, emotional and<br />
sexual experience, then hang<br />
on for the person you want to<br />
instantly fall all over you!<br />
Passion won't guarantee you<br />
a lifetime lover but it's a good<br />
start and is likely to make you<br />
stick around for the finish.<br />
And remember, even good<br />
relationships have a lot of<br />
boring bits, and passion is<br />
what keeps us hanging in<br />
there, rather than dashing out<br />
the door the second problems<br />
start.<br />
Who you choose to spend the rest of your life with<br />
and why, has a lot to do with your personality. If you<br />
want a passionate, intense relationship, chemistry is<br />
crucial.<br />
It feels like I'm still<br />
inexperienced<br />
Dear Bunmi,<br />
ALTHOUGH I am in my<br />
mid twenties, I lost my<br />
virginity only last year and<br />
I've had sex with a couple of<br />
guys to get more experience.<br />
But my relationship with these<br />
guys didn't last because sex<br />
with them didn't turn me on<br />
all that much.<br />
I've now met a man I<br />
consider my dream guy but<br />
we haven't had sex yet in<br />
spite of the fact we've been<br />
dating for weeks now. My<br />
problems is that I still feel like<br />
a virgin because I'm so<br />
inexperienced and I don't<br />
want to do anything wrong<br />
and put my new man off.<br />
What should I do?<br />
Saudat, By e-mail.<br />
Wearing knickers makes her<br />
uncomfortable!<br />
Dear Bunmi,<br />
Ihave been involved with<br />
Franca for over two years.<br />
She is a professional, highly<br />
successful woman and comes<br />
from a respectable<br />
background. She lives in a<br />
flat she bought in Ikoyi and I<br />
share a luxury flat with a<br />
friend on the Island.<br />
We are very compatible<br />
sexually and I have marriage<br />
on my mind.<br />
One thing that makes me<br />
uncomfortable is Franka's<br />
refusal to wear knickers. She<br />
says they make her<br />
uncomfortable. Even when<br />
she has her periods, she uses<br />
tampons and refuses to have<br />
anything to do with that brand<br />
of underwear. I shouldn't<br />
complain really as it has made<br />
love-making an adventurous<br />
project. But what happens if<br />
she climbs the stairs and<br />
Why did he marry me?<br />
Dear Bunmi,<br />
AFTER I discovered I<br />
was pregnant, my boyfriend<br />
of two years decided<br />
we should get married. I<br />
now have an 18-month-old<br />
son and my husband is in a<br />
hot affair with this woman he<br />
knew before we got married.<br />
As a matter of fact, almost<br />
everybody we knew were<br />
aware of the affair, yet no one<br />
told me especially since she<br />
is well known to me. I feel<br />
betrayed by everyone and<br />
have left my matrimonial<br />
home. I would have gone<br />
mad if I had stayed.<br />
Felicia, By e-mail.<br />
Dear Saudat,<br />
Why don't you learn to relax<br />
for a start? And forget the<br />
notion that you'll learn to be a<br />
good lover by having a series<br />
of men to practice with!<br />
Most people learn about sex<br />
in a committed relationship<br />
where you both have the time<br />
and desire to explore each<br />
other's bodies and learn how<br />
to communicate your sexual<br />
wants and needs in a safe,<br />
loving environment.<br />
Let your new man know you<br />
have limited experience with<br />
sex and that's why you haven't<br />
rushed it. With his help, you<br />
can then relax and if he's more<br />
experienced, let him take you<br />
through your paces!<br />
people can see up her legs?<br />
Or if she suddenly gets<br />
knocked down by a car and is<br />
exposed?<br />
She said nothing I would say<br />
would make her change her<br />
mind. But don't you think it's<br />
a bit of a frivolity for a lady<br />
not to wear knickers.<br />
Alaba, By e-mail.<br />
Dear Alaba,<br />
A lot of men would give their<br />
right arm to be in your shoes!<br />
Seriously, how many exposed<br />
knickers have you seen in the<br />
last ten years? Except you are<br />
a flasher, what you wear or<br />
don't wear underneath your<br />
clothes, be it male or female,<br />
is strictly your business.<br />
Frivolity has nothing to do<br />
with it and the earlier you<br />
came out of the Dark Ages, the<br />
sooner you'd enjoy this<br />
healthy relationship better.<br />
Dear Felicia,<br />
Your friends who knew of<br />
your husband's affair and<br />
kept quiet didn't do so out of<br />
nastiness but fear of what<br />
might happen if the truth<br />
came out. They were afraid<br />
to be honest with you in case<br />
you turned on them and they<br />
might also be wary of interfering<br />
in your relationship,<br />
hoping that marriage might<br />
change your husband for the<br />
better.<br />
Your husband is the love rat<br />
here and while you now have<br />
to get over his deceit, don't<br />
think your friends betrayed<br />
you too. They obviously believed<br />
they were doing their<br />
best for you.<br />
Share your problems and release<br />
your burden. Write now to<br />
Dear Bunmi,<br />
Vanguard Newspapers,<br />
P.M.B 1007, Apapa, Lagos, or<br />
bunmsof@yahoo.co.uk
Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, MARCH 24, 2021 — 37
38 — Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, MARCH 24, 2021<br />
AFCON 2021:<br />
Super Eagles camp bubbles<br />
for Squirrels, Crocodiles<br />
Nigeria’s senior men team’s camp<br />
is teeming with her superstars<br />
as countdown begins for the final<br />
round of qualification matches for the<br />
2021 Africa Cup of Nations against<br />
Benin Republic and Lesotho<br />
respectively.<br />
At lunchtime on Tuesday, 23<br />
players had arrived at the<br />
magnificent Eko Hotel & Towers,<br />
Victoria Island, Lagos where the<br />
three-time African champions are<br />
ensconced ahead of the big duels.<br />
Nigeria top their group with eight<br />
points, one better than the Squirrels<br />
of Benin Republic, against whom<br />
they trade tackles at the Stade<br />
Charles de Gaulle in Porto Novo on<br />
Saturday in the penultimate round<br />
of the qualifying campaign. Three<br />
days later, the Eagles confront the<br />
Crocodiles of Lesotho at the Teslim<br />
Covid-19 pandemic has denied<br />
the world the spectacle usually<br />
associated with sports events.<br />
And since 2020 great football<br />
matches have been played and are<br />
still being played in empty stadiums<br />
to avoid spread of the diseases.<br />
Covid-19 has changed the world.<br />
However, Africa's soccer icon and<br />
Qatar 2022 World Cup ambassador,<br />
Samuel Eto'o is hopeful that some<br />
normalcy may result from the<br />
current global efforts fighting the<br />
pandemic and that the world will<br />
be treated to the usual spectacle that<br />
the World Cup is in 2022.<br />
'It's 600 days to the World Cup.<br />
That's a lot of time for things to get<br />
better and possibly get 100 percent<br />
of the usual spectacle we all<br />
experience from the fans', Eto'o said<br />
in a virtual media chat with African<br />
journalists Tuesday. Eto'o has been<br />
living in Qatar for three years now.<br />
He is a witness to the transformation<br />
the country has gone through in<br />
readiness for the World Cup in 2022.<br />
'If you consider the efforts<br />
everybody is making including the<br />
World Health Organisation, WHO,<br />
Balogun Stadium, Lagos in what will<br />
be their first encounter in Nigeria’s<br />
commercial and economic capital in<br />
10 years.<br />
With three –pointer Sierra Leone,<br />
third in the pool, concluding their<br />
game away to bottom –placed<br />
Lesotho in Maseru earlier, the Eagles<br />
could be guaranteed qualification for<br />
the final tournament in Cameroon<br />
before kick-off in Porto Novo. Failure<br />
by the Leone Stars to pick all three<br />
points will mean Nigeria and Benin<br />
are through to Cameroon.<br />
On Tuesday, Coach Gernot Rohr<br />
said his wards will approach<br />
Saturday’s match with the intention<br />
of picking all three poits, no matter<br />
the result of the group’s other tie in<br />
southern Africa.<br />
“We are keen to restore a winning<br />
mentality to the group ahead of very<br />
Qatar 2022 World Cup:<br />
I wish I were 10 years younger<br />
to play in Qatar — Eto'o<br />
•Says 'Football spectacle may<br />
return before the games'<br />
GWG acquires<br />
HISL/HIFL<br />
trademark<br />
Green White Green Sports<br />
Centre Ltd (GWG) has<br />
acquired Higher Institution Sports<br />
League (HISL) and Higher<br />
Institution Football League (HIFL)<br />
trademark.<br />
The acquisition extends the<br />
GWG’s search for all<br />
encompassing education -<br />
providing training; entertainment;<br />
sporting and cultural activities.<br />
Announcing the acquisition<br />
yesterday, Secretary, HISL/HIFL<br />
Supreme Management<br />
Committee, Babatunde Adejuwon,<br />
said GWG will at any moment from<br />
now come up with aggregate<br />
sports programmes for all Higher<br />
Education Institutions — in a way<br />
that suits developmental needs of<br />
combining sports with education.<br />
Adejuwon, who is a renowned<br />
volleyball promoter, added that<br />
combining sport with academic<br />
study improves athlete<br />
performance on the field as well as<br />
off it and gives the athlete a headstart<br />
in post-sport career.<br />
it's possible the spectacle may return<br />
at the World Cup. However, if the<br />
pandemic continues I'm sure that<br />
Qatar will take the right decisions<br />
that will be good for football,' he said<br />
while assuring that the Middle East<br />
country is ready to host the best<br />
World Cup ever.<br />
On the facilities he said that all the<br />
stadiums will be ready this year,<br />
noting that some are ready now and<br />
hosting matches.<br />
'Each time I visit any of the venues<br />
and see the magnificent structures I<br />
feel like a baby given a new toy. The<br />
sights are amazing to behold and I<br />
wish I were 10 years younger so that<br />
I could play there at the World Cup.<br />
Some of them are already hosting<br />
matches. The rest will be ready before<br />
the end of this year.'<br />
No African country has gotten<br />
close to winning the World Cup.<br />
Cameroun, Senegal and Ghana only<br />
reached the quarter finals. Will Qatar<br />
offer African countries better<br />
opportunities to excel?<br />
The last time Eto'o was asked a<br />
similar question he said Africa had<br />
the talents to do better than they<br />
have done at the World Cup but<br />
regretted that administration of the<br />
game in the continent has always<br />
frustrated the teams. His position has<br />
not changed but he hopes that<br />
African teams have what it takes to<br />
make their continent proud in Qatar.<br />
'Football is like a religion in Africa.<br />
The fans support their teams and<br />
they will bank on them to make them<br />
proud.'<br />
By John Egbokhan<br />
Super Eagles manager, Gernot<br />
Rohr, has inferred that Genk<br />
towering striker, Paul Onuachu,<br />
was a victim of his instant and early<br />
success in the senior national team.<br />
Rohr, initially excluded Onuachu,<br />
who has scored 25 goals from 30<br />
matches in the Belgian top flight<br />
league, from the upcoming African<br />
Cup of Nations qualifying fixtures<br />
against Benin Republic and<br />
Lesotho in Port Novo and Lagos,<br />
said the striker’s failure to live up<br />
to his early promise,where he<br />
scored a quick-fire goal, pushed him<br />
to the stand-by list of the national<br />
team.<br />
crucial matches that we have ahead.<br />
It is important that we earn victories<br />
in the upcoming matches so that we<br />
get into our paces for the FIFA World<br />
Cup qualifiers. There will be tough<br />
games to come and we need to be<br />
rearing to go.”<br />
The Eagles have Cape Verde,<br />
Liberia and Central Africa Republic<br />
to dispute in the 2022 FIFA World<br />
Cup race, with only the winner<br />
heading to the final knockout series<br />
in November. Liberia’s Lone Star will<br />
be the Eagles’ first opponents in that<br />
race, at home, before a trip to Bangui.<br />
•Ahmed<br />
Musa<br />
On the<br />
organisation<br />
a n d<br />
preparedness<br />
of Qatar,<br />
E t o ' o<br />
challenged<br />
African<br />
countries<br />
to emulate<br />
Qatar and<br />
be inspired<br />
by their vision.<br />
•Eto'o<br />
'Qatar is a small country in the<br />
Middle East but they are a country<br />
with visionary leaders who have<br />
made them what they are today. I<br />
hope that Africa will draw inspiration<br />
from them. The World Cup is not only<br />
about the games, there are so many<br />
benefits that come with it.'<br />
Eto'o feels that the package Qatar<br />
is offering to the world in 2022 is so<br />
amazing that he describes it as 'a<br />
gift to the world.'<br />
Rohr: Onuachu a victim of<br />
instant Eagles success<br />
But for UD Almeria's decision to<br />
stop Sadik Umar from linking up<br />
with the Eagles camp in Lagos,<br />
Onuachu, would not have been<br />
deemed good enough to make the<br />
team and speaking yesterday at the<br />
Eko Hotel, Rohr, who back-tracked<br />
on his earlier snub for Onuachu,<br />
with a late invitation, said the latter<br />
remains “a very important player”<br />
for Nigeria.<br />
“Onuachu is a part of the team, I<br />
invited him already when he<br />
played his first match and he<br />
scored the goal after seven seconds<br />
and then the people are waiting<br />
all the time that he is doing the<br />
same but he could not."<br />
Home-based players too much<br />
in a hurry —Rohr<br />
Super Eagles coach, Gernot<br />
Rohr has said home-based<br />
Nigerian players are too much in<br />
a hurry to get overseas clubs, hence<br />
their lack of break-through with<br />
the national team.<br />
Rohr has been under much<br />
criticism for his lack of<br />
enthusiasm for players in the<br />
Nigeria Professional Football<br />
League, but he said ahead of the<br />
African Cup of Nations qualifiers<br />
against Benin Republic and<br />
Lesotho this weekend, that homebased<br />
players need to develop<br />
their skills before going abroad.<br />
"I already invited more than 23<br />
or 24 local players since I have<br />
been in charge of the Super Eagles<br />
but we invite them and then<br />
immediately they are going to<br />
Europe.<br />
It is wonderful for them but<br />
maybe not for us,” said coach<br />
Rohr<br />
Meanwhile Adekunle Adeleke,<br />
Abia Warriors defender one of the<br />
NPFL players invited for the<br />
AFCON qualifiers games said he<br />
By John Egbokhan<br />
Super Eagles players have not<br />
been told that they would be<br />
travelling by boat to Port Novo for<br />
this weekend's African Cup of<br />
Nations qualifier against the<br />
Squirrels.<br />
Only last week, the President of the<br />
Nigeria Football Federation , Amaju<br />
Pinnick and the Eagles manager,<br />
Gernot Rohr, embarked on a boat trip<br />
to Benin Republic, as a way of<br />
reassuring the Franco-German<br />
tactician on the safety and<br />
workability of moving the team<br />
for the duel with the<br />
Squirrels.<br />
It was learnt that Rohr<br />
had initially raised<br />
eyebrows over the plan to<br />
ferry the team to Benin<br />
•Adeleke<br />
would make good use of the<br />
opportunity.<br />
“Definitely we are going to give<br />
a good account of ourselves and<br />
try to do our best to show that<br />
there are good and quality<br />
players in the league,” Adeleke<br />
said<br />
Eagles not aware of boat<br />
trip to Benin<br />
By Jacob Ajom<br />
Super<br />
Eagles<br />
manager, Gernot<br />
Rohr has said that the<br />
Super Eagles were happy to be in<br />
Lagos after their sojourns to Uyo,<br />
Asaba and Benin in the past.<br />
Rohr who was speaking with<br />
the media after Super Eagles<br />
walkout in the gym Tuesday<br />
morning said Lagos was an ideal<br />
place with superb facilities that could<br />
not be accessed in Benin and Asaba.<br />
“I am happy to be in Lagos because<br />
we have good facilities here and Uyo<br />
was very good too. But we don't have<br />
to travel far before playing our match.<br />
In the past, when we were going to<br />
the regions we had to sleep in Lagos<br />
first before travelling to either Benin<br />
or Asaba to play,” he recalled.<br />
He was sure the pitch would not<br />
be a problem because he was aware<br />
Republic by boat but later softpedalled<br />
after the sea voyage to<br />
Cotonou in a boat.<br />
''With the experience, I strongly<br />
believe our coming trip to Port Novo<br />
is doable by boat'', Pinnick wrote on<br />
his instagram page.<br />
But speaking for the first time on<br />
the issue, captain Ahmed Musa said<br />
yesterday that the players were yet<br />
to be intimated on the recourse to<br />
boat to hit Benin for the AFCON<br />
qualifier.<br />
''We are not aware that we would<br />
be travelling by boat to Benin<br />
Republic. This is news to me'', said<br />
Musa.<br />
When told that Manager Rohr has<br />
confirmed that the team would go<br />
on a boat voyage for the game, Musa<br />
responded, ''I am sure we would be<br />
briefed and personally, I have<br />
nothing against the plan if its okay.<br />
Rohr: Eagles happy to be<br />
in Lagos<br />
Benin match a<br />
must win – Rohr<br />
that the Teslim Balogun stadium<br />
management had been working on<br />
the grass/<br />
He expressed optimism, “They<br />
have been working hard on the<br />
grass. The last time I came here<br />
some weeks back, I made a point<br />
about the grass. I think the grass<br />
will be okay.”<br />
The coach also expressed<br />
happiness over the prospects of the<br />
Eagles playing in front of Lagos fans<br />
when they take on the Crocodiles of<br />
Lesotho, March 30.<br />
“Playing in front of<br />
fans will make the<br />
players happy<br />
and I am sure it<br />
is going to be a<br />
very good final<br />
match because<br />
we are going to<br />
celebrate our<br />
qualification.”<br />
Super Eagles coach, Gernot Rohr,<br />
has said beating the Republic of<br />
Benin at home is a task that must<br />
be accomplished when they meet in<br />
•Rohr<br />
the AFCON qualifiers.<br />
The Franco-German coach is already<br />
anticipating challenging games in Porto Novo<br />
against the Squirrels and in Lagos against Lesotho on March 27 and<br />
30 respectively.<br />
Nigeria leads the Group L qualifying group with eight points after four<br />
matches while Benin trail in second place with seven points and Lesotho are<br />
at the bottom of the group with two points.<br />
But the Super Eagles remain favourites to join the party at Cameroon<br />
2022, especially with the majority of invited Europe and home-based stars<br />
already available in the country for the two crucial encounters.<br />
And a confident Rohr is targeting a draw in Porto Novo against the tough<br />
Squirrels and a big win in Lagos versus Lesotho.<br />
“We want to finish our qualification on a positive note, and the two matches<br />
against Benin and Lesotho are very important,” Rohr told the CAF website.<br />
“Of course, we know that Benin is difficult to beat after our last game in<br />
Uyo (Nigeria won 2-1) and we need at least a point against them to qualify<br />
for next year’s Afcon.
Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, MARCH 24, 2021 — 39<br />
C<br />
M<br />
Y<br />
K
Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, MARCH 24, 2021<br />
TODAY’S CROSSWORD<br />
QUICK CROSSWORD<br />
YESTERDAY’S SOLUTION<br />
TODAY’S PUZZLE<br />
Sudoku<br />
YESTERDAY’S ANSWER<br />
ACROSS<br />
1 First showing of a film (8)<br />
6 Fool (3)<br />
9 Abate (3,2)<br />
10 Colonist (7)<br />
11 Ridiculous pretence (7)<br />
13 Synthetic fabric (5)<br />
14 Whitening chemical (6)<br />
15 Brigand (6)<br />
18 Broadcasting medium (5)<br />
20 Pseudonym (3,4)<br />
21 First (7)<br />
22 Subject, topic (5)<br />
23 Express (3)<br />
24 Extend (8)<br />
DOWN<br />
2 Go over again (7)<br />
3 Chart (3)<br />
4 Festival in spring (6)<br />
5 Divert (9)<br />
6 Mixture of metals (5)<br />
7 Fortified (12)<br />
8 Bramble fruit (12)<br />
12 Hermit (9)<br />
16 Local language variation (7)<br />
17 Handsome Greek god (6)<br />
19 Make into a god (5)<br />
22 Sudden abrupt pull (3)<br />
How to Play Sudoku<br />
Place a number (1-9) in each blank cell. (No line can have<br />
two of the same number).<br />
Each row (nine lines from left to right), column, (also nine<br />
lines from top to bottom) and 3 X 3 block within a bold block<br />
(nine blocks) contains number from 1 through 9. This means<br />
that no number can appear twice in any block, column or row.<br />
No mathematics is involved – no adding, subtraction, division or<br />
multiplication, just plain logic and your imagination.<br />
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