25042021 - B/Haram bandits almost succeeding in their mission CAN president warns

PAGE 2—SUNDAY VANGUARD, APRIL 25, 2021

SUNDAY VANGUARD, APRIL 25, 2021, PAGE 3

PAGE 4—SUNDAY VANGUARD, APRIL 25, 2021 

Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi of Enugu State (right) with Senator Ayogu Eze (2nd 

right), his wife, Nkechi (middle), Eze’s younger brothers, Paulinus (2nd left) and 

Ikechukwu, during the final funeral rites of their late father, Omekwuru Eya Nweze 

(Nwa Nwada), in Umuida, Enugu Ezike, Igbo-Eze North Local Government Area of 

the State, yesterday. 

Emotions as Odumakin buried in blaze of glory 

*Here lies Yinka that was speaking for Yoruba, Nigeria – Joe, widow 

*Adebanjo: Deceased spoke truth to power despite odds 

*Fayemi: He was unapologetic about Yoruba agenda 

*Oyetola: Odumakin did not live wasted life 

*Makinde: He lived for struggle 

Ooni: Yinka was uncommon son of Oduduwa 

By Shina Abubakar, Moro 

Emotions flowed freely 

yesterday as Yinka 

Odumakin, the late spokesperson 

for Afenifere, the Yoruba 

socio-political group, was 

buried in Moro, his hometown 

in Osun State. 

Friends from the media, his 

primary constituency, human 

rights activists, politicians 

and academia, among others, 

thronged Moro to bid 

farewell to an outstanding 

comrade, who many described 

as always “speaking 

truth to power”. 

Until his death on April 3, 

Odumakin was also a columnist 

with Vanguard Newspapers. 

In separate tributes, the deceased 

was described in glowing 

words. 

The widow, Joe Okei-Odumakin, 

said her husband 

lived the last moment of his 

life fighting for a better country 

Ȧfenifere leader, Pa Ayo 

Adebanjo, said the late Odumakin 

worked tirelessly for 

Nigeria, Yoruba nation and 

the programmes globally. 

Governor Kayode Fayemi 

of Ekiti State said that despite 

their occasional disagreement, 

the late Afenifere 

spokesman never broke the 

cord of friendship established. 

Governor Seyi Makinde of 

Oyo State said Odumakin 

lived a fulfilled life even as a 

young man while his Osun 

State counterpart Mr. Adegboyega 

Oyelola, stated that 

the deceased did not live a 

wasted life. 

Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye 

Ogunwusi called the deceased 

an uncommon son of 

Oduduwa. 

Yesterday’s event took off 

with the arrival of the corpse 

in a glass coffin at the venue 

for funeral service around 

10:20am. The coffin was carried 

by pall-bearers dressed 

in traditional red and white 

attire while Yinka was 

dressed in wine dress with his 

Afenifere signature cap. 

The widow, Joe, accompanied 

the body into the Origbo 

Anglican Grammar School 

field, venue of the service. 

With her was the President, 

Pentecostal Fellowship of 

Nigeria (PFN), Bishop Francis 

Wale Oke. 

Joe took the pole position 

for the lying-in-state after 

which other family members 

followed suit. The gathering 

then joined in the procession. 

Dignitaries at the occasion 

were led by Oyetola who entered 

the venue with Fayemi. 

The pair later received Adebanjo 

and Makinde. 

Life of service 

Bishop Wale Oke, in his 

homily, recited from the Book 

of Luke 43, 39-43 and eulogised 

Odumakin for not just 

living a life of service to humanity 

but also spending 

some of his time for his Creator. 

The Ooni Ogunwusi led 

other dignitaries who paid 

tributes to the fallen activist. 

Ogunwusi, represented by 

Sooko Kemade Olagbaju, 

described Odumakin as an 

uncommon son of Oduduwa. 

“You were not only a worthy 

son of the House of 

Oduduwa. You lived Oduduwa 

land. You breathed 

Oduduwa. You worked tirelessly 

for Oduduwa. Your insightfully 

penetrative perspective 

on Yoruba cause is 

uncommon. Neither is your 

incisively biting criticism of 

our steps, delivered impassionately”, 

he said. 

‘Not a secessionist’ 

He also disclosed that 

Moro-Ife Road would henceforth 

be known as Yinka Odumakin 

Boulevard in honour 

of the late Afenifere spokesperson. 

A chamber the monarch 

is building inside OAU 

would also be named after 

him. Ooni presented a burst 

of Odumakin to the family, 

pledging that a bigger one 

would be built at the chamber 

at OAU. 

Fyemi mounted the podium 

after Ooni and described 

the late Odumakin as a nationalist 

without question and 

a genuine Yoruba spokesperson, 

who, despite his commitment 

to regional autonomy, 

did not believe in seccesion. 

“Even as Afenifere spokesperson, 

he was a democrat, 

he was a nationalist without 

question, he was never apologetic 

about the Yoruba agenda 

but he was not a seccesionist. 

He was always clear about 

the path to development and 

why regional autonomy offerd 

the best route to progress 

and development in our 

country”, the Ekiti governor 

and Chairman of the Nigeria 

Governors Forum said.. 

“We must not succumb to 

the merchant of division, we 

must not succumb to the merchant 

of seccesion and in order 

not to succumb to the 

merchant of seccesion, we 

must not give them the justification 

for all they are doing 

to run this country down. That 

is what we can do to keep the 

memory of our brother 

alive”. 

Oyetola said the late activist 

did not live a wasted live. 

“We should rejoice, knowing 

Odunmakin has left for a 

better place. He has left for 

us on this side of humanity a 

legacy of inspirational service, 

fierce loyalty to the Yoruba 

race and relentless contributions 

to the quest for a 

greater nation”, the Osun 

governor said.. 

“He did not live a wasted 

life. 

“He was an illustrious son 

of Osun and a man of deep 

conviction who constantly 

fought for what is right, just, 

and equitable. He simply 

lived for the people. He was a 

phenomenal leader, who, 

without holding public office, 

impacted us in unique ways”. 

Lesson 

Makinde said Odumakin 

lived a fulfilled life even as a 

young man. 

“I want us to take a lesson 

home, that a life lived on ideals, 

even if it does not have 

the trepid of fortunes or fame, 

From left:Emeka Duru, Director Special Duties, Standards Organisation of Nigeria, (SON); 

Mark Manady Dakhling, Acting Director, Inspectorate and Compliance Department (ICD), 

SON; Mallam Farouk Salim, Director General,SON; Engr. Enebi Onucheyo, Deputy Director, 

ICD; Mr. Hamzat Zubairu, Personal Assistant to D-G, SON, and Mohammed Sanni, 

Desk Officer, Ports and Borders, during a seizure of over N600 million worth of substandard 

tyres at a warehouse in Obafemi Owode, along Lagos-Ibadan expressway, in Ogun State. 

will be a shining star, if it lived 

to light the path of others that 

are coming behind and that 

is what Yinka has done for 

this generation. The ideals he 

lived for, the struggle will always 

be a shining star for us 

untill we get a country that 

will work for all of us. Yinka 

has concluded his own bit and 

it is left for us all to continue 

the struggle”, he said. 

Grandson 

Adebanjo, who could not 

control his emotion during 

his tribute, said but for an 

omnipotent God, he wondered 

why he is the one paying 

tribute to Odumakin, who 

was just 54 while he, an older 

man, still lives. 

“It is so painful that I am a 

paying tribute to my grandson. 

It is against the culture 

of Yoruba land. Instead of 

him paying tribute to me I am 

paying tribute to him. Who 

am I to question God? God is 

powerful. How can he leave 

a man of 93 and take a man 

of 54, God does His work the 

way He likes, He knows why 

and how He will comfort us. 

Yinka spoke truth to power”, 

the Afenifere leader said. 

“He did great works for 

Yoruba land, the progressives 

and Nigeria. He was a rare 

gem not common among this 

generation. Yinka was consistent 

in fighting for the underdog, 

against injustice, he was 

an Awoist to the core. 

“Afenifere is mourning a tireless 

fighter for human right. 

He worked without receiving 

the reward. Yinka is gone but 

Afenifere will consistently be 

with his children. The prayer 

for Afenifere now is that God 

should quickly give us replacement 

particularly at this 

time when the country is burning. 

What he stood for was 

daring, he spoke truth to power-that-be”. 

Coma 

In her tribute, Odumakin 

widow, Joe Okei-Odumakin, 

described how her husband 

survived from a two-day 

coma after touring the country. 

“I will not forget on a Sunday, 

December 8, 2020 after 

touring almost all parts of the 

country, he was here, in Osogbo 

with his driver, Wasiu, 

who called me that he was 

exhausted and, probably due 

to extreme fatigue, he collapse 

and bled till daybreak”, 

she stated. 

“He lost about 16 pint of 

blood. It was a Sunday I can 

never forget. Governor Oyetola 

called me, the Chief of 

Staff to the Governor and the 

Chief Medical Director of the 

hospital also called, Yinka 

was in coma for about two 

days. But for God and all their 

intervention, Yinka did not 

lose his life that December. 

“After receiving five pints of 

blood, he woke up and said 

he wanted to go and see Pa 

Adebanjo in Lagos and the 

state governor gave him an 

ambulance. It was after that 

short visit to Afenifere leader 

in Lagos that he returned to 

hospital to take 11 more pints 

of blood”. 

After the tributes, the body 

was taken to his country 

home at Ewuru Street, 

around 2:30pm where only 

immediate family members, 

clerics and journalists were 

allowed to participate in the 

programme. His body was 

lowered into mother earth 

around 3pm after brief grave 

side burial rites. 

•See photos on page 26 

Address the nation over agitations, Onitiri urges Buhari 

There is urgent need for 

President Muhammadu 

Buhari to address the 

nation over agitations for selfdetermination 

and restructuring 

across the nation. 

This suggestion was made 

by socio-political activist and 

critic, Chief Adesunbo Onitiri, 

in a press statement in Lagos, 

yesterday. 

“Nigerians are now restless 

over bad governance and insecurity 

in the country. They 

are now hopeless more than 

before”, he stressed. 

According to the social critic, 

where there is no justice 

and fair play, there will be no 

peace. The loud agitations, he 

stated, are genuine and sincere 

which cannot be ignored. 

Oniiri said the empathy of 

the Presidency can no longer 

be tolerated, advising the 

Federal Government against 

pushing Nigerians out of tolerable 

limit as the consequences 

might be unpalatable 

and disastrous to the 

whole of Africa. 

The acivist said: “For the 

umpteenth time, Nigerians 

are calling on President Buhari 

to stop external borrowings, 

but look inwards and 

cut down on cost of governance”. 

RAINING SEASON: Lagosians tasked 

on cleaner environment 

By Olayinka Ajayi 

The Chairman of Amuwo 

Odofin Local Government, 

Engr. Valentine 

Buraimoh has charged Lagos 

residents to support government 

on a cleaner environment, 

especially as the raining 

season fast approaches. 

Speaking on the need for 

cleaner environment in Lagos 

at the weekend, Buraimoh 

said: “We cannot continue to 

reside in a dirty environment 

as we all know the diseases 

that come with unhygienic 

environment. We will not be 

doing ourselves good if we are 

waiting for the government to 

sweep our environment for us 

or to come and clear the primary 

drainage at your frontage. 

What government would 

do is to address issues of tertiary 

drainage and all these 

things will make us live in a 

cleaner environment. 

“We appeal to Lagosians 

that as we are in the raining 

season, by the time we clean 

our environment, and support 

cleaner environment. 

Also, it is always good for us 

to check our health status, 

Blood Pressure, Blood level; 

we don’t pray for diabetes and 

high blood pressure that could 

lead to stroke and paralysis. 

Prevention is cheaper than 

treatment,” he said. 

On his part, the Managing 

Director of Adorn Life Pharmacy, 

Osita Nwobi, added 

that to live in a cleaner and 

safer environment, “It is imperative 

that we organize a 

community outreach across 

the Nigeria to enlighten people 

of keeping our environment 

clean.”

SUNDAY VANGUARD, APRIL 25, 2021, PAGE 5 

IMO BOILS: 

Gov’s house bombed, IPoB 

Cmdr, members killed 

...as separatist group blows hot: 

Uzodinma will pay dearly 

•Police, Civil Defence, Fire Service operatives also dead 

•Aggrieved politicians responsible—State govt 

•’15 people carried out attack with petrol bomb’ 

•Four policemen, soldier injure d 

By Evelyn Usman & 

Chinonso Alozie, 

Owerri 

Less than one month 

after Owerri Correc 

tional Centre and 

headquarters of Imo State 

Police Command were attacked, 

the country home of 

Governor Hope Uzodinma 

was bombed yesterday. 

The incident, which happened 

at 8:15 am at his village, 

Omuma, in Oru East 

Local Government Area, resulted 

in the death of four 

security operatives. 

Same day, the Commander 

of Eastern Security Network 

(ESN), an outfit facilitated 

by the Indigenous 

People of Biafra (IPoB), and 

six members of the outfit 

were killed during a shootout 

with security forces in 

the state. 

IPoB immediately responded, 

blaming Uzodinma 

for the killings. 

The separatist group said 

the governor had stirred the 

hornet nest and would pay 

dearly for it. 

The state government 

said the attack on Uzodinma’s 

country home was carried 

out by 15 people, who 

arrived at the scene in 

three vehicles including a 

tipper loaded with used tyres. 

Public Relations Officer 

of Imo State Police Command, 

Orlando Ikeokwo, 

who confirmed the incident, 

identified the casualties as 

a Police Sergeant and two 

personnel of Nigerian Security 

and Civil Defense 

Corps,NSCDC. 

” Yes, I can confirm the 

story. The hoodlums attacked 

the governor’s house 

by throwing in petrol bomb 

as a result of which two cars 

were burnt, but they were 

successfully repelled. 

“None of the building was 

set ablaze. However, one 

unarmed personnel of the 

NSCDC was killed in the 

process. The hoodlums 

while escaping also killed 

a Police Sergeant and another 

NSCDC personnel 

both in their private vehicles 

at Mgbidi junction,” the 

Police spokesman said. 

Meanwhile, Sunday Vanguard 

learnt that an officer 

of the Imo State Fire Service 

was also killed by the 

attackers. 

•Weapons said to have been recovered from slain 

IPoB/ESN members yesterday. Inset: The late Ikonso 

Commander. 

Attackers 

Director of the state Fire 

Service, Japhet Okereafor, 

identified the deceased as 

Atenesuis Iheakor, a level 

eight officer. 

A source in Omuma community 

told Sunday Vanguard: 

“The man was killed 

as they were driving to Governor 

Hope Uzodimma ‘s 

house to quench the fire. 

He was killed less than 

two poles away from Uzodinma’s 

house.” 

The dead security operative 

was said to be a father 

of five children. 

It was further gathered 

that the attackers also carried 

out pockets of attacks 

in another Local Government 

Area. 

A resident of Omuma 

community, who spoke on 

condition of anonymity, 

said: “The attacks in other 

areas were not serious. They 

were shooting to clear the 

way for themselves. As a result 

of the shooting, some 

people running away got 

injured. I was told some 

were struck by stray bullets. 

The areas the hoodlums 

were shooting sporadically 

as they were leaving were in 

Orlu, parts of Oru East and 

Oguta Local Government 

Areas.” 

Repelled 

In his reaction to the incident, 

Imo State Commissioner 

for Information, Declan 

Emelumba, said: “Gallant 

security operatives this 

morning repelled an attack 

on the Omuma country 

home of the governor of 

Imo State, Sen Hope 

Uzodimma. 

“At about 9 am today, 

Saturday, April 24, a group 

of hoodlums, numbering 

about 15 and driving in a 

motorcade of three vehicles 

accompanied by a tipper 

loaded with used tyres, 

stormed the country home 

of the governor in Omuma, 

Oru East LGA and attempted 

to burn down the house. 

“However, vigilant security 

operatives attached to 

the governor’s house successfully 

repelled the attack 

and consequently minimised 

the damage they had 

planned to unleash. In the 

crossfire that ensued a few 

casualties were recorded. 

Preliminary investigation 

suggests that the foiled attack 

may have been politically 

sponsored. 

“Government has directed 

relevant security agencies 

to expedite investigation 

on the incident and 

promptly apprehend the 

sponsors and their agents 

and bring them to justice.” 

Also speaking on the issue, 

the Coalition of South- 

East Leaders, led by Mr. 

Goodluck Ibem, said the 

attack was perpetrated by 

aggrieved politicians. 

“The Coalition of South 

East Youth Leaders, CO- 

SEYL, the apex socio-political 

youth organisation in 

the South-East geopolitical 

zone condemns in strongest 

terms the vicious invasion 

and incursion by men of the 

underworld that led to the 

untimely death of security 

operatives guarding the 

governor’s house in his 

country home at Omuma in 

Oru East Local Government 

Area of Imo State. 

The burning of the governor’s 

house and killing of 

security men on duty is wicked 

and barbaric”, the group 

said in a statement. 

Vicious attack 

“Igboland is a peaceful 

place and anyone behind 

this vicious attack on Igbo 

land must be brought to justice. 

“The attack on the governor’s 

residence is purely the 

handiwork of aggrieved 

politicians who are not happy 

with the governor’s 

stance against corruption 

and conversion of government 

properties to personal 

properties.” 

IPoB 

Commander 

Meanwhile, the Commander 

of Indigenous People 

of Biafra, IPoB/Eastern 

Security Network (ESN), in 

the South-East, identified 

simply as Ikonso Commander 

and six other IPoB/ 

ESN members were killed 

in a shootout with men of 

the Police, Army and the 

Department of State Service, 

DSS, in the state. 

Three policemen and a 

soldier were said to have 

sustained bullet injuries 

during the incident. 

The operatives, in a joint 

operation, reportedly 

stormed IPoB’s operational 

headquarters in Awomama 

village, Oru East Local 

Government Area of Imo 

State, yesterday. 

The operation, as gathered 

followed an allegation 

that members of the group 

were responsible for the attacks 

on the headquarters of 

Imo State Police Command 

and the Nigerian 

Correctional Service on 

April 5, 2021. 

They were also alleged to 

have carried out series of 

calculated, violent attacks 

on security personnel and 

formations in the South - 

East and South-South regions. 

A source who spoke to 

Sunday Vanguard said: “As 

the security forces approached 

the base of the insurgents, 

they came under 

rapid fire from the group. In 

a bold and clinical response, 

the joint security forces 

fought back gallantly and 

eventually neutralised the 

commander of the insurgents 

in the South-East popularly 

known as Ikonso 

Commander and six other 

armed fighters of the insurgent 

group. 

Vice President 

“Commander Ikonso is 

known as the Vice Presidentdesignate 

as well as the coordinator 

of all the militia 

operations of the group. He 

was the mastermind and coordinator 

of the attack on 

Imo Police headquarters 

and several other attacks on 

security and military personnel 

and facilities. 

“The operation is part of 

a deliberate effort by the 

Police and other security 

forces to quell activities of 

insurgents in Imo State and 

other states in the South- 

East and South -South regions. 

“At the end of the gun duel, 

the security teams were able 

to recover the remains of 

Ikonso Commander and six 

of his fighters. 

“Several sophisticated 

weapons including six AK47 

rifles, hundreds of ammunition 

of different caliber and 

lots of charms including bulletproof 

charms were recovered 

from the insurgents. 

“Three policemen and an 

Army officer are receiving 

treatment in the hospital, 

having sustained serious 

bullet injuries during the exchange 

of gunfire with the 

insurgents.” 

‘Unprovoked 

attack’ 

Responding to the shootout 

between security forces 

and IPoB/ESN members, in 

a statement titled, ‘Killing 

of ESN Commander: Hope 

Uzodinma has stirred the 

hornet nest’, and signed by 

Emma Powerful, IPOB Media 

and Publicity Secretary, 

the separatist group said the 

governor decided to kill 

Ikonso “because he refused 

his offer to head Ebebe Agu 

ghost security outfit formed 

by South-East governors.” 

The statement reads: 

“We the global family of 

the Indigenous People of 

Biafra (IPoB), ably led by 

our great leader, Mazi 

Nnamdi Kanu, strongly 

condemn the unprovoked 

attack on some members of 

IPoB and ESN operatives 

at Oguta Junction at Mgbidi, 

along Owerri Road 

Onitsha expressway by a 

joint security force comprising 

the army, police 

and DSS operatives, with 

the support of Imo State 

Government. 

“The killing of the heroic 

innocent Biafrans protecting 

our communities 

and towns from Fulani 

terrorists herdsmen masquerading 

as cattle herders 

in cold blood is very 

painful. 

“The Supreme Court Administrator 

of Imo State 

Hope Uzodinma and all 

those who had a hand in 

this wickedness will pay 

dearly. Hope Uzodinma 

and his cowardly Nigerian 

security agencies cannot 

confront Fulani terrorists 

but only flex their muscles 

when they see Biafra agitators. 

For murdering Ikonso, 

the ESN unit COM- 

MANDER, in cold blood, 

Uzodinma has stirred the 

hornet nest! He should get 

ready for a sting. 

“Uzodinma decided to 

kill Ikonso because he refused 

his offer to head 

Ebube Agu ghost security 

outfit formed by South- 

East governors. Uzodima 

has tried but without success 

to lure ESN operatives 

into EBUBE AGU. He had 

made irresistible offers to 

them which were turned 

down, hence his resorting to 

elimination of these patriotic 

heroes who vowed never 

to betray Biafra. 

“Hope Uzodinma sent 

emissaries to beg Ikonso 

and other ESN officers to 

join EBUBE AGU security 

outfit. So, because of 

their refusal to betray Biafra 

agitation and our 

Leader Mazi Nnamdi 

Kanu, the governor mobilized 

joint security forces 

to attack them today. 

“Contrary to claims by 

the cowardly security forces 

who flee from terrorists 

but kill innocent citizens, 

they were not able to penetrate 

into the camp of Eastern 

Security Network, ESN. 

They only ambushed Ikonso 

but we promise them hell 

for this cowardly act! 

“Hope Uzodinma has 

murdered sleep, so he 

should be ready to stay 

awake! FULANI terrorists 

pretending as cattle sellers 

in Enugu destroyed police 

van and attacked government 

officials on lawful 

duty with AK-47 rifles but 

no army, police or DSS attacked 

them till now. But 

ESN operatives defending 

our communities against 

terrorists are being hunted 

like games everyday. 

The world has kept quiet 

over this atrocity until we 

begin our own madness”.


Chief of Staff, Salis Shuaib; outgoing Assistant Comptroller General of 

Immigration, Doris Braimah; Governor Dapo Abiodun and the Secretary to 

the State Government, Tokunbo Talabi after a send-forth session with the 

retiring Immigration boss at the Governor's office, Oke-Mosan, Abeokuta 

on Friday 

By Chris Onuoha 

he Human and Envi 

Tronmental Development 

Agenda (HEDA) Resource 

Center has revealed 

that Nigeria has been losing 

about $15 to $18 billion 

annually as a result of 

illicit financial flows (IFF). 

HEDA also quoted that 

Nigeria’s loss accounted for 

about 30 percent of Africa’s 

loss to IFF which was at $50 

billion in the last 10 years, 

saying it is unfortunate the 

number may rise as corrupt 

practices escalate. 

“The Thabo Mbeki report 

of 2018 put Africa’s losses 

at between $50 and $60 billion 

per year, with Nigeria 

accounting for 30 percent of 

the amount. Therefore, Nigeria 

may be losing be- 

From left: Adedamola Ojomo,Marketing Specialist, inq.Digital Nigeria; 

Olanrewaju Justice- Anyai, Voice and Edge AI Specialist, inq.Digital Nigeria; 

Itua Oluwashola Student, Peak Lane College International Lagos and Winner 

EBusiness Life communications Girls in ICT Day Graphic Design Competition 

and Acting Marketing Manager inq.Digital Nigeria, Martina Ogbebor at 

the celebration of 2021 Int’l girls in ICT Day programme held in Lagos 

Corruption: Nigeria loses $18 billion to illicit financial flows – HEDA 

Operatives of the Na 

tional Drug Law Enforcement 

Agency, NDLEA, 

embedded in two courier 

companies in Lagos have 

intercepted illicit drugs 

concealed in the statue of 

Mary and auto spare parts 

heading to Canada and the 

United Arab Emirate, UAE. 

The narcotics agents from 

the Directorate of Operations 

and General Investigations 

seized 500grammes 

of heroin going to Canada 

and hidden inside auto 

spare parts from one of the 

courier firms while 

140grammes of Methamphetamine 

going to Philippines 

and concealed inside 

statue of Mary was seized 

in another courier company 

Ṫhe Director, Operations 

and General Investigations, 

Adeyemi Adeofe, disclosed 

that “3.1 kg of cannabis going 

to UAE concealed inside 

spices, and another kilogramme 

of cannabis going 

to UAE concealed inside local 

herbs were intercepted 

…urges FG to be proactive in tackling graft cases 

tween $15 and $18 billion 

every year to illicit financial 

flows”, it stated. 

“Some opinion polls have 

argued that Nigeria alone 

may have lost up to $50 billion 

annually, while other 

source estimates that African 

States collectively 

linked to IFF to the tune of 

approximately $60 to 

$100n billion each year”. 

These among other revelations 

were contained in 

HEDA’s message during a 

media roundtable discourse 

held at Sheraton 

Hotels and Towers, Lagos, 

as the organisation presented 

to the public the 4th edition 

of their publication, ‘A 

compendium of 100 high 

profile corruption cases in 

and seized.” 

In a related development, 

Ondo State Command of 

the agency, in series of raids 

between 6th and 20th April, 

2021 across the state, arrested 

31 suspects from whom 

275.552kg of assorted illicit 

drugs were recovered. 

According to the acting 

Commander of the state 

Command, Callys Alumona, 

“the sting operations 

were carried out to curb the 

increasing rate of drug 

abuse among the youths 

and even the elderly in 

Ondo State.” He said, “this 

has led to the arrest of 31 

suspects, which include 24 

males, and 7 females.” He 

added that the illicit drugs 

seized “consist of 

74.285Kgs of cannabis sativa, 

267grammes of psychotropic 

substances; 

201Kgs of skuchies (a combination 

of cannabis, tramadol, 

ethanol, and zobo), 

while many of the drug spots 

have been dismantled.” 

Chairman/Chief Executive 

of the Agency, Brig. 

General Mohamed Buba 

Nigeria.’ 

In his remark, Chairman, 

HEDA Resource Center, 

Olanrewaju Suraju, noted 

that corruption has eaten 

deep into the fabric of Nigeria, 

such that most of 

these cases as they connote, 

‘high profile’, in the compendium 

involved influential 

people and even serving 

government officials including 

politicians in the 

country. 

Suraju noted that according 

to some reputable researchers, 

Africa is estimated 

to have lost much in excess 

of $1 trillion in illicit 

financial flows, with losses 

fast outstripping foreign direct 

investments and development 

assistance. 

Insecurity: Lagos Chapel former chaplain 

wants leaders, masses to join forces 

ormer Chaplain of La 

Fgos State Government 

Chapel, Very Reverend Ayo 

Olu Oyadotun has called 

for synergy between government 

and the governed to 

fight the prevailing state of 

insecurity in the country. 

Oyadotun, who made the 

call at the 59th Annual Synod 

of Methodist Church 

Nigeria, Diocese of Lagos 

held at Olorunda Circuit, 

Surulere, Lagos, said Nigerians 

must unite in the quest 

to finding solutions to the 

killings and blood letting 

across the country. 

Quoting from several biblical 

injunctions, the eminent 

cleric lamented the 

unfortunate security challenges 

currently enveloping 

the country, insisting there 

must be a roadmap to arresting 

the ugly trend urgently. 

According to him, both 

the led and the leaders must 

be God fearing: “Our challenge 

is not unique. It only 

required that we pray fervently 

to God to arrest the 

ugly situation and promote 

peaceful coexistence, mutual 

trust and unity.” 

He charged the church to 

be true light bearers and 

enjoined the congregation 

to turn around the society 

for the glory of God. 

The event was presided 

over by the Archbishop of 

Lagos, His Grace, the Most 

Revd Isaac Ayobami 

Olawuyi, his wife, Lady 

Funmilayo, Sir Olugbolahan 

Olayomi, as well as the 

Synod Secretary, Very Revd 

John Olanrewaju Solubi, 

the host, Very Revd. Kolade 

Odu, duly assisted by the 

dynamic 2021 annual Synod 

planning committee 

members. 

NDLEA intercepts drugs concealed in 

statue of Mary 

Marwa (retd), in his reaction, 

commended the officers 

and men of Operations 

and General Investigations 

Directorate for their steadfastness 

and commitment 

to the new operational maxim 

of offensive action. 

By Chancel Sunday 

PORT HARCOURT- 

Pioneer President of 

Ijaw apex socio-cultural organization, 

Ijaw National 

Congress, INC, Chief 

Joshua Fumudoh, has 

tasked aspirants to the leadership 

of the body to be dedicated. 

According to him, INC 

leadership is for people with 

integrity and dedication to 

the struggle for Ijaw well 

being. 

Fumudoh gave the advice 

when one of the aspirants, 

Wing Commander P.Y. Biak- 

According to him, the reports 

stated that there are 

significant shortcomings in 

Nigeria’s constitutional 

provisions, domestic laws 

and treaty obligations that 

contribute to the country’s 

susceptibility to the problems 

of illicit financial 

flows. 

Buhari mourns Kaduna varsity students killed 

by bandits … vows to fight banditry, kidnapping 

By Johnbosco 

Agbakwuru 

RESIDENT Muham 

Pmadu Buhari has 

vowed to fight banditry, kidnapping 

and the politics of 

murder with all the resources 

available. 

The President also condemned 

the killing of three 

of the students kidnapped at 

Greenfield University, Kaduna 

State. 

In a statement by the Senior 

Special Assistant to the 

President on Media and 

Publicity, Mallam Garba 

Shehu, in Abuja, yesterday, 

Buhari described the stu- 

By Rotimi 

Ojomoyela 

The management of Ekiti 

State University, Ado 

Ekiti has shut the institution 

following continuous protest 

by the unions demanding 

payment of outstanding salaries 

and allowances. The 

management also proscribed, 

with immediate effect, 

four unions in the institution, 

including Academic 

Staff Union of Universities 

dents as bright youngsters 

who were cut down by evil 

people in their prime. 

He said, “My thoughts are 

with their families in this 

time of grief. May their souls 

rest in peace.” 

On the recurring incidents 

of kidnappings and 

killings in Kaduna in particular, 

the President condemned 

them as “barbaric 

terror attacks,” and described 

as “unfortunate the 

tenor of some political and 

religious leaders that seem 

to further incite and stoke 

the pain and anguish of 

mourning families who are 

forced to confront these 

atrocities”. 

HEDA records that most 

troubling damage done to 

Nigeria by illicit financial 

flows has been the damage 

caused to its administration 

of the justice sector. 

It maintained that institutions 

within the administration 

of justice sector have 

suffered from underperformance, 

saying that state institutions 

have been severely 

weakened in their ability 

to combat corruption and 

IFF. 

Suraju maintained that 

the massive drain of Africa’s 

financial resources into 

foreign land especially UK 

and UAE in focus could 

have been used to solve 

some of the continent’s ailing 

infrastructural deficits 

if it was curtailed. 

Ekiti varsity shut, unions proscribed 

INC leadership not for enjoyment 

—Fumudoh, pioneer president 

para, paid him a courtesy 

visit in his office in Port 

Harcourt, Rivers State. 

Biakpara’s visit was part 

of his consultation with delegates 

from the Eastern 

Zone of the body. 

While commending Biakpara 

for his dedicated service 

to the INC struggle 

since its inception, the 

former leader noted that he 

gave his all to the service of 

the Ijaw nation. 

“The leadership of INC is 

not for enjoyment but people 

dedicated to the Ijaw 

struggle. Our experiences 

(ASUU). 

The actions were contained 

in a statement by the 

Head, Directorate of Information 

and Corporate Affairs, 

Bode Olofinmuagun. 

“The Governing Council of 

Ekiti State University, Ado 

Ekiti announces the immediate 

closure of the University. 

All academic activities are 

hereby suspended. This is as 

a result of the continuous disruption 

of lawful activities on 

campus which have endan- 

have taught us so many lessons, 

so let’s agree that whoever 

God wants shall prevail”, 

Fumudoh opined. 

Meanwhile, Biakpara 

had earlier assured delegates 

of Obolo Clans, including 

Ibeno, Eastern 

Obolo, Unyeada, Ataba, 

Ngo and Asarama, that he 

would work for unity, 

progress and oneness of the 

Ijaw nation when elected. 

“I will lead the Ijaw nation 

to achieve our status as 

an indivisible people with 

one voice to actualize our 

common goal of drawing 

the attention of the Nigerian 

state to do the needful in 

Ijawland”, he said. 

“Addressing this scourge, 

requires a great show of 

empathy and coming together 

as a society to 

squarely confront these elements 

and the danger it 

poses to our democracy and 

peaceful life in the country”, 

Buhari added. 

He gave strong assurances 

that those that think that 

profits can be made, either 

from money paid as ransom 

or in politics, “will realise 

sooner than later that they 

are bound by the same fate 

as their victims. 

“Banditry, kidnapping 

and the politics of murders 

will be fought with all the 

resources available to our 

country”. 

gered lives and property in the 

last one week. Consequently, 

to guarantee peace and orderliness 

on campus, all the 

four unions ( ASUU, SSANU, 

NAAT and NASU) are hereby 

proscribed with immediate 

effect”. The management 

directed all students 

to vacate the campus with 

immediate effect”, the statement 

said. 

Prior to this development, 

the Chairman of ASUU, 

EKSU Chapter, Mr. Kayode 

Arogundade had Governor 

Kayode Fayemi of shunning 

several appeals by the union 

and other intermediaries and 

that the State Government 

was only sub venting the institution 

by 50 percent of its 

monthly wage bills, without 

paying considerable attention 

to capital grants and infrastructural 

developments. 

For the past one week, all 

the unions in the university: 

Academic Staff Union of 

Universities(ASUU),Senior 

Staff Union of Nigerian 

Universities(SSANU) , Non 

Academic Staff Union 

(NASU) and National Association 

of Academic 

Technologists(NAAT), have 

been protesting against the 

management over issues bordering 

on non-payment of 

salaries and some specific allowances, 

an action , which 

paralyzed academic and 

commercial activities in the 

institution.


FG, states broke, 

another recession 

looms 

“To 

By Dele Sobowale 

HOW GOVERNORS 

CREATED 

PROBLEM: TWO 

GOVERNORS 

“In every community there is a class of people 

profoundly dangerous to the rest. I don’t mean 

criminals. For them we have punitive 

sanctions. I mean the leaders. Invariably, the 

most dangerous people seek power” - Saul 

Bellow, 1915-2015. 

The Federal Government had a major role 

to play in the present predicament in which 

the nation finds itself. 

But next time you hear a governor saying 

“all hands must be on deck”, then know you 

are listening to hogwash. They never mean it. 

The only hands they want on deck are those 

to help clear the cargo off the ship of state. 

Shortly after President Muhammadu 

Buhari signed the Minimum Wage Bill into 

law in 2019, with instructions for “immediate 

implementation”, I placed my hands on deck. 

From my own calculations, FG and states 

were set in motion for the financial crash we 

are all experiencing. So, I wrote a letter to two 

state governors; one belonging to the All 

Progressives Congress, APC, and the other 

Peoples’ Democratic Party, PDP. For some 

reason, Governors Fayemi, Ekiti, and 

Makinde, Oyo, appeared to me like two of the 

most astute among them; and they would 

listen. 

I was wrong. 

None of the two governors even 

acknowledged receipt of the letter. Today, they 

are all faced with the calamity I was aiming 

know that which before us lies in daily life; is 

the prime wisdom” - John Milton, 1608-1674, 

VANGUARD BOOK OF QUOTATIONS, page 275. 

to avert. 

Below, I reproduce portions of the letter 

privately sent to those wanting “all hands on 

deck”. 

Like most of my writings, readers would be 

amazed by how predictive it was. 

The letter was written on 

June 12, 2019 and sent by DHL 

and reads: 

“From the attached copy of 

my article on Monday, June 

10, 2019, it is obvious why I 

am writing to both of you. 

“There is an important 

national issue – Minimum 

Wage – which needs to be 

handled carefully by all the 

governments of the 

Federation to avert dire 

economic consequences. 

“I am happy that you 

represent the two major 

parties. That should remove 

any doubt about my political 

impartiality on this matter. 

“Minimum Wage 

represents potential danger to 

every state – including those 

assuming that they can pay at 

the moment. 

“Four major reasons 

account for that declaration. 

1. Timing is wrong. This 

year, the nation faces a drastic reduction in 

crude oil revenue which is the critical factor 

in the ability of the FG and states to pay the 

new minimum wage and still discharge other 

responsibilities to their people. 

States now spending close to 70 per cent of 

their revenue paying salaries will need to 

borrow just to cover the new payroll bill. How 

can that be possible when crude oil revenue 

sharply declines? Most states are drowning 

under huge debt repayment already without 

this albatross around their necks. 

2. Virtually all 

Even the richest five 

– Lagos, Rivers, 

Delta, Akwa Ibom 

and Kano – are now 

feeling the strain. 

The poorest five – 

Nasarawa, Gombe, 

Plateau, Ekiti and 

Ebonyi - merely 

collect revenue to 

pay salaries 

institutions and 

organisations worldwide 

– World Bank, IMF, World 

Poverty Clock, Fitch etc - 

acting independently and 

appraising the prospects 

for Nigeria’s Gross 

Domestic Product, GDP, 

this year have arrived at 

the same conclusion. 

Nigeria’s GDP will grow 

by less than 2.5 per cent. 

That means lower per 

capita income and 

deepening poverty. That 

also precludes possibility 

for states to increase their 

Internally Generated 

Revenue, IGR, 

significantly to help pay 

the increased bill. 

3. Nature is not kind 

to us this year. Delayed 

rains will inevitably result 

in poor food harvest. I 

know that from what is 

happening in my farm. 

Governments will be better advised to 

anticipate demands for food donations from 

starving Nigerians late this year and early 

2020. Herdsmen have not helped either. 

4. Heightened insecurity nationwide 

means only one thing – governors will be called 

upon to spend more on combating crimes in 

their states on a scale never before experienced 

in this country. 

“Obviously, governments’ resources would 

have been stretched beyond limits without the 

added burden of Minimum Wage. For most, 

it is now an impossible task and the sooner all 

the governors realise this, the better”. 

It was time for ‘siddon look’. It was certain 

to me that we were headed for a great 

economic catastrophe. But, who else could I 

contact; when my own “brothers” turned blind 

eyes to the warning? 

WHAT WERE THE ISSUES AT STAKE? 

“O! What a tangled web we weave/ When 

first we practice to deceive” - Sir Walter Scott, 

1771-1832. 

Governments have always deceived the 

people. Politicians care about the next election 

– not about national interest. The calamity 

unfolding received its greatest momentum a 

few days to the presidential election in 2019 

when the Federal Government made an 

announcement; and my observations followed 

that announcement. 

Let me take us back to recent Nigerian 

history to illustrate how dangerous our 

political leaders have become. 

MINIMUM WAGE AND 

OUR PERPETUAL FAILURE 

TO BE PROACTIVE 

“‘FG approves N30, 000 for its staff’. 

‘National Council of States recommends 

N27, 000’ - AIT, January 23, 2019. 

Insanity has been described by sages 

elsewhere as ‘doing the same thing all over 

again and expecting a different result.’ 

The last time the nation and coming 

elections were hostage to dispute over 

Minimum Wage negotiations, the President 

was Jonathan and the ruling party was the 

Peoples Democratic Party, PDP. 

Then, as now, the Federal Government, FG, 

and state governments waited until the last 

few days to elections before hastily reaching 

an agreement. Suddenly, political leaders at 

federal and state levels, who had been 

lethargic about the matter, acted speedily to 

avert the consequences of failing to hold 

elections. 

On January 22, 2019, the FG and the 

National Council of States, NCS, suddenly 

woke up to the fact that the request of the 

Organised Labour for a new Minimum Wage 

must be addressed. The FG approved N30, 

000 for its staff and the NCS recommended 

N27, 000 apparently nationwide. 

That the FG and NCS waited until another 

election is threatened demonstrates the 

collective inability of leaders to learn from 

Continues on page 10


CASH CRISIS: 

Tough survival choices 

confront states 

—Experts 

•Govs should explore AfCFTA platform, 

SMEs, rationalise cost, prune workforce’ 

By Peter Egwuatu, Assistant Business 

Editor, Nkiru Nnorom, Tunde Oso & 

Nnamdi Ojiego 

Following the financial crisis across the 

36 states of the federation, economic 

experts have suggested measures to be 

taken for the sub-national governments to 

survive. 

As of press time, many states of the 

federation appear cash-strapped following 

the fall in revenue accruable to the 

federation account. 

This has resulted in the drop in the monthly 

allocation to states from the Federal 

Account Allocation Committee, FAAC. 

According to the National Bureau of 

Statistics, NBS, the Internally Generated 

Revenue at state Level Q4 of 2020 including 

the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, 

decreased from N3.8 trillion in 2019 to 

N3.599 trillion in 2020. 

To compound the woes of the states, the 

Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, has 

requested a refund of the repayment of the 

N2.1bn Budget Support Loans granted to 

them by the Federal Government. 

The money was an intervention package 

approved in 2015 to assist states in the 

payment of salaries. 

As a result of these, state governments are 

troubled over how to meet up with their 

financial obligations. Many are already 

contemplating tough measures aimed at 

managing the lean resources accruable to 

them. 

However, experts told Sunday Vanguard 

that instead of reducing wages of workers 

and retrenchment of workforce as being 

contemplated by some states, they should 

be prudent in spending, trim the size of 

government, especially number of 

Ministries, Departments and Agencies, 

MDAs, reduce the number of political 

appointees and deploy technology to widen 

the base of revenue collection among 

others. 

The experts, drawn from different sectors 

of the economy including academia, 

warned that measures other than those 

suggested would not engender growth. 

Block leakages, deploy 

technology —Prof Uwaleke 

A former Commissioner for Finance in 

Imo State, Prof Uche Uwaleke, said: “The 

first step is to plug leakages including 

through the effective operation of the 

Treasury Single Account, cleaning up the 

payroll through biometrics and deploying 

technology to eliminate as much as possible 

the handling of cash in government 

transactions. 

“It is equally important to enthrone 

accountability and transparency in public 

finances through the adoption of 

international public sector accounting 

standards. This also includes proper 

recording and management of state debt 

to ensure it is sustainable. These are crucial 

to attracting grants from international 

donors such as the World Bank.” 

He further warned state governments not 

to reduce the wages. 

“The high poverty and unemployment 

rates across the states do not support the 

reduction in wages or increasing taxes. 

Instead, sub-national governments should 

be prudent in spending, trim the size of 

government, especially the number of 

ministries and political appointees and 

deploy technology to widen the base of 

revenue collection.” 

States should develop local 

resources – 

Former 

NACCIMA boss 

On his part, ex- 

Director-General of 

National Association of 

Chamber of Commerce, 

Industry, Mines and 

Agriculture, 

NACCIMA, Dr. John 

Isemede, called on state 

governments to look 

inward for products and 

commodities with huge 

export potential. 

“The states are in a 

financial crisis because 

they rely on the federal 

allocation. The way the 

country operated before 

1963, no state was 

coming to the central 

government to share 

money. They paid 

royalty to the federal 

The first 

step is to 

plug leakages 

including 

through the 

effective 

operation of 

the Treasury 

Single Account 

government. Nigeria should go back to the 

1963 constitution where states were allowed 

to develop their resources and pay royalties 

to the central government,” he noted. 

Wages 

He further warned: “State governments 

should never think of reducing wages given 

the high inflationary rate in the country. 

Our union would resist it and ground the 

economy by going on strike.” 

Isemede said: “My advice to state 

governments is to identify local natural 

resources in their states and create 

strategies to develop and market them 

through the African Continental Free Trade 

Agreement, AfCFTA, platform. 

“They should also focus on Small and 

Medium Enterprises ,SMEs, with export 

potentials because they remain the drivers 

of economic growth. Export incentives for 

the manufacturing sector should be targeted 

at SMEs to boost the contribution of the 

manufacturing sector to Nigeria’s Gross 

Domestic Product, GDP. 

“Multinationals are not interested in 

export. Most of them still have the Berlin 

Conference mentality. They came into this 

country to take advantage of the over 200 

million consumers 

“The hope is on the SMEs. If we are 

serious about this matter, we 

should avoid going the way of 

the Africa Growth 

Opportunity Act, AGOA, and 

other trade agreements in the 

past. There should be a proper 

alignment of trade 

agreements signed by the 

federal government, as well as 

a synergy between MDAs for 

proper coordination and 

communication.” 

Govs should 

enhance capacity 

for wealth 

creation—Adonri 

Economist and Vice 

Executive Chairman, HIGH 

CAP Securities Limited, 

David Adonri, said: “The 

Nigerian economy is fragile 

and prone to crisis due to 

fiscal weaknesses, low 

production base and 

dangerous trading practice. 

“Federal Government has more to do in 

correcting these weaknesses. However, 

states can also contribute to laying a solid 

foundation for the economy. With the 

enhancement in the capacity for wealth 

creation, revenue to government will 



By Victor Ahiuma-Young 

Association of Senior Civil 

Servant of Nigeria, ASCSN, 

has warned governors 

contemplating to renege on the 

N30, 000 minimum wage or 

accumulate arrears of salaries and 

other benefits to have a rethink to 

avoid workers’ revolt. 

President of the ASCSN, Dr. 

Tommy Etim Okon, in a chat with 

Sunday Vanguard, warned that 

Organised Labour would not 

accept a situation where 

governors would compound 

workers’ woes in today’s 

economic situation. 

Okon spoke just as Kano State 

has reverted to N18, 000 minimum 

wage and Kaduna is retrenching 

several thousand employees on 

account of cash crunch. 

Analysts fear that other states under 

financial pressure occasioned by 

dwindling revenues may soon 

follow suit. 

“It is unfortunate that some 

governors are plotting to 

renege on the N30, 000 

minimum wage”, 

the union leader 

said. “This is 

sad because the 

governors that 

were elected by 

the poor people 

to protect their 

•Okon 

interest are the 

same people 

championing to 

continually 

impoverish the 

poor masses. 

“We are 

talking about 

mere N30, 000 minimum wage that would 

not be able to take anybody home considering 

the level of inflation, considering the level of 

taxation, high cost of utilities such as electricity 

tariff and fuel pump price that the government 

have continued to increase their prices and so 

on. 

“Yet, the governors do not see the reason to 

pay N30, 000 minimum wage. 

“Some governors are even contemplating 

going back to the N18, 000 outlawed 

minimum wage. 

“Leadership is not by force, if the governors 

are not capable of meeting the demand of the 

workers, if they are not capable of paying the 

minimum wage which they agreed to pay, and 

has been signed into law by the President of 

the country, they should resign. 

“It is as simple as that. As Organised Labour, 

we will not take it. If the governors say they 

cannot pay, this is the best time for them to 

recall what happened during the #End SARS 

protest. 

“If the governors reneged on the N30,000 

minimum wage, that would cause a very 

serious misapplication of leadership 

principles. 

“We advise them to toe the path of honour, 

rethink and stick with the N30, 000 minimum 

wage. They should not force workers to revolt. 

Accumulation of salary 

arrears 

“In most cases, you look at misapplication 

in terms of management of resources. If 

government has taken workers as their priority, 

knowing very well that they are partners in 

progress, the issue of unpaid wages and 

accumulation of salary arrears would not 

occur in the first instance. 

“If a government honestly accumulates 

debts especially wages and other benefits, at 

the end of it, if such government starts paying, 

we will know that the government is making 

frantic effort to pay. 

“But there are some who deliberately 

accumulate debts. They do not want to pay 

Too late to stop paying 

N30, 000 minimum wage, 

workers warn govs 

• ‘Govs who can’t pay should resign’ 

because they are not accountable and because 

government is seen as a continuum, so when 

they leave office, the next government will 

inherit the debt. 

“It is sad. They do not have any moral 

justification to have gotten to the level of 

accumulating these debts because it is the 

workers that are suffering. 

“A single worker has a responsibility of a 

minimum of five persons to take care 

of. In the African context 

where we have the 

issue of extended 

family system, the 

governors should 

know that workers 

should not be a 

slave and 

overstretched 

further. These are 

things that can 

provoke people to 

revolt. 

Chain of 

political 

aides 

“This is the application of management 

ethics we talk about. Those aides are 

redundant. They do not have anything useful 

to do. Why not lay them off and concentrate 

on those who are implementing the policies 

of government? “The aides are just political 

settlements. They are not useful to the system. 

Why do you engage them? 

“These are people perpetuating evil in the 

economy because they do not understand the 

working dynamics of administration, they are 

just being political. 

“So, why not disengage them and 

concentrate on the workers that are useful to 

the system? 

“Each time we talk, they say why are you 

probing and looking at security vote. Security 

vote can pay huge number of workers and 

you will be at peace. 

“What is happening today is from the family 

because if the family is unsettled, there is bound 

to be insecurity. Because they do not know the 

next line of action, they are looking forward 

to surviving. “Unfortunately, the governor is 

busy engaging political aides after political 

aides. 

“There are governors with well over 2, 000 

political aides. What are they doing? If you 

think that the aides are important, and you 

are paying them not less than N150, 000 

monthly, and a worker is looking for just N30, 

000, and you say you can’t pay, it is immoral. 

“One of your aides earning N150, 000, that 

money can pay about five workers. Yet, you 

say the N30, 000 is too much. Don’t you have 

conscience? Let us be fair for once. 

“Don’t forget that we go to the same market, 

our children have to pay school fees and other 

utilities including hospital bills. 

“Most governors have never taken the pains 

to look at the educational aspect of it because 

there is no free education. The worker will 

pay WAEC, NECO and others. “Sometimes, 

one thinks whether these governors are living 

in the moon. If they are operating under this 

economy, they should know that N30, 000 is 

nothing in this economic reality. 

No money to pay 

“How can the governors say they do not have 

money to pay just N30, 000 minimum wage? 

We do not believe such fabulous story. 

“We know they have money. Probably, what 

they mean is that they not have enough money 

for frivolities and the expensive lifestyles they 

are used to. 

“The workers that you are denying their 

rights are the same workers in the system and 

they know you have money. 

“Are they not the ones implementing the 

policies, don’t they know when you come to 

take money? Are the workers not the same 

people who know how money disappears in 

form of capital flight? 

“So, you cannot tell workers that there is no 

money to pay. 

“The workers cut across all strata. They 

know the movement of money in the system. 

“The governor’s driver is a worker. The cook 

is a worker. The gateman is a worker. The 

gardener is a worker. They know when you 

move your girlfriends and women friends here 

and there, what you buy, what you give out 

and so on. You cannot say there is no money to 

'Govs should explore AfCFTA platform, SMEs, rationalise cost, prune workforce’ 

Continued from page 8 

readily take care of expenditure. The 

perennial shortage of revenue amidst 

escalating needs for public services leads 

government to over trade. All tiers of 

government are currently bedeviled by this 

malaise. To survive, state governments need 

to rationalise costs and boost revenue. 

“All options to ensure fiscal consolidation 

should cover all areas of leakages and 

overburden and finally at this critical time 

of suppressed revenue generation, 

expenditures should be tailored to areas of 

greatest need.” 

Financial crisis getting 

worse daily —Analyst 

Also, Head of Investment and Research 

at Fidelity Securities Limited, Victor 

Chiazor, said: “Going by the year 2020 

report for internally generated revenue by 

the states and FCT released by the National 

Bureau of Statistics, NBS, we can see clearly 

that the financial crisis across the states 

seems to be getting worse by the day. 

“Having reported that just three states 

have above five percent Internally 

Generated Revenue, IGR, contribution to 

revenue while 14 states have below one 

percent IGR contribution to revenue, it is 

clear that almost all the states are being 

run by federal government. They will run 

into a deep crisis if those allocations stop 

or are reduced by government.” 

Structures and policies 

Consequently, Chiazor said: “As a matter 

of urgency, many states will have to reduce 

the cost of governance to enable them to 

release capital for other viable projects. 

Structures and policies that would expand 

its tax net as well as capture most of its 

informal sector would need to be 

implemented while leakages need to be 

closed. 

“States would also need to create 

incentives to attract investors as most 

investors may not be open to investing in 

most of these states except these incentives 

are strong enough to move them. The option 

of wage reduction may not be widely 

accepted but may be necessary if the 

revenue profile of the states fails to improve. 

But that will also hurt the populace as more 

people are likely to fall further below the 

poverty line.” 

Reduce unnecessary 

expenditure —Kurfi 

Managing Director, APT Securities 

Limited, Mallam Garba Kurfi, said: “There 

is a need for state governments to reduce 

unnecessary expenditure, take value for 

money spend and increase sources of 

revenue. There is a need for them to reduce 

costs of running government.” 

“There is also the need to address 

inflation, especially now that it is more than 

18 percent before reducing wages.” 

Workforce must be reduced 

— Obiaraeri 

An investment banker and forensic 

auditor, Dr. Nnaemeka Obiaraeri, 

suggested the overhauling of the country’s 

fiscal, governance, political and 

constitutional architecture as a solution to 

the financial crisis facing the federal and 

state governments. 

He told Sunday Vanguard that for states 

to survive, the public workforce must be 

pruned down to such a level that their 

overall costs would not be more than 20 

percent of total revenue. 

The forensic auditor said: “Nigeria may 

end up netting in about N6.79trillion from 

crude oil sales in 2021. However, just like 

in 2019 and 2020, what may end up getting 

into the federation account to be shared by 

the three tiers of government may not be 

more than N2.5trillion. The extra 

N4.2trillion will, as usual, be frittered away. 

“We can only end the madness by totally 

deregulating the downstream oil and gas 

sector. 

“To worsen Nigeria’s current decayed 

fiscal condition, those in power - the 

President, 36 governors and members of the 

national and state assemblies have refused 

to restructure Nigeria. They refuse to move 

63 out of the 68 items in the Exclusive List 

of the 1999 constitution to the Residual List. 

Such would have allowed devolution of 

power and resource control to engender 

production and healthy competitions 

amongst the constituent units that make up 

Nigeria. 

Poverty 

“With the extreme poverty in the country, 

heightened insecurity/breakdown of law 

and order in the land and monstrous 

corruption at all levels of government, the 

only thing that can save Nigeria from being 

formally stamped into the league of failed 

and disintegrated states, is for us to overhaul 

the fiscal, governance, political and 

constitutional architecture of the country. 

“Doing this will help us to have a lean 

public sector workforce, part-time public 

office holders, and lean government 

overhead. This will allow us to unlock longterm 

private sector and global investments 

in the country. 

“Anything short of the above 

recommendations will only spell doom for 

the continued existence of Nigeria as one 

country. Nigeria is comatose. No life 

support machine can save her except we go 

back to the 1960 constitutional and fiscal 

framework.’’


FG, states broke, another recession looms 


previous mistakes. Some observations are 

pertinent in this regard because they point to 

the insincerity of leaders. 

Governors and legislators will also soon 

cave in. But, they have not addressed the 

implementation of the new MW and how to 

fund it.” 

That January 2019 article, published by this 

newspaper, ended with a prediction which is 

coming to pass right now. 

This was the prophecy: “One thing is almost 

certain. The FG will probably send a hastily 

and badly drafted Minimum Wage Bill to the 

NASS; who, in turn, might either not work on 

it before the elections or hastily pass it to avoid 

being blamed for it. Governors and states 

Houses of Assembly will go through the same 

motion. Elections will hold. After that Labour 

will discover that it has been swindled. Few 

states will pay either N27, 000 or N30, 000. 

The crisis which governors predicted will 

occur soon enough – irrespective of who gets 

elected in February.” 

Nigeria’s elected officials and the National 

Council of States – which includes all those 

who got us into this mess – approved 

Minimum Wage which could not be paid 

without dire consequences. President Buhari, 

confronted with protests by the governors, then 

approved a bailout of $2.1 billion for states. It 

was sugar-coated financial poison. And states 

were warned not to take it; because it will 

only encourage them to spend more on staff 

salaries than they could afford once the initial 

funds were exhausted. They are now exhausted 

and what is the result? 

FISH ROTS FROM THE 

HEAD 

“Don’t demand $2.1bn states’ debt payment, 

Tambuwal begs CBN.” News 

What Buhari offered governors amounted 

to a bribe which enabled him to announce in 

January 2019, about 12 days to the 

presidential election, that the FG will pay N30, 

000. 

In actual fact, as early as 2017, it was clear 

that the FG could not afford to pay a hefty rise 

in Minimum Wage without resorting to 

unsustainable borrowing. By leading with a 

bad example, the FG used the $2.1 billion 

bailout to lure the states into the trap in which 

they now find themselves. 

Even the richest five – Lagos, Rivers, Delta, 

Akwa Ibom and Kano – are now feeling the 

strain. The poorest five – Nasarawa, Gombe, 

Plateau, Ekiti and Ebonyi - merely collect 

revenue to pay salaries; they can hardly do 

anything more. 

Now that Kano has reverted to N18, 000 

wage; and Kaduna is retrenching several 

thousand employees, it is certain other states 

will soon follow. 

They will retrench when the Central Bank 

of Nigeria, CBN, which is adamant, proceeds 

to deduct the loans they accepted in January 

2019. 

Unfortunately, there is no end in sight for 

the FG and states. 

The N605billion, which was shared after 

the controversial N60 billion reportedly 

printed in March, will not solve their problems; 

even if sustained. 

In 2018, Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, who 

was then the Chairman of the Economic 

Management Team, EMT, a task for which 

he was totally unfit, made the point that for 

the FG and states to discharge their 

responsibilities, at least N700billion a month 

would be needed for allocation. 

Only once since then has that target been 

met. 

And the Minimum Wage then was N18, 000 

– which many states were not paying regularly. 

The exchange rate 

averaged N340/US$1 

then; and inflation was 

single digit. 

But the price of crude 

oil and volume exported 

kept on trending 

downwards. Thus, even if 

Minimum Wage had 

remained at N18, 000, 

the FG and states would 

have had to spend an 

increasing percentage of 

their revenue on staff 

salaries and pensions. 

Today, official 

exchange rate is N410/ 

US$1 – if your bank can 

find the dollars. 

Black market rates are 

tending towards N500/ 

US$1. External loans 

now must be repaid with 

more naira per dollar 

than when the debts were 

incurred by myopic 

governments. 

Now that Kano 

has reverted to 

N18, 000 wage; 

and Kaduna is 

retrenching 

several thousand 

employees, it is 

certain other 

states will soon 

follow 

Buhari became 

President at a time most 

economists were already 

forecasting a recession. 

Crude oil prices had 

fallen from over $100 to around $70; and 

heading South. As the major source of revenue, 

that should have provided all the warning 

signs a modern President needed to make the 

economy his first priority; to appoint a good 

Economic Adviser and to introduce strict 

austerity measures. 

That is what well-educated leaders do when 

they assume office at a time like that. 

Instead, Buhari appointed Osinbajo the 

Chairman of the Economic Management 

Team. 

He did more to make the imminent 

recession worse. 

One example will be sufficient to illustrate 

how fish rots from the head. 

USA, China, Japan, Germany and Russia 

are among the world’s largest economies. 

None of the Presidents or Prime Ministers 

appointed more than 15 Ministers. 

Buhari appointed 44. 

On the average, capital expenditure in each 

country accounted for 70 per cent of the budget 

in the aggregate. 

Buhari allocated less than 30 per cent to 

capital expenditure. 

Ab initio, with that sort of Stone Age 

allocation of resources at the top, Nigeria’s 

fate was sealed. 

The state governors followed Buhari’s bad 

example. 

Everybody lived on loans easily approved 

by National and State Assemblies. 

Mental laziness is yielding its inevitable 

dividends now. The FG and states are running 

out of money and more loans will only 

compound the problems. 

The problems started as far 

back as 2013. 

FG ROBBED 

STATES IN 2013; 

CRUDE PRICE 

WAS $102 FAAC 

CRISIS AND 

THE DANGERS 

AHEAD 

“The Forum of 

Commissioners of Finance 

from the 36 states led by the 

Chairman, Mr Timothy 

Odaah, had expressed anger 

over the unpaid arrears 

amounting to about 

N160bn($1bn)” - PUNCH 

19, 2013.” 

Among the collateral 

damages which we can 

expect from the current 

situation is a halt to further 

allocation of funds to the 

Sovereign Wealth Fund, 

SWF, which involves saving 

excess crude revenue against 

any future drastic drop in 

crude oil income. While the 

price of crude continues to exceed the 

benchmark of $75 per barrel, the aggregate 

revenue falls far short of the projections. Right 

now, Nigeria’s crude sells at over $102 per 

barrel; that is 33% over the benchmark. But, 

shipments are down more than 36%. 

In 2013, when the crude price was hovering 

around $102 per barrel, the states were 

already in trouble. The FG resorted to 

cheating, despite the positive variance between 

the benchmark price of $75 per barrel and 

the actual. Volume exported was far below 

budgeted quantity then. History is repeating 

itself now. Price of crude is well over 

benchmark, but the volume is far lower than 

the budget estimates. Inevitably, the states can 

expect less revenue at a time when prices are 

on an upward escalator on account of supplyside 

inflation now approaching 20 per cent. 

The end is not in sight. 

Right now, the price of crude moves around 

$66 per barrel. But, with OPEC quota still in 

place, Nigeria cannot export the 2.3 million 

barrels per day on which the budget is based. 

We are limited by quota to 1.7 million barrels 

per day. That is bad enough. For reasons too 

numerous to explain now, our exports are well 

below the 1.7 million per day quota. 

Consequently, oil revenue in the first two 

months was well below estimates. Now we 

have the present financial crisis. And, it is 

resulting in predictable repercussions. 

ANARCHY ON THE 

ECONOMIC FRONT 

‘FG recorded N485.51bn fiscal deficit in 

January – CBN.’ News Report 

‘Senate Okays Buhari’s $2.6bn External 

Loan Request.’ News Report 

‘Nigeria’s trade deficit rises 49% to $2.5bn 

in January’. News Report 

‘Capital importation drops 31%.’ News 

Report 

‘Prices of rice, others rise in March – NBS.’ 

News Report 

Anyone under the illusion that anarchy exists 

in the social/political fora of the Nigerian 

society needs to think again. There is as much 

disarray on the economic front. 

It is chaotic and getting worse on matters 

economic. Until recently, the CBN was in firm 

control of the monetary policy. But, the Central 

Bank is now overwhelmed with problems 

created largely by the managers of fiscal 

policy – Buhari, Osinbajo, Hajia Zainab 

Ahmed etc. They have driven the nation into 

an economic quagmire – from which escape 

is not in sight soon. Things will get a lot worse 

before they get better. From the reports above, 

permit me to illustrate why things will get 

worse; with food prices which are now going 

through the roof; and reaching for the sky. 

“On a daily basis, bandits would abduct no 

fewer than 16 villagers and we continue to 

pay ransom for them. Tell Buhari, we no longer 

go to farm because of bandits” - A resident of 

Sabon Birnin in Kaduna State, Dan 

Masamin, April 22, 2021. 

Anyone who thinks that statement is an 

isolated one should go to the farms in any 

northern and some southern states to see farms 

abandoned. My recent train ride from Lagos 

to Ibadan revealed several farms with no 

farmers to work there. Nothing can prevent 

mass starvation, starting with the farmers, this 

year; and food prices will continue to rise. 

PRINTED N60BN; 

TEMPEST IN A TEAPOT 

You can generally determine how serious 

political and social leaders in any country are 

by observing what they argue about. The 

palaver of the moment is the N60 billion said 

to have been printed by the Central Bank of 

Nigeria – which the bank denies. The 

controversy is a waste of everybody’s time. 

The CBN, as part of its functions, prints 

money all the time. And, it is the FG’s lender 

of last resort. It lends government money when 

sudden shortfalls occur. And, it is neither illegal 

nor improper. The CBN should have ignored 

Governor Obaseki. 

The Minister of Finance, after admitting a 

short-fall of N55bn, which was topped up to 

reach N605bn, failed to disclose where the 

money came from – lending credence to the 

charge of printing. 

The most disturbing aspect was the frenzy 

following the N60bn supposedly printed. It is 

0.005 of the currency in circulation; and 

cannot trigger the sort of inflation critics 

suggest. More valid is the question: For how 

long will the FG have to continue to top up? 

Otherwise monthly allocations might remain 

under N600bn. That spells disaster. 

WHAT TO EXPECT 

THIS YEAR 

Let me summarise the forecasts for the rest 

of 2021 in bullet points. 

• Expect stagflation; meaning low 

economic growth and high inflation, perhaps 

up to 30 per cent 

• Massive retrenchment of workers in 

public and private sectors 

• Declining exchange rates; perhaps as 

much as N550/US$1 

• More loans and higher debt-to-revenue 

ratio. 

• Deepening poverty 

• Massive hunger 

• Another recession is on the way

Email:biolasobowale@yahoo.com 

Phone Number: 07081372829 

Twitter:@DrDeleSobowale 

Instagram:delesobowalefranklyspeaking 

Website: www.delesobowale.com 

Fellow Nigerians, jawjaw is better 

than warwar 

“War is only a cowardly 

escape from the problems of 

peace” – Thomas Mann, 

1875-1955, VANGUARD 

BOOK OF QUOTATIONS, 

p M267. 

ikhail Gorbachev, 

born in 1931, of 

mixed Russian and 

Ukrainian parents, was the 

last President of the Union 

of Soviet Socialist 

Republics, USSR, the 

Communist bloc forcefully 

created by Russia after 

World War II as a rival to 

the power of the United 

States. But, by 1991, the 

Union had passed into 

history as each of the 

nations brought under the 

USSR umbrella went their 

separate ways – along 

ethnic lines based on 

language. The USSR 

military was powerless to 

prevent the break-up of the 

country because the forces 

themselves were sharply 

divided along ethnic lines. 

Today 15 different countries 

exist in the same 

geographical space 

occupied by only one until 

1991. There is a lesson for 

all Nigerian leaders as they 

gradually 

and 

inadvertently push our 

country to the brink of 

blow-up and break-up 

similar to that of the USSR. 

As an incurable optimist 

who believes that we can 

still renegotiate our 

collective existence as one 

Nigeria, I must confess my 

increasing alarm 

concerning the slide 

towards the brink of 

national disaster. Indeed, 

this will constitute the 

Mother of all Disasters to 

befall Nigeria in our own 

life time and it will usher in 

a period of instability 

which will overwhelm all of 

the Economic Community 

of West African States, 

ECOWAS – as well as other 

African countries. READ 

ALSOUnited States 

promises sanctions against 

human rights violators in 

Libya We urgently need to 

find our way back to peace; 

before the horrors of an 

endless civil conflict 

overtakes us. Then, peace 

will be more difficult to 

achieve – if it is ever 

attained. The break-up of 

India into India and 

Pakistan and the perpetual 

conflict between the two 

countries should caution 

us. “In times of victory, 

prophets are unnecessary 

distractions” – Professor 

Trevor Roper, 1914-2003, 

VBQ P 204. This article 

could easily have been 

titled, PRESIDENT 

BUHARI, NIGERIA IS ON 

THE BRINK OF 

NATIONAL CIVIL WAR, 

and it would have been 

appropriate. But, I have 

chosen instead to approach 

the matter from the angle 

of promise – the possibility 

that disaster can still be 

averted. The conflicts, 

which will erupt 

nationwide, will certainly 

consume most of us in one 

form or another. The 

reader is entitled to ask at 

this point if I am a prophet. 

The answers are Yes and 

No. Permit me to address 

the No first. Nigeria, today, 

is inundated with ‘prophets’ 

Kaduna State is not 

only central to any 

effort to achieve 

peace in the North in 

particular, it points to 

the problems Nigeria 

as a whole will have 

to restore peaceful 

co-existence 

– Christians, Muslims and 

traditional religion 

adherents. Invariably, the 

well-advertised ones, 

unlike the prophets of old, 

are in business to make 

money out of their 

predictions. Almost always 

their predictions are so 

vague (“Someone among 

my listeners will get a new 

job this month”, “A lady will 

get married before the year 

ends”) they constitute 

nothing more than spiritual 

419. And they quickly pass 

the envelopes for donations 

or provide bank account 

numbers to which gullible 

followers will pay. I don’t 

belong in that class. The 

prophets of old never asked 

for a kobo. Elisha rejected 

the offer of reward after 

finishing his task. He, like 

all true prophets, was 

specific about his 

predictions and the 

consequences that would 

follow if ignored. Yes, I 

belong to that class and it 

will require several articles 

to remind our readers of the 

specific warnings given on 

these pages which have 

turned out to be true. Three 

will help before moving on 

to the substance of today’s 

article. In 1992, when the 

Babangida administration 

initiated VISION 2020; 

and everybody jumped on 

the bandwagon of 

forecasting that Nigeria 

would become one of the 

world’s top 20 economies 

by 2020, there was one lone 

voice saying “it won’t 

happen”. The voice was 

mine. With only a few weeks 

left to the end of 2020, 

Nigeria, instead of being 

among top 20, is now the 

Poverty Capital of the 

World. Nobody else can 

now repeat what he said 

about VISION 2020. 

Early in 1998, shortly after 

my fourth trip to detention 

under General Sani 

Abacha, and when the 

media was under siege by 

the regime, I wrote the 

following in one article in 

May 1998: “We, the media, 

shall write the obituary of 

all those in power today – 

whether they like it or not.” 

Abacha died on June 8 of 

that year. We are still writing 

the obituaries of those who 

collaborated with him. The 

third warning is more 

recent than others – as 

recent as 2016 as a matter 

of fact. In that article, 

Nigerians were warned 

about how the Governor of 

Kaduna State had 

deliberately ignited unending 

conflict in the state 

and had fractured Kaduna 

along religious and tribal 

lines as never before in the 

state’s history. Please read: 

‘EL-RUFAI TAKING 

KADUNA TO ALEPO AND 

NIGERIA TO SYRIA – 1’ 

“It makes a great 

difference by which causes 

and under what authorities 

men undertake the wars 

that must be waged” – Saint 

Augustine. Foreword It is 

probably the first time that 

a column appearing on this 

page would start with a 

foreword. There is an 

urgent reason. It is also 

probably the first time in 

Nigerian history that a 

columnist would be the first 

to alert all Nigerians to a 

war, already underway in 

Kaduna State which might 

eventually engulf at least 

the entire North and 

perhaps all of Nigeria. It 

is a religious sectarian war 

that had its origins in the 

Middle East since the death 

of Prophet Mohammed 

(Peace Be Unto Him) and 

which is at the bottom of a 

great deal of the bloodletting 

in Syria and Iraq 

today. President Buhari 

has been criticized for his 

silence on the events in 

Kaduna since the clash 

between the army and 


Shi’ites which claimed 

thousands of lives. The 

Head of State has my 

sympathies, for reasons you 

will read later. But, his chief 

handicap lies in the fact 

that he is a Sunni called 

upon to take a stand in the 

conflict between Sunnis 

and Shi’ites. One elected 

official who had not been 

reluctant to act is El-Rufai, 

the self-righteous, selfadulating 

Governor of 

Kaduna State. Last week, he 

called some reporters and 

handed them a bundle of 

partisan sectarian halftruths 

about the Shi’ites. 

He had earlier proclaimed 

the sect banned in Kaduna 

State. By so doing, El-Rufai 

had brought to our door 

steps in Nigeria the main 

cause of Islamic sectarian 

wars in Syria and Iraq. The 

rest of us innocent 

bystanders will feel the heat 

of battle.” That article was 

published in December 

2016. Since then, Governor 

El-Rufai has added ethnic 

partisanship to the 

religious conflict engulfing 

Kaduna State. The once 

most congenial state 

capital in the North and the 

former regional capital is 

now a hell on earth for its 

dwellers. The carnage was 

foretold. Attention has 

been drawn to the warnings 

on Kaduna for the obvious 

reason. Kaduna State is 

not only central to any 

effort to achieve peace in 

the North in particular, it 

points to the problems 

Nigeria as a whole will 

have to restore peaceful coexistence. 

It is daunting 

task but not an impossible 

undertaking if we want to 

continue as a united 

country. I remain an 

optimist that we can avert 

disaster. But, the windows 

of opportunities are closing 

gradually. What happened 

to the USSR under 

Gorbachev becomes 

relevant as a lesson for us 

which we ignore at our own 

peril under Buhari. Here is 

why. ‘IBB, Abdulsalami 

Declare Support for North- 

Central People’s Forum’ – 

DAILY INDEPENDENT, 

November 19, 2020, P 2. 

Unlike most Nigerians, I 

read several newspapers 

every day. Until that report 

by DAILY INDEPENDENT 

was published, nobody 

could have convinced me 

that former Heads of State 

– Babangida and Abubakar 

– would ever enlist in any 

sectional or regional 

forum. In fact, in the 

concluding part of my 

article two weeks ago – 

‘FACED 

WITH 

IMMINENT DISASTER, 

WHERE ARE THE 

NIGERIAN LEADERS’ – 

the two former military 

leaders had been suggested 

along with some others who 

might help Buhari to rescue 

us. I laboured under the 

impression that they have 

both successfully warded off 

requests to join the North 

Central of Middle Belt 

crusade for fairness. The 

DAILY INDEPENDENT 

report and the statement 

credited to IBB in 

particular broke my heart 

as it revealed how close we 

are to the brink of disaster. 

Here is part of what he 

said:“ I have always 

wondered when I hear 

groups from the North- 

West, North-East, South- 

South and South-West, and 

I kept wondering where we 

in the North-Central 

belong…” Babangida was 

speaking to a delegation 

from the North-Central 

People’s Forum led by Lt 

General (rtd) Jeremiah 

Useni. The Forum, which 

has been busy lately, is the 

indisputable proof that the 

North has become openly 

divided. Those parading 

themselves as northern 

leaders will now have to 

define which part of the 

North they are leading. The 

Forum also visited Saraki, 

former Senate President, 

who chipped in this bit of 

complaint about 

marginalization of the N- 

C: “If you talk about the 

unity of this country, you 

must factor in the North 

Central". 

•This article was first 

published November 2020. 

Joyfulhomes 

2015@gmail.com 

Refuse to be limited 

Glory be to God. Today is 

the last Sunday in the 

month of April. Brethren, 

many of us had ups and downs 

but we still give God glory 

because we are alive. 

More importantly, Jesus 

lives and that is our assurance 

that we shall over come. 

Brothers and sisters, is there 

anything that has been 

limiting you? Limitation 

comes in various forms. Some 

are physical and others are 

spiritual. As a believer, I expect 

that you know that the spiritual 

controls the physical. 

Therefore, we must focus more 

attention on the spiritual. 

Unfortunately, only those 

who are in Christ, have a 

deeper understanding of the 

Spiritual. May the Lord guide 

us all. Limitations manifest as 

incurable or curable illness, 

poverty, financial stagnation, 

barrenness, troubled 

marriage etc. 

In the last two weeks, this 

column discussed our attitude 

to prayer. One area we have 

mentioned but not discussed 

deeply is the area of giving. 

While Christianity is not 

opposed to giving alms, we are 

not talking about giving alms. 

Giving for a Christian must 

be focused. It is not about 

throwing money at 

Beggars on the streets. Not 

at all. How should a Christian 

give, to whom and sometimes 

for what purpose? 

Our guide is found in 2nd 

Corinthians 9 vs.6 & 7 (KJV): 

“ But this I say, He which 

soweth sparingly shall reap 

also sparingly; and he which 

soweth bountifully shall reap 

also bountifully. 

Every man according as he 

purposeth in his heart, so let 

him give; not grudgingly, or 

of necessity: for God loveth a 

cheerful giver.” 

Brethren, let me start with a 

testimony. A couple that had 

IVF seven times but failed. 

They married in Laughter 

Foundation Ministry but 

when the problem of delay in 

child bearing persisted, they 

returned there. 

They were convinced that 

the problem was spiritual. 

On getting here, they made 

Giving cheerfully 

brings in joy 

unspeakable 

a huge donation. Money that 

was meant for their rent in 

England was used as a seed. 

Barely, two months after that, 

the woman got pregnant. Lo 

and behold, she was 

confirmed to be carrying a set 

of triplets. Their landlord 

surprisingly, didn’t make 

trouble with them. 

Today as I write, the triplets, 

two boys and a girl are about 

five years old. Not only did the 

Lord break the yoke, God 

removed every issue that 

limited them from having 

children. God wiped out those 

spiritual issues that made IVF 

fail.The lesson here is 

sacrificial offering. 

Let’s see the conversation of 

King David and Araunah as 

recorded in 2nd Samuel 24 

vs. 24: “ And the king said 

unto Araunah, Nay; but I will 

surely buy it of thee at a price: 

neither will I offer burnt 

offerings unto the LORD my 

God of that which doth cost 

me nothing. So David bought 

the threshing floor and the 

oxen for fifty shekels of silver”. 

The key word for us here is 

quality offering. 

However, we must note that 

purposeful offering popularly 

called seed must not 

necessarily be in cash. It could 

be in kind. 

I’ll give an example. A lady, 

who had been waiting on the 

Lord, went to the children’s 

hall. She looked around and 

saw that the walls were dirty. 

She went to the Parish Pastor 

and told him that she wanted 

to send a painter to re-paint 

the hall and she would bear 

the cost. 

The Pastor agreed. The work 

was done and the one who 

had been barren for over 20 

years was first blessed with a 

boy and then a set of twins. 

Three children in two years. 

What took her mates six years 

to achieve, God gave her in 

15 months. 

Brethren, what kind of 

offering do you give? Please 

understand me. I’m not 

suggesting that you give your 

pay packet as offering. Before 

you make a significant 

offering, please pray about it. 

Be guided by the Holy Spirit. 

Once guided, please do so 

cheerfully. Giving cheerfully 

brings in joy unspeakable. 

People who didn’t know when 

you gave will rejoice with you 

when the Lord blesses you in 

return. 

King David was a man who 

offended God many times and 

many times did the LORD 

forgive him. The Holy Bible 

describes him as “a man after 

God’s heart”. 

Another example of the way 

we should give is found in the 

life of King David. 

2nd Samuel 24 vs. 20&21: 

“ And Araunah looked, and 

saw the king and his servants 

coming on toward him: and 

Araunah went out, and bowed 

himself before the king on his 

face upon the ground. 

And Araunah said, 

Wherefore is my lord the king 

come to his servant? And 

David said, to buy the 

threshing floor of thee, to build 

an altar unto the LORD, that 

the plague may be stayed 

away from the people”. 

Note that David invested so 

much to build an altar for the 

Lord that the plague may not 

affect the people. 

You too can make a 

meaningful seed so that the 

yoke of barrenness will be 

broken. Your sacrificial lamp 

may be the key to your break 

through. Make no mistake; 

I’m not suggesting that God 

is in need. Not at all. 

Giving cheerfully, giving to 

the work of God is another 

way of unlocking locked 

destinies. 

Brothers and sisters, make 

up your mind to break all 

limitations. Prayer, praise 

worship, thanksgiving even 

for expected miracles, 

sacrificial giving, makes us 

receive Divine Attention. 

Anyone that receives the 

attention of the LORD cannot 

be limited by anyone or forces. 

However, the decision to 

break all limitations is yours. 

The Pastor may pray with 

you but you may need to take 

certain steps that could lead 

to your break though. 

If you don’t believe, let’s 

check the life of Cornelius as 

recorded Acts of Apostles 10 

vs. 1-4 but for our purpose, 

we’ll consider verses 2&4: A 

devout man, and one that 

feared God with all his house, 

which gave much alms to the 

people, and prayed to God 

always”. 

He saw a vision and in verse 

4 it is stated: “ And when he 

looked on him, he was afraid, 

and said, what is it, Lord? And 

he said unto him, Thy prayers 

and thine alms are come up 

for a memorial before God”. 

The story of Cornelius 

simply tells us that though 

God gave us all that we have, 

the Lord appreciates those 

who give cheerfully. 

What is the project in your 

local church? Participate. 

Make a contribution not to 

show off but to appreciate the 

goodness of God in your life 

and before you realize it, your 

blessings will overflow. 

Tears of joy will soon replace 

tears of sorrow in your life in 

the name of Jes 

Need I say more? 

Whatever is your heart’s 

desire, hold unto the Lord, stay 

away from sins and be a true 

Christian in word and deed. 

Shalom!

PAGE 12 — SUNDAY VANGUARD, APRIL 25, 2021 

My battle with 

•Boylexxy 

How Boylexxy is 

raising the bar 

with new songs 

s the Nigerian entertainment industry is 

Aexperiencing a big boom in the post Covid- 

19 era, new vocalists that may shape the future 

of the industry keep springing up. One of the 

artistes who seem ready to take over the music 

space is Ayomide Alex Olanipekun, better 

known as Boylexxy. 

Call him Nigeria’s new vocalist attracting 

attention and raising the bar, then one may 

not be wrong as Boylexxy whose interest in 

music began when he was living in Atlanta, 

with a friend who is also into music. 

Speaking about his music vision and what 

inspired his career, Boylexxy said he was 

exposed to tunes from some of Nigeria’s top 

music stars including K1 De Ultimate, Wizkid, 

Dagrin among others early in life as their 

songs and music arrangement gave him a 

clear cut understanding about 

the Nigerian music culture 

and the path he wants to 

follow. 

With him featuring on 

Peruzzi’s new album, ‘Rum 

and Boogie’, Boylexxy says 

he is already having a 

feeling that 

2021 would 

be a great 

year for 

him. 

•Mr BON, Seun Oleketuyi 

with Kogi State First Lady 

Kogi First Lady to 

host BON Awards’ 

Book Reading 

May 27 

s part of the activities leading to the 

Aannual Best of Nollywood (BON) Awards, 

the board and organisers have announced 

that the book reading for the year will be 

hosted by the First Lady of Kogi State, Mrs 

Rashida Yahaya Bello at the State House in 

Lokoja. 

The book reading, which is a BON Awards 

annual tradition is an event held for children 

in the year’s host State for the awards. 

Aside the fact that it is the first time after 

the COVID-19 pandemic that BON Awards 

would be hosting a reading, the event, as 

usual, is scheduled to coincide with the 2021 

Children’s Day celebration. 

For this year, the organisers of the leading 

pan-Nigerian film industry awards have 

revealed that the official book of the year is 

Chinua Achebe’s ‘The Trouble with Nigeria’, 

and over 1,000 children from all over Kogi 

State are expected at the event where they 

would be read to by the First Lady of the state, 

supported by a number of Nollywood actors. 

depression, hate 

— Adunni Ade 

N ollywood actress 

depression due to the troubles 

she faced and told Chude that 

and mother of two, Adunni 

she had to be placed on 

Adewale, popularly known as 

medication to help 

Adunni Ade, has made some 

“calm her nerves”. 

telling revelations about her life. In 

However, these 

the recent episode of #WithChude 

drugs came with 

the US-groomed actress 

accompanying 

revealed her battle with 

side effects. 

depression and hate in the 

“ T h e 

industry. 

depression was so 

According to her, she 

intense that I had 

endured much hurt when 

to use a tablet that 

growing up without her 

had to be placed 

mother and the 

under my tongue so it 

disappointment she 

could dissolve immediately. 

experienced when she 

They did calm my nerves but 

thought that moving 

the side effect was that I was 

back with her would 

beginning to lose my memory so I 

make up for the lost time. 

had to wean myself off them and start 

She said, “I remember •Adunni Ade afresh” she added. 

more hurt than I 

On hate in the industry, she said, “I 

remember happiness, 

have had jobs taken away from me, 

growing up. When I 

I’ve had colleagues who have now 

moved out of Nigeria 

become big names yank my name off 

and moved in with my 

and tell lies to producers on reasons 

mum after secondary 

they shouldn’t give me the job. Deals 

school, I didn’t realise 

- endorsements, have been yanked 

the damage her not 

off my feet because “they don’t know 

being around had 

me”, or “they don’t like me”, or “I’m 

caused. I just did not feel 

not their person”. So they would 

the love and care that I 

rather put someone they’re cool 

ought to. I began to ask myself: Is there God? with who can easily give them a cut - or 

Why do I have to endure so much hurt?” whatever the case may be, rather than give 

Adunni revealed she constantly battled with me who truly deserves it”, she said. 

Davido drags fans to Viva 

Hussein Jaafar, Managing Director, Aspira 2. Pop singer, David Adeleke 

(Davido) 3. Head-Marketing, Santhosh Kumar Nair, Aspira at official 

unveiling the pop singer as the face of Viva Plus; a new detergent product 

of Aspira Nigeria Ltd; took place yesterday at Lagos. 

By Benjamin Njoku 

op singer Davido has added another 

Pfeather to cap as he has been unveiled as a 

brand ambassador for a leading manufacturers 

and distributors of personal health care and 

laundry products in the country, Aspira’s Viva 

Plus Laundry Sanitizer Detergent Powder. 

The unveiling ceremony took place on 

Thursday, at Radisson Blu Hotel in Lagos. It 

was attended by a cross section of the Nigerian 

media and stakeholders in the Nigerian 

entertainment industry. 

Speaking at the event, Aspira Head of 

Marketing, Mr. Santhosh Kumar Nair said “the 

company decided to sign on the hit maker and 

DMW boss because of his dynamism, popularity 

among Nigerian youths and his hardworking 

disposition which has put Nigeria on the global 

music map.” 

“We are glad to inform the Nigerians that 

henceforth, Davido will be the official face of 

our Viva brand,” he added. 

Speaking further, Nair said Davido through 

his music is making Nigerians proud all over 

the world. 

“That he is one of Nigeria’s top brands. He 

has contributed immensely towards the 

entertainment industry in Nigeria. He continues 

to inspire millions of Nigerian youths and this is 

in consonance with the core values at Aspira 

which is youth empowerment, because there is 

an alignment between Davido’s vision and the 

core values of Viva as a brand. The synergy 

between both brands would impact the society 

in positive, unique and in significant ways,” Nair 

said. 

Following this new relationship with the 

superstar, Aspira Nigeria has already rolled out 

some exciting deals on all their social media 

platforms for everyone to key into the new 

product. Davido, who came in company of 

his DMW gang, expressed his willingness 

to work with the company, stating that the 

product- launch was in line with the vision of 

the company to break new grounds and 

deliver high quality product to their 

customers. 

The trio of entertainment industry 

stakeholders, Dele Momodu, Peace 

Anyiam-Osigwe, and Seun Oloketuyi 

are set to produce one of the biggest 

biopics of our time titled ‘Baba Kekere’, 

a movie chronicling the life and times 

of elder statesman and revered 

politician, late Lateef Kayode Jakande. 

While a release date and timeline is yet 

to be announced by the producers, it has 

been revealed that ‘Baba Kekere’ the 

biopic is to be directed by maestro 

filmmaker and storyteller, Tade Ogidan, 

with pre-production of the movie 

scheduled for May 2021. 

Jakande, who passed on in February 

2021 at the age of 91 was a man of many 

parts in his lifetime; he was a Nigerian 

journalist who became governor of Lagos 

State, and later Minister of Works. 

The movie, which according to the producers 

•Queeneth Agboir 

Why I don’t 

fight —Queeneth 

Agbor 

ollywood actress, Queeneth Agbor is a 

Nbeautiful woman who knows she’s 

beautiful and would go to any length to 

protect her beauty. In a chat 

with Potpourri, the Microbiology graduate 

reveals the part of her body she values most. 

She told Potpourri, ”I actually value every 

part of my body, but the part I value and respect 

the most is my face, it’s my selling point, 

because if anything happens to it now it will 

affect my job as an actress. I don’t fight just 

because if anything happens to my face then 

it’s no longer mine. The continuity of my acting 

career is my face.” 

“I’m beautiful, even if you don’t tell me I’m 

beautiful, at least I’ve a mirror, I see and know 

that I’m a very beautiful lady. In fact, every 

lady needs to always tell herself that she’s 

beautiful. If I’m not beautiful, I would not even 

come out, I’ll always be indoors,” she added 

jokingly. 

How Nigerian 

dancer, , Poco Lee 

got his stage name 

N igerian 

dancer, hypeman and popular 

MC, 

Poco Lee, born Iweh Pascal 

Odinaka who hit limelight in 

2018 after appearing in Zlatan 

Ibile’s Zanku Legwork’s 

video has revealed how he 

got his stage name. 

In a recent interview 

with Potpourri, Poco 

Lee revealed he got the 

name back in his 

junior secondary 

school days. 

“It was during 

musical class. There is 

an Italian term in 

music called Poco a 

Poco which means 

little by little. So, I was 

actually the smallest 

in the class then, so 

they started calling me 

Poco. I added “Lee” to spice it up and since 

then it’s “Poco Lee” from everyone,” he 

recalled. 

Since his breakout year featuring in the 

popular eclectic Zanku Legwork video, Poco 

Lee has shared the stage with A-list superstar 

singers and performers like Davido, Wizkid, 

Burna Boy, Tiwa Savage, Reekado Banks, 

Zlatan Ibile, Naira Marley and Niniola, 

among others. 

Movie on Jakande, Baba Kekere, out soon 

Dele Momodu, Seun Oloketuyi 

with Late Jakande family 

is a one-of-a-kind biopic will dramatise the 

life of Jakande drawing on both public and 

private facts.


•DJ Dimple 

Nipple 

I was treated 

badly as video vixen 

—DJ Dimple Nipple 

Six-foot Rachel Oluwabukola Martins better known as DJ Dimple Nipple got her 

biggest break into mainstream entertainment when she featured in Funke Akindele’s 

YouTube series titled “House Helps” as an actress. But her foray into the glam world 

of entertainment began as a dancer, a video vixen and then ultimately as a DJ. 

Rachel Martins who has three unique talents of dancing, acting and disc jockeying, 

had it rough at the beginning having to contend with all the knocks that come with 

making it as an entertainer. Of course, the storm is well over now but the Lagos 

Island native shares her story with Potpourri and every other thing that makes her 

tick as a woman. 

Talents 

I have a passion for three aspects of 

entertainment, namely: acting, dancing and 

disc jockeying. I’ve always loved music, and 

dancing was my first love. Later, I decided 

to do something unique which is dancing 

while disc jockeying. Acting for me is natural 

and innate unlike disc jockeying which I 

had to learn. My strongest talent among 

the 3 is acting, because it’s all natural and I 

don’t have to stress it. I became really famous 

through acting even though I was known 

and admired for my dancing skills which 

paved the way for my acting career. Disc 

jockeying is something I decided to add to 

my craft because of my love for it and I find 

joy doing it because it’s more than just music 

for me. 

Unique selling point 

My selling point as an actress is my beautiful 

face and physique. My vibe is different, you 

got to love my mix and my song selections, I 

have great taste for good music. I don’t 

just disc songs, I dance while doing it. No DJ 

in Africa does that. I’m the best DJ in Nigeria. 

Journey into acting 

I used to be an official dancer for Hennessy 

and I have danced in most nightclubs in Lagos. 

I have danced at Club DNA, G12 Beach and 

others. Tiwa Savage and Wizkid used to come 

to watch me at G12 Beach. There was this 

time Tiwa Savage posted me on Instagram 

and it caught the attention of Funke Akindele 

who messaged her that she would love to come 

and watch me and Tiwa Savage told her and 

then to my surprise I saw her on another 

Sunday because G12 Beach only opens on 

Sundays. Then Funke Akindele called me and 

got my contact and that was 

how I got to be 

•DJ Dimple 

Nipple 

featured in the series 

called “House 

Helps,” 

Life as a 

video vixen 

The beginning of my 

career was as a video 

vixen but that didn’t pay 

off well because I was 

treated badly. The first 

music video I was ever 

featured in was “Give Me 

Love” by Skales ft Tekno 

in March 2017. When I 

got to the location on that 

day everyone was wowed, 

like, who’s this girl and 

they wanted me as the main vixen even though 

I was called as an extra. The girl that was 

called as the main vixen started acting up so I 

had to let her do her thing and guess what, at 

the end of the day, the guy that was asked to 

pay us refused to pay me for my sweat. 

First video shoot ever. I felt really bad 

because that was my only hope of surviving as 

at then and I was just 17. I lost my mom when 

I was just 15 and someone needed to sacrifice 

herself for my younger 4 beautiful siblings. 

Sex 

Sex is just a test by God for us to remain on 

the right path in life. Like you see some people 

committing adultery due to their spouse’s 

inability to satisfy them in bed and then they 

end up looking for something to always blame. 

Sex is also very essential in a relationship. 

Marriage 

Marriage is more like a life commitment 

and it’s not just something you go into if you 

don’t know what you want yet. Most marriages 

these days are due to pressure and most people 

in it don’t even know the meaning of 

“Marriage”. Marriage is not just something 

physical but it takes emotions and it’s also 

very spiritual because you are sharing a bond 

with a person. Marriage takes a lot but it’s not 

a lot if you genuinely love the person, it takes 

commitment, time, attention, giving, 

understanding, generosity, trust, loyalty for 

marriage to work.” 

Relationship 

Relationship is a feeling, a connection 

between two people. Most relationships these 

days are fake and most times it’s just to use 

you. You meet some people thinking there is a 

bond but to them it’s the opposite. 

Relationships should have boundaries, trust 

and that’s why these days there are more toxic 

relationships. 

Social media 

All I’ve to say is that this social media of a 

thing is very powerful and anything you do 

there goes a long way and to God be the glory 

I’ve more fans outside my country with the 

help of social media. 

I can legit be in Dubai Mall or a restaurant 

in South Africa and people will walk up to me 

and tell me they are huge fans and that they 

follow my series “House Helps”. Social media 

has really helped me in a positive way. 

Turn-on and turn-off 

I get turned on by good smell. I get turned 

on with the way a guy talks, acts, thinks and 

walks. I also get turned on by his looks and 

how he cares for people. I get turned off by 

bad smell, bad attitude and when he talks too 

much, looks down on people or when he is 

rude. 

•Olatunji 

Damilare 

Meet Olatunji Damilare, artist who 

paints his imagination to reality 

ndeed, the coming of contemporary 

Iart as produced in the 21st century 

has evolved and really come to stay. 

Now we have advancement in the 

reality of art, globally influenced and 

culturally diversified. The industry 

continues to produce outstanding 

Arts and Artists from different 

realities of life, bringing 

existence to sight. 

Such is the artistic 

projection of the 

visual artist, Olatunji 

Benjamin Damilare 

who believes his 

expressions are 

unconscious of the 

will to substitute the 

principle of 

composition after 

nature. Relating his 

m i s s i o n 

with Potpourri Olatunji 

Benjamin explained 

how he is being 

triggered by restless 

energy with each of 

his live paintings 

containing a sublime 

precision and the 

capacity to portray 

abstractions. 

According to him, “Having realised 

the need for the world to change; my 

expressions are perhaps unconscious 

of the will to substitute for the principle 

of composition after nature and for the 

principle of autonomous structure. 

Each of my paintings contain a sublime 

precision and capacity to individualize 

abstractions. I’m driven by restless 

energy to depict a spectrally 

heightened and distorted actuality with 

a tendency to individualization, 

fragmentation and my style taking a 

full expressionistic vigour. My art has 

an originative function in its process 

and deals primarily with forms and 

when realized, it lives its own life. I select 

the visual element to create a vital 

organization of form with the age 

demanding other virtues, like a new 

version to express a new dimension of 

consciousness in harmony, truth, 

fragmentary and unconsoling, 

achieving the correspondence between 

inner necessity and expressive 

significance. I compose the expression 

of inner meaning in an intense degree 

that is presented in harmonic relations 

of color and color itself in a 

configuration that adequately 

expresses the inner emotion; 

adequately communicates it to the 

observer.” 

‘Lockdown Heat’ to premier 

at Silverbird June 12 

•Mary Lazarus 

(Lockdown Heat) 

In the heat of the pandemic, during the 

2020 lockdown season, many new 

relationships of convenience were born, 

and that formed the basis of Seun 

Oloketuyi’s latest film, ‘Lockdown Heat’. 

Directed by the able Samuel Olatunji, 

“Lockdown Heat” stars actors like Efa 

Iwara, Mary Lazarus, Omowunmi 

Dada, Bolanle Ninalowo, Debo 

Macaroni, Ada Ukoh and 

Gbenga Adeyinka. 

According to the 

producer, the movie is set to 

premiere at the Silverbird 

Cinemas, Ikeja on June 12, 

coinciding with the oneyear 

anniversary of phase 

two of the 2020 lockdown 

season in Nigeria. 

‘Lockdown Heat’ follows 

the story of two, young, 

attractive neighbours of 

the opposite sex who find 

themselves embroiled 

in a shotgun romance 

as a result of the 

COVID-19 inspired 

lockdown. As 

unlikely 

bedfellows, 

after the 

easing of t h e 

lockdown, they must decide 

if what they feel is truly love, or merely a 

convenient romance in the heat of the 

season.


Is Minister Isa Pantami 

Nigeria’s problem? 

Anarrative 

which 

dominated the 

Nigerian media last week was 

the argument that Dr. Isa 

Pantami,Minister of 

Communication and Digital 

Economy was not a fit and 

proper person to hold the 

position of Minister of the 

Federal Republic because 

he was once a supporter of 

international terrorist 

groups. Although political 

opponents and leaders of 

civil society organizations 

were the major forces 

calling for the removal of 

the Minister, a few voices 

from the ruling All 

Progressives Congress, 

APC, surprisingly found 

cause to join the aggrieved 

group. For example,Cletus 

Obon, a public 

commentator and legal 

practitioner who is said to 

be an APC chieftain 

declared that Pantami 

should be sacked from his 

position if he was unwilling 

to resign in the light of 

revelations made about 

him. Obon who spoke on a 

national television 

programme last Monday 

said Pantami should resign, 

so as to not give the 

government a bad name. 

As usual,a number of 

people and organizationsin 

Nigeria, immediately rose 

in stout defence of the 

Minister. One of them, the 

Muslim Rights Concern 

PhD,Department of 

Philosophy, 

Universityof Lagos 

08116759758 

opuruiche2000@gmail.com 

Before commencing 

discussion on the 

topic for this week, it 

is expedient to summarise the 

concluding part of our 

analysis last Sunday the 

amiable hardworking editor 

left out for obvious reasons but 

which I consider pertinent 

given the perilous state of the 

country at this time. The point 

I made there was that most 

times when a northern Fulani 

Muslim (except in the case of 

Gowon, who is a Christian) 

and a southerner with higher 

mental magnitude and better 

educational qualifications 

are available for the topmost 

political position in Nigeria, 

the outcome always favours 

the northerner. For example, 

in the First Republic Tafawa 

Balewa became Prime 

Minister instead of Dr. 

Azikiwe or Chief Obafemi 

Awolowo. The same travesty 

occurred when Gowon, not 

Brigadier Babafemi 

Ogundipe or Lt. Col. 

Chukwuemeka Odumegwu 

Ojukwu, succeeded late Maj. 

Gen. J.T.U. Aguiyi-Ironsi, the 

first military head of state. 

About thirteen years later 

Alhaji Shehu Shagari not only 

defeated the two most 

prominent southern 

politicians from different 

parties to become president, 

he initially beat Dr. Alex 

Ekwueme to emerge as the 

presidential candidate of the 

National Party of Nigeria 

(NPN). Again in 2015 Buhari 

(MURIC) argued that 

“Pantami should not be 

held responsible for the 

views he held on terrorism 

in the past, because he 

made the terrorism 

remarks when he was a 

teenager and an 

undergraduate.” Other 

supporters denounced the 

reports that the Minister 

was a supporter of terrorist 

groups affirming that the 

reports were simply fake 

news. But the Minister they 

were defending had shown 

remorse and penitence 

pleading that he no longer 

held his previous views 

having become more 

matured and exposed to 

better informationas 

opposed to those he held 

before. He buttressed his 

plea by enumerating his 

activities in the last few 

years which he claimed had 

been dedicated to public 

condemnation of Boko 

Haram and insurgency 

even at the risk of his life. I 

doubt if he convinced 

many. 

But what remains the 

national dilemma is that 

when views of the anti and 

pro-Pantami sides are 

taken together, one can 

easily come to the 

conclusion that except for 

an insignificant wellmeaning 

group, the 

different sides to the 

controversy were driven by 

Reality versus illusion: How 

religion poisons everything(1) 

defeated Dr. Goodluck 

Jonathan to become 

president. The only exception 

which occurred in 2011 when 

Jonathan triumphed over 

Buhari was partly due to the 

fact that the momentum of 

sympathy for the death of 

President Musa Yar’Ardua 

favoured Jonathan. Of course, 

there is no guarantee that Dr. 

Azikiwe, Chief Awolowo and 

others would have performed 

magic if they were allowed to 

lead. However, consistent 

emergence of mediocre 

leaders from the north at the 

centre aided and abetted by 

“useful idiots” from the south 

has been a recurring decimal 

which has crippled the socalled 

giant of Africa. 

Anyone who claims that 

Nigerian unity is nonnegotiable 

and sacrosanct is 

either ignorant of how nations 

emerge, evolve, decline and 

disappear over time, or is 

benefiting unjustly from the 

extremely flawed system 

which rewards extremely lazy 

but clever parasites in or close 

to the corridors of power. In 

addition, she or he must be a 

hypocrite probably suffering 

from poverty of imagination. 

Given that Nigeria is hanging 

on an existential cliff-hanger, 

the time is ripe for radical 

reconstruction of her 

geopolitical architectonic. 

The best option, in my 

opinion, is confederation 

followed very closely by 

peaceful dismemberment. 

religious, ethnic or political 

sentiments of supporting 

their own or opposing an 

outsider. It is this urge to 

resort to primordial 

sentiments in the country 

that is by far a greater 

danger than what Pantami 

did or didn’t do. The case 

of those supporting the 

Minister is even worse 

because many of them were 

not privy to the case they 

were defending. Yet, some 

of them were not 

contracted to speak for the 

Minister. Instead, they 

were just a group of people 

who are never willing to let 

anyone from their part of 

the country or political 

divide lose a debate. They 

forget that even if the 

person they are defending 

loses the case, his 

p o s i t i o n i n 

cabinet,according to the 

Nigerian arrangement, can 

only be replaced by an 

indigene of the same 

state.If so, how do we 

discourage ethnicity aaa 

foremost intractable 

problem of Nigeria? 

The inevitable 

implication of the trend 

wherebybusy bodies jump 

into every issue of public 

interest only to complicate 

the issues is that because of 

politics,Nigerians are 

never presented with the 

true picture of any public 

matter. Where the issues at 

stakeinvolvegrave 

problems, their resolution 

become practically 

impossible. But for the 

contending groups that 

have seized the Pantami 

controversy, a few people 

would probably have 

appreciated that for once, 

a Nigerian Minister who 

has been publicly indicted 

elected to offer apologies 

with ample remorse. There 

The connection or 

relationship between 

the religionist and the 

deity being worshipped 

is obviously a 

relationship of 

dependence 

Any other option is merely an 

aberration, a meaningless 

waste of time and lessons from 

history. 

Having accomplished what 

I stated at the beginning, we 

can now look at the 

phenomenon of religion and 

how it negatively impacts our 

lives in all its diverse 

ramifications. But what is 

religion? This question is 

pertinent because, aside from 

the definitional difficulties 

connected with every word or 

expression that designates a 

complex entity, activity, 

feeling or idea, Christians in 

particular often deceptively 

claim that Christianity is not 

a religion “but a way of life.” 

Certainly, every religion 

entails or, more precisely 

prescribes, “a way of life,” 

which means that 

Christianity like other 

religions recommends the 

faithful to live in a certain 

way. Now, it is true that 

‘religion’ means different 

things to the philosopher, 

theologian, psychologist, 

anthropologist, and so on. 

Moreover, many people seem 

to think that religion is 

whatever anyone believes in 

strongly, which suggests that 

if someone believes strongly 

in or has a tight emotional 

attachment to science, secular 

humanism, Marxism or 

money-making, then science, 

secular humanism, Marxism 

is doubt if many 

stillremember the case of 

Pantami’s predecessor who 

sat in office till the last day 

without clearance from the 

Government should 

play down on all 

other things for now 

and place priority on 

the creation of a unity 

of direction towards 

ending insecurity 

National Youth Service 

Corps NYSC having 

evaded national service. 

Rather than apologize for 

such indiscretion, he 

argued his way through, 

not because his argument 

was persuasive but because 

he was politically 

privileged more so, astop 

politicians who should 

have condemned the 

attitude played the ‘silence 

is golden’ game. 

Perhaps a more 

reprehensible position is 

when top politicians turn 

issues upside down. As soon 

as the Pantami case broke, 

some analysts blamed his 

clearance on the cosmetic 

screening of Ministerial 

nominees by the 

legislature. As if anyone 

can justify the infamous 

‘bow and go’ screening, a 

member of the House of 

Representatives, Yusuf 

Gagdi pushed the blame to 

the people. According to 

Gagdi, the Minister would 

not have been cleared if 

members of the public who 

knew his past views had 

petitioned against him. 

While the people have 

and obsession for riches, as the 

case may be, is that person’s 

religion. This reductionist 

conception of ‘religion’ is 

untenable since it removes 

from the word specific features 

or attributes that distinguish 

it from other kinds of belief. 

Belief, (in majority of cases 

very strong or dogmatic 

belief) is part of religion. 

However, religion is neither 

synonymous with belief nor 

does it begin or end with belief. 

Religion is a special kind of 

belief which differs from other 

modes of believing or 

emotional responses to 

things. Another reason for 

rejecting the reductionist view 

is its patently absurd 

implication that for atheists 

or agnostics atheism or 

agnosticism is their religion. 

Atheism is definitely a 

negation of religious belief, 

and to say it is a religion 

commits what the bohemian 

Austrian philosopher, Ludwig 

Wittgenstein, called a 

category mistake. 

To get a proper handle or 

perspective on what ‘religion’ 

really is, one should look at 

the etymology of that word. 

In his book A Philosophical 

Look at Religion, J. I. 

Omoregbe affirms that 

‘religion’ is derived from three 

Latin expressions, namely, 

ligare (to bind), relegere (to 

unite or link) and religio 

(relationship). Thus, 

etymologically speaking 

religion essentially connotes 

a relationship or link between 

at least two persons, the 

human person and the divine 

person believed to exist. It is 

something that unites or 

connects a human being or 

believer to a deity or 

transcendental being believed 

to be real and who ought to 

be worshipped by human 

beings. It follows that religion 

is a bipolar phenomenon 

much to gain if it is only 

visionary leaders that are 

cleared to hold top 

positions, the job of 

clearing nominees is 

aconstitutional mandate 

of the National Assembly, 

in this case the Senate. Is it 

rational to give a job to a 

specified group and turn 

around to blame the 

general public for the 

failure to diligently 

implement the mandate? Is 

it not because it is 

impracticable for all 

citizens to be directly 

engaged in governance 

that democracy evolved the 

concept of representation? 

Does Gagdi want to earn 

salary for a job but assign 

the job to the public? 

Indeed, politicians are a 

funny lot; during 

electioneering, they promise 

more than what they can do. 

As soon they are elected, they 

begin to chorushow the 

problem was caused by a 

previous government 

forgetting that government 

is a continuum or how they 

never knew the exact scope 

of the problem they 

confidently pleaded to be 

allowed to handle. In the 

case of Ministerial 

screening, it probably would 

have made more sense if the 

Gagdi ‘alibi’ was pleaded by 

a Senator. One wonders how 

those in the school of 

thought that the public 

should be blamed for the 

screening issue felt after a 

former official of the State 

Security Service,Dennis 

Amachree confirmed also 

on national television that 

the details of Isa Pantami 

were sent to the Legislature 

and the Executive arms of 

government before 

screening. In any case why 

would Nigerians waste their 

energies sending 

consisting of the believer or 

religious person at one end 

and the God, deity or 

transcendental being believed 

to exist at the other end. 

Whether the transcendental 

being actually exists or is 

simply a figment of human 

fertile imagination as Ludwig 

Feuerbach, Sigmund Freud, 

Bertrand Russell and other 

scholars have compellingly 

argued is not important to the 

concept of religion as long as 

the religious person believes 

that such a being really exists 

and worships it. The notion of 

a God (or Gods before the 

invention of monotheism) is 

fundamental to the concept of 

religion. Consequently, 

without the idea of a deity and 

belief that such a being is real, 

the ultimate reality, there is no 

religion since, as stated 

earlier, religion is essentially 

a relationship established 

between a human being and 

a supernatural transcendent 

person believed to exist. 

Logically, as I stated earlier, 

as long as the religious person 

has faith and believes (often 

without question) the actuality 

of the deity as a very unique 

personand worships it, that 

woman or man is practicing 

religion. 

Moreover, the connection or 

relationship between the 

religionist and the deity being 

worshipped is obviously a 

relationship of dependence 

because the former sees 

herself or himself as inferior 

to, and dependent on, the deity 

of that very religion. In fact, 

some theologians such as St 

Augustine of Hippo and 

Friedrich Daniel Ernst 

Schleiermacher maintain 

that religion is a feeling of 

absolute dependence on God. 

This definition, irrespective of 

how deferential to the deity it 

might sound to some people, 

is unsatisfactory given that it 

information to a framework 

that 

would 

publiclydemonstrate the 

irrelevance of the 

information through the 

‘bow and go’ platform? 

Another problem worthy 

of mention today is the 

inability of government to 

mobilize Nigerians to unite 

against a major problem. It 

would be recalled that the 

mobilization of Nigerians 

against Ebola was 

responsible for the 

effectiveness of that fight. 

Since 2019, when the 

present administration 

began its second tenure, the 

nation has faced a series of 

crises, such as insurgency, 

kidnapping, banditry etc. 

snuffing off several lives. 

Rather than a massive 

national effort to mobilize 

Nigerians to see an end to 

the killings of citizens as a 

general fight, the political 

class has been more 

concerned about the 2023 

elections which even as at 

today is some two years 

away. The failure to present 

a united front to the primary 

purpose of securing lives 

and property is one tragedy, 

another is the failure to use 

the period of governance to 

develop the nation instead 

of electioneering. 

Government should play 

down on all other things for 

now and place priority on 

the creation of a unity of 

direction towards ending 

insecurity. Rather than 

defend or attack Minister 

Pantami, or indeed, waste 

energies on electioneering, 

relevant government 

platforms should 

mobilized to convert all 

those who were wrongly 

radicalized by any type of 

cleric to now tow the new 

lifestyle of Pantami for the 

good of the nation. 

portrays human beings or 

believers as playing a passive 

role in religion and reducing 

it to a matter of feeling. 

Omoregbe aptly remarks that 

“although it includes feelings, 

religion is much more than 

feeling, nor is man’s role in 

religion a passive one…On 

the contrary, in the 

relationship that links man 

with the deity he worships, 

man plays an active role.” 

Most people use the word 

‘religion’ and ‘spirituality’ 

interchangeably. Clearly, that 

is a mistake. Although they are 

not diametrically opposed to 

each other and no razor-sharp 

distinction can be made 

between the two, religion and 

spirituality are not identical 

or synonymous. In addition to 

what has been said earlier 

about religion, it represents 

an institutionalised system of 

beliefs and practices all 

geared towards the service 

and worship of a 

supernatural being or beings 

believed to exist. Each 

religion is closely connected 

to the specific socio-cultural, 

economic and political 

conditions from which it 

originated, as well as to the 

personal character and 

idiosyncrasies of the 

individual or individuals that 

founded it. On the other hand, 

spirituality is more 

personalised and inward 

looking than religion. It 

connotes the quest for selfknowledge 

or self-discovery 

encapsulated in the famous 

Socratic injunction, “Man, 

know thyself.” It follows that 

spirituality refers to the 

manner individuals express 

meaning and purpose in life 

and reflexively conceptualise 

their connection to the 

present, to others, to the 

natural world and to whatever 

they consider sacred. 

To be concluded.


KIDNAPPING, KILLING OF STUDENTS: 

B/Haram, bandits 

almost succeeding 

in their mission, CAN 

President warns 

•CAUTIONS: Don’t ever compare IPoB, Yoruba agitators with terrorists 

•On Pantami: NASS, DSS should be ashamed of screening pro-terrorist minister 

You are the first Baptist person to 

become the President of the 

Christian Association of 

Nigeria. How did your background 

prepare you for the high office? 

More than my background, it was God that 

prepared me. It started in Texas in October, 

2015 when I went for annual leave with my 

wife. One day, as I was sleeping, I saw a 

revelation, CAN President-elect. Five blocs 

with boxes and I saw the name of each bloc 

written on the boxes and the name of the 

candidates. So, I saw my name on one, 

Christian Council of Nigeria. Then, I saw 

people from other blocs crossing over to 

vote for me. I couldn’t understand, I thought 

they were making mistake and I shouted at 

them, “Why are you coming to vote for me 

and not vote for your bloc?” As I was saying 

that, I woke up. It was a dream and I said 

“Lord, I am already the President of the 

Nigerian Baptist Convention and it is a big 

denomination. I can’t cope if CAN is 

added”. I called my wife, told her there was 

a problem, that I just had a frightening 

revelation. She jumped down from the bed 

and said, “I cancel the revelation, it cannot 

stand in Jesus’ name. You can’t be CAN 

President. They will spoil your name, they 

will destroy you”. Then I told her, “Have I 

already become your enemy because I told 

you about my dream? We slept on the same 

bed. Did I know that I will dream?” And I 

asked her if it was a sin that I shared what I 

saw in the dream with her. I said, “I agree 

with you that we should cancel it. Let’s go 

into prayer and fasting. Praying let the cup 

remove from me, that this dream should 

not come to pass”. Up till now I didn’t apply 

for CAN Presidency. Well, people saw that I 

didn’t apply and went behind me to apply. 

They presented me to the national body. That 

was how it started. So, the first thing that 

prepared me was divine power because 

whenever God wants me to do anything for 

Him, He speaks to me. I have lived by 

remaining so even before entering the 

seminary, and when I was in the federal civil 

service, there was a revelation to me that I 

will go to the seminary. It was by revelation 

that I went to my first church. He showed 

me the size of the church, how not fanciful 

the church was and said that was the place 

he had for me. I spent 16 years there, 

pasturing. By the time I was to be the 

President of the Nigerian Baptist 

Convention, I also didn’t apply. He came to 

me in my pastorium where I was sleeping 

and said “begin to pack your load from here 

because you have been made a principal”. 

I rebuked it, saying “I will not be a 

principal”. I thought He was talking about 

being the principal of a secondary school. 

He said “follow me”, and I followed Him. 

He drove the car which we had entered into 

a compound, opened the two front doors, 

He boarded from the driver’s side and asked 

me to board through the other side, we 

connected Lagos/Ibadan expressway and 

went towards Ojoo, then to the University 

of Ibadan and we went straight to the Baptist 

building. When we got to the gate, it opened 

By Wale Akinola, Editor and Kennedy Mbele 

Rev. (Dr.) Samson Ayokunle wears two caps. He is the President of the Nigerian Baptist 

Convention as well as the President of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN). He 

is retiring as head of the Baptist Convention, after 10 years in office, in a few months 

time but his tenure in CAN continues until 2022. In this interview, Ayokunle shares his 

perspectives on the state of the nation and life experiences. Excerpts: 

itself and we entered. The Baptist building 

is the head of the Nigerian Baptist School. 

On the way to the building, He said “this is 

your new office, you will be the principal” 

and I asked, “The principal?” And I woke 

up. I went to the toilet. Some minutes later 

after sleeping again, He came again, took 

me to my church and showed me the 

send-off service they were doing for 

me and how people were rejoicing 

from there to the reception hall. 

I was confused because a man 

was made a principal; 

people were celebrating 

it like this and I thought 

they were being 

careless. I thought it 

was a spirit of backsliding 

because I was 

a teacher after I left 

the university. I 

taught in two 

secondary 

schools. So I 

thought I would go back to teaching again 

and that if I was relocated to a nearby 

residence, they would send me packing from 

the pastoral. So, I thought it was backsliding. 

In that reception hall, He came to 

me again and I said “show me the person 

that put me in that position”. He said “no, 

they don’t put people in positions by 

promotion. Nobody can unilaterally put 

people in that position. Let me show you, 

stand up”. As He touched me, I had strength 

and followed Him. He showed me a man 

who was standing alone 

at the reception hall, he 

was in white Yoruba 

agbada and He said that 

is the person. I didn’t see 

His face. So I said 

“somebody I didn’t know 

put me in the position?”. 

He said “wait for ten 

months, it will be clearer 

to you” and I woke up. 

When I told my wife she 

said it was not a spirit of 

back-sliding, that if it were 

a case of back-sliding, the 

church wouldn’t have 

been celebrating it, that 

the church will not 

celebrate a back-slider. 

“So, the issue of backsliding 

was taken out of it, 

that you will be a 

principal officer in a 

church organization”. 

That was the 23rd of 

December. So I asked 

mummy to allow us to 

start praying and fasting 

immediately because I 

didn’t want to take it for 

granted that it was not spiritual backsliding. 

Mummy declined and said “I am 

not going to fast, this is Christmas season. 

Let me celebrate Christmas first. What you 

saw is not about back-sliding but the next 

thing God will do in your life. He is 

preparing your mind ahead of time but after 

•Rev. (Dr.) 

Samson Ayokunle 

These people 

are almost 

succeeding in 

their mission 

that western 

education is 

forbidden 

Christmas we can go into prayer and 

fasting” and we instituted an intercessory 

group which I have not disbanded till today. 

Seven months after, I opened my e-mail and 

saw that I had been nominated by someone 

to be considered as the General Secretary 

of the Baptist Convention. They sent me a 

form which they said I should complete. So 

I completed it and sent it back to them. That 

was how it started. We were 82 nominees 

across the federation. They started 

screening. We wrote 

examinations. Our wives 

wrote examinations and 

they screened us until we 

were five who then went for 

comprehensive medical 

check-up before they 

finally arrived at me 

because I led in the 

examinations. So it is what 

God wanted to do. 

However, God first 

prepared me; my first 

degree was in sociology at 

the University of Ibadan. 

Then I did a Post Graduate 

Diploma in Education 

when I found myself 

teaching. Later, I did a 

Master’s of Education in 

Counseling Psychology 

.When God called me I 

went to the seminary and 

did Master’s of Divinity in 

Theology and, after 

pasturing for some years, I 

went to England and did 

another Master’s in 

Christian Religious 

Studies and Theology at 

Liverpool University and, 

after that, I did my PhD in Theology, 

specializing in Liturgical Studies in the 

same university. 

You have come a long way since 

when you first became the Vice 

President of CAN and then President. 

It must have been tough leading 

about 150million Nigerian 

Christians. How has it been? 

You must have read blackmail about me 

in newspapers. Hardly will you see me 

respond to any because they were meant to 

distract one’s attention from facing the 

reality. Among the people blackmailing me 

was a candidate to occupy that position 

when they didn’t know me because they had 

another person in mind and they felt that 

my CV was intimidating. 

How did you manage to outsmart 

them? 

We contested. CAN works in accordance 

with its Constitution and not by intimidation 

from anybody. They will allow all the blocs 

that were qualified to present candidates to 

do so. And the candidates will go through 

an electoral college of 15 people; three from 

each of the five blocs with the highest vote, 

two people came out and from there 

we went to the NEC election 

which has about 105 church 

leaders. After that, I won 

overwhelmingly. I had 59 

votes while the second 

candidate had about 28. 

That was how that case 

was settled. Blackmails 

here and there, we 

Christians don’t 

investigate; we believe 

liars but the 

righteousness of the 

righteous… 

Let’s go into the 

issues in the 

polity; insecurity, 

kidnapping, 

banditry, killings, 

even of pastors, etc. 

What reports are 

you getting from 

across the country, 

e s p e c i a l l y 

concerning 

C h r i s t i a n 

brethren? 

Not me alone, you 

are also getting 

reports. You know 

how deplorable our 

security situation 

has become. Before 

the advent of this 

administration, it 

was Boko Haram 

but now Boko 

Haram is still there, 

sacking military 

formations in the 

North-East, 

especially in Borno, 

they even attempted 

the life of the 

governor two or 

three times. Now it 

has spread to the 

North-West which 

used to be peaceful, 

bandits have taken 

over. These bandits 

are also Boko Haram that changed strategy 

and, instead of concentrating in one part of 

the country, they are spreading all over the 

country. Their system of attack is almost 

the same, except that the bandits decided to 

commercialize their act of kidnapping 

which has seen them focusing on schools. 

Schools are almost closing down in the 

North-West and North-East. These people 

are almost succeeding in their mission that 

western education is forbidden. The security 

situation is very worrisome and has reached 

a very dangerous proportion which 

government must do something about. 

Herdsmen are rampaging and this 

government has not thought it wise to 

investigate the source of the illegal 

ammunition they carry. Rather, government 

is always defending them in one way or the 

other. The hand is that of Esau but the voice 

is that of Jacob. What is making government 

not to take a wise step of investigating the 

source of the ammunition they carry and 

have them arrested? It is only of late that 

the President said that any herdsman 

caught with illegal firearms should be 

treated as a criminal. That was after we had 

gone to Aso Rock to tell him to take a 

decisive action. If that advice had been 

taken, as a stitch in time saves nine, we 

wouldn’t have been at this level. Nobody 

hates the Fulani. I can’t hate them because 

they are Nigerians but when your business 

is roaming about all communities and you 

are violent, then you have come to do more 

than business; the expansionist philosophy 

that you want to implement, nobody is going 

to watch you do that. 

How long ago was the meeting you 

said you had with Mr. President and 

how did it go? 

It was during his first tenure, we were also 

there again to re-present our concern. We 

have been making newspaper publications 

almost on weekly basis. We have been 



'Don’t ever compare IPoB, Yoruba agitators with terrorists' 


crying about the lopsided appointments, 

ethnic and religious calculus in the scheme 

of things. Politicians pitch religious leaders 

against themselves. When we criticize this 

government for lopsidedness in terms of 

appointments along religious and ethnic 

climes, it is not government that replies us, 

it is religious leaders, further polarizing the 

society and heating up the polity. We are 

adults and, as such, cannot deceive 

ourselves by saying we want peace while 

we live in falsehood. Peace cannot come by 

falsehood and insincerity. It is by telling 

ourselves the truth and doing something 

about it, upholding it with justice, mutual 

respect and fairness in the distribution of 

things that we can stay together, peacefully. 

Do you share the same view of 

Sheikh Gumi that government 

should negotiate with bandits? 

If they have been negotiating with armed 

robbers, drug pushers and those who 

embezzled public funds, let them go ahead 

and do that because criminality is 

criminality. 

Gumi also made a statement that 

it was Christian soldiers that were 

killing bandits and insurgents. How 

did you see that statement? 

You must have seen our response to that 

and the response of the military; that we 

should keep quiet and not polarize the army 

into Christian and Muslim. The warfare has 

never been based on religion or ethnicity. 

Military warfare is one and no religious 

leader should be making unguarded 

statements capable of dividing the military 

or dampening their morale. How can you 

be talking about deployment of the military 

in terms of religion? If you are bringing out 

an audio to justify your claim, who do I 

know is behind the voice? Why can’t you 

show us the video clip? That audio was 

manipulative and deceitful. 

At the peak of the crisis in Southern 

Kaduna, you visited Kaduna State 

and tried to mediate on the issues 

there. If you can recall, what were 

your findings because the issues in 

that state appear to be a continuous 

thing? 

My findings, I didn’t carry out a research 

astor Julius Kayode Opaleke, Area Pastor 

Pin-charge of Goodness & Mercy 

Sanctuary of the Redeemed Christian Church 

of God (RCCG), is 67 today, having been born 

in Abule Alafon, Osun State into the family of 

Mr. Jacob Opaleke & Mrs. Lydia Opaleke (nee 

Adekeye) on the 25th of April 1954. 

He attended St. James Anglican Primary 

School between 1962 and 1967, and Esie/ 

Iludun Grammar School between 1968 and 

1972. 

In 1980, he got married to his heartthrob, 

Yemisi, and they are blessed with two children 

and two grandchildren. 

Pastor Opaleke gave his life to Jesus in 1994 

at RCCG Sanctuary of Praise, New State High 

School, Palm Avenue, Mushin. 

Subsequently he was called into the 

Ushering Department and has since risen to 

become Assistant Provincial Leader in Lagos 

Province 7 (LP7). He is also the Treasurer of 

Region 11 Ushers. 

on what was happening there. Rather, I 

encouraged the governor to do his utmost 

best to put an end to what was happening. 

We were made to understand that the 

attacks had been on both sides. It was ethnic 

between the Fulani and Southern Kaduna 

people but now it has gone beyond that. It 

has turned into banditry. So the situation 

requires a drastic approach. I am on the 

side of the governor who said there should 

be no negotiation with bandits. Criminals 

are to be brought to book. Who offended 

those bandits? This is the question we ask. 

The people they are kidnapping, have they 

met them before? What offence did they 

commit? The bandits kidnapping people are 

insane, mentally deranged. They are 

different from the Indigenous People of 

Biafra, IPOB, and Odua Peoples’ Congress, 

OPC. I was very sad when I heard a former 

Army chief comparing 

those two groups to Boko 

Haram and bandits. In 

what way are they the 

same? In fact, he should 

never make such a 

statement again. 

Otherwise people will see 

him as one of the brains 

behind banditry and 

terrorism in the country. 

IPOB is fighting against 

marginalization. The 

wealth of the nation is 

coming from them and 

they feel they are being 

marginalized in their own 

land and that their water 

is being polluted. Their 

children are not being 

employed. Although I 

think they ought to have 

taken a more civil, legal 

and constitutional way in 

making their voices to be 

heard. One may ask, why 

did they take up arms? 

They are taking up arms 

on economic matters; that 

billions are carted away 

and their lands are left 

devastated. There is 

infrastructural decay, their 

roads are impassable and they said “if you 

can’t attend to these issues, you can’t take 

our wealth away again to serve the entire 

nation”. The same thing with OPC, they are 

The bandits 

kidnapping 

people are 

insane, mentally 

deranged. They 

are different from 

the Indigenous 

People of Biafra, 

IPOB, and Odua 

Peoples’ 

Congress 

agitating that they are left out in the scheme 

of things. What they should do is not to take 

up arms against government but 

government should invite them for a round 

table discussion. Dialogue is better than 

carrying arms. But Boko Haram doesn’t 

deserve dialogue because we don’t know 

who offended them; neither do we know 

what they are fighting for except for 

religious madness. People will leave 

objectivity for sentiment along religious 

lines. Nigeria cannot survive that way. 

Those of us occupying positions are 

expected to know better, think better and 

speak better. It is by confronting the issues 

that we can be out of logjam. 

A serving minister has been 

accused of having links with 

terrorists and people are asking him 

to resign. What is CAN’s position on 

the matter? 

That question should 

have been directed to 

the DSS and NIA. If it is 

people that are bringing 

out such information, 

what has DSS been 

doing? The minister 

owned up saying he 

made 

those 

controversial 

statements when he was 

younger. I wonder how 

he survived DSS 

screening before the 

appointment. On what 

basis was he appointed 

by the President in the 

first instance? Why 

should he pick 

somebody with such a 

lacuna? When people 

are quoting you, it is no 

longer fake news. They 

are quoting you, what 

you said. The DSS kept 

quiet. These people 

should have doused the 

tension if they had come 

out with empirical 

evidence that this man 

did not say it ...this man 

said it and this is the 

action we are taking. People have been 

saying that there are some people in 

government promoting terrorism. And for 

Goodness & Mercy Sanctuary in January 

2017. He loves praising God and has been 

marking his birthday with Praise Night every 

last Friday of April since after his 60th birthday, 

the first he actually celebrated. 

His 61st was marked with six hours six 

minutes praise. At 65, he arranged six hours 

30 minutes praise, which was taken over by 

the Pastor in-charge of Daystar Zone. 

The vision to celebrate his birthdays with 

praise, according to him, was stolen from 

Daddy GO’s (Pastor Adeboye) Hour of Praise. 

“I was not a birthday person until 2014 when 

my family forced one on me when I turned 

60”, Opaleke told Sunday Vanguard. 

“Before that year, I had been receiving 

prophesies of death to the extent that my name 

was mentioned in the prayer warriors vigil at 

RCCG Headquarters, Ebute-Metta. 

“During the 60th birthday, I had to make a 

covenant with the Lord that if He will keep me 

them to think there is no danger and keep 

quiet speaks volumes about such a 

government. He who lives in a glass house 

should not throw stones. People that are in 

the position of leadership in any setting, 

especially in Nigeria, should be people of 

exemplary character. The data of Nigerians 

are committed to the hands of these ones. 

When he was saying that he made the 

controversial statements when he was a 

teenager and the year he made the 

statement, he was no longer a teenager, he 

was almost in his 30s. Do we still say he was 

very young and didn’t know what he was 

saying? Then if it was naivety that made 

him make the statement before he was 

exposed, did he ever regret saying such 

things? How will I also believe the apology 

he tendered? When he was first accused he 

was threatening to sue a newspaper. All these 

things look more confusing and don’t allow 

any right thinking person to see him as a 

straightforward person. Somebody just wants 

to manipulate the intelligence of others to 

escape. Honorably, with all these facts, I don’t 

see anything to justify his continuous existence 

as a minister of the Federal Republic of 

Nigeria. The President should do the needful, 

otherwise people will see him as not serious 

about fighting terrorism and radicality in 

religion and people will not respect him. 

Anything he says is just like playing to the 

gallery. There will not be a sincere statement. 

If this one should be allowed to be there…all 

these videos lying around, are they videos 

about him? Did the statements he made come 

out from him? Was it his twin brother that 

made them? That is what we are looking for 

and I am ashamed of our National Assembly 

that passed him because he appeared before 

them. What research did they do about him? 

Up till now, we have not heard a statement 

from the National Assembly about the matter. 

What is the Senate President doing? What 

about the Speaker of the House of 

Representatives? Didn’t they hear or read 

the news? Are they not embarrassed? What 

about the media? What is the position of 

the media? 

• N ext week, Rev Ayokunle 

speaks on the controversy 

surrounding the restructuring of 

Nigeria among other issues in the 

polity 

PASTOR OPALEKE AT 67: Why I am marking my birthday like Pastor Adeboye’s 

enowned for designing revolutionary 

Rtimepieces, the OMEGA brand has once 

again set the pace with the launch of its newest 

collection of timepieces for the year. 

The launch, which was held virtually on the 

23rd of March 2021, was an opportunity for 

the brand to showcase the latest advancement 

of its timepiece series and designs. 

The high point of the event was the unveiling 

of the brand’s new SEAMASTER 300 series, 

offered in Bronze Gold as well as stainless 

steel. The exclusive Bronze Gold was 

specifically developed to produce a pleasing 

aesthetic and hue, while also offering a bronze 

alloy that could be worn with direct contact 

on the skin due to its distinctive composition. 

The watch represents the very first OMEGA 

• Pastor Opaleke 

He was ordained a full Pastor in 2016 and 

promoted as Area Pastor in-charge of 

Onuesoke backs Obaseki over state of economy 

By Ephraim Oseji 

eoples Democratic Party (PDP) chieftain 

Pand former Delta State governorship 

aspirant, Chief Sunny Onuesoke, has declared 

support for Edo State governor Godwin 

Obaseki over his exposure of the deplorable 

state of the economy. 

Recall that Godwin Obaseki at the state 

transition committee stakeholders meeting 

said Nigeria is in huge financial trouble saying 

the Federal Government had printed N60 

billion in March to support allocation to 

states. 

Commending Obaseki while addressing 

newsmen in Asaba, Onuesoke maintained that 

Edo State governor spoke well, stressing that 

someone needs to speak the truth. 

He stated that already, there is 

hyperinflation and prices are sky-rocketing 

like never before, adding that unemployment 

will rise, higher insecurity and lack of 

development in the nearest future if the 

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government did not do anything about it. The 

PDP chieftain explained that government has 

mortgaged the lives of Nigerians with huge 

debts. 

“There is big calamity in the making if 

something is not done fast. More worrisome 

is the fact that this revelation is coming from 

an accomplished investment guru like 

Godwin Obaseki, who has been in the private 

sector before he became a governor. There is 

no better way to visualize how Nigeria is run 

today. We run a pure sharing-based economy 

(purely consumption driven) while the real 

sector is dying daily. The world is fast 

L 

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alive, I will organize a praise party to mark 

my birthdays subsequently. 

“In 2015, we had the first one (6.1hours) to 

mark my 61st birthday. I was then a pastor at 

the RCCG This Place of Reconciliation- it was 

a vigil; it continued as a parish program until 

I became Area Pastor. 

“In 2017 and 2018, it was an Area vigil. In 

2019, my PICZ, in person of Pastor Olakitan 

Oni, made it a Zonal vigil. 

“It could not hold in 2020 because of 

COVID-19. 

“This year that I am marking 67 years, it 

will be 6.7hours of praise”. 

“My advice to the young ones is to take the 

opportunity to know God in their early days 

as a matter of life and death. 

“To my comrades-in-Christ, when prayers 

fail, take to praise, God cannot resist it. 

“I am born to serve humanity and pray that 

God will help my vision to be of help to my 

generation”. 

embracing electric cars and alternative fuel 

but here we hold on to our old lazy way of 

running the economy. I only pity future 

generations because they will live to pay the 

debt they never benefited from,” he lamented. 

The PDP chieftain recalled that back in 

2015, the party criticised the Jonathan-led 

PDP government describing him as a clueless 

President while calling for change of 

government’’. 

“Today, where are we? Where is the change 

they promised? APC have balkanised the 

economy of this country, APC have destroyed 

the security and unity of this country. APC is a 

virus that has eaten the remaining goodness 

in Nigeria. 

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consumers.

N/DELTA OIL SPILLS: 

After UK court case, no 

polluter will go scot-free 

— Nnimo Bassey 

BY GABRIEL ENOGHOLASE 

Rev. Nnimo Bassey, an architect, is 

an environmentalist. In this 

interview, Bassey speaks on oil 

spillages in the Niger Delta among 

other issues. 

Excerpts: 

What is your reaction to the recent 

judgment against Shell Petroleum 

Development Company? 

We have two judgments against SPDC 

in recent times. On the 20th of February, 

2021, there was one in the Netherlands in 

the case that was filed over 30 years ago 

by farmers from four communities. Two 

of the cases were from Oruma and one 

case from Goi in Ogoni in Rivers State, 

and one case from Ikoroada Udoh in 

Akwa-Ibom State. Then, on the 12th of 

February, 2021 there was another 

judgment in the Supreme Court of the 

United Kingdom in a case against SPDC 

for pollution in Bille and Oghali in 

Ogoniland. So, having those two 

judgments coming one after the other 

against Shell in the year when the world 

was in distress was good news indeed for 

the suffering people of the Niger Delta. 

The case decided in the Appeal Court in 

the Netherlands came after the lower 

court had more or less rejected the same 

that they could not sue them; in fact, the 

lower court had said that spillage was 

caused by sabotage. But the court in its 

ruling decided that they cannot just 

washed their hands off the pollution 

incident without taking responsibility. 

The judge asked Shell to install 

equipment that will monitor and detect 

any leakage from their pipelines 

especially those ones that passed through 

Oruma. They could detect the leakages 

in the pipelines and stop the flow on their 

pipelines whenever the problem occurred, 

so that they could take action. In the case 

in the United Kingdom, the lower court 

had said that Shell could not be sued in 

the country for issues arising from outside 

the UK such as what happened in Nigeria. 

But the Supreme Court in the land held 

that they could be sued for offences 

committed off-shore, so, that is significant 

and it just means that victims of transnational 

oil companies such as Shell or 

any other one can actually seek for justice 

in Nigeria and in the home countries of 

these companies. The plaintiffs who 

depend on farming and fishing for their 

livelihoods made three demands from 

Shell. First, to stop and prevent future oil 

spills from its pipelines. Second, to clean 

up the wide-spread environmental 

pollution resulting from the oil spills. 

Third, to take responsibility for the 

actions of its subsidiary in Nigeria and 

pay damages as appropriate. Although 

Shell disclaimed liability for the actions 

of its subsidiary, arguing that the oil spills 

in Goi and Oruma between 2004 and 

2005 were caused by third party sabotage, 

the Court of Appeal held Shell liable for 

the spills according to Nigerian laws, 

following Shell’s inability to prove the 

sabotage beyond any reasonable doubt. 

Let us situate this case within oil spills in 

the Niger Delta. 

The Ogoni oil spillage clean up is 

supposed to be top on the agenda of the 

clean-up of the Niger Delta, but not much 

is being heard about the situation. What 

is your take in this? 

This time around, we have to look at 

the pollution of the Niger Delta since 

1958 when the first commercial quality 

of oil was discovered. Now, we have been 

having a series of oil spillages right from 

that time. There have been oil spillages 

before they exported the first crude oil in 

commercial quantity and there may have 

been a lot of oil spillages 

since then while they 

were searching for oil. 

So, we may have 

accumulated oil spills 

that may not have been 

addressed. In 2018 and 

2019 alone, NOSRA 

recorded 1,300 oil 

spillages on the Niger 

Delta. Now the Ogoni 

Kingdom oil spillage is 

a soft sell that teaches us 

how difficult it is to 

clean up, why we should 

not have allowed the 

problem in the first 

instance. The clean-up is 

slow. It is now 

HYPRESS is telling us 

that there is alternative 

for emergency water 

supply for the Ogoni 

people and has entered 

into agreement with 

The plaintiffs 

who depend on 

farming and 

fishing for their 

livelihoods 

made three 

demands from 

Shell 

Rivers 

State 

Government to re-active the water supply 

system in Ogoniland. That is a first 

attempt at providing water for the Ogoni 

people. However, that water system 

provided years ago cannot provide water 

for the people because Ogoniland is 

expanding. In the 1990s, the population 


of Ogoni was over 500,000, now they are 

over 1 million people. So, there is the need 

for them to provide the entire region with 

fresh drinking water. Now, we have many 

places on the Niger Delta where there are 

on-going oil spills. There is an oil spill 

that occurs on the Kolokoma part of 

Bayelsa State and there have been 

contestation whether the spill is from 

Shell, Conoil or Chevron etc. And the 

government of Bayelsa and the local 

community went to look at the spill site, 

but none of the oil companies was there 

to find out about the oil spill. Really this 

is what has been ongoing and people are 

dying and suffering. That is just an 

example. If you go to the Olorogun oil 

field in Ondo State, there was a blownout 

around April/May 2020, a big fire 

erupted and that fire is still burning there 

months after it occurred. Another 

question is, who owns that oil well. The 

oil was drilled by Chevron, capped by 

Chevron, but it does appear that the 

ownership of the oil well has been taken 

over by the Department of Petroleum 

Resources (DPR). But the fire has been 

going on for over nine months now, but 

when will that stopped? Look at the entire 

Niger Delta: the situation has been very 

distressing. The whole 

region is being sacrificed, 

just to pump more money 

into the national purse 

without anybody accepting 

responsibility for the kind of 

pollution that is killing 

people, fossils in the region. 

Who do we blame for the 

situation? The oil 

companies always claim 

that they pay royalty to the 

Federal Government 

while government accuses 

the local people of 

sabotage. 

What we have seen is a 

deliberate attempt by the 

oil companies and 

government to avoid 

responsibility, to be held 

responsible for the serious 

damage done to the 

ecosystem that both parties 

have committed in the 

Niger Delta. One of the loopholes the oil 

companies have is that they have been 

working in partnership with government 

in all these. They are the highest 

shareholders just as the court in the 

Netherlands has ruled that the oil 

companies are guilty of negligence if oil 

spill is caused by sabotage. The oil 

corporations cannot wash their hands 

when this situation occurred. Sabotage 

has been defined as a political situation 

to draw the attention of government or 

the authorities to situations that people 

don’t accept, sabotage is not stealing of 

crude oil, that is not theft. In the case of 

sabotage, we saw it in the case of the 

activities of the militants in the Niger 

Delta. They will announce that they were 

going to blow-up pipelines in such and 

such place such time and date if XYZ was 

not done and they will do it. That is 

sabotage. But in the case when people 

steal from pipelines, break and close 

valves and there are military, security 

agents and oil companies monitoring 

everywhere, that is not sabotage, but oil 

theft. Remember when Dr. (Mrs.) 

Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala was 

the Minister of Finance 

in Nigeria, she 

announced that 

400,000 barrels of crude 

oil were stolen daily in 

the Niger Delta and 

when Dr Emmanuel 

Uduaghan was 

Governor of Delta State, 

he mentioned then that 

as much as 1 million 

barrels of crude oil were 

stolen everyday in the 

Niger Delta. 

Former Speaker of 

the 

House 

Representatives, Hon. 

Dimeji Bankole, said 

that there has been oil that was exported 

being stolen. If then a minimum of 

400,000 barrels of crude oil are stolen 

daily as our then Minister of 

Finance told the Financial Times of 

London but 400,000 barrels of oil cannot 

be stolen by the local people… At that 

time, there were no illegal refineries. And 

there are no illegal refineries that can 

refine 400,000 barrels of crude oil in a 

day. So, there is something going on and 

there is a large scale theft. So, government 

has to tell us, who is responsible when we 

have security agents around the place and 

why this is not checked? Some years ago, 

a ship was caught by the navy loaded with 

crude oil and taken into their custody, but 

that ship escaped from the custody and, 

when it was eventually found on the high 

seas, it only had sea water and not crude 

oil. These have been going on and were 

not things done by the local people who 

are the victims. This is a just a way of 

passing the buck and not caring about 

how the people have been poisoned 

through the fish they eat, polluted swamps 

etc. So, no wonder that life expectancy in 

the Niger Delta is 41years. It is very 

shameful when no health emergency 

among others is being declared in the 

Niger Delta 

•Bassey 

Do you think that the passage of the 

Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB) will 

resolve most of the problems affecting 

the Niger Delta? 

The PIB is not solving environmental 

problems, it is not abhorring gas flaring. 

For instance, when Mr. Ibe Kachukwu 

was the Minister of State for Petroleum, 

he kept saying that gas flaring will end in 

2020 as if 2020 was millions of years away, 

but when we got to year 2020, nothing 

happened. Even at that time there was a 

contradiction, the document on climate 

change said that that gas flaring will end 

in 2030 and they are just playing on the 

emotions of Nigerians, no plans and, just 

recently, the Minister of State for 

Petroleum, Mr. Timpere Sylva said that 

gas flare will end in 2025. Government 

has to realize that the Niger Delta has 

been sacrificed for long. It will like one 

or two life times for the environment to 

be restored. So clean-up is not the end, 

there has to be remediation. 

Do you think that the Nigerian 

government has the political will to clean 

up the Niger Delta? 

I believe it is the responsibility of 

government to clean up the Niger Delta 

because sentencing about 40 million 

people to death by living in dirty and poor 

environment, I believe no government 

should tolerate that. Not only that. It simply 

means that government did not like or 

believe in the people. Just think about it! Life 

expectancy in the Niger Delta is 41 years, the 

lowest in the world. So, it is a responsibility on 

the part of government and now that oil 

companies are going to be held liable? They 

are stakeholders; they can either set-up, setout. 

That is why they are now selling out their 

offshore facilities for further off-shows. Now, 

when they sell off their offshore facilities to 

Nigerian firms, they will shift the 

responsibilities to Nigerian firms. So, it will 

be disappointing if Nigerian firms can accept 

such liabilities which occurred for decades by 

transnational oil firms. So, it will be adding 

salt to injuring if Nigerian firms accept this. 

Transnational oil firms are giving further offshores 

because they don’t like Nigerians to 

know what is going in there. Remember what 

happened during Bonga Oil Spill? Shell 

admitted that it pumped about 40, 000 liters 

of crude oil into the ocean thinking that they 

were pumping into the ship and if fishermen 

did not see the oil spill flowing in the ocean, 

nobody would have known


Couldn’t stand his steward having all the fun!! 

Bolaji is a cherished 

friend I’ve known for 

years and he loves a 

good gossip. Most of all, he’s 

learnt to laugh at himself 

from time to time no matter 

at what cost. It’s always a 

pleasure to listen to him on 

the few occasions he finds the 

time to phone. When he rang 

recently and opened the 

conversation with: “Your 

Benny has come again o!” 

My immediate reaction was; 

now what? Benny is Bolaji’s 

niece who came to live with 

him when his wife Alice, took 

a break from their marriage 

and went abroad to ‘clear her 

head’. Apart from leaving 

Bolaji free to live the bachelor 

life he said he’d missed, he was 

able to bring in Benny, who 

Alice didn’t really get along 

with, to help run the home. 

“Alice is slightly jealous of 

her,” Bolaji once confessed. 

“The poor girl lost her mother 

when she was in the secondary 

school and I’d promised my 

older brother to take care of 

her up to the university level. 

Alice saw that promise as 

rash, since my brother wasn’t 

exactly destitute. Whenever 

Benny came on holidays, you 

can see how fouled up the 

atmosphere was. But I 

ignored both of them 

especially since our three 

children were always glad to 

see her. By the time she got 

into the polytechnic, she’d 

turned into a beauty. Alice 

always complained her 

clothes were too revealing. 

Her make-up garish and she 

was always running after the 

neighbourhood thugs. As long 

as her grades continued to be 

good, that was all that 

mattered to me. 

“When Alice caught me 

almost pants down at the office 

with one of my ‘friends,’ she 

was livid. She said she’d had 

enough of my shenanigans 

and, as part of her ‘settlement’ 

she was going away for a 

Montessori cause abroad to 

help her improve the standard 

of the school she ran that 

wasn’t even breaking even. I 

gave her all the money she 

needed and told her not to 

worry about the kids, Benny 

would look after the home. 

She was in such a hurry to get 

away she didn’t even mind. I 

got the help of a good steward 

to make life easier for Benny 

and it was as if Alice never left. 

Except I now had the freedom 

to do as I pleased. 

“I was coming home late 

one night when I saw Benny 

in front of the boys quarters 

sitting on a bench with Dan, 

the steward. I was surprised. 

Benny lived in one of the 

rooms in the main house, what 

was she doing at the boys 

quarters? You remember I 

told you all about the incident 

and you laughed that they 

were just being friends? I 

should expect that you said, 

as there was no adult 

company for Benny to relate 

to.” 

I remembered the incident 

alright. Steward or not Dan 

was a sprightly bachelor who 

took good care of himself. 

Apart from his school 

certificate, he did a catering 

and house keeping course, 

and he was a very good 

steward. You could hardly call 

him an illiterate. “Oh, does 

that qualify him now to be 

Benny’s boyfriend?” he asked 

then, shooting daggers at me. 

They were not caught in any 

amorous clinch, so I asked 

Bolaji to chill – not everyone 

was as randy as he was! Now 

he was on the phone, almost 

burning the line with his rage. 

“Last week, I went to my 

town to see to the repairs of 

my house,” said Bolaji. 

“Benny is of course, at the 

Polytechnic and a ‘mama 

nurse’ is now looking after the 

kids. When I came back last 

night, the mama nurse told me 

I just missed Benny. I was 

shocked. The last time I heard 

of her was when I told her on 

the phone of my impending 

visit to our home town. What 

was she doing here knowing I 

was away, and why did she 

leave before I came back? The 

mama nurse had no clue but 

told me to ask Dan the steward. 

She let it drop that Benny 

didn’t sleep in the main house. 

I was livid! I summoned Dan 

and asked him what Benny 

was doing at his quarters? He 

needn’t lie, I threatened, 

because the mama nurse saw 

everything. He told me it was 

Benny who called she wanted 

to come over since I was away. 

‘And where did she sleep?’ I 

barked. ‘With me,’ he said, 

avoiding my eyes; ‘You mean 

Benny left her comfortable 

room to spend a whole night 

with you in that poky room of 

yours? You were at it all night 

long with her? No wonder you 

were tired when I came in!’ 

Now I have seen this Dan 

character. Quite tall and 

good-looking in a rustic way, 

any girl would be happy to be 

his ‘friend’. Why shouldn’t 

Benny avail herself of this 

good fortune which was right 

under her nose? I told Bolaji 

this and he spluttered as he 

told me what I could do with 

my liberal attitude. “Steady 

on,” I said, “put yourself in that 

man’s shoes. A potential lover 

offered to spend the night with 

you, would you drive her 

away?” “He’s getting 

everything virtually for free 

and I’m sure she would have 

fed him food from the house 

and ply him with my booze,” 

he said, still livid. “I’ve never 

had any girl offer me anything 

on a platter – most of the time, 

I have to cajole and pay heftily 

before they play ball.” 

“You can afford to pay, and 

your ‘conquests’ know this”, I 

reminded him. “But the only 

thing Dan has on his side is 

his physique and your niece 

wanted a piece of that!” “Now 

look here...” “You look here,” 

I cut in. “You’re just jealous of 

the poor guy. And you can’t 

hold it against your steward 

for knowing a good thing 

when he saw one.” 

“If Alice gets to hear about 

this, I’ll be in trouble. I’ve 

warned Dan not to breathe a 

word to anybody. The mama 

nurse too.” And what did 

Benny have to say about all 

this, I asked? “She knew I was 

coming back home late last 

night and she hurriedly left 

before I arrived. I haven’t 

talked to her yet. I know 

loverboy would have been on 

the phone to her. Let her stew 

in her own juice until I’ve 

cooled off enough to deal with 

her. The trollop! Can you 

imagine? Spending all the 

money to give her a good 

education when all she has on 

her mind is sex! And with a 

steward! Doesn’t she have any 

class?” 

He hung up after he’d let off 

enough steam and I felt sorry 

for him. For as long as 

Benny’s ‘steward’ delivers, 

she’ll be happy to do all the 

running – even if Bolaji has 

ferocious dogs guarding her! 

Between Father 

And Son (Humour) 

A successful executive 

decides it’s time to make a 

man of his son so 

he takes him down to the 

local brothel. The son 

disappears into a room with 

one of the girls while he waits 

outside - but can’t help 

listening through the door. 

Now the son is very well 

endowed and the girl gasps at 

the amazing sight. As they 

begin the business, he takes it 

very gently but the girl begs 

for more. 

“Just put it in another inch”, 

she says and I will “knock 

N500 off the price.” So he does 

but still she begs for more. 

Another inch and I “knock off 

another N500”, she informs 

him. And so it goes on, the 

girl is so delighted with the 

man’s performance that she 

promises to take off more and 

more money. “Please, please”, 

she moans till eventually she 

cries, “a little bit more and it’s 

free”. Now all this time, the 

father has been listening 

outside the door and when he 

hears this, he bursts into the 

room and shouts, “Move over 

son, leave this to me. It’s time 

to make a profit”. 

As the Presidency hogwashes Pantami, 

Ohaneze warns on Igbo youths 

These are most certainly 

troubling days in 

Nigeria. First, there 

are signs that Nigeria is broke. 

Under this administration, 

which inherited a very robust 

economy, Nigeria is now what 

people are calling “the hungry 

capital of the world.” The 

administration came with an 

economic idea whose kernel 

was, simply put, the 

“almajirinization” of Nigeria. 

It aimed to equalize poverty, 

not create wealth. The 

administration alienated the 

key economic drivers of the 

nation; and then embarked on 

a policy of “handouts” which 

it said was to “get millions out 

of poverty.” What did that 

mission look like? Well, here 

it is: in the first term, it sent the 

Vice-President, the siddonlook 

pastor of Aso-Rock, to 

various towns distributing 

what they called, “Trader 

Moni.” Soft loans, they said, 

starting with N10, 000 to N50, 

000. Skeptics of course saw 

through the entire laughable 

show. The money was a buyoff 

for votes, and since the 

elections, “Trader Moni” has 

come to a halt. Even Osibanjo 

himself must have known that 

it was a joke. It was very 

unlikely that such pittance 

handed to a few people could 

start or sustain any business, 

or lift anyone out of poverty. 

Trading with N50, 000? You 

cannot even buy a bucket full 

of peanuts to trade with that 

money. But the goal was 

frankly not to give people 

capital for a trade. The goal 

was to take cash from the 

federal coffers and distribute 

to the poor of the North mostly. 

It was to give a large swath of 

hungry and impoverished 

Nigerians, mostly from the 

North, chicken feed to keep 

them barely alive and hopeful, 

and “ranka-dedeing” from 

sun-up to sun-down. It is 

feudal economics in which 

the feudal lord hands out 

charity to the very poor who 

then go to the mosque to pray 

for more of where that comes 

from, and thereafter to the 

secret Pito bars, for a few 

rounds of millet beer. And the 

next day, back to the streets 

with their hands in the air 

panhandling. That is the 

administration’s way of 

lifting millions from the 

clutches of poverty. To give 

them “Trader Moni.” It is the 

weaponization of poverty. Its 

strategy was to buy the 

conscience of the extremely 

poor who would kill for a bowl 

of rice anyway. The sum effect 

of this administration’s 

economic policy was basically 

to suppress the economic 

vitality of the Igbo, destroy 

their political status, and reduce 

their capacity in the affairs 

of Nigeria. The administration 

always detested the 

uppity Igbo: Folks who always 

thought themselves better 

than everyone else, and 

whom the President fought at 

war from 1967-1970. It does 

seem that nothing else mattered 

to the administration 

but to teach the Igbo, those 

catalysts of the South, some 

lesson. Looking at it this way, 

the matter would be as simple 

as an ordinary, longstanding 

enmity. But it goes deeper 

than that. What is going on 

is a culture war. Nigeria under 

this administration is engaged 

in a very deep cultural 

and political conflict. What the 

Igbo represent – “too much 

Bukuru,” or “education,” 

particularly what they call 

“western education,” is what 

this federal administration 

detests. They think 

“education,” particularly the 

kind of education which the 

South, especially the Igbo of 

the South, embraced, is 

“haram.” Thus “Boko 

Haram.” Western education, 

and its purported values, set 

forth in the book by the 

Egyptian Sayyid Qutb, The 

America that I have seen, is 

abominable to this cadre 

because it is upsetting the 

cultural foundations of the 

Islamic North, still rooted in 

the 18th century Salafist 

Nigeria under this 

administration is 

engaged in a very 

deep cultural and 

political conflict 

mission with its Jihad led by a 

General of the Ottoman 

Empire – the Shehu 

“Othman” Dan Fodio. 

Salafist Islam’s call is for a 

global jihad; its transnational 

agenda is to resurrect the 

Ottoman empire and restore 

the Caliphate-age Sharia law. 

Thus, indeed, the followers are 

organized in cells across the 

Islamic world fighting and 

subverting what they have 

described as the Jahiliya. 

Even so-called apostate 

Muslims are fair game. 

Today, a corridor of terror 

exists between Syria, Turkey 

through Egypt and Libya, 

funneling arms and fighters 

to West Africa through Niger, 

Mali, Chad and Nigeria. 

Nigeria is currently its 

operational base through 

which they intend to secure 

Sub-Sahara Africa because 

they have a friendly 

government in power. It is 

fruitless for this 

administration to deny this. It 

is on record that Boko Haram 

chose President Buhari as 

their go-between with the 

Jonathan administration. It is 

on record that the President 

described the fight against 

Boko Haram by Jonathan as 

a war against the North. It is 

on record that this 

administration has used 

amnesty programme to 

rehabilitate Boko Haram 

fighters. This is why many 

Nigerians are not surprised 

about the revelations that one 

of his key ministers, holding 

the 

strategic 

Communications Ministry, 

Dr. Isa Pantami, was not only 

a sympathizer of Al-Qaeda 

and ISIS in West Africa, but 

had preached loudly in 

support of Islamic terrorism 

both locally and globally. 

Buhari certainly knew this 

before he appointed him. As a 

former Director of Nigeria’s 

Directorate of State Service, 

Mr. Amachree, quite clearly 

asserted that Pantami’s 

affiliations were made known 

both to the President and to 

the National Assembly. They 

laid Pantami’s dossier before 

Buhari. It did not matter. So, 

what happened was not a 

failure of intelligence. It was 

rather the subversion of 

intelligence and a 

compromising of the national 

security of Nigeria. The 

statement released by the 

Presidency through Garba 

Shehu just basically 

hogwashes Pantami, because 

it is a rather shitty statement, 

if y’all would excuse my 

French! Calling the push for 

Pantami to be accountable to 

his past as a move to “cancel” 

him is rather rich with both 

irony and bile, and, of course, 

it is hokum. And it fails to 

answer fundamental 

questions about Pantami’s 

affiliations and support for a 

global terrorist ideology 

intent on foisting strange 

values on Nigeria. The fight 

is on, of course, and Nigerians 

must push, not only for the 

resignation of Isa Pantami, 

but also for the National 

Assembly to investigate this 

President, because as the 

saying goes, “there is no 

smoke without fire.” What 

does Buhari know, and when 

did he know it, that is the 

question. It does seem that the 

corporate being of Nigeria is 

being subverted right from the 

very top. The signs are there 

that Nigeria is approaching 

a reckoning, and this 

reckoning, if good sense does 

not prevail soon, is another 

civil war. I hate to say this, and 

I do not use these words 

carelessly. Nigeria is, under 

this President, fighting for its 

life. There are hints that 2023 

will not resolve our current 

imbroglio, because this 

administration is intent on 

foisting a national emergency 

situation, which might 

inexorably provide the 

National Assembly full of this 

President’s allies the excuse to 

assert the National 

Emergency protocol. Under 

this protocol, if the nation is 

at war, as it has now clearly 

been forced to be, there may 

not be an election, and the 

President would be permitted 

to extend his administration 

ad infinitum, in so far as he 

comes before the National 

Assembly periodically to 

secure an extension of his 

emergency rule. The 

unfolding of this picture ought 

to frighten and awaken 

Nigerians, but everyone is 

hiding behind political 

correctness, and some illusion 

that time will resolve 

everything. The truth is we 

may long be out of time to 

salvage the situation. Part of 

this push to crisis is currently 

on to subvert and undermine 

Buhari’s strongest opposition, 

the South-East.

SUNDAY VANGUARD, APRIL 25, 2021,PAGE 19 

Fuel subsidy is a 

monumental fraud; 

even Buhari does 

not understand it 

—Aduwo 

By Adetutu Audu 

Femi Aduwo is the President of Right Monitoring Group and 

Permanent Representative of the Centre for Convention on 

Democratic Integrity to the United Nations. In this interview, 

Aduwo speaks on the state of the nation and 2023 elections 

among other issues. 

•Aduwo 

The United States government 

exonerated the Nigerian Army of 

blame on alleged killings during the 

#ENDSARS protests at Lekki Tollgate, 

Lagos State in October 2020. What is your 

take? 

During the ENDSARS protests, I visited 

Lekki thrice to give support not through my 

NGO but another donor agency. On the day 

of shooting, I left the toll gate around 4am; 

not that I was told, I witnessed when the 

army came around 6.45pm. I am a father 

and everybody knows I am not a friend of 

the All Progressives Congress, APC, so it 

would be stupid of me to say what I did not 

know. Even when the army left, the police 

came and I was there. The event of that day 

was blown out of proportion. Yes the army 

came and, when you look at the recording 

done by one lady, you will see that they were 

shooting into the air and then you wonder, 

were they targeting the protesters in the air? 

The video does not show any corpse. The 

army team carried one magazine gun for 

the mission and it usually contains 60 

bullets at one meter away a single soldier 

will kill more than 100 people. The incident 

was blown out of proportion. Now ask 

yourself, what happened after the army 

team left and the police came? Why was 

that one not reported? Mobile policemen 

came but nobody reported that. I don’t have 

another country. I have tendered some 

documents to the United Nations. My 

organization and the UN are doing a 

seminar in the next few days in Geneva; we 

will also tender some documents on why 

the American government should do more 

to help Nigeria military in tackling the issue 

of Boko Haram. So, what the American 

government said is what everybody knows, 

but Governor Sanwo-Olu said two people 

died while Amnesty International gave a 

figure they could not verify. The only area I 

had issues with is that Lagos State 

government had to admit that there was an 

error the way they declared the curfew. The 

fault was on the governor’s table. This 

protests lasted two weeks and the military 

was everywhere, it had to do with 

communication. And when they set up a 

panel, I told my brother, Ebun Adegboruwa, 

SAN, that he should pull out. The panel is 

just to save face. It can’t achieve anything. 

Can the governor appear before the panel? 

Can the governor sack the police or the 

army? He did not employ them. If it were to 

be at the federal level, it would have been 

better, but for the state to do it, you can only 

fire who you hired. The governor himself 

was indicted. Can he appear before the 

panel? No, because he has immunity and 

the panel is like a squash court. It has been 

four months now since they started sitting, 

the panel is just for the boys to eat. So what 

the American government said is not new, 

it is what we knew already. 

President Buhari is outside the country 

but the fact that doctors were on strike 

when he left has been an issue and bandits 

have taken over some parts of the country 

while we have many other challenges. 

What is your view? 

We woke up a short while ago and petrol 

price moved from N162 to N220. I bought 

fuel in Ondo State at N221 and later we 

heard from the Minister of State for 

Petroleum and the Presidency that PPPRA 

increased the price without approval. The 

issue is PPPRA is a government agency and 

that is why I told some people that, in few 

weeks time, government will increase the 

price of petrol. Now, the NNPC GMD, Mele 

Kyari, has said that they can no longer 

sustain subsidy payment. If you recall, in 

2003, President Buhari said subsidy was a 

fraud and whoever was talking about 

subsidy was a thief. Now his government is 

paying subsidy, but he has not withdrawn 

that statement. We have 400, 000 barrels 

everyday for local consumption. If we refine 

that crude oil in Cotonou, you will get oil 

and bye products. It costs about $20 to 

produce a barrel of crude oil. When you 

produce that barrel, you can get more than 

100 liters of kerosene, diesel, AGO from it. 

So, if we still sell petrol for N50, we will 

still make gain. To me, this 

is a monumental fraud that 

Mr. President himself does 

not understand. The word 

‘subsidy’ is just a fraud. 

Even if you bring my Lord 

and Savior Jesus Christ to 

rule Nigeria, he will be 

confused. President Buhari 

promised in 2015 that the 

refineries were going to 

work and now we are in his 

sixth year in office, yet none 

is working. They are now 

telling us that they are going 

to spend $1.5billion to fix 

a refinery when you have 

less than three years to go. 

The truth is that the money 

will be spent and nothing 

good will come out of that 

refinery. It is a big sham. 

Garba Shehu was saying 

the President did not go for 

medical tourism; that he 

only went to visit his doctor 

he had known for 30 years. 

Since President Buhari left government in 

1985, he never travelled to London, so, 

where did he get a doctor of 30 years? He 

never travelled anywhere. He has never 

performed Hajj before. When he was head 

of state, it was Idiagbon (his deputy) that 

went to Mecca when he was overthrow. And 

when he went to Mecca recently, it was not 

Hajj; he went with former Governor 

Ibikunle Amosun of Ogun State when 

Kaabba was opened. The truth is that 

President Buhari may be nepotic but he is 

not a religious bigot. He is liberal when it 

comes to religion. 

Alignment, re-alignment in APC and 

PDP and the clamor that Asiwaju Bola 

Even if you bring 

my Lord and 

Savior Jesus 

Christ to rule 

Nigeria, he will 

be confused 

Tinubu should run for presidency in 2023, 

what is your take? 

June 12, 1993 annulled election brought 

a lot of Nigerians together, the crooks, 

criminals and the good ones, to fight former 

military President, General Ibrahim 

Babangida, for different reasons Former 

APC National Chairman, John Oyegun, 

was vocal because he was a governor under 

then Social Democratic Party. Prof Bolaji 

Akinyemi too and a lot of people joined the 

struggle for different 

reasons. It was later we 

learnt that someone was 

lobbying to be Petroleum 

Minister under the late 

Sani Abacha and Abacha 

rejected the fellow. Asiwaju 

Bola Tinubu was detained 

for only two days before he 

fled the country. I spent 

many months in detention; 

am I a politician? And a lot 

of people too who fought for 

the actualization of June 

12. 

For PDP and APC there is 

no difference. It is only in 

nomenclature. I was 

surprised former Governor 

Gbenga Daniel and former 

House of Representatives 

Speaker, Dimeji Bankole, 

decamped from the PDP to 

APC. The only people who 

can’t decamp from APC to 

PDP are Tinubu and Buhari. 

How can Amaechi, 

Minister of Transport, say 

PDP spoiled Nigeria when he was a 

governor for eight years under the same 

party? Asiwaju has declared his intention 

to run for the presidency in 2023, we have 

seen the body language and we understand 

the game. I think he should study properly; 

many things are going to work against him. 

Tinubu is a Muslim. A Muslim/Muslim 

ticket cannot happen in Nigeria again. And 

he dares not bring a Christian from the 

North; if he does that, he is gone. The last 

time he did his birthday in Kano, we know 

the game because that is where they get 

highest votes during Nigeria’s elections. 

What he did there was the beginning of 

rigging. He gave Katsina people where a 

market got burnt millions of Naira but not 

one kobo to Oyo people when Sasa market 

in Ibadan was burnt or is he not aware? He 

gave Kaduna N200million to build schools; 

what about the schools in Lagos which are 

in a mess? 

Do you think Nigeria might break-up 

with the agitations from different parts of 

the country? 

To break a nation is not like cutting cake. 

Nigeria is difficult to break, the people must 

go to war unless the powers-that-be sit to 

discuss. Do you know that apart from the 

creation of the Mid-West State by the late 

Azikiwe and the late Tafawa Balewa, there 

is no civilian government that has created 

any state in Nigeria? All the states were 

created by the military. Whether we like it 

or not, the 1999 Constitution is a replica of 

the1979 Constitution, they only changed 

two or three words, and it was given to us by 

the military. Let the governors, senators, 

House of Representatives members come 

together and let us review the Constitution. 

Some people want their own to be President 

in 2023. Tomorrow if someone from the East 

becomes President, the agitation from that 

side will go down. Sunday Igboho does not 

represent the interest of the Yoruba. So he 

can’t say he wants to form Oduduwa 

Republic. Who is Sunday Igboho? He was 

involved in the Ife/Modakeke crisis, his 

family is not in Nigeria and he is saying he 

wants to break away. Igboho wants to be 

become a champion so that politicians will 

discuss with him ahead of 2023. He should 

be careful about the way he is going about 

it insulting monarchs. 

The state of Nigeria’s economy is 

frightening; do you think all is well with 

us? 

Truth is not being told what we owe. We 

need Americans and the EU to monitor our 

debt. Let this government go and we will 

know how much we owe as a country. 

Nigeria’s economy is like a road block that 

the police mount, in the ministry we have 

bandits and we also have bandits in the bush. 

Every year budget is presented and budget 

is spent. There is no unspent budget in 

Nigeria. How can we negotiate with 

bandits? There is a conspiracy on the issue 

of stealing in Nigeria. So many states are 

insolvent except Lagos.

PAGE 20—SUNDAY Vanguard, APRIL 25, 2021 

Abounding in the abundant life 

How often have you heard this kind of 

testimony in the church? “Praise the 

Lord, I was blessed yesterday. Someone blessed 

me with N100,000.” 

But is N100,000 a blessing? Can money really 

be a blessing? What if I use the money to 

shoot cocaine and end up in the hospital? Would 

it still be considered a blessing? If a blessing is 

a blessing, surely it would remain a blessing 

come rain or shine? It should not be possible 

for a blessing to end up bringing adversity. 

Clearly, many of the things Christians consider 

to be blessings are nothing of the sort. 

Solomon declares: “The blessing of the Lord 

makes one rich, and He adds no sorrow with 

it.” (Proverbs 10:22). True blessings will never 

bring sorrow. 

Moreover, while the blessing of the Lord 

makes one rich, riches are not the blessing. 

Indeed, the riches that the blessing of the Lord 

confers are significantly different from those 

of the world. This is because God has not chosen 

the rich of this world. Instead, He has chosen: 

“the poor of this world to be rich in faith 

and heirs of the kingdom which He promised 

to those who love Him.” (James 2:5). 

“Can you bless me with 1000 naira?” “No, I 

cannot. But I can pray for you.” 

When the beggar at the Beautiful Gate asked 

Peter for money, Peter gave him Christ instead: 

“Then Peter said, ‘Silver and gold I do not have, 

but what I do have I give you: In the name of 

Jesus Christ of Nazareth, rise up and walk.’” 

(Acts 3:6). 

Blessings are spiritual 

A blessing is something that is spoken or 

uttered, and which has the power to confer 

goodness: “For You meet him with the blessings 

of goodness; you set a crown of pure gold 

Success in life, ministry: Persevering to succeed (3) 

The truth about prayer of agreement! 

JESUS said: “If two of you shall agree on 

earth as touching anything that they shall 

ask, it shall be done for them of my Father 

which is in heaven.” (Matthew 18:19) 

The prayer of agreement Jesus is talking 

about, is the spiritual agreement of two people 

of God who have His Spirit, because if any 

man has not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of 

Christ, as written in Romans 8:9c: “Now if any 

man has not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of 

While the blessing of the 

Lord makes one rich, riches 

are not the blessing 

upon his head.” (Psalm 21:3). 

Like a curse, a blessing is immaterial. 

However, it has an inherent power to confer 

goodness on the person to whom it is 

invoked. 

God does not bless with money. God 

blesses with His word. Whenever God blesses, 

He says something instead of doing 

something. In the New Testament, our blessings 

are pre-eminently spiritual. Paul says: 

“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord 

Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with all 

spiritual blessings in heavenly places in 

Christ.” (Ephesians 1:3). 

The perennial carnality of the Church is 

that we have largely refused to believe the 

word of God. Where the commandments 

of God seem to contradict self-interest, we 

simply ignore them and effectively re-write 

scripture. So, when people give testimonies 

about being blessed, the testimonies hardly 

ever conform to the blessing prescriptions 

laid down by Jesus in the beatitudes. 

According to Jesus, the author and finisher 

of our faith, only those things that take 

us along the path of eternal life, or those 

things that move us closer to God in heaven, 

are blessings. (Matthew 5-7). However, 

Christians do not say we are blessed because 

we are bereaved or mournful. We do 

not say we are blessed because we are merciful. 

ITION 

NTRODUC 

We are continuing 

our study of 

Perseverance as a 

subject in the 

light of faith reality. 

Certainly, we 

do not talk about 

perseverance if 

there are no obvious 

challenges or 

Pastor Akinola 

frustrating oppo- 

sitions. Why do you think God will be 

speaking to Joshua that he should be 

strong and of a good courage when he 

was taking over the baton of leadership 

from Moses in Joshua 1:6-9? 

6 Be strong and of a good courage: for 

unto this people shalt thou divide for an 

inheritance the land, which I sware unto 

their fathers to give them. 

7 Only be thou strong and very courageous, 

that thou mayest observe to do according 

to all the law, which Moses my 

servant commanded thee: turn not from 

it to the right hand or to the left, that 

thou mayest prosper whithersoever thou 

goest. 

8 This book of the law shall not depart 

out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate 

therein day and night, that thou 

mayest observe to do according to all that 

is written therein: for then thou shalt 

make thy way prosperous, and then thou 

shalt have good success. 

9 Have not I commanded thee? Be 

strong and of a good courage; be not 

afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the 

LORD thy God is with thee whithersoever 

thou goest 

We shall be considering the spectrum 

of perseverance in the light of these vivid 

instructions from God to 

Joshua. 

GOOD SUCCESS NEVER 

COMES EASY 

Probably you will like to ask 

me what good success is all 

about. First and foremost, 

good success comes when a 

person has found out the purpose 

of God for his/her life, 

and gets fixed on fulfilling 

that one and only purpose in 

life. We can call this the foundation 

level, but however there 

is more to success than this 

level. After discovery of divine 

purpose, a person needs to 

pass through several stages 

that tries our faith before entering 

into fulfillment. When 

Robert Harold Schuller said, 

“Success is Never Ending, Failure 

is Never Final”, it means 

that success is a process, and 

not an event. Furthermore, success 

is not a sprint, it is a marathon. 

You will discover that in a 

marathon race, the athlete begins 

to increase speed towards 

the end. Similarly, in any process, 

an evaluation done towards 

the end causes a review 

of parameters used in order to 

optimize (or make maximum 

returns from) the process. Both 

of these call for much perseverance. 

THE BOOK OF THE LAW 

In verse 8 of Joshua 1 above, 

the Book of the Law, (the Word 

of God) is provided for us as 

the Instrument for parameter 

his.” 

Majority of believers in Christ have not 

the Spirit of Christ, because they have rejected 

the truth, which is the gospel of salvation 

that seals every believer in Christ 

with His Spirit as written in Ephesians 1:13. 

Many believers in Christ think that when 

they hold hands together to pray, then, they 

are in agreement. This is the spirit of error! 

In Matthew 26:36-37, it is written that 

Jesus went to Gethsemane, to pray with three 

We do not think we are blessed because we are 

persecuted for righteousness sake. We do not 

consider it a blessing to endure temptation. We 

never think people who die in faith are blessed. 

But John says: 

“I heard a voice from heaven saying to me, 

‘Write: ‘Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord 

from now on.’ ‘Yes,’ says the Spirit, ‘that they 

may rest from their labours, and their works 

follow them.’” (Revelation 14:13). 

Counterfeit blessings 

But we believe we are blessed when someone 

gives us money. Thereby, we re-write the scriptures 

according to the ways of the world; according 

to the carnal and vainglorious nature 

of man. 

Jesus says: “It is more blessed to give than to 

receive.” (Acts 20:35). Here we see the pre-eminence 

of the spiritual in new covenant blessings. 

The man who gives loses materially but gains 

spiritually and is thereby blessed. 

But if we see blessings only in terms of the 

physical, our carnality will disqualify us from 

true blessings. Jesus says: 

“If you have not been trustworthy in handling 

worldly wealth, who will trust you with true riches? 

And if you have not been trustworthy with 

someone else's property, who will give you property 

of your own? No servant can serve two masters. 

Either he will hate the one and love the 

other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise 

the other. You cannot serve both God and 

Money.” (Luke 16:11-13). 

Begging to give 

Normally beggars beg to receive a gift. But 

have you ever seen a beggar that begs to give 

and not to receive? 

The true Christian is a peculiar person. (1 Peter 

2:9). On earth, he is a foreigner and a sojourner. 

Therefore, he should act very differently 

from the unbeliever. 

Take a good look at the Macedonian Church. 

Paul says they were begging to be able to give to 

the saints: “Imploring us with much urgency 

that we would receive the gift and the fellowship 

of the ministering to the saints.” (2 Corinthians 

8:4). 

review, as we navigate the 

route to success. As we meditate 

day and night, we see 

factors that can hinder us 

from fulfilling the divine 

purpose, so we remove them. 

Our path then becomes 

clearer, and get brighter and 

brighter to the perfect day. 

(Prov. 4:18). This is by no 

means an easy process, and 

that is why Perseverance is 

highly needed 

CONCLUSION 

In the next serial, we shall 

look at those needed components 

of perseverance that 

made God tell Joshua to be 

strong and of a good courage. 

It follows that perseverance 

can only be acquired 

upon the understanding and 

acting upon certain principles, 

without which it will be 

mere legalism or mechanical 

exercise. We shall begin 

to look at this from the next 

serial. This is the pathway to 

divine success, or rather, 

good success. . 

J.K. Akinola. (Senior 

Pastor) 

The Gospel Faith Mission 

International (GO- 

FAMINT), Ibadan, Nigeria. 

E m a i l : 

flprofenassociate@gmail.com, 

08033376660, 

08055405095 

•Pastor Kumuyi 

Jesus died for you on a stake, 

and cried out in bitterness 

of agony, due to the terrible 

things you have committed, 

which are difficult to utter by 

words of mouth and may not 

pass as printables. 

That singular sacrificial act 

of love makes it possible for you 

to come boldly to the throne of 

grace to receive mercy and pardon 

for sins committed; and the 

instant you receive Jesus as your 

Lord and Saviour, that death 

wish ticket, assigned to sinners 

and the eternal punishment reserved 

for all those who disobey 

the commandments of God, 

will no more have a noose effect 

in your life. 

Again, when the scripture says 

in Isaiah 45:22 "Look unto me, 

and be ye saved, all the ends of 

the earth:" it reveals that the call 

of God is for all and sundry; and 

it is without discrimination, partiality 

and exception. 

Hence, God wants you to take 

full advantage of His offer of 

salvation so that you would be 

of His disciples who were in spiritual agreement 

with Him, leaving the others behind 

amongst whom was Judas, whom Jesus called 

a devil. (John 6:70) 

As Judas was amongst the twelve disciples of 

Jesus, so also amongst the people of God are 

found wicked men who set traps to catch genuine 

children of God as written in Jeremiah 5:26. 

Praying together with them brings a snare to 

souls of children of God, just as making friendship 

with an angry man, brings a snare to one’s 

soul, as warned in Proverbs 22:24-25. And the 

wicked amongst the people of God are under 

God’s anger, as written in Psalm 7:11. 

WHAT PRAYER OF AGREEMENT HAVE 

Although they were poor, their deep poverty 

abounded into their liberality: “In a great trial 

of affliction the abundance of their joy and 

their deep poverty abounded in the riches of 

their liberality.” (2 Corinthians 8:2). 

Why would they behave like this? Jesus provides 

the clue: They loved much because their 

sins, which were many, were forgiven. (Luke 

7:47). 

The question then is this. Do many Christians 

not believe the word of God, or do we not 

want the true kind of blessings associated with 

giving? The so-called blessing associated with 

receiving is actually very limited. What has 

happened to all the gifts, money, clothes, and 

shoes that we received when we were ten years 

old? 

When a man receives a gift, the gift will only 

be good to him in this world. It has no use in 

the world to come. Even the spiritual gifts administered 

to the church by the Holy Spirit 

are of limited value: “Love never fails. But 

whether there are prophecies, they will fail; 

whether there are tongues, they will cease; 

whether there is knowledge, it will vanish 

away.” (1 Corinthians 13:8). 

Jesus told a bed-ridden paralytic: “Son, be 

of good cheer; your sins are forgiven you.” 

(Matthew 9:2). He did not ask him to be of 

good cheer because he was going to heal him. 

But he should be of good cheer because his 

sins are forgiven. 

The forgiveness of sins makes the man an 

heir of salvation; whereas good health is bodily 

exercise; it profits little. David says: “Blessed 

are those whose lawless deeds are forgiven, 

and whose sins are covered; blessed is the man 

to whom the Lord shall not impute sin.” (Romans 

4:7-8). 

When a man receives anything in this world, 

its value is limited to this dying world. But 

when a man gives in this world, he will qualify 

for rewards not only in this world but also in 

the world to come. 

Accordingly, Jesus told his disciples: “Do not 

rejoice in this, that the spirits are subject to 

you, but rather rejoice because your names 

are written in heaven.” (Luke 10:20). 

Salvation is free (3) 

saved from sin, and from the punitive measures 

sin attracts upon all those who fancy 

embracing the odious side of disobedience 

against the commands of God. 

God loves you so much and that is why He 

sent Jesus Christ to eat the bitter humble pie 

for your sake so that you would not suffer the 

regrets of refusing His call for your salvation. 

This offer will not remain on the table 

for ever and since life is brief the time to act 

for every sinner is now. 

As you tag along with God, you will begin 

to experience a new life in God and the power 

to live this kind of abundant life would become 

part of your character traits which genetically 

originates from heaven. Through 

this process, the provision of eternal life will 

also become your portion. 

Isaiah 35:4 "Say to them that are of a fearful 

heart, Be strong, fear not: behold, your 

God will come with vengeance, even God 

with a recompence; he will come and save 

you." 

Isaiah 53:4-6 "Surely he hath borne our 

griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did 

esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. 

But he was wounded for our transgressions, 

he was bruised for our iniquities: 

the chastisement of our peace was upon him; 

and with his stripes we are healed. All we like 

sheep have gone astray; we have turned every 

one to his own way; and the LORD hath laid 

on him the iniquity of us all." 

Because of your transgressions and sins, 

Jesus died on the cross of Calvary. That is 

why, today, He has decided that He will take 

away the guilt sin has deposited in your life. 

He wants to take away the problems sin 

and Satan has left behind, which are now 

causing great distress and sorrow of heart to 

you and your family. 

To be continued 

THE CHILDREN OF GOD WITH THE 

WICKED WHO ARE UNDER THE ANGER 

OF GOD? 

To be continued. 

Christian Gospel Church 

(The Truth Centre), 4 Christian Gospel Avenue, 

Beside Psychiatric Hospital, Uselu, 

Benin City, Edo State 

Email:cgc.com.ng@gmail.com 

Telephone: +234(0) 7052061135, 

+234(0)9030731406 

Website: www.cgc.thetruthcentre.com

SUNDAY Vanguard, APRIL 25, 2021,PAGE 21 

Living for Christ (3) 

Beloved, let this 

truth be written 

on the table of 

your heart that Christ is 

the reason why we are 

living and even if we die 

that this affirmation and 

its accompanying benefits 

will still be fully 

standing for us. Other 

people because of the 

fantasy of the world may 

live to gratify themselves 

and deny God the 

glory due to Him, but 

the grand purpose of the 

life of any Christian is to 

promote the glory of the 

Lord. Living for Christ 

therefore, demands that 

you must become insensible 

to the law as a 

means of justification, to 

the world, to ambition 

and the love of money, 

to the pride and pomp of 

life; to the fashion of this 

world and to the dominion 

of evil and hateful 

passions. All these must 

lose their power over you 

and cease to influence 

you. By this you will be 

distinguished from other 

people. 

2Cor. 5: 20 says, “Now 

then we are ambassadors 

for Christ, as though 

God did beseech you by 

us: we pray you in 

Christ’s stead, be ye reconciled 

to God”. 

We must understand 

that all born again believers 

are representatives of 

our Lord Jesus Christ, 

hence we are known by 

the name ‘Christians’ i.e. 

Christ-like. If your lifestyle 

therefore is not in 

accordance with the will 

of God, or in conformity 

with the lifestyle of our 

Lord Jesus Christ it 

shows that you are not living 

for Christ and therefore 

not a Christian. And 

if you must be perfect as 

He wishes us then you 

must endeavour to be 

like Him. 

Lk 6: 40 says, ”The 

disciple is not above his 

master: but every one 

that is perfect shall be 

as his master”. 

Everyone who is thoroughly 

instructed in divine 

things, who has 

his heart united to God, 

whose tempers and 

passions are purified 

and restored to harmony 

and who has in him 

the mind that was in 

Christ, though cannot 

be above, will be as his 

role model- holy, harmless, 

undefiled, and 

separated from sinners. 

A Christian, who perfectly 

understands the 

rules and sees the example 

of his Master, 

will think it his business 

to tread exactly in His 

steps, to do and suffer 

17 years-old hearing and speech impaired received instant healing 

after deliverance prayer at the just concluded Umuoba Ideato South, 

Imo State Crusade. 

as His master did and 

so be like his master. 

And so my beloved, we 

should try to live our 

lives for Christ if our 

claims are that we are 

Christians. We should 

make Christ the scope 

of our life and end of 

our living. 

Matt. 5:13-16 

says, ”Ye are the salt of 

the earth: but if the salt 

have lost his savour, 

wherewith shall it be 

salted? It is thenceforth 

good for nothing, but to 

be cast out, and to be 

trodden under foot of 

men. 14 Ye are the light 

of the world. A city that 

If you abide in 

our Lord 

Jesus Christ 

you will bear 

much fruits 

and also bring 

more lost 

souls into the 

kingdom of 

God 

Participants with health challenges who received instant healing after pastor's prayer at 

the just concluded Umuoba Ideato South, Imo State Crusade. 

Imo State PFN chairman, Rev. Titus O. Akanabo, (middle) leading a delegation 

of his members to attend the just concluded Umuoba Ideato South, Imo 

State Crusade. 

is set on an hill cannot 

be hid. 15 Neither do 

men light a candle, and 

put it under a bushel, but 

on a candlestick; and it 

giveth light unto all that 

are in the house. 16 Let 

your light so shine before 

men, that they may see 

your good works, and 

glorify your Father 

which is in heaven”. 

Christians are the ones 

who make this world 

tasteful; they are the 

ones who provide light in 

a dark world. God uses 

them to purge the world 

from that corruption in 

which it lies. The kind of 

lifestyle and the good 

work you engage yourself 

into shows the light of 

God in you just as Jesus 

Christ was a light while 

on His earthly ministry. 

The Scripture says, He 

went about doing good. 

So, you are the light of 

the world and your life 

therefore should reflect 

the belief, ideals, good 

works of God so that God 

Himself shall be glorified. 

The Lord will never 

depart from you if you 

are living for Christ. 

You should be mindful 

of heaven as good representatives 

of Christ who 

is sure of a better home 

than this world. This is to 

prove you are living for 

Christ. As a Christian 

you must ensure that you 

are living in Christ, living 

for Christ and endeavour 

to do the will of 

God and not of yourself 

and not the will of Satan 

which does not glorify 

God. No believer who 

solely lives for Christ till 

death will regret that he 

has lived unto Christ; but 

many will regret for not 

making this the purpose 

of their souls? 

The proof that you are 

living your life for Christ 

is that you will be led by 

the Spirit of God. And 

such as are thus led by 

the Spirit of God, are undoubtedly 

God’s children; 

and such as are not 

His children, are those 

that refuse to be led by 

His Spirit, but live under 

the uncontrolled activity 

of their own. 

If you are living for 

Christ you must be conscious 

of the influence 

from above drawing you 

away from the corrupting 

passions and vanities 

of this world. You 

must have the desire to 

yield to that influence, 

and to be conducted in 

the path of purity and 

life for that will be the 

evidence that you are living 

for Christ. You must 

ensure that you offered 

no resistance but follow 

cheerfully, and obey this 

pure influence, leading 

you to mortify pride, subdue 

passion, destroy 

lust, indulge in humble 

ambition, and annihilate 

the love of wealth and of 

the world. If you conduct 

yourself as mentioned 

above, you will experience 

the blessing of living 

for Christ. 

John 15:8,16 says, 

“Herein is my Father 

glorified, that ye bear 

much fruit; so shall ye be 

my disciples. 16 Ye have 

not chosen me, but I 

have chosen you, and 

ordained you, that ye 

should go and bring 

forth fruit, and that your 

fruit should remain: that 

whatsoever ye shall ask 

of the Father in my 

name, he may give it 

you” 

If you abide in our 

Lord Jesus Christ you 

will bear much fruits and 

also bring more lost 

souls into the kingdom 

of God. But if you are 

not bearing fruits as expected 

you should take 

advantage of the truth of 

this message and begin 

to live for Him properly. 

It is important at this 

period to examine your 

life again and know if 

you are living for Christ 

as you should or living 

for Satan. Is your life 

bringing glory to God? 

Judge yourself now before 

it is too late. 

Let us decide from this 

moment to live the rest 

of our lives for Christ, 

do His will always in all 

things, and what pleases 

Him and as you do, I 

am assuring you God 

will never leave you or 

forsake you. So, amend 

your ways and ensure 

that nothing is standing 

between you and God, 

and decide to live for 

and stand by Christ.

PAGE 22—SUNDAY Vanguard, APRIL 25, 2021 

Your mouth and your destiny 

TEXT :Numbers 13:26-33, 

14:23,24 

Numbers 13:26 And 

they went and came to 

Moses, and to Aaron, and to 

all the congregation of the 

children of Israel, to the wilderness 

of Paran, to Kadesh; 

and brought back word to 

them, and to all the congregation, 

and showed them the 

fruit of the land. 27 And they 

told him, and said, We came 

to the land where you sent us, 

and surely it flows with milk 

and honey; and this is the fruit 

of it. 28 Nevertheless the people 

be strong that dwell in the 

PASTOR O.C. CHUKWUEZIE. 

CAC Madaiyese Regional Headquaters 

Plot 701/702 Durumi District 

P.O. BOX 2577 

Garki, Abuja. 

Contact us on: 08155555048, like us on 

facebook @cacdurumi 

land, and the cities are 

walled, and very great: and 

moreover we saw the children 

of Anak there. 29 The 

Amalekites dwell in the land 

of the south: and the Hittites, 

and the Jebusites, and the 

Amorites, dwell in the mountains: 

and the Canaanites 

dwell by the sea, and by the 

coast of Jordan. 30 And Caleb 

stilled the people before 

Moses, and said, Let us go up 

at once, and possess it; for we 

are well able to overcome it. 

31 But the men that went up 

with him said, We be not able 

to go up against the people; 

Be being filled in the Spirit (1) 

Pentecost was one of the 

holy holidays instituted 

by God to contain the spiral 

in human life and its vicissitudes. 

After Jesus rose from 

the dead, He appeared to His 

disciples for 40 days. Then, 

when they were all gathered 

together with Him on the top 

of the mount, He was taken 

up into Heaven before their 

eyes (read Acts 1:1-11). However, 

before He left, Jesus gave 

His believers a very special 

and wonderful promise: “... I 

will ask the Father, and he will 

give you another Counselor 

to be with you forever— 17 

Rev. Emmanuel Awazie 

*Assemblies of God Church 

Nigeria, 111 Clegg Street, 

Surulere, Lagos. 

the Spirit of truth...I tell you 

the truth: It is for your good 

that I am going away. Unless 

I go away, the Counselor will 

not come to you; but if I go, I 

will send him to you....” John 

14:16-18; 16:5-7. 

Jesus has not left us alone 

in the world; He has sent us 

the Holy Spirit. The Scriptures 

foretold of this event in 

the festival of Pentecost, and 

have so many others of these 

solemn festivals and holy 

convocations in God’s calendar 

for all time and we shall 

profit immensely if we shall 

study and be acquainted with 

Adeboye donates transformer 

to Kwara community 

By Sam Eyoboka 

THE Gbagede Amoyo 

Community, Ilorin, 

Kwara State was recently 

thrown into wild jubilation as 

the General Overseer of the 

Redeemed Christian Church 

of God, RCCG, Pastor Enoch 

Adejare Adeboye donated a 

500 kva electric transformer 

to the community. 

The entire community went 

into ecstatic jubilation at the 

arrival of the transformer. 

Many prayed, many composed 

songs euloging the Ifewara-born 

influetial Daddy 

G.O., Adeboye. They composed 

songs designed to 

praise the man who bailed 

them out of perpetual darkness. 

They have lived without 

electricity for several years 

and had to express joy on the 

sight of the transformer in the 

community. 

The gesture, on behalf of 

the General Overseer, Adeboye 

by senior members of the 

church in Ilorin the Kwara 

State capital, was part of the 

church social responsibility, 

CSR, programme of the 

church. 

In RCCG, it is a tradition 

that the church Corporate Social 

Responsibility has its root 

in Christianity and the church 

is meant to be an example for 

the world to follow and not 

for they are stronger than we. 

32 And they brought up an 

evil report of the land which 

they had searched to the 

children of Israel, saying, The 

land, through which we have 

gone to search it, is a land that 

eats up the inhabitants thereof; 

and all the people that we 

saw in it are men of a great 

stature. 33 And there we saw 

the giants, the sons of Anak, 

which come of the giants: 

and we were in our own 

sight as grasshoppers, and 

so we were in their sight. 

Numbers 14:23 Surely 

they shall not see the land 

which I swore to their fathers, 

neither shall any of 

them that provoked me see 

it. 24 But my servant 

Caleb, because he had another 

spirit with him, and has 

followed me fully, him will I 

bring into the land into where 

he went; and his seed shall 

possess it. 

them. They are so interconnected, 

a beautiful tapestry of 

God’s eternal mystery of life 

that can only be understood 

in His Son Jesus Christ. Because 

in the earth realm, we 

are constrained by times and 

seasons, we shall be considering 

God’s plan in Pentecost; 

but it shall not be in complete 

isolation from the preceding 

order. 

There is the orderly, chronological 

sequence that we 

can tracked. Passover tells us 

that Christ, our Passover, is 

sacrificed for us. For without 

the shedding of blood, there 

is no remission or forgiveness 

of sin - Heb. 9:22. Unleavened 

Bread is sharing or identifying 

in things with Christ, 

fellowship with Him... in His 

sufferings, death and burial 

through water baptism – Phil. 

3:10, Rom. 6:1-4. 

the other way round. 

"We see the Crporate Social 

Responsibility as a conscious 

avenue for Christians to make 

visible impact in various key 

areas of society. Where many 

see societal challenges and its 

scale all around the world. We 

see an opportunity to take 

decisive effort to creating solutions 

as we work with people, 

communities, leaders and 

governments worldwide." 

*From left: Chairperson, RCCG Mercyland Area CSR 

Board, Sister Titi Osuntoki; Pastor in Charge of RCCG Lagos 

Province 44, Pastor Amos Emovon; representative of 

the Executive Chairman, Lagos Island East LCDA, Hon John 

Akinsuyi; Assistant Pastor in Charge of Province CSR, Lagos 

Province 44, Pastor Ajibola Opeoluwa-Calebs and wife, 

Adebisi during the presentation service in Lagos. 

Catholic Archdiocese of Lagos unveils 

LACDRAFEST 2021 with 'A Father's Heart' 

By Olayinka Latona 

CATHOLIC Archdiocese 

of Lagos, Most Rev. 

Adewale Martins has unveiled 

the third edition of 

archdiocesan Culture and 

Drama Festival, LACDRAF- 

EST with the theme: 'With a 

Father’s Heart.' 

The Director of Social 

Communications, Rev. Fr. Anthony 

Godonu unveiling the 

festival at the Centre for Media 

Development, Ojota, Lagos 

said this year's theme is 

in line with Pope Francis’ declaration 

of 2021 as the year 

of St. Joseph. 

Explaining the rationale 

behind LACDRAFEST, 

Godonu explained that the 

festival was conceived primarily 

as a means of promoting 

the use of drama and culture 

as a tool for evangelism 

among the youths and members 

of the Catholic Actors 

and Entertainers Association 

of Nigeria, CAEAN from the 

various parishes in the Catholic 

Archdiocese of Lagos. 

Financial education can take people out of poverty —TGIC 

By Gabriel Olawale 

he Green Investment 

TClub, TGIC, has urged 

Nigerians particularly young 

people to acquire genuine 

skills in financial education 

to help them make the right 

investment decisions. 

Making this admonition in 

Lagos during the unveiling of 

TGIC report, the founder of 

the Club, Tomie Balogun, said 

Tompolo fighting injustice in N/Delta 

— Ogulagha elders 

By Nnamdi Ojiego 

The Ogulagha Commu 

nity Elders Synod has 

commended Chief Government 

Ekpomupolo, alias Tompolo, 

for what they described 

as his fight against injustice in 

the Niger Delta. 

The elders while commending 

Tompolo on his 50th birthday 

anniversary, described 

him as a selfless leader and 

great asset to the people of the 

region. 

In a statement by the Chairman, 

Fredrick Ingla, Vice 

Chairman, Capt. William 

Mienbra, Secretary General, 

Mr. Calabar Sunboy, Public 

Relations Officer, PRO, Mr. 

Henry Agediga, and Chief 

Council Guwor, Olotu of Ogulagha 

kingdom, the community 

leaders recalled how the 

former Commander of the 

Movement for the Emancipation 

of the Niger Delta, MEND, 

saved their community from 

communal crisis. 

“Tompolo is a stabilizing 

factor in Ogulagha. Our 

prayer is that God should give 

him more wisdom and understanding 

to carry on in his service 

to mankind.. He is a selfless 

leader and philanthropist 

who is always fighting for the 

interest of his people. 

“When our community was 

in crisis and in great need of 

when people are financially 

educated, it becomes a lot easier 

to make an appreciable investment 

that is capable of 

taking them out of poverty. 

She said: “The economic 

fallout from events like the 

market crash in 2018, economic 

recession in 2016, and 

the pandemic in 2020 resulted 

in financial security risks 

for this age group. Many of 

them are choosing to follow 

peace, Tompolo came to our 

rescue and brokered a truce 

which ushered in the prevailing 

peace the people are enjoying 

today. 

“As Tompolo is celebrating 

his 50th birthday, we join his 

well-wishers to celebrate and 

appreciate him for the laudable 

role he has been playing 

in the development of Ogulagha, 

Gbaramatu Kingdom 

and Ijaw nation in general”, 

the statement said. 

FUPRE, ACF sign pact for 2021 Petroleum Industry 

Awards 

he Federal University of 

TPetroleum Resources 

Effurun (FUPRE) has signed 

an agreement with the African 

Child Foundation to 

host 2021 Petroleum Industry 

Awards. 

In his remarks, FUPRE's 

Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Akpofure 

Rim-Rukeh commended 

companies like Shell Petroleum 

Development Company 

and others for registering 

their presence in the institution 

through viable projects 

and encouraged others to 

emulate their good deeds. 

He said that the university 

as a research institute understands 

that recognizing the 

outstanding achievements 

made within the Upstream, 

Midstream and Downstream 

sectors of the Oil & Gas Industry; 

rewarding success and 

commitment to health & safety, 

environmental stewardship 

and corporate social responsibility 

will in no small 

measure upscale the standard 

for excellence and 

healthy competition in the 

sector. 

He stated that the FUPRE 

Awards raises the bar in showcasing 

hard work as a panacea 

for advancement, adding 

that the 2021 edition will witness 

a cross-section of oil and 

gas players and stakeholders 

from government, upstream, 

midstream, downstream, 

regulators, civil society, finan- 

either their instincts or go 

along with peers when making 

money and investment decisions 

which makes them 

more likely to fall for Ponzi 

schemes. The economic situation 

and high incidence of 

these fraudulent schemes 

show a dire need for financial 

education. 

“As an innovative company 

in the financial education 

space, we work to bridge the 

gap in financial literacy 

among the youths in Nigeria 

through our products; a community-based 

investment 

club, online courses, webinars, 

campus tours and fintech 

platforms. 

“We created and elevated 

TGIC to the biggest investment 

club in Nigeria from 35 

members at inception to 

1,700 members in three 

years. Our five-year vision is 

to help at least 10,000 individuals 

to be financially educated 

and provide investment 

advisory services to them". 

NUC grants Atiba varsity operational 

President of UACC, Rev. Dr. James Owoyemi (right) 

and the Ebumawe of Ago Iwoye, Oba Abdul Rasaq 

Adesina Adenugba during ta courtesy visit to the Oba in 

Ago Iwoye, Ogun State. 

licence 

By Tunde Oso 

Atiba University (AU), 

Oyo, Oyo State, has 

been granted full operational 

licence by the National 

Universities Commission 

(NUC). 

This was communicated to 

the Proprietor of the AU, Chief 

James Ojebode, in a letter 

dated April 8, 2021 signed by 

Mrs. Lydia T. Imoroa, the Director, 

Inspection and Monitoring, 

for the Executive Secretary 

of the NUC. 

The statement said, “Having 

fulfilled all the requirements 

laid down in Educational 

(National Minimum 

Standards and Establishment 

of Institutions) Act, Cap 

E3 Laws of the Federation of 

Nigeria 2004 and satisfactorily 

completed the mandatory 

probationary period, the 

Atiba University is fully licensed 

to operate as a private 

university in Nigeria. 

“I forward herewith the 

Full Operational Licence to 

the University. On behalf of 

the Board, Management and 

staff of the National Universities 

Commission, I congratulate 

you on this achievement. 

“Please accept the assurances 

of the Executive Secretary’s 

highest regard.” 

•Chief James Ojebode 

UACC president visits Ogun 

CAN, Oba 

By Ephraim Oseji 

he President of the Unit 

Ted Apostolic Church of 

Christ (UACC), Rev. Dr. 

James Owoyemi has commended 

the efforts of the 

Chairman, Christian Association 

of Nigeria (CAN), Ago 

– Iwoye, Ogun State, Evangelist 

Dotun Agbanle, in 

spreading and propagating 

the gospel of Christ. 

Owoyemi, said it’s a thing 

of joy to visit the CAN leader 

and prayed that God to continue 

to bless and strengthcial 

institutions, and insurers, 

among others. 

The African Child Foundation 

organisers of the African 

Integrity Prize, represented 

by the Country Director, Mr. 

Donaldson Onosakponome, 

assured the University management 

that only credible 

companies and individuals 

will scale through the crucible 

of nominations. 

ened the association. 

In his response, Agbanle 

thanked his guests and urged 

them to be focused and steadfast 

in their efforts to transform 

the church and move it 

to a greater height. 

Also, the Chairman, Christian 

Pentecostal Fellowship of 

Nigeria (CPFN), Pastor Sunday 

Adenola, has congratulated 

Rev. Owoyemi on his ordination 

and elevation to the 

Position of the President of 

UACC. 

Adenola described 

Owoyemi, whom he has 

known for six years as God 

fearing, intelligent and honest 

man. 

Meanwhile, the UACC 

president used the occasion 

to visit the Palace of the Ebumawe 

of Ago – Iwoye, His 

Royal Highness, Oba Abdul 

Rasaq Adenugba who 

was so elated to received Rev 

Owoyemi in his place. 

The Oba prayed that the 

President will excel and succeed 

as the President of 

UACC, he prayed for God’s 

Guardian and protection 

upon the President and by 

God’s grace during the tenure 

of Rev. Owoyemi UACC 

will be known and planted all 

over the world. 

Rev. Owoyemi thanked the 

Oba for receiving him and his 

team to the Palace, he prayed 

for the Oba that God will 

continue to bless him with 

wisdom and good health to 

continue to lead his subjects.

SUNDAY VANGUARD, APRIL 25, 2021,PAGE 23 

How far have you gone in your negotiation with government 

concerning ongoing strike? 

We met with the government team on the first day of the 

strike, that is on April 6 and we were invited for another 

round of meetings on April 14 and 15. On April 14, we met with the 

Minister of State, Education and we were supposed to meet with the 

Minister of Labour on April 15. Unfortunately, the meeting with the 

Labour Minister could not hold because the minister was not around. 

But for the April 14 meeting, we had some discussions and received 

some offers from the government and we are awaiting certain things 

to be done before the offers would be presented to our National Executive 

Council for consideration. As you know, the first meeting held on the 

day the strike started and that led to the constitution of Governing Councils 

for the polytechnics and the inauguration of the members during the week. 

How would you describe the attitude of the government to polytechnic 

education? 

The attitude of the government has not been good enough and we 

have been saying that long ago. If their attitude has been good, we 

wouldn’t have been on strike. The strike is a protest against the 

disposition of the government to the sector. Government has 

been playing lip service to the sector and there has not 

been enough respect and recognition for the sector. That 

is primarily why the sector is experiencing funding, 

regulatory, administrative and other challenges. 

And that is the reason why we are on strike. 

What are the implications of such an 

attitude on the society? 

We have said it repeatedly that the country 

needs technical and vocational education, 

TVE. We call it the skill-based education. At 

this point in time and the way the global 

economy is going, no nation jokes with TVE. 

Technical and Vocational Education is 

not about carrying certificates up and 

down. It is about what you can do. What 

skills you have, in what ways you can help 

the economy and the nation 

to grow and that is where our 

sector comes out tops. 

This is a sector that 

produces employers of 

labour, this is a sector that 

focuses on skill-based 

education. Unfortunately, 

like we all know, our 

government does not always 

get its priorities right, and 

so, they have continued to 

relegate this important 

sector to the background. 

Those who formulated the 

National Education Policy in 

this country as far back as 

1977, did not make any 

mistake in establishing the 

polytechnics and 

Institutions that offer TVE. 

They saw the need for it with 

respect to the development of 

the nation and up until now, 

the government recognises 

that it is an important sector 

and that is why they are 

setting up new polytechnics. 

Recently, six new 

polytechnics were set up by 

the Federal Government and 

the various state 

governments are still setting 

up new ones. If they don’t find 

the polytechnics as 

important, then why are they 

setting up new ones?. 

So, it is just a matter of 

getting the priorities right so 

that it you can give the right 

level of attention to the sector 

at the level that will make it 

meet up with its 

responsibilities to the 

Nigerian society. 

Some say you people do not normally 

get your dues from the government 

because you don’t go the whole hog or 

make the necessary sacrifices to get 

your demands met, what is your view? 

That is not true. No two unions are 

exactly the same. Every union designs its 

own strategy of engagement. We don’t 

need to go on strike for one year because 

another union did that. We don’t need to 

go on strike for one month because 

another union did that. We have to design 

our own strategy to meet our own targets. 

We are on collective bargaining process. 

We must not expect to have 100% results. 

Even the union that went on strike for so 

long, the government has not met their 

demands 100% as well. 

Our union has gone on strike for nine 

months in the past, precisely between 

2013 and 2014, we still did not get 100%. 

So, what is important is our priorities and 

expectations as we go on strike. What are 

the targets that are process led so that we 

can initiate the process? What are the 

STRIKE: 

How government 

is de-marketing 

polytechnics, killing 

technical education 

— ASUP President 

By Adesina Wahab 

Polytechnic lecturers are on strike over some demands from 

government. In this interview, the National President of the Academic 

Staff Union of Polytechnics, ASUP, Comrade Anderson Ezeibe, speaks 

on the reasons for the strike and efforts to resolve it. Excerpts: 

ones that need instant response from the 

government? That is what is important. 

It is not a matter of how long a strike 

lasts but how effective it is. What is the 

outcome of such a strike? And as I said 

earlier, I have not seen any trade union 

that went on strike and got its demands 

met 100% no matter how long or how 

short the strike lasted. 

If the government gives poor finances 

as a reason for its inability to meet your 

demands, what would the position of the 

union be? 

I don’t think our demands from the 

government with respect to financial 

implications are too much for the 

government to bear. Particularly we have 

seen the government demonstrate the 

ability to this kind of responsibility to 

variois sectors. If we are saying that the 

payment of our own minimum wage 

arrears is just about N4 billion. If the 

government’s priorities are right, they can 

afford that. If we say we should be given 

The current 

situation is 

not good at 

all. It is not 

palatable. If it 

is good, we 

would not be 

on strike 

Revitalisation Fund, the same way our 

sister sector has been given, the funding 

of the NEEDS Assessment etc, they are 

within the ambit of the government to 

fund. We are not an unreasonable union. 

We know the capacity of the government 

despite the global downturn in the 

economy. We know that what is needed is 

for the government to get its priorities 

right. 

We know that this is not the time to play 

with TVE. For any nation that is serious, 

and we want to believe that Nigeria is 

serious, particularly at this period, when 

skill-based education is the in thing, the 

government should do the right thing. 

As a lecturer in the polytechnic sector, 

the dichotomy between university and 

polytechnic graduates, how can it be 

redressed? 

First and foremost, it is very regrettable 

that the problem has lingered despite 

all the efforts made by our union 

and others and that we have only 

been able to remove the 

disparity in the entry 

point of polytechnic and 

university graduates 

into the public service. 

Previously, university 

graduates are placed 

on level 8, while their 

polytechnic 

counterparts are 

placed on level 7. But 

another main issue 

has not been 

resolved and that is 

a l l o w i n g 

polytechnic 

graduates to get to 

level 17 like their 

u n i v e r s i t y 

counterparts. 

Polytechnic 

graduates don’t go 

beyond level 14. 

They have now 

introduced the 

B r i d g i n g 

P r o g r a m m e 

whereby polytechnic graduates 

would go for postgraduate 

programme after bagging HND. 

It is very unfortunate and I think 

our nation should have moved to the 

level of what you can do, the skills 

you have and not the paper 

certificates you carry about. 

Normally, in the civil service, once 

you have been employed, your career 

progression should not depend on 

your certificate but on your output on 

the job. Your performance on the job 

is now supposed to be the criteria for 

your career progression. But 

unfortunately, we are still relying on 

entry point qualification. This I think 

does not help and has really amplified 

the dichotomy. I hope the bill before 

the National Assembly that intends 

to address those issues would be 

passed by the two chambers and 

assented to by the President. 

How would you describe technical 

education in Nigeria?. 

The current situation is not good at 

all. It is not palatable. If it is good, 

we would not be on strike. The funding 

of the sector is so poor and it is a 

sector that requires a lot of funding 

because of the type of equipment that 

is used to train the students. Morale is 

very low because the staff are not taken 

care of. The discrimination has also 

lowered the morale of both staff and 

students. As we speak, the sector is not 

very attractuve to Nigerian youths. For 

enrolment for the Unified Tertiary 

Matriculation Examinations conducted 

by the Joint Admissions And 

Matriculation Board, the sector gets 

about 1% in the last four years and we 

have the universities getting over 98% of 

the applicants. That tells the whole story. 

That shows that the sector has been demarketed 

over time by the government 

through its policies that are unfavourable 

to the sector. That is why we are on strike 

to redress the situation and let the sector 

meets its obligations to the Nigerian 

society. The government should meet the 

demands of our union so that students 

would go back to the classes and our 

members would go back to their beats.


Alternate School 

Programme and 

the Humanitarian 

Imperative 

By Dapo Bruce 

n Tuesday January 26, 2021, President 

OMuhammadu Buhari inaugurated an 

18-member Presidential Steering Committee 

on the Alternate School Programme (ASP). 

The President charged the committee to 

coordinate and lead the deployment of a 

National Plan which will address the issue of 

out-of-school children in the country. 

Sadiya Umar Farouq, Honourable Minister 

of Humanitarian Affairs Disaster 

Management and Social Development, was 

named co-chair alongside Mallam Adamu 

Adamu, Honourable Minister of Education. 

The choice of Farouq as co-chair is 

instructive when the mandate of the steering 

committee is taken into consideration. 

The Alternate School Programme (ASP) has 

as its mandate to improve access to education 

for all Nigerian children in alignment with 

Sustainable Development Goal (SDG-4) 

which aims to “ensure inclusive and equitable 

quality education and promote lifelong 

learning opportunities for all”. 

The Terms of Reference for the National 

Steering Committee include: “Refine and 

focuse the vision of the initiative; ensure 

engagement and effective uptake of the ASP 

initiative across the country; review and 

approve all work, implementation plans, 

expected deliverables, feedbacks and reports 

as proposed & undertake any other task that 

can enhance the effective delivery of the 

initiative. 

In his remark, the President noted that 

despite the strides made with the Universal 

Basic Education Commission under the 

Federal Ministry of Education, it remained 

an unacceptable aberration to see young 

children “abandoning formal school to 

•Sadiya 

Umar 

•Adamu 

Adamu 

become apprentices in shops, 

workshops, and markets, whilst 

many others choose to loiter 

at markets, become cart 

pushers and hawkers.” 

To put the new initiative in 

context, Unicef notes about 

Nigeria: “Even though primary education is 

officially free and compulsory, about 10.5 

million of the country’s children aged 5-14 

years are not in school. Only 61 percent of 6- 

11 year-olds regularly attend primary school 

and only 35.6 percent of children aged 36-59 

months receive early childhood education. In 

the north of the country, the picture is even 

bleaker, with a net attendance rate of 53 

percent. Getting out-of-school children back 

into education poses a massive challenge.” 

That challenge is at the core of the Alternate 

School Programme which, if viewed from the 

perspective of the ripple effect an uneducated 

population can have on the polity, presents a 

humanitarian imperative. 

The UN lays the blame for the huge number 

of out of school children, over 5% of the 

population, at the feet of poverty, geography 

and gender imbalance. A lack of economic 

empowerment, location in conflict impacted 

states and disinterest in educating the girl child 

have contributed in exacerbating the problem. 

The Unicef report contends: “Gender, like 

geography and poverty, is an important factor 

in the pattern of educational marginalization. 

States in the north-east and north-west have 

female primary net attendance rates of 47.7 

percent and 47.3 percent, respectively, 

meaning that more than half of the girls are 

not in school. The education deprivation in 

northern Nigeria is driven by various factors, 

including economic barriers and sociocultural 

norms and practices that discourage 

attendance in formal education, especially for 

girls.” 

The ASP hopes to help tip the scales and 

achieve a balance in this disproportionately 

lopsided state of affairs by providing an 

innovative & flexible approach to schooling 

as well as skills development. 

By focusing on out of school children, the 

ASP will ensure a reversal of Nigeria’s 

abysmal statistics which the UN has captured 

in very poor terms - “one in every five of the 

world’s out-of-school children is in Nigeria.” 

Said Umar Farouq in a January 31 tweet: 

“That translates to 10.5 million children aged 

5-14 years. There is also a high percentage of 

absenteeism with only 61% of children aged 6 

to 11 able to attend primary school regularly. 

The figures are worse in the North.” 

An uneducated child will grow up into an 

illiterate adult who will be unable to access 

neither gainful employment nor economic 

empowerment. Such an individual will 

constitute an unproductive component of the 

population and remain a burden on the system. 

Viewed from these perspectives it is easy to 

see why the ASP constitutes a humanitarian 

imperative especially as the bulk of the out of 

school children are already in the grip of a 

humanitarian emergency after over a decade 

of insurgency in the North East states of 

Adamawa, Yobe and Borno where the UN 

estimates that 2.8 million children are in need 

of education-in-emergencies support with at 

least 802 schools shut, 497 classrooms 

destroyed and another 1,392 damaged but 

repairable. 

The Alternate School Programme is not the 

first of such initiatives to tackle the menace 

posed by out of school children. In January 

this year, during an inter-ministerial briefing, 

the Minister of Education, Mallam Adamu 

Adamu had informed his audience that the 

number of out-of-school children has reduced 

from 10.1million in 2019 to 6.95 million in 

2020. He said the reduction was consequent 

on gains from the Federal Government’s Better 

Education Service Delivery for All (BESDA) 

initiative which was being implemented in 17 

states of the federation in conjunction with 

the National Association of Proprietors and 

School Owners of Nigeria. The effort, he 

announced, had led to the enrolment of 

1,053,422 children during the period. 

The coming of the Alternate School 

Programme with its innovative approach will 

help accelerate the gains by ensuring that every 

child gains access to quality education, 

irrespective of social, cultural, or economic 

standing. 

Highlighting the humanitarian approach, 

the co-chair, Sadiya Umar Farouq noted that 

the FG through the Ministry of Humanitarian 

Affairs Disaster Management and Social 

Development and the National Social 

Investment Programmes (NSIP) is working 

to improve household incomes for the families 

of out of school children as it seeks to equip 

them with literary and numeracy knowledge 

as well as the requisite skills to engage with 

and contribute meaningfully to the Nigerian 

economy. To help achieve the goal, the ministry 

has begun the collation of data of all out-ofschool 

children across the country. 

It was pleasing to read news of the 

inauguration of a technical Working Group 

on Tuesday April 13, 2020. This development 

speaks to the seriousness with which the 

assignment is being addressed. The TWG will 

oversee and ensure effective planning and 

implementation of the ASP which will, in the 

short term, evolve means of delivering a 

limited number of subjects with emphasis on 

numeracy and literacy as well as basic and 

social sciences from Mathematics to English 

Language, and Basic Sciences to Social 

Studies. These would be scaled up in the long 

term to facilitate the acquisition of relevant 

technical skills. 

As work progresses on this very laudable 

initiative, the hope is that in a year or two, 

Nigeria would no longer score so abysmally 

low when it comes to out of school children. 

How we’re taking Niger Delta youths off crimes 

governments, corporate organizations and all 

relevant stakeholders, we have discovered that 

— Police Chaplain, Kenerekedi 

the best way to take the youths off the streets 

and ensure a crime-free society is to involve 

them in decision making at every level including 

in politics, business, education and gover- 

youths who are restive due to the circumstances 

that surround them. We make them understand 

the consequential effects of the crisis. devil’s workshop and a hungry man is an annance. 

You know, an idle mind, they say, is the 

This we carry out by organizing national and gry man. Therefore, what we are doing is to 

international peace conferences/summits. actively engage the youths in productive ventures. 

There is a need for a continuous sensitization 

programme to equip the youth with 

relevant information for positive impact. 


astor Alex Kenerekedi, a Police Chaplain 

Pof Burutu Area Command in Delta State, 

is the Founder and President of Youth and Conflict 

Resolution Initiative, YCRI, a non-governmental 

organisation founded to tackle incessant 

communal and ethnic crises in the 

Niger Delta region, in which lives and properties 

worth billions of Naira were lost. In this 

interview, Kenerekedi, who is the Assistant 

General Overseer of the Voice of Faith Christian 

Church and the Acting Public Relations 

Officer, PRO, Vigilante Group of Nigeria, 

South-South Zone, reveals how he is using 

YCRI to fight poverty, crimes in the region. 

Excerpts: 

Why did you found this organization? 

The Youth and Conflict Resolution Initiative, 

YCRI, grew from the intervention by the 

youth wing of the Pentecostal Fellowship of 

Nigeria, PFN, Effurun in Delta state, during 

the bloody crises in some parts of the Delta 

from 1997 to 2004. Hundreds of defenceless 

civilians were abducted and killed. Therefore, 

the youth wing of the PFN intervened by holding 

peace summits, seminars, conferences, 

and issuing press releases in national media 

to quicken the conflict resolution between the 

warring communities. It was the knowledge 

and lessons gathered from these interventions 

that led to the establishment of YCRI. These 

knowledge, lessons and experiences were then 

applied in the advocacy against child abuse, 

promotion of human rights, emergency response 

for vulnerable persons and free vocational 

training for children and youths in the 

Delta State. At present, YCRI operates 

throughout Nigeria. The primary aim of this 

organization is to take the message of peace 

to the doorsteps of the youths, communities 

and all stakeholders in the Niger Delta, Nigeria 

and the world at large. The organization 

was first registered with the Delta State Government 

as Youth and Conflict Resolution 

•Kenerekedi 

Movement, YCRM, in the year 2008 and later 

registered with the Corporate Affairs Commission, 

CAC, as Youth and Conflict Resolution 

Initiative, YCRI, in 2010. 

Sustainable Development 

YCRI is a non-profit, non-governmental organization 

to promote peace and equip young 

and old to bring about sustainable development 

in the region. The organization is run by 

highly trained professionals with long term 

experience in working with organized bodies 

within and outside the nation. Our mission is 

to create a world of peace by dealing with the 

Global Peace 

We realised that peace and security is everyone’s 

responsibility. To achieve that, we need 

to build a conflict-free world, where everyone 

is empowered to actualize their full potentials. 

Also, to develop and harness the potentials 

of young people towards global peace, 

security, credible leadership and sustainable 

development, hence the introduction of the 

Peace Unity and Sustainable Development, 

PUSD, campaign ongoing across ethnic nationality 

in Nigeria. We are also partnering 

with security agencies, community leaders and 

all relevant stakeholders to promote awareness 

against cultism (in secondary schools and 

tertiary institutions), kidnapping, pipeline vandalism, 

terrorism and all social vices. 

What is your relationship with the 

police and other security agencies like? 

As a conflict resolution body, we have a cordial 

relationship with the police and other security 

agencies (especially in Delta State). We 

collaborate with the Police to sensitize the 

masses on how to live a crime-free life. Furthermore, 

YCRI since 2009 has been partnering 

with security agencies in curbing violence, 

especially in the Niger Delta region. 

Off the Street 

We have a programme called ‘Off the Street’, 

for youths, women, and persons with disabilities, 

to train them in skills acquisition and 

empower them with jobs and scholarship opportunities. 

This we do in partnership with 

government, corporate organizations and 

well-meaning Nigerians. Why we introduced 

this particular scheme is because, from our 

years of experience in dealing with the youths, 

Seafarers 

YCRI, as a way of youth development and 

empowerment, has sponsored over twenty (20) 

youths to International Conferences in the UK, 

South Africa and other nations of the World. 

As an NGO that has a passion for those in 

rural areas especially, those in the creeks, we 

partnered with Joemarine Institute of Nautical 

Studies and Research, Warri, Delta State, 

to give scholarship to over four hundred and 

fifty (450) Seafarers from the creeks. Aside 

from that, we are also reaching out to the less 

privileged. We regularly distribute relief materials 

to Orphanages and hospitals in the 

creeks including the Daughter/Son Orphanage, 

Warri; Leprosarium, Jeddo, Okpe; Central 

Hospital, Warri; and flood victims in the 

riverine communities in Delta State, amongst 

others. Over 200 villages, communities and 

towns, and more than 50,000 youths reached 

and engaged in various non-violence and 

youth development programmes. Our immediate 

mission is to reach out to 20 million 

Nigerian youths on skills acquisition, academic 

growth and curtail violence and bloodshed 

and transform the political arena from violent 

rhetoric to developmental discourse. We 

also use this medium to solicit support from 

the government, corporate organizations and 

all stakeholders to support organizations like 

ours, who are already on the field, with mindchanging 

and peace-oriented campaign to 

different parts of the country especially to the 

creeks and rural areas. We are already in the 

process of collaborating with international 

bodies to further our non-violence pursuit 

among youths and elders


From left: Chief Micheal Ayogu; Chief Chidi Ogbuefi; Chief Executive Officer of 

CDV Properties and Development Limited, Chief Charles Mba and the Founder & 

Group Managing Director Ziloc, Ugochukwu Harvey Igboanugo and Chief Uzoma 

Anazodo, during the convocation and award ceremony of European American 

University, yesterday, in Ghana 

From left: Mr Nurudeen Oke (son), Mr Oropo Rasheed Oke {son}, Mrs Rashidat Famusanmi 

(Daughter) and Mr Zaccheaus Oluwafemi Fambusanmi {son-in law and Vanguard staff} 

at the final burial ceremony of Alhaja Bushirat Adunni Oke held at Agbado Ope-Ilu, Ogun 

State. 

From left: Chairman, Princeps Holdings (Credit Wallet), Peter Atuma; Event host & CEO, 

Talknation, Joyce Daniels; Founder, The Green Investment Club, Tomie Balogun; Co-founder, 

Farmforte, Osazuwa Osayi; and COO at Apel Asset Limited, Oladunni Olawuyi, during the 

presentation of a 3-year investment report and research by The Green Investment Club, in 

Lagos. 

HERDERS, FARMERS CLASHES: Tinubu seeks unity against terrorists, 

bandits to reap gains of agric 

The National Leader of 

the ruling All Progressives 

Congress, APC, Asiwaju 

Bola Ahmed Tinubu yesterday 

said Nigerians must stop 

fighting each to be able to 

present a unified front against 

the threat of terrorists and 

bandits, who attempt to frustrate 

Federal Government’s 

diversification into agriculture. 

The APC leader, who spoke 

after bagging a honorary 

doctorate degree of the Federal 

University of Agriculture, 

Makurdi, Benue State, 

lamented:“These people 

have unleashed terror and 

violent criminality against 

us. By attacking agricultural 

players across the nation, 

they seek not only to ravage 

the agricultural community, 

but to visit misery on the rest 

of the nation through food 

scarcity and food costs that 

poor people can simply not 

afford. In effect, these mean 

forces seek to impose a food 

production and distribution 

crisis on us by disrupting strategically 

important agricultural 

areas and activities.” 

According to Tinubu, “All 

of this has underscored the 

importance of the agricultural 

sector to our collective 

condition. The Federal Government 

has, thus, devoted itself 

to improving our nation’s 

agricultural sector. Important 

strides have been made. 

Yet, we have not yet reached 

the Promised Land. Government, 

and we, must continue 

to do more.” 

The former governor offered 

a few thoughts regarding 

the agricultural sector 

and its role in developing the 

nation, insisting that agricultural 

players cannot feed the 

nation and fight evil actors at 

Soyinka to Buhari: Nigeria is at war, seek help 

the same time. “We must decide 

whether our farmland 

and grazing areas are to be 

battlegrounds, or they are to 

return to their role of feeding 

the nation.” 

“Those who need peace in 

order to ply their trade must 

recognize the bigger threat 

that now confronts them. We 

can work the differences between 

farmer and herder. 

However, there is no way to 

reconcile either with terror or 

banditry without forfeiting 

their livelihoods, if not their 

very lives,” he said. 

He maintained that in the 

war against terror and criminality, 

the nation must protect 

its ability to feed its people,” 

and advised the military 

17 killed in Benue attack as Ortom cries over 1m IDPs 

By Peter Duru 

No fewer that 17 persons 

have been reportedly 

killed by suspected armed 

herdsmen and militia men in 

a co-ordinated attack on Tse 

Ukor, Tse Gborigyo and Tse 

Uhembe communities, all in 

Mbayer-Yandev Council 

Ward of Guma Local Government 

Area, LGA, of Benue 

State. 

The attack on the said communities, 

which occurred late 

Friday and the early hours of 

By Olasunkanmi Akoni 

Following series of kill 

ings, especially the 

youth, and high level of insecurity, 

Nobel Laureate, Prof 

Wole Soyinka, has urged President 

Muhammadu Buhari 

to seek help and stop playing 

with human lives in the country 

Ṡoyinka stated this in a 

statement released yesterday, 

titled:”The endless Martyrdom 

of youth. 

The statement read in part: 

“Abukakar Atiku has 

summed up the nation’s feeling 

– this most recent savagery 

against our youth is heartbreaking. 

More than the 

heart is broken however, more 

than millions of individual 

hearts that still lay claim to 

bonds in a common humanity. 

“The already over-stretched 

sinews of moral restraint 

have been snapped off the 

casing of nation being, and 

nothing is left but the collective 

wails of impotence. 

“Not for the first time, what 

many hoped was a Natural 

Law of Limitations has been 

contemptuously, defiantly 

breached. We need to remind 

ourselves of hideous precedents. 

We must remember 

Chibok. And Dapchi. And numerous 

antecedents and after, 

unpublicized, or soon relegated 

to the sump of collective 

amnesia. The wages of 

impunity never diminish, on 

the contrary, they distend. 

“One’s greatest fear, with 

this latest feat of cowardly 

savagery is that the nation 

must brace itself for a Beslan 

scenario, yet strive to avoid 

Nigeria become Africa’s 

Cherchnya. Those who have 

been proven weak and incapable 

must learn to swallow 

their vain pride and seek 

help”. 

“Again, this is no new counseling, 

but of course the dog 

that will get lost no longer 

heeds the hunter’s whistle. I 

envy no one the task ahead, 

terminating the toxic harvest 

of past derelictions. Blame 

laying is for later. Right now 

is the question of – what needs 

to be done, and done urgently. 

“We keep avoiding the inevitable, 

but that very unthinkable 

now hammers 

brutishly on our gates, the 

blood ransom arrogantly insatiable. 

This nation is at 

war, yet we continue to pretend 

that these are mere birthpangs 

of a glorious entity. 

yesterday, left many injured 

and hospitalized. 

Giving his account, a 

former Speaker of the Benue 

State House of Assembly, Mr. 

Dave Iorhemba, who is an 

indigene of Yogbo, Mbayer- 

Yandev Council Ward, told 

newsmen yesterday at Tse 

Uikpam, Guma LGA that the 

attacks on the communities 

were unprovoked. 

According to him, “The 

number of bodies we have 

counted that were killed between 

Friday and today (yesterday) 

are up to 17 and some 

are badly injured and are receiving 

treatment in the hospital. 

We want to thank Governor 

Ortom who has assisted 

in the payment of the medical 

bills of those who were 

injured.” 

Lamenting the looming 

food scarcity and overbearing 

humanitarian crisis in 

the state, the former Speaker 

said, “there is a huge, huge 

humanitarian crisis and 

food security challenge in the 

state as I can see because 

“They are death throes. 

Vultures and undertakers 

hover patiently but with full 

confidence. 

“The dogs of war stopped 

merely baying years ago. 

Again and again they have 

sunk their fangs into the jugular 

of this nation. 

“The plague called COV- 

ID has met its match on the 

earth of some nation space 

once known as Nigeria. I 

grieve with the bereaved, but 

mourn even more for our 

youth so routinely sacrificed, 

burdened with uncertainty 

and traumatized beyond 

youth’s capacity to cope. 

“To this government we repeat 

the public cry: Seek 

Help. Stop Improvising with 

human lives. Youth-that is, the 

the future – should not serve 

as Ritual Offering on the altar 

of a failing State.” 

once the farmers cannot go 

back and do their farming activities 

and they cannot go 

back to their ancestral homes, 

food crisis is imminent. 

“There is no food anywhere 

apart from the food stuff that 

government stockpiled and is 

distributing to the IDPs. There 

is no other food anywhere. If 

government is distributing 

food stuff, does it end there? 

The people must participate 

in farming activities to produce 

food massively which 

we used to do in Benue state 

until herdsmen starting sacking 

our people from the ancestral 

homes,” he said. 

Meanwhile Governor 

Samuel Ortom has appealed 

to the Federal Government, 

local and international donors, 

NGOs, and spirited individuals 

to assist the state 

government to provide support 

to the close to one million 

Internally Displaced Persons, 

IDPs, in the state. 

The governor, who made 

the appeal yesterday at the Tse 

Uikpam IDPs camp Guma 

LGA where he celebrated his 

60th birthday with over 

27,000 IDPs, lamented that 

the state had been overwhelmed 

by IDPs and the 

state government lacked the 

resources to cater for their 

needs. 

UMAHI’S WIFE: PDP spreading 

fake news, says Ebonyi govt 


The Ebonyi State government 

has described as mendacious, 

report making 

rounds the social media that 

wife of the state governor, 

Rachel Umahi, said she 

would not vote for her husband 

in All Progressives Congress, 

APC, in the 2023 general 

elections. 

A statement by the Commissioner 

for Information and 

Orientation, Mr. Uchenna 

Orji, said the trending news 

was a handiwork of political 

jobbers deployed by the main 

opposition party in the state 

to elicit public sympathy. 

The statement read: “The 

attention of Ebonyi State 

Ministry of Information and 

State Orientation has been 

drawn to a vicious, mendacious 

and faceless post captioned 

‘I will not vote my husband 

in APC’ falsely credited 

to Her Excellency, wife of the 

Governor of Ebonyi State, 

and made to trend in social 

media by political jobbers 

deployed by the drowned 

People’s Democratic Party, 

PDP in the State and who 

have also resorted to writing 

helplessly and derogatorily 

about Mrs Rachel Umahi. 

“While we take exception 

to this cheap and disrespectful 

blackmail, we make bold 

to state that Mrs Umahi is a 

proud card-carrying member 

of APC with registration 

number, EB/BZR/11/04202. 

She joined APC with her husband 

as a response to the clarion 

call for South-East to reintegrate 

into a party of national 

spread”. 

2023: Lagos must work again, Jandor 

to begin to revise their strategies 

so that agricultural communities 

are better protected. 

“This will enable higher 

food production, thereby reducing 

hunger and poverty.” 

He added: “During this 

moment of food scarcity, we 

must launch a programme to 

expand production of food 

staples. The concept of ‘agricultural 

sustainability’ advocates 

food production in a way 

that makes the optimal use of 

existing technical capacities 

by focusing on the most appropriate 

genotypes of seeds 

and livestock for our environment. 

Here, both state and 

federal governments must 

subsidize the restart of agricultural 

activity interrupted 

by terror and criminality. 

These actions will serve to 

tame food scarcity and price 

inflation in the short run. 

The Jagaban Borgu stated 

that we must improve farmto-market 

delivery, advising 

that government must invest 

in improving farm to market 

transportation networks, 

which will reduce the amount 

of wastage and reduce costs 

by ensuring more food reaches 

the marketplace and the 

dinner table. “Toward this 

objective of reducing waste, 

constructing storage facilities 

for perishable items in important 

marketplaces across 

the country would be prudent.” 

According to Tinubu, government 

“Must do more to 

secure the basic hopes and 

aspirations of the local farmer 

that he can live more than 

a life or toil in penury. Let us 

return to the commodity 

boards or similar arrangements 

that guarantee minimum 

prices, and thus incomes 

for farmers of strategic 

crops.” 

promises 

By Olasunkanmi Akoni 

Dr. Olajide Adediran, 

Lead Visioner of 

Lagos4Lagos, a political 

group, has inaugurated 51 

member state executives 

across the five divisions of the 

state with the task to ensure 

the realisation of the team’s 

set goals in Lagos gubernatorial 

poll in 2023. 

Adediran, popularly called 

“Jandor” at the formal 

launch, said: “Lagos of our 

dream must work again for 

residents. 

“Hence, the inauguration 

of the executives as part of efforts 

to boost the group’s operational 

structures across all 

the 20 Local Government Areas 

and 37 Local Council Development 

Areas, LCDAs, in 

the state.” 

After taking the oath of office 

for members, Adediran, 

urged them to live up to the 

bidding of the task ahead, 

saying, “We have started the 

movement for the past six 

years and it’s time to make it 

a reality.” 

He said the membership of 

the state executives is based 

on six months probation after 

which performance of 

each member would be assessed 

and any underperforming 

member would be 

replaced accordingly. 

According to him, the 

grassroots base is very key in 

deciding the Lagos of their 

dreams.

PAGE 26, SUNDAY VANGUARD, APRIL 25, 2021 

FACES AT THE FUNERAL SERVICE FOR THE LATE COMRADE YINKA ODUMAKIN IN MORO, OSUN STATE, YESTERDAY 

Photos: Dare Fasube 

Cross section of the Odumakin family 

Wife of the deceased , Dr Joe Okei Odumakin. 

From left: Sooko Kemade Elugbaju representing 

Oòní of Ife and Oba Oluwaloni Aluko Ololusogo 

of Sogo. 

From left:GM/Editor-in-Chief, Vanguard 

Newspapers,Mr Gbenga Adefaye; Hon Niyi 

Owolade and MC, Gbenga Adeyinka 1st. 

From left:Former Governor of Ondo State, Dr Olusegun Mimiko;Oyo State 

Governor, Engr. Seyi Makinde; Ekiti State Governor, Dr. Kayode Fayemi 

and Afenifere leader, Pa Ayo Adebanjo 

From left: Osun State Governor, Mr Gboyega Oyetola, Dr Joe Okei 

Odumakin, wife of Osun State Governor, Kafayat Oyetola, and Bishop Francis 

Wale Oke. 

From left: Mrs Adesiyan; her husband, former Minister of Police affairs, 

Mr Jelili Adesiyan; Gen Muyiwa Okunowo and Mr Jimi Agbaje. 

Cross section of choristers


HON ROTIMI AGUNSOYE'S 59TH BIRTHDAY CELEBRATION 

Photos: Kehinde Shonola 

From left: Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu of Lagos State, Hon.Rotimi 

Agunsoye,celebrant, member of the House of Representatives, Kosofe 

Fed.Constituency, his wife, Mrs. Agunsoye, and Alhaji Babatunde Balogun, 

Lagos APC Chairman, when Agunsoye celebrated his 59th birthday and presented 

empowerment items to members of his constituency, yesterday. 

From left: Hon. Rotimi Agunsoye, Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, Senator 

Olorunmbe Mamora and Senator Tokunbo Abiru. 

Cross section of Lagos white cap chiefs Mr & Mrs. Samuel Edih 

Sen. Adeseye Ogunlewe (right) and Sen. Anthony 

Adefuye 

My dad wanted me to be a mechanic — Taribo West 

man, Photojournalists Association 

of Nigeria (PJAN), Abio- 

and 2006. 

Super Eagles between 1994 

By Olalekan 

Bilesanmi 

dun Ajala, and 39-year-old During his illustrious career, 

he played for big Euro- 

presidential aspirant ahead of 

“My journey to being a 

2023 and CEO of e-pay Limited, 

Victor Ani-Laju. 

ter Milan, AC Milan, Derby 

pean clubs like Auxerre, In- 

world-famous soccer player 

wasn’t easy. The war 

Taribo West went on: “But, County among others, winning 

many laurels. 

started right from my father’s 

house in far-away Port 

history now. I am the rejected Taribo West played for the 

I thank God that all that is 

Harcourt, some decades 

stone that later became the Super Eagles of Nigeria at 

ago. My father actually 

corner stone of the house”. the 1998 FIFA World Cup in 

wanted me to be a roadside 

When asked what business he France, 2000 African Cup of 

mechanic”. 

ventured into after retiring Nations in Ghana/Nigeria, 

With these words, former 

from football, he said: “After 2002 African Cup of Nations 

Super Eagles of Nigeria 

quitting football, I ventured in Mali, 2002 FIFA World 

and AC Milan of Italy player, 

Taribo West, told his stolanthropy 

and missionary In his opening remarks at 

into football academy, phi- 

Cup in Korea/Japan, etc. 

ry of growing up. 

work. 

the event, the Editor of Our 

Narrating the story further, 

he said his mum dis- 

in Lagos where we discover Olanrewaju, thanked all 

“I run a football academy Moment Newspaper, David 

approved of his father’s wish 

and train young talents for those who made it to the event 

that he should be a mechanic 

“I am involved in philancipients 

to keep the spirit and 

European clubs. 

and advised all the award re- 

Ḣis words: “My mother resisted 

strongly. She begged 

sist so many indigent students manity. 

thropic works where we as- 

continue to do more for hu- 

and begged him to allow me 

and business men and women. 

this evening to witness this 

He said: “I am very glad 

have, at least, a secondary 

school education, but he refused. 

Recipient and Former Super Eagles and AC Milan of Italy player, Taribo Overseer of Shelter in the event that was first held in 

From right: Editor, ‘Our Moment Newspaper,’ David Olanrewaju., Award “Then, I am the General great occasion. This is an 

“The struggle led me to running 

away from my father’s during the presentation of an award of excellence to Taribo West, in Lagos deliverance church in Lagos.” wax stronger every year. 

West and ‘Our Moment Newspaper’ Photographer, Prince Dele Adegoke, Storm Ministry, an end-time 2006 and it has continued to 

house in Port Harcourt, many recently. PHOTO CREDIT: Our Moment Newspaper. 

He thanked the organisers “This year’s event was 

years ago, at a very tender age, 

of the award for picking him slightly affected by the coronavirus 

pandemic as forty 

to Lagos, and there stated my 

ahead of many former Super 

struggles”. 

ment Newspaper, in Lagos. fields. 

the Directors Guild of Nigeria 

(DGN), Fred Amata, im- 

not make it to the occasion. 

Eagles players. 

percent of invited guests could 

Taribo West spoke during The former Super Eagles The other award recipients 

His words: “I thank the organisers 

of this award for ho- 

an occasion to honour him Defender was honoured include Nollywood actor, Segun 

Arinze, newscaster, enter- 

Nigerian Union of Journalmediate 

Past Chairman of the 

“However, we thank those 

with Lifetime Achievement alongside some Nigerians 

who made it and we believe 

nouring me today. I am indeed 

grateful”. 

more to do more for human- 

this award will spur them 

award, by a Lagos-based who have distinguished tainer and actor, Jide Alabi, ists (NUJ), Lagos State Council, 

Dr. Qasim Akinreti, Chair- 

Taribo West played for the media company, Our Mo- themselves in their various immediate past President of 

ity”. 

Lawyers Forum seeks end to violence, urges peace in N’Delta 

By Davies Iheamnachor 

embe-Se Lawyers 

NForum has called for 

an end to violent agitations 

in the country, noting that the 

development was affecting 

the unity of the nation. 

The lawyers from the Niger 

Delta region said it has set new 

template on resolving the 

issues of marginalisation and 

agitations in the oil rich 

region legally, without 

igniting crisis. 

The body, which spoke in 

Port Harcourt during a Preconference 

briefing on its 

Professional Development 

and Networking Session 

tagged “Law Practice 

Building in Contemporary 

Times, scheduled for 3rd of 

May, said the call was to end 

clashes and confrontations 

that ensue in the violent 

agitations by youth of the 

region in their bid to getting 

the attention of government. 

Speaking, His Royal 

Highness, David Serena- 

Dokubo, the Amadabo of 

Spiff Town, in Tuon Brass, 

Bayelsa State, stated that if 

legal means we’re sought in 

handling issues of the region 

that lasting success would 

ways be achieved. 

Dokubo expressed regrets 

that the people of the region 

had adopted violence to 

express their grievances, 

stating that the forum of 

lawyers would approach the 

issues of the region legally. 

He said: “The order of the 

day hitherto was, blow up the 

pipelines, cause mayhem, 

deal with them, violence, 

attack, kidnap. Nembe-Se 

lawyer’s forum be a truly 

professional organization all 

members thereof, trained 

properly, in the need for 

acting with propriety said no, 

we must rise and say no to 

our people. Enough is 

enough, no more violence of 

any kind in he assertion of 

your right. 

Chairman Planning Team 

for the conference, Iniruo 

Wills, regretted that law and 

lawyers were underutilized in 

agitations by regions of the 

nation. 

Wills sad: “Law and along 

with its practitioners, the 

lawyers is an instrument that 

highly understand utilised in 

this part of the world. More 

so in our part of the country, 

the Niger Delta region, 

which region Nembe-Se 

territory is the heart beat. 

However, Chairman of 

Nembe-Se Lawyers Forum, 

Dr. Ayebaesin Beredugo, who 

read out plans of the body said 

the programme would be 

used to retain lawyers of 

Nembe-Se extraction on 

contemporary issues to 

ensure socio-economic 

development of the nation.


In-depth research now proves size matters! 

One would have 

thought these 

busy-body 

scientists would have more 

beneficial things to do than 

delving into the anatomy of 

men. One of the great 

mysteries of mankind may 

have been solved by these 

Nosey Parkers. 

Scientists from King’s 

College in London have 

measured 15,000 penises in 

16 countries. This work has 

allowed them, after feeding 

the findings into computers, 

making boffinish statistical 

adjustments, twiddling 

knobs and squinting at 

graphs, to announce an 

average size for men’s 

undercarriage. This in turn 

has been seized on as 

having psychological 

significance. Apparently, 

men are now less likely to 

have a nervous collapse 

about their own 

shortcomings. 

“We have not been told the 

logistical ins and out, if that 

is the term, of this groundbreaking 

global 

operation,” commented 

Martin Letts, a social 

critique. “The research 

demanded at least two 

readings (one at ease, one 

standing to quivering 

attention) for each 

specimen. The mind 

boggles. Were the 

laboratory assistants who 

took the data dreary 

middle-aged men speaking 

in monotones, or were they 

busty, sultry ladies with 

husky larynxes and 

widening eyes? To what 

level of exactitude were the 

measurements taken? 

What instruments were 

employed - school rulers, 

tape measures, laser 

micrometers or (ouch) 

cold, industrial clippers? 

While we’re about it, 

exactly how in 16 

languages, do you say 

‘sorry to interrupt your 

busy day, monsieur, but 

would you mind dropping 

your drawers so that my 

pouting assistant Miss 

Droop can take the bore 

and length of your old 

man?” 

The ‘expert’ who led the 

psychiatrists from King’s 

College Hospital, 

announced that the 

average length of an erect 

penis is 5.6in. Typically, it 

sounds more in 

Continental centimetres - 

13.12cm. The figure 

shrivels to 3.6in when the 

member is in a state of 

genital repose. “I seriously 

doubt that many men are 

much concerned by these 

readings,” continued 

Martin. “I bet most of us, 

when we read the report, 

discreetly did some thumb 

work to try to work out 

what 5.6in looks like, and 

then had a rough gonder 

below decks to see how we 

fared by comparison. 

“But will men have been 

psychologically affected? 

Does size matter to them as 

it is said to matter, 

particularly to their wives 

and girlfriends? Or is this 

yet another attempt by the 

medical/psychiatric world 

to create colly wobbles 

where previously few 

existed? Dr. Veale said his 

findings would help doctors 

reassure the large majority 

of men that the size of their 

penis is in the normal range. 

He said he would ‘use the 

graphs to examine the 

discrepancy between what a 

man believes to be their 

position on the graph and 

their actual position’. 

Another doctor disclosed 

that some men, poor 

fellows, suffer from 

something called body 

dysmorphic disorder, which 

can cause a person to have 

a distorted view of how he 

looks. Apparently, this is a 

serious source of anxiety to 

some gents, who become 

convinced they are 

laughably tiny. One does 

not wish to downplay the 

gravity of body dysmorphic 

disorder which no doubt 

exists. One naturally has 

Sympathy with those who 

may worry that they have 

been given short commons 

in the trousers department 

by the Almighty. 

“But is this perhaps a case 

of publicly employed 

scientists going to 

expensive lengths to 

investigate a not 

particularly widespread 

problem? Is male 

appendage size quite 

possibly a false hoo-hah 

created by society? There 

may be extreme cases of 

smallness or vastness, 

where it can create 

disharmony between men 

and their sexual partners. 

The late Elizabeth Taylor 

had physical difficulty with 

one of her early husbands, 

so enormous was his 

manhood. Wide as a beer 

can, apparently. But does 

any of this truly justify a 

research operation of the 

size (dread word) just 

carried out by these London 

medics? And anyway, are 

women really so concerned 

with measurements than 

size - namely love? 

“For millennia, the male 

member has occupied a 

curious 

place. 

Immediately riposte: Yes, 

mate, between your legs! 

Men know there is not 

much they can really do to 

alter the equipment fate has 

given them. Women can 

increase, decrease the size 

of their busts by visiting a 

plastic surgeon, but 

medical science offers men 

much less chance to vary 

their dimensions. 

Similarly, despite all those 

baldness cure adverts, there 

is not much they can do to 

stop their hairlines 

receding. You just have to 

accept it and get on with 

life. Adrian Mole may have 

agonised about this subject, 

but he was created by a 

woman. I simply don’t 

believe, even in this age of 

explicit advertisements 

with endless commercial 

emphasis on sex, that men 

give much thought to their 

willy size. 

“I attended boarding 

schools in the seventies and 

barely recall anyone 

mentioning how well hung 

they were. We did have one 

boy who was nicknamed 

‘Chopper’, but that was 

because he was a 

notoriously dirty tackler on 

the football field. Did we 

size up one another in the 

communal showers? 

Not that I recall. Mind 

you, I have always been 

short-sighted and in 

showers, you naturally have 

to remove your spectacles. 

If I had been interested in 

seeing how a fellow-student 

measured up, then I would 

have had to peer down quite 

close for a proper gawp, 

and I’m not sure that would 

have been appreciated!” 

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COVID-19: Influx of tourists into 

Pahalgam, Anantnag, India on the rise 

By Adeola Oyawale 

The influx of visitors is 

gradually on the rise at 

several tourist spots in the 

Pahalgam area in Anantnag 

following a downtrend 

occasioned by the COVID-19 

pandemic. 

The influx is gradually 

increasing at several tourist 

spots in the Pahalgam area in 

Anantnag after the sector 

nosedived courtesy of the 

COVID-19 pandemic. This 

upward trend in this delicate 

sector indicates that more 

tourists will visit Pahalgam to 

enjoy its mesmerizing beauty. 

Pahalgam which also goes 

by the name “Valley of 

Shepherds” is situated 100 

kilometers away from 

Srinagar city. 

It is also considered one of 

the most beautiful tourist 

destinations of South 

Kashmir used to attract a 

good number of tourists from 

different parts of the world 

every year. The local 

Department of Tourism had 

lined up activities and efforts 

to revive the tourism industry 

of Kashmir by organizing a 

two-day Pahalgam Festival 

which involved several 

cultural activities to attract 

tourists. These promotional 

activities have borne 

dividends given that a good 

number of tourists from 

different states of India are 

visiting Pahalgam to enjoy 

horse riding and sample 

delicacies of Kashmiri cuisine 

in addition to the exhilarating 

beauty the valley has to offer. 

Dr. G.N Itoo, the Director 

Tourism in Kashmir State 

said, “Pahalgam has got 

great potential in tourism 

because of adventure tourism 

and rafting. In fact, over 

12,500 poor people in this 

area are dependent on 

tourism to earn a living.” 

Delta 2023: l will consolidate on Okowa's 

achievements — Esievo 

Peoples Democratic Party, 

PDP governorship 

hopeful, has said he will 

consolidate on the robust 

achievements of the 

Governor Ifeanyi Okowa if 

he emerges as next governor 

of Delta State. 

The governorship hopeful, 

Chief Abel Esievo, who made 

this statement in Asaba, while 

speaking to newsmen, said 

his hope to contest the 

forthcoming governorship 

election lies in God and the 

good people of Delta. 

He said he has received 

several calls, text messages 

and read series of 

publications from different 

groups and individuals 

asking him to indicate 

interest in the governorship 

race. 

Esievo said while still in 

office as the Delta State 

Auditor-General, Local 

Government, he played host 

to different communities 

across the state, mostly 

retirees from local 

governments, who were 

calling on him to run for the 

2023 governorship. 

Esievo had earlier said 

while still in service, he 

established good 

relationships with a lot of 

persons across the 25 local 

governments. 

He said he was inspired to 

join the governorship race 

because of the robust 

achievements of Governor 

Okowa,especially on the 

areas of appointments 

given to the youths and the 

gender equality he brought 

into his administration. 

He said, the governor has 

given life to alot of youths 

in the state and these were 

some of the achievements 

that he wishes to emulate 

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Newly wedded couple, Mr & Mrs Olajumoke 

Oladesu with the bridegrooms’s parents, Pastor & 

Mrs. Beatrice Olupona during their wedding at the 

Redeemed Christian Church of God, RCCG, Ekiti 

Province 2, Garden of Praise Parish, Good Tiding 

Mega Zone, Araromi, Ikere-Ekiti, Ekiti State.

Viewpoint 

By Rilwanu Yakubu 

THE time is ripe to ask the question: who is 

really after former governor of Lagos State, 

Mr. Akinwumi Ambode? 

Though no one has owned up, it is only natural 

that fingers point in some directions. 

Agreed that he presided over one of the biggest 

economies for some time and left his position 

peacefully despite obvious conspiracy. He never 

abandoned the part of contributing his best materially 

and professionally to develop Lagos State. 

Why then are some people still after him, causing 

so much discomfort to him and his family? 

The state is not the exclusive preserve of any one or 

group of persons. Has it been so converted without 

the knowledge of the citizenry? 

Without a doubt, the former governor remains 

one of the most productive governors the nation 

has ever produced. He is a leader who cared for 

his people while he was the governor 

All you read in the newspapers was about modern 

developments in the state during his time. Lagos 

witnessed great developments during his tenure. 

His legacies are there for anyone to see. 

For the avoidance of doubt, here is a quote culled 

from a visiting military officer during the former 

governor’s ordeal in the hands of Lagos State Assembly 

in 2019:” I was the commanding officer 

and in charge of 23 countries in Africa, helping the 

military in the area of capacity building; all you 

read about in the newspapers are the unbeliev- 

A case for Akinwumi Ambode 

By Femi Salako 

ONE attribute of a true Omoluabi accord 

ing to the Yoruba values is his/her ability to 

honor and stand by his promises. It’s a highly esteemed 

value which the Yoruba as well as other 

ethnic groups attach much importance to. It is 

one which has become the hallmark and a distinct 

feature of Hon. Ade Adeogun, lawmaker representation 

Akoko South-East / South-West Federal 

Constituency, Ondo State in the House of 

Representatives. 

Highly noted as a grassroots politician with a 

high sense of goodwill, Adeogun has continued to 

live true to amiable and distinctive character which 

defines him as an astute politician and public figure 

who is committed to the growth and development 

of his people. 

The overriding purpose of politics and power in 

his mind is to incrementally elevate the society to 

higher levels of development and as well lift the 

people out of poverty. 

Thus, his contributions to public discourse, including 

the policies and programmes of government 

always show that he is someone who com- 

•Hon. Ade Adeogun 

mits time and energy to deep thinking. He has 

continually sought workable and viable ideas particularly 

for his constituency and for the general 

progress of Nigeria. I make bold to say that in the 

present political era in Ondo State, Adeogun has 

proven himself to be one of those who pursue the 

tireless vision of the late Chief Obafemi Awolowo 


•Ambode 

able developments taking place in Lagos.” This 

quote was from someone who resides outside Nigeria. 

Up until this day, the former governor remains 

patriotic, living a humble and modest life. 

He has continued to exhibit sheer competence 

and leadership qualities contributing quietly to 

the development of smooth governance in Nigeria. 

Perhaps, it was in recognition of this sterling quality 

in him that encouraged the ruling political party, 

All Progressives Congress, APC, to include his 

name in the newly created 61-member Contact 

and Strategy Committee to chart the 2023 path 

for the party. Isn’t that a testimony to his credentials 

as a committed party faithful? 

It is not certain but as is being suspected – this new 

development may have thrown fear into the camp 

of whoever is afraid of the former governor’s massive 

achievements. 

Nevertheless, we are aware that the nation operates 

a democratic government and what the people 

desire is improvement and betterment of their 

lives. If they have someone in the person of the 

former governor who is ready to reduce their suffering, 

should they not admire him? 

Lagos State should focus more on things that would 

drive the new realities and avoid petty politics and 

unnecessary distractions. This is the time to call a 

spade a spade. No personal ambition should be 

bigger than the overall interest of the State. Life is 

too sacrosanct to fiddle with. 

There is more to gain from practicing genuine 

democracy with the interest of everyone taken care 

of; Lagos deserves to move forward with all the 

resources they can muster. This is not the time to 

play politics of hatred. The spirit of tolerance and 

unity must prevail so also the spirit of fairness and 

equity. 

Let it be known that there is no justification for the 

continued humiliation of the former governor – 

no matter the reason. If no one can speak out, this 

is the time for patriotic citizens to do so. A man 

who brought so much development to the state 

should be embraced—not persecuted. 

OBI SEN. NOSIKE IKPO: My political mentor, the beginning of my discipleship 

By Peter Nwaoboshi 

SOMETIME in the year 1977, after I had 

successfully secured my ‘A’ levels GCE 

papers as a private candidate, I was rather in a 

‘dilemma’ on how to fund my university 

education, when a most impactful encounter 

with Obi Ikpo that completely changed the 

course of my life appeared from the blues! 

I was at the time a TC2 teacher at Ikelike 

Primary School, Ogwashi Uku, considering 

an appointment to St Rose’s College as a tutor. 

As I stood by the Ogwashi Uku post office 

junction, waiting for a vehicle to Igbuzo on 

that fateful day, a car drove past me, then 

reversed and the driver of the vehicle politely 

asked me: “Young man are you heading for 

Igbuzo?” I answered in the affirmative and he 

replied: “Jump in then”. I was excited with his 

uncommon kindness. Arriving Igbuzo, as I was 

about to get down from his car, at Ogbeowele, 

and as I was to learn much later he stopped to 

inspect the construction of Chief Celestine 

Okobi’s mothers house being the contractor. 

As I alighted from his car saying a big “thank 

you sir”, I politely asked my good Samaritan, 

“May I know you sir?” He simply said, “I am 

Nosike Ikpo”. I was pleasantly surprised 

because my father had told me so much about 

him, as one of his staunchest political 

By Princewill Ekwujuru 

THE move by the Nigeria Stock Exchange 

(NSE) to transit to a limited liability 

company from a non-profit accountable to 

shareholders, is significant in its 

demutualization process, basically to open 

up Nigerian capital markets for investors’. 

Demutualization is a term used to describe 

the transition of a securities exchange from a 

mutual association of exchange members 

operating on a not-for-profit basis to a limited 

liability. 

The demutualization of NSE resulted in 

the creation of a Holding Company; the 

Nigerian Exchange Group(NGX Group) and 

its subsidiaries; the Nigeria Exchange (NGX) 

Limited, NGX Regulation (RegCo) and 

NGX Real Estate (NGX RelCo) Limited. 

The demutualization will create an 

supporters during the politics of the First 

Republic. Shortly after, my Isieke cousin, the 

late Barr Chike Chigbue, then a final year 

student of law at the University of Ife, and their 

best debater, was organizing a debate at Igbuzo 

town hall with the topic: ‘HAS THE 

PLACEMENT OF IGBUZO IN OSHIMILI 

LOCAL GOVERNMENT BENEFITED 

HER?’ I was invited as one of the debaters, 

including some colleagues, university 

undergraduates, and youths. The erudite Prof 

Chike Onwuachi was the Chairman of the 

occasion with many Igbuzo elites in 

attendance. At the end of the debate, Obi lkpo, 

who was one of the dignitaries, walked up to 

me, shook my hands and said, “Young man, 

you are a very intelligent debater, I am deeply 

impressed with you”. Prof Chike Onwuachi 

also shook my hands and said: “You are the 

best debater here”, while Chief Willy Ikolodoo, 

after shaking my hands, inquired curiously: 

“Where did you get the brilliant statistics you 

used to defend Igbuzo’s placement in Oshimili 

as opposed to Aniocha from?” 

Interestingly, as our then councillor 

representing Igbuzo, Obi Ikpo was the brain 

behind Igbuzo placement in Oshimili LGA 

as opposed to Aniocha. The next day I visited 

Obi Ikpo at his Umuodafe residence on his 

invitation. Upon questioning, I told him that I 

•Obi Sen. Nosike Ikpo 

had my GCE ‘O’ & ‘A’ levels with TC2, and that I 

was recently posted to St Rose’s College, Ogwashi 

Uku as a history tutor. He was very impressed. It 

was then that Obi Ikpo told me that they were 

going to announce the formation of a vibrant 

political party, the Unity Party of Nigeria (UPN) 

and that he was inviting me to come on board as 

his political disciple. My intellectual prowess was 

my selling point! I resigned my appointment and 

the rest is history! 

Many of my colleagues, relations and friends 

A man of the people: Hon. Ade Adeogun 

in politics, for he believes and sees politics as a call 

to serve and not to be served. 

Adding to his amazing and endless list of antecedents 

and contributions towards the growth and 

development of his constituency, the lawmaker 

recently doled out more dividends of democracy 

to members of his constituency. 

The lawmaker donated agricultural loans to 

200 farmers in his constituency to cushion the 

effect of Covid-19 which greatly affected the economic 

lives of the people. 

According to the farmers who received the loans, 

the act was unprecedented as they stated that no 

politician has ever done such for them in the constituency. 

Adding to this, he gave out scholarship to students 

in tertiary institutions in the constituency 

while he also gave out money for business to rural 

women and men. 

Also, Adeogun has seen to the construction of 

township roads in Oba-Akoko and Agba Oka as 

well as facilitating employment opportunities for 

NSE demutualization: The benefit for investors 

opportunity for the NSE to lead the 

consolidation of African capital markets, 

increasing the integration of Africa in global 

markets. 

Following the restructuring, NSE will be 

nimble and can react quickly to opportunities 

and make Nigeria an attractive haven for 

investment and position the NSE to reap 

the rewards since the fiscal and monetary 

policies are making Nigeria an unattractive 

place to invest. 

With the demutualization, privatizations are 

expected to continue, bringing with it rapid 

expansion of the companies on the NSE. 

Demutualisation will lead to greater 

efficiency in Nigerian securities markets and 

potentially the restructuring of the brokerdealer 

sector. 

While history has it that more than 70 per 

cent members of the World Federation of 

Exchanges have transformed their legal 

structure from non-profit mutual into 

demutualized organizations. Such 

demutualization personalizes the 

experience of the customers, they connect with 

the brand emotively, as such, strong 

brand identity increases customer loyalty 

which leads to increased sales for the business. 

In consolidating its group perspective, NGX 

Group has also rebranded its social media 

assets. The brand can now be found on 

Instagram and Twitter using the handle 

‘@ngxgrp’; and on Facebook, LinkedIn and 

YouTube, using the handle, ‘ngxgroup’ . 

A cursory look at the rebranded identity 

reveals that the NGX rebranding follows a 

The former governor has never interfered in the 

affairs of the running of Lagos State despite being 

a member of the ruling All Progressive Congress 

Congress. 

We should be mindful not to allow our obdurate 

ambition and pride to becloud our general sense 

of purpose. We must show responsibility and concern 

to the plight of others. We must also be conscious 

of those who exhibit extreme greed, avarice 

and incompetence, also those often in the 

habit of monopolizing public offices for private 

uses. 

It is wrong for anyone or group to resort to the use 

of social media to smear his name or use the 

anti-graft agency to launch a campaign of calumny 

against his person. This is not how to run a 

democracy. The nation is bigger than that and at 

a time the world has gone hi-tech, it is shameful 

that people exist who still play this old game. 

Nigerians will not forget in a hurry how Ambode 

was denied a second-term ticket despite his sterling 

achievements in the state. 

We are using this opportunity to draw the attention 

of Nigerians to this new gamble. We want to 

awaken their consciousness so that they would 

be on guard. No one knows what his opponents 

are capable of producing next, but we call on all 

well-meaning Nigerians to wake up and take 

note. The former governor is a peaceful and lawabiding 

Nigerian and should be left alone. We 

are proud of his everlasting achievements. 

*Yakubu, National Secretary of Creative Centre 

Against Mass Poverty, writes from Lagos 

who knew I had secured my ‘A’ levels certificate 

felt I had taken a wrong decision, but I was 

confident I took the right decision. After an 

excruciating electioneering campaign and 

elections in 1979, Obi lkpo was elected as senator 

representing then Bendel East, now Delta North. 

I was appointed the Political Secretary to Prof 

Ambrose Alli, the elected Governor of defunct 

Bendel State. 

ln January 1984, after the military coup that 

sacked the civilian government, Obi lkpo 

requested for a copy of my ‘A’ levels GCE papers, 

which I made available; and he asked me to join 

him in his car and he drove me to Ambrose Alli 

University, Ekpoma. He met with the then Head 

of Department of History and our patriotic 

Anioma brother, the late Prof Unoma, a lecturer 

in the department. Through his intervention, I 

was admitted to Ekpoma to read history. 

Oh dear me, what a most cherished mentor! 

The imperishable name of my phenomenal 

political mentor, Obi Nosike lkpo, will continue 

to reverberate in the firmament of outstanding 

political leadership index, within Anioma and 

Delta State at large. 

•Nwaoboshi represents Delta North in the 

Senate; Also the Chairman, Senate 

Committee on Niger Delta 

Continues on www.vanguardngr.com 

members of his constituency in the public and 

private sectors. 

And as part of his drive to ensure the financial 

dependency and economic liberation of his constituency 

members, he has seen to the training 

and giving of grants as start-up capitals for over 

100 youths 

He has given scholarship that will last three 

years to 400 students at Upland College of Education, 

Ipesi Akoko. 

The encomiums being showered on the lawmaker 

on account of his giant strides are unending. 

Oba Adebori Adeleye, Olubaka of Ibaka 

Land commended him for his humanitarian 

gestures. 

The monarch stated that Adeogun’s acts are 

worthy of emulation while urging him never to 

relent in doing good for the greater benefit of all. 

Mr. Aribisala Ojo, a farmer, in his appraisal of 

the lawmaker, heartily appreciated Adeogun for 

honoring his words. “This is the first time that we 

are witnessing such contributions to our welfare 

in our community”, Ojo said. 

Continues on www.vanguardngr.com 

monolithic brand architecture, which will 

facilitate the formation of any new subsidiary 

by leveraging existing brand equity. 

The identity however, is inspired by the 

arrows of the stock exchange ticker tape as 

well as monetary exchange between a buyer 

and seller. These arrows are stylized to form 

an ‘N’ and denote the act of collaboration. It 

also speaks to N for Nigeria and N for Naira. 

With the demutualization, each NGX 

companies become a profit making venture 

catering for its growth and development with 

shareholders investing in them for profit. 

Speaking, the Group Chief Executive Officer, 

NGX Group, Mr. Oscar Onyema stated: 

“We are very excited about the launch of our 

new brand identity and website at this pivotal 

time in our history.

PAGE 30, SUNDAY Vanguard, APRIL 25, 2021 

I’m waiting on Eze to say yes to Nigeria, 

Rohr reveals 

Super Eagles coach 

Gernot Rohr has revealed 

that he has sent a 

message to Crystal Palace 

midfielder, Eberechi Eze 

*Eze 

and was waiting for his 

response to play for Nigeria. 

Eze was born in England 

to Nigerian parents 

and has represented the 

European country at 

the U-20 and U-21 levels 

but he is still eligible 

to switch his allegiance 

to play for the Super Eagles 

if he chooses to. 

“This is a wonderful 

player, Ebere Eze is one 

of the best offensive 

midfielders I’ve ever 

seen in England and I 

would like to have him 

with us, but you know 

that he can also play for 

England and already 

played for one team in 

England,” Rohr said to 

Elegbete TV Sports. 

“I sent him a message 

and in this message, I 

showed the interest Nigeria 

has to get him in 

this team so he replied 

and he said he has to think 

about it, so this is not the 

moment to speak too 

much about it. 

“There is a process to do, 

at first, the boy must accept 

and the decision must 

come from him (and) from 

his parents. 

“We cannot tell him he 

must come, he must come 

himself and if he wants to 

come, he has to write a letter. 

“In this letter, he has to 

write to Fifa that he wants 

to switch and to play for 

Nigeria, this would be 

wonderful, but I know that 

we cannot force his decision 

and he can only take 

it himself.” 

CAF Confed Cup: Enyimba must 

trample on Pirates in Aba, 

says coach 

Enyimba of Aba 

must win against 

visting Orlando Pirates 

of South Africa in their 

last CAF Confedration 

Cup group A game, if 

they hope to advance to 

the quarter-finals. 

Nine-men Enyimba 

lost to Al Ahly Benghazi 

on Thursday night in 

what coach Fatai Osho 

Super 6 crash: Edo Queens apologise to govt, fans 

Following their poor 

outing at the just concluded 

Nigeria Women 

Football League (NWFL) 

Super 6 tournament held 

in Ijebu- Ode, Ogun state, 

the management, coaches 

and players of Edo Queens 

FC have apologized to the 

State government and 

their fans, asking them to 

find a place in their hearts 

to forgive them. 

Head of the technical 

crew, Stanley Osazee, said 

in an interview with reporters 

that “I cannot really 

explain what happened 

to my players. This is not 

the Edo Queens squad that 

I know. Firstly we have to 

apologize to the State government 

and the entire 

people of Edo State that we 

are sincerely sorry for our 

poor performance at the 

Super 6 competition. 

We ask for forgiveness, 

this was not what we expected, 

we went into the 

competition with a mind 

set to win because nobody 

goes into competition praying 

to lose so as a coach of 

the team, I take responsibility 

on behalf of my 

team”. 

He added that “Now that 

the tournament is over and 

we have seen the lapses 

and mistakes, we are going 

back home to carry out a 

total overhauling of the 

team. We promise that 

such disappointing outing 

will not happen again”. 

“We want to particularly 

apologize to our big father, 

the Deputy Governor 

of Edo State 

Rt.Hon.Comrade Philip 

Shaibu and beg him to forgive 

us because we know in 

our hearts that we have 

disappointed him. He 

should not abandon us at 

this stage, because this is 

the time we need him 

most”. 

“I want to say that there 

is no female team in Nigeria 

that enjoys government 

support as Edo 

Queens. We have the best 

welfare package among female 

football clubs in the 

country but I don’t know 

what really went wrong 

with my players at this 

tournament. Like I keep 

saying, in every situation 

we give thanks to God. One 

thing is sure, Edo Queens 

will bounce back big and 

better”. 

described as a backbreaking 

defeat, but Enyimba 

now face an uphil 

task in the group that is 

open to all the teams to 

qualify. 

Orlando Pirates of 

South Africa top the table 

on nine points, Benghazi 

have seven, Enyimba 

six and Entente Setif 

five. All four clubs have 

a chance of progressing. 

The top two finishers 

qualify for the quarterfinals 

draw on April 30 in 

Cairo, where group winners 

and runners-up will 

be separated. 

“Everybody still has a 

good chance of qualifying. 

And this is why we 

must have to go at it on 

the last day,” said coach 

Osho 

“What we need to do 

now is to beat Pirates 

and see how it goes with 

the over venues.” 

Caraboa Cup final: No way for Tottenham, 

Guadiola vows 

Manchester 

City 

coach, Pep Guardiola 

has said there was no 

way they will let Tottenham 

win today’s Caraboa 

Cup final at the Wembly 

Stadium. 

Guardiola’s side have 

won the last three finals 

and five of the last seven. 

They are also in the hunt 

for the Champions League 

and Premier League titles. 

City have the first leg of 

the Champions League 

semi-final with Paris St- 

Germain looming next 

week but Guardiola was 

keen to stress that a fourth 

straight League Cup win 

is important to him. 

“We cannot deny the 

Mourinho’s sacking shocks Kane 

Harry Kane has ad 

mitted he was surprised 

by Jose Mourinho’s 

*Kane and Mourinho 

*Shaibu Edo D/Gov. 

Champions League is close 

and the Premier League is 

not over and they are more 

important. But we want to 

win this competition,” 

Guardiola said. 

“For Tottenham, it will be 

their first title in years and 

their commitment will be 

incredible and the quality 

of their players is extraordinary.” 

sacking by Tottenham 

and found out it was happening 

just minutes before 

it was announced. 

In comments that appear 

to reject reports of a player 

revolt against the Portuguese, 

the Spurs striker 

- one of only a few players 

who commented on the 

dismissal on social media - 

insists he had a “great” relationship 

with Mourinho. 

Speaking exclusively to 

Sky Sports ahead of the 

Carabao Cup final today, 

Kane who is nursing an 

ankle injury and is 50-50 

for today’s game said: 

“I was surprised (by 

Mourinho’s sacking) - I’ll 

be totally honest. I came 

in that morning and probably 

found out 5-10 minutes 

before it was announced. 

Iheanacho so full of 

confidence now, says Ndidi 

*Ndidi and Iheanacho 

Super Eagles and Le 

icester City midfielder, 

Wilfred Ndidi has 

backed teammate Kelechi 

Iheanacho to score 

more goals having regained 

the confidence 

that made him the striker 

he was, before joining 

the Foxes. 

Iheanacho scored 

against West Brom on 

Thursday and brought 

his goal haul so far to 11 

goals this season for Leicester 

who are in the final of 

the FA Cup thanks to a goal 

by him in the semi-finals 

against Southampton. 

“He just can’t stop scoring 

at the moment, so I’m 

very happy for him,” Ndidi 

told LCFC TV. 

“Very proud. I just want 

him to keep doing the 

things and keep scoring to 

help the team, so it is good 

for us. 

“The gaffer also speaks to 

us about being confident 

with the ball and being 

confident about our play. 

“It’s just one of those 

things where you, as a 

player, you just need to 

believe in yourself and I 

see it in him now. He really 

believes in himself now 

and the confidence is 

there.” 

Leicester City will be 

home to Crystal Palace on 

Monday . 

Ronaldo, Dybala in ‘first to 

reach’ 100 Juve goals contest 

Paulo Dybala has re 

vealed that he and 

Cristiano Ronaldo are 

locked in a battle to become 

the first to reach 100 

goals for Juventus. 

Both men are within 

touching distance of reaching 

a notable attacking 

mark, but have remained 

that way for longer than 

they would have liked. 

Argentina international 

Dybala requires just one 

more effort to become a 

centurion, with Portuguese 

superstar Ronaldo 

three strikes short of hitting 

the same target. 

Dybala told Ibai on 

Twitch : “Ronaldo and I are 

challenging each other to 

reach 100 goals with Juventus. 

I need only one, 

while he still needs three. 

“He always wants to 

win, even in training, and 

if he loses he becomes difficult 

to deal with for a few 

minutes.” 

Dybala has seen his efforts 

to reach 100 goals for 

Juventus disrupted by 

untimely injury setbacks 

this season. 

*Dybala and Ronaldo 

He has also faced fierce 

competition for places 

amid intense speculation 

surrounding his future, 

with no extension agreed as 

yet to a contract that is due 

to expire in 2022. 

Ronaldo’s most recent effort 

also came in that 

game, which the Bianconeri 

won 2-1. 

Meanwhile coach Andrea 

Pirlo has ruled Ronaldo 

out of today’s away 

game against Fiorentina 

“Ronaldo won’t play on 

Sunday against Fiorentina 

because of flexor muscle 

problem. We spoke to him 

and his doctor and it was 

agreed that he miss the 

game.” 

Troost-Ekong’s EPL dream comes 

true as Watford gain promotion 

Super Eagles defender, William Troost-Ekong has ful 

filled his dream of playing in the Premier League as 

Watford secured promotion with 1-0 win over Millwall 

yesterday. 

Watford were relegated to the Championship last season 

but have secured an immediate return, with Ismaila 

Sarr’s penalty kick enough to see off Millwall at Vicarage 

Road. 

The Hornets have been in superb form in 2021, winning 

16 of their 23 Championship matches this calendar year. 

Bournemouth’s home defeat to Brentford on Saturday 

meant that Watford needed only a draw against Millwall 

to secure promotion to the Premier League. 

They did better than that, with Sarr’s goal from the penalty 

spot — his thirteenth in the Championship this season 

— enough to earn Watford their ninth win in eleven games 

and a return to the top flight.

SUNDAY VANGUARD, APRIL 25, 2021, PAGE 31

SUNDAY Vanguard, APRIL 25, 2021 

SEE SOLUTION PAGE 5 

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E-mail website: sundayvanguard@yahoo.com, editor@vanguardngr.com, news@vanguardngr.com, sunvanguardmail@yahoo.com. Advert:advert@vanguardngr.com. Internet: www.vanguardngr.com 

(ISSN 0794-652X) Editor: WALE AKINOLA 08023145556. All correspondence to P.M.B. 1007, Apapa Lagos.

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