07062021 - Afaka students behaving strangely, parents raise alarm

NDDC: Strike force unit 

commanders on standby, 

if... — MILITANT LEADER 

37 

Igangan massacre callous, 

provocative — S’WEST GOVS 

Buhari, govs, others 

mourn as TB Joshua 

dies at 57 

7 

5 

VOL. 27: NO. 64351 MONDAY, JUNE 7, 2021 

Twitter ban: 

Be ready to 

build 

thousands 

of prisons, 

Ozekhome 

tells 

Malami 

Shekau 

killed 

himself, 

says 

ISWAP 

8 

8 

Foreign portfolio investors’ stake in 

Nigerian 

equities 

drops 41.6% 

•Dealers see 

further decline 

in months 

ahead 

Afaka students behaving 

strangely, parents raise alarm 

•Say most of the children not living normal lives since release•Allege no 

proper medicare since they were freed from abductors •Demand full check-up 

and compensation for the abducted students, may pursue legal options 

Police battle ‘unknown 

gunmen’ in Owerri, 5 killed 

26 

Mr & Mrs 

•5 ESN members, commander killed —Police•Our funding comes from abroad 

—ESN SUSPECT •Stop killings in Imo, Archbishop Obinna tells Uzodimma 

Power generation falls to 3,223 17 die in auto crash on 

MW as gas shortage persists 

Kano-Zaria road after 

9 

attending wedding ceremony 

6 

COLUMNISTS OWEI 16 MAILAFIA 17 SOBOWALE 35 

36

2 — Vanguard, MONDAY, JUNE 7, 2021

Vanguard, MONDAY, JUNE 7, 2021—5 

POCKET CARTOON 



•Outrage as gunmen kill over 20 in fresh attack on Igangan •Over 50 attackers came on 20 motorcycles— 

RESIDENT •Monarch’s whereabouts unknown •We sent intelligence report, says ex-council boss •Residents 

vow to resort to self-defence •Igangan killings devastating, dehumanising — ALAAFIN •War is imminent, 

says Gani Adams •S-West govs should ask Buhari if we’re not wanted in Nigeria — YCE• We’re in control of 

the situation—Makinde•We can’t confirm casualty figure — POLICE 

By Dayo Johnson, Regional Editor, South- 

West, Dapo Akinrefon, Ola Ajayi & Deola 

Badru 

IBADAN — NO fewer 

than 20 persons were 

on Saturday killed by 

gunmen in Igangan in 

Ibarapa North Local 

Government Area of Oyo 

State as the South-West 

Governors’ Forum, 

yesterday, condemned 

the killings, describing 

them as horrendous, 

callous, and highly 

provocative. 

Chairman of the forum, 

Governor Akeredolu of 

Ondo State, in a 

statement titled: ‘Igangan 

provocative onslaught 

one too many’, urged 

Nigerians to condemn the 

dastardly act. 

The statement reads: “All 

well-meaning Nigerians 

must condemn, in the 

strongest term possible, 

this latest assault on 

decency and communal 

harmony. 

“We have just received 

with rude shock the 

premeditated attack on 

our people at Igangan, 

Ibarapa, Oyo State, in the 

early hours of Sunday. 

“This cowardly 

onslaught on a peaceful 

community has 

occasioned loss of lives 

and property on a large 

scale. 

“It is horrendous, 

callous, and highly 

provocative. All wellmeaning 

Nigerians must 

condemn, in the strongest 

terms possible, this latest 

assault on decency and 

communal harmony. 

“While we will 

encourage the security 

agencies to get to the root 

of this latest act of 

provocation, we have 

directed the Commanders 

of the South West Security 

Network, Amotekun, to 

convoke a joint security 

meeting of all 

Commanders in the South 

West with a view to 

commencing joint 

operations in the region 

immediately. “We must 

reiterate the fact that 

certain elements are bent 

on causing friction among 

the peoples of this country 

with the sole aim of 

achieving a pernicious 

end. 

“They will stop at 

nothing until their set goal 

is realized. It is, therefore, 

incumbent on all lovers of 

peace and freedom to rise 

against this current 

regression into savagery. 

“We on our part are 

resolved to defend our 

people, their property, and 

all legitimate means of 

livelihood against both 

internal and external 

aggression. 

“On this, there will be no 

compromise. We call on 

our people to remain 

vigilant and report any 

suspicious movement in 

their communities. 

“In addition, they must 

be united in the task of 

defending our lives and 

properties. We cannot 

afford to fail.” 

Gunmen kill 

over 20 in 

Igangan 

fresh attack 

Six days after the 

Chairman of Amotekun 

Corps in Oyo State, Maj. 

Gen. Ajibola Togun, retd, 

raised the alarm that 

some foreign herders 

were about to unleash 

terror on the South-West, 

scores of gunmen, on 

Saturday night, attacked 

Igangan in Ibarapa North 

Local Government Area 

of the state, killing over 

20 persons. 

The latest killings, 

however, generated angry 

reactions from the Alaafin 

of Oyo, Oba Lamidi 

Adeyemi, who described 

the attack and killing as 

devastating and 

dehumanising. 

Similarly, the Aare-Ona- 

Kakanfo of Yorubaland, 

Iba Gani Adams, who 

described the killings as 

one too many, warned that 

the attack is an invitation 

to war. 

In its immediate 

reaction, the Yoruba 

Council of Elders, YCE, 

urged South-West 

governors to ask 

President Muhammadu 

Buhari if South- 

Westerners are still 

wanted in Nigeria. 

But as a way of calming 

frayed nerves, Governor 

Seyi Makinde of Oyo 

State urged residents of 

the state to remain calm, 

saying security operatives 

are in control of the 

situation. 

The gunmen were said 

to have struck at 

midnight, killing, 

maiming and setting 

houses ablaze. 

At press time yesterday, 

it was gathered that over 

20 people were killed, 

cars burnt and over 20 

houses razed. 

Also, the palace of 

Asigangan of Igangan 

land, Oba Adewuyi 

Olaoye, was not spared 

and the monarch, 

according to reports, was 

Left : Hon. Stella Okotete, Executive Director, Business Development, 

Nigeria Export Import Bank (NEXIM); Dikko Umaru Radda, Director- 

General, Small and Medium Enterprises Development Agency of Nigeria 

(SMEDAN); Mr. Idris Samaila Nyam, Commissioner for Business, Innovation 

and Technology, Kaduna State; Mr Abubakar Abba Bello, Managing Director, 

NEXIM Bank, Umma Yusuf Aboki, Executive Secretary, Kaduna Investment 

Promotion Agency at NEXIM Bank Export Enlightenment Forum in Kaduna 

over the weekend. 

whisked away by the 

bandits. 

Also, in a viral video, a 

man was seen crying 

while recording the gory 

scenes asking if Yoruba 

would fold their arms and 

watch bandits hack them 

down. 

He said: “What is the 

Yoruba doing? See how 

these herders killed our 

people. See how they 

mutilated their bodies. We 

say we don’t want to live 

with these blood-sucking 

people again, some 

people are saying no. 

Let’s just sit by and watch. 

The consequences are 

very glaring.” 

Spokesperson of 

Igangan community, Mr. 

Taiwo Adeagbo, said the 

herders also burnt the 

palace of the monarch in 

the agrarian town. 

Confirming the attack, 

former caretaker 

chairman of the council, 

Mr. Tunji Omolewu, who 

said he rushed down to 

Igangan on Sunday 

morning to verify the 

attacks, said: “I got the 

call around 11 pm. We 

were on our way from 

Ekiti where we had gone 

to do the Yoruba nation 

rally. 

“I got to Ibadan around 

midnight and when the 

calls did not stop coming, 

Continues on Page 41 

On decision by FG to ban Twitter 

By Providence 

Adeyinka 

Nigerians are killed 

daily and nothing 

is done, what they are 

after is Twitter. What 

kind of government do 

we have in this country? 

They can’t tackle 

insecurity and they 

suspend Twitter. Is 

Twitter our problem? 

They want to silence us, 

but God will fight for us. 

—Valentino Asiegbu, 

Engineer 

Ican conclude that they 

don’t know what they 

are doing. If the 

Presidency has dealt 

with insurgents and 

bandits with the same 

energy and manner it 

dealt with Twitter, the 

war against insurgency 

and banditry would have 

been won! We can now 

logically infer that the 

greatest insurgents and 

bandits are the leaders. 

—Esther Adetona, 

Merchant 

We have a law against 

hate speech and 

PMB's tweet was 

sanctionable so Twitter deleted 

it. If it was an individual, the 

FG would have arrested such 

and say it’s hate speech. They 

have been trying to control 

Nigerians on social media so 

that the world won’t know 

what goes on here. His 

advisers are advising him 

wrongly. The world is 

laughing at us. 

—Blessing Ayo, 

Trader 

Shame on PMB’s 

advisers! They have 

failed to obey the policy 

of a social media 

platform that is a source 

of entertainment, 

education and business 

to not just Nigerians 

alone. 

This is a clear case of bad 

governance and I am 

happy that the world is 

seeing the kind of 

government we have. 

—Arisa Ugochukwu, 

Bizman 

It’s really sad, 

especially with the 

state of the economy 

being in a shambles. 

People are being killed, 

there are no jobs, food is 

expensive, no electricity, 

the education system is 

a joke, yet, we find a 

way to survive. And you 

still want to silence the 

voice of the people? 

R u b b i s h ! 

#ThisNigeriaNaWeGetAm 

—Emmanuel Obajodeci, 

Self-employed 

The ban on Twitter by 

the FG is childish. I 

say so because former 

President Trump’s Twitter 

account was blocked and 

nothing happened. This 

action has made them 

look foolish, like a 

leadership without 

direction. We abandon our 

problems in Nigeria and 

are discussing something 

that is immaterial. 

—Prince Saviour Ichie, 

Entrepreneur

Vanguard, MONDAY, JUNE 7, 2021 —3


6—Vanguard, MONDAY, JUNE 7, 2021 

Bandits kidnap 

district head, 

2 wives in Niger 

By Wole Mosadomi 

THE District Head of Zungeru, 

Rafi Local Government Area 

of Niger State, Alamu Madaki, 

and his two wives, were, 

yesterday, kidnapped by bandits 

in a fresh attack on the 

community. 

The names of the two wives 

were given as Aisha Alamu 

Madaki, 35, and Habiba Alamu 

Madaki, 38. 

Madaki reportedly, attended a 

wedding ceremony close to his 

palace and was returning home 

when he was attacked in front of 

his palace. 

A source said immediately the 

district head stepped out of his 

car and about to open his gate, 

he was met by the bandits, 

ushered into his palace at 

gunpoint and met his two wives 

relaxing at the sitting room while 

waiting for their husband. 

“At that point, both the village 

head and his two wives were 

taken out and ferried into an 

unknown destination.” 

It would be recalled that 136 

children were abducted from the 

Salihu Tanko Islamiyya School in 

Tegina a few kilometres from 

Zungeru in the same local 

government exactly a week ago. 

At press time, the whereabouts 

of the monarch is yet unknown 

as the bandits have not opened 

any correspondence with his 

relatives or member of the public. 

The Police Public Relations 

Officer Niger State Police 

Command, DSP Wasiu Abiodun, 

could not be reached for comment 

on the incident but a dependable 

source confirmed the story. 

Yobe police 

confirm killing 

of commercial 

sex worker 

THE Police Command in 

Yobe, yesterday, confirmed 

the killing of a commercial sex 

worker, Stella aka Ritachi, at 

Dorawa Joint, in Potiskum 

Local Government Area of the 

state. 

The command’s spokesman, 

ASP Dungus Abdulkarim, 

who disclosed this in an 

interview in Damaturu, said 

Stella (surname not known) 

was stabbed to death by 

unidentified persons in her 

room, at the joint located in 

Yindiski Ward. 

“The incident was believed 

to have occurred at about 6:40 

pm on Saturday, and the 

splattered blood all over the 

room indicated that the 

assailants might have 

struggled with the victim,” 

Abdulkarim said. 

The spokesman said five 

other commercial sex workers 

(names withheld) in the 

compound were arrested for 

interrogation. 

“They should have some 

information for us because the 

deceased must have shouted 

during the apparent struggle 

with the killers,” he said. 

Abdulkarim said the case 

had been transferred to the 

State Criminal Investigation 

and Intelligence Department 

(SCIID) for investigation. 

Gunmen invade Ndokwa police station, 

free inmates 

By Festus Ahon & 

Ochuko Akuopha 

Kgunmen, WALE—UNIDENTIFIED 

yesterday, attacked 

and set the Ashaka police station 

and patrol van ablaze in Ndokwa 

East Local Government Area, Delta 

State. 

No life was lost in the incident, 

which is the third attack on police 

stations in the state in the last month. 

It was gathered that the gunmen 

stormed the police station in the early 

hours through the Ase creek with 

four-speed boats. 

Sources said the gunmen shot 

sporadically as they broke into the 

station’s cell and freed one of their 

detained colleagues as well as 

others detained at the police station. 

A community source, who craved 

anonymity, said the gunmen set two 

buildings out of the four buildings 

in the station ablaze and a patrol 

vehicle before escaping through the 

creek in their waiting boats. 

Confirming the attack, the Police 

Public Relations Officer of the state 

command, Mr Bright Edafe, said: 

“In the early hours of today 6/6/21 

at about 0100hours, some enemies 

of the community and that of the 

police, all armed men numbering 

about 20 stormed Ashaka police 

station. 

“They threw IEDs at the station, 

shot sporadically, and set the police 

station that was built by the 

community/DESOPADEC ablaze, 

and also burnt down one patrol 

•Set station, van ablaze •No life was lost—PPRO•As Police 

nab 4 suspected robbers 

Ruins of the burnt buildings and vehicles in Ashaka Police Station. 

vehicle bought for the police division 

by good people of the community 

just to ensure that police presence 

is not felt. 

“It is pertinent to state that no life 

was lost and no arm was taken away. 

However, the police will not relent 

in ensuring that law and order are 

maintained in any community. 

“Unprovoked attacks on the police 

will not deter the police from 

providing the needed security in 

any community in Delta State. The 

hoodlums who perpetrated this 

dastardly act will certainly not go 

free, as serious efforts are on to arrest 

them and bring them to book." 

Police nab 4 

suspected robbers 

In a related development, four 

suspected armed robbers were 

arrested by the police, who were on 

a stop-and-search on the busy 

Patani-Bayelsa Expressway and 

arms recovered, Saturday. 

The command’s Police Public 

Relations Officer, DSP Edafe Bright, 

identified the suspects as Efe 

Oyenikoro; Felix George; 

Emmanuel Job and Joan Yapiteghe. 

He said: “On June 5, 2021, at 

about 2130hours, men of the Police 

Command in Delta State, while on 

stop-and-search on Patani-Bayelsa 

Road, intercepted a Sienna bus with 

number plate, LSR 813 XL, with 

four occupants. 

“On sighting the police, they 

quickly tried to manoeuvre to escape 

17 wedding guests die in Zaria-Kano 

Road auto crash •As 11 die in Niger auto crash 

By Bashir Bello & 

Ibrahim HassanWuyo 

SANI Mainagge quarters, Gwale 

Local Government Area of Kano 

metropolis was thrown into mourning, 

yesterday, as the news of the death of 

about 17 residents returning home from 

Zaria, Kaduna after attending a 

wedding ceremony filtered into the 

community. 

This came as the Police Command in Niger 

State said 11 people died in an auto crash that 

occurred at Wuya village in Lemu Local 

Government Area of the state. 

It was gathered that the accident that 

consumed the young men occurred on 

the Zaria-Kano Road. 

Governor Abdullahi Ganduje of 

Kano State and his Kaduna State 

counterpart, Nasir el-Rufai, have 

expressed shock over the death of the 

persons. 

Confirming the death, yesterday, 

Kaduna State Commissioner, Ministry 

of Internal Security and Home Affairs, 

Samuel Aruwan, said the fatal crash 

involved a Hummer bus, belonging to 

Kano Line and a private Toyota Rav4 

SUV. 

He said: “The bus was Kano-bound 

while the car was headed for Zaria. 

"According to eye-witness reports, the 

crash was a head-on collision between 

the two vehicles, resulting from 

dangerous driving and overtaking 

along a diversion point on the highway. 

“More than 20 people were involved 

in the crash, 10 died on the spot and 

others died later at the Ahmadu Bello 

University Teaching Hospital, ABUTH, 

Zaria. Those injured are still in the 

hospital.” 

The commissioner said Governo El- 

Rufai received the report of the crash 

with sadness and prayed for the repose 

of the souls of the dead while sending 

condolences to their families. 

Meanwhile, Governor Ganduje, in a 

condolence message by his Chief Press 

Secretary, Abba Anwar, said: “Their 

death came to us very shocking. This is 

a great loss not only to their families or 

to the people of Sani Mainagge of 

Gwale Local Government Area where 

they came from, but to all of us, the 

government and the people of Kano 

state,” he said. 

The corpse of the victims have since 

been buried according to the Islamic 

rites. 

11 die in Niger 

auto crash 

The Commissioner of Police in the 

state, Mr Adamu Usman, disclosed in 

Minna that other people sustained 

injuries when the accident occurred on 

June 5. 

Usman saidthe accident occurred in 

the afternoon when the tyre of an 

articulated vehicle marked KGK 66 

EZP punctured. 

He said the vehicle carried 23 

motorcycles, leaving Katsina State for 

Lagos, noting that the police had yet to 

ascertain the number of passengers in 

the vehicle. 

“Eleven people died on the spot while 

several others who sustained various 

degree of injuries were evacuated to the 

Federal Medical Centre, Bida. We have 

begun an investigation and we warn 

drivers to desist from carrying people 

with articulated vehicles,” he said. 

Police foil robbery attack on parents 

at examination venue, arrest 2 

By Evelyn Usman 

TWO members of a robbery gang, 

who attacked parents of primary 

school pupils writing Common 

Entrance Examination into Federal 

Government Colleges in Nigeria, at the 

Amuwo Odofin Senior Grammar 

School, Old Ojo Road, Agboju, Lagos, 

weekend, have been arrested. 

The suspects identified as Lawal and 

lkechukwu Oguawai, both 22 years, 

were said to have scaled the fence of the 

school at about 2.pm, brandishing 

dangerous weapons. 

Some of the parents, who had 

accompanied their children to the 

venue and were waiting for them to 

conclude the examination, were 

attacked by the suspects in their bid to 

dispossess them of cash and valuables. 

A team of Anti-Crime Patrol 

policemen stationed at the entrance of 

the school, according to the Lagos State 

Police Command’s spokesman, CSP 

Olumuyiwa Adejobi, “responded 

swiftly and arrested the two suspected 

robbers, while others took to their heels. 

“The Commissioner of Police, Lagos 

State, CP Hakeem Odumosu, has 

directed that the suspects be transferred 

to the Command’s Special Squad, 

Ikeja, for proper investigation and 

possible prosecution. 

The suspects. 

but the police went after them. 

Searching the vehicle, the police 

recovered one locally-made Barretta 

pistol from them,” he said. 

Bright said the Commissioner of 

Police in the command, Mr Ari Ali, 

had directed all the tactical 

commanders, the Divisional Police 

Officers, and other men of the 

command to be on their toes. 

He said this would enable the 

command to rid the state of criminal 

elements through gathering 

intelligence from the public and 

taking the battle to the den of 

criminals. 

“The CP has also urged the 

members of the public to volunteer 

useful information that will assist the 

police in discharging its duties,” 

Bright said. 

2 guards 

fingered in theft 

of power 

generating set 

By Nimat Otori 

TWO guards, Lucky Ndidi and Lucky 

Nwaedozia, have been fingered in 

the theft of a power generating set from 

Emosylv Nigeria Limited, popularly 

known as Ewere cooking gas, along 

the Benin-Asaba road, Agbor, Delta 

state. 

The guards, who were employed by 

a private security company, were posted 

to the gas station. 

Vanguard gathered that a robbery 

gang stormed the company with a truck 

and forklift to remove the Perkins 

engine sound proof model P222 power 

generator with serial number 

GV51792R034976D. 

Findings, according to some staff of 

the company, revealed that the gang 

had easy access into the premises, 

without anything destroyed to suggest 

they forcefully entered. They further 

stated that the guards never raised the 

alarm, right from the time the thieves 

entered, uninstalled the power 

generating set and lifted it into the truck 

they came in. 

Further findings showed that one, 

instead of the two guards, reported for 

work on the night of the operation. 

The two guards were reportedly 

arrested by the Police in Agbor who were 

contacted by the company. However, 

during interrogation, the guard on duty, 

Lucky, stated that the robbers scaled 

the fence and bound his hands and feet 

during the operation. He denied 

connivance in the theft. The guards were 

later released. 

Contacted, the Delta State Police 

Public Relations Officer, DSP Bright 

Edafe, said he was not aware of the 

incident. 

C 

M 

Y

:Vanguard 

News 

Vanguard, MONDAY, JUNE 7, 2021 — 7 

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

By Dayo Johnson, 

Dapo Akinrefon, 

Sam Eyoboka, 

Johnbosco 

Agbakwuru, Peter 

Duru & Yinka 

Latona 

LAGOS—IT was shock 

and disbelief when news 

filtered in that the General 

Overseer, GO, of the 

Synagogue Church of All 

Nations, SCOAN, Prophet 

Temitope Balogun Joshua, 

popularly known as TB 

Joshua, died at the age of 

57, on Saturday. 

While the cause of 

Joshua's death was not 

stated, it was gathered that 

the popular cleric had a 

stroke, two months ago, and 

was flown by air ambulance 

to Turkey for medical 

treatment, and returned to 

the country. 

Sympathizers and 

diehard members of the 

church were seen weeping 

profusely around the 

church premises, as usual 

church services were 

prevented from holding. 

Also, the church was 

securely locked by security 

men who prevented 

worshippers from entering 

the premises. 

It was an atmosphere of 

despair and uncertainty as 

church members, who had 

come for service and 

counseling, unaware of the 

death of the GO, were seen 

in tears at the different 

church gates. 

Church confirms 

death 

In a statement confirming 

Joshua's death, the SCOAN 

said: “On Saturday, June 5, 

2021, Prophet TB Joshua 

spoke during the 

Emmanuel TV Partners 

Meeting: ‘Time for 

everything; time to come 

here for prayers, and time 

to return home, after the 

service. 

“God has taken His 

servant, Prophet TB Joshua, 

home – as it should be by 

divine will. His last 

moments on earth were 

spent in the service of God. 

This is what he was born 

for, lived for and died for. 

“As Prophet TB Joshua 

says: ‘The greatest way to 

use life is to spend it on 

something that will outlive 

it. 

“Prophet TB Joshua left 

a legacy of service and 

sacrificed to God’s Kingdom 

that is living for generations 

yet unborn. 

“The Synagogue Church 

of All Nations and 

Emmanuel TV Family 

appreciate your love, 

prayers and concern, at this 

time, and request a time of 

privacy for the family." 

Here are Prophet TB Joshua’s 

last words: "Watch and pray.” 

Our benefactor 

has gone 

—Widows 

When Vanguard visited the 

church premises, a group of 

women, identified as widows, were 

seen wailing, saying: “Our 

benefactor and helper has gone; 

how are we going to cope in these 

PASSING—Some of the sympathizers at the Synagogue Church of All Nations, at Egbe, in Alimosho 

Local Government Area, over the death of founder, Prophet T. B. Joshua, in Lagos, yesterday. 

Photo: Bunmi Azeez 

Buhari, govs, Adams, others mourn, 

as TB Joshua dies at 57 

• How he died 2 months after suffering a stroke 

• Our benefactor has gone —Widows 

• Members pray for his resurrection 

• Only church workers allowed into premises 

• As monarch, kinsmen, others mourn 

• Akoko youths mourn, fly flags at half-mast 

hard times? He has been there 

for us and our children. God, 

please wake him up; he must not 

die. 

“If one of us is sick, the church 

will provide and pay for necessary 

medical bills. And also give us 

money.” 

Another female, who was in a 

state of confusion, said: “No, 

daddy cannot die. I am sure God 

cannot just take him like that. He 

was with us at the mountain on 

Saturday and he told us how he 

was going to celebrate his 

birthday which is in few days”. 

Sympathisers 

throng church 

premises 

All national flags of various 

nations which adorned the 

SCOAN premises in Ikotun area 

of Lagos were at half-mast in 

honour of the late Prophet. 

Most members and residents, 

desirous to confirm the news, felt 

their hope of miracles shattered 

and openly cried to God to bring 

back to life the popular 

televangelist whom they called 

“Daddy”. 

However, some members were 

seen outside the church premises 

singing worship songs and crying 

at the same time 

The official EmmanuelTV was 

busy repeating recent messages 

of the late prophet and playing 

gospel music composed by him. 

He was called 

‘Small Pastor' 

Joshua, then known as 

Balogun Francis, attended St. 

Stephen’s Anglican Primary 

School in Arigidi Akoko, Nigeria, 

between 1971 and 1977, but failed 

to complete one year of secondary 

school education. 

In school, he was known as a 

“small pastor” because of his love 

for the Bible. He worked in various 

casual jobs after his schooling had 

ended, including carrying chicken 

waste at a poultry farm. 

He organised Bible studies for 

local children and attended 

evening school during this period. 

Joshua attempted to join the 

Nigerian military but was 

thwarted due to a train 

breakdown that left him stranded 

en route to the military academy. 

He ran the Emmanuel TV 

television station based in Lagos. 

He’ll be missed 

for his spiritual 

contributions 

—Buhari 

Commiserating with the 

SCOAN on the passing of their 

founder, President Muhammadu 

Buhari urged Pastor Joshua’s 

followers to take solace in the 

knowledge that life is not 

measured and defined by 

chronological longevity but by 

enduring legacies and lives 

touched positively. 

The President in a statement 

by his Special Adviser on Media 

and Publicity, Chief Femi Adesina 

in Abuja, noted that the 

renowned televangelist will be 

missed by his followers all over 

the world not only for his spiritual 

contributions but for touching 

many lives through philanthropic 

gestures. 

He also condoled with the 

government and people of Ondo 

State and prayed that God 

Almighty will accept the soul of 

the departed pastor. 

Christendom has 

lost a giant 

—Akeredolu 

In his condolence, Governor 

Rotimi Akeredolu of Ondo State 

said that Christendom has lost a 

giant in the death of Joshua. 

Akeredolu, in a statement by 

his Chief Press Secretary, Richard 

Olatunde, said: “Undoubtedly, 

Pastor Joshua’s demise came as 

a rude shock. The pains are not 

mere emotional flashes; they are 

indeed piercing. 

“The Ondo-born Pastor and 

Televangelist was a philanthropist 

whose exit will be sorely missed 

by many. 

“Pastor Joshua was committed 

to giving and was more often, 

inexorably imbued with calmness 

while lifting the downtrodden. 

“As a televangelist, he did not 

just win souls for Christ; he was 

passionate about changing lives. 

“He demonstrated timelessly, 

an alluring service to humanity 

and compassion by assisting not 

only his home local government, 

Akoko North West. Other 

adjoining local governments in 

Akoko land benefitted from his 

large heart of benevolence. 

“Of significant note too, Pastor 

Joshua never hesitated to assist 

in whatever manner the Ondo 

State Government desired such. 

“To us in Ondo State, we 

consider this a personal loss. He 

was a pride to the Sunshine 

State. 

“Not only Africa is hit hard; this 

is a great global knock as his Pastor 

TB Joshua’s ministry attracted 

immeasurable foreign 

followership. Christendom has 

lost a giant. 

Joshua’s death 

shocking, 

unfortunate 

— Ortom 

Similarly, Governor Samuel 

Ortom of Benue State described 

as shocking and unfortunate the 

sudden demise of the renowned 

preacher. 

In a statement by his Chief 

Press Secretary, CPS, Terver 

Akase, the Governor said: “The 

evangelist will be remembered not 

• Late T. B. Joshua 

only for spreading the gospel of 

Christ but also for his 

humanitarian works through 

which he positively touched 

millions of lives.” 

His death, an 

eclipse in God’s 

vineyard 

—Gani Adams 

Also mourning the SCOAN 

leader, the Aare Onakakanfo of 

Yorubaland, Iba Gani Adams, 

described TB Joshua’s as an 

eclipse in God’s vineyard, adding 

that his death was a rude shock. 

Adams, in a statement by his 

Special Assistant on Media, 

Kehinde Aderemi said: “I received 

the news of the death of my 

brother, Prophet TB Joshua with 

a heavy heart and deep sorrow; it 

is devastating to hear such sad 

news breaking like a wildfire. 

Prophet TB Joshua was an Iroko 

tree, an abode for many souls. 

“The man of God has found 

favour in spreading the Gospel of 

God through his ministry. 

“It is very difficult for me to come 

to terms with the reality of his 

death. It was a rude shock and 

very sad. Prophet TB Joshua lived 

and died for God. His life was a 

complete definition of God’s 

generosity and philosophy. He 

was very humble, gentle and 

generous to a fault. His largeheartedness 

knew no tribe, 

colour, ethnicity, language, or 

religion. He was simply a winner 

of souls even spreading beyond 

the shores of Nigeria. 

“He opened a new vista in 

religious tourism, and Nigeria 

earned a lot, in terms of foreign 

exchange from his 

accommodating spirit. With his 

death, there had been an eclipse 

in God’s vineyard.” 

Keep his 

body intact, 

Ondo monarch 

tells SCOAN 

The Zaki of Arigidi, Akoko, in 

Ondo State, Oba Yisa 

Olanipekun, has asked the 

SCOAN to keep the body of its 

late founder intact. 

Late Prophet Joshua hails from 

Arigidi in Akoko North West Local 

Government Area of Ondo State. 

Oba Olanipekun, in a 

statement in Akure, demanded 

full cooperation of SCOAN 

church members in Nigeria. 

He urged the church to allow 

the immediate family and the 

Arigidi community to mourn the 

painful loss without further 

distractions. 

The monarch said: “I solicit the 

full co-operation of SCOAN 

church members in Nigeria and 

across the globe to allow the 

immediate family and the Arigidi 

Community to mourn this painful 

loss without further distractions. 

“I am, hereby, making a 

demand that his body must be 

preserved intact until 

arrangements are made to 

examine and/or certify the cause 

of his death and the body is 

moved to Arigidi for final burial 

rights to be announced at a later 

date.” 

Monarch, 

kinsmen, 

hometown in 

mourning mood 

Meanwhile, Arigidi Akoko, in 

Ondo State, the hometown of T.B 

Joshua in Akoko Northwest 

council area, was in a mourning 

mood yesterday as residents of 

the town expressed shock over 

the sudden death of the 

televangelist whom they 

described as a great 

philanthropist. 

Residents of the agrarian 

community were seen in groups 

discussing the tragedy that had 

befallen the ancient town. 

They trooped to the palace of 

Zaki of Arigidi to commiserate with 

the monarch who is a close friend 

of the deceased. 

Akoko youths 

mourn, fly flags 

at half-mast 

Similarly, youths across the four 

local governments in Akoko 

council area of the state on the 

platform of Akoko Youth Forum 

have expressed shock over the 

death of the cleric. 

In a statement by its President, 

Ife Ajibuwa, the youths described 

the SCOAN founder as “a 

philanthropist, mentor and a true 

son of Akoko land.” 

The statement reads: “With a 

saddened heart, we announce 

the tragic demise of our beloved 

father, philanthropist, mentor and 

a true son of Akoko land, Prophet 

Joshua. This is a great loss to 

Akoko nation, Nigeria, and the 

world at large. 

“It is on this note that the 

Akoko Youth Forum, hereby, 

mandates that all flags in Akoko 

land should be half-mast for the 

next 24hrs to serve as a symbol of 

honour to our beloved father. 

“Also, All the youths in Akoko 

land should put on black clothes 

or tie a black scarf on their wrists 

or any part of their body as a 

symbol of mourning our father 

and son who just slept in the 

Lord.”

8 — Vanguard, MONDAY, JUNE 7, 2021 

:Vanguard 

News 

Twitter ban: Be ready to build thousands of 

prisons, Ozekhome tells Malami 

ABUJA — Human rights 

lawyer, Mike Ozekhome, 

SAN, said yesterday 

that the Attorney-General of 

the Federation and Minister 

of Justice, Abubakar Malami, 

SAN, lacks the powers to make 

laws through declarations or 

pronouncements, challenging 

him to be ready to build thousands 

of prisons for violators 

of the ban on Twitter. 

According to him, only the 

National Assembly has the 

exclusive preserve to make 

laws in the country. 

‘The Twitter Ban, Prosecution, 

More Prisons And The 

Link With The JUSUN 

Strike,’’ Ozekhome said, and 

pleaded with the Judicial Staff 

Union of Nigeria to call off its 

strike to enable citizens challenge 

the excesses of the Federal 

Government in court. 

Though mobile operators 

have blocked their customers 

in the country from using Twitter, 

many Nigerians have, 

however, switched to the use 

of Virtual Private Networks, 

VPN, to bypass the blockage. 

Malami had subsequently 

directed the Director of Public 

Prosecution of the Federation 

to swing into action and 

commence in earnest the process 

of prosecution of violators 

of the Federal Government 

de-activation of operations of 

Twitter in Nigeria. 

But Ozekhome said: “How 

I wish that Malami’s APC (All 

Progressives Congress) Government, 

has displayed such 

alacrity and sense of urgency 

on the grave insecurity challenges 

of the country; the parlous 

economy and the mounting 

corruption ravaging our 

land.” 

Noting that it was “crystal 

clear that neither Malami, the 

DPP, nor the APC government 

could prosecute any Twitter 

user, Ozekhome said: “Using 

Twitter is not a known crime 


BRIEFING: From left, Minister of Communication and Digital Economy, Isa Pantami addressing 

pressmen on the activities of his Ministry, NIN and others, while APC National Secretary, John James 

Akpan Udo-Edehe, Senior Special Assistant, Media and Publicity to the President, Mallam Garba Shehu 

and APC Youth Leader, Ismaeel Buba Ahmed look on, in Abuja. Photo: Gbemiga Olamikan. 

BOKO Haram’s leader, 

Abubakar Shekau, 

killed himself in a fight against 

rival jihadist fighters from the 

Islamic State West Africa Province 

(ISWAP) according to 

audio AFP obtained from the 

group yesterday, two weeks 

after reports emerged that he 

had died. 

His death marks a major 

shift in Nigeria’s 12-year-old 

jihadist insurgency that has 

killed more than 40,000 people 

and displaced around two 

million in the North-East. 

Boko Haram has not yet 

officially commented on the 

death of their leader, while the 

Nigerian Army said it was investigating 

the claim. 

“Shekau preferred to be 

humiliated in the hereafter to 

getting humiliated on Earth. 

He killed himself instantly by 

detonating an explosive,” said 

a voice resembling that of 

ISWAP leader Abu Musab Al- 

Barnawi, speaking in the Kanuri 

language. 

The audio, which was not 

dated, was given to AFP by the 

or written offence. The NASS 

has not enacted any law banning 

the use of the social media, 

including Twitter. Mere 

verbal pronouncement, declaration, 

directives or threats by 

the Attorney-General, do not 

amount to a Law validly 

passed by the NASS.” 

“Any Nigerian arrested or 

detained should immediately 

proceed to the sub-regional 

West African Court situate in 

Abuja. The African Charter on 

Human and People’s Rights is 

there to protect the rights of 

FG declares NATFORCE illegal 

By Kingsley Omonobi 

ABUJA — The Office of 

the National Security 

Adviser, ONSA, has directed 

the immediate dismantling of 

all illegal security outfits and 

warned against their use to 

extort, harass and intimidate 

Nigerians. 

In particular, the office has 

cautioned individuals, organizations 

and foreign partners 

on the activities of NAT- 

FORCE which was illegally 

formed as a taskforce to combat 

illegal importation and 

smuggling of small arms, 

ammunition and light weapons 

into Nigeria. 

The National Centre for the 

Control of Small Arms and 

Light Weapons (NCCSALW) 

domiciled in the Office of the 

National Security Adviser is 

the national co-ordination 

mechanism for the control 

and monitoring of the proliferation 

of small arms and 

light weapons in Nigeria. 

A statement from the ONSA 

signed by ZM Usman, Head, 

Strategic Communication, 

said, “The Office of the National 

Security Adviser has 

observed with concern the 

proliferation of illegal security 

outfits in the country. 

“These illegal outfits have 

been masquerading and acting 

as part of the Nigerian security 

architecture while extorting, 

harassing and intimidating 

Nigerians. 

citizens of Nigeria. The Court 

that operates it (the West African 

Court) is there right now, 

fully operational. 

“We operate a constitutional 

democracy where things 

are done according to the Rule 

of Law and within our Constitutional 

organogram. We do 

not operate rule of the thumb 

or rule of men. It is always 

better to build strong institutions 

rather than strong men. 

My one kobo piece of advice 

to this clueless Government 

that spreads pains, agony, 

pangs and blood like manure A 

on plants,” he added. 

“One of such groups is 

NATFORCE which seeks to 

combat illegal importation of 

Arms, Ammunition, Light 

Weapons, Chemical Weapons 

and Pipeline Vandalism and 

has been involved in mounting 

of illegal roadblocks, conducting 

illegal searches, seizures 

and recruitment. 

“For the avoidance of doubt, 

the general public and all 

stakeholders are to note that 

NATFORCE is an illegal outfit 

without any mandate or 

authority to carry out these 

functions. “This trend is unacceptable 

and the promoters of 

NATFORCE are warned to 

dismantle their structures and 

operations immediately. 

Shekau killed himself, says ISWAP 

same source who conveyed 

previous messages from the 

group. ISWAP described in the 

audio how it sent fighters to 

Boko Haram’s enclave in the 

Sambisa forest, that they 

found Shekau sitting inside his 

house and engaged him in a 

firefight. 

“From there he retreated 

and escaped, ran and roamed 

the bushes for five days. However, 

the fighters kept searching 

and hunting for him before 

they were able to locate 

him,” the voice said. 

After finding him in the bush, 

ISWAP fighters urged him and 

his followers to repent, the 

voice added, but Shekau refused 

and killed himself. 

“We are so happy,” the voice 

said, describing Shekau as 

“the big troublemaker, persecutor 

and destructive leader 

of the nation.” 

ISWAP split from Boko 

Haram in 2016, objecting to 

Shekau’s indiscriminate targeting 

of Muslim civilians 

and use of women suicide 

bombers. 

Atrocities 

“This was someone who 

committed unimaginable 

terrorism and atrocities. For 

how long has he been leading 

people astray? How many 

times has he destroyed and 

abused people?” the voice 

said. 

In the past two years, ISWAP 

emerged as the more dominant 

force in the region, carrying 

out large-scale attacks 

against the Nigerian military. 

As the group now looks to 

absorb Shekau’s fighters and 

territory, Nigeria’s army potentially 

faces a more unified 

jihadist force, analysts say. 

But ISWAP may also struggle 

to control or persuade 

Boko Haram factions loyal to 

Shekau outside Sambisa, especially 

in border areas. 

“It may not be over yet,” one 

security source said. “ISWAP 

will have to subdue or convince 

these camps to coalesce 

(them) into its fold to fully consolidate 

its control.” 

Jihadist infighting may 

present opportunities for Nigeria’s 

army to seize. But 

should ISWAP absorb part of 

Shekau’s men and weapons, 

it might be in a position to cut 

off roads to and from the Borno 

State capital, Maiduguri, 

said Peccavi Consulting, a risk 

group specialising in Africa. 

“If ISWAP convinces Shekau’s 

forces to join them, they 

will be controlling the majority 

of the enemy forces, as well 

as having a presence in most 

of the ungoverned spaces in 

the North-East,” it said in a 

note. Since 2019, Nigeria’s 

army has pulled out of villages 

and smaller bases to hunker 

down in so-called “supercamps”, 

a strategy critics say 

allows jihadists to roam free 

in rural areas. 

Following its takeover of 

Sambisa, ISWAP sent messages 

to locals in the Lake Chad 

region, telling them they were 

welcome to its self-declared 

“caliphate”, said Sallau Arzika, 

a fisherman from Baga. 

Locals were chased out of 

the lake islands after ISWAP 

accused them of spying for the 

OWERRI — A pan-Igbo 

group, Dozie-Mezie 

Owerri, has lamented the escalating 

security situation in 

the South East, particularly in 

Owerri, Imo State. 

According to a statement by 

the chairman and secretary 

Reginald Akujobi-Roberts and 

Buchi Njere respectively, the 

group expressed dismay over 

the numerous accounts of loss 

of lives, regrettably of innocent 

people who had become 

targets of attacks by overzealous 

security operatives and 

unknown gunmen. 

The statement read: “Security 

of lives and property is a 

fundamental duty of government. 

We therefore hold both 

the Imo State Government led 

by Governor Hope Uzodinma 

and the Federal Government 

of Nigeria headed by 

President Muhammadu Buhari, 

solely responsible for the 

security of our people, especially 

in our immediate communities 

in and around Owerri. 

“While we encourage the 

police, the body responsible 

for quelling social disturbances, 

to do their work profession- 

NDDC: N-Delta monarchs petition 

Buhari over looming, fresh crisis 

military. Al-Barnawi said they 

could now return for fishing 

and trading after paying tax, 

with the assurance they would 

not be harmed, 

Stop this bloodletting 

— Igbo group ally and hunt down those killing 

security personnel and 

burning down state institutions, 

we call for caution in 

the discharge of this sensitive 

duty. 

“No innocent man or woman 

should pay the price for the 

crime of another. Care must 

be taken to fish out the perpetrators 

of these heinous crimes 

without compromising the 

safety and fundamental rights 

of innocent citizens. It is therefore 

on this note that we condemn 

the statement credited 

to the Inspector General of 

Police who seemed to have 

given his men an open cheque 

to kill without reason. Life is 

sacred, and human rights remain 

non-negotiable. 

“Militarization of Imo state 

and indeed the whole of the 

South East is not the solution 

to the increasing tension in the 

region. We believe in dialogue. 

We expect that the federal government 

should adopt this 

approach and see what ways 

to accommodate the grievances 

of all groups and individuals 

so that peace can return 

to the region for economic 

and social lives of our people 

to return to normal.'' 

SABA — BARELY 24 

hours after the Federal 

Government recorded relief in 

its troubleshooting to douse 

tension in the Niger Delta over 

the seven-day ultimatum given 

by ex-militant leader, Government 

Ekpemupolo, alias 

Tompolo, for the inauguration 

of a substantive board for the 

Niger Delta Development 

Commission, NDDC, traditional 

rulers in Bayelsa State 

have warned of fresh danger. 

The monarchs say youths 

are again becoming restive as 

the Minister of State for Petroleum 

Resources, Timipre 

Sylva, lock horns with the 

Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, 

Godswill Akpabio, over 

the soul of NDDC. 

Specifically, they expressed 

fears on looming crises over 

reports that the junior petroleum 

minister is battling to upturn 

a nominee already forwarded 

for approval by Akpabio, 

the supervising minister 

of the NDDC, for the position 

of managing director in 

the yet-to-be constituted board 

of the commission. 

In a letter to President Muhammadu 

Buhari, dated June 

4, 2021, the traditional rulers 

urged him to ensure that any 

act capable of triggering further 

agitations in the Niger 

Delta be avoided as the region 

and the polity were already 

over-heated. 

The letter was signed by the 

Grand Pere of Iduwini Kingdom, 

King Joel Ekeni Ibane; 

Amananaowei of Tububou 

community, Simon Inniye; 

Pere Foukeregha !V of 

Amananaowei community, 

Timi Odikeme Okere Oyinmo; 

among others. 

The letter read: “On behalf 

of the traditional rulers and 

leaders of thought, particularly 

of Ekeremor L.G.A. extraction 

in Bayelsa State, we wish 

to respectively refer you to the 

issue above and draw your 

attention to the restiveness of 

youths resulting from this 

clear alienation by the APC 

led Federal Government.


:Vanguard News 


2023: Atiku/Soludo campaign 

posters flood Abuja 

VISIT: Senator representing Katsina South Senatorial District, Senator Bello Mandiya; Executive Director, North, 

Fidelity Bank Plc, Alhaji Hassan Imam; President of the Senate, Ahmad Lawan; MD/CEO, Fidelity Bank Plc, Mrs. 

Nneka Onyeali-Ikpe and Senator representing Jigawa North West Senatorial District, Senator Abdullahi Gumel 

when EXCO members of Fidelity Bank led by Mrs. Nneka Onyeali-Ikpe paid a courtesy visit to Senator Lawan. 

Twitter ban: Rescind your decision or face legal 

actions, PDP Reps Caucus threatens FG 

•Asks Lai Mohammed to halt social media licensing •Counters Malami, says citizens 

can’t be tried for offence not backed by law •Alleges failed govt resorting to draconian 

actions to intimidate citizens, consolidate hold on power by brute force •Ban on Twitter, 

opportunity to create indigenous replica, says Director, NASRDA 

By Levinus 

Nwabughiogu 

A Democratic BUJA—PEOPLE’S 

Party, PDP, 

caucus in the House of 

Representatives has asked the 

Federal Government to 

immediately lift the suspension 

of Twitter operations in the 

country or face legal actions. 

The Caucus also asked the 

Minister of Information and 

Culture, Lai Mohammed, to 

rescind his decision to license 

social media operations. 

The caucus spoke as a Director, 

Center for Atmospheric 

Research, National Space 

Research and Development 

Agency, CAR-NASRDA, Prof. 

Babatunde Rabiu, justified 

government’s action, saying the 

ban on Twitter by the Federal 

Government, presented an 

opportunity to develop an 

indigenous replica of the platform. 

However, the caucus said that 

government action had no basis 

in law and, therefore, 

unconstitutional, adding that 

government’s decision had 

lowered the image of Nigeria in 

the comity of democratic nations. 

It further alleged that the 

directive to the National 

Broadcasting Commission, NBC, 

to license social media operators 

in the country was also a 

surreptitious attempt to introduce 

the unpopular ‘Social Media Bill’ 

by mere executive fiat. 

Leader of the caucus, Kingsley 

Chinda, in a statement in Abuja 

yesterday, also countered the 

directive by the Minister of 

Justice and Attorney-General of 

the Federation, Abubakar 

Malami, saying citizens who 

devised another means of using 

Twitter could not be prosecuted 

because there was no written law 

favoring his directive. 

The statement further stated 

that the decisions were a grave 

violation of the doctrine of 

separation of powers and an 

erosion of the rule of law. 

The statement read: “On 

Friday, June 4, 2021, Nigerians 

received with rude shock the 

news of the Federal 

Government’s indefinite 

‘suspension’ of Twitter Nigeria. 

“This rather rash suspension 

was supposedly anchored on the 

allegation that Twitter had 

allowed its platform to be used 

“for activities that are capable of 

undermining Nigeria’s corporate 

existence. 

“The announcement by the 

Federal Ministry of Information 

and Culture also insidiously 

instructed the National 

Broadcasting Commission (NBC) 

to immediately commence the 

process of licensing all OTT 

(Over-The-Top) and social media 

operations in Nigeria. 

“As expected, this 

announcement has sent 

shockwaves amongst believers in 

democracy and rule of law across 

Nigeria and the entire world. 

“We note with great concern 

that the suspension of Twitter by 

the Federal Government is one 

more step in a litany of attempts 

to restrict the fundamental rights 

of Nigerian citizens as enshrined 

in and guaranteed by Chapter 

IV of the 1999 Constitution. 

“Nigerians will recall that on 

4th August, 2020, the Minister 

of Information and Culture 

issued/enacted an Amended 6th 

National Broadcasting Code for 

the country which similarly 

imposes restrictions on sundry 

fundamental freedoms. 

“Convinced that the 

Broadcasting Code is a violation 

of Chapter IV of the Constitution, 

this Caucus filed a suit before the 

Federal High Court, Abuja 

Division in Suit No. FHC/ABJ/ 

CS/1136/2020 between Rep. 

Kingsley Chinda & 8 Ors v. 

Minister of Information & 2 Ors. 

This matter is still pending. 

“We also note with great worry 

attempts by the government, at 

least going by the statement 

issued by the Attorney General 

of the Federation, Abubakar 

Malami SAN, to prosecute 

Nigerians who have chosen not 

to be cajoled by a government 

intent on violating their right to 

freedom of expression guaranteed 

by Section 36 of the Constitution 

1999, and who have continued 

to express themselves through 

their twitter handles by using the 

VPN application. 

“The supposed suspension 

imposed on Twitter has no legal 

foundation as executive fiats, no 

matter the language they’re 

couched, have no force of law. No 

citizen can be tried for an offence 

that has no basis in law or backed 

by a written law and punishment 

prescribed. 

“For many Nigerians, social 

media is not only a means of 

escape from the drudgery of daily 

existence, but has become a 

veritable source of employment, 

advertisement and meaningful 

engagement. 

“Twitter, in particular, has 

become an integral component 

of the citizens’ ability to keep the 

government in check and to 

provide real-time feedback on the 

impact of government’s activities 

on the citizenry. 

“It is worrisome that, at a time 

when the country faces a real 

existential crisis and totters on 

the brink of implosion from acute 

challenges such as widespread 

insecurity manifesting in 

banditry, kidnapping and the 

activities of armed non-state 

actors across the Federation, 

coupled with the parlous state of 

the economy resulting in 

ballooning inflation and massive 

youth unemployment, the 

Federal Government appears 

to be more preoccupied with 

stifling the right of Nigerian 

citizens to freely express 

themselves on social media 

and elsewhere. 

“Therefore, we condemn 

the Federal Government’s 

decision to suspend Twitter in 

the strongest possible terms 

and call on the authorities to 

immediately rescind this decision 

in the interest of free speech and 

the rule of law, indeed in the 

interest of democracy. 

“More so, this brash and rash 

action heavily lowers the image 

of Nigeria in the comity of 

democratic nations. 

“The directive to the NBC by 

the Federal Ministry of 

Information and Culture to 

license social media operators is 

also a surreptitious attempt to 

introduce the unpopular ‘Social 

Media Bill’ by mere executive fiat. 

“As members and leaders of the 

People’s Democratic Party (P.DP) 

Caucus in the House of 

Representatives of the National 

Assembly, our objectives are to 

ensure compliance with the rule 

of law, good governance, the 

preservation of law and order, 

fidelity to the principles of 

constitutionalism and the general 

adherence to democratic ethos 

and principles in public 

administration throughout the 

length and breadth of the 

Federation. 

“In the discharge of our 

foremost duty as custodians of the 

Constitution and representatives 

of the Nigeria people, we hereby 

request the Federal Government 

to immediately reverse the 

decision to suspend the access of 

Nigerian citizens to Twitter. 

“We also call on the Federal 

Ministry of Information and 

Culture to immediately rescind 

its directive to the NBC to begin 

the licensing of social media 

operators in the Country, having 

regard to the absence of any 

enabling legislative framework for 

such directive. 

“We hereby give you notice 

that in the event of the failure, 

refusal and or neglect of the 


withdraw, reverse and/or cease 

the implementation of these 

oppressive and unconstitutional 

actions, we shall be constrained 

to institute legal proceedings at 

the appropriate judicial venue 

within the shortest possible time.’’ 

Meanwhile, Prof. Babatunde 

Rabiu, Director, Center for 

Atmospheric Research, National 

Space Research and 

Development Agency, CAR- 

NASRDA, said weekend that the 

ban on Twitter by the Federal 

Government has presented an 

opportunity to develop an 

indigenous replica of the platform. 

Rabiu, therefore, called on 

Information Communication 

Technology (ICT) experts and app 

developers to rise to the occasion 

and create a indigenous 

replica of the platform, in an 

interview he granted to the 

News Agency of Nigeria 

(NAN) in Abuja, yesterday. 

By Joseph Erunke 

ABUJA—EVEN as he is 

featuring prominently in 

the governorship contest in 

Anambra State,former governor 

of Central Bank of 

Nigeria,CBN,Charles Soludo, 

has been seen on campaign 

posters that flooded Abuja at the 

weekend, suggesting him as vice 

presidential aspirant to former 

vice president, Alhaji Atiku 

Abubakar, in the 2023 election. 

The Atiku-Soludo campaign 

posters which flooded most 

strategic areas of the nation’s 

capital city, have the Peoples 

Democratic Party, PDP, logo even 

as Soludo is currently a 

contestant for the Anambra State 

Governorship Election under the 

All Progressives Grand Alliance, 

APGA. 

The posters, seen in different 

designs, claimed that only the 

Atiku-Soludo alliance can rescue 

Nigeria from the brink of collapse. 

The development has raised 

concerns among APGA faithful 

as there are claims that he may 

be using the party for possible 

negotiation for a plumb position 

in the PDP. 

Efforts to reach the APGA 

national headquarters Sunday 

morning when the posters 

emerged, proved abortive as only 

stern looking security guards and 

some young persons who claimed 

to be youth leaders of the party 

were at the secretariat. 

Some APGA members,who 

spoke on the issue, claimed they 

were not surprised at the 

emerging development, claiming 

that the rumours had been in the 

air for a long time that Soludo’s 

main aim of running for the 

governorship seat of Anambra 

was to avail him a platform to run 

for the Vice Presidency of the 

country. 

“Soludo should have joined 

PDP and contested for the 

governorship of Anambra State 

if he thinks he is popular. Why 

use APGA popularity in 

Anambra State to go and join 

PDP Presidential ticket? 

‘’We will resist it and we shall 

be submitting our petition to the 

national chairman tomorrow to 

call for the disqualification of Prof. 

Soludo. 

This is a clear case of anti-party 

activity,’’ Mr. Okeke Kenneth 

who is the leader of APGA 

Ambassadors, said. 

He said APGA had suffered 

immensely from the hands of 

political gatecrashers who often 

run to the party, rely on its 

popularity to win elections and 

then leave. 

He cited former Governor 

Rochas Okorocha of Imo State, 

who won the Governorship 

election of Imo State on the 

platform of the party and then 

defected to the APC. 

He also listed Hon. Herman 

Hembe from Benue State who 

won election into the House of 

Representatives and has now 

defected to APC and also the Imo 

State Speaker, Hon. Chiji Collins 

who alongside other members of 

the Imo State House of Assembly 

defected from the party within 

months of winning elections on 

the platform of the party. 

He claimed that APGA 

Ambassadors would do all within 

their powers to see that only a 

core APGA man, not a defector 

or a gatecrasher would be given 

the ticket of the party. 

Power generation falls to 3,223MW 

as gas shortage persists 

•As experts laud CBN financial intervention 

By Obas Esiedesa 

POWER supply in Nigeria 

continued to struggle as 

grid generation fell to 3,223 mega 

watts as at 2pm yesterday as gas 

supply shortage to power plants 

showed no sign of abating. 

Latest data from the system 

operator, an autonomous unit at 

the Transmission Company of 

Nigeria, showed several power 

plants operating at less than 50 

per cent capacity, with many 

completely shutdown. 

Data showed that Nigeria’s 

largest power station, Egbin 

Power plant, was generating 

750MW, while Geregu power 

plant was generating 220MW; 

Oloronsogo, 61MW, while 

Omoku was at 39.10MW. 

Also Sapele Power plant was 

generating at 42MW, while Afam 

was at 70MW. 

On the average, power supply 

in the past seven days fell by 5.76 

percent from 4,173.4MW on 

Sunday, 30 May to 3,933.1MW 

on Saturday 5 June, 2021. 

Speaking on the power 

situation, energy experts decried 

the poor supply to customers, 

saying more needed to be done 

to improve the sector. 

They lauded the financial 

discipline introduced by the 

Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, in 

the electricity industry but 

pointed out that while it had 

achieved the desired results in 

terms of transparency in revenue 

collection in the sector, consumers 

were yet to reap the benefits. 

They called for improvement in 

electricity supply, stressing that 

the sector operators must not 

smile to the bank, while service 

remained poor. 

The Central Bank of Nigeria 

had last year directed Deposit 

Money Banks to take charge of 

collection of electricity bill 

payments in the country, limiting 

the capacity of distribution 

companies to withdraw money 

from the accounts. 

In his reaction, President, 

Nigeria Consumer Protection 

Network, NCPN, Kunle Olubiyo 

disclosed that the initiative by 

the apex bank deserves 

commendation. 

Olubiyo said transparency in 

the sector due to the initiative 

was a good step that would allow 

all the players in the market to 

closely monitor the revenue 

coming into the market. 

According to him, “Right now, 

every stakeholder in the sector 

sees the revenue that comes in. 

There are different lines for 

expenditures, so government 

and other stakeholders can 

recover their money. These have 

helped in revenue efficiency and 

collection.” 

Olubiyo noted that the policy 

adopted by the apex bank 

equally ensured discipline in 

the finances of the sector, 

thereby increasing the level 

of revenue into the market.


:Vanguard :@vanguardnews :@vanguardnewsNEWS HOTLINES: 

Social Media Conversation 

SUNDAY SERVICE—From left: Governor Udom Emmanuel of Akwa Ibom State; General 

Superintendent of Deeper Christian Life Ministry, Pastor William Kumuyi, with his wife, 

Esther, and Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu of Lagos State, during Sunday service at the 

church headquarters in Lagos, yesterday. 

How Ifa indicted politicians fuelling 

insecurity — Ooni 

By Shina Abubakar 

OSOGBO—OONI of Ife, 

Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi, 

yesterday, warned politicians to 

desist from acts capable of further 

worsening the security situation 

in the country, saying the Yoruba 

traditional oracle, Ifa, indicted 

them (politicians) over the crisis 

in Nigeria. 

The monarch spoke in his 

palace, in Ile-Ife, to mark the end 

of the World Ifa Festival. 

He warned politicians to desist 

from bad practices like lying, 

corruption and other vices that 

could ruin the country, describing 

Ifa as the voice of God. 

He said: “In 2019, Ifa said there 

would be a pandemic but the 

world paid little or no attention, 

tagging it as idol worshiping. But 

the COVID-19 came to prove it 

right. Thank God that we were 

spared from the evil wave. 

“Also, last year, Ifa said there 

would be several agitations like 

we have across the country today, 

we have prayed and we shall 

keep praying. 

“In the corpus named 

OseKaran, Ifa revealed that most 

of our challenges are the 

Kumuyi lists secrets of fulfilled life 

....As Sanwo-Olu, Emmanuel worship at DCLM 

L AGOS—GENERAL 

Superintendent of the 

Deeper Christian Life Ministry, 

Pastor Williams Kumuyi, said, 

yesterday, that what matters in life 

is the fulfillment of God’s purpose 

for every individual, and not the 

number of years spent on earth. 

Kumuyi, who noted that people 

are usually interested in how long 

a person lives, said: “It is not the 

number of years but the 

appointment of God that matters.” 

The cleric said this in his 

sermon, titled: Our glowing 

privileges from glory to glory, at 

the Sunday service in the Deeper 

Life Bible church international 

headquarters, in Gbagada, 

Lagos. 

During the service, attended by 

governors of Lagos and Akwa 

Ibom states, Messrs. Babajide 

Sanwo-Olu and Udom 

Emmanuel, respectively, Pastor 

Kumuyi challenged all to strive 

to live out the purpose of God for 

their lives. 

His words: “Moses started his 

ministry at the age of 80 years 

and went on to 120 years. It was 

not only him. Think of Caleb, 

beyond the age of 85, he was still 

strong and he said, "give me this 

mountain." Think about Joshua 

when he was quite an age, 

nearing 100 years, he said there 

was still much land to be 

conquered. Think about John the 

beloved, at the age of 95 or 96, he 

was still given the Revelation, to 

go and reveal to the nations. 

“That is why we do not question 

that so and so died at 57 or 72; 

that’s the appointed time. Yet, the 

promise of a fulfilled life is for 

everyone, in Jesus’ name.” 

The cleric, however, warned 

against presumptuous sin, 

saying such lifestyle and 

indulgences do not guarantee 

divine protection but detract from 

the original promise for man, 

noting that “If you are 

incorruptible, you will be a 

wonder. God will be a strong 

refuge. He will keep you from 

evil.” 

In his remarks, Governor 

Sanwo-Olu expressed gratitude 

to God for the strength and 

continued grace granted Pastor 

Kumuyi, who he noted, has over 

handiwork of desperate 

politicians. Ifa warned them 

sternly to desist from their evil 

ways, or wait to face the wrath of 

Olodumare. 

“Above all, Orunmila said there 

won’t be war and all challenges 

currently facing us as a country 

would soon be a thing of the past, 

and we shall emerge prosperous 

very soon.” 

Besides, the monarch urged 

traditional rulers to sustain the 

promotion of the prestigious 

Yoruba culture and traditions 

through festivals and other 

ancient activities, towards the 

preservation of the heritage for 

generations yet unborn. 

the years remained steadfast in 

“standing in the gap” not only for 

the church but for the nation, in 

general. 

He said: “Bloodshed will not 

continue in our country. The Lord 

will help us to surmount all our 

problems as a nation. And because 

we are serving the God that is 

supreme, He will see us through 

as a nation.” 

Similarly, Governor Emmanuel, who 

also expressed hope of a turn-around for 

Nigeria, said: “God is on the throne; we 

shall come out stronger as a nation,” 

Emmanuel said, adding that “The only 

hope for this nation is the church. God is 

interested in the affairs of this country.” 

LG poll: Chairmanship aspirant 

petitions APC over primary 

By Dapo Akinrefon 

LAGOS—A chairmanship 

aspirant of the All 

Progressives Congress, APC, in 

Iru/Victoria Island LCDA, Mr. 

Akinwunmi Bayode, yesterday, 

petitioned the State Appeals 

Committee on Local Government 

Election, over alleged fraudulent 

manipulations in the just 

concluded direct primaries, held 

across the state. 

In the petition, Bayode alleged 

electoral malpractices, 

intimidation and oppression of 

his loyalists. Evidence abound 

that he defeated Rasheeda Adu, 

the incumbent Chairman of Iru/ 

Victoria Island LCDA, in the 

controversial primary. 

He said: “I write to formally 

inform the election appeal 

committee of the non-adherence 

to the laid down election 

guidelines to which I have 

subscribed to as aspirant in the 

May 29, 2021, primary election 

for the position of chairman in Iru/ 

Victoria Island and the eventual 

attempt made to subvert the truth, 

intimidation and oppression 

witnessed on same day leading to the 

crisis in almost all the wards in our LCDA. 

“It is based on these facts and evidence 

to be tendered that I request the total 

cancellation of this exercise to be held at 

a date to be decided by the party. 

“It is on record that only two aspirants 

finally vied for chairmanship at the final 

stage, which involved incumbent 

Rasheeda Adu and myself, Akinwumi 

Bayode. The events that led to these 

attempted manipulations started three 

days into nomination; few members came 

to conclude that Rasheeda Adu has been 

given the nod by the party hierarchy to 

return as a consensus candidate without 

considering her incompetence, 

maladministration, high handedness 

and lack of transparency, coupled with 

very weak leadership." 

That's life! 

...Your money first, then we dialogue! 

Marvelling at ‘work in progress'!

Vanguard, MONDAY, JUNE 7, 2021—11

12— Vanguard, MONDAY, JUNE 7, 2021





Send Opinions & Letters to: 

opinions1234@yahoo.com 

The Battles of Ibadan in the June 

12 Uprising 

THE bloody five-year pro-de 

mocracy uprising that forced 

the military back to the barracks after 

a cumulative 29-year military dictatorship 

began on Monday July 5, 1993. 

Hundreds of lives were lost. Some of 

the bloodiest battles were fought in 

Ibadan on Tuesday April 14 and Friday 

May 1, 1998. 

Ibadan is the traditional capital of 

the West where after the stiff resistance 

against military rule in Lagos, 

the dictatorship sought to boost the 

planned transformation of General 

Sani Abacha into a civilian president. 

In order to prolong himself in power, 

General Sani Abacha had unleashed 

an unprecedented reign of terror in the 

country. This included the establishment 

of killer squads which eliminated 

political activists like Mrs Kudirat 

Abiola and Bagauda Kaltho and ambushed 

others like Senator Abraham 

Adesanya and Mr. Alex Ibru. In seeking 

to eliminate pro-democracy leaders 

and perceived opponents in the military, 

he staged phantom coups and 

bombed buses mainly carrying soldiers. 

He also bombed military barracks like 

the Ikeja Military Cantonment and the 

Air Force Base, Lagos as well as a police 

station in Zaria. Abacha sent Ken 

Saro-Wiwa and eight other environmental 

activists to the gallows and 

forced many pro-democracy leaders 

like Professor Wole Soyinka and veteran 

nationalist, Chief Anthony Enahoro 

into exile. 

Deluding himself that his rule can no 

longer be seriously challenged, he began 

the process of transforming himself 

into a civilian president by announcing 

a transition programme and registering 

five political parties which he 

funded and controlled, and they in turn, 

appointed him their sole presidential 

candidate. The pro-democracy leader, 

Chief Bola Ige described them as the 

“five leprous fingers” of the dictator. 

Despite trying to run the country like 

a garrison, Abacha could still not 

command mass support so he began a 

process of funding mass rallies that 

would endorse him. 

The main rally scheduled to endorse 

the dictator in the West was fixed for 

April 14, 1994 at the multipurpose Lekan 

Salami Stadium, Adamasingba, 

Ibadan, a sprawling 130,000 square 

kilometre complex that used to be the 

Ibadan Race Course. Chief Lamidi 

Adedibu, the strongman of Ibadan politics 

and Alhaji AbdulAzeez Arisekola 

Alao, the Aare Musulumi of Yorubaland 

were the major contractors for the 

‘Two-million-man’ rally. 

The pro-democracy movement 

decided not just to ride on the back of 

the pro-Abacha event to stage an anti- 

Abacha rally, but also, if possible, to 

scuttle the former. Meetings were held 

in the home of Comrade Ola Oni, a 

dogged fighter for peoples’ liberation. 

It was a coalition of various groups, 

including the National Democratic Coalition, 

NADECO; the Campaign 

for Democracy, CD; the Congress of 

Progressive Youths, COPY; the United 

Action for Democracy, UAD and the 

Joint Action Committee of Nigeria, 

JACON, a broad coalition of 26 groups 

including the popular Afenifere Movement. 

The Pro-Democracy groups in 

Lagos sent contingents of battle-tested 

Ibadan is the traditional 

capital of the West where 

after the stiff resistance 

against military rule in 

Lagos, the dictatorship 

sought to boost the planned 

transformation of General 

Sani Abacha into a civilian 

president 

youths, especially from the Militant 

Mainlanders to reinforce their Ibadan 

comrades. 

On the day of the rally, the stadium 

was full of hired people in festive mood 

complete with bands, local musicians, 

traditional masquerades and religious 

groups. Amassing outside the stadium 

were the anti-Abacha groups whose 

ranks began to swell with the arrival of 

groups who were trekking from various 

parts of the city. 

As the Abacha-appointed Military 

Administrator of Oyo State, Colonel 

Ahmed Usman, was addressing the 

rally in the stadium, the pro-democracy 

groups realised that they had 

far more people outside than the pro- 

Abacha rally inside, so they stormed 

the stadium in human waves, sending 

Colonel Usman, Adedibu, Arisekola 

and their supporters in flight. The musicians 

abandoned their drums, the 

Jalaruru masquerade was trapped and 

the heavenly spirit begged for his life. 

The mass of hired Muslim groups 

Arisekola had brought, were cornered. 

The crowds sang for them: “Alasalatu 

ki le wa de bi?”(Prayer faithful what 

are you here for?” To which they 

danced and replied: “We came here to 

be mercilessly beaten.” 

Unfortunately for Adedibu, as he 

fled through the city, he fell into the 

hands of pro-democracy youths and 

had to take shelter in the van of a 

private television station which in the 

process of trying to save the old politician’s 

life was damaged. 

The seizure of the stadium and 

many parts of the city by the anti- 

Abacha protesters was short-lived as 

the regime mobilised soldiers backed 

by thugs to retake the places. When the 

soldiers got to the Wema Bank near the 

stadium, they started shooting at anything 

that moved. Within minutes they 

had shot dead three protesters and injured 

many. 

JACON in reviewing the protest, 

declared May 1, 1998 as a national 

“Day of Action” against military dictatorship. 

It rejected Abacha’s planned 

transition to a civilian president, demanded 

the de-annulment of the 

June 12 presidential election, the release 

of Chief Moshood Kashimawo 

Abiola, winner of that election and his 

heading a “government of national unity”. 

Other demands included the release 

of all political prisoners and the unbanning 

of student, trade union and 

professional organisations. 

Although it was a national protest, 

Ibadan became the epicentre as 

armed policemen and soldiers were 

unleashed on the city killing and maiming. 

The protesters retaliated by setting 

businesses and property of pro-Abacha 

campaigners on fire. This reportedly 

included the premises of the Monitor 

Newspapers owned by Arisekola with 

11 cars in it and six cars and three houses 

belonging to Adedibu. 

At least 10 protesters were shot dead 

in Ibadan that day and many injured. 

The panicky Abacha regime in the next 

three days, ‘captured’ over 20 pro-democracy 

leaders in Ibadan, including 

Dr. Ola Oni, former Governor Bola Ige, 

Comrade Moshood Erubami and Honourable 

Niyi Owolade. One of the 

prized captives was Lam Adesina, a 

former school principal and noted columnist 

who on the eve of the storming 

of the Lekan Salami Stadium had taken 

over the chairmanship of NADECO 

in Oyo State when the incumbent, Dr 

B.A developed cold feet. 

The regime declared those arrested 

as “Prisoners of War” who can be summarily 

tried and imprisoned. But this 

was not to be as Abacha died on June 8, 

1998 and the country breathed the air 

of freedom. 

On May 29, 1999, Lam Adesina 

was sworn in as the elected Governor 

of Oyo State. I went on to join the Nigeria 

Labour Congress, NLC. When a 

Congress delegation visited Governor 

Adesina in Government House, the sixfooter 

on sighting me, wrapped his arms 

around me. He announced I was one 

of the leaders in Lagos who instructed 

them to storm the pro-Abacha rally in 

Ibadan. I promised to come see him. 

But I never did before he passed away 

on November 11, 2012. 

This Saturday is June 12, twentyeight 

years after the uprising began. As 

I reflect and recall people like Governor 

Lam Adesina and Comrade Ola 

Oni, ‘water run away me eye’. 

June 12 Democracy Day as Buhari’s legacy 

BY AINOFENOKHAI ISA 

IF there is any sector of society that Pres 

ident Muhammadu Buhari was expected 

to leave an enduring legacy, most people 

would bet with their lives that it must be in 

the area of security. And it is not rocket science 

to decipher why most Nigerians believed 

that the president would instantly do 

well in the area of security. He is a retired 

General of the Army who had seen wars 

and even risen to be head of state in the past. 

In other words, he is versed in the area of 

national security as a trained soldier and 

former military leader. 

However, this military background of the 

President in a way trades off quite significantly 

with civil life. This explains why 

many Nigerians did not initially take warmly 

to Buhari’s entrance into politics at the 

return of civil rule in this Republic. Thus, 

when General Buhari, as he was known then, 

joined the ANPP and consequently emerged 

as its presidential candidate in 2003, quite 

a lot of the registered voters were not convinced 

about his temperament for democracy. 

As we know, the values of democracy 

run directly contrary to those of the military. 

For instance, while the military will 

insist on compliance to orders, democracy 

preaches dialogue; while the military is obsessed 

with hierarchy, democracy would 

naturally anchor on equality; and while 

the military celebrates esprit d’ corps, democracy 

talks of all-inclusiveness. 

That many Nigerians believed that Buhari 

did not have the right reflexes to operate 

in the democratic process reflected in his 

defeat at the polls in 2003, 2007 and 2011 

presidential elections. Yet all that changed 

in the build up to the historic 2015 presidential 

election. Having learned his lessons, 

albeit the hard way, Buhari showed up for 

the 2015 president election reborn. He was 

now convinced that democracy is the best 

form of government and had submitted 

himself to all its values and processes. Hence, 

he declared at the Chatham House in February 

2015, that he was a “converted democrat”. 

Specifically, General Buhari admitted 

that while he could do little to change 

the past, there were indeed more he could 

do to change the future, which was a clear 

repudiation of whatever past dictatorial baggage 

he carried. 

The result of the 2015 presidential election 

clearly indicated that Nigerians believed President 

Buhari has become a democrat both in 

words and in deed. His resounding victory, the 

first of its kind in our electoral history in which 

an incumbent president was defeated, continued 

to raise President Buhari’s democratic credentials. 

And once in the saddle, citizens naturally 

expected the President to hit the ground 

running (to use that cliche), especially in the 

area of fighting insurgency and corruption. 

There were some though who believed that 

President Buhari’s claim of being a converted 

democrat was simply a political gambit to win 

votes. To this category, it was only a matter of 

time for the President to return to his old nature 

as it is said “the leopard never changes its 

spots”. 

It is important to note that what 

President Buhari did with June 

12 remains his eternal legacy in 

the history of our country 

ly defeated his opponent in his own state of 

Kano. On that very day, democracy announced 

itself in our nation and defeated all our differences. 

On June 12, 1999, Chief MKO Abiola, 

of the Social Democratic Party, SDP, was chosen 

by most Nigerians as their President. He 

defeated Alhaji Bashir Tofa of the National 

Republican Convention, NRC. 

Sadly, the June 12, 1993 presidential election 

that would have galvanised our country 

into one nation for the very first time was aborted 

on June 23, 1993. It was annulled by General 

Babangida, citing a purported court order 

and imaginary irregularities at the polls. 

And with that military fiat, the choice of the 

majority of our citizens was cruelly thrown 

away and an opportunity and hope to build a 

united nation dashed. Indeed, June 12, 1993 

election would have been what political scientists 

refer to as our “founding election”! 

However, the story and the importance of 

June 12 election did not die with its annulment. 

Instead, it set off a chain of democratic 

struggles and activism in the land. Although 

that struggle claimed the lives of 

many citizens including the arrowhead of 

the struggles, Chief Abiola, under the subsequent 

military regime of the late General 

Sani Abacha, Nigerians by now were convinced 

that democracy remained the preferred 

form of government. And this message 

seemed to have resonated clearly with 

Gen. Abdulsalam Abubakar who emerged 

head-of-state after the death of Abacha himself 

especially after the sudden death of Chief 

Abiola, the holder of the peoples’ mandate in 

detention. By May 29, 1999, President Olusegun 

Obasanjo of the Peoples Democratic Party, 

PDP, had been sworn in as the elected President 

of the country. Watchers of Nigerian politics 

are agreed that Obasanjo’s election was 

more or less a consensus by most Nigerians 

that the people of the South West were unfairly 

treated with the annulment of the June 12 election 

believed to have been won by another Yoruba 

man. 

Once elected, many Nigerians and indeed 

lovers of democracy the world over believed 

that President Obasanjo being a direct beneficiary 

of the aborted June 12 mandate would 

quickly step in to recognise the solemnity of 

that date in our history and bring closure to 

the events of that historic day. Instead, President 

Obasanjo decided to distance himself from 

that essential date in our history, of course, for 

no other explicable reasons than selfish. He 

had earlier gone to South Africa in the heat of 

the struggles to actualise June 12, to declare 

It was therefore a rude shock for those waiting 

for President Buhari to fail in the area of 

democracy by regressing back to dictatorship. 

Shockingly again, while many Nigerians 

were waiting for the President to make 

his greatest marks in the area of fighting 

corruption and providing security, President 

Buhari pulled a rabbit from his hat in the 

area of consolidating our democracy by declaring 

June 12 as Democracy Day in our country. 

For those who do not know or who have 

forgotten, the present Republic, which was inaugurated 

on May 29, 1999, directly flows 

from the events that took place on June 12, 

1993. On that day, Nigerians went to the polls 

to elect their president in the culmination of 

what became a long and winding democratic 

transition programme closely managed or 

mismanaged by the military regime of General 

Ibrahim Babangida. On that fateful day, the 

freest and fairest election took place in Nigeria. 

On that day, Nigerians of all walks of life 

threw ethnicity, religion and other fault lines 

that have held us back as a nation into the 

waste bin of history and voted their conscience 

such that a Yoruba man from Abeokuta roundthat 

Abiola was not the messiah Nigerians were 

expecting. While the South West governors and 

pro-democracy activists continued to call on 

the government to immortalise Chief Abiola 

by declaring the date as a national holiday, 

President Obasanjo remained unconcerned. In 

short, after 16 long years of three different PDP 

presidents — Obasanjo, Yar’ Adua and 

Jonathan —, June 12 and Chief Abiola never 

got the recognition they deserved in a country 

mouthing democratic consolidation. 

Who would have thought that it will take a 

retired General often associated with dictatorship 

to recognise June 12? So, it was gladdening 

that President Buhari in short while 

did what three PDP presidents found too hot to 

handle. That was how President Buhari declared 

June 12 as Democracy Day and national 

holiday. It did not end there: President Buhari 

also more or less recognised Chief MKO 

Abiola as an elected former President by 

awarding him the highest national honour of 

the Grand Commander of the Federal Republic, 

GCFR, which is reserved for only heads-ofstate. 

So, it took a Fulani President to honour 

a Yoruba man whose kinsman as President 

did not consider worthy of honour. 

It is important to note that what President 

Buhari did with June 12 remains his eternal 

legacy in the history of our country. The 

success of democratic leaders is not accurately 

measured by the bridge-road theory of 

democracy, which simply catalogues the 

number of boreholes, roads and bridges constructed. 

Not that the President has not done well even 

in this sector. The real success of democratic 

leaders inheres in those intangibles as the effort 

to uphold democratic values as free choice, 

civil rights and personal liberties on which democracy 

rests. 

June 12 provides the raison d’etre for the 

Fourth Republic. Without June 12, there 

couldn’t have been May 29. More so, June 12 

reminds us of the high costs paid by Nigerian 

citizens including the ultimate price to win this 

democracy. It also cautions those who wield 

power to remember the real owners of the power, 

the Nigerian people. By recognizing June 

12 and treating it with the national respect the 

date deserves, President Buahari has earned 

his legacy as a democrat. He is indeed now 

more than a converted democrat! 

•Ainofenokhai Isa, a freelance journalist, 

sent in this piece from Benin City 

in Edo State.

Ikigai: The Japanese secret to 

success, happiness and long life 

ONE of my favourites of all the 

countries I have visited is Japan. 

Tokyo is a sprawling city of 13.8 

million. And yet, you can walk 

through its leafy boulevards without 

having to constantly watch your 

back. It is a clean, safe and orderly 

place. 

I was once invited to dinner at the 

home of a senior diplomat in Tokyo. 

Over a sumptuous meal, the couple 

explained to me that their only son, a 

graduate of the London School of Economics 

and Political Science,has absolutely 

no interest in living abroad. 

Not very untypical of his generation. 

No country offers them the comfort, 

security and the good life that Japan 

does. Japan is one of the most advanced 

technological nations in the 

world. When the trains are three minutes 

late, it makes headlines. The Japanese 

diet is one of the healthiest in the 

world, comprising mostly of fish, lentils 

and fruits. 

Japan has a population of 125 million 

people, with a gross per capita 

income of $5.4 trillion,coming just 

behind USA and China. It has a per 

capita income of $43,000. With limited 

natural resources and a land ever 

so prone to earthquakes and tsunamis, 

they have built a life some of us 

can only dream of. 

For centuries, they were a closed 

society, ruled by a feudal Samurai 

warrior shogunate. The Meiji Restoration 

of 1868 set the country on the 

path to industrialisation and national 

transformation. What is remarkable 

about the Japanese is that they 

pursued the path of industrialisation 

Celebrating Nigeria’s model of 

good governance 

BY BASSEY OTU 

WITH the advent of democratic rule in 

1999, there has been dearth in qualitative 

and purposeful leadership by the ruling 

class. It has been a case of selfish, rudderless and 

uninspiring leadership which Nigerians have 

been experiencing. The style of leadership and 

governance offered Nigerians by these leaders 

is myopic and primitive. This is not to say the 

crop of leaders we have had since 1999 are all 

bad, there are few examples who have demonstrated 

exemplary leadership and selflessness. 

Since 1999, it has been a norm for most public 

office holders, especially governors to be “clannish” 

in project(s) execution, policy and decision 

making and even with appointments. 

Many governors at the expiration of their tenure 

amass questionable wealth and are often 

subject of investigation due to allegations of 

abuse of office and corrupt enrichment. Another 

endemic trait of these set of leaders is the 

pettiness with which they play “their” politics. 

They are always at war with either their predecessors 

or successors. The cases of Ganduje- 

Kwankwaso andOshiomole-Obaseki readily 

come to mind. 

While many may call for caution, I will be 

audacious with my claims that Emmanuel 

Udom the Governor of Akwa Ibom State is a 

unique example of good leadership and governance 

past and future leaders should emulate. 

The reasons are not far-fetched and I will like to 

highlight few of them. 

When his predecessor, Senator GodswillAkpabio, 

left the Peoples Democratic Party for the All 

Progressive Congress, rather than the expected 

campaign of calumny against him either overtly 

or covertly, neither happened under Udom Emmanuel’s 

watch. This is a simple demonstration 

of matured knowledge that democracy is about 

popularity and scorecard appraisal by the electorates 

in place of bile-full and instigated attacks. 

without necessarily succumbing to 

the paradigm of Westernisation. 

They became a prosperous nation 

while preserving the essence of their 

culture and civilisation. Many Japanese 

are dedicated to the goddess Amaterasu 

and the Shinto religion. 

Many are also Buddhists. 

The remarkable transformation of 

Japan after the devastation of World 

War II is one of the key developments 

of the 20th century. Every schoolchild 

knows about the nuclear bombs 

that were dropped on the cities of Hiroshima 

and Nagasaki in August 

1945 by the Americans on the orders 

of President Harriman Truman. 

An estimated 195,000 perished, in 

addition to thousands of wounded, including 

succeeding generations of 

children born with deformities as a 

genetic consequence of the nuclear 

fallout. 

Despite this tragedy, the Japanese 

made a remarkable come-back. They 

have faced their former enemies 

without any bitterness. It is one of 

the few countries to have outlawed 

war in their constitution, thanks to 

General MacArthur who became the 

country’s constitutional lawgiver. 

Japan today has an average lifeexpectancy 

of 84.79 years, easily one 

of the highest in the world. Indeed, 

there are more 100-year-olds on the 

island of Okinawa than anywhere 

else in the world. The Japanese enjoy 

one of the highest standards of living 

among the advanced industrial nations, 

with a Human Development Index, 

HDI, of 0.919 (with 1.0 being the 

perfect score). 

It further reveals the stock the gentleman is made 

of - a man who will not heat up the polity of his 

state for personal or political interests. Rather, he 

was focused and went about discharging his duties 

to the electorates and even conducted a peaceful 

elections in the state. 

As we speak, we are yet to see any leaked or 

sponsored articles maligning his predecessor. 

There have been no press conferences, or advertorials 

by known or faceless groups attacking the 

There is no population to recruit 

criminals, political thugs and 

miscreants from; Akwa Ibom is the 

only state in the region with no 

heightened tension or considered a 

flash point for acts of criminality by 

all relevant security agencies 

The Japanese are known for their 

legendary work ethic. Despite the 

supernal prowess of China in recent 

years, Tokyo still maintains an edge 

over Beijing in terms of the quality of 

its products. Legend has it that the 

Japanese used to produce rather shoddy 

products, until MIT professor Edward 

Demming introduced to them the 

concept of Total Quality Management, 

TQM. They took to it with panache, 

more so that it resonated with their own 

traditional philosophy of Kaizen (continuous 

improvement). 

Japan is by no means a perfect society. 

For one thing, it is a rapidly ageing 

society. The average age is 48.4, 

I recommend this philosophy 

for people who face 

anxiety and fear in our 

lawless and nihilistic 

country; companies, 

government and other 

organisations can build the 

ikigai philosophy into their 

corporate culture by 

making the workspace a 

happier experience 

compared to Nigeria’s 18.1 years. Within 

the coming decades Japan is likely 

to experience labour shortages and pension 

challenges as a result of these unfavourable 

demographics. 

Japan also faces other social problems. 

It has one of the highest suicide 

rates in the world, with about 14.9 percent 

per 100,000 persons. The country 

went through what has been termed 

“the lost decade” in the 1990s following 

a stock market bubble that was 

sooner destined to obey the law of gravity. 

They had to battle with deflation, 

slow growth and a rising national debt, 

which currently stands at $13.6 trillion 

— a staggering 257 percent of GDP. 

Despite these challenges, Japan is a 

prosperous democracy; a cohesive and 

stable nation with a highly productive 

and innovative knowledge economy. 

The major philosophy underpinning 

waju Bola Tinubu was against Babatunde Raji 

Fashola’s re-election bid irrespective of the fact 

that he (Tinubu) had foisted Fashola on his party 

in 2007. His successor, Akinwunmi Ambode also 

went about ambushing him. It soon became messy 

as there were major policy reversals and sponsored 

reportage. Many projects were abandoned 

and Lagosians suffered for it. It was not any different 

when Tinubu and party chieftains moved 

against Ambode and supported Sanwo-Olu, who 

the moment he got into office, we started reading 

of allegations of corrupt practices and many 

projects initiated and abandoned. This was evident 

during the commissioning of the Agege 

Bridge when Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu was 

reported to have said: “Lagos was heading towards 

the wrong direction until Sanwo-Olu came 

on board.” 

Too many examples of this practice abound in 

our politics and you must agree with me that they 

leave the average citizen in staggering gaze. 

A reason for my assertion of Governor Udom is 

the sort of projects executed so far by his administration. 

These projects obviously informed from 

an economic value and of enormous importance 

in improving the level of self-generated fortunes 

for the state, thus reducing its reliance on federal 

allocation with a boost in the GDP(Gross Domestic 

Product) and IGR (Internally Generated Revenue). 

The IbomAgricom Rice Processing Mill, 

King Flour Mill, Lion Plywood Factory, the Syringe 

Production Factory, Greenwell Fertiliser 

Plant, Awka Prime Hatchery and the toothpick 

and pencil making factory are examples of projects 

which are turning the fortunes of the state around 

for good, and will do for a long time. 

Without a doubt, Gov. Udom's strategy on 

security seems to be paying off. Akwa Ibom 

is about the only state in the South-South 

zone and the only oil producing state with 

no presence of militants or economic saboteurs 

under the guise of demanding a fair 

deal for the oil producing communities. He 

is a leader who has refused to weaponise 

poverty or keep his people in the grip of socio-economic 

hardship in a bid to consolidate 

his hold on political power, dominance 

and relevance, but has created job opportunities, 

access to quality education, genuine 


Japanese flourishing is known as “Ikagai” 

— literally meaning a “reason for 

being”. It refers to having a meaning 

for being — a direction and life-purpose. 

Four fundamental components 

of life are embedded in the Ikigai philosophy: 

passion, vocation, profession 

and mission. 

Remarkably, this philosophy 

emerged in Okinawa, an island that 

was the epicentre of the war between 

the United States and Japan. Okinawa 

lost more than 200,000 people. Out of 

that immense tragedy they evolved a 

philosophy that gave them renewed 

hope for the future. In a manner of 

speaking, they had found their ikigai. 

Out of the cauldron of war and suffering, 

they have built a sense of community 

anchored on kindness, purpose and 

living in the moment. It is no surprise 

therefore that the Okinawans have such 

a zest for living. Living to be a hundred 

is now the norm in Okinawa; aided by 

a good climate, excellent food, social 

harmony and peace. 

The Japanese believe that every 

human being has an ikigai (pronounced 

ee-kee-guy), a “path to life 

fulfilment”. The ikigai philosophy is 

not a quick-fix happiness pill that you 

can swallow. The Japanese are not a 

particularly happy people either. But 

scientific research has shown that a 

combination of a balanced diet, exercise 

and life-mission focus have been 

at the heart of Japanese longevity 

and flourishing. 

The German-American psychiatrist 

Viktor Frankl, in his famous 

book, Man’s Search for Meaning (Beacon 

Press, 1992), confessed that, as 

an inmate of a German concentration 

camp, he found that those who 

perished were mostly those who lost 

the will-to-live. He confessed that 

whenever he himself was about to 

give up, he imagined all the great 

scientific works that he wanted to produce 

and the future that lay ahead. 

You could say that, in Japanese parlance, 

he had found his ikigai. 

The foundation of Ikigai lies in answering 

the key questions: What gets 

you up in the morning? What puts 

you in your best element? During 

what activities do you experience flow? 

What do you find easy to do? What did 

you like doing as a kid? 



The essence of finding your ikigai is 

when what you love and are good at 

meets what you can be valued and 

paid for because it is needed by the 

world. Once you are able to identify 

these key elements about yourself, 

you should resolve to follow your 

own compass. 

Ikigai does not promise the elixir 

to eternal happiness. It is not a magic 

lantern to making billions of dollars. 

It is merely a key that opens 

the door to the resplendent mansion 

of hope, self-actualisaion and personal 

fulfilment. A life of purpose 

undoubtedly contributes to the prospects 

of a long and happy life. 

In a time of great stress in our 

country, I recommend this philosophy 

for people who face anxiety and 

fear in our lawless and nihilistic 

country. Companies, government 

and other organisations can build 

the ikigai philosophy into their corporate 

culture by making the workspace 

a happier experience. It has 

been proven that workers would 

much prefer working in a happy 

organisation with lesser pay than 

in an unhappy organisation that 

pays more. 

We face dark times.Rumours of 

war everywhere. Hunger and anger 

stare us in the face. The easiest temptation 

is despair and give up. Many 

young people are trying desperately 

to flee to Canada or the United 

States. 

Our skies are overcast with bad 

omens. As the immortal Chirstopher 

Okigbo put it: “And the secret 

thing in its heaving threatens with 

iron mask/The last lighted torch of 

the century”. 

I solemnly prophesy that, after the 

storm, a rainbow will appear. 

Therefore, keep going, no matter 

what. Discover your own ikigai. 

Keep walking. The journey of a thousand 

miles begins with the first step. 

Find your life-purpose and pursue 

it. Dream big. 

Follow your vocation and star. For 

the bloodthirsty demons that currently 

stalk our land with arrogant 

swagger will sooner or later eat the 

dust of their own wickedness. 

The dawn of a New Nigeria beckons! 

reputation of the former governor either.Udom 

left the political fate of his predecessor to God and 

the electorates. Unlike the situation of the former 

Governor of Kano State, Senator RabiuKwankwaso 

who cried out that he could not visit the state 

he governed for eight years as a result of bitter 

politics being played out by his successor. Pundits 

posit that former Emir of Kano, HRH SanusiLamido 

Sanusi, can be said to be a casualty of the 

ongoing political feud. Adams Oshiomhole paid 

the supreme price as he was expelled from the 

party he was the National Chairman at some 

point having lost control of the party at both national 

and state level. There is a touted yet similar 

political war in Ogun State between former Governor 

IbikunleAmosun and Governor Dapo Abiodun 

and in Niger State between Governor Sani 

Bello and former Governor BabangidaAliyu. 

Lagos State is another classical example. At 

some point, it was widely rumoured that Asiempowerment 

schemes and economically 

viable initiatives. Today, there is said to be a 

large population of enlightened residents 

and indigenes committed to personal development 

and that of the state too. There is no 

population to recruit criminals, political 

thugs and miscreants from to disturb the 

peace and tranquillity in the state. Akwa 

Ibom is the only state in the region with no 

heightened tension or considered a flash 

point for acts of criminality by all relevant 

security agencies. The indigenes of the state 

are committed to moving the state forward 

and sparing no one or agenda that could 

back-track their achievements or positive aspirations. 

Udom Emmanuel is a man whose values 

and sterling leadership qualities are appreciated 

and celebrated by prominent persons 

from both the Peoples Democratic Party and 

the All Progressive Congress. Two notable 

instances are when Governor Nyesom Wike 

of Rivers State described him as a man of 

integrity as his words is his bond, and Vice 

President Yemi Osibanjo called him “a game 

changer for the nation", and effusively described 

him as “one of the cleverest people I 

have ever come across”, during a project 

commissioning exercise at the state. 

Udom Emmanuel always readily preaches 

service as the first law of God, citing the 

story of the Good Samaritan. According to 

him: “Everyone should stoop down to help 

anyone who is down”. 

With him (Udom Emmanuel), service is 

not a habit but a character. This must explain 

why selfless service to the good people 

of Akwa Ibom State is the hallmark of his 

administration. 

I will recommend, with all sense of responsibility, 

that all aspiring public office holders 

understudy Udom Emmanuel and get a 

great perspective on selflessness in leadership. 

It will surely be a good model to emulate 

and always celebrate. 

•Otu, a business man, wrote from Uyo, 

Akwa Ibom State 

C 

M 

Y 

K


Our federal lawmakers have 

formed the habit of trying to make 

laws for everything under the sun 

as if legislation is the only means 

of solving socio-political and economic 

problems. 

The outrage which trailed the 

Bill in the Senate criminalising 

payment of ransom to kidnappers 

and seeking to jail the victims of 

government’s failure to implement 

the law has yet to die down. 

Now, there is another Bill in the 

same Senate seeking to compel 

governments at all levels to adopt 

planned development and ensure 

that all abandoned projects are 

completed with zero abandoned 

projects henceforth. 

The Compulsory Development 

Planning and Project Continuity 

Bill, 2021" sponsored by Senator 

Jibrin Barau (APC, Kano North), 

while lamenting the 11,886 abandoned 

federal and state projects 

“Continuity” Bill is dead on arrival 

identified in 2011 by the Presidential 

Projects Assessment Committee, 

said that the nation will be 

consigned to utter retrogression 

unless this ugly trend is checked. 

While we share the concerns expressed 

by the sponsor and his colleagues 

whose support helped to 

push it beyond the second reading, 

we are afraid that this Bill 

cannot be enforced. Any law that 

cannot be enforced is not a law 

and should not be made in the 

first place. 

Can a president, governor or ruling 

party be sued for refusal to 

continue with any project initiated 

by their predecessors considered 

as “white elephant” or out 

of tune with their own development 

vision? Can a court force a 

president or governor or ruling 

party to fund such projects? If they 

refuse, can they be jailed or sanctioned? 

We do not think so. All 

over the world, every newly elected 

government reserves the right 

to choose continuity or change. It 

depends on what they promised 

the electorate. 

In President Muhammadu Buhari’s 

case, he promised change 

in 2015. But when he went into office, 

he decided to toe the line of 

continuity with the style and legacies 

of his Peoples Democratic Party, 

PDP, predecessors, including the 

completion of their cardinal projects 

such as rail and road infrastructure 

renewal. The regime has been widely 

commended for this. 

Nobody can fault the project continuity 

argument or say that our 

abandoned projects are good sights 

to behold. Some of these projects, 

like Ajaokuta Steel, are crucial for 

rapid national development. But 

some of them were mere conduit 

pipes to steal the taxpayers’ money. 

Some of them had no basis in logic 

or reason. 

Persuasion and sensitisation remain 

the only tools at our disposal 

to get our leaders to adopt development 

planning and project continuity. 

Barau’s Bill is a waste of time. 

OPINION 

Nollywood as compass to national questions 

BY NGOZI EMEDOLIBE 

THE modern film industry in Nige 

ria came to real reckoning when it 

became the purveyor of heavily-guarded 

information about the society, more 

like the investigative reporter. One can 

illustrate this with the film that (arguably) 

gave birth to the phenomenon called Nollywood: 

Living in Bondage. Prior to the 

advent of the movie produced by Okey 

Ogunjiofor and Ken Nnebue, words were 

rife that emerging millionaires in the South 

East of Nigeria were probably living off 

the benefits of membership of certain secret 

cults. It was a perception, no one truly 

knew to what extent it held true. 

Okey and Ken stepped in with the brilliant 

idea to address that information gap. 

The result was Living in Bondage, which 

not only established that there were secret 

cults but also highlighted the consequences 

of such fraternities as exemplified 

by the character, Andy, played by actor 

Kenneth Okonkwo. 

Save from the storyline, which satisfied 

that information gap, there really was 

nothing to write home about the technical 

richness of the film, which is understandable, 

considering that the crew 

worked with the equipment their resources 

could afford at the time. Living in 

Bondage’s storyline captivated a lot of 

people. It became a hit, availed fame for 

the actors, spawned sales and ignited a 

renewed interest in the movie industry 

as other producers simply jumped on the 

wagon to spin similar tales. 

Overtime, the need to fill an information 

gap has produced other blockbusters, 

and Nollywood has done well in being 

the investigative reporter, in a playful 

and dramatic manner. Productions 

like Thunderbolt by Tunde Kelani, Issakaba 

directed by Lancelot Oduwa Imaseun 

in one way or the other played this 

cardinal role. 

With the reinvention of the cinema culture 

in recent times, some films have continued 

on this path. There has been Last 

Flight to Abuja by Obi Emelonye, 93 Days 

by Steve Gukas, October 1 by Kunle 

Afolayan, and 76 by Izu Ojukwu; the other 

breakaway successes the industry has 

The film industry still yearns 

for authentic stories that can fill 

the information gap of the 

nation; this is largely why the 

film, BADAMASI: Portrait of a 

General, an authorised biopic by 

international filmmaker Obi 

Emelonye is today one of the 

most anticipated films ever in 

the history of Nollywood 

witnessed have come from the romanticcomedy 

genre. 

On account of this, the film industry still 

yearns for authentic stories that can fill 

the information gap of the nation. This is 

why the announcement that BADAMA- 

SI: Portrait of a General, the biopic on Nigeria’s 

former President, General Ibrahim 

Badamasi Babangida would premiere on 

June 12, 2021 at Cinewold, O2 Arena, 

London is evoking a lot of interests. 

It ought to be so. 

General Babangida occupies a unique 

rung in Nigeria’s socio-political ladder. 

While being on everyone’s face, he is also 

distant, mysterious, much like what 

Michael Jackson held for millions of his 

fans worldwide. The more you try to know 

him, the little you understand. So many 

issues about him have been contrived, 

distorted, perhaps hyped, leaving Nigerians 

with an obfuscate personality, yet 

many are still very eager to probe and understand 

him. Reputed to be a major participant 

in most (if not all) of the coups 

that have taken place in Nigeria, he is 

believed to be endowed with a unique 

vista of Nigeria’s political space and his 

unpredictable nature when it comes to discussing 

same, roundly compounds issues 

for the people. 

As a head of state, who chose to be addressed 

as military president, his reign 

oversaw some of the elemental points in 

Nigeria’s history, most of which have remained 

fuzzy. From issues about the Nigeria-Biafra 

War, foiling of Dimka’s coup, 

sacking of Shehu Shagari and Buhari, to 

the infamous Structural Adjustment Programme 

, assassination of famous journalist, 

Dele Giwa and the chaotic annulment 

of June 12, 1993 presidential election, 

which left Nigerians with new lexicons, 

like ‘impasse’ and others, the story 

of Ibrahim Babangida cannot but leave so 

much to be desired. His background, outstandingly 

lowly, and how he rose to the 

zenith of political influence in Nigeria, 

makes him a subject for students of motivational 

speaking. 

In reality, Nigerians have always been 

looking out for an autobiography from 

him, which would offer the needed explanations 

for some of these knotty issues 

in our socio-political history. This is 

largely why the film, BADAMASI: Portrait 

of a General, an authorised biopic by 

international filmmaker Obi Emelonye is 

today one of the most anticipated films 



ever in the history of Nollywood, which 

has given Nigeria the reputation of being 

the third largest film producing nation 

in the world. The thematic collage of 

drama, education and history therein, captures 

a larger segment of the society in 

contrast with the average Nollywood film. 

For the regular fans of Nollywood films, 

the stellar cast, comprising Enyinna 

Nwigwe, Sani Danja, Ali Nuhu, Yakubu 

Mohammed, Kalu Ikeagwu, Okey Bakassi, 

Julius Agwu, Charles Inojie and Anthony 

Monjaro in this intense military drama, 

will be enthralling. Outside the regular 

Nollywood fans, it will avail the history-conscious 

individuals the opportunity 

to understand some of the most remarkable 

events that have shaped Nigeria’s 

political and historical landscape, as 

seen through the eyes of some principal 

characters who participated in these epochal 

events. 

With this in mind, it is understandable 

why Nigerians in London are eagerly 

looking forward to this première on a remarkable 

date (June 12, 2021) at the 

prestigious O2 Arena, which was to host 

Michael Jackson’s ill-fated ‘This is It’ concert. 

Many influential Nigerians had reportedly 

tried to stop the premiere in the 

past by orchestrating death threats on the 

producer, but the time seems right now 

for the mother of all revelations because, 

in all fairness, Nigerians deserve to know 

who has done what in their turbulent history. 

Questions have been asked; answers 

are needed and may it serve as a compass 

to a better future for Nigeria. 

•Emedolibe, a journalist and art 

critic has served as editor in publications 

like National Mirror, National 

Daily and Hints magazine.



Y 

K 

Vanguard, MONDAY, JUNE 7 , 2021 — 21 

SYMPATHISERS AT SCOAN CHURCH OVER PROPHET TB 

JOSHUA'S DEATH, IN LAGOS, YESTERDAY 

Sympathisers, yesterday, thronged the Synagogue Church of All 

Nations, at Egbe in Alimosho Local Government Area, over the death 

of its Founder, Prophet T. B. Joshua, who died Saturday, in Lagos. Our 

cameraman, BUNMI AZEEZ, was there. 

C

22— Vanguard, MONDAY, JUNE 7, 2021



Vanguard, MONDAY, JUNE 7, 2021 — 25




Kano to redeploy 5,000 civil 

servants to classrooms 

By Abdulmumin 

Murtala 

KANO—FOLLOWING the 

adoption of the 

recommendation of the Technical 

Committee set up to look into the 

teaching staff challenges 

bedeviling free education policy 

in the state, Kano State 

Government has directed the civil 

service commission to redeploy 

5,000 civil servants with requisite 

qualification in education to 

classrooms as part of efforts to 

strengthen the policy. 

While adopting the report of the 

committee established by the 

Office of the Secretary to the 

State Government to identify 

such categories of civil servants, 

the government at its weekly 

State Executive Council, SEC, 

meeting, also accepted the 

immediate establishment of an 

implementation committee. 

Briefing journalists, 

Commissioner for Information, 

Malam Muhammad Garba, said 

NEXIM Bank to address dearth of 

bankable projects, increase flow 

of funds to SMEs 

By Dapo Akinrefon 

K 

A D U N A — 

MANAGING 

Director, Nigerian Export-Import 

Bank, NEXIM, Mr. Abubakar 

Abba Bello, weekend, said the 

Bank was at the verge of 

addressing dearth of bankable 

projects and increase flow of 

funds to Small and Medium 

Enterprises, SMEs. 

To achieve this, he stated 

that NEXIM was partnering 

African Export-Import Bank, 

Afreximbank to establish a 

Project Preparation Fund, PPF, 

through which both institutions 

had agreed to raise $50 million to 

support the pre-investment 

phase in a project preparation 

circle, noting that it was 

expected that the fund would 

address the dearth of bankable 

projects and increase the flow 

of funds to SMEs. 

End SARS: NCC donates 100 

matresses to NYSC 

By Emmanuel 

Elebeke 

THE 

Nigerian 

Communications 

Commission, NCC Friday 

donated 100 pieces of mattresses 

to the National Youth Service 

Corps, NYSC Camp, Kubwa, FCT 

to cushion the effects of the 

destruction of the orientation 

camp by EndSARS protesters last 

year. 

Presenting the relief items, the 

Executive Vice Chairman of 

Nigerian Communications 

Commission, Prof. Umar Garba 

Danbatta, said the gesture was 

borne out of the Commission’s 

Corporate Social Responsibility 

(CSR) to share in the loss and to 

support the replacement of some 

of the items carted away by 

hoodlums during the End SARS 

protests. 

“We are here today to share in 

your loss and to support the 

replacement of some of the 

items carted away by hoodlums 

during the End SARS protests 

“the affected staff serving in Ministries, 

Departments and Agencies 

(MDAs) as well as Local Government 

Areas (LGAs) with vital 

teaching credentials are to be dispatched 

to fill existing posts in 

schools including tertiary institutions 

in the state. The committee 

discovered that there 

were 575 officers with teaching 

qualification serving in MDAs, 

while 3,712 others were found in 

the 44 LGAs with duplicate 

functions. 

“Of this number, 19 of them 

have Phds, 55 Masters, 1,100 

B.Eds, 2,366 NCE and 10 

Diploma in Education. The 

committee’s findings also 

revealed that 508 officers, three 

of them with P.hds/Masters, 79 

B.Ed, 421 with NCE and five 

others with Diploma in Education 

were found in local governments 

engaged in administrative duties. 

Zonal offices and local 

government areas have large 

concentration of officers.'' 

He disclosed this at an enlightenment 

and engagement workshop 

on Export for SMEs in Kaduna 

on the sidelines of the Kaduna 

International Trade Fair. 

In his remarks, Bello recognized 

the role of SMEs in cross border 

trade, and the need to 

mainstream informal export 

activities, particularly within the 

context of the African 

Continental Free Trade 

Agreement (AfCFTA), adding 

that the Bank has also established 

an SME desk to respond 

specifically to the needs of small 

businesses. 

The bank chief added that 

under its trade facilitation role, 

particularly towards enhancing 

the competitiveness of 

Nigerian exporters in the 

regional market, it had continued 

to promote the Regional Sealink 

Project to bridge the maritime 

infrastructure gap thereby 

improving trade connectivity for 

coastal and hinterland trade. 

of October 27, 2020. 

“The Commission is here to 

present you with a hundred 

pieces of Mattresses for the use 

of the Corp members. 

“This act is one out of the 

Commission’s numerous 

Corporate Social Responsibility 

(CSR). 

“The youth as we know, plays 

a great role in national building. 

They contribute to national 

development and are responsible 

for bringing social reforms. As the 

saying goes, the youth of a 

countrys the future of a country.” 

As a foremost regulator in 

Nigeria’s telecom industry, 

Danbatta said the 

Commission, has been 

supporting the youth through 

various projects and activities 

aimed at making them self-reliant 

and enhancing their contribution 

to the economy. He listed one of 

such programmes is the young 

innovators, stating that the 

Commission had embarked on 

different initiatives to reach out 

to consumers. 

DONATION: From left; Mrs Osinachi Buchi-Chukwu, Principal Manager, Nigerian Communications 

Commission (NCC), Mrs Truddy Tony-Awusaku, Head, Media and Public Relations (NCC),Major Awwal 

Audu,Camp Commandant, Dr. Ikechukwu Adinde, Director, Public Affairs, NCC, Mr. Suleiman Abdul 

Alhaji, FCT Co-ordinator, National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), Mrs. Grace Ojougboh, Head Online 

Media and Special Publications, NCC, Mr. John Precious Agwu, Camp Director, at the presentation of 

100 NCC branded mattresses to FCT NYSC Orientation Camp, Kubwa, Abuja. 

Afaka students behaving strangely, 

parents raise alarm 

By Ibrahim Hassan 

PARENTS 

of 

abducted students of 

Federal College of Forestry 

Mechanization, Afaka, 

Kaduna State, released 

recently by their abductors, 

have raised the alarm that 

most of the students were 

exhibiting strange 

behaviours. 

The parents are blaming 

their children's unusual 

behaviours on lack of proper 

medical checkup and trauma 

counselling necessary for their 

rehabilitation. 

Consequently, they demanded 

compensation from the Federal 

Ministry of Environment to 

enable them treat their children. 

The parents, in a statement by 

Chairman of their forum, 

Abdullahi Usman, said 

yesterday: “On Wednesday, May 

5, 2021, the remaining 27 of the 

39 abducted students of the 

Federal College of Forestry 

Mechanization, Afaka, Kaduna, 

were released by their abductors. 

It will be recalled that two of the 

39 abducted students escaped 

soon after the abduction on the 

night of March 11, 2021, while 

10 were released in two batches 

of five each on April 5 and 7 

respectively. 

“The release of the 27 on May 

25, following efforts by their 

parents, who suffered 

excruciating hardships and 

trauma, resulting in the death of 

a parent, was greeted with global 

applause and cheers. The release 

of the students ignited hopes 

that they would immediately be 

made to go through the very 

necessary medical check up to 

ensure their soundness of health, 

especially to heal them of all 

terror-inflicted trauma that could 

negatively affect their normal 

living. 

“The parents of the students 

had expected the Federal 

Ministry of Environment and the 

Forestry Research Institute of 

Nigeria (FRIN) to immediately set 

a process in motion for such 

necessary checkup and 

compensation to assuage all 

negative effects of terror they and 

the children suffered. However, 

one month after the release of 

the students, most of them have 

been exhibiting some abnormal 

psychological behaviours due to 

lack of proper medical checkup 

and trauma counselling 

necessary for their rehabilitation. 

We the parents have received no 

assurance of compensation from 

the Ministry or Institute over 

the psychological damage 

inflicted on the children during 

their 56 days' encounter with 

terror. 

“We wish to stress that 

consequent upon the foregoing, 

most of the children have not 

been living their normal lives since 

their release by the abductors. 

13 days after: NLC accuses el-Rufai of breaching of 

MoU 

By Victor Ahiuma- 

Young 

ABUJA—BARELY 13 days 

after Nigeria Labour 

Congress, NLC, entered into 

Memorandum of Understanding, 

MoU, with Kaduna State 

Government suspending the 

industrial unrest against the state 

government over mass sack of 

workers among others, NLC has 

accused the state government of 

breaching the MoU and 

threatened to resume the 

suspended action. 

In a petition to President 

Muhamadu Buhari, NLC among 

others, accused the state 

government of refusal to respect 

the MoU signed at a meeting 

brokered by the Minister of 

Labour and Employment; 

continuous violation of workers’ 

rights as provided in our labour 

laws; punitive transfer of the 

State Chairperson of the NLC; 

victimizing workers for 

participating in the warning 

strike; and violation of the “no 

victimization” clause in the 

signed agreement. 

Recall that NLC had between 

May 17 and 20, crippled all socioeconomic 

activities in the state 

as part of a five day warning strike 

before it was apprehended by the 

Federal Government through 

the Minister of Labour and 

Employment, Senator Chris 

Ngige. 

But in the Petition to President 

Buhari through his Chief of Staff, 

titled “Refusal of the Kaduna 

State Government to honour 

and respect the Memorandum of 

understanding signed at a 

meeting brokered by the 

Minister of Labour and 

Employment”, copied Secretary 

to the Government of the 

•Say most of the children not living normal lives since 

release•Allege no proper medicare since they were freed 

from abductors •Demand full check-up and compensation 

for the abducted students, may pursue legal options 

Yet, the Ministry and the 

institute seem insensitive to 

their plight and indifferent to 

their trauma. Accordingly, we, 

parents of the released 

students, hereby categorically 

demand immediate 

compensation from the Ministry 

and the Institute to enable us 

treat them of their trauma. 

“We are resolute in our resolve 

to bark and bite in our pursuit of 

compensation for our children, 

Federation, Minister of Labour 

and Employment, Inspector 

General of Police, Director, State 

Security Services and all affiliates 

the NLC, NLC’s President, 

Ayuba Wabba, threatened 

nationwide industrial unrest 

without notice if the Kaduna 

State Government was not call 

to order. 

The petition, among others, 

read “Mr. President may recall 

that the first conciliatory meeting 

between the Nigeria Labour 

Congress and the Kaduna State 

Government took place on May 

19 Northern education 

commissioners brainstorm on 

security of schools 

By Bashir Bello 

KANO—THE 19 

Northern states 

Commissioner of Education 

weekend began a meeting in 

Kano State on how to improve 

security of boarding schools 

among others, in the region. 

Declaring the meeting open, 

Governor Abdullahi Umar 

Ganduje who was represented by 

his Deputy, Dr. Nasir Yusuf 

Gawuna, said the meeting was 

very timely especially with 

regards to the current security 

challenges affecting boarding 

secondary schools in the region. 

Gawuna urged participants to 

expedite actions in providing 

suitable solutions to tackle the 

numerous challenges. 

Earlier, Commissioner of 

Education, Mohammad 

Sanusi Kiru, said security was 

top among issues to be 

discussed, especially with the 

current challenges affecting 

secondary schols in many 

whose abduction was for no fault 

of theirs. 

'' We will go to any length, using 

every legal instrument available 

to us, to get what we believe our 

children deserve to facilitate their 

return to normal life. We now 

deem it legitimately and 

legally fit to demand what we 

believe should be given to us 

for the proper rehabilitation 

of our children.” 

•Reports gov to Buhari, threatens nationwide industrial unrest 

20, 2021. A major outcome of that 

meeting was a Memorandum of 

Understanding, MoU, signed by 

the Nigeria Labour Congress and 

the Kaduna State Government. 

''The MoU specifically provided 

that there should be no further 

victimization and harassment of 

workers and trade union leaders 

in the state especially workers 

who participated in the warning 

strike. The Nigeria Labour 

Congress was also expected 

to maintain the suspension 

of the strike action while 

negotiations continued.'' 

parts of the country. 

According to him, the meeting 

became necessary with of the 

challenges facing the student 

Exchange programme, informing 

that Kano had two functional 

unity schools, saying over 400 

from the 19 Northern states were 

currently studying in the schools. 

The schools are Unity School, 

Karaye for boys and Government 

College, Kachako for girls. 

On his part, Chairman of the 

Student Exchange programme, 

Shehu Mohammad, said the 

exchange programmes was 

introduced in 1984 with the aim 

of ensuring unity, cultural 

understanding and togetherness 

among the students of the 

participating states. 

Usman, who doubles as the 

Commissioner of Education 

Kaduna State added that the 

meeting would fine-tune 

modalities for enhancing security 

in the schools and also 

harmonized school calendars 

across the region. 

C 

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Vanguard, MONDAY, JUNE 7, 2021 — 27

C 

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28 — Vanguard, MONDAY JUNE 7, 2021 



WORKSHOP: Speaker, Delta State House of Assembly, Chief Sheriff Oborevwori (5th left), 

Majority Whip, Delta State House of Assembly, Mr Festus Okoh (5th right); Director 

Legislative, Delta State House of Assembly, Mr Silvester Olorogun (left) and principal 

officers of Ika South Legislative House during the opening ceremony of the capacity 

building workshop for councillors of Ika South Local Government legislative arm. 

C'River PDP: Imoke, Duke, Bassey reconcile, 

set to make party stronger 

•This house is in order, no record of me retiring from PDP —Duke 

By Ike 

Uchechukwu 

CGovernors ALABAR—FORMER 

Donald Duke, 

Liyel Imoke and the Senator 

representing Cross River 

South Senatorial District, 

Senator Gershom Bassey, 

otherwise known as the three 

musketeers of the Peoples 

Democratic Party , PDP, have 

resolved their 14 years old 

"feud" in the state. 

The reconciliation meetings 

held at two venues, weekend 

as Imoke hosted the actual 

meeting in his private residence 

at state Housing Estate, 

Calabar with some of the PDP 

founding members and stakeholders, 

while Duke hosted the 

reception in his private residence 

at Diamond Hill. 

At a closed-door meeting on 

Saturday, Imoke, Duke and 

Bassey with other founding 

members and stakeholders 

met at Senator Imoke's residence 

to put behind their differences 

and form a formidable 

front to recapture the state 

from the All Progressives Congress, 

APC, following the recent 

decamping of Governor 

Ben Ayade from the PDP to the 

APC. 

In a video of the closed-door 

meeting leaked to some newsmen, 

yesterday, Duke said, "it's 

not about winning elections, 

we're trying to build the people 

and not just winning elections 

and I think that is what 

politics is all about. 

"We have a lot of work to do, 

a lot of people are waiting to 

hear from us and waiting to 

see that our house is in order 

and I want to say something; 

this house is in order. 

"As long or as protracted as 

this has gone on, if we hadsat 

down and rob minds, the issue 

would vanish in 10 minutes. 

We needed an event like 

this where we would say what 

is your problem? 

"We will still talk about it but 

that is not the issue now. Right 

now, there is the greatest thing 

at stake which is the corporate 

unity of all of us. I may 

have gone on sabbatical and 

temporary retirement but 

you'll find no record of me retiring 

from PDP. 

"We have work to do and we 

can't sit down here to do this 

work. Just as in 1999, we traversed 

the length and breadth 

of this country. 

"Let us go back to that root 

and once again traverse the 

length and breadth. Let our 

children who we want to put 

into the system see that their 

fathers are still around and are 

laughing because you see you 

can inherit anything." 

On his part, Imoke expressed 

excitement with the 

reunification and reassured 

the people of the state that the 

PDP was intact and will certainly 

recapture the state 

come 2023 for the interest of 

the people and the state. 

Gov Emmanuel vows to prosecute 

sponsors of communal crises in A'Ibom 

By Harris Emanuel 

U Udom YO—GOVERNOR 

Emmanuel of 

Akwa Ibom State has vowed 

to unmask the masterminds 

of communal crises in the 

state to bring them to justice. 

The governor gave the assurance, 

weekend at Enwang, 

headquarters of Mbo Local 

Government Area of the state, 

during the launch of N150 

million appeal fund for victims 

of attacks by the neighbouring 

Uko Nteghe Uda between 

January and February 

this year. 

The governor, who was the 

chief launcher, thanked the 

community for reposing confidence 

and trust in his administration, 

as according to him, 

no development can thrive in 

an area wrecked by violence 

and pledged that his administration 

would fish out the 

perpetrators and prosecute 

them. 

Emmanuel who was represented 

by the Commissioner 

for Special Duties and Aviation 

Development, Okpolupm 

Ikpong Etteh, said: "The governor 

says I should thank you 

for the confidence and trust 

Ijaw, Isoko, Itsekiri leaders dissociate ethnic groups 

from Biafra 

By Jimitota 

Onoyume 

WARRI—THE trio of Ijaw, 

Isoko and Itsekiri ethnic 

nationalities have said they do 

not belong to Biafra. 

A communique by the Protem 

Chairman, Chief Edward 

Ekpoko, Chief Bare Etolor, 

2nd Vice Chairman and Philip 

Oju, said: "The ethnic nationalities 

of Ijaw, Isoko and 

Itsekiri in Delta State have not 

and will never be part of Biafran 

contraption, as we do not 

have any affinity with its geographical 

location and people. 

"We, therefore, in the strongest 

terms, demand that the 

agitators for Biafra whether 

as a geopolitical entity or an 

ideological contraption 

should exclude our homelands 

from their maps. 

"The forum also examined 

the ongoing effort by the Na- 

tional Assembly to further 

amend the 1999 Constitution 

and came up with the following 

resolutions: That it is a 

notorious fact that the 1999 

Constitution is not a people's 

Constitution, but an imposition 

by a military junta. That 

Nigeria is today, at the precipice, 

because of the failure of 

the said 1999 constitution to 

adequately address the fears 

and needs of their peoples. 

"That the Nigerian nation 

has its problems because, in 

our view, it suffers the contradiction 

of pretending to have 

a federal state while it is governed 

as a unitary state. No 

matter the number of amendments 

to a faulty document, it 

will remain a patchwork of 

fundamental flaws. The Nigerian 

state has moved away 

from what our founding fathers 

agreed with the rest of 

the world, which was to govern 

our heterogeneous nation-state, 

through a truly federal 

constitution. 

"We the Ijaw, Itsekiri and 

Isoko Leaders and Elders Forum, 

recommend that we revert 

to 1963 Republican Constitution, 

with its financial 

provisions, for a start, and take 

the steps that are necessary to 

form new regions as necessary. 

"It has become more logical, 

therefore, that the country 

should be restructured following 

the decisions of our 

founding fathers at independence, 

who adopted federalism 

with resource control, 

where the federating units pay 

appropriate taxes to the Federal 

Government as against 

the current unitary system. 

"As we continue to pledge 

our unalloyed faith in the continuity 

of Nigeria as sovereign 

nation, we demand that governments 

at all level should 

see this as a clarion call to 

action, to save our fledging 

Republic from collapse," they 

said. 

you have in my government. 

He says I should assure the 

people that what happened 

will never happen again. Never 

again will the people run 

away from their homes. The 

government is doing everything 

possible to bring the 

actors of the heinous acts to 

justice and government will 

not allow them to go scot-free. 

Let us allow the security agencies 

to do their work. 

"There must be peace in 

Enwang and Mbo, because of 

the investment coming to 

Mbo. Investment cannot 

thrive in the atmosphere of 

chaos. Enwang is the seat of 

government and nobody will 

take that away. We must keep 

the peace because so many 

things are coming to the local 

government." 

The governor raised the 

hope of the youths of the area 

when he promised that they 

would undergo series of training 

given the nature of investment 

opportunities coming to 

the area so that they can benefit 

maximally. 

The community in a welcome 

address by Major General 

Isidore Edet (retd), gave 

an overview of the 'unprovoked' 

attacks which led to 

wanton destruction of property, 

loss of lives and means of 

livelihoods of many indigenes. 

BENIN CITY—THE Univer 

sity of Benin, in Benin, Edo 

State will hold its 245 inaugural 

lecture on Thursday, June 10, 

2021 at the Akin Deko auditorium, 

Ugbowo campus. 

The topic of the lecture, 'The 

No plan to retrench, sack workers 

in Edo, Obaseki reassures 

By Gabriel 

Enogholase 

BENIN—Governor Godwin 

Obaseki of Edo State, has 

said that there were no plans to 

either sack or retrench workers 

in the state, noting that ongoing 

reforms in the state's civil and 

public service were aimed at improving 

productivity and service 

delivery to the people. 

Obaseki gave the assurance, 

yesterday, in Benin City, when 

he addressed participants at a 

stakeholders' engagement of the 

Edo State Transition Committee 

with Permanent Secretaries, 

Heads of Ministries, Departments 

and Agencies, MDAs, 

Heads of Local Government Administration, 

HOLGA and the 

Judiciary. 

He said, "We are not going to 

retrench workers or sack anyone, 

but you must follow the new 

trends and conform to the new 

rules and if you can't cope, you 

should move out from the service 

yourself. 

"I will train you to get the desired 

output from you. We are 

going to generate more revenue 

to run our state. 

"I will see how your pay and 

allowance can be improved, but 

I don't want to see or hear that 

any one of you is found corrupt, 

or engaged in corrupt practices, I 

will not accept that. I have spoken 

to the Independent Corrupt 

Practices and Other Related Of- 

fences Commission, ICPC and 

the Economic and Financial 

Crimes Commission, EFCC, to 

collaborate with us on this, and 

also organise training for you 

people. 

"I will bring in experts to train 

you in your areas of specialization, 

and make sure that all leakages 

are blocked to enable us 

move our state forward. 

"My administration is determined 

to make things work the 

way it should. The era of who 

you know is over, it is now the 

era of what you can offer the system. 

"As heads of MDAs, institutions 

and departments, you 

should not allow any file to stay 

in your offices beyond 48 hours. 

Anyone who flaunts the rule will 

get an automatic query and after 

three queries such a person 

leaves the system. As the governor 

of the state, no file stays in 

my office beyond 48 hours." 

He warned the workers 

against cutting corners to favour 

themselves and urged them to 

be committed and stand upright 

to better the system. 

On his part, Edo State Head 

of Service and Chairman, Transition 

Committee Chairman, 

Anthony Okungbowa said, 

"Obaseki is investing in creating 

e-governance platforms, reviewing 

rules of service, and developing 

performance management 

strategy scorecards to rate workers 

performance." 

Bernard Awariata not true Ovie 

of Eghwu —Ivwidiotu 

U GHELLI—CONTRO 

VERSY has continued to 

trail the emergeance of Mr. 

Bernard Awariata as the Ovie of 

Eghwu Kingdom as Ahawan 

kingmakers family group has faulted 

the process that led to his selection. 

Speaking on behalf of Ahawan 

Kingmakers family, the Awhotu 

(Second in command) and Acting 

Otota (Spokesperson) of the 

family, Mr. Ibadan Ivwidiotu noted 

that the process that selected 

Mr. Bernard Awariata was in 

breach of the defunct Bendel state 

law on Traditional Rulers and 

Chiefs Edict, 1979 and the Delta 

state law on Traditional Rulers 

Council and Chiefs, 2003. 

He said, "Bernard Awariata cannot 

be the Ovie of Eghwu Kingdom 

because he and seven others 

concerned were not presented 

by the Ekade ruling house to 

Ahawan kingmakers family group. 

Also the Osuvie, Michael Ohwofaria 

is of a female descendant of 

the family and cannot crown any 

acceptable candidate as an Ovie 

of the kingdom, neither does he 

have the right to screen, or select 

a candidate from the ruling house 

and crown same as Ovie of the 

Kingdom. This responsibility is 

solely for male descendants of the 

ruling house. 

"Also where there is a disagreement 

in the Ruling house, the 

kingmakers family group is expected 

to conduct election by secret 

ballot. 

"I therefore want to appeal to 

all sons and daughters of Eghwu 

Kingdom to remain calm and law 

abiding, that very soon the rightful 

thing Ovie elect of the kingdom 

will be crowned after all necessary 

traditional formalities are 

completed." 

Edo Assembly: Obaseki 

contradicted himself on 14 

lawmakers-elect —Osifo 

By Ozioruva Aliu 

BENIN CITY—ONE of the 

Edo State 14 lawmakerselect 

yet to be sworn in almost 

two years after their election, 

Washington Osifo has said that 

Governor Godwin Obaseki contradicted 

himself when he said 

that only the court could resolve 

the crisis, alleging that it was because 

he (Obaseki) did not agree 

on a political solution to the crisis 

that necessitated their approaching 

the courts. 

He also took a swipe at Obase- 

UNIBEN holds 245 inaugural lecture 

autobiography of Nigeria' will be 

delivered by the professor of English, 

Literature and Creative 

Writing, Anthony Afejuku. The 

event will be chaired by the Vice- 

Chancellor of the university, Prof. 

Lilian Salami. 

ki who last week threatened to 

press sedition and treason charges 

against the 14 lawmakers. 

Osifo said: "You are aware that 

after the night inauguration of 

June 17, 2019, since then, we 

have been shut out. We tried a 

political angle, but it did not work, 

so that is why we went to court, 

By June 17, 2021, it will be two 

years. Our constituencies are the 

ones suffering no representation. 

The duties of a legislator are to 

make laws and other oversight 

functions, so since we are out, it's 

not only our constituencies that 

are suffering, but the entire state. 

"Obaseki contradicted himself 

when he said it was not in his 

hand, but with the court. His reaction 

was on the demand made 

by our leaders to settle out of court. 

We have been denied the opportunity 

to represent our people, 

despite an election which we 

rightly won."







Delta Assembly Majority Whip organises workshop for Councillors 

By Festus Ahon 

ASABA—A two day capac 

ity building workshop for 

Councillors of Ika South local 

government legislative 

arm in Delta State, ended 

weekend, with a charge on 

members of the legislative 

arms of local government 

councils across the state to 

come up with by-laws that 

would enhance grassroots development 

and wellbeing of 

the people. 

Various speakers and resources 

persons at the workshop 

organized by the Majority 

Whip and Member Representing 

Ika South Constituency 

in the Delta State House of 

Assembly, Mr Festus Okoh, 

for the elected councillors of 

Ika South local government 

legislative House, at Abraka, 

Ethiope East local government 

area, gave the charge in 

their various presentations. 

The workshop, according 

to the sponsor, Mr Festus 

Okoh, was to expose members 

of the newly inaugurated 

legislative arm of Ika 

South local government 

council, to the tools, rudiments, 

procedures and practice 

of the legislature. 

The lawmaker explained 

that the idea was to broaden 

their knowledge and capacity 

as they face the challenges 

before them as lawmakers, 

stressing that the 

local government legislature 

remains the primary 

organ needed to bring the 

required dividends of democracy 

to the people. 

The Speaker of the Delta 

State House of Assembly, 

Chief Sheriff Oborevwori, 

while declaring the workshop 

open, said the workshop 

was first of its kind in 

the state, and attributed the 

Twitter ban: FG should invest in 

digital platforms, encourage 

credible news sources —Onigbanjo 

By Emmanuel 

Elebeke 

A BUJA—FOLLOWING 

the recent ban of Twitter 

in Nigeria, UK based Nigerian 

Capital Market Trading expert, 

Sam Onigbanjo, has 

urged the Federal Government 

to invest in digital platforms 

and in having ‘trusted’ 

and ‘credible’ news portals so 

that people will know where 

to get trusted information. 

He disclosed this on a live 

interview on Friday, where he 

noted that banning of digital 

platforms isn't the solution to 

tackling the dissemination of 

fake news. 

"Rather than ban Twitter, we 

need to look inwards and invest 

more in understanding 

digital platforms. 

“COVID-19 is airborne, do 

we ban air? People commit financial 

crimes daily, do we 

ban money?" 

Onigbanjo who is also the 

Founding Partner of the Capital 

Markets Academy and an 

author, also stated that it is imperative 

to have an effective 

digital environment and presence 

of reliable news platforms. 

According to him, "once this 

is achieved, people will know 

what to believe and what to 

dismiss. 

“Nigerians and foreign observers 

sometimes do not 

know what media platform to 

trust, making them gullible to 

any news whether true or 

false," he said. 

He stressed that "it is time 

we encouraged the development 

of our own digital platforms 

and encourage Nigerians 

who can build global digital 

platforms. This is where 

constant electricity, quality 

internet access, and ease of 

doing business come to play." 

development to the high 

drive for competence and 

quality by the Ika South 

Representative in the state 

legislature. 

Leading the pack of the various 

lectures at the workshop 

was the Clerk of the State 

House of Assembly, Mrs Lyna 

Ocholor, who highlighted the 

important role of the legislature 

at the local government 

level in the provision of good 

governance. 

The Director Legislative, 

Delta State House of Assembly, 

Mr Silvester Olorogun 

who took participants on Procedures 

for Passage of Bills as 

well as Overview of Legislative 

Practice and Procedures, 

charged the councilors to 

have firm knowledge of the 

rules and orders governing 

the conduct of business in the 

councils' legislative House. 

A Deputy Director, also in 

the legislative department of 

the Delta State House of Assembly, 

Dr Stephen Okolo, 

while speaking on “Committee 

System in the Legislature“, 

took participants through the 

various constitutional provisions 

with respect to committees 

and urged them to live up 

to expectations in their oversight 

functions. 

C 

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FOREX: Turnover in I&E rises by 132% to $2.6bn 

By Elizabeth Adegbesan 

*As foreign reserves shed $950m 

The volume of dollars traded 

(turnover) in the Investors and 

Exporters (I&E) window of the 

Nigerian foreign exchange (forex) 

market rose sharply by 132 per cent 

month-on-month (MoM) to $2.6 

billion in May, 2021 from $1.12 billion 

in the preceding month of April. 

Financial Vanguard analysis of daily 

transactions in the window as 

published by FMDQ showed that on a 

weekly basis, the turnover stood at 

$467.97 million in the first week of 

May. 

In the second week turnover fell by 

29 per cent to $334.36 million from 

where it rose by 53 per cent to $511.37 

million in the third week. 

The upward trend continued in the 

fourth week as turnover rose sharply 

by 142 per cent to $1.24 billion despite 

the official devaluation of the naira in 

the Nigerian Autonomous Foreign 

Exchange (NAFEX) to N410 per dollar 

from N376 per dollar by the Central 

Bank of Nigeria, CBN, during the week. 

However, turnover stood at $100.77 

million on the last day of the fifth week. 

Meanwhile, the naira depreciated by 

N2 in the I&E window in May as the 


indicative exchange rate for the window 

rose to N412 per dollar on May 31st 

from N410 per dollar on 4th of May. 

On the other hand, the nation’s 

external reserves fell by $639 million 

in May. Data from the CBN showed 

that the reserves fell to $34.242 billion 

on May 31st from $34.881 billion at 

the end of April 30th. Overall, the 

reserves have fallen by $950 million 

since the beginning of the year. 

MONDAY, JUNE 7, 2021 

Foreign portfolio investors’ stake 

in Nigerian equities drops 41.6% 

•Dealers see further decline in months ahead 

By Nkiruka Nnoro m 

AS the Nigerian economy 

approaches its first half year, 

there are indications that 

foreign investors’ confidence is yet 

to return even after two consecutive 

quarters of positive gross domestic 

product, GDP. Foreign Portfolio 

Investors (FPIs), the main gauge of 

external sector confidence, has 

plummeted 41.57 percent in the first 

four months of 2021. 

Figures on Domestic and Foreign 

Portfolio Participation in Equity 

Trading for April 2021, published by 

the Nigerian Exchange (NGX) 

Limited, showed that the foreign 

investors have reduced their stakes 

to N178.25 billion at end of April. 

This is against N305.05 billion 

invested in the corresponding period 

in 2020. 

However, domestic 

investors raised their 

stake within the period 

by 46.11 percent to 

N658.21 billion as 

against N450.48 billion 

in the corresponding 

period of 2020 as a result 

of assets rotation by the 

locals from fixed income 

(FI) to equities following 

low yields in the FI 

market. 

M e a n w h i l e , 

investment analysts 

have attributed the 

weak confidence by 

FPIs to concerns around 

foreign exchange (FX) 

liquidity and the 

deterioration in the 

macro-environment. 

While foreign reserves 

have been on the 

decline, Nigeria’s 

economy was pushed 

into recession in the 

second quarter of 2020. 

The analysts also 

pointed to the rising 

inflation as part of the challenges as 

Nigeria’s inflation rate rose for 

nineteenth consecutive month up till 

April 2021, with moderate reversal 

in May at 18.12 percent, according 

to the inflation figures of the National 

Bureau of Statistics (NBS). 

Explaining the FPI challenges, 

Tunde Abioye, Head, Equity 

Research, FBNQuest Merchant 

Bank, an arm of the First Bank of 

Nigeria, stated: “It’s more of a case 

of apathy by offshore investors rather 

than increased participation by 

domestic investors. “Concerns 

around FX liquidity and the 

deterioration in the macroenvironment 

dampened the appetite 

of FPIs. The surge in domestic 

interest in equities towards the 

fourth quarter of 2020 (Q4’20) was 

due to investors’ rotation out of fixed 

income securities as a result of the 

low yield environment.” 

Domestic vs. foreign investors’ 

participation in equities 

Financial Vanguard’s analysis 

showed that while the foreign 

investors were down-sizing their 

investment, their local counterparts 

consistently raised their exposure. 

Distribution of foreign and 

domestic investors’ participation in 

equities showed that local investors 

accounted for 78.69 percent of the 

total transactions (N836.46bn) in the 

four months of the year, while the 

FPIs accounted for 21.31 percent. 

FPI outflow during the four month 

period was N99.94 billion compared 

to N78.31 billion inflow. 

Further analysis showed a 

continuous decline in foreign 

participation on a month-on-month 

(MoM) basis. 

Financial Vanguard’s findings 

show a huge decline of 50.74 

percent in FPI in April 2021 to 

N20.02 billion from N40.64 billion in 

March. 

The FPI commitment had fallen to 

N40.64 billion in March, 2021 from 

N62.07 billion in February indicating 

a 35.5 percent decline between 

February and March though it rose 

by 30.62 percent between February 

and January this year. 

On the other hand, the domestic 

participation saw a fluctuation 

during the period under review. It 

declined by 29.8 percent MoM to 

N131.91 billion in April From 

N187.85 billion in March. It had 

risen by 22.4 percent between 

February (N153.51bn) and March 

after falling by 17.0 percent between 

January (N184.94bn) and February, 

2021. 

Meanwhile, the institutional 

investors accounted for most of the 

domestic investors’ participation. 

The institutional investors staked 

N391.92 billion, representing 59.5 

percent of the total domestic 

investors’ stake, while the retail 

investors accounted for the 

remaining 40.5 percent or N265.29 

billion within the four month 

period. 

Analysts’ opinion 

Financial analysts and 

investment dealers who 

spoke to Financial 

Vanguard were unanimous 

in their opinion that the 

dominance by domestic 

investors seemed to be 

reflective, in part, of the 

reduced participation from 

FPIs. 

They stated that the 

current dominance of 

domestic investors would 

continue unabated in the 

near term if the absence of 

demand from foreign 

investors persists. 

According to Lilian Olubi, 

CEO, EFG Hermes, 

Nigeria, a Lagos based stock 

dealing firm, “The previous 

two years saw a gradual but 

progressive exit of foreign 

portfolio investors from 

several frontier and 

Continue on page 20


FINANCIAL VANGUARD 

EQUITIES: Analysts project bullish outlook for this week 

•Investors position for H1 results 

By Nkiruka Nnorom 

Investment analysts have said 

that activities in the nation’s stock 

market will be bullish this week 

over positioning by investors in 

dividend paying stocks ahead of 

the release of the half year 2021 

(H1’21) financial results by 

quoted companies. 

They posited that the market 

provides an ample opportunity for 

capital gains but advised 

investors to position in only 

fundamentally sound stocks. 

This comes as investors gained 

N245 billion following the 

reversal of the two weeks 

downward trend in stock prices 

last week. 

According to analysts at 

Cordros Capital, alpha-seeking 

investors would continue to rotate 

their portfolio towards equities 

amid moderation in the uptick of 

yields in the fixed income (FI) 

market. 

They noted that the market 

performance would be dominated 

by the bulls, “as positioning by 

early birds in dividend-paying 

stocks ahead of H1’21 dividend 

declarations should outweigh 

profit-taking activities.” 

Also, analysts at Cowry Asset 

Bureaux De Change (BDC) 

directors have reiterated 

commitment to ensuring stable 

exchange rate and sound 

corporate governance practices. 

This was part of resolutions 

made at the end of an exclusive 

meeting of BDC Directors 

organised by the Association of 

Bureaux De Change Operators of 

Nigeria (ABCON) in Lagos. 

The BDC directors also 

expressed support for the 

proposed ABCON Task Force 

Committee for the purposes of 

monitoring compliance by 

operators. 

While observing that the 

guidelines for BDC operations 

require that all licensed BDCs 

operate inside their registered 

offices, the directors charged 

ABCON to punish any operator 

involved in street trading of forex 

or any activity that contravenes 

the guidelines of the Central Bank 

of Nigeria (CBN) for the 

subsector. 

Furthermore, the directors 

committed to increased 

supervision of their operations 

of their BDCs while ensuring 

adequate remuneration for staff 

and prompt rendition of returns to 

the regulatory authorities. 

The directors however stressed 

the need for the Central Bank of 

Nigeria (CBN) to increase the 

sales margin of BDCs stressing 

that the N2 margin presently 

allowed by the apex bank is 

inadequate in view of the 

operating cost of BDCs as well 

as the rising inflationary trend in 

the country. 

They also highlighted the need 

for the CBN to expand the 

operating scope of BDCs to allow 

for more business revenue to cover 

their operating cost. 

The resolutions followed 

presentations by ABCON’s 

executive council members on the 

role of directors in ensuring that 

their organisations operate within 

the scope of the CBN guidelines 

for the subsector. 

ABCON President, Dr. Aminu 

Gwadabe charged the BDC 

directors to protect the huge 

Management, said: “We expect 

the equities market index to trade 

northwards as investors position 

in high yielding dividend paying 

stocks, especially the companies 

that pay interim dividend and 

have printed positive first quarter 

financial result.” 

Meanwhile, activity in the 

market was positive last week 

with the bulls dominating in four 

of the five trading days. 

As a result, the All Share Index 

By Peter Egwuatu 

VFD Group Plc has disclosed 

that its target in the years 

ahead is to have cross border 

expansion and investment in new 

industries in order to enhance 

stakeholders’ earnings and 

growth of the Nigerian economy. 

The Chairman, VFD Group, 

Olatunde Busari, stated this 

during the company’s 5th Annual 

General Meeting, AGM, in 

Lagos, stressing that their 

shareholders were happy with the 

performance in 2020 and the 

N8.51 per share dividend for the 

money invested in their BDCs by 

ensuring their staff operate within 

the approved guidelines of the 

CBN. 

He said this has become 

imperative to protect the BDC 

business, especially the weekly 

dollar sale by the CBN. 

Noting that total investment in 

each BDC is about N35 million, 

he called for increased 

supervision by directors, to detect 

and forestall any activity that 

could lead to the loss of such 

investment. 

Listing the expected roles of 

BDC directors, Chairman South 

West Zone, ABCON, Mr. Taiwo 

Ebenezer, said that directors 

should be involved in the day-today 

activities of their BDCs and 

relate regularly with their staff. 

Among other things, he added 

that BDC directors must know the 

sources of funds paid into their 

corporate accounts, while also 

ensuring weekly operational 

reports from their staff. 

On his part, ABCON National 

Treasurer, Alhaji Gbadamosi 

Mohammed, said it is the duty of 

directors to educate their 

Foreign portfolio investors’ stake in 

Nigerian equities drops 41.6% 

Continue from page 19 

emerging regions, from which Nigeria was 

not exempted. The dominance by domestic 

investors seemed to be reflective, in some 

part, of the reduced participation from FPIs 

coupled with increases in retail and 

proprietary activity. 

“In the more recent past, we also 

witnessed increased participation from the 

Pension Fund Administrators (PFAs) owing 

to the decline in yields from the fixed 

income markets at the time.” 

On the outlook for the rest of the year, 

she said: “For the local PFAs, who are a 

major part of the local investor universe, a 

key variable as noted earlier, is the interest 

(ASI) rose by 1.2 percent to close 

at 38,726.10 points. Specifically, 

bargain hunting in large-cap 

stocks including Dangote Cement 

Plc (+3.5%), BUA Cement 

(+2.8%), MTN Communication 

Nigeria (+2.6%), and Guaranty 

Trust Bank (+2.3%) buoyed 

market performance. 

Consequently, the Month-to-Date 

(MTD) return turned positive at 

+0.7 percent, while the Year-to- 

Date (YTD) loss moderated to -3.8 

percent. 

Also, the market capitalisation 

financial year ended December 

31, 2020 proposed despite the 

Coronavirus pandemic and 

economic headwinds during the 

period. 

He said: “Looking ahead to our 

priorities for 2021, we will 

continue with our progress 

towards becoming a commercially 

viable proprietary investment 

company with global influence 

focused on building positive and 

socially conscious ecosystem. 

“Hence, cross border expansion, 

investment in new industries that 

aggregate service offerings of our 

existing portfolio companies and 

members on the ethics of the 

business as indicated in the CBN 

guidelines. 

He added that the ongoing 

nationwide ABCON training was 

informed by the need to ensure 

that all BDC staff are adequately 

educated, and the directors 

should ensure application of 

lessons from the training by their 

of all listed equities also rose by 

1.2 percent to N20.185 trillion 

from N19.940 trillion, resulting in 

N245 billion gains to the 

investors. 

Performance across sectors was 

mixed with the industrial goods 

and the insurance sectors, rising 

by 2.6 percent and 1.2 percent 

respectively. 

The consumer goods and oil and 

gas sectors closed lower at 0.4 

percent and 0.8 percent 

respectively, while the banking 

sector closed flat. 

VFD Group targets cross border expansion 

collaborations that will result to 

increased earnings for all our 

stakeholders shall be pursued in 

the years ahead.” Continuing, he 

said: “As the world adjusts to the 

new realities set by the pandemic, 

we have proved the strength of 

our business model and remain 

confident that we are well 

equipped to face any challenges 

while delivering comparable 

results.” 

The Group CEO, Nonso Okpala, 

said: “Our results showed 

significant growth and resilience 

despite lingering uncertainties 

during the period under review.” 

BDC directors reiterate commitment to exchange rate stability 

By Cynthia Alo 

Electronic Payplus Limited, 

Nigeria’s smart card 

production company and 

payment solution provider, has 

announced its membership of 

the International Card 

Manufacturers Association 

(ICMA). 

With more than 200 members 

in 43 countries, ICMA has been 

the voice of the card 

manufacturing industry for 

nearly 30 years. The non-profit 

association of card 

manufacturers, personalisers, 

suppliers and other industry- 

staff in the day-to-day running of 

their BDCs. 

Also speaking, ABCON Vice 

President, Azubuike Igbokwe 

listed unauthorised transactions 

for BDcs to include, funds 

transfer, donations to political 

parties, funding of importation 

and funding of terrorism 

activities. 

Electronic Payplus joins ICMA 

related companies is a premier 

resource for the card industry - 

from training to issues 

surrounding card production, 

technology, application, 

security and environmental 

issues. 

By joining ICMA, Electronic 

Payplus Limited will have 

access to expanded education 

and training opportunities to 

stay ahead of trends and benefit 

from networking with the 

leading companies in the card 

industry around the world 

The Managing Director/ 

Chief Executive Officer of 

Electronic Payplus Limited, Mr. 

rate direction. Following the pick-up in recent 

times, we have already started noting the 

rotation out of equities and the ensuing herd 

action from the other segments. Our 

projection on the interest rate environment 

is for an upward, even if marginal trajectory. 

“While interest rates are projected to remain 

on the upward trend, which could dissuade 

increased participation in equities, we note 

the recent demutualisation announcement of 

the NGX, which is a very welcome 

development to market stakeholders.” 

In his own views, Tunde Abidoye, Head, 

Equity Research, FBNQuest, said that 

market participation would likely be skewed 

towards local 

NEWS 

Fidelity Bank doles 

out N9.5m to Sweet 

Account holders 

By Princewill Ekwujuru 

FIDELITY Bank Plc has doled 

out N150,000 to 62 Sweet 

Account (SWEETA) holders 

across the country, bringing the 

total prize money to N9.3 million 

to mark this year’s Children’s 

Day Celebration. 

This, according to the bank, is 

part of its efforts to deepen 

customer engagement, while 

readjusting its approach with 

respect to the loyalty scheme. 

Speaking on the initiative, 

Chief Executive Officer of Fidelity 

Bank, Mrs. Nneka Onyeali-Ikpe, 

said that all-around quality 

education remains a strong 

anchor in raising tomorrow’s 

children and breeding 

exceptional children who can 

compete globally. This is why we 

have decided to contribute our 

quota as a bank by offering school 

fees support to select Nigerian 

children.” 

She urged well-meaning 

Nigerians and corporate entities 

operating in the country to 

continue to support positive 

causes that would ensure a secure 

future for children. 

In the same vein, Head of 

Product Development, Richard 

Maduebo, encouraged 

prospective and existing 

customers to open a SWEETA 

account for their children and 

wards to participate in this 

initiative. Under the auspices of 

the loyalty scheme, the bank 

presented cheques to the 

beneficiaries of the loyalty scheme 

at various children’s events 

organised by Bounty Kiddies 

Bites & Event, Kastina; Zeelove 

Event Management; Pamvilla 

Primary & Secondary School; 

Refiner School; Ilepeju Junior & 

Senior Secondary School; 

Orphanage Home, IDP camp 

throughout Kastina, Niger, Abuja, 

Lagos, and so on. 

Bayo Adeokun, said the 

general atmosphere in his 

company is one of excitement 

being admitted into the 

membership of the global 

community of ICMA. 

“We are happy to be accepted 

into the prestigious 

International Card 

Manufacturers Association. 

What this means is that 

Electronic Payplus Limited has 

been recognised worldwide. It’s 

a guarantee that any product 

from our production line is as 

good and secured as any of the 

other products from other 

international 

card 

manufacturers who are 

members of ICMA,” Mr. 

Adeokun said. 

Electronic Payplus Limited 

started operations in May 2005 

as a payment service provider. 

Sixteen years after, the 

Company has become 

Nigeria’s biggest in Smart and 

Digital Card production, with 

capacity to produce all kinds of 

secure cards. 

“We do the bank cards. We can 

also do the SIM Cards, 

Biometric Identity Cards, 

Electronic ticketing for public 

transportation (Rail, Bus Rapid 

Transport, Ferry, etc.), Voter’s 

Card and even Residency Cards 

for Diplomatic and Expatriate 

Workers. That is the advantage 

of the digital printer that we 

have. That is the story of 

Electronic Payplus Limited,” 

Adeokun affirmed.

Blaming CBN for 

devaluation is unfair — 1 

“There is no good arguing with the inevitable. The 

only argument available with an east wind is to put 

on your [raincoat]. — J R Lowell, 1819-1891, 

VANGUARD BOOK OF QUOTATIONS, VBQ, p 12. 

THE Central Bank of Nigeria, 

CBN, just devalued the currency 

by eight per cent; and all 

the expected noise is being heard 

from the usual quarters – politicians 

playing to the gallery, Labour 

leaders, and most opinion 

makers. It is not surprising. Most 

Nigerians, like most people 

worldwide, are economic illiterates. 

Albert Einstein, 1879-1955, 

generally regarded as one of the 

most intelligent men who ever 

lived, said that he gave up reading 

Economics “because it was too 

tough”. So, it is not an insult to 

call Nigerians who never studied 

the subject illiterates. If the topic 

is Engineering, Architecture, 

Music, Astro-physics, Law, I gladly 

admit my stupidity. Nobody can 

be good at everything. 

General Babangida is often 

quoted asking why the Structural 

Adjustment Programme, SAP, 

which saved the economies of the 

Asian Tigers – Malaysia, Thailand, 

Indonesia, and Singapore 

from collapse, failed in Nigeria. 

My answer to him then, published 

in Vanguard was blunt. 

“Economics assumes the individuals 

in a society are rational. Nigerians 

are irrational people.” 

That reply is still valid today. Two 

examples will illustrate the point. 

Nigerians are aware of the vanity 

of the Yoruba when they buy 

and dress in uniforms (aso ebi) 

for special occasions. Many of 

those who gladly purchase the 

cloth might not have paid their 

rent or children’s school fees. Is 

that a reasonable allocation of financial 

resources? Yet, it endures. 

Two weeks ago, the Economic 

EMPLOYEES of Wema Bank 

Plc have raised the bar in 

corporate social investment by 

building a pool of funds for 

underprivileged women 

empowerment to expand their 

scope of business under the 

auspices of ‘Project Ferry’. 

Through their ‘salary for love 

initiative’, employees of the bank 

in the Lagos Region led by the 

project champions, selected 47 

underprivileged women at Ferry 

Community in Oworoshoki, Lagos 

for the provision of seed funds. 

Speaking at the empowerment/ 

financial literacy ceremony where 

debit cards loaded with cash were 

presented to the beneficiaries, the 

Regional Manager Lagos 

Mainland, Mrs Aramide 

Awosanya, said the bank was 

interested in helping them to grow 

their businesses and succeed. 

Speaking further, she advised 

the beneficiaries to separate the 

seed fund grants from the money 

for social activities, reminding 

them that it is for business 

expansion. 

“The funds contributed by our 

employees from their salaries are 

not for buying clothes, shoes or for 

organizing parties. Rather, the 

money is to assist you to grow your 

businesses, make more profit and 

become very successful. So, don’t 

spend it frivolously. When we see 

you again some months from now, 

we want to see changes, we want 

to see progress, and we want to see 

signs of prosperity”, she said. 

Also speaking at the event, the 

Head, Retail Segment of the bank, 

creative account since 2011. The 

media account was shared 

between Dentsu, which managed 

overall strategy and offline 

advertising duties, and WPP, which 

worked on the online media side. 

Commenting, Chief Marketing 

and e-Commerce Officer at 

Philips, Lorraine Barber-Mill, 

said: “As we look to extend our 

leadership as a health technology 

solutions provider, Omnicom will 

be an important part of our worldclass 

marketing capabilities, 

helping us to deliver personalized, 

differentiating customer 

experiences. 

Mr Mudashiru Hakeem, 

described the bank and its 

employees as good corporate 

citizens who take delight in the 

wellbeing and success of the 

people in their host communities. 

She advised them to keep good 

“We continue to advance digitalfirst, 

always-on engagement and 

e-commerce strategies that enable 

us to meet our customers where 

and how they want to be engaged, 

bringing Philips’ brand purpose 

(improving people’s health and 

well-being through meaningful 

innovation) to life.” 

According to a statement signed 

by Philips, Omnicom shops led by 

TBWA will handle creative, OMD 

media, and FleishmanHillard and 

Ketchum to oversee 

communications, while talent and 

capabilities will be handled by 

Interbrand, Critical Mass, and 

Omnicom Precision Marketing 

Group. 


Wema Bank employees empower underprivileged women traders 

3 Nigerian media agencies to benefit from 

$300m Philip global account 

By Princewill Ekwujuru 

THREE Nigerian agencies - 

TBWA, MediaReach and 

Mediacraft - are to benefit from 

the $300 million Philips 

Electronics global account won by 

Omnicon, one of the world’s 

largest media agencies which they 

are affiliated to. 

The win follows a competitive 

five-month review, led by 

consultant R3, which included 

Interpublic Group of Companies, 

incumbents Dentsu and WPP, as 

well as Havas, which was the 

runner-up. WPP’s Ogilvy held the 

and Financial Crimes Commission, 

EFCC, arrested a young man 

in Lagos, trying to buy a new SUV 

for N44 million with Bitcoin. The 

unreasonable fellow lives with 

friends in a two bedroom rented 

flat. He could have bought a modern 

three bedroom flat for under 

N30 million; invest N10 million in 

other income-generating ventures 

and perhaps spend about N4 million 

on a good “Tokunbo” car. That 

is what his Hong Kong counterpart 

would have done. But, the 

vainglorious Nigerian had to reveal 

himself. Most Nigerian internet 

fraudsters are the same. 

EFCC detention centres are filled 

with exotic luxury vehicles bought 

by people living in a room and 

parlour. 

The two examples represent 

Nigerians, not only in private, but, 

in public life as well. The politicians 

elected to office have invariably 

made profligacy and kleptomania 

their primary economic 

policy; they do so with our support 

all the time. Even the educated 

elite – professors – join in entrenching 

economic waste and 

grand larceny. 

Tucked in the middle of Yorubaland 

is what should have been an 

airport – about 90 kilometres from 

Ibadan. The former Governor, who 

started it, was widely hailed – including 

by a retired Professor and 

former columnist in a national 

newspaper. Despite my text message 

to Prof, he continued to the 

end heaping praises on the former 

Governor. Today, there is no airport 

and the state is indebted – in 

DOLLARS – for the scam. The 

scammer is still walking around 

free and still being hailed by those 

who assisted him to loot the state 

– which is now in search of dollars 

at N410/US$. Exchange rate 

was about N250/US$ when the 

swindle started. Every state 

owned airport established as a 

strictly commercial airport, is a monument 

to somebody’s ego and a 

deliberate waste of state funds to 

which millions of dollars have 

been corruptly committed. That 

is only one of several thousand 

ways by which the people we 

elected into office, and not CBN, 

got us into the mess we are in 

Economics assumes 

the individuals in a 

society are rational. 

Nigerians are 

irrational people 

now. It is not even the most important. 

Delusion of lasting oil-based 

economic prosperity 

“Oil export revenue dropped by 

98% in April – NNPC” —News 

Report. 

That report went on to state 

that the “total revenue from crude 

oil fell to N723m from N35.72bn 

in March”. That report, which 

most people would have read, 

and turned the page, without 

further reflection, has pointed to 

greater economic disasters 

ahead. Crude oil remains our 

largest and most dependable 

foreign exchange earner. The 

President 

Muhammadu 

Buhari will on Thursday, 

June 10, in Lagos perform the 

official launch of the assets under 

the Integrated National Security 

and Waterways Protection 

Infrastructure, also known as the 

Deep Blue Project. 

Preparatory to the launch, the 

Maritime Security Unit (MSU) of 

the Deep Blue Project, comprising 

personnel from the Nigerian 

Navy, Nigerian Army, Nigerian 

quantum of dollars generated 

from the sale and export of this 

commodity largely determines 

the exchange rate – which ordinarily 

should be anchored on 

supply and demand – except 

Nigeria. 

“You can’t bully reality” 

Every Nigerian government 

had allowed itself to be bullied 

by the people, led by organised 

labour and the media, to handle 

issues pertaining to oil commodities 

differently from other products. 

The ultimately ridiculous 

arguments remain the same. 

First, Nigeria is an oil producing 

country. Second, we have 

four refineries. So, fuel prices 

should be fixed as low as possible 

by governments. Those making 

these arguments have never 

explained why other oil producing 

nations, with several 

functioning refineries – Saudi, 

Russia, USA, Norway etc – don’t 

have fuel prices fixed by their 

governments. The reason is simple. 

Any time government gets 

involved in fixing the price of any 

commodity, political pressures 

invariably lead to unsustainably 

low prices which result in fiscal 

problems later. 

My first experience with the 

Federal Government’s attempt to 

deregulate fuel price was during 

the Babangida administration. 

The pump price then was 

three (3) naira per litre. IBB’s 

government discovered that the 

fuel price was heavily subsidised, 

so 7 naira was proposed 

as the new price. There was a 

backlash, but the FG stuck to its 

guns. Three years after, there 

was another adjustment to 11 

kobo per litre. Again, there was 

negative fall out. 

From IBB till today, seven 

governments have addressed 

accounts of their daily 

transactions, warning against 

spending both capital and profit. 

Hakeem, who gave the women 

many business and investment 

tips also advised them to engage 

in businesses that they understand 

very well and not venture into 

any business because many 

people are going into it. He also 

enlightened them on other 

products of the bank which he 

recommended to them for 

patronage. 

Buhari to launch Deep Blue project in Lagos 

Air Force, Nigeria Police, and 

Department of State Services, are 

conducting simulation exercises 

for the event on the land, air, and 

sea assets of the Project to confirm 

their readiness for full 

deployment. 

In a statement made available 

to Vanguard, Philip Kyanet, Head, 

Corporate Communications, the 

Nigerian 

Maritime 

Administration and Safety Agency 

(NIMASA), noted that the various 

military formations in the region 

are aware of the exercise. 

While this exercise is ongoing, 

members of the public, 

especially those living in coastal 

communities, are advised to 

remain calm, as this exercise is 

only meant to test the readiness 

of the assets, the statement 

noted. 

Director General, NIMASA, 

Dr. Bashir Jamoh stated: “With 

the deployment of the assets of 

the Deep Blue Project, we are 

entering another level of 

national security designed for 

total spectrum maritime security 

and better domain awareness 

using some of the latest 

technology. 

“This effort to secure our waters 

would give Nigerians more 

the same problem in the same 

way – while the PMS price had 

escalated from 11 kobo to N170. 

Now, we are facing the possibility 

of N380-420/litre fuel; again, 

with government fixing the 

price. When the FG does, Labour 

will call us out on a national 

strike. Most of us will follow them 

out. A new price will be negotiated; 

the strike will be called off; 

and in 2025, the next government 

will announce that trillions 

of naira and dollars are being 

spent on fuel subsidy. The cycle 

of economic insanity will start all 

over again. Surely, we have 

more sense than this. 

“It is unthinkable that wisdom 

should ever be popular.” — 

Johann Goethe, 1749-1832, 

VANGUARD BOOK OF QUO- 

TATIONS. 

We continue to fall into the 

same self-created man-hole on 

fuel prices because our continuing 

reliance on governments to 

set the “correct” price of fuel represents 

the triumph of hope over 

reason. Those in government 

themselves are self-deluded. Politically-determined 

prices are 

never satisfactory or sustainable 

for long. They create eternal conflicts 

between the government 

and the governed. 

That is why governments in 

other oil-producing and oil-refining 

countries don’t determine 

the price of oil products. Incidentally, 

our confusion and hypocrisy 

regarding government intervention 

in fuel pricing are revealed 

by the fact that we want 

government to establish only the 

price of petrol. We are prepared 

to allow the market to set the 

prices of diesel, engine oil, brake 

oil and other by-products of refining. 

That is merely stupid. We 

either want deregulation or we 

don’t. Otherwise, importing 

massive amounts of fuel to sell at 

subsidised prices will continue to 

devalue the naira — and not 

CBN. In fact, governments and 

Nigerians create problems for 

CBN; not CBN for us. 

leverage to harness the enormous 

resources of our maritime 

environment and aid the drive 

towards economic diversification.” 

The Project, which was initiated 

by the Federal Ministry of 

Transportation and Federal 

Ministry of Defence, is being 

implemented by NIMASA. 

The main objective of the Deep 

Blue Project is to secure Nigerian 

waters up to the Gulf of Guinea. 

The Project has three categories of 

platforms to tackle maritime 

security on land, sea, and air. 

The land assets include the 

Command, 

Control, 

Communication, Computer, and 

Intelligence Centre (C4i) for 

intelligence gathering and data 

collection; 16 armoured vehicles 

for coastal patrol; and 600 

specially trained troops for 

interdiction, known as Maritime 

Security Unit. The sea assets 

include two Special Mission 

Vessels and 17 Fast Interceptor 

Boats. The air assets comprise two 

Special Mission Aircraft for 

surveillance of the country’s 

Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ); 

three Special Mission Helicopters 

for search and rescue operations; 

and four Unmanned Aerial 

Vehicles.

C 

M 

Y 

K 


By Anayo Okoli, 

Johnbosco 

Agbakwuru, 

Chinonso Alozie & 

Chimaobi Nwaiwu 

OWERRI—THE Police 

Command in Imo, yesterday, 

repelled another attempt 

by hoodlums to attack 

the command’s headquarters 

in Owerri, killing five of the 

attackers in a gun battle. 

The command also announced 

that it had begun indepth 

investigation into circumstances 

surrounding the 

death of Uguchi Unachukwu 

who returned home from 

Germany and was allegedly 

murdered on May 31 in Imo. 

This is coming as the Archbishop 

of Owerri Catholic 

Archdiocese, Most Rev. Anthony 

Obinna yesterday, 

charged the Imo State Governor, 

Senator Hope Uzodimma 

to stop the killings in the 

state. 

An Igbo political pressure 

group, Alaigbo Development 

Foundation, ADF, has cautioned 

President Buhari to 

avoid anarchy in Igbo land 

and behave like a father, 

whilst it also cautioned Igbo 

that “we must not, unwittingly, 

allow anarchy into our 

land and space” and urged 

Igbo youths not to ever, initiate 

an assault or reprisal 

action on the military, the police, 

security, governmental 

and public installations, without 

justifiable provocation. 

Also Governor of Imo State, 

Senator Hope Uzodimma 

has however assured that his 

government is doing everything 

humanly possible to 

ensure that peace returns to 

Imo State faster than expected 

Ṫhe Commissioner of Police 

in Imo, CP Abutu Yaro 

confirmed the failed attack in 

a statement signed by the 

command’s Spokesman, SP 

Bala Alkana. 

Yaro said gallant officers 

killed five of the hoodlums 

during crossfire, while others 

fled with bullet injuries. 

“Hoodlums masquerading 

as unknown gunmen attempted 

an attack on the police 

headquarters this morning 

but suffered a huge defeat. 

“They made efforts to access 

the police headquarters 

through the Works Layout 

around Alvan Nursery and 

Primary School but were vehemently 

repelled. 

“They came in a white 

Hummer Bus. Five of the 

hoodlums were killed during 

an exchange of fire and others 

were injured. 

“The Hummer bus was recovered 

with four Ak47 rifles, 

previously stolen from the 

police during a recent attack 

on its station, while officers 

have been deployed to apprehend 

the fleeing hoodlums." 

On Unachukwu’s death, the 

police commissioner said the 

command would unravel circumstances 

leading to the 

death. 

He was allegedly murdered 

in front of his wife and two 

children by men in military 

uniform. 

The CP vowed to stop at 

nothing to unravel the incident. 

"The deceased was said to 

be on his way to catch a flight 

to Lagos. A survivor stated 

that one of the Air Force operatives 

shot the car of Unachukwu 

when he failed to 

stop at the Air Force check 

point after they had flagged 

him down. 

"Preliminary investigations 

revealed that the personnel 

flagged down the vehicle and 



Police battle unknown gunmen in Owerri, 5 killed 

•5 ESN members, commander dragon killed —Police •Our funding comes from 

abroad —ESN suspect •Stop killings in Imo, Archbishop Obinna tells Uzodimma 

•Says he saw 35 naked corpses on bare floor at FMC •Avoid anarchy in Igbo 

land, behave like a father —ADF cautions Buhari •Govt doing everything to 

return peace in Imo —Uzodimma •1967 genocide can't be repeated —IPOB 

MEMORIAL LECTURE: From left, Dr Tayo Adulodu, Chief Operation Officer/Senior Fellow, 

Nigerian Economic Summit Group, NESG; Mrs Nkechi Onyenso, Managing Director, Pathfinder 

International Limited; Nnanna Ude, Guest Speaker/Board member, NESG; Mr Adewale Sanni, Station 

Manager, Lufthansa Airlines, Lagos, and Mrs Adetoun Odejinmi, Airport Manager, Nigeria British 

Airways, during the first memorial lecture of late Mr Obinna Onyenso, with the theme,''Emerging 

realities in the aviation industry: Dealing with the current tides," in Lagos, weekend. Photo: Kehinde 

Gbadamosi. 

ordered the driver to park by 

the roadside for search but the 

driver who at first slowed 

down and pretended to move 

to the side of the road, suddenly 

took off. 

"According to the Air Force, 

being suspicious of the mission 

of the occupants of the 

said vehicle at the International 

Airport, they made effort 

to demobilise the vehicle and 

when the vehicle eventually 

came to a halt, the operatives 

rounded it and ordered the 

occupants out. 

“It was at this point that a 

female passenger in the car 

mentioned that the man driving 

the vehicle was her husband 

and that he was rushing 

to catch his flight. 

“He was however, rushed 

to hospital by the Air Force 

team for medical attention 

where the doctors on duty 

made frantic efforts to stabilise 

him, but he later died at 

about 1900 hours of the same 

date. 

“We sue for calm and assure 

the family and friends of 

the deceased that no stone will 

be left unturned in unravelling 

the circumstances surrounding 

the death,” the statement 

said. 

Our funding comes 

from abroad 

—ESN suspect 

In his confession, the only 

surviving suspected member 

of the Eastern Security Network, 

ESN, that allegedly 

carried out the attack, Mr. 

Stanley Osinachi said that 

their funding was coming 

from their supporters abroad 

and their charms were prepared 

by Aguleri native doctors 

in Anambra State. 

He spoke at the Imo Police 

Command in Owerri where 

he was paraded alongside the 

lifeless bodies of his gang 

members who were killed in 

exchange of gun fire with the 

special forces. 

On how the ESN operation 

started and how they were arrested, 

the suspect said: 

"Dragon recruited me by calling 

me on phone to join the 

Eastern Security Network, 

ESN. Even when I wanted to 

leave, he said he would kill 

me. Our camp is at Akabo in 

Ikeduru local government 

area. That is where we normally 

operate from and plan 

our operations and Dragon 

told us that part of our plan is 

to be killing and burning police 

stations." 

On how he was arrested, he 

said: "Policemen got me when 

we came out as early as 4am 

to attack Owerri. We were 

coming to attack but five of 

us were killed by the police. I 

am the only person that survived. 

I want to tell you that in 

our camp, it is only Dragon 

that wears military uniform 

and our charms are prepared 

at Aguleri in Anambra State. 

My arrest is God's will. Everything 

that happens is according 

to God's wish." 

When asked how they get 

their sponsorship, he said: "It's 

our people from abroad that 

send money to us through 

Dragon. It is dragon that will 

go and collect the money and 

bring it for our feeding and 

other of our needs." 

On how they get their guns 

for operation, he said: "Dragon 

would tell us to kill police 

people and collect their guns 

for us to use for operation. We 

even kidnapped a female police 

officer and kept her in 

our custody so that she will 

be giving us information." 

Stop killings going 

on in Imo, S'East 

—Catholic Bishops 

In reaction to the killings, 

Archbishop Obinna said the 

governor being the chief security 

officer of the state 

should rise up to the security 

challenges and convene a 

stakeholders meeting to discuss 

and evolve solutions to 

the security challenges. 

Most Rev. Anthony Obinna 

made the call in an open letter, 

titled “Stop the Killings – 

Convene a ceasefire meeting 

– Save Imo – a charge to Governor 

Hope Uzodimma and 

all Stakeholders”. 

The cleric condemned the 

indiscriminate arrest and incessant 

killings of young ones 

in their primes in the state describing 

it as a worrisome 

development. 

Archbishop painfully recounted 

a gory sight of 35 

corpses dumped at the Federal 

Medical Centre, FMC, 

Owerri and 160 Indiscriminately 

arrested persons sequestered 

at the Federal Correctional 

Centre, at the state 

capital. 

According to him, “On June 

3, I visited the Federal Medical 

Centre, Owerri mortuary, 

and I painfully surveyed the 

35 corpses naked on the bare 

floor, dumped there within the 

last few days. 

“These were victims of runaway 

killers with no identification 

on them. I thought of 

many others who have been 

kidnapped, taken to unknown 

locations, killed and 

even butchered as we continue 

to hear. Imo is bleeding. 

“I personally went to the 

Federal Correctional Centre, 

Owerri to also see the 160 

young men arrested from various 

locations, accused and 

arraigned for planning to 

commit treasonable felony. 

“On behalf of those that were 

killed and even more, on behalf 

of the living now threatened 

daily with brutal death, 

I charge Uzodimma to stop 

the killings by whoever is responsible. 

“I equally charge all users 

and abusers of guns and deadly 

weapons to stop the killings, 

to renounce violence and denounce 

any show of pride in 

killing human beings,” he 

said. 

Recall that Imo has been 

turned to a battle field in recent 

times and the security 

agencies have accused the 

separatist group, the Indigenous 

People of Biafra, IPOB 

and the Eastern Security Network 

of being behind the burning 

of government facilities 

and killing of security agents. 

But some people have alleged 

that some of the unknown 

gunmen causing havoc 

in the state were sponsored 

by external forces to destabilize 

South East. 

Governor Uzodimma had 

after the burning of the Police 

headquarters and the Correctional 

center in the state, said 

that out of the 400 people arrested 

by the security agencies 

in connection with the unfortunate 

incident, about 70 percent 

of them were neither Igbo 

nor from the South East. 

But neither the governor nor 

the security agencies have 

been able to disclose the identity 

of the non Southeast people 

said to constitute 70 percent 

of those arrested. 

Police had maintained that 

IPOB was responsible for the 

criminality going on in the 

state, but the group has on 

many occasions denied involvement 

in most of the gruesome 

murder going on in 

South East. 

Some have even accused the 

political class and supremacy 

struggle by the political 

actors as being responsible for 

the destruction in Imo State. 

Avoid anarchy in 

Igbo land, behave 

like a father, ADF 

cautions Buhari 

In its reaction, the Alaigbo 

Devt Foundation, ADF, described 

President Muhammadu 

Buhari’s recent speech 

declaring war on Igbo land 

as “a classic case of hate 

speech”. 

ADF, in statement signed by 

the President, Prof. Uzodinma 

Nwala; the board of trustees 

chairman, Bishop Obi Udezue 

Onubogu; the Secretary, 

Dr. Onyi Gbujie and the 

spokesman, Abia Onyike, 

said that although Igbo are 

peace lovers and observers of 

rule of law, they will not “surrender 

to the invaders”. 

The group also admonished 

aggrieved Igbo youths 

not to cause trouble, saying 

that even though they have 

been “aggrieved; unquestionably”, 

they should not initiate 

an assault or reprisal action 

on security operatives, governmental 

and public installations, 

without justifiable 

provocation. 

“We urge our youths to not, 

ever, initiate an assault or reprisal 

action on the military, 

the police, and security, governmental 

and public installations, 

without justifiable 

provocation. We urge our 

youths to dutifully defend our 

cities, communities, religious 

installations and symbols, our 

forests, farmlands, and rivers 

with patriotic courage. 

“Remember that in 1929 

and beyond, our brave women 

amazons defeated the colonial 

“masters” in Igboland, 

starting from Aba. Our illegally 

enslaved but gallant 

brothers defeated Napoleon 

Bonaparte’s army and liberated 

the island of Haiti in 

1804; thus Haiti became the 

first Black Republic in the 

world. 

“Our scientific ingenuity 

during the 1967-70 Nigeria- 

Biafra War astonished the 

world. In hindsight, some 

mistakes were made and we 

are now living through the 

fallout. Never again. 

“Finally, we condemn the 

declaration of war on Alaigbo 

and her neighbors by President 

Buhari. While even his 

home state Katsina is daily 

ravaged by various bandits 

including his Boko Haram, 

President Buhari’s soldiers 

and their allied Fulani herdsmen 

are abducting and killing 

innocent youths from 

Alaigbo and other Christian 

parts of the country. No sane 

leaders can feel unperturbed 

as President Buhari while his 

nation is in flames." 

Govt doing 

everything to 

return peace in 

Imo —Uzodimma 

Reacting to accusations, 

Governor Uzodimma while 

addressing the congregation 

at the Government House 

Chapel, Owerri after service, 

said the shooting yesterday 

morning was as a result of an 

attempt by the bandits to attack 

the Police Headquarters 

Owerri but they failed due to 

the resistance put up by the 

security agents. 

"Today, security architecture 

of government yielded another 

huge success as the combined 

efforts of security agencies 

in the state repelled another 

attempt on the police 

headquarters in Owerri, Imo 

State. " 

Governor Uzodimma reassured 

Imo people that government 

is on top of the security 

situation in the state and 

that he "will not fold his hands 

and allow the freedom and 

welfare of our people trampled 

upon." 

He promised that government 

will do everything humanly 

possible to step up action 

to ensure there is peace 

and tranquility in Imo State. " 

1967 genocide 

can't be repeated 

—IPOB 

Meantime, the Indigenous 

People of Biafra, IPOB, has 

replied President Muhammadu 

Buhari, over his alleged 

inciting tweets against Biafrans, 

which Twitter deleted, 

saying that 1967 genocide 

against Ndigbo can never be 

repeated in Biafra land successfully 

by anybody or government 

. 

IPOB urged Buhari to stop 

threatening Ndigbo, saying 

that Ndigbo of today are not 

the one of 1967 that the Nigeria 

government under which 

he played major role killed 

massively. 

While commending Twitter 

for deleting the alleged President 

Buhari's inciting tweets, 

IPOB told Twitter to completely 

delete the President from 

its systems.

C 

M 

Y 

K 

Vanguard, MONDAY, JUNE 7, 2021—37 

:Vanguard 

News 


VISIT: 

Governor Seyi 

Makinde of 

Oyo State 

(right) and 

former 

Governor of 

Central Bank 

of Nigeria, 

Sheikh Sanusi 

Lamido 

Sanusi, during 

a courtesy visit 

to Government 

House, Agodi, 

Ibadan. Photo: 

Oyo State 

Government. 

NDDC: Strike force unit commanders 

on standby, if... — Militant leader 

•Militants accept Tompolo’s judgment • Isoko 

youths issue 3-day ultimatum to FG •Uduaghan, 

Isoko youths, BSM, NANDW, ANIC insist on board 

By Emma Amaize, 

Dapo Akinrefon, 

Jimitota 

Onoyume, Samuel 

Oyadongha, 

Festus Ahon & 

Alemma Aliu 

MILITANTS in nine states 

of Niger Delta have said 

the halt in the planned attacks 

on oil installations over the 

Federal Government's none 

inauguration of the board of 

Niger Delta Development 

Commission, NDDC, does not 

preclude the directive to all 

strike force unit commanders to 

be on standby in case the 

Federal Government fails to 

fulfil its part of the accord 

reached at the stakeholders’ 

meeting with the Minister of 

Niger Delta Affairs, Senator 

Godswill Akpabio at Oporoza, 

Delta State. 

This came as they accepted 

the decision of ex-militant 

leader, Government 

Ekpemupolo, alias Tompolo, to 

call off planned attacks on oil 

installations and facilities after 

his meeting, weekend, with 

Akpabio, who swore that the 

governing board of NDDC 

would be inaugurated by end of 

this month. 

Meanwhile, as Tompolo 

reluctantly withdrew his sevenday 

ultimatum, Isoko youths 

under the auspices of Isoko 

National Youth Council, INYC, 

weekend, gave a three-day 

ultimatum to the Federal 

Government to constitute a 

substantive board for NDDC. 

The Isoko youths, who 

stormed the Umeh Junction axis 

of the East-West Road, protested 

the delay by the Federal 

Government to inaugurate a 

substantive board for the 

commission. 

In another development, 

former Delta State governor, Dr 

Emmanuel Uduaghan; 

National Association of Niger 

Delta Women, NANDW; Benin 

Solidarity Movement, BSM; 

Urhobo Youth Forum for 

Change, UYFC, and Assembly 

of Niger Delta Indigenous 

Communities, ANIC, have 

insisted on the constitution of a 

substantive board for NDDC 

Strike force unit 

commanders'll 

remain on 

standby 

— Agadagba I 

The coalition of militants led 

by Supreme Egbesu Freedom 

Fighters in a statement by the 

leader, self-styled “Major 

General” Agadagba I, alias 

Thunderstorm, said: “The 

resolution to accept the decision 

of Tompolo after a stakeholders’ 

meeting at Oporoza in Delta 

State is based on his years of 

integrity, steadfastness, courage, 

fearless and the dogged spirit for 

not deviating from standing 

with the harmless, emancipated, 

neglected and dejected 

environmentally polluted and 

denied long suffering people in 

Niger Delta, most especially 

those in the oil and gas 

producing communities in the 

creeks. 

“The decision to halt planned 

attacks on oil installations does 

not preclude the directive to all 

strike force unit commanders to 

be on standby in case the 

Federal Government fails to 

fulfil its part of the accord 

reached at the stakeholders’ 

meeting with Akpabio at 

Oporoza. 

“After due consultation and 

plea from all well-meaning 

stakeholders, including 

traditional rulers and 

intervention of the Ijaw National 

Congress, INC, president, Prof 

Benjamin Okaba, the coalition 

of militant groups has decided 

to step down the planned attacks 

on all oil flow stations and bring 

down the crude oil production 

to zero. 

“We are, however, on red alert 

through our strike forces and 

unit commanders and still 

standing firm with the president 

of the Ijaw Youths Council, IYC, 

and Timothy Igbifa. And we are 

still on red alert mode, according 

to our high commando strike 

force unit directive until the 

substantive NDDC board is 

inaugurated before there will be 

total peace and stay-off from our 

ultimatum declared so far. 

“But for now, all actions have 

been stepped down a bit, but all 

our striking force units are still 

placed on red alert on most 

strategic locations of oil flow 

stations until we see the needed 

result as promised by Akpabio 

and the Federal Government 

agreement reached by the 

various stakeholders, headed by 

the delegation of Deputy 

Governor of Delta State with the 

leadership of INC, traditional 

rulers and other stakeholders.” 

Stick to substantive 

board screened, 

approved by Senate, 

ANIC tells Apkabio 

Meanwhile, Assembly of 

Niger Delta Indigenous 

Communities, ANIC, a pressure 

group in the oil region, has urged 

Akpabio to stick to the 

substantive board of NDDC, 

screened and approved by the 

Senate since 2019 to avert any 

fresh crisis. 

The group in a statement by 

the coordinator, Mr Kingsley 

Odogwu, said: “The substantive 

board with former deputy 

governor of Edo State, Dr Pius 

Odubu, as chairman and Mr 

Bernard Okumagba as 

Managing Director has been 

waiting for about two years, 

Senator Akpabio should 

formalise the outstanding 

process and not stir further 

division. 

“We commend Tompolo, 

whose seven-day ultimatum 

became the magic wand that 

made Akpabio to listen to the 

outcry of the people to constitute 

the board of NDDC instead of 

running it with an interim 

administrator.” 

Similarly, UYFC, led by 

Eshanekpe Israel said: “We, the 

Urhobo youths, wish to 

commend Senator Akpabio for 

the respect he has accorded 

Tompolo, by coming to consult 

with him over the seven-day 

ultimatum he issued the 


constitute the NDDC board. 

“We also appreciate the 

stakeholders who were present 

at the peace parley for speaking 

the minds of our people to the 

visiting minister and other 

members of the Federal 

Government delegation present 

at the Oporoza meeting held on 

June 3, 2021, to assuage our 

people to drop the ultimatum 

earlier issued by our GOC to the 

federal government for the 

composition of a substantive 

NDDC board. 

“We are pleased to know that 

Akpabio had agreed to 

commence the process of 

constituting a new board on his 

return to Abuja, but we are 

insisting that the appropriate step 

for the minister is to immediately 

inaugurate the Pius Odubu and 

Bernard Okumagba-led 

executive, that had been unveiled 

and screened for the job.” 

Meanwhile, 21st Century 

Youths of Niger Delta and 

Agitators with Conscience, 21st 

CYNDAC, has applauded the 

leadership qualities of Tompolo, 

who because of his love for the 

region, patriotism and desire to 

maintain the relative peace in 

the region called off his 

ultimatum given to the Federal 

Government to inaugurate the 

substantive board of NDDC. 

Leader of the group, Izon Ebi, 

stated: “It now behooves on the 

minister and the Federal 

Government to do the right thing 

by kick-starting the process of 

inaugurating the substantive 

board of NDDC as promised by 

the minister.” 

On its part NANDW, in a 

petition to the President by Mrs 

Lovette Onos, Chief Preye 

Kokumor, Madam Nkwor 

Ubong and Mrs Julie Archibong, 

said: “We rejoiced to high 

heavens when it was announced 

that you had ordered forensic 

audit into the activities of NDDC 

considering the rot and 

corruption in the system. 

Immediately the announcement 

was made, many contractors 

who had made away with the 

commission’s money without 

carrying out the contracts 

awarded to them ran to either 

commence their jobs or complete 

them. 

“This excitement was cut short 

soon after many contractors 

discovered that it was not a big 

deal and that Akpabio was in 

charge and not the presidency. 

Everything went back to square 

one unfortunately. 

“As it is today, contractors, 

who were hitherto afraid of 

going to jail, have again 

abandoned their jobs 

unfortunately. 

“As wives, mothers and 

market women, who live in the 

various states of Niger Delta, 

we are pained by the recent 

development in the NDDC. We 

are the ones that are most 

affected by the recklessness and 

the near absence of 

development in Niger Delta, 

hence this outcry.” 

Uduaghan advises 

Akpabio 

Also, former governor of 

Delta State, Uduaghan 

enjoined Akpabio to take steps 

to ensure a substantive board is 

put in place for NDDC, in the 

shortest possible time. 

He spoke, weekend, at a 

meeting of the Peoples 

Democratic Party, PDP, Delta 

South senatorial leadership he 

convened, weekend, in Warri, 

Delta State, adding that the 

party should eschew politics of 

violence in the 2023 general 

elections. 

Uduaghan told the gathering 

that his major appeal to the 

minister when he made a 

stopover trip at his Warri 

residence last week was for him 

to consider speedy constitution 

of the board. 

Deputy governor of the state, 

Kingsley Otuaro and 

Chairman of the PDP in Delta 

South senatorial district, Dr 

Julius Takeme also stressed on 

values of peace, also hailing 

achievements of Governor 

Ifeanyi Okowa in the state. 

Takeme said the party would 

expand its membership 

strength in the senatorial district 

ahead of the general polls. 

“I am assuring the leaders of 

putting in place modalities to 

get more members, party unity 

is important, my doors are open 

for all in the party, we can’t go 

far with a divided house, I 

appeal to the PDP family in 

Delta South to love ourselves. 

Victory has always been our 

portion. We are going to expand 

our membership base,” 

Takeme said. 

The gathering later passed a 

vote of confidence on Governor 

Okowa and his deputy for their 

performance. 

Isoko youths issue 

3-day ultimatum to 

FG 

Members of Isoko National 

Youth Council, INYC, vowed 

to shut down oil exploration in 

the Isoko nation, should the 

Federal Government not take 

their ultimatum serious by 

inaugurating the board in three 

days. 

Displaying placards with 

various inscriptions such as 

“PMB listen to the voice of the 

youths”,“NDDC is for South 

South region and not for 

Akpabio”,‘’Listen to South 

South governors,” amongst 

others, the protesters expressed 

dismay at the silence of 

President Buhari towards the 

inauguration of the board. 

Speaking during the protest, 

President of INYC, Matthew 

Edugbo said: “We are all aware 

of how other ethnic 

nationalities, the Ijaw, Itsekiri,s 

Urhobo and others have been 

calling for the inauguration of 

the board but he is not 

understanding their languages 

and having known that it is 

only Isoko, he understands we 

have come to speak the Isoko 

language for him to know that 

we are very serious. 

“We are tired of the sole 

administratorship of NDDC that 

has been introduced by 

Akpabio. We are giving him 

three days ultimatum or else his 

guards will meet with us in our 

various villages where the oil 

companies are operating.” 

We've not benefited 

from NDDC—BSM 

Also, President of BSM, Curtis 

Ugbo, said: “We are challenging 

the NDDC to come and tell us 

how our people have benefited 

from the commission. They 

should tell us what they have 

been doing with the huge 

resources allocated to the 

commission and how many 

indigenes of Benin own oil wells. 

“We can no longer continue 

to watch and allow our people 

wallow in poverty despite the 

presence of NPDC and NNPC 

in the state." 

Clear representation 

for youths—IYC 

IYC, through its National 

spokesman, Ebilade Ekerefe, 

said: “Many have come to see 

that the IYC had a foresight and 

was bold to have earlier detected 

the need to agitate and engage 

Akpabio and the Federal 

Government on the issues of the 

tenure of the sole administrator, 

the forensic audit report and the 

substantive board. 

“Through a systematic 

approach and media 

engagement, the issue has finally 

secured a firm resolve by the 

Federal Government to finish 

the forensic audit and set up a 

board for the NDDC. 

“The substantive board, if set 

up, should also have a clear 

representation for the youths of 

the region for pragmatic 

engagement and sense of 

belonging.” 

How Otuaro, JTF 

commander 

handled Akpabio’s 

creek visit 

Reliable sources confided in 

Vanguard that Deputy 

Governor of Delta state, Mr 

Kingsley Otuaro, who hails 

from Gbaramatu Kingdom, 

and Commander, Joint Task 

Force, JTF, on Niger-Delta, had 

to persuade Akpabio to make 

the trip, assuring him of his 

safety. 

“If not for the utmost 

importance of halting the sevenday 

ultimatum to the country, 

the minister would have 

declined the visit as he was not 

comfortable with the idea of 

going to the creeks,” a source 

said. 

According to the informant, 

“Akpabio could have been 

nervous because when he 

requested to speak with the exmilitant 

leader on phone 

through a close associate of 

Tompolo that was contacted, 

barely 24 hours of the 

ultimatum, Tompolo reportedly 

responded that he should come 

to the creek.” 

Contacted, the deputy 

governor said: “We had 

sufficient intelligence to the effect 

that the threats by critical 

stakeholders on this subject of 

constituting the NDDC board 

were real. That was what our 

intelligence told us and when we 

juxtaposed what was meant to 

happen with that of 2016 when 

we had successive breaches on 

critical oil and gas assets, we just 

had to persuade Senator 

Akpabio to come for a 

consultative meeting with 

stakeholders as it were.”

38—Vanguard, MONDAY, JUNE 7, 2021 

OLADOSU 

I, formerly known as OLUTOLA 

DAMILOLA OLADOSU, now 

wish to be known as OLUTOLA 

DAMILOLA AYO- 

ODUGBESAN. All former 

documents remain valid. General 

public take note. 

SUNDAY 

I, formerly known as Miss 

Iniobong Sunday George, now 

wish to be known as Mrs. 

Iniobong Emeka Amadi. All 

former documents remain 

valid. General public take note. 

AJAYI 

I, formerly known as Ajayi 

Kehinde, now wish to be 

known as Adeborile Kehinde. 

All former documents remain 


HAPPY 

I, formerly known as MISS 

AGHOGHO FAVOUR HAPPY 

ENAKERAKPOR and also known 

as MISS AGHOGHO FAVOUR 

ENAKERAKPOR, now wish to be 

known as MRS. OZILI 

AGHOGHO FAVOUR. All former 



EZENWANKWO 

I, addressed as EZENWANKWO, 

JOHN by Stanbic IBTC Bank in 

my BVN registration, wish to now 

state and be addressed by my full 

names as, EZENWANKWO JOHN 

CHUKWUDI OKOLI. All former 


public please take note. 

OLUWATOYIN 

I, formerly known as Idris 

Nurudeen Oluwatoyin 

Adesina, now wish to be 

known as Idris Nurudeen 

Adesina. All former 

documents remain valid. 

General public take note. 

MADAKI 

I, formerly known as Dakuru 

Shuaibu Madaki, now wish to 

be known as Dakuru Behimi. 


valid. Access Bank and general 


OLALEYE AI 

EDEM 


Ekang Asuquo Edem, now wish 

to be known as Mrs. Ekang Uno 

Bassey. All former documents 

remain valid. General public 

take note. 

I formerly known and addressed 

as MISS ONWUKWE, 

CHIDINMA AKUNNA now wish 

to be known and addressed as 

MRS. OPUTE, CHIDINMA 

AKUNNA. All former documents 

remain valid. General public please 

take note. 

OW IGERE 

I formerly known as Miss 

GLORY ORIRENITEMI 

IGERE, now wish to be known 

and addressed as Mrs GLORY 

ORIRENITEMI ABEL 

IJAODOLA, all former 

documents remained valid 


HABILA 

I, formerly known as Saratu 

Habila, now wish to be known 

as Saratu Jibrin. All former 


Unity Bank and general 


OYENIYI 

AMARACHI 

This is to confirm that Iwuchukwu, 

Amarachi Barbara, and Iwuchukwu, 

Amarachkwu Barbara belong to one 

and the same person, now wish to 

be known as Iwuchukwu, Amarachi 

Barbara. All former documents 

remain valid. General public take 

note. 

KUDU-EGGA 

STEPHEN 

I, KUDU-EGGA ANNA, Female, I was formerly known, called and 

Christian, a Nigerian citizen, addressed as Peter 

residing at NEAR COCIN 1, Mienebioroupagha Stephen (m), 

FURAKA, JOS, JOS-NORTH now wish to be known, called and 

LGA. will henceforth be known addressed as Peter Asemabiri. All 

as; CHIROMA-HOSEA ANNA. former documents remain valid. 

All former documents remain valid. Sterling Bank Plc and general 


public should take note. 

IGBEKA AN 

OR 

UKWOSAH EF 

I, formerly known as Sandra I, formerly known, called and 

Uzoamaka Igbeka, now wish 

addressed as VICTOR 

OKUKWECHI UKWOSAH, that 

to be known as Sandra I now wish to be known, called 

Uzoamaka Okechukwu. All 

and addressed as VICTOR 

OKUKWECHI OBULOR. That 

former documents remain all documents bearing my former 


name remains valid, General Public 

please take note. 

EFEVWHRA 

ENEBHILI 

I, formerly known as MISS I, formerly known as MISS 

EFEVWHRA BRIDGET ENEBHILI REBECCA 

OGHENETEGA, now wish to EFERAOMON, now wish to 

be known as MRS FRANK be known as MRS. OJARIAFE 

BRIDGET OGHENETEGA. 

REBECCA EFERAOMON. 

All former documents remain All former documents remain 

valid. General public take note. valid. General public take note. 

ONWUKWE ENEGIDE LEAVE 

I, formerly known as 

Kenekayoro Ebedebiriowei, 

now wish to be known as 

Kenekayoro Ebedebiriowei 

Leave. All former documents 



HARUNA 

I formerly known as Rebecca 

Haruna, now wish to be 

known and addressed as 

Joseph Rebecca Daina, all 

former documents remained 

valid, public take note. 

ADIGHIBE OBIE 

I, formerly known as Adighibe 

Chiamaka Diane now to be 

known as Onyebuchi 

Chiamaka Diane. All former 



SANI 

AI 

I, formerly known and addressed 

as Sani Hafsat, now wish to 

be known and addressed as 

Usman Hafsat. All documents 

remain valid. General public please 

AKPAN 

I, formerly known as Life 

Cephas “Uwem Ekarika”, now 

wish to be known as Uwem 

Akpan Ekarika. All former 



AJAYI 

I, formerly known as Ajayi 

Taiwo, now wish to be known 

as Adeborile Taiwo. All former 



CHIMAMA 

In my West African Examination 

Council my candidate number is No. 

4331009047 and my certificate 

number is No. NGWASSCS 

28992036, my name was captured as 

JAMES LUCY as the other name 

CHIMAMA was omitted. My correct 

name is JAMES LUCY CHIMAMA. 

All former documents remain valid, 

General Public please take note. 

OWONIFARI 

I, formerly known as MISS. 

OWONIFARI OLABIMPE 

ADEOLA, now wish to be 

known as MRS. TAIWO 

OLABIMPE ADEOLA. All 



NWEKE 

I, formerly known as MERCY 

NWEKE now wish to be 

known as MRS MERCY 

ONYEBUCHI. All my former 


General public please take 

note. 

UMORU 

I formerly known as Umoru 

Nima, now wish to be known 

and addressed as Janet 

James, all former documents 

remained valid, public take 

note. 

EGEKEZE 

I, formerly known as 

Egekeze Chisom Petra, 

now to be known as Kalu 

Chisom Petra. All former 



OKOYE 

UGBOBOR 


UGBOBOR OROWO 

CLEMENTINA, now wish to 

be known as MRS. 

AKPOGHENETA OROWO 

CLEMENTINA. All former 


General public please note. 

MODJOTA 

SAMUEL 

I formerly known and 

addressed as Nduka Samuel 

now wish to be known as 

Chukwueloke Samuel Nduka, 

all documents remain valid 

general public please take 

note. 

BASHORUN 

I, formerly known as Bashorun 

Fehintola Abiodun, now wish 

to be known as Oyenowo 

Fehintola Abiodun. All former 



IWEBEMA OSIYOMA 

I formerly known and addressed as 

Belief Atibaka now wish to be 

known and addressed as Osiyoma 

Belief Atibaka. All former 

documents remain valid. The 

general public should please take 

note. 

IWEANYA DE 

I formerly known as MISS 

IWEANYA CHINWE 

ROSEMARY, now wish to be 

known as MRS UZOEGWE 

CHINWE ROSEMARY. All 

former documents remain valid. 

GENERAL PUBLIC, Banks and 

Authorities Concerned to please 

take note. 

OKORO 

I, formerly known as OFOGBA 

ESEOGHENE JUSTINA. Now 

wish to be known as OKORO 

ESEOGHENE JUSTINA. All 

documents bearing my former 

name remain valid. The 

general public take note. 

OBOJO 

I, formerly known as USMAN 

MUHAMMED OBOJO. Now 

wish to be known as USMAN 

MUHAMMED ADEIZA. All 

documents bearing my former 

name remain valid. The general 


JOSEPH 


I, formerly known and 

I, Formerly Known And Addressed 

I, Formerly known and called 

as MISS OYENIYI 

As OLALEYE OLUWATOYIN 

addressed as Miss Okoye Ayansiya Joseph Ayanlola, now 

OMOLOLA Now Wish To Be 

OLUWAYEMISI FLORENCE, 

Esther Ihunanya now wish to wish to be known and addressed 

Known As IREDELE 

now wish to be known and 

be known and addressed as Mrs as Ayansiya Stephen Ayanlola. All 

OLUWATOYIN OMOLOLA. All 

addressed as MRS AGBELESHE 


OLUWAYEMISI FLORENCE. 

Azubuike Esther Ihunanya.All documents bearing my former 

The General Public Should Please All documents remain valid. 

former documents remain name remain valid. Unity Bank 

Take Note. 

General public please take note. take note. 

valid.General public take note. and general public take note 

ISSA OG 

UGO 

SADIAT 

IYE 

AZUMI 

I, formerly known as Abubakar I, formerly known and addressed as I, formerly known and I, formerly known and I am known and called as follows ;- 

Maryam S. Now wish to be MISS UFOMBA AHAOMA addressed as SADIAT ISAH, addressed as OBAJE 

YUSUF HUMU ENEYAMIRE and 

YUSUF HUMU AZUMI. Now wish 

known and addressed as or UGO AHAOMA, now wish now wish to be known and HAPPINESS IYE, now wish 

to be known and called as YUSUF 

Abubakar Maryam Issa. All to be known and addressed as MRS addressed as SARETU to be known and addressed as HUMU ENEYAMIRE. Former 

former documents remain UFOMBA AHAOMA UGO. ISAH. All former documents OBAJE HAPPINESS. All documents remain valid. GT bank 

valid and general public please All former documents remain valid. remain valid. General public former documents remain PLC and general public to take 

take note. 


take note. 


note. 

ADAMU EKE 

OTALI RASHEED 

OYOMA 

PETER 

I, formerly known and I, formerly known as EJIMOFOR, I, formerly known and addressed 

I am known and called as RASHEED 

I, formerly known as ELIKWU 

addressed as UMARU I. CHRISTABLE, AGWAWUMMA as MISS OTALI JOYCE 

MEMUNAT. My date of birth was 

LAZARUS OYOMA . Now wish 

ADAMU, now wish to be ,CHINAZO . Now wish to be known OGOCHUKWU wish to be known 

wrongly writtem as 25/2/1982. Now 

known and addressed as as EKE, CHRISTABLE and addressed as MRS to be known as ELIKWU wish to be written and addressed as 

LIMAN ILIYASU UMAR AGWAWUMMA, CHINAZO All OBARAKPO JOYCE 

RASHEED MEMUNAT. My real 

FREEDOM. All documents 

DOB-1-3-1995. All former documents bearing my former name OGOCHUKWU All documents 

date of birth is 12/12/1979. Former 

documents remain valid. remain valid. The general public remain valid. General public please 

bearing my former name remain documents remain valid. GT bank 

General public take note. take note. 

take note. 

valid. The general public take note. PLC and general public to take note. 

OCHEIOYA 


JENNIFER EWALOHIWA 

OCHEIOYA, now wish to be 

known and addressed as MRS 

JENNIFER EWALOHIWA 

OKOTIE. All former documents 

remain valid. Generally public 


KAKA 


ONOME HONEY KAKA now 

wish to be known and addressed as 

MRS HONEY ONOME 

ENONUYA. All former documents 



OKOSUN 

I formerly known as Miss 

CHINYERE DEBORAH 

OPARA, now wish to be know 

and addressed as MRS, 

CHINYERE DEBORAH 

OPARA—OKOSUN. All former 


Generally public please take note. 

AKPIBOR 

I formerly known as Miss Akpibor 

Miracle, now wish to be known 

and addressed as Mrs Atube 

Miracle. All former documents 



OBIAKOR 


OBIAKOR IFEOMA 

ANTHONIA, now wish to be 

known as MRS OKPALA 

IFEOMA ANTHONIA. All former 


GENERAL PUBLIC, Banks and 

Authorities Concerned to please 

take note. 

UNUSA 

I, formerly known as UNUSA 

HARUNA MALAM, now 

wish to be known as YUNUSA 

HARUNA MALAM. All 


valid. General public take 

note. 

USMAN 

I, Formerly known and called 

HAYATU USMAN now wish 


USMAN HAYATU.All former 

documents 

remain 

valid,Relevant authority and 

the general public take note. 

YAHAYA 

This is to confirm that the names 

Usman Resheeda Yahaya and 

Yahaya Rasheeda Noro refer to one 

and the same person but now wish 


Yahaya Rasheeda Noro. All former 

documents remain valid.All 

relevant organizations and the 

general public please take note. 

OZUOHU 

I formerly known and called as 

MUHAMMED OZUOHU 

KHADIJAT. Now wish to be known 

and called as ADIJAT 

ABDULLAHI. Former documents 

remain valid. Authority concern and 

general public to take note. 

AHMED 

I formerly known and called as 

HAMEED ABU AHMED. Now 

wish to be known and called as 

ABU HAMEED. My date of 

birth is 3/7/1997. Former 


Authority concern and general 

public to take note.

CHANGE OF NAME 

ORJI 

I formerly known and 

addressed as Orji Ugo Mercy, 

now wish to be called and 

addressed as Habayomi Ugo 

Mercy. All former documents 


take note. 

CECILIA FESTUS 

I Formerly known and called 

CECILIA NKIRU NWOKOCHA 


addressed as NKIRU FRUITFUL 

UGBOR.All former documents 

remain valid,FIRST BANK, 

Relevant authority and the general 


YUSUF 

I formerly known and addressed as 

YUSUF FOLASHADE FASILAT, 


addressed as OGUNLEYE 

FOLASHADE FASILAT. All 


Concerned authorities and the 

general public to please take note. 

HAMIDU 


as HARUNA ABDULHAMID, 


addressed as HARUNA 

HAMIDU. MY DATE OF 

BIRTH IS O2 O9 1989 AND 

NOT O1 O1 1988. All former 


public should take note. 

YUSI 

I, formerly known and 

addressed as YUSUF 

SHUAIBU YUSI, now wish to 

be known and addressed as 

YUSUF SHUAIBU. All former 


General public should take 

note. 

KESHINRO 


as Miss. KESHINRO Abosede 

Adetutu, Now wish to be known 

and addressed as Mrs. 

ABODUNRIN Abosede Adetutu. 


Valid. The general public should 


OYEBOLA 

I, formerly known and addressed as 

Miss. OYEBOLA Olaide Rachael 

Now wish to be known and 

addressed as Mrs. GEORGE Olaide 

Rachael. All former documents 

remain Valid. The general public 

should please take note. 

LAMI 


as Maureen Lami Maureen Now 


Amana Lami Maureen.All former 

documents remain Valid. The 


note. 

MERE 


as Miss chinwendu Augustina mere 


addressed as Mrs. chinwendu 

Augustina Tochukwu-Ngoka. All 


General public please take note. 

FAVOUR 

IGHENE 

I formerly known and addressed 

as Miss Christiana Agbobhere 

Ighene, Now wish to be known 

and addressed as Mrs Christiana 

Agbobhere Odeode. All former 

documents remain valid, General 

public and authority concerned 


ETOK 

I formerly known as Miss MINE 

ANIEFON ETOK, now wish to 

be known and addressed as Mrs 

MINE ROBERT UFFOT. All 


The general public should take 

note. 

IWU 


as, IWUCHUKWU STANLEY 

BROWN, now wish to be known 

and addressed as, IWU STANLEY 

BROWN. All former documents 


should take note. 

MITINI 

I, Formerly Known And Addressed 

As MITINI NAOMI Now Wish 

To Be Known As MITINI- 

SADIGBEN NAOMI. All 

Documents Bearing My Former 

Name Remain Valid.Any Other 

Concerned Authority And The 

General Public Should Please Take 

Note. 

ADEOJO 


as Miss. ADEOJO JOYCE 

ARAMIDE Now wish to be 

known and addressed as Mrs. 

ADELERE JOYCE ARAMIDE . 


Valid. The gen anderal public 


AKINBAMI 


as Mrs AKINBAMI Omoniyi Now 

wish to be known and addressed 

as Mrs ADEMOLA Omoniyi . All 


The general public should please 

take note 

OLUKOTUN 


as Miss. OLUKOTUN Mary 

Oluwatoyin Now wish to be 

known and addressed as Mrs. 

DARE-ADEROJU Mary 

Oluwatoyin. All former documents 

remain Valid. The general public 


ABIODUN 

I, formerly known and addressed as 

Mrs Fagbemi Osunkemi Abiodun. 


addressed as Miss Adebisi salami 

Christiana Adekemi. All former 

documents remain valid. The 


note. 

TARABINA OT 

I Formerly known and addressed 

as Tarabina Henrietta Douye, Now 


Fatona Henrietta Douye. All former 

documents remain valid general 

public please take note 


Vanguard, MONDAY JUNE 7, 2021 — 39 

:@vanguardnews 

:@vanguardnews 

ANNUAL LECTURE: Prof. Sulaiman Bogoro, Executive Secretary, Tertiary Education Trust Fund 

(TETFund); Prof. Oluwatoyin Ogundipe, Vice Chancellor, University of Lagos, UNILAG; Dr. Ernest 

Ndukwe, Chairman, MTN Nigeria and Prof. Lucian Chukwu, Deputy VC, Management Services, 

UNILAG at the 2019/ 2020 Annual Lecture of UNILAG School of Postgraduate Studies. Photo: Akeem 

Salau. 

Smart City: Sanwo-Olu promises residents 

new developmental projects 

By Olasunkanmi 

Akoni 

LAGOS—LAGOS State 

Governor, Mr. Babajide 

Sanwo-Olu has expressed 

commitment of his administration 

to embark on new developmental 

projects in the 

next two years that would impact 

positively on the lives of 

residents. 

Sanwo-Olu, who was represented 

by the Chief of Staff, 

Mr. Tayo Ayinde, made the 

promise on Sunday, during 

the Special Church Service in 

Commemoration of the Second 

Year in Office, held at 

Chapel of Christ The Light, 

Alausa, Ikeja. 

He noted that over the last 

731 days, through God's faithfulness, 

while others were 

groaning under the negative 

effects of economic recession, 

the administration inaugurated 

several projects. 

According to Sanwo-Olu: 

''We have commissioned several 

projects such as the Pen 

Cinema bridge, rehabilitation, 

upgrading and construction 

of roads in Somolu, 

Mushin, Badagry and several 

other parts of Lagos. 

''We have constructed new 

classrooms across various 

government owned schools, 

improved water, transportation, 

and introduced more 

BRT buses and recently, the 

first and last mile buses. 

''These and many more we 

have been able to achieve 

RITA DOREEN OGOLO 


as ITSENEGBEMHE. RITA. 

ILAMOSI. Now wish to be known 

and addressed as MRS RITA. 

ILAMOSI KINGSLEY. All former 


public please take note. 


AGHOGHO FAVOUR HAPPY 

ENAKERAKPOR and also known 

as MISS AGHOGHO FAVOUR 

ENAKERAKPOR, now wish to 

be known as MRS. OZILI 

AGHOGHO FAVOUR. Henceforth 

all former documents remain valid. 



as- MISS, EDIHOR DOREEN,. 


addressed as:- MRS, ADEDEJI 

DOREEN. All former documents 

remain valid general public please 

take note. 

FRANK 


as MISS EFEVWHRA 

BRIDGET OGHENETEGA, 


addressed as MRS FRANK 

BRIDGET OGHENETEGA. All 

former documents remain valid 

general public please take note 

I, Formerly known and addressed 

as, OFERIOFE BLESSING, Now 

wish to be Addressed as 

OFERIOFE BLESSING OGOLO. 

All former documents remain valid 


REBECCA 


as MISS ENEBHILI REBECCA 

EFERAOMON, Now wish to be 

known and addressed as MRS. 

OJARIAFE REBECCA 

EFERAOMON. All former 


public please take note 

through the mercies and 

grace of God. 

''It is for these reasons and 

many more that we are trusting 

Him to do, that we have 

come today to acknowledge 

His faithfulness and steadfast 

love for us as leaders and also 

for the good people of Lagos.” 

He said that God had given 

the government the grace and 

strength to overcome the challenges 

it was confronted with 

and was able to bring most of 

the state's projects to completion. 

Sanwo-Olu , added that the 

government has even embarked 

on new projects for 

improved quality of life in the 

state. 

''Going by the popular praise 

song and saying, ''If we have 

ten thousand tongues, they are 

not enough to thank God.'' 

In his sermon, His Eminence, 

Dr Sunday Ola Makinde, 

the Prelate Emeritus, 

Methodist Church Nigeria, 

congratulated the governor, 

the deputy governor, the cabinet 

members and families for 

surviving the past two years 

in office. 

Makinde also congratulated 

the entire residents for seeing 

the outstanding and remarkable 

achievements of the 

present government. 

He described the present 

government as a ''God's given'' 

government, due to the 

excellent and beautiful performances. 

''This government is God's 

doing and it is marvelous in 

our eyes. Sanwo-Olu is a team 

player, he doesn't work alone." 

NDDC board: INC President hails N-Delta youths, 

others over suspension of protests 

YOUTHS OF the Niger 

Delta region and other 

agitators have agreed to suspend 

their protest against the 

Federal Government’s failure 

to constitute a substantive 

board of the Niger Delta Development 

Commission, 

NDDC. 

This followed an agreement 

reached at a consultative 

meeting between the youths, 

critical stakeholders and the 

Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, 

Senator Godswill Akpabio, 

held at Oporoza, in 

Gbaramatu kingdom. 

Speaking on the development, 

Ijaw National Congress, 

INC, President, Prof. 

Benjamin Okaba, thanked 

the youths for their under- 

standing, noting that the suspension 

of the protest would 

ensure sustainable peace in 

the Niger Delta region, particularly 

in view of the current 

security situation in the country. 

Prof Okaba, who spoke 

through the National Publicity 

Secretary of the congress, 

Oyakemeagbegha Ezonebi, 

acknowledged that the youths 

were fighting a just cause as 

the issue of a substantive 

Board of the NDDC had been 

on since 2019. 

The INC president, however, 

stated that the body thought 

it necessary for the youths to 

first explore peaceful resolution 

of the matter through dialogue 

and thanked them for 

believing in the leadership of 

INC 

He also thanked the stakeholders, 

including Governnent 

Ekpomukpolo (Tompolo), 

Ijaw National Leader, 

Chief E. K. Clark; Bayelsa 

State Governor, Senator 

Douye Diri; Delta State Governor, 

Senator Ifeanyi 

Okowa, and his Deputy, Deacon 

Kingsley Otuaro, stakeholders 

in the region and security 

agencies for their roles 

in the peace process. 

Okaba urged the Federal 

Governnent, particularly the 

Senator Akpabio, to ensure 

that the agreement reached at 

the meeting, with respect to 

constituting the NDDC board 

before the end of June, was implemented 

to the letter. 

Ukah's appointment as SSG, well deserved 

—Oghenesivbe 

A SABA—EXECUTIVE 

Assistant to the Governor 

of Delta State on Communications, 

Olorogun Fred 

Oghenesivbe, JP., has congratulated 

the newly appointed 

Secretary to Delta State Government, 

Chief Patrick Ukah, 

fnipr, saying his appointment 

is well deserved. 

Oghenesivbe in a goodwill 

message to Ukah, and made 

available to newsmen in Asaba 

said the new SSG is a team 

player who does his job with 

an open mind and very proactive 

in making official decisions. 

He recalled that as Commissioner 

for Information in 

the first tenure, Ukah led a 

very productive and result oriented 

team which effectively 

drove the publicity stunt of the 

SMART agenda and Prosperity 

for All Deltans mantra to 

fruition, before he was appointed 

the Commissioner of 

Basic Education at the commencement 

of the second tenure. 

Oghenesivbe, who is a 

member of the International 

Communication Association, 

mica, further asserted that the 

new SSG is a man of high dignity, 

integrity, very effective, a 

workaholic, a detribalised 

Deltan and a trusted public 

servant who have dedicated 

his time and talent in working 

with the governor in multifaceted 

ways in the past six 

years. 

"I heartily congratulate the 

newly appointed SSG, Chief 

Patrick Ukah. He is truly a 

man of integrity and a reliable 

political associate of our 

amiable governor, Senator Dr 

Ifeanyi Arthur Okowa. 

"His excellent track records 

as Commissioner for Information, 

and Commissioner 

for Basic Education, attests to 

his genuine passion for service 

to the state and people. 

"Ukah's appointment is a 

round peg in a round hole, 

and Deltans will be the beneficiaries 

of his unique style of 

team work and time bound 

service delivery. 

"The new SSG, will bring to 

bear his wealth of experience 

to build on the enviable performance 

of his predecessor, 

Chiedu Ebie."

C 

M 

Y 

K 


By Clifford Ndujihe, 

Politics Editor 

On the zoning controversy in APC 

and mission of SWAGA? 

There will be a presidential election 

in 2023 by the grace of God. By the 

principle that we all agreed, though 

not cast in stone, it is generally agreed 

among politicians of all political 

divides that the presidency should 

rotate between the North and the 

South. It is only fair that we should 

rotate in a very diverse country like 

this where our democracy is still very 

nascent and fragile. 

There are so many centrifugal forces 

pulling us aside, we need to ensure 

fairness to all sections of the country. 

We need to rotate between North and 

South. I believe there is a gentleman’s 

agreement in all the political parties 

that now, after eight years in the North, 

the presidency should come down to 

the South. 

We have not micro-zoned to any of 

the six geo-political zones of Nigeria; 

that is, we have not agreed that it should 

be zoned to the South-South; South- 

East or South-West or the other zones. 

There is no general agreement on that 

but there is a general idea that the 

presidency should rotate between 

North and South. That was why in the 

2007 presidential election, the Peoples 

Democratic Party, PDP, and out-going 

President Olusegun Obasanjo gave 

Dr Umaru Musa Yar’Adua the chance. 

Those who contested that year were 

mainly northerners – the likes of Atiku 

Abubakar, Umaru Yar’Adua and 

Muhammadu Buhari, and the 

election was won by Yar’Adua. 

Unfortunately, Yar’Adua couldn’t 

complete his first term and then 

Goodluck Jonathan came in. The 

problem that we had then when 

Jonathan was president was that the 

Northerners felt that South did eight 

years with Obasanjo as President and 

with Jonathan; they had already done 

another six years. They felt if Jonathan 

was to have a second term, that would 

amount to Southerners doing like 18 

years with the North doing just two 

years. 

So, there was this extreme tension 

which I saw as a politician. That 

tension that the North was being 

short-changed and they should have 

the presidency in 2015 started 

building up in 2011. That was why this 

coalition to get Jonathan out at all cost 

took place. 

•Moghalu 

What is the value of a Nigerian life? 

We live daily today in the shadow of 

terrorists. Our economy is collapsing. 

Many families cannot afford the price of 

food. Millions of young men and women 

have no jobs and have no hope. Our 

university students know more about 

ASUU strikes and long school closures 

than any skills they need to be competitive 

in the world of the 21st Century. 

Only the rich and powerful can access 

quality healthcare in our country or 

abroad as medical tourists, because our 

health system, like most other systems, is 

broken. I lost my father, Isaac Moghalu, 

in December 1998 because he had a 

stroke but the doctors were on strike, and 

therefore we could not get him adequate 

healthcare on time. Soon after we found 

a private clinic and moved him there, he 

went into a coma and passed on shortly 

afterwards. I was heartbroken. Today, 23 

years later, not much has changed. Like 

many, I have suffered personally the 

effects of bad governance in our country. 

With life in it increasingly nasty, brutish 

and short, the very idea of Nigeria is now 

2023: South-West won't 

award South-East 

presidency — Senator 

Adeyeye, SWAGA leader 

•How coalition to get Jonathan out by all means was formed 

Leaders of the South-West Agenda for Asiwaju, SWAGA, are 

touring the South-West geo-political zone, mobilising 

support for National Leader of the All Progressives Congress, and 

former Governor of Lagos, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, for the 

2023 presidential election. Leaders of SWAGA made up of mainly 

former South-West National Assembly members include Senator 

Soji Rilwan Akanbi, Bosun Oladele, Rotimi Akanbi, Oyetunde Ojo 

and Apostle Olorunloba Oke. 

In this chat, SWAGA Chairman and Coordinator, Senator Dayo 

Adeyeye, a one time national publicity secretary of Afenifere spoke 

on the mission of the group and the controversy over zoning of 

APC presidential ticket in 2023.Adeyeye, who served as a minister 

under President Goodluck Jonathan also spoke on the intrigues 

that worked against Jonathan in 2015 and why the South must 

present her best in 2023 among others. 

They succeeded and President 

Buhari came in, in 2015. As of today, 

the South has had the presidency for 

about 13 years; the North has done 

eight years. So, it should come down 

to the South now so that the South can 

have a taste of it in 2023 because by 

then, the North would have done 10 

years. We in the South-West are part 

of the South of Nigeria and the South- 

West has the right to contest for it. 

His take on Kebbi State governor, 

Atiku Bagudu’s comment that APC 

governors are not for zoning, and 

want the presidential ticket to be 

thrown open to all aspirants 

Absolutely, I have nothing against 

the idea of throwing the presidential 

ticket open. Even if a party makes 

pronouncement today that the 

presidency is zoned to a particular 

place, I can assure you that people from 

other areas will still come out. But it is 

in the mind of the people to say ‘we 

have zoned the ticket to a particular 

place.’ So, when you come to the field, 

they will defeat you because you may 

not get the necessary votes. 

However, since the constitution of 

Nigeria says you must not 

discriminate against anybody, a 

political party can have an internal 

arrangement to say we are zoning a 

particular position to a particular 

place. Some other people may 

disagree and they have a right to. So, 

you leave and go to the field. Since 

the majority believes in the zoning 

arrangement, you will have your way. 

That is the way it works in politics. 

In 2007, it wasn’t only Umaru Musa 

2023: I will run because we 

the people matter – Moghalu 

In this piece, 2019 Presidential Candidate, former Deputy 

Governor of the Central bank of Nigeria, CBN, Professor 

Kingsley Chiedu Moghalu, explains why he will contest the 2023 

presidential election. 

almost meaningless to many Nigerians. 

Cries for self-determination fill the air in 

response to fundamental injustice. 

Meanwhile, politics in Nigeria does not 

bring change, and its benefits go to only 

one group — the political elite. Their 

message is loud and clear: we the people 

— you and I — DO NOT matter. 

The bodies of Nigerians are buried in 

cold corners of foreign cemeteries, strewn 

across the Sahara desert, and float in the 

Mediterranean Sea as a consequence 

of a non-existent leadership. Our country 

can no longer speak confidently in the 

gathering of nations. Life as ordained by 

our Creator, that we may experience His 

goodness in this land of the living, has 

eluded us as a people. 

Only the emergence of visionary, 

competent and inclusive national 

leadership, on the one hand, and a 

fundamental restructuring of Nigeria 

based on a new people’s constitution, 

on the other, can arrest Nigeria’s ongoing 

disorderly and violent degeneration into 

a completely failed state. We were not 

born to be miserable and to die miserable. 

Enough is Enough! 

It is now more than ever necessary that 

we elect in 2023 a leader who is TRULY 

committed and has the capacity to 

initiate the constitutional restructuring 

of Nigeria. A leader who is competent to 

The presidency of 

Nigeria is too 

important to be 

awarded to 

somebody who is 

sitting in his house; 

you have to struggle 

for it. Political 

power is never 

served a la carte 

secure our lives and property, successfully 

manage our diversity, save our economy, 

and restore our international respect. 

For the sake of the youth of our 

country—including my four children— 

whose future is being drowned in 

reckless foreign borrowing, and for the 

sake of all Nigerians suffering and 

seeking a clear alternative to the status 

quo, I intend, with all humility, to present 

myself—again—as a candidate for the 

Office of the President of the Federal 

Republic of Nigeria in the 2023 general 

elections. 

If elected, I will run a government with 

a dream team of highly competent 

Nigerians from all parts of our country. 

Along with strengthened, independent 

institutions, we will deliver results on a 

4-point agenda in four years (4 by 4): 

• Security for all Nigerians and 

Nigeria’s territory 

• War against poverty: skills, jobs for 

our youth, and an innovation economy 

•Accelerated education and healthcare 

reform 

•Good Governance: Inclusive, 

transparent, effective and accountable. 

This is my SWAG Agenda for a 21st 

Century Nigeria. I seek the support of all 

compatriots—of everyone who is tired of 

our present national situation. We also 

need the energy and support of the youth, 

Yar’Adua that came out, some people 

came out from the South too. They 

might be minor candidates but they 

still came out. That is the way it 

normally works. Are you going to bar 

Governor Ben Ayade as a bonafide 

citizen of Nigeria from contesting if 

he says he wants to contest? The 

answer is no. Yahaya Bello said he is 

interested in the presidency even 

though he is from the North-Central, 

can you say he has no right? He has a 

right to contest as long as the 

constitution of Nigeria allows it. 

So, we have nothing against that 

statement by Bagudu that they want 

to throw the ticket open because that 

is what I expect anybody from that 

political position to say. If I was asked 

the same question, I will say ‘Governor 

Ayade, you are welcome to our party 

and you are free to contest for 

presidency if you desire.’ Somebody 

is joining your party and you say he 

cannot contest, that is not a politically 

correct thing to do. 

The South-West has produced the 

president in Chief Olusegun 

Obasanjo. The South-South also 

produced Dr. Goodluck Jonathan. 

Don’t you think if the presidency is 

zoned to the South, it should go to 

the South-East? 

That is a very legitimate question, 

absolutely legitimate. But to the extent 

the middle class, entrepreneurs and our 

compatriots in the diaspora. These 

important segments of our population 

have in the past been reluctant to engage 

actively in our electoral process, 

ostensibly because of the flaws in that 

process. 

The National Assembly must now pass 

into law, with no further delay, necessary 

electoral reforms that will make 

democracy yield real dividends for 

Nigerians. Our votes must count and 

be counted transparently. The 

amendments should include a provision 

for Diaspora Nigerians to be able to 

register and vote in all elections in 

Nigeria from abroad. 

I am only one face of a movement. A 

movement of silent and suffering 

Nigerians fed up with the insecurity, 

poverty, and a seemingly hopeless future 

for our country. A movement that has 

decided that Enough is Enough. That 

movement, soon to be present in our 

numbers in every voting ward in Nigeria, 

will announce within the next few 

months the political party we will join en 

masse and seek its platform for the 

presidential, legislative and gubernatorial 

roles in governance. 

We can do this. We can change 

Nigeria. 

Together, let us walk this road to a 

Nigeria that, within 30 years of successive 

administrations, will have achieved the 

kind of economic and technological 

advancement attained by countries such 

as Israel, Malaysia, Singapore, South 

Korea, and the United Arab Emirates 

within similar timeframes. 

It is possible. We only need to participate 

actively in the democratic process and 

vote right when the time comes. 

We the Nigerian people matter. We the 

Nigerian people deserve better. Let’s do 

this because we can and we must. 

•Adeyeye 

that micro-zoning is not generally 

acceptable for now, let everybody in 

the South come out and contest for it. 

The presidency of Nigeria is too 

important to be awarded to somebody 

who is sitting in his house. You have 

to struggle for it. Political power is 

never served a la carte. You see the 

kind of things Americans go through 

when they are contesting for the 

presidency. For almost two years, they 

run primary and other things before 

the election. That has a tendency of 

you going round the country, meeting 

all sorts of people. 

As a journalist, what is my business 

going to the people in the village? But 

when I contested for senatorial 

election, I had to meet everybody 

including traders, artisans and so on. 

So, political position is not served a la 

carte. South-West will not sit back and 

say we are awarding it to South-East. 

Let everyone bring out one’s 

candidate. If people are persuaded 

more that your candidate is more 

qualified and in any case, his zone has 

not produced the presidency, maybe 

they can consider that. But if we do 

not come out to project our man, the 

presidency may not even come to the 

South. For example, Yar’Adua was 

from Katsina State in the North-West, 

why did people not say North-West 

has produced, therefore Buhari should 

give it to another person? They said 

North and Buhari who is from the 

same Katsina still emerged. If the 

thing is going back to the North again 

after the South has produced, it could 

still go to Katsina in the North-West if 

the other zones are not ready and 

prepared. That is why South-West is 

projecting its own candidate. 

We do not say other people don’t 

have a right to project their own but I 

will not be the one coming from Ekiti 

to go to the South-East and South- 

South to say ‘come out and contest for 

the presidency.’ That is why we call it 

South-West Agenda. The South-West 

has come out to projects its candidate 

and we believe our candidate is ready 

and capable. He has sown seeds 

round the country and they are 

bearing fruits now. There is all 

likelihood that by the grace of God, 

he will make it in 2023. That is why 

we are working hard for him. 

Asiwaju Tinubu has not indicated 

interest in contesting for 2023. With 

all your efforts, what if he declines to 

contest? 

Honestly, I do not have any 

assurance from Asiwaju Tinubu that 

he is contesting but I can tell you that 

he will contest. He will not back out 

from the presidential race. He cannot 

back out because there are forces in 

politics that will not make it possible 

for him to back out. I am telling you 

that even though Asiwaju Bola Tinubu 

has not given us any assurance you 

can also be reasonably sure that some 

of us in SWAGA with our little 

experience will not be wasting our 

time if we don’t think that he will 

come out and do it. I don’t have 

assurance from him but we know our 

efforts cannot be in vain.

Vanguard, MONDAY, JUNE 7, 2021— 41 



Continued from page 5 

I decided to come home. 

I have counted more than 

20 dead bodies. The 

palace of our monarch was 

torched. Adolak filling 

station too was burnt.” 

Over 50 attackers 

came on 

20 motorcycles 

—RESIDENT 

Also speaking with 

Vanguard in a telephone 

interview, Mr. Adeagbo 

confirmed the attacks, 

adding that he couldn’t 

verify the casualty figure. 

Adeagbo said: “Yes, it is 

true, herders came at 

midnight to attack our 

people. They killed many 

people. I was there to 

count the number of dead 

people. I don’t know how 

many for now because we 

are still counting.” 

A resident said the 

attackers were more than 

50. They came on 20 

motorcycles around 11 

pm. They started 

shooting, stabbing, and 

clubbing our people. 

“We don’t know what is 

happening now. We have 

shouted, cried and 

appealed for help but 

none came. These people 

have been killing us one 

by one. But, now more 

than 20 people have been 

killed in this fresh attack. 

“You know we sent them 

away from here when 

they were kidnapping 

and raping our women. 

Perhaps, this is a reprisal. 

Is this how we will 

continue to live our lives? 

We sent 

intelligence 

report —EX- 

COUNCIL BOSS 

Also confirming the 

attack, a former caretaker 

chairman of neighbouring 

Ibarapa Central, Yemi 

Akinlabi, said: “It is so 

sad. Only a few days ago, 

our people got an 

intelligence report and 

forwarded it to the 

appropriate quarters for 

action but here we are 

today. 

‘’Are we going to 

continue to live in fear in 

our land? I have spoken 

to General Togun about 

last night’s incident and 

we would want him and 

his team to do something. 

Our people must not be 

allowed to resort to selfhelp.” 

Igangan killings 

devastating, 

dehumanising 

— Alaafin 

In his reaction, Oba 

Adeyemi said: “News of 

the attack on Igangan in 

Oyo State is a very 

disheartening, 

discouraging and a 

dehumanizing news of 

the inhumanity of man to 

man, which is 

perpetuated by criminal 

elements among herders. 

“The wanton 

destruction of lives and 

properties, including the 

palace of the Asigangan 

of Igangan, is quite sad. 

“Despite all efforts made 

at curtailing this ugly 

menace long before it 

starts staring us in the 

face, we are witnessing 

this. Several herders 

have been arrested and 

handed over to the police 

in Oyo State, there has not 

been any conviction, let 

alone diligent prosecution 

as the arrested herders 

are often back on the 

streets 24hrs after their 

arrest.’’ 

Oba Adeyemi, however, 

appealed for calm, saying 

high powered efforts were 

in place to work with 

security agencies and 

government at the centre 

to nip this crisis in the 

bud. 

“To all grieving families, 

all who have lost 

properties and those 

displaced, may God 

console you all at this 

auspicious times that we 

are in Allah’s name I 

pray.” 

War imminent, 

says Gani 

Adams 

Expressing anger over 

the killings, the Aare 

Onakakanfo of 

Yorubaland, Iba Adams, 

warned that with the 

killing of over 20 people 

in Igangan town, Ibarapa, 

Oke Ogun area of Oyo 

State, it was evident that 

war was imminent in the 

country. 

Adams, while 

condemning the 

gruesome murder of 

innocent residents of the 

town, warned herdsmen 

and bandits to stay away 

from the southwest or be 

ready to face stiff 

resistance. 

Speaking shortly after 

news of the killings and 

destruction filtered in, 

with gory videos of the 

massacre, Iba Adams said 

the North had waged war 

against the South-west 

and had also unleashed 

terror on the region, 

stressing the need for the 

south westerners to rise 

and defend themselves 

without looking back. 

He said: “In a situation 

like this, you rise and 

defend yourself. Where 

were the police when the 

bandits started killing our 

people in Igangan? Even 

the palace of Asigangan 

of Igangan land, Oba 

Adewuyi Olaoye, was not 

spared and the monarch, 

according to reports had 

been whisked away by 

the bandits. 

“Three days ago, the 

Director-General of Oyo 

state Southwest Security 

Network Amotekun, Gen. 

Kunle Togun, retd, raised 

the alarm that herdsmen 

had invaded the 

southwest. 

‘’I corroborated his 

statements and called for 

urgent surveillance across 

the southwest. Now with 

the recent onslaught on 

Igangan people, it is 

evident that the 

herdsmen are on a 

predetermined mission to 

kill, maim and decimate 

the Southwest. 

“This is one killing too 

many, I will not fold my 

arms seeing the blood of 

innocent people being 

shed like it is in Igangan.” 

South-West must 

rise to the 

occasion 

Lamenting the failure of 

the Federal Government 

to rise to the security 

challenges in the country, 

Adams said now that the 

North had declared war 

on the southwest, the 

region would not be silent 

or compromise on the 

homicide going on. 

‘’I want to charge all the 

governors in the 

southwest, as well as the 

traditional rulers to rise to 

this occasion.’’ 

The Yoruba 

generalissimo, however, 

warned criminal herders 

to stay away from the 

region, noting that the 

South-West will no longer 

accommodate killers. 

“OPC and other local 

security operatives will 

continue to ensure that the 

region is safe for 

residents. 

“Those killed in 

Igangan town have their 

families and friends, there 

is blood flowing in their 

veins and in a moment, 

their lives were cut short 

by killer herdsmen and 

bandits in their home,’’ 

he said. 

Adams, who expressed 

worry over the infiltration 

of the zone by marauding 

herdsmen, however, 

urged all the governors to 

beef up the security of 

their respective states to 

provide adequate 

security for the people of 

the region. 

S-West govs 

should ask 

Buhari if we’re 

not wanted in 

Nigeria —YCE 

Also reacting, the Yoruba 

Council of Elders, YCE, 

described the attack as 

debasing, adding that the 

manner the hoodlums 

operated unhindered 

made a right-thinking 

person ask if there was 

any government in place 

From left: Kwara State Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq; Commissioner 

for Local Government, Chieftaincy Affairs, and Community Development Arc. 

Aliyu Muhammad Saifudeen; French Ambassador to Nigeria Jerome Pasquier; 

and Curator, Esie National Museum Mopelola Omowumi; during the French 

Ambassador's visit to the Esie National Museum, in Irepodun LGA, weekend. 

in the state. 

The elders also advised 

South West governors to 

ask 

President 

Muhammadu Buhari if 

they were still wanted in 

Nigeria. 

Speaking through its 

Secretary-General, Dr. 

Kunle Olajide, the YCE 

said: “We reject this 

unprovoked attack in its 

entirety, the destruction, 

havoc wreaked on 

Igangan community 

yesterday. We begin to 

wonder if there is any 

government in place at 

all. 

“This kind of attack has 

been on for years and it 

appears it’s not abating at 

all. The government must 

wake up and be alive to 

its responsibilities. 

“This goes to show that 

there is need for 

Nigerians to get together 

to determine and 

renegotiate the basis of 

our living because 

foreigners can’t come from 

other countries to violate 

our laws. 

“They kill human 

beings, destroy our 

property, desecrate our 

lands, main and kill and 

the government maintains 

silence. The federal and 

state governments must 

wake up. 

“I’m surprised there is 

no follow up to the Asaba 

Declaration which the 

Southern governors had 

some weeks ago. The 

governors must rise in 

unison to meet Mr. 

President and ask him if 

we are still wanted in 

Nigeria. This is our country; 

we are not foreigners 

here. Those who are 

migrants should leave. 

This is very debasing to 

kill innocent citizens in 

the dead of the night.” 

We suspect foul 

play —Afenifere 

Also reacting, the pan- 

Yoruba socio-political 

organization, Afenifere, 

alleged that there was 

complicity from high 

places. 

Afenifere’s National 

Publicity Secretary, Mr. 

Jare Ajayi said: “If there 

had been doubts that 

Nigeria is literally a 

battlefield and a country 

that is fast becoming a 

failed state, the 

unwarranted, 

unprovoked, dastardly 

and avoidable killings 

and arson that took place 

in Igangan, Ibarapa 

North Local Government 

of Oyo State, at the 

weekend should remove 

the doubts. 

It said: “The failure of 

the Federal Governmentcontrolled 

security 

agencies to prevent the 

carnage from happening, 

despite prior warning, 

makes it difficult for us to 

dismiss insinuations in 

some quarters of 

complicity from the high 

level of government. 

“This suspicion is 

strengthened by the fact 

that the devilish bandits 

operated for four hours 

without being checked by 

either the police or the 

military. It is so sad. 

“The statement 

observed that security 

reports indicated that a 

column of the armed 

bandits were spotted in 

Iwere-Ile, Iwajowa local 

government area in Oke- 

Ogun, Oyo State. But 

they were repelled by the 

combined team of 

Amotekun and Vigilante 

officers in conjunction 

with the local people. 

“Suspicion was rife that 

it was those bandits and/ 

or their partners-in-crime 

that attacked Igangan.” 

Afenifere called on the 

federal and state 

governments to urgently 

put an end to the 

deteriorating situation in 

the country ‘before the 

people resorted to selfhelp.’ 

“While the security 

agencies quickly swing 

into action, the Federal 

Government should, as a 

matter of urgency, 

convoke meetings of 

security experts and make 

it possible for local 

communities to protect 

themselves. 

“To find a lasting 

solution to the myriad of 

problems confronting the 

nation however, Nigeria 

must be restructured 

immediately. 

“To find a lasting 

solution to the myriad of 

problems confronting the 

nation however, Nigeria 

must be restructured 

immediately. The 

Igangan murderous 

debacle further 

emphasises the urgency 

and immediacy of state 

police. And the state 

governors must be 

constitutionally 

responsible for the 

security of their states in 

all ramifications as chief 

security officers of their 

respective states.” 

We’re in control 

of situation 

— MAKINDE 

Reacting to the killings, 

Governor Makinde urged 

residents of the state to 

remain calm, saying 

security operatives were 

in control of the situation 

Makinde said: “I have 

received the shocking 

news of the attacks on 

residents of Igangan, 

Ibarapaland, in the early 

hours of this morning 

(yesterday). 

“I am currently being 

briefed on the incidents. 

I urge residents to remain 

calm as security 

operatives are now in 

control of the situation.” 

We can’t confirm 

casualty figure 

—POLICE 

When contacted, Oyo 

State Police Command, 

through its Public 

Relations Officer, DSP 

Adewale Osifeso, said he 

could not confirm the 

casualty figure. 

Osifeso said: “The 

casualty figure would be 

premised upon the 

completion of the ongoing 

comprehensive 

investigations. 

“On Saturday, at about 

2310hrs, a yet to be 

ascertained number of 

unknown assailants 

invaded Igangan town 

with dangerous weapons 

in a bid to create unrest 

in the town. 

“The unscrupulous 

elements were, however, 

repelled by a combination 

of Police operational and 

tactical assets in concert 

with local hunters and 

vigilantes. 

“Normalcy has since 

returned as on-the-spot 

assessment is in process. 

Furthermore, the 

situation is being closely 

monitored and 

comprehensive 

investigations are 

ongoing to apprehend 

the perpetrators.”


What we need most 

now in Nigeria is 

peace — Jamiu Abiola 

I 

t has been almost three decades since the late Alhaja 

Kudirat Abiola died. In this interview, one of her 

children, Alhaji Jamiu Abiola, a prolific author who wrote 

“The Stolen Presidency” shares his plans to use a new NGO 

to further immortalise his mother, Alhaja Kudirat Abiola: 

By Osa Amadi, Arts Editor 

What is the name of this new 

foundation you have always been 

talking about, and what are its 

objectives? 

It is called the Kudirat Abiola 

Sabon Gari Peace Foundation. Its 

core objective is to promote peace 

through ideals my mother adopted 

while growing up in Sabon Gari 

Zaria. 

To promote peace is a noble goal, 

but do you think it is broad enough? 

What about youth empowerment 

and capacity building? 

My sister Hafsat has an NGO 

known as the Kudirat Initiative for 

Democracy, and it is already involved 

in the areas you just mentioned even 

though its focus is on women. 

My own focus is on peace. As you 

can see, what we need most in Nigeria 

today is peace. Without peace there 

will be nothing. No development and 

eventually no democracy. 

Have you been to Sabon Gari in 

Zaria before? 

Yes, I went there on a few occasions. 

The last time was not long ago and 

despite the recent wave of 

kidnappings, Zaria has not lost its 

ancient charm. 

I am glad that it was partly what 

inspired me to form this NGO. 

What exactly do you mean by 

“partly what inspired me to form 

the NGO”? 

I am not going overboard when 

I say that Zaria is one of a kind. It 

reminds me of Maiduguri in the 

early 2000s before the Boko 

Haram crisis. Zaria is a home of 

peace. 

Could there be other features 

that make Zaria special? 

If you go there with no prior 

predisposition you will arrive at the 

By Prisca Sam-Duru 

Netherlands-based Ranti 

Akintobi, who works full 

time as a Finance Manager, was 

born in Ibadan, Oyo state, Nigeria. 

The author of “The Royal Visit” is 

fascinated by diverse cultures of 

peoples across the globe, having 

lived in three continents (North 

America, Europe, and Africa) in 

London, Chicago, New Jersey, 

Ibadan etc. 

Despite being a numbers person, 

Ranti’s passion to promote various 

rich African cultures, spurred her 

into the world of creativity, birthing 

“The Royal Visit”, a children’s 

literature launched recently. 

Writing the children’s book as a 

prerequisite to animation series 

that can be watched mainstream, 

bringing the African culture and 

pride to children all over the world, 

was the author’s motivating factor. 

“The Royal Visit”: Book 1, is the 

first book of the T&T Nubian 

Adventure series written for 

children between the ages of 5 and 

11 years. T&T Nubian Adventure 

stories are centred on an African 

conclusion that it is indeed one of 

a kind. It is like the melting pot 

phenomenon of the US: The 

concept of immigrants coming to 

North America to collectively 

strive for the whole country to 

thrive. 

In Zaria, this is what the various 

ethnic groups have come to do, 

especially in its Sabon Gari local 

government. 

Just like in New York where Jews and 

Italians have their separate niches, 

Yoruba and Igbos engage freely in their 

respective businesses and are doing a 

great job. Indigenes too are excellent 

farmers. 

In Sabon Gari Zaria, the Yorubas 

are into providing services like catering 

and car repairs while the Igbos have 

taken up trading as their main source 

of income. It is hard to tell the difference 

between these ethnic groups and 

indigenes. 

Is that the only reason you chose 

the name ‘Sabon Gari’ for the 

foundation? 

The term ‘Sabon Gari’ also has a 

historic significance even prior to 

Nigeria’s independence. There are 

now Sabon Garis everywhere. Even 

in the south. 

Could you shed more light on the 

history of Sabon Gari as a concept? 

Back in the days if you were a 

Southerner coming to some parts 

of the North, a Sabon Gari would 

be your first point of call. It is there 

you will start finding your proper 

footing in society in terms of 

housing and a source of income. 

Most people living in the Sabon 

Gari then were southerners. 

But with time this changed. 

Northerners too became more 

comfortable with their southern 

counterparts and the Sabon Gari 

gradually transformed into a 

•Alhaji Jamiu Abiola 

melting pot of mixed Nigerians. 

This is the model this foundation 

wants to promote: a country 

connected by bonds stronger than 

its divisive elements. 

In what ways did your mother’s 

childhood in Sabon Gari influence 

her future disposition in life? 

After growing up in such a 

community she was practically 

African children should enjoy animated characters 

like them — Akintobi, author 

royal family living in an African 

country called 

Lafiya, ruled by 

an Obabirin, a 

female king - 

Queen Lara”. 

Explaining her 

reason for 

writing the 

book, she said, 

“I feel children 

of African 

descendants (all 

over the world) 

should have the 

option of seeing 

mainstream 

animated 

characters that 

look like them. 

It was also 

paramount to me that the story be 

told by an African that Africans can 

connect with. My main aim is to 

ignite the African culture in 

children all over the world and 

bring the culture to them through 

stories”. 

Regarding books or authors that 

may have influenced her writing, 

Ranti said: “I have to admit that I 

intentionally didn’t read children’s 

books written based on 

African children 

characters, so as not to 

be tempted to deviate 

from my idea of my 

children’s book series 

(T&T Nubian 

Adventures). I am still 

learning how to write, 

and my editor has been 

great at guiding me. 

However, one book I 

did read about African 

folk tales was “The Girl 

Who Married A Lion” by 

Alexander McCall 

Smith. It has fantastic 

compilation of African 

tales which I feel should 

be brought to the whole 

world”. 

The book took the author roughly 

two years to put together, and will 

have about 4 to 5 books in the series. 

“I feel it’s such a shame that 

underprivileged children have 

limited or no access to books via 

their schools. Public (government) 

schools are known not to even have 

incapable of 

discriminating. That 

must have been why 

she never had 

friends from any 

single part of the 

country. 

These are the 

factors that 

contributed to her 

success in business 

and campaign for 

my father’s victory. 

Was she directly 

involved in your 

father’s presidential 

campaign? 

Among his wives, 

my father selected 

her to handle the 

northern part of his 

campaign’s female 

wing. She was able 

to convey his 

message to the 

grassroots effectively because 

language was no longer a barrier. 

But Nigeria is now so polarized and 

this makes me wonder if that was 

the case then. 

Did she ever wish she grew up in 

the South as a result of antagonisms 

she must have faced in the North? 

No. She never complained. She 

had lots of friends. Her childhood was 

a happy one. 

libraries. While it may be argued 

that a child’s development is 

dependent on educational books, I 

feel it’s equally important that 

children have access to literature 

in order to develop their creativity, 

imagination, and vocabulary,” she 

said concerning the inability of the 

African child to access books. This 

informed her decision to work with 

orphanages and charity 

organizations by donating books 

to them, with the hope of sparking 

their imagination and their creative 

side as well as helping them learn 

how to read through entertaining 

storybooks. 

Wondering what message she’s 

trying to pass across through 

depiction of human and animal 

communication, she pointed out 

that, “There’s nothing in particular 

I’m trying to communicate to 

readers here about talking to 

animals. 

This is a children’s book that has 

an element of fantasy and 

encourages wild imagination just 

like any of the Disney/ Hollywood 

children’s animated series or 

movies that our kids love to watch”. 

What did she tell you about her 

parents? 

They were wonderful people. I met 

them; so, I knew this without needing 

to hear it from her. They believed in 

her and gave her lots of 

responsibilities and that is how 

parents should be. She would open 

my grandmother’s shop and wait for 

her to come before going to school. 

She never spoke of facing 

discrimination. I think those might 

have been the happiest years of 

her life. 

She died for a democratic 

Nigeria that is now plagued by 

death and bloodshed. Do you 

honestly think that her sacrifice 

was worth it? 

If things continue on this path the 

answer to your question would be 

no and that would be unbearable 

to me and my siblings. That is 

partly why I formed the Kudirat 

Abiola Sabon Gari Peace 

Foundation. Sitting idle has never 

been an option, and it will never 

be. This foundation has a solid 

technical committee made up of 

experts in conflict resolution. These 

people have been long engaged in 

various institutions where they 

teach this subject-matter. With the 

help of our donors and partners 

we can make a major difference 

and we will by the grace of God. 

Ify Oraemeka: Turning uncommon pieces 

to master pieces 

By Japhet Davidson 

I Oraemeka FEANYICHUKWU 

is one of the female 

curators making waves in 

the male-dominated art industry. 

Ordinarily, seeing her in an exhibition 

hall, one would conclude 

that she was either there as a collector 

or someone with the family 

to view art works, but that was not 

to be, the young beautiful graduate 

of Fisheries Management happens 

to be the curator of the exhibition 

and apart from that, some 

of her art works were on display 

too. 

A peep into the body of works on 

display reveals the creative ingenuity 

of the artist. In fact she is 

creating works from nothing, little 

wonder that she sees herself as 

one who turns uncommon pieces 

to master pieces. 

In a chat with the soft spoken 

creator, curator, actress and social 

works volunteer who currently 

works in Lagos, Nigeria, Ify disclosed 

that she has been creating 

works for over a decade, but 

started curating six years ago and 

since then, she has curated about 

40 exhibitions and has worked 

with over 15 notable artists. 

On how she went into arts after 

studying Fisheries management: 

“I have always been artistic from 

birth but was not really expressing 

it for some reasons, but now I have 

found ways of curating and 

creating wonderful works.” 

She did not stop at that, according 

to her, in order to make a name 

in arts, in 2018, she started her 

own company, Afrornaments, 

where she shares her crafts with 

the world. This company showcases 

her curatorial works, contents, 

ethnic furnitures, Africa-inspired 

ornaments for interiors and 

exteriors, works of artists and 

more. “In fact, we are masters in 

turning uncommon pieces to master 

pieces.” 

Her works; which tings with the 

savour of African ingenuity gives 

a closer look to the historical, personal, 

aesthetics and pop culture 

of African arts and crafts. 

On how she gets her materials, 

she pointed out that she work with 

things others might not consider 

to be art and make them master 

pieces. “At AFRORNAMENTS, 

I take uncommon pieces and turn 

them into master pieces.” 

Talking about her experience so 

far, “my first experience was both 

demanding and amazing, I would 

say the artist was quite easy to 

work with. But the first time I 

curated a group exhibition, which 

happens to be my first time of handling 

that number of artists at the 

same time, but it turned out well." 

On how she is making it in the 

male dominated art industry, “in 

the arts, I just do my works. Art is 

endless. There are different expressions 

of it and the sky is big enough, 

so I just focus on getting my work 

done and send my messages 

across.” 

On the name, Afrornaments, “I 

choosed the name because Africa 

is everything, there is so much here 

and many things you find in the 

world is either African or was 

influenced by Africa. So I’m lending 

my expressions to the uniqueness 

of Africa.” 

Finally, on advice for upcoming 

female curators, “I would tell anyone 

to be their self and do their 

thing and if you are passionate 

about what you do, it could sustain 

you.” 

C 

M 

Y 

K

Vanguard, MONDAY, JUNE 7, 2021— 43 

By Bestman Michael 

When Robert Pinsky says “the 

art of poetry is in the sound 

of words”, it introduces the degree 

of aesthetic effect that comes with 

the creative mixture of form and 

content in art generally. An 

exposure to a sort of mastery of 

language and to what poetry 

should or should not be at a 

material given period. It is from 

this basis that Chinua Ezenwa- 

Ohaeto’s poems from the 

perspective of language, its 

musicality, style, themes, 

structure, and how they are 

intermittently weaved, appeal to 

the human senses of sight, taste, 

feelings, smell, and hearing. 

The chapbook, a collection of 19 

poems, centers around the effect 

of loss and love; war and death; 

terrorism; domestic violence; 

social reflection on economy and 

politics; familial bond; women 

oppression and sexuality; single 

parenting; suicide and 

depression; and equally, the quest 

for what home should be and the 

search for the self. 

Narrated from an interior 

monologue point of view, it is 

fused with certain dramatic and 

stylistic elements that takes the 

reader around the journey of his 

life, his environment, and presents 

his thought either in rhetorical, 

paradoxical, or emphatic rails for 

Chinua Ezenwa-Ohaeto: 

Exploring the musicality 

of death 

the readers to reflect on. 

First, with an 

introductory poem titled 

“And for these past weeks”, 

which offers a guide and 

background to how other 

poems should be read, 

perceived, and visualised. 

And structured into 21 lines, 

it introduces the reader to 

the state of mind of the 

writer, his intended 

narrative pattern and the 

sharp epiphany that begins 

the chapbook itself: “And for these 

past weeks/ I have been 

unravelling the wrong person... 

the day my father died, I left the 

boy I was for the cap I didn’t grow 

enough to fit / How do I define the 

things that I cannot have and 

become? Or the ugly things that 

keep drawing me towards them?”. 

But, while agreeing with Olisa 

Eloka in the foreword about the 

impact on the writer, of losing 

one’s father, especially at a tender 

age, the entire collection centers 

more on women and motherhood, 

the pain they undergo in times of 

war, abuse, marriage, and the 

motherly roles they have played, 

side by side its effect on the child, 

in a male-dominated tyrannical 

society. 

Here, these repeated thematic 

elements constantly appear in 

poems like “A Handful of 

Memories”, “Mother thinks I Do 

not Remember Her”,” A Page from 

my Diary”, “A House so cramped 

God could barely Squeeze in”, 

“The Teenager who became my 

mother” and “Home”. And where 

“father” appears, it becomes a 

complimentary retrospection to 

the things lost or what the poet 

misses: “My father shares a piece 

of unfunny jokes with me in my 

dreams”; or how much wilder 

father can become as an 

instrument of a failed state: “A 

bang races you downstairs to find 

your mother, with patches of red, 

before the sink. Your father sits on 

the dining table, a bottle of alcohol 

dangles in his burning blood and 

fists”. 

Meanwhile, the word, “mother”, 

appears with an image of horror, 

suffering, guidance and hopes, 

which in one way or the other, is 

sharp. 

The writer owes much of his 

survival to the roles “mother” 

clearly played in the entire 

collection, both in prayers and in 

direction. For instance, 

in “A Handful of 

Memories”, he asserts: 

“I know my mother’s 

stares wear and point 

me away from the sea” 

and in “Mother Thinks 

I don’t Remember 

Her”, the poem tells 

the reader about how 

“home is where mother 

plaits her worries, and 

whose prayers are 

invincible halo over 

my skull”; not to 

mention how “I 

remember you” is 

emphatically 

repeated. 

Creatively, Chinua 

Ezenwa-Ohaeto’s 

chapbook widens the 

gap between imagery 

and abstract noise. 

Like Robert Hass in twentiethcentury 

pleasure, “imagery does 

not say this is that, they say this 

is”. And the collection is written 

in a simple, witty and highly 

figurative manner; with choice of 

words that absorb the reader not 

only in its musicality of lines but 

also in the experiences that comes 

with it, either reactionary or 

revolutionary. 

Although the poems grieve and 

suffer from so many horrific and 

harsh experiences, the writer was 

able to find a sense of musicality 

even at a point of death and hope 

which acts as a backbone to how 

the message is absorbed and 

perceived even with time—past, 

present, or future. 

Especially with the unusual use 

of figurative like “The way I drink 

now I think my mouth may 

someday become a portrait of an 

old woman knitting a napkin for 

an unborn grandchild.” Or, “A 

home is a place that knows the 

geometry of your body/ a home is 

a place your heart yearns to 

return”. 

The heavy use 

of paradox, 

repetition, sharp 

rhythm and 

writer r h y m e , 

punctuations, 

and grammatical 

structure as seen 

roles 

in “A House So 

Cramped that 

The 

owes much of 

his survival to 

the 

“mother” 

clearly played 

in the entire 

collection, both 

in prayers and 

in direction 

God could 

Barely Squeeze 

in” and “The 

Things I Can 

Say of This 

Place” which 

takes an unusual 

style and 

structure where 

the poem is read 

from right to left 

as a creative and 

intentional way 

to address and conceal the 

political rottenness in the country. 

Notably, the writer shows a 

deeper command of language 

which produces a set of effects 

both metrically in sound, visually 

in image, and philosophically in 

thematic content. In “I Set Up a 

Table and Have a Dinner with Pa”, 

we are introduced to a couplet 

with an alternate metre in how 

emphasis is intentionally placed: 

“a pint of happiness/ a dragging 

emptiness.” 

Rhetorically, the poet manages 

I want to see Nigerian authors succeed globally 

---Mrs Ilusanmi 

By Elizabeth Osayande 

GONE are the days when 

writers are referred to as 

beggars. For Mrs. Awele 

Ilusanmi, not only can authors 

make money from their craft, 

they also get recognition and 

support with the right network. 

Mrs. Ilusanmi is an acclaimed 

self author of two books: 

Comforting Arms- A Compilation 

of motivational Christian 

Poems: and Launch Money - A 

non-fiction book on how to 

launch your products and 

services successfully. 

In this exclusive interview with 

our correspondent, she shares 

her wealth of experience in the 

creative industry. 

Who is Awele Ilusanmi ? 

I am the Nigeria Chapter 

President of Association of 

Publishers For Special Sales, 

Denver, Colorado, USA. I am 

also the President of Literary 

Authors Cooperative 

Multipurpose Society of 

Nigeria. The association is 

legally registered in Lagos, 

Nigeria. It is the first Nigeria 

Literary Authors Cooperative. In 

addition, I am also a member of 

the Welfare Committee of 

Mrs Awele Ilusanmi 

Association of Nigerian Authors, 

ANA, Lagos chapter. 

What do you do? 

I am the founder and president, 

Literary Authors Multiple 

Cooperative Society that was 

inaugurated in December 2019 

by the Cooperative Department 

of Lagos State Government. This 

is the first of its kind in Nigeria. 

The society is established to 

help members become successful 

authors by financially supporting 

one another. And its objectives 

include: help writers become 

successful authors; help members 

to publish, promote and market 

their books; help members get 

access to international 

publishing deals. Promote 

reading culture and help 

authors build successful 

authorship brands and become 

successful. We do these by 

making stakeholders to 

minimize and hopefully stop 

piracy. To organise book 

publishing and marketing 

Training for Authors. 

And the reasons for my passion 

is that most Nigerian authors 

don’t know they can get support 

with the Literary Authors 

Cooperative with proper 

planning. I am passionate and 

committed to see Nigerian 

authors succeed globally. 

Tell us more about The 

Literary Authors Multiple 

Society ? 

The Literary Authors 

Cooperative Multipurpose 

Society of Nigeria is a financial 

and informative supportive 

system that enable authors to 

pursue their writing careers 

successfully without any 

financial stress. Here, authors 

can get support and give out 

support to build up their book 

ideas, do proper editing, 

printing, book signing, book 

launches, book marketing and 

author branding. 

How do the Literary Authors 

Multiple Cooperation work? 

The aim of the group is to 

encourage target savings 

towards achieving a specific goal 

by individual author. They 

promote reading culture, make 

financial profits by fulfilling their 

responsibilities; enhance 

cooperative support to achieve 

set goal as an author; develop 

millionaire mentality in the 

minds of our author; and to 

promote authorpreneurship as a 

way of life. 

Only financial supporting, 

contributing members and fully 

Registered members can get the 

above benefits. 

Achievement of the Society 

since its operation? 

So far, we have supported over 

20 Nigerian authors to go 

through training programs in 

publishing and marketing of their 

books. We have introduced some 

authors to improve their writing 

skills through international 

online trainings too. Help build 

website for authors and help 

authors organize mini-Book 

launch successfully. 

And presently, we have about 50 

registered and committed 

members on the platform. 

How do you feel seeing your 

work getting an international 

consultation deal? 

to draw his philosophical and 

social arguments in the collection: 

“how do I define the things I 

cannot have and become? / Or the 

ugly things that keep drawing me 

towards them?”; “if I stand long 

enough in a place, will I become 

its memory?”; “can you see how 

the moon is still the sun?”. 

Equally, the repetition of 

“mother”, “home”, “pint”, “body”, 

“graveyard”, “bullets”, “house”, 

“memory”, “ father” etc., takes a 

sort of effect that is echoed 

throughout the poem and virtually 

forms a basis to how the thematic 

content is built. 

Surprisingly, the word “death” 

is only used twice in the entire 

collection and you can imagine 

how the poet manages to 

graphically present his message 

without losing the solemn and 

reflective mode it carries about it. 

Importantly, it is noted that most 

titles in the collection are directly 

linked with the first line of some 

poems to create a continuity of 

thought; thereby, producing a 

material connection between 

sound, mood, and tone. An 

example can be drawn from the 

first poem in the collection “And 

for these past weeks” with a 

connecting immediate line that 

starts the poem, “I have been 

unravelling the wrong person”. 

Same goes with “I Crossed the 

Lane filled with People”, “The Fire 

Burns out and the Story My 

Cousin Told”, etc. 

Therefore, the material maturity 

of how the writer has been able to 

connect his individual 

experiences with the reflected 

rottenness that comes with war 

and terrorism, not only in a place 

as Nigeria but in the world at 

large, is highly commendable. 

How a socio-political and 

economic framework, which 

breeds suffering and allows some 

few individuals to amass wealth, 

should be condemned. How 

“thieves steal and get rich...—the 

politicians/...people see(s) them 

and praise(s) them”. Yet, we can 

only “poke from a distance”. Also, 

it raises the plight of children and 

how terrorism and war have 

affected their childhood where the 

only place to play is in their 

dreams as “playgrounds turn 

graveyard”. 

I feel happy. My Two Books in 

one Girls Gold just won an 

international consultation book 

offer. What this means in book 

marketing is that an expert sees 

value in the book cover and the 

synopsis to pitch to corporate 

buyers. 

So, to an author you are 

starting from a winning side 

where companies can order from 

10,000 copies of your books and 

pay you upfront.You also become 

a brand ambassador 

representing the companies. 

Hold book signing and speaking 

engagements. 

So what are goals and 

aspirations? 

As a group, the Literary Authors 

Multiple Cooperation Society, 

we will be looking at team 

support for members. These will 

include financial and moral 

support via helping edit/ 

proofRead Books; Promote 

Books on Amazon and other 

platforms; Book International 

Consultation for Companies to 

buy our books locally and 

internationally ; Advertise our 

books in local and international 

trade fairs : Print Books/Team 

Promote our books on Social 

Media Platforms; Get 

Publishing deals/Book Launch; 

and having members smile to the 

bank.

C 

M 

Y 

K 


Africa unprepared as 3rd wave COVID-19 

outbreak looms — WHO 

.Surge of new cases threatens health facilities 

By Sola Ogundipe 

AFRICA is unprepared 

in the face of an 

imminent outbreak of a 

third wave of the COVID- 

19 pandemic in the 

continent, the World Health 

Organisation, WHO has 

warned. 

The WHO Regional 

Director for Africa, Dr 

Matshidiso Moeti, who 

gave the warning during 

the weekly online press 

conference, worried that 

bottlenecks in vaccine 

deliveries and a lack of key 

resources in frontline care, 

were pointers that Africa 

was not ready, even as she 

called for better equipment 

for hospital and medical 

staff. 

“Many African hospitals 

and clinics are still far from 

ready to cope with a huge 

rise in critically ill patients. 

The threat of a third wave 

in Africa is real and rising. 

Treatment is the last line of 

defence against this virus 

and we cannot let it be 

breached.” 

She warned that African 

countries must urgently 

boost critical care capacity 

to prevent health facilities 

from being overwhelmed. 

even as vaccine shipments 

grind to a near halt. 

“While many countries 

outside Africa have now 

vaccinated their highpriority 

groups and are able 

to even consider 

vaccinating their children, 

African countries are 

unable to even follow up 

with second doses for highrisk 

groups. I’m urging 

countries that have reached 

a significant vaccination 

coverage to release doses 

and keep the most 

vulnerable Africans out of 

critical care,” she stated. 

According to WHO, 

Africa has officially 

registered over 4.8 million 

COVID-19 cases and 

130,000 deaths, 

representing 2.9 percent of 

global cases and 3.7 

percent of deaths. 

Only two percent of 

Africans to date have 

received at least one 

vaccine jab, while 24 

Institutionalise cancer screening at 

PHCs for better outcomes, says Bello 

By Sola Ogundipe 

THE Niger State First 

Lady Dr Amina 

Abubakar Bello has called 

for the institutinalisation of 

cancer screening into the 

country’s National health 

system at the Primary 

Health Care level, to 

promote early detection 

and better outcomes of 

cancer care. 

Bello, who is also the 

Chairperson of The First 

Ladies against Cancer, 

FLAC, and Founder/CEO 

Raise Foundation, decried 

the high cost of cancer 

treatment and lack of 

effective support for cancer 

survivors. 

Speaking recently during 

a virtual chat organised by 

FLAC and Roche on 

“Partnerships & Widebased 

Screening Towards 

The Reduction of Nigeria’s 

Cancer Burden,” she said 

early detection and 

treatment significantly 

decreases cancer mortality 

rates. 

“Having a National 

From left: Executive Director, Nigeria Heart Foundation, NHF, Dr Kingsley 

Akinroye, Chairman, NHF Tobacco Committee, Dr. Oluwakemi Odukoya, and 

Director Administration, NHF , Chief Shadipe Ademola during the media 

presentation of "Kick it Out Cessation Tips" on how to quit smoking created by 

the Foundation to mark this year's World No Tobacco Day on Monday in Lagos. 

screening programme for 

cervical cancer will key into 

the recently launched 

WHO cervical cancer 

elimination strategy, which 

involves screening and 

treatment of cervical cancer 

as well as the prevention 

with HPV vaccination. 

“The HPV vaccines are 

only available to those who 

can afford it, which brings 

the need to incorporate the 

vaccine into the National 

vaccination programme, 

FLAC is collaborating with 

the Federal Ministry of 

Health, vaccine 

manufacturers and other 

partners to make the 

vaccines more accessible to 

young girls and women 

across the country.” 

She said the partnership 

with Roche aims to serve 

this purpose and extends 

back to 2016. 

“Roche has specifically 

paved the way to provide 

breast cancer treatment to 

women in some States 

across Nigeria as we work 

together in the joint 

creation of awareness 

percent of the world’s 

population is now 

vaccinated. 

As the continent 

struggles with vaccine 

shortages, the care of 

critically ill COVID-19 

patients is also lagging 

behind other parts of the 

world. While Africa has 2.9 

percent of cases globally, it 

accounts for 3.7 percent of 

deaths. 

Of six countries that have 

not kicked off 

immunisation, four are in 

Africa — Tanzania, 

Burundi, Chad and Eritrea. 

She warned that as 

vaccine shipments to the 

continent grind to a near 

halt, the risk of a surge in 

amongst women about the 

importance of vaccination, 

screening and treatment. 

We therefore call on 

government and other 

stakeholders to join us in 

meeting the objective of 90 

percent of girls to be 

vaccinated against HPV by 

2030, 70 percent of women 

screened for HPV by age 

35 and, again at 45, and 

lastly that 90 percent of 

women diagnosed with 

cervical cancer are able to 

access treatment. 

“If it is institutionalised as 

one of the requisite tests, 

then it becomes a 

compulsory exercise for 

women. It is therefore 

imperative that 

stakeholders upscale 

efforts to advocate for and 

create awareness of cancer 

screening available to 

Nigerian women,” she 

argued. She mentioned, 

among others, low 

perception of cancer risk, 

and physician gender 

preferences as factors 

contributing to resistance to 

cancer screening. 

COVID-19 cases increases, 

African countries must 

urgently boost critical care 

capacity to prevent health 

facilities from being 

overwhelmed. 

The combined effect of 

weak observance of 

preventive measures, 

increased population 

movement among others, 

have heightened the risk of 

COVID-19 resurgence in 

many countries. 

“In the last two weeks, 

Africa recorded a 20 

percent increase in cases 

compared with the previous 

fortnight. The pandemic is 

trending upwards in 14 

countries and in the past 

week alone, eight countries 

witnessed an abrupt rise of 

over 30 percent in cases. 

In a survey last month, 

the agency found that 

health facilities and 

personnel that are crucial 

for critically ill COVID-19 

patients are grossly 

inadequate in many African 

countries. 

Of 23 countries surveyed, 

most had less than one 

intensive care unit bed per 

100,000 population and 

only one-third had 

mechanical ventilators. 

By comparison, rich 

countries such as Germany 

and the United States have 

more than 25 ICU beds per 

100,000 people. 

In a weekly bulletin, the 

WHO said it had detected 

an “exponential” rise of 

cases in Kinshasa, the 

capital of the Democratic 

Republic of Congo., DRC. 

A DRC health ministry 

official confirmed “the third 

wave of COVID-19 is 

already there — it’s the 

Indian (Delta) and South 

African (Beta) variants,” 

adding that this wave was 

potentially “deadlier” than 

previous ones. 

Simultaneously, Africa is 

facing a shortage of 

vaccines, with deliveries 

almost marking time, 

according to WHO. 

COVID-19: Adhere strictly to 

medical advice, Mopheth 

Pharmacy tells Nigerians 

By Prince Okafor 

AS more people around 

the world turn to 

dietary supplements to 

boost their immunity 

following the outbreak of 

COVID-19 and its effects, 

the Group Managing 

Director/Chief Executive 

Officer of Mopheth, Kunle 

Oyegade has urged 

Nigerians to adherence 

strictly to medical advice as 

key to remain healthy 

throughout the pandemic 

period. 

Oyegade noted that 

Nigerians are beginning to 

embrace supplements to 

boost their immunity level 

urged Nigerians to also 

take their immunity 

boosters and routine 

medication and try to 

exercise regularly as well 

as maintain a proper diet 

which would ensure a 

healthy lifestyle. 

Giving advisory to 

Nigerians in an era where 

safety and health-related 

information is exceedingly 

critical to survival, Oyegade 

said: “Information is 

power, but the ability to 

properly adhere to 

information and filter 

relevant details that would 

ensure optimal health is 

Coca-Cola recovers 

159,000kg of plastic waste 

as RESWAYE project ends 

By Juliet Umeh 

THE Recycling Scheme 

for Women and Youth 

Empowerment, 

RESWAYE, an 

environmental 

sustainability and women 

empowerment initiative by 

The Coca-Cola Foundation, 

has ended with over 

159,000kg plastic waste. 

The project, executed by 

implementing partners, 

the Mental and 

Environmental 

Development Initiative for 

Children, MEDIC, was 

designed to drive 

environmental protection, 

marine conservation, and 

women empowerment. 

At the closing ceremony 

of the project in Lagos, 

Director, Public Affairs, 

Communications & 

Sustainability, Coca-Cola 

Nigeria Limited, Nwamaka 

Onyemelukwe said: “At 

Coca-Cola, we are aware of 

the devastating 

implications of climate 

change on our 

environment, health and 

economy at large. 

“The RESWAYE project 

was developed to combat 

this looming problem, and 

I am pleased with what we 

have achieved over the past 

18 months. 

“By partnering credible 

NGOs such as MEDIC, we 

developed an effective 

key, Oyegbade said. 

Nigerians should always 

adhere to guidelines set by 

relevant bodies, especially 

the Ministry of Health and 

associated agencies.” 

On pharmacy subsector 

of the economy and how it 

performed during the 

COVID-19 inspired 

lockdown, he noted that the 

pharmacies are seeing 

higher patronage as most 

patients tried to avoid 

crowded environments like 

hospitals to reduce the risks 

of nosocomial infections. 

“The industry is doing 

great especially 

considering the rising use 

of supplements in the 

populace as a means to 

boost immunity and equip 

the body to be able to fight 

viral and bacterial 

infections.” 

Accordingly, patients are 

more receptive to 

information relating to 

supplements and even 

compliance with their 

routine medications. 

Mopheth pharmacy has 

always embraced and 

promoted preventive 

healthcare as a route to 

overcoming the burden of 

disease even before the 

pandemic began. 

recycling system that met 

the unique needs of the 

Ibeju Lekki communities, 

making recycling more 

accessible to everyone 

while also ensuring the 

economic empowerment of 

women and youths.” 

After 18 months of 

enlisting women and 

young people in the plastic 

buy-back scheme across 16 

coastal communities in 

Ibeju Lekki, the project 

recorded impressive 

numbers at its conclusion 

with over 150,000kg of 

plastic waste reportedly 

removed from the coastal 

and shorelines; over 2000 

women and youth 

empowered economically, 

and 2,124 households 

impacted – resulting in over 

13,000 direct and indirect 

beneficiaries. 

Founder of MEDIC, 

Doyinsola Ogunye stated: 

“Seeing the impact we have 

made in these communities 

through our network of 

women and youth recyclers 

over the past 18 months 

have been deeply fulfilling. 

Through Coca-Cola’s 

support, we have ensured 

the economic 

empowerment of women, 

looked after communities, 

and cleared an inordinate 

amount of plastic waste 

from the oceans even in the 

turbulent times 

experienced last year”.


NIPSS: From left; Directing Staff, NIPSS, Kuru, Rear Admiral Adesola Adesope, 

Leader of the delegates, NIPPS, Dr. Emmanuel Mamman, Secretary to the Lagos 

State government, Mrs. Folashade Jaji and Perm Sec, Office of the SSG/Cabinet 

Office, Mrs. Tolani Oshodi during the official hosting of the Senior Executive course 

43, 2021 NIPSS, Kuru, Plateau State held in Lagos, yesterday. Photo: Kehinde Shonola. 

WARRI FEDERAL CONSTITUENCY EMPOWERMENT PROGRAMME: Chief 

Thomas Ereyitomi, Member representing Warri Federal Constituency at the 

House of Representatives (2nd right) congratulating one of the beneficiaries 

during the presentation of speed boats, sewing machines, tricycles and other 

items to the people, while Amb. Toyin Agbolaya (left), Chief Joseph Otumara 

(2nd left), Mr. George (right) and others look on in Warri, Delta State. 

HARVEST: From left; Former Chaplain, Lagos State Secretary, Very Revd Ayo Olu 

Oyadotun; Assistant Chaplain, the Light Bearers, Wesley Cathedral Olowogbowo, 

Lagos, Sis Dorcas Solubi; Chief launcher, 2021 Annual Harvest Launch of the Church, 

Prof Adewale Solarin, Professor of Mathematics, ex-Director and CEO, National 

Mathematics Centre, Abuja; Chairperson, Harvest 2021 Planning C'ttee, Sis Toyin 

Egbesola and Presbyter, Wesley Cathedral, Olowogbowo, Very Revd John Olanrewaju 

Solubi at the 2021 Annual Harvest Thanksgiving launch of the church in Lagos. 

From left, Dr. Hakeem Olakunle Goodluck, Persanel Assistant, to Speacial Adviser 

on Education, Lagos State, Mrs Olatokunbo Aiyenimato, Asst Project Coordinator, 

LoftyInc Allied Partners Ltd, Mr Omotayo Sanyaolu, Senior Speacial Assistant to 

Lagos State Governor on Tertiary Education, Youths and Students Relations, and Mr 

Charles Ekenma, Project Coordinator, LoftyInc Allied Partners Ltd, during the 2nd 

Edition of Final year and Penultimate year students of Lagos State Tertiary Institutions, 

organiesd by Jobs Initiative Lagos, JIL, and Lagos State Government, in Lagos. 

Photo: Kehinde Gbadamosi. 

ENGLAND 1 ROMANIA 0 

Rashford grabs winner as 

Three Lions underwhelm 

MARCUS RASHFORD capped one of the 

proudest days of his career by grabbing the 

winner in Gareth Southgate’s final Euro2020 warmup. 

Aged 23 years and 218 days, he became the 

youngest player to start a match as England captain 

since Michael Owen against Slovakia in June 2003. 

That match was also at the Riverside Stadium. 

Rashford scored from the spot in the 68th minute 

after Jack Grealish had been fouled by Tiberiu 

Capusa. Jordan Henderson, playing his first game 

in February, then wasted a chance to make it 2-0 by 

missing a penalty. 

Whether Rashford did enough to force his way 

into Gareth Southgate’s starting XI for the opening 

match against Croatia next Sunday remains to be 

seen. Rashford had played in just two of England’s 

last 13 games dating back to November 2019 due to 

his various injury issues. 

Ozornwafor set for first 

Super Eagles start 

Gdefender 

alatasaray 

Valentine Ozornwafor 

looks set to partner 

Chidozie Awaziem in 

the heart of the Super 

Eagles back four in 

tomorrow’s rematch 

between Super Eagles 

and Indomitable Lions 

of Cameroon. 

•Ozornwafor 

Former Flying Eagles 

star Ozornwafor, 22, 

made his long-awaited 

Eagles debut Friday in 

the first friendly against 

Cameroon as a late sub. 

However, in the 

absence of stand-in 

captain William Ekong, 

who was injured in the 

first Cameroon game, 

the left-footed 

Ozornwafor will now 

get a big chance to 

stake a claim for a 

place in the squad 

ahead of 2022 World 

Cup qualifiers in 

September. 

His call-up for the 

matches against 

Cameroon came as a 

big surprise given that 

he did not see much 

action for Galatasaray 

this past season. 

Anyanacho takes silver at Africa 

Taekwondo Championship 

TElizabeth 

okyo-bound 

Anyanacho won Silver at 

the finals of the African 

Taekwondo 

Championship in Dakar, 

Senegal. The 67kg 

fighter came second 

after narrowly losing 8- 

10 in finals of the African 

Championship to World 

champion and Olympic 

bronze Medalist, Ruth 

Gbagbi of Cote D’Ivoire. 

This is Anyanacho’s 

first outing at the African 

showpiece and is the 

last major ranked event 

before she competes at 

the Tokyo 2020 

Olympics. 

The 22-year-old had 

overpowered Umurerwa 

Nagede of Rwanda in 

•Rashford 

French Open: 

Serena suffers 

surprise straight 

sets defeat 

Serena Williams’ 

quest for a 24th 

grand slam singles 

title goes on after a 

fourth-round defeat 

by Elena Rybakina at 

the French Open. 

Having come into 

the tournament with 

low expectations, 

Williams had looked 

solid through her first 

three matches, and, 

with big names 

falling by the 

wayside, the 

American surged up 

the list of title 

favourites. 

She went into the 

match against her 21- 

year-old Kazakh 

opponent as the only 

top-20 player left in 

the bottom half but 

an unexpected 

finalist is now 

guaranteed after 

Williams fell to a 6-3 

7-5 defeat. 

the quarterfinals. 24-1 

before defeating current 

African champion and 

Tokyo-bound Hedaya 

Malek of Egypt 6-5 in 

the semi finals. 

Kante deserves to win Ballon 

d ‘Or — Pogba 

Paul Pogba has 

backed N’Golo 

Kante to win the Ballon 

d’Or – but said his fellow 

Frenchman’s recent 

exploits are nothing 

new. 

Kante was named 

Player of the Match in 

Chelsea’s win over 

Manchester City in the 

Champions League 

final, as well as both legs 

OBB Wheelchair Basketball: 

Oyo subdues Lagos, clinches title 

Oyo State defeated 

Lagos State by 43- 

18 points to emerge 

winner of the maiden 

edition of the Otunba 

Babatunde Babalola 

Wheelchair Basketball 

tournament while Edo 

State overpowered Delta 

State by 30-02 points to 

pick the third place 

medal. 

Six states participated in 

the 2-day tournament held 

at the indoor sports hall 

of the national stadium, 

Surulere Lagos. 

The winning teams were 

rewarded with medals, 

trophy and cash prices. 

Tournament sponsor 

Otunba Babatunde 

•Serena 

of the semi-final victory 

over Real Madrid. 

With usual suspects 

Lionel Messi and 

Cristiano Ronaldo 

enduring 

underwhelming 

seasons, Kante has 

emergKante to win the 

Ballon d’Or – but said 

his fellow Frenchman’s 

recent exploits are 

nothing new. 

Babalola promised the 

special athletes more 

competitions to keep 

them busy. Babalola who 

has been a pillar in 

Nigeria basketball circle 

says sponsoring various 

competitions said he 

bankrolled the 

tournament because of his 

love for the game.


Nigeria vs Cameroun: 

Rohr to make changes in Eagles 

line up 

Forced by injuries to two of his 

dependable defenders, 

William Troost-Ekong and 

Jamiu Collins, Super Eagles 

coach, Gernot Rohr is poised to 

make changes in the starting line 

up of the Super Eagles to face the 

Indomitable Lions of Cameroon 

tomorrow. 

Galatasaray defender Valentine 

Ozornwafor looks set to partner 

Chidozie Awaziem in the heart of 

the Super Eagles back four in 

today’s rematch against 

Cameroon. 

Former Flying Eagles star 

Ozornwafor, 22, made his longawaited 

Eagles debut Friday in the 

first friendly against Cameroon as 

a late sub. 

The left-footed Ozornwafor will 

now get a big chance to stake a 

claim for a place in the squad ahead 

of 2022 World Cup qualifiers in 

September. 

The second edition of the African 

Children Talent Discovery 

Foundation’s (ACTDF) talent 

hunt and mentoring programme 

would hold between 26th and 27th 

in Bauchi, Bauchi State. 

Tagged Engr. Noah Dallaji Legacy 

Project, the talent hunt covers 

football, music, entertainment and 

the arts in general. However, this 

year’s edition would feature football 

where young talents between ages 

16 and 18 would be discovered and 

mentored by big names who are 

legends in Nigeria’s soccer history. 

Addressing a press conference in 

Abuja at the weekend where 

preparations and modalities for the 

event were unveiled, Chairman of 

the foundation, Engr. Noah Dallaji, 

said the programme was in 

furtherance of ACTDF’s vision and 

mission to discover and develop 

Nigerian talents to solve some of the 

challenges of insecurity, social ills 

and consequently development of 

the country. 

He harped on the need to develop 

the youths by enabling them to 

discover their talents and thus 

become useful to themselves, their 

families and the nation at large. 

According to him, it is important 

to develop the natural talent (God 

given ability) in order to maximize 

opportunities for a purposeful life. 

He stated: “So this is what we have 

been doing to see how we can fill the 

gap of opportunities for the young 

ones in the country to make impact 

and be useful to themselves, their 

communities and the society at 

large. 

Dallaji said the Legacy project will 

continue to progress as an annual 

event, noting that this year’s edition 

was initially planned to incorporate 

such soccer greats like Ronaldo de 

Lima, David Beckham and Jose 

Mourinho but was affected by the 

Covid-19 restrictions while assuring 

that the next edition would be bigger 

in size including caliber of soccer 

legends who will participate. 

He assured that arrangements 

were being made to ensure a watertight 

security for a hitch-free event. 

•Rohr 

Rohr is said to be thinking of 

resting some other key members of 

the team including Leicester City 

duo of Kelechi Iheanacho and 

Wilfred Ndidi. 

In their places Terem Moffi is in 

line to receive more minutes after 

making his debut last week, while 

Founder, African Children Talent Discovery Foundation (ACTDF), Engr. 

Noah Dallaji (middle) during a press conference heralding the Engr. 

Noah Dallaji Legacy Project 2021 at the ACTDF office in Abuja 

...yesterday. Flanked (left) is Chairman, Planning Committee, Daniel 

Amokachi and Project Coordinator, Emmanuel Babayaro) 

Noah Dallaji talent hunt begins June 26 

Project Coordinator, Emmanuel 

Babayaro, who also spoke on the 

preparations, said the event proper 

would be preceded by an open 

selection process where the selected 

talents would be camped and 

mentored by the likes of Daniel 

Amokachi, Jay Jay Okocha, Kanu 

Nwankwo, Austin Eguavoen and 

others including El Hadji Diouf of 

Senegal and Stephen Appiah of 

Ghana. 

•France 

Wayne 

Rooney 

b e l i e v e s 

England are capable of 

making a major impact at Euro 

2020 but has backed France to 

win the tournament. 

Didier Deschamps’ starstudded 

side are looking to build 

on their success at the 2018 

World Cup success, and Rooney 

feels that it will be difficult for 

any team to stop them. 

Rooney wrote: ‘England are 

among a group of four teams that 

stand above the rest in terms of 

prospects at Euro 2020. Portugal 

and Belgium are in there too, but 

my clear favourites are France. 

‘Kylian Mbappe, N’Golo Kante, 

Karim Benzema, Antoine 

Griezmann, Paul Pogba, Raphael 

Varane, Hugo Lloris: you look at 

Abraham Marcus could also be 

selected after his brief outing on 

Friday. 

On the Cameroon side, Choupo- 

Moting should lead the Lion’s 

attack for this fixture, likely taking 

the place of Samuel Gouet who 

played 90 minutes last time out. 

Conceicao must decide whether 

to hand another start to full-backs 

Duplexe Tchamba and Jean-Claude 

Billong, who also completed 90 

minutes on their debuts. 

Ignatius Ganago and Yvan Neyou 

will both be hoping for 

opportunities after impressing for 

Lens and Saint-Etienne in Ligue 1 

this season. 

•Anyanacho 

Team Nigeria chances 

brighten as Tokyo 

Olympics beckons 

With 46 days to the 

commencement of the 

2020 Tokyo Olympics, the 

cloud is becoming clearer for Team 

Nigeria with preparations in top 

notch and athletes like Elizabeth 

Anyanacho, Tobi Amusan, Blessing 

Okagbare, Ese Brume putting up 

impressive performances in their 

respective events. 

Anyanacho was the star 

performer in Dakar as she settled 

for Silver medal at the 2021 African 

Taekwondo Championship. In the 

finals, she lost narrowly 8-10 to 

World champion and Olympic 

Medalist, Ruth Gbagbi of Cote 

D’Ivoire in the women’s -67kg to 

keep hope of her medal win in Tokyo 

alive. 

Tobi Amusan ran another fantastic 

time which Could have been an 

African record, but was a slightly 

wind assisted time of 12.44s (+2.2) 

to win the final of the women’s 

100mh in Florida. 

Blessing Okagbare also put up an 

impressive outing at the Golden 

League to sustain a good build- up 

to Tokyo. 

their quality, experience 

and track record as world 

champions and realise that 

if their players turn up, they 

will win the tournament, no 

problem.’ 

Despite having so many 

talented players, Rooney 

believes that there is great 

unity in the France 

squad, which will 

be a key asset as the 

tournament 

progresses. 

R o o n e y 

continued: ‘They 

are not just a 

collection of great 

talents. On the 

pitch, as we saw in 

Russia in 2018, 

France are very 

much a team and 

unity gets stronger 

when you win 

•Kante things together. 

‘I just cannot 

imagine any one 

of Didier 

Deschamps’ players thinking, ‘I’m 

going to be the star to win the 

tournament for us.’ They will take 

their time, be composed, and try to 

do it together.’ 

Rooney reserved special praise for 

N’Golo Kante, with the midfielder 

Pace Sports and Entertainment 

Marketing Limited, the 

organisers of the Higher 

Institutions Football League (HiFL) 

has released the draws for the round 

of 16 games at an event held in 

Lagos. The games are scheduled to 

hold between June and September 

2021. 

In week 1, AAUA Luminaries will 

play OAU Giants in Ondo, FUTA 

Tigers will tackle UNILAG Marines 

in Akure, LAUTECH Hunters will 

attempt to hunt down the 

FUTMINNA Transformers in 

Ogbomoso while KSU Steelers 

engages UNILORIN Warriors. 

For the week 2 games, UNIBEN 

Royals will play defending 

champion UNICAL Malabites, 

IAUE Minders will tackle UNN 

Lions in Port Harcourt, ABU Nobles 

will confront UAM Tillers in Zaria 

while BUK Stallions slugs it out with 

UNIMAID Desert Warriors in 

Kano. 

Speaking at the draws, Director, 

PACE Sports and Entertainment 

Marketing Limited, Sola Fijabi 

acknowledged the efforts of all 

participating schools and 

encouraged them to maintain their 

The Confederation of African 

Football has announced that the 

draw for the next Africa Cup of 

Nations in 2022 has been postponed. 

The African football’s governing 

body cited the impact of the 

coronavirus pandemic as the reason 

for the postponement of the draw, 

initially slated for June 25, to be 

Rooney backs France to win Euro 2020 

•Heaps praise on ‘world’s best midfielder’ 

Kante 

HiFL Round of 16 Draws: 

UNIBEN Royals tackles UNICAL 

Malabites 

going into the tournament off the 

back of a superb performance for 

Chelsea in their Champions League 

final success against Manchester 

City. 

According to Rooney, Kante is 

even more effective than Claude 

Makelele, who also excelled for 

both France and Chelsea. 

Rooney described Kante as being 

a combination of Makelele and 

former Manchester City midfielder 

Yaya Toure. 

Rooney stated: ‘France have 

perhaps the ultimate team player in 

Kante. In the Champions League 

final, he gave the perfect 

performance. He does everything: 

breaks up play but then plays in 

tight areas and starts off the attack. 

‘You used to see it with Yaya Toure, 

how he would get the ball and burst 

forward with it and it is so hard to 

defend against. Kante does all that 

but also protects his defence like 

Claude Makelele once did - only 

better.’ 

‘It’s unbelievable to have a 

footballer who is Toure and 

Makelele rolled into one — and then 

there’s Kante’s energy. At Chelsea, 

you see his energy bringing a lot out 

of the other players.’ 

Rooney believes that Kante is the 

best midfielder in the world. 

sportsmanlike conduct as the games 

go on. 

He added that “the year 2020 

allowed us to re-strategise in line 

with the current realities. We have 

monitored the gradual reopening of 

the sporting activities to fans and 

we have also put in place adequate 

measures to ensure compliance 

with the protocols. We are not 

wavering on our promise to 

continue to create the best of 

collegiate football that will produce 

and expose some of Nigeria’s finest 

talents to the international sporting 

community”. 

In his reaction, President of the 

Nigerian University Games 

Association (NUGA) Prof. Stephen 

Hamafyelto, said NUGA and its 

affiliate universities are fully ready 

for the showpiece. “We have come 

far with Pace Sports and HiFL. It is 

a partnership that we cherish 

because it brought a new dimension 

to how we organise collegiate sports 

in this part of the world. I wish all 

the teams that are participating in 

the round of 16 the best as they slug 

things out on the field of play. We 

are hopeful that this season will 

record more successes as we provide 

an unforgettable experience to the 

fans”. Matches in the round of 16 

will commence in July. 

Dortmund increase Haaland 

asking price to £172m 

Borussia Dortmund have placed 

a •200m (£172m) asking price 

on Erling Braut Haaland. 

The 20-year-old, who scored 41 

times and registered 12 assists in 41 

outings for BVB last season, is 

wanted by a number of leading 

clubs in European football. 

Manchester United, Manchester 

City, Chelsea, Real Madrid and 

Barcelona are all said to be keen on 

the Norway international ahead of 

this summer’s transfer window. 

Haaland does have a release 

clause in his current deal, but it •Haaland 

cannot be activated until next year, 

meaning that the Bundesliga outfit 

are in a strong position to keep hold 

of him in the upcoming market. 

According to AS, Dortmund have 

made it clear to interested clubs that 

the youngster’s asking price is 

currently •200m (£172m). 

Haaland is believed to favour a 

move to Real Madrid, but the 

Spanish giants are thought to be 

prioritising a deal for Paris Saint- 

Germain attacker Kylian Mbappe. 

The Norway international has 

scored 57 goals in 59 appearances 

for his German club since making 

the move from Red Bull Salzburg 

in January 2020. 

CAF postpones 2022 AFCON draw 

pushed back. No new date has been 

announced. 

The tournament is scheduled to 

take place in Cameroon but the 

announcement has thrown the 2022 

tournament into doubt. 

CAF said in a statement on their 

website that the decision was due to 

“logistical reasons related to the 

Covid-19 pandemic.” 

The statement reads, “At the 

request of CAF, the Cameroon Local 

Organizing Committee (LOC) has 

agreed to postpone the 

TotalEnergies Africa Cup of Nations 

Cameroon 2021 final draw for 

logistical reasons related to the 

Covid-19 pandemic. 

“The draw was initially scheduled 

for 25 June 2021 and a new date 

will be announced in due course. 

“CAF continues to work together 

with its partners, the Cameroon 

government and the LOC with the 

objective of making 

theTotalEnergies Africa Cup of 

Nations Cameroon 2021 a 

successful event and a great 

celebration of African football.” 

This news is the latest setback for 

the competition which was 

originally due to take place this year 

but was pushed back due to Covid. 

Last month, CAF also announced 

the postponement of World Cup 

qualifying matches due to take place 

in June, until November. 

The 2020 African Women’s Cup 

of Nations was also cancelled and 

qualifiers for the 2022 tournament 

have been moved from this summer 

to the start of next year. 

C 

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Vanguard, MONDAY, JUNE 7, 2021—47

Vanguard, MONDAY, JUNE 7, 2021 

QUICK CROSSWORD 

TODAY’S CROSSWORD 

FRIDAY’S SOLUTION 

Sudoku 

TODAY’S PUZZLE 

FRIDAY’S ANSWER 

ACROSS 

1 Breathe (7) 

5 Slumber (5) 

8 Odour (5) 

9 Item of clothing (7) 

10 Vertical (7) 

11 Fatigued (5) 

12 Impetuously (6) 

14 Unpowered aircraft (6) 

18 Bestow (5)\ 

20 Open-handed (7) 

22 Talk very quietly (7) 

23 Taut (5) 

24 Heavenly bodies (5) 

25 Mocked (7) 

DOWN 

1 Saviour (7) 

2 Take an oath (5) 

3 Unlawful (7) 

4 Fourscore (6) 

5 Scolding woman (5) 

6 Green gem (7) 

7 Trifling (5) 

13 Endurance, staying power (8) 

15 Large crustacean (7) 

16 Akin (7) 

17 Cake-burning king (6) 

18 Dresses (5) 

19 Sorts, varieties (5) 

21 Inflexible (5) 

How to Play Sudoku 

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

two of the same number). 

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

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

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

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

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

multiplication, just plain logic and your imagination. 

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

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

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

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

C 

M 

Y 

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07062021 - Afaka students behaving strangely, parents raise alarm

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