16102021 - Southeast Gov INEC top official in trouble over $4m bribe

2 — SATURDAY Vanguard, OCTOBER 16, 2021

SATURDAY Vanguard, OCTOBER 16, 2021 — 3

4 — SATURDAY VANGUARD, OCTOBER 16, 2021 

CHANGE OF NAME 

OGHEROHWO 

I, formerly known and addressed 

as Edwin Ogherohwo, now wish 

to be known and addressed as 

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documents remain valid. 

General public please take note. 

EZEKA FESTUS 

This is to confirm that Ezeka 

Maureen Eluridu and Ojene 

Maureen Eluridu is one and the 

same person I now wish to be 

called and address as Ezeka 

Maureen Eluridu all former 

documents remain valid general 

public please take note. 

REWARD 

This is to confirm that Nwenearizi 

Uche Reward and Goodwin 

Reward is one and the same 

person I now wish to be called 

and addressed as Nwenearizi 

Uche Reward all former 

documents remain valid, general 


OGOKO 

This is to notify the general public 

that in my bank/BVN details my name 

was wrongly wrtten as Ogoko Festus 

instead of Akpobiyeri Festus, now 

wish to be known as Akpobiyeri 

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note. 

IGRUBIA 

This is to certify that the names 

IGRUBIA, IRENE COLLINS and 

IGRUBIA, ARIETA IRENE as seen 

in my documents refer to one and 

same me. I now wish to be known as 

IGRUBIA, IRENE COLLINS. All 

former documents remain valid. 


ONYEMACHI 

I, formerly known as MISS. 

ONYEMACHI ESTHER, 

now wish to be known as 

MRS. OLEKA ESTHER. All 

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NWOKORO 


as NWOKORO SAMUEL 

AMECHI, now wish to be known 

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EZEUGO 

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VICTOR, now wish to be known 

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BALOGUN 


as HABIBAT OYINKANSOLA 

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known and addressed as 

HABIBAT KANYINSOLA 

BALOGUN. All former 



OMOLE 

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addressed as Miss Omole 

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ORUGBO 

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OVIRIARA 


as Miss Oviriara 

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ATANA 


as ATANA FAITH SEMINAME, 


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ONUH 

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Onuh Louisa Chinenye, now 

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MADUWUBA 

My name was wrongly 

written as Maduwuba 

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Princewill. All former 


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NWAJIDE 

I, formerly known as NWAJIDE 

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Tension in Ilorin as APC factions plot parallel 

state congresses •PDP holds State Congress today 

By Demola Akinyemi 

ILORIN, the capital of 

Kwara state is already 

agog ahead of today’s 

state Congress as the ruling 

All Progressives Congress 

(APC) and opposition 

Peoples Democratic 

Party (PDP) are set for state 

congresses of their respective 

parties today. 

Meanwhile, Kwara State 

Chapter of the All Progressives 

Congress (APC) on 

Friday swore-in the newly 

elected local government 

chairmen across the 16 local 

government areas 

ahead of Saturday’s state 

congress. 

Already,the former Senate 

President, Dr Bukola 

Saraki and immediate 

past Governor, Alh Abdulfatah 

Ahmed and other top 

notch of the opposition 

Peoples Democratic Party 

are already in Ilorin ahead 

of the exercise. 

CHUKWUAGWA 


addressed as Chukwuagwa 

Ebele Doris, now wish to be 

known and addressed as Mrs. 

Kobindi Ebele Doris. All 

former documents remain valid, 

general public please take note. 

JOHNSON 


addressed as JOHNSON 

FAITH EBI, now wish to be 


LAYEGBE FAITH EBI. All 


general public please take 

note. 

SHITTU 

This is to confirm that Shittu 

Badmus Asunmo and Shittu 

Asunmo Badmus is the same 

person as Shittu Badmus Ajisafe 

and henceforth want to be known 

and addressed as Shittu Badmus 

Ajisafe. All former documents 

remain valid. General public 

should take note. 

OBIRE 

I, formerly known as MISS EDITH 

KEJEME OBIRE, now wish to be 

known and addressed as MRS. 

EDITH KEJEME FOLE. All other 


general public please take note. 

UBOGU 

OWEKA OT 

NEWYEAR 

I, formerly known as UBOGU I, formerly known and as Miss. 

AKPEVWE JOYCE, now wish to Oweka Queen Ify, now wish to 

be known and addressed as 

be known and addressed as Mrs. 

Oweka-Chiedu Queen Ify. All 

SHOLA AKPEVWE JOYCE. All 

former documents remain valid,. 

other former documents remain 

concerned authorities and 

valid, general public please take general public please take note. 

note. 

ADEFI DAVID JOSEPH 

My name was wrongly captured on I, formerly known and addressed 

my BVN as Mrs Omobola Seun as Miss Mary Blessing David 

Adefi instead of Mrs Omobola 


addressed as Mrs Umoru Mary 

Oluwaseun Adefi. My correct name 

Blessing. All former documents 

is Mrs Omobola Oluwaseun Adefi. remain valid. All relevant 

All former documents remain organizations and the general 

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the general public please take note. 

MAKCIT 

OSADEME 

OJO 

My name was wrongly captured I, formerly known and addressed 

or written on my BVN and 

as Osademe Kissinger 

Account as Lohnkap Makcit 

Chineyemba, now wish to be 

instead of Longkap Makcit. My 

correct name is Longkap Makcit. 


All former documents remain Osademe Godsmight 

valid. All relevant organizations Chineyemba. All former 

and the general public please documents remain valid, general 

take note. 


I, formerly known as Eyagobo 

Edirin Newyear, now wish to be 


Eyagobo Blaze Erharoghene. All 

other former documents remain 

valid, general public please take 

note. 

This is to confirm that the names 

Lawrencia Joseph, Laurentia Dashe, 

Laurentia J. Dashe and Laurentia 

Milat Dashe refer to one and the same 

person but now wish to be know and 

addressed as Mrs Laurentia Dashe 

Lawal. All former documents remain 

valid. All relevant organizations and 

the general public please take note. 


addressed as Ojo Gbenga 

Abdulrazaq, now wish to be 

known and addressed as Ojo 

Akinola Abdulrazaq. All 

former documents remain 

valid, general public please 

take note. 

Saturday Vanguard 

gathered that aggrieved 

members of the ruling party 

are prepared to conduct 

a parallel state Congress 

to Slug it out with the governor’s 

mainstream party. 

A member of House of 

Representatives, representing 

Ilorin East and 

Ilorin South, Alh Cook 

Olododo in the aggrieved 

faction confirmed to Saturday 

Vanguard that there 

would be parallel congress 

in the ruling party. 

“We are prepared to hold 

a parallel congress tomorrow, 

that much I can assure 

you, let’s wait and see 

what happens, he said yesterday. 

Also,according to the 

statement issued by the 

By Omeiza Ajayi, Abuja 

AS part of efforts to mit 

igate the importation 

of the Delta variant of COV- 

ID-19, the Federal Government 

has released a revised 

travel protocol into Nigeria 

effective Monday, 25th October, 

2021. 

Chairman, Presidential 

Steering Committee PSC on 

COVID-19 and Secretary to 

the Government of the Federation, 

Mr Boss Mustapha 

disclosed this in a statement 

issued late Friday in Abuja. 

According to him, “travellers 

arriving in Nigeria must 

present a negative COVID- 

19 PCR test result conducted 

not more than 72hours before 

boarding”. 

He added that unvaccinated 

and partially vaccinated 

in-bound passengers will be 

required to observe a mandatory 

7-day self-isolation in 

addition to a COVID-19 PCR 

test on days 2 and 7 after arrival. 

“Fully vaccinated in-bound 

passengers will not be required 

to observe the mandatory 

7-days self-isolation but 

will be required to do a COV- 

ID-19 PCR test on day 2 of 

arrival. 

Publicity Secretary of PDP, 

Tunde Ashaolu,the State 

Congress of the party will 

hold at Atlantic Events Palace, 

Ilorin, the State capital, 

beginning from 9 am. 

Meanwhile the parallel 

congresses of the ruling All 

Progressives Congress will 

hold in the factional state 

secretariat along Flower 

Garden ,GRA ilorin and 

the government secretariat 

along Commissioners 

way,GRA Ilorin. 

Also , a chieftain of APC, 

Barrister Anthony Towoju, 

administered the oath of 

office and allegiance on 

the chairmen and secretaries 

of the 16 local governments 

in the state on 

behalf of the party . 

At the brief event in Ilorin, 

the state caretaker 

chairman of APC, Alhaji 

Abdullahi Samari congratulated 

the new officials 

on their victories at 

the last local government 

congress. 

“On behalf of the leader 

of the party in Kwara State 

Governor AbdulRahman 

AbdulRazaq, I want to 

congratulate our local 

government chairmen and 

secretaries on your victories 

at the last local government 

congress. This 

victory is a victory for all 

of us. Some of you contested 

against one another. Try 

to embrace everybody. Try 

to make peace. Try to work 

and make the party wax 

stronger in the state,” Samari 

advised. 

COVID-19: FG releases revised int’l travel protocol 

“Persons arriving on ‘Business’ 

trip or on official duty 

staying less than 7 days in 

Nigeria must be fully vaccinated, 

produce negative 

COVID-19 PCR result 72 

hours before boarding; and 

conduct a PCR test on day 2 

of their arrival. 

“It will be recalled that the 

PSC Chairman, Boss Mustapha, 

had during the national 

briefing, promised that a 

revised travel protocol would 

be published. The review of 

the protocol is based on science, 

national experience, 

and global developments”, 

the statement added.

Anambra Guber poll: Southeast Gov, INEC top 

official in trouble over $4 m bribe 

Soni Daniel, Northern 

Region Editor 

A 

Southeast governor 

and a top national official 

of the Independent National 

Electoral Commission 

have run into trouble with 

security agencies over a 

princely sum of $4 million 

bribe doled out by the governor 

as bribe to compromise 

the November 6 gubernatorial 

election in Anambra 

State. 

Saturday Vanguard gathered 

last night that the desperate 

governor, who wants 

to install his preferred candidate, 

used the top electoral 

body official to pass the bribe 

so as to get his wish actualised. 

The huge cash, Saturday 

Vanguard leant, has already 

been handed over to the targeted 

beneficiaries by the official, 

who is described as controlling 

a vital organ in INEC 

but it was not clear if the leadership 

of the commission was 

aware of the development as 

at last night. 

While the embattled governor 

is said to be trying to 

reach key national players 

in INEC to compromise the 

vote in his favour, the wife of 

the politician, who is described 

as ‘an influential and 

powerful first lady in the 

Southeast, is reported to have 

been meeting secretly with 

many electoral officers, Eos, 

who are key to the forthcoming 

election. 

“The woman has been holding 

regular meetings with 

Electoral Officers, who man 

From left: Eng Leye Kupoluyi, Vice President; Mrs Bunmi Obadina, Chairperson, 

Marketing Committee, Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry(LCCI) Trade 

Promotion Board; Mr Gabriel Idahosa, Chairman; Dr Segun Alabi, Head Corporate 

Communications and Mr Taiwo Seriki, Director, Trade Promotion, Lagos Chamber 

of Commerce and Industry at the press conference held in Lagos on Wednesday to 

announce the forthcoming Lagos International Trade Fair holding Nov. 5 to 14, 2021. 

the local government offices 

in the state and has told them 

her expectations regarding 

the election,” a top security 

official privy to the deal, told 

Saturday Vanguard. 

While the security agencies 

may not be in a hurry to move 

against the governor, there 

were indications last night that 

they might go after the top 

INEC official even before the 

polls. 

A senior security official 

confirmed that the affected 

INEC top shot had already 

been placed under watch for 

some time and that he could 

be picked up for necessary 

questioning and action at 

any moment. 

“The evidence against the 

governor’s breach of his 

oath of office and public trust 

is strong but he is still protected 

under the immunity 

clause but we will see what 

happens once his immunity 

elapses,” the top source said. 

He declined to give further 

SATURDAY VANGUARD, OCTOBER 16, 2021 — 5 

details. 

There are many parties 

contesting the November 6 

election in Anambra with 

the stake getting higher on 

a daily basis as a result of the 

calibre of candidates and 

their backers as well as the 

attempt to change the political 

colours in the state. 

It was not clear as at last 

night whether there might 

be some arrests in the Southeast 

and Abuja before or 

after the vital poll coming up 

in the next three weeks. 

Scavenger kills landlord in Ondo 

*Cult members, underaged boys nabbed for burglary, stealing 

By Dayo Johnson 

Akure 

A 

39 year old scaven 

ger, Badiru lbrahim 

has allegedly killed a 

landlord, Arise lkuesan 

in Ore, Odigbo council 

area of Ondo state for disallowing 

him to pick iron 

rod from his compound. 

Vanguard gathered 

that the scavenger hit an 

iron rod on the forehead 

of the deceased during an 

argument over his invasion 

of his privacy without 

his consent 

He reportedly died as a 

result of the injuries he 

sustained in the attack. 

Eyewitness account 

said that the suspect who 

is now in police custody 

attacked the deceased for 

trying to stop him from 

picking iron rod in his 

compound. 

Spokesperson of the 

State Police Command, 

Funmi Odulami who confirmed 

the report said the 

45 year old landlord was 

attacked by the scavenger. 

Odunlami said “On 

13th September, 2021, at 

about 1600hrs, a report 

was made at Ore Divisional 

Headquarters that 

a scavenger, Basiru Ibrahim 

‘m’ 39 years old hit 

an iron rod on the forehead 

of one Arise Ikuesan 

‘m’ 45 years old, now deceased, 

after trying to 

stop the scavenger from 

picking iron rod in his 

compound. 

“Upon the receipt of the 

information, Detectives 

swung into action and 

arrested the suspect who 

confessed committing the 

crime. 

On the teenage burglars, 

the police image 

maker said that Police 

Patrol Team at Igbaraoke 

Division, intercepted one 

Opeyemi Olotu 14 years 

and Blessing Arohunmolase 

17 years, both of Odo- 

Ode Igbaraoke with Mobile 

Phones accessories valued 

at ¦ 200,000.00. 

“During interrogation 

they confessed to have 

burgled the shop of one 

Olumide 

Folorunsho, a Phone accessories 

seller, on 2nd 

October, 2021, at about 

0100hrs. 

Odunlami added that 

Emmanuel Sunday, 

aged 11 years, a member 

of the gang who was 

formerly at large, had 

also been arrested. 

The police image maker 

said that the suspects 

will soon have their day 

in court. 

Also, four suspected cult 

members were arrested 

for shop breaking , burglary 

and stealing. 

They include (a)Abiola 

Akinlowo ‘m’ Aged 25 , 

Yakubu Lattef ‘m’ Aged 

21, Abdulwaheed Abibu 

‘m’ Aged 25 and Emeka 

Ali ‘m’ Aged 25. 

The suspects who were 

caught in the act at Arakale 

market according to 

the police have confessed 

to the commission of the 

crime and stated that 

shop breaking was their 

area of specialization. 

They equally confessed 

that they had broken into 

three shops in Arakale 

Area to steal goods. 

Drug dealer, manager, 3 

workers bag 75 years 

imprisonment 

*NDLEA appeals against 

N700,000 option of fine for 

convicts, others 

A 

major drug dealer, Mike Omoarukhe, his manag 

er and three other workers in his cannabis farms 

have been sentenced to 75 years imprisonment by a 

Federal High Court in Benin, the Edo state capital. 

The convicts were charged in July by the National 

Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA, in a five count 

charge number FHC/B/107c/2021 bordering on possession 

of 183.5 kilograms of cannabis sativa, conspiracy 

to possess, cultivate and cultivation of 22 hectares of 

cannabis farms. 

Delivering his judgement in the case on Thursday 14th 

October, Justice A.C. Obiozor sitting in Court 2 of the 

Federal High Court, Benin Judicial Division, sentenced 

the defendants to 15 years on each of the five counts, 

bringing the total years of imprisonment to 75 years, 

which will run concurrently. The judge however gave 

the convicts an option of Seven Hundred Thousand Naira 

(N 700,000) fine on all the counts. 

Meanwhile, Chairman/Chief Executive of the Agency, 

Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Retd) has directed 

that immediate appeal be filed at the appellate court 

against the option of N700, 000 fine granted the convicts 

by the trial judge. 

NDLEA operatives had on July 1, 2021 stormed the 

Ughieudu forest, Uhunwonde LGA of Edo State, where 

six persons: Elijah John; Friday Emma; Itoro Emmanuel; 

Daniel Emmanuel; Udom Etok and Abraham Monday 

Thompson were arrested with 50kg cannabis. A follow 

up operation in the Ughieudu forest on 3rd July 

2021, led to the arrest of Emmanuel Ekpeyoung and the 

total destruction of three cannabis farms with a combined 

size of 22. 210421 hectares and seizure of 133. 5kg 

cannabis. 

After weeks of manhunt for the owner of the farms, 

the 36-year-old Omoarukhe was later arrested at a 

drinking joint in Irrua, after which they were all 

charged to court, except two of them; Udom Etok and 

Abraham Monday Thompson who were discovered to 

be minors. 

Meanwhile, the anti-narcotic agency has filed a notice 

of appeal against the judgement of a Federal High 

Court in Lagos presided over by Justice D.E. Osiagor 

who sentenced two defendants; Clement Ajayi and Bolaji 

Fajebe, to three years imprisonment or a fine of 

Three Thousand Naira (N3,000) and two years imprisonment 

or a fine of Two Thousand Naira (N2,000) 

on the two counts charge of conspiracy and dealing in 

illicit drugs filed against them in charge number FHC/ 

L/199C/2021. 

In a three-ground notice of appeal dated 15th October, 

signed by the NDLEA’s Director of Prosecution and 

Legal Services, Mr. Joseph Sunday and filed at the Lagos 

Division of the court, the Agency contended that 

the October 8th judgement by Justice Osiagor of giving 

the two convicts option of N3,000 and N2,000 fine 

is “ridiculous, unwarrantable, 

unjustifiable and 

contrary to public interest” 

It was further submitted 

that the trial judge did not 

provide any reason for 

awarding the ridiculous 

penalty, which is contrary 

to “Section 14 of the 

National Drug Law Enforcement 

Agency Act 

Cap N30 LFN 2004 

which prescribes a penalty 

of not less than 15 years 

and not exceeding 25 

years of imprisonment for *Mike Omoarukhe 

the offence.” 

APC fails to pay N12.9m newspapers advert debt, affected 

journalists cry out 

By Omeiza Ajayi, 

Abuja 

The ruling All Progres 

sives Congress APC is 

currently in a financial 

mess following its inability 

to pay an advertisement 

debt of N12.9 million more 

than one year after some 

Newspaper houses published 

the said advertorials. 

The centrespread advertorial, 

titled, “Report of the 

Screening Appeal Committee 

for Edo state Governor, 

Godwin Nogheghase 

Obaseki submitted Saturday 

13th June 2020 to the 

National Working Committee 

NWC at the Party’s 

National Secretariat” was 

published on Friday, 19th 

June, 2020 in several 

newspapers. 

The material was placed 

by the Comrade Adams 

Oshiomhole-led NWC 

through the Publicity Directorate 

of the Party. 

There was also a full 

page advertorial published 

on the same day 

showing the University of 

Ibadan degree certificate 

tendered to the screening 

appeal committee by Gov. 

Obaseki who had been disqualified 

from participating 

in the party’s Edo state 

Governorship primary 

election. 

However, following a 

trouble-shooting emergency 

meeting of the National 

Executive Committee 

NEC of the party, the 

Oshiomhole-led NWC was 

sacked days later on June 

25. 

In its place, a Caretaker/ 

Extraordinary National 

Convention Committee 

was then appointed, with 

Governor Mai Mala Buni 

of Yobe State named as its 

Chairman. Mr Buni was 

for several years National 

Secretary of the APC until 

his election as governor in 

2019. 

Journalist sacked 

The refusal of the party 

to pay the advert debt has 

however claimed its first 

casualty following the 

sack of one of the reporters 

covering the party. Others 

are also facing several 

disciplinary measures, 

with two of them placed on 

half salary while another 

has had his salary completely 

stopped since January 

2021 as part of measures 

to offset the debt of 

the governing party. 

All efforts by the affected 

journalists to get the 

party to tread the path of 

honour by offsetting the 

debt have been met with 

a brick wall as an aide to 

Gov. Buni is said to be frustrating 

such moves. 

Vanguard gathered that 

the Media and Publicity 

department of the party 

has raised a memo for the 

money to be paid, the process 

was allegedly thwarted 

by the said aide. 

One of the affected journalists 

who pleaded anonymity 

said, with his salary 

stopped by his organization, 

he finds it difficult 

to pay his bills as a 

husband and father. 

He said;”As a result of 

the refusal of the APC to 

pay the advert debt, my office 

thought I wasn’t pushing 

hard for the money to be 

paid. It was as a result of 

that they stopped my salary. 

I have not been paid 

since January this year and 

you know the implication of 

that on a man that has a family 

to look after.” 

It was further gathered 

that when the Media and 

Publicity Directorate of 

the APC appears powerless 

to ensure that the money 

is paid, the affected journalists 

started pushing for 

the payment through the 

National Secretary of the 

party, Sen. John James 

Akpanudoedehe who had 

on three different occasions 

signed the memo 

raised by the directorate 

and forwarded to the 

Chairman, Gov. Buni.


Obaseki immortalises late Victor Uwaifo, 

names Edo Creative Hub after music icon 

*As his body laid to rest 

By Benjamin Njoku & 

Gabriel Enogholase 

The Edo State Gover 

nor, Mr. Godwin 

Obaseki has immortalised 

the late Sir Victor Uwaifo, 

naming the Edo Creative 

Hub after the late music 

maestro. 

In his tribute at the lying-in-state 

for late 

Uwaifo, held in Benin 

City, the governor described 

the passing of the 

music legend as the end of 

an era. 

Other dignitaries at the 

event include Edo State 

Deputy Governor, Rt. 

Hon. Comrade Philip Shaibu; 

former Edo State Governor, 

Comrade Adams 

Oshiomhole; wife of Edo 

State Governor, Mrs Betsy 

Obaseki; Speaker, Edo 

State House of Assembly, 

Rt. Hon. Marcus Onobun 

and the Chief of Staff to 

Edo State Governor, Hon. 

Osaigbovo Iyoha, among 

others. 

Obaseki said the government 

and the people of Edo 

mourn the death of a living 

legend adding, “For 

us, the passing of Sir Victor 

Uwaifo marks the end 

of an era that produced 

some of the prolific artistes 

from Edo. It was a 

generation with creative 

minds, such as the late 

Erhabor Emopkai, Dr. 

Victor Eghareva and Sir 

L-R: Speaker, Edo State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Marcus Onobun; Edo State 

Governor, Mr. Godwin Obaseki; his wife, Mrs. Betsy; Edo State Deputy Governor, 

Rt. Hon. Comrade Philip Shaibu; Chairman Airline Operators of Nigeria, Nogie 

Meggison; former Edo State Governor, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole, at the lyingin-state 

for late Sir Victor Uwaifo, in Benin City, on Friday. 

Victor Uwaifo. Uwaifo’s 

passing marks the end of 

that era. 

“As a mark of honour 

to the late guitar boy, the 

Edo State Government 

has decided that our 

newly built creative hub 

will be named after 

Uwaifo. This creative 

hub which is going to be 

commissioned by the second 

week of November 

2021, has a multi-million-dollar 

studio to support 

artistes. 

He noted that the hub 

will “promote creativity 

in Edo. It has editing 

suites. It will incubate 

state-based groups and 

artistes. It will be used for 

live shows. It has studios 

for Nollywood to rent for 

their productions. 

“There will be spaces for 

artistes in the performing 

arts. That is the least we 

can do for a man who 

changed the face of music 

in Nigeria; that is the 

least we can do for the 

man who composed the 

song, Joromi. That was 

the first song from Africa 

and Nigeria to win a golden 

disc as at the time it 

did.” 

“We will always remember 

Sir Victor 

Uwaifo for what he 

meant and what he represented. 

He represented 

Edo values which include 

hard work, creativity 

and innovation. 

It is going to be very difficult 

for us to imagine 

our entertainment scene 

and music space without 

Sir Victor Uwaifo. May 

his soul rest in perfect 

peace,” the governor 

added. 

Court orders interim forfeiture of Mompha’s designer 

glasses, wristwatches, iPhone 

By Onozure Dania 

Lagos- A Federal High 

Court sitting in Lagos 

has granted an order of interim 

forfeiture of 11 highend 

designer items confiscated 

by the Economic and Financial 

Crimes Commission 

EFCC from Ismaila Mustapha, 

aka. Mompha. 

The items are five luxury 

sunglasses, five luxury 

wristwatches, and an iPhone 

8, which were seized from 

Mompha when he was arrested 

by the EFCC on October 

19, 2019 at the Nnamdi 

Asikiwe International Airport, 

Abuja. 

Justice Lewis Allagoa made 

the order after hearing an 

ex-parte application argued 

by EFCC counsel Chinenye 

Ugwoke. The Judge ruled 

that the order subsists pending 

the EFCC’s investigation 

of the respondents in the suit, 

Mompha and his company 

Ismalob Global Investment 

Ltd. 

Justice Allago made the 

order on Wednesday, October 

13, 2021. 

Mompha - a social media 

celebrity - and Ismalob Global 

Investment have since 

November 25, 2019, been 

facing a 14-count charge of 

money laundering to the 

tune of N32.9 billion before 

Justice Mohammed Liman 

of the Federal High Court 

(FHC) in Lagos. 

The 11 luxury items are a 

Dsquared sunglass; Tomford 

- TF586 sunglass; Cartier - 

B17C76B sunglass; Montblanc 

– MB0045S sunglass 

and a Louis Vuitton- Z1186E 

sunglass. 

The five wristwatches are 

a Rolex Oyster Perpetual; 

Audemars Piguet; Audemars 

Piguet- J46220; XY 

Hublot - 1321920; and an 

XY Hublot- 924206. 

The iPhone 8’s serial number 

is C8PVF1LKJC6C. 

The EFCC supported its 

application with an affidavit 

by an investigating officer 

with the anti-graft 

agency’s Advance Fee Fraud 

Section (AFF), Mr Bot Dachung. 

Dachung stated that “the 

purpose of this application is 

to prevent the Respondents 

from tempering and/or dissipating 

the properties listed 

in the schedule to this application 

which are reasonably 

suspected to be proceeds 

of unlawful activities.” 

He added: “If the properties 

listed in the schedule to 

this application are not temporarily 

and timeously forfeited, 

efforts of the ongoing 

investigation relating to internet/cyber-related 

crimes 

and possible prosecution 

would be brought to a 

nought.” 

The EFCC told the judge 

that the items were “found 

in the possession of the 1st Respondent 

(Mompha), which 

property/asset is reasonably 

suspected to be proceeds of 

unlawful activities and presently 

in the lawful custody of 

the Applicant.” 

According to the agency, a 

preliminary investigation 

revealed various intelligence 

reports linking Mompha 

with chains of internet/cybercrime 

activities. 

It further alleged that there 

“have been concerted ongoing 

investigation activities 

against the Respondents with 

respect to the 1st Respondent’s 

(alleged) involvement in 

cybercrime activities. 

“The properties listed in 

the schedule to this application 

were recovered from 

the 1st Respondent upon 

his arrest by the Operatives 

of the Applicant, hence this 

application. 

“That efforts and attempts 

have been made by 

the 1st Respondent 

through his legal representatives 

to retrieve the said 

properties listed in the 

schedule to this application.” 

In a bench ruling, Justice 

Allagoa granted the order 

as prayed. 

Justice Liman on October 

12, 2020, dismissed 

Mompha’s ‘no case’ application 

in his case with the 

EFCC. 

The judge held that the 

EFCC had established a prima 

facie case against Mompha, 

requiring him to explain 

himself. 

APC Convention: Zone National Chairman’s Position 

to North Central, APC Stakeholders tell Leadership 

By Henry Umoru 

AHEAD of the Nation 

al Convention of the 

All Progressives Congress, 

APC, Stakeholders 

of the party have called 

on the leadership to emulate 

the opposition Peoples 

Democratic Party, 

PDP by zoning the position 

of National Chairman 

to the North Central 

geo- Political zone of 

the country. 

The group under the 

aegis of APC Stakeholders 

for 2023 elections urged 

the party leadership to 

narrow the position to 

Niger State against the 

backdrop that the party 

will stand a better chance 

if the state produces the 

next National Chairman. 

In a statement yesterday 

titled, Like PDP, Like 

APC by the Coordinators, 

Adeleye Yemi and Sabiu 

Ali, they said, “the PDP 

has zoned its national 

Chairmanship post to the 

North and North Central 

in particular. The APC 

should also do the same to 

give the North Central 

zone equal opportunity 

within the North Central 

its rightful and equitable 

share of the National Political 

Equation 

“The North Central 

Zone deserves to host the 

National Chairman position 

of the two frontline 

parties that control 

Nigerian Politics 

“Since the PDP chose 

its National Chairman 

from Benue, it’s only 

fair, logical, right and 

reasonable that the APC 

should look towards Niger 

state for its consensus 

National Chairman 

“If the PDP can produce 

its Chairman by 

consensus, the APC 

should do the same without 

much difficulty or 

controversy 

EFCC withdraws alleged N20bn 

fraud case against Kogi State 

By Onozure Dania 

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC 

has withdrawn its suit seeking the forfeiture of 

N20billion bailout funds granted to the Kogi State Government 

by a new generation bank. 

The money, which was meant for the payment of Kogi 

workers, was alleged to have been domiciled in an interest-yielding 

account with the bank by officials of the state 

government. 

Justice Chukwujekwu Aneke granted the order of withdrawal 

on Friday sequel to a motion filed and argued by 

EFCC counsel, Mr Kemi Pinheiro, SAN, leading Mr Rotimi 

Oyedepo. 

Pinheiro listed six grounds upon which the judge granted 

the prayer, adding that “the EFCC is a responsible body”. 

One of the grounds was that questions resulting in the 

commencement of the suit had been clarified, and an intention 

had been shown to return the sum of 

N19,333,333,333.36 to the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN. 

Justice Aneke held: “I have listened to the submission of 

the learned Silk for the application, Mr Kemi Pinheiro SAN 

vis-a-vis perused the motion to withdraw. My humble 

opinion is that application is meritorious and ought to be 

granted. Accordingly, the application is granted as 

prayed.” 

Counsel to the Kogi State Government Professor Sam 

Erogbo, SAN, had earlier urged court to vacate the interim 

forfeiture order earlier granted for the purpose of clarity. 

Justice Aneke however held that the discontinuance 

order granted already covers the interim forfeiture order. 

The judge noted that the EFCC was “very clear in their 

motion to withdraw which is clearly established in paragraph 

6.” 

Justice Tijjani Ringim had on August 31, granted an exparte 

application brought by the EFCC for an interim forfeiture 

of the N19, 333, 333, 333.36 billion, said to be 

warehoused in the State’s account number. 

Justice Ringim made the order of the interim forfeiture 

after taking arguments from the EFCC’s counsel, Abbas 

Muhammed. 

The judge ruled that the order was pending the conclusion 

of an investigation or possible prosecution by the EFCC. 

PIA can’t stop FG’s duty to 

N’Delta — Mulade 

By Emma Amaize, Regional Editor, South-South 

THE Country Director and Chief Executive Officer, CEO, 

Center for Peace and Environmental Justice, CEPEJ, 

Comrade Sheriff Mulade, has said the Petroleum Industry 

Act, PIA, does not stop the Federal Government from carrying 

out its constitutional responsibility of providing social 

amenities and infrastructural development in the Niger Delta. 

Mulade, a governorship aspirant in Delta state, said: “There 

have been claims and counter-claims in some quarters that 

the PIA might result in the Federal Government abandoning 

its mandate to remediate the Niger Delta environment”. 

“I want to clearly state that the PIA and three per cent 

allocation to host communities do not relieve the Federal Government 

of its responsibility to provide basic amenities and 

care for its citizens, especially when it is the main beneficiary 

of crude oil production activities, which degraded the Niger 

Delta environment. My candid advice is that the government 

of the federation and the Presidency should do the needful 

without further delay. 

“I call on the federal government to complete the remediation 

of the Niger Delta environment, and the socio-economic 

rejuvenation of the oil -rich region devastated by incessant 

oil spillage, crude oil exploration and exploitation, deprivation 

and marginalization. 

“In fact, it is the responsibility of the Nigerian government 

and oil companies to remediate the degraded environment, 

adequately compensate the affected host communities 

and revamp the bastardized social and economic 

well-being of the Niger Deltans due to crude oil exploration 

activities in the region”, he said. 

Mulade, the Ibe-Seremowei of Gbaramatu Kingdom, 

Delta State, added: “The rejuvenation of the socio-economic 

life of the Niger Delta people is compulsory, important 

and necessary. Successive federal governments wasted 

too much time to address and accomplish this mandate.” 

Isioma Onyeobi School elects 

new PTA executive 

P 

arents have been called upon to see the training 

of their children and wards as a sacrifice towards 

ensuring good leadership and home building for the future. 

The principal of Isioma Onyeobi Mixed Secondary 

School, Asaba, Mrs. Theresa Okwuobi gave the charge 

during the Parents/Teachers Association (PTA) meeting 

of the school held weekend at the school premises. 

She told the parents that she was happy and satisfied 

with the academic pursuit of the students as well as the 

tutors whom she said in spite of the hard times, have 

unconditionally continued to put in their best for the 

overall benefit of the students, their parents and the 

school management. 

Officers elected in a keenly contested election include 

Mr. Nicholas Jubrin as chairman, Mr. Emeka Ikemefuna 

as vice chairman and Mrs. Theresa Okwuobi as secretary. 

Others elected are Mrs. Uchenna Nwalupue as Treasurer, 

Mrs. Ihegbuche as Fin. Secretary and Mr. Emma 

Fejokwu as the P.R.O


REVISED PIA: Relocate oil coys to N'Delta, 

Gbagi tells NASS 

By Emma Amaize, 

Regional Editor, South- 

South 

FORMER Minister of 

State for Education and 

new Aare Atunluse of Akure 

Kingdom, Ondo State, Olorogun 

Kenneth Gbagi, has advised 

the National Assembly 

to incorporate relocation of 

operational headquarters of 

multinational oil companies 

to their areas of operation in 

the Niger-Delta in the current 

revision of the Petroleum Industry 

Act, PIA, 

Gbagi, who spoke to newsmen, 

lamented: “If you calculate 

what the oil company 

spends on aircraft movement 

of their staff to their various 

locations in the creeks of Niger 

Delta, the country is bleeding 

and whose money is it, it 

is the oil producing communities’ 

money that they are 

spending.” 

He urged NASS to enact 

between 20-25 per cent for the 

Host Community Development 

Fund in the PIA, saying 

that the current three per cent 

was a time bomb. 

His words: “If Niger Delta 

is good to produce oil and gas, 

then all the oil companies 

must be moved there. You do 

not have any oil company 

operating in Texas going to 

live in New York and pay tax 

to New York, but exploring oil 

in Texas.” 

“It is about time we start 

respecting the idiosyncrasy of 

our people, let oil companies 

move contiguously without 

much delay to their areas of 

production for them to see 

peace. We do not want to go 

back to the days of cutting 

pipe and destruction of oil 

installations. Let us sit down 

on a round table and negotiate, 

what is Mobil doing in 

Lagos, what money does 

Mobil make in Lagos; what 

is Chevron Nigeria Limited 

doing in Lekki, Lagos, they 

are tapping their oil in Delta 

state. Let government provide 

them adequate security, in 

Delta which they get in Lagos 

and they move. 

“I made a proposal when I 

was a Minister that Chevron 

should move to Delta state. Let 

us say for instance that the fed- 

eral government owns 60 per 

cent, government should allow 

them to build an International 

Airport and land their 

aircraft directly here in Delta. 

“The same Immigration, 

Customs and everything security 

that is Nigerian and 

available to them in Lagos 

should also be at airport in 

Warri and development will 

start flowing. You will see that 

people will be happy again 

and have a sense of belonging 

with Chevron because 

they will employ drivers here, 

license their vehicles here, get 

cooks here and get nannies 

here in Niger Delta 

“On its part, Mobil should 

go to Eket, sell their property 

in Lagos and let the federal 

government take its 60 per 

•Says host communities 

should get 20-25 per cent 

cent and the company its 40 

per cent and relocate to Eket. 

By so doing, the people of 

Eket will enjoy the benefit of 

what God has given them. 

“Also, Shell Petroleum Development 

Company, SPDC, 

should move its operational 

headquarters to Port Harcourt, 

what are they doing in 

Lagos? National Agip Oil 

Company, AGIP, should move 

to Bayelsa and have its airport 

there. This whole idea of 

people flying from Bayelsa to 

Abuja or Lagos is a non starter. 

“Do you know how many 

aircrafts come from Lagos to 

Escravos, Delta state, on daily 

basis bringing workers in 

and out, not staying with the 

people, but their oil and gas 

are good for them to carry. 

“The lawmakers who sat 

I will end my tenure as strongly as I 

started it — El-Rufai 

By Ibrahim Hassan, 

Kaduna 

GOVERNOR Nasir El-Ru 

fai of Kaduna State has 

said that he would complete his 

tenure in 2023 as strongly as he 

began the first tenure in 2015. 

The Governor explained that 

he considered the closing stages 

as important as any to providing 

governance and would 

continue to introduce reforms 

like the new metropolitan authorities 

for Kaduna, Kafanchan 

and Zaria, noting that 

there was need to be pragmatic 

in managing these cities. 

Speaking on Friday at Sir 

Kashim House, Kaduna, after 

swearing-in two new High Court 

judges, members of statutory 

commissions and other officials, 

the governor said, “We are in the 

closing stages. But the 19 months 

that remain to complete our 

mandate are as important as the 

first months of our first tenure 

back in 2015. We intend to finish 

our tenure as strongly as we started. 

That is the oath we took, and 

that is the responsible thing to 

do. 

“I am delighted to administer 

the oaths of office for the various 

categories of officials recently 

appointed to help us in the service 

of the people of Kaduna 

State. These responsibilities impose 

a high burden on these officials, 

but they are crucial to the 

effective discharge of the governance 

agenda of the Kaduna 

State Government in this final 

lap of our two tenures of office. 

“This explains why we are still 

introducing reforms, backing 

them up with laws and implementing 

them. We have initiated 

many reforms as we pursue 

progressive attainments. While 

we do not assume that we can 

change everything in eight years, 

we have positively amended as 

many institutions, laws and practices 

as we can. 

“Government is a continuum. 

We have created a strong 

platform upon which our successors 

can build, allowing 

them to focus on governance 

and the attainment of progressive 

goals. We have moved 

away from the notion of dispensing 

largesse as the purpose 

of government. Since 

2015, we have freed government 

from the previous practise 

of sponsoring pilgrimage, 

and we have prioritised human 

capital development through 

massive investments in education 

and healthcare, infrastructure 

and investments and jobs. 

at NASS chambers being 

blown by air conditioner and 

said they would give three per 

cent to host communities are 

talking rubbish, I am sorry to 

use the word. They should review 

the PIA in favour of host 

communities to between 20- 

25 per cent and create a council 

that will manage the fund 

on behalf of the individual 

communities with those of 

the oil companies operating 

within the area. 

“I do not see anything less 

than 20-25 per cent because 

at the end of the day, federal 

government and oil companies 

should make do with 75 

per cent which is more than 

enough, but give the host 

communities 25 per cent. 

Once you do that, you are creating 

peace. 

We have focused on public service 

reform and law and order, 

as well as on undoing some of 

the unintended consequences 

of previous decisions and policies, 

some dating back four decades, 

and others beginning 

with the restoration of democracy 

in 1999.” 

While congratulating the 

new judges, Malam El-Rufai 

said that the unitary structure 

of the judiciary was impeding 

the speedy dispensation of justice 

in Kaduna State. 

The governor explained that 

majority of the residents of Kaduna 

State now live in the three 

major cities of Kaduna, Kafanchan 

and Zaria. He said that to 

provide the necessary services 

and facilities for residents, these 

cities have to be administered as 

integrated, organic cities. Our 

major cities are bigger than the 

local government councils into 

which they have been balkanized. 

For instance, for planning 

purposes, the boundaries 

of Kaduna metropolis are 40km 

radius from the Post Office. We 

need a structure to manage this 

metropolis and the many needs 

of the people and businesses who 

live in Kaduna and feel it as Kaduna 

metropolis, not three or 

four local governments. 

APC must not emulate PDP’s 

choice of septuagenarian as 

party chairman, S-west APC 

members warn 

By Henry Umoru 

AHEAD of the National Convention of the ruling All Pro 

gressives Congress, APC, members of the party in the 

South West geo-political zone have warned the party against 

emulating the opposition, Peoples Democratic Party, PDP by 

settling for a Septuagenarian as its National Chairman. 

The South West members of the APC under the aegis of Lisabi 

Progressives Union said that the APC must not follow the 

footsteps of PDP by going for a National Chairman who is 

between 70 and 79 years old when there are young, dynamic 

and full of energy personalities with the drive to push the party 

from its present stage to the accepted level. 

A statement issued yesterday by its National President, Comrade 

Adeleke Lukman, said that as a member of the Progressives 

family, the APC must tread carefully in its choice of candidate 

for national chairman, describing the move by the PDP to 

nominate Iyorchia Ayu as its candidate as treacherous, considering 

their much touted belief in younger candidates within 

their party fold with the energy and vibrancy as they so proclaimed 

was needed to wrest power from the ruling party. 

Recall that the PDP had in a statement issued by the governor 

of Adamawa State, Ahmadu Fintiri, disclosed its choice of Dr. 

Iyorchia Ayu, a former Senate President in the third republic as 

the consensus candidate of the PDP in the forthcoming national 

convention slated for 30th and 31st of October. 

Lukman said, “With the adoption of Dr. Iyorchia Ayu, a man 

that will turn 70 in November, 2022 by the time he assumes 

office as Chairman, makes a huge mockery of my former colleagues 

and friends in the PDP who were optimistic that the 

party will yield to the calls and yearning by well-meaning Nigerians 

for a much younger candidate to fill the position of the 

national chairman.


2023: Bakare meets Buhari, speaks against power 

rotation 

By Johnbosco Agbakwuru 

AHEAD of the 2023 Pres 

idential election, the 

General Overseer of the Citadel 

Global Community 

Church, (CGCC), formerly 

Latter Rain Assembly, Pastor 

Tunde Bakare has said that 

he would contest for the 2023 

presidential elections if God 

gave him the go-ahead. 

Pastor Bakare, who met behind 

closed doors with President 

Muhammadu Buhari 

yesterday at the Presidential 

Villa, Abuja, took a swipe at 

those clamoring for rotational 

presidency, describing it as 

political immaturity. 

Speaking with State House 

correspondents after meeting 

with the president, Pastor 

Bakare said that the region 

where the president of the 

country came from had never 

been better than other regions. 

The fiery cleric, who 

was the running mate to President 

Buhari in the 2011 presidential 

election on the platform 

of Congress for Progressive 

Change, CPC, also commended 

the Senate for approving 

electronic transmission 

of election results. 

Although he refused to disclose 

the agenda of his meeting 

with the president, he 

said, “It’s a private visit to President 

Muhammadu Buhari, 

and I’ve dispensed what’s in 

my heart.” 

Asked if he would be contesting 

for the position of president 

in the 2023 election, he 

said: “Every Nigerian, who is 

of age and who is not disqualified 

by any means, is free. I 

am a nation builder, if God 

wants me to do that, and the 

people of Nigeria will appreciate 

that, why not? I’m as free 

as anybody to do anything 

with my time. I’ve pastored a 

church for 33 years, now we 

raise new leaders. I want to 

focus on nation-building. 

“The Office of the President 

is only one office, there are so 

many other things we can do 

as people to support whoever 

is there to make sure that we 

do not go into retrogression, 

but begin to make steady 

progress as a people. I’ve already 

communicated my 

plans to Mr. President, and it 

stays between us.” 

Also asked about his take 

on the decision by the Senate 

that the Independent National 

Electoral Commission, 

INEC, should transmit election 

results through electronic 

means, he said it would 

deepen the nation’s democracy. 

He said: “Perhaps, that is 

one of the best things the 

present National Assembly 

has done, especially the Senate, 

because with that, Nigerians 

can vote, and then results 

can be transmitted so 

easily. Not only that, part of 

the State of the Nation address 

that I did on October 

10, I emphasized how Nigeria 

youth, especially undergraduates, 

are disenfranchised 

in our country. 

“22.3 million students are 

registered, but during the election, 

campuses are shut, they 

will not be able to return there 

to vote and are therefore disenfranchised. 

If we can not 

just transmit results but to be 

able to vote electronically, 

that will be wonderful. It will 

deepen and enhance our democracy. 

“Not only that, the Diaspora 

sends above $25 billion to 

Nigeria. Nigeria in Diaspora 

should also be able to vote 

as they do in every other country 

in the world. The more the 

merrier. Yes, democracy is a 

game of numbers, but our 

people should have the final 

say. 

“So, the office of the citizen 

must be as important, if not 

more than the office of the 

governor or the president because 

they are the people who 

put them in power. Sovereignty 

still lies in the hands of 

Delta earmarks N469.4bn for 2022 fiscal year 

By Festus Ahon, ASABA 

DELTA State Govern 

ment, yesterday said it 

has earmarked N469.4 billion 

for the 2022 fiscal year 

and assured that the Ughelli/ 

Asaba road dualization 

would be completed in December 

2022. 

The State Commissioner 

for Economic Planning, Dr 

Barry Gbe who disclosed this 

while briefing newsmen, said 

the 2022 budget proposal was 

approved by the State Executive 

Council, EXCO meeting 

presided over by Governor 

Ifeanyi Okowa. 

Gbe said the approval was 

in line with the state fiscal responsibility 

law, adding that 

after a thorough review of the 

N425 billion indicative budget 

size earlier proposed by 

his ministry, Exco had a fairer 

view of what the 2022 budget 

size should look like. 

He said the approved budget 

was more than what his 

ministry had earlier proposed 

in Medium Term Expenditure 

Framework and the Fiscal 

Strategy Paper, MTEF and 

FSP, adding that it was the 

MTEF and FSP that determine 

the budget size. 

According to him, “After a 

review of the indicative budget 

size we were able to have 

a fairer view of what the budget 

size should look like. It 

•Says: 'I'll contest if God wants me to' 

•Adds: Political immaturity responsible for agitation for rotational presidency 

•Backs Senate on electronic transmission of election results 

•President Muhammadu Buhari welcoming Pastor Tunde Bakare in the State 

House, yesterday. Photo: State House 

was to a large extent, more 

than what we proposed in the 

MTEF and FSP.” 

While saying that the 

N469.4 billion budget estimate 

of the state was cut out 

from the MTEF, he said: “We 

have to grow the IGR from 

N75 billion to N80 billion. 

We increased our assumptions 

around the capital receipts 

and borrowing to sufficiently 

fund our expenditure 

side. 

“We will fund facilities in 

the new universities, facility 

procurement in the Ministry 

of Health, as well as do procurement 

and funding contract 

around technical education 

ministry. We will be 

doing a whole lot around education 

generally (higher and 

basic) and also roads. 

“We intend to complete the 

bridges that are yet to be 

completed especially the Ayokoromo 

bridge that his Excellency 

is so particular 

about.” 

Noting that the state government 

would not stop at creating 

entrepreneurs in the year 

2022, Gbe said: “We are expanding 

the net around the girlchild 

programme and every 

other empowerment programmes.” 

The State Commissioner for 

Information, Mr. Charles 

the people of Nigeria.” 

As an advocate of restructuring, 

he was asked how he 

would want Nigeria to be restructured 

and he said: “I had 

said it, it’s in the open, the 

documents are already there, 

it’s not something I can cover 

in five minutes. We can do it 

without shooting any gun. I 

have made copies of the lecture 

which I prepared available 

to the president. 

“We need to move this nation 

forward. The founding 

fathers of this nation:Sir Ahmadu 

Bello, Chief Obafemi 

Awolowo, Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe, 

Prime Minister Tafawa 

Balewa, alongside their entourage, 

in Lancaster House 

and everywhere, agreed on 

what type of government Nigeria 

should have. We must 

not change the goal post amid 

the game. We are better off 

together as a nation than going 

our different ways. But it 

must be based on equity, justice, 

fair play, and a rule of 

law.” 

Aniagwu who also spoke to 

newsmen, said: “The Ughelli/ 

Asaba road dualization is one 

of the roads we are mopping 

up funds to tackle. The contractors 

have assured us, particularly 

the one handling the 

section C1 and C2 which is 

from Asaba to Ogwashi-Uku 

and from Ogwashi-Uku to Ossissa, 

who said as soon as we 

make some funds available, 

that between now and before 

the end of the dry season, they 

would have been able to connect 

all through from Koka 

junction to Ogwashi-Uku and 

the same time deliver one side 

from Ogwashi-Uku, which is 

the right side down to Ossissa. 

Buhari to NUJ: Engage in productive dialogue to 

resolve disputes 

By Johnbosco 

Agbakwuru 

PRESIDENT Muham 

madu Buhari has urged 

the media to forge greater 

unity in the union and engage 

in productive dialogue to resolve 

any issue inimical to the 

progress of the association. 

The president also congratulated 

the Nigeria Union of 

Journalists (NUJ) on the outcome 

of the seventh triennial 

delegates’ conference which 

saw the re-election of Chris 

Isiguzo for a second term in 

office as president. 

This was contained in a 

statement issued by the Senior 

Special Assistant to the 

President on Media and Publicity, 

Mallam Garba Shehu 

in Abuja, yesterday. 

According to the statement, 

“From the outset of this administration, 

President Buhari 

has made clear that press 

freedom is a minimum in a 

democracy that would flourish,” 

however, such freedom 

must be used responsibly. 

“Considering the formidable 

role the media play in 

shaping and influencing the 

course of events in any society, 

the president reminds the 

NUJ leadership that the 

country will continue to look 

up to their members for fair, 

balanced and objective journalism. 

President Buhari urges 

the media to forge greater 

unity in the union and engage 

in productive dialogue to resolve 

any issue inimical to the 

progress of the association.” 

The president assured the 

newly elected executives that 

the present administration 

would uphold and unrelentingly 

safeguard the watchdog 

role provided for the media 

in the Constitution of the Federal 

Republic of Nigeria. 

Letter to the Editor: 

Palace statement on the 

cessation of Mr Ayiri Emami 

as a Chief of Warri Kingdom 

We refer to statement that was presented to the 

leadership of the Ologbotsere family and members 

of the press who were present ,along with the Chiefs 

and some members of the Itsekiri Royal family on 

Tuesday, October 05, 2021. 

As I had complained to you, you will find that at 

no point did it include that the Ologbotsere Title 

was abolished as was reported by the Vanguard 

reporter, Mr. Jimitota Onoyume. Some people have 

mischievously cashed-in on this to poison people’s 

minds and we have had to continue to explain but 

only to those we know and can reach. 

Please help to correct this . 

Thank you and God bless you. 

Brown 

You ‘re an embodiment of peace, 

unity, Gbajabiamila tells Alaafin of 

Oyo at 83 

By Levinus Nwabughiogu, Abuja 

SPEAKER of the House of Representatives, Rep. 

Femi 

Gba 

jabiamila, has congratulated the Alaafin of Oyo, Oba 

Lamidi Olayiwola Adeyemi III, on his 83rd birthday. 

Gbajabiamila, who described the Yoruba traditional 

ruler as an embodiment of peace, unity, and traditional 

institution memory, noted with delight how the Alaafin 

has enjoyed good health from the Almighty God over 

the years. 

The Speaker said: "Oba Adeyemi has been leading by 

example, carrying his subjects along since becoming 

the Alaafin of Oyo over five decades ago." 

Gbajabiamila noted the invaluable contributions of 

the Alaafin in the development of the Yoruba race, saying 

he was much revered for his diligence, commitment 

and dedication to his people. He recalled how the Oyo 

Empire instituted the democratic system of governance 

many decades ago, which he said Oba Adeyemi has been 

upholding since 1970 when he ascended the throne. 

While wishing the Alaafin God’s continuous protection 

and increased wisdom, Gbajabiamila prayed for 

longevity and good health for him. 

Inflation drops, shows 7th month 

decline 

By Emmanuel Elebeke 

THE Consumer Price Index, (CPI) which measures infla 

tion increased by 16.63 percent (year-on-year) in September 

2021. This is 0.38 percent points lower than the rate 

recorded in August 2021 (17.01 percent). The decline also 

represents a consistent decline of inflation rate in the last 

seven months as increases were recorded in all COICOP divisions 

that yielded the Headline Index. 

On month-on-month basis, the Headline Index increased 

by 1.15 percent in September 2021, this is 0.13 percent rate 

higher than the rate recorded in August 2021 (1.02 percent). 

The percentage change in the average composite CPI for 

the 12-month period ending September 2021 over the average 

of the CPI for the previous 12-month period was 16.83 per 

cent, showing 0.23 per cent points from 16.60 per cent recorded 

in July 2021. 

The urban Inflation rate increased by 17.19 per cent (yearon-year) 

in September 2021 from 17.59 per cent recorded in 

August 2021, while the rural inflation rate increased by 16.08 

per cent in September 2021 from 16.45 per cent in August 

2021. 

On a month-on-month basis, the Urban Index rose by 1.21 

per cent in September 2021, up by 0.15 the rate recorded in 

August 2021 (1.06), while the Rural Index also rose by 1.10 per 

cent in September 2021, up by 0.11 the rate that was recorded 

in August 2021 (0.99) per cent. 

The inflation has maintained a consecutive decline of seven 

months from march when it recorded 18.17%, 18.12% in April 

and 17.93% in May. In June, it showed 17.75%, 17.83% in July 

and 17.01% in August. 

Presenting the report at a press briefing, the Statistician 

General of the National Bureau of Statistics, NBS, Dr. Simon 

Harry said the decline in the inflation rate was an indication 

of a positive trend and recovery of the economy considering 

the difficult situation the economy was currently in, assuring 

that the trend would be maintained for a long time to come.

SATURDAY Vanguard, OCTOBER 16, 2021—9 

Where’s N1b Buhari 

approved for D’tigress? 

Dalung challenges Sports Minister to 

come out clean on alleged diversion 

•Queries how training grants found way into escrow account 

•Says, Buhari released N1bn for team after he left t office as minister 

•Problem started in 2017, before I became minister - Dare 


igeria’s former Minister of Sports and 

NYouth Development, Barr. Solomon 

Dalung has challenged his successor, Mr 

Sunday Dare to come clean on the N1 

billion approved by President 

Muhammadu Buhari for the nation’s 

women basketball team, D’tigress, saying 

though the funds were released in August 

2019, it is disheartening that the players 

have not been paid till today. 

Dalung who said he had facilitated the 

approval of the money, explained that it was 

paid months after he had left office as 

minister but that it has now found its way 

into an Escrow Account at the Central Bank 

of Nigeria CBN. 

According to him, he had created the 

escrow account in 2019 to receive funds 

from sponsors and donor bodies and to 

allow for easy access by the various national 

sports federations without having to go 

through bureaucratic bottlenecks. 

The ex-minister who disclosed this on a 

breakfast television programme, The Arise 

Morning Show was reacting to comments 

by Mr Dare who partially washed his hands 

off the case, saying it started in 2017 when 

he (Dare) was not the minister. 

“For athletes who wear the Nigerian 

colour, it is a commitment, sacrifice. As a 

minister, I also ensure that I support them. 

“I work within a system where the 

allocation of resources is based on certain 

critical factors. What we have done is to 

ensure that we push the files and do the 

documentation. The processes are ongoing. 

“I share the pains. These are allowances 

that are owed since 2017 when I was not 

even the minister. 

“This is something that the government 

has on an incremental basis tried to 

address. I know that part of this money has 

been paid. 

Credit Jide Fashekun 

with Adopt-an-Athlete 

Initiative – Dalung 

tells Dare 

mmediate past Minister of Sports and 

IYouth Development Barrister Solomon 

Dalung has urged his successor, Sunday 

Dare to credit late sports journalist, Jide 

Fashekun with the hugely successful adoptan-athlete 

initiative. 

Dalung disclosed that he was close to 

Fashekun who was his personal friend and 

adviser who initiated the programme 

through which the current Minister has 

been able to convince well-to-do Nigerians 

and corporate bodies to adopt numerous 

Nigerian athletes before the Tokyo 

Olympics. 

In monetary term, the policy yielded 

thousands of US Dollars and millions of 

Naira for the athletes as training grants 

which was a huge burden off the 

government. 

Late Fashekun and Mary Onyali ran a 

foundation which was aimed at producing 

world champions for Nigeria. The two 

traversed the length and breadth of Nigeria 

in search of sponsors for the project. 

Onyali who became a Personal Assistant 

to Dare on assumption of office as Sports 

Minister may have sold the idea of Adoptan-Athlete 

initiative to her new boss. 

Fashekun who birthed the original idea has 

never been acknowledged, a development 

which Dalung is frowning at. 

“I understand the pain and I want to put it 

on record that the ministry has never 

slept at a switch”, Mr Dare had 

said in a video which has gone 

viral on the social media. 

However, Dalung in his 

response said there was no reason 

not to have paid the girls till now. 

He said; “I apologise sincerely 

to the girls. They do not deserve 

what they got from us as leaders 

because these are champions that 

we should be celebrating but not 

plunging them into this 

disgraceful state of affairs where 

they have to fall back on other 

means of reaching out to us. 

“There were no issues in 2017 

because when they won, I was 

given three days notice and I 

immediately reached out to the 

Presidency and got them to meet 

with the Federal Executive 

Council FEC. The president 

appreciated them and the 

‘handshake’ was N1 million paid 

to each of the players and 

N500,000 to each member of the 

coaching crew. Immediately after 

the FEC meeting, they provided 

their bank account details and the money 

was disbursed to them. So, no issue with 

regards to 2017. 

“This issue we are talking about was a 

result of their participation at the World 

Cup in 2018 in Spain. We had budgetary 

issues with their qualification preparation 

because the provision made in the budget 

went to the National Assembly and came 

back far below what we expected. I had to 

meet the President and he said I should put 

up a memo, which the Federation did. The 

amount was N1.5 billion covering their 

preparations and participation in the 2018 

World Cup. This memo was not even 

brought to the ministry on time and so we 

were caught up with going to Spain. Then 

the president of the Federation said we 

could raise funds for the competition and 

when we return and we were paid, we could 

then address some of these issues. 

“We went and the girls did the country 

proud, becoming the first African country 

in 100 years to qualify to the quarterfinals 

here was a huge protest in Abuja, 

Tstaged by Nigerian basketball 

players on Thursday. The protesting 

players were demanding for a change in 

the leadership of the Nigeria Basketball 

Federation. The players carried banners 

with very clear messages that show they 

no longer want Musa Kida as President 

of the NBBF. 

The protesters marched from the Area 

10 Old Parade, Garki to the Unity 

Fountain, Maitama, demanding that 

Kida must be prevented from imposing 

himself on the basketballers and other 

stakeholders as the association’s 

President. 

Some of the banners read: “WE ARE 

BASKETBALL PLAYERS; NOT 

THUGS, PAY OUR FEMALE 

CHAMPIONS ALLOWANCES; BRING 

BACK ELECTIONS TO ABUJA; Sports 

minister leave basketball alone etc 

Meanwhile, the Ministry of Youth and 

Sports Development summoned Kida 

and a former President of NBBF, Tijani 

Umar, to another emergency meeting 

over the lingering crisis rocking the 

association. 

The meeting which is slated for 

•Dalung 

•Dare 

in basket ball, defeating great basket ball 

nations like Italy, Turkey and Argentina. 

“So, when we came back, I approached 

the President again and he graciously 

approved N1 billion covering the costs of 

preparations and participation for the 

World Cup. I kept pursuing it and the funds 

were not released till I left office. 

“The funds were released in August 2019. 

I was no longer the minister then. So passing 

the bulk of the blame to me, yes it all started 

under my watch but I did my own part of 

the bargain. What the girls are asking for 

now is why they have not been paid since 

August 2019. They are aware that the money 

has been released. So, passing it back to 

me is not the best way to go. The best way is 

for the ministry to come out clean, 

apologise and explain why the money, the 

AIE, which was raised in the name of the 

ministry suddenly found its way into an 

Escrow Account in the Central Bank 

because the AIE was issued in the name of 

the Federal Ministry of Sports and Youth 

Monday, October 18, 2021, in Abuja is to 

find a lasting solution to the four-year 

old feud between the duo. This is coming a 

few days after D’Tigress, Nigeria women’s 

basketball team protested over their unpaid 

wages and allowances in a video that has 

gone viral. They also expressed grievances 

over what they described as unfair treatment 

meted out to them by the Nigerian 

government and the outgoing caretaker 

board of the NBBF, led by Kida after their 

victory at the 2021 FIBA Afrobasket 

Women’s Championship in Cameroon. 

Development. I know as a fact that the 

money was released to the ministry and the 

Nigerian Basket Ball Federation was paid 

because when the girls started complaining 

in 2020, they got back to me that they had 

not been paid and I called the President of 

the Nigerian Basketball Federation and 

he said the money had been released 

and they were going to pay the girls”, 

he added. 

Mr Dalung urged the ministry not to 

sweep the issues under the carpet. 

“So, I think that there is something 

that we are trying to hide. The issues 

are many. So, trying to sweep them 

under the carpet will not help us. Their 

stipends, training grants, allowances 

and bonuses had not been paid. All 

these things, the girls are entitled to. 

They have not been paid their 

camping allowances, participation 

allowances, bonuses and training 

grants. 

“The training grants are provided 

by the international basketball 

federation. Are we also saying that 

these training grants that came have 

also migrated into the escrow 

account? Certainly not. What is this 

escrow account that we are telling 

Nigerians? I created that account in 

2019 after the democratization of 

the national federations because I 

wanted to insulate the national 

federations from undue interference 

from the bureaucracy so that all 

contributions coming from outside, not 

from the government, will go into that 

account and we can be able to track them 

and render account to sponsors. But since I 

left office, they have never, never activated 

this account. It has been dormant. So, if 

monies suddenly migrated into a dormant 

account, I will challenge anybody that is 

saying this to help us with the statement of 

the escrow account. Blaming me, yes, I take 

full responsibility for not being able to get 

them their money before I left office”, he 

stated. 

The players had in a video clip threatened 

to boycott future call-ups to represent 

Nigeria for the 2022 World Cup 

qualification series if all outstanding 

allowances were not paid. 

Ify Ibekwe, one of the players, listed the 

figures owed and also included the 

$100,000 donation which was given to the 

team by three Nigerian banks in 

preparation for the Tokyo 2020 Olympics. 

Basketball players protest against Dare, Kida 

•Protesting players 

•Buhari 

It could be recalled that just a few 

months back, Nigerian athletes staged a 

protest in Tokyo, Japan during the 

Olympics following the disqualification 

of some Nigerian athletes from 

competing by the Integrity Unit of World 

Athletics following the non-compliance 

of the athletes 

The athletes were protesting local 

authorities’ “incompetence” during 

preparations for the Tokyo Olympics. 

Some Nigerian athletes, who were 

disqualified from participating in the 

Games, were seen on the 

streets of Japan 

expressing their anger 

against the sports 

administrators in 

Nigeria. 

The 

Tokyo 

misadventure was also 

full of scandals that 

resulted in the 

cancellation of a multimillion 

dollar kit 

contract between 

Nigeria and famous and 

internationally 

recognised sports wear 

manufacturers, Puma.

10—SATURDAY Vanguard, OCTOBER 16, 2021 

BANDITRY: 

What changed 

El-Rufai, Masari, 

Matawalle, Bello? 

•Ozekhome, Sani clash over amnesty for terrorists 

•No responsible governor will grant amnesty to terrorists- CISLAC 

By Dirisu Yakubu 

To everything, there is a 

season and a time for 

every purpose under 

heaven; a time to be born 

and a time to die; a time to 

plant and a time to uproot,” 

says the Holy Scriptures. 

Given the universal 

application of these 

words; it is safe to add 

that there is a time to 

declare a definite 

position and a time to 

shift from same 

position. Depending on 

where one stands, the 

figure ‘six’ can also be a 

‘nine.’ 

Barely a year in office 

as governor of Kaduna 

state, Nasir El-Rufai 

won the hearts of 

Nigerians when he 

revealed that the 

perennial 

reckless killings 

in Southern 

Kaduna were 

coming to an 

end. The 

government he 

led, he noted 

had identified 

the killers and 

gave them 

financial 

package to bury 

the hatchet. 

Addressing a 

press conference 

in December 

2016, the 

governor had 

said, “For 

southern Kaduna, we didn’t understand 

what was going on and we decided to set 

up a committee under Gen. Martin 

Luther Agwai (retd) to find out what was 

going on there. What was established was 

that the root of the problem has a history 

starting from the 2011 post-election 

violence. 

“Fulani herdsmen from across Africa 

bring their cattle down towards Middle 

Belt and Southern Nigeria. The moment 

the rains start around March/April, they 

start moving them up to go back to their 

various communities and countries. 

Unfortunately, it was when they were 

moving up with their cattle across 

Southern Kaduna that the elections of 

2011 took place and the crisis trapped 

•Masari • Matawalle •El-rufai 

some of them. 

“Some of them were from Niger, 

Cameroon, Chad, Mali and Senegal. 

Fulani are in 14 African countries and 

they traverse this country with the cattle. 

So, many of these people were killed, 

cattle lost and they organised themselves 

and came back to revenge. 

“So, a lot of what was happening in 

Southern Kaduna was actually from 

outside Nigeria. We got a hint that the 

late Governor Patrick Yakowa got this 

information and he sent someone to go 

round some of these Fulani communities, 

but of course after he died, the whole 

thing stopped. That is what we inherited 

but the Agwai committee established that. 

“We took certain steps. We got a group 

North. Speaking in Katsina on August 2, 

2019, Governor Aminu Masari whose 

state of Katsina has had its share of 

bloodletting argued that a way out of the 

killings perpetrated by herders was for 

them to be granted amnesty. 

Reading a communiqué issued by the 

North-West governors at the end of a 

meeting with security agents, vigilante 

group and herdsmen, Masari had this to 

say: “As from today, no vigilante group 

member or volunteers should attack or 

kill any herdsman, as sacrifice must be 

made by both sides to ensure peace reign. 

“Herdsmen and their families should be 

allowed to go about their normal 

businesses, attend markets and worship 

places without molestation provided they 

don’t carry arms. Those bandits who 

rustled animals from communities should 

immediately return them to the 

government or Miyetti Allah Cattle 

Breeders Association. 

“Bandits should surrender their 

weapons and immediately release all 

those kidnapped and now under their 

custody. We are happy that we have seen 

some releases of kidnapped victims from 

Zamfara and other states.” 

Echoing Masari’s remarks at the 

meeting, Zamafara state governor, Bello 

Matawalle told the bandits, “the 

governors took a uniform measure; you 

should also take a uniform decision not 

to rustle animals, kidnap or kill anyone. 

You should immediately release all 

people in your custody in order to show 

the world that you have truly repented.” 

Masari was captured in a telling 

photograph with a bandit hanging AK-47 

across his shoulders at the end of that 

meeting even as prominent Nigerians 

doubted the sincerity on the part of 

the bandits to honour the peace 

agreement. 

Events of the past few 

years have so far revealed 

the futility in trusting 

criminals to keep the 

pledge of staying away 

from their evil ways. 

From Kaduna to 

Katsina, Zamfara to 

Plateau, Borno to 

Niger down to the 

Federal Capital 

Territory, gunmen 

have not stopped 

killing. When they 

are not 

slaughtering the 

throats of the 

innocent people 

including women 

and children; 

they are 

kidnapping 

students and 

demanding 

millions of 

naira as 

ransom. 

Having seen 

the error in 

parting with 

huge sums of 

money in hope 

that the killers 

would 

renounce their 

evil doings, the 

governors have 

since taken a 

stand against 

amnesty for 

the criminals, 

with El-Rufai 

being the most 

vociferous. 

The governor in many outings in recent 

times has continued to rule out 

negotiations with gunmen, insisting that 

security agents have a duty to crush them 

for peace to reign. In April this year as 

guest of a radio station in Kaduna, El- 

Rufai reiterated this position when he 

ruled out payment of ransom for 

abducted Greenfield University students, 

saying even if his child was among the 

abducted, he would rather pray for the 

repose of his soul than paying ransom. 

“I mean it and I will say it again here. 

Even if my son is kidnapped, I will rather 

pray for him to make heaven instead, 

because I won’t pay any ransom,” he 

of people 

that were going round trying to trace 

some of these people in Cameroon, Niger 

Republic and so on to tell them that there 

is a new governor who is Fulani like them 

and has no problem paying 

compensations for lives lost and he is 

begging them to stop killing. 

“In most of the communities, once that 

appeal was made to them, they said they 

have forgiven. There was one or two that 

asked for monetary compensation. As 

recently as two weeks ago, the team went 

to Niger Republic to attend one Fulani 

gathering that they hold every year with a 

message from me.” 

El-Rufai wasn’t alone in this push to use 

non-kinetic means to end banditry in the Continues on page 11

'Ozekhome, Sani clash over amnesty for terrorists' 

Continues from page 10 

stated. 

“We will not engage with bandits or 

kidnappers. Private Citizens like clerics 

and clergy men can do so in their 

individual capacities, to preach to them 

and ask them to repent. We also want 

them to repent but it is not our job to ask 

them to do so,” he added. 

Like El-Rufai, Masari is not prepared to 

be fooled twice as on September 7, 2021 

as guest in Channel Television’s breakfast 

show, Sunrise Daily, the All Progressives 

Congress, APC chieftain regretted 

pushing for amnesty for the devils in 

human aprons, saying, “the only thing I 

can say is that with the benefit of 

hindsight, I wouldn’t have done it 

(negotiating with bandits). We realised, 

who are you talking with because they do 

not have an umbrella. 

“They are not pushing for any ideological 

view; they are not pushing for any religious 

view. They are simply bandits, criminals and 

thieves. Any person in the forest is a 

potential criminal and should be dealt with 

as such,” Masari had said. 

The governor also said open grazing of 

cattle is un-Islamic and that a ban across 

the country had become imperative 

although only this week he went against 

Southern governors for enacting laws 

banning open grazing in their various 

states. His argument was that time was 

needed for the resettlement of herdsmen in 

ranches which have not been built. 

His words: “We intend to ban unnecessary 

roaming about with cattle. But before we do 

that, we will make provisions where the 

animals will stay. I think the situation in the 

Southern part of the country is slightly 

different from the Northern part of the 

country. 

“The majority of the herders are from the 

Northern part of the country. So, for us, we 

need a law that should be obeyed, not one 

that will be disregarded. For us to come up 

with the law, we will first of all put some 

structures on ground, then, we will have the 

law that can back up the structures so that 

nobody would roam or move about with 

cattle. 

“Even that is un-Islamic (open grazing). It 

says do not have the numbers you cannot 

feed that you have to stretch over to people’s 

land or on somebody’s farm. I do not think 

that it is right. And certainly, once we put in 

place ranching for the grazing of all 

animals, the issue of anybody roaming 

about will be a thing of the past.” 

On September 21, 2019, Governor 

Abubakar Sani Bello of Niger state at the 

2nd General Abdulsalami Abubakar 

Foundation Annual Peace Lecture, granted 

amnesty to 13 suspected bandits saying, 

“after hearing them on why they decided to 

engage themselves in such activities, we had 

to go into a peace arrangement with them 

in the interest of peace and for them to help 

us with useful information to tackle spate of 

insecurity in the state.” 

As it were the governors have since 

realized the futility of entering into a peace 

pact with criminals 

Matawalle on June 11, 2021 at a special 

prayer session to mark the second 

anniversary of his administration in Gusau, 

the Zamfara state capital, called on his 

people to return fire for fire anytime they 

come under attack from bandits. 

“I am calling on the people of the state to 

defend themselves if the bandits attack 

them. My government has approved that 

whenever the bandits attack you, do 

not wait for the security personnel 

to come to your rescue. You 

should rise up and protect 

yourselves. My government 

has also planned to recruit the 

locals from each community 

who will be in charge of 

monitoring their villages to 

ensure that the bandits did not 

attack them,” he stated, a 

marked departure from his 

stance few years ago. 

So what could have caused 

such a 360 degrees volte-face? 

Are the governors now better 

informed today than they were 

years ago? Were they deceived 

into parting with huge sums of 

money to criminals who only 

went back to their killing 

camps after realizing that they 

made more money to continue 

their evil enterprise than 

engage in legitimate business? 

In similar fashion, Bello has backed out of 

amnesty talks with terrorists in the state. 

On April 29, 2021 while addressing 

newsmen in Minna, the Niger state capital, 

Governor Bello said, “As it is today, the 

governors of Niger, Zamfara, Kebbi and 

Katsina states have agreed to come 

together and act as governments to 

confront these hoodlums realizing that 

the idea of granting them amnesty 

cannot work. 

“It is regrettable that efforts by some 

state governments to grant these 

bandits amnesty have yielded no fruitful 

results and so, we have decided to go all 

out to frontally confront them.” 

So what prompted these governors 

from ruling out amnesty as a solution 

having earlier embraced same? 

Mike Ozekhome is a human rights 

activist and a constitutional lawyer who 

is not scared of barring his mind on any 


North-West governors did the right thing to 

advocate amnesty for terrorists, adding 

however that the clear lack of common 

ideology among the gunmen led to the 

failure of the peace move. 

He told Saturday Vanguard: “When the 

trio of Governors Masari of Katsina state, 

El-Rufai of Kaduna state and Matawalle of 

Zamfara state opted for dialogue that could 

lead to amnesty for bandits, it was because 

they thought that was the reasonable thing 

do to end the spate of banditry and 

kidnapping in their respective states. 

“But their desires and efforts did not find 

expression precisely because the bandits do 

not stand for any common political 

ideology beyond craving for money inspired 

by crimes. As a result, they are not centrally 

organized with common leadership. 

Without any political ideology under the 

watch of central leadership, it is difficult to 

dialogue with them. That may explain the 

change in approaches by the three 

governors in favour of application of hard 

power of military might. 

“As regards amnesty, time will come when 

the bandits will decide to surrender their 

firearms and be subjected to due processes 

spelt out by our local and international laws 

which govern surrendering of arms. This 

will take place before their reintegration 

into the society,” he noted. 

On his part, Executive Director, Civil 

Society Legislative Advocacy Centre, 

CISLAC, Ibrahim Auwal Rafsanjani 

said no responsible governor will 

consider the thought of pardoning 

murderers even as he noted that the 

nationwide condemnation of the 

activities of Boko Haram and 

bandits may have informed the 

decision of the governors to change 

their stand. 

“Given the overwhelming 

continuous atrocities, extortion, 

starvation of the abducted persons 

and inhuman treatment against the 

innocent people by these groups 

including school children, no- right 

thinking and responsible governor 

•Ozekhome 

will continue to advocate for 

amnesty to conscious criminals who 

issue regardless of its sensitivity. In an 

have turned banditry and ransom 

exclusive chat with Saturday Vanguard, payments as business. 

the Senior Advocate of Nigeria, SAN, “I believe that the popular 

faulted the premise of amnesty for 

condemnation of anyone pushing for 

bandits/terrorists saying “amnesty for amnesty to these gangsters, ruthless and 

bandits is quite different from amnesty for human destroyers must have informed 

the Niger Delta militants who were fighting the change on their position. Again, 

for the liberation of their people from years they are also aware that more groups of 

of exploitation, oppression, marginalization 

and repression. 

kidnappers are emerging due to the 

“What ideology were the bandits easy money involved and are becoming 

fighting for such as to make them a major business in their states. They 

deserve amnesty? They say western have also tried to engage in dialogue 

education is a taboo. How? Couldn’t the with them but it didn’t worked as 

governors see that such a mindset was banditry is escalating 

warped and sickeningly offensive? So, “They also realized that business-wise, 

now that the bandits have barred their people will not be coming to their states 

fangs in their blood-letting and satanic 

murders, kidnaps and killings, the 

and this will affect their revenues. The 

governors have been forced to have a bandits are gradually visiting 

rethink. It is better late than never.” government officials and their families, 

Taking a different position is a 

so they know that this is no longer 

chieftain of the Arewa Consultative Forum, something to play politics with,” he 

Mr. Anthony Sani. According to him, the noted. 

Sanwo-Olu can do better er on Ago Road 

Just like they do on Mile 2 area 

of Oshodi-Apapa Road, the 

tanker drivers unleashing 

mayhem on Ago Road now hire 

policemen to protect them from 

residents who may protest vehemently 

against their actions. A policeman is 

seen in one of these pictures 

supervising the madness tanker 

drivers visit on Ago Road with 

impunity. Sometimes, they block the 

ever busy road connecting Amuwo 

Odofin and FESTAC areas. The 

intermittent blockade started last year 

but has now turned a menace on a 

stretch of road flanked on both sides 

by purely residential estates. The 

residents are bearing the brunt and 

banking on Lagos State Governor to 

rescue them from the menace of tanker 

drivers who don't seem to care about 

other road users. 

Corrupt government officials 

approved many truck terminals in the 

purely residential areas and they have 

not found it necessary to insist on 

decency and discipline on the road. 

Residents now face unnecessary traffic 

on the road. Sanwo-Olu can do better.


Polygamy my 

greatest error, 

Dokpesi @ 70 

Why I insist PDP Presidential ticket should go north 

•How sacrificing merit for ethnicity destroyed Nigeria 

By Henry Umoru, Assistant Politics Editor 

CHAIRMAN Emeritus of DAAR Communication, Chief Raymond 

Aleogho Dokpesi is an entrepreneur, Media mogul, politician, 

administrator, and philanthropist. The man, who survived 

poisoning as a little child with doctors in Poland predicting that he 

would not last more than 35 years, is now 70. In this interview with 

Journalists as a prelude to his 70th birthday anniversary on October 

25, and his Biography titled: ‘’The Handkerchief,’’ Dokpesi bared his 

mind on his life as a polygamist and politician, how former President 

Olusegun Obasanjo made him return to Nigeria from Poland, state of 

the nation, the story of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, his 

relationship with former President Goodluck Jonathan, and Asiwaju 

Bola Tinubu, and his push for the North to produce the President in 

2023 among other salient issues. 

What were your lowest and highest moments? 

My lowest moment in recent times has 

been my arrest, trial over alleged looting of 

treasury by this administration that led to 

my detention in the Economic and Financial 

Crimes Commission, EFCC and at Kuje 

Prison. That had been so remarkable and 

painful time for me. 

My best moment- the moment of my joy 

and fulfilment, was December 15, 1993 

when RayPower came on air. I thought I 

crossed the hurdle to do what Nigeria was 

unprepared to do. But in between there had 

been quite a number of high and low moments. 

You were given a chance of living only 

35 years but you are now 70 years, how 

would you describe it, miracle or divine 

intervention? 

Thirty-five was the benchmark I was given. 

The very early years, I was sickly. As I 

was growing up, I do recall sitting by the 

side of my father, in Ibadan, every evening 

while he sat on his relaxing chair with his 

friends talking about village stories. There, 

I was feeling handicapped because I could 

not talk from the very beginning of my life. 

Many people assumed that because I 

couldn’t talk, I could not also hear. I would 

normally look and watch things as they happened, 

and I vividly recall when one of my 

father’s very close friends came to intervene 

about my schooling. He condemned every 

effort to invest in me outright because I was 

very sickly and a handicapped child of a 

southerner. That was a very tough stage of 

my life. I felt highly discriminated against 

and that I would likely be denied the opportunity 

to live. 

My mother was very helpless. She was an 

illiterate and I couldn’t talk, even if I attempted 

to write anything, she could not read 

it. It was a lot of God’s intervention after 

going through treatments at the University 

College Hospital, Ibadan. By the time I was 

getting to about 12 and 13 years, I was terribly 

sick. My parents were taking me from 

hospital to herbalists, from churches to 

prayer houses and looking for an opportunity 

for me to survive. The doctors gave up 

on me because they couldn’t diagnose what 

the perennial ailment was. 

I left the Loyola College, Ibadan after the 

school felt I might die on Campus. I went 

back to Benin and seeing the struggle of my 

mother and the determination of my father 

at that time, I almost believed it was best for 

me to die. I saw the pains and amount of 

struggle they were putting in for me to live. 

They later took me down to Agenebode 

around 1965 and 1966 when my father had 

almost given up that I was going to survive. 

I went through the Banks of River Niger 

which was full at that time. We went into a 

small village called Osunene having travelled 

two and a half hours on the River Niger. 

I was not given any injection but they 

said I had been poisoned and that the people 

that committed the atrocity were there 

present. Everyone was asked to swear by the 

river and a lineage was coincidentally involved 

in it. There and then, I went into fit 

and vomited extensively. That became the 

beginning of my revival. 

Until I got to Poland for 

school, after doing the 

medical examinations, 

they felt I was not going 

to live beyond age 35. I 

collected the results and 

forwarded to my father 

who asked me to have 

faith in God. He was sure 

that if I went through all 

those challenges in my 

early life, that I will live 

older than his father who 

was acknowledged to be 

the oldest person in 

Agenebode having died 

at age 120 in 1956. I kept 

on. 

When 35 was approaching, 

because of the fear of 

what had been planted in 

me, I enjoyed my life 

maximally. Here I am, 70 

years old and all those 

challenges put behind me. 

I am strong and healthy and I thank Almighty 

God and all Nigerians who have supported 

me to get to this age. 

My eldest sister, Mrs Grace Juliana Agbame 

(Dokpesi), in the course of my struggles 

and battles in life made a pledge to 

God that if I survived all these, they would 

dedicate me to God’s service. That was how 

My best moment- the 

moment of my joy and 

fulfilment, was December 

15, 1993 when Ray- 

Power came on air. I 

thought I crossed the 

hurdle to do what Nigeria 

was unprepared to 

do. But in between 

there had been quite a 

number of high and low 

moments. 

I got into the seminary. My mother had 13 

children and I am the only surviving son. 

I’m tied by the cord of those ahead and below 

me. I’m a covenant child. 

When you were 35, that very day, what 

went through your mind? 

I counted it as the day when I was to see 

the end of my life but I was very joyous that 

I crossed the Rubicon. I had been a chief of 

staff, I had a PhD, I had even been a multimillionaire, 

I was happy in life and said that 

all these things were happening for a reason. 

Possibly that 35 years was why God so 

ordered my life to be 

smooth sailing as it was 

up to that time. The next 

35 year was even more 

joyous. 

•Dokpesi 

Did the 35 years encourage 

you to be polygamous? 

I’m a Catholic and I 

will tell you that one of 

the greatest errors of my 

life is polygamy. It was not 

something that I desired. 

It was a situation that developed 

in which I had no 

alternative. A lot of people 

feel it was wealth that 

distorted my behaviour 

but the truth of the matter 

is that there were internal 

family challenges 

that lead to it. I was married 

to a Polish woman 

and I wanted to remain 

with the Polish woman and I still desired it 

in my old age. She left Nigeria on reasons 

that she was the only child of her parents 

and needed to be with her parents. I went to 

Poland 16 times to beg her to return. My 

mother was also anxious that I have children 

that I don’t need to board an aeroplane 

to go and see. Those were the internal factors 

that later on affected my life. 

You are a Marine Engineer, business and 

Media mogul, don’t you think the Nigerian 

economy should be better than it is today? 

Why is it difficult to bring the changes? 

Then Military Head of State and Commander-In-Chief 

of the Armed Forces of the 

Federal Republic of Nigeria, General Olusegun 

Obasanjo moved through parts of 

Europe in search of ideas that could help 

transform and expand marine business in 

Nigeria before our paths crossed in Poland. 

Obasanjo is a non-discriminatory leader 

who wooed me back from Poland in 1977 to 

come and serve my fatherland. As a consultant 

to the Polish government on matters 

relating to Maritime Transportation and 

Economic Science, I joined the Polish team 

to hold talks with General Obasanjo when 

he paid a state visit to Poland in 1977. 

Chief Obasanjo was surprised that he 

found himself negotiating with a Polish team 

which had a black man as a member, who 

also served as the interpreter. 

I came back to Nigeria in December , he 

was very enthusiastic about building ship 

yards in Nigeria. Ship yard in Burutu, ship 

yard in Lagos and wanted to have one other 

ship yard in Port Harcourt. He had three 

ship yards in mind, so it was a great privilege, 

a great honour and a great opportunity 

to come in. 

Even when I thought it was very difficult 

for me, the same General Obasanjo, who 

got me into the Federal Civil Service, got 

me posted to the Federal Ministry of Transport 

under Dr Chukwuemeka Ezeife before 

the Nigerian Ports Authority started claiming 

ownership that they sent me out to Poland 

on scholarship. 

He will attest to the fact that I came filled 

with patriotism and hopes that Nigeria 

would become that prosperous land flow- 

Continues on page 13


'How sacrificing merit for ethnicity destroyed Nigeria' 

Continues from page 12 

ing with milk. When I came back to Nigeria 

on a visit in 1975, Nigeria was at the 

same level of development with Poland, 

Singapore and Taiwan. Looking at the 

ports that I visited during the course of my 

maritime training, it was always a beauty 

coming into the Lagos Port. True, we had 

congestion in 1975 and the country was 

undergoing rapid development but the first, 

second and third national development 

plans were developed by men who had visions 

and meant well for Nigeria. After 

those, we derailed. There was no basis for 

measuring the standard of men and quality 

of people that took over leadership of 

Nigeria. 

I had files of civil servants and ministers 

who served this country between 1951 and 

1975, they got burnt in my house. If you see 

the brilliance, patriotism and commitment 

of those people, you will want to serve this 

country forever. 

Unfortunately, the federal character 

clause that came in, brought a lot of inexperienced 

people and mediocre. Excellence 

was sacrificed. There was no basis any more 

for taking people except sentiment. 

In the Ministry of Transport, the Nigerian 

Ports Authority wanted to build an ocean 

terminal in Lagos towards Badagry and for 

political reasons, it was decided that we 

should go to Onne. For political reasons, 

we decided to build a port in Warri- 

Obafemi Awolowo promised a port in Warri 

to satisfy the Itsekiri people. Shehu 

Shagari came in 1979 and said we should 

build a port in Sapele for the Urhobo people- 

there was no economic reason. 

The ocean terminal in Lagos projected 

ahead of when larger vessels will becoming 

in was abandoned. Rivers State made it 

possible for Shehu Shagari to win the 1979 

election with the last votes that came in. In 

order to appreciate them, we shelved the 

idea of the ocean terminal which is hunting 

us today. The ports at Republic of Benin 

and Togo are better than ours because they 

are at the deep end of the sea. 

The basis of decision making became 

emotional. Today, they are building naval 

base in Kano. That is how we lost a lot of 

the visions that were expected. 

How can we make amends? 

It boils down to leadership and followership. 

I believe that we need to restructure 

this country effectively. Whether you like or 

hate the word “restructure”, it is just the 

foundation and first thing we must do in 

moving ahead. We need a leader who believes 

in restructuring and moving Nigeria 

from an oil-based economy to a diversified 

economy. We need a leader who believes in 

productivity. The same people who closed 

down Ajeokuta Steel Company are the same 

people today running around and borrowing 

money to build railway lines. 

Shagari saw this problem way back and 

went head with the development of the 

Ajeokuta Steel Mill, Delta Steel Mill and 

the Katsina Steel Mill. By the time Ajeokuta 

was to start production, the 1983 coup 

took place. Alhaji Mamman Makele was 

described as being corrupt and a thief so he 

ran for his life to the UK where he died. 

For that reason, Ajeokuta that required 

only N500 million ($500 million) as at that 

time was abandoned. All the steel required 

for our rail lines which had been planned 

to connect every village in Nigeria and was 

to cost N30 billion were to come to Ajeokuta. 

Shagari at the Federal Executive Council 

had said we should fund it from treasury 

and not go borrowing. 

We were almost finished with Ajeokuta. 

We would have created employment and 

generated opportunities for Nigerians. No 

country will come to develop Nigeria, Nigerians 

must develop her beloved country. 

The country today is divided along ethnic 

lines, what do you think is responsible 

for the divisions? 

Bad leadership. When these issues come 

on, people run away from the reality. It is 

not the Fulani man that is bad. Shehu 

Shagari was a Fulani man who served Nigeria 

very meritoriously and conscientiously. 

We have had military heads of state that 

are northerners but they were visionary and 

ready to accommodate others. They pulled 

together the best brains that were available 

and brought about development. I remember 

my uncle, Chief John Amodu who was 

a mayor in Port Harcourt but from Agenebode. 

In Lagos and Enugu, northerners contested 

and won elections. People were living 

freely in Kano. Growing up, the whole 

idea was that it is going to be a country 

flowing with milk and honey but all of a 

sudden things changed. When you have religious 

extremists, people that exploit the 

very thin lines of unity, then you will find 

yourself here. 

I believe that there are still Nigerians who 

believe in one united Nigeria, those Nigerians 

must come out. Most of these younger 

generation, people that are clamouring for 

the disintegration of this country, I sympathise 

with them but I feel very strongly that 

they are in that position because 

of the injustices that 

are going on in the country. 

There are two different 

laws operating in different 

parts of the country. The 

Electoral Act, in 2015 what 

was not permissible in the 

South was allowed in the 

North. People were able to 

vote manually in the North. 

Borno in which there was a 

bomb blast that morning 

returned 1.7 million votes, 

while Lagos that is densely 

populated could hardly get 

one million votes. You created 

44 local government 

areas in one state but it’s the 

federating units that fund 

that. A lot of the states are 

not economically viable, 

they cannot sustain themselves. 

For how long can we 

sustain the unsustainable 

states? They need to merge 

together. 

In simple terms, in the northern states, 

the job that was done by a permanent secretary 

is now being done by 19 persons most 

inefficiently and ineffectively. The same 

with the Eastern region. It has not helped 

our development. We must sit down and 

discuss if we must move ahead. We must 

reduce our administrative and consumption 

cost. We must give attention to development. 

Over 70 per cent of the money we 

have in our budget is for recurrent expenditure. 

We must reverse that to move forward. 

You are a member of the PDP BOT and 

you are canvassing for Northern presidential 

candidate. Is it a matter of who wins 

or doing the right thing? You also eulogised 

Bola Tinubu a few days ago on AIT? 

•Dokpesi 

Where do you stand? 

In 1998, when the PDP was being set-up, 

we had Nigerians who went through the 

trauma of military dictatorship and elder 

statesmen who believed in Nigeria. Some 

of them were sentenced to ridiculous number 

of years in prison by those who are occupying 

the same positions today. I was 

arrested and tried, and my offence was just 

that I held a political office, and yet they 

are holding political offices today and they 

are not tried. 

The constitution of the PDP states clearly 

that there shall be rotation and zoning of 

both party and political offices. I have remained 

very consistent in my argument. In 

1998, after the meeting of the G-34, it was 

Alhaji Isah Lawal Kaita, who moved that 

Chief Alex Ekwueme should become the 

next president. Alex Ekwueme said that G- 

34 was still a group and not a political party 

and that when we 

transform into a political 

party, we can canvass 

whether he should 

be or not be the president. 

We need a leader 

who believes in restructuring 

and 

moving Nigeria 

from an oil-based 

economy to a diversified 

economy. 

When the party came 

in, they decided that 

because of the injustice 

that had been done to 

the South-West, the 

zone should be given 

the opportunity to produce 

the president. 

That was in Jos and 

AIT transmitted it live 

even into the United 

States for the first time. 

President Bill Clinton 

called Obasanjo to 

congratulate him on 

the floor. Obasanjo 

was surprised at the 

call and Clinton told 

him that he was 

watching the news 

even through a Nigeria 

channel, AIT. 

Zoning was also recommended in the draft 

constitutional report Abacha signed in 

1995. Each geopolitical zone was to have a 

term of five years so that in 30 years, we 

would have ended as one united Nigeria 

and then start exploring merit. 

After deciding on the four-year rotation 

when Obasanjo came in there was an expanded 

party caucus where it was canvassed 

that the military had done a lot of 

damage and that the PDP programme cannot 

be attained within those years and for it 

to be extended as the constitution has provided 

for eight years. 

Again, the elder statesmen agreed that 

Obasanjo will do eight years with a proviso 

that after him, a northerner will also do 

eight years. I travelled round the country to 

lobby for a South-South president. Obasanjo 

agreed and said that Dr Peter Odili had 

done very well and that if we go into the 

convention, he will win overwhelmingly but 

that the party already had an agreement 

with the North and begged him to allow 

the North produce the President. That was 

how Umaru Musa Yar’Adua became the 

President. 

Yar’Adua did only two and a half years 

and died. I argued that the North should be 

allowed to finish up their remaining four 

years. I suggested to Jonathan to allow a 

northerner become President and that he 

can still be the vice president or go on vacation 

and prepare himself to become the President 

after the end of the term. 

Some people especially from the South- 

South disagreed on the basis that one cannot 

be so close to power and relinquish it. 

Jonathan did another four years and we 

came to 2015. By then, the PDP had been 

16 years in power with 14 years of the South 

and two years of the North. That is the situation 

up till today. In 2015, when we fielded 

Jonathan, the North was clamouring 

that the South had done 14 years and should 

allow them to do their four years. That is 

what plunged the country into this crisis. 

I am PDP and I am being guided by the 

constitution of the party which in it’s preamble 

said that for the unity, stability and 

growth of this country, we must rotate such 

that every part of this country will be carried 

along. 

What of the eight years of the APC? 

The APC on their own also chose to adopt 

zoning but first started with a northern candidate 

knowing full well the sentiments of 

the North to stand against a southerner. At 

the end of that election, my position has 

been that Jonathan did not lose that election 

but in any case, he didn’t contest it even 

when there were ample evidences to that 

effect. He has become a statesman but that 

has not solved the problem of Nigeria. 

APC has their own rules and constitution. 

In my own party, I cannot win election because 

there is so much injustice and unfairness 

while we are not guided by certain rules 

and regulations. Let us be fair to ourselves 

and remain one as this party started. In 

doing so, let us choose a candidate from 

the North. 

In 2019 we were to field a northern candidate 

as recommended by the Ike Ekweremadu’s 

report but we were out-manoeuvred 

by the other party. I don’t believe Atiku lost 

that election but INEC had said so. 

I am criticising APC for failure, for making 

Nigeria the world poverty capital, for 

the level of unemployment and these are 

not PDP’s policies. I cannot be dragged into 

APC’s policies. It is because of the APC policies 

that failed to recognise the federal 

character that has brought us to the condition 

we are today - everyone is suspicious of 

one another. We have a security council 

made up of people from one side of the country 

and speaking one language. 

I want a Nigeria that recognises our diversity 

and one that will bring back the principles 

of PDP and the person for that is from 

the North. We, the southerners had power 

and monopolised it, that was what gave 

birth to APC, otherwise we would have not 

been in this mess. 

Bola Ahmed Tinubu and I were close 

friends right from the time he was working 

with Mobil and before becoming governor. 

As young men, we ate, drank and did 

things together. He became governor and 

God blessed him. Does that remove the fact 

that we are close friends? Should I because 

he belongs to another party say he is my 

enemy? He is the godfather of my second to 

last daughter. If there is an interview, would 

I say Idon’t know him? He is a kind man 

and a philanthropist. He is supportive of 

the ordinary person. I praise him and wish 

him the very best in whatever he puts his 

hands on. It has nothing to do with politics 

but about the good relationship we share. 

On rumours that former President Goodluck 

Jonathan is hobnobbing with the APC 

He has not told me that. Goodluck 

Jonathan is a statesman. He sacrificed his 

ambition after the 2015 elections because 

he wanted a united Nigeria. Don’t forget 

that the person that is now mentioned globally 

is Olusegun Obasanjo. He is ageing 

but Jonathan is a younger person and he is 

able to represent Nigeria, attract friends 

and investments into Nigeria. That role 

falls on his shoulders very well and I encourage 

him to keep that position and be 

Nigeria’s number one image maker. He is 

well suited for that and I wish him the best 

of luck in achieving that. 

He is an adult and he takes his own decisions. 

He is able to assess the circumstances 

but I don’t believe he will go to APC.


Zoning not Nigeria’s 

problem but finding 

competent leadership 

—Gov Ortom 

Says PDP ‘ll ensure emergence of consensus 

candidates for all positions 

By Peter Duru, Makurdi 

Governor Ortom in this interview 

argues that zoning is driven by the 

marginalisation of the people and 

the level of poverty in the society. He also 

believes that zoning or rotation of of 

political offices was not the problem of 

the country or at the party level but how to 

find credible persons. He also speaks of 

his future political career at the end of his 

second term in 2023. 

Governor Ortom in this interview speaks 

on the possible implosion in the PDP over 

the zoning of offices, why zoning is not the 

problem of Nigeria, why he has not made 

up his mind to run for Senate in 2023, the 

recent protest by pensioners in Benue state 

and others. Excerpt: 

There are indications that the Peoples 

Democratic Party, PDP members are 

polarized over the zoning of offices, how 

true is this? 

We are not polarized, the distribution of 

the positions in the North and the South is 

ongoing. We are discussing and by the grace 

of God we are going to resolve all issues 

because our intention is to ensure that we 

have consensus candidates for all the 

positions that have been zoned to us in the 

North and even in the South. That is what 

we are doing and we are working round the 

clock, so far so good. 

You have done your bit in the zoning 

committee of your party where you served 

as Deputy Chairman, but one of the 

leading members of your party said 

zoning was not the problem of Nigeria.... 

(Cuts in)...I want to ask you, do you believe 

that zoning is the problem of Nigeria? I 

have always said that zoning is good but it 

is driven by the marginalization of the 

people as well as the level of poverty among 

the people. So some people tend to believe 

that if you zone a position to their place 

they may have the opportunity of getting 

their own share of the cake. But beyond that, 

if you look at America from where we 

borrowed the presidential system of 

government, you will recall that they don’t 

zone. George Bush was President of 

America, at a point, two of his sons were 

governors; and one of his sons became the 

President of the country. So it doesn’t 

matter, you look for the best and that is what 

we are getting to. 20 years after this current 

experience, some of us are also looking at 

where we will look for credibility with the 

objective of trying to get somebody who will 

lead us at the party level and even at the 

presidential level. I believe that this is the 

thinking of all Nigerians arising from the 

recent challenge that we have from the 

North and South. Governors in the South 

and governors in the North are giving their 

divergent views about what should happen 

next. If you listen very well to what Nigerians 

are saying you will understand me. 

Nigerians are saying that zoning is not the 

problem of Nigeria that what we should 

look for is the best, somebody who can 

deliver. 

From former President Goodluck 

Jonathan we zoned to the North and 

President Buhari is there, tell me, are you 

getting dividends of democracy? Has the 

country been secured? Have we been able 

to improve on the economy of this country? 

Have we been able to improve the education 

sector or the infrastructure of this country? 

That is the problem, so you just find zoning 

and do micro zoning and go to look for a 

person who doesn’t have much to add value 

to the development of the country. But I 

think that nobody is against what my 

committee did, we all accepted it and we 

are working towards it and by the grace of 

God, PDP is good to go, because we are 

confident and we know that the entire 

country is waiting for the PDP to provide 

leadership. Yes we made some mistakes in 

the past until 2015. But now PDP has 

apologized and we are willing to move 

forward from there and by the grace of God 

we shall come out victorious. 

Some Benue youths on the platform of 

Zone ‘B’ Youth Movement for Ortom 2023 

have been going round the Benue North 

West District mobilizing the people with 

the intent to convince you to run for Senate 

in 2023. What do you make of this 

initiative? 

Recall that in 2017 I said I was not going 

to contest election, but when I went back 

for weeks of prayers, God said I should go 

ahead and contest. And I came back and 

told the media. I also contested and won. 

So on this matter I am still consulting with 

God and the people. So on the issue of 

running for senate in 2023, I have not 

decided. There is no crime at all in what 

they are doing, I appreciate the youths for 

agitating that I should contest for Senate. I 

am yet to make that decision and at the 

appropriate time I will let you know. I don’t 

want to be distracted, I still have more than 

one year to go and my intention is to take 

advantage of the opportunity I have and 

end very strong. Then I can talk about the 

future. The future is not in my hands and it 

is not in the hands of anyone. The future 

belongs to God. So I am committed and 

concerned with how I can do more to 

provide dividends of democracy for the 

people. 

The school of nursing students in 

Makurdi days back staged a protest over 

tuition issues and pensioners also did... 

(Cuts in)...you will recall that school of 

Fear reigns, Anambra politicians flee 

•Now campaign outside state 

By Vincent Ujumadu 

THE failure of South East governors 

to tackle the problem of insecurity 

in the zone is seriously affecting 

preparations for the November 6 

governorship election in Anambra State 

with the result that most of the governorship 

candidates are currently campaigning 

outside the zone ahead of the election. 

It is no longer a hidden issue that the five 

governors in the zone hardly implement 

any decision concerning their states 

successfully, even at a time other zones are 

forging ahead in both security and 

economic programmes. This is a major 

departure from the period when Mr. Peter 

Obi was the chairman of the South East 

Governors Forum when the governors were 

united in tackling problems confronting the 

zone. 

Although Obi belonged to APGA, he 

operated smoothly with the other four 

governors who were all elected on the 

platform of PDP. But now, the situation is 

totally different as the current governors of 

the zone hardly agree on any issue. Even 

the secretariat of the South East Governors 

Forum which was very effective has virtually 

become moribund, with workers owed 

several months of salaries. 

Governor Willie Obiano of Anambra 

State who did not even attend the last 

meeting of the South East governors in 

Enugu even accused some of his colleagues 

of sponsoring the insecurity in his state 

ahead of the governorship election. 

It would appear that the inability of the 

governors to work harmoniously is 

traceable to their personal desires to get 

the attention of the government at the 

center, rather than collectively work for the 

good of the South East. A case in point is 

the issue of the anti open grazing bill which 

is yet to be implemented in the zone because 

some of the states were yet to pass it into 

law. 

For instance, if the Ebubeagu security 

outfit launched by the South East governors 

last year had taken off successfully, the 

current security issues about the unknown 

gunmen in all the states would have reduced 

drastically. 

With gunmen holding sway in the zone 

and killing people at random, fears are 

•Ortom 

being entertained such that party supporters 

no longer gather in various venues to 

listen to their governorship candidates 

explain their programmes to the eligible 

voters. As it stands party supporters and 

eligible voters are still hoping that security 

operatives would make the situation 

conducive for the voters to come out to vote 

for their preferred candidates for the 

Anambra election on November 6. 

Following security breaches in some parts 

of the state, some of the candidates have 

taken their campaigns outside the state. For 

instance, the candidate of Young 

Progressives Party, YPP, Senator Ifeanyi 

Ubah has taken his campaign to the popular 

Alaba International Market in Lagos State, 

which has a large population of Igbo, 

particularly Anambra indigenes. Before he 

moved to Lagos, Ubah was organizing road 

shows which stood as his unique method of 

campaign, but that has stopped because of 

insecurity. 

Similarly, Mr. Val Ozzigbo, the candidate 

of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, had 

to organize a major rally in Asaba, Delta 

considered to be safer than most cities in 

Anambra State. He had earlier suspended 

Nursing is my baby. When I came in, for 

four years they were stripped of their 

accreditation, we got the issues resolved and 

since then it has been well. It is a very strange 

thing to hear that they protested. I have 

already queried my Commissioner for 

Health to explain to me and by Monday I 

should be able to say something. I want to 

know what the issues are, what the 

challenges are and where we can come in 

because the School of Nursing is very dear 

to the state and I am surprised to hear of 

their protest, instead of passing through the 

normal channel to air their grievances so 

that we can address them. Nobody brought 

their issue to my attention, I only heard of 

their protest. It is really unfortunate, but let 

me hear from the Health Commissioner 

who is presently not available because of 

other official engagements. And as soon as 

I have that I should be able to come out 

with a statement. On the issue of pension, I 

must say that I am really taken aback. But 

I think there is political undertone in that 

matter. When I came in 2015 I inherited 

over N70billion arrears of pensions, 

gratuity and salaries. We have been 

able to reduce that to less than 

N35billion as at today. I am 

proud to tell you that my 

administration has been able 

to put in place a process that 

will bring a permanent 

solution to this problem. 

The issue of pension or 

gratuity is a national 

problem. Even at the 

federal level they still have 

their challenge, other 

states also have their 

challenges. But I have 

succeeded in 

domesticating the 

National Pension 

Commission’s 

PenCOM law. Already 

we have invested more 

than N1.5billion in 

the Contributory 

Pension Scheme, CPS, 

account. It is there and 

once we are able to 

reach the N3billion 

threshold, we will be able to borrow money 

and clear the arrears; and subsequently all 

those who are retiring will not face the 

challenge of waiting for government to pay, 

they will go to PenCOM and as soon as you 

are retiring you can have your gratuity and 

pension. 

So these are the efforts we have put in 

place as a government. The officials of 

pensioners in Benue state commended me 

and appreciated what we have done. But 

we know we had arrears or backlog which 

should be cleared. As I talk to you, every 

month N700million is provided for 

pensioners in the last six months based on 

the agreement that we reached with the 

pensioners’ union. N400million goes to the 

state level though it is not enough to cover 

the entire pensioners at once but at least it 

is said that half a loaf is better than none. 

And at the Local Government level we 

release N300million making N700million. 

And for the past six months we’ve been 

doing this. So I am really taken aback when 

I heard what happened after we explained 

and we agreed that this is what we should 

be doing monthly. And mind you, at the local 

government level, the pensioners are part 

of the local government allocation account 

meeting. The pensioners are there, National 

Union of Local Government Employees, 

NULGE, and even NUT are there. So it is 

not like somebody is taking any money 

somewhere and not paying them or 

shortchanging them. 

Continues on www.vanguardngr.com 

his tour of the local government areas due 

to the activities of the unknown gunmen. 

The candidate of All Progressive 

Congress, APC, Senator Andy Uba also had 

to cancel the flag off of his campaign in 

Onitsha because of insecurity and no date 

has been fixed for the rally expected to be 

graced by all the APC governors, senators, 

House of Representatives members, as 

well as the array of politicians who 

defected from other political parties to 

APC. 

Similarly, the candidate of All 

progressives Grand Alliance, APGA, 

Professor Chukwuma Soludo was forced 

to cancel a scheduled campaign rally at 

Ihiala following attack by gunmen at the 

venue of the rally. Before the attack, APGA 

officials in the local government were 

already making arrangements for the 

rally and with the cancellation; a new 

date has not been chosen to hold the 

campaign in the local government before 

the election. 

What majority of parities presenting 

candidates for the election are currently 

doing is neighbour to neighbour campaign, 

which some politicians consider very 

effective because it is a direct interaction 

with the voters. 

With 21 days to the election, there is, 

however, hope that security agencies will 

rise to the occasion and secure the state so 

that the electorate can go out to cast their 

votes on November 6.

What Akinwumi 

Adesina told Buhari 

By Prisca Sam-Duru 

The state of the nation is getting more 

pathetic by the day, with so much 

hunger, insecurity, violence and high 

unemployment rate driving the country to 

the brink. 

The speech by the President of the African 

Development Bank Group, Dr. Akinwumi 

A. Adesina, at the Mid-Term Ministerial 

Performance Review Retreat, comes as a 

panacea to Nigeria’s recovery. 

Speaking on the topic, ‘Nigeria’s 

Economic Resurgence: Learning from the 

African Experience’, Dr Adesina who was 

Guest Speaker at the retreat held October 

11, 2021, in Abuja, gifted the federal 

government of Nigeria, a most loaded and 

padded speech; the content of which if 

implemented, will engender the country’s 

economic resurgence. 

Stating the fact that the corona virus 

“pandemic has caused so many deaths and 

upended global economic growth”, he noted 

that “due to COVID-19, Nigeria’s economic 

growth rate declined to -1.8% in 2020. This 

mirrors the pattern across Africa, as the 

continent posted a -2.1% growth rate in GDP, 

its lowest in two decades”. 

He however posited that the country’s 

recovery, expected in 2022, “will depend on 

two critical issues: access to vaccines and 

tackling debt issues”. He added that Nigeria 

must build quality health care systems that 

will protect its population, today and well 

into the future, as well as world-class local 

pharmaceutical industries, able to 

effectively tackle the production of 

therapeutic drugs and vaccines. “Nigeria 

must revamp its local pharmaceutical 

industry and launch strategic investments 

for local vaccine manufacturing. Africa 

should not be begging for vaccines; Africa 

should be producing vaccines. 

“The African Development Bank will 

invest $3 billion in support of local 

pharmaceutical industries in Africa, 

including in Nigeria”. 

Adesina also insisted that “Nigeria must 

decisively tackle its debt challenges. The 

issue is not about debt-to-GDP ratio, as 

Nigeria’s debt-to-GDP ratio at 35% is still 

moderate. The big issue is how to service 

the debt and what that means for resources 

for domestic investments needed to spur 

faster economic growth. “The debt service 

to revenue ratio of Nigeria is high at 

73%.Things will improve as oil prices 

recover, but the situation has revealed the 

vulnerability of Nigeria’s economy. To have 

economic resurgence, we need to fix the 

structure of the economy and address some 

fundamentals”. 

Dr Adesina advised government to 

“significantly boost productivity and 

revenues from its non-oil sector, with 

appropriate fiscal and macroeconomic 

policies, especially flexible exchange rates 

that will enhance international 

competitiveness”, adding that “The private 

sector should be given incentives to invest 

in infrastructure. 

”The Federal Government’s15 trillion 

Naira Infrastructure Fund is a good idea, 

so is the initiative for tax credits for private 

sector investment in infrastructure. To be 

sustainable and more efficient, Public- 

Private Partnerships (PPPs) should be 

accelerated to finance major infrastructure 

across Nigeria”, he stated. Regarding trade, 

investment, and competitiveness, he 

explained that “The Africa Continental Free 

Trade Area presents a major opportunity for 

Nigeria. Consumer and business 

expenditures in Africa are projected to rise 

to $6.7 trillion by 2030. 

“Significant support should be directed 

toward boosting industrial manufacturing 

capacities. Nigeria should also move 

rapidly to the top of selected value chains, 

such as automobiles, computers and 

electronics, textile and garments, and food 

manufacturing, transport, and logistics”. 

Much, he noted in this regard, will depend 

on the ports of Nigeria. “According to the 

sector operators, the cost of exporting 100 

tons of cargo in Nigeria is $35,000, 

compared to $4,000 in Ghana. Today, the 

leading ports for West Africa are in Cote 

d’Ivoire, Ghana, Togo, and Benin Republic. 

All these countries have modernized their 

port management systems, leaving Nigeria 

far behind”. 

Nigeria, he said can “learn from 

Morocco’s world-class Tangier-Med port. 

•Adesina 

The port is unique in that it is an industrial 

port complex, and a platform that has over 

1,100 companies. They collectively exported 

over • 8 billion worth of goods in 2020". 

Sharing his experience at the Tangier- 

Med Port, Dr Adesina said, “I actually 

thought they were on vacation, as I did not 

see people; just machines, haulers, 

automated systems moving containers in 

what looked like a well-synchronized maze, 

with incredible efficiency. There were no 

kilometers of trucks waiting to get to the 

port”. 

Suggesting the adoption of the Morocco 

port model, he declared that “We should not 

be decongesting the ports in Nigeria, we 

should be transforming the ports. Nigeria 

should rapidly modernize and transform its 

ports. Ports are not there for revenue 

generation. They are for facilitating business 

and exports, and stimulating industrial 

manufacturing, and competitiveness of local 

businesses and exports”. 

Another approach to Nigeria’s recovery 

he recognized, is to boost food security, 

reduce the price of food, and ensure greater 

competitiveness of the agricultural sector. 

The ‘Growth Enhancement Scheme’ and the 

e-wallet system which he deployed while as 

Minister of Agriculture in Nigeria, which 

led to fall in prices of food due to increase in 

production, he revealed, have been adopted 

in Togo, Liberia, and other African countries, 

“Yet in Nigeria where they were developed, 

they are no longer being implemented”. He 

pointed out that lack of rain, insecurity, 

middlemen, are not the major factors 

responsible for low food production but “the 

main reason is that farmers no longer have 

access to quality improved seeds, fertilizers, 

•Buhari 

and farm inputs at scale”. 

While joining farmers across the country 

to plead with the Federal Government to 

restore the popular Growth Enhancement 

Support Scheme and the e-Wallet system so 

as to put millions of farmers at the heart of 

agriculture at scale, Dr Adesina said, “if this 

is done, and run well, I can assure you that 

you will see a dramatic turnaround in 

national food production”. 

He further called on government to take 

“bold policy measures to drive the structural 

transformation of agriculture, with 

infrastructure and spatial economic 

policies”. 

”The key for this is the development of 

Special Agro-industrial Processing Zones 

(SAPZs)across the country. Nigeria should 

establish Special Agro-industrial Processing 

Zones all across the country. The e-Wallet 

System and Growth Enhancement Scheme, 

to boost farmers access to productivity 

enhancing farm inputs should be reinstated 

and enshrined in law. Policy reversals should 

be avoided”, he maintained. 

With the rate of unemployment and youth 

involvement in societal ills soaring, as part 

of the recovery strategies for the country, Dr 

Adesina suggested, that it was high time 

Nigeria unleashed the potential of her youth. 

“Today, over 75% of the population is under 

the age of 35. More decisive actions are 

needed to turn this demographic asset into 

an economic dividend. A young, productive, 

youthful population, with access to 

education, skills, social protection, 

affordable housing, and medical care, will 

power Nigeria’s economy, now and well into 

the future”, he explained, emphasizing that 

“We must move away from so-called ‘youth 


he Social Democratic Party SDP has expressed deep anger at the 

Tpropensity of political money bags to rig elections in the country, 

saying ahead of the 2023 general election, it has become imperative to 

advocate the death penalty for election riggers. 

This was as the party kicked against zoning of the Delta state 

Governorship ticket to the Central Senatorial District, saying in a state 

like Delta with its political maturity and as home to eggheads, competence 

must trump zoning. 

Chairman of the party in the state, Amb. Oke Idawene who is 

also the Chairman, Forum of SDP State Chairmen, stated this in 

an interview with Saturday Vanguard. 

He commended the Independent National Electoral 

Commission INEC for its decision to deploy the Bimodal Voter 

Accreditation System BVAS in the September 11 state Assembly 

bye election in Isoko South 1, Delta state, saying the technology 

helped to reduce incidences of multiple voting. 

Idawene said the device was able to guarantee the credibility of 

voter accreditation by preventing incidents of multiple voting or 

the use of stolen Permanent Voter Cards PVCs to vote while the use 

of the incident form was eliminated. 

Election rigging 

On rigging, he said the problem is not with INEC but other 

stakeholders. He said; “The problem we have right now is not 


empowerment programs’. The youth do not 

need handouts. They need investments.”That 

is why the African Development Bank is 

currently working with Central Banks and 

countries to design and support the 

establishment of Youth entrepreneurship 

investment banks. These will be new 

financial institutions, run by young, 

professional, and highly competent financial 

experts and bankers, to develop and deploy 

new financial products and services for 

businesses and ventures of young people. 

Several African countries have already 

indicated their readiness to establish Youth 

Entrepreneurship Investment Banks”. 

By establishing Youth entrepreneurship 

investment banks, he said Nigeria would be 

making its youth the drivers of the new 

economy. 

The place of technology as one of the 

industries that will dominate the future, 

cannot be overemphasized. On this note, the 

African Development Bank Group president, 

disclosed that by “2030, 650 million 

Africans will have smart phones, and 50 

million will have 5G phone networks. 

Digital payments, mobile money accounts, 

savings, credit, and money transfers will 

revolutionize businesses. Nigeria’s FinTech 

is surging as one of the leaders in Africa 

today”. He therefore, advised government 

to position the “FinTech industry as a major 

driver of the economy, and invest heavily in 

digital infrastructure”. 

And then, the biggest issue- insecurity. An 

economically resurgent Nigeria Dr Adesina 

insisted, “must be a more peaceful and 

secure Nigeria”. According to him, “Today, 

more than ever, several African countries 

are spending a significant share of their 

budgets on security, displacing the resources 

needed for development”. 

He lamented that on an alarming rate, 

“the investible space in many parts of Africa, 

including Nigeria, is shrinking due to 

insecurity and insurgencies.Yet, resources 

are not there to enable countries to cope 

with these rising challenges”, adding that 

“We must recognize the strong linkages 

between security, investment, growth, and 

development”. 

”Without security there cannot be 

investment, without investment there cannot 

be growth, and without growth there cannot 

be development. The African Development 

Bank stands ready to help Nigeria in the 

design and implementation of Security- 

Indexed Investment Bonds to raise more 

resources to tackle its security challenges”, 

he stated. 

Not leaving out issue of climate change 

which is also crucial to the country’s 

economic recovery, Dr Adesina averred that 

if Nigeria does not prioritize climate 

adaptation and mitigation actions, climate 

change will pose challenges to the country’s 

economic resurgence. “Climate change has 

already decimated the whole of the Lake 

Chad basin. Today, that vast area, which used 

to provide livelihoods and resources for 

fisheries, livestock and food production is 

now littered with patch lands, dried up water 

beds and scorched earth. He therefore 

advised government to prioritize the recharging 

of the Lake Chad basin, as well as 

drive for a just energy transition, with 

natural gas; to protect its economy, assure 

energy for industrialization, while reducing 

greenhouse gas emissions, pledging that 

“The African Development Bank will 

mobilize $25 billion in climate finance by 

2025 in support of African countries”. 

And finally, on how much progress Africa 

Development Bank is making so far, he said 

“This year, Global Finance, the globally 

renowned U.S Magazine, rated the African 

Development Bank as the Best Multilateral 

Financial Institution in the world for 2021. 

“That is the kind of Africa we want! Africa 

showing global excellence in the midst of a 

turbulent world, finding solutions, and 

driving innovation and change, at scale”. 

2023: SDP wants death penalty for election riggers, 

kicks against zoning 

INEC. It is the people. Somebody tried to snatch a ballot box in Isoko 

South and he was gunned down. I don’t like bloodshed, but that is the 

way to go. Ahead of 2023, the punishment for such electoral 

malfeasance should be death by hanging. Anybody rigging elections 

is an enemy of the people and must be so treated. 

“With the BVAS, the votes were not adulterated. There was no rigging 

in that election. For the first time in Nigeria, I went for an election 

where until the morning of the elections, the collation officers were 

not known and the voting pattern was clear. 

“To this end, I think we should give INEC all the support for 

electronic voting, electronic collation and transmission of results. It 

is only then we can get genuine leadership and see Nigeria tilting 

towards progressive tendencies. I want to call on the National 

Assembly to support this BVAS and other technologies 

used by INEC”. 

On Zoning the 2023 presidency to the South and the 

Delta Governorship ticket to Delta Central, the SDP 

Chairman said; “SDP is not for zoning. We are for 

competence. It is time we stopped regional tendencies. 

Nigeria is one. No matter how you try, you cannot 

break us. Let us elect a leader who is a true Nigerian in 

body, soul and spirit so that at the end of the day we can 

say we are going forward. 

“SDP is anti-zoning. For the Southern leaders, if you 

•Ambassador 

Idawene 

want the presidency, I call on you to lobby. Power is not 

given for free. It is a collective responsibility. Leave 

your comfort zones and go to the North and explain 

why you should be given the opportunity to produce 

the next president. Apart from that, every Nigerian is 

qualified to run for president.


AbdulRazaq: Excellent governance e but . . . 

•The change he needs for second term ticket 

By Demola Akinyemi 

Twenty nine months after he assumed 

office, Governor AbdulRahman 

AbdulRazaq of Kwara state has 

redefined governance with the simplicity he 

brought into office, even as he has been 

widely adjudged to be running one of the 

leanest and most transparent governments 

in the country. The political template which 

Governor AbdulRazaq is using in 

governance has completely changed the 

nature of Kwara politics. 

He checked situations in the ministries and 

parastatals across the state unannounced 

to avoid any cover up by civil servants and 

their bureaucratic attitude and also most 

importantly to enable him appreciate the 

problems as they are. Governor AbdulRazaq 

who said that he took off from below zero 

level based on the revelations he personally 

encountered has gone ahead to record many 

firsts in the history of the north central state. 

He was the first Governor in black Africa 

to appoint a 56% female cabinet, and the 

first in Nigeria to launch a social audit 

programme which enables civic groups and 

communities to audit government’s projects 

and save public funds. Governor 

AbdulRazaq also recently restored the Public 

Procurement Agency to clean up 

government’s contract process. His social 

investment programme, targeted at the poor 

and vulnerable, is adjudged the biggest and 

most transparent by any subnational 

government in the country. It is the first 

institutionalised social safety system in the 

state. 

AbdulRazaq has also built what is 

currently Kwara’s first well-equipped 

intensive care unit (ICU) facility in the entire 

central Nigeria located at the state’s premier 

General Hospital Ilorin. Building the state’s 

first tech-driven response to infectious 

diseases, his administration is rated among 

the first four nationwide in COVID-19 

response and the best in vaccination 

preparedness and implementation 

nationwide. 

Under him, Kwara has the largest health 

insurance scheme, which is now supported 

by various international bodies owing to its 

transparency and focus. 

Seven years after Kwara was blacklisted 

by the Universal Basic Education 

Commission, AbdulRazaq has also got the 

state back to national reckoning in basic 

education sector. 

At the moment, various infrastructural 

projects are being undertaken across 600 

basic schools in the state. Recently, his 

administration conducted the most 

transparent and totally apolitical 

recruitment exercise for 4,701 teachers. This 

exercise has been adjudged the best and 

largest teachers’ recruitment exercise in the 

history of Kwara State. 

In 2019 when he assumed office, public 

water system had collapsed in Kwara State. 

Today, public water is running across the 

metropolis and many parts of the state. So 

far, he has rehabilitated over 10 water works 

across the state while new ones are being 

built. 

He has also produced the state’s first 10- 

year agricultural transformation plan, 

among other people-focused programmes 

to help farmers and drive food security. 

As the administration is moving closer to 

the third out of the four years tenure of first 

term, the eyes of the stakeholders in the state 

are already fixed on the second term of 

Governor AbdulRazaq. 

Impressed with Governor AbdulRazaq’s 

achievements, one of the political pillars in 

the state and his staunch supporter, the 

septuagenarian Senator Suleiman 

Makanjuola Ajadi said recently that 

Governor AbdulRasaq’s performance in 29 

months surpassed that of 16 years tenure of 

Dr Bukola Saraki and Alhaji Abdulfatah 

Ahmed as governors put together. Ajadi 

said,”Your handwork will speak for you in 

any situation at the end of the day. So, people 

will not evaluate Governor AbdulRazaq 

based on what anybody is saying about him, 

no community will judge him based on the 

abuses few people in the system are passing 

on him, so all the communities will decide 

whether or not to vote for him based on what 

he has done for them.” 

Saturday Vanguard went to town to have 

•Gov AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq 

conversations with other stakeholders. In his 

assessment, renowned labour activist and 

former Chairman of Nigeria Labour 

Congress (NLC)in Kwara state, Comrade 

Emmanuel Ayeoribe said Governor 

AbdulRazaq should be interested in the kind 

of legacy he wants to leave even if he gets 

second term. 

Speaking in an interview with Saturday 

Vanguard, he said ,”If anybody is saying that 

it’s the people that will decide Governor 

A b d u l R a h m a n 

AbdulRazaq’s second term, 

I think that is correct to the 

extent that the elections 

would be credible. Any 

governor is a tenant in the 

government house, the best 

AA can get is second term 

and that’s all. 

“On the other hand, 

factionalisation of the party 

is also a bad omen. A good 

leader must strive to ensure 

the unity and oneness of his 

members. For the governor 

to have started on a 

factionalised party also 

spells bad omen. So he will 

dissipate more energies on 

raising his own army within 

and outside the party 

instead of spending the 

same time and resources on 

improving the lots of the 

people and residents of 

Kwara state. So, in a way 

there is no way factionalisation won’t affect 

progress in any system. 

“I challenge the governor to take a bold 

step to do personal survey to know how 

people feel about him and their ratings of 

him and his administration. This is because 

At the moment, various 

infrastructural projects are 

being undertaken across 

600 basic schools in the 

state. Recently, his 

administration conducted 

the most transparent and 

totally apolitical 

recruitment exercise for 

4,701 teachers 

he should be interested in the legacy that he 

wants to leave after office. I think this is 

necessary because in a big office like that 

and with what is currently going on in the 

ruling party, I have strong feelings that many 

people who surround the governor might 

not be telling him the truth but only what he 

wants to hear.” 

In his own opinion, Mr Olusegun 

Modeyin, a legal practitioner based in 

Kwara state said the governor as a 

technocrat in politics has tried 

his best but that he must carry 

his people along to get a 

second term. 

He said,”I see Governor 

AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq 

as a technocrat, he came with 

good intentions to serve his 

people and with the way he 

mobilized the people through 

“O to ge” slogan to secure 

victory, it showed that the 

state really needed a change. 

But at times getting a change 

doesn’t mean that you can get 

the change that you really 

want. What I mean is that the 

change you have might not 

bring what you need to your 

table. With the quantum of 

development the governor 

has brought, I think he has 

tried being a technocrat. 

“But I want to say that as a 

politician you need to carry 

your people along. With just 

one vote you can lose or win an election and 

if you don’t carry your people along, you 

will have problems with them because there 

are some people in the society that you need 

their blessing. I learnt the governor at times 

took decisions without consulting people 

coupled with the kind of cabinet that he has 

where most of his cabinet members are not 

performing. 

“The commissioners should be politicians 

who are popular among the people, not 

those who don’t know their left from their 

right politically. The governor has jettisoned 

some of those who helped him into power 

but there is still a way out. If he can retrace 

his steps and bring back these people to his 

fold, he will get his second term if he wants 

to come back.” 

For Engineer Dickson Tolufase who 

described Governor AbdulRazaq’s early 

days as very impressive, he believes that if 

he increases the tempo of his performance 

to warm himself into to the hearts of the 

masses, the second term ticket would be easy 

for him. 

He said,”the governor’s early days in 

office was victory for the masses, I would 

say. We were happy, we jubilated for his 

victory with the assurance that he would be 

able to deliver. As time went by, I personally 

discovered that he has slowed down his 

performance. For example, by now as we 

are getting to the dry season the roads 

should have been maintained. Virtually 

every road in the town is bad, so where does 

our money go to? I learnt that he doesn’t 

give money to thugs to enable him pay 

attention to development. Though money 

might not be coming like it used to come for 

the previous administrations but at least we 

expect to see some reasonable level of 

development. 

“For sometime now, we have not heard 

him speaking and even his Deputy. The 

masses are not feeling his impact like his 

first days in office. I’m aware of the 

factionalisation in his party but my point is 

that if the masses who are to decide are not 

feeling his impact, then what are we talking 

about?”he queried. 

Mr Lekan Ajayi, a public analyst and 

educationist told Saturday Vanguard that 

the powers that be would decide the fate of 

the masses in any election, citing Kogi,Osun 

and Imo state governorship elections 

among others. 

He recalled that,”In Lagos state when the 

then Governor Akinwunmi Ambode wanted 

to contest for second term, we were told that 

he performed but his offence was that he 

didn’t carry the so called politicians along, 

and that was why he could not win the 

primaries of the ruling party APC in Lagos 

state. 

“In Kwara, when Governor AbdulRazaq 

came he did something to carry the masses 

along. I was made to understand that at Yidi 

praying ground, Government House used 

to spend N7m annually to cut the grasses, 

clean up the place and make it ready for the 

annual Sallah prayer. But when they 

approached him he promised to give them 

the money but instead he mobilised people 

to the place and we were told that he spent 

less than N1m. It was a laudable effort to 

those of us who are keen about the 

development of Kwara state. 

“We also saw some projects springing up 

but we were told that they were the projects 

of the last administration that he 

resuscitated and since then I can’t point to 

any serious project in the town that he has 

done to portray him as being on the side of 

the masses. 

“If the governor is not giving back to the 

party that him to power, I don’t know how 

he wants to succeed without carrying the 

people along. In Nigerian politics, the 

masses vote vote for candidates who have 

been sold to them. So, now if you are fighting 

the stakeholders and you are still not doing 

something good for the masses, how will 

you win an election. 

“But we are in Nigeria where anything is 

possible, we have seen where elections are 

won by unpopular candidates. We saw what 

happened in Kogi state,what did Governor 

Yaya Bello do that made him to win second 

term? Nothing, and he knew he didn’t win. 

That can repeat itself anywhere. But when 

Governor AbdulRazaq came people really 

respected him,he needs to step up his 

performance. 

“If the stakeholders are not happy with 

him and the masses too are not feeling his 

impact then he needs to go back to the 

drawing board. In Nigerian politics there is 

no popular candidate except you come 

through the stakeholders. Buhari came 

about five times and didn’t win until he came 

through the combined efforts of some 

stakeholders who campaigned for him and 

changed people’s mindset about him. 

“For Governor AbdulRahman 

AbdulRazaq to get second term ticket he has 

to win back the masses and he has to 

reconcile with his people because he’s not 

an independent candidate. If there is a 

faction in the party it’s his fault because he’s 

the leader of the party, it doesn’t cost him 

anything to carry these people along and of 

course nobody supports a candidate in 

politics without expecting anything in 

return.”













Why we don't 

kidnap women 

Confession of bandits who kidnapped two o Rev. . Father 

athers, 

s, 

killed businessman after er collecting ransom in Kaduna 

My role 

“I watch over kidnapped victims in the 

bush until ransom is paid for their 

release. 

I made N800,000 in all the operations 

and I used the money to drink and carry 

women. Nobody knows I am a kidnapper 

in the community”, he said. 

On his part, his alleged partner in 

crime , Usman Babagida, disclosed that 

his role in the gang was to guard 

kidnapped victims. 

He said, “ I have received only 

N600,0000, as my share so far. We don’t 

kidnap women because they are the ones 

who go to look for ransom for the 

release of their husbands”. 

Siblings arrested too 

Also arrested were Abubakar Suleiman, 

36 and Auwal Suleiman, who confessed to 

belonging to another kidnap gang 

terrorizing Kaduna state. 

This gang specialized in sending 

threat messages of kidnap to well to 

do residents, demanding N100,000 

and N500,000 , as exemption fee. 

Whoever failed to pay the amount 

would have his home broken into 

and kidnapped. They would not 

be released until double of the 

demanded amount is paid. 

•Siblings kidnappers 

(Abubakar Suleiman (l) 

and Auwal Suleiman ) 

By Evelyn Usman 

For some time now, communities in 

Kaduna state and other parts of the 

Northern region have been under 

kidnappers’ siege. Having succeeded in 

chasing farmers away from their 

farmlands, these kidnappers who hide 

under the guise of bandits, 

commandeered these farmlands into dens 

where kidnapped victims are kept until 

ransom is paid. 

Recently, these gangs resorted to 

storming villagers’ homes to kidnap 

them. They kill anyone who attempts to 

put up resistance or tries to fight them. 

They also send text messages to well to 

do residents, demanding for hundreds of 

thousands of naira, with a 

threat to kidnap them if 

they did not meet the 

demand. 

Irked by the brazen 

effrontery, the Inspector- 

General of Police, IGP 

Usman Alkali Baba, 

directed the Officer incharge 

of the Force 

Intelligence Response 

Team, DCP Tunji Disu, to 

crack members of the 

notorious gangs down and 

put an end to their reign of 

terror. 

This led to the arrest of 

many suspected members of 

different kidnap gangs by 

the IRT. 

During preliminary 

investigation, it was 

discovered that these gangs 

were also responsible for the series of 

incidents of stolen cattle and 

robberies in Kaduna state. 

They kill 

anyone who 

attempts to put 

up resistance 

or tries to fight 

them 

Among those 

arrested were two suspected members of 

one of the notorious gangs. The 

suspects: Salisu Abdullahi(28), from 

Kagarko area of Kaduna and Babaginda 

Usman, disclosed during interrogation 

that his gang was responsible for over 

ten cases of kidnap in the state. 

Among the kidnapped victims 

mentioned were two Reverend 

Fathers and two businessmen, one of 

whom was killed after collecting ransom 

from his family .. 

Confession 

In this interview with Crime Guards, 

the suspects opened up on their respective 

roles in the deadly gangs and their modus 

operandi. 

For Salisu Abdullai, he 

said, “ I was once a farmer. 

I began with cattle rustling 

before graduating into 

kidnapping. I joined a 

kidnap gang last year. 

There are five members in 

the gang. I voluntarily 

joined kidnapping because 

I have no father or mother. 

Since I joined, my gang 

has carried out kidnap 

operations in 

Kushemakaranta, 

Rafinkinba, Kuditlri, Kwei, 

along Nasarawa express 

road and Kurumikari, 

all in Kaduna state. 

Victim killed 

The first person we 

kidnapped was Chinedu, a 

businessman . He was kidnapped in his 

house. It was our gang leader that 

brought information about him. Our 

gang leader lives in the same area as 

Chinedu. 

He spent three days in the bush 

before his family paid N500,000 for his 

release. But on the day he was to be 

released , he fought with one of us 

because he wanted to escape and our 

gang leader ordered us to kill him. 

•Kidnap suspects 

((Salisu Abdullahi(l) 

and Babangida Usman 

Second victim 

The second victim was also called 

Chinedu, a trader. He was riding his 

motorbike to Kagaruku. Our leader who 

had information on him was riding his 

motorbike behind him . He (gang 

leader)called us on the phone to inform 

us that Chinedu was on his way. He gave 

us a directive on when to strike. We 

abducted him and took him into the 

bush. We collected N700,000 from for 

his release 

Victim lured 

“I don’t know the name of the third 

victim. But we collected N700,000 from 

him too. He was kidnapped in the 

market. He is a trader and deals in 

ginger. We told him we had ginger on the 

farm and he volunteered to follow us. On 

the way we kidnapped him. 

The fourth victim was a Reverend 

Father. We broke into his house at 

Kushemakaranta around 3am. We went 

with three guns .He opened the door when 

we knocked . He was the only one at 

home and he didn’t put up any resistance. 

We also took him to the bush and released 

him after a N1m ransom was paid. 

Another Reverend father was 

abducted and we collected N8 Million 

from his people before we released him. 

We kidnapped the sixth victim from the 

farm and we collected N300,000 for 

ransom. 

Informant killed 

When information of 

the gang’s tyranny 

reached the Force IRT, it 

acted on intelligence 

and arrested Abubakar. 

Few days after his 

arrest, his younger 

brother Auwal, stormed 

a village in Manufashi 

Local Government Area 

of Kaduna state at 

midnight and emptied 

30 bullets on the 

suspected informant 

identified as Isah abdul. 

When asked why he 

killed Abdul, Auwal 

responded unremorsefully, “ I 

killed him because he was 

also the leader of a kidnap 

gang. Why would he expose 

another kidnapper?” 

Explaining how he carried out 

the mission, Auwal said, “ We 

were three that went to the 

informant’s house : Dogo , 

Mutari and I , at about 12 

midnight. We met him 

sleeping. When we forced the door open, 

we saw him holding a cutlass to attack us. 

We blew him up with our guns. 

He once stole our cows and I suspected 

he was the one that gave information that 

led to my brother’s arrest”. 

His elder brother who admitted to being 

a kidnapper, opened up on those he had 

kidnapped in the community. 

He said, “ The first person I kidnapped 

was Alhaji Abass. We live in the same 

area. He owns a filling 

station. Dogo(gang member at large ) 

called him on the phone to bring 

N300,000. He threatened that if he did 

not bring it, he would be kidnapped. 

When he brought the money, we collected 

it and still kidnapped him. We collected 

additional N500,000 for his release. 

“That is how we threatened people, 

My gang also kidnapped two Igbo 

businessmen who sell medicine in that 

community. I only followed them for 

operation twice. But the gang has 

kidnapped many people 

The role I play in the gang is to pick 

passengers with my bike and when I get 

to the junction where my gang members 

are, I will stop, pretending as if the 

motorbike has developed a fault . While 

waiting, my gang will come out of 

the bush to carry the person. I have an 

AK 47 rifle. I bought it for N470,000", 

he said. 

The suspects were paraded by the 

Force Public Relations Officer, CP 

Frank Mba, alongside others who have 

been terrorizing the northern parts of 

the country, at the IRT office , Abuja. He 

informed that efforts were on to arrest 

other fleeing members of the respective 

gangs, adding that those arrested would 

be charged to court.

We begged women to urinate 

for us to drink to stay alive 

•Illegal emigrant narrat 

ates deadly experience in desert t while trying to move to Europe 

•Sight of Mediterranean sea forced me to cancel trip to Italy 

BY Emmanuel Iheaka 

Twenty two years after walking 

through the valley of the shadow 

of death, in search of greener 

pastures, Stephen Onyekamma has 

remained terrified. Unlike those who by 

faith would confess they fear no evil when 

confronted with such pangs of death, 

reliving of his experience still sends shivers 

down the spines of Onyekamma. 

As he narrated his experience in the sahara 

desert to Saturday Vanguard, Onyekamma 

would intermittently pause out of traumatic 

effect and in thanksgiving to God for sparing 

his life. Initially, he was reluctant about 

recounting the experience, as he insisted it 

was one he wouldn’t want to remember. But 

upon insistence by our correspondent, 

Onyekamma buckled. 

Journey to Libya 

Six years after graduating from the Imo 

State University (IMSU), and after failed 

attempts to secure a job, Onyekamma 

decided to get out of Nigeria. That was in 

1999. The graduate of Political Science had 

Italy as his destination country. Rather than 

following the right process of seeking visa 

into the European destination, he opted to 

go through the desert. 

From Owerri, Onyekamma moved to 

Kebbi State and from Kebbi to Niger 

Republic. According to him, Niger Republic 

was a converging ground for those seeking 

to smuggle themselves into Europe through 

the desert. Unfortunately for the young 

graduate, he arrived Niger Republic in 1999 

at a time he said the country was thrown 

into turmoil due to a coup d’ etat in which 

the country’s president was killed. Though 

he said he was aware of the coup, that 

however, could not deter him as he was 

desperate to hit the deadly desert. Waiting 

for the political unrest in Niger to subside 

could be a dream killer for him. 

Onyekamma therefore, resolved to weather 

the storm. 

“After my graduation, I searched for job 

but couldn’t get. After six years, I decided to 

travel to Europe through the desert. My plan 

was to get to Libya, work a little and then 

move through the Mediterranean Sea to 

Italy. 

“Before I left in 1999, I knew there was a 

coup in Niger, but I couldn’t wait, since I 

had already made up my mind to travel”. 

Robbed in Niger 

Onyekamma had undergone tutelage on 

how one could safeguard his money while 

in the desert. According to him, there were 

three available options - hiding the money 

in the collar of one’s dress while making the 

dress, or opening the heel of a shoe to 

conceal it. The third option was to tie the 

money in a nylon and swallow it, with the 

hope of excreting it during the call of nature. 

All of these options however, could not save 

Onyekamma. While in Niger Republic 

trying to board a Libya bound vehicle, he 

ran into rebels who he said had seized 

control of part of the country. They stripped 

him of his belongings, forcing him to return 

to the capital city of Niger. The rebels had 

mastered the modus operandi of the 

emigrants. 

“The first setback I had was being robbed 

by rebels in Niger. I hid my money in the 

collar of my shirt, but the fear of being killed 

would even make one to surrender the 

money willingly. Having lost all I had, I 

returned to the capital city to restrategize. I 

was in Niger for about two years to raise 


some money before I took off again”. 

Experience in the desert 

Those who navigate through the desert do 

their best to get well equipped for the deadly 

journey. While water and snacks are 

desideratum, the transporters also go with 

mechanics, should the vehicle break down in 

the desert. However, there are very dreadful 

situations in which a vehicle that developed 

fault in the desert would require changing some 

parts. This could be the most traumatizing fate 

that could befall anyone travelling through 

the desert. When such happens, Onyekamma 

said the driver and his crew would abandon 

the emigrants in the desert and make their way 

back to Niger with a promise of returning with 

the vehicle parts. In some cases, Onyekamma 

submitted that the emigrants were abandoned 

for weeks. In such cruel situation, the travellers 

are left stranded and at the mercy of death, as 

they run out of water and snacks. Dehydration 

would set in, and they would be ready to drink 

anything liquid, including urine, in a battle for 

survival. But would the urine even be 

available? Onyekamma said it was at the desert 

he realized men slide into dehydration faster 

than women. 

“When you run out of water in the desert, you 

would be desperate to drink anything liquid. 

It was at the desert I observed that a woman’s 

body had more water than that of a man. Men 

fell into dehydration faster than women. We 

begged women to try to urinate for us to drink 

to gain some strength. Whoever is able to 

urinate then, becomes a saviour. 

“Out of every 50 persons going through the 

desert, only about 20 could survive”, he 

narrated. 

Life in Libya 

After about two weeks in the desert, 

Onyekamma finally arrived Libya. At the 

North African country, he went for training 

on vehicle alignment, and was able to master 

it within a short time. With the job, he could 

raise money to feed. But he was overcome 

by the sight of the terrifying Mediterranean 

Sea. He therefore, decided to go through 

the desert again to return to Nigeria, rather 

than heading to Italy. 

“When I saw the boat they use in conveying 

people to Europe and the rampaging 

Mediterranean Sea, I became terrified and 

decided to return to Nigeria. I felt it was 

more dangerous stepping on the sea, than 

returning to the desert. That was how I 

returned to Nigeria in 2005”. 

Return to Nigeria 

Today, Onyekamma, a father of five, 

having survived in the desert, believes 

nothing can kill him except God says it’s 

time. Unfortunately, he is yet to conquer 

money for which he soldiered through the 

desert. He is still struggling with the 

vicissitudes of life. While hoping that some 

day, life would get better, he holds that desert 

should never be an option for anyone who 

values life. 

Can this Amazon find in death the rest life never gave her? 

•From paralysis to adulterated kerosene explosion: Life and times 

of citizen Nwaeruru Chinyere Ohaegbulam 

By Emmanuel Iheaka 

When Nwaeruru Chinyere 

Ohaegbulam was born about four 

decades ago, her family had no 

premonition that life had reserved for the newly 

born, what could be described as the worst 

form of cruelty. For a family that had prayed 

and waited earnestly for a female child after 

five males, her arrival expectedly, brought 

great joy. But all of that was cut short when life 

fired the first cruel shot at the age of three. 

According to her elder brother, Mr. Chinedu 

Ohaegbulam, measles had hit Nwaeruru at 

the age of three. It was a time she was already 

beginning to walk. Her parents as expected 

had taken her to a hospital for medication, 

where she was injected. That was all life needed 

to get her down. The injection, Ohaegbulam 

said, paralyzed Nwaeruru. 

“My younger sister walked for only two years 

and few months in her entire existence on 

planet earth; after she sat, crawled, held 

something to stand on, and finally put the first 

wobbling tiny leg forward, as a baby. 

“At age three, she came down with measles, 

and was taken to Mbano General Hospital, 

and was injected by one Robert, a member of 

staff of the hospital, which paralyzed her limbs. 

This happened in the early 1970s. 

“Nwaeruru was a paragon of beauty right 

from birth, which made our father to give her 

that name. She was born after our father had 

prayed and longed for a girl-child, because he 

already had five boys. The birth of Nwaeruru 

was celebrated by my father in a manner he 

never celebrated his first five boys and the other 

children that came later. 

“When the injection calamity happened, our 

parents went literally berserk, especially our 

father. They did everything humanly possible 

to make Nwaeruru walk again, but all to no 

avail. They fought the paralysis through the 

orthodox, unorthodox, spiritual, traditional, 

religious, as many people came with 

suggestions on what could be done to arrest 

the situation”. 

When all hope to revive her limps appeared 

lost, Ohaegbulam said Nwaeruru was 

confined to a wheelchair. Growing up to realize 

that her limps were not capable of moving the 

way those of her contemporaries did, 

Nwaeruru accepted her fate and resolved to 

push on, with the struggles of life. 

A native of Ogbor-Ihitteaforukwu, Ahiazu 

Mbaise Local Government Area of Imo State, 

Nwaeruru was later to be employed at the local 

government headquarters of the council. 

But life was not yet done with dealing a 

deadly blow on Nwaeruru. On July 9, 2021, 

Nwaeruru in an attempt to refill a burning 

lantern with kerosene, became a victim of 

•Nwaeruru Chinyere Ohaegbulam 

explosion. 

“ On July 9, 2021, while Nwaeruru was on 

her bed, preparing to retire, but not without 

refilling the tank of the lantern that served as 

electricity in the house; as she poured the 

kerosene into the lantern, there was an 

explosion. On hearing the screams of her 

daughter; her great companion and caregiver 

for years, our mother used the last 

ounce of strength and courageously battled 

with her daughter to put out the raging balls 

of flame in the room. But much damages 

had happened to Nwaeruru’s face and 

body”, the brother narrated. 

In the last three months, Nwaeruru’s 

siblings did everything humanly possible, 

within their limited resources to save her 

life, but their best was not enough. 

While Nwaeruru battled with paralysis 

and burnt, she was also deprived of 14 

months salaries, according to her brother. 

Neither her disability, nor the degree of the 

burnt could make government to release her 

salaries despite concerted efforts by her 

brother. She however, gave up the ghost on 

October 3, 2021. 

“Nwaeruru was an Amazon; a fighter who 

faced life with courage. She never fell 

seriously ill before her death. She hated to 

be pitied because of her physical challenge. 

She was my friend; My siblings and I cared 

for her till her last breathe”, Ohaegbulam 

submitted. 

It is believed that Nwaeruru will find in 

death the rest life never granted her.


Electoral Reforms, PIA: Reps taking 

bolder steps ahead of Senate 

By Levinus Nwabughiogu 

Though its adoption resonates in the 

9th Senate, not many Nigerians will 

recall, however, that just like the 

electronic transmission of election results, 

the idea of direct primary election for political 

parties fast-tracked by the 9th House 

of Representatives which is fast becoming 

the think-tank of Nigeria’s National Assembly. 

Their constitutional mandate of lawmaking 

may be same but there are mileages in 

their philosophical and analytical views. 

Perhaps, that’s why there is always a conference 

committee, the harmonizer of legislative 

and bills discrepancies. 

Though it is regarded as the lower chamber, 

the House of Representatives can safely 

be called the punching arm of the Nigeria’s 

national assembly. In other parlance, it is 

sobriqueted the Nigerian House. 

With 360 members representing 360 federal 

constituencies across the federation, the 

House is peopled by grassrooters who share 

direct affinity with the common man. Most 

often, the members are young and energetic 

men and women who are enthusiastic. 

And so, almost always, they eschew politics 

of party, religion and region and other obscure 

sentiments that blur and clog the 

wheels of national developments and 

growth and respond to the core yearnings 

of the people. In many respects and on many 

fronts, they have had to bleed for the country 

even though there are still genuine criticisms 

of underperformance. 

While such scenarios are historically ubiquitous, 

spanning decades, there are, however, 

three of those demonstrations recently 

by the 9th House. 

Reps’ Sagacity 

First was the allocation of 5 percent equity 

share for the oil host communities in the 

then Petroleum Industry Bill, PIB. Here, the 

House pursued altruism, towering the 

Senate that approved 3 percent. Of course, 

the outcry that later trailed and still trails 

the Senate version has innocuously and 

unsolicitedly given the House some public 

endearments. Now, the Act is before 

the two chambers for an amendment and 

many House members are mulling a revisit 

to the approved percentage for the 

benefit of the people. 

The second was the discretionary powers 

given to the Independent National 

Electoral Commission, INEC, to either 

adopt electronic transmission of election 

results or manual. While the House adopted 

this for the credibility and sanctity of 

the electoral process in line with the demands 

of 21st century Nigerians, the Senate 

catastrophically and outrageously subjugated 

INEC’s constitutional powers to 

the National Communication Commis- 

sion, NCC and to themselves, the politicians, 

thereby sacrificing the independence 

of the electoral umpire. 

But the 9th House saw tomorrow. It understood 

the paramountcy of elections and 

the concomitant of the times with advanced 

technology. 

Senate’s error, backtrack 

Realizing their error, however, the Senate 

which had been taken to the cleaners 

by Nigerians in the conference committee 

for harmonization of the two approved 

versions backtracked and concurred with 

the House. That was not all. It also adopted 

the option of direct primaries for the 

selection of candidates for political 

parties in elections. 

This is the third and perhaps, the 

biggest demonstration of patriotism 

and altruism through law 

enactment. 

The Origin/Senate’s reluctance 

despite Sen. Ike Ekweremadu’s 

earlier push 

But while this goes, not 

many a people would have the 

recollections of the origin of 

the proposal in the 8th 

House. There is difficulty in 

understanding the fact that despite the fact 

that former Deputy Senate President, Senator 

Ike Ekweremadu from Enugu State 

had in the 8th National Assembly in 2016 

mulled the possibility of Nigeria joining 

the United States, US, in that political trajectory, 

the 8th Senate still didn’t muster 

the political courage to push it before the 

9th House. 

“I commend the House Democracy Partnership 

as a bipartisan effort at deepening 

responsive, effective government and 

also strengthening democratic institutions 

through assistance to legislatures in 

emerging democracies around the world. 

We are willing to partner with you because 

it will not only enrich our democracy, but 

also that of the entire West Africa sub-region 

and Africa as a whole. 

“I believe both countries have a lot to 

benefit from shared parliamentary ties. 

Nigeria, in particular stands to benefit 

from you in the area of electoral reforms, 

such as direct primaries, which has conferred 

a lot of transparency and credibility 

on the U.S electoral system”, Ekweremadu 

said while welcoming a delegation 

of the House Partnership for Democracy, 

United States House of Representatives, 

on a working visit to the Senate on behalf 

of the former Senate President, Bukola Saraki. 

But now, not many will recall that the 

proposal was an ingenious, sagacious and 

cognitive push from the Speaker of the 

House, Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila. The 

Speaker had while contributing to the 

debate during the consideration of the 

•Gbajabiamila 

Electoral Bill on July 16, 2021 proposed 

the eternal removal of “or indirect primaries” 

as had been recommended by the 

relevant House Committee that superintended 

the work. 

The Committee’s recommendation in 

Clause (section) 87 titled “Nomination of 

Candidates by Parties”, read thus: 

(1) A political Party seeking to nominate 

candidates for elections under this Bill 

shall hold direct or indirect primaries for 

aspirants to all elective positions, which 

may be monitored by the Commission. 

(2) The procedure for the nomination of 

candidates by political parties for the various 

elective positions shall be by direct 

or indirect primaries. 

But an amendment came from Gbajabiamila 

who represents Surelere 1 Federal 

Constituency of Lagos State. It read thus: 

“In subclause (1), line 2, leave out the 

words “or indirect” any anywhere where 

it appears in the bill”. 

This was put to vote and the majority 

favored it, leading to its adoption. That’s 

how direct primaries evolved, giving credence 

to the ingenuity and the intellectual 

wizardry of both the speaker and the 

entire House membership. 

An avalanche of benefits 

Meanwhile, while opposition mounts 

against this amendment, the advantages, 

thereto, abound. According to the proponents 

of this idea, many political analysts 

and keen observers of social events, perhaps, 

with good experiential knowledge, 

direct primary is the most transparent 

mode of nominating a candidate in any 

election. It is more participatory as it allows 

for mass participation. It will address 

selection of candidates – where candidates 

are selected instead of elected. It will allow 

for more women and youth participation 

in the political process. Direct primaries 

will checkmate and send into oblivion 

god-fatherism in Nigeria politics. The 

internal party democracy in all registered 

political parties will be enhanced just as a 

level playing ground for aspirants will be 

created. Direct primary election is “power 

to the people”. 

In direct primaries, the role of money or 

influence to buy delegates, voters or members 

will be whittled down. Under the new 

political system, in the event that political 

thugs disrupt voting before declaration 

of winner, there are chances to revert 

to direct primary method in the re-run elections. 

It helps political parties easily win 

at the general election since they have 

elected the most popular and acceptable 

candidate during the primary election. 

Lawmakers react 

Speaking to Vanguard on the issue, 

the lawmaker representing Uromi/ 

Esan Federal Constituency of Edo 

State in the House, Hon. Serguis 

Ogun (PDP) said primaries 

should be at the discretion of the 

political parties. 

“Primaries should be the prerogative 

of the political parties. 

This is an interference in 

the function of the political 

parties. Direct party primary 

is expensive hence the small 

political parties will struggle 

to implement it. It’s also going 

to be a huge financial 

burden on INEC in terms of 

personnel deployment and logistics to 

monitor the primaries”, he said. 

Similarly, Hon. Ben Rollands Igbakpa 

(PDP) representing Ethiope federal Constituency 

of Delta State said “Indirect primary 

is better, less expensive, easy to organize 

in terms of logistics, security and 

other necessary aspects. Direct primary is 

going to be rancorous, will have security 

challenges. It is akin to telling the entire 

people of the constituencies to come to 

Abuja. I don’t know what the proponents 

want to achieve. What is INEC coming to 

do in the internal affairs of political parties? 

May be, very soon, INEC will start 

telling political parties how much they will 

sell their nomination forms and all that. 

These are the internal affairs of political 

parties”, he said. 

Last line 

Obviously, with the sagacity of the House 

of Representatives in especially the contemporary 

turbulent national issues like 

the 5 percent equity share, the electronic 

transmission of election results and the 

direct primary mode of election for political 

parties, it may not sound immodest 

to describe the Green Chamber as the 

think-tank, the melting pot and point of 

the National Assembly. They appear to be 

taking bolder steps and endearing themselves 

to Nigerians more than the Senators. 

All hopes are now high that the adoption 

of direct primaries by the Senate will 

witness easy and seamless passage in the 

House which had first proposed it. 

UGWUMBA Godwin Ndubuisi Kanu: 

A Tribute by AKA IKENGA 

By Ogbuefi Tony Nnachetta, 

President AKA IKENGA, 

It is with a deep sense of personal 

and institutional loss that Aka 

Ikenga recoils to present a 

summarised tribute to the times of 

Ugwumba Godwin Ndubuisi Kanu, a 

pristine manifestation of what the 

Ndigbo Ikenga portrays. 

The passage of Ugwumba Rear 

Admiral, Godwin Ndubuisi Kanu is the 

uprooting of an Iroko in Igboland, the 

reduction in Nigeria of the very few 

good men left who would speak truth to 

power without batting an eye lid. 

Ugwumbaa titan of man, multiple times 

his physical size as a man of 

indomitable spirit, a stalwart of hard 

convictions, a man not given to cant 

and loose talk, a man who will never be 

said to suffer fools gladly, has 

ascended, rather early, to join the Igbo 

pantheons. What a loss! What a gain to 

the Ancestors 

Aka Ikenga, in our 35-year history, 

has had no strategic collaborator more 

formidable and committed than 

Ugwumba Godwin Ndubuisi Kanu. He 

would counsel and cajole and caution 

and attend to all issues we throw up. It 

is to his eternal glory that he sacrificed 

so much time and resource as Aka 

Ikenga’s ally’ to give birth to Ndigbo 

Lagos. 

The concept was shared and refined 

in his living room. The contacts and 

hosting of meetings were in his home 

for years and ultimately, he provided 

the office for Ndigbo Lagos. Several 

initiatives and forays for the benefit of 

Ndigbo Worldwide, not just Lagos and 

Nigeria, sprung from the wellsprings 

of his time, talent and treasures. 

Ugwumba Godwin Ndubuisi Kanu, 

consummate Sailor, with all the 

accolades of the Sea and the State, and 

with the easy comfort available to man 

of his achievements, made himself a 

servant for the people. A man who after 

risking his life as a Combatant Military 

officer went ahead to provide a rallying 

point, a bedrock, a refuge and 

spokesman for democratic Nigeria. 

Ndigbo welcomes Nigeria to mourn 

the passage of one its greatest unsung 

heroes. a bastion of the Democratic 

Struggle, suffering tea gas and 24 hour 

surveillance. 

A man of gigantic sacrifices, who 

refused to be cowed by the Military 

junta, who looked death in the eye 

several times, who was arrested in his 

home in Lagos, ransacked, ruffled and 

searched, bundled into a vehicle and 

driven 500 miles to his country home at 

Ovim,Abia State, where it was all 

ransacked and then routed back to 

Lagos, a non- stop 48-hour ordeal and 

he said nothing. And called no public 

attention to intimidation. 

Aka Ikenga mourns the passage of a 

lion of a man. A man to go to war with. 

May the Good Lord grant him eternal 

rest. May the Good Lord welcome him 

and may He also console and counsel 

the family and all of us he left behind. 

Farewell, Ugwumba, you lived true 

to your name, Ugwumba, our pride, our 

totem, our Ikenga, Dike na agha, Dike 

na Udo, Rear Admiral of the Fleet. May 

your kind increase. 

•Late Ndubuisi Kanu

SATURDAY Vanguard, OCTOBER 16 , 2021—31 

Save us from bad road, Gberigbe residents cry out 


The deplorable state of the 

Gberigbe road, Ikorodu which 

has most of its parts, completely 

abandoned for years now, has made 

life unbearable for communities, 

business owners and regular road users 

in the area. 

The worst parts of the road which have 

been long occupied by stagnant flood; 

looking more like swamp are; AP, One 

Fold, Ayo Block, Fomon and Ewu Owa 

bustops. 

From Ewu Owa junction, to Gberigbe bus 

stop and beyond, there are many terrible 

bad spots but the earlier mentioned bus 

stops are worse; they’ve been cut-off 

completely from the rest of the road for years 

now. For a long time, commuters going to 

Ikorodu garage, abandoned the road, 

diverting through Pipeline into Imowo Nla 

and out to AP bus stop before continuing 

their journey towards Elepe and, then to 

Ikorodu Garage. 

As a result of the state of disrepair of 

the road, many businesses have either 

relocated or folded up. Those who are 

left, are enduring poor sales while 

hoping and praying that Lagos State 

Government comes to their aid soon. 

It’s worst that local government 

officials still go about collecting shop 

permits, while residents pay between 

five and six hundred naira as transport 

fare, especially while coming back 

from Ikorodu garage. 

So much noise has been made about 

this road over the years, yet nothing 

has been done. People are beginning 

to wonder if truly this area is part of 

Lagos state. 

Mr Ibegbulem, a Keke driver who 

plies Gberigbe to Elepe route, 

lamented how the road has made his 

job difficult. “My machine is on hire 

purchase and because of the terrible 

road, it’s difficult for me to make enough 

to deliver and service the machine 

which is breaking down anyhow. From 

Gberigbe to Elepe is supposed to be 

about 10 minutes but now, it takes almost 

one hour. Even the Imowo Nla road we 

diverted to is very bad. We are just 

managing it”. 

It is this same Gberigbe road that once 

served as a link road to Imota and Epe 

axis of the state as well as best option 

for interstate transporters who used to 

connect the East via Imota, down to 

Ijebu Ode onward Ore-Benin road; all 

that ended once the road became 

pathetically an eyesore. 

“We have been battling poor sales, now 

you can see, it is no sales at all”, Iya 

Ayo, a mother of three who deals on 

cloth materials, lamented. According to 

her, “You can see that I just started selling 

cooked rice because nobody is buying 

cloth. This area has been cut-off for a long 

time and vehicles no longer pass here. 

What will I do? My children must eat” 

Another shop owner, Baba Agbaje, a 

pensioner, whose tools business has 

suffered due to the appalling state of the 

Gberigbe road, condemned the Local 

Government for being insensitive to the 

plight of people in the area, saying that 

“all these years, all they know is collect 

shop permit. Instead of waiting till the 

construction of the road by the state 

government, why can’t Local 

Government do some palliatives on it? 

Now we are completely cut off from 

the rest of the road. We need urgent 

help please”. 

Tiffany-Annabelle explores world of women in debut exhibition 


Lovers of beautiful art pieces are 

in for a real treat as emerging 

contemporary artist, Tiffany- 

Annabelle Davies is set for her debut 

solo exhibition in Nigeria. 

Titled ‘MissAligned’, the exhibition 

opening on October 17, 2021 at No 

Parking Lagos, Onikan, Lagos, explores 

the societal challenges women 

faced in 2020 during the outbreak of 

COVID-19 pandemic crisis. 

Curated by cultural worker and seasoned 

curator, Naomi Edobor, ‘MissAligned’, 

which features a collection 

of charcoal, acrylic and oil pastel 

works on paper and canvas, will run 

till October 24, 2021. 

Intimate storytelling forms the basis 

of the inspired debut from Tiffany-Annabelle. 

Conceptualized during the 

global lockdown, Tiffany-Annabelle 

draws on sources ranging from anxiety, 

female identity and body morphology, 

whilst exploring personal struggles 

amplified during Isolation and 

revealing the artist’s ability to infer 

from a nexus of ideas, embodying the 

very act of breaking up and sharing. 

‘MissAligned’ is a play on the root 

word that translates imperfection; the 

societal title “Miss”, given to every 

female when they come into the world. 

There is complexity in composition, 

achieved through overlapping techniques 

in the artist’s work while the 

technique gives the public a specific 

context that takes shape only in dialogue. 

“The body of each woman is 

perfect with its imperfections”, Davies 

noted, setting the tone for an emotional, 

artistic display centered on the fragility 

and 

resilience 

of womanhood. 

Much of 

her works 

exist to evoke emotions based on the 

conversations and observations she 

has in her community. “My technique 

is constantly evolving as I explore the 

different mediums that I experiment 

with at various stages of my career,” the 

artist said. 

Speaking further on 

the subject of her exhibition 

as well as 

where she draws inspiration 

from, the talented 

artist, who is the 

daughter of ex-Miss 

World beauty queen, 

Helen Prest-Ajayi, 

said she has always 

been drawn to the 

symbol of the triangle, 

which signified her desire 

to create new bridges 

of reflection. “Juxtaposed 

against the fluid 

lines of the female form, 

we are reminded that 

women, in all stages of 

their lives, are encouraged 

to achieve certain 

perfections which have 

grown into societal 

pressures. 

“Visitors at the ‘MissAligned’ 

show will be wowed by its elegant 

and, refreshing approach to female 

‘narrativization’ from a young contemporary 

artist with a background in Law- a 

welcome addition to Nigeria’s creative 

scene.

C 

M 

Y 

K 

32—SATURDAY Vanguard, , OCTOBER 16, 2021 

2020 was a special year for the world 

at large. It will always have its special 

place in the annals of history. It was 

the year a humbled, perplexed and 

befuddled world literally shut down 

when the rumour of a looming 

pandemic became a reality. And with 

this reality came other realities; that 

for all their arrogance, the world’s 

leading countries have no answers to 

the many problems they are 

unwittingly creating; that they do not 

have the wherewithal, despite 

grandstanding, to play god; that the 

seed of the world’s destruction could 

be sown by the hands of some of these 

megalomaniac leaders who seek to 

control the world. It was the year an 

overwhelmed world was forced to its 

knees in surrender to a force beyond 

its control and religious adherents 

voluntarily fell on their knees in 

supplication to the One who controls 

all forces. 

For Nigeria, 2020 was a year it would 

wish it could forget but which might 

be difficult if not impossible to forget. 

It started with the lockdown and for 

two months, almost everything from 

commerce to religion to romance stood 

still. Even the air we breathed became 

almost suffocating in its stillness. Just 

as we were coming up for air and 

thanking God that the worst of the 

Covid-19 predictions did not 

materialise in the country, the 

#ENDSARS protest reared its 

devastating head. Its after effect on 

the economy and in casualties turned 

out to be worse than the preceding 

Covid-19 pandemic – but it also came 

with its own realities.The rest of the 

year was capped by insurgency and 

terrorism described benignly in selfdenial 

by the nation as attacks from 

bandits and herdsmen. The solution 

to insurgency and terrorism will start 

when we stop playing the ostrich and 

face the realities of what has hit us 

and how we came to be where we are. 

It has been a year now that tanks 

rolled, guns boomed and bodies 

allegedly fell around the Lekki Toll 

Gate in Lagos. Before that fateful 

October 20 incident however, public 

buildings had been burnt, historical 

It was a shock seeing Governor 

Godwin Obaseki of Edo State 

ordering members of the Peoples 

Democratic Party, PDP opposed to his 

plans for harmonization of the 

executive of the party at all levels to 

leave the party. 

He spoke at a gathering of 

stakeholders where the decision to 

suspend the national vice-chairman of 

the party, South-South, Chief Dan 

Orbih from the party was adopted. 

The developments in the Edo State 

chapter of the PDP flow from the 

defection of Obaseki to the PDP 

penultimate June. It came upon the 

determination of Comrade Adams 

Oshiomhole to use his position as 

national chairman of the All 

Progressives Congress, APC, to stop 

Obaseki from having the second term 

ticket of the APC. The Edo State 

governor at that time last 

June was practically 

reduced to a political 

wanderer. 

It was a sight to behold 

that day last June at the 

APC national secretariat 

as Governor Obaseki, 

clutched his credentials 

as he appeared before a 

committee constituted by 

Oshiomhole to defend 

allegations of certificate 

forgery. 

For one reason or the 

other, the Oshiomhole 

panel eventually 

disqualified the same 

man that four years ago, 

Oshiomhole had stumped 

through Edo State to 

enthrone governor. 

After Obaseki was 

forced out from the APC, and following 

flying visits across the country – Uyo- 

Port-Harcourt-Asaba- he landed in 

Benin where the PDP grudgingly 

One Year After: What lessons did 

we learn from the #Endsars 

protest? 

monuments destroyed and commercial 

houses looted. Institutions that 

embodied law and order like the 

Prisons and Police Stations were 

violated and desecrated 

with their officials 

disrobed, disgraced and 

in some cases, killed. 

Even before all of that, 

the nation watched as 

the agenda of the protest 

changed; as ranks of 

articulate youths were 

infiltrated by hoodlums; 

as peaceful protests 

became violent and 

friendly protesters 

became unfriendly 

harassers. It was a 

protest that shook the 

nation to its core. A 

protest of the 

improbable that became 

possible. A protest that 

showed once again, that 

the line between order 

and chaos can indeed be 

very thin. A protest that 

offered lessons on both sides. 

The first lesson for me is the power of 

the digital world and how a protest of 

that scale was organised and prosecuted 

without the authorities knowing or 

being able to stop it. Or that it can 

happen again. We always knew the 

youths were disgruntled because we 

accepted him. 

Two men who were crucial to the final 

acceptance of Obaseki into the party were 

Ogbeide Ihama, the member 

representing Oredo Federal Constituency 

in the House of Representatives and Dan 

Orbih, the man who had built and held 

the party in the days of 

the wilderness when 

Oshiomhole was in 

power. 

At the time Obaseki 

came in, Ogbeide-Ihama 

One can only imagine 

the imagination of 

Comrade Oshiomhole at 

this time. After repeated 

disappointments, 

Oshiomhole may now 

laugh as Obaseki who 

seemingly betrayed him 

and Orbih who 

tormented him 

government fight one 

another. 

was in pole position to 

emerge as the PDP 

candidate for the 2020 

governorship election, 

having built synergy with 

the party structure across 

the state that was 

effectively in the control 

of Orbih. 

For a man that had set 

his sight to be governor 

in 2020 it was unarguably 

a bitter pill being asked 

by party grandees in 

Abuja to resign for the 

governor to take the 

ticket. 

Especially given the tardiness that 

characterized the process at that time, 

Ogbiede Ihama had the opportunity to 

scupper the emergence of Obaseki as the 

party’s candidate by insisting that the 

Last year’s protest 

could easily have led 

to another Arab 

Spring with its 

consequences – 

there are people who 

don’t mind if the 

country went to the 

dogs 

had disenfranchised them while ogling 

the resources of the land. But the level 

of their angst - even from youths in the 

diaspora who want to reclaim their 

country - was an eye opener. Another 

insight is that a protest 

is not the only thing the 

organisers can use their 

digital savvy to put 

together. They can use 

it to put a candidate of 

their choice in Aso Rock 

if they apply the same 

knowledge, cohesion, 

mobilisation skills and 

righteous anger - they 

have the numbers 

anyway, to borrow a 

now popular phrase. I 

hope they have learnt 

that protests can be 

stained no matter how 

pure the original plan 

was; they can be 

diffused no matter how 

focused the original 

purpose was; they can 

be hijacked no matter 

how tight the original 

strategists thought their hold was. I also 

hope they have learnt not to stay on the 

street for too long and to accept their 

victories in small doses. An all or 

nothing fight gets protracted, dissipates 

energy, diffuses focus, harden lines on 

both sides and allows for infiltration. But 

Oshiomhole laughs as Obaseki 

fights again 

timeline for the process had been 

breached. He could have affirmed that the 

bus had left the station by the time 

Obaseki entered. 

He was, however, made to withdraw 

alongside other leading contenders. 

At that time too, Orbih had relinquished 

his position as party chairman in favour 

of Dr. Tony Aziegbemi, the former member 

of the House of Representatives. However, 

as everyone in Edo knows, the Edo PDP 

had over the years been infused with the 

fighting spirit that Orbih brought to bear. 

With Orbih as party chairman, the PDP 

had put the Oshiomhole led APC to task 

in elections winning the majority of 

National Assembly seats and numbers in 

presidential counts in 2011, 2105 and 

2019. 

However, Orbih like Ogbeide-Ihama 

also kowtowed to the party grandees plea 

and became Obaseki’s campaign 

manager in 2019. The sight of Orbih on 

the rostrum campaigning for Obaseki did 

not foretell the kind of development now 

ensuing in Edo. 

The suspension of Orbih and Ogbeide- 

Ihama, the two critical factors in 

Obaseki’s emergence as governor must 

have befuddled many. Especially given 

that it was under the watch of the governor. 

Obaseki’s allies allege that the two men 

were frustrating the governor’s move to 

harmonise the PDP structure. For them it 

is especially painful that ahead of the PDP 

the most important lesson in my mind is 

that these young people proved that a 

protest of this nature with people pulling 

together from different parts of the world 

is doable. Not just to end police brutality 

but to also address other specifics in the 

country. The brains that put #endSARS in 

motion must be careful not to let it get to 

their heads. Last year’s protest could easily 

have led to another Arab Spring with its 

consequences – there are people who don’t 

mind if the country went to the dogs. 

Getting good leadership that will attend to 

the myriad of problems of the youths in 

the country and halt the emigration of our 

young and talented ones should be the 

priority now. 

As for government, the speed with which 

it acceded to the demands of the protesters 

to end police brutality as symbolised by 

SARS showed it was taken by surprise. It 

soon became clear that SARS was not the 

only issue the protesters wanted redressed. 

But beyond the initial surprise and 

reaction, government had become 

characteristically lethargic to other issues. 

The elements of surprise had worn off and 

the issues that led to the protests have been 

buried under the carpet. The committees 

and commissions set up to address some 

of these issues have been quietly taken off 

the radar. It is now business as usual for 

our politicians. 2023 is the new focus and 

concerns of the Nigerian youths have 

become side issues - the propensity of our 

politicians to self-destruct boggles the 

mind. I advise the leadership to revisit the 

issues that led to #endSARS while it is still 

possible to do so in a reasoned manner. 

Even the blind can see that the youths are 

marginalised and the opportunities to selfactualise 

are dwindling everyday for them. 

Even the foolhardy knows that some 

structures have to be tinkered with for 

Nigeria to survive. The situation in the 

country has become much more volatile 

than it was this time last year. The youths 

all over the country have become more 

restive and more desperate. Violence and 

crime are coming more easily to them now. 

With what is on the ground right now, 

another protest like #endSARS could make 

the country ungovernable. An Arab Spring 

should be everybody’s nightmare. 

Government can nip it in the bud by going 

back to – or even beyond - the reports that 

are gathering dust. The clock is ticking. 

National Convention this October that the 

governor would not be in a position to have 

a say in the Edo delegate list which they claim 

is being dictated by Orbih. 

Even more, the governor’s allies allege 

underhand schemes by Orbih and the Old 

PDP to frustrate the governor through many 

court actions and underhand schemes. 

The development has led to the new phrase 

in Benin that “Obaseki should take his 

government and leave our party for us.” 

The division has been hampered by the 

seeming lack of communication on the part 

of the governor. The nomination of 11 new 

commissioners all from the former APC 

helped to worsen perceptions about a 

governor regarded everywhere as a fighter. 

“How can you bring all 11 commissioners 

from your side after taking deputy governor 

and SSG,” many in the Old PDP have been 

asking. 

Sources say that the governor has promised 

another 10 commissioners for the Old PDP 

but after harmonization. 

However, what Obaseki and perhaps the 

Old PDP are not seeing is the role of fifth 

columnists in the whole matter. That is the 

role of PDP chieftains who lost out during 

the congresses in 2020, chieftains with 

national reputation but bereft of local 

support. A number of these chieftains have 

been egging Obaseki on in his new fight with 

the intention that what they lost during the 

congresses of 2020 that they would get 

through harmonization. 

In his first fight with Oshiomhole, the 

Obaseki crowd was able to get the executive 

in Oshiomhole’s ward to suspend him. In 

Orbih’s case, that has been unsuccessful 

putting the whole suspension drama into a 

constitutional nullity. 

Social media is now suffixed with Obaseki 

as a fighter and a man of ingratitude. It 

doesn’t do him good, especially given his sight 

towards a legacy. One can only imagine the 

imagination of Comrade Oshiomhole at this 

time. After repeated disappointments, 

Oshiomhole may now laugh as Obaseki who 

seemingly betrayed him and Orbih who 

tormented him government fight one another.

For Nigerians, yes, every Nigerian 

except the Foreign Exchange 

speculator who procures the dollar at 

the official rate and sells the same at 

the parallel market, it has been a tale 

of woe since 2015. And that story has 

not changed. And worst of all, 

President Mohammadu Buhari’s 2001 

budget speech showed that things are 

not about to become better concerning 

the value of the Naira. 

Yet, may we first survey the scene 

before returning! September 30, 

2021, the Naira depreciated at official 

window despite a 266% increase in 

dollar supply. Yes, you that that 

percentage bit quite right; the Naira 

value still depreciated against the 

dollar though a 226 percent increase 

gushed into the market. So, the fact 

remains that on Wednesday, 

September 29, 2021, the exchange 

rate between the Naira and the US 

dollar closed at N414.73/$1, at the 

official investors and exporters 

window. That represented a 0.06% 

drop when compared to N414.50/$1 

recorded on Tuesday, September 

28,2021. 

Actually, on the September date 

mentioned above, the Naira recorded 

a third consecutive fall at the official 

window despite 118% jump in dollar 

supply. Now, it is not every day that 

the amount of the American dollar that 

is put into the market experiences 

such a dramatic increase. So, to 

reduce the amount of suffering which 

Nigerians have been wedded to since 

2015 because of ever increasing price 

of goods, the government must have 

an innovative way to stem the fall of 

the Naira and control the galloping 

inflation that has been battering the 

Nigerian economy and is making the 

life of the average Nigerian a living 

hell. 

Buhari acknowledged that much 

when he granted in his budget 

speech that,”The Nigerian economy 

is currently facing serious 

challenges, with the macroeconomic 

environment being significantly 

disrupted by the Coronavirus 

Pandemic. Real Gross Domestic 

It is necessary to mention that human 

existential journeys flounder 

between purposeful movement and 

directionless wanderings because of our 

deprived nature. Consequent to man’s 

connatural imperfection, the struggle for 

the driver of this existential journey 

competes with the struggle for direction. 

The superego’s persistent effort to be on 

the driver’s seat suffers a defeat whenever 

reason recedes into disuse. In such an 

eclipse of reason, the momentary victory 

of the ego or id awards defeat to 

humanity. The battleground for this 

axiomatic war shifts according to times 

and climes. Presently, the sacred identity, 

inviolable dignity and irrepressible right 

to life of every person, especially the 

unborn, constitute the nouveau 

battleground. 

Ego, consisting of the individual’s 

coalesced personal conscious app 

operating system, safeguards one’s 

interest. On the other hand, the superego, 

the union of the social mores that norm 

human actions in a given 

society, connects one with 

society and the 

supernatural. They nudge 

humans to act with reason 

consistent with their 

wellbeing and the health of 

society. The culture of death, 

manifesting as abortion, 

spells a failure of reason and 

humanity among the 

perpetrators. Otherwise, it is 

counter-intuitive that 

humans who are supposed to 

invest immensely in 

protecting life destroy it. 

Though abortion has the 

signature of legislative 

approval in some countries, 

it lacks the stamp of divine 

support. In such instances, 

abortion is the real capital 

punishment through which 

humans without capital suffer 

punishment for the faults of others. These 

potentates offer various alibis that 

neither justify nor excuse their unjust acts 

against the innocent. Their utilitarian 

and mercantile understanding of life 

excludes its fundamental meaning as a 

How do the poor survive trouble 

with Naira? 

a? 

Product (‘GDP’) growth declined 

by 6.1 percent in the second 

quarter of 2020. This ended the 3- 

year trend of positive, 

but modest, real GDP 

growth recorded since 

the second quarter of 

2017. I am glad to note 

that, through our 

collective efforts, our 

economy performed 

relatively better than that 

of many other developed 

and emerging 

economies.” 

He continued with 

even worse news: “GDP 

growth is projected to be 

negative in the third 

quarter of this year. As 

such, our economy may 

lapse into the second 

recession in four years, 

with significant adverse 

consequences.” 

Part of the reason why 

the economy will remains in 

trouble is that, as Buhari 

explained, “On the expenditure 

side, as at the end of July 2020, a 

total of N5.37 trillion had been 

spent as against the pro-rated 

expenditure of N5.82 trillion. 

Accordingly, the deficit was N3.27 

Abor 

bortion: Eclipse of reason and 

defeat of humanity 

mystery and network of mutual 

generosity. 

In abortion, humans succumb to 

enslavement by comfort and 

dictatorship of convenience. While it 

is undeniable that 

women often face 

difficult moments 

relative to 

pregnancies, yet 

nothing justifies a 

The culture of 

death, 

manifesting as 

abortion, spells a 

failure of reason 

and humanity 

among the 

perpetrators 

wilful killing of an 

innocent human 

being. Challenges 

facing a mother for 

an unprepared 

pregnancy might be 

daunting; however, 

the preborn child 

should not on any 

account pay the 

price. Since 

everyone has an 

inalienable right to 

life, then nothing 

justifies a wilful 

termination of the 

life of another person 

under any guise. 

Headaches are not cured by cutting off 

the head. While the situation might 

seem irredeemable, a child should not 

bear the consequences of the 

misdemeanour of adults. It is 

outsourcing punishment to the most 

innocent of all. 

So, what are the 

m a g i c 

programmes that 

should enable 

Nigeria to 

drastically reduce 

her borrowing 

binge? The 

president said 

nothing further 

pertaining to that 


trillion. This represents 66 percent of 

the revised budgeted deficit for the 

full year.” Did I hear you ask:”66 

what?” Well, the president said it 

with his own 

lips:”66 percent of 

the revised budget 

deficit for the full 

year.” In case you 

failed to process 

the information 

fully, your 

president said your 

2020 budget 

suffered a 66- 

percent deficit of 

the 

total 

expenditure. That 

means that your 

nation’s revenue 

could fund less 

than half of the 

2020 budgeted 

expenditure. 

And then as 

though debt 

servicing charges 

have no bearing 

whatsoever on the money available 

to develop the nation by meeting 

budgetary expenditures, the 

president added:”Despite these 

challenges, we met our debt service 

obligations. We are also up to date 

on the payment of statutory transfers 

The victim’s innocence laments the evil 

of the power so cruel as to murder the 

innocent in abortion. With such an 

objectionable use of brutal force, doctors 

and healthcare workers submit their 

ingenuity to horrific murder, spilling the 

blood of the innocent. Irrespective of the 

intention, it is never permissible to do evil 

for the seemingly prospective good. And 

in this matter, since science has proved 

that an unborn baby is human, abortion 

is a termination of human life. No wonder 

our law system recognises that when a 

man kills a pregnant mother, the person 

is charged for killing two victims. As such, 

the child is already recognised as human. 

This is not to introduce the argument of 

faith, which is quite obvious that no 

person who truly wants to serve God 

righteously will support such a heinous 

evil. By implication, there is an implicit 

or explicit knowledge that abortion is evil 

before God. Hence, to be at peace with 

God and self, one will not support 

abortion. 

Within this regime of utility as the logic 

of life, human life is stripped of sacredness 

and death is emptied of mystery. It is the 

sovereignty in which the unbridled id 

reigns, and under this sovereignty of 

instincts, unhealed emotion and untaught 

habits terrorise the human person. Within 

this scenario, the culture of convenience, 

which functions perfectly in the pleasure 

industry, makes abortion the only viable 

option. 

Making the right choices corresponds 

and staff salaries, while overhead costs 

have been significantly covered.” 

The president sweetened his speech 

when it appeared as though he was 

ready to defend the Naira with new 

programmes when he said: “Let me 

emphasize that revenue generation 

remains our major challenge. 

Nevertheless, the government is 

determined to tackle the persisting 

problems with domestic resource 

mobilization, as there is a limit to deficit 

financing through borrowing. The time 

has come for us to maintain a healthy 

balance between meeting our growing 

expenditure commitments and our longterm 

public financial health.” 

So, what are the magic programmes 

that should enable Nigeria to drastically 

reduce her borrowing binge? The 

president said nothing further 

pertaining to that. 

To your columnist, these are the 

numbers that actually matter: The 

budget envisaged a foreign exchange 

rate of N379 per US Dollar. “Debt 

Servicing will gulp all of N3.124 trillion. 

The deficit will be financed mainly by 

new borrowings totaling N4.28 trillion, 

N205.15 billion from privatization 

proceeds and N709.69 billion in 

drawdowns on multilateral and bilateral 

loans secured for specific projects and 

programmes.” 

So, coming from the president’s mouth 

is this message:nothing will change. 

And that is bad news for until a drastic 

change takes place on the economy, a 

change that will improve the value of 

the Naira, reduce the nation’s debt 

liability and improve its industrial 

productivity rate, Nigeria will remember 

what it is at present; a sorry story. As 

the value of the Naira continues to sink, 

so does the cost of everything, from food 

stuff, including the food grown in 

Nigeria, the pump price of petrol, school 

fees, cost of medicament, auto and 

industrial spare parts, clothing, any 

essential you can think of, continue to 

rise. Why this has not occurred to the 

members of the Federal Executive 

Council beats my imagination. And if 

this bothers the finance minister in any 

way, she has not shown it. 

to the grammar of life. Nevertheless, it is 

undeniable that some circumstances appear 

so challenging and confusing that a victim 

thinks of absolutely no choice for unfounded 

or real fear. Such situations make abortion 

seem compelling and inevitable. However, 

it remains a morally depraved and dastardly 

act to summarize one’s life and delete 

someone’s aspiration forever and deny them 

the opportunity of experiencing the goodness 

of God in the world. Indeed, abortion denies 

the world the gift from God with possibilities 

of the positive impact of epochal dimension. 

Despite the illegality of abortion in 

Nigeria, the bloodletting in hidden and 

known abortuaries make a mess of the 

sacredness of life. These abortions feed the 

rivers of blood with the innocent blood of 

the unborn babies killed with the full 

cooperation of their mothers and death-care 

professionals. The value of human life in 

Nigeria makes the Hobbesian state of nature 

an eldorado. It is not only that life is short, 

brutish but the scale of its destruction spells 

a culture of death. It baffles one’s 

imagination how a society strongly professes 

the sacredness of life, yet the actual culture 

is death. Though the law remains prohibitive 

relative to abortion, it goes on unchecked. 

Hence, these abortion-related deaths in 

health facilities expose the hypocrisy and 

inefficiency of the law enforcement agencies. 

Sadly, the killings by these law 

enforcement agents, at the slightest 

provocation, fund the enthronement of the 

culture of death. The government slumbers 

while the killer herdsmen kill with abandon 

and doctors and politicians refill the rivers 

of blood in Nigeria. Unfortunately, in a 

scenario where utility serves as the logic of 

life, its value is measured by the productivity 

factor. As life is stripped of sacredness and 

death emptied of mystery, citizens engage 

in devotion without discipline, and piety 

without virtues, promoting self-serving 

religiosity similar to the prevailing corrupt 

politics and socio-economics. Hopefully, if 

the rule of just law is instituted, it will 

certainly help to put undisciplined id to 

check and snatch victory from the 

sovereignty of instincts and reverse the 

triumph of the id. When emotions are healed, 

and habits taught, we can hope to have a 

culture of life where the inviolable dignity 

and sacredness of the human life is respected, 

whether in the womb or world.


This sounds like fairy tale. Enugu 

Rangers got 25,000 naira from 

General Olusegun Obasanjo in 

1977 for lifting the African Winners Cup. 

Forty four years later, the players are 

waiting for their share of the money. 

It does appear that the largesse was 

shared by government and club officials in 

what appeared like a bazaar. And to cap it 

all, there are claims that part of the money 

was used to hire new players at the end of 

the 1977 season. 

This defence does not hold water because 

the governor of Anambra State in 1978, 

Col. John Atom Kpera provided all that the 

Flying Antelopes needed to excel and was 

ever willing to increase subvention to attract 

new players. 

Kpera was Camp Commandant of the 

Games Village during the Lagos ’73 Second 

All Africa Games. He 

loved soccer and did well 

for his state team. Even 

his wife, Ruth Ayam 

Kpera followed Rangers 

keenly during her days in 

Enugu. 

My investigations 

showed that when some 

senior players tried to 

call attention to the 

Obasanjo Award and 

envisaged a sharing 

formula that included 

Junior players,they were 

suspended. 

Among those 

sanctioned were 

Christian Madu, 

popularly called ‘Gabu’ 

by the junior players, 

Chimezie ‘Watch me’ 

Ngadi, Stanley 

‘Englishman’ 

O k o r o n k w o , 

Okwuchukwu ‘Stone’ Anigbogu and 

Francis ‘ German Wall’ Nwosu. 

It sounded crazy that Ngadi,who was the 

club’s leading scorer in the African Winners 

Cup with five goals including a hattrick 

against Electric Company of Ethiopia 

would be suspended for fighting injustice. 

Madu, who was lured back from 

Ghanaian side, Accra Great Olympics was 

eventually sacked. His wife, part of Rangers’ 

medical team was also fired. Gabu scored 

against Canon Sportif, Cameroun in Lagos. 

Right winger, Sam Onyeaka who was 

bloodied in Dakar, Senegal by fans of AS 

Police after he laid an assist for Ngadi to 

score, before firing goal number two, is 

still in the dark about what happened to the 

money. 

Speaking with some of these stars could 

force tears down one’s cheeks. And we got 

chatting.Onyeaka, an Engineer, lives in 

Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. Arthur Ebunam, 

a Textile Engineer stays in Powder Springs, 

Georgia. 

Aloysius Atuegbu and Okey Isima are 

dead but their brothers spoke. Fidelis, the 

youngest of the Famous Five Atuegbu 

Brothers has a home in Livermore, 

California. Ndu Isima is based in Durban, 

South Africa. 

Onyeaka said : “ Emeka, this will touch 

some nerves, wake up the dead and weaken 

souls. Did any player benefit from the 

Uzor Maxim Uzoatu 

he Nobel Prize in Literature is Alfred 

TNobel’s dynamite gift of controversy 

that can blow up the world. 

British playwright and the 1926 Nobel 

Prize winner, George Bernard Shaw, said: 

“I can forgive Alfred Nobel for having 

invented dynamite, but only a fiend in 

human form could have invented the 

Nobel Prize.” 

It is a prize that has turned into a yearly 

ritual of polemics and brickbats once a 

novelist or playwright or poet or lyricist 

as in Bob Dylan is announced as the 

winner of the much coveted prize. 

A partisan of the crowned writer can 

blow his vuvuzela in loud celebration 

thusly: “My writer is bigger than yours!” 

Antagonists would always damn the 

Swedish Academy as a secret cult whose 

ways can be equated with neither rhyme 

nor reason. Since the first award of the 

Nobel Prize in 1901, the entire world has 

been seized by the jugular without any 

foreseeable respite. 

The Nobel Prize upped the ante in 

surprise when none of the writers named 

by the bookies at Ladbrokes in Britain as 

possible winners of the 2021 prize could 

gain the diadem. 

It was such a shocker when the Swedish 

Academy anointed the unheralded 

Tanzanian novelist Abdulrazak Gurnah 

“for his uncompromising and 

Where’s our money? 

•Rangers s ’77 7 Cup Winners s cry y out 

Obasanjo 25,000 naira 

reward, I don’t know. It is still a secret kept 

away from me till today. I was considered a 

rebel and nothing of such came my way.” 

I was shocked to hear this from a man 

nicknamed 404 by ace commentator Ernest 

Okonkwo and known to friends as 

‘Achimota’. 

“Yes, Rangers supporters wouldn’t know 

the pains, the hardship some players 

endured to keep them happy. Were the 

players happy even after winning a match? 

Hell NO. 

“The officials ( not coaches and 

team managers), earned more 

than the players, win or lose. Wait 

until you hear what it took to 

feed Rangers players outside the 

country. You have to find that out 

by yourself”,Onyeaka added. 

“I got nothing, after I gave all 

my life, sacrificing my flesh and 

blood but we kept playing to 

satisfy our brothers and sisters. 

Their support was all that 

mattered to us. Many players 

were oppressed and their 

careers terminated for being 

outspoken.” 

Ebunam, was one of the 

younger players. “ I was quite 

young and observed a lot. We 

did not see the money given to us at 

Dodan Barracks. That was the major reason 

I decided to move to Standard of Jos, with 

Okey Isima and Humphrey Okechukwu,” 

he told me. 

“ I left for the United States in 1979 but 

that was after Standard defeated Rangers 

home and away. It was my subtle way of 

protesting. 

“ I returned to Rangers in 1983 but again, 

management wasn’t ready to do the right 

thing. So I went back to the North. I joined 

BCC Lions in 1984 and later El Kanemi 

Warriors. In the North, you get paid your 

Nobel Prize As Mother Of All Controversies 

compassionate penetration of the effects 

of colonialism and the fate of the refugees 

in the gulf between cultures and 

continents.” 

Some of the outraged critics cried that 

Abdulrazak Gurnah is unknown while 

others deposed that he is obscure, even as 

many others exclaimed that they had 

never read any of his books. 

For me, Abdulrazak Gurnah must rank 

amongst the most noble of winners of the 

Nobel Prize in Literature. No serious 

controversy whatsoever really dogs him, 

and attention-seeking is definitely not his 

forte. It is little wonder then that not many 

of the literati could dwell much on his 

person or his writing oeuvre when he was 

acclaimed “in the field of literature, 

produced the most outstanding work in 

an idealistic direction”, as the Nobel Prize 

evinces. 

Even when he was reached on phone 

with the breaking news of his winning the 

coveted prize, he thought somebody was 

playing pranks on him, that it was all a 

joke! 

For a novelist who had been hard at 

work since 1987 when he published his 

first novel, Memory of Departure and has 

published nine other novels thus far, 

Abdulrazak Gurnah is definitely unafraid 

of “The Loneliness of the Long Distance 

Runner”, to borrow the title of Alan 

Sillitoe’s long story. 

Abdulrazak Gurnah had earned some 

attention when his 1994 novel Paradise 

was shortlisted for both the Booker Prize 

and Whitbread Prize. 

He won my attention and deep respect 

for being associated with Susheila 

Nasta’s trailblazing magazine, Wasafiri, 

a magazine I have written for. 

Incidentally, my nomination for the 

2008 Caine Prize for African Writing was 

for “Cemetery of Life”, a short story 

published by Wasafiri magazine. 

Wasafiri is family, so Abdulrazak 

Gurnah’s winning of the Nobel Prize in 

Literature also belongs to me. 

Anybody who is annoyed by this chestbeating 

should aspire to write for 

Wasafiri! 

It is indeed worthy of celebration that 

Abdulrazak Gurnah’s uncommon 

consistency has won for him the most 

coveted of prizes – the Nobel. 

It is neither here nor there joining the 

pundits in debating whether Ngugi wa 

Thiong’o ought to have won the prize 

instead. 

This is as unnecessary as the unending 

Nigerian debate on the Nobel Prize 

between partisans of Wole Soyinka and 

Chinua Achebe. 

The discomforting truth of course is that 

some eminent writers who could not win 

the Nobel Prize in Literature included 

Leo Tolstoy, Anton Chekhov, Henrik 

Ibsen, August Strindberg, Mark Twain, 

Bertolt Brecht, Marcel Proust, F. Scott 

worth and they were honest in dealing with 

players.” 

Fidelis Atuegbu would not spare the 

officials. 

He said : “ Our people need to know the 

complete story. As a country, we cannot 

continue to cover up misdeeds under the 

misguided notion of sparing the 

sensitivities of people in high places. 

“It is our History and it needs to be told. 

That way, our future generation can learn 

from it.” 

Ndu Isima said : “ Jim Nwobodo took 

every necessary step to bring Okey back to 

Rangers. I was at the Governor’s office when 

the final deal was struck. Okey got the 

money he deserved and was able to build a 

house in the village and got married 

subsequently.” 

Patrick Ekeji moved to Rangers after the 

African Winners Cup victory. 

Nwobodo had become Chairman 

of the club and facilitated the move. 

Ekeji was offered a Volkswagen 

Beetles. He settled for the cash 

equivalent. 

Sir Felix Nduka Chigbufue, a 

Rangers fan was at the Institute of 

Management and Technology 

Enugu in 1977 and got an Inside 

gist. “Firstly, from the money, 

management used 2,500 naira to 

buy a brand new Volkswagen 

Beetles to lure Adokiye Amiesimaka 

to Rangers. I had a friend who was 

very close to the team,” Chigbufue 

said. 

The Flying Antelopes did not 

defend the African Winners Cup in 

1978. They went for the elite Africa 

Cup for Champion Clubs (today’s 

CAF Champions League). The 

players who had been denied their 

share of the Obasanjo Bonanza put 

heads together. 

In the semifinals against Canon Sportif, 

the same team they beat to lift the African 

Winners Cup in 1977, Rangers played dumb 

and dragged the match into penalty shoot 

out. And the Nigerians made sure their 

opponents won. 

In the FA Cup grand finale against Bendel 

Insurance, some of the players deliberately 

went drinking on the eve of the game. At 

4.00 am on match day, a key member of the 

team lay on the floor of his hotel room dead 

drunk. That was how Insurance earned a 3- 

0 jackpot. 

The Flying Antelopes decided not to win 

any trophy in 1978 because they feared and 

rightly so, that club officials would take all 

the credit and make more money. It was 

the best way to stop ‘ monkey dey work, 

baboon dey chop’. 

Former Green Eagles and Shooting Stars 

defender, Dr. Felix Owolabi could not spare 

the officials. “So, so sad and a big shame to 

Nigeria,” Owoblow said. 

For four years after 1978, Rangers did not 

go continental. The officials were denied 

estacode and ridiculous pilfering of money 

meant for players welfare. 

The equivalent of 25,000 naira donated 

in 1977 is over 50,000 million naira today. 

Enugu Rangers have not won any trophy 

outside Nigeria since 1978. Perhaps, there 

should be atonement by those officials, dead 

or alive. 

Fitzgerald etc. Remarkably each of these 

deathless writers were officially 

nominated for the prize but could not win 

it while some relatively unknown worthies 

won the Nobel Prize in Literature over 

these masters, namely Mommsen, 

Eucken, Heidenstam, Spitteler, Reymont, 

Karlfeldt, Jensen, Martinson etc. 

With the global gravitas of the Nobel 

nobody now reckons with the fact that it 

is in fine a Swedish literature prize. 

The worldwide attention given to the 

Nobel Prize in Literature has thus brewed 

the broth of the mother of all 

controversies. 

As the legendary wag Oscar Wilde 

knows, “The only thing worse than being 

talked about is not being talked about.” 

In winning the Nobel, Abdulrazak 

Gurnah is on the front burner of global 

discourse, and his books that people 

neglected earlier are now being sold for 

as much as $1000 per copy on Amazon. 

It gladdens my heart to end that 

Abdulrazak Gurnah has joined the 

esteemed class of the 118 notables 

awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature 

from 1901 to 2021, made up of 102 men 

and only 16 women. 

Winning the Nobel Prize in Literature 

is of course not an end in itself because 

the one factor that assures the classic 

value of a literary life is Father Time and 

not any prize, including the Nobel. 

The assurance lives in me that “my 

family brother” of Wasafiri magazine 

Abdulrazak Gurnah will go the distance 

of literary immortality after pocketing 

the $1.14million prize money!

It’s a Nigerian syndrome. A titlecraving 

disease. A subliminal doyou-know-who-I-am 

mentality 

that accompanies even the meekest 

around and leaves him one 

provocation away from becoming an 

agbero. The Nigerian big man’s 

penchant for perceiving slight or injury 

once his title is omitted in public and 

the recourse to petulance or vengeance 

to effect a correction. 

But frankly, nobody expected this 

from Lamido Sanusi, the Change 

Agent. 

Lamido Sanusi was once the Emir of 

Kano. He was dethroned 18 months 

ago. A new Emir of Kano has since 

been appointed. Yet, Sanusi won’t sit 

still and accept the fact that since he 

isn’t the current Emir of Kano then 

he is a former Emir. We can allow 

Sanusi to continue pretending he was 

once a sovereign. So that he can hang 

onto “once a sovereign always a 

sovereign.” That might help him. But 

Emirs of today are not sovereigns. 

They are well-decorated community 

organisers of some historical 

significance. If Lamido Sanusi were a 

sovereign, an emperor of the old Kano 

Empire, the consequences of any 

dethronement would have been 

different—dungeon, exile or death. 

Not this resurgent peacocking that is 

finicky about vanity and expired 

protocols. Well, Sanusi could say he 

has been exiled from Kano to Abuja, 

Kaduna and Lagos and left 

psychologically severely wounded. 

Then, let him know that even real 

sovereigns, once dethroned, are not 

owed any honours, let alone the 

modern-day antiquities called 

traditional rulers in a multiparty 

democracy, if deposed. 

In Nigeria, society infests everyone 

with the warts of the brute. The 

acculturation of the ogboju 

phenomenon. So, the creme de la 

By Ephraim Oseji & Cynthia Alo 

eorge Ayinde, also known as Nephilim is 

Gan investor and entrepreneur with a 

multidisciplinary technological, creative, and 

marketing background, and a long history in 

the crypto space. He is also the founder and 

Chief Executive Officer of WEMOVE DeFi, an 

auto-liquidity generating empowerment token 

focused on the African market that’s building 

an ecosystem for a cryptocurrency-enabled 

economy. In this interview, George Ayinde, talks 

about an innovative digital approach that will 

see Africa blossom economically and stand out 

among other continents. 

What is ‘Wemove? 

Wemove is a digital currency that can be 

used as a store of value or to buy goods and 

services anywhere in the world in seconds by 

using an online public ledger with strong 

cryptography to secure online transactions 

without the need for a trusted third party or 

centralized institution. Wemove is geared 

towards becoming the African internet of 

money. WeMove is the embodiment of what it 

means to carry the genesis genes of civilization. 

It is our way of life, our very essence embedded 

deep in our diverse yet similar cultures; it is the 

call sign for the liberation, calibration, and 

healing of our generation so our “tomorrows” 

have a solid foundation to build on. 

How secure is your platform and how do 

you intend to convince your potential 

investors bearing in mind that the Central 

Bank of Nigeria (CBN) early this year banned 

trading in crypto currencies and enabling 

payments for crypto exchange? 

I understand that a centralised body banned 

its centralised institution banks from working 

with centralised crypto exchanges, and 

research data has shown that this only drove 

up investment into crypto and DeFi by 

Nigerians. What the CBN did was to 

completely alienate itself from Nigerian crypto 

adopters who are already traditional finance 

skeptics and further buttress the bitcoin 

narrative that people should be the custodians 

Oracle Lamido Sanusi, the former 

Emir of Kano 

creme sometimes tastes like the crusts 

from the bottom. At that ceremony in 

Kaduna, the man who 

addressed Sanusi as 

“former Emir of Kano” 

couldn’t have described 

him more reverently and 

correctly. So when Sanusi 

leapt up and threw a fit, 

he betrayed indignation, 

an unhealthy grudge. 

Though commoners 

like me can’t know how 

it feels to be a dethroned 

emir, Sanusi should 

mellow out. When 

Sanusi, the democrat, 

the advocate of integrity 

in governance, informed 

the crowd through a sly 

innuendo that the man’s 

sin would imminently 

cost him his position as 

Chief of Staff to the 

Kaduna State governor, 

many shook their heads 

in bemusement. 

In one Kaduna breath, Lamido 

Sanusi, the genius, left everybody 

astounded with a spectacular piece of 

It is time every African 

has access to the tools 

necessary to thrive 

—-George Ayinde 

of their own fungible assets 

not centralised financial 

institutions. The ban gave 

rise to P2P (peer-to-peer) 

platforms, the very ethos to 

which bitcoin was created 

in the first place. Africans, 

not just Nigerians, have 

a massive problem 

with cross border 

settlements and 

remittances. If 

you are Nigerian 

and live outside 

the country, 

you’ll realise how worthless your retail banks 

are and crypto solves this issue in a lightning 

fast manner. You can buy goods and services 

from another continent in seconds without 

having to wait on a two to three day SWIFT, 

caps on how much you can send-receive, and 

all the 21 questions and restrictions from the 

banks for remittance. In my world, I have never 

had to wait for a transaction for a day. I do not 

understand it; it doesn’t compute in my head 

and with the plethora of crypto currency out 

there you get remittances in seconds. 

Africans also put their savings into crypto as 

a means of avoiding inflation and this has 

contributed to the growing market in Africa. 

Everyone earning in local currency are worth 

a lot less at the time of this interview, thanks to 

inflation caused by the same institutions you 

revere; they made us all a lot worth-less. As for 

the MMM narrative, since 2009, twelve years 

since bitcoin was launched and all you can see 

is growing adoption. According to Chainalysis, 

Africa’s crypto market increased in value by 

more than 1,200% between July of 2020 and 

June 2021, with high adoption in Kenya, South 

Africa, Nigeria and Tanzania. 

The same CBN that banned crypto launched 

its own CBDC, so it begs the question: was it 

done to once again try to force Nigerians to 

use their own crypto currency? The same way 

Twitter was banned so some knock off platform 

could be forced on the masses as a form of 

control of free speech? If this is the case then 

they have a rude awakening coming their way. 


emotional unintelligence. If it were 

just the addiction to big titles, many 

wouldn’t have minded. We are used 

to that. If it were just that reflexive, 

naked, shameless 

display of power in 

dressing down a 

senior government 

official in public, we 

We can allow 

Sanusi to 

continue 

pretending he 

was once a 

sovereign. So 

that he can hang 

onto “once a 

sovereign 

always a 

sovereign. 

wouldn’t have 

staggered. After all, a 

big masquerade who 

once rode in Rolls 

Royce and Bentley 

limousines while 

superintending the 

affairs of the second 

largest emirate in 

Nigeria, despite all 

his Ted talks, can lose 

his temper and 

squash the ego of a 

fry. But Sanusi is also 

a social critic who 

inundates the public 

with sermons against 

arbitrariness and 

vanity. He ought to be wary of his 

conduct in public. In every fit of fury 

or outburst of superciliousness, he 

must avoid obscenities, 

pronouncements that suggest that a 

You cannot force people to adopt your 

currency [laughs], it does not work that 

way, and besides the more educated 

people are about decentralised finance, 

the more they will ask informed 

questions about CBDCs like who 

controls the mint function of the 

currency? Under what set rules will 

new digital currency be minted? 

Where is the Whitepaper? Why 

wasn’t the Whitepaper made 

public? Will the ledger of said 

CBDC be made public? In a 

country that prints the Naira on 

end, what will be different about 

this so called digital currency? 

How are the private keys stored 

and most important question of 

it all for adopters will be do they 

want to use another fork of 

centralisation as a store of value? 

If African governments stopped 

wasting trillions on financial 

regulation and figuring out how 

to fleece its citizens at every turn 

and devote these resources to 

building and infrastructure, we 

would be transforming Mars 

already and there would be no 

such thing as scarce resources. 

As for the security question, I 

would refer you to the 

Decentralised Perpetual Liquidity protocol we 

are founded on. 

•Ayinde 

What made you take this step despite the 

level of acceptance of digital currency in 

Africa? 

Deep self-love that originates out of my 

profound connection to my roots. The Deep 

desire to see Africans on equal footing in every 

industry with the rest of the world is what drives 

this project. We have been marginalized and 

robbed enough, it is time every African has 

access to the tools necessary to thrive. 

What are you doing differently? 

We are an Africa first platform, we are 

leading the path for others to follow, this is not 

a race for medals or social anecdotes for 

bragging rights but one for the liberation, 

calibration, and healing of our generation 

through discourse, innovation, and financial 

inclusion. We are a platform base for other 

platforms and we hope to inspire more 

innovation in this space. What we have done 

differently is an efficient marketplace where 

crypto has a real-world utility. The WEMOVE 

DeFi protocol will provide access to financial 

services where individuals and businesses can 

access appropriate, affordable, and timely 

financial products and services depending on 

their individual use case. These include 

decentralized banking, loans, equity, and 

insurance products. WEMOVE is creating an 

ecosystem for e-commerce- decentralized 

governor, who is his childhood friend, 

exists to service his bloated ego. 

At the peak of his crisis in the Kano 

Emirate, a few commentators had 

called on Sanusi to abdicate the 

problematic throne and position 

himself for the presidency. Sanusi 

might not be a saint; certainly, the 

Kano State Anti-Corruption 

Commission doesn’t think he is, but 

he is a leading light in the national 

crusade for social reformation. The 

bane of this country isn’t a paucity of 

intellectuals and preachers. It is a 

dearth of principled folks who can 

preach, not with their mouths alone 

but, with their public and private lives. 

A governor can reshuffle his cabinet 

whimsically. And he can choose to 

discuss his plans with his airiest 

girlfriends. But If the Chief of Staff to 

the governor of a state can be ridiculed 

by a private individual and sanctioned 

so hastily by the state to massage the 

ego of a crony of the governor, then 

governance has gone to children. 

Even if the cabinet reshuffle had been 

written, but only published after 

Sanusi’s outburst, it still speaks of rot. 

Since the apparent sanction was 

announced by the aggrieved pompous 

friend of the governor even before the 

alleged offence had been understood 

by the presumed offender and the 

listening public, then naked cronyism 

is the menace and Governor El Rufai 

must take the heart of the blame. 

Two days after the event, Lamido 

Sanusi wants us to believe it was 

hilarious banter, an attempt by him to 

relax his audience. I believe him. He 

also said Gov El Rufai had not 

discussed with him the cabinet 

reshuffle that happened a day after his 

ominous joke. I believe him too. 

Putting all these beliefs together, let 

me wish Oracle Lamido Sanusi, the 

former Emir of Kano, a hilarious 

weekend. 

apps, a social remittance platform, Gamefi, 

and an African NFT platform like no other. 

From what you said, Wemove will reduce 

rise in inflation and also increase financial 

inclusion in Africa. So far, what is Nigeria 

and Africa not doing right? 

Nigeria including Africa’s financial 

inclusion challenges is a result of regulation 

by the same centralized institutions built to 

enable them. Until African politics and 

financial policy are mutually exclusive, the 

issue of financial inclusion will forever be a 

problem for centralized institutions. Africans 

prefer to keep money outside the banks and 

who can blame them? It is not an illiteracy 

issue as touted by the banks but one of bad 

policy, service charges, and punishing 

regulation on how we can spend our hardearned 

money, and the general population 

have concluded that it is costly and inefficient 

to keep money in a bank. The entire world is 

experiencing a colossal shift towards 

decentralization and its use cases, in the world 

of finance; the traditional model is no longer 

sustainable and will only last for as long as 

these institutions can lobby politicians to do 

their bidding. Decentralized finance has 

flipped the model on its head, delivering a 

new world of financial products, built using 

smart contracts that allow consumers to 

switch between providers in a matter of 

seconds, all at the click of a mouse. It is not 

that the WEMOVE protocol is just better — 

it’s simply fundamentally different. In the old 

world of retail banking, you have to trust the 

people that run banks. This trust is expensive 

to everyday Africans- everyday people. In the 

new world of decentralized finance, we trust 

the code that provides our financial services. 

Code does not care about your tribe, ethnicity, 

religion, or political party. A set of rules in a 

smart contract is all that governs. Africa has 

missed the industrial revolution and all its 

glory, that era evolved into a digital revolution 

that gave birth to a disruptive fourth industrial 

revolution, and centralized Institutions as we 

know them will never be the same. 

What do African governments stand to gain 

if they adopt a crypto-enabled economy? 

I created the Katalyst Africa platform for 

this purpose years before WeMove. It is going 

to be a biannual global gathering of all things 

disruptive and future tech that elected officials, 

tech entrepreneurs, startups and the general 

public from the cardinals of Africa will attend; 

there we will discuss the Africa agenda and 

how these emerging technologies can further 

empower the next generation of Africa. As for 

what the governments stand to gain, I believe 

they would regain some degree of trust from 

the same people that elected them to govern. 

Continues on www.vanguardngr.com

36–SATURDAY Vanguard, OCTOBER 16, 2021


By Juliet Ebirim 

•Bolanle 

Hassan 

Nigerian politician and socialite, Shina Peller, has revealed that 

he is seeking for ways to get Nigerian youths to actively 

participate in elections, same way they zealously participate in 

the voting process of the Big Brother Naija reality show. 

The nightlife king on his Instagram page wrote: “Me 

thinking of how I can get the youth to replicate the drive and 

commitment they have for Big Brother 9ja in the 2023 general 

elections.” 

“That election would offer us an opportunity to take the destiny 

of our nation into our hands. There would be no incumbent President 

on the ballot. It’s a reset period for Nigeria!!! I think we can achieve 

it because nothing is impossible.” he added. 

A member of the House of Representatives from Oyo State, he was 

recently awarded an honorary Doctorate degree in Business 

Administration by the American Heritage Southern California 

University in Dubai. 

Bolanle Hassan advocates 

for pet community 

Founder of Nigerian-based pet 

community, Petmi, Bolanle Hassan has 

reacted to the perceived neglect 

towards pets in Nigeria. In a chat 

with People n Places, she shared her 

passion towards helping to change the 

narrative; 

“I’ve heard a lot of cases where people 

lose their pets, not due to natural 

causes but mostly because the 

owners are ignorant of how to care 

for them. This made me start a blog 

“Woofline Pets”, where i write about 

dogs and how to care for them, and 

in February this year, we launched 

the Woofline Pets app and have 

since garnered over 7000 

members, making it the 

leading app community for pet 

owners and lovers in Nigeria.” 

However, with a rising 

passion for other pets such 

as cats, birds, bunnies and 

more, Woofline Pets have 

now chosen to widen its 

range by transitioning to 

Petmi, in order to bring 

pet lovers closer. 

“Though the 

responsibility for 

animal welfare in 

Nigeria is assigned to 

the Department of 

Veterinary and 

BBNaija: Shina Peller’s 

ernest desire 

Poised to bridge the practical knowledge gap 

between successful entrepreneurs and the 

younger generation of 

entrepreneurs, 234finance.com i n 

partnership with BlackCopper and Platform 

Capital is back with the fourth edition of the 

Mentor Match-up challenge. The event will 

take place at the Lagos Oriental Hotel on the 

6th of December, 2021. 

Winners of the pitching session will get a 

seed-funding of $20,000 and the top three 

finalists will gain express enrolment into the 

2022 Unicorn Incubation Programme 

powered by Platform Capital. 

According to the Managing Partner, 

•Mentor 

Match-up 

organisers 

Ezinne Nwazulu returns with Mentor Match-Up challenge 

234Finance, Ezinne Nwazulu, the event will 

focus on five strategic sectors of the economy 

including agriculture, fashion and beauty, E- 

Commerce, artisans & manufacturing, 

FMCGs and traders. “The aim is to give 

upcoming entrepreneurs insights on how to 

run their startups, create networking 

opportunities and prepare them for important 

conversations that could transform their 

businesses.” 

The event features panel discussions, 

intimate mentoring sessions and multiple 

networking opportunities, which allow 

entrepreneurs in attendance discuss niggling 

business challenges with mentors who are 

thought leaders in their respective industries. 

Pest Control Services, Federal 

Ministry of Agriculture and Rural 

Development, I believe this 

development will greatly give 

credibility to the pet business 

in Nigeria, as Petmi is not only 

a social media platform but 

also a marketplace for pet 

lovers.” She added. 

She disclosed that pet lovers 

who sign up to the platform are 

able to share photos of their 

pets, chat with other pet lovers, 

ask pet health questions and 

have them answered by vet 

doctors and search for pet 

services. 

•Shina Pelle 

Yemi Alade to perform 

alongside Ed Sheeran, 

Coldplay at Prince 

Williams’ event 

... says competition has made 

Nigerian artistes better 

Nigerian Afrobeats superstar, Yemi Alade has stated that 

healthy competition has made Nigerian artistes better 

musicians. The music diva who just concluded her ‘Empress’ 

American tour in New York, Washington DC, Las Vegas and 

Texas, in a recent interview on a popular UK TV show ‘Sunday 

brunch’ said Nigerian music have become the toast of the 

world with the likes of Burnaboy, Wizkid, Davido among 

others topping charts and selling out concerts. 

Her words: “The healthy competition between Nigerian 

musicians has made us better musicians, with better sounds”. 

The singer, in the last 12 months, released her album 

‘Empress’, an EP titled ‘Queen don come’, and is currently in 

the UK where she will be performing at the first ever 

‘Earthshot Prize Awards on Sunday 17th October, 2021 at the 

Alexandra Palace alongside Ed Sheehan, Coldplay, Shawn 

Mendez among others. The exclusive and globally televised 

event which is put together by the Royal Foundation spearheaded 

by Prince Williams of the English Royal Family, 

recognises inventive solutions to the environmental problems 

facing the planet. 

Out of fifteen finalists, five will be announced winners of a 

£1 million funding prize. The five winners of the ‘Earthshot 

prize’ will be announced by a star-studded line-up of 

presenters, consisting of the Duchess of Cambridge; football 

star - Mo Salah as well as actors Emma Thompson, Emma 

Watson and David Oyelowo. 

Hosted by Clara Amfo and Dermot O’Leary, the hour-long 

ceremony follows the release of the documentary series ‘The 

Earthshot Prize: Repairing our planet’. 

Basketmouth, Bovi, others storm 

Efe Warri Boy’s comedy show 

•Basketmouth and wife, Elsie 

Comedian Charlton Efe Egborge popularly 

known as Efe Warri Boy recently treated 

guests to a spectacular experience, at his 

comedy show which took place at the 

TerraCulture Arena, Victoria Island, Lagos. 

Tagged “As I Was Saying” and anchored by 

singer Timi Dakolo and comedian Senator, 

•Yemi Alade 

the event had scintillating performances from 

a host of stars, including Seun Kuti and 

comedian Funnybone, among others. 

“Reggae blues” crooner, Harrysong wowed 

the audience with a mind-blowing 

performance of his hit songs, while some 

members of the cast and crew from popular 

TV series, ‘My Flatmates’ also spiced up the 

show. 

Basketmouth, Bovi, Yaw, Charles Inojie, 

Omawumi, Mr Macaronni, Vector, Dr Dolor, 

Pencil Comedian and Magnito were among 

notable celebrities in attendance. 

With so many comedy stage appearances 

including AY Live, Laugh-Out Loud, 

LaughUp, Forever Funny With Forever, Efe 

who has shared the stage with AY, 

BasketMouth, Kenny Blaq, Bovi and many 

top comedians got guests rolling with laughter 

at his spontaneous jokes.

38—SATURDAY Vanguard, OCTOBERBER 16, 2021 

08116759759 

Gigantic 22lbs tumour removed from 

patient’s stomach in four-hour operation 

A 

pair of surgeons have 

shared graphic photos of a 

gigantic 22lb tumour being 

removed from a patient’s 

stomach. 

Arnab Mukherjee, 45, had been 

complaining of severe 

abdominal pain for more than 

two months but claims doctors 

failed to initially detect the 

tumour - until it quadrupled in 

size. 

After consulting doctors at 

Victoria Medical Centre, it was 

discovered that the musician 

from Kolkata, India, had a 22lbs 

malignant tumour that had 

become the size of two rugby 

balls. He was referred to Lions 

Hospital where Dr Makhan Lal 

Saha and his daughter Priyanka 

Saha performed a life-saving 

surgery and removed the tumour 

in a four-hour-long operation on 

October 2. 

Dr Makhan said: “It was a very 

critical and rare case. The 

tumour wasn’t detected in the 

very first step. It took several tests 

to understand what it was. 

“The patient’s life was at risk 

because the tumour was so big in 

size.” 

A team of two surgeons helped 

remove the cancerous tumour, 

known as a retroperitoneal 

sarcoma. 

Despite the 

surgery being a 

success, Arnab will 

now need further 

cancer treatment. 

Dr Makhan said: 

“The patient is stable 

and is having liquid 

food every two to 

three days. 

“It took almost 

four hours to remove 

it. It was a life-saving 

surgery. We 

successfully removed 

the tumour and no other organ was 

damaged or removed. “As the 

tumour was malignant he will now 

Medical student says she was treated ‘like animal’ after 

‘nightmare’ vaccine side effects 

go through chemo and other 

cancer-related medication.” 

Sarcoma is a rare cancer that 

develops in the connective tissues, 

such as muscle, bone, nerves, 

cartilage, tendons, blood vessels 

and the fatty and fibrous tissues. 

Retroperitoneal sarcomas occur 

in the retroperitoneum - which is 

deep in the abdomen (tummy) and 

pelvis, behind the abdominal 

lining, where organs such as the 

major blood vessels, kidneys, 

pancreas and bladder are located. 

The main types of treatment are 

surgery, radiotherapy and 

chemotherapy, Sarcoma 

UK explains. 

After treatment, patients will 

need regular follow-up 

appointments for several years. 

Bronze statue of woman in see-through 

dress sparks sexism row in Italy 

rooj Lughmani, 28, says she 

Ahas endured a number of 

“disabling side effects” since she 

was administered the Pfizer 

vaccine, but claims some hospital 

staff have made her feel like it is 

“in her head” 

A medical student claims she has 

been treated like a “zoo animal” 

by some hospital staff while 

enduring the “scariest experience” 

of her life after having the Covid 

vaccine. 

Arooj Imtiaz Lughmani, 28, says 

her “nightmare” began just 10 

minutes after she was given the 

Pfizer jab at Waterford University 

Hospital in Ireland. 

She says she suffered a locked 

jaw, nausea, seizures and lost the 

ability to walk and speak in what 

she believes was an extreme 

reaction 

to 

the coronavirus vaccine on 

September 10. 

A few hours after the dose, she 

says she even stopped breathing 

and that her dad and sister, both of 

whom are doctors, had to perform 

life-saving CPR. 

Arooj, who is from Ireland but 

studying in Bulgaria, has been 

unimpressed with the treatment 

she has received in hospital. 

She claims she was sent home 

too hastily more than once and 

that she has been made to feel like 

she is imagining the 

complications. 

Now, while she is not an antivaxxer, 

she is speaking out to warn 

others of the possible extreme side 

effects. 

She said: “I got an appointment 

to have my vaccine in Ireland 

where I’m originally from and I 

decided to go get it as soon as I 

could, to do my part for the 

community. 

“I woke up very happy and I put 

on my makeup, which is a rare 

occurrence since the pandemic. 

“I was greeted by amazing staff 

who asked me a few questions 

about whether I had travelled, If I 

suffered from heart problems, if I 

was pregnant or if I’m allergic to 

any medicine. I wasn’t and I was 

given the green light.” 

The statue’s sculptor says 

that had it been up to him 

the figure would have been 

“completely naked... simply 

because I am a lover of the 

human body”. 

A statue depicting a woman 

from a famous 19th century 

poem wearing a transparent 

dress has triggered a sexism 

row in Italy. 

The bronze statue by 

Emanuele Stifano was unveiled 

on Saturday in Sapri, in the 

southern province of Salerno. 

It is a tribute to La Spigolatrice 

di Sapri (The Gleaner of Sapri), 

written by the poet Luigi 

Mercantini in 1857. 

The statue shows a peasant 

woman, who is wearing a long, 

see-through dress that clings to her 

body, looking over her left 

shoulder. 

Photos of the unveiling 

ceremony showed a large group 

of men, including former Italian 

prime minister Guiseppe Conte, 

standing around the statue. 

But it has caused an outcry in 

Italy, with many women’s rights 

activists calling for it to be taken 

down. 

Laura Boldrini, a deputy with the 

centre-left Democratic party, said 

the statue was an “offence to 

women and the history it should 

celebrate”. 

She wrote on Twitter: “But how 

can even the institutions accept the 

representation of a woman as a 

sexualised body?” 

But Stifano has defended the 

statue, writing on Facebook that 

had it been up to him the figure 

would have been “completely 

naked... simply because I am 

a lover of the human body”.

Nasir El-Rufai: 

The Perception 

and The Reality 

By Emmanuel Ado 

GOVERNOR Nasir Ahmad El-Rufai 

of Kaduna state is a classical victim 

of the yawning gap between 

perception and reality. He furnishes a proof 

of the deep gulf between reality and 

appearance. Perception, like appearance, is 

deceitful, dangerously misleading, and 

extremely damaging. Unfortunately, these 

are two notorious words that have largely 

shaped the reaction of most traducers of El- 

Rufai. 

El-Rufai’s traducers are always in denial, 

even on matters as straightforward as the 

quantum of foreign investments that he has 

attracted to Kaduna state, and the 

improvement of internally generated 

revenue, from a paltry N12 billion in 2015 

to N50.7 billion by 2021. 

The naysayers often 

overlook the facts in front of 

their noses, and bury their 

faces in the sands of 

erroneous perception. Their 

spurious and laughable 

argument, is that due to the 

security challenges no 

investor will dare invest in 

kaduna state. Of course, 

nobody can deny the security 

challenges many parts of the 

country, Kaduna inclusive, 

are facing. That they deny 

verifiable facts of Kaduna 

state’s outstanding success 

in attracting foreign 

investments, visible even to 

blind, is a clear evidence of 

the depth of the problem. 

The investments include, 

but not limited to, the commissioning of 

Olams Feeds, Hatchery and Flour 

Company, Tomatoes Jos, the Mahrinda 

Tractor Plant, and many more. 

Unfortunately these investments, 

amounting to over 2.8 billion dollars, have 

not changed the opinion of hateful 

opponents. Again, it’s a case of wrongful 

perception standing in the way of selfevident 

realities. 

So very obviously, the 

attack on Governor El- 

Rufai bothers on a 

perplexing negative 

perception, as 

opposed to the 

reality. For 

instance, some of 

his rabid haters 

will swear by 

whatever they 

believe in, that he 

is a religious 

The naysayers 

often overlook 

the facts in front 

of their noses, 

and bury their 

faces in the sands 

of erroneous 

perception 

•El-Rufai 

bigot, based on the continuous falsehoods 

dished out by vested interests. Again, the facts 

clearly prove otherwise. For 

instance, he never knew that 

Ibrahim, his late Aide- de- 

Camp was a Christian,until 

some self righteous 

people,angry that he was 

surrounded by too many 

Christians, brought it to his 

attention. But it changed 

absolutely nothing,as 

Ibrahim remained his ADC,as 

Minister and in his first term 

as governor of kaduna State. 

Same with Peter, a perfect 

gentleman that has been his 

Personal Assistant and later 

deputy chief of staff, for more 

than 30 years. There are too 

many other Christians around 

him, including Altine, the 

Director-General of the 

Kaduna State Information 

Geographical Service, from Adamawa 

State, that he dragged out of retirement,to 

replicate the success of the Abuja 

Geographical Services. 

For some more charitable opponents, El- 

Rufai’s self-confidence is nothing but sheer 


to make these enemies. But his policies 

impacted negatively on the so-called 

enemies, who resorted to feeding the public 

the large doses of negatives, that have 

shaped their perceptions of him. 

His enemies are either those who have 

scores to settle, from his days as the Director 

- General of the Bureau of Public Enterprises 

(BPE), or as Minister of the Federal Capital 

Territory (FCT). El- Rufai’s high crime is 

serving with dedication and total 

commitment, which unfortunately many 

Nigerian public servants lack. 

The first group holds El-Rufai solely 

responsible for their failure to acquire any 

of the juicy privatized enterprises under the 

Privatization and Commercial programme 

of President Olusegun Obasanjo 

administration. While the second set are the 

so called “victims” of his unwavering 

commitment to the restoration of the Abuja 

Master plan, which had been bastardized 

beyond recognition. 

For nation that needs every hand on deck 

to develop, the implication of the concerted 

demonization of Nasir El- Rufai, is not only 

that competent hands are forced to keep 

away from politics, but that charlatans will 

continue to run the country in their ugly 

image and likeness. There is also an 

alarming absence of elite consensus about 

the direction the country should head, talk 

less of the medley of hard measures required 

to make things change for the better. China 

is an example of what a determined country 

can achieve based on elite consensus. In 40 

years, it moved from a poverty-stricken 

country to attain first world status. In the 

process, they lifted hundreds of millions out 

of poverty and made the country the second 

largest economy in the world. 

Generally, Nigerians lack patience for 

the long term plans. They are ever always 

in a hurry. Nigerians clamour for 

arrogance, a tragic charge, because in 

development, but they seem to prefer the 

reality, the man is humility personified. So 

easy way out. They want omelette, but 

many of those who loathe him, do so because 

without breaking the eggs. 

they have swallowed the lies vigorously 

Now, back to Governor Nasir El-Rufai. 

pushed out against him, hook, line and 

You’d ask, why is it difficult for people who 

sinker. The other allegation, very closely tied 

celebrated his works in Abuja, to now make 

to his alleged arrogance, is that he prides 

the necessary connections, and come to the 

himself as having a monopoly of knowledge. 

realization, that the well-packaged negative 

Again it’s an allegation that falls flat, as times 

narratives against him, originated from the 

without number, he has publicly 

dislodged mafia trying to get even with a 

acknowledged “copying” some policies 

man who has consistently given his all, in 

from left, right and center. Being learned, 

the service of his motherland? The answer is 

he can never claim to be all knowing, since 

perception, because people want to believe 

only God is. 

the worst. 

For instance, he publicly acknowledged 

El-Rufai’s other political crime was 

copying his educational policies from Rauf 

persuading then Major-General 

Aregbesola, the former governor of Osun 

Muhammadu Buhari to come out from 

state. While, the public service reforms, have 

retirement and contest the 2015 elections, 

their root from Singapore, where an efficient 

which led to the defeat of President Goodluck 

public service made a huge difference. The 

Jonathan. Though from the South-South zone, 

only difference, is that El- Rufai as a good 

the South-East had appropriated him. This is 

copycat, painstakingly improves on what he 

the fundamental reason El-Rufai is in the bad 

copies, and with the benefit of insight, avoids 

books of some people from both zones. The 

the pitfalls of those before him. Like the 

real first crime was giving life to the first 

saying goes, you don’t have to reinvent the 

ever successful merger of political parties, 

wheel. 

which led to the defeat of an incumbent 

Clearly, El-Rufai has made enemies, very 

government. If he didn’t, he wouldn’t be a 

powerful ones, but all in the course of his 

victim of an organized campaign of 

public service. And it wasn’t as if he set out 

calumny. 

First Mental Health Fellowship births in Nigeria 


To commemorate this year’s World 

Mental Health Day held globally 

on October 10, 2021, Kunle 

Adewale, a Senior Atlantic Fellow for 

Equity in Brain Health at the University 

of California San Francisco, launched the 

first-ever Mental Health Fellowship in 

Nigeria. 

Themed “Raising Community 

Champions: The Roles of Youth in Mental 

Health Advocacy, Education and 

Engagement”, the inauguration of the 

Fellowship held virtually on October 10, 

2021, by the Mandela Washington Fellow, 

Kunle Adewale and his team of youths. 

Welcoming the over one hundred 

participants to the health event, Adewale 

described the Mental Health Fellowship 

as an initiative driven by young people 

for young people and the next generation. 

The program he noted, “Aims to provide 

an incredible network and professional 

development opportunities for young 

people where they can be inspired and 

inspire one another through peer 

mentoring and collective community 

projects on mental health education, 

advocacy and engagements.” 

Adewale added that “Through the 

Mental Health Fellowship, we aspire to 

amplify the voices of the youths at local, 

national, and global arena; doing this 

through collaboration with the relevant 

government agencies, NGOs, faith-based 

organizations, civil societies, Diplomatic 

Missions among many others”. 

In her opening remarks, Deputy 

Public Affairs Officer, U.S. 

Consulate Lagos, Jennifer Foltz, 

who commended the founder of 

Mental Health Fellowship, 

Nigeria, Kunle Adewale for his 

work so far, encouraged him to 

keep inspiring and creating an 

impact in Nigerian society. 

Her words: “Kunle is a 2015 

Mandela Washington fellowship 

alumnus and one of the most 

active alumni. This year alone, he 

has launched no less than three 

different projects. Originally an 

artist, he has made a far-reaching 

foray into the field of medicine 

and has made a tremendous 

impact with all of his initiatives.” 

She further stated that the fellowship 

is directly supporting one of the aims of 

the U.S. Mission which is good health for 

the population, while applauding 

Adewale for being an excellent alumnus 

who is contributing positively to Nigerian 

society. 

In her detailed and inspiring Keynote 

Speech, Dr. Maymunah Kadiri, the 

Leading and Vital Voice for Mental 

Health in Africa/Consultant 

Neuropsychiatrist and Psychotherapist, 

disclosed that according to the World 

Health Organization, half of the mental 

health illnesses commence before the age 

of 14, and two-thirds, before the age of 24. 

“Even though we have a global pandemic, 

Founder of the Mental Health Fellowship, 

Nigeria, Kunle Adewale (sitting), with some 

members of the Fellowship during the project 

launch yesterday. 

increase in mental health issues is a 

pandemic within the pandemic”, she 

stated. 

She highlighted the sad fact that “75- 

90% of people in low and middle-income 

countries are unable to access mental 

health services at all, and access in highincome 

countries isn’t any better.” 

Stigma is a factor that affects the mental 

health of people with mental health 

challenges and it also affects their 

educational opportunities, current, and 

future earnings, job prospects as well as 

their family and loved 

ones.” 

Dr Kadiri explained that 

the 2021 Mental Health Day 

theme- ‘Mental Health In An 

Unequal World’, serves to 

help focus on the issues that 

perpetuate mental health 

inequalities locally and 

globally, stressing that this 

is where the role of youths 

comes in since they are the 

most affected population. 

“The vibrancy and the 

resilience of the youths will 

enable them to take on 

mental health problems in 

the society”, she said. 

Highlights of the event 

which was anchored by members of the 

fellowship; Franca Ebomah and Esther 

Ehindero, included launch of a Creativity 

Challenge via the social media to create 

awareness in Nigeria. Participants during 

the competition, explored different art 

forms such as drawing, painting, mixed 

media, Spoken Word Poetry, Documentary 

and Short film. Nineteen-year-old Miss 

Oluwapelumi Adenowo, an 

undergraduate student of Physiology, 

Olabisi Onabanjo University, who 

emerged winner, received a total sum of 

100,000 naira cash and gifts. The event 

also featured a panel discussion on 

‘Mental Health In An Unequal World’, 

featuring mental health experts as 

panellists.


Taking Ivermectin won’t 

stop COVID-19 infection 

— Experts 

By Sola Ogundipe 

ince news broke that Ivermectin has a 

Sperceived therapeutic effect against the 

COVID-19 virus, there has been mad rush for 

the drug all over the world. 

With countless tablets of the drug being sold 

over-the-counter, the risk of misuse, overdose, 

and purchase of the animal version is 

dangerously high. 

In Nigeria particularly, the shelf price of 

Ivermectin tablets has gone up appreciably in 

recent times as desperate stockpiling of large 

quantities commenced in the wake of the 

emergence of the Delta variant among other 

concerns. 

But health experts have warned that 

Ivermectin has no effect in curtailing COVID- 

19 and called for cautionary use. 

As the controversy rages around the drug, an 

international group of experts has faulted the 

series of studies claiming that the drug is a 

miracle remedy against the disease. 

The scientists said the studies claiming that 

Ivermectin can treat the coronavirus 

disease have been found to be not only deeply 

flawed, but unreliable even as they call for an 

overhaul of medical research to prevent more 

misinformation around unverified cures. 

Flawed studies making 

the rounds 

In a letter in the Nature Medicine, a scientific 

journal, the group of researchers explained 

how rising doubts about studies claiming 

ivermectin could help treat Covid are flawed. 

They detail how one such piece had concerning 

discrepancies in its data, which led to its 

eventual withdrawal. 

According to the World Health 

Organisation, WHO, and the US Food and 

Drug Administration, FDA, ivermectin is not 

authorized or approved for use in preventing 

or treating COVID-19 in humans. The CDC 

notes that Ivermectin is approved for human 

use to treat infections caused by some parasitic 

worms and head lice and skin conditions like 

rosacea. 

The scientists argue that currently available 

data do not show ivermectin is effective against 

COVID-19, although clinical trials assessing 

ivermectin tablets for the prevention or 

treatment of COVID-19 in people are ongoing. 

Warning that taking large doses of 

ivermectin is dangerous, the experts say 

ivermectin should be procured through 

legitimate sources such as a pharmacy, and 

taken exactly as prescribed. 

•Drug not authorised for coronavirus 

treatment or prevention 

Part of the anxiety is that Ivermectin products 

are different from those approved for humans 

and that the use of animal ivermectin for the 

prevention or treatment of COVID-19 in 

humans is dangerous. 

In another research, they said elements in its 

methodology were flawed, and the errors were 

then compounded by larger reviews, called 

meta-analyses, which based their findings in 

large part on these flawed studies. 

Impossible numbers, 

unexplainable mismatches in data 

The scientists add that this 

study is not alone and predict 

others claiming ivermectin 

has a clinical benefit will also 

be withdrawn in the coming 

months due to their 

“impossible numbers”, and 

“unexplainable 

mismatches” in the data. 

But the damage may have 

been done with many 

hundreds of thousands of 

patients that have taken the 

drug, according to the 

principal signatory of the 

letter, Kyle Sheldrick of the 

University of New South 

Wales in Australia. 

“This research has created 

undue confidence in the use 

of ivermectin as a 

prophylactic or treatment for 

Covid, has usurped other 

research agendas, and 

Even the levels 

of ivermectin 

for approved 

human uses 

can interact 

with other 

medications, 

like bloodthinners 

probably resulted in inappropriate treatment 

or substandard care of patients,” they wrote. 

As a result, the scientists called for an 

overhaul of how clinical data on Covid is 

analysed. They said creators of meta-analyses 

should both request and review the individual 

patient data, the raw from individual 

participants in a study or trial, of the studies 

they use to reach their wider conclusions. 

Similarly, the scientists said clinical trials 

on Covid treatment should also make this data 

available to ensure this kind of analysis could 

happen. Any study that refuses to do so should 

be treated with extreme caution or omitted 

from analysis entirely, the scientists said. 

They acknowledge their call may be 

controversial because it represents a change 

to a “long-accepted” scientific practice but 

added that the ivermectin example justifies it. 

“We believe that what has happened in the 

case of ivermectin justifies our proposal: a 

poorly scrutinized evidence base supported the 

administration of millions of doses of a 

potentially ineffective drug globally. Yet when 

this evidence was subjected to a very basic 

numerical scrutiny it collapsed in a matter of 

weeks,” they wrote. 

Ivermectin ineffective 

against viruses 

Meanwhile, Dr. Timothy Geary, one of the 

world’s foremost experts of Ivermectin, also 

warned that Ivermectin is ineffective against 

COVID-19 or in fighting viruses generally. 

Geary, the Research Chair in Parasite 

Biotechnology at McGill 

University in Montreal, Canada, 

says that the 2020 study which 

spawned much of the Ivermectincraze 

is not being correctly read. 

In an interview, he explained 

that although the study did show 

that Ivermectin could inhibit the 

replication of COVID-19 virus 

cells, many people are 

misinterpreting the study and 

believing that the drug has viruskilling 

properties. 

Geary explained, though, that 

the concentration of Ivermectin 

used in the study was so high that 

it could not be used for treatment 

in a human, and would likely 

cause an overdose. 

“In that study they showed that 

in cell cultures, Ivermectin could 

inhibit (Covid) replication, but 

the concentrations required for 

that effect were in a range called 

the micromolar range - very high 

concentrations relative to what you would find 

in the plasma of a treated person or an animal, 

which would be 20 to 50 times lower.” 

Prescribed versions of Ivermectin drug come 

in pill form, so liquid versions are not advised 

and can lead to overdose which can cause 

serious side effects and even death. They 

warned against the misinformation being 

spread around that it’s okay to take large doses 

of ivermectin. It is not okay, they stated. 

“Even the levels of ivermectin for approved 

human uses can interact with other 

medications, like blood-thinners. You can also 

overdose on ivermectin, which can cause 

nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, hypotension (low 

blood pressure), allergic reactions (itching and 

hives), dizziness, ataxia (problems with 

balance), seizures, coma and even death.” 

The experts note that currently, the most 

effective ways to limit spread of COVID-19 

include getting a COVID-19 vaccine and 

following safety precautions and guidelines. 

To improve 

cancer survival, 

scientists 

investigate what 

kills patients 

cientists don’t really know what kills 

Smany cancer patients, but fruit fly 

research could provide answers according 

to University of California, Berkeley, 

researchers who are finding 

commonalities between the two that could 

lead to ways to prolong the lives of cancer 

patients. 

Fruit fly research is already pointing to 

a new anti-cancer strategy distinct from 

the conventional goal of destroying the 

tumor or cancerous cells. Instead, the 

research suggests, launching an attack 

against the destructive chemicals the 

cancer is throwing off could increase 

survival rates and improve patients’ 

health. 

“It’s a really complementary way of 

thinking about therapy,” said David 

Bilder, UC Berkeley professor of 

molecular and cell biology. “You’re trying 

to help the host deal with the effects of the 

tumor, rather than killing the tumour 

itself.” 

Jung Kim, a postdoctoral fellow in 

Bilder’s lab, recently discovered that 

tumours in fruit flies release a chemical 

that compromises the barrier between the 

bloodstream and the brain, letting the two 

environments mix — a recipe for disaster 

in numerous diseases, including infection, 

trauma and even obesity. In collaboration 

with the labs of UC Berkeley professors 

David Raulet and Kaoru Saijo, Kim and 

Bilder subsequently demonstrated that 

tumors in mice that release the same 

chemical, a cytokine called interleukin-6 

(IL-6), also make the blood-brain barrier 

leaky. 

More importantly, they were able to 

extend the lifespan of both fruit flies and 

mice with malignant tumors by blocking 

the effect of the cytokine on the barrier. 

“The IL-6 cytokine is known to cause 

inflammation. What’s new here is that this 

tumor-induced inflammation is actually 

causing the blood-brain barrier to open. 

If we interfere with that opening process 

but leave the tumor alone, then the host 

can live significantly longer and healthier 

with the same tumor burden,” Bilder said. 

IL-6 plays other important roles in the 

body, so to benefit cancer patients, 

scientists would have to find a drug that 

blocks its action at the blood-brain barrier 

without altering its effects elsewhere. But 

such a drug could potentially extend the 

life span and health span of human cancer 

patients, he said. 

According to Bilder, scientists still are 

uncertain what causes death in many 

cancer patients. Cancer of the liver, for 

example, clearly destroys the function of 

an organ essential for life. However, other 

organs, like the skin or the ovaries, are 

less critical, yet people die from cancer in 

these sites, too, sometimes very quickly. 

And though cancers often metastasize to 

other organs — multiple organ failure is 

one of the main causes of cancer death 

listed by doctors — Bilder questions if 

that’s the whole story. 

“Many human cancers are metastatic, 

but that doesn’t change the basic 

question: Why does the cancer kill?” he 

said. “If your tumor metastasized to the 

lung, are you dying because of lung failure 

or are you dying from something else?” 

For that reason, he works with nonmetastatic 

tumors implanted in fruit flies 

and mice and looks for systemic effects, 

not merely the effects on the tumorcontaining 

organ itself. 

One systemic effect of cancer is 

cachexia, the inability to maintain weight, 

which leads to wasting of muscle even 

when the patient is receiving intravenous 

nutrition. While Bilder discovered one 

possible reason for this — cancers release 

a chemical that prevents insulin from 

storing energy in the body — other 

scientists have found additional 

substances released by cancers that may 

also be responsible for tissue wasting.


As soon as Timi came 

through the door of the 

roaring party, all eyes 

were on her. Not because of her 

beauty of course. I’m sure if her 

mum were alive, she would be the 

last to call her pretty. But she’s 

always been very successful in her 

career and, as soon as the current 

managing director of the firm 

she’s worked with for decades 

retired, she was next in line A 

divorced mother of two, she’d 

paraded a string of men of means 

since her divorce. 

Only, after a few years of 

courtship and using her to get 

favours from her numerous 

contacts, they’d dumped her. But 

like it’s said, there was always 

another man in the wings, ready 

to promise her lasting friendship. 

And the incurable romantic she’s 

always been, she always fell for 

their glib tongues. 

So, who was this man that now 

walked through the door with her, 

towering above her and looking 

incredibly handsome? Surely he 

wouldn’t be another lucky ‘find’ of 

hers? By the time they’d hung 

around for the best part of an hour, 

words were out they were lovers. 

His name was Andy, an engineer 

bunmsof@yahoo.co.uk 

Pull off a new romance at 60! 

who had a successful business 

abroad. The icing on the cake for 

Timi was his being a divorce – he’d 

been single for as long as Timi 

had, and if things went the way 

they planned, he would be right 

there by her side as her husband 

when she would be confirmed her 

firm’s new managing director. 

All these facts came months 

later of course, as friends were 

dealt blow-by-blow reports on the 

progress of the romance. I was a 

bit anxious about Timi who 

always wore her heart on her 

sleeve. So when I ran into her a 

few months before her expected 

promotion, I tried to hint she 

should take this new relationship 

of hers with a shovel-full of salt. 

“What do you mean?!, she flared. 

“I’ve known Andy a long time you 

know! And we’d dated briefly in 

the past. It was providence that 

made us meet again on an 

international flight. Now we stay 

in each other’s houses whenever 

either of us travelled. Even when 

he’s away on business, I could 

always let myself into his flat as I 

have extra set of keys. 

“You of all people should be 

happy for me! After all the 

adventurous users I’d been 

Sex is like going to the gym! 

SPEAK to any mother of 

young children and she’ll 

undoubtedly tell you that 

intimacy with her husband is not 

on her list of priorities. As far as 

most new mothers go, intimacy is 

usually tagged ‘the last job of the 

day’. But could having children 

make your sex life with your 

husband even better – eventually? 

That with a bit of work, it can 

trigger a second honeymoon? 

Well, that’s what Sally said she 

discovered after three children 

and a sex life that left her husband 

getting a bit indifferent in the 

bedroom. 

“After having children, a 

woman’s needs become mundane, 

things such as her husband’s 

laundry or getting the meals ready. 

But a man’s libido remains. With 

our three children all under ten 

came the exhaustion of 

motherhood. I went from being a 

bubbly, flirty thing to an anxious, 

snappy creature who lived in old 

wrappers tied across my chest. 

Dan, my husband’s demands 

became more of a bother. When 

met by my cold shoulder in the 

bedroom, he’d ask: ‘Have you 

gone off me? When I finally 

acquiescent after a few months 

with great reluctance, it’s usually 

in the missionary position and 

mainly because I didn’t want his 

need being met elsewhere. 

“I must have tackled more than 

I could chew – what with erratic 

house – helps and a randy husband 

– that my doctor diagnosed 

depression and gave me antidepressants. 

It was then Dan 

realised I really had a problem 

and he became more sympathetic. 

At least he could see that my lack 

of desire for sex wasn’t down to 

him. On one occasion, he even 

confessed he’d feared I was 

having an affair – with three 

young children to look, after!? 

“When I was with my friends, our 

main topic of conversation was 

how a house full of children left 

us doing all we could to avoid sex. 

But I know Dan deserved more. 

He was a good husband and I 

wanted to satisfy him. Could 

anything bring the buzz back? 

Oddly enough, the trigger was a 

silly domestic row. I was still mad 

at him as I left for work in a huff. 

Then I remembered I still had 

some money meant for him in my 

bag. A colleague had advertised 

some lingerie that I thought were 

ridiculously expensive. With 

sadistic delight, I splashed out his 

money on quite a few. At least with 

them, I might just be able to 

reignite a long-dormant spark. 

“And so, that night, while Dan 

was locking up, I changed into my 

new undies and slipped into bed. 

Instigating sex for the first time in 

years was such a turn-on. When 

Dan saw me in bed, his mouth 

dropped open. It was the best sex 

we’d had in years. It felt like those 

early days when all that mattered 

was us. My libido had been kickstarted. 

Seeing how happy it had 

made us, I came up with a plan 

inspired by an article I once read. 

I decided we should try to have 

sex every day for a week. Dan was 

delighted. And while we managed 

only three nights – exhaustion, TV 

and one of the kids being ill – we 

had fun trying. 

“I realised what I’d been 

involved with, I’ve 

finally met a genuine 

man who wants to 

marry me!” Marriage? 

That was a new twist to 

the tale. Timi is a glam 

gran of 60 who has 

three grandchildren. 

Tell me, what sane man 

with a supposedly good 

job gets married to a 

60-year-old? 

Experience had 

thought me to keep my 

mouth shut whenever 

anyone I tried to 

counsel mentions love. 

NO matter what is 

said, they seldom listen. 

“And he’s a stud too,” she 

breathed. “For the first time since 

I kicked my no-good husband out, 

I finally found a man who is free 

to parade me as his partner. And 

he’s taken the investment side of 

my life under his wings. We have 

some profitable projects we’re 

currently involved with...” 

Warning bells started clanging, 

but I kept my mouth shut. When it 

comes to business deals, Timi is 

as ruthless, as they come. Thanks 

to her business connection, she’s 

made a lot of mind-bugling deals 

missing: how making love unites 

a couple. The next morning we 

were more demonstrative inn our 

affections. Sex is like going to the 

gym – you might not fancy it to 

start with, but once you make the 

effort, you get addicted. It became 

a naughty secret between us – we’d 

send each other sexy texts during 

the day and gaze at each other 

over dinner. I suddenly 

remembered what I’d found 

attractive about my husband. It 

felt so daring – adults frolicking 

in the same house as the children! 

Before we had children, the fact 

that sex was on tap made us 

complacent...” 

So all you readers reading this 

and thinking ‘if only’, Sally 

stressed – if she could do it – after 

three children and ten years of 

almost non-existing libido – 

anyone could. “Believe me,” she 

concluded, “you’ll want to shout 

about it too!” 

and has impressive property to 

show for it. Who knows what other 

profitable doors this Andy wonder 

could open for her? 

Friends were preparing a few 

congratulatory parties for her 

promotion when the bubble burst. 

Andy had disappeared! “What do 

you mean disappeared?” I asked 

the friend who broke the news as 

if she was actually glad Timi had 

met her come-uppance. “That 

crafty rogue bided his time,” she 

explained. “For close to two years, 

he spent a lot of her money and 

lavished attention on her; gave her 

mind bugling sex and introduced 

her to his four children as their 

step-mum. The crunch came when 

Andy informed Timi of a property 

currently going for a song in 

Britain. They could both buy the 

property and turn it into mini bedsits 

for single tenants. Timi fell 

for the impressive e-mail he sent 

her, showing all the property’s 

features, what they both could do 

with it and how much they would 

be raking in when the bedsits were 

eventually let. He even made it 

possible for her to speak with the 

estate agents. 

“His firm would handle the 

reconstruction so they could save 

a few pennies. Our love-struck 

aunty fell for it. She sent in 

thousands of pounds as downpayments 

and later flew down to 

see the progress being made at 

reconstruction. The builder was 

quite helpful too, answering all the 

questions Timi wanted answers to. 

She was so impressed, she sent in 

more money. That was when Andy 

stopped all contact with her. She 

couldn’t believe it. She travelled 

out and hurried down to his house 

but all the locks had been changed 

and none of the neighbours knew 

where to find him. She was still 

making frantic enquiries about his 

whereabouts when he sent her a 

text he was in hospital and 

seriously ill. He would get in touch 

as soon as he felt better. 

“When next Timi visited their 

building site, the rubble were still 

there with no workers. On inquiry, 

she was told it was council 

property. Furiously, she tried to 

get hold of Andy with no luck. In 

the end she got hold of one of his 

daughters who didn’t look 

shocked at what her dad just did. 

“He does it all the time,” she said 

looking at Timi with pity. Timi 

begged her to ask Andy to get in 

touch or she would use all her 

connections to destroy him when 

next he showed up in Nigeria. ‘Why 

don’t you do just that?’ Andy 

challenged when he called a few 

days later. “I’ve just left the 

hospital after paying hefty bills 

from the venereal disease you gave 

me. You say any nasty thing about 

me and I would let the world know 

what a disease riffled trollop you 

are!’ 

Needless to say, that was the end 

of discussion leaving our glam 

gran with no romance, no 

prospective husband and a chunk 

of her savings gone, but happy to 

still have a job! 

Honeywell, FRSC collaborate on road safety awareness 

For the safety of lives and 

property during Mber 

months especially Christmas 

period, the yearly road safety 

awareness introduced by Road 

Safety and Honeywell Flour Mill 

Plc. has kicked off in a way to 

remind travellers especially 

drivers the need to observe road 

safety roles to avoid road 

accidents and avoidable deaths 

on our roads. 

Speaking during the awareness 

exercise, Assistant Corp 

Commander (ACC), Emmanuel 

Obi, Unit Commander RS2.15 

Ojota said, “we are here today 

because of the collaboration we 

have with Honeywell, in respect 

of our Mber month flag-off 

awareness with a theme: 

“Maintain Self-Speed, Avoid 

Night Travel, Enjoy Quality Road 

Experience”. It has been ongoing 

programme since Road Safety 

started, that towards the end of the 

year, we try to sensitise our 

motorists on the right way to use 

the roads and tell them that the 

month of December is like any 

other month in the year. This, we 

have been doing every year, and it 

is not an in-house programme. 

Awareness has always been going 

on and we have what is called, 

‘advocacy visit’ where we visit 

parts, churches and mosques to 

keep creating road safety 

awareness. It has been an ongoing 

thing in Road Safety”. 

However, Commander Obi said 

that what we are trying to preach 

now is for drivers to avoid over 

speeding, get your valid driver’s 

lisence, don’t overload vehicles, 

ensure that your tyres are in good 

condition. “We also disencourage 

night trips because of the 

condition of our roads and 

insecurity in the country”. 

In addition, Mr. Dayo Adeniyi 

who is the lead trade marketing 

function, Honeywell Flour Plc., 

said, 

“We have been into this 

partnership with Road Safety up 

to a decade to create awareness 

during Mber months because of 

our interest in the life of Nigerians. 

Unfortunately, during this season, 

a lot of lives are lost which need 

not be so, because of low 

awareness, ignorance and other 

practices of drivers. We will 

continue to collaborate with Road 

Safety to ensure that the 

awareness and information is out 

there to our drivers and populace 

L-R: Trade Marketing Manager, Honeywell Flour Mills Plc, Mr. 

Adedayo Adeniyi; Customer and Channel Marketing Manager, Mrs. 

Ebele Oluwalana; Area Commander, Federal Road Safety 

Commission, Ojota Unit, Emmanuel Obi; Head Human Resources, 

HFMP, Mrs. Bisi Duduyemi and Head Corporate Strategy, Mr. Gbolaro 

Olulade, during Honeywell/FRSC ember month safety campaign, in 

Ikeja, Lagos…on Thursday 

at large on the need to take life 

easy at this time”. 

In terms of result of this 

awareness, Adeniyi said, “I want 

to believe that the Road Safety has 

the record of reduction in road 

accident and lives lost during 

these periods. 

Speaking about Honeywell 

Flour Mill Plc, he said in terms of 

our business, more people 

patronise us because they are life 

and the lives we are able to safe 

through this awareness is also to 

the benefit of our nation, Nigeria.


Nigeria needs transformational 

leadership to attain economic 

growth, says SCCF Boss 

Stories by Moses Nosike 

ollowing the present 

Fleadership challenges in the 

country, the future leadership 

conference, the preventive arm of 

the Second Chance Care 

Foundation and annual gathering 

of young professionals drawn 

from various disciplines across 

Nigeria believes all hope is not 

lost for Nigeria. 

The group which is strategically 

conceptualized to promote the 

spirit of leadership and 

entrepreneurial consciousness 

amongst young Nigerians is of the 

opinion that Nigeria needs 

transformational leadership to 

join in the community of common 

wealth nations, hence the sixth 

edition of its future leadership 

conference. 

Speaking more on the group, 

the Founder/Executive Director, 

Second Change Care Foundation 

and the Convener of Future 

Leadership Conference, Mark 

Idiahi, it provides supports to 

individual initiatives as well as 

empowering those who are 

committed to personal 

transformation for the purpose of 

facilitating 

societal 

transformation at all levels of our 

society. “It is a fact that leadership 

has been our collective albatross 

as a nation and it will not be out 

of place to prepare our youths for 

the future challenges of 

Leadership in Nigeria. This sixth 

edition of Future Leadership 

Conference is in strategic 

partnership with Chartered 

Institute of Strategic Managers 

and Leaders”. 

According to Idiahi, we are 

working assiduously towards 

ensuring that we use this 

opportunity to change the 

narratives of leadership in 

Founder/CEO, SCCF, middle, Mark Idiahi and his workers 

during press conference for the forthcoming 6th edition 

conference. 

Nigeria. It is more obvious now 

than ever that the trouble and 

concerns about the issue of 

leadership in Nigeria will thrive 

without the appropriate workable 

model of leadership. “As a nation, 

we have domesticated different 

kinds of leaderships in Nigeria 

but unfortunately they have all not 

being able to resolve our 

collective developmental issues. 

It is a collective desire for most 

Nigerians that we have the right 

and appropriate model of 

leadership because the sufferings 

due to failed leadership have hit 

the roof. Hence, our quest for 

transformational model of 

leadership in addressing the 

quagmires of failed leadership. 

The theme for FLC 6.0 2021 is 

Transformational leadership: An 

Antidote to Nigeria’s Leadership 

Quagmire. 

We have extended invitations to 

two distinguished personalities to 

deliver keynote papers on the 

theme from different perspectives. 

This is to give the audience a 

robust comprehension of 

transformational leadership. 

Dr Bashir Yusuf Jamoh, the 

current Director General of 

Nigerian 

Maritime 

Administration and Safety Agency 

has been invited as the Lead 

Keynote Speaker. Nneaka 

Onyeali-Ikpe, Managing Director 

of Fidelity Bank Plc is the Adjunct 

Keynote Speaker. She is expected 

to speak on the conference theme 

from the entrepreneurship 

perspective. 

The years conference and award 

ceremony will be holding on 

Saturday 30th October but at two 

different venues. The conference 

holds at the Nigeria Institute of 

International Affairs while the 

awards ceremony is scheduled for 

Oriental Hotel, Lagos. 

read more on 

www.vanguardngr.com 

Felix 

King 

Foundation is 

one of those non 

governmental and 

non profit 

organisations that 

refuses to see 

widows cry. The 

founder, Dr. Felix 

King has been 

doing this with joy 

and at the same 

time takes it as a 

divine calling. 

Before now, he was 

funding it with his 

personal earnings 

without soliciting 

help from 

anywhere. So, far, 

thousands of 

widows have 

r e c e i v e d 

consolation 

through the 

Foundation since 

their late husbands 

abandoned them 

with children with 

increased family 

responsibilities while nobody is 

coming to their rescue from 

anywhere. These added burdens 

have seen of their children 

dropped out of schools, 

especially since the advent of 

Covid-19 living has been difficult 

for these widows and their 

children to cope. 

However, having seen the 

importance of this humanitarian 

service embarked over the years 

by Felix King Foundation, a US 

based organisation, 

Organisation of World Leaders 

has decided to join the 

Foundation in partnership to 

support the more these widows 

living among us. 

Speaking recently on a 

programme to empower more 

widows for self-reliance, Dr. Felix 

King said that the challenges 

widows go through in this part 

of the world is unimaginable. 

“So, what we had decided to do 

was that at the beginning of this 

Toc 

ochukwu, Oluwarotimi, Ginika, emerge winners s at Act 

ctor 

ors Crib Africa 

Reality TV V Show 

T 

he organisers of Actors Crib 

Africa Reality TV Show had 

done a good job gathering some 

African youths especially 

Nigerians impacting on them 

knowledge, training that could 

help them unleash their 

potentials and as well create jobs 

for themselves and other 

upcoming youths in the society. 

However, as the Season One of 

the Actors Crib Africa Reality TV 

Show ends on a good note as 

contestants and winners chart 

freely with journalists relating 

their experiences. 

Commenting, one of the 

organisers, Executive Chairman, 

Stretchout Group, Dr Stanley 

Acho, said, “we decided to have 

this show having discovered there 

is a gap in the film industry. There 

is no known school where people 

who are naturally talented are 

trained and horn their skills for 

them to become professionals. On 

a lighter note, more than 10,000 

applied, and the contestants were 

reduced it to 200, to 50 and to 30, 

and now 30 of them entered the 

house and 18 has been evicted 

and now there are 12 contestants 

that will compete for the grand 

prize at the end of the day. The 

winner gets a car, $20,000 worth 

of deals while the first runner up 

gets $3,000 worth of deals and 

second runner up gets $2,000 

worth of deals. 

Also, to ensure that Actors Crib 

Africa Reality TV Show delivered 

its desired expectations, Madiba 

Group and its subsidiaries played 

a lead sponsorship. 

The General Manager, Kohinoor 

and Head of Operations, Mandiba 

Group, Ubanwa Oyudo, said, “We 

are the lead sponsor of Actors Crib 

Africa Reality TV Show, and we 

decided to venture into this show 

L-R: 2nd runner-up Ulasi Maureen Ginika; winner, Tochukwu 

Johnbosco Amuluche and 1st runner-up Okutagidi Oluwarotimi 

Michael at the just concluded Actors Crib Africa Reality TV Show, 

season one, held in Lagos. 

because we have the fair to 

sponsor and support the youths. 

We like raw talents, we believe 

in developing the society and we 

saw that it is going to be an avenue 

of giving back to the society in as 

much as we believe that we want 

to make country better for 

Nigerians. 

My name is Tochukwu 

Johnbosco Amuluche aka 

PEEJAY: I’m the winner, Actors 

Crib Africa Reality TV Show, 

Season One. 

The hurdle was not easy. I think 

is all about being focused and 

work towards it if you know what 

you want. That was the key point 

that helped me. 

My experience is something 

that till tomorrow, next year I 

would remain grateful to the 

organisers. As an actor before 

now I thought it is all about acting 

only. I never knew there are some 

technics, some things I needed to 

know. So, after spending 30 days 

in the house I became better than 

I came. I’m a skit maker and also a 

businessman. I won a car and 

$20,000 worth of deals. I have a 

plan of giving back to the society, 

and I’m going to give full time for 

the entertainment industry. 

Okutagidi Oluwarotimi Michael 

aka Durotimi: I am in my final year 

in Federal University of 

Technology, (FUTA), Akure, Ondo 

State. I am student of Fisheries 

and Aquaculture Technology. 

Coming to this competition was 

majorly to expose myself to acting 

that I was not so good at. I came to 

learn and to build myself to 

become stable and have 

knowledge so that I can take 

Nollywood to the next level, which 

is my dream. 

Felix King Foundation, OWL 

empower another set of widows 

•Target 1000 before year end 

As first runner up, I won $3,000 

worth of deals. I’m going to 

establish a production studio 

where young people will also be 

trained. The organizers are a 

force to be reckoned with. 

Ulasi Maureen Ginika: I’m 

from Anambra state. This is my 

first time of participating in TV 

Show. I saw the advert on 

Instagram and I applied because 

I always like entertainment. So 

here I am on Actors Crib Africa 

Reality TV Show. I’m the 2nd 

runner up and star girl gim. 

Before emerging as the 2nd 

runner up, there was a 

commercial we were asked to do 

at one of the hotels at Lekki in 

the course of the programme. I 

won the commercial which made 

me become a brand ambassador 

of the company and with a prize 

of N100,000.00 attached to it. As 

the 2nd Runner up, I’m entitled 

to $2,000 worth of deals. 

R-L: Dr Felix King presenting a 

cheque to a widow middle with Dr. Dee 

Dawkins-Haigler left 

year, we gave ourselves a target 

of reaching 1000 widows by 

December 31, 2021. And our 

strategy is not just giving these 

women fishes but giving them net, 

try to help them stand again”. 

According him, we know that 

Covid-19 actually did a lot of 

havoc, unfortunately the people 

who were going to find difficult 

to recover are women, most 

especially widows. “The highest 

percentage of children that 

wouldn’t be able to go back to 

school belong to these set of 

people. The highest percentage of 

people that die everyday from 

malaria belong to these set of 

people. The highest percentage of 

people who cannot cope anymore 

belong to these people”. 

Continuing, Dr. Felix said that 

for the past 6 years we have tried 

ignore going into partnership 

with anybody. “Everything you 

see till this moment is 100% Felix 

King Foundation effort. But of late 

I went to the US, people were 

asking why don’t you look for 

people who will support you or 

partner what you are doing, and I 

said I’m not ready, let me do what 

God has directed me to and I’m 

doing it within my power. When 

Dee spoke to me and said, allow 

us to be part of what you are doing, 

it came at the right time when 

outside the country, what people 

are thinking about Nigeria is 

negative. So when you see 

somebody who is from America 

thinking positive things, that was 

a major motivation for me to say 

yes to her request. I believe so 

much in Nigeria and there is no 

place as good as this country. Let’s 

forget all the negative that is 

going on, every country has its 

own problem, and that is the 

reality”. 

read more on 

www.vanguardngr.com 

L-R: Deputy Chief Financial Officer, TVC Communications, Victoria 

Ajayi; Executive Chairman, Ikosi Isheri LCDA, Princess Samiat Abolanle 

Bada; Director, People Culture, Experience & Operations, TVC 

Communications, Kemi Shonubi, and Head, Corporate Communications, 

PR & Digital, TVC Communications, Mabel Aladenusi - Adeteye; at the 

2021 TVC Communications Child Health Day Symposium in Lagos.

Take away the freebies from 

the international 

engagements of national 

sports teams and see the 

restoration of sanity into 

Nigerian sports 

administration, 

accountability in funding, less 

crisis and fair process in the 

elections in sports 

federations, and focus on 

development of domestic 

sports. 

It is as simple as that, really. 

The scramble for offices 

within Nigerian sports 

associations/federations is 

largely motivated by the 

opportunities to reap from 

the largesse of international 

travels, estacode allowances, 

bonuses and access to 

sponsorship monies, all of 

which are largely never 

properly accounted for to 

anybody. 

I am beginning to sound 

like a broken record, saying 

the same things over and over 

again, and hardly being 

heard. Yet, my responsibility 

to sport is never to be deterred. 

My over four decades of an 

unbroken relationship with 

sports is valuable experience 

and knowledge that cannot 

be bought in the market 

place. Looking at how messy 

the sports landscape has 

become today, those 

experiences can also not be 

disregarded. 

If we do not know where we 

are going in sports, at least 

we know where we are 

coming from. That is the 

wisdom to apply in the 

current situation in Nigerian 

basketball, a crisis that is 

reflective of a general 

situation in many other 

sports, strangulated by 

inexperience with challenges 

that are now beginning to 

look intractable. 

Unfortunately, most of 

those that know ‘where we are 

coming from’, because they 

were active participants when 

a National Sports Policy 

document piloted sports 

development in the country 

are no longer in the sports 

ecosystem to provide the 

needed light and guidance 

through the present dark 

clouds. 

The Sports Ministry, the 

supervisory body responsible 

for sports direction in the 

country has lost a lot of 

experienced and 

knowledgeable sports 

administrators to retirements 

without adequate 

replacements. There is hardly 

anyone left in the system to 

properly guide the Ministry 

in putting Nigerian sports 

back on track after the 

systemic ‘derailment’ that 

occurred under the watch of 

Amos Adamu, who became 

the most powerful man in the 

history of Nigerian sports 

administration, but was not 

well-grounded in the original 

foundations laid and vision 

for Nigerian sports 

development. 

He remained for too long 

in the system, impacting and 

influencing the direction in 

which sports would go after 

him. Since his exit, most effort 

to put the train back on track 

have been truncated because 

the deviations from the 

original course were too far 

gone. Also, administrators 

across all of sports had tasted 

the sweet juices and rewards 

of short-cuts, convoluted 

processes and systems, easy 

money, dilution of the role 

and responsibilities of 

government resulting in a 

new scramble for sports 

offices, manipulated 

processes for electing sports 

association boards, 

politicization of sports, and 

the inevitable creation of 

friction and conflict between 

government, stakeholders 

and sports associations. 

His successors tried but 

failed to change the course of 

sports that became mired and 

wandering in the ‘errors’ of 

new constructs that are based 

on fanciful and untested 

theories and not reality - new 

ideas anchored to a weak 


Who is in charge of Nigeria’s national 

sports teams? 

foundation, like new wine in 

an old wine bottle. 

So, the crisis deepened and 

lingered unendingly. 

Whereas, the answer is like a 

low hanging fruit, almost too 

simple to be true – the sports 

ministry must discard its ‘fear’ 

of perceived and unfounded 

international sanctions and 

take decisive charge over its 

own responsibilities, and 

render proper supervision, 

without fear or favour. It 

cannot surrender any of its 

primary roles and 

responsibilities to sports 

associations that are not 

equipped in any way to carry 

such responsibilities no 

matter their bluff or 

posturing. 

The first step to progress is 

a return to the structure that 

puts a National Sports 

Commission, with the right 

leadership and structures in 

place, to pilot Nigerian sports 

going forward. That is an 

imperative without which the 

decay will continue under a 

ministry structure as we have 

seen through previous and 

present experiences. It does 

not work, with the burden of 

bureaucracy in government 

slowing down, and even 

halting, proper development. 

The current basketball 

crisis provides a good casestudy 

and a reminder on how 

not to attend competitions 

and treat the welfare of 

Sports Personality of the Year award: Pamodzi hails Shaibu 

Foremost Sports 

Marketing outfit in Nigeria 

and organiser of the silver 

label Okpekpe 

international 10km road 

race, Pamodzi Sports 

Marketing Nigeria Limited 

has congratulated Rt. 

Honourable Comrade 

Philip Shaibu, the Edo State 

Deputy Governor on his 

award as the Sports 

Personality of year (2020) 

by The Sun newspaper. 

In a statement signed by 

Mike Itemuagbor, its Chief 

Executive Officer, the Edo 

Deputy Governor’s choice 

as the Sports Personality of 

2020 is a perfect 

recognition of his untiring 

efforts at repositioning 

sports in Edo state and 

Nigeria. 

‘’ I rejoice with you on this 

occasion of your award as 

the Sports Personality of the 

year 2020. On behalf of the 

management and staff of 

Pamodzi Sports Marketing 

Nigeria Limited, please 

accept our warmest 

congratulations on your 

deserved award,’ wrote 

Itemuagbor who insists The 

Sun Newspaper has made 

the best choice for the 

award. 

‘I must say that your 

award is one of the best 

choices ever made by the 

board of editors of The Sun 

newspaper in the area of 

sports development. 

‘No doubt, you have 

worked tirelessly to 

reposition sports in our 

native land of Edo state in 

particular and Nigeria in 

general. So, you are a 

perfect choice,’ the 

statement read further.’’ 

The Pamodzi CEO also 

thanked ‘His Excellency, 

Godwin Obaseki, the 

Governor of the state for 

providing the enabling 

environment that has led to 

the huge development in 

the sports sector.’ Edo 

state hosted what has been 

described as the best 

National Sports Festival 

ever in April under the 

supervision of the Deputy 

Governor. 

The state is also home of 

the first road race in West 

Africa to be granted a World 

Athletics label, the 

Okpekpe international 

Whereas, the 

answer is like a 

low hanging 

fruit, almost too 

simple to be 

true – the sports 

ministry must 

discard its ‘fear’ 

of perceived and 

unfounded 

international 

sanctions and 

take decisive 

charge 

10km road race and ‘both 

the Governor Obaseki and 

Comrade Shaibu have been 

a strong part of it from its 

conception and have been 

a solid pillar of support to 

the historic and enviable 

height it has attained.’ 

athletes. Monies meant for 

athletes are held up in the 

Central Bank of Nigeria 

because necessary approvals 

from the ministry of Finance 

are being awaited. Such 

stories are the ‘enemies’ of 

sports development, an 

enterprise, otherwise, driven 

by dynamism and quick 

responses to issues. 

In the absence of a sports 

commission, the Ministry of 

Sports must fill the space and 

provide the ground ‘rules’ of 

engagement with all the 

organisations that it 

supervises. 

What is missing is a sports 

architecture where everybody 

knows their roles and 

responsibilities. 

The Ministry, itself, must 

lead by example and not be 

led by the nose by sports 

federations bent on 

exploiting the unclear 

situation to rule and ruin the 

administration of sports in the 

country. 

The biggest stakeholder in 

Nigerian sports is 

government – local, State and 

Federal. For a developing 

country and economy, that is 

how it would be until sport 

becomes a major economic 

contributor that can stand on 

its own and become what it is 

in the USA and other 

developed climes that we 

always use as a template. 

No federation, the Nigerian 

Football Federation 

inclusive, can stand on its own 

without government once the 

international dimension to 

sports at national teams’ level 

is added to their list of 

responsibilities. 

Without international 

engagements added to their 

mandate, national sports 

federations will survive on 

their own, be fully 

independent from any 

interference including from 

government, and shall carry 

out their major mandates of 

organizing their local 

members for national and 

international club 

competitions and 

programmes. 

The sports architecture of 

Nigerian sports places 

grassroots sports 

development in the hands of 

the local governments, 

schools, States and the 

Tyson: Smoking weed led me to God 

BOXING legend Mike 

Tyson has credited his 

use of marijuana and 

magic mushrooms for 

ending his party days and 

helping him find God. 

The former heavyweight 

champion lived a wild party 

lifestyle during and after his 

hall-of-fame career. 

Tyson’s party ways saw 

him fall afoul of the law in 

January 2007, when he was 

arrested for drink driving 

and possession of cocaine. 

Iron Mike gave up booze 

and drugs in 2016 in a bid 

to turn around his life after 

excessive weight gain, 

which was around the time 

he started he started using 

weed and psychedelics. 

He told Forbes: “You see 

how much my life changed 

five years ago? I was a junkie 

five years ago. 

“I didn’t even think I 

could survive. Then I got 

introduced to animal and 

plant medicine.” 

Tyson, 55, is happy with his 

new healthy lifestyle. 

He said: “Before you 

Action resumes this 

weekend in domestic 

leagues across Europe 

following two weeks of 

international football, 

which had the World Cup 

qualifier, UEFA Nations 

League and international 

friendlies. 

Kelechi Iheanacho and 

always read about me in the 

papers, doing something 

negative. 

“Now, what happened to 

that guy? You don’t see me 

partying anymore. That’s 

not my life anymore. 

“It’s hard to really 

articulate it from my 

Profile Polo Team Patron, Babangida (left)receives his 

prize from Kashim Bukar after leading his Profile team 

to the historic victory at the concluded Rubicon Resort 

Polo Tournament in Abuja 

Federal government through 

schools, sports councils and 

the sports commission/ 

ministry of sports, combining 

and institutionalizing the 

essential need of education 

for all children and their 

fundamental right to play. 

Federations, private 

association of clubs, cannot 

take up that responsibility. 

Elite Sports development 

and International 

engagements are also the 

responsibility of government. 

The National Sports 

Commission is the organ of 

sports with experts in all 

aspects of sports, with all the 

major facilities, with all the 

infrastructure and with all the 

needed resources from 

government, to drive national 

sports development. It cannot 

pass on this responsibility or 

surrender it, for now. 

The Afrobasketball 

Championship attended by 

the Women’s national team 

of Nigeria, is an international 

event, the equivalent of 

football’s AFCON. It is the 

primary responsibility of the 

Ministry of Sports to fund the 

team’s preparations, 

competition, bonuses and 

allowances. 

They must do these things 

working in collaboration with 

the basketball federation, 

without ceding their 

responsibility. 

Should there be money 

derived from sponsorships by 

the effort of the federation, 

this should either be 

accounted for properly to the 

ministry and used for the 

purpose it was secured. It can 

also be for the purpose of 

reducing the burden on 

government for funding. 

There is too much friction 

between the sports ministry 

and sports federations when 

it comes to money issues. That 

is what is at the root of the 

present scandalous crisis in 

Nigerian basketball. 

Who is in charge of the 

national teams of Nigeria to 

several different 

competitions? The answer to 

this question unlocks the key 

to one of Nigerian sports’ 

most intractable problems. 

Iheanacho up against Man Utd 

•As Onyeka welcomes Chelsea 

Frank Onyeka are the two 

players to watch. Iheanacho 

has been used mainly as a 

substitute in the league this 

season, but he showed why 

perspective, but 

psychedelics helped me 

assume my relationship 

with God. 

“I don’t use it for 

recreation. I’m not a 

recreational user. This stuff 

is only done from a spiritual 

perspective.” 

he deserved to start more 

games after he scored on his 

first start in Leicester City’s 

2-2 draw against Crystal 

Palace at Selhurst Park just 

before the international 

break. 

The 25-year-old will now 

hope to get his second start 

of the season when Brendan 

Rodgers men welcome 

Manchester United to the 

King Power Stadium on 

Saturday. 

Iheanacho scored twice 

against United in the FA 

Cup last season, and he 

could be the man again to 

fire the Foxes to victory on 

Saturday. 

Meanwhile, at the 

Brentford Community 

Stadium, Frank Onykea 

will hope to feature in 

Brentford’s clash against 

table-toppers Chelsea on 

Saturday evening. 

Onyeka, who played the 

two games against CAR, 

started the season well, but 

a coronavirus positive test 

halted his progress. 

But having featured 

against Liverpool and West 

Ham from the start, he will 

hope to be in the lineup 

against the Blues. 

Also, Alex Iwobi could 

make his return against 

West Ham after missing 

Everton’s trip to Old 

Trafford and Nigeria’s 

games against CAR.



46 — SATURDAY Vanguard, OCTOBER 16, 2021 

T 

here is no doubt that the Nigerian basketball scene is witnessing about its 

most trying period at the moment. With an impending elective congress exactly 

two weeks from now, the Nigeria Basketball Federation has been plunged into 

a crisis that could make some victims in its wake as the issues are getting messier by 

the day. 

Following the protest by members of the female national basketball team, during 

which they accused the NBBF and the Ministry of Sports of owing them various sums 

of money meant for them as allowances, training grants and donations by some banks 

before the Olympics, a lot of Nigerians have been reacting. D’Tigress, as the female 

national basketball team is called, have won the FIBA Afrobasket championship for 

three consecutive times, it is generally agreed that the women deserved a better deal. 

Give D’Tigress their 

due – Nwachukwu 

Onyewuchi Nwachukwu, an 

editor with Lagos-based 

Sportinglife said, “It is 

absolutely shocking. These are 

women that have made us proud. 

They have won the continental 

title three times consecutively 

and four times overall, they 

deserve to be treated better. The 

ministry was just being 

diplomatic with the truth by 

saying the money was intact 

somewhere. If this money was 

ready, why not give it to them 

instead of allowing it snowball to 

this embarrassing level? 

“By the way, what do they mean 

by saying the money was intact? 

Was it meant to be kept intact or 

to be disbursed to them. The girls 

are very articulate. They are well 

read, as they grew up in the 

United States and can express 

their views independently. 

The best thing is for the 

ministry to pay these girls to save 

this country further 

embarrassment. 

Some people are already 

Yes they are being owed but not 

insinuating that because this is 

•Rohr any official money. Let me explain 

an election period, some people 

are using the girls to rubbish a 

particular candidate, which 

shows that they are parochial. For 

the NBBF, even though the funds 

were the prerogative of the 

ministry and the NBBF did not 

have much to say on this, some 

officials of the NBBF have 

sympathy for the minister. There 

could be some kind of collusion 

and this are issues some of us 

have to unravel. If any member 

of the NBBF is found to be 

colluding with the ministry of 

sports to deprive these women of 

their monies, the person must be 

brought to book. Every time they 

owe players, officials feed fat on 

money that was supposed to be 

given to athletes. 

Apart from the money, the 

girls also complained of lack of 

respect for them despite their 

achievements, and this kills 

their morale. 

I agree with you completely. 

They are advocating that they 

have a liaison officer who will 

always table their matter before 

the federation. Some of these 

issues came up before the 

Olympics where, after comparing 

the way their contemporaries 

from other countries were being 

accorded 5-star treatment and 

how they were being treated the 

NBBF, they realised they were 

not being treated well. It is 

natural that if an athlete of 

another country that is not as 

talented as you are is enjoying 

more respect from her country 

you won’t like it. 

They are not asking for too 

much. They are international 

stars that have brought us glory. 

Give them their due. 

Besides, the girls were also 

accusing the NBBF President of 

not visiting them at their 

Olympic camp in the US even 

when he was in the States to 

see the male team. 

When you have children, you 

always have a soft spot for the 

girls because of their 

vulnerability; you don’t want hurt 

them. If actually the NBBF 

President visited the men’s team 

without seeing the women, then 

it’s bad. The girls will feel 

rejected and dejected. Between 

the girls and the male team, who 

have achieved more? They have 

brought us more glory than the 

men. So why can’t we accord 

them the respect they deserve? 

Colonel Sam Ahmedu 

(rtd): D’Tigress ‘ve 

never been neglected 

Sam Ahmedu Ahmedu, proprietor 

of Dodan Warriors Basketball 

Club and President FIBA Africa 

Zone 3 is also a board member (International 

Representative) of the 

Nigeria Basketball Federation. He 

spoke with Sports Vanguard. 

Is it true these girls are being 

owed? 

to you the manner of the 

indebtedness. There are three 

tiers of debts they are being owed 

The first id the President’s 

personal promise to the 

individual players; I will give you 

$1000, I will give you this, I will 

give you that. That was when they 

did well at the World Cup in 2018. 

When they came back from the 

World Cup, the Ministry never 

released money to cover the 

money he(the President or the 

federation) spent to go to the 

World Cup, Nations Cup. So the 

money he would have used to 

fulfill the promises he made to 

them was being held back until 

it dovetailed into 2019, the girls 

went to Afrobasket in Senegal, 

the President had to look for 

money to fund this new one again. 

Luckily, the girls won. Again, he 

made promises, saying, “I owed 

you $1000 each, I am going to pay 

you another one thousand. That 

money added up to $73,000 . If 

you look at this, the federation is 

not owing them. It is only a 

promise made to them by the 

President. I know some people 

would say, a promise is a debt. 

but if you don’t have money to 

pay, will you kill yourself. 

I remember in 2019, the 

ministry asked the President to 

compute all the money he has 

spent and submit, which he did. 

But he has not been refunded all 

the money he spent. He was paid 

about half. You know how 

government things work. They 

pay in peace meal. 

The second tier of money they 

claim was being owed, they said 

was training grant. The minister 

has come up to say no one was 

being owed training grant. By the 

way, the federation does not pay 

training grant. Training grant is 

paid by the Ministry of Sports in 

conjunction with the Nigeria 

Olympic Committee, and not the 

federation. 

Third one is the $230,000 donation 

by some banks. Two of the 

banks donated $100,000 each. 

One to the men’s team and the 

other to the women’s team. The 

third bank donated $30,000 for 

the two teams. The money did not 

go to the federation. It was the 

ministry that went to lobby for 

this money through the ‘Adopt an 

Athlete’ initiative. Some athletes 

got $10,000, some $15,000 

depending on who was 

sponsoring you. So this money 

was not even given to the 

minister at hand. It went straight 

to the Excro account with the 

Central Bank. Those who paid the 

money paid directly to NBBF 

domiciliary account. 

However, the NBBF does not 

have physical control of that 

account. That account is 

controlled by the Ministry of 

Sports. If your money is there it 

is for a specific purpose. 

For the Ministry to pay those 

athletes the money, the President 

and the secretary would have to 

write a memo to the Ministry of 

Sports, then the Minister would 

approve, after that m the 

President of the federation and 

the accountant, who is from the 

ministry will then go and bring 

the money. 

For the girls now to get that 

money, the CBN would have to 

wire that money to the US, Spain 

or wherever. During the 

Olympics, the Minister said to 

the President, ‘look, this money 

for your players, we cannot give 

it to the federation. Give us your 

players’ account details so we can 

transfer the money to them. There 

was an argument on whether the 

coaches too can benefit. That 

suggestion was dismissed 

because, according to the 

minister, it is from the ‘adopt an 

athlete’ initiative and coaches are 

not athletes. 

So far, only the girls have sent 

their account details but the boys 

don’t want to. They are NBA 

players and are afraid their 

account could be hacked if they 

send their details. The only option 

left for the men is to hand the 

money to the General Manager 

of the team, who unfortunately, is 

away to the US. The Ministry has 

written to the Central Bank to 

commence payment for the girls, 

but the men would have to wait. 

Apart from the money owed 

them, the girls are also saying 

they are not given respect due 

to them. For instance, they said 

during the build up to the 

Olympics, the NBBF President 

did not visit them in the US, 

even though he went to see the 

men who were also camping in 

the US. They are feeling bad 

about that. 

The girls cannot say so because 

I was with them. Let me tell you. 

The Cameroon they went to for 

the Afrobasket, it was the 

President that raised money for 

them to participate When the 

President wrote to the ministry 

asking for funds for their 

participation in the Afrobasket, 

the ministry said they did not have 

money. They said all the money 

Outrage ove 

unpaid allow 

Stanley Gumut: Pay them 

D’Tigress ‘ve never been neg 

D’Tigress reject part-payme 

had been spent for the Olympics 

and the Afrobasket was not budgeted 

for and that the President 

should go and look for money if 

they wanted the team to go to 

Cameroon. The President 

sourced the money, about 130,000 

dollars or so. Their allowances 

were paid, their feeding, 

accommodation and flight tickets 

were all paid and they did well 

and won. 

The President wanted to go and 

he tested positive for Covid-19, 

so the Vice President, Babs went. 

If the Super Eagles are playing 

and the Vice President of the NFF 

is there would the players say 

Pinnick was not there? One of the 

girls said they want to thank the 

Nigerian Ambassador to 

Cameroon who took care of them. 

How did they know the 

Ambassador if the federation did 

not take them there? 

On the American trip, let me tell 

you what happened. The male 

team were camped in Las Vegas 

while the women were in Atlanta. 

I was with them there. So the men 

were to play a game in Las Vegas 

on a Saturday. The President was 

travelling to Atlanta via Las Vega. 

By his flight schedule, he was to 

spend like 2 hours in Atlanta. So 

they expected him to get to 

Atlanta, go to their camp before 

coming back to catch his plane to 

Las Vegas. It was established that 

the girls were going to come to 

Las Vegas abd he would meet 

them there. When they met in Las 

Vegas, he spoke with them and 

thanked them for what they were 

doing. He explained to them why 

the money he was owing them 

had not been paid. 

The former GM of the team who 

resigned is not happy so she is 

firing the, up. 

Stanley Gumut: Pay 

them 

Former captain of Mark Men-

SATURDAY Vanguard, OCTOBER 16, 2021 — 47 

D’Tigress 

ances 

tors of Abuja and Nigeria international 

was recently elected as 

the players’ representative on the 

board of Nigeria Basketball Federation 

(NBBF), Stanley Gumut 

said the NBBF and the Sports 

Ministry have no excuse to have 

kept quiet over the monies owed 

the female national Basketball 

team members. 

He said, “This thing has gone 

viral and everybody is aware of 

it. It is unfortunate that these 

girls who have worked hard and 

brought glory to this country are 

still being owed backlog of 

money. That is why we, the 

players, are calling for a change 

in the leadership of the NBBF. 

But the NBBF said they are 

not owing the players? 

I don’t have any fact about that, 

but if the players have come 

around with a video that they are 

being owed, I can’t doubt them 

because I don’t think they can just 

•Dare 

lected – Col Sam Ahmedu(rtd) 

nt 

wake up one day and start making 

up stories that they were being 

owed.. 

Some people are saying these 

girls are being remotely 

controlled to stage their 

protest. And that the whole 

thing was being politically 

motivated. 

Well, even if it is politically 

motivated, the basic fact is that 

they are being owed. There is no 

contention against that fact. They 

are being owed. 

But the Ministry is saying 

that the money is intact 

Peoples money should be given 

to them. Why should money 

meant for athletes be in the bank? 

Give it to them. 

You called for a change in the 

leadership of the NBBF. Is it 

because of this or there are 

other issues we do not know? 

•Kida 

This and many other issues, too 

many to mention here. For 

instance, if you take a look of the 

domestic basketball scene, 

nothing has happened in the last 

four years. If nothing is being 

done I believe nothing is going 

to change in another four years. 

Ministry’s reaction: 

In its reaction, the Ministry of 

Youth and Sports Development 

issued a statement which was 

widely reported. In the statement 

signed by the Permanent 

Secretary, Ismaila Abubakar 

reads in part, “The Ministry 

wishes to make the following 

clarifications : 

1.The $230,000 Dollars donated 

to the Basketball teams by the 

Banks under the Adopt-a-Team 

programme of the Ministry is 

intact in the Nigeria Basketball 

Federation’s (NBBF) official 

domiciliary account domiciled 

with the Central Bank of Nigeria 

(CBN). 

2.That only the 12 female Team 

members of D’Tigress have 

supplied their foreign account 

numbers. The Ministry waited 

for the account numbers of the 

Male Team to be supplied so that 

the processing of payments can 

be one off as requested by the 

CBN. 

3.The Ministry has requested 

the CBN to commence the 

processing of the payment to the 

Female Basketball Players immediately. 

The Male will be paid as 

soon as their account details are 

supplied. 

4. Ministry wishes to state 

further that all outstanding - 

Olympics and Paralympics 

Games allowances and bonuses 

are being processed and only 

slowed down by funds 

availability. 

Furthermore, the Ministry of 

Finance has been fully furnished 

with details of the outstanding 

allowances and payments due to 

the NBBF and the Nigeria 

Football Federation(NFF) and 

efforts are being made to secure 

the release. 

Protest politically 

motivated 

Babs Ogubade, Vice President 

of the outgoing NBBF board 

forwarded this post to a 

WhatsApp platform. 

“I have tried to follow this story 

since the girls came out with it. I 

have listened to them, read the 

ministry’s statement and also 

had cause to speak with NBBF 

leadership. 

I tried to speak to the girls but 

have been told that for now 

although only the captain Adaora 

is authorized to speak, she has 

asked for a day or two before 

going on record. 

However, based on what I have 

heard so far, what I can say is that 

all is not as it seems. 

I deal in facts, and as much as 

possible, I try to speak to as many 

people involved and scour for as 

much information as I can find 

to arrive at a working theory. 

From what I gather so far, it 

appears that the ladies have 

woven some fact with fiction and 

are running with a story that tugs 

at our heartstrings 

1: Yes, the ladies are owed 

money and there has been no 

denial of that from the NBBF that 

I have seen. If anyone has seen 

anywhere that Kida said they 

were not owed, I would like to 

see it. 

2. No NBBF leadership showed 

up for them, especially in 

Cameroon. That is not true. VP 

Babs Ogunade was with the 

team in Cameroon. That is 

Kida’s no 2. And Col Sam has 

almost always travelled with the 

team. 

If two board members, one of 

them the VP is with you, how is 

that not leadership 

3. Their monies have not been 

paid. True. and that needs to be 

sorted out ASAP. It is totally and 

completely unfair to not have 

monies dating back to 2017/2018 

paid up. 

I have heard the reasons from 

the NBBF, and while they are 

valid and it appears clear that 

this is not their fault (same 

reason why the men’s football 

team did not get their Afcon 2019 

bonuses till 2021), I believe that 

workarounds can be found to 

make these things happen. Even 

if it is to pay a part. 

But the ministry has also 

explained (with proof) that the 

$230 000 is in the bank and ready 

to be paid. 

4. Kida did not show up in 

Cameroon. As I understand it, 

Kida tested positive for COVID 

and could not travel and the team 

were made aware of the 

situation. 

This is what I have been told 

by multiple NBBF officials, 

including Ogunade who said he 

personally informed the girls in 

Cameroon about Kida’s positive 

test. 

It is part of why I really wanted 

to speak to Elonu, to ask her if 

indeed the team were told about 

this. 

If she says they were not told, 

that means one party is lying. 

And if. they were, then why still 

complain about it? 

5. And of course we all know 

that the 36-hour flight to Tokyo 

was not on the NBBF but on the 

NOC and by extension, the 

ministry 

These are just a few of the many 

pickups from my conversations 

and the available public information. 

And then there is the political 

angle. But I will not go into that, 

for the simple reason that most 

of it is conjecture. 

But after all of these, if the facts 

that I know and can find from 

publicly available information 

have been so badly 

misrepresented by these ladies, 

it calls to question the 

motivations. 

One thing we cannot deny is 

that this agitation has hastened 

the processing of their payment, 

and they will be paid soon. Which 

is good news from any where 

one may stand. 

However, one will find it hard 

to trust any information thhat 

comes from them after so much 

misrepresentation 

I support the protest 

Reacting to Babs’ post a 

contributor wrote “If this girls 

are owed even N1, they are 

within their rights to complain. 

Whether woven in with fiction or 

not. Whether politically 

motivated or not, this situation is 

a recurring decimal in our sports 

and national lives. I support this 

protest 100%. 

Pay them their money as AT 

WHEN DUE. If that had 

happened would they protest ? I 

doubt it? anyone looking to put 

any additional. Spin on such a 

bad situation does not Have the 

interest of Nigeria at heart and 

is a big part of our problem as a 

country !” 

D’Tigress reject partpayment 

After winning their third consecutive 

AfroBasket title, 

D’Tigress players in a video 

called out the Sports Ministry 

and the Nigeria Basketball 

Federation (NBBF) over about 

N87m in bonuses and 

allowances owed to them and 

also the unfair treatment they 

were subjected to. 

That video has triggered some 

responses from both the NBBF 

and the Ministry. 

But in another statement, the 

players claim that they have been 

offered a part of the outstanding 

payments from the 2018 FIBA 

Women’s World Cup. 

They, however, declined to 

insist that the Ministry and 

NBBF must meet all their 

demands. 

“We thank the Ministry for 

their swift response but 

respectfully decline part 

payment of monies owed to 

every member of the D’Tigress 

since 2018 FIBA Women’s World 

Cup,” the players said in a 

statement. 

“We are a team and will leave 

no one behind.” 

The D’Tigress’ demands 

include holding the former 

president of the NBBF 

responsible for the unfair 

treatment they have received and 

for his alleged incompetence. 

The players are also 

demanding to appear before 

President Muhammadu Buhari 

and get their presidential 

handshake after their latest 

achievement. 

Total amount owed, improve 

travel conditions and hiring a 

General Manager, are part of 

non-negotiables. 

“We are open to a seat down 

conversation at the appropriate 

time, all communications be 

directed to our captain Adaora 

Elonu,” part of the statement also 

read. 

Following the protest from the 

D’Tigress, the Federal Ministry 

of Youth and Sports 

Development denied the 

allegations that their officials 

diverted the monies meant for 

the basketball squad. 

The Ministry claimed that they 

still have donations by the banks 

to the D’Tigress in the NBBF’s 

domiciliary account.

C 

M 

Y 

K 

SATURDAY Vanguard, OCTOBER 16, 2021 

CROSS WORD PUZZLE 

SOLUTION ON PAGE 8 

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

Advert Dept Hotline: 01-4544821. Abuja Advert Hotline: 09-2921024. E-mail: editor@vanguardngr.com, news@vanguardngr.com, letters@vanguardngr.com. Advert:advertproduction@yahoo.com 

Website: www.vanguardngr.com (ISSN 0794-652X). EDITOR: ONOCHIE ANIBEZE. Phone: 01-7742861, All correspondence to P.M.B. 1007, Apapa Lagos.

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