19122021

PAGE 2—SUNDAY VANGUARD, DECEMBER 19, 2021

SUNDAY VANGUARD, DECEMBER 19, 2021, PAGE 3

PAGE 4 —SUNDAY VANGUARD, DECEMBER 19, 2021

SELF-DETERMINATION CONFLICT: How Yoruba Nation 

parted ways with Lower Niger agitators — Prof Akintoye 

•‘We know what Kanu and Igboho want, we also know what we want, what does Lower 

Niger Congress want? Lower Niger Congress does not exist’ 

By Sola Isola, Ibadan 

LEADER of the um 

brella body of Yoruba 

Self-Determination Groups, 

Ilana Omo Oodua, IOO, Professor 

Banji Akintoye, has 

explained that how his 

group parted ways with the 

Nigerian Indigenous Nationalities 

Alliance for Self- 

Determination (NINAS). 

According to him, he quit 

as Chairman of NINAS to 

protect his reputation and 

integrity as well as that of 

the Yoruba Nation agitation 

and self-determination. 

Akintoye had, some 

months ago, not only quit 

as Chairman of NINA but 

also pulled his group out of 

the group. 

In a telephone conversation 

with Sunday Vanguard 

through his Communication 

Manager, Maxwell 

Adeleye, Akintoye noted 

that the decision became 

important when he observed 

that the agenda of 

NINAS is different from 

that of the Ilana Omo Oodua. 

He added that he got a 

hint he was going to be expelled 

as the Chairman by 

the Secretary General of 

NINAS, Tony Nnadi, and 

that led to quick resignation 

and even pulling of Ilana 

Omo Oodua from NINAS. 

Contrary objective 

“Prof Akintoye is only trying 

to protect his reputation 

and the integrity of the 

Yoruba Nation agitation 

and self-determination”, 

Akintoye said. 

“When you form alliance 

with people and you realize 

that the people you form alliance 

with have contrary 

objective from what you 

have, you will have to restrategise 

and reinvent. 

That’s what Prof Akintoye 

has done. 

“We got a hint and Tony 

himself confessed in an interview 

he granted that he 

was planning to expel Baba 

Akintoye from the group. 

“Where does a Secretary 

expel the Chairman? 

“Tony was introduced to 

Baba Akintoye by the 

former Deputy Chairman of 

Ilana, Madam Sade 

Olukoya, and they came 

with an agenda that was not 

clear. 

“They said that there is 

nothing like Biafra. What 

then should be in Lower Niger? 

They said from Delta 

South to the boundary of 

Cameroon is Lower Niger. 

“We in the Yoruba Nation, 

we are from Atlantic Ocean 

to Jebba and Itsekiri land, 

all the present Asaba is part 

of the old Western Region 

and it should be one. 

“We need to include our 

brothers in the Middle Belt. 

“They are working for the 

Republic of Lower Niger we 

are working for Yoruba Nation. 

“Their own agenda is different 

from ours and since 

they have come out openly 

with what they want to use 

NINAS to do, it is best to steer 

clear. “Nobody had ever 

heard of NINAS until Akintoye 

joined. 

“It was brought to us in 

December 2020 and they 

came up with their docu- 

•From left: Representative of Market women, Mrs. Abiola Sodiq; Managing Director/Chief 

Executive Officer, Goxi Micro Insurance Limited, Shina Gbadegesin; 

Mrs. Ajibare Kudirat and Head, Business Development, Goxi Micro Insurance 

Limited during the Goxi Micro Insurance market storm at Oke-Arin, Lagos Island 

ment and afterwards they 

depended on our structures 

for their activities but in 

other things they will say 

NINAS belongs to them. 

“When they want to organize 

press conference they 

refer to it as Lower Niger/ 

NINAS press conference and 

we keep asking them what 

that means, we don’t do that 

with Ilana Omo Oodua press 

conferences. 

Kanu, Igboho 

“We had been asking 

them to tell us what they 

want, we know what 

By Godfrey Bivbere & 

Providence Adeyinka 

THE Nigeria Customs 

Service, NCS Tin Can 

Island Command, has intercepted 

a 1x40ft container 

with 

number 

TRHU8058369, loaded 

with cartons of guns. 

Sunday Vanguard gathered 

that the said container 

which was declared as plasma 

television was discovered 

after an examination. 

Also, it was gathered that 

the clearing license used to 

clear the cargo was commercialised, 

meaning that 

the clearing agent owning 

the license gave it out for a 

fee to another person. 

Public Relations Officer of 

the Command, Uche Ejesieme, 

confirmed the report 

but declined further details. 

He said the Command 

Kanu and Igboho want, 

we also know what we 

want, what does Lower 

Niger Congress want? 

“Lower Niger Congress 

does not exist anywhere. 

What the people of South- 

East and South understand 

is Biafra. 

“Tony and his collaborators 

are working for 

Movement for New Nigeria 

but we in the Yoruba 

bloc are saying what we 

want is Yoruba Nation. 

No retreat, no surrender. 

“As far as we are concerned, 

Olukoya has been 

SUNDAY VANGUARD, DECEMBER 19, 2021, PAGE 5 

expelled and that Executive 

Council has been dissolved. 

There is no division 

in Ilana, whatever 

happened in NINAS is not 

an issue. 

“Prof Akintoye resigned 

because he does 

not want to be caught in 

the web of those campaigning 

for Lower Niger 

Congress. 

“So, he doesn’t want to 

be involved in any 2023 

campaign which is what 

some of those people want 

to do while hiding under 

Yoruba Nation”. 

Customs intercept container load of 

weapons at Tin Can 

had not briefed the Comptroller-General 

of Customs, 

Col Hameed Ali and the 

Zonal Office in Lagos about 

the development. 

Ejisieme, however, confirmed 

that the container of 

guns was discovered during 

a routine examination at 

terminal B2 (Vehicle) of the 

Tin-can Island Container 

Terminal, TICT. 

His words: “The officers 

intercepted a container 

loaded with weapons, but as 

we speak, what we have 

done as a command is that 

we have written to the terminal 

to evacuate the container 

immediately to enforcement 

unit for 100 percent 

examination so that we 

can actually ascertain the 

quantity and other relevant 

information” 

“We expect the terminal 

to evacuate the container to 

By Nwabueze Okonkwo 

VARIOUS 

interest 

groups and individuals 

across Anambra State 

have called on the police and 

military authorities to dismantle 

all roadblocks 

mounted by their men across 

the state to allow free flow of 

traffic. They were also urged 

to stop alleged extortion and 

other forms of inconveniences 

to law-abiding citizens. 

The roadblocks are scattered 

all over the state, including 

the ones mounted by Naval 

personnel at Uga Junction 

by Atani Road, Odekpe 

near Navy office and Awkuzu 

Junction by Enugu/Onitsha 

Expressway, Army at 

Amawbia roadblock, Agulu 

Road in Awka, Amansea border 

between Enugu and Anambra 

states and Onitsha/ 

Owerri Road in Onitsha. 

The police also mounted 

theirs at the police headquarters 

at Amawbia and in front 

of Divisional and Area Command 

Headquarters, as well 

as along the highways, with 

men of the Federal Road 

Safety Commission, FRSC 

having theirs very close to the 

police roadblocks. 

However, the groups said 

the military and police authorities 

should devise an intelligence 

gathering mechanism 

to tackle insecurity in 

the zone. 

the enforcement unit 

where we intend to strip it, 

and the quantity, names of 

people involved and other 

further information would 

be available. 

“Most times, the suspect 

you see is those freight forwarders 

and agents coming 

for examination, but we 

are more interested in getting 

to the importer and everyone 

involved in that 

criminal importation to nip 

it in the bud.” 

Commenting on the seizure, 

Chief Servant of the 

Association of Registered 

Freight Forwarders, Nigeria, 

Godfrey Nwosu, commended 

officers and men of 

the Command for being 

vigilant and dedicated to 

their duty. 

He called on Tin-can Customs 

Command and others 

to redouble to ensure they 

keep the society safe. 

Outrage over police, military roadblocks in S/East 

Some of the groups include 

the Nigerian Bar Association, 

NBA, Peoples Club of 

Nigeria International, PCNI, 

one of the oldest social clubs 

in Nigeria and the Urban 

Drivers Welfare Association 

Anambra state, UDWAAS. 

Speaking at their 2021 Annual 

Bar Dinner, members of 

NBA, Idemili branch otherwise 

called Fountain Bar, expressed 

disgust that apart 

from impeding vehicular 

movements, the roadblocks 

also cause fatal accidents. 

Those who spoke on the issue 

include the incumbent 

chairman of the Fountain Bar, 

Boniface Ewulum, and its past 

chairmen, Chile Nonyelu, Ben 

Okoko, Maurice Efobi and 

SDP alive, kicking 

— Ganbam, National Secretary 

By Kennedy Mbele 

THE National Secre 

tary, Social Democratic 

Party, PDP, Alhaji Shehu 

Ganbam, has dismissed 

the speculation that the party 

has been de-registered, 

saying the party is not only 

alive but also kicking. 

Shehu, who spoke against 

the backdrop of the party’s 

alleged silence on the state 

of the nation, explained that 

the party has the second 

loudest voice among political 

parties in the country. 

He noted that many members 

of SDP are holding various 

elective positions 

across the country, citing 

three at Rivers State House 

of Assembly, “a situation 

that makes Governor Wike 

to always refer to SDP as the 

only opposition party in his 

state”. 

Recalling the visit of the 

Independent National Electoral 

Commission, INEC, to 

their party headquarters in 

Abuja for verification exercise, 

he noted that the electoral 

body was impressed 

with what they saw during 

the visit. 

According to him, the party 

also has functional office 

By Henry Ojelu 

ewly appointed Senior 

NAdvocate of Nigeria, 

SAN, Dr. Charles Mekwunye 

has commended members of 

the Bar and Bench for 

consistently insisting on the 

rule of law saying that 

Nigeria's democracy has 

been sustained by the 

resilience of the Judiciary. 

Mekwunye stated this in 

Lagos at this recently at a 

reception held at The 

Continental Hotel by senior 

members of the Bar and 

Bench, family, and friends to 

celebrate his award of SAN. 

Speaking to journalists at 

the event, Mekwunye who is 

the Chairman of, Nigerian 

Bar Association, NBA, Public 

Interest Litigation 

Committee, applauded the 

Judiciary for living up to its 

constitutional 

responsibilities, being the 

voice of the masses, and 

holding the government to 

account. 

According to Mekwunye; 

“Judiciary has lived up to its 

responsibility of being a voice 

and hope for the masses. 

Everyone in this country 

By Festus Ahon 

ARCHBISHOP 

of 

Bendel Ecclesiastical 

Province and Bishop of 

Ughelli Diocese, Most Revd 

Cyril Odutemu, has charged 

Christians to remain dedicated 

and committed to the 

work of God. 

Odutemu, who gave the 

charge during the retirement 

Pere Oseme. 

Also speaking on the same 

matter, former chairman of 

NBA, Anaocha branch, Jideofor 

Okongwu, lamented that 

a journey of 15 minutes from 

his house to his law chamber 

in Awka now takes nearly two 

hours because of the roadblocks. 

in each of the 36 states of 

the federation. 

His words: “INEC did a 

verification exercise of all 

political parties in the country 

before registering them. 

“They met with all our officials 

at our party headquarters 

in Abuja and collated 

relevant data, including, 

names, phone numbers, 

e-mail addresses, among 

others. Part of their report 

was that we satisfied all 

their requirements” 

The SDP top official revealed 

that the party had 

launched an online platform 

through which it responds 

to issues of public interest, 

saying it has been engaging 

the government on 

the security challenges bedeviling 

the country. 

He explained that the party 

has written government 

and has also protested government’s 

handling of the 

security challenges. 

Ganbam revealed that 

SDP had constituted some 

committees among which is 

the Contact and Mobilizing 

Committee charged with 

the responsibility of oiling 

its machineries across Nigeria 

preparatory to the 2023 

general elections. 

Judiciary y playing critical role in sustaining 

democracy — Mekwunye, SAN 

knows that it has tried within 

it's inherent powers to hold the 

executive and legislature 

accountable, and to comply 

with constitutional 

provisions. 

“So I'll give them very high 

marks. The people that make 

up our judiciary are 

Nigerians. They did not fall 

from heaven. We hear about 

stories of corruption but you 

see in a body like that, there 

would be one or two bad eggs. 

I can tell you that most of the 

judges are committed and are 

doing a great job. We have a 

few that are bad and our duty 

is to fish them out and get 

them out and get them 

punished. 

Mekwunye expressed 

concerns over the declining 

standard of legal education 

but commended the NBA for 

addressing the problem 

through its continuing legal 

education program. 

He said: “There’s no doubt 

that the standard of education 

in the country has fallen in 

all respect and that has also 

affected the legal education. 

What the NBA has done by 

addressing the issue through 

continuing education is 

highly commendable." 

Odutemu to Christians: Remain dedicated, 

committed to service of God 

and 70th birthday thanksgiving 

of the outgoing Bishop 

of Asaba Diocese, Rt. 

Revd Justus Mogekwu, at 

the Cathedral Church of St. 

Peter, Asaba, Delta State, 

told the retiring Bishop not 

to relent in his service to 

God.He urged Rt Revd Justus 

Mogekwu to keep up the 

tempo in serving the Lord, 

which he was known for and 

also remain useful to the 

Church and the society. 

He told the Church to support 

their Ministers and 

reach out to the poor, adding 

that the Lord is coming 

soon. On his part, the outgoing 

Bishop said he was 

glad to have heeded God’s 

call. He added that he never 

denied Christ for once but 

focused on his mission of 

serving the Lord from the 

depth of his heart.

PAGE 6—SUNDAY VANGUARD, DECEMBER 19, 2021 

From left: Minister for Communications and Digital Economy, Prof Isa Ali 

Ibrahim Pantami, presenting the award for overall best state in Digital Technology 

Development to The Senior Special Assistant on ICT & E-Governance, 

Oyo State, Mr Bayo Akande, at the 9th regular meeting of the National 

Council of Communications and Digital Economy held in Abuja 

Insecurity: Boko Haram degraded but still 

active — Buhari 

By Johnbosco Agbakwuru 

President Muhammadu 

Buhari, yesterday, in Istanbul 

called on the Turkey-Africa 

Partnership Summit to provide 

concrete support to help 

defeat terrorism and insurgency 

on the African continent. 

President Buhari, who was 

speaking at the third edition 

of the Summit, said the Boko 

Haram terrorist group, 

though fragmented by internal 

strife and degraded by 

Nigeria’s defense forces, is 

still active and preying on soft 

targets. 

The President according to 

a statement issued by his Senior 

Special Assistant on 

Media and Publicity, Mallam 

Garba Shehu, expressed 

delight that the Summit convened 

by President Recep 

Tayyip Erdogan of Turkey has 

given due consideration to 

the issue of terrorism, while 

also focusing on development 

By Nnamdi Ojiego 

hairman of the Com 

Cmittee of E-Business Industry 

Heads ,CeBIH, 

Adeyemi Atanda, has said that 

the challenges which plague 

the e-business industry in Nigeria 

could be fixed when 

more collaborations are brokered 

and platforms such as 

CeBIH continue to create forums 

for engagement. 

Atanda, who said this at the 

recently-held CeBIH annual 

retreat in Abeokuta, Ogun 

State, explained that some of 

the challenges include infrastructure, 

connectivity and 

cost which hinders inclusion. 

The retreat which was sponsored 

by Flutterwave and a 

host of other fintech companies 

focused on payment innovations 

and the trends to 

expect in the coming year with 

participants coming from all 

sectors of e-business processes. 

Amongst the guests who 

graced the occasion was the 

Deputy Governor of Ogun 

State, Noimot Salako- 

Oyedele who in her address 

called on the industry to find 

ways to support social intervention 

programs and look at 

how to differentiate between 

social enterprise programs 

and social intervention programs 

so that these programs 

are not too expensive for the 

government to sustain for the 

good of the people. 

Also speaking, Prof Adeolu 

Akande, Chairman, Nigerian 

Communications Commission 

(NCC) opined that the 

extensive demand for digital 

services is driven by the affordability 

of end-user devices. 

According to him, with the 

current trend, it is envisaged 

that the digital sector will 

overtake the oil sector in con- 

and infrastructure in Africa. 

He said: ‘‘Another area this 

partnership must focus on is 

the global challenge of climate 

change which is impacting 

us in Nigeria, Turkey, 

across Africa, and indeed 

across the world. 

‘‘It has become a catalyst 

for conflict through food insecurity, 

drying up of lakes; 

loss of livelihood and youth 

migration, among others. 

‘‘The trend is the same 

around the world where communities 

are overwhelmed by 

forest fires, rising sea levels, 

flood, drought and desertification. 

‘‘I want to seize this 

opportunity to appeal for support 

for initiatives such as Africa’s 

Great Green Wall on 

Environment and Land Management, 

which is designed 

to fight the effects of climate 

change and desertification in 

Africa. ‘‘The initiative aims to 

restore 100 million hectares 

of degraded land in the 11 

countries of the Sahel-Sahara 

strip, capture 250 million 

tons of carbon and create 10 

million green jobs by 2030.” 

On the global coronavirus 

pandemic, President Buhari 

urged nations to follow the 

example of Africa-Turkey cooperation, 

which emphasises 

solidarity and support in 

tackling the challenge. 

‘‘The pandemic is a global 

challenge which calls for global 

solidarity and solutions 

and the Africa-Turkey cooperation 

model has proved to 

be an example to the world. 

‘‘Not only has there been 

mutual support to respond to 

the pandemic but also mutual 

support to build resilience 

and sustainable development 

in other sectors. 

‘‘We also commend the African 

Union for the excellent 

role it has been playing in 

coordinating the implementation 

process of the Partnership,’’ 

he said. 

The Nigerian leader noted 

that in view of the increasingly 

unpredictable nature of 

contemporary global challenges 

facing mankind, 

world leaders must continue 

to put the wellbeing of humanity 

at the centre of the 

agenda for the common good 

and prosperity of all. 

‘‘We must therefore promote 

science, technology and 

innovation and share knowledge 

from research and development 

to better equip us 

to address present and future 

challenges in a more equitable 

and sustainable manner. 

‘‘In this regard, Nigeria 

strongly endorses the Summit 

Declaration as well as the 

2022-2026 Joint Action 

Plan,’’ he said. 

Reaffirming that international 

trade is an engine for 

development and sustained 

economic growth, as well as 

the global eradication of poverty, 

President Buhari welcomed 

the significant increase 

in trade figures between 

Africa and Turkey. 

He urged the African Continental 

Free Trade Agreement 

(AFCTA) to assist in further 

increasing the level of Africa-Turkey 

trade, leading to 

a win-win for all countries. 

Collaborations ations key to fixing challenges of e-business industr 

try y in Nigeria— CeBIH 


n educationist, Mrs 

ALawrencia Etoh, has 

explained that the systemic 

decay in the family as an institution 

and the society at 

large could be attributed to 

the increase in bullying and 

cult activities in primary and 

secondary schools. 

She noted that a few years 

ago, cultism was associated 

with tertiary institutions, expressing 

worries that institutions 

designated to groom 

toddlers and little children 

have turned to the epicentre 

for cultism and cult-related 

activities. 

According to her, parents 

have abandoned their Godgiven 

role of grooming their 

children to house helps and 

nannies in pursuit of wealth 

and fame, stressing that family 

values and culture were 

lost while borrowed ones have 

taken over. 

Throwing light on the 

possible causes of Cultism in 

primary and secondary 

schools, Etoh, who is the Principal 

of the Archangels Col- 

tributing to the GDP earnings 

of the nation in about five 

years. 

While delivering his keynote 

address at the event, the 

Managing Director of Globus 

Bank Ltd, Mr Elias Igbinakenzua 

said “Banks of the 

future must embrace API 

strategy and platforms that 

will make them agile, invest 

in dev-ops and can’t run away 

from cloud computing”. He 

also challenged the banks to 

start thinking about collaborations 

and partnerships for 

the good of the customers. 

Mr. Musa Jimoh, Director, 

Payment Systems Management, 

Central Bank of Nigeria 

(CBN) provided insights 

on the role of the eNaira on 

the growth of the economy. 

The focus of the eNaira is to 

bring down the cost to serve, 

considering the expense incurred 

in printing one note of 

the naira and its resultant effect 

on the value chain, he said. 

“It is a big source of pride 

for us to say that Nigeria is 

the first African country to 

implement and one of three 

nations to fully commercialize 

the eNaira,” he said. 

Jimoh assured the bank of 

their role in driving the digital 

payment systems and encouraged 

the participants to 

download the app via the 

Google or IOS app store. He 

reiterated that the goal is to 

bring an increase in financial 

inclusion and bring access to 

cheaper financial services. 

BULLYING: Child Rights Act turning into curse than 

blessing—Expert 

lege, Satellite Town, Lagos, 

said: “Over pampering of children 

without proper discipline 

when they misbehave as 

a show of love and provision 

of all forms of comfort without 

weighing the negative effects 

are among the causes of 

this menace. 

“The school is also culpable 

since the majority failed 

By Ediri Ejoh 

group,South-South in 

A All Progressives Congress, 

APC, has expressed 

confidence that the presidential 

aspirant of its party would 

win the 2023 presidential 

election. 

Chairman of the group, 

Napoleon Amans, made the 

disclosure at the unveiling of 

its movement for the Presidential 

aspirant Ahmed Bola 

Tinubu at the end of their zonal 

‘town hall meeting’ in 

Amuwo-odofin Local Government 

area, Lagos State. 

He said: “The South-South 

region is growing to become 

a formidable base of our great 

Former Senate President, Dr. Abubakar Bukola Saraki, surrounded by religious 

and community leaders from Agbaji, Ilorin West, Kwara State, at the 

ribbon-cutting ceremony of the newly constructed N400million Agbaji Mosque, 

which was sponsored by Dr. Saraki. 

to fulfil the roles stipulated 

for a school and education in 

general. The highest bidder 

is worshipped and such parents 

buy over some school 

owners, administrators, 

teachers and other staff. They 

influence such compromised 

school communities that are 

profit-oriented. 

2023: APC will take over South- 

South, Presidency – Napoleon 

party. By the end of the 2023 

general election, we aspire to 

have in our column, control 

of all the six states in the region. 

“We believe in the leadership 

of the Tinubu, who 

has over time proven to be 

a reputable and visionary 

leader. He believes in the 

South-South and has continued 

to show its support 

whenever needed. 

“We are telling the world 

that the Presidency seat is 

vacantly awaiting the arrival 

of Tinubu, as we are 

strongly for APC and will 

continue to stand firm for 

the aspiration of our leader. 

ODIDI: Trouble makers asked to steer clear 

of oil rich community 

T 

he Chairman of oil-rich Odidi community in Warri South 

West Local Government Area of Delta State, Chief Johnny 

Aribogha, has lauded the peace pervading the area, but warned 

that charlatans should not be allowed to rupture peaceful coexistence 

among the people. 

According to him, Odidi has never been in turmoil and should 

not be since it is a peace-loving Ijaw community. 

Aribogha, who was reacting to alleged moves by some persons 

to cause trouble in the community and what he called 

unfounded allegations made against him, urged his people to 

disregard their antics. He condemned the claim that he mismanaged 

over N1billion, describing it as wicked. 

The Chairman asked those behind the claim to go to court to 

prove their case. Aribogha maintained that he had always 

worked for the interest of the community. 

New Abuja District with ultra-modern 

medical city to gulp N117bn 


he Federal Capital Territory Administration, FCTA, in part 

Tnership with GCL (SPV) and Metro Capital Advisory 

Group, has flagged-off the Gwagwa District Infrastructure 

Development Project with a Site Handover Ceremony. 

The new district is expected to gulp ¦ 117 billion from the 

private sector as investment in primary infrastructure while 

attracting further sums to deliver the unique development of 

the district. Speaking at the flagging-off, the Managing Director 

of Gwagwa Construction Ltd, promoters of the project, 

Faruk Saleh, said Gwagwa District, aptly coined Abuja Midtown, 

stretches out over an area of 841 hectares within the 

green heart of Nigeria’s capital city. 

“Bringing a new dimension to urban life in the capital, Abuja 

Midtown will offer diverse homes and jobs for more than 

100,000 people”, Saleh stated. 

He explained that the project was launched as a Public-Private 

Partnership with the FCTA whereby GCL, the Special 

Purpose Vehicle established by Metro Capital Advisory Group, 

is to deliver the primary engineering infrastructure of Abuja 

Midtown including road network with bridges and culverts, 

stormwater drainage system, foul sewer drainage network, 

water supply system, electricity network and street lighting 

and telecommunication ducts. 

“This would serve to considerably increase the developable 

land in FCT with access to infrastructure and amenities”. 

Saleh said the FCTA, under the Minister of FCT, Mallam 

Muhammad Musa Bello, re-launched the project in 2021 with 

enhanced guidelines and safeguards to enable its successful 

realization with adherence to due-process while ensuring that 

the procedure is not susceptible to being wholly corrupted or 

abused by stakeholders. 

Kano Literacy and Maths Accelerator 

empower over 30,000 students 

T 

he British Council has 

announced the conclusion of the KaLMA programme, a 

UK Aid funded project, which aimed to improve literacy and 

numeracy among primary 4 to primary 6 pupils in Kano State 

Nigeria, by piloting the teaching at the right level approach. 

The Kano Literacy and Maths Accelerator (KaLMA) programme 

results were shared at an event held in Abuja was a 

culmination of activities carried out during the course of the pilot, 

aimed to inform stakeholders of key achievements, deliverables 

and lessons learnt. 

The programme was funded by FCDO Nigeria and led by the 

Kano State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB) in partnership 

with the British Council, TaRL Africa, the Sa’adatu Rimi 

College of Education and the Kano Ministry of Education. 

It is rooted in the Teaching at the Right Level evidence and 

approach, pioneered by Pratham and supported across the continent 

by TaRL Africa, which involves assessing children on foundational 

skills. 

During school closures, caused by the Covid-19 lockdown, the 

KaLMA team pivoted the programme to support the Kano State 

Government’s endeavours to help children to continue learning 

from home. A package of remote support reached 4.8 million 

households including radio broadcasts, text messages, automated 

voice messages (AVMs), and a toll-free line was developed to 

provide Home Based Learning (HBL) assistance to families. 

FCDO Nigeria initiated the KaLMA programme, in order to 

demonstrate and trial approaches on effective teaching and learning 

practices to raise learning levels, particularly in the upper 

primary grades, through a government-led, scalable and sustainable 

accelerated learning model, which reached over 30,000 pupils 

and 181 schools.


•From left: Ogun State Deputy Governor, Mrs Noimot Salako-Oyedele; wife of 

General Overseer, Redeemed Christian Church of God, Mrs Folu Adeboye and her 

spouse, Pastor Adejare Adeboye; former President of Nigeria, Chief Olusegun 

Obasanjo; wife of Ogun State governor, Mrs Bamidele Abiodun and her husband, 

Gov. Dapo Abiodun at the State 2021 Carol Service held at June 12 Cultural Centre, 

Abeokuta, 

Delta council boss decries report on 

achievements 

THE Chairman of Iso 

ko South Local Government 

Area, LGA, of 

Delta State, Hon. Victor 

Asasa, has described as 

malicious, alleging nonperformance 

to merit an 

award recently bestowed 

on him by a news channel. 

In a statement by his 

Media Consultant, Asasa 

described the publication 

as malicious and a figment 

of the writer’s imagination. 

He accused the reporter 

of concocting baseless 

allegations against his 

administration, adding 

that those who were impressed 

by his achievements 

were much more 

than those allegedly 

against his success. 

He called on the general 

public particularly, 

the people of Isoko South 

to discountenance the 

publication as it was not 

a true reflection of the 

state of affairs. 

out their private investigation 

and it was observed 

that we have 

achieved quite a lot in 

the short time we have 

held sway hence their decision 

to bestow the 

award on me.” 

Nigeria’s fashion industry has witnessed 

immense growth — Chijioke 


A 

renowned fashion de 

signer and Chief Executive 

Officer, CEO, of Grabeth 

Fashion School, Mrs. 

Victory Chijioke, has expressed 

joy over the 

progress made by the fashion 

designers in the country, 

even as she pledged 

support for the industry. 

According to her, in the 

past years, there has been 

undoubtedly an immense 

amount of growth in the 

fashion industry in Nige- 

•From left: General Superintendent, Christ Apostolic Church (CAC) Worldwide, 

Pastor Emmanuel Odejobi; Zonal Superintendent, CAC, Oke-Ayo, Ayenkojalo, 

Ilisan, Pastor Kayode Onakoya and his wife, Deaconess Adedayo Onakoya, during 

the 2021 harvest anniversary/ hall dedication of CAC Ilisan Zone, Ilisan, held 

at the church premises in Ilisan, Ogun State. 

Obaseki, King Bobmanuel, Uloho, others comfort 

Dele Cole, children as Mina is buried 

By Egufe Yafugborhi 

GOVERNOR Godwin 

Obaseki of Edo State, 

his wife, Betsy, Amanayabo 

of Abonnema, King Disrael 

Gbobo Bobmanuel, Senator 

Andrew Uchendu and 

Warri hotelier, Chief Miller 

Uloho, were on hand to com- 

fort a former Managing Director 

of Daily Times, Dr 

Patrick Dele Cole, and his 

children as his wife, Pastor 

Mina Dugoabere Cole, was 

buried yesterday. 

Mina Cole was buried at 

the cemetery at Buguma, 

Asari Toru Local Government 

Area, Rivers State, in 

an atmosphere of high emotions 

by mourners who 

harped on missing her 

peaceful and godly nature. 

Mina Cole, following a protracted 

illness, died at the 

age of 77 in London on October 

1. 

The funeral climaxed, 

yesterday, with the lying- 

Channel your energy to calls for referendum, IPoB replies 

Garba Shehu 

By Chimaobi Nwaiwu 

NNEWI — THE Indige 

nous People of Biafra, 

IPoB, yesterday, told the Senior 

Special Assistant, Media 

and Publicity to the President, 

Mallam Garba Shehu, 

to focus on its calls for a referendum. 

A statement by its Media 

and Publicity Secretary, 

Emma Powerful, said herdsmen 

have raized many 

communities in Nigeria 

with government doing 

nothing about it. 

The statement reads: “Following 

the frustration, selfpity 

and cluelessness of Presidential 

Media Aide, Garba 

Shehu, we the global movement 

and family of the Indigenous 

People of Biafra, 

IPOB, under the command 

and leadership of liberator 

Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, again 

want to put the civilised 

countries on notice that Garba 

Shehu is displaying ignorance 

by calling the international 

community to tag 

IPoB as a terror group. 

“The world does not need 

to be told who terrorists are 

because they already know 

them. Garba Shehu has 

been gallivanting and wasting 

his time and that of the 

APC administration he is 

serving, thinking that the 

Western world doesn’t know 

what IPoB stands for since 

the formation of this great 

movement. 

“Terror groups masquerading 

as herdsmen have 

raized many communities 

in Nigeria. “IPoB operates in 

over 100 different counties 

and they know what IPoB 

stands for. Non of those countries 

has ever declared us 

terrorists. Garba Shehu’s 

in-state at Jack Compound 

in Abonnema where, 

among other dignitaries, 

the Amayanabo of Abonnema, 

King Disrael Gbobo 

Bobmanuel, led his Council 

of Chiefs on a condolence visit 

to bereaved Dele Cole. 

The funeral progressed to 

Buguma with a requiem 

cries cannot change their 

conviction about IPOB. 

“Garba Shehu and his cotravellers 

declared bandits 

terror groups to deceive the 

Western world so they can 

declare IPoB terrorist organisation. 

Unfortunately, the 

Western world knows 

them.’’ 

2023: Presidency must go to South East, 

Edwin Clark insists 

A 

presidential aspirant, 

Sen. Anyim Pius 

Anyim, in continuation of 

his consultations, met with 

elder statesman and leader 

of Pan Niger Delta Forum 

(PANDEF), Chief Edwin 

Clark in Abuja. Anyim told 

the elder statesman and 

First Republic Minister of Information 

that he is running 

for the Presidency of 

Nigeria because he understands 

the challenges facing 

Nigeria and has what it 

takes to fix them. 

The former Senate President 

who is contesting for 

the presidential ticket of the 

Peoples Democratic Party 

,PDP, took advantage of the 

visit to share with Chief 

Clark the joy of his good 

health and to also wish him 

and his family a merry 

Christmas. 

Anyim also took the opportunity 

to consult with Clark 

on the state of our nation 

and his plan for the future. 

“I thank God that Chief 

Edwin Clark will soon be 95 

years old and he is blessed 

with phenomenal memory, 

lucid and curious mind, a 

benevolent heart and 

boundless goodwill for all 

men. I thank God for your 

health and will forever cher- 

ish your counsel. I will dedicate 

myself with full enthusiasm 

and conviction to advance 

the vision of equity 

in Nigeria, the unity of our 

nation, the peace and prosperity 

of all citizens,” he 

said. 

In his response, Clark was 

said to have encouraged 

Anyim to work hard with 

other leaders across the 

country to build consensus 

for equity and unity in Nigeria. 

Chief Clark reaffirmed 

his passionate belief that the 

presidency of Nigeria in 

2023 should go to the Southern 

part of Nigeria, especially 

the South-East zone. 

ria. 

Chijioke in a chat with 

Sunday Vanguard, challenged 

members of the fashion 

community to do more. 

She said: “As a fashion designer 

and a fashion community 

leader with about 

1,000 and more fashion 

community members, I 

have been privileged to see 

many growing and diligent 

fashion brand owners express 

their creativeness and 

uniqueness in their fashion 

styles and collections. 

Empowerment: Beneficiaries 

of NBSDI laud FG 

BENEFICIARIES of 

the National Business 

Skills Development Initiative 

(NBSDI) under the Small and 

Medium Enterprise Development 

Agency of Nigeria 

(SMEDAN) have reacted to 

the just concluded programme 

in six geopolitical 

zones. 

In their separate reactions, 

they commended the federal 

government for such a programme 

geared towards capacity 

building, skills acquisition, 

financial empowerment 

and job creation. 

For Shafi A. Shafi and 

Rachael Paul, who spoke on 

behalf of North Central Nigeria, 

they commended federal 

government through 

SMEDAN for introducing 

such a programme for the 

downtrodden adding that, “ 

the introduction of the programme 

is a clear indication 

that President Muhammadu 

Buhari cares for the wellbeing 

of the masses.’’ 

Similarly, Fatimah Yarima 

and Fatimah Muhammed, 

who spoke on behalf 

of North East, said, “ we, 

however, implore SMEDAN 

to help with more Sewing 

Machines and capital to begin 

the business in earnest. 

Forming a cluster to collect a 

shop is not enough rather, we 

equally need working capital 

to enable us to buy materials 

needed for the smooth takeoff 

of the business. 

Safiya Ibrahim and Hasat 

Aliyu, on behalf of the North- 

West, said: “ We are grateful 

to SMEDAN via NBSDI for 

the gift of Sewing Machines, 

Drier Machines and such others 

to various beneficiaries in 

the area. We, however, appeal 

to federal government 

service held by the Redeemed 

Christian Church 

of God (RCCG) where she 

was a Pastor. 

Regional Pastor of the 

RCCG, Soji Oni, in a sermon 

on Freedom from the Bondage 

of Fear of Death, with 

text from Psalm 89 vs 48, 

noted that no matter the 

level of fear one expresses 

about dying, it will not prevent 

the death from coming 

when it will come. 

Rather than fear for 

death, Oni urged the people 

to, instead, worry about life 

after death, adding whoever 

lived righteous has nothing 

to fear over death and 

he would be saved to be with 

the Lord forever through 

Christ Jesus. 

In his tribute to Dele Cole 

through his son, Tonye 

Cole, Minister of Transportation, 

Rotimi Amaechi, 

said he received the death 

of Mina Cole with sadness. 

Amaechi, political associate 

of Tonye, described 

Mina as a beautiful soul. 

One of Mina's children, 

Femi Cole, in a tribute to her 

mother, said: "Everybody 

around her had to hear 

about Jesus: Daddy's 

friends, our friends, her 

friends, relatives. Some 

were happy about it, some 

weren't, but they heard." 

to expand the scope of the programme 

so that more people 

can benefit”. 

Onyia Regina and Onucha 

Loveth of the South-West, 

commended SMEDAN for 

the initiative that saw them 

having Mixer Machines for 

milk pal, Drier Machines and 

Sewing Machines for hundreds 

of beneficiaries in the 

area. 

Sholakpa Oshidele and Bola 

Afolabi, who spoke on behalf 

of South-West, said: “Like Oliver 

Twist, we need more of 

such programmes until we 

are fully empowered financially 

and otherwise.’’ 

Victoria J. Eze and Hajara 

Abdullahi of the South- 

South, said: “We are grateful 

to SMEDAN for giving us 

such an opportunity to participate 

in the programme. 

We call on federal government 

to give grants or loans 

to each beneficiary to ensure 

the realization of the programme.’’ 

NBSDI is an initiative of 

the federal government via 

SMEDAN as an agency of 

government that promotes 

capacity building, skills acquisition, 

job creation and financial/mental 

empowerment. 

•Dikko Umaru Radda, 

DG SMEDAN

PAGE 8 — SUNDAY VANGUARD, DECEMBER 19, 2021 

Our captors beat 

us mercilessly 

as we trekked 

three+ hours 

inside forest 

– Anambra undergraduate 

kidnapped in Kaduna healing home 


A 

second year student of the Department of Zoology, Nnamdi Azikiwe 

University, NAU, Awka, Anambra State, Gideon Igwe, was receiving 

treatment at a healing ministry located in Kadauduji, Kaduna State, when 

kidnappers attacked the center, kidnapping him, and three others, including 

the owner of the ministry, Evangelist Clement Emeanuru. In this interview, 

Gideon, who had spent over three and half years at the healing home before 

the incident, narrates his experience in the hands of his captors with whom 

he spent 31 days, expecting the worst to happen. His parents, Mr. and Mrs. 

Franklin Igwe, also speak briefly on the incident. Excerpts: 

You were kidnapped in Kaduna State. How 

did it happen? 

I had some health challenges at school that 

required prayers and my parents took me to a 

church located in the Kadauduji area of 

Kaduna State for treatment. The town is said 

to be near another town called Duji. I was there 

for almost one year and had improved 

significantly but I was asked to stay more. On 

the day of the incident, I was outside the healing 

center washing plates when I heard gunshots. 

I thought it was security agents trying to scare 

away suspected criminals. Suddenly, four 

armed men in military uniform drove in on 

Okada. Although they were in military uniform, 

their movement showed clearly that they were 

not military officers. We started running and 

they chased us and ordered us to stop or be 

shot. We then stopped and they ordered us to 

board their Okada which we did under duress 

.They drove us to an unknown destination. 

How many were you and where did they 

eventually take you people to? 

Initially, we were three but they later 

kidnapped the evangelist who owned the center, 

making a total of four. They took us to a forest 

after about four hours drive on Okada. The 

evangelist was rattling in pain as they broke 

his hand when he put up resistance. By the 

time we arrived in the forest, it was dark and 

they just beat us severely and asked us to go 

and sleep, stressing that we will know them 

better the following morning. 

How was life there? Were you people doing 

any work for them? 

Life was terrible. We were not doing much 

work. The only work we did was fetching 

drinking water from nearby stream. 

How did you spend each day? 

When we woke up early in the morning, we 

would wash our face, then cover it properly 

with the rags they gave us until it is dark. They 

would serve us little white rice or beans with 

little oil on days they wanted us to enjoy. We 

were only allowed to uncover our faces at night 

and they always wore masks. We would just sit 

down on the ground and if we are pressed, we 

were allowed to go and ease ourselves. 

How was the environment, were there 

houses around? 

There were no houses around. It was a very 

thick forest. 

How and where were you people 

sleeping? 

They had us cut down trees and used their 

leaves in making two shields; one for boys, the 

other for girls. We slept on the floor. 

Did anybody die? 

Yes. They killed one boy who tried to escape. 

Escaping was not even possible 

because if you escaped, where do 

you head to? Victims who had 

been with them for long helped 

them to serve as security. So, they 

had adequate security, trying to 

escape was simply suicidal. 

Did they have weapons? 

Yes, they had a lot of weapons; 

very sophisticated weapons. I 

understand they even had 

machine gun. There was a day a 

helicopter came around the 

camp. They thought the 

helicopter came to bomb the 

area. That night, they moved us 

to another location within the 

forest. We trekked for over three hours to the 

new location and as we moved, they were 

beating us. After the helicopter incident, they 

made a video in Hausa which we were told 

was sent to Governor El-Rufai, asking him to 

send them money so they could release us and 

expressed their preparedness to face whoever 

may want to try them. They threatened to move 

us to Zamfara State if such persisted, but we 

were lucky, they didn’t do that until we were 

freed. 

Were your abductors receiving visitors? 

I don’t think so. The only people who were 

coming seemed to be their members who went 

to rob or 

kidnap 

a n d 

were 

reporting 

back at 

the base. 

They killed one 

boy who tried to 

escape. 

Escaping was 

not even 

possible 

because if you 

escaped, where 

do you head to? 

Gideon Igwe 

You were there for a very long time. What 

were your observations? 

I couldn’t observe much because we were 

always blindfolded, all day. But, I noticed that 

they treated both Christians and Muslims alike. 

Whenever their members returned from 

operations in the night, they beat us and 

assemble us to dance for them. The boys would 

dance first, then the girls. They would ask the 

girls to shake their bottom, this excited them 

so much. In fact, it was those girls that saved 

us. On the days they allowed us to wash our 

clothes, which were usually at 4 or 5 days 

intervals, they took the girls to the stream to 

wash theirs and take their bath first, then the 

boys; we would wash our clothes, take our bath 

and dress in the wet clothes, and it was cold 

there. We had no change of clothes. 

Were the girls molested? 

Not to my knowledge, girls were not 

blindfolded even during the day 

and we were not allowed to 

interact with them because our 

captors were always jealous. So, I 

wouldn’t know their challenges. 

We know that each day must 

have been miserable for all of you 

but what day can you say you can 

never forget? 

The day they brought one girl 

and her brother whose father was 

a soldier… Four of our captors 

were beating each of them at once. 

They were wailing, we too couldn’t 

control our tears, we wept for them, 

profusely. 

How did your captors know that their father 

was a soldier? 

You must tell the truth when they are beating 

you. If not, they will kill you. Besides, they 

seemed to have little information about us. 

Were any of them friendly with you at any 

point? 

Yes, one of them was a bit friendly after some 

time. But, my case was different; they always 

beat me more than others because I don’t 

understand Hausa. They even asked me what 

I was doing in Kaduna. The one who later said 

he liked me because I was hard working came 

to chat with me very often. On one occasion, 

he asked me what I would do if I saw him in 

Igboland in future and I said I won’t do 

anything to him and we laughed. 

You talked about not understanding Hausa. 

What language were your captors speaking? 

They were Fulani, speaking Hausa. Only two 

of them and their main oga understood English. 

Did you know that you would eventually 

be released? 

I didn’t know because on the day their boss 

visited, he said that two out of four of us 

captured as a group would be killed, even 

if ransom was paid and since I was 

the only Igboman among 

them who neither 

understood nor spoke 

Hausa language, I 

was almost sure that 

I would be one of the 

two to be 

eliminated. 

So what did you 

do, pray? 

No! We were only 

allowed to pray after 

they released us, 

before then, we were 

not allowed to pray. 

How did you feel 

on the day you were 

released? 

I was very happy 

but I thought they 

were joking until we 

got back to the 

healing center. What 

really happened 

was that their oga 

traveled to Zamfara 

that day and, as God 

would have it, his 

boys could not 

implement the 

wicked order he left 

behind. 

So, were they 

paid any ransom? 

Yes, my parents 

and the parents of 

the other two 

captive and the 

pastor’s wife raised 

N5m and paid 

them, alongside 

N420, 000 being the 

cost of a motorcycle. 

Initially, they asked 

for N10m with two 

motorcycles and 

warned that they 

would kill us if our people failed to pay that 

amount in full. 

Now, what can you tell us about Evangelist 

Clement and his healing ministry? 

He is a real man of God, healing all 

infirmities with prayers. The only problem is 

that he appears to be strong-minded and 

perhaps foolhardy. 

Can you explain? 

He is the only Igboman living in that area 

and, according to people, he has been advised 

to leave the area, but he wouldn’t. 

Now that you have been healed, what is 

your next step? 

First, I’ll take some rest. Later, I will go to my 

school and see if they can allow me complete 

my program, if not I will try and get something 

doing. 

When did you leave the school for your 

treatment? 

I left school in March 2018 when I took ill. 

Parents speak 

Gideon’s parents, Mr and Mrs Franklin Igwe, 

also spoke with us. Filled with joy, the couple 

thanked God for saving the life of their son, 

narrating how they were shocked on the day 

Evangelist Clement’s wife called to inform 

them of the incident. “For one week, I was in 

shock because I had the premonition”, said 

Igwe who noted that it was Clement who 

delayed their son until the day he was 

kidnapped. 

Igwe, a Lagos based Uber operator, explained 

that for fear of security reports from the state, 

coupled with his sons apparent recovery from 

the brain peel for which he was being treated, 

he had sent his wife from Lagos to pick up the 

boy four months ago, but the evangelist refused 

to release him, saying he needed to watch him 

more. He said the man also refused to release 

the boy when armed security operatives 

detailed to pick him up, after the kidnappers 

released them and that he later released the 

boy when the men decided to arrest everybody 

in the healing home, including him. 

He dismissed the insinuation from some 

quarters that the evangelist may be the brain 

behind the attack, saying although the man’s 

wife was the go-between during their 

negotiation with the abductors, the evangelist’s 

foes must have been the ones that organized 

the kidnap.


PAGE 10 —SUNDAY VANGUARD, DECEMBER 19, 2021


Background 

Igrew up in Enugu 

with five awesome 

siblings. I am the 

first child and we have 

the most loving parents 

in the world. My 

childhood was very 

interesting. Though my 

mother is a great music 

lover, my musical roots 

can be traced to my 

father. He was a guitarist 

and the leader of his own 

music group. He did this on 

the sidelines of his regular job. 

I started singing at the age of 11, 

and I joined the choir in my local church 

to nurture my gifts as I got introduced 

to different levels of music 

ministration. I used to create 

music, write songs and remix 

other people’s songs with 

my siblings. My music 

grew as my encounter 

and knowledge of God 

deepened. I discovered 

that I can actually use 

this talent to glorify 

God and spread the 

gospel the best way I 

can. 

Education 

I had my elementary 

education at the WTC 

Primary School, 

Enugu. For my postelementary 

education, 

I attended Queen’s 

School, also in Enugu 

State. I bagged a 

Bachelor’s degree in 

Industrial Chemistry 

from Abia State 

University, Uturu- 

Okigwe. From 

there, I 

proceeded to do 

my Post- 

Graduate 

Diploma in 

Public Health at 

Staffordshire 

University in the 

United Kingdom. 

Music 

My first single was the 

indigenous gospel song, ‘Good to 

Me’, produced by the legendary Tee- 

Y Mix and released in 2008. That 

song actually opened doors of the 

Nigerian gospel music industry for 

me. I got many gospel ministration 

engagements. Three of my music 

compositions were published in the 

recently revised Hymnal of the Church 

of Christ in Nigeria (Anglican 

Communion). By the grace of God, I have 

also won several gospel music awards and 

wrote the anthem and theme songs for 

many organisations and groups. 

Family support 

Though my father initially hesitated in 

supporting my music career, he was quick 

to later become one of my most loyal fans. 

Since then, my family has supported me. 

Anyway, we are all involved in music in 

different forms. I have also received support 

from the Church. There have been times 

when I felt like giving up, but I have always 

had people saying to me not to quit. As a 

married lady, it has been wonderful for me, 

because I married my friend. My husband 

understands the ministry and what it takes 

to be a gospel artiste. He is my hype man, 

and gives me all the support I need. We 

support each other endlessly. 

Creativity 

I am on the creative side. I love to see 

something come out of nothing. Fashion is 

another major gift that I possess. I have 

designed several stand-out fashion 

ensembles. It is in my blood line. Also, I get 

booked to compere several events within 

and outside Church circles. 

Lessons 

First of all, I have learnt to know who I 

am, and what people think I am. Selfconsciousness 

is all about staying in tune 

with what God says you are, and having a 

•Flyt 

personal relationship with Him, which 

helps keep your head up, even when it seems 

all odds are against you. I remember those 

days when I was in the university, I used to 

travel from Okigwe to Enugu every Sunday 

morning just to go and sing in Church. My 

parents would be surprised to meet me 

ministering and wonder how I made it. But 

after the church service, I would also take 

the next bus back to Okigwe without any 

stop over at my parents’ home in Enugu. In 

those days, people kind of bless and support 

me financially after my ministrations. That 

was how I was able to pay my fees and 

support myself in school. So, keep your 

I am not the 

regular gospel 

artiste —Flyt 

vision clear and 

knowing who you are 

will take you far. Don’t 

also be carried away by 

the hype of your fans. 

Use your time well. 

Role models 

The first role model on 

my list is my father, 

Chukwudi Adolphus 

Okonkwo. His 

exemplary life, 

friendship, integrity, and 

BY LUMINOUS JANNAMIKE 

A renown gospel singer and songwriter, 

Anulika Prince Nwosu, a.k.a. Flyt (pronounced 

‘Flight’), shares an insight into her 

life’s journey, creativity, music 

ministry and passion for 

humanity, among others. 

•Flyt 

dedication to his work taught me so much and I thank 

God for giving me a father who is down to earth and 

always pushed me to be the best and to never take no 

for an answer. Other people on my list are Sinach, 

because she contributed immensely in projecting 

Nigerian gospel music to the global stage. She doesn’t 

try to sound like anybody else, but herself. However, 

as a much younger artiste in those early days, we also 

used to listen to the influences of Kirk Franklin, Cece 

Winans and a host of other gospel acts. 

Current projects 

I recently released a new single, ‘Kalisia’. But in my 

repertoire, I have one album titled, ‘Good to Me’ and 

other singles which include ‘Tobechukwu’, ‘Good to 

Me Remix’, ‘Hallowed be Your ‘Anyhow’ which a deep 

song out of my personal experience, among others. I 

am not the regular Nigerian gospel artiste, and that 

informed the choice of my stage name, Flyt 

(pronounced ‘flight’), because people say that I make 

them feel like they are being teleported to a whole 

new realm whenever I minister on the stage. 

Other interests 

Apart from being a public health expert, I think I 

will pass for a motivational speaker. I have a deep 

love for giving people reasons to keep believing in 

themselves and in their future. I also find joy in 

providing empowerment, encouragement, education 

and support for others. I like to give people hope. 

Though my 

father initially 

hesitated in 

supporting my 

music career, 

he was quick to 

later become 

one of my most 

loyal fans 

Regrets 

After taking stock of my life 

thus far, I will say that all 

things work for the God of 

those who love God. So, I 

have no regrets, because all 

that I’ve been through – the 

good, the bad and the ugly – 

have always worked out for 

my good in the end. 

Fashion 

I am actually a mix of 

Africa and Western designs in 

my couture; my outlook 

determines my style. Most 

times, I simply go ahead with 

a fine blend of colourful 

traditional patterns and 

trendy fashion styles. I love 

culture. Africa is colourful 

and we are beautiful to 

behold. 

Relaxation 

Whenever I want to relax, I 

chill and hang out with my 

family. We are a very closeknit 

family and I always say 

that I have the best family unit 

ever. We are a unique bunch. 

We play a lot in this house. 

Family time is my relaxation 

time.

PAGE 12—Vanguard, SUNDAY, DECEMBER 19, 2021 

Some people have 

poverty virus, not COVID-19 

—Dayo Amusa 

By Sylvester Kwentua 

•Bobrisky 

If you are experiencing headaches and fever, you may not 

really be down with Covid-19, as beautiful Nollywood actress, 

Dayo Amusa, recently opined. In a funny Instagram post, 

Dayo Amusa noted that some symptoms being experienced 

by some people may not be caused by Covid-19 after all, 

but by a disease she calls Poverty Virus Disease, POVID- 

19! 

“If you are experiencing the following: Headache, 

Poor eyesight, High temper, Always out of mind, 

Difficulty in sleeping, Easily irritated and angry, 

Can’t communicate properly and Feeling 

dizzy..This is not CORONAVIRUS! These are 

signs and symptoms of a person with no 

money!!! It is called POVID-21....Poverty Virus 

Disease 2021..Don’t get scared, this one does not 

kill,” Dayo informed. 

Dayo Amusa, it can be recalled, once said she believes 

her not being married yet, is not something that bothers 

her, as marriage comes from God, not from a shopping 

•Dayo 

mall where you can just go and purchase it. 

Amusa 

“No, I’m not married. I believe marriage is blessed by 

God and should be honoured by man but then it is not 

something one should rush into. It is not a shopping mall where 

you can just go into and buy or do some window shopping and 

leave when you are tired. Marriage should be done right. Don’t 

worry, you will hear a wedding bell soon.” Dayo Amusa reassured. 

After 444 advert, Singer Ladé 

shares first EP “Omolade” 

Multitalented and fastrising 

Afrobeat/Afropop 

singer and songwriter, 

Oyetundun Omoladé Rachael 

known by her stage name 

'Ladé'. has released a heartfelt 

body of work dubbed 'Omolade'' 

the EP. 

Ladé is a native of Kwara 

State and a one-time winner of 

UNILORIN Idol, who started 

her music journey at a very 

young age. She is the voice 

behind the popular ‘444’ 

commercial, Travel Beta, 

Goldberg and Maltina 

commercials. 

Speaking on the inspiration 

behind her latest project, Ladé 

shares her journey, “A lot of 

folks would want to know, what 

•Iwalola Adekugbe 

was the inspiration behind this 

EP? Well, I am inspired mostly 

by people around me. I love my 

family and I love the concept of 

love too, so my inspirations are 

mostly drawn from situations 

around. 

“I have also been an absolute 

lover of great music and love 

songs that stand the test of time. 

Songs from Teni, AG baby, ASA, 

2baba and many others also 

inspire me.” 

The Omolade EP by Ladé 

comprises 5 songs, 

namely;‘Sing’, ‘Hustle’, ‘ 

Speechless’, ‘Corny’ and 

‘Situationship’ with 

production credits going 

to Damelo Wayne, 

Oscar and Ovonovo. 

Speaking further on 

her plans for the year 

2022, Ladé revealed 

that she would be 

releasing more 

amazing songs and 

fans should also 

anticipate 

collaborations 

from fellow artists 

in the music 

industry. 

•Lade 

Iwalola Adekugbe’s movie 

'Osunkumbi' garners 500 

thousand+ views in 2 weeks 

Fast-rising Yoruba actress, Iwalola Adekugbe may very 

well be on her way to the big times as her latest movie 

'Osunkumbi' is taking YouTube by storm garnering over 

500 thousand views in just two weeks of its release. 

The movie which is showing on Libra TV highlights 

corruption in high places as well as the beauty of the Yoruba 

culture when it comes to the process in selecting a new 

king. The story-line is centered around the life of 

Osunkumbi who inherited the mantle of her mother as a 

chief kingmaker in a small town. 

Following the demise of Osunkumbi’s mother in the 

intrigues that ensued in selecting a new king for the town, 

she had to face forces of evil who wanted to subvert the 

process to impose a candidate not favoured by the gods. It 

was a battle of wits and substance against the chiefs and the 

government and Osunkumbi played by Iwalola Adekugbe came on 

top, not only by defeating the corrupt system but also by restoring 

normalcy in the town. 

•Seyi 

Hunters 

Bobrisky announces 

housewarming party 

with lots of goodies 

By Sylvester Kwentua 

For those intending to 

attend Bobrisky’s house 

warming party in January 

next year, there is an asoebi 

(party uniform) for the occasion, and 

with the purchase of the asoebi, comes 

expensive gifts. This much was revealed 

by Bobriksy recently. 

“Your aso ebi for my house warming 

party comes with an iPad, Ace of spade, 

Dolce and Gabbana perfumes and 

champagne glass cup. Luxury party for 

billionaires only. Save the date JAN 29th.” 

Bobrisky informed. 

It will be recalled that Bobrisky, early this 

month, disclosed in an Instagram post that he 

had just purchased a new house for himself 

valued over 400 million Naira. In the post, he 

revealed that a housewarming ceremony will 

be held on January 29, 2021. 

Seyi Hunter returns 

to Nollywood with 

new movie 'Konko' 

Beautiful Nollywood actress 

and CEO of Hunter’s Media, 

Seyi Hunter has returned to 

Nollywood after a long absence 

with a new movie titled 'Konko'. 

Seyi, who has been busy in other 

areas of her life, particularly 

running her beauty pageant, Miss 

Bikini Nigeria, says she is coming 

back to the industry for good as it 

is where her true passion lies. 

“I’ve been out of Nollywood for 

awhile, trying to find me. I just came 

back for good this time and decided 

to produce 'Konko' as my comeback 

movie. Konko is out on Yorubaplus 

YouTube channel,” she 

told Potpourri in a chat. 

“It was tough doing this 

production, because my dad has 

been in and out of Lagos University 

Teaching Hospital (LUTH). He has 

been on admission for 4 months now, 

and twice from the location after 

shooting I had to rush to sleep in 

LUTH then go back early in the 

morning. 

“Please, people all over should 

kindly watch my movie, apart from 

the fact that it’s interesting, I need 

all the money I can get to continue 

buying oxygen for my Dad and pay 

all the hospital bills as they’re 

coming,” she added. 

Konko stars top actors like 

Opeyemi Aiyeola, Seyi Hunters, 

Funsho Adeola, Juliet Jatto, 

Adeniyi Johnson and many 

others.

Vanguard, SUNDAY, DECEMBER 19, 2021, PAGE 13 

Money is only language I 

understand —Shola Subair 

Oluwashola Subair popularly known as Shollycutie has 

established herself as a top notch actress in the Yoruba 

film industry, taking up roles many of her peers wouldn’t 

dare. The versatile actress has two degrees from the University 

of Ibadan in Theatre Arts and Mass Communications. Her latest 

film '69' is causing ripples on YouTube as well as on social media. 

She is also a proud producer of 6 films, namely: Fatima, Same Girl, 

Osu Mefa, Igbeyin, Apeke Ojurepepe and 69. She speaks with Potpourri 

in this quickie interview: 

•Shola 

Subair 

Sacrifices 

I have made a lot of 

sacrifices in the industry 

because sometimes or 

even most times when we 

are busy shooting back to 

back movie, it deprives 

me of seeing my beloved 

ones for months and 

months. 

Unforgettable 

memories 

My unforgettable 

experience as an actress 

was when a girl in the 

industry (who happens to be 

a daughter to one of our 

bosses) insulted me publicly. 

She said so many terrible things 

to me just because her father is a 

well respected man, one of the 

TAMPAN representatives. 

Preferred roles 

I love to challenge myself, I don’t like to be 

stereotyped. I love to play different roles in movies but I hate to 

play an indecent role where men/ guys would have to slap my ass 

or do all sorts of indecent things. 

Attraction 

Good smell attracts me to an opposite sex. And I have never 

made the first move to start a relationship. 

Love and money 

Love? Never heard of that. Of course, money is the only language 

I understand. After God, good health, money is next and after 

money is still more money. But 

I will leave a relationship 

when a man no longer values 

me. I am a virgin. 

Social media 

Social media has really 

influenced my growth as an 

actress because it gives me 

visibility. People get to see 

more of me and my 

productions via social media 

and it really helps. 

Turnoff 

What turns me off about the 

industry is the fact that 90% of 

people there are users. It’s 

really hard for you to get help 

without strings attached. 

Mission 

My mission as an actress aside 

from the passion I have for it, is 

to become successful and a 

household name so that I can use 

my brand to unlock my greatness 

in life and also use my platform 

to help the upcoming ones. 

Limits 

I have no limits. I can play 

any role except going naked or 

doing something nasty that will 

tarnish my name and brand. 

•Shola 

Subair 

Last woman standing, Chidimma 

bids Gulder Ultimate Search 

goodbye 

or someone who wasn’t sure she would make it to Gulder 

FUltimate Search, Chidmma made it to the top four 

and set an impressive track record of task wins. 

Today’s task was unique because it would determine who 

would be making it to the final three. The contestants also 

had their luggage with them. When they looked for treasure 

map pieces, enemies raided their camp and took all their 

food. 

The task of the day - combination lock was an intense 

variety of tasks that combined to unlock a case. They had 

to crawl through obstacles, balance puzzles pieces, 

match those pieces to get a code that lets them unlock 

a rod to strike their gong. 

Damola makes good speed as he finishes the first 

obstacle and rapidly moves along the course. 

Odudu drops his tile the first time and has to 

start again. Damola, Odud and Damilola 

soon start on their puzzle board while 

Chidimma is still transporting her tiles. 

Damola finishes his task first as he 

rings his gong. Damilola and 

Odudu were tied at the final stage, 

trying to find the right 

combination to unlock their rod. 

Damilola finishes second, and 

then Odudu comes in third place. 

Chidimma couldn’t complete 

her task, which meant we had to 

say goodbye to her. A bittersweet 

moment as she is the last woman 

standing of Gulder Ultimate 

Search Season 12. She stands a 

chance of being voted back into 

the show. 

Our three finalists are 

Damola, Odudu and Damilola. 

Who will be the ultimate 

craftsman? 

•Chidimma 

Tems To Give Fans A 

Boxing Day Treat with 'A “A 

Place Called Orange' Orange” At 

Livespot X Festival 

G rammy-nominated 

singer, Tems will on 

•Tems 

December 26, 2021 

headline her own show, 

tagged 'A Place Called 

Orange'. The concert 

which was originally 

slated to hold on 

December 16, 2021 will 

now hold on Boxing Day as the breakout 

pop star has promised fans an unforgettable experience. 

In her words, “Like my E.P, If Orange Was a Place, this 

concert will take on a unique texture and mood. It is going to 

be a very special night for my fans in Lagos and myself 

included as it is the first time I’ll be headlining a concert in 

Nigeria in two years, so we had to move it to Boxing Day to 

make it an even more special gift.” 

Organisers of Livespot X Festival, Livespot360 have 

promised music lovers that Tems’ unrestricted expression, 

freewheeling delivery and emotional rawness that comes 

from seeing her perform live will be harnessed and brought 

to life come Boxing Day. 

The Livespot X Festival will still run from December 16 to 

December 21.


ADETUTU AUDU 

08023849036, 

08112662587 

Razaq Obe 

takes new role 

Hon. Razaq Obe, who was recently sworn 

in as a Commissioner in Ondo State, has 

been named the state 

Commissioner for Energy, Mines 

and Mineral Resources by 

Governor Oluwarotimi 

Akeredolu, a key position 

which shows the confidence of 

the governor in him to give 

just the very best. His 

•Rasak Obe 

antecedents as an expert in the 

energy industry drive home the 

point of Akeredolu to place such 

an important post in his hands. 

Obe’s years of service in the 

petroleum sector where he 

served as Senior Field 

Operations Procurement 

Advisor at Exxonmobil and 

Operations Contract 

Manager make him a 

perfect fit for the office 

designated for him. 

Today, his 

achievements 

speak for him, 

his credentials 

attest and 

justify why he 

has been 

named the 

Commissioner 

for Energy, 

Mines and 

Mineral in 

Ondo. 

•Tolu 

Odebiyi 

Tolu Odebiyi’s 

strides 

Senator Tolu Odebiyi (Ogun West, Yewa) has, over 

time, proved that he is, indeed, a true son of the 

soil, one who not only shares the burden of the people 

but is also ready to contribute his quota to help his 

people attain a better reality. 

Odebiyi took the mantle from his father, Senator 

Jonathan Odebiyi, who was not just an influential 

member of the community but also a respected one 

who made giant strides especially in the 

educational sector. His father, during his 

time, actively used education as a tool for 

the social advancement and 

empowerment of his people, and it’s 

such a pleasure to see the son picking 

up the mandate and breaking the 

records set by his father by setting 

up an atmosphere which supports 

and allows qualitative education to 

thrive in Yewaland. 

Talk about renovation and construction 

of classrooms in Yewaland, Odebiyi has 

set up world class ICT facilities to boost 

digital learning amongst students in 

his community. His Tolu Odebiyi 

Foundation (TOD) has been sponsored 

to alleviate the burden of 

undergraduates’ parents and 

guardians. 

Understanding that the future of 

Nigeria is in the youths, the 

senator, under the Foundation, 

gave scholarship and 

laptops to 50 Ogun West 

students in tertiary 

institutions in 

Nigeria. He has 

done this for two 

academic years 

running. 

•Seyi 

Tinubu 

Seyi Tinubu debunks 

romance tale 

Suave businessman, Seyi Tinubu, has, in strong terms, 

reacted to a report suggesting a relationship exists 

between him and society gal, Freda Francis. 

Rumour mill has been agog that Freda, who is 

the Chief Executive Officer and founder of 

Oasis Med Spa, is pregnant with another 

child and she is being linked to the Loatsad 

Promomedia boss. 

“I would like to state categorically that 

the basis of the story is false and should be discountenanced”, the 

son of a former governor of Lagos State and National Leader of the 

All Progressives Congress (APC), Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, 

said. 

•Adeleke 

Ademola Adeleke 

slugs it out with 

Dele Adeleke 

Senator Ademola Adeleke represented Osun 

West between 2015 and 2019. He later went 

on to contest governorship election in Osun 

State but lost to the incumbent governor, Mr 

Gboyega Oyetola. 

Few months to the 2022 gubernatorial election 

in the state, however, Ademola Adeleke has 

signified his intention to occupy the number 

one seat again and, after the controversy 

surrounding his educational qualification, he 

enrolled at Atlanta Metropolitan State College 

in the United States where he obtained a 

Bachelor of Science degree in criminal justice in 

2021. 

But it may not be an easy ride for the 

man popularly known as ‘dancing 

senator’ as among the 

contenders for the 2022 Osun 

election is his nephew, 

Dele Adeleke, who has 

also purchased his 

nomination form at the national secretariat of 

the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). 

The challenge before the popular Adeleke 

dynasty is who picks PDP’s governorship ticket 

since Dele has also thrown his hat into the ring.



“What does corrupting time 

not diminish? Our 

grandparents brought forth 

feebler heirs; we are further 

degenerate; and soon will 

beget progeny more wicked” - 

Homer, 65-8 BC, VANGUARD 

BOOK OF QUOTATIONS, 

VBQ p 247. 

It was my intention to write 

about something else this 

Sunday. But, reading global 

news reports, commentaries 

and analysis last week 

changed my mind totally. 

Mankind in general and 

Nigeria in particular is racing 

towards its own destruction. 

Eating the fruit from the Tree 

of Knowledge by Adam and 

Eve might have set us towards 

self-annihilation more 

inexorably than we realise. 

Two man-made elements 

worldwide and one made in 

Nigeria are destroying our 

youths faster than they are 

being developed for the 

challenges of the future. Right 

now, it is indisputable that 

drugs, the internet and cultism 

have become the faces of evil 

ruining our youths – 

irrespective of class. 

From the absolute poorest 

to the children of the most 

wealthy, our kids today have 

become hostages to forces 

which we could not have 

dreamt of in our young days, 

not to talk of Homer. The 

engine-room of all the other 

evils is that fountain of 

Email:biolasobowale@yahoo.com 

Phone Number: 07081372829 

Three faces of evil: 

Drugs, GSM, cultism 

inexhaustible knowledge – the 

internet. The internet has 

made it possible to connect all 

the actors in any atrocity, so 

surely, so fast and so secretively 

that law enforcement agents 

as well as parents are totally 

defeated in the attempt to 

check their kids. Never in the 

history of mankind have 

parents lost so much control 

over their own off-spring as 

now. Bearing in mind that bad 

behaviour or habit is easier to 

acquire than good conduct, it 

is easy to see why our nation is 

in trouble. Unfortunately, as 

we enter 2022, Nigeria’s 

political leadership, from 

Buhari to ward councillors, 

has placed governance on 

suspension until 2023. All they 

care about is next year’s 

election. More unfortunately, 

for the rest of us, the Devil 

neither goes on break nor 

sleeps. By the time the next 

President emerges, Nigeria 

would have gone farther down 

the road to self-destruction. 

Here are the truths which we 

can no longer ignore; 

MKPURU-MMIRI 

ENTERED LIKE A THIEF IN 

THE NIGHT 

Methamphetamine or 

‘crystal meth’ has been around 

since the 1960s. My first job in 

Boston, US was with Lederle 

Laboratories in 1968. As a 

salesman promoting our 

prescription drugs to doctors 

and pharmacies, I was 

provided with samples of our 

drugs to be given free to 

doctors to try with their 

patients. Among the samples 

given to us was a branded 

amphetamine. Invariably, the 

salesmen and women would 

keep for their own use some 

of the samples – including the 

amphetamine capsules. 

Throughout the 

undergraduate years – 1964 

to 1968 – I had religiously 

avoided drugs offered at 

parties everywhere in my 

travels in America. Growing 

up in Lagos Island had given 

me a sound lesson on the 

undesirable consequences of 

drug addiction. I was not 

ready to risk my American 

Government Scholarship on 

account of drugs. But, in 1968, 

I already graduated and had 

a job which provided me with 

a bagful of amphetamine; to 

consume as much as I wanted 

free of charge. God saved me. 

Two months into the job, we 

were attending a monthly 

sales meeting when one of the 

older salesmen suddenly got 

up and started undressing 

right in the training room. 

Within minutes, he was 

completely naked. Security 

men were called to restrain 

him; an ambulance was 

called; and he ended in 

psycho-ward in Boston 

Hospital. It was finally 

determined that he had been 

stuffing himself with 

amphetamine – to which he 

had become totally addicted. 

That was a lesson never to be 

forgotten; the sudden crash of 

a person who was outwardly 

“normal” until his drama 

Bearing in mind that bad 

behaviour or habit is 

easier to acquire than 

good conduct, it is easy 

to see why our nation is 

in trouble 

started. 

I have been aware of the 

increasing lurch of Nigeria 

towards a drug-driven society 

since me return in 1974. Some 

of our richest people were 

drug traffickers to the US in 

the beginning. By the time 

General Babangida, who else, 

enacted the National Drug 

Law Enforcement Agency, 

Decree 48, 1989, Nigeria had 

already crossed the threshold 

of a transit country (one 

through which drugs are 

trafficked to others) to a major 

consumer of various drugs 

(See the book IBRAHIM B 

BABANGIDA: 1985-1992, 

LETTING A THOUSAND 

FLOWERS BLOOM). Only 

God knows how much worse 

Nigeria would have been 

today if IBB had not passed 

that decree. Despite it, we are 

in hell now – irrespective of 

region, ethnicity, religion, 

gender, income, social status, 

age or political affiliation. If 

you are not an addict yourself, 

you are probably very close 

to somebody who is lost to 

drugs. 

The journey from 1989 till 

now has been a gradual 

decline into hell for Nigeria. 

Drugs, which in the beginning 

were consumed by criminals 

and a few deviant characters, 

have now gone mainstream. 

Among those under 45, 

virtually everybody is in it. 

Any parent with children over 

21 who are not now abusers 

of any of the new designer 

drugs themselves must be 

living with a saint. In the 

SUNDAY VANGUARD,DECEMBER 19, 2021,PAGE 17 

1960s parents worried about 

their kids moving with bad 

company – meaning boys 

drinking beer, stout and 

occasionally ogogoro, 404, 

Sapele Water etc. Today any 

father whose sons still indulge 

in those stimulants must go 

for thanksgiving in his church 

or mosque. He can still be 

saved. Amphetamine is the 

new face of the Devil. And, our 

children are entrapped. We 

must mount the effort to save 

them; otherwise there is no 

future for Nigeria. 

THE 

GSM 

CONNECTION 

“Please just send me to a 

mental institution.” Mom 

describes daughter’s struggle 

with social media. CNN 

December 9, 2021. 

Mother and daughter must 

live in a highly developed 

nation. Because, here in 

Nigeria, our kids who are 

going crazy on account of 

social media are not aware 

that they are actually losing 

their senses. More kids than 

we know are just a step away 

from the mental hospital; and 

their parents are actually 

helping to get them there by 

providing the money – the fuel 

of mental explosion – with 

which the kids are destroying 

themselves. Yet, the dangers 

were foretold by a sage over 

20 years ago by a global 

industrialist. 

“Every piece of new 

technology …will in the end 

be used quite differently from 

the way in which its 

proponents first imagined” - 

Sir Michael Perry, Chairman 

Unilever, VANGUARD 

BOOK OF QUOTATIONS, 

VBQ, p243. 

I was desperately in search 

of an entry under Technology 

for the Book of 

QUOTATIONS, because of 

the overwhelming influence it 

has had in transforming the 

Earth and everything in it, for 

good or ill, when luck brought 

the gem quoted above my 

way. It was lifted from an 

address delivered by the 

former leader of Unilever. He 

gave several examples. But, if 

I can recall correctly, one of 

them was the invention of the 

shot gun–which was 

developed to improve on the 

success rate of hunters 

searching for food for their 

families. Gradually, it was 

adopted by the military in all 

the advanced countries at the 

time. Today, hand guns, in the 

hands of criminals, kill more 

people everyday than all the 

armies of the world put 

together. 

Let us now move fast 

forward to the GSM/internet/ 

Facebook/Instagram and we 

will see how prescient Sir Perry 

was. Until about ten years ago, 

the internet, linked with other 

advances in computer 

technology, was almost purely 

beneficial. Today, the 

pendulum is moving towards 

more evil uses of the 

technologies. The recent 

revelations during a US 

Senate hearing regarding 

Facebook, and the evil 

tendencies of its owners, are 

only a tiny exposure. Social 

media might eventually 

destroy the world. 

To be continued 

NIGERIA AIR AND 

A I R P O R T 

CONCESSIONING: 

SIGNS OF PROGRESS – 3. 

Omicron: Emirates 

suspends flights to Nigeria 

over FG’s policy - 

Report, December 11, 2021. 

If ever there is a strong 

reason Nigeria must have its 

own successful airline, the 

reaction of Emirate Airlines 

as well as other foreign 

carriers just provided one 

good one. Nigeria, like other 

African countries, feels, 

rightly, discriminated against 

by the developed countries on 

account of Omicron. Flights 

between African and some 

Asian nations have not been 

stopped. But, the West and 

Emirates are bent on keeping 

us at home. Wouldn’t it have 

been possible for us to call 

their bluff if we have our own 

airline? 

Joy is here 

In a few days, we’ll be 

marking the birth of 

Jesus Christ. Indeed its 

Christmas season. 

Generally, the mood is 

joyous for many, with Carols 

and decorations that 

beautify out homes and 

environment. 

Our Lord Jesus Christ 

signifies Joy is all aspects. 

His birth brought joy, his 

works gave people joy and 

even his resurrection 

remains joyful. 

Matthew 1:21 ( KJV) : “ 

And she shall bring forth a 

son, and thou shalt call his 

name JESUS: for he shall 

save his people from their 

sins”. The birth of Christ 

should give Christians 

confidence that Jesus has 

borne our entire burden. 

Many of the challenges that 

confront us today are linked 

with sins. You may say, what 

has that got to do with child 

bearing? . 

For many of us, the 

challenges that confront us 

today are either self inflicted 

or inflicted on us by others. 

Witches, wizards that 

afflict others are committing 

sins. The young lady, whose 

inability to bear children is 

traced to abortions or premarital 

sex has committed sin 

yet God in his mercy gave us 

His Son who went through 

pains and humiliation to bear 

our sins. 

The year is ending, how 

many people have offended 

you and you not have forgiven. 

At times, it is something as 

simple as lack of forgiveness 

that delays our miracles. 

Luke 2 v. 10 : “ And the angel 

said unto them, Fear not: for, 

behold, I bring you good 

tidings of great joy , which shall 

be to all people”. This gives us 

an assurance that the joy of the 

Lord is accessible to all 

particularly those who bring 

Jesus into their lives. 

What is that challenge that 

has been with you since 

January?. Have you taken it to 

Jesus? 

Matthew 11 vs. 28: “ Come 

unto me, all ye that labour and 

are heavy laden, and I will give 

you rest”. 

If you really believe that the 

Lord Jesus can carry your 

burden and give you rest, why 

bother yourself about 

challenges? 

All you need do is give your 

life to Christ, the surest way to 

make him your companion. 

What you have given 

as a small gift, may 

be the reason the 

Lord will give you a 

miracle that will 

surprise you 

Make sure you worship in a 

living church, repent of your 

sins and stay away from sins. 

Challenges no doubt bring 

in pains, tears, and 

frustrations and sometimes 

question our faith. We must 

however know that there is a 

personality whose name 

overrides all challenges and 

that is JESUS. 

Every challenge has an 

expiry date but you must work 

towards the expiration of that 

date. If however, you do 

nothing, that challenge could 

become a permanent feature. 

I pray for you today, every 

challenge in your life will give 

way in the name of Jesus. 

Zephaniah 3 vs. 17 : “ The 

LORD thy God in the midst of 

thee is mighty; he will save, 

he will rejoice over thee with 

joy; he will rest in his love, he 

will joy over thee with 

singing”. 

This is another assurance 

that whatever gives you pain 

now, the Lord Jesus is 

available to save you from 

pain, give you joy, and you will 

end up singing songs of 

victory. 

Declare to yourself in prayer 

that you will see the end of 

every challenge in your life in 

Jesus name. 

Are you unhappy, because 

it’s December and you don’t 

have a pregnancy positive test 

result? Do you know that as 

you hold on to Jesus, even 

before this year rolls over, the 

Lord can still give you the 

result you so much desire. 

A part of the problem we 

have is that many of us would 

rather believe medical science 

than the Word of God yet the 

Word is older than medical 

science. 

John 1 vs. 1-4 : “ In the 

beginning was the Word, and 

the Word was with God, and 

the Word was God. The same 

was in the beginning with 

God. 

All things were made by 

him; and without him was not 

any thing made that was 

made. 

In him was life; and the life 

was the light of men”. 

Brethren, your life is 

incomplete without JESUS. 

With Jesus, you have the peace 

of the mind even if you are 

going through challenges. It 

makes people especially 

mockers wonder if the 

challenge bothers you. They 

do not understand that the 

peace of the Lord is greater 

than any challenge. It 

guarantees your testimony. 

Be not deceived, it is only 

God that gives life. It is God 

that keeps us alive. If you 

think, this is obvious, ask 

people whose relations had 

health challenges and oxygen 

given by the hospital failed to 

save them. 

I’ll narrate the experience of 

a lady who went to a doctor 

to confirm an early pregnancy. 

She did the scan and the 

doctor gave her a report that 

all he could see was a rope 

and not a baby. 

She knew that her problem 

was spiritual since she felt the 

baby. She walked away 

calmly and ran to the church. 

From then on, she gave her 

life to Christ and intensified 

her prayers. A few years later, 

the womb that was said to 

carry a rope produced a baby 

boy and no rope was 

delivered. 

I pray for you, God will 

deliver you from all your 

enemies in Jesus name. You 

will triumph over all 

challenges in the name of 

Jesus. 

This is a season of joy, cast 

your mind away from any 

burden or challenge. It’s a 

season of joy. 

Be a part of the activities. 

In your own little way, be a 

blessing unto others. Put 

smiles on the faces of others 

and the Lord will gladden 

your heart too. 

At a time like this, our prayer 

focus should be on MERCY. 

Matthew 7 vs. 5 : “ Blessed 

are the merciful for they shall 

obtain mercy”. 

No gift is too small to give 

to the less privileged. What 

you have given as a small gift, 

may be the reason the Lord 

will give you a miracle that 

will surprise you. 

At a time like this, move your 

mind from challenges. Focus 

on those things that make you 

fulfilled in the Lord. 

Are you experiencing 

financial difficulties or 

thinking, you would have 

become a mother if you had 

money to pay for IVF? 

Why not look unto the Lord 

that does not charge you 

money?. 

I know of several cases of 

people who were billed for 

IVF but God did it before the 

date. There was the particular 

case of a lady who was on the 

queue for a donor egg in 

America but someone 

introduced her to Laughter 

Foundation Ministry in 

Lagos. 

She travelled down to 

Nigeria and began to join the 

prayer sessions. She and her 

husband were still here when 

she was called by her doctor 

in the United States to come 

and receive the donor egg. 

Politely, she told the doctor, she 

didn’t need it any more. 

She was asked why? Her 

reply was that God had done 

it for her as she was confirmed 

pregnant. 

Brethren, the more you 

think about your age, the 

more you are tempted to think 

it’s impossible for you to have 

a baby. 

Miracles defy logic but they 

attest to the power of the 

Almighty God. 

Psalm 30 vs. 5: “ For his 

anger endureth but a 

moment; in his favour is life: 

weeping may endure for a 

night, but joy cometh in the 

morning”. 

Sooner than you expect, 

you’ll sing a new song like 

Hannah did in Jesus name. 

Once again, Compliments 

of the season. Remember to 

show mercy to others, that you 

may receive the Mercy of 

God.

PAGE 18 — SUNDAY VANGUARD, DECEMBER 19, 2021 

Nigeria’s holier-than-thou 

legislators! 

Since 1999 when 

democracy was 

restored in Nigeria, one sector 

which has failed to function 

in line with democratic ethos 

is the legislative arm of 

government. The way the law 

makers have positioned 

themselves to manipulate 

every other sector of the 

country has no doubt given 

many people cause for 

concern. At state level, many 

of them developed around 

themselves, an in-explicable 

aura of belligerence, fighting 

over too many things during 

plenary and quite often 

serving as willing toolsfor 

dealing with their governors’ 

enemies real or perceived. At 

federal level, Nigerian 

legislators worked 

assiduously from inception to 

become the most visible set of 

Nigerians using their 

oversight functions and 

power to summon and bully 

public officials for the purpose 

of enriching themselves. While 

many critics have tended to 

discountenance state 

legislators, it has not been 

similarly easy to ignore the 

emergence of legislators at the 

federal level who are now the 

undisputed occupants of the 

corridors of political power. 

This is why columns such as 

this see them as ready 

materials for weekly analysis. 

Members of Nigeria’s 

National Assembly must 

themselves take credit for the 

ample attention they attracted 

to themselves by always 

striving to be the most 

important office holders. 

This manifested in their early 

enactment of the Order of 

Precedence Act which made 

their leaders numbers 3 and 

4 citizens of the country.In 

addition, they ranked 

themselves above state 

governors notwithstanding 

that each of them can only 

represent a fraction of a 

governor’s state constituency. 

As if to turn themselves to 

‘untouchables’, they sought in 

2003, to amend the Act setting 

up the Independent Corrupt 

Practices Commission 

(ICPC) simply because the 

Commission under Justice 

Mustapha Akanbi was 

investigating charges of 

corruption against their 

leadership. The law was not 

only amended in haste; the 

legislature did not have the 

prescribed quorum to so act. 

It was also observed that the 

law makers at every 

opportunity would hurriedly 

clear their members accused 

of corruption as they did 

when Ministerial nominee 

Nasir el Rufai publicly 

named some senators who 

demanded bribe from him to 

facilitate his clearance. 

After almost a decade of 

bullying public officials, the 

House of Representatives met 

a brick wall when its 

Committee on Capital 

Market sought to publicly 

chastise Aruma Oteh the then 

Director General of the 

Securities and Exchange 

Commission (SEC), who 

refused to be blackmailed to 

offer bribe.The House 

resolved that the lady must be 

removed from office, which 

the then President Jonathan 

declined to do. One month 

later, anxious to apply 

pressure on the executive, 

theSenate through its 

Chairman of the Committee 

on Capital Market, Senator 

Ayoade Adeseun announced 

the resolution that it would 

also have nothing to do with 

the SEC if Oteh remained in 

office. Indeed, the Senate itself 

as part of efforts to project its 

strength,commandeered the 

serious constitutional 

mandate of confirming 

certain Presidential 

appointments into ‘a bow and 

go’ policy thereby failing to 

ensure that only fit and proper 

persons were appointed into 

specified sensitive offices 

The power of our 

legislature became 

overblown when it began to 

hold court where it would 

compel public officials to 

abandon every other business 

to appear before them to 

answer all types of charges. 

Even the Attorney general of 

the Federation and Minister 

of Justice, Abubakar Malami, 

was summoned to brief the 

Senate on the $9.6 billion 

P&ID judgment debt against 

Nigeria. This was supposedly 

to prevent Nigeria’s asset 

around the worldfrom being 

taken over by the Irish firm. 

Generally, the invitations 

usually took the form of 

threats. For example, several 

threats were made to arrest 

heads of agencies that failed 

to appear to defend the 

queries raised against them by 

the Auditor General for the 

Federation in its 2016, 2017 

and 2018 reports.In fact, the 

Governor of the Central Bank 

of Nigeria, Godwin Emefiele, 

was threatened over his 

failure to honour invitations 

extended to him to defend how 

N596 billion ecological fund 

was spent from 1999 to 2015. 

The Chairman of the 

The way the law makers 

have positioned 

themselves to 

manipulate every other 

sector of the country 

has no doubt given 

many people cause for 

concern 

National Drug Law 

Enforcement Agency 

(NDLEA), Gen. Muhammad 

Buba Marwa (Rtd.) was 

similarly threatened for 

failure to explain 11 queries 

that had been issued on his 

predecessor bothering on 

mismanagement of funds 

amounting to N467million. 

Whereas the threat by the 

House of Representatives 

Committee on Insurance to 

issue a warrant of arrest on 

Col, Hammed Ali, the 

Customs boss was reportedly 

based on the failure of Ali to 

explain why his agency 

allegedly paid N250 million 

to the Fortis Insurance 

Brokers Ltd for no job done, 

many believed that the feud 

between the National 

Assembly and the Customs 

Service may have been 

prompted by the refusal of the 

latter to grantundue 

concessions to the legislature. 

Following a threat extended 

to the then Inspector-General 

of Police (IGP), Ibrahim Idris, 

for failing to appear before its 

ad-hoc committee 

investigating allegations of 

abuse of office against him, 

the law makers established 

that they could arrest 

anyone.With such boldness, 

the legislature placed on 

record that their mission was 

to sanitize Nigeria. However, 

many disputed this 

considering the fanfare with 

which the threats were made 

and how at the end, the cases 

merely fizzle away. 

Many analysts have thus 

had cause to comment on the 

frivolous threats by the 

legislature. A renowned 

University Don, Ejikeme 

Nwagwu of the University of 

Nigeria Nsukka had in a 

2014 article in the Journal of 

Law, Policy and Globalization 

opined that the all-important 

function of legislative 

Oversight in Nigeria has been 

reduced”to mere alarm 

mechanism being used to 

blackmail or witch-hunt 

political opponents, extortion 

of money from the parastatals 

and ministries under its 

supervision for selfish or 

personal aggrandizement. 

”Some other analysts 

imagined that most of the 

powers which the legislature 

in Nigeria lays claim to are 

unfounded. Justice 

Oluwadare Aguda (Rtd)is for 

instance convinced that 

“Democratic government in 

Nigeria is now seriously 

undermined by the 

Legislature’s usurpation of 

both executive and judicial 

functions.” To make matters 

worse, the legislators hardly 

give those they are 

investigating ample 

opportunity for fair hearing. 

But perhaps what calls for 

greater concern and which 

informed today’s piece is the 

growing evidence that the 

‘reformist-legislators’ are 

now the ones more accused 

of what they claim to be 

eradicating.Only 3 days 

ago,the office of Auditor- 

General of the Federation, 

revealed that the House of 

Representatives made 

payments from a salary 

account, in billions, without 

payment vouchers, as 

required by extant 

regulations. The amount 

involved was put at over N5.2 

billion with details of the 

discrepancies contained in 

the recently released 2019 

annual Audit report. This 

therefore, puts our holy 

legislature among the many 

Ministries, Departments and 

Agencies (MDAs) of the 

federal government indicted 

and queried by the Auditor- 

General for incessant 

violation of extant rules, some 

of which include nonretirement 

of personal 

advances within a financial 

year and grant of cash 

advances above the approved 

limit and payments without 

vouchers. 

.Barely one day after the 

report,some Civil Society 

Organizations (CSOs) called 

on Senate President, Ahmad 

Lawan, to sack the chairman 

Senate committee on 

appropriation, Senator 

Barau Jibrin.The premise of 

the grievances of the CSOs is 

that the 2020 Appropriation 

Act is reportedly filled up with 

padded expenditures. This has 

been confirmed by 

Independent Corrupt 

Practices and Other Related 

Offences Commission (ICPC) 

as failing in all the integrity 

tests of accepted procedures 

in procurement and an 

aberration to the provisions 

of the Procurement Act. While 

any or some or all or none of 

the allegations currently in 

the news are yet to be proved 

or disproved, it is 

disheartening that those who 

have been issuing threats of 

warrants of arrests on accused 

persons for years are now 

being painted with same 

brush of indictment. Our 

legislature, must at this point 

endeavour to undertake a 

sober introspection rather 

than defending bogus running 

costs while comparing 

unequal items. It is time to 

remind them that like 

Caesar’s wife, they are 

expected to be above board 

all the time. 

PhD,Department of 

Philosophy, 

Universityof Lagos 

08116759758 

opuruiche2000@gmail.com 

Notes on Igbophobes, 

Igbo-haters and Igbomaniacs (3) 

Concerning the serious 

weakness in the Igbo 

character that ended our 

discussion last week, Prof. 

Chinua Achebe captures it 

succinctly in his eponymous 

work, There was a Country: A 

Personal History of Biafra, by 

affirming that as a group its 

success “can and did carry 

deadly penalties: the dangers 

of hubris, overweening pride 

and thoughtlessness which 

invite envy and hatred or, even 

worse, that obsess the mind 

with material success and 

dispose it to all kinds of crude 

showiness. There is no doubt 

at all that there is a strand in 

contemporary Igbo 

behaviour that can offend by 

its noisy exhibitionism and 

disregard for humility and 

quietness.” This deadly 

character flaw has over the 

years led to insensate 

generalised hatred of Ndigbo 

by Nigerians from other 

ethnic groups, especially those 

who see them more as 

unwanted uppity competitors 

rather than as compatriots. It 

must be pointed out that the 

character problem Prof. 

Achebe refers to can also be 

found amongst the Fulani, 

Hausa, Ijaw, Yoruba, etc. 

Nonetheless given the 

ubiquitous presence of Igbo 

people all over the place, their 

own hubris, showiness and 

noisy exhibitionism tend to be 

more noticeable, offensive 

and widespread. 

Unfortunately many 

nouveaux riches of Igbo 

extraction like Obi Cubana 

and his close associates seem 

not to have learnt the lesson 

encoded in the Igbo proverb 

that oke soro ngwere maa 

mmiri, ahu koo ngwere o 

gaghi ako oke (if a rat plays 

with the lizard in the rain, if 

the body of the lizard dries off, 

the same will not be the case 

for the rat). 

The preceding remarks 

points to a negative side of the 

Igbo character. But as a 

nuanced thinker Achebe also 

notes that in other countries 

an ethnic group as industrious 

as the Igbo would trigger 

healthy competition and the 

rebirth of achievement and 

learning. Unfortunately in 

Nigeria “it bred deep 

resentment and both subtle 

and overt attempts to 

dismantle the structure in 

place for merit in favour of 

mediocrity under the cloak of 

a need for ‘federal character’ 

– a morally bankrupt and 

deeply corrupt form of the far 

more successful affirmative 

action in the United 

States.”Accordingly, those 

looking for the main reason 

why Nigeria has become a 

horrible caricature of what a 

nation should be need look no 

further because, as the 

Apparently 

Ahmadu Bello 

was not interested 

in merit or in 

employing 

qualified Igbo to 

foster national 

unity 

renowned novelist wryly 

remarks “The denial of merit 

is a form of social injustice 

that can hurt not only the 

individuals directly 

concerned but ultimately the 

entire society…whenever 

merit is set aside by prejudice 

of whatever origin, individual 

citizens as well as the nation 

itself is victimised.” In short, 

all the policies meant to pull 

down the Igbo have 

boomeranged. Nigeria is now 

a giant with the feet of soft 

clay, a big-for-nothing 

agglomeration of peoples 

afflicted with a succession of 

some of the most selfish, 

incompetent and shameless 

leaders in the world. 

The late Sardauna of 

Sokoto, Alhaji Ahmadu Bello, 

was a prominent 

unapologetic Igbophobe and 

Igbo-hater. For instance, he 

vehemently kicked against the 

sizeable number of Ndigbo in 

northern Nigeria and the 

preeminent positions they 

occupied in different aspects 

of life there. Again the 

Sardauna championed some 

of the discriminatory policies 

of the First Republic that 

favoured northern Nigeria to 

the detriment of the south 

generally and Ndigbo in 

particular. Indeed, in an 

interview with a British 

journalist shortly after 

independence he affirms that 

as premier he would rather 

employ a foreigner than an 

Igbo, a fellow Nigerian, to fill 

any vacant position in his 

region simply because the 

Igbo, according to him, are 

ambitious and have a 

tendency to dominate others. 

Apparently Ahmadu Bello 

was not interested in merit or 

in employing qualified Igbo 

to foster national unity. His 

main focus was to exclude the 

‘uppity’ Igbo from being 

employed in the north. As we 

observed earlier, after the 

Biafran war members of the 

dominant faction of the 

northern conservative 

military-civilian 

establishment in the corridors 

of power continued the 

Sardauna’s apartheid policy 

against the Igbo. For them, 

Ndigbo are lower class 

citizens that should ingratiate 

themselves before Fulani 

caliphate colonialists in order 

to make any headway 

economically and politically 

at the federal level. And the 

obnoxious quota system was 

a readymade tool to ensure 

that merit was sacrificed on 

the altar of “federal 

character” as defined and 

implemented by those 

running what Prof. Ben 

Nwabueze describes as the 

“invisible government” 

controlled by the northern 

elite. Of course, without 

lowering standards it would 

have been virtually 

impossible for northerners to 

compete and outperform 

Ndigbo in various aspects of 

human endeavour that 

depend on individual 

initiative, creativity, 

industriousness and selfreliance. 

This is very evident 

especially since 1970 in the 

education sector where cutoff 

marks for admission at 

various levels of formal 

education run by the federal 

government are deliberately 

lowered to accommodate 

underperforming northern 

candidates whereas their Igbo 

counterparts with far better 

scores are denied admission. 

The same discriminatory 

system is applied in 

employment into federal 

ministries, departments and 

agencies. All the same, 

Ndigbo have continued to 

play the role of primus inter 

pares with respect to the 

informal economy of 

northern Nigeria (and other 

non-Igbo majority areas) in 

spite of those obnoxious 

discriminatory policies and 

periodic violence targeted 

against them. On the other 

hand aside from recent 

increase in the number of 

cattle dealers in the south-east 

due to deliberate pro-north 

policies of selfish bulimic 

factotums of the Fulani 

oligarchy like Orji Uzor Kalu, 

Hope Izodinma and Dave 

Umahi, majority of 

northerners in Igboland are 

barely managing to survive as 

beggars, low-grade artisans, 

gatemen, petty traders, okada 

riders and keke operators who 

mostly live in very squalid 

conditions. Consequently if all 

the northerners in Igboland 

were to pack and relocate to 

their respective states, it would 

make a tiny mark, not a dent, 

on the socio-economic 

condition of the Igbo towns 

where they lived whereas if 

people of Igbo extraction had 

left the north en masse some 

time ago as proposed by a ragtag 

collection of irascible 

northern youths the negative 

economic impact on the north 

would have been serious. This 

claim will irritate northern 

Igbophobes and Igbo-haters 

who often shamelessly and 

falsely claim that Igbo people 

put unnecessary obstacles 

that prevent members of other 

ethnic groups from 

establishing and progressing 

in Igboland. Igbophobes and 

Igbo-hatersmaking such 

claim conveniently ignore the 

fact that Ndigbo living 

outside Igboland face even 

greater obstacles than the 

imaginary bottlenecks they 

are complaining about 

butstill continue to soldier on 

because of two main reasons: 

one, their indefatigable cando 

attitude and, two, they take 

the concept of One Nigeria 

seriously. That said, with the 

decades-old divisive policy of 

Igbo exclusion by the northern 

ruling cabal and their 

acolytes from the south now 

taken to a whole new level by 

the current nepotic 

administration of President 

Muhammadu Buhari it is 

time for Ndigbo to begin a 

critical re-examination of 

what it really means to be an 

Igbo in Nigeria. 

It is probably true that 

majority of Nigerians from 

other ethnic groups are 

Igbophobes and Igbo-haters. 

This is particularly true 

amongst a segment of 

northerners who still think 

that having lost the civil war 

Ndigbo should be satisfied 

with whatever situation they 

find themselves in the country 

and be grateful. 

To be continued

POLMAG 

SUNDAY Vanguard, DECEMBER 19, 2021, PAGE 19 

•Buhari 

By Clifford Ndujihe, 

Politics Editor 

The year 2022 is exactly five days 

away but many Nigerians would 

wish it starts now. No thanks to the 

insecurity, fire disasters, deaths, political 

squabbles, and other socio-economic 

crises that trailed 2021. 

Some of the issues that hallmarked 

2021 would be carried over to 2022. 

Next year is the eve of the 2023 general 

elections. A salad of political activities 

this year may shape events that will 

dovetail to the 2023 presidential election 

on February 18, 2023. 

The issues 

Some of the issues include war against 

insecurity, removal of fuel subsidy, fear 

of worsening economic downturn, war 

against the raging COVID- 

19 pandemic, and 

instability in the nation’s 

universities on account of 

lecturers’ strike. 

The trial of the Leader of 

the Indigenous People of 

Biafra, IPoB, Mazi 

Nnamdi Kanu; agitation 

for zoning of the 

presidency between North 

and South and among the 

geo-political zones; quest 

for a new electoral law; 

battle for the soul of the 

ruling All Progressives 

Congress, APC; Ekiti and 

Osun governorship polls; 

presidential primaries of 

the APC, main opposition 

Peoples Democratic Party, 

PDP; alignment and 

realignment of political 

forces among others will 

also shape 2022. 

Faces to watch 

Faces to watch out for in 2022 include 

President Muhammadu Buhari, whose 

body language and influence will shape 

how the battle for the 2023 presidential 

poll would be waged. He is also the face 

of the war against insecurity and 

economic downturn 

There are also Senate President, Ahmad 

Lawan and House of Representatives 

Speaker Femi Gbajabiamila, who are 

•Tinubu 

•Kanu 

Buhari, Tinubu, Kanu, 

subsidy, APC crisis, 

others to define 2022 

Arguably, 2021 

is one of the 

worst years for 

Nigeria in terms 

of insecurity 

expected to lead the crusade for 

a new electoral law that will 

boost the conduct of credible 

elections. 

At the time of writing this report, 

President Buhari was yet to assent 

the Electoral Act Amendment Bill, 

which provided for electronic 

transmission of election results 

and direct primaries for the 

election of candidates. 

There will also be those of 2023 

presidential contenders and 

pretenders, who must declare their 

ambitions in 2022. 

Among this crowd are former 

Lagos State Governor and APC 

National Leader, Senator Bola 

Ahmed Tinubu; Vice President Yemi 

Osinbajo; former Senate President 

Anyim Pius Anyim; Mr. Moses Ayom; 

former Senate President Bukola 

Saraki; and former Vice President Atiku 

Abubakar. 

Others include former 

Governor of Anambra 

State, Mr. Peter Obi; 

Governor Dave Umahi of 

Ebonyi State; Governor 

Aminu Tambuwal, 

Professor Kingsley 

Moghalu; Mr. Sam 

Ohuabunwa. 

How former Central 

Bank of Nigeria, CBN, 

Governor, Professor 

Chukwuma Soludo, who 

will be sworn-in as 

Anambra State governor 

on March 17, will supervise 

the affairs of the state, will 

also be a matter of interest. 

Insecurity 

Arguably, 2021 is one of 

the worst years for Nigeria 

in terms of insecurity.. In 12 

months to September 

2021, data from the Nextier 

SPD Violent Conflict 

Database showed that no fewer than 

3,787 died in 890 incidents across the 

country. Region-specific and cross-cutting 

violent conflicts threaten lives and 

livelihoods, stretching security 

institutions beyond their capacity. 

Government and residents have borne the 

economic implications. 

Nigeria’s Inspector-General of Police, 

Mr. Usman Baba, said the year 2021 was 

challenging for the Police Force, citing 

threats posed by 

bandits, separatist groups, kidnappers, 

and other organised criminal 

organisations. 

Virtually all parts of the country are 

facing one form of blood-guzzling 

insecurity glitch or the other. They range 

from banditry, killings and kidnapping 

for ransom in the North-West and North- 

Central; raging Boko Haram insurgency 

in the North-East; secessionist struggles 

in the South-East and parts of South- 

South and South-West zones. There are 

also ransom kidnappings, unidentified 

gunmen attacks and organised crime 

waves across the board. 

Nigerians are responding to security 

threats by creating self-defence militias 

groups, secessionist calls and protests 

against insecurity. There are 

#NorthIsBleeding protests in some parts 

of Northern Nigeria, the Eastern Security 

Network, ESN, the brainchild of the IPoB 

is also operating in the South-East in 

addition to the murderous activities of 

unknown gunmen that had in recent 

weeks targeted monarchs and security 

agents. 

These security issues will be carried 

forward to 2022, requiring the cooperation 

of all stakeholders to be 

addressed. 

ASUU strike 

One of the first challenges to be confronted 

in 2022 is restoring peace to Nigeria’s ivory 

towers where another strike of the Academic 

Staff Union of Universities, ASUU, is 

looming because of the failure of the Federal 

Government to meet the agreements it 

reached with the union. 

The ASUU has urged the Federal 

Government not to drag the educational 

sector to dark days of strikes by urgently 

implementing the December 23, 2020, 

Memorandum of Action (MoA) reached 

between both parties. 

IPOB secessionist agitation, 

trial of Nnamdi Kanu 

The resumed trial of IPOB Leader, 

Nnamdi Kanu, is one of the issues that will 

kick-start 2022. 

At his last court appearance on October 

21, Kanu pleaded not guilty to seven 

charges that included “terrorism”, treason 

and perpetuating falsehoods against 

President Muhammadu Buhari that the FG 

preferred against him. Trial Judge, Justice 

Binta Nyako, adjourned resumption of the 

trial to January 19 and 20, next year after 

Kanu’s lead lawyer walked out in protest 

against the refusal by security agents to 

allow access to the courtroom to other 

members of the legal defence team. 

A top echelon of Igbo leaders led by First 

Republic Aviation Minister, Chief 

Mbazulike Amechi, recently visited 

President Buhari and pleaded Buhari for a 

political solution and unconditional 

release of Kanu, which they said would 

douse raging tension and violence in the 

South-East. 

However, some Northern leaders and 

groups opposed the move. Will Buhari take 

the advice of Igbo elders or that of Northern 

groups? Or will he allow the trial to run its 

course? These are questions that will be 

answered next year. 

Fuel subsidy controversy 

The plan by the Federal Government to 

remove subsidies on petroleum products 

next February, which will make Nigerians 

pay about N340 per litre of petrol, is 

expected to dominate socio-economic 

activities in Nigeria, next year. A 

government report showed that the subsidy 

gulped N1.03tn in the first 10 months of 

2021 and that the Nigerian National 

Petroleum Company Limited deducted 

N199bn for the payment of subsidy in 

December this year. 

The N340 per litre of petrol is more than 

100 percent rise from the current pump 

price of N162 per litre. To cushion the effect 

o f this steep increase in price the 

government plans to pay N5, 000 to 

each of 40 million “poorest of the 

poor” Nigerians. This will come to 

N2.4 trillion, which is higher than 

N1.4 trillion that would have been 

paid as subsidy. The fuel subsidy 

controversy kicked up humongous 

dust in the polity, this year, and is 

expected to raise more dust in 

2022. 

COVID-19 pandemic 

The COVID-19 pandemic, 

which has morphed into many 

variants, is not about to go away. 

The war will continue, next year 

especially as the Omicron 

variant wreaks havoc across the 

globe, eliciting travel bans and 

diplomatic rows among 

countries. The question of 

COVID-19 vaccine Mandate is 

expected to be on the front burner As of press 

time the number of Coronavirus cases 

across the world was over 280 million with 

5.4 million deaths and 250 million 

recoveries 

Political scene 

On the political scene, the battle for the 

soul of the ruling APC will begin very early 

in the year. Competing camps will battle to 

gain control through a push for the conduct 

of a national convention to elect members 

of the National Executive Committee, NEC, 

in February. Some youth groups in the party 

backed by some top stakeholders are bent 

on taking over the APC from the Yobe State 

Governor, Mai Mala Buni-led CECPC, 

which enjoys the support of APC governors. 

Ekiti and Osun state governorship 

elections will be two of the major political 

activities of 2022. Already hordes of 

aspirants have bought nomination forms 

and are locked in a series of politicking to 

realise their ambitions. Both states have 

remained battlegrounds for the APC and 

PDP. The ruling APC narrowly won Osun 

State in the last election. 

According to the INEC’s chairman, 

Mahmood Yakubu, , the commission has 

slated June 18, 2022, for Ekiti while the 

Osun State Governorship election will be 

held on July 16, 2022. 

After the mid-year Ekiti and Osun 

governorship polls, presidential 

primaries of the APC, PDP and other 

parties will take place. 

Preparations, horse-trading, alignment 

and re-alignment of politicians and 

political forces ahead of the presidential 

primaries are expected to keep the political 

atmosphere turbo-charged in 2022.

PAGE 20 —SUNDAY Vanguard, DECEMBER 19, 2021 

Posterity will be kind to Buhari for keeping Nigeria --- Lai Mohammed 

By Demola Akinyemi 

MINISTER of Information and Culture, 

Alhaji Lai Mohammed, yesterday, said 

posterity would be kind to President Muhammadu 

Buhari for keeping Nigeria afloat amid 

the myriad of challenges facing the country. 

The minister, who spoke at a press conference 

in Ilorin in commemoration of Buhari's 

79th birthday anniversary, said the President 

has also set the country on a trajectory of 

growth. 

OML-40 ultimatum: Egbema Youth Council 

threatens total shutdown of oil facilities 

...Says Warri North LG boss not supporting NPDC/Elcrest or EYC 

E 

protest at the operational base of the oil company. 

gbema Youth Council, EYC, has threat 

ened to permanently shutdown facilities The EYC executives stated that they have 

of NPDC/Elcrest Joint Ventures if at the expiration 

of the one week ultimatum the compa- 

NPDC/Elcrest over time informing them 

sent series of letters to the management of 

ny refuses to sign the General Memorandum that they would mobilize to shut down their 

of Understanding, GMoU. 

operations over their continuous refusal to 

The leadership of the EYC, also said that sign the GMoU, entered into between the 

the Warri North local government area’s company and the host communities. 

chairman, Hon. Smart Asekutu has never According to them, they had at different times 

supported NPDC/Elcrest or EYC on the issue issued ultimatum to the oil company, adding 

of signing of GMoU. 

that on each occasion, the council chairman, 

Meanwhile, Hon. Asekutu escaped being had always intervened to restrain the youths 

lynched by suspected thugs in his attempt to and restored peace in his position as the Chief 

settle the angry EYC and NPDC/Elcrest Joint Security Officer of the local government 

Ventures over the oil company's refusal to sign area. 

the GMoU for the unity and cordial relationship 

in Egbema kingdom. 

bema Youth Council are by this publication 

The EYC President-General said: “The Eg- 

Addressing newsmen, the President-General 

of EYC, Comrade Ebidouwei Miyen- 

Hon. Asekutu of sponsoring us on our peace 

clearing the air that the allegation against the 

pirigha and Spokesman, Silas Toruwei, exonorated 

the LG boss, over allegation of be- 

recognize the communities, was false and 

protest to NPDC/Electrest join ventures to 

ing the sponsor of the EYC’s recent peaceful baseless. 

Guinness Nigeria launches drink-driving E- 

Learning Module 

By Adesina Wahab 

In furtherance of its efforts towards promot 

ing positive drinking and propagating the 

message of moderation, Guinness Nigeria, a 

subsidiary of Diageo Plc, has officially unveiled 

at a formal ceremony in Lagos, ‘The Wrong 

Side of the Road’, a short, authentic, and immersive 

E-Learning module targeted at reducing 

alcohol-related harm on Nigerian roads. 

This module, aimed at changing attitudes 

towards drink-driving for better road safety, 

allows users to have interactive and impactful 

conversations with real drink-drivers who are 

suffering the consequences of the wrong choice 

they made to drink and drive. 

The Managing Director, Guinness Nigeria 

Plc, Baker Magunda, noted at the unveiling 

ceremony that the organization is committed 

in its drive towards ensuring responsible consumption 

of alcohol and would therefore be 

He said: "President Buhari is a steady hand 

in troubled times, and that explains why presiding 

over the affairs of the country at a most 

turbulent period, he has managed to keep the 

nation afloat, and even set it on a trajectory of 

growth and development. 

"As I said recently, his achievements may not 

seem too obvious now, especially with naysayers, 

sponsored attackers and desperate opposition 

politicians unrelenting in their craft, but 

posterity will surely be kind to this man, whose 

life has meant service to his fatherland, a man 

pushing the campaign against drinking and 

driving far and wide to ensure more people 

are made aware of the dangers of driving while 

impaired by alcohol. 

According to him; “We are excited to be collaborating 

once again with the Federal Road 

Safety Corps (FRSC) in ensuring that we 

spread the message against drinking and driving 

across the country and also changing the 

perceptions of people that it is socially acceptable 

to drink little and drive. We want to also 

continue to echo the message that drinking 

and driving is dangerous, not just for the consumers 

but also other innocent road users.” 

Magunda also said: “We are the best persons 

to talk about the do-not-drink-and-drive 

message because we produce the alcohol. We 

know that alcohol is good and enjoyable when 

consumed in moderation, however, we also 

know that if consumed irresponsibly, is harmful 

to human health if consumed before or 

while driving”. 

who goes to bed at night and wakes up in the 

morning thinking Nigeria. 

"I believe God has a reason for keeping him 

alive when many had written him off as dead." 

He also said that naysayers, sponsored attackers 

and desperate opposition politicians 

are out to run down the president's unprecedented 

achievements. 

He added that "Despite a myriad of security 

challenges, and amidst dwindling national 

earnings and a crippling global pandemic, he 

has racked up several achievements, most of 

them unprecedented. 

"He fought a war to keep Nigeria together, 

and that explains his passion for the country's 

unity. It is said that everything happens for a 

reason. That Buhari is in charge of Nigeria at 

this time is not mere happenstance. His years 

in the military that saw him reaching the peak 

of his career; his various positions within and 

outside the military, his global exposure, his 

unmatched demeanour and, above all, his wisdom 

have all helped to stabilize Nigeria at the 

most difficult of times." 

Reeling out the administration's achievements, 

he said that the administration had 

"leapfrogged Nigeria to the modern rail era, 

set the nation on the path of unprecedented 

infrastructural development, built the Second 

Niger Bridge that his predecessors only built 

on paper, gave Nigeria its first modern airport 

terminals in decades; provided social safety 

net for the poor and introduced school feeding 

system that has helped push up school enrollment.'' 

Man in trouble for defiling 14-year-old girl 

By Hauwa Hayatudeen 

An Ikeja Magistrate court in Lagos has 

ordered the detention of an 18-year-old 

boy, John Samuel, in a correctional facility in 

the state for allegedly defiling a 14-year-old 

girl. 

The court gave the directive when the suspect 

appeared before it to explain the circumstances 

under which he allegedly had canal 

knowledge of the victim. 

Fed Poly Oko signs MoU with 

Uniport on affiliation 


Federal Polytechnic, Oko, Anambra State, 

has signed a Memorandum of Understanding, 

MoU, on affiliation with the University 

of Port Harcourt for the award of university 

degree programmes in various disciplines. 

The MoU which takes effect from 2021/2022 

academic session will see Federal Polytechnic, 

Oko, issue Bachelor of Science (B. Sc) certificates 

in Computer Science, Mathematics/ 

Statistics, Accounting, Finance & Banking as 

well as Hospitality Management & Tourism 

to her graduates. 

Other affiliated programmes include Bachelor 

of Library and Information Science, Bachelor 

of Art in Fine Arts and Design (FAD), Bachelor 

of Technology (B. Tech) degree in Biochemistry 

Technology, Microbiology Technology, 

and Physics/ Electronics Technology. 

The Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Owunari 

Georgewill and the Acting Registrar, Mrs Joyce 

Tamuno signed on behalf of the Uniport, while 

the Rector, Dr Francisca Nwafulugo and the 

Acting Registrar, Mrs Ifeoma Ezeokoli signed 

for Federal Polytechnic, Oko. 

The Rector, Nwafulugo, who expressed happiness 

over the development, said the affiliation 

was part of her resolve to improve the 

standard of education in the polytechnic. 

"When we started this journey, it seems impossible 

but God has always been there for us. 

National Board for Technical Education, recently 

granted accreditation to over 60 programmes 

in the polytechnic and that showed 

how prepared we are on this partnership.“"I 

am happy we are able to meet up with the 

requirements and we are already unfolding 

our plans on staff development as most of our 

staff have acquired MSc and PhD in various 

disciplines", she stated. 

His charge read: “That you John Samuel 

'M', on the 9th of November, 2021, at about 

0630am at No 1 Alhaji Kajolab street, Ayoba 

Lagos, in the Lagos magisterial district, did 

defile one [name withheld] 14 years old by 

having sexual intercourse with her and thereby 

committed an offence punishable under 

section 137 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State 

of Nigeria, 2015. 

His plea was not taken as the matter was 

adjourned to December 29, 2021. 

Children Fund takes girls’ hygiene message to Lagos 

community 

An NGO, Children Empowerment Fund, 

CEF, has taken a menstrual hygiene programme 

to the isolated Agboyi community in 

Ketu area of Lagos State, with over 500 girls 

and women reached with the message and 

period products. 

How to wash properly, change and dispose 

sanitary pads, wear clean undergarments, eat 

balanced diets and when to see a doctor formed 

part of the lectures held for the beneficiaries. 

Speaking to journalists at the event in Agboyi, 

a community accessible only by boat, 

CEF Programmes Manager, Temitope Akinrotimi, 

said their focus is children’s welfare 

and education. 

However, although we had plans for 500 girls, 

adults, married women all came to benefit from 

this outreach.“Girls in underserved communities 

do not have regular access to sanitary 

pad. It is why we came here, after a survey.“““We 

equally have plans to also reach boys with hygiene 

programmes." 


O 

Jakande model ’ll fix housing challenge 

—Asogba, CEO Reftop Homes 

•Says insecurity, threat to real estate sector 

luwafemi Asogba is the 

Managing Director/Chief 

Executive Officer, Reftop Homes 

Limited. In this interview, he speaks 

on some issues government and 

stakeholders need to tackle to realise 

real estate potentials in Nigeria. 

How long have you been in this 

business? 

We are into real estate and we are focusing 

on providing accommodation for people 

and we encourage people to invest in real 

estate when the price is cheap and later they 

can sell it out. 

I have been in real estate for the past five 

years and Reftop has been in existence for 

one year now. We are registered with the 

Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) and 

also we are a member of Real Estate 

Developers Association of Nigeria (REDAN). 

How have insecurity, COVID-19 and 

economic downturn affected real 

estate developers in meeting the 

housing needs of Nigerians? 

COVID-19 affected everybody and all 

businesses around the world. We have kept 

•Asogba 

our dream alive. No matter the challenges 

we are going through, we promised ourselves 

that we must deliver. Though it has not been 

easy, we are delivering affordable homes to 

Nigerians. 

You need to be alive to be known and 

addressed as a real estate developer. 

Insecurity has made developers go 

underground for safety reasons. COVID-19 

is not even helping matters. The economic 

downturn is a reflection of poor governance. 

If every area of the economy has been 

handled proficiently, the economy would not 

have witnessed such a downturn. 

Apart from the late former Lagos 

State governor, Lateef Jakande, no 

state governor has prioritized 

housing for the low-income and poor 

Nigerians. What do you have to say? 

To be honest with you Pa Jakande did a 

great job and I don’t think anybody can be 

better. Jakande deliberately built low-cost 

houses all over the length and breadth of 

Lagos State for the masses. He named it 

low-cost housing scheme but the masses 

named it Jakande Estate. Today, Jakande 

Estate has moved up the masses to middleincome 

brackets. Jakande Estate has 

provided houses for low and mediumincome 

earners. It has linked the entire 

Lagos State together from Badagry to Iyana 

Iba, from Ipaja to Ikorodu, from Isolo to 

Lekki, from Ibeju to Epe. Just name it. 

Jakande’s records in housing delivery are 

yet unsurpassable. 

The current governor, Babajide Sanwo- 

Olu, has been filling the vacuum and I read 

that he commissioned a housing scheme in 

Sangotedo. We believe he can do more and 

create an enabling environment for 

businesses in the real estate sector to thrive. 

What is preventing the private 

sector real estate developers from 

filling the gap of providing houses 

for the low-income earners? 

Fund is the limiting factor preventing real 

estate developers from filling the gap. The 

institutions responsible for the provision of 

funds for private real estate developers are 

lagging in the discharge of their statutory 

duties, especially in low-income housing 

delivery. I will appeal to the Lagos State 

government to do more because most of the 

land under acquisition today can be released 

to the real estate sector and the private 

business owners that are running real estate. 

What’s your take on the rising cost 

of building materials prices? 

The prices of building materials and other 

items will continue to be rising as long as 

naira depreciates against the dollar. Once 

we stop paying dollars to import petroleum 

products into the country, the pressure on 

the naira will reduce or disappear. Most of 

the building materials are not produced in 

Nigeria. They are imported. What I would 

advise government is to look inward, work 

on our tax and importation duty. We should 

build our building materials instead of 

being a consumer. We can be the producer 

of those things. 

In general, what role do you want 

government to play in addressing 

Nigeria’s housing deficit? 

In many nations of the world, government 

is not taking hundred percent of charge of 

buildings. It is handled by the private sector. 

So, I will advise government to give the 

private sector the level playing ground to 

carry out the assignment. In some countries, 

there are loans for companies. For instance, 

government can say this company should 

come and take a loan and build some units 

of houses. Even Lagos State government can 

say a particular loan is available for the 

real estate sector.



SUNDAY VANGUARD, DECEMBER 19, 2021,PAGE 23


SUNDAY VANGUARD, DECEMBER 19, 2021,PAGE 25


‘JIHAD DRUG’: 

10 suppliers of 

narcotics to bandits, 

terrorists intercepted 

• B/Haram camps littered with drugs – NDLEA 

• Says N120billion illicit substances seized 


“We have ample empirical evidence: The camps of Boko Haram cleared by troops 

are found to be littered with psychotropic drugs. Insurgents and bandits arrested 

often show withdrawal symptoms after days in custody of law enforcement agents. 

During interrogation, arrested insurgents have confessed to regular use of drugs 

and a few were captured with drugs, including pharmaceutical opioids”. With 

these words, Mr. Femi Babafemi, Director, Media and Advocacy, Nigerian Drug 

Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), says many of the bandits terrorizing the North- 

West and Boko Haram/ISWAP terrorists operating in the North-East may have 

been acting under the influence of hard drugs, detailing what the NDLEA is doing 

to stem the tide. He also speaks on ‘Jihad drug’ believed to be frequently used by 

bandits and terrorists. Excerpts: 

How many arrests have been made this 

year and the volume of drugs involved? 

As of November 30, 2021, NDLEA has 

recorded 11, 341 arrests, including six major 

barons. So far, the Agency has successfully 

secured 1, 111 convictions within the same 

time, while over 3, 000 other cases are 

still going on in the courts and we are 

confident that they would also end in 

successful prosecution because of our high 

conviction rate, which is over 90 per cent. 

Within the same time frame, NDLEA 

recorded a seizure of over 3.3 million 

kilograms of assorted drugs. 

What is the street value of the drugs 

recovered? 

The street value of the drugs and cash 

recovered is well over N120 billion. 

Among the most spectacular recoveries is 

the shipment of cocaine that came from 

Brazil like the January 27 interception of 

a suspect with 26.85 kg of cocaine worth 

billions of naira and the vessel MV Sar 

Scorpio that came to Lagos Tin Can Port 

with 43.11kg of cocaine also worth 

billions of naira. 

Which drugs topped recoveries? 

Cannabis, Tramadol and cocaine. 

What is the destination of most 

couriers? 

If you look at the pattern from the 

various interdictions, it confirmed that 

Nigeria is still being used by transnational 

criminal organisations as a transit 

country, with cocaine coming from South 

America and heroin from Middle East 

countries and Europe as the destination. 

Overwhelmingly, most human couriers 

that attempted to travel out of the country 

were heading towards Europe. Only a 

handful was going anywhere else. 

Conversely, those who attempted to bring 

in illicit substances are mostly coming from 

South America (mostly Brazil) and a few 

countries in the Middle East and Europe. 

However, the pattern also shows intracountry 

trafficking which means that there 

is a lot of consumption going on within the 

country. 

What is the link between drugs and 

worsening insecurity? 

The link between illicit drugs and violent 

crime is well established from several case 

studies over time. The abuse of psychoactive 

substances is linked to conflicts. That is how 

illicit drugs and psychotropic substances 

have come to acquire notoriety as enablers 

of crime, conflicts and crises. And the 

pattern recurs in most civil strife around the 

world, like most recently, in Syria and the 

cycle of violence that drug cartels unleash 

on Mexico, Colombia and Venezuela. 

Generally, drugs are an enabler of crime, 

and where abuse, trade and trafficking of 

such are allowed to go on unrestrained, you 

can expect a descent into chaos and crisis in 

such society. 

How deep are bandits, ISWAP/Boko 

Haram fighters into drugs and how do they 

get supply? 

We have ample empirical evidence: The 

camps of Boko Haram cleared by troops 

are found to be littered with psychotropic 

drugs. Insurgents and bandits arrested often 

show withdrawal symptoms after days in 

custody of law enforcement agents. During 

interrogation, arrested insurgents have 

confessed to regular use of drugs and a few 

were captured with drugs, including 

pharmaceutical opioids. NDLEA has 

intercepted shipments of 

illicit drugs going to the 

camps of bandits and 

Boko Haram, including 

a shipment of Captagon, 

nicknamed ‘Jihad drug’, 

predominantly produced 

around Syria, which was 

imported into the country 

from Lebanon, concealed 

in marble polishing 

machines. Between 

January and November, 

we have intercepted no 

less than 10 traffickers 

who supplied controlled 

drugs and other illicit 

substances to bandits and 

insurgents. We published 

their arrests and the 

various interdictions. 

What are you doing to 

stem the tide? 

We have embarked on a ramped-up drug 

supply reduction activity with the launch 

of Offensive Action in January 2021. Thus 

far, the campaign has been yielding results. 

Aside from our commands carrying out nonstop 

raids across the country, we have 

increased our presence and vigilance at the 

airports, seaports and land borders. More 

importantly, we have transformed into an 

intelligence-based Agency and our eyes are 

everywhere as we work round the clock. We 

don’t wait for traffickers to come to us. We 

go after them as we daily process the troves 

of intelligence at our disposal which put us 

in a vantage position to be proactive in our 

action, to monitor and make interdiction at 

a time of our choosing when we can make 

maximum arrests (including of the 

financiers and leadership of the trafficking 

cartel) and get prima facie evidence that 

will give us successful prosecution in court. 

We have also intensified our advocacy 

programmes in partnership with a 

spectrum of other stakeholders to mobilise 

the entire citizenry to 

buy in and take 

ownership of the war 

against drug abuse, 

As of November 

30, 2021, NDLEA 

has recorded 11, 

341 arrests, 

including six 

major barons 

•Femi 

Babafemi 

WADA, launched by 

P r e s i d e n t 

Muhammadu Buhari 

in June this year. 

Between January and 

end of November, we 

have counseled and 

rehabilitated 7,066 

drug users in our 

facilities alone. So, 

we’re making impact in 

the area of drug 

demand reduction as 

much as we’re making 

in drug supply 

reduction. 

What’s the update on 

drug issue in South- 

East? 

Our state commands across the South- 

East have spent the last few weeks working 

round the clock and soon will be 

implementing a strategy devised by the 

leadership that will result in the crackdown 

on the purveyors of these illicit drugs, with 

the aim to dismantle clandestine 

laboratories and the syndicate behind the 

production of methamphetamine in the 

region. We have had spectacular success 

in the past against meth-producing 

laboratories. The public can look forward 

to positive development in the days ahead. 

Update on advocacy across the country 

Our principal advocacy vehicle is the 

War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) 

campaign, launched by President 

Muhammadu Buhari on June 26, 2021. 

The Chairman and Chief Executive of the 

Agency, Gen Marwa (Retd) has been going 

around the country to interface with 

political, religious and traditional leaders, 

communities, groups and associations 

across the states. 

So far, we have covered Lagos, Rivers, 

Kogi, Ogun, Kano, Plateau and Adamawa. 

We are working for the rollout of the State 

Drug Committees and Local Drug 

Committees (components of WADA) across 

the 36 states of the federation, which will 

enable us to create interconnectivity of 

advocacy units that reach down to the 

grassroots. Subsequently, there will be a 

rise in the tempo of our advocacy efforts 

in the next few months. 

At the same time, the Chairman has also 

paid advocacy visits to relevant authorities 

such as his recent visit to the military chiefs 

and heads of MDAs. All of these are in 

preparation for the massive advocacy 

campaign planned for 2022. 

Any other information you might deem 

necessary to give us 

We have scaled our workforce in 2021 

with the recruitment of 5, 000 new officers, 

trained at the NDLEA Academy, Kotton 

Rikus, Jos. Hence, the public can expect 

greater visibility and increased efficiency 

from NDLEA in 2022. 

At the same time, we are scaling up our 

Drug Demand Reduction activities with 

eyes on achieving a balance in our drug 

policy especially with the recent launch 

of the National Drug Control Master Plan 

(NDCMP 2021-2025). This year, 7,066 

drug users have been counseled and 

rehabilitated (January-November) in 

NDLEA facilities.


Akin Osuntokun could have been 

an Ifa priest – Obasanjo 

From left: Dr Reuben Abati, guest lecturer; Mrs Toyin Saraki; Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, 

former President of Nigeria; Senator Ibikunle Amosun, former Governor of Ogun State; Dr 

Kayode Fayemi, Governor of Ekiti State and Chairman of the occasion; Balogun Akin 

Osuntokun, celebrant and Prince Julius Adelusi-Adeluyi during a public lecture titled: 

'Consistency in Public Intellectual Advocacy: ‘A Nigerian Case Study' in commemoration of 

the 60th birthday of Balogun Akin Osuntokun held at Nigerian Institute of International 

Affairs, NIIA, Victoria Island, Lagos last Thursday. Photo: Lamidi Bamidele 

By Yinka Ajayi 

Statesmen converged 

in Lagos last 

Thursday to celebrate 

former political adviser to 

erstwhile President 

Olusegun Obasanjo, 

Balogun 

Akin 

Osuntokun, who clocked 

60. 

Speaking at a public 

lecture 

titled, 

‘Consistency in Public 

Intellectual Advocacy: 

Akin Osuntokun’s role in 

Nigeria’, held in his 

honour, Dr. Rueben Abati, 

the guest lecturer, 

described the celebrant as 

a public intellectual who 

provokes debates that 

makes the society better. 

“The Osuntokun 

experience was the 

experience of many 

others like Prof. Pat 

Utomi”, Abati, a former 

p r e s i d e n t i a l 

spokesperson said. 

Nationhood 

On his part, former 

President Olusegun 

Obasanjo described 

Osuntokun as a true 

nationalist who helped 

to reshape the nation’s 

political system. 

Obasanjo said: 

“Calling me forward to 

make remarks on Akin is 

an anti-climax but Abati 

said something in his 

lecture that Akin was a 

failed farmer. 

“So anytime anybody 

describes me as a 

farmer, you know that 

farming is a national call 

to service and not where 

you can be fulfilled like 

Aliko Dangote. 

“Everything Abati said 

about Akin is very 

correct. 

“I know Akin more 

than I know his brothers, 

I know him more than I 

knew his father but, as 

the saying goes, a fruit 

does not fall far from its 

tree. 

“Akin served me. One 

of the things I learnt 

from Akin is that he 

doesn’t pretend. 

“If you do what he 

doesn’t like, his 

countenance, face and 

his attitude will change. 

“I am trying to pretend 

that I like what I don’t 

like. But knowingly or 

unknowingly, Akin has 

made tremendous 

contributions to the way 

we live in this country. 

“When he made up his 

mind to do something, 

he would do it. When he 

said he wanted to go to 

Oxford, he did. Akin is 

so versed in Ifa, 

probably he could be an 

Ifa priest” 

Earlier in his opening 

speech, the Chairman of 

the Occasion, Governor 

Kayode Fayemi of Ekiti 

State said it was not a 

crime to be a public 

intellectual even though 

it is often 

misunderstood. 

Fayemi said he was not 

surprised that he had 

chosen to reflect on the 

place of public 

intellectual in the 

making of democracy 

and development. 

“Those of us who have 

known Akin know that 

he started this barely as 

a toddler, he has been 

writing for as long as 

many of us can 

remember”, he said. 

“Not just because he is 

from a political family, he 

was born during the 

crisis of the early 60s and 

his father, many of us 

may not be fully aware, 

was in the peak of that. 

“The father was an 

educationist who 

brought up a generation 

of Ekiti scholars from 

Christ School, Ado Ekiti. 

“At least, two generations 

of the Osuntokuns 

actively attended the 

school. 

“Akin also attended the 

school. Akin has 

demonstrated this in his 

career right from his 

days in journalism and 

then when he moved on 

to the public space in 

politics. 

“He has demonstrated 

consistent intellectual 

display of strong will on 

Nigerian politics. “When 

you talk of public 

intellectual, there are 

those who see public 

intellectuals as just critics 

of anything that 

government is doing and 

they try to make a 

distinction between third 

leaders and public 

intellectuals. 

“To such people, third 

leaders are the creators, 

the optimists, the ones 

who reflect based on their 

experience while public 

intellectuals are seen to 

be the pessimist. 

“If you’re familiar with 

Akin’s writing, the first 

thing that strikes you is 

the reality of his writing. 

“And you need to put 

your dictionary on one 

side when you want to 

read Akin’s column”. 

On his part, Wale 

Babalakin said the nation 

is short of human capital. 

The Chairman of Bi- 

Courtney said: “Our 

greatest challenge today 

is shortage of human 

capital. 

“Nigeria, today, has 

serious shortage of 

human capital. 

“We should try and 

conduct interviews with 

the younger generations 

and we will discover that 

a lot has to be done to 

rebuild this country. 

“We have created 

inadvertently a system 

where even lawyers feel 

superior to judges. 

“A situation where a 

Senior Advocate of 

Nigeria feels he is 

superior to a High Court 

judge is a direct evidence 

of the failure of the legal 

system. Akin, fascinates 

me”. 

Getting it wrong 

While Osuntokun, in his 

remarks, thanked those 

who attended the event, 

he said, “We are all 

challenged by the same 

situation, it is an 

individual choice, not 

something in which you 

can make sacrifice. “These 

are things that will make 

demands on their 

personal lives, it is up to 

each member of the 

community to decide 

what to do, but if history 

is any judge, Nigerian 

journalists are always up 

to the task in the 

challenge of doing the 

right thing. 

“There is no logical 

correlation between how 

the government of 

Nigeria emerges and the 

vision of the intellectual 

communities, otherwise 

we won’t be where we are 

today. “There is nothing 

any intellectual does that 

is worthy of being 

commended and not 

being criticized where 

this government is 

concerned. “What we 

always pray for is to have 

that positive correlation 

between the vision of 

intellectuals and those 

who emerge in the 

political scene. “So far, 

Nigeria seems to have 

been getting it wrong”. 

Also speaking at the 

occasion Professor Anya 

O. Anya said: “Nigeria is 

a product of two historical 

events, first was slave 

trade and the second was 

the part of colonialism. 

“Those two things 

changed the environment 

and whatever it is that our 

people are going to do or 

be. 

“But we have never 

asked, even with the 

brilliant historians that 

Nigerians has ever 

produced, about what 

exactly are the permanent 

damages that these two 

historical proxies do to us. 

“When the British 

decided for their own 

reasons to go, our leaders, 

whether it was Azikiwe or 

Awolowo or Sardauna, 

who, in their 

circumstances, were very 

bright people, went on to 

inherit what the British 

left.” 

Among prominent 

personalities present were 

former Governor Ibikunle 

Amosun of Ogun State, Pa 

Ayo Adebanjo, Are Gani 

Adams, Erelu Abiola 

Dosunmu, Mr. Jimi 

Agbaje and Prince Julius 

Adeniyi. 

Winner of Nigeria Info’s debate e competition, Tan 

anvita gets N1m 

By Chioma Obinna 

fter weeks of intensive 

Adebates on national 

socio-economic and 

political issues, Tanvita 

Koushik, a 13-year-old 

student of Avic-Cenna 

International School, has 

emerged as the overall 

winner of the maiden 

edition of Nigeria Info’s “I 

Beg To Differ” student 

debate competition. 

fropop singer, Ajibade 

AOlajoku, better known 

as Jibade is poised to give 

music lovers and friends a 

treat, as he holds a listening 

session for his latest EP, ‘A 

Journey So Far’. 

Tagged “An Evening with 

Jibade EP Listening session”, 

the event is scheduled to hold 

at Ceaser Lounge, Victoria 

Island, Lagos. It will have in 

attendance some selected 

The debate competition, 

which commenced in 

November 2021, featured 

hundreds of secondary 

school students across 

Lagos State between the 

ages of 13 to 17 years. 

The competition which 

was part of activities to 

mark Nigeria Info’s 10th 

anniversary of quality 

broadcasting across the 

country was broadcast live 

on Nigeria Info’s Hard Facts 

Show. Tanvita defeated 

celebrities and media who 

will listen first hand to the 13 

tracks of the album. 

Some of the songs in the EP 

include, Ologbo Dudu, 

Ekaite, Forget about Love, 

Loosing my Mind, Gberaga, 

My Super Story, Afro Peaches, 

My Super Story, Slow Mo, 

FF8, Ngolo, Don’t tell me, 

Shake for Me among others. 

Jibade who hails from 

Lagos began his music career 

Emmanuella Nnadi from 

Vicmob High School, Lagos 

State, after debating on two 

socioeconomically-related 

topics which were centered 

on the ban of commercial 

motorcycle operations 

across Lagos State and the 

battle for the control of 

Value Added Tax (VAT) 

between the state 

governments and the 

Federal Government. 

Speaking on the 

competition, Serge 

Jibade holds listening party for his new EP 

years back in the United 

States, where he was born. His 

first single dropped in 2018, 

and since then, he has not 

stopped dropping songs after 

songs. 

In 2020, he released his 

much hyped “Forget About 

Love” visuals, an aesthetically 

ambitious video which was a 

follow up to his 2019 hit track, 

which helped put him in the 

spotlight. 

Noujaim, the Chief 

Executive Officer of Cool 

FM, Nigeria Info, and 

Wazobia FM, who 

congratulated the finalists 

for their courage to make it 

through the various rounds 

of the debate said he was 

confident that the 

experiences garnered from 

the “I Beg To Differ” Student 

Debate Tournament will be 

cherished. 

Sharing her excitement, 

Tanvita Koushik, expressed 

gratitude to everyone who 

helped her in accomplishing 

the feat. “I feel grateful to 

everyone who has helped 

me, particularly my family, 

my teachers, and my school. 

I am confident that I could 

not have done this all by 

myself without their 

support,” she said. 

Tanvita was awarded N1 

million, a desktop computer, 

an HP printer, and a Bluegate 

UPS, while the firstrunner 

up, Emmanuella 

Nnadi received N250,000 

and a Nintendo Switch. 

From left: National Women Affairs Secretary, Nasrul- 

Lahi-L-Fatih Society (NASFAT), Alhaja Suwebat Kupolati; 

Chairman, NASFAT Board of Trustees, Dr. Abdul- 

Lateef Olasupo; representative of Lagos State 

Governor, Deputy Governor of Lagos State, Dr. Obafemi 

Hamzat; NASFAT President, Alhaji Olaniyi Yusuf; 

Chairman, NASFAT, National Council of Elders, Alhaji 

Yunus Saliu and NASFAT Chief Missioner, Imam 

Mahroof Onike, during the opening ceremony of 6th 

NASFAT Biennial Conference with the theme .'Security 

and Good Governance: Imperatives for Faith Based 

Organizations' held in Lagos on Friday.


Igbo monarchs’ gruesome 

murder sparks outrage 

•30 Imo communities sacked 

•Ohanaeze, INC lament, demand 

regional security outfit 

By Chinonso Alozie 

Anxiety has enveloped 

traditional rulers in the 

South-East geopolitical zone, 

especially in Imo State where no fewer than 

four kings have been murdered while five 

were abducted in the last three months. 

The situation, which is worsening daily, 

has seen the monarchs living in fear for 

fear of being killed in what appeared as 

if they have been earmarked for 

elimination. 

What started with the abduction of 

Eze Charles Irogebu of Umuezie 

community in Nguru-Aboh Mbaise 

Local Government Area, LGA, and his 

cabinet chiefs, on April 7, 2021, has 

snowballed into serial attacks on 

traditional rulers. 

Iroegbu, who was freed three days later, was 

returning to his palace after attending a 

traditional marriage ceremony at Ehime 

Mbano when his abductors, double-crossed 

his convoy, kidnapped him and his cabinet 

chiefs. 

The incident was followed by the invasion of 

the Njaba LGA Headquarters at Nnenasa on 

October 19. 

The invaders opened fire at traditional rulers 

who were having a meeting. At the end, 

two kings died while two others were 

unconscious. They were taken to an 

undisclosed hospital where they were 

revived. 

Similarly, the traditional ruler of 

Etekwuru Autonomous Community in the 

Ohaji-Egbema LGA, Kenneth Okereke, 

escaped assassination the same day. 

Gunmen burnt his palace and official 

vehicle after his escape. 

On November 19, the king of Achi 

Mbieri in Mbaitoli LGA, Henry 

Madumere, was kidnapped at Iho in 

Ikeduru LGA. 

The victim, who is the father of a former 

deputy governor of Imo State, Eze 

Madumere, was on his way to a public 

function. 

He was released six days later. 

In Mbutu kingdom in the Aboh Mbaise 

LGA, Damian Nwaigwe, and his 

counterpart from Atta in Njaba LGA, Edwin 

Azike, were kidnapped in different 

incidents. 

The attacks, which happened On 

December 9, resulted in the death of Azike. 

His corpse was dumped at the market square 

in his community while Nwaigwe was freed 

two days later. 

On December 12, the traditional ruler of 

Ihube Autonomous Community, Eze Paul 

Ogbu, was kidnapped while his palace was 

burnt. This paper learned he has been killed 

by his abductors. 

On December 14, gunmen abducted the 

traditional ruler of Umuezeala-Ama kingdom, 

Aloy Igwe, in the Ehime Mbano LGA. 

The monarch was kidnapped at the Nkwo 

Umuezeala market while he was having a 

conversation with his kinsmen. 

In September, the deposed king of Aguleri in 

Anambra East LGA, Alex Edozieuno was killed 

by unknown gunmen. The incident happened 

at Otuocha. 

However, Igwe’s abduction is the latest in 

the series of attacks against traditional rulers 

S/EAST UNDER SIEGE: 

in the South-East. Sunday Vanguard learned 

that security agents are combing all nooks and 

crannies of the state for those behind the wave 

of attacks. 

While no group has owned up to the killings, 

it was learned that Owerri jailbreak also 

contributed to the rate of violent crimes in Imo. 

Up until now, the majority of inmates who 

escaped during the prison break are still on 

the loose. 

Also, Sunday Vanguard learned that no 

fewer than 30 communities have been taken 

over by hoodlums in Imo and Anambra. 

A security source said the situation made it 

impossible for security agents 

who recently arrested more 

than 30 suspected kidnappers 

in Orsu and Uli in Ihiala LGA 

of Imo and Anambra states to 

gain access to the forests where 

leaders of the hoodlums were 

said to be hiding. 

According to the source, 

“they started by beheading 

members of the communities 

and displaying them in the 

market square, especially 

those who opposed their 

ideology. 

“It created fear in the minds 

of the villagers and some of 

them started abandoning the villages secretly 

because if they noticed that they wanted to 

leave the community, their informant 

would tell them and they would kill the 

person. 

“They left the villages out of fear and 

they did not bother to tell the security 

agencies. It was when it was clear to them 

that what the boys promised them was not 

Traditional 

rulers refused to 

speak out 

against these 

boys when they 

started as 

unknown 

gunmen 

what they were seeing that some of them 

summoned the courage to leak the secret 

to security agencies and the security 

agencies stormed the village and arrested 

them. 

“The hoodlums cut down big trees along 

the road to block the entrance of their 

territory and they created a different road 

only they can access.” 

On how security agencies were able to 

locate the camp of the hoodlums, he said: 

“As I am talking to you, we are confused 

as to how a community was sacked and 

nobody saw reason to report 

to security agencies. This is 

horrible. They spent four 

months there and were not 

bothered. All I can tell you is 

that we were able to get them 

through intelligence. 

“When this whole thing started, 

it was targeted at the police, 

military and other security 

agencies. From the security 

agencies, they turned against the 

members of the public and 

started killing them. From that 

one, it is the traditional rulers in 

Igboland that are now 

kidnapping and killing. 

“Traditional rulers in Imo 

State must come out and speak now. Over 30 

communities, especially between Imo and 

Anambra states have been sacked and occupied 

by these hoodlums and if nothing is done many 

will suffer it.” 

Monarchs 

Findings by Sunday Vanguard revealed that 

many of the community leaders are now 

scared of speaking about the 

development for fear of not being killed. 

Some were said to be contemplating 

relocating from their kingdoms until 

normalcy returns. 

But a monarch who pleaded anonymity, 

from Okigwe LGA said: “I have called on the 

security agencies to intensify their surveillance 

along Arondizuogu in Okigwe Local 

Government Area. 

“We have received reports from that road 

several times. These criminals freely carry out 

their operations and go away. We want the 

security agencies to always be around because 

these boys have taken over the roads. 

“Another problem I think that is responsible 

for what is happening is that traditional rulers 

refused to speak out against these boys when 

they started as unknown gunmen. 

“Now, this is coming to the doorstep of every 

monarch. The thing is that none of us was able 

to talk bravely to condemn the killings. When 

it was the police and Army people that were 

being killed, most of us felt less concerned.’’ 

Ebubeagu 

Meanwhile, Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide 

has called on the South-East governors to 

immediately launch Ebubeagu security outfit 

to tackle the killing of monarchs in the zone. 

Publicity Secretary of Ohanaeze, Alex 

Ogbonnia, disclosed this in a chat with Sunday 

Vanguard in Owerri. 

He said Ohanaeze believed the launch of 

Ebubeagu as a grassroots security outfit would 

address the challenges mainly at the 

community level. 

Ogbonnia said: “We have urged our 

governors to activate the Ebubeagu security 

outfit. It will go a long way to minimize this 

insecurity. They assured us that by the end of 

this year they would have launched the 

Ebubeagu security network to help secure the 

land. 

“We condemn in strong terms the killing of 

monarchs in Igboland. Everybody must 

contribute to ensure that there is security of 

lives and property in Igboland. Just as we wait 

for our governors to launch Ebubeagu security 

network, we must play our roles. 

“When they say security is a collective 

responsibility, it means that it is the 

responsibility of everyone to ensure the security 

of lives and property. Security has to be 

domesticated in the various communities in 

Igboland and the machinery through which it 

can be domesticated is Ebubeagu.” 

Spies 

Disturbed by the trend, Igbo National 

Council, INC, called on Imo State government 

to allow the people to elect the leaders of town 

unions rather than imposition. 

President of INC, Chilos Godsent, stated this 

in a chat with Sunday Vanguard. 

According to INC, "the Igbo National 

Council INC worldwide condemns the wanton 

killing of traditional rulers in Imo State by 

gun men within the last three months. 

"INC, therefore, calls on the government of 

Imo State to return Town Union leaderships 

to the hands of the community people and stop 

the appointment of the leadership of the town 

unions. 

"INC insists that the leadership of town unions 

must be elected through a democratic process. 

INC condemns the situation where the 

traditional rulers are meant to oversee the 

administration of town unions in Imo State. 

"INC, therefore, advices the government of 

Imo State to stop using the traditional rulers 

as spies against the opposition youth groups 

in the communities."

SUNDAY VANGUARD, DECEMBER 19, 2021,PAGE 29 

All you need for healthy teeth is the banana peel! 

Who doesn’t want 

dazzling white 

teeth without 

spending a fortune at the 

dentist? Especially when you 

can spend next to nothing to 

get them sparkling white? 

Old wives’ tales? Well, 

according to websites devoted 

to the unlikely fruits, spices 

and oils which promise to give 

you a knock-them-dead smile 

at a fraction of the price 

dentists charge. This is not so 

far fetched. But as for Dr. 

Uchenna Okoye, a clinical 

director at London Smiling 

Dental Group, a bit of caution 

is advised before you make 

your teeth worse than they are. 

He then gives his opinion on 

the various ‘wonder cure’ for 

yellowing teeth. 

Strawberries: Claim – 

Mash up a ripe strawberry, dip 

your toothbrush in it and brush 

carefully over teeth. Within 

two weeks, your teeth will be 

whiter. 

Dentist’s Verdict: True – 

Strawberries contain citric 

acid, which can weaken the 

surface hardness of your teeth. 

But it also contains the more 

gentle malic acid, and the 

riper the strawberry becomes, 

the higher the concentration 

of malic acid compared to the 

more harmful citric acid. So 

choose a really ripe 

strawberry, rub it on your teeth 

and just like exfoliating the 

skin, it does remove 

superficial debris. The malic 

acid won’t actually break 

down the stain molecules, but 

the surface clean gives your 

teeth a whiter appearance. A 

gentle and effective natural 

whitener. 

Orange Pith: Claim - 

The white part of the orange 

skin, between the surface and 

the flesh of the fruit, contains 

By Jimitota Onoyume 

ederal University of 

FPetroleum Resources, 

FUPRE, Effurun, Delta state 

has commenced move to put 

an end to incessant strike by 

university lecturers under the 

aegis of Academic Staff 

Union of Universities, 

ASUU, with its laboratoryto-market 

initiative. 

Flagging off an exhibition 

programme of research 

products 

for 

conmercialization by 

various departments in the 

university Vice Chancellor 

of the university, Professor 

Rim-Rukeh Akpofure who 

was represented by the 

Deputy Vice Chancellor- 

Academics, Professor 

Christopher Izelu at the 

event in the school , called 

for a stronger University- 

Industry- government 

relationship , saying it would 

create a robust economy 

since university researches 

would be funded and 

commercialized by 

industries with government 

regulating the market. 

Also speaking , the 

Director of Research and 

Innovation, Dr Chinedum 

Mgbemena said the idea 

behind the exhibition was to 

seek partnership to 

commercialize the products 

in the market. 

He said the era when 

researches in laboratories 

ended in shelves was gone , 

adding that the school was 

pioneering what he termed 

lab to market which would 

put an end to incessant strike 

by university lecturers since 

they ( lecturers) will make 

money from the 

a d-limene, which can help 

remove stains from your teeth 

after using it for three weeks. 

Peel the orange, keeping as 

much of the white pith as you 

can. Rub the white part of the 

peel over your teeth, and let 

the juice sit on your teeth for 

three to five minutes, Brush 

your teeth thoroughly to clean 

away pulp and peel, and after 

several weeks the chemical 

will have whitened the 

appearance. 

Verdict: False - The advice 

I give all my patients is to be 

very wary of fruit juices and 

drink them with a straw (if 

they have to drink juice at 

all). So this claim goes 

against every piece of advice 

and scientific evidence I can 

think of. The citric acid 

within the orange causes 

tooth enamel to dissolve. 

This erosion can lead to 

tooth decay, and once the 

erosion has reached the soft, 

inner layer of your teeth 

known as dentine, you’ll 

experience sensitivity and 

pain. Avoid. 

Banana Peel: Claim – 

High levels of potassium, 

magnesium and 

manganese in bananas can 

help remove stains from 

teeth. Simply peel a ripe 

banana, and rub your teeth 

with the insides of the peel 

for about two minutes. 

After three weeks, your teeth 

will have whitened. 

Verdict: True – If you rub 

the skin, it can act as a 

gentle exfoliator and will 

remove some surface stains, 

but the banana will not 

reach the inside the pores on 

the surface of your enamel – 

so no true ‘deep’ clean will 

take place. However, I like 

the idea that you can eat a 

banana and give your teeth 

a quick healthy buff before 

running off to a meeting. 

Cider Vinegar: Claim 

– Rinsing with apple cider 

vinegar (mixed two pints of 

water) will make teeth 

whiter and protect teeth and 

gums from bacteria. 

Verdict: False - Cider 

Vinegar is a favourite of 

‘detox’ devotees. Once 

swallowed, it mixes with 

pancreatic secretions in the 

intestines and turns alkali e, 

but when it hits your teeth, it 

is an acid, albeit a weak one. 

This makes the enamel on 

your teeth less resistant to 

damage – like wetting a 

chalk and then scraping off 

the surface. A low acid level 

– such as the malic acid in 

strawberries – won’t harm 

your teeth. But this will buff 

away a deeper layer of 

enamel, and should be 

avoided. 

Coconut Oil: Claim – A 

3,000-year-old Ayurvedic 

way to clean teeth is to swish 

a tablespoon of oil (usually 

coconut, sesame or olive oil) 

around your mouth for 20 

minutes every morning. 

The coconut oil sticks to the 

FUPRE moves to end incessant ASUU strike 

with Lab-to-market-initiative 

commercialized products 

. While thanking sponsors of 

the exhibition , Nigerian 

Petroleum Development 

Company/ND Western 

OML34 , and several others 

Dr Mgbemena who is an 

Associate Professor expressed 

hope that the new move will 

usher in a stronger 

relationship with the industry 

and academia and 

government 

on 

conmercialization of 

researches. 

Some of the items exhibited 

include: electronic Keke, 

under water gas turbine and 

many others. 

•Hon Chika Ossai cutting the tape to declare open 

Bellarks Polytechnic on behalf of Gov Ifeanyi 

Okowa in kwale, Delta State 

oil in the cell membrane of 

any bacteria in your mouth, 

so when you spit it out, you 

are ridding your mouth of 

unwanted microorganisms. 

Used by stars 

including Gwyneth Paltrow, 

who claim it whitens teeth 

and improves complexion. 

Verdict: False – There is 

no scientific evidence at all 

that ‘oil pulling’ as it’s 

called, will whiten teeth, or 

even remove bacteria. It’s 

possible that the act of 

swishing the oil around 

your mouth will dislodge 

some bacteria or debris, so 

followed by a careful 

brushing session, your teeth 

may look cleaner. But no 

science shows that oil 

pulling will make your teeth 

any whiter. 

Bicarbonate of Soda: 

Claim – Bicarbonate of 

soda is a mild abrasive 

which effectively removes 

stains on teeth caused by 

coffee, red wine and tea. In 

a cup, mix half a teaspoon 

of bicarbonate of soda with 

half a teaspoon of water, mix 

to form a paste, dip your 

toothbrush into the mixture 

and brush teeth for one to 

two minutes. After just a few 

days you will notice a 

difference. 

Verdict: True – 

Bicarbonate of soda – 

otherwise known as baking 

soda – is somehow 

considered natural but it is 

actually a chemical, and 

used commercially in some 

teeth – whitening products 

and tooth pastes. It does 

effectively remove plaque 

and debris in the surface of 

the teeth to make them 

appear brighter, and it also 

can neutralise bacterial/ 

acids in the mouth. But it is 

an abrasive compound and, 

as such, will damage the 

enamel protecting the teeth 

if used too much. Try it three 

times a year to lift those 

surface stains, and to avoid 

damaging the enamel, use 

your finger to rub it on or a 

flannel. 

Lemons: Claim – Suck 

on a slice of lemon for 

several minutes each 

morning, or rinse your 

mouth with lemon juice 

squeezed into a glass of 

water. The acid from the 

lemon will deep-clean even 

the tiniest of molecules 

lodged in your teeth. 

Verdict: False – Lemons 

have such a high 

concentration of citric acid 

that their juice is acidic 

enough to corrode enamel. 

Lemon juice has no place in 

the mouth at all. Lemons 

are more acidic than 

vinegar. Far from 

whitening your teeth, they’ll 

dissolve them away. I have 

seen patients who used such 

lemons and are left with the 

imprint of a lemon slice on 

their teeth – requiring 

From left: Kikky Boboye, Head HR, Bet9ja; Seyi 

Akinwunmi, Vice President, Nigeria Football Federation; 

Shehu Dikko, Chairman, League Management 

Company; Femi Osobajo, Head of Marketing and Corporate 

Communications, Bet9ja at the official signing 

of the partnership contract recently in Lagos. 

et9ja, Nigeria’s foremost 

Bsports betting platform 

has announced its partnership 

with the Nigerian Professional 

Football League (NPFL).This 

announcement was made at 

a press briefing on December 

16, 2021 held at Victoria Island, 

Lagos. 

The partnership was initiated 

by Bet9ja as a result of the interest 

and attention the NPFL 

was generating on their sports 

betting platform. Bet9ja has 

established that the partnership 

is an opportunity for them 

to get involved and help grow 

the NPFL platform not just financially 

but structurally. 

Speaking at the event, Head 

of marketing and corporate 

communications Bet9ja, 

Femi Osobajo, stated “while 

we are the biggest sports betting 

platform in Nigeria, a 

decent amount of activities 

that goes on the platform are 

from foreign leagues.” 

bonding and veneering to 

cover it up. Avoid this at all 

costs – it is the same as bathing 

your teeth in a glass of cola. 

So which is best? 

Strawberries beat them all 

hands down! 

What you see is 

all you get! 

(Humour) 

During a wild weekend in 

Edinburge with the lads, 

Vinnie declares; ‘I’m going to 

wear a kilt out clubbing 

tonight.’ The others laugh but 

Vinnie insists embracing the 

traditional costume will get 

him lots of female attention. 

That night, Vinnie’s kilt 

swishes around his bare knees 

as they swagger into a club. 

Immediately a beautiful 

woman sways up to him. ‘Hey, 

handsome,’ she says with a 

wink. ‘Is there anything worn 

under that kilt?’ ‘Oh no,’ Vinnie 

declares hastily. ‘It’s all in 

perfect working order.’ 

Do It Yourself! 

(Humour) 

One night, Alex is in the 

mood to make love to his 

beautiful wife, Gail. Not 

wanting to sound too blunt, 

he whispers: ‘Would it be OK 

for me to put my letter in your 

post box?’ 

‘No, it would not!’ she fires 

back. An hour later he’s still 

feeling frisky. ‘Any chance of 

posting my letter in your post 

box now?’ he murmurs. ‘No! 

Go to sleep,’ Gail replies 

firmly. 

But as time ticks by, she 

relents and says huskily: ‘OK, 

you can put your letter in my 

post box now...’ ‘Forget it,’ Alex 

snaps. ‘It’s been delivered by 

hand.’ 

Bet9ja seals partnership with NPFL 

Okow 

owa commissions Bellarks Poly 

oly, , pledges support t for privat 

ate biz 

GOVERNOR Ifeanyi 

Okowa of Delta State, 

has assured that his administration 

would continue to 

welcome and support private 

investments in the state by providing 

needed peaceful and 

enabling environment for all 

businesses to thrive. 

Okowa stated this on 

Thursday at the official opening 

of the Bellarks Polytechnic, 

a private initiative to 

complement the state government’s 

huge investment in the 

establishment of tertiary institutions 

in the state. 

The governor, represented 

by Hon Chika Ossai, charged 

the management of the school 

to accommodate in its curriculum, 

problem solving and 

adaptive skills, professionalism, 

lifelong learning and collaborative 

skills, among others, 

required for the various 

thematic areas in the broad 

field of science and technology. 

“I wish to emphasize the fact 

that the state government recognizes 

the role of the 

education sector in the country 

and would continue to encourage 

such noble initiative. It is 

in that light that the patriotic 

response of the Proprietor of 

Bellarks Polytechnic in 

deploying huge financial resources 

to fund this tertiary 

institution should be given the 

spotlight. 

“The state government 

would continue to welcome 

similar initiatives and would 

provide the needed peaceful 

and enabling environment for 

all private institutions to strive 

in the state”. 

Speaking, the member 

representing Ndokwa West at 

Delta State House of Assembly 

and Chairman, House Committee 

on Education, Hon. 

Charles Emetulu, commended 

the initiative and enjoined 

admission seekers to take the 

advantage of opportunities 

provided by the institution to 

aquire higher education. 

“The Nigerian Professional 

Football League needs all the 

support it can get, which is why 

we are trying to throw our 

weight behind them, and we 

are hopeful that this partnership 

would lead to more opportunities 

and provide a platform 

for the NPFL to get the 

kind of publicity it deserves.” 

He said. 

In a statement released by 

League Management Company 

Limited (LMC), a company 

licensed to manage the 

NPFL, it was stated that the 

2021/2022 season is scheduled 

to resume on Friday December 

17, 2021. 

As part of the partnership deal, 

Bet9jawill be signing up as the 

“Official Supporter/Sponsor 

of the NPFL under the Betting 

and Gaming category. 

ADU holds end of 

the year party 

A 

guinyima Amudo Ezza 

Development Union, 

ADU , Lagos Branch, will 

today, hold its end of the year 

party at Ebonyi House, 

Leventis Bus Stop, Maryland, 

Lagos, begining from 

1.00pm. 

According to the Chairman 

of the association, Samson 

Ezaka, the group will use the 

event to take stock of their past 

activities, discuss new projects 

and appoint delegates to 

represent them at an Annual 

General Meeting, AGM, 

which holds at their country 

home, shortly after every New 

Year. He explained the event 

as an annual prayer and 

meriment program designed 

for thanking God for His 

abundant grace, asking for 

more favour and making 

merry in appreciation of His 

great deeds.


Too hasty to find out about first time sex! 

IN spite of the fact that 

virginity has become 

almost obsolete in the 

courtship diary, some 

people still hang on to it. Not 

because they are holierthan-thou, 

but because 

they’ve not had the 

opportunity to ‘let it all hang 

out!’ “I was like the only 

virgin in our group of 

friends,” said Hadizat, a 23- 

year-old medical student. 

She was having a discussion 

with two of her friends, and 

there I was, pretending to be 

ensconce in the newspaper I 

was reading. “After being 

endlessly teased by my 

friends, I decided to do 

something about it. I 

already had a steady 

boyfriend I’d been with for 

three years. Once in a while, 

I even slept over in his flat, 

yet we hadn’t had sex. 

“It hadn’t been an issue at 

first. I was a virgin when I 

met Chris who was eight 

years older. He’d 

understood I didn’t want to 

be rushed but when I hit 21, 

I was bent of having a taste 

of intimacy. He was quite 

excited about the prospect as 

it was getting a bit 

frustrating, spending the 

night with him just cuddling 

and kissing. He’d always 

stopped before we went too 

far. Lately, I’d been dropping 

hints I was ready to go all 

the way but he always gave 

the excuse that it was best 

we waited a little longer. 

“So, after the birthday 

party he gave me, I planned 

a seductive thank you 

dinner. With the food ready, 

I waited in the bedroom for 

him to return from work. I 

was wearing a very 

revealing nightie, and 

wafting the perfume he gave 

me. Shouting my name and 

praising the aroma of our 

dinner to high heavens, he 

barged through the 

bedroom door and gawped. 

What was the matter with 

him? Was he blind? 

Undeterred, I rose up from 

the bed and seductively 

eased one strap of the 

nightie. ‘I thought we 

should work up an appetite 

first,’ I purred. He looked 

frightened. ‘Sorry darling, 

I’m really hungry,’ he 

stammered, then bolted to 

the kitchen. I was really 

embarrassed. The sexy 

nightie now looked a very 

bad idea. Instead of making 

me irresistible, it had made 

me look cheap. This clod of 

a man obviously didn’t find 

me attractive. Maybe he 

never did. 

“Angry, I got dressed and 

went back home whilst he 

was in the shower. My 

confidence was in tatters, 

believe me. And he didn’t 

even bother to call. The next 

day, Akeem, an ex boyfriend 

sent me a cheeky belated 

birthday text. I found myself 

flirting back. He 

immediately called and we 

talked about old times. 

Before I knew it, I’d agreed 

to dinner the next day. 

My boyfriend’s rejection 

had hurt me and I wanted to 

know what it was like to be 

desired by a man. 

“Akeem and I have had our 

differences about my no-sex 

policy and he must be 

thanking his lucky stars I 

agreed to a dinner date. As 

soon as he picked me up, he 

drove straight to his flat. As 

we sipped red wine, he was 

all over me and I didn’t 

protest. Hastily, he started 

pulling at my clothes. I 

wasn’t in the least nervous. 

I just wanted to lose my 

virginity. As we started 

having sex however, I felt 

sordid instead of desired. 

Chris’ face kept on popping 

into my head. I was glad 

when it was over. 

“I felt weighed down with 

guilt and regret the next day. 

I called Chris and told him I 

missed him and that I’d been 

foolish to walk out on him 

without telling him. Instead 

of being angry, he sounded 

relieved. “I’ve missed you 

too,” he said, obviously 

happy. Then he said I 

needed to come down so we 

could talk. Talk about what? 

For one terrible moment, I 

wondered if he knew what 

had happened with Akeem. 

But as I arrived at his place, 

we felt into each other’s arms 

and I saw his worried face. 

‘Hadizat don’t laugh,” he 

said. ‘But the reason I 

wouldn’t make love to you 

is ... as he struggled for the 

right word, I gulped. What 

was he going to say? That 

he didn’t find me attractive, 

that he’d been seeing 

another woman on the side? 

“He broke away from my 

embrace and blurted: ‘I’m 

still a virgin.’ Chris, a virgin? 

How could such a hunk be a 

virgin? I was supposed to be 

the novice at sex, not him. 

I’d assumed he didn’t fancy 

me, but he’d just been scared. 

‘I’m sorry for not telling you 

earlier,’ he went on. ‘Please 

forgive me.” But there was 

nothing to forgive, I assured 

him. 

‘Weeks later, I still felt 

guilty for throwing my 

virginity at an undeserved 

opportunist. We still haven’t 

made love because Chris 

keeps on about us being 

virgins together and how 

special our first time is going 

to be. We’ve always talked 

about a weekend away in 

one of the neighbouring 

countries and he’s building 

it up to be an amazing 

opportunity for us to get a 

perfect setting for our ‘first’ 

time together. 

“The big question now is, 

how can I tell him what I’ve 

done, that I lost my virginity 

to an ex who hadn’t bothered 

to call since then? My 

encounter with Akeem still 

made me feel soiled, dirty 

and shamed. When Chris 

and I eventually make love, 

I’m going to have to put on 

a very convincing act at 

pretending it’s been really 

special. I just wish I’d 

waited – then it would have 

been really magical.” 

Lovers 

Searching Female 

Sunshine needs a man for a 

serious relationship that will 

lead to marriage aged 33-45 

the man must be Igbo by 

tribe.08027605022 

Searching Male 

Raymond, 37, resided in 

Kwara State, needs a serious 

lady for a good relationship. 

09071112003,08033923088 

Agha 41, a graduate, from 

Afikpo North Ebonyi State, 

never been married nor have 

kids, needs a busty, tall lady 

DISCLAIMER! 

who is a graduate, 

financially ok and employed, 

for marriage, from any tribe. 

09022181189, 

09036014208,08144251961 

Dk, tall, dark in 

complexion, genotype AS/ 

Group O+, from Delta State 

but resides in Lagos needs a 

lady, for strong marriage 

relationship, aged 25 and 

above. 09041293286 

Ephrame needs a white 

American Christian lady , 

with avrage body size and 

who is boyount, aged 25-30, 

tall romantic with big hips 

busty and who resides in 

Nigeria,for marriage. email 

odou3270@gmail.com, 

08102434658 

Dear readers, please note that we neither operate, nor are we an affiliate of any match–making agency in or outside the 

country. Any reader who transacts business with any one claiming to be our agent does so at his/her own risk. Our mission 

is only to provide a platform for social networking. 

Also note that neither Vanguard, nor Yetunde Arebi will be liable for any error in the publication of requests which may 

result in any form of embarrassment to any member of the public. We therefore request that text must be sent through at least 

one of the numbers for contact. This notice is necessary to enable us serve you better in our refreshingly different style. You 

can send your requests to 33055. For enquiries, text or call 08026651636, or 08054700825 

Delta guber: Majemite, others fault 

Screening Committee’s report 

Many Deltans have 

rejected the report of 

the Screening Committee set 

up by the Delta Central-2023 

(DC-23) to identify the right 

personality for the 

governorship seat in Delta 

State come 2023, a press 

release signed by Ovie Edomi, 

Publisher/ Editor-In-Chief of 

South South International 

and Campaign Manager and 

Head of Media/ Public 

Communication, Majemite 

Campaign Organisation, has 

said. 

The bone of contention 

according to the statement, is 

centered on the fact that the 

report of the committee was 

stage managed to favour a 

particular candidate. 

The statement condemned 

the Screening Committee for 

listing five aspirants without 

stating the criteria for their 

selection. 

“DC-23, it was being touted, 

had confided in a respected 

cleric in the land that the 

Screening Committee was 

being influenced. This control 

of the committee by some 

external forces informed the 

last-minute inclusion of a 

strange aspirant who 

attended the screening 

exercise only once,” the 

statement reads. 

“Although, it is believed that 

the screening committee 

comprises academics, clerics 

and other distinguished 

personalities but its major 

weakness was the noninclusion 

of civil rights 

organisation in its 

membership in addition to 

not inviting the press to cover 

the screening exercises to give 

the entire process some 

credibility. 

Miss Enumah Amarachi, newly crowned winner of 

NYSC contest receiving a Cheque of #250,000 from 

Mr Segun Ogunleye, GM, Marketing, Beverage, Seven- 

Up Bottling Company (left) and Mrs Ezinne Uguru, 

Heads of Socials, NYSC, Lagos State during the 

Variety Night event sponsored by Supa Komado 

Energy Drink in Lagos. 

John, Deltan, a Christian 

and employed, needs a God 

fearing lady who must be from 

South East or South South, 

either a single mother or a 

window for marriage, aged 

35-45.08061526458, 

09061359190 

Uzoma 49, resides in 

Ajegunle Apapa area of Lagos, 

needs a lady based in US or 

UK, aged 35, for 

marriage.08069104266 

John 24, resided in Lagos, 

needs a lady who is caring for 

a serious relationship. 

09069547793 

Adebayo, 50, a cocoa 

farmer, resides in Ilesa Osun 

State, needs a lady, aged 30- 

40, for a serious relationship. 

09152403102 

Ade, 48, a yoruba 

businesman, resides in Ilesa, 

Osun State, needs a God 

fearing lady, aged 30-40, for 

marriage. 07041108574 

Babs 51,HIV+ a widower 

with two children and 

employed needs an employed 

and responsible lady, aged 35- 

55, for a serious relationship 

that can lead to 

marriage.08034206054 

Sugar Cares 

Searching Male 

Ambrose 26, tall, chocolate 

in complexion and from 

Warri, Delta State, needs a 

sugar mummy.07035679212 

Bomadi legislative arm impeaches 

leader, elects Akiama new leader 

T 

he Legislative Arm of 

the Bomadi local 

government area of Delta 

State, has impeached the 

leader of the house, Hon. 

Stow Ebiyekefe, for alleged 

gross misconduct and 

incompetence in managing 

the affairs of the house. 

In a statement by the media 

aide to the Bomadi Council 

Chairman, Mr. Emokpo 

Eniye, the councillors had 

alleged the former leader of 

the Legislative Arm of 

inexperience, wrong 

dissemination of information 

and high handedness at the 

sitting of the house. 

The motion for the 

impeachment was moved by 

Hon. Tobi Epidieperekumo 

representing Ward 6 and 

seconded by Hon. Tobi 

N'Delta ex-agitator, Adu lauds 

Okowa over appointment 

T 

he Vice Chairman of 

Coalition of Urhobo/ 

Isoko phase 1, 2 and 3 of the 

Presidential Amnesty 

Programme, PAP, Gen. 

Solomon Adu, has 

commended the Governor 

Ifeanyi Okowa of Delta 

State over the 

appointments of youths in 

his administration across 

the state, adding that a lot 

of people have been 

empowered through the 

various appointments. 

Adu who said the Okowa 

has in his magnanimity 

appointed him as his 

special assistant because 

of his role and 

contributions toward his 

2015 and 2019 

governorship elections, 

hence the appointment. 

While he is waiting for the 

implementation of his 

appointment, Adu thanked 

the governor for finding 

him worthy to serve at the 

last shot of his 

administration. 

He pledged his 

unflinching loyalty to the 

administration and 

promised to continue to 

support the party at all 

levels to remain the ruling 

political party in the state. 

He appealed to Deltans to 

rally round the administration 

of Governor Okowa as the 

country moves toward the 

2023 general elections. 

Idowu Ebipade, ward 10. 

The plenary was presided 

over by the deputy leader of 

the house, Hon. 

Wurukeseye Tamarau- 

Doubra, representing ward 

12. 

The former Majority 

Leader, Hon Nicholas 

Akiama Okpai was elected 

by the house after his 

nomination by Hon. Okilo 

Jack, ward 19, and seconded 

by Hon. Ebipade Idowu 

ward 10, with majority of the 

house in attendance. 

The house also elected 

Hon. Tobi Epidieperekumo 

as the new majority leader 

while Hon. Okilo Jack was 

elected to act as deputy Chief 

Whip of the house with the 

suspension of Hon. Clement 

bouy. 

Meanwhile, the house has 

suspended six of the 20 

members of the Legislative 

Arm; Hon. Clovis 

Tuodonye, ward 8, Hon. 

Sapele Tamaraubrakaemi, 

ward 3, Hon. Edenotu 

Eniekebi, ward 16, Hon. 

Pius Komuko, ward 11, Hon. 

Endurance Krokeme, ward 

15 and Hon. Clement Bouy, 

ward 14, for gross 

misconduct and 

incompetence for three 

months.

SUNDAY Vanguard, DECEMBER 19, 2021,PAGE 31 

APCON’s AISOP: Legal practitioner 

seeks review of controversial clauses 

Stories by Tunde Oso 

GIVEN the fuss over the 

recently released Advertising 

Practitioners Council of 

Nigeria, APCON’s Advertising 

Industry Standard of Practice 

(AISOP), legal practitioner, 

Nosakhare Uwadiae Esq 

has recommended that advertising 

stakeholders in Nigeria 

be allowed to take another 

look at the regulation - AISOP 

- and come up with recommendations 

that are balanced 

to resolve contentious clauses. 

Uwadiae, Managing Partner 

of Gee Law firm, who delivered 

a lecture titled “Advertising, 

Impartiality and Regulation” 

at the 9th Annual General 

Meeting of Brands and 

Marketing Conference of 

Brand Journalists Association 

of Nigeria (BJAN) held in Lagos 

last weekend, said, the recently 

introduced APCON Advertising 

Industry Standard of 

Practice (AISOP) makes several 

recommendations on 

payments to Advert Agencies 

etc, however, no reference was 

made to ensuring that the 

agencies fulfill Service Level 

Agreements SLAs and quality 

service delivery to clients. 

According to him, “AISOP 

was gladly embraced by stakeholders 

in the marketing communication 

sector in Nigeria. 

However, the Advertisers Association 

of Nigeria ADVAN 

rejected the implementation of 

the new Advertising Industry 

Standard of Practice as it 

makes an unconstitutional attempt 

to infringe on the rights 

of private entities to determine 

their contractual terms and 

does not serve collective interest, 

but rather permits unfair 

authority of certain parties 

over others and creates an unfriendly 

business framework.” 

“ADVAN position”, Uwadiae 

said, “is that contracts between 

their members and 

agencies should be respected 

due to the time-tested doctrine 

of privacy of contract, which 

shuts out third parties from 

interfering in the contract.” 

He also queried the clause 

in AISOP that “Media Rates 

can be increased provided 30 

days’ notice is given”, maintaining 

that “Considering the 

rapid audience split between 

Social Media vs Traditional 

Media especially with fragmented 

audiences accessing 

multiple platforms, approval 

to increase media rates subject 

to notice alone should be 

reviewed.” 

The legal practitioner said 

a media house should not be 

allowed to increase its rates 

unless there is; 1. Empirical 

proof of increased audience; 

2. Increased geographical 

reach and circulation and 3. 

Improved quality of service 

delivery etc 

Uwadiae added that: “The 

above must be verified by an 

independent firm and presented 

to stakeholders.” 

In the BJAN’s general election, 

Clara Chinwe Okoro 

emerged new Chairman to 

pilot its affairs for the next 

three years while Ayobami 

Lukman Ishau of Marketing 

Space, was elected Vice Chairman. 

He was the immediate 

past General Secretary. Others 

were the former assistant 

Secretary, Adejuwon Osunnuyi 

of the Daily Bells Newspaper, 

emerging as the new 

General Secretary, Assistant 

General Secretary; Adedayo 

Odulaja of New Telegraph, 

Treasurer; Melvin Udosen of 

Brandessence, Financial Secretary; 

Olufemi Adeyemi 

Matthew of Brand Icon Image 

and Amechi Obiakpu of 

ESPI News as Chief Information 

Officer (CIO). 

Okoro, who is a veteran 

broadcaster and experienced 

brand writer, is the Executive 

Producer, Brandworld Media. 

Immediate past Chairman, 

Mr. Afolabi Idowu commended 

BJAN members for their 

unflinching support given to 

•As Clara Okoro emerges BJAN Chair 

From lef: Immediate past Chairman of Brand Journalists 

Association of Nigeria (BJAN), Afolabi Idowu raising 

the hand of the new-elected Chair, Clara Chinwe 

Okoro at the AGM of the association in Lagos recently. 

THE Association of the Ni 

gerian Refineries Petroleum 

Marketers, ANRPM, has 

inaugurated its Bayelsa State 

executives at Yenagoa, over the 

weekend, even as the group declared 

total war on oil theft, pipelines 

vandalism, illegal oil bunkering 

and products adulteration, 

in the historic state, where 

oil was first discovered. 

The well-attended inauguration 

took place under the watchful 

eyes of the National Taskforce 

Team Chairman, Eshanekpe 

Israel, a.k.a Akpodoro, 

who after the exercise led the 

new exco to the office of the State 

Police Commissioner, Ben Okolo. 

At the police chief’s office, the 

new state executives pledged 

zero tolerance for sundry crimes 

in the downstream Nigerian oil 

industry. 

Tuaweri Izuongiowei, 

emerged the State Chairman of 

the ANRPM. The National Presidency, 

Ashiga Wada was also 

in attendance to join in administering 

the oath of office on the 

new executives. 

The group, according the Taskforce 

Chairman, was established 

for the purpose of eradicating 

corruption among prod- 

him especially since he took 

over the reins of power about 

two months ago following the 

painful death of the former 

Chairman, Princewill Ekwujuru. 

Okoro promised to run 

an inclusive government as 

she noted that none would be 

left behind: “Three years is not 

a long time, so we will hit the 

ground running and with all 

your support we will triumph 

over every single obstacle and 

deliver the BJAN of our 

dreams 

Noting that the future looks 

exceedingly bright for the association, 

Okoro said her administration 

would do everything 

within its capacity to 

make BJAN a globally recognised 

IMC organisation. 

The Brandworld Media executive 

producer, charged 

members to form a formidable, 

cohesive front to achieve 

the results in no distant future, 

said; “This can only be 

achieved with the quality of the 

output of BJANs content in the 

right spaces and the repository 

of our collective talents 

through our writeups and electronic 

contents and how it is 

shaping thoughts and narratives 

in the industry both in Nigeria.” 

“This is no time to play small 

anymore. You have worked 

hard to build successes for 

companies and by extension, 

lives of individuals in those 

organisations. You and your 

families can and will benefit 

from that success as you deserve 

it.” 

ANRPM inaugurates Bayelsa 

exco, declares war on oil thieves 

uct marketers, who he said are 

complicit in most crimes in that 

that segment of the petroleum 

industry. 

Akpodoro, a notable ex-militant 

leader, stated that, having 

been neck-deep in the security 

of the Niger Delta region since 

the declaration of the Amnesty 

Programme by the Federal 

Government, he has followed 

the crime wave in the oil industry 

and come to the conclusion 

that oil marketers are the bane 

of the oil and gas business in 

Nigeria. 

He stressed further that having 

led the operations of the 

Surveillance and Enforcement 

Team of the Independent Petroleum 

Marketers Association of 

Nigeria, IPMAN until recently, 

he is well informed about the 

nefarious activities of marketers, 

which is why he called on 

the newly-inaugurated executives 

to ensure that Bayelsa State 

is freed from the criminal grip 

of illicit oil and gas dealers, so 

that the people can sleep with 

their eyes closed as against 

avoidable fire outbreaks from 

vandalism of product pipelines, 

which kill people at close sequence. 

From Left; Mr Yinka Adebayo, Executive Director, 

Media Reach Communication, Mrs OlohijeVera 

Oronsaye, Director, Ministry of Youth and Social 

Development, Mr Alex Jian, Chief Executive Officer, 

StarTimes Nigeria, and Ms Viki Liu, Content 

Director, StarTimes Nigeria, during the unveiling 

of Reality Show, Breaking In, by StarTimes Nigeria, 

held in Lagos .PHOTO; Kehinde Gbadamosi 

Psychiatric hospital seeks assistance 

for abandoned patients 

By Dennis Agbo 

THE Federal Neurop 

sychiatric Hospital, 

Enugu, FNHE, has raised the 

alarm over the growing number 

of abandoned mental 

health patients in the hospital 

and solicited the assistance of 

the public to offset the patients’ 

medical bills. 

Medical Director of the hospital, 

Dr. Monday Igwe, who 

raised the alarm during the 

hospital’s 2021 Thanksgiving 

and Town Hall meeting, disclosed 

that the number of people 

with mental challenges 

has continued to rise, lamenting 

that the medical bills and 

up-keep of abandoned pa- 

King Salman Centre donates medical equipment to 

Albasar International Foundation 

By Bashir Bello 

ANO — It was a sigh of 

Krelief for eye patients at 

the Makkah Specialist Eye 

Hospital, a subsidiary of Albasar 

International Foundation 

as King Salman Centre donated 

Ophthalmic medical 

equipment to boost services 

rendered in the hospital. 

With the donations, hope rises 

among the patients to get improved 

and effective service delivery 

as well as reduce medical 

tourism. 

Speaking while making the 

donations, the Consul General 

of Saudi Arabia in Kano, 

Khalil Ahmad Aladmawy, said 

the items were donated as part 

of its humanitarian services. 

Aladmawy said the donations 

were meant to support the 

foundation in its blindness control 

programme in Nigeria. 

According to him, “I’m here 

to present a gift from King Salman 

Humanitarian Aid and 

Relief Center to Albasar International 

Foundation (Makkah 

Specialist Eye Hospital). 

The donation is mainly humanitarian 

to assist the needy 

here in Nigeria, Kano in particular. 

Our humanitarian support 

is not only for Nigeria, it is 

all over the world and Nigeria 

is one of the over 30 countries 

that are benefitting from this 

gesture. 

“The medical equipment 

been donated here today are 

rapidly needed in the cure of 

several eye diseases,” Aladmawy 

said. 

Receiving the equipment, the 

Regional Director of the foundation, 

Dr. Mohieldin Abdalla 

Albadawi, described the intervention 

as timely noting that it 

will go a long way in making 

their job easy and achieving the 

target of controlling blindness 

in the country. Albadawi promised 

to judiciously put to use the 

equipment to achieve the desired 

results. 

“Both Albasar and King Salman 

Center are working on humanitarian 

assistance to humanity. 

Albasar is working to 

address problems related to 

blindness while King Salman 

is also doing that. This donation 

is part of their humanitarian 

assistance in the control of 

blindness across the world and 

Nigeria in particular. It will 

help in the already successful 

effort we are making here in 

the control of blindness. 

“This equipment came to us 

as timely and I’m very sure it 

will help immensely in easing 

our job and target of controlling 

blindness in the country. 

“It will also add to our effort 

of ensuring that we offer our 

services to people at a subsidized 

rate, as we are already 

doing as a humanitarian gesture. 

So we appreciate them for 

this because we requested for it 

and they have answered our 

call. 

”As you know, Albasar 

Foundation is a non-profit organization. 

This will not add 

to the charges rather it will even 

reduce. As you can see the little 

tients and the indigent ones 

have constituted an economic 

burden to the hospital. 

He appealed to Enugu 

State government, especially 

the governor’s wife, to add 

their patients to her schedule 

for Christmas visits and donations. 

Igwe said: “We have some 

indigent patients as well as 

those patients abandoned by 

their relatives who currently, 

the hospital and its staff are 

forced to feed, cloth and buy 

drugs for. 

“By our calling and spirit 

of humanity in us, we cannot 

leave them to go out of the 

hospital care and premises as 

they will constitute a danger 


A 

43-year-old man, Kay 

ode Abeyunde, has been 

ordered to be detained in a correctional 

facility in Lagos for 

allegedly defiling his 14-yearold 

daughter (name withheld). 

An Ikeja Magistrate 

Court sitting at Ogba, Agege 

gave the order when the suspect 

appeared before it. 

Prosecutor, K. Ajayi, a Deputy 

Superintendent of Police, 

DSP, told the court that the 

defendant had sexual intercourse 

with his underage 

daughter on October 18, 2021 

at No 67, Adealu Street, Dopemu, 

Lagos. Ajayi explained that 

the alleged offence is punishable 

under Section 137 of the 

Criminal Laws of Lagos State, 

Nigeria, 2021. 

His plea was not taken as the 

matter was referred to the Director 

of Public Prosecution, 

to themselves and others. 

“We are calling on goodspirited 

Nigerians especially 

philanthropists, groups and 

faith-based organizations to 

come to our rescue in this aspect 

especially at this period 

of celebrations. 

“People should remember 

these indigent and abandoned 

patients during this special season 

of sharing,” he appealed 

adding that the hospital was 

faced with other challenges such 

as high electricity tariff, lack of 

public water supply, inadequate 

hostel accommodation for student 

nurses and payment of outstanding 

arrears of promotion 

from 2018 to 2020, among others.” 

Consul General of Saudi Arabia Consulate in Kano, 

Khalil Ahmad Adamawy (Middle 2nd left) , supported 

by others to present medical equipment to Regional 

Director, Albasar International Foundation, Dr. 

Mohieldin Abdallah Elbadawi, in Makkah Specialist 

Eye Hospital, Kano. 

we are charging from people 

is not for making profit. It is 

just for day-to-day activities in 

managing the foundation.So 

this will surely help in getting 

other services in Kano. 

“The equipment relates to 

testing machines for glaucoma, 

and the rest for other diseases. 

Over the years, we have 

been using these machines, so 

our staff are already familiar 

with most of the machines. But 

at this centre, we are always 

training and retraining our 

staff so that we can give our 

best to society. Presently an engineer 

has come from abroad 

and he will train our staff on 

how best to make use of the 

machines.” 

Shedding more light on the 

donation, the Regional Medical 

Director of the Foundation, 

Dr. Hussam Balla, said 

equipment donated include 

OCT machine used for checking 

and determination of the 

retina and layers of the eye, 

tenometre used to check the 

eye pressure especially in cases 

of glaucoma and screening 

of vision of glaucoma. 

Others include Hand-held 

keratometre used to check the 

power of the cornea for usage 

in cataract surgery and Corneal 

topography machine used 

in diagnosis of a special kind 

of disease in the cornea. 

Albasar International Foundation 

Nigeria Region, which 

manages Makkah Specialist 

Eye Hospitals, is a non-Governmental 

Charitable Organization 

working for the prevention 

of blindness with particular 

emphasis on Africa and 

Asia. 

Established in 1990, Albasar 

International Foundation operates 

in three ways; Free Mobile 

Eye Services, establishment 

of specialized eye hospitals, 

and training institutes. 

However, from 2017 to 2021, 

a total number of OPD patients 

stood at 426,709 while 36,273 

patients were operated on within 

the period. 

The foundation presently has 

29 eye hospitals across the 

world including those in India, 

Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sudan, 

Philippines, Niger, Yemen and 

others. 

Man, 45, accused of raping 

14-yr-old daughter in Lagos 

DPP, for advice while the case was 

also adjourned to January 24, 

2022. 

Mama Mary y Oritseweyinmi 

Ogbigbi-Akperi is dead 

Mama Mary Oritseweyinmi 

Ogbigbi-Akperi is dead. 

Mama was for many of her 

earlier days, political activist, 

trader and community leader. 

She hailed from Orherhe- 

Agbarho, Eghoro(Warri 

North) and Oghara. 

She was a Christian. She is 

survived by four children including 

Gbesimi Akperi. 

*Late Mary Oritseweyinmi 

Ogbigbi-Akperi

PAGE 32 — SUNDAY Vanguard, DECEMBER 19, 2021 

Startling revelations from 

Kumuyi’s biography 

By Chukwuma Ajakah 

Founder and General 

Superintendent of the 

Deeper Life Bible Church, Pastor 

William Folorunso Kumuyi was 

once a concern to relatives, 

teachers and school Principal due 

to his persistent failure and 

lackadaisical attitude to studies. 

This startling revelation appears 

among other incredible stories in 

a new biography, chronicling the 

life history of the astute 

charismatic church leader who 

pastors one of the largest 

Pentecostal churches on earth 

today. 

The new biography succinctly 

titled, “Kumuyi: Defender of the 

faith” is set against the backdrop 

of Kumuyi’s unbridled 

commitment to scriptural 

injunctions as in Jude 1: 3, which 

implores believers to “earnestly 

contend for the faith which was 

once delivered to the saints.” The 

book portrays William Folorunso 

Kumuyi as a stout defender of the 

faith, providing a series of 

instances in which “the man of 

God” had to fight the good fight of 

faith to prove his mettle as an 

apostle of faith. Moreover, the 

biography tells the story of how 

the quintessential leader grew the 

ministry from a 15-member 

campus fellowship group to a 

multi-million-member church 

rated globally as one of the largest 

with branches in virtually every 

continent. 

The seminal work is an 

illuminating narrative that 

captures a barrage of hidden 

truths about the revered cleric 

whose name, “William” actually 

means “defender of the faith.” As 

it is characteristic of biographies, 

celebrating the lives and times of 

great personalities, the plot of the 

story revolves around the 

protagonist whose inspiring 

legendary lifestyle evokes 

admiration in millions of ardent 

followers around the globe. 

Kumuyi: Defender of the Faith 

juxtaposes the account of the 

persona’s 

dramatic 

transformation from abject 

obscurity to prominence with 

that of the mercurial rise of the 

Deeper Christian Life Ministry, 

from a little-known students’ 

campus fellowship group to a 

church organization of global 

repute. The book portrays 

Kumuyi as a man whose destiny 

anchors on the practical 

intervention of God. It reveals that 

Kumuyi was so nonchalant about 

his school work that he narrowly 

missed repeating classes. He was 

“promoted on trial until his final 

year in high school when he braced 

up for the West African School 

Certificate Examination which he 

passed with distinction, a feat he 

repeated at the Advanced Level 

and subsequent examinations, 

culminating in his emergence as 

the overall best graduating 

student with a first-class honor in 

Mathematics in 1967 from 

University of Ibadan. 

Moreover, he had made a 

definite decision for Jesus in 1964 

for the salvation of his soul and 

subsequently became a strong 

crusader of the gospel with a 

burning passion “to have all men 

saved” wherever he went or 

worked as evidenced in Mayflower 

and University of Lagos where he 

taught Mathematics, but 

creatively devised ways of also 

sharing his faith without breaking 

the rules. 

Following his outstanding 

academic performance, Kumuyi 

was offered a scholarship for a 

doctorate degree, but he shocked 

those who were keenly following 

his progress like his former 

Principal and mentor, Tai Solarin 

by rejecting the offer on the 

grounds that he had a call to serve 

God. However, they further reveal 

that Solarin’s principles of hard 

work, industry and independence 

Spartan discipline rubbed off on 

young Kumuyi who experienced 

his own transformation, 

especially after his conversion 

from a nominal Christian a 

genuinely regenerated one. 

The book authored by Banji 

Ojewale, Segun Babatope, Emeka 

Izeze and Tunde Opeibi is a 

revelatory mine that encapsulates 

virtually everything a probing 

mind would want to know about 

the cleric. Banji et al remark that 

“Kumuyi: Defender of the Faith 

demystifies the revered man of 

God. It shows the reader how much 

he is ‘a man subject to like passions 

as we are.’ For instance, he is 

widely known as a man of 

academic and spiritual excellence, 

but at a point in his childhood 

days, he was written off as a never 

-do -well.” 

In writing about Kumuyi, the 

biographers deploy many 

narrative devices. The most 

prominent techniques include 

biblical and classical allusions. 

Biblical allusion is realized 

through copious references to the 

Bible in all the chapters, especially 

in the riders to the subtitles while 

the classical allusion involves the 

works of earlier writers like 

Frederick W. Faber (1821-1863), 

James G. Walton (1821-1905)), 

Henri F. Hemy (1818-1888) and 

Kittie L. Sheffield (1924). Some of 

the works, including Alert B. 

Simpson’s “Jesus Only is Our 

Message” are the sage’s favorite 

hymns, reflecting his philosophy 

of life and doctrinal disposition in 

ministry. There are also insightful 

glimpses from Alan Isaacson 

(1990) who wrote on the 

phenomenal growth of the Deeper 

Life Bible Church and Kumuyi’s 

ministry in a titled, Deeper Life: 

The Extraordinary Growth of 

As part of activities 

marking her Second and 

Third Combined Convocation 

Ceremony slated for Thursday, 

December 23, 2021, Mountain 

Top University, MTU, Ibafo, 

Ogun State, Nigeria will from 

Tuesday, December 21, 2021 to 

January 10, 2022 organize a 

post-doctoral art exhibition 

featuring the works of Dr. 

Peacemaker Efeoghene 

Alexander, a renowned 

illustrator, fabric collagist and 

Research Fellow at the 

university. 

Peacemaker Efeoghene, a 

prolific Impressionistic Painter, 

who has overtime explored the 

oil, acrylic and other media of 

expression, is a renowned visual 

illustrator with over 1,500 

commissioned illustration 

drawings and colour works for 

educational publications and 

contemporary visual paintings 

in public and private collections. 

In 2019, Peacemaker Efeoghene, 

a member of Society of Nigerian 

Artists and Free Painters & 

Sculptors, in Buckingham, 

England, pioneered Visual Arts, 

at the Mountain Top University, 

MTU where he now works as a 

Research Fellow. He has received 

numerous awards and his 

paintings have been widely 

exhibited. 

The programme of events 

Deeper Life Bible Church with 

Foreword by W. F. Kumuyi. 

The 325-page biography 

contains 14 chapters with 

subtitles such as Divine 

Affirmation, Early Life, 

Mayflower, Turning Point, March 

into Ministry, Davidic Exegesis, 

Passion for All, The Catalyst, 

Peculiar Persona, Archetypal 

Leadership, Perceptive 

Watchman, Perspectives and 

Personal Stories (Parts 1an2) and 

The Years Ahead. There is also a 

list of content contributors, 

references, webography and an 

index which the reader can 

explore to maximize the treasures 

in the book. Each chapter anchors 

on a key scriptural reference, 

capturing the essence of the 

intended message. 

Published by Elite Publishing 

Academy, United Kingdom 

seminal masterpiece comes in a 

glossy hardback edition with a 

portrait of Kumuyi as cover 

picture and lots of inside telltale 

pictorial illustrations that 

compellingly appeal to the 

reader’s senses of sight and 

reasoning. 

Besides, a pseudo prologue 

tagged: “Milestones” is used to give 

the reader an insight into the main 

content, beginning with his birth 

to the family of Mr. Gabriel 

Kumuyi Akinfenwa and Mrs 

Comfort Idowu Kumuyi 

Akinfenwa in 1941at Erin-Ijesa, 

Osun State, South-Western 

Nigeria to 2020, the year he 

collaborated with the Bible Society 

of Nigeria, to produce the Holy 

Bible in Yoruba. 

In Chapter 1, the authors explore 

Kumuyi’s style of ministry with 

emphasis on the role of the 

miraculous in the growth of the 

Deeper Life Bible Church 

headquartered in Gbagada, 

Lagos, Nigeria. Anchored on 

1Corinthians 2:4, the chapter 

reveals that the pastor never 

preaches to entertain, but to 

compel men to repentance. 

Methodically, he follows each 

sermon with a prayer after which 

he begins to command miracles 

mainly through “the word of 

knowledge.” Sample testimonies 

are cited in this chapter to support 

the view that instantaneous 

miracles characterize Kumuyi’s 

public meetings as he preaches the 

word. 

The non-fictional narrative also 

showcases what life was like in the 

early days of ministry for not only 

the pastor, but also his ardent 

followers who belonged to other 

churches. Many were 

excommunicated for attending 

his bible study. Those who wanted 

to get married had to look for 

churches that were sympathetic 

to their plight. Kumuyi himself 

was excommunicated from the 

Apostolic Faith Church for 

preaching without being formally 

ordained whereas he believed and 

fervently taught others that 

evangelism was every believer’s 

personal responsibility. 

Pictures are infused into Chapter 

3, subtitled, “Mayflower”, 

Chapter 8, “The Catalyst” and 

Chapter 13, “Perspectives and 

Personal Stories Part 2. These help 

to enhance the aesthetic quality 

of the text, amplifying not only 

the messages embedded in lucid 

prose, but also drawing attention 

to the socio-cultural and religious 

implications. For instance, some 

of the erroneous beliefs held about 

cleric, concerning his social life 

and relationship with leaders of 

other ministries are tacitly 

dispelled with pictures of him 

passionately exchanging 

pleasantries or attending 

evangelistic functions with 

leaders of CAN, PFN and presiding 

pastors of mega denominations 

such as Pastor E.A. Adeboye, 

Bishop David Oyedepo, Bishop 

John Osa-Oni, Apostle Alex 

Bamgbola and Pastor Paul 

Enenche. The book also contains 

pictures he posed in with 

dignitaries such as President 

Mohammadu Buhari of Nigeria, 

former Head of State, General 

Yakubu Gowon, serving or former 

Governors of many states in 

Nigeria, former and current 

Presidents of countries and other 

leaders of the international 

community. 

continues: 

vanguardngr.com 

Painting exhibition for MTU convocation 

By Chukwuma Ajakah released by the Vice- 

Chancellor of the 

university, Professor 

Elijah Adebowale Ayolabi 

and made available to 

journalists at a press 

briefing held on Monday, 

December 13, 2021 at the 

School of Art, Design, and 

Printing Technology, 

Yaba College of 

Technology, Lagos 

showed that the art 

exhibition will be spiced 

with a music fiesta 

provided by the 

institution’s music 

group, Every Student a Musician, 

ESM, which parades musical 

talents from various 

departments. The art exhibition 

is scheduled to open at 10:00 am 

at the College of Humanities, 

Management and Social Sciences 

Building. 

According to Peacemaker, the 

exhibition themed, “Fabricating 

Painting: Conceptualization of 

Fabric Collage Technique on 

Grounds” will feature 33 of his 

works, including the noncatalogued 

ones he had used for his 

MPA and PhD theses. Titles of 

works to be featured include the 

following: Hausa Trumpeter, Kaa 

Kaki Player, Durbar Race, and 

Agama Lizard, Gouge Player, 

Urhobo Couple, Urhobo Dance 

Rhythm, African-American 

Tune, Act of Gratitude, Through 

the Rain, Flower Vase and 

Through the Sahara 1&2. The 

artworks 

will be 

presented 

in four 

categories, 

depicting 

t h e 

progressive 

evolution of 

traditional 

impressionistic 

paintings in 

acrylic paint 

medium on 

canvas. 

Asked about 

what new 

things his guests 

should expect, the art 

connoisseur enthused: “I will be 

exhibiting works that showcase 

painting effects in fabric collage 

technique, using unaltered 

fabric in their original colour 

grades on divergent grounds, as 

against the conventional practice 

on canvas ground, expressing 

visual concepts in fabric collage 

technique on varied grounds 

such as wood-board, glass, 

ceramic tile, lithographic plate, 

mesh, paper card, straw card, 

bamboo and glass bottle,” and 

concerning the subject matter he 

explores, he added: “My works 

express landscape sceneries, 

figures, still and natural object 

concepts which address current 

human and societal lifestyle and 

issues, such as commerce, music, 

entertainment, celebration, 

local events and insecurity.”


The solemnisation of Holy Matrimony between former Miss Pamela Ajayi, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Paul Ajayi and Mr Martin 

Nwankwo, son of Mr and Mrs Batholomew Nwankwo held at The Redeemed Christian Church of God, House of David Ogudu 

Road, Ojota Lagos, yesterday. 

Photo: Joe Akintola, Photo Editor 

From left: 

Mrs Gladys 

Shotubo; Mrs 

Elozino 

Edeoghon; 

Mr Paul 

Ajayi, bride's 

father and 

Mrs Julie 

Amuka 

From left: Mr Batholomew Nwankwo, groom's father; Mrs Evelyn Ajayi, bride's mother; Mr and 

Mrs Martin Nwankwo, new couple; Mr Paul Ajayi, bride's father and Mrs Paulina Nwankwo, 

groom's mother at the church service. 

From left: 

Pastor 

Ololade 

Salami; 

Assistant 

Pastor 

Michael 

Akinsoji; 

Deacon 

Olumide 

Abikoye and 

Deacon 

Abiodun Ojo 

From left: Mr George Ajayi; Mr Kobla Mensah and 

Mr Sunny Aminaghan 

The new couple, Mr and Mrs Martin Nwankwo flanked 

by the bridesmaids 

From left: Mr Utieyin Dudu; Mr Victor Arenyeka and 

Mr Tony Arenyeka 

Outing Service for the late Elder Gabriel Adedire Adesoji, immediate Past State Secretary, Nigeria Union of 

Pensioners, held at CAC, Oke Itunu, Alayo Zonal Headquarters, Osogbo, yesterday. 

Photo: Dare 

Fasube 

From left: General Manager/Editor-in-Chief of Vanguard Newspapers, 

Mr Gbenga Adefaye; his wife, Mrs Abosede Adefaye; Mrs Kehinde Adesoji 

and Mrs Toyin Amojo. 

From left: Pastor Titus Adeyemi Adesoji; his wife, Oluwayemisi; Pasor 

Olayemi Adesoji and his wife, Olubunmi. 

From left: Mrs Mary Adesoji,; Mrs Adebimpe Olumota and Elder Tunji 

Olumota. 

From left: Pastor Samuel Adesoji; his wife Jumoke, Pastor Yinka Adesoji 

and Pastor Niyi Adesoji.

Photos by Dare Fasube 

PAGE 34, SUNDAY VANGUARD, DECEMBER 19, 2021 

Maiden edition of Ghigho Aghofen (palace watch), a 

cultural and historical extravaganza of Warri Kingdom 

held at the palace of Olu of Warri, yesterday 

Photos: Henry Unini 

Funeral ceremony for the late Pastor Mina 

Cole, wife of Ambassador Dele Cole, held in 

Buguma, Rivers State, yesterday 

Photos: Nwankpa Chijioke 

Cultural display by Ireju community 

From right: Amb Patrick Dele-Cole, widower; Chief Miller Uloho (m) and Agbahor 

Isobella 

The Ovie of Olomu Kingdom, HRM, Ovie Richard (left) making a presentation 

to HRM, Ogiame Atuwatse III, the Olu of Warri Kingdom (right) 

A cross of immediate family members of the deceased 

From left: Dr. Emmanuel 

Uduaghan, the immediate 

past governor of 

Delta State; Ovie of Olomu 

Kingdom, HRM, Ovie 

Richard; Pere of Akugbene-mein, 

H.R.M Pere 

Stanley Luke, Kalanama 

VIII and the representative 

of Governor Okowa of 

Delta State, Engr. 

Lawrence Ejiofor, Commissioner 

for Culture and 

Tourism. 

From left: Edo 

State governor, 

Godwin Obaseki; 

Amb Patrick Dele 

Cole, widower and 

Mrs Betsy Obaseki 

From right: Col Akeem 

Alabi; Mr Damola Diya, 

CEO Pilot Finance and 

Brig Gen Udaya Chukwuemeka 

From left: Mr 

Peter Arigbe and 

Mr Iroro Clarke 

Representative of 

Governor Okowa of 

Delta State, Engr. 

Lawrence Ejiofor, Commissioner 

for Culture 

and Tourism (left) and 

Senator James Manager 

(right) 

From left: 

Eddy Agbahor; 

Mrs Ibi Fabyan 

and Mr Tom 

Fabyan

Oromoni: Police release body to family after 

er 

fresh autopsy 

Lagos State Police 

Command, yesterday, 

confirmed the release of the 

body of the late student of 

Dowen College, Sylvester 

Oromoni, for burial. 

Police spokesman, 

Adekunle Ajisebutu, said the 

release followed the 

conclusion of an autopsy on 

the corpse to ascertain the 

cause and nature of death. 

Sylvester’s body had been 

moved to Lagos on Monday 

from Delta State for autopsy 

at a public facility. 

The autopsy was said to 

have been carried out in the 

presence of five parties: 

Victim’s parents, parents of 

the alleged students 

involved in the death, the 

school’s representatives, 

police investigators, while 

representatives from the 

Ministry of Health stood in 

for Lagos State 

government. 

On Wednesday, the body 

was escorted back to Delta 

where Sylvester will be laid 

to rest. 

But the result of the 

autopsy is yet to be released 

while the police 

investigation continues. 

Sylvester allegedly died 

from the injuries he 

sustained during an assault 

by five of his colleagues who 

Chidimma Igbokwe, (m) flanked by members of Umuada Igbo 

Massachusetts at a celebration held in Boston, Massachusetts, USA. 


wanted to initiate him into 

cultism. As part of the 

means to get the deserved 

justice for the 12-year-old 

boy, the Oromoni family 

had demanded a coroner 

inquest into the student’s 

death. 

Igbo women in USA call for peaceful co-existence 

among Nigerians 

group, Umuada 

A Igbo Massachusetts, 

a collection of enterprising 

women of Igbo extract 

living in the United States, 

has called on Nigerians 

both at home and in the diaspora 

to eschew violence 

and embrace peace as they 

observe the yuletide season. 

The group’s president, 

Chidinma Igbokwe, made 

this call at a celebration 

held in Boston, Massachusetts, 

USA, to mark the 

Christmas thanksgiving 

ceremony of the organization. 

Igbokwe called on all 

Nigerians travelling home 

to extend any kind of help 

available at their disposal 

for the well being of the 

people at home. 

She said: “Christ whose 

birth we are celebrating in 

this season is peaceful, 

kind, compassionate, 

friendly and related with 

people from all walks of 

life. Therefore, as we celebrate 

and make merry in 

this Christmas season and 

the coming year 2022, we 

should show love rather 

than hate, stay peaceful 

rather than violent, display 

kindness rather than 

wickedness, and be compassionate 

with everyone 

in our family, community, 

and nation, especially to 

the orphans, homeless and 

less privileged people 

around us”. 

She noted that Christmas 

is not a time to be selfish, 

extravagant, arrogant 

and undue flamboyancy 

but rather, a time to engage 

in charity works and 

help the needy as Jesus 

Christ exemplified during 

his life on earth. 

Speaking further, Igbokwe 

explained that Umuada 

Igbo is a non-profit organization 

registered in 

Massachusetts of the US. 

According to her, the organization 

has initiated 

programs and projects including 

the promotion of 

girl child education, campaign 

against girl trafficking 

in Nigeria, and empowerment 

programs for 

women. 

Amazon Prime Video seals 

deal with Inkblot Productions 

A 

mazon Prime Video, the 

global streaming 

service, has closed a multiyear 

licensing agreement with 

Inkblot Studios, a leading 

production company out of 

Africa. Under the agreement, 

Prime Video will have 

exclusive, worldwide 

distribution rights for 

Inkblot’s slate of theatrical 

releases, starting in 2022. 

This marks Amazon 

Prime Video’s first exclusive 

theatrical output agreement 

with a leading African film 

studio. Under the agreement, 

Prime Video will launch 

upcoming Inkblot films to an 

audience of more than 200 

million members worldwide 

following theatrical releases, 

such as The Set Up 2, Moms 

at War 2, and New Money 3 

as well as new titles such as 

Charge and Bail, Superstar 

and The Blood Covenant. 

The deal makes Inkblot 

Studios the first Nigerian 

studio to secure a major new 

movie output agreement with 

the global streamer and 

highlights Amazon Prime 

Video’s commitment to 

delivering Nigerian and 

African film to their global 

audience of more than 200 

million Prime members. “We 

know Prime Video customers 

around the world love movies 

and this new deal with Inkblot 

Studios will deliver some of 

the best Nigerian and African 

films available for our 

customers,” said Ayanna 

Lonian, Prime Video’s 

Director of Content 

Acquisition and Head of 

Worldwide Major Studio 

Licensing Strategy. 

“Nigerian stories are truly 

some of the most exciting and 

thrilling in the world. The 

Inkblot deal will allow us to 

deliver great Nigerian 

movies, post their theatrical 

release in Nigeria, to our 

global audience, and will 

continue to build upon Prime 

Video’s catalogue and goal 

to delight Prime members. 

“At Inkblot Studios, we 

produce some of the biggest 

and most creative, original 

films in the Nigerian film 

industry. We are very excited 

about the opportunity to 

showcase our films to 

Amazon Prime Video’s over 

200 million members. We 

believe that Nigerian films 

have a truly global appeal 

and are thrilled to be working 

with Amazon Prime Video to 

deliver the very best in 

entertainment worldwide,” 

said Chinaza Onuzo, co- 

Founder of Inkblot Studios. 

About Amazon Prime 

VideoAmazon Prime Video 

subscribers can watch 

popular TV shows and 

movies including Amazon 

Originals such as Wheel of 

Time, The Boys, Tom 

Clancy’s Jack Ryan, The 

Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, The 

Grand Tour and Modern 

Love. Popular movies and TV 

shows, including Amazon 

Originals are available for 

Prime Video members to 

stream or download and 

enjoy anytime, anywhere at 

no additional cost to a Prime 

or Prime Video membership. 

Members can watch via the 

Prime Video app on mobile, 

tablet, Smart TVs, game 

consoles, or online at 

PrimeVideo.com. 

Founded by Chinaza 

Onuzo, Zulumoke Oyibo and 

Damola Ademola in 2011, 

Inkblot has since grown to 

become one of the largest 

producers in Nigeria focused 

on theatrical distribution, 

releasing 16 films into 

Nigerian theatres including 

some of the highest-grossing 

films of all time – The 

Wedding Party 1 & The 

Wedding Party 2.


#NORTHISBLEEDING: 

Impose emergency 

rule on Niger, Sokoto, 

Zamfara, Katsina, 

Kaduna, CNG 

spokesman, 

Sulaiman, 

tells Buhari 

•Sulaiman 

Abudulazeez 

BY CHARLES KUMOLU, DEPUTY EDITOR 

The protests against insecurity witnessed across some 

northern states last week on the #NorthIsBleeding platform 

left the impression that, at last, the North has come to acknowledge 

the existential threat it faces. Giving insights into this reawakening 

of sorts, spokesman for frontline northern group, Coalition of 

Northern Groups, CNG, Sulaiman Abudulazeez, in this interview, 

demands emergency rule in five states. He also says international 

conspiracy could be one of the factors fueling the current security 

challenges. Excerpts: 

The #NorthIsBleeding protest by 

Northerners is viewed as belated 

given that banditry had been a major 

challenge to the North long before 

now... 

From the outset, I would like to make it 

clear that contrary to what was reported, 

we at the Coalition of Northern Groups 

,CNG, never protested nor in the actual 

sense of conducting or joining in any of 

the street processions that took place in 

places within the week. 

Rather the CNG was conducting 

separate stakeholder meetings in the three 

zones of the North at the end of which 

conclusions were reached according to the 

individual peculiarities of each zone. 

These stakeholder meetings were held 

first in Gombe in the North-East, then 

Niger in the North-Central and rounded 

off with the North-West in Kano. I think 

we are associated with protest processions 

because the Kano version coincided with 

the timing of protests of many kinds by 

some groups across the states. In my view, 

protests, whether timely or belated, may 

not necessarily be the path to an enduring 

solution to the situation at hand. Besides, 

most street protests have the potential of 

further complicating the already complex 

situation and exposing communities to 

further risks and hardships while 

providing cover for the perpetrators of 

these crimes. 

It can be understood that people are 

legitimately angry but if we want to hear 

the truth, we must also admit that most 

street processions are organised and 

sponsored by certain powerful political 

interests bent on bringing about greater 

conflicts as a buildup to their 2023 

ambitions. This is time to put aside 

sentiments and tell ourselves the truth 

from which if we deviate by 

attributing political, tribal, or 

religious sentiments to the 

conflicts, we risk dying. 

To some, what’s 

happening in the North 

as regards the protests is 

a reawakening. Why did it 

take the North this long 

to make a major 

statement on the collapse 

of security in the region? 

That is another pedestrian 

misrepresentation. 

Traditionally, Nigerians have 

become known for clumsy 

handling of otherwise serious 

issues by deliberately not 

seeing and treating them as 

collective national concerns 

that require collective 

national resolve to fight them. 

And in most cases, it is this 

vacuum that is exploited by 

criminal elements. Even from 

your question, one can see that 

most of those living outside the North 

believe that this is mainly a northern and 

not national problem that must be 

handled by northerners alone. I think we 

should by now begin to grasp the reality 

that national problems such as the ones 

we are faced with should not be handled 

with levity or condescension. Neither 

should they be seen as affecting only one 

region or state or, for that matter, one 

ethnic group or the other. On the contrary, 

such challenges are cross-national issues 

that every one of us bleeds from, regardless 

of where we live or come from. For this 

reason, all the various social and security 

challenges across the country must be 

confronted collectively with the entire will 

and resolve of the nation behind the efforts 

by the authorities. Failure to do so will 

mean that every effort made in isolation 

will defeat all our endeavours, and render 

our task more difficult and futile. 

Nigerians must borrow from the examples 

set by democratically advanced nations 

of the world who, when faced with national 

disasters of any kind, quickly put aside 

whatever differences and rally around their 

leaders to deal with them. Every one of us 

must, therefore, become a stakeholder and 

a committed actor in this struggle to free 

our society and our country 

of this hazardous and 

debilitating problem. 

There is the 

conviction that 

the current 

scenario 

unfolding all over 

the country was 

hatched several 

years ago in more 

than three 

capitals of the 

world 

It is also believed that 

what is regarded as the 

North’s penchant for 

supporting anything 

considered theirs in all 

circumstances is 

responsible for the 

wanton killings in the 

region... 

That of course can be a 

contributing factor when 

looked at more deeply and 

dispassionately. If by this it 

means, the North supports 

every leader from the 

North, I will certainly 

dispute it because such 

attitude is a general 

Nigerian phenomenon. We 

are yet to agree to see 

national leaders properly 

as such. Instead, we look at 

them and relate with them 

in terms of their regions or ethnicity, in 

some cases even religion. We tend to 

deploy our regional, ethnic, or religious 

biases on matters that have to do 

ordinarily with national leadership. The 

North is even way more liberal in this 

regard. We must remember that just in the 

recent past, we had a situation where the 

Niger Delta was addressing our country’s 

President as their son, not minding that 

he came to power first through northern 

pressure mounted against its son and 

subsequently through majority votes from 

the North. At another point, we voted 

massively for the late Abiola, a South- 

Westerner against one of our own. 

NADECO 

And most of us can recall that the North 

was actively involved with the struggles 

of the defunct National Democratic 

Coalition, NADECO, against a leader who 

was from the North. Northerners were 

active participants in the campaign 

against Abacha. Another northerner 

spearheaded the struggle against the thenailing 

President Yar’Adua and paved the 

way for the emergence of Jonathan 

through the Save Nigeria Group. Lest we 

forget, the North has never been known 

for playing sole regional politics since the 

First Republic. Rather, we always 

participate in the mainstream. But other 

sections of the country are known for 

advocating openly for instance for Igbo 

presidency to the extent of threatening 

secession if they fail to achieve it. But if by 

this question, you mean providing some 

cover for criminal elements at the 

community or household levels, I cannot 

dispute that. For instance, at the beginning 

of the current crisis, I can say that every 

community and every household knew 

members with criminal tendencies but 

refused to expose them. Even now that the 

conflict has escalated, most communities 

in the North-West speak in hushed tones 

of suspicious activities and alliances of 

many political, traditional, religious and 

other community leaders, individuals or 

groupings with the bandit groups. They 

lack the courage to move against them 

which is why the problem is entrenched 

today. Most of the informants and 

beneficiaries of the profits of kidnappings 

live in our midst and in most cases, are 

people known to the communities. For 

instance, in some states, traditional 

leaders and politicians and even top state 

actors have been severally fingered in 

Continues on page 37

SUNDAY VANGUARD, DECEMBER 19, 2021,PAGE 37 

Day Abia stoodstill for Deputy 

Governor, Oko Chukwu 

Ugochukwu Alaribe,Umuahia 

Abia stateliterally stood still for the State 

Deputy Governor, Sir Ude Oko 

Chukwu as theOhafia council of 

traditional rulers hosted him to a grand 

reception. The testimoniesby the Ohafia and 

Abia North people eulogizing the Deputy 

Governor at the eventnegated the popular 

saying that a prophet is not honoured in his 

place. 

The ceremony whichheld at the Chief KK 

Owen Pavilion, Ohafia LGA secretariat, Ebem, 

could best bedescribed as a gathering of who 

is who in Abia politics. 

Sunday Vanguardobserved that there were 

many groups from the three senatorial districts 

of thestate who also graced the ceremony 

singing the praises of the Deputy 

Governor,calling on him to 

join the governorship race in 

2023. 

Security agentshad a 

hectic time directing traffic 

as friends and admirers of 

the DeputyGovernor 

struggled to find spaces to 

park their vehicles with all 

corners ofthe secretariat 

occupied. 

The recordattendance 

and capacity of eminent 

persons, traditional rulers 

and supportgroups at the 

ceremony will continue to be 

a reference point in Abia 

politicalcircles, especially in 

the build up to the 2023 

general elections. 

I want to 

encourage 

Ohafia people 

and Abia North 

people to 

continue with 

their support to 

the Deputy 

Governor 

Federal and statelawmakers, 

Commissioners, captains of industries, 

eminent businessmen and partychieftains 

struggled to identify with Oko Chukwu who is 

believed to harborambition for the Abia 

governorship seat in 2023. 

Politicalstakeholders from the Abia South 

and Abia Central zones were also on hand 

tosupport the Deputy Governor. Most 

conspicuous were the Chief of Staff to 

theGovernor, Dr. Anthony Agbazuere; the 

former Chairman of Obingwa LGA, 

ChiefIsaac Ogbonna; Hon. Ginger Onwusibe; 

and the Chairman, ALGON, Abia State, 

ChiefMichael Ibe Nwoke and many serving 

local government chairmen. Former 

MilitaryAdministrator of Cross River State, 

Navy Captain Christopher Osondu topped 

thelist of Abia elders who graced the ceremony 

to honour the Deputy Governor. Therewere also 

numerous goodwill messages from political 

leaders who couldn’t attendthe event. 

Differentspeakers extolled the qualities of 

the Deputy Governor, describing him as 

ahumble, honest, loyal and reliable politician. 

The Ohafia council oftraditional rulers led 

by Eze IgweOjike, conferred a chieftaincy title 

of Udejimba on the Deputy Governor 

inrecognition of his services to the people of 

the area. 

Describing theceremony as a celebration 

of loyalty and honour done to a 

distinguishedpolitician, the Speaker of 

the State House of Assembly, Chief 

Chinedum Orji,urged the Deputy 

Governor to continue 

to be loyal to 

Governor Okezie 

Ikpeazuand 

assured that his 

loyalty will pay 

off one day. 

T h e 

Speakerfurther 

urged the 

people of 

Ohafia and 

Abia North 

zone to 

continue to 

supportthe 

deputy Governor and stop ‘writing 

petitions’ to ‘pull him down’ adding 

thatpoliticians with Oko Chukwu’s 

qualities are rare. 

The Speaker wordsappear to 

have learnt support to the growing agitation 

for Abia North zone toproduce the next 

governor of the state in line with the rotation 

of thegovernorship seat among senatorial 

zones. 

In his words;”Deputy Governor, I will 

continue to respect you. I will continue to advise 

youto be loyal to your principal, if it doesn’t 

pay today, it will pay tomorrow.Stand solidly 

behind him on all sides. Defend him at all times 

so that God willknow that you have played 

your roles, that you have shown loyalty and 

loyaltywill continue to follow you. “We are here 

for a celebration of loyalty, loyaltyto the system 

and loyalty to a course. The deputy Governor 

has distinguishedhim as a very reliable 

politician. He is a straight forward person, he 

•Oko Chukwu 

is astable person, he doesn’t waver, and he 

stands tall. And this is a very rareattribute in 

politics. Any politician who has this character 

should becommended. I don’t know if Ohafia 

people know what they have in the 

DeputyGovernor. 

“Abia Northpeople, you should stop writing 

petitions and look up to the person you 

have.Let’s rally round one of our own instead 

of pulling the person down because bythe time 

you pull him down, it will be difficult to have 

another Ude OkoChukwu. Then you will begin 

from scratch. 

“Other areas thathave personalities like 

him build on such people. They rally them 

.Butwhen we come to our place, we write 

petitions against such persons. By the timeyou 

pull the person down, you do not have any 

other personality to rally round. I want to 

encourage Ohafia people and Abia North 

people to continue with theirsupport to the 

Deputy Governor. Give him solid support in 

the days ahead.” 

Former Statechairman of the PDP, Chief 

Ndidi Okereke, who extolled the senator 

representingAbia Central zone, Senator 

Theodore Orji, for his support for power shift 

toAbia South zone which produced Governor 

Ikpeazu in 2015, also urged him toextend same 

support to Abia North zone in 2023. Okereke’s 

speech was greetedwith a loud ovation by the 

mammoth crowd. Zonal chairman, PDP, Abia 

North,Chief Amah Abraham and former 

Secretary to the State Government, Dr. Eme 

Okoroalso called for power shift to Abia North 

in 2023. 

Also speaking atthe occasion, Senator 

Theodore Orji, who was Governor while Oko 

Chukwu servedas Speaker from 2011 to 2015, 

explained that he had a harmonious 

workingrelationship with Oko Chukwu as 

the Speaker of the State Assembly. 

According to theSenator; “Oko Chukwu 

became Speaker of the State House of 

Assembly when I wasGovernor and he never 

gave me headache for a day. We worked 

harmoniously and heimpressed me with his 

loyalty and humility. As God will have it, when 

we weregoing for the election, Gov. Okezie 

Ikpeazu chose him as his Deputy because hesaw 

something. The traditional rulers in Ohafia 

are also honouring because theysaw 

something in him. He is a good and faithful 

person. Thank God, he isworking 

harmoniously with the Governor. The 

Deputy Governor is loyal and 

theGovernor appreciates that his 

Deputy Governor is loyal.” 

Others who spokeat the occasion 

including the Member representing 

Isiala Ngwa North/ Southfederal 

Constituency, Hon. Darlington 

Nwokocha, the State Chairman of 

PDP, ChiefAsiforo Okere, among 

others who described Oko 

Chukwu as a reliable 

politician,also lauded the 

traditional rulers for the honour 

done to theDeputy Governor and 

assured that he can never betray 

the confidence reposed inhim. 

In their separatespeeches, 

the Chairman, Ohafia LGA, Dr Okoroafor 

Ukiwe; the Chairman OhafiaLocal 

Government Traditional Rulers Council, Eze 

Igwe Ojike; the Chairman onthe occasion, 

Chief Udensi Ekea, said they are glad to honour 

a gentleman whohas distinguished himself 

politically and commended the Governor for 

theopportunity given to their son to serve the 

state. They also commended theDeputy 

Governor for his loyalty and commitment to 

the Ikpeazu administrationwhich has led to 

more development in the State. 

The visiblyelated Deputy Governor, while 

commending the traditional rulers and people 

ofOhafia for the Udejimba title conferred on 

him, dedicated the award to theGovernor. He 

also thanked Senator Orji for his support to 

him in his politicaljourney. 

“A popular sayinggoes that a prophet is not 

recognized in his own place, but today, my 

case isdifferent, I have become a prophet 

recognized in his own place,” Oko chukwusaid. 

‘Impose emergency rule on Niger, Sokoto, Zamfara, Katsina, Kaduna’ 

Continued from page 36 

connection with most crimes being 

committed around them. Unfortunately, 

perhaps for some personal political 

expediency, the matters never get beyond 

sacking them. The people of the North- 

East committed that mistake in the early 

stages of Boko Haram and paid dearly 

for it before they began to move against 

those among them who were part of the 

crimes committed, removed the shield, 

and participated in the military 

operations so that at present, the 

environment in Borno State is more secure 

than most states in the North-West and 

North-Central. 

Northern leaders including state 

governors are known to have said bandits 

constituted lesser evil when compared 

with secessionist agitations in the South 

West and South... 

If actually any leader, especially a state 

governor, is that unscrupulous as to have 

suggested such support for criminals who 

kill, maim, and destroy and breach the 

sanctity of human life at will, then he 

should be held responsible as the sponsor 

of their actions. 

Just recently, an Islamic preacher in 

Sokoto took the bold step to expose the 

cordiality that exists between government, 

some top politicians in the state and 

community leaders with leaders of the 

criminal groups, yet no action is taken yet 

by the federal authorities or the public for 

that matter. I have not really heard or 

come across the statements you refer to, 

but if actually they were made, as you said, 

by governors of states, then they must 

certainly be called to by the federal 

government and the public. That must be 

the most irresponsible statement to expect 

from those who pose as leaders of a people 

in distress. 

Some sections of the public said 

the protests have exposed the 

insincerity of the core North to some 

sections of the North. They cited 

Benue, Plateau and Southern 

Kaduna where suspected herdsmen 

allegedly carry out attacks against 

rural dwellers without outrage from 

those protesting today. How do you 

react to that? 

I told you that the major problem 

debilitating against the whole of Nigeria 

is this sectional feeling. The killings are still 

going on in those parts of the North you 

mentioned. Instead of those floating this 

sectional reasoning to seize the opportunity 

presented by the current efforts from other 

equally estranged sections of the North, they 

are bringing their set of biases against it. I 

don’t really see how that would help them 

or anybody else for that matter. And as I 

have already said, the protests are largely 

counterproductive, and this attitude has 

confirmed it. Rather than strengthening the 

collective resolve to confront the challenges 

and threats we share, the protests appear to 

bring about a fresh rift in northern society. 

Do you think the Buhari 

administration has a solution to 

banditry in the North? 

In its way, just like every other government, 

it might have, but certainly, no solution will 

work without our collective national resolve 

behind it. I would rather say, Nigerians, not 

Buhari, must work to bring an end to the 

current security situation from which the 

whole nation is bleeding. This is however 

not disputing the apparent incapacity shown 

by government which might not be 

unconnected with internal and external 

sabotage. First, there is the major factor of 

self-serving, unpatriotic political actors who 

are mainly focused on the power play in 

2023. For instance, it is irritating for a 

politician from one of the most endangered 

states who is being accused of taking part in 

the pillage of the defence budget by the 

previous administration, to now attempt to 

take advantage of the gullibility of the 

confused public and accuse others of 

corruption. It should not be difficult therefore 

to understand that the escalation of these 

attacks that have left untold numbers of dead 

and displaced persons are symptoms of the 

disquiet in the country that has been 

exacerbated by political opportunism and 

corruption that are now fighting back the 

system. It is aimed at rendering the country 

practically ungovernable. State governors in 

the North are also largely responsible for the 

escalation of the crisis and they appear not 

willing to adjust to reality on the ground. There 

is also the international dimension with the 

growing conviction of foreign involvement and 

active connivance of internal collaborators in 

the crises facing Nigeria as a whole. There is 

the conviction that the current scenario 

unfolding all over the country was hatched 

several years ago in more than three capitals 

of the world. 

If Buhari must succeed, he must improve the 

number of boots on the ground, which are at 

present grossly inadequate. This should be 

followed by the federal government availing 

itself of available legal windows to impose 

emergency rules in especially the frontline 

states of Niger, Sokoto, Zamfara, Katsina 

and Kaduna. The present governors should 

be replaced with military administrators 

until conditions improve significantly. He 

must also urgently take steps to anticipate 

and checkmate the manoeuvres of the 

multinational interests and their local 

collaborators. Buhari must make it clear to 

those foreign powers that Nigeria, just like 

any other democracy, would not be disposed 

to threats by either internal or external 

aggression. 

A northern group had sought 

southern support for the protests, but 

many Southerners feel the North had 

an opportunity to protest against 

banditry with #EndSars but lost it to 

religious and ethnic sentiments. Do 

you agree? 

This is another misrepresentation because 

long before the #ENDSARS, there were 

protests against insecurity in the North, which 

were coordinated by the CNG. Rather than 

queuing into the insecurity protests to give it a 

national voice, the South selfishly came up 

with the #ENDSARS protests that primarily 

targeted a particular unit of the Nigeria Police 

Force. And when, unfortunately, the 

#ENDSARS protests assumed a different face 

and turned into violent acts and violations 

against the nation’s defence and security assets 

and indiscriminate attacks on northerners, the 

CNG withdrew its protests to avoid exposing 

the North to greater dangers. Besides, I don’t 

see how those protests which were singularly 

meant to achieve the ending of SARS could 

have helped the northern situation. 

As things stand, who will save the 

North? 

God, and God alone. Time has come for all 

of us to look inwards, assess our shortcomings 

with regards to moral rectitude, repent and 

then pray for divine support. Surely, the 

situation has gone beyond human 

comprehension. As in the biblical warning to 

the evil and adulterous generation not being 

able to receive salvation, Nigerians must own 

up to their individual and collective 

shortcomings and seek salvation and 

deliverance from God.

PAGE 38, SUNDAY VANGUARD, DECEMBER 19, 2021

NDIGBO TORCH 

How evil forces 

hijacked IPOB 

agenda 

—Ebigwei, Aka 

Ikenga chief 

By Tony Nwankwo 

Dr. Sylvanus Olisanye Ebigwei (MON) is President- 

Emeritus, Aka Ikenga, a socio-political Igbo organisation, 

and also a member of Ohanaeze Ndigbo. In this interview, 

the Iyasei of Okpanam Kingdom says President 

Muhammadu Buhari would do well to listen to the 

grievances of Nigerian youths, especially those from the 

South-East. Excerpts: 

THE Igbo today are like an 

endangered species in Nigeria. 

Government at the centre has 

created glass ceilings for them 

politically and militarily. How do 

you respond? 

Since the civil war, things have not been 

the same with the Igbo in Nigeria. Those 

who fought the civil war felt they 

conquered Ndigbo and as such they will 

never allow them to rise again. That 

animosity and hatred for Ndigbo has 

been carried along till date. Again, 

Ndigbo are not helping themselves. They 

do not know how to play the politics of 

Nigeria. To play the politics of Nigeria, 

you have to be united and you must 

speak with one voice. And you must 

equip yourself with a bargaining chip 

because there is no unity among Ndigbo. 

Coupled with that, they have people who 

did not witness the war, and so are 

oblivious of what actually transpired. 

Those who felt they conquered the Igbo 

want to deprive them of their identity, 

deprive them of their entitlements within 

the country. On this, they have 

developed a time-bomb and that is what 

we are witnessing today. The youths have 

been boxed into a corner, and the 

elasticity of their endurance has been 

reached. That is why they are resorting 

to self help. Until these grievances are 

addressed and the integrity and honour 

and all internal affiliations of all the 

nations are respected, Nigeria will 

continue to be in turmoil. So, I am asking 

the powers-that-be to listen to various 

grievances, listen to the motives and 

address those issues. 

South-East governors boycott 

internal meetings where issues 

concerning Ndigbo are discussed 

– the anti open grazing meeting 

hosted by Governor Ifeanyi 

Ugwuanyi in Enugu, for instance? 

Maybe they were engaged here and 

there. And that is why we are talking 

about unity among Ndigbo. Are they 

united? If you want to be President of 

Nigeria, for instance, nobody will call you 

and dash it to you. You have to be united 

to get it. It is either they have a secret 

agenda unknown to the public. I know 

that all of them have signed the anti open 

grazing laws. So for the meeting, it is likely 

that one way or the other, something had 

disturbed them from attending, and 

remember, the atmosphere is dicey now, 

particularly regarding traveling within 

the country. 

The Anambra governorship 

election has come and gone but the 

polity still reels under the senseless 

killings of people like Dr. Chike 

Akunyili? 

It was painful and sad news to eliminate 

such an important and famous 

gentleman. Until the police or the DSS or 

the intelligence officers detailed to 

investigate, nobody will know what 

happened. It may be an 

accidental shooting, it may be a 

conspiracy, but nobody knows until the 

outcome of the investigations. Nobody can 

say otherwise until the outcome of 

investigations. As I said, it may be 

accidental. There are speculations here 

and there, they are far from the truth 

because Nigeria today is too complicated; 

nobody knows who is doing the killings. 

It is left for the police and security people 

to investigate deeply and come out with 

the truth. But I am not agreed with people 

apportioning blames to these or those 

people. Let investigation report come out 

so the truth can be known. 

With the rate of killings and 

kidnappings in the North, how 

optimistic are you for 2023? 

Well, I can’t say things are not being 

done in the North. Actually, without the 

security agencies, these people from the 

Sahel Region, ISIS, Boko Haram, and the 

rest, they could have over-run the whole 

of the North. How many soldiers do we 

have? I don’t subscribe that the security 

forces are not doing much; they are doing 

a lot with the little resources at their 

disposal. And what the enemy is doing is 

attack some dark spots in a vast region. 

Of course, the security 

forces cannot be 

everywhere. But 

whenever and wherever, 

the terrorists, bandits 

strike, the security forces 

have always gone there, 

humiliate them and sack 

them. After that, the 

terrorists and bandits 

will relocate to 

somewhere else. It is 

called guerrilla warfare, 

as you never know 

when the guerrilla will 

strike. But whenever 

they strike, the military 

have always been up to 

the task. It is not easy to 

fight such a war, because 

people who strike and 

run away, strike and run 

away, you can’t catch 

It has happened 

before, the youths 

should stop 

making 

themselves 

cannon fodders 

them. But if it is a total war between a 

group and another group, and that group 

is coming from somewhere or located 

somewhere, there is no way they can 

suppress the Nigerian military. Nigerian 

military is strong, very strong. They are 

doing their best. But for them, they could 

have since over run Abuja. We must know 

that what is happening in Nigeria is not 

total war. It is just some angry, hungry 

people who are just striking anywhere 

they like, whenever they like, not predetermined. 

The only problem the military 

is having now is that in some areas in 

Niger State, they have come to occupy 

places, about four wards. And they are 

collecting taxes, forcing teenage girls to 

marry even at the age of 12 years. I think 

the intelligence community has just heard 

about this and, in a few weeks, one is sure 

they will wipe them out of there. 


•Ebigwei 

The killings in Benue, Plateau, 

and southern Kaduna State create 

a genocidal mantra. What do you 

say? 

In the cases you mentioned, some 

people are calling it ethnic cleansing to 

acquire grazing land. This is where the 

government should come in to settle all 

the warring parties. You know the desert 

is encroaching very fast and the herders 

themselves are looking for grazing fields 

for their cattle. It is the job of the 

government to tell them: open grazing 

destroys the environment. Why are they 

running away from where they were 

before? It is because they have used their 

cattle to eat up grasses or foliage where 

they were grazing. The foliage, the grass 

are gone, cattle destroys the trees, the 

grass. Wherever there are open grazing, 

you are inviting desert encroachment, and 

that is why the Federal Government will 

stop supporting open grazing, instead 

they must support ranching. The cattle in 

Nigeria is not up to the cattle in 

Netherlands, or the cattle in Brazil, or 

Argentina, but those people are not doing 

open grazing because they know it is 

dangerous to the 

environment. So, the 

Federal Government or the 

forces that be must call 

these cattle rearers to order, 

educate them, teach them. 

We are not in the Middle 

Ages, we are in the 

Modern Age, where the 

population of human 

beings is increasing and 

people need food. And you 

can only get food on fertile 

lands. But if you use the 

cattle to destroy the foliage, 

destroy the crops, destroy 

the farms, what are human 

being going to eat? But if 

they do ranching, settle the 

cattle in one place, seal 

them, they will get fertile 

environment, you can 

extract a lot from the 

ranches: butter, milk, cheese, etc. You can 

get them there for human beings to 

consume. But when you use the animals 

to compete with what human beings are 

eating, there is going to be a clash between 

human beings and those who are grazing 

wrongly. That is what we are facing today. 

The bulk rests on the table of government 

to do the right thing. Educate these 

herders on animal husbandry, livestock, 

etc. Teach them how to do open ranches, 

educate them on ranching. Let them know 

we are no longer in the Middle Ages, 

where you take your cow from one place 

to the other. Now it is sacrosanct in 

Nigeria. And nobody will be happy that 

after planting crops, somebody will bring 

his animal, cattle to come and destroy the 

crops. It means those cows are more 

important than human beings who should 

have benefited from such crops. 

Government should step into it strongly 

without fear or favour, and advice these 

herders to go into ranching instead of open 

grazing. 

South-East governors are not 

competing favourably with other 

elite zones in the country? 

I cannot say the South-East governors 

are incompetent. What I can notice is 

that their political leaders have certain 

interest which is contrary to the interests 

of the masses. They are not speaking with 

one voice,. Was it not a few days ago, all 

the South-South governors met to adopt 

this anti-open grazing thing and also to 

follow up on a joint act on the VAT issue. 

But the South-East did not do that 

because the South-East is not speaking 

with one voice. They are not united, and 

because of that, having the Presidency 

from the South-East will be difficult. The 

campaign is that the South should 

produce the President. It could 

be South-East, South-South, or 

South-West to produce the 

President. Now, only a united 

group can fill that slot. It could 

go to the South-West, because 

they have now adopted Asiwaju 

Bola Tinubu. They have 

adopted him to represent them. 

The South-South has not 

adopted anybody. The South- 

East is not even near to it. They 

are like a single, single broom. 

Others are like a bunch of brooms, so it 

will be difficult for anybody from the 

South-East to get it, but it will be easier 

for the South-West or South-South because 

they are more united, their governors are 

more united. And they appear to be 

speaking with one voice. Even the PDP, is 

zoning it, yet northerners are making it 

point blank that zoning the chairmanship 

to the North does not exclude them from 

the Presidency. If they get the Presidency, 

they can jettison the chairmanship, and 

return it to the South. That is the situation. 

It is a political chess game. 

What is your advice to the youths 

of Igboland? 

My advice to the youths of Igboland is 

that war destroys. In the circumstances, 

diplomacy is the key. You go through 

diplomacy than through war. Because no 

matter how you fight a war, it will always 

need the diplomatic table for the 

solutions. 

The Igbo fought the civil war, many 

people don’t want that again. So, my 

advice to the youths, they should lay 

down their arms and follow the diplomatic 

way. The Igbo now find themselves in a 

dire situation. Many people are being 

killed and they say it is IPOB. IPOB say 

they are not the people doing the killing. 

So, who then is doing the killing? IPOB 

has sworn that they cannot kill an Igbo 

man, so who is doing the killing. So, you 

may have good intentions but evil people 

could hijack such good intentions. I think 

that is what is happening. People hijacked 

IPOB idea. 

They started with Eastern Security 

Network (ESN) idea, to drive away violent 

herders who were killing people and 

raping women in their farms. I think that 

was the essence of the ESN, now many of 

them have been captured and sacked in 

their camps, so where are they 

congregating again to start planning and 

killing people everywhere. These 

unknown gunmen, why can’t security 

forces unmask them, so that the unknown 

gunmen will be known? It was very easy 

to find out the hideouts of the Eastern 

Security Network, it was very easy to 

identify where the IPOB leaders were and 

arrest them, so why is it so difficult to 

identify and arrest these unknown gunmen, 

at least one or two, so that they can confess. 

So there is a lot happening in this country 

and a lot has to do with the truth. So, they 

should not allow this country to be decimated. 

Also the youths should seek a civilised and 

diplomatic channel, not force of arms. Nobody 

fights a government when you are not 

united. It has happened before but it 

failed. So the youths should stop making 

themselves cannon fodders where 

agencies and all sorts of people will 

eliminate them, evil people will come into 

the scene, commit crime and say it is IPOB, 

it is the youths. They should not put 

themselves into such position. They should 

embrace peace and listen to the voice of 

reason.

PAGE 40—SUNDAY Vanguard, DECEMBER 19, 2021 

NDIGBO TORCH 

Ripples over 

ownership of 

Abacha Housing 

Estate in Enugu 


OBINAGU-UGWUOBA village in Oji 

River Local Government Area of Enugu 

State is at loggerhead with Enugu State 

Housing Development Corporation, ESHDC, 

over 50 hectares of ancestral land known as 

Ani Oma. 

The village is alleging that despite the 

Corporation’s knowledge that the site 

designated since 1998 as Abacha Estate in 

Ugwuoba, belonged to Obinagu village of 

Ugwuoba community, government seems 

to be ignorant of several court judgments 

awarding ownership to Obinagu-Ugwuoba 

village. 

The community even cited a letter by 

ESHDC where the corporation 

acknowledged the land belongs to Obinagu 

instead of the other villages of Ugwuoba, 

which the present management of the 

corporation decided to interface with. 

It, however, said whereas it supports 

Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi’s 

developmental strides, it is constrained by 

the fact that its people may not have an 

ancestral home if it vacates the land for a 

proposed housing project by the state 

government. 

The village consequently pleaded with the 

Ugwuanyi administration to first listen to 

its plight before any other consideration. 

Chairman of Obinagu-Ugwuoba village, 

Mr. Onyeka Madubuchi, who disclosed these 

to Sunday Vanguard, said many years ago, 

a man called Uzegbu had a transaction with 

Obinagu village over four plots of land where 

he built his house but later crossed the road, 

along Enugu- Onitsha Expressway, to 

introduce forestry. He added that after 

Uzeagbu died his son and workers started 

laying claims to the land across the road 

that was never sold or given to Uzeagbu. 

According to him, “when we went to court 

in 1991, what the people of Uzegbu did was 

to run to other villages of Ugwuoba such as 

Agolo and Okponu, asking them to become 

their landlord against Obinagu. While in 

court, the Agolo and Okpuno saw that they 

would be defeated and quickly ran to the 

state Housing Development Corporation and 

gave the land to the Housing authority while 

we were in Enugu High court. 

“Following the crisis, our buildings were 

pulled down, crops were destroyed, Obinagu 

village was ejected from the community and 

we went into exile for four good years, 

because our lawyer advised us that if 

anybody died in the struggle for the land, 

government would have enough grounds 

to take over the land. 

“We were still in the High court when in 

1998; the Supreme Court established 

customary courts and our matter was 

transferred to the customary court. By 

November 9, 1998, we got the first 

favourable judgment and the Agolo and 

Okpuno people went back to Justice Ugwu’s 

who quashed their matter and referred it to 

a lower court for hearing at Inyi and at 

Appeal Court, the judgment of the 

customary court was upheld in our favour. 

“We are asking the Housing Development 

Corporation to leave that land for us because 

we don’t have any other place to live. That 

is the only reserved land that we have. These 

other villages are asking for compensation 

because they know that they are not the 

owners of the land. We don’t have any other 

place and if we give the corporation the land 

we won’t have any other place to call home. 

“These other villages intend to eject us from 

Ugwuoba and if Housing takes over that 

land, that means they have succeeded in 

ejecting us from Ugwuoba which they did 

for four years. Enugu State governor should 

help us.” 

In a letter sighted by Sunday Vanguard and 

dated November 10, 2014, ESHDC wrote to 

Obinagu village acknowledging that the land 

belongs to Obinagu and denounced dealings with 

Agolo/Okpuno. 

The people of Obinagu village, therefore, said 

they were alarmed that instead of toeing the 

peaceful path, the present management at 

ESHDC has mobilized different types of machines 

to take over the land. 

“As peaceful and law-abiding people, we have 

commenced contempt proceedings against Mr. 

Chiemerie Agu (Managing Director) and five 

other principal members of ESHDC and 

following the refusal of the Corporation to cease 

their sundry acts of disobedience while the 

contempt proceedings were ongoing, the Court 

was moved to visit the locus in quo and on being 

satisfied that the disobedience is continuing, 

ordered the Corporation to stop further work on 

the land forthwith. 

”Yet, despite the pendency of the contempt 

proceedings, Mr. Chiemerie Agu and his cohorts 

without the consent and/or approval of the people 

of Obinagu village and in total and flagrant 

disobedience to the orders of the Court have 

forcefully entered into the Ani Oma land for the 

second time to resume construction works 

preparatory to the allocation of different portions 

of the Ani Oma land to members of the general 

public,” Madubuchi said on behalf of Obinagu 

village. 

In his reaction, the Managing Director of 

ESHDC, Mr. Chiemerie Agu , dismissed the 

allegations. 

Agu said; “All the villages in Ugwuoba 

including Okpuno, Agolo, Eziachi, Anaocha and 

Nkpoga are beckoning on the state government 

to hurry up and develop the land while few people 

from Obinagu are busy trying to lay exclusive 

bogus claim over the entire land and at the same 

time tampering with the buildings which were 

erected by the Corporation. However, 

irrespective of all the distractions and the 

frivolities coming from self-acclaimed 

community leaders, the Corporation is willing 

to listen to the genuine grievances of the bonafide 

people of Obinagu as part of our host 

communities.” 

Agu maintained that the Corporation was 

determined to spread housing development to 

rural areas including Oji River and other places 

but for interferences such as the Obinagu matter 

and warned that the Corporation shall not 

hesitate to employ legal action against people 

with criminal intention if they fail to desist from 

such acts. 

Counsel to Obinagu village, Okwuchukwu 

Ugollo Jnr, noted that it was the refusal of the 

ESHDC to obey the judgments of court that made 

the village to serve contempt proceedings 

against five officials of the agency, including the 

Managing Director. 

“The essence is to commit them to prison 

because they have no legal backing in what 

they are doing. What they are doing is absolutely 

illegal. They shouldn’t have been there in the 

first place because the land was given to them 

by people who have lost their court cases. So the 

ESHDC shouldn’t have been there abinito. The 

foundation with which they were vested the 

land was faulty and somebody who has nothing 

cannot give you anything,” Ugollo added. 

Jombo in spotlight as Abiriba 

rewards patriotism, philanthropy 

By Steve Oko 

ecently, the paramount ruler of Abiriba 

Rkingdom, HRM Eze Kalu Kalu Ogbu 

IV (Enachioken Abiriba), marked his 21 

years on the throne in a grand style. 

It was a carnival of sorts as the event also 

marked the monarch’s 30th marriage 

anniversary and recent call to bar as well as 

conferment of chieftaincy titles to deserving 

illustrious sons and friends of Abiriba 

kingdom. 

Abiriba kindred was part of the original 

Igbo tribe that lived in the Niger Confluence 

area (present-day Kogi State) from where 

they migrated to Ena in Cross River State 

before settling in their present location at 

Abiriba in Ohafia Local Government Area 

of Abia State about 1472 ( over 600 years 

ago). Abiriba, an achievement-oriented 

society, is arguably, the most urbanised 

mono-community in Igboland with a sizable 

chunk of billionaires, and the largest 

number/concentration of modern houses 

only akin to few major cities in the country. 

Unlike many communities where 

chieftaincy title is indiscriminately conferred 

to the highest bidder, chieftaincy title from 

Abiriba kingdom is highly cherished as the 

Enachioken is not generous with such an 

honour. In fact, since he ascended the throne 

in 2000, the current Enachioken Abiriba has 

conferred chieftaincy title to only four 

persons, two among them are former 

governors. 

For Enachioken, conferment of the title 

must be to deserving illustrious personalities 

who must have truly impacted lives in 

different ways. 

Abiriba kingdom was locked down at this 

year’s event as “eminent and resourceful 

men of impact from within and outside the 

kingdom who have variously made 

From left: Former Super Eagles star, Kanu Nwankwo (2nd left); High 

Chief Kelvin Jumbo Onuma (middle); Rep Uko Nkole (2nd right); and other 

guests at Onuma's home after receiving the chieftaincy title of Igurube 

Abiriba ancient kingdom. Photo by Steve Oko. 

individual and collective efforts that served 

and promoted the overall good and 

development of the kingdom in particular, 

or society at large” were recognised and 

honoured with the prestigious Abiriba 

chieftaincy titles. 

The recognition was an open 

acknowledgment and appreciation of such 

noble efforts, and encouragement for more 

work and a challenge for others to emulate 

them. One of the illustrious sons of the 

kingdom in the spotlight at the glamorous 

event was Chief Kelvin Jombo Onumah 

whose philanthropic gestures and 

patriotism have endeared him to many 

hearts beyond Abiriba kingdom. 

Kelvin, who lost his father at a very young 

age was not born with a silver spoon but 

strongly believes in hard work and 

enterprise, a philosophy that has paid off in 

his success story. 

He has a business conglomerate with 

major interest in importation, real estate 

development, and hospitality, among 

others. He provides employment 

opportunities for many people. 

According to Enachioken, the young 

philanthropist was recognised for his 

passion for humanity and quest to give back 

to society through his Kelvin Jombo 

Foundation that has sponsored several 

people-oriented and communitydevelopment 

projects. 

Some of his outstanding gestures that 

caught the fancy of the throne include the 

reconstruction of Abiriba weekly market 

(Afia Nkwo); building of Ndi Erem Abiriba 

Civic Centre; construction of Ndi Erem Link 

Road with solar-powered street lights; and 

the electrification of Abiriba-Ohafia Federal 

Road with street light which has helped to 

reduce the rate of crime on the road. 

Others according to the organisers of the 

event were the provision of palliative items 

to the people during the outbreak of Covid- 

19 pandemic; scholarship scheme and free 

medical missions; and his sponsorship of 

over 60 Abiriba youths abroad for greener 

pastures. 

In his response to the encomiums on him 

at the event, Onumah also known as Abiriba 

First Son, who was conferred with the 

Igurube Abiriba chieftaincy, promised to 

dedicate his life to changing more lives. 

“ All we live for in life is to touch other 

lives, and to help make society a better 

place”, he declared. 

Other eminent personalities honoured at 

the event include the Senate Minority 

Leader, Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe (Aturu 

Mang Abiriba); Abia Deputy Governor, Ude 

Oko Chukwu ( Ikirike Oku Abiriba); and 

Senator Istifanus Gyang, (Oke Amadi 

Abiriba - Great hero of Abiriba). 

Recognised also were Uko Nkole, a 

lawmaker representing Arochukwu/Ohafia 

Federal Constituency; Commissioner for 

Trade and Investment, Chief Okiyi Kalu ( 

Nwa Ndugbom Abiriba); and Chief Ireke 

Agbaeze Onuma. 

The event was attended by prominent 

Nigerians including the Lamido of Akko, 

Gombe State, HRM Dr. Umar Mohammad 

Atiku; legendary soccer star, Kanu 

Nwankwo; and the Igbo distinguished 

monarch, HRM Igwe Chukwudi Atunna, 

Igwe Nkume Akaji Ofo Nri of Enugwu- 

Ukwu among others.

IMO KILLINGS: 18 arrested suspects just exposed 

sponsors -—- Uzodinma 


Governor Hope Uzodimma, 

yesterday, said 18 suspects 

arrested by security 

agencies have given dependable 

evidence on sponsors of 

killings in Imo State, adding 

that their names will be reeled 

out on January 3, 2022. 

The governor disclosed this 

in Owerri while addressing 

elected officials of the All Progressives 

Congress, APC, in 

the state. 

According to Uzodimma, 

the names of the sponsors 

will be made known during 

Imo stakeholders meeting in 

January. 

“APC is the party in power 

in Imo State and remains the 

party to beat and, as such, this 

government will not shy away 

from supporting the party that 

created the government”, he 

said. 

“We will grow the party. The 

party will be involved in my 

History as 

Warri starts 

new festival, 

Ghigho Aghofen 

H 

istory was made in 

Warri as the maiden 

edition of Ghigho Aghofen 

took place in the ancient kingdom. 

The new festival in English 

means ‘Palace watch’ and 

mirrors England’s ‘Changing 

of Guards’ ceremony. 

The festival saw members 

of communities including 

Ireju, Igbo and Benin showcasing 

their “wealth of art 

and culture through dance, 

fashion and food”. 

The occasion was attended 

by the Olu of Warri, Ogiame 

Atuwatse III, his chiefs, notable 

Itsekiri sons and daughters, 

and representatives of 

some ethnic groups across the 

Nigeria. 

Governor Ifeanyi Okowa 

was represented by Mr 

Lawrence Ejiofor, Delta State 

Commissioner for Culture 

and Tourism. 

Also in attendance were 

former Governor Emmanuel 

Uduaghan and Senator 

James Manager. 

Ogiame Atuwatse III had 

earlier, yesterday, announced 

the introduction of the new 

festival into Warri Kingdom. 

The announcement, published 

via the Olu of Warri’s 

Instagram page, read, “For 

the first time in the history of 

the Itsekiri Kingdom, the Olu 

of Warri, His Majesty, 

Ogiame Atuwatse III, has introduced 

a new festival into 

the Warri Kingdom scheduled 

to hold December 18, 

2021, 

“Ghigho Aghofen (also 

known as The Palace Watch) 

is a ceremony that ushers in 

one of the indigenous Itsekiri 

communities to keep watch 

over the Kingdom, reminiscent 

of England’s ‘Changing 

of Guards’ ceremony - this 

time more radiant and colourful”. 

According to the statement 

the event would see members 

of individual communities 

showcasing their “wealth of 

art and culture through 

dance, fashion and food.” 

It added, “The Kingdom’s 

over 500-year-old history and 

the brimming potential of the 

local populace provides the 

backdrop for this event to become 

the first of its kind ever 

to be held in the Kingdom of 

Warri.” 

government. We will support 

the party that created the 

government. 

“Elected APC officials 

should consider it a rare privilege 

that they were elected 

by their people to serve them, 

hence they owe God a lot of 

gratitude. 

“The opposition has been 

plotting so much evil against 

APC members and their leaders 

and this encouraged the 


party faithful to be at alert. 

“My government will do 

all within its powers to ensure 

that Imo is safe and that anyone 

working to destabilise the 

system or encouraging criminality, 

no matter how highly 

placed, is made to face the full 

wrath of the law. 

“Let me say that two councilors 

were recently killed and 

those who killed them have 

been arrested and they have 

owned up to the crime. 

“18 persons are now in custody 

in connection with different 

dimensions of crimes 

against the people and they 

have also given dependable 

evidence about their sponsors. 

“Don’t be intimidated. So 

long as I remain governor in 

this state, they will face the 

law. We have evidence of those 

who are behind the insecurity 

based on information from 

the suspects. By January 3, 

2022, when I will hold Imo 

stakeholders meeting I will 

reel out their names one after 

the other with the evidence 

of their role.” 

From left: Prince Arthur Eze, Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi of Enugu State and the Senator 

representing Anambra Central Senatorial District, Iyom Uche Ekwunife, during the 30th 

Ukpo Ofala Celebration, where Gov. Ugwuanyi and Sen. Ekwunife were conferred with the 

Chieftaincy titles of "Ifezulumba" and "Ifekalaedo" respectively, by His Majesty, Igwe Dr. 

Robert C. Eze (Okofia VI) the Eze Ukpo and Clan Head of Dunukofia Ancient Kingdom, 

Anambra State, held at Dunukofia Palace, Ukpo, yesterday. 

Metropolitan Senior Pastor of the House on the Rock Church, Pastor 

Paul Adefarasin, and his wife, Pastor Ifeanyi Adefarasin with beneficiaries 

of the annual Spread Project of the HOTR Church in Lagos, yesterday. 

Osinbajo, Lawan, Mustapha, others grace installation of 

Buhari’s son as Talban of Daura 


Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, 

Senate President, Ahmad 

Lawan, Chief of Staff 

to the President, Prof. Ibrahim 

Gambari, Secretary to 

the Government of the Federation, 

SGF, Boss Mustapha 

among others on Saturday, 

witnessed the turbaning 

ceremony of Yusuf Buhari, 

the President’s son as 

the Talban Daura and District 

Head in Daura, Katsina 

State. 

A statement by the Senior 

Special Assistant to the President 

on Media and Publicity, 

Office of the Vice President, 

Laolu Akande said the 

ceremony was well-attended 

by dignitaries from 

across the country. 

Speaking at the occasion, 

the Emir of Daura, Alhaji 

Dr. Umar Farouk 

Umar, praised President 

Muhammadu Buhari for 

his leadership qualities, 

adding that power belongs 

to God. 

The Emir disclosed that 

the Daura Emirate Council 

decided to honour Mr. President 

and his family with 

the traditional title being 

conferred on Yusuf Muhammadu 

Buhari, especially 

since being President, 

he won’t be able to take any 

other title. 

Commending both the 

state and federal governments, 

the traditional 

ruler said Katsina State 

government has been working 

hard to end the difficulties 

of the masses. 

He added that Daura has 

been transformed under the 

leadership of the President, 

lauding him for the developmental 

strides witnessed 

so far. 

Regarding the Vice President, 

the Emir of Daura 

said: “We extend our appreciation 

to His Excellency, 

the representative of the 

president. He, the VP, is a 

nobleman who keeps his 

promises and a trustworthy 

person who has so much 

patience and knows what to 

United Nigeria Airline begins scheduled 

flights to Anambra airport 

By Vincent Ujumadu, 

Awka 

nited Nigeria Airline 

Uowned by billionaire 

businessman, Dr. Obiorah 

Okonkwo, began scheduled 

commercial flights at the new 

Anambra Airport yesterday, 

thus becoming the second airline 

operating regularly at the 

airport. 

Five airlines have already 

indicated interest to operate 

at the airport and are already 

setting up their counters there. 

Chief Operating Officer 

and Executive Director of 

United Nigeria Airline, Maxi 

Osita Okonkwo, who monitored 

the inaugural flight, 

said at the airport that his 

company was happy to serve 

Anambra people. 

He said: "We give glory and 

honour to God for making it 

possible for us to land here 

today being our inaugural 

flight. This is the beginning 

of many more flights to 

come. 

"There are flights to Abuja 

and Lagos and we intend to 

operate daily flights in and 

out of the Anambra Airport. 

"It's been a long journey for 

Ndi Anambra and also for us 

to see today and we thank 

God for that. So, what I am 

telling Ndi Anambra is to get 

ready for us. 

"Traveling out of Anambra 

or into Anambra will become 

easier and more lucrative as 

the days go by. Today is our 

inaugural flight and we're 

glad we have done it successfully. 

Why Osibanjo should declare for 

2023 presidency — APC group 


Pro- All Progressives 

Congress, APC, group, 

under the National Coalition 

Group, NCG, yesterday, said 

the Vice President of Nigeria, 

Yemi Osibanjo, should quickly 

declare his intention to run 

for the 2023 presidential election 

because he has what it 

takes to to solve the challenges 

facing the country. 

The group made the call in 

Owerri, through the National 

Secretary, Eberechukwu 

DibËa, at the end of its meeting. 

To achieve this, they said: 

“We will mobilize State Governors, 

past and present National 

Assembly members, 

and elected All Progressives 

Congress (APC) executives 

across the nation, to ensure 

that Osibanjo emerges the 

presidential standard-bearer 

of the ruling party and elect- 

Kebbi College of Nursing gets NBTE 

accreditation 

By Haruna Aliyu 

The National Board for 

Technical Education 

(NBTE), has approved 

the accreditation of all 

the courses being offered by 

the Kebbi State College of 

Nursing. 

The Provost of the college, 

Malam Murtala Muhammad, 

disclosed this in a chat 

with Sunday Vanguard. 

According to him, the accreditation 

came after the 

visit of the officials of NBTE 

who found the courses and 

staff strength of the health institution 

worthy of accreditation. 

Recall that the state government 

had recently upgraded 

the School of Nursing and 

Midwifery to College of 

Nursing to enable it to award 

National Diploma, ND, and 

degree equivalent. 

Accredited courses include 

Nursing, Midwifery and Post 

Basic of Nursing, currently 

being run by the college. 

Muhammad, who denied 

rumours of inadequate classes, 

stated that three blocks of 

classrooms were recently built 

in the institution to accommodate 

more students in the 

college. 

Gunmen abduct APC youth leader in 

Delta 

By Tunde Oso 

The Youth Leader of the 

All Progressives Congress 

(APC) in Uvwie Local 

Government Area of Delta 

State, Mr. Christopher 

Omashaye has been abducted 

by men, who were dressed 

in police uniform. 

Mr. Edafe Omashaye, 

younger brother to 

Omashaye, the youth leader 

while addressing newsmen 

yesterday in Asaba, the state 

capital, said his brother, who 

hailed from Ekpan axis of the 

Local Government Area and 

other APC members wanted 

to hold an LGA meeting of 

the party somewhere at Airport 

Road, when some unknown 

gunmen came from 

nowhere shooting sporadically 

at them which made everybody 

to run for his dear life 

and in the process Mr. 

ed President subsequently. 

“Osibanjo has demonstrated 

the sort of leadership ability 

and experience needed to 

pilot Nigeria affairs at this 

time of her history. Osibanjo’s 

enviable wisdom, vibrancy, 

and humility, a better future 

were possible for Nigeria, 

adding that the Igbo are 

in support of an Osibanjo 

presidency.” 

They added that for the first 

time in the history of the state, 

“Osibanjo was in Owerri to 

flag off the 29th edition of the 

National Micro, Small and 

Medium Enterprises (NMS- 

ME) Clinics, the first in the 

State. The NCG, led by Paul 

Uche which is a pro-APC 

group made up of civil society 

groups, non-governmental 

organizations, ethnic 

movements including Arewa 

and Ohanaeze, we’re all witnesses.” 

Nathaniel Emeka was hit 

and Omashaye whisked 

away by the men who were 

dressed in police uniform. 

As at the time of filing this 

report the whereabouts of Mr. 

Christopher Omashaye and 

Nathaniel Emeka are unknown 

and no contact has 

been established with their 

families by those who kidnapped 

them. 

The Ekpan axis of Uvwie 

Local Government Area, 

where both men hail from is 

a stronghold of the People’s 

Democratic Party PDP and 

APC and the area has been a 

flashpoint of crises with regular 

clashes between supporters. 

Efforts to get the reaction 

of Delta State Police Command 

were unsuccessful as 

calls placed to the line of the 

Command PRO, DSP Bright 

Edafe line were not picked up 

nor returned at press time. 

Delta celebrates Prof. Ukala's life 

and literary works Dec 20 

The Universities Man 

agement Council of the 

three universities established 

by Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa-led Delta 

State government would 

tomorrow celebrate the Life 

and Literary Works of late 

Professor Emeritus Sam 

Ukala at the Nnebisi Hall, 

Grand Hotel, Asaba. 

Before his death on September 

14, 2021, Ukala, a 

Professor of Theatre Arts, was 

member, Universities Management 

Council of the Dennis 

Osadebey University, Asaba, 

University of Delta, Agbor 

and the Delta State University 

of Science and Technology, 

Ozoro. He was also 

Member of the Delta State 

Advisory and Peace Building 

Council. 

The event, to be attended by 

Governor Ifeanyi Okowa as 

Special Guest of Honour 

with Prof. Sam Oyovbaire as 

Chairman of occasion will 

feature "Iredi War", a play 

written by Sam Ukala which 

won for the Late Professor the 

Nigerian LNG prize for Literature 

in 2014. Cultural 

dances from various ethnic 

groups in Delta State would 

form part of the ceremony in 

honour of Ukala who formulated 

folkism as a literary theory. 

A Sam Ukala Foundation 

will be inaugurated to oversee 

his interests and promote 

his ideals. The royal father of 

the day will be the Obi of 

Mbiri, HRM Obi Ifeanyi Alekwe 

while Dr. Sam Ojogbo, 

President, Ika Grammar 

School Old Boys Association, 

Agbor will serve as Guest of 

honour.

PAGE 42, SUNDAY VANGUARD, DECEMBER 19, 2021 

Viewpoint At 59, Saraki storms Kwara to cater for health needs 

By Yusuph 

Olaniyonu 

TODAY, there will be no 

drumming, dancing or 

partying. The day will, as usual, 

be devoted to prayers and 

enjoying the company of family, 

friends and well-wishers. 

However, as it is the tradition with 

his family, the 59th birthday of 

Dr. Abubakar Bukola Saraki will 

witness a new development in 

Ilorin, Kwara State capital. 

The celebrator’s foundation 

known as Abubakar Bukola Saraki 

Foundation will collaborate with 

the Kwara Health Insurance 

Agency and the Ilorin Emirate 

Youth Development Association 

(IEYDA) to launch an Access to 

Health Insurance Programme in 

Ilorin. The event will see 1, 000 

people being sponsored and 

uploaded into the state health 

insurance programme as 

beneficiaries. The Saraki 

Foundation will pay the premium 

on their behalf for a period 

between one to five years, 

depending on the category they 

fall into. 

The first category is the people 

who ordinarily cannot afford to 

pay for the programme. These 

people will have five years 

premium paid on their behalf. 

The second category of people is 

those living on the threshold of 

poverty. They will enjoy the 

policy for three to four years 

without paying the premium 

which has been paid on their 

behalf by the Foundation. The 

people in the third category are 

those experiencing temporary 

financial difficulties. Two years 

premium will be paid on their 

behalf. This is done in the hope 

that before the expiration of the 

premium, they would have 

recovered financially and been 

Tajudeen Kareem & 

Emeka Nwankpa 

THE outbreak and aftermath of 

COVID-19 pandemic are 

sufficient lessons to the world that 

human health matters, and that 

adequate health financing is at the 

core of good life and livelihood to all. 

The pandemic which is still raging 

across the world should serve as the 

shot- in- the-arm for responsible 

governments which truly care 

about their people. 

Health matters indeed. No wonder 

comprehensive health insurance 

has come to stay as a major means of 

financing health care and 

guaranteeing global peace and 

order. 

In the United Kingdom, for 

example, the health insurance 

system is governed by National 

Health Services, NHS, which aims 

to publicly fund the health care 

companies in all different parts of the 

country. 

Available statistics by the World 

Health Organization indicate that 

government funding covers 85% of 

health care expenditure in the UK 

while the remaining 15% is covered 

by the private sector. The NHS is a 

state-funded system that guarantees 

health care for all. In other words, 

every service ranging from medical 

ambulance, emergency ward 

round, regular medical check-up, 

minor or complex surgery to 

radiation and chemotherapy, are 

free. They are paid for with payroll 

taxes. 

In addition, every medication at 

the hospital is free just as the cost of 

most prescription drugs at a 

pharmacy is cheap and affordable. 

Private health care is paid out-ofpocket 

or through private insurance 

coverage, but only a small minority 

of residents opt for it. 

The health care system in South 

Africa is called the National Health 

Insurance, NHI, which is a health 

financing system. It is designed to 

pool funds to provide access to quality 

affordable personal health services 

•Saraki 

able to take up the payment of the 

premium, after experiencing the 

benefits. 

The fourth category can afford 

the insurance premium but they 

are ignorant of the benefits. These 

include traders in the various 

markets, artisans, commercial 

vehicle drivers, and 

motorcyclists. Only a one-year 

premium will be paid for 

beneficiaries in this category. The 

plan is to use the one year of the 

free access to the insurance 

scheme to introduce them to the 

benefits and the importance of 

such a Programme which will 

give them access to basic health 

care, at no cost. 

This programme is a new 

method of celebrating a birthday 

and a fresh perspective into 

giving back to one’s community. 

In a society where people die of 

small ailments like malaria, 

cholera, and other uncomplicated 

diseases whose treatment can be 

handled in primary health care 

centres and covered by basic 

health insurance policies, the 

Universal Health Insurance 

Programme is the way to go. 

That is why as governor of 

Kwara State, Saraki introduced 

the Community Health Insurance 

Scheme (CHIS) to make quality 

healthcare services readily 

available, accessible, acceptable, 

and affordable to the majority of 

Kwarans, most of whom live in the 

organisations involved in healthrelated 

issues across the world and 

has sponsored many projects 

across Nigeria, and most 

especially Kwara State. Mrs. 

Saraki has won numerous awards 

and high-profile nominations 

into global bodies. She is a twoterm 

Global Goodwill Ambassador 

for the International Conference 

of Midwives and Nurses. Named 

Global Champion of Universal 

Health Coverage at the Universal 

Health Coverage Forum in Tokyo, 

the WBFA founder is Special 

Advisor to the Independent 

Advisory Group of the World 

Health Organisation’ Regional 

Office for Africa. She is a partner 

with Johnson & Johnson and the 

Centre for Maternal and 

Newborn. 

Also, this gesture of sponsoring 

insurance policies for less 

privileged people creates a tieback 

and appreciation of one of the 

numerous and enduring 

programmes, policies, and 

projects initiated by Saraki as 

Governor over one and halfdecade 

ago. 

Saraki has always been 

passionate about public health 

and the health of ordinary 

citizens. It is the reason why the 

8th Nigerian Senate he led 

included a clause in the 2018 

appropriations Bill that 

guaranteed that one percent of the 

Consolidated Revenue Fund 

would be used to fund primary 

healthcare across the country. 

That action was to activate, for 

the first time, the provision of the 

National Health Act, 2014. 

Apart from this bold measure, 

the 8th Senate under Saraki 

passed 16 other health-related 

Bills which were aimed at 

making a beneficial impact in the 

life of Nigerians. Such Bills 

include the National Health 

NHS: Garki Hospital’s PPP model as booster 

for all South Africans based on their 

health needs, irrespective of their 

socio-economic status. This means 

that every citizen has a right to access 

comprehensive healthcare services 

free of charge at the point of use at 

accredited health facilities such as 

clinics, hospitals and private health 

practitioners. 

The NHI started in 2012. The 

public sector is state-funded and 

caters to 71% of the population. The 

private sector is largely funded 

through individual contributions to 

medical aid schemes or health 

insurance serving about 27% of the 

population. 

In Nigeria, the Federal 

Government in an effort to subsidize 

and provide effective health 

financing to Nigerians has put in 

place a 10-year strategic plan to 

provide full health insurance 

coverage by 2030 going by the 

projections of the National Health 

Insurance Scheme, NHIS. 

The NHIS was established in 2005 

to provide easy and affordable access 

to health care to Nigerians. Today, 

it covers only about 10% of the 

population, mostly civil servants 

who still complain of poor service 

delivery thereby leaving the 

vulnerable population to 

unaffordable health care services. 

This raises the need for a 

comprehensive health care service 

that enables Nigerians plug into a 

national social health insurance net 

to accelerate the drive towards 

achieving Universal Health 

Coverage for all Nigerians. 

Adopting the PPP model 

A novel mechanism known as the 

Public Private Partnership, PPP, 

model has become synonymous 

with Garki Hospital, Abuja, where 

excellent, affordable and peopleoriented 

medical services have been 

efficiently developed. It provides a 

beacon of hope for the critical mass 

of Nigerians in need of adequate 

health care, at least for residents of 

rural areas. Under the scheme, 

39, 676 people initially enrolled 

and they only paid an annual fee 

of N300 a year. The scheme was 

a tripartite arrangement with the 

Dutch Government represented 

by PharmAccess, and another 

private sector healthcare 

company. This initiative has since 

been sustained by subsequent 

administrations in the state. 

The Programme being 

launched today to celebrate the 

former governor of the state, 

former Senate President of 

Nigeria, and Waziri Ngeri of Ilorin 

as part of his birthday 

anniversary have different 

symbolisms. First, it is a service 

to humanity for which the Sarakis 

are known. Starting from his late 

grandfather, Alhaji Mutairu 

Saraki to his dad, the famous 

Second Republic Senate Leader 

and late Waziri of Ilorin, Dr. 

Abubakar Olusola Saraki, and his 

siblings, the family tradition has 

always been to care for the less 

privileged and use their resources 

to improve the lot of others. For 

this family, philanthropy and 

service to the community are 

generational values and virtues. 

Another symbolism is embedded 

in the Saraki family being well 

known as health care providers. 

Apart from the fact that today’s 

celebrator is about to produce the 

third generation of medical 

doctors in his family with one of 

his twin daughters doing very 

well in the medical college, his 

wife, Barrister Toyin Saraki is the 

founder of the WellBeing 

Foundation-Africa, a nongovernmental 

organisation 

devoted to improved maternal, 

newborn and child health care 

across the continent. 

The foundation which was set up 

in 2003 is engaged in a 

partnership with many 

NHIS has worked 

assiduously 

towards 

engendering value 

re-orientation to 

make the scheme 

credible 

Abuja. This model has been found 

reliable and stress-free since its 

inception in 2007. 

The hospital has earned an 

enviable reputation as a multispecialty 

hospital, equipped with 

state-of-the-art facilities backed by 

a wide range of expertise and skilled 

personnel providing specialized and 

general care, in-patient and outpatient 

services. Many now reckon 

it as a living example of successful 

evidence-based public-privatepartnership 

in the health sector. 

The Executive Secretary of NHIS, 

Prof. Mohammed Nasir Sambo, 

during a recent visit to the hospital, 

extolled the PPP model as a 

manifestation of efficient 

management of human and 

material resources, promising to 

partner with the hospital on its costeffective 

method for delivering 

healthcare services. 

The Medical Director of Garki 

Hospital, Dr. Adamu Onu identified 

areas of improvement for Nigeria’s 

health insurance scheme to include 

proper documentation of 

beneficiaries and their records as 

well as standardization to streamline 

areas of insurance coverage. 

Recall that Garki hospital was 

accredited by the NHIS in 2008. It 

currently boasts of one of the largest 

numbers of NHIS enrolees in the FCT 

apart from the fact that it is the only 

PPP arrangement that accepts 

secondary referrals from other 

facilities. 

The hospital is also the only facility 

that carries out specialized surgery 

under the NHIS scheme including 

Hip & Knee replacement surgery 

and endoscopic procedures for 

gynaecological procedures. 

The hospital, located in the heart 

of Garki, one of Abuja’s high oldest 

districts with a high population 

density is with constant water and 

power supply. It has over 187,000 

patients registered on Electronic 

Medical Record application, 33,906 

NHIS enrolees spread across 55 

Health Maintenance Organizations, 

HMO. 

Under the FCT Health Service 

Scheme, the hospital attends to 

8,139 enrolees from 3 HMOs while 

its Private Health Insurance 

Scheme has 1,831 enrolees spread 

across 35 organizations, providing 

corporate services to 10,502 persons 

from 16 registered organizations. 

Dr. Onu disclosed that the 

hospital’s highly effective scheme is 

driven by its open and transparent 

billing system which ensures that 

no patient waits for more than 30 

minutes before seeing a doctor. 

The hospital has received no fewer 

than two million patients and 

encountered more than 40 open 

heart surgeries and 26 kidney 

transplants including over 100 hip 

and knee joint replacement 

surgeries. It conducts training in 

family medicine, obstetrics and 

gynaecology, paediatrics, 

anaesthesia, assisted reproductive 

technology, nursing services and invitro 

fertilization. 

He also said that the hospital is a 

pioneer in the use of electronic 

medical record application on all 

facets of healthcare and has been 

operating a paperless system since 

2016. It is fully self-sustaining under 

the PPP arrangement and has 

continuous operation 24 hours a 

day, seven days a week with no strikes 

or interruptions in service. 

Challenges of the scheme 

Insurance Act 2003 (repeal and reenactment) 

Bill 2016, FCT Health 

Insurance Agency (establishment, 

etc) Bill 2018, FCT Primary Health 

Care Board (Establishment, etc) Bill 

2018, Environmental Health 

Officers (Registration, etc) Act 

(Amendment) Bill 2016, Dangerous 

Drugs Act (Amendment Bill 2016) 

and FCT Hospitals Management 

Board (Establishment, etc) Bill 

2016. 

Other health-related Bills passed 

by the 8th Senate under Saraki’s 

leadership include the 

Compulsory Treatment and Care 

for Victims of Gunshot Act, which 

will save the lives of countless 

Nigerians, in boldly addressing 

the reluctance of hospitals to treat 

victims of gun violence, National 

Centre for Disease Control and 

Prevention (Establishment, etc) 

2018, Counterfeit and Fake Drugs 

and Unwholesome Processed Foods 

(Miscellaneous Provision) 

(Amendment) Bill, as well as six 

other bills establishing healthrelated 

tertiary institutions, 

professional regulatory and 

training institutions. 

For Saraki, a medical doctor who 

found himself in banking, 

business, and later, politics, one of 

the best ways to reconnect with 

his profession is taking very 

seriously the issue of access to 

efficient healthcare services for 

the majority of the people and that 

is why as Governor, senator, and 

Senate President, advocating for 

universal health care and Basic 

Health insurance programme are 

issues dear to his heart. 

Continue: 

www.vanguardngr.com 

•Olaniyonu is Head of 

Abubakar Bukola Saraki 

Media Office, Abuja. 

Prof. Sambo has described the ills 

of health insurance scheme in 

Nigeria as “systemic”, contending 

that it urgently requires a complete 

paradigm shift to change the 

narratives. He explained that the 

NHIS has worked assiduously 

towards engendering value reorientation 

to make the scheme 

credible and result-oriented. He 

added that it was very important to 

entrench transparency and 

accountability in the entire 

operations of the national health 

insurance scheme as well as 

introducing many initiatives to 

accelerate the attainment of 

universal coverage. 

Panel of Inquiry 

In a bid to deliver quality health 

care to Nigerians, a Presidential 

Committee last year examined all 

governance issues bedevilling the 

scheme ranging from 

administration, financial 

management to procurement. 

The Secretary to the Government 

of the Federation, Boss Mustapha, 

while receiving the report of the 

committee, noted with 

disappointment indiscipline in some 

government parastatals even as he 

expressed government’s intolerance 

of corrupt practices among public 

officers. 

“I receive this report with deep 

sense of appreciation and I assure you 

that the report would be 

expeditiously processed for 

implementation, let me also assure 

you that the decision of government 

on the recommendation will be 

made public at the appropriate 

time”, he said. 

The report highlighted 

recommendations aimed at 

repositioning the scheme and it also 

proffered solutions to the challenges 

hindering the scheme in achieving 

its set objectives. 

Continue online: 

www.vanguardngr.com

By Femi Salako 

THE 33rd president of the 

United States of America, 

Harry S Truman, said, “Men 

make history and not the other 

way around”. The world’s history 

and its future had been greatly 

shaped for the better all thanks to 

the intentional and conscious efforts 

of men who had given themselves 

to growth, men who had 

and have always availed themselves 

the opposite to expand their 

horizon and in the process transforming 

our society for good 

through their valuable contributions 

for progress occurs when courageous, 

skilful leaders seize the opportunity 

to change things for the 

better. 

When it comes to this kind of 

men, Dr.Remi Olabutora, a Senior 

Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), ranks 

tall amongst them. He exhibits a 

great level of consistency and profound 

intellectual curiosity fueled 

by an insatiable appetite for research, 

learning and knowledge 

Remi Peter OLATUBORA graduated 

from the University of Lagos 

Nigeria in 1992 with Bachelor 

of Laws (LL.B) Hons. degree. He 

was called to the Nigerian Bar in 

1993 after having successfully completed 

his Barrister-at-Law (BL) 

programme at the Nigerian Law 

School, Lagos. He started his early 

law practice in Lagos until he was 

elected to Ondo State House of Assembly, 

Nigeria, in 1999 as a Member 

of the Ondo State House of Assembly 

(Parliament). In 2006, he 

obtained his Master of Laws (LL.M) 

degree from Obafemi Awolowo 

University, Ile-Ife, Osun State, Nigeria. 

In 2017, he successfully completed 

his Master of Philosophy of 

Law (M. Phil.) degree in Obafemi 

Awolowo University, Ile-Ife. He is 

currently studying for his Doctor 

of Philosophy (Ph.D) degree in Law 

in Obafemi Awolowo University 

focusing his research on gaps in 

international criminal law enforcement 

in national and international 

criminal courts. His areas 

of specialization include Public 

International Law, International 

Humanitarian Law (IHL), 

and International Criminal Law. 

He served as Attorney-General 

of Ondo State from 2016-2017. He 

represented Ondo State as a delegate 

to the Nigerian Constitutional 

Conference of 2014. 

Added to this, he has also served 

in various capacities as listed below 

Member and Chief Whip, Ondo 

State House of Assembly 1999- 

2003 

SUNDAY VANGUARD, DECEMBER 19, 2021 — PAGE 43 

Viewpoint PETER OLATUBORA: The chronicles of a colossus 

•Olabutora 

Chairman, Ondo State Sports 

Council 2009 -2011 

Commissioner for Natural Resources 

2011 

Commissioner for Education 

October 2011- February 2013 

Commissioner for Adult, Technical 

and Vocational Education 

2013 -2016 

Also, he has written many books 

on Nigerian law. The most famous 

of such books are: 

(a) Electoral Law and Practice 

in Nigeria (2006), 

(b) The Petition of Dr. Olusegun 

Mimiko and Issues in Nigerian 

Election Law and 

© Election Litigation in Nigeria 

(2015). 

He is a member of European Society 

of International Law (ESIL) 

and the Nigeria Bar Association. 

He also teaches Constitutional Law 

and Legal Research Methods in 

Elizade University, Nigeria and 

has contributed many scholarly 

writings to top Nigerian Law Journals. 

Some of such journal articles 

are: 

(a) An Analysis of the Compen- 

sation Provisions of the Land Use 

Act in Comparative Context IJICL 

2016, Part 1 (January –June) 

Prospects and Challenges of Plea 

Bargaining in the Administration 

of Justice in Nigeria IFJR 2016, 

Part 3, (June-July). 

(b) An Examination of the Onus 

of Proof and Rule against Hearsay 

Evidence in Election Petition, 

IFJR, 2017 vol. 11(1) (January- 

April). 

His article on Immunities of 

State Officials and the Challenges 

of the Enforcement of International 

Criminal Law in Foreign Domestic 

Courts has been accepted 

for publication in Elizade University 

Law Journal. It is worthy of 

note that one of his texts titled 

‘Electoral Law and Practice in Nigeria’ 

was listed by the Council of 

Legal Education (Nigerian Law 

School) as a reference text for the 

training of law students at the 

Nigeria Law School. 

Continue: 


•Salako is publisher of Triangle 

News Magazine 

By Lanre Odusile 

CONSUMERS 

are 

increasingly interested in 

living wellness oriented lifestyles. 

This entails their being 

particularly conscious of what 

they put in their bodies- what they 

consume. 

This consciousness covers their 

choices of food, beverages, snacks, 

fruits and other consumables. 

These consumers are closely 

watching calorie intake and the 

nutritional elements in whatever 

they consume 

Data from Symphony Retail (a 

retail analytics company) show 

that health conscious consumers 

now account for 25-30% of all 

grocery customers in the US and 

Europe. 

A study by Food Dive, another 

retail research firm, shows that 

65% of consumers seek functional 

benefits from the foods and 

beverages they eat, with Omega - 

3 fatty acids, green tea, honey, 

green tea, coffee, and probiotics 

ranking among their top five 

preferred ingredients. 

Businesses and governments are 

also making the required 

adjustments to meet this 

increasing consumer demand for 

healthier choices. The 

International Journal of 

Behavioural Nutrition and 

Physical Activity reports that the 

By Allison Abanum 

A 

red ball is unmistakable 

amongst a stack of white 

balls. Such theory is universally 

accepted because of its validity. 

It's inherent characteristics a 

major tool for distinction. From 

one generation to the other, humanity 

is graced with the presence 

of personalities worthy of citing 

analogies parallel to a distinct 

red ball amidst white ones. People 

who stand out amongst a vast 

majority in character, knowledge 

and competence. Step forward 

Chief David Edevbie, three time 

commissioner of finance in Delta 

State. 

Worthy of induction into the 

rare breed of technocrats, Mr. 

Edevbie has indeed paid his dues 

as an important cog in the mechanics 

of nation building. Having 

studiosly applied himself to 

the pursuit of knolwdge and enlightenment, 

his journey has seen 

him submit to learning in some of 

the world's renowned citadels like 

the Harvard and Cardiff buisness 

schools after a profitable time at 

the University of Lagos, making 

him a competent force in economics 

and finance as tools for national 

impact. 

Of course like that distinct red 

HEALTHY LIVING: Healthier alternatives for consumers 

legislation in the 2010 healthcare 

reform bill of the US requires chain 

restaurants to disclose calorie 

information on all menu forms. 

This was occasioned by increased 

enquiries by consumers of calorie 

and carbohydrate content of 

various meals served at 

restaurants. 

Companies have also risen to this 

challenge to satisfy their 

customers and also to partake in 

this ever expanding business 

category. For instance, health 

conscious consumers consider 

plant based foods more healthy 

and the market for plant based 

foods has grown by 11% in the last 

year to a value of $4.5billion, 

according to the Plant Based Food 

Association. 

The case is no different in 

Nigeria. The recent popularity 

and ubiquity of companies 

offering healthy snacks is a clear 

indicator of the growing number 

of health conscious consumers in 

Nigeria. 

Companies in the food and 

beverage sector, for instance, have 

responded to the clamour for 

healthier options as people try to 

redress problems such as obesity 

(including child obesity), diabetes, 

high blood pressure, 

cardiovascular diseases and other 

ailments. 

This has resulted in offerings such 

as low sugar or zero sugar variants 

of some popular beverages, 

including carbonated drinks and 

fruit juices, malt drinks and even 

beers. These options provide 

alternatives to people who are 

consciously seeking out healthier 

food choices as well as others who, 

due to some existing health 

conditions, should refrain from 

taking the regular beverages but 

are unable to abstain. 

Also, adult consumers of 

combustible tobacco, particularly 

cigarettes, are opting for smokefree 

tobacco products such as e- 

cigarettes, heated tobacco 

products (which heat up tobacco 

without burning), nicotine 

pouches, patches, and gums, and 

other reduced risk products. These 

consumers who choose to continue 

to enjoy tobacco products without 

the attendant risks from tobacco 

combustion, thereby mitigating 

any harm that would result from 

tobacco smoke inhalation are able 

to do so because of the availability 

of these alternative products. 

Dairy makers are also not left 

out. Certain people experience 

some measure of incompatibility, 

(sensitivity, allergy, intolerance, 

etc) to dairy products. Many 

people develop lactose intolerance 

as they grow into adulthood 

(lactose is a main component of 

dairy milk). Non-dairy milk had 

long been an option for people with 

lactose intolerance who still desire 

to or are unable to remove milk 

from their diets, with such 

offerings as soya milk, almond 

milk, coconut milk, non-dairy 

coffee creamers and the likes. 

Now dairy milk manufacturers 

have broadened the options as 

they now offer different brands of 

lactose-free dairy milk as well 

milk low in cholesterol. 

Interestingly, this healthier 

brand extension has elicited 

competition among popular milk 

brands. Again, more choices have 

been provided for consumers 

seeking healthier choices or who 

wish to avoid discomfort from 

regular offerings. 

Just as research has shown in 

the US and Europe, the demand 

for organic foods is also on the 

increase in Nigeria as health 

conscious consumers demand 

healthier foods devoid of chemical 

or synthetic additives or 

preservatives. Nigerian 

consumers are also increasingly 

demanding fortified variants of 

regular food products in their quest 

for healthier foods. 

Why do these consumers choose 

these products? It is because they 

want to live healthier lives and 

also reduce any perceived harms 

that may derive from consuming 

the regular offerings. 

This practice is a form of harm 

reduction although in many 

quarters harm reduction is seen 

mostly from the context of drug 

or substance use and abuse. Harm 

reduction indeed should comprise 

the whole concept of improved 

health and wellness for all 

members of society. 

Harm reduction may be 

described as a strategy directed 

toward individuals or groups that 

aims to reduce the harms 

associated with certain 

behaviours. It also seeks to address 

the social and legal impacts 

associated with policies and laws. 

However, more individuals are 

taking up the gauntlet. As they 

have become more aware of 

product science and options for 

healthier living or less risky 

options to regular brands, they are 

personally opting to make the 

switch to their preferred options. 

Continue: 


•Odusile is a public health 

communication specialist 

DELTA 2023: The man with the vision for the people 

His creative 

idea to lure 

foreign 

investment is 

eye catching 

ball, his profile has placed him actively 

in the mix of governance 

for over 20 years with timely 

breaks spent even more note worthy 

on the international scene. 

Having answered the call to play 

his part in the development of Delta 

state in critical moments, Edevbie 

cemented his place as a renowned 

technocrat per excellence. 

Serving as commisoner of finance 

in multiple and successive administrations 

and more recently as the 

immediate past Chief of staff to the 

incubent governor while also having 

successful stints in international 

economics in the Commonwealth 

Development Commission 

(CDC) 

It is safe to assume that someone 

with such an impressive profile 

will at some point entertaining 

that urge that all impact makers 

have. A desire to make impact on 

a greater level and at this point, 

the Governorship of Delta State is 

that next platform in view and 

rightly so. These exactly aren't 

uncharted waters for Chief Edevbie, 

as he tested his mettle with 

the current Governor in the PDP 

primaries leading to the 2015 elections 

in Delta State. Coming a close 

second at the time. Of course it is 

presumed that the circumstances 

at the time made sure that his 

run at the primaries was a viable 

learning curve which will come 

in handy this time around 

Obviously well equipped with 

expertise and experience, he is indeed 

one personality that fits the 

billing come 2023. Like most well 

meaning aspirants to leadership 

positions, Chief Edevbie has taken 

his time to try and enumerate 

some of the excellent plans he has 

for the State. Ultimately aiming 

to transform Delta into a national 

and global developmental beacon 

through industrialisation and economic 

re-positioning, leveraging 

on the great work done by previous 

administrations of which he 

had been integral part. In a recently 

published interview, Chief 

David Edevbie highlighted a 

broad spectrum of his plans and 

blueprint for governing Delta 

State if given the opportunity. 

From a neutral stand point, it's 

hard not to see the Intelligence, 

craftsmanship and workability of 

this blueprint. His offering to 

Deltans as summarised In the proceeding 

paragraph. 

"Good governance is essentially 

the efficient management of resources 

and accountability for the 

stewardship over those resources 

in a people-oriented manner. Development 

is about the people. So, 

our essential goal will be to factor 

the people into every government 

policy. I have done some deep 

thinking and quite a lot of reading 

to conceptualise how Delta State 

can be developed. I took time to 

read the development aspirations 

that drove some of the regions in 

Nigeria in the 1960s" 

"I discovered that similar aspirations 

took Singapore to the 

league of developed nations. Similar 

aspirations took Malaysia and 

Indonesia close to the margins of 

developed nations. I have worked 

in all three countries and others 

that are popularly referred to as 

Asian Tigers. But the case of Nigeria 

has been arrested development. 

I have also looked at contemporary 

global reality and how 

the world is changing regarding 

knowledge and technology-driven 

tendencies. A perfect blending 

of the past with the realities of today 

is what Delta State needs from 

2023" 

A parallel drawn with countries 

like Singapore and indonesia 

shows someone of immense critical 

thinking whilst stil in touch 

with reality. His creative idea to 

lure foreign investment is eye 

catching and is aimed at drawing 

in funds to tap into the vast human 

and natural resources available 

in Delta state and fund a clearly 

defined future vision. 

Continue: 


•Abanum is the Senior Special 

Assistant on Strategic Communication 

and Documentation 

to the Governor of Bayelsa 

State.


God loves Himself more than 

He loves us (1) 

We often include God in our personal 

agendas. For instance, we say: “Give 

me my thing for God’s sake.” Or “Leave me 

alone for Christ’s sake.” 

“Truly, these times of ignorance God overlooked, 

but now commands all men everywhere 

to repent.” (Acts 17:30). 

I had always assumed that God loves us more 

than Jesus because He gave Jesus for us. (John 

3:16). Paul says: “God demonstrates His own 

love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, 

Christ died for us.” (Romans 5:8). 

He says furthermore: “He who did not spare 

His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, 

how shall He not with Him also freely give us 

all things?” (Romans 8:32). 

First love 

However, I have now concluded that I was 

greatly mistaken. God loves Jesus more than 

He loves us. Jesus is God’s first love. 

In Jesus' prayer that we are privileged to overhear, 

He says to God, the Father: “You loved 

Me before the foundation of the world.” (John 

17:24). But when God called me, He spoke to 

me through my own lips and said: “Femi, I 

have loved you from the foundation of the 

world.” 

God’s love for us is everlasting. (Jeremiah 

31:3). But His love for us is from when Jesus 

was slain at the foundation of the world. (Revelation 

13:8). God’s love for Jesus, on the other 

hand, is from everlasting. Indeed, God only 

loves us because of Jesus. It is Jesus that makes 

us accepted in God’s beloved. (Ephesians 1:6). 

That is why, to get anything from God, we 

cannot ask in our own names. We must ask in 

the name of Jesus. Jesus says: “Whatever you 

ask the Father in My name He will give you.” 

God never does anything for us, 

He does all things 

for Himself 

Running with vision unto your success: Managing your energy (6) 

INTRODUCTION 

We introduced this subject of managing 

our emotional energy in the last serial, 

as a positive approach to handling challenges 

we face on our road to success. We shall continue 

with it in this session and see how to turn 

around what looks like stumbling blocks to 

stepping stones. 

SKILLS FOR MANAGING YOUR EMO- 

TIONAL ENERGY 

We mentioned some skills in the last serial 

that are needed in managing our emotional 

energy. These skills are control, awareness, 

communication, catharsis and transformation. 

In this section, we shall be studying these skills 

in greater details for life applications and purpose 

fulfillment. 

Control 

You need to control your emotions during 

times of stress. It is good to hold back your 

emotion rather than hurt someone. Some good 

ways of doing this is to move away from the 

stressful situation to collect yourself. Otherwise, 

you can change the subject to something you 

are more comfortable with in order to give 

time to regain control of yourself. Another way 

of control is to focus on the positive aspects of 

what is going on, even if they are minor. 

Awareness 

Be aware of your own emotions and the extent 

to which they can influence your behavior. 

You can feel more than one emotion at one 

time, and these emotions may be contradictory. 

When you are aware of the kinds of emotion 

you are in, you can selectively control them 

rather than put a blanket repression on all of 

them or express them too freely. This is what 

leads to moodiness, if not properly handled. 

Communication 

Self-disclosure helps to build trust in rela- 

tionships. This 

includes sharing 

your positive feelings, 

revealing 

your vulnerability, 

and giving 

constructive criticism. 

When you 

feel vulnerable, 

ask a relative or 

friend to just listen 

to you while 

Pastor Akinola 

you get the problem 

off your chest. Explain to them that you 

do not expect them to find a solution or say 

anything in particular. Take an interest in 

how other people feel, but do not probe 

farther than the level corresponding to your 

own willingness to share parallel information 

about yourself. Do not criticize, show 

resentment or prejudice when a person is 

talking about his/her feelings. 

Catharsis 

This is a control process of letting go bad 

emotions. Do it safely and at an appropriate 

time. Cry before the Lord and ask Him 

to save you from all your troubles (Psalm 

55:16-17). Thereafter, let off your burdens 

to Jesus and commit to yielding to His leading, 

which will give you rest (Matt. 11:28- 

30). Confess your sins to God, seek His forgiveness 

and healing for your health or any 

areas of your life damaged by the sins. 

(Psalm 32:1-5). Finally, let go of every anxiety, 

pray seriously for breakthrough, and 

ask for the peace of God to guard your heart. 

(Phil. 4:6-7). Keep your eyes constantly on 

the Lord, since you know you cannot handle 

the problem by yourself. (2 Chr. 20:12). 

Transformation 

Now you will begin to transform your 

emotional energy into constructive thought 

or action. Move around physically to un- 

CHRISTMAS: The doctrine of another Jesus! 

THE celebration of “Christ-mas” in remem 

brance of the day Jesus was born, is the 

celebration of another Jesus, which Paul lamented 

in 2 Corinthians 11:4. 

In Revelation 22:18, it is written “For I testify 

unto every man that heareth the words of the 

prophecy of this book, if any man shall add 

unto these things, God shall add unto him the 

plagues that are written in this book.” All men 

of God, who preach that “Christ-mas” celebration 

is the celebration of the day Jesus was 

born, is adding to the books of the bible, and 

the plagues that are written in the bible shall 

be added unto such preachers and unto their 

congregations, who in their ignorance, celebrate 

“Christ-mas”! 

“Mas” which is added to Christ is an idolatrous 

festival celebrated yearly by the heathens 

in Rome! Therefore, the word “Mas” desecrates 

the Holy Name of Christ. And this is one of the 

wiles of the devil, the deceiver of the whole 

world. (Revelation 12:9) 

The people of God who rejoice under the 

guise of “Christ-mas” celebration, are in 

captivity because they have no knowledge 

of the truth, that “Christ-mas” is Satan’s doctrine 

because it is not in the bible! Such 

people of God shall descend into hell, if no 

repentance. (Isaiah 5:11-14) 

Worse still, believers in Christ who celebrate 

Christ-mas by eating, drinking and 

dancing have become idolaters having 

been warned. (I Corinthians 10:7) 

Moreover, the date of the birth of Jesus 

Christ is not recorded in the bible, therefore, 

December 25th is a lie of the devil, 

who has been a liar from the beginning, as 

written in John 8:44: “Ye are of your father 

the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will 

do. He was a murderer from the beginning, 

(John 16:23). 

God’s love for Jesus is all-encompassing: 

“No one comes to the Father except 

through (Jesus).” (John 14:6). 

God does not even answer our prayers 

for our sake. He answers our prayers because 

of Jesus and for the sake of His glory. 

Jesus says: “Whatever you ask in My name, 

that I will do, that the Father may be glorified 

in the Son.” (John 14:13). 

God is our very present help in times of 

trouble (Psalm 46:10) because this glorifies 

Him. He says: “Call upon Me in the 

day of trouble; I will deliver you, and you 

shall glorify Me.” (Psalm 50:15). 

I assumed that since God is love, He loves 

everyone the same. But God says: “Jacob I 

have loved; but Esau I have hated.” (Malachi 

1:3). Indeed, there is overwhelming evidence 

that the person that God loves most 

of all is Himself. 

God never does anything for us. He does 

all things either for Himself or for Jesus. 

Since Jesus and God, the Father are One, 

this means God does all things for Himself 

and not for us. 

Not unto us 

Why did God create man? Did He create 

man for our sake? 

No! God’s intention in creating man is 

all about God and not about man. He created 

us “according to His purpose” (Romans 

8:28), to bring honour, praise, and glory to His 

name. He says: “These people I have formed 

for Myself; they shall declare My praise.” (Isaiah 

43:21). 

Yes, we want to be successful doctors and lawyers. 

We want to climb to the top of Mount Everest. 

But the purpose that is purposed has nothing 

to do with any of such personal ambitions 

but with the glory of God. 

God says: “Bring all who claim me as their 

God, for I have made them for my glory. It was 

I who created them.” (Isaiah 43:7). 

This raison d’etre is even more pronounced 

when we are born again. Are we born a second 

time so that we can be richer, better known, and 

more successful than we were before? Not at 

all! Peter says we are born again to glorify God: 

“You are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, 

a holy nation, His own special people, 

that you may proclaim the praises of Him who 

called you out of darkness into His marvelous 

light.” (1 Peter 2:9). 

Paradoxically, even the wicked and the unrighteous 

are also created for this same reason, 

to glorify God. 

Solomon says: “The Lord has made all for 

Himself, yes, even the wicked for the day of 

doom.” (Proverbs 16:4). The psalmist acknowledges 

the same thing to God: “Human 

defiance only enhances Your glory, for You 

use it as a weapon.” (Psalm 76:10). 

A case in point is the predicament of Pharaoh. 

His defiance of God gave God the platform 

to display His glory by parting the Red 

Sea, enabling the Israelites to walk safely 

through the middle of the sea, while the Egyptian 

army that pursued them drowned. 

Accordingly, God says to Pharaoh: “Indeed 

for this purpose I have raised you up, that I 

may show My power in you, and that My 

name may be declared in all the earth.” (Exodus 

9:16). 

For God’s sake 

God does not do our wishes. He only does 

His wishes. “(He) works all things according 

to the counsel of His will, that we who first 

trusted in Christ should be to the praise of 

block your energy, then proceed to do 

something constructive, for example, 

prayer-walking and thereby increasing 

your body fitness. This is doing something 

useful and constructive with your stress 

or emotional energy. 

CONCLUSION 

Our performance indices begin to rise 

when we learn to put these skills to use. 

Poor management of ourselves results 

when we do not engage these skills. They are Godgiven 

skills for us to manage our stress levels. In the 

next serial, we shall continue on some other spiritual 

skills. 

J.K. Akinola. (Senior Pastor) 

The Gospel Faith Mission International (GOFA- 

MINT), Ibadan, Nigeria. 

Email: flprofenassociate@gmail.com, 

kolajoshua2003@yahoo.com 

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

Lagos Archdiocesan Synodal team commences work 

By Sam Eyoboka 

CATHOLIC Archbishop of Lagos, Most 

Rev. Alfred Adewale Martins on October 

17, 2021, declared open the Diocesan Phase of 

the 2023 Synod of Bishops as convoked by Pope 

Francis. An Archdiocesan Team has been set up 

to coordinate the activities of the Diocesan Phase 

of the Pre-synodal exercise. 

The members of the team included Very Rev. 

Fr. Marcellinus Teko (Chairman); Rev. Fr. Victor 

Okhiria (Assistant Chairman); Fr. Paschal 

Aggrey, Rev. Fr. Panachy Ogbede and Rev. Fr. 

Theodore Martinose (Diocesan Priests); Rev. Fr. 

Paul Akin-Otiko OP (Male Religious); Sr. Agnes 

Adepoju OLA (Female Religious) Barrister Stanley 

Egware (Laity Male); Architect Regina Okorigba 

(Laity Female); Barrister (Sir) Damian 

Udeh (LACMON); Dame Felicia Okoli 

(CWONLA); Mr. Martin Enahoro (CYAA); Mr 

Derrick Obidiegwu (CYON);Mr. Anthony Agbugba 

(Communications) and Mr. Anthony Eyo 

(IT). 

It could be recalled that the Archbishop in his 

previous circulars addressed to the priests, religious 

and lay faithful of the Archdiocese, urged 

and abode not in the truth, because there is no 

truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh 

of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of 

it.” Believers in Christ who celebrate “Christmas” 

are of their father, the devil, doing his lusts. 

Jesus did not command His disciples to remember 

Him for the day He was born but they are 

commanded to remember His death, by taking 

the Lord’s Supper often and often as written in 1 

Corinthians 11:24-26. 

It may surprise you to know that the so-called 

“Christ-mas tree” is described in the bible as an 

idol. (Jeremiah 10:3-5) Therefore, “Christ-mas” 

trees in homes, churches and public places during 

this festive season are idols, which shall surely 

incur the anger of God. 

But the times of ignorance God winked at, 

and now commands all believers in Christ to 

repent of this sin Acts 17:30. And ye shall know 

the truth, and the truth shall make you free, thus 

saith the Lord! Having been set free by the truth, 

we are warned by the Spirit of God not to be 

entangled again with the yoke of bandage, as 

His glory.” (Ephesians 1:11-12). 

Why did God rescue Israel from Egypt? 

“He saved them for His name's sake, that 

He might make His mighty power known.” 

(Psalm 106:8). 

After delivering the Israelites from Egypt, 

why did God not destroy them when they 

sinned against Him in the wilderness? He 

says: “I acted for My name's sake, that it 

should not be profaned before the Gentiles, 

in whose sight I had brought them out.” 

(Ezekiel 20:14). 

Why did He bring the Israelites back from 

exile? He says to them: “I do not do this for 

your sake, O house of Israel, but for My 

holy name's sake, which you have profaned 

among the nations wherever you went.” 

(Ezekiel 36:22). 

Passion for glory 

God has a passion for His glory. He is 

determined that, in everything, He must be 

glorified. He says: 

“Let not the wise man glory in his wisdom, 

let not the mighty man glory in his 

might, nor let the rich man glory in his riches; 

but let him who glories glory in this, that 

he understands and knows Me, that I am 

the Lord, exercising lovingkindness, judgment, 

and righteousness in the earth. For in 

these I delight.” (Jeremiah 9:23-24). 

God is very jealous of His glory. He says: 

“I am the Lord, that is My name; and My 

glory I will not give to another, nor My 

praise to carved images.” (Isaiah 42:8). 

Therefore, the psalmist declares: “All nations 

whom You have made shall come and 

worship before You, O Lord, and shall glorify 

Your name.” (Psalm 86:9). 

So, we must not ask God for things that 

will glorify us. We must only ask for things 

that will bring glory to God. We must pray 

like the psalmist: 

“Not unto us, O Lord, not unto us, but to 

Your name give glory, because of Your mercy, 

because of Your truth.” (Psalm 115:1). 

If it were a man who was this self-centred, 

we would castigate him for selfishness. However, 

God’s self-centredness is another great 

virtue, as we shall soon discover. 

TO BE CONTINUED 

the people of God to hearken to the invitation 

of the Pope to reflect on the theme - *FOR A 

SYNODAL CHURCH: COMMUNION 

PARTICIPATION AND MISSION.* 

According to him, “This exercise is decisive 

for the life and mission of the Church. A synodal 

Church, in announcing the Gospel, “journeys 

together”, scrutinizes the signs of the times 

and interprets them in the light of the Gospel.” 

The whole essence of the synod is encapsulated 

in this admonition of the 

Archbishop:."Everyone – the Bishop, Clergy, 

Religious and the lay faithful – is called to 

participate actively. In discerning what the 

Spirit is saying to the Church, the whole community 

of Lagos Archdiocese shall pray, listen, 

analyze, dialogue, share experiences, discern 

and offer advice on making pastoral decisions 

which corresponds as closely as possible 

to God’s will” 

And to achieve this goal, seminars and sensitization 

sessions have been lined up for 

priests, religious and the lay faithful commencing 

from this December to equip them with 

better understanding of the Church's expectation. 

written in Galatians 5:1: “Stand fast therefore 

in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us 

free, and be not entangled again with the yoke 

of bondage.” Observing “Christmas” is yoke 

of bondage! 

Satan who transformed himself into an angel 

of light, as written in 2 Corinthians 11:14, 

has again transformed himself into a masquerade 

under the “pseudonym” of so-called 

“father Christ-mas”, so that he can be worshipped 

all over the whole world, being the 

prince of this world. And this is committing 

the sin of whoredom with the Great Whore, 

mentioned in Revelation 17:1-2. 

•Christian Gospel Church 

(The Truth Centre), 4 Christian Gospel Avenue, 

Beside Psychiatric Hospital, Uselu, Benin 

City, Edo State. 

Email:cgc.com.ng@gmail.com 

Telephone: +234(0) 7052061135, 

+234(0)9030731406 

Website: www.cgc.thetruthcentre.com


My help comes from 

the Lord (3) 

Beloved, I want you 

to understand that 

you are a champion 

if your help comes from 

above. If God is your helper 

there is nothing that you 

will lack. That is the reason 

we should seek the 

help that comes from 

above for from it we shall 

be delivered. When the 

Lord is your Helper, you 

shall succeed. You shall 

never die a day before your 

death and all those enemies 

fighting you can never 

overcome you. 

Colossians 1: 16 says, 

“For by him were all things 

created, that are in heaven, 

and that are in earth, 

visible and invisible, 

whether they be thrones, or 

dominions, or principalities, 

or powers: all things 

were created by him, and 

for him:” 

All things were created 

by God and in Him all 

things consist. When you 

have the Creator as your 

helper, there is no limit to 

your victory for He alone 

created all things and gave 

us all things at the very beginning. 

No man can do 

more than what God has 

permitted in your life. 

Isaiah 43: 10-13 says, 

“Ye are my witnesses, saith 

the LORD, and my servant 

whom I have chosen: that 

ye may know and believe 

me, and understand that I 

am he: before me there 

was no God formed, neither 

shall there be after me. 

11 I, even I, am the LORD; 

and beside me there is no 

saviour. 12 I have declared, 

and have saved, 

and I have shewed, when 

there was no strange god 

among you: therefore ye 

are my witnesses, saith the 

LORD, that I am God. 13 

Yea, before the day was I 

am he; and there is none 

that can deliver out of my 

hand: I will work, and who 

shall let it?” 

Nobody can hinder God 

or reverse His work. Even 

in an extreme situation, 

God has the power to help. 

He said we should call 

upon Him in the day of 

trouble and He will answer 

and help us. I want to assure 

you that God will help 

you today in Jesus name. 

Do not look to any other 

source for help for doing 

that will amount to ridiculing 

your Maker. You 

must not isolate your 

Maker whom alone can do 

all things. We must follow 

the examples of those before 

us. As we follow the 

steps of the Psalmist today 

who had good understanding 

of what God can do 

and declared that his help 

will only come from God 

who created heaven and 

earth. And that the Lord is 

his Shepherd and he shall 

not want any more help. 

God has promised to help 

us and I am very sure He 

shall not fail. 

Isaiah 41: 10-14 says, 

“Fear thou not; for I am 

with thee: be not dismayed; 

for I am thy God: I will 

strengthen thee; yea, I will 

help thee; yea, I will uphold 

thee with the right hand of 

my righteousness. 11 Behold, 

all they that were incensed 

against thee shall 

be ashamed and confounded: 

they shall be as nothing; 

and they that strive 

with thee shall perish. 12 

Thou shalt seek them, and 

shalt not find them, even 

them that contended with 

thee: they that war against 

thee shall be as nothing, 

and as a thing of nought. 

13 For I the LORD thy God 

will hold thy right hand, 

saying unto thee, Fear not; 

I will help thee Fear not, 

thou worm Jacob, and ye 

men of Israel; I will help 

thee, saith the LORD, and 

thy redeemer, the Holy 

Why should you 

be afraid when 

God says you 

should not fear 

One of Israel” 

The above is a promise 

for the Chosen people. God 

Almighty says, “Fear not”. 

Why should you be afraid 

when God says you should 

not fear. My beloved, I 

want to assure you that beginning 

from today those 

things that you fear will 

begin to fear you. Wherever 

your strength fails you, 

God will begin His help 

from there. Beginning from 

today, wherever you are not 

qualified, through God’s 

help you will be qualified. 

Where men have given up, 

God will take over from 

there. Beginning from today, 

you shall reign with 

Christ as king in Jesus 

name. I say the promises of 

God you have been reading 

all this while have come to 

fulfillment. Never assume 

that you will die in that 

problem, instead declare 

who you are a chosen and 

say as follows, ‘the Lord is 

my Helper and I shall succeed’. 

‘The Lord is my Helper 

and I will have victory in 

this matter’. ‘The Lord is 

my Helper and I will marry 

and have my children’. 

The Lord is my Helper and 

I will make it in life and 

The General Overseer of the Lord's Chosen Church, Pastor Lazarus 

Muoka (m), Governor Bala Mohammed of Bauchi State(right) and 

SSG to Governor, Ibrahim Kashim, during Pastor Muoka's visit to 

Bauchi State. 

make heaven at last in 

Jesus name’. Amen. Never 

allow any negative 

statement comes out from 

your mouth because God 

has taken over your problem 

and has come to give 

you help. 

I do not know what has 

been your problem or why 

you are reading this message 

today, but one thing 

I know is that God has 

decided to help you. All of 

them that have ganged-up 

saying they are going to 

show you, honestly, the 

Lord will scatter them. 

Anything they have taken 

from you will be returned 

to you. I do not know what 

they are accusing you of, 

honestly God Almighty 

will condemn their mouth. 

They shall never succeed 

against you. Whatsoever 

they have set in motion to 

follow you every day, 

whether it is hardship, disappointment, 

failure, 

sickness, diseases, affliction 

and etc, that evil will 

go back to Sender. 

You may be angry and 

sorrowful, wondering why 

you cannot make it, know 

it this day that by strength 

shall no man prevail. The 

time for divine supply has 

come. The time to help the 

widow, the motherless, the 

orphan, destitute and sinners 

to repent has come. 

The time to help the poor 

has come. The time for 

that help which you have 

been waiting for over the 

years has come. Chosen 

People, I want to assure 

you, the Lord will help 

you. 

Hebrews 13: 6 says, “So 

that we may boldly say, 

The Lord is my helper, 

and I will not fear what 

man shall do unto me” 

Assuredly from today, 

God will help you. I am 

very sure. God is ever 

ready to help us if we can 

call upon him. 

Psalm 50: 15 says, “And 

call upon me in the day of 

trouble: I will deliver 

thee, and thou shalt glorify 

me” 

God is asking you to 

make conscience of that 

great duty of fervent 

prayer which is an acknowledgement 

of your 

subjection and trust to 

Him, and then have an 

occasion to glorify Him 

for your deliverance. He 

has promised to supply 

help to all that will call 

upon Him. Our duty here 

is to call upon Him to 

show our dependence on 

Him. Our trouble must 

drive us to Him and not 

drive us from Him. We 

must acknowledge Him 

in all our ways, depending 

upon His wisdom, 

power and goodness. And 

these must be done 

through prayers. 

Psalm 46: 1-3 says, 

“God is our refuge and 

strength, a very present 

help in trouble. 2 There- 

fore will not we fear, 

though the earth be removed, 

and though the 

mountains be carried into 

the midst of the sea; 3 

Though the waters thereof 

roar and be troubled, 

though the mountains 

shake with the swelling 

thereof.” 

God is the present help 

in times of trouble. Your biological 

parents are not 

always there for you. The 

One that is always with 

you is God. He has furthermore 

made a promise 

to you and will fulfill it. 

His promise is, “I will help 

you.” 

Jn 14: 13 says, “And 

whatsoever ye shall ask in 

my name, that will I do, 

that the Father may be glorified 

in the Son” 

Whatever brought you 

here to read this message 

today, the Lord will do it. I 

don’t know the help you 

need, but I know with God 

as your helper, your deliverance 

is assured. Today, 

that matter you have been 

carrying over the years 

concerning your family, 

concerning the court case, 

concerning the marriage, 

concerning that employment, 

concerning that diagnosis, 

delay in conception, 

promotion and deliverance, 

today, God will 

bring help that will give 

you victory in all in Jesus 

name. 

The General Overseer of the Lord's Chosen Church, Pastor Lazarus Muoka and 

Governor Duoye Diri of Bayelsa State, both in red handglobes waiting to perform the 

groundbreaking ceremony of the Bayelsa headquarters of Lord's Chosen Church. 

Pastor Lazarus Muoka dedicating theBayelsa headquarters of Lord's Chosen Church 

to God, during the groundbreaking of the Bayelsa headquarters of Lord's Chosen 

Church. Standing beside him is His Excellency, Governor Duoye Diri of Bayelsa 

State.


Text: Psalm 130:5 ‘I wait 

patiently for the Lord, my soul 

waits, and in His word, I do 

hope’. 

Timing is critical in busi 

ness, science, and sports. 

It is also essential in a believer’s 

life. In order to keep in 

touch with the Lord, we need 

to carry out His instructions 

in accordance with His timetable. 

In God’s kingdom, 

waiting means seeking further 

direction from Him 

PASTOR O.C. CHUKWUEZIE. 

CAC Madaiyese Regional Headquaters 

Plot 701/702 Durumi District 

P.O. BOX 2577 

Garki, Abuja. 

Contact us on: 08155555048, like us on 

facebook @cacdurumi 

The criticality of timing 

while remaining in our 

present circumstances. It encompasses 

both an attitude 

of expectancy and readiness. 

Timing is worthy of our respect 

and attention. 

Most often, we make decisions 

based on the influence 

of our friends or culture. But 

God is the only source of true 

wisdom. He knows all things 

and answers us on the basis 

of His complete wisdom and 

understanding. He is willing 

to give us clear direction for 

any decision we are trying to 

make. He wants the very best 

for us in our personal life, 

whether the issue is marriage, 

school, business, or friendship 

(Psalm 32:8). 

Moreover, God will also 

use the waiting period to 

bring us in line with His perfect 

timing. To others, it may 

appear as if we are delaying 

unnecessarily. However, 

knowing we are walking in 

accordance with God’s will 

brings His divine peace to our 

hearts. God may use a season 

of waiting to help us recognize 

ungodly motives and 

sin, and strengthen our faith. 

Acting wisely begins with 

hearing from the Lord. When 

was the last time you waited 

to receive direction from 

Him? 

GOFAMINT: Restoring the Ancient 

Landmark 

• Ise District Youths hold conference 

From left: Pastor B.K. Oguntuyi (DYC), Pastor T.O. Ogunyemi, Pastor Babatunde Bello 

(District Pastor), Pastor (Dr) Tunde Ojo (Main Speaker), Deaconess (Dr) Titilayo Ojo, 

Pastor Ojolo Deji (seminarian) and Pastor M.T. Olatunde (DYP, Ise District) during the 

Youths Conference 

By Tope Adegbola 

he glory of God 

T came down at the 

Youths' Conference of the 

Gospel Faith Mission International 

(GOFAM- 

INT), Ise District Headquarters, 

Ekiti State. 

Declaring the conference 

open, District Pastor 

(DP) Babatunde Bello 

urged participants from 

the 21 Assemblies in the 

District to listen with 

rapt attention to the message. 

On his part, Pastor MT 

Olatunde, the District 

Youth Pastor, who is also 

the Resident Pastor, appreciated 

the DP for being 

friendly with the 

Youth Ministry and his 

restoration project in the 

District. The opening 

message was delivered by 

Pastor Ekundayo 

Lawrence who told participants 

to remain holy 

for the coming of Jesus is 

around the corner, citing 

1Timothy 5 verse 22. 

Pastor Dr R.K Ayeni, 

Regional Youth Pastor, 

Region 10, sent his goodwill 

message to youths in 

the host District. 

His words: “Sure foundation 

is Jesus Christ and 

we build our lives on Him 

by Grace. 

“Examine your life. If 

youths are falling away 

from grace, character is 

depleted and deficient; 

Church mission is truncated; 

the nation fails. 

“Ask yourself, ‘Do you 

have anything in your 

character to show you've 

found the Saving Grace?’ 

“While the Saving 

Grace washes your soul 

in the blood of the Lamb, 

Amazing Grace leads you 

to the glorious home at 

last. 

“Many found the Saving 

Grace but miss the 

Amazing Grace, people 

like Mrs. Lot, Saul, Judas, 

etc. 

“Have you ever thought 

on this: How can one 

wash in the Blood and 

one's garment becomes 

white as snow? “This is 

the mystery of the 

BLOOD of Jesus 

“Meditate on these 

words and take good 

care of your salvation”. 

The presentation of 

the main speaker, Pastor 

(Dr) Tunde Ojo, GOFA- 

MINT Head, Youth and 

Campus Ministries, was 

deep. 

Taking his text from 

Prov. 22:28, Ojo said: 

“Remove not the ancient 

landmark which thy fathers 

have set. “It is important 

to note two 

words in this passage: 

Remove and Landmark. 

"Remove means to 

take away or get rid of 

while a landmark is a 

prominent land, feature 

or a conspicuous building 

or object that serves 

as a guide, especially for 

travelers or those otherwise 

seeking directions 

to a desired location. 

"The landmark, in this 

sense, is applicable to 

doctrines and practices 

settled by the fathers of 

the 

Church; founded upon 

Christ and His apostles. 

“The lesson is taken 

from the old custom of 

leaving landmarks to 

distinguish property 

lines and boundaries. 

“In this case, we are 

talking about distinguishing 

identity; 

marks or value to easily 

identify us as different 

from the people of the 

world. “Therefore, Prov. 

22:28 speak strongly to 

Christians as it literally 

condemns: 

• Any secret fraud or 

transactions without established 

terms. 

•Altering covenants or 

commitments, whether 

oral or written, 

•All fraudulent acts, 

forgeries, concealments, 

altering figures, falsification 

of age or compromise 

in business 

transactions”. 

He emphasised that 

churches should take a 

stand on holy matrimony, 

virginity, fornication 

b e f o r e 

marriage,submission of 

wives to husbands, divorce 

and remarriage?” 

According to him, the 

ancient landmark of 

GOFAMINT, fondly 

called ‘The Gospel’ was 

established by the 

founding fathers to set 

the parameters of what 

they wanted our church 

to be like, lamenting 

that the landmark had 

moved from what it was 

meant to be. 

He urged members to 

make sure the ancient 

landmark is restored. 

He listed the landmark 

to include desperate desire 

(extreme intensity) 

for holiness without 

which no one will see the 

Lord. 

Also speaking at the 

occasion, Pastor Ojolo 

Deji (seminarian) told 

participants to allow 

God to lead them in getting 

life partners, saying 

they should undergo necessary 

test before wedding 

ceremony. 

Pastor T.O. Ogunyemi 

released prophetic 

prayers on participants 

while Pastor B.K. Oguntuyi 

(DYC) gave vote of 

thanks. 

Feasting on the word of God at Feast of 

Tabernacles 2021 

By Sam Eyoboka Acting President, Brother Felix 

Ekundayo Adedokun. 

T 

HE people of Warri He asserted that the solution 

look forward to the celebration 

of the annual Feast for mankind to return to God 

to the troubles of the world was 

of Tabernacles of the God and do things in His fear so 

Kingdom Society, GKS, that He will bless them with 

with joyful anticipation. The His peace. According to him, 

hotels in and around Warri, the perils that stare us in the 

especially those close to Salem 

City, are booked long to us the more that we are in 

face on a daily basis confirm 

advance, sometimes even a the last days, “when the wicked 

shall do wickedly” and 

year ahead. Transporters 

have a field day moving people 

from the numerous come”. (Daniel 12:10; 2 Tim- 

when “perilous times shall 

parks for vehicles from various 

parts of the country to of Tabernacles is yet another 

othy 3:1-5) He said the Feast 

Salem city while other commercial 

transporters make word of God and do righteous- 

opportunity “for all to hear the 

brisk business ferrying people 

from the Church head- 

and Deuteronomy 31:12-13. 

ness citing Zephaniah 2:1-3 

quarters after each day’s service 

to the nooks and cran- 

Day, a minister of the Church, 

In the evening of the First 

nies of the city, where they Brother Andrew Okocha addressed 

the celebrants on “Of 

lodge. 

The services run day and What Relevance Is The Feast 

night. Food sellers, especially 

those opposite Salem City, In This Age?” He said among 

Of Tabernacles To Mankind 

usually stock up on supplies other things that our Lord 

a week before the Feast Jesus Christ gave the example 

knowing the crowd they to all Christians by participating 

actively in the celebration 

would have to attend to in 

the course of the one-week of the Feast in his days on 

fiesta. 

earth. 

The traders at Igbudu He even taught the people 

market and other nearby to the amazement of one and 

markets usually have a busy all. (John 13:15-16; 7:2,14- 

time coping with the demand 

for materials by celeerence 

to the prophecy in Ze- 

17,37-38) He also made refbrants 

who did not have time chariah 14:16-19 where God 

to make their wears before Almighty gave a clear-cut injunction 

that makes it imper- 

coming to the Feast, especially 

those who only knew ative for all people, even unbelievers, 

to observe the Feast 

at the Feast venue of the uniforms 

for their various choral 

or cultural groups or The second sermon was en- 

of Tabernacles. 

which their Branches had titled: “The New Jerusalem”. 

chosen for the processions It was taken up by Brother Preye 

Chukwudi, a member of 

for Saturday or Sunday 

morning. 

the Executive Board. He said 

All players in the food, hospitality 

and services value dom of God, of which Jesus 

the New Jerusalem is the King- 

chain all do have their fingers 

in the pie. The tailors the saints as his cabinet mem- 

Christ is head and King, with 

do take advantage of the opportunity 

by standing by to 4:22-31) He said when the 

bers. (Isaiah 2:3-4; Galatians 

do “wait and take” sewing, Kingdom would be fully established 

on earth, people 

even if at higher rates for 

those who so desire. In fact would no longer be sick (Isaiah 

33:24) “and the voice of 

the economy of Warri gets a 

shot in the arm because of weeping shall be no more 

the Feast of Tabernacles, an heard in her nor the voice of 

eight day celebration the crying”; (Isaiah 65:17-125) 

GKS had been observing 

since the early days of her 

founding at the behest of the 

founding instrument, Saint 

Gideon M. Urhobo. 

But the scenario just painted 

was before the advent of 

COVID-19 pandemic, an This age of the 

unwelcome visitor which 

has come with its own chair second presence of 

and is refusing to leave even 

when the host had given notice 

that he had overstayed of the most 

Jesus Christ is one 

his welcome. Because the 

protocols of this strange disease 

must be observed, the 

significant periods 

Feast is now celebrated online, 

meaning that most of human race 

in the history of the 

the members do not travel 

down to Salem City anymore 

but link up from their 

branch Service Halls or 

from the privacy of their “and there shall be no more 

homes. The situation is certainly 

no music to the ears ing, neither shall there be any 

death, neither sorrow, nor cry- 

of people in Warri, whose more pain: for the former 

economy has taken several things are passed away”. – 

hits in the last two decades, Revelation 21:1-4. 

what with the fall of the DSC The first sermon on Monday, 

December 13, 2021 was 

steel complex, the exit of the 

oil companies, the fall of the “If God is not a person, how is 

sea ports at Warri as well as man the image of God?” by 

the refinery, etc., etc. Brother Ohwotu K. Iriferi. He 

But what can one do? The said the fact that God Almighty 

created man in his 

work of God must go on. 

Thus, the main Service of the image shows that He is a person, 

albeit, of the highest or- 

Church at Salem City, Warri 

is busy each day of the der. (Genesis 1:26-27) St. Paul 

Feast with ministers delivering 

two sermons each day, Athens and made them to un- 

said as much when he went to 

16 sermons in all for the benefit 

of seekers-after-truth. then as we are the offspring of 

derstand that “Forasmuch 

Instead of the usual First God, we ought not to think that 

Day procession of celebrants the Godhead is like unto gold, 

in Warri and environs converge 

in Salem City, where art and man's device. (Acts 

or silver, or stone, graven by 

they were addressed by the 17:28-30; 1 John 4:17; 2 

Chronicles 18:18) But whereas 

God is a spirit person, we 

are human beings. (1 Corinthians 

15:40-44) 

The Station Minister of 

GKS Rivers zone, Brother 

Theophilus Iwoh spoke next 

on “The Purpose of the second 

presence of Jesus Christ”. 

He said Christ’s second presence 

would be spiritual, totally 

invisible to human eyes 

“It is because Jesus Christ will 

not be seen physically in the 

world anymore that he declared: 

“Yet a little while, and 

the world seeth me no more; 

but ye see me: because I live, 

ye shall live also.” (John 

14:19) This prompted the 

question in verse 22 to wit: 

“…Lord, how is it that thou 

wilt manifest thyself unto us, 

and not unto the world?” 

(John 14:22) Evidently, the 

apostles had the knowledge, 

even at the first advent of 

Christ that his coming would 

be spiritual. 

This age of the second presence 

of Jesus Christ is one of 

the most significant periods 

in the history of the human 

race. It involves a time Apostle 

Peter says is the time of the 

restitution of all things. (Acts 

3:19-21) This work involves 

critical events like the resurrection 

of the saints, the 

choosing of the remnant, the 

setting up of God’s Kingdom 

Organizations in different 

parts of the world, the gathering 

of God’s people, judgment 

of the living and the 

dead, the glorification of the 

church, resurrection of the 

dead, the destruction of all 

forces of unrighteousness and 

salvation for the faithful. 

The first sermon for the 

third day, Tuesday, December 

13, 2021, was “Who is the 

head of the Church? by Brother 

Progress Ayikimi, Station 

Minister GKS Lagos Zone. 

He made several Bible references 

such as Ephesians 5:22- 

24; Colossians 1:15-18 to 

show that Jesus Christ is the 

head of the Church, not St. 

Peter as some believe. 

The next sermon was “Rapture 

as seen through the Holy 

Bible” by Brother Patrick 

Ekireghwo, Station Minister, 

GKS Warri/Uveiw and Udu/ 

Ughievwen Zones. According 

to him, many people believe 

that time is coming when 

our Saviour Christ, in fulfillment 

of his promise, will take 

the faithful out of this world, 

and that they would “caught 

up” with him in heaven. 

Some have even set dates 

for rapture. One was 1988, 

another 1989 and then 2000 

was also predicted. But, as we 

know, all this turned out to be 

false. 

Isaac Newton, a mathematician 

and philosopher, even 

predicted that rapture will 

take place in the year 2060, 

39 years from now. Rapture 

has become an article of faith 

among many who profess the 

Christian faith even though 

many of those who believe in 

it admit it is not in the Bible. 

He caused to be read 1 

Thessalonians 4:15-17, explaining 

that when Apostle 

Paul used the pronoun “we” 

he was referring to himself 

and those of his class, not to 

everybody. They will be 

changed into immortal spirit 

beings and taken to heaven 

at the second presence of 

Christ. These are purely spiritual 

events that the humans 

eyes will not know. (1 John 

3:2; 1 Corinthians 15:49-52) 

He said no human being can 

go to heaven, as the apostles 

who will go there have to be 

changed first to spirit beings, 

that is given celestial bodies. 

Continues on 

www.vanguardngr.com

We’ll survive in Milan without Osimhen, 

Koulibaliy —Napoli coach 

NAPOLI are away 

to AC Milan in 

today’s Serie A clash 

and coach Luciano 

Spalletti said his squad 

can cope despite the injury 

to key players. 

Napoli sit two points 

behind the Rossoneri in 

the table and a victory 

tomorrow evening at the 

San Siro would see them 

rise to only four points 

behind league leaders 

Inter. 

Speaking to gathered 

reporters in a press conference 

Spalletti first 

discussed the injury crisis 

currently plaguing 

his squad, saying “we 

can win the game with 

those we have at our disposal, 

we play it with 

the aim of bringing 

home the three points. 

“Tomorrow we have 

16-17 players in the 

squad available, so 

that’s enough to go and 

play games against anyone. 

It’s clear that if it 

gets worse every time 

who has to play… don’t 

worry about the minutes 

you could have played, 

show your value now. 

He touched on the absences 

in the Napoli 

squad. “Mario Rui is 

not in the squad, neither 

are Fabian, Insigne, 

Osimhen, Koulibaly 

of course. It’s quicker 

to say who is there.” 

He laughed. 

Aribo, Balogun, Bassey stay back for Rangers, 

Celtic clash 

Super Eagles during one of their training sessions 

SUPER Eagles trio Joe 

Aribo, Leon Balogun 

and Calvin Bassey will delay 

their departure for the African 

Cup of Nations to play 

for Rangers, when they face 

Scottish Premiership rivals 

Celtic on January 2. 

Rangers coach Giovanni 

van Bronckhorst confirmed 

that his Nigerian legion has 

had permission to grace the 

match before joining the Super 

Eagles camp. The Super 

Eagles players were doubtful 

to play for the Gers in the Old 

Firm clash at Parkhead as 

they were expected to have 

linked up with the Nigeria 

squad in preparations for the 


Africa Cup of Nations finals 

which will kick off on January 

9 and end on February 6 

in Cameroon. 

“They will be here with the 

team, 100 percent. For me, it 

was already clear that we 

would release them if needed 

after the Old Firm game,” 

Van Bronckhorst told reporters 

as quoted by The Herald. 

“So we have the full squad 

until we go into the winter 

break.” 

The three players have 

been a revelation for Rangers, 

especially the 25-year-old 

Aribo, who has managed six 

goals from 18 appearances. 

Onuachu happy to end goal drought 

SUPER Eagles strik 

er, Paul Onuachu 

said it was pleasing for 

him to score again as his 

club Genk they fought 

back from a goal down 

to beat Charleroi 4-2 for 

their first win under a 

new coach. 

“As a team we showed 

character and resilience. 

Hopefully we can continue 

on this path,” the 

big striker said after the 

home victory. 

“Under the new coach 

we train a lot, physically 

it is very tough. But I 

think we have already 

reaped the benefits. 

“We do what the coach 

tells us, but it is clear 

that the work ethic has 

changed.” 

Onuachu also scored 

Junior Ajayi, Al Ahly break up 

FORMER Nigeria youth 

international, Junior 

Ajayi and his Egyptian club 

Al Ahly have disengaged after 

a no-love-lost contract 

cancellation. 

The 25-year-old signed for 

the Red Devils in 2016 from 

Tunisia’s CS Sfaxien, after 

having won the Olympic 

bronze medal with Nigeria. 

Ajayi in his first season with 

Al Ahly, scored 12 goals and 

provided seven assists in 39 

games across all competitions. 

He kept his form for the majority 

of his stay in Cairo, 

making a total of 161 appearances 

and lifting 11 trophies 

along the way. These titles include 

four Egyptian Premier 

Leagues, two Egypt Cups, two 

Egyptian Super Cups, two 

CAF Champions Leagues 

and the CAF Super Cup. 

However, after a series of 

injuries and the signings of 

Ekpon Community Marathon 

holds Dec 26 

NO fewer than 50 male 

and female runners are 

expected to participate in the 

one day Ekpon Community 

Marathon race which will be 

held in the town on December 

26, 2021. 

Organised by the Raphael 

Akowe Foundation, the race, 

which is in its fourth edition, is 

expected to be flagged off at 

the Central Primary School 

ground and end at the same 

spot with the runners racing 

through the town. 

President of Raphael Akowe 

Foundation, Chief Raphael 

Akowe disclosed on phone yesterday 

that the first three winners 

will take home N25,000, 

N20,000 and N15,000 among 

others, stressing, “all the participants 

will take home some 

cash prizes. This is to encourage 

them to always come out 

to participate”. 

Koulibaly and Osimhen 

Percy Tau and Luis Miquissone, 

Ajayi slowly fell down 

the pecking order under head 

coach Pitso Mosimane and 

even failed to make a single 

appearance for the Reds this 

season. 

Before leaving Cairo, Ajayi 

sent a message to the Al Ahly 

management and fans, thanking 

them for their continuous 

support. 

“It’s with profound grati- 

his first goal since October, 

putting away a cross. 

“It is very pleasing to 

score again after a few 

weeks,” he said. 

“There was a lot of 

space for us to work with 

and that gave us quite a 

few opportunities. Now 

two more games to close 

the year.” 

tude to God almighty, that I 

announce the end of my contract 

with Al Ahly football 

club, to the management who 

has been nothing but family 

to me, my teammates who’s 

been my brothers and to my 

fans, you all have been my 

support system, thank you for 

holding it down with me 

through those years, you guys 

are the real MVPs, I love you 

all #nowtothenextphase,” he 

posted on Instagram account. 

Inter terminate Eriksen’s 

contract 

INTER Milan and 

Christian Eriksen 

have agreed to cancel the 

Denmark midfielder’s 

contract. 

Eriksen, 29, has not 

played since he collapsed 

during his country’s Euro 

2020 match against Finland 

in June. 

The former Tottenham 

player had started training 

again on his own, at a facility 

arranged by his local 

club in Denmark. 

Eriksen joined Inter from 

Tottenham in January 

2020 on a four-and-a-halfyear 

contract, helping the 

Nerazzurri win the Serie A 

title in 2020-21. 

There has been no confirmation 

about whether 

or where Eriksen is going 

to resume his professional 

career. 

He could only play in 

Serie A if the ICD (Implantable 

Cardioverter 

Defibrillator) that was inserted 

following his cardiac 

arrest was removed. 

“The club and the entire 

Nerazzurri family embrace 

the player and wish 

him the best for his future,” 

it added. 

Port Harcourt Polo: Access 

Bank, Strata Based, others 

power Golden Jubilee Tourney 

READY . . . The Amayanabo of Twon-Brass in Brass 

Kingdom, King Alfred Papapreye Diete-Spiff, (m) with 

current President Dr. Chukwudi Dimkpa and Polo Captain 

(l) warm up for the prestigious 2022 Port Harcourt 

Golden Jubilee polo tournament in January. 

AS Preparations for 

the prestigious Port 

Harcourt Golden Jubilee 

Polo Tournament gets to 

its feverish heights, Blue 

Chip Corporate Organizations 

within and outside 

the country are throwing 

their weights behind the 

milestone fiesta with Strata 

Based Group and Access 

Bank Plc. leading the 

pack. 

Others that have so far 

confirmed their backing 

for the international polo 

celebration billed for January 

9- 15, 2022 include 

regular and new sponsors 

like the Wilten Aviation, 

Victoria Creek Garden 

Estate and Dubai Department 

of Economy & Tourism, 

Keves Global Leasing 

and De Chico Group, 

among others. 

Apart from corporate 

sponsorship, individual 

support has been received 

from great personalities 

with Adokie Ikpoki, Ebi 

Diriyai, Leo Edochie and 

Otti Ikechukwu Oti topping 

the long list that is still 

counting. 

President of Port Harcourt 

Club, Engr. Chukwudi 

Dimkpa confirmed this in 

a media chat shortly after 

leading club members to 

embark on a road show 

tagged “Town Storm” in 

Port Harcourt, last Friday, 

ahead of the club’s January 

2022 Golden jubilee celebrations. 

“While we appreciate our 

esteemed sponsors and partners 

for this robust partnership 

and several others, we 

want to declare that the 

2022 Port Harcourt Polo 

Club 50th Anniversary tournament 

is still open for both 

local and international 

business partnership participation,” 

Dimkpa declared. 

Dr. Dimkpa urged residents 

and polo buffs from 

across the country and beyond, 

to brace up for the best 

of experience. 

He assured that the 50th 

anniversary tournament 

will attract the best of polo 

players’ world-over and will 

be an avenue to showcase 

the tourism and economic 

potentials of Rivers state and 

the Niger Delta region as 

well as an avenue for business 

networking. 

NPFL: Rangers seek bright start in Katsina 

ONE of the star 

matches of the Nigeria 

Professional Football 

League is between Katsina 

United and Rangers 

International F.C who are 

poised to kick start their 

2021/2022 season with a 

win. 

Rangers chief coach, 

Mbwas Mangut said the 

players are highly motivated 

and are ready to 

make their intention of 

winning the NPFL known 

with a good result in Katsina. 

“We have a good blend 

of the new and old players 

which to a very large 

extent, will give us the balance 

needed for a good 

start to the season. With the 

team almost in perfect 

shape, regarding injuries, 

Eriksen 

I believe we shall get a 

good result in Katsina.” 

“It will be a tough match 

but we are prepared to 

give our all to return with 

something to cheer about,” 

said Mangut. 

Last season, it was a 2-0 

win for the Katsina side in 

a match day 16 fixture in 

Katsina courtesy of goals 

from Rasheed Ahmed on 

15 minutes and Joseph Atule 

from the spot on 83 

minutes while the ‘Flying 

Antelopes’ earned a 1-0 

victory in the return leg 

with Elijah Ani netting the 

winner on 70 minutes in 

the match day 36 fixture in 

Enugu. 

Meanwhile, Rangers International 

F.C have been 

granted permission to play 

their home matches at the 

F.C.I.U stadium, Nnewi.

SUNDAY VANGUARD, DECEMBER 19, 2021 

SEE SOLUTION ON PAGE 5

19122021

Create successful ePaper yourself

Delete template?

Save as template?