The Trumpet Newspaper Issue 581 (October 5 - 18 2022)

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V O L 28 N O 581 O C T O B E R 5 -18 2022
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Police hunt
for violent
robber
UK Prime Minister - Liz Truss
UK-Africa ties:
Future looks
gloomy under Liz
Truss as political
myopia reigns
By Michael Jennings
SOAS, University of London
Continued on Page 2>
Detectives from London’s
Metropolitan Police have
issued CCTV footage and an
image of a man they want to speak to
following a violent robbery in
Fulham.
At around 12:00hrs on Thursday,
1 September, a man, aged in his 50s,
was walking southbound through
Bayonne Park when he spotted the
suspect approaching several
members of the public.
He continued to walk southbound
out of the park onto Paynes Walk,
where he was struck on the head by
the suspect.
The victim, who was attacked
near to the table tennis tables, fell to
the floor. The suspect slammed the
victim’s head against the floor whist
ordering the victim to remove his Tag
Heuer watch. The victim tried to fight
back but the suspect began to punch
him and kick him repeatedly in the
face.
He felt the suspect remove his
watch, possibly damaging the pin in
doing so.
The suspect ran off but returned
minutes later to steal the victim’s
Motorola mobile phones. He ran off
southbound on Paynes Walk.
The victim was taken to hospital
with head injuries. This attack
resulted in a fractured eye socket,
severe bruising and swelling to his
face.
Detective Inspector James Griffin,
who is leading the investigation, said:
Continued on Page 2

Page2 TheTrumpet OCTOBER 5 -18 2022
News
UK-Africa ties: Future looks gloomy
under Liz Truss as political myopia reigns
Continued from Page 1<
Britain has a new Prime Minister in
Liz Truss. For African leaders
wondering what the new
administration might mean for UK-
Africa relationships, the view must be
pretty gloomy.
British politics has been solidly
inward-looking for the past two (post-
Brexit Conservative) Prime Ministers –
Theresa May and Boris Johnson. It
shows few signs of changing. Looking at
the UK’s shifts in relationship with
African countries over the past three
decades, I see little prospect of African
issues rising up the political agenda. And
little chance of an active Africa policy,
whether at a continental or regional level,
before the next general election.
The election must be held by January
2025, but is likely to be sooner.
Aid levels are unlikely to be restored.
Nor is UK aid likely to be placed back in
an independent government department.
In addition, British politicians are
unlikely to look beyond domestic and
European crises. The result is that Africa
is likely to feature in British high-level
politics only when it is in the
government’s narrow self-interest.
Nevertheless, UK policy will still
have impact on the continent. A retreat
from climate-emergency pledges, and
continuing cuts in aid, will create real
harm in many vulnerable African states.
Sadly, there will be little scope for their
voices to be heard in response.
Shifting priorities
Africa and the UK lack the close (some
would argue too close) formal political,
economic and military linkages of
Franco-African relationships. Still,
Africa has in the past been a much bigger
part of the UK’s political conversation.
The creation of an independent aid
ministry – the Department for
International Development – by the
Labour government in 1997 was a key
platform for building relationships.
It was also key to raising African
politics and issues within the UK
government. With both Prime Minister
Tony Blair (1997-2007) and Finance
Minister Gordon Brown (2007-2010)
interested in African prospects and
development, close ties were forged.
Through the Department for
International Development, links with
civil society voices were also stronger.
The transition to a Conservative
government in 2010 (initially as part of a
coalition) saw little change. Indeed, the
raising of aid spending to 0.7% of gross
national income – an increase of £1
billion – expanded the Department for
International Development. At the time,
other domestic-focused departments
faced severe cuts to their budgets.
The first Conservative Minister of
International Development, Andrew
Mitchell (2010-2012), had long-standing
interests in the continent. He developed
close relationships with key leaders,
including Rwanda’s Paul Kagame. He
also maintained close ties with the
Ethiopian government, among others.
Prime minister David Cameron (2010-
2016) was also interested in Africa, as a
visible indication of his ambitions for a
strong UK global role.
Since the Brexit referendum in 2016,
however, Africa has slipped from its
precarious but tangible place in UK
political discourse. The dismantling of
the Department for International
Development and its incorporation into a
new Foreign, Commonwealth and
Development Office in 2020, as well as
subverting aid to British self-interest, led
to the departure of many experienced
personnel who maintained the
relationships with African political and
civil society leaders.
It also removed a key ally for Africa
within UK debates. Recent discussions
around Africa have focused removing
some migrants to Rwanda, hardly the
bedrock of a high-level relationship.
And it’s hard to imagine former
governments remaining silent over the
Ethiopia crisis, for example, as the most
recent Conservative administration has
done.
Truss offers little prospect of
change
Before her elevation to prime
minister, Truss was the foreign,
Commonwealth and development office
minister. She showed little interest in
development, anti-poverty policies or
creating relationships based on mutual
respect and dialogue. In fact, in my view,
she contributed to the subversion of UK
aid to British diplomatic and economic
self-interest.
Her global tours as minister did not
include a visit to Africa.
It is true that agreements have been
signed with the Southern African
Customs Union and Mozambique in
2019. But they offer little consolation in
Continued on Page 4<
Police hunt for
violent robber
Continued from Page 1<
“This was an extremely violent attack
and my team need the help of the public
to detain this man. We have specialist
teams dedicated to tackling robbery and
this proactive operation will continue
across all of our boroughs.
“We are doing all we can to identify
the person responsible before he can
cause any further harm. We are asking
anyone who was approached by this man
in the park or who saw anything unusual
to contact us immediately.”
The suspect is a black male of an
athletic build with short black cropped
hair and light facial hair. He was wearing
a green hoodie jumper with light grey
bottoms.
Anyone with information should call
101 or tweet @MetCC and quote CAD
3488/01SEP22. Alternatively, contact the
independent charity Crimestoppers
anonymously on 0800 555 111.
Police hunt for violent robber
PEER & CO
IMMIGRATION SPECIALISTS
15 Years experience with UK
Immigration, Appeals,
Deportations, and Removal cases.
* Judicial Review. * Prison and
Detention Centre Legal Visits.
* British Citizenship Applications.
* Visas and more...
Free Initial Consultation and Competitive Legal Fees
Birmingham: 0121 554 0565
London: 020 7183 3706
Watford: 01923 901150
Emergency: 07833 675415
Email: shiraz@peerandco.com
Head Office: 420 Witton Road,
Aston, Birmingham B6 6PP

OCTOBER 5 -18 2022 TheTrumpet
Page3

Page4
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OCTOBER 5 -18 2022
Tunde Ajasa-Alashe
Allison Shoyombo, Peter Osuhon
News
UK-Africa ties: Future looks
gloomy under Liz Truss as
political myopia reigns
Continued from Page 2<
place of a new and powerful friendship.
More importantly, UK politics, and
the attention of the new prime minister,
will be firmly fixed on the domestic cost
of living and inflation crisis, on a
potential new row with the UK’s
European Union neighbours (one of the
UK government’s own making), and the
conflict in Ukraine. Next on the agenda
will be China, and the pursuit of trade
deals elsewhere in the world.
It’s unlikely Britain’s limited
attention span will have much space left
for African issues and policy.
There is an argument to be made that
African issues might receive a listening
ear within the government given that
most senior offices of state will, for the
first time, be led by ministers with
African heritage. The new chancellor is
Kwazi Kwarteng, whose parents
migrated from Ghana in the 1960s, and
who has written a (mildly critical) book
on the history of the British empire; the
Foreign, Commonwealth and
Development Office will be led by James
Cleverly, who has a Sierra Leonian
mother; and the parents of the new Home
Office minister, Suella Braverman, came
to Britain from Kenya and Mauritius.
Never before have the top posts been
held by so many with direct links to
Africa.
In my view, however, this is unlikely
to make any real difference. None of the
ministers have a strong record of
advocating for closer or deeper ties with
the continent. And despite Kwarteng’s
criticism of the legacy of British colonial
occupation, all three have signed up to
the Conservative Party culture wars
which see criticism of a glorious British
past as treasonous wokery.
Danger ahead
There is a real danger that Britain will
institute policies that actively harm
African countries. Restoring UK aid to
previous levels is becoming a
vanishingly small possibility, which
means cuts to vital social welfare
programmes for some of the world’s
most vulnerable communities.
Calls for renewed investment in fossil
fuel production, and the possibility of
backtracking on climate emission
promises in response to the energy price
crisis, will undermine efforts to reduce
the impact of the climate emergency.
African leaders and civil society
organisations hoping a new broom will
UK Prime Minister - Liz Truss
lead to a new set of relationships look set
to be disappointed. Britain’s political
myopia and navel-gazing will continue,
with global engagement framed as
something strictly to be done where it
benefits the UK. Africa will likely have
to wait for a new government, and a
revived Department for International
Development, for strong and close
relations to be restored.
Michael Jennings is a Professor in
Global Development at SOAS, University
of London. This article is republished
from The Conversation under a Creative
Commons license -
https://theconversation.com/uk-africaties-future-looks-gloomy-under-liz-trussas-political-myopia-reigns-190451
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OCTOBER 5 -18 2022 TheTrumpet
Page5

Page6 TheTrumpet OCTOBER 5 -18 2022
When you think you need A&E,
contact NHS 111 online first
The NHS is encouraging the public to use NHS
111 online to get urgent medical advice
quickly – in addition to existing services –
ahead of what England’s top doctor has said will
be a ‘winter like no other.’
With more people predicted to suffer from flu
this year and hospitals already treating an
increased number of COVID-19 patients, NHS 111
online offers an alternative way to get immediate
medical advice.
Data from September showed that the NHS
was already experiencing record demand for
emergency services, with ambulances responding
to 76,000 life-threatening incidents and call
handlers taking more than one million 999 calls.
The NHS 111 phone service also saw record
demand, with a call being taken every seven seconds.
It’s recommended that if you have an urgent
but not life-threatening medical need, you should
visit NHS 111 online first rather than going
straight to A&E. You can access the service by
visiting the website 111.nhs.uk.
People use the online 111 service for a range
of reasons, including to check their symptoms and
if an injury or illness requires further investigation,
to get information on mental health support
services available, or to seek advice on how to take
a medication.
The service is also able to arrange for you to
be seen at an Urgent Treatment Centre, GP
surgery, pharmacy, emergency dental services
or A&E should you need it.
If you or your loved one have a life-threatening
illness or injury then you should always use 999.
Just think 111 first.
When you think you need A&E,
go to NHS 111 online 111.nhs.uk
or call 111.

Passages
OCTOBER 5 -18 2022
Tributes flow as Mama Comfort
Sidikat Abiola is buried
TheTrumpet
Page7
Madam Comfort Sidikat Aduke
Abiola – the mother of African
Voice Newspaper UK’s
Publisher – Prince Mike Abiola, has been
laid to rest recently amidst a flurry of
tributes from far and near. Mama Abiola
died last July aged 95 years old.
Nigeria’s High Commissioner to the
United Kingdom - His Excellency,
Ambassador Sarafa Tunji Isola in a
condolence letter joined UK faith leaders,
community leaders and family friends to
commiserate with the Abiola family in
the UK and Nigeria over Mama’s passing
Ambassador Sarafa noted that:
“Alhaja Sidikat Aduke Abiola lived a
good and productive life; she raised
children that are contributing positively
to the Nigerian community in the United
Kingdom.
“No doubt the death of a loved one is
a painful thing but I encourage you all to
take consolation in the good life she
lived. It pleases God to take Alhaja
Sidikat after 95 fruitful years. Her legacy
is worthy of emulation. May God place
her in the comfort zone of Al-Janah.”
Pastor Casey K Badejo of Christ
Apostolic Church, Dove House Welling,
Kent, UK said, “I can safely say: not only
has the Abiola family lost their matriarch,
the world has lost a gem. I recall my
once-in-a-while telephone chats with her
when she returned to Nigeria; she
remained as enthusiastic about her love
for Christ and the church. She would
always ask about everyone in the family
and church.
“Although Mama’s frame was
slender, her heart was big, her voice was
quiet but her zeal was loud and while her
life was gradually edging to her evening,
her spiritual strength appeared renewed
as in the morning. A true encourager! Her
love for her son and my brother, Mike
Abiola and his family was unrivalled and
she spoke with passion about them,
especially her grandchildren.”
A friend of the family, Professor
Alaba Simpson - Deputy Vice-Chancellor
of Crawford University, Igbesa, Ogun
State, Nigeria said, “I met Mama in
England in 2010, she right away made
me feel as though I had known her from
my childhood days. She sang, and I
danced. She rendered the ‘oriki’ praise
names of the lineage of the twins as they
exist in Yoruba land. You would have
thought I was one of the twins and not
Alaba, whose arrival is even preceded by
the birth of Idowu, the child that comes
right after the twins. Nevertheless, Mama
sang and I danced over and over as I
holidayed with Prince Mike and Princess
Golda and this Mother of our Time. There
seemed to have been no generational gap
between us. She was indeed a woman of
our times.
“As I didn’t have the privilege of a
mother who grew to a ripe old age like
Mama. I salute Mama’s children as they
celebrate a mother who crossed the ages
of 70, 80 and 90. To God Almighty be the
glory.
“I am happy I had the privilege of
seeing Mama again a couple of months
ago, June, 2022, at the Abiola’s Lekki
residence during the time of the couple’s
visit to Nigeria before she passed on.
What a wonderful opportunity!
Adieu! A Woman of Our Times, Rest
On, in the bosom of the Almighty.”
In his tribute, Prince Mike Abiola
described his mother as his inspiration for
achieving success in life and a “heroine,
prayer warrior, role model and my
angel.”
Prince Abiola further said, “You
raised my siblings and I as a single
mother, shielding us from all the street
vices while growing up in Alagomeji,
Yaba Lagos. You made it very clear to us
at a very early age that education is key to
success in life even though you were
disadvantaged as a girl child as you only
had primary education. You raised us
well, telling us hard work and credibility
are important attributes in life. You are a
loving and caring mother.”
Princess Golda Tiwalade Abiola in
her tribute said, “Aduks, I fondly called
her, coined from her name Aduke, would
come to help me in the kitchen rather than
cross her legs and watch television. She
told me many stories of her childhood,
taught me deep Yoruba culture and
language as we cooked together in the
kitchen. Mumsy can laugh.... I really
loved that about her. She would laugh and
fall of the chair and continue laughing...
before you know it, everyone around her
are laughing without remembering what
was funny. She related to me as if I was
her biological daughter, not her first son’s
wife.
Continued on Page 8

Page8 TheTrumpet OCTOBER 5 -18 2022
Passages
Tributes flow as Mama Comfort
Sidikat Abiola is buried
Continued from Page 7<
“Aduks, you will be greatly missed.
Those eight years with you in the UK,
and the years after, can never be
forgotten. Mumsy, meeting you is loving
you. Iya rere, rest in perfect peace. Amen
and amen.”
Madam Comfort Sidikat Aduke
Abiola nee Folorunso was given a burial
befitting of a queen at the Ebony Vaults
Ikoyi Lagos.
The grand farewell ceremony to
honour Madam Comfort Abiola started
from the private mortuary of the Lagos
State University Teaching Hospital
(LASUTH) Ikeja, Lagos.
A Cadillac limousine motorcade
carried the body of the deceased in a
glass enclosed white casket, with
professional pallbearers, dressed in
traditional royal ‘sonyan’ outfits
accompanied by professional funeral
orchestra, blaring out both traditional and
gospel music, through the trumpets,
drums, ‘sekere’, cymbals, supported by
beautiful sonorous voices who led the
crowd of dancing procession,
immediately followed by the children,
grandchildren, great grandchildren,
family members and well wishers all the
way to the Ebony Vaults Chapel Ikoyi.
Madam Abiola lived a good and
productive life. She was a virtuous
woman and many described her as a
courageous, hard-working, honest and
successful businesswoman.
She was a role model to many. Iya
Akeem, as she was fondly called, traded
at the popular Oyingbo market for close
to forty years and embarked on a women
empowerment scheme through her
successful business of toys and costume
jewelry by giving many housewives her
goods, on sales or return basis. As a
single mother, Madam Aduke raised her
three children into champions; her
achievements are worthy of emulation.
Madam Sidikat Abiola finally retired
at the Oyingbo market satisfied with the
number of women she had empowered
and mentored.
In 2003, Mama relocated to the
United Kingdom to spend eight years
with her children. In 2011, she returned
to Nigeria for one of her grand daughter’s
wedding. Madam Sidikat Abiola was
happy and fulfilled, helping to raise her
great grandchildren.
Continued on Page 9

Passages
OCTOBER 5 -18 2022
Tributes flow as Mama Comfort
Sidikat Abiola is buried
TheTrumpet
Page9
Continued from Page 8<
Madam Abiola died peacefully in her
sleep on Wednesday 13 th July 2022 at a
ripe old age of 95.
The two day farewell ceremony for
Mama started with a Service of Songs at
the Yoruba Tennis Club Onikan Lagos,
followed by a Reception at the same
venue.
The Lying in State and Interment
Service was at the Ebony Vaults Chapel
and her final resting place was at the
Ebony Vaults private cemetery Ikoyi,
Lagos.
At the two day funeral ceremony, the
three children of the deceased
nonagenarian and their spouses, Prince
Mike Abiola (eldest son) and wife
Princess Golda Abiola, Mrs Folashade
Shode (daughter), Mr Akeem Abiola
(son) and wife Mrs Olayemi Abiola,
grandchildren, great grandchildren,
family members, eminent Nigerians,
media personalities and Nollywood
actors were in attendance.
Pastor Kola Ayeye of Friends of God
Fellowship Lagos supported by other
ministers of God and the church choir
conducted the funeral service at the
chapel of the Ebony Funeral Home,
Ikoyi, Lagos.
Versatile media personality, actor and
broadcaster - Yemi Shodimu hosted the
evening of entertainment at the Yoruba
Tennis Club Onikan, Lagos.

Page10 TheTrumpet OCTOBER 5 -18 2022
Opinion
Independence Day
and Ponmo controversy
BY REUBEN ABATI
It is a sobering indication of the state of
the nation, that as Nigeria prepares to
mark the 62 nd anniversary of its flag
independence on October 1, the dominant
discourse in the land among young
Nigerians, apart from politics, and the
continued closure of universities centres
around such annoying subjects as
something called the Big Brother Naija
reality show and its annual elevation of
unseriousness into a creative endeavour,
and the unarguably silly controversy over
whether a major priority for the Nigerian
government should be the need to ban the
consumption of cow skin, better known
locally among Nigerians as ponmo, kpomo
or kanda. Arguments for and against the
latter have consumed so much attention
and energy in the last week in such an
Nigerian Institute of Leather and Science Technology (NILEST)
insufferable manner that recommends the
whole exercise as a metaphor for the
Nigerian condition.
But let us begin with Nigeria’s
62 nd anniversary. It would be correct to say
that we have never had it so bad. The
independence anniversaries of 2020 and
2021 were observed against the
background of the COVID pandemic and
the international public health crisis which
redefined our lives as citizens and as
human beings. But there was hope that
like all afflictions before it, since the
pestilence of Biblical times, COVID-19
would one day be conquered and the
world will regain its verve. It has not now
disappeared completely, but indeed the
world is alive again. As Nigeria celebrates
its 62 nd Independence anniversary, we can
joyfully look back on how our people
survived the scourge, and can now openly
sit together on Independence Day to
reflect on the nation’s journey over the
decades.
What we should be celebrating this
year is the resilience of the Nigerian
people in the face of afflictions – social,
economic, governance and psychological.
It is therefore appropriate that the Federal
Government has chosen to hold a public
lecture on the theme of “National Unity”
on September 29. The hero of the story of
Nigeria is truly none other than the
common man and woman: the ordinary
Nigerians who, since independence have
been disappointed every step of the way
by their own leaders. In 1960, as the
British Union Jack was lowered, and the
Nigerian green-white-green flag was
hoisted to herald the birth of a new nation,
Nigerians danced. School children
marched to the sound of melodies of hope.
The march was abbreviated, the dancing
stopped; the walls cracked within barely
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six years later. A civil war occurred and for
decades, the military controlled Nigeria,
running a command-and-obey structure
that further divided the country along the
lines of ethnicity, geography and religion.
Every measure that has been taken to
reunite the country by the military and
even their civilian successors has refused
to work. Once upon a time, Nigeria was
Africa’s richest and most beloved country,
it soon became a shadow of its old self. In
2022, 62 years after independence, we
seem sadly to have lost so much.
We once lived in a country where
teachers, scholars, and students came from
everywhere to study and work here. In my
days as a young student, we had teachers
from the UK, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, India,
the United States, the West Indies and
elsewhere who were happy to pursue their
dreams in Nigeria. The country’s
universities were among the best in Africa
and the Commonwealth. The then
University of Ife (now Obafemi Awolowo
University – OAU) was rated as the most
beautiful campus in Africa! The same
university, along with the University of
Ibadan, Ahmadu Bello University (ABU),
University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN) and
the University of Lagos (UNILAG)
boasted of some of the best brains in their
respective fields. Ibadan had one of the
best science and research laboratories in
Africa. The university zoo was a tourist
attraction. The country’s university
teaching hospitals were so good, so wellequipped
that patients came from as far
away as Saudi Arabia to receive treatment
at the University College, Hospital,
(UCH), Ibadan. Today, all that is lost. Our
hospitals, from primary health care centres
to tertiary hospitals have become mere
consulting clinics. All the animals in the
Ibadan Zoo have either died or have been
used to prepare pepper soup. University
teachers have been on strike since
February 14. In the last three years alone,
Nigerian university students have spent
more time at home than in school.
In the 70s and 80s, even the country’s
secondary schools were rated among the
best in Africa. Today, they have become
the target of kidnappers, bandits and
rapists. When many old students visit their
schools these days, they are shocked that a
once beautiful citadel could become so
terrible. A senior friend who visited my
alma mater about a fortnight ago, called
me frantically to tell me that he felt like
weeping, because he knew what the school
Continued on Page 11

Opinion
OCTOBER 5 -18 2022
Independence Day and Ponmo
controversy
TheTrumpet
Page11
Continued from Page 1<
looked like in those days. An old classmate
of mine who was with him, and who has
lived in the US since we left school told
me not to worry. He said there was nothing
anybody could do. “This is not the school
you and I attended, my brother”, he added.
“Where is the government? If Nigerian
leaders are not mad, sick and wicked, they
would never allow this kind of thing to
happen. Even if old students contribute
money and re-build the school, who will
sustain it? What do Nigerian leaders do
with the education budget? In the
States…” My old colleague has lived so
long in the US, he obviously thinks the
same standards can apply here. In those
days, our teachers were proud of their
chosen career. They were glad to help
nurture the future generation. These days,
teachers are so unhappy with their lot – no
salaries, no promotion, no enabling work
environment – they are not in any position
to produce happy and capable students.
The oil boom of the 70s turned the
fortunes of Nigeria around. The country
became so rich, a former military ruler
once boasted that the country did not know
what to do with money. The emergent
nouveaux riche became so wealthy, they
left for Europe every Friday, after close of
work, enjoyed their weekend in the most
exotic haunts of London and Paris, and
took the plane back just in time to be at
work in Nigeria on Monday. There was
Nigeria Airways: having some of the best
trained pilots in the world. Return ticket to
Europe was affordable. Today, Nigeria has
no national airline. Its aviation industry is
almost dead. Only the rich can still afford
to travel abroad, but not with that old
frequency of weekly indulgence. Oil boom
brought a culture of indolence and doom.
The world is witnessing yet another oil
boom today, as a result of the Russia-
Ukraine war, but Nigeria is not benefitting
from that. Its refineries are not working.
Major oil companies cannot function
because of crude oil theft and insecurity.
The country cannot even meet its OPEC
production quota. The country is heavily
indebted. Its debt burden is more than the
budgets of all the 36 States of the country
in one year. Next year, the country may not
even be able to fund any capital project!
For those who like to quote data, the
statistics on the state of the nation are
frightening: inflation: 20.52%, food
inflation: 23.12%, unemployment: 33%,
measured in the reality of staggering
poverty and exponential rise in crime.
From being a country of giants, Nigeria
has become a country of desperate men
and women, in whose hearts the fires of
hope die-aborning. This is why there is a
more strident call for change now more
than ever. There are those Nigerians who
Prof. M. K. Yakubu - Director-General, Nigerian
Institute of Leather and Science Technology
(NILEST)
continue to blame the colonial masters for
all of Nigeria’s woes, and such persons
recently used the occasion of the death of
Queen Elizabeth II to voice out their
grievances. Their argument is that the
British left bad leaders behind and
structured the newly independent Nigeria
to fail, after looting our treasures. The
proponents of this argument ignore the fact
that the British were colonial overlords in
other countries too, where things work and
progress has been made, and that the errors
of our journey can be traced largely to the
post-colonial leaders who simply replaced
British colonialism with indigenous
colonialism and fascism. It is therefore
noteworthy that as Nigeria marks its
62 nd anniversary, many young Nigerians
are insisting that the country’s general
elections in 2023 must provide a great
opportunity for Nigerians to elect a new
set of leaders who can make a difference,
and stop the cycle of failure that seems to
have become our lot. They want the glory
of Nigeria restored. They are on the streets
marching. They are in places of religious
worship calling on God to come and help
Nigeria as the people of Macedonia once
cried out. They ask: why are we so blest,
and yet so cursed? From whence will the
messiah come? Many persons have had to
leave the country to seek hope in other
lands. I was at the airport a few days ago
– quite unusually crowded - given the high
cost of tickets. When I pointed this out to
someone at the counter, I was told that
most of the people boarding the aircraft to
foreign destinations have no plans to
return. The true heroes are the Nigerians
who have refused to give up on this
country and who still believe that Nigeria
will be great again.
President Muhammadu Buhari will, of
course, customarily use his Independence
Day broadcast to reassure Nigerians at
home and abroad that all is not lost. He
will try to inspire the nation. He will tell
us that his administration has laid a better
foundation on all fronts and remains
determined to deliver transparent and
credible elections in 2023. He would most
likely heap the blame for every problem
on saboteurs and enemies of the people,
who will be brought to justice before
February 2023. He would also reassure us
that the work ahead is a collective
responsibility. It would not matter whether
his listeners believe him or not. No
President would use the occasion of the
country’s National Day to accept blame
for any omissions. For President Buhari, it
would be his last Independence Day
Broadcast as President. Expect some selfpraise.
As part of the farewell, the
organizers of the 62 nd Independence
Anniversary have also announced that
there would be a National Honours
ceremony. This should not become a
jamboree or chieftaincy title ceremony
whereby every senior government official
who has served in the last eight years, as
well as traditional rulers, party chieftains
and wives and girlfriends of privileged
persons are the ones on the Honours list.
There would be Ministers, Governors and
political appointees all waiting to be
decorated with medals for work not done.
This year’s Honours List must convey a
message of seriousness. Nigeria’s
62 nd Independence Anniversary must not
become another Big Brother Naija show!
It must not come across like that
distraction that I cited as the “ponmo
controversy” - a classic case of blaming
the victim and missing the point.
For the benefit of those who may not
have followed the story, the
ponmo controversy was triggered about a
week ago when Muhammadu Yakubu, the
Director General of the Nigerian Institute
of Leather and Science Technology
(NILEST) reportedly said his agency was
going to propose to the National
Assembly, a bill to ban the consumption
of cow skin, because its heavy
consumption is precisely the cause of the
downslide in Nigeria’s leather industry.
Cow hides that should be used by
tanneries to produce leather, footwear,
bags have been diverted into the food
chain, and turned into a special delicacy.
Yakubu added that “ponmo” has no
nutritional value. Nothing represents the
lack of seriousness at the highest levels in
Nigeria’s governance and democracy than
this. Not many have heard of NILET or its
DG, and then the first time, anything
would be heard, the DG puts his foot in his
mouth. His declaration is not based on any
data. What is the amount of cow hide that
has been smuggled into the food chain to
threaten the leather industry? And who
told him kpomo has no nutritional value?
And why of all things, a government
agency is talking about ponmo in this
country today?
Mr Yakubu should be reminded
that ponmo, a regular sight at parties,
usually marinated in well-curried pepper,
is a gourmet’s delight particularly when
the ponmo and the pepper touch the palate,
the softer the ponmo the better, and best
when supported with a cold glass of wine,
or beer to wash it down the gut. It is a low
fat, low-calorie food recommended for
persons who want to lose weight.
Dietitians tell us that “a 100kg of boiled,
thick cow skin contains essential amino
acids, micronutrients and collagen -
224.65k calories of energy, 680g of
carbohydrate, about 43.9g of water, 46.9 g
of protein, 1.09 g of fat, 0.02 g of fibre,
iron – 4.3 mg, magnesium -12 mg, zinc-
6.79 mg and calcium -6.1 mg.” Food
inflation has taken ordinary sources of
meat beyond the reach of the ordinary
Nigerian: fish, meat and other sources of
protein have become so
expensive. Ponmo is not so cheap either,
but it is the only kind of meat that is still
within the reach of the common man, their
only hope of chewing something during a
meal. Yakubu, DG NILET says there
should be legislation to ban its
consumption and further punish the poor
and rob people of jobs. Yakubu is not
recommending bills to initiate policies that
will make foreign exchange available for
the tanneries, access to necessary raw
materials, development of the livestock
sector to increase supply of cow hide,
training and research in the industry… no,
he is blaming the victims.
He forgets that this country once had a
thriving leather industry: Bata, Lennards,
and flourishing tanneries in Kano,
Kaduna…but even that failed because of
this obsession with unserious matters by
Nigerian leaders. The leather industry will
not be revived by banning the
consumption of kpomo. Wale Ojo-Lanre
has dismissed Yakubu’s suggestion as a
case of “shallow thinking, empty and
gross laziness.” I agree. It is in addition,
provocative. It could trigger a spontaneous
million-man march in every State of the
Federation, and evoke such anger similar
to that of an old attempt to ban the sale and
consumption of stockfish in Nigeria.
Nigerians deserve better leadership in
2023, a new cadre of governors at all
levels who will focus on what is right, and
learn to think straight.

Page12 TheTrumpet OCTOBER 5 -18 2022
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OCTOBER 5 -18 2022
TheTrumpet
Page13
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Meet the founders
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Watch Black Futures on Barclays UK YouTube

Page14 TheTrumpet OCTOBER 5 -18 2022

OCTOBER 5 -18 2022
TheTrumpet
Page15
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To apply, please email: info@the-trumpet.com

Page16 TheTrumpet OCTOBER 5 -18 2022
News
Three jailed for murder of
fellow gang-member
Three men have been jailed for
an incident where their
associate was shot and killed
during a confrontation with a rival
gang.
While none of Adel Yussuf, Issa
Seed and Daniel Mensah fired the
fatal shots that killed 27-year-old Billy
McCullagh, they were found guilty of
murder in August after it was proven
in court that they joined McCullagh in
a gunfight intending to visit serious
violence on the opposition.
At the Central Criminal Court, also
known as the Old Bailey, they were
each jailed for a minimum of 29
years.
25-year-old Adel Yussuf was found
guilty of murder, conspiracy to
commit grievous bodily harm [GBH]
and possession of a firearm with intent
to endanger life.
25-year-old Issa Seed was found
guilty of murder, conspiracy to
commit grievous bodily harm [GBH]
and possession of a firearm with intent
to endanger life.
30-year-old Daniel Mensah was
found guilty of murder, conspiracy to
commit grievous bodily harm [GBH]
and possession of a firearm with intent
to endanger life.
Detective Inspector Tom Williams
from the Met’s Specialist Crime
Command led the investigation and
said: “This has been an extremely
complex and distinctly unique
investigation. At the centre of it is
Billy McCullagh who was fatally
wounded after being shot and left to
die in the street by both his so-called
friends and those who fired the shots.
“I am not here to judge his
motivation for driving with Yussuf,
Seed and Mensah into a rival gang
area with the intention of engaging in
violence – the sad fact is that a man
has lost his life in horrific
circumstances.
“However, it does serve as a stark
reminder of the futility of those who
engage in violence; the consequences
can be devastating and the outcome of
your actions often down to sheer
chance. Billy McCullagh’s family has
been left to deal with the devastating
aftermath of his murder, knowing that
his decision to go on a ride-out led to
Co-gangster - Adel Yussuf
Gang associate - George Orji
his own death.”
The court heard that on the evening
of 15 July 2020, McCullagh, Yussuf,
Seed and Mensah had gathered at a
party in the St Raphael’s Estate in
Brent. In the early hours of 16 July
2020, the four set out in a stolen Land
Rover car with the intention of
travelling to the nearby Stonebridge
Estate and attacking members of a
rival gang. They were in possession of
at least two firearms.
At around 03:00hrs, the occupants
of the car located a large group of
people who were gathered in the street
around Windrush Road, NW10.
Almost immediately, numerous
firearms were discharged from both
sides. In the chaos that ensued,
McCullagh – who had got out of the
car - was shot twice; Seed was also
shot in the leg. The car left at speed
leaving McCullagh to die in the street.
The three remaining members of
the group drove back to St Raphael’s
Estate where they immediately began
attempts to cover their tracks. Another
Co-gangster - Daniel Mensah
Gang associate - Leeban Farah
associate, Leeban Farah, was enlisted
to take Seed to hospital so his leg
injury could be treated; from there he
travelled with another male to buy
petrol and then returned where the
stolen Land Rover had been
abandoned in another area on the
estate.
The car was set on fire in an
attempt to destroy any evidence.
However, police had been called to the
area as a result of the fire and Farah
was apprehended by officers as he
tried to flee the scene. A subsequent
forensic analysis of the burnt out car
revealed four bullet holes in the
chassis. While the car was being
torched, Daniel Mensah contacted
George Orji who took possession of
one of the firearms used.
When officers attended an address
that Orji was seen entering, they found
two handguns, a silencer and a
paintball gun, with some items in a
Tesco bag. An analysis of the firearms
found that two of the cartridges
Co-gangster Issa Seed
recovered at the scene of McCullagh’s
murder had been fired from the
weapons; however – none of the
injuries sustained by him matched
bullets from these guns.
Phone analysis from Seed, Mensah
and Yussuf showed they and Billy
McCullagh, were in the same venue
and the four were in continual contact
in the hours leading up to the ride-out
to the Stonebridge Estate.
26-year-old Leeban Farah was
found guilty of perverting the course
of justice.
31-year-old George Orji was found
guilty of possession of an imitation
firearm with intent. He had previously
pleaded guilty to possession of a
firearm.
A 30-year-old woman charged with
possession of a prohibited firearm was
found not guilty.
DI Williams added: “While these
sentencings bring this aspect of the
investigation to a close, it still leaves a
significant part open. We have not
identified the person or persons
responsible for firing the shots that
killed Billy McCullagh; we will
continue to pursue lines of enquiry
and will work tirelessly to find those
responsible. I would appeal to anyone
who can provide information to get in
contact with officers; if you do not feel
confident speaking to police then you
can contact the independent charity
CrimeStoppers. They do not ask for
your identify and will not attempt to
trace your call or email.” You can
contact CrimeStoppers anonymously
via 0800 555 111 or at
crimestoppers.org
TheTrumpet is published in London fortnightly by Trumpet
Field: 07956 385 604 E-mail: info@the-trumpet.com (ISSN: 1477-3392)